a/n: I. Want. To die. This chapter was a nightmare to write. I would give a lengthy author's note about what happens in this chapter, but because I've re-written it so many damn times, I'm not even sure I remember right. Just please enjoy, and I hope you like, yadda yadda yadda. *Falls over and collapses*

Chapter Seven: Ebbing Tides

"Well," Asami wiped her forehead with her wrist and exhaled a heavy sigh, smearing oil over her forehead, "these repairs ought to hold until we reach Ba Sing Sei's docking bay. At least, so long as the propellers are well-oiled for the rest of the journey there. There should be some spare reserves down in hangar-bay three, near entrance two. I regret I couldn't do more to assist, but with little tools brought on the trip, this was the best I could do."

She abseiled down the engines by harness and unstrapped herself, as one of the engineers approached her with an apologetic look in their eyes. "Miss Sato, I appreciate what you did for us lot down here, but 'ya shouldn't be getting all grubby with us grease monkeys. My lot can handle it."

Asami laughed and shook her head. "Bon, I respect your abilities. But know that I'm a worker as much as you are. If I didn't get down here and learn how to maintain a damn engine, what good am I as head of an industrial company? I won't be like my father and leave all the hard work to the people many consider 'below my station. Besides," she grinned, "you're all fun to play cards with. I will be winning my coin back soon, you know."

"You're a rare soul, Miss Sato."

"More rare than you all actually calling me Asami. Please, Miss Sato is a shadow of who I am, Bon. I'm just Asami to you all, okay? That's an order."

"Speaking of shadows, Miss Asami, it seems like you've got one tailing 'ya."

Asami's brow rose in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Bon simply pointed up, a quirked grin playing on his wrinkled lips. Asami's gaze met with her aptly named "shadow", and her eyes widened at the sight before her.

Sitting high up in the rafters, perched on the metallic structure of the airship, was a rather timid-looking airbender. Half of her body was hidden as she tried to conceal herself, though to no avail. "Ikki?" Asami called out to her, her heart clenched in worry, "Ikki, what are you doing all the way up there? Come on, down you come!" She rubbed her temples and sighed. "Why must kids always make you worry so. . . ? Now I know the trials my poor mother faced when I was a child."

Her gaze never left Ikki's form as she sauntered down slowly, her arm holding the steel framework as she lowered herself down with the gentle friction of air underneath her feet. When she was down, Ikki then walked slowly up to Asami, her fingers slightly trembling as she looked away from her worried expression.

Asami lowered herself down to her knees, sighing a little once again. She could tell Ikki was scared that she would get mad at her by the incessant shaking of her knees and fingers.. "Ikki, you know it's dangerous down here. What were you doing up there?"

Ikki shrugged, her lips pursed.

"You won't tell me why?"

The young airbender dug her foot into the ground and swayed her body from side-to-side, and shook her head.

Asami folded her arms and closed her eyes, humming to herself as she thought of an alternative way to handle the situation at hand. "That's a shame. I suppose I'll just have to lock the air vents from now on. If you told me why you were watching us, maybe I could let you watch up-close here. But if you're not going to tell me, then I suppose. . .."

"No, wait!"

Asami smiled. "Yes, Ikki?"

Ikki gulped and turned her head downcast, and Asami saw the flush spring up in her cheeks as she stumbled over her words. "I, uh. . . just promise me you won't laugh at me. Please."

Asami's face softened. "Ikki, I would never laugh at you. I promise."

"Swear on all your inventions?"

"On all my inventions and on my heart."

Bon had since left the two to their moment to work on more repairs to the airship, and Ikki gulped again, her ears ringing as she gulped down another mouthful of air. Asami watched the display with interest, though did not interrupt as Ikki found the courage to speak. "I just wanted to see how you do all of this. All the fixing. It's nice to see things. Being fixed."

Ikki continued. "We didn't get much of this stuff over at the temple, and I don't know. . . it's nice to see something new. Korra always goes on about how cool your engineering and stuff is, and I just wanted to have a look at it. I-I mean," she stuttered as she covered her face with her hand, "i-if you're going to make that arm for me, I should. . . I should know about some of this stuff, right? A-And, well. I-I don't know? It seemed cool." She shrunk back into her shoulders and rubbed the back of her neck.

Asami was taken aback by this, and cocked her head in a sidewards tilt. "You want to learn about engineering?"

Ikki shrugged. "Maybe? I don't know."

"You've never expressed an interest before. I'm not saying you, can't mind you, but why now?"

"I. . ." Her voice betrayed her by trailing off, and Ikki ran her hand through her messy hair. Asami noticed just how long it was getting.

She placed a hand to her shoulder. "Yes?" Asami urged on with a small smile.

"Making things is cool. And you're making something to help me, which is cool. I just want to learn about it more."

Asami moved her hand to stroke her hand as she thought idly. "Well. . .." She snapped her fingers, "wait! There is something I've been working on for you, just for the meanwhile. I could explain the basics of that?"

Ikki's eyes lit up. "R-Really? You would?"

Asami clasped her hand tightly, grinning. "Yes! Anything you want to know, I'll tell you. But it will have to be later on in the week, if that's okay?"

The hope in Ikki's face faded momentarily. "Oh. A-Are you too busy or something?"

Asami's eyes widened. "What? No, not at all. Well, not entirely. We're going to be stopping by a Water Tribal alienage in Ba Sing Sei first, remember? I mentioned it just before you went to bed yesterday. They've got refugees that were in Kuvi-" She stopped when Ikki tensed, ". . . I mean, they've got people that need my help. I need to meet with them to discuss housing, and I'll be helping out with the planning and organizing the construction."

"Oh. I see. What's. . . an alienage?"

"It's," Asami wracked her brain for a chance to try and explain in basic terms, "it's a place within a city where a foreign culture sets up their own. . . community and practice their traditions. Not completely, mind you. There wouldn't be ice-carved houses there, but the clothing, food, and basic customs of the culture can be practiced there with people from that community. Sort of like Air Temple Island in Republic City. But the Water Tribe alienage is in poor shape. It's seen wreckage since. . .." Asami had caught wind of the re-education camps. The purging. Ikki didn't need to know about all that yet. Not whilst she was recovering. "There are many healers there, and they need a clinic to set up for all the wounded. And I'll be providing that, provided they accept my help. The Water tribe needs it more than Raiko needs more weapons, anyhow."

