AN: Hello lovelies, welcome to Open Your Heart, the Legend of Korra sequel to Open Your Mind! For those of you that don't follow OYM tumblr's page, there have been some concept/plot changes that I will explain further in the author's note at the end of the chapter. For now, please enjoy the prologue!
DISCLAIMER FOR THE WHOLE STORY: I own NOTHING you may recognize as belonging to the creators of AtLA/LoK, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, nor am I a writer for Nickelodeon. This story is being written as a continuation of my Zuko/OFC story, Open Your Mind, so you might want to check that one out to understand certain things. Any OCs that pop up belong to me unless stated otherwise in an author's note. Enjoy!
PS - And as a side note, this story will pretty much be a novelization of the actual show with some of my own bits thrown in. Each chapter will be a novelized version of the individual episode the chapter is titled after, unless stated otherwise. If you don't like this fact, well you just hit the back button on your computer/phone/whatever device your using to read fanfiction on. Thank you :D
Tonraq stood outside his family's home with lantern in hand, waiting patiently for the three figures making their way through the Southern Water Tribe. He ignored the small snow storm that was blowing around him, his thick layers keeping him warm.
When the three figures arrived at his house, he bowed his head respectfully to them. "The White Lotus has honored my family by coming. Thank you."
He turned and pushed open the door, holding it open for the three grandmasters of the Order of the White Lotus. His wife, Senna, stopped sweeping up the mess their daughter had made and straightened up, clasping the broom tightly in front of her.
"Welcome." She offered the White Lotus members a slightly strained smile and bowed in greeting. Behind her, one of her husband's decorative shield's fell down and she winced slightly.
"We have investigated many claims." The leader of the trio, Iluak stated flatly, lowering the hood of his cloak as Tonraq walked over to his wife. He sighed softly, already feeling skeptical to the couple's claim. The number of families they had visited in the past four years since Avatar Aang's death, searching for his successor, seemed numerous. "Both in here and in the Northern Tribe. All have turned out to be false."
Senna glanced up at her husband when he wrapped his muscular arm around her shoulders, the two sharing a slight smile before she looked back at the White Lotus members, "Then you should be happy to know, your search has come to an end."
Raising an unimpressed brow, Iluak questioned her claim skeptically. "And what makes you so sure your daughter is the one?"
Senna's polite smile became strained and she turned to the left, calling out to her young daughter. "Korra, please come in here."
A moment after she'd finished her sentence, a large portion of the wall was flung into the room, flying past the bland-faced White Lotus members. Startled, Iluak and his two companions looked to the left and gawked at the pudgy four year old standing in the round hole in the wall.
Korra leapt into the room and exclaimed loudly and defiantly as she struck a pose, "I'm the Avatar, you gotta deal with it!"
Korra advanced on the trio of White Lotus members as she firebended, forcing them to step back and watch in shock. She earthbended a portion of the floor up and shot another burst of fire from her fist, catching the edge of Iluak's cloak on fire, before she put it out with a small bit of water.
Iluak and his companions looked at the singed and damp spot on his cloak then at the little girl standing proudly in the middle of the room, determinedly and aptly bending water from a puddle on the floor. She made the water spiral upwards then let it drop and stomped her foot, earthbending a pillar up from the stone floor before turning towards the White Lotus members and punching her fist, fire spewing forth.
Iluak watched the little girl go through the three elements for several more minutes then turned towards her parents, who were watching their daughter with pride. Shakily, he stated, "We have much to discuss, Tonraq."
Senna and Tonraq looked at each other, both feeling proud of their daughter, but also anxious about how her status as the Avatar could affect her. Taking a deep breath, Senna turned towards her daughter, who had stopped bending and was watching the adults with a fierce and almost pouty expression, and gestured for her to follow. "Let's get you cleaned up for bed, Korra."
Reluctantly, the young girl followed after her mother, but not before poking her tongue out at the three White Lotus members.
Retired Fire Lord Zuko was enjoying a cup of his wife's jasmine tea while listening to her read their grandchildren a bedtime story when his youngest daughter, Iraja, came rushing to the room with one hand on her heavily swollen belly, startling her mother and the hoard of children and teenagers that sat around her.
