We're back on the next chapter.
REMINDER: I DO NOT OWN LEGEND OF KORRA OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS.
The Northern Air Temple. A view of a grass plain with hills. Various colourful spirits mingle and fly about.
"His pupils pleaded with their master to eat something, but he refused, just like he had each day during summer." Tenzin said as he tells the story excitedly with a wistful smile. The airbenders who, except for one named Otaku, listen with disinterest. "Instead he meditated and got his nourishment from the universe. So when Tang Xu completed the ninety-seventh day of his historic fast on which island?"
Otaku puts his hand up. "Oooh! Oooh!"
"Anyone besides Otaku, who already studied this in his acolyte training?" Tenzin asked.
"Ooh, ooh, ooh!"
"And is answering every question." Tenzin said.
"Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!" Tenzin finally looks and glances at Otaku, prompting him to answer. "Whaletail Island." he answered.
"That is correct. Again. Now, on day ninety-eight..." The recruits break out in laughter.
"Greetings, air people. I come seeking boring stories to take back to the Spirit World." Bumi said, speaking in a falsetto, as he capers about with his tunic over his head and Bum-Ju peeking out from the collar. Waves his hands around.
Bum-Ju flies out of Bumi's tunic and he falls down on the ground. Everyone laughs again, including Jinora. Tenzin glares at his daughter, who quickly sits back in a disciplined posture and clears her throat. Later, Tenzin and Oogi was flying in the sky, showing this to the new recruits.
"That is incredible! When do we get to fly around on our own sky bison like that?" Kai asked.
"Only after many years of practice and intense training. Besides, we don't have enough bison here for all of you." Tenzin said.
"What about those?" Kai asked again. Tenzin raises his eyebrows with surprise. "It's a whole herd of bisons."
The students were standing at the balcony as they view a herd of air bison flying by. Tenzin walks up to them.
"Actually, the plural of bison is bison." Tenzin said.
"Whoa! Cool! Wow, look at that!" a recruit said.
"Can we ride those?" Kai asked,
"No, that's a wild herd. It would take many years to tame them. Now, let's get back to our lessons."
Two sky bison were carrying the new airbenders, Kya, Pema, Rohan, Meelo, and Ikki.
"Dad!" Meelo called out. Tenzin raises his head and sees two sky bison with people on them flying toward the temple. Ikki waves excitedly to her father while Meelo points to the bison behind him. "We brought you more airbenders!"
The two bison landed on the ground.
"Okay, everyone is dismissed. We'll pick this up... tomorrow." Tenzin said as his wife and sister disembark. "How is everything in the city?"
"Well, we had a little scare, but everything is okay. Zaheer infiltrated the air temple." Pema said.
Tenzin was alarmed. "What! Is everyone all right?"
"Everyone's fine. I fought with him, but he got away." Kya said. "And he stole some old necklace that had something to do with... Guru... Lak... shmir."
"Guru Laghima?"
"Right... you know I can never keep all those gurus straight. There were like a million of them. Remember that long, boring story about that guy who never ate?"
Tenzin was unamused. "Yes... I remember."
"Avatar Korra is calling on the temple's radio." an Air Acolyte member said.
Tenzin picks up the microphone. "Are you all right? Where are you?"
"With Beifong's sister in Zaofu. We're totally safe, unless we get caught in another fight between Su and Lin." Korra explained on the microphone.
"Lin willingly took you to Suyin?" Tenzin asked.
"Not exactly. We got a call about an airbender and it turned out to be Su's daughter Opal. She'll be headed your way soon."
"Really? That's wonderful!" Tenzin said excitedly.
Bolin shoulders Korra aside and grabs the microphone. "She is wonderful, and pretty, and so smart, and she smells like flowers..." Bolin notices Korra glaring. "Sorry. Bolin, out." He slides out of view.
"How's the training going?" Korra asked.
"Not so well, I'm afraid. No one seems to be interested in the hard work of becoming part of the Air Nation." Tenzin asked.
"You need to give yourself a break. Let Jinora and the kids help you out, and what about Bumi? He was a naval commander, maybe he has some ideas about how you get people motivated."
Tenzin gets alarmed and angry. "Bumi?! Jesus, he's my worst student."
"Yeah, but he loves to organize people. If you ask him for help, you can trick him into taking more responsibility by making him think the whole thing with his idea."
"That actually sounds like a good plan. You're turning into a pretty wise Avatar after all." Tenzin said.
"Conflict resolution, that's what I do." Korra said.
Jinora and Kai looks over the mountain ranges, observing a herd of bison.
