This story isn't dead. Thank you for your patience!
**Eleven Years ago***
Korra and Asami were having a lazy Sunday morning in their bedroom. Korra had made a treat run to a little bakery on the corner and returned with an assortment of pastries. While she was out Asami made some tea. Once together again, they drifted back to their bedroom and slid under their covers to enjoy their breakfast.
Asami eventually slips out of bed to use the bathroom. When done she catches herself in the mirror and turns to the side.
"Korra, come in here."
"Yeah?" Korra pokes her head into the bathroom.
Asami turns around to face her, her shirt pulled up over her stomach. "I think I'm starting to show."
Korra grins and moves closer. "Let me see." She gets down on her knees in front of
Asami and splays her hands on the bare skin. Korra cocks her head to see Asami's stomach from the side.
"Well, what do you think?"
"Hold on, I haven't taken all the measurements." Korra moves her hands over Asami's stomach in sudo scientific-looking ways. "Hmm, very interesting."
"What is it?"
"I'm pretty sure there is a baby in there."
Asami groans and gently pushes Korra away by her shoulders.
"No wait, I feel like I can sense them now. Kya taught me what to feel for it," Korra says, reattaching herself to Asami's abdomen. Her hands run across the skin and she notes if it feels a little different.
"Really?"
Korra's eyes slide close to focus. "I feel the softest little patter."
"Their heartbeat?"
"Yeah," Korra lets her hands fall from Asami's stomach, and she wraps them around her waist. She rests her chin below her belly button and looks up.
Asami is eagerly looking down. Her eyes are searching and wild. "Do you think it's safe to start letting people know?"
"It's been about twelve weeks now? I think so."
"I want to tell your parents first," Asami says, reaching down to pet Korra's hair.
The Avatar grins. "You know we could go tell your parents too. Probably time we got back over there to clean the stone."
It was a bit past four when they arrived at Asami's parent's graveyard, located a little way outside of the city. A warm summer afternoon, Asami shields herself from the sun with a parasol while Korra goes to fetch some water in a bucket.
Asami approaches her family stone and lets out a little sigh. Hiroshi's remains were recovered and buried beside Yatsuko when the chaos of the city's reconstruction had died down a bit. Asami did it very quietly. Still unsure of how the rest of the world felt about the complicated man that was her father.
Korra soon joins her with a wooden bucket of water, a ladle, and a coarse brush. She quickly took to work scrubbing the top and side of the gray stone, where the most moss and lichen had started to grow.
Asami watches, her eyes roaming over the engraved words. On the top rectangular stone was the family name in large characters. On the stone laid flat below it, are her parents' names, year of birth, and date of death. Hiroshi's death year still looked cleaner and fresher than the other engraving.
Once Korra was satisfied, she eased herself off the ground and did a quick inspection. Flicking off the occasional stray chunk of moss.
Asami reaches into her purse and pulls out a thin box of incense. Korra pinches out a few sticks and sticks them in a hole in the stone. A flame appears at the tip of her thumb and pointer finger, and she uses it to light the incense.
She then steps beside Asami to face the stone directly. Asami's free hand found Korras. "Mom, Dad, I wanted you two to be the first to know we're going to be having a baby. This is something we both really want, and are so excited it's happening."
"I promise I will take care of your daughter," Korra says with a small bow. She looks at Asami. "Even though she's really the one taking care of me."
Korra then passes the ladle handle first to Asami and then offers the bucket of water. Asami scooped up some water and then pours it over the tombstone. Korra takes the ladle and repeats the gesture.
"We should probably get out you of the hot sun," Korra says as she pops the ladle and brush into the bucket.
Asami nods and then steals a look back at the stone. A hand slides to her belly in an instinctive gesture she soon would be repeating for the next several months.
"Bye, mom and dad."
***Present Time***
On the island of Hamashima, one of many that make up the Fire Nation, in a small auditorium near the coast, stands Jinora at a lecture podium. No longer a child. Her thirtieth birthday was only a few weeks after she planned to be back home in Republic City. The year with the White Lotus slipped by faster than she anticipated it would.
Jinora faces a room of about fifty White Lotus members of varying ages and disciplines. She's reached the end of her Spirit World Basics seminar and is now taking questions.
One of the men in attendance raises his hand. "Master Jinora, is it still your hypothesis that the passage of time in the Spirit World did shift around fifteen years ago?"
Jinora takes little time to consider the question. She brushed her long hair back, off her shoulder, but found very little there. In a bolder moment this past year, she cut off the front of her hair, an homage to Avatar Yangchen. She liked being able to see more of her tattoo, without having to be completely bald like her father. She was curious how her family would react to such an old-world look. "Yes, I believe the third Spirit Portal that was opened by Avatar Korra in Republic City somehow altered time in that world. This is based on the fact the spirit portal's creation was the only major event I think capable of causing this world change. I openly admit I don't know the mechanics of how this could be possible. Wong Shi Tong's library has moved and I have not been able to find its new whereabouts. Also, humans have lost favor with the library's keeper.
