'When we first came here
we were cold and we were clear
with no colours in our skin
we were light and paper's thin...'
Tenzin was quite upset at Korra. He was surprised that Lin had agreed to his proposition. It surprised him that she even let Korra go. Now here he was with Korra, picking up her pet.
"Tenzin, please, don't send me back home." Korra was pleading him.
"You blatantly disobeyed my wishes and the orders of the White Lotus." Tenzin haughtily stated.
"Katara agreed with me that I should come! She said my destiny is in Republic City." Korra stated defiantly.
Tenzin was furious at this notion.
"Do not bring my mother into this!"
"Look, I can't wait any longer to finish my training. Being cooped up and hidden away from the world isn't helping me become a better Avatar. I saw a lot of the city today, and it's totally out of whack. I understand now why you need to stay. Republic City does need you. But it needs me, too." Korra said calmly.
"You... ah..." he began but sighed as he heard the sound of bars being opened.
Korra and Tenzin turn toward the sound.
Naga and a police officer, which holds her reins, emerged.
"Is this your polar bear dog, miss?" The unpleasant looking officer asked.
The polar bear dog licked his face causing his hair to swirl, it pants happily with its tongue out.
'...When we first came here
we were cold and we were clear
with no colours in our skin
till you let the spectrum in...'
Both hadn't spoken a word, sailing towards air Temple Island. His father's statue in front of him; He looked at it sorrowfully, bowing his head, and looking over to Korra. Who was leaning over the railing, watching as they got farther and farther away from the city. While her polar bear dog slept.
Once they arrived a larger ship was docked there as well; the silhouettes of three white lotus members were there. Korra bowed her head, ashamed. Along her side was her polar bear dog, Naga.
Tenzin only watched. His children came and ran up to her
"Korra!" Both Meelo and Ikki happily yelled and hugged the young avatar around the waist.
Jinora was more held back, but quickly ran towards Korra as well to join the group hug.
"Are you coming to live with us on the island?" Ikki asked excitedly.
Korra squatted to be at the same height before giving her reply.
"No, I'm sorry, Ikki. I have to go home now."
Ikki only sighed and bowed her head in disappointment.
Tenzin's serious expression changed into compassion at the sight of his youngest daughter's disappointment.
The four of them watched how she slowly moped her way to the three members of the order with Naga at her side doing the same.
'I'm going to regret this...'
"Wait!" He yelled out.
The pair stopped walking. Both he and the order members walk up to her.
"I have done my best to guide Republic City toward the dream my father had for it, but you're right. It has fallen out of balance since he passed. I thought I should put off your training in order to uphold his legacy, you may stay and train air bending here with me, and Republic City needs its Avatar once again." He said while placing a hand on her shoulder.
She gasped placing a huge smile on her face.
"Yes! Thank you! You're the best!" She said enthusiastically.
His children celebrating with a big 'Yaaaay'. Korra hugs his children, lifting them with ease, and then moved towards him. Lifting him as well. Causing Ikki to giggle. Her polar bear dog joined in as well. He only sighed. Knowing that he just caused a whole lot of trouble for him. He knew very well, someone in Republic City wouldn't like this.
'...Say my name
and every colours illuminates
we are shining
and we will never be afraid again..'
The next day, they were standing at City Hall, in front of a large crowd, cheering.
He watched as to how Korra presented herself. Standing right beside him was Lin. She seemed displeased at him making Korra stay. He didn't need her telling him verbally. She perfectly knew how to present herself towards him about this.
The questions the reporters asked her were ridiculous. At the mention of Lin's name, He watched her through the corner of his eye. Lin's lip twitched but had the same emotionless expression. He actually wanted to have a word with her but she disappeared before he had the chance to.
Little did any of them know that somewhere not so far off Amon was planning his course of action. Waiting for everything to unfold before him.
...
"And in the final round, the buzzard wasps win the round with a knockout... Say why don't we head to the arena to watch a game?" Korra asked excitedly, placing the newspaper that she had been reading down on the table and looking at Tenzin.
"That sport is a mockery towards the noble tradition of bending." He said dismissively, as he sipped his tea.
Korra held disbelief in her face.
"Come on Tenzin! I've dreamed of going to a pro-bending match," Korra exclaimed, and pointed behind her," plus it's only a short ferry ride away."
"Korra, you're not here to watch that drivel. You're here to finish your Avatar training. So, for the time being I would like you to stay on the island." He said decisively.
"Is that why there's so many Order members around? Too watch my every move?" Korra said annoyed and gesturing around.
"Yes, in order for you to learn air bending I believe you require a calm and free of distractions environment."
Tenzin only received a small smile from her.
"All right, you're the master."
...
Both he and Korra were walking underneath a wooden shed that stretched out into another part of the island.
