WATER AND EARTH

CHAPTER 1: HERE COMES THE AVATAR

(Disclaimer: I don't own A:LOK. I only own my OC's)

|Republic City, Police Department|

"Ahhh, I love the smell of coffee in the morning," the black-haired youth said after taking a sip of his beverage, allowing himself five minutes of peace and silence before he had to go back to work. This black-haired youth was nineteen years old, with light skin and green eyes, was sitting on his desk with a crap ton of paperwork in front of him. He wore the standard Metalbending uniform with an insignia on his chest that indicated his rank. His medium-length hair was a bit spiky and nearly reached his jaw.

The handsome young man finished his drink and focused on the task at hand. As always, there was an unholy amount of work left to be done, which translated to hours and hours of reading through reports and signing whatever needed to be signed by him. Indeed, the life of a Sergeant in the Police Department was far less exciting than what most people thought it was, although he still loved his job and would put up with almost everything if it meant doing his duty… even if he had to endure boring paperwork at times.

Such was the life of Kenai Beifong, the son of Lin Beifong, Republic City's Chief of Police.

"Sergeant Beifong?"

Kenai, who was beginning to read a random report, looked away from the paper and addressed the Patrolman in front of him. "Yes?"

"Your signature is required here, sir. It's about the incident that happened down at the Three Dragons District a while ago," the Patrolman said as he handed Kenai a binder.

"I heard some rumors. What happened exactly? Just give me the short version, please,"

"A young female from the Water Tribes picked up a fight against some Triple Thread Triad thugs that were supposedly blackmailing a shop owner. She taught them quite a lesson, but she also caused damage to public and private properties while she was at it. She resisted arrest and attempted to make a run for it when she was told to stand down. Eventually, both she and her Polar Bear Dog were caught and brought here for interrogation. Your mo… I mean, Chief Beifong is handling the situation, sir,"

Kenai raised an eyebrow. Well, that was certainly something. Not very often would civilians take matters into their own hands and directly confront gang members just like that. Kenai was actually on board with people doing these things most of the time, but he couldn't let them make justice like this, as it would most likely get out of hand and evolve into something more problematic. "Anything else? What do we know of the suspect?"

"Her name is Korra. Seventeen years of age, brown skin, blue eyes, typical Water Tribe physical traits, there really isn't a lot to talk about… Although, some witnesses claim she used Firebending, Earthbending, and Waterbending against the blackmailers,"

"Come again?" Kenai asked as his eyes widened. "You're telling me this girl is the Avatar?"

"It would seem so, sir. That's what the witnesses have told us, and the rest of the details do add up,"

"… This is something I have to see," the Sergeant said as he stood up and left his desk, wanting to check for himself if what his subordinate just told him was true. Was this girl truly the Avatar? What was she doing here, picking up fights with Triad members and what not? The White Lotus should've warned the Police Department about this.

The Patrolman looked slightly unsure. "Hummm, sir, what about your paperwork?"

"I'll get back to it as soon as I can. Leave the binder on my desk, will you? You're dismissed,"

|Outside of the interrogation rooms|

"So, this is the suspect's Polar Bear Dog, huh?" Kenai commented as he looked at the huge animal in front of him. The Polar Bear Dog had a saddle on its back, indicating that she was tamed. Of course, that didn't mean it was safe to approach the beast with no care whatsoever, which was why there were several chains around its body in order to restrict the Polar Bear Dog's movements. There weren't many of them, just enough to keep her under control.

"Come on, now. Don't be scared," he said smoothly as he slowly walked towards the pet, which almost immediately made the animal stand up and face Kenai. The animal didn't bark right away. Instead, it began growling with its mouth closed as a sign of caution. 'Unless she starts showing off her teeth, I'm good,' "Here, look what I have," Kenai said as he grabbed a small bag of edibles from his pocket. The Polar Bear Dog stopped growling and began sniffing the air, catching the scent of what was inside the bag.

Kenai opened the bag and took out one honey candy. Honey candies were very popular sweets consumed mainly by humans, but they were also used to reward pets in the process of domesticating them. Very carefully, Kenai threw one of them at the Polar Bear Dog's feet, and the animal immediately began chewing the delicious treat offered by the earthbender.

