Earth…

Fire…

Air…

Water…

Only the Avatar can master all four elements…

And bring balance to the world.


Avatar—Legend of the Woman Warrior

Reboot By, Ro Oeuvre Belvedere


Welcome fine folks to the riveting tale of Avatar: Legend of the Woman Warrior! When we last left our daring heroine, Korra plots an escape with the assist of her family's inherited prowess. Successful, she stowed away to the beacon of unity, Republic City, to complete her training and become a full-fledged Avatar. With her destiny now in sight, can Korra convince Tenzin to take her as his apprentice? Will this be the first step for her to become fully realized?


Book I:

Air

Chapter 1:

Not-So-Welcoming Committee


After that disturbing dreamlike memory, Korra stays up and alert the rest of the way t0 the Beacon of Unity that is Republic City.

Right now she's hiding behind one of the crate stacks, further from the still-snoozing Naga so she wouldn't accidentally wake her friend. Korra has her hands planted firmly on the ground, concentrating on the vibrations of the engine-powered ship as it slowly comes to a stop – the only movement now being the sway of the ocean. Hearing the metallic scraping of the loading doors unlocking, she stealthily peers above the cargo and is forced to shield her eyes from the sunlight peeking through the dark room. Once her eyes adjust the brightness, she ducks to a crouch and silently creeps back to Naga.

When beside her comrade, Korra scratches Naga's ear, rousing the bear hound from slumber. "We're here!" she excitedly whispers, "Get ready."

Meanwhile, the oblivious dock workers are just starting to unload the tonnage, when the sudden appearance of a polar bear dog – and more bizarre, a young water tribe girl mounted on the wild beast as if it's an ostrich horse – bursts out and dashes down the ramp, accidentally knocking one guy off balance.

"Thanks for the lift!" the strange girl waves amiably to the fallen man as she rides away.

"What the…?" the guy on his rump manages to utter.

"The guys at the Dragon's Breath won't believe this." Another worker remarks.


"Good to be out in the open again, huh?" Korra stretches her arms above her head.

Naga barks affirmatively as they approach a large suspension bridge. "This is the longest bridge I've ever seen." Korra comments as they reach the middle, "And that's the most Satomobiles I've ever seen." She gestures the traffic jam to her left, horns honking and drivers shouting their impatience.

Finally, they reach the end of the bridge into a new world.

"Wow…" Korra breathes, "this is more than what the brochure promised."

She could not stop looking up, the place is just so… huge! Both in range and in height. The earth is coated in concrete, the smells are a colorful bouquet, and the towers appear capable to touch the sky.

"I bet they can touch the clouds!" Is her childlike proclaim. Something else comes to mind and she taps her bottom lip. "Wonder what sports they do here."

The two approach the edge of the city barred by small railings overviewing the Yue Bay. Across from her is the statue – larger than life – of Aang, standing resolutely upon a small isle. Korra couldn't help but stare at her immortalized past life in awe. "Will people go that far to remember me too?" She murmurs to herself, but Naga gives a nod nonetheless, making the Avatar chuckle. "You believe so."

Korra then turns her head slightly leftwards to the larger island just a little further ahead of Aang's memorial. "Destination on lock: Air Temple Island." At this point, they could just dive in now and swim there, but Korra shakes her head. "By now the OWL heads told Tenzin of my latest escapade, and no doubt some of the sentries are there on guard, we need a game plan or he'll never teach me no matter how long I stay."

While the new Avatar contemplates possibilities, an index finger curled under her jutting lower lip, Naga puts her nose in the air and sniffs. She apparently catches a whiff of something she likes and gallops toward the source.

Korra laughs and pats her friend's head. "Alrighty then! Breakfast first, plan second!"

But tracking is evidently a challenge, because naturally Korra and Naga rode in open space, and only a few times they braved through narrow ways. But here in the city, there are crowds of people and clusters of vehicles. "Look out! Watch out, Naga!" They accidentally forced a panicked honking Satomobile to swerve out of their way. Then they narrowly avoid collision with a rapidly incoming truck, which caused the large contraption to slide horizontally and collide instead into a car that isn't a Sato brand.

"My Cabbage Car!" The owner of the wreck hollers after escaping with just a few scratches.

"Sorry!" Korra shouts over her shoulder.

The chaos hasn't ended there, now the two are galloping through a thick pool of pedestrians and enduring the locals' righteous rants.

"Watch where you're going!"

"Hey!"

"Are you trying to kill me!"

And with every complaint she hears, Korra bashfully responds. "Whoops, sorry about that! Excuse us! Coming through! Heads up! Eh, sorry! Yeah, we're new in town! Our bad!"

The comedic discord makes a conclusion once Naga comes to an open square and slows down, bending over to smell the ground, in order to pinpoint the exact location of the smell. Huffing at Korra sniggering at her antics, Naga follows her nose toward a small food stall, its wall comprising an orange curtain. The polar bear dog bounds to the side of the stall.

Within the shop, a middle-aged woman is just sitting while reading a newspaper and idly turns to the movement of her tarp. "Oh Spirits!" Her startled jump causes her paper to scatter and her chair to fall because she sees a big sniffling wet nose, then the entire head of a polar bear dog.

Naga's salivating at the variety of meat on display as Korra sticks her head through the curtain as well. The polar bear dog's jaws open intimidatingly wide, ready to feast upon delicacy, but Korra's stern "No!" staved the bear hound's craving.

The Avatar-trainee sits upright and commandingly crosses her arms. "Back away, now."

Reprimanded, Naga whimpers softly and does what she is told. After making the decent distance, Korra gracefully slides off the saddle and pats her friend's head as she walks to the front of the stall like anybody else, all the while Naga's tail wags excitedly.

Ignoring the storekeeper dubiously eying her, Korra's picks up a meat kabob, inspects it briefly, and turns to the proprietor. "We'll take one of everything, please."

The lady surveys Korra's foreign appearance and harshly demands. "That will be twenty yuans."

Korra tilts her head. "Yuans? Is that the currency here?" she innocently inquires.

"Twenty. Yuans." The older woman forces. "Either you have it or you don't."

"Sorry, I don't have any yuans, but—"

The kabob is suddenly snatched out of Korra's hand. Feeling threatened, the young Avatar drops into a karate stance, only to deal with the storekeeper's infuriated face.

"Then what good are you to me?" The lady hollers rudely.

Since the only threat is a sharp tongue, Korra unsheaths hers. "Well with your amicable service, it's a wonder why business is so slow." Jeeringly satisfied with the woman's offended gasp, Korra saunters off.

