Water.

Earth.

Fire.

When I was 16, I learned that I could control all three elements, and that it was my duty to keep the world in harmony and balance.

But before I could do that, I had to learn to control the final mystical fourth element: Air. But those who know of it died a long time ago.

The chief of my tribe told me that someone still lives who knows the art of Airbending, but he lived in Republic City, where crime and hate for the benders grow strong.

So I journeyed to the city, hoping to find the last piece of my destiny.

I am Avatar Korra, and I am ready to take on the world.

The doors to the Republic City Prison open up as a new prisoner is sent inside.

He has dark hair, light complexion, red clothes, and a red headband.

Meelo is thrown into a maximum security jail cell.

"Let's see you get out of here this time, juvenile!" says an angry guard.

Korra looks at the various artifacts Tenzin has in his apartment.

"These are all from various Air Temples across the land, my father kept sending them to me via mail." says Tenzin, picking up and holding a miniature statue of Monk Gyatso. "Here, check this out."

Tenzin gives Korra the statue.

Korra studies the statue with attention. "Who was this guy? He looks…"

She drops the statue.

Tenzin stares at her.

Korra holds her hands behind her back, slowly and walks backwards, accidentally topping over a shelf with ancient Airbending relics, all of them breaking on the floor.

Tenzin continues to stare.

"I am monumentally sorry." says Korra.

"My father would be furious. But I'm not." says Tenzin. "I am not entirely sure why he kept sending me these things, maybe he thought I would learn to appreciate their old ways."

"Do you?" says Korra.

"They were interesting, really. But it's all just stupidity." says Tenzin.

"What!" Korra is shocked.

"Spiritualism, religion, it was all very interesting, but it's a waste of time in the real world. They were just a bunch of hippies that lived on mountains." says Tenzin.

"They were monks, and they were the most respected of the ancient people, and your father was one of them." says Korra, sternly.

"I'm not hating. I just don't believe in them." says Tenzin.

Korra crosses her arms. "Oh yeah, and what do you believe in?"

"Meelo!" yells Wei Tung.

"What." says Meelo.

"I thought you got out, you escaped!" says Wei Tung. He was a fat kid, round, about Meelo's age, wearing green and yellow clothes, with a dark complexion.

Meelo smiles. "I did."

"Then why are you here?" says Wei Tung.

"I am going to get you guys out." says Meelo.

"As the Avatar, you can bend all the elements, but doing that is no longer that impressive. Look at what us normal people have been able to do!" says Tenzin.

He shows Korra out the window, showing her the great view of Republic City.

"This city was build without the use of any kind of bending, all done by good old fashioned ingenuity and invention. In fact, it was an inventor from your tribe that directed the project." says Tenzin.

"That's very nice." says Korra, slightly annoyed by Tenzin's sense of pride of nothing.

"No dark magic was used, no cheating, just hard work." says Tenzin.

"Sounds like fun." says Korra sarcastically.

"We are very proud of our city." says Tenzin.

"Is that why there are so many anti-bender revolts around here?" says Korra.

"Well, a lot of crime here is done by benders, so they don't exactly help themselves." says Tenzin.

Korra looks at him. "What is your view of the benders?"

Tenzin looks at her. "My views?"

"Yeah, you know, about them." says Korra.

"I don't relate with them." says Tenzin.

"I don't know, Meelo." says Wei Tung. "It was one thing having you escape, but I can't have dozens of people escaping, people will notice!"

"Come on, Wei, why do you think you are in my team for?" says Meelo.

They were in the Prison Courtyard, along with the rest of Meelo's rebel friends, all of them benders.

"This prison is no match for our bending powers." says Di Shou, another of Meelo's friends.

"Yeah!" says Xiao Hua, another of Meelo's friends.

"But if we use our powers to escape prison, it would bring even more hate towards bending!" says Li, another of Meelo's friends.

"Yeah!" says Xiao Hua.

"So you want to stay in this prison all your life for the murder of a robber, which we didn't cause?" says Meelo.

"Yeah!" says Xiao Hua.

"It would be best to be patient and wait until things get better!" says Li.

"Yeah!" says Xiao.

"They won't get better!" says Di Shou.

"Yeah." says Xiao, sad.

"The thing is…the Avatar has returned." says Meelo.

The group all look at him.

"I met her when I first escaped. She can help us bring us to justice. She knows we were arrested for nothing!" says Meelo.