However, Ikki had become lost in thought. "Water tribe. . .." She whispered, before she glanced back up at the steel framework of the airship. Peering at the dancing flames of the torches sealing the metal, welding it into shape. Asami followed the trail of her gaze, and smiled.

"I think it would be good for you to visit."

Ikki's face scrunched up. "Why?"

"Because you are a descendant from the Water Tribes, aren't you? You're not just of Air Nation heritage, Ikki. And the interest you share in making things is something your Uncle Sokka always loved doing. At least, from what I've read."

Ikki mulled it over for a few moments, before nodding. "That sounds. . . like it would be fun. I'd like to go." She then asked, "wait. You've read about my Uncle Sokka?"

Asami felt the heat creep onto her cheeks. "Well." She cleared her throat. "He was a big inspiration for me when I was a little kid. A non-bending scientist who was a friend of the Avatar? And could make things to help people? And was a good fighter? My dad pretty much revered him for his talents. I guess you could say that I picked up on that after a while."

Asami felt Ikki's eyes piece into her, and she began to sweat a little under the girl's gaze. Then, an impish smirk quirked her lips, and she narrowed her eyes. "You're like Bolin when he met Toph! Opal told me he went crazy! You go crazy when someone talks about him too, don't you? Aha, Asami is a fangirl! You're a fangirl!"

Huffing, Asami folded her arms. "I am not like Bolin. And I am not a fangirl. Honestly, where did you even learn that term, young lady?"

Ikki sniggered to herself, covering her mouth as Asami continued to grow more and more flustered. Protests against Ikki's notion were useless as soon as Bon came back up to the two, a keen smirk on his face.

Asami met his eyes. Don't you dare.

"Oh, Miss Ikki, you're along the right lines there."

Add more fuel to the fire and you can pack your bags.

"Why, you should have seen her when she first met the Fire Ferrets! She was prancing around the factory singing at the top of her lungs." He clicked his tongue against his teeth as he laughed. "Not to mention when she was a 'wee little thing, when Mr. Sokka made his speech about the importance of science being taught as well as bending, she was grinning like a Cheshire ferret-cat!"

"Bon."

"Yes, Miss Sato?"

"You're fired."

Bon only laughed as he went about his way, and Asami's face was the one on fire.

"Okay, so apparently spiritual vine powers don't work when I'm trying to find someone I actually do like and doesn't ask me out after saving their life."

Korra's chest heaved, and she leant against the rubble of a now-deserted building. Ba Sing Sei wasn't as hard-hit as Republic City, but when Korra had heard about the purging of the state with people of non-Earth Kingdom origin, she had made it her personal duty to the people to scour the area and help people still held down by the loyalists to Kuvira's regime. If Ba Sing Sei fell to chaos, then the rest of the Earth Kingdom may as well follow. She'd learned that the hard way.

The Avatar folded up her glider and sat down on top the rubble, contemplating ways to explore the city. She'd heard word from Tenzin that Asami was going to be there in a few days, to help out with the local refugee housing until construction for more permanent residence could be underway. Raiko had apparently been pestering her to construct new weapons for the United Forces, but as expected, Asami had refused to aid more of a war effort. She was already contributing defences for them.

Plus. . . Ikki.

Korra sighed softly, glancing at the photograph Asami had given her of Ikki. She was smiling, but her eyes were so dim.

She couldn't deny that Ikki had looked a lot healthier since the move. The stress of trying to live up to everyone's expectations of getting better had been lifted from her burden. Asami was good at not making people feel pressured. Korra knew this was the best place for Ikki to be right then and there.

Even so. . . she worried.

Not only for Asami-after all, her last remaining family member had just passed away, and she was taking on so much damn work that she and Asami had fought over it a few times-but also. . . what would Ikki do when she had to move back? Retreat back into her shell? Korra had almost succumbed to that temptation herself. Trying to pretend that her injury was the only thing holding her back.

It wasn't a pleasant memory. And Ikki was just a kid.

She didn't deserve to go through all this.

"Thinking about how to balance the world, Miss Avatar?"

Korra's contemplation faded as soon as that teasing voice beckoned her to turn around, and she was met with a cheeky grin. Korra chuckled a little and swiveled around. "Hello, Kai. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"Hello yourself, Korra." He retorted, "and 'pleasure' of my company? I should be saying that to you, Miss Avatar!"

With a few more chuckles passed around between them, the two then settled into a brief hug, before Kai pulled back and uncreased an envelope. Korra peered at it, curious, but chose not to comment on it just yet.

"So," Korra began, as Kai took a seat beside her, "I thought Tenzin had all the airbenders helping out with Republic City. What're you doing in Ba Sing Sei?"

"Personal matter." Kai responded, clipping the wings of his suit back into their place, "Jinora wrote a letter to Ikki. I'm delivering it to her. Jinora would have done it herself, but Ikki's not ready to see her yet. Honestly though, Jinora's scared to take it to her. Thinks Ikki will be mad at her."

("Ikki doesn't want to blame Jinora, but. . . Jinora is a trigger for Ikki right now. She keeps remembering that day, how she lost her arm, and she's subconsciously blaming Jinora for it. She doesn't want to, but it's how she feels. I think some distance may be good for them. For a while, anyway."

"I know what you mean, Asami. After I was poisoned. . . I thought I was ruined. I blamed myself, even though everyone told me it wasn't my fault. Then I thought it was other people's fault. In the end. . . I kept scapegoating until I had a reason not to be the Avatar anymore. It's not that Ikki's anger at Jinora. It's just her way of keeping herself together."

"I wish she didn't have to try.")

"Have you spoken to Ikki since?"

Kai nodded. "Once or twice. She didn't look so good the last time I saw her, though. I've heard she's getting better with Asami, but still, I'm worried about her. Poor scamp."

Korra folded her arms. "Scamp?"

Realisation hit Kai, and he chuckled. "Oh, right. Yeah, I call her scamp, she calls me crash. It's a long story that involves pranking Tenzin, Lefty, and a whole lot of Narook's noodles covered in red paint."

"You're going to tell me later though, right?"

"Of course!" He gave her a thumbs up, "you can count on it."