This went on for minutes until Kenai was close enough to reach the creature with his hand. By now, his presence no longer bothered the Polar Bear Dog, and in an act of trust, Kenai offered his last honey candy with his open palm while he touched the beast's fur with his other hand. Luckily, nothing bad happened as the animal allowed him to pet her while she enjoyed the honey candy, casually licking Kenai's fingers in the process. "There we go. I knew you were a good… Huhhhh…" Kenai trailed off as he tried to figure out whether the Polar Bear Dog was male or female.

One of the chains had a tag with the name 'Naga' written on it. "If your name is Naga, then you must be a good girl, right?" Naga's ears perked up upon hearing her name, and unexpectedly gave Kenai a slobbery kiss that left half his face covered in saliva. "Bleeck… Thank you, Naga. Good girl,"

He scratched Naga behind her ears for a while before he had to clean himself up. As much as he enjoyed interacting with animals, having his face covered with slobber wasn't exactly pleasant. Fortunately, there was a hand washer nearby which he used to get himself clean. As he began drying his hands with a towel, the door opened, and Kenai recognized the individual who had just come in right away.

"Well well well, look who we have here. It's good to see you, uncle Tenzin," Kenai greeted the airbender with a smile. He had a soft spot for the man, who also happened to be his godfather. He knew him from when he was a kid, so one could say they were almost family.

Tenzin returned the smile. "Kenai, my boy, how have you been?"

"Meh, same as always. How are things back in Air Temple Island? Are aunt Pema and the kids doing well? It's been over a month since I last visited you guys,"

"We have been doing just fine, thank you for asking. Pema is still asking when will you come over for dinner,"

"Tell her I'll be dropping by as soon as I get the chance. Sooo…" Kenai began to say, looking at Tenzin with particular interest. "I'm assuming you didn't come here just to catch up with me. Is it possible that maybe you're here because of the same person who owns that Polar Bear Dog?"

Tenzin let out a long sigh. "I am afraid that is the case. I came here to have a word with your mother and hopefully convince her to drop the charges against Korra. None of this was supposed to happen in the first place,"

"Interesting…" Kenai said as he 'hummed'. "Is this Korra chick the Avatar, by any chance?"

The airbender's face was a poem. "What in the… How did you… Where did you get that idea from?"

Kenai just gave him a know-it-all grin. "That's what's being said in the streets. And besides, I don't think you would go through the trouble of speaking with my mom just to have her release someone, unless that someone was important… as in, Avatar important. Spill the beans, uncle Tenzin. Is she the Avatar or not?"

Tenzin rubbed his temples, feeling an incoming migraine on the way. "I suppose there is no use in hiding it anymore. Yes, she is the Avatar, but she won't stay here for long. She will return to the South Pole as soon as possible and remain there for the time being,"

The earthbender said nothing as Tenzin walked into the interrogation room where the Avatar was being questioned by Lin. Kenai would've joined his godfather had it not been for the fact that it was his mother the one that was in charge of the interrogation, and Lin hated being interrupted in the middle of her job. Since Tenzin was a councilman and not a member of the Police Department, Lin couldn't berate him or order him around like he was one of her subordinates, but the same could not be said about Kenai. Even if he was her son, Lin treated him pretty much the same way she treated those who were under her command, at least while they were on active duty. As a matter of fact, Kenai was strictly forbidden to call Lin 'Mom' while in her presence and while they were wearing their Metalbending armor.

"Looks like uncle Tenzin is in for a rough time," Kenai muttered to himself. Apparently, Naga seemed to understand what he just said as she began whimpering. "Hey, come on. I'm sure everything is gonna work out. Korra will be out of here in no time,"

And he was right. About three minutes later, the door of the interrogation room opened up, and Tenzin walked out accompanied by the so-called Avatar. Filled with curiosity, Kenai took a good look at her… and what he saw made his green eyes go wide.

She was from the South Pole, alright. Mocha latte skin color, a pair of blue eyes that resembled the sky on a clear day, dark hair done in a ponytail, and blue clothes that were definitely Water Tribe. He was taller than her but by very little. His mouth became dry as Korra came closer to him, although she had yet to notice him due to the fact that she was arguing with Tenzin. 'Spirits… She's beautiful,'

"You can't send me back to the South Pole, Tenzin!" Korra protested.

