Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Bumi and Kya stand at the edge of the icy shores of Wolf Cove, their eyes fixed on the distant horizon as they anticipate the arrival of their father. Bumi is eager and ready, standing with pride and determination as he had just shaved his head bald. He wants to be just like his father and carry on the Air Nomad tradition. His fresh cut reveals a strong, youthful face, and his light skin is painted bright, rosy red by the cold. Kya stands besides him in equal anticipation, her long dark hair is pulled back into a practicial yet elegant braid with two hair loopies on both sides hanging down loosely and fastened onto the back of her head, just like how her mother does it. Both bundled up in layers of thick clothing, clad in warm fur-lined hooded coats typical of the Southern Water Tribe. Their breathing forms small clouds in the freezing air as they scan the skies for any sign of Appa.

In the distance, the silhouette of Appa finally begins to take shape. "There! I see them! Mom, they're here!" Bumi joyfully shouts. "Dad's back!" Kya follows.

"Bumi! Put on your hood, you'll freeze!" Katara scolds him.

"But I want Dad to see!" Bumi protests.

"I'm sure he'll notice. Now put it on!"

Aang lands on Appa, and the two kids jump in excitement. "I missed you, Dad," Bumi says.

"I missed you too, buddy. Oh, and what is this? You shaved your head!" Aang exclaims as he rubs Bumi's bald head.

"Mom doesn’t like it; she says I'll get cold," Bumi scoffs.

"Does he really need to do this, Aang? He’s only just started airbending a few months ago," Katara says with concern.

Aang greets Kya, "Kya, I love your hair. You look just like your mother!" He takes little Tenzin from Katara's arms and greets him. Only four years old but shows promise of being an airbender like his brother. Aang hopes so, but he worries for the two of them. Kya is a waterbender, and there are many in the world, but Bumi and Tenzin will only have their father for a teacher. He’s the only airbender left in the world. They’re going to have a lot of responsibilities in the future, he thinks, they might even have more responsibilities than the next Avatar.

Later that day, Sokka visits at their home. "Aaaang, good to see you again," tackling Aang in a hug.

Aang embraces Sokka, "Hello, Sokka, it's been a while."

Katara sits with them as they discuss the current happenings in the world. They finished transforming the colonies into their own cities a few years back, each governed by an elected Mayor. But now there’s talks on who the cities belong to, as each has begun to form its own government, and without supervision, corruption was beginning. Many of those former colonies have continuously requested aid from the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. Earth King Kuei was happy to oblige with whatever Aang wanted, and Fire Lord Zuko didn’t think it was best for the Fire Nation to have dominion over them, but Sokka had his reservations.

"Aang, remember when I suggested uniting them together?" Sokka says.

"That's the plan indeed. We are currently in the preliminary stages. We're gathering representatives from each nation along with the elected officials of the free cities. We'll need you with us," Aang tells Sokka.

"There’s so much going on at home. Believe me, I’d be more than happy to come, but I need to help Dad here," Sokka replies.

Katara furrows her brows. "Dad will be fine, Sokka. There's been so much progress already. Creating a unified government was your idea. You need to be there and oversee how it goes!"

Aang adds, "Katara's right, Sokka. We need you with us. It's not just me—Zuko thinks the same."

Sokka stretches and sighs. "Yeah, I guess you're both right... okay, I'll come."

"How about Toph? How's she doing?" Katara asks, and Sokka eagerly awaits the answer.

Aang responds, "She's doing great, actually. She's been busy with her metalbending academy,"

Sokka chuckles. "I never expected her to enjoy teaching so much."

Aang smiles. "Yeah, she says she learned a lot from teaching me."

"Well, what do you know? Helping people, even when they're helping you. That's the Avatar style! No, wait, that's the Aang style!" Sokka says.

"I should really speak with her; it's been so long. Where is the academy anyway?" Katara wonders.

"Oh, don't worry," Aang says. "It's in Gaoling, where she's from. Her dad actually helped build it for her. And can you believe it? Master Yu works for her now. He handles all the paperwork."

"Well, he did run his own school. I just hope he doesn't cheat her off," Katara says.

Sokka shrugs. "Eh, this is Toph we're talking about. If he dares, she'll throw him in a metal box again."

They all laugh at Sokka's comment, knowing it's true.

The next morning, the family of five prepare to leave to the Southern Air Temple. This was Aang’s promise to his kids: to show them his home. They leave on Appa and soon arrive, getting welcomed by the Air Acolytes, an order of monks and nuns who reside in the Air Temples and live to preserve and practice the teachings of the Air Nomads, as well as help recover and maintain the temples.

Tenzin was asleep when they arrived. Katara wants to wake him but Aang tells her not to. “Thanks for the ride, Appa!” Bumi says as he descends from Appa, using air to regulate the speed of his descent. Aang holds Kya and they all leave. Shortly after, Tenzin wakes up to the sounds of Appa’s groans. He looks at the ground below and feels afraid to jump.

“How do I…” He mumbles to himself. Appa grunts gently, and Tenzin slowly tries to slide down, but proceeds to fall. Appa licks him as he cries, and he stops and smiles. “Thank you, Appa,” he says, and runs off to join his family.

Aang spends most of his time training and teaching Bumi airbending and the way of the original Air Nomads. He tells him that he’ll need to help his younger brother one day and pass down those teachings onto him and their kids too. Kya wants to join them but fears interrupting. Aang calls for her and says, “Y’know, the Avatar is a waterbender too.”

Chapter Text

Blood soaks the snow beneath Tonraq, entrapped in ice pillars and surrounded by northern soldiers. Unalaq stands in front of him with a face completely devoid of emotion. Tonraq spits more blood as he attempts to speak, but Unalaq goes for the finishing blow, killing his older brother once and for all.

Both Water Tribes are ruled by the chief in the northern tribe. The Chief chooses someone from the Southern Water Tribe to act as a representative of the South Pole, or simply approves of whoever the South has chosen if he deems them fit. That person will have the title of Chief, but no decision can be absolute without the approval of the Chief in the North. The Northern Water Tribe is comprised of many different noble tribes who intermarry and form allegiances with one another. It used to be ruled by Chief Arnook, the son of a noble tribesman, during the final years of the hundred year war, he only had one daughter who died before marrying. As there were no heirs after the princess had given her body to save the Moon Spirit during the siege of the North, the nobility have decided on a new Chief, Uluaq. A noble water tribesman who looked every bit Water Tribe in skin tone and height, and was true to the word noble. The Tribes enjoyed a prosperous time under his rule and the relationship between the two remained strong after the century long war had ended. He trained his two sons in the northern bending style and had always tried to instill the most valuable trait for water tribesmen in them, the value of family and love for community.

His eldest was Tonraq who was strong and had an imposing presence, a natural leader who was well liked by his peers. And his youngest was Unalaq, who often called himself a thinker and a believer. The value of community grew to twist within Unalaq as he grew older, as so did his politics. He had had always viewed his older brother as a wall to break through. Their father’s teachings never really got to him. Tonraq excelled at many things that he too did, but it was as if everyone knew Tonraq was the eventual next Chief, a thought that Tonraq himself never cared much about. He was always busy leading expeditions and hunts, while Unalaq often sat around older nobilities. The people who have the say, the people who make and refuse. They were the decision makers. That was always the way of the North: the old leads the new and soon, the new becomes just like the old. This has caused the people of the northern tribe to become deeply religious, often taking pilgrimage into the deepest parts of the northern tundra in search of enlightenment and to prove one's honor and worth.

On one evening, Unalaq alerted his brother of a few barbarians who sailed from the northern Earth Kingdom to scavenge in a sacred forest. The place is said to have strong spiritual presence and stealing is forbidden. Tonraq, ever so strong and bold, set out to stop them singlehandedly. Though he prevented them from stealing, the act of killing in such a place greatly angered the elders of the tribe. It was then decided that Tonraq must move down south, never to return north again. This has greatly affected Uluaq and in less than five days, he passed away in his sleep, and the next chief was decided soon after. Unalaq’s reign has begun.

Tonraq left home with only his personal ice dodging ship that he built prior to completing his rite of passage at 16. He would hunt for food and camp alone at night, enjoying the journey and lamenting what the attitude will be like once he arrives down south. He thought about stopping his sail and staying in the Earth Kingdom away from the tribes, eh I'm going where there's water. He doesn’t want to be a leader nor get involved in politics, I'm fine with that, he thought. But now, he feels no responsibility for anyone anymore, only himself, a feeling that doesn't resonate well with him.

On the way, he stopped at a small fishing harbor on the western parts of the Earth Kingdom where the temperature was affected by the cold southern breeze. The people were dressed in winter greens and blues, and there were a handful of southerner traders, so he didn’t much stand out. He thought it was perfect to sell what he had gathered during his travel for Water Tribe money. The only way to buy land in both tribes is with Water Tribe money. The money won’t be enough to buy land, but it might be enough for a head start… or supplies at least, he thought to himself as he approached the harbor to anchor his ship.

“Would you buy my stock for Water Tribe money?” Tonraq asked one of the southern traders. “Water Tribe money? You planning on going down south?” The merchant asked him.

Tonraq nodded. “I am, actually. How is the South Pole nowadays?”

“Cold as always, and a lot of money to be made… if you’re an industrialist that is.” The economy indeed bloomed drastically after the hundred year war. It was first spearheaded by Chief Hakoda with aid from the North, they were able to erect new cities in place of old villages. Sokka, Hakoda’s son, was then elected Chief after his father’s timely death, and he sought to industrialize the Southern Water Tribe. Factories, new docks as well as new technologies were introduced to improve the living conditions and help it become an equal partner in world politics. After Chief Sokka passed away, no chief was selected, or approved to put it more bluntly. The approval was constantly halted and delayed by the Northern Water Tribe and the south remained without a formal leader. They had elected their own leader democratically but no official documents were sealed.

A woman approached the merchant as he was handing Tonraq Water Tribe currency. “Excuse me, I’d like to sell you what I have for Water Tribe money as well.”

Though she looked light in complexion, she had deep blue eyes common in Water Tribe folk. She was slightly shorter than Tonraq but stood next to him as if they both shared the same height. She wore brown wristbands and green bands on her chest, covered over by a long outerwear tied at the waist and short pants that looked like undergarments, the color of leaf green. She had two front pigtails wrapped by beads and the back was tied at the end. He glanced over to catch a glimpse of this person, and curiosity got to him.

“I don’t really have much left of Water Tribe money, but I’ll buy from you with what I have, Ma’am.” The merchant said, and she thanked him.

It was dusk. Tonraq thought it was best to camp for the night and leave first thing in the morning. At night he couldn’t help but think of the woman he saw earlier. Was she also headed to the southern tribe? It didn’t look like she had company, but he didn’t know that. At dawn, he readied his ship to set sail, and caught another glimpse of the same woman wandering around the harbor. In a moment, she approached him. “Are you going to the South Pole?” She asked. “Yeah..” “Do you mind if I hitch a ride with you? I can pay.” “Sure, come on in..” He thought she was bold to ask him straight away, and he was right that she didn’t have company. He was so used to traditional women of the northern tribe not making the first contact with a man, let alone travel single. He isn’t a northerner anymore. Why should he care about those customs, everything he had heard of the south sounded different from the ways they lived, so he should be more open, or get used to it.

She sat at the front of the ship while he steered it from the back. Calling it a ship is a bit generous as it was almost the size of a boat, big enough to compare to a catamaran, but it was safe for travel on oceans. They didn’t talk. She was looking ahead and so was he. Flying fish came rushing against the ship’s direction, and so Tonraq let go of the helm to raise the water beneath the ship to create a large wave to avoid the flying fish tearing away the sailcloth. She observed him take a hard stance and raise both arms up. The water started moving up slowly, mostly around the back of the ship. The ship looked like a bowl getting filled in with flying fish crashing their heads on the ships floor. She got up and performed the same stance, balancing the wave beneath the ship with her waterbending. Tonraq was indeed surprised. She’s a waterbender too.

Now both bending in sync, they slowly relaxed their stance once they sailed past the pesky fish. “Hey.. I- I didn’t know you’re a waterbender too,” Tonraq spoke, thinking finally. She smiled nonchalantly “I am, though I can’t say the same about you. Kinda figured you were Water Tribe from the look..” “Hahaha yeah…”

“My name is Senna.” He adored her boldness. She was so new to him, so different, so unafraid, so forthcoming... so him. “I’m Tonraq!”

Senna is at an abandoned dock located far away in the outskirts of Whale Harbor, one of the cities in the Southern Water Tribe. The entire south is in lockdown imposed by northern soldiers under orders from Chief Unalaq. With seven year old Korra in her arms, she waited long for Tonraq but northern soldiers were close to finding them. She must leave now. Tonraq urged her to leave and not wait for him. She wants to run back for him, but their daughter is her main responsibility right now. The boat engine is readied and they hurry off into the ocean.

“Mommy they’re coming!” Senna looks behind them, one of Unalaq’s ships is closing in. The boat won’t do anymore. She knows she can waterbend them a lot faster, but not on this boat. Unlike a gondola, this one is too heavy. “Sweetie, you have to hold on to me and never let go, okay!”

Little Korra is sensing the seriousness of their situation, “..okay.” Senna ties her tightly on her back and propels off on an ice board. Her form is straight, using rigid hand motions to move with great speed.

Five men follow. They hardly catch up to them, sending ice projectiles targeted at Senna's hands and feet. She swerves to their direction, turning the area around her into ice. The first one to catch up is gutted by an ice spike from below. The next man jumps up with a water whip readied, she turns the ice around her into a water cloak, absorbing the whip and shooting icy bullets at him. She quickly levitates with a pillar of water coiling and shifting around her lower body. The three remaining come to freeze the pillar, but she swiftly extends ice spears to their guts. One man goes for the defense, punching the incoming spear and turning it into snow, and Senna quickly descends on him on top a drill-like ice structure, finally finishing all five.

Unalaq is watching from the ship as the water turns red. “Stop the ship,” he orders.

“But, sir you saw-“ Unalaq jumps off, and the captain stops the ship; there are baleen whales swimming up ahead, making their way back to the northern hemisphere after finishing their seasonal winter breeding migration in the southern hemisphere.

Before Senna and Korra reach closer to the whales, which Senna thinks will be the perfect cover once they move past them, Unalaq manages to catch up to them, bending a large tsunami-like wave slowing Senna’s propulsion. The wave is preventing Senna from going on top of it. She tries to float up with a water pillar, but the wave disturbs the pillar. They fall, diving all the way down, the cloth holding Korra on Senna’s back is untied by the impact of the fall to the ocean surface. The waters around them are pulled by the movements of the herd.

Little Korra is sucked through a vortex, her body turning right and left, up and down, but the rush of the moment isn’t making her forget her freediving training with her father, and she manages to steady her position underwater. With everything that’s going on, there was a sudden moment of quiet. Her eyes meet the eye of a young whale calf underwater, both stare at each other with interest, but the moment catches up to her and she quickly breaks through the surface with a gasp, “Hahhhh!” inhaling sharply. She is surrounded by the large pod, their movements pushing her as she swims. “Mom!! MOOOM?!!!”

Senna and Unalaq are on top of one whale, Unalaq running after her, his arms cloaked in whip-like tendrils. He tries to grasp and strike her and she evades him. They run to the top where the blowhole is. Senna skips over, right when Unalaq tries to do the same but is hit by the spout, causing him to shoot up to the sky. She overhears Korra’s screams and slides down to catch her and propels off, holding little Korra in her arms while she glances at the herd over her mother’s shoulder.

“He’s coming toward us!” Korra shouts. He plunges into the ocean from high up in the sky without a single splash. Senna continues skimming through the water’s surface towards a nearby iceberg, but is suddenly pulled down below. Korra crashes on the iceberg, she looks back at the water waiting for Senna to follow, but neither Senna or Unalaq surface yet.

“Hahhh!” Senna emerges, “stay back! Go!” she gestures to Korra. Unalaq emerges to the surface from behind her, standing straight. First he moves his left hand and freezes Korra in her place.

“NO,” Senna tries to strike him with a water whip but he quickly strikes back harder, and then again, and again, rendering her powerless. She can’t fight back anymore. He trips her over, gets on top of her and places his right hand over her mouth, with water slowly creeping in, covering her face in a choke bubble. Senna’s hands are clawing at his face, scratching and pulling, her legs kicking.

Unalaq is unaffected, “For once, shut up! If you listened to me from the beginning, none of this would’ve happened. Tonraq is DEAD, and it’s better if you join him too. She will be fine with me. I will raise her as my own. She will have everything she wants. She will lead us, and I will be right there with her every step of the way.”

Senna's limbs become heavy, her frantic movements slowing as the strength drains from her body. She looks over to her daughter completely frozen in ice, her heart pounding furiously as she struggles for breath. Tears mix in with the water around her face. Is this how our story goes, Tonraq? We were supposed to live a normal, happy life. Raise our kids and teach them together.

POOF! Shards of ice shoot at Unalaq, gouging his left eye and shoving him away from Senna. Korra rises from the ice with a surge of energy coursing through her, her eyes wide open, now glowing with an intense white light. Her form is rigid, her back straight and her limbs extending outward. Her hands are raised in front of her, palms facing each other as if holding an invisible sphere of energy. Her fingers are splayed wide, and her posture exudes a sense of immense anger. The snow around her begins to swirl, lifting her body off the ground.

Though her uncle’s eye is bleeding, he watches as the scene unfolds before him. He was in awe. He had never witnessed such raw, unbridled power. This is what he came for. His mouth falls open, “Yes Korra! You can do so much more! I can teach you!”

With a sweep of her arm, she englufs him in water and swings him through the air, each swing sending him careening wildly, colliding each time with the icy ground, until his back cracks. Click, “Ah!” He gasps for breath, his chest heaving with the effort. The iceberg slowly begins to shake, cracks forming as the water splashes through.

“KORRA!” A strange new voice echoes. Her movements suddenly stop and the snow swirl holding her up fades, and so does the glow. Her eyes close and she falls. Her mother catches her.

“Korra! Sweetie! Korra!!” No answer. She is breathing alright, but completely unconscious. Senna takes her and quickly leaves before Unalaq’s ship can find them.

Chapter Text

“I’ve been having the same dream again. I see a strange beast from a distance, but I can’t reach it.” Korra confides in Huu. They’ve taken refuge back in her mother’s homeland, the Foggy Swamp in the southwestern parts of the Earth Kingdom, after the incident eight years ago. Appropriately referred to by that name, the area is a large marshland densely populated by strange flora and fauna. It is largely uninhabited by humans, and outsiders seldom venture in. A mystic place with vines and trees connected for many miles to a single enormous banyan-grove tree that stands in the middle. Centuries ago, a group of Southern Water Tribe folk journeyed north to take pilgrimage in the northern tundra, but their journey came to an end once they reached the swamp. Believing it was destiny to arrive in a place that retains the same roots with branches extending from the same tree, it perfectly represented family and harmony and had a strong living ecosystem. These folk have protected the tree and the entire forest from then on, forming a strong relationship with nature; they navigate the dense undergrowth with skiffs, where they forage for sustenance.

“A strange beast..” Huu says to Korra, who is sitting cross-legged next to him at the top of the banyan-grove tree. He’s been serving as a spiritual mentor and guide for her at the behest of her mother. An old man over a hundred years of age, he found enlightenment under the banyan-grove tree during the hundred-year war many years ago. “The swamp possesses deep spiritual qualities, Korra, this beast could be calling to you. It could be a messenger, or it could be a guide.” Huu says.

“It did feel like it was calling to me, and believe me I tried to chase it, I try this every time, but it leads me to the edge of the swamp, it vanishes to the outside world, and then I stand still, unable to move and follow it." Korra says to Huu. He smiles, his thoughts go back to the time when the previous Avatar and his friends came to him with a similar experience. Avatar Aang heard the swamp calling to him, and a vision in the swamp showed him someone he will meet in the future.

The beast, Huu wonders if the beast is who he thinks it is, “Time is an illusion,” he says, but Korra interrupts, “Yeah, I know, time is an illusion and so is death. We all have the same roots, and we are all branches of the same tree. The swamp tells us that no one is gone, that we are all connected, one big living organism.”

“That is correct.” Huu says, and tries to approach her in the same manner he did with her previous incarnation, “So tell me then, what do you think the beast is trying to tell you?”

“It’s… if time is an illusion, I don’t know, I guess it’s telling me to leave the swamp?!” Korra answers him as she tries to figure out how to fit the concept of time to her dream, and he lets her try harder to solve it, not saying much. She is lost in thought, time is an illusion and so is death, she stops thinking, “Ahhh this is insane, can we be done for the day? I gotta go back to the huts, I think they’re about to go hunting. Thanks for the lessons master, see ya!”

Old man Huu smiles as Korra leaves, but he worries about her. He doesn’t mind taking as much time as it might take to teach her. She’s 15 years old and although her waterbending and earthbending skills are great, she’s yet to learn firebending and airbending. For an Avatar to be able to connect to their spiritual side and become fully realized, they would need time and mastery of all four elements. He was friends with her predecessor, Avatar Aang, and is aware of the possible challenges that a young Avatar could face. Aang was a lot more receptive to his teachings and was more in tune with spirituality. Korra, however, is more focused on the physical side of bending, only applying what she learns by manipulating the element, without much understanding how the element moves, and what energy is causing it to move. He taught her what this energy is, Chi; the life energy that exists in all lifeforms, benders and nonbenders alike, it flows inside every living being and serves as the root of bending and all other skills. Some have perfected how to control the flow of chi within their body, making them excellent at combat and martial arts, able to jump high and hit the most critical spots in their opponents. For a bender to become a master, they would need to know the network of chi paths coursing through their body and how to change it.

