The Calling
Dawn was placing her items over Pepper's saddle, sadly leaving her boyfriend and friends behind to make sure the air bending kids got to travel safely. The girl now had her hair wrapped in a bun on the top half and the rest flowing loosely across her back as she was in a long sleeved red top with flow-like black pants to make sure that whatever came her way, she was comfortable but still not going to get grabbed from wearing something too loose. She watched the kids bend their bags up so Meelo would throw it and Ikki grabbed it to place it neatly on the saddle.
"Tenzin, are you sure you can't go with them?" Pema asked, holdings bag of food ready to go for her kids and Dawn as she was worried about their travel.
"Meelo!" Ikki asked angrily, the boy having thrown a bag too hard and hitting the younger girl on the head.
She jumped down to chase him as he bended an air scooter away.
"Raiko asked me to stay here and help figure out a diplomatic solution to the Kuvira problem." Tenzin told his wife, just as her kids popped up the railing.
"Mom, we'll be fine. Grandpa Aang and his friends were around our age when they traveled the world." Ikki told her mom while Dawn ruffled up her hair and she growled at the young adult.
"And you have me now." She teased, smacking Ikki on the back as she winced.
"Well, at least I won't have to worry about you starving out there." Pema said, patting the sack of food that looked to hold over four dozen buns.
"Mom, we're going to be in the wild, living off the land. We don't need your food." Meelo said while jumping off the railing and crossing his arms while Poki chirped with him in agreement.
"But I made your favorite treat." Pema teased and held one out.
Meelo turned around in awe as his eyes lit up with the leaf wrapped goodie. "Sweet buns with happy faces on them?" He asked and his mother nods his head. "Well, I guess we're not officially on the road yet." Meelo said happily as he took it and opened it with his teeth while he frowned at the bun. "Aw, this one is smudged. I can't eat this." Meelo said sadly to show half the face gone.
"You know, sometimes, things get smudged in the wild." She told him while poking his nose. Jenora grabbed the sack and placed it up on the saddled as she jumped down and gave her father and mother a hug good bye along with her siblings.
Dawn hugged them both and Tenzin looked into her multi-colored gold eyes. "Don't let them get into any trouble." He said, the girl smiling and looking over the kids.
"I'll watch over them, Tenzin. Promise." She whispered, using her air bending to hop over the saddle and settle in as she nods to Jenora.
"Pepper, yip-yip." She stated, and the four went out and started their travels.
After hours of flying, they decided to take a small break to see if Jenora could sense Korra's energy, after the woman cut off Dawn's connection and she couldn't get a reading on her anymore.
"Finally! I've been holding my pee for an hour." Meelo gasped, running towards a corner and Dawn looked over the spirits around the area and smiled at Jenora.
"This looks like a good place to start." She said and Jenora smiled with her.
"Yeah, I'll see if I can get anything here." She said, sitting down while she started closing her eyes.
"If you get through to Korra, tell her I said hi." Ikki said, popping up behind a building and then disappeared for a moment only to look back. "Do you feel anything yet?" She asked.
This caused Jenora to groan while Ikki jumped out and Dawn smacked her forehead. "What's taking so long?" She asked and Dawn stepped in front of the girl from her sister.
"Ikki, Jenora just needs a moment. Why don't we find something to do to give Jenora some peace." She said and pulled Ikki along while the girl rolled her eyes.
"Jenora's spirity powers are broken and she doesn't know where Korra is." Ikki said as they were walking away towards Meelo who walked towards them and pulled up his pants as Dawn sighed.
"My powers are not broken. I just need more than two seconds and some quiet." Jenora explained angrily and Dawn pulled the two younger siblings away.
"While you try to pull yourself together, Poki and I are going to go into town and find out if anyone's seen Korra." Meelo told them.
"Sounds like a good plan to me." Ikki told her brother and Dawn smiled.
"We will be checking on you two if your not back within an hour." She said, and the two went off.
"Enough chitchat. You can hold the picture of Korra I drew." Meelo said, unrolling the paper as Dawn's eyes widened at how well the picture was made.
"Wow. I didn't know you could draw." Ikki said proudly.
"You don't know a lot of things about me, sister." Meelo teased. "Let's roll." He said and the two went off while Dawn looked at Jenora as she was concentrating.
"I know your concentrating, but he draws better than Katara's brother Sokka." She told her, Jenora laughing softly as Dawn giggled.
The group continued on with their journey, not able to find anything as they were going village after village and not finding anyone who remember that the Avatar even existed.