"You disobeyed my orders and the orders of the White Lotus, Korra. Do you have any idea how worried we were?" Tenzin replied, making Korra wince.

"Look, I'm sorry that I escaped without saying a word, but I just had to do it. My destiny is here in Republic City. Katara said so herself!"

Tenzin immediately went red in the face. "Do not bring my mother into this!" he all but shouted as Kenai rolled his eyes. Anyone who knew Tenzin was well aware that he was a momma's boy, regardless of how much Tenzin denied it.

Ignoring his outburst, Korra continued. "Tenzin, I can't wait any longer. I'm not gonna become a better Avatar if I stay locked up in a compound for the next several years or so. I saw a lot of the city today, and it's totally out of whack. I get that you have duties and all, but so do I, and Republic City needs us both,"

Korra made a compelling argument, one that Tenzin couldn't even begin to refute. As he struggled to come up with something, his gaze focused on Kenai and a lightbulb appeared on top of his head. "Now, where are my manners? Korra, there is someone I would like you to meet," Tenzin said as he gestured Kenai to come forward, which he did. "Korra, this is Kenai Beifong, Sergeant of the Police Department, and Lin's son,"

Kenai nodded with a smile. "What's up? It's nice to me-"

"You're her son?!" Korra shouted in disbelief.

"Ye-Yeah, that's me. Why? What's so weird about it?"

"I would've never guessed someone that stern and mean would have a son," the Avatar muttered a little too loud. She then saw the blank look on Kenai's face (and felt Tenzin's glare behind her back) and immediately tried to correct herself. "I-I mean… That is to say…" she stuttered.

The son of the Chief let out an awkward laugh as he raised his hand in an appeasing manner. "Don't worry, I understand. My mom does have a bit of an attitude. Don't tell her I said that, though," In an attempt to change the subject, Kenai pointed at Naga. "By the way, that's one interesting pet you have right there,"

"Naga!" Korra shouted in delight, happy to see her life-long companion again. The Avatar wrapped her arms around Naga's neck, hugging the Polar Bear Dog enthusiastically. Naga began waging her tail in excitement, although her movements were constrained by the chains she had on her. "I missed you, girl,"

"She's quite the Polar Bear Dog, you know," Kenai began to say as he approached Korra and Naga. "At first glance she seems kinda dangerous, but once you get to know her she's actually just a big puppy. Ain't that right, Naga?"

"Hey, be careful!" Korra warned. "Naga doesn't like it when..."

SLUUUUUURP

"… When new people get too close to her," Korra finished in amusement, watching how Naga licked Kenai's face in an unmistakable show of affection. "Huh, I guess she likes you,"

"Yeah, I can tell. While you were in the interrogation room, me and Naga here became buddy buddies with one another. Would you mind…" Kenai asked as he pointed at his face.

Korra was a little confused at first, but she almost immediately understood what Kenai was trying to say. "Oh, yeah, right," With a swift move of her hand, Korra used her Waterbending to remove the slob that was on Kenai's face.

"Thanks for that. Anyways, I'm Kenai. It's a true pleasure to meet you, Korra," the earthbender said, offering his hand to the Water Tribe girl and giving her the most sincere and charming smile he could muster. Korra gladly accepted his hand and returned the smile.

"The pleasure is all mine. I gotta say, you're the nicest person I've met in Republic City so far,"

Kenai chuckled. "I don't know whether that's a good or a bad thing, so I'll take that as a compliment,"

Their conversation was cut short by Tenzin, who coughed in order to get their attention. "I believe we must get going now. There is a ship waiting for us at the docks, one that Korra will not be missing,"

The three benders were making their way to the docks, where a ship with the symbol of the White Lotus was stationed. Since Kenai didn't have much to do back in his office (besides a tremendous amount of paperwork, that is), he thought he might as well join Korra and Tenzin. The atmosphere was kind of gloomy, and Kenai didn't really like being put in awkward situations, so he decided to lighten up the mood by making some small conversation. "Soooo, I heard you got in trouble for standing up to some thugs who were abusing their power. Is that true, Korra?"

