Earth.

Fire.

Air.

Water...

When I was a girl, Katara told me the story of how she and her friends heroically ended the Hundred Year War. Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko transformed the Fire Nation colonies into the United Republic of Nations, a society where benders and nonbenders from all over the world could live together in peace and harmony. It's a story of hope, valor, and the value of life, one I dreamt of for years...

But it's not my story.

I didn't find friends stepping out of an iceberg. I was no hero, and hope never came to save me. When I finally got to Republic City, it was bleak, dying, and didn't want me as an Avatar... But the compassion I found in a few bright souls, the connections they shared, led to change in the world, and change in me, beyond anything I could have imagined.

My name is Korra. And this is how a new era began.

xXx

Book 1: Air

Freedom is just as essential as air. Without it, there is no life. There is only... darkness.

Chapter 1: Welcome to Republic City

On a windy autumn day near the coast of Republic City, just as a light drizzle started to fall, a woman stepped on a stray copy of the Republic City Times. Curious, she picked it up and scanned the headlines.

"Equalist Bombings and Kidnappings Continue!" it read, but a smaller article caught her eye.

"...Born in the Water Tribes, the Avatar should be twenty years old. As per tradition, they should have been revealed to the world at sixteen. But where are they? Why do the White Lotus guard the Avatar's location, their identity? What secrets lie beneath the icy waters of the Water Tribes? Our sources in the White Lotus refuse to comment, saying only that the safety and training of the Avatar is paramount..."

She crumpled up the paper and tossed it away in disgust. If only the world really knew the White Lotus, she thought bitterly. To the public, they were war heroes, protectors of the Air Nation and the Avatar. But just thinking about her old routine made her scars and burns from 'training accidents' itch, and brought back flashes of her masters' crushing criticism.

Korra shook her head sharply. At this moment, she was free, and she was going to stay that way. She was done letting others warp her thoughts...

No matter how much of a failure she was.

She passed a few prostitutes on a narrow street, and an older woman looked Korra up and down. "Hey sweetie, looking for some Yuans?" she purred. "We have some customers that love blue eyes and a strong body. How about you give them a visit?"

"No thanks," Korra said firmly, ignoring jeers from the women that made her cheeks burn as she rushed by.

The street eventually dumped out into a busy boardwalk, with Yue Bay stretching out before her one side while noisy taverns and bustling shops lined the other. The salty air and the scent of cooking meat made her mouth water, and the sound of seabirds mixed with the sight of laughing children on the docks brought back memories of fishing trips with her father.

"I miss him so much."

Did he even miss her? Given where dad left her... how could he? "He's just one more person that sees me as a failure," she sadly muttered.

In spite of the lively atmosphere, Korra felt alone, and saw plenty of desperation in the eyes of others passing her by. There are no open jobs in this miserable city, and without an ID, she'd be the last pick anyway. Even Triads wouldn't take a ghost like Korra, though she'd rather starve than join them.

Across the boardwalk, an older guy in a fancy red vest and dress pants exited a seafood shop, carrying a bag full of fresh fish and bread. Korra couldn't help but stare at his luxurious coat, the way the light glinted off his golden watch... and how he was totally unaware of his surroundings.

He was perfect.

Korra shadowed him on the sea side of the boardwalk like a polar wolf stalking its prey. He ducked into an alleyway, and she followed, heart pounding.

With a sly flick of her wrist, Korra burst a pipe, filling the alley with hot steam as the man shrieked and dropped his groceries. Before they even hit the ground, she snatched the bag up and sprinted out of the alley, using her seismic sense to see through the fog.

"Stop! Thief!" the man shouted, stumbling out. But Korra already blent into the crowd, casually walking along the boardwalk as if nothing had happened, with a slight smirk on her face.

xXx

Korra hopped off the pier, freezing the ocean beneath her feet, and cracking the ice as she landed on it. She started jogging along the shoreline, careful not to spill one drop of the precious food. The tide lapped at her boots, and the sand grew dark and oily as she transitioned into the Green Meadows Industrial District. Graffiti covered the walls, and she spotted an Equalist slogan someone had painted overnight.

