Shiro tried his best to stand his ground. The towering height of the combustion bender could cow almost any man, and despite his determination to protect his family, Shiro was no warrior. Makoto stood behind him, shivering with fear. Miyani sat hidden in her room, with an ear pressed to the door. While Gohrman towered over the pair, Lokus did the talking.
"Your daughter has potential," Lokus said. "We're only interested in helping her realize it."
Shiro looked at Gohrman. If what they were saying was true, Miyani had the potential to be like him -to be a combustion bender. Lokus had spent a long time searching the world for another Combustion Bender. He was surprised to find one here, in such a small village. Shiro considered the violent promises Lokus was making, and clenched his fist.
"I will not let you make my daughter into a weapon," he spat, his voice trembling. Even his clenched fist was shaking with fear.
"Not a weapon, a leader," Lokus said. "A goddess among humankind, a warrior that could rival the Avatar or the Energybender."
"If Lokus' theories are correct, she will surpass even me," Gohrman said. Lokus had been studying Gohrman's mutations, the arts that had made him a combustion bender, and believed he could improve upon them. "She will be a queen unequaled in all of history."
"She'll be a tyrant," Shiro said. "My daughter is a good person, I am not going to let you make her into a monster."
Miyani heard every word, and she shuddered at the word monster. She barely understood what they were talking about -she didn't know what a combustion bender was, or what they could do, or why she might be one, but she knew the word monster. Back in the living room, Lokus shook his head.
"I have been trying to be courteous, sir," Lokus said. "But I didn't bring Gohrman along just to be an example."
The combustion bender stepped up, towering over Shiro and Makoto. The red eye on his forehead stared down at both of them with unrivaled menace.
"Give us the girl," Lokus demanded. "We'll take her either way."
Shiro looked up at the monstrosity of a man in front of him, and slowly, the trembling in his hands faded. He turned away from Gohrman, leaning on a nearby wall. He looked just a few inches away, towards a shelf filled with family memories. He looked down the row, counted out his fishing trophies, the bowls and jars Makoto had crafted, and his eyes settled on a photo of Miyani as a newborn. Small, innocent, and precious. Lightly, his hands brushed one of the bowls Makoto had crafted.
Taking the bowl in hand and spinning sharply, he slammed it into Gohrman's forehead. The bowl shattered on impact, and shards of broken ceramic cut across the red eye tattoo. The combustion bender let out a cry of pain as he reeled from the blow. Without hesitation, Shiro dived at Lokus and knocked him to the ground.
"Get Miyani and run!" He screamed at Makoto. "Go!"
Lokus tried to grab his sword, and Shiro wrestled with him, trying to keep his hands away from the weapon. Makoto turned and bolted down the hallway, tripping as she ran before catching herself and slamming Miyani's door open. Miyani pulled away from the door just in time for her mother to rush through it. Makoto turned to look over her shoulder just once, and saw Gohrman still reeling -and Lokus walking down the hall, his sword dripping crimson. Makoto restrained a wail of grief and slammed the door shut, locking it tight behind her.
"What's happening?" Miyani cried.
"It's okay, it's okay," Makoto chanted. "Get out of the way, Miyani."
With Lokus blocking the halls and no windows in Miyani's room, Makoto knew of only one way out. As Miyani backed away, Makoto ignited a spark in both hands and held them out towards the nearest wall. Screaming all the while, Makoto poured every ounce of fire within her towards the wall. She screamed until her throat gave out and her breath was lost, and the fire faded. She gasped for air, and looked up at what she had done.
There was a circle of blackened wood in the wall. Nothing more. Makoto was no warrior. Her fire didn't burn hot enough. Makoto could feel her heartbeat pounding at her ears -and hear Lokus pounding on the door behind her.
With tears rolling down her cheeks, Makoto reached out a hand to her daughter.
"Come here, Miyani."
Miyani eagerly retreated into her mothers embrace. Makoto sat down the bed, held Miyani close to her, and put a hand over Miyani's eyes.
"Close your eyes," she said gently. Miyani obeyed, shutting her eyes tight, blocking out the world until all she could feel was her mothers arms around her, the tears rolling down her face onto Miyani's shoulder.
"Don't open them, no matter what. No matter what you hear, no matter what you feel, don't open your eyes. Promise me, okay?"
"I promise," Miyani said. She was shivering now, confused and afraid in spite of how tight her mother held her. She could still hear pounding at the door, and the wood beginning to splinter.
