Epilogue

*****

"Who is Hideo?"

The gentle caress on Yuze's back paused after she had asked the question, which continued a moment later. A silence enveloped them. She thought the woman hugging her didn't hear what she had said that's why she called her name.

"Lin?" 

There was a pause, then a hum which she felt vibrated from the other woman's chest, where her head lay quietly.

The firebender repeated the question, "Who is Hideo?" 

There was another silence, and it prompted Yuze to pull away from the embrace. Emerald eyes seek the other pair, which refused to meet her own.

Yuze swallowed the lump in her throat as she asked another question. Hope could clearly hear from her voice.

"Is he my father?"

The older woman remained quiet. Though the other woman's expression gave nothing away, Yuze could practically hear the gears turning on her head. A minute passed. Just as Yuze was about to give up on getting the answer, Lin took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. 

Her boss' emerald eyes were unwavering, but Yuze glimpsed something flickering beneath them. However, it banished before she could distinguish them.

"Yes."

Yuze tried to form a word but couldn't. After a moment, with a shaky voice, she finally said, "Okay."

Her boss—mother's eyes widened in surprise, "Are you— Are you not going to ask about your father?"

"No. Not now," Yuze's face and voice tell indifference, but the slight twitch of her index finger gave her away. 

The gesture didn't go unnoticed by the other woman. Lin arched an eyebrow, "Yuze?"

Yuze hesitated to answer the unspoken question. At last, she spoke with a soft voice, head lowered, "I don't want to push you to answer questions you're clearly uncomfortable with."

Silence lingered before she heard shuffling. A dainty finger slipped below her chin and lifted her head. She was met with eyes full of warmth and a tender smile.

"Yuze, you don't have to worry about me," a hand gently cupped her cheek. "You can ask me anything. I told you that, didn't I?"

The firebender bit her lower lip before nodding, albeit a little tentatively. But minutes had passed, and she was still struggling to come up with a question, before she decided to just ask a simple one.

"How did you and my father meet?"

Her mother stared at her for a moment before she nodded and began speaking.

"Your father was a part of the United Forces. He was a Lieutenant, and I was the Deputy Chief of the Police Force. At the time, there was a terrorism crisis caused by a well-known Mafia group in the city, and the Police Force couldn't handle it alone. That's why the Council requested assistance, and they sent a troop to aid us, led by your father. My mo— the Chief that time assigned me to lead a bunch of Police Officers."

"You both have the same mission," Yuze said, not a question, but a statement.

Lin nodded, "Yes."

The firebender tilted her head, "That's how you met?"

"No. I just told you why your father was in the Republic City," the daughter just blinked, and the mother almost chuckled, "We met in a bar."

An arched eyebrow, eyes staring unamused, "A bar? That's a little bit cliche, isn't it?"

"What a coincidence. That was almost exactly what your father said to me."

It's a long, tiring day for Lin. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. The Black Dynasty was being a pain in the ass lately. They have been terrorising different areas in the city, and the Police Force was having a hard time locating each member of the notorious group. They knew how to blend well among the civilians, and the leader was still unknown. Then there is an issue of people doubting the ability of the department after the news of the Council requesting aid from the United Forces came out. 

Spirits. Ever since then, reporters and journalists have followed them— more specifically, her— 'cause her mother just shoved all of them her way.

And what's annoyed her the most? Is the media's question.

Seriously. What does Tenzin and her shaky relationship have to do with terrorism?

Why does everyone—

"Hey..."

...just go on—

"Miss?"

...with their lives and—

"Beautiful?"

Deathly, cold emerald eyes met with amber eyes glinting with mirth. She gave the man a look that she was not currently in the mood— not that there is a time she is in a mood.

She didn't know if the man was brave or just dumb; nonetheless, he chose to stay.

"Oh, don't be like that, love. I simply want to know your name."

Pearly teeth almost glinting back to her, deep dimples showing. All of the ladies gushed at how charming he is. But not her. Lin didn't bat an eye. Disinterest etched plainly across her face.

With her plainest voice, she replied, "Are you done?" Then she turned away, not wanting to see the man's stupid face. Reached for the shot glass in front of her, she added, "If you are, please get out of my sight."

Though her hair slightly obstructed her peripheral view, she felt the man leave. With a roll of her eyes, she downed her scotch.