The Avatar, who was riding Naga, frowned upon hearing the question. "Pretty much. I don't mean to offend any of you guys who work at the Police Department, but why would you waste your time going after someone who was just trying to help when you could be chasing actual criminals?"

"Korra, don't say such things," Tenzin said as he looked over his shoulder. "The police forces had every right to stop you, regardless of the nature of your intentions,"

Kenai waved his hand in a dismissing way. "It's okay, uncle. I get her point of view," he said before looking at Korra. "The thing is, you probably wouldn't have gotten yourself arrested if you hadn't destroyed that much public and private property. It's not easy to prove your innocence if you leave a mess behind. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"… Okay, that's kind of a fair point," the Avatar conceded. In the process of neutralizing the members of the Triple Threat Triads, she did smash several shops and objects that had little to nothing to do with the confrontation. The heat of the moment and her sincere desire to help others made Korra forget that she was no longer in the South Pole, where things worked in a different way.

"That being said, I'm actually glad you intervened,"

Kenai's statement caught Korra off guard. "Really? You are?"

"Yup. I hate how those scumbags think they can get away with everything. We may be police officers and all, but the truth is, we can't just snap our fingers and fix everything. If it were that way, things would be a lot easier for us. Thanks to you, there are three criminals less roaming the streets, which makes my job easier in return," the Sergeant answered truthfully. He then gave the Avatar a sheepish smile. "If anything, this whole thing you caused gave me an excuse to leave the office early, and that's good enough for me,"

Korra laughed a little, feeling slightly better than before. It was good to know that at least someone was on her side… sort of. Maybe Kenai wasn't thrilled by how Korra managed the situation, but he did support her decision to do something about the crime, and that was good enough for her. It seemed not everyone in the police force was so bad, after all. Especially the cute Sergeant.

…

'Wait. Cute?' Korra thought to herself as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. Now that she had taken a good look at Kenai, it was safe to say that the earthbender was actually kind of handsome. The combination of his light skin, green eyes, and black unruly hair certainly went a long way. He wasn't an Adonis or anything of the sort, but he was attractive to a degree. The fact that he was kind and funny also played a role.

Shaking her head, Korra realized they had already reached the docks. Her face adopted a gloomy expression, knowing full well what was going to happen next. She was going back to her old life at the South Pole, seeing the same old faces and doing the same things she had been doing for years now, all because it was too 'risky' for her to live outside the watch of the White Lotus like a normal person.

| Several minutes later in the ship, on their way to Air Temple Island |

"Uncle Tenzin, I need to speak with you," Kenai said in a serious tone as he approached the monk, who was staring at the ocean on the deck of the ship. Korra was in the back of the ship with Naga minding her own business, so Kenai took the chance to speak with his godfather in private.

"What is it, Kenai?"

"I don't usually try to argue with you, but I really think you're on the wrong side of the story here. You should allow Korra to stay, if only just for a while,"

Tenzin gave the earthbender an aggravated look. "Kenai, this subject is not up for discussion. You know very well how unstable Republic City has grown over the years, especially with the rise of the Equalists and gang violence. If Korra gets caught in the middle of it, only the Spirits know what could happen to her,"

"All the more reason why having Korra around can be a good thing. Isn't the Avatar supposed to bring peace and balance? Because judging by how unstable Republic City is right now, some peace and balance is exactly what we need. Nothing's gonna change for the better if Korra remains locked up in the South Pole. At the very least she should see for herself what's happening here,"

"The White Lotus wouldn't tolerate it. It is their mission to watch over the Avatar and make sure no threat comes to her," Tenzin argued.