"Your father and I love you, so, so much, Miyani," Makoto said. "I want you to remember that. We love you, we love you more than anything, and nothing is ever going to change that. No matter what happens to us, no matter what they do to you, we are always going to love you."
Makoto ran a hand through her daughter's hair, and placed a hand on her chest, just above her heart.
"And even if we aren't with you, all that love will live inside you, right here," Makoto sobbed. "It'll all be okay, Miyani. It's going to be okay."
Makoto wrapped her arms around her daughter as the wood cracked and the door fell open. Miyani kept her eyes shut.
"I love you so much, Miyani," Makoto said. "I love you, I love you, I love you, I lo-"
Miyani opened her eyes.
She pulled her hands out of the kiln, gingerly holding the figure inside. It was dusty, chipped around the edges, and unfinished. Miyani turned it over and around to examine it, then put it down on the ground to stare at it from a distance. Two sculpted dolphin-seals, splashing above the oceans surface. The last thing her mother had ever made.
The last thing her mother had ever made for her. Miyani stared at it in silence. She wasn't sure how long.
After a long, solemn silence, Miyani reached down with both hands and moved aside the ash and dust, digging a small hole in the workshop floor. She grabbed the sculpture of the dolphin-seals and turned it over one more time.
"I'm sorry I forgot you," she whispered. "I won't do it again."
With trembling hands, she lowered the dolphin-seal figurine into the hole she'd dug. It felt like the right thing to do. This would be the closest thing to a goodbye she would ever get to say.
"You were right," Miyani sobbed. "You were right about everything. I found the people who understand how special I am. I decided what kind of firebender I want to be."
Miyani pushed the loose dirt over the figure, hiding it from sight. Her eyes stayed locked on the makeshift grave as she smoothed over the soil and stared blankly at her buried past.
"And you still love me," she sobbed. She put a hand on her heart. "Your love lives inside me, right here."
Miyani knelt on the ground, surrounded by the ashes of what had been her home, and wept.
The waves lapped at her heels as Miyani sat on the beach, the splintered remnants of the docks by her side. The sun was burning overhead, high and hot. Reignited, after passing through the jaws of the dragon. Miyani stared blankly at the spires of rock, and thought of her father's stories -until she heard the echo of a voice.
"Miyani!"
She jumped to her feet and looked to the west. She could see what looked like a human-sized sandstorm rushing towards her. Only one person on the planet could move that fast -and would be that excited to see her.
"Sen!"
The Avatar slowed his pace with expert precision to avoid slamming into her, instead sliding through the sand until he stopped just short of Miyani. With much less speed, but no less excitement, Sen jumped into her arms and hugged her as tightly as he could. Miyani returned the embrace and pulled him into a kiss, with a passion and a love she now understood more deeply than ever before. It felt like an eternity before the Avatar pulled away and pressed his head against her shoulder.
"What are you doing out here?" He pleaded. "I've been so worried about you."
"I'm sorry," Miyani said. "I just felt this pull, and I was worried if I didn't follow it I'd lose it, and I-"
Miyani pulled away from his hug and looked around at the ashes that surrounded them.
"I had to come here," she said quietly.
Sen stepped away in turn, and stood at her side. He looked over the broken ruins and slowly, he came to understand.
"This was your home, wasn't it?"
Miyani looked at the ashes, the broken stone, and glanced at the small grave she'd dug for her mother's gift.
"It was."
She looked away from it all, towards Sen. Slowly, her fingers intertwined with his, and she clasped his hand tightly.
"But not anymore."
Sen examined the ruins, scanning them one more time. There wasn't much left to examine.
"Do you...remember anything?"
"Yes. Everything," Miyani said. Sen had a questioning look on his face, and Miyani understood his curiosity without him having to say a word. She shook her head. Sen held her hand just a little bit tighter.
"I'd love to hear their stories," Sen said. Miyani smiled. She'd love to tell them, some other time. For now, they had a guest.
Trudging through the sand at a significantly slower pace than his son, Hao finally caught up to the Avatar. He was out of breath, but he still managed to give a triumphant, yet hoarse, cheer at the sight of Miyani.
"You found her!" He gasped. "Oh thank the spirits, thank-"
He stumbled and caught himself, struggling to catch his breath. Sen laughed and tugged lightly on Miyani's hand, pulling her towards Hao. They walked hand in hand to meet him.
"Miyani, this is my dad, Hao," Sen said. He was worried how she might feel about this reunion given the circumstances, but Miyani was beaming with joy.
