No reviews, but a shout-out has to go to SaoirseParisa, who is celebrating a birthday this upcoming week. I have something special in this chapter for you, so make sure you read on to the end. I also have to recognize a couple of other people who are going through some tough times, and hopefully this chapter brings some happiness back into your lives. As Tenzin will say, whether something is positive or negative will depend on your POV. So even when something negative happens, always try to stay positive.

Warning: NSFW scenes are present in this chapter, even though it's nothing overly explicit, so if you don't feel comfortable seeing something like this, turn back now.

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

"It's not every day that you see traditional Air Nomad medicine being distributed with conventional medicine," Katara remarked, watching Song provide various pills and liquids to the patients. It had only been a couple of days since Shung took Katara and Song into the medicine production wing of the medical facility, and Katara was seeing firsthand how that medicine was used. "Are the two types of medication provided to and taken by people in the same frequency?" the water bender asked.

"Not always," Shung responded, watching Song check off various boxes on the sheet held by her clipboard, "We use Air Nomad medicine in conjunction with conventional medicine. It has to complement, or at least not hinder, the effectiveness of conventional medicine."

Song tucked the clipboard under her arm and marched up to Katara and Shung. "Does that mean every time we take a patient's daily vitals, we would adjust the type of medication they take, including the dosage?" she queried, glancing at the older woman on the bed.

Shung nodded. "The good news is that we can create medication for patients in the same building," the abbot explained, gesturing crisply with his hands, "That also means we can adjust the levels of each ingredient to match the needs of each patient at each given time."

Shung took them out of the patient's room and back to the clinician's station. The morning rounds for Katara were over, and Shung thought it was best to give Katara and Song another look at medicine production. "You saw what happened last time, with the equipment we used to create the tablets," the bespectacled man recalled, "The cauldron cremated all the ingredients, and then the ovens dried them and turned them into pills. And in the past, the medicine would actually get a prayer or blessing before it's provided to the patient."

Katara and Song could only stare with wide eyes and slightly dropped jaws. They were aware that Air Nomads were spiritual people, but never would they imagine spirituality being applied to medicine. Even though the Water Tribes, particularly the Northern Water Tribe, could be spiritual, Katara didn't see herself as such. She always kept a rational and scientific mind when it came to medicine, and her direct family like Sokka and Hakoda were even more so. To hear that Air Nomads gave prayers and blessings to medicine was just unheard of!

Nonetheless, Shung led them down the stairs, going down to the main floor before turning to another hallway. This was located in a back corner of the building, an area where neither Katara nor Song had been to before. "Part of the reason blessings were provided before medicine is distributed goes back to the imbalance belief," Shung pointed out, pushing open another set of doors, "Imbalance in the body may be caused by imbalance in the mind. To correct that, we have to support the patient physically and mentally. If giving spiritual blessings or guidance will work, then there's no harm in doing so when we distribute the medicine."

Katara made a mental note to discuss with Aang about this later on. While she saw no harm in prayers made in good faith, she was also curious how Air Nomads saw this ritual now, given the advances in modern medicine. Stepping through another set of doors, Katara instantly felt smothered. It was like she entered a tropical swamp, where the humidity clung to her body, with no way of bending the moisture away. And was she mistaken, or did the entire place smell of herbal medicine, similar to the ingredients room from a couple of days ago?

Glancing to her right, Katara could see Song feeling the same. "Shung, where are we right now, and where are you taking us?" the nurse asked, fanning herself with a free hand.

Shung turned back to them with a small smile. "This area is where the famous medical baths are located," the older man stated, pointing through the last set of doors, "Think of it as a mix between a hot spring and a sauna, only with water saturated by herbal ingredients."

"I've heard of the hot springs, and I made sure Aang will take me to one before I return to Republic City," Katara replied, rolling up the sleeves of her lab coat, "Aang also said he tried something similar when he was eighteen. Gyatso bought some minerals or herbs from a traditional Air Nomad store and drew a custom herbal bath for Aang."

"And we have nine of these bath chambers in our facility," Shung elaborated. He lifted some plastic drapes and allowed Katara and Song to enter. Thank goodness that it was empty, or the latter two would suffocate! "In the past, a person would step into a bathtub filled with hot water and prescribed ingredients. But now, we've improved that with steam technology."

Just then, a sturdy bearded man strolled past with a nurse following him. Seeing them enter a different chamber, Shung waved Katara and Song forward to join them. "I believe this gentleman is about to use the chambers," the abbot stated, "We don't have to stay and watch, as that's violating the patient's privacy, but we can show you how to set it up."

Shung stepped up to the nurse and tapped her on the shoulder, asking her and the man for permission to explain this sequence. When neither nurse nor patient objected, Shung proceeded with his description. "This gentleman is Yung from Omashu, and he has rheumatism. The bath will include herbs that directly attack the pores on his skin, soaking in the medicinal properties, all the while the heat will force him to sweat, eliminating the toxins in his body."

"You're from Omashu? That's close to my hometown," Song chimed in, stepping closer to the patient, "Is this treatment the reason why you're all the way here in the south? How long are you here for, and who's accompanying you?"

Yung cracked a small smile. "I've had rheumatism since I was about thirty years old, but I also have older skin problems for more than thirty years," the earth bender responded, "I've heard about the Air Nomad medical baths and asked my doctor to recommend me here."