The grins faded after a while, as silence veiled the underlying discomfort. Korra hadn't seen much of Ikki since she had gone to live with Asami, other than brief visits. Apparently she was improving, but she didn't want Ikki to shut everyone out. Not like she did. The thought of the lively Ikki being so withdrawn broke her heart.

"Do you think Ikki will ever be able to get better, Korra?" Kai whispered, glancing to the skies.

"I hope so, Kai. But what she's going through . . . it's not just about her losing her arm. She's battling something in her own head. Something I wish she never had to go through." Korra rubbed her arm, "it's a battle that never really ends. You just learn to cope with it."

"I know how it feels, Korra. I've known for a while."

Korra's head snapped around to look at Kai, and her eyes softened when he greeted her with a sombre smile. "You. . .."

"Orphan, remember?"

Korra paused, before placing a hand on his shoulder. "If you don't mind me asking, how?"

Kai shrugged off her hand, kicking the dirt. "What does it matter? It was a long time ago."

"So was my poisoning," Korra pointed out, putting her hand back on his shoulder. "That doesn't mean it still can't hurt after all these years."

"It never stopped."

"Hm?"

"Hurting. It never stopped. I don't want that to happen to Ikki, or Jinora, or you, or any of you. I don't. . ." Kai rubbed hastily under his eyes, biting his lip so hard it drew blood.

He gasped when Korra put her arms around him and stroked his back. Korra had a guess that every muscle in his body was screaming at him to push her away and call her crazy, that boys weren't supposed to cry and break-down and be hugged and whimper away.

But he got the power of airbending. Was it so strange to cry? Korra didn't think so. (He later told her, albeit with hesitation, that he had been trying to live up to an idea of what a 'man' should be ever since he was little).

Kai hugged Korra back and buried his head in her shoulder. He still seemed to hold back a little, but she wasn't going to push. If she had learned anything from Asami (and she had learned a lot from that wonderful woman), is that it was important not to push people to feel a certain way.

After a few moments of steadying his breathing, Kai pulled away and wiped under his eyes, his dark skin flushed from embarrassment. "Uh," he muttered, "sorry about that."

"Don't ever apologize for that, Kai. There's no need." Korra assured him, ruffling his hair.

He pouted as she did so, but then smiled at her. "Giving orders now? You're not Kyoshi, last time I checked."

"In a way, I am."

Kai shrugged and folded out the letter. "Suppose. Anyway, I'd better be getting this to Ikki. Were you going to visit Asami? If so, then you should probably come along as well."

The Avatar, in all her might and glory, froze at the implication of that sentence. "What makes you think I'm only going to go visit Asami? I was going to see Ikki as well."

Kai looked at her for a few moments, before bursting out in chortles of laughter. He had to hold his stomach as he howled, before managing to calm down. "Y-You're not serious, right? Korra, everyone knows you've got a thing for her!"

"I. . . that's none of your business, you little-!"

"You're not denying it!"

"But I'm not confirming it either!" Korra found her cheeks prickling with heat.

Kai just flexed his shoulders and grinned. "Whatever you say, Miss Sato."

"KAI!"

The alienage was not what Ikki had been expecting at all. She'd imagined a few buildings-tents, perhaps. Maybe with a banner or two with the Water Tribal crest painted in delicate curves. She'd expected people clinging onto a culture that was thousands of miles away from it's homeland. In short, she'd expected a refugee camp, or some sort of shelter-like the ones that opened for non-benders back when Amon attacked the city. (That had been courtesy of her father).

Instead?

It was beautiful.

Everything was constructed by waterbending. Frozen igloos gave refuge to the people of this community. Delicately carved, and since winter veiled Ba Sing Sei, it was the stronghold of the city. They weren't elegant structures like the airship or the ornate palaces in the South or North had been in history books, but Spirits above, they looked so much fun to explore!

And then. . . it dawned on her.

Amidst all the creativity was ruin. Rubble decorated the streets as much as ice. This won't last in the warmer months for very long, she thought, Korra's ice didn't even last long when she fought against Mako in that mock battle last year.

Ikki pulled her shawl more to cover her side. Her entire upper torso was cloaked in the thick woolen clothing, as she followed on in Asami's shadow.

"Ikki," Asami whispered, gently pulling her aside and kneeling down to her level, "I'll be over there talking with some of the people in charge. I'd take you with me, but. . .." She sighed, and ruffled her hair, "if you don't wander off outside the alienage, why don't you go explore? There are a lot of waterbending kids here. Maybe some of them met your Gran-Gran?"

"How long will you be?" She muttered, hiding the bottom half of her face in her shawl. Asami only smiled, leaning forward to kiss her forehead.

"Not long, sweetie. Just have a day of fun, okay?"

And as Asami gave a ruffle to her hair and walked off, Ikki was left with a flushed face.

She. . . that's what my Mom calls me.

For a brief moment, Ikki's stomach churned as the memory of her mother's warmth seeped into her mind. But then she found that she was standing in a stalemate, and she shook her head and forced herself back into the real world. You're not Jinora, she scolded herself, you don't get to go to dreamworld all the time like she does.

Asami had asked that she have fun. So Ikki did that the best way she could: she observed.

It was a steady walk, as she didn't want to slip on any stray blasts of ice. The alienage wasn't terribly big, but there was definitely a growing community. It reminded her of the temple, in a way. Everyone had a set agenda, but they mixed so well with everyone there, it was a wonder they didn't slip seamlessly in and out of other's lives without anyone noticing.

Southwards, there was a small school set up on the outside. She hovered around on the outskirts, hiding behind a crumbling pillar. Ten or eleven children sat with crumpled books and frayed ink quills, as the teacher spoke of a history they would never experience. About how her Grandpa took down the Fire Lord, and the importance of not allowing those events to happen again. Her legs began to grow weak as they moved onto the next subject-kids calling out their own short stories. One girl, the girl with the red hair and pretty smile, spoke of spirits being warriors and humans being magical creatures. Odd story, but it still captured Ikki's interest enough. Or maybe it was just her pretty smile. Either way, she loved it.

After her story was finished, Ikki ventured on, tugging her shawl over her shoulders more. Her breath came out in cold wisps, and she shivered. Winter wasn't one of her favourite seasons.

"Leg up, Nagisa! Honestly. Waterbending is about change. It's about learning to use water not as a weapon, but an extension of your own body. Stop being scared of it, child!"

