Izuku flops himself down on the full size bed in the center of his hotel room, finally getting to relax after almost a 13 hour flight from Tokyo to Republic City on the US west coast. With the summer coming to an end and September beginning, the students of the first year course at Lu Ten's royal academy have arrived at Republic city on a field trip to experience a memorial holiday celebrated by the air nomads. As a way to pay respect for the atrocities that their nation had committed, four almost five centuries ago, the royal family had declared the festival a holiday for their nation to observe the traditions of a culture and people that their ancestors had genocided. Now with the avatar returning this observance of the Yangchen festival is special. Gedun had told him that during the festivities, the young airbenders would be given their gliders and begin the first lessons when it comes to using the glider. Izuku himself is kind of excited to be getting his own airbender staff though, hopefully TSA would let him take it back to the firenation. His relaxation doesn't last long as there is a knock at the door, Izuku sighs grumbling to himself before the door to his room opens.

"Well well well, looks like all we need to take down the avatar is just a bit of jet lag." Hisashi begins, looking at the slumped exhausted form of his son sprawled out on his bed. The young man's arm draped across his eyes moves upwards slightly so that it's resting on his forehead allowing him to look at his father. "How was the flight?"

"Long." Izuku answers, mustering up the energy to sit up on the bed to properly speak with his father. "Why did you let me ride on Wamu with you?" Izuku asks, referring to his father's dragon mount that the dragon of the east uses as transportation.

"And you miss out on having Princess Yaoyorozu fall asleep on your shoulder in first class? Mitsuki sent me the picture of you two, your mother has been fawning over it for a few hours now." Izuku groans as he's teased by his father. "Speaking of, Firelord Kenshi sent us a messenger hawk just before we left asking that we go to the palace after we get back from Republic City. He wants to meet you."

"Momo told me to expect a letter from him during our date about a month ago. We've been so busy with school we've had to reschedule our second date twice now. Though we did convince our friends to let us eat alone together a few times so I guess those count as dates." Izuku complains, "I'm kind of nervous for tomorrow since I'm getting my staff from Grandmaster Gedun."

"They still use staves?" Hisashi asks.

"For training beginners yes, but once I've learned enough with it to where Master Gedun is happy, then they're gonna move on to the modern wing suit." Izuku explains, "From what Inasa said, they're probably gonna nail a post to the ground, tie a rope around it and have me glide against the wind while tethered to the ground."

"How far the avatar has fallen, being reduced to a kite nailed to the ground." Hisashi jokes again with a wide grin on his face. Izuku just stares at him with a blank bored look before raising a hand and flicking his wrist at his father causing a gust of wind to hit his dad in the face knocking his goggles off his head. "Rude."

"You started it." Izuku responds as he flops back down on his bed, "On your way out can you kill the light? I'm going to sleep." His father doesn't bother to respond, but does as his son asks, shutting out the light and closing the door.

The following morning, Izuku meets with his class down stairs for breakfast as the teachers discuss what they're going to do until it's time to head to Aang's temple. While it's typical for firebenders to be morning people, Shouto had never been one for the mornings. Even now, he's partially asleep as he's making a haphazard attempt to feed himself oatmeal with his eyes partially closed. Izuku and Momo are off at a table by themselves, chatting with one another about what to expect for the festival. Setsuna, Kaminari, Bakugou and Shouto are seated across from them waiting for Shouto's head to slip off his hand that he's using to support it and end up in his breakfast. Deciding that it's taking too long to happen, Kaminari begins pulling on the edge of the table slowly causing Shouto's elbow to begin to move out from under his head. Before they could get him to fall face first into his breakfast, Grandmaster Gedun, Inasa and an airbender nun enter the lobby of the hotel. The middle aged woman is dressed in soft orange robes with a wooden carved necklace on the center of her chest. Her chestnut colored hair cut to frame the top of her head allowing for the blue airbending tattoo to be prominently seen. Her expression is soft, and kind, her face set with a pair of silver colored eyes and subtle creases from laugh lines and wrinkles that come with age.

"Good morning everyone, It is nice to see most of you bright eyed and bushy tailed this early." Gedun begins, noticing Todoroki still partially asleep in his breakfast. "Thank you all for coming to the Yangchen festival. I'd like to introduce you all to the head nun of the eastern air temple. This is master Kaam, she will be going through the history and cultural significance of the festival while you travel to the island." He pauses for a moment before turning to face Izuku. "Now, Avatar Izuku, I ask that you come along with myself and Inasa. We have training to do."

"If I may ask, can I come along as well? I've researched the festival extensively over the past couple weeks leading up to our trip here." Momo requests though Inasa immediately sees through her words knowing full well that she just wants to spend time with Izuku.

