This is another one of my favorite chapters to write, mainly because of the lovely life-lesson I get to give Kala.

Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA or its characters. I only have Kala and my random OCs.


After living in Ba Sing Se for only a week, I was beginning to feel a bit more at home. I knew the roads in our area fairly well and the people in our neighborhood were very welcoming to us. I felt a sense of community I hadn't experienced in a long time, and it felt good. It felt familiar.

"I'm going to the market. I'll be back soon," I called over my shoulder as I left the apartment.

"Enjoy your day off," Iroh returned with a grin and began tying his apron on. I chuckled lightly and shut the door behind me, heading towards the market to pick up a few groceries for dinner that evening. The market was lively that day, full of people bustling around with baskets full of fruits and vegetables.

"Get your cabbages, here!" one of the vendors yelled, while another called out for apples.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" a middle-aged man yelled angrily and I turned around to see that an elderly woman had been knocked backwards by a carriage driving too fast. I ran to the woman's side while the middle-aged man ran after the carriage.

"Are you alright, ma'am?" I ask as she began to stand.

"I believe so, dear," she answered and her eyes fell on the produce she'd bought, ruined in the road. "Oh, those were my groceries for the week." I frowned and glanced in the direction the carriage had disappeared in. Unfortunately, there was no sight of it.

"I'll buy them for you."

"I couldn't possibly ask you to do that."

"It's alright," I answered with a smile. "It's no trouble at all." Looking back down at the spoiled food, I wondered if I would actually have enough money for her groceries as well as mine, but I figured if I ran out of money, Iroh and Zuko would understand the situation.

"That's very kind of you, dear. What is your name?"

"I'm Kala."

"Such a pretty name. My name is Hwei-ru, but many call me Granny Hwei."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I answered we began walking through the market together. She used my shoulder to help her stay steady, and I wondered if she was actually in pain from being knocked over by the carriage. Whenever I asked, however, she would simply deny it and insist she was fine.

"Now, Kala, I can't let you pay for all of my groceries," she began. "I don't have much money with me, but I'll use what I have to buy what I can." Once we were done shopping for her, I bought a few items I would need to make dinner and carried all of the groceries back to Granny Hwei's home. She invited me inside and insisted I join her for a cup of afternoon tea.

"Would you like me to help?" I offered as I placed her groceries on the counter in the kitchen.

"Nonsense, Kala. You are my guest. I must say, you are quite a kind young woman. You must have been raised by wonderful parents."

I gave a sad smile and thought of my parents, Bato and Kalila. My father was a fine warrior, and a good friend of Chief Hakoda, Katara and Sokka's father. He was kind, from what I could remember, and would play with me often when I was a child. My mother was beautiful and loving. I could still remember watching her cook, singing a song I could never recall properly, while we waited for Papa to come home. Granny Hwei seemed to notice my silence and called my name again.

"I'm sorry. I was lost in thought," I murmured. Granny Hwei's eyes softened and she rested a thin, wiry hand on my shoulder.

"You have not seen your parents in quite a while, have you?"

"No, ma'am. I haven't."

"Such a terrible burden. You are too young to be on your own," she answered.

"I've been fine. I live with a dear friend and his uncle. We work in a tea shop and are starting a fine life here in Ba Sing Se."

"But I'm sure you miss the Water Tribe." My eyes widened and I wondered how she'd known where I was from so easily. I wore clothes from the Earth Kingdom. "You have beautiful blue eyes that I don't see in Ba Sing Se."

"Thank you," I murmured shyly.

"In those eyes, I can see great sadness that you have been forced to endure. I'm sorry you have had to bear witness to atrocities far beyond your years." Granny Hwei turned back to the stove and lifted the tea pot, pouring a cup for each of us. She shakily took a seat at the small table and I joined her. "Oh, this old knee is giving me problems again."

"Is something wrong?"