The nurse turned the water on, allowing it to fill the tub. While the water flowed in, she pressed some buttons on the boiler, using the steam to increase the temperature. "One of these treatments can take two to three weeks, but I've seen more serious cases taking over a month," Shung added, watching the temperature gauge numbers rising by the second, "I assume Yung is already halfway through the treatment. Is anyone picking you up, or are you going home alone?"

"I came here alone, but my family and friends know I'm here," Yung answered, his eyes now on the nurse. The Air Acolyte pulled out a bag of herbs, a mix between intact and ground items, and slowly sprinkled that into the bath. "I'm more worried about my own mother. She's getting up there in age, but she's still worried sick about me being treated here."

"And if a patient requests it, family members and friends are allowed to stay with them," Shung elaborated again, watching the nurse stir the ingredients into the heating water, "They would stay in the same residences that Katara and Aang are at. If the patient is not seriously ill, we may even let them stay with family during their treatment."

The nurse turned off the water, but kept the boiler on. Yung signalled to Katara and Song that he would step in soon. "I have to soak in this for an hour each day, and then adjust my diet in accordance to the doctors' recommendations. I'm sure you don't want to see me undress in front of you, so maybe it's time to head out?" he declared politely.

"It's great that Pasang will vouch for us at the council, but we won't get confirmation to proceed until an actual decision is made," Aang stated, taking Toph and Zuko outside of the main building in the temple. After presenting again before Pasang and his group, Aang wanted his two friends to experience the natural environment nearby. Toph and Zuko would have to acclimatize to this area if they wanted their geothermal project to succeed. "Until then, I'd love to see younger Air Nomads check out this latest technological innovation."

The threesome took a narrow passage towards the back of the temple, heading straight into the hills. Aang suggested that the hot springs were up the steps towards this direction, which Toph and Zuko wanted to check first. If the hot springs emitted enough heat, then it was a sign that geothermal was viable here, to which further excavating would have to be done. Assuming Pasang and his council would allow the machinery in here, work could begin very soon.

"Twinkle Toes, this project can actually use the talents of all four bending styles," Toph pointed out, nudging Aang's shoulder with a fist, "I can detect caverns under the earth's crust while Zuko can detect heat stored inside each cavern. And since steam is vaporized water, you and Sugar Queen can both help in bringing that out."

"Some fire benders can take heat into their bodies and transmit them out in another direction," Zuko added, recalling a technique his ancestors once tried, "With all these different skills in play, we have a lot of potential for growth here."

Aang nodded. "You're both right, and whenever Sweetie can get time off, I'll try to have her join us," the air bender responded, pulling out his cellphone. He checked the messages section, just in time to see Katara's latest text. "Sweetie just toured the steam baths today, and she's doing her afternoon rounds. She's seen a lot of patients in her short time here."

The group was now within the forests, the trees covering whatever openings they were in earlier. Aang further explained Katara's day, talking about the patient Yung and his condition. "He said he's here by himself, but his family and friends are aware of him being here," Aang continued, "He also said he's worried about how his mother would react."

A sombre atmosphere descended upon the group, and it didn't take long for Aang to figure out why. Toph's relationship with her parents was rocky at best, while Zuko has lost his mother a long time ago, forcing him to live with an abusive father than he barely spoke to. Aang figured that, despite Toph's improved relations with her parents, it would more likely be friends and classmates that would visit them if they were ill. Heck, when Toph was hospitalized for exhaustion during their charity music video, all of her friends visited her, even when they had a falling out just before. While Toph's parents were there, it's clear Toph's friends meant more.

"I don't know if I'm lucky or not, but neither of my parents had any illnesses," Toph began, her pace slowing and her shoulders hunching, "I always say that they overreact and think I'm fragile, but I know how much they care. I may claim I don't need their help, but if I'm ever hit with a terminal disease like cancer, I doubt I can even form the right words to tell them."

"I think that's part of the consequences of confronting life and death," Zuko elaborated, slowing his pace up the mountain so Toph could catch up, "For me, dealing with an abusive father and a manipulative sister are my norm, and it took a while before I can trust anyone outside my circle. I thank Uncle Iroh every day for putting things into perspective for me. And since he lost his wife and son, I think his views on life and death can be different as well."

Aang gave his friends' comments a lot of thought, realizing that he too developed his own ways of confronting life and death. His parents died when he was young, and his family friend Gyatso adopted him. Then when he was twelve, Gyatso went into a coma after Azula hit him with a vehicle, giving Aang another close experience with death. Air Nomads saw life and death as a cycle, with the need to show compassion for all living things while giving comfort to those passing on. Even so, Aang wondered how well he would take it if Gyatso did pass on.

Shaking his head, Aang realized one thing about his life experiences that really changed him. "In the past, it didn't really occur to me what the impacts of life and death can be," the air bender described, rubbing the spot where the blue arrow tattoo ended on his forehead, "But now, especially with Sweetie's internship and my diplomatic mission, I see how simple decisions can affect life and death. It made me more frank in talking about discussing issues of life and death."

