An Echo of Legends: An ATLA Mystery Story (on hiatus)

Chapter 1: Kya

Kya stood on the wooden boardwalk of air temple island, staring at the police boat coming towards them. As the boat pulled up to the island, she ran to it with her two brothers. Bumi, with wild hair and an even wilder gleam in his eyes, and Tenzin, timid, with a bald head and airbending robes. Kya didn't understand how her younger brother wore them all the time. They were too itchy.

"Hey kids," Toph stepped off of the boat and breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped on dry land. Still in her police uniform, she looked very tired. 

"Should I stay here, chief?" said the officer that was driving the boat.

"No need," Toph said, "the girls and I will be staying on the island for our holiday. Zuko can fly us back next week."

"Should I help with your luggage."

"Yes, thank you." The officer carried a suitcase and a large wooden box off of the boat and on the path leading to the center of the island. Toph disappeared inside the for a moment, before returning with with a pot of something, probably food. Two girls followed behind her with their luggage. 

"Hi Lin," Tenzin said to the elder of Toph's two daughters. Lin didn't smile often, but she did now, "Um, you look really pretty today. I mean, you always look really pretty but-"

"Hi Tenzin," Lin said, brushing back a strand of her shoulder-length black hair as Bumi and Kya snickered. Making fun of Tenzin was their favorite activity to do together. 

"I see he inherited Twinkle Toes' lack of flirting skills," Toph muttered, "Speaking of Twinkle Toes, where-" 

"They're in the kitchen," said Bumi, the eldest of Kya's siblings. 

"Thanks," Toph said. She turned to her younger daughter, Suyin, "Stay out of trouble, all of you," she said, before handing Kya the pot, "Will you help me take this to the kitchen?"

"What is it?"

"Braised Turtle Duck." Tenzin made a sour face, "You don't have to eat it if you don't want to."

"I'll eat the shell," Bumi said with a smirk.

"Ew!" Kya laughed. She practically skipped as she led Toph down the stone path towards the main house. It was early Spring, the trees were just starting to bud, and the grass was greening, it was starting to grow again. Soon the cherry blossoms would be in full bloom. 

Every year around this time, her parents' childhood friends would come to visit the island for the whole week. It was easily Kya's favorite time of the year. She loved to hear all of the stories of their adventures, like how her mom bested the bloodbending witch, or how her Uncle Sokka took out an entire airship fleet with his quick thinking. Kya didn't know how much was the truth, and how much was just exaggerated, but she liked to think it was all real. 

"It's so good to see you, Toph!" Kya's mother, Katara strolled out through the kitchen door and embraced Toph. Katara was the kind of person who filled up a room. With her effortless grace and compassion, Kya wanted to be just like her. She followed them inside the warm, but roomy kitchen. Toph sniffed at the bamboo steam basket on the stove. 

"Really Twinkle Toes? Tofu?"

"It's the only thing I know how to cook!" Aang protested. Kya's dad stared at the basket anxiously, as if he were afraid the tofu might burn. 

"You know no one's going to eat it," Toph affectionately elbowed Aang, as Katara took the turtle duck and began warming it up. There was the clamor of footsteps, before Su came into the kitchen, sniffling. 

"Lin tripped me!" she screamed, as Lin yelled, "I did not!" Toph sighed and massaged her temples as Su began crying.

"Aang, do your thing," she said,  before Aang knelt down next to Su. He took out a few marbles from his pocket and spun them around using airbending. The green eyed girl started laughing almost immediately. 

"They're here!" Bumi said from outside. Kya ran out to the dock for the second time that day, just as Zuko's dragon, Druk, swooped down from above. The royal family of the fire nation intimidated her. There was the dragon, first of all, which was alarming enough, with his red scales and powerful wings. From his back came Zuko, Mai, and their daughter Izumi, adjusting her glasses as she turned the page of a book. Kya hadn't talked to Izumi that much. She always seemed too unapproachable. As Katara, Aang, and Toph greeted the Fire Nation royal family, a small boat from the Southern Water tribe approached the shore.  

"We're here!" shouted Ty Lee, decked out in Kyoshi Warrior garb. 

"I didn't know you were coming," Toph said as she embraced her. 

"Sokka and Suki picked me up on the way," Ty Lee beamed. 

"Hi Uncle Sokka," Bumi said to the water tribe warrior, "Hi Aunt Suki," he said to the second Kyoshi warrior on the boat. 

"I brought presents for everyone," Sokka handed out a wooden flute to Bumi, and a water skin to Kya.

"Speaking of waterbending," Katara said, "Kya has really improved." Kya gave a bashful smile. 

"Lin has just started metalbending training," Toph said. Kya inched over to where Izumi was standing in order to get away from all the attention.

"What are you reading." Izumi glanced up and adjusted her glasses, "It's a book on criminal law in the fire nation." Kya looked over her shoulder. The writing was so dense she could barely finish one sentence of it. 

"How's firebending going?" Izumi slammed her book shut. 

"I'll be inside." Bumi saw her leave and went up to Zuko. 

"I can take that into the kitchen," he said, gesturing to a basket of Komodo chicken. 

"Kya!" Tenzin called, "Come on, we're watching Lin metalbend." Kya rolled her eyes, and joined the group by the beach. Su went first. At only six years old, she was very skilled at earthbending. She wasn't controlling any huge boulders, but she was able to manipulate gravel and smaller rocks. Lin showed off her metalbending prowess with metal bracelet, shifting and bending it at will. Tenzin looked at her adoringly, before flying around on his glider, performing tricks that their dad had taught him. 

Finally, it was Kya's turn. She approached the shoreline. She had been practicing a technique with her mom, where you would summon a huge wave. Kya was nervous, but still confident. She outstretched her hands and searched for the push and pull of the tides, like Katara had shown her. Once she found it, Kya slowly created a wave. It rose higher higher, until it surrounded the group on all sides. It was exhilarating, but the tide ached to pull back, so Kya reluctantly let the wave go. Her mother's surprise and pride was everything. Everyone was shocked, and wonder graced the eyes of her brother, Su, and Lin. 

And that was when it happened. 

There was a loud boom, Katara and Aang immediately brought up a wall of water to shield from the blast. Kya could do nothing but stare at the eruption of blue fire as Air Temple Island exploded. 

~~~

Thanks for Reading!