Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or anything associated with it except my fanfiction.

Zaofu. What a wonderful city.

At the very least, it meant they could take a small break from training. Toph was very busy visiting her second child Suyin and also very busy with exacting revenge on poor Bumi. He never did learn when to shut his mouth, and what exactly was he expecting to occur when he said, "Sokka extends very warm wishes to a relative of his"? Honestly, Kya would never know how Bumi even managed to live past the age of twenty, let alone survive for almost six decades.

Kya slumped in her chair, completely spent from the ordeal of the past few weeks. Asides from healing the new recruits and training Korra in the art of chi flow, she also had to tend to the injuries of other crew members. All of this culminated in a completely spent, middle-aged waterbender who did not have the energy of her youth. She sighed. What she would give to travel the world again...

After Kya had come out to her father and her brother (admittedly their disbelief could have been much worse), she had decided to say her farewells and travel the world like her mother had once done with her father. Seeing all the sights her parents had seen made her feel a connection to her late parents, and proved to take her mind off the loss and sorrow and grievances that had occurred after her mother's death.

Although no one was truly as affected as Avatar Aang was when his wife tragically died, the repercussions of her death was felt throughout Team Avatar. Sokka became depressed, and never really told that many jokes - his prank on them in the South Pole excepted. After Suki's death, desperate to fill a gaping hole of love that was torn asunder by his losses, he had turned to Toph, who was completely willing to lend a shoulder to Sokka - along with an affectionate punch. One thing led to another, and the day finally came when Toph's young daughter, a girl named Lin, asked her mother why she looked a little fatter than usual.

Sokka truly didn't know what to make of the situation. When Toph unceremoniously plopped the baby into his unexpecting hands, he almost dropped the baby in surprise after seeing how dark the shade of the baby's skin was. Despite Sokka's surprisingly high level of intuition and intellect, it still took him an entire week before he literally barged down the door to Toph's home, screaming that no one told him about the baby. Baby Suyin started to cry over the loud noises disturbing her sleep in her mother's uncharacteristic gentleness, and Toph, exasperated over constantly being led by motherly instinct and female hormones, stomped her foot and sent Sokka flying into the sky and into the docks of Republic City.

After that mishap, Suyin proved to be as boisterous and tomboyish as her mother. She had gotten into a scrape or two - much like Kya had - and then finally found her calling when she met her husband, an architect by the name of Bataar. With her power and his intellect, they built an entire city made of metal where they could rule over and live together. How sweet an ending it was.

Too bad she was denied a happy family like that.

That didn't stop her from wearing a tired smile when Suyin rushed to her room and gave her a hug.

"Hey, Kya. How's my good cousin doing?"

Kya giggled despite herself. "Very well, Suyin. How about you?"

Suyin rolled her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you, it's Su? We're as good as family - we're related by blood, in fact! And I believe we need more terms of endearment than just warm hugs." She sighed. "So how's everything else going?"

Kya mimiced Suyin, and then failed to suppress a yawn as her fatigue began to catch up in her mind. "I'm doing f-fine. Just exhausted. Sokka and I thought it would be a good idea to grab some new recruits while we were at it. Worst. Idea. Ever."

"I can tell. You look like you'd actually stop teasing Bumi for a whole day because you were too tired to realize what you were forgetting to do." They shared a laugh over Bumi, who was currently in a brutal training session with an elderly earthbending teacher who, if anything, had more substance than ever before. They laughed as they heard faint shouts of "KEEP YOUR KNEES UP!" and "THAT'S FOR WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER!" reverberated throughout the ship. Kya winced as she heard a faint, sickening crack through the walls. "Oh joy. More healing to be done. The work just never ends," she hung her head down.

Suyin put an arm on her shoulder. "It's alright. Maybe you should get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a lady's night out; you need some you time. And you can also tour the city to see what new additions my husband's made."

Kya nodded, her eyes starting to shut against her will. "I guess you're right... a little shut-eye never hurt anyone..."

Suddenly Kalana popped her head in. "Hey Kya! I was just wondering - " she stopped short at seeing the reunion of the two women before her. "Oh. Uh... sorry for disturbing you two. I'll talk to you later, Kya." She began to leave the room.

"No, sweetie." Kya was wide awake, her heart racing against her will. Suyin, having mastered vibration sensing, looked quizzically at the healer before her before comprehension dawned in her face and she turned her head between the two girls in interest. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well... I was just wondering... do you have any bending books?"

Kya raised her eyebrow. "And why would you want one?"

Kalana blushed and shrugged. "As a White Lotus recruit, don't you think I should learn about other nations' culture and stuff? To tie in with the unity thing of the Order?"

Kya blinked, considering the front laid before her. "I guess you're right. I'm not sure, but I can always check later. Right now, I'm really tired from all the work I have to do, so... I need to-to get some sle-" she was caught by a yawn that completely drained her of whatever mental strength she had, and she slumped over, nearly asleep. "Sorry..." she muttered.

Kalana stared in surprise, then she tentatively smiled. "It's okay, Kya. You deserve some rest." She looked at Suyin. ""Sorry to bother you. I'm Kalana. I'm a new recruit. I just escaped from an abusive household, so I'm thankful for everything that's happened - except of course, Kya being like this."

Suyin's mind was racing. What was that sudden uptick in Kya's heartbeat? Why did she go crazy around this... angel? Okay, that answered the question. Now what to do about it? A mischievous grin escaped her as she began to formulate a plan...

"Hey, Kalana. I was planning on taking Kya out for a lady's day out. You wanna join? You can bring your lady friends if you've already made them."

Kalana lit up. "That sounds like a great idea! I'm all for it! See you tomorrow!"

"Yes. See you tomorrow," Suyin said after Kalana left. She smirked. "Let's see what fun we can have with Kya tomorrow... I hope I strike a nerve with her..."