Kenai rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Tch. Don't you think the White Lotus has been babysitting Korra long enough? Besides, if she's the Avatar, then she'll have to face danger inevitably. Avatar Aang was only a child when he had to stop a war that had been going on for a hundred years; I think Korra can deal with the problems of one city. It can't possibly be worse than a full-blown war spread across the world,"

The airbender's gaze hardened. "That is not a fair comparison,"

"Neither is your treatment towards Korra," Kenai countered. "Let's make a deal, okay? If Korra gets to stay, I promise to keep an eye on her at all times and make sure she doesn't get herself into trouble. Wherever she goes, I'll be right behind her. She can stay with you and, I don't know, practice Airbending in the meantime or something. I can even move out of my house and sleep at your place for a couple of days if you want. Mom won't make a big deal out of it,"

That last statement was kind of a bluff, to be honest. First of all, Lin had no interest or sympathy for troublemakers, and considering what Korra did today, it was safe to say Lin wasn't going to be thrilled to know Korra wasn't actually going back to the South Pole, and that she was going to stay here instead. Second, while Kenai was a Sergeant of the Police Department and had a certain amount of authority, his mother was the Chief and she had the final word in every decision taken under the name of the police forces. Being her son didn't give him a free 'do-whatever-you-want' pass, despite what some co-workers thought. Lin had to be okay with him watching over Korra, otherwise the deal would be dead before it came to life.

"… Are you certain Lin will agree to this?" Tenzin asked a tad bit unsure.

"As long as she stays out of trouble and doesn't give Mom a reason to distrust her, she should manage to tolerate Korra. I think I'm in Korra's good side, so at the very least she'll listen to me before doing anything rushed," That was as factual as Kenai would risk going for. He still needed Lin's approval, and before any of that, he had to convince Tenzin. One task after the other. "You have my word as Sergeant of the Police Department that I'll protect Korra. I truly believe allowing her to stay here is the right thing to do. Can you trust me on this one, uncle Tenzin?"

"I… I will consider this deal of yours," the airbender said with much care. He was determined to have Korra back in the South Pole, but after hearing what his godson had to say, he wasn't so sure now. "May I ask why you are so keen on having Korra around? I would understand if you were childhood friends, but you two have just recently met,"

The question caught Kenai off guard, but thankfully he was able to regain his composure. "Why? Well, huh… I just try to imagine being on her shoes, you know? I mean, I know she's the Avatar and all, but she also must have some freedom. I'm just being sympathetic, that's all," His answer was honest, but incomplete. It would also give him the chance to interact with Korra on a daily basis and at a more personal level… but there was no need for Tenzin to know that, right? "We'll reach Air Temple Island in a few minutes. Please give it some thought," and with that said, Kenai turned around and went inside, leaving a reflective Tenzin behind.

...

Upon arriving at the Air Temple, Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo glided down from their rooms and welcomed Korra with open arms, absolutely thrilled to see the Avatar again. "Korra!" they all shouted in unison. The Water Tribe Girl hugged the three of them at the same time.

"Is it true you're gonna stay with us now?" Ikki asked in excitement.

Korra gave her a sad look. "No. I'm sorry guys, but I have to go back to the South Pole," The disappointment caused by those few words was almost tangible. The airbending kids were so sad that small tears began to gather in Ikki's eyes and Jinora almost began sniffling. Meelo wasn't about to cry, but he sure looked cheerless for someone as upbeat and goofy as he was.

Korra said her goodbyes and began walking away with Naga at her side. Kenai, who was only a couple of steps away from Tenzin, looked at his godfather and gave him a knowing look, as if saying 'It's now or never. What do you say?' At first, it seemed as if Tenzin was going to remain silent, but then…

"… Wait," Korra stopped in her tracks and turned around, watching Tenzin coming closer to her with a look of resignation on his face. "For years, I have done my best to guide Republic City towards the dream my father had for it. However, it is true that it has fallen out of balance ever since his departure. I prioritized Republic City because I wanted to see my father's legacy to flourish, but at the same time, I forgot that you are his legacy as well. From here on now, you may stay here and learn Airbending under my tutelage. This city needs its Avatar," he finished while placing a hand on Korra's shoulder, which made her gasp in shock.

Unable to resist the urge, Korra shouted. "Yes! Thank you so much! This is the best thing ever!" The Avatar then proceeded to hug the airbending kids AND Tenzin at the same time as if they were rag dolls instead of human beings. Even Naga felt the sudden change in the mood as she started barking and wagging her tail in excitement.

Once the hug came to an end, Korra flashed a dazzling smile full of hope at Tenzin. "I swear you won't regret this… Can I ask what made you change your mind?"