"Many of the Spirit World's creatures have gone colder on humans. Harmonic Convergence restored airbending, and brought our two worlds closer, with a bit of an adjustment period. I think the new Spirit Portal may have pushed our relationship with the Spirit World to its limit, which is why I, the Air Nation, and Avatar Korra, heavily campaigned for it to remain closed to the public. The original poles are in secluded areas and have thousands of years of reverence. The third portal is in a bustling downtown. The energies are not in sync. The new proximity to human energy could even be the cause of the time shift. I've been studying the Spirit World for fourteen years and I still know so little about how it functions."
A hand goes up. "And the Tigerpillar Spirit? Is it still guarding the portal entrance?"
"No, he eventually moved on. I have seen him storming through the Spirit World on a few occasions, but he did not see me. This spirit seems to be especially prone to anger." Jinora glances at her watch. "I do believe that is all the time we have, but you are welcome to write to me with any questions you have at the Air Temple."
The room claps for a few moments and the group gets up from their seats and starts to shuffle out of the room. An older man with a kind face and a long white beard comes to Jinora's side and takes her arm.
"I hope you know how much we appreciate your willingness to give the same lecture so many times."
"It's important to base knowledge of the Spirit World and the three portals. I'm sorry Master Jinwa that I can't stay long enough for everyone to hear it," Jinora says apologetically.
"Don't worry," Master Jinwa huffs, walking Jinora to the exit. "We've transcribed it for the stragglers. The White Lotus is better connected than it has ever been, but it's still hard to get everyone on the same page across the four nations. Many members like you call somewhere other than a White Lotus compound home."
The two stop at the doorway.
Jinora blushes. "Just keeping up the family tradition."
"You won't be a stranger, will you?" Jinwa asks with a little squeeze of Jinora's arm before he lets it go.
"I'll try not to be."
Zhou Rhen appears at the pair's side. "Did I miss the lecture?"
"Very much so," Master Jinwa snorts. He moves to smack Zhou Rhen but he evades the attack.
"It's not a big deal, Zhou Rhen's already been twice," Jinora offers.
Zhou Rhen gives a little bow. "I'm here to escort you to your farewell dinner."
Master Jinwa's face perks up. "Oh that's right, I best go get changed. I'll meet you kids there."
The pair watch the old man amble away, disappearing into one of the many buildings on the compound. Zhou Rhen and Jinora look at each other awkwardly for a moment.
"Do you need to change?"
Jinora takes a pinch of robe with each hand and tugs at them. "I'm fine with what I'm wearing unless you think I'm underdressed."
"No!" Zhou Rhen violently shakes his head. "You look very nice, as always." He holds out an arm and clears his throat. "Shall we go?"
Jinora takes his arm but shields her face from his, so he can't see the slight pinkening on her cheek.
It was a cooler evening in Republic City. Out front of the Sato home Mako sat idling in his police car. He checks his watch for the fifth time that minute to confirm once again Korra is running late.
The sound of a door closing takes Mako's attention from his watch to the windshield. He spies Korra jogging to the passenger side door. She flings it open and throws her body in.
"You're late," Mako grumbles.
Korra fastens her lap belt. "Sorry, I was having trouble getting Kimmi down."
"So what did you tell Asami this time?" Mako asks as he shifts to reverse and turns the vehicle around to exit the driveway.
"You're having girl problems and wanted to grab a drink."
Mako scowels. "Great, an excuse that requires me to make something up."
"You've had enough girl trouble you don't need to strain too much to come up with some story."
"Asami's going to start thinking we're having an affair if you don't start telling her what we're actually doing."
Korra puts her feet up on the dash and ponders Mako's concern for a millisecond then shakes her head. Asami would never doubt her faithfulness, especially with Mako. After all these years it was hard to imagine she and Mako had ever dated.
He was so much a brother to her now.
After Asami found out about the Kuvirakiss, Korra made sure to let Asami know of any other flirtatious behavior or acts directed her way. The frequency of other people making a pass at the Avatar, even after her public marriage announcement was surprising. It rarely happened in front of Asami, more often on missions Asami had to sit out.
Korra can admit there were a few notable people who stood out as an extra temptation, but she always remained faithful. No dalliance was worth risking what she had with Asami. Yet here she was, lying all the same about something stupid.
Mako turns off of Main and into a side street, he slows the Satomobile down so they can peer down the allies they pass by. "Can't you just be honest with her? Why are you being so secretive about this?"
"I dunno, since getting back from the United Earth States I've been restless. If we didn't have the new baby I think I would feel less guilty."
Mako steers to the side of the street and turns off the vehicle.
"I'm over the moon for Kimmi, don't get me wrong. The world has just been so quiet, and that earthquake was the first big thing to happen in a couple of years. I hadn't been needed or bent that much in so long, it just reminded me of being the Avatar again."
"Korra, you're the Avatar in those big moments but also all the small ones."
Korra bows her head and nods it a few times. "I know, I know."
"So, when you get home you're going to tell your wife what you've been up to."
Korra starts down the alley. Mako throws out a hand and snags her by the shoulder, jerking her back. Korra pulls her body away a bit, but Mako holds tight. She could easily break away but stops.
