Koto pulled her knees up as she watched Haruko work-the earthbender had explained whatever part of the car she was fixing, but it had been lost on Koto.

Haruko had the look of an earthbender. A muscular build, skin like red clay and hair the color of dirt. Her face was square and defined, with a heavy brow and sunken eyes. Haruko’s body seemed to be covered in scars, which was surprising. She seemed the same age as Koto, if not younger.

“I like your tattoos.” Koto complimented. At some point, Haruko had taken off her green jacket, exposing thick, black bands of ink across both forearms. There were four bands on each arm, with the two in the center having a break where Koto’s own tattoos were.

Haruko looked up from whatever she was doing and made eye contact with Koto for a brief moment, then looked down at her arms, as if she had forgotten them. “Thanks.”

“When’d you get them?” Koto asked.

“About last year, Aunt Liling almost killed me when I did. You?”

“I earned my tattoos when I was fifteen, so about three years ago.” Koto hesitated. “Do yours mean anything?”

“Strength, endurance, fortitude.” Haruko explained as she worked. “That sorta thing, earthbending stuff, y’know.”

While Koto wasn’t an earthbender herself, she was familiar with the philosophy- the idea of standing strong and persevering during conflict was strange compared to the negative-jing, air nomad philosophy she had been raised in. The ideal of perseverance would also explain the scars.

“Where’d you get the cut? The one on your lip.” Koto asked. It was only after she said it that she realized she might be pushing Haruko too much.

The earthbender stopped her work, thinking over whatever her response would be. “I got in a fight.” Haruko stated. She didn’t elaborate, and Koto didn’t press the question. She gazed out the open window Haruko had opened onto the busy market street, about halfway through the afternoon and the city of Jing Zi was bustling, despite it being the hottest part of the day.

“I wonder when Tashi and Aazir will be back…” Koto mused, not expecting Haruko to return. Their younger companions had set out about an hour ago to deliver supplies across the city on Cloud, they would probably return soon.

As if on cue with Koto’s thoughts, the shop door opened as Tashi and Aazir dragged in what looked like a body.

Haruko wasn’t expecting Aazir and Tashi to be back so quickly, and certainly not with a half-dead person dying of heatstroke, but she could deal with that later. She jumped to her feet and ran over to help.

The woman they had brought in was taller than both of them, even taller than Koto by a considerable amount, though she was thin which made her easier to support as Haruko guided her to a couch they had set up in the shop. She had brown hair the same shade as Haruko’s, though it was straight and longer, tied in a loose braid that reached her mid back. The woman was dressed in loose green clothes that exposed a great deal of her tan skin, which was spotted with sunburns, freckles and scars.

As soon as Haruko had laid the woman out on the couch, Haruko turned to everyone else. “Aazir, get me some towels from the house. Tashi, get some water, there’s a bathroom down the hall.” She gestured to where it was. “And buckets in the shop. Koto, help me keep her cool… doing some airbending or something.” She gestured with her hands in a vague imitation of the bending art.

Everyone nodded as they received their respective tasks, and Aazir and Tashi ran off to retrieve supplies. Koto assumed a light stance and alternated arm movements, creating a breeze that circulated the room, cooling it considerably. Haruko turned to the woman.

She noticed that she wasn’t really a woman, more of a older teen girl, only a few years older than her, just tall. Her long, soft features were familiar to Haruko.

“Hang?” The earthbender asked.

The woman tried to prop herself up on her elbows. “How do you know my name?” She rasped.

Tashi ran in with a bucket of water, and seconds later Aazir returned with an armload of towels. Haruko wetted one of the towels and put it on Hang’s forehead.

“We were classmates, I’m two years below you.” Haruko explained. She had seen Hang’s face around the school back then, but never spoke to her before now.

Hang’s rapid breathing slowed down some as she cooled off.

“What happened?” Tashi asked.

“Probably heat exhaustion.” Haruko explained. “It’s pretty common hear, especially if you spend too much time in the sun.”

Hang tried to sit up, she gestured to Tashi. “W-water.” She muttered.

Tashi thrust the bucket of water at Hang. To Haruko’s surprise, instead of drinking the water, Hang made a fluid motion with her hand and pulled some of the water to her arm- waterbending. She created a bubble over a cut on her forearm and moved the water, it produced a faint blue glow.

“You’re a waterbender…” Koto stated, even though it was obvious.

Hang gave Koto a long stare. “Yeah..?” She said before muttering something about being bad at healing.

“What is all this racket going on?” Liling’s pitchy voice came from the shop. Haruko turned just in time to see her enter the lounge area they were all standing in, still wearing her apron.

“Wh- who’s this?” Liling gestured to Hang.

Hang didn’t respond, just looked at Liling blankly.

“We found her on the streets, she was dying!” Aazir explained.

“You’re taking in random riff-raff from the streets…” Liling muttered. “Well, I suppose you can stay, at least for the night while you recover. My home is becoming a boarding home for wayward teens…”

“I won’t be here long, I promise.” Hang said, her voice dry and coarse.

“Where do you live, Tashi and I are doing supply deliveries and we could get you a medical kit so this doesn’t happen again.” Koto interrupted.

Hang looked to the side. “I’m kinda… Homeless?” She shrugged. That definitely explained why she was out in the heat.

Koto stiffened, seemingly uncomfortable with the reality of life in the rural UDES. “Well, if you ever need a place to go, the air temples offer sanctuary and relief to those in need.”

Hang scoffed. “Yeah, sure, whatever.”

Hang rested for the rest of the afternoon, while Tashi and Aazir continued deliveries and Haruko worked in the shop. Before long, night fell and everyone gathered in the house for dinner. Liling had unfolded the table’s leaves to accommodate for the guests and had cooked up a thick vegetable curry.

“Thank you for your hospitality.” Koto said as the meal began.

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Liling smiled. “We should be the ones thanking you, your aide will do wonders for this town.”

Quan nodded in agreement, but didn’t say anything. Likewise, Haruko focused on her food instead of the conversation Liling was having with Koto about air nomad cooking. Across from the table, Hang seemed to have a similar idea and was resting her head on her hand as she ate, still weary from the heat and her injuries.

“Aazir! I keep telling you, Pasha isn’t allowed at the table!” Liling cried. Haruko looked up to see that Pasha was sitting on her brother’s shoulder, being fed a piece of apple.

“Aww…” Aazir whined as Pasha scampered across the table onto Haruko’s shoulder to hide in her hood.

“Hey kid, watch this.” Hang caught Aazir’s attention with a gesture of her hand. Aazir’s eyes went wide as he watched the waterbender pull the liquid out of his cup and froze into a sphere of ice. Hang dropped it to Aazir’s hand, he imideately started marvelling at itand showing itto everyone else at the table.

“That’s neat, but how’re you supposed to drink a ball?” Quan pointed out.

Aazir seemed like he was about to respond when he was interrutpted by a shrill knock at the door. Quan huffed and stood up to go get it, with Koto following close behind.

Haruko stayed at the dinner table but could hear snippits of the conversation from the door. It was the cops, they were here because the shop didn’t have a permit to house a sky bison. Although the conversation started out polite and hushed, it soon escalated as Koto started yelling at whoever was standing in the doorway. Haruko exchanged a glance with the other people still at the table.

It wasn’t long before Koto and Quan returned to the table. Quan seemed to glance around nervously and kept his distance from Koto, who was fuming with anger. Haruko stood up and looked Koto in the eye.

“Let’s go on a walk.” She said. It was more of a demand than a suggestion. Koto nodded as Haruko guided her out the door.

The earthbender spared one last glance at the people remaining at the table. “We’ll be back soon.” She stated.