Book 1 - Air

Chapter 1

Welcome to Awkward Family Reunions

Korra stared at the Chief of Police chair—she was going to sit on it.

"I wouldn't," her companion nearby said, deftly reading her intentions.

"But—" It was the Chief of Police chair, a chair that once housed the butt of Toph Beifong!

"No, it's not Toph's original chair," her companion answered, reading her mind again. "She took it when she retired. Or at least that's what mom always said."

She let out a heavy, irritated sigh. Naga, the sweetheart that she was, whined and nudged her back out of comfort. Korra smiled, patted her best friend, and threw herself onto the sofa. It wasn't very comfortable.

Korra stared at the disheveled man sitting relaxed on the other sofa in front of her. He wore his black hair long alongside a messy beard that was just as long. She could barely see his face, and what little skin she saw she noted a light complexion. However, there was something in his eyes, colored an odd mix of grey, blue, and green, and the way that they seemed to study her that felt like she was being pierced through to her soul. She didn't like it.

"So…" Korra began, not really knowing where to start. The entire series of events that led to her sitting here in the office of the Chief of Police of Republic City felt like a blur. "Well, first of all, I got to say thanks for having my back there against those 'triad' goons."

He shrugged, and then smirked at her. "I'm sure you could've handled those three without me."

She snorted. Well, duh. She was the Avatar. Still she appreciated the helping hand, even if that helping hand was just him telling her he'll cover her back as she went all out on beating up the three with her superior bending. Any person who was willing to right a wrong was alright in her eyes.

"I'm Korra, by the way," she said, introducing herself. They came to the station in separate police vehicles, having shared hers with Naga. There wasn't time for proper introductions. "I'm—"

"The Avatar," he stated plainly, letting loose a wispy chuckle. "Who else in the world could bend more than one element?"

Korra blushed, a bit flustered, but laughed alongside him. It was pretty obvious. She didn't exactly hide her awesome skills.

"I'm Fei," he finally introduced himself. Korra looked up and saw a genuine smile on his face, though she thought it looked more like a mischievous or cocky smirk than anything else.

"It's great to meet you then, Fei."

To be honest, Fei was probably the first person in the entire city that treated her halfway decent. Sure, she did warn herself not to be too hyped about Republic City too much. I mean, what was there to be hyped about a city that promised untold riches and prosperous futures for the hardworking, founded by the legendary Avatar Aang and his companions in their hopes to build a utopia where people of all walks of life could live in harmony?

"Republic City isn't exactly what you thought it was, huh?" Fei asked, once more unnerving her how insightful he seemed to be with her thoughts.

She crossed her arms and looked away. "It's only been one day. Not even a full day. You? You're a traveler, right?"

Fei nodded. "Yep, but I was born and raised here. Gramps always said this place was meant to be a utopia for everyone if they put the care and thought into making it so."

"You don't think so?" Korra asked, curious.

"Nah, I think he was right, but I suppose there's a reason why he tacked on that provision."

"I think I like your grandfather. He's rather optimistic, though maybe… I guess too much so? I mean, really, a utopia? Kind of farfetched and cheesy, don't you think?"

Fei stared at her, blinking owlishly at her words. Korra immediately regretted whatever it was she just said. She probably just offended her first ever friend here! Before she could even open her mouth to apologize, Fei burst in a fit of laughter.

"Oh… oh…" He moaned, his words wheezing out between laughs. "Korra, I like you."

The corners of her mouth twitched. She wasn't sure if she should smile. "Thanks?"

They settled into an awkward silence. Well, rather, she settled into a quiet, but somewhat weird atmosphere as the companion across from her sat still with his eyes on her and acting all… zen? Was zen the word?

"Umm…" Korra started, coughing uneasily into a clenched fist. "I mean… why do you think they're having us wait here in the police chief's office?"

"You worried about your vigilantism?"

She shot up. "My vigilantism? You helped!"

Fei shrugged again. "Our vigilantism then."

"So don't go putting all the blam—wait, what?"

"I encouraged you, so we're both to blame."

"Oh." Korra sat back down. "You're weird."

