Hanuel’s home was bright, it was beautiful, and the sight of Zaofu’s metal domes over the horizon filled her with a sense of relief and awe.

“Mikah! Jitsuko! We’re almost here!” She exclaimed as she leaned on the airship’s railing, her face so close to the window that the glass almost fogged up.

Mikah was quick to abandon his and Jitsuko’s game of Pai Sho (much to the latters frustration) and accompany the avatar near the window. His face alit with joy as he noticed the city in the distance. Hanuel was sure he had visited Zaofu before, they had been friends for years and she had undoubtedly forced him to at least one Beifong family reunion, but Zaofu was the type of place that always took your breath away.

Jitsuko, now with no Pai Sho opponent, was quick to join the two of them. “The domes are platinum, right?” She asked, leaning on the railing.

“Uh, yeah, I think.” Hanuel responded, trying to remember what she had been taught. “Back when Kuvira was in power she made her giant robot out of them, but they’ve been put back.”

Jitsuko laughed. “Duh. But that’s a pretty sweet defense system you got there. Gonna be really hard for anyone who wants to get in.”

Hanuel smiled and returned her gaze to the city they were rapidly approaching. She could always count on her firebender friend to look at things from a militaristic standpoint, Hanuel was pretty sure she had attended the Royal Fire Academy.

“Yeah, isn’t the property value, like, crazy high?” Mikah added. Hanuel laughed, she could also rely on Mikah making astute observations that only a completely normal, grounded person would notice. He always brought a sense of stability to her life.

As Hanuel and her companions alighted from their personal airship, Hanuel noticed they had been met with a small crowd. It was tiny compared to the masses that had greeted her when she arrived in Ba Sing Se, but they were the people she had wanted to see the most.

“Dad!” Hanuel exclaimed as she ran down the airship’s ramp and enveloped her father in a hug. Seok Beifong was a tall, muscular man with the same bright eyes and warm smile as her. He took after his father, and in turn she took after him.

Hanuel turned to the rest of the group. In attendance were her Grandpa Bolin and Grandma Opal, her Aunt Ahn, and her two cousins, Ai and Ji-yong, who were both younger than her. They were all dressed in the long, elegant robes common in Zaofu, except for Opal, who wore a modified version of Air Nomad robes. All together, they were the entire earthbending side of her family, other than her mother.

“It’s so nice to see you again!” Bolin smiled as he broke from Hanuel’s hug. “How’s your mom doing?”

Hanuel smiled. “She’s doing great, we’re working on new legislation to improve the lives of all UDES citizens everywhere.”

Bolin laughed. “Y’know, it’s so relieving to know that there’s good people in charge of the nation now. I can’t tell you the last time that happened.”

“Your cousin Tashi is here as well.” Opal smiled and put a hang on Hanuel’s shoulders, she was considerably shorter than her. “She arrived last night, and is resting now, but you two should catch up.”

Hanuel nodded, recalling the last time she had seen her airbender cousin. It must’ve been her tattoo ceremony a few months ago, just before she had set off to Gaoling last spring on Avatar duties. It would be nice to see her again.

As Mikah and Jitsuko walked off the ship to join the group, Ahn spoke up, looking Hanuel straight in the eyes. Of all her family members, her non-bending aunt had always managed to be the scariest, even though Hanuel knew she meant well. “I’ve made sure that no press will show up during the visit.”

Hanuel smiled, relieved that she wouldn’t have to deal with press or fans while spending time with her family. It was good to be home.

Hanuel had to go easy on her younger cousin, even though Ji-yong was a skilled metalbender, she was only fourteen and couldn’t best the avatar.

“Yes!” Hanuel exclaimed as she won yet another match of power disc- her eighth victory this afternoon.

“No fair.” Ji-yong complained as she stretched out a bruise she had gotten during the fight. “You’re like, the avatar.”

Hanuel stuck her tongue out at her cousin. It was nice to be able to be herself, outside the view of the public.

“I can heal that up for you.” Mikah suggested. The waterbender had decided to come watch the game while Jitsuko read. Ji-yong shrugged and looked like she was about to say something when her face lit up. “Tashi’s up!”

Hanuel turned around, spinning on her heels. Her airbender cousin was, in fact, awake, and was now walking around the estate in yellow-orange civilian clothes. Her hair had grown since Hanuel had last seen her at her tattoo ceremony, but it still wasn’t to the length it had been before. Hanuel ran up to her and enveloped her in a hug.

“Hanuel!” The shorter girl protested, trying to get out of Hanuel’s grasp. “C’mon.”

By the time Hanuel let go of the airbender, Ji-yong and Mikah had joined them.

“Spirits, your tattoos are so cool!” Ji-yong exclaimed. “I wish earthbenders got mastery tats, that would be sooooo cool.”

“Awww, thanks.” Tashi laughed and put her hand to her forehead. “They did hurt though, so…” She shrugged, and Ji-yong seemed to agree with that statement.

“So, why’re you here in Zaofu?” Hanuel changed the topic of the conversation. “I thought you were out doing air nomad things.” She gestured around, alluding to the lifestyle Tashi lived but Hanuel could barely understand.

Tashi forced a laugh. “Uh, yeah. I was out with Koto, but we ran into some complications… I’m taking her bison back to the temple for her.” Tashi quickly glanced away, as if she had revealed too much of a secret.

Koto, Hanuel’s best friend since the age of six, was the great-granddaughter of Avatar Aang and one of the best airbenders she knew. When they learned she was the Avatar, Hanuel had wanted Koto to be her airbending master. Hanuel recalled the fight they had a few weeks before Koto’s tattoo ceremony, she hadn’t seen her since. The airbender hadn’t even shown up for Tashi’s tattoo ceremony, apparently dealing with some ‘spiritual business’ with her Uncle Rohan. “Is she alright?” The avatar asked.

“Oh, uh. Yeah. She’s fine, she just had some… stuff to deal with. Elsewhere. Uh…” Tashi gestured with her hands as she stammered.

Mikah must’ve sensed the tension in the air, because he put his hand on Tashi’s shoulder and led her over to the power disc court. “Come on, we were watching the metalbenders play a sport I barely understand, you can tell me about sky bison while we watch.”

Tashi visibly exhaled as Mikah led her away from the conversation, yet Hanuel couldn’t help but feel sick to her stomach as she returned to the court- the sinking feeling of being lied too.