Uneasy Mentor

A student's actions can be worrisome to a mentor for many different reasons

Characters: Tenzin, Pema

"Good evening, Asami Sato speaking." At last I'd managed to get through to Asami herself, I needed to find out what Korra had gone off to after that gala.

"Good evening Miss. Asami, this is councilman Tenzin, I'm calling to ask if you've seen Korra recently, she's not returned yet and her parents are beginning to worry." At least they were before they boarded the airship back to the south pole.

"Oh don't worry, she's staying at my estate for the night, I'm sorry we didn't call you sooner, it was never our intent to cause any unintentional worry for anyone." I would've liked to have been told sooner, but I was just glad that Korra was alright; though one thing was still a mystery to me.

"Oh, I see, any particular reason she has decided to stay at your estate tonight?" I had an inkling from the brief discussion I'd had with Tonraq and Senna just before they left, I was still not entirely sure though.

"Did Korra's parents mention what happened this evening?" Ah, so that was the reason.

"Something about a falling out with Mako; who is also conspicuously absent." Judging by what Korra's parents had mentioned I doubted he was with Korra and Asami at the Sato estate.

"Suffice to say, Korra was reluctant to deal with a lengthy explanation to her parents, and Mako; so I offered to let her stay at my estate for tonight, I assume that is acceptable." I didn't see a problem with it as long as Korra still made it to her morning Airbending training.

"Of course, though I expect her back at the air temple in the morning for training." It was a simple reasonable request, I was a tad disappointed by the response I got.

"I'm afraid she may be late, I invited her to breakfast and she's accepted the invitation." I'd have to have a word with Korra about that.

"Very well, I suppose that Korra deserves some time off," It would've been nice to be consulted first. "But I'll expect her by midday at the latest." She needed to do at least some training.

"Of course, good evening Master Tenzin."

"Good evening, Ms. Sato." And the line went dead. So Korra was staying at Asami's place tonight to avoid the awkward conversations and questions. I let out a sigh as I put my own phone away, just as a mildly unsettling thought came to me. "Did I just get 'handled'?" I guess my political skills were rusty.

"Korra?" I did not expect to see her this early, I didn't expect her back until around midday at the latest based on the phone call.

"Oh, Tenzin, sorry I'm late but I'm here now so let's get to training." It seemed like the previous night hadn't even happened. All though training Korra seemed off, a tad sluggish as she ran though her katas, as though she was lacking in sleep or had something weighing on her mind.

I felt like she might need to talk so after morning training, I found her having her lunch on the plaza. "Korra," My student turned to acknowledged me as I came to sit down next to her "Is everything alright?" Korra turned away whilst rolling her eyes, I imagine she was not in the mood to talk but if this was anything like the time with Amon, she might need to. "Did something happen after the party?" If there was a reason that she came back earlier than expected it would've happened after the gala.

"What? No, why do you ask?" That was a very sudden response, I also noticed that Korra had suddenly become entranced by every direction around the plaza apart from my own.

"Well after you didn't come home last night, I called Ms. Sato and she informed me that you were staying at her estate for the night," Did she tense up at that? It was hard to be sure with her looking away from me. "And she mentioned that you'd being having breakfast at the estate with her, and then you arrived back so much earlier than expected and you seemed to be distracted during training. You know you can always talk to me, right?"

"Sure, I know that, just nothing that needs be talked about." I wanted to believe that, but my instincts told me otherwise. "Nothing at all." That nervous tone was telling, but alas if she didn't want to talk then trying to force her wouldn't work.

"Well that's good then."I affirmed to my student as I rose to leave; I'd play along for now, when Korra was ready to talk, I'd be ready.

"Korra, are you alright? You seem tired." She didn't often yawn at breakfast, more often she was digging in with gusto.

"I'm fine, just had a little trouble sleeping last night." I had decided to wait until Korra felt comfortable, but if whatever it was weighing on her was still effecting her this much, regardless of Pema's advice the previous night, I felt I needed to try.

"Korra, are you sure to don't want to talk about-"

"More tea Tenzin?" Pema cut in giving me that look, the one that said 'don't fret it's handled', whilst I didn't like being left out of the loop, I trusted my wife and just accepted this.

"Yes, please." And she handed me a fresh cup of tea. "Thank you, dear." And breakfast continued on as usual until after Jinora, Ikki and Meelo finished off their food and ran off for morning practise.

"Umm, Tenzin," I took a sip of my tea as I looked over at Korra, "I was wondering, since there's something I really need to do, if I could take the morning off?" I chocked on my tea; my hot tea.

"What?! Korra, you know how important it is that you master airbending, what could be so important that you need to-"

"Dear." Pema interjected on Korra's behalf once more with just a single word and a sterner version of the look she'd gave me earlier. I couldn't help but sigh at this predicament and what seemed like no way out.

"Very well, if it is truly important you may take the morning off, but be sure to add some of your airbending katas to your afternoon training session." I made sure that at least she wouldn't be getting completely free; she still needed to keep up with her training.

"Sure, thanks Tenzin, thanks Pema." I felt more than a little deflated at Korra thank Pema, was it really so obvious. Apparently it was from Pema suppressing a snicker.

"You're sure?" I felt the need to ask, as my lovely wife laid a hand upon mine.