"My mother informed me that you've never been able to air bend? "Tenzin told the young Avatar.
He hears a sigh from behind him, turning to see that Korra had modified her attire and stopping their tracks.
"Yeah but... I just don't know why, the other elements just came to me but every single time I tried to air bend, nothing," She said annoyed
He placed his right hand on her shoulder.
"That's perfectly all right. You just need to be patient," he started to roll down the sleeves of her attire, "Often the element that's the most difficult for the Avatar to master is the one most opposite to the Avatar's personality. For Aang, it was earth bending."
She glanced to the ground.
"Yeah. Well, I'm about as opposite an air bender as you can get." She replied sadly.
"Let's begin your first lesson." He said as he turned and had a small smile on his face.
'This might be an interesting lesson today. Hopefully...'He said to himself.
'...Say my name
and every colours illuminates
we are shining
and we will never be afraid again...'
'Air bending is all about spiral movements. When you meet resistance, you must be able to switch direction at a moment's notice.' Were his words to the young Avatar when they were outside training.
He sighed.
Korra reminded him of Lin. Her stubbornness and her brute force.
He chuckled.
'They might get along if they gave each other a chance. Then again...'
'...Say my name
and every colour illuminates
we are shining
and we will never be afraid again...'
He was trying his best to not let his emotions surface towards Korra. Out of anger she burned and ancient artefact and had said that he was a horrible teacher. His children tried comforting him. He made his children promise that their teenage years wouldn't be like hers.
He didn't know how to approach Korra with her air bending training. It saddened him. She wasn't taking this seriously. He had caught her listening in on the sentries while they were listening to the radio about pro-bending.
The girl wouldn't let such a ridiculous sport out of her head. Now he was looking for her, seemingly, no one had seen her, as he approached the Order members, again they were listening to that ridicule. What he heard was enough for him not to ask. As his cape swished angrily behind him.
'Why are you always disobeying me Korra? You're here to learn Air bending, not get yourself into trouble.'
'...And we come for you
we'll be dressed up all in blue
with the ocean in my arms
kiss your eyes and kiss your palms...'
He had stayed to watch the rest of the game. To his surprise she was using what she had trained out there. He even said a "Woo hoo" out loud. Something he never really did.
Korra had even apologized to him about her earlier behaviour towards him also quickly adding that she had joined the fire ferrets permanently.
He sighed.
'She has a lot to learn.'
'...And when it's time to pray
we'll be dressed up all in grey
with metal on our tongues
and silver in our lungs...'
Tenzin was starting to worry. From what he knew, Korra had gone off to look for her missing friend. Here he was pacing, wondering if he should call a search party for her.
He shook his head.
'Might as well... It's already dark.'
He made his way towards two order sentries.
As soon as he told them of Korra's predicament, they turned and saw the young girl approaching them.
"Thank goodness, I was just going to call a search party for you... Are you all right? Did you find your friend?" He asked concerned with her expression.
"Yes but... I was at an Equalist rally and I saw Amon take someone's bending." She said with a slight tinge of fear in her voice.
He looked away but looked back her.
He was processing what she had just told her.
"That's... That's impossible. Only the Avatar has ever possessed that ability."
"But I saw him do it," She practically begged to be believed.
Again, he deliberated but her words were truly the truth.
"I believe you, I don't know how Amon achieved this power but this means the revolution is more dangerous than ever. No bender is safe."
They both stared off at the shimmering lights in Republic City that made it shine an intensity that would leave anyone in awe.
'...Say my name
and every colour illuminates
we are shining
and we'll never be afraid again...'
"There is a madman running around our beloved city, threatening to tear it apart. We need to create a task force whose sole mission is to find Amon and bring him to justice." Said Tarrlock defiantly.
"Absolutely not, a move that aggressive would only further divide benders and non-benders." Tenzin said opposing to Tarrlock's idea.
"Tarrlok, I'm inclined to agree with your proposal, but who would...head up such a task force?" The fire nation councilwoman asked a little sceptical.
Tenzin watched as how Tarrlock stood up and bowed.
"It would be my honour and privilege to accept such a duty." Said Tarrlock.
'Unbelievable, what are you up too? You little weasel.' Tenzin asked himself.
"This is just another one of your ploys to gain more power, isn't it?" Tenzin accused as he pounded lightly against the table.
"All I'm trying to do is help. Think back, forty-two years ago, and another dangerous man that threatened Republic City. Yakone," He said but pointed directly at him and adding, "Your father wasn't afraid to deal with him head-on."
"This... is a completely different situation..." He said as his anger arose within him. He stood and pointed at him "and how dare you compare yourself to Avatar Aang!"
