Korra was glad they were there. For the first few days it seemed like paradise at the air temple. But after a week of constantly seeing them at every meal, in the hallways, when she had to use the bathroom, and most annoyingly when she trying to practice her bending she'd had enough. She had anticipated the small sting she'd feel seeing Mako and Asami together. She had no problem ignoring that, if only she could have focused on her bending. As if it wasn't bad enough she couldn't get air bending, then they all had to come and watch her. She tried to ignore that too. Then came the critiques. She knew they only wanted to help, and that they didn't know what else to do. And she was doing fine handling it all, until one day she gave up.
After a long day of successfully trying to get through the spinning air bending boards she almost had it. But one small moment she looked up and saw Asami whisper something to Mako and he laughed. This shattered her concentration and in a few rough shoves she was sent flying out to land on her back. Tenzin walked up to her.
"Korra, I don't know what's happened to your focus today. You should spend some time meditating." He nodded wisely to himself at the mention of his favorite past time.
Korra had been leaning over trying to catch her breath. She looked up at the ancient artifact that had just beat her up, and sent it a death glare she wished she dared to send in Tenzin's direction. Honestly she had just been considering the idea of mediating. But somehow hearing him say it made it sound so irritating.
Mako stood and strolled over tugging Asami by the hand. "You know I've seen you do this when you practiced with the Fire Ferrets. You need to pull it together. If this was a match we'd be toast."
Asami leaned into him and softly commented. "Mako, gift her some slack. She's tried hard all day. I'm sure she'll do great tomorrow."
Although Korra appreciated Asami's defense it only made her irritation worse that she needed defending, when she could stand up for herself.
Tenzin stroked his beard. "Very true Asami. Korra how about you take a break and then we'll try again. You could practice some fire or earth bending with Mako or Bolin."
Mako's eyes lit up with the thought of a challenge.
During this whole discussion Korra did nothing but glare at the air bending boards and grit her teeth. She hadn't turned around to face them yet. They kept speaking behind her back planning a good spot to practice fire bending without burning anything. That's when something snapped inside her. She whipped around and started talking quickly her voice gradually rising in volume with each word.
"I don't NEED a break! I'm FINE! How can I concentrate when ALL OF YOU keep TALKING to me? I'm NOT going to practice anything else! I'm going for a WALK!" she brushed through the small group and headed towards the stairs. Bolin perked up from under the shade of a tree he had been napping under. He got up and started to follow her.
"Hey, I'll come with you!"
She whirled around and yelled at them. "NO! You, you, and you….."She danced a finger in Bolin, Mako, and Asami's face before gesturing to Tenzin and the kids who had just run up to see why she was shouting. "ALL OF YOU are staying here!" she threw her finger to point at the ground and they all leaned back away from her outburst. "I'm going for a walk…..ALONE." she balled her hands into fist as she spun on her heel and stalked away.
"Uh, Korra…." Asami's voice tentatively paused Korra's escape.
Mako's voice finished the thought. "….The city is that way….."
She glanced over her shoulder. "I know. But if I'm going to be alone, I need to go some place none of you will follow me." Before they could ask where that was she jumped into the water instantly freezing a block of ice under her before water bending swiftly away out onto the water. They all just stood there speechless.
Several hours later Korra had not returned and the three teenagers found Tenzin gazing out across the water with a worried wrinkle in his brow.
"Do you think she's alright?" Asami was the first to speak.
"Oh I'm sure she's fine." Tenzin's tight voice betrayed his words.
Bolin snorted. "Riiiiiiiiight." He agreed sarcastically. "Avatar loose on her own, in a city full of people who hate benders. And did I mention Amon is going to do all he can to scare her into a puddle of goo?"
Mako hit his brother in the arm to get him to shut up before shooting him a disapproving glare. At Bolin's silent *what?* he got up and stood next to Tenzin at the window.
"Does she do this a lot? Just run off for a while?"
Tenzin turned. "She used to. She'd get so fed up with my teaching she'd leave to blow off steam. But then I always knew where she was going." He turned to look at all of them. "She was going to practice with the fire Ferrets." He turned and looked back out the window. Mako dropped his gaze for a moment thinking of how many times he had seen her run into practice looking like she wanted to throttle someone.
"Did we do something wrong? If she didn't want us here why did she invite us?" Mako voiced the groups thoughts.
Tenzin turned with a look of surprise then placed a hand on Mako's drooping shoulders. "No! She loves having you here. But to be honest I don't think she really thought things through when she invited you to stay. She has a kind heart that often leaps her into a situation before her head joins the planning. When she first spoke to me about your staying here, it was only two of you. Now that number is three. And you all need to find a purpose while you're here. Until you figure out what your next move is, she is a bit over whelmed. You've never seen her try air bending before. And I know you find it interesting. But for her, air bending is difficult to master. And having you all standing there watching is hard. I'm actually surprised she hasn't had any outbursts before now. Hmmmm…" He thoughtfully cocked his head. "Perhaps her mediating is actually working." Seeing as the three others were looking lost he continued. "It's good for all of you to be here. Bolin and Mako you can help keep her other bending skills in shape in ways I can't. And Asami it's good for her to have another girl around. And she should learn a defense skill that doesn't involve bending. Amon is right in one thing; benders often do use their abilities to bully. And should the unthinkable happen and all bending gets taken away we all should be able to fight without it."
Mako looked up to listen intently. Suddenly he leaned out the window. "There she is!" he exclaimed excitedly.
Korra walked slowly across the yard looking weary and damp. As she climbed the stairs she seemed to be having a debate with herself, and she stopped abruptly startled by the four pairs of eyes staring eagerly in her direction.
Asami go up and threw herself at Korra and wrapped her in a big hug. "I'm so glad you're ok!"
Korra laughed and pulled her friend away. "I'm fine." She looked at the men standing in the room and cleared her throat shifting nervously from one foot to the other. "Listen everyone, I'm sorry about earlier." She turned to side hug Asami tightly. "I'm really glad you all are here. But sometimes….." she paused as if searching for the right words. "I think I see you a little too much. Until I can master my bending to the point where I can do it no matter who or what might try to distract, perhaps you should stay away from me. At least while I'm practicing air bending. I'd like to continue training with earth and fire. And Asami I was thinking you and I should train together. If I have to battle chi blockers again I'll need a defense if I have no bending. Tenzin….." She walked up to the wise man. "I'd like you to start teaching more about the responsibilities of the avatar. There is more to it than mastering the elements. I still need to learn the spiritual side, and there is a war started. I need to learn how to bring peace. Non-benders obviously feel like they are being mistreated. As the Avatar it's my job to serve everyone benders and non benders alike. Your baby will be born soon and you'll be busy so I'd like to learn as much as I can. I haven't even triggered the Avatar state yet so I will need to know what do if that should happen."
Tenzin looked down at her and smiled proudly. "We will begin all this tomorrow. For now go and clean up and get a good night's sleep. We will begin early tomorrow."
Korrow bowed to him, then to the other three. "Thank you. Good night. Sorry again." She sheepishly slipped by Bolin. He waved off her apology.
"Awe no problem. Hey if I had to up with those guys I'd probably go crazy too!" he grinned widely. Korra laughed and shook her head as she headed down the hallway.