"Okay, I will."
Mako drops his hand. "So it's over here."
The two come to a cellar door. It was sloppily painted black. Bits of the original green color peaked through in streaks. In the center of the two doors, right on the crack, a red handprint, facing upright, the fingers splayed.
"The gang members I've been talking to at the station all have been mentioning this new operation in the underworld. So far we haven't picked up anyone associated with criminal activity and the goons I've spoken to said their behavior is perplexing for what seems to be a criminal organization."
"How so?" Korra asks.
Mako nudges a bit of gravel by the edge of the cellar door with his foot. "They're not committing any crimes, except making purchases with criminals."
"That we know of," Korra quips back.
"Religious cult has been thrown around by some of the guys."
Korra puts her hand on the wall near the doors and peers down at the symbol. "I mean, bloody hand prints are creepy."
Mako gestures to the building across the way. "I figured we could get access to this building and stake out the joint."
"A stake out, that takes me back to the Misty Palms."
"Yeah, you're one and only time staking out. You know that's a major part of my job, sitting and waiting? And the paperwork I get to do afterward. You see you're lucky as the Avatar, you can just swing in here, rough up a couple of thugs, and move on. I muss up a couple of goons and I'm doing paperwork the rest of the week."
"When do we start tomorrow?"
"I figure at the same time as tonight, with Asami's permission."
Zhou Rhen touches the envelope he has stashed in his pocket for the fiftieth time that night at dinner. He was almost out of time. Well, per his personal deadline, he was. Jinora had been with him at the White Lotus compound in Hamashima for a full year and he vowed to himself he would confess his feelings in some manner before she left.
Of course, he was able to talk himself out of saying anything at the beginning of her stay, what if she rejected him and they had a whole year together? Well, worst case he could have gone to another compound or spent time with Avatar Korra in Republic City. She still called on him so little, Zhou Rhen had to come up with reasons to see her. The new baby was his current excuse to show up a few weeks after Jinora.
Another reason he told himself to not confess to Jinora right away, was maybe after seeing her all the time, he would lose interest. Perhaps it was the longing that kept his interest, but that didn't happen. After a year of really getting to know the woman and working alongside her, his attraction grew all the more.
Then there were all the other reasons. The ten-year age difference, especially because when they met that age gap was not appropriate. Zhou Rhen of course was not interested in her when she was a teenager. He admired Jinora greatly then, so impressed by a girl who was wise beyond her years. He knew she was destined for greatness.
The attraction started after the birth of Ai. Zhou Rhen spent a long period at the Air Temple to support Avatar Korra through Asami's troublesome delivery. Avatar Korra was very spooked by almost losing her wife. They had many late-night sessions then because she was always so afraid of people seeing her need his help. She felt that if people saw her going to him, it meant she was really struggling.
Zhou Rhen lets out a long sigh. That sentiment of course could have been avoided if Avatar Korra just used him more casually, verses seeking his counsel only after trauma. After all these years Zhou Rhen has let most of that go. That is Avatar Korra's problem, not his.
Zhou Rhen never forgot the night she woke him at the temple. It was the night after those goofy badgermole men attacked Republic City. He was exhausted, everyone was because they had all been up for forty-eight hours straight. That night, even the awful hard mattress of his room at the Air Temple felt like a bed of feathers. So of course on that night at 1 in the morning, Avatar Korra would come knocking.
Avatar Korra had faced her greatest fear, or so he had thought. The choice, the big choice that most Avatars must face at one point in their lives. But Avatar Korra to this day doesn't believe she truly did, and if she did she failed because she could not choose.
Zhou Rhen had never seen anyone so disgusted with themselves as he saw her in that moment. He was advised by his master that it could break an Avatar, but Zhou Rhen never fully believed that was possible until that night.
Zhou Rhen slumps in his seat a bit, looking out to all the tables of slightly drunk and jovial White Lotus members. The choice of duty or love? Saving the world or the ones you love? The people you love need the world to live in, so you have to save the world. Zhou Rhen was grateful his choices never felt that big. But that was the burden of the Avatar, the price of all that strength and power.
An elbow on Zhou Rhen's side, from his friend Hu, jerks him from his thoughts. "I think Master Jinora is heading out,"
Zhou Rhen shoots up in his seat and sees that the seat to his left is now empty. He swivels his head until he spies Jinora near the door, talking with a few older gentlemen. It's clear she's trying to make a quiet exit, but they keep drawing her back into the conversation.
"It's that Yangchen hair I think that does it for those old guys," Hu says with a playful smirk. "And granddaughter of the Avatar. Closest most of these guys will get."
"She is so much more than her lineage."
"I know it's not like that for you." Hu sits up a little straighter in his seat. "I think she's finally convinced them to let her leave. Better make your move."
Zhou Rhen jumps up from his chair and one of his knees collides with the table leg. Hu covers his mouth with his hand to stifle a laugh. Zhou Rhen grimaces but continues after Jinora.
By the time Zhou Rhen reaches her side, the throbbing in his knee has lessened enough for him to focus on his mission. "Walk you back to the women's dorm?"
