Gladiator

by Seyary-Minamoto

In a world where the Avatar wasn't found, the Fire Nation took over two nations and they strive to overcome the last one. Water Tribe warrior Sokka seeks to fight for his people's rights, but he's captured by his enemies. His life is no longer in his hands as he fights as a Gladiator, and his fate will eventually depend on the Fire Nation Princess, who needs him for her own ends...

272. Chapter 272: S Air T-Secret Writings 1

Southern Air Temple/Secret Writings

1

Cheerful laughter had been in the air more often than usual in the Southern Water Tribe, even when the latest events might have suggested there was little reason to be so enthusiastic. They couldn't know if the messenger hawk had reached the Fire Nation safely, or if it had reached a communication post from which its message could be relayed to the Fire Lord properly. They weren't safe, a fact that weighed on the hearts and minds of most adults, even as they rejoiced in their victory weeks after it had taken place, but perhaps the dark times they had left behind – and the dark ones that yet loomed in the horizon – had persuaded them to make the most of the good times, whenever they were there for the taking.

The children delighted in the joyful atmosphere, eager to cling to anything that could chase away the unsettling memories of the battle and the soldiers that had attempted to hurt them while they hid away from the battle. Where they had been tense and nervous over the aftermath of the conflict, they were back to their playful, active behavior, chasing each other during the feast, sneaking food whenever they had a chance to, laughing and enjoying every moment of fun they could claim by their tribe's fireplace.

None of them rejoiced more than Mari, who basked happily in being the center of attention, no matter if she often was: her birthday celebration had been a tame, almost quiet matter, on the previous year, but this time she had been honored with a full-blown feast, countless presents and many tribal blessings and well-wishes. She would be shy about it with the people she wasn't too acquainted with, but she would make the most of the attention whenever it came from most familiar sources… save for one, of course:

"Look, Mari! I made you an ice sculpture! It's Princess Jing!"

The magical words that guaranteed to catch Mari's interest seemed to work, even when Kino was the one to utter them: Mari eyed him warily, however, and she appeared utterly displeased upon setting eyes on the awkward, misshapen ice that, according to the non-bender, was supposed to be her hero: the carved ice wasn't even shaped in the form of a human being.

Sokka tried not to take offense over the strange statue, knowing he wouldn't do a much better job, if asked… but he couldn't hold back a disdainful sneer. If that was Kino's idea of a depiction of Azula…

As it turned out, however, Sokka didn't need to worry about Kino's artistic abilities – or lack thereof: Mari seemed even more judgmental than him after she took in the statue properly, and she shook her head as Kino grimaced, nudging Katara, sitting beside him with his elbow.

"C'mon, can you fix it? Just a little bit, Katara…?" he whimpered, pouting and pleading.

Katara groaned, rolling her eyes before raising a hand and conjuring further ice. With a few quick, smooth movements, she had polished and smoothed the sculpture until it became a bust statue, shaped to resemble Azula's features as best as she could recall them. Sokka could have given her some pointers – many pointers, really – but it might have been better for him not to involve himself in recreating the likeness of the love of his life. He might just start crying in the middle of Mari's birthday party and that wouldn't do, would it?

"Ah! Aha! Look at it now! So much better!" Kino said, with an awkward smile… and Mari, predictably, gasped in joy at the new ice figure, beaming at Katara.

"Thank you, Kat-Kat!"

"B-but it was my present…? Oh, whatever," Kino pouted in defeat, as Katara laughed proudly beside him.

The party was, certainly, for Mari's sake above all else, but unbeknownst to the child, it was also a send-off for the group that would travel north on the very next day. Zuko and Suki had taken care to organize the party with Hakoda's help, as always. Their daughter had rejoiced in every present offered to her and she spent most the day playing happily with every other child in the village, all of whom joined her in recreating Princess Jing's adventures… but while Mari was aware that her father would take off on a journey soon, she didn't know how long of a journey it would be. In a sense, neither did her parents, but they also had refused to explain further, unwilling to dampen their child's birthday. Mari enjoyed the moments of fun and peace her family had crafted for her, oblivious to the many words of farewell exchanged by the tribe's members and the five who would take up the dangerous incursion to fight in a deadly war.

Sokka already had talked with many of the villagers, such as Nanuk, who had informed him that he couldn't take a wolf-dog pup with him on his journey, no matter if he asked nicely. The long-standing joke between them regarding Sokka's quickness to bond with the cubs would never die, Nanuk had sworn, giving Sokka good reasons to laugh as he accepted the man's far more serious wishes that his upcoming journey would be successful. Many older women in the tribe had also wished him luck, though in the expected, manipulative way in which the elderly sometimes hoped to persuade younger people to change their minds – for they simply wished for him to stay put and continue cheering up the village with his many wild stories, affording the Water Tribe a false sensation of peaceful stability that wouldn't ever become genuine unless he took off on this journey.

He had placated everyone who approached him, talked politely and kindly to each approaching villager, though he certainly was more spirited when the warriors stepped up, requesting advice and suggestions regarding how to handle the protection of the Tribe. He didn't rebuff anyone, only deflecting the subtle nudges that he should stay, for he'd been gone for so long already, but after a couple of hours of speaking with just about everyone in town, he was genuinely tired and ready to stay on his seat by the fire, basking in its warmth and the cheerful atmosphere of the Tribe.

"Even when he gets it right, he gets it wrong," Katara snorted beside Sokka, laughing as Kino fell in a deep bow before Mari, apologizing for failing to offer her a worthy gift. Sokka smiled, shaking his head at the fully-grown man's hopeless eagerness to gain Mari's favor.

"I'm going to assume he's been exactly like this since the day she was born," Sokka said, and Katara laughed under her breath but nodded.

"He's got no idea why Mari won't love him when anyone with sense can tell she'd like him better if he calmed down about trying to get her attention, for once," she said. "Who knows, though? Maybe… maybe this big journey of ours will teach Kino a lesson or two about how to make friends without completely humiliating himself in the process?"

"Maybe," Sokka smiled weakly, though the grin waned as he noticed the stiffness on his sister's shoulders, and the odd emotions that gleamed in her azure eyes, set on the dancing plums of fire before them. "You okay, Katara?"

She nearly jumped when Sokka called her name, letting her nervous gaze flicker towards him with an unusually shy smile. She nodded quickly, though he still sensed her unease, even now.

"I'm fine, it's just… oh, damn, I don't want to say anything stupid, let alone to you," she said, covering her face with her hands. She smiled, yet she genuinely seemed unsure of how to convey her thoughts to Sokka, or even if she ought to convey them, to begin with.

"No offense intended, Katara… but I am your brother, aren't I? If we can't say stupid stuff to each other, who can we say stupid stuff to?" he asked, nudging her gently with his elbow. His logic brought a genuine laugh out of her, as well as a reproachful smile. Sokka responded in kind, urging her to speak her mind. "Come on, you look like you're worried about something. Pretty sure it's got to be about our trip, but… whatever concerns you have about it, you should speak up before we leave, don't you think?"

"It's not… not really that I'm concerned about it," Katara said, biting her lower lip. "If anything, it's the whole opposite thing, and then… the opposite to that opposite thing? Uh…"

"Are you being even worse at explaining your feelings than I am?" Sokka asked, amused. "Who are you and what did you do to my very eloquent sister who always speaks from the heart…?"

"Oh, shush, you…" Katara huffed, slapping his arm gently. Sokka chuckled softly. "It's just… damn, I don't know if you've been through anything like this, to be honest. As far as all your fancy adventures sound like, it seems like… like whenever time something happened to you, you were always, well… ready?"

"Huh? You don't feel ready?" Sokka asked, his amusement receding as Katara gritted her teeth.

"I… I mean, well, it's not quite like that, I guess?" she said, running a nervous hand over her hair. "I just… I haven't seen as much of the world as you have, Sokka. The furthest I've traveled is Whaletail Island, you know? And we had a very specific, set goal there that should've been doable relatively quickly… and then it was done, and we came back. But this time…"

"You're leaving home for a long time. Longer than you ever have before," Sokka finished. Katara lowered her head, running a hand over her hair.

"You must think it's ridiculous, right? You were away from home for so long that…" Katara started, with a humorless laugh that interrupted her words before she could truly compose her thoughts.

"It's not ridiculous," Sokka said, and Katara scoffed beside him. "Seriously, it's not. I know I make things sound like Wentai goes from one adventure to the next without even a small concern… and you know, that might be how it felt by the end of it. But at first? I was in the Amateur Arena, remember? All I could do back then was… was hope you guys had survived and wish I could return home even if I thought I didn't deserve to."

"That's still your biggest, dumbest idea of all time, you know?" Katara said, bumping him with her shoulder. "That you wouldn't deserve to come back home… aren't you supposed to be crazy smart? And then you go around believing something as absurd as that…"

"Hey, now, weren't we poking fun at you for the things you deemed ridiculous, yourself?" Sokka rebuffed, and Katara grinned guiltily. "Quit changing the subject, sneaky."

"Fine, fine…"

"If you thought I was ready to leave you guys the first time, well, clearly I wasn't. At all," Sokka said, bluntly. "The truth is, though, that my first experiences once I was out of here were so damn awful that everything that came afterwards was better… well, almost everything that came afterwards. Barring everything that happened when, well…"

"When you ended up returning home, yeah," Katara finished for him. Sokka nodded.

"So, believe it or not, feeling unprepared or uncertain about this is fine, Katara, really…"

"Is it, though?" she asked, hugging her legs to her chest. "Isn't this what I've wanted, all my life?"

"Isn't this…" Sokka gestured at the joyful celebration, the tribespeople around them, the fireplace that stood strong among all the igloos, the starry skies above them, "all you've known, for all your life, too?"

Katara gritted her teeth and said nothing. Uneasy and uncertain as she had been at first about sharing her insecurities, now she felt all the more apprehensive upon finding her brother seemed to understand her plight all too well, to read through her with uncharacteristic ease. Had he always been this thoughtful, this capable of understanding other people? Or had he learned that over the course of the many years he'd spent away from home? Had he learned it with her, perhaps…?

"Being afraid of what comes next isn't a crime, Katara, no matter if you've wanted to get out of here and go fight in the war for ages now," Sokka said, with a small smile. "If anything… you really should appreciate these moments properly, as best you can. The battle at the bay… it was but a glimpse of what we'll go through in the next months, likely. Just, it won't happen here anymore… but we're charging, headfirst, into war. It's better if you're wary, honestly… If you were thrilled about it after everything that happened with the Fire Nation fleet, I'd be unsettled about what's going through your head. Caution makes a lot more sense than excitement here."

