Title: Adequation

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Don't own Legend of Korra.

Summary: Avatar Korra, having mastered three out of four elements, was about to take charge of her own life and finally learn airbending in the grand city of her predecessor, Aang – is it any surprise that she missed the stop at Republic City?

"Uh, Excuse me! Is anybody here!?" Korra called out into the town. She was still atop Naga, and peered curiously into what looked like a courtyard with houses built into the walls with one giant building on the far side. It looked like a prison, yet pristine and white and nice smelling. Korra wondered if she was at the right place.

"Well, Naga, does this smell ok?" She asked, suddenly nervous.

Naga chuffed at the ground, and promptly sneezed.

"Well, geez, thanks for the help." Korra muttered.

"How may I be of service, young lady?" A voice from aside suddenly asked. Korra cried out, and promptly fell out of Naga's saddle.

"Oh my!" One woman dressed in predominantly white cried out.

Another hurried to help her up. "Please, I did not mean to startle you!" She stated kindly.

"Uh..uh." Korra stuttered.

Naga sat and rolled her tongue out. Obviously, there wasn't much to worry about.

"You all… you must be the nuns?" Korra asked as she slowly stood up, eyeing the three identical women before her.

One woman beamed, "That's right! We here at the Abbey are, as you can see, nuns."

How… redundant… Korra couldn't help but think. Still, she pasted on a smile. "Pleased to meet you."

"No, no." Another woman said, grey eyes shining. "It has been quite a while since we have seen a member of the Water Tribe. You usually don't visit the Abbey. Why, it must have been over ten years since I've seen another of you!"

Ten years? Korra suddenly wondered what the Water Tribe had against the Abbey, that they would avoid the place. Surely they were as gentle as they looked? Suspicious, she looked at Naga, but the polar bear-dog still didn't seem to find anything wrong.

"Well… I… I came here in a bit of a bind, not to visit." Korra grimaced a smile. "I'm sorry. I honestly had no idea you were here before today."

"Oh! Well, we should take you to the Mother Superior, if that is the case. She will be able to help you right quick. It is our undertaking and pleasure to help those in need." This woman had more wrinkles, Korra was starting to realize. She felt her grin becoming plastic.

"Heh-heh. Okay. Lead on…"

One of the nuns declared that she would keep watch over Naga, and the grey eyed, younger one led her to the imposing building in the center of the Abbey.

"Mother! Mother Superior, we have a guest!" She called out before pulling the bell hanging atop the entryway.

A fragile looking woman made her way out to her, and smiled a gentle smile and bowed gracefully. "Hello, young lady. You have need of us at the Abbey?"

Blinking rapidly, Korra tried to translate that into literal speak. She had need…? Oh! "Yes! Yes I did! I… uh…"

Korra was rewarded with another smile, and swallowed. "Look, uh, Mother, Mother Superior?" The woman nodded, so Korra plowed on. "I kind of need to go to Republic City. I'm travelling from the Tribe, and, well, I only have so much…" her mind wracked for the proper word, "Yu-ans, so I was hoping you could maybe help point me in the fastest direction."

The Mother Superiors smile fell. "Oh, young lady! I'm afraid I could never send you to Republic City!"

What? "What?" Korra asked faintly.

"It's just too dangerous! Why, the whole city is a warzone right now. It's no place for a young girl to be headed!"

"Bu-but I have to get to Republic City!" She protested loudly. Quite a few of the nuns that had gathered around them tutted in disapproval at her words.

The Mother Superior shook her head. "It would weigh heavily on my conscious, I am afraid."

Korra outright gaped at them all. What was wrong with them! "I can take care of myself!"

A hand caught her elbow. "Come now, miss, let's get you fed and put to bed. I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning."

"But…!" Korra looked around wildly for help.

"The City is no place for a lady." Another nun said.

Was she surrounded by clones? What was wrong with these people! She had a goal! She had to learn airbending, and the only way to do that was to get to Republic City!

"Let me go!" Korra demanded of them, but found her feet being led to a smaller building.

Platitudes fell noiselessly against her ears, and Korra felt steam coming out of her nostrils. Clenching her fist, she controlled the impulse, barely. Harmless Nuns. Harmless Nuns.

No wonder why the Water Tribe avoided the Abbey.

Korra moped into her bowl of rice as across the room from her, Naga slurped happily at her own meal.

