Disclaimer: I own nothing.

TenzinxKorra

Tenzin walked through the door to find that dinner hadn't been served yet. Everybody was there in the meeting room, dressed appropriately and in their best for the occasion, shadows from the fire light and the candlelights dancing across their faces. Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki; the ex-Fire Lord; (Auntie) Toph; Kya and Bumi. It was almost like a reunion, but it was one of the worst reasons they could have possibly decided to get together, made even bleaker by the idea that it was probably the last time most of them would be in the same room together.

Kya got out of her seat and walked over to him first, wrapped her arms around him. She looked pretty as always but drained, and he wasn't sure if that was because of her travels or the occasion. "How's Pema?" She murmured.

"She's doing well. She sends her love." His knees buckled a bit as he felt a slap on his back from his brother. They exchange smiles between them and all three stand together as a family again, Waterbender, non-bender, Airbender. Bumi traveled to see them a lot as his siblings' engagements with politics made it practically impossible to get away from Republic City and the Northern Water Tribe (they were both workaholics); they hadn't all been in the same room since...

"...Where's mother?"

"She's...somewhere taking care of something." Her hand made an off-hand motion, the sweeping arc meaning that their exact whereabouts in The White Lotus' fortress were just as obscure to his sister as layout of the place itself.

"Yeah. It went pretty silent ten minutes before you showed up, so we figure it took Mom about five minutes do what the other sentries have been trying to do for an hour." Bumi chuckled and everyone else around them did the same.

Tenzin didn't like the words; what they all found to be funny seemed to be an ominous sign to him. It reminded him of the thoughts that had traveled with him atop BaoBao's back from Republic City to the South Pole. The idea of his father in another body, another person—now unrecognizable from the way his youngest son remembered and saw his father in his head, in the pictures that were on the wall.

"What's she like? Is she like him?" He sat in a chair, one of two free ones closest to the head of the table where he knew his mother would be sitting.

Asking that was immediately like knowing who had shown up first and actually seen her, the little girl this was all for. Auntie Toph and Uncle Zuko, their heads shaking slightly, hadn't. Uncle Sokka had, but his smile lacked the light-heartedness it usually had; Aunt Suki seemed to wear a half-pained expression, the faraway, downcast eyes and traces of a sad smile behind a hand.

Toph laughed, her clouded eyes tracking their moves as elder sister led little brother to a chair. "I've heard she's nothing like Twinkle Toes—at least that's what the masters say. We all definitely heard her earlier. She's loud. I don't think the masters like that so much. I like her."

"She doesn't seem bad. Your aunt and I came this afternoon. Saw her being led inside for a nap by Katara. A hoppy little thing—and clumsy. She, she," he chuckled and laughed as he looked over at his wife, "what did she do?"

His aunt smiled, shook her head slightly, the hair ornaments in her hair tinkling. The sound was full in his ears. "She runs ahead of one of the masters, the one that combs his ponytail up to hide his bald spot. She runs ahead of him and trips and we can hear the sound she makes. But then she pops up and is crawling up out of the snow—like nothing ever happened. She looked like an otter penguin."

"It reminded me of the first time your dad showed your mom and me his air scooter. We had just left the South Pole and had stopped in this field where all these statues were—your dad was still trying to see the world in between getting to the Northern Water Tribe. So, anyway. He does it, he gets the ball made and puts his foot on it. And we're already impressed, and your mom starts grinning when it, it," his finger pointed to the floor and spun in a circle rapidly, "starts running around in a circle, but there are statues around, and he—he slams into one of them and falls flat on his back." Sokka's chuckling now. "And he made this sound—uhh." His laughter is one that comes from the belly and grows. "Uhh."

Everyone else, his dad's old friends, all start making the sound, exaggerating the grunt that left his father's mouth a long time ago. His older siblings laugh, but Tenzin can't find it.

He knew it would be like this. Pema tried to talk to him about it could be like this. She knew there was not a day or moment that went by when he hadn't thought about the second the new Avatar would be found and he would be told so. When he would have to meet the new person, his father soul lived in now. He gently declined her offer to talk about it because he was a smart man and knew that things between him and his father wouldn't be the same with the new Avatar. But he had a responsibility and a promise to fulfill.

"I have to say I really liked the pattern I put on you." They had been sitting in relative silence when the younger Airbender felt his father's hand on his head. His wedding ceremony was two days away, but Tenzin was already in the tent the Air Acolytes had made for the occasion, still wearing all the scarves they'd given him. The two of them had separated from the rest of the group for the evening, walking down the path that led to the bench where they could see the sunset and hear the wind better, the side where his dad's statue, the one the city gave him in his honor, stood. "Don't get me wrong—I love the pattern Gyatso put on me, but the one I put on you from a long time ago is better."