"Dad, Mom!" The pale haired woman gasped as she waddled through the sea of her nieces and nephews to her parents, waving the scroll she held in the hand not clutching her pregnant stomach in the air, "They found her!"
Instantly, Xiaodan got to her feet and ushered her pregnant daughter into the vacated seat, taking the scroll when Iraja handed it to her. Zuko stood and moved to his wife's side as she unrolled the missive while Iraja's three sons crowded around her, Zian, the oldest, fussing over her.
"What does it say?" Iraja asked eagerly as her three year old twins crawled into her lap. She cuddled them to her as best she could with her swollen belly and took Zian's hand, watching her parents excitedly. It had been four years since her uncle Aang had passed away and her whole family had been waiting anxiously for any news from the Order of the White Lotus regarding his reincarnation. "Which Tribe is she from?"
"The Southern." Xiaodan replied, reading the missive Iluak sent to them intently, Zuko reading over her shoulder.
Iraja snorted lightly and quipped, "Uncle Sokka will be excited about that."
"I'm sure he will be." Xiaodan agreed, sharing an amused look with her husband as they both imagined about their old friend's reaction to having the new Avatar be from his Tribe. Returning her attention back to the scroll, she continued reading. "Her name's Korra, she's four years old..." She trailed off in surprise and her brow furrowed as she read the next bit, "Well isn't that interesting, Tonraq is her father."
"Tonraq as in Chief Massak's oldest son that was banished like eight years ago?" Iraja questioned, her eyebrows shooting up to nearly her hairline in surprise. "That Tonraq?"
"Yes, Iraja. that Tonrag." Xiaodan answered distantly, her attention focused on the letter she held.
While the adults were distracted, the children had been watching the proceedings with various degrees of curiosity and confusion. Most of the younger ones had no idea what their grandmother was talking about, but the older ones, the ones who had been born before Aang had died, understood, at least partly, why Xiaodan, Zuko, and Iraja seemed so excited.
Seventeen year old Nanook and his twin sister Kamara stood simultaneously, drawing their grandfather's attention to them. Nanook smiled at his grandfather and gestured at his younger cousins, all of which were looking rather perplexed at the abrupt end to their story time, "This is obviously important news, 'Mara and I will take care of getting the kids to bed."
Xiaodan glanced up from the scroll and smiled gratefully at her grandson and granddaughter, "Thanks, you two." There were several protests from the children, but she quickly quieted them with a promise, "Tomorrow, I promise you'll get two stories, okay?"
With reluctant grumbles of agreement, the hoard of children got to their feet, kissed their grandparents goodnight, and allowed themselves to be led out of the room by Kamara while Nanook scooped up the two youngest in the group, two year old fraternal twins Kaida and Anzan, and followed after them.
Iraja gently urged her two sons from her lap and bushed herself to her feet, taking their hands in hers once she was upright while Zian hovered close to her. She addressed her parents, "I'm going to take these three to bed. Do you want me to get the rest of the family?"
"That won't be necessary, Iraja." Zuko answered with a small shake of his head. "It's getting late and you need your rest anyway. We'll discuss everything in the morning."
"Alright." Iraja agreed easily and she pressed a kiss to her distracted mother's cheek then her father's. "Night Mom, Dad."
"Night-night, Grams, Grandpa." Luak and Enki chirped along with their brother.
Zuko watched his daughter lead her children out of the room, then looked over at his wife, who was still reading the missive Iluak had sent. Or more likely, she was re-reading it. Gently reaching out, he took the paper from her hands and rolled it back up, ignoring her protest. Zuko tucked the scroll in his robe then took Xiaodan's arm, leading her from the room. "Come, you can finish memorizing Iluak's note in our room."
Arm-in-arm, the former leaders of the Fire Nation walked through the palace in silence until a soft noise escaped Xiaodan and she stopped. Unsurprised, Zuko turned and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as she began to cry. When she'd first gotten the letter, he'd known the excitement at finding her brother's reincarnation would have overshadow the implications for her. Now that the excitement had faded and she had a moment to process everything, the implications that her beloved younger brother was really gone had finally set in. And even though it had been four years since Aang's passing, it was still hard for his wife to believe at times, but now that they had found Korra, the new Avatar, it was really setting in for her.