"You know more about all this than I do," Katara said, glancing at Sokka wistfully. "About the war, about how we'll deal with whatever lies in store…"

"Well, maybe, in general, but it's not like I've done anything on this scale before," Sokka said, with a shrug. "I have led troops, I guess… I've seen others do it, too. But it's never been like this…"

Footsteps behind them caused both the siblings to fall silent, mere instants before the man responsible for them sank into the space between his two children with a soft groan. Katara winced, immediately cautious over Hakoda's wound, despite she had confirmed days ago that it was well on its way to mending completely. The Chief waved a hand to soothe her concerns, a small smile on his face.

"No need to worry, now, I'm fine," he said, with a careless grin. "Couldn't help but overhear you two just now, though… and I suppose it's time for my fatherly advice, and my warrior's experiences, to be of some use for you both, eh?"

"Dad…" Sokka said, with a small smile. "They've always been useful."

"I know! I'm glad that you appreciate them better these days, though," Hakoda laughed, clapping his son's back. "You're not sure about how to charge into war, you said? Never done it before, you said, too. Well, as I have… I have plenty of wisdom to share."

"You do, huh?" Katara smiled. "Alright, let's hear it."

"First… always take advantage of every opportunity to do your laundry."

Sokka's jaw dropped, and Katara blinked blankly at the surprisingly mundane advice Hakoda had offered them, with a perfectly proud grin. He was either poking fun at them or being genuine while still hoping to amuse them… and as was expected, he achieved his goal once both his children started laughing.

"I'm very serious here: you don't know how distressing it is to travel long distances with soaked clothes, and no hope of washing off the muck after six days since you last put on your freshest underpants!" Hakoda chuckled.

"Ugh! Gross, Dad!" Katara squirmed, though by this point, Sokka was laughing earnestly at his father's most astonishing confession, blended into advice.

"Second: avoid all singing traveling nomads if you can help it. Believe me, they're just going to derail your journey and before you know it, you'll be off in some foreign jungle, drinking strange brews, covered in flowers from head to toe while they sing about the friendships of birds and butterflies…"

"Traveling nomads? You never told us about that…" Katara snorted, amused again. Sokka, at Hakoda's other side, smirked as he nudged his father with his elbow, gently.

"I've never bumped into any of those, so the more you share about that, the better," he smirked. "What did they make you drink, eh? Cactus juice?"

"Ah! That's number three, actually…"

"Hell, you drank cactus juice too, Dad?!"

Katara glanced between the two men cluelessly as they laughed together at their surprising common ground over an admittedly reckless and foolish decision. She joined their laughter before long, spurring them to share what was so terrible about cactus juice that the two would be so ashamed to recount their respective stories.

It was the last night they would spend with their father in a long time, as far as anyone could anticipate: however calm Hakoda was, however supportive he presented himself, Zuko, sitting with his own family, suspected the Chief of the Water Tribe was far more anguished about his children's impending journey than he wanted anyone to see. His strength to face this challenge resembled Suki's own, Zuko reasoned: she had been gracious and kind to everyone who approached her, many thanking her for her work and efforts to protect the Tribe, others wishing to convey their congratulations to Mari for her birthday. Even now, when Mari had finally calmed down after playing happily and recklessly with the rest of the children, Suki continued to receive gifts and compliments with that gentle, welcoming smile on her face.

She would be far more honest later, Zuko expected… she would let loose with her vulnerabilities, at least, to a fault. For now, she had to put up a front and pretend she was stronger than the circumstances, that she could endure everything life might throw in her direction, hoping, above all else, to convince him that she was fine and that he didn't need to worry about her at all. His heart ached for her, but the most he could do at the moment was hold her hand whenever she wasn't otherwise occupied and stay beside her as often as he could. He had made the most of his latest hunting trips, he had brought back enough food for his family to live off for at least two months… but he knew his own journey would take much longer than that. If it took a year, it would already be too long for his tastes… and the universe might not be so generous as to allow them to triumph so quickly. Sooner than later, Suki would have to raise the girls alone, with her own strength, relying on other members of the Tribe to help her with anything she couldn't handle by herself… and his awareness of her upcoming struggles nearly broke his resolve to go to war for the two of them.

Yet she would turn her gaze upon him, and her violet eyes would convey a strong, earnest and blunt message: he couldn't back down anymore. He couldn't hide away from the battles of fate that loomed in his future. He had a duty to his friends, to the world, to this tribe, and he was better off fulfilling it by joining this enterprise rather than sitting back home and waiting for it all to be over.

"Need some more food?" Zuko asked, when Suki glanced at him again. She smiled and shook her head. "Or something to drink?"

"I'm fine, Zuko," she said, clasping his hand gently. "If anything, I've probably had too much to…"

"Mommy, Daddy!" Mari called for them happily, gesturing at the ice statue that Kino had set up right beside her. "It's Princess Jing!"

"Heh. I see that," Zuko smiled awkwardly, picking up on a few similarities between that ice sculpture and his sister.

"Is that so…? But she looks just like you, Mari!" Suki exclaimed, grinning enthusiastically. Mari's face brightened further, a delighted blush spreading over her cheeks. "Just needs a proper fringe like yours, but otherwise… perfect fit. No wonder everyone wants you to be Princess Jing when you play, huh?"

Mari squirmed happily, doing a lap around the statue before jumping into her mother's arms. Suki laughed, angling Mari towards her father, who kissed the top of her head.

"Mommy, Daddy… play with me too," Mari said, with a bright grin. Zuko chuckled and shrugged, running a hand over his hair.

"If you want, though I guess I'll have to get back in character as Fire Lord Wunao…" he said, deepening his voice and shifting his face into a mockery of his father's scowl. Mari giggled and clapped.

"Mommy can be…!" Mari started, but she froze cold as Suki smiled warmly at her. The former gladiator had thought she and Zuko would be better suited by playing their actual stand-ins in the story, Lady Uchiwa and Prince Piqi, with the very unfortunate name… yet Mari brought up another idea, and with it, a rather surprising question: "Mommy can be Princess Jing's mommy…?"

Suki and Zuko blinked blankly: evidently, Sokka had never said anything to the child about Princess Jing's mother. Ursa had vanished long ago and she was evidently absent in the tales Sokka shared with Mari. To this moment, her presence had been unimportant in the tales to the point where it had taken months before Mari herself realized that there was no mother figure in Princess Jing's life.

"Uh… huh. To be honest, I don't know much about Princess Jing's mommy…" Suki said, with an awkward smile: would Sokka be upset if they made up any stories about Ursa and Azula's happy relationship, when even Suki knew – from what little Zuko had shared – that it hadn't been happy at all?

"Princess Jing didn't have a mommy…?" Mari asked, and the notion seemed to horrify her so much that Zuko felt the need to intervene, on his mother's behalf.

"Of course she did," he said, with a pained smile. "Princess Jing and Prince Piqi had a mommy, and she was… she was the most graceful mommy ever. She was kind, she was good, very elegant and beautiful…"

"Daddy knows about Princess Jing's mommy…?" Mari asked, and her eyes brightened at the prospect of hearing her father sharing a story about her hero.

Zuko flinched, glancing guiltily at Sokka: it seemed he, Hakoda, Katara and now Kanna as well, were laughing quite enthusiastically at some other outlandish story of Hakoda's days on the road. It was just the one story, anyway… and it was just for tonight.

"I… I do. About Princess Jing's mommy, about Fire Lord Wunao… even a few things about Prince Piqi, too," Zuko said, with a gentle smile. Mari gasped happily as Zuko cleared his throat. "Her mommy's name was… Fire Lady Youmei."

"Oooh!" Mari gasped, enthralled already upon learning the Fire Lady's name.

Suki smiled approvingly at Zuko's unexpected involvement in storytelling, though she found herself paying even more attention to Zuko's explanations than she did with Sokka's. She hardly ever asked him about his mother, having sensed it was a complicated topic, but if she could learn more about her today, she wouldn't waste that opportunity… especially if it helped her play the part of Ursa better, somehow, once Mari was ready to start this new game.

"You know how Prince Piqi was very happy with Lady Uchiwa?" Zuko explained, and Mari nodded weakly. "Well, there was only one person in the world, aside from lady Uchiwa, who could make Prince Piqi happy, and it was his mother: Fire Lady Youmei. She told him stories before bedtime, helped him wash up after the day, and she taught him how to read and write…"

"And Princess Jing?" Mari asked. Zuko froze for a moment, shooting a guilty glance at Sokka before nodding approvingly.

"Of course, she did with Princess Jing too," he said, with a tight-lipped grin.

He had the feeling Azula would scowl at him if she knew he'd fed Mari such a blissful, happy image of their mother… but truth be told, as much as he knew those two had always clashed, he had never truly understood why. Nowadays, with his newfound understanding and respect for Azula, he struggled even further to understand it. Ursa had been a good person, he had no doubts about that – though he had been sure of that as well when it came to his uncle, and it seemed things weren't remotely as straightforward as he had thought… could he have been wrong about Ursa, too?

He didn't want to think about that, though. He didn't want his daughter to think about it, either: Sokka had admitted to tampering with anecdotes in his stories so far, and Zuko saw no harm in doing the same thing to ensure his daughter would have happy stories to rely on and cling to in his absence.

"They would sit at this very nice pond in their Palace, there were turtle-ducks there," Zuko said, with a kind smile. "They're very cute little animals who swim together, you'd love them, I'm sure… so, Fire Lady Youmei would teach the kids how to take care of them, and that's how Princess Jing started learning to look after other people, see?"

"Ah!" Mari gasped in amazement, beaming over her father's explanations.

"She would take them both to school, every day…" Zuko said, with a hint of bitterness this time: while Azula had hated the Royal Academy for Girls, he had always envied that she'd have a chance to spend time meeting new people, that she'd be schooled outside the Palace while he remained as good as trapped there, outside of his incidental, monthly lessons with Piandao… with the ever-growing suspicion that his father found him too shameful, too faulty, too lacking, to let him meet anyone his age or spend any time in an uncontrolled social environment where he might just embarrass the family somehow. "She would help them with their homework afterwards, too. She was a non-bender, but she always encouraged them in their firebending practice, and whenever Fire Lord Wunao did anything stupid, she'd always chide him and make him stop it."

