Chapter Text
"Earth… fire… air… water… When I was a young girl, the world was a very different place. It was a time of war between the Earth Kingdoms, the Fire Nation, and the Water Tribes; a war many feared would tear the world apart. But then, everything changed the day I met a funny little boy, trapped in an iceberg. His name was Aang, and he was the Avatar, master of all four elements. When the world needed him most, he returned to defeat the Firelord and bring balance. And I should know. I was there the day the war ended. After a hundred long years, families were reunited, tyrants were brought to justice, and peace was finally restored. It’s been a long time since that day, and the world continues to change, marching on toward a bright future, one in which the four nations are harmoniously united. At least… that’s what it was supposed to be…"
* * *
Winter in the South Pole, four years and ten months since the death of Avatar Aang. The sky is dark and the wind is howling, sending snowflakes flying like tiny shurikens. Three cloaked figures emerge from the storm, making their way to a small village of waterbenders.
They go up to one of the huts and knock on the door. A young woman answers. Her husband joins her shortly, suspicious of who could be calling at this hour.
"Pardon the intrusion," says one of the hooded figures, an older woman. She pulls her hood back to reveal her hair loopies.
"Master Katara," says the young woman, bowing respectfully. "It's an honour."
"Is there something we can help you with?" asks her husband as Katara and her two attendants are shown inside, allowed to warm themselves by the roaring fire.
Katara remains very serious. "As you might have heard, we've begun searching for the next avatar," she says.
While the adults talk, someone is spying on them from behind the tiger-seal pelt hanging on the wall. It's a four-year-old girl with big teal eyes. She jumps when her name is called.
"Korra," says her mother. "Could you come here please?"
She comes out from behind the pelt and casually saunters over, only to grab onto her mother the moment she's close enough. She's eyeing Master Katara, the stranger in her home.
"Don't be scared, honey," says her mother. "Master Katara just wants to talk to you." She encourages Korra forward, thinking to herself that there is no way her daughter could possibly be the Avatar.
Katara bends down and smiles at the little girl. "Hello, Korra. It's nice to meet you. If you're willing, I have something here that I'd like you to try on for me." One of her attendants brings out a small package containing airbender robes and a monk necklace. Katara delicately places both on Korra and everyone in the room waits. "Tell me: do you feel anything at all?" asks Katara.
Korra looks down at herself, very confused. Then, she feels something. "Ah... AH... choo."
Katara sighs, thinking that the night has only just begun for her, but right when she's about to turn away, a breeze comes into the hut. Something is beginning to happen around Korra. The robes she's wearing are flapping, water from the kitchen and fire from the hearth are being pulled to her. Korra begins to panic as she suddenly can't see her parents anymore. Instead, she sees flashes. Of faces. Faces she knows. Faces with glowing eyes. And one calls her name.
"Korra..."
When the episode passes, Korra is so terrified that she begins to cry and runs to her mother.
Katara is relieved at first, but then her serious demeanour returns. "Tonraq, Senna," she says to the parents, "She is the one."
Senna clutches Korra tighter, and Tonraq rests a hand on her back. They share a worried look.
"I wish I could say that the worst is over," Katara continues, "but we have no time to lose. Korra is not safe here."
The next moment, Aang's old robes are folded up, Korra is dressed in her warmest coat, and all the adults becomes very busy. They're are packing. They're going through the bedrooms and the kitchen grabbing every keepsake they hold dear, and putting them into large trunks. Korra can only stand in a corner, watching, not understanding.
Then, they're heading outside. Senna has Korra's hand and tries to lead her out the door, but Korra pulls her hand back.
"Come on, sweetie, we have to go," says Senna gently, but Korra refuses to step past the threshold of her house. She can't even look her mother in the eye. She starts to shake her head as little tears slips down her cheeks.
All she can think to say is, "I'm scared."
Senna comes closer and wraps her in a hug. "Oh, oh, oh, shh. It's okay, Korra. Everything's going to be okay. We're just... going on a little trip."
"When will we be back?" Korra asks, rubbing her eye.
Senna bites her lip, and decides to answer honestly. "I don't know."
It looks as though Korra might cry again, but before the tears really set in, Senna reaches under her coat and pulls out a pendant, carved from ivory.
"Hey, hey, it's alright," says Senna as she brings the pendant forward. Korra can see it now. It's carved to look like an arctic wolf-bear. "You see this? This is Naga. She was my spirit animal, and now I'm giving her to you." Senna places the necklace around Korra's neck. "When you wear this, Naga will help make you brave. Brave enough to face even the darkest blizzard."
Korra holds the pendant for a little while longer, studying the beautiful design.
"So," says Senna, "Feel braver yet?"
Korra sniffs and nods.
"That's my big girl. Now come on. We don't have much time."
Senna picks her up and Korra hugs her tightly. The adults are all walking into the dark unknown, while Korra can only look back at the light shining from inside her home, slowly disappearing in the ice and snow.
Years go by.
Korra is brought to a secret training complex in the mountains there in the South Pole. Here, she is taught to bend three of the four elements. As a small child, Master Katara taught her everything she knew about waterbending, and Korra took to it like... well, a fish to water. When Korra was a little older, she began her earthbending training under one of Toph Beifong's proteges. Korra was a natural earthbender, but sadly lacked the patience needed to master metalbending. Then, in her teen years, Korra went on to receive her firebending training from Zuko's daughter, Princess Izumi. As her natural opposite, firebending presented challenges for her, but she overcame them with fierce tenacity. And all the while, she never left the secret base, being raised hidden from the outside world, knowing that one day she would be sent out into it as the next Avatar.
Presently, Korra is seventeen, and beating a high-skill-level training course. She's smiling while she does it, too.
