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A dry wind blew over the icy plateau North of the great city at the north pole, kicking up tiny particles of snow that had drifted over the ice during a recent storm. The wind kicked up in a slow spiral and then settled as a pair of tightly wrapped brown and orange boots settled on the icy surface.
Above, the grumble of a sky bison descending echoed down onto the icy desert. The voice of the famed Master airbender Tenzin, could be heard as the bison approached.
" Oogi, no. We're not landing here, we're going to the city. Oogi!" Tenzin protested as the massive creature glided down to the surface. Tenzin crossed his arms as they landed, annoyed at the sudden insolence of the creature.
"Honestly, I don't know what's gotten into you Oogi." He grumbled and turned his head away.
That's when he saw the tall figure standing less than fifty feet away, how he hadn't noticed him before, he didn't know.
With the bright orange and reds that marked the colors of the air nomad tribe and the hairless head adorned with a very distinct tattoo, this could only be one person.
" Meelo.." He said, somewhere between a statement and a question. The young man before him looked equally surprised as he did. The two air benders gapped at each other, the wind picked up again and ruffled their robes until the younger lifted his hand and stilled it with a soft gesture, he broke into a wide smile.
" So good to see you father." He said, the two finally moving to embrace each other, the wind resumed its course.
They held onto each other for minutes, enjoying the closeness until Oogi grumbled behind them.
Meelo pulled away to look at his father, his beard had grayed a long time ago and now he was seeing specks of white appearing. The bison grumbled again and turned his massive head towards them.
" Oh Oogi, I haven't forgotten you!" He moved to him, pressing himself against the animal's neck," You smelled me, didn't you boy?"
Tenzin smiled at the scene, it had been two years since he'd seen his oldest son, he looked more a man now than before. He was tall and more thin than he'd like to see him, his features surprisingly similar to Avatar Aang's. He was happy for the resemblance, it did well for his character since Meelo had developed to be a devote and thoughtful air bender in his own right.
" What a happy coincidence my son. Have your spiritual travels brought you to visit the city?" He asked.
Meelo turned and smiled warmly, " Yes, I've just come from the Northern air temple. I rode the tail of a storm in, I came to this place to think on the spirit Avatar Aang tamed here when he was just a boy."
Tenzin nodded knowingly, " I have business with Avatar Korra." He supplied.
Meelo's face lit up," Korra? Korra is here? Well, let's get going!" He said as he leapt with an easy grace onto Oogi's back, who began to take off immediately.
Tenzin stared in surprise for a moment then quickly conjured an air scooter to chase after them," Don't you steal my sky bison!" He shouted out behind them.
The door to the iron firebox squealed as an old water tribe woman opened it to feed it more wood. She carefully placed two new thin splits to the side of the large piece that had only begun to burn, sandwiching the fire between them. Tending the fire was such relaxing work, she thought.
Suddenly the door burst open and two pink cheeked children poked their heads through the doorway, she jumped and turned quickly.
" Children, you half scared me out of my skin." She chastised them.
" Grandma," the girl called," there are two men in orange robes with bald heads and a big furry thing at the gates! The chief is welcoming them right now!"
Anika hurried to throw on her boots and heavy fur coat, " Those are air benders my dears, and we are so very honored to be visited by them." She said as she bulled past them and walked to the gate as quick as her old bones might carry her.
On her way she stopped at a house intended for honored guests, opening the door a crack she inspected it to insure it would be suitable. " Uki, where are you? There are more guests coming!" She called up the stairs, " Sauri, are you here?" She called as two girls came running down the stairs.
Uki was young but strong boned and strong willed, she wore her hair back in a bun with a bone pick through it, two strands of hair hung down to frame her face weighted with blue beads. Beside her was Sauri, who had the dark skin on the water tribes and black hair which she wore long and fine thin features.
" Who else could we possibly be hosting? The Avatar is here for spirits sake!" Uki complained loudly as she and Sauri fell in step with Anika to greet their guests.
" Who is coming elder?" Sauri asked in an excited but respectful tone. She was often a quiet girl, but when something peeked her interest she was very persistent.
" Who is already here," Anika corrected in an annoyed tone, " members of the air nomad tribe, of course they wouldn't let us know they're coming, just fly on in here." She complained, throwing her arms up in exasperation.
Sauri turned her head away and looked up at the mountains, she knew her mother would have been happy about these visitors.
As they approached, the tall figures in orange with their giant beast were plain to see from a distance. How curious they were, Sauri thought.
Anika reached the greeting party with the girls in tow, bowing respectfully to their new guests.
The younger one seemed to notice them first and turned away from the chief to greet them, bowing in reply.
" Hello, I am Meelo, thank you so much for this warm greeting." He said in a soft tone.
" Yes, nice to meet you," Anika said, " I am elder Anika, it is my duty to show honored guests to their housing."
