"Welcome to Air Temple Island," a shorter woman toting an infant in her arms greeted warmly, with two other children peeking out from behind her, nearly bouncing with excitement. It took but a moment to reach them, as Setsu led Miyuki and Haruka up the dock to meet them.

"Is this the new airbender? She's a kid! We haven't gotten any kids yet! Do you wanna play with me? I can teach you how to make an air scooter and we can race around the island! Ooh, or maybe we can-" the younger girl said, ducking out from behind her mother and approaching Haruka. She took the girl's hand and shook it vigorously. Haruka stood there, mouth agape, unsure of how to respond to the ball of energy before her. Luckily, the girl's mother put her stream of questions to rest.

"Now, now, Ikki, don't overwhelm the girl," she chided, placing her free hand on the girl's shoulder. "There'll be plenty of time for all that later. I'm sure she'd like to get settled in first."

Ikki pouted and slumped with resignation. "Fine."

"We're glad to see another airbender here," the older silver-haired woman said, her hands on her hips. She extended one to Setsu, who shook it firmly and curtly, then to Miyuki, who was far gentler.

"My husband tells me that he met with you a few weeks ago back on Kyoshi Island, and that you've got a clever little airbender on your hands here," the shorter woman said, shifting the baby in her arms slightly when he fussed.

Setsu nodded, and Miyuki took a step towards the woman. "You must be Pema then," she suggested, and the woman nodded with a smile.

Pema glanced at the woman to her right, "Yes, and this is Tenzin's sister, Kya." Kya opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by the children flitting around in front of her.

"My name's Ikki!" the young girl bounced and waved frantically at the new family. Her brother shoved her out of the way and stepped closer to Haruka. "Hey!"

"The name's Meelo. I'm the man of the family right now!" He puffed out his chest, and Haruka gave him a once over, not impressed by his display. The older women laughed at the exchange, amused by the innocent rejection.

"And this is our youngest, Rohan," Pema added, tickling under her son's chin. He cooed and Pema smiled warmly at her little boy.

"Uh, yes," Setsu cleared her throat, and looked around at all the expectant faces. "I am Setsu, this is my wife Miyuki, and our daughter Haruka," she paused when Miyuki stepped closer and held her arm. "While it's been a pleasure to meet you all, I'm afraid Miyuki and I should probably be leaving shortly."

Miyuki noticed her wife's tense attitude, and from her muttering on the ferry ride to the island, she knew Setsu was anxious to get a head start on the long journey home. Even if it meant leaving Haruka alone, which they both hated to do, travel was tiring and it would be best if they left. Miyuki glanced down at Haruka, who was holding her stuffed turtleduck tight to her chest and looking around what she could see of the island cautiously. She was hoping Haruka wouldn't cry when they left, because Miyuki couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't also cry if that was the case.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay the night? Or at least stay for supper?" Pema asked. She motioned towards the temple behind her, but Setsu shook her head, and raised her hand to cut off the invitation as she spoke.

"We appreciate the hospitality, but it's a long trip back to Kyoshi. It would be best if we go." She said, to which Miyuki nodded in agreement.

"If you insist," Pema shrugged, and Haruka's mothers separated so that they could kneel down to look her in the face. Setsu reached forward and placed her hand under Haruka's chin, directing her attention to them.

"Haruka, dear, Mama and I have to go home now," she said, and Haruka frowned at her, but nodded.

"I know, Mommy, and I have to stay here because I'm an airbender," Haruka replied, looking sadly between her mothers. The expression she wore broke their hearts.

"That's right, dear, but that doesn't mean we won't miss you and think of you every day. And we love you." Miyuki continued, pulling Haruka in for a hug. She leaned back and blew a raspberry into her little neck, which made Haruka giggle. She heard Setsu take a deep breath beside her, and then she felt her wife's strong arms wrap around the two of them. Setsu must really be hurting to leave Haruka, because it was rare that she would express so much of her feelings in front of others. She foresaw the strong warrior breaking down somehow on the way home. Setsu may put on a tough face but there's nothing she cares about more than her family.

"You be good for these nice people, and do your best learning your bending," Setsu said, her voice thick with sadness. Pulling away from Miyuki and Haruka, she stood, and straightened out her outfit. Extending a hand to Miyuki, Setsu helped her up, then kept ahold of it.

"Your kid'll be in the best of hands here, don't you worry," Kya said, shooting the pair a wink. They exchanged a curious look, then glanced down at Haruka once more.

"Goodbye for now, Haruka," Setsu said. She smiled at her daughter reluctantly. Miyuki took ahold of her arm again and squeezed it tightly as she waved goodbye to Haruka with the other. Haruka waved back, but her gaze fell to the ground as her mothers began to walk back down the dock and return to the ferry. As she heard the engine start and the ferry pull away, she still couldn't bring herself to watch them leave, so she chose to turn around and face her new family instead.

