Thanks, Jessica-Maria, VividDreamer! And Pesut sure had it coming, wouldn't you say? XD I really appreciate that. Thanks.

I think-VividDreamer, you put it the right way-when I wrote that last chapter and the one before it, I felt Katara was still imbued with the sense of mission of taking care of the next Avatar, to the point where she didn't want to start any trouble with the White Lotus unless she had to. There was plenty more she could have told Pesut and the others, plenty more she could have said about the methods he and the rest of the White Lotus chose to raise the Avatar, but it was better to keep things focused on what she did when she was that age and what she felt was needed. But boy... she was tired of dealing with that, I know that much. XD I still don't understand why the White Lotus did what they did, intentionally developing story flaws in Korra aside, and how they went from the secret society Uncle Iroh led to the hidebound inside-the-box bunch Katara faced is... well, worthy of fanfic exploration. XD One of these days, maybe.

Speaking of more things that could have been said... I hate deadlines. XD I have a few more ideas for what might happened during Korra's "bringing up", but with Korra's Season 2 bearing down on us... they'll have to wait. I'll keep you posted. I'll either tack them on here or put them in my "Korra Wanderings" thread, I'm not sure yet. Certainly there's more to tell about Korra's growing-up period.

In the meantime, I'd like to thank everyone who read my story, everyone who followed it, and most especially everyone who told me what they thought of it. I can't tell you how much I value that. Thank you very much, everyone.

And now... our conclusion.

16: Lowest Point

The only time Katara had tried harder to heal someone was when she had healed Aang after the disaster in Old Ba Sing Se. This time she had tried… and had failed.

She knew what had happened, she knew how, she knew who had done it, and it all came down to that decision she made years ago to not teach Korra Bloodbending. If she had, then maybe…

Maybe…

If she had simply killed Hama on the spot to prevent the spread of her vicious knowledge… but no. Yakone had learned, possibly from Hama, his son had learned, and now…

The bending Korra seemed born with—Water, Earth, and Fire—was gone, at Amon's hands. The child of Yakone had taken his revenge on the Avatar and stripped Korra of her bending, and Korra, not knowing how to Bloodbend, could do nothing. Nor too, now, could Katara.

They had gotten news occasionally from Republic City at the South Pole, and that had been a wild emotional ride. Korra had sent a telegram to her through Tenzin to say she had arrived safely in the City and was now training in Airbending; that had been a load off Katara's mind and a source of great joy for days.

Reports came from Tenzin on Korra's Airbending progress (or more accurately, lack of), news of Korra's joining the Fire Ferrets and the coming Pro-Bending tournament… whispers of what the Equalists were, and the threat they posed… Tenzin's frustrations with Korra and with Tarrlok's non-Bender alienating tactics…

The Pro-Bending tournament. The finals. Amon's threat. The strike of the Equalists in the face of all the police Republic City could bring to bear. An ominous silence. Then, war in Republic City. The defeat of General Iroh's fleet.

The last message: a quick telegram from Tenzin saying everyone was safe and the city was secured, but "We are coming to the South Pole. Please prepare. Amon took Korra's bending."

Now this.

"It's going to be all right, Korra," Tenzin said reassuringly.

"No." Korra. Lifeless. Defeated. "It's not."

Korra took her coat from the hook by the door and went out, dejected. Katara watched her go along with all the others. When Mako went after Korra, Katara turned back, went into the healing room, closed the door… and sank to her knees.

She wept.

Hot, angry, bitter tears spilled down her face. She raged at Amon for violating Korra's essence. If she had been there, she would have faced that defiler, met his Bloodbending with even greater strength, and broken him rather than allow—

Allow him to take away something from Korra so innate to who she was, to destroy and deny everything she was meant to be.

She cried for Korra's grievous loss. She cried for her decision to withhold what might have saved her, for the life that Korra now faced as a broken Avatar…

Then she noticed there was a glow in the room. A blue glow.

Sadly she turned toward it. "Aang..." She swallowed, clearing her throat. "Korra's lost her bending… somehow that… that Amon took it from her…"

She couldn't look at him. His feet, yes, but to look into her husband's eyes and tell him that she had failed, that she had failed so terribly to protect Korra with just one wrong decision—

Then she slowly realized: if Aang were here, there might be another reason why.

Her eyes widened with fear. "No. Oh, no." She looked up. "No, Aang, please tell