Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Korra

Chapter 2: "Fight me."

"We're finally here!" Bolin shouted, jumping over to edge of the saddle with locked knees and falling to the hard packed snow below. He let out a howl of pain as his feet came into contact with the hard substance.

Mako looked down at him with panicked eyes. "Bo, what happened? Are you alright?" he asked, jumping down beside him with bent knees like you were supposed to jump. He landed easily and immediately crouched beside him.

"Yeah, I think so, but isn't snow supposed to be soft? It's not supposed to be hard as a rock!" he complained, scratched at the snow. It didn't crumble into his fingers as he'd been expecting it to. Instead, it remained intact and unblemished.

Korra laughed. "Bolin, they're city is made of ice and snow. Of course it's going to be hard. They can't have people falling into holes in their sidewalks or through floors and roofs," she told him, jumping down beside him. Naga followed close behind her, running of sniff every person in the large area.

Bolin grumbled, rubbing his butt as he got to his feet.

"Ah, if it isn't Avatar Korra. We are happy to have you in our city," a young man of about twenty-five called. He had dark brown hair that ran down the sides of his face to cover his chin. He held out his hands wide, a grin gracing his lip. He wore a choker around his throat that marked him at the head of the tribe.

"Hello, we're sorry for dropping in so suddenly, but we're looking for someone," Korra told him with an apologetic smile. She shook the hand that he offered her. "These are my companions Asami Sato, Mako, and Bolin. Oh, and then there's the polar bear dog sniffing everything she can get her nose into. That's Naga. She's just curious." She shrugged as Naga whipped past to investigate the other side of the room.

"Good, good, we are happy to have you here. If there is anything we can do to help you, just ask," the man said.

"Well, there might be. We're searching for a man named Tahno or a master that might have trained him. Something happened to him and one of his friends pointed us in this direction. If you have any idea if he's in this city or who his master might have, that would be great," Korra said.

The man thought for a moment. "Well, I don't know anyone named Tahno, but… Hey Grandfather, do you know anyone named Tahno?" he asked behind him.

The whole crew leaned sideways to see a withered old man standing behind the first man. His hair was completely white. It was long, running down his curved back. His beard was braided so that the tip just brushed the floor. A walking stick as old and gnarled as him supported him. His face was a mass of wrinkles making it impossible to see his eyes.

The old man didn't answer the question. Instead, he slowly walked towards the bison with creaking joints. He put his hand up to him and stroked his nose. "Avatar Korra, what is your bison's name?" he asked in a much stronger voice than any of them had expected.

"His name is Appa Jr., but he's not mine. I'm only barrowing him from Air Temple Island for our trip," Korra explained, walking over to the old man.

"Ah, and Appa is no longer with us. Is that why this young one has been named after him?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the bison.

Korra shrugged. "I don't exactly know. I think that may be it though," she said, brushing over the bison's fur.

"You should start asking questions young Avatar. You never know that information may help you in the future," he told Korra, turning next to Naga and shuffling towards her. She stuck out her nose, sniffing him carefully.

"Hey Mako, that man's really old," Bolin whispered to Mako, keeping his hand in front of his mouth.

"Bo!" Mako reprimanded quietly, glaring at him as if he were the seven-year-old kid on the streets again, "That's rude."

"Don't worry son, I know I'm old. It's a surprise that I can even walk anymore," the old man said, scratching Naga's warm belly, "You see that young man over there?" He pointed his walking stick at the chief. "That's my grandson and my great-grandchildren are nearly of marrying age."

"Woooooow," Bolin said, his eyes going wide, "You're really really old."

The old man chuckled. "That's right. I was chief the first time Aang same to visit us. He was such a young kid then. Had the attention span of a turtleduck." He moved away from Naga, headed towards the steps of the building.

Korra let out a loud gasp startling everybody except for the old man. "You're Yue's father!"

"Who's Yue?" Asami asked Bolin quietly. He shrugged.

"Katara, she told me stories about their travels around the world. Your daughter, she's the moon spirit!" Korra said excitedly, running back to the old man and standing in front of him, "She would always tell me the story of how Yue sacrificed herself and became the moon spirit."

Asami, Mako, and Bolin's mouths dropped open. They looked up at the moon that was barely visible through the day light. "That's your daughter, sir?" Bolin asked, pointing to the moon.

"The moon spirit,Bolin. Not the moon herself," Asami corrected.

The old man chuckled again and gave them what could have been considered a smile, but it was hard to tell with all of the wrinkles. "It is good to know that I am not the only one who remembers my daughter," he said, "I just one question. How are Sokka and Katars doing?"