Suki laughed at that final bit of information, much as Mari did. Zuko smiled proudly at his success in crafting Fire Lady Youmei's character so far, taking the bright grin on his daughter's face as the best possible indication that he was doing this the right way.

"Say, say: why did Fire Lady Youmei marry a loser like Fire Lord Wunao?"

Kino's intervention broke Zuko's perfectly cheerful demeanor. He cringed and scowled at the man who sat at his other side, watching him intently, his brown eyes wide with interest, his mouth poised in a small, guilty grin.

Yet, for once, it seemed Mari and Kino were in agreement. Mari giggled and nodded at his question, nudging her father by grabbing his knee with her small hands.

"Fire Lord Wunao is a loser!" she repeated, proudly. Zuko snorted and shook his head, unable to look at his daughter with the same reprieve he'd glared at Kino with.

"He is, but you see… even Fire Lord Wunao couldn't help but freeze and set aside his nasty ways whenever he was near Fire Lady Youmei," Zuko explained, arms folded over his chest. Both Mari and Kino seemed awed, voicing their amazement in simultaneous 'oooh' sounds. "She was just that extraordinary: everyone loved her, and even Princess Jing thought she was…"

The keen sensation of being watched caused Zuko to freeze in place: the source of it was, of course, the Chief's family, and while all of them were watching, and listening, Zuko was particularly self-aware under Sokka's sharp scrutiny.

"Daddy?" Mari smiled, nudging him to continue. Zuko swallowed hard, clearing his throat as Sokka crooked an eyebrow in his direction.

"Even Princess Jing was… inspired by Fire Lady Youmei's example, is all," he said, venturing another glance at Sokka, wondering if he'd take offense over how he'd chosen to spin Azula and Ursa's turbulent relationship into a perfectly happy, smooth one instead…

At first, it didn't seem that Sokka would react visibly, but before long, he offered Zuko a half-hearted shrug. The exiled Prince swallowed hard, hoping this meant his particular input in Sokka's story wouldn't be completely unacceptable for the Water Tribe warrior. It wasn't as though it would affect matters much, would it? So much of Princess Jing's story was idealized beyond belief, as far as Zuko could tell… would it be that bad if he offered Mari a chance to idealize this side of it, too?

"Then, Mommy is Fire Lady Youmei!" Mari declared, grinning brightly. "And Daddy…"

"I have to be Fire Lord Wunao, I know," Zuko sighed dramatically, as Kino leaned in, grinning wildly at Mari.

"And me? Who am I?"

"Prince Piqi!"

"Ah! I…! Prince Piqi, me?!" Kino gasped: Mari snickered mischievously, no doubt believing Kino would be cross to be handed such a role… but instead, the man was, predictably, the first person in the whole tribe who seemed to be honored to play that role. "I… I'll do my best!"

As odd as it was to play the role of Zuko's mother, and for Zuko to play the role of his despicable father, Suki's complicated mood improved once their new game began. Zuko's clear enjoyment of spoofing his father and ridiculing him at every chance, Kino's attempts to imitate Zuko – that inevitably resulted in Zuko scolding him for his exaggerations, or growing self-aware of anything Kino might do that he had never noticed about himself –, and Mari's enthusiastic firebending displays as she allowed herself to drift in the dreams of being the extraordinary Princess Jing, brought Suki to join her family's enthusiasm with no shortage of her own, basking in one of the final chances of pure, unbridled happiness she would share with her husband for what already felt like an eternity, even if he hadn't left just yet.

She seldom had chances to join Mari in games and fun. There was always so much to do, so many things to take care of, and while Zuko certainly helped whenever he came home from hunts, Suki's energies were typically drained after a long day. Today was no different, or it should have been no different… but hugging her little Princess Jing to her chest, laughing with her as their Fire Lord Wunao scolded their Prince Piqi for smiling too much – at which Kino only laughed harder –, Suki couldn't help but enjoy the pure moment for what it was. Perhaps it was something small, something simple, in the eyes of others… but as she placed her head on Zuko's shoulder, manipulatively placating his alleged fury at Kino with through a blatant display of affection, she found herself reflecting on how those simple moments, the small gestures, were the true components of her happiness. She would cherish each of them, every single one of them, even when Zuko was away.

The game stopped when Zi, sleeping carelessly in her bassinet so far, woke up and required attention. Mari, recognizing her mother would be distracted now, decided to cash out the final present she was owed on her birthday: Zuko chuckled as the child escaped from his arms, running enthusiastically towards Sokka, who had been as taken with his own family so far as Mari had been with hers.

"Uncle Sokka!" she exclaimed, climbing over his lap without waiting to know whether she was allowed to do so or not. Sokka smiled, raising his hands in surrender as Kanna, Hakoda and Katara laughed at Mari's enthusiasm. "Storytime!"

"What, already? You sure?" Sokka blinked blankly.

"Ah, it's up to the birthday girl to choose when she wants her present, isn't it?" Kanna said, with a knowing smile. Sokka chuckled, patting Mari's hair as she grinned, showing him her front teeth as best she could.

"Pleeeeease, Uncle Sokka?" she asked. Sokka breathed deeply but nodded.

"Alright, alright. If you'll take a break from playing with your parents, I guess we can go for it," he said, hoisting Mari so she would sit on his lap properly. His compliance saw her giggling happily, legs swaying as she waited for Sokka to get started…

Sokka found himself chilled when the many people gathered around the fire suddenly seemed to ease into silence, too: all eyes were set on him, and he swallowed hard over the uncomfortable self-awareness of having so much attention on him. Why hadn't this bothered him so much when he was Azula's gladiator…? Perhaps it was because he knew he was representing her, because he was with her… perhaps it was because taking action, fighting and clashing with the enemy was somehow easier for him than talking, than sharing stories with people who paid so much attention to his every word.

"Uh…" he swallowed hard, glancing about himself warily. "You guys need me to speak up? I mean, uh, if you're all going to listen…"

"Of course we are!" Kattan, at the other side of the fire, exclaimed with a bright smile. "Come on, we want to hear this one too!"

"It will be the first time I hear one of these in person, oh my!" Kattan's elderly grandmother said, beaming as she sat beside him. Her grandson chuckled and nodded enthusiastically.

Such rumors ran through the group as Sokka felt his throat drying over the prospect of sharing a story with so many people… people who had not only accepted his past, but even welcomed his explanations, for they wanted to understand him. His heart jolted, his head almost spinning under this awareness… upon finding that his very worst fears of being shunned, rejected and despised by his Tribe had been subverted entirely: they wanted his stories, they wanted to root for him in them… they wanted to show him he was still part of their community, their small nation, no matter how much he had changed, how many things he had seen, how far away he might be. A slow smile spread over his face as that awareness settled as a warm embrace upon his once-frozen heart.

"Well?" Katara smiled, nudging at him with her elbow. "You're not about to say you're out of stories yet, are you?"

"Honestly? Almost" Sokka admitted, with a guilty smile, but he shook his head reassuringly at Mari's horrified gasp. "No worries, kid: I have one more for you. A pretty big one, too."

"Is Fire Lady Youmei in it…?" asked Mari, with an eager smile. Sokka froze, though he offered her a sad smile.

"Sorry… not in this one," he said, patting her hair. "But you know what? When we come back from that journey, I'm going to learn as many stories about Fire Lady Youmei as I can. Alright?"

Mari giggled and nodded happily, satisfied for now: any stories about her hero would suffice to thrill her, Sokka suspected, so she would forgive him for his failure of not sharing stories about Fire Lady Youmei. Frankly, he doubted any of what he knew of Ursa – and in truth, it wasn't much – would fit at all with whatever Zuko had told his daughter today. He understood why Zuko had pretended Princess Jing had a marvelous relationship with her mother, and it certainly had been the right choice for Mari's sake, but he would need to have a proper conversation with Zuko regarding how to build up Youmei's character for the future… that is, if they had a chance to discuss it at all at some point through their journey.

"Alright, then!" Sokka huffed, raising his voice to ensure he would be heard throughout the cluster of people gathered around the fireplace. "For tonight's story… we'll have a very special one, alright? It's the story… of the week during which Princess Jing became Fire Lord."

Mari gasped, as a rumor of interest and amusement spread all across the crowd. Sokka smiled a little: he had given plenty of thought to how he'd alter today's tale, for it would certainly need a lot of modifications for Mari to enjoy it. That week, as blissful as it had started, had been the beginning of the darkest, most desperate months throughout his years as Azula's gladiator. Yet the child wouldn't face that darkness today… no, maybe one day she'd learn the truth about it all, much as she might learn the truth about every other story he had altered for her sake. For today, though…

"On that week, Fire Lord Wunao decided to take a break… with Fire Lady Youmei, of course," Sokka started, with an awkward smile. "As things in their nation were doing better than ever because of Princess Jing's work, Fire Lady Youmei had told Fire Lord Wunao that perhaps their daughter could handle things while she took Fire Lord Wunao on vacation."

"Vacation…?" Mari repeated, blinking blankly. Sokka nodded.

"That's when you go on a fun trip with family or friends, spending some time away from home, seeing new places in the world… maybe visiting other friends who live far away" Sokka explained: very often he'd had to explain terms and words to the little girl, and she seemed to grasp them quickly. "Princess Jing and Wentai took a vacation of their own once, too, because they needed some time off fighting so many duels and saving the world, you know? It can be pretty tiring, so when just taking a nap or a good night's sleep isn't enough to get proper rest, you take a vacation!"

"Fire Lord Wunao was on vacation because he was tired…?" asked Mari, puzzled. "Why?"

"Oh, you know. Because of all his scheming and conniving to try and make sure Princess Jing would do whatever he wanted?" Sokka said, with a careless shrug. "He was especially tired because it never worked, see… so, Fire Lady Youmei thought that her husband could use some time and distance to maybe rethink things and stop sabotaging his daughter so much. And so, Princess Jing was Fire Lord Jing for a week!"

Delighted, Mari clapped, and a rumor of amused cheer rushed through the group. Everyone seemed intrigued by the premise of that day's story, so Sokka launched into it, with every modified factor he needed to work with.

Almost an hour and a half later, which he spent detailing battles and their consequences, Sokka was finally close to the grand finale of his extraordinary tale:

"So, just when the Heartbreak Spear tried to steal Princess Jing's emotions, her love for life, her excitement for everything good in this world…!" Sokka explained to an open-mouthed Mari, ever entranced by his stories. "Just then, a hot-air balloon showed up in the sky, flying right towards the Heartbreak Spear!"

