THE SUMMER DRAGS ON FROM THERE. After an encounter with Azula at the Western Air Temple, everyone is forced to split up. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Suki, Koa, Zuko, and Kida fly away on Appa; the others escape through the tunnels. The team camps out somewhere random for one night, before Zuko guides them to an old family home of his, located on Ember Island.

Kida is definitely skeptical at first. She argues it would be a bit (actually, a lot) uncomfortable staying in the Fire Lord's vacation home for the time leading up to Sozin's comet, but Zuko swears that it's secluded and abandoned enough to be their hideout. Sokka manages to convince Kida that it's a good idea, but she's still wary—at least, at first.

As everyone falls into a routine, working and living together like clockwork, Kida's doubts start to melt away. Aang spends the afternoon practicing bending: first water with Katara, then earth with Toph, and somewhere in between he practices firebending with Zuko, when the sun is at its peak mid-day. Sometimes, Kida joins them; other times, she trains sword fighting with Sokka, warrior techniques with Suki, hand to hand combat with Koa, or a mix of all three. Most days, Kida makes sure to practice archery, something she very quickly realized she missed doing because of how natural it felt. Every other day, two of them would go into town to gather food and supplies. In the evenings, the team regroups, eating and chattering and laughing over whatever food was prepared.

In a way, the eight of them camping out at a house on Ember Island feels right. Being so disconnected from the conflict and reality of war, Kida is tempted to pretend that any training is for the sake of fun and exercise, that Aang is practicing bending only because he's the Avatar and not because he's the Avatar who has to restore balance to the world. She knows it's not true, but it does help her sleep at night, this image of a normal life she's started to construct. It isn't just Kida, either. She notices that everyone seems a bit less stressed than normal. The more time Kida spends on the island, living with the team, the more she's able to convince herself to forget the horrors of her past and her fear of the future, and instead pretend that everything is okay, that they're just a group of friends spending their summer on vacation. There's something so intimate and domestic about it, and Kida likes to imagine that if the war wasn't raging on, this would be their life.

Like, when they aren't training or doing chores, Aang and Kida would go down to the beach and look out at the clouds. At night, Kida would take Aang to the beach, teach him how to light a bonfire, and they would stay up imagining stories from the stars.

If there was anything either Katara or Kida had to get off their chest, like Zuko being annoying or Aang goofing off too much in training, they would be there for one another, to vent and then sort out a solution together.

Toph would sometimes get on Kida's nerves, mostly because she reminds her of her younger self. Toph is brutally honest and a bit confrontational, but more fun and carefree, which Kida is happy to welcome at this point.

It was a bit awkward with Koa at first, considering his history with Sokka, but he and Kida would slowly grow on each other. As warriors who were trained in different techniques, they would be both teachers and learners, while gossiping about Sokka or whatever guy Koa was crushing on.

If there's anything this time helps reinforce, it's that Suki is and always will be Kida's best friend. Out of everyone, maybe even Sokka, Kida feels the most herself around Suki. They were equals in training, but Kida definitely needed a refresher on Kyoshi Warrior techniques, and being by the beach and training with Suki is calming, comforting, and nostalgic.

With so many people around now living in a confined space, there wouldn't be much time for just Kida and Sokka to spend time together, but simple things like a wink during training, or a kiss on the cheek after breakfast, or a squeeze of the hand still warm Kida's heart.

Zuko really is the older brother Kida never knew she needed. She is aware of the ways he looks out for her, but also how he teases her, especially when it comes to her relationship with Sokka. Kida would tease him right back, noting that he and Koa seem to be getting along nicely, and did she hear one of them sneak into the other's room the other night?

When Kida notices Zuko spending more time with Koa, she mentions it to Sokka. He dismisses it, but Kida smirks when Koa makes an effort to sit beside Zuko when they go see "The Boy in the Iceberg," an awful production put on by the Ember Island Players that followed Team Avatar's journey until now, and beyond. Of course, being a play put on in the Fire Nation by people from the Fire Nation, the ending would have the Fire Nation triumphing.

Kida finds it utterly predictable. But it does get under her skin, and the fantasy that Kida has started to live in starts to crumble.

It comes crashing down when Zuko reveals something one afternoon.

The group decides to have a casual beach day, considering all the hard work and training everyone had been putting in. Zuko apparently really disliked the idea. As Katara and Koa relax in the water, Suki, Kida, and Sokka braid each other's hair (they'd formed a sort of triangle so that everyone can braid and get their hair braided. Kida learns that braiding hair is not a strong suit of hers, but thankfully Sokka won't be able to see what she's done), and Aang and Toph have a sand sculpting contest, Zuko jumps down and starts attacking Aang, blasting fire his way to prove some point about training. Kida rolls her eyes—her cousin is so dramatic—before following them up to the main house where Aang abruptly puts an end to the battle.