"Shhh..." Zuko whispered, rubbing her back soothingly. "It'll be alright, love."
Running a wrinkled hand through her long, white hair, Xiaodan, retired Fire Lady of the Fire Nation, wondered, not for the first time, why she had decided it was a good idea to visit the South Pole during the winter. Then the image of a slightly pudgy, little girl with dark skin, dark hair, and fiercely determined blue eyes and an excited grin that reminded her so much of her brother's would appear in her mind.
It had been just a little over a year since the Order of the White Lotus had discovered Korra, the new Avatar, which meant that it had been just over five years since the previous Avatar and Xiaodan's younger brother, had passed away. Xiaodan remembered how she had cried shortly after receiving the news that Korra had been found. Her brother was gone, but in a way, he lived through Korra and the memories everyone had of him.
Sighing softly, Xiaodan glanced over her shoulder, looking towards the saddle strapped to her dragon's back. Xiaolian, her six year old granddaughter was peering curiously over the edge of Sonal's saddle instead of napping like she was supposed to be, the wind ruffling her short white hair. Out of all of Xiaodan's grandchildren, Xiaodan was the calmest and most peaceful; like a true airbender, she avoided all conflict and always outright refused to fight unless forced. More often than not, she skipped out on her bending and weapons' lessons to play with the dragons in Dragon Cove or with the herd of sky bison that lived on the outskirts of the Fire Nation Capital, much to her father's chagrin.
Xiaodan smirked slightly at the thought. Her adopted son was big on his children, as well as all of his nieces and nephews, learning how to defend themselves adequately from any and all threats. It perplexed him to no end, how his youngest daughter, who was practically prodigious when it came to learning bending and martial arts, was so disinterested in all things combat-related, unlike his two older children, both of which excelled in both. Of course, it also probably didn't help that Xiaolian used what she did learn to evade and hide from her father, and all of her teachers, when it was time for lessons, especially when the dragons decided to help her hide. That just about drove the poor man crazy.
But those qualities and personality quirks that sometimes drove her family crazy, were exactly what made Xiaolian uniquely qualified to come along on Xiaodan's trip to the South Pole. It had been Katara's suggestion that Xiaodan bringing Xiaolian with her on her next trip to the South, in the hopes that Xiaolian would befriend Korra, since apparently, the White Lotus members were having some difficulty keeping up with the young Avatar and her rambunctious, combative nature.
Xiaodan blamed that on the fact that the White Lotus had absolutely no idea what they were supposed to do with Korra. Traditionally, the Avatar's identity was revealed to them when they were sixteen, with the exception of Aang, who'd been told when he was only twelve because the Councils had sensed the rising imbalance in the world. And here Korra was, only five years old, and already able to bend three of the four elements. And extremely well too!
As of this moment, the White Lotus had set up a small settlement on the outskirts of the Southern Water Tribe, close to where Korra lived with her family. But there was talk among the Grandmasters about building a compound where Korra would be trained and protected, as well as isolated from most of the outside world's influence. And from the Katara's letters, it seemed that Tonraq and Senna were actually behind the idea.
Xiaodan understood their reasoning. Tonraq and Senna knew the conflicts the past Avatars had faced, several ending in the Avatar's demise, and they wanted to make sure Korra was completely protected and had the ability to adequately defend herself, just like her Ishan wanted to make sure his children, nieces, and nephews could defend themselves. But her adopted son didn't want to the children in his family to be isolated and hidden away from the world because he also wanted them to have at least a semi-normal childhood. If the Order of the White Lotus did build the compound, Korra's chances at a normal childhood would vanish and Xiaodan wouldn't, couldn't, let that happen.
"Grams?"