"Two years ago, I was in a house-fire at my son's home. My legs were burned quite badly and my knee has been giving me trouble ever since."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It was a simple accident and not under any control of mine. There's no need to dwell on the things we cannot control. If there's one thing I've learned in all my years, it's that," she answered with a gentle smile. I stared down at my tea and thought of her words. I knew to follow the wisdom of my elders, but I didn't think I would be able to easily put the past behind me. With a soft sigh, I took a sip of my tea.

"After all I've been through, I don't know if I can forget what has happened," I murmured.

"It's not about forgetting the bad. It's about remembering the good."

My head snapped up and I realized she was completely correct, and I'd missed it before. People were shaped by their past, but that didn't mean I had dwell on the horrible things I had seen and been through. A smile slowly crept its way across my features as I finished tea with Granny Hwei. As I stood to leave, I bowed slightly to her.

"Thank you, Granny Hwei. You've taught me something very important about my life."

"Thank you, Kala, for being such wonderful company," she answered and gave me a hug before I left.

It was late in the evening by that time and I knew Iroh and Zuko would be worried about me. Zuko would especially have something to say about how I was gone so long, I knew, because he tended to worry more about me with all that had been going on. When I arrived at the apartment with my groceries, I only found Iroh in the main room.

"Where's Zuko?" I asked as I set the groceries on the counter and began putting them away.

"He's gone out with a nice girl from the restaurant," Iroh answered with a smile.

"Oh… I see…" It was silly of me to feel upset at the news. After all, Zuko was my best friend. I should have been happy for him. At the same time, it kind of hurt that he hadn't been wondering where I was, or why I was gone for so long.

"What did you do today, Kala? You were gone all afternoon."

"I met this woman in the market and helped her with her groceries."

"That's very kind of you," Iroh said approvingly. He walked over to his window plants with a pair of scissors and looked out the window. Only a few minutes later, Zuko came in through the front door and walked into the bedroom without a word. He didn't even look at Iroh or me. "How was your night, Prince Zuko?" Zuko slammed the bedroom doors shut behind him and I grimaced. After another moment, he slid the door open a crack.

"It was nice," he whispered and shut the door again.

I stared down at the counter with a sigh and moved to sit at the table, my head in my hands. I couldn't stop thinking about all that had happened, and Granny Hwei's words to me. She was right in saying that I didn't need to dwell on the bad things in my past, but I knew I needed to take it another step further. I needed to look towards my future, my destiny.

"You seem to be very troubled lately, Kala. What is on your mind?" Iroh asked gently as he sat beside me.

"I've been thinking about my destiny, and what it all means… I've had this strange reoccurring dream and I think it has something to do with me being a Half," I answered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"And what has this vision been telling you?"

"That I need to keep moving forward. I have to go to the Eastern Air Temple, but I think I need to go alone. I need to clear my head for a little bit, and I think learning to master the chakras will help me do that."

"There are many who have tried to utilize the chakras and failed. You are taking on quite the endeavor."

"I know, but I think it's something that I'm going to have to accomplish, along with Aang. I promise I'll come back as soon as I've finished, though, so you don't need to follow me like we did with Zuko," I explained. Iroh chuckled softly and placed an arm over my shoulders.

"Do what you must to realize your destiny, Kala. Prince Zuko and I will be waiting here when you return," he answered.

"Thank you." Iroh helped me pack the things I would need for my journey, as well as giving me some money, and I hugged him once more before walking towards the door. Before I turned the handle, I looked back at Iroh. "Will you tell Zuko everything about why I left, and that I'll be back soon?"

"Of course. Before you leave, Kala, I have something for you." Iroh reached into his sleeve and pulled out White Lotus gambit. I tried to tell him he didn't have to give me the tile, but he insisted I take it with me, just in case. After pocketing the tile, I left the apartment and made my way to the train station. I would need to hurry if I wanted to get to the Eastern Air Temple before spring's end.


A thank-you goes out to DragonofTwilight (I might start calling you DoT if you don't stop me... speak now or forever hold your peace) for helping me decide what to do with Kala for her Tale of Ba Sing Se. She suggested she meet a little old lady and learn to take a different look on something. I went for a life-lesson and I like how it turned out. So, thanks DoT. ;)

Please R&R.