A New Air Bender
(Them after seeing you somehow ignore your HEAVILY BLEEDING injury)
In some random Earth Kingdom city
Tenzin, Jinora, Korra, Mako, Bolin, and Bumi were all sat in a park, wallowing in their repeated failure to get any new air benders found in this city to come to the Air Nation.
"So, now what?" Korra asks.
"We must move onto the next town, perhaps the air benders there will being willing to come with us," Tenzin says.
A chorus of growling stomachs, including Tenzin's own, interrupts their wallowing. They all agree to get lunch first before moving on. They all stand up and walk the crowded streets, mostly following Pabu's nose in their search for food. As they pass a line of shop windows someone bumps into Bumi and Bolin.
"I'm so sorry miss!" The voice says apologetically.
"It's alright," Bumi says.
"It's ok. I should've been watching where I was going. Are you alright?" Bolin asks, helping the person up.
"Yes, thank you," they say before walking away.
The group keeps moving, reaching a restaurant and enjoying their lunch. When the check comes around and Bumi reaches for his wallet, checking each and every pocket and nothing. He sweats in embarrassment.
"Don't worry guy, I've got this covered," Bolin says, only to find his money is gone too.
Tenzin and Jinora obviously have no money but thankfully Mako does. Once the bill is settled Bolin and Bumi retrace their steps, figuring they must've dropped their wallets somewhere along the way. As they search Bolin is the first to find his, laying right outside the restaurant. He picks it up and opens it to check if everything is still there and all his money is gone, as in every coin and bill that once called his wallet home is now nowhere to be found.
"Looks like ypu got pickpocketed," Mako says.
"Yep. Dang it, I should've been more careful," Bolin says, shoving his now empty wallet into his pocket.
Bumi finds his wallet back where he and Bolin were run into, finding it similarly lacking the money that was there earlier. The two sigh and accept their losses when they hear yelling.
"Get back here!" A man yells at a retreating figure.
Bolin and Bumi recognize the figure, the person who bumped into them earlier! They chase after the figure, which of course means the others have to follow. The figure ducks and weaves through alleys with the reflexes of kitten moth.
"Get back here!" Bumi yells.
The figure taunts him, cuasing him the chase more. This chase goes on until the figure runs into a brick wall at the end of the alley. The group forms a loss half circle and Bumi holds out his hand, asking for his and Bolin's money back. You turn away, saying that you earned it fair and square. Bumi asks again, but this time you don't say anything. Instead you push yourself off the ground and over the wall, something that shouldn't be possible given that the wall was as high as three Tenzins stacked on top of each other.
"Did they just air bend?" Bolin asks.
"I think so," Bumi says in slight awe.
Tenzin uses his own air bending to launch himself over the wall. He lands on the other side, Jinora tries to follow him but falls short, cutting herself before Bumi catches her. Tenzin yells that he'll be ok to the other, to which Korra yells she's coming with him and with ease she is also over the wall. Her and Tenzin walk through the crowded, filthy street on the other side of the wall. The houses are small and in disrepair, all squeezed together like anchovies. The people out on the streets all looked tired, as if they came from a long days work. They started at Korra and Tenzin, but they didn't say anything.
"Hi. Have you seen a person about this tall with a green top and dark pink pants? They took our friends money and we'd really like it backe," Korra asks a woman.
Before the woman can answer they spot the you from earlier, being dragged to them by the ear by an old lady with a smoking pipe. Once the old lady and you are in front of Korra and Tenzin you mumble out an apology.
"Well! Don't just stand there. Return their money!" The old lady yells.
You hand over the money and Korra takes it, putting it in her pockets. She thanks you when Tenzin asks your name.
"Reader," you tell him.
"Well, Reader. You have a gift, the gift of air bending," he says.
You laugh and ask him if he hit his head jumping the wall. Tenzin's eyes narrow as he keeps explaining, telling you that you are probably an air bender now and that you could be with other air benders on Air Temple Island, though you'd have no earthly possessions and would have to be vegetarian. You hold up your hand, causing him to stop talking.
"What if... What if a new air bender used to be a thief. Would you still take them?" You ask, looking up at him.
"Only if they were truly willing to try and change for the better," he says, a warm, father tone seeping into his voice.
"So, you have room for an ex thief?" You ask.
"Always," he says.
You lead them both out of your neck of the woods, telling them about how you ended up a thief due to the fact that you're an orphan with the closest family being your "granny". You also talk about your friend, community, and your life up to this point, even your admission that while you love your granny she's always harsh and you always wonder what it would be like to have a happy family, like the ones you see in the main town every day. By the time you three are on back with the others Korra wants to hug you and Tenzin is debating on adopting you into his and Pema's family.
"Here's your money back. Also, the kid wants to come back with us," Korra says, handing Bolin and Bumi their money back.
Bolin introduces himself to you, as does Bumi, Jinora, and Mako. You all walk back to the airship, with you asking Jinora what Air Temple Island is like and more about what it means to be an air bender, you even apologize for being the reason she got hurt in the first place.
"Don't worry. You didn't do anything wrong," she says.
"I mean it. If I didn't steal your friend and uncle's money you never would've tried jumping the wall. Though, if you want I can show you how to do it properly," you suggest.
"Absolutely not!" Tenzin says.
You and Jinora chuckle and swear you won't jump any walls. By the time you all reach the airship you feel a warmth in your chest. It's not the heat of shame, or the thunder of fear, it's softer than both of those. It's like a big hug from the inside out. Jinora asks if you're ok and you nod, because you're better than ok.
"So... Mr.Tenzin. Who else is gonna be there?" You ask.
Tenzin lists off everyone already on Air Temple Island and the warmth grows at the thought of a community held together by something more than the daily struggle, plus Jinora mentioned the sky bison and you really want to see one of those fluffy flying cows in person.
"I can't wait," you say.
Tenzin smiles at you, somwthing telling him you're going to be a great addition to the Air Nation.