A Legend of Korra Fanfic
By Sakura Martinez (aka SMTsukishiro)

Author's Notes:

So, I'm back with another chapter, though I didn't bother rechecking this one or editing it after my beta combed through this. I'm going to trust him that there are no grammatical errors here as my head is still throbbing and I am still sick with the flu.

Anyways, for people wondering about that particular character, you can think of this as the "pre-appearace" chapter. :D

I do hope you all enjoy. :)

Summary:

A promising engineering student. A mysterious woman capable of controlling the four elements. When their paths cross, the resulting collision not only changes their lives and themselves, but the fate of the entire world as well. [Korrasami AU]

The Legend of Korra:

The Schism

Chapter 37: In the Village of Waterfalls

Relief was evident in the Avatar's face when she was reunited with both Asami and Opal.

When Kai had clambered up to the top of the airship's balloons-where she had taken respite—she had been troubled to hear that danger had once again crept up on them. She had even gone so far as to chastise herself for resting and keeping her guard down. To see that they were safe from harm and to note that they had taken care of themselves well against the dozens of unconscious, uniformed men and women that lay scattered on the airship's floor made it feel as though a thorn had been taken from her side.

"Asami, Opal," Korra had dotted over them as soon as she could, "are you both alright? Are either of you hurt?"

"We're fine, Korra," Opal had smiled at her in reply.

Asami, on the other hand, huffed and crossed her arms. She was irate, Korra knew, but failed to note the reason why even as she muttered, "You didn't have to knock him out like that, Korra…He wasn't going to hurt us."

Avatar Korra frowned, though the look was directed to the man she had just knocked unconscious. "I did not wish to take any chances. Besides, even when my eyesight is not as good as it was, I noticed he had his sword drawn," she nodded at the weapon that had clattered to the ground where the man had stood prior.

"He was just being careful, just as we were."

Again Asami seemed to be taking a different side from that of Korra's, and it confused the Avatar to no end. The crease on the Avatar's forehead deepened.

At the Prodigy's rebuttal, however, Opal found she could not contain the snorting sound that escaped her nor the roll of the eyes that accompanied it.

"There is being careful," Opal had said. "And then there's being stupid. And from what we just did, I'd say we're leaning more on the latter. Seriously, Asami, what are we supposed to do now? There are a bunch of coastguards outside, waiting for the report from these guys still. If they don't hear from them, they will surely board this ship once more. Not to depreciate what you can do, Korra, but even with you around, I doubt we'll be able to beat them all."

"Coastguards?" Korra asked, and then recalled that that was what Kai had called the people who had come to cause trouble for them. "Ah, yes. There is no need to worry about the other humans on board those vessels outside."

Both Asami and Opal turned towards the Avatar. The former had a perturbed look on her face, whilst the latter had one of confusion and curiosity.

"Korra, what did you do?" Asami was the one who asked, each word uttered carefully as though she was torn between wanting to know the answer to her question and dreading it.

"Me? I haven't done anything," Korra sounded affronted at Asami's insinuation, and Asami actually thought that she had—perhaps—made a mistake. That was until she caught mischief in the shorter girl's eyes. The Heiress found herself groaning even before the Avatar had added, "Kai did."

There were a dozen other things Kai had wished he was doing at that moment. For one, he wished he was still in his bed, sleeping. It didn't matter to him if some deity or another granted that wish and whisked him away to either the bed in his cabin in the airship or his cot at Nia Bayou. Either would be fine so long as he could go back to sleep.

He, likewise, wished that he was still living that life he had once thought was boring—despite the honor that it brought to his and his family name. That life that seemed so far-away, like it was not his to begin with, never had troubles and dangers arising at every opportunity, so very much unlike the one he was living now, despite serving the same person as he always had.

Then again, Avatar Korra had changed…in so many ways. There were subtle changes—ones that Kai felt those who only truly knew the Avatar, who had seen her grow up, would notice. And he had noticed. There were also drastic changes—as drastic as the Avatar losing the Four Elemental Spirits. And some of these were ones which had the Avatar's Steward bothered.

Of course, there were welcome changes. One being the Avatar actually caring about others. Humans, especially.

It was that newfound (and, if Kai was to be honest, surprising) change that was the reason why the messy-haired youth found himself outside of the airship, swimming his way through the darkness and to the clustered ships of the Fire Nation coastguards.