"Hey!" The proprietor hollers, unaccepting the audacious girl getting the last word. But the warning snarl of the girl's pet pacifies her to back away in an apprehended squeak. With a haughty huff, Naga faithfully follows after her friend.

When they're out of the square, the dejected Naga whines and her head slumps on Korra's shoulder. "Sorry, girl." The Avatar affectionately wraps her arm around Naga's neck till their cheeks touched. "We're certified scavengers, remember? We'll rustle something up in no time."


It doesn't take long for the two scavengers to locate a place titled Harmony Park at the entrance gates. The blush pink blossom petals are fluttering a spring dance in the breeze, kids are laughing as they play while their parents relax in the shades of the trees. But it's the large pond in midst of the park's central area that captures Korra and Naga's attention.

"There we go, all we can eat."

Naga happily barks.

Discarding her boots and woolen socks and rolling up her pants, the Avatar leaps into the water and instantly traps a fish in a water bubble.

"Go long!" Korra shoots the fish out of water into mid-air, watching Naga sprint ahead of the flipping tail fin and catching it by an aerial lunge. "Nice, now how 'bout this!"

Moments after playing fetch-n-feed with her animal guide – with the grand finale of catapulting five and Naga taking all in her jaws – Korra catches three more for herself, snaps some sticks from the trees, and blows mild fire to fry her lunch just right. Once that is done, she jabs two fish-on-a-sticks into the ground to savor the one left in hand, and with an anticipating lick on her lips, she chomps down.

Teeth sunken in well-done fish flesh, that's how she looked when she feels another presence that isn't Naga. To the left of her peripheral vision is a man in the bushes, scraggly in appearance, and he has this crazed grin as he's eyeballing her. Not feeling scared or nervous at the strange man, Korra simply finishes her bite, chews, and swallows, all with a raised eyebrow.

That moment the man emerges from the shrubbery. "Uh, say, think I can get one of them tasty-smelling—" he suddenly starts flapping his elbows, "—fishies?"

Officially bemused, but unconcerned of this guy being a potential threat, Korra shrugs. "Yeah, sure."

"Much obliged, little missy!" The happy hobo waggles up to Korra in big, weird steps, snatches up a stick while squatting down, then ferociously devours with his mouth noisily smacking.

Korra blinks at him for a few seconds before continuing with her lunch, and it being a small meal, she's done after a few more bites. "So…" she starts for small talk, "you live in… that bush?" Seeing him drooling over the last fried fish, she unroots the stick and tosses it over, which he accepts gratefully.

"Yes, presently that is what I do call home. Took me a while to procure a bush that beauteous." Through his eyes, that brier is a shining sanctuary. "This park is quite popular with all the vagabonds."

"Vagabonds, huh?" Korra looks around as if expecting another bum to pop out. "So there are a lot of you out here? I thought everyone in this city was 'living it up', not going 'down and out'."

The happy hobo chuckles. "Hey, you've got a lot to learn, newcomer." He then spreads his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Welcome to Republic City."

"Thanks." Korra grabs one of his hands to shake, "You're the only welcoming committee I came across."

Their friendly interaction is disturbed by a sudden whistle trilling their eardrums, following a shouting of "Hey, you!"

Peering over her shoulders, Korra sees what she concludes to be a guard at one of the small bridges. He runs toward them. "Stop! You can't fish here!"

The happy hobo jumps up and runs toward his bush. "You best skedaddle missy!" Is his friendly advice to Korra before he dives into his shrub.

Not needing to be told the first time, Korra whistles on her fingers, and Naga comes running. They are soon sprinting alongside each other, Korra never slowing down as she snatches up her boots, and hoists herself onto Naga's back.

As they successfully run from the law, the guard continues his pointless pursuit, blowing his whistle and waving his truncheon the whole time. When he makes it to where Korra was previously, she's barely a speck in his vision. The guard realizes his attempts are futile and rests his hands on his knees, panting.

Behind the guard, Gommu pops up from his bushy home to wave after the foreign girl and her oversized pet.

Korra and Naga ride in high speed, being blurry passersby to anyone they bypass. They dash by a man on a stand, in front of a yellow and red poster. He has a megaphone and he's shouting. But soon the duo is too far away to hear a word.

Korra looks back. "What was he yelling about?" Not really curious, she shrugs and looks forward again. "Aw well, none of my concern."


The unorthodox partners had spent most of the day roaming aimlessly, neither feeling eager to go to the island just yet.

"Obviously, this takes getting used to." Korra murmurs to Naga, both trudging the streets side-by-side.

Naga grumbles her assent.

Looking up to the sky and seeing the sun is not too far west, Korra suggests, "We got plenty of daylight left, let's find a place to shack up for the night, the first thing tomorrow we'll go to Air Temple Island so Pema could vouch for us. Tenzin rarely says no to her."

Naga growls lowly and Korra rolls her eyes, translating perfectly. "Oh pipe down, there'll be plenty to eat for breakfast when we get there."

At Naga's answering snort, Korra sighs. "Yes, I know they're vegetarians, but they'll make an exception for you. I promise."

Continuing on, Korra observes their surroundings and noted that these streets aren't as clean and the air seems a bit musky. Naga slows down with her. "We're in the same city, but the atmosphere feels different." She comments, discretely looking at the residents in the area. Their clothes look worse-for-wear, some aren't even wearing shoes, and their skin appears it hadn't been touched by soap in weeks. "We may be in the wrong place."

Suddenly, someone crashes into her back, "Watch it, lady!" Comes a rude shout from a boy walking ahead of her.

"You bumped into me," Korra utters under her breath while trekking forward. She freezes mid-step. "Wait a minute." Something feels different on her person, something misplaced. Feeling her pelt, she indeed feels something amiss. "Sokka's boomerang…" her horrified whisper. The same boomerang Sokka managed to find after the war's end, the one he gave to her before he passed. Electric blue eyes spark as they set on the boy in the distance.

"Why that little…" her mind's now locked on the hunt. Her composure gives none the wiser, her walk steadily accelerating to not lose track on the brat who dared to snatch away what is hers.

Sensing her companion's sudden mood change, Naga follows Korra in sync, assessing that her friend's hidden rage is targeting the boy moseying in front of them.

Apparently, the kid seems to have keen senses too because his leisure stroll increases to a speed walk. He looks over his shoulder, and Korra's face is seemingly relaxed and oblivious to the crime he committed against her. But her eyes give a bad omen, and that's enough warning for him. He dashes.

"You sneaky little lemur!" Korra's nowhere far behind and Naga keep in pace.

A challenge unexpected, the boy is very resourceful. Blatantly he's native to the environment, he slips into narrow passages between buildings that Naga had to take the long way around, whereas Korra had a slight struggle staying on his tail. More than once he threw down crate stacks and trash bins to slow his pursuers down – he even shoves a cabbage cart their way, ignoring the vendor's bemoaning "My cabbages!"