"Kid, you okay?" Aang nods, out of breath, so Kida turns her attention to Zuko. "What in all the Spirits was that!" she exclaims. By now, the rest of the team has come up from the beach, and they stand in a cluster facing Zuko.

"I just don't understand how you can all just relax when Sozin's comet is three days away!"

Kida is about to respond, but something about Zuko's words knocks the wind out of her. Sozin's comet is three days away. Three days. Why the fuck were they just relaxing?

"....I was actually gonna wait to fight the Fire Lord until after it came," Aang finishes.

This snaps Kida back to reality. "Wait, what?" Zuko seems as shocked as Kida is. When she looks to the rest of the group, no one can really meet her eyes.

"I need more time to practice firebending," Aang tries to explain, his voice stumbling.

"And, frankly your earthbending can use some work as well," Toph adds.

"So, you all knew Aang was gonna wait?"

"Clearly not," Kida grumbles. She's finally able to lock eyes with Sokka. "When did you decide this?"

"We sort of talked about it when the two of you went into town the other day," Sokka explains gently, placing a hand on Kida's shoulder.

She immediately brushes it away. "That was four days ago!" Kida shouts. Kida takes a step back, standing instead next to Zuko. "Since when does a team make decisions without the entire team present?"

"Since you're both so....so connected to the Fire Nation."

"That's ridiculous." Zuko took the words right out of Kida's mouth.

"The whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the war, but they pretty much won the war when they took Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse," Katara reasons.

Zuko sighs, deeply. "You're wrong. It's about to get so much worse."

»»---------------------►

ONCE ZUKO IS FINISHED HIS EXPLANATION, EVERYONE IS SHOCKED. Kida's heart practically stops when she hears that the Fire Lord intends to kill and wipe out the entire Earth Kingdom. She takes a minute to process everything and just how worse it's about to get. Kida takes a few deep breaths as everyone is also freaking out.

This isn't a beach vacation—this is a time and place to train and strategize and prepare to end this war before all hope is really lost.

Kida looks to Aang, who has sunk to his knees with his hands behind his head.

"What am I going to do?" he cries.

Kida stands up, walks over to him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. All of the panic she was feeling is suppressed, and she puts on a brave face to comfort Aang. "Hey, kid. You're scared. Trust me, I know, but you're not alone."

The others walk up to them, and the two stand up to meet the group.

"Yeah if we all fight the Fire Lord together, we got a shot at taking him down!" Toph adds.

Kida nods. "We're a team," she insists, trying to forget her annoyance at the secret most of them kept from her.

"All right! Team Avatar is back!" Sokka stands beside Kida and wraps an arm around her shoulder. Kida rolls her eyes, but can't help but smile.

"Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together," Aang smiles, but then looks around at everyone and smiles. "But I wouldn't want to do it any other way."

Everyone smiles and joins in for a group hug—even Zuko—but Kida can't fully enjoy it, too caught up at just how much is at stake.

So, when Sokka suggests a training scenario, Kida is all for it.

Something feels very real about the training, even if it's against a melon version of the Fire Lord. Everyone has a role, and is split up into teams, minus Toph who plays the Melon Lord: Suki, Koa, and Sokka on defense, drawing the Fire Lord's attacks, then Katara, Zuko, and Kida charging in with some offense, setting it up for Aang to deliver the final blow. The scenario goes according to plan, a rapid fire routine where everyone not only does what they're supposed to but succeeds in doing so, but when Aang stops short of his attack, everything comes to a halt.

"What are you waiting for?" Zuko demands. "Take him out!"

Aang turns his back on the Melon Lord and shakes his head. "I can't."

"What's wrong with you?" Sokka walks up to Aang, anger tinting his voice. "If this were real, you'd be shot full of lightning right now!"

Kida puts her drawn arrow back in the quiver attached to her back, joining Aang and Sokka, and everyone else at this point. "What's wrong, Aang?" Kida asks, softer than Sokka but still firm, because he did have a point that Aang would very well be dead if this had been real.

"I'm sorry, but it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself."

Feeling a hint of sympathy, Kida starts to reply, but is interrupted by Sokka taking out his sword and slicing the melon like it's nothing.

"There. That's how it's done."

Kida looks down at the cut-open melon and feels a shudder run through her. Aang looks away. The mood has shifted, and everyone goes back to the house. Kida stays back with Sokka. She catches his arm just as he's starting to walk away.

"If you really think that's what it's like to kill someone, you're not as smart as I thought you were."  Kida lets go of Sokka and walks away.