"The second escort of the day from you. You worried something bad is going to happen to me on my last day?"
Zhou Rhen shakes his head. "I just want to get a little more time with you."
They exit the building and the cool breeze hits their faces. The compound is very well-lit at night, blocking out what could be a beautiful view of the night sky. The walk to the women's dorms was quick, Zhou Rhen was running out of time.
"You're going to be back at the temple in a couple of weeks, right?"
"Yes, I'll be doing my check-in with Avatar Korra about the new baby." Zhou Rhen stops walking.
"I'm so excited to meet her," Jinora sighs. "Ikki's told me she has the chunkiest little legs. There is also something very cute about Korra's maternal side. Probably the contrast of a big tough Avatar cooing over a baby."
Jinora notices she is walking alone. She turns around to see Zhou Rhen holding out an envelope.
"I, uh, don't want you to read this now. Open it when you get back to Republic City."
Jinora takes a few steps to be close enough to grasp the letter from Zhou Rhen. He then bows.
"Goodnight and safe travels tomorrow."
Before Jinora had a chance to process and respond, Zhou Rhen was turning the corner and out of sight.
Korra gently closes the front door of their home, but it doesn't matter, Asami is curled up on the couch in the living room with a book. She looks up when she hears Korra.
"So how'd it go with Mako?"
"We were staking out a potential criminal organization. There was no girl trouble."
Asami rests her book in her lap. " Mako hasn't had girl trouble for over a year."
"I should have been honest." Korra bows her head and looks at her hands.
"So should I." Asami gets up from her seat, tossing the book on an end table.
"Mako called a few weeks ago and told me what was going on."
"Mako…" Korra curses under her breath. "You don't need to apologize, he urged me to come clean and I didn't."
"I'm not that upset." Asami saunters towards her wife. "I knew mostly where you were and who you were with and figured you'd tell me when you were ready."
Asami gently slides a hand down Korra's cheek, then gives it a firm swat. "But next time, don't wait so long."
"Yes, darling."
Asami returns to her to the loveseat and pats the vacant spot next to her. Korra joins her.
"So, any big discoveries?"
Korra slumps her body towards Asami, resting her head on her shoulder. "Not yet. Could be nothing. I just want to feel like part of the action again."
"I know. I'm sorry your job is so inconsistent. My career highs and lows are by a much smaller margin. Do you want to hire a sitter for Kimmi during the day?"
Korra lifts her head. "No, I love being home with her and here when the children get home. I think I just need a little adventure for a couple of nights a month."
"I can give you that."
Korra lays her head down again and lets out a long sigh. "How did I ever get so lucky marrying you?"
"Mom?"
Asami and Korra both raise their heads and swivel them to the hallway entrance. Wan stands in the doorframe. He's in his pajamas, holding a pile of sheets.
"I had an accident."
"It's okay Buddy, it happens."
The two women get up and stand by their son. Korra holds out her hand for the sheets and Wan passes them.
"Bring me the jammies after you change the bed," Korra says, taking the sheets to the laundry room.
Asami and Wan head upstairs to his room to turn the bed over. She asses the bed and it's soaked to the mattress.
"Let's put you in the guest room tonight. Grab your book," Asami says, gesturing to the bedside table. She goes to his dresser and pulls out a fresh pair of pajamas.
"Change and leave the dirty ones on the floor. I'll come back for them."
Wan waits for Asami to leave to change. He then grabs the book and finds his mother in the other room. Asami has pulled down the duvet and covers of the guest bed and Wan slips inside. She puts the blankets back up to his chest.
"I had a bad dream," Wan whispers.
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
Wan things for a moment, looking down at the blankets. "I was in a scary red forest and someone was following me. I fell into a pool of red water and it felt like I was drowning. Then I woke up."
"That sounds scary." Asami runs her fingers through the dark hair atop Wan's head. "But it was just a dream. Why don't you read a little and get some fresh thoughts in your head."
"Okay."
Asami kisses his forehead with a few pecks and then heads towards the door.
"Sleep tight, Buddy."
*** 6 months ago***
The late morning sun warmed Ikki's face as she sat cross-legged in the courtyard of Air Temple Island. It had been a minute since she meditated, but due to her recent break-up, she had a lot more time on the island.
She honestly wasn't too upset about the relationship ending, Arria was pretty hot and cold with her. Guessing her mood had grown exhausting. The past couple of weeks had been very grounding.
"Ikki?"
Ikki peaks open her eyes and are level with her mother's robes. She tilts her head back to meet Pema's face. "Everything okay?"
"Asami just dropped off the kids; we're watching them for a bit while she goes to the United Earth States. Of course, I have some new acolytes I need to get settled. Can you watch them for a bit?"
Ikki nods.
As advised, she finds Avatar's two children sitting around their kitchen table. Wan has a book in front of him, and Ai is coloring with some paper and crayons. Ikki playfully pokes her head through the doorframe and into the room.
"Hello, Wan and Ai; so you're crashing with us for a bit?"