"I think this affects you, me, and Katara more so than Toph," Zuko replied, glancing at the bald young man to his right, "Uncle Iroh, Gyatso, Pakku, and Kanna are a bit older than Toph's parents, so naturally they will pass on first. I think your comment can also mean you can be freer in discussing after death arrangements. Whether it's a sky burial for Gyatso or cremation for Uncle, whether it's doing a traditional ceremony in accordance to our ethnicities or doing a simple celebration of life, all these things come into play upon death."

"And it's important to talk about these things, not necessarily to avoid feeling sad that someone will pass on, but more about feeling happy at how fulfilling that person's life is," Toph interjected, quickening her steps to join Aang at his right, "My parents may have a lot of money, but I'll be more interested to know if they can pass on with the best memories for me. I don't want them to regret not doing more to patch things up with me."

That got Aang to raise an interesting point with Toph. "If in a few years, you are to pass on, will you have regrets with your parents?" he asked curiously, "Zuko always says he wants his family back together before passing on, but what about you?"

Toph snickered. "Knowing me, I'll regret not forcing my lily liver metal benders to learn more skills first," the blind earth bender shot back, causing some chuckles out of the two males, "But seriously, it's about watching my health and everything I do. Like my earth bending, I have to use neutral jing, only taking my chance when the time is right, whether it's with my parents or anything else. I can't be too careless, but I can't be too careful either."

Aang inhaled deeply before letting the air back out. The fresh mountain air sharpened his mind once more, giving him another way of viewing this situation. "Facing life and death takes both wisdom and courage," the United Republic diplomat summarized in a practical way, "People want to extend their lives, even if they have the slimmest chance, so they can live life to the fullest. This is why Sweetie is pursuing her field with such passion and conviction. Whether a person is a newborn or is in their golden years, it's important to live life the way they want."

Zuko and Toph both smiled at that remark, knowing how much that meant for both of them. "Uncle Iroh would say something about looking within myself to find myself, just so my true self will reveal itself, or something like that," the scarred fire bender mumbled with a small grin while shaking his head, "Anyway, let's look at these hot springs and do some preliminary tests. If the council agrees, we can use this to train new air benders too."

"But if you want to get scientific like Satoru, then you'll bring in radioactive testing," Toph interjected, "We're just looking for heat sources and geothermal fluids, which should be easily spotted, or in my case, felt. That's when my seismic sense comes in, and I'll have to detect the underground reservoir of heat and recharge area."

Aang beamed at his two friends, continuing to lead the way to the hot springs. While he was more than willing to show them to this area, Aang still wondered when he and Katara could come here on their own. How romantic would it be for him and his wife to spend a night under the stars, soaking in the warm water, while getting up close to each other's bodies?

"Did Gyatso say what time he'll video call us tonight?" Katara asked, leaning her head over towards Aang's laptop. Like the previous few nights, the young couple worked on their respective assignments in their bedroom. Katara was on the desk while Aang was on the bed, and even though they tried concentrating on their work, they had to sneak in some intimate touching. "I want to make sure we're focused on the webcam when he's chatting with us," she stated.

Aang smirked at his wife. "You want to focus on the webcam instead of on me, right?" the air bender retorted, rubbing his hands up and down his open pyjama top. Like usual, Aang had his top unbuttoned, giving Katara full access to his front torso. He had yet to do his flasher pose yet, but both of them knew it was coming. "Gyatso checked on us after our initial three days of isolation, so he knows we're intimate with each other."

Katara immediately snaked her hands under Aang's clothing, rubbing her fingers over his shoulders. "Right, but he doesn't have to see us get intimate, because that's a private show for us two," the water bender added, leaning in and gently kissing Aang's lips. The couple sucked face for a few seconds, before pulling apart again. "I'm surprised how much extra information Gyatso gave me on Air Nomad medicine, even though he has no formal medical training."

"The Air Temples themselves are an archive too, meaning there's a lot of culture and history within their documents," the air bender reminded his wife, leaning in and rubbing his hands on her bra. Katara's top was also unbuttoned, and Aang decided to knead her chest once more. "Even without formal training, Air Nomads like Gyatso can still research and gain a basic understanding of traditional medicine."

Katara moaned as Aang squeezed her breasts, feeling his hands through the fabric of her bra. "I know Shung is formally trained, and Pasang seems interested in medicine," Katara stated, barely hiding the hitch in her voice, "So I wonder if Pasang or Gyatso can handle any patients, even informally. If no licensed physician is available, will they be able to help?"

Just then, Aang's laptop chime sounded off, causing the couple to take their hands off each other. Seeing it was Gyatso, Aang pulled his top closer together, showing less of his chest but still keeping it unbuttoned. Meanwhile, Katara did the same, but also tidied her hair a bit. Aang then clicked the button to receive the call. "How are you doing, Gyatso?" he greeted.

"Hello, Aang and Katara," the older air bender responded, waving his hand on the other screen. His other hand was on Buck's head, as the large dog tried to fit himself on screen. "Buck says hi as well. We heard a lot of interesting updates in the last few days, so are you managing?"

"We are, and there's a lot to go through," Katara stated, shifting her chair so she had a more direct view of the webcam. Aang had to balance his laptop on his thighs while tilting it just enough to let his Sweetie's face show. "Should I lead off or does Sweetie want to start?"

