Bits and Pieces

A week after the funeral, Aang, Katara, Toph, Sokka and the children were getting ready to leave. They'd planned on leaving a few days earlier, but they stayed longer to make sure Zuko was handling things okay. Before everyone went their separate ways, Princess Ursa asked everyone to come to her father's office because she had something to say.

"Hi, um, I just wanted to get this out there while everyone's together so I can hear what you all have to say." She took a cleansing breath and turned to Zuko, "Dad, I've decoded that when this session is over I'd like to see the world."

Zuko fought the urge to grimace. "I knew you would, but I am concerned about you doing this alone."

She held her head down and spoke softly. "I won't be going alone. Kyu offered to go with me and I accepted."

"What?" Zuko asked through clenched teeth. The others stood around, not sure if Zuko was going to go in search of the young man or burn his desk down.

"Wait Dad, before you set the place on fire, let me finish." Zuko balled his fists tightly and nodded his head, "The first thing I'd like to do is go to Air Temple Island and study the Air Nomad way of life," Aang lit up at the words, "if that's okay wit Uncle Aang and Aunt Katara."

Aang wanted to give the girl the biggest hug of her life, but he contained his excitement because Zuko's expression had not changed. He simply said, "We'll be glad to have you."

"This is starting to sound a little better." Zuko said with a much less murderous look in his eyes, "And what do you plan to do when you leave there?"

Once again she looked to Aang and Katara, "Um, also if it's okay with you two, I'd like Kya to travel with us when she turns sixteen."

Aang's face went from joy to a 'not my baby' expression while Zuko got a smug 'I told you so' smile. Before he could say anything, Kya looked at her father with pleading eyes and said, "Please Dad, please Mom."

Aang inhaled and forced a smile, "I suppose that would be fine," he relented, "you will be sixteen."

.~.

A few months passed and Kyu and Ursa were welcomed to Air Temple Island. Because she had spent so much of her time on the island growing up, she knew what to expect, but the young man had a bit of a hard time adjusting. The meditation and the chores were hard enough, but when he found out that Air Acolytes were expected to be vegetarian, he almost went back to the Fire Nation. After a couple of months, and losing ten pounds, he finally got the hang of the diet, and he found that he rather liked working at the pier, in the kitchen and feeding the lemurs. One lemur in particular, that Kyu named Chong, took a liking to him and would sometimes follow him around the island or perch on Kyu like Momo did with Aang.

The thing Kyu enjoyed the most were the classes about Air Nomad culture. He didn't care that they were extremely long, he was fascinated with the difference in the lifestyle. In the end, he was happy that Ursa insisted that their first stop be Air Temple Island.

.~.

Kya's birthday came and went with as much fanfare, but, to everyone's delight, less action than Ursa's. Everyone she loved and friends from all over the world were there to celebrate with her.

On occasion, Kya noticed her father pouting and her mother would nudge him and give him a sympathetic smile. After the party, Kya went and asked her mother what was wrong.

Katara hugged her daughter and whispered into her ear, "Aang's having a hard time with the idea of letting you go."

Kya pulled away and looked at her mother, "But I'll be back. It's not like I'm going away forever."

"But you won't be here all the time. And as you get older, the amount of time you spend here will be less and less."

"No it won't. I'll always live here."

"I thought I would always live at the South Pole," the mother said as she caressed her daughter's hair, "but you see where I am." she put her hand on Kya's cheek, "Baby, you never know where life will take you."

"Where's Dad now?" Kya asked.

"Oh, he said he was going to think." Katara said waving her hand with a smile and walked away.

Kya thought for a second, and then she took off running. On the way out of the door she grabbed her brother. "Come here Ten, I need your help."

They ran to the house and got one of their father's gliders, then they went to the top of the hill where the temple stood. "Alright Tenzin, give me some air."

Tenzin shot a burst of air into the glider for his sister, "Thanks Ten!" she yelled back to him as she spiraled her way to the top of the temple where Aang was sitting. She said "Daddy! Catch me!" as she glided up above him.

Aang made a cushion of air for his oldest to land on when he heard her close the glider. She floated softly down to the edge of the roof next to her father. She looked at him and smiled, but he only looked out over the island. Kya pretended to pout and made sad eyes, but her father still didn't move. Finally she rested her head against his arm, "You know I'll be back Daddy, I'll always come back."

