The Last Goaltender [Korra SI]

[Historian]

Air Temple Island, Republic City

Two months before Book One

Calm waves batted against the shore, air flowing through the sky as Tenzin, son of Aang, let his breath leak out into the room around him. Fists tight together, he let his mind clear, and sat in silence as the world around him seemed to simply melt away. It was a peace. A tranquility. All was well. Soon enough, he would have to leave - head far south to the Southern Water Tribe.

In the mean time, he could relax. He let his eyes open - and saw the waves twisting and turning in the bay. He stood, and heard the horn of a ship's departure clanging in the distance. Perhaps, had it not departed, this story would've been quite a short one. Above, in the sky, he heard a rush of wind - and the scream of a loud and fearful voice. A single black dot seemed to be falling from the sky, its shape not unlike a man's. He glanced back at the temple - regretting not bringing his air glider. He rushed, hard, heading towards where he'd left it at the temple steps. A few acolytes saw him, stepping aside as he turned the air behind him into a rushing force - launching him to the top steps. He grabbed the glider with a dexterous hand - "Dad? Where're you going?" Jinora asked, sitting in the yard with a book.

"No time!" Tenzin shouted. "Grab your glider!" He shouted, snapping his own open. Pleated quilting of orange thread met his eyes, the ruffles designed to catch air bent by the Air Nomads of old. As Tenzin took flight, the whole of Air Temple Island was visible. The great spire rose behind him as he flew - the falling man resolving more and more - several small rock-like things and… what appeared to be a stick, also falling. The man was handling his fall well, spread in an X-shaped position and glancing around through some sort of mask.

His eyes quickly spotted Tenzin, and he moved his right arm in a waving motion. "Any help?!" He shouted, his voice muffled in the air. Tenzin flew higher, meeting him in the sky and matching his fall. They had a solid minute before impact. "Shit!" The man shouted amongst the wind. "Are you, like, Tenzin?!" The man shouted.

"I am!" Tenzin replied. "We're going to need to get you to safety!"

"Nah, man!" The man shouted through his mask, pointing at his neck with an oversized pad-glove. "I'm already dead, this must be the afterlife or somethin! Skate cut my jugular!"

"Nevermind that!" Tenzin said, ignoring the man's ravings. "We're going to get you down safe. How much of that gear can you remove?"

"I only weigh like 140 to begin with, dude! Can't be that hard to keep my pads, they were expensive!" The man yelled back. Tenzin took hold of his arms. In the distance below, Jinorah was rising fast, and reached out an arm to snag one of the falling objects. She held a bag in her hands, quickly gathering up some of the other items.

"Thanks, Jinora!" The man said. Tenzin let the glider reopen, and they slowly glided to a slower speed. The man was a short one - perhaps five feet and five inches. "Hey, is Korra here yet?" He continued to ask questions like this - confusing Tenzin all the more as they glided in for a landing. Acolytes, lead by Pema, seemed to be gathering in the courtyard. Dropping the man, his weight hard to maintain, Tenzin flipped his staff shut and touched down.

The man seemed to snap his legs together, the padding on them providing a soft landing as he touched down. His feet were covered in a strange boot, a metal blade on the bottom. Some sort of ice skate. His mask was a twisted mess of metal bars, almost as if it was to prevent rocks or bricks from cracking into it. One glove of his huge frame seemed to be some strange catching device - wide and flexible. The other was a simple brick of leather, with a glove to manipulate things with.

The crowd had seemingly surrounded him, the man looking at the floor as he let his pads slide off to his sides, creating a horseshoe of padding across the ground. Tenzin stepped before him. "How did you know so much about us?" Tenzin asked. "About Korra? Me? My children?"

The man looked up, his blue eyes pleading from behind the helmet. "Shit, man." The man said. "It's all a cartoon. Moving pictures - voice actors. Spirits and magic powers - Avatars and Lion Turtles." He stood up, wincing as his metal skates scraped against the ground. Even with them, he stood only to Tenzin's lips, staring up into his eyes. Jinora took her landing, as well, dropping the bag next to him.

"You seem to know quite alot." Ikki said, stepping forward. Tenzin's children seemed to rush out like a swarm, poking and prodding, asking questions. "What's this thingy for?"

Meelo tossed a rock at him. The man snapped out his catching glove, grabbing the flying rock from mid air without even moving his torso. He swung his arm bringing it tight to his chest before dropping the rock to the ground.

Tenzin had many questions.

There were fewer answers.

After pestering, Pema finally asked the question half the temple had been itching for - "So, what's your name?" She asked. The man reached up with his blocking glove and slid the mask on top of his head. His hair was shorn short, but his high forehead made him look as if his hair was receding. A tightly shorn beard adorned his face, and a pair of blue eyes looked past ruddy cheeks to answer the question: "Oh, I'm Al. Nice to meet you!" He said, stuffing the blocking glove under his arm and sticking out a hand. The man smelled strongly of sweat, and the small white gloves beneath his larger gloves were wet to the touch. "Sorry. Gear's a mess - before I died I was playing a game. Doing pretty sweet, too!"

"What kinda game do you play?" Meelo asked, preparing another rock. The man dropped his legs outwards, sticking up the blocking glove with his stick now in-hand. He set it down between his legs, catching glove up. He quickly snapped his mask down. Meelo grabbed a few other rocks, setting them in a pile.

"Well, y'see - there's this big platform covered in ice, with some boards surrounding it. Sorta like a fence. That's an ice rink. There're two goals on either end, with some goal lines and other paint beneath the ice to determine where everything starts off." Meelo threw the first rock, low, and Al dropped to his knees, the pads flaring out and knocking away the rock. Meelo threw another one quick, and Al's blocker glove whacked it away. A third and fourth came, rapid and high - One to a glove, the other the helmet. All of them clattered to the ground.

"So how'd you… die?" Jinorah asked, finally speaking. Al caught the last rock, standing up and raising his mask. He tapped his stick against the ground a few times before removing his catching glove and pointing to his neck. To everyone's notice, a long red scar ran along his neck. "Sliced my jugular wide open. I probably bled to death - or I'm passed out in some hospital on my way back to the land of the living. Not a bad afterlife, though - Air Temple, all buddhist monk-like. Maybe when the harmonic convergence hits I'll be an Airbender."

Tenzin had a hard time understanding half of what the man was saying - and the other half was news that inspired and frightened him in equal measure. "Anyways - not a big deal!" Al shouted out. He removed his helm, stuffing it into the large bag next to him, alongside his blocker and catcher. He took off the undergloves as well, spraying some strange liquid from a glass container onto his hands and rubbing them together. A pleasant odor began to waft into the air around him.

"What's that?" Jinora asked.

"Cologne!" Al said, turning to her. "Pretty cool stuff. Smells nice. You guys don't have perfumes or colognes?"

"We do - though they're less common for those not of royalty." Tenzin said, finally rejoining the conversation. "It appears you're a man of many talents - and clearly not from this world. I'd like to learn more from you: and would like to offer you hospitality here upon Air Temple Island."

Meelo, who was rummaging in the bag as Tenzin spoke, popped his head out with Al's helmet on. The stars and stripes on the side were on the front, and Meelo was looking out through one of the straps of the backplate. "Will you please?! I wanna learn hockey!" The boy said.

Al shrugged. "Might as well."

And so began the tale of…

==The Last Goaltender==

==

A/N: This is insanity and I give no f#!ks.​

 

[Historian]

Air Temple Island, a Week later

"So - what kind of food do you like?" Ikki asked. Al had shed his gear long ago - replacing it with the calm and flowing attire of an air acolyte. His only image of home was a small sash-like bag he carried with him - and some blue box in his hands. It glowed with multicolored light, and he tapped on its screen in rhythm.

"I dunno. Probably nothing we could make here. Hamburgers? Chicken? Maybe some salad if I'm feeling it." Al said, letting out a frustrated snort at his box and stuffing it in his sash-bag. He moved the weird slippy-device along its track, creating just enough of a gap to toss the box in through.

"What's a hamburger?" She asked.

"Think of like a bunch of compacted meat into like a disc shape." Al said. They stopped in front of an open window, air flowing calmly through as the sea spray kicked up over the rocks. It was a cooling feeling - one nice to have in a time like this.

"Oh. We don't eat meat. Whaddya do on that box?" Ikki finally asked. Al smiled.

"I play games." He said.

"What kinda games? Doesn't seem like much of one." Ikki replied. She tugged at the bag. "Can I play?"

Al looked at her, smiling. "Hardly. It'll run out of battery!" He said. A few acolytes calmly walked down the hall - but Ikki saw them gawking at the new arrival - he was the only one with hair, regardless of its stubbly length. It was shorn short on the sides in a style Al called 'High and Tight' - apparently it was popular with soldiers or something back in his homeland.

"What's a battery?"

"Stores energy."

"What's energy?"

"What you run out of when you get tired."

"Can I get some batteries on me? I like playing!" Al stared at Ikki, crossing his arms. He reached in his sash-bag, retrieving some strange black can with a green E turned sideways. "Ooh! What's that?" Ikki asked.

"This is an energy drink. I only have the one - tastes pretty bitter, but it'll give you a crazy kick when you drink it."

"I don't wanna get kicked!" Ikki said. Al let out a laugh.

"Neither do I - it's metaphorical." He said. Ikki cocked her head. "Like, not literally." More confusion. "Pretend?"

"Oh." She said.

"Yeah." Al replied. "Want it?"

"Sure!" Ikki took it, and stared at the weird metal tab. "How do I open it?" Al tapped the tab.

"Just pull." It snapped open with a hiss, and some foam fizzled out. She stared at it with a face of confusion, and drank a little. Her face twisted and she gulped it with some difficulty.

"It tastes gross!" She said.

Al smiled at that. "I think so too - like stockholm syndrome for your mouth." Ikki's confused face became something of a regularity, really. They talked for some time - Ikki slowly getting more and more energetic by the gulp. It was nice - Al was nice. Like Dad, but less stuffy and serious. He said funny words and knew lots of things - but ultimately all he seemed to want was to have fun.

They set off through the corridor, a few air nomads parting as they moved. The respect they held for Ikki as a true airbender was only compounded by the exotic nature of the newcomer: a mixture of wisdom, knowledge, and crassness that seemed to perplex all around him. "So, how old are you? Because you seem kinda young looking - but you talk like an old wise man."

"Nineteen." Al said, turning the corner into the open yard. A few seagulls were fluttering overhead - Tenzin was long gone with Meelo and Jinora to visit the council, and Pema was seeing a doctor. Acolytes sat in meditation at the temple - but otherwise, silence and peace.

"That's young!" Ikki shouted. "You must be like Jinora. But Jinora doesn't like having fun. Or playing games. She pretty much just likes books and Dad's stories."

"Meh." Al said. He said that alot. "I was a shutin when I was younger. Books, video games, the works. People like that either loosen up or tighten up - and something tells me your sister will grow into more freedom. Adult freedom, but freedom all the same." He looked a million miles away. Like he was remembering things. His home was far removed from here - and going back wasn't an option.

Ikki knew then that Al felt lost. Memories only hurt. That was a sadness she could never understand. She reached out a hand and patted the sleeve of Al's robe. "Hey! Wanna play catch?"

Al cracked a smile.

==​

"SAVE BY AL!" A voice shouted. He rolled, coming up with the catching glove high, a rock trapped inside it. He dropped it to the floor, using the stick to whip the rock back at Ikki. A small crowd had gathered. His first act as citizen of Air Temple Island was to lash several long sticks together into a goalpost, finding some fishing netting to create his little fortress. People flung rocks and little woven balls at him - it was all the same. His pads, stick, and gloves stopped them all.

The rush of air accompanying a landing bison rolled across the ground, and Al snapped up his mask to wave at Tenzin, his family offloading in myriad form. Pema was helped down by her husband, with Meelo and Jinora exiting with haste. Meelo threw three woven balls - a new acquisition from the city - and Jinora did her best to jump out of the way.

Al dove, swatting one away and letting the other bounce off his helmet. The third drove between his legs, redirected from his pads by a gust of air. It slid through, between, and a yell went up from the crowd. Meelo yelled out, "And the crowd goes wild! Score!" He let out a few laughs and ran up to Al, giving him a punch in the blocker. The man let his shoulders slump as he landed, a mess of black and blue pads under a blue and yellow jersey.

"Good shot." Al said. He let his stick drop as Jinora and Pema headed off to quarters, leaving Tenzin to approach the collapsed goaltender. "How was the city, Master Tenzin?" Al asked as he rolled to a sitting position.

"Worse than I'd like. Politics are tense, as usual, and the Earth representative is arguing with Water once again. Something about land and air versus sea transit. Fire nearly had to intervene to break the deadlock before I sorted things." Tenzin said, patting Meelo as he ran around collecting rocks. The crowd began to disperse in good order, leaving the pair to speak as Ikki moved the goal back to a small shed where Al's gear was kept.

"Such as it is." Al said. "You said you wanted to speak to me after you got back?"

"I did." Tenzin replied. "You said you can divine some of the future?"

"One pathway." Al said. He stood, his skates long replaced with a pair of boots. "I have no guarantee the future won't be changed for every bit I can tell you. We should talk elsewhere, though - and with less gear on." He removed his glove and blocker, carrying them off to the clothes line outside the shed. They needed the drying.

Tenzin's office was surprisingly luxurious for a monk - with several shrines with effigies of old airbenders. The walls, beautifully carved with multiple shapes and fractals, encircled a central desk shaped not unlike a horseshoe. Books wrapped around the back of the room, the cases only interrupted by three great windows that looked out upon Aang Memorial Island - which stood proud over the bay. A testament to Aang's enduring legend. Tenzin looked wistfully at it as they entered. "Please." He said. "Take a seat."

Al, in his yellow acolyte robes, found his chair in the center of the horseshoe. "So." He finally said, watching Tenzin stroke his robe in thought. "What do you want to know?"

"Many things." Tenzin finally said. "The Avatar. How does she fare in your future?"

"Almost died three times so far." Al said. "First was Amon, the bloodbender. Son of Yakone. Runs a false flag anti-bending revolt called the Equalists. Councilman Tarrlok is his brother. Also a bloodbender. Amon took away her bending - it took the spirit of your father to rescue her from that fate." Tenzin turned to stare at him. His eyes were wide, and with plenty of incredulity. "Second was when Unalaq attempted to open the spirit world, and release the dark spirit Vaatu - antithesis of Raava, the spirit within the avatar. Only the Avatar can sunder the spirit portals back open, as happened with Avatar Wan when he imprisoned Vaatu and closed the portals millenia ago."

Tenzin took a seat, and sat in silence for a time, contemplating this. "So, then, if what you say is true, the Avatar cannot be brought here?" Tenzin asked.

"On the contrary." Al said. "She's the only one qualified to stop any of these from happening. Her fight against Unalaq and Vaatu ends the threat of Vaatu from ever destroying the world for good. She allows harmony between spirit and man for the future."

"But, Amon? The bloodbending?" Tenzin said. Al shook his head.

"Only the Avatar can utilize energy bending to unblock the chi damage caused by Amon's bloodbending. Korra can only be realized if she learns airbending - and that means bringing her here." Al replied.

Tenzin nodded. "And any proof that you're telling the truth? How can I trust you?"

"You dumped Lin Beifong because she couldn't get past her own personal hangups about settling down and having children. You wanted different things in life."

Tenzin stood. "How could you know that?" He asked. "Any of this? What tale would bother to go through such details?"

"In fairness, we only really see a bunch of you in the show because you're Aang's kid. This show's just a sequel to Avatar Aang and the war against the Fire Nation." Al said. "Sokka, Toph, Suki, Zuko, even some flashbacks to Roku and Gyatso." He smiled. "It was a good show - Aang's fight against Ozai was something to behold."

"So I heard. Uncle Sokka certainly did love to embellish when my father wasn't around." Tenzin said. "A world where everything possible to make up -is- made up, and movers can depict things impossible in their own world. Must be a terribly dull place."

"You'd be surprised. Some of the best television happens in real life." Al said.

"Like what?" Tenzin asked. Al reached into his robes, revealing a small metal tablet. He turned it around to reveal a glowing screen. Al pressed play on a small box within the screen, and it began to play a mover. Massive metal birds seemed to be flying through the sky, roaring on flaming engines. Metal trains seemed to move of their own volition, no benders in sight. Faster and more capable cars than could ever be seen drove through cities that made Republic City seem backwards.

All to transport hordes of people alien to anywhere but Ba Sing Se.

Glass filled huge buildings to the brim. Screen-boxes with boards full of letters were ubiquitous, with smaller hand screen-boxes letting people talk across longer distances. "I come from a different place." Al said. "And sometimes we need to get away from it all."

"With stories like ours." Tenzin said, taking the tablet. Al stood, pressing a few buttons. A stylized picture of himself appeared - being gnawed on by a stylized version of his son as he came in for a landing in a place filled with snow. His daughter's voice was playing: "Are we there yet?!" It shouted.

"With stories like yours." Al said.

 

[Historian]

The Same Day

​

The luncheon room on Air Temple Island looked surprisingly modern, Al thought, as he stepped inside. Dozens of wooden tables with simple sitting cushions in the place of chairs. A single window gave way to a stone kitchen, where a happy-looking acolyte was spooning out rice. Jinora pulled him along as he gawked at the sights, looking out the opened windows to the bay outside. The city looked nice at night. "And this is the lunch line. You've probably seen it. If Dad says to give you the real grand tour, though..." Jinora said, trailing off. She gestured with a bit of flair at the room.

"Wanna start with food?" Al asked, feeling his stomach rumble. He'd gotten used to eating at the hall times, rather than snacking. In truth, living here felt liberating. Like his death caused only good things to happen. The thought left him sad, though - and with each passing day without awakening he felt more and more alone. Even as he seemed to make friends.

"Sure!" Jinora said, stepping into line behind a few calmly-chatting acolytes. A younger one was running around their legs, but stopped to stare at the goaltender. Al waved. The kid waved back - resuming the sprint around his parents. "So I hear you like to eat meat?"

Al's face twitched. "Yup. Mostly steaks and the like - but salmon too. Nothing like a nice fish." He could use one, right now. Add to that more than a little brain bleach.

"I've never eaten fish." Jinora said. "Seems wrong to kill something for your own sustenance, when there're fruits and vegetables abounding." Al shrugged.

"Plants have cells and organelles just like us, Jinora. You always kill something to keep yourself alive - whether it can bite back is another question entirely." Jinora opened her mouth to ask a question - Al's finger snapped up as they reached the food line. Some rice and cooked kale was on the menu - a particularly good salad oil made the latter fantastic. "I'm not giving you a whole lesson on biology. Not today."

"But - you know so many cool things!" Jinora said. "What about the microscope? Can I use it on more things?" She asked. The pair continued past the line, finding a smaller table nearest a large-sized window. A freighter blew its horn passing Avatar Aang Island, and they both looked to watch it.

"Meelo is still trying to scare slugs with the scope. You'll have to ask him." Al said. "I don't want to deal with him stealing my hair anymore." He poked at the kale with a chopstick, grumbling as he tried to pick up a few leaves. Jinora snapped her own onto some rice, practically shoveling it in compared to Al's pace.

To an outside observer, it would've looked relaxed. Al's looked like a funeral dirge.

"You really need to get better at that." Jinora said.

"You really need to respect your elders, missy." Al retorted, poking his chopstick at her. "Sounds like your dad's having a hard time with what I told him." He said. "Wouldn't have me off being distracted otherwise."

"Do you feel distracted?" Jinora said. "Something tells me that isn't a very good distraction if you feel that way." Al stared at her, folding his hands.

"Absolutely not." Al replied. "I'm in no way distracted by having a horde of air acolytes stare at me all day." He turned around, and a dozen heads seemed to snap back to their food at once. "Nope!"

"They don't get out much." Jinora said. "We don't either, though, so don't feel bad. Republic City's a pretty crazy place."

"Don't I know it." Al said. He ate a mouthful of kale, speaking as he chomped. "You wait until-" He stopped. "-Nevermind. Prolly can't go 'spreading the future'."

"Daddy made it sound like that'd be a bad thing." Jinora said. Al shoveled down some rice.

"I tell you, though." Al said. "Once I teach you how to make some spoons, life will be revolutionized!"

==

The pair set off from the dining hall, descending the long steps towards the pier. No ships would come for at least a week, meaning it was essentially a giant empty space. Few people patrolled it - save Acolyte Wu, whose flowers grew in a small garden next to the pierside. Something about the right sunlight. Al took a seat, watching as the bronze sun stained the sky red. Jinora sat next to him.

"Do you miss home?" She asked, after awhile in silence. Al's smile seemed forced.

"We all miss home when we're not there. When we're there, we want nothing but to escape it." Al replied. "I'm sure this memory will be with me forever, when I wake up. The weirdest dream I've ever had."

"You think this is a dream?" Jinora said. She reached over, punching him in the arm. "Don't you feel that?"

"I could be hallucinating. Maybe I've taken brain damage?" Al said. "Lots of things make more sense than me appearing in a fictional universe, y'know - especially when I had my jugular sliced open. We only have so much blood."

"What if the spirits of your world sent you to ours, though? For a reason?" Jinora asked.

Al reached into his robes, revealing a small square of leather. He unfolded it, taking out a picture. On it was a man that looked just like Al - a bit older, fatter, wrinklier - but like him. Next to him was a smiling lady, and with them was a girl that could've been Al's sister. "What reason would take me away from them?" Al asked. His smile left. Only a thin crease remained. "I've done things in my life, Jinora. Things I'm not proud of. We all have."

He looked to the sky. The sun finally set, the horizon glowing a soft orange. "But if this is where I am, now?"

"What was the point?"

 

[Historian]

One month later

There's a big misconception in the series that Air Temple Island is small. It most certainly is not. Korra's boredom stemmed not from lack of things to do - but unwillingness to do them. For a man as ritualistic as a hockey goaltender, whose favorite hobby was being 'in the zone', the life of the Air Acolyte wasn't all that bad. Hey - maybe he liked his hair. Maybe he liked to be energetic - but he was calm when called upon. He worked diligently when asked - and answered all he was asked.

Tenzin chose to stop asking Al questions after only two more sessions of questions - after confirming, discreetly, that Tonraq was indeed a Bloodbender. Al was a good acolyte - and a friend to his children. Even with his youth, he seemed to hold wisdom. His only difficulties seemed to be with people his own age - with whom he had great difficulty integrating with.

Perhaps it was different upbringings - but when questioned upon his faith and beliefs, he retreated. It was as if he feared memory of his past. Few were as stoic and solid in their meditations, and he'd often be found simply staring at the sea. Tenzin stroked his beard. It was not long now until Korra would come. Al needed to be her ally - he himself was too old. She could, at least, find Al a confidant. Neither had lived in the world outside this temple - and in that, perhaps, they had something in common.

The reports from mother were another thing, though - and they worried him. Korra had an energy to explore the world. A lack of contentment. Al seemed to care only for three things - food, friendship, and sport. He cared little for else, preferring to spend his days teaching Meelo the basics of stick handling - having fashioned wooden poles into hockey sticks. Even now, Tenzin heard the clatter of wood on stone - no doubt Al had many of the acolyte children organized into a small game.

He set off from his study, arriving in the courtyard forthwith. Two goals were set on either side - children rushing with their robes muddied from the ground. It had rained only hours ago, and still they played, sandals covered in mud. A single thatch ball was making its way down the field - and Al was in one of the nets. The other had one of the older boys in, with specially woven pads worked on by Al in his copious spare time.

"Keep it up, Wong! Slow is smooth! Smooth is fast!" Al's voice boomed in the courtyard. His pads were muddy - his boots a wreck, and his mask's art long since faded from weather and striking. Wong pushed forward, slapping the ball left and right - finally raising the stick back.

Meelo appeared from nowhere - sprinting across the field, and snagging the ball. He rushed down the yard, ducking out of the way of an acolyte. "Make way everybody! Al's gonna lose today!" He shouted out, ducking between an older boy's legs. Tenzin suppressed a yell of support - and noticed Pema and the girls watching from the sidelines. A small crowd gathered yet again - hiding on pavement away from the mud and drizzle. "Here we go!" Meelo shouted.

His son reached up with the stick, driving it down as his face contorted in a wicked smile. Al's eyes were locked on it - no distraction - and Meelo drove it. Al dropped to his knees, snapping out his glove, and - "You cheated!" Al shouted.

The ball hit his glove, falling away without getting fully in the webbing. It fell, landing on top of Al's pads - and looked to be rolling forward: before a billow of wind seemed to change its direction. "It was the real wind!" Meelo shouted.

Al stood - wiping mud from his pads with his stick. He stepped out of the crease, tending the ball from the goal as he did so. "Yeah?" Al said.

"Yeah!" Meelo shouted back. "You're just a sore loser!" Al stared at him for a minute, the tension palpable. He whacked Meelo in the leg with the tip of his blade, getting some mud on him.

"Pretty much." Al said with a laugh. "Who else wants to play goal? I'm beat!" A score of hands went up. Al's eyes searched the growing crowd and found Tenzin's. The old man looked concerned.

"Meelo, you want it?" Al asked.

The boy rubbed his chin. "Do I get to shove people outa the crease?"

"Sure." Al said. "Don't hurt anyone." Meelo fistpumped, turning around.

"Wan! Shan-Ru! Get that defense put back together! We're burning daylight, ladies. Kyu! Where was your forecheck? I'm gonna do all the work in goal!" Meelo procured a whistle from nowhere, yelling loudly as the teams scrambled to their starting points. Meelo didn't get gear, since he liked to airbend too much: instead he had to stop the puck with the air itself. That might seem easy, for a skilled airbender like him: but it required a patience and discipline that the boy lacked.

So, basically even goaltending overall. Al approached Jinora, who was sitting on the steps watching. "You look bored." Al said.

"I'm not." She said, watching the game. Her voice was a little sullen. Al reached into his armor, retrieving a small piece of string with a silver whistle attached.

"You should referee." Al said. "All the watching, twice the fun." She looked up at him, taking the whistle.

"What do I do?" She asked.

"Kick people out if they break rules." Al said. "No punching, kicking, biting, knocking over if they aren't holding the puck, no hitting the goalie, no out of bounds..." Jinora nodded. "Take care." Al said. He paused a minute, and took off his jersey, handing it to her.

"What's this for?" She asked. Al smiled, walking away. She put it on - even with the smell - and stood up. Within minutes, she was arguing with half the yellow team about knocking over one kid while three quarters of the red team was in the box for tripping calls.

Al nearly shed a tear of pride. Tenzin looked to him as he approached, having doffed his gear in favor of a heavy robe. "Looks like you've got something to talk about, Master. Shall we head inside?" Al asked.

Tenzin shook his head, watching his daughter run around taking charge. "If only you had that way with people your own age."

"A little hard when you've been born in a whole different universe." Al said, rubbing his eyes. He had dark circles under them, like he'd been having trouble sleeping.

Tenzin frowned, reaching into his robe to retrieve a letter. He handed it to Al, who read through quite quickly. An accomplished reader, for certain. "Firebending complete?" Al asked.

"You know well what that means." Tenzin replied. Al nodded. The trip south would be a long one - and with Pema as she was Tenzin was uncertain as to their course of action. Especially with the threats in place across Republic City. Lin had been on the hunt, as he'd asked, but...

"Threats abound." Al said. "And we need her to stop them." His beard had grown a bit - and he rubbed it for a moment. A gentle breeze was bringing more rain in from the bay, and a gentle mist turned into a drizzle. Several people in the crowd began to retreat once more.

"But is it the best choice?" Tenzin asked.

"It's the only choice." Al said. "I know what'll happen if she's here. If we take away our only agency, the plot could go anywhere: and all the benders that lose their abilities thanks to Amon? They'll be gone for years or more."

Tenzin nodded. "You'll need to guide her." He said. Al gave him a quizzical look. "She won't trust me like she will you. That much is clear."

"I can't teach her airbending, Tenzin. I don't even know a fighting style." Al said. "And me being here only changes the plot further."