"Wentai!" Mari exclaimed, jumping to her feet: many of the Tribe's children gaped at him in amazement, sitting near Mari, smiles spreading over their faces as their other favorite character swung in for the rescue. Despite his intent to keep things mysterious, Sokka couldn't help but smile, giving away that Mari had guessed the developments correctly:

"As much as Jing had given him all those orders… Wentai arrived to help her," Sokka declared, grinning proudly.

At once, the whole Tribe seemed to lash out in thunderous applause. Sokka snorted and laughed at their enthusiasm, as did most his friends nearby: he wasn't deliberately trying to become the hero of the Tribe through his stories about Jing and Wentai, but tonight he found he had done so, somehow, despite always trying to focus on Jing more than anything. Yet that Wentai would fly in just in time to save Jing seemed to please them… and Sokka certainly wasn't about to complain over their agreeable reactions to the powerful bond, the intimate partnership, he had developed with Azula.

"The Heartbreak Spear sped off, terrified…" Sokka continued, and the Tribe cheered again. "And Wentai leapt off board, rushing to Jing's side immediately. When the airship collided on the ground and exploded, Wentai had already taken Jing away from the explosion and checked her wound: she was hurt, yes… but she had gotten away just in time, and she and her dragon Knightmare hadn't suffered serious damage. So, Wentai helped her rise back to her feet, and as much as Princess Jing had given him the orders she had… she thanked him for coming to help her. She knew it just as he did: they were partners, and they would defeat their every foe together."

"Yeah!" a young boy exclaimed, and the whole Tribe lashed out in cheers. Sokka chuckled at their reactions before carrying forward with the last part of his tale.

"So, when the Heartbreak Spear came back, seeking to steal every good emotion from this world, Jing was ready: she took Wentai's hand, strengthened her resolve… and she unleashed a barrage of golden fire unlike anything this world has ever seen!"

Sokka gestured at the sparking flames in the central fireplace, despite knowing it was a poor comparison to Azula's extraordinary fire. Still, it did the trick for most the young children whose experiences with firebending were limited to what the three firebenders in the Tribe could do. They gaped at the fireplace in awe as Sokka breathed in, as though evoking the memories of that moment… when he was, instead, evoking the way he wished it had happened, instead.

"Knightmare unleashed his blue fire, too," he continued. "The two kinds of flames merged together into…"

"Colorful fire!" Mari and a few other kids exclaimed, and Sokka grinned.

"Good to know you kids have been paying attention," he chuckled. "And colorful fire is, as we all remember, the fire of life! So, the Heartbreak Spear thought this was exactly what it needed to steal, of course, because it greedily chases after everything it's not supposed to have… but it underestimated Princess Jing and Knightmare's flames, of course. When the Heartbreak Spear reached that fire, the corruption inside it was suddenly, slowly, stripped away: little by little, every remnant of that cursed spiritual blackness faded, burned into nothingness by that onslaught of beautiful fire! And then, Jing told Wentai to strike: Wentai raised his blade, and with a swift move, he sliced the Spear and it shattered into a thousand pieces!"

Again, the whole audience launched into full applause and cheers. Sokka smiled at the sight of them, as the kids took to jumping excitedly, their eyes gleaming with amazement as their two favorite heroes destroyed a legendary weapon that flew on its own, together. He wouldn't let himself think of how much more chaotic, unpleasant and dark that day had been… it would be for the best.

"And then?! And then?!" Mari exclaimed, nearly jumping into Sokka's arms, eyes bright and gleaming brightly, reflecting the fire at the center of their reunion perfectly. Sokka chuckled and nodded.

"And then… the city was saved, and Princess Jing and Wentai were heroes, once again," he finished.

He had no chance to expand on that ending, to tell them Jing would recover from her wounds very quickly, in a matter of days, even, and that their bright future would only continue to brighten further… it was impossible once the rejoicing Tribe launched in celebratory applause cheering again after learning the end of the suspenseful story they had awaited eagerly.

"Well, damn," Katara laughed, clapping her brother's back as the children took to talking already about the best parts of this story. "Looks like you outdid yourself today, huh?"

"Guess so," Sokka smiled a little, letting his gaze travel all across the group gathered around the fire.

His heart beckoned him to rush out to fight the Fire Lord, to defend the Tribe from his madness, from his cruelty… it beckoned him, above all else, to reach for his true Princess Jing, to shield her from further harm, to protect her from her nightmare of a father if he could do so. Yet in moments like these, moments of joyful peace among his people, with the older members of the Tribe who had watched him grow, and the younger ones, whom he had helped raise, even the youngest ones, who had feared him until his stories won them over, he couldn't help but appreciate that there was still goodness in this world. That there were many reasons to fight, to believe that balance could be regained… to believe that they could be better, all of them, in the years to come.

He and Azula had countless ideas and dreams for the future, plans they had been unable to enact when the moment of truth had arrived. He fought for her, and he'd certainly never forget that, for he carried her within his heart anywhere he'd go… but he also fought for the future these children deserved, the future so many warriors, young and old, had hoped to build. The future he would have a chance to craft for every cheerful face he saw around the fire today, provided his journey paid off.

Similar thoughts rushed through the mind of the Avatar: he had stood aside that night, resting against the side of Hakoda's igloo, watching the storytelling session and the feast without a sound. Katara had asked him if he wanted to sit with them, but he had declined the offer, deciding she deserved a moment of quiet and peace with her family, much like the one Zuko shared with his own – albeit Kino had joined him, but it was clear to almost anyone that the former soldier was as good as an annoying younger brother to the firebender, at this point. The Avatar was part of this Tribe, he had been welcomed far more easily and enthusiastically than any of the other foreigners… but Aang had been accepted for the first time well over a hundred years ago, by a tribe that didn't look quite like this one. It had been larger, stronger… it had been populated by countless waterbenders, some haughty, some careless, some hardworking, some inherently talented. It had seen dark days and bright ones alike… it had been beautiful in ways Aang didn't dare describe or explain to the newest generations. If they knew how much they had lost, if they understood how much had been taken from them… only he remained as a testament, a witness, to the world as it had been before Fire Lord Sozin had attacked. Only Aang knew, only Aang remembered, that their world had seen days of true peace, no matter how ephemeral they had been. Only he had experienced, in the flesh, the kind of world they fought to restore.

He would turn those memories and nowledge into drive, determination and certainty: he would stand by Sokka, Katara, Zuko and Kino. Together, all of them would usher in a new era to match the one that had been destroyed by the seemingly endless warfare. The cycle of violence would end… but only if they took action and ensured to make it so.

If he had lacked any motivation to do so – and he certainly didn't –, that final feast, the last gathering of the Water Tribe he had grown to know and love dearly over the past years, sufficed in building his resolve. This wouldn't be the last time they gathered for a feast… it wouldn't be the last time they celebrated the birthday of one of the Tribe's youngest members. It wouldn't be the last time all these families laughed and enjoyed themselves together… it would be the first time, instead: the first of many feasts of celebration and renewal, of peace and happiness.

The next time Aang witnessed a feast like this one in the Water Tribe, he was certain that harmony and balance would have been restored, and their world would be free, at long last.

---

Despite intending to turn in early, the five members of the group that would set out on the next day couldn't seem to go to bed at a reasonable hour. Sokka and Katara couldn't help but enjoy one final nighttime, thorough conversation with their father and grandmother once they returned to their igloo, a conversation that lasted far more hours than it should have: two hours after they had retired from the feast, Katara and Sokka slipped into their respective sleeping bags, fretful and uneasy, nervous and anxious about the dangerous journey that would begin on the next morning.

Sokka rolled in his sleeping bag several times, back and forth, until he finally turned over, resting on his left shoulder: Azula's necklace sat right beside him. He reached for the pendant and, immediately, the image of Azula wearing it seemed to spring into mind. That smile on her face, the most genuine one… though her teasing smirks were no less beautiful, in his opinion. The way her golden eyes seemed to sparkle whenever he spoke bluntly, boldly, to share his feelings, his compliments, every word of praise he could offer her… all of it seemed to return to him as he smiled sadly at the necklace, touching the polished stone softly.

"I… I'm coming back for you," he said, his voice charged with enough emotion to make his throat choke up as he spoke. "I don't know how long it's going to take… I don't know how far I'll have to go. Maybe I'll have to cross the world, maybe I'll have to dive into the deepest oceans or climb the tallest mountains, but heh… we did that last thing once before, didn't we? And we left our mark there, too…"

He smiled to himself, closing his eyes as his hand tightened around the necklace, pulling it towards his heart.

"I'm coming back for you, Azula," he said, gently, with as good as a whisper, speaking to himself, as though trusting she would hear him regardless of the distance between them. "Just wait a little longer… alright? I'll get there, no matter what, so give me some time… and wait for me. I'm coming back for you."

He couldn't help but recall the moments after Rhone had attacked – Rhone, whom he had omitted from the story deliberately, for the sake of never giving Katara cause to suffer over the man's fate. Rhone's mission had almost succeeded… but Azula had prevailed. She had smiled at Sokka when he feared she might be in mortal peril, and she had spoken words he would carry in his heart forever. Instead of scolding him for breaking his promise to do as she had told him to, Azula had been grateful… she had realized, accepted, that she had needed him beside her. Would it be that way this time, too? Merely by asking himself that question, Sokka couldn't help but smile as he rolled into himself, resting comfortably on his sleeping bag: yes, it would be. Hopefully, Azula would be in better shape when they found each other again this time… and she would reach the same conclusion he had reached, sooner than later: the only life worth living was one they could share, for as long as they both drew breath.

He would be on his way, starting tomorrow. However long and difficult the journey might be, he would ensure their destinies remained entwined forevermore.

---

Mari and Zi slept soundly that night, both exhausted after the eventful, grand feast for Mari's birthday. It was as good as guaranteed that they wouldn't wake often through the night after all the action and activity they'd seen… and that offered their parents the chance to give themselves to each other properly, huddled together in their sleeping bag, pressing no end of kisses to each other's lips as their bodies swayed, thrusting at a gradually increasing rhythm.