"Down with benders, death to the Avatar!" it read.

Rage bubbled up inside her. Korra shot her free hand forward, and the ocean crashed into the wall, wiping away the hateful words.

The sun was setting over the sea, casting an ominous orange glow over the factories and smokestacks. Nestled in a big, sloped concrete seawall was her luxury abode, a storm drain facing Yue Bay, just barely tall enough to stand in, with a little strip of rocky sand in front of it. But a girl no older than seven or eight, with a dark Water Tribe complexion, blue eyes, and ragged clothing like Korra, stood in front of the grates, snapping Korra out of her dark thoughts.

"Phoebe!" Korra smiled, kneeling down to meet the girl's level. "How's my favorite little scavenger?"

Phoebe giggled nervously, reaching out to pet Naga. "Good!" she chirped brightly. "I got you something today!" She reached into her bag, struggling as if she was lifting something heavy. Finally, she triumphantly pulled out a small pot, with a single flower blooming from the black soil.

It was a Blue Panda Lily, found only around the rim of volcanoes in colder climates. The flower was a striking shade of intense blue, with big yellow thorns lining the stem and a brilliant red center.

"It made me think of you," Phoebe explained shyly. "Its special. Pointy, but pretty! Just like you."

Korra gasped in surprise, reaching out to take the rare flower. "Where did you find this?"

"I didn't steal it! I... I bought it for you. With all the stuff I had saved."

Korra's eyes watered. Phoebe had almost nothing, and she'd given what little she had to Korra. "Thank you, Phoebe," she choked out, wrapping the girl in a fierce hug as tears spilled down her cheeks. "This means more to me than you could even imagine."

"You're welcome, Miss Korra," Phoebe said softly, returning the warm embrace. "I'm glad you like it."

Once Korra wasn't a blubbering mess, she broke apart from Phoebe and carefully placed the pot in her home, like it was precious treasure. She started a fire, preparing to sear some fish and smoke the rest for later. Phoebe busied herself collecting driftwood and helping Korra prepare the meal.

xXx

"So, what's new? Find anything good today?" Korra garbled, chewing seared fish as she leaned against Naga's warm fur, with Phoebe by her side. A little campfire cast an orange glow over their faces, and the sound of Naga's contented chewing filled the air.

"All our ocean traps are still empty. I found a few clothes and an old radio," Phoebe said, her eyes dimming slightly. "But after I bought the flower, I saw some Equalists beat up a firebender on the street. He was crying, and no one helped him."

Korra's eyes narrowed. "Did they say why they were doing it?"

"Just that he was a 'crooked bender,' and they were cleaning the streets," Phoebe replied, her voice trembling. "And..." She hesitated, looking down at the ground.

"And what?" Korra prodded, eyes filled with concern.

"There was a mean man at the orphanage today. He said kids were telling on the Red Monsoons, and that he would hurt us all if it happened again."

Korra's grip on her cup tightened. "What was his name?"

"Zei. He was with a policeman, but the policeman just stood there and watched," Phoebe answered, tears welling in her eyes. "Miss Korra, what do I do if they come back? Or if the Equalists come for me? I don't want to get hurt..."

Korra grabbed Phoebe's tiny shoulder, and looked deep into her eyes. "Listen to me, Phoebe. If anyone comes for you, I want you to run. Run as fast as you can, and wait for me here. Do you understand?"

Phoebe nodded, sniffling.

Korra wrapped Phoebe in a hug, trying not to cry again. "Things will get better, Phoebe. Just hang in there, okay?"

"OK," Phoebe said, burying her face in Korra's shirt. "I love you, Miss Korra."