"This isn't a plot, Al." Tenzin said. "This is a reality." He reached into a pocket and handed Al a sheathed item. "My father kept a small stash of arms beneath the temple - and as the only one of us not sworn to true pacifism..."

Al withdrew the blade slightly, seeing it shimmer in darkness. Meteorite ore - like that of Sokka's blade. "This one has a history." I said.

"It belonged to my uncle." Tenzin replied. "Pure luck it was found, years after the fight against Ozai."

"I don't know how to use a sword." Al said, matter of fact. Tenzin raised a hand.

"You will." He said. "If the world is about to be as dangerous as you say, the unpredictable may happen. It is on you to keep the Avatar alive through it all - and the spirit of Raava intact." Tenzin stopped then, hiding his hands beneath his cloak. His eyes looked away. He was done talking.

Al looked at the sheathe, and clipped it to the belt he held beneath his robes. "I take it I'm coming south with you, when the time comes?" He asked.

"Pack your things." Tenzin said. A crackle of lightning lit the horizon. "We leave tomorrow, I suspect. There's a swordsmaster at the White Lotus compound - we'll be bringing him back with us."

"What's his name?" Al asked.

"Raiku. Sokka's grandson - a quiet boy. Nearly twenty-five, now. His parents were killed in the fight against Zaheer." Tenzin said. "He doesn't like to talk about his heritage. He won't know the relevance of the sword as you do - and he won't want it if you tell him."

It was the first new piece of information Al had heard since he'd arrived - and he felt it sting as the rain began to fall. He reached behind his head, pulling his hood up as Tenzin turned to approach Pema. As they spoke, Pema's face turned into a frown. Travelling with the baby was hard enough to reach the city. Heading all the way to the southern water tribe? That was something else entirely.

Al entered the walkway towards the acolyte's quarters, entering his room and closing the sliding door. He withdrew his blade, holding it in a ready stance. "I'm supposed to fight firebenders and chi-blockers with -this-?" He said, swinging it about. There was a beauty to its craftsmanship, to be sure, but...

How was he supposed to get close enough?

He reached into his bag, long forgotten, and withdrew his tablet. A silver apple met his eyes as it turned on, and he cocked his brow as it began to crackle with static. The speakers turned on, and a voice growled. "Hello, Al." It said. Al stared. "No need to speak. I'm sure you're confused.

The screen began to glow red and purple - a strange energy rippling out from it. "You know who I am." It said. "You know what I seek."

"And why would I help you?" Al asked.

"Because your only way home is to help me." Vaatu replied. "All my energy on one final gambit - to be free, and not possessed by Unalaq's machinations. I am not an anarchist's tool to destroy the world: I am an agent of darkness. A beast of chaos." A red eye seemed to stare from within it. "And you know well that chaos has its rewards, don't you?"

"And its hitches." Al replied. "I read Codex: Chaos Space Marines. Doesn't seem worth the effort."

"You'll see." Vaatu replied, his voice gravel. "Perhaps a taste of my power would suit you?" The energy faded away - the open screen of Al's iPad returning. A full three bars of Wi-Fi were in the top left, the power at 100% (Charging), and a single window open.

Al scrolled to the bottom, finding a whole box of text open, and tapped a few words onto the end.

"Woah. So fucking meta."

 

[Historian]

En Route to the White Lotus Compound

There's something calming about flight atop a flying bison - even if it's pretty cold. Air Nomad attire is built for altitude - thickly woven and flowing to allow a barrier against the heat. The outer shell protects - the inner shells warm. Like everything in the Air Nation, a dual design to serve a greater purpose. "All I'm saying-" Al said, his voice clear in the afternoon air, frost flowing from his mouth as he spoke. "-is that parachutes are a great way to survive falling in emergencies. Only five people in this world can call themselves airbenders - you, Ikki, Meelo, and Jinora. I say five, since Korra will learn in her own time."

"I don't think we'll be taking enough people by Sky Bison, or be so engrossed, as to need parachutes for our riders. I like the concept well enough - but I think the acolytes have better things to do than make and pack chutes to catch the wind." Tenzin replied. "Are they truly so valuable in your world?" He asked.

Al shrugged. If one counted basejumping, and paratroopers, and skydiving, and saving the crew of crashing airplanes - yeah, parachutes were important. They'd be important if he had any chance of trying to introduce new ideas to the world of Avatar. Sure - he couEld toy with the plot. He could follow stations of the canon - probably get killed. Behind door number two, however, was another choice - to become a titan of industry. Make money - build a company - and maybe get hockey distributed to the masses.

First, though, he had to convince Tenzin to help. That'd be no easy task. "You could certainly say so." Al said, answering triumphantly. His eyes peered off into the distance, and he saw a white haze on the horizon. "Is that the southern continent?" Al asked, struggling to see amidst the skyward haze. Loose fluff was everywhere, making it difficult to see much of anything.

"That it is." Tenzin said. It had been three days as the Bison flies - only some short sleeping breaks interspersed with calm flight across the far waters. A stop at the Southern Air Temple had been in order - and Al had made a few friends there. Apparently hang gliding was a major part of their lifestyle - trying to emulate Aang's glider. Al quickly introduced them to the idea of harnesses and thermal updrafts - which they took to in earnest.

By the time they'd left on the Bison, a single intrepid glider followed them nearly a mile before turning back - landing on the platform he'd left from to the applause of the gathered acolytes. Tenzin had been smiling all the way. "Think of it all, Tenzin." Al said, sitting next to him at the fore of the Bison. Ikki was chatting with her mother - Jinora nose-deep in a book, and Meelo sleeping in a meditative posture. Al noted the massive snot bubble from the cartoon was, in fact, real. "We could have Air Acolytes the world over flying."

"That we could." Tenzin said. "But you won't tell me why you're so adamant about the idea all of a sudden. Does it have to do with your lightbox Ikki keeps talking about?"

The snow below began to resolve - ice floes giving way to solid earth. Dozens of hearths began to wink out as the dawn gave way to day - locals in blue parkas and robes were already afoot - some fishermen on their dinghies already spearing for fish in the waters behind. "Yes." Al said. There was no point in lying, Tenzin was too wise for that.

"What is it?" Tenzin finally asked, after thinking. "I know you've had it - but why has it fascinated you now?"

"It's a computer - a library in a small package. Some sort of magic of my arrival has linked it with my old world - and I can pull up hordes of information. But chief amongst the things I've learned is this - I can't go home. Not without powers that only Korra or the darkest spirit of the world could possibly utilize. Korra won't be ready for years - and in the mean time, I'm going to need to do something."

"And your something is making parachutes?" Tenzin said, cocking a brow.

"As a start." Al said. "Then gliders for the general public. Then short-range biplanes. Monoplane four-passenger transports, a metal sky-bison, and eventually a twenty person twin-engined aircraft. One built for flying people across this world." He took out his iPad from a thigh flap, looking out to the fore momentarily. The golden tips of a temple were visible, slowly resolving into a walled compound in the distance. Al held up the picture of a DC-3 - coming in for a landing.

Tenzin looked at it for a moment, then back to Al. "You want to use the Air Acolytes to run a business?" He said, his voice devoid of emotion.

"I want the Air Acolytes to -have- a business, Tenzin. Imagine what you could do for Nomad culture if they're flying the world over? Delivering supplies to emergency situations, rescuing people trapped with helicopters - making lives better. Safer." Tenzin stroked his beard, turning Oogi as the Bison made its way onto a final approach.

"We'll talk about it later." Tenzin said. No crowds gathered - only a pair of figures waiting in the courtyard of the large temple. Large icy walls defended the place, wooden structures rising all over, the very ground paved over. A cold place - but a well-fortified one. White Lotus sentries patrolled the walls - a few staring straight at Tenzin as he came in, just over their heads. "I'm not saying no, Al. This choice, though, changes everything the acolytes stand for. They're monks - not businessmen. I won't make up their minds for them."

"All I'm asking is for no rejections out of hand." Al said. Meelo was awake, now - and climbed on Al's shoulders. His hands reached down, and he started rubbing Al's beard.

"Look, daddy! His beard's all prickly!" Meelo shouted. "Is your hair prickly too?" He asked, promptly rubbing his head in it. Al blinked. Some things you got used to - especially as Meelo began pulling on his ears to stay stable as Al stood up.

"Daddy!" Ikki started yelling. "Are we here?" She asked. "Are we here yet?!" This continued for some time.

Jinora climbed to the back of Oogi, and Al followed - his own personal sanity vampire now gnawing on his skull. An old woman, her hair long since greyed, stood smiling. Another stood slightly further back, hands behind her back. Her skin was a dark olive, hair jet-black. Both wore the navy parkas of the water tribe. Jinora slid down - quickly followed by Al and Tenzin - Ikki flipping down and landing in a whirl of snow.

"Mother!" Tenzin said, moving forward to hug Katara. Al knew already that she was the person in question - although hearing the words was different than knowing. "Help us." He said - and Al reached up to hand off Meelo.

"No! Don't give me away to strangers!" He shouted. "I'll be good! I don't even like candy!"

Tenzin frowned. "That's your grandmother, Meelo." He said. Meelo slumped in Katara's arms, looking at her. Katara smiled back, giving him a hug - and Meelo snapped to sleep like a bolt of lightning.

"He really wasn't that bad on the ride." Al said. Katara looked at him with some confusion.

"Is he-" Katara began. Tenzin nodded. "The man from the sky - who much loves his sports. You picked a good place to arrive, young man."

Al shrugged. "I could always have fallen in a volcano - anywhere's a good place comparatively."

"Fair enough." Katara said. Tenzin helped Pema down from the Bison. "Pema!" She said, stepping forward. "Another grandchild?" She said, reaching down to feel her belly. "She's strong. I sense another airbender in your future."

Pema's face dropped. "All I want is a non-bender." She said. "Like me. My little airbenders can blow wind in my face and fly away when they're in trouble."

"In fairness, they probably got the running away part from when we-" Ikki stopped making a snowman to charge over to Al.

"We do -not- stitch! You'll get snitches!" Ikki said, wagging a finger at Al.

"You've got that backwa-"

"You have it wardback!" Ikki shouted back - rushing back to hide behind her snowman.

Al glanced at the Aang family's adults, shrugging. The olive-skinned girl had gotten closer, and Tenzin had noticed her amidst the chaos. With Jinora asking about Zuko's mother and the rest distracted, it gave them the moments needed to speak, finally.

"Korra!" Tenzin said, stepping forward. Her face lit up immediately, and Korra rushed forward.

"Master Tenzin!" She shouted, hugging him. "I'm so glad you're here! I can't wait to get started." Tenzin glanced back at Al. The man had a frown on his face, pulling his gloves tighter and hood up. He walked toward Ikki - leaving the pair a moment alone.

"We'll have to speak to your masters." Tenzin said. "They may not like the circumstances I'll have to place upon your training." Korra looked confused, and Tenzin did not blame her. He wasn't sure of anything himself.

"What d'you mean? Aren't you staying? I have to learn-" Tenzin rose a hand.

"Korra." He said. "Your training is important - but your safety is just as much so. There are dark forces at work in Republic City - and I don't know if I can spend the time teaching you to the degree you require - or whether you'd be safe there." Tenzin turned back - watching Al ad more snow to Ikki's snowman as they talked. He seemed to be deliberately avoid being part of the conversation.

"How could I be in danger?" Korra said. "I'm the Avatar!"

"And you can't access the Avatar state. You know only three elements. More importantly - the forces at work in the city are targeting benders. You'd be their first and most important target - because they hate benders, and you're the ultimate bender." Tenzin said.

"So you're saying I can't learn with you?" Korra said.

"I'm saying the situation is dangerous, Korra." Tenzin lead her along - away from Oogi. Al snapped his fingers, leading the Bison away as Ikki followed - her high-pitched voice indicating Al'd be in for a treat. Katara and Jinora were long gone - likely to find Pema somewhere warm to rest.

A few hours later, everyone was gathered for lunch - Al finally doffing his hood as he entered, Meelo kicking him in the shins. "Come on! Power, Agility! You gotta fight harder to win in this game of hockey!" The little monster yelled. Al's face was one contorted in resignation, and he smiled at Tenzin as he sat.

"Meelo. Leave Al alone." Tenzin ordered, and the boy's big eyes stared at Tenzin's with sudden realization.

"Sorry, Daddy!" Meelo yelled, sitting down calmly at once of the place settings.

Korra entered the room from a side door, following the White Lotus Master with Katara not far behind. Korra approached where Al was sitting, landing next to him as the Lotus master took his seat next to Tenzin. Al looked over at Meelo, who looked past him at Korra.

"Hi Avatar-lady!" Meelo yelled. Korra looked over at him, waving, and glanced up to meet Al's eyes.

"Hi." Korra said. "I'm Korra."

Al nodded. "Al."

==Book One: Metal==​

 

[Historian]

White Lotus Compound

Pain's a wonderful feeling. That smash when you ram your skull straight into the icy ground? Priceless. I mean, so is your health. Well-being. Al certainly felt the latter were more important, as a wooden stick connected with his skull, sending him spiraling into a pile of snow. "Keep your guard up." A youthful voice said, poking Al in the back. "The ice may be slippery, but it keeps you mobile. Never plant your feet in a fight, except to strike. Always move." Al sprung to his feet, whirling about. Around him, the banners of the White Lotus ringed the training ground – some firebenders battling in one corner – a waterbender teaching others in another. In the middle, Raiku – Sokka's Grandson, and the first person Al had met who didn't look like an extra, stood. He was of average height, slim build, and clearly was fairer skinned than Sokka had ever been. Al hadn't had the heart to ask the quiet boy about his family – and he wasn't sure if he'd ever have the mental faculties to.

Their sticks crossed with a loud thwack. Al was a full-right goalie – meaning his left arm was very strong from holding his stick, but his right hand was more agile. Unlike Arya, however, he didn't feel like being fancy – and held his stick on his right. Raiku poked forward, the basket hilt of his practice stick protecting his hand as he parried Al away. If you say anything about a goalie – they're quick. Al dodged right, bringing his stick down hard. Raiku swung up, catching it on the downstroke and batting it aside. "Don't get too fancy." He said.

Al slapped forward, slicing and dicing, a flurry of blows – but they didn't accomplish much. Raiku practiced daily, and his sword arm was defter than Al's. Al felt his strength fading – and felt a hard tap to his sternum as Raiku tossed Al's weapon away once more. "Perhaps you're not getting it?" The boy said dryly. Al put his hands on his knees, letting out a steaming pant into the air. Mist coalesced around him, the pair's warmth visibly dissipating into the afternoon air. Al had only played in Canada outdoors a few times – and this felt far colder. Were it not for the walls, the wind would have given him frostbite by now.

"What am I not getting?" Al asked, standing up. Al was already short, and Raiku was roughly his size at fourteen. He was getting bigger, though – in two weeks of training, he'd already gained some height: and would probably hit six foot by the time everything was over. 'Everything' being enough to make Al learn swordplay – being himself a man not prone to violence aside from blockering goons and idiots.

"You're too worried about form." Raiku said. "You fight like a bender with a sword – too ordered, too focused. When I first held a sword, my trainer taught me never to focus on a way. Be like the seas, ever rippling. Like fire, crackling and shifting. Like wind, pliable. I know that sport you claim to play – saw you get that game going last week: your reliance on form in it makes you good – makes you protect yourself and always get hit by the disc-"

"-Puck" Al interjected.

"Puck." Raiku said. "You are always hit by it," He continued, "And that's fine when your job is to get hit. You -never- wish to be hit in a fight. There is no armor that can protect you from the full power of a bender – nor can armor keep you safe against a skillful chi-blocker." His eyes were distant, and Al saw it. The Red Lotus had killed his family, after all – Sokka, for all his skill with the blade, was no match for lava, explosions, and massive water whips.

"So you're saying get loose? Ignore the plan? Just fight?" Al asked. "Isn't that in direct opposition to how you get better at something? Technique exists for a reason, doesn't it?"

"Sure." Raiku said. "And technique works against you or I – but there's no rulebook to fighting the infinite applications of bending, or the pure speed of Chi-Blockers." He gathered himself into a ready stance as Al slid back into place, his stick in hand. The pair crossed blades and began again. In the distance, a white dog sat. Its tail wagged, watching the combat with interest. Korra had been on a learning adventure with Tenzin for some time – out amidst the windy plains. Something about 'feeling the air' – and doing so on Naga was far harder than on her feet.

Al stepped forward, taking a two handed grip on his stick. Raiku struck first, and Al moved his own stick halfway across Raiku's ripping them both to the right and away. Giving no time for recoil, Al drove his weapon to the basket hilt, further forcing Raiku out of control. Having more power over the blade, and being physically stronger, Al nearly disarmed the younger but more experienced man. Raiku's face, usually tired and impassive, turned to a small frown. "Better." He murmured, quickly sliding his sword out from the push and stabbing forward. Al flung himself back, the sword crossing in front of him, and Naga barked in the distance.

"Thanks, girl!" Al shouted out. "Glad to know you care!" He slapped away Raiku's next strike, and drove forward with a pair of hard slashes. Raiku parried them both, sliding on the ice as he did so. Al held his sword high, and slashed down, hard – only to snap his blade in half. He dropped it with a huff, letting the wood splinters crackle onto the ground.

"Not bad." Raiku said. "For two weeks of practice, you're coming along swimmingly."

Al cocked a brow. "Nice to know the water tribe loves to make water puns." He said.

"Always makes quite the splash." Raiku said, chuckling. Al reached down, collecting what remnants he could. "We're done for today. Have any plans?'

"Oh, I don't know - maybe stare at nothing from the south wall for a few hours. If I feel really adventurous, maybe I'll try and listen to the elders talk about things – or maybe convince people I actually know what I'm talking about. That always goes over well."

==

Two Days Ago

"And that's how it happened." Al said, leaning back in his chair. The collection of White Lotus troops had faces of disappointment and ignorance practically drawn onto their faces.

"That's a load of mole-droppings." One of the earthbenders said. "There's no way there's a massive underground movement in Republic City – people would know."

"Yeah!" A firebender shouted. "You're just some conspiracy theorist hack."

"Completely unrealistic!" A waterbender shouted. Al simply took a sip of water, watching the argument flare up. Seems canon doesn't want to be abridged through revelation alone.

==

Raiku and Al took off through the camp, tossing the broken practice sword in a firewood pit. The various tents and pagodas of the White Lotus Compound were rather nondescript, but Al's domicile was close enough to Raiku's that they could walk together. "I still can't believe the one guy wanted to fight you over claims there's a bloodbender afoot. I remember my grandfather's stories about Yakone – and enough of them should've been told the story in training." The swordmaster said, shaking his head.

"People are stupid. It is what it is." Al replied.

Raiku looked at him. "You always say that. The phrase means nothing." Al shrugged.

"You can't change things." Al said. They turned onto the street holding the Air Nation pagoda, where Al was staying. Despite a change to thicker garments, Al still looked like an Air Acolyte. Raiku was dressed in the thick parka of the southern tribe, and looked especially comfortable amidst the gently falling snow. "There's wisdom in it – my family always said it. Car broken? Mean boss at work? Terrible things in far away lands? It is what it is. You can't unbreak your car, you need to have it fixed. You can't fire your boss. You can't uproot your entire life to fix things in far away lands. We're all part of a system."

Raiku frowned. "It sounds like apathy." He said. "Who accomplishes anything if everyone's too busy saying they can't do things?"

"It's probably life's biggest lesson that you learn – that the only way things get done is if you make them happen." Al replied, stopping in front of the Air Nation doorway. He heard the shrieks of Ikki and the chortling laughter of Meelo. "You choose your path. Nobody else – but everyone else chooses theirs. You have only so much leeway. The rest is what it is. You play the hand you're dealt."

"Especially when that hand is losing everything that mattered?" Raiku asked. That one struck deep, and Al's eyes seemed to shrink into his head.

He nodded his head slowly. "You know what I'm going to say." Raiku nodded back.

"It is what it is." They said in unison.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Al asked. Raiku nodded. The goaltender whirled on his heel, entering the Air Nation pagoda. The south was a cold place. A dreary place. A place Al longed for home in. At least his home was somewhere, though – Raiku's died with the Red Lotus' efforts. Which was the greater tragedy? Al was hardly sure. He had something to hope for, even as he accepted the reality. He had his small window into the real world – a small connection that he browsed through in the night. Raiku had lost it all – and had only headstones and caretakers to show for it.

Loss was something that cut deep.

Straight to the heart.

Al let out a small chuckle as he stood in the doorway. "Beware the frozen heart." He said. His head turned to see Jinora standing there.

"What's that mean?" She asked.

"Just an old folk song from home." Al replied with a laugh. That was only a semi-accurate description.

"Can you teach me?" Jinora asked.

"Born of cold and winter air-" Al began.

==

I'm back bitches.

 

[Historian]

Book One, Episode One: Republic City, Part One

White Lotus Base, South Pole

The gates swung open, and Naga flew faster than a speeding bullet. Korra's frustrated form was soon in the snow, hundreds of pounds of polar bear dog slobbering all over her face. Tenzin, Korra, and three members of the White Lotus entered the compound – having been gone for some time. None had happy faces on. To Al's side, Pema's face deflated as she saw Tenzin's face of defeat. Meelo and Ikki, however, had no such empathy: they shot forth nearly as fast as the dog, tugging at Tenzin's robes with shouted questions and insistence. Al knew, from his watching of the show, that getting Korra to airbend in a non-natural way was fruitless. He'd told Tenzin as much – but Tenzin couldn't explain that to the White Lotus.

"What's the point?" Pema asked, tapping Al's arm. "You know what's going to happen."

"The world has a way of righting itself, I guess." Al replied. Katara was near, and she slowly stepped forward to hug a defeated Korra. Tenzin approached Al and Pema, the kids in tow. His face said it all. "Are you alright?" Al asked. Tenzin shrugged.

"I do my best." He said. "Korra must learn in her own time, in a place she can relax – without people influencing her with negativity. The White Lotus cannot approach airbending with rigid teaching."

"Nor seriousness." Al said. Tenzin cocked a brow. "Airbenders go with the flow, Tenzin – you know that much. Release your earthly tether – become wind? Korra can't learn airbending with the gravity of this place."

Tenzin nodded. "Guru Laghima." He said. "I trust you think I should use that on the masters?" Al nodded, motioning towards the bearded man that approached.

"Three weeks, Tenzin." The man said at once. "Three weeks we've been training her, and nothing. Not even a shifted gust."

"I asked you already!" Tenzin shouted out. "The Avatar cannot learn airbending in a place like this. Airbending is an art. You cannot learn art in a war camp, walled in." The general conversations at the gate slowly drew to a close, Tenzin eying the master of the White Lotus from his tall vantage. Al simply scooted backwards with Pema, bringing Ikki and Meelo away – and covering the latter's mouth as he tried to speak.

"I seriously doubt that Avatar Aang-" The Leader began. Tenzin bent down and stared hard in the man's eyes.

"Do not lecture me on what Avatar Aang intended." Tenzin said. "Korra will be leaving for Air Temple Island within the week – and she will learn what she must in seclusion there." The White Lotus Leader opened his mouth to speak, before closing it once more. With a huff, the man nodded. Tenzin watched as the man ordered his sentries to begin preparing for the Avatar's journey – and several bear riders were sent to broker passage aboard ship – one couldn't fit a polar bear dog on a Sky Bison, after all. Tenzin turned to Al - "I will return aboard Oogi." He said. "You'll take Jinora and Raiku aboard ship with a small team of White Lotus troops for escort.

"Roger that." Al said, nodding.

"Wait, why am I coming?" Raiku asked, having been in the crowd behind Al. "I'm the swordmaster for the White Lotus-"

"And you're going to train Al in swordsmanship." Tenzin replied. "Once that's completed, you may return southward."

"Besides – it'd be good for you to get out for awhile." An elderly voice called from behind Tenzin. Katara's face smiled brightly, even in her age.

"Auntie, I-" Raiku began. Katara put her hand on his cheek, pinching and shaking her head. The boy surrendered his arguing immediately. There was no winning against Katara's smile, Al had found.

==

Three Days Earlier

"Fascinating." Katara said, taking a sip of her tea. Al was seated, rather uncomfortably, in one of her chairs. She'd sent for him only hours earlier. "So you're from a whole other world. Where this is but a legend?"

"In essence." Al said. "To be precise, this is the second story – the first was of Aang as you and Sokka found him in the ice – and concluded after the defeat of Ozai." Katara rubbed her chin, her old eyes appraising his. She set her tea on the table, its heat hissing calmly into the evening air.

"You think these legends allow you to do better?" Katara asked. "To change things? So Korra makes less mistakes, learns faster, less people suffer?"

"That's the hope." Al said.

"And what if she never learns?" Katara replied. "What if your actions make her a worse avatar? What if your actions make her fail where she only barely succeeded?" She locked eyes with Al, and Al fidgeted slightly under her gaze. "You could well destroy the world, boy."

Al took a gulp of tea. The pain of it searing his mouth was nothing next to Katara's appraisal of his odds. "I'll try... not to?" Al said. "If Korra is as capable as she was in the show – as determined, as hard-hearted, she'll pull through no matter what I do."

"Sometimes I think you fall in a trap, dear." Katara said, topping off Al's tea. "You talk about Korra. You think about Korra. Think about manipulating her and her actions. Korra is a real person. A breathing thing like you or I – with thoughts, feelings, opinions. She's not a tool to fix the world with that you need to sharpen. Not some player in your stick-biscuit."

"Hockey." Al said. Katara smiled – but it wasn't one of mirth. It was one of command.

"Stick-biscuit." She said, letting the words hang in the air. "Korra the person is hockey, boy. Korra as you see her is just stick-biscuit." Katara said. "You should never make that mistake again – or it'll bite you."

==

Al watched as Tenzin's family slowly piled aboard, the group waving as Jinora, Al, and the rest stood in the courtyard. Oogi began to flap his tail, and wind sent a fine mist of snow spraying in their faces, wetting their garb. Jinora pulled her cloak tighter, and Katara simply smiled as she waved her hands, the snow coalescing and dropping to join the rest below them. Korra stood apart from the group, staring as it rose into the sky, and she looked to see the rest of the group gathering together. For her, more than anyone, this was a change. A change she wasn't ready for. Behind her, a hand set heavy on her shoulder. "Korra." A strong voice said, and she turned to see her father's face, solemn as ever.

"Dad!" She said, hugging him tight upon recognizing him. "What're you doing here? I thought you'd had business in the eastern shelf?"

"I heard word of the White Lotus looking for a special passenger boat – and there's only one person I knew it could be for." Tonraq smiled, hugging his daughter back. Behind him, Senna joined into the hug, the three holding it for a moment before letting one another go. "You've been here for a long time, Korra." He said.

"It seems long overdue that I get to see the real world." Korra said. She looked over at Katara as her group slowly wandered off – Jinora and that acolyte, Al, trudging off towards the Air Nation Pagoda. "I don't think I've ever met a person who didn't care about me being the Avatar before."

"There's more than you'd think." Tonraq replied. "The world outside doesn't know you, Korra – they don't hear of your deeds – don't see your struggle, your success. We all here believe in you – but outside? People care about themselves. It's rare to meet people like those of the White Lotus – who care about more than themselves."

Senna shrugged. "But that doesn't mean there aren't any." She said. "It'll be good to see you find a place for yourself, Korra. Friends. Colleagues. Hobbies! By the time we see you next, you'll have found yourself an entire new life in Republic City – and you'll be a fully trained Avatar. Neither of us could be more proud."

"Thanks, mom." Korra said, smiling. "I'm going to miss you both – a lot." Her eyes traced the snow to where Naga sat patiently. "At least I won't lose everyone in the family." She smiled, the dog coming closer and sitting as part of the conversation. She barked heartily.

"That's my girl." Tonraq said, scratching Naga under the chin.

"How long do you think I'll be gone?" Korra asked. "What's the city like?"

"Months at least." Tonraq said. "The city's... busy. It never sleeps. Even in the dead of night, lights are on and people are doing things. Satomobiles ply the streets, and metalbender police practically fly through the city on ziplines."