A bender or nonbender who masters how to control chi within their body, and more importantly, how to unlock the concentrated clusters of chi in their body, better known as Chakras, will become a lot more attuned with their spirituality. An Avatar will need to unlock all seven chakra points to fully master and control the Avatar State and become fully realized.

Korra arrives at the camp, nestled in the heart of the Foggy Swamp in the middle of a clearing. The camp consisted of a few dozen huts, each crafted from sturdy branches and woven reeds, blending seamlessly with the swamp’s natural landscape. Small fires crackled in pits surrounded by stones, and wooden walkways, slick with moisture, connected the various huts. In the center of the camp stood a communal area with a larger fire pit and a few benches made from twisted roots and vines. This was where everyone gathered for meals, storytelling, and meetings.

“You’re back just in time! We’re heading out.” Vek says to Korra. “Great, I’m with you!”

“Hold on just a moment,” Zia interrupts “your mother was looking for you.”

“Oh, I gotta go let her know I’m back. Don’t leave without me okay!” Vek raises one eyebrow and cups one hand near his mouth, “We probably will!” He shouts.

Korra runs into their hut, “Hi Mom, I’m back. Was just gonna leave with Vek and the others for today’s hunt.” Senna replies, “We’ll go hunting alone together tonight.”

Korra knows this means training, and she thinks to herself that tonight she must showcase how far she’s gotten with her waterbending, even earthbending too. It was easy for her to find an earthbender who can teach her, Dhruv is practically part of their little tribe. He would visit frequently, trading with them and sharing news. The people of the Foggy Swamp tribe prefer not to venture outside, and they tend to be hostile to visitors, living in secrecy imposed by Senna to protect her daughter after what happened eight years ago. It wasn’t like this prior, although their existence is not acknowledged by the polar tribes nor the Earth Kingdom and they aren’t governed by them, they were completely fine mingling with the outside world when the opportunity presented itself, but now is different. Senna strongly believes that Korra must be protected and everyone agrees. They’ve seen what condition they were in when they arrived. Senna could barely walk that day, holding the unconscious Korra in her arms and taking small steps. Little Korra remained unconscious for the next two weeks. She couldn’t remember much of what happened that day when she finally awoke, except for her mother’s five clean kills. That was all she could recollect. Senna told her of her father’s murder by her uncle, and they both hate him for it. She was told of her mighty feat against her uncle, but she cannot remember it.

“There,” Korra whispers, she condenses water vapor out of the humid air and freezes it into icy projectile, shooting it straight at the possum chicken she scouted. “Show off.” Senna smirks, “nice job though! There’s another one.” She says as she tilts her head in the direction of another possum chicken standing upside down from a branch. Korra thinks this will be their last one as they had already collected three, so she better make it worth it. Using vines for camouflage and to maintain stealth, she slowly extends a single vine where the legs are, manipulating the vine instead of removing water from it, but the possum chicken is alerted by the sudden movement and hops below. Senna quickly raises her arm, lifting vines from the wetland to catch the animal. They approach it together, “Ah I almost had it...” Korra murmurs.

“You did good. You’re an excellent waterbender, your father would be proud.” Senna takes out her knife and slices the animal. Their hunt is now finished.

“I’ve taught you what I learned from this place and from the south, and what your father taught me from his home too. You learn fast. How about a duel before we head back?” Korra expected this to happen and excitedly responds “Let’s do this!”

Senna takes a rigid and straight stance, using stiff and circular arm movements to move water like a propeller. Korra knows this fighting style well; this is the Foggy Swamp style. It is not fluid and graceful, but it is accurate and precise, utilizing both arms and feet in the desired direction. The duel begins with a fierce exchange of blows. Senna swiftly propels sharp jets of water towards Korra, who deftly intercepts them with whip-like tendrils, she forms a body of water around herself into multiple of these tendrils, this form is perfect for defense and offense, commonly taught in the Northern Water Tribe, you wait for your opponent to strike and intercept them; this is the northern style.

Senna's movements are quick and precise, her attacks coming in at unexpected angles. Korra counters each strike with fluid motions, her tendrils snapping and curling to deflect Senna's advances, sweat coming out of her.

"Nice work with your hands, your form is pretty good too, but if you keep it up like this you'll lose all energy. You need to relax your muscles," Senna says as the duel intensifies.

"What do you mean relax? I'm fighting." Korra asks.

Senna stops, "It means you have to be more fluid, focus on the water, not your body and your movements. Be versatile." She shifts her stance, transitioning into a more aggressive approach, adopting the southern style. Korra, anticipating a move, ducks and rolls to the side and raises a wall of water to block the attack, but the force of Senna’s precision strike causes the wall to tremble and shudder. Senna quickly tries to sweep Korra’s legs, but Korra charges up with water swirling around her, levitating her off the ground in column of water. She then jumps down, stomping the ground and creating an earth column from beneath Senna, but she backflips into the air, utilizing the force from the column to jump high with two tendrils covering her arms.

Senna immediately tries to strike with the tendrils, but Korra bends them, gathering it around her. She sends a sharp jet of water towards Senna; it crashes on her and the duel ends.

Korra’s skills greatly impress her mother, and they both end their duel in a graceful bow to each other. They take their game back home where Korra meets Zia and Vek who are awake at the fire.

Korra sits on the bench next to Zia, a waterbender close in age to Korra, who excels at healing. Vek, a year older than Korra but shares the same height, approaches them, “What’s up cousin!” He says to Korra.

“Which one?” Korra jokes. “Haha funny” Vek says

“What, we’re all cousins are we not? We’re all just one big happy family, one big living organism...” Korra says and Zia chuckles.

Zia asks how Huu is doing; they haven’t seen him around in over a month. “He’s Huu, foraging and meditating. He’s doing good.” Korra answers her.

Vek asks “And how’s your training with him?” Korra doesn’t answer him straight away. It was only the three of them, so she feels comfortable talking, but she doesn’t know what to say. As the flames cast dancing shadows around the fire, their faces illuminate by the warm, golden light. The crackling of the fire filled the quiet night as they look down, their eyes fixating on the mesmerizing dance of the fire. “I… I’m not sure.” Korra says.

Korra’s face reflected a mixture of uncertainty and contemplation. “Huu says that I need to give myself time and be patient, but I feel like I need to learn fast and be excellent.”

Vek’s brows furrowed slightly, and he bit his lip before speaking, “Is it because of what happened?”

“N- I mean, ye- Ugh. It’s not just that. Huu always taught me that I’m going to have big responsibilities in the future, and that I’m going to have a role in shaping the world, but I just can’t see it for myself. I don’t feel responsible for the world. I feel like… my duty is to my family, is to be with you and protect you all.” Korra says as a fleeting thought passes through her mind, it was her uncle Unalaq. She doesn’t remember what he looks like, but he’s all she knows of the world and what it has to offer. If helping the world means eventually helping him, then she doesn’t want to help at all.

Vek raises a brow, “Wait, wait, wait, didn’t Tal’s father help Aang during the invasion? Hoz’s dad too. Tev as well. Mora and the other waterbender women left too. If duty calls, I’ll be the first to go and help.”

“What do you know, you’re not even a bender!” She says to him. “I can still beat you though,” Vek winks.

“Wanna go little guy?” Korra offers a challenge, but Vek yawns, “I’m hitting the sack. Everything you just said is nonsense. You’re totally the man for the job, Korra.” He smiles and runs off.

“Man?! Ugh he’s so irritating!” She says in frustration.

“Don’t mind him, Korra. He’s right in what he means though. You’re so smart and brave. Everything will come together in due time. I know you feel like you need to accomplish everything now, but you’ll probably make a lot of mistakes before you become the kind of great person you wish to be.” Zia says, and Korra knows both Vek and Zia are right. Vek is right about venturing out into the world, and Zia is right about time.

For the past eight years, it felt like a cloud was looming near her. If it’s true that she was able to tap into the Avatar state and protect her mother, she wished she could’ve done the same with her father as well. But she can’t even remember how she did it. She wants to be able to control it. She wants to be her mother’s protector, what happened to Tonraq will never happen again to anyone she loves. Unalaq is out there, and she needs to be ready. This is what Senna thinks too. She saw her own daughter defeat him once and render him powerless. She wants her to be ready when the moment comes and Tonraq is finally avenged.

The sun had just begun to rise as the next day arrives, the camp is quiet, save for the gentle rustle of leaves and the occasional screams of the screeching dodo. One of the men guarding the camp quietly makes his way through to Senna and Korra’s hut. With a gentle yet firm touch, he shakes Senna’s shoulder, careful not to startle her. “Senna,” he says in a low voice so not to wake Korra, “we got a visitor from the Fire Nation.”

Senna stirs, her expression shifting to alertness. “How do you know he’s from the Fire Nation?!”

“He’s wearing red and black with the emblem of the Fire Nation on his chest. He’s arriving at the edge of the clearing.” Hoz says.

She squints her eyes, “How did he even… let’s go!”

Chapter Text

They arrive at the edge of the camp, when the emissary introduces himself, “Greetings, my name is Tadashi. I come from the Fire Nation under orders from Fire Lord Izumi. I seek to meet with the Avatar.”

How did the Fire Nation know the Avatar is here?! Senna thinks to herself, those weasel snakes must have spies everywhere. If this man traveled all the way from the Fire Nation, they must know for certainty that Korra is here. There is no use in denying now. “How do you know the Avatar is in this swamp?!” Senna asks. “The Fire Lord has known for quite a while,” Senna interrupts him “Since when?!” Tadashi answers “That I don’t know.” “And how?!” She asks. “I don’t know, Ma’am.”

Senna readies her position, and Hoz places a hand over his knife. “I am not here to fight. I’m under direct orders to come here and deliver a message to the Avatar herself.” Senna scoffs, “You will do no such thing.” The emissary asks, “And who am I speaking to?”

Hoz glances over at Senna, if she attacks, he will too. Senna’s eyes are narrowing at Tadashi, she is silent for a moment, “I am Senna, mother of the Avatar. You can speak to me instead.” Tadashi bows slightly, showing respect. “Very well, Senna.” He takes out a sealed parchment and hands it over to her.

Senna breaks the seal and unrolls the letter. In it, the Fire Lord extends an invitation to the Avatar to come to the Fire Nation Royal Palace and meet her personally. The message outlines her desire to help the Avatar learn firebending, that she will provide a master for her and will oversee her firebending training personally. There is also a promise of hospitality during Korra’s stay in the Fire Nation, and a safe passage during her travel under Tadashi’s own protection.

Senna finishes reading and looks up at Tadashi. “This is quite the gesture. It even mentions you by name.” Tadashi does not know the contents of the letter, only to deliver it and see to it that no scuffles are to be had. “Are you a firebender?” Senna asks. “I am not, Ma’am. I teach the way of the sword and the ancient art of chi control.”

“Excuse us, please.” Senna knows this is genuine. It is signed by the Fire Lord herself, and the Fire Nation has long been in good standing with the rest of the world ever since the war ended. This is a great opportunity, she thinks, but she also can’t let her daughter leave home. The world is cruel and unforgiving, and Unalaq is out there. Senna walks away with Hoz, “What did the letter say?” Hoz asks.

“It’s an…” No, she can’t tell him. She doesn’t want it to get out. She wants the emissary to go back to where he came from and leave them alone. Korra can’t leave. This is too dangerous. “So?” Hoz asks again. “It’s none of your business!” She replies. “Should I tell ‘em to leave?!” He asks her. “Uh… no, don’t.” she says to him and walks away.

Almost an hour later, men and women begin to emerge from their woven huts to start the day. Some are tending to their fishing nets and ensuring their tools and weapons are in good condition, while others are checking on the growth of crops. A few men head to nearby lakes to gather food and fresh water, and a few women tend to the fire, preparing breakfast from stored provisions. The camp begins to come alive with activity as everyone begins their chores.

Tadashi walks closer to the camp and observes. Everyone notices, but Hoz assures them he’s welcomed. All the children start observing him, their bright eyes taking every detail with a mix of wonder and caution. Some are looking at him from behind their mothers, while others are taking closer steps. Everyone is whispering amongst themselves, sharing speculation and giggles, fascinated by the visitor’s unusual appearance. He was Fire Nation pale with jet-black hair tied back in a tight topknot, a traditional Fire Nation style that signifies rank and status. He wore a meticulously tailored uniform made with deep red fabric that contrasted starkly with the muted greens and browns of the swamp. The uniform is adorned with black and gold accents and fitted with broad shoulders and a high collar that gave him an air of regality, and his trousers were similarly well-fitted and tucked neatly into knee-high black boots. Gold embroidery depicting the Fire Nation symbol decorated his chest.

Korra woke up to her mother sitting on her bed located next to hers. “Good morning, Mom.” Senna doesn’t respond. She observes the letter in her mother’s hands. “What is this?” She asks. Senna doesn’t respond. She’s been sitting there ever since she walked away from Hoz, thinking what to do. “Mom?” Korra speaks softly again.

“It’s a… hmmm...” Senna wants to burn this letter and be done with it, never to speak of it to anyone. “What is going on?!” Korra asks. As Senna gives her no answer, she prepares to leave and wears her sleeveless green top and puts on her dark green, loose-fitting, cropped pants that are wide at the bottom, reaching just below the knee. She puts on her slip-on shoes and walks to the exit. “Stop.” Senna says. “What is going on with you today?!” Korra asks. “I don’t want you to leave the hut today.” Korra frowns, “Why not? What’s so important that I need to stay here?!”

Senna’s gaze hardens, and her voice takes on a commanding tone. “Do as I say.” This isn’t the first time they’ve argued, and Senna’s attitude was always mother knows best, but she rarely hid anything from her daughter. They sleep with two beds situated next to each other, and they always tell each other about their day before going to sleep. Senna leaves the hut with the letter in her hand, and Korra stays behind.

Shortly after, Zia walks in, “Did you see the man outside?” She asks Korra. “What man? Ugh what is going on today!!” Korra says in frustration. “This is strange. Judging by his clothes, he looks from the Fire Nation.” Zia says.

“WHAT…?!” Korra runs outside and looks at the visitor, looking like he’s being tormented by Vek. “So you’re from the Fire Nation, eh…” Vek says to him, “what is it like nowadays? You still raiding villages? You here to raid our village? You here to steal our crop?” Tadashi is perplexed, “Uhhh……..” He’s trying to keep it cool and formal. These people don’t mingle much with the outside world, he can tell by their reactions to him. He expected this. He was given a lot of instructions directly from the Fire Lord before leaving. He was told that the Avatar has been living in the Foggy Swamp for most of her life, and that she is about 15 years old and is probably a good waterbender. He was given a detailed overview of the Foggy Swamp tribe as to not be alarmed. He was given specific directions to the tribe’s location and did not ask how they got this information. He simply obeyed those commands and heeded every instruction. He traveled for two weeks. First by a ferry from the Fire Nation Capital to Shu Jing’s port in the Fire Nation, then he took a ship from there to Gaoling in the Earth Kingdom and traveled by foot to reach the Foggy Swamp from there.

Tadashi senses a new face staring at him from a small distance. He looks over and sees Korra. She looks different from the rest of them, he thinks. They all look Earth Kingdom, but she looks strikingly Water Tribe. Her eyes are a bright, piercing blue, and her hair is dark brown styled in two thick, symmetrical ponytails that hang down her shoulders, secured by beads, and her skin has a warm, tan complexion. She begins to approach him, but Senna intercepts her. “Get back inside. Now!” Senna says sternly.

Korra stops in her tracks, her curiosity battling within her. “Who is…” Senna grabs her arm and walks inside the hut. “Who is this man? Is he here for me? Is this why you wanted me to stay inside?! Tell me!” Korra asks.

“He arrived before sunrise.” Senna finally starts speaking. “And this letter in your hand, it’s from him, right?” “Yes.” “Mom... what does it say?”

Senna takes a huge sigh, “It's from the Fire Lord, she wants you to go with him to the Fire Nation capital to meet with her.”

Chapter Text

Korra wonders why her mother was so determined for her not to know. Does she not want me to go? “Why didn’t you tell me?” She asks. Senna glances at her with a stern look, “Because I don’t think you should go, not yet.”

“WHY NOT!” Korra speaks with a slightly raised tone. “Don’t question me!” Senna replies. “But MOM, this is good for us, I need to continue my training! I can’t even find a good earthbending teacher here!” Korra says to her.

“Not like this, not this far away.” Senna responds, matching Korra’s tone. “How am I supposed to be the Avatar when I’m bundled up in this place! Huu says I have a duty to the world. If I don’t ever leave, I’ll never be able to find my own path as the Avatar!” Senna furrows her brows intensely creating a deep crease between them, “Huu?! Is this what he’s been teaching you all this time? To leave and abandon your own family?!”

“You’re the one who asked him to be my mentor!” Korra responds angrily. “Heh, he was going to teach you anyway, whether I asked him or not. This Avatar stuff is right up his alley.” Senna says, and their arguing is starting to alert everyone outside. Korra interrupts, “Avatar stuff... It’s not like I can understand any of this stuff! Everything he says has been nothing but nonsense to me. I’m much better off leaving, maybe I can finally learn something new. You clearly don’t care about my destiny!”

Senna’s demeanor turns cold as she stares at her daughter and proceeds to slap her in the face, “DON’T CARE? How dare you!” Zia’s mother, Tala, quickly walks in as Korra places one hand over her cheek, “That’s enough you two!” Tala says to them.

Korra immediately runs off, shoving anyone in her way. Senna glances as she leaves, with the same hand clutched over her chest. This was wrong, she thinks to herself that she shouldn’t have hit her, ugh Tonraq would hate me for this. Senna knows that her daughter is right about her training. Staying in the swamp won’t do her much good in the long run. If the Fire Nation already knows about our whereabouts, surely the other major world governments know as well. What am I doing, we’ve been here too long, everything is changing outside, and all I want to do is hide in here. She starts to tear up as the rush of the moment dies down, what did I do, what do I do. “Senna,” Tala speaks softly, gently placing her hands over her shoulders, “Shhh it’s gonna be okay, hey now.”

Senna speaks to her while sobbing, “Don’t say this to me, say it to my daughter. Tala, I did something wrong.” More tears flow down her face as she covers it with her hands. “She’s gonna come back and you two will talk it over, you’ve always been close, she’ll forgive you.” Tala tries to comfort her.

The sun sets and Korra hasn’t returned yet. Senna wants to go search for her, she wants everyone to join her, but she also realizes the magnitude of her action. She thinks it best to give her daughter time and space, she knows Korra needs this at least, she’s been bottled up in this swamp for too long. Tala comes over to Senna with a worried face, “They haven’t returned yet,” she says to Senna. “Who’s they?” Senna asks. “Your daughter and mine!”

Zia ran after Korra when she left the camp, they’ve been gone ever since and their whereabouts are unknown. Senna thinks they might be at the banyan-grove tree where Huu usually stays. At night, she sets out to that location. She calls out for Korra and Zia as she ventures deeper into the swamp, but all she can hear are the sounds of crickets chirping, frogs croaking, and the occasional screams of the screeching dodo. The sound of the night intensifies as she nears the center where the tree is. She climbs up and meets Huu sitting cross-legged underneath the vines. His skin is weathered and earthy in hue, showing the many years he has spent in meditation and communion with nature. His hair is no longer bushy and grey, but white and wispy, flowing down to his shoulders and blending with the mist that swirls around him. His beard is equally long and tangled, resting on his chest. He wears simple, tattered loincloths made from swamp materials, and moss and vines adorn his body.

Senna approaches him. His eyes are closed, and his face is serene, reflecting a deep inner peace, something which Senna longs for. “Hello, Senna.” He says to her, “Come sit with me.” She glances at him, “I came here looking for Korra. Have you seen her today?”

“She will be fine, she’s not alone.” He answers. “I know, Zia is gone too. They must be together somewhere. They haven’t come around here at all?!” She asks him.

“You tell me.” he speaks. She frowns at him, thinking now she understands what Korra meant when she said she could barely understand anything Huu says. “Ugh, you’re no help at all.” She says to him. “What do you mean?” He asks her.

She glances at him again with a scowl on her face, “What exactly have you been teaching my daughter?” she asks him. “Nothing that you didn’t ask me for. Senna, you know her destiny,” before he could continue, she stops him, “Yes, I do! I know she’ll face so many challenges if she leaves. I wanted to leave this place once, and I did, and look what it did me. I don’t want her to have to come back here disappointed like I did.”

“But you’re not disappointed,” Huu says to her, “you found what you were looking for and,” Senna stops him again, “and he’s GONE. He was taken from me. Sometimes I wish I never left home, maybe then I wouldn’t be feeling how I feel now.”

Huu speaks softly, “Senna…” she doesn’t interrupt him this time but sits with her back facing him. He continues, “what happened was meant to happen. You can’t keep looking back, it’s all an illusion now, part of a long gone past. The love you had for him has taken a new shape in her. Don’t cloud those feelings with anger. You must separate the two. You must let go and look to the future.”

Senna’s eyes gaze out over the vast expanse of the Foggy Swamp below. The swamp stretches endlessly, a sea of mist and greenery punctuated by the occasional glimmer of water reflecting the dim light filtering through the dense canopy as the fog shifts and swirls. The future, she thinks back to when she was her daughter’s age. She was just as stubborn and headstrong, and desperately wanted to venture out into the world. She left just before turning 19 and didn’t know a single soul out there. She wasn’t afraid however, she was more than capable of protecting herself, and she wanted to learn more and improve her waterbending. She was hopeful and determined, and never really had a set clear plan. Her destination was the Southern Water Tribe and didn’t care much as to how she would get there. She never really expected she would meet someone and fall in love, that was always a back thought for her. When Tonraq showed up at that harbor that day, it was as if fate brought them together by force. She was leaving her home for adventure, and he was exiled from his home. His background was so different from hers, and yet they bonded so easily, like two liquids pouring into a bottle, mixing and becoming one.

