AUTHOR'S NOTES: Korra's relationship with Tenzin is surprisingly much more mature than I expected it to be, but then again, so is Korra herself. Even without her connection as the Avatar, he does still have an almost fatherly bond with her, and as such Tenzin cares very deeply about Korra and her well-being. Another important thing to watch out for in this and the later chapters, is Korra's attire. The way she dresses and carries herself may or may not be a subconscious indicator of how she's doing emotionally, for better or for worse.
Happy Reading!
BOOK TWO: CHANGE
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: AIR TEMPLE ISLAND
Air Temple Island was magnificent in its own way; a miniature Air Temple that had the same freewheeling, windy vibe that Korra got from the Western Air Temple, although it also had a more social atmosphere and less of the cool, serene mystery that the upside-down western temple complex had had—and Korra did not imagine a Hall of Avatars was beneath the small complex.
"This is a nice place," Korra commented, "Not quite as cool as the Western Air Temple, but it'll do just fine I think."
"How often did you visit the Western Air Temple?" Tenzin looked intrigued. Not many people could visit it without flying there, which meant either Korra either owned an airship of some kind,. Or more likely, was just a remarkably proficient airbender.
"Over the last two years or so… about 19 times." Korra shrugged, "It's probably my 2nd favourite place in the world behind Republic City. I like to go there to be alone, or to ponder on my past lives when that kind of thing starts weighing me down too much. Oh, hey!"
It was less that Korra's attention-span was short and more that she couldn't help but smile excitedly as Tenzin's three children Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo came flying into view.
"Korra!" Ikki and Jinora exclaimed happily, "you've been gone for so long!"
'I've been everywhere," Korra chuckled, pulling all three children into an effortless embrace, "one of these days we'll have to sit down and I can tell you how the last 5 years treated me."
"You've grown so big," Jinora exclaimed as Korra set them down to look them over. Meelo, who had been just an infant the last time Korra had seen him, simply picked his nose and then started running circles around them.
"And you look so…" Jinora continued, "...wild."
"Huh, I guess I do, don't I?" Korra laughed, running her fingers through her hair and glancing down at her slightly dirty bare feet. She blamed Ghazan and Kwan, but Korra was really not sure where her penchant for going unshod so often came from, other than that it often lined up with those times she decided she didn't care about her appearance.
"Are you coming to live with us on the island, Korra?" Ikki looked up with large excited eyes.
"Well, not exactly," Korra began to explain. She was happy to visit often, but she had absolutely no desire to permanently live on an island without meat… and considering that her current living arrangements involved being with her best friend (and now girlfriend), Korra didn't exactly want to stray too far from Asami at this point in her life—especially not when the beautiful industrialist was also one of Korra's most formidable emotional crutches.
"Aww…" Ikki hung her head, although all three children had stopped to chant in unison.
"Hey, don't be sad," Korra crouched down to put a finger under Ikki's chin, "I'll be sure to visit as much as I can!"
"You know they're going to hold you to that, don't you, Korra?" Tenzin had a touch of amusement in his tone as he watched the heartwarming reunion.
"I can take it," Korra laughed as she was forced to get Meelo in a headlock to keep the squabbling youngster from pulling her hair or her clothes.
"So Korra," Jinora spoke again, "is it true that you learned Airbending without a teacher, and that you unlocked the Avatar State?"
"It is," Korra smiled, "It was crazy too… long story and stuff…" she didn't exactly want to recount the rather forceful stories of how Nakkoa had tried to kill her in both situations. She especially didn't want any of them knowing that she wasn't fully in control of the Avatar State yet, what with how it occasionally 'hijacked her" as she would put it.
"Can you show us?" Jinora's request was humble but earnest.
"Yeah, show us, show us!" Meelo chanted, with Ikki joining in a moment later.
"Alright…" Korra cracked her knuckles, rolling her shoulders and stretching, "Everyone stand back—shit's about to get crazy."