"Well, it's not like I'm the one who caused collateral damage on two shops, a satomobile, the street, and…"

Korra grimaced. Right. She did do that.

"…but, either way, I don't think we'll get in too much trouble over this. Otherwise, we'd probably be in the interrogation room instead of the chief's office."

She stared wide-eyed at Fei. "B-But, you just said I caused considerable damage. I mean… I have to admit, I did beat the bad guys and all and that I do agree that I shouldn't get too much in trouble, but, but, but…"

Fei was smirking at her. He knew something she didn't know. Korra narrowed his eyes at him. His smirk grew wider.

"You're kind of cute when you're flustered like that," he mentioned.

Korra glared at him even more fiercely. Mind the growing redness on her cheeks. It was just hot. Getting angry made her feel overheated.

"I wouldn't worry about the chief. I know'em. Bit of a sweetheart, if you ask me."

She released a sigh of relief. "Oh, good, that's great. Heh, you know what. I bet you she's on her way now to congratulate us on a job well-done on helping them lock up a couple of gang members, right?"

Right?

Suddenly, the door slammed open.

Korra nearly fell out of the sofa from the loud bang it made. Naga whined and swiftly hid behind her on the sofa. So much for her being her best friend! A woman seemingly in her fifties walked into the office, garbed in the typical metal attire of the other policemen that she saw earlier. However, there was a ferocious bearing to her that made her stand out amongst the others she saw. This woman screamed "CHIEF OF POLICE."

Unfortunately for her, said chief turned her head to her and Fei, and she felt the full weight of a glare she couldn't hope to match in a hundred years.

"Korra," Fei whispered to her. "That's Lin Beifong. She's Toph's daughter and the current police chief."

Korra… gulped. Oh yeah. She totally understood now why Fei warned her against sitting in this woman's chair. Also, what a bunch of lies he said earlier! There was no way this woman was a sweetheart by any measure.

"You…" Lin started, marching towards her with heavy steps.

Spirits, was it too late to escape now? Could she even escape?

As Korra watched with bated breath as the police chief approach, she soon took note and calmed down when she realized that this Lin Beifong wasn't going after her. She was going after Fei!

Korra glanced over to Fei, praying to the spirits that her first ever city friend would not be lost so soon, and her jaw dropped with what he did and said next.

Fei stood up, preemptively got into Lin Beifong's striking range (was that a smart move or a dumb move?), and…

He gave the woman a hug.

.

.

.

"Mom, it's great to see you again! It's been so long."

Tea was served, and the subject of her disobeying Tenzin's wishes to sneak into Republic City and causing massive property damage was ignored in favor of the awkward family reunion that was transpiring before her.

Fei sipped his tea. "Did Saikhan make this?" He asked, smiling. He then glanced over to Korra and explained, "Saikhan is mom's right-hand man. He was the one who escorted us here."

"Yes, he's my captain, and therefore he doesn't make the tea here," Lin grumbled, rolling her eyes. She also sipped her tea.

"Oh, that's too bad. He makes great tea." He turned to Korra again. "He used to watch after me whenever I came over here to visit after school."

Korra wished she was being interrogated than witness this.

"So…" Lin started, deliberately avoiding Fei's gaze. "How's mother?"

"Grams? She's doing alright. Spends all her time in that swamp of hers. Took me ages to find her, but she got bored sensing me fail so she came and picked me up."

Lin let out a long suffering sigh. "Yeah, that sounds like her."

Fei snickered. "Not going to ask about Aunt Su?"

Lin snorted.

Fei turned to her and whispered, "Aunt Su is mom's little sister. They don't get along."

Korra remained quiet, but, to herself, mouthed, "Toph has another daughter?"

She couldn't, for the life of her, understand how a mother and child could act so awkward like this. Well, granted, Fei didn't appear to be having any qualms of the tit-for-tat conversation he was having with Lin, but the police chief looked like she also wanted to be anywhere but here alongside her. You'd think that a mother would be more overjoyed seeing her son again after so long if that messy beard of Fei's was any indication.

