Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Korra or Avatar the Last Airbender. I only own my own characters and ideas
Chapter Two: Metalbender
One year later
Khari sat on the steps in the courtyard. Her mother had promised that they would practice metalbending today. Khari had soon learned that when it came to her parents that promises meant nothing. She didn't even know why she was still in the courtyard waiting for mother to come. Khari walked into the middle of the courtyard and closed her eyes. Khari took a deep breath and placed her arms up to chest level. Khari started to circle around the courtyard quickly. She tried to make her feet barely touch the ground. Aang came into the courtyard to see Khari trying to move like an airbender. He gave her a brief smile before he walked into the courtyard. Khari stopped before she could bump into Aang. She looked up at him while he looked down at her. The two started to laugh before Khari heard the clicking of metal on the stairs. When Khari looked up she saw her mother walking up the stairs. When Lin walked by her Khari grabbed her arm.
"You're three hours late for metalbending practice. Again," Khari informed her.
"I'm Chief of Police so I am busy. You need to understand the things I do for Republic City are more important than metalbending training some days," Lin responded.
"Try every day," Khari mumbled as she walked away.
Aang looked at the two as they walked in separate directions. Khari walked away from the courtyard and sat on the ground, hugging her knees. She soon felt someone throw something at her. She looked down to see a coin. She picked it up, examining it before she tossed it. She felt two more coins hit her, making her grumble a bit. She felt another coin hit her and she clenched her fist. She stood to see who was throwing coins. Khari didn't see anyone behind her but she did see another coin coming towards her. Khari moved to the side and heard someone chuckle. She grabbed the coins and threw them in the direction that the coins came from. A coin flew in her direction, hitting her in the head. Khari grunted as she threw the coins backs towards the person. She heard two people laughing.
"Will you two stop throwing coins at me? It is annoying and I'm already frustrated because mom won't practice metalbending with me," Khari snapped
Khari wiped a tear from her eyes before she felt another coin hit her head. Khari started to feel angry for a moment. She clenched her fist as she looked down at the coin. She was so sick of the stupid coins and not being trained every day. Khari stared at the coin before her head snapped up. Khari kicked the coin away again. Khari heard the clicking of multiple coins on the ground. She turned around and screamed but soon saw the coins fly everywhere. She looked around at the coins as the landed then down at her hands. Aang and Toph came out with a smile on their faces'. Khari looked over at them and received a small smile from the two. Khari smiled at the two before she ran into the temple. She almost ran into Lin who soon called her name. Khari had just metal bent coins without the assistance of her mother and she couldn't believe it. When she opened her bedroom door she looked for the cables that she was given. Khari ran back to the courtyard to try and practice on her own. Lin looked at Khari with a raised eyebrow at Khari. Khari turned her hands into fist and looked at some pillars that standing in the courtyard. Khari sent one of her fists forward but the metal cables didn't budge. Khari looked down at the cables to see what the problem was but she would make the cables move. Khari stomped her foot and sent a fist forward again but her cables still didn't budge. Khari screamed and threw one hand in the air before quickly throwing it down. Khari heard the click of her cables and saw one of the cables start to move across the courtyard. Khari's eyes widened when the cable hit a piece of metal instead of one of the pillars she was practicing with. The cable came back towards Khari and she stuck both her arms up. The cable started to wrap around her arm, and soon started to dig into her skin. Khari looked up to see the up to see the cable wrapped around her arms with blood covering her arm. She tried to use metalbending to pull the cable out of her arm but she couldn't get the cable to budge. She unlatched the harness that carried her cables from her side. She winced when she felt the weight of harness. Khari slowly started to walk into the temple to look for Katara. She turned around when she heard Kya walking coming up the stairs. She smiled when she saw her aunt. Her aunt and uncle weren't supposed to arrive at the temple for a few more weeks. When Kya saw Khari she ran over to her, crouching down to her.
"Khari, you're bleeding and your cables are in your arm. What happened?" Kya asked.
"There was a minor metalbending practice incident. I mean it's nothing major. I just have to see Grandma Toph before I see Gran Gran," Khari told Kya.
Kya guided Khari into the temple to find Toph to remove the cable from her arm. Toph pinched her nose and shook her head as Khari approached. Khari gave Toph a small smile before she looked down at the cable wrapped around Khari's arm. Toph shook her head again before she unwrapped the cable. Khari watched as her arm started to bleed more. Toph walked away, shaking her head yet again. Kya grabbed a washcloth and applied pressure to the wound. The two walked to find Katara so she could help Khari. When they found Katara the washcloth was soaked in blood. Katara gave Khari a concerned look before she sat her down to look at the wound. Katara removed the washcloth and saw that Khari had a deep wound around her arm. Kya got Katara a bowl of water and some wraps. Katara told Kya she would also need some things so she could stich Khari's arm. Katara placed the water on Khari's arm, making her wince and whimper. Kya soon returned with the things to stich Khari's arms. Katara started to stich Khari's arm, making her cry a bit. Kya looked at Khari's face and noticed that she was trying to stop herself from crying. After Katara stitched Khari's arm she started to wrap it as slowly as possible to prevent any further pain. Khari looked at her arm as she cried a bit more before she smiled at Kya and Katara. Khari hugged Katara and walked out of the room without speaking to anyone. Kya looked at Katara for a moment before she sat in the chair next to Katara.