Near the side of the training room, three masters stand, wearing Water Tribe robes. The first is a staunch old man with a long beard named Master Yuruk. "She's progressing ahead of schedule," he says, very pleased.
The man standing next to him, the one with glasses and a moustache, agrees with him. "Master Tenzin will be here soon. It's high time she began her airbending training."
Then the third master sighs, making the other two frown. "You all overestimate her," says Master Katara.
"As the avatar, it is her duty to learn the elements and protect the world from calamity," Master Yuruk sniffs superiorly. "And I don't believe I'm asking anything more from her than was asked of Avatar Aang."
Katara gives him a side glare. "Just you wait and see. One day, you'll push her too far. She's only a child, after all."
"Interesting advice coming from you, Master Katara," says the other master pointedly.
Katara turns away from them, uninterested in having this conversation again. Instead, she watches Korra as she finishes the training course, and then comes over to the masters and bows respectfully.
"How did I do?" she asks, smiling and out of breath.
"Exemplary as always, Avatar Korra," says Master Yuruk.
Korra beams from ear to ear and bows again. "Thank you, Master Yuruk." But then she notices Katara's frown, and her smile fades. "Master Katara, did I do something wrong?"
Katara takes a deep breath and answers, "No, not at all, Korra."
"I can redo the course, if you want," Korra says urgently.
"That will do, Avatar Korra," says the other master.
"Really, it's no trouble--"
Yuruk raises a hand to silence her. "That's enough."
Korra glances at Katara's frown one last time, then bows stiffly to the three of them and leaves. The two men give their fellow master a look of disapproval as they begin to leave as well.
"It seems as though we're not the ones pushing her after all," says Master Yuruk on his way out.
Katara keeps her steady eyes on the door Korra left through. "Yes... it does seem that way, doesn't it."
* * *
Korra bursts into her house. She's still living with her parents in a lovely apartment the Southern government built for them there at the complex, and when Korra arrives, Senna is in the kitchen making dinner while Tonraq is in the living room carving something. They both look up when Korra enters and slams the door behind her.
"How did it go?" Senna tries to ask, but Korra is in and out in a flash, heading to her personal gym. Another door slams. Tonraq and Senna share a worried look.
In the gym, Korra vents her frustration. She punches the training dummy, she soaks it in water, she throws rocks at it, before finally just burning it with her firebending. She only pauses when she senses that someone else has entered the room.
She doesn't turn around to look at Master Katara as she says, "So what did I do wrong?" When Katara doesn't respond, Korra finally faces her, feeling hurt. "All the other masters say that I'm exceeding their expectations! I was literally born to be a bender! And yet, no matter how hard I try, it's never enough for you."
Katara slowly sits down, remaining calm. "I meant what I said, Korra. You did nothing wrong."
"But you don't think I'm anything to write home about," Korra concludes bitterly. She starts to roughly take off her gear as she continues, "No, I get it. Wife of the legendary Avatar Aang and all." She pauses as she puts her gloves away, looking sad. "I must pale in comparison to him, right?"
Katara suddenly takes hold of Korra's hand. There's pain in Katara's eyes. "You are nothing more or less than the person you are meant to be, Korra. That is, and always will be, enough for me."
Korra wants to believe her... but her doubt is just too strong. She pulls her hand away and picks up her bag of belongings, slinging over her shoulder as she heads for the door. She stops just short of leaving, right in front of the door.
"Yeah, well... I'm not the same little girl I was thirteen years ago," she says, turning back around one last time. "I'm the Avatar."
She leaves, the door swinging shut behind her. Katara looks sadly down at the ground and whispers, "I know."
* * *
It's the transitional time of year in the South. Winter is fast approaching, and in the South that means their summer is only just beginning. The sun had been shining all day long, close to the horizon, but right now it is quickly sinking below the mountains as Korra sits, alone, on top of one of the complex walls. In a moment, the light fades completely, and is replaced by the beauty of the aurora australis. The only other light for miles is the subtle glittering of the Southern capitol, Wolf Cove, far away in the distance.
Korra broods to herself there on the wall, thinking of nothing else besides her talk with Katara. In her hand, she holds the Naga pendant that her mother gave to her. She strokes the animal's nose, lost in thought.
"What does she know?" she mutters to herself. "I'm a bending prodigy. I'm probably the best bender in the whole world--I'm the Avatar! No one else can do what I do." She looks up at the aurora. "I'm the only one..."
"The only one who's going to catch a cold in this weather," says Senna as she and Tonraq walk up behind her.
Korra quickly stuffs her pendant and hunches over, embarrassed. "Hey," she replies.
Her parents sit down next to her, looking a bit amused.
After a stretch of silence, Tonraq asks, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"...Just some dumb training stuff..." she mumbles.
Senna watches her closely, keenly aware that there is something deeply troubling her. "You know, if you ever do want to talk--"
"I know, I know," says Korra, a bit exasperated. "It's just... do you think I'm doing a good job? With all my training and everything?"
"Well, I'm hardly the best person to ask..." says Senna uneasily, but she sees how desperate Korra is for some kind words, and she tries again. "But you work very hard. Harder than anyone I've ever known."
Korra sighs, trying hard to let those words cheer her up, but it doesn't feel like enough.
That's when Tonraq gives her a reassuring pat on the back. "Just let things work themselves out. Give it time."
Korra leans in a little closer, letting her head fall on her father's shoulder as Senna scoots closer. They sit together, warmly, watching the Southern Lights dance and sway across the sky.
Senna begins to look wistful. "You know, I still remember the night they told us you were the Avatar. So much changed in so little time." Korra frowns at the memory. Senna smiles. "But one thing never changed. You." She gently boops Korra on the nose. "Throughout everything, you've always been brave. There's never been a challenge you couldn't overcome." Korra smiles, but hidden beneath that smile is a small sense of nagging dread. "You just keep being that brave girl. Everything will turn out fine."