"I don't see why not, however to see if you are truthful in what you said I will be quizzing you on it." Gedun says with a slight smile, he motions for Izuku and Momo to follow him before turning and tapping his cane on the ground as he takes a step exiting the room. Following him outside, Izuku and Momo are met with the sight of the airbending master's Skybison the slightly tanned fuzzy flying buffalo. "I told you I wouldn't be long Taitai." Gedun says as he jumps up to the back of the flying bison. "Go ahead and grab the reins or climb up his tail to the saddle." The two firebenders walk around to Taitai's tail before taking off their shoes in order to avoid hurting his tail.

"He's much softer than I thought he'd be." Momo comments as she runs her fingers through the bison's fur. "Much different than the pets back home. Most everybody has reptiles as pets so it's a big change to feel one with fur." She explains.

"Have you ever had any pets?" Izuku asks as he reaches up and grabs a rope on the back of Taitai's saddle. He turns and offers a hand to Momo so he can help her up the bison. Taitai himself is doing his part to flatten himself out as best as possible to make it easier for them to get into the saddle. "My dad has his dragon Wamu and we have a baby one named Mushu at the house."

"No, while my cousin firelord Kenshi has his own dragon named Kars I haven't had any pets. I don't think the turtle ducks that live in the ponds at the palace count as pets though they're pretty friendly." She says as she gets situated in the back of the saddle. "I didn't expect there to be seatbelts in here." She says with a slight laugh.

"Any form of transportation, animal or not has to have them." Gedun responds, Inasa briskly jumps up into the saddle before buckling himself in. "Taitai. Yip yip." The Skybison stands up before shifting back with a slight stretch as he yawns before raising up his tail and flapping it downwards. He jumps off the ground using his tail to bend the air underneath him to increase lift as his six legs begin moving to assist. The rapid climb in altitude causes Momo to clutch onto anything she can hold in order to hold herself down, despite being strapped in. She clutches Izuku's arm to keep her safe causing him to blush. "Now then Princess Yaoyorozu, what do you know of the Yangchen festival?"

"It originally started as a promise between an ancient spirit General Old Iron and avatar Yangchen to remember a dear friend of the ancient spirit that had passed on. The general was upset that the villagers were, in his eyes, desecrating her resting place but in actuality they were trying to just live their lives. He fought and was defeated by Avatar Yangchen before the two came to an agreement, he would return to his rest allowing the people to settle the land so long as they uphold the festivities and honor the memory of Lady Tienhai." She explains.

"What is it done for now?" Gedun asks, pulling back slightly on the reins causing Taitai to begin to descend towards Aang's temple. "The terms of their agreement changed when Avatar Aang came here and defeated the general once again." Ahead of them, the massive green statue of Avatar Aang holding his staff in front of him. The statue had been repaired numerous times over the centuries but still stands over Republic City protecting it to this day.

"Avatar Aang dedicated the festival to the memory of the air nomads since the genocide of the nomads pained the general as much as the death of his friend did. Now the festival is recognized as a day of remembrance for the firenation and a day of rebirth and life for the air nomads." She answers.

"Not many people would know it as well as you do. I'm impressed Princess, make sure to hang on. Taitai may be good at flying but even after nearly five decades together, he still isn't the greatest with landings." Momo clutches Izuku's arm tighter after hearing this statement from Gedun, the landing platform for the large fuzzy beast getting closer and closer as they circle the main spire of the Temple of Aang. Taitai does his best to get as close to the platform as possible, ending his final loop around the tower by swooping up to the platform then dropping onto it in a belly flop. The impact of the beast's belly landing on the platform causes the four to bounce from their seats slightly as they come to a stop. "See what I mean? Taitai we talked about this, you need to stop landing on the platform like that. Last time you did you squished Master Kai."

"Maaaaaawwwww..." Taitai groans as Gedun slides off the side of his head. He walks around the front of the Skybison only to get licked by Taitai. The three teenagers laugh seeing the airbending master get licked by the flying bison.

"Come on, let's go join the children for the first flight lesson. Master Kai and his group of new students should be up on the roof beginning their lesson." Inasa explains, giving Gedun enough time to clean himself from Bison slobber before joining them for the next lesson in airbending.

Getting to the top floor of the temple, Inasa leads Izuku and Momo through a wide arching door to the platform where the next lesson in their training will begin. Ahead of them, another older man stands with a slightly amused expression on his face. Around him a class of almost a dozen bald headed boys, each without the distinct airbender tattoos, skid around on swirling currents of air. The boys drive the air scooters into each other before bumping off and drifting a few feet away before trying to balance themselves in order to keep up with the game. When the wispy mustache sporting man sees the green haired avatar he raises the glider staff in his hand before tapping it twice on the floor. The boys immediately hop off the air scooters, some more gracefully than others, before they face their instructor. The older man lifts a hand and gestures to Izuku before bowing prompting the students to do the same, though they don't know why.

"Ah, good morning Avatar Izuku." Master Kai greets, causing murmurs of shock and excitement to flow through his class. "And to you Master Inasa, Princess Yaoyorozu."

"Good morning." Izuku returns with a slight bow, "I hope I'm not interrupting you."