Ikki's ears perked as she heard that sentence carry on the wind and into her ears. Extension of your body? She slowly approached the wide-open area, hiding behind one of the tents. That lady. . . the Red Lotus lady used waterbending even when she had no arms. Ikki bit her lip, would it have been easier if I was a waterbender?

She peered behind the tent, to see a class of four students, all in a similar standing position. One arm raised, flat palm, right leg forward and crouched and the left leg straight with the heel up. The other arm coated in water, frozen.

She glanced down at her concealed stump. If only. . .

"Now!" The teacher-an older man, maybe a bit younger than her father, with greying black hair pulled back into a ponytail-strode around his young pupils with his hands clasped behind his back. "You all know of Master Katara, how she improved on her Waterbending at the tender age of just fourteen years old, yes?" An echo of 'yes' followed suit, "well, I'm here to tell you-you'll never be her. You'll never come close to being her. Why do you think that is?"

"Because she was a natural at it?" The girl from earlier-Nagisa? Was that her name?-hazarded a guess.

The teacher moved as fast as lightning as he stared her down, and the girl flinched. "Wrong, child!" He bellowed. "The real reason why she was a master at waterbending? It was because she had her own personal connection to water, to the element she wielded. And you must find your own. You cannot copy someone else entirely. You must respect the water as if it were an extension of yourself. It makes up a majority of this world. It is forever changing. If you do not learn to adapt to the water's temperament, then it will be little more than a way to quench your thirst and clean your face."

His words were unlike anything Ikki had heard before. Her father, though she loved him, always said about how the Air Nation must preserve tradition and respect the ancient culture. Sure, he was lax when it came to their role in the world today, as a force for assisting the Avatar in maintaining balance, but in terms of bending. . . ? He had only accepted Asami's glider-suits as a means to assist them whilst Korra was in remission.

But the way he spoke of change resonated with her. She peered in a little closer, unaware of the presence standing behind her.

"Excuse me?"

Ikki flinched and yelped, before falling over. Landing with a 'thump!' on the ground, she stayed still for a few moments, before she felt a pair of arms lift her up. She shied away a little, dust covering her face.

"Are you alright? I didn't mean to scare. . . " Ikki glanced up, before her eyes widened in recognition. "Wait, don't I know you?"

A young girl, around Ikki's age, stood with a puzzled look on her face. Flowers adorned her wavy brown hair, and she wore simple Earth Kingdom garb. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and it clicked as soon as she saw the flower basket.

"Yes! I do know you!" Her face lit up, and Ikki felt heat creep up on the back of her neck. "You were travelling with that boy, Meelo. Aren't you Ikki?"

Shyly, Ikki nodded. "Y-Yeah. Meelo is my brother."

"I thought the two of you looked alike!" She rummaged around in her flower basket, before handing Ikki a white daisy, "here, since you didn't get one last time. Wouldn't be fair not to give you one, would it?"

Ikki's neck began to grow red as she took the flower and tucked it into the collar of her shawl. She was about to say thanks to the girl, when a sudden, "Tuyen! You made it!" interrupted her.

"Oh," her smile faded a little, "hello, Len. How are you?"

"Better now that you're here."

Ikki could almost scoff. She'd heard better pick-up lines from Korra. That was saying something, considering her track-record with romance. She just hoped she was better with it when it came to Asami. She deserved someone nice to love.

Tuyen, on the other hand, had stepped away from the boy-Len, as she had dubbed him, whilst smiling with clenched teeth. "That's. . . sweet of you. Thank-you."

"Who's your friend?" He gestured with a flick of a hand, something Ikki scowled at.

"Her name is Ikki. She's an airbender that was looking for the Avatar not so long ago! She's really cool! She jumped down from a building! She's really good at airbending" Tuyen commented eagerly, the smile now more natural on her lips. Ikki couldn't help but flush at the praise.

Len, however, just folded his arms. "An airbender? What are you doing here?"

"I. . .." Ikki faltered, before clearing her throat, "I came here with Asami."

"Oh. The person giving the housing. I see." Was all he said, before he turned back to Tuyen, "listen, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to get back to my lesson. See you later, Tuyen?"

"Um, maybe?" She chuckled, "I'm only here for a bit. My dad's just here for the usual selling business. I'd love to watch the lesson, though, if that's alright! Ikki was watching it earlier, too."

"She was, was she? Huh." Len glanced back at her, "well, then you'd better tell 'Teach that the two of you are sticking around to watch. He's not often good when it comes to visitors. At least, with the lessons he gives to us. He says it distracts from the 'immersion', or whatever it is he says. He's good, though. Great, even."

"I am flattered by your praise, Len. However, do not make assumptions about me without hearing my opinion on the matter first."

Len fell back in surprise. "Uh, Teach! I-I didn't mean, I-I was just telling them to ask for permission first!"

"I am aware of that. Just as I am aware of the shadow that was lurking over our lesson. You were listening to my words more than you were watching the moves, were you not?"

Ikki's breath caught in her throat, and she began to sweat under his glaring expression. Still, she did not break away from his hold over her, and she nodded (albeit with meek quivers), and opened her mouth. "I. . .." She cleared her throat, "I liked what you were saying. It helped me feel better."

"Oh?" His greyed eyebrow rose, before he smirked. "Well then, Ikki. How about a demonstration? You are an airbender, are you not? The element of pure freedom. It would be good for my students to see an example of that. Not to mention young Tuyen here praised your skills in excessive detail. Something which young Len here has tried and failed to get."

"Teach!" Len protested, before huffing and looking away.

Ikki, however, felt herself become rooted to the ground. "I can't."

"Why ever not?" The teacher asked.

She glanced at her shoulder, then back to him. "I'm not good anymore."

"Ikki? You were really good when I last saw you!" Tuyen put her hand on Ikki's right shoulder, only for the airbender to flinch. "Ikki, what's the matter?"

"I just can't." Her voice grew tired and hoarse. "I'm not good, not anymore. I can still airbend, but I don't use it for fighting."

Len's teacher was quiet for a brief period of time. Ikki swore that the clouds had gathered to block out the sun in the time that there was no talking, until a faint chuckle came from his lips. Len looked positively horrified.

"He never laughs," he whispered to Tuyen.