"He's a slippery one!" Korra admits in her sprint, Naga faithfully galloping beside her. The boy is now at a relatively safe distance from them when he turns another corner, he disappears from their sight when they make that turn.

But Korra isn't worried. "Naga, you know the drill."

Instantly Naga's nose is to the ground, picking up the little urchin's scent in seconds, and gesturing her head three buildings down left.

Korra scratches her comrade's ear. "Good girl," she bears a roguish grin, "let's give him a false sense of security." Together they saunter near the smallest structure in the neighborhood. It's only one story and the shape of a crooked square, the mud-bricks all uneven. A few feet away, Korra silently signals Naga to halt.

"Spike your senses and take cover in that alley," she says lowly, "in case he slips out he won't see you till it's too late." She approaches the homely construct in stealthy steps, and crouches by the misshapen gap in the wall she guesses to be a window. In her favor, the hem of the curtains are raggedly torn, so it's easy to peek in. She sees an elder woman and three other children; two boys and one girl. Neither boy is the one she's looking for. Lowering from sight, Korra comes up with a game plan and nods in self-approval.

Standing, she stomps to the 'front door' and forces the tarp away as she barges in. "Did a filthy little thief that stinks like a rhino's derriere come here?" She interrogates on the spot.

The three kids just blink baffled at her. The older woman, who had been chopping vegetables in the tiny kitchen area of the left side, clears her throat. "I'm sorry, it's just us."

'She's an experienced liar.' Korra deciphers, before growling and stomping her foot. To them, she's acting out of frustration, but she's using the vibrations she created to locate the thieving urchin. Though muffled by her boots, her seismic sensory found a lone, lanky figure in the left room down the back hall. Inwardly she smirks. 'Gotcha.'

Outwardly she sighs, "I see," she feigns defeat. "Sorry to bother you." She steps out.

When completely cloaked from their view, Korra signals Naga to remain hidden and walks ahead, purposely looking downtrodden when she passes the misshapen window, but under the shadow of her bangs is her pearly whites glimmering a victorious glint.


Meanwhile in the mud shack:

"Sissi, do you think Skoochy stole something from her?" Asks the mocha-skinned girl with wild chocolate hair, her moss-green eyes looking up at her caretaker. Her pudgy fingers tugging the woman's apron.

Sissi, a woman in her mid-forties, gray streaking her silky black tresses, furl her eyebrows, making her navy blue pools narrow. "Matana dear, I would hope not." Setting down her knife, Sissi grabs the near-by cloth to wipe her hands. "I may have to have another talk with that boy."

But not a second after her words, a loud thud resounds, seconds after a wail echoes the walls. "WAAAAAH!" Next comes a screeching, "LET ME GO YOU PSYCHO-OUCH!"

"Uh-oh." Matana murmurs.

"Skoochy!" Hollers another girl, slightly taller than Matana, lighter complexion, tamable black hair, and bright amber eyes.

"Ardea, don't run near there!" Sissi commands the girl, keeping the rest of her charges at bay as she rushes to the back hall. Slamming open the last door, Sissi slumps onto the frame in relief as she takes in the scene before her.

Apparently, the water-tribe girl decided to take the matter into her own hands. She caught Skoochy midair by the collar and pinned him to the wall, her free hand balled into an offensive fist ready to strike. What's more, she's unconcerned that the boy's guardian is now present.

"All I want is my boomerang back. Hand it over." Korra demands, never straying her eyes to the older woman at the doorway.

Now having confirmation that Skoochy had indeed taken something of value, Sissi clears her throat and straightens up into a matriarch stature. "Skoochy, give the girl her boomerang back."

Too scared to put up any resistance, Skoochy shakily pulls the boomerang that is nestled in his inner vest pocket.

Korra wastes no time snatching back her treasure, gleefully making the thieving rat flinch from her force before unceremoniously dropping him. She pushes past Sissi and speed walk to the front door, not batting an eyelash at the other four children staring at her.

"How did she get in?" Mutters a boy appearing a bit older than Skoochy.

Korra's a couple feet from the exit when Sissi calls out to her. "Why don't you stay here for the night, as an apology?"

Inclining over her shoulder, Korra scoffs at the offer. "No offense, but I don't want to wake up every thirty seconds every time one of these butter-fingers come ten feet of me." She does a once over of the room. "And it's ten square feet in here, so no thanks." Said and done, Korra abruptly about-faces to exit with the same righteous fury she had when she first entered.

She jerks open the curtain-door, Naga is in full view and snarls at the sight of Skoochy. The boy shrieks and shields himself behind Ardea.

"We're good, Naga." Korra waves her retrieved boomerang. "Mission accomplished, let's go."

Ten or so seconds after the two unorthodox friends left, Sissi looks down at Skoochy, her hands on her hips and her face admonishing.

Skoochy cringes and prepares for the worse lecture of his life.

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The polar bear dog grumbles at their current situation.

"Forget it. We're not going back to accept that lady's hospitality," The Avatar grouses. "Besides, you won't even fit in that tiny mud-shack."

It's spring in Republic City, Korra is aware by the breeze and the pink transient blossoms. However, she overlooked the consistency of spring rain.

It was sunset when the dynamic duo went back to Harmony Park, water drops on their noses and they simultaneously looked to the sky at the fast coming rainclouds. Naga groaned as Korra muttered, "Just great."

Of course, the rain isn't a bother to them – they were born and (rarely) bred in the water tribe – it's just the weariness of being so green in deep roots of foreign land finally getting to them.

Another grumble.

"I don't care that they had a canopy, it's still not big enough for you. Other than that, they're eating scraps, not enough rations for your bottomless pit so we did them a favor."

They fall silent again, letting the lulling sounds of rain droplets pattering about wash over them, and steadily the two begin to nod off. Naga's eyes close completely, whereas Korra stares aimlessly at the drizzled greenery, and her eyes are fogging as her lids lower till they're completely shut.

It's the sudden whistling that jerks Korra from her half-nap ten seconds later, Naga's left ear perks up at the sound. There is something new in her vision but the film in her eyes distorted it. Groaning at the disturbance, she rubs away lingering drowsiness and looks again.

It's that happy hobo, waving at her… from a hole?

"Am I seeing things?" She blinks repeatedly for confirmation.

The happy hobo notice he got her attention and hollers, "Hey little, missy! Over here!" He's waving with both arms now and more vigorously.

A little befuddled, Korra lightly elbows Naga's side. "Let's go, girl." At her friend's dubious quirk of the head, Korra rolls her eyes. "Just come on, he won't stop unless we see what he wants."

