The next morning, Kirika and Tizaki were sitting in an apartment in the city.
"Now what?" Kirika asked.
"Hmm. Her little Team Avatar will be the trickiest ones to get her away from." Tizaki said.
"Agreed."
"Either way, Shaozoa made it clear that he wants the Avatar to fight for the Red Lotus."
Kirika nodded. "And one way or another, she will."
Meanwhile, at Avatar Mansion, Mala was by the pool alongside a man who seemed to be somewhere in either his 30's or 40's wearing the uniform of a White Lotus sentry. It was Mala's Waterbending teacher, Yarok. Watching nearby was her Team Avatar, alongside, Jinora, two men with gray hair, and Asami. The men were Mako and Bolin, Korra's friends and Pro-bending teammates.
"Remember, Mala, that Waterbending is letting your own energy flow." He said.
Mala tried to waterbend, but it still proved difficult and her frustration started to build. "This is getting me nowhere! Earth, Fire, and Air I can bend with ease but not water?!" She shouted and caused a wave to crash at the other end of the pool.
"Easy, Mala. I know you're frustrated, but..." Chai Si started then Mala turned to him.
"Of course I'm frustrated! I'm first and foremost an Earthbender! I don't know how to be fluid like a Waterbender and it's not helping that Yarok won't let me get guidance from Korra, Kuruk, or any other waterbending Avatar during my lessons! I can't turn water into ice or steam at all! I'm never gonna get a handle on waterbending!" She screamed, causing the water in the pool to crash into the sides as waves before she calmed down. "I'm sorry, Chai Si. I'm sorry, Master Yarok."
"It's okay, kid. Let your anger and frustration flow like the water." Yarok said.
"What do you mean?"
"Mala, emotions tie into waterbending. If a bender loses their temper, their waterbending is amplified, but also out of control." Chai Si said. "Maybe that's why you're not making much progress. You let your anger and frustration get the better of you too quickly."
"You may be right, Chai Si." Yarok said then turned to Mala. "Try using your airbending training to manage your emotions then try again."
Mala nodded then calmed her body and her mind through exercises she and Jinora used to do, causing the Airbending master to smile as she watched. Once she was ready, Mala practiced her waterbending and it helped her make much more progress, causing herself, her teachers, and her friends to smile.
"Well done, Mala." Yarok said. After that, the lesson progressed more smoothly. When they took a break, Mala walked to a gazebo nearby and sat in a meditative pose and began to connect to Korra.
The spirit of the last waterbending Avatar soon appeared to Mala and smiled. "You are making progress already."
Mala smiled then looked at her. "Is it natural for an Avatar to struggle with at least one element?"
Korra nodded. "Yes. Tenzin told me that oftentimes the element the Avatar struggles with most is the one opposite to their personality."
"What do you mean, Korra?"
"For me, I struggled with airbending. While Aang was peaceful and diffident, I was more impulsive and headstrong."
"It couldn't have been easy to learn."
Korra chuckled lightly and nodded. "It wasn't, but even after better understanding my spiritual connection, I realized I still had a lot to learn. No Avatar is born an expert, Mala. But I, like our past lives, have faith in you."
Mala smiled. "Thank you, Korra."
Korra smiled then disappeared and Mala stood up and looked out to the mountains.
"Yuan for your thoughts?" Padma asked.
Mala glanced at her. "I was just getting some guidance from Korra."
"Did it help?"
"A little."
The teens leaned on the rail of the gazebo. Padma brushed some of Mala's hair behind her ear, causing the Avatar to blush.
"Waterbend like you did a few minutes ago and you'll have it down pat quick."
"I hope so. Your mother's breathing exercises are pretty handy."
The two shared a laugh. Afterwards, they headed back and Mala picked up her lesson.
When Yarok concluded the lesson in the evening, Mala and almost everyone went inside. The Avatar saw Asami was still sitting and walked to her.
"You okay?" She asked.
The older woman nodded. "Yeah. I was just thinking of something."
The teen sat down next to her. "What was it?"
"...The people I've lost in my life. First my mother, then my father, and then my wife..."
Mala put a hand on Asami's shoulder. "Asami, you know very well that Yasuko, Hiroshi, and Korra loved you. You're not wrong to mourn your family, but you still have Mako, Bolin, and Anna." She said gently. "...I have control of the Avatar State. I know it technically wouldn't be the same, but if you ever want, I can use the Avatar State and let you talk to Korra."
Asami smiled softly. "When the anniversary of her passing comes, I'll come to see you." She said.
Mala nodded then the two headed inside.
Meanwhile, Tizaki was growing impatient and frustrated. "How could we lure Mala away from her friends?!"
"Calm yourself, sister. Let's think. How would our great-grandmother Azula do it?" Kirika asked.
"Perhaps an attack or a challenge."
"That might work. And I think I know where we can have that challenge."
After dinner, Yarok headed outside for a little while to inform the police of who would be taking shifts at the mansion. While he did that, static came from the radio then Kirika and Tizaki could be heard.
"We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to issue a challenge to Avatar Mala." Tizaki said. "Meet us on Avatar Aang Memorial Island in one hour."
"Come alone. We'll be waiting." Kirika said then the broadcast resumed.
Mala's Team Avatar, along with Korra's Team Avatar and Jinora, looked at their friend, who sighed.
"You're not going alone." Jinora said.
"Well, all of you can't come with me." Mala said.
"I'll do it." Padma said.
Mala nodded then the two headed to the port.
That's chapter three. Review and I'll post more chapters.