A/N I regret nothing.

Chapter 27

Sunlight streamed in the only opening on this side of the ship and Korra thought her heart was going to fly out of her chest. This was it! This was the very moment she'd been waiting for! For seventeen years, she'd been locked away in the cold and ice and now… now she was finally going to experience true color for the first time, true freedom.

Naga's nose pressed against her back and Korra knew she wouldn't rather have anyone else beside her other than her best friend. The polar bear-dog whined uncomfortably at the sudden actions the crewmen had started as soon as the ship had docked. Sweaty, middle-aged men carried massive boxes with one hand, a trait Korra wished she could do. She was strong, but they would definitely be stronger. She was a stow-a-way on a ship that had only been meant for cargo; she would hate to have her dreams of freedom crushed by being caught and turned in by them.

She slid onto Naga's saddle and tightened her hands around the reins, biting her lip. All she had to do was time this perfectly and viola! The colors of the city would surround her and coat her in warmth and happiness. She knew it. She saw three of the big men reach down to pick up an individual box and she took it as her chance. Korra clicked Naga's reins once and the animal shot forward. Though it probably wouldn't be the most grateful exit, she didn't care. The creature and rider raced down the metal walk. Korra gulped as she spotted how many men had been actually on the ship. Instead of panicking, she raised her hand to one of them who sort of looked formal and smiled. "Thanks for the ride!"

When she glanced back up, her heart stopped dead in its tracks. She was right about the colors and the warmth invading her mind. A deep red had been used to paint the hull of the ship she had been on, like the color of blood. Vibrant blues and vivid purples and crushing greens lined the ships in the harbor, the water a different color than the dark swirling ocean back home. Buildings were made of a different material than the ones back home; russet colored little blocks with white lines in the middle of them, stacking up in straight, tall buildings. The ground was completely gray, though it had red lines decorating it.

As Naga continued forward, she saw luxurious bridges that towered higher than any snow hill she'd ever seen, and they were coated with gold. Black balloons floated in the air, flying through it with ease and grace that Korra thought they were prettier than anything she'd ever seen. Women hustled their children out of the way of Naga, their dressed each a different and rare color she couldn't distinguish and name. Massive buildings coated in glass lingered in the distance, covering the skyline with their height. "Wow," She breathed, the first words she'd spoken since seeing the brilliant city. "Look at this place." With a simple click, she urged Naga forward more.

Her gaze couldn't be torn from the city edge as the polar bear dog passed line after line of slow moving vehicles. What had Howl called them? Satomobiles? They were ugly and slow, and she preferred Naga, but they seemed interesting. She wondered if she would ever drive one.

The dog went wherever she was ordered until Korra spotted a massive statue of her former life over the bay. Her heart stopped for the second time as she scanned the details. He held his famous air staff, carved from three air circles, with wearing the traditional air nomad robes. Korra wondered why they hadn't painted the statue like they had painted everything else as her eyes fell on the air tattoo. Her mind thought back to the White Lotus tile that Howl had on his arm, but she shook her head roughly. This day was about the start of freedom, the start of her new life.

Then her gaze caught another shimmering island across the bay and she smiled. "Air Temple Island," She said, studying the simple but intricate buildings on the island. "That's where Tenzin lives." Korra leaned over to Naga's head and petted her best friend's head. The dog turned and glanced at her with big blue eyes. "You ready for a little swim, girl?"

Before she could force the dog into the water, the animal raised her head to the breeze that hit Korra and sniffed. Korra didn't have hardly enough time to react before the creature started to follow the scent with her nose. She gripped the reins hard as the dog leapt forward. "Okay, okay!" She laughed low under her breath, spotting a giant shadow overhead as a blimp passed by. "Food first, then Air Temple."

The animal took off and Korra felt like she had no control, but she was loving it too much to care. Naga took her down a road shadowed by the massive sky buildings and it took her entire being to hold onto to the reins. She blinked before spotting the Satomobiles swerving to move out of her and Naga's way. Honks came from the vehicles. "Watch it, Naga!" She screamed, fear racing through her. She hadn't come all this way just to be flattened by the same thing that had killed Howl's parents. "Look out!" She screeched as the polar bear-dog jumped in front of traffic.

Naga swiftly dodged the vehicles and raced down a side road, causing two Satomobiles to crash behind them. Korra glanced over her shoulder, shocked at how hard it seemed to control the iron beasts, before she heard the angry shouts of civilians as Naga raced down the street. "Whoops!" She shouted as her pet knocked over a man. "Sorry 'bout that, 'cuse us!" A small amount of anger pooled in Korra's stomach as they yelled at her. Why wouldn't they get out of the way? "Comin' through! Head's up! Sorry, we're new in town!" She said as Naga continued forward.