Dawn frowned as they were in a small ocean village, looking for some dinner as Meelo gasped. "Jenora, Ikki, Dawn it's Korra!" Meelo yelled.
"Where, where, where, where, where, where?" Ikki asked and Dawn looked to where Meelo pointed and she sighed.
"It's just a photo of Korra." Jenora stated sadly.
"At least Meelo found where she was. So that means we are on the right path." She told Jenora and the man nods his head.
"Pretty neat, Huh? She same by here about six months ago. Looks like someone just drummed up a good old-fashioned lead. Then where did she go?" Meelo asked.
"Oh, I don't know, but she wasn't looking too good." The man told them while Dawn frowned.
"Ikki, this is all your fault." Meelo told them.
"What? I didn't do anything." Ikki stated.
"Exactly, you need to start pulling your weight. That goes for you too, so-called leader." Meelo said to Jenora while he looked up at Dawn. "You're doing great." He smiled and she grinned and stuck her tongue out at the two girls.
"Remember when he used to be so nice and sweet?" Ikki asked.
"No." Jenora answered as Dawn chuckled and they continued in their path.
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As time passed, Dawn looks around and sees no one around her except Jenora who was still trying to track Korra down. The girl furrows her eyebrows as she then gets up and looks at the sun. "Jenora, do you know where Ikki went?" She asked, seeing the girl open one eye and bit her lip.
"I haven't seen her in a while." She breathed out while Dawn sighs and grabs Meelo who was groaning from poisonous berries that he decided to munch down on.
"Come on, you two. Time to find your sister." She said and once they found a base, Meelo kicked the door down with his air bending, and the three took out the two soldiers of Kuvira's army.
Dawn burnt the ropes and grabs the girl into a hug. "Are you okay?" She asked, looking over her for any marks.
"I'm fine." She stated with a push and glared at her siblings.
"You're welcome, Ikki." Meelo said with a cross of his arms.
"Why did you do that?" Ikki asked while standing up in the chair angrily.
"We're saving you. Let's go." Jenora commanded as she walks out the door of the base.
Ikki steps off the chair and grabs the bag of food she had discovered with the soldiers. "I had everything under control. I just found out food, and I have an idea where Korra is." She explained.
"You do? Then let's get going." Jenora said while placing a hand on her hip.
"Look at Ikki go, she's better than both of you." Dawn teased while Meelo growled lowly.
"A bunch of girls are not better than a man." He said while flexing his non-existing bicep.
"Hold on." Ikki said while grabbing two treats from the food bag and placing them on the soldiers legs. "Sorry my brother, sister, and friend knocked you out. Nice chatting with you." She said and walked away.
One soldier groans loudly and mutters, "Macaroon."
The trio leaves while Dawn rubs Ikki's back and smiles at her. "Let's go with your plan, Ikki." She grinned.
<><><>
Pepper groans loudly out in the open orange and purple sky as the group was flying over the swamp that Ikki was showing them. Dawn looks down, trying to see if she could feel anything with Korra's connection and just felt nothing.
"Those soldiers said there weren't any troops here, and I figure if Korra's not feeling good, she might come to a spiritual place like this to get better." Ikki said while Peppers groans again.
Jenora let's go of Pepper's holder, meditating for the moment as she felt the deep energy that ran through the swamp. "There is an enormous amount of spiritual activity here, but I don't feel Korra." Jenora told them as Dawn nods her head.
"Same here, Jenora. I'm sorry, Ikki." The girl breathed out as Ikki slapped Dawn's hand away from her shoulder.
"Well, that's what we get for listening to Ikki." Meelo said annoyed, placing his cheek in his hand.
"Guys, we just got here. Let's at least look around." Ikki pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Ikki, but I'm with Meelo and Dawn on this. I don't think we're going to find her here. Let's go, Pepper." Jenora said and as Pepper turns around with a groan, vines sprouted from the swamp and started pulling the group down.
Dawn screamed, trying to burn the vines off, but they wrapped around her and sunk her down in the swamp with the kids.
She got up quickly, forming her hands into a flat state to bend a stream of water harshly across the vines to snap them.
They disappeared back into the water and Dawn looks over each child. "Everyone okay?" She asked, the group nodding.
"Why did those stupid vines pull us in here anyway?" Meelo asked with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Because they want us here. I'm telling you, Korra's got to be close." Ikki stated with her hands on her hips.
"I don't know, Ikki. I still don't sense Korra." Jenora continued as she tried to stand her ground.
"Well, you haven't sensed her the entire time we've been looking for her." Ikki confronts, Dawn rolling her eyes and getting off Pepper to start looking around.
