"Dad, why did you name me Lily? It's not a very common name, right?"
"Well, there are two reasons," Aang started, smiling at his daughter. "First, your mother loves fire lilies. Second, when we were traveling around the world, we met some nomads. One of them was named Lily. We thought you looked like her, so we figured that we should name you after her."
Lily scrunched up her face. "But a lily is a flower. Shouldn't my name be more, I don't know, air-like? I mean, I am an airbender."
Aang laughed. "Well, we didn't exactly know you would be an airbender when you were born."
Lily rolled her eyes. "I guess you have a point. Now, can you please teach me how to make a tornado?"
Aang shook his head in amusement. Next, she'd be asking for tattoos! "I'll teach you how to make an air scooter."
Lily groaned. "I can already do that, remember? You taught me last week!"
"Well, if you are so knowledgeable in airbending, why don't you go visit Lin?"
Lily perked up. She hadn't seen her best friend in a few days. "Okay, Dad! Bye!"
--
Lily walked along the familiar streets of Republic City, watching some street performers do cool acrobatics. She put a silver piece in their money tin and continued on.
She reached Lin's house a few minutes later. Lin was sitting on the front steps, practicing her metalbending.
Lily watched as the small piece of scrap metal slowly twisted to form a sphere and then a cube. "Cool."
Lin looked up. "Hey."
The two hugged.
"Wanna spar?"
"Sure."
Lily and Lin circled each other, taking in everything.
Lin struck first, sending a rock at Lily. Lily dodged and sent a blast of air at Lin.
Lin groaned as she hit the ground. "Ugh!"
She moved the ground beneath Lily's feet, throwing her off balance. "Hey!"
A few minutes later, the two girls were splayed out across the ground, panting.
"Wanna go down to City Hall?"
"Sure."
Lily and Lin walked along the streets, people pointing at them and whispering.
"Look! That's the Avatar's daughter and her friend is Chief Beifong's kid!"
"Those are Team Avatar's kids!"
The whispers continued as they walked down the wide streets to City Hall.
"These people are so annoying. Don't they have better things to do?" Lin said, annoyance rising as some little kids asked for their autographs.
"I think it's nice."
Lin rolled her eyes. Leave it to the airbender to think positively.
Lily shot Lin a glance, appearing to have read her mind.
They reached City Hall a few minutes later.
"Darn, it's locked," Lily said.
Lin laughed. "Just our luck."
"You feel like shopping?"
"Whatever."
They walked a block to the market.
"Ooh, look at this merch!" Lily exclaimed, picking up an action figure of her mother, Katara.
"Oh my god, look at my mom's," Lin said, laughing.
Toph's features were distorted and she was wearing orange and blue robes.
Lin put the figure down. "If only my mom could see this. Or anything."
The girls chuckled softly. Toph had been born blind but could see through her earthbending.
Lily purchased the item when Lin wasn't looking. It would be a great birthday present for Lin in a few months.
"Hey, do you want to sleep over at my place tonight?" Lily asked.
Lin nodded.
--
"Do you have all of your stuff?" Lily asked.
Lin nodded, shoving the bag of necessities in her friend's face. "You can carry this."
Lily pretended to stagger under the weight. "What's in this--bricks?"
Lin laughed and took the bag back. "Your presents. Did you honestly forget that tomorrow you turn thirteen?"
Lily had forgotten. She had been having so much fun that it had slipped her mind.
Lin and Lily boarded the kayak to Air Temple Island. Lin was hesitant at first, asking Lily if she could fly them over there on her glider. That was how Lily traveled everywhere. But Lily refused.
Lin felt a wave of nausea as they started to move. "Why can't we just fly?"
"I don't feel like flying right now."
"You always feel like flying."
Lily rolled her eyes. She was tired and wanted to relax. Couldn't Lin get that?
They reached the island after a quarter hour. Lin was recovering from the trip, taking slow deep breaths.
Lily heard a noise. She turned.
A shadowy figure leapt out from behind a bush, aiming to tackle her.
Lily rolled to the side, bumping into Lin.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
Lin's eyes widened as she noticed the figure.
"Run!" Lily shouted as more shadows appeared.
The two made a dash for the docked kayak.
One of the figures shot a fireball at them and Lily retaliated, sending a funnel of air to extinguish the flames.
Lin screamed as one of the figures grabbed her. Lily turned and blasted the figure off of her friend.
"Go!" she shouted.
Lin ran to the kayak, but hesitated to depart.
"What are you waiting for?"
"I'm not leaving you!"
Lily sent a strong gust of wind that set the kayak into motion.
"Lily!" Lin screamed.
"I'll be okay!" Lily called back, hoping it was true.
The figures all turned to her, and she was forced to fight a dozen benders at once.
"Dad!" she screamed. "Hel--"
Her cry was cut off as the attackers threw a sack over her head.
Lily heard her father shouting for her as she was dragged away. She quickly sent him a message using her spiritual connection.
"Dad," she said. "There are these shadow people and they're taking me somewhere! Please, help me!"
Aang stared at his daughter's ghostly spirit form. He opened his mouth to speak.
Then, Lily's connection to her father was severed. She felt a tear slip down her cheek as she realized something.
She was on her own.