"Uh-huh! Mommy and Mumma went to the United Earth States to get another baby. Cus that's where babies come from!"
Ikki giggles and takes a seat next to Ai. "That's so exciting, a new baby!" She slides one of the young girls' doodles closer and inspects it. It appears to be an air bison.
"Babies don't come from the UES, Ai." Wan chides.
"But Mumma was in the United Earth States before Mommy had me. Then she hurried back home cus she heard I was due. Mumma brought me from the United Earth States for Mommy to have me. And now they are doing it again."
Ikkie decided it was time to intervene between the siblings. "Have your mothers told you how you were uh…made?"
"No, but I figured it out." Ai chirps proudly.
"I learned about how babies are made at school, and it's not possible. Korra isn't our Mother. Two Moms can't make a baby. Mom made a baby with our dad."
Ai scowls. "We don't have a dad. We have a Mommy and a Mumma. Some families are like that. Some families only have one Mom or Dad. Didn't they teach you that at school?"
Wan slams his book closed and pounds it with his fist. "Yes, but they haven't taught you how it actually works yet because you're still a baby yourself!"
"Maybe we should talk about something else…" Ikki mutters to herself. "How about we go feed the Bison!" Ai hops right up and scurries to Ikki's side. They take each other's hands. "Wanna come, Wan?"
Wan remains seated at the table.
Ikki squeezes Ai's hand and bends down to her level."Hey, why don't you get a head start Ai, and I'll be right behind you?"
Ai nods and leaves the room. Once she's out of sight, Ikki moves to sit next to the young man.
"Hey Wan, would you like to talk to me about anything?"
"No, I have enough girls in my life to talk to. I don't need another." Wan said with a pout.
"You seem to have a lot of hostility. Is something going on at home?"
"No. Mom's going to the Earth Nation to spend time with Korra and get another baby, and she left us here with you guys at this boring temple." Wan shoves his book down the table for emphasis.
"Are you upset about the new baby? Are you worried your moms will give you less attention?"
"I don't care."
"Why aren't you calling Korra Mumma?"
"Cus, that's a baby name, and I'm turning eleven soon. Besides, she isn't my Mumma anyway."
"Wan, I know that your mothers did not have you and Ai in the traditional way, but they love you; Korra loves you just as much as if she gave birth to you herself. Family isn't just biology; families are made. Love is thicker than blood."
"Whatever," Wan mumbles, turning his body away from the Airbender. He reaches out for the book he shoved away earlier and opens it up again to read it.
Ikki bows her head for a moment and then rises from her seat at the table. Wan does not look up to watch her leave.
It had been a few days since Wan and Ai were dropped off at the Air Temple. Wan peeked an eye open to Tenzin beside him. As he hoped the old man was asleep, not meditating. Though not a bender, Korra and Asami encouraged Wan to form a connection with the spirit realm. This meant meditation practice with Tenzin or Jinora.
Wan preferred Tenzin because the old man was prone to falling asleep, meaning he could walk away for a little bit. Today he wanted to explore his newly developed skill of entering the Spirit World.
It happened the day before, for the briefest moment he was in a field of giant flowers. He looked up the stalks and they towered over him like trees. They slowly swayed in the breeze, their petals casting a patchwork of shadows on the grass below.
A hand on Wan's knee startled him from the dream-like world and he was back on Air Temple Island.
"That was another good attempt," Tenzin said, patting Wan a few more times. "Why don't we go get a little lunch?"
Today, Wan hoped he could get a little farther in his exploration. It did not take long for Tenzin to start gently snoring.
Wan's spirit materialized into the Spirit World, or so he hoped. He found himself surrounded by a thick fog. He pressed forward nearly stepping off a small ledge had he not caught himself first. Wan fell back and landed on his rear. Once he stopped moving he could see his surroundings a bit better. Before him was a small grove of skeletal-looking trees with deep red leaves. He looked up and saw he was sitting beneath one of the strange trees.
"Hello," A raspy male voice called out.
Wan flinched and looked around but couldn't see anyone. "Tenzin? He dared to ask, even though he knew it was not him.
"No," The man said as he stepped from behind the tree and revealed himself. He looked almost as old as Tenzin but was much shorter. He had a mane of gray hair that connected with his long beard. Despite gray hair everywhere else, eyebrows were still black, a scarred notch went through his left brow. Dark eyes intensely locked on Wan as he moved closer.
Wan took a few steps back but knew he didn't have far to go before he fell into that eerie red river.
"So tell me, how does a boy find himself in Xai Bau's grove?"
Wan debated telling the man who his parents were and that he should back off immediately when he saw the man sit down beneath the tree. Wan felt a little less threatened and relaxed.
"I meditated here."
"Not many children can meditate into the Spirit World. But you know Master Tenzin, so this must mean you are an Airbender."
Wan felt his throat tighten. This man was way too close to the truth with so little information. "I am."
"Do you know what brought you to this place?"
"I don't know how I ended up here."
"Do you know who Xai Bau is?"
Wan shook his head.
"That's not surprising." The man bowed his head. "Your Master is only teaching you a fraction of what you should know about history and the world."