They still were as quiet as could be… but they were heartfelt, loving, devoted in the dark. They wasted no chances to touch each other, to take in their familiar scent, to taste each other's skin, to gaze at the other under the dim light of the slowly decaying fireplace of their igloo, until finally the last ember burned out mere moments before the last of their timed, powerful thrusts resulted in yet another peak, another one of many that couldn't be the last… they wouldn't let it be the last, not just yet.

Suki breathed out heavily, her heart racing, arms locked around Zuko's body. His head rested against her chest, droplets of his sweat merging with hers as they laid across their bed.

"Fire's… out," Suki pointed out. Zuko hummed, prodding her nose with his own.

"Need me to start it again?" he asked, though a hint of unwillingness seemed through his offer, nevertheless. Suki smiled and nodded. "Really? Thought we were so cozy here that it'd be a waste for me to move…"

"I can't see your face so easily now… and that is a waste, too," Suki determined, pressing another long, tender kiss to his lips. Zuko smiled, returning her affection eagerly, kindly, until she finally broke away from him. "You'll do it very quickly, okay?"

"Hmm. Okay," Zuko nudged her with his nose once more, pressing another kiss to her mouth before rising from their sleeping bag.

It wouldn't take him long to gather some more tinder, setting it inside their firepit carefully, but Suki watched him anxiously until the glow of fire fell upon his bare features again. Zuko glanced back at her with a knowing smile once the fire burned anew, and Suki responded with a smile of her own.

"You had the right idea," Zuko decided, sliding towards his wife again, grinning gently. "Definitely better to do this while looking at your beautiful face."

Suki laughed softly and shook her head: moments like these were common between them, but she treasured them dearly whenever they happened. With so many burdens of his past, and so many worries about the future, the only chance at peace Zuko could find was in the present… and he always seemed to find it safely with her. It was in those moments, when he offered her that loving smile, that Suki found herself most unwilling to ever let him go… even if it was, indeed, by her insistence that he'd have to leave at all.

He sat beside her, without joining her fully just yet. Instead, Zuko's fingers fell upon Suki's face, tracing it delicately, slowly. She held his gaze with her own, wanting more than just the touch of his fingers, but appreciating that, as well, if it was all he would give right now.

Zuko remained silent as his fingertips traveled over her cheekbone, gently brushing away a strand of Suki's frizzed hair. She closed her eyes, turning her face around so her lips could press a kiss to the inside of his wrist. Zuko's smile strengthened for her gesture, cupping her face before finally caving in to his temptations: he leaned in, catching Suki's lips with his own.

"Again?" Suki asked, a hint of hopefulness in her voice.

"As many times as you want," he responded, slightly amused by her enthusiasm… and most certainly reciprocating it fully. "I know I want you all the time, as it is…"

"Good. I feel the same way," Suki smiled, locking her arms around his neck. "I… I suppose the others might judge you a little if you doze off much on the road tomorrow, but…"

"Please, they'd just be jealous," Zuko decided, with that unusually childish playfulness only Suki had been privy to. She laughed and shook her head. "You know I'm right. All of them would love to do exactly what we're doing all night, with the right person for them, of course…"

"You bring up a good point there, though," Suki said, raising her eyebrows. "Brace yourself for that."

"For… what, exactly?" Zuko blinked blankly, amused.

"For Katara and Aang?" Suki smirked. "Once they're not under the Tribe's watchful gaze, well…"

"Oh… uh, I don't know if they have it in them," Zuko chuckled. "Especially with Sokka around. I bet Katara would shit herself in anxiety and deny their relationship all she can if he so much as catches them holding hands."

"I hope, for your sake, that you're right," Suki laughed. "Otherwise, I'll just hope their tent is far away from yours… or room, I don't know if the White Lotus has a proper base or so. Might be they will have one, who knows?"

"Well, we won't until we get there," Zuko said, with a resigned grimace.

"And with so many people out there… it's entirely possible Kino could find himself someone to hook up with, too," Suki said, teasingly: the nature of Zuko's grimace twisted into disbelieving disgust, and Suki had to cover her mouth with a hand to keep from laughing too loudly at his reaction.

"That… I mean, most those people would hate the Fire Nation," Zuko pointed out, trying to rationalize his way out of the unexpected scenario Suki had set up for him. "And even if they decided his status as a traitor makes him eligible, eh… I don't think anyone could really get to know Kino and think he's a good idea for a partner. At least, anyone with common sense…"

"Oh, come on. Would you have thought someone with common sense would've thought Sokka was their ideal partner…?" Suki pointed out, with a mischievous smirk. Zuko scoffed.

"No one said my sister had any common-… hey!"

Suki pinched him, though Zuko's outrage was easily replaced by guilty amusement. Suki shook her head, hugging him tightly as he flopped atop her, pressing his face comfortably to her chest.

"No need to be so defensive of her, you know…?" Zuko said, still smiling. "Bet she'll give you her condolences for marrying me when we all meet again…"

"If she doesn't, you'll be in some serious trouble for defaming your sister, you realize?" Suki smirked, and Zuko laughed as he pressed his face to her chest. "I never had a sibling, so I'm not going to pretend I get how you feel, I bet Sokka and Katara understand it perfectly, but… you and Azula are just hopelessly silly if you both talk that way about each other, even if you're just making fun of one another."

"Well, we used to be more serious in the past," Zuko pointed out, with a sad smile. "At least right now I can assure you it really is just for the fun of it…"

"Bad habits die hard, I suppose," Suki smiled. "But I guess, if you both find some amusement in it, it's not up to me to say you should know better? That being said…"

"We should know better?" Zuko pouted a little, and Suki shook her head.

"You're both amazing people, is what I wanted to say," she whispered: her fingers slid through Zuko's long hair, reaching his scalp, settling right by his nape as she raised his head to make him meet her gaze. "No matter how much you mess with each other… you've both done incredible things by breaking out of the horrible cycle of hatred your father and your forefathers wanted to impose upon you both. You're really strong… you're really brave, too, for standing up for what you know is right, for what you believe in. And as much as siblings poke fun at each other and will never fail to mess with each other if the chance is there… I hope the two of you have come to understand how extraordinary you really are."

Zuko's smile softened as Suki finished conveying her thoughts. His heart ached, beating harder inside his chest, and he leaned close to unleash the surge of affection with tender kisses, the best way he knew how. Suki responded gladly, keeping Zuko as close as she could, already wrapping her legs around his waist, locking him in place right atop her. Zuko chuckled again, and the sound of his sincere laughter was one she hoped she could evoke again faithfully in her mind once he was gone…

"You know… I can't say if you think too favorably of my sister, but you definitely think too favorably of me," he laughed, shaking his head. Suki scoffed. "Really, though, most days, most times, I feel like… like I'm not all that extraordinary. Like I was a common guy born into a hellish situation… and then I found my way to the most wonderful woman in the world. And because you believed in me… because you made me think I could be better than I was, I started trying to live up to my potential. And maybe I haven't tried hard enough yet… maybe there's still a lot left for me to learn. But knowing that you believe I can do it… knowing you've always thought I'm a good man, regardless of the mistakes I've made, is enough to keep me going. And I know it'll keep me going even when…"

"Even when we're apart?" Suki finished, her throat closing in as tears surged in her eyes: damn it, she didn't want to cry, not right now, but…

But it was apparent she would, once tears dripped down from Zuko's eyes as well. He nodded, pressing his lips to her brow: he rolled to the side, tightly embracing her as though to never let go, and Suki responded in kind. It was her turn to press her face to his chest, to his shoulder… her turn to take in the comfort and the safety she felt when she was in her husband's welcoming arms.

"I'm not much better, you know…?" she said, softly. Zuko frowned a little. "I… I feel like I'm a nobody who got too damn lucky, most days. But then you look at me with that much hope and… and I guess you must see something in me that I still can't find, to be honest. But if you believe in me… if you think I was good enough for all of this, how could I ever question your judgment, eh?"

"I sure as hell don't intend to question yours," Zuko laughed, and their tears spilled down their faces even as they laughed instead of sobbing.

"I'm just trying to say… it's two-fold, alright? It's mutual," Suki smiled, caressing his face just as delicately as he did before. "You believe in me… and so, I believe in you. I know you're a greater man than any who've been born to your lineage, I don't have to read history books to be sure of that… I know you have the strength needed to see this whole ordeal through to the end, Zuko. I know it won't be easy, not just being away from us, but fighting against your nation… it will be painful, for sure, and maybe you'll resent me for sending you down this path, but…"

"I could never resent you," Zuko said, with steely determination. Suki let out a choked laugh, shaking her head at his certainty.

"You're wonderful," she placed a hand on his chest, upon his heart.

Zuko did the same, immediately: her skin, once reddened and damaged by that firebender's attack, had been soothed and healed over the weeks since that battle, enough that Suki claimed to feel no discomfort upon contact, which allowed them to be as intimate as they had longed to be.

"I'll never stop believing in you, Zuko," Suki finished, cupping his face as her eyes met his, intensely. "I'll never stop waiting for you. I know you'll come home to us… and I'll look forward to the day you do. Mari and Zi will, too."

"I… I hope so. I look forward to it, too," Zuko said, with a heartfelt smile. "I don't want to miss a single moment, you know that, but… you'll fill me in once I finally come back, right?"

"All the messes Mari jumps into, yes," Suki laughed, nodding.

"And every new milestone they both reach," Zuko said, closing his eyes and smiling. "Everything you'll teach them…"

"I'll make sure Mari keeps practicing her firebending, just as you taught her," Suki promised. Zuko nodded.

"You can give her some Kyoshi Warrior training too… well, light training, that is," Zuko smiled. "I know you guys start a little older than that…"

"A lot older, I'd say," Suki smiled. "I only got initiated when I was eight…"

"Well, then, if you choose not to start yet, that's all the better for me… because that means I'll already be back when you teach her how to be a Kyoshi Warrior."

"Yeah…" Suki said, smiling fondly, tears trickling down her face once again. "You will be, I have no doubts about it."

Zuko responded with another heartfelt kiss, and Suki hugged him tightly with both arms and legs, unsure of how she'd find the strength to let him go by morning… but she would. Somehow, she'd be able to do it: she couldn't know what Zuko's role would be in reshaping their world for the better, but she believed he'd have a role in it all the same. She had found peace, strength and true happiness by his side… it wasn't the time to be selfish, to let her impulses dictate her choices. Since her youngest years, she had been raised with a strong sense of duty and honor she had hoped to preserve even through her years of service as a gladiator… a sense of duty and honor she thought she had retained throughout her years of residence in the Southern Water Tribe, too. That very sense of duty and honor had seen to her decision, after the meeting Sokka had summoned them for, to see the end of the war for herself or to see her husband off to fight in it, if he decided to do so…

He was protecting her and their daughters by joining this dangerous journey with the others: he would do his best to build a future worth fighting for.