"Amon is not going to stop with the bending triads. Eventually, he will come for all us benders. Our friends, our families. Vote for this task force and I will stop Amon before it's too late. All in favour?" Tarrlock asked as he looked at the rest of the council members who were seated.
Tenzin watched as how one by one they rose their hands and watched how Tarrlock struck the gavel. Tarrlock gave a mischievous smile towards Tenzin.
...
Tenzin left to go to his office.
'Tarrlock's irrational decision to make a special task force. Amon is a threat but going as low as making a task force to solve this issue is only going to divide us even more...'
He sighed. As if it wasn't enough for him, he still needed to pay the charges that Korra had done. He had the finished papers resting on his desk. He'd give it to his secretary to take care of it. He didn't know what Tarrlock was plotting but hopefully it wasn't going to be something that he may have to place his foot down upon.
He had enough babying to do and Tarrlock's antics won't be tolerated.
'...Say my name
as every colour illuminates
we are shining
and we'll never be afraid again
Say my name
and every colour illuminates
and we'll never be afraid again...'
Later in the evening, right around dinner.
Tarrlock shows up as if he owns the place. 'For what, oh, you know, if I can get the young Avatar to join me in my special task force, then it'll be good publicity for me.' Tenzin told himself.
This was the last straw; however, he was surprised that Korra rejected Tarrlock's proposal. To think she placed her training instead of trying to fight off equalists. In a since, he was proud but then again, there was something that was nipping at the back of his mind that was telling him that it wasn't right. That Tarrlock was plotting something. What it was, he didn't know. Soon enough he'd find out. After all, he was a weasel.
...
When he arrived home he saw his two youngest children in a Satomobile.
"BEEP-BEEEP!"
"Daddy move out of the way!"
He sighed and walked towards Korra.
"I see that Tarrlock's gifts have gotten... Extravagant," He stated.
"Yeah, well, I'm not joining his stupid task force." Korra said annoyed.
He looked over at Korra.
"Do whatever you believe is best." He told her honestly.
...
To much of Tenzin's astonishment, Tarrlock wasn't going to give up. So, he planned something ever so clever.
Throughout the entire evening at this event that Tarrlock conjured. He had to watch over Meelo, just to make sure that he wasn't using anything as a toilet. He had glanced on several occasions towards Lin. She seemed upset or rather disturbed.
He'd have to look into it. It was rather odd how they hadn't really spoken to each other in full-length conversations. She'd always push him away with short vulgar sarcastic remarks at him. He had gotten accustomed to her way of speaking to him. He always had this feeling that she needed to tell him something but never did.
'In due time she'll open up to you, in due time, with Amon about she's fairly busy ordering her men. I wonder why she hasn't said a word of this whole task force that Tarrlock has? One would think that she would oppose to this but I guess this is helping her in way.'
He had watched as things unfolded themselves at this little "party" that Tarrlock had done it just to get Korra into joining his task force. It saddened him that she had fallen into his trap. That night he made eye contact with Lin.
It only took them a second to exchange their feelings about this through their eyes. She was the first to brake it. Walking away, as if she had enough of this, whatever this was.
He had to blink several times in order to remember what was happening. Of course he knew very well, it was time for him and his family to go home. It was rather a new type of low for Tarrlock. Setting all of this up.
He knew he couldn't baby Korra, if she truly wants to be in the task force then so be it. He had told her to do what is best. He was hopeful that no harm to the young Avatar would come. On a side note, he hadn't looked Lin in the eye for so long that it was rather refreshing. They could say a million things to each other just by one quick glance but then she pulled her gaze away.
Resignation took over his body. He had enough of this.
'...And we come back
we'll be dressed in black
and you'll scream our names aloud
and we won't eat and we won't sleep
we'll drag bodies from their graves...'
Things wouldn't be the same Tarrlock's new task force, Amon, and Korra trying to manage her training and her pro-bending partnership it seems as though things from here won't be the same.
After Korra's confrontation with Amon on Memorial Island, he truly knew that from here out it wouldn't be the same. The poor girl was terrified; he was terrified as well. She had been face to face with this masked man. Of course she had been stubborn enough to challenge Amon but how far could this fight between benders and non-benders continue? We are all equal, is that why they declare themselves equalists? That they can wipe out benders. It's the same predicament if it were the other way around. Things will just worsen if they continue at this rate.
His words to Korra wrung in his head.
'Admitting your fears is the first and most difficult step in overcoming them.'
He sighed.
The danger was only beginning, they weren't even close to the rise of the revolution and they were much farther away from its fall.
'...Say my name
and every colour it illuminates
and we are shining
and we'll never be afraid again
Say my name
as every colour illuminates
Say my name
as every colour illuminates
we are shining
and we'll never be afraid again
Say my name
and every colour illuminates
Say my name
we are shining
Say my name
and we'll never be afraid again...'