The water was cold, lapping on his torso. Still, he forced his mind not to think about the water's temperature as he ensured that the items on his pack—a pack that he was carrying unconventionally, balancing it atop his head to keep it dry—safe and secure. It would do him—and his companions—no good if he got them soaked, after all. It would defeat the whole purpose of his late night swim.

With every ship's hull that he managed to get close enough to, and with each of the items on his pack unloaded unto the sides of each ships' hulls, Kai slowly felt relieved and…shall he dare say it? Excited. Glad was he to be able to make use of his "toys".

To be absolutely truthful, however, Kai had hoped—fervently so—that he wouldn't actually find the need to make use of those items. He had hoped to save them for something else. At the same time, however, he was glad that they were not entirely in an even direr situation that would force him to decide to make use of such dangerous items. As fun as it would be to see just how well these things he, himself, had concocted were and could be, he would rather use them in the way the Avatar had, at that moment, wished for them to be used.

Let's hope this works, though. Kai, for all his confidence over his creations, still had uncertainties. The pressure for things to go according to what Avatar Korra had envisioned was not helping his nerves either as he put in the final item in place on the final ship's hull. I do not wish to disappoint Lady Korra.

With the same kind of stealth and skill that had quickly gotten him close to the coast guard ships, the Avatar's Steward returned to the airship.

The first phase of their plan was done, it was now time for the next one.

"Korra…" Asami had a very bad feeling about whatever it was Korra and Kai had planned. She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes in exasperation. "Where is Kai? What did you have him do?"

"You'll see," the Cheshire grin that was on Korra's face did not assuage what Asami felt at that moment. If anything, it only served to fuel her distress. The Avatar then cocked her head to the side in thought as she eyed the unconscious forms of the humans Asami, Opal, and Naga had dealt with and muttered in a low breath, "Now, how should I take care of these intruders?"

Asami and Opal were certain that Korra hadn't wanted that question to be heard aloud. And when they looked at her with expressions that could only be described as appalled, the Avatar was quick to try and appease them.

"Be at ease," she told them. "I do not intend to harm these humans any further than what you two and Naga already did. Spirits know neither of you will let me hear the end of it."

The chocolate-skinned girl then summoned Naga to her side. Kneeling close to the Polar Bear Dog, she whispered something to her ear that sent Naga running as fast as she could the way Korra had come and out of sight.

Korra then sighed and shook her head as she set about airbending all of the inert guards into the middle of the hall, gently huddling them close enough that their shoulders touched as they were lowered into a sitting position.

Whatever thoughts had caused the Avatar to expel her breath as so, neither Asami nor Opal knew. Though slowly, it dawned on them what it was Korra intended to do with the men and women who had boarded their vessel, especially when the Avatar's canine companion returned with a thick and lengthy—yet rolled up—piece of rope. The Polar Bear Dog delivered the rope to the Avatar who patted her animal companion in the head before setting back to work yet again.

Before long, Korra had securely tied the coastguards together using the thick rope that Naga had brought to her. As soon as she was certain that the knots were secured, she released the air that was holding them in place and allowed the rope to do its job.

"Not bad," Korra nodded to no one in particular as she admired her handiwork.

"What, exactly, are you going to do with them, Korra?" There really was no way for Opal to keep her trepidation in-check. Not when they were already in so much trouble already. And certainly not when it seemed as though with each passing second that trouble was only escalating. "You aren't planning on giving them the same kind of treatment as Mako, are you?"

"Of course not," the Avatar scoffed. "If anything else I wish to give Mako the same kind of treatment I have decided to give these other humans. It would certainly get rid of him quickly."

Korra's words and her demeanor was not giving Asami much room to imagine what it was the Avatar had indeed planned. If Korra had intended for her words to provide the Prodigy with a peace of mind and the reassurance that no blood will be spilt, such intentions were lost as it only served to put the young, aspiring engineer on edge.

The Avatar's poor choice of words to fully and adequately express herself—and lack of anything concrete to tell them made Asami Sato do what she did next.

Just when Korra was about to take another one of her stances—firebending, airbending, waterbending, or earthbending, Asami didn't really know—the Future Industries Heiress flicked on her Shock Glove and in one, swift movement put herself in the way between the Avatar and the tied coastguards, taking a fighting stance of her own.

The act had Avatar Korra raise an eyebrow and Opal to find herself at a lost on what to do.

Though Korra was perplexed (and slightly annoyed at Asami's action), she did not ease up on her stance. Nor did she voice out her confusion in the form of a question. Instead, she stared at Asami, who challenged her back with a fierce stare of her own.