She loved him dearly, and he adored her. They both viewed one another as an equal and constantly worked together. Their love was blossomed tenfold when Korra arrived. Korra’s birth wasn’t an easy one, she was stubborn even before she came out of her mother’s womb. The birth unfolded over the course of several grueling days, during which the air inside the hut was filled with tension. The midwives were experienced and moved with practiced urgency, offering soothing words and practical aid as the wind howled outside and a blizzard raged. Hours turned into days and the strain on Senna became more pronounced. Katara would usually lead the midwives in such situations, she was the most experienced out of all of them and the best healer in the world, but she left days prior to attend her husband’s funeral, Avatar Aang. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a tiny wail pierced the air – a sound so delicate yet powerful that brought a wave of relief and joy. Korra emerged into the world, drawing her first breaths with a strong, clear cry.

“I remember when she was born,” Huu spoke. “How do you remember; you weren’t even there?” Senna asks. “A strong presence shifted through the air, being carried by southern winds. I believe that was her spirit. Of course I didn’t know it was Korra, but I certainly knew the next Avatar had just been born in the south.” He answers her

She perches back and sits across from him, “It took days for her to come out. It was the most grueling thing I’ve ever been through in my life, even worse than my encounter with Unalaq.” She tells him and grins, her blue eyes start to water, “We were so happy to finally see her. I was tearing and laughing as I held her in my arms. She stopped crying as I nestled her against me. I guess her spirit took too long to arrive for her to come out?”

“Maybe so…” Huu grins, “She reminds me a lot of you when you were her age.”

“I know, I was foolish and adventurous, wanting to leave and see the world. This is why I don’t want her to do what I did. I’m afraid she’ll do the same mistakes I did!” Huu interrupts her, “But you didn’t do anything wrong, Senna. You found the most amazing thing one could find, you found love in the most unexpected way. You experienced so many new things and learned and improved and became a lot stronger than you were. Korra will need to embark on her own journey just like you did. She’ll need to do this alone and navigate through it in her own unique way.”

“But, what if Unalaq finds her? What if what happened that day happens again?” she confides in Huu.

“Unalaq will not dare. He has already seen the wrath of the Avatar once. He’s a calculated man. He won’t try what he tried that day. If he has another plan, it’ll be different. That is why Korra must be ready. But you must know this, the path of the Avatar is one of selfless duty. Her spirit will not resonate with any selfish desires. If she does her duty for personal gain, she’ll never be able to control herself in the Avatar state, and only anger will take the lead.”

Senna listens to Huu and nods in agreement, but she also believes that their ultimate personal gain is justified and is tied to her daughter’s duty as the Avatar.

“AAAAAAAH.” The screeching dodo lets out a scream while standing on a branch on top of Korra and Zia as they are sound asleep. “Woahhh!!” Korra fumbles, breathing heavily, “THAT BIRD, I SWEAR I’M GONNA KILL IT!”

Zia awakes too, “Is it weird I’ve gotten numb to its screams…” Zia says. Korra tries grab it with a vine, but the bird flies off. They’ve spent the night together far away from the camp’s location within the swamp. The air around them is thick with humidity, and all sounds have disappeared. They start walking in the labyrinthine network of roots and branches, slowly going further deep into the misty depths of the swamp. Neither is afraid; they’ve ventured into these parts many a times before. “If you’re trying to leave, I think you’re going the wrong way.” Zia says.

“I’m not really trying to leave. There’s no point in trying anyway, Mom would probably come looking for me. Also is that what YOU’RE trying to do?” Korra says. Zia shrugs, “Nah, I just wanted to make sure I can say goodbye to you if you actually do leave.”

“Do you ever want to leave?” Korra asks her. “Honestly, not really.” Zia answers. “Why not?” Korra asks.

“I don’t have some big destiny waiting for me, I’m better off staying here and helping our family. They’ll need a healer.” Zia answers. “You’re not the only healer though.” Korra says to her.

“Yeah, I know, but I still have a lot to learn from Tal and Huu. The herbs found in the swamp have so many special properties, I want to learn everything about them and how to apply them when I use my waterbending to heal.” Zia says. Korra frowns, but Zia continues, “Korra listen, we’re not the same. Your path is different than mine. I want you to stay with us, I really do, but I also believe that eventually, you’ll have to set out into the world. This isn’t a bad thing.”

“I know, I was conflicted on whether I should leave or not, but I feel like I must. Yesterday, we argued about this. She doesn’t want me to go to the Fire Nation.” Korra says as her brows contract. They continue to wander around.

“I think she does! I mean, if she really doesn’t want you to go, she would’ve kicked that guy out of the whole swamp before everyone woke up. I think she’s just… not ready to see you go. We all aren’t.”

Korra struggles to accept Zia’s words after what transpired the day before. They sit in silence for a while, and Korra thinks back to when she observed her mother kill for the first time. She remembers waking up early in the morning that day, excited to go hunting for the first time with her father. She was seven years old, but already showed so much promise as a waterbender. She put on her fur coat and tied her hair in a warior’s wolf tail, a hairstyle common with males of the Water Tribes. Today, I’ll become a warrior! she thought. Tonraq was absent that morning, but he came back rushing. “Good morning, Dad!” She said to him. “Morning, sweetie. Senna, they’re here!” Her memories become vague after that moment. Everything happened so suddenly and quickly. She remembers her mother’s heavy breathing, and her father running in the opposite direction. The last thing he said to her was I love you. She remembers the moment when her mother said hold on to me, and the five clean kills.

“I know she loves me,” Korra says to Zia, and before she could continue talking, a pack of skunk monkeys leap over to the branches above them. “Oh, this is just great.” Korra says.

The skunk monkeys begin to screech louder as the girls attempt to walk away slowly. “This won’t do, we must’ve stepped into their territory.” Zia says. “Yeah, I can smell their stench everywhere.”

Zia, though less confident in her combat skills, stands by Korra, ready to support her. One monkey lunges at them, claws outstretched. Korra responds swiftly, sending a jet of water, striking it mid-air and sending it tumbling into the underbrush. Two more leaped down from the branches, aiming for Zia. She stumbles back, trying to form a protective water barrier. Korra quickly stomps her foots on the ground causing a pillar of earth to shoot up and knock the monkeys away.

“Stay close to me,” Korra instructs her. Zia nods. The skunk monkeys regroup, circling the girls with angry, chattering noises. Despite her skill, their sheer number and the awful stench made it a difficult fight. They attacked from all angles, forcing Korra to constantly pivot and defend. Zia did her best to help, occasionally sending streams of water to knock back the advancing monkeys, but her lack of combat training was evident.

Arrows came flying out of nowhere, striking two monkeys. Korra turns to see Vek standing at the edge of an uproot, a determined look on his face. “Need a hand?” he calls out, already picking out another arrow. Tadashi swoops into the fray, using his agility to dodge the monkeys’ attacks. Korra observes him as he moves with grace and precision, using chi blocking techniques to incapacitate the monkeys swiftly and efficiently. He targeted their pressure points with quick, accurate jabs, causing them to collapse. Korra and Zia redouble their efforts, and they successfully fend them off.

The girls thank them. “Where were you two?! We’ve been looking all over for you!” Vek shouts.

“Can’t we take a walk?!” Korra says. “A walk? You’ve been gone overnight!” Vek says.

Tadashi’s expression is calm and focused, “Are you both alright?” He asks. “Yes, but we’ll need to head back. We need to wash the smell off or it’ll cause stomach pains.” Zia says.

Chapter Text

“Here, you should read it yourself. It did come for you.” Senna hands Korra the letter while they sit alone in their hut after Korra had finished cleaning herself. Korra is mesmerized by the elegant handwriting and the fancy signature at the bottom. She reads the contents of the letter and looks back at Senna, “This can wait…” she says.

“No, this is a great opportunity for you. I want you to do it.” Senna says, and both stare at each other with sad expressions. Senna continues, “Sweetie, I’m sorry for yesterday. I shouldn’t have reacted that way…”

“I’m sorry too, I know how much you care about me… I shouldn’t have said what I said.” Korra says to her and they both hug. “Oh, what did I do to deserve you,” Senna says, “you’re going to be amazing; you’ll accomplish so much. Ah my little girl is all grown up!”

“I’ve never tried firebending before and I don’t know what the Fire Nation will be like. What if I don’t learn, what if I fail?” Korra says.

“You won’t fail. Look at your waterbending, you learned all three styles so fast, and you improved your earthbending all on yourself! I know my daughter; you can do this. To be honest, I didn’t want you to leave this early, but I also don’t see a point in delaying it.” Senna says to her.

Korra smiles, she stares down, and then stares back up, “Will you come with me, please?” Senna wants to say yes, but she knows this will only hinder her daughter. “Oh sweetie,” she says as she places her palms over Korra’s cheeks, “I wanna come with you and protect you, but I can’t do this forever. I’ll always be here. You’ll always be my main responsibility and my one and only concern in the world. The Fire Nation isn’t a dangerous place, not anymore. And you’ll probably stay in the palace, now that should be exciting!”

“Thank you, Mom.” Korra says.

They separate, Korra heads to the tree to say her goodbyes to Huu, and Senna walks towards Tadashi. “You’ve cleaned yourself, that’s great! We wouldn’t want you to go back to the Fire Lord smelling like that.”

Tadashi’s expression turns soft, and Senna thanks him for his aid in finding her daughter.

At the top of the banyan-grove tree, Korra sits cross-legged next to Huu. She feels this might be the last time she meditates with him, he lived this long, surely I’ll come back and see him sitting right here talking to the same tree, she thinks to herself.

“Would you like me to send you anything from the Fire Nation?” She asks him, not expecting any requests really, she continues, “I’ve already gotten A LOT of requests, so keep your list small please!”

Huu chuckles softly, his eyes twinkling. “Oh, my dear Korra, the moment has finally arrived.”

“Yeah, I’ll finally go where the beast is. Outside.” Korra says and realizes something, “Wait… THE BEAST FROM MY DREAMS.” She laughs, “Oh this is so funny, time IS an illusion. The beast was trying to lead me outside. Maybe it was a vision! I guess it was trying to say that I’ll be leaving soon, and here I am about to leave!”

Huu remembers when Aang sat cross-legged in front of him, asking him what his vision meant. But what about my vision? Aang asked him, It was someone I had never met.

“Time, time is a funny thing,” Huu says to Korra, “the past, the future, it all gets mixed up. There’s only one way to keep it straight.” He gently places his hand over her head, “Always remember who you are.”

Everyone says their farewells to Korra as the afternoon sun cast a golden glow. Among them was Zia, who stepped forward with a bundle wrapped in soft, woven leaves. Zia’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she took a deep breath before enveloping Korra in a warm, tight hug.

“Take these,” Zia says, her voice wavering as she hands the bundle to Korra. “They’re herbs and creams that can help with burn wounds.”

“Umm I hope I don’t get burned anyway…” Korra accepts the bundle. “Thank you, Zia. I’ll miss you.” Korra says, her voice tight with emotion as she tries to hold back the tears.

Zia nods, a tear finally escaping and trailing down her cheek. “I’ll miss you too.”

Korra glances around, searching for Vek, but he was noticeably absent. She felt a pang of disappointment, knowing that he probably found it too difficult to face the emotional weight of the moment. She wished she could share this farewell with him too.

As everyone began to disperse, Korra, Senna, and Tadashi walk a short distance. “I’m Korra, by the way.” She says to Tadashi.

“Hello, Korra. I’m Tadashi.” He greets her back.

“Sorry we kept you waiting all this time.” She says to him. “Oh no, it’s no problem at all, Ma’am.”

“Ma’am?” Korra raises her brow. “I know, that’s what he called me too.” Senna says. They both laugh. Tadashi blushes and apologizes, and Korra tells him her name will be enough. He senses a moment between the two and proceeds to walk away to let them have it.

Senna pulls her daughter into a tight embrace, her voice choked with emotion. Korra hugs her mother back, fighting harder to hold back her tears. They hold each other for a long moment, the weight of the farewell pressing heavily on both. Finally, Senna pulls back, wiping a tear from Korra’s cheek. “Do you have everything I packed for you? It’s summer so I packed some extra summer clothes, and clothes for the coming fall. Lemme just see, yeah, the dried fruits are there as well. Here, lemme place this bundle inside.”

“I’m not sure you’ll be able to fit it in…” Korra says. “There, packed and ready!” Senna follows.

She takes her daughter’s hands in hers, squeezing them gently. “Please be careful,” she says to her, “your father would be so proud of you. He always believed in you, just like I do. You have his strength and my determination. Remember that wherever you go, you carry us with you.”

Korra’s heart ached. Despite the passage of time, the wound of his loss is still raw. “I understand, Mom. I’ll be careful.”

Chapter Text

Korra and Tadashi travel by foot to the city of Gaoling, which lies in a valley surrounded by steep, rocky hillsides and is located near the Foggy Swamp. A large bay that features a port is located to the south side of the city. Most of the city’s residents are middle to upper-class Earth Kingdom citizens.

As they near the city, Korra asks Tadashi, “So, how will we get to the Fire Nation?”

“We will travel by ship from Gaoling and cross the Mo Ce Sea to Shu Jing in the Fire Nation, then take a ferry from there to the capital.” Tadashi answers her. “…what’s a ferry?” She questions.

“It’s smaller than a ship. Ferries are usually used to transport between waterside cities and islands, allowing direct transit between short distances.” He answers her. She likes how straightforward and clear his answers are, and her mind drifts to what she knows about the Fire Nation. She recalls the stories she’s heard from elders in her tribe. The Fire Nation, once the most powerful and feared nation during the Hundred Year War, is now a place of relative peace and prosperity. The nation is an archipelago, made up of many islands, each with grand architecture and towering spires. The Fire Nation is known for its advanced technology, vibrant festivals, and a rich history of powerful firebenders, and of course, its active volcanoes. Despite the nation’s troubled past, Korra is aware of the great strides they’ve made towards reconciliation and unity with the other nations.

A sense of excitement and curiosity bubbles within her. Noticing her thoughtful expression, he asks her, “Are you excited about going to the Fire Nation?”

Korra nods, “Yeah, it always sounded like a fascinating place to me. I can’t wait to see it for myself.”

Tadashi smiles, “You’re going to love it. There’s so much to see and experience. The journey might be long, but it will be worth it.”

As they continue walking, Korra asks him, “Tadashi, what is the Fire Lord like? She seemed… nice, from the letter.”

He nods, “Fire Lord Izumi is wise. She’s a fair ruler and always been decisive. She is known for her strong sense of justice and her efforts to maintain the peace and harmony established by her late father, Fire Lord Zuko.”

“Yeah, but like, are you saying that because she’s your queen or something?” She flusters him with her comment.

“N- No, no, I really do mean it. She’s an amazing person. You’ll see for yourself when you meet her. She’s actually very excited to see you, she’s been planning this for a long time.” He says to Korra, who’s fascinated by his comment. “Really? Why is she so intent on meeting me?” She asks him.

“I honestly couldn’t tell you for sure. Maybe you should ask her. I think she’ll tell you the reason before you even ask.” He says to her.

“Is she a firebender?” Korra asks. Tadashi wonders when the questioning will end, is this gonna go on for the whole trip, he thinks to himself. She reminds him of his student, who shares Korra’s age and eagerness.

“No, she’s not,” Tadashi answers, shaking his head. “She’s very skilled, however. She doesn’t often show off her abilities, but she has incredible swordsmanship and great control and precision. She’s more focused on governance and diplomacy than fighting, though.”

They soon enter Gaoling, walking through its bustling streets. It was dawn, Korra is used to the calmness of dawn back at home, a time when everyone readied themselves to call it a day, but the city is alive with the sounds of merchants calling out their wares and the chatter of citizens going about. The buildings are made of stone and stand tall and sturdy with green and gold banners and flags displaying the Earth Kingdom’s insignia.

They walk past a large, imposing building made of steel and stone with a walled central courtyard. Korra reads the sign, Toph Beifong’s Metalbending Academy. She stares at it for a short moment and Tadashi notices. “Metalbending…” she says.

“It’s a sub-skill of Earthbending. It was discovered by Toph Beifong. She’s said to be the greatest earthbender in the world.” Tadashi says to her.

Toph Beifong, Korra’s thoughts begin to wander. “I’d love to meet her! Maybe she can teach me. Oh Tadashi, can we please meet with her.”

“No one’s inside Korra, look, the academy is closed for the day. I’m also not sure she’s even still teaching at the academy, or even alive for that matter. Toph was friends with Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko, and even taught Aang earthbending. They all died of old age; she might be too…” Tadashi says.

Korra scowls at him, “You’re such a cynic Tadashi! I hope she’s still alive, if she taught Aang then she must be a great teacher. Can we pleeeaaaase wait till morning?!”

Tadashi sighs, an expression he trained himself to never do, “Let’s go buy our tickets first, I don’t know when the ship will be leaving. We can decide then.” They continue their walk, moving past the outskirts of Gaoling where large, expansive estates are painting a picture of prestige in the area. They arrive at the port and go to the ticket counter to buy their travel tickets. Tadashi shows the clerk two Fire Nation passports, one bearing the name of Korra in it. The ship will set sail in the morning, and they agree to quickly stop by the academy to see if Toph is there so Korra can meet her.

“Let’s find a place to eat,” Tadashi suggest. “Oh, I’ve got some dried fruits if you’d like!” Korra says.

“Umm you can eat those on the ship, you never know what the food is like on ships.” He says to her, and they proceed to find a cozy restaurant near the port, its wooden exterior is decorated with hanging lanterns and potted plants. They take a seat by the window, allowing Korra to watch the bustling activity outside. This is all so new to her; the menu is filled with a variety of dishes that she finds unfamiliar. The place has a sort of ambiance that she found pleasant. Dishes are clinking and everyone is murmuring and conversing.

“What would you like to eat?” Tadashi asks her. “Oh… umm what would you recommend?” She asks him.

“Oh, right. Have you ever had dumplings?” He asks her. “No.” She answers him.

Tadashi orders dumplings along with a bowl of steaming hot soup. The waiter places a steaming bamboo basket of dumplings on the table before them. A tantalizing aroma wafts up, a blend of ginger, garlic, and sesame oil makes her mouth water. She picks up her chopsticks clumsily. Noticing her struggle to hold them properly, he smiles and helps her, “Here, let me show you how to use those.”

He gently holds his chopsticks up, demonstrating the correct grip. “First, you hold one chopstick like you would a pen, with your thumb, index, and middle finger. This one stays mostly still.” Korra watches intently, mimicking his movements with her own chopsticks. She manages to position the first one correctly.

“Now, the second chopstick rests on the base of your thumb and the tip of your ring finger,” Tadashi continues, “this one does the moving. You use your index and middle finger to control it.” Korra tries to follow his instructions, her bows furrowing in concentration. The chopsticks feel awkward in her hands, slipping and crossing as she attempts to coordinate the movements.

“Like this?” she asks, holding up her chopsticks in a somewhat awkward position.

“Close,” he says, his tone encouraging. “Here, let me adjust them a bit.” He reaches over and gently repositions her fingers. “Try moving the top chopstick up and down.”

Korra tries again, slowly moving the top chopstick while keeping the bottom one steady. It still feels a bit clumsy, but she manages to pick up a piece of dumpling from her bowl, “I did it!” She exclaims, a triumphant smile spreading across her face.

Tadashi chuckles. “Good job, Korra. It takes some practice, but you’ll get the hang of it.”

They wake up the next morning and leave the inn, heading quickly to the Academy. They again find it empty, “Maybe they haven’t opened yet?” Korra says. They ask around and receive the information that the academy is closed for break after the last batch of students graduated. No one available in the streets knew of Toph also. They were given directions to the Beifong estate however, and they decide to head there; the mansion is in the outskirts on the way to the port.

Before leaving the commercial area, Korra smells a familiar scent. She glances around and spots Dhruv in his stand filled with swamp veggies, fruits, herbs and wares. They were all traded from the Foggy Swamp tribe and collected from around the swamp.

Korra runs over to him, “Dhruv!” He fumbles, “Whah… Korra?! Korra!”

“Oh Dhruv, I should’ve expected to see you here.” She says. He has never seen her outside the swamp before, but notices Tadashi with his Fire Nation get up next to her and deduces she’s going. She confirms and they both say their goodbyes to each other, but before going off, he tells her that Vek came over to his stand asking for directions to the port. Korra’s expression turns happy and they quickly leave.

“Who was that, Korra?” Tadashi asks her.

“That was Dhruv, he was kinda my earthbending teacher.” She answers him. “Kinda?” He asks.

She shrugs, “Well, he wasn’t much of a teacher honestly, he mostly came around to trade with us and I forced him to teach me the basics and what he knows, which wasn’t much really.”

“I saw you earthbending when we found you and Zia, you were pretty good.” He says to her, and she thanks him.

The duo arrives at the Beifong estate in a rush and knock the door loudly. A servant comes out and Korra immediately asks if Toph is here, to which he thinks she’s either joking or wants to enroll in the academy. He tells her off but she begs him, “I don’t wanna enroll in the school I just wanna meet Toph! Please!”

“Miss, she's not here!” The servant says. “This is the Beifong home though!” Korra says.

“Is she dead or alive?” Tadashi asks, and the veins on Korra’s forehead bulge and her left eyebrow shoots UP. She swings her arm at him with lightning speed. The force of the punch sends him flying back. He coughs, “What did you do that for?”

“Whatever, let’s just go.” She helps him up and they both run to the port.

