Authors Note:
First of all thanks for reading this stupid little one shot. I want to tell you that almost nothing in here consists of canon material meaning it is more kind of an AU story. I mainly wrote it because I wanted to practice writing fight scenes and what better way to do it then have this battle ;). The beginning is just a little bit of character building for the fight and the almost mandatory korrasami scene. I would really like your feedback. Mainly on what you thought about the fight scenes, I still need to practice them for my next longer FanFic and that means there might be more stuff like this coming out!
The door of the ship opened. As Yuen stepped outside the sun was blinding him. He was used to traveling, in fact that was all he had done for the last few years but as he stepped onto the pier it felt different. This time he wasn't searching for something, he knew exactly where he would go. He knew that his years of traveling were finally coming to an end.
He looked towards the spirit portal that had been renamed "Korra Portal" and smiled.
Republic City - I am finally here - and more importantly I am ready.
Even though the sun was shining the cold was stinging him. "Years at the north pole and I still cannot stand the cold" he thought. He took his green jacket and started walking towards the inner city with a clear destination in mind.
"Sweetie?" Asami shouted up the stairs "We will be late and you know what Mako says about us being late every time something official is happening."
"Yeah I know. I know." Korra said running down the stairs towards Asami. Korra wore her usual Avatar outfit but Asami got more then used to it. In fact she had fallen in love with these clothes a long time ago. Thinking about it she fell in love with the woman wearing these clothes but only Korra wore them, so fair enough.
"You did not change clothes?" Asami said surprised "Then what did you do all that time up there?"
"I might or might not had to search for my necklace Korra said pointing at her betrothal necklace." Korra said blushing.
"And what if I would have told you that you put it in the bathroom next to the pool?" Asami said smiling.
"I would say that you would have saved me a lot of time and energy." Korra laughed and gave Asami a kiss on the cheek.
"So are you ready to hear the news for the first time?" Asami sarcastically asked leading Korra out the door.
"Oh yes. I really wonder who Lin will promote to be Captain. I really hope its not Mako or he would tell us almost 10 times each day."
"Tenzin someone wants to speak with you." Pema said poking her head through the door to his office.
Tenzin was thrown out of his thoughts. He was studying how the rebuilding of the northern Airtemple was going that Opal was in charge of.
"Who is it?" he asked now curious as everyone of importance was already in republic city to congratulate Mako.
"He says his name is Yuen. Looks like he is from the Earth Union, he asked to speak to you and only wants to speak to you. He also said that if now is bad he could wait or come back another time." Pema said now standing in front of his desk.
"No send him in. I have a few minutes before I have to head towards the Satos for the party." Tenzin said.
Pema nodded and opened the door again. She gestured towards the room and left as a young tall man entered the room. He was fairly tall, his hair was slightly shorter than Bolin's but he styled it in a similar fashion. He wore mostly green and brown but what really stood out to Tenzin were his eyes. He had dark orange eyes that were unusual for an Earth Union citizen, even the ones descending from the old colonies of the Fire Nation.
The man made a short polite bow and tenzin gestured towards the chair in front of his desk.
"Thank you, Master Tenzin." Yuan said "As your wife already told you; my name is Yuen."
"You already seem to know my name." Tenzin said surprised about the manner the man showed "I was told you wanted to speak to me. May I know what about?"
"Of course." Yuen laughed "This whole conversation wouldn't make much sense if I would withhold that information. You see I traveled for the last few years of my life. I went through the Firenation, crossed the Earth Union and visited the North Pole." Yuen made a short pause looking out of the window behind Tenzin "I traveled through these states under different names and I am honest with you Yuen is not my real name but that is not what is important. I went to all these places in search for specific people. Masters to teach me about their element and people to train fighting with."
Tenzin looked again at the man sitting in front of him. He was 22 maybe 23 years old and if what he says was true he had been traveling for the better part of his life. What would he want from him. Would he ask him to train him about air? His thoughts were interrupted by Yuen who started speaking again.