"Please, I know you're disappointed, but it's for the best." A quiet voice said from her side. Korra looked at her.

She was young, only a little bit older than Korra, and had the saddest look in her green eyes that Korra had ever seen.

"…Why?" Korra asked.

The girl slowly put down her bowl. "I was foolish enough to go to the City, once."

Korra couldn't understand the serious tone she spoke with, and asked for her name.

"….Li-e."

"Li-e. What happened at the City that's so bad?" Korra questioned.

Li-e was staring at the flames, a faraway look in her eyes, but slowly slid them to Korra's. "We don't mean to insult you… You do look strong, you know. I didn't think North girls could be Warriors, but you must be going South to prove them wrong, huh?"

Korra bit her lip, and didn't correct her; instead, she shoveled more rice in her mouth.

"I'm not a bender." Li-e said, like that explained everything.

"What?" Korra said obtusely. What did bending have to do with anything?

A small laugh escaped Li-e's lips. "You know, I can really tell that you've grown up just in the Water Tribe, just by that."

The smile faded. "Bending is everything, these days."

Korra frowned, she could agree with that. Bending was the best thing in the world!

Li-e continued, as if seeing just that notion in Korra's head. "I'm a desert rat, but we don't live very long if you're not a bender. Sandstorms, you know?" Green eyes implored Korra. "I thought, it must be better in Republic City! Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko made that city with sweat and blood, with their own hands, where people of any descent could live peacefully."

She trailed off, and sat in silence for several minutes, that haunted look in her eyes.

"I was hopeful… and I was wrong."

"I still don't get it." Korra said, trying not to upset the girl.

Li-e wiped her eye, but Korra thought they were remarkably dry, like the tears just wouldn't come anymore. It was a sobering thought.

"There's these… gangs. In Republic City. They rule it. You can't go two blocks without running into one Triad or another. They have so much influence, they terrorize everybody. Take money, bully people… rape them… "The last was said so quietly Korra had to strain to hear, but once she did, she froze.

"They're all benders. And the police do nothing."

This picture, everything was wrong with this picture! Why hadn't Master Tenzin ever said anything?

But, an insidious voice said, deep with in Korra's head. He did. Tenzin said it himself, that the situation in Republic City was very unstable right now. Korra couldn't believe, however, that behind those words, he meant this.

"But, there has to be someone who tries to stop them? The council put laws down? What about the Air Acolytes? Don't they help, shelter people, something?"

A smile flitted across Li-e's lips. "I wish I had had that foresight, to go to Air Temple Island. Maybe then…" Li-e took a deep breath, and hummed a deep, clear note. Korra felt it resonating through her body, and couldn't help but relax, watching curiously as the desperation on Li-e's face calmed and disappeared.

"I went in to Republic City, and two days later, after getting a job, the owner 'gave' me to the Triad he owed money to. I…" Suddenly, Li-e's eyes opened, and the clear green caught Korra's. "I don't think you want to hear what happened."

Korra swallowed. In a dark part of her heart, she felt helpless that she agreed.

"Nuns sometimes go into the city. There's a few woman's shelters, see. Not many. But, some. Those who are willing go with the nuns, here to the Abbey. I wasn't aware of their existence, until some Water Tribe man rescued me, brought me to one, and handed me to the Abbey. I am thankful, now."

Korra swallowed, and dumped the remains of her rice in the fire as she stood abruptly and exited the dwelling at a clip.

Tears were in Korra's eyes. How could this be going on? It was horrible! This wasn't right! It didn't match with her vision of Republic City!

Just like it didn't match with Li-e's.

But Korra was the Avatar! "Augh!" She cried out, punching a fist without flames. "Why!" She demanded to the night air. To the spirits, or to the people in charge of Republic City, like Tenzin, or perhaps even to Aang, for leaving the city like it was.

"Why?" Korra asked, broken, for Li-e's sake.

Early the next morning, before even the hours of pre-dawn, Korra packed Naga's saddle. She didn't notice it was heavier, because her heart was heavy.

Korra was filled with regret, but strangely, also, resolve. She was the Avatar, and Republic City needed her.

"I'm sorry, Li-e" Korra said to the night's air. She left on Naga, running on silent paws.

Green eyes watched from beyond a door way, filled with tears that, for once, shed. "I'm sorry, too.