"We should go down there. I want to fly one of those bisons." Kai said.
"I don't know. We might get in trouble." Jinora said.
"Come on? Let's have some fun. We'll be back before anyone realizes we're gone."
"I guess it would be all right." Jinora said with a smile a little.
Kai and Jinora picks up their gliders to open them and fly down to the lake where the herd of bison is. A group of several spirits look up and watch Kai and Jinora flying and a few accompany them.
A little bird-like spirit squeaks and flies in front of Jinora along with other kinds of flying spirits. Jinora gives a smile at the bird-like creature. The pair flying over a little mountain ridge as they catch sight of bison below near a watering hole.
"Look! Baby bisons." Kai said. Three baby bison as one grooms itself and the other two play fight with each other. "How come they're on the ground?"
"Air bison calves can't fly after a week or two after they're born. So the entire herd will stay near the ground, near the valley." Jinora said before Kai angles his glider downwards and flies.
"Let's go see the babies." said Kai.
"Be careful. The mothers are very protective." Jinora said.
Kai lands, folds his glider, and proceeds to pet one of the calves.
"Aww, look how cute!" Kai said.
"Kai, get out of there!" Jinora shouts as she notices an adult bison approaching and flies toward Kai.
Kai was paralyzed with fear, watches the angry adult bison charge toward him. Jinora flies past and grabs him out of harm's way.
"Wow, you really saved me down there. You know, you're an incredible airbender." Kai said.
"Well, I've been training for a long time." Jinora said.
"Then, why don't you have tattoos like an airbending master?" Kai asked.
"My dad says I'm not a master yet." Jinora answered.
"You can do everything your dad can. Plus, you have all these spirit-y powers. If anyone's a master, you are." Kai said before Jinora blushes.
Back to the courtyards outside the air temple, where Bumi was talking to three airbenders.
Bumi starts regaling his tale to three airbenders. He has removed his Air Nomad top and is now wearing just a singlet. Bumi chuckles. "And so, we bring the net down on the head pirate, and he looks around real sad and says, 'I knew I should have followed my dreams and become a dentist.'" he said with his best impression of a pirate.
Yung laughs. "How come you grow up to be so cool, while Tenzin became such a stick-in-the-mud?"
"Well, I guess cool is something you're born with." Bumi said contently.
Tenzin walks out of the temple from a small passage way leading to the courtyard. "Bumi, can I talk to you?" The airbenders walks away.
"Let me guess, you want to criticize me for something?"
"Actually, I need your help." Tenzin explained.
Bumi begins to dig his ear with his pinky. "Oh, yeah. With what?"
"I don't think I'm doing well with the new airbenders, and everyone knows you're a natural leader." Tenzin said before he smiles awkwardly at his brother.
Bumi removes his pinky from his ear with a pop. "True, I did win the Admiral Tung Natural Leadership Award, twice."
Tenzin looks a bit skeptical, but forces a pleasant smile. "What would you do if you were in charge? Help me be more like you."
"I'd love to. You've got to use military discipline to whip these troops into shape. The only way to deal with new recruits is to break them down so you can build them back up. Rule with an iron fist. Show them who the master is."
"Thanks for the insight." Tenzin said. "My pleasure. Bumi said.
Meanwhile, at daybreak, where Tenzin barges into the dorm and uses airbending to blast a horn, waking all the airbenders.
"Dawn patrol! Everyone up!" Tenzin said sternly.
"What are you doing? It's barely light out." Bumi said.
"I'm taking your advice. I'm going to break you down and build you back up!" Tenzin said before Bumi, with dark circles, who stares at Tenzin with disbelief and regret. "Now get moving, recruit!"
Bumi sighs.
At the mountainside, where Tenzin leaps up the mountain. Jinora follows next, followed by Kai, who stumbles, and the remaining airbenders, who grunt as they prop themselves up the plateaued summit.
"Nothing like a ten-mile hike first thing in the morning."
Yung was shivering. "Don't these robes come in a warm bison fur version?"
"No! Of course not." Tenzin said before Yung scowls and looks away. Bumi stands up.
Bumi slumps onto the floor. "If it weren't so cold, I'd go right back to sleep."
"Then, this is the perfect time to learn meditation and proper breathing technique. Airbenders are able to warm themselves only with their breathing. Everyone get into the lotus position. Ah, this is so much more refreshing than sleeping."
Bumi crawls to his brother. "You know when I said that thing about an iron fist…"
"Hush! Meditation time. Focus."
Bumi sighs and returns to meditation.
The temple, where there are multiple thin wooden posts. The airbenders all sport dark circles from fatigue.