They hug again, and buried in the furs of her mother's coat, she says, "Thanks, Mom."
They pull away, about to go back to enjoying the lights, when a shadow crosses the sky. Korra immediately knows what it is and begins to smile.
"Tenzin's here!" she gasps. She gets up and waves to her parents as she starts to follow the shadow of the airship coming in to land. "I'll meet you back at the house!" she calls to them, and then she's off, creating an ice sled to zoom across the complex toward the docks as fast as she can.
Senna and Tonraq watch her go sadly, and Tonraq puts a hand on Senna's shoulder.
"I know," she says, "I'm worried too."
* * *
Korra flies over the ice and snow, weaving her way through the familiar complex until she scales the wall that leads to the airship docks. She arrives just in time to see Master Tenzin, son of Avatar Aang, step off his airship into the frigid cold.
They smile when they see each other.
"Master Tenzin," Korra says, bowing respectfully.
"Avatar Korra," he replies in kind. "It's good to see you again."
"It's good to see you t--" But before she can finish her sentence, she's blind-sided by two very small, very energetic individuals who yell, very loudly,
"KORRA!!!"
These two are, of course, Ikki and Meelo, two of Tenzin's children, ages seven and five respectively. They tackle Korra and they all fall to the ground, laughing all the while.
"Ikki! Meelo!" says Korra, struggling to get back up. "You've--ngh!--gotten bigger." She doesn't mind, though, and proceeds to start roughhousing with them in the snow, squealing and shrieking. Tenzin tries to step in and calm them down, but there's no stopping them now. He looks particularly tired.
Behind the crowd of squealing children, two more figures emerge from the airship. Tenzin's wife, Pema, and their ten-year-old daughter, Jinora. Unlike her siblings, she walks calmly with her mother, only getting excited when she sees her grandmother, Master Katara, coming outside to greet them.
"Gran Gran!" she cries, coming over and giving her a hug.
"Jinora, I've missed you," she replies, smiling down at her granddaughter.
"It feels like forever since the last time we came here!" cries Ikki, finally letting go of Korra and coming to join them. Tenzin follows suit with a captured Meelo in his arms.
"Tenzin," says Katara.
He comes over and gives his mother a respectful bow. "Hello, Mother," he says as Meelo wriggles free, and he and Ikki run off to play in the snow.
"And Pema, how was the flight over?" asks Katara.
"As easy as it gets eight months along," she says with a sigh.
Katara comes over, feeling her round stomach and sensing the life within. "Mmm, another healthy grandchild."
"Do you think it'll be another Airbender?" Pema asks nervously.
Katara chuckles. "I'd say there's a very high chance of that," she says as she looks over to Ikki and Meelo, playing with Korra in the snow.
Pema suddenly lets out an exhausted sigh. "All I want is a child like me. A nice non-bender who doesn't blow wind in my face every five minutes."
"Mommy, look!" cries Meelo suddenly. "I'm a snow-bender!" With a gust of wind, he succeeds at showering them all with a fine layer of white powder. Pema doesn't have the patience to even shake the snow out of her hair.
"Were Tenzin and his siblings this crazy when they were kids?" she asks Katara, who looks thoughtful for a moment.
"Kya and Bumi certainly were, but Tenzin has always been... rather serious."
"Mother, please," says Tenzin in a very dry, professional way. Then he brightens somewhat. "I'm eager to begin Korra's training. I hear she's been doing well thus far."
Katara, however, hides a frown. "We can discuss work tomorrow. Come inside, you all must be exhausted from your trip."
The group begins to migrate indoors, with Meelo riding on Korra's shoulders and Ikki bouncing at her feet.
"You're really gonna learn to airbend?" Meelo asks, leaning over her face.
"Yup. Your daddy's gonna teach me," Korra smiles.
"I could teach you too!" Ikki suddenly gasps.
"Oh yeah?"
"I know a bunch of cool moves! Like this one: flying kick-a-pow!" Ikki unleashes a very wild gust of wind that just so happens to hit Jinora in the head, frazzling her hair. "Oops," she says, knowing full well what's about to happen.
Jinora turns around, glaring daggers her littler sister. "Ikki--you are so dead!"
The next thing Korra knows, the two of them are running circles around her, while Pema tries to calm things down.
* * *
Much later on, the families have gathered in Tonraq and Senna's apartment. They've eaten dinner, Ikki and Meelo have thoroughly exhausted themselves and been put to bed, so now the adults and a sleepy Jinora are gathered in the sitting room, talking together.
"Well, yes, I'm quite honoured to instruct the next avatar," says Tenzin proudly. "And after wrangling my little ones, it shouldn't be too difficult."
"I can't wait to get started!" says Korra. "When do I get to punch gusts of wind? Or-or do that scooter trick? That was super cool!"
"I'm afraid we won't be coming to that for quite some time," Tenzin chuckles.
Korra pouts in retaliation. "You sound like my earthbending teacher."
"Well, he must have known what he was talking about."
As he picks up his cup of tea, Senna and Katara grab the last of the dirty dishes and head into the kitchen together, while Pema begins to escort Jinora to her room before she falls asleep on the couch.
Tenzin continues, "Airbending is heavily reliant on spiritual detachment from worldly things, so before we begin anything else, we must... build up your spiritual muscles, so to say."
Korra suddenly looks a little nervous as she squeaks out a quiet, "Oh?"
Tonraq watches the conversation unfold from his armchair, where he's busy carving a small sculpture of a penguin.
"But you shouldn't have to worry about mastering that," says Tenzin brightly. "As the Avatar, you are the most spiritual bender there is--being the bridge between our two worlds and all."
"Right... of course," says Korra.