"You think so." He chuckled.

"I do. Maybe I feel that way because it's still blue. It seems like you just got it yesterday." He smiled and looked out into the sea. "...And now you're going to be married. Pema is amazing; you know that in spite how you two came to be, I think so."

"I do. I know that things with her and I will become different little by little, but that's not a bad thing. It's not a bad change—being a husband, children."

His dad smiled, and in spite the fact that they were both almost the same height and his father was much older than he with wrinkles and gray hairs on his chin, he looked young. He always did when he smiled. "Change is always different, but not always bad. I've seen it my entire life—the first half and the second half now. Our element is a catalyst for change, and you and I as benders deal with that change. We don't make those changes without thought, but we adjust."

Tenzin smiled at hearing the familiar lecture, but the grin on his face drooped to something somber. They were talking about change, but not specifically about changes that came with marriage anymore he didn't think.

"Roku. His spirit has been visiting me in my meditations and dreams lately. We sit and talk, but I don't hear the conversation—I'm younger than what I am now, but not a child. I look like that," he pointed to his stone image. His head shook; he wasn't a big fan of the size of his effigy.

"I believe he's telling me of change...Tenzin, I, as the Avatar, am about to change."

"What?" Tenzin stood. "That can't be true. You're healthy; you're standing here."

"I know that I'm not too much of a bent old man, Tenzin," the older man chuckled, "or sick or senile. I'm one hundred and sixty-six years old. I'm older than what I should be, older than any other Avatar before me, and have accomplished what I was supposed to do and more: restored balance, married a beautiful woman, created a city with one of my best friends, and had three talented children. Two have gone on to be politicians and one is an inventor. The Airbender in me has adjusted to a lot of changes the other elements have led me to make, and now as the world itself continues, my spirit now realizes that it has to change."

Tenzin looked at him, tears falling from his face. He knew his father was older than what he looked like, but he shook his head. He wasn't ready to have this conversation; he was getting married in two days for Spirits' sake! He was supposed to be happy. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because your mother knows and agrees with me that it is important that you know before Kya and Bumi." Aang stood, but didn't reach out for his son immediately; he knew it wouldn't be welcomed. "Because you hold my legacy the most—my element. And when the next Avatar is found, it will be up to you to teach him or her Airbending. Everything I've taught you; things that you have adjusted to suit your learning and style—the way you move your hands and feet; adjustments you'll have to make when teaching them. That is your responsibility. It always has been, Tenzin."

"...I know." He felt his father hug him. "I promise I will teach you everything you taught me."

His father chuckled. "That is a strange concept...and now that I think about it, that's a lot of pressure for you and the next me. If I had had to teach Gyatso at your age, I don't think he may have turned out well. I'm happy I did so well with you." His father's palm was on his head again and Tenzin watch as his free hand touched his own gray arrow. "Just know that while the way you know me will change, some things about me won't. There will always be a part of my soul that will be the same, that will reach out to you."

"She doesn't know Airbending." Zuko said now as some of the conversation and memories tapered off. "The masters say that she can do everything except that. And that's surprising to me because Aang was airbending. I would think that he would make sure that part of him would show." He looked up at his best friend's children. "Oh...I'm sorry."

Tenzin's heart clenched. "No, don't be, Uncle Zuko." He heard Kya say.

Zuko sighed. "...But maybe that's good. Your father was playful, but not showy."

Bumi laughed. "He did always hate that statue of his."

The ex-Fire Lord was about to say something, but was cut off when the door opened and in walked his mother hand-in-hand with her. The new Avatar. "Everyone, this is Korra. Korra..." His mother stooped down to talk to her at eye level, "these are old friends and family of yours. Remember what I told you: you haven't met them before, but the Avatar part of you has and they like you and love you already."

The little girl nodded, slipped her hand out and ran up to the group, stopping at Bumi and Zuko's feet. Her hands sat on her hips and her feet were shoulder-width apart. Her face was as serious as it could be, the bottom lip poking out. "Hi! My name is Korra and I'm the new Avatar!"

She is loud.

"I do like her. She's confident." Toph says. "I'm Toph."

The tough face she has gave way to a smile. She smiled big. She's still got some baby fat on her, and it showed: her cheeks were as big as dumplings and her stomach poked out in her pose. The clothing she wore, the thick dress with fur on the collar and hem and trousers were purple. Home-made. The way her feet stand show the progress she's made in her training. They couldn't do airbending of course and it shows; she isn't light on her feet. Tenzin's hand moved subtly to make air around her to see if she can hear it.

She can't.

Who was this little girl? Where was his father inside her?