"Mom, what has been going on here? Khari tried to force herself to stop crying. You know she should have been crying worse than what she was with that wound," Kya said.
Katara sighed and looked at Kya. "Tenzin has been focusing on teaching Mica the way of the Air Nation so he doesn't give Khari any attention. Lin doesn't really train her like she promises. She will promise to train her one day and Khari waits for her but Lin is always late. Khari is starting to feel like she isn't good enough for anyone. A few weeks ago Khari caused some serious problems in the city. It was so bad they had to call the police. Lin and Tenzin were furious. They managed to make the whole thing go away but Lin started yelling at Khari about how that was the only time it was going to happen. That she wasn't going to be like Toph and make all of Suyin's problems go away. I didn't understand until Toph told me a few days later but after Lin mentioned Suyin it made the argument worse. Khari was screaming at Lin about how she was always told not to mention Suyin's name in the temple so Lin shouldn't mention it. When Lin tried to tell Khari her punishment Khari got angry and told Lin that she couldn't take practicing earthbending with her away because she doesn't do that anyway. Khari cries enough because Lin and Tenzin ignore her so I doubt an injury would make her cry," Katara informed Kya with her head down.
"Mom, how could you and dad let this go on for so long? How could Toph or Uncle Sokka? How could you guys allow it at all? Khari is only five. She probably got in trouble to get their attention because that is the only way to get it apparently. I can't believe all of you have allowed this to happen. I need to go talk to the idiot I have to call a brother then go make sure Khari is alright," said in a disappointed tone.
Katara watched as Kya walked out of the room as she sighed again. Katara knew Kya was right about everything. Kya walked around the temple to find Tenzin. She found him training Mica at the spinning gates but she turned away. She knew confronting Tenzin in front of Mica may only make things worse. Kya sighed before she went to go look for Khari. When Kya found Khari she was standing in front of Lin with her head lowered. Kya saw a tear drop drip from Khari's face as Lin lectured her about the incident with the cables wrapped around her arm. Lin stuck her hand out and Khari handed her cables over without any protest. Khari wiped her eyes before she walked away from everyone. Kya tried to grab Khari's good arm so she could talk to her but Khari pulled away. Khari stormed past Tenzin and Mica, who were now coming into the temple. Tenzin looked back at Khari before he continued to walk into the temple. Kya pinched her nose when Tenzin walked over to Lin and started to whisper in her ear. Kya crouched down to Mica and told him to go play with Khari or go to his room. Tenzin turned to Kya but she stood there with her arms crossed. Tenzin and Lin both raised an eyebrow as Kya continued to stare at them.
"You two are so frustrating sometimes. I can't believe what I heard about the last year, yet alone the last few weeks. This island has not changed at all since we were children. You both are repeating the parenting cycle and I'm going to go with you don't see it or you don't care. Tenzin you know I thought when we grew up you might not be like dad when you had children, but you sure proved me wrong. It is always about the Air Nation and Mica. It's never about Khari. The day Khari showed she was an earthbender was the day she was no longer important to you. She is your daughter and you'll love her, but she won't feel like you do because of the way you treat her. I could stand you and dad in front of each other and have him treat Bumi and I the way he treated us years ago. No one would be able to tell the difference between either of you. You have become dad and the problem is you don't even see it. Lin, you aren't any better. I heard about the incident a few weeks ago. You have made your career more important than Khari. She doesn't know what to do so that was her way to reach out to you. You don't practice with her. You are the one person she can bond with on this island and you don't even pay attention to her. She did what she did to get you to pay attention her. Then you did exactly what you complained your mother did all those years ago. You made everything go away just like Toph did for Suyin. Don't you dare even think of telling me I can't mention her name in this temple. This is not your temple yet, and I am not your child so I will mention her whenever I want," Kya snapped.
"Kya, no one is ignoring Khari. Mica and I train together every day. Lin has her police work and comes home to help Khari. In the meantime Khari knows to train by herself or do some of her studies. We both love Khari and she knows that. We will always love her. No matter how different she is. I don't care that she is an earthbender, but I do wish I could have gotten the chance to teach her airbending," Tenzin said.
Kya sighed and turned around. She knew that no matter what she said Tenzin and Lin would never listen to her. When Kya walked into the courtyard she saw Khari looking at her arm. Khari walked over to the coins that were still on the ground, and picked them up. She stared at them for a while before she threw them and screamed. Kya gave Khari a sympathetic smile as she walked over to her. Khari stood and started to walk down the stairs with tears in her eyes. Kari knew that she would never be a great metalbender like the women in her family. She was lucky if she would get her cables to move again. Khari heard someone call her name but she didn't look up to see who was calling for her. Khari eventually turned around and she saw Tenzin in front of her. Tenzin held Khari's hand so that he could look at her bandaged arm. Khari wiped her eyes as she looked at Tenzin for a moment. Tenzin dropped Khari's hand and turned his back to Khari but he still stood there.
