Okay guys so the first chapter is going to be narrated by Tenzin and it is a bit short so as you can see I've gone ahead and uploaded the first two chapters.
Chapter 1: A new beginning
Tenzin
"And you are positive it's him?" I asked Meelo
"Ikki's sure, I'm sure, Jinora's sure," Meelo shrugged "What're the odds all three of us are wrong."
"How old?" I asked
"Ten," Meelo said "But the kid's an Earthbender, and he's shown a slight potential for waterbending."
I realized how old I was getting when it finally set in that I may live long enough to see three Avatars, assuming this one was the real thing. Jinora and Kai had contacted the temple nearly three days prior, informing us that they had found the new Avatar in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se.
"Even with this kid possibly being the new Avatar," Meelo said, shaking his head "I still have a tough time believing that Korra is really gone."
"We all do," I said sadly "But the cycle begins and ends, as all things do. We must accept that."
I wondered if I was trying to convince myself more than Meelo, I had mourned Korra for almost two years before I was able to finally begin telling myself that it was simply her time and I couldn't have stopped it.
"Do you know his name?" I asked
"Lao," Meelo reported "Jinora and Kai are with his mother right now, I believe this is it."
The lower ring of Ba Sing Se was not a place I enjoyed spending my time. The place was filthy, and it smelled horrible. People milled all about, occasionally robbing someone or breaking into spontaneous fistfights, this was no place for the Avatar to live. The house was a small, one room hut.
"Well," I sighed "Let's go see for ourselves."
Meelo opened the door and the two of us stepped inside, crouching to avoid the low hanging ceiling. The hut had a dirt floor, and only one room. There was a small fireplace with a pan hanging over it, and two piles of straw that appeared to be beds pushed into the corner.
"Dad!" Jinora exclaimed, throwing herself at me "Meelo! It's been so long!"
"It's been two weeks," Meelo grumbled, letting his sister hug him "I could stand to be away for a while longer."
"Dad," Jinora said, ignoring Meelo "This is Lalo, and this is her son, Lao."
She motioned to a tired looking woman standing off to the side next to Kai. She wore an old, green dress and her hair hung loosely around her shoulders. Her son was simply dressed in pants, wearing no shoes or shirt. His hair was long and unkempt and matted with dirt.
"Hello," I said kindly "I'm here to speak to you and your son."
Lao looked almost frightened by the four of us, and he probably had no clue what was going on. His mother gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before she smiled back to me and nodded, motioning for us to sit. We took our seats on the dirt ground, making a circle in the center of the house.
"Please forgive the intrusion," I said "But when Jinora told me she thought your son might be the Avatar, I had to come see to it personally."
"Of course," Lalo said, smiling warmly "It is an honor to have you in our home, Master Tenzin."
So, down to business I suppose," I said, clearing my throat "Now then, at what age did you first learn your son could bend."
"When he was eight," She said, shooting him a glance "Got into trouble for bending some rocks at the guards, that's when I learned he was an Earthbender. But a few days ago, I came home from the market and he was bending water from that pan over there, that's when I began to have suspicions."
"Interesting," I said thoughtfully "And who was his father?"
"A man named Samon," She whispered, lowering her head in shame "I was an…..escort. We met one night, he refused to pay me and I tried to leave, then he forced me."
"Ahhh," I nodded, realizing what she was getting at "Of course, and what about you, Lao? Tell me about the other day, when you were bending the water. Could you possibly do it again?"
"I'm not in any trouble am I?" Lao asked suspiciously
"Of course not," I laughed "I'm here to see if you're the Avatar, and I need you to do some basic bending for me, whatever elements that you can."
Lao looked to his mother who gave him an encouraging nod, and he stood to his feet. He raised his hand into the air and a small chunk of rock came from the ground beneath him, rising into the air. He made it go back and forth a few times before dropping it, and then looking back up at the rest of us.
"Like that?" He asked
"Can you bend other elements?" I asked him "Water? Air? Fire?"
"I can't bend air or fire," Lao said "But I can bend water, not very well though."
"That's fine," I told him "Would you show me?"
Lao nodded and turned to the fireplace, extending his hand to the pot hanging above it. He concentrated as hard as he could, and I felt the spiritual energy flowing through him before there was a small gurgling sound and water began to rise from the pot.
"Incredible," Kai whispered "Tenzin, this has to be him."
"You think my son is the Avatar?" Lalo asked, shocked
"When is his birthday?" Meelo asked
"Ten years ago to the day," Lalo told us "His birthday is today."
"The same day Korra died," Meelo said, turning to me "And he was born. Now we find out he's an Earthbender and a Waterbender, it's not a coincidence."
"No, it's not," I nodded "Lao, I believe you are the Avatar, and I would like to train you."
"Train me for what?" He asked, confused
"The Avatar is the bridge between the spirit and physical worlds," Jinora explained to him "When Korra opened the portals, spirits came to this world and now live amongst us, as you probably know."
"I remember when Republic City was attacked," Lalo said "I was there, Avatar Korra did great things in her lifetime, and I believe you will too, Lao."
"You're letting them take me?" Lao asked "But I don't want to go, I can't leave you here, this place is horrible."
"I'll be fine, Lao." She said reassuringly
"No," Lao said stubbornly, turning to me "I'm sorry, I know you want your Avatar, and you'll have it, but only on one condition."
"And what might that be?" I asked him
"I want you to take my mother too," Lao said "If you don't want her to go to the same place as us then that's fine, but at least get her out of here."
"Dad," Jinora said "There might not be enough room at the temple to take her."
"Nonsense," I said, waving her off "We're Air Nomads, and there is always and will always be room in our temples."
"You really mean it?" Lao asked, grinning
"Of course," I told him "We'll head for Air Temple Island at once, grab your things and meet me at the city gates as soon as you're ready. Avatar Lao, my name is Tenzin, and I will be your instructor and advisor in spiritual matters."