"How do you know Tenzin?" Wan tentatively asks.
"Airbending masters generally know each other. But you should not speak of me to him."
"How come?" Wan felt a strange urge to step closer but knew better to do so with a stranger, so he shuffled his feet nervously in place.
"He'll tell you to stay away from me."
"Why?"
The man smiles."Because I am a man with dangerous ideas."
"Like what?"
"If you are able to find me again, perhaps I'll tell you a few." The man's spirit fades and Wan is left alone.
*** Present Time***
Jinora's stomach began to flip once the docks of Air Temple Island came into focus. It was like it was only sinking in now, how long she had been away from home. A full year with the White Lotus. The longest, only next to her time tracking down other airbenders with Korra.
It wasn't as hard as she thought it would be. Maybe that was thanks to her busy schedule or maybe she was ready to spread her wings a little bit more. This didn't have to be the end of her adventures. She could take trips, just not as long as this one. See the world, but still tends to her responsibilities at home. Her father had just turned seventy. Tenzin was still as sharp as ever, but he did tire more easily. His meditations more often became naps than not. Jinora smiles at the thought of her father. She has so much to tell him.
Feeling the chill of the ocean air, Jinora sticks her hands in her robe pockets and her left hand settles on Zhou Rhen's mysterious letter. She planned on reading that later tonight. Her parents of course are having a welcome home dinner for her tonight. All the usual suspects should be there. Fortunately, her trip back took a couple of days, but it still felt like she just went to a "big send-off dinner."
Tenzin, Pema, and Rohan meet her at the docks. Ikki was in town, rehearsing for her next mover. Jinona tried not to roll her eyes. She thought acting's allure would wear off of her little sister, but it never did.
Rohan turned eighteen while Jinora was away. She was only gone a year, but when you're his age that still makes a big difference in appearance. He appears strong and confident in his wheelchair. Still using a similar model to the one their grandmother had originally commissioned. He found the lower model provided more stability. Airbending never came to him. Jinora was curious if he had settled on what he wanted to do with his life. He could work at the temple of course, but if something else was his calling, the family understood.
"So, what have I missed?" Jinora asks as they walk back to the main building.
"I'm going to be in the finals of a Pai Sho competition next week," Rohan boasts.
Jinora quirks her head."They have those?"
"They apparently are quite the big deal in certain circles," Tenzin says with a bit of a huff. "Your brother has pretty much devoted the year you were gone to the game."
"I knew you played sometimes when you were younger, but I had no idea you were so passionate."
"It is a recent obsession. One day when I was taking a stroll along the waterfront on the city side I found a group of people playing it in the park. I joined a game and now I'm hooked."
"What do you get if you win the competition?"
"Five thousand Yuans," Rohan starts. He steals a glance up at his father. "Some of
which I would donate to a good cause, of course."
"Of course," Jinora repeats.
That evening the temple was bustling with commotion from their guests. It was a bit cold once the sun went down so they kept the festivities inside in the larger communal dining hall. They opted for buffet-style eating, so everyone could just move around and mingle. This made things easier with the younger ones who had a lot of energy.
Jinora found a good spot in the corner with Korra and her new baby. Jiniora had Kimmi in her lap, giddily altering between trying to stand and plopping back on her butt. Her tiny hands tightly gripped onto a couple of Jinora's fingers for support.
"That's crazy how Bolin found her."
"I know," Korra sighs.
"Are you going to try and locate family at some point?"
"We would, but we couldn't get an identification of the mother." Korra thinks back on the days after they found Kimmi. She was very torn between her Avatar duties and the instinct to care for that fragile baby waiting in her room. It took Asami a little longer to get to Ba Sing Se, since she needed to campaign for aid from Republic City and coordinate the supplies.
Korra was so relieved when she saw her wife. She brought goods the city desperately needed and the piece of mind Korra needed. They slipped away for just a few moments so Asami could meet the baby. They found Kimmi asleep in Korra's bed where they left her. She wasn't totally alone, a nurse tending the wounded at their camp was checking in on her.
When her door closed, Korra for the briefest moment was able to tune out the devastation all around her and be in the moment of witnessing her wife sit next to their possible new child.
Asami gently eases herself on the bed, causing a little motion as she can. She brushes a few fingers along the soft little hair on her head. Just a few wisps of brown strands. Korra joins Asami on the other side of Kimmi. The couple lock eyes. Korra senses some hesitation from her wife.
"Are you sure we can keep her?" Asami whispers. "I don't want to fall in love with this baby only to find out she's got a family looking for her."
"The government is willing to surrender her to our care. I have the papers, we just need to sign them. But I haven't been able to allocate a lot of time to make sure there is no next of kin."
Asami gives a little nod and looks back down at the baby. She spies a few healing scabs on her little arm. They looked so raw and rough contrasted on her supple young skin. "I'm going to see what I can find out about her."
Korra breaths a long sigh out of her nose. She was satisfied with moving forward with the adoption, but she didn't want Asami to have any doubts. "Okay."
