Sorry, I wrote another oneshot without writing a chapter first! GOMEN GOMEN GOMEN-NASAI!!! But I had to finish that before this saturday, so I skipped. Sorry!! This is really short, and I don't like it quality-wise or dialoug-wise. But it is important so I had to write it. I rewrote it several times and this was the best I got it. This is an important part of the story. I planned this chapter...hm...about chapter 5. I did add one part spontaneously, but I'm glad. It's starting to pull everything together and helping me plan more chapters. Well...please review!!


Ty Lee stared at the scrolls, puzzled. She had been self-training herself from them for a few weeks now during her free period while the others were at their combat classes. She had never thought it would be this complex though. Not only were the sketches sloppy, but the writing wasn't exactly legible either. She wondered if Ling had penned it herself. If she had, she had no right to mock Ty Lee's as she had.

She started each session with stretches, finding herself growing more flexible everyday. She also practiced stances and memorized all of the positions of the pressure points. But when it came to the actual punches she faltered. Even hitting an imaginary foe was difficult. Her arm felt like it went limp and it dangled as she pushed it forward. Definitely not what was supposed to happen.

Azula told her this was because she was weak. Mai said it was because she was kind. Ty Lee figured it was a mixture of both.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to translate the scribbles on the scroll. She knew enough to be able to read most sentences now, but some of the words that were used were a bit obscure. It was probably because they were mostly body parts.

Enough reading. She rolled up the scroll and placed it in her bag. It was time to practice hitting again. She set her legs in the right position and felt her weight even out. Her fingers curled into her hand correctly and she stood their, waiting. Who was she going to fight today?

An Earth Kingdom soldier seemed good. She had heard rumors that the rebellion was trying to invade the Fire Nation. Seemed unlikely, since most of the land was already under Fire Nation control. Couldn't be too unprepared, though.

She closed her eyes and imagined the outline of an Earth Kingdom soldier. Tall. Bulky. Clad in green with one of those funny hats on his head. He was in a stance similar to hers, prepared to hit her with a rock or something like that. Alright. She breathed in, and hit forward.

It wasn't the best that she had done, but it was better than usual. She opened her eyes and smiled. It was an improvement. Improvements were good.

She was about to punch again when there was a knock on the door. She turned, wondering who would be here at this time of day. Almost everyone she knew had some sort of combat class now. Ty Lee opened the door. It was Asuka. She looked a bit worried.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you busy?" She asked.

"No, not really."

"That's good. Uh…" She fumbled with her glasses as she usually did, "You have visitors. Protocol demands that I should ask for permission before sending them to your room." Visitors? Could this mean…?

"Who? Who is it!?" She asked excitedly, almost pouncing on the Iincho.

"A young lady, a little boy, and a man." Asuka informed, stepping back a bit. Young lady meant Miyako. A little boy meant her son, Ty Lee's nephew. And a man…could she have meant Kei? Ty Lee didn't consider Kei to be a man quite yet. "Should I send them in?"

"Yes!" Ty Lee ha been waiting for a visit for a long time, "…wait, Asuka, don't go get them yet."

"Uh…why?" She fumbled even more with her glasses.

"You have something else you want to tell me too, right?" Ty Lee asked. She had noticed the girl had been acting way too nervous to just be asking for permission. Asuka bit her lip.

"…yes. Real fast though. I…I know you have an…idea about Lien…" She said the girl's name in a whisper. Ty Lee's heart accelerated, "I think we can trust you…but…I…can't talk about it here. There is going to be a committee for preparation for the Fire Days Festival. I'll put you on the list. Knowing how unpopular committees are, you, me, and Lien will most likely be the only people on it. The first meet is in a week. We'll talk more then." Asuka's eyes narrowed and she looked around, as if waiting for an answer.

"O-Okay. That sounds like…fun." Ty Lee smiled. Asuka nodded and left the room.

What was that about? Well, it didn't really matter. She was going to find out about Lien…even if it took a week of waiting to do so. The way Asuka acted was odd. Whatever was happening must have been really serious. And they trusted her! Or at least, Asuka did. She doubted Lien would ever trust her.

Ty Lee sat on her bed and stared at the open doorway, waiting. The excitement washed back in again. Miyako was coming! She was going to visit her. And her baby was born! She wondered how big he was. It was a boy! Miyako had wanted a girl. But Ty Lee was sure she loved him all the same.

Footsteps in the hallway. They were almost there! She held her breath.

And there was Miyako. She was in a silky pink dress splattered with red dragons. In her arms was a bundle of cloth. When she saw Ty Lee her eyes brightened.

"Ty Lee!" She smiled. Ty Lee ran forward and wrapped her arms around her, careful to avoid the baby, "Oh, I've missed you so much." She kissed her lightly on the forehead.