Then the dog screeched to a slow stop, causing Korra's head to nearly fly forward. She huffed, pushing back her bangs as the dog sniffed the ground, her paws low to the stones. Finally, Naga yanked her nose forward and stuck it into the back flap of an orange tent. Korra pushed through herself and saw the startled shopkeeper staring at her. Just as her animal was about to inhale all the food, Korra pulled lightly on the reins. "Naga, wait." With a whimper, the dog sat, and Korra slid off of the saddle.

She raced to the front of the stall where the middle aged woman with her hair pinned back like Pema wore gave her an evil glare. "We'll take one of everything, please," She said, picking up what smelled like the Spirit World to her. Her mouth watered as she held it between her fingers.

"That'll be twenty yuans," The woman said, her accent incredibly strange. Korra nearly stumbled back at the price and almost turned to ask Howl for his assistance… before she realized he wasn't there.

She smiled sheepishly. "Ahh, I…don't have any money?" She said, trying to put on the best smile she could. The shopkeeper's face grew blank for a few seconds before she pouted grumpily, lashing out her hand and taking the heaven stick away from Korra. Korra put up her hands defensively, ready for an attack if the woman dared bring it on.

"Then what good are you to me?" She snapped, causing Korra's heart to fall. All she wanted was food and acceptance, but this whole freedom thing now required money, too? What kind of world was this? With slumped shoulders and no answer, she started away from the stall and towards Naga.

"Don't worry girl," Korra promised softly, petting the animal's whimpering head. "The city's huge! I bet we can find some place to rustle up something to eat." Though it was an empty promise and the dog seemed to notice it, they started away from the grumpy woman's stand.

Somehow, Korra had managed to find a park. Green grasses and colorful flowers exploded around her with life and that warm and fuzzy feeling returned to her; but not after the stupid old lady's incident. She managed to catch three fish and cook them with her firebending—one of the many reasons she loved being the Avatar—while Naga searched the rest of the river for her own meal.

Her mouth was watering from the smell of broiled fish and as she lowered her mouth to take a bite, her eye caught on the bush she sat beside. She gasped loudly, nearly dropping her meal, when a man in brown clothes popped out from the bush. Her mind was blown in confusion. "Uhh," He started, a creepy smile crawling across his face. "Say, think I can get one of them…tasty smelling fishies?"

"Oh!" She said, still utterly confused on why he was in a bush. "Uhh," He was giving her the creepy smile still, but it had warmed to something of a bargain. "Yeah, sure." Immediately, he jumped from his bush, clinging to his vest with both hands and side stepping massively with awkward looking legs. This man was completely, utterly mad. He grabbed the fish stick closest to her and yanked it up against his chest, before sitting down a few feet away and knawing on the fried fish.

"So…" Korra started, trying to get a grasp on this crazy new person. "Do you…" He wasn't really paying attention; just nomming on the food she'd given him. "…Live in that bush?"

"Yeesss," He said and she swore she was going to die of this new knowledge. "Presently, that is what I do call home. Took me a while to procure a bush that beauteous." Oh yeah, she'd seen it all, and it hadn't even been a day. The bush was freaking sparkling as they both stared at it. Either she was going crazy like the man whose house was a bush or she was dreaming. She desperately hoped for the latter. "This park is quite popular with all the vagabonds."

This confused her more. "So…there are a lot of you out here? I thought everyone in this city was…living it up." She heard the man's raspy laughter and jumped at the sound of it. The only person who had ever laughed at her had been Howl, and that was on a good day. A good day like the first time they'd met, like the first time they'd kissed. Like the first time they-Dammit Korra, get him out of your head.

"Hey, you got a lot to learn newcomer," His grimy finger was pointed straight at her. "Welcome to Republic City."

So this was what city life was going to be like? Living in a bush, eating fish all day… she wanted to go home if that were the case. She could be with Howl and they could stay there for the rest of their life. Suddenly, a sharp whistle blow busted her ear drum. She turned quickly to the cry. "Hey, you!" A pudgy man stood on a bridge over the water, his grey uniform sparking a fear in her. "Stop! You can't fish here!"

The man from the bush stood quickly before giving her a pointed glance. "You'd best skedaddle!" He shouted, jumping back into his so called home. Without a second thought, Korra blew her own whistle to signal Naga and gave a running start, throwing herself onto the back of the massive creature while the man continued to blow his whistle.

She had reached a fountain in the middle of the park, hoping she had lost the man in uniform somewhere between Naga's speed and his pudginess. A terrible screech sent her wincing and Naga whimpering as they wandered through the square. Beside the fountain, she saw a man with the screeching item in his hands, shouting to a crowd of people. Without hesitation, she led Naga towards it. "Are you tired of living under the tyranny of benders!" The man screamed, his voice echoing throughout the park. "Then join the Equalists!"

Tyranny? Of benders? Korra was so confused. "For too long, the bending elite of this city have forced non benders to live as lower class citizens! Join Amon! Together we will tear down the bending establishment!"