So she continued to offer Zuko her tearful, heartfelt goodbye with her body, offering him no end of kisses, taking him in again as soon as he was ready, enveloping them both in the love they shared until their bodies gave out, even if they hearts never would. This wasn't a true, final goodbye… she knew as much, she believed it would never be so. Zuko would leave, it was inevitably true by now, but he wouldn't be alone: she had already asked each of their friends to look after Zuko for her, and as much as Kino had been puzzled over the notion of him looking after the Prince when it was typically the other way around, even he had agreed to do whatever it took to see Zuko home safely. Him, the Avatar, the fiercest waterbender and the Gladiator the Fire Lord had singled out as his mortal enemy… Zuko seemed a natural fit in that team, as far as Suki could tell. All five of them would have each other's backs… and all five of them would come home once the battle was done.

No… not five of them. Six, she thought to herself, smiling as she held onto Zuko after another passionate round of lovemaking: her husband's sister would come home with them, too. She believed as much, faithfully. Zuko and Azula had broken their family's toxic cycle, and rescuing her was exactly what breaking said cycle entailed: whether she was aware of it or not, whether she was ready to inhabit it anytime soon, the Princess had a place among them: one day, for sure, she would be free to occupy it. A new cycle would be born… one of true greatness, of genuine happiness, of harmony and balance.

They would all come home… and Suki would wait, as patiently as possible, until they did.

---

Kino's excitement about their impending journey seemed poised to keep him awake all night, talking about his expectations, hopes and fears… until, at long last, to Aang's relief, the former soldier was finally defeated by his own exhaustion. Even though he knew he should have rested better through the night, Aang couldn't help but smile as he closed his eyes, relaxing in the finally silent dome of their igloo. So much was poised to change, starting tomorrow… it was, at last, the journey Katara had wanted them to take off on, mere months after she had found Aang and he started teaching her waterbending. This time, however, he was ready… or he wanted to think he was, anyway. Far more ready than he had been before the battle of the bay, he could be sure of that much…

War was ugly business, so ugly he had no idea why Fire Lords would be so keen on it… though he supposed Ozai's hubris was to blame for this new leg of it. Yet his predecessors had no allegedly dishonored daughters to avenge, or did they? They had been greedy, wanting more than their world allowed them to take. They had wanted to prove superior to everyone else… and Aang couldn't understand that sort of impulse, that mad urge to pretend themselves better, and others worse. To even dehumanize them while pretending to assimilate them and destroy them unless they agreed to live their lives by accepting the Fire Lords as their rulers…

There were no right reasons to start a war, Aang supposed… but the best reason to fight in one was to put an end to the conflict, and that was exactly what he intended to do. It wouldn't be easy, he still would have much to learn in countless regards… but he'd learn it as best he could. He'd do everything in his power so that, upon returning to the South Pole, no member of the Water Tribe would need to fear the Fire Nation again.

With such thoughts, encouraging and emboldening as they were, Aang let himself fall into a slumber, hoping to get enough rest for the next day…

… Until he found himself in a familiar location, barren and devoid of life, but so familiar his heart immediately seemed poised to break when he recognized it: it was the Southern Air Temple.

He gasped, too aware of what was happening to truly believe it was a common, simple dream… too aware of the threads of intent that betrayed this was a spiritual happening, instead. Where there used to be white walls and gables of green and gold that peaked in beautiful spires, aiming towards the sky, now Aang saw faded colors instead. The large door through which he had never found the enlightenment he had been promised by the master airbenders stood before him…

The door swung open violently, and within, the eyes of each statue appeared alight with an unnaturally blue hue: the whole place seemed to be alight with a buzzing, puzzling energy Aang couldn't quite remember having felt ever before… and then an unfamiliar voice echoed in his mind:

"I have waited for you for many, many long years. I saw you in a vision once, and I know I will see you in the flesh now, Avatar: I await you in the Southern Air Temple, so that I may guide you in mastering the greatest talent of your millenary legacy. Come to me, Avatar Aang… and I will show you how to master the balance within yourself, so that you may bring balance to the world."

Aang gasped and sat up, returning abruptly to his body, to himself… had that been an actual, out of body experience? Or had it been just a dream?

Whichever it was, however… someone had reached out to him. Someone had contacted him… had it been a past Avatar, perhaps? Someone wanted to teach him how to master his own balance, some great talent of the Avatars? It had to be another Avatar, as far as he could tell, so perhaps… perhaps that was the meaning of his vision of those statues: that was where he had to go. After failing to connect with them in his younger years, Aang would finally have a chance to contact his past lives. Was it because he would fulfill his destiny on this journey…?

He swallowed hard, grinding his teeth tightly before frowning with certainty. It was the only explanation that made sense… it felt like everything was falling into place. He was finally ready… they were ready to see him, too. No more hiding… no more fear. No more hesitation in the face of fulfilling his destiny.

He couldn't even consider returning to his rest: instead, he rose to his feet and walked to his pack, further strengthening his determination as he sought his old shaving tool. From the moment they had decided they'd begin this journey, Aang had thought he'd do this right before they set out… but after that vision, after that dream, his determination to do so strengthened further.

He raised his razor to his head, and little by little, the locks of spiky, dark hair fell smoothly on the igloo's floor.

There was another early riser in the neighboring igloo, and unbeknownst to Aang, he was doing something similar to what the Avatar did right now: with his eyes closed, Zuko raised the knife he'd used ever since he'd joined the Water Tribe, fisting the hair he had already fastened into a ponytail. He took a deep breath before applying power to the blade, and in a matter of moments, his lengthy hair had been cut down to a similar length as the one he'd sported when he'd left the Fire Nation. He was far from the man he had been that day… but today he cut his hair as a symbol of change, of another step forward… of his rebellion and rejection of his father's beliefs and values. It represented his determination to see the end of this war, ridding himself willingly of the shame his father would believe he deserved to experience for his apparent betrayal of his people. He felt no such shame, however: the last time he'd done this he had known no peace, lost in a world that he seemed to have no place in. Today, he did it for his family: he would slight the Fire Nation boldly, showing his burned face almost as a badge of pride, proving there was no shame in being discarded by a monster like Fire Lord Ozai.

"Ah… I'll miss all that beautiful long hair."

Suki had woken shortly after he had – while distinctively feeling that she hadn't slept more than two hours, for her biological clock appeared to insist that it was already time to wake up. She watched him with a wistful smile, sitting on their bedding, a sad smile on her face. Zuko lowered the knife and returned the smile.

"I hope it's not ugly if it's short…" he said, and Suki laughed, shaking her head.

"It could never be. It's beautiful no matter the length," she said, releasing a breath as she rose to her feet.

She picked out a robe and draped her body in it carelessly before wading towards Zuko's side. Without waiting for him to ask if she could help, Suki picked up the knife and raised it to his hair: unlike the first time she'd done this, she didn't tremble, didn't doubt. The nostalgic gesture of helping him fix his hair still touched her heart just as much as it had when Zuko had entrusted the task to her, so long ago…

"Close your eyes," Suki said, softly. Zuko obeyed, raising his head, turning around so she would sit in front of him.

One of her hands lingered in his hair, but to his surprise, she took advantage of its position to yank him forward for another kiss. He smiled once she pulled back again, and Suki offered him a soft, mischievous laugh.

"Had to. I wasted my chances to do it the first time I cut your hair, remember?" she said.

"I probably would've exploded of excitement if you'd kissed me that day," Zuko confessed, and Suki laughed with him as she raised the knife once more: he closed his eyes, and without indulging in more distractions, Suki took to evening his hair properly.

One more soon-to-be traveler woke up by then, in his room in the igloo at the heart of the Tribe. As soon as he opened his eyes, Sokka's heart started beating faster, pumping purpose and determination through his body… an energy he had never felt so powerfully, or in such a manner.

The necklace remained in his hand, and he raised it to his lips wistfully, as though asking her, wordlessly, to wish him luck. A new day had started… and with it, a new beginning.

After dressing up properly, Sokka checked his bags twice, ensuring not to leave behind anything valuable or useful – he would bring the White Lotus tile with him, in case it came in handy. He had already checked his luggage the previous night, right before the feast… yet his anxiety urged him to compulsively go through the bags again in hopes to ensure everything was where it had to be. He breathed out in relief once he was finished… once he clad himself in his armor again. Its familiar weight suited his newly surging purpose all too well, as it was a stark reminder of who he was, of the destiny he had chosen.

Even so, the man who stood in his childhood bedroom wasn't the same Blue Wolf who had first worn this armor. It wasn't even the one who had been clad in it to fight Combustion Man. He wore authentic Water Tribe clothes underneath the armor now, with the same blue arm sleeves as he'd worn for the battle of the bay, the same blackened bandages. His waistcloth was now lined with a white fur Kanna had insisted on threading into his clothes, convinced her grandson's old choice in attire wasn't warm enough for the polar climate. More than anything, though, the man who had thought he'd walk to his execution in a Gladiator Arena no longer fought to protect someone with his death… instead, he fought to save someone with his life.

"Well, then… off we go," he said, raising the necklace: for a fleeting moment, he allowed himself to think he should leave it here, safe and sound… but a slow smile spread upon his face as he realized he wanted her to have it, to wear it, as soon as possible. And she would, once they'd defeated Ozai… once the world was on the right course once more.

Thus, once again, Sokka fastened the necklace delicately over his glove, concealing the pendant underneath his armguard. Feeling protected by guaranteeing Azula would stay close to him this way, Sokka closed his eyes and stepped forward, through the curtain that hung on his bedroom's archway…

His jaw dropped when his eyes fell upon Kanna, who already stood before a finished breakfast feast. Hakoda and Katara sat with her, but none of them had started with their food… not until he arrived.

"G-Gran-Gran?" Sokka said, his voice small. Kanna smiled warmly at him, gesturing at the only remaining seat before kneeling by the fire, in front of her own soup bowl. "You didn't have to…"

"My grandchildren are taking off on a grand journey, an extraordinary adventure… I have to send them off with as much strength as possible," Kanna decided, smiling kindly at him before gesturing at the empty seat. "Come now, Sokka. You didn't mean to leave without breakfast, did you?"