"Ikki, why don't you and I take Haruka on down to the girls' rooms and get her settled in?" Kya asked, and Ikki responded with an excited nod of agreement. She approached Haruka and wrapped her arm through hers.

"Come on Haruka, let's go, let's go!" she cried, giving Haruka a pull in the direction of the nearest building, with Kya picking up her belongings and following after with a chuckle. Pema laughed too, and watched the trio disappear around the corner.

"Why can't I go help? I am the man of the temple!" Meelo demanded, to which his mother responded by rubbing his head lightly.

"Why don't you come help me make a nice supper for her instead, to welcome her to the island?" Pema suggested, trying to appease her young son. He pouted and sunk with defeat, but followed her in the opposite direction towards the kitchen regardless.

In the meanwhile, Ikki had dragged a startled Haruka through a few different halls, and had stopped outside of one of the closed doors in the wall. Haruka glanced in the direction they had come from, to see Kya trailing behind at her own pace with her things.

"Aunt Kya, hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!" Ikki called, making Kya shake her head, but with a small chuckle to herself. As she approached, Ikki slinked her arm out from Haruka's and flung the door to the side, then grabbed her hand and pulled her inside so quickly she almost dropped her turtleduck.

"This is my room?" Haruka asked quietly, looking around slowly, taking it all in. Even if it seemed kind of simplistic, it was much larger than her old bedroom, in their tiny house back on Kyoshi. She took a few steps towards the bed, and pushed herself upon it with a small gust of wind. She settled into a seated position with her legs crossed, and placed her turtleduck down beside her. Ikki glanced back at Kya, then mimicked what Haruka did and joined her on the bed, taking care not to sit on top of the turtleduck.

"Yup, this is your room! Do you like it? Did you know that this used to be Aunt Kya's room at one point? If it smells funny, like flowers or perfume or something, that's why. What's your turtleduck's name? Does he have a name? He's cute!" Ikki bewildered Haruka with another stream of questions. She took a moment to process all the inquiries, and then took a big breath to get it all answered in the same breath, like the manner in which she had been asked.

"Yes, no, it smells fine, her name is Kiku, and thank you," she replied, finishing the sentence with a small nod. Noticing her coming towards them, she glanced up at Kya, who had laid her bag down across the room and joined them on the bed as well.

"Oh, Ikki…" she shook her head and chuckled. She placed her hand on Haruka's shoulder and gave it a little pat. "Don't mind Ikki, or Meelo for that matter – they're just excited to meet new airbenders. You'll fit in here just fine, and before you know it this will feel like your home too."

Haruka's gaze fell to her lap for a moment, letting Kya's words sink in. She didn't want a new home. Sure, these people all seemed nice enough, but they weren't her friends, or her family, and this wasn't her home. Not yet at least, but at the moment she wasn't so confident it ever would be.

Kya watched her for a response, and she had a feeling she knew what Haruka was thinking. She stood up from the bed and straightened out her dress before she bent down to Haruka's eye level.

"Look, maybe it won't feel like home. Trust me, I know the feeling, but that's the great thing about airbenders – they're nomads. They don't tie themselves down to one place, which means you won't be here forever, if you don't want to be," she said, ruffling her hand through Haruka's hair before standing and heading for the door. "But if you want to be, know that you'll have a home here. Anyways," she paused and smiled, "I'll see you girls at supper, but in the meantime, Ikki, make sure she has everything she needs, and maybe give her a little tour of the island if she feels up to it."

Ikki saluted her, shaking the bed slightly. She was ready to accept new friends into her home, and she saw the opportunity for a great new friend in this quiet girl. She only had to warm up to her some more and they'd be really good pals – she just knew it. Plus, it'd be nice to have a girl around here that was around her age and not Jinora. Her sister was such a pain sometimes.

"Sure thing, Aunt Kya!" Ikki called out after her aunt as she left the room. She leapt off the bed, and ran over to the dresser where a pile of orange and yellow fabric was sitting. Without hesitation, she grabbed it and tossed it on the bed next to Haruka.

"What's this?" Haruka said, carefully picking up the clump of fabric and unfolding it. Ikki rested her hands on her hips and laughed.

"That's your airbender clothes, silly! See, like I'm wearing!" She pointed at her own outfit, and topped it off by spinning around in a circle a few times to show it all off. In her efforts, she had blown more wind at Haruka, knocking the clothes out of her hands and against her face. Haruka began to giggle as she pulled it off and flattened it out on her lap.

"Thanks, Ikki," she said, smiling at the girl. Ikki gave her a thumbs up, considering the smile a marker of success. "If you don't mind, I'd like a chance to get comfy here. Maybe change into these."