"It's a dangerous place, Korra." Senna said. "There's a lot of crime – and bending triads are everywhere. Don't get caught up in trouble, Korra – Air Temple Island is a place to keep you safe."

"So – stay on the island means staying safe, stay out of trouble?" Korra asked.

"Essentially." Senna replied.

Korra let out a sigh, tugging at her parka. "It'll be tough!" She said. "I've never dealt with any of this before."

"But at least you'll be learning to do it right." Tonraq said. "There's a lot of good and a lot of bad out there, Korra – and the Avatar's job is to make the bad, good. Not everyone started their life as a hero."

"And sometimes heroes have their lives turned upside down." Senna said, putting her arm through Tonraq's. Korra nodded. "You should go, sweetie – I'm sure Katara has things for you before you set off, and we'll get some things together at your room. Wouldn't do for you to take a trip without anything to wear!"

==

The Port of Hakoda

They never really named places in the show, Al realized. With the Southern Tribe as it was, reduced to only a few dozen, the primary town of the south was named after the father of the last proud citizens of the south – Hakoda, father to Katara and Sokka. He was influential in the aftermath of the Hundred Year War, and was a leader in reconstruction of the southern tribe's lands. Naming the capitol Hakoda was the least the people could do in the wake of his death. Its massive ports had ships streaming in and out on the daily – and one such ship was chartered with an Air Nation flag, a rarity in even the heyday of the Air Nation. At the pierside, many White Lotus guards had set up – and a small crowd had gathered to watch Avatar Korra and arrive with her family. Already, Al and Jinora had loaded their part of the cargo – consisting of two backpacks, a goalie equipment bag, two trunks, and an uncooperative large bag of treats Pema had made for the journey – ignoring the fact that Al had a picky palette and Jinora was a stick in the mud pious type. The pair were grumpily working through them atop the rear of the vessel, fearful of Pema's wrath if they didn't eat them.

Jinora heartily chomped on another, and she gently wiped away the chocolate with a small hand towel. "I'm glad this ship has lots of towels. I'd feel bad." She said. Al chuckled. "Do they have boats like this where you're from?"

"Sure, but hardly anyone uses them for transport. Passenger ships are luxuries in my day, a big resort on the sea with slides and plays and restaurants on board the ship – visiting resorts all across island destinations." Al replied. "I've been on two. They kinda blur together, though – been on one cruise, you've been on all of them." He bit into a crunchy treat. He was through about twenty of them, and the flavor wasn't fading. He feared they'd both taste chocolate until their deaths.

"I feel like you've done a lot in your life." Jinora said. "You've certainly learned a lot, anyways."

"Life's a lot more complicated for me." Al said. "Calendars, shifts, working long hours and dealing with wishy-washy uncertain people. There's no bending, no simplicity, just hard labors." He took a breath and looked at Jinora. "I love the Air Nation. I've never been happier."

"But you -know- so much more for all that you do!" Jinora said. She pointed to a small glazed area of ice, where a few local children were playing with wooden sticks and a puck – loaned by Al, of course. "Even your games are complicated - your skates and pads and everything are made so advanced we couldn't even hope to replicate it."

"And yet, I'm happier here." Al said. He smiled at her, chocolate staining his cheeks. "Technology is a wonder, science is a wonder, but as you get more advanced, you forget the important things. Half of life where I'm from is spent rushing to complete goals society's imposed upon you. The other half is spent asking yourself if it was worth all that effort."

"And was it?" Jinora asked.

Al shrugged. "I'm only nineteen." He replied. "I never got to that second part. Now all I ask myself is 'What if' as I watch flying bison and people manipulating the elements. Something tells me I escaped the cycle."

"Must be awful lonely." Jinora said. "Losing everyone back home?"

"I didn't have that many in the first place." Al replied. "But the ones I did lose..." He bit into another treat, watching as Korra hugged her parents goodbye, grabbing her bags and running aboard. Her eyes were filled with happiness and determination. Jinora patted him on the back, giving him a hug.

"Maybe there's a way back, if you found your way here?" Jinora asked.

"Maybe." Al replied. The horn sounded aboard the ship, and Al watched as the gangplank made its way in. "Come on, let's watch them take us out." Al said, feeling the wind pick up. He rose the hood on his robes, pulling his red mittens tighter as Jinora subtly bent the wind around her, instead. Perks of being an Airbender, Al supposed. As they reached the front of the ship, Al found a pair of White Lotus men standing by – and Korra with her bags staring off at the setting sun. She looked back, opposite the side Al and Jinora arrived in, and waved to her parents at the dockside.

The flag of the Air Nation flapped in the wind, and Al calmly set his arms along the railing, a respectable distance from Korra. "C'mon, Al – let's talk to the Avatar!" Jinora whispered excitedly.

"Nah." Al said, glancing at her as she stared at the shrinking buildings behind her. "She's got a lot on her mind."

"And you've got a lot on yours." Jinora said. "You still talk."

"Only because you're the one asking questions." Al said, cocking a brow. The ship turned lightly left on the rudder, the wheelhouse below abuzz as the captain's shouted orders made their way belowdecks. More steam in the boiler, more torque in the screws. Communication horns with other ships. Al felt a small wash of icy sea spray, and smiled.

"I wish I knew what that all meant." A voice said. An arm bumped Al's. Korra stared at him, looking wistfully into the distance. Al's eyes shifted to meet hers.

"What? The Captain's yelling?" Al asked. Jinora jabbed Al in the shoulder from his other side. He tried to keep his face passive.

"Yeah!" Korra said. "Seems like sailing should be one of those things you know, coming from the water tribe."

"Well, I mean-" Al began, glancing down at the ship's hull. "I'm no naval expert or anything, but this thing's running off screws - you can tell from the hum that's coming off the hull."

"Screws?" Korra asked.

Al blinked. "Right. Well, screws-" Al began.

==

"Oh." Korra said. The city had shrunk behind them, all but the lighthouse tower slowly descending over the horizon. "I feel like that's more than I ever actually needed to know about boats."

"Ships." Al said. Jinora had given up on jabbing him in the shoulder.

"Ships," Korra said, "My mistake. Do you always go on long-winded explanations on a whim?"

"Only when you ask him simple questions." Jinora said, popping her head out from behind Al. The sky had turned the sea blood-red, and the lights on the upper deck had come on only moments ago.

"And who're you?" Korra asked, surprised at the figure behind Al. "You're one of Tenzin's kids, aren't you?" She asked, bending down.

"I'm Jinora." Jinora said.

"Korra." Korra said, shaking Jinora's hand as she outstreched it. "Airbending's hard." She said – as Al pressed himself up to the railing so as to not impede their conversation.

"It's all about how you carry yourself!" Jinora said. "You have to be graceful – not forceful. That's rare in bending, most other elements are all about connection." Al slowly inched into their conversation, making them unnoticeably shift until he was in a better position.

'I hate this.' Al thought. 'Two people get in this huge conversation and you're just stuck listening.' He stared forward, as if at some invisible audience.

"Right – but I feel like it should come -easier- than it has." Korra said, motioning with her palm. "I can create fire well enough-" She waggled her fingers in some complex pattern, arcs of flame spattering across her hand without burning her. Al had only really seen airbending up close, though you really couldn't tell. Watching the fire trace, and feeling the heat was... electrifying.

Al wasn't lying when he said he loved it here. It was like being a muggle at Hogwarts – but at least there -was- a Hogwarts. "I dunno." Jinora said, looking over at Al. "What do you think, Al? You usually have the insight on this sorta stuff."

Al opened his mouth to speak, but remembered Katara's words. 'And what if she never learns?'

"Al?" Korra asked. Al shook his head.

"Sorry, just remembering something Katara said. I mean, I'm no bender – I don't really get how it works. Bending four? I couldn't imagine it." Korra's eyes deflated at that. "Can't be a font of information every day, Jin." Al said, rubbing Jinora's hair.

"You certainly try to." She retorted. Al laughed at that. Korra turned to watch as the sun collapsed over the horizon, only a faint red haze remaining in the sky. Above, the stars seemed to suddenly burst to life. Korra looked up at them all, far brighter than she'd ever seen.

"Look at that." She said. Al looked up. For all his time on those cruises, he'd never been outside in the dark. Back home, in America, light pollution made it nearly impossible to see the stars from ground level. They'd been nicer at Air Temple Island – but the city lights had polluted much of his vision. Now, though, hundreds of stars dotted the night sky – beams of light from across the cosmos staring back at him. Al loved sci-fi. He loved space. Ilya Bryzgalov was right – the galaxy is, well...

"Back home." Al began, pausing a moment to look at the sky. "Back home, we had a great philosopher." He said. "His name was Ilya."

"That's a funny name." Korra said.

"His last name was Bryzgalov, if that's any funnier." Al replied. "He said that, compared to the stars, we're just a tiny speck. The galaxy is a huge place, and we're just a tiny dot in it. A little blue marble. The galaxy? All those stars, floating in the night sky? They could hold millions of marbles just like ours. The galaxy is humongous big."

Korra looked at Al. "And this 'Ilya'" She said, "How did he know?"

"Because where I come from, people fly to dots like those – and look back at how small we all are." Al said. Korra looked back at the stars, and then down to the sea. She rubbed her eyes.

"How am I supposed to be Avatar of all this?" She asked, "When there's all that?" Her eyes looked to Al and Jinora for help.

"Nobody's asking you to do everything." Jinora said.

"We're just asking you to do your best, since you're gifted more than most." Al said. "With great power comes great responsibility."

"Is that a quote from another great philosopher?" Jinora asked. "You seem to have a lot of those."

"Nah." Al said. "Just a story some old guy wrote." As the group watched the last vestiges of sunset disappear, the moon stood high and proud overhead. Silently, Al wondered where Raiku* was – but realized that his grandfather's moon stories would've probably put him in a mood.

After awhile, Jinora retired for bed – a growing girl, she was well past her bedtime. Korra slid closer to Al. "So who are you, exactly?" She asked. "I know we talked before that one time, but I've never heard of you before Tenzin brought you here."

"Eh." Al said, looking at her. Korra's eyes were one of those things you didn't feel comfortable looking at for extended periods. She was one of those type A's that loved to look through you. Al hated extended eye contact even with people he genuinely enjoyed – and Korra was the wrong kind of pushy. "I mean-Tenzin didn't chat with you about it on your journey?" He asked.

"No." Korra said. "Granted, I didn't ask – and he was too busy trying to make airbending happen." Korra said, her mouth twisting with irritation.

"Let me guess, it wasn't going to happen?" Al said. Korra gave him a look.

"What's that mean?" Korra asked, "Nevermind! You're dodging the question."

"Well, I sort of fell out of the sky." Al said. "Before that I was on another planet, and, well... yeah." Korra blinked. The two White Lotus guards had long departed, leaving just them on the deck.

"Does Tenzin even know who you are?" Korra asked. "Because that sounds like an excuse if I ever heard one."

"How do you know what excuses are like? You've been in a walled compound your whole life." Al retorted.

"Walled compounds don't mean I'm a social idiot!" Korra retorted. "It's not like I never talk to people, or have opinions, or go on adventures!"

"Name one!" Al shot back.

"Well, I- I- Y'know what?" Korra said. "Nevermind. Forget I asked. Be mister mysterious." She said, crossing her arms. Al pulled up his hood and tightened his scarf around his mouth.

"Will do." He said, in a batman voice. Korra shot him a look of disgust.

"Have a good night!" She said, starting to walk away. She wasn't very serious. Al stood there, watching her leave, and heard the slamming of a hatch. Al shrugged.

"Bitches." He said. "That could've gone better."

==

One Day Out

It had been a week aboard ship – it took roughly eight days in good seas to arrive at Republic City – a trip that only took two to three aboard Sky Bison. Since their first night chat on the forecastle, Al had mostly kept to himself, as Korra and Jinora attempted unsuccessfully to stimulate Korra's airbending. Al had stuck to reading on his iPad, trying to make any sense of dimensional theory. He hadn't used it nearly as much as when he'd first acquired the thing – and the sense that Vaatu was powering it made him uneasy.

Everything pointed to nothing – that is, nothing gave him any technological answer, feasible or otherwise, to transferring universes. Any and all power rested in the force that had brought him here – and only that force would bring him back. Vaatu or Raava – either of the spirits could give him a fighting chance against staying here – but did he want to leave?

Al watched from a high gantry as Korra, Naga, and Jinora ran around in the cargo hold. This was a fun place – a happy place. Where he could grow and be better. "You alright?" A voice called. Raiku walked in, hand on his sword as he wore his White Lotus armor – a blue/white suit of armor resembling that of a Samurai. Light and nimble, but still very protective against concussive strikes like those from water or earthbenders – though firebenders still posed quite a threat.

"Just been thinking." Al said.

Raiku walked to stand beside him on the gantry. "About what?"

"You know I'm not from this world." Al said. "Sometimes I wonder if I even want to go back."

Raiku thought for a moment, drawing his sword and looking at the etchings on it. Al recognized one as the same symbol on Katara's necklace. "You said it yourself, y'know." Raiku said, "After practice that one day?"

"I know." Al said, his face a forced smile. "But the question becomes, what would it be like, if I came back? What if it was years later? What if I've moved past the time in my life where everything was supposed to happen, and I'm just picking up sticks."

"What if?" Raiku repeated. "What if? What if? What if?" He asked, over and over. "You can't ask questions like that, Al, or you're just going to get stabbed as you spend your time worrying. You have a family there – a family that's probably had their hearts ripped out – and you owe it to them to find your way back." He turned his sword, showing a few Chinese characters. Al didn't read them very well, but he did his best: Sokka. Hakoda, Kiera. The family members that didn't make it, thanks to Zaheer. "I know I'd do -anything- to have them back."

"Anything?" Al asked, thinking of the tree in the spirit world. Raiku nodded.

"Anything." He said.

==

There was a knock at Al's door, late in the evening. He set aside his small meal of rice, and quickly stashed his iPad – walking up to the door and sliding it open. Korra's eyes met his on the other side. "Hey." She said, calmly.

"Hey." Al said. They both let the words hang for a moment. "Ah – come on in." He said, stepping aside.

"Thanks." Korra said, looking around. "Look, um – I'm sorry about last time we really talked." She said, looking back at him. Al shut the door.

"It's no big deal." Al said. "Sorry if I picked on you. That was pretty rude of me."

"No, no – it's my fault." Korra said. "I'm just... I'm too used to people treating me like the avatar." She said. "You're the first person I've met that really doesn't seem to care."

"Leaves you off your game?" Al asked. He motioned for her to sit on his bed, and he returned to his desk chair, having a small stickful of rice.

"You could say that." She smiled. The window let in a small bit of the evening light. "I just don't know how to handle it – I mean, it sounds like you know a lot of things – you've done a lot of stuff." She glanced over to the wall, where Al's hockey equipment was hanging, the breeze having dried it out. The stick was covered in rubber marks, the mask similarly so. The jersey had Al's last name emblazoned on it. "How do I compete with that?"

"Don't?" Al said. "There's always someone better than you at something."

"Especially at being Avatar..." Korra said. "Aang's boots are a lot to fill – and I can't even airbend."

"Trust me, you'll get there." Al said, letting his hands sit on the chair's rests. He felt a subtle shifting in the ship's course – signified by a growing pitch to one side. It was easier to tell, considering the ship had no stabilizers to speak of.

"You say that so easily." Korra laughed, brushing one of her side-ponytails back. 'Seriously,' Al thought, 'What do you call those, exactly? They're not bangs because those go in the front. They're not really braids because they aren't braided. Sidestrands? Sidestrands sound cool. We're going with sidestrands.' Al finally decided.

"Hey," Al said, pointing at her. "If you can't actually be decisive, you feign decisiveness until people believe you."

"Lie to yourself?" Korra said. "Isn't that bad?"

"Only if you keep your delusions to yourself." Al said. "Never go full crazy."

Korra laughed. "You're the weirdest, you know that?"

"You're the one with no social life, remember? What if you and Jinora are the weird ones?" Al chuckled.

"I -hope- not," Korra said. "Republic City would be a madhouse, then!" They both laughed at that. The ship finally stopped changing course, and the ship blew its horn once.

"What's that mean?" Korra asked. Al shrugged.

"Probably another ship passing." Al said.

"Wanna go watch?" Korra asked. "It might actually be warm out."

"Just don't get all sweaty running up the stairs," Al said, "It's a bit warmer up here than you're used to!" Al said, dodging as Korra took a light swing at him.

"Jerk!" She shouted. Al rushed to the door, dodging another jab at his shoulder. He opened the door to find Jinora standing there.

"Al-" She began, concerned, before Al took a deft turn on his foot, sprinting down the catwalk with Korra hot on his heels. She let her hand drop. "Did I miss something?" She called after them. Al rushed up the stairs, blasting out a hatch and nearly smashing a White Lotus soldier over the side.

"'scuse me!" Al shouted, running up another flight, sea spray washing the deck as he ascended to the fo'c'sle. The forward mast was mounted just above it on a small platform, and Al barely reached it before he felt a tug on his leg. Al kicked Korra's arms off, grabbing hold of the ladder and going hand over hand far faster than his assailant.

He rolled at the top of the ladder, happily finding the large crows' nest empty on his end. Korra rushed up the top, sprinting the opposite direction in search of Al. Al waited a moment, expecting her to come around the other end. When she didn't, he stood, walking around after her to find her and a Lotus soldier standing on the nest with one of the seamen.

On the horizon, Avatar Aang's statue silhouetted with fire – a section of Republic City wreathed in flames. "Holy shit!" Al shouted out. Korra's face was a mixture of anger and determination, a bead of sweat running down her face. "What happened?"

The Lotus soldier turned to Al, "We're going to need to head back, Tenzin just radioed ahead." The man said. "While he was gone, tensions rose in the city – The Red Monsoons and Agni Kai have started a turf war on the south side – some Monsoons have fled and are attacking the Air Temple."

"And Tenzin thinks he can handle it?" Al asked. "We have a dozen soldiers aboard – plus the Avatar, the second-best airbender, and two swordsmen."

"I'm not about to argue with a man who bossed the General around." The soldier said, Jinora appeared in a rush of wind, the cool air felt good amidst the sweat from being chased by Korra.

"We need to help my father!" Jinora said. "He and my family aren't going to be able to hold the island alone if the Monsoons are fleeing to the island."

"We can't-" The soldier began to say, before Korra grabbed him by his collar.

"We can." She said. Korra's eyes bore through his skull, and the man relented immediately. "Sailor – tell your captain to head to the island at full speed – Jinora and I will land and do what we can for Tenzin, the rest of you should take lifeboats ashore. Once you're done dropping us off, clear out – we don't want you caught in the crossfire."

"Yes ma'am!" The sailor said, hopping on the ladder and sliding down. Korra looked at Al.

"You're sweating." She said.

"So're you." Al fired back. Korra stuck her tongue out at him. Al looked over the island in front of him – the rising spire of Air Temple Island, alongside the different buildings, were clearly out of order – various spots of ice and broken wood were visible, and a large mass of people could be seen in the center – mostly acolytes. "Looks like we're dealing with a hostage situation."

"Let me guess, you're an expert on these, too?" Korra asked.

"We don't have guns or flashbangs – so I'm at a disadvantage." Al said. Korra was long past being confused by what Al was talking about. "You're going to need to use speed and surprise if you want to keep the hostages safe. They'll see us coming if we hit the beach – you need to find Tenzin and free him."

"What then?" Korra asked.

Al smiled. "You improvise." He said. "You're the avatar! Earth, Fire, Water is more than enough to scare criminals into surrender." Al grabbed the Lotus soldier by the collar. "Grab your men and grab a pair of lifeboats, get ready for combat."

Jinora looked at Al, "Are you a soldier now?"

"Nah." Al said. "Just a Sea Cadet* with a chip on his shoulder." He replied, dropping down the ladder with the Lotus trooper. Al watched as Jinora burst off the top, carrying Korra. A spout of water rose to catch the avatar, and the pair whirled towards the island and breakneck speeds. On the fo'c'sle, a gathering of the White Lotus troops, plus Raiku, was trying to sort things out.

"Listen the fuck up!" Al shouted. Silence reigned, the conversations ceasing quickly. "We have a quarter of the air nation hauled in by some criminals, and half the city's on fire." He said. "I'm no general, but we're not going to sit this out. The Avatar and Jinora are already on their way to set up the play for us. We're going to take lifeboats, hit the beach, and secure Air Temple Island. I dunno what the hell's going on – but I'm not about to sit here while we watch the world fall apart." Al reached at his hilt, drawing Sokka's sword from its scabbard. "Who the fuck's with me?!" He shouted.

The rest of the white lotus troops shouted in agreement, and Raiku drew his own sword. 'Shit.' Al thought. 'Since when did I go from sitting on my computer writing fanfiction to living one?'

==

Korra felt the water whirl around her, and spun to a rhythm pounding in her head. She felt air rush around her, and landed in a massive splash on the edge of the island – amidst the trees of the southern side. Jinora landed alongside her, far drier than the Avatar. "Jinora." She said. "What're we dealing with here?"

"There's three paths through the woods, but finding them is going to be rough – I'd say just pick a direction and walk, we'll make it before Al and the troops get together." Jinora said. She started walking, using her staff to avoid unexpected drops in the ground. "I hope everyone's alright – if they're all rounded up, that means my dad wasn't able to stop them."

Korra let that hang in the air for a minute as she followed Jinora through the dark, the trees rustling in the wind. "If they beat Tenzin..." She said, finally. "Are we making the right move, here? Capturing the Avatar..."

"Al has our back." Jinora said. "He knows what he's doing. I've never met a guy with more plans than he's had." She ducked under a fallen tree, signalling to Korra as she did so. The pair crept through the dark, finding lit lanterns and stone beneath their feet. A small rustling nabbed both of their attentions.

It was a small whimper. "Hello?" Jinora called out. A pair of golden spheres shone in the light, and Jinora immediately hugged their owner. "Ikki!" She shouted in a hush.

"Jinora!" Ikki whispered. "Dad's in the city! At the council!" She pointed out through the trees to where the fires blazed on the horizon. "He said some very bad things have been happening in the city. He's worried."

"He should be, if triads are attacking the island without being stopped." Korra said, having dropped to a crouch.

"Korra!" Ikki whispered, hugging her, too. "Mom is with Meelo – they've locked themselves in the tower and the people can't get in. I tried to get to Oogi, but Dad ended up taking him!"

"Then we're going to have to take out the guards and get Mom into the woods." Jinora said. Korra frowned in the dark, tracing the darkness to where several lit lanterns marked the temple itself.

"What about the hostages?" Korra said. "We can't just risk ourselves for their sake – Pema wouldn't want that."

"The Acolytes would understand." Jinora said. "They'd do anything to protect a future airbender."

"That's not an option, Jinora." Korra said. "If we're going to do this, we need to strike hard and fast. Ikki will have to keep the guards from breaking in with a distraction – we can't dedicate ourselves to saving one person – and Meelo's a good airbender in any case."

"Soooo, I distract the bad guys near Mom, you guys save the robes, everyone's happy?" Ikki smiled. "I need a glider though!" She said. Jinora handed her the glider-staff.

"Don't break it." Jinora said. "That'd be the fifth this year."

"Wa-shu loves making them, though!" Ikki pouted. "Okay, okay." She said, as Jinora gave her a look. With a gust, Ikki was away. Korra stood, and Jinora followed. This was starting to get complicated, Korra realized. How did Al have such a grasp of things?

"Al wouldn't be panicking right now." Jinora said, reading Korra's minds. "He'd know just what to do."

"He's good at making decisions." Korra said. "I wish I was."

"I guess it's something you learn being an adult." Jinora replied, the pair reaching the lanterns as they spoke. The coast looked clear as they peeked around the end of the treeline, and they sprinted for the nearest pagoda.

In the distance, a voice shouted. "Now I apologize!" It shouted, a man's voice. Korra assumed it was the leader. "I really, really do – but if the government is going to work through the shadows – destroy -our- operations, not even follow the laws or ethics of the land, well!" The man shouted, letting the thought hang. "What am I to do, huh? Sit and take it? Accept that there are no rules for dirty criminals like us? Who's a criminal when there aren't any laws?"

Korra growled. Jinora silently pressed against the pagoda wall, near a door, and slid it open. "This is the boys' dorm, Korra." She said. "Everyone must be outside already."

"Not worth going in, then." Korra said. Jinora shook her head in disagreement.

"We can use it to surprise them. I can set up in here, you can circle around – we'll hit them from both sides as the White Lotus hits the beach, and they'll surrender!"

"Now!" The voice called out. "I've spoken to the police, and they haven't responded – but your master? He's made it clear he's willing to negotiate. I decided that was fine by me! Maybe if he makes the right offer, nobody here's gonna get frozen, huh? You'll all be nice, healthy, and alive, but to do that, I need to make sure nobody resists. If anyone moves, I'll throw one of -these- bad babies-" Korra peeked out the window, and saw a sharp icicle floating above the man's hand. "-and you won't ever live to see yours. Capiche?" There was silence. "I'll take that as a yes!" He yelled. "Round up the rest! I won't get taken by surprise by that bald schmuck at the council house."

"Tenzin's coming?" Korra asked.

"We might want to wait for him." Jinora said.

"It's too dangerous." Korra replied. "He may come too diplomatic, and then they'll take him hostage. Everything hinges on surprise. That's what Al said – hard and fast."

"Hard and fast." Jinora said. "Element of surprise."

Korra heard footsteps coming towards the doorway. A man murmured something about the door being open, and the chill in the air. Jinora readied a fist, and Korra planted her feet in an earthbending stance. The man stepped out the doorway, and Jinora rose her fist, opening her palm. The man grabbed at his throat a minute, before passing out. Korra snapped earthen locks around his hands and feet, locking him down. She threw one over his head for good measure, keeping him from more than muffled yells at the floor. She nodded at Jinora, who entered the house.

Korra pressed against the wall, sliding down it. 'To think,' Korra thought, 'A month ago, I was just training like I always have – and now I'm doing it: I'm really being the Avatar.' She was both terrified and energized by the prospect. She calmly peeked around the pagoda corner, before rushing to the next one – just below the great tower of the temple. She slid open a door, slipping inside. Voices were arguing in hushed whispers, and she calmly pressed against the wall near them. "Look man," One began. "All I'm saying? We're fighting one of the heads of the White Lotus, a master Airbender, trained by the Avatar who defeated the Fire Nation and -created- the United Republic. I mean, he could suck the air out of all our lungs at once and just suffocate us to death, man!"

"Shut up! You want the boss to hear you?" The other asked. "Look, he's one guy, and we've got enough water around to freeze him solid. Even if every one of those schmucks in the yard goes rebellion on us, we've got the ice to put little holes in all their heads – and the government will pay for killin' Johnny and his guys. Y'know they found Dave and he had no bending? Stripped naked, all his money gone, apartment trashed, and he can't bend anymore? Honest-to-goodness."

"Shit man, government's all lies and deceit these days. Point stands though – if they can take away bending, what else can this airbender guy do? What if he just blows up our lungs somehow?" The other asked.

"All I know?" The other said. "Shit hits the fan, I'm droppin. No way I'm dying for the boss, I'll take a cell over dead any day." They were in a kitchen, and Korra could hear and feel water boiling nearby. She rounded the corner and whipped the water near them.

"How about you drop right now?" She said, holding the steaming stew inches from their faces. "Make any other movements and I'll melt your faces until not even your mothers could love you."

"Wh-who are you?!" One of them shouted.

"Me?" Korra asked. "I'm your worst nightmare." She said. "I have a hundred lifetimes of bending knowledge, and have spent my entire life learning to deal with people like you." Her legs carried her forward, and the liquid inched even closer. "And one worse thing." She said.

"W-w-what's that?" The other said, practically chattering his teeth apart.

