A Journey to Realization

The sun rose slowly on the South Pole. The air was still and quiet. Everyone was in their rooms, fast asleep. They were all tired. Tired from the battle against Amon. Katara offered to let everyone stay at her house in the Southern Water Tribe. Her house was a nice large hut, with sliding doors, a nice kitchen, and a family room with animal fur and skins on the wall. It was larger than the igloo that her people were accustomed to when she was little. Now the Southern Water Tribe was more like their sister tribe from the North. Thanks to Pakku, Katara's water bending instructor when she was 14, and some other water benders, they managed to rebuild the South Pole, so not everyone lived in compact igloos. There was a gate that led to a beautiful courtyard in which there was a water fountain. The water was water from the Spirit Oasis and was not to be touched. It ran through the fountain like shimmering crystal. Aang arranged for the fountain to be made before he passed away to remind Katara of his love for her. From the kitchen, the smell of noodles and ocean kumquats filled the air, and the silence broke.

"Mmhhhhhmmmm! Food!! Food!!" shouted Meelo. Meelo crawled over his sister, Jinora, and out of bed. He walked down the hall, passing all the other rooms. When he arrived in the kitchen, he found Katara kneeling beside a fire boiling the ocean kumquats. She looked up and smiled while stirring, "Why, good morning Meelo."

"That smells good," Meelo replied. "Can I have some? Please?" Meelo reached for a kumquat, but Katara pulled him over and gave him a tight hug.

"Why don't you wait for the others, okay?"

"Let go of me strange old lady!" Meelo squirmed around in her arms.

Pema walked into the kitchen. "Meelo! What are you doing?" She paused and picked her son up. "Sorry mother," she said as she turned her attention towards Meelo. "Come on, let's get you washed up!"

Everyone was getting ready for breakfast, but Korra was not. Mako got up and met his brother in the hallway.

"Hey Bolin?"

"Yeah bro?" Bolin answered.

"Have you seen Korra this morning?" Mako asked.

"No, why?" Bolin stared at Mako, waiting for an answer.

"Nothing.......it's nothing."

"Okay then. See you at breakfast." Mako waited for Bolin to leave the hallway. Once Bolin had left, he slowly approached Korra's room and gently knocked on her door.

"Korra...you awake?" There was no answer. Mako desperately needed to talk about their relationship ever since the kiss they had shared the day before. He needed to tell Asami that there couldn't be any 'them' anymore. Mako knew he liked Korra way too much. Then suddenly, Tenzin and Lin turned the corner to the hallway. Mako quickly walked away from the door and pretended nothing was happening.

"Good morning Mako," Tenzin greeted.

"Uh...hi!" Mako said hesitantly.

"Is everything alright?" Lin asked raising her eyebrow in suspicion.

"Ya, everything's going great....you?" Mako questioned, trying to divert the subject. Tenzin looked at Lin.

"We were out in the courtyard," he explained, "I was thanking Lin for everything she has done for me and my family."

"Oh.. that's good. Lin deserves it!" Mako said. "Come on." He didn't need anyone knowing about his failed attempt to chat with Korra. "Let's go to breakfast!"

Tenzin, his family, and Lin sat at one table, and Asami, Bolin, and Mako settled at another. Katara stood between the tables and announced, "I have prepared a Water Tribe lunch for all of you. Please..... don't be too stingy on the ocean kumquats! I try to boil them nice and soft." Katara laughed and joined the table with Asami, Bolin, and Mako.