"I love you too, Phoebe," Korra replied, her voice thick with emotion. She desperately clung to the girl, like Phoebe would float away if she let go, all while Naga curled up around them both.

xXx

Meanwhile, in the dark, damp basement of a nearby factory, someone popped a long crate open, and carefully ran his bare hands along two gadgets resting inside.

"Everything's where it should be," he muttered. "The security, all the mechanisms, they held up just fine." Not that he was expecting anything less, but he couldn't just leave these things buried in the ground, unchecked.

Not these.

If something went wrong...

The mere thought made him flinch. He slouched against the nearest wall, and stared at them. "I can't believe I keep these around..." He just wanted to forget, to pretend that part of his life never happened. But he couldn't. He had to remember how they worked, just in case someone else discovered them on their own.

...And he had no right to any peace after what he'd done.

Eventually, the guy pulled his knees up to his face, and tried to hold back tears as loneliness and guilt gripped his soul.

xXx

Korra's eyes cracked open. Moonlight was filtering into the dirty grates of her shelter, reflecting off the wet concrete, and Naga was already up, growling at the entrance.

"What is it girl?" Korra mumbled groggily, sitting up. "Is someone here?"

Naga whined. A moment later, the sound of ice and fire crashing into each other made Korra jump. Angry screams echoed through the night.

"What's happening, Miss Korra?" Phoebe whimpered, hugging Naga's leg.

"Move into the tunnel, don't make a sound," Korra quietly ordered.

Creeping forward, Korra saw four Red Monsoons on the beach, just outside her shelter. A powerboat was pushed onto the sand, and they were jeering over the still bodies of Agni Kai gangsters, with bloody ice spikes sticking out of their bodies glimmering in the moonlight.

"What a bunch of morons," one of them sneered. "They thought they could take us on under a full moon? Do a deal in our territory?"

One of them turned their head. "Oh look what we have here. A street rat!"

Korra cursed under her breath and walked out of the tunnel. "I don't want any trouble," she pleaded, keeping her voice steady.

The Monsoon closest to her smirked wickedly. "You're already in it, sweetheart."

"You've seen too much," another Monsoon agreed, his bloody knife glinting in the light. "Shame to waste a pretty face."

Korra's eyes narrowed as they sauntered up to her and Naga. "Back off!" she snapped. Naga stood wide and barred her teeth, growling just as menacingly.

The sight of a giant polar bear dog seemed to give the Monsoons pause as they surrounded Korra. But she had seen too much, so they all lunged at once.

Korra threw herself to the side, rolling across the sand, and just barely avoided a spike of ice to the head. Naga leapt forward, snarling ferociously, and bit down on the arm of one of the Monsoons. He howled in pain and dropped his blade.

Another bent a hose of water from the ocean towards Korra, but with a smooth wave of two arms, she steered it towards the Monsoon behind her, sending him tumbling into the sand. The last two gangsters charged at her, but Korra was faster. She spun around, kicking one in the gut, and let the other just stumble by.

As another gangster got back on his feet and aimed an ice spike at Naga, Korra lost her patience. She reached out to the ocean with her arms, and pulled it back. Water surged around her, washing the monsoons into the concrete seawall, then carrying them back to the beach as it flowed away.

They all stumbled to their knees, coughing up water and wheezing as Korra stood in front of them, levitating ice spikes above their heads, and getting a good look at their faces. "If I see a Monsoon on this beach again, I'll find all of you, and send you so far offshore you'll wash up in the Fire Nation!" she snarled. "Got it!?"

They nodded frantically, and she let the spikes melt into the ground. "Go!"

As they ran off into the distance, Korra bent down checked the pulses of the Agni Kai gangsters. "All dead," she murmured. "We gotta move the bodies, or the Agni Kais will think we did this."

Naga whined softly, nuzzling Korra's arm.

"I know, girl," Korra said quietly, rubbing Naga's fur. "I should have frozen them solid and turned all of them into the police, but..."

Naga nudged her hand and whimpered.