"You've threatened my airbending master -and- his family, and ruined my first trip to Republic City." They both fell to their knees, holding up their hands. Korra dropped the liquid, some of it landing in their laps. Both screamed, but the windows were shut tight. She slammed her feet into the wood below, rocks shooting up from the earth beneath the wood and locking around them both. "Be good and stay quiet – the police will come for you soon." She growled.

She stepped to the front of the building, slamming the door behind her, and glanced out the window. At least thirty acolytes were in the middle, and Korra could see they all looked terrified. Some sat with their children, others tried reasoning with the guards, only to be hit in the face by water tendrils or blocks of ice. The leader sat chewing on some sort of lit stick, smoke billowing from his nostrils and mouth.

Korra's face twisted in anger. In the distance, she heard a roaring horn – that of the ship. It was time.

==

Al flipped his head forward, the familiar feeling of his mask slapping down around him. He felt the tightness of his compression shorts as he double-tied his goalie pants, and gave his jock a 'gentle' tap with the butt of his sword. He'd cut the arms off his chest protector, knowing they'd ruin his mobility. Raiku had looked stunned at him doing so – Al laughed: 'Everything else is optional' Al said, 'Why can't actual safety equipment be?'

He'd left the leg pads behind, opting to just wear his knee guards. He needed to run – and he'd wrapped his Air Nation ankle wraps tight. Al had never rolled his ankle before, but hell if it would happen now. Al had his squeeze bottle tucked in his chest protector, and sprayed a stream of water in his mouth. It'd be the last he'd have for awhile. He offered it to Raiku, the waves buckling the boat. "Want some?" He asked.

Raiku took it, spraying some in his own mouth. Some went the wrong way, and he sputtered, coughing. Al laughed - "You get used to it!" He yelled over the lifeboat motor. Around him, the White Lotus sentries armored themselves. Behind them, the ship roared away – pushing twenty knots back out into the bay. The Air Nation flag fluttered high. As they neared the shore, it let out two short blasts of its horn – the signal for their arrival. Al rolled his neck, and drew his sword. In his other hand, he held his goalie stick.

'Why would you bring that?' Raiku had asked.

'Ever been slashed in the face with a hockey stick?' Al had replied. 'You wake up in the dressing room an hour later with the worst headache of your life if you get hit the wrong way. Today, that's the right way.'

Al tucked it into his chest protector's rear straps, holding the sword in both hands as the boats hit the shore. "Listen up!" Al yelled, he heard yelling from the top of the island. "Anything in Red or Yellow robes is a friendly, plus Korra. Everything else on this damned Island? We knock them out, beat them down, and treat them like the living shitpiles they are. They are here to hurt the Air Nation – the only pacifists on this fucking planet. These people are scum – worse than scum – and we will make them pay for every inch of ground and every punch they've inflicted to these people. For the White Lotus?"

"FOR THE WHITE LOTUS!" They yelled, dropping out of the boat in unison. They began their charge towards the high steps, and above, a red robed figure swooped on high.

The figure looked down to see earthen blocks and icy shards rippling across the island. He looked back to see Republic City aflame. He looked to his father's statue. "Dad." He said, his voice cracking and confused. "What do I do now?" He asked.

==

Spoiler: Author's Notes

My author's notes are going to be pretty detailed from here on out – they're sort of like the commentated versions of episodes for TV shows – with lots of stream of consciousness. I've never finished a real story – but I want to say I'm going to finish this one.

*1= Translation – I keep forgetting I have an extra OC floating around. Quick, better shoehorn him in again before he disappears like General Iroh until the series finale!

*2= Just to be clear, I'm not pulling this out of my ass here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Naval_Sea_Cadet_Corps – It's pretty much like the naval reserves, you show up for really boring weekends where you stand in formation, occasionally do cool medical and firearms training with some Marines or Seabees, and once a year go on a two-week awesome training course. I personally did the 'Run around in the woods and shoot things' course, Field Ops, which was probably one of the funnest things I've ever done in my life. I only spent two years in the program in High School, but they were ones in which I learned more than I'd ever need to know about the Navy and ships.

Al has all the knowledge that comes to mind as I write, I make sure not to wiki anything when he's talking or otherwise look things up. Thus the 'Sidestrands' thought chain. Al's only boost is that he's more competent than myself at things – and this to compare with the near superhuman feats some of the characters have in ATLA and LOK – because I'm pretty sure getting knocked off a roof would kill me in real life, but this happens constantly in Avatar. I do, however, try to write my flaws as best I can - I can be a dick, I'm definitely awkward at times, and I tend to preach a lot in conversation.

This is the longest single chapter I've written in awhile (8,200 words) - and I expect to write much longer ones from now on. This fic will be an honest-to-god episodic series, of roughly 12-15 episodes per book for four to five books.

Tenative episode list:

B1E1 – Republic City, Part One (RC was originally intended to be one episode – but it was either fold the earlier bits into a short episode called 'The Journey' and have a huge RC episode, or make it a two-parter)
B1E2 – Republic City, Part Two
B1E3 – The Fire Ferrets
B1E4 – Hard Rock
B1E5 – Ah yes, 'Equalists'
B1E6 – Shitty Second Act
B1E7 – DE_Dust
B1E8 – Fuck Politics
B1E9 – Good Job, Scoob
B1E10 – Rebellions and Republics
B1E11 – La Marseillaise
B1E12 – Revelations
B1E13 – Endgame

 

[Historian]

Book One, Episode Two: Republic City, Part Two

Tenzin skidded to a halt, his hands whirling as a burst of air knocked a pair of waterbenders off their feet, their icicles meant for acolytes dropping and shattering upon the stone. He kicked out, a rush of air snapping another into a wall, knocking him out cold. To his side, Korra was tossing stones and shooting flame gouts, and at his other Jinorah was playing deflection for several acolytes. All told, there were something like fifteen Triads for thirty Acolytes. "Korra!" He yelled, dodging an icy blast from an enraged Triad. "Why are you here?!" He yelled, "I told the White Lotus to-" He heard a bellowing cry from below, and saw the disheveled form of Al charging up the beach with a platoon of the order. Tenzin let out a fatherly sigh, "Never mind!" He yelled. "Protect the acolytes, build a wall!" He ordered. Korra rushed into the middle, deflecting ice with her own waterbending, and slid to a stop. Planting her feet, she struck the ground with both fists, spinning them around. A massive rock wall surrounded the acolytes, protecting them from icicles for the time being.

Tenzin snapped to, charging into the fray as Al and the White Lotus reached the top of the temple in record time. "Al!" He shouted. "We will have words after this, young man!" He roared.

"You got it, coach!" Al shouted back. The two knocked-down triads had started rising up, and Al cold-cocked one with a sprinting fist. The other turned to start throwing icicles, and Al swung his sword – cutting the man's hamstring and sending him to the ground in pain. "Apply direct pressure!" He shouted. "It stops the bleeding!"

The rest of the White Lotus began tossing earth, fire, and water in equal measure. Tenzin looked among the acolytes – and failed to find Pema. His eyes traced to the tower – it had the most bars on the door, though it wasn't built for a siege. Not wasting time, he formed a ball of air, rushing off into the distance, leaving the fight to the White Lotus. Korra exited the wall on a rocket of earth, plunging onto the nearest Triad with a renewed vigor, knocking him cold. She rolled to her feet, watching as Al wailed a Triad in the face with his hockey stick. The man was out cold. "Having fun?" He asked, his voice muffled by the strange metal cage over his face, a clear sheathe like glass hanging from it to protect his neck.

"That's an interesting outfit!" She shouted, watching as Al took a swig of water.

"You people can take rocks and ice to the face all you want – I'm gonna wear some protection!" He shouted, tapping his helmet. He pointed behind her, a pair of Red Monsoon goons lining up to attack. One shot a solid block of ice, which Al didn't even move for. The shot hit him square in the pants, but he didn't even flinch.

Instead, a bellowing laughter began to eminate from his helmet, his hands wrapping tight around his stick. Al charged forward, more ice bouncing off his chest guard and arms – leaving red welts. Al didn't even react – even when one bounced off his cage, ringing out. He roared, wailing one in the face. The other caught his stick on the rebound, freezing it. Al simply grabbed his shirt, letting out a relentless flurry of strikes. The other man collapsed, his nose bloody. Al rose up, recovering his stick. Korra simply stared at him, jaw open. "Close you mouth, Korra!" He yelled. "Flies might get in there!"

Raiku's sword was flashing, sheathe still on the blade, as he knocked the rest of the Triads senseless with the rest. All told, an easy fight – and none of the civilians were hurt, save for abuses at the hands of their leaders. Korra began earthbending the men into the ground – waiting for the police to handle the aftermath of this mess.

Meanwhile, Tenzin had been awfully silent – and Ikki had never surfaced with her distraction. Korra looked to the temple, face wracked with some concern.

==

Tenzin reached the doorway, his ball dissipating as he slid to a stop on his boots. The door was smashed open – wood splinters and chips ruined around it. A massive block of ice was melting in the foyer, and among the wreckage was Pema, crying. "Pema!" Tenzin shouted out, reaching down to his wife. "Meelo, Ikki – where are they?" He asked, looking at her swelling stomach. She let out further tears.

"She- she traded for me!" Pema shouted. "The man, the man had me – said I'd make a nice bargaining chip with you!" She yelled. "We were so safe here, Tenzin!" She cried. "Far away from everything, then they come and do this! Ruin it all!" Tenzin grabbed his wife, hugging her hard.

"It's okay, Pema, we're alive. Everyone out there is alive. Jinora's alive."

"But are -they-?!" She shouted, hysterically. They have Meelo and Ikki upstairs! You have to save them, Tenzin, or they'll kill them both! They're scared out of their wits!" She shouted. Tenzin's eyes narrowed. He stood.

"Stay here, Pema." He said, turning, his face twisted in anger. "I'll handle them." His legs carried him up the stairs, each step louder and angrier than the last. Four flights later, he was atop them – and face to face with three men, two children encased in ice, and several dozen shards aimed his way. All three looked hysterical, their eyes wide and fearful.

"We saw what you did out there, asshole!" The central one yelled. "You government types just think you can come in, take our bending, kill as many of us as you please?" He shouted. "Is bending just some superweapon so you can control all of us?"

"Taking bending?" Tenzin said, quietly "Taking Bending?!" He shouted, his voice roaring through the room. "I'm a bender, my children are benders, my entire life is dedicated -to- bending! You've come into my home, taken my children, and now you're telling me I'm the culprit to all this – when I did no such thing?" Tenzin roared. Ikki and Meelo stared at their father, mouths encased in ice. Even with that, they'd never seen their father truly angry, and it showed in their eyes.

"If not you then who, huh? Who else has the power other than folks with access to the Avatar? We know Aang took Ozai's bending, or the old mob guy Yakone – maybe he taught you how to take bending! You're just lying to keep us out of power – we're the real force for the little people in Republic City – we take from you fat cats and build businesses for the poor in this town, so we can make something of ourselves. You all just hate that!" Another yelled.

"Only an Avatar can energybend – and only a fully-realized Avatar." Tenzin said. "Korra cannot Airbend, and she cannot enter the Avatar State – what you are suggesting should not be possible, cannot be possible!"

"Can't it?!" The last one said. "Because right now, we have the leader of the entire Air Nation by the balls." The last one moved his arms, a pair of icicles moving next to Ikki and Meelo's heads. "If you keep taking our bending like the liar you are, air boy, we'll take away your precious little air nation – one bald-headed freak at a time." Tenzin stared at them, watching as a small paper billowed in the drafty wind. An open door lay behind the trio, and he stared appraisingly at the ice next to his children.

"How do you want me to prove I can't take bending?" Tenzin asked, letting out a breath. "You've threatened my pregnant wife, and my children, possibly my unborn child." He said. "Like you've said, you have me."

"We do!" One shouted.

"Yeah, we do!" The other yelled. The middle one cleared his throat.

"You're gonna come with us, air boy." The middle one said. "You're gonna call off those cronies in the courtyard. We're gonna take your little kids with us – and we're gonna lock 'em in a box. You're gonna fix every one of our boys, and if you can't – if you won't?" The man laughed, loud. His voice carried out the window. His eyes locked with Tenzin's, as he stopped laughing suddenly. He brought the icicle next to Meelo's eye. "Fastest way to the brain's through the eye. They won't even feel it." He said. "But you? You, air boy, you'll feel it."

"You're a monster." Tenzin said. "You'd stoop to murder just because of bending?"

"We already murder for money." The leader said. "We already murder for business. For anger. For women." He pointed at the children. "Without bending, we're just guys working cheap jobs for no pay." He said. "I'll kill someone before I get my life taken away."

Tenzin felt a bead of sweat trail down his back. "I cannot implore this enough." Tenzin said. "I did not take your men's bending. I do not know how to take bending. I cannot fix your people, but I will do whatever is necessary to prove this to you."

"Oh yeah?" The middle one said. "How about watch one of your kids die?" He spat on the floor. "You lyin' little bitch." He said.

"Look, I-" Tenzin felt a rush of air, and a loud sound roared from behind them.

"What shit are you pullin, air-" A blur flew through the window, and blood spattered across the ground. Both of the other men dropped their icicles in shock as a clattering helmet and foam padding rolled to a halt in the room. Milliseconds later, a blue-white armored man skidded to a halt in the room. One of the men bade to grab his ice from the floor, and Al physically threw his sword, skewering the man's arm against the wall. The other was slammed to the wall, and Raiku knocked him cold with his hilt.

A moment's pause hit the air, as breaths were loosened – just enough time for Korra to launch herself into the room, the poor earth finally receiving a respite. She landed with a roll, catching herself before bowling into Tenzin. "Is everyone alright?" Al asked. The man with the impaled arm let out a shriek. Al simply stepped over and hit him square in the skull. He quieted down.

"Al..." Tenzin said, looking at his children, at the corpses. "...Korra." Korra turned around, liquifying the ice with a wave of the hands. Ikki and Meelo collapsed, their clothes soaked, Meelo's tongue swelling from the ice freezing to it. Ikki began chattering, her teeth pure ice.

Korra bent down, grabbing Ikki. "Ikki!" She shouted. "You were supposed to distract them!"

"I-i t-t-tried!" She shouted out, rubbing her freezing skin. "T-t-they ha-haa-haaaa-" She sneezed "-had my mom!"

"I understand." Korra said, smiling. "I'm glad you're-" The man with the impaled arm awoke again with a howl. Al hit him again, pulling his sword out and shoving both hands on the wound. Raiku handed him a bandage, and he began wrapping the arm tightly, tying it off with a bow. The man slumped to the floor.

Tenzin grabbed Meelo from the floor, the boy murmuring something unintelligibly. Al spoke up, "Korra, Tenzin, get them both out of here." He said, looking at the body. He grabbed a rug off the floor, draping it over the body of the leader. For now, the fight was over – but the scars of something like this? They never went away.

Al stared into the man's lifeless eyes as he wrapped the rug, and felt a pang of emptiness in his chest. Not disgust, not anger, not disturbia – just a mild pang of regret. Al had thought about the military, and had never thought killing someone would bother him if it was justified. He'd always framed it in the context of defending people – and he'd just saved two innocent children, but...

Nothing's ever easy. He rolled the man in the rug, and shoved him in a corner. The White Lotus could dump him, Al wasn't interested. He wiped off his sword, sheathing it with a note of finality, and walked out of the room. Raiku spoke before he reached the stairs. "I've never, either." He said. "I've wanted to, though."

"It's not the right answer." Al said, looking Raiku in the eye. "But when you have to, you do." Al's feet carried him with a heaviness he'd not felt in awhile. For once, as he looked at his bloody hands, he realized this was real. Not just a dream, not just a fun afterlife. Not just a game. For once, he felt like this was real life. He pushed his mask up with his wrist, staring at the blood as he walked by Tenzin and Korra, tending to the girls with Pema having joined them – the parents and children both crying as Korra joined them in a group hug.

He stared at them passing Jinora, who ascended the stairs. He stared at them all the way to the docks, where the two boats lay. He dipped his hands in the water, watching as the blood dissipated into the water. "I'm here." He said after a time, to no-one in particular. He saw the form of the Air Nation charter slowly reappear in the distance, and watched as loped towards the pier. He finally rose to sit on that instead of the beach, and took his mask off. He stared at it, still wet from the ice that'd hit him in the head.

Red welts had formed on his arms where he'd been struck protecting Korra. They stung.

Al pressed his head against the cold metal of the mask's cage, and felt a pair of stinging tears leave his eyes. "What the fuck am I doing here?" He asked, tossing it aside. He looked up at the sky. "What is the fucking point?!" He shouted.

==

A gentle knock rapped against Al's door – the last vestiges of moonlight gone from the morning. Al lay awake in bed, his eyes ringed with sleep. He'd been awake for awhile. Silently shifting in his bed, he gathered his nightshirt from the floor, tying it simply and pulling on a pair of mesh shorts. His feet brushed the thatch mat that covered his room, and he saw the silhouette of a figure in the hallway, draped in cloaks. Al slid the door open. Tenzin's tired eyes met his. "Al, we-"

"Yeah." Al said, beckoning him in. He slid the door shut, offering Tenzin the chair as he sat back down on his bed. "What about, specifically?"

"How are you feeling?" Tenzin asked. "You barely spoke to anyone last night after the battle." Al shrugged.

"I'm surprised you aren't angry with me." Al said. Tenzin frowned beneath his beard, his eyes drooping a bit with the motion.

"Al, you aren't an Air Nomad – and what you did saved my family. You shouldn't regret your actions in that tower." Tenzin said. "Taking a life is... my father, for all his ideals, required all the powers of the Avatar to prevent death." He folded his hands in his lap, leaning forwards. "You aren't even a bender, Al – and you have to make the hardest choices for it."

"I know." Al said. He heard the chittering of birds outside, the sun rising and lighting the sky a brilliant orange. Tenzin shifted in his seat. "How are you holding up?"

"Jinora's taking it the worst. Pema is beside herself, but the baby keeps her tired and Ikki and Meelo seem barely affected. They'll keep her in good spirits." Tenzin said with a half-smile. "I'm considering sending them away with many of the acolytes – Air Temple Island is only going to be in danger with the chaos going on in the city." He looked Al in the eye. "How bad is it going to get?"

Al rubbed at his hands. "Bad." He said, looking at the floorboards. "This wasn't supposed to happen – the Triads never rose up in the story."

"Never?" Tenzin asked, "Then it must be Amon. Without me helping to stabilize the city council, Amon must be provoking the triads into attacks on the city – thinking they're being attacked by the police and the government." He stood, looking out Al's window towards the southern districts of Republic City. "He'll use this violence to provoke an Equalist agenda, raise the poor and downtrodden to his side – mostly non-benders live in the south side – they can't work the harder, more intensive jobs."

"Class warfare mixed with strife between benders and nonbenders." Al said. "We're stuck in the middle, Tenzin – Tarrlok is only going to make things worse, and he's still a threat. You're going to have to start working that angle with the council – Amon's too entrenched, getting him out will take an Avatar we don't have realized."

Tenzin rubbed his eyes. "I know." He said. "Tarrlok is hiding something, but I can't act against him. Not openly. Politics isn't my strong suit, and the police aren't in our pocket. Beifong and I-" Al nodded.

"I know, Tenzin. I know everything, remember?" Al said. "Lin Beifong, though, can be an ally. We just need to approach the situation differently. Like her mother, Lin has a sense of what's right and just in the world – if we give her reason to work alongside us, we'll have a chance at setting things right."

"How can we do that, when she's mad at me?" Tenzin said. Al shrugged, rubbing his chin. His face, which he'd kept clean shaven previously at the temple, had long since been replaced with weeks of growth.

"I can talk to her." Al said, finally. "I may not have any credibility, but something tells me I can build that for her." Tenzin cocked a brow.

"How would you get in the door? Lin isn't exactly the type of person-" Tenzin heard a small buzzing in the air, and looked to the window. After hours of waiting, a police airship was finally crossing the bay – headed straight for the island. Al smiled. "Well." Tenzin said, "At least two of us on this island can have long-term planning in mind."

"Hey, don't count out Jinora." Al said, standing. He reached down to the ground, gathering up his robes and tying them on. "She's smarter than you'd think." He slipped his sandals on, motioning to the door. Both of them strode out, as the loud roar of the airship spun down. The acolytes quickly getting out of the way, smiling at their saviors, Tenzin and Al arrived on the square forthwith. Korra's earthen wall still stood where it had before – and the airship was comfortably nestled to the north side of the island, just past the airbending gates. The ramp slowly extended, a gray-haired woman in armor standing on the ramp. Her face had two trailing scars on her right, and a pair of steely green eyes seemed to lock onto Tenzin.

The old Airbender hitched slightly, Al noted, as several acolytes filled the courtyard. Most of the imprisoned waterbenders were bound and lying on the ground, having been fed only once in the morning and otherwise left to their own devices. Mostly rolling on the ground, writhing in concussion or trying to curse through their gags. One, who had graced Al's fists the evening before, caught sight of him.

Al simply shot him a toothy grin, and the man quickly pressed his face into the stone, squeezing his eyes shut. A large bruise had formed on his forehead. Ahead, several White Lotus soldiers had arrived to meet Beifong, who jumped down from the ramp with a pair of officers. "Tenzin!" She shouted. "Is everyone alright?" She asked.

"We're all fine." Tenzin replied, halting a few feet from Lin. "They did their best to hurt who they could, but my most skilled Acolyte worked with the White Lotus to secure the compound. Had they not arrived when they did, things could've been far worse." Lin nodded, her face hardening as the conversation went on.

"They are far worse." Lin replied. She motioned to her men, who began spouting off rights at the assembled prisoners. She noted the rug rolled up to the side of the group, given a respectful distance by all. "Is that a-?" She began.

"Yes." Al said. Lin shot Al a look, sizing him up. There was a momentary silence. "An earthbender shot myself and a White Lotus swordsman up into the tower where their leader held Ikki and Meelo hostage – it was either kill him...or he killed the children." Al said, his voice hitching on the last bit. Lin nodded.

"I'm not going to lie to you." Lin said, "It's only one of many from last night. At least twenty people died in the gang fights last night, and several more are in the hospitals not expected to survive. Those are preliminary numbers." Tenzin's face paled.

"Are they gangers? Civilians? Police?" Tenzin asked. "This is far worse than I could've imagined." His face was contorted with concern as he looked across the bay, the south side still smoking even in the morning. Fire Brigade airships stalked the sky, their water bladders occasionally spraying buildings or ladders dropping from their compartments. Two buildings had collapsed utterly.

"All three. Two of my best were killed in a fight with the Agni Kai." Lin said, watching as the first of the Triad men were placed aboard. "All my reports say the same thing – the Triads think we're taking people's bending, and they're attacking us like starving rats, biting whatever they can."

"The question becomes," Al said, "Who could take bending, other than an Avatar? A realized one, at that?" Obviously, Al knew the answer, and Tenzin glanced at him with questions floating all around. For all his skill and tact, Tenzin didn't understand people. Airbenders were aloof, disconnected. Direct warning was only going to push Lin in the wrong directions.

"She's busy in the southern tribe, still training." Lin said. "There's no other way that I know of, anyways. My detectives have reported some rumblings in the south side about an anti-bending movement, but I can't see anti-benders having the ability to take bending away. They'd have to have bending to take it."

"Unless there's a bigoted hypocrite in their ranks." Al said. Tenzin's brows raised slightly in understanding. "Someone with a grudge against the city, using abilities we haven't seen before."

Lin looked at Al, placing a hand on her hip. "Who even is this, Tenzin?" Lin asked. "I've never seen him on the island."

Tenzin placed a hand on Al's shoulder, "Al is a guest of the Air Temple. I met him some months ago, when he'd just came to the city from the Fire Nation. He's a gifted boy – knows far more than most his age. He may not be a bender, but he has more insight than I'd expect from someone our age." Lin's face didn't change at those words, and she looked Al over. The sword at his hip made her lips turn down slightly.

"Well, he can't be all bad if he helped save your children, Tenzin." She said, looking at him. The last of the prisoners was being brought aboard, and two Lotus sentries had begun to carry the body. "You're probably right." Lin agreed. "Whoever caused what happened last night is something we can't predict. I'll have to put more men on the anti-bending group, but we're stretched thin with riot control and presence operations in the south side – plus additional security for a half-dozen companies and republic buildings."

"I wish we could help, Lin." Tenzin replied. "Had I trained airbenders..." Lin scowled at that.

"I don't need help." She said. The body was brought aboard, and the Lotus soldiers dropped to the side, walking off. "What I need is for you to work with the council for a diplomatic solution. I can't fight a war in this city, Tenzin. I'm a Chief of Police, not a General. If these things continue, I'll call in Iroh and we'll look all the more tyrannical." Beifong pivoted on her heel, hopping onto the ramp.

"We'll do our best, Lin." Tenzin said, the craft's propellers spooling up. Lin crossed her arms, the ramp slowly ascending.

"You always do, Tenzin." She growled. The ramp shut, and the airship turned to fly away. As the pair watched, the noise slowly began to fade – the island returning to peace as a pair of birds began chirping. Tenzin finally looked at Al.

"That could've gone better." Tenzin said.

Al laughed. "Hey, if I saw my ex, I'd punch her." Tenzin frowned at that. Al rose his hands in defense, "Hey, I'm kidding!"

"Violence doesn't suit you." Tenzin replied. "You're a defender, not an attacker."

"Sometimes the best defense is a good offense, Tenzin." Al replied. "You can't wait for everything to come to you – or you'll end up missing some of life's greatest opportunities."

Tenzin nodded, his gaze floating away from Al. "Isn't that the truth?" He said.

==

"Raiku*." A voice called.

"Korra." Raiku murmured, looking behind him. The pagoda on the west side of the island was a quiet place, looking out on the sea. "And here I'd thought you'd run off to the city, fighting crime." The Avatar walked up behind him, hands in her pockets.

"I've had enough fighting. For this week, anyways." Korra replied, moving to stand next to him. They were silent, for awhile. "I thought it'd be different."

"So did I." Raiku said. His White Lotus garb had several pieces torn out – shredded by ice bolts. "Father said when I was younger that the world was a bigger, scarier place than I'd ever like to find out." He looked at Korra. "He fought those criminals a week later."

She frowned. "It's nothing like I thought it'd be." Korra said. She stepped forward, placing her hands on the railing. "Nothing." She looked back at Raiku, who'd folded his arms. "Not even minutes before I saw the city, I was chasing Al – laughing, having fun." She looked back out to the sea. "And suddenly, it hit me. I saw that city. Saw the island, the flames."

"Hit you like a sledgehammer?" Raiku asked. "A solid hit of 'time to grow up'?" Korra nodded. "Tell me about it." He said.

Korra's face took on a look of pain, "Rai, I'm-"

"Don't worry about it." He said, shaking his head. "We all have things happen to us. Look at Al – his entire world's gone, and it's killing him: now he's getting in fights, beating people up. He told me, once, he was at a school – and one of his roommates was bullying him. He wound up and punched him in the face."

"Really?" Korra said, leaning back against the railing. "Why?"

"Because he wouldn't accept being looked down on by people bigger than him." Raiku said. "It was the first time he ever hit someone in anger." He motioned back to the temple with an arm. "Now look at him."

"And you lost...well." Korra said, letting that hang. Raiku nodded, closing his eyes as he did so. He let them open again.

"I was young." Raiku said.

"You still are." Korra replied. "You were still a kid when I was learning earthbending. I remember you with your parents, visiting Katara."

"And now we're growing up, I guess." Raiku said. "I wish we could be like the kids – but all I've got are swords."

"Yeah." Korra said. She held up a hand, smiling as she crackled fire between her fingers. "It's something I take for granted, I guess – I can bend three elements, and some people can't bend any..."

"No wonder those triad goons did what they did." Raiku said. "Kill for their bending? It's their life. Some people would do anything to keep bending, and if someone keeps stealing people's abilities..." He looked out to the sea. "We're going to be in trouble."

"Lots of it." Korra said. Narrowing her eyes, she stood up from the railing. "And I'm gonna have to stop it."

