Chapter Text
A three-on-one fight was usually unfair to most fighters. The odds of victory were heavily tipped to the group fighting against the sole bender. However, Korra was not most fighters. She was, after all, the Avatar and had the power of four separate elements on her side. And she knew her opponents like the back of her hand. She knew every weakness, every vulnerability each possessed. And she knew how to exploit them.
Korra smirked as she assumed her stance. She balanced on the balls of her feet and placed her hands in a typical earthbending pose. Her opponents stood a few yards across from her, each preparing for a fight. No one wore padding; by training with protective gear, they would be at a disadvantage in a real fight. Plus, who didn’t like showing off scars.
Korra stared down her opponents, not wanting to make the first move. She faced the three, one man and two women, each with their own bending power.
The combustionbender was the first to break the stare-down, concentrating on the ground below Korra. The Avatar jumped to the side and bent a protective wall of earth. Her shield melted away under the hot lava that formed around her. She grumbled and sent massive rocks toward the lavabender. He knocked them away with ease, but Korra wasn’t finished yet. She fired multiple fireballs at the occupied lavabender, sending him off his feet.
A chunk of ice collided with Korra. She crumpled to the ground and haphazardly sent fire towards the waterbender. Another fiery explosion missed Korra by a fraction of an inch. The Avatar slammed her fist into the ground, causing waves to ripple across the earth. In a fluid motion, she summoned water to form around her arms. As fire blasts flew towards her, Korra’s water arms kept her safe. She caught sight of the combustionbender and set her sights on the woman.
She dropped the water arms and, instead, brought earth around her in a protective armor. Korra began to earthbend herself toward the combustionbender, sending small pebbles towards her opponent. The earth began to shift around her, against her will. Quickly, she blasted the rocks away and then formed a column of air below her. Korra was propelled high above the fight. She summoned fire in her fists and sent the blasts at the three down below. Korra allowed herself to fall, bending the earth she landed on into large waves. With her opponents distracted, she sent successive blasts of fire, earth, water, and air. Each tried to get up, but Korra would not allow it. With a swift air kick, she sent one into a rock wall. Another, she froze into place with a massive wall of ice. Finally, the last one, the combustionbender, charged at Korra. She rotated the earth under her opponent before launching herself on top of her rival. A fire dagger sat just above the neck of Korra’s last opponent.
The combustionbender smiled. “Very nice. I suppose you’re going to kill me now?” The woman’s tone was playful.
“Perhaps,” Korra replied, equally playful. “If you could, say, give me 100 yuans, I might let you go.”
“If you find the time, could you get me out of this ice? Thanks,” the lavabender sarcastically asked.
“And why can’t Ming-Hua do it?” Korra asked.
“Because she’s a bitch.”
Ming-Hua, the waterbender, laughed. “Well, you’re not wrong. But I’ll be nice, just this once.” She quickly summoned the water to form her arms.
Korra laughed before getting up. “There you go. Now, 100 yuans please.”
“I did not agree to that. Besides, doesn’t Ghazan have something for you?”
Korra’s eyes widened. “What?” she spun towards the lavabender. “Does this mean what I think it means?”
“Come on, P’Li. I hadn’t told her yet.” Ghazan said to the combustionbender. He turned his attention to Korra. “I figured that, if Zaheer determined your training complete, we could get some…”
Korra nearly began to jump up and down. “Tattoos? Zaheer said I could get a tattoo?”
“Only if I deem your training complete,” a new voice echoed in the sparring area. A tall man, his graying hair held together with a red ribbon, entered. “I must say, that fight was impressive.”
Korra quickly bowed to the newcomer, keeping her hands together. “Elder Zaheer.” Her voice was serious, though her bow sloppy.
Zaheer returned the bow before placing a hand on Korra’s shoulder. “You did really well in that fight. Excellent use of airbending. You gave the forms the power of both earth and firebending.” He smiled, his eyes shone with pride. “I think you’ve earned a reward. Go change.”
Korra sloppily bowed again. “Thank you!” Before she could hurry off, Zaheer spoke again.
“Just so you know, I am meeting the Elders tonight. I’ll be mentioning your success today.”
Korra tensed up and felt dragon-bees dance in her stomach. Zaheer could sense her nerves and quickly spoke up. “Don’t worry. You’ve done very well. You are a great Avatar. Go on.”
Korra brightened up again. “Thanks, Zaheer.” She sprinted into her room to change. Room was an overstatement; Korra’s space was more like a small corner cut off from the main area by a curtain. Her family’s current living arrangement was the smallest yet, with only one proper bedroom and one larger room. The four adults slept in the bedroom and Korra was given her own private space next to their makeshift kitchen. Korra didn’t mind. This wasn’t the worst place they’ve lived. As long as her family had a solid roof over their heads.