The ship’s horn sounds when they arrive at the port, signaling their imminent departure. Tadashi approaches the gangplank, but Korra scans the crowds for any sign of Vek. The port is teeming with activity. Korra’s heart races as she pushes through the throng of people, her eyes darting in every direction.

“Vek! Vek!” She calls out, her voice straining to be heard above the din of the port. Tadashi urges her to hurry. Korra’s hope dwindles, she hesitates, and reluctantly walks up the gangplank onto the ship, her shoulders slumped with disappointment.

She turns around, her heart leaping as she spots Vek standing atop one of the buildings, waving his arms wildly to catch her attention. She waves back frantically. He cups his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice, but she can’t hear him from the ship. She feels tears welling up in her eyes, and this time she lets them flow down, not trying to fight them back.

“I promise I’ll come back!” She shouts, and watches as his figure becomes smaller in the distance.

Chapter Text

The summer ocean is calm as Korra stands at the ship’s railing. Her hair dances freely in the wind as she savors the refreshing sea breeze. She wore her green, sleeveless tunic. It looked simple but functional, fitting loosely to allow freedom of movement, and clinched at the waist with a leather belt adding structure to her look. Her forearms are wrapped with light green bracers, and she wore dark green pants slightly loose at the bottom just below the knees, tucked into her boots which are made of dark brown leather, the boots are sturdy and well-worn.

Her clothing reflected the natural environment of the swamp and did not give any hint of her Water Tribe lineage. The only clues for that were her natural Water Tribe features, her distinct face, marked by a tan complexion and a strong jawline and high cheekbones. Her eyes are a striking blue glimmering against the ocean, and her dark brown hair is styled in two thick, symmetrical ponytails at the sides that hang down her shoulders, with a warrior’s wolf tail at the top back of her head, all secured with green hairbands.

She leans over the railing, her gaze drawn to the horizon where the sky meets the sea in a seamless blend of blues. The scenery reminds her of that day; it was the last time she had seen the ocean before. She shakes her head to shrug off the memory, not wanting to let it cloud the moment.

Tadashi approaches her with a plate of dried rice from the ship’s canteen. They eat together on the ship’s dock. She continues asking him about the Fire Nation and the world in general, and he answers her with patience and detail. Tadashi isn’t shocked at all at her lack of knowledge about the world, and he was more than happy to tell her everything she wanted to know. She then proceeds to ask him about his skills, recalling observing him incapacitate the skunk monkeys with ease.

“That was chi blocking,” he tells her, and she tells him what she knows about chi. That was the only thing that surprised him about her. Her knowledge of chi was good, but her explanation of it made it sound like she didn’t understand much of what she is talking about.

He starts to explain to her himself with more coherency, “So, you know when you’re bending, you’re merely manipulating your own chi to the point where this energy extends beyond your body and interacts with the environment.”

She nods. “So then, if chi exists in every person, then how come some people can’t use it to bend?”

“Bending is something you’re either born with or you’re not. It’s tied to your genetic history, but spirituality also plays a huge part in inheriting it. The Air Nomads were all born airbenders for example, but none of their descendants have shown the ability to airbend.” Tadashi says.

“Their descendants…?” Korra questions. “There are several people who trace their lineage back to a few of the Air Nomads who were able to escape the genocide. Those Air Nomads lived in hiding for years, some were hunted by Sozin’s soldiers, and some eventually began living new lives with new identities. Though they had children, none were born benders, and those children had children who also were not airbenders.” He answers her, and Korra wonders, “How do we know they’re really descendants of Air Nomads?”

He gives her a small lesson in history, how Avatar Aang met a large group of travelers after the war had ended, making their way to the Patola Mountain Range where the Southern Air Temples are, proclaiming to be descendants of the original Air Nomads. Those families had extensive knowledge in Air Nomad culture and practiced their traditions in secrecy. They showed Aang many artifacts that originally belonged to Air Nomads before the genocide, and each family told him stories about their parents and grandparents and their struggle to escape. None of those descendants are airbenders, believing the spirit of airbending had died along with the original airbenders and their sky bisons a long time ago. They continued to live in hiding like their parents and grandparents did, but when the news broke that the century long war had ended and the Avatar won, they came out of hiding to meet him.

“What happened then to those families?” Korra asks.

Tadashi’s head tilts to the direction of the south, “They built a small village under the mountains of Patola. They all live there now.”

Korra sighs, “Y’know, sometimes I wonder how I will be able to learn airbending…”

Tadashi swerves with his back against the rails, “There are two airbenders left in the world.”

“Wait, really? Who are they, where are they now?” Korra excitedly asks.

“They’re Avatar Aang’s two sons, Bumi and Tenzin. Not sure where they are, but I do know they are master airbenders. I’m sure they will be more than happy to teach you.” He says to her.

Korra stares back at the ocean as the breeze blows against her face, Aang, she thinks. She has never really known much about him except what the elders and Huu had told her, and Huu barely shared much, believing that it will all come to her as she grows. He was her past life after all. He carried the spirit of the Avatar before her, and everyone spoke so highly of him. Korra fears she’ll never be able to live up to him. She leans over and watches the waters below her and sighs again.

“Have you ever met him before?” Korra asks Tadashi. “Met who?” He asks her.

“Aang.” She says to him. “No, unfortunately I haven’t. Wish I did though. But hey, I’m meeting you now, you’re the new Avatar, Korra.” He says to her, and she smiles albeit faintly.

The ship continues sailing across the ocean. Earth Kingdom to their east, and Fire Nation to their northwest. They sail for the next week and a half. Korra finds the journey long and boring, occasionally sparring with Tadashi and talking with a few passengers. Tadashi warns her not to share her identity with anyone as to be careful. She wants to tell people she’s the Avatar though, she wants to announce to the world that the Avatar is back, but she heeds his instructions reluctantly.

They finally arrive early in the morning at Shu Jing’s port in the eastern islands of the Fire Nation. Once a secluded town tucked on a cliff next to a waterfall, it has become a large city dominating most of the eastern islands. Shu Jing has become a city of contrasts, where traditional Fire Nation architecture meets the vibrant energy of a thriving trade hub. The red-tiled roofs of the buildings glinted in the sunlight, each structure adorned with elegant curves and intricate designs that spoke of great craftsmanship. Tall, pagoda-like structures punctuated the skyline, their golden accents shimmering against the deep blue sky.

They step off the ship, feeling solid ground beneath their feet for the first time in days. Korra adjusts her backpack, still filled with the dried fruits that Senna packed for her. She watches in wonder; the docks are a hive of activity. Merchants shouting their wares, sailors unloading crates of goods, and the air was filled with the scent of smoke and fresh fish. Korra's eyes widen at the sheer variety of people and goods, from Fire Nation nobles in their finely embroidered robes to Earth Kingdom traders in simpler attire. The mix of cultures and colors was dizzying and exciting.

“Welcome to the Fire Nation.” Tadashi says.

Korra beams, “WOW, this is so cool. Look at those buildings!” She inhales sharply, “It does smell of smoke though, smoke and sea breeze. Hmm.”

They go to the ferry terminal and approach the booth; they join a short queue of travelers. They watch as families, merchants, and soldiers purchase their tickets, each person with their own story and purpose for traveling to the capital. Some were rejected. When it is their turn, Tadashi steps up the counter, greeted by a friendly attendant in a crisp, red uniform. He hands her the appropriate fair and tells her they are visiting for the summer festival, to which the attendant complies.

With their tickets in hand, they make their way to the ferry. “Now it’s straight to the Capital.” Tadashi exclaims.

As they walk up the gangplank, Korra overhears weird sounds coming from behind her, a mix of chirps, squeaks and purrs. She looks over and sees a boy. She doesn’t think much of him but wonders where the sounds came from, it sounded like an animal but there were no animals around. She follows Tadashi to their seats and stretches her arms and feet, “How much long we have left, Tadashi?”

“Eleven hours.” He answers her.

“ELEVEN HOURS! Ugh, this trip is never gonna be over.” She sighs and then walks over to the back of the ferry to catch another glimpse of Shu Jing before it fades with distance. The boy is standing at the back of the ferry, talking to something tucked over his chest. Korra finds him weird. He shares her same height but has a striking and serious demeanor. His face is angular, and his hair is jet black like Tadashi’s, but his is styled in a distinct, slicked-back fashion, giving him a sharp and somewhat intense look. His eyes are a deep amber color, and his brows are thick, dark, and slightly arched. His clothes are just as distinct, grey, high-collard jacket with red accents over a white shirt, with dark pants and black boots. He also wears a red scarf.

He notices her and quickly moves far from her. She raises an eyebrow and doesn’t pay him any attention. As the ferry moves farther away from the city, Korra heads back to Tadashi, who is sitting calmly reading a book. Korra opens her mouth to ask what book he’s reading but decides to just sit down. She glances around at the passengers, most of whom are wearing fancy attire and holding umbrellas. She feels bored and gives a prolonged sigh, ugh.

Tadashi wakes her up before the sun sets, fearing she won’t be able to sleep at night. She goes for another walk, approaching the rails in the back, and sees the same boy standing there, staring out at the sea, lost in thought.

As she walks by him, not trying to pay him any attention, a small, furry creature with reddish-brown fur and a striped tail pokes its head out from the boy’s jacket and leaps out, landing directly onto Korra’s shoulder, startling her. She lets out a surprised yelp, “Woah!”

The boy whips around, his serious demeanor cracking slightly with surprise. He reaches out to retrieve the fire ferret after Korra holds it, examining it with amusement.

“You have an animal with you, I knew those sounds didn’t come from a human.” She says to him.

“What’s it to you?” He scoffs, taking the fire ferret and tucking it back in his shirt.

She raises an eyebrow, “You’re gonna keep it in your shirt the whole ride?”

The boy’s expression hardens, “You wanna have it?”

“I don’t even know what kind of animal that is.” She says to him.

“It’s a fire ferret and it won’t leave me alone!” He answers her, and the animal lets out a gentle squeak.

“Aww does it have a name?” She asks.

He grunts, “Ugh, Pabu.” And the animal raises its ears when it heard its name.

Korra leans over to Pabu and gently pets it while it’s tucked in the boy’s jacket, “Hi, Pabu!”

“Shhh, please! Animals are not allowed. I don’t want anyone to notice.” The boy says to her.

“Oh, right. Sure. So then why did you bother bringing it in the first place?!” She asks him.

The boy sighs, “Like I said, it won’t leave me alone. I told it to stay back, but it kept following me. Ugh this is just not good.”

“Well, it’s not causing any trouble.” Korra says.

“I know, but I can’t bring it with me to where I’m going, I don’t want to.” He says to her.

Korra shrugs, “I’m sure animals are allowed in the capital.”

“Yeah, but I’m- whatever.” He stops before saying more. They stand together at the rail, and he catches a quick glimpse of her entire outfit. She didn’t look Fire Nation to him, and certainly her outfit didn’t look as fancy as the other passengers in the ferry. It made him feel a bit more comfortable as he thought she probably won’t be snobbish or tell on him.

Korra begins to wonder about him, “So, where are you from?”

“Oh, umm I’m from there, from Shu Jing!” He says, “And you?”

“Oh, uh I’m from Gaoling!” She says to him, “What’s your name?”

“Mako, and you?”

“Korra.”

Chapter Text

Korra and Mako stand at the rail, their eyes fixed on the cityscape and the huge dormant volcano. The ferry glided smoothly over the dark waters as it approaches the brightly lit Harbor City. The night sky above is clear, dotted with stars, and the air is filled with the distant sounds of music and laughter, it was the second day of the summer festival celebrations.

The ferry gently bumps against the dock and the crew secures it. Korra, Mako, and Tadashi make their way to the gangplank, blending into the flow of disembarking passengers. The vibrant festival sounds surrounded them, and the city's lights twinkled invitingly. Mako stands beside Korra with Pabu perched on his shoulder, no longer tucked in his jacket. Pabu squeaks softly, his beady eyes twinkling.

“Well, this is it,” Korra says, her voice tinged with hope.

Mako nods, giving her a heartfelt smile. “Take care, Korra.”

Korra’s expression softens, “You too. Good luck.” Pabu leaps from Mako’s shoulder to Korra’s, nuzzling her cheek affectionately. Korra laughs, giving the little fire ferret a gentle pat. “I’ll miss you too, Pabu. Here, let me give you these, I don’t think I’ll eat them after tasting the food here.” She takes out the dried fruits that Senna packed for her and feeds them to Pabu before leaving. Tadashi stands tall behind her, waiting for her to follow him.

Korra and Tadashi separate from Mako and Pabu and make their way through the streets of Harbor City. The hour is late in the night, but the city is very much alive. Many performers are entertaining the street crowds with fire dances and music to celebrate the start of the summer season.

Korra and Tadashi head towards the tram station to avoid walking the winding path leading up the mountain. The tram is sleek with a modern structure that blends in with the city’s traditional architecture. They board, finding seats near the window, and the tram ascends smoothly, climbing higher and offering a panoramic view of the capital.

Tadashi starts explaining the view, “The Fire Nation Capital is comprised of three main districts: Harbor City where we arrived, the Royal Plaza, and the imperial city of Hari Bulkan, which is our final destination. The royal palace is in the heart of Hari Bulkan. The imperial city is also referred to as the Royal Caldera City…” Korra, gazing out the window, feels her eyelids grow heavy. The day’s journey has taken its toll, and the soothing rhythmic hum of the tracks and Tadashi’s voice made it hard not to fall asleep.

Tadashi notices her struggle to keep her eyes open and offers a reassuring smile. “It’s okay Korra. You can rest. I’ll wake you when we get there.”

The Fire Nation Royal Palace looms ahead as the tram makes its stop. The city is calm, contrasting the liveliness of the festivities below.

The duo walks up to the palace, an awe-inspiring edifice that commands both respect and admiration. The palace is a masterpiece of traditional Fire Nation architecture, with sweeping, curved roofs adorned with intricate carvings and gold accents. Tall, ornate spires that reach towards the sky, each crowned with a gleaming fire emblem.

The main gate is guarded by imposing, armor-clad sentinels who stand at attention as Korra and Tadashi approach. Recognizing Tadashi, they nod respectfully and open the grand doors, which swing inward with a deep, resonant creek that echoes through the courtyard.

One of the royal guards comes and escorts the duo through the courtyard to the inside of the palace, where they are greeted by Chancellor Zhang Wei, a dignified and experienced official known for his wisdom and deep loyalty to the Fire Lord. The Chancellor is dressed in elaborate robes that reflect his status, with patterns of red and gold.

“Avatar Korra, welcome to the Fire Nation,” Chancellor Zhang Wei says, bowing deeply. “I am Chancellor Zhang Wei, and it is my honor to escort you to the throne chamber to meet with Fire Lord Izumi.” He bows respectfully to Tadashi as well, “Master Tadashi, thank you for bringing the Avatar safely. The Fire Lord will be seeing you tomorrow.”

Tadashi bows, “It was a pleasure meeting you, Korra.” The Chancellor clears his throat with a quiet ‘ehem’ to which Tadashi smiles and corrects himself, “Avatar Korra.”

Korra smiles back at him, “I told you Korra is enough.” She bows to him, an act that she never really does back at home as it’s not part of their culture to bow. “Thank you, Tadashi… Master Tadashi.”

“Please, follow me.” The Chancellor says to Korra, his demeanor is respectful yet approachable.

Korra walks with the Chancellor. The palace is quiet, their steps echoing off the polished, mirror-like marbel floors, reflecting the ornate chandeliers above that are adorned with hundreds of tiny, flickering candles, casting a soft, ambient light. Korra thinks those were lit by firebending. The corridors are lined with rich tapestries depicting scenery from the Fire Nation’s many islands.

As they approach the throne room, Korra stands against massive wooden doors, carved with intricate fire motifs and dragons and inlaid with gold. The Chancellor pushes the doors open with a little effort and signals her arrival, “My Lord, the Avatar is here.” He gestures to Korra to walk in and steps out, closing the doors behind him.

The throne room is a vast, cavernous space, its high ceilings supported by towering columns adorned with gilded dragon sculptures that seem to come to life in the flickering light. The walls are lined with grand murals depicting the sun. At the far end of the room, on a slightly raised dais, sits the Fire Lord’s throne, with a grand tapestry of a roaring dragon and its flames carved in vividly with vibrant colors serving as a backdrop.

As Korra slowly steps in, she could feel the weight of the Fire Nation’s history bearing down on her. A strange feeling courses through her whole body, almost as if she walked in here before to do the exact same task, to meet with the Fire Lord.

“Avatar Korra,” Fire Lord Izumi says as she approaches Korra, not letting her walk the entire distance. Her voice is calm yet commanding, resonating through the vast hall. “It is truly my greatest honor to finally meet you.” Izumi carried an aura of grace and authority. She has a regal bearing, with high cheekbones and a sharp, defined jawline that lends her an air of dignity. Her almond-shaped eyes are amber colored like her father, and so is her hair, long, raven-black, streaked with silver and styled into a sophisticated top-knot adorned with a golden hairpiece shaped like the Fire Nation insignia.

Korra straightens, meeting Izumi’s gaze with forced confidence. “The honor is mine, thank you for having me.”

Izumi lowers to Korra’s level, “Oh, look at you. You must be so tired from the long journey,” she stands straight and then bows gracefully, “Please forgive me for bringing you here immediately.”

Korra gets flustered, “Oh, it’s no problem at all.”

They walk closer to the throne, Korra right beside Izumi. “I have been looking forward to this meeting for a long time. You must be wondering why I brought you to the palace.”

“Well, in your letter, you mentioned you wanted to help me learn firebending. So, I assume that’s why?”

They reach the dais where the throne is, “How far along are you with the other elements, Korra?”

“Umm, I’ve been waterbending since I was very little, and I’m pretty good at it. I started learning earthbending a few years ago, but I wouldn’t say I’m a master yet.”

“You’ve never tried firebending before?” Izumi asks.

“Not really, to be honest with you, I’ve never met a firebender in my life. I know very little about bending fire, nothing really, and it never comes out of me even when I try.”

Izumi steps up the dias and casually sits on her throne, “I will provide you with a master to teach you firebending, as promised.”

“Thank you.”

Izumi pauses for moment as if she's thinking, her fingers interlaced below her mouth. “Very well, Korra. You will meet him tomorrow. I want you to join us for lunch.” She rests her arms on the throne, “Now please, rest as much as you want. The maids will take you to your chamber. There’ll be food and a hot bath. You can then sleep and be ready for tomorrow.”

The next morning, the corridors are filled with a gentle buzz as the palace staff begins their day. Izumi sits in a private meeting chamber, a room designed for intimate discussions with trusted advisors and guests. A large wooden table dominates the center of the room.

Tadashi enters. He bows respectfully to the Fire Lord, who acknowledges him with a nod and a warm smile.

“Good morning, Master Tadashi,” Izumi greets him. “Please, have a seat.”

“Good morning to you, my Lord,” Tadashi replies, taking the seat to her right arm.

She asks him about the trip and he tells her everything, then follows up, “She’s a very unique individual, not necessarily because she’s the Avatar. She definitely has a natural talent for bending, and her spirit is incredibly strong, but she lacks knowledge about the world.”

Izumi nods thoughtfully. “Just as we thought, she will train with Master Zenzo," she pauses for a moment, "I can't help but think she's too young."

“Her predecessor did start training at 12, or was it a hundred and twelve... It’s not uncommon.” Tadashi says.

“True, and I don't mind giving her as much time as she'll need.” Izumi leans forward, her expression turning serious, "Tezca visited me when you left. They were attacked one month ago."

Tadashi adjusts his posture, "The Sun Warriors? We never got any messages about this"

"The egg was stolen. The Tonalli slaughtered almost half of the people. Ran was called and Chief Tecu was thrown in the circle to present for her against his will, she devoured him,"

Tadashi leans forward, "The survivors wanted to handle it internally,"

"Not surprising isn't it?" Izumi leans back in her chair, "That was always their way."

Izumi's expression hardens, "It is crucial that we find the egg. This is the last egg that hasn't turned into stone, and the red one has already died."

She stands, signaling the end of their meeting, "I need you to track down the Tonalli and find the egg. I'm sending soldiers with you. I know you don't like that, but they will protect the Sun Warriors and join you if you need them. There may be only few Tonalli left, but one of them alone is an army."

Chapter Text

A soft knock wakes up Korra as the morning sun rises, filtering through the curtains of the royal chamber. She stirrs from her sleep, the memory of the previous night swirling in her mind like a vivid dream. She sits up slowly, taking in her surroundings. The bed she had slept in, with its crimson silk sheets and plush pillows, the spacious room adorned with elegant décor. She rubs her eyes and swings her legs over the side of the bed and stands up, her bare feet sinking into the thick carpet.

The young servant enters, bowing respectfully, “Good morning, Avatar Korra. Master Zenzo awaits your presence.”

Korra blinks at the servant, the realization dawning on her that this was no dream, “…I thought we were gonna meet during lunch.”

The servant smiles, “Master Zenzo requested an earlier start.”

Korra refuses the servant’s help to get ready; being pampered like that isn’t something she’s used to. He waits at the door, and she quickly washes up, dresses up, ties her hair, and follows him through the hallways, feeling anxious about what is to come. They soon arrive at the serene courtyard, bathed in the soft glow of the early morning sun. The space is open and expansive with smooth stone floor and a water fountain that gives it a sweet hymn. In the center of the courtyard stood an older man, his posture straight and commanding. His long, silver hair is tied back neatly, and his robes are simple. The servant bows and leaves.

Korra approaches, and the man faces her, a gentle smile on his face. He bows slightly, “Greetings, Avatar.”

She bows in return, though with a deeper arch, “Hello, Master…” She suddenly forgets his name.