Finally, alone once—

"Clearly, fate brought us together here at the bar." 

The grip on her glass tightened with such force that she was surprised it hadn't yet shattered. A hand gently unfurled her fingers from around it. Lin turned her head slightly to take a peek at what the man was doing. 

Her eye twitched as the man brought her hand up and pressed a long kiss against her knuckles while amber eyes stared straight at her. With a wink, he said, "Though it's a little bit cliche, don't you think, Jade?"

"What happened next?" Yuze doesn't want to let her interest show, but she's pretty sure she failed, judging by the way the other woman was looking at her.

"I returned his kiss."

Emerald eyes went wide, "You what?"

"On the lips."

"I thought you were hard to get—"

"With my fist."

"...Ouch" 

There was a moment of silence, then Yuze clapped her hands loudly. Proud of what the woman had done. Lin arched an eyebrow but merely shook her head at her daughter's antics, though her lips curled in a faint smile.

The applause died, and the firebender shot her next question, "From how you tell the story, you obviously despised my father."

"I wouldn't say despised. Sure, he was infuriating and frustrating, but he has his moments," Lin said, mind drifted to a particular event when the Lieutenant distracted and comforted her after things fell apart with Tenzin in his own way. 

The daughter saw the look on the other woman's eyes, "Did you love him?"

Lin looked at her daughter and let out a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "I honestly don't have an answer to that."

She turned her head, watching as the snow fell from the sky, "My relationship with your father is... complicated."

Yuze observed the woman. She could see Lin's eyes becoming unfocused, probably reminiscing about old memories with her father.

With a groan, the firebender bent, her stiffened spine from days of sleeping, and was rewarded with a satisfying pop.

"Well, I think that's it for today!" she exclaimed, bringing the older woman's attention back to her.

"Are you sure? You can still ask—"

"Yeah," Yuze smiled at her mother.

Gosh, it still felt strange to think of Lin Beifong as my mother. And yet... it also felt right.

For some reason, Yuze felt heat rising to her cheeks. She turned away, trying to hide the sudden flush on her face. "Besides, we have plenty of time to talk about my father."

"If you say so," her mother said, a little uncertain, but Yuze could hear the relief in her voice.

The firebender cleared her throat and tried to change the topic, away from her father, "So... who knows?"

"Jin, Kya, Izumi, and your students," Lin responded, which gained a curious look from her daughter.

"How did my students know?" 

"Well..." Lin shrugged, "I may or may not have accidentally revealed it."

The firebender narrowed her eyes, "You will tell me everything that happened after the Equalists took me," she brushed her clothes, "But that can wait. I'm famished."

And as if on cue, the door to the room opened, and a head peeked through the crack. The person was about to speak, but stopped when she realized the pair was in the middle of a conversation. Unsure teal eyes keep going back and forth towards the duo.

"Am I interrupting something?" 

The mother and daughter exchange a glance before turning to the person and shaking their heads at the same time. The pair watches as the person shuffles at her feet.

"Yes, Kya?" Lin asked the waterbender, raising her eyebrows, "Is there something you need?"

It seems to have prompted the woman to fully enter the room, closing the door gently behind her. 

"I'm just going to check, Yuze," she said, almost stammering, "That is... if that's okay?"

Lin and Yuze stared at the healer with their eyebrow arched in perfect unison, confused at how she was acting. Nonetheless, they nodded in the exact same manner. Now that Kya knew the truth, the resemblance hit her immediately, and it nearly made her faint. 

The healer cleared her throat and walked over to where the firebender was. She summoned water from the bucket across the room, wielded it gently over the younger woman's body, "It's good that you're healing well. Some grazes will fade without leaving a scar, but a few wounds might leave a mark. How's your head?"

Yuze took a moment to assess her head before responding, "Fine."

"Good. I heard you received several head injuries before the takeover. Thank the spirits that you didn't receive a blow worse than your head could handle while you were being held captive."

"Yeah. Well, they wanted me to stay alive before presenting me in front of the Republic City, so they rely on punching and slapping."

Yuze chuckled, but it gradually faded when she felt the sudden rise of the tension inside the room. The water moving back and forth from her body also paused. Her eyes caught the trembling, clenched fists of her mother sitting across her. 

How dare they... How dare they hurt my child?