"Who said anything about fighting, child?" He told Ikki, "I merely meant to demonstrate. If that's all you think your gift was for, then you clearly have little understanding about the lack of limits your bending powers have."

"You're not even an airbender. What do you know?" Ikki retorted with a bitter edge to her voice.

"Hm. How about the fact that I have an appreciation for all cultures enough so that I've studied them for years. I wouldn't be a teacher if I limited myself to one area of study." He stroked the tip of his beard, before folding his arms. Ikki gulped down her fear and looked back up at him. "But you're right. As one not of Air Nation origin, I must have the natural inability to understand the true essence of what it means to be an airbender."

"I-I didn't. . ." Ikki stammered, before biting her lip and looking away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be mean, I'm. . . just not good. Not anymore."

"Teach, maybe you should just drop it." Len said, sotto voce, "she obviously doesn't want to spar with you. Just let it go."

"I suppose you're right, though I didn't say 'spar' with me exactly." He agreed. "But even so, Len, she was the one who was watching the lesson with great intrigue, one I haven't seen for years. Something drew her there. Like a plant to the sun."

Tuyen took one of the flowers from her basket and held it out to Ikki, whom just stayed distant from the rest of them. "Ikki?"

She turned her head a little. "Mm?"

Tuyen smiled at her. "Master Kesuk is a really good waterbender. I think it would be good for you to learn something from him. You can have this flower if you do?" It was a small offering, but it had Ikki's cheeks alight.

"i-I can't. I'm sorry." Ikki's words were said in a hasty mess, before she scampered off away from the group. Her face was warm, and her nasal area began to sting as she ran away from the people that had offered her some sense of normalcy.

If they knew the truth, if they'd seen what I'd not got anymore, they'd pity me! Think I couldn't do it as well as them all! I-I can't. . . I don't want them to look down on me like I can't do anything!

"I thought I would find you out here."

Ikki's head snapped up in alarm, only to see Master Kesuk standing above her, arms behind his back. With that, she calmed a little, and shuffled so that her legs were splayed out in front of her, and she sighed.

After fleeing from the scene, Ikki had taken temporary refuge behind one of the few trees still standing in the district of the alienage. It wasn't grand like the ones back at Air Temple Island, nor teeming with spiritual energy like the ones in Asami's estate. But it was a tree, and it felt like home, so it was safe to her.

The skin of her cheeks had become red from the tears that had fallen, and she sniffed as Kesuk took a seat beside her. "I'm-"

"If you are going to apologize for fleeing when you felt uncomfortable, then put those words to rest. I do not blame you for it, nor should you harbour guilt." Ikki merely looked down, tugging her shawl to cover her more. Kesuk looked at her with a puzzled expression, but didn't comment on it. "I am curious to why you ran off, though. Is it something you wish to explain?"

She hesitated. "Do you. . . promise not to be mean if I say why?"

"It's not in my nature to be spiteful, despite what Len may have told you. He's just a slight exaggerater of events." Kesuk looked up at the tree above them. "Say as you wish, child."

Pausing, her hand went up to the edge of the shawl, before she pulled the material over her head. Kesuk's eyes widened a little as he saw the absence of her right limb. Ikki refused to look at him, her cheeks going red.

"I'm not good anymore."

His shocked expression softened, and the tenor of his voice became quieter. "I take it this was not something you were born with." He paused, then spoke again, "if you don't mind me asking, how. . . ?"

Ikki held her hand up to him. "Please," she pleaded, "I don't want to remember."

He nodded. "Alright, I won't press any more. However, may I tell you a story of my own?"

Her hand slowly went down and rested in her lap, and she peered up at Kesuk's face with uncertainty plaguing her mind. However, in his once-stern expression was now a look of compassion, and Ikki managed a stiff nod. "Sure." She murmured.

"Good to hear it." He said, "now, I won't lie to you child, the story is about me. When I was a lad, I wasn't the kindest of people. In fact, you could call me a bit of a bully."

"A-A bully?" She squeaked, "b-but. . .."

"I don't seem it now?" He laughed a little, "time changes people, child. But yes, I was a bully. I lived in a small farming village close to the Swamp. You know of that place?" Ikki nodded. "There weren't many waterbenders there, but my father moved there from the Southern Water tribe. Wanted to spread the culture, as it were. He met my mother, and they settled down."

"They sound. . . nice."

"Nice?" He exclaimed, "they were utterly pretentious. Well, my mother not so much. My father, however, had the thought roaming around in his head that we were higher-up than the Swamp bender,s simply because where we were born. That they 'tainted' waterbending with their way. His influence, in turn, made me believe so too."

"That's mean." Ikki huffed. "Bending should be something people use to help people. Not so you can bully."

"You're exactly right. My attitude became my comeuppance later on." He told her. Ikki scrunched up her face.

"Com. . . comm. . . what does that word mean?"

"It basically means I got what I deserved in the end. And I'm thankful for it, to be quite truthful with you." He shifted his leg so he could rest his elbow on his knee, and leaned his head against the thick trunk. "One day, a young man came to the village. Unlike myself and many others, he wasn't a bender at all. He was quite the herbalist however, but he was paralysed from the waist down. It was a recent event, too. There were still bandages on his legs."

"Was he alone?"

"Mm-hm." He nodded.

"B-But he was-"

"Paralysed? We all thought he was pretty ridiculous too. Especially myself." He glanced down, closing his eyes. "I'm still not proud of the way I treated him. I called him so many names. Said he had no business pretending to be anything other than someone grasping for the life they once had. That he should go home and let more able-bodied people do the job he was pathetic at."

Ikki felt horrified. "That was horrible!" She stood up, "how could you be so mean? That's. . . it wasn't his fault he was like that! He was still trying!"

"Yes, he was." He didn't glance back up at her. "And I got my lesson taught to me when I said something wrong to those waterbenders in my village. I insulted one of the boy's younger brothers. I was met by people who didn't like me doing that. And I was attacked because of it. Brutally." He opened one eye to regard her. "Do you think I deserved it?"

"Of course you did! You said mean things to lots of people! They were just hurting you the way you hurt them! They had the right to!" Ikki clenched her fist.

"So if someone does something wrong, they should be badly hurt because of it?"

Ikki froze. "N-no, I didn't mean it like that."