"I know you will Kya." he said with a small smile. She hardly ever called him 'Daddy' anymore.

"Daddy, do you remember the first time you brought me up here?"

He smiled a little bigger, "Yes, I remember," he looked at his daughter, "you were still my baby back then."

Kya nudged her father, "Dad, I'm serious. You were trying to make me understand why I had to let you go. Dad, it's time to let me go. I'll be back, I'll always be back. This is my home. My family is here."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." he admitted as he wrapped his arm around her, "It just seems way to fast."

.~.

The time for the young travelers to leave came all too soon. Zuko came in from the Fire Nation and Sokka, Toph, and Lin came early in the day so that they could see the kids off. Lin happily helped the girls pack a few things and Tenzin went to help Kyu.

"You look sad Little Man." Kyu remarked, noticing Tenzin was more serious than usual.

"I'm fine." Tenzin answered.

Kyu smiled at the boy then looked back to his pack. "You know, it's alright to admit that you're going to miss your sister. Your family's going to miss her too. And she's going to miss you." Tenzin just looked at him. "Boom said he's going to miss her."

"He did not." Tenzin said, "Bumi would not say that."

"Yes he did." the fire bender said, looking back at the boy, "He told me last night at dinner."

Tenzin thought for a second, "Yes, I'll miss her." he admitted, "She used to be the only one who didn't try to make me act like a kid. She always just lets me be me."

"Used to be? You mean she stopped?"

"No, I mean she's not the only one anymore. You don't try to make me be a kid."

Kyu looked at Tenzin again, "But you are a kid, just the serious kind. Everybody's different. And I don't think you're all that serious, you have a great sense of humor."

The young air bender looked at the man. No one had ever said he had a sense of humor. "What?"

"Yeah, I mean cone on, your bison's name is Oogi. That was funny enough, but then Ursa told me what oogies were; now that's hilarious."

Tenzin smiled, "Not too many people get that."

Tenzin paused for a second, "Kyu, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything?"

"Are you going to marry Ursa?"

Kyu was so surprised by the straightforward question that he choked a little, "What?" he asked between coughs.

"Well, you like her, don't you?"

"Um, well," Kyu rubbed the back of his head, "I do, I mean I like her but…"

"But what?"

Kyu exhaled and sat on the bed, "I like her, a lot, but it's not like we're boyfriend and girlfriend or anything. We've never even been on a date."

Tenzin tilted his head, "So ask her out."

"It's not that easy, I mean she's a princess. I'm just...Kyu. She's going to be with someone more important than me. She just sees me as a friend."

"That's not what Lin said." the boy said, teasing Kyu with his inside information.

"What, what did Lin say?"

"Well," Tenzin said, looking uninterested, "Lin told me that Kya and Ursa said you're 'really hot' and they don't know why you're taking so long to approach Ursa. Lin said maybe you don't like girls."

"What?" Kyu said, jumping to his feet.

"That means she thinks you're homosexual...If you are, it's no big deal, Mushi is, so is Ty Lee, nobody cares." Tenzin covered his mouth as if he had a realization, "Oh, were you keeping it secret. If you are, I won't tell. I heard that they're a lot of people who won't accept people who are ga-"

"Tenzin. I like girls. Okay. I like Ursa, and I'm going to do something about it."

Kyu slid his dormitory room door open so fast that it startled Lin and Kya who were about to knock. Kyu paused, "Where's Ursa?" he commanded.

The two girls, eyes stretched wide, pointed down the hall toward the door. He took a couple of steps, then he turned around and shook his finger at Lin, "I like girls." and he stormed down the hall.

Kya was confused, "What was that all about?"

Lin and Tenzin smirked at each other as he approached the door, "I see it worked." the younger girl said.

"Yes, it did. It took long enough. He's a little thick headed."

Another one of my strange collections of ideas.

Too Lazy to do a real picture this time.

Thanks for reading.

My beta, KrystalFruit22 , is awesome. Thanks to her for cleaning up my mess and always doing it so fast.

Most characters by Bryan and Mike

Kyu by Mary Kate