The Avatar quickly threw on loose, brown pants and a tight green shirt on top. She grabbed some shoes she bought from an Earth Kingdom market before running a comb through her long hair. She grabbed the closest ribbon and quickly put her hair in a cow-pony tail. P’Li could always braid it for her later. When she was ready, Korra sprinted out of her room and right into Ghazan.
“Slow down there, kid,” the lavabender laughed. “We got plenty of daylight left.”
“That doesn’t matter,” she was still bouncing up and down. “Tattoos take a while, you know. And I want to get a really big one, all across my back.”
Ghazan laughed and held up a hand. “We did not agree to a huge one. You can have a medium sized tattoo, not one that covers your entire back.”
Korra thought for a moment. “Alright, fine. I could always get another one later.” Her smile widened and she tugged on Ghazan’s arm. “Come on! Let’s go!”
***
Korra and Ghazan approached a small shop, placed in the front section of the artist’s house. A large, muscular man opened the door to greet the pair. “Hello, Liu! So nice to see you again. And this is your daughter? What a lovely young woman!” The artist’s voice failed to match his looks. He was bald, bursting with muscle and covered in tattoos. He had piercings all over his face and he looked like he had just gotten out of an Earth Kingdom jail. But when he spoke, Korra couldn’t help but smile.
“Hello, sir. I’m Nuka.” Korra bowed to the older man. She did not falter while introducing herself under a different name. Aliases were common place in her family and she had to use a different name anywhere she went.
“Oh, none of that ‘sir’ nonsense. Call me Guo.” He smiled, revealing a less than perfect set of teeth. “Well, come on in! We need to get started.” All over the walls of his house, Guo had hung drawings of different tattoos. Some were traditional while others looked like someone had thrown a cactus at a piece of paper. Korra looked at all of them before one design caught her attention.
“What’s that one?” she pointed to a Water Tribe style drawing of an animal.
“That is a polar bear-dog,” Guo explained, taking down the framed drawing. There’s a ton of them down in the South Pole, apparently. Fierce creatures. Locals are still terrified of them. But, from the stories, they’re supposed to be loyal to the end.”
Korra smiled and eagerly looked up at Ghazan. He shrugged. “Don’t look at me, kid. You’re going to be the one with it on your body for the rest of your life.”
“Then I’ll have this one. But, dad, is it okay if I have another small one, too?”
***
Korra and Ghazan came home hours later as the sun was low on the horizon. She practically skipped, easily ignoring the painful pricks the tattoo machine made. Her polar bear-dog, located on her right shoulder blade, was covered up by a thick bandage. Around her right wrist was another, much smaller bandage. With a grin the size of the Great Divide, she threw her arms around P’Li and Ming-Hua, who were careful to not touch the bandages.
“Thank you so much!”
“Enough with the pleasantries, kid.” Ming-Hua said. “Show us the tat.” With P’Li’s help, Korra lifted her shirt and the bandage to showcase the polar bear-dog. The two older women oohed at the tattoo.
“That’s beautiful, Kor,” P’Li said. “But why do you have another bandage on your wrist?”
Korra looked down sheepishly. “Well, Ghazan allowed me to get another tattoo.” She carefully lifted the bandage on her wrist. There sat a red and pink flower, each petal adorned with intricate details. It was only a few inches across, but the flower was eye-catching.
“I got a lotus flower,” Korra said, “in red instead of the normal white, since it’s my favorite color. And it reminds me of you, all of you. My family.”
P’Li looked as though she might cry as she hugged Korra again and Ming-Hua bumped against Korra to show her support. Ghazan placed a hand on Korra’s shoulder and an arm across Ming-Hua.
“It looks beautiful, Korra,” Zaheer’s voice came from the door. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled away and put a hand on Korra’s neck. “You’ve grown to be a wonderful young woman. I’m so proud of you.”
The family sat down for dinner, vegetable and noodle stir-fry prepared by Zaheer and P’Li. It was a special dinner, with an extra kick from Fire Nation spices that Ghazan found in the town’s market. Many nights, the group had to eat Flameo Instant Noodles, which got boring after a while. But tonight was special.
“As you all know, I spoke with the other elders tonight,” Zaheer spoke up when everyone had finished dinner. Korra nervously straightened her back. “The others agree that your training has gone a long way, Korra, but a few do not think you are worthy of being named Elder.”
Korra’s brow furrowed at the news and took a couple deep breaths in. “May I ask why?”