The smile on Meelo's face melted away a second, he placed his hands within his robes and forced back on his smile. " Of course, I will take any hospitality given to me but I am on a spiritual journey and the most modest of housing suits me best. "
Tenzin had finished his conversation with the chief and had caught the end of Meelo's statement, " My son means to say he cannot request nor deny what he is given." He said, ignoring the sidelong glance Meelo gave him.
Tenzin's attention floated to the two girls, he recognized the smaller girl and he was just about to speak to her when the other girl burst out, " Are you an air bender?!" Excitedly, the woman beside her put her face in her hands.
Meelo laughed and Tenzin joined in, " Yes I am and my son and I both have the honor of the title master."
Uki clapped in excitement while the old woman shook her head.
Anika shrugged and motioned for them to follow behind her, " Your bison is welcome to stay beside the house, we can erect a covering for him." She said as they moved through the city, Oogi had elected to fly above them.
" That is most kind of you." Tenzin said politely, " I hope that Avatar Korra is still here." He prompted.
The dark haired girl to Anika's left looked back at him briefly, she looked concerned.
" Is there something wrong?" He asked as they came to a great house, he met eyes with Meelo for a moment then looked to the elder.
She looked grave, " The Avatar left three days ago with her husband Mako, they went into the mountains to investigate something about Polar bear-dogs, we warned them of the storms we've been having but..."
" The storms have been becoming worse.." Meelo said, Tenzin looked to him in surprise.
"Yes, how did you know this?" The old woman asked, the two girls beside her stared wide eyed.
" I felt them." Meelo said in a calm voice, " I rode the end of the last night's storm in on my glider."
Tenzin smiled, he was proud to hear of his son's progress since he'd seen him last. " Meelo has a special gift when it comes to weather." He supplied.
" Avatar Korra is missing then? " Tenzin pressed in concern, " Why has no one gone to find her?"
Anika looked at the ground in shame, it was out of fear that they hadn't looked for them. A people of the cold, so terrified of storms, something was wrong here.
" Is there another storm coming?" Tenzin asked, turning to Meelo who simply nodded.
" I though Oogi seemed odd as we approached..." Tenzin mused, "Well, we must go looking for her."
" It isn't safe," Sauri piped up, looking concerned, " Even if you fly out over the tundra, it is a massive wilderness. There is no way to know if you'd find them before being swallowed by the next storm. "
Meelo nodded, " I'm sorry father, but I have to agree with her. These are truly fearsome storms, but if anyone could survive them it would be Korra. We must have faith in her." He said with a smile, trying to bring up their spirits.
" Of course..." Tenzin sighed, had he been younger he may have risked it, but at his age it would be foolish to pull such a stunt.
They had settled in quickly and the girls had busied themselves making dinner while father and son sat beside the fire catching up.
" Your sister has had a baby you know." Tenzin was quick to mention, he was a very proud grandfather.
" That's wonderful! I hope to see her soon," Meelo said, " What about Ikki and Rohan?"
" Ikki is busy with her studies, she is not too happy to have her little brother earn his master title before her." The two chuckled," Rohan has taken to spending a lot of time in the city, I have had to personally gather him up and bring him to your worried mother." Tenzin sighed.
Meelo gave him a strange look, " I did the very same thing! The city is just so interesting when you grow up on a tiny island!"
Tenzin scolded him," I grew up there too you know."
His son gave him a raised eyebrow, " and you also went and explored the city when you were his age..." He led on.
Tenzin looked shocked and embarrassed all at once, "What? I never!" He exclaimed as Meelo laughed.
There was a simple dinner, as feeding vegetarians in a place where growing vegetables proved difficult might be.
After dinner Meelo excused himself and went outside, he climbed a hill and sat down at a cliff to meditate on his day. He had not expected his father to be here, and while it was a delight to see him, he was also conflicted. He had decided he was not ready to come home yet and headed North instead of south. Having him here just pulled him back, he'd have to find peace despite this.
Footsteps behind him pulled him from his thoughts, he turned to see one of the girls from the house. The pretty one, he thought, then mentally scolded himself.
" Sauri, right? " he asked as she froze, uncertainty all over her face. " Come, please sit with me." He patted the ground beside him and she sat.
" Is the storm coming?" She asked, looking out into the night sky. He nodded and she let out a large sigh.
" You are worried for the Avatar? I know she can make it through this, I know her personally and she can do it." He said reassuringly.
Sauri's expression of sadness did not change, " I do too, she's my mother."
The airbender covered his embarrassed face, " I feel foolish now." He exclaimed and to his surprise she smiled. He thought maybe he could milk it and make her happy.
" Here I am telling this pretty girl all about how I know the Avatar," he said and she began to giggle, it was working. " I think maybe I'll impress her with some air bending, and of course..." He wound down and pouted at her, " and she's the Avatar's daughter."