"You just said "they had the right to", child. Did you not?"

Ikki ran a shaking hand through her hair. "N-No, I didn't. . . I mean, maybe they shouldn't have all hurt you, but you shouldn't have said all those things! People's words can hurt just as much as cuts and bruises!"

"Ikki." He put a hand on her shoulder, "do not exert yourself. Calm down. You are an airbender, so breathe."

And breathing is what she did. Deep inhales, elongated exhales, and after the count of twenty, her body felt back to normal. (For the most part, anyway). Her shoulder still shook minutely, but she gazed at him with her grey eyes, and sighed.

"M-Maybe they shouldn't have hurt you so much. That was wrong. It didn't make it any better." She concluded, sitting back down next to him and running a hand through her hair. "But it's really hard to not think you deserved it when you can see why they did it. It makes sense why they hurt you. It's not a nice thing, what they did, but it. . .."

"Perhaps I did deserve it. Do you want to know what happened to me next?" He offered Ikki the chance to hear the rest of his tale. Perhaps it was to make her feel better? Or teach her?

She managed a small nod. That seemed good enough for him. "He found me. The man I told you about? Well, he was more of a teenager than anything. Only a little bit older than me. But he ended up finding me."

"Did he laugh at you?"

"I wouldn't have blamed him if he did, right then." A small smile quirked his lips. "But he didn't. He scolded me for lying in the middle of the path, saying it would obstruct people's way. That I should have called out for help after they had gone. He then left me there."

Ikki was silent.

"Then, he came back. With my father. He carried me into his small clinic. And he healed me the best he could whilst giving me the longest lecture about being mindful of my words. It lasted for the rest of the day."

She couldn't help but giggle. "See? That's what you needed. Someone to tell you off and tell you what you did was wrong! Were you friends with him after that?"

Kusek couldn't help but smile. "Well. . . sort of. He hit me over the head with a stick as soon as I was well again. Told me if I ever insulted someone just because of where they were from, he would personally follow me around nagging me for the rest of his days, and even in the afterlife. He wasn't the most tactful with threats. But rest assured, I learned my lesson. He saved my life even when I insulted him. Even though he couldn't walk himself, he did everything he could to save a life, and he succeeded. He never let his disability define him. And after a good knock to the head, we all began to see that he wasn't just a pair of non-working legs. He was a person, same as us. Just a little bit different. We should have seen it from the start."

Kusek turned back to Ikki once again. "He's someone I think you should take a lesson from."

He never let his disability define him.

Is that what she had been doing? Allowing the fact that she had ended up losing her arm be an excuse to become who she was entirely? Ikki bit her lip. The wind began to pick up as she looked up to the leaves falling from the vines. The sunlight pierced through the cloudy walls and flooded the city with light, compelling Ikki to stand up.

Kusek didn't move as she took a step forward. Both of them just watched the sun.

"I lost my arm because I saved my sister." She was surprised at the sound of her own voice.

She couldn't see Kusek's face, but she didn't need to. All he did was hum.

"I-It was. . . w-when Kuvira attacked Republic. . ."

"You can do it, Ikki. Accept what happened to you. You can't keep pretending it didn't happen. You can tell your story, just as I told mine."

"R-Republic City. H-Her big robot shot out this. . . light beam, and it almost hit my sister. My Dad saved her, b-but they were knocked out. M-Meelo, my brother, went to help my Dad, and I went to help Jinora. I-I wanted to land on a rooftop when I c-caught her, but I made a mi. . . mistake."

(Screams. She screams as she tumbles down toward the ground.)

Ikki clenched her heart. It was going in a frenzy, her mind was rushing, her face felt so hot. . .

"I-I ca. . ."

"Yes you can, child."

Gripping onto the tree, she managed to find her footing. Her hand never let go of the trunk, but she closed her eyes, and her body went straight.

"I-I ended up. . . landing on. . . we fell. There were people chasing after us. My wingsuit was torn, so I couldn't fly, and she was so heavy. But there was something that made it easier. Made her lighter."

"That would be adrenaline, child."

"K-Korra's mentioned that before. A-anyway," she had to take a moment to steady her breathing. You can do this, Ikki. You can do this, me. I can do this. "She sort of. . . slipped? Out of being awake and being all tired. Th-then we were found."

("Surrender now, or we'll be forced to attack!"

"Please! She needs help! Just leave us alone, please!"

"I'm sorry, but we're ordered to detain any airbenders. Put your hands up and we won't harm you. Any sudden movements, and we'll be forced to detain you with force."

"We're only kids! Leave my sister alone!")

"Th-they wouldn't leave us alone. S-So I just. . . blasted them with my airbending and just ran as fast as I could with Jinora. My feet hurt so much, I was so tired. . . I-I couldn't leave her alone. She kept saying to leave her, to get away, but I couldn't! She was my sister!"

Her brief moment of anger ended with her fist going back into a flat palm, and her shoulders slouched.

"Then they shot a fire thing out at us. It hurt me on my shoulder. That's not how I lost it, though. The fire hit a loose building. It was all crumbly." Tears began to claw their way out of her eyes, ripping open an entrance and burning into her cheeks.

"She was beginning to get better. Wake up, I mean." Ikki began to quiver violently, as sweat beads appeared on her forehead. Why were the words so hard to say? She wasn't Rohan, she knew how to talk! Why did it make her head hurt so much? She didn't like it! "b-but the buildings began to fall. They were safe in their mecha suits, b-but Jinora. . . i-it. . ."

("JINORA!")

"I-it. . .."

("Ikki? IKKI, NO!")

"I-I can't. . .."

"Your words are little more than the air around you. Ikki, you are able to bend that wonderful element to your will. Be one with it, and let it feel your pain. Then, it will soothe you in return."

The breeze began to pick up. Slowly, she saw more than just the leaves fall from the vines of the tall tree. Knotted stems untangled and flew on the wind, small petals of the last remaining autumn flowers trailed off into the sun in search of warmth.

I can do this. Like he said, I am an airbender. My words are my air. And I will not let them swallow me whole.