"That reminds me. Have you unlocked the Avatar State yet?"
"Oh--well--u-umm..."
"No need to feel embarrassed. It's a powerful thing. One that doesn't need rushing into."
Korra takes a hidden sigh of relief. The Avatar State had been brought before, of course, but she'd never been pressured to learn how to activate, on Master Katara's orders. So, she'd been able to live the past thirteen years without having to think about it much. However, that just might start to change soon.
"But I do wonder..." says Tenzin, his tone becoming more... delicate. "How is my father?"
"Your father?" Korra repeats, blinking in confusion.
"Yes, Avatar Aang. You have spoken to him, haven't you?"
Korra looks surprised. "I'm not exactly sure how I would do that, considering the fact that he passed away seventeen years ago."
"Has no one explained?" Tenzin asks, leaning forward. "All the past avatars are available to you through your Avatar Spirit."
In that moment, Korra feels her blood run cold as she remembers that night when Master Katara came. She remembers the faces, and the flashes, and the sickening feeling of fear coursing through her. Outwardly, she tried not to let it show, but she dreaded reliving that more than anyone could possibly know.
"Um, nope. Must have slipped their minds," she says, trying to smile casually.
"I cannot believe this!" Tenzin cries, standing up. "An avatar with no connection to her Avatar Spirit! It's a good thing I've come, then. We'll start first thing in the morning."
"Wait, what!?" Korra exclaims, rising as well.
"I know, you wanted to being airbending straight away, but trust me, Korra, this is invaluable information. We'll start with meditation, and then we can move on to connecting to the spirit realm--there's a place not far from here that would be perfect--and after that..." Tenzin rambles on about all the things Korra will start learning, but she isn't really listening. She's just trying not to look like she's shaking, especially in front of her dad.
"Great, Tenzin, that all sounds... great, but, uh... I think I'm gonna turn in--get a full night's rest before tomorrow, heheh."
"Oh, of course, by all means. Sleep well. I will see you in the morning, Avatar Korra," says Tenzin with a happy bow.
Korra bows as well, then kisses her dad goodnight, and leaves the room.
And then there were two, just Tenzin and Tonraq, quietly sitting together.
Tonraq suddenly stops his whittling, and looks up at his guest. "Master Tenzin," he says solemnly. "Is it true what they've been saying? About the movement in Republic City?"
"So you've heard?" replies Tenzin, matching his tone. "...I'm afraid it's only been getting worse."
Tonraq sighs. "She'll be the one to have to face all of that, won't she?"
"Yet another reason the elders called me here."
Tonraq admires his handiwork, turning the small wooden penguin over in his hands. "And when were the elders planning on telling her about it?"
"Soon. I believe they think she is almost ready."
Tonraq quietly "hms" to himself as he sets the carving down on a nearby table, looking cute and innocent and happy.
* * *
Korra has shut herself in her bedroom. The light is off. She's leaning against the door, wrestling with herself. She knows full well that there will be no getting out of her training tomorrow, no matter how hard she tries. But even imagining what that training will look like has begun to turn the shadows in her room into frightening faces with glowing eyes.
"Calm down, calm down," she tells herself. "Breathe. There's nothing to be afraid of. Nothing to be afraid of." She raises her chin and takes several measured steps toward the center of her room where she sits down on the floor, focusing on nothing else but her breathing. "It's just part of... being the avatar," she continues, swallowing with some difficulty. "It's not that scary."
Hands shaking, she takes up a meditative stance and closes her eyes. She breathes in... she breathes out... and the room around her grows steadily darker. She begins to sweat. Flashes appear in her mind. The same flashes as before. People, places, monsters--past lives in the Avatar State--and some things she can't even identify. She's breathing fast now, not sure what to do. The images are going by faster, as if she's running from them. She can see a hundreds faces, eyes glowing, watching her, including Avatar Aang.
"Korra--" he calls out.
Korra's eyes suddenly burst open with a flash of light and she panics, pushing herself to one of the farthest corners of her room, still sweating and still shaking. Her first instinct is to reach for the light switch, but even with the light on, she still feels like her heart is about to explode in her chest. If anything, that had been worse than the first time. She almost wants to cry.
Then she hears Katara's voice from out in the sitting room and she listens closely.
"Has Korra gone to bed?"
"Yes, she wants to rest up for our training tomorrow," says Tenzin.
"Tomorrow? So soon?"
"Of course. Mother, it's nothing she can't handle, I assure you. She's the avatar."
That's right. She's the avatar. Proudly and confidently, she was the one and only avatar. And yet, here she was, huddled in a corner of her room, shaking like a leaf. She bends over her knees, wanting to hide her face.
"What am I supposed to tell everyone?" she whispers to herself. Even if she came forward with the truth, none of them could cure her fear. So what is she going to do?
There's a duffle bag sitting on a nearby chair, and Korra eyes it thoughtfully. Then she shakes her head. No, that's a stupid idea, she tells herself. But then she hears the voice again. It whispers her name,
"Korra..."
Suddenly, Korra is on her feet, reaching for the duffle bag. "No, no, nonono," she says as she begins to stuff it full of belongings. "I can't hear you. I. Can't. Hear. You!"
* * *
The complex is dark and quiet. Everyone's gone to sleep for the night. Everyone, that is, except for the night guard and Korra. She has her heavy coat on, and her duffle bag is slung over her shoulder. She holds her breath and tip-toes past her parents' bedroom.
She slips into the rest of the complex. She dodges the guards, hiding in the snow when she needs to, until she reaches the outer wall. With a flick of her fist, she earthbends her way out.
Korra now stands outside the wall. Behind her, the complex looms, tall and foreboding. Before her, the white expanse of the South Pole stretches on and on. The the wind is howling.