"I will not let you do this, Avatar Korra," Asami said in the midst of the fizzing sounds her Shock Glove was making—a sound that seemed to have amplified itself. Briefly the Prodigy wondered which was louder: the pounding of her heart or the sound the glove was making. "These people had been hurt enough." Her next words were born out of guilt, knowing that things have only escalated because of her poor judgement and the fact that her father had her pegged as kidnapped. "They were just doing their job."

There was a retort at the tip of Korra's lips—one she wanted to say but fought against vocalizing. Instead, she kept her silence and merely watched Asami, not letting anything slip. Something quick flashed in Korra's blue eyes, but it was gone before the Prodigy could categorically say what it was.

The tension was palpable. It was that very tension that had Opal's voice crack as she asked Asami what she was doing and if she had lost her mind. Even Naga, who had begun whining, could feel it.

If Asami had planned to answer her friend's question and if Korra had something she had to say, no one knew. For at that moment, there was a loud explosion followed by a brilliant flash of white light that came from outside the still-opened doorway of the airship. It was followed by yet another explosion, slightly far away, and an equally blinding flash, and then another.

For a moment, it disconcerted Asami and Opal—neither knew what was going on. Korra, however, took the opportunity to continue what she had planned to do, knowing that what happened was Kai's doing. It was the opening she had asked her steward to provide for them to escape.

With practiced ease—though it was anything but easy to the Avatar who had so much that needed doing but was not as powerful as she used to be—she moved her arms forward and then back gracefully. Both Asami and Opal noticed the change in the air's temperature before they saw what Korra did. By the time both young women had looked back at the bound guards, they were already encased from the waist down in ice.

Afraid that Korra would do something more to the poor people who really didn't deserve the treatment they were getting, Asami moved to stop Korra, the Shock Gloves power just enough to try to incapacitate the Avatar herself.

Whether Korra noticed what Asami was trying to do or not, she didn't show it. Instead, she focused on changing stances from water- to airbending. Just as she had finished the change of stance and had flexibly moved her arms and legs in the attempt of summoning the air spirits to her bidding to—once again—lift the airship from the ocean to the air, Asami reached out her glove covered hands towards the Avatar.

"Asami, stop!" the Avatar heard Opal shout just before she felt the electricity from the glove coursing through her body.

Avatar Korra's body tensed as pain shot through her nerves. But she did not let go of the connection she had with the air spirits. She forced herself to focus past the soreness of her muscles and nerves. Her mind was only on one thing: giving flight to the airship, even when Asami seemed not to let up in getting her to stop.

With a grunt, Korra did her part in their escape. The last thing she had to do—which was to throw their prisoners overboard—she did so with great effort, her knee hitting the metal floor.

No one was able to stop the coastguards from sliding out of the airship's still-open doors. It happened so fast, after all. And even if Opal could have done something, she was still stunned at what Asami had done…and was still doing.

Snapping out of her surprise, Opal hurriedly moved towards Asami, pulling her back and cutting the voltage running through Korra's body from the Shock Glove. The moment that she did, Korra almost fell flat on her face. Thankfully, she managed to get her arms to stop that from happening.

It was at that moment that Kai came running towards them. He skidded to a halt in front of his charge, distressed as he uttered, "Avatar Korra, are you alright? What happened?"

She could still feel the slight spasms of her muscles, but shook that—as well as the pounding that had found its ways into her skull—as she pushed herself up on wobbly legs with only Kai there to keep her from stumbling and falling back on her haunches.

"I'm alright, Kai. Just…" she looked over at Asami a look of hurt crossing her face before she forced herself back into a mask of detachment, "…tired."

"Then you have to take time to rest, My Lady." Kai argued. "There is no need for you to push yourself any further."

"No," Korra shook her head, pushing herself to stand on her own two feet. She took a deep breath before walking up and past the two other humans in the hall. "Not yet. I will rest once we are safely far away from this place."

And, given the tone she had used, Kai knew he wouldn't be able to dissuade the Avatar from doing so. So, instead, he followed after her. He knew she wasn't going to go inside any of the cabins; that she was going to return to where he had found her instead.

Asami felt as though she had been doused with cold water. She was shaking, and felt as though all the energy—the adrenaline—has been siphoned out of her. Her knees buckled beneath her, causing her to drop, unceremoniously, on the floor.

