AMS

GOING TO ZAOFU

Most of the Air Nation, including Quey's parents, were at Zaofu, resting for a small bit. Whenever the Air Nation needed a small break, they would go to Zaofu to rest. It always made Suyin happy to see her daughter and the airbenders. Tenzin told Kya, Bumi, and Pema that he needed them to stay at the Air Temple while he and Quey were away. They weren't too happy with that since they wanted to get to know Quey more, but they understood that they were still needed since Quey wasn't a fully realized Avatar yet, nor is he close to being complete. On Oogie's back, Quey meditated the whole time. Tenzin didn't say a word, knowing what he was trying to do given how his eyebrows scrunched together in deep concentration. Only when they finally made it to Zaofu did Tenzin say something. Quey released his breath and panted, trying to catch his breath again.

"You should probably breathe normally when meditating for Korra," Tenzin advised.

"Yeah I know I should, but it's so hard," whined Quey, wiping his forehead as he then hopped off Oogie.

Suyin approached them, giving Tenzin a warm hug. She then looked down at Quey, and she knelt down to his eye level.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked.

Quey looked at her. She looked a little bit different from the pictures, but there was no denying who she was.

"You're my Grandma, right?" he asked.

Suyin nodded.

"Your mother, father, great Aunt, and even your Great Grandmother is in my city right now. This whole city...I built it myself, and I'm so glad you can finally see it," said Suyin.

She could tell that Quey wasn't used to meeting new people, regardless of whether or not they share blood, so she didn't open her arms to him. She wants him to warm up to her on his own terms.

"He must have gone through something traumatic," she thought to herself.

Suyin looked back down at Quey and noticed how he was wearing Korra's arm band. Of course, when Opal learned her son is the new Avatar, she told Suyin and the others right away. But it still didn't sit well with Quey to wear his predecessor's clothing. He might be a reincarnation, but he is his own person. Not her. She wants him to have his own style. Something that sets him apart from the other Avatars. Once they were inside Zaofu and the domes closed for protection, Suyin decided to ask what was on her mind.

"Have you made a connection to Avatar Korra's spirit yet?" she asked.

"No. I've been trying to, but still no luck. I got the physical side of airbending down, but I seem to be struggling with the spiritual side of it," replied Quey.

"Well, at least you're able to airbend. That's something Korra struggled with a lot. Can you earthbend at all?" she asked.

"No. All I've ever been able to do is airbend," said Quey.

Suyin looked thoughtful.

"Earthbending still is in your blood, so you might pick it up rather quick once we start training you. But before that, you need some family time," said Suyin, smiling.

The word family didn't sit well with Quey. He doesn't know these people, and they're already calling them his family. In his head, his family died back in Ba Sing Se. Suyin and Tenzin stopped once they noticed Quey stopped walking and was looking at the ground.

"Is something the matter, Quey?" she asked, visibly worried.

"My family died back in Ba Sing Se. I don't mean to say this to be mean, but, just because we share blood, it doesn't mean I consider us to be family just yet. Relationships take time to build," said Quey strongly, making eye contact with Suyin.

In a way, her heart broke for him. But on the other hand, he showed small signs of being as sturdy as a rock which was needed for learning earthbending quickly. Suyin's mouth formed in a line and she nodded.

"Of course. I'm sorry if you felt I was pushing family on you. I was just trying to be welcoming," apologized Suyin.

Feeling better, Quey caught up to them as they continued to walk in the yard with the metal plates on the ground and the easy to bend metal on pedestals. Opal, from where she was standing next to Bolin and the other airbenders, looked up and saw her mother, Tenzin, and a small bald boy wearing Korra's arm band and she smiled. She grabbed Bolin's hand and he turned to look at their son, the new Avatar, and he smiled and teared up as well. Quey played with the arm band for a bit as he walked up to the Air Nation, his parents, and his mother and father's side of the family. He noticed Mako was there as well as Asami. Opal came forward first, kneeling down in front of Quey. He didn't want to look into her pleading eyes. He knows she must feel guilty for having to give him up, and he doesn't want to find himself get too close to these people yet. Opal's hand reached up to cup his cheek and he flinched.

"Quey? I'm so glad to finally meet you. I never wanted to give you up, but, without the Avatar around to keep peace and balance, there just wasn't any other option. I hope...you understand and you're not mad at me or your father," Opal softly explained.

Quey sighed and allowed himself to look at her face, though he focused on the tip of her nose.

"I do understand, and, I'm not mad. But, I don't consider us family just because we share blood. My mom and dad were killed in Ba Sing Se. That tormented me for so long. I still don't know what to think about the fact that they were not my real parents. I don't want to be the Avatar either. I just wanted to be a simple airbender who never has to see Ba Sing Se ever again. But I'll do it. I'll train, and I'll get rid of those murderous bloodbenders. Once that's finished, I'm demolishing that home they raised me in," said Quey.