With a wave of her hand, the Avatar bends an invisible umbrella shielding her and her best friends from the rain. Thankfully the trek to the happy hobo is a short one.

"You again," Korra says right off.

His head bobbles. "Yup! Didn't introduce ourselves earlier. Name's Gommu."

She points to herself, "Korra." Then jabs a thumb to her friend. "And this beast is Naga."

"Yoo-hoo, nice to meet you!" The weird man is still waving his arms wildly, "Long time no see missy!"

The two looks at him with a bored expression. "It's still the same day." Korra deadpans.

"How time flies!" He hollers happily oblivious to the friends' less than pleased faces, though his arms finally drop. "I can't help but notice you sitting out here like stranded turtle ducks. It's mighty dry and warm under here."

Korra arches an eyebrow. "Under where?"

Gommu's laugh is almost crazed. "The city beneath the city little lady! Come on under!"

The Avatar crosses her arms. "Yeah… my friend can't fit."

"Oh, my apologies! There's a much bigger entrance at Yue Bay."

Tilting her head to contemplate, she inclines to her companion. "What do you say? I'll meet you there?"

Naga barks and gallops off.

Korra sees her friend off for a moment before turning her attention to the eccentric vagabond, and nods. "Okay Kooky, lead the way."

"Follow…" He allows himself to drop. "Meee~"

Rolling her eyes and letting out a 'tsk', Korra raises her arms in a shrug at the man's antics before jumping in after him. She lands in a calculated crouch and rises to her full height without strain. In front of her, Gommu is safely in the arms of a young woman who is taller than Korra, lighter bronze skin, and her mud-brown hair is short and matted over her eyes.

Gommu smiles up at her. "Thank you, Tally."

Tally silently nods to him then gently puts him down on his feet. She looks up at the opening above them, raises her fists and in blunt motions, the soil encloses in a swirl. Above, there's not a patch of grass out of place.

Gommu points at the only tunnel available. "This way!"

Korra and Tally just follow the oddball of a man, and soon they reach the end of the tunnel.

Korra's colored amazed. "Whoa… this must be an old wartime bunker."

It's a big space, filled with makeshift tents, recycled carts and wagons, and so many fellow vagabonds.

Tally quietly leaves them while Gommu puffs his chest with pride. "Right you are, missy!" Gommu amiably replies while abruptly walking in wider steps and his arms rocking like some exaggerated march, "Built roughly 170 years prior. Earthbenders made these to shelter themselves and their nonbending brethren from the Fire Nation Army. There's even a bunker somewhere that's so intricate that only trustworthy Earth Kingdom natives knew where to find it."

"Yeah," Korra nods, "I've learned about all that while I was training in Ba Sing Se. There were some Earth Kingdom natives who pledged allegiance to the Fire Nation – the more complexed passageways to the bunkers were attempts to keep the traitors out."

Suddenly there's a powerful series of barking, startling everybody from their endeavors. Naga's charging towards her friend and the funny smelling human and in a great leap, she forces the Avatar to the ground.

People are screaming in horror, Gommu blinks like an owl-cat, and Korra just laughs. "Took you long enough!" she pets then gently pushes Naga's wet nose so she could get up and raise her hands as a peacekeeper gesture to the panicky hobos. "She's with me everybody, no need to lose your heads!"

Gommu backs her up with a goofy toothy smile and two thumbs up, and just like that the hobo community is reassured to go on with their business.

Gommu waddles on and beckons Korra and Naga. "Y'all must be hungry, c'mon!"

The dynamic duo looks to each other and shrugs. They went this far and dinner sounds decent.


"You're in luck! It's today's special!"

Unidentifiable goop slaps into the cracked porcelain bowl Korra's holding. Once the slop stops sloshing about she sits down on an old chair as her eyebrow cocks up. Korra dubiously sniffs the gruel before scooping some up in a rusted spoon, and carefully slurps it into her mouth. Pause, her tastebuds lap the soupy substance a few times before she shrugs and swallows. "Not bad," she critiques.

Gommu is standing before her, wearing a worn out apron with a chipped wooden ladle he's using to serve tonight's supper bubbling in the metal barrel in front of him. "Lucky for us the wealthy folks are quite picky with their meals. The trashcans in the uppity neighborhoods are some of the finest!"

Korra doesn't so much as cringe. "Yeah, figured that's where the ingredients came from." She mutters. Beside her, Naga's enthusiastically chowing down in a wide dish.

Overall food is food, and Korra's hungry enough to risk poisoning – she has her dad's stomach after all.

So after a hot, fairly decent meal and listening to good ol' Gommu prattle about his craziest adventures in the city, Korra figures it's time to sleep as she gets up and puts her bowl down on the seat. She stretches with a yawn. "Well, time to hit the hay." She turns to Gommu, her eyes bearing a threatful glint. "And by the way, I'm a very light sleeper in strange places. Try anything and you'll find something twisted in the wrong angle."

Yet Gommu's not afraid, he merrily rocks in his rickety stool. "Worry not! Scavengers and thieves are two separate entities."

A little unnerved that her intimidation was ineffective, Korra nods. "Goodnight, then." She doesn't have to signal Naga to follow her. The two finds an open area where Naga could lie down freely and Korra could get comfortable on her friend's torso.

Warmed by multiple fireplaces and full bellies, the two unusual friends shut down like a light.

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The next day…

Korra and Naga are back on the surface long after sunrise.

"This morning's breakfast wasn't so bad," Korra comments out of the blue, "They had a nice variety of fruit and the fish was well down."

Naga licks her muzzle as if tasting the essence of this morning's meal.

Korra looks to the sky with a hand shielding her eyes. "It's well past noon, guess that means it's safe to go to Air Temple Island." She inclines to Naga, "I don't suppose you could track us there."

The polar bear dog grunts and shakes her head, then paws at her nose.

Korra nods her understanding. "Right, no cleansing rain, and still getting used to the smells here." She pats Naga's head, "No big, we'll just have to do it the old fashion way." The Avatar starts looking around the street they are in, full of storefronts of different themes.

Finally, she spots an elderly woman sitting in front of one shop while talking to a young man. "I'll be right back," Korra says to her friend as she jogs across the street. When near she taps the older woman's shoulder, "Excuse me," the lady looks up at her, "I think I'm lost. How do I get to Yue Bay from here?"

The old lady points further down the lane. "Just go straight from here."

Korra raises an eyebrow. "That was easy," She nods to the old storekeeper, "Thanks."

Just then a fancy red satomobile turns down the same street and heads toward them.

"Nice ride," Korra comments casually.

