Chapter 12
Heard from you
'Dear Korra,
It's been a long time since we've heard from you. I'm sure you're very busy with your schoolwork, but it would be nice to get a letter from you once in a while. We miss you very much. I hope you received our last message that we sent you. Maybe you didn't and that's why you haven't written back. We've got some bad news, unfortunately. None of the Southern Water Tribe ships will be heading south from Republic City around the time of your break, so you won't be able to come home during your vacation. We are still going to try and visit you, though, but there's also an issue with that idea. A huge storm came in just a short while ago and wrecked a lot of our ships. We are in the process of repairing them now, so hopefully we will be able to get one going to come see you. If not, well… we will find a way. Your mother has also been writing letters to Mizu to see if any of the Fire Nation trading ships will be coming through the area in a few weeks. You remember Mizu, our Fire Nation friend, right? It's been a long time since he's been down to trade with the Southern Water Tribe – years, if I recall correctly. I believe he got a promotion in the Fire Nation Navy that sent him more into their battle units instead of their trading and seafaring group – Anyways, if he or anyone else in the Fire Nation Navy is planning on making a trip any time soon, we might be able to catch a ride on one of his boats when he returns to the north. I'm not sure if that will happen, but it gives us another option if we can't repair our own ships.
How are your classes going? I'm sure you're doing well. I really wish I had heard from you. With everything that is happening in Republic City right now – it would just be nice to know if you were safe. The reports seem to be more frequent than they were before. I know you're strong and can take of yourself, but, well, you know some of the things I've seen and some of them, I haven't told you. All I know is that people can be dangerous and deceitful, and I don't want them to hurt you. Just be careful, and keep your guard up. Remember the moves I taught you.
I apologize that there aren't any yuans in this letter. We are scrambling to get funds to rebuild the ships and to repair some of the damage from the storm. I haven't seen a storm this bad since you – Anyways, I hope everything is going well and we hope to see you soon. Once we get word on our status, we will send you another letter.
Don't forget to let us know if you hear anything about the Avatar. Maybe there are some Water Benders in Republic City that might be the Avatar. You should probably be weary of the City, Korra. I know you can't Bend, but people might see you in your Water Tribe clothes and mistake you for a Bender. I can't think of the things they would do. Katara has been asking a lot about you lately. I'm not sure why, but she says she's worried about you. She won't explain it, either. I'm not sure if she can. I think she's just anxious to see you to talk about Avatar – 'things'. The White Lotus is getting just as restless. Not about you, of course, they wouldn't be concerned about you. It's just about the whole ordeal with the Avatar. Who knows where he could be and whether or not there even is an Avatar. I suppose you're more versed in these things, though, and you seem convinced that there's some sort of Avatar out there. I guess some of us are just losing hope. It's like the 100 years that passed before Aang came out of that iceberg. The world is getting out of balance. I think we all just need to prepare ourselves for life without the Avatar. Clearly, if they were around this world, we would know by now. Someone would have spotted them, Bending more than one element. Maybe it skipped a cycle. I don't know. No one does.
Your mother sends her regards and her love. She also wishes that you would write us more often. We just – we miss you. A lot. Naga misses you too. She has gotten a bit aggressive recently, right around the time that Katara started asking about your welfare. She hasn't hurt anyone, but she's been snarling at people, and we hear her whimpering when she's sleeping. I think she's getting anxious to see you, too. As long as she doesn't bite or swipe anyone, then everything should be fine.
Well, we will keep in touch concerning your break and about visiting you. Hopefully this letter reaches you and you actually respond to it. Keep making us proud and work hard.
And be careful.
-Dad'