Asami scoots closer to her wife. She slides a hand on Korra's thigh. "If this doesn't work out, we'll look into adopting in the city, okay?"
Asami was able to satisfy her doubts. Kimmi's mom was likely a single mother who immigrated from a small town to Ba Sing Se. This was a pretty common narrative. Korra knows that one day she will need to have a conversation with her daughter about her past. She may even want to go back to Ba Sing Se, do her own research about where she came from.
This conversation reminded Korra she needed to get back there and see what else could be done in Ba Sing Se. She stayed another couple of weeks after Asami left with Kimmi. "I need to go back to Ba Sing Se soon and check in on things. Wanna come?"
"Of course. I was just thinking about how I need to continue to get off the island more. Before my year away, I was a bit of a homebody. My world has gotten a little bigger now."
"So, full-fledged White Lotus now?"
"I'm the enemy."
The two chuckle.
"Zhou Rhen isn't too far behind you, right? He'll be here in a week or two."
Jinora thinks for a moment about the letter in her pocket. She debates bringing it up to Korra, but she should probably read the content of it first. "He's looking forward to it."
"Look who's finally made it," Asami asks. Korra and Jinora look up at her. Ikki pops out from behind.
"Jinora!" Ikki squeals. She rushes to hug her sister. Jinora makes a quick transfer of Kimmi to Korra and embraces Ikki. Korra stands and moves to Asami's side.
"Oh, I have got to tell you all about the mover I'm going to be in!"
Korra nudges Asami. "I'm going to go, you want Kimmi or should I take her to mingle."
"I won't steal your date," Asami whispers, planting a kiss on Korra's cheek.
"It's a Varrick film, not my first I know, but it's the Badgermole man attack and I'm playing Asami!" Ikki gestures over to Asami and notices she's standing alone.
"Shoot, I did it again."
"Did what?" Jinora asks.
Ikki takes Korra's old seat with a flop. "I'm not supposed to talk about the mover in front of Korra."
Korra bounces Kimmi in her arms as she decides where she'd like to mingle next at the party. "I know, I made a big fuss huh?" She asks Kimmi in a funny voice.
Korra pecks Kimmi's head a few times. "I gotta get used to it because they're going to be talking about it more and more."
Korra closes her eyes for a moment, resting her cheek on Kimmi's soft hair.
"Stay back Avatar Korra! You try and come over here, we'll see if you're that good a flyer." The stumpy badgermole person shouts as he tugs Asami closer, demonstrating his control over her movements.
Korra adjusts her position on the edge of the roof. "You've already lost. We've captured your leader. Let her go!"
A thunderous cracking sound, followed by a muted chorus of screams catches all of their attention. They look in the direction of the noise to see a fifteen-story apartment building leaning at a precarious angle like it stopped mid-fall.
"We're still in the game Avatar Korra!"
Korra's head moves rapidly back and forth as she tries to keep tabs on the leaning building and the goons holding Asami.
Another large metallic groan echos through the city as the building loses its battle with gravity and starts to lean more towards the ground.
"Times up Avatar!"
"Korra?"
Korra's eyes flash open. At her side is Bolin.
"Looks like you were taking a nap there. I came to steal Kimmi away from you if possible?" The large man scrunches up apologetically. "I want to huff that sweet baby smell."
Korra smiles and passes Kimmi into Bolin's hulking welcoming arms. He raises her over his head and she giggles. He then rushes her stomach down onto his face. Bolin makes a couple of raspberry sounds and Kimmi squeals with delight.
"The boys playing?" Korra asks.
Bolin shrugs a shoulder towards the door. "Yeah, they went outside. Ai too. Told the twins to be gentle tonight. I know they can get a little rowdy for Wan."
Rohan and Wan stay on the side of the courtyard while Daken and Botan play keep-away with Ai. Bolin's twin boys were near the spitting image of him. Like two little clones. They were both Airbenders, probably the only inherited trait from their mother.
"How are you liking your new school?" Rohan asks, breaking their comfortable silence.
Wan lets out a long sigh. Everyone had been asking him that all night. At least with Rohan, he knew he didn't have to lie. "It sucks, just in a different way than my old school."
"How so?"
"I had to start halfway through the year and I don't know anyone." Wan nudges a stone with his shoe and then kicks it towards the three playing. "But maybe that doesn't matter because Ai's making friends."
"I started at the public school when I was about your age. I was desperate to get off the island. I had a hard time too at first, everyone there had been going to school together for years. Also, I was the only kid in a wheelchair. I had to keep positive. I was where I wanted to be. I just needed to focus on the things I wanted from that school and eventually, I made connections that way."
Rohan looks to see if anything he is saying is resonating with Wan. The younger boy's eyes are fixed on the horseplay.
"I know it's hard to watch people who make friends so easily, but I've found a few good friends mean so much more to me than a bunch of people I only sort of know."
Wan meets Rohan's gaze. "I had a good friend at my old school. But he changed after the summer."
"That sucks," Rohan starts. He reaches out and pats Wan's shoulder. "People change and sometimes those changes hurt. Remember that has nothing to do with you."
"I wish you still went to my school," Wan sighs.