“Zenzo,” he quickly chimes in and starts pacing around with small steps, “For you to learn proper firebending you will need to master one crucial technique.”

Korra stands firmly and faces him in every step he takes, listening intently. He stops and looks at her, “But first, show me all the bending you can do.”

She takes a few steps back, “Alright. Since we’re starting with this,” starting with her native element, water, she moves her arms, slowly extending them in a push and pull motion, summoning a stream of water from the fountain. The water flows around the two of them in a perfect ring formation following her fluid movements. She freezes all the water into small icicles and pins them to the ground before liquifying them again, redirecting all the water back into the fountain. For earth, she simply jumps and hits the ground with her feet, causing all the tiles to shake and rumble around them. She didn’t show much of earthbending other than that.

Zenzo watches attentively, “Any fire.. or air?”

“I’m afraid not, no fire and no air.”

Zenzo nods, “Understandable. You’re still at the beginning of your training, of course.” He paces around again, “Korra, you have good command over water. However, firebending is unique among the elements. It is the only one that requires its practitioner to create the element within themselves.” He then assumes a straight stance. Taking a deep breath, Zenzo demonstrates a series of movements, each one seamless and direct into the next. With every motion, he channels fire and releases streams of flames into the air.

He turns to her, “As I said, fire comes from within. The source is you, your energy and drive channels in the form of fire.” He points to his stomach in a circling motion, “Your stomach is the center of energy and gravity in your body. It is the physical center and the seat of your internal energy. It is a sea of chi, the dan tien. Keep in mind, when I say chi, I mean energy, and vice versa.”

“Chi, I know that. I know it exists in all lifeforms and is the source of bending as well.”

“Exactly. Then you must know that chi courses through your whole body in a complex network of paths.”

“Yes.”

Zenzo nods, “That’s very good. So Korra, all of these paths, as you may already know, connect to a single source: your stomach. That is why we refer to the stomach as the sea of chi.”

Korra whispers “But…” and trails off shy.

Zenzo encourages her to speak up, “Yes, go on.”

She clears her throat and continues, louder now, “Shouldn’t I be able to bend fire already then? I mean, I can bend water and earth which means my energy is fully ready and equipped…”

He crosses his arms, “Sure, go ahead. Try it for me, please.”

She assumes the same straight stance as his when he demonstrated firebending to her, cuffing her fists, throwing several strong punches in the air, yet nothing happens, “Well, this is embarrassing,” she mutters.

“This is our first session, I don’t want you to lose hope this early. Look, your body is used to the two elements you can bend, water and earth. The flow of chi within your body is accustomed to what those two elements require to be bent and manipulated. For water and earth, the flow of energy need only be spread out throughout your body, flowing through every part seamlessly. You don’t necessarily need to control your breath to control those elements. For you, your chi paths are naturally open and flowing, which might explain your natural affinity to the two elements. When you bend water, chi will flow freely and openly through your body, and when you bend earth, chi will flow powerfully and concentrate in the part of your body that you use to bend, like when you stomped your foot on the ground to shake it, when you did that, your chi was heavily concentrated in your right foot. For fire, you will need to practice your breathing. That is the crucial technique you will need to master. Because when you inhale and exhale, you feed your belly with natural energy, and with that comes fire.”

“What about food?” She asks, to which he laughs, “That’s true as well, food can be a source of energy for fire too. But you won’t be eating food in dire situations, and I won’t have you eating in my class. You will muster energy, or chi, through breathing alone.”

Korra’s stomach growls. “Too bad air can’t end hunger.”

“No, it can’t. We will start with breathing exercises.”

Korra doesn’t seem fully convinced, “But…”

“Go on, ask. I want you to ask anything without hesitation, else you won’t learn.”

She nods with a determined look in her eyes, “You mean to tell me that all of the firebenders that exist in the world know this about breathing?”

Zenzo starts to pace again, “No, there are many firebenders who do their bending without controlling their breath, but that style of firebending is dangerous. You can start firebending without understanding what I just explained to you, but you will only produce it using your muscle power, and that kind of bending can be wild and uncontrollable. You already use too much muscle to bend water and earth. If you do the same with firebending, you’ll likely lose control of your fire, big or small. Furthermore, learning to control your breath will help you better control the other elements. Depending on muscle alone will quickly drain a bender’s energy and leave you exhausted very fast.”

Hearing Zenzo’s talk about her using too much muscle reminds Korra of her mother’s comments, who critiqued Korra about this same issue. “I hadn’t realized how vastly different firebending is when you compare it to the other elements.”

“Every element is different than the others. However, firebending is, in my opinion, far more complex. It can be easily influenced by your emotions, and it can be locked if a sudden shift in your personality occurs, your inner fire, if you will. There are a lot of factors that can influence your firebending, stemming from your physical health and your mental state.”

Korra sighs, “Now I feel like I’m never gonna master it. I’m full of emotions, and like you said, I use too much muscle.”

Zenzo sits down on the ground where he stood, right in the middle of the quiet courtyard. He crosses his legs in a meditative state, “It is good that you recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Fret not, you are not my first student who thought they couldn’t do it. Come, sit, let us practice breathing. Meditation is the best tool for that.”

She sits cross-legged next to him, and they meditate for the next two hours, longer than she’s ever spent meditating with Huu. He instructs her to follow his breathing motions, inhaling when he does, and exhaling too. Two long hours of inhaling and exhaling began to make her brain buzz and feel foggy. She was hungry and began to feel like her energy was being drained with every breath. Nevertheless, she continued on and heeded his instructions. If this is the proper way of learning firebending, then she’ll do as she’s told.

She enters the palace once the training is over and she’s dismissed, returning to her chamber, she walks the corridors not knowing where to go. The same young servant rushes to her, “Excuse me, I’m late. I didn’t know you would take an hour longer.” He says, breathing heavily.

“You and me, bud.”

She follows him through the winding corridors of the palace. The palace is huge and is divided into two sections that are interconnected, a section where the personal living space of the Fire Lord and her family live, and a section where the throne room and the court are located where the Fire Lord hosts her government and guests. Korra doesn’t even pay attention to memorize the path to her room, which is in the living quarters, she is gawking at the many tapestries that adorn the walls along the corridors. Where there is a window, there is a tapestry with the sunlight shining upon it. A lot of the tapestries depict Fire Nation scenery and historical events, and few depict past Fire Lords and important members of the royal family, as well as revered heroes of this great and old nation.

The walk to her room wasn’t long, as the courtyard where she trained with Master Zenzo is overlooked by the living quarters, away from guests and government officials. They cross paths with two girls who are also walking along in the living quarters. One girl looks about the same height as Korra, and the other one is slightly taller. They both take notice of Korra, and the servant stops to bow and let them move on ahead. Finally, Korra arrives at her door and enters with the servant.

One of the two girls, the shorter one, stops and looks behind to Korra’s room, “Who was that girl?!”

The taller girl scoffs, “How should I know.”

“Why would mother let her live with us… this is really odd…”

A moment later, another servant walks into Korra’s bedroom, presenting her with different outfits to choose from to wear for the upcoming lunch with the Fire Lord. There were three outfits themed after the Fire Nation, and three outfits themed after the Water Tribes. Korra feels  hesitant about the Water Tribe options, and neither do the Fire Nation garments and robes represent her. The young servant quickly mashes up her Earth Kingdom attire with one of the Fire Nation robes, mixing them together into an elegant uniform which she likes. The uniform now has greens and crimson reds in it, donning her same green tunic, overlayed with a crimson red sash wrapped around her left shoulder to her waist, with maroon-colored pants and high elegant boots.

Before she wears the new outfit, the two servants offer to help her get ready, to which she obliges. They give her a royal hairbrushing that actually relaxes her after the arduous new training regimen, they also help her bathe and massage her feet. To ease her hunger, they offer her a large selection of fresh fruits ranging from pomegranate to clementines, oranges and grapes of different colors.

They fix up her hair in the same style as she always does it, albeit this time there is a little shine to it. She refuses makeup but opts in for a little blush. She puts on her outfit for lunch and departs with the young servant to the dining hall once the hour had come.

The dining hall is grand and filled with an inviting glow. A long polished table is situated in the middle. Everyone in attendance is lined up at the entrance to welcome the young Avatar. Once Korra enters the hall, the Fire Lord initiates her welcoming, “Korra, welcome! We are truly honored to have you join us for lunch,” Izumi says, her voice carrying a tone of genuine pleasure. She embraces Korra in a soft hug and places her right arm on Korra’s back, “I want you to meet my family, come.”

Izumi proceeds to introduce Korra to each member of her family who are in attendance, as well as her closest advisor, the Chancellor Zhang Wei.

“This is my dear husband Zoren, the Prince Consort,” Zoren greets Korra warmly. He has gentle eyes, Korra thinks. Next she introduces her to her uncle Tom, affectionately referred to by Tom-Tom in his youth. Uncle Tom was raised mostly by his older sister Mai and her husband, the late Lord Zuko, after Mai’s father retaliated and raised a small army, called the New Ozai Society, to oppose Zuko. Tom-Tom was kidnapped by his father hoping to raise him to be their future leader when he grows up should the opposition succeeds. It did not succeed however, and Tom-Tom was rescued by Zuko at the behest of Mai and brought to court for his safety. Although he is technically a great-uncle to Izumi’s children, they all simply call him Uncle Tom, like their Lord mother.

“I hope the journey wasn’t troublesome, Avatar,” Uncle Tom says to Korra, his voice having a hint of rasp that adds a rugged texture to his words, reflecting his age of 60.

Korra responds to him, “Not at all, I enjoyed it very much.”

Korra’s gaze turns to the two girls she had seen earlier. Izumi begins to introduce them, “This is my young cousin Natsui.” Natsui is Uncle Tom’s daughter, whom he had after his thirties. Seventeen years of age, she grew tall and slender with pale skin that almost seemed translucent. Members of court often said that she’s the spitting image of her aunt. Natsui looked very much unbothered by the occasion and only bowed to Korra, to which Korra bowed in return.

“And here is my Azumi, my youngest, and only daughter.” Azumi’s excitement was very evident. She didn’t bow, but reached out her hand to shake Korra’s, “We met earlier when Natsui and I came back from the Academy. Sorry I didn’t get the chance to say hi then.”

“N-no, it’s okay. I should’ve probably bowed when the servant stopped.” Korra says nervously.

Izumi chuckles, “Korra please, you don’t have to bow if you don’t want to.”

Zoren laughs, “Dear wife, this is all new to her.”

Uncle Tom chimes in, “You don’t have to bow to friends, it is our custom to bow to our guests and colleagues out of respect, but you’re one of us now, Korra.”

Korra’s gaze turns back to Azumi, who gives Korra a gentle and welcoming smile. Azumi looked like a Fire Nation princess proper. She has her mother’s almond shaped, amber-colored eyes, and her jet black hair too, tied back in a topknot adorned with a gold ornament. Her demeanor was very approachable and she looked and sounded excited to meet Korra.

Izumi tries wrap up and start the lunch, “You’ve already met Chancellor Zhang Wei, of course. I wish my sons were here to see you too… alright, shall we begin our feast? Bring in the food!”

They all sit around the table as the servants bring in the appetizers first. Izumi has Korra sit in the seat to her left arm, and her husband to her right. Uncle Tom sat next to Korra and would frequently ask her about her new training with Master Zenzo.

“We started this morning, he has me do breathing exercises.”

Azumi tries to enter the conversation, sitting next to Natsui across from Uncle Tom and Korra, “Classic Master Zenzo. He did the same with my two brothers.”

Izumi says, “He made them into fine firebenders. Pay attention to everything he says Korra, you’re in very good hands believe me.”

Spring rolls are served for appetizers, light and crunchy, filled with fresh veggies and shrimp, accompanied by hot dipping sauce. After a couple of minutes, they bring in the main courses, fire-grilled komodo chicken marinated in herbs and grilled to perfection, served with a side of white rice.

The second main course is then served, seared Caldera fish from the Caldera Lakes, served with a zesty lemon-chili sauce and a side of sautéed greens. Though Korra isn’t used to so much spicy food, she eats all of it like a champ, and thinks to herself that spicy food is probably a good source to hone one’s firebending, though this isn’t a proven fact, but some would say it is.

The table was filled with plenty of side dishes, and Uncle Tom would grab a few and bring them closer to Korra. Stir-fried noodles with tofu, slices of eggplant with garlic, and once the main courses were fully served and finished, Korra couldn’t take anymore, but they still had to serve desserts.

Izumi signals to the servants politely, “Let’s have desserts in the common room. Korra, come with me, I want you to meet a certain someone.”

Korra wipes her hands and walks with Izumi deeper into the living quarters, reaching a room with a big door. Inside, Korra sees a frail figure lay in bed with helpers tending to her. “I wanted you to meet my mother, Dowager Princess Mai. Her health has been declining and her memory isn’t what it used to be, but she deserves to see you.”

Together they walk closer to the bed, “Mother, it’s me, Izumi.”

Mai’s once sharp eyes are now clouded with age, her once jet-black hair now silver and her sharp features softened by time. Hearing her daughter’s voice, her eyes flicker open and a faint smile tugged at her lips, she greets Izumi in a voice that is little more than a whisper, “Izumi…”

Izumi gently takes her mother’s hand, “I’ve brought someone special to meet you. Mother, this is Avatar Korra.”

Korra steps closer, not knowing what to do or say. Mai’s eyes drift to Korra, “Avatar… yes, the… Avatar. He- He helped us,” her voice tinged with nostalgia.

“Yes mother, this the new Avatar, she has come to the Fire Nation.”

Grandma Mai seemed to drift between the past and the present, her gaze unfocused. She reaches her hand out to Korra, and Korra gently strokes her palms. A faint smile appears on Mai’s lips and her gaze starts to focus on Korra, and she says, “Thank you for helping him.”

After the Fire Lord and the young Avatar finish their promised desserts in the common room with the other family members, Fire Lord Izumi excuses herself and leaves to attend her court. The Chancellor had already left by then. Uncle Tom and the Prince Consort follow her. Korra is left in the common room with Natsui and Azumi. The three girls sit around the spacious room in the comfortable seating arrangements, plush sofas and armchairs upholstered in rich fabrics.

“Well, Korra, what do you think of the Fire Nation?” Azumi asks.

“Honestly, it’s amazing! I’ve never seen such architecture and technology like I’ve seen here in my life.”

Natsui chuckles, “Have you been living under a rock? The Earth Kingdom is pretty advanced too if I’m not mistaken, Water Tribes too…”

Azumi frowns at Natsui, “Natsui be nice! The Avatar is our guest!”

“Where are you from, Korra?” Natsui asks.

Korra is weirded out by the question, but it made her realize that none of them know of her background save for Tadashi and the Fire Lord, maybe the Chancellor as well, “Your mother hasn’t already told you about me?”

“Mother doesn’t really tell us anything, well, anything that concerns government or politics.” Azumi answers.

Korra sneers, “I didn’t know I was a matter of government affairs.”

Natsui sighs, one of her many sighs, “You are the Avatar are you not? You’re the utmost political figure in the world.”

Should I tell them I’m from the swamp, what would they think of me? “Well… I haven’t exactly been living under a rock, but something similar to that.”

Both girls listen intently and curiously. Azumi wants to know more, but she also does not want to intrude. Natsui, on the other hand, presses her, “What place is that, the Foggy Swamp?” She says sarcastically, not knowing that her guess is correct.

Azumi quickly tries to clear the air, “Alright, come on, let’s go,” grabbing Korra by the hand and exiting the room, leaving Natsui.

“Sorry about my cousin. I promise you she’s a lot nicer than she lets out.”

“It’s alright, I can handle sly remarks. I probably would’ve said something had you not grabbed me.”

Azumi laughs, “Oh, you wanna go back?”

“Nah.”

“Good, come on, let me show you around since you’ll be staying with us probably for a while.”

The two girls walk along the corridors of the royal apartments, passing by many tapestries hung on the walls. Korra stops at one tapestry which saw earlier in the day. She takes a long stare at the man depicted in it, to which Azumi smiles dearly, “Do you know who that is, Korra?”

“Please tell me, I’ve been wondering about him since morning.”

“This is my grandfather, the late Fire Lord Zuko. Y’know, he was close friends with your predecessor.”

Korra’s eyes widen, “Your mother took me to meet your grandmother before dessert.”

“I thought so! Did she tell you anything?” Azumi asks.

“She… she thanked me, she said ‘Thank you for helping him’ which I didn’t really understand.”

Azumi stands besides Korra, both looking at the tapestry depicting Zuko, the tapestry showed him in his adult years, with a flame in one hand and a scroll in the other, dual swords in the background crossed like an X behind him, “She probably thought you were Aang. Avatar Aang helped my grandfather end the war and reform many of the laws established by our ancestors during the hundred-year war. They also worked really hard to free the colonies in the Earth Kingdom. My grandfather once told me when I was little that without the Avatar’s help, he wouldn’t have been able to rebuild the Fire Nation back to what it was. He said that the Fire Nation owes a great deal to the Avatar.”

“What happened to your grandfather?”

“It’s a very, very long story. Needless to say, he was lost for many years and struggled to find his identity. It’s complicated, at one time he was actually trying to hunt down the Avatar to capture him. We are not proud of our past, but my grandfather used to say that we must never forget, ‘lest we repeat our same mistakes. We must learn from the past to shape a better future for our nation and the world.”

Chapter Text

It has been two days since Mako arrived with Korra to the capital. He travelled here to try and get a job at the royal palace, he will tell them he’s from Shu Jing, same as he told Korra, and why work at the palace is something only he knows. He didn’t think it wise to share such information with Korra, and he didn’t know she was the Avatar either. Right now, the goal is to land a job at the palace.

Mako is a firebender, not a master, but still an excellent one. If asked what his hobby is, he would deny that he has any hobbies in particular, however, cooking will come to his mind as the closest thing to a hobby he could think of. Because of that, he wants to work at the palace’s kitchens as it would be the only place where he can probably do a good job and pick up new culinary skills fast and blend in easy.

In the morning after the day they had arrived at the capital, Mako walked up the winding path of the dormant volcanic mountain to reach the Royal Caldera City where the palace is. Korra and Tadashi had already taken the tram to reach the palace the night before, but Mako took to rest in Harbor City before starting the long walk up the mountain, with Pabu perched on his shoulder of course. Come morning, he journeyed up the mountain on foot and soon arrived at the palace.

It'll be hard to convince them to hire me if I show up with Pabu, he thinks to himself. He still doesn’t know how he would get the job and who to talk to. He spent the entire morning scouting the palace and the many guests and government officials that are coming and going, and soon took notice of the kitchen staff around the back of the palace unloading new stock of fresh meat and supplies as they do at the start of every day, for the palace is always busy and must be fully stocked daily.

“Pabu, stay!” He orders Pabu, placing him in a bush. Mako walks off to speak with one of the staff, but Pabu follows him, “No Pabu, I said stay! No follow!”

Pabu lets out squeaks and purrs, not exactly understanding Mako’s orders and not wanting to be left alone in this new land strange to him. When Mako shouts at him for the second time to stay, he runs up a tree and perches on its branches, looking over at Mako, who smiles in content and walks away.

Mako approaches a kitchen staff member holding a cardboard box filled with fresh veggies, “Excuse me, sir.”

The man turns to him, “Yes?”

“Umm, I was wondering who do I talk to for a job at the kitchen?”

The staff member looks Mako up and down, and proceeds to walk away. Mako tries to utter more words, but the man disappears into the kitchen. Mako sighs, and waits for another worker to come out.

“Excuse me, Ma’am, can I talk to you please?” He asks the lady with a pen and paper in her hands.

“What is it, kid?”

“I’d like to work here. I can cook and clean. I’ll do whatever you ask of me!”

The lady chuckles, “Go home kid, this isn’t a place for youngsters like you.”

“But I know how to work in a kitchen believe me, I’m smart and I learn fast!”

She walks past him to the truck driver, who hands her a list of all the supplies delivered, she proceeds to check off her list, and Mako continues his begging, “Please, Ma’am!”

“Kid, I’m really busy here.”

He then picks up one of the boxes, “I can help!”

“Put that down! Yo, Kaz, come get this kid outta here!”

A large man comes out and drags Mako by the shoulders, throwing him to the bushes across the street. Pabu jumps down from the tree and licks Mako's left cheek with gentle purrs. “I’m not giving up.” he says to himself.

He spends most of the morning and afternoon standing in the vicinity, kitchen staff who come outside for a smoke would notice him, but none would bother talking to him. He stares at them with beggar’s eyes, never feeling defeated and still determined to get the job, but how?

That day, when Korra’s first class with Master Zenzo began early in the morning, and Azumi & Natsui left for the academy, he was beginning to feel dizzy and hungry after standing for long hours under the sun in the summer’s heat. Pabu, on the other hand, ate few bugs here and there. Mako wanted to try some too, he was so hungry, but his ambition left his mind clouded with thinking and food was the least of his concerns at that moment.

When the sun went down and the hour had come for everyone to sign off and close up, the same female staffer came out of the kitchens, putting on her coat. She notices Mako still standing across the street, “Yo, kid, come ‘er.”

A cheerful look on his face, he runs over to her without Pabu. She asks him, “You seriously been standing there the whole day?!”

“Y-yes.”

“Have you eaten anything?!”

He stares down at his feet, “No, Ma’am. But it doesn’t matter.”

Annoyed and disapproving, she scolds him, “Tsk, are you serious? I already told you to go. What part of that do you not understand?!”

“But I really…”

She stops him, “I know, you already told me. You want to work here. Well, I’m not sure Izembaro will agree to hire you. Anyhow, wait here.”

