In a small tea shop with the lights buzzing their electric hum there sat a small mousy girl with neat black bun plied on her head. She sat with her large green eyes closed behind thin black wire glasses. The perfume of sweet jasmine and honey flowed up from the cup as the young avatar thought of her mission. Her eyes slid open as the small jingle. There entered a dark haired girl with a black coat rising over her mouth and dark purple headphones resting comfortably on her ears, Xiu was a very perceptive, the whole tea shop turned and looked at her and the air of fear was rich and heavy, but not only fear hung in the air...something more…

With slow, deliberate movements the girl slid off her ears to rest under her collar, and a thin wiry girl rushed up to her with an old tea stained apron.

"M-Ms. Sue Li u-um-"

"There is someone in my booth." The girl said and her eyes shifted to where Xiu was sitting.

The hostess slid her eyes in fear to Xiu, who was indeed there with a large mug of the finest jasmine grown in Republic City.

"I-I um, well M-Ms.-"

"Chai. To go."

"Right away miss." and with a bow the hostess was gone.

Now Xiu was a good student, an excellent student, so she knew that grey eyes is in fact sign of airbending. Xiu stood and paid for her half finished mug and made her way to the girl in the doorway.

"Are you an airbender?" The small mousy earthbender asked going right up to the dark clad girl.

Her eyes dropped down to look at the earthbender, "I might be."

The hostess came back quickly with a to go cup and it had a few markings, "Chai with french vanilla twist, light milk, two sugars."

"Thanks." the girl said and pulled free a bill for the hostess, took the cup and left.

Xiu buttoned her short brown coat and chased after the tall girl.

"Wait!"

"Places to go." she said and kept walking, drinking her hot tea.

"Wait, I'm Avatar Xiu!" Xiu shouted and the girl came to a stop as the walk sign turned red.

The girl looked down at Xiu, "Am I supposed to be impressed?" and raised an eyebrow so it was lost under her bangs.

Xiu puffed out her cheeks, slightly rosy from the cold, "I need an airbending tutor."

The girl raised her arm and pointed down the long, busy street, "Go down this street, take a left and walk another block and you'll find the pier, ask for a boat to the island and there should still be someone there." and when the sign flicked white the girl crossed the street.

Xiu was finding it hard to keep up with the taller, lanky girl who moved as if the cold and the slight wind was nothing, then again she looked built for it. It was never this cold in Ba Sing Se.

"I don't want to go to Air Temple Island." Xiu said over a gust.

The girl stopped at the corner and glared down at Xiu, she couldn't see but Xiu knew there was a scowl under the other girl's collar, "So you thought you'd ask a gen two airbender?"

"Gen two?" Xiu asked.

The girl rolled her eyes, "Spirits. You don't even know what gen two even means do you?" Xiu blinked and shook her head, "Get lost."

Xiu went to speak again and the girl raised her arm, with a fluid, even movement there was a light hum around her then was gone.

"Miss?" an elderly woman said and placed her hand on Xiu's shoulder, "You've been standing still for quite sometime, did someone attack you?"

Xiu looked over and smiled, "Oh, n-no madam, I was just lost in thought."

However Xiu did follow the girl's instructions, which were dead wrong and had her wandering around a fish market before someone turned her around. She ended up on a small row boat for Air Temple Island were a tall man with a beard and full head of dark hair stood in traditional instructor's robes.

"Ah! Avatar Xiu!" Rohan said with a smile and put his pocket watch away, "You are later than expected."

Xiu bowed, "A thousand pardons, I got lost."

Rohan chuckled and patted the young avatar's head, "I bet, Republic City looks a lot smaller on the map. Please, you'll be in the women's dorms for now, I do hope that's alright."

"Oh yes, perfectly fine, um, Mr.-"

"Just Rohan, please," he said leading the young girl to the tall tower where women slept.

"Rohan, you don't have any airbending tattoos."

Rohan stopped, only for a moment, then carried on, "I, unfortunately never will, the honored tradition calls for a very specific ritual to be taken place, and my skin will not tolerate the ink needed."

"Oh, I am very sorry." Xiu said now feeling very self conscious.

"Oh that's alright." for the second time he patted the girl's head and opened a door, "Here, there are a set of robe's in the closet, and I will send someone to wake you in the morning."

Xiu stepped inside. It was barren compared to home. But that was why she decided to study air first, get her opposite out of the way. Rohan shut the door and Xiu let out a sigh.

She sat on the bed, she hadn't brought anything with her at her parent's request well, she had her phone and charger which she plugged in before undoing her bun. A long flow of black hair tumbled down and she shed her clothes. She opened the closet where there were a set of robes, one for every day of the week and a single pair of flat shoes. She opened one of the drawers were there were two nightgowns and undergarments. She slid on a nightgown which felt hand made, the mere thought of someone making this gown on this island made her skin crawl.

She climbed into the bed and the sounds of the city were loud to her, the Upper Ring never got this loud, save for Earth Palace gatherings, galas and the like. Not this smog choked city and Xiu wondered how different it was in Avatar Korra's time.

The Reborn Avatar Korra lived to the ripe old age of 122 so she had see it all. The change in the city, Xiu wondered if she would ever be like that, if she could live that long...if...she….

"Oh shit. Anybody but you."

Xiu opened her eyes to warm sunlight and a dark haired girl glaring down at her...dark purple headphones resting on her ears.

The girl glared, "Better get up uhvatar...you start training today."