"She was. . . stood still. She couldn't move. I could have used airbending to get her out the way of danger, but I. . . didn't think to. My mind went all fuzzy. So I-I. . . pushed her out the way. I ended up landing on my back and this big piece of Earth fell on me. I-It crushed my arm. Ruined it. I woke up later in a hospital bed. Daddy was there, so was Korra. Everyone just looked at me. I noticed what was wrong and I. . . screamed. They put me to sleep with this funny smelling stuff." She sighed. "That's all there is."

For a moment, there was little more than nature's strange magic at work with the world. Then, Ikki felt a warm hand on her right shoulder. Kusek was standing there, smiling at her, and she couldn't help but grin back. Her hair was messy from the wind, her cheeks blotchy from all the crying, but. . . her head wasn't heavy anymore.

"Do you feel lighter, now, airbender?"

Ikki smiled even wider. "I'm not just an airbender, you know."

He laughed warmly. "I'm aware of that."

The sun had began to set a little. "Mr. Kusek, how did that story of yours end? The one with the man who scolded you?" Her smile faded a little, "did you remain friends?"

It may have been the light, but Ikki could have sworn to any of her loved ones that Kusek blushed a little. "Remember how I said he'd follow me around for the rest of his days? Turns out that promise turned into vows."

"You married him?!" Ikki blurted out, before giggling. "That's so awesome!"

Kusek chuckled. "Well, I'm glad you're so open-minded to it, young one." When Ikki's look became puzzled at that statement, he shook his head and ruffled her hair. "Never you mind. But yes, I did. And it was the best decision I'd ever made in my life."

". . .Mr. Kusek?"

"Yes?"

"Can you teach me some waterbending moves now, please?"

Kusek smiled.

"Of course I can."

"Miss Sato? A visitor has come here and has requested to see you immediately."

Looking up from her papers, Asami gave a hefty sigh. "Can they not wait until tomorrow? Or in a few hours, perhaps? I've got a few documents to sort out here for the refugee housing, and then I need go and find Ikki. It's getting late and I don't want her out here all night. Could you please inform them I will have an audience with them tomorrow?"

Rin shook her head and smiled a little. "I don't think they wished to be kept waiting for too long, Miss Sato. I would implore you to go and see them now. They've travelled a long way and are eager to speak with you at this moment."

Asami pushed up the rim of her glasses with her fingertip, and placed the papers down on her makeshift desk. "Oh, alright. What is it that could be so important that. . .what. . .." She went utterly stative in shock as she was greeted with a familiar sidewards grin. "Korra?"

"Hello, 'sami. You sure you want to go back to work now? I just got here."

The cheek of her!

She was mid-way closing the door in Korra's face, when hasty apologies were frantic from the Avatar's mouth. Asami merely chuckled, opening the door again and wrapping her arms tightly around Korra's waist until she was flush against her. She could feel Korra's beating heart, rhythmic in existence, and all the stress of earlier melted into that embrace.

Korra was slow to return the affection, but dropped her glider down with a clattering noise, and held her just as close, just as tight, with her fingers tangled in Asami's dark hair. Murmurs of "I missed you" were privately ushered out, just for them, and Asami found herself not wanting to let go of this wonderful woman. Letting go meant parting away from Korra again, something that. . . terrified her to her very core.

But she did. It was hesitant, as if prising two magnets away from one another, but it happened. She then noticed just how red Korra was, and it made her heart skip a beat.

"S-So, Asami. . ." She rubbed the back of her neck, in typical Korra fashion, "uh, how've you been? Good? Bad? In the middle?"

"Good, actually." Asami leaned against the wall.

"Only good?"

"Better than before, anyway. It's been a trying few months, but I'm getting there. Honestly, Korra, I'm alright." She turned to smile at her, only to raise a brow as Korra continued to stare at her face. "What's the matter?"

"Oh! Uh, nothing." She chuckled awkwardly. "It's, uh. You're wearing glasses?"

"Hm?" Asami went cross-eyed as she looked downward. "Oh, right. I wear them to read, most of the time. Small documents and such. Why, do they look odd on me or something?" She twirled her hair around her fingers, looking down.

"What?" Korra gasped, "no! Not at all. They look good. The glasses. Well, the glasses are nice, but they look good on you. You make them look good. They're. . . good glasses. Good."

Why must she be so cute.

Asami simply poked Korra on the nose and laughed. "Thank-you for such an eloquent compliment, Avatar Korra."

"Uh, sure." She muttered, and then infamously, a pout came to her face. "You're welcome, I guess." Korra then cleared her throat, and glanced around.

Asami cocked her head to the side. "Something wrong?"

Korra shook her head. "No, I was just-"

"Are you two done flirting?"

Asami flinched. "Kai?"

He grinned cockily. "The one and only. Now, if you two ladies are done flirting, I need to find Ikki. Jinora sent a letter for her."

Asami's brow quirked upward. "And you flew here to personally deliver it? How sweet, Kai."

Kai merely smirked. "Unlike some people," he looked at Korra, "I don't dance around my feelings. Now, seriously, where is she?"

"Last I checked, she was looking around the training field for the waterbenders. At least that's what Rin told me. She wouldn't have wandered off too far." Asami rushed back into her office briefly, before carrying out a white envelope. "Need to give this to Ikki, too."

"What's that?" Kai asked, trying to peek at the envelope.

Asami chuckled. "Just something that may help Ikki out in the meantime whilst I'm designing her mechanical prosthetic. Hopefully it'll work, but. . . I may still need to run some tests and such. When I actually build it, that is. There's no guarantee that it'll work perfectly, but still, I want it too. . .."

Korra smiled at her, and placed a hand to her shoulder. "Whatever it is you've got there, Asami, I know it'll be great. You're good at that. Making things great again. Don't ever doubt that, alright? It'll be great. And even if it's not, Ikki will still love it."

Asami blushed and looked down. "A-Anyway, we should be going to find Ikki." Clearing her throat, she internally cursed herself for not wearing any concealer, "c-come on, we're wasting time!"

"Of course we are."

"Will the you two hurry up and just kiss already?"

"Kai."

"Yes, Korra?"

"You're making Raava very angry. She doesn't like being angry, you know. If I were you, it'd be better if you started running right now. If you want a chance to survive, that is."

"Ack-alright, alright! I'm sorry! I won't tease you again!"

"Raava forgives you."

"Ass."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Good."

Asami was surprised to see a large crowd had formed in place of the desolate training grounds she had witnessed upon arrival. Korra and Kai followed her in suit, questioning expressions mirroring each other. Korra went closer to Asami.