"I don't know a whole lot about air or air nomads, but I do know a little bit and that is enough to not ask you to train me. I understand your culture and what it means to be a part of it and I don't want to lie to you I don't want to be an air nomad or acolyte. I would want to ask you something else. I know that you are friends with Avatar Korra and I would like to have a fight with her. No fight till death or anything insane like that just a friendly sparring match."
"And you want me to ask her?" Tenzin said after realizing that he was not the person of interest here. "No, well not necessarily. I have written a letter for her and I would like to ask you to give it to her. Tell her about me if you want to. Read it before you give it to her. I don't care. All I want is to have a fair fight like I had with my previous masters."
"Tenzin! You are late." Korra shouted as she spotted the Airbender in front foyer.
"I gratulated Mako at least a dozen times already" Tenzin laughed after he made his way through the crowd towards Korra. She studied him from top to bottom, he looked deeply in thought.
"What is it?" Korra asked leading him away from the noise of the radio, towards the back yard.
"This man. He doesn't get out of my head." Tenzin said without realizing who he was talking to.
"What man?" Korra asked surprised. She rarely saw Tenzin that deeply thinking about something - at least while he was not meditating.
"Oh." Tenzin said after realizing he was talking to Korra "There was this guy who wanted to fight you, but that can wait until another time."
"What? No. That can't wait." Korra said excited pulling Tenzin farther away from the crowd "Tenzin I haven't had a real fight in months. I could really use one that isn't with Asami who gets the left side of the bed."
"Korra fighting is not everything." sighed Tenzin "But I suppose I can give you this. This is a letter he wrote to challenge you."
Korra grabbed the letter quickly out of Tenzin's hand and made her way towards the yard where Naga was chasing some spirits. She sat down and started reading.
Dear Avatar Korra,
you don't know me and I only know about you what you learn in a library or the newspaper but when did this ever stop a fight, right? Speaking of newspaper, congratulations to your engagement. But lets cut the smalltalk, okay?
My name is Gi Nao. It is also Yuen. It is Kollah and it is Vi. These are the names I had during the last years in which I traveled the world. I set out to learn from masters of all four elements to improve my fighting. Although I kinda cheated with an airbending master, but I found an old guru at an airtemple so I hope he counts.
I learned how every bendable element works and fought every master until I won. I understand every element, but now I want to understand how they work together. That is why I want to challenge you to a friendly duell. You pick the time and the place and I will be there. I only ask you to not make it public.
You will find me at the Turtleduck Inn under the name Yuen.
P.S.: If you are one of these persons who need to get pissed off until they decide to fight someone here are some phrases to do that: I would pick Appa every day above Naga. Your short hair looks stupid, wait your long hair wasn't better - I guess it's just your face….
Korra couldn't help but to smile about that letter. It sounded like something she would have written a few years ago. That and the fact that he claims to have beaten masters of all four elements made her decision pretty clear.
"It's pretty convenient to have a fiancée who has a yard as big as a fighting arena isn't it?" Korra laughed as she got into a battle stance. Her feet were wide apart and she was moving her weight from left to right to be able to dodge as soon as the first blow would come.
"Last chance. You can still pick an element for this match." She teased Yuen.
"As I have told you at least a dozen times. I am here to fight the Avatar and that means all four elements!" Yuen laughed.
"Let's see if the earthbender can dodge." Korra shouted while raising her hands . Two large boulder rose up from the ground and started floating behind her. Korra threw her first punch. A chunk of rock split from the left boulder and flew towards Yuen but he just stepped to the left in an almost rhythmic motion.
"He can" Yuen teased Korra now jumping from one foot to the other. Korra smiled and quickly threw a punch with her right hand. At least 10 rocks now flew towards yuen but he dodged them all seemingly effortless.