She goes back to the kitchen and comes out with a meal for him, leftovers from the day. Small cut of komodo chicken with white rice. He thanks her and she leaves after telling him to come back tomorrow morning and she’ll try to get Izembaro to see him.

Pabu tries to have a small bite of the komodo chicken, to which Mako reluctantly gives in, “You already had bugs today. I’m hungrier than you, y’know.” Pabu chirps, and they eat together. He then takes off his light jacket and sleeps in the bushes.

He emerges from the bushes the next morning with bug bites all over his arms. He pats the dust off and wears his jacket and scarf. When the lady shows up to work, he approaches her and she lets him in, telling him to wait at the door of Izembaro’s office until he reports in. Izembaro is the head chef of the palace’s kitchen, and no one gets hired in the kitchens without his approval.

Mako stands beside the door of his office waiting, looking over at the sprawling and huge kitchen. The walls are lined with cabinets and shelves, stocked with a wide array of fine china, silverware, and cooking utensils. Massive islands serve as preparation areas, surrounded by gleaming marble countertops. There are multiple ovens and stoves at one end of the kitchen, unlit as no one has yet arrived to start them. Copper pots and pans hang from overhead racks, reflecting the light and adding to the kitchen’s opulent feel. A long-polished table runs along one side of the room, where finished dishes are carefully plated and garnished before being taken. In one corner, a pantry stocked with a wide variety of fresh produce, meats, spices, and dry goods is meticulously organized.

Izembaro arrives. Walking over to his office, he notices Mako standing at the door, “You’re the kid Rei told me about.”

Mako stands firmly, “Yes, sir! Please, I’d like to work here if you’ll have me.”

Izembaro sighs, a man in his forties, big boned and tall, he unlocks the door to his office and walks in, hanging his coat and inviting Mako in, “How old are you, kid?”

“I-I’m 16… sir.” A lie.

“What is your name?”

“My name is Mako.”

“Where are you from, Mako?”

“Shu Jing, in the Fire Nation!”

Izembaro scoffs, “Kid, if you want me to hire you, which I’m starting to be really hesitant about, you’re gonna have to be honest with me. Let me ask you again: how old are you and where are you from?”

Mako becomes flustered, “I-I just told you.”

“You might be 16, which I doubt, but you’re not from Shu Jing, kid, you’re not even Fire Nation. That I’m sure of.”

He has me, Mako thinks. This might be his one and only chance and he can’t screw it up. He looks over the window from Izembaro’s office, most of the kitchen staff have come in already and started their preparations for the day. He turns his gaze back at the head chef Izembaro, feeling nervous. Izembaro crosses his arms while sitting in his chair, waiting for Mako to talk, yet Mako says nothing.

Izembaro speaks, “Sorry kid, you’re gonna have to-“

“I’m from the city!” Mako interrupts, “Republic City. I- I’m also 14 years old, not 16.”

“Why should I hire you, Mako? You’re already lying to me, AND you’re underage.”

“Please, mister, I don’t have anywhere else to go, and everyone starts working even when they’re twelve.”

Izembaro furrows his brows, understanding that this boy is desperate, but why? “Why do you want to work here? There are plenty of job opportunities in the city, restaurants and many more.”

“I don’t want to live in the city anymore. It’s… it’s really not a safe place. I want to start over somewhere else.”

“So, you must be a firebender, am I wrong? Why else would you choose the Fire Nation.” Izembaro asks.

“That is correct.”

“Where are your parents?” He asks.

“They’re no longer with us, sir.”

Izembaro sighs, he stands up from his chair, “I won’t have you firebend in my kitchen, EVER, is that clear?”

Mako nods, but Izembaro says, “You respond only with ‘yes, sir’!”

“Yes, sir!” He shouts.

“I’ll hire you, but you won’t do any of the cooking, not yet at least. You’ll start with peeling onions and cleaning only. We’ll have you go to the market, if need be, and you’ll make sure to unload newly arrived stock every morning. Also, I’m assuming you don’t have a place to live?”

Gleaming with joy, Mako responds to him, “Thank you so much! I’ll do everything you ask of me!”

“Do you have a place to live, boy?”

“Oh, sorry, no I don’t.”

“That’s fine. A lot of palace staff who come from far away are provided with accommodations. You’ll be given a room in the staff quarters. For now, go to Rei, she’ll hand you your uniform and tell you what to do.”

He goes to Rei, the female staffer who helped him, a brown-skinned woman with curly hair. Rei is the sous-chef, the second in command of the kitchen. “So you got the job. Good. We need an errand boy; our last one couldn’t take the pressure. You better be ready for this.”

She gives him a white apron suited to his size and a hairnet with a cap. “You’ll need to wear these every time you’re inside the kitchen, and make sure they’re clean.”

She instructs him to memorize where all the kitchen wares are, telling him that every item needs to be returned to its original place. Everything must be in order. “We don’t only cook for the royal family here. The Fire Lord has many guests visiting every day, they visit to see her or her advisors, so we must prepare dishes and full meals on the hour. Main courses will be served as well as appetizers and desserts. The work we do here is important. Think of it as political. The food we serve reflects the Fire Lord herself, and she must present her guests with the best dishes. The palace’s reputation is on the line.”

Rei takes him with her once the grocery truck arrives. “We get most of the produce we need every morning, however, not everything is delivered easy, and sometimes we run out quickly, so we will need you to run to the market in Harbor City to gather stuff. When you do so, be quick about it.”

Pabu waited long for Mako to return, yet he hasn’t. He had accomplished his goal and gotten the job he wanted, and now he’ll be there until late at night. Afraid of approaching the door to the kitchens, with so many workers coming in and out, Pabu instead climbs the walls at the back of the palace and races along, reaching higher floors and towers, crossing to the other side of palace, trying to sniff out Mako’s location or hear his voice. He was far from the kitchens though, as he had crossed over to the top of the front gate and continued along the outer walls to the royal apartments’ quarters, where he reached the serene courtyard where a friend is in her second day of training with Master Zenzo.

He immediately recognized Korra, who is sitting in front of Zenzo cross-legged. Pabu leaps from the wall into the bushes and runs as fast as he could to Korra, jumping on her shoulders.

“Woah!” He catches her off guard, “Wait, Pabu?! Hey buddy!”

“Ehm,” Zenzo clears his throat, signaling for Korra to focus. She apologizes and asks if the fire ferret could join them. Zenzo lets her, and she places him on the ground next to her, but he proceeds to sit on her lap as she sits cross-legged meditating, inhaling and exhaling as part of her breathing exercises. The session goes on for the rest of the morning to the afternoon, during which Pabu slept all the way through in complete peace. He loved the experience and after the training ended and Zenzo dismissed Korra, Pabu was feeling refreshed.

She holds the ferret with her arms to her eye level, “What brings you here, Pabu?” He purrs, his beady eyes gleaming, “Is Mako here with you?” His furry ears perk up at the sound of Mako’s name. “Can you take me to him?” He tilts his head, not exactly understanding what she’s saying.

“Hmm…” She takes him with her to her room and feeds him the fruits the servants had brought to her table. She brushes his beautiful red fur and wonders.

Perched on her shoulder, she takes him with her to the common room to meet Azumi as they had agreed once Azumi is back from the academy.

“Oh my goodness, it’s so cute! Where did you find it? These creatures are native to the bamboo forests of the eastern Earth Kingdom. We don’t find many of them around here.” Azumi says.

“I don’t know, he belongs to this boy I met on the ferry on my way here.”

The two girls play with Pabu in the common room and bring him to the gardens for a stroll, however, when the sun sets, Pabu’s ears perk up when he hears a distant familiar sound, the sound of Mako’s voice calling to him. He immediately jumps off Azumi’s arms and scales up the walls, running off. Korra and Azumi run after him. He is fast and soon vanishes from their sight. Azumi, however, scales up the wall too and continues her chase after him. Korra couldn’t do the same, so she ran after them from the ground. Exiting the main gate and arriving at the back of the palace.

Azumi jumps down to the ground, “There it is, over there.” She says to Korra.

“Mako!” Korra shouts.

Azumi asks her, “Is that the boy?”

Korra nods and they both walk up to him. He looked a little different to Korra, now wearing a full-length white apron that ties around the waist and a hairnet covered with a cap.

“Hey Korra! I see Pabu has found you.” Mako says.

“You work here?” Korra asks him.

He tells her that it’s his first day, and she introduces him to Azumi. He blushes when his gaze turns to her, and she offers him a handshake.

“So, you’ll be cooking for us from now on, you better know how to use spices. My uncle likes the food hot and steaming.”

A genuine surprise shows on his face, “You live here?!”

Azumi tells him, “Korra does too.”

He turns to Korra, “Who are you, Korra?”

Korra smirks, “Can you guess?”

Mako stands there, blinking at Korra, his curiosity piqued. “Guess?” he repeats, a bit perplexed.

Azumi giggles, nudging Korra playfully. “Oh come on, don’t tease him too much. He’s had a long day.”

Korra laughs and shakes her head. “Alright, alright. Mako, I’m the Avatar.”

Mako’s eyes widen in surprise. “The Avatar? I had no idea! I mean, I kinda suspected something was odd about you, but… wow.”

Korra furrows her brows, “Odd, how so?”

“Oh it’s nothing.” Mako tries to brush it off.

“Tell me!” She says to him.

“I was just amazed at the guy you were traveling with. Traveling with someone like that, I suspected you were a big deal.”

The girls giggle. “You mean Tadashi. Yeah, he’s the big deal, not me, trust me.”

Azumi smiles warmly, “Welcome to our home, Mako. It’s a big place, and it can be a bit overwhelming at first, but you’ll get used to it.”

Korra nods in agreement, “And if you ever need anything, just ask us. We’re all here to help each other.”

Mako feels a wave of relief wash over him. “Thank you, both of you. I really appreciate it… umm, I was actually worried about Pabu. I’m not sure we’re allowed to have animals in the staff quarters.”

“Oh, so that’s why you didn’t want to bring him with you.” Korra says.

Azumi quickly offers to take care of him, “He’ll be fine with us, right Korra?”

“Of course. He’ll probably be safer with us anyway. Mako hates the poor animal.”

“I don’t hate him!” Mako says in rage, “And don’t say that in front of the Princess!”

Both girls laugh. Rei shouts for Mako, and he excuses himself, handing them Pabu and leaving off to the kitchen.

“Let’s meet again!” Korra shouts to him.

As the girls walk back inside, Korra wonders where Tadashi is.

“I honestly have no idea.” Azumi says, “We’re supposed to be training with him, Natsui and I, but he isn’t showing up, which would only mean that he’s on a mission, probably.”

That evening, Mako gets to experience his first dinner service in the palace kitchens. Under Rei’s watchful eye, he peels and chops vegetables, washes dishes, and helps with various tasks.

After the dinner rush, Mako finds a quiet moment to step outside and take a breath. The sky is full of stars, he gazes at them with hope. Despite the hard work, he feels a sense of fulfillment and purpose that he hasn’t felt in a long time.

Mako smiles. This was the first big hurdle, and he passed. He started his journey all the way from Republic City with a certain goal in mind, and now he feels like he can actually accomplish it in due time.

Chapter Text

A bad dream woke her up in the middle of the night. She tried to shake it off, but homesickness quickly began to take its place. Mother would always sing a sweet hymn to ease her back into sleep, but mother is not here.

Korra got off the bed to reach her bag to get a whiff of her home, but its scent had faded, now replaced by the smell of fine silks and rich fabrics. She notices the bundle of ointments Zia had gifted her and holds it near her chest. "They can help with burn wounds," Zia had said when she handed it to her. She wondered how everyone had been faring since she’d left. She thought about her mother, she thought about Zia and Huu, and even Vek too. She remembered the tree where she meditated with Huu, he’s probably there right now, heh. She never thought she would miss that tree so much, the smell of the vines and roots, and the screams of that damn screeching dodo.

“Your father would be so proud of you.” Korra couldn’t help but sob quietly as she remembered her mother’s last words. It has been almost a full week since her arrival, and three weeks since she departed from the port at Gaoling. She’ll send them a message, they need to know how she’s been doing so far, and if she can, she’ll send everyone the items they had requested, if she can find them. Maybe Harbor City would be a good place to shop.

She wonders if she could ask the Fire Lord for help with that, and yet, she hasn’t seen the Fire Lord or the Chancellor ever since the day they had lunch together. She doesn’t want to show up at her court to ask for help with a message, she should know how to do this herself. But she doesn’t know how to do this.

Azumi. She’ll ask Azumi for help. Korra goes back to sleep, planning to talk with her before she leaves to the Academy.

Princess Azumi awakes in her room as the first rays of sunlight filter through the elegant curtains. Her room is adorned with ornate Fire Nation décor, with beautiful flowers planted in Earth Kingdom vases, and Water Tribe rugs on the floor, symbolising the unity and diversity Azumi values and her desire to learn from many different cultures. She would have loved to have Air Nomad wind chimes too, but authentic ones are hard to find for sale, and she thinks it would be ironic for her to nab one, since, you know.

She rises from her bed, her long, dark hair cascading over her shoulders as she stretches and yawns softly. Pabu stirs from his sleep, his reddish-brown fur all messy, yawning and feeling numb. The morning sunlight illuminates the shelves filled with a vast collection of books, their spines bearing titles on history, philosophy, and stories from all four nations.

She moves gracefully to her washroom, and as she washes her face, a soft knock on the door grabs her attention. “Coming!” Her hair is still undone and she’s wearing her red and gold sleeping robe.

Korra is standing at the door, “Morning, sorry to bother you.”

“Hey! It’s no problem at all, and please Korra, don’t ever apologize to me. It makes me feel like I did something wrong.”

Looking at the princess with her hair down, Korra blushes, and Azumi invites her in. “Those are a lot of books.” Korra says.

“Wait till you see our library.”

They sit at the small table in Azumi’s room, and Pabu jumps on Korra’s shoulders. She rubs his ears softly. “I need a favor.” Korra begins.

“Sure, what do you need?”

“Well, how can I send a message? I wanna send one to my mother.”

Azumi smiles, “I’d be happy to help you with that. It’s very easy, we have telephones here actually, you can contact your local governement office and they can bring her to call you back, if you don’t already have one in your home, though not many do.”

Korra doesn’t know what a telephone is, which starts to make her feel uneasy. She feels like she missed out on so much progress that happened in the world. She feels like a small child walking among fully grown adults. She doesn’t ask Azumi what a telephone is, feeling embarrassed about the fact. “Uhhh, is there another way?”

“Of course, we can send her a message through mail to her address.”

Again, Korra isn’t happy. No mail was ever delivered to them in the Foggy Swamp, she’s not even sure if it’s an acknowledged address. The mailman would probably get lost in it as soon as he enters, that is if he’s not scared of entering already. “Yyyyeah, what other options do we have?”

Azumi begins to feel a bit perplexed. “Oh, well, umm…” She isn’t exactly sure, her thoughts racing back and forth between methods of sending messages, and where Korra is from. She doesn’t ask her however, if she wants to share, she will, and she doesn’t seem like she wants to.

“Lemme think about it, I’ll get back to you when I’m back from the Academy. Is that okay?”

Korra nods and thanks her before exiting, Pabu perched on her shoulder. Azumi quickly gets ready before she’s late, or else Natsui will tell the driver to go. She did it a few times before and mother wasn’t supportive, saying that she needs to be punctual. She wears her school uniform, a long flowing robe with phoenix motifs embroidered in gold thread and belted at the waist with a wide sash. Robes not only symbolise status, but also wisdom in the Fire Nation. Government officials usually wear robes because of that.

She runs as fast as she could, shouting “Wait!” before the driver leaves, and gets in the car, a compact vehicle powered by a steampunk engine. “Thanks for not waiting for me. Again.”

Looking out the window, Natsui sighs, “You need to respect my time.”

“You need to respect mine too! I have things I need to do, y’know.”

“Like what,” Natsui glances at her, “hanging out with the Avatar? You’ve been hanging out with her a lot lately.”

Azumi scoffs, “You make it sound like it’s a bad thing. It’s a blessing to have her live with us, this is great.”

“I’m just saying, she’s not like us, she doesn’t even go to school. Do not hang out with her, she’ll make you late everyday, and I don’t really trust her.”

She scowls at Natsui. “I’ll do whatever I want.”

Both girls are students of Tadashi’s. They would train with him after school everyday. As nonbenders, he trained them in the way of the sword as well as chi blocking, specifically teaching them how to best any bender with ease, whether by using chi blocking or attacking with a weapon. Agility was his key factor in training them. They would spend long hours perfecting their stances and movements under Tadashi’s watchful eye. The rigorous training had forged a bond of mutual respect and camaraderie between them and their master. They grew to know the human body and its weak points, and understand where pressure points are located in any person of any body type.

It wasn’t only swords he taught them, it was also daggers, knives, bows and arrows- all weapons of lethal potential and low weight. And most of all, he trained them on how to move silently and track a target. The Fire Lord wanted to make sure all of her children, along with Natsui, are trained for any potential dangers they might encounter in their future careers as rising political figures. They are the last line of defense, and as such, they must make the defense worth it.

They soon arrive at Hari Bulkan Academy for Girls, a new center of learning established by Zuko and Mai long after Zuko’s reign had begun. The school is named after the dormant volcano where the royal city is located, and most of its students are upper-class Fire Nation girls, though the school does welcome all types of female students, and the curriculum includes a wide variety of topics ranging from mathematics, science, history, philosophy, geography, sport activities, and of course, music and dance, as was advised by Aang to Zuko.

Natsui has her small clique come to welcome her arrival, and she departs with them, leaving Azumi to walk alone. They were always treated as sisters by faculty and students, and Natsui was always the perfect one. She is calm and poised and the other girls gravitated toward her non-caring nature. She does care though, but she never shows it. She comes off as cold and calculating, sometimes instilling fear in her classmates. She finds the girls who walk with her annoying, but she lets them do her bidding, leaving her untouched, and as always, unbothered.

Azumi barely makes friends, year after year, the girls she befriends either grow bored of her worldly interests or think being friends with Natsui is more beneficial. Afterall, everyone wanted to please Natsui.

Azumi is fifteen years of age, born in the same winter that Korra was born in. While Korra was born in the middle of that winter season, Azumi was born at its end, when spring was upon the land. Her birth, unlike Korra’s, was an easy one. She came out like a blossoming red flower, the last of Izumi’s kids. Izumi’s oldest son had already reached adulthood by then, and her second son was in his teens.

Most of her upbringing was left to her father and uncle, who raised her like a little sister to Natsui. Izumi was always busy and looked mostly to her oldest son as the future heir to their nation. She did spend a lot of time with her mother of course, but those times were treated almost like appointments, leaving Azumi to go back to her room or the library to learn on her own. As the two girls grew older, Natsui became reserved, while Azumi wanted to go out and travel the world, much to Natsui’s boredom. “Why would we leave, we live in the best place in the world.” Natsui used to say to her.

She goes to class and sits by the window, offering her a perfect view of the world beyond the classroom walls. Her thoughts wandered to Korra. She feels sense of purpose when hanging with Korra, like she’s being acknowledged and her wisdom is asked for.

Her mind drifts away from the lesson at hand as the teacher’s voice drones on in the background, and she starts to think of a another method to send messages. She speculates Korra might be from a small secluded village in the Earth Kingdom judging from her clothing and strong demeanor, and she suddenly recalls, briskly getting up from her chair, “A MESSENGER HAWK!”

“Excuse me?” The teacher says in amusement while all the students stare at her. She swiftly apologizes and sits back down.

Back at the palace, not even breaking her fast, Korra heads straight to the secluded courtyard after leaving Azumi’s room to wait for Master Zenzo. She stops by her room to leave Pabu to enjoy the fruits at her table. She now knows the way, not getting lost while walking in the winding corridors. She greets the tapestry of Zuko as she walks by it, and arrives at the courtyard.

She trains herself while waiting for Zenzo. She does squats and push-ups while controlling the motion of her breathing. She does feel a bit stronger than before, and strangely, she feels hungrier than ever. It wasn’t because she didn’t have breakfast, she didn’t have the appetite for it and she had a rough night full of emotional sobbing, but the breathing exersises are breaking her apart, the constant inhaling and exhaling is making her feel something strange, changing her insides in a manner she can’t explain.

Zenzo arrives, noticing her do push-ups. She doesn’t notice him, and he says nothing, only observing from a short distance. She then stands, breathing heavily now, sweat coming out of her, and sees him standing quietly. “Good morning,” she says as she struggles for breath.

“You’re exhausted.” He says, “Have you eaten anything?”

She denies, and then tells him, “Those breathing exercises are doing something strange to me.”

“Those breathing exersises are cleansing you.”

Heavy breaths escape her lips, each one a visible struggle. Her shoulders slumped forward, as if bearing the wait of the world, and her legs tremble with every effort to remain upright. “Cleansing me of what?!”

He walks closer, “Whatever bad thoughts you have. Whatever negative energy dwells within you.”

“Bad thoughts? I don’t have bad thoughts.” Then the memory of her bad dream comes to her mind. “I- I’m fine!”

“Korra, you’re exhausted. Stop.”

“What do you mean exhausted! I do push ups all the time, I’m a strong girl.”

Zenzo sighs, looking at her eyes, ringed with dark circles, struggling to stay open and focused. “Go back to sleep, Korra. Today’s session is over.” His voice leaving no room for argument. “You’re in no condition to continue.”

She shakes her head defiantly, her eyes burning with determination despite their heavy lids. “No! I came all the way here to learn firebending. I’m not going back!” Her voice a mere whisper compared to his.

“Very well,” Zenzo says, stepping forward and assuming a fighting stance. “Since you’re a strong girl, show me.”