Despite not expecting the gesture at all, Sokka couldn't help but smile and nod appreciatively at his grandmother for her final, generous gesture. He leaned down near her to press a kiss to the top of her head before sinking in his seat: Hakoda offered him a proud smile, albeit one with a hint of sadness he couldn't quite shake off, try as though he might.

"And now that Sokka's here… let's enjoy our meal, alright?" Hakoda grinned at his family. Katara smiled back, unable to mask her excitement for what would begin shortly. Sokka smiled back at Hakoda and nodded, picking up his bowl as well.

Within another hour, all five travelers had eaten their respective breakfasts and they brought their packs to the center of the town: Appa waited there, with his saddle ready to receive his new team, although so far, only one person had climbed his saddle to set up his bags.

"Woah!" Sokka exclaimed, upon arriving and glimpsing Zuko and his family for the first time that morning, standing by Appa's side: the exiled Prince's unexpected makeover seemed a blast to the past, to a fault, and he certainly hadn't seen it coming.

"Oh, look at that! Suki fixed your hair for you, I bet," Katara grinned, as she and her brother approached the married couple. "You look just like you did when…!"

"When you froze me alive for the first time? Yeah," Zuko hissed, scowling at Katara, who smiled dreamily, raising her gaze at the sky.

"Ah, the good old days…" she said, carelessly, to Sokka's amusement and Zuko's resigned sigh.

Suki's arm remained locked around Zuko's, and Sokka expected they'd be linked that way until it was time to leave. Zuko held Zi in his free arm, while Mari held onto Suki's other hand, rubbing her eyes drowsily.

"Mommy…" she mumbled, glancing with blurry eyes at the people around them. "Another party…?"

"No, Mari… remember we told you Daddy is going on a trip?" Suki said, with a sad smile. Mari groaned softly, glancing at her father next. "We're seeing him off now."

"Daddy… now?" she asked, surprised. Suki nodded.

"Now," she confirmed, her heart tightening upon trying to shake off the disquiet she felt upon knowing that, within moments, the love of her life would be flying far away from their small family…

The sad moment, however, would be interrupted by a loud gasp, coming from the typically noisiest and most boisterous member of the Tribe:

"What?! You got a makeover too, Zuko?! What's this, a prank of some sort?!"

Both travelers and non-travelers alike were perplexed as they turned to look at Kino, who pouted awkwardly as he carried his large bag towards Appa. He glanced at Sokka and Katara anxiously, and he released a relieved breath upon confirming they didn't look all that different from their usual appearances.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katara asked, puzzled. "Who else got a makeover?"

"Alright! I'm all done here! I'll bring your luggage up next, everyone!" called out the voice of the only person on Appa's saddle at the moment.

All eyes fell upon Aang now, and much as they had been startled by Zuko's sudden haircut, they were utterly flabbergasted – except for Kino – at the sight of Aang's smooth, bald head. He smiled, waving at them as though to encourage them to offer him their bags, and then his cheeks reddened upon realizing no one moved yet, surprised by the sight of his fully shaved head.

"Uh… hehe. Yeah, I, uh, shaved my hair?" he said, with a careless smile. "I thought I'd tell you guys I'd do it, but it didn't feel all that necessary…"

"It's like a whole new person," Sokka said, blinking blankly. Zuko huffed.

"Why did you do it now?" he asked. "No one in the outside world has arrow tattoos, now yours are fully exposed!"

"U-uh… well, I thought I wouldn't have to hide my identity that much anymore, right?" Aang said, smiling guiltily and scratching the back of his head. "This is the traditional Air Nomad style, and I did this right before trying to go back to my people too, you know? A hundred years ago…"

"Huh? So… you were all bald when you woke up again?" Sokka asked, glancing at Katara to find she didn't seem bothered by the Avatar's lack of hair, or at least, not as much as the others had been. "Really, now?"

"Yeah… I know you guys aren't used to it" Katara laughed and shrugged. "I admit, I was surprised too, but… it suits him too, don't you think?"

"Thanks, Katara!" Aang grinned, cheeks reddening as he waved in her direction. "As you're the only one who complimented me, I'll pull up your luggage first!"

"Ah, thank you!" Katara responded positively, as Kino scoffed behind them.

"He would've picked up hers first even if she'd said he looks as smooth and shiny as a kendama's ball, but sure thing, sure thing…" he said, bitterly, stepping through the rest of the group to ensure his bags would go up right after Katara's.

Once the waterbender's bags were ready, she stepped towards her grandmother and father, hugging them tightly, containing the tears upon facing that, after all these years, she'd part ways with them for an indefinite amount of time. Kanna wiped those tears with her thumbs, smiling kindly at her granddaughter.

"I'll take care of the wounded well enough, my dear. Your father will help and everything," she reassured Katara, who laughed and nodded.

"I'll do my best so you won't have to deal with my duties for too long, okay?" Katara said, hugging her tightly. "I love you, Gran-Gran. I'll be back soon…"

"Oh, dear, you don't need to be back all that soon," Kanna laughed, startling her granddaughter. "Not for my sake, anyway: you go save the world, child, and I'll be right here, praying and rooting for all of you every day. I promise you that."

Katara smiled and nodded, hugging Kanna one more time before turning to her father. Hakoda's proud smile seemed poised to break her heart, and his warm embrace outright broke the dam of her tears as Katara hugged him tightly.

"I promise… we'll look after each other," Katara said, rubbing her father's back. "And we'll come back to you. Our family will be okay, Dad."

"I know it will be. I know you two will succeed… I know all of you will succeed," Hakoda laughed, patting his daughter's shoulder gently. "My wonderful waterbender… you've grown so much, so fast, too. It feels like you were but a child yesterday… and now you're a woman, out to change the world… a warrior of the Southern Water Tribe, as you have been all along."

Katara swallowed hard as more tears tumbled from her eyes. Hakoda cradled her face, gazing at her one more time with a kind, generous smile.

"You make us proud, always have. Your mother… she is proud of you, too," he said. Katara gritted her teeth but nodded, pulling close for another tight hug.

A few paces away, Zuko found himself repeating the same pattern of goodbye as from their journey to Whaletail Island: Gruff, the faithful family dog, sat proudly next to Mari, and Zuko stroked his fur kindly.

"You know what to do, Gruff," he said. "Protect our family, alright? The way you always have. And be patient with Mari and Zi, too… they're growing, and they may be a bit loud, but they're our little girls… and you love them already, I know you do."

Gruff whimpered softly. Zuko chuckled and patted the dog's head one more time, scratching behind his ears.

"You're a good boy… goodbye, Gruff," he said, with a sad sigh.

Then, he turned to Mari, who finally seemed more awake, and certainly more confused, too. She had heard her father would go on a journey, but she had no way of understanding, not truly, what that journey would entail, or why it seemed so different from Zuko's usual hunting trips… or his trip to Whaletail Island, too.

"Daddy…" she said, as Zuko's heart seemed to break at the strange, fearful quality in his daughter's golden eyes. "Kat-Kat and Aang and Uncle Sokka… you're going on a trip?"

"Yeah," Zuko answered, his throat burning painfully. Mari blinked blankly.

"To find food?" she asked, innocently. Zuko swallowed hard but nodded, caressing his daughter's auburn hair now.

"I'll do my best to, yeah… though I have many things to do on this trip, too. It's… going to take me a while," he said, his chest split open under the weight of the words he spoke… aware that Mari would fail to understand for how long he would be away from home. "I'll be back as soon as I can, alright, Fire Flake? And I'll make sure to give you a hug as big as this one when I get back…!"

He wrapped his arms around his daughter, squeezing her tightly, playfully: it only took that much for Mari's concerns to fade away as she laughed happily in her father's arms. He pressed prompt kisses to her cheek, doing his very best to remember the sensation of holding his oldest daughter, to memorize it forever… even if he intended to do his absolute best to hold her that way again as soon as he had the chance to come home.

"Be good to your mommy, alright?" he said, softly. "Help her out when she needs you to… and keep being your wonderful self, so she'll always have a reason to smile. Can I count on you to do that, Mari?"

She nodded, and Zuko grinned as he pressed his forehead to hers. Mari giggled, patting her father's face with her mittens.

"I love you, Mari," he said, his voice choked up before he pressed one last kiss to her brow. "No matter… no matter how much things might change, Mari, never… never forget who you are, okay?"

Mari blinked blankly but nodded obediently, failing to understand the weight of those words… words Zuko had heard long ago, and failed to understand as well. He smiled warmly, unable to restrain a tear that slipped down his cheek before he wiped it off, rashly.

He rose now, to see the newest member of the family: young, innocent and certainly unaware of the world around her, Zi still seemed to sense something odd was happening, going by the wide-eyed stare she gave her father. Zuko smiled warmly, leaning close to kiss his second daughter's forehead too.

"And you… grow up safe and healthy, okay, Zi?" he said, softly. "So you may play with your big sister properly soon. I'm sure you two will be… you two will be the best of friends. I love you, Zi…"

The child whimpered, reaching a small hand out that Zuko took delicately in his own. Zi gifted him with one final smile then, and Zuko responded with his own, hoping to memorize that sight as well, forevermore.

Then, the hardest of farewells… even if it had started from hours ago. Suki's gaze conveyed just how hard this would be for her, but that clear certainty Zuko had learned to rely on, the strong awareness of what was right and wrong, of having made a necessary choice, still gleamed in the violet eyes he'd grown to love so dearly. He swallowed hard and embraced her, careful not to crush Zi, yet angling his body as best he could to hold his wife as intimately as possible.

Mari watched them with uncertainty, still confused by what was going on: Kino had already leapt on the saddle, waving goodbye at everyone below, perhaps feeling too self-aware to intervene in the goodbyes Zuko spoke to his family at the moment. Kattan and Haka had responded to him initially, but now they spoke to Sokka, instead. The two warriors had woken early to send them off, and they hugged Sokka tightly, even if his armor, freezing in the cold air, made the gesture rather uncomfortable for them both.

"There, there…" Sokka chuckled. "I know I'm leaving too quickly for your tastes, but…"

"It wouldn't be a problem if you took us with you too!" Kattan whimpered. Haka groaned, glaring at Sokka reproachfully. Sokka laughed, pulling away from them and patting their shoulders gently.

"It won't be a problem at all… because I know you two are going to be the best leaders for the Tribe's warriors," Sokka decided, grinning brightly. In an instant, the begrudging glares faded and were replaced by wistful excitement.