“Many do not think that completing your training is evidence enough. They want to see you preform out in the field.”
“Well, I would go on assignment if the EIders would stop coddling me like a child!” Korra’s patience withered and she snapped. “How am I supposed to be the Avatar if I’m stuck inside?” She paused. “Sir.”
Zaheer smiled patiently. “I know you want to go on assignment, however, we need to ensure you are prepared. Our duty takes us to dangerous areas…”
“Danger? I’m the Avatar. I was literally born for danger! If those idiots would just shut the fuck up and…”
“That is enough, Korra,” Zaheer’s voice was stern and his eyes bored into Korra. “I want you to go into your room and mediate. I will speak to you when you’ve calmed down.”
Korra bowed her head. “Yes, Elder.” She stood up and bowed at the adults before hurrying to her room. Stupid, stupid, stupid, she thought, careful not to make any noise. Her damn temper got the better of her again. And now she had to meditate. If Zaheer told her to meditate, she needed to. Korra sat on her bed, legs crossed and her fists touching. Breathe in and out. Focus on the breath. She repeated the mantra, allowing her mind to go blank. In. Out. Breathe. Open your eyes.
She wasn’t in her small room anymore, but in a vast empty space. Her body floated as though she was in water and every part of her glowed purple. The In-Between, as she called it. Zaheer had never been here. It was a place for the Avatar, she guessed. Before her, the air rippled like water and a blue copy of her appeared.
“Raava?” purple-Korra asked.
“It is good to see you again, Korra,” the blue copy spoke in a voice that was not Korra’s. The ancient spirit of light spoke in her own voice, no matter the body. “I suppose things are not going well.”
True Korra sighed. “No. I got angry again.”
“To be the Avatar, you need to know the meaning of patience. When you are angry or upset, you cannot control your actions.”
“Spirits, you sound like Zaheer,” Korra cursed.
Raava-Korra frowned. “I believe it is in your best interest to speak with your predecessor. He knows just how guilt and anger can affect the mind.”
“You want me to speak with Aang? I don’t know…”
Hey, Kor, wake up. Another voice was in the In-Between.
Raava-Korra looked frightened. “Not yet, Korra. I wish to speak to you long….”
“Kor, wake up,” P’Li gently shook her.
“I’m not sleeping, P’Li,”
Korra smirked. “My mind is merely in another place.”
“Come on. I already get enough lectures from Zaheer.” P’Li helped Korra to her feet. “Speaking of which, he wants to speak to you. Don’t look worried; he’s not angry.”
“Just disappointed.”
“No, he wants to teach you patience.”
Him and everyone else. Korra walked outside to where Zaheer sat by a small firepit. “Elder Zaheer,” Korra bowed low. “I offer you apologies for my outburst. It was unbecoming of my character. I hope you accept my apology and offer forgiveness.”
“Do you have a speech memorized for this very event?” Zaheer practically laughed. “I do not accept your apology because you do not need to offer one.” He motioned to the firepit and an unburned pile of wood. “Could you light this please?”
Korra snapped into a firebending stance before Zaheer’s hand shot up. “Use your third eye.”
She quickly dropped the stance and closed her eyes. Korra felt her energy, her chi, move within her. It travelled up her chakras, from the ground into her heart. Finally, she felt the energy gather behind the third eye, the Light Chakra. And… release!
Korra opened her eyes as flames sparked to life in the wood and smoke began to rise from the pit. She looked at Zaheer, who smiled at her. “Very good. That was a lot faster than before. Please, sit.” The Avatar created a seat out of the ground next to her airbending teacher. She was timid around the Elder, simply because of his serious nature. While Korra would joke and tease the others in her family, Zaheer was naturally more stoic, as though he was trying to be just like the ancient Air Nomad masters he admired. He also had a reputation among the Red Lotus, that he was not a man to be crossed. Zaheer might not be a bender, but he was a master of combat and would not hesitate to execute his actions.
Korra wanted to be just like him.
“Has your meditation gotten easier?” Zaheer was always curious on Korra’s spiritual development.
“Yes, it was especially easy today.” She paused, not sure how to phrase what she wanted to say. “I’m sorry I got upset. It’s just that I’ve never done any missions. I’m the Avatar. I should be helping people.”
“You’re right,” Zaheer surprised Korra. “The Avatar needs to be there for the people. We had hoped you would master the Avatar State first, but you have done so well. I also have an idea of an assignment for you.” He smiled at her. “Tomorrow, I’m meeting with the Elders again to discuss my idea. I would like you to be there with me. You should show everyone what you can do.”
Korra smiled again. “Sounds great!”