Still fairly close to Canon, but things won't stay that way forever. Also, I liked the way Sokka and Ty Lee played off each other. I don't think I got Sokka right at first, but he gets better and more Sokka-ish as it goes.

Ty Lee dangled her feet over the edge of the roof. She had a habit of going places other people didn't want her to go, but the dojo was one place where she was perennially welcome. She watched Agni rising in the east, as it climbed above the hills which flanked the village to both sides. Day broke as quickly as it ended here. It was a lovely place. A bit cold, though. She looked down, and saw Sokka, the tribesman, kicking rocks, always looking toward the building. She wondered what he was doing, and was a little surprised when he made for the door, sliding it open. He wavered, then. Second guessing himself? Ty Lee silently dropped down beside him.

"She's probably upstairs," she said helpfully. Sokka let out a high pitched yelp and turned, taking another exaggerated fighting-stance. She just smiled at him.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" he asked.

"Do you want me to?"

Sokka's expression became a bit dire, then he turned. "Could you... not do that in the future? I mean, for your own safety. I couldn't be held responsible if you surprised me and I... lashed out!" he suddenly loomed over her trying to seem threatening. She smiled, he faltered. "Um. Heh. Anyway. I'll just head up and... What? What are you looking at?"

"You have nice eyes," she said. He just stared at her, blinking deliberately, before forcefully turning and heading inside. She pondered a moment. Should she follow? As much as it would be funny to see him make a fool of himself, at this point, it would seem petty. Still, hope springs eternal; she cheerfully made her way upstairs, where Sokka was already knocking on Suki's bedroom door. Suki, bereft of her make-up and her hair flattened to one side of her face, did not look impressed.

"What do you want at this hour in the morning? Come for another 'dancing lesson'? Should I call for... Oh, well, there she is. Would you like another session with the circus performer? Or would that be too much for you?" Suki asked as she dragged her hair into a loose tail.

Sokka did what neither woman expected, and lowered himself to a bow. "I came to apologize. I would be honored if you would teach me. I'm sorry I thought of you as 'just a girl' earlier. I was wrong," he said. Both women shared a glance.

"You were wrong. And no, I cannot teach you," Suki said.

"Because I'm a man?"

"No. The Kyoshi Warriors are not exclusively a female force, just preferentially," Suki grabbed Sokka's hand, engulfing it in one of hers, and brought him to his feet. "There are other styles of combat more suited to the male form; Kyoshi's training caters to the feminine. But, I am not without sympathy. You did what I did not expect today. You admitted your own prejudices and sought to make amends. That puts you on a higher level than quite a few of my neighbors."

"But you still won't teach me?"

Suki took a purging breath, then closed the door. Sokka looked crestfallen, but then the door opened again, and Suki strode out, wearing her sleeping robe and carrying a set of Kyoshi Warrior armor and paint. It couldn't be her own, because it was far too small for her. "Come downstairs."

Suki sat down on her cushion and handed Sokka the armor. "Put this on," she said. Sokka looked at it suspiciously, but began to pull the light, mobile armor over his clothing. "No. The uniform is designed to be worn whole," Sokka stared at the woman for a moment, then shrugged. He pulled off his tunic and pants without a second thought, which made Suki glance away out of respect. Ty Lee didn't bother. It wasn't just his eyes which were pretty. He didn't even react to her watching as he got armored. "And the paint."

"Really? I'm starting to think you're just getting a rise out of me."

"The rest of the girls are out gallivanting with this 'Avatar' of yours. I doubt we'll see them until he's exhausted his tricks and their patience," Suki said.

Sokka paused, just an hair away from licking the face-paint on his fingers, and stared at Suki. "You don't believe he's the Avatar?"

"He is a boy, and if an airbender then a unique one. But my great-grandparents fought and died under the flag of a so-called Avatar eighty years ago. Forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical that the Avatar vanishes for a century, and now suddenly appears, and it's a teenage boy. Now, the paint. And don't lick it. It's dreadfully bitter."