"Umm…" Korra sipped her tea. "How long were you away, Fei?"

"Seven years."

"What?"

"Well, actually, eight years. I left Republic City when I was sixteen," Fei explained, grinning from ear to ear underneath his facial hair. "I didn't find Toph until a year later."

Korra looked at Fei. She looked at Lin. Their nonchalance on the issue of not having seen each other in years shocked her. Shouldn't this have been a more touching reunion? Spirits knows how she would feel if she hadn't seen her mom and dad in seven years. She'd be a sobbing wreck when they reunite!

"So… Chief Lin? Is…" How was she going to put this delicately? There was surely no way this woman, a mother no less, could be so passive. "Uh, wow, eight years, huh? Man, you must have all sorts of things to say to him now that he's back."

Lin eyed her warily, raising an eyebrow. "Not really? He sent me letters."

"You never returned them, mom."

"How was I supposed to reach you? You kept moving around!"

"Aunt Su would have kept the letters until I passed through Zaofu."

"And let her think I'm trying to contact her? Too bad!"

Korra wanted to scream. This was so, so, so not normal. "But he's here now, right? Face-to-face! Surely you have something to say to him!"

Fei and Lin looked at her oddly and then turned to each other.

"You're right," Lin said. Korra beamed. "Cut your hair. You look like a vagrant." Korra sagged in defeat.

"Grams says I look great."

Lin pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fei, she's blind."

"And? Just because she's blind doesn't mean she doesn't know how to look good." He glanced over to Korra. "But I suppose I should look a touch more presentable in the company of the Avatar. Chief still has private bathroom privileges?"

Lin nodded.

"Yes!" Fei cheered as he stood up, pumping his fist. "I'll be right back!"

Korra watched as Toph's grandson passed through another door at the far end of the room, leaving her to sit in awkward silence with the police chief. Not even Naga's presence beside her gave her any comfort. She could cut the weirdness in the air with a blade. It was just that thick.

Fortunately, it wasn't her that broke the silence. "Just to inform you, but I won't be pressing charges against you for what you've done."

She quietly cheered in her mind, but before she could stop herself she asked, "Great! That's great, but… why?"

Lin released an irritated breath of air from her nose. "I'll be frank. I know you're the Avatar, but I've grown up with legends like my mother and Avatar Aang. Fancy titles and good intentions won't impress me. Understand?"

She nodded, almost instantly when Lin focused a glare on her.

"I could have made an example of you. To show everyone in Republic City that not even the Avatar would be absolved from the law, but you got lucky. You got my son caught up in all of this nonsense and, from what Saikhan told me, he even encouraged you and thus shares some of the blame."

Lin leaned forward, her gaze meeting Korra's.

"Not a word of this to anyone, alright?"

Korra gulped and bobbed her head. She really shouldn't have judged Lin as a mother so soon.

"Lin! Are you here?" A deep, booming voice shouted from beyond the office door which was then followed up with some banging.

The police chief palmed her face and rolled her eyes, and with a swipe of her hand, the metal doors split open to reveal Tenzin.

"Tenzin!" Korra called out to him, happier to see him now more than ever. She would do anything to escape this office and how uncomfortably awkward it was to be here. Korra didn't even care if Tenzin was here to send her back to the South Pole. "I'm sooo happy you're here."

Tenzin paused and blinked owlishly. "Umm," he glanced to Lin and then back to Korra. "Thank you, Korra?"

"Pops? You're here too?"

Korra swiveled her head to the source of the familiar voice. Exiting from the private bathroom was whom she first thought to be another friendly hobo. No longer did Fei have his disheveled appearance, but now he was clean-shaven and his long hair straightened. His face looked exactly like that of Toph's from the statue outside the police station, but more masculine.

She felt her face heat up. For whatever reason, Republic City seemed to be just sweltering. Maybe it had something to do with all the concrete and pavement.

Wait… pops?

"Oh spirits, Tenzin's your dad?!" Korra paused. "Wait, how?!"