"Yeah, I hear you. But we can't afford to deal with cops or tick off the Red Monsoons," Korra argued, standing up. "Not yet. I need time. Before you know it, we'll be back on our feet... any day now."

Korra turned around, and saw Phoebe peeking her head out from the tunnel. She wasn't even surprised by the sight of dead bodies anymore. That may be the saddest part of all this, Korra thought.

xXx

A few days later, from a bench in Industrial District, Korra watched the first streams of morning light hit the towering statue of Avatar Aang in Yue Bay. "What do you think of me now, Aang?" she mumbled, staring at the bronze figure. "You saved the world when you were twelve. Here I am, hiding in your shadow, letting your city rot. I can't talk to you, I can't finish my training. I can barely even hold myself together."

She sighed, and turned away from the statue. "Maybe my masters were right."

Her eyes landed on graffiti painted into the power plant across the street. 'Down with benders! Death to the Avatar!'

"Or maybe the Equalists are right..." she whimpered, wiping away a tear.

"Hey there, sunshine!" came a cheerful voice from behind her. Gommu shuffled into view, holding a cup of tea in one hand and a piece of fruit in the other. His grizzled face split into a wide grin as he offered them to Korra. "You look like you could use a pick-me-up."

Korra sighed, taking the tea and fruit, and smiled weakly. "Thanks, Gommu."

"No problem, kiddo," Gommu said, sitting down next to her.

She bit into the fruit, enjoying its tartness as the juices ran down her chin. "How do you always know when I need a little cheering up?" she asked, taking a sip of the hot tea.

"You wear your heart on your sleeve," Gommu chuckled. "And when you're feeling down, you always stare at that statue. It's like you're waiting for him to reappear and fix everything."

"If only he would," Korra muttered. "This city needs an Avatar."

"Ah, we can't wait for the Avatar to save us. We've gotta help ourselves," Gommu retorted, shaking his head. "Cheer up! I've got a lead on a job through the grapevine."

Korra's eyes widened. "Really? What is it?"

"Some rich guy needs an escort to a courthouse in the Dragon Flats borough. No gangsters, no names, no questions. If only we knew a fierce waterbender that wasn't on anyone's radar..." Gommu winked.

Her heart raced. "I'm in."

xXx

The early night was cool and humid, with a thin fog hanging over the streets and obscuring the darkening sky as she walked alongside her mysterious client. He was tall, with a well-tailored suit and a cane, and the face of a Water Tribe elder.

"So... any reason you aren't taking a satomobile?" Korra asked, trying to get conversation going.

"Too visible," the man replied simply, his voice deep and calm.

"Fair enough," Korra admitted, glancing around the empty street. She couldn't see Gommu though the fog, but she could feel him scouting ahead with her seismic sense. Gommu was... Gommu, so he didn't need to get caught up in any fighting anyway.

"What exactly am I protecting you from?" Korra asked after a long silence.

"None of your business," the man coldly replied.

"It kind of is," Korra argued. "I'm the one putting herself out here."

"Oh, you're still talking?" the man scoffed.

"Oh, you're still a jerk?" Korra shot back.

He chuckled, and his mood lightened just a little. "Someone threatened me for daring to show up at the courthouse, and I'm expecting trouble. That's all you need to know."

Korra sighed, and shook her head. Eventually, the street gave way to a big courtyard, with the courthouse just on the other side. But Korra put an arm in front of the man when she felt the ground rumble, and heard the sound of high-pitched engines.

"We got company," she warned.

A group of four Equalists on bikes came roaring around the corner, all wearing dark green jumpsuits with their logo stitched onto them. Their green eye covers gleamed under the streetlights.

"You benders aren't going anywhere!" one of them shouted, skidding to a halt.

"We know what you did! You're not spreading your lies anymore!" another yelled.

As they hopped off the bikes, two started spinning bolas, while sparks flew from shock gloves the other two wore. Korra's eyes narrowed.