"In front of my children, Korra?" Tenzin shook his head. "Really?"
"Sorry!" Korra scratched the back of her head, "uhh, bad habit! Anyways… here goes!"
Korra took a deep breath and focused. Her trauma might not have fully left her alone but she felt confident enough in knowing that it was very rare for it to strike these days. With concerted focus, Korra entered the Avatar State, pointing her arms skyward before giving Tenzin and his family the most gloriously vulgar display of power she had ever performed since the day at the Probending Arena. The kids were all improved and awestruck, although Tenzin showed concern. Korra noticed this before he could say anything.
"Don't worry," she explained, "I usually only save those displays for when I win a Probending match. Nothing says 'I rule, you drool' like an abusive display of power after a victory."
"I see," Tenzin mused. He had expected more of that kind of Korra when he met her, but it seemed the young Avatar had actually matured rather noticeably in the last couple of years. "You exercise a remarkable amount of control."
"I try to," Korra smiled, "I mean, sometimes I forget just how powerful I am and so I try to be careful not to do too much unnecessary damage."
"I am interested to see your airbending, Korra," Tenzin remarked, changing the subject. "Without the Avatar State; I wish to see what you've picked up during your… adventures."
"Sure thing," Korra shrugged, "just gimmie a moment."
Korra took a deep breath, cleared her mind and shifted her stances, focusing her abilities into airbending tricks and techniques.
Her form was remarkably almost flawless, with light-footed steps and graceful movements that were reminiscent of the Air Nomads of old. All that time fighting wild renegades such as Ghazan, Ming-Hua, and Nakkoa had definitely kept Korra swift and alert—and these moves had also served her well thus far in the Probending Arena, even if she wasn't allowed to do any actual airbending during the games.
Her attacks however, were exactly that—attacks. Korra's airbending skills were fierce and offensive, and while she displayed great knowledge over other tricks like gliding and air spheres, it was clear that Korra had gotten extremely creative with some of them and that her primary focus was on offensive maneuvers and attacks..
"Can I get a volunteer!" she waved her hand, and Ikki sprang forward.
"Why bloodbend," Korra smirked as she began bending a large sphere of air around the little airbender, "when you can move them without hurting them!" She raised Ikki in the air for a moment before turning and relocating her several meters to the right and then dissipating the sphere. Ikki laughed, although this caused alarm in Tenzin.
"Korra," he kept his calm as Korra showed off other little tricks for the children, including one with a few small marbles. "A word if I may?"
"Oh, sure," Korra nodded, before turning to Ikki, Meelo, and Jinora, "Your dad's kidnapping me for a moment guys. I'll be right back."
"Unhand the Avatar, old man!" Meelo demanded.
"Meelo be nice to your dad," Korra laughed, scratching his bald head, "He's a nice guy."
Meelo simply blew a raspberry before wandering back towards Ikki.
Tenzin pulled Korra aside and his expression turned serious, causing Korra's to drop.
"That ability you used on Ikki…" he warned, "Where did you learn that?"
"Well," Korra mused, thinking back to the day where she was lazing around outside with Naga, but had left her candy pouch several meters away, "I just figured that if the air sphere was solid enough to ride on… that maybe it was possible to use it to carry things. It saved me having to get up and get my candy bag one day when I was too tired to move."
"You… too tired to move?" Tenzin raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that's possible."
"Touché," Korra laughed, "but if you think that, how about you ask Chief BeiFong about her 'metalbending training' and get back to me?"
"Mm, that might explain it," Tenzin nodded, "But I want you to understand the dangers of that ability, Korra—and that it's dangerous to use on people."
"I know, I know," Korra gestured, "I was careful; I knew she'd have enough air from the time I picked her up to the time I released her. It's not like I'd wrap a sphere around her head or anything. That would be horrifying."
"And where did that thought occur to you?" Tenzin looked her in the eyes.
"An Avatar named Zeruda asphyxiated people once," Korra remembered the vivid impression that dream had left on her, "And she learned it from Serenez, one of her predecessors."