Tenzin coughed into his hand. "While on our way here, I came to an agreement with Kenai. He promised he will watch over you and stick close to you at all times during your stay here in Republic City. In exchange, I will allow you to remain here instead of having you back in the South Pole," Korra then stared at Kenai with her jaw slightly open. The earthbender, who had his arms crossed, smiled and sent her a friendly wink. "Of course, I expect nothing but professionalism from his part, if you are to le-"

"Oooff!"

Before Kenai had time to blink, Korra ran up to him and gave him a bone-crushing hug that lifted him up. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Ko-Korra… Can't breathe… Need oxygen…"

Korra realized she was squeezing Kenai to death and promptly let go of him. "Sorry, I think I got a little carried away," the Avatar said as she scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.

"It's okay…" Kenai grunted as he rubbed his ribs, wondering if by any chance one of them was broken. His face was purple due to lack of oxygen. 'Geez, what do they feed this girl? Is she made out of iron or something?' he wondered. With that sort of strength, Korra could probably snap his neck without putting in much effort. Once he was recovered, he cleared his throat and raised his voice. "Anyways, I'd love to stay for the night, but I have to get back home now. I have to convince Mom to… I mean, I have to inform her of the news and discuss a few details. Do you think the White Lotus can give me a ride?"

(Beifong Residence)

"Thank you, sir. Have a good night," Kenai said to the taxi driver that picked him up at the docks after the guys in the White Lotus ship were kind enough to drop him in Republic City.

'Man, this day has been crazy,' Kenai thought as he gave the driver a couple of bills and got out of the car. On his way home, he thought about how could he get his mother to agree with him. The one thing he did know was that under no circumstances he should act as if the choice of keeping an eye on Korra was his and his alone. That would only infuriate Lin as the Chief of the Police Department would see it as a blatant disrespect towards her authority. No, if he wanted this whole thing to work out, he needed his mom to openly express her permission. The rest would be a piece of cake.

Taking a deep breath, Kenai grabbed his keys and unlocked his house door. 'Here goes nothing,' "Hey Mom, I'm home," he said with a loud voice as he entered. The Beifong residence was located in one of the wealthiest areas of Republic City, and yet it was actually humble compared to the other houses. It had everything a family of two needed, plus a little decoration here and there. Nothing too expensive, as Lin wasn't fond of wasting her money on fancy things she had little use for.

"I'm in the kitchen, honey," Lin's voice echoed. The Chief of the Police Department was enjoying a cup of tea while reading the newspaper. She was wearing her pajamas underneath a light green dressing gown. Upon seeing her son, Lin's facial features softened considerably, which was her way of smiling. "You came home late today," she stated.

"And you're here earlier," Kenai shot back as he approached Lin and gave him a little kiss on her cheek. If any other man dared to try and kiss Chief Beifong, she would have him arrested, half-beaten to death and sentenced to life in prison faster than he could say 'crap', but since Kenai was her only son, he could get away with it. Such displays of affection, however, could only occur when they were alone and outside their workplace. "How was your day? Did anything interesting happen?"

"Not really, aside from an encounter with a loud troublemaker who thought she could do my job and an obnoxious monk who interrupted my interrogation,"

Kenai chuckled. "Yeah, Korra's a handful, isn't she?"

Lin stopped reading the newspaper and gave her son a questioning look. "You know her?"

"Sort of. Uncle Tenzin introduced me to her while I was taking care of her Polar Bear Dog. Apparently, she pounded some Triple Threat Triads thugs that were doing their thing,"

"And destroyed public and private property while she was at it. If that wasn't enough, she attempted to escape arrest with that overgrown pet of hers. She says she's the Avatar, but she acted like another criminal of the bunch,"

The Sergeant flinched a little. He already expected Lin to dislike the Avatar, but he didn't expect her to see Korra as just another criminal of the bunch. Korra was hotheaded and proactive, but she was not a delinquent. Whatever the case, Kenai wasn't going to argue with her right now. He was about to bring up the subject, but then Lin told him dinner would be ready in a few minutes and that he should go change. With a quick nod, Kenai walked upstairs and entered his room.