"We're just gonna find a place to lay low for a little bit," she tells herself, feeling conflicted. "...Last chance to change your mind."
But once again, the voice of Aang whispers to her,
"Korra..."
and she turns and starts walking away, toward the lights of the city, and the dark storm clouds waiting on the horizon.
A short while later, those clouds have overtaken Korra entirely. It's a blizzard. She's carrying a flame in one hand, covering her eyes with the other, trying her hardest to press on through the relentless wind and biting snow. But it's impossible to see where she's going. There's no moon, no stars, no lights of any kind to guide her. Just blackness in every direction.
She gets pushed back and growls at the storm. She could be going in circles for all she knew.
"Ngh! If you were trying to keep me back at the sanctuary, you should have done that before stranding me out here!" she yells into the wind. She takes one last look around and then drops to her knees, her flame finally blowing out. "What was I thinking?" she asks herself. Her Naga pendant dangles from her neck.
But then, when she lifts her eyes, she can see something. So faint, she almost missed it. There was a white figure out there, moving through the dark, and it was getting closer.
"Hello?" she calls. "Is someone there?" She relights her flame and stands, prepared for anything. "Who are you?"
It was no person who had emerged from the murk. It was an enormous creature, covered in white fur. Korra only stood about as tall as its chest, and it took her a moment to find its bright yellow eyes, glinting in the flame light. An arctic wolf-bear.
It stares at her, not moving, and even while the storm rages around them, Korra feels as though time has stopped completely. She had never seen an animal this large up close before, and had never heard of anyone coming across an arctic wolf-bear in this area. That gave her reason enough to suspect that this was an extraordinary encounter, but she soon realised that there was even more going on. The wolf-bear's fur wasn't blowing in the wind. It remained unaffected by the snow, and its eyes... they were intelligent and otherworldly.
The creature slowly starts to turn away, keeping its eyes on Korra all the while, as if urging her to follow. Korra swallows, unsure of what to do, but she knows for a fact that if she stays put, she could wind up in some serious trouble. So she hesitantly follows the wolf-bear.
They walk together through the storm, and after a while Korra thinks that she can see lights here and there, passing by them. Had they made into the city?
Then, up ahead, she sees something crystal clear. It's some sort of doorway, and it leads into what looks like a storage room. The wolf-bear goes inside and Korra follows. When she looks back at the storm, however, the doorway is gone, as if it never existed. When she turns to look at the wolf-bear, it too has vanished. Korra is now alone in the storage room, but at least she is warm and safe from the storm. It looks like there's a stairway that leads out of this place, but she doesn't go exploring. For the moment, she'd like to rest and warm up, so she sits down between two crates and pulls off her gloves, blowing warm air onto her hands.
That's when she notices her Naga pendant and picks it up.
She suddenly realises...
"Thank you, Naga," she whispers to the pendant. For that is the only explanation she can think of. There are legends all across the South Pole of spirit animals coming and helping people in times of need. That's why they make the pendants in the first place. But she never would have dreamed that she would actually meet Naga some day. She must truly be watching over her.
* * *
The sun is up, and it has been for a while.
Residents at the complex are just beginning to wake up, though, including Master Tenzin. He walks into the kitchen where Pema, and Senna are making breakfast. Tonraq and Katara are helping to wrangle the kids at the table.
"Good morning, Mother," says Tenzin groggily.
Katara isn't looking at her son, though. She's watching the door to Korra's room. "Is Korra up yet?" she asks.
"I haven't seen her," says Tenzin without another thought.
Katara is getting a bad feeling, but she tries to brush it off. Instead, she puts on a smile and walks over to Korra's room. She knocks gently on the door before coming in. "Korra?" she says kindly. "We're making puffin-seal sausages."
But when the door opens, she can see clearly that Korra's bed is empty. Upon further inspection, some of her things are gone as well. She walks over to the bed and closes her eyes sadly. "Oh, child..." she whispers.
"Korra is missing," she announces to the kitchen when she returns.
Senna is the first to react. "What are you talking about?" she asks.
"She's not in her room, and her things are gone," Katara explains. "Tenzin, alert the other masters at once."
Tenzin nods gravely. His children look to him, frightened but silent.
"Missing?" repeats Pema as Senna and Tonraq race off to Korra's room to see for themselves. "Don't you think you're being a little hasty?"
"This isn't the first time," answers Katara. "Go, Tenzin. We can't have history repeating itself."
He leaves without another word.
Katara goes back into Korra's room where she finds Tonraq and Senna beside themselves with worry. She puts a hand on Senna's shoulder.
"Don't worry. She can't have gone far."
* * *
Back in the storage room, Korra is sound asleep, but she isn't alone. There are footsteps coming closer to her.
They stop.
And then two burly hands reach out and grab Korra, pulling her to her feet and startling her half to death.
"What do you think you're doing? No one stows away on this ship!" the man who grabbed her fumes. He's disheveled and smells like alcohol, but he's also wearing some kind of sailor’s uniform.
"Let me go!" Korra shouts, trying to wrestle out of his grip. "Don't you know who I am?"
"You're a filthy stowaway, that's what you are!" says the other man, equally disheveled and surly.
Not liking the feeling of being ganged up on, Korra uses her firebending to escape their clutches. They jump back with a frightened yelp, letting Korra go, and she starts running madly up the stairs, out of the storage room. She passes by more people on her way, all equally confused, but she doesn't stop until she sees sunlight. She's standing on the bow of a massive ship, and it's pulling in to the harbour of Republic City. She can see its suspension bridges and massive buildings towering over the water, and the air isn't nearly so cold here.
"No way," she breathes, positive that she had been in the South Pole just last night.
Those two thugs from the storage room have now run up onto the deck, and they're not happy.
"You got nowhere to run, you filthy firebender!" one of them calls.