"The Interregnums… of course…" Tenzin muttered under his breath. "Korra, I am simply going to give you the same advice your mother and father have given you—please, for your sake as well as the sake of those you come in contact with—make sure not to abuse your abilities. You have an unprecedented amount of raw power at your back, and while I foresee you doing a great deal of good with it, there are those that would try to convince you to abuse it."
"...like the Red Lotus?" Korra finished his sentence for him.
"Indeed," Tenzin nodded, "Five of the most dangerous members may be apprehended and another deceased, but there are very likely others scattered across the globe."
"I'll be careful, I promise," Korra pleaded, "Honestly, if you knew how many times I blew up at my girlfriend and beat myself up over it, you'd trust me as much as she did!"
"Perhaps I would," Tenzin sighed, "Korra, I hope you aren't taking any of this the wrong way… especially since much of this isn't even your fault. The Red Lotus focused on training you with some of the most deliberately dangerous bending techniques in existence. I'm glad you haven't tried bloodbending, and I'm glad that you keep that combustion ability covered and controlled."
"Like I said," Korra tried to reassure him, "I got this. I've got a few rough patches in my life, but I've managed to keep a pretty good grip on this whole Avatar thing notwithstanding. If I was really that far out of balance I couldn't access the Avatar State like I did, yeah?"
"Not that I am aware," Tenzin tried not to think of the Interregnum Cycle that Korra had clearly developed many attachments to, intentional or otherwise. "How are you doing regarding the Interregnum Avatar Cycle?"
"I've connected with every one of them before, including Zeruda," Korra admitted, "They did some really terrible stuff, but I promise I'm not going down that road!"
"Except that's exactly what you're doing, and you do not even see it…" Tenzin mused with a frown, although said nothing to Korra for a moment. The last thing he wanted to do was provoke the teen, especially since he had it on good authority that Korra turned defensive bordering on hostile when called out. "I understand," He finally spoke, "If it is okay with you at some point though, I would like to have the privilege of teaching you a few things—which reminds me: your airbending prowess is commendable."
"But…" Korra was expecting a catch.
"But it is highly aggressive, much like the rest of your styles" Tenzin warned, "Your behaviour is not wrong on its own… but surely you've learned the dangers of extremes."
"Of course!" Korra nodded, "Tenzin… please don't take this the wrong way, but I feel like you're grilling me for something that isn't there! Please just trust me on this, alright?"
"I do," Tenzin put his hands on Korra's shoulders, "But your situation is both fragile and unique. Nowhere in recorded history are there any records of an Avatar possessing such a myriad of powers and displaying them with such skill—let alone at your age. There's something different about you, Korra—something that has attracted the attention of a great many people—not all of them good."
"Well, there's a spirit that looks a lot like me except with pointed ears and greyer skin running around," Korra pointed out, "If that's what you mean."
"That… is not what I meant, but that cannot be a good omen either." Tenzin frowned, "My point is that in times past there have always been ways to halt or restrain the Avatar if something happened. With you… it seemed the Red Lotus was particularly fixated on destroying that failsafe—and that they succeeded in one of the most remarkable and unsettling ways."
"So what do I do?" Korra waved her arms, a touch of defensiveness showing through her tone, "should I just ask Avatar Aang to come back so he can take my bending away? Tenzin, I didn't ask for any of this. I was young—I'm STILL young. Bending really was—IS—the coolest thing in the world to me! Now you're telling me I got carried away and am a threat to the world?!"
"Not a threat, Korra," Tenzin spoke softly, hoping not to rile Korra up, since she was already showing signs of her aggressive defenses that she threw up at the slightest provocation. "But dangerous. The Avatar, by her vary nature, is dangerous. Even my father was the same way. All I am saying, Korra, is that your life will become more perilous as you grow older and stronger. I do not wish to see such misfortune befall you, and so I'm beseeching you to remain cautious and wary of the world around you as you go about your life."
