Chapter Text
Kya sat behind her daughter in the boat Katara and Sokka had made after their father left. Her children, like always, were unaware she was here but that didn't stop Kya from spending time with them.
She liked to watch them live, particularly her little girl who made her so proud and sad at the same time. Her shaky ball of water hovered overhead as both a show of impressive power and lack of training.
Kya placed a hand on Sokka's shoulder as the two started arguing when the water splashed down on him. While her kids couldn't feel her or see her, her presence and emotions sometimes influenced theirs.
The two kids lurched as the boat hit a current that dragged it further out than Katara and Sokka usually traveled into the ice beds. Katara and Sokka started arguing again but Kya's attention was caught on a man sitting on the ice.
He was dressed in robes of yellows, reds and oranges and had his eyes closed in meditation. They opened at her attention and the two of them stared across the ice at each other.
He was the first person Kya had encountered since death that could see her but before she could say anything, maybe ask him how he got out here, Katara's anger reached a height Kya could no longer ignore.
Ice shattered under Katara's forceful movements and a ball of ice emerged from the water.
"Katara," Kya cautioned at the same time as her son but Katara didn't listen to either of them. Her stolen club slammed into the ice and air came spilling out.
"Interesting," the old man said, turning to look between the iceball and Katara.
"What's interesting?" Kya asked, turning on the old man as fear for her children increased. "What did she just do?"
"She freed him," the man said, pointing behind Kya where Katara was kneeling over a young boy. "That is my charge Aang. He's been frozen for a long time. It's fortunate he's been found now."
"That boy was frozen?" Kya asked in shock. She gave the older man another look before glancing back at the boy, Aang, dressed in similar colors. "You're Air Nomads." Kya's voice came out as a whisper.
"He is. I was," the man replied, turning to Kya. "I am Monk Gyatso, and you are?"
"Kya," she replied, reaching out to shake the dead man's hand. She was disappointed to discover he was dead and that was why he could see her but as his hand grabbed her arm to shake, she felt a sensation she had long since lost to death.
She felt known.
"You've been protecting him," Kya said, smiling as Aang shocked her daughter by asking about penguin sledding. It would do Katara some good.
"You've done the same," Monk Gyatso replied. "That's why we are here."
Kya watched as her kids helped the Air Nomad boy back towards their tribe.
"Yes, I suppose it is," she replied, following the three children home, a new friend at her side.
Having Aang in the village was a breath of fresh air, and yes Kya did see how ironic that comparison was. Aang brought fun into her daughter's life, something the young girl had long given up but some things weren't meant to be played with.
"That boat has been there since the first raids," Kya whispered. "They need to stay away from it."
Monk Gyatso sighed.
"Aang is not meant for this time," he replied. "He does not understand concepts like war and to him the Fire Nation aren't a danger. I hate to see him learn these lessons now but they will be necessary."
"How aware were you of what happened?" Kya asked, begging her daughter to turn back. Katara paused but then Aang waved her forward and Kya lost the little influence she had as Katara rushed forward.
"Everything," Monk Gyatso said. "I have stayed by Aang's side for years but with certain meditation practices I'm able to be in two places at once."
"Meditation practices?" Kya asked.
Monk Gyatso' answer was cut off as a red flare launched into the air.
"No," Kya yelled, as Aang carried Katara safely down the side of the ship.
The two kids didn't stop and rushed back to the village, Kya and Monk Gyatso close behind.
Kya wanted to lecture her daughter and Aang but neither child knew she was there. She nodded along with Sokka's words until he told Aang to leave. That was too harsh for a twelve year old.
"He will be fine," Monk Gyatso said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "This will not be the last you'll see of us."
Kya frowned as she watched him walk off but nodded.
He had been right.
A ship approached the tribe's territory and dropped it's boarding ramp down on their perimeter wall.
Kya held tightly to Katara's hand as her son stood alone to fight.
A group of soldiers walked down the ramp into the tribe. Behind them was a young man, no older than twenty, who bounded down the ramp without a worry in the world. His uniform wasn't as heavy as the others and he didn't wear a helmet.
Kya soon realized why as the young man's image shimmered when Sokka was thrown through him into the snowbank.
Kya had spent five years without meeting another spirit only to meet two within days of each other.
This one was painfully young, then again to Monk Gyatso she probably looked the same. The young man was looking right at her as he waved before tapping the soldier in the front on the shoulder.
Sokka's boomerang hit the soldier in the back of his head and the young man laughed slightly before moving to help the soldier up only to pull back at the last moment.
Kya had done the same a few times even now, forgetting she couldn't touch anyone.
Monk Gyatso reappeared next to her smiling softly and Kya jumped at his sudden reappearance.
"I told you," he said. "Fate is in movement and there is nothing that will stop it now."
"You haven't met my children," Kya argued.
The young man across from them looked at Monk Gyatso sadly. Kya wondered if he knew what Monk Gyatso was or if the dead Fire Nation soldier felt something like regret as he watched Aang and the unknown soldier, now revealed to be a boy not much older than her Sokka, circle each other.
He looked nervous as Monk Gyatso boarded the ship with Aang, the young boy having given himself to save Kya's village.
Sokka immediately started packing while Katara talked herself in circles.
Kya didn't know what the future held for her or her children, but she did know one thing, her mother-in-law was right.
Katara and Sokka's fates were tied with Aang's and Kya felt hers tied to Monk Gyatso and oddly, that young soldier.