"W-wait… us?" Haka asked, eyeing him warily. "Wait, but… huh? Really?"

"Our warriors, at least," Sokka chuckled, patting their heads next. "Dad will probably continue to lead his group, if need be. But you two… you'll keep on teaching the younger generations and you'll protect the Tribe. If we're successful, you might not need to fight more battles anymore, and the Tribe will stay safe… but if anything goes amiss, I'll trust, wholeheartedly, that you two will be here holding the fort with my father. Alright?"

The responsibility he had granted the two young men proved to be the perfect way to amend their perceived slight: the two warriors stood up taller and stronger now, nodding enthusiastically at their leader.

"You can count on us," Haka said, firmly

"We won't let you down!" Kattan declared. Sokka smiled proudly and nodded.

"I know you won't, Haka, Kattan," he said, reeling them in for a final embrace. "See you soon, you two."

"See you soon, Sokka," they said, in unison.

He pulled back to find Katara was climbing on Appa's back now, wiping her tears, but still smiling at her father and grandmother from over her shoulder. Zuko remained on the ground, hugging Suki intimately… so the two of them were the last ones left. Sokka knew he shouldn't cause their group any delays, but he needed to say his goodbyes to his family too… though, before he could do it, a small hand yanked at his trousers lightly.

Mari's confusion, dispelled earlier, seemed to have returned at full force. Sokka offered her the most genuine smile he could at the moment – thus, more concerned than cheerful –, but the child wasn't reassured by it in the least.

"You're going too…?" she asked, despite already knowing the answer to the question. Sokka nodded, crouching down to her level.

"Sorry about all this, Mari," he said, remorsefully. "But I'll make sure your daddy comes home safe and sound, okay?"

She nodded, though then she bit her lip as though she had something else to say. Sokka raised an eyebrow before reaching to pat the child's head kindly.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Storytime… when you come back?" she asked, shyly.

Sokka's chest ached at the gentle request, at the unusually meek way in which Mari acted right now. She was scared of whatever was happening, worried about its meaning, unable to properly grasp it… and he couldn't help but wish to reassure her, in every way he could. Fortunately, there was something he could promise that might just please the little girl, and it was the answer to her very question. He smiled and nodded firmly, and his grin carried far more confidence this time.

"I'll bring back so many stories about Princess Jing we'll have to have storytime for a whole year for you to hear them all," Sokka teased her. Mari's smile returned to her face in full force, and Sokka chuckled as he caressed her hair gently. "I'll make sure of it, Mari."

"Thank you, Uncle Sokka," she said, smiling still. Her golden eyes, still so familiar, warm and beautiful, belonged to that unique, innocent child… and yet that purity resembled her aunt's most genuine, gentle moments just the same.

"I'll be back before you know it," he said, affectionately. "Goodbye, Mari."

He rose to his feet and turned to his grandmother next: Kanna spread her arms immediately, and Sokka walked into them to hug her delicately but warmly all the same… or at least, he thought it was warm until Kanna winced, her face pressed to the cold armor plate.

"Oh! Sorry, Gran-Gran, I'm such a…!" Sokka flinched, pulling away quickly only for his grandmother to laugh happily.

"You're such a wonderful, sweet man, my dear," she said, reaching up to cup his face between her hands. Sokka smiled but leaned down, letting his grandmother press a kiss to his brow. "So handsome and strong… and with the biggest heart this whole world ever saw, too. My dear Sokka…"

"I… I'll do my best out there, Gran-Gran," Sokka said, with a sad smile: it was so easy to fall apart with his family, with those he was closest to… with those whose approval he had craved as much as he had craved his grandmother's and his father's. Where he had managed to stand his ground with Kattan and Haka, even with Mari, now he felt like a little boy, instead…

"I know you will. You always do," Kanna said, smiling proudly. "You're destined for more than I can possibly imagine, Sokka, I know you are… so don't be afraid to chase that destiny, my dear, brave warrior. We will be here when you can come back… and you'll always have a home with us, never forget that."

Sokka nodded, hugging her more carefully this time. Kanna laughed at his delicacy, as Sokka pressed a kiss to the top of his grandmother's head, crowned with snow-white hair.

"I love you, Gran-Gran," he said, voice choked up anew. "And I… I'll be back for sure. I know I will be."

"And you won't be alone when you do," Kanna said, smiling encouragingly at him. Sokka had only just lowered his arms, but his genuine, tender smile was bright enough to light the dark period all on its own. He nodded, squeezing his grandmother's shoulder gently.

"I'll make sure of that, too," he said, earnestly: from the first moment, Kanna had been prepared to accept the truth. She had embraced him when he had tried to turn away from everyone… and she had helped him heal, asking for nothing in return other than knowing he was finding peace and safety in the place he had called home for most his life. Sokka's heart ached with love for his grandmother, for the role she'd had in his return… for the kindness he had found in her, when he had feared he'd find nothing but backs turned towards him. She had loved him unconditionally, and he was proud to feel the exact same way towards her.

Just so, he felt that way towards the father that waited, next and last. His tender, tearful smile broke Sokka as well, and without a single word, Sokka wrapped Hakoda in the most powerful embrace he could give him. Hakoda returned it with just as much enthusiasm, even as his tears spilled down his cheeks and on Sokka's armor.

"I'm sorry we… we didn't have more time," Sokka said, with a sad smile. "But I…"

"You'll be back," Hakoda said, his voice thick with tears. "Just as you were the last time. And this time… you'll return the right way, too. By your own choice, your own volition… without fearing what you'll find here, because this is always going to be your home, my son. No matter where you may live, no matter the choices you may make… no matter if you belong elsewhere, too, you'll always have a place right here, my dear boy. Always."

"I… I know, Dad. I… Thank you," Sokka said, trembling as he pressed his face to his father's shoulder. "I… I didn't say that often enough, but… thank you. For everything you've done, since I was a kid, for all the lessons, for all the hard work you put into… into raising me and Katara. You're the best dad anyone could've asked for."

"And you two… the very best children a father could have asked for," Hakoda said, smiling through the tears as he pulled away. "Go now, then… go, and know you make us proud, Sokka. Go… and save her. You still have a chance… you still have hope, and you can spread it to the whole world, too. You can bring back balance… you can set every wrong right. You are so much more than you know yourself to be, my son. So… go, Sokka. Go now… and fulfill the destiny you've chosen."

Sokka swallowed hard but nodded, tears streaming down his face, even if he managed to school his expression into determination and strength once again.

"I love you, Dad," he said, earnestly. "You… you won't have to wait for me as long this time."

Hakoda nodded proudly, smiling still as Sokka caught his hand and squeezed it gently. With one more smile, the Gladiator turned to the sky bison and he followed his friends and sister up to the saddle.

Zuko remained on the ground, holding Suki, whispering soft, reassuring words to her, much as the ones they'd spoken through the night. She pushed herself up to kiss him as best she could, and Zuko cradled her in his arms as he responded – his oldest daughter covered her eyes with her hands, though she peeked through her fingers on occasion anyway. He had to go, he knew, but just a moment longer… just one more kiss, and then another… if he could just delay the inevitable for an eternity…

It was Suki who had to stop him, breaking off their long kiss, and laughing as he sought to restart it again. She shook her head affectionately, caressing his face with her fingertips.

"I'll always be here… thinking of you," she said smiling as warmly as she possibly could, with tears rolling down her cheeks. "Our hearts will always be bonded… and we'll always belong together. So just… just go, my love, and do your best out there, as you always do. I'll wait as patiently as I can… and we'll be safe, Zuko. We'll be okay, so…"

"I'll be safe, too," he said, swallowing hard. "You won't have to worry… even if I know you will, just as I know I will worry about you. But I guess even that will bond us together, huh? Whenever you think of me… know I'll be thinking of you, too."

Suki laughed and nodded, accepting one more kiss, deep and slow, tender and affectionate. Being away from her husband, for however long it might be, might be all the more devastating once it was a reality rather than an abstract concept… but right now, the final kiss he offered her seemed to strengthen her, to fill her with energy and certainty, with conviction that she wouldn't need to wait for him long… that he'd be here, with her, in the blink of an eye, and the world's brightness would finally be restored with his return.

Zuko pulled away begrudgingly: the others were waiting, he knew, and he caressed Suki's cheek one more time before taking a step towards the bison. She held onto his hand for a moment, but her fingers slipped through his until it was only their fingertips brushing together… and then he was out of her reach, gazing at her remorsefully as he made his way to the sky bison.

"I…" Suki gasped, watching as Aang leaned down to hoist Zuko onto the saddle: she had spoken the words so many times, they had repeated them ceaselessly right now as they kissed, while Sokka finished his own goodbyes… but she couldn't possibly let him leave without saying them one more time. "I love you, Zuko!"

He glanced at her from the saddle, eyes tearful, heart wrenched as he raised a hand towards her, as though to still touch her…

"I love you too, Suki," he said, his voice broken… and yet he smiled.

It was a tearful smile, but it was a smile all the same. It was another goodbye he never wanted to speak out loud… but it had been a better one than many he'd said in the past: for this time, he actually had hopes that he'd come back to her. He believed they'd be together again… he was certain of it, even. For once, he didn't abandon a place in dread of never again being welcome in it… no, this time he knew his wife and daughters would always wait for him, no matter how long this journey might take.

"Daddy!" Mari exclaimed, waving at him enthusiastically. Zuko chuckled, gazing at her affectionately. "Good luck, Daddy!"

"Be good, Mari!" Zuko responded, knowing his tears were dropping on the bison's fur. "I love you too, Fire Flake! I'll be back! I swear it!"

Had anyone warned Katara that saying goodbye would be this hard, she wouldn't have believed it. She crouched against her brother's large frame, both tearful, holding each other close as Zuko's final goodbye to his family shook them just as badly as their own farewells to their father and grandmother had. Kino, too, sniffed quietly, watching them compassionately, perhaps even subtly envying that they'd have people waiting for them this way… Aang swallowed his own tears as best he could – albeit a few slipped past his eyelids as he took his position at the bison's neck, shaking the reins before speaking the phrase that would see Appa taking flight:

"Yip-yip!"

A/N:

We'll have a double update next week, you can consider it a bit of a holiday gift. I'll get back to fitting those here and there whenever I have a chance :) hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you're looking forward to the heightened tension and stakes in the upcoming chapters!