"Fei…" Tenzin gasped out, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

Korra's question went ignored—except for Lin giving her a stink eye when she asked 'how'—and she felt somewhat grateful for that. Looking between Tenzin and Fei, Korra didn't see much of a resemblance. For one, Fei just looked way too pretty to grow up to be a cranky, old man like Tenzin. Though, maybe that was a good thing…

"Pops," Fei greeted his father. "This isn't how I wanted to see you again." He grinned. "I was hoping I'd surprise you when you entered your office or when you came home."

The awe and surprise that locked Tenzin in place soon passed as he regained his composure. Coughing not just once, but three times into a clenched fist, he stood tall and proud in front of his son. Glancing over to Lin who was rolling her eyes for the umpteenth time today, Korra commiserated with her that he looked like a total goofball doing that.

"It's been eight years," Tenzin stated plainly, looking stern. However, before Fei could retort, the Master Airbender bridged the gap between them and brought the younger man into an enveloping hug. "I missed you, son."

"Aw, that's sweet. See that, chief? That's how you have a tender family reunion!" Korra ribbed Lin.

"Shut it." Lin stood up and approached the two men. She placed a hand on one hip and quickly thumbed at Korra with a quick jolt. "Tenzin, have your tender reunion with our son later. You came for the Avatar, right?"

Tenzin released Fei from his hold and stared at Lin. "Oh, yes. I hope you didn—"

"I didn't press any charges. She's all yours." She twirled her hand and the office doors slid open. "Now get out! I'm busy with police matters."

In what felt like a whirlwind of activity, Korra, Naga, Fei, and Tenzin were ushered out of Lin's office.

"Mom, let's go for dinner some time to catch up!" Fei yelled out after her.

"Yeah, yeah," she affirmed. Then, bang, the doors were shut tight.

Tenzin cleared his throat. "Lin is pleasant as ever."

"She seems nice," Korra commented. "I mean… she did let me go."

"She has her moments." Tenzin eyes shifted to Fei who nodded to confirm his father's words. "Anyway, let's get going. Korra, with me. Fei…?"

"No worries, pops. I was planning on heading home too."

Tenzin nodded and immediately turned and began walking to the nearest exit. Naturally, she and Fei followed. However, the taller and older man had a long stride and the way he walked seemed like he really wanted to hurry out of here.

"Pops is processing."

Korra puzzled over what that meant, frowning. "I guess. I'm surprised he didn't start lecturing me about how I escaped the South Pole to come here and blah, blah, blah."

"Nice. Had your arguments ready?"

"Biggest one was that Katara gave me permission!"

"Grammy was the one who encouraged you? Good one. Though, it wouldn't work with pops."

"Yeah?"

"Yep. Tried it a lot as a kid. He gets red when you get grammy involved."

Great. That was her strongest card. She really didn't have any more ideas to convince Tenzin to let her stay in Republic City. Well, whatever, she would just have to use the pity play. It always worked with her dad, after all.

Korra took in Fei as they walked. She couldn't help it, but he really did look like Toph when she was young like in the photos Katara had. He looked way better than the hobo looking he had going for him just minutes ago. "Has anyone ever told you that you look way too pretty to be a man?" Korra asked slyly, smirking.

Fei eyes glinted mischief and the little smirk he seemingly always have widened. "Yes. In my Aunt Suyin's dance troupe, I was not just her deadliest dancers but no doubt the prettiest of them all."

"You're joking."

"Never. It's how I met my ex," Fei said proudly. "She liked my dress, and she was impressed how I outperformed her in one of the traditional Kiyoshi Warriors dances."

Korra laughed; it sounded like a ridiculous story. "You have to tell me the story."

"Well—"

"Korra."

She and Fei stopped in their tracks once Tenzin called out her name. They were outside the police building, but Korra was sure that they didn't leave through the front entrance. She would remember a golden statue of a certain bender looking down on them. Wherever they were, it looked discrete. The shadows of police headquarters loomed over them.

"What's up, Tenzin?" she asked, hopeful that he forgot that she went against his wishes.

"You went against my wishes."

Korra's shoulders sagged. "Here it goes," she mumbled to herself.