"Yes, dear, I'm sure. You'd think that after all these years you'd learn to trust your wife's parental instinct." We shared a laugh at this, she was right, I really trust her instincts when in came to parenting.

I was surprised when I came upon Korra practising her firebending in the plaza, I hadn't really expected her back anytime soon. As I took in her movements, I was surprised that I recognised them as one of my father's favourite firebending forms, 'The Dancing Dragon' I remembered watching him as a child him telling me how much he loved that form for its representation of true firebending, about more than just destruction.

"The Dancing Dragon." I spoke up as Korra finished up the form, drawing her attention. "I remember watching my father practise it many times over the years, I think it was one of his favourites." Korra appeared thoughtful for a moment before shrugging.

"I'm not too big on it myself, I really prefer Rising Phoenix." I remembered my father mentioning that a few times as well, specifically how he found it very aggressive.

"Have you been back long?" If nothing else Korra seemed to have bounced back somewhat from whatever was bothering her earlier this morning, Pema had the right idea it seemed.

"Not really, just got back a little while ago." If she was perhaps finishing up her firebending practise she might welcome a little advice of her airbending forms.

"I was wondering if you'd like a little instruction on your airbending katas when you get around to them." I was glad to make the offer, though I was surprised by the answer.

"No thanks, I already did them over at Asami's." Korra stiffen slightly at her words, I don't think she meant to mention that to me.

"Oh, so you went to Ms. Sato's estate this morning." She didn't respond in the slightest. "I see. Well, I'll leave you to your exercises." I trusted Pema's instinct here so I decided to refrain from prying and left my student to her own devices.

"Tenzin." Korra suddenly called out to me as I was leaving. "I have something I need to tell you." I wasn't sure what to think but I was glad that Korra was willing to talk.

"All right then, let's have a seat then." Korra and I once again sat on the steps of the plaza we had before. "So what did you need to talk about?"

"Did you hear about what happened between me and Mako the other night at the gala?" I had gathered some from Korra's parents and the article in the paper had cleared it all up.

"Yes, I saw the article in the yesterday's newspaper." Korra immediately perked up and turned to look at me.

"What?! It was in the paper?" I guess Korra was never quite used to the Republic city tabloid circuit.

"Umm, yes, in the society pages; you may want to take a look yourself later." Korra turned away with a groan, seemed she was not pleased about her break up being news. After a moment I decided to ask the obvious question. "Are you regretting your decision?"

"No, I do not regret dumping Mako, I wish people would stop thinking that." Korra answered through her teeth, clearly I was not the first to ask that question, and she did not appreciate it. "The thing is that I realised that I had feelings for someone else, I don't know for how long; it just kind of crept up on me." She's found someone new to date already, who could it- "And I-I, I went to see her this morning." Oh

"Oh, I-I see." I... did not see that coming. "And... How did that... go?"

"We're having dinner tonight, a-as a date." I was honestly unsure how to react.

"I... see..."

"You, don't disapprove do you?" As shocked as I was, I didn't have it in me to disapprove of this.

"No, I don't disapprove." And it was true, but not the complete truth. "I'll inform Pema, you'll not be at dinner tonight."

"She, uh, kind of already knows." Now I see what Pema meant before, and what everything at breakfast earlier was about.

"I...see...I'll let you get back to your training then." And with that I left, this time without Korra calling me back. I needed to talk with my wife.

"Pema." I found my wife putting our youngest son down for his nap.

"Hi sweetie." She answered with a smile, which quickly faded when she saw my own sombre expression. "Is something wrong?"

"Korra told me about where she's going tonight." Pema signed in response to my explanation.

"You think it's a bad idea, don't you?" My expression didn't change, she could see. "I thought that Air Nomads accepted all forms of love-" I felt the need to cut her off

"That not the reason." I sighed at Pema's look of confusion. "Korra is the Avatar, it is her duty to keep balance, which unfortunately requires political action with people of all nations." My wife's look of confusion turned to one of grim realisation.

"And the rest of the world does not share the Air Nomad view on this type of love." Pema continued the explanation, her voice full of sadness.

"Her duty could become far more difficult if her relationship were to become public knowledge." There were times I truly despised taking the long view, I noticed problems like this that may never come to pass.

"That's not fair Tenzin." Pema seethed, I completely agreed with her. "If they make each other happy then I don't care and neither should rest of the world." But they would.

"I know." I stepped forward to hold my lovely wife in my arms, "It's entirely unfair." Pema drew nearer nuzzling in for the simple comfort.

"She was so happy earlier, Tenzin," Pema looked up at me, her eyes with sadness and joy at the memory. "She was excited and nervous and afraid for Asami's company." Pulling away from my gaze, Pema sighed sadly before asking a single question, "If it does get out, would you stand by her and support her?" I suppose she just needed to hear it out loud.

"Yes, of course."

AN: I'm sorry that this wasn't up soon in addition to the other new story I was planning to have up for Christmas, but my computer has just died and I'm doing this on a library computer, luckily I was smart enough to back up my files when it first started going bonkers, I hope to be back to writing soon, please read, enjoy and review as usual. Also I have a link to the small story I have written for the finale (KORRASAMI IS CANON!) which I posted on AO3 (Archive of our own) as my account seems to have been glited somehow and won't let me post new stories.