"It wasn't like this earlier, right?" She asked. Asami shook her head.

"No. They were all busy doing their shopping or rebuilding a few of the crumbling buildings. There was some small attention to this area, but nothing that warranted this kind of crowd. Half of the alienage alone must be here!" Her merriment couldn't be contained, "c'mon, let's go see what this is about!"

With that, she grasped Korra's hand and pulled her into the crowds, beaming with a childish glee she hadn't felt for eons.

And then, they both stopped dead in their tracks.

"Again!"

With a flexed hand, Ikki counteracted a young girl's water whip with a blast of air. It caused the two of them to stagger back slightly, but the grins never left their faces.

"Wrong again, Ikki!" Kusek bellowed. "You must keep focused! Do not slip back into your old habits. You wished for me to teach you how to incorporate waterbending technique within your airbending? Then see the air as fluid. As something you shape. Not something that is everywhere, something that can be blasted. Air is fluid, air is something that is hot or cold. Like the water you drink, it flows. Let that power flow."

"I'm trying!" She pouted. Asami could only stare in bewilderment. "It's hard!"

"Hard, yes. But possible."

"Is. . . is this actually happening?" Korra's mouth gaped wide. "Asami, this is real, right? Ikki's. . . she's learning. She looks so much happier and healthier. This is real, isn't it? She's. . . she looks so much better, Asami. It's real. It's real, isn't it?"

Asami said little other than a small murmur. A few tears began to slip from her eyes and drop off of her chin as she saw Ikki; happy, learning, trying.

She didn't shut herself away. And she's smiling so brightly. Oh, Sato, look how attached you've gotten to her already. What's it going be like when she leaves, hm? The tears didn't stop falling, cascading down her cheeks until they formed a river all of their own. Well, I suppose I'll just wait for that day to come. Whatever happens now, for the moment, she's so happy.

Warm fingers brushed tenderly against her cheek, and Asami gasped as Korra cupped her face. A small smile spread across Korra's lips, and she felt her heart race at the sight and proximity. Strangely enough, there were no nerves. At least, no negative ones.

"You helped her, Asami." Korra whispered to her as she wiped away the tears that still fell down her face. "You helped her come this far. Thank-you for all that you've done."

Her throat closed over. "I-"

"Korra?"

Said woman's hand went away from Asami's face as Ikki rushed over to her, and hugged Korra tightly. Korra responded in kind, embracing the girl and kneeling down so that she could bury her head in her shoulder. Asami smiled as she wiped her eyes. Korra had a knack for great hugs.

"Hey there, Ikki."

"Wh-what are you doing here? I thought you were doing important stuff in Republic City?" Ikki pulled away, still smiling. "D-Did you come here to see Asami?"

Kai couldn't help but snicker at Ikki's guess. Korra simply glared (much to Asami's amusement). "Not just Asami, I came here to see how you were. That was some good airbending up there!"

Ikki's face brightened. "Y-You think so?"

"I know so." Korra was met with another eager smile, before Ikki turned her attention to Kai.

"Crash!"

"Hello, scamp." Ikki giggled and went up to him where Kai wrapped his arms around her body almost immediately. Ikki leaned into the hug first of all, before she ended up squealing when Kai tickled her sides.

He let up soon enough, however, and Ikki tilted her head. "Why are you here? I thought you were with Dad?"

Kai scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, he doesn't actually know I'm gone."

Ikki's eyes widened. "Then why-?"

"Jinora asked me to give you something. Well, more like I offered."

Ikki's smile fell. "Sh-she did?" Kai nodded, holding out the brown sheet of paper. With a trembling hand, Ikki took it and began to read it's contents.

Asami threw Korra a sidewards glance, but stayed silent as Ikki absorbed whatever words Jinora had poured out onto that piece of paper. Each word, however, only increased the light that Ikki's eyes had, and the smile that began to form in place of that uncertain frown. As soon as she was done, she looked like she had been blessed with the light of Raava herself.

"She. . . she misses me."

And with that, Ikki began to weep. Chanting over and over that "Jinora misses her", so much so that it made Asami instantly run up to her and hug her tightly.

"She misses me, Asami. She's not mad at me."

"I know." She cradled her close.

"She had Kai come all the way here to make sure I read it."

"I know. I know, sweetie, I'm so happy for you."

And she was. Though she had come to dread the day that Ikki would end up returning to live back with her parents, she was honestly elated with how far Ikki was coming. From the scared girl who huddled up in her room, to now learning how to incorporate waterbending moves into her own style. She didn't even need prompting for that. Asami Sato was many things, but at this moment, the only word that defined her was proud.

"What's that?" Ikki asked, and Asami realised she'd crumpled up the envelope in their embrace.

"Oh. I forgot I had this. Remember when you asked about learning about engineering? I've got something here you might look to see."

Ikki traded Jinora's letter for the envelope and pulled out a sheet of blueprints. "Wh-what's this?"

"You mentioned that your air gliding suit was torn and you couldn't use it very well anymore. But since I need time before the prosthetic is done and able to be made, I thought maybe this would be a good alternative in the meantime?"

It wasn't fancy. All Asami had done was use the traditional design of the glider staffs and made it so that it fit into a backpack of some kind, but Ikki was looking at it as if she were blessed by the spirits themselves. Asami began to flush a little.

"You did this. . . for me?"

"I'd do anything to keep you happy, Ikki." Asami confessed, and Ikki began to cry again. "Oh, no, sweetie, don't cry. It's okay. . .."

"B-But! You do all this nice stuff for me, and you're always so sleepy! You're not letting yourself be happy! I know you said we could make this together, but I want you to be happy, too!"

A slight string of laughter came out from Asami's lips, as she ruffled Ikki's hair. "Sweetie, believe me, I am happy. Happier than I've been in a while. I just need you to keep trying."

Ikki stared at her. "Promise?" She held out her pink.

Asami simply smiled. "Promise."

a/n: I am done. This chapter was a fucking nightmare to write. I've probably got around 09234802938409234092840389240 mistakes but I honestly don't care. Let me sleep. Also, please review. That'd make a girl happy. LET ME KNOW ALL THIS RE-WRITING WAS WORTH IT. PLEAAAASE ;A: