The ocean swelled and roared, arching its clear blue back to crash upon its self, throwing white foam through the sky in joy. The surfers upon it rode down its belly, whooping with joy and excitement, fingers skimming the shimmering surface of the watery beast till they coasted into calm water.
Among them was a deeply tanned 21 year old who couldn't stay out of the ocean for longer then a few hours at a time. And usually that was because her aunt begged her to come and eat.
Korra Rivers couldn't remember a time when she wasn't on or in the water. Even her first memories consisted of splashing around on a foam board back home in Alaska. Currently she was lying flat on her back, resting happily on her short board, a handmade carbon fibre beauty; blazing orange with her family crest splash across it in a deep blue, hand painted lilies decorating the bottom half. Korra lazily trailed her hands through the water either side of her, feeling the current of the ocean at her finger tips.
When she was younger, living back home in Anchor Point, surfing had been completely different. You'd have to be in a full wet suit and avoid ice for a few hours before a semi decent wave came your way, and even then the current was strong enough to throw you off course. But here, down in Hawaii, with the sun beating against her already dark skin, Korra was home. She'd moves to live with her adoptive aunt Kya when she twelve and hadn't looked back since.
Once a year she'd go back to Anchor Point, but her parents usually came down to see her, get some sun on their skin and watch Korra destroy the waves, over and over again. It hadn't taken alot of convincing for her parents to agree to Korra moving away, she was too adventurous and outgoing to stay in the tiny fishing town. Kya taking her in was good for her, she got an education, got the sun, two jobs and to do what she loved daily.
A gruff wooding drew Korra from her sun-baked day dreams, especially when the noise was followed by its own mini wave splashing over hygiene her,
"Bo! She's supposed to stay on the board!" Korra cried as her dog, a pure white malamute, began pawing at her board from within the water. The beats ruffed and tried to hoist herself onto Korra's much smaller surfboard,
"I'm sorry! Dude, she just wants to be in the water all the time. She nearly toss me off on the last wave!" this came from Bo, better known as Bolin, a young man clad only in lime green board shorts, with dark hair that stuck up every which way, even when wet. Korra pushed herself up to sit on the orange board and hoisted her dog up onto its body,
"Oh Naga," she cooed at the white malamute, rubbing behind her ears affectional. The dog ruffed again and licked her face, jousting the board about, "Settle down girl," Korra whisper to the dog. Naga was already weighing down the carbon board, dipping the rear end into the clear water with her body,
"Did you hear who's flying in tomorrow?" Bolin asked as he paddled up beside his friend. Korra hummed in reply, nodding,
"Yeah, Opal skyped me last night, Mako will be back too," she watched Bolin pout at that. Opal had been the owner of his heart for longer then he cared to admit, yet he'd never told her, even when she got signed to the Varrick Team 6 months ago, and left for Australia, Bolin still hadn't spoken up,
"Why didn't she Skype me?" He wailed as he began to paddle towards the shore. With a roll of her eyes, Korra set about following him, Naga jumped from the board and bobbed along next to her, woofing in happiness.
As Korra tugged on her work dungarees and headed into the shaping area of Air Temple, the young surfer could hear WolfMother blaring through the battered iPod dock. As Naga nudged her legs, Korra shushed the white beast, the blaring music could only mean one thing, her adoptive Uncle Bumi was hanging around. She grinned and dropped down to a crouch, sneaking through the work shop till she was directly behind the older male.
Bumi was the eldest out of the three adoptive uncles and aunt Korra lived with, and he was by far the coolest. Ex-military of some sort, now a laid back old hippy. His hair was longer then Korra's, reaching past his chin in a wavy hazel mess, often mistaken got part of his thick beard, his face was weather worm and crinkled with laughter lines. He was never far from the shaping shack attached to the main part of Air Temple, dressed in baggy cut off jean shorts and a tie dye vest, the black lines of his arm tattoos always on show. Korra had loved his ink so much so, that on her 17th birthday she'd somehow convinced him to tattoo her own dark skin, leaving a permanent mark of her love for her uncle Bumi on her right bicep. Bumi's passion for making boards almost out weighed his passion for loud music. As Korra reached the stack of unshaped boards behind him, Naga silently panting at her side, she reached forward, grabbing his bare ankle just as he broke into song,
"AHHH FUCKKKK!" he cried out, throwing his paint brush into the air and falling on his rump, the white malamute instantly pouncing on his chest. Korra burst into laugher, falling back herself as the older male swatted his paint brush at her, Naga locking his face excitedly as he did, "little shit," he grumbled as Korra continued to die of laughter next to him,
"Didn't expect to see you home so soon," This came from Kya, Bumi's sister and Korra's main parental figure. She stood above them both, hands on hips, grinning wide. Naga woofed happily and bounded off Bumi's chest to nuzzled Kya's outstretched hand. Korra composed herself for a moment to grin at the grey haired woman,
"Tenzin wanted me to come help out in the Temple," she said simply as she climbed to her feet, embracing Kya in a tight hug. She was Korra's favourite out of the three, sure she liked Bumi for his music and Tenzin with his wisdom, but Kya was the best. She understood Korra, her love for the water, it was Kya who had suggested and won round her parents to let her move to Hawaii. She had even paid for Naga to come down with Korra.
