The Avatar's Master

1. Arrival

Author's Note

This is a horny little character and plot-driven story that evolves into something meaningful. Written for a mature audience.

Warning: Contains occasional semi-explicit and explicit sex scenes.

*I do not own the characters (except for OCs) or settings of LOK.

***

Part 1

Arrival

It was a cloudy day in Zaofu. The Beifongs were wondering where Korra was and calculated she should have arrived at least two days ago if taking one of Asami's airships. But soon they got their answer. Off in the distance, Korra flew in with the rolling fog on a sky bison. She appeared about 20 minutes out, enough time for Suyin and company to greet the Avatar upon her arrival.

As Korra approached, her shoulder-length brown hair whipped in the wind while her face shown a stone pensiveness, as if she had spent the long days and nights of travel frozen in that position. Of all those close to the Avatar, Suyin knew her the least, but even so, Korra wore her emotions on her blue form-fitted sleeve. Korra landed with a thud on her heaping skybison, Moo, whom she had semi-recently befriended on Air Temple Island. Suyin, Bataar Sr., the twins – Wei and Wing, and Huan came out to greet her. Suyin separated herself from the group to hug Korra as she approached. The old lady was anything but, radiating a youthful vibration in tanned skin and wavy grey sidebob. Korra hugged back flimsily and Suyin withdrew, sensing something off with the Avatar.

"Welcome back, Korra. We are delighted to have you stay with us. Are you feeling OK? Tough trip?" Suyin said. Korra appeared in disarray to their eyes. Her hair was amess from flying around all higgledy-piggledy in the open air, and she had deep set bags under her eyes.

"I'm fine, really. Just tired from all the travel," Korra tried to assure Suyin and the boys while avoiding eye contact. The depth of her deep sea blues distorted with a sheen of tears. Korra bended them back in their ducts, hopefully before Suyin or anybody else noticed.

"Of course, my dear. I'm just happy to see you again," Suyin said. She wasn't buying what Korra was bending.

"We all are," Bataar chimed in, with Wei and Wing adding "Yeah" in unison, Huan nodding aloofly.

"Hello Bataar. Wei, Wing. Huan. It's good to see you too," Korra said.

"If you need to talk -- about anything -- I want you to know that I'm here for you," Suyin said, placing a motherly hand on Korra's shoulder.

"Su was starting to worry. We thought you would arrive sooner," Bataar said.

"We made a stop along the way," Korra said, looking over to Moo, who had plopped down on all sixes and was napping after a long trip, snoring loudly.

Suyin surmised something must have happened to Korra but couldn't tell what it was and didn't want to pry, though she was curious where Korra went; the skybison had flew in from the opposite direction of Republic City.

"By the way, is Kuvira here?" Korra looked around to see if Kuvira might be hiding among the group of Beifongs. But she wasn't.

"Kuvira is probably training; she's been quite busy and productive with her idle time under house arrest," Suyin said.

"If you ask me, I don't know how in the Earth Kingdom, Empire, or Whatever you call it these days Kuvira was let off this easy. What about my life? And I'm not talking about the tender flesh on my slender bones. I'm talking about the psychological DAMAGE she has inflicted upon us, hindering my artistic spirit and therefore my ability to CREATE," Huan said in an emo tizzy.

"Why don't you say that to her face?" Wei said, or was it Wing?

Huan crossed his arms and shook his head. "I can't believe Opal forgave her too, after all she's done. At least Bataar Jr. still has some sense."

"You're just mad she took up metal sculpturing and is better at it than you," Wing said, definitely Wing.

"Boys, that's enough," Suyin said. "Kuvira's going through something right now. She needs time. Do you honestly think prison would reform her? Or is it just another form of useless, sadistic punishment? At least here, she gets a real chance at blossoming into a higher-vibrating version of herself."

"That sounds New-Agey. But... we're in a New Age, so that makes sense." Korra looked down and off to the side. "I know I can relate to needing time to heal through trauma."

It was also partially why Korra went to Zaofu – she needed to focus utterly on metalbending to distract herself from the thought of – her.

"Don't forget, Korra, that metalbending and vibration are intimately connected," Suyin added.

"Which is why I'm here – to master it. I only really have a little more than the basics down and typically bend metal – what was it Tenzin said – Korra style."

Suyin's eyes sparkled at the thought of helping Korra master metalbending. She was hoping for a little more notice than a telegram a few days ago, but this was the Avatar, and she trusted it was for good reason.

"Well, how about you get cleaned up and rest a few hours and we can discuss the details of you training under me at dinner this evening," Suyin said.

"That's what I wanted to talk about. I was wondering if I can see Kuvira now," Korra said.

"Of course, Korra," Suyin said. "But what do you want with Kuvira?"

"Um, err, I don't know how else to say it." Korra was shuffling her feet, wondering how she would avoid hurting Suyin's feelings but in that moment decided the best option was to be forthright. She straightened up and cleared her throat.

"Actually, Su," Korra said. "I'm here to train with Kuvira. I'm hoping she can be my sifu." Korra felt bad but had to be honest no matter how awkward.

"I see," Suyin said, looking to her husband, who exchanged a glance with his wife.

Korra babbled, "It's just that Kuvira's the best – I mean... uh, no offense, except for Toph, and Toph lives in a swamp where there's nothing but, well, swamp. But I also just visited Toph – that's where I came from, actually; she says Hi, by the way – and saw visions that told me Kuvira was meant to help me, or maybe the other way around, I'm not too sure about that. Plus, the way she moves – it's more suited to my style. I hope you understand." Korra almost added that Toph also suggested she master metalbending with Kuvira but maybe that was too much.

"I see..." Suyin said, slight but permeating air of disappointment and bruised ego about her. But she understood. Kuvira was her protégé and a prodigy. Suyin had taught her to move like that but Kuvira had long taken her training to higher levels. She gave Korra a nod and started to walk down the runway toward the outdoor training center, and with a motion of her hand beckoned Korra to follow. "I'll take you to her now, where you can see her move – you know, without trying to kill you.

"That'd be great, thanks," Korra said, arms akimbo as she leaned on her right hip before gathering up chi for her second wind.