Kenai's room was exactly what you would expect from a nineteen-year-old who worked in the Police Department: Small, tidy, not a thing out of its place. Lin was very adamant about teaching her son how to be disciplined, and part of that was having a well-ordered room. There was a desk against the wall that he used when he needed to write a report and what not. Several pictures were framed, including one that showed a picture of him along with Lin of the day he graduated from Republic City's Cadet Academy at the age of seventeen. He was shown holding a certificate that acknowledged him as the top student of his class, a feat he was very proud of.

After stretching his neck, Kenai took off his armor, gauntlets, and boots, leaving them inside his closet and putting on a white tank top along with sweatpants. He didn't mind wearing his armor as it was not uncomfortable, but after a long day of work, there was nothing better than taking off your armor and wear something loose and warm.

Lin was waiting for him with dinner ready. She wasn't that great at cooking due to her being the Chief of the Police Department, a job that didn't offer a lot of free time. Kenai didn't really mind that much since he could barely cook himself. They made some small talk as they ate and discussed things such as the new budget the Police Department was getting. When he thought the time was right, Kenai spoke up. "Mom, there's something I wanted to talk to you. It's about Korra,"

"What about her?" Lin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I spoke to Tenzin and he told me Korra was going to stay with him and his family at the Air Temple. He's gonna start teaching her Airbending. However, he wanted to have someone who could watch out for Korra while she's there, and well, since I was there, I sort of-"

"Let me guess. You volunteered for the job,"

Kenai's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

"I'm your mother, Kenai. I can read you like an open book," Lin stated as a matter of fact. "Though why would you bother to put up with her is beyond me,"

The Sergeant scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment. "Heh, what can I say? Tenzin needed someone he could trust and I just happened to be available. Plus, I've always wanted to meet the Avatar. That way, you won't have to worry about her destroying Republic City a second time. Three birds with one stone. Of course, I wanted to see if you were okay with this. I understand if you're not thrilled, but I think this is a great opportunity to-"

"Fine, you can do it," Lin cut him off with a tired sigh.

"R-Really?" Kenai blinked owlishly, not expecting his mother to agree that easily. He was fully prepared to endure hours of arguing back and forth, which was what usually happened when Kenai tried to convince Lin about something.

Lin nodded. "Under normal circumstances I would've let the White Lotus deal with this headache, but I don't know them enough to trust them when it comes to police affairs, and Tenzin would've pestered me until I agreed to lend him some of my men, as if I didn't have enough work already," the earthbender frowned upon saying the name of her ex love-interest. Kenai wisely chose to say nothing. "In any case, I don't want her around. But if she does come, at least I'll have the certainty you'll be there to stop her from causing a number on my streets,"

Kenai let out a wide grin. "Great! Thanks, Mom!" he said a little too excited. He realized shortly after that Lin was giving him a rather questioning look, which was why he decided to adopt a more sober attitude. "I mean, thank you, mother. I'll make sure Korra won't give you any trouble,"

"I sure hope so," and with that, Lin officially ended the conversation. They both finished their dinner in silence and wished goodnight to one another. After he pulled up his bedsheets, Kenai stared at the ceiling of his room and, almost unwillingly, he began to smile. He had gotten away with it. For the next days, he was going to spend his time with Tenzin, Pema, the airbending kids, and Korra, instead of having to deal with boring paperwork and pesky criminals.

He didn't know why, but Kenai had a feeling things were definitely going to change, and it didn't bother him in the slightest. Before he knew it, he was sleeping like a baby.

Hello everybody, and welcome to the first chapter of the story.

For those of you who don't know, this story will replace the now discontinued story "the element of freedom". As I announced in my previous update, this will be the new version and I hope to you all like how's it going so far.

I mentioned there would be several major changes in character. Well, Kenai is now an Earth/Metalbender and the son of Lin, which makes him Kenai Beifong… I know, right? I wasn't expecting this either, but I liked the idea of it. Plus it makes it easier to explain where he comes from, which is one of the things that I couldn't quite explain in "the element of freedom". Sozu will also make an appearance soon, although the Raven Eagle is no longer a Raven Eagle. Now, Sozu is a… Nah, you'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out.

By the way, I know the title of this story is kinda rubbish, but it's the best I have so far. If you any suggestion, write a review and tell me what title would fit better.

Review, Favorite & Follow.

Peace