"Khari, you know that you are to only train metalbending with your mother. This would have never happened if you would have followed the guidelines, we have set for you. We set these guidelines for your own protection. Your mother and I have discussed your punishment. We are taking your cables for one mon-" Tenzin was quickly cut off by Khari.
"That's not fair! You're always with Mica and you ignore me. I only have mom and she is always at the station. She never trains with me. Grandma Toph and Grandpa Aang sorta taught me. I don't understand why I'm being punished for trying to become a true Beifong," Khari stated.
Aang, Katara, Kya, and Toph walked out of the temple to see Khari with clench fists. Toph felt her bracelet start to shake a bit. She nudged Aang, quickly showing him the shaking bracelet. Toph felt her bracelet leave her arm and she knew that Khari had it. Bumi walked up the stairs with Sokka to see the metal heading towards Tenzin. Tenzin tried to avoid the metal but Khari still hit his robes. Tenzin looked down at the pieces of his rob on the ground in disbelief. He couldn't believe Khari used her metalbending against him. Kya started to laugh as she thought about Khari giving Tenzin what he finally deserved. Khari sent Toph's reshaped bracelet towards Tenzin again. Khari almost had the bracelet around Tenzin's arm but he moved in time. Tenzin looked at Khari, debating on what he should do. He finally decided that he should at least stun her. Tenzin sent a blast of air at Khari, hoping he wouldn't hurt her. Khari pulled her arms up which pulled a chunk of earth up that was used as a wall. When the air hit the wall Khari slid back a bit but still stood. Khari moved out from behind the wall, sending a chunk of earth at Tenzin. When he avoided it and sent another air blast at Khari. Khari quickly dodged it and was now in Tenzin's face. She quickly reshaped Toph's bracelet and pinned Tenzin against the wall. Sokka felt his sword start to shake and everyone soon saw the sword leave Sokka's side, making its way for Tenzin. Tenzin's eyes widened as the sword got closer to him but he then heard a click. Everyone looked at the sword that was stuck in the earth wall inches above Tenzin's head. Khari stood there for a moment before she ran towards the stairs. Bumi stuck his arm out to catch Khari but she pushed him away before she wiped the tears out of her eyes. Bumi and Kya started to laugh at Tenzin who was still pinned against the wall.
"Wow. I always wanted to see Khar kick your ass Tez but I never expected her to throw you around like a ragdoll. I mean you're supposed to be an airbending master. I love visiting!" Bumi chortled.
"Bumi, would you shut up? Someone please get me out of this. That girl needs to be punished. She has gotten away with entirely too much over the years. Khari needs to learn that she cannot get away with things like this," Tenzin said.
Tenzin bent his head down when he heard Sokka's sword moving from the wall. When Toph finally released Tenzin from the wall Kya grabbed him by the arm, hoping to show him the damage he had done. Bumi soon followed to find out what Tenzin's reaction would be. When the three finally found Khari, she was sitting with Oogi and occasionally wiping her face. Tenzin looked at Khari in disbelief. He couldn't believe that he had caused her to cry. Tenzin pulled away from Kya to go see if he could make Khari feel stop crying. He told her to follow him up to the temple because he had something for her. Kya and Bumi watched the two walk up the temple stairs. When they finally got into the temple Tenzin told Khari to come with him into his study. Khari was extremely eager to go into Tenzin's study, because he had a rule that no one went into the study. When they arrived Tenzin told Khari to wait in the study until he returned. Khari stood where she was, still amazed that she was in her father's study. She heard a noise and looked up to see both her parents standing in front of her. Khari lowered her head, knowing all too well what was coming. Tenzin gave Khari a sympathetic smile as he tried to figure out why Khari would be so upset. Both Lin and Tenzin walked over to Khari with a small smile. Lin crouched down as she thought about what she was about to do. She held the cables out in Khari's direction as she tried to shake the feeling that both she and Tenzin were making a mistake. Khari finally looked up to see Lin holding the cables out. She looked at Tenzin for a moment as confirmation she could take the cables. When Tenzin nodded Khari snatched the cables from Lin. Khari started to run out of the room in excitement until she heard her mother clear her throat. Khari stopped and slowly turned around, hoping that she wasn't in trouble.
"Don't think this means you are out of trouble young lady. Your father and I will determine your punishment later. Now be on time for practice tomorrow," Lin told Khari.
"I think I should be telling you to be on time. I'm always the one waiting for you to come to practice," Khari grinned.
She looked back at Lin and Tenzin for a moment before she ran over to them, still unable to grasp the fact they gave her cables back. She hugged Tenzin then Lin and quickly ran out of the room in excitement. Lin looked at Tenzin with an eyebrow raised. Tenzin laughed at her a bit before he kissed her cheek.
(Author's Note: Okay so you may have noticed that at one-point Bumi called Khari, Khar. That was NOT a typo. Khar is something Bumi and occasionally Kya call Khari. As you can see nothing really changed between Khari and her parents. I hope you have continued to enjoy the story. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.)