"Next time I go on a mission, it's going to be boys only, just Poki and me." Meelo stated with a proud grin as Dawn rubs her face and trudges through the water.
Ikki groans and goes off to follow Dawn.
<><><>
Meelo and Ikki were arguing at one another, Dawn having enough and she went to separate the two. "I'm tired of listening to you!" Meelo yelled as Dawn went to grab the boy.
"Enough!" She yelled, only to feel a spread of warmth over her as she turned towards the direction behind her and gasped. "Korra!" Both Jenora and her yelled.
"I know where Korra is!" Jenora yells as they cheered and started flying towards her way.
Within a minute, they were all there and they cheered as Dawn jumped out first to give the girl a hug.
Korra held onto Dawn tightly and didn't want to let go in fear that she would disappear. The children all fell into the hug as well and Korra wiped the tears from her eyes. "Oh, we missed you so much, Korra." Ikki said.
"I missed you so much too. How did you find me all the way out here?" Korra asked while Dawn pointed to the young monk.
"You're little master over here. And slightly me." She teased while Meelo pushed her slightly.
"Jenora sensed your energy." Ikki said happily.
"But we never wouldn't been here if it weren't for Ikki." Jenora smiled and Dawn rubbed the girls hair so it frizzed up a bit.
"I never would've stormed off and found those soldiers if it weren't for Meelo." Ikki commented while Dawn rolled her eyes at the boy.
"I was trying to toughen up these ladies, but I guess it was a team effort." Meelo teased.
"I love your hair." Ikki smiled and Dawn chuckled.
"It's so you." Meelo complimented while there was a cough and everyone turned around to see an old woman with a green and yellow earth kingdom dress.
Dawn gasped and her eyes connected with milky blue ones. "Toph?" She asked and the woman smirked slightly.
"Missed me, hot head?" She asked and Dawn went over to hug her for only a second and grinned. "You know I hate hugs." She groaned and Dawn smirks.
"Only for me. What has it been 15 years now?" She asked while Korra gasped at the girl.
"How is it that you have met everyone?" Korra asked and Dawn shrugs her shoulders.
"My mom being the Fire Lady for the Fire Nation. We had to call some people when things get a little hairy." She stated and the kids raise an eyebrow.
"I-I'm so sorry. This is Meelo, Jinora, and Ikki, Aang and Katara's grandchildren." Korra greeted with the three.
"Your grandpa was a real pain in my butt." Toph said while Meelo looks over her.
"Wait a minute, cranky, old, blind..." he paused and gasped near a minute. "You must be Toph!" Meelo cheered.
"Oh, I like this one." Toph smiled at the young man.
"You need to come home, Korra. Kuvira is taking over the Earth Kingdom." Jenora said while Korra looks to Dawn.
"I can't to do it alone." She breathed out.
"You have to stop her." Ikki pleaded.
"I don't know. I'm not the Avatar I used to be. I can't even go into the Avatar State." Korra told the kids and Dawn pulled on her hand.
"Please, Korra." Ikki whispered.
"The world needs you back." Jenora told her.
As night went on, Korra stood in front of the fire as Toph had taken everyone back to her home. The kids watched Korra intently while Dawn took a deep breath as she felt a hand on her's.
She looked up to see Korra smiling down at her. "I'll be ready." She whispered, standing in a relaxing pose and got ready.
"I'm not bending it out of you. You got to do this on your own." Toph said and Korra got ready.
Dawn watched as she took a deep breath and bended the metal around her body. "Close your eyes. Clear your mind. And don't freak out like last time." Toph said while Korra frowns at the woman. "Now, focus your energy. Find the metal. Let it move through your body." Toph said and Dawn watched as Korra panted and dropped slightly.
"Korra..." Dawn said, Toph stopping her.
"That fight is over. Release the fear." Toph said and Korra exhales while trying again and listening.
The metal releases from her body, bending into a tiny drop of poison and Toph locks it away. "Well done, Korra." Toph said and Korra's eyes shine brightly with white hues.
"The avatar is back in business!" Meelo yells, seeing Dawn smile as they gathered around the Avatar.
"I feel so much lighter. Thank you so much for helping me. I'd like to give you a hug now if that's okay with you." Korra said while Dawn elbows her.
"You just gotta go for it." She teased and Toph sighs.
"All right. You earned it." Toph said while patting the girl on the back.
Everyone hopped on Pepper and started leaving back towards Republic City. "Bye, Toph!" Everyone yelled and cheered at the old woman.
"Finally, some peace and quiet." Toph stated as she walked back inside her home.
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