In a panic, Korra leaps over the side of the ship and creates an ice board for her to stand on. After that, it's a simple matter of waterbending herself to shore while those two maniacs shout at her from the ship.
She barely has a moment to process what just happened, however, as more people start yelling when she gets to the docks.
"Hey! Who are you?" someone calls at her.
"This is a loading zone! What do you think you're doing!?"
"Sorry!" she says quickly before running off, deeper into the city.
She's never heard or seen such a cacophony of chaos before. There are people everywhere in the streets, and not just people, but ostrich-horse-drawn carriages and automobiles and town cars too! She nearly gets run over five times in a row before she stumbles her way onto one of the town cars, and finally has a moment to stand still and take in her surroundings. The buildings here are all large, built to accommodate hundreds of people, all sculpted beautifully with large signs to promote different stores. There are posters for the Republic City opera house, advertisements for some celebrity singer, posters of politicians and products are lined side-by-side in the windows of shops and restaurants, and above them all, one large sign reads, "Welcome to Republic City."
"Wow..." Korra breathes, taking it all in. "I am in so much trouble."
She takes off her big coat and slips on her jacket instead, then jumps off the town car and starts wandering around a quieter part of the city. Feeling hungry, she's drawn to a morning market, but she misses a sign near the entrance that reads, "no service to benders."
The stall owners are all shouting and vying for the attention of the busy shoppers, but eventually Korra finds a stall selling something they call hot pops. Some sort of deep fried chicken-squid on a stick. It smells amazing. However, it seems as though the owner is having a bit of a hard time with a leak in his stall roof.
"Alrighty, here's your change--doh!" he flinches as a water drop plops on his head. "Come again--doh! Confounded!"
Korra comes over straight away with a friendly smile on her face. "Here, let me help you with that," she says, and she bends all the snow and water off of the stall's roof. Everyone in the immediate vicinity glares at her. When she's done, she expects a "thank you" but is instead met with total silence. In fact, the shopkeeper is refusing to even look at her. Korra is... confused for a moment, but then sees that the shopkeeper is busy with another customer, and she slowly starts to move on. The whole interaction leaves a bad taste in her mouth.
Well, maybe he was just in a bad mood. She goes over to a jerky stand and waits in line, slowly becoming aware of the less-than-friendly atmosphere brewing around her. When she finally reaches the stall owner, she moves away from Korra and begins to talk to the patron behind her as if Korra didn't exist. Or rather, as if they just hated her.
"Um, excuse me?" Korra tries to say. Both shopper and clerk remain indifferent to her existence. "Hello?" she tries again, waving her arm and coming closer, about ready to lose her cool. That's when the shopper gets his bag of jerky and then turns around, intentionally bumping into Korra and stepping on her foot.
"Hey! That hurt!" she yells in protest.
"Then watch where yous is going next time," says the shopper, leering at her. "Water-scum."
"Excuse me!?" she blurts, having never been disrespected like that in her life. "You bumped into me! How about you watch where you're going next time!?" The crowd is silent and all eyes are now on Korra.
The shopper gets up in her face.
"Yeah?" he says. "And who does you think yous is, talking to me that way!?"
Two police officers suddenly arrive, not looking happy. "What seems to be the problem here?" asks the first officer.
"Thank you," says Korra, relieved. "See, this man--"
"Would you tell us what happened, sir?" says the officer, completely ignoring Korra.
"This floozy over here was making a scene. Wouldn't get out of my way, then started yelling at me, ain't that right?" he asks the crowd, who all murmur their agreement. Korra doesn't know what to think, but she knows she's angry.
"That is so not true!" she yells. "You--"
"Alright, miss," says the officer sternly. "Move along and mind your own business, or else we'll be forced to detain your for disturbing the peace."
Korra's mouth hangs open in utter shock. She wants to say something real nasty, but they're police officers. She begins to second-guess herself. Had she actually done something wrong but just didn't realise it? Republic City was so foreign to her.
Reluctantly, and with a large amount of stink-eye thrown at the shopper and the officers, she stomps off, leaving the market.
"What is wrong with this city?" she asks herself right as she passes by a large poster put up on a brick wall advertising something called "The Equalist Movement." Their slogan is, "Bend the Knee for Republic City!"
* * *
Back at the docks, something interesting is happening. The ship Korra accidentally stowed away on is pulling in, and someone has come to great its captain. A mysterious figure in some kind of official-looking uniform. He and the captain bow to each other in greeting.
"Hello, Captain," he says gruffly. "Word on the street is you had a bit of a run-in with a bender today."
"Word travels faster than we do," says the captain.
Then one of his crew pops out from behind him. "She was a firebender!" he exclaims. "Nearly burned me alive!"
"No, no, she was a waterbender!" says another crew member, also popping out from behind the captain. "Jumped right off the bow of the ship and walked on the water!"
The mysterious man raises an eyebrow.
The two crew members go back and forth, arguing about what kind of bender she really was, while the captain comes closer to his mysterious friend, speaking quietly. "You don't think there's something big going on here... do you?"
The man begins to turn and leave. "It's worth a look," he says.
* * *
Back in the South Pole, Tenzin meets with Katara and the other masters.
"She's not in the sanctuary, we've checked everywhere," he says with a bow.
"She must have escaped to the city," says Master Yuruk. "Send out a search party at once!"
"If I may?" Tenzin speaks up. "As my student, I feel the responsibility of Korra's wellbeing rests on my shoulders. I would like to lead the search."
Katara nods. "Very well."
"Thank you."
As he leaves, Katara begins to frown. "I told you. We should have let her be."
"How can we be sure that she wasn't kidnapped?" says Master Yuruk airily. "Those renegades have been trying to find her for years."