Rohan laughs. "I don't know if I'd do middle school all over again, even for you Buddy. But it's a moment in time. You'll be looking at universities before you know it. That's where you'll make your real connections."
"Have you decided where you want to go?"
"There's a university of science I'm interested in, but it's in the Fire Nation. I don't know if my parents will let me."
"They have a Pai Sho club or team, right? That's why you really want to go?"
Rohan grabs the back of his head. "They might…speaking of."
The two look at the open door to the temple's main hall. The light that had been pouring into the courtyard was not blocked by Asami's silhouette.
"Rohan, everyone wants to watch us play Pai Sho."
"You sure you want to lose in front of such a big audience?"
"I've been working on my game, you're not taking me down so easily tonight," Asami huffs and then disappears back inside.
Rohan nervously smiles. "Your mother has spoken!"
As the party started to wind down, Jinora slipped away to the beach. She pulled the letter from her pocket and gently unfolded it. She reads it as she slowly walks the shore.
Dear Jinora,
I apologize for putting this in a letter, but I won't fumble my words here. I have feelings for you. I have for a long time, but your year with the White Lotus showed me what it would be like if we were together more often. I know you have your duty to your nation and your family. I would never ask you to choose. You can let me know during my next visit if this is something you'd like to explore or if I need to move on. I'm sorry it took so long to tell you, I promise I will be okay no matter what happens. I wish to always be your friend,
-Zhou Rhen
Jinora folds the letter and puts it back into her pocket. She finds a nearby log to sit and process what she just read. She feared Zhou Rhen's letter would be a confession of feelings. It wasn't a bad thing, but Jinora found herself feeling quite numb about it. As she had been about love and romance all these years since she and Kai broke up.
Jinora knew now what she and Kai had was young love, something that very rarely lasts. Most people have a couple of relationships throughout their lives before they find the person they settle down with. If they ever do find that right person. Her Uncle Bumi is still a bachelor and her Aunt Kya met her current girlfriend in her early sixties, after her grandma Katara passed.
Jinora had wondered over the years if Kai was maybe just a fluke. That romance wasn't something she truly wanted. No one had caught her interest since him and she was not purposefully forsaking love. It just never came.
This letter did generate a little flutter in Jinora's stomach. But that could be the anxiety of having someone confess heavy feelings, knowing you'd have to face them with an answer.
"Look what the flying lemur dragged back," a familiar male voice calls out from the darkness.
Jinora turns around to see Meelo, in his United Republic Navy uniform. His dark hair still cropped short, but the spikes now plastered down with some grease. It was more than a year since she last saw him. It was months before she left for The White Lotus.
Jinora always found it difficult to see him as an adult, with no tattoo on his forehead. A symbol she envisioned on all her siblings one day. To her father's private shame, neither of his sons bore the mark of an Airbending Master.
"Did you say hi to Mom and Dad?"
Meelo shakes his head. "I'm just here to see you."
Jinora pats the space on the log. Meelo ambles down the small ledge to the beach and sits beside his sister.
"So, are you going to go full White Lotus or stick around like Dad?"
"Mirror Dad is the plan. I hope to adventure a little more here and there, but someone's got to take over when Dad retires."
"You mean Ikki hasn't stepped up and started taking airbending seriously?" Meelo says with a cheeky grin.
"Enough to get her tattoos. You could get those to you know. There's no age limit, Uncle Bumi somehow managed a few years ago."
Meelo lets out a long sigh. "Let's not do this again." He scoops up a few rocks from the shore and starts to chuck them into the water. The plonking sound of them into the sea, along with its gentle lapping fills the silence between the two siblings.
"I'm sorry," Jinora bows her head. "You've come to see me, this shouldn't be about that."
"So," Meelo asks, scooping up more stones. "What are you doing out here all alone during your big welcome back party? Worked in my favor, but seems like you might be a little troubled."
Jinora debates sharing the letter with Meelo. They never really discussed their love lives before, but it likely would help distract from her bringing up an old argument.
"I've got a suitor."
Meelo turns to look at his sister. He cocks one of his bushy eyebrows. "A suitor?"
"Remember Zhou Rhen?"
"The goof in the prissy robes that followed you around, but was supposed to be here for Korra?"
Jinora giggles. "Yes."
"Him?" Meelo scrunches his face. His eyes cross with confusion. "Well, do you like him? Does he make you happy?"
Jinora looks out to the dark water, considering her brother's question. They were on the beach facing away from the city. In this direction, at night, it was almost impossible to tell where the sea ended and the sky started. The twinkling stars were her only clue, but some nights when the water was calm, you could see them reflected on the dark water.
Meelo shuffles beside her, moving to stand in front of her. "Give me a hug, I got to get back to the ship or I'm scrubbing the deck with my toothbrush for a week."
Jinora rises and embraces Meelo.
"Don't tell the parents I was here. We're taking off tomorrow, but we'll be back in a few weeks. I'll come to see you all officially then."
"Okay," Jinora says, letting him go. "I love you."
The corner of Meelo's lips curl. "I love you too."
To be continued…