»»---------------------►

LATER THAT NIGHT, AS EVERYONE SHARES A MEAL ON THE PORCH, KATARA BRINGS OUT A SURPRISE.

"It's baby Zuko! Isn't he cute?" she squeals.

Kida is hesitant to laugh as everyone but Zuko does, noticing his solemn reaction. She had positioned herself off to the side of the group anyways, worried of falling back into a comfortable routine. Kida just takes a bite of her food and stays silent.

"That's not me. It's my father."

Everyone stops laughing. Katara rolls up the scroll.

"But he looks so sweet and innocent," Suki whispers in disbelief.

"Well, that sweet little kid grew up to be a monster."

"But, he's still a human being."

Zuko looks up at Aang sharply. "You're defending him?"

"No, I agree with you." Aang stands up and starts pacing back and forth. "Fire Lord Ozai is a horrible person, and the world would probably be better off without him, but there's got to be another way."

As Aang runs through some potential alternatives, Kida is debating when might be a good time to jump in.

"You're the Avatar," Sokka reasons. "If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you."

"This isn't a joke, Sokka!" Aang shouts, his anger spilling over. "None of you understand the position I'm in."

"I do," Kida interrupts. She sets her bowl of food down beside her and casually stands up. The group seems to have mixed reactions: shock, confusion, fear, intrigue.

"What?" Aang furrows his brow, his shoulder dropping.

"I've...I've had to kill someone before," Kida explains, trying to hide her emotions behind a steady voice. "Maybe I didn't have to, but I did."

"When?" Suki asks, her voice barely a whisper. Kida hates the way Suki looks at her, almost in terror at the person she thought she had known. Sokka is just looking away, and Kida isn't sure which she prefers.

"After the North Pole, when I was travelling around the Earth Kingdom, I ran into a girl. Yoko. We travelled together for a bit, but I was the Hood at the time and there was a price on my head. Someone wanted to collect the prize. They had a knife to Yoko's throat so I shot an arrow through the person's chest. I let them die, but Yoko....she didn't make it either."

"Kida, I'm sorry that happened," Aang starts. At least he doesn't look at her any differently than he had before. "But that's different."

"I know it's different," Kida snaps. Aang looks taken aback by her tone, so she dials it back and sighs. "That's exactly my point. I killed someone to protect someone else. One person to save one person. I can't imagine the pressure you're feeling, but the thing is, the Fire Lord isn't just a terrible person, he's a monster who wants to watch the world burn. If you kill him, you're killing one monster to save the whole world full of good people." Kida looks around at everyone, who remains silent.

Aang just walks away.

»»---------------------►

IT'S ONE OF THOSE RESTLESS NIGHTS. Kida hasn't had one in a while, so she figures there was bound to be one soon. It was like this day triggered her old patterns, and she found herself in a loop of replaying events from her past—her parents, Hiro, Yoko— or imagined but terrible scenarios paired with a relentless need to do something about them.

She spends the night practicing techniques, archery, and making as many arrows as possible. Kida goes down to the beach at some point and sits down on the soft sand, looking out at the moon illuminating the ocean waves.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It didn't really come up," Kida replies, already knowing that it's Sokka. He sits down next to her, so close that the chill of his skin sends a shiver through her body.

Sokka hums, which really isn't a response. Kida is finding it really difficult to judge whether or not Sokka is angry or scared or has come here to break up with her after considering the fact that maybe she is a monster.

"You know I love you no matter what, right?"

Kida lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "You don't have to, though." She decides to give him a way out. A large part of the fantasy she was living here, at this house in Ember Island, revolved around her relationship with Sokka, as much as Kida would hate to admit. Maybe she needed to let that go, as much as she didn't want to do so. And she really didn't want to.

Sokka gives a classic response: he scoffs. "I want to. I love you, Kida. How many times do I have to say that to make you believe it?"

"An infinite amount," Kida whispers, a weak excuse for a joke. Kida has a feeling that if she speaks any louder, the dam will break and she'd start sobbing. Sokka knows her well enough to know that she's already silently crying. He places a hand on her cheek, using his thumb to wipe away a tear. Kida grabs his hand, shifts closer towards him and rests her head on his shoulder. Sokka wraps an arm around her waist.

They stay like that for a while, almost until the sun starts to come up, and that's when Sokka finally suggests they go back inside because they need to start packing.

When they get back to the main house, Aang is gone.

They spend all morning looking for Aang. He couldn't have run away because Appa was left behind and he wasn't taken because there was no sign of struggle. Their search doesn't pan out. Everyone looks to Zuko - after all, isn't searching for the Avatar his specialty?

Long story short: the team, or what's left of it, tracks down Uncle Iroh instead, and gets ambushed by a group called the White Lotus. The Order of the White Lotus is composed of old masters and friends - Kida recognizes most of them. They promise to take them to Iroh, who is apparently fast asleep.