"Can we go back to bed now?" Bumi begged.
"Now that we're refreshed and loose from our hike and meditation, it's time for a balancing exercise." Tenzin said before he leaps onto a post, standing on one leg.
"The key is to maintain your heaven and earth connection." He pulls out a feather and levitates it with airbending. "Now you try."
The students were struggling. "Back up your posts! It's not hard if you concentrate." Tenzin said. Bumi struggles to balance, before falling off. "Get back up! What the hell's the matter, you can't handle it, soldier?"
Bumi glares and slides slowly out of view on his back as the feather drifts down to rest on his face.
"Don't you think you're a little hard on them?" he asked.
"Don't worry, they can take it. You'll see. Ignore the lemurs digging in your ears. Concentrate on your breathing and, you won't even know they're there!" Tenzin said.
Otaku loses his balance and falls off, the lemurs take over his post.
Mid-morning at another courtyard. Tenzin shaves Daw's head, who looks sad as his hair drops off.
"When the head is shaved, an airbender is able to feel the wind around him. It is both humbling and freeing."
"Hey, you want to go sneak away and check on the baby bisons?" Kai asked.
"Shhh. You should be paying attention." Jinora said.
A slightly surprised Kai who shrugs and walks away. Tenzin polishes Daw's scalp, which shines.
"All right, who's next?" Tenzin asked.
"I'm not sure I want to shave my head." Yung said.
"That's fine, shaving your head is a personal choice."
"Wait, what?" Daw asked when he heard what Tenzin said.
"Anyone else?" Tenzin asked. Everyone shakes their head. "Fine! Then we can get to our next training exercise: obstacle course." Everyone moans.
"You're pushing too hard. Maybe we should give them a break." Jinora said.
"Jinora, I have this under control."
Jinora glares at her father.
At the obstacle course, which was filled with spinning bells. A female airbender weaves through the bells.
"Concentrate! Remember, airbenders move like the wind." Tenzin said.
The airbender weaves through the bells and smiles, before she was struck by a watermelon, plunging into the mud. Ikki and Meelo, where the former was loading a cannon with watermelons, while the latter smirks and continues firing the cannon.
A rope obstacle, where Otaku was hanging for dear life, while the previous female airbender crosses before being struck by another watermelon. Kai runs through the rope, causing Otaku to lose his grip.
Kai runs up the course and confronts the next obstacle: a cactus-ridden balancing obstacle.
"Stay light on your feet, and you'll never feel the stinging rash cactus." Tenzin said.
Kai easily leaps through the balancing poles, before crashing into Yung and causing both to fall into the cactus patch. The cliff, where Kai leaps up with ease, overtaking Bumi and Otaku.
"Everyone is waiting for you, Bumi. If you don't make it over the next thirty seconds, they'll all have to run through the course again!"
"You can do it, Bumi! Come on!" the airbenders cheered.
Bumi leaps to the next ledge, loses his grip, and plunges into the mud.
"Get back up the wall, recruit! You're letting your fellow airbenders down." Tenzin said.
"I'm finished! I've never wanted to be an airbender and I'm too old to be back in boot camp, for Jesus' sake. Count me out!" Bumi said angrily before he walks away.
"Fine, quit! We don't need your attitude in the new Air Nation." Tenzin said furiously.
"Master Tenzin, when do we get to go home and visit our families?" Daw asked.
"Go home? You just got here." Tenzin said in disbelief.
"When's dinner? I'm starving." the female airbender asked.
"Can I change out of my robe now? It's itchy." Yung asked.
"This is just as bad as the Earth Queen's prison." Kai said.
"I'm tired of all this complaining!" Tenzin snaps. "Jinora, take over!"
"Does this mean, I'm the master now?" Jinora asked.
"Yes, just lead them through some basic exercises." Tenzin answered.
"Well, since I'm a master, when do you think I can get my tattoos?" Jinora asked again.
"Wait. What made you brought this on?" Tenzin asked.
"I was just talking to Kai, and he was asking me, so…"
"Kai!" Tenzin calls out before Kai awkwardly slides behind the airbenders. "What does he know about when you should get tattoos? The answer is 'no'! You're just a little girl."
:I'm not a little girl anymore. I can airbend just as well as you. I know everything about our culture and history, and I have a stronger connection with the spirits that you ever will. Lead your own class!" Jinora yelled angrily before she storms off.
"Ikki, Meelo, you're up. Just lead them through the Bagua circle." Tenzin said to his children before he walks away.
"Look to your left! Look to your right! One of those people will not make it out of here alive." Meelo ordered.
