The day dawned bright and sunny over the glittering snow, almost as if nature itself was celebrating Korra's sixth birthday.
Lin and Tenzin rose early to prepare for the surprise party that they were throwing Korra. The small family had moved to Air Temple Island a couple weeks beforehand. While they had enjoyed their time at Toph's house, they realized that it was time to move back to their own home. The monks had willingly handled most of the work, so all the family needed to do was be there.
Tenzin changed into a new pair of monk's robes and shaved his head while Lin changed into a white-and-green colored hanbok and stepped into some matching embroidered flats. Her lover tried in vain to style her hair, and ended up resorting to a simple four-strand braid, which she guided his hands into securing with pins.
"My, don't you two look dashing," commented Katara from the doorway. She was wearing a new kimono-style dress that was common of Water Tribe women.
"You look lovely yourself, Mother. Do you know where the birthday girl is, by any chance?"
"I'm here, I'm here!" giggled a certain Water Tribe girl as she tumbled into the room.
Korra was wearing a periwinkle kimono tunic-dress with navy pants underneath. An intricately sewn landscape of the South Pole dominated the bottom of the tunic and the removable sleeves. Her hair had been braided back, with small hair loopies attaching to the start of her braid in the back. Tenzin picked Korra up and 'flew' her through the air, revealing simple periwinkle flats embroidered with the Water Tribe symbol.
"Happy birthday sweetheart," Tenzin said, giving her a kiss. "I love you."
"Love you too Daddy!"
"My pretty water lily, happy birthday!" Lin said, tickling her daughter until she shrieked with laughter. "Now why don't you go downstairs and get some food?"
Smiling, the girl bounced down the stairs with her parents trailing closely behind, trying in vain to hide the smiles on their faces. When Korra got to the end of the stairs, everyone yelled "Surprise!"
The room had been done up with festive garlands and streamers. Korra shrieked in glee, then ran off to play with her friends on the rather large pile of gifts that had accumulated due to her doting aunts and uncles. The adults were having a good time as well, sitting on the couches and catching up. When Zahira saw Lin, she motioned her over.
"Any news?" Lin said upon sitting down.
"She may be in Republic City as we speak. Captain Hong's trying to track her movements. Niang and Sovan are with me so we can keep an eye on them. Not that they mind anyway," Zahira said, gesturing to where the sister and brother were playing with the other children.
"Does she hate benders?"
"Only one, so I wouldn't worry...as much."
Korra, in the meantime, was playing hide-and-seek with her playmates. Niang watched as the children squirmed into hiding places inside the rather large pile of gifts. Bumi, who was supposed to be watching as well, was letting the kids climb all over him. Eventually he resorted to tickling everyone within his arm's reach.
"I swear, my husband is worse than the kids sometimes."
Niang's head snapped around to find Zahira sitting next to her, the setting sun highlighting the amber flecks in her hazel eyes.
"Somehow I don't think you mind."
"Eh, can't say that I do," the sergeant major said. "You seem happy."
"I am. My little brother's happy, and he's making friends. He and Iroh seem to be getting along swimmingly."
A comfortable silence lapsed between the two. Zahira chose to break it.
"There's something more, isn't there? Something else that's making you happy."
Niang hesitated, looking away.
"Well...yeah, there is. For the first time in a long time, I have a semblance of a family in you and Bumi and the kids. My brother and I have been on our own for so long, I've almost forgotten what it's like to have someone who worries about you if you don't come home on time or makes you your favorite meal when you're sad or makes sure you don't leave the house without a jacket. Sovan, on the other hand, has never really known. He was only three when it all happened-I doubt he remembers anything from before."
Zahira's eyes softened, and she pulled the teenager into a hug. Niang stiffened at first, but soon relaxed.
"You can stay with me and Bumi for as long as you like, you know," said Zahira. "But you don't have to if you don't want to. We understand if you want to go back to Wushu's dorms."
Niang pulled away. "You don't have to do this. Sovan and I can function fine on our own."
"I know you can. The fact that you two are living testifies to that. But you said it yourself, that you would only function. What if you would like to do more than that? Just a thought," Zahira said, leaving to watch the lighting of the birthday cake.
"Wait!" Niang called out, catching up to Zahira. "I do. I want to stay."
Kya had forgotten how well the Air Acolytes pulled off a party.
They were her favorite part of her childhood, partially because it was the only time she ever saw her parents relax. Her father was always so preoccupied with carrying on the legacy of the Air Nation, and her mother with her healing duties; the parties were a chance to see her parents as their truest, happiest selves. She had been to her fair share of parties across the nations (a lovely bonus of being a master healer without a permanent office), but they weren't quite the same as the Air Acolyte parties of her childhood. The food, the music, the dancing—nothing could compare to seeing her family enjoying themselves.
As always, she and Bumi were the first to take to the dance floor. With her elegant, fluid movements, it was easy to see how she had been at the top of her dance classes. At one point in her travels she had stayed in Zaofu as a principal dancer in Suyin's dance troupe, though that time had long passed.
Her daughter was the first to join the siblings, and soon more followed. Noticing Lin leading Tenzin onto the dance floor, she skirted to the side to observe her brother's surprisingly decent dance moves. When the timing was right she twirled her way over to the couple.
"Wow, looks like all those dance lessons finally paid off," she snarked.
"I am a very good dancer naturally I will let you know," Tenzin replied, Lin and Kya giggling as his bald head reddened.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night. Anyways, can Bumi and I speak to you two in the courtyard?"
The couple nodded. In minutes the trio was outside, their breath coming out in wisps reminiscent of a dragon's breath.
"I must love you a lot, little brother, if I dropped everything to visit the Southern Water Tribe solely to find a polar bear dog puppy."
"Were you successful?"
"See for yourself."
Bumi appeared from the shadows holding a rope. At the other end was a polar bear puppy, wagging its tail as if it were a docile poodlepony.
"I can't believe it," Lin breathed. "I honestly thought Korra was talking about an imaginary friend."
"When Kya asked me to join her on this undercover mission, I have to admit I was intrigued," Bumi said. "It reminds me of the time when I had to save Uncle Zuko's dragon from smugglers with nothing but my shoelaces, my dagger, and three pieces of paper. Anyways, I conducted a stakeout starting in the deep of night in the frigid tundra where—"
"Where it ended three minutes later because this puppy was curled outside Korra's house waiting for her to come home," Kya finished.
Lin and Tenzin looked at each other.
"Well, Korra does need an animal guide," Lin said. Tenzin groaned. "What was the condition of the village?"
Kya and Bumi hesitated. "Fishy," Bumi said.
"We'll talk about it after the party," Kya said, shooting her brother a withering look. "In the meantime, who's ready to make Korra the happiest little girl in the world?"
Joining hands, the crew walked back to the party, eagerly anticipating the reunion between a little girl and her treasured pet.