Personally, this was just a plot setting chapter. I don't like it. The action really starts at The Swamp.

Gyatso and Kara: Prodigies of an Avatar

Chapter 25- Sleepless in Songhua

Kara sat down on Appa watching Kuzon while their mother navigated Appa. She was still shook up about the news she had gotten about the boys, and the only comfort she found was wrapping her hands around her little brother's delicate waist and snuggling him softly. He didn't mind much because as most four year olds, he didn't mind someone holding him much.

Topaz on the other hand, was parallel to the two of them, and in a very annoyed state. Her arms were crossed and her lips were scrunched together with her teeth biting the bottom lip on the inside of her mouth. If the teenager was sure of one thing, she was sure that she and Kara told each other everything unless it would hurt someone mentally or physically. Whatever had happened between her and Iroh, Topaz wanted to know. Besides Kara and Kyoshi, Iroh was her best friend-like an older brother even. When Mai was pregnant with Roku, Iroh was sent to Toph and Teo's home, and Topaz bonded with him over the course of about five to six months. She had never found out why he was sent to her house, but found it rude to pry; but in this instance, she threw all caution to the wind. The only restriction for her was Kuzon, so as soon as the little boy fell asleep, all of what she was holding in would come out.

"What is the next stop, Mama? TWS is getting excited; I think he wants to be wild." The toddler stroked his pet's head softly.

Katara turned around and smiled the fakest smile at him. She was so deep in thought about another strange dream that she had had. She saw her mother smiling at her in a small white room decorated with pictures of strawberries. The woman had no idea what the dream meant, so was thinking of it the whole time.

"Oh, uh, Songhua, dear. We need to visit-"

"Uncle Haru!" Kara and Kyoshi yelled at the same time, and looked at each other laughing giddily.

This was the one time Kara had smiled since the news about the boys. She knew that Haru would be a good distraction, mostly because of his many girlfriends which varied from farm-girls to daughters of diplomats. He never cheated on them, but broke up and got a girl every month. This had started after Ty Lee broke up with him when Kyoshi and Iroh were about two years old-everyone else was a year younger.

"Who's that?" Kuzon asked confused with all of the laughter. It was as if he had stolen the words from Li's mind.

"You'll see," Topaz said getting happier and forgetting the discord in her friendship.

Songhua

The group arrived at Haru's house uninvited within an hour. Katara knocked on the door and waited for her friend to open it with a woman behind him. To her surprise, the only person next to him when he opened it was a teenage girl. She had green eyes, brown hair, and looked a lot like Haru.

"Who are you?" She asked looking over the man's shoulder with her arms crossed.

"Fen, go inside!" Haru scowled in an oddly annoyed tone of voice.

"Hi, Katara," He continued "Long time no see."

Kara, Topaz, and Kyoshi looked the man over thinking on who the teenager behind him was. Had he stooped so low to date a girl younger than Kara? Or was this girl the fruit of a secret shotgun wedding that ended so quickly that he didn't know until now that he had a daughter somewhere? Kara shook the thoughts out of her head, that wasn't Haru."

"No kidding." Topaz stifled a laugh, which everyone heard, then lowered her head.

Haru automatically got what she had said and apprehended the comment.

"Oh, no, you've got it all wrong. You know how I went to visit you and Aang for the kids' first birthday; well my dad and my mom had a huge reunion if you get what I'm saying,"

"That's your sister?!" Katara exclaimed covering her mouth in such a surprised way that Topaz took a mental picture of it so that when she got her hands on some ink, she could draw it.

Haru let the group in explaining why she lived with him-their parents died three years earlier and she had nowhere else to go. Since then his player behavior was toned down to not dating at all (Fen couldn't take all of the women over for dinner every night, and made an effort to blow up her brother's spot).

They stayed over for dinner, and the girls wound up getting along with Fen. Her dark brown hair was cut in a bob fashion and she was a huge tomboy.

"So you guys are from the South Pole? That is a long ways away!"

"Yeah, well, we've got to help the war effort." Li shrugged coolly leaning back in his chair.

"That is so cool, Li." She smiled, showing bright white teeth.

Kyoshi's eyes darted back and forth between the two of them and heat filled her body. Why in the world was her boyfriend flirting with a little girl? On instinct, she took her man's hand and moved in closer to him giving Fen the warning sign. The fourteen year old girl backed off knowing the signs of girls, but Li kept the flirting up.

"Hey, Fen, have you ever flown on an Air Bison before?"

Her green eyes looked at Kyoshi before mumbling a quiet no, Li insisted that he teach her how to-that's when Kyoshi really started to get pissed.

"Li, Fen doesn't want you to teach her how to fly Appa! Stop asking, she's only fourteen, okay-and why the heck are you asking if she wants flying and not me?!"

"Uh-Oh," Topaz mumbled looking at the rest of the table, then leaving, taking Fen with her. The rest of the tablemates left, leaving Li and Kyoshi alone.

"Well, maybe I wanted to make a nice gesture to a kid? Why are you getting so jealous? You're my girlfriend!"

"You know what," Kyoshi stood up angrily and yelled.

"You better pray that I still am by tomorrow!"

Outside With The Rest of The People

"Where are you all looking to go?" Haru asked sitting on the dirt outside of the house.

"Ba Sing Sei, why?" Kara replied standing next to her mother.

"I think that I know a shortcut,"

Oh no, trouble in paradise!!! Haha. I know a couple of you hate Fen right now (I'd hate Li if I were you, Fen is a beast, and will be possibly a GF to one of our pre-teen boys who is into older women... gosh I love her name-it's Chinese for Fragrent). Spoiler alert for those who dare in the P.S.

God Bless,

Leelee488512

P.S.-For what happened with Iroh and Kara, reread chapter 21-And the Heart is Cut Open. Lots of D-R-A-M-A from that.