Disclaimer: We do not own or claim to own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Legend of Korra, or any of the characters, places, themes and other creations affiliated with either show (as much as we would love to). We DO own our respective original characters, including our CCI (canon character insert), who has absolutely nothing to do with the shows or their creators. This Fan Fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes, and we will not accept your pointless flaming because it's pointless and we have better things to do.

Bon à lire!

~Slay, Darth Xyris & Roxy

Legend of Korra: The Lost Benders of Republic City

Chapter 1: Calm Between the Storms

"Meelo's asleep again."

At a glance, everything seemed to be in order with the young airbender, but the drawl of his soft snoring gave him away. He was slumped in his meditative stance, knuckles pressed limply together, his head drooping, a restful trail of drivel falling from his mouth.

Tenzin didn't look up. "Please wake him; he needs to learn to stop nodding off during meditation."

"Aw, Tenzin, can't we just give it a rest for today?" Korra leaned back on her arms, sighing. "We've been here for hours."

"It's been forty-five minutes," Jinora corrected from Korra's right.

Korra pulled a face. "Four hours, forty-five minutes, whatever!" She threw her arms in the air and fell onto her back, staring dejectedly at the vaulted roof of the pavilion. "I'm still not cut out for this stuff."

Without opening his eyes, Tenzin calmly chastised her, "Korra, meditation is a very important part of our lives, especially as airbenders."

At this Korra jackknifed, unfolding her legs and leaning forward defensively. "But Tenzin! I've got airbending down now! Don't you remember a couple weeks ago?" She counted off on her fingers. "I've got all four elements: earth, water, fire, air…I even learned to energy-bend from Avatar Aang! I think I'm good! Why do I still need to meditate every day?"

Her rant earned a leveling look from Tenzin. "First of all, I wouldn't say you have airbending 'down' just yet. Secondly, there is much more to meditation than becoming a good airbender."

Korra puffed a strand of dislodged hair out of her eyes and slouched, avoiding Tenzin's cool, glaucous gaze.

"Meditation is about peace of mind and body—separating yourself from the turmoil of everyday life in order to achieve a higher consciousness. I think you could truly benefit from it, Korra, even if you have realized your power as the Avatar. …I know it isn't an easy thing for you to do," a pleasant smile glinted from the corners of his eyes, "but you can focus very well when you put your mind to it."

"Unlike some people," Ikki jeered, prodding at Meelo's shoulder and watching with amusement as he swayed, undisturbed. She and Jinora started poking their brother to and fro like a game, giggling at the way he bobbed between them without so much as stirring.

Korra couldn't help but smile, though it dwindled after a few seconds. Her attention faded to the scene beyond the blue and gold-pared pavilion, out across the stilled waters of Yue Bay, where the jutting skyline of the city pierced the afternoon sky.

For a moment she heard the bustling din of the urban streets and smelled the acrid plumes of satomobile exhaust and factory pillars. For a moment she reveled in the action, the excitement, the never-ending rumble of life; but then the moment snapped away, and she was back in the sterling tranquility of the pavilion, the sharp air of the bay winding through the dark tresses of her hair.

She glanced fleetingly at Meelo and the girls, her eyes passing quickly over Tenzin and coming to rest on the boy to her left, who had slipped back into a subconscious state despite the others' tomfoolery. She hadn't crossed paths much with Yun in the months she'd spent on the island. Evidently he spent most of his time down by the bison caves, tending to the furry behemoths like his own personal flock. From what she did see of him, the fifteen-year-old was very devoted to the serene teachings of the Air Acolytes—a pleasant break from his rambunctious siblings, she bet.

Tenzin was watching her carefully, wondering what was on her mind. She shook her head briefly and sighed.

"Well…I guess I could give it another try," she murmured dispassionately. "I mean, if it's that important to you…"

Tenzin nodded peaceably, and the younger acolytes on either side of her cast encouraging smiles. Korra sighed again. She crossed her legs and straightened into a meditative pose, unable to conceal a slight twist of resentment on her face. Meditation really wasn't her cup of tea, but she supposed she could muscle through it for Tenzin; after all he'd done for her.

Silence flattened over their little corner of the pavilion. Meelo's napping was forgotten, and after a while, Korra was able to find relaxation in the stillness.

It was actually pretty nice—not so much the sitting and doing nothing, but the thoughts that came to her in her new quiescent state. The last couple of weeks had been something else; something good. With Amon's façade shattered, the Equalist Movement crumbled, losing most of its proponents to the Metalbending Police while the rest dissolved into lives of solitude. Crime rates plummeted, the Council regained control of the city, and fear drained from its denizens in one great sigh of relief. The nightmare was over. She had nearly forgotten what it was like to walk without throwing frantic looks over her shoulder, to think without a haze of worry clouding her mind; but that was exactly what the past few weeks had been like.

"Sorry to interrupt…"

The knot of acolytes paused their ruminating and looked up to find Pema, smiling placidly with a dozing Rohan nestled in her arms. Her face turned slightly shrewd when she spotted Meelo. "Well, it looks like the baby's not the only one who's tired." As if on cue, Meelo tipped over backwards, now blatantly sleeping on the pavilion floor and starting a wave of chuckles through the circle. Pema rolled her eyes and turned to Tenzin. "We just got word from City Hall," she said. "The new councilman has arrived."

"Already?" Tenzin's brows lifted, impressed. "We weren't expecting him for a few more days."

"He must have made good time," Pema offered.

"I'll say." Tenzin got to his feet and situated his acolyte robes. "Well then, I guess I'd better be going. Come, Korra. The Council will want you to meet its newest member—and I'm sure he'll be very excited to meet you."

Korra hesitated. "Uh...gee, Tenzin, you know I'd love to…but…"

Tenzin tilted his chin, his mouth a flat line amid the impressive angles of his beard. "Korra, as the Avatar, and an active voice within the United Republic Council—"

"Ugh! Okay, okay, I'm coming." She had to fight to keep her voice low; the last thing Pema needed was a groggy, screaming baby. "Just gimme a few minutes to change," she insisted, tugging at her own brightly-colored attire. Tenzin nodded, and Korra took her leave, wondering already what this new councilman would be like—and desperately hoping he was an improvement from the last one.

A/N: Short and sweet and hopefully not dead-boring! And yes, you read correctly—because Jinora, Ikki, Meelo and Rohan weren't enough of a handful, we added another one (that CCI I mentioned). Poor Tenzin and Pema. xD Don't worry, Yun is perfectly relevant. Promise. More coming soon! RxR if you like.

~Slay