"Not nearly as much as I've missed you."

"I'm sure your right." She bent over and folded back a blanket to reveal the baby. He was small, with tufts of black hair on his wrinkled head. His eyes were open and he stared intently, "This is your nephew, Akira. Akira, meet your aunt, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee watched as the little boy squirmed, his eyes locked on hers. Then he smiled a big, toothless smile. He was so cute!

"When was he born?" She asked.

"Two months ago. And he's been very healthy. He was a very small boy, though. Gave your mother a scare, you did." She tickled his chin. Ty Lee laughed. It figured a nurse would know all about his health.

Someone else stepped into the room and Ty Lee looked up. She tried not to let the shock show on her face. Standing behind Miyako was not Kei but…Tay, their house-servant. Miyako saw the exchange and motioned for them to sit down.

"Miyako…where is Ke-" Ty Lee tried to ask when she sat on her bed, but Miyako shushed her.

"Lets…lets not talk about that now. Tell me about school. Is it fun?" Ty Lee began a thorough explanation about school and her classes and friends. She made sure not to mention Lien's mysteriousness in depth, though. Asuka trusted her, after all. Miyako and Tay listened intently, asking questions now and then.

Ty Lee didn't bring up the subject about her brother, though it was obvious she wanted to know why he was not with them. They stayed for about an hour, completely immersed in Ty Lee's school life. Finally, Miyako sighed and looked back at Tay. He nodded, and she stared at Ty Lee seriously.

"Ty Lee, we didn't come here today just to visit you like normal."She explained.

"Then…why did you?"

"I don't want you to…to get scared now…but…" Her face crumpled and tears burst out. She tightened her grip on her child, who cried out at the sound of his mother's wails. Quickly, she composed herself. Ty Lee didn't know what was happening, "Kei…Kei has joined the army, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee stared blankly for a moment, letting it all sink in. Her brother…had joined the army? Her blood froze. This…this didn't make sense.

"Why?" She asked, barely a whisper.

"I'm…I'm not at liberty to say. But…he's doing it to protect you! He only thinks of others and not himself." Miyako cried, obviously admiring and despising her husband's selflessness. "I…I don't live at your father's house anymore. Tay and I…we're moving. I bought Tay off of your father, you see. We're going to go live in an Earth Kingdom colony."

"But…but that's so far away!" Ty Lee croaked. She couldn't bear to have the ones she loved the most cut off from her.

"I'm sorry. But if I don't…Kei would have gone for nothing…" Ty Lee understood that, but the logic was still confusing.

"What…what am I supposed to do?"

"Live. Live a normal life. That's what Kei wants. Don't worry about him, though I know you will. He's very capable of taking care of himself."

"Will…will I ever see you again?"

"I hope so. I'll try to visit you again as soon as possible but…it will be hard." Tears had started to form in Ty Lee's eyes, "Oh, Ty Lee, I'm so sorry this has to happen to you, of all people." Miyako handed Akira over to Tay and embraced Ty Lee, holding her firmly. Ty Lee cried openly on her shoulder. Kei, why did you do this?

"Miyako, I'm sorry to inform you of our carriage…" Tay said solemnly. Miyako nodded and drew back.

"I have to go, Ty Lee." Ty Lee wanted to scream for her to not leave her, to stay with her. Instead, she nodded. "Say…goodbye, Akira." Akira was passed back to his mother and stared once more at Ty Lee. His golden eyes glistened and wavered.

"Goodbye, Akira. Goodbye, Miyako." She breathed in slowly, "See…you soon…"

"Yes." Miyako replied. She leaned forward and kissed her, giving one final hug. Then she walked out, trying to hide her tears from the rest of the school. Tay remained in the room for a moment.

"Ty Lee, Kei didn't tell Mistress Miyako everything. He gave me word to tell you, personally."

"W-What did he say,"

"He said he would send word to you soon. And that you should never stop smiling."

Ty Lee froze. This was what he always had urged her to do. And now it seemed harder then ever.

"I'll…I'll try my best, Kei." She whispered to herself. Tay sighed and then followed Miyako.

Ty Lee fell back on her bed and cried herself into exhaustion.


More of this will be explained in the accompaniement to this story I'm planning to write. Ugh...I hated the dialouge here. I'm usually good at writing sentimental, but here it sounds like a B-Movie or bad Soap Opera or something...Yeah! Miyako comes back! And she had had her baby!!! Akira is so cute, I wish I could've written more of him, but it would've made this a bit repetittive.

Lien's mystery is starting to develop more. I'm hoping to write the committee scene within two chapters.

Okay, well, please review!! I hope to update soon! Transformers Animated will be over in two weeks so I'll have no more oneshots on that regard XDD