Xiaolian's soft, lilting voice pulled Xiaodan from her thoughts and she looked back at her granddaughter, who had moved from the edge of the saddle to the front, her arms folded atop the rim as she regarded her grandmother with a pair of fire-colored eyes that seemed to wise for a six year old. That was something Xiaodan attributed to all the time the six year old spent with the dragons. They were a chatty bunch, those dragons, especially the really old ones.
"Yes, little one?"
Xiaolian rested her chin on her arms and tilted her head slightly as she stared at her grandmother, "Why am I going to the South Pole with you?"
"You know why your grandfather and I go to the South Pole sometimes, right?" Xiaodan asked.
"To visit Aunty Katara and Uncle Sokka and to check up on the White Lotus and the new Avatar." Xiaolian recited easily, turning her head to rest her cheek on her folded arms, her eyes half-lidded.
"Precisely." Xiaodan praised her. "Your Aunt Katara and I thought it would be a good idea for your to meet Korra."
Xiaolian mulled that over for a few minutes then nodded her head in acceptance, "Alright. Will we be there soon?"
Glancing down, Xiaodan smiled when she spotted the Southern Water Tribe, and thus the White Lotus settlement, in the distance. "Actually, yes. It's just a few minutes away."
Xiaolian straightened and peered over the saddle as her grandmother's dragon began to pick up speed, her large wings propelling her through the sky.
Sonal landed just outside the small settlement the White Lotus had set up on the outskirts of Southern Water Tribe shortly after discovering Korra, the densely packed snow that coated the ground crunching beneath her massive feet. The white and gold dragon lowered her large body to the ground, the snow steaming and melting as it came in contact with her heated belly. She lowered her thick, swan-like neck next, snorting a cloud of steam from her nose to express her dissatisfaction at having to lay in the snow.
Laughing lightly, Xiaodan patted her dragon's neck then jumped to the ground, turning and holding her arms out to the granddaughter, "Jump down, little one."
Xiaolian easily climbed out of the saddle and jumped into her grandmother's waiting arms, looking around herself curiously as Xiaodan placed her on her own two feet then took her hand. A short distance away, she spotted her grandfather's familiar red and maroon dragon, Druk, resting contentedly beside a large dire caribou-wolf. She waved to Druk as her grandmother led her into the settlement and the dragon responded by snorting a plume of smoke into the air before turning to greet Sonal as she approached.
Turning her attention away from the two dragons as her grandmother led her further into the settlement, Xiaolian looked over at the large tent she and her grandmother were walking towards and smiled happily when she saw three familiar people standing in front of the entrance. She pulled away from her grandmother and crossed the short distance between herself and the three people at a quick trot.
"Grandpa!" She exclaimed happily, throwing herself at the older man dressed in red robes. Xiaodan smiled, following at a more sedate pace.
Zuko chuckled and he scooped her up, hugging her close as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hello, little one. Did you enjoy the trip?"
Xiaolian pulled away slightly to shrug, "There was a lot of water, snow, and ice."
"Yeah, that's the South Pole for you." Sokka chuckled from where he was standing to Zuko's left, beside his sister. He reached out and ruffled the six year old's short white hair. "You're still so squishy looking."
"Oh shut up, Sokka." Katara snipped at her brother, swatting at him as she pushed him to the side so she could greet the little girl. Her brother was still such an idiot even after all these years; he had said the same thing about every single child, grandchild, and great-grandchild that had been born since Xiaodan had given birth to hers and Zuko oldest, Aziza.
Katara held her hands out to the little girl and Zuko handed Xiaolian over easily, the six year old moving willingly into the older woman's arms.
"Don't listen to him, Lian. You are absolutely beautiful." Katara said and she tapped Xiaolian's nose affectionately then cuddled her close.
She loved it every time her extended family came to visit. Ever since she moved back to the South Pole after Aang's passing, she didn't get to see all of her nieces and nephews' children nearly as often as she used to. She especially missed her two grandchildren, Anzan and Kaida, who lived in the Fire Nation with their mother, Xiaodan and Zuko's daughter, Luli.
"I never said she wasn't beautiful." Sokka protested, pouting at his sister despite being a seventy-four year old man. He playfully nudged Zuko with his shoulder, "Luckily, she takes after her mother and grandmother, so of course she's beautiful, eh, buddy?"