Gyatso didn't have a preference, thus Katara gave Aang the first go. The diplomat explained how he went to the areas with the hot springs, taking Zuko and Toph with him. They mentioned asking Pasang and his council to grant permission to explore the possibility of geothermal energy, even allowing younger air benders to use the area as a training ground. "Can you imagine how much experience they will get, trying to bend the steam without actually seeing the source?" Aang proposed, his eyes lit up with excitement.

"Well, it's more like bending the hot gases inside the chamber, which then forces the steam to the surface," Gyatso clarified, scribbling something on a notepad before him, "Steam bending is more like water bending, because steam is vaporized water. In other words, air benders and water benders must work together to bend the steam from underground."

"Isn't cloud bending similar to this?" Katara chimed in, pressing her forearms onto her knees, "Clouds are a mix of air and water, so they can be bent by both air benders and water benders. If that's the case, maybe I should join Sweetie at the hot springs."

"Not only that, but air benders are also capable of regulating heat, especially inside the body," Gyatso added, gently placing down his pen, "I saw the photos Aang sent me of you two and your friends standing in front of the sunrise. The fact that Aang didn't seem cold at all, despite having his shirt unbuttoned, should be a huge hint."

Aang could not help but flush red at his guardian's remark. How appropriate was it that Gyatso would comment on that with Aang's current state of dress. Shaking his head a few times, the air bender refocused the conversation. "One method of geothermal exploration is to drill a hole into the reservoir, and then pumping a liquid into it to force the gas out," Aang described, glancing at the notes he took from Toph and Zuko, "There are also other situations where it's not steam, but actual gases providing the geothermal power, which is where air bending comes in."

Gyatso nodded. "You have some interesting ideas, and I can give you some tips on that," the older air bender suggested. Turning to Katara, he asked how she was doing with her work. "What new Air Nomad medical techniques have you learned?"

Katara quickly went over the treatment she saw with Yung, including the medical bath that he was recommended to take. "I want to know what medical bath Aang took when he was younger," she inquired, glancing slyly at her husband, "I don't recall any details about that, and he didn't say anything to me afterwards, even after we're married."

Gyatso chuckled. "I have plenty of details to give you, if Aang allows me to tell," he replied, giving Aang a long look. The younger air bender looked a bit apprehensive, which meant Gyatso had to delay the great reveal. Turning back to the issue at hand, he asked Katara if she considered any other factors that went with the baths. "Did Shung or Pasang tell you about Air Nomad views on diet, mental health, and self-care?"

Katara nodded, recalling her fair share of experiences regarding these Air Nomad traditions. "I never really asked Pasang or Shung, but maybe I can hear it from you. What are your views on illnesses? Do you see that as something to fear?" Katara queried.

Surprisingly, Gyatso shook his head. "I know you must be worried about this, mainly because of my age and what happened after I was in that coma," Gyatso stated, rubbing Buck's head once more, "I try to take a positive view on life, even with my health issues. Aging, illness, and death are all part of our life cycle. Your mind and your body are intertwined, and how you view something in your body can affect how you face the health issue."

"And how you address this cycle of life, death, and rebirth goes hand-in-hand with medical science," Aang chimed in, reaching out to hold Katara's hand again, "Medical science can give you the tools required to cure a disease, but things like empathy and compassion are the tools required to reduce suffering, even when someone is in palliative care."

"You're both doing the right thing in being so compassionate, helping so many people in need," Gyatso analyzed, "There are a number of noble practices that Air Nomads believe in, but are applicable to people of any race, that everyone should strive for. Things like having the right view, resolve, conduct, and effort are all important to living a fruitful life. If you practice these things, you can reduce your suffering in life, which in turn reduces your fear when facing death."

Again, it was Aang who awoke earlier than Katara. Last night was another night of physical but non-penetrative contact, with their hands wandering all over each other's bodies. Even though they were married, they still felt somewhat awkward to have their parents or guardians commenting on their state of undress. It was lucky that Gyatos didn't say more than what was obvious, which was Aang keeping his top unbuttoned the entire time!

"Good morning, Sweetie," Aang could hear the body to his left murmur. He turned around and saw Katara slowly stretch out her arms, inhaling and exhaling deeply a few times. "Do you want to use the bathroom first, or should I?" his wife asked.

Usually, Aang would have no problems jumping out of bed, but today he wanted to do things a bit differently. Seeing there was still time before either of them had to go to work, the air bender proposed staying in bed a bit longer. "Do you want a shoulder massage before washing up?" he suggested placing his left hand on Katara's right shoulder.

Katara's expression was a mix of curiosity and happiness. "It's not our usual routine, but I guess that's fine," the water bender responded. She turned her body to face the left, with her back to her husband. That allowed Aang to place his hands between her neck and shoulders, rubbing the trapezius muscles. "Not that I don't appreciate your offer, Sweetie, but why the sudden change? Unless you think our arms are tired from all that touching last night."

Aang smirked as he gently squeezed the trapezius muscles, feeling the tension melt from his fingers. "I guess with such a fast-paced schedule for us both, it's important to not get too caught up in the moment," the air bender explained, shifting onto his side so he could better position his hands, "It's like what we said when Sokka and Suki were still here. Even when we stay optimistic, sometimes we can't help but think about negative or upsetting things."

