EMPYREAN, legend of korra

2 ☀︎ a leaf in the wind pt. 1

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Master Tenzin is true to his word and has Korra practicing her airbending first thing the next morning. He's set up an exercise where the airbender is to weave their way through a set of gates without touching them while the panels are rapidly spinning.

"The key is to be like the leaf," Tenzin explains. "Flow with the movement of the gates. Airbending is all about spiral movements. When you meet resistance, you must be able to switch directions at a moment's notice."

Jinora, Tenzin's eldest child, makes the exercise look so easy, effortlessly traveling through in a matter of minutes. It makes Kiara want to try the exercise too. However, when it's Korra's turn, she struggles with utilizing the proper footwork and grace necessary to make it to the other side and ends up getting thrown around.

While Korra is getting attacked by windy doors, Kiara plays with Tenzin's children. She borrows water from a nearby stream and forms a bubble that bounces from the top of Ikki's head to Meelo's to Jinora's and then back to Ikki's again.

Then she separates the bubble into three parts and freezes each ball to form a snowman, using her waterbending to make it chase Ikki and Meelo down. Tenzin is too busy with Korra to reprimand them as they run around the temple with a half-melted snowman tailing them.

The day ends and Korra is unable to last thirty seconds in the exercise without getting hit by the doors, much to everyone's dismay. In the evening, she and Kiara linger outside after supper. Korra tries again to activate her airbending while Kiara leans against Naga's fluffy side and makes another ice sculpture.

"Air bend!" Korra shouts, thrust her arms out. "What is wrong with me? AIR BEND!"

Nothing happens.

Naga whines.

In a fit of anger, Korra burns the newspaper she was trying to blow away, and the laundry line it was hanging from. Korra can't summon any air, except for the puff that escapes her lips in a sigh. "Maybe I'm just not cut out for airbending."

"You'll get it soon!" Kiara encourages. "It took you awhile to master that one earth bending move with the weights, remember? Now you're the best at it!"

Korra grins. Leave it to Kiara to be a beacon of positivity in the center of failure.

Korra plops down next to her. "Whatcha sculpting this time?"

"Mr. Tenzin's face when you kept bumping into the air gates."

Korra glares at her, but starts cracking up the second she catches glimpse of the ice figurine. "Oh, that's perfect! You got his scrunchy eyebrow wrinkles down exactly! You have a gift, Kiara. You know, you should try selling these figurines in the city. Make some yuan to buy more snacks."

"But Mr. Tenzin says we can't leave the island."

"He said I can't leave the island," Korra points out. "He never said you couldn't. You should go out there and explore! Then come back and tell me everything!"

"Hmm," Kiara hums in thought. She leans over and rests her head on Korra's shoulder. "I won't have fun unless we go together."

Korra's smile flickers. She knows her sister too well to know Kiara is only saying this to preserve her feelings. A pang of guilt hits her square in the chest. She feels bad that Kiara is staying behind on the island just to accompany her through her training when she could be having fun in the city.

Korra wishes she can hurry up and master airbending already so Tenzin won't be so bossy about where she can and can't go anymore.

Suddenly, a voice mixed with static crackles through the air. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm coming to you live from Republic City's pro-bending arena, where tonight the best in the world continue their quest for a spot in the upcoming championship tournament!"