The retired Fire Lord gave his friend a deadpan look, "Hilarious, Sokka."
Xiaodan chuckled at her husband then clapped her hands, "Why don't we head inside? It's cold out here."
Nodding in agreement, Katara set Xiaolian back on her feet and took one of her hands while Xiaodan took the other, then the two women led the little girl into the large tent, Zuko and Xiaodan following after them.
Xiaolian sat at a table in the middle of the backroom of the tent she'd been taken into, waiting patiently her grandmother and Aunt Katara to return with the young girl they had wanted her to meet.
Behind her, her grandfather and great-uncle sat on comfortable floor pillows, talking in low voices to one another. Without actually paying attention to what they were saying, Xiaolian listened to their deep voices and idly played with the Pai Sho tile that hung from the bead-bracelet around her wrist, rubbing her thumb over the worn and faded image of a lotus.
Voices reached her ears and Xiaolian perked up, looking towards the curtained entrace her grandmother and Katara had left through ten minutes ago. She watched as her grandmother, the very picture of elegant serenity, glided into the room alongside a red-faced older man dressed in ornate white and blue robes. He was whispering furiously to her grandmother, but it seemed that the older woman was ignoring him, since she just kept smiling with smug satisfaction as she moved to sit beside her husband and friend.
With a scowl and a huff of frustration, the man sat down on Sokka's left and crossed his arms. He eyed the young girl sitting a short distance from him doubtfully before looking away. A man and a woman, both dressed in the blue and white robes, entered the room while Xiaolian was curiously studying the first man and took a seat beside him. The six year old turned her curious gaze to them, but neither met her eyes, instead focusing on a point over her head.
More than a little perplexed, Xiaolian looked back at the curtain just as Katara brushed the curtain aside and nudged a girl around Xiaolian's age into the room, instructing the girl to say hello. Xiaolian slowly got her feet, watching as her great-aunt went and sat beside her grandmother before she refocused on the other girl in the room. The girl's hair was pulled up in a little wolftail with two smaller tails framing her face and her skin was dark like her great-aunt and uncle's skin which made her sky blue eyes standing out, and was wearing a light gray sleeveless tunic trimmed in white that showed her belly, blue-gray trousers with one leg rolled up to just below her right knee, dark blue sash around her waist and was sans shoes.
Korra looked around the room with an annoyed pout before her gaze focused on the girl Katara had instructed her to say hello to. Her bright blue eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the girl standing beside the table, taking in the strange markings on her face, her short white hair, sandy complexion, and finally her orangey-gold eyes. She wore a maroon mid-thigh length tunic with a high collar and long sleeves that was trimmed in gold and thick, black trousers that were rolled up to her knees, revealing more strange markings on her legs and bare feet.
Korra scrunched her face up, trying to figure out why she was supposed to meet the girl then shrugged the thought away as she jutted her chin out determinedly and all but stomped towards the table until she was standing toe-to-toe with the other girl, who was slightly taller than herself.
"I'm the Avatar, you better deal with it!" Five year old Korra stated loudly and forcefully, punctuating her statement by leaning, or more like looming, over six year old Xiaolian.
Xiaolian leaned away from the abrasive Water Tribe girl currently invading her personal space, her brow furrowing at the other girl's aggressive demeanor. She glanced over at her grandparents, aunt, and uncle, perplexed at what she was supposed to do. The adults were clearly expecting some sort of reaction from her, judging by the expressions on their faces; her grandmother and Katara were smiling encouragingly, Sokka was grinning with open amusement, and her grandfather looked just as bemused as Xiaolian currently felt. The other three, when Xiaolian chanced a look a them, were watching the scene without expression.
Nonplussed by the whole situation, Xiaolian looked back at the girl looming over her and reacted the same way she would have if it was a misbehaving dragon or one of her more abrasive cousins invading her personal space. She calmly put her finger against Korra's forehead and pushed her back.
"Bad. Down."