Before she could stop her own mind and mouth from working together for her downfall, she spoke up. "What are you talking about?" This got the attention of everyone huddled around the stand. "Bending is the coolest thing in the world." Her mind seemed to think that was a good idea. Her eyes narrowed against the man on the stand. What was wrong with him? Why was he so against benders? Who was this Amon guy?

"Oh yeah? Let me guess, you're a bender." The man with the shouty-thing asked. His brows were clenched together cynically, his scrawny finger raised against her.

She wasn't just a bender; she was the Avatar. The bender of all benders. But for some reason, her mind decided not to point that out. "Yeah," She said sassily, bobbing her head softly. "I am." Perfect! How would he respond to that? With more yelling? Korra was getting a headache from his squeaking shouter-ma-bobber.

"Than I bet you just love to knock me off this platform with some waterbending, huh?"

"I'm seriously thinking about it," She growled, crossing her arms. What was with this man's attitude? Why couldn't he just accept that bending really was the coolest thing in the world and be done with it?

Then his hand motions grew crazy. "This is what's wrong with the city!" His finger angrily pointed at her. "Benders like this girl only use their power to oppress us!" He snapped. Suddenly all the heads of the crowd turned and faced her, their angry shouts rising above the squealing. Korra was stunned at the movement; she'd never thought people could hate bending so much.

"What?" She questioned, her mouth and mind working a mile a minute in perfect sync. She pressed her hands against her hips. "I-I'm not oppressing anyone! You're…you're oppressing yourself!" Oh, because that was a strong comeback. Way to go, Korra. She wanted to take everything back now and shove it in the back of her mind. She wanted to go home, to be in the warm and open arms of Howl, where he had protected her from all of this violence and anger. She wanted to have a playful day where she threw his helmet into the snow and made him get it, only to tackle him or start a snowball fight. She wanted him, she wanted to forget this ever happened.

Republic City was not what she had expected.

After a day of fighting, running from metalbending bending police, getting caught by metalbending police, going to jail, meeting Lin Bei Fong, she honestly didn't want to go home. What she really wanted was Howl. She had made the mistake of not bringing him along and now she was ruthlessly paying for it.

It didn't matter anyways. Tenzin, who had come to rescue her from the evil Chief of Metalbending, was sending her home. The White Lotus already had a ship in port as they reached Air Bending Island. Her heart sunk as she realized that she truthfully wouldn't be able to finish her training any time soon. And, now that the White Lotus knew she was capable of escaping, they were going to keep her under lock and key. Which meant no Howl, either.

She sighed to herself as she stepped off of the ferry and saw the three White Lotus guards standing in a row. Her gaze searched eagerly for Howl's golden eyes but she was only met with Sitch's black gaze. He was frowning, while the other guards were neutral. Something had happened. Something bad. Her stomach churned as she accepted the fate she was given and she started towards them.

Then, out of the sky, came two flying kids, along with a slightly smaller kid attached. Korra couldn't help but smile as the three landed, their bright faces ecstatic to see her. "Korra!" They exclaimed in unison. Littlest Meelo ran up to her and wrapped his tiny arms around her body, followed by Ikki and finally Jinora. "Are you coming to live with us on the island?" Ikki asked, her face the brightest of the three.

It crushed Korra's heart as she kneeled in front of the three of them, her hands on Ikki and Jinora's separate shoulders. "No." She whispered sadly. "I'm sorry Ikki. I have to go home now." She'd seen so much in one day, so many things she had dreamed of seeing and, at the same time, so many things she wished she'd never even heard of. Ikki's face seemed tortured as she let out a pitiful whimper.

As the airbending kids turned to their father, Korra took Naga by the reins. She figured that, after being snitched out by the White Lotus leaders, Sitch would yell at her. For leaving. For making another stupid mistake like she always seemed to do. As usual.

"Wait," She heard, and Korra froze in her step. Tenzin's deep voice startled her so much that she turned to face him, her gaze on his grey eyes. "I have done my best to guide Republic City towards the dream my father had for it. But you're right. It has fallen out of balance since he passed. I thought I should put off your training in order to uphold his legacy," His hand raised to Korra's shoulder and she could feel the happiness growing evident on her face. "But you are his legacy. You may stay and train airbending here with me." Her smile continued to grow and grow until she couldn't help herself. "Republic City needs its Avatar once again."

Tenzin was making a long boring speech, but Korra was too busy jumping up and down. "Yes!" She cried. "Thank you! You're the best!" The kids screeched in happiness and Korra threw her arms around all three of them, before Tenzin as well. They weighed next to nothing and she squeezed them together. Naga let out a content mumble and pressed her nose to Korra's back.

As the airbending kids raced off to bed and Tenzin started up the long path, Sitch caught her arm. The other Lotus guards were heading back to the boat, ignoring the two outside of the ship. "Korra," He said, a tint of anger underlying his serious tone. Korra felt her stomach flip-flop for the worse and her smile faded momentarily. "Listen. Howl… he…you…ugh. You've done it. You've broken the unbreakable."