Bolin came forward next, and couldn't help himself but wrap his arms around Quey.

"We're not trying to replace the people who loved and cared for you. But, it's okay to have two mothers, and two fathers. We love you just as much, and how you're choosing to treat us right now is not fair. We have done the best that we could given the circumstances. Quey, we deserve your respect at least," softly said Bolin while he held his son.

Respect? Quey thought about it. Suddenly, he felt ashamed of himself. His mother and father obviously would have kept and raised him if they could have. They sent him to Ba Sing Se, not knowing the future obviously, and now he is telling them these hurtful things. He wrapped his arms back around Bolin and apologized profusely. When they separated, Bolin affectionately rubbed Quey's head.

"I'm so proud of you, though. Not only are you the new Avatar, but you also learned to airbend first! Come meet everyone, Avatar Quey," beamed Bolin.

Quey genuinely smiled as his dad brought him to meet everyone.

"This is your Great Grandmother, Toph Beifong. She invented metalbending," said Bolin, gesturing to Toph.

"So, you're the new twinkle toes. It's funny, since you're built exactly like Aang used to be before all the training I put him through, and since you started airbending first. My my," Toph shook her head, then smirked, "Who would have thought the next Avatar would be a Beifong."

"Yep. That's right. Your real last name is Beifong," smiled Bolin.

Quey thought about the name in his head. Quey Beifong, huh? It has some kind of ring to it he supposed. Quey bowed respectfully at Toph.

"It's nice to meet you."

Toph's smirk sharply disappeared and she furrowed her eyebrows.

"That's not how a Beifong acts! Come on, punch my shoulder as hard as you can. It's how the true Beifongs show affection," firmly said Toph, showing him her shoulder.

Quey, wide eyed, looked around at everybody's faces for a hint that he shouldn't do this. But everyone's faces were all smiles, basically saying give it a go. Sucking in his breath, Quey punched Toph in her shoulder as hard as he could. Toph clicked her tongue and shook her head as she placed her hands behind her back.

"You ain't got much power behind that tap of yours, but it's nothing I can't work with. Yeah that's right. I'm gonna train ya! My girls never picked up metalbending as much as I did. But, Lin is about as good as I am when it comes to basic earthbending. Your muscles will ache, and you will scream at me and question my sanity through the beginning stages. But, by the end of it, you will love the results. Aang sure did," said Toph, smiling. Her faded eyes glimmered pleasantly in the dorm's light. It was beautiful.

"Yes Sifu Toph," Quey bowed before punching her in the arm again, causing Toph to chuckle and give him a noogie.

"Ah! Ah! Stop! Ah!" he yelled.

Everyone else laughed at the sight. Lin knelt down next to Quey.

"She used to do that to me and Su when we were younger. Welcome to the family, kid. And it's great to see you again, Avatar," said Lin.

Quey smiled brightly at her as scenes flashed in his mind of her helping Korra in the probending arena.

"I remember you! You helped me in the probending arena, back when Amon attacked," Quey said excitedly, catching everyone by surprise. His smile faltered. "He got away that time though."

"You remember things from your past life?" Lin asked incredulously.

"I feel like his memories are triggered by emotion," Tenzin said, stroking his beard. "Much like how the Avatar State is triggered by intense emotion."

Mako stepped forward and placed his hands on Quey's shoulders, smirking.

"I'm your Uncle Mako. So not only do you have air and earth in your genes, you also got fire. If you had someone from the water tribe in the family, that would make you the ultimate Avatar in my opinion," said Mako, smirking.

Quey suddenly remembered Mako and Korra kissing and Quey recoiled.

"I kissed you in my past life," shuddered Quey, catching Mako off guard.

"Uh, well that was your past life. When you were a seventeen year old girl, and not my six year old nephew," said Mako, blushing from embarrassment.

"I know it's just, gonna take me a while to get used to you now," cringed Quey.

"Maybe no one should be allowed to date the Avatar," laughed Opal.

"You don't remember the time Korra and I dated?" Bolin asked.

"Dad, that was a hanging out with friends time," Quey said blandly.

Bolin blushed, feeling really embarrassed for thinking it had been a date.

"Oh! Right. Korra did look at me like just a friend after all. It's all good it didn't work out though, because I met your mom and we had you," said Bolin.

Quey met the rest of the family and the airbenders, then Toph stepped forward.

"We got three hours until dinner is ready. You and me Twinkle Toes! I want to start teaching you. Lin, come help me teach. All I can do is speak what to do, you're gonna have to do the demonstrating," shouted Toph.

Mako, Bolin, and Opal wanted to witness the new Avatar being trained in earthbending.

"We're gonna start with move a rock. Lin, make a rock for him please, preferrably a bit smaller than the one you'll hurtle," ordered Toph.