Lin doesn't know what really went down there, while her daughter was being held captive, but it didn't take a genius to know what she went through. The moment she saw Yuze's bloodied body slumping tiredly while being suspended in the air by the chains, she knew what those bastards had done to her daughter. 

Her clenched fists tightened as well as her jaw when the image of Yuze was chained just like in the arena came into her mind. Masked figures took turns to inflict pain on her, reveling in every scream they could pull from her. 

How dare they...

"Lin?"

Lin's eyes burned as tears welled up. Her vision was getting blurry. She could feel herself slipping from reality as her mind only flashed that horrible image. All she wanted was to wrap her daughter in a bubble of protection, hide her so that no one could hurt her anymore.

"What the heck!"

"Kya, we felt somethi— what's in the spirit world?"

"I don't know, Tenzin!"

"Why are Chief Beifong's eyes glowing? Is she also the Avatar?"

"That's impossible, Meelo. There is only one—"

"Ah... guys? Why does Chief Beifong's chest glow?"

Lin could hear everyone's voices, but they all sounded muffled. Like her head was underwater. She felt nothing except the overwhelming desire to protect and guard those close to her heart. Deep inside, something primal stirred, like it were lying dormant and just woke up. It's desperate to break free. Then she heard a feminine voice echo through her mind.

"You called me, bright one?"

Everyone shielded their eyes as the room was covered by a blinding white light.  A scream echoed through the four corners of the chambers, overlapping with a sound like a roar.

When the light dies, everyone reluctantly puts their hands and arms down. They looked and saw Lin lying unconscious on the bed, but that's not what really caught their attention. Eyes were wide, and jaws hung open as they stared at the majestic tiger standing tall beside Lin. Its fur was white as snow, and its stripes created a beautiful pattern. Eyes were steel-gray with a ring of icy blue glow around their irises. Its size is not like others. It is almost as big as Naga.

"The white tiger," someone muttered in awe and surprise.

The white tiger then turned its head to Yuze, who had abandoned the bed after her mother lit up. The firebender didn't flinch when their eyes met. Then its eyes broke the contact, looking at the other occupants of the room. Then it jumped from the bed, landing on the wooden floor elegantly, but despite the softness, it startled everyone. 

The white tiger slowly walked towards everyone, its cold, predatory eyes fixed on the crowd. Its gaze narrowed as if it were observing them carefully, assessing if they were a threat or not. No one dared to move. Not even the children who normally get excited every time they see a pet. It's an instinct, evoked by the tiger. Its mere presence emitted alertness and demanded praise.

Breath caught in their throat as the majestic creature strode past them with silent grace. Its eyes swept over each person until its eyes settled on someone, and from the corner of their eyes, Lieutenant Jin stiffened. The white tiger sniffed the air, then stared at the officer, a glint of recognition flickering in its gaze. It roared softly as if it wanted to say something, and it sent shivers down everyone's bodies. Everyone stiffened, but it brought the opposite effect for the Lieutenant, whose body relaxed and breathed in relief. A small smile graced his lips.

The creature continued to walk and stopped in front of Yuze. The two locked eyes once again, neither willing to look away. The silent standoff held until, to everyone's astonishment, the white tiger lowered its head at the firebender. Everyone was surprised, but not as much as Yuze, whose eyes widened at the unexpected gesture. Unsure of what to do, she awkwardly returned the bow. 

A few moments later, it lifted its head and resumed its stride until it came to a halt before the Avatar. Just like earlier, the two also stared into each other's eyes, only this time, Korra's eyes lit up. A few moments later, the glow dies, and to everyone's shock, the two bow down to each other in mutual respect.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Hanmei," Korra stated respectfully. The white tiger only nodded before going back to the bed, curling its body around Lin. Ears stood, and eyes gazed with alertness. 

Everyone shuffled on their feet, uncertain of what to do, until Korra faced them and spoke, "Let's go, guys! I need to finish my food!" The Avatar noticed everyone's eyes flickered towards the bed where Lin and the white tiger are, "Don't worry, guys. Lady Hanmei will keep Beifong safe."

"We could see that," Kya muttered, glancing at the way the white tiger snuggles its body around her friend.

Tenzin shook his head, then spoke the question everyone longs to ask, "What is that? And how did it suddenly appear?"

Everyone jumped when the white tiger let out a growl. Face crumpled in annoyance, as it stared at the Master Airbender.

"Tenzin, she is sensitive about that," Korra stated, chuckling nervously as she glanced at the creature, "Never call her 'it'  again."

"Okay," and to everyone's relief, the white tiger settled once again, eyes closing, "But that doesn't answer the question."

"Well, Lady Hanmei is—"

"A spirit," Jinora stated in a soft voice; nonetheless, everyone heard it. Her eyes stared at the creature in awe. The tiger opened her eyes, locking onto her for a moment before closing them again. The young airbender's eyes let out a wide smile. She's so cute! I want to pet that soft fur.

"Yes! Thank you, Jinora," Korra nodded her head, "Just like what she said, Lady Hanmei is a spirit— guardian spirit to be exact. She was created by Lin's desire and dedication to protect everyone she loves... or so she told."

"You spoke with her?" Tonraq asked, eyes don't want to leave the creature or spirit, whatever the white tiger is.

"Yep!" Korra stopped as she saw the look everyone was giving her, "Avatar, guys, remember? The bridge between the spirits and mankind?" Everyone let out an 'ahh', "So, kapeesh?" Everyone nodded, "Good! Then let's go!"

Everyone left the room but Yuze, who wanted to remain with her mother. The tiger must have sensed her as she shifted her body to give space. The firebender moves and lies beside her mother, eyes closed.

Outside, everyone broke into respective groups just like before they barged into the room. On the floor, the children and Yuze's students continue playing. On the couch, Izumi and Jin were playing Go, their brows furrowed in concentration; beside them were Iroh and Tonraq, watching the game unfold with quiet interest. At the dining table, Korra and her friends were busy munching on the food while happily telling Senna their adventures. From one of the chairs, Pema was busy feeding her son, also listening to the stories while occasionally glancing at her children. Katara was nowhere to be found as she had already retired to her chambers for the evening.

At the wall, Tenzin was standing, eyes downward, as thoughts raced through his mind.

"Tenzin!"

The airbender jumped at the shout and contact from his shoulder. He lifted his head and stared annoyingly at his older siblings, who were laughing at his expression.

"It never gets old to see you startled," Bumi clutched his stomach as he wiped a lone tear slipped from his eyes.

Kya was the first one to collect herself, taking a deep breath to calm down. Then she saw her younger brother's red face and she chuckled, patting Tenzin's back, "Why so serious? What are you thinking, Tenz?" 

The waterbender smiled lightly, but her eyes showed concern for her brother. Tenzin recognized it, and he returned the smile to reassure her, "Nothing to worry about, Kya."

Now, that's made Kya more concerned, "Are you thinking about the Equalist?"

At the mention of the group name, Bumi's laughter abruptly stopped. The joy drained from his face, replaced by a look of seriousness and concern. 

Tenzin smiled at his sibling's thoughtfulness. Warmth wrapped around his heart as he knew they cared about him, despite the rocky relationship they had.

"No. I'm not thinking about them... well, maybe a little, but they are not my main focus," Tenzin's eyes drifted toward the door where the star of his thoughts rested. "It's about the white tiger spirit."

"What about it— her, sorry."

The airbender let out a heavy sigh, "I honestly don't know. It's just... I've never heard of someone, a human, being capable of creating a spirit purely from their emotions and feelings. That's not how supposed to be. That's not how things with spirits work."

Bumi let out an exasperated sigh while Kya just wrapped her arm around her brother, "Tenzin, you may be an expert in the ways of the spirit, but that doesn't mean you know anything."

The airbender wants to argue, to make them understand why he felt the way he did, but instead, he simply nodded, choosing to push the topic to the back of his mind for now.

'Cause definitely something was going on. In the spirit. In Lin. 

***

The next day, early in the morning, Korra and Lin went to the most spiritual place at the Southern Water Tribe, a pavilion, to restore the former Chief's bending. Everyone was present as a witness to the ceremony. 

They watched in awe as Lin stood up, raising the boulders all around them with practiced ease. Happiness radiated to everyone as they saw the serenity on the earthbender's face, having to finally reconnect with her element. Lin expressed her gratitude to Korra, while Tenzin told her how proud he was, making the young Avatar beam with joy.

Now, the kids, teenagers (except Asami), Yuze, Iroh, and Bumi were having fun outside. They are playing tag while riding a penguin. If you are wondering how Iroh got dragged into it, well, it didn't take Yuze a hard time to convince him ("Please, Iroh. This is the first time we'll get to bond again since I was ten."). 

After several rounds, the group stops for a moment to take a breath. Then Yuze's face suddenly lit up, like a light bulb. Her eyes gazed at them with mischief, which put Iroh, the one who knew Yuze the most, on wariness.

"Yuze, whatever you have in mind... please, make sure it doesn't come back to bite in the most hard way," Iroh said, his eyes silently telling Yuze to behave.

Yuze gasped overdramatically, hand reaching to her chest, clutching it as if she was in pain, "That's hurt, Iroh. Why would you ever think that I'm going to do some trouble?" 

Iroh raised an eyebrow.

The firebender wave her hand dismissively, "Don't worry, Prince Iroh. I'm not thinking some plot of prank—"

"Awww..."

"Don't worry, kids, Bumi. I promise we'll do that... but not right now."

"Yes!"

"Yuze!"

Yuze ignored Iroh's chiding and continued where she stopped, "Anyways, just like what I said, there's no prank that will happen. I'm just thinking if we could convince Beifong and others to play with us."

A pause, then everyone laughs with Bumi the loudest of them all.

"Yeah. I bet you can," the eldest of Avatar Aang exclaimed, voice hinted with sarcasm, "Kya probably, but the others? No."

"Ho?" the firebender raised an eyebrow, not expecting the reaction.

"Yuze, I know you can be pretty convincing, but Bumi's right," Korra chimed in, "There's no way you could convince others."

The corner of Yuze's lips curled up as she leaned forward. Emerald eyes shone with mischief and determination. "And what will happen if I did?"

Everyone exchanged a look and went back to Yuze.

***

Lin was currently sitting in the bed inside the room that was assigned to her while they were staying at the South Pole. Honestly, she had never been in her room as she was always at Yuze's. 

But she wasn't the only person or living thing on that matter, cause the owner of the massive head resting on her lap was definitely not human.

 Speaking of the spirit, it had nearly caused her a heart attack when she opened her eyes and came face-to-face with the spirit. Thankfully, Yuze was there to explain everything. The spirit was her guardian, or something along those lines. Either way, the spirit is hers.

A soft huff, almost exasperated, came from the tigress, who pressed her head insistently against her hand, urging her to continue petting her.

The earthbender arched an eyebrow, "You're so demanding, you know that? I thought I was supposed to be  the owner, but why does it feel the other way around?" 

Another huffed, and she rolled her eyes, "Fine, fine. Bossy kitty."

"Now we know what the spirit said was true. She really came from you."

Lin threw a glare at the woman leaning against the wall across from her, but it only made the smirk on the woman's face widen.

"What? You are bossy yourself."

The earthbender narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, don't be mad, Lin. Kya's stating a fact. No wonder Yuze was the way she is when she was a child."

The glare shifted to the person sitting with full elegance and regality in the lone chair at the far corner. Though the person's voice was serious, her eyes that were peering above the teacup told a different story.

"See, even Izumi agreed!"

Lin's brows ticked at the teasing remark of her old friends.

Izumi, Kya, and Katara had been in her room for hours, having a long conversation about her and Yuze— something Lin felt she owed them after everything that had happened yesterday. 

Earlier in the morning, she and Yuze had talked about keeping their mother-daughter relationship a secret... at least for now. It was something only the two of them and a few people would know. They wanted time to build their bond before they shared the news with their family and close friends. 

Both of them also agreed that Katara should be informed, as she was one of the people most devastated when Yuze was taken all those years ago. They knew telling her would bring the old healer some peace.

There were tears...

"I'm glad you finally have Yuze back," Katara said, as she wiped her tears.

"Me too, Katara," Lin replied softly.

There was remorse...

"I'm so sorry, Lin," Kya whispered, "It's my fault Yuze was kidnapped in the first place. If I'd just been more careful. If I hadn't let my feelings get in the way. Then you may have—"

"Kya, don't blame yourself," Lin interrupted firmly, "It was Lian's fault, not yours."

There was shouting, disappointment, and dejection...

"Why didn't you tell me, Lin? I could have helped you! Don't you trust me?" Izumi, the ever composed, was letting all her walls down. Her voice cracked as her face showed how deeply hurt she was.