"Are you just gonna stand there and dance?" Korra asked now getting slightly impatient "Or are you going to attack as well?"
"Oh you call that attacking? I thought you were just warming up?" Yuan said jumping from his left to his right foot and back.
"He keeps teasing her. He wants her to make a mistake." Asami noted looking towards Tenzin whose eyes were fixed on Yuens feet, but before she could ask what on his mind was she heard what sounded like a dozen forest fires.
Korra flew up, fire rushing out of her feet. She floated in the air and blasted one fireball after another at the young earthbender.
Yuen was surprised by the sudden aggression by Korra but quickly jumped back to dodge the first fireball. His mind was racing. He didn't want to start bending until it was completely necessary but it seemed like now was the time. A huge fireball was racing towards him. It was too fast and too close to dodge it, so he raised his hands and absorbed the fire. He moved them towards his back to avoid the small rest of flames he couldn't absorb in such a short time and jumped from left to right to avoid the remaining fireballs.
Korra landed. She was surprised. He looked like an earthbender, dodged like an airbender and just bent fire. She couldn't help but to smile. "So you are a fire kind of guy. Good to know then lets play with some water shall we."
Korra started moving her arms in a rhythmic pattern and Yuen knew what would come next. The two ponds that were next to them got drained of all water and what looked like a giant wave appeared behind his opponent.
Asami was now on the edge of her seat as Korra shot her arms forward towards Yuen. The firebender now shot up in the air and then flames came out of his feet just like they had come out of Korra's.
"No that cannot be" Tenzin said and Asami was brought out of her awe.
"What is it?" Asami asked. Tenzin looked not only surprised but like had just seen something impossible.
"That jump. No one can jump this high. He didn't even use flames. And his movements he can't be airbending can he?"
Korra was observing Yuen as he dodged the wave the first time. She noticed that he didn't fight like a normal firebender would. He dodged more, was less aggressive and above all he seemed to be happy they way the fight was going, even though she had the clear advantage. She saw Yuen throwing a powerful punch towards her and an even more powerful flame coming out of his fist. Korra dodged the flame and Yuen descended on the ground again.
"So, no water then." Korra said getting more and more excited about the fight "How about some air." As she finished the sentence she stomped on the ground and the floor beneath Yuen rose launching him up in the air. Korra then started moving her hands like forming an invisible ball in front of her and a Vortex of air appeared around her opponent.
Yuen was surprised. He did not anticipate the earthbending move that launched him off the ground. The air around him turned into a wind and then lifted him up into the vortex. His reflexes kicked in and he began to boost himself up the vortex using the velocity he already had to accelerate more quickly. When he reached the top of the vortex he realized that he had just exposed his ability to airbend. He looked down to Korra whose mouth was open. Yuen decided that it was now time to make it all or nothing shot towards the ground. He landed with his right fist and both knees. The impact would have hurt anyone else but he distributed the power through the earth and channeled it all towards the place Korra was standing.
Korra couldn't believe what she just saw. Yuen was riding the vortex of air she had just created upwards like it was his to control but after a second she realized what he was doing he was using airbending to create a current that lifted him upwards. Even though she now understood what was happening it opened a whole new bag of questions. How was he able to airbend? How was he able to bend both air and fire? But before any of these question could get answered she felt the ground beneath her rumble. She had no time to dodge the wave of earth rushing towards her. She lost control and fell down. Korra was getting ready for the wave of earth to hit her but it stopped right in front of her.
Yuen moved his hands slowly down to stop the wave of earth he had just created. After the earth calmed down he looked over to Korra who was just standing up he smiled towards her and her face was still full of surprise.
He stopped in front of her put his right fist next to his left open hand and bowed respectfully before the Avatar.
"Next time you'll know who you fight."
As I said this is a one shot and more importantly my way of training writing about a fight. Your feedback is much appreciated and if you want to read something Korrasami centered consider checking out my story "Going Home - A Korrasami Story"