"It's nice to meet you," Miyani said. She gave a shallow bow. "Sorry I messed up your reunion."
"No, no trouble at all, none," Hao said. He paused to catch his breath again. "Are you alright?"
"I'm okay," Miyani said.
"Then we are all better off, I think, for having done this," Hao said. He leaned over, grabbing on to Sen for support. "I think I'd like to continue this conversation on the ship."
"Good idea," Miyani said. She was exhausted too, in her own way. Hao turned to begin trudging towards the boat. Sen and Miyani followed a few steps behind. As she walked, Miyani took a moment to look over her shoulder, at the ashes of her past. Her eyes lingered on what was once her home, and listened to the waves crash against familiar shores. Then she looked away from it all, and walked towards the ship, hand in hand with Sen.
"And just as he says he's got it for sure, the fishing pole snaps and flies up to hit him in the face," Miyani said. "Left a scar on his nose, right here, and mom never let him forget it."
As the memories had come flooding back, Miyani remembered more and more about her parents. Not just the most dramatic memories, but the day to day stories, the quiet moments, the happiness that had existed for so long. Those were the stories she really wanted to share. Sen chuckled lightly at the amusing anecdote. Miyani poked him in the chest.
"You know, that's your problem," Miyani said. "You're so smart, I never get to say I told you so."
"You've still got the craptopus story on me," Sen said.
"Yeah, but every time I think about that, I just end up thinking about our first kiss, and I-"
Her sentence faded out into red-faced mumbling. Sen held her close. The boisterous partying of earlier in the day had faded. Miyani was back with the group, and a sense of normalcy had returned. The members of Team Avatar allowed themselves to relax.
"Hey Hanjo," Ada asked. "You've spent a lot of time in Dalen province, right?"
"Yep," Hanjo said. "Got a lot of earthbending students out there. Why do you ask?"
"I was just hoping you could tell me about it sometime," Ada said. "I'm...curious."
"I'm due to go back in a couple days," Hanjo said. "Why don't you come with me?"
"I'd like that," Ada said.
Across the room, Whistler snuck up on Suda. She tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to jump. While Hana enjoyed the sudden bounce, Suda was less happy. He handed Hana over to Yoki and turned to Whistler with his arms crossed.
"What is it this time?"
"Hey, I uh, just wanted to let you know I was kidding about that whole baby thing," Whistler said. "I was trying to mess with you, but that's some serious stuff to mess around about. Especially for you."
"I sort of figured," Suda said. "I'm not that naive. But, wait, why especially me?"
"Well, I mean, I'm me," Whistler said, gesturing to herself. "And we both know if I had a kid I'd probably just end up ditching it like your mom ditched you- sorry, I'm being stupid, I'm leaving."
Whistler turned around and tried to walk away before Suda grabbed her by the arm.
"I don't think that," Suda said. Whistler paused thoughtfully before Suda released her and pointed at her heart. "I think you'd be a bad mom because you swear a lot, are overly violent, and you're also technically homeless and have no money."
"Why do so many of this group's pep talks start with insulting me?" Whistler moaned. "This is a pep talk, right? You're not just ending it with the insults?"
"Yeah, it's a pep talk," Suda assured her. "My point is I'd know you'd never abandon someone you cared about. Heck, you stuck up for a guy when the only thing you knew about him was that he'd tried to kill us once. You've got a good heart, Whistler. You wouldn't give up on someone who needed you."
Whistler smiled.
"Thanks, Suda," Whistler said. "I'm really sorry I have to punch you to maintain my tough gal image now."
Suda sighed as the fist came towards him. Ariak caught a glimpse of the blow from across the room and nodded approvingly. Whistler had been working on her technique. She had mastered the art of punching just hard enough to make you feel it, but just soft enough to not really hurt. He'd always appreciated that about getting punched by her.
As the young ones stayed together, the two oldest members of the party sat on the sidelines. Hao took a look at his drink, and then looked at Zas.
"I should thank you for letting me know about Sen's trouble keeping focus," Hao said. "I'm glad I was able to help him."
"Oh, right, that," Zas said. "Yes, Sen does have some difficulty with keeping his head clear emotionally speaking, but he's got it mostly under control after the war, and he would've found Miyani one way or another. She wasn't exactly lost, was she?"
"Well, that's- huh," Hao said. "You were just giving me an excuse to spend time with him, weren't you?"