"And you think the Avatar is going to help us?" asks Di Shou.

"If she can't, no one can." says Meelo.

"Check this out." says Korra.

Tenzin sits down in a chair.

Korra opens the faucet, and Waterbends the water into bubbles all over the room.

She makes them spin around the room.

Tenzin watches with interest.

Using her Earthbending, she picks up all the broken pieces of every broken relic, and mashes them together.

She heats the floating rock with her Firebending, melting it in midair.

Tenzin watches with awe.

She then sends the bubbles straight into the hot rock, and steams up the whole room!

She Waterbends the steam out the room, and in the place of the hot rock is now a perfect statute of Avatar Aang in the middle of the room.

"He was the Avatar before me. He brought the three nations together as one. It was the precedent for Republic City being built, a place where all the nations can come together as one. Even though it was built by human hands, it was birthed by the bending of the elements." says Korra. "You are a part of this, Tenzin. Please, teach me what you know."

Tenzin sits back into his chair, and thinks about it.

Korra waits.

"I may not be able to Airbender, but I can teach you what my father taught me." says Tenzin.

Korra smiles happily.

Korra and Tenzin stand up on top of the roof.

"Alright, try to copy my movements." says Tenzin. "Let's see if I can remember this correctly."

Tenzin breathes, and moves his feet like the heavy treads in a big truck. He moves his hands into a circular motion, and creates tremendous momentum with the circular energy, moving with ease. He unleashes that momentum forward with a large grunt!

Nothing happens.

"Now you try." says Tenzin.

"Alright." says Korra.

Korra breathes, and moves her feet like the heavy treads in a big truck. She moves his hands into a circular motion, and creates tremendous momentum with the circular energy, moving with ease. She unleashes that momentum forward with a large grunt!

BAM!

Wei Tung Metalbends a giant hole on the wall of the Prison, as him, Meelo, Xiao, Li, and Di escape!

"They are escaping!" yell the prison guards!

The Warden runs to the watchtower.

"Cut them off at the moat." he says.

The guards run to cut the rebels off on the moat made of water!

The rebels get to the moat, with the guards ready for them on the other side.

Di Shou Waterbends a huge wave of water, splashing the guards to the floor, and then freezes the water so that they can't get out. He then freezes the moat, allowing the rebels to run across the ice to the other side!

"They passed the moat! Fire the tranquilizer guns!" say the prison guards.

They aim from the top of the watchtower towards them, and fire!

Li freezes the water in the air, and creates an ice shield protecting them from the tranquilizer bullets!

"They are almost to the last line of defense!" yells a guard.

The rebels get to the last wall.

"Get the real guns. Shoot them." says the Warden.

Wei Tung tries to Metalbend another hole in the wall.

The guards aim at them.

"No time!" says Meelo. He creates a wall of fire between them and the guards.

"I can't see them!" says a guard.

"Open fire!" yells the warden.

They start shooting randomly at the wall of fire.

But it was too late for them, as Xiao made a column of rock that propelled the gang over the wall safely to the other side!

"Noooooooooo!" yells the warden.

"What are we going to do, Mr. Qiang?" ask one of the guards.

The warden closes his eyes as the rebels run into the city. "Tell Mayor Sho we have a problem."

Korra goes down from the roof, disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Korra. I guess I really can't teach you to Airbend." says Tenzin.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too." says Korra.

"Well, listen, you always know where to find me if you need me." says Tenzin, as he gives her some food.

"Thank you, Tenzin. But I am done here." says Korra. "I'm going back home."

Tenzin expresses sadness in his face.

"Um….listen….Korra. You are like family. The Water Tribe is a long way from here, maybe you can stay in the guest room for the night before you leave. It's the least I can do." says Tenzin.

Korra looks back with happiness. "Thank you."

In the middle of the night, Korra can't sleep.

She gets out of bed, and sits on the floor to meditate.

She sighs.

"How am I going to learn to Airbend? Do I need to learn Airbending? Is it required now? There is no longer a fourth nation, and apparently, there is no longer a fourth bending art. What do I do now?" asks Korra.

She opens her eyes.

She looks around to see she is in the Spirit World.

It is a surreal place; she is sitting on a cloud.

"Hello?" asks Korra, to see if there is anybody there.

She suddenly feels a huge breath on the back of her neck.

Korra quickly turns around, ready to attack.

She falls backwards with disbelief at what she sees.

"Hello, old friend. Long time no see." says Appa, the flying bison.