This one is with Appa. He's the one who made me realize that I couldn't make all the stories romantic. The romantic story will be with Momo. (And you think I'm joking...)

And I guess you've figured out the date system I'm using by now, with the seasons divided according to their elements and three months in each season. You can also tell that the stories are not in chronological order.

2. Bygones

First year of Firelord Zuko's reign, third moon of Fire (late summer)

"...And I'm sorry we chased you all over the Earth Kingdom until you were exhausted," she said, finishing off the braid with a pink ribbon. "There! All pretty!"

Appa lowed a little sleepily, and shook his head at the unaccustomed feeling of his forelocks in a series of ribboned braids. He didn't shy away from Ty Lee's hands when she reached for him, though, and rested his head quietly on the ground as she stroked him.

"But you did airbend us into that river. So... we okay now?" Her eyes were uncharacteristically earnest as she looked into the air bison's eyes, her fingers twisting in her green skirt.

He just looked at her for a moment, no anger or fear in those huge, round eyes. Then he opened his mouth, and along with the distinctive animal smell a pink tongue as large as a bedspread rolled out to lick her from navel to face, leaving her soaked in a gleaming sheen of air bison saliva. He then let out a contented lowing sound as he lowered his head to the ground again.

"Oh, I'm so happy!" Heedless of the state of her dress and makeup, she instantly knelt to hug his face, then bent to kiss the tip of his nose. "We're going to be such great friends, Appa!"

A gasp sounded behind her and she whirled around, then cartwheeled across the grass to come stand right before the person who had just come out to the palace garden.

"Look, Sokka!" She said, taking his arm and pointing. "I got Appa ready for the parade!"

Aang, coming out of the building, almost ran into Sokka's back and then stopped, his mouth falling open.

"Isn't he pretty?" Ty Lee ran back to Appa to bury her face in the soft fur on his side. "We're friends now!"

"I told you it wasn't safe to leave her alone with Appa!" Sokka clutched his face with both hands. "It's a plot... to humiliate the Avatar!"

"It's not as if being girly wasn't his schtick in the first place." Toph came up to stand alongside them and crossed her arms.

"But you can't see what she's done," Sokka said, suspicious.

"I can guess." A corner of Toph's lips curled up. "And it looks great!" She reached up to punch Aang in the side, making him stumble. "See you at the parade, Twinkle Toes!" She ran back to the palace, laughing.

"Do you think we can get the braids out before the parade starts?" Aang asked Sokka, eyeing Ty Lee nervously.

"Do you want to be the one to tell her we're getting the braids out?" Asked Sokka.

They stood watching Ty Lee lie on her stomach on top of Appa's head, stroking his head and giggling. Then they looked at each other.

The victory parade was considered a great success, showing the spirit and harmony of the four nations as they ended the war and began their march to peace. The Avatar walked next to the Firelord instead of flying on his famous air bison, a humble gesture that many noted with pleasant surprise.

The true spectacle of the parade was the Kiyoshi Warriors, however, who flew high above the crowd on the Avatar's air bison festooned with bright pink, and pastel tones of green, blue, and yellow. (But with a suspcious predominance of pink, which some commentators grumbled was a political statement in favor of the Fire Nation.)

One Kiyoshi warrior in particular drew the eyes of the crowd, doing handstands on the saddle, swinging precariously down only to flip herself back up, and sweeping perilously low overhead while she hung upside down from the reins, waving eagerly at the crowd. Her spirit seemed to be infectious, especially with the young men, and the mood was festive despite the hard rebuilding ahead.

It had been a good show, everyone agreed, if a little unorthodox. And why not? They were living in unorthodox times, where a Water Tribe bender could cheer on the festivities right alongside a former Fire Nation soldier. Better get used to a lot of things in this new age. And Aang and Sokka gave each other a high-five, the Avatar having dodged another crisis in these difficult times. They waved up at Ty Lee as she flew overhead on Appa, and could not find it in their hearts to be angry. They lived in a new age, after all.

Next: She speaks to a grieving father in a wash of moonlight.