Raiku walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He put the other on the hilt of his sword. "My grandfather helped the Avatar, sword and no sword." He said. "I've known you all my life, Korra – whatever you're going to have to do, I have your back."

"Thanks, Rai." Korra said, grabbing his hand. "I just hope it never comes to a head like that."

Above, the sea gulls began crying – and the noon bell rung in the high temple tower. Korra's eyes shifted to look at Avatar Aang, who stood proud with his staff in the bay. In her heart, she knew – it would have to.

==

Al dodged, a gob of rice passing perilously close to his head, the Tenzin family dinner table a sudden mess as the two youngest airbenders sent their foods flying at one another, gusts of air sending table accoutrements everywhere. "Meelo!" Tenzin yelled, "Cut it out!"

Meelo's dairy air propelled him into the air, where he hung from a rafter. "Never! Not while the evil wench suggests my incompetence!" He shouted, dropping down towards her. Ikki dodged backwards with a gust of air, sending her plate flying. Meelo landed in a heap on Ikki's cushion – just in time to be hammed in the face with the rest of Ikki's lunch.

Al, Korra, and Raiku slowly rose from laying backwards, most of the crossfire avoided. Al let out a groan. "My abs weren't built for this!" He shouted.

"Where'd Meelo learn all that vocabulary?" Korra asked Pema, whose face was contorted in a grimace of parenthood. Her narrowed eyes turned to Al, and her finger jabbed out at him. Korra turned her head. "I guess I shouldn't really be surprised."

"I'll take that as a compliment!" Al laughed. He spooned some rice into his mouth, careful to make sure nothing strange had landed in his meal. "It's about time someone spiced up you people's verbiage."

"Shut up!" Raiku said. "I've learned more sword terms from you in a month than I have in one life. All your ripostes, pirouettes, parries, flurries, backstabs. You'd think you were some sort of combat expert, what with all your generalship." Al laughed, gargling his water a moment trying to keep it down.

"Ah yes, his fine speeches!" Jinora said, piping up from her side of the table. Through some magic, she'd evaded the crossfire as well. Al blamed her airbending. "I've never met someone who could talk so much about things. You'd think he did it to pass the time, or something?"

"What else am I supposed to do?" Al asked. "No cars, no theater, no planes, no magazines, newspapers? You have to occupy yourself somehow in all the closed off and isolated places we seem to find ourselves in."

Tenzin shrugged. "Perhaps it'd be good to get out of the island for awhile." He said, looking at his wife. "Pema, when was the last time you visited the city?"

"Last year, around the new year, I think?" She said. "You had that councilor's banquet you weren't really happy about."

"Ugh." Tenzin said, "Do not remind me." Korra put her elbows on the table, avoiding a gooey mess near her right arm.

"Wait, wait – Tenzin goes to banquets?" Korra asked.

"We're not talking about this." Tenzin said, at once. Pema simply laughed. "Some parts of my duties require attendance at formal events. My family usually is asked to attend as a group, and it goes as expected." He shot a glare at Meelo who smiled – broccoli in his teeth. "This-" He pointed, "-little rascal decided to chase down the Earth Councilor's wife asking her about how much she loved rocks, and would not cease no matter how many questions the woman answered."

"But I wanted to know what KIND of rocks she liked!" Meelo shouted. "How many, how hard, how often. I feel like someone with that tubby of a person they're in love with has to like big rocks, right?"

Al didn't like where any of these undertones were going. "Soooo~" He said, stopping that conversation dead. "Since none of us have been to the city lately... Why don't we go visit?" Al asked. Tenzin stroked his beard, forming it into even tighter of a point than it already had. He looked at his wife, heavy with child.

"I don't know." He said. "It'd be a strain for Pema."

She slapped him on the arm, "I'm pregnant, not helpless!" She said. "I've moved myself around the island for quite awhile now, I think I can handle a single trip to the theater." Ikki and Meelo had stopped their spat for a moment, and all three children were looking excitedly at their parents. Meelo snorted up a booger in anticipation.

Tenzin frowned. "It couldn't hurt." He said, looking at everyone. "Will you all be going? I believe the council gets free tickets."

"What's even showing?" Al asked. Tenzin frowned, taking another stroke at his beard.

He reached into his robe, ruffling through a pocket, and recovered a piece of paper - "Ah!" He said. "The Kyoshi Saga, Part III, by Wishui Shensperu. He's an older playwright, seems they've redone the theater to look like his old Ba Sing Se theater, the Globe."

Al's eye twitched a little. "That sounds wonderful." He said. Everyone else shrugged at it.

"Dunno." Raiku said, "Seems a bit dry." He said, picking up the tossed playbill - "Wait, features real-life earthbending re-enactment of the Chin-Kyoshi duel? Battles of thirty actors per side, in a real war for the Earth Kingdom throne?"

Korra set her cup down. "That sounds -awesome-!" She said. "I haven't learned much about Kyoshi, it'd be a great time!"

"It's settled, then." Tenzin said. "I'll head to the council this afternoon to make arrangements." He said. Korra stared at the pamphlet – an interesting image of Kyoshi and Chin in fighting stances already stoking her interest.

==

The Ten Towers Theater was a large building – built between two large skyscrapers – one being the rather massive Cabbage Corporation Annex. They rose high above the city, various pagoda roofs like found in any number of asian architecture styles occasionally jutting out for aesthetic purposes. It gave the evening shadows a strange cast, which made the street a mixture of light and darkness. Arriving by cab, Tenzin and his family exited swiftly, Korra and Al in close pursuit, with Raiku trailing the pack in a stuffy waterbender suit – one he'd been gifted by Katara prior to his journey. He practically creaked up the stairs, the leather far too tight. "Hey, goldilocks!" Al shouted. "You coming?"

"I don't see you wearing your pads everywhere!" Raiku shouted back. Several suit-wearing theatergoers shot Al and Korra a look – the former in an Air Nation robe*, the latter in a tank top, her parka still folded around her waist like a skirt. Raiku finally surmounted the stairs, squeaking audibly as he moved.

They entered the foyer, the walls rising high above their heads – a central chandelier showing the symbols of each nation in a four-tiered setup. "It's beautiful!" Korra said, watching the lights glitter off of it. "Who knew the city was so vibrant, Al?" She asked. Al cocked his head, looking around. Various posters extended from the walls in slide-in panels, and ticketers stood behind glass panels, speaking through voiceboxes with their customers.

In one corner, a coat-man sat taking coats and handing out numbers. 'Huh.' Al thought. 'Feels a lot like a theater back home.' He tugged at his scarf, rubbing his beard with an idle hand. 'I guess some things never change?'

Korra tugged at his arm. "Come on, Tenzin's already on his way up to the box!" She said, rushing off, grabbing Raiku's arm as she did so, he practically slid on his boots, squealing across the polished floor. Al looked down, seeing his face in it. It was the first time he'd looked in a mirror in a long time – and the blue eyes looked back in confusion.

Al shook it off. There was time to be introspective later. He rushed off after his compatriots, dodging through the gathering crowd at the main entrance and rising up the side stairs. Tenzin had box seats – a benefit of his office, and no other councilors would be attending. As Al handed his ticket to the attendant, he found himself walking past a mustachioed man and a black-haired woman, both very tall and dignified. The man shot him a look, glancing over his outfit, and remained expressionless. "I'm telling you, father." The woman said. "It'll be great – Avatar Kyoshi was a big part of what ended the sexism in much of the Earth Kingdom – and defeating that monster, Chin? You'll love it."

'Wait, was that-' Al thought, hearing her voice. He saw a black haired woman in a jacket... a black jacket, with red trim. A cog with two lightning bolts was emblazoned on the back, and Al looked away, continuing on. 'Shit.'

He turned into the booth, where the Airbenders and his friends had assembled, idly chit-chatting as the curtains slowly began to open. "Took you long enough, Al!" Korra whispered. "Did you get lost?"

"No." Al whispered back, sitting next to her. "Sometimes you just see beautiful people and need to stop for a minute, y'know?" He asked, looking Korra in the eye. She turned away, shrugging.

"I-i mean, I guess so." She whispered back, as 'Avatar Kyoshi', sans makeup and hat, stepped onto the stage. She took a bow, and several people clapped in the general audience. Al looked to his right, past the side booth, to where he saw Hiroshi Sato sitting in his chair. Asami leaned forward, folding her hands in her lap, and looked with intent at the stage.

Al saw her green eyes flare from here. 'You talk about Korra. You think about Korra.' He thought. 'But not just her.' He looked back at her, then back to Asami. 'I do it to everyone.' He realized. 'They're all just pawns in my game – and I'm just another person thinking about themselves."

"In my time!" The actress said on the stage, "I learned many things." She said, kneeling before the audience. "In my time!" She shouted, "I did much." She reached to her side, withdrawing a golden fan, throwing it open. "But no battle shook me further," She began, rising. Another fan appeared in her hand, "No moment hit me harder," She continued, "Than knowing the pain of uncertainty."

'Kyoshi' twirled, coming to a kneeling pose, fans outstretched behind her. "And that is what I felt, as the sun came over the mountains – Chin's great army on the field before me."

"And I asked!" She shouted, "Asked the spirits, why me, why make me the one to deal with this? To fight against the tide?" She asked. She bowed down, returning to her knees, letting the fans drop. "I am but Kyoshi. Daughter of a farmer. A woman." She looked up, eyes tracing the boxes. "Why choose me?"

'Why choose me?' Al thought, looking at Korra, whose face twisted into a small frown. 'Why choose anyone, God?' Al asked.

Silence reigned.

==

Author's Notes

Sorry if this one dragged a bit more than the last – it's hard to follow up a writing streak with another of the same quality. I realize, having written this one, that I should've set a definite ending. Writing from point-to-point is the best strategy I've found, and in this case, and I sort of finished the point of last episode at the mask scene. The rest of the episode kind of rambles onwards. I mean, my opinion's probably different than yours - but YMMV.

I personally have mixed feelings about killing people. On the one hand, I could see myself regretting it more than anything I've ever regretted – but I could also see it never bother me. I struck a middle ground with Al – he's clearly shellshocked by it, but he'll do what he has to where the rest of the cast might not regret their actions.

1* = Raiku has lived in the southern tribe his whole life, as has Korra. It's clear from Book 1, Episode 1 and from Book 4 that Korra has a strong relationship with Katara, and likely had a strong relationship with any of Sokka's descendants. ITTL, Sokka died with his son fighting Zaheer for Korra. Raiku's mother died when Raiku was very young from pregnancy complications. As such, he was raised by Katara in his youth, roughly from age five. The pair have had their moments – their spats and their fights – but Korra technically is closest to Tenzin, of anyone. I'd liken him to the Kuvira of the Kataang family, well-acquainted yet separate, both due to age differences, personal issues, and his life. Minus Woman-Hitler. (NOTE: Al has only seen three seasons - he has neither seen the finale nor the Korrasami buildup of Season 4, including Korra's PTSD and Remembrances.)

You might ask, where did Raiku learn his swordplay from, without his father to keep training him?

Well, there's another member of the Gaang who's used swords before – especially when the sun's not having a great day. Their relationship is a story for another time.

*2 = I know I say Al is wearing 'Air Nation Robes' an awful lot – and I haven't really described them. They aren't exactly pure acolyte robes – more like Wan's final form before his battle with Vaatu (http://www.cosplayisland.co.uk/files/costumes/4548/85860/CI_85860_1386442842.jpg) – His color scheme is more vibrant than Wan, however. The scarf is yellow, the tunic red, and the pants yellow. The sleeves are tighter and longer, with the hands free, not wrapped. The boots are reversed, with wrapping around the ankles and calves, not the foot proper. All told, Al looks less ragged – a bit more dignified – but unique to him, like the rest of Team Avatar's outfits.

Henceforth, if I say Al's robes, that's what I mean. I'll get around to trying to draw them, at some point.

 

[Historian]

Book One, Episode Three: The Fire Ferrets

Ten Towers Theater

Chin the Conqueror rose one last time, his dyed-gray hair wild and tangled as he rose up. "Avatar!" He yelled, growling, "You've beaten me, at last!" The man collapsed, buckling on his arms. His voice turned to a hiss: "How does it feel?" He asked, wearing nothing but his loincloth – the rest having blown away from the Avatar's 'airbending'.

"You need to move." Kyoshi commanded, doffing her hat. Her eyes glowed with an eerie light – a pair of gemstones the actress squeezed between her eyes. They glinted just right, creating the illusion of the Avatar State. "I have the power of a thousand generations at my command, Chin." She said. "I will break off this peninsula, and save my family – and you may do as you wish. We shall never submit to your reign."

"Fool!" Chin shouted out, rising to his knees. "The Earth Kingdom is a stagnant failure – if not me, then another shall seek to dislodge the Earth King. If not me, another shall destroy all we hold precious. Where will the Avatar be then, Kyoshi?" He spat. "Weak and powerless? Too old and infirm?" The man rose to his knees, slamming both feet into the ground. A heavy rock rose next to him. "I won't let you destroy all I've built!"

Korra stared out at him, hands clenched in admiration. She leaned to Al, whispering: "It takes some real talent with Earthbending to hold a rock like that so calmly."

Al inclined his head, "Are you sure it's him?" He asked, reaching into his robe and acquiring a playbill. He began to leaf through, looking for Chin's actor.

"Huh?" Korra asked, looking at the bill as Al flipped through. "What do you mean?"

"Sometimes they have a special effects cast doing bending behind the stage." Al whispered, pointing at the curtain. "Let's see – the actor playing Chin is..." Al paused a moment, reading the name thrice over. "...That's weird."

"What?" Korra asked, taking a side of the bill in her hand. "Bolin Hatara?" She said. "Do you know him, or something?"

"Not personally." Al sputtered, looking out in the audience. "He's a pro-bender." Korra snapped back, watching as Chin shifted his arms – raising the rock high. In the middle of the stage was a single massive block of Earth – bordering the wood.

The Avatar's eyes grew brighter as the light shifted, her arms gathering strength as the rocks began to rumble. It was quite clear to Korra – she wasn't bending. You had to plant your feet to Earthbend, and this woman never bothered. The Avatar dancing forward, the central rock began to crack and fizzle – Chin atop it. He rose his rock higher, planning to strike – and, with a roar, the central block dropped offstage – Chin the Conqueror disappearing. Forever.

The audience let out a gasp – some covering their faces. Kyoshi swept her face with a sudden hand gesture, her 'Avatar Eyes' disappearing with it. To stage left, the small group of Chin Soldier extras seemed panicked – and turned to fleet. Kyoshi held up her fans, letting a sneer grace her lips. "Hear me, soldiers!" She yelled. "You may run where you wish – flee to whom you might. Know this: I am the Avatar. I am order incarnate. The wisdom of eons guides me – and you are nothing next to me."

Korra cocked her head. "Nothing?" She whispered. The Conqueror's soldiers turned and fled, comical yells sending a small chuckle through the audience. As they fled, Kyoshi stood in a readied stance, as if to attack – but quickly fell from it – collapsing to her knees with a heave of her shoulders.

"Kyoshi!" A voice called, a woman in an armored dress rushing onto the stage – Mikasa, one of the most skilled Kyoshi Warriors on the Island, and a close friend of the Avatar. "We are ready for them – the gates are barred!" She called, rushing to the edge of the pit, stopping with an exaggerated flail of her arms.

"It is over, Mikasa." Kyoshi said – her eyes looking at the ground. She shook her arms, slowly pushing herself to her feet. Turning to the audience, she glanced out over the main crowd – and up to the boxes. "Chin has fallen to the sea – and his army is routed. There is no threat to our home any longer."

Mikasa, holding a sword in her hand, let it drop – it clattered, bouncing, and fell deep into the pit. She turned, approaching Kyoshi, and wrapped her arm around the Avatar's waist. "Then..." She said, wiping her face – the white makeup revealing a calm face - "We've finished it? After all this time?"

"After all this time." Kyoshi smiled, looking up to the audience. "After all I've learned." She grabbed Mikasa's hands, turning to face her. "Gather the others."

Mikasa nodded, rushing off with a quick jog, leaving Kyoshi to herself. She wrapped her arms around herself, staring off into the crowd. "Mother." She said, "Father. I've done everything I could – I've saved everyone I can." A sigh escaped Kyoshi's lips, and the tension hung in the air. "But I've finished my mission now, haven't I?"

"Can I go home, knowing what I do?" She asked. "There are tens of thousands of people in this world – and I can't just defend one island – leaving the rest to its own devices."

Korra leaned forward, staring intently at the actress on the stage. "If I'm the Avatar – I have to protect the world, no matter what I want, or how I feel. I am more than myself." She wiped her face again, her eyes bursting out in a gemstone glow once more. "I am eons of knowledge. A force for order, and safety."

Mikasa returned to the stage behind her, a small cohort of Kyoshi Warriors in tow. They bowed to the Avatar, and she bowed back. Ascending the stage to the very back, she turned to face the Kyoshi Warriors, who arrayed themselves with their backs to the audience. Al inclined his head at that. You never faced away from the audience, except for effect.

Kyoshi stalked forward to stand facing them all. "I am Avatar Kyoshi." She said, wiping her face, her Avatar eyes disappearing. "And this is my island, which I split from the mainland today." The Avatar's eyes traced her compatriots. "I know I am your friend. I know I am a normal woman. Today, however, I am the Avatar."

"I know now," She began, pacing, "That I cannot stay on this island. Thousands of vagabonds and bandits will be sewing chaos and discord across the Earth Kingdom – and I cannot defend our home like I have." She stopped, looking at the women assembled before her. "In some places, women would be asked to sit aside as the men protected the village – or submit as whoever did whatever they liked with us." Kyoshi said. "Yangchen was not ruled by men. I am not ruled by men. You will not be ruled by men – with me, or without me." She said, bending down. She handed Mikasa one of her fans, its spiked ends glinting in the light. "This is Kyoshi Island – built by my own power. You?" Her hand waved across the ranks of Kyoshi Warriors. "You are my warriors. Kyoshi Warriors." She said."Wear the paint. Wield the fan. Let no man call you unworthy of the sword or the fist."

The Kyoshi Warriors stood, saluting with fists over their chests, about-facing on their heels. Marching off the stage with swords in hand, they echoed across the chamber – a pounding roar that suddenly silenced as the last stepped away. Kyoshi turned to face the audience, striking a pose of contemplation – and the curtains closed. Slowly and surely, many members of the audience stood – clapping loudly. A few were silent – and Al looked over to see Mr. Sato clapping in a slow manner, his face impassive.

"Huh." Al murmured to himself.

"Wasn't that -awesome-?" Korra whispered, elbowing Al as he clapped. The entire booth was applauding – and Tenzin put a pair of fingers in his mouth to whistle – it roared across the chamber, to the astonishment of some below.

"Yeah, it was." Al said. "It would've been awesome to be there – to see that entire army break and run." He watched as the curtains opened – the central earth rising with a roar: the main cast bowing as it did so – and Chin the Conqueror bending it himself. To the flanks, the Kyoshi Islanders and Chin Soldiers took their own sides of the stage – and all bowed before the crowd. Korra stood excitedly, clapping her hands together.

"Wonderful." Jinora said. "It's just like the books by Anchu – the Nomad who recorded much of her journey."

"How wonderful of you to mention, Jinora." Tenzin said, "I was considering its airbending section as Korra's first reading lesson."

Korra's eyes flicked up, her face lost in thought. "Y'know." She said, looking over at Tenzin, "I've never been one for books – and my masters always said I needed to see the spiritual side. Maybe some light reading would be good for me."

"I'm glad you agree." Tenzin said. "The library's copy is fairly poorly translated – I'll see if I can't send for a better one from one of the other temples."

"I think I can manage." Korra replied, putting her hands on her hips. "I -was- there, after all." She said, looking back out at the cast. Chin was still holding the earth, making interesting poses as a few bouquets were tossed onto the stage. Korra turned to Al, who's eyes were looking off at the other booths.

"Al?" She said, poking his arm. "You said that Chin guy was a pro-bender?"

Al nodded, reopening the bill – there was even a small Fire Ferrets logo next to his name. "Yeah." Al said. "He plays for the Fire Ferrets – I hear they're a pretty rookie team: he's probably the best bender on there – if that rock's any indication."

"We should meet him!" Korra said, "And the girl who played Kyoshi!" She looked back at Tenzin – who's lips had pressed into a thin line.

Korra's eyes plead. "There's a cast party that goes into the evening – people on council tickets -may- attend." He said, finally. Korra pumped a fist.

"Whoo!" Korra said. "Party!" She glanced down, noting her outfit. "I'm so underdressed!"

"Ah, it's alright." Al said. "I think the Avatar's appearance will be enough to shut anyone up who questions you. Who else is going?" Al asked.

"I need to take my family home." Tenzin said. "It's between you three." He commanded, grabbing Meelo as he tried to climb onto the railing. Korra turned to lean against the railing, looking at her companions. Al was dressed in his usual clothes – airy and comfortable, yet with a strictness to them – they flowed and shifted, but only where Al wanted them to. Raiku, meanwhile, was hemmed in – his outfit ready to burst at the seams.

"Rai." She said, after a moment. Raiku craned his neck, glancing at her with a groan. "Do you -want- to come? You're a bit of a mess in that outfit."

"I don't think I could make it down another flight of stairs." He replied, craning down to look at himself. "Say what you will about Auntie – I think she's starting to go a bit..." His finger whirled about his ear, and Korra let out a chuckle.

Tenzin lead his family out – and Raiku squeaked along after them, happy to be free of his seat and on his way to sweet freedom. Below, the audience streamed out – happy murmurs and shouts of jubilation reigned as they set a course back towards the streets of Republic City. Al looked over at Korra – who stared at the earthen block with interest. Chin's actor shook his hands, rumbling the block down to level with the other two thirds of the stage. The actors and actresses doffed their headgear – and Al could see Bolin's usual hairstyle poke out from beneath the makeup and hair oil.

'If it had to be any one person from Korra I'd spend a day with.' Al thought. 'It'd be Bolin.'

==

Backstage at Ten Towers

Al stepped gingerly through the curtain – out into the rear of the stage. It had been a convoluted path, but they'd followed it. "Korra!" Al said, "I found it!" A man standing near the door approached immediately, nodding at them.

"Hello!" He said, gesturing an arm at the backstage accoutriments – a small buffet, a collection of well-dressed guests, and various members of the cast with their families in tow, all crowding the stage. In one corner, Kyoshi's actress giggled with a pair of well-dressed gentlemen, one of whom seemed excessively touchy.

In another, Bolin sat with a small group of Chin soldiers – twirling rocks in his hands as the rest of the cast seemed to mingle and mix in their own time. Korra stepped out, her eyes alight, and disappeared into the crowd – her blue a blur amidst the blacks, greens, and browns that permeated the party.

The chauffeur eyed Al. "I imagine she has a pass?" He asked. "I'd hate to throw someone out."

"You could try, buddy." Al said, handing his ticket over. The Chauffeur glanced it over, his eyes widening as he saw the ticket's issuer-in-prime: the Republic City Council. He handed it back with an excited nod. "I'm Al – with me is Korra."

The Chauffeur nodded, turning around to announce them. He looked to see Korra at one of the nearby tables, already immersed in conversation with a pair of Kyoshi Warrior extras. He smiled, watching as she bent punch to them, excitedly blabbering on about one thing or another. Laying a hand on the man's shoulder, Al added - "-Avatar- Korra." He said.

"The Avatar?" The Chauffeur practically shouted. "Here? In our theater? That hasn't happened since Avatar Aang helped open the place!" He pointed upwards, to an Air Nation symbol that hung above – a pair of Air Gliders hanging from the rafters. "He fronted the money to have a theater built, focusing on historical plays."

"Really?" Al said. The man turned around, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Al, Acolyte of the Air Nation!" He shouted, "Escorting /AVATAR/ Korra!" He exclaimed. A quiet hush went through the crowd as Al disappeared into it, searching for Korra. She'd quickly disappeared, even as the crowd seemed to search inside itself for the Avatar.

Al shifted through the throng, finding space as he spotted Korra rushing towards a stunned actress – her Kyoshi makeup only half-gone. "Hi!" He heard Korra shout. "I loved your performance!" She said, shaking the actress' hand with an uncouth rattle.

The girl regressed slightly into her chair in surprise, as Korra bombarded her with a plethora of questions - her research, her bending style on the stage, how well she knew about the Avatar. A figure stepped over next to Al, clearing his throat. "Excuse me, but you appear to be the Acolyte escorting the Avatar." He said, his voice strong and clear. Al turned, looking up to see the bespectacled eyes of Hiroshi Sato – his graying hair comfortably touched with enough darkness to show some youth.

His eyes appraised Al's, and Al crossed his arms. "And you are?" He asked, feigning ignorance. The man let out a small chuckle, hearty, from his belly.

"Me?" He said, laughing. "You must not get the news much on Air Temple Island."

Al smiled back, biting his tongue before speaking. "When one spends their days searching for enlightenment, they can't concern themselves with other people." Al said. "I take it you're someone important, however. Perhaps I can deduce your profession?"

"Feel free!" Sato said with a chuckle, folding his arms as Al looked him over.

To Al's credit, he did his homework nightly – and knew quite a bit about Mr. Sato – especially his childhood. Al pantomimed a look at Sato's hands. "Quite a bit rougher than I'd have expected, sir." Al said, glancing him over. "You didn't start out wearing suits like that, I'd take it."

"No, sir." Sato replied with a smile. His glee was palatable – this was a man who loved to tell his story, such as it was.

"I'm not an expert, but... Dragon Flats?" Al asked, pacing, light on his feet. As he walked, he noticed a black-haired figure chatting with a pair of girls in green dresses – small leafy-looking symbols in their hair. Cabbages? Fake ones, surely, but cabbages all the same. She turned, noting Al as he circled Mr. Sato, and inclined her head with interest.

"You'd be correct." Hiroshi said with a smile. "I grew up there with my family – we were very poor, it's hard for the non-bending folk of the city, and I hire them above all."

"Hire?" Al said, feigning surprise. "A company, then. I take it you don't want me to start rattling off names?"

"That'd be fairly easy pickings." Sato replied, checking his watch as Al returned to his front.

"So – an enterprising businessman, with an origin in Dragon Flats – with a respect for thought and -not- a bender." Al said, summarizing. "A forward-thinker, then." He suggested, "Tell me, how's your IBITDA* doing, Mr. Sato?"

"My-" Sato began, "What, how?"

"Firstly-" Al said, "IBITDA stands for Income Before Interest, Taxes, Deductions, and Amoritization – it's a nice way of figuring out whether someone you're employing at a lower tier is producing – free of factors outside of their control. My Dad worked in sales before I became an acolyte."

"Really?" Sato said. "Seems like you were scamming me." He leaned down to look at Al, and the shorter man simply smiled. "If you know who I am, why not let on?"

"Because you're no doubt quite skilled at reading people, Mr. Sato. You don't get far in business without it." Al replied, outstretching a hand. "I'm Al."

"Hiroshi." Sato said, shaking Al's hand. "And it would appear my skills are less than I'd like."

"You didn't grow up with snobs." Al said. "My father tried to keep us away from the business parties and rich lifestyle – and I think I'm better for it, especially at the Air Temple." Hiroshi nodded at that.

"I find that having a connection to those less fortunate is a blessing, not a curse." Sato said. He reached into a pocket, retrieving a small kerchief and stretching it out. "This is my mother's – hand-worked in our home when I was a boy. My father died when I was very young – and I've striven to make a world where my daughter shouldn't have to knit hand-me-downs."

Al took it with his wrapped hands, gently admiring it as it hung between his open palms. "It's wonderful." Al said, handing it back. "As simple and rugged as your Satomobiles – but with heart."

Hiroshi beamed at that. "Heart." He said. "You're an inspired young man, you know – leaving your family to live among the Acolytes. Some of the most brilliant thinkers in history have lived in the Air Temples – I've recently been studying the works of the Mechanist – a man who lived many decades ago."

"What sort of works in particular?" Al asked, folding his arms. "I've been putting a lot of reading into flight – especially after watching Tenzin and his children use their gliders."