She smirks, thinking finally something other than those breathing exercises. She launches herself at him. Her movements are a bit sluggish, trying to strike him without bending, each strike slower than the last.

He blocks her strikes easily, and in a swift move, he sweeps her legs from under her, and she tumbles to the ground, unable to break her fall. He then kneels beside her, his expression softing, “This was expected. Your chi is starting to flow differently. You now have a lot of energy at your center, too much of it in fact that your body isn’t used to. Let it flow, Korra. Let the extra energy release.”

He helps her up and assumes a straight stance, instructing her to do the same. She tries with a little effort, and then he tells her to release. She strikes the air, stretching her right arm as fiercely as she could, but then she screams from a sudden pain in her right fist.

Zenzo touches her right palm, it feels very hot, and he realizes something. As she’s working with her natural opposite, she isn’t used to the warmth of fire in her body. “Let’s not continue. You need to rest.”

“But-“

“No arguing! I need you to go back to your room and sleep, then, I need you to start reading Avatar Roku’s journals, specifically his training.”

Feeling forced, she apologizes for her behavior, and before she leaves, he tells her that they won’t be seeing each other for the next two days so that she can read the journals carefully.

She goes back to her room, feeling hungry, exhausted, and defeated. She throws herself in bed and sleeps.

In her sleep, she sees herself floating in a vast, barren wasteland, with a tall figure, glowing in white, lunging at her. She is hit, punched, whipped, it’s all too much. This is the same nightmare she had. She struggles for breath and screams aloud, waking up and startling Pabu. It was the afternoon time.

She shakes her head and gets off her bed to shake her whole body too. She is not giving in to those nightmares. She calls the maids to bring her food, and fills her stomach whole.

Azumi runs to Korra’s room the moment they arrive back from the academy. She knocks one time only, and opens the door. “I got it!”

“Woah, slow down armadillo tiger.”

Azumi continues, “I know another way to send your message. Come with me.”

They go to the Royal Plaza, taking Pabu with them, perched on Azumi’s shoulder. Situated below the mountain next Harbor City, it is a special area, closed off from outsiders, only important political figures and members of the royal family land in the Royal Plaza upon their arrival to the capital. It has a tower with a few messanger hawks in it, used to send quick messages to the Fire Lord to signal the arrival of some of her important guests.

“This is how you will send your message.” Azumi says.

Korra beams with joy, thinking this is the perfect way to deliver a message to her family in the Foggy Swamp. “Azumi you’re a genius!” She exclaims.

Azumi uses her status as a princess to order one messenger hawk to take with them, and then they take the tram, heading back to the palace. On their way, Korra asks her how these birds work. “It’s really simple. They’re very smart and very fast, you just give them the location, and they’ll go.” The imposing hawk scares Pabu, and he jumps to Korra as Azumi holds the bird on her arm.

They arrive at the palace during evening and go to Azumi’s cluttered room. Pabu jumps on the bed, licking his fur clean and sleeping. Azumi gives Korra a pen and paper, and Korra starts writing. She doesn’t know what information should she set aside, for she can only write so much. She glances at Azumi, who is sitting in the chair across from her reading a book.

“Azumi,”

“What’s up?”

“So… I didn’t wanna tell you because I was embarrassed how you would see me.” Korra continues, “I actually grew up in the Foggy Swamp, y’know, in the Earth Kingdom near Gaoling city.”

“Why would you be embarrassed about that?” Azumi asks.

“I don’t know, it’s just…” Korra turns quiet for a moment, and then follows “I’m embarrassed about many things. I barely know anything. I don’t even know what a telephone is! As you can probably guess, I’ve been living in the swamp my whole life, like living under a rock. Everyone expects me to be this huge public figure, but I don’t know anything.”

Azumi closes her book and smiles gently at Korra, “It’s never too late to learn. We all come from different backgrounds, that’s what makes meeting new people so exciting. You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, Korra… I can give you material to read if you want.”

Korra smiles back at Azumi, “Thank you, Azumi. I really appreciate it.”

“Can I ask you something? It’s personal, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” Azumi says.

Korra assures her that it’s okay, feeling much more comfortable with her than before. Azumi asks, “Why were you living in the Foggy Swamp? I mean, were you actually born there?”

Korra inhales deeply, “Alright, I’ll tell you, but you have to promise me not to tell Natsui, or anyone else for that matter.”

Azumi promises, and Korra proceeds to tell her more about her background, where she was born, her uncle’s attempted kidnapping of her, him killing her father and attacking her mother, her going into the Avatar state and defeating him, them moving to the swamp, all of it.

Azumi gets up from her chair and hugs Korra. “I’m so sorry. I never knew you went through so much as a child.”

“It’s okay, really. It’s all in the past, but I still hate him though, I hate all of the tribes. I want nothing to do with them or their politics.”

Azumi asks, “Is that why you never wear, y’know, Water Tribe blues?”

“I guess so, I left the Southern Water Tribe a long time ago and I can’t even remember much of it. My identity is very much the Foggy Swamp, if you get what I’m saying.”

Azumi glances at her rugs, ported from the Northern Water Tribe, Korra notices her looking at them and laughs.

Azumi follows, “Believe it or not, I’ve actually always wanted to visit the Foggy Swamp. I read a lot about it. Is it true that it gives you visions?”

“Well, I actually did have a dream that seemed like a vision, I saw a huge beast calling to me to follow it.”

Azumi furrows her brows, “What did it look like?”

“It was floating, it had a lot of legs for me to count, I think it had horns, too.”

Azumi fumbles from her chair, falling to the ground. “HOLD UP!” And she jumps to her shelves, grabbing a history book and showing one image of a sky bison to Korra. “Did it look like this?!”

“YES!” Korra exclaims.

“Korra this might be Appa! Y’know, Avatar Aang’s animal guide! Every Avatar had one. No one knows why, how, or when did it start.”

“Hmm, guess I don’t have one.” Korra glances at Pabu sleeping on Azumi’s bed, “Is Pabu my animal guide?”

They both laugh. Korra then starts writing her letter to Senna and the rest of her tribe. She writes about the trip, about all the new things she has seen, and briefly writes about her time in the Fire Nation, assuring them in her message that she’s doing well and that her training is progressing, and tells them to be on the lookout for the items they had requested her to send.

They secure the message in the small, cylindrical container attached to the hawk’s back, and open the window, sending it off flying, signaling for it to head to the banyan-grove tree, the center of the Foggy Swamp.

Chapter Text

That night when they had sent the letter, Korra and Azumi spend the rest of the night at the library, where towering bookshelves reach almost to the ceiling, and are filled with countless volumes of books, scrolls, and manuscripts. Each shelf is organized with sections dedicated to various subjects. In the center is a large, polished table surrounded by plush, high-backed chairs. The table is strewn with open books, parchments, and writing instruments, indicating the frequent visits of the palace’s inhabitants.

“Here is where we begin your education!” Azumi says, and Korra is amazed by the intricate design of the room and its quiet reverence. Azumi tells her that it was built by her father, an architect who took the job to expand the royal palace after Zuko became Fire Lord. He expanded the library as well as the royal apartments, and designed the private meeting chamber for the Fire Lord.

“Between you and I, that’s how my mother met him.” Azumi tells Korra.

She sits Korra down and brings her study papers, not books, on the economic progress in the three nations. She brings her published papers on the steampunk engine and articles on the history of Republic City, believing that she should know of the great task her predecessor accomplished as his last testament to the world. Korra starts with those articles, and Azumi goes to look for Avatar Roku’s journals, which she remembers reading at the library before.

Reading the articles, Korra learns of the political entity established in the aftermath of the Hundred Year War. Founded by Avatar Aang and the leaders of the other nations. Republic City is deeply rooted in the colonies that existed during and after the war. These colonies were initially intended to exploit resources and strategic locations to support the Fire Nation’s war efforts. The colonies were located in the western parts of the Earth Kingdom, and were characterized by their mixed populations, with Fire Nation settlers living alongside Earth Kingdom citizens. Over time, these populations began to integrate culturally and socially, and maritally too.

Korra learns that one of the major challenges for Avatar Aang in the post-war era was dealing with these colonies. Many of these colonies had existed for generations, and their inhabitants developed a mixed identity. Recognizing the complexity and potential for conflict, Aang came up with the solution to free each colony by having them live as a free, self-governing city, governed by an elected Mayor of their own. He embarked on a mission to support each colony in this new change.

Now called the Sovereign Cities, most of them were situated close to one another, and as minor settlements, some of these cities and towns sought to expand and began to invade one another, seeking to not only expand, but also to seize control over more trade hubs. This was troublesome for the Avatar and the other world leaders, as most of the weaker towns continuously begged for protection and aid from the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. The most powerful of these cities were the sovereign cities of Wumeng and Koro, which swiftly established themselves as central hubs of commerce and innovation. Their leaders were astute and forward-thinking, encouraging technological advancements that attracted people from all over the world. However, their rise to prominence also led to tensions between them and neighboring cities and towns that they sought to take over in their effort to expand.

A few sovereign cities fell, and the region was heavily destabilized. Wumeng and Koro fought in a ruthless battle in 123 AG (After Genocide), leveraging their technological advancements to crush the other. Korra was fascinated and troubled by the history, realizing the complex dynamics that shaped the modern political landscape.

She grabs another article that highlights the beginning of Republic City: The idea behind the city began when the conflict between the colonies escalated, with both major cities leaving many smaller towns caught in the crossfire, pleading for intervention from the other nations, and so Aang flew back to mediate.

To bring a solution, Sokka suggested uniting them together under one government, finally forming them into one large trading hub where no competition exists other than the three old nations. They held a summit in Ba Sing Se, where representatives from the warring cities were invited to negotiate peace. The summit was helmed by Sokka, and was also attended by Chief Uluaq of the Water Tribes, Earth King Kuei, and Fire Lord Zuko. After weeks of intense discussions, a treaty was signed that led to the formation of Republic City.

The treaty states that a President will be elected every five years by the people of the newly created Republic City. To make sure that the votes are compromised and fair, considering that the majority rules, and the majority were people who were originally from the now defunct Wumeng and Koro, the Republic Counsel was established, consisting of representatives from the four nations; one from the Fire Nation and one from the Earth Kingdom. Sokka insisted that each of the Water Tribes have a representative join, since there was a big population of Northerners and Southerners in the city, which Chief Uluaq happily agreed to, and Aang insisted that the Air Nomads be included, with an Air Acolyte taking that seat until his sons are old enough.

The treaty also states that no military shall be created in Republic City, and the establishment of the Republic Counsel in Republic City is to serve to mediate and compromise, and to further appease the former leaders of the now defunct Sovereign Cities, military protection and full support provided by the other nations will be given should the city need it. The people’s votes would pass to the Representatives of the Republic Counsel, who would then gather the votes and compromise, casting the final votes to elect a President.

Korra absorbs the information with marvel. She continues to read, moving to the papers on the steampunk engine, which she could barely make sense of, but the knowledge of its existence alone was enough for her. Azumi returns with a stack of scrolls, “These are Roku’s journals.” She says, placing them gently on the table. Korra sets them aside and reads the papers on the economic progress of the three nations.

The hours pass as Korra delves into the papers, occasionally glancing up to see Azumi engrossed in her own studies. The night never seemed to end, and she reads on and on in the quiet ambiance of the library. Azumi eventually excuses herself to go to sleep as she has school tomorrow, and Korra continues her reading.

That same night, Mako returns to his room in the staff quarters, located at the back of the palace. The room is sparse, furnished with only a small bed, a wooden desk, and a simple wardrobe. The scent of roasted meats and fresh herbs lingered on his clothes, a reminder of the busy dinner service he had just helped with.

Reaching his modest room, Mako pushes the door open and sighs. He lies down on the bed, the weight of his thoughts heavier than his weariness. As he lies back staring at the ceiling, memories flooded his mind – memories of his childhood back in Republic City. His parents were killed when he and his little brother were very young, leaving him to raise his brother on his own in the slumps of the city, causing them to become involved in heavy gang activity to survive.

Mako clenched his fists, feeling the familiar pang of anger and helplessness. He remembered the day his world had shattered yet again. He had been trying to leave the life of crime they were heavily involved in, desperate to find a better and safer life for his little brother Bolin. But his attempt to exit had brought him face-to-face with a notorious crimelord, Zolt, a man who wielded a power so rare that only the Fire Nation royal family was said to possess it: lightning generation.

They were brought to a massive and dim building in the ghetto of the city by Zolt’s henchmen, and after pleading for mercy and promising to never tell, a flash of blinding light and a defeaning crack came out. Mako could only watch in horror as the bolt of lightning struck his brother, ending his short life instantly. The image of his brother’s lifeless body, the smell of burnt flesh, the memory of the man thrusting his right arm with sparks flickering at his fingertips, and the sound of his own screams haunted him every day since.

Mako was told that this was a lesson for him and anyone else who dared to act on their own. He was left for dead on the streets, and collapsed in a narrow alley, his body soaked to the bone by the cold rain that felt like icy needles against his skin, but he was too numb to care. The world around him was a blur of shadows, the alley’s grimy walls closing in on him. He was collapsed right there for days, tears silently streaming down his face. He felt utterly defeated, a broken soul adrift in a sea of pain. The streets, once bustling with life, now felt like a cruel, indifferent expanse.

And then, determination urged through him, igniting a fierce resolve. He would become stronger, powerful enough to never feel helpless again, to avenge his brother’s death. He would learn the same technique. Lightning is a direct hit and lethal, causing immediate death due to cardiac arrest, severe burns, or nervous system failure, even a near miss can cause serious injuries, and the technique is secret, becoming so rare in the world that only the royal family of the Fire Nation were known to know how to use it.

Legend had it that a man, some say a woman, from the islands that would eventually become the Fire Nation used this terrifying power to unify the Fire Islands under one rule, establishing the seat of the Fire Lord and securing their place at the pinnacle of firebending mastery. The knowledge of how to generate lightning was closely guarded, passed down through generations of royalty, and kept hidden from the rest of the world. As to how Zolt learned it, Mako does not know, but he believes that this secret knowledge might well be found at the royal palace of the Fire Nation.

Mako’s personal mission now begins. He rose from his bed, quickly pulling on his boots. It was deep in the night, and the hallways of the staff quarters are dimly lit and eerily quiet as the palace is at rest. Mako moves swiftly but silently, exiting the staff quarters and finding himself in a large courtyard bathed in the soft light of the moon. He has no idea where to begin his search, but he knows he has to start somewhere, and an archive, or a library, might be his best bet. He scans the courtyard, looking for any signs of activity. He knew he had to avoid any guards if he wanted to search the palace undetected, and with a deep breath, he begins to move stealthily across the courtyard, sticking close to the walls and staying in the shadows.

As he approaches a corner, Mako hears a faint sound of footsteps. He presses himself against the stone wall, peering around the edge just enough to see a pair of guards patrolling the area. He waited, his heart pounding in his chest, until the guards pass and their footsteps fade into the distance, their conversation a low murmur. Once he was sure the coast is clear, he continued on, occasionally pausing when there was a slight hint of an approaching guard.

Mako notices a Fire Sage coming out of the palace building, robed in traditional attire, and his curiosity piqued. He knew of the Fire Sages – Fire Sages often had access to knowledge and places that were off-limits to others. If anyone could lead him to the secret he so desires, it might as well be a Fire Sage. Mako decides to follow him, staying low and maintaining a safe distance, keeping to the shadows as he follows the Sage through the manicured hedges.

The Fire Sage was heading north, towards the High Temple, a revered and ancient structure located just beyond the palace walls. The Sage exits through the north gate, a much smaller gate than the main gate located west. The gate is guarded by two sentries. Mako knew, even if he was a palace employee, he couldn’t just walk through the gate at this hour without drawing attention and getting questioned. He would have to find another way out.

He notices a section of the palace wall that is partially obscured by tall trees and dense foliage, and he quickly makes his way to the base of the wall, staying low and quiet. He glances around to make sure no one was watching, and then begins to climb. His fingers dig into crevices and his feet attempt to secure footholds as he ascended. He pauses once, pressing himself flat against the wall with the tree covering him as a guard passes nearby, but the guard didn’t notice him.

Finally he peers over the edge, making sure the coast is clear before swinging his legs and dropping down silently on the other side. There was the Sage walking towards the High Temple, a short distance away. Mako moves quickly but cautiously behind the Sage as he approaches the temple. The Sage stands in the middle of an ornate metal circle, opening it with firebending and going underground to the Dragonbone Catacombs. Perfect, Mako thinks. He waits for the Sage to exit back, and once the Sage does so and leaves, Mako opens the gate with his firebending and goes underground.

The Dragonbone Catacombs are labyrinthine, narrow, and the floor is uneven and covered with dust. He ventures deeper. The hallway is completely dark, leading Mako to light a small flame in his right palm as he scans the area. He sees many doors to his left and right. He carefully opens the first one to his left, finding a tomb bearing the name of a past Fire Lord he had never heard of. He goes to the next chamber and finds another tomb. He enters the third chamber, same, then a fourth chamber, and same. He found a few scrolls in each chamber that only spoke of their respective Fire Lord’s testaments.

He enters another chamber and finds yet another tomb, great, he thinks, and he also finds scrolls in that chamber too. He grabs them and reads The Final Testament of Fire Lord Sozin, skimming through it, not finding any information useful to what he wants. He puts the scrolls back and continues his search, but eventually finds nothing useful at all. Nothing here gave him any information about lightning or even firebending in general.

He reaches the end of the hallway where a massive dragon skeleton lies, its bones bleached white and arranged in a lifelike pose. The skull in particular is imposing with sharp, menacing teeth that made him shiver. He decides there is nothing to be found here, and swiftly walks back out and then back to the palace, but the walls have no crevices from the outside, and they are too tall for him to scale. Great, he thinks to himself again, and goes to the same bush he slept in the first time he arrived, until morning comes when the kitchen doors are open.

Also in that same night, Fire Lord Izumi sat in her private meeting chamber when Chancellor Zhang Wei called for an emergency summons. “My Lord, a message from Republic City.”

Izumi gleams, “Is it from my son?” Izumi's oldest son, Iroh, is the Fire Nation Representative in the Republic Counsel.

Zhang Wei clears his throat, “It’s a report. The election results are in.”

Izumi’s face grew serious as she extended her hand for the report. As she read through the report, her eyes narrowed, “The balance of power in Republic City is shifting, and it seems in the favor of the people.”

“This is wonderful news,” Chancellor Zhang Wei says. “An Ren is a man of the people.”

The Fire Lord nods, feeling relieved. “That city is the bane of our existence, Chancellor. It’s about time that we have a President who wants to serve and not be served. Let us hope he doesn’t turn out like the others.”

“I have met him a couple of times before. A fine man that one, an honorable one indeed.”

Chapter Text

Korra wakes up in the palace’s library with a start, a paper stuck on her cheek. She blinks groggily, pulling herself up and peeling the paper off her face. She walks back to her room and heads to the washroom, glancing at her face in the mirror, an imprint of text now decorating her cheek. Today marks the first day off from Zenzo’s class, who had given her two off-days dedicated to reading Roku’s journals on his training of the elements.

After washing herself and freshening up, she takes Pabu with her and goes to the dining hall to eat breakfast. The thought of food reminds her of Mako, and she decides to head to the kitchens after breaking her fast. “You wanna go see Mako?” She says to Pabu as she scratches the back of his ears, him purring.

As for Mako, he emerges from the bush and walks inside the kitchens. Kaz, one of the staff working in the kitchen, a large man with a stern face, stares at Mako as he enters all disheveled. Kaz’s lips are pressed into a thin line and his brows are furrowed, holding a steady, intense gaze that makes Mako feel scrutinized. His arms cross as he glances at Mako who enters the kitchens not wearing his white apron and hairnet. “Hmph.” Kaz murmurs.

“Yeah, yeah. Good morning to you too, Kaz.” Mako says to him as he walks across the kitchen to exit through the inner door. He walks back to his room and fixes himself, taking his kitchen uniform and heading straight back.

“Mako!” Rei shouts at him, “Where were you?! I need you to go to the market now. We need citrus fruits, fire peppers, fire honey, extra meat… just take the list.”

“…what’s fire honey?!” He asks in genuine wonder.

“You’ll find it in the market, now go, chop-chop!” Mako maintains his stoic exterior, but he was frustrated from the failure of the night before. Inside, a prolonged sigh echoes through his mind. He hangs his apron and takes a large basket hung on the wall next to the exit door.

Korra steps into the bustling royal kitchen with Pabu perched on her shoulder. The aroma envelopes Pabu’s senses, but he leaps to the ground and runs over to Mako, startling him and all the kitchen staff.

Rei gets angry, “Get that rodent outta here!”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Mako responds, quickly taking Pabu and exiting.

Rei glances at Korra, who is crossing the kitchen to follow Mako outside, “Who’re you?!” Rei questions Korra.

“Don’t worry, I’m out.” Korra says to her nonchalantly, sprinting her way out of the kitchen.

Mako waits for her outside. “Hey, Korra.” His voice steady yet tinged with the pressure of his task.

“Hi Mako,” she replies, her tone light. “Heading out?”

“Yeah, just need to pick up some supplies from the market,” he says, adjusting the basket slung over one shoulder, Pabu perched on the other. “You… wanna come with?”

She appreciates the offer and tags along with him to Harbor City. Before they leave off, Rei runs to him and hands him a pouch with the money needed to buy the items on the list.

They head to the tram, seating themselves. The tram moves on a schedule, and they wait inside it. “How’ve you been?” Korra asks.

“Working.” He responds.

“That kitchen is the busiest place I’ve seen in the whole palace.” She says to him.

“Yeah, I honestly didn’t expect it to be this busy every day,” he glances at her, “but how have you been?”