Sauri laughed along with him and said, " thank you, I needed that."
" I could tell." He smiled back at her. Now that he knew, he didn't know why he didn't see the similarities before. She looked so much like Korra, but maybe a bit like Mako too. He must have stared too long because she began to shift away.
" You still could though." She suggested, answering his confused expression with, " Impress me with your air bending. My mother does it so rarely I've never seen it."
" You're telling me that your mother is the Avatar and you have never seen airbending?" He asked incredulously, she nodded.
" Alright," he said standing up quickly and moving away from her. He took a wide stance and closed his eyes, beginning to circle his hands around fluidly like he would at practice. Before long he'd conjured a current of air he could guide about with his hands, he played around with moving it different ways.
Sauri stood up and watched him, he seemed very graceful, it was a change from her mother's style of bending that was for sure. She wondered what he might do as he swirled the air around him.
Meelo opened his eyes and spotted Sauri standing, perfect. He grinned as he moved his hands a bit quicker to guide the strong gust he'd created towards her. At first she was startled but he kept control of it with his hands and she giggled as the air swirled in a tight spiral around her body, picked up her hair then rose up above her before it dissipated.
" That was amazing!" Sauri shouted before settling back down and inviting him to retake his seat beside her.
He sat and rubbed his shaved head, " thank you." He said with calm sincerity. She became quiet again and he searched for something to say, "So, are you a water bender? Since you're in the wa-"
" No, I'm not a water bender." She said.
He felt a flush come up to his cheeks, could he really make that many embarrassing comments in one night? He jumped to fix his assumption,
" Oh, I just thought because you wore water tribe clothing. Not very fair of me to assume, but we're also in the north pole and I thought-"
She interrupted him again to save him," Please, it's alright."
"Oh, so what kind of bender are you? If you say air, I'm jumping off this cliff." He said, crossing his arms infront of his chest.
" Actually, I'm not a bender at all." She said behind a sad smile.
Meelo stared at her as if he did not comprehend, it wasn't until she stood to leave that he found his words.
" I- I didn't know, I'm sorry. My uncle Bumi, he isn't a bender either but so many of the previous avatars' children have been famous benders." He was confused, it felt so unfair for her not to be a bender.
" and your mother probably won't be having anymore?" She shook her head. He was so upset about it himself he could not help but feel a mass of sympathy for her.
" That can't be easy." He said quietly, which made her stop and turn around.
" No, it isn't. And you know what is the hardest part? " he could hear a twinge of anger in her voice. " It's not that it makes total sense that I would be a water bender by my looks, or that I could very easily be a fire bender because of my father, it's not even the amazing fact I could be any kind, it's the disappointment expressed by others my entire life."
While she spoke he was approaching her, he couldn't help it. She was looking at the ground with tears welling in her eyes, he took her hand and she looked up at him.
" I wish I could do what you do, I really do but even more than that I wish the people around me valued me despite my lack of bending."
Meelo smiled at her warmly and tried to think of what his grandfather might say," It isn't a lack of bending, bending isn't the thing that makes extraordinary people, it's this." He said, pointing to her heart.
She snorted, " that was awfully cheesy..." She seemed to struggled not to laugh so Meelo helped her out and laughed first.
" Thank you though, that is a very nice thing to say." She said, turning to walk back to the houses.
He followed after her, " However cheesy it was, I meant it."
"Thank you, it's just a lot of pressure," she said and he nodded knowingly, " Oh, well I guess you'd know, Avatar Aang was your grandfather and you're one of two master airbenders in existence."
Meelo seemed to always be smiling, " Three actually, my eldest sister, the first to be a female master air bender but choose not to be a nun."
" What?" Sauri asked in confusion.
" It used to be that the air temples were single gender and the air benders and their acolytes would take oaths of chastity, but somehow there continued to be more of them so..." He trailed off and shrugged.
" I've actually just learned she had a baby." He said, relieved to end the awkward topic.
" How exciting, I hope that they're a little air bender too!" She exclaimed.
" I think we all do." Meelo said more seriously and Sauri covered her mouth.
" Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't think. I didn't mean..." She stumbled over her words.
He set a hand on her shoulder, "We all have pressures Sauri, please don't be sorry. Be happy that we're here, be happy that my grandfather has this legacy."
"Ok, can we go inside now it's getting much worse out here." She said, and it was, the storm was raging it's way into the city and the wind had picked up wildly.
" I hadn't noticed." He said in a joking tone.
" Really, " she said as she reached the door, " thought you were some kind of weather beacon." She jested.
Yeah, me too. He thought, had he really been so distracted he hadn't noticed the wind around him? That couldn't be good.
Oh soo Embarrassing! I forgot Bumi was a non bender, I edited the story to include this as of 10/4/2013