"Really?" Sato said. "That's precisely what I had in mind. I've been working with the engines utilized on the Satomobiles, alongside gliding surfaces, to create a -flying- machine: not an airship, a proper flying craft, heavier than the air."

Al feigned shock. "But how?" He asked. "You'd need quite a bit of power to get something off the ground like that – enough that you'd be burning too much fuel to go both upwards -and- forwards."

Sato smiled. "Hah! If I told you that, you'd be able to shop that out to one of my competitors. You're a smart man, though, Al." He said, reaching into his coat pocket, and handing off a small card. It had Hiroshi's name on it, with a calling code and admittance number on his private phone network. The system was far more complicated in this day, with smoky rooms full of tired operators plugging cables. This was no exception. "Take my card. If you're ever done working on that island... I could use someone with a mind like yours."

Al took the card, with a smile. "I'll keep you in mind, Mr. Sato – good luck with your business: and keep the future present."

"I always do!" He chuckled, shaking Al's hand and walking away. As he did so, Al saw his eyes fall on Korra, still practically lambasting the Kyoshi actor. Al looked down at the card, tucking it away into his robes, and quietly put his hands in his pockets – leaning against the wall. He let out a breath of relaxation. 'So – that's Hiroshi Sato. A nazi like Henry Ford – a visionary with many flaws. Poor Asami.' He thought. 'I wonder if he ever spoke to her again in Book Four. She's been shafted too much in her life.'

Al watched as Korra hurriedly shook 'Kyoshi's hand, rushing off through the crowd towards Bolin's position. She paused a moment, looking for him in the crowd – but Al's sight was cut off: a black-jacketed woman cutting into his view. Al looked up into her eyes. "Hey." She said, her voice coquettish – eyes always so. Her hands graced a small glass of whatever this world called wine*. It was half empty, and her breath smelled of cinnamon.

"Hi there." Al said, smiling back. Her eyes, like Korra's, had a piercing effect – but they were lighter. Less excited – more enticed.

"I can't help but notice you're... a bit less overdone for this sort of thing." She said, gesturing at Al's outfit. His flowing robes, which he'd stitched and sewn together from a mixture of airbending attire and other fabrics, contrasted heavily with both the tight red and black she wore – and the mixture of form-fitting dresses and fine suits that permeated the room – save for the actors still in costume.

"Hey." Al said, rolling his eyes. "I'm just here to keep the Avatar out of trouble, miss."

"That, and try to outsmart my father." She said, reaching up her free hand as if to whisper. "Not the best plan – he's really, really smart." She pulled her glass up to her lips, downing a few more gulps of her glass. "Oof." She said. "You should have some of this stuff – has a bit of a burn, but once you've had a little bit?"

"It takes the edge off?" Al smiled. "It's been a crazy week for me – I don't want to know what'll happen if I let the edge come off."

"Oh, perish the thought." The woman said. She reached out her hand, although Al knew damned well who she was. "Asami Sato – though I suspect you guessed just from the father commentary."

Al took her hand, squeezed it, and let it hang. Asami's inebriated eyes glanced at her hand with a small pout of disappointment, reaching up with it to draw her hair back. "Hey," Al said, his hands apologetic, "It's not a rich family without living in someone's shadow."

"Tell me about it!" Asami said, gesturing with her glass. "I spend all my time at these parties, and we're all talking like 'My family this' and 'Your family that' – right, but, what did -you- do yesterday?"

"Well, me, the Avatar, and the White Lotus beat up a bunch of Triad goons." Al said, motioning to his handwraps. Asami brought her free hand to her lips in a small face of shock.

"Triads attacked Air Temple Island? My father was concerned with the goings-on in the south side, near Dragon Flats – and near our factories, but I hadn't heard about the island."

"It didn't last long." Al said, hooking his thumbs in his sash. "Korra and I were just sailing in – we sent her and one of the airbender children ashore to distract the triad while we landed in lifeboats."

"And here I thought the play was exciting!" Asami said, grabbing one of Al's hands. "Are you alright? You aren't a bender, are you? That must've been a travesty." She said, pulling back his sleeve to reveal the wraps extending down his arm. He winced as she poked at them.

"I had some nice armor." Al said, shrugging her concerned hands away. The crowd had moved to surround them, and Al felt rather claustrophobic as Asami bombarded him. 'There's nothing quite like talking to a character you know and love – before half of their development happens – when they know nothing about you.' Al concluded.

"Oh." She said, nodding, bringing her hand back to one of her pockets. She took another sip of her drink, eyes darting away. "Well, I... um." She said, ruffling her hair in the back. "Feel better." She said.

"Sure." Al replied, leaning back and tucking his hands back in his pockets. Asami looked above the crowd, spotting Korra speaking with Bolin in the distance.

"Is that water-tribe girl..." She asked, looking off in the distance. "Is she...?"

"Yeah." Al said, with a nod. Asami's eyes darted up and down, appraising the figure in the distance. "She's a nice girl. Takes her role pretty seriously. -Loves- bending."

"Does she like it up here?" Asami asked. "It must be dreadfully boring on that island."

Al shrugged, looking through the slightly parted crowd to where Korra was spinning a rock in her hands – Bolin trying to bend it away from her. "I guess so." He replied. 'I've always found it peaceful. A way to get away from things – but Korra's not here for that. She's here to discover herself.' "She only just got in last night – I don't know how she feels."

"And that's more honesty than most have, these days." Asami said, finishing her drink with a gulp. She put her hand on Al's shoulder, her lips parting into a thin smile. "You seem like a nice guy." She finished. "I'm going to get another drink – you should stop by our mansion sometime. If my Dad had more than passing words to say, something tells me he'd love to have you by: at least to show off his workshop."

"I'd love that." Al said, smiling as Asami walked away. She nodded, her hair bouncing, disappearing amidst a throng of the rich – all who seemed to give her pause as she went. A thoroughly important woman – but if the show was anything to go by, 'She'd kick my ass in a second.' Al thought. 'Freaking super martial-artist. I can throw down pretty well – but I'm no ninja.'

Al rubbed at his eyes. It was getting late – and it had only been a day since their fight atop Air Temple Island. Compared to the weeks he'd spent in the south, and the months he'd had on the island prior, things felt like they'd been snowballing for a long while now.

He peered across the room, and started shifting through the throng towards where he'd last seen Korra. Bolin was where he was before, packing his bags – and Al approached, looking around. "Hey." Al said.

"Well hey, buddy!" Bolin shouted out. "You must be Korra's friend! She said you might drop by looking for her. She's out looking at the stage."

"Thanks!" Al said. "Great job, by the way – I hear you're on the Fire Ferrets?"

"Thank you!" Bolin said. "And yes, yes I am!" He shouted out, turning from bags. "Korra wants to come watch tomorrow – she had me put her down on the list."

"Really?" Al said, considering. 'Maybe causality will right itself?' He thought. "She does love her bending."

Al let out a yawn as Bolin nodded. "She was really interested in the whole moving earth part of the stage – it was actually an improv – our real moving truss broke."

"Well it was wonderful, all the same." Al said, nodding. "I need to take her back to the island. It was nice meeting you!"

"Nice meeting you too!" Bolin said, hefting one of his bags. He made a quick exit, stage right, and disappeared through an exit hallway. Al stepped over to the curtains, where he pushed them aside to find Korra looking out over the audience.

His boots slid silently across the floor, and he crouched down next to her seated form. Korra leaned back, puffing out her chest, arms back, and looked out at it all. "Kyoshi did what she did in front of the world." Korra said, looking at Al. "Thousands of people watched her rip a new island into existence." She rolled her shoulder with a pop, setting it back in place. "Aang fought Ozai as the Fire Nation armada ripped to pieces – his friends and future family at his back." Korra looked Al in the eye. "What will I have to do?" She asked.

"Whatever you have to, Korra." Al said. He rubbed his face with his hands letting out a tired sigh. Korra grabbed one of them, looking at the arm wraps.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"I'm fine, Korra." Al replied, wrestling his arm away. "If someone asks that again today, I'll lose it."

"Alright..." Korra trailed off, looking out at the crowd. They were silent for a bit, the attendants slowly sweeping away the debris of the playgoers. "I'm the Avatar." She said, finally. "Eons of knowledge flow through me. I am the force of order in a chaotic world."

Al looked at her, steel in her eyes, as she stared out into a wide, empty room, and believed her. 'But what does that say about the days ahead?' Al asked himself. 'When she'll be tested harder than she ever has before?'

==

The Fire Ferret Apartment*

A chime rung on their apartment door, and Mako quickly twisted to open it, revealing Bolin in finery behind the doorway. "Hey." Mako said, gruffly. "How'd your show go?" He asked, returning to the kitchen where a pair of eggs were roasting on a pan. Mako pushed more fire onto the coal beneath, which crackled loudly – searing the food just the way the pair liked.

"Oh, it was great!" Bolin said. "Miisha had a lot of autograph hunters – I signed one or two: I even found us a groupie for tomorrow!" He said, excited.

"Really?" Mako said, face idle as he worked the pan. "And how did you do that?" He asked, flipping the egg perfectly in the air, shooting a small spark at the yolk as he did so.

"Honest to goodness," Bolin said, leaning next to his brother on the counter. He quickly untied his tie, taking in a heavenly breath. "She came up to me after the show – looked -great- in this waterbender tank top. She totally works out, man. Anyways, so she asks me for an autograph and I'm like – 'Sure, I'm Bolin, Chin the Conqueror' and I signed it for her. And we're talking, and I ask her 'Hey, you like my Pro-Bending? You should stop by the arena tomorrow – and she even spelled out her name for the doorman:" Bolin said, putting the piece of paper next to Mako.

He glanced at it, pulling the pan off the stove and snuffing out the flame with a snap. "Uh-huh." Mako said, grabbing a pair of plates. He quickly ran a knife down the middle, dividing the two eggs from eachother, and slopped one on each. Bolin took his sitting at their two-person dining table – their single window in the room whistling with draft as the noises of the city roared in – squealing brakes, honking horns, occasional ne'er do wells causing police sirens. 'A wonderful life,' Mako thought, 'Especially when my brother's acting instead of working to get an earthbending job.'

"I'm serious, Mako – she could be really into me! She was all smiles!" Bolin said, ecstatic.

"And I'm proud of you, Bolin." Mako said, cutting off a piece of his egg and eating it. "But I'm telling you," He added some salt, letting it rain down on his egg. "We need to win the game and get the money, not waste our time with losing and letting down all these girls you seem to keep nabbing."

"Sorry, brother!" Bolin said, "I just have some sort of magnetism. Must be part of my Earthbender charm." Mako shot him a look.

"Absolutely." He deadpanned.

"Why so glum?" Bolin asked. "Hard day at the plant?"

Mako rubbed his eyes, chewing his food. He swallowed after a moment, continuing: "They want me to work the heavy shift tomorrow night – twice the work, twice the pay."

"That's good, right?" Bolin said. "You'll have way more money – we'll be better off!"

"Bolin." Mako said, setting his fork down. Its clatter against the plate echoed in the apartment, blown away by the draft. "No." He looked at his brother. "I can't keep carrying us. You know that. Between you and me, we're barely making it as it is."

Bolin frowned, looking at Mako's tired eyes. "Look, we've-"

"Yes, we've talked about this before." Mako said. "Yes, we've argued. Yes, we've yelled, and you haven't taken up your end of the bargain, Bolin. It's just more excuses, more waiting, for the 'big role' that's going to make us rich and famous. Who's famous, Bolin? You? It seems like Miisha's the one getting the real money – you're just a sideshow."

"And what if my next gig is the big leagues, huh?" Bolin asked. "Think of what we can do with the kind of money I'd be making on Widelane. We'd have a nicer apartment, we could quit Pro-Bending, and you could find a job doing something you loved, not just burning yourself into oblivion."

Mako pounded his fist against the table. "You say this -every- time, Bolin. Every. Time." He said. "We're losing in the standings. I'm breaking my back at work, you're pulling in pittances in acting. I've gambled my life on enough already." He looked at his brother, his face tight with anger.

"I... I know." Bolin said, slumping his shoulders as he leaned back in his chair. "I know what I've done to you – to both of us." He looked out the window, pushing it open. The business across the street's signs were being hammered in – 'Out of Business'. Another one. "We deserve better than here, I know... but what are my options, Mako?" Bolin asked.

"There's always Suli Street." Mako said, taking a bite of his egg, slow and silent. He looked down at his plate as Bolin's face twisted into a frown.

"You saw what happened, Mako, not even yesterday!" He said. "Triads are getting their bending taken – people are being tossed out on the street with nothing – the police are cracking down!"

"We have to survive, Bolin." Mako said, looking at his brother. "We can't live off of ideals. I can't keep going if we have no money for food – no heat at night – no water to drink. We'll end up on the streets like the men under the bridge."

The south bridge was home to a host of homeless, poor and downtrodden – both benders and non-benders alike down on their luck. They subsisted mostly on fishing – with many fish flocking to the water generator on the silent river. Through some luck, and charitable firebenders, they'd survived the last few winters – but many of them died every year.

The brothers wouldn't have that happen.

Bolin took a bit of his omlette, staring into it as the brothers sat in silence. "Look, Mako." Bolin said. "The show's over – I'll see what I can do – but I'm not going to go to the triads unless we absolutely have to – like we always have."

"I know." Mako said, looking up. "I can't make you do anything – and I certainly can't make you do the wrong thing. I'm just mad at work."

"I know." Bolin said. They ate calmly again, a little weight off of their chests. After a time, Bolin finally began to speak once more: "But seriously – we have a groupie!"

"Do you even know anything about her?" Mako asked, checking the piece of paper. "Korra? Sounds like a perfectly generic water-tribe girl."

"I know she lifts! I've never seen a girl with muscles like that." Bolin said. "Hey, maybe she's an athlete! We could have a backup for Hasook – he's been in and out lately."

"Is she a bender?" Mako asked.

"That's-" Bolin rubbed his chin, "That's a really good point, I hadn't thought of that. I hope she is! Otherwise she might get jealous of our roguish charm and skillful maneuvering."

"I'm sure, Bolin." Mako said, finishing his plate. "I'm sure she will be." He set them down in the sink, turning the faucet, and watched as the water washed away the grime – slowly draining off into the piping with a gurgle.

One day he'd have them fixed so they didn't do that – or live in an apartment where the landlord would fix a thing like that.

One day.

==

The Next Day, Air Temple Isle

A soft rap cut through the morning air, soft moonlight cracking through an alien window as its owner let out a tired yawn. Two crusty eyes slowly cracked open, and two hands rose to rub them. The Avatar shifted her weight, her legs swinging over the bed's end, and she yawned – stretching her arms out in the darkness. "Who is it?" She whispered loudly, feet padding towards the door. She reached to the ground, snagging her discarded parka from the floor, quietly wrapping it around herself.

"It's Jinora." A measured voice called from the door. Korra glanced out the window – seeing the moon slowly headed for the horizon outside.

"What time is it?" Korra asked, her hands up in confusion.

"Just before sunrise." Jinora said. Korra saw movement in the hall outside – lit lanterns slowly casting the hall in light. She could see the shape of Jinora's bobbed hairstyle, floating in the flickering light. "My father said to wake you with the rest - your training begins today."

Korra groaned, letting her parka drop. She grabbed it as it fell, tossing it onto a bedpost. Ruffling through her bags that her mother had packed, she quickly found what she was looking for – a nice, floaty pair of pants for the day. It was far too hot for much else. Another knock resounded at her door. "What?" Korra asked.

"Can I come in?" Jinora asked. "My father wants you to wear these." Korra stepped to the door, wearing little but her smallclothes, and slid it open. Jinora, in her regular robes, handed over a pile of red-orange cloth, a pair of nice sandals to go with them.

"Do I have to?" Korra asked, leafing through them. "They're not... really..." Jinora folded her hands behind her back, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Yes." Jinora said. "Father says if you're going to learn airbending, you have to learn it like the rest of us." Korra groaned, letting Jinora inside. The small girl began directing Korra, helping her fashion the various laces and buttons together. It was a very simple outfit – but far looser than Korra had worn in her entire life. A small draft whistled through the window – and Korra felt every eddy of the wind as it did so.

She shivered. "Are you alright?" Jinora asked, the wind whistling around her – but still near her hands as she helped Korra with her hair.

"It's... different." Korra admitted. "Does feeling the wind constantly ever go away?" She asked. Jinora laughed, clipping one of Korra's sidestrands into place.

"What do you think the point is?" She asked, as Korra pulled on her sandals. She stood, the hard wood pressing against her feet as she stood heavily in them. "Don't put so much weight on your feet, Korra!" Jinora said. "We're airbenders, we skim the ground, we don't plant our feet." The little airbender skipped to the door, opening it – outside, a dozen Acolytes were gathering in the hallway – some carrying empty baskets, others jugs and other containers.

A few of them with space to spare pressed their fists together, bowing to the avatar. Korra, smiling, returned their bows. "Where's everyone going?" Korra asked.

"Today's market day!" Jinora said excitedly. "They take the money we make crafting on the island, and buy food and other necessities. Not every hour is spent meditating here – though it's an important part of the day." Korra frowned, recalling her trip through the tundra with Tenzin – meditation had not come easily... or, for that matter, at all. Between the winds, the snows, and Korra's own frustrations, the entire trip was a wash.

"Riiight." Korra said. "But why are -we- up this early?" She asked. Jinora inclined her head in confusion.

"Don't you always get up at this time? Father and the acolytes usually rise at this hour for our morning exercises – you should see the kinds of things Al does to exercise in the morning!" Jinora said, starting down the hallway, dragging Korra along. "You'll love it!" She exclaimed, sliding open the doorway to the outside. The Acolytes, dozens in number, crowded the courtyard – many with beads of sweat trailing down their face as they jumped and twisted, pushing boulders and carrying heavy loads. In one corner, a dozen of them stood perfectly still – their muscles holding themselves up for an impossibly long time.

Korra looked up the hill – and saw Tenzin standing atop it – balanced precariously on a single arm, his muscles rippling as Jinora approached, carrying the Avatar along behind her. With a grunt, Tenzin flipped on a mass of air – landing on his feet. Jinora bowed to her father, who returned it with his fists pressed together. "Korra." He said. "It's good you've awoken. I apologize for not warning you of the early wakeup beforehand – it was an oversight."

"Not a problem, Master Tenzin." Korra said, bowing as well. "You're all so... well-trained." Korra said, watching as the Acolytes went about their morning rituals. "Do you do this every day?"

Jinora spoke up, "We take off one day per weekend – rotating which one depending on our moods and the demands of the acolytes – sometimes certain projects require a rested attention – and the body needs time to heal."

"Quite right." Tenzin nodded. He placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder."You should go, Jinora. Your mother will need help at the doctor's – you may skip your exercises for today." Jinora nodded, turning on her heel and rushing off with a run – breaths sharp and athletic.

"Just like that?" Korra asked, as Tenzin watched his daughter's departure.

Tenzin shook his head. "If any of my children are deserving of a day off, it's Jinora." He said. "She alone has the responsibility to look after her own well-being." Reaching to the ground, Tenzin grabbed a small cloth, dabbing at his head. "How extensive was your physical training at the White Lotus Compound? Physical fitness is key to health, and bending requires a muscular discipline few possess – especially airbending. A strong stomach and back is key to retaining the fluid flexibility required."

"I mean..." Korra said, flexing her arm and looking down at it. "I'm not exactly flabby, Tenzin." She said.

"I understand." He said, motioning onwards. "We can skip exercise for today, I think – your trip tonight should be on foot, however – neglecting your endurance is never something to let happen idly. " The pair stepped out onto the practice field, Tenzin pulling a top on over his exposed chest as the winds picked up. "Al, for example, has taken to running with a pack full of stones – running along the island's edge, and ending it with a climb up the western face. It's not particularly steep, and it provides plenty of opportunity for climbing and dexterous movement. A full-body workout." He said.

Korra nodded. Tenzin continued to speak as the monks finished off their workouts, donning their wardrobes. An even mixture of men and women – all varying in age from teenagers to senior citizens, with contented eyes and stout hearts. They seemed almost unaware of the world around them as they exercised, fighting through pain and hardship to achieve... unarguably excellent results.

Korra watched as a man in his thirties toweled off his shaved head, his shoulders rippling as he carried two water pails over his head, jogging at a quick pace. Nowhere had Korra seen such a sheer level of fitness, and, in a way, it energized her.

The Air Nation didn't fight because they were weak. They didn't fight because they couldn't. They got their energy out by focusing on the self. Korra looked down at her robes, tugging at them. "Tenzin." She said. "It's not about the robes, is it?" She asked.

"No." Tenzin said, clipping his cape around his neck as he walked. "It most certainly isn't. How insightful of you, Korra."

"Thank you, Master Tenzin." She said, with a smile. The pair arrived at a pagoda on the west end, the air bristling through as the sun rose behind them. Tenzin entered, standing at the doorway. A small broom was propped against it, and he grabbed it – handing it to Korra. "What am I supposed to do with this?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

The floor was covered in leaves and sticks – no doubt blown in by the air off the sea. Tenzin motioned to it. "Clean." He said. "To clear your mind, you must focus it."

Korra pressed her lips together, taking the broom in both hands, and began to sweep. Leaf and twig began to brush away – a fine layer of dust catching in the wind, whistling away as the morning sun turned the sea a brilliant orange. As Korra let out a tired breath, her shoulders pushing away the last of the debris, she realized something – 'This place is beautiful.' She thought.

"Now," Tenzin said, taking her broom and returning it to its place. "Meditation is a key part of airbending – as airbending is by far the most spiritual form. I know we didn't have the best time out in the snow, but..."

Korra scratched at the back of her head, digging a sandal into the wood beneath her. "I don't know, Tenzin." She said. "Are you sure it'll work?"

"It has to." Tenzin said. "Focus and detachment is half of airbending, Korra. You need to let go – look inside yourself, not out at the world." He curled himself into a pretzel-like shape, placing his hands on his hips. "Take up this stance, Korra. Straighten your back."

Korra sat down, folding her legs. She held her spine straight, taking in a deep breath. She held it a moment, holding her eyes open, and let it loosen – the air slowly hissing out of her. "Simply empty your mind, Korra." Tenzin said, and she tried her hardest. The waves crashed below, and a small gull began to circle – cawwing at them with a single eye focused on them. It twisted and turned, roiling in the sky.

Korra let in a breath. She heard the crackling of rocks below, and glanced about as the wind shifted, the wood creaking in the aging pagoda. Tenzin was a rod next to her – a calm rock against the flowing wind – and yet it didn't faze him. Korra could feel the very air blowing through her clothes, making them float around her. Idly, she began to tap her fingers, shutting her eyes again. In a moment, she was back in the theater – laughing during one of the few comedic scenes in the play – her hand whacking Rai's squeaking leather as Chin the Conqueror tripped over his lieutenant, landing in a heap to the audience's rancor.

She looked over to see Al, looking off in the distance at something else – far off in space. 'What is he always looking at?' She thought, releasing her belated breath with a huff. 'For someone so young like me, he certainly has something on his mind all the time.'

Korra put her fists together, trying to concentrate – but there was so much to do! She growled in frustration, slapping her fists against her lap. "Tenzin." She said. The man's eyes opened.

"Korra, we've only just-"

"It's pointless, Tenzin!" She shouted. "I've never been good at my spiritual side!" Her arms wrapped around her, and she hung her head forwards. "Aang and Kyoshi had hundreds of people bearing down on them – Kyoshi didn't even know how -to- bend when she started, and here I am failing when I've had more time than either of them to learn!"

Tenzin let out a breath, laying a hand on Korra's shoulder. "Korra." He said, his voice calm. "You can't give up so easily like this." He pointed out to the sea. "The sea shifts. It turns, it rolls – only shifting with the turn of the moon. Ask yourself – did the moon survive because my father was eons ahead of everyone else?"

Korra pressed her lips together in thought. "No?" She said. "He worked together with the Ocean Spirit to - he only helped it with his own abilities."

"That's right, Korra." Tenzin said, nodding behind his impassive goatee. "And, like Aang, you don't need to do what you're doing alone. Unlike my father and Kyoshi, who barely learned their other elements as they sought to bring balance and order, you've mastered three elements, Korra. In a fight with them, in their primes, you'd outdo them in all but their own elements: and that's because you've dedicated yourself to succeeding."

Korra looked at the wooden floor, taking it a breath. She held it, blinking twice, and let it loose. Her gaze turned to Tenzin. "You're right." She said. "It could take months, years even – but I don't need to rush being the avatar."

"Exactly." Tenzin said. "You'll just need to wait a little longer – the greatest things in life come to those who chip away at things one step at a time." As he said this, a crackling noise came from over the cliff ahead of them. A hand reached over the ledge, grasping in the dirt, another reaching up. Two figures slowly ascended to their feet – one's arms wrapped in thick bandage – the other in a set of white trainers made from a thin silk – the lotus emblem on his chest. Al leaned forward, letting out a harsh breath, a truly massive pack of rocks sliding off of his back and onto the ground.

"A perfect example!" Tenzin shouted out, watching as Al stretched his back, his stomach muscles rippling as he did so. Korra inclined her head as he looked over at them, bringing his arms behind his head as he breathed deeply, practically shoving the air in and out of his lungs with fast pulses of air. "Al came here barely able to climb the hill – and now, months later, he carries a full load up one of its steepest faces."

"Yeah," Al chuckled, slapping Raiku's sweat-stained arm. "Meanwhile, junior here can barely keep it together."

Rai had only his sword strapped to his back, and he was doubled over in the grass – breathing heavy and deep.

"So when I say that it's possible, Korra – you simply need to listen." Tenzin said. "Great things come with great investment – some things you simply can't rush."

Korra looked at the two climbers with a nod, folding her fists together and taking a deep breath as she shut her eyes. Maybe she wouldn't get it this time – maybe she'd never get it – but if Al could carry an Al and a Half of stones up a cliff*? Well, that was only more motivation to prove herself.

==

The Pro-Bending Arena

"Why couldn't they call it, like, the Benderdome? The Bending Place?" Al asked, hot on Korra's heels as she skimmed the tile floor, her eyes darting among the high rafters as she practically skipped to the railing – looking out from the high gallery to see the thousands upon thousands cramming the building – their roar massive as the last bout between the Sky Beavers and the Red Daggers ending with three players in the drink.

"What's wrong with the name it has?" Korra said, her arms leaning against the railing. "Things don't always have to be complicated, Al – they can just be what they are."

Al leaned on the railing, nodding as he did so. "I guess you're right." He said, looking at her. The Avatar watched excitedly as the fans roared, some exiting – the entire building a constantly shifting crowd of pure excitement. Korra let out a happy sigh, rolling her neck.

"This is gonna be so cool!" Korra said, looking down at the locker rooms below. "We're going to get to watch from right there, Al! Right up close!"

"Right up close." Al replied, scratching the back of his head. 'Is Hasook gone?' Al thought. 'Everything sort of hinges on that – and where will I be?' Korra elbowed him in the shoulder.

"C'mon." She said. "Now's no time to be off in another world. We've got a game to watch!" She yelled out. As Al rushed off after her, he couldn't help but think of another time, in another place – a massive dome lit up with flashing lights – his favorite team, and favorite goalies, facing off in his hometown. Tens of thousands of people had filled an arena just like this, in a town where Hockey wasn't even that big: and it had been legendary.

Idly, he wondered – if the Equalists destroyed the arena's center as before, could he find some way to make this place an ice rink? Bring hockey to the masses? He'd always thought about it, earlier on – when things weren't as real as they were now. Today, though – with Korra excited beyond belief, Al realized that maybe sports weren't so far away.

He still needed to fix his chest guard, though – his eyes glanced to his arm wraps – fresh ones he'd put on before climbing. Beneath them, purple and black bruises oozed across his arms, and they ached when he moved them. If fighting benders was going to wreck him like this, he feared for the future – because it was only going to get worse.