"And I'm Aunt Suki and this is Uncle Sokka." His uncle, chin cradled in the crook of his index and thumb, nods and smiles. He approved. "What took you so long to get out of here?" Aunt Suki asked playfully.

"Yeah." Bumi crouched over, his elbows rested on his knees. "What took a squirt like you so long? We've been waiting for you for forever."

She pulled at her dress. "My clothes. And my hair." She bent her head and pointed to her brown hair. There was a side plait along her hairline that led to the bun sitting on top of her head.

"The masters had a dress for her, and wanted her to wear it, but Korra insisted on the one she's wearing now. It's very important to her and she wanted to look special tonight."

She nodded. "My mommy made it for me special. I can run in it."

"And it looks very pretty on you." Bumi said. Kya beside him nodded and agreed.

"Thank you...Want me to show you what I can do?"

"Why don't we eat first, Korra?" Katara asks her.

She pouted a little, unhappy at not being able to show her skills, but she already agreeing. It's obvious that the little girl was already attached to his mother, and his mom was the same way with her.

"No, no. Mom, c'mon—let her show something." Bumi said. Tenzin watches as the rest of them, his sister and father's old friends, agree. They like her already—they all like her already. His older brother handed her his cup of water. "Go ahead, Squirt."

She backed up and placed the cup on the floor. She put her hands up and made them rise, the water following her command, bending into a thin rope above her head and lengthening vertically. She spinned around confidently and the water danced around her, once, twice, three times before going back into the cup. Most of them clapped and she bowed deeply before lifting her right hand up again. Flames grew and burst in the air before disappearing.

Zuko clapped loudly. "Very nice."

"Thank you...I don't have any earth."

"Then that's the end for now, Korra. Let's get you seated. I'm sure the masters have dinner ready. Remember? Your stomach was growling earlier."

"Dinner! Yes!" She balled her fist and yanked her elbow back and then ran back to Katara, putting her hand back in hers again. The two walked around the table and Katara released her hand to pull out the chair beside him. There's a blue seat in it, a booster seat. The little girl climbed into it, clicking the belt and waiting for dinner.

"I need to go check on the food. Tenzin, please get her ready."

Tenzin looked at his mother suspiciously; he knew what she was trying to do. But, he couldn't disagree—responsibilities, promises. He took out her napkin and tied it around her neck—she looked like she was a messy eater. He placed his own napkin in his lap and stared at the people around him, listening to the murmur they make as they get ready for the food.

She's stared at him interestedly. "Who are you?"

"I am Master Tenzin. I'm Master Katara's son and I live in Republic City."

"Master Tenzin," she nodded and repeated his name to herself. She was making an effort to remember the names of the people who had spent so much time giving her praise. "You have..." She touched her shoulders.

"A cape. It is part of the Airbender style of dress. I can feel the wind this way."

Her blue eyes lit up as she turned back to her plate. She nodded again, and he knew that she now knew him as an Airbender, her teacher.

The food arrived and at his mother's insistence, he served her. And she was easy to serve—a lot of that, some of that, yes please, none of that because she doesn't know what it is, and yuck, no, no sea prunes. "Thank you." She picked up her chopsticks and began to dig into some of her food.

"You're welcome." He turned back to serve himself and got ready to eat, but then felt a tug on his cape. He turned his head and mouth away from his food. She was staring at him again. "Yes?"

She beckoned him closer and neared his ear. For all of her loudness, there was something she'd found that she wanted to say privately to him. He tried to meet her halfway, stooping down a little.

"I like your arrow. It's pretty and cool."

And with that said, she touched it.

He stared at her wide-eyed and looked around to see if anyone has noticed. They all have. His mother looked like she was about to cry. His eyes looked at her, Korra, again.

And her eyes held traces of something that didn't belong to her personality. Wisdom. Familiarity—true familiarity. A knowing, private and established only to them, even though he had never met her before then.

Her hand moved to touch her own forehead and she nodded again. "It's pretty and cool...I like blue."

He smiles as he remembers. "...Thank you."

Father and Son

This came to me this morning. I read a lot of TenzinxKorra-centric work and a lot of it always seem to have her having to prove her legitimacy to Tenzin. I like them so I tried one myself. I miss a lot of the original characters, so I wanted to bring them back for this oneshot. Sokka's story about the air scooter comes from the opening sequence of The Last Airbender. No matter how many times I see Aang slam into that statue, I laugh.

My idea in creating little Korra was to have her in the fortress for awhile, and I tried to make that show with her interactions with Katara (who has obviously been enforcing her manners, "Thank you" and stuff).

The idea of the scarves for Tenzin's wedding comes from a little bit—tiny-reading I did on Tibetan weddings.