Jinora, dejectedly looks at a flying bison herd, while Kai walks up to her.
"Sorry what I've said got you into trouble with your dad." Kai said.
"It's not your fault. He just can't believe that I'm growing up now and I don't need him telling me what to do like one of his recruits."
"I know something that'll cheer you up." Kai said while smiling.
Jinora and Kai flies to the valley where they found the bison herd, only to find it empty.
"Where did all the spirits go?" Jinora asked. "Where are the babies?" Kai asked.
Jinora was caught by a fired net. Kai turns and airbends the rustler away. He turns to help Jinora, but was blocked by an earth wall. A rustler fires a net at him.
At the rustlers' camp, where they throw Jinora and Kai onto the ground in front of their leader Ganbat.
"What are these kids doing in my camp?" he asked.
"We caught them sneaking around. Thought they might tell someone we're here." a rustler asked.
"They're the new airbenders. Must be living up in the temple. Hurry up and gather the rest of the gang and let's get out of here before someone comes looking for these kids. I'll take them to Ba Sing Se, with the rest of the fresh meat."
Jinora and Kai were listening to the proposition with fear.
Back to the temple, where Tenzin was meditating.
"Tattoos. How could she think? Focus. Breathe. Bumi ruins everything. Inhale. Focus." Tenzin said.
Pema walks in. "Taking a little break from teaching?"
"I've failed. Bumi quit, the rest of the airbenders want to go home. Can't they see that I'm trying to rebuild an entire culture?"
"You know, just because these people can airbend, it doesn't automatically make them Air Nomads." Pema said.
"Tell me about it." Tenzin said.
"I remembered when I moved down my parents' house to become an Air Acolyte. That first night I was so scared and lonely and the bed was so hard."
"It's actually better for your back." Tenzin said before Pema scowls. "Sorry."
"The point is: I really wanted to be there, but it still took time for me to adjust to feel like I was a part of it all. The people are probably feeling the same way. You have to be patient."
"Now I know how Korra feels when I'm talking to her." Tenzin said before he kisses Pema. "Thank you, Pema."
At the outside, where Tenzin sees his brother talking to two airbenders.
"Bumi, I want to apologize for losing my patience." Tenzin said.
Bumi folds his arms. "I'm not talking to you." He walks away.
"Hey! Get back here." Tenzin sighs; to the airbenders. "Where's Jinora?"
"I saw her fly off on her glider with her boyfriend." Yung said.
Tenzin was alarmed. "What? Her boyfriend? Kai!"
Meanwhile, at the rustlers' camp, where Jinora, Kai and the bison calves were locked in cages.
"How can you steal these bisons? They're endangered." Jinora said.
"Well, that's why they're worth so much. The Earth Queen and her fancy friends pay big money for bison steaks and other rare meats. I even heard she ate her dad's pet bear." Ganbat said.
"You're disgusting." Jinora said before Ganbat walks off.
"Hey, do that spirit beaming thing you did to find me. Go to the temple for help." Kai said.
"I can't. I'm all cramped in here and I need quiet and time to focus. But, maybe I can send a message." Jinora said before she focuses. "Spirits, I need your help." A spirit appears in front of her. "Go find Bum-Ju, tell him we're in trouble."
The spirit flies out of the cage.
Later, back to the temple, where Bum-Ju chitters to Bumi.
"No, I don't think I should apologize. Tenzin just wants to boss everybody around. I'm too old for that." Bum-Ju chitters.
"Well, let's face it. I'm just not cut out to be an airbender!" Bum-Ju chitters.
"Well, that's your opinion." Bum-Ju curls up and sleeps. The spirit that Jinora summoned flies next to Bum-Ju and the two spirits converse. Bum-Ju jumps onto Bumi.
"Wait, Jinora sent this spirit? Is she in trouble?"
Bum-Ju and the spirit fly off, while Bumi gives chase The airbenders, who are being trained by Meelo.
"Jinora's in trouble. We have to go get her." Bumi said.
"How do you know?" Yung asked.
"Bum-Ju's friend told me."
"You're able to communicate with the spirits?" Otaku asked.
"More or less, I get the gist. Let's go." Bumi determined.
"Shouldn't Master Tenzin be dealing with this? I don't want to get into trouble." Daw said.
"Master Tenzin isn't here. It's up to us. Ikki and Meelo, grab some bison. Airbenders, move out!"
The airbenders follows the spirit on two flying bison, where they land on a cliffside overlooking the camp.
Bumi spies on the rustlers with a telescope.
"Bison rustlers. They've got Kai and Jinora locked in crates. Looks like they're getting ready to leave, we'll have to move fast."