Sokka's expression became amused. "And how would you know...?"

"Everybody licks it eventually," Suki said. She motioned Ty Lee closer. "Now, I can't train you, because if I did, I'd probably break something. The girls train new recruits, and I oversee. Since there are no girls here, Ty Lee will have to suffice."

"But you said..."
"You've watched us just about every day for a year. I think you're a sufficient stand in," Suki said. "But don't cripple him again. I don't want to have to wait an hour every time he gets hit."

"Got it. Tingling and weakness only," Ty Lee said. Suki frowned.

"You can do that?" she asked quietly, probably to herself. She shook her head. "You still haven't painted your face."

"Do I really have to wear this? It feels kind of... girly."

Suki chuckled. "You should be proud. It is a military uniform, centuries old. Silk and boiled leather, representing the resilience and tenacity of the people, of the blood that flows through my veins from the Avatar herself. The paint pattern is derived from a malicious spirit Kyoshi defeated in the spirit realms, a signet of victory over what was considered impossible odds."

"Pride and honor," Sokka said, his tone actually a little reverent. As he began to apply the paint, a bald-headed boy looked into the dojo and grinned.

"Hey, Sokka! Nice dress!"

Sokka wilted.

"Do you see why I'm not convinced he's the Avatar?" Suki asked Ty Lee. She shrugged.

"He seems like a lot of fun," Ty Lee said. "Wasn't Kyoshi involved in all sorts of games in her day?"

"Regardless. Sokka, our technique involves using an attacker's strength against him. Since you're of a more limber than burly type, I suspect you will have some facility in it," Suki said. She leaned back, tossing Sokka a metal fan. "Like in earthbending, to us, combat is about waiting for a proper moment, then seizing it. Think of the fan as an extension of your arm."

Sokka fumbled with the instrument for a moment before getting it open. "Alright. It's part of my arm. A really long, metal arm. Got it."

"Ty Lee?" Suki directed. Ty Lee moved forward and jabbed him in the side of the shoulder, making Sokka yelp and drop the fan.

"Hey, no fair! I wasn't ready," Sokka complained.

"Tell that to a firebender, see how reacts," Suki said. She shook her head. "You're still thinking with your muscles. You need to think with Ty Lee's. Again."

Ty Lee smiled and moved again. This time, as she moved to disarm him again, he took a step backward, and gave her an unexpected shove with his other hand. She was so surprised, she actually fell backward, almost landing on her back.

"I only fell to make you feel better," Ty Lee lied. Sokka's eyes grew bright.

"I got you! I actually got you," he seemed quite pleased with himself. Suki tutted loudly.

"Don't become arrogant, tribesman. Arrogance killed 'Chin the Great' and continues to do the same to thousands of young warriors every day. Now, let's see if you can do it again."

Ty Lee surged forward again, and Sokka moved back. Most of the time, she struck home. It didn't surprise her. She was faster than most people, and her technique allowed her to bring somebody down from just about any angle. But still, every now and then, when she least expected it, Sokka managed to dodge a certain blow, to deflect her attack, to break her base, to drive her back for a few moments before she regained her ground. By the evening, they were flowing around each other like water. It was almost like dancing. Dancing with occasional pain, and a lot of sweating.

"Not bad," Suki said, eating her dinner. The smell of rice and fish brought Ty Lee's stomach to rumble, reminding her just how long she'd been at this little 'dance'. The day had passed so quickly. Sokka, too, was tired.

"Not bad?" Sokka asked, taking a lean on the door.

"From her, that's about as high a compliment as you're going to get unless you're Earth King Kuei or Kyoshi herself," Ty Lee explained. "It's been fun, but I've got to go. Dinner doesn't make itself."

"You did well too, Ty Lee," Suki said as Sokka began to practice his moves against invisible opponents. "For one who was never actually taught, you manage to teach our style passably well."