They descended a flight of stairs – technicolor clothes forcing Al to press against the wall as Korra moved through with an insane grace. Her blue tanktop and bronze skin had a habit of disappearing in any crowd larger than seven people – but only when she had a destination in mind. Al jackknifed through the rest of a large crowd as they erupted in a roar, people in the seats below rising as the last member of the teams on stage fought off the last of the other team for a knockout. The buzzer sounded loudly, the final player tossing his helmet in excitement.

It was kind of like Hockey, Al decided – final minutes of the third were always a great place to turn things around – and for him to stop a turnaround.

Korra approached a pair of guards near the 'Player Enter' sign. 'If only I could read chinese.' Al thought. 'This world would be so much easier to live in, y'know?' "Hi!" Korra said. "I'm on the list – the name's Korra."

One of the guards twisted his lips into a pout, looking down through his paperwork. "Yup." He said. "Korra and... Al?" He said. "What kinda name is that?" He asked, as Al skidded to a halt behind Korra.

"Love you too, buddy." Al replied with a sneer. The guard shrugged, motioning to his coworker. The man slid the door open – a long and rather steep stairway awaited them. Korra set off immediately, sprinting down the steps like mad. Al took a different approach, galloping down the stairs at a thump-thump, thump-thump pace. 'I swear,' Al thought, 'Everyone descends the stairs at a different pace. Says a lot about them.'

Korra rushed to the bottom, landing on both feet and darting her head about in excitement. Al followed a moment later, his feet coming to a comfortable stop as Korra picked a direction. "Now, Bolin didn't give me the -best- directions – but we should be going towards this end."

Al followed as Korra walked through the halls, peeking into training rooms and various doorways. In the infirmary, the pair saw the previous losers recuperating – waterbender healers fixing injuries as they sat in a daze. Al wished, for a short moment, that they'd been around back home. He idly looked at his injured arms, considering having them healed. Korra could do it, Al knew, but... He didn't want to indebt himself if he didn't have to.

They weren't that awful.

Korra ducked into a room on the left – and the arena lit her eyes up like never before – the two figures in the dressing room staring at their helmets in defeat. "I told you he was no good!" The taller man said, his face twisted in a snarl as Korra and Al entered the room. "Hasook's ruined us, now. We qualify, " The man, who Al assumed to be Mako, said – jabbing a hand out to emphasize his point. "We make it, for the first time in our Pro-Bending careers: a chance at real money so I don't have to burn myself at this plant – and look where we are!" He said, throwing his helmet against the wall with a crack.

Bolin stared at the ground, defeated, before he saw a pair of brown boots step into the locker room. He looked up, and Korra's head tilted downward. "Well." Bolin said, his voice defeated. "At least it wasn't a total wash."

"What's wrong?" Korra said. Mako snapped around, his eyes appraising the dark-skinned waterbender and her air-nomad compatriot. "Aren't you supposed to have three players?" She asked, looking out over the field ahead.

Bolin held his hands up, forming air quotes. "'Supposed' to, sure!" He shouted. "Let's just say my brother here-" He thumbed at Mako, who folded his arms, brow wrinkled in frustration, "-diiiiidn't get along with him very well. So badly, in fact, that he's decided to ditch us ten minutes before our match!" Bolin said. "It's great!" He shouted, voice cracking in his sarcasm.

He pressed his hands into his face, squeezing his eyes together. "Here you go, Bolin!" Bolin shouted. "Meet the Avatar of all people and disappoint her, first thing!"

"Why would I be disappointed?" Korra asked. "You could win with two people! You'd be the ultimate underdogs!" Mako shook his head.

"You wish." Mako said, hooking his hands in his belt and leaning against the far side lockers. "We can't play without a full roster."

Al leaned against the doorway, arm up, watching them freak out. A small grin stretched on his face as they spoke. "That's terrible!" Korra said. "Don't you know anyone you could call on?"

Bolin looked up, "I don't know anyone who'd make a replacement waterbender – not ten minutes before a match. They'd have to be here!" Al bit his tongue, watching the gears churn in Mako's head as he glanced to the figure in the doorway.

"What's so funny, robes?" Mako asked, standing up with his fists clenched. Korra turned around, concern in her face.

"Al?" She said. "What about this is funny?"

"Oh," Al began, rolling his eyes. He let out a small chuckle. "Nooooothin'" He said. "Just that, y'know, they need a waterbender." He said, looking at Korra.

"So?" She replied. Mako bared his teeth, but Bolin looked up in the back as if he'd been hit with a brick wall. In fairness, he looked that way a lot, Al realized.

"Make your point." Mako growled. "I've dealt with enough this week." Bolin shook his head, clapping.

"I gotta give it to this kid – the refs will -never- see it coming." Bolin said, laughing at Al's thought. "Mako!" He said. "We have the -Avatar- here! Like, the -actual- Avatar!'

"Wait." Mako said, crossing his arms. He stuck a finger out at Korra. "You're the -actual- avatar?"

"Yup!" Korra said. "I only know three elements – Earth, Water, and Fire. I came to the city to learn from Master Tenzin on the island!"

"And that's why there's an Air Acolyte?" Mako said. He pressed a palm into his forehead, reaching down to open Hasook's locker. His equipment practically fell out. He reached in, grabbing the helmet, and threw it to Korra. She caught it, a small smile breaking out on her face.

"You mean-?" She said, looking from Mako to Bolin. The seated man shot up, clapping his hands.

"Air robes, you're a genius!" Bolin shouted, pointing at Al. "I mean, really, ten out of ten!" He shouted. "We could win -anything- with the Avatar. Oh, this'll just be the -greatest-!" Bolin shouted out. "I can see it now-" He began, fingers together like in a movie capture or a photo frame. "-the audience expecting a loss, the Fire Ferrets down a man with a rookie replacement: only for her to rip all three elements at them! It'll be amaaaaazing!" He grabbed Korra, hugging her tight.

Korra blushed, shrugging him off. "Thanks!" She said. She turned around to look at Al. "You really think I can do this?" She said. Her gaze turned to Mako. "I don't even know the rules – I've only ever been trained by the White Lotus."

Mako let out a chuckle, strapping on his chest guard. "That's more training than me or my brother ever had." He replied, hitting the chest piece with a hard fist to test it. A small grunt escaped his lips. "We grew up on the streets – any bending you can do is far better. All you need to know is we attack from end-to-end, and no sustained fire – splashes, bursts, and single disks only. You'll have to dodge or deflect what they send back."

"Doesn't seem very easy." Korra said. Mako chuckled.

"It's a sport, Korra – everyone would do it, if they could." Al frowned at that, ducking back into the shadow of the doorframe. 'I shouldn't be here.' He thought. 'The canon may be fixing itself, but... I'm shaping her relationships with both of them, right now.' His reverie was interrupted as Korra left to start putting on her gear, Bolin poking him in the shoulder.

"Hey!" He said. "I like that outfit! Very flow-y. Is it nice on the island? Have you lived there long?"

Al held up a wrapped hand. "Hold on, buddy." Al said. "First off, my name's Al." He reached out his hand, and Bolin shook it with a firm grip.

"Bolin Hatara! Over there's my brother Mako. Part time actor, part time athlete, full time younger brother." He said, glancing over as Mako helped Korra strap her armor together. "That Korra, though – the Avatar? Something special about that girl."

"Why do you say that?" Al asked, remembering Bolin's romantic fate come the end of Book Two. Bolin clasped his hands together, taking an exaggerated breath.

"I've never met someone with such a passion for bending before. Not just the cool things you can do with it – she was grilling me on my form, asking me about being so light-footed. I told her I'd picked it up myself, and she just -went-, man." He sighed, watching as she clasped the arm guards together with a look of determination.

Al shrugged. "She's just Korra." He said. "She might be the avatar, and she might love her bending – but she's still just a girl our age at the end of the day."

"What about you?" Bolin said. "Do you bend? We only met for a minute back at the party."

"Nah." Al said. "I've got some skill with a sword, and I work out with the monks – I'm just a noble drifter." He smiled, standing up from the doorframe. Outside, a counter was ticking down – the numbers on the screen alien to Al. A pregame timer. In the stands, Fire Ferret signs were being erected alongside the Wolf Bat symbols, jerseys of both teams crowding the stands. 'It's easy to forget they're a real professional team.' Al thought. 'Maybe not a massive organization like a hockey team, but they've got fans and groupies of their own.'

Korra stood, her equipment snapped together. Mako gave her a pat on the shoulder padding, stepping over to Bolin. "I don't know how good she is." He said at last.

"She learned from Katara." Al said, gathering both their attention. "I think if anyone knows how to waterbend, it's the old Avatar's waterbending teacher." Al replied.

Mako's eyebrows lifted in surprise. He slapped his brother in his pads. "Flameo, brother." He said with a smile. "You've just made us some of the luckiest people in Pro-Bending!" His eyes shifted back to Al. "What's your name again, friend?"

"Al." Al said, shaking Mako's outstretched hand.

"And he sure is a 'p'Al!" Bolin laughed, patting Al on the shoulder. A buzzer sounded – the bridge extending out to the arena. Bolin turned, putting on a serious face. "Alright, wish us luck, noble robester." He said - "We'll meet you on the other side – well, this side: actually, you're not even going anywhere. Just wait, watch, enjoy." He said.

Korra smiled, standing as she put on her helmet. Mako nodded to her as he and Bolin headed across the ramp. She looked back at Al, who stepped forward to the railing. "Wow!" She said with a smile on her face. "I didn't see this coming in my wildest dreams. Me, a Pro-Bender? Adoring fans?"

"Hey," Al said, "You can do anything you put your mind to." He said, rapping on her helmet. He whacked her in the chest protector. "Just don't get too sweaty."

She laughed, slapping his shoulder. "Jerk." She retorted, jogging off with glee onto the ramp. Thousands of spectators filled the stands, roaring with glee as the Fire Ferrets and Wolfbats took the stage – advancing to their first zones with waves and poses, posturing like any amateur and cartoonish sport team. Al folded his arms, leaning over the rail to look at the water below. A loud and blaring horn sounded to start the match, Shiro Shinobi's voice coming in over the top loudspeaker.

I won't repeat this for anyone since you've all seen Korra's first fight, but...

All Al had to think about the matter?

'This is awesome.'

==

Author's Notes

Thought for the day as I finish up the Pro-Bending scene – I can't fucking make this scene happen. It's dragging in all the wrong places. I think I need to write shorter scenes – it's making me too conscious of how long the piece is.

I'm proud of Mako/Bolin – there's conflict, there's theme, there's tension. I point back to the Korra/Al conversations in E.1, which have a good amount of give/take without Al sounding preachy, and gives them a decent banter. I need to work on more of these – and less of the preachier, loftier banters that seem to keep happening. These are normal people.

I'm thinking about increasing the episode count to twenty – but that's easily pushing 150,000 words for the first book – in addition to the thousands of words -already- written in the introductory snippets. FF.net lists my story at around ~21,000 words so far, and this latest piece is easily 10,000 plus author's notes.

1* = My dad's a salesman. I know far too much about how corporate America runs – and that's without running to wiki or taking finance courses.

2* = I toyed with the idea of Al being an alcoholic in this scene, getting totally obliterated when he meets Asami and Hiroshi – confusing them with his seemingly intimate knowledge of them both. In the original draft, Al awkwardly hits on both Korra -and- Asami, though both of them brush it off entirely by the next episode.

I'll save drunk, honest Al for some other time, I guess. Instead, he sort-of meets Asami: in full-on socialite mode, rather than her affable self later on in the season. I think the biggest disappointment is his chat with Bolin – where he needs to keep his cool.

3* = I think people tend to gloss over just how poor Bolin and Mako start out. They're destitute – living off of an arena owner's good will and loans. They're the definition of paycheck to paycheck, and have to resort to crime to stay afloat. If Korra didn't show up, I doubt the brothers would've had anything good happen to them.

4* = I work out in real life. In a world where I have only an iPad I use secretly and meditation to look forward to, you bet your ass I'd be finding shit to do. I already love going to parks and hiking: this is just an extension of that. As an aside to this entire segment – the freaking Air Acolytes when Asami and co. are moving in? That's a solid 700-800 pounds of undistributed weight they're carrying with perfect balance. That requires a level of strength that's insane.

Those monks that were held hostage? If they felt violence was necessary to protect themselves, they probably could've easily killed the attacking Triads with airbending martial arts, minus the airbending. It's just, y'know, they're -monks-

Updated Episode List

B1E1 – Republic City, Part One
B1E2 – Republic City, Part Two
B1E3 – The Fire Ferrets
B1E4 – The Red Days
B1E5 – Under the Gun
B1E6 – Hard Rock
B1E7 – DE_Dust
B1E8 – Harry & Sally
B1E9 – Shitty Second Act
B1E10 – Rebellions and Republics
B1E11 – La Marseillaise
B1E12 – Revelations
B1E13 – Endgame

 

[Historian]

Book One, Episode Four – Wrench in the Works

==

The Pro-Bending Arena, Two Weeks Later

The loud thuds, bangs, and claps of strikes, slashes, and parries rung through the air – the high ceilings and separated walls of the Pro-Bending Arena's training facilities offering a comprehensive training environment, from rubber-bumper earth practice disks to fire retarding wash stations, everything was produced to spec – built for one purpose, and one purpose only: to get better. A jet of water slapped forward – Korra's hands rushing together and balling it up – tossing it forward with speed. Bolin flipped to the right, smiling beneath his mask, a disk rippling into the air next to him. Planting a single foot, he swung his leg forwards – the disk ripping loudly through the air. Korra ducked – the disk roaring overhead, and she smiled as another water jet shot out from her side – this one sliding low as Bolin gathered another disk.

As he rose his foot to kick it again, Korra shot her hand up suddenly – the water sloshing hard and striking Bolin from below – his single-foot stance sending him toppling backwards. Not relenting, Korra called upon another water jet – spurting from the nearby stream and wrapping around her hands – she fired forwards, blasting Bolin – only for a whistle to sound next to her. "Korra!" Mako's irritated voice called out. "You've gotten red-carded for that sort of thing! You told me you wouldn't overdo the streams." He said, as Korra's water jet receded. You can't hold a water spout longer than a few seconds – it's about strikes, not streams: otherwise it wouldn't be fair for Earthbenders utilizing the Earth Disks.

"I know." Korra said, slumping her shoulders with a frown. Bolin slowly rose to his feet, his uniform soaked through. "Sorry, Bolin." She said, a sheepish smile on her lips. Bolin pulled off his helmet, hand running through his wet hair.

"Oh, it's alright." He said. "Not like my hair is the important part of my devilish good looks, amiright?" His face beamed as he put his helmet under his arm, stepping over to the water spigot and taking a quick gulp. "You're getting faster!" He said, turning back to Korra. Mako was busy scribbling something on his notepad – scratched lines and slashes on the page turning into words and letters. For a coach, he wasn't bad.

"Thanks!" Korra said with a smile, doffing her own helmet. All around them, the slaps, splashes, and spurts of battle rung from the other training areas, a constant plod of training and practice – something Korra was more than familiar with. "I haven't had much practice with water in awhile – my focus has been mostly on fire in the last year. I did get taught by Katara, though – I'll have it together soon."

"We're going to need it." Mako said. "You saw how hard the wolfbats were in the last qualifying match." He turned his scratchpad around, team logos and strategy boards rifled into the paper with the urgency of a fire ferret chasing a corn-popper. That analogy was oddly appropriate, as Bolin lobbed one into the distance – a furry rodent rushing from a corner after it. Its chitters whispered amidst the sound of training, but they were happy and determined.

Korra couldn't agree more. "You've been busy." She said with a smile. Stepping forward, Korra took a close look at the paper. "Are those... statistics?"

"Yeah?" Mako said.

"You did... statistics?" Korra asked, stunned. "What do you do all day off practice, Mako?" She asked, scratching her head.

Mako shrugged. "I mean, I work at the power plant and read sports news – but that's better than what Bolin does!" He exclaimed, pointing at his brother. The furry rodent had reached his hands, and Bolin was happily hugging his ferret. His eyes narrowed at his brother.

"Ohhh, so I spend my time properly massaging my ~beautiful~ actor's skin, and my brother's busy doing ten pages of math to figure out if we're doing well or not? I recite my lines to poor little Pabu here, and he's listening to ten matches. Excuse me if I have other hobbies!"

"It's our life, Bolin!" Mako shouted. Korra folded her arms, glancing at Pabu as he sprinted over to her, curling up behind her legs. "We have to take this seriously – our winning percentage may be better than last season, but Korra's penalties are adding up – if we can't cut her yellow cards down we may lose her in an extended match like last time!"

"Those were extenuating circumstances!" Bolin said. Korra had been red-carded for spouting a man off the edge too long, true, but he'd also hit Bolin with two earth disks at once: a rule violation if ever there was one. Korra had expected to be allowed the retaliation – but this specific referee had one out for her ever since their first match. She'd bent all three elements, forcing him to waste fifteen minutes of game time calling his boss for a rules ruling.

"Extenuating or no, we nearly lost the match. The standings are in flux, Korra." He said. "We can't bring our personal feelings into these matches, or we'll never get where we need to."

"Alright, alright." Korra said, rolling her eyes. Bolin sent her a knowing look as Mako turned to scribble more on his notepad. The shorter brother inched over to Korra, leaning down to her ear.

"I think he really enjoys the coach thing." He whispered. "Like, so much so he coaches himself in the mirror." Korra snorted, holding a hand to her face. "'I'm Coach Mako', he says, flexing in the mirror. 'I'm so cool I do /math/." He chuckled, Korra jabbing him in his chest for the trouble. Bolin moved away as Mako turned around.

"Right-" He said, "Korra – you're going to need to work on duration. How about some simple spout-timing exercises? Bolin – you can work on your foot speed – you can't get tripped up one-on-one like that, or they'll kick you right off the ring." Mako flipped his clipboard, holding it under his arm, as his teammates stared at him.

"I feel like you take this too seriously." Korra said. Bolin let out a snort.

Mako growled, "No – it's you two that don't take it seriously." He said, tossing the clipboard on the ground. "Korra." He said, garnering her attention from laughing with Bolin. "You're the Avatar, for spirits' sake. You of all people should understand how valuable practice is!"

Korra paused. 'He's right.' She thought. Her eyes turned to Bolin. "Come on." She said, "I'll show you how to get that leg speed going – my earthbending teachers taught me a few things about it." Her legs carried her to Mako, who had bent down to recover the clipboard. She poked him in the chest, "-You- need to spend less time thinking, and more time doing." She said, moving her finger up and poking him in the forehead. "Live a little." She commanded.

"I live!" Mako shouted, putting his clipboard against a chair as he assumed a ready stance. As Korra dropped her feet into an earthbending stance, he continued: "It's not my fault I spend all day working in the electrical plant just to keep us fed."

"I'm a growing boy!" Bolin shouted out, his hands up in exasperation.

Korra frowned. "Why haven't you gotten a real job, Bolin?" Korra asked. "I mean, I know Pro-Bending takes a lot of time, but you'd think you could find a job in the government somewhere – part time." She stomped her feet – an earth disk rising into place. With a ferocious kick, Korra spun and launched it – the plate rolling through the air with speed and connecting violently with a dummy. It shattered on impact.

Bolin snapped up his own disk. "I dunno." He replied. "It's just – people really -like- me for the theater, y'know? Acting's like... my passion. I get to be cool people, and do cool things – and maybe I'll end up in the big leagues!" He kicked his leg forward, his own disk ripping nearly as fast as Korra's – splintering another dummy to shreds. The back curtain split open at the force – a pair of Beaver Bears yelping in surprise, letting one another go and breaking off a kiss.

"Oh, the Avatar's giving us job advice now?" Mako laughed. "When have you ever worked a day in your life? Haven't you spent your life with the White Lotus? Training, getting bossed around?"

"What's your point?" Korra said, dropping out of her stance – Mako let out a one-two flurry of fire into a water-wall, the wall stopping his own flames cold. "Don't you get bossed around and work your bending every day? What's the difference?" She said, holding up a hand.

"We're hard workers, Korra – we have to do things to stay alive. You've got parents and an entire organization backing you up. You live up on that air temple with your acolyte friends! When have you had to sit for long hours in a plant with electricity coursing over your skin?!" Mako shouted out, clenching his fists

"I'm the Avatar!" Korra said. "My entire life is about sacrificing myself for people – I'm here trying to better myself so that I -can- protect those people!"

"Where were you last week?" Mako shot back. Bolin turned to look at his brother, raising a brow. "No, seriously, Korra – an entire district was burning while you did... what, exactly?" He said.

"Fought off an entire squad of Red Monsoons who were trying to kill the monks!" Korra spat back. "I'm not a freeloader, Mako!" She shouted.

"Prove it, then!" He shouted. "Don't tell me how to run this team – it's what I've done from the very beginning, and neither of you should be slacking. This prize money is the difference between me and Bolin making it another year, or ending up under the bridge." He jabbed a pair of fingers at Korra. "Have a little perspective." He said, turning around. He slammed his fists together, spurting flames between them at the water – a hiss of steam floating into the rafters above.

Bolin stalked over to Korra, patting her on the back. "Look." He said, frowning."My brother's a little... tense." He said. "Don't let it get to you." He tapped her chestplate with a fist. "I still like you! You're better than he could ever hope for after Hasook ran off."

Korra grabbed his hand. "Thanks, Bolin." She said. "It means a lot – but if there's anything I can do...? I mean, you guys are scraping by – I'm living on the island..."

"Don't worry about it." Bolin said. He jabbed his finger at his brother, the man's fists roaring with flame. "He just needs to let off some steam – it's part of being a firebender, I say."

"I guess you're right." Korra said. "I still feel bad." Bolin wrapped a thick arm around her shoulder.

"Hey." He said. "You're one of a kind, Korra. Don't let the little people drag you down." Bolin let go, stepping away, and Korra watched as he walked over to talk to his brother. 'Such a nice guy,' She thought, as his brother let out a frustrated sigh. Mako took off his helmet, letting it roll on the ground as Bolin pulled him into a hug.

'Don't let the little people drag you down.' Korra thought. 'You're the Avatar, master of the four elements – why are you getting mad at people who don't have it nearly as well as you do?'

She stepped forward, patting Mako on the shoulder. "Look," She said, "I'm sorry if I made you angry. I know it's hard to do what you do." His face softened and he nodded.

"I shouldn't get mad." He said, looking at his brother. "You came onto the team when nobody else was there – and you're the Avatar of all people. I can't complain." He said. He stuck out a hand, and Korra shook it – her eyes bright. 'Maybe things aren't so bad, after all.' Korra thought.

"See?" Bolin said, slapping his brother. "Everyone's a big happy team!" He shouted out. "Hey, Korra – you hungry? I know a great southern tribe seaweed noodle place we could try. Real cheap, too!"

Mako shrugged. "We could try it out." He said. "Our treat – I shouldn't have snapped on you like that."

"It's fine, Mako." Korra said, her eyes turning to Bolin. "I'd love to!" She said. Bolin smiled, undoing his pauldrons.

"It's settled, then!" He yelled, reaching down. "C'mon, Pabu – let's get out of these rags!" He shouted, pulling off the little creature's Fire Ferrets jacket, a piece of red cloth tied around its neck. He rushed off towards the locker room, disappearing behind a curtain, leaving Mako with Korra. The man let out a sigh, shaking his head.

"If you don't want to work at the lightning plant..." Korra said, trailing off, "I could... Talk to Tenzin, for you. I know there are a few pages on the Council – maybe he can get you a job as one?"

"Hah." Mako laughed out, looking at Korra. "Don't get me that job – Bolin's the smiling face of our little duo." He reached down to pick up his helmet, looking it over for cracks and damage. Korra stood there, putting a hand on her hip as Mako let out a sigh. "I -am- sorry, you know. It's been hard, just me and Bolin. Hasook used to help – but one day he up and left. Haven't seen him since, left all his stuff behind."

"What happened to him?" Korra asked, frowning. Mako shrugged.

"Nobody's seen him." He said. "Ever since they've been saying benders have started disappearing in the inner city, Hasook's been gone. I'm afraid they did something to him – either the triads or... someone. I don't know, though – and that's the worst part. He could easily have found the love of his life and ran away with her – or he could be in a ditch somewhere." He looked back at Korra, his face grim.

"When I learn airbending." Korra said, pausing. "When I /finally/ learn airbending, I'm not going to let people go missing like that. Streets won't burn while I'm Avatar. I'll be like Kyoshi, or Yangchen. Nobody will want to cause trouble – they'll be too afraid of what I can do." She clenched her fists. Mako shook his head, looking at her.

"You may be the Avatar, Korra." He said. "But you're still just a girl. Not even twenty. Some people your age are still in school, you know."

Korra frowned. "I know." She said. "But Aang was only a boy when he saved the world from Ozai." She said, staring at Mako in defiance. "I'm not about to let the world fall apart – let this city fall apart – when there's good I can be doing."

"I hope you're sure." Mako said, unstrapping his chest guard. "Because if you mess up, you might have -your- bending taken, Korra. And where would the world be without an Avatar?" He asked.

Korra looked at him, then down at her helmet, which she idly tossed to her other hand. It stared back at her, scratches and all. "Where indeed?" She said with a whisper.

==

Air Temple Island, Days later

A misty breeze set out over the bay – heavy fog knocking out most of the visibility toward Republic City. In the shadow of the trees on Air Temple Island, Al stood – a wooden staff in his hand. Twirling it, he stabbed it hard into the ground – dropping into a pretzel position with his legs. Idly wiping at his tired eyes, he felt the mists close in around him – even the trees behind him disappearing in mist. Still, Al was at peace – the flat rock he'd found to sit on dry and comfortable, even as moisture beaded upon his skin.

He let out a deep breath, arching his back, and took in another – the evening was soft, and so too was the rise and fall of his chest, the fatigue of a day's fitness rolling out of him as he shook his shoulders, the sting in them slowly hissing away in the chill. Winter was coming. Al shot his eyes open, chuckling. With a deep voice, he whispered, "Winter is coming." His laugh carried through the wood, among the clouds.

Far off, a robed figure heard it, and began to trudge through the underbrush after him. Al leaned back, pressing his fists together, and breathed. His lungs, far more open than he'd ever though possible, drew wet breath from the air. 'If nothing else, I've found peace.' Al thought, feeling his heart beat. 'There may be chaos to come. There may be a world at war soon enough – and I may be woefully unready to fight it, but I'm happy now.' Al decided, with a smile. He shut his eyes and felt the water on his skin.

He sat there, for a time – the rustle in the leaves behind him inaudible as the robed man stood behind him, stroking his beard. Al opened his eyes, letting out a sigh. 'I miss you, Mom.' He thought, his eyes looking down to the sea below. 'I hope Dad's being good to you still. I hope sis isn't going ape since I've been gone – I know I've always kept her in check.'

He glanced at his hands – the wraps gone, now – welts and bruises faded to simple marks on his forearms where the ice had cut deep. Scars criss-crossed them. 'I wonder what you'd say, Dad – about that man I killed. You knew what it was like. It killed you that one night.'

A whistling wind filled the air, and Al crossed himself. "Lord." He whispered. "I don't know why you sent me here, of all places." He said, shutting his eyes as he spoke. "I've been gone a long time, now, and there's no sign of an end. This place is real – and I don't know what to do. You've always made it easier for me when I made the choices – I worked the hardest for my future."

Al rubbed his eyes, opening them. "I just don't... I can't feel like I've mattered here. I've watched things happen as they did – Korra's still obsessed with being the Avatar, and Amon, Tarrlok, and the rest will ruin her. She'll fall to pieces – and here I am watching as the world falls to bits. How many more lives will I have to end? How long will this all go on?" Al let out a hiss of emotion, his shoulders slumping. He crossed himself, reaching over to grab his staff from the ground – really just a large stick he'd picked up. Grabbing a rock from the ground, he started knackering at the end – wood and bark slowly shaping it into a real, proper wooden stave.

Tenzin stepped forward, crackling the leaves behind him, and spoke - "Al." He said, ignoring his eavesdropping. "I've been looking for you." He said.