"I told you that we would have to postpone your training, and that urgent matters here prevent me from fully committing to being your master."

She nodded along, already knowing where it was going to go.

"However, in light of recent events, you're welcome to stay and even live with my family on Air Temple Island."

Apparently, she didn't actually know. Korra clenched and unclenched her fist, a rush of joy filling her. Unable to contain it, she rushed to Tenzin and gave him a gigantic hug that lifted him off the ground.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou," she repeated over and over and over and over and over and over again.

Tenzin gasped and heaved, but he managed to let out a wheezy "You're welcome."

Fei stepped forward, uncharacteristically solemn, and with his arms crossed reminiscent of a certain chief's posture. "You're not going to be teaching her."

Upon his words, Korra released Tenzin and looked between him and his son unsurely. "What's he talking about?"

Tenzin sighed. "Astute as ever, Fei." He shook his head before looking down at Korra, his face stern and serious. "I will not be training you, Korra. For several years, I have done my best to guide Republic City toward the dream my father had for it."

"B-but, you're the Airbending Master. Who else in the world could I learn airbending from?" Korra saw Tenzin staring at Fei and she quickly turned to point at him. "Him?"

"I'm an Airbender," Fei simply stated, "but I'm no master."

"Hogwash!" Tenzin shouted. "You mastered the art of airbending when you were just eight."

"Pops…"

"My father has three legacies: this city, you, Korra, and my son, Fei. This city is out of balance, and the timing could not be more fortuitous. Republic City needs its Avatar once again. However, the Avatar needs the best teacher in the world to train her. That's not me."

Korra frowned as it wasn't her that Tenzin was looking at, but his own son. His eyes seemed to be boring holes into the nonchalant exterior the latter was presenting, and Korra felt nothing but an accessory to the family drama that was playing out. She wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Wasn't this what she wanted? She always wanted the opportunity to leave the South Pole and experience the world for what it was. What kind of Avatar would she be if all she ever did was stay cooped up in some compound with no one else to talk to but instructors and guards? It felt like a prison; a gilded cage.

Fei remained quiet, and there was almost nothing about him that seemed to show how he was reacting to all this. She wasn't quite the best at reading cues, after all.

Korra approached him. "Fei—"

He clapped his hands once. "Sure, why not." He was smirking again.

Tenzin beamed. "Excellent. Korra, you will learn everything that is to know about airbending from him, and all the traditions and history we as a people have. Fei won't steer you wrong." He turned their back to them and headed over to the main street. "I'll call for a satomobile to drop us off at the ferry."

Korra looked over to Fei. "Umm, it seems like your dad just roped you into training me. Is that… okay?" Ugh, a part of her hoped she had the discipline to not bring it up, but she knew how it felt when others made choices for her. She knew if Fei refused to train her, well that just meant she was going to be shipped back south, but she would feel bad if he was being forced here.

"Nope," he replied bluntly. "Training you would mean stopping my plans. I just came back to say hi to mom and pops, and see Jinora again."

"And Ikki and Meelo too, right?"

Fei blinked. "Oh. I have more siblings?"

"Yeah, and there's one more on the way."

"Pops sure has been busy…" He chuckled. "Well, in any case, this was supposed to be a quick visit."

Korra held back a sigh. "I was afraid of that. Look, Fei, you seem like a nice guy, but I'll… find a way to convince Tenzin to let me stay even if you refuse to train me."

He smiled. "Now, I never said I wouldn't want to train you."

"But you said—"

"Sure, my plans were derailed, but that's what airbending is all about. Adapting to what life throws at you and the freedom to choose what path you'd like to take."

Korra couldn't contain her smile. "Then… this means I'm probably staying! Awesome! Thanks, Fei!"

"I wouldn't thank me yet."

She froze. Korra stared at him. She felt chills with the way his mouth currently curved into an icy smile that would make even a member of the Water Tribe feel cold. Which, by the way, she happened to be.

"Didn't you hear pops, Sunshine? I'm Fei Beifong, and I'm the greatest bender in the world."

…oh, right, he was also Toph's grandson.