Korra's face fell. "Sokka passed away several years ago," she said and then grinned, "But Katara's still going strong. She's determined to see the birth of her third great-grandchild though I don't think any of her grandchildren have had children yet."

"That's good. That's good. Well, I will see you all at the feast tonight. Roam as you please until then," he said before slowly taking the steps and shuffling off in the direction of the healing classroom.

The crew watched him leave silently. Korra turned once he'd disappeared around the corner and jumped up the stairs. "I can't believe he's still alive," she said in awe, "He must be more than a hundred and ten by now."

"Yes, he's had a long life. Though sometimes I think he wishes he had passed on much sooner," the man who had greeted them said, making them jump. They'd forgotten he was there. "I think he wishes that he blames himself even now for his daughter's sacrifice." He was still looking in the direction the old man had disappeared with a sad expression.

"He didn't answer our question," Mako finally realized, looking back towards where the old man had been walking.

Korra sighed. She just couldn't win nowadays.

"I know who Tahno's master was!" a boy shouted from above them, standing on the top of the archway.

"Kenai, get down from there, now!" the man behind them shouted back, glaring up at the boy with dark hair.

The boy stuck his tongue out at the man, making a face at him. The man growled under his voice, stomping away. He muttered something about waterbender children. "If you need anything, just come and find me. You're welcome to ask around or ask the masters where your friend is," he called over his shoulder before disappearing down another set of stairs.

"Can you please tell us where to find our friend?" Asami called up to him, putting on her semi-flirtatious, semi-formal smile that she used when trying to get something that she wants. She smiled up at him, letting her hair fall around her face.

The boy jumped from the arch. He landed and sent a wave of ice and snow at them. Korra stood her ground, turning the snow and ice to water and bending it over their heads. Mako turned part of the water to steam. The rest drenched Asami and Bolin who had stepped back.

"Show-offy brat aren't you," Mako growled at the boy, not appreciating the boys show.

Kenai stuck his tongue out at Mako. "I wasn't talking to any of you anyway. I was talking to her so butt out," the boy said arrogantly, throwing his chest out like he was prince of the castle. He tried to stare down at them, but even Bolin was about a head taller than him.

"Why you little…" Mako growled under his breath, clenching his fists tightly and forcing himself not to start a fight with a ten-year-old. "What the hell do you want anyway? If you're not going to give us the information then just go play with your buddies or practice."

Kenai scowled at him. He didn't like having his words ignored, especially by a firebender. "Fine, I'll tell you who Tahno's master is and where to find him…" the boy began.

"Finally," Korra and Bolin said together.

"If the Avatar fights me," he finished, smirking as that stopped them up short, "An all-out, no holds barred fight. You can use all of the elements if you like, but you won't be able to beat me. You had to have help in your fights. I should know. I listened and read about all the fights you had, especially in the pro-bending ring."

Korra raised an eyebrow at Kenai. "Kid, do you really know what you're getting into by challenging me like this? I'm the Avatar. I'm not one of your training buddies and it's been months since my last pro-bending match," she said, trying to make the point that she was stronger than he was making her out to be.

"Yeah, and you lost to Tahno. You're weak, just admit it," he said smugly, grinning triumphantly at her.

"Tahno was a cheater, and we were under constraints by the rules. This is going to be completely different from that," Korra tried to explain, her blood beginning to heat up at this boy's arrogance.

"I think the Avatar is just too scared to fight a thirteen-year-old boy," he mocked, shrugging as he turned around, "I guess you're not as much as everybody makes you out to be."

Korra growled and slammed her foot into the ground. It rippled beneath the boy's feet, making him unstable. She took a whip of water and pulled the boy's feet out from under him. "First rule of fight, never turn your back on your opponent," she snarled, tearing off her jacket and belt and throwing them aside.

"Stay back," she told Mako and Bolin who looked like they were ready to jump in with her, "This is a one-on-one match. We're not in a pro-bending match and we're not fighting Equalists so don't try to help me."

She turned back to Kenai who had struggled back to his feet. He turned towards her, a thrilled look in his eyes and smile. "Let's move to a space more suited for sparing," he said, motioning her to follow him. He took off at a dead sprint, running down the stairs. Korra followed after him, and the others followed after her.

…..

"You brought me to your training area? That's fine with me. More material for me to work with," Korra said, her own arrogance growing. She slammed her foot down over it before it could get too big.

"Don't be so confident," Kenai said, turning to face her.

"Never," Korra replied and took the first shot.