Opal was quick to her knees, a hand—comforting—was placed on the young prodigy's shoulders. The budding historian's lips moved, but Asami couldn't understand what she was saying. She was speaking, for sure, but she couldn't hear the words. The pounding of her chest was loud. So loud it felt like it was drowning out everything else. Her breaths, heavy, almost panting.

I attacked Korra. I attacked her. Were the only thoughts that played in her mind, even when Opal had slowly eased the Shock Glove from her hand, depositing it as far away from either of them as she could.

Asami couldn't believe what she had just done. And she wasn't alone in that disbelief. Though perhaps Opal was fearing the fallout more than she did. For Asami, it her thoughts lay more on the look that had crossed Korra's face when she had looked at her. It was a look the Prodigy didn't think the Avatar would ever have, an expression she didn't consider would ever be directed at her.

Hurt. Korra had looked at her with eyes filled with hurt. And it wasn't just because she had been harmed physically.

"Damn, Asami," she heard Opal say as the Historian tried to get the other young woman to calm down. "What the heck were you thinking?"

The Prodigy squeezed her eyes shut, she didn't know what she was thinking. Asami wasn't even certain she was thinking. She bit her lip, trying to keep the sob that was threatening to escape them from leaving. It was when Opal took her into an embrace did she found herself unable to control it any longer. And though she was as confused as could be, not knowing why she as felt badly as she did, the tears started to fall.

They didn't see Korra for days after that, though they knew she was somewhere in the airship. After all, the spirits continued to keep the airship at times afloat and other times flying. When Opal had asked Kai about the Avatar's whereabouts, the young man merely shrugged and informed them that she had expressed her desire to be alone.

There was less exuberance in the air. Even Asami kept to herself after the whole ordeal. She knew what the right thing to do was. But for some reason—perhaps it was her pride, but who knew?—she couldn't force herself to search the entire airship for Korra. She made excuse after excuse, not just to herself but to Opal as well, as to why she was putting it off.

Even Naga was feeling down in the dumps. Although she still kept within Asami's close proximity, the Polar Bear Dog hadn't done anything but lay on the floor, occasionally whining.

If there was anyone onboard who tried not to let what had happened affect them, it was Kai and Opal who kept close watch on the two. They tried to keep their troubles from showing, especially when Opal took care of her responsibility with Mako.

It was a week after the incident when Kai had come barreling through the hallway like an excited child calling out Korra's name and shouting about being close to an island when the Avatar finally did grace everyone else with her presence.

Although she joined them in the bridge, Korra had preferred to stay further away from the two humans. She also kept her silence, even though Opal suspected the deity-turned-human had many questions in her head about the land mass before them.

A quick glance at the young woman in question was enough to see how enthralled Korra was at the sight of the island that was slowly coming into view. And Opal couldn't fault her for it. It was, after all, one of the prettiest and most beautiful places within the borders of the Fire Nation.

Mountains, lush with vegetation, made for a perfect background to what appeared to be a village situated near a cliff. Despite its location—or perhaps because of it—there was nothing but greenery as far as the eyes could see. Dotting the sides of the cliffs were a system of cascading waterfalls that were too numerous to count. It was a secluded-looking place and it reminded the Avatar of the home she had left behind on her quest.

"Where do you wish me to land?" was a question Korra directed to no one in particular. It was one she had no choice but to ask as well if the tone by which she had used to ask it was any indication.

"Somewhere far from the village, if you can." Opal elected to answer as she pointed to an overgrown forest a distance away from the settlements. "If we have caused the Fire Nation alarm in what we did days ago, I don't think it would be wise to be the center of attention when people see our airship."

Korra nodded and relayed the instructions to the air spirits who did as she commanded. Before long, they disembarked the airship, which had landed in the middle of a clearing just beyond an overgrown forest.

"Should we bring Mako with us?" Opal asked when all four of them had their feet on solid ground. She looked from Korra—who, instead of answering, had decided to ignore the question all together, whistling instead for Naga to follow her as she walked away from the group—to Asami and then Kai—who merely looked at each other, equally uncertain on what to do with the Mercenary.

They debated about it, laying out the pros and cons of bringing Mako along. But, in the end, they opted to leave him locked up. They also decided not to let him know where they were. It was a gamble, for sure, but they couldn't risk him escaping and blathering on about Asami Sato being "kidnapped" and of the reward that Mako had let slip was waiting for whomever delivered the Heiress safely back to her father.

Of course, that tidbit about Asami's father searching for her was still something they were keeping from the Avatar.