"Ah yes, good old Tenzin wants to deck out the place for Jinora," Korra pulled back then, eyeing the woman,
"Jin's coming back?" Jinora was Tenzin's eldest daughter and Korra's closest female friend. She too had been signed to the Varrick Surf team with Opal, but Korra had been under the impression that only Opal had time away from the team,
"Yes, she rang last night to let us know. You where already out cold when we found out. The entire Varrick Team are coming back, apparently some big news is being announced involving them," Kya shrugged slightly, "Bumi, get up and stop pouting," she hollered at her elder sibling, who was still sat on the floor, sulking that a 21 year old had made him scream. Again.
Korra blew a raspberry at him and headed towards the main area of Air Temple. The three siblings had bought the place together years ago, and had converted the huge building into a bizarre mix of a cafe and surf shop, with the boarding Hut attached to it. Korra wasn't too sure what Air Temple had been before, but something huge no doubt.
Their homes where situated directly behind it, then came the beach. Korra's ideal set up. Work, home, beach. Enough room for Naga to run around with Tenzin's three other kids, to have bonfires and sleep under the stars. She couldn't have had it any better.
"Hey Tenzin!" the surfer girl called out as she entered the main cafe area, waving at the tall bald man who was trying to hang a banner on the wall, while his request son tried to climb the other end. Naga barrelled past Korra and made a beeline straight to the dark haired boy, Meelo. The kid roared as Naga chomped down on the edge of his shirt, pulling him away from the banner and onto the floor. Tenzin laughed deeply,
"Thank-you Naga," he praised the malamute as she ruffed at him, placing a paw onto Meelo's cheat to keep him down, "Ah Korra! I didn't think you'd be here so soon!" Tenzin said with a shocked tone, letting go of the banner, it fluttered to the floor, hanging lopsided,
"Well you wanted me to help out and since Jinora is gonna be back, I best start now!" she replied with a grin, heading towards the fallen banner. Within minutes she had the loose end tacked to the wall. Splashed across the banner, painted in bold blue letters the words; "WELCOME HOME JINORA" were wonkily written. Tenzin gave a slight proud nod at the sign, satisfied with his handy work.
The rest of the evening consisted of Tenzin ordering Korra, Meelo and Ikki, his youngest daughter, around the cafe; rearranging chairs and tables till the bald man was satisfied that they had a party area. His wife, Pema, eventually poker her head out of the kitchen to supply the younger generation with a platter of sandwiches. Sometime around midnight Bumi and Kya joined them, clutching a fancy hand crafted bottle of amber liquid each. It didn't take long for the three siblings to be drawn into a small drinking competition, it took even less time for the three of them to start yelling about Tenzin's accomplishments and how wonderful his children were. Korra sat with them, smirking and listening to their old tales, sneaking a swig of the amber liquid every few minutes. Everyone else had retired to bed long ago and even Naga lay flat across Korra's feet, snoring in her special doggy way.
Korra was just waiting for the three to be just drunk enough to discuss a taboo subject for them.
"I remember being Jinora's age, it was amazing. I used to sneak out every night, driving, surfing and partying, it was amazing!" Tenzin swung his arms into the air wildly, Kya yelled in agreement as Bumi head-butted the table they sat around. And now seemed the time.
"I was thinking Kya, maybe I could get my car soon? I've got enough cash saved up that I could buy it off the bat and you know, have a bit more free will..." Korra trailed off, sliding a hand through her short hair, staring hopefully at her aunt. Kya met Korra's cerulean blue eyes with her own stormy blues, slowly the grey haired woman blinked, her pupils dilated, "Kya?" Korra made her name a question, just as Kya followed Bumi's lead and face planted the table, "Great."