Korra reared back as if she'd been smacked, blinking owlishly at the at other girl but Xiaolian didn't seem to notice, her attention on the short, older man who'd been arguing with her grandmother. He'd made a strangled sound and appeared to be choking on nothing, his face turning an interesting shade of red. Xiaolian tilted her head and furrowed her brow as she regarded the man then she looked towards her grandparents, wondering if she'd done something wrong. Her grandfather had his hand over his eyes and was shaking his head while her grandmother looked like she was trying really, really hard not to laugh, her orange eyes dancing with mirth.
"Hey!"
Xiaolian swayed slightly in place when the other girl shoved her shoulder, swiveling her head around to stare at Korra in puzzlement and mild disapproval. She didn't like getting pushed around and found the other girl's actions to be uncalled for.
Tilting her head and considering the annoyed girl in front of her, Xiaolian drawled out slowly, "Yes?"
Korra scowled and crossed her arms over her chest sulkily. She wasn't sure liked this girl. For one, she looked funny with her white hair, orangey-gold eyes, and weird markings on all over her face, and for another, she wasn't reacting like she was supposed to. She was the Avatar and this girl was acting like it wasn't a big deal!
"I'm Korra the Avatar!" Korra stated just as forcefully as before. She was determined to get the reaction she desired out of the girl. She twirled around and proceeded to punch and kick the air, firebending from her feet and fists and occasionally earthbending and waterbending.
When she was satisfied that she'd shown off enough, Korra turned back towards the other girl and placed her fists on her hips, lifting her chin up haughtily as she once again invaded Xiaolian's personal space and proclaimed abrasively. "I'm Avatar Korra! Who're you?"
"I said no." Xiaolian wrinkled her nose and poked the girl's forehead again disapprovingly, "Bad, Avatar. We do not crowd people. It's not nice."
Behind them, Sokka busted out laughing before quickly smothering the sound when the two young girls and his fellow adults looked at him.
"Sorry." He apologized sheepishly, still looking incredibly amused.
Xiaolian furrowed her brow, getting the feeling that she had done something that wasn't necessarily wrong, but not quite right either. She looked back at Korra, who was sulking and glaring at her balefully, and decided that because Korra kept saying she was the Avatar then she had to say her title too.
"I'm Crown Princess Xiaolian of the Fire Nation." The young girl stated formally, bowing like she'd been taught.
Still sulky, Korra sniffed and stuck her nose in the air, but reluctantly returned the girl's bow at the stern look from Katara. "I'm Avatar Korra."
"You said that already." Xiaodan pointed out as she straightened from her bow. "Loudly, and several times."
Korra narrowed her eyes and pouted at the girl, looking off to the side as she muttered, "Well, you're a weirdo." She glanced at Xiaolian, who just stared at her curiously, her head tilted slightly to the side in bemusement, and Korra pouted harder, "Shut up!"
"But, I didn't say anything."
"I said, shut up, weirdo!"
The two girls stared each other down, Korra scowling and Xiaolian looking nonplussed, while the adults observed the two.
"Well," Xiaodan murmured to her friends, only sounding slightly sarcastic as she commented quietly, "I think they'll get along just fine...Maybe."
Little did any of them know that Xiaolian and Korra would only know each other for a few weeks before circumstances forced them apart. It would be twelve years before they meet again, and by then, both girls would have changed to the point that they would hardly recognize each other...
EDIT: 1/24/2015 (I changed some bits to better fit in with future chapters)
Author's Note: Holy flamey-o, it's here! The Legend of Korra Sequel is official up! -happy, excited dance-
Now, like I mentioned in the AN above, just in case some of you don't follow the Xiabug Tumblr, I'm gonna let y'all know right now that this story is no longer a Bolin/OFC fanfic, because I came to the startling realization that Bolin and the OFC, Xiaolian, would be pretty terrible for each other. I've instead switched this to a Korra/OFC (and not necessarily in a romantic sense!) story. If you want to see the full post explaining the epiphany I had about the pairings, I'll post the link to the tumblr post on my profile. It'll be one of the first (or second) links you see.
Anyhooties, I hope y'all enjoy this story as much as y'all liked Open Your Mind!