Lin nodded, making them both rocks from the ground.

"Before you try to do this Quey. You need to know something. There is no clever solution, no trickety trick that's gonna move that rock. You have to face it head on! Demonstrate now," said Toph.

Lin demonstrated the traditional way to move the rock.

"What? You guys are teaching him the traditional style of fighting and not the new and improved style?" asked Bolin. "He'll be a sitting duck in fights!"

"You really think the traditional way is inferior to the new style of just throwing punches and kicks?" Toph asked.

Bolin nodded. "Well, yeah. I had to adjust to it to survive on the streets."

Toph shook her head.

"I'm a little old, but, you and me Bolin. Let's go. If you beat me with your style, then we will teach Quey that style. But, when I win, shut yer yap and let the master work her magic," briskly said Toph as she cracked her neck and joints. "I know what you're thinking. Don't hold back! I may be old but I'm not frail."

Nodding, Bolin started sending many small rocks towards Toph's way. She sensed what he was going to do the moment he set in his stance, and made an earth shield like she did back in Earth Rumble Six to save Aang, and sent half of it towards Bolin. He dodged much less gracefully than that guy did, just rolling out of the way and sending more rocks her way which she shielded effortlessly. Deciding it was time to end it, she made the whole ground below them shake, and tripped Bolin over before pinning him in earth so tightly, that he couldn't bend his way out. Bolin hung his head in defeat.

"Here's the reason why Aang won against Ozai. It wasn't because of his precious Avatar State, or his throwing elements at Ozai, because most of Aang's attacks, Ozai just burned right through them. It was my waiting and listening and traditional earthbending that helped Aang immobilize Ozai and take his bending. I know what I'm doing. It's idiots like you that make me lose faith in the new generation of earthbenders, since you all think you're hot stuff because you can throw multiple rocks at once. As you can see, I easily beat you in less than five minutes with the traditional way. Now, shut your yap and let the master work her magic," scolded Toph, letting him out of the earth.

She closed up any holes around the land.

"Why'd you clear all the cracks and holes in the ground, mom?" asked Lin.

"Don't want another hole accident like last time," was all Toph said before crossing her arms.

Lin took the stance again and re demonstrated how to move the rock. Quey nodded, taking the stance. Toph walked over, and poked and prodded at him until his stance was more likeable. He definitely felt more sturdy in this stance. More unmovable. It was weird since he was used to his airbending style. Taking a deep breath, Quey thrust his fist forward, but the rock didn't move. Toph exhaled loudly, picking her ear and flicking away the ear wax.

"Well at least you didn't go flying backwards. But, tell me. Why do you think the rock didn't move?" she asked, crossing her arms again.

Quey truly thought about it. He saw how Lin moved the rock, and at first he felt confident he could do it. But then..

"I think it's because I lost confidence in myself when you fixed my stance. I definitely didn't think about there being another way to move it, just that I stopped believing in myself," explained Quey.

Toph raised her eyebrows.

"I'm surprised you actually knew. I was waiting for you to say you didn't know and that I would have to tell you. Good to know you're not dumb like you're father. Anyway, yes. If you stop being stubborn and unmovable in your mind, then you won't be able to move the stubborn element itself. Just keep in mind that when I do correct you, that you should have more reason to feel confident and not at all like you can't do it anymore. For now, let us work on your horse stance. Get in it," ordered Toph.

He spread his feet wide apart, and put his hands by his sides into fists. Toph examined him over.

"Your feet are a little too wide apart. You want them just a tad past shoulder width, but not nearly doing the splits," said Toph.

Quey brought his feet a little closer together until Toph nodded and stopped him.

"Stay in that stance for a few minutes so you can get the feel of it," she ordered.

Quey did so.

"No meditating."

Then he grumbled a little bit and Toph smirked.

"We're not here to play, we're here to work young Avatar great grandchild," thought Toph before shaking her head in disbelief again.

The minutes passed but Toph didn't say anything. She wanted to see how long he could go in that stance before falling over or collapsing. Once his legs start to shake too much is when she will stop it and tell him to rest. But until then...

"Great grandmother, I think it's been a little over three minutes," said Quey, his voice straining with his screaming muscles.

"No talking. Concentrate or I'll make you start over," warned Toph in a snappy tone.

Quey grumbled. He really would like to just meditate instead of working his muscles this much.

"Suck it up. Every Avatar before you went through the same training," he thought, telling himself before his mind then screamed at him to concentrate.

He really didn't want to start over. Back at Varrick's place, Bobbi and Brady made it and pressed the button for the intercom.

"Hello?" asked Varrick.

"My sister and I are bloodbenders and we would like to receive training. Her and I can somewhat bend without the full moon," said Brady.

A camera shot out of the wall and zoomed in on them, examining them.