Katara nodded. Being two professionals in their mid-twenties, it was only right that they used this time for achievement. And given their reputations as overachievers, there was invisible pressure on them both to not underachieve. Even without being overly flashy about their lives, Aang and Katara still wanted a good grasp at their current goals. This included their careers, their marriage, and potentially children in the future.

Inhaling and exhaling again, Katara put her own spin into the thoughts. "I think part of any pessimism can be traced to stubbornness," the soon-to-be physician described, her hands clenching and unclenching a few times, "Sometimes we want things to go a certain way, and we get tunnel vision and lose sight of the big picture. It's about letting go of some stuff and going with the flow, all the while adapting to and accepting changes, just like water bending."

"And you realize air bending is similar, mainly because you can't hit air head on," Aang added, contrasting his element with Toph's. It was clear that they had two different styles, with Aang focused on attacking a problem from different angles, while Toph would charge headfirst into any problem. "By seeking other options, it still gives you the chance to see that big picture."

Katara rolled her shoulders a few times, feeling a lot looser after Aang's massage. She gently lifted Aang's hands off and turned her body to face him. "Would you like me to return the favour?" she asked her husband, "Do you want a shoulder massage as well?"

Aang shifted his body once more, this time lifting himself slightly off the bed. "If you don't mind, I'd like a back massage instead," the air bender told his wife, pulling off his already unbuttoned pyjama top, "And this time, I'll even let you directly touch skin."

Katara blushed while coughing into the back of her hand. Most times they engaged in physical contact, their tops were on and they mainly touched the front torso. This was definitely a change of pace, and Katara felt Aang had become bolder. Watching the air bender lie on his stomach, Katara reach over and slowly pressed her hands onto his back. "I'll just follow your arrow tattoo, okay?" she informed Aang, placing one hand to either side of his spine.

When Aang didn't object, Katara slowly rubbed her hands up and down the blue tattoo. Sometimes she would switch and use her knuckles, almost like Ty Lee's chi-blocking. She would not hit Aang so hard to paralyze him, but she made sure to get all the tense points. "How does an Air Nomad like Pasang get on the council? And what do they actually do, other than teach Air Nomad philosophy and manage the Air Temple?"

Aang smiled at Katara's question. "The roles of the council are mainly those two, actually," he answered without hesitance, "Gyatso told me that Pasang did enter the workforce for a while, but when Pasang turned thirty, he returned to the air temples. He's been living here for over forty years now, and he's been leading the council for the last ten years. His goal has always been to spread Air Nomad philosophy, using it to guide people in a positive way."

"But don't Air Nomads leave the temple and wander the world every now and then?" Katara continued her line of questions, all the while rolling her thumbs around either side of Aang's spine, "We already saw how inaccessible this place is, even with modern roads. Being stuck in a high-altitude mountain range is pretty isolating. So how does he realize his goals?"

Aang gestured at Katara to move her hands higher. The water bender now pressed them onto Aang's scapula, feeling the lean muscle against the back of Aang's ribs. "The Air Temples are the foundation of Air Nomad education," Aang stated, gesturing with his hands in a limited way, "It's a big sacrifice to give up everything to chase the truths of life, just to become a wise man in the highlands. That's why one has to attain knowledge and wisdom before spreading it. In the archives, you can see a wide range of topics being researched. These include history of the world, astronomy, sciences, and even medicine."

Katara nodded, recalling some past comments from both Pasang and Shung. "I do see some aspects of that philosophy mixed in with my patients," she recollected, letting her hands reach out towards Aang's sides, "I can understand our wealth, personal effects, and career affect how one views illnesses and death. Being too stubborn about these things can cause unhappiness, which can affect how one tackles one's health problems."

"That's right, and Pasang's role, along with the rest of the council, is to be that beacon to help people understand and address that suffering," Aang responded. He now lifted his arms towards his head, letting Katara get at his oblique muscles, "By understanding the philosophies and how they apply to life, we can best guide people out of unnecessary suffering."

After a few more rubs on the sides of Aang's ribs, sometimes getting dangerously close to Aang's nipples, Katara finally released Aang from her grasp. She lied back down on her side of the bed, her head facing the right side. Aang stayed on his stomach but turned his head to his wife, his smile never leaving his face. "Thanks for the massage, Sweetie," he whispered.

Katara grinned back at Aang, leaning in and catching Aang's lips in her own. After a few moments of gentle kissing, she had one more question. "Other than research and studying, what other ways can a young Air Nomad gain more wisdom from this?" Katara asked.

Aang chuckled this time. "You won't believe it, but Air Nomads are surprisingly good debaters and negotiators," the air bender stated, "This is because from a young age, Air Nomads are trained to debate scripture, and there's a very unique way to do it. I can explain later on, but let me answer your first question. Yes, if you want to, you can use the bathroom first."

"Okay, I'll let your lily livers, I mean air bending students, get to work then," Toph barked, crossing her arms and standing to the side. Just as Aang promised, Pasang allowed a bunch of young air benders go on a field trip to explore geothermal energy sites. This was the first time the students would be taught to bend air and steam from underground. "And if anyone complains about not seeing the air, now you know how I feel."

Zuko and Aang could only chuckle at Toph's remark. Turning to Aang, the fire bender thanked him once more for participating. "If it wasn't for you, I don't think we would even get this experience," Zuko stated, "I think the potential for a practical lesson here is just too great."

Aang shook his head. "Don't thank me, because I'm not the one teaching the children. Instead, you should thank Jinju," the air bender stated, gesturing at the group leader. Indeed, after Sokka and Suki left, Aang reached out to Jinju again. Given he was already a young adult, Jinju could lead some classes on his own, hence the group's presence here with him. "The rule is that any Air Nomad who has tattoos is considered a master and can teach any students their skills."

Jinju trotted up to Aang and Zuko, a wide grin on his face as well. "I got my tattoos at the age of twenty, so just a couple of years ago. I'm not the most experienced teacher, but I'm now doing more teaching," Jinju described, rubbing a hand over his bald head, "Our group here is a younger group, mainly beginner air benders between the ages of eight or nine."

Zuko nodded, gently tapping his chin. The younger air benders now spread out over the area around the hot springs, both looking curiously around and moving their arms up and down near crevices. Zuko wasn't sure how advanced a skill it was to bend unseen air, but presumably the students would learn it sooner or later. "How old do air benders usually start formal training? And how long do they train for before they finally earn their tattoos?" he asked.

Jinju and Aang both glanced at the group. By now, even Toph ambled up to them, eager to hear Jinju's response. "Air Nomads usually know fairly early when they are air benders, and shortly after that they will start training," Jinju explained, "I started when I was six years old, but I believe Aang was younger than that when he started."

Aang nodded. "I've known since I was three years old, and I picked up my skills pretty fast," the United Republic diplomat added, "I learned from my parents and Gyatso, and then from Gyatso alone after my parents died. I was ready to take the exam shortly after my twelfth birthday. You guys should recall that because I didn't hang out with either of you all summer."

"Yeah, and you didn't hang out with us after you came back either. You said it was to recover from your tattooing ceremony, but then you refused to get into a swimsuit all summer," Toph chimed in with a snicker, gently elbowing Aang in the ribs, "Could it be that you didn't want us to know about a certain body part of yours?"

Aang covered his face, which was redder than Jinju's air bending robes. "I can say a hundred times over I was not castrated that year, but you'll still tell that joke," Aang stated exasperatedly, "At least Sweetie will believe me, even though she'll probably tease me too."

"Oh, we'll make sure you never live it down," Zuko retorted, using sarcasm more likely to be found in Sokka. Turning back to Jinju, he inquired about another aspect of the temples. "I know some people send their children to the temples for schooling. But aren't there also families who send their children to live here full-time?"

Jinju nodded. "In the past, parents do send their children here, almost treating this like a boarding school. Air Nomads believe in raising children communally, and that tradition is still somewhat present today," the dusty air bender answered, gesturing at the children now running around the hillside, "Most parents only do the boarding school option today, but there are still those who keep their children here full-time. It's a mix of tradition and financial reasons, as Air Nomads will accept children from families who can't afford to raise them."

Toph and Zuko both grew silent, realizing how different this was from their upbringing. While Toph and Zuko both suffered from different types of parental neglect, they were lucky that they had a home and money to spend. It was shocking to hear that poverty was so bad in some areas that Air Nomads sent their children to temples full-time, just so the children could be well-fed and received a proper education. While they were happy that things improved significantly, to the point where the boarding school option was more likely, it was still a sobering thought.

"When I was younger, I did stay for here an extended period of time," Aang added to Jinju's remarks, "Even though the monks knew I would go back to Republic City, they still treated me like a regular student here. They were strict with their teachings, both in terms of philosophy and air bending, and assigned me various sets of chores. One time, I recalled wiping around a hundred dishes after meal time. It's a good test of patience and perseverance."

Jinju hollered out to some of the students who wandered too far off. Excusing himself from the group, he tried to chase down some of them, leaving Aang to address other students' questions. Zuko and Toph slowly followed, gingerly stepping through the uneven terrain. "I heard most students take their air bending exams in their late teens to early twenties," the fire bender observed, "Aang's an exception because he's such a prodigy, but I can also imagine some people holding off until they reach an older age, for whatever reason."

Toph couldn't help but grin again. "Let me guess, you're talking about a certain biracial air bending nurse from the hospital's trauma recovery unit, who has two adorable tri-racial air bending daughters, who postponed her exam when she got married and became pregnant with the older child?" the earth bender blurted out, detailing the history of their mutual friend.

"Yeah, Hana and Yihua's mother is an exception, but her family's approach towards air bending is quite unorthodox," Aang replied, his attention directly on the younger air benders before him. He demonstrated the technique to detect for heat underground, which was crucial for geothermal drilling. "This is part of this whole theme of life and death that Katara and I are facing, mainly with how we find meaning in what we do during the time we're alive."

"Do you find it more meaningful to be unorthodox? Or at least, you want to teach others to be unorthodox?" Toph pointed out, taking an earth bending stance. She moved some of the rocks out of the way, allowing the air bending students to better access the air underground. "I know Bumi, the candy store owner, is a pretty skilled earth bender. His comment is that I should think like a mad genius, and everyone should learn that skill, bender or not."