Ikki nodded, and turned for the door. "No problem, Haruka. Do you want me to show you around after? I can show you around the island. I don't mind at all!" She replied, looking back over her shoulder. Haruka smiled.

"Maybe after supper?" She replied, waving good bye to Ikki as she left. Ikki nodded, and waved back as she slid the door closed. Haruka waited a few seconds to make sure she was alone, and let out a heavy sigh as she fell back on the bed. Staring absentmindedly at the wooden ceiling, she let her mind begin to wander.

She was so far away from her home. It was fun travelling here, and she knew that some good things would come out of this whole thing, but she still couldn't deny that she was weeks away in travel from her mothers. She wanted them with her, like they always were. Haruka didn't mind being an airbender, or having to train for it, but she wanted to be able to come home at the end of the day and get a hug from her Mama, and then show off her airbending to her Mommy.

She had to be strong though. Her Mommy was a strong warrior, and she always wanted to be just like her, so she had to be strong too. Haruka had watched her Mommy the whole time they travelled to Air Temple Island – she was sad on the inside, she knew that, but she put on a tough face just like she does with her makeup every day. She loved her Mama for being full of love and always so nice all the time – even when she did something wrong, Mama never raised her voice, never got mad at her – but to get through being so far away from home, Haruka knew she would have to be more like her Mommy right now.

Haruka lied on the bed for a while, just thinking about how much had changed for her in the past few weeks. She was a bender now, and that seemed like so much fun! She couldn't wait to start learning how to use airbending like a real airbender, so much so that she hauled herself up off the bed and started trying to blow some wind around the room. She didn't know any of the proper forms yet, so she tried to use some of the stances her Mommy had taught her instead. It kind of worked, but not that well – they were, after all, designed for non-bending fighting, not for airbending. After a while, she just gave up, knowing she wasn't getting anywhere, and not wanting to be too tuckered out before suppertime.

Seeing the clothing sitting in a mess on her bed, she decided to finally change into it, if only so she wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb among the airbenders and acolytes. After getting dressed, she walked over to the door to her room, carefully sliding it open. She was afraid that if it kept being open in the manner Ikki had employed earlier, it wouldn't last too long.

From her door, Haruka could see the sun starting to go down – not quite sunset, but on its way – and it was making for a really pretty picture on the water just down the way. She smiled to herself – she could get used to waking up to this view every day. Nakamura was in the middle of Kyoshi Island, so she had barely ever seen the sea before. There was a river down by her school, but nothing like this. As a matter of fact, she realized, she would probably see a lot of places she had never seen before, if what Kya had said was true. It was an exciting idea, getting to travel the world.

Not quite ready to go be around the others again yet, Haruka decided that she would take a little walk. She roamed the halls of the temple, not wanting to stray too far, in case she was to get lost. This place seemed so big, despite the island looking fairly small from the boat that morning. Maybe she'd need Ikki to show her around after all.

Before long, the scent of something delicious drew her nose towards the dining hall, and she almost ran into an acolyte who was leaving it. They apologized and swiftly made their way past, and Haruka peeked into the dining hall hesitantly. Ikki noticed her and waved her in, causing everyone around her to look up as well.

Pema smiled. "Oh, we were just about to send someone to go find you," she began, as Haruka approached the table. Ikki patted the spot between her and Meelo, and she sat down gently between them.

"This smells really good, Pema," Haruka said, giving the plate in front of her a look over. She picked up the appropriate pair of chopsticks and took a sniff. It smelled even better than from the hall.

"Thank you, sweetie, I hope you like it," Pema replied, and turned to continue to feed Rohan.

Haruka watched her for a moment, then began to eat her food. It was fairly different than what she was used to, but it was really tasty, to the point that she could see herself getting used to it. It didn't take too long to finish it all, but by the time she had, Kya had already excused herself, and Ikki and Meelo were chasing each other around the room on air scooters. Wow, Haruka thought, would it ever be neat to learn how to do that kind of trick. She'd have to get them to show her how.

"Ikki! Meelo! No air scooters in the dining room!" Pema chided. She shook her head as Haruka laughed, watching them come to an abrupt stop, with Meelo crashing into Ikki from behind and bringing them both to the floor. She stood up from the table and walked over to offer them a hand up. Ikki took it and she pulled her up, while Meelo leaped up on his own.

"Gee thanks!" Ikki said, beaming a bright smile at Haruka. She glanced at the floor, feeling her face flush with a tinge of warmth, then turned to face Pema.

"Thank you for the great supper, Pema, I really liked it," she said, bowing to the woman politely. Pema waved it off.