"Come on in! If you turn out to be a threat, we got a master bloodbender in here who can psychically bloodbend without the full moon. Not saying he's going to hurt you, just that he will escort you both out," warned Varrick in a cheerful tone.

Bobbi and Brady's eyes widened. That sounded a lot like what their ex leader could do. They walked in, and all eyes fell on them.

"Two girls, huh?" Tarnok noted.

"A-actually, we're wearing disguises. We escaped from Ba Sing Se with our friend, Quey. He's at the Air Temple right now to master airbending. Our names are Brady and Bobbi, and we wish to further our skills in bloodbending and to learn how to heal with it," introduced Brady as he and his sister shed their disguises.

"Kid, are they telling the truth?" asked Varrick.

"It would seem so, since their heart rates are normal. But we should all keep something in mind. Some people are naturally gifted in lying. The history books spoke of Princess Azula, who was able to get whatever she wanted with her quick thinking and lying skills. Even the old Chief of Police, Toph Beifong, once said in an interview that Azula outright lied to her but she couldn't feel a change in her heart or breathing. We will all just have to be cautious, and keep our guard up until we are all sure we can fully trust these two. Until then, welcome. We were just practicing bloodbending without the full moon on these dummies filled with blood," said Tarnok.

"Where'd you get the blood?" asked Bobbi, suddenly thinking he's some criminal.

"From a hospital blood bank. Each dummy is filled with a certain type of blood too. Some types of blood are harder to control than others. On the intercom you said you both can somewhat bend without the full moon? Well then, try bending this dummy. It has type A blood inside, and is just a bit harder to control than type O. Type O is the easiest, A is a little harder, B is harder than A, and AB is the hardest," instructed Tarnok.

Bobbi and Brady nodded, feeling awestruck at the information. Then they remembered how some kids were harder to bloodbend than others back home. Brady gave bending the blood filled dummy a shot first, but it was a struggle. Beads of sweat started forming on his temples.

"Is there a certain way I should be doing this to make it easier to bend?" grunted Brady.

"Unfortunately no. It gets easier the more you practice though. Think of it like going from lifting five pound dumbbells to suddenly lifting ten pound dumbbells. The more you lift, the more lifting the ten pounder will feel as easy as lifting the five pounder," explained Tarnok.

Groaning, Brady and Bobbi took turns every five minutes until Tarnok and Saika decided that they were done for the day. They watched TV while Zhu Li started dinner preperations.

In Ba Sing Se, Noatak was revising his plans for attacking the Fire Nation. He wasn't sure if he killed the Avatar or not by destroying Ba Sing Se, and didn't want to needlessly destroy Omashu unless he was sure the Avatar was not in Ba Sing Se or the Fire Nation. He was going to take over the Fire Nation eventually, but it was all about timing. Omashu is just sort of there for the taking at this point, so he's not in a rush to just go to Omashu at this point.

"Sir, what about Zaofu and its platinum domes?" asked one of the bloodbenders in the meeting.

"Back in the day, I knew Hiroshi Sato. He talked to me about an idea called plasma saws to cut right through platinum. He's in prison right now in Republic City. We shall save Zaofu for true last after we take over Republic City because we can then break him out of prison to help us get into Zaofu. Until then, we need to disguise some of our men as Earth Kingdom civilians to infiltrate Omashu and look around for an Avatar. If the search results in no Avatar, contact me with a walkie talkie like this one, and we will commence in taking over the Fire Nation, wiping out all the firebenders," said Noatak in an even voice.

What he didn't know is that all of the citizens of Omashu had already been evacuated to Zaofu with the help of the Airbenders, and that he had already met the Avatar. As for the Fire Nation, even though Firelord Izumi received a down low of what was to come, she insisted that she and her citizens were going nowhere and were going to stand their ground. Because Mako was still able to bend lightning at Amon even while being bloodbent, she believes they have nothing to truly fear. But because she doesn't know Amon survived to warn the bloodbenders about that detail, she unknowingly signed the Firebenders' death sentences.

"Noatak is there! He's their leader!" Varrick had warned her before she hung up, rubbing her temples due to a migraine his voice caused her.

"I don't know who this Noatak is, though the name sounds faintly familiar. But we will deal with him. He can just try to take this land from us. He won't succeed," she firmly told herself. She had faith in her son, General Iroh and the United Forces.

The United Forces were there in the Fire Nation, staying in their stations, waiting for bloodbenders to invade so they can protect the Fire Nation and its people.

Quey's legs were trembling so bad, his head glistened with the amount of sweat he was producing, and he was starving as well as in pain.

"Okay, Twinkle Toes. You can stop for today. Go meditate or slap wind to feel better," said Toph.

Quey allowed himself to fall onto his butt after she said he can stop, and he breathed in and out to lessen his panting.