"And don't forget how Uncle Iroh thought outside the box, using water bending skills as a way to develop lightning redirection," Zuko remarked, recalling how that skill saved him when his father shot lightning at him, "To have an elder teach me a skill unconditionally and making such a contribution to my growth, it's definitely a positive influence in my entire life."

Just then, Aang paused. There was another aspect of Air Nomads that wasn't well known or preserved. Aang felt this topic should be made more well-known as a way to develop and enhance Air Nomad culture. Turning to Jinju, who now returned with several Air Nomad children in tow, Aang asked, "Is Pasang free this weekend? I'd like another favour from him."

"I didn't expect to see you both here," Aang remarked in a friendly tone at the two extra visitors. Given it was the weekend again, Aang decided to have Pasang take him and Katara on another tour of a different sort of facility in the Southern Air Temple. Pasang told Aang he would do the honours himself, but the older monk never told Aang that two others would join him. "In fact, the four of us didn't really get together since my wedding ceremony with Katara."

Standing before Aang and Katara were a young man with dark brown hair and cradling a cat, and a young woman with shoulder-length hair with green eyes while wearing blue clothing. Both of them had smiles on their faces when seeing Aang and Katara, but both of them also had their eyes on something other than the married couple. "And is Goldblaze doing well? You're bringing him on another field trip, I see," Katara commented, gesturing at the feline.

"Actually, this is Goldblaze II. The original Goldblaze passed away shortly after your wedding," Goldblaze II's owner explained, gently stroking the descendant of the original feline, "Goldblaze had a serious illness and was diagnosed with anemia. He held on for about another year, but sadly he didn't make it. I actually dedicated my second novel to Goldblaze, you know."

"I'm sorry to hear that, and I'm sorry for not reaching out as much ever since our wedding ceremony. I know you both sat at the back of the hall, and I wish we had spoken more at the ceremony," Aang stated with his head slightly bowed. Turning to the other female water bender present, Aang asked, "And how has your writing been going, Yuri?"

Yuri's eyes tilted slightly diagonally away from the group. "I'm actually not publishing anything at the moment, other than online stuff," the autistic water bender replied, "I actually have a full-time office job now, so even my online writing is getting sparse. That said, I'm now doing more works on autism awareness, including combating wrong approaches towards dealing with autistic children. Check out some of my latest online works if you're interested in that."

Just then, Pasang came back to the group. "Apologies for the delay, but we can all go inside the building now," the head monk at the Southern Air Temple announced. They entered the wooden doors of a non-descript stone and plaster building, passing by the front desk and into the back. "This is the publication and print centre of the Southern Air Temple. Most people think Air Nomads have simpler lives than those living in places like Republic City. But even simple monks have to spread on their knowledge and wisdom, and this facility is integral to that goal."

Aang, Katara, Yuri, and Goldblaze II's owner all glanced around, seeing several tattooed individuals sorting through pages of scripture. Presumably these materials would be part of class materials or new publications, which allowed for the spread of Air Nomad philosophy worldwide. Given the Air Nomad philosophy to free oneself from worldly possessions, these texts were what Air Nomads cherished the most. Instead of using knowledge for selfish goals, they used it for the betterment of the world, almost like a service to those in pain or suffering.

"As you can see, the scriptures are still printed by hand," Pasang described, pointing at the tables at the back. Indeed, several other monks were hard at work, lining up several blocks in a larger print block. "Once they finish the printing, they will bring it to the front, where these folks will organize the documents as the final product."

Katara craned her neck to see one Air Acolyte sculpting various shapes into the block. "Do they actually carve out each character every time they publish? Or is this just the creation of a new printing block?" the water bender inquired, leaning closer to the carving.

Pasang smiled at Katara's question. "A block can be reused several times before the quality goes poor, so we do have to re-carve every now and then," he answered, "We have to make sure the blocks are inked properly before pressing onto the page, so that the scriptures and annotations are accurately printed out for the world to read."

Aang watched as the Air Acolyte provided the printing block to a colleague, who then pressed it onto the inkpad. Making sure the dark materials covered the figures, the other Air Acolyte then pulled out a longer page, lining it up on the surface of the desk. In one smooth motion, he pressed the block onto the page, holding it against the paper with some force. After a few second, the block was lifted, and the page now had the new scripture printed onto it.

Pasang gestured at the desk, and the Air Acolyte gave the head monk the page. "This is the famous Heart Sutra, which speaks to conventional truth and the ultimate truth," the uni-browed monk explained, "The main theme you'll see in this verse is emptiness, which refers to how we come and go in this world. We come with nothing, and we leave with nothing, hence we should let go of certain attachments while still cherishing the positives we experienced in life."

The same theme of life and death came right back at Aang and Katara, pausing all their thoughts. Whether it was Aang thinking about Gyatso's coma, Katara and Sokka losing their mother, and even some of the patients Katara saw the past two weeks, all these came back into play. Even Goldblaze II's owner suffered a similar fate, when his first cat passed away. Was this something worth digging deeper into as they continued their stay here?

As if he read everyone's minds, Goldblaze II's owner was the first to speak. "I didn't just lose Goldblaze in the past year. I also lost my grandmother and my uncle, all in the span of the past two months. It was really tough and I did a lot of prayer and reflection," the young novelist murmured, "Goldblaze II filled in some of the holes in my heart, and I still have my mother and siblings to turn to for support. But hearing Pasang's Heart Sutra, it definitely hits differently."