"Yeah?" Al said, turning about to look at the noise. "You're pretty stealthy – I guess that's an Airbender thing."

"We are light on our feet." Tenzin said, looking at Al's small rocky outcrop. "May I join you?" He asked.

"Please." Al said, patting the ground next to him. Tenzin approached, dropping into a similar stance. Al angled his staff to evade him, continuing to knacker at the end. "What did you want to talk about?" He asked, his focus shifting from the stick to the Airbender.

"I think..." Tenzin said, considering. "I think you're doing a lot for us here, on the island. I want you to know that." The wind died down, the mist slowly clearing to show the city on the horizon.

Al looked out to the bay, where the glinting glass of the skyscrapers stared back at him. "You think so?" Al said, doubt in his voice. "I can't feel like I've done much. I work with your people – I help with the bison – but what else am I good for, Tenzin?" Al asked with a frown. "I can't bend – I've helped teach some of the younger acolytes and Jinora, but... I mean, I'm no superb help."

Tenzin shook his head, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "That's not it at all, Al. You're not here to be useful to me – you're a guest. A guest from a place no-one has ever visited. You bring your own perspective to our problems – one I have neglected for some time since we've arrived." He reached into his robes, retrieving a letter, and handed it to Al. Al looked at it.

"You're going to have to read it to me, Tenzin." He said. "I still can't read Chinese." Tenzin nodded, putting it in his robes.

"I'll paraphrase, if you don't mind. It was a letter from the southern tribe's councilman – stating his people have been harassed at the docks by men in black and red masks. I believe he's concerned about the Equalists you've spoken of – and the commentary by the triad leadership in stings by Chief Beifong... benders losing their abilities. We're going to have to act soon if we are to stop the Equalist threat – and that means hitting them at their core." Tenzin said. He reached out, placing a hand on Al's shoulder. "You know more than anyone the threat that's on the horizon. I need your help to save this city."

"If you say so, Mr. Queen." Al said. Tenzin cocked an eyebrow in confusion, Al letting out a laugh. "Inside joke, Tenzin. You want my opinion on what we need to do?"

"That's what I asked for." Tenzin said, folding his hands in his lap. "We could also sit here and play with sticks, if that's your preference."

"Something tells me Pema wouldn't be happy about that." Al said. Tenzin's forehead turned purple in sudden realization, and Al let out a snorting laugh. "You need to know that, firstly, everything that's happening is happening for a reason. Your mother told me that much."

"My mother?" Tenzin said. "How much did you speak with her in the south? I was under the impression you were busy training regularly with Raiku – and had no time for such things."

"I mean, it was -weeks-, Tenzin – I didn't spend every day diddling around crossing swords. We did other things. Your mother spoke with me a few times – but the last was the most important: she invited me for tea, and told me that Korra is a person. One who needs to grow, who needs to have her own wishes respected, and find out her own life." Al said. "I can't be changing her life around because I know the outcome – she won't be as strong when we need her to be, otherwise."

Tenzin smiled at that. "Sounds like my mother. She's always been more reasonable than me in that regard. I suppose it's the wisdom of age."

"Right." Al said, setting his stick aside. The mist had fully cleared now – and a large building stood among the rest on the horizon. Al pointed to it, "You know what that building is, don't you?" Al asked.

"The Future Industries building?" He asked, looking out at it. "I've never been – but I understand Mr. Sato is one of the best inventors to ever grace the city – his satomobiles-"

"Are funding a massive army of Equalist mechatanks and factories full of electric glove production lines. He's Amon's right hand – and has a full economic backing. His wife was killed by an Agni Kai ganger in his youth, leaving him to raise his daughter Asami alone. His hatred knows no bounds." Al said, his eyes steel as he spoke. "He can be redeemed, in time – but at this point in his life, we've got little recourse than to bring him down."

"How?" Tenzin said. "The police are against us – Lin won't help me unless we have good evidence."

"I think you overstate that." Al replied. Tenzin looked confused, and Al continued: "Lin still cares about you, Tenzin. Leaving her for Pema may have hurt, but she's proved time and time again in the legends that she'll step up when people close to her are in danger. In the events to come, don't fear calling on her – it's what she's living for."

Tenzin paused a moment, looking out to the sea. After a long wait, he finally spoke. "I failed her, you know." He said.

"How?" Al asked.

"She asked me once – on this very island, in fact, when my father had just died. She'd asked me if I'd set her aside for the Air Nation." He looked at Al. "And I told her I never would."

"We lie in love more than we should, Tenzin." Al replied. 'Not that you love anyone, anyways, scrooge.' A voice nagged at the back of Al's mind. 'You were always too busy playing it cool, or were too busy concerning yourself with crushes while people who really cared got shafted.' Al let a pang of regret flash on his face.

"Less than we'd ever like." He replied. "It doesn't matter, though – if you say Lin would still help, even in these circumstances... she's still the woman I remember. Strong, grounded, even while she loves the air." He looked at Al. "How do we bring him down, though? We've so little information on him."

Al reached into his robe, withdrawing Mr. Sato's card. He handed it over to Tenzin. "I can't read the words well, but I'll tell you this much: I have a door straight to the heart of Mister Sato's business, if I can spin things right."

"I-" Tenzin leafed it over. "His personal contact card. Many people in the city would kill for a chance like this, Al – why haven't you taken it?" He asked, concern in his eyes. "You've been a visionary for as long as I've known you – this would've been a perfect chance."

"Because he's a bender-hating Equalist hell-bent on destroying the Avatar?" Al replied. Tenzin nodded, frowning.

"That attitude is more common these days than ever – and it's something that distressed my father in his later years." Tenzin replied.

Al shrugged. "There's a clear gulf in power between benders and nonbenders – there's no getting past it. With half the world unable to bend, certain people will always be capable of holding jobs others can't. When inequality exists, tensions are born – and tension eventually boils over: if tensions can't be resolved before they do..." Al held his hands together and split them apart, jazz-handing with an explosion noise.

"What do you suggest, then?" Tenzin asked.

"We need to disarm the Equalists." Al replied. "You need to pre-empt councilman Tarrlok by forming a task force with Avatar Korra at its head. Korra will jump at the chance, and you'll throw Tarrlok off balance."

"How do we disarm the Equalists?" Tenzin replied. Al pointed at the card, then jerked a thumb back at himself.

"I think if there's anything I learned back in my world, Tenzin, it's how to royally fuck up machinery and throw wrenches in important systems. I can successfully figure out everything there is to know about Mr. Sato's organization, and possibly even infiltrate the Equalists."

"How do you go about doing that?" Tenzin replied. Al smiled.

"I'll need several thousand yuans and a good tailor – possibly a small hotel to stay in temporarily." Al replied. "Mr. Sato will never know what hit him." He said, rubbing his hands together. Tenzin quickly lead him to his study, where he cracked open a large safe in the back – stacked to the brim with Yuans and strange jewels, Al held Tenzin's arm in pause.

"Why does the Air Temple have so much money?" Al asked. Tenzin held his arm down, waving his hands around at the ornate room.

"The Air Nation's coffers, though raided during the genocide at the turn of the calendar, have always been large – as traders, we've never been remiss in our expenditures – but we've always known how the winds have changed." Tenzin said. "My father's actions to end the Hundred Year War ended in many gifts – some sentimental, others of extreme value. Through trade aboard Appa, and later between the various nations using the temples' Sky Bisons, my father's temples were able to make a large amount of money – allowing a rebuilding of the four temples and their repopulation by the Air Acolytes."

Al nodded. 'Certainly would explain a lot.' He thought. Air Temple Island was lovely – and seemed to operate almost totally independent of all economics. Sure, he'd seen bison leaving loaded for bear, but Al had always assumed they were going on journeys to the other temples – not trading for riches.

"Without a need to expend all of this money, the Air Nation has large vaults all over the remaining nations – especially in the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. We don't use them – but they come in handy when necessary." Tenzin said, placing a stack of Yuans on the table. "This is fifty thousand." He said – a massive sum, in Avatar coinage or real dollars – roughly equivalent to $150,000. "It's a large drop in the bucket, Al -" He said, "But if we're going to do this – if you're going to do this, it needs to happen correctly."

Tenzin took a seat on his desk. "I need to know exactly what you're planning to do." He said, steepling his hands.

"I'm going to infiltrate Future Industries using my personal connections to Mr. Sato. His daughter, Asami, is unaware of his Equalist affiliations – I believe if I can win her trust and friendship we should be able to ascertain the total scope of her father's evil. That said – should that avenue close itself to me, my objective is to locate any and all Equalist facilities and give you that information via dead drop – a random location that you can visit and recover documents at at – which you may bring to Chief Beifong." Al said. "It's a pretty standard intelligence job. Provided I can lie effectively, Mr. Sato should be none the wiser.

"Are you sure the money's necessary?" He asked. "How will he know you're genuine – going from monk to businessman is quite the step – one he may be suspicious of, Al."

"I've been thinking of that." Al said, walking to the door and slamming it shut. "And I think you've been too ignorant of me, Master Tenzin!" He shouted out, toppling a chair with sudden urgency. Outside, he could hear the scurrying of a pair of monks – their confused whispers audible.

"What was that for?" Tenzin asked, looking at the chair. "This-?" He looked up at Al, realization in his eyes. "You want me to throw you out. Make it look good – public. Make Sato think you're coming to him in hatred of benders."
"Precisely." Al said, righting the chair. "We're going to make a scene, Tenzin – you and I – and I'm going to storm off on the evening ferry." He looked out the window, across the grounds toward Republic City. "Korra has her game tonight – she wanted me and Raiku to attend – take his ticket." Al said, handing it over. "You'll be attending in my place. She'll know something's wrong – and you'll tell her we had a serious misunderstanding. It can be anything."

"This seems very convoluted, Al." Tenzin said. "Won't she be shocked at the revelation? Won't Raiku? My children?"

"All the more reason." Al replied. "If the island believes I've fallen out with you – the news may spread from the ferry captain. Come up with some Acolyte-related excuse – that I'm not monk material or something. A personal matter – not actions on my part."

"And you'll be gone?" Tenzin said, frowning. "Where will your 'Dead Drop' be?" He asked. "Where will you go?"

"Republic City Park – by the koi pond. I'll mark the spot with a cross on the tree." Al said.

Tenzin nodded, standing up. "I don't know about this, Al – but if you think it's the best way?"

"I do." Al said. "I'm afraid I'm pushing Korra in the wrong directions, anyways – she needs to find a way to be the Avatar without me pushing her down the path." Tenzin nodded, and Al folded his scarred arms, his rubbing an eye.

"I wish you all the best." Tenzin said. "Do you have any further advice for me?"

"Keep doing what you're doing, Tenzin." Al said. "The Avatar will unlock airbending in her own time – once she clears the chakra associated with it, same with her Avatar State." He set his hands on the desk, leaning forward. "The days ahead will be dark – do what you can to head off Tarrlok, and don't pressure Korra in the wrong way. You need her to bend, not break. Change with the flow, don't fight against it – and that goes doubly for a teenage girl and her emotions."

Tenzin nodded, stepping around the desk and wrapping an arm around Al. "I've never met a man so wise for your age, Al. You know that, right?"

"You've never said as much, but I figured." Al said, smiling. Tenzin smiled back behind his beard. "Don't make it too hard on the kids – they're great, all of them – and make sure they're safe when the storm comes."

"I will." Tenzin said, taking in a breath. He reached down, grabbing the back of the chair. Al rose a fist, and with a shout, they began – chairs crashing and desks banging loudly. "HOW DARE YOU DISRESPECT THIS TEMPLE?!" Tenzin roared out, a rush of air sending papers flying. Outside, a pair of acolytes looked at one another in terror – how could Al of all people be angering Tenzin?

==

The Pro-Bending Arena

"Hello folks, and -welcome- to the PRO-BENDING ARENA!" A loud and magnanimous voice resounded, echoing through the massive central plexus – shaking the stands through a massive series of loudspeakers. "I'm Shiiiiiiro Shinobi, and with me is Hiro Hamata – your factoid commentator and alliterative master!" The announcer's voice roared.

"Don't say that, Shiro – I'm simply the smart man slipping you folks facts." A second, teenage voice replied, much quieter in the high walls of the arena. Packed with spectators wall-to-wall, the first rounds of the qualifiers had quickly given way to the bitter final matchups – a round robin which placed the various teams in their respective brackets come the playoffs. The luckier teams would start against weaker-seeded teams: like the Badgermoles or Tiger Moths – while the unlucky ones would be faced with the Wolfbats for their preliminary and subsequent rounds.

As Korra strapped her handguards on, her heart skipped a beat. This was the real show – not solo practice with Bolin, or the weaker qualifying matches she'd played before against rookies. In one corner, Mako was staring at himself in the mirror – quietly applying red and black lines of paint to his cheeks. In the other, Bolin was cuddling up with Pabu – his eyes set on petting the little red ferret as it nibbled his fingers.

Korra slapped the strap down with force, tying it off with a twirl of her fingers. She sniffed in a breath, pressing her lips into a thin line as the clock began its count to showtime. Bolin let Pabu down, hanging his helmet above his ears as he stepped over to Korra, taking a seat. "Ready?" He asked, slapping her on the shoulder pads. "This is the big one!" He shouted out.

Korra let out a huff. "No pressure, or anything." She replied, pulling her other glove on and strapping it in place. She looked up at him with a thin smile. "Thanks, Bolin."

Bolin wriggled his lips together. "Sorry!" He said, "I'd just assumed you would be excited – you always love doing the thing, after all." Korra rose an eyebrow.

"Doing the thing?" She said, confused.

Bolin sputtered. "Y'know – the whoosh-whoosh-" He pantomimed waterbending with his arms, "-The wheew-wheew-" Bolin stood, twirling around, "And the 'Aww-yeah!'" He finished his display with two fists in the air, jumping with a smile on his face.

"Do I really do that?" Korra asked, a chuckle on her lips.

Mako turned – his face literally covered in an intricate design of black, red, and white, and nodded. "Absolutely." He said. "Bolin's been keeping a running tally – how many times has she done the single fispump to kneel thing?"

Bolin scratched at the back of his head. "Err..." He said, as Korra looked up at him, folding her arms.

"You're keeping /track/ of my celebrations?" Korra asked, turning a hand up in confusion. "Why?"

"Well, I-" Bolin said, darting his eyes in every direction. "Don't worry about it! The world works in mysterious ways!" He shouted, glancing at the bathroom door. "I'll be right back when the match starts!" Bolin yelled, disappearing like a thunderbolt into the bathroom.

Mako completed the Fire Ferret on his forehead, twisting the paint tube shut as he dabbed a final eye onto the design. "Why do you always do that?" Korra asked. Mako turned about, waving at his head to make the paint dry.

"It's a tradition!" Mako said. "Every sport has their traditions – and sometimes you do something and you win: so you keep going, and it builds – it grows – and soon you're afraid if you stop going you'll freak out." He walked over to the railing, watching as the final three minutes of the count ticked down. "I put paint streaks on two years ago, when we first started Pro-Bending: I've done it for every round robin and for playoffs - and I wouldn't have it any other way." He said.

Korra stepped over to the railing, helmet under her arm. "Can you do mine?" She asked. Mako looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Why?" He asked. Korra glanced out on the stage, and back at Mako – the fire ferrets on the crown of his head staring back at her.

"If we're going to do this," She began, looking down as Pabu stood between them – staring up at the gap between. "We're going to have to work harder together – and we can't fight like we did in practice. Maybe painting all of us can be... I don't know, a bonding exercise?"

Mako smiled at that. "I like the way you think." He said. "Are Al and Raiku here? You seemed pretty excited yesterday about them attending." Korra shrugged, looking out in the stands.

"I don't know where their tickets are – they could be anywhere." She said – scanning the crowd to no avail. Mako shrugged.

"Doesn't matter." He said. "We'll see them when it's over – and maybe we can hit up Narook's?" Korra smiled. They'd taken her there only twice since they'd told her about it – and it had been everything she'd loved about home: hot food, hearty laughs, and open for hours on end. Between there and the 'peace' offered at the Air Temple, Korra knew what she'd rather be doing.

"I'd love that." She said. The pair watched in silence, their arms wrapped around the railing, as the crowd slowly swelled to a huge size – the post-work crowd quickly gathering in the stands to watch two highly anticipated sets of prospects due battle. Roars and whistles filled the stands as the referee made his introduction – taking the stand – and the bridges began to extend.

Mako turned to the bathroom stall. "Bolin!" He yelled, a grit of annoyance to his voice. "If you're done hiding, I suggest you get out here and play the game." Moments later, a sheepish Bolin stepped out onto the locker room floor – mask on and eyes avoiding Korra's as he stepped to the edge of the bridge, the massive metal span locking into place beneath his feet.

Korra and Mako joined him, Korra shooting a confused glance at Bolin – who looked away sheepishly into the stands. 'Why would anyone bother writing down how I -celebrate-?' She wondered. 'I mean, I'm the Avatar – but Bolin doesn't really seem to care about that: he's like Al.' Some people in the stands were obsessed with Korra's place as the Avatar – and people flocked to the Fire Ferrets just to see -her- play.

'But Bolin couldn't be cowed by that, could he?' Korra thought, the three slowly stepping across the walkway – cheers raising in the crowd as she stepped out into view. 'He doesn't see me as the Avatar, he sees me as Korra – so why?' She wondered, looking over at him. Bolin waved to the crowd, looking as far away from Korra as possible.

The group strutted onto the field – earth dispensers and channels of water slowly filling beneath their feet. The crowd quieted slowly as the teammates took their places – Korra on the left flank, Bolin on the right – with Mako at center. "Whatever we do-" Mako said, stretching his neck as he dropped into his stance – feet wide, right fist out. "-We do not let whatever -this-" He waggled a finger between the two. "-is supposed to be, interfere with any of it." He looked at Bolin, who shot him a nervous glance. "Got it?" Mako said.

"Fine by me." Korra replied, cracking her fingers and rolling her shoulder. Across from them, the opposing team slowly slotted themselves into position – preparing themselves. "Bolin?" She said.

"Yeah, totally." He said, his voice cracking a bit. "Nothing like wailing a few fools to make the awkward go away, right?" Bolin chuckled, his face placid as he planted his feet in the ground beneath them. Mako shook his head, Korra retaining her confused expression.

"Aaaaaalright folks – moments away from what's shaping up to be a wonderful night here in the Republic City Pro-Bending Arena!" Shinobi's voice roared out, the two teams finishing their preparations and little pre-game rituals. Korra was fairly simple in that regard, taking satisfaction primarily in strapping everything on – she liked to stay loose before the few matches she'd played. "This matchup between the Sandsnakes and Fire Ferrets brought to you by Future Industries – your future, present." That line was new, Korra noted – they'd only just begun sponsorship of the arena, and with it came a new slogan 'Keeping the future present'.

A loud horn sounded from the referee's station, and they were off. Korra flung a fist out, water spurting away as she rolled right, the whirr of a spinning earth disk rippling by her ear. Mako dodged left, and the pair deftly evaded one another – their armor brushing one another as a burst of water spun past Mako's position. Bolin had stepped backwards, using an earth disk to block a burst of fire. A momentary stillness came over the field – everyone maneuvering across the pitch.

Korra flung up a ball of water, holding it next to her as the Sandsnakes' firebender held a fireball in his fist. A moment later, he shot it away – straight for Bolin. He dodged, and Korra struck – her waterbolt smashing the man in the chest. He staggered backwards, wobbling on the line – and before Bolin could deliver a killing blow, the Sandmen's waterbender tossed his own strike – forcing Bolin on the defensive as he braced himself against a torrent.

Mako twirled back, circling right behind Korra as a pair of earth disks roared quickly – the Sandsnakes' earthbender a fast woman, striking with breakneck speed. "Bolin!" Mako shouted above the din. "Focus right with Korra, I'll draw the others!" He roared, tossing a pair of firebursts at the aformentioned targets. The Water and Earthbenders of the Sandsnakes found themselves under a massive gout of flame.

There was a pause, the two benders looking up at the Ref – who blew a whistle. "Fire Ferret Firebender, Penalty! Extended usage! Move back one zone!" He shouted. Mako hung his helmet, stepping back. Korra growled.

"And you yelled at me for that!" She shouted. Mako waved her away, resuming his stance. Korra and Bolin spread to the flanks, well away from eachother – as Mako took center. The dance resumed, fire hissing past Korra – as she knocked the Sandsnake Earthbender away with a heavy blow. He bounced back, the buzzer sounding as he retreated a zone. "Bolin, look alive!" She shouted, as a pair of firebolts sizzled against his mask. Bolin stood his ground, his feet scraping against the floor – but he stayed in the first zone.

"A minute into the first round, and the Fire Ferrets are down due to a penalty!" Shinobi's voice said, filling the arena. The crowd hemmed and hawwed with the shifting of the fight, equal parts enraptured and envigorated by the battle before them. "Avatar Korra and Bolin retain the first zone, whilst Mako and Shen have been knocked back into their respective zones!" Korra twirled right, evading an earth disc.

In the backfield, Shen – the Earthbender Korra had knocked back, whirled a disc. Bolin, rolling away from a fireburst, quickly kicked the air – knocking it aside as Korra let loose another water strike towards the enemy Firebender*. Her legs twirled, and as she glanced back towards Bolin, saw him knocked away by a gush of the enemy's own water, behind the line. "Bolin!" She shouted, twisting away the rival waterbender's followup strike. "Why would you do that?!"

Never block, always dodge. If you're out of position, you take it. Korra remembered her lessons at the Air Temple, and always sought to evade as best she could: but this was so -out of character-. What was bothering him? Korra turned around to see a massive gout of flame roaring for her, and she dropped hard to the ground - the fire passing inches past the transparent sheen of her helmet. It sputtered uselessly behind.

Bolin ignored her, kicking forth another strike. "Bolin made a tactical error, folks – you do not, under any circumstances, expose yourself in the defense of a teammate: lest you cause a terrible, terrible chain knockout. Shen's-" Shinobi paused as Mako kicked a trio of firebolts at him, two missing, but the third hitting the skinny earthbender right in center mass. He staggered backwards – a one-two smash from Bolin sending him sailing into the third zone.

The battle continued, strikes from both sides rippling across the field. Slashing water and spitting fire mixed with whistling earth – and as the crowd roared, two members stood at the high rails – silent. Tenzin let his orange cloak flow around him, Raiku leaning hard against the rail – his White Lotus uniform switched for an Air Acolyte's robes for less... conspicuousness. "I can't believe he's gone." Raiku said. "I mean, what could he have said?"

"I don't want to talk about this." Tenzin said, rubbing his fingers into his scalp. "Al made a decision. I made a response. We had words, and now it's over. Believe me, I've had enough trouble explaining it to my children and the acolytes – and Korra will be even harder to explain it to."

Raiku folded his arms to his chest, leaning back as the Fire Ferrets lost Bolin into Zone 3. "If I didn't know you better, cousin, I'd swear you weren't being totally truthful." Raiku replied.

Tenzin glanced at him, folding his fingers onto the railing. Time was ticking down heavily, now – and Korra was finally lost to Zone 2. A quick one-two from Bolin sent another Sandsnake down to Zone 2, leaving the battle a fine mixture. Korra's water strikes were hard and pounding, and her dodges looked like those of a skilled airbender. "Korra looks good out there." He said. "Learning dodging and weaving with the wind is a large part of Pro-Bending, it would seem."

Raiku looked up at Tenzin, a furrow forming between his brows. He let it drop as Korra was hit thrice in the chest by water strikes – the third weaving around her as she shot in back in a counterattack – but it was enough to send her toppling into the third zone. In a flash, Korra was roaring waterblasts at the enemy – but as the first neared her opponent, the buzzer sounded. The round was finished – and would go to a tiebreaker. Korra took the stand against the opposing waterbender, a woman named Shani – and the two squared off. Immediately, Korra's opponent shot forth with a pair of strikes.

Korra splashed them aside and charged, bowling into her opponent. The woman struck back with fists covered in water, a pair of gut punches splashing into Korra and trying to spout her off – only for the woman to release them to avoid drawing a penalty.

Sweeping a leg, Korra attempted to throw the woman off balance – only to receive a kick to her own legs sending her sprawling. The crowd roared. Twirling to her feet, Korra took her stance – her opponent raising another waterblast. It sounded forth, and Korra swirled it with a spin – firing it back.

Her rival staggered backwards, water soaking her uniform – but she held firm. Korra roared, and charged. A gust of water struck out at her, flashing as the crowd swooned – only for Korra to split it with an outshot hand. Dropping her shoulder, Korra collided hard with her opponent – and the Sandsnake waterbender crumpled against the lower level as Korra stood triumphant.

Tenzin's face grimaced. "That was unnecessary." He said, standing up from his lean. Korra turning out like Kyoshi would do no favors for world diplomacy – in a tumultuous time, no less.

"She did what it took to win." Raiku replied, "I would not hesitate against a hostile bender, a wrong move-" Tenzin shot him a look.

"One fight with the Lotus and you already call for heads!" Tenzin said, his voice strong and scolding. Below, the groups slowly reset themselves for the next bout. "Did you not see how killing that man weighed on Al?"

"Yeah, and look at what you did to him!" Raiku spat back. "Now he's gone, Korra has no idea, and she'll be devastated – Al was practically half the island, all the acolytes loved him!" Tenzin stomped a foot, letting out a tired huff.

"Al made his own decision." Tenzin replied, struggling beneath the collar to keep his falsehoods in check. "I cannot tell him anymore than I can you how to live his life – and he found himself unable to live here knowing the specter of death followed him." He shook his head. "Besides, for all his following of the Air Nation, Al has the heart of a normal citizen of the republic. He yearns for technology and activity – not silence on this island."

It wasn't a lie. Not really. Tenzin believed in his heart that Al was destined for more than being an Acolyte – but he'd never push him out into the world. In a way, it was better – Al would go and live his life, and on his return would be more content in his ascetic life.

Below, Korra and her team were getting set for a second bout, Korra and Mako both shooting Bolin looks. "Bolin." Mako said, laying a hand on his brother's shoulder, "We won that one with your head in another space entirely." He pointed at the opposition. "Take the fight to them, leave whatever you're thinking behind, and keep it together." He said, patting Bolin on the shoulder.

Korra let her eyes drift over Bolin's face, twisted in conflict. "Are you alright?" She said, stepping to him, moments of the intermission ticking by.

"Yeah, sorry." Bolin said, rubbing the back of his helmet. "I'm just, y'know, not the most 'smooth' of the guys when it comes to... things?" He said, with a pause. Korra inclined her head, confused.

"I don't get it." She said. What could bother somebody that much? The team reset themselves, taking their places as the buzzer sounded. The ref took out his flag, preparing to start the match. In a flurry of blows and strikes, Korra and her team lead themselves to a second round victory, securing them the match. Bolin, maintaining his cool this time, struck hard and fast – knocking out the rival firebender. Korra, drifting and dodging, struck hard against the enemy waterbender.

As the clock wound down to the end, Korra let out a sigh of relief, and the team streamed into the locker room – the bridges closing as the team quickly doffed their equipment, stepping into the showers and changing back into their usual attire. As Korra and Mako sat, watching the hose-team spray down the canvas with waterbending, a soft rap knocked against the door.

Korra stood, turning to the doorway. "Weird." She said.

"If it was Al, he'd have opened the door." Mako said, turning away from his bowl of noodles. Korra's hand gripped the doorhandle, sliding it open. Tenzin's orange robes shone back at her, his face a gentle smile. Rai, far shorter, peeked out from behind the robes.

"Tenzin?" Korra said, cocking an eyebrow. "What're you doing here? Where's Al?" She asked.

And Tenzin told them.

==

Author's Notes

Okay, so, this episode was at around 9,500 words when I pulled the plug on having six scenes an episode. it wasn't working.

As my readers have said, don't force it. So I won't - I'm going to probably throw out the episode list and let the season be as long as it needs to be. I think a breath of fresh air should let the next one come out faster.

1*= I can't write sports action. It's hell. It probably shows in how shitty this segment is - I needed a Tenzin scene to recover.