"Renegades wouldn't have given her time to pack her bags. Besides, there was no sign of forced entry," says Katara evenly. "No... we are to blame for this." The other two side-eye her as she continues, "And it may be prudent to send extra help."
* * *
Just outside, Tenzin is approaching his family and Korra's parents. They all look very tense.
"We'll be heading for the city in just a few minutes. I'll meet you on the ship," he says to Tonraq and Senna. They nod and then leave. Now Tenzin is alone with his family.
Jinora steps forward, looking upset. "Daddy? Is Korra going to be okay?" she asks.
Tenzin sighs. "It doesn't do to dwell on things we cannot control. But like Gran Gran said, she can't have gone far." He turns to Pema and says, "Wait for me. I'll be back as soon as I find her."
"Good luck. I love you," she says with a kiss goodbye.
"I love you too."
Then he goes to meet Senna and Tonraq at the airship.
* * *
Back in Republic City, Korra is wandering the streets in the dark. She's spent all day lost, hungry, scared, and angry.
"I had to go run off," she mutters to herself. "Somehow wind up in this spider-rat's nest of a city. Had to get hopelessly lost..." Her stomach suddenly grumbles and she clutches herself miserably. "Had to forget to bring snacks... What I wouldn't give for some homemade jerky, or some hot puffin-seal sausages, or..."
She sniffs, all of a sudden catching a whiff of something tasty floating through the air.
"Meat?" she asks, looking around.
With her stomach angrily growling at her, she follows the smell all the way to a large, well-lit stadium full of people! She walks up to the main entrance and investigates before going in. It's called "Waterwalk Stadium," and tonight it's free admission. She takes a chance and heads inside.
The first thing she see is the concessions alley, brimming with tasty snacks. They're selling fire flakes, duck kebabs, melon bread, custard tarts, meat buns, and all sorts of other mouth-watering things. But she's not sure what'll happen when she goes to talk to the stall owners.
"Oh, that's looks so good," she says, drooling over some meaty kebabs.
At that very moment, someone else has just entered the the room. He looks like he could be an earthbender. He's just minding his own business, munching on a dumpling, and happens to see what's about to unfold.
The stall owner looks at Korra, still fawning over his kebabs, and he rolls his eyes. "How many?" he asks.
Korra is beyond relieved and beams at him. It almost kind of creeps the guy out. "I'll take five, please," she says.
He prepares her order for her, but right before he hands it over, he says, "That'll be five yuans."
"Yuans?" Korra repeats.
"Money," the stall owner clarifies.
"Oh, uh, I don't exactly have anything on me right now, but--"
"No money!?" he cries.
The earthbender hears him all the way across the room and starts to look worried.
"Tgh! Just my luck!" the stall owner continues, putting the kebabs away much to the dismay of Korra. "Buzz off, kid! Go bother somebody else!"
At this, Korra's face begins to turn red. "You know..." she starts, almost twitching, "...everyone in this stinkin' city has been acting like a world-class jerk today, and I have done absolutely nothing to deserve it!"
"Not my problem! Now move over, you're holding up the line!"
"I will not 'move over' until I get an apology!"
"That's it! I'm calling security!"
That's when our mysterious earthbender friend suddenly appears and inserts himself between Korra and the stall owner.
"There you are!" he says, as though he knows her. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"Bolin! Don't tell me..." the owner sighs.
"Sorry for the inconvenience! My friend here is new in town and--"
"Yeah, yeah, beat it you two," he says, rolling his eyes.
"Wait, but what about--?" Korra tries to say, but Bolin is already taking her hand and leading her away from the concession stands and into a nearby hallway where they're completely alone.
Suddenly, his smiley personality disappears and he turns to her, saying, "Are you nuts?"
"Apparently!" she cries, throwing up her hands in defeat.
"You can't go around making a scene like that. That's how benders like us wind up in the hoosegow," he says urgently.
"The what?"
"Jail! Boy, you really aren't from around here, are you?"
Korra frowns, feeling a touch embarrassed. "How'd you know I was a bender, anyway?"
"Just about everyone at this stadium is a bender," he shrugs. "Call it a lucky guess. The name's Bolin, by the way." He offers her his hand and she takes it, finally having found a friend.
"Korra," she replies.
"Water Tribe, huh? North or South?"
"South. And you?"
"Well, I don't wanna brag or anything, but you're looking at a born and bred Republic City Pro Earthbender," says Bolin with a flashy smile.
"Pro Earthbender?" she repeats. "What's that?"
Bolin suddenly feels his chest deflating like a balloon. This has never happened before and he's entirely unsure of what to do about it.
"Oh, uh.. well..." he stammers, trying to find his footing again. "Wait--you do know what Pro Bending is, don't you?"
"Uh-uh," says Korra, shaking her head.
Bolin smiles. "Follow me."
He leads her through the hallways and into the main stadium through a backdoor. The pair emerge on a special balcony and Bolin proudly declares,
"This is Pro Bending!"
Below them, the whole arena stretches, full of extraordinarily talented benders, all playing for the affections of the crowd, whooping and hollering in their seats. The bending is wild and exciting, and Korra can't help but get swept up in it, too. It's incredible.
Bolin watches with her, and he steals a glance at her while she’s not looking. He’s glad she’s enjoying herself.
There are two teams down in the arena, and they're both fighting over a large ball by any means necessary. Whichever team has the ball when time runs out scores a point, like a giant game of keepaway. The crowd cheers, money is passed between hands, snacks are spilled.
"I've never seen anything like this before," says Korra.
"Pretty cool, right?" says Bolin, trying to sound casual.
Just then, someone else walks onto the balcony wearing Pro Bending gear. His name is Mako. He stops when he sees Bolin and Korra. “Hey, Bolin,” he calls quietly.
