Chapter Text
There were few things more annoying than waking up to a disaster. Korra figured she should be used to it by now
“Mako it’s like four am,” Korra grumbled. “What’s happening?”
Mako’s voice came over the phone. “I’m sorry, but there’s something happening that you might want to hear about.”
“Yeah?” The avatar responded. “Don’t tell me it’s more of Kuvira’s supporters still mad about her defeat.” After almost a year cleaning up the Earth Empire’s mess, she was starting to get really tired of it’s supporters.
“No, a man broke into Republic City Museum.”
“And? It’s a museum, of course there’s gonna be museum break-ins.”
“Yeah, but he’s acting like he doesn’t know what’s going on or how he got there.”
“Great, a crazy man at the museum. Totally needs the avatar’s assistance.” Korra responded dryly.
Mako hesitated for a second. “And…. according to Beifong, before I arrived he was firebending and airbending.”
Korra’s eyes widened, the world seemed to stop. “He what? It has to be some sort of misunderstanding, only-”
“You can do that, yeah.” Mako finished the sentence for her. “See why I called you?”
“Yeah,” Korra responded. “I’ll get Asami, we’ll be there soon.”
In just a few minutes, Korra and Asami arrived outside the museum, “You don’t really think..” Asami trailed off, uncertainty in her voice.
“Of course not.” Korra reassured her girlfriend. “We all know that I’m the Avatar, this is all some big misconception. Maybe there was a weird breeze.”
“In a museum?” Asami asked doubtfully.
Korra shrugged. “I guess? But he can’t….we all know that there’s only one avatar.”
Once in the museum lobby, Korra and Asami were greeted by the other two members of their team, Mako and Bolin.
“You guys are here!” Bolin said, immediately hugging them both. “I have no idea what’s happening, it’s so weird! The guy was just- whoosh-whoosh-” Bolin waved his arms around in an imitation of airbending, “-But he was also firebending! Please tell me everyone else is as confused as I am.”
“I’m sure it was just a coincidence,” Korra responded, patting her friend on the shoulder for reassurance. She turned to Mako. “Was there anything else unusual?”
“He was dressed in… outdated fashion. Like he came straight out of the past.” Mako replied.
“I didn’t know you were an expert on fashion history, Mako.” Asami laughed.
“Trust me, when you see him, it’s pretty obvious he doesn’t belong. C’mon, he’s in the Fire Nation Historical Arts wing.”
As Mako led them through the museum, Korra continued to ponder the situation. “Maybe he’s some sort of historical reenactor? Or an actor in a new mover?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t explain the bending. Or how confused he was.” Asami replied. “You think he could be a firebender who got airbending during Harmonic Convergence?”
“No, only born non-benders got airbending, as far as we know. And if we did know, we would’ve known sooner.”
As the group neared the Fire Nation Historical Arts wing, they could hear the man.
“I’m telling you, I don’t know what’s going on!” He yelled. “Let me out!”
“We’ll let you out when you tell us where you came from, who you are, and how you can bend two elements.” Lin Beifong responded. “Do you live here, in republic city?”
“Repub- what? I told you I don’t know what that is!”
As Korra and her team entered the room, they saw the man. He was pale, with thick black hair that reached his shoulders and a scruffy goatee. Judging by his golden-yellow eyes, he was of fire nation descent. Just like Mako had said, he was dressed in an unusual outfit, a reddish-orange tunic that fell to his knees. The more Korra looked at him, the more familiar he seemed.
“We need to talk.” Korra pulled her friends into the hallway.
“What is it?” Asami asked, putting a hand to Korra’s back as she shivered with uncertainty.
“Do you know that guy?” Bolin asked.
“He- uh. Might be my past life. The first Avatar, Wan.”
“What?!” Mako responded.
“He looks just like him, and explains the bending. And the confusion. And his clothes.”
“Yeah but it raises the question of how he even got here! He’s from what- ten thousand years ago?”
Korra shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably won’t be the weirdest thing that’s ever happened.”
“No one has any better idea of who he could be.” Asami piped in.
“Just because it’s an idea doesn’t mean it’s a good idea!” Mako retaliated.
Korra ignored him and entered the main wing again, where the man was still being handcuffed and interrogated by the police.
Korra approached him. “Uh, Wan?”
“How do you know my name? What’s happening?”
Korra almost gasped. She was right. Somehow, her past life, the very first Avatar, had ended up here.