"I trust you, Izumi. I do," Lin said, her eyes glistening, "I just... I wasn't ready. I don't know. Please... I'm sorry."

And after many more words, all was settled. Lin asked everyone to keep the truth a secret for now, and they all agreed.

Now, her friends were making fun of her. 

Lin was about to retort when the spoon resting on the saucer behind the teacup shot toward Izumi's forehead, and the lamp near Kya's head swung, smacking her. 

The two let out a surprised squeak while soothing the spots where they were hit. Both glared at their earthbender friend, who merely blinked in response. Izumi narrowed her eyes as she ignited a flame on her palm while Kya drew water from the flask resting on her hip.

"Now, now, children. No fighting or bending inside my house," Katara said softly as she reentered the room. Her gentle voice was laced with a stern edge.

"We're not children anymore, Aunt Katara," Izumi commented as she closed her palm, extinguishing the flame. She then brought her hand back to support the teacup cradled in her other hand.

"You three act one," Katara commented, lowering a tray full of cookies on the side table. She chuckled when Izumi, Kya, and Lin immediately reached for the cookies and happily devoured them, "Just like I said." 

Then she heard Hanmei grumbling softly, a little annoyed that her owner had left her behind. Katara picked up three cookies and faced the annoyed, sulking spirit. 

"I don't know if cookies are good for tigers," she said thoughtfully, "but you are a spirit, so... here you go, little one."

The tiger spirit caught the cookies tossed at her and let out a low, appreciative rumble as she crunched them between her teeth.

"I still stand by the point that we are not children," Izumi stated, wiping the crumbs at the corner of her lips with a handkerchief.

"Yeah, and Lin started it," Kya, on the other hand, doesn't care if there were crumbs all over her face as she happily devoured the cookies.

"What are you saying?" Lin asked, making a face while looking at how Kya eats, "You two were the ones who were making fun of me—"

"It's called teasing, love. It's what friends do to—"

"And I'm not the one who manipulated those metals."

"Yeah, right," Kya deadpanned, "Cause there is another metalbender here other than you."

"I told you, I'm not—"

A growl interrupted Lin mid-sentence, and everyone whipped their head only to see the tiger spirit with one paw raised, metal swirling in the air around her.

"What the—"

Everyone's eyes were wide open as they stared at the spirit, now sitting tall, chest puffed out in a regal display. Then suddenly, the tigress extended her paw, brandishing metal claws that glinted in the light. She licked her paw slowly, subtly flexing her razor-sharp claws.

Lin was the first one to recover after a few moments. A rare grin broke on her face, which reminded Katara of Toph, in her horror.

"Sweetness..." Lin's eyes were practically sparkling as she stared at her spirit.

"Oh, she really is your daughter, Toph," Katara mumbled as she watched the earthbender move in front of her guardian spirit, gushing about its coolness and awesomeness.

Izumi and Kya, on the other hand, couldn't help but smile. It had been so long since they'd seen Lin like this. They knew that part of her hadn't disappeared— just been buried deep inside. It warmed their heart as they saw their friend beaming with joy.

Then the door swung open, creating a loud thud. 

"Hey, guys, can—"

Yuze stopped as she saw the scene that greeted her. Her mother was giggling while being licked on her face by her tiger spirit, who was perched right on top of her. 

Lin's giggling ended as she saw her daughter's shocked face. She pushed her spirit gently, composing herself.

"Did you just... Did I just hear you—"

"You didn't hear or see anything," Lin gave her daughter a stern look, but Yuze could see the glint behind them.

The firebender raised her hands as if surrendering, "Okay, okay."

"Yuze, why do you look like you're in such a hurry, child?" Katara asked the young woman.

That seems to make Yuze remember why she'd been searching for the three women in the first place, "I need you three to come with me outside. Like right now."

Her words immediately changed the mood.

"Why?" Kya asked, concerned, lacing her voice, "Did something happen, Yuan?"

Yuze fought the urge to roll her eyes at the nickname. Ever since Kya learned who she is, she has been calling her Yuan. According to Lin, that had been Kya's nickname for her when she was a baby because of the Qian on her Qianxi, which meant "money".

Yuze instantly assured the adults, "No, nothing happened. Don't worry," she thought for a moment on how she would say the words, "We are playing tag while riding the penguins and it's really fun... I thought maybe you could join us?  I really want you three to come. I already convinced Tenzin," there was a pause then she added, "Please?"