"Oh dear," The old woman is suddenly terrified, "You best get moving, young lady." She gently nudges the confused Avatar.

"Why? What's going on?"

"It's no longer safe here." The elder woman whispers while getting up. She ushers the young man towards the entrance of her shop.

Korra, however, stays rooted where she stands, now curious of the turn of events.

The satomobile parks in front of the shop on the other side of the road. Korra could see the grille ornamented by a golden plaque of a lion turtle. Three men step out and approach a middle-aged man standing before his phonograph shop, one phonograph he had been cleaning till he noticed the shady threesome giving him slimy sly smiles.

"Mr. Chung," The man in center speaks sarcastically, an undertoning slither in his way of speech. "Please tell me that you have my money, or else I can't guarantee I can protect your fine establishment." He tilts his head to the man at his right, who lights a fire in his left hand with a sadistic grin.

Mr. Chung trembles. "I-I'm sorry, business has been slow. Please, give me more time, o-or," he gestures the phonograph in his hands. "Take one of my phonographs."

Without taking his hands out of his pockets, the shady firebender effortlessly smacks the object out of the vendor's hands with a half-moon spinning fire kick, reducing the phonograph to a burning pile of rubbish. Mr. Chung had to jump back to avoid the flames and fell to the ground.

The slithery man shakes his head sardonically. "My friend here is not a music lover." He rubs his fingertips together, the cultural sign of money. "Give me the money, or else—"

"Or else what, hoodlum?"

So invested in tormenting poor Mr. Chung, the three gangsters failed to notice a young water tribe girl approaching the moment the phonograph crashed to the ground in cinders.

Korra stands confidently behind them, hands on her hips and her face narrowed by a determined scowl.

The criminal trio eyeballs her, looks to each other questioningly for a second, then bursts out in laughter.

"She's quite the dame, Viper!" The firebender refers to the leader of the group.

"Even so." The man with a slither in his voice, Viper, smirks cynically at Korra. "Since you're obviously fresh off the boat, let me explain a couple things."

Mr. Chung stays huddled on the ground. Meanwhile, the old woman and the young man watch from the window across the street.

"You're in Triple Threat territory, so do yourself a favor doll and book it, or else it's a ticket to intensive care."

Korra smirks roguishly. "That's funny, I already got three tickets right here." She smashes her fist into her palm, "Now beg, that's about the only thing you can still do while you're standing." Her fist rubs into her palm, warming up.

Her audacity adopts chagrin faces on the gangsters. "Who do you think you are?" Viper hisses threateningly.

Her fist grows warmer as her defiant grin grows wider. "Why don't you come and find out?"

Eye twitching and his lips twist an enraged sneer, water suddenly bullets from an unseen skin under Viper's trench coat. The sneak attack does nothing as Korra swiftly stops it with one hand and reflects right back, freezing it when impacting Viper's face. His frozen head puts Viper off balance, he unwittingly stumbles toward the battle-ready Avatar. A couple light steps and Korra strikes with a back spinning kick, due to which he slams headfirst against the golden ornament on the Satomobile, effectively denting the durable metal and simultaneously shattering the ice brace.

Viper's posse cringe at the destructive blow knocking out their leader. From where he stands alongside their vehicle, the earthbender of the group snarls and jumps forward, preparing to drop like a boulder. However, he barely touches down when the ground beneath him springs up and catapults him away.

Now standing by the fruit stand of her shop, the old woman and young man are in a frightened embrace with their faces tightly squeezed cheek-to-cheek, their eyes bulging as they follow the flying earthbender.

"What just happened?" The lady shrieks.

"Did she just earthbend?" The young man squeaks.

The soaring earthbender falls into a wire suspended between two buildings before he's catapulted once more into an advertising board. He then plunges into the pentice of a shop, his weight tearing through a tapestry and crashing into a display. He flops on the ground, unconscious.

Swishing his head between his boss and his accomplice both lying in utter defeat, the firebender aggressively surges a large fire stream at his enemy. To his surprise his flames split down the middle, unveiling the cocky visage of Korra. With smaller flames in her palms, Korra lunges and deflects the criminal's larger attack. When in reach she snatches his hands palm-to-palm, forcing a girlish shriek from the man.

Across from the combatants, the old woman is clutching the young man's collar. "Can she firebend, too?" she's borderline hyperventilating.

Something comes to mind and the young man looks awestruck. "Can she be…?" he says breathlessly.

Returning to the fight's conclusion, the firebender is quaking under the Avatar's grip. Then, to his dismaying confusion, her smile unexpectedly turns innocent.

"Shall we dance?" she asks.

He's not given the chance to register her unrelated request when his feet sway from under him and his body's forced to defy gravity. Korra grunts in the effort of the first turn, have a little struggle with the second rotation, and none by the third. Halfway of the fourth spin, she tosses the motion-sick firebender crashing into the window of a radio store, where he groans over his aches and topsy turvy stomach.

All three down and out, Korra straightens up, wipes her hands together and smirks. "Need another hint, chumps?" her arms crisscross over her chest, her haughty grin accenting her arrogant chuckle. "Be so kind to spread the word: the Avatar has come to town!"

Mr. Chung, the old woman, the young man, and the growing audience gasps at the revelation.

"The Avatar?" Mr. Chung stands up with his mouth agape, and soon voices chorus their disbelief.

Korra would've basked in victory a little longer if not for the sound of an engine roaring to life. Turning to her left, the crime syndicate's red Satomobile comes tearing down the street towards her, coercing her to leap aside to avoid being run over.

The wobbly firebender forces himself to stand in time for the car to pull over next to him, and the bruised earthbender leans out the window to shout, "Come on!" and continues to drive.

The firebender jumps out the ruined radio storefront and runs after his getaway ride in a stumbly fashion. Impatient, the earthbender springs the ground from under the firebender's feet, causing him to fly inside the backseat with a yelp.

"No, you don't!" Korra flexes her arms and earthbends a fissure at the vehicle, catapulting it airborne. The car tumbles a few times before crashing into a (thankfully) vacant shop on the other side of the road. Korra arrives at the second window she smashed and as the smoke clears, she sees the gangsters practically whimpering in their banged-up no-longer-fancy Satomobile. Grabbing one of the doors she flips it open, causing Viper and his earthbending accomplice to drop on the ground in a grunting heap.

Pleased, Korra puts her hands on her hips as Naga comes to stand beside her.

Suddenly, an alarm sounds from above. Compelled, Naga starts howling with it as Korra raises her head to where the blare is coming from. It's the arrival of an airship, and from it, a voice commands through the intercom. "Police! Freeze where you are!"