Kenai's eyes went wide as he just barely dodged the ice spear shot at him. "How can you do that in that form?" he cried in surprise, spinning and attacking himself, but Korra already had her second attack moving towards him.

He yelped and sprawled on the ice. The fireball singed the hairs on the top of his head. "Hey! What was that? At least give me time for a counter attack!" the boy shouted.

"No can do!" Korra shouted, laughter in her voice, "You said I could use all the elements, and you said there were no rules." She sent him into the air with a rush of water. "You have no idea what you're up against," she said, freezing him in the wave of water.

Kenai struggled against the ice, his fingers and feet waving around erratically. "Let me down and fight like a man! This isn't over yet!" he shouted angrily, glaring down at her.

"I won fair and square! Now tell me who and where Tahno's master can be found!" Korra shouted, pointing angrily up at him.

"I am Tahno's waterbending master," a woman said from the top of the stairs leading to the teaching area. She stared down at them with little to no emotion. Her eyes moved from Korra to Kenai to the rest of the crew standing off to the side. "What is it that you need of me?" She walked over to them, her hands held behind her back.

Korra jumped and immediately bowed to the woman. "Master, uh…"

"Kanna," the woman supplied patiently.

"Master Kanna, we've come looking for an old student of yours. His name is Tahno. Several months ago, something happened that rendered him incapable of bending. He disappeared after being questioned, and we've come searching for him to give him his bending back," Korra said quickly, still bent over at the waist, "If you have any idea where he is, we would be extremely thankful if you would tell us."

"Avatar Korra, you may stand. I will tell you where Tahno has gone, but first I would like to know why my pupil is encased in ice," Kanna said, placing her hand gently on Korra's shoulder before waving to Kenai who was trying to chew the ice away. He stopped once Kanna looked to him with a deer-in-the-headlights look.

"He challenged me to a fight, and this was the result," Korra answered truthfully, standing straight.

Kanna stared up at him for a moment before pursing her lips. "Kenai, you can stay up there for a while and think about the level you are at and who you challenge. You may be the chief's and my son, but you are not all powerful," she told him before turning, "Come Avatar Korra, I will tell you what I know as we walk."

"You guys can go walk around the city. I'll be back soon," Korra called to the others and she ran after Kanna.

…..

"I must apologize for my pupil's behavior. He wishes to be the most powerful bender in the world one day, but he lacks discipline and drive to perfect one technique before moving onto the next. He is very impatient," Kanna said, sighing deeply as they walked down the sidewalk.

"Oh no, it's fine. He told us that if I fought him he would tell us where you were. I guess I'm a little desperate to find Tahno," Korra said with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of her head, "I shouldn't have let him provoke me."

Kanna chuckled. "It is alright. He certainly knows how to get under ones skin, but what made you come looking for Tahno here?"

"One of his ex-teammates told me that he had a master from the Northern Water Tribe and then another from the swamps. I figured his home must be in one of those two places and that I'd come looking for him here first because it'd be the easiest place to look," Korra explained with a shrug, "But he's not here, is he?"

Kanna shook her head. "No. My son has not returned home since he left for Republic City several years ago. When he left at first, I thought he might have gone to seek out his father, but he hadn't seen him either." She sighed heavily again.

Korra opened her mouth to reply, but she stopped and thought about what Kanna had said. "Wait, wait, wait! You're Tahno's mother? B-but…you're so nice and cultured!" she cried before slapping both hands over her mouth. "Sorry," she whispered.

"It is quite alright. I know that I wouldn't be a likely choice. To tell you the truth, he's exactly like his father in looks and attitude. That's why he hates it here, with me. He doesn't consider this home," Kanna told her with a sad smile.

"Where does he consider home?" Korra asked tentatively, trying to make herself smaller while asking the question. For some reason, it made her feel bad.

Kanna looked up at the clear blue sky. "Somewhere where the sky is obscured by trees and vines. A place that is a living thing in and of itself. A place where death and time are illusions." She still wore her sad smile.

"The swamps. You're talking about the swamps right?" Korra asked excitedly, a smile splitting her face.

"Yes, I'm talking about the swamps. That is where his father lives and most likely where he has gone," Kanna said, "For such a high maintenance boy, I am surprised he chose such a place to consider his home."

Korra turned to sprint back to the others, but turned suddenly. "Thank you for telling me all of that. When I find Tahno, I'll tell him to come visit you sometime. Thank you again." With that she turned and sprinted back to the others.

They were all still standing in the training area with Kenai shouting at them to help him down. Korra flung herself into Mako's arms, grinning like a little kid. "I know where Tahno is," she said instantly.

Well, there you go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one should be up in the next couple days. Review please :D