“Wake up, Korra! It’s morning!” 

“Yeah, wake up! Wake up!”

Korra woke up with an alarm. The little kids were chanting in unison, calling her name, while jumping up and down on her bed. She shot up and tried to catch them. They jumped off the bed and laughing mischievously before scooted outside. She busted out laughing. It felt different when she was not the only person in here.

Today was a new day.

Tenzin took her and his three children to the old shed in the garden. They sat on the wooden floor, and he started to explain about mediation. Her heart sank. She had expected some standing breathing exercise or some push-up, but not to sit in one place and do nothing.

“It’s not about doing nothing. It is to let your mind and spirit be free. Air is the element of freedom.” Tenzin explained. 

Korra didn’t see the difference, but she was not about to argue with him. She settled down into a mediation position. A breeze flew past them, sending shivers down her spine as if they were in Southern Water Tribe. She peeked her eyes only to see that they were still in the Air Temple Island. 

“Don’t open your eyes!” 

She closed her eyes again, feeling uneasy with the silence. It was so quiet that Korra started to wonder if everyone were still there. They wouldn’t leave her, would they? She opened her eyes again, seeing them sat still as a rock, eyes closing and breathing gently.

She sat still, looking at Tenzin’s children. They looked so peacefully like they were asleep, except for Meelo, who was snoring and swung back and front slightly like a flower in the wind. She resisted the urge to break the silence, remembering Kya wasn’t appreciated with all the talks she made during the Southern harbour. Looking at Tenzin, she wondered if this trait would be heritage. 

“I told you not to open your eyes.” 

 “It takes so long.” 

“It’s only a minute. If you keep opening your eyes, you won’t be able to focus.”

 “Focus on what?” Korra glanced around. She saw some skyscrapers in the distance - The heart of Republic City. It reminded her of the new friend she had met yesterday. She wondered what he was doing now.

The game.

She promised Bolin she would be there. How would she tell Tenzin? He’d be very mad at her, but if she didn’t, then Bolin would be mad at her.

“Korra!” She realised Tenzin was calling her and quickly turned back. He glared at her, “Is something wrong?” 

“It’s just...” 

Before Korra could find a word, Tenzin stood up. 

“It’s alright. I understand. It’s can difficult to meditate if you do not get used to it.” He said, “Perhaps we can move to another section and try this later.”

Korra opened her mouth but was interrupted by the cheering of the kids. The little children shrieked in excitement and ran ahead of them, leaving her with Tenzin and Jinora, Tenzin’s oldest daughter.

Tenzin sighed and followed his two little children. Jinora gave her a friendly smile and quickly dashed after her father. Korra glanced back at the city before catching up with them. She had to find a way to ask him somehow. 

In front of them was a flat circular stone floor with several wooden gates held in place by a single shaft. It looked like someone had built an invisible house and forgot to make the doors transparent as well. A breeze ran through them, sending some 'doors' swung back and front like a series of open-closing doors. 

It looked enchanting, but it also made her feel uneasy. Although she would rather do whatever it was than being torturing by the silence.

Tenzin asked Jinora to demonstrate the section. He airbended the gates, making them turned in a circular motion. The young girl didn’t wait for them to stop. She walked inside the stone. Korra peeked through her fingers when a gate nearly hit Jinora, but the young girl spun around gently and dodged it like she was dancing in a ballroom. Everything suddenly matched into a rhyme - A quiet melody of a girl walked through the thousand doors.

Korra blinked and Jinora was already on the other side. The young girl waved her hand to Korra, signalling her to come. A part of Korra wished that she could just go around the Airbending gates, but she knew it was not the reason she came here. She was here to learn Airbending, and that what she was going to do.

She glanced at Tenzin, who was watching her like an owl. He’s assessing her. She wanted to ask him about the Pro-bending game but she also didn’t want to disappoint her new sifu.

 Shallowing the fear, she pushed herself through the gates. She quickly dodged a couple of gates before quickly got knocked down by another one. It didn’t hurt, but she still felt like she was hit by a stone.

 “Don't force your way through,” Tenzin said, “Feel the movement around you and blow with it.” 

Easy as you said. Korra bit back the works. She felt the heat burning in her hand but immediately squeezed it into a fist, distinguishing the flame as quickly as it came.

“Let try again,” Tenzin said.

 She stepped out and shot back to the gates again before instantly welcomed by another one.

 “Be patient!”

“I am!”

“That means no running!” Tenzin growled. But it was too late as Korra launched herself and got knocked down by the very first gate.

“You’re not listening to what I said.”

“I am!” 

“No, you’re not. You are very distracted.” Tenzin raised an eyebrow, “Is there anything I need to know?”

 Korra paused. Her tongue felt like ice, but Tenzin gave her a nod of encouragement.

 “When I came here, I have made a new friend.” 

 “That’s good.”

 “He’s a Pro-bending player, and I kind of promised to watch his game tonight.” 

 “Pro-bending?” Tenzin said. His voice was sharp. “You need to learn Airbending. I don’t want you to have any distractions. For the time being, you need to remain on the island.”

 “But-"

 “Now let try again and move slowly this time!”

Korra growled and stood up. He wanted her to tell him, she did it and he was still angry.

 “I said no running! Now try again!”

 “I can’t do this!” 

 “You will never know unless you try! Again!”

 Korra paced back and front, rage quickened her blood. Her feet itched to break into a run. Anything to get this feeling out of her chest. Yet, she tensed her muscle and forced herself to slow down. She reached the first gate and dodged it, and then the second, then the third, and then, she got slammed by the fourth gate. She took one step back and was hit in the back of her head. She let out an angry roar and before she could realise it, the fire escaped her hand. She swung around and snapped the gate into half. Another gate collided with her hand and she smacked it into pieces. A rush of adrenaline ran through her as she watched fire consuming the Airbending gates, shooting ashes and smoke as it rose.

When she turned back, Tenzin was staring at her in horror.

“That was a two-thousand-year-old historical treasure!” Tenzin gasped, “What is wrong with you?”

His words stung her sharper than a knife. 

 “There's nothing wrong with me!” She yowled back in anger. 

 She was the problems. She was always the problem. She burnt a kid when she was four, disobeyed the White Lotus and her father, screwed up the promise of Bolin, and she destroyed what was left of the Air nomad culture from the hundred-year wars.

 “Maybe the problem isn't me! Maybe the reason I haven't learned Airbending yet is because you're a terrible teacher!” She pointed at Tenzin and stormed off, didn’t look back. She couldn’t bear to hear another word from him.

She started to run, full speed, and no one stopped her this time. 

Korra stopped by the sight of Naga. The polar bear dog rolled around on the grass playfully. The dog looked up and ran toward Korra, wagging her tail. She scratched her ear and climbed on her back. Naga didn’t think twice before launched into the water and swam toward the city. The cold water splashed on her clothes, and she let the numbness crawled into her skin.