The hatches open, showing three policemen donned in custom-made metallic uniform. In perfect harmony they jump, diving head first. The new – this time legitimate – trio bends metal cables from their gear, anchoring themselves on nearby buildings and securing a safe landing.

Korra looks at them in childlike awe. "Cool! Metalbenders!"

A fourth metalbending cop lands, and with the other three, they retract their cables into their armor. Behind Korra, the three gangsters are dragging themselves from their crumpled Satomobile and the destroyed storefront in a groaning pile.

Her chest puffs proudly as she gestures toward her 'catch'. "Came for these punks, huh?"

The fourth metalbending officer, apparently the captain, points to the injured criminals. "Arrest them!" The other three follows his command accordingly, each taking a gangster and leading them away.

Then the captain points to Korra, "You're under arrest, too!"

Korra's breath hitches in shock, and she takes one step back. "What do you mean I'm arrested?" she points at the apprehended Triple Threats. "You already caught the bad guys, I was just stopping them from causing trouble!"

The captain looks unimpressed by her declaration as he surveys the wreckage done to the street. "From the looks of it, you caused the most trouble."

Taken aback, Korra takes this moment to look at her surrounding for the first time and has the decency to flinch a little. Sheepishly, she looks to Naga. "I did it again, didn't I?" She grimaces at her friend's answering bark. "You had to respond that fast."

Seeing her distracted, the officer takes on a fighting stance and shoots a cable to bind Korra.

However, she gracefully moves out of the way and snatches the cable out of the air, holding it back. "Hold on, don't I have a right to explain myself?"

The captain tries to retract the cable from her unyielding grip. "You can explain yourself all you like, down at headquarters." He manages to withdraw his weapon and charges at the Avatar, bending his cables for a second attempt to apprehend her.

Korra ducks and tumbles backward. Just in time, she's on her feet to evade the cables smashing into the ground where she once was. The captain prepares another strike when he's forced down by a defensive polar bear dog from behind. There are more metalbending cops now, and seeing the suspect resisting arrest, they rush to ambush.

"Time to bail!" Korra mounts onto her saddle and the duo dashes off as the cops drew near and now gives chase.

As Naga slows down to make a left into an alley, a cop launches himself at them. Seeing this coming, Korra raises her leg and plants her foot into his face, knocking him away and coercing one pursuer to stay behind to tend to him.

Another bends out a cable to bind an overhead suspended wire. Once secured he hoists himself and nimbly lands upon an overhanging cable. He slides over it in pursuit and bends two cables at the runners, but misses, smashing up the tiles of the street.

Naga's tongue hangs out of her mouth as she accelerates, Korra hunched over her back. The polar bear dog sharply turns right to avoid more cables, frightening unsuspecting civilians. They reach a bridge over a small stream when a cable snatches at Korra's wolf-tail. The Avatar grunts at the prickling discomfort, angrily bend the water of the stream behind her and turn it into an ice wall in time for the cop to crash into it, indenting his silhouette. He slowly slides off with a squeak.

Over her shoulder, Korra chances a smile at gaining the upper hand. The chase continues as the runaways climb stairs, zigzag streets, disturb drivers and pedestrians alike and avoid targeting cables altogether. The pursuit leads them to leap atop a train riding on high tracks. Naga nearly slides off the roof but regains balance. "Whew!" Korra perches over in relief, then sits upright and peers right. In the distance, Yue Bay, Aang's Memorial Island, and Air Temple Island are in her sight.

A shadow passes over them and an annoyingly familiar alarm resounds. Yet another airship, and more cops readying to jump on the moving train. Korra straightens the reins and Naga runs forward. As the train takes a right turn, Naga jumps off toward a roof of an adjacent building. As soon as paws touch down several cables is shot from above, successfully binding the two friends and lifting them airborne.

Korra glares up at the ship while Naga growls, before the two sighs in sync. Nonchalantly gazing at the city now beneath her, Korra leans forward, resting her arms on Naga's head. "Hmm… think I should cut us loose via ice spear?"

Naga shakes her head.

"Fire dagger?"

Naga snorts.

"I think I got some earth for stone pliers—"

Naga moans tiredly.

Korra bows her head in defeat. "Yeah, we're in enough trouble as it is." Something suddenly comes to mind and her head snaps back up. "In retrospect, we should've used the underground tunnels."

Naga grumbles.

"I know, I know. I wasn't thinking."


The Police Headquarters is one of the buildings that surround the heart of the city, and only a few blocks away from City Hall. It's easy to spot with its bold structure, but it's the iconic statue of Toph Bei Fong, founder and first chief of the police force, that makes it a proactive landmark.

In one of the interrogation rooms, Korra sits with her hands bound by cuffs conjoined on a metal table. She scowls as she had to wait hours on end before the metal walls recede and in steps a woman officer. She looks to be in her late forties or early fifties, her hair faded from its lustrous black, her green eyes stern, and Korra spies two scars slashed diagonally on the woman's left jaw.

The policewoman walks around Korra once, then looks down at her clipboard. "Let's see," she begins, "Multiple counts of destruction of private and city property, not to mention evading arrest…"

The clipboard suddenly slams on the table and the policewoman glares at the Avatar, who returns it in kind. "You're in a whole mess of trouble, young lady."

Unwilling to submit to this woman's methods of persecuting, Korra snaps back. "A bunch of thugs was harassing a helpless storekeeper, I had to—"

"Can it!" the policewoman aggressively demands. "You should have called the police and stayed out of the way."

"And risk the bad guys making a getaway?" She bursts in brief disbelieving laughter. "You honestly expect me to just to ignore my job and just standby and do nothing? See, I'm the Avatar and—"

"Oh, I am well aware of who you are. And your little 'title' might impress some people… but not me."

Korra scoffs. "I don't impress, I enforce, Miss Spinster."

The policewoman may have a tic in her brow.

"Now if I could just speak to the chief of this place."

"You're looking at her."

"Ooh, your own little 'title'." Korra makes mocking quotations with her fingers.

Lady chief exhales through her nose. "I'm Chief Bei Fong."

Like a loud click, Korra's eyes widen at the policewoman—sorry, chief. "Hold the phone! You're a Bei Fong? As in you're related to Toph Bei Fong?"

"She's my mother."

"Whoa!" Korra pauses for a second, "Toph told me that she had two daughters. Lin and Suyin." She doesn't fail to notice the crinkles on the chief's face hardening (actually possible). "I know Su. So you must be the oldest one, Lin Bei Fong!"

"What of it?"

She lets out a befuddled chuckle. "Toph and Aang were really good friends who saved the world together. Why is it that you're treating me like some convict?"

"That's ancient history."

Korra snorts. "Lady, you have no room to talk about something being ancient."