"My pleasure, I insist. Ikki, why don't you take Haruka out around the temple now? I know you wanted to show her around," she replied, gesturing outside the dining hall and into the courtyard. Ikki bounced in her place and nodded vigorously. Grabbing Haruka's hand, she dragged her away on foot, although she was dying to fly off on an air scooter like she normally did.

"Hey! I wanna go too! I can show you all the best hiding spots!" Meelo cried, clambering off after the pair, and causing his mother to laugh at his antics.

It wasn't until it started to get dark that the airbending kids gave Haruka a moments rest. The sister and brother dragged her around to all of the meditation places, showed her where everyone slept, introduced her to the bison, and tried to show her how to make her very own air scooter. She insisted that she should learn something more basic first, but they persisted – and subsequently apologized when Haruka ended up landing face first in the grass in her attempts.

Eventually, Pema called out to them from the temple, beckoning them in to head to bed for the night. Meelo dashed off to the boys wing of bedrooms, and Haruka followed Ikki down to her own room again.

"Goodnight, Haruka! I'll come wake you up tomorrow bright and early for meditation, because it will be early, and I don't want you to miss your first airbender meditation! It's not a lot of fun but it's still part of being an airbender and you should go… but anyways, I'll see you in the morning!" Ikki said, as the two approached Haruka's room, and Haruka slid the door open. She waved at Haruka and began to walk away, headed for her own room.

"Goodnight, Ikki. Thanks," Haruka replied, mostly to herself, as Ikki was long gone and in her own room. She walked in the room and closed the door, and proceeded to put on her pajamas. With a huff, Haruka settled herself into her bed, and returned to taking in every detail of the ceiling as she tried to sleep.

It was about the time that, normally, her Mama would come in and give her a kiss on the forehead, maybe Mommy would tell her a story – the stories about Avatar Kyoshi were always her favourite – and she'd drift off to sleep with ease. Tonight, however? No Mommy, no Mama, they were on their way back to Kyoshi Island, while she was lying there alone. Haruka grabbed her stuffed turtleduck, and hugged Kiku tight. At least she had something from home.

Haruka didn't even realize that she was crying until she heard the knock on her door. Sitting up at the sound of it, she could see the shadow of feet at the bottom of the door, and wondered who it could possibly be at that hour.

"Haruka? Can I come in?" It was Pema. Haruka didn't answer, not sure if she wanted the company right now if it wasn't her mothers, but after a moment, Pema slid the door open and slowly came into the room and approached her anyways. When she noticed the tears running down Haruka's cheeks and staining her pillow, Pema gasped and ran over to her on the bed.

"Oh, Haruka, have you been crying? What's wrong?" Pema said, sitting down beside her feet as she pulled her knees to her chest. She reached over and pulled Haruka in for a hug.

"I miss Mama and Mommy," Haruka sniffed, as she reached up to wipe the tears from her face. She leaned into Pema's embrace, but continued to stare at Kiku in her arms.

"I know, sweetie, it's hard to be away from your family. I cried some my first night here too, when I first came to be an acolyte," Pema said softly, as she started to smooth down Haruka's hair in an attempt to sooth her. "I was far away from home, scared and lonely, which is how I imagine you feel right now, hm?"

Haruka looked up at her with a sniffle. She nodded slowly and bit her lip gently as it started to tremble.

"Although, just as I was back then, you aren't alone here. You might not be with your moms, but here you have me, Kya, Ikki, Meelo, Rohan," her eyebrows furrowed in deepening thought, as she began to number the people off on her fingers, "um… ah yes! The acolytes, and soon enough, Tenzin, and Korra, and all the other new airbenders. We're going to be one big family here soon, and you'll be part of it before you know it." Pema reached over and cupped Haruka's cheek, wiping just under her eye with her thumb to catch the tears.

Haruka thought about all the people Pema mentioned, and was a little overwhelmed by the thought of always being around so many people at once. Sure, there were more people than that in her town, but they didn't all live in her house. She frowned, realizing that this was going to be a lot to get used to.

Pema smiled knowingly, and let Haruka go as she stood up off of the bed. "I know I'm not your mom, but I want you to know that you can come to me for anything, and I'll always be here for you just like your moms would," she said, bending down and lightly kissing Haruka's forehead.

"Thanks," Haruka whispered, staring up at Pema wistfully.

"Good. Now, try to get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

Haruka nodded and watched as Pema walked out of her room and slid the door shut behind her. She sighed and flopped back down against the bed. While she did feel a bit better now after speaking to Pema, and spending time with Ikki and Meelo, and even Kya – it would take more than one day to get used to this place. She could only hope that diving headfirst into her airbending would help distract her from being so sad and missing everyone so much – and hopefully, just hopefully, she would find a family here, like Pema said.