"I don't know if I'm ready to get in a fight with some bison rustlers. I can tell without that telescope that they're mean-looking." Daw said.
"Listen, this is what we've been training for." Bumi said.
"We haven't been training that long." Daw said.
Bumi That's not important now. Remembered how we persevered together on that obstacle course?
"You actually quit." Otaku said.
Bumi got annoyed. "Well, I'm not quitting now. I know we've had a tough time, me more than anyone, but we're airbenders, and there aren't many of us, so we've got to stick together. They've got two of our own in cages out there, and we're not leaving until we bring them home."
"Leave no airbender behind!" Meelo shouts.
The rustler closes and locks a cage with a bison calf. As the calves whimper, Kai takes two twigs and picks the lock.
"In. Down. And twist." Kai said.
Kai manages to free himself and the calf tumbles free of the cage. He proceeds to free Jinora.
"Free the bison first." Jinora said.
A bison rustler grabs Kai. "Hey! What are you doing out?"
Kai airbends the rustler away, alerting the other rustlers, who ran up to him. Meanwhile, the other airbenders charge into the camp. The rustlers, noticing the airbenders, defend themselves from the air blasts with an earth wall.
Kai prepares to attack Ganbat, who was able to detect the attack and knocks Kai away with earthbending. Daw, who was nearly captured by a net, though he was able to feel the wind coming from the fired net, allowing him to narrowly dodge the attack before counter-attacking.
Ganbat splits the airbender group with earthbending, but Meelo was able to leap up the earth wall and knock him off.
Two airbenders, riding on Ikki's air scooter, sneak up another rustler and managed to ambush him. Bumi lets out a war cry and the airbenders charge the camp. While Meelo defeats the final rustler, Ganbat enters the truck and drives it away.
"Kai!" Jinora shouts.
Kai grabs his glider and pursues the truck. Tenzin, riding on Oogi when three adult bison fly past them. Tenzin watches the bison approach a truck.
"What's going on down there?" Tenzin wondered.
"Kai! Help!" Jinora shouted.
"I'm coming Jinora." Tenzin determined.
Kai catches up and enters the truck, knocking Ganbat down, though he was able to regain control and restrains Kai. The rustler looks in shock as he sees adult bison approaching the truck.
"What the hell?" Ganbat asked.
Tenzin directs Oogi to knock against the truck. Kai leaps off the truck and onto Oogi. An adult bison stops in front of the truck and airbends, stunning Ganbat. Kai leaps off Oogi angrily.
"You got me. I give up." Ganbat said in surrender.
Kai aggressively sweeps a gust of air at Ganbat, flinging him against the truck.
"You think you can kidnap Jinora, and all these baby bisons?!" Kai shouts angrily.
Kai throws Ganbat upward before slamming him against the truck once more. Before he can attack, Tenzin stops him by grabbing his staff.
"Kai, that's enough! An airbender never attacks a defenceless opponent." Tenzin said before he smiles. "But that was very good technique."
The valley at evening, where the spirits roam about once more. Bumi locks the cage, which contains a sullen Ganbat.
"Maybe you boys haven't heard, but there's some new airbenders on these parts. And you never mess with an airbender's bison." Bumi said.
"Without my shaved head, I'd never could have dodged that net. I really felt it coming at me. You guys should totally get shaved." Daw said.
"I'm proud of you. Your connection with the spirits, natural leadership, you remind me of Dad." Tenzin said.
"I'm sorry I've been causing you so much trouble. I guess I was just scared of not being able to measure up as an airbender. You know, even though I'm Aang's son, I never really felt that I was a part of the Air Nation before."
Tenzin reassures him. "You are now."
The bison herd, where Ikki and Meelo were playing with the calves while Jinora and Kai snuggle the mother bison. The mother bison licks Jinora.
"They're so friendly now." Jinora said.
"The bison are the original airbenders. They recognize their own kind."
Jinora hugs her father. "I'm sorry for running off."
"I'm just lucky no one's hurt." Tenzin said.
"I know." Jinora said.
"But I also realized that perhaps I was too harsh on you." Tenzin said.
"Does that mean I can get my airbender tattoos?" Jinora asked.
"It's hard for me to believe that my little girl is grown up enough to have her tattoos. I'll promise I'll think about it. Fair enough?"
"Yeah." Jinora said.
"Jinora, look. They're flying!" Kai said.
The calves were awkwardly ascend, bleating and kicking their feet aimlessly.
Tenzin watches the bison calves. "I guess everyone is growing up."
Next chapter will come soon.
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