Kai was against keeping this secret from the Avatar, and he told the two young women that much when he had overheard them speaking of it. It went against his code to keep something important from the Lady Avatar, but he also held belief that when it was not his secret to share, then he had no right to share it. He hoped, at the very least, that Asami and Opal would come clean sooner rather than later.

When that had been decided, Asami, Opal, and Kai went to follow Korra and Naga who, by that time, were already heading in the direction of the village.

The walk was silent, the only sounds from the group were the crunching of their boots on the forest floor and Naga's breathing. No words were exchanged. And it would have been fine, had the silence been companionable and not a heavy one.

It was fine when they started their trek, but Kai soon found he didn't fare well to such uncommunicativeness from any of the people with him—the Avatar, included. It was stifling. The enjoyableness he had felt traveling with these people was gone and he only had a fraction of the truth that had led to such a thing happening.

The young steward glanced at the human responsible for the somberness the Avatar had cloaked herself with. Asami Sato still looked like she always did, moved like she always did, but from what Kai had gathered from Opal, even the heiress had been greatly affected by what had happened that night.

"She's just that good at hiding it. She always has been…" Opal had told him when he had marched right up to the Historian, filled with frustration, and with every intent as to blame everything on the two people who had been with Lady Korra at that time. "I didn't think I'd say this, though. Asami…she acted without thinking."

What it was that Asami acted up on, Kai didn't get a straight answer. But he had an idea. He had seen a handprint, burnt into the Avatar's arm, when he had helped Korra get to the top of the airship where she had taken refuge for the past few days. Of course, that mark was gone the next time he checked up on her, healed by the Avatar's waterbending.

He could feel the animosity he had thought was already gone for the raven-haired young woman returning at the memory and he had to do all he could to temper it down. To act out on it was something the Lady Avatar did not want from him.

"You are thinking too much of something, Kai," he was surprised to hear Opal speak to him. He didn't notice that she had left Asami's side. "The atmosphere is somber enough as it is. I don't need you going all quiet on me as well."

"What do you expect?" the bitterness in his words was substantial. "My Lady was harmed by one she had sought to protect."

The Historian's clamped her mouth shut in surprise. She looked over at Kai who kept his eyes trained forward.

"How did you know? Did Korra say anything?" the questions were asked in hushed whisper. Opal didn't want neither Korra nor Asami to overhear them.

Kai shook his head. "The Lady Avatar didn't have to. I saw the damage your friend has wrought. I am still witnessing it." He paused slightly before continuing to say, "Truth be told I am doing my best not to retaliate in the name of My Lady."

"Seeking revenge on what happened will not solve anything. It would only worsen things. And, as I have said, Asami wasn't thinking when it occurred. Or, if she was, she had viewed the events in a different light as they happened." Opal looked at Asami with care. "You can see it for yourself, can you? She's not happy with what she did."

"And yet she hasn't said one word of apology to Lady Korra." Kai pointed out. "Is that not something someone who values friendship would do? Or was what you told me merely lip service?"

The Avatar's Steward didn't wait for Opal to give her answer. As soon as he had said his piece, the young man sped up his walking to catch up with the Avatar. Then he kept pace with her when he did. And if Opal had a rebuttal to what had been asked, only she was left to ponder on it.

The village, as they realized, did not lay on an even foundation. Instead, it was founded on the middle of a vast expanse of hills teeming with life and vibrancy. It was the mistake of thinking it was situated on grassland that had caused the Avatar and her companions to arrive much later than they had anticipated.

Shu Jing.

That was the name of the village. And despite the modesty of the village, Opal had informed them of its renown. Without preemption, the young Bei Fong told her companions about the famed swordsmith who had taken refuge in that village during the Hundred Year War.

Once again, however, there were glaring discrepancies between what the Historian knew (which was what the common knowledge of the matter was) and the story that Korra and Kai knew of. One of the biggest was the reason for the fame that had befallen the man known as "Piandao".

In Opal's retelling, the master swordsmith had been sought by the heroes of the Hundred Year War after obtaining a blessing from the heavens—a material not found anywhere, stronger than any alloy that no one could forge. The master bladesmith had been their final solution. Had he been a dead-end, the victory against the Fire Nation oppressors would have been out of reach.

As Opal's version went, it was the sword that had been the key to the rebel's victory—the thing that had gave Prince Zuko—the Rebel Leader-the power he needed to overcome his father.