"You convinced, Tenzin?" Izumi asked, eyebrows arching, "How did you manage that?"

The firebender flipped her hair with confident flair, "I'm charming." More like I blackmailed him, she added silently.

"That sounds fun," Kya brushed her hands together, "Okay, let's go, gals!"

"No."

"I'm sorry, but I can't."

Kya rolled her eyes. "You two really are sticks in the mud."

"I have a reputation to hold, Kya. When did you see a Firelord penguin sledding?"

"Just like what she said," Lin agreed, hand petting her spirit, earning her a contented purr, "Not the second part, cause I'm not a royalty."

"But you two did penguin sledding when we were children!"

"That was long ago."

The three went back and forth, bickering like a bunch of children, making Katara shake her head. Yuze, on the other hand, debated whether she should just give up and accept it... Nope! That would mean losing a ton of yuan! 

The firebender, unsure of what to do, went down on her knees, hands clasped together. The motion caught the three women's attention instantly.

"Yuze, what are you doing?" Izumi asked, almost freaking out.

"This is how desperate I am," to have money, "To bond with you all."

The three women still not saying anything, Yuze keeps talking, "I mean... this is the first time I'll bond with my family. I just want to create memories. Please..." 

Then she unleashed her greatest weapon: her puppy dog eyes, "Aunt Kya, Aunt Izumi, please..." Then she jutted out her lower lip, looking at her mother, "Mama, please..."

The three women exchanged looks. Kya shrugged her shoulders, "Don't know about you two. I already said yes."

Izumi let out a deep sigh. "Fine."

Yuze's face brightened up at the Firelord's answer, then she looked expectantly at her mother, 

Lin stared at her daughter for a long moment, "Will me going penguin sledding make you happy?"

The firebender pumped her head up and down, "Yeah, yeah. So, so, very much."

Another moment of silence, before Lin breathed in defeat, "Okay, kid."

A big grin spread across Yuze's face. She stood up, pumping her fist upward, shouting, "Yes!" 

She then grabbed Lin and Izumi's wrists and pulled them out of the room, Kya following behind while laughing. They meet Tenzin outside the house, who took a double-take, shocked that Yuze managed to convince Izumi and Lin.

The five of them walked towards where the rest of the group was. Everyone was talking and joking with each other when they noticed the new group going near. Everyone stared at them in disbelief.

"I... How... What..." Bumi stammered, blinking rapidly as if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

Yuze just shot them a smirk, rubbing her index and thumb fingers together while mouthing, "Twenty yuan."

The firebender then claps her hands together, "Let's go, guys! Let's have fun!"

***

"Are you not going to join them?" Jin asked as he walked beside Asami who is watching everyone happily played in snow.

"Lieutenant Jin," the young woman smiled at the newcomer, before going back to watch the group, "No. I'm content watching them; besides, I still have some paperwork to do. How about you, Lieutenant?"

The Lieutenant simply chuckled, "I'm not family," then his eyes went to his old friend, a smile tugging at his lips as he saw the grin on Lin's face. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Asami watching him knowingly, making Jin cleared his throat, "Besides, I've also got plenty things to do."

Jin faced Asami, "Speaking of which, may I have permission to use the telephone on the ship? I just need to inform the officers back at the City."

"Of course, Lieutenant," Asami smiled. Jin nodded and said his gratitude before heading toward the ship.

Once aboard, he made his way to a small room where he knew the telephone was kept. He picked up the receiver and carefully dialed a number he knew by heart. He waited for a few moments before the call was picked up. A low, gruff voice was heard from the other end of the line.

"Captain Jin. How are things there?"

"Your family is safe, my lord. Lady Yuze is nearly fully recovered, and Lady Lin's bending has been restored," Jin reported steadily.

"Good."

"My lord, something happened last night," Jin continued, taking a steadying breath, "A white tiger appeared... out of Lady Lin."

A surprised gasp came  from the other end of the line, "The Guardian of the West..."

There's a silence for a moment before the person from the telephone chuckled, "Lin truly is different..." The man chuckled once again, but his tone turned serious. "Captain, I want you to keep them safe. I've received word that the enemy is making its move."

Jin nodded even though he knew the man from the other side could not see it.

"Understood, Your Majesty."

*****

Book 2: True Heritage