Instead, the Order takes the team to their camp, offering them a place to sleep until morning. Just as Kida is walking to her tent when she notices Zuko sitting outside Iroh's tent, looking nervous.

"It's fine, Zuko," Kida assures. "He loves you. You've - you've changed."

Zuko smiles softly. "Thanks, Kida."

»»---------------------►

THE NEXT MORNING, EVERYONE IS SITTING AROUND AND EATING BREAKFAST.

"Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord," Zuko says.

"You mean the Fire Lord," Toph corrects.

Zuko scoffs. "That's what I just said." He turns back to Uncle. "We need you to come with us."

Iroh pauses eating, and sighs. "No, Zuko, it won't turn out well." Before Zuko can respond, Iroh raises his hand to stop him. "Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord."

"And if Aang doesn't come back?" Kida asks. The breakfast next to her is left untouched, her stomach in knots.

"Sozin's Comet is arriving, and our destinies are upon us," Iroh announces. "Aang will face the Fire Lord. When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se.Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation, so the Earth Kingdom can be free again."

"That's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus."

Iroh nods. "Yes. Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation, so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But Azula will be there, waiting for you."

"I can handle Azula, but I'll need help." Zuko turns to Kida. "How would you like to help me put Azula in her place?"

Kida can't help but smirk. "I thought you'd never ask."

Kida's heart races, realizing that this is about to happen - what they've been fighting and training for all this time. What's been haunting Kida ever since her family died might no longer haunt her; she just needs to get through a life or death battle first. And, even if she didn't, as long as everyone she loves, Aang and everyone sitting here with her now and Hiro if he is still alive, is safe and happy, and the Fire Lord and his army is defeated and balance is restored and the war is over, she could rest easy

By the end of breakfast, it seems as though everyone's destinies are decided. Zuko, Katara, and Kida will go to the Fire Nation to stop Azula, while Sokka, Toph, Suki and Koa try to stop the airships.

The next part is difficult. If she could have just skipped to the battle with Azula, she would have wanted to. But, Kida isn't alone in this. Having to watch everyone say goodbye....well, Kida hates to think of it as a goodbye. She's hit with the reality that they might not all come back and that something might go very wrong; the hopeful side of her, the one she had thanks to Aang and Katara in particular, wants to believe that they will all reunite, and the world will be much different, but a good different.

After a tearful hug with Suki, Sokka pulls Kida away from the group. He's wearing his water tribe warrior armor, his sword strapped to his back.

"Are you going to be okay fighting Azula? Because the last time -"

"It won't happen again," Kida assures. She adjusts her belt, making sure the knife Sokka had gotten her is secure. "This time will be different."

"Promise me you'll come back this time?" Sokka reaches out and grabs both of Kida's hands in his own. He raises an eyebrow. "Preferably uninjured and in one piece?"

Kida hesitates, pulling her hands away. "You know I can't promise anything before a battle. How about you promise me that you'll come back, uninjured and in one piece?"

Sokka smirks. "Let's make it interesting."

"We're about to go save the world and you want to make things more interesting?"

"No! Well, yes. There's no point in making a bet because we're both going to come back. But, let's say whoever has the worst injury has to buy the other dinner. That way, we'll both be extra careful to not get injured."

"Are you asking me on a date, Wolftail?" Kida teases, taking a step closer to close the gap between her and Sokka. She presses a kiss to his cheek, and afterwards, Sokka moves his head to capture her lips with his. Kida smiles into the kiss, feeling Sokka do the same as he wraps his arms around her waist. "If it were up to me, I'd pay for dinner, especially if it meant that your beautiful face and body stay intact," Kida winks, pulling away.

Sokka rolls his eyes. "You're so dramatic."

"Family trait," Kida quips.

As if on cue, Zuko shouts that they'd better get going. Kida whispers something in Sokka's ear before kissing him quickly and walking away. He gently pulls her arm so that she's facing him and kisses her, slowly and with more passion. They break away once Zuko calls Kida for the third time. Sokka walks over to the eel hound Toph, Koa, and Suki are waiting for him on, and Kida takes her place as well.

Before her, Zuko, and Katara fly away on Appa, Kida hears Iroh say that today, destiny is their friend. She prays to all the Spirits that it's true, but, most of all, believes that her friends, the team, can save the world. Its fate is in good hands.

»»---------------------►

author's note!

this chapter is so long oops-

anyways, please let me know what you think! specifically, do y'all think kida was acting in character? i had some doubts but then i remembered that character development exists but STILL let me know!!

only one more chapter after this and im so thankful for all you lovely readers.

thank you <3