"I too lost my grandmother, but that was last year," Yuri chimed in, gently rubbing her left forearm with her right hand, "This is my first solo trip, and I'm heading to the Southern Water Tribe to reconnect with her roots. I can see how the Heart Sutra applies, where we must acknowledge emptiness and still cherish the positive influences from those who have left us."

Sensing the discouraging mood, Pasang expressed the Heart Sutra to the foursome differently. "The Heart Sutra isn't just about life and death, although that's one interpretation," the older air bender suggested, placing the long sheet back onto the printing desk, "With conventional truth and ultimate truth, it tells us to not be stubborn and end up getting lost in our views and emotions, so we can attain these truths. With emptiness comes a need for further compassion, so that we can care for those around us and also help them attain their truths."

That stimulated a new round of discussion, including how far some Air Nomads went to search for this truth. The most extreme example was Tang Xu, who meditated on Whaletail Island for a hundred days without any food. That increased his physical and spiritual awareness, allowing him to touch all the spiritual energy around him. "And isn't this part of the spirit of the Heart Sutra, where Tang Xu's awareness allows him to get closer to these truths?" Aang stated.

Everyone around Aang nodded. It even got Yuri to turn to her fellow autistic, asking him if this should go into his third novel. "Maybe you should visit Whaletail Island sometime soon, just to see if you can get inspiration," she proposed, glancing sideways at Goldblaze II's owner, "Do you plan on including some Air Nomad philosophy in your next story?"

Goldblaze II's owner shrugged. "I'm not sure yet, because I'm not as big on Air Nomad philosophy as some other writers, and I happen to know one who may just include it," the cat owner elaborated, shuffling his arms to rebalance Goldblaze II, "I saw Hana and Yihua's mother last time I visited my publisher. We talked for a bit, but apparently she wants to publish her own novel. I wonder how she has time to write a novel while still working full-time as a nurse?"

And here is my list of inspirations for this chapter:

1.) Tibetan medicine does feature herbal baths that supposedly treat a variety of ailments. These baths are called "lum" and they feature a variety of herbal ingredients. People claim they have healed things from skin allergies to arthritis. While I don't think a convention physician like Katara will rely entirely on them, I do see how they can come in handy for her, especially with her water-based healing. More on this in a later chapter, when Aang finally reveals why he took a lum bath when he was younger.

2.) Temples in Tibet and the surrounding areas are indeed like an archive, in that lots of traditional Buddhist knowledge is stored inside them. Tibetan monks, also known as lamas, are supposed to spend years, if not decades, studying these and understanding the knowledge and philosophy of this culture. They also take in children from families that cannot raise them, giving these children homes, food, and education. I think Air Nomads do something similar, in that the Air Temples actually serve as the homes for many Air Nomad children, meaning there must be an education system to raise these children. While I don't think all Air Nomads leave their children in the temples in the modern day, I think a system similar to a boarding school may be in play.

3.) The Heart Sutra is indeed the most famous Buddhist scripture in the world, translated into several languages and is studied worldwide. The basic theme is form and emptiness, and existence of form is dependent on other forms. This basically speaks to interconnectedness, where one can and will always affect another based on this connection. This also speaks to life and death, in that we are born with nothing and we leave with nothing. From the Air Nomad perspective, this is appropriate in that it speaks to letting go of earthly possessions, but also having compassion for all things one may affect. Again, it's not the easier thing to understand, but hopefully this provide you with some context.

4.) SaoirseParisa reprises her role as Yuri from the Southern Water Tribe, and she is working full-time. She does have some new fics that I didn't read much of, but a lot of them deal with autistic children. The Autistic Patriot is also here, but unfortunately he did suffer some hardship in his life. His dog, his grandmother, and his uncle all passed away within a few months of each other, and he ended up going to Pennsylvania twice to attend the latter's funerals. Since Goldblaze is his only pet here, I made Goldblaze the one to pass on, but is replaced by Goldblaze II. Finally, Kelev is mentioned again, as she is indeed trying to publish a children's novel in real life and spoke with a publisher for this purpose. I just gave her and Goldblaze's owner the same publisher in my story, all the while letting her keep her full-time nursing job.

5.) Yung from Omashu suffering from rheumatism is from "Return to Omashu" in Avatar, Book 2, where he was the captain of Omashu's military and used the fictional penta-pox to evacuate the city. Toph claiming she spoke to Bumi about neutral jing is also from "Return to Omashu in Avatar, Book 2, where Bumi described it to Aang and asked him to find an earth bending teacher who has mastered this (Toph). Aang claiming that cloud bending is a mix of air bending and water bending is from "the Fortuneteller" in Avatar, Book 1, where he and Katara bent a cloud using the same idea. Zuko's mention about looking within to find himself is from "the Western Air Temple" in Avatar, Book 3, where he imitated Iroh speaking that line. And Pasang's story about Tang Xu fasting on Whatetail Island is from "Original Airbenders" in Korra, Book 3, where Tenzin told a similar story about him.

Thank you so much for visiting this chapter. And for my three cameos (Kelev, The Autistic Patriot, and SaoirseParisa), I hope I did you guys justice. Please stay in touch and look for an update soon.