"Everyone else here got to get to know him on some grand adventure," Zas said with a smile. "I figured it was only fair you were given the chance, yes?"
Zas took a drink, trying, and succeeding, to appear nonchalant.
"Thank you for taking such good care of my son," Hao said. Any illusion of nonchalance dropped off Zas' face.
"In the absence of a father, I thought to look after him myself," Zas said. He raised his glass to lips bent in a wistful smile. "Now it's your turn."
Hao nodded thankfully. He had some ideas about what came next.
Hana had needed some sleep, and that, naturally, had marked the end of the party for everyone. Sen had said his 'goodnight's' to everyone and was rounding out the evenings farewells.
"Unfortunately, Miyani, dad has ended up in your usual room, so there's going to have to be some other arrangement," Sen said.
"Doesn't bother me," Miyani said. "I've been sleeping on volcanic rock the past couple days. I'll take whatever's available."
"It'll only be for a night, at any rate," Hao said. That caught Sen's attention.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact," Hao said. "I'm planning on going back to Hsinchu."
"Our hometown," Sen said. "Why?"
"Because in getting to know you, and your friends, I've realized I'm the only one with no idea what the next step is. Two decades of my life have been spent chasing after you, or despairing that I couldn't find you. Now here you are and...I don't know what comes next."
Hao let out a deep sigh and crossed his arms.
"I've spent so long caught up in my past, I don't know what the future holds. I need to rebuild my life, Sen," Hao said. "So I can stand on my own two feet, and support you when you need me."
Hao had spent years having the role of father stolen from him, and then been thrust back into Sen's life on short notice. He had spent so long dreaming of the return of his child, he'd been unprepared to deal with the man Sen had become. While he had coped with it in time, Hao had also come to grips with one of the realities of fatherhood: knowing when your children had grown up.
"I understand," Sen said. "And Hsinchu's only a few hours away, so you're welcome to visit any time. And we can visit you, of course."
Hao took a step forward, and Sen eagerly leaned in for a hug.
"I'd like that," Hao said. "Good night, Sen. Good night, Miyani."
Hao waved them off and returned to his room. Sen led the way back to his room, as Miyani followed close on his heels.
"I'm glad you and my dad get along," Sen said. "It would have been really awkward to go to all that trouble of finding you and then the two of you have nothing in common."
"You're right about that," Miyani said. She glanced down at Sen with a smile, and thought of her past. "And my parents would've liked you too."
Sen smiled to himself. He opened the heavily-locked door to his room and let Miyani inside, and she made herself comfortable lying on his bed. Sen took a seat at his desk and turned the chair towards her. Miyani stared at the bookshelves that lined Sen's wall and sighed.
"Oh, it's good to be back," she said. "But I am going to need my bed back."
"Planning on staying a while?"
"Well, as you can imagine, I'm not too keen on traveling by air or sea for a while," Miyani sighed. "And there's nowhere else on the mainland I really want to go, and I, well..."
Miyani sat up straight and sighed. She'd been planning to make a game of this, to tease Sen as she had on their first date, but in the moment, she found herself overflowing with sincerity.
"I want to live here, Sen," she admitted. "I want to live with you."
The search for the home she'd lost had awoken a new appreciation for the home Miyani had found. Once upon a time she had belonged on that island, with Shiro and Makoto, but that was in the past. The places and people she belonged had changed, but the need to belong remained -how lucky for her, then, that she had found Sen.
"That's perfect," Sen said. "I was planning on asking you to move in anyway."
Miyani smiled. As usual, they were on the same wavelength. She leaned aside, reaching out with one long arm to grab Sen by the wrist and pull him onto the bed. She tugged him close to her and wrapped scarred arms around him, clinging close to the man she loved. Miyani and Sen let out a contented sigh in unison.
As Miyani held Sen close, her mind briefly flickered to the little metal box in her bag, and the wedding hairpieces Eku had given her. Maybe later, she thought. She was all too happy to enjoy the little moment, the small steps, and to take things slow.
The already slow process was made much slower by Sen's doorbell ringing. With a grunt of discontent, Sen broke the embrace, and he pulled away from Miyani with a sigh.
"I'll get the door," Sen said, leaving a disappointed Miyani to slump back into his bed. He marched down the halls, grumbling to himself about interruptions, especially at this time of night, and pulled the front door open.
"Hello, brother," said Warmth.
Sen looked at the youngest Witch of Winter, his half-sister, and blinked twice.
"Dad," Sen shouted. "We need to talk."
THE END