Lin ignores that remark. "You cannot just waltz in here and dole out vigilante justice like you own the place!"

"My predecessor was one of the city's founders," Korra breezily counters. "So technically, I do own this place."

"Not with the mess you're in right now."

Korra purses her lips. "Huh, no wonder I never met you before. Su is really nice, so it's no wonder the other sister would be the exact opposite." There are those harden crinkles again. "I would've been scarred for life and plagued by a thousand nightmares just by looking at you." She grins roguishly and tilts her head to the side. "Speaking of which, how'd you get those scars anyway? Are they really the symbols of a glorious battle, or were you just a novice with the cables back then?"

Korra's aware that she just attacked a tender nerve, as she wanted. If lady chief believed a little interrogation would scare her straight from doing what she's destined to do… well, Korra hopes the chief enjoys disappointment.

And it is just getting fun when an officer bends a peephole in the metal wall. "Chief, Councilman Tenzin is here."

That name staggers Korra's next wisecrack. She jolts upright, peering up at the ceiling while whistling an innocent tune.

Increasingly annoyed, Lin gets on her feet with a sigh. "Send him in." She straightens her posture with her hands authoritatively behind her back.

Just seconds after her command, the metal panels recede in front of them and enters a tall man in his early fifties. He's dressed the traditional Air Society monk, and with tradition, his head is thoroughly shaved, but his beard and thick eyebrows make up for it. The sky blue arrows branding his body symbolizes his mastery in airbending.

Korra stops whistling and waves a bound hand at the airbending master as carefree as possible. "Hey there, Tenzin! I was going to drop by at your place once I was finished here."

Tenzin, son of Avatar Aang, destined airbending sifu of the new Avatar, simply gives Korra a deadpanned look before shifting his gray eyes to lady chief. "Hello, Lin." He formally greets, "You are looking radiant as usual."

"Cut the garbage, Tenzin," Lin aggravates, "Why is the Avatar in Republic City? I thought you've rescheduled from training her."

"My schedule has been delayed." He says, turning a scrutinizing gaze on Korra, who now finds the left corner of the room very interesting. "The Avatar, on the other hand, will be heading back to the South Pole immediately—"

That corner just lost its charm. "No way!" Though still bound, Korra impressively shakes the desk with her fists as she stands up. "I'm not going back, you can't make—"

"Where she will stay put." Tenzin forces.

Korra snorts at his remark. "You think you can make me? Don't underestimate me, Killjoy. Not even with Stone Face and her slowpoke brigade could you ship me back."

"Watch yourself, girl." Lin warns.

But Korra's unaffected. "Watch yourself, chief."

Sensing the rise of tension, Tenzin acts quickly. "We'll discuss this further back at the island, Korra."

She scoffs, "Fine, but it won't change anything."

He turns back to Lin. "If you would be so kind as to drop the charges against Korra, I will take full responsibility for today's regrettable events and cover all the damages."

Pondering his suggestion, Lin glances over her shoulder at Korra, who meets her gaze head-on, and can't help the bitter sense of respect for the girl's moxie. With a relenting sigh, Lin nonchalantly raises her left hand and opens the binds on Korra wrists.

"Fine," the chief aggressively concedes and crosses her arms. "Get her out of my city."

Seeing Korra about to retort, Tenzin speaks, "Always a pleasure, Lin," He turns to his father's reincarnation and requires in a hard tone. "Come along, Korra." He turns his back, waiting for the exit to open.

Korra holds her tongue, knowing better than to push it any further. At least, not verbally. As she passes Lin, they exchanged a discontent eye. Chief Beifong points an index and pinkie finger at her eyes and jabs them at the Avatar, warning that she'll be watching the new vigilante's every move.

Ignoring the metal walls opening and Tenzin walking ahead, for the sake of comeback Korra's malcontent glare keeps Lin on lock. She bends forward and mocks the chief's threatening gesture exaggeratedly, then picks up speed and leaves with an upheld head.

Bewildered by the girl's audacity, Lin is briefly dismayed but soon calms down with an underwhelming grunt.

Korra trudges behind Tenzin, ignoring the platypus bear sitting next to the old lady as they pass through the lobby, and waits leisurely while he checks out at the reception desk.

Outside the building, Oogi rests before headquarters as he waits for Tenzin's return. His ears twitch as one of the doors open and stand when he sees his master. Tenzin nimbly descends the stairs, but when standing before his bison he notices a certain Avatar is no longer behind him. "Korra?" He looks back to headquarters.

Korra remains atop of the stairs with her arms crossed. "I'm not leaving without Naga." She says simply with a casual shrug.

Tenzin sighs at her sudden rebellion. "Korra, I'm afraid your pet's been confiscated."

Her nonchalance melts into a scowl. "My friend is not some item they can take on a whim. Tell them to let Naga go, or else."

"Korra, it's the law." The Air Nomad tries to insist, "Whatever tool used with the crime is confiscated for a dependent period of time—"

"Naga. Is not. A tool!"

Her sudden burst of fury catches Tenzin in a stupor. So taken aback by his pupil-to-be's raw anger, he almost misses her charging back into police headquarters. It is the echoing clangs of Korra tearing a door off its hinges that snaps him back.

"Hey, Lady Chief!" Korra shouts as she slogs inside, "If you know what's good for you, you'll give Naga back! Now!"

Going pale at the dangerous display, Tenzin chases after the raging teen. "K-Korra, wait!"

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Tenzin sighs for the umpteenth time while Korra sulks in the back corner of the saddle. The subsequent rescue mission for Naga's release had been all for naught, and Korra's soul is not happy at the failure to retrieve her only friend.

"I'm getting Naga back." She declares without preamble.

"You'll get her back when Lin sees it fit." Tenzin retorts, still facing forward. "Though after public property damage on Police Headquarters the confiscation would be longer."

The Avatar's growl sounds dangerously like a polar bear dog. "Stop saying confiscation! Naga's being held prisoner and you don't even care."

"It wouldn't have happened if you'd just stayed in the Southern Water Tribe."

"It wouldn't have happened if you'd just accept me as your apprentice! Hiding me away from the world isn't helping me become a better Avatar. I have to find my own path," Korra says to the wind, her fingers bracing the brim of Oogi's saddle. "Katara believes that."

"Leave my mother out of this."

"Please, she's been a part of this before you were born." Her smart mouth left him unable to respond, and because of that, she pushes on. "I've seen a lot of the city the last couple of days, Tenzin. It's borderline unstable and totally out of whack. I understand why you can't leave. Republic City does need you." She looks defiantly at his back. "But it needs me too." She finishes sharply, but she couldn't tell if she struck a cord or not.