When Korra had asked how one sword could have made a difference, Opal had simply told her that it was "a magic sword". That, of course, filled the Avatar with nothing but incredulity. She could accept that there was such a thing as something as heaven-sent as the mineral that was used for the "legendary" sword—it was, after all, a common factor in both the story she was being told and the one she knew of. But she had to draw a line somewhere, and a deus ex machina to be the crux of a mere human's victory against such a powerful enemy as the story spoke of.

Of course, she had to keep that notion to herself. Especially when they had entered the village itself. She did not want to risk offending any more humans that would think it a good idea to go after them in retaliation. The silence that she provided, as well as the meaningful looks that were shared between her and Kai, nevertheless told Opal that—once again—their recorded history was different. She made a mental note to ask either of the two about it once they were somewhere private.

"Is there a point to being in this village?" Kai asked once they were settled in the less opulent of the two village inns, renting a sizable room to house all of them—Naga (who had caused quite a number of heads to turn at her presence), included. He glanced over at Korra who had taken the bed farthest away from the group and closer to the lone window of the room. "Apart from recuperating?"

"Fixing the airship, perhaps?" Opal looked at Asami for confirmation. "If that is possible?"

"It is," Asami didn't look at them as she spoke, busying herself, instead, at fixing her pack if only to have something to do. "The airship wasn't damaged that badly. Its real concern is the aviation fuel, which I doubt would be available here."

"Are the materials needed commonplace, though?" Kai asked yet another question, a finger tapping his chin in thought. "Would it not arise suspicion if a bunch of kids suddenly begin purchasing these items?" He looked pointedly at Opal and Asami who were both supporting an amused smirk. "Not that I think myself a child. But, well, I am certain they would question why someone as young as us are looking for these items."

"Perhaps," the Prodigy shrugged. "But with how much we're already sticking out, I don't think it would matter much in the long run."

He sighed. Meetings such as these were one of the things he wished he didn't have to do but was something responsibility called for. He still had quite a few people that he had allowed audience with him, especially when he was on his annual tour, but his current company was proving to be a handful—but then again it, was something he should have known.

The old man wanted to keep his boredom at bay. He had been humoring the young man for a long while now, and as animatedly as he is being regaled with tales of his guest's "silver screen" exploits and as fascinated as he was in the first hour of him giving behind the scenes glimpses of the inner working of the mover world, it was not something he wanted to discuss for overtly long periods of time.

The young man was still speaking of the misadventures he had about filming his series of movers about…Nutcrack? Knock-Knock?—he couldn't even remember what it was called—when one of his attendants came and handed him a small, rolled-up parchment bearing his family's crest.

Wrinkled brows furrowed as the host wondered what the letter contained. He looked over at his visitor, who didn't seem to have noticed if anything in his demeanor has changed. And as much as the old host wanted to open the letter and read its contents, he willed himself to be patient. Surely, the famed actor's stories wouldn't last much longer than they already had?

It was only when it was well beyond the night, several hours later, when the old man found himself regretting the decision not to have cut the audience short.

She listened as intently as she could with her eyes closed. She had been feigning sleep for half an hour now, waiting for her other companions to fall into slumber. She needed to leave, needed some time and space for herself—something that was not allotted to her in their airship—and she knew it was impossible to do while the others will still awake.

Korra understood that there were better ways to obtain that which she sought, other than what she had planned: which was to sneak out of their room with nary a word to the others of where she was going (something she still hadn't decided on) and for how long she would be gone. But there was still an inner turmoil within her that kept her from doing what the others would have thought was a sensible thing.

When the last vestige of wakefulness finally left Opal—who was the last person awake as she had been scribbling at her notepad, apart from the Avatar at that time—Korra let patience be her guide as she waited for another five minutes before she carefully slipped out of her bed.

Even when the Avatar was not used to sneaking out, she didn't have anything to worry about. Using the aid of the wind spirits and airbending, she managed to keep her steps feathery light, keeping any creaky floorboard sounds from happening. With another gentle puff of air—one she hoped were inauspicious and could be blamed as a draft from the open window—Korra launched herself out of that very same window, landing gracefully on the ground below.

Straightening up, the young Avatar took one last look at the window of the room she had shared with her companions, before quickly looking away and letting her feet take her wherever it may be.

Post-Author's Notes:

Loved the chapter? Hated it? What are your thoughts?

As always, comments (constructive ones) are very much appreciated as are the kudos and the loyalty you readers have with this fan fiction.

Until the next update, dream on; fly on!