Prompt: Where was Kya during the finale?
When the tired young water bender had appeared at their door in the middle of the night and announced, "We've finally reached someone at Air Temple Island," it hadn't loosened the hot knot of fear in Kya's chest.
Katara had just nodded and said, "You go."
It wasn't the first time in her life Kya had wanted to shake that calm, knowing smile off her mother's face.
Over the past week, she'd repeated "They'll be fine" like a mantra and Kya had wanted to believe her—she really had.
When she finally heard static give way to a familiar voice, she finally let herself hope.
"Hello?" the voice said.
"Ikki? Ikki, its Kya. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Just some bruises."
"Who is it?" a muffled voice asked.
"Aunt Kya," Ikki answered, sounding farther away. "Hush. I can't hear."
There were other voices in the background now, a familiar to and fro of siblings jostling for attention and for a moment she couldn't speak, just rubbed the back of her hand across her cheek to stop the tears that had finally overflowed.
Then, once the damn had broken, the questions poured out: "Is that Jinorra and Meelo? Your father and Uncle Bumi? Did Pema and Rohan get out of the city before the attack?"
"We're fine, really."
"None of you were hurt?"
"No. The city's … mostly gone, though," another voice, still feminine but softer answered. "But, Aunt Kya, the portal's beautiful."
Jinorra. Kya laughed despite herself. Of course, her oldest niece would be enamored of the gateway to the spirit world.
"And Korra? Her injury didn't—"
"She's fine too. It's not like last time."
"Everyone's okay?"
"Give it."
"Hey!"
There was a shuffling over the line and a brief silence. The radio operator exchanged a look with Kya.
"Your woman's fine, Aunt Kya!" Meelo's voice broke through.
The operator busied himself with some dials to hide a grin as a muffled argument broke out over the line.
"Who?"
"The Chief."
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Tell Grangran I'll come visit as soon as I'm done rebuilding the city," Meelo ordered—and the line went dead.
The operator frantically rotated the dial but found only static.
Kya put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head, laughed and told him not to bother.
Her nephew had more important things to do.
"They're fine. All of them."
Kya didn't mind the smug look on her mother's face.
"I'm sure they could use as many healers as they can get," Katara said.
"And you don't make house calls anymore?" Kya teased.
"If you pack now, you can be on the first boat out tomorrow."
Kya was already making a mental list of what she needed to add to the bag she always kept ready.
"Peema will take care of Tenzin and the kids—and spirits know Bumi has dumb luck on his side—but make sure Lin doesn't try to rebuild the entire city herself."