"Get lost!" Korra snapped, pulling water from the fog and snagging the closest Equalist's foot, sending him tumbling into his friends.

The Equalists recovered quickly, and one with a bola launched it at Korra. She whipped it away with a tentacle of water, and flung the water at another Equalist before she could shock her.

But the others were fast, and on Korra like lightning. She darted out of the way of a jab aimed at her spine, flipping back to avoid a bola, and landed on her feet. "Chi blockers," Korra spat, blocking a strike with her arm as memories of her training flooded back.

xXx

Sheltered away from a winter storm roaring outside, the water Avatar was thirteen, and going stir-crazy in her own home. "Oh, oh, is that her!?" a younger Korra cheered as a knock came at the door.

Tonraq couldn't help but laugh at his daughter's energy. She was the light of his life, even if it got a little too bright when she was bored. "Master Ty Lee," he greeted, opening the door as snow blew inside.

"Hey, Tonraq!" the cheerful woman said, stepping in with a youthful spring in her step that utterly defied her age. "And how is my favorite Avatar doing today?"

"Ready to train!" Korra shouted, bounding over and wrapping Ty Lee in a hug. "Please tell me you're here to start chi blocking lessons!"

Ty Lee chuckled, patting Korra's head. "Of course! If you're ready, that is..."

xXx

"Ow!" Korra whined as Ty Lee hit another pressure point. "That one hurts."

"Good!" Ty Lee grinned, pressing her fingers into Korra's arm harder. "Now try to bend with that arm."

Korra gritted her teeth, but no matter how hard she tried, a slab of earth wouldn't budge. "I can't!"

"Exactly. If you hit juuuust the right spots, you can block the flow of chi through the body. No bending, no fighting back," Ty Lee explained. "Know where to strike, and you can take down even the most powerful bender, and more importantly for you, anticipate where chi blockers are going to strike. And I can show you how to get at least a little movement back..."

xXx

Senna and Tonraq beamed with pride as their daughter traded blows with the nonbender from legends, like an elegant dance between master and student. They were always proud... but Korra was determined to be the best Avatar she could, and if that's what she wanted, they'd support her every step of the way.

"Good precision!" Ty Lee praised, deflecting another strike. "I see my old friend has been rubbing off on you."

"Maybe," Korra grinned, twitching just enough for a jab to the clavicle to harmlessly hit her shoulder instead.

Korra saw an opening, and went for Ty Lee's neck, landing a solid jab with two fingers. Ty Lee stumbled back, but caught herself quickly.

"I got you!" Korra cheered, bouncing on her toes.

"Not bad," Ty Lee chuckled, shaking out her arms.

xXx

"I've never seen someone pick up chi blocking so fast," Ty Lee commented, watching Korra go through stances as she drank tea with her parents. "I suppose she has more of a base than my other students, to say the least."

"She's always been a fast learner, like her mother," Tonraq smiled.

"And Zuko mentioned something about synergizing her training with the elements and other skills," Senna added, sipping her tea. "He always encourages her to think of them together, instead mastering them in order, as is tradition."

"That's a great idea!" Ty Lee exclaimed. "He picked that up from Uncle Iroh, I think. I wonder if I could use that with my other students..."

"You're welcome to stay for dinner, Master Ty Lee," Senna offered. "We're having stew."

"I'd love to!" Ty Lee cheerily replied. "It's always a pleasure to speak with you two, and Korra..." she trailed off.

"She reminds you of Avatar Aang, doesn't she?" Tonraq asked.

Ty Lee's face softened. "It's uncanny. She's so different, yet sometimes when I see her bounce around or smile wide, it's like Aang is right in front of me."

"It gets to Katara too," Senna admitted. "She says she expected it, but sometimes I see a tear in her eye when she looks at Korra..."

xXx

Back in the present, Korra was smirking wide. As an Equalist went for a jab on Korra's arm, she twitched just enough for it to miss, and returned the favor in kind. The Equalist stumbled to the side in surprise, holding her arm as she tried to regain her balance.