She smiles at him, “Oh, just doing some reading at the palace’s library.”

The palace’s library, a light flickers in his mind. “What brings you to the palace anyway?”

“I came here to start my firebending training.”

He smiles at her, “It’s still so weird to me that you’re the Avatar.”

She furrows her brows at him, “What’s so weird about it?!”

“Nothing, I’m just surprised that I am actually meeting the Avatar. I’ve never thought I would ever meet the Avatar in my lifetime,” Mako finishes with a smile, “and here you are.”

Korra chuckles, “Well, here I am.”

Mako’s expression softens and he scratches the back of Pabu’s ears, “It’s just… a lot to wrap my head around.”

“Do people talk about me? I mean, do they talk about the Avatar?” She asks him.

“If you mean regular, everyday people, then not really. Everyone is busy with their own lives, not many people really bother with waiting for the Avatar to come solve their problems.”

Korra tilts her head, contemplating his words. “I guess that makes sense.”

Mako nods, “Yeah, but it should be a relief in a way, right? People are living their lives, finding their own solutions. It takes some of the burden off your shoulders.”

Korra’s mind races with the thought of her own perceived shortcomings. After reading about Aang’s many accomplishments, she feels a deep yearning to make a difference, to leave her own mark in the world. “That’s a different way of looking at it.” She says to Mako.

They watch as the tram starts to make its descent from the mountain. “What do you mean?” Mako asks.

Korra sighs, “I’ve just been reading a lot about Aang, y’know, the Avatar before me. I just finished reading about Republic City and how he helped form it. I wonder if I’ll ever help with such an amazing and long lasting task.”

Mako chuckles, even Pabu chirps, “Korra that city is a mess. He should’ve honestly just demolished the whole thing before it even came to be.”

“And how do you know?!”

“Because… well,” he takes a deep breath. “I lied to you back at the ferry. I’m actually from Republic City.”

Korra giggles and keeps her smile, “I can’t be mad about that… I lied to you too. I’m not from Gaoling. I grew up most of my life in the Foggy Swamp.”

Mako doesn’t even know where that is, in fact, he doesn’t even know where Gaoling is too, and he doesn’t bother asking about them, he just says “Then I guess I can’t be mad either.”

Korra continues, “So wait, why is Republic City a mess? I know it had its troubles in the past, but I thought it was a place of diversity and technological innovation…”

Mako responds, “It’s true, the city is very diverse and advanced in a way, but it’s just full of corruption. Take it from me, I lived there my whole life. People only help the people they know, and everyone is always in a hurry trying to come up in life. It’s so annoying.”

This kind of information is new to Korra and she doesn’t know how to react. Mako tries to change the subject, “But anyway, how’s your firebending going?”

Korra’s smile fades and she sighs, “Ugh, not well I’m afraid. I did come close to it yesterday, but I just felt this painful warm sensation in my palms. It was a mess, just like your city.”

The tram comes to a halt, and they step off into the bustling streets of Harbor City. It was the morning time and the marketplace is alive with vendors and buyers and the scent of spices and salty sea air.

Pabu leaps over to Korra’s shoulder as Mako tries to reach for the grocery list in his pocket while one hand holds the basket on his shoulder. “Alright, we need to find these items, and let’s try to be quick.”

Korra nods and they walk through the market. Mako spots a vendor selling fire peppers and makes his way over. “Excuse me, can I get ten pounds of fire peppers?”

The vendor weighs out the peppers and hands them to him. “That’ll be 25 silvers.” The vendor says. Mako thinks it’s too expensive, but the money isn’t his anyway, so he hands the vendor 25 silver pieces from the pouch and takes the peppers, adding them to the basket.

Thinking back to the papers on world economics, Korra asks the vendor why it costs 25 silvers. The vendor says to her “1 pound of fire peppers costs 10 copper pieces.”

She interrupts the vendor, “And a silver piece is equal to 5 copper pieces, so that’s 20 silvers!”

The vendor raises a brow, “And then you add tax, young lady! That’s 5 coppers, so one additional silver piece.”

Korra narrows her eyes, “Oh, right, taxes.” And nods, accepting the explanation.

They move on, finding a stall selling citrus fruits and approach the vendor, asking her for a dozen. The lady nods and starts picking them out. “That’ll be 15 silvers.”

“And the five is for tax?” Korra asks mockingly, and the lady’s head tilts to one side with an indifferent expression. She clasps her hands together with a smile, with one hand resting on top of the other. She responds to Korra, “Correct.”

Mako hands over the money and takes the bag of fruit, adding them to the basket. “You really know your economics, huh?” He says jokingly.

Korra shrugs, “I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately.”

As they continue through the market, Korra spots a stall selling various types of honey. “I think that’s where we’ll find the fire honey,” she says, pointing.

They approach the honey vendor, and Mako asks, “Do you have fire honey?” And the vendor confirms. Mako asks for five jars as per the list, and the vendor tells him that it will cost 10 silvers per jar.

Korra yells, “10 silvers?!”

The vendor glances at her and crosses his arms, “These are imported from the Earth Kingdom, they’re made from bee wasp honey and especially mixed in with spicy herbs from Shu Jing!”

“It’s still a lot!” Korra says. “Make it 6 per jar and we’ll buy an extra one!”

The man responds, “9 per jar.”

“Seven.”

“Nine!” The man reaffirms.

“Korra, what are you doing, let’s just get these and go!” Mako mutters.

“He’s cheating you, Mako!”

“Cheating him?! Young lady, that’s gonna be 10 silvers for five jars. Take it and go.”

Mako pays and carefully places the jars in the basket. “Woah, Korra. You need to calm down, it’s not like you’re paying out of your own pocket.”

Korra scoffs, “I still think it’s way too expensive, and you’re getting 5 jars, he should be generous.”

Mako chuckles, “Well, what did you expect? We’re in the capital, everything is bound to be expensive here.”

They continue on, crossing off the rest of the list, visiting the butcher’s stall and others, and when the shopping is complete, no money was left in the pouch, almost as if Rei knew exactly how much each item would cost. They head back towards the tram. As they walk through the market, Pabu suddenly perks up, his nose twitching as he catches a whiff of something delicious. He scurries down Korra’s shoulder and runs, leading them towards a stall selling roasted meat skewers.

Korra laughs, following Pabu. “Looks like someone’s found something he likes.”

Mako sighs, “I swear he eats anything and everything.”

The vendor at the stall grins at them, “Ah, your little friend has good taste. These are roasted dragon lizard skewers. Best in the market. Only 2 silvers each.”

Korra looks at the skewers, then back at Pabu, whose beady eyes are wide with anticipation. She doesn’t have any money with her, and Mako frowns, “I’m out too, and the pouch is for groceries anyway.”

Korra’s face falls as she looks at Pabu. “Sorry, buddy. Maybe next time.”

The vendor, noticing their disappointment, thinks for a moment. “Tell you what, I’ll give you one skewer for free. Can’t resist those eyes.” The vendor says as he glances at the fire ferret.

They thank him and give the skewer to Pabu, who happily munches on it, chirping with delight. They then make their way to the tram and seat themselves.

Waiting for the tram to start ascending, Mako tells Korra “By the way, I haven’t told you, I’m a firebender, in case, y’know… you need help with your training.”

His comment amazes her and she asks him to come with her to the training courtyard. He tells her he will only be able to at night after they close up the kitchen. They agree to meet tonight.

Korra goes to the library with Pabu to start reading Roku’s journals.

Fire is the opposite to Korra’s first element, water. She started waterbending before turning seven years old, back when they lived in the Southern Water Tribe. This has caused her to become more accustomed to turning water cold, being able to easily control its temperature to turn it into ice. The two main styles of waterbending she was taught by her mother mainly involved ice, and the Foggy Swamp style is about quickness and precision, as well as manipulating the water inside plants without extracting it. Some call that technique plantbending, but it’s really just controlling the water inside plants, meaning that it does not give you the ability to grow a plant directly from a seed. For a flower to grow, it would need more than water. It would need nutrients from soil, sunlight for photosynthesis… etc.

Plantbenders can, however, stimulate plant cells directly, promoting rapid growth and healing. This is done at various stages of a plant’s growth. Mature seeds are often extremely dry and need to take in significant amounts of water to moisten. Plantbenders can stimulate the cells with enough water, not too much to soak it, to speed up the germination process, stimulating the growth of roots and shoots to establish a strong foundation, ensuring that seeds sprout quickly and uniformly, provided that they are growing under the right environment with oxygen, light, and temperature.

By simply stimulating the cells of a plant, plantbenders can ensure that a plant has enough energy and resources to produce, and if a plant has been damaged by pests, weather, or human activity, stimulating the cells in the affected areas can promote rapid healing and recovery. Back home in the swamp, Senna has taught Korra plantbending as most of the swamp’s inhabitants use plantbending techniques to help with their crops.

Korra sits herself in the high-backed chairs in the library and unrolls Roku’s scrolls. Zenzo instructed her to read his journals because water was his natural opposite, an element that has always been Korra’s essence. Korra reads that water was Roku’s antithesis, an element that refused to obey him, and training in the cold region of the North Pole wasn’t helping him either. He was from the Fire Nation Capital and an excellent firebender, a true son of fire.

There were two factors that helped him learn waterbending, Korra reads. First, he needed to stop trying to assert his dominance over the element. Water is about harmony and flow, and most importantly, adaptability. He was taught to listen to the water and feel its rhythm and let it guide him. It is not an element that one creates themselves. You do not exert your will over water, you simply let it guide you, and it’ll come to you.

The second factor that greatly helped Roku was to embrace the balance within himself, to do that, his master taught him how to keep his chi paths open and constantly flowing, never to concentrate chi in one part of his body. Waterbending techniques, unlike firebending, often focus on flowing movements.

As Korra is reading, the door to the library opens and Azumi walks in, who had just returned from the Academy. Korra gleams, “Hey there, how was school?”

“Same as always.” Azumi used to look forward to going to school, but ever since Korra arrived, she’s been wanting to spend more time with her, and now school seemed like a waste of time. She walks closer to Korra, “How are the journals? You found anything helpful?”

“Well, he talks about his struggle to learn waterbending. He says that waterbending was especially challenging for him and that it was his natural opposite. I only just started.”

Azumi smiles, “I’ll leave you to it, then. I’ll go freshen up and eat something. You want anything?”

“No, thanks.” And proceeds with the next scroll, reading that Roku mainly relied on his own chi to generate fire. His chi pathways were conditioned to produce intense heat and power, making it difficult for him to channel the cooling, fluid energy required for waterbending. His initial attempts at waterbending often resulted in boiling water or evaporating it entirely, a testament to his internal struggle to adapt his chi flow.

She unrolls the next scroll. Roku here talks about the power sources for the elements. It was easy for him to learn earthbending and airbending quickly because the power source was right there for him; earthbending is earth and airbending is air. For firebending, the power source is the sun, which is a constant and reliable source of energy to them. Waterbending, however, worked differently than all other three, and that was his main challenge and the final key to unlocking waterbending.

Waterbending requires two things: a water source and the moon, and can be influenced by the moon’s phases. Roku’s reliance on internal power made him feel disconnected from the external requirements of water. He opened up his chi paths as his master taught him, but he was still inadequate. And even though he had immersed himself in the Water Tribe’s culture, living among them for several years and learning their ways, he couldn’t control the element with ease just yet.

Recognizing the moon’s influence on waterbending, he began to practice during the night, especially during the full moon. He developed a nightly routine of meditating under the moonlight, feeling the lunar energy. He soon developed a connection with the moon, and as he meditated in the night, he could feel the moon’s influence on the tides, pushing and pulling, and so Roku pushed and pulled, and water finally obeyed him.

Azumi returns to the library late in the afternoon with snacks. Korra gets up and stretches, “Ahhh… So like, I always thought I would learn firebending easily,” she tells Azumi. “All this natural opposite stuff is news to me.”

Azumi sits down and pats Pabu, whose stomach is full after eating the dragon lizard skewer whole, “I get what you’re saying. I read about many past Avatars, and a lot of them thought they could master an element because it seemed like it represented their personality well.”

Korra grabs one muffin snack, still standing. “Exactly,” she grabs a bite. “Mmmm, I mean, I think I’m fiery and passionate, a walking ball of fire, don’t you agree?”

“Okay, look, you are. But it’s about the technicalities of the elements. The source of power, your chi… and maybe philosophy too, which I think you got that covered, being passionate and all. Aang couldn’t pick up earthbending easily, because he wasn’t physically strong, he wasn’t stubborn like the element.”

Korra finishes her muffin. “Alright, I read his training journals and I think I’ve got an idea. Let’s go to the training grounds.”

Azumi’s face lights up with curiosity. “What kind of idea do you have?”

Korra grins, a determined glint in her eyes. “I think I’ve already done all the chi requirements. I think I need a new approach to firebending, like how Roku embraced the moon for waterbending. Maybe I need to tap into the source of fire’s power – the sun, before it sets that is.”

As they walk towards the training grounds, Pabu scampers along, occasionally darting ahead and then circling back to them. It was late in the afternoon but the sun still cast long shadows, providing a warm, golden light.

Azumi sits on the steps with Pabu perched on her shoulder, and Korra stands in the center of the training courtyard. Taking a deep breath, just like how Zenzo taught her, feeling the sun’s warmth on her skin. She begins to move through a series of forms, slower and more deliberate than usual. She no longer relies on muscle. She focuses on her breathing, feeling the heat of the sun merge with her internal energy. With each movement, she visualizes fire releasing.

After a few minutes, she starts to sweat heavily and all she feels is a growing heat in her arms. She frowns in concentration and tries again but the result is the same – her palms and arms heat up, but no fire emerges. “I thought focusing on the sun’s energy would help, but it feels like I’m just heating myself up.”

Azumi, sensing Korra’s growing frustration, gets up and steps closer. “Okay, okay. Stop. I’ve got an idea myself. Remember how Roku could only boil water at first?”

“Azumi, you’re a genius!” Korra exclaims, to which Azumi blushes. They both walk up to the fountain in the training courtyard, the water is clear and sparkling in the late afternoon sun. Korra stands in front of it and takes a deep breath, focusing on the water. She extends her hands over the fountain, trying to channel her internal heat towards the water.

At first, nothing happens. Then, slowly, bubbles start to rise from the bottom of the circle-shaped fountain. The fountain is wide, and the water begins to steam, not just close to Korra, but all around the fountain. Korra can feel the heat intensifying in her arms. She continues to concentrate, and the water starts to boil vigorously. Encouraged, she breathes pushes further, her determination growing.

Azumi watches with amazement. “You’re doing it! Keep going!” And Pabu leaps off her shoulder and runs back.

Korra narrows her focus, feeling the energy surging through her. The water bubbles fiercely, and steam rises in thick clouds as if something is burning wildly. She breathes and pours more heat into the fountain, and suddenly, all the water begins to evaporate rapidly. Within moments, the fountain is completely dry, the water entirely evaporated into the air.

Azumi jumps clapping, “You did it!”

Korra smiles, a mix of relief and excitement washing over her. “It’s not exactly firebending, but it’s a start, I guess. I can feel the energy coursing through me.”

Azumi nods enthusiastically. “It’s progress! It’s a great step. Now you need to channel that heat in the form of fire.”

They sit down on the steps waiting for Mako to come. Korra tells Azumi a little about him from what he told her today, and Azumi nods. “He’s not wrong, Republic City has become a twisted dream. My brother works in the Republic Counsel, actually. I’ve visited the city a few times before, and I’m conflicted on my opinion about it.”

“How so?” Korra asks.

“Well, it’s awe-inspiring for sure. So many skyscrapers, you walk there and you feel like you’re being sandwiched by tall buildings. A lot of vehicles, a lot of new technology like radios, but the poor population far outnumber the rich and the crime rate in there is really high.”

“Hmm, the population doesn’t sound much different than Ba Sing Se’s.” Korra says.

“Oh, look who’s been reading.” Azumi responds sarcastically, gently nudging Korra. “Well, the difference is that everyone should have a chance in Republic City, it’s a democracy after all, but not much seems to have changed after Aang passed away.”

Mako arrives when the sun sets. The kitchen hasn’t closed yet, but there wasn’t much work tonight and Rei dismissed him, believing the boy needs to rest.

He didn’t encounter any troubles walking through the palace’s courtyard. He walked from the back all the way to the royal apartments’ courtyard. He was a little surprised none of the guards questioned him, but also relieved and happy. Pabu notices his arrival and runs to him, leaping to his shoulder and licking his cheek.

“Hey Mako!” Korra shouts, and he walks over to them. He is a year younger than the two of them, but already stands as tall as the two. Azumi stands up to greet him with a smile, and he recalls meeting her the last time. He blushes as he stares her down. She wore a maroon, sleeveless shirt that showed her arms, it was summer after all, a belt just below the waist, and creamy white pants that are puffed at the thighs, tucked into tall, brown socks with black, shiny shoes.

“H-hello, Princess.” He says nervously.

Azumi smiles gently, her hands interlaced below her waist. “Please, you can just call me Azumi.”

He smiles back, scratching his head and trying to avoid eye contact, blushing still. They sit him down with them, Korra in the middle, Azumi to her right arm, Mako to her left. Azumi comments, “Pabu seems to really love you.”

Korra follows up, “Yeah, every time he sees you, he runs all excited.”

Mako smiles, his eyes gleaming as if remembering a dear memory. He places Pabu on his lap, “We go way back, me and this little guy.”

Azumi asks, “How did you find him? They’re an endangered species, very hard to find in the wild nowadays.”

“I didn’t find him, it was my brother.” He swallows, “My little brother begged me to rescue him. He was caged, ready to be sold in the black market in Republic City. Ugh, we went through heaps to rescue him and he lived with us under the care of my brother.”

Korra’s expression softens, “Aww.” Then asks, “Is your brother waiting for you back home?”

Her question ruffles him a little, and he isn’t sure what to say exactly, but says it. “My brother is dead, and Pabu’s been following me around ever since, not that I wanted him to honestly.”

A silence falls over them, the weight of Mako’s words hanging in the air. Korra and Azumi exchange a glance, Korra unsure of how to respond.

Azumi gently places a hand on Mako’s shoulder, “I’m so sorry, Mako.”

Korra’s expression saddens. She had already told Azumi, might as well tell him, “I’m sorry to hear this Mako. I- I lost my father too, and it wasn’t an easy loss… You’re not alone anymore.”

Mako looks up, meeting her gaze. The sincerity in her eyes brings a small, grateful smile to his face. “Thanks.” He says.

Korra tries to lighten the mood, standing up, “Alright, tomorrow I’m releasing that flame! I’m doing it!” Her stomach growls as she stands firmly in her ground. Azumi and Mako laugh.

“Your stomach doesn’t agree with you.” Azumi says.

Korra turns back, “My stomach would love some komodo chicken. Mako, you wanna have dinner with us?”

“Oh, I don’t know, I don’t want the Fire Lord to see me inside the palace.”

“We haven’t seen my mother in a week, you’ll be fine, come with us.”

They take him with them to the dining hall, where the servants bring in soup for appetizer and komodo chicken with white rice for the main course. The dinner service was pretty light tonight. Not many important people were visiting as the elections in Republic City ended and everyone wanted to meet the new President. The Fire Lord and the Chancellor wanted to go too, but she had the matter of overseeing her husband’s new designs for the housing complex they plan to build in one of the islands.

Once the trio finished their dinner, they all go to the library. Korra sits down to read more papers, and Azumi resumes her studies. Mako glances around the bookshelves, scanning through them for any books on lightning, but finds none.

“Umm, Azumi.” Mako speaks.

“Yes?” Azumi replies, looking up from her book.

He isn’t sure if he should ask, this might not work in his favor, it might bring attention to his cause. He wanted to ask if there are any books about lightning, but then gets a better idea. “Are there any books on the creation of the Fire Nation?”

“Sure, there are several.” She gets up and leads Mako to a section filled with historical texts. She pulls out a large, ornate book and hands it to him. “This one is a comprehensive history of the Fire Nation. It covers everything from the Fire Lord to the current day.”

Mako takes the book and thanks her. He opens it, flipping through the pages, some have drawings in them. He skims the chapters on early history and military campaigns, hoping to find any mention of lightning. As he reads, he does find mentions of past Fire Lords and other royal family members who wielded the power of lightning, but none of the chapters mention how the technique is used, only when it was used and why. He reads about many princes and princesses who wielded that power and were able to subjugate their enemies with it.

The more he reads, the more he feels frustrated. The history is rich and detailed, but it’s very clear that the secrets of lightning are closely guarded, not to be found in this book. He continues to read anyway, going through each Fire Lord from past to present, all of whom he remembers reading their names in the tombs he visited yesterday, each having testimonial scrolls next to their grave.

Korra, noticing Mako’s furrowed brow, looks up from her papers. “Find anything interesting?”

Mako nods slightly, “Yeah, there’s a lot of history here, complicated for sure.” He looks up at Azumi, “So, the first name mentioned in this book is Fire Lord Gonryu. Says here that he lived during the era of Yangchen, but wasn’t the Fire Nation created long before that?”

Azumi nods, “Yeah, this book doesn’t cover all of my ancestors. If you want more, there’s another one with the rest of them,” she points to one shelf. “Right there in the fourth shelf.”

He grabs the book and opens it, finding the same style of writing as the other one and the same type of information, and again, all of their names are familiar to him until he reaches the most ancient of these Fire Lords, the first one, the progenitor, the ancestor to all past Fire Lords, and the creator of the Fire Nation. It turns out it was a man, not a woman, who unified the Fire Islands under his rule. The man’s name was Yosor, and Mako could not remember seeing a tomb bearing such a name.

He grins. Yosor, you might just be my ticket, but where are you?