"I will!" Korra promised, "It's hard to explain, but seeing 20 of my past lives commit some of the greatest evils the world has ever seen kind of drills that into your head. I don't wanna say that you don't understand, Tenzin… but please—PLEASE trust me! If you want to help me, then I need to be trusted. It's… kind of a big struggle for me right now."
Korra didn't realize that her eyes had watered just slightly as she dug up her rocky past with the concept of trust, both on the giving and receiving end.
"I'm sorry, Korra," Tenzin frowned, pulling her into a fatherly embrace, "Perhaps I came off too forceful and too accusatory. You are… a touch prickly about your insecurities though. I did not wish to provoke you, but I also did not want to let your issues go unnoticed and ignored. If there is anything I can do for you to help with your struggles as the Avatar, please let me know."
"And what about Korra?" Korra asked, "The Avatar gets Tenzin's help, sure—that makes sense. "But what if I somehow lost my bending tomorrow and was no longer Avatar Korra? Would you still be willing to help Korra?"
"Of course!" Tenzin reassured her, "You are not defined by the Avatar Spirit, Korra. Raava is not you, and you are not her. There are people who will try to break you; to demoralize you and dehumanize you… but remember this: when all is said and done, you are not just Avatar Korra—you are Korra. Your identity as the Avatar will only consume you if you allow it to—and I do not imagine that a girl as feisty and independent as Korra is going to let her identity tie her down."
"What if…" Korra sighed, "What if a girl as feisty and independent as Korra is afraid?"
"Then Korra is human," Tenzin explained, "Do you suppose that I never knew fear; that Avatar Aang never knew fear? Do you imagine that your parents have never been afraid? It was heartbreaking to see how terrified they were during the Red Lotus Raid, fearing that they had outlived you. Korra… it's okay to be afraid sometimes. To be betrayed by someone you thought was close to you is a difficult burden to overcome… and with the city in such turmoil and so tense, I would be more alarmed if you were not at least somewhat scared. Admitting your fears is the first step to overcoming them—and the important thing is to talk about them. If you don't talk about your fears, they can throw you out of balance."
"So… no scathing lecture about braggadocio or rampant destruction?" Korra quipped.
"Not this time," Tenzin smiled, "And hopefully it won't ever be necessary."
"No promises," Korra smiled back, throwing her arms around him, "But… thank you, Tenzin."
"I'll always be here for you if you need me, Korra." Tenzin offered, "I won't make you move here, but know that you will always have a place here, and be welcome to visit Air Temple Island at your leisure."
"I'll take you up on that offer one of these days," Korra pulled away from Tenzin, smiling. "That reminds me: you going to come watch the finale of the Avatar Gauntlet this Friday? Fun as it is, Butakha thinks that keeping it limited to parts of the year will help boost the hype."
"1,207 wins, 53 losses," Tenzin reminded her of her score over the last 5 months of playing 21 rounds, 3 days a week, "I'll have to see it for myself. Probending turned out to be an excellent teaching tool for you, Korra—much to my surprise, even."
"That's honestly where I learned a lot of those cool airbending steps," Korra admitted, "at least, I felt like an airbender with all that fancy footwork."
"And my offer still stands as well, Korra," Tenzin reminded her as she started to turn, "Whether for airbending tips, meditation techniques… or even just addressing things you want to get off my mind—I am happy to assist you in that regard."
"I'll keep that in mind, Tenzin." Korra gave him another warm smile, "Seriously… I promise I'll take you up on that offer soon—probably to the point where you'll have to start throwing me out! I'll see you later!"
Korra ran off with a skip in her step, launching herself high into the air before catapulting herself right into the bay and disappearing under the water. Tenzin was honestly too impressed at this little display to even be upset. Instead he turned his eyes to the distant probending arena, and watched after several minutes, where a small figure launched out of the bay in an impressive waterspout before shaking herself dry and taking off running.