"Awww, thank you so much!" she said. "Well, I'll see you all tomorrow."

"You can count on it," Sokka said, before letting out a loud kiai and kicking a post, hurting his foot, and falling over. Ty Lee giggled, then left, walking through the red light to her hut near the edge of town. The people here had been kind enough to provide it to her when she said she would be staying until the circus returned. They were due back sooner or later; they had promised they'd be back months ago, but they often went places they'd never planned when the money looked good. She settled down in front of the oven, with a quick glance over her shoulder, and bowed her head.

In her native Huojian tongue, she whispered, "Praise to Agni who provides light and warmth, and the crops in the field, who sate our hungers and give us life. Praise to the Fire Lord who directs the flames to keep his people safe. Praise to the Fire; without it, we are cold and alone." Her daily benediction said, she dug into the food she'd prepared to eat at lunch, but had completely forgotten about.

Things had changed so much in the three years since she left home. But she knew she had to leave. She saw what was waiting for her if she didn't join that circus that day. A lifetime of being mistaken for somebody else. A lifetime of non-identity. A lifetime of being 'one of Juo Hiao Baihu's daughters. No, the other one'. And all she had to give up was everything she was. Even trade, really. She quickly checked the cage she set up near the roof. The golden pigeon-rat stared down at her, nibbling on a nut. That was hers, trained like a proper Fire Nation hawk, to carry messages anywhere in the world. To her parents. She had nothing to say to them. The cage next to it was empty. Nobody had anything to say to her either, it seemed.

A grunting call brought life back to Ty Lee's face and soul. It sounded so much like home that a pang of homesickness stung her before she sighed and smiled. It made her think about the rhino pens her father kept as part of his job. People were always scared of rhinos, but she always got along great with them. Nothing on Earth didn't love being scratched on the neck. A second grunting call then sounded. Ty Lee got suspicious. She shelved the meager remnants of her meal and looked outside. Dian, a rather excitable boy whom she had the displeasure of briefly dating, was running screaming up the street. Hardly unusual behavior for him. But he was screaming one word, which made Ty Lee's stomach sink.

"Firebenders!"

The Fire Nation had come here. No, that couldn't be! There must be some mistake. There was no reason to come to Kyoshi; it was too far off any beaten trail to be a viable target, too small to support much of a garrison, and didn't have enough infrastructure to... Agni's flame, she was starting to think like her father!

The rhinos numbered five, and crashed forward, ignoring any obstacles in their path. On the roofs, Ty Lee could see the Kyoshi Warriors, ready even with such little warning, preparing for the take-down. Then she saw the man on the foremost rhino. His head was shaven, save for a tail of hair which was pulled up from the back of his head. A burn marred the left side of his face. His eyes were the color of burnished gold. She almost didn't recognize him.

"Zuko?" she asked. He didn't hear her. If he did, she would have been quite angry at the fireball he threw in her direction. She dived back into her hut. Why was he here? Why did he look like that? Then she remembered. Zuko had been banished. That was the last message she'd gotten from him, and one of the last she'd gotten at all. But why here?

"Find the Avatar, bring him to me!" he shouted in Huojian.

The Avatar. Was that boy really the Avatar? Suki didn't seem to believe it, and she made her disbelief known by tackling the prince off of his steed. She twisted his arms behind him, trying to prevent a firebending attack. He spat a gout of fire out of his mouth, singeing her feet and making her take off. No Kyoshi Warrior continued to fight if they lost their advantage; it wasn't the way they were taught. And from the looks of things, these men outmatched them, for the moment, anyway. A Firebender broke off from the fray and moved toward her. She squeaked her alarm and moved back into the hut. He barged in and leaned down.

"Where is Avatar, girl?" he asked in broken Tianxia. She looked around, trying to decide if she should just take him out before he caused trouble. She was saved from it by a gravely, deep voice calling to him.

"What are you doing there, young man?" the voice asked.

"She might know where the Avatar is," the firebender replied, not looking away from her.