Then again, Tenzin's a sealed book with his back turned, which is why she doesn't capture him peripherally looking to his father's sculpture as they pass it, internally asking for the guidance he lost seventeen years ago.


Air Temple Island

Pema has blossomed into womanhood quite beautifully. She sits in the grass as she watches her children play upon their air scooters while tenderly stroking the rounding swell carrying her fourth and last child. Following family tradition, Pema and the children are waiting for Tenzin and Oogi to arrive back home. But he's running late and none of the acolytes have anything to inform her of, so either Tenzin once again lost time in the office or he's come across Korra. Either way, she waits a little longer, plus the kids are enjoying extended free time so no stress no mess.

By twilight aborning, she sees a fluff of white in the distance, specked with yellow-orange atop its head and a faint hint of blue in the brown of the saddle.

"Here they come!" She hollers to the kids.

"Daddy!" A little girl shouts.

"It's about time!" The only boy pouts.

"Is that Korra?" The older girl inquires.

Back to the navy of the skies, Tenzin and Oogi readies to land. Meanwhile, Korra's been staring a large ship on Air Temple's harbor soon after they passed Aang's memorial and three OWL members standing side-by-side on the dock, looking stiff and serious as always. She doesn't need a directive to know that their mission is to retrieve and return… with her.

Oogi's paws thud vibrations as he touches land, and Tenzin nimbly glides himself down to meet his family.

"DADDY!" The three kids chorus while conjuring an air boost into their father's arms.

Tenzin's smiles down at them, "Jinora, Ikki, Meelo… I trust you behaved for your mother."

"Don't we always?" The boy, Meelo, says pompously.

"Says the boy who tried to avoid bathtime in his birthday suit." The oldest Jinora, informs teasingly.

"Conspiracy!" Meelo exclaims.

The younger girl, Ikki, giggles.

"Alrighty you three, let mommy greet daddy." Pema comes and stands before your husband.

The children release their father as Tenzin gazes lovingly at his wife. "How are you feeling?"

"The baby's fine if that's what you meant." She pats her swollen belly.

Korra stands away from the family group, feeling a twinge embittering her heart. Thus she turns her attention back to the ship at the dock, and idly guesses its arrival either last night or sometime during the day. Keiji, Paju, and Inayat are there, standing exactly as she remembered when she first met them, only grayer and wrinklier. She pointedly ignores their severe eyes, because she made up her mind; she's not stepping one foot on the gangplank.

"Korra," Tenzin speaks to her, telling her the familial moment was over.

She turns full-body to the Air Society reborn. "Face it, Tenz, I'm here to stay. So, why don't you do yourself a favor and blow off some steam for the next few days, and until then, your little wind spawns can show me the basics."

"You could've taken advantage of the intermission." Tenzin utilizes his final ditch effort, "You could've taken the time off to be with your family."

He didn't anticipate the overbright in her eyes. "I don't belong." Her heart heavily confesses, "My own family! Whenever I'm with them, I'm out of place… because I'm not an ordinary human. I'm the Avatar, an incomplete Avatar. I need that to end, so I need to be here, Tenzin. Please." She earnestly concludes.

The hard lines on Tenzin's face smooth out like clay. There's absolutely no debate about this, not after hearing that, especially not when it's his own mother's beliefs versus his resolve, and especially not with his wife giving him a resolute stare. Clearly Pema's not indecisive like he is, and clearly, she's taking Korra's side over his—her own husband. He sighs and faces the fact: he just couldn't win. "There's absolutely no way around this, is there?"

"No way… but my way." Is Korra's roguish remark.

Yet another therapeutic sigh, and he knows he's going to spend weeks meditating away just the top layer of stress.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll try to avoid collateral damage next time." Korra playfully rocks on her feet, "Keyword being 'try'."

"So, you're staying with us?" Ikki asks excitedly.

Korra grins victoriously. "Yup, congratulate your old man for finally using common sense."

"YAY!" The air children cheer and Meelo shouts up to their weary dad. "Congratulations old man!"

"Yeah, congrats Tenz!" Suddenly Tenzin and his offsprings are inches above the ground, levitating in Korra's brawny hug. "You're not as narrow in the head as I thought!"

"Uh, thank you?" The airbending master responds half-affronted and half-bemused.

Korra sets them down, and the children begin to sing while dancing around her. "Korra is staying! Korra is staying! Korra is staying!"

Tenzin tiredly rubs his temples in an attempt to nurse an incoming migraine. Peripherally he could see the OWL members' displeasure with his last minute decision. But the worse part, "Lin's not going to like this."

Pema smiles prettily at him and rubs his back. "You'll survive."


Air represents freedom, and freedom Korra will soon experience.

After a prompt layout of what's located where on the island and a wonderful meal courtesy of Air Society's matriarch, Jinora and Ikki happily escorts Korra to the women's dormitory. They first showed her to one of the bathrooms, where she quickly washes up and dresses down to her pajamas as the girls wait by the door. Once she exits the girls each grabs hold of one of her arms and leads her to her new room.

"I hope you like it!" Ikki chirps as she slides the door open.

"It's simple, so you can style it however you like," Jinora informs.

Korra hums as she surveys her umpteenth temporary chambers. There's a bed to her right and a wardrobe far to her left. The window's straight ahead, nice and wide – perfect for swift absconds – and right of the pane is a desk, where she'll write letters to her family every other week. "It's efficient!" She critiques with an approving nod, "Thanks Air Puffs, you can go back to your folks."

Ikki leaps forward and wraps her arms and legs around Korra in a full-body hug. "Okay, goodnight!" She lands lightly on her tiptoes and scampers away with her arms spread and flapping like feathery wings.

Giggling at her sister's quirky exit, Jinora gives Korra a more mellow embrace. "Have a good night, Korra."

Korra smiles down at her and pats her head. "You too." She waits until Jinora turns the corner and out of sight, before entering and sliding the door shut. She takes a deep breath, then jumps onto the bed in a springy plop.

She settles onto her back, hand cupping the back of her head as she stares beyond the ceiling. "You know… I think this is the start of something great." She excitedly sits up and turns her head, "Don't you, Naga?"

No answering bark or big brown eyes looking back at her.

The sudden reminder coldly submerges and drowns Korra's elation. Her smile slowly disappears whilst the sparkle of her eyes dims like dying ember. Sighing tiredly, Korra knocks away the support of her hands to fall listlessly on her ephemeral bedspread, and seconds later she rotates on her left side to face the wall – the gaping space of the room unfilled by a mass of snow-white fur is gradually suffocating.

But despite missing the company of her best friend, her only friend, Korra falls asleep five minutes later; her shoulders shivering under warm blankets, and her face squinting uncomfortably against the softness of the pillow.

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