Korra didn't give her a chance. She kicked the Equalist in the gut, sending her flying into another one of her friends and crashing into the hard ground.

The last uninjured Equalist circled his target and the waterbender warily, shock glove raised and crackling with energy. "We're just here for the guy you're protecting," he pleaded. "Let us question him, and we'll leave you alone!"

"In your dreams," Korra taunted. "Why don't you-"

They were all interrupted by a deafening boom. The ground shook as a shockwave blew past them and thumped their chests, and a fireball erupted from the entrance to the courthouse. The sounds of screaming and sirens filled the air as the fireball rose into the sky.

For a moment, Equalists were just as stunned as Korra, but she quickly turned to face them with fury in her eyes. "You did this! You planted that bomb!"

"We didn't know!" one of them shouted, raising his hands. "We were just told to-"

Another Equalist put her arm on his. "We need to leave! Now!" she barked.

Enraged, Korra sliced one of the bikes in half with a blade of ice, but the other Equalists frantically piled onto two bikes and sped off into the night. Korra could only watch them go, cursing under her breath as she turned to run towards the carnage. The mysterious man had already left, and she couldn't care less.

xXx

Korra pulled water from the fog, dousing what flames she could in the charred courthouse lobby. She could feel bodies everywhere with her seismic sense, trapped under rubble.

Most of them weren't moving... if they were even whole.

Police and firefighting airships rushed to the scene, and were already dropping rescue teams into the building. Amid the rush of cops, firefighters, and medics behind her, Korra heard a familiar voice.

"Korra!" Gommu yelled. "You find anyone?"

"Help me pull this woman out!" Korra snapped, shoving aside a chunk of concrete.

Gommu and another man helped her lift the woman free, and laid her on the ground. Korra wrapped her hands in glowing water, and pressed it to a particularly nasty burn. She sighed in relief, and opened her eyes to look at her saviors.

"What happened?" Korra asked, trying to keep her voice calm. "Who did this?"

"Equalists," the woman coughed, trying to catch her breath.

"How? Why?" Korra demanded. "Did you see anyone?"

"There was no message, no warning. Just an Equalist symbol and a bomb," she spat. "They hate us. We were all in a case for a firebending union at the power plants... we never hurt anyone, but they don't care."

"I'm so sorry..."

The woman shook her head, and closed her eyes again. "...How many others were hurt?" she slowly asked.

Korra's face dropped. She didn't know how to tell her.

xXx

Korra sat in front of her grate next to Gommu, looking out at the darkened sea as he took a swig from his flask. "Why... why would the Equalists do something so horrible?" she asked quietly.

"To send a message. To make benders feel afraid," Gommu weakly replied.

"Why do they hate benders so much!?" Korra shouted into the night. "What did I ever do to them?!"

"There's no excuse for that kind of hate... but I get where they're coming from," Gommu sighed. "You don't know what its like, to stand in front of someone who can burn your skin off with a punch, and no way to defend yourself. You've never had to live like that."

Korra closed her eyes, vividly remembering pain of firebending attacks. "But that doesn't mean we deserve this. We shouldn't have to live in fear because of what we can do."

"I know," Gommu agreed sadly. "We're all scared of the thugs in this city, and the Equalists are just the latest ones to show up. And now everyone is mixing up benders and nonbenders with the bad apples and victims."

Korra nodded. "I wish more people would listen to you, Gommu..."

For a moment, Korra wondered why she was even here, hiding away in such a rotten city. But the thought only lasted a second.

How could she ever forget?

xXx

Notes:

My first fic. I just had to get it out of my head!

This story is reposted from Ao3. If you read it there, they'll be pictures and better formatting, but I'll still read comments here.

An alternate take on Books 1-4, this Korra is in for a bumpy ride. And it's not exclusively homeless Korra in Republic City... it starts off that way, but her problems grow with her.