Prologue

"Hey Kim!" Dren shouted sending his S-Ball hurling through the air. Kim quickly ducked out of the way and grabbed it as the ball recoiled from the ground. "Aww darn it! I missed!"

Kim smirked and threw the projectile back twice as hard. It connected with his head with a satisfying 'smack'. "Ow! What's wrong with you? You could've given me brain damage." He pouted rubbing his sore forehead.

"It's not like you don't already have it." She remarked. "Besides, you shouldn't have thrown it at me in the first place."

"I was trying to have some fun with you and as usual you're nothing but a snail in the mud." She shuddered. "What?"

"Nothing. That expression. Its gross."

"Snail in the mud?"

"Yes."

"Whats wrong with it?"

"Snails. I hate them. They're so slimy and gross I just can't stand them, and I much rather be compared to something else."

Dren rolled his eyes and tossed his S-Ball up and down.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, you girls are just always so prissy."

"Excuse me? I may be a girl but that doesn't mean I can't knock your chubby butt flat onto the ground." She growled taking a threatening step forward. Dren threw his hands up in mock surrender and laughed.

"Oh but you wouldn't hurt your best friend would you Kim?" He pleaded. "Especially a chubby one at that?"

She tried to keep a straight face only to burst out laughing as he dramatically fell aside. Kim bent down and helped him up, punching him gently in the arm as he danced around her.

"Are you going to be at the market later?" She asked.

"Nah, my parents said we have better things to do. Besides, you know they don't like us hanging out."

"I know. I just… I feel so out of place there."

"There's nothing wrong with being a non-bender Kim. People are just mean. Besides, how would I play S-Ball if Miss Sato was never born. She was one of the greatest non-benders. Not only did she design Republic City's infrastructure but she also furthered a lot of the modern technology we have today."

Kim sighed. She loved Miss Sato and she looked up to her, but that would never relieve all of the nasty stares and whispers she received at the market or anywhere else in general. They were growing up in a time of separation. Many groups in the earth kingdom divided among themselves. After Kuvira's fall from power many cities were left in disarray, (not that they already weren't). Plus, the fact that her mother was a firebender and her father an earth made things equally more difficult. Why hadn't she gotten bending? Why was her father married to a no good firebender? Why was she such a misfit? Being married to a firebender, or any other kind of bender was like a sin to the earth dwellers. Why? Well, there was none. After all that had happened they had just learned to distrust people and because of Kuvira's 're-education camps' which imprisoned all non-earth origin people, everyone just didn't trust one another period.

"It'll be fine Kim. Just keep your head up okay?" Dren smiled.

Kim nodded and watched him stroll away towards South Avenue. "I'll catch you later!" He laughed and turned to race towards his house.

Kim kicked a rock and fell back against the cement ground. She didn't want to go home yet, and she certainly did not want to go to that awful market. So she stayed there a few hours. It was quiet and peaceful. The park always was. She glanced up at the statue of Korra. It was still tall and she swore there was a blue hue to it.

"Oh Korra." She shook her head. "What would you do?"

The statute continued to stand there, staring ahead with its stone cold eyes. What did she expect? It's not like it was going to come alive and give her all the answers to her questions. Irritation welled up inside her at the unfairness of the world. Avatar Korra had passed away ten years ago, right before she was born. Kim had desperately wished she could have gotten to meet her. Avatar Korra had been one of the most famous Avatars of the world. She defeated the equalist Amon and had brought equality to benders and non-benders. She brought spirits to the world to live in peace with people. She stopped Zaheer from destroying order. Kuvira even fell to Korra, ending her tirade throughout the earth kingdom.

Something always tugged at her though. It was like a flea, annoying and small, that sucked at her thoughts and made them waver. Even though Korra had done all these things, it all just fell back into ruin once she was gone. Like even though she had spent so much time trying to do right and correct the wrong, it just didn't matter anyway. The thought terrified her. Could you really try so hard to do something for the world, even put your life at risk in the process, for nothing?

"What do you think you're doing on our turf?"

Kim looked up and saw Riley towering over her, face twisted into a scowl of hatred. Her usual lackeys were lingering behind her with smug faces.

"You don't own the park Riley. It belongs to everyone, not just you." She stood up, facing the scrawny girl.

"Oh I don't do I? I think I do. My father took over the city's design after that stupid non-bender left. I can't say anyone was surprised, Korra's death probably crippled whatever creativity she had left in that pea-sized brain of hers." Kim clenched her fist in anger. Sometimes Riley was such a jerk.

"How dare you talk about the worlds most gifted minds like that! They have a bigger brain and heart then you'll ever have you Grinch!" She snapped.

Riley looked momentarily shocked but quickly recovered, she was just getting started.

"Look at little Orphan Annie defending her idols. Is that anyway to talk to the city's most valued child?" her voice dropped lower, "Even without parents I thought you would've learned your manners from those slob guardians of yours." She snickered.

Kim flinched and took a step back.

"Aww, did I hit a nerve? Too bad. Now get out of here before I burn your face off."

She sniffed and turned, walking away from the group. Riley was laughing and nudging her friends for encouragement. Kim could hardly believe she was walking away from this. She should have stayed. She should have fought. Though deep down, in her deepest crevices of thought, she could still feel that same flea. It was sucking her will away. The more she thought to turn and fight, the more she felt like running home like a scared dog with her tail between her legs.