Bolin turns and leaves Korra to watch the game alone for a bit. "What's up?" he asks in the same quiet tone.
"Who's the broad?" Mako whispers.
"Isn't she great? I saved her from Riko's ugly mug."
Mako sighs. "Bolin, you need to stop. Sooner or later, you're just gonna make more trouble for us."
"Hey, benders stick together, right?" Bolin asks innocently.
The crowd cheers again and Mako can't think of anything to retort with. Then, suddenly, Korra appears beside him, eyeing him curiously.
"Who are you?" she asks.
Mako jumps back a bit, not liking his personal space invaded.
"Korra, this is my big bro, Mako. Mako, this is Korra," says Bolin with a big grin. When Mako doesn't say anything, Bolin reaches for his cheeks and starts squishing them to move his lips. "Say, 'hi, Korra!'"
Mako slaps Bolin's hand away.
"Are you an earthbender too?" asks Korra.
Mako still doesn't reply, though, and instead stares at her woodenly for a moment, then turns to leave. "Hurry up and get changed, will you, Bolin?" he asks over his shoulder.
"Well he seems friendly," Korra quips after he's gone.
Bolin just shrugs it off. "Can't be helped. Not in this city, anyway."
"Yeah, what's up with that? Why is everyone here so... cranky?"
Bolin sighs as they both go back to the balcony railing. "Kind of a side effect of being stacked on top of each other all the time. And what's worse, benders... we kinda don't get the same respect we used to."
"Tgh. Try no respect," says Korra bitterly.
Bolin looks sad. "Yeah... but, word to the wise, don't go saying that sort of thing out outside the stadium."
"Seriously?" says Korra. "We're not allowed to talk either?"
"Well, it--it's complicated."
"It's not fair! Bending is--it--it's bending! They might as well be mad at us for breathing! Who are the people in charge? Do they know what's going on?"
"Oh, they know alright," says Bolin with a huff, "and a lotta good they're doing about it. The city council's been debating the anti-bender movement for years, but bupkiss happens."
"Bolin! Now!" Mako snaps from the doorway.
Bolin flinches at his brother, but tries to play it off cool as he inches toward the door. "So I'll see you after the game?"
"Sure," says Korra with a smile.
"Great, meet me outside the locker room--ah--I'm coming!" Mako has finally run out patience and is dragging Bolin away by the collar. "Wish me luck!"
"Good luck!"
Once they're gone, Korra has a moment to reflect on everything she's learned. She never could have dreamed that anyone--let alone a whole city full of people--would hate benders so much. But why? How did this happen? And more importantly, was there any way of fixing it?
She's suddenly roused from her thoughts when the lights dim and the next round of Pro Bending begins.
"And now, ladies and gents, welcome to the stadium your returning champions, the Winged Wonders of the World, the First-Rate Primates, your Flying Lemurs!" The crowd goes mad as the team known as the Flying Lemurs steps out into the arena. "And challenging the Lemurs tonight, you know 'em, you love to hate 'em, it's the flamin' Fire Ferrets!" Suddenly, the crowd begins to boo and hiss and chuck things at Mako, Bolin, and a third player as they walk out into the arena. Korra is one of the few people who cheer.
Then, she makes an interresting discovery. When the bell rings, and the first round starts, Mako runs into action, but not as an earthbender. Bolin's brother is a firebender.
* * *
Back down in the South Pole, Tenzin is in Wolf Cove, looking out across the sunset horizon with a disappointed look in his eye. Two palace guards march up to him and bow.
"Sorry, sir. We couldn't find her."
"Return to the ship," says Tenzin with a sigh.
"Yessir."
He goes to rub his forehead, beginning to wonder where in the world Korra could have possibly run off to, and if there’s any chance of them finding her. In fact, he’s now beginning to consider darker possibilities.
That's when someone new comes up behind him.
"Yes, what is it?" he says with a wave of his hand, but he stops short when he recognises the voice.
"Master Tenzin, sir. Prince Kota, Captain of the Royal Guard, at your service!" he grins.
Tenzin is... overjoyed. "Hello, Kota," he says gloomily. "Mother sent for you, did she?"
"Sure did, cuz."
"Please don't call me that."
"Okay, fine, how about 'first cuz once removed?' Better?"
"No."
"So where are we at? Any sign of her?" asks Kota, suddenly remembering why he was sent here.
Tenzin turns back to the city. "I'm afraid not. The storm wiped out any trace of her footprints, and our search parties have been unsuccessful."
"You mean, she was out in that blizzard?" Kota asks.
"We believe so. Why?"
Kota scratches his chin and then grins to himself. "Well, I'm no expert, but I think even the avatar might find it hard to walk in a straight line through something like that."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying, we need to go for a ride."
A short while later, Kota and Tenzin are flying together in an airship, overlooking the tundra between the complex and the city. There are two large searchlights pointed down at the snowy ground, searching for any clues.
"So this is the path the avatar would have taken," Kota muses, looking it over, "but the weather guys down at the science place--"
"I believe the terms you are looking for are 'meteorologists' and 'weather observatory,'" Tenzin cuts in.
"Yeah, them--they said the wind last night was blowing northeast, which means that Korra--" Kota pauses as he adjusts one of the searchlights, "--just might have ended up somewhere over here."
Tenzin looks down and frowns. "But there's nothing down there except for the--" He stops as he realises what's there.
"The docks," Kota nods.
"You can't be serious. She's never been beyond the sanctuary walls, let alone the South Pole. What would compel her to do something so rash?"
“I dunno, you tell me," Kota shrugs easily. "But we're gonna need a list of every ship that left port over the last twenty-four hours."
Tenzin looks out over the docks one last time, a million new worries sprouting up in his mind. "Oh, Korra. Please be safe. Wherever you are."