"Not at all my dear boy, we were just about to begin. I was just letting the boys burn off some extra energy by playing Air scooters." Master Kai explains, "Now, I want all of you to collect your staves and follow me. Princess while you are not able to air bend, we do have a normal glider if you wish to participate."

"Oh no, I'll just watch but thank you for the offer." Master Kai nods in acknowledgement before motioning for his students to grab the glider staves in a holder by the opening of the handrail on the ledge.

"Very well. Now class, the glider staff has been adapted many times over the centuries. The current version is made with the same materials that modern aircraft are made from. They still have the same color and mechanism as Avatar Aang's modified staff." Master Kai explains as he clicks a button on his staff exposing the handles at the top, two long main wings from the mid section and a set of tail wings at the base of the staff. Below the bottom set of wings is a resting spot for the user's feet to rest. "The button to open the staff is at the base of the larger swelled portion of the staff. Make sure your hands are clear from the openings. It will be quite painful if you get your hand caught in it as it is spring loaded."

Inasa hands Izuku a custom staff made for the avatar himself. While the wings of the other glider staves are orange, Izuku's are the same dark red of the firenation. On the wings is the golden emblem of the firenation insignia. The staff itself is a darker color than the others, and rather than being made of wood this one is made of metal being completely fireproof. He inspects the staff, noting that while it's slightly heavier than the wooden staves, it is comfortable in his hands. Master Kai leads the students to the ledge of the temple balcony before opening his own glider staff. He takes a few steps towards the ledge before jumping, throwing his feet over the leg supports as the glider pitches upwards as the airbender takes flight. "Well you saw it, grab your gliders and take flight!" Inasa declares before shoving Izuku. His eyes widen in shock and instinctively he tries to grab Inasa to try to stop his fall but the airbender gives him an evil smirk before airbending Izuku off the ledge.

"INASA!!! You jackass..." Momo giggles to herself as she hears Izuku's voice get further and further away. One by one she watches the students, though slightly fearful at first, make their way to the ledge off the balcony before opening their staves and taking the leap of faith. Drifting through the air, she sees the maroon and gold wings of Izuku's glider floating along with the winds.

Momo watches from the ledge as Izuku goes through his first flight with the glider staff; she sees his staff rock back and forth occasionally as he hits bouts of turbulence. She also sees him throwing fireballs at Inasa every time the cheeky airbender gets close enough for him to do so, he's still quite miffed about being air bent off a ledge higher than most of the high rise buildings in Republic City. Beside her a large orange and yellow hang glider sits expectantly for her. Noticing her interest in the glider, Master Gedun, who had finally cleaned himself up from Taitai's slobber, offers to assist in strapping her into the glider. Sliding into a harness, she clips herself into the carabiner on the hang glider before grabbing the hand rail. Excitedly she runs towards the ledge then jumps off allowing the glider to take flight. The updrafts from the ocean keep her aloft as she maneuvers the glider to get closer to Izuku. The avatar spots her glider heading towards her, opting to fly alongside his girlfriend; he adjusts the hand controls of his glider causing it to rear back slightly and decelerate to Momo's speed.

After spending the morning flying about on the gliders, Izuku joins the students for a lesson in airbending with the staff. By the time lunch rolls around, the students, masters and nuns gather at the top of the temple before taking flight towards the hill on the outskirts of republic city. Momo and Izuku fly with each other as they follow the air benders gathering from each of the five temples from across the world. The eastern air temple in the Ba Sing Sei Rockies, the western air temple in the firenation itself, the northern air temple near the north pole and the southern air temple barely two hundred miles from the southern watertribe. Hundreds if not thousands of airbenders making the pilgrimage to the sacred site on the cliffs of Republic City. Around them, the airbenders tell stories of the encounter with General Old Iron and Avatar Aang and Yangchen. The children fly their crane fish kites and eat sweets, fruits and different delicacies made by the nuns and monks alike. Even members of the firenation, other than the students of the Lu Ten firebending academy, have made their way to Republic City to pay their respects to the past avatars. As the sun sets behind the horizon, Izuku takes Momo on a flight with just the two of them gracefully floating over the ocean being watched over by Avatar Aang. 

Landing on a far cliff away from the gathering of airbenders and people the same, the two unclip themselves from the hang glider as they rest at the top of the cliff. "Izuku, I have a gift for you." Momo says as she opens her hand beginning to use her quirk. From the pink, blue and white light created by her quirk, a two gold panels of a headpiece begins to emerge from her hand. Izuku recognizes the shape instantly, the circular flame and upward peak of the head piece of a crown that his previous incarnation had worn. "I tried to get the original one, but father said that Firelord Zuko had entombed it within Firelord Iroh's grave. I think that the Avatar deserves to wear this." 

"Th-thank you Momo..." Izuku responds. 

"May I?" She asks, Izuku nods yes and lowers his head for her to style his hair so that it will fit in Roku's head piece. She gathers his hair gently before pulling it back feeding his hair through the gold hair piece. She curls it through the back before inserting the pin through the center. "The Avatar of Fire should wear this crown." She says before kissing him on the cheek.