"She is a peasant girl from the Earth Kingdom. What could she know?" he asked. The voice was so familiar. Could it be? Could it possibly be?

It was. Iroh, the Dragon of the West, leaned into the hut and looked Ty Lee in the eye. He turned to the firebender and pulled him lightly. "There are better things for you to do today. Help the Prince. He is young and he thinks much of himself. It would be shameful if he were captured."

"Yes, General Iroh."

When the firebender departed, Iroh watched him leave, before squeezing his wide, short form through the door and sitting on the floor near Ty Lee. His broad face bore an easy smile. "Yours is a face I thought I would not see again for a very long time. And certainly, not here, Ty Lee."

"Why... What... How did you know which one I was?" she asked.

"How could I forget one of two people Azula could play with without setting on fire? Intentionally, anyway. I hope you don't mind if I prepare some tea?" Iroh asked, firebending the stove to life and setting the kettle onto it.

"Is this really the time to have a cup of tea?" Ty Lee asked.

With a stern tone, Iroh turned to her. "It is never the wrong time to enjoy a cup of tea."

When he said that, she couldn't restrain herself from hugging the rotund man. "It's good to see someone from home."

"I assure you, the feeling is quite mutual," Iroh said quietly. He gently moved her aside and poured himself a cup. "It will not be the best, for it was brewed with haste, but regardless, I will remember it fondly, because you were here to share it. Now, I'm fairly certain my nephew has gotten himself into trouble by now if he's trying to fight the Avatar."

"Is he really the Avatar?" she asked.

"I believe he is," Iroh said quietly. "And even if he wasn't, he gives my nephew hope, and that is worth more than gold."

"It was good to see you again," Ty Lee said, with absolute honesty. Iroh just smiled, took his cup, and left the hut. Ty Lee quickly hopped onto the roof and looked around. Her heart broke a little, seeing the village in flames. But the Warriors were gaining the upper hand. Rhinos ran riderless into the hills, and the firebenders were retreating, unable to keep their sights on Suki's elusive students.

"Uncle, the Avatar is escaping!" Zuko shouted from a short way away.

"Then we will follow him," Iroh answered. There was a long pause.

"Uncle, where in Agni's name did you get a cup of tea in the middle of a battle?"

"If one fails to appreciate the finer things in life, can one really be said to have lived?" Iroh asked. Ty Lee wasn't really sure what that meant, but it seemed to get Zuko moving. She was happy to have seen Iroh again, but she felt a little sad about Zuko. His aura was all tied up in knots, and she was afraid for him. But there was nothing she could do. They were both exiles, but in different ways and for different reasons. Still, she felt homesick again. Iroh was like family.

"Ty Lee, are you alright?" Suki's voice cut through the pandemonium. Ty Lee jumped down, and met Suki at a corner. "I saw a firebender coming this way, and I didn't have time to stop him. Did he harm you?"

"Me? No, I'm just fine. What about you? You're all singed and smoky," she pointed out a part of her uniform which was smoldering. Suki idly patted it out.

"Good. The soldiers are leaving, following the boy. Some Avatar he turned out to be," she sounded bitter about it. "Girls! Get to the wells! We need to put out these fires!"

"Um, Suki?"

"What?"

"Isn't that the Unagi?" she pointed out to the bay. The Unagi, the great sea serpent of Kyoshi Island, was rearing up out of the water. Astride its brow, almost invisibly small for the distance, was the orange robed airbender. The Unagi lashed out at the Fire Nation ship, battering it, before loosing its water-laden breath over the town. It landed like a torrential rain, soaking the women standing in the open to their skin, and dousing every fire that still burned. Then, as quickly and impossibly as he had arrived, the boy seemed to take flight and vanish into the distance.

"That was neat!" Ty Lee said.

"I think I was wrong," Suki said, the water having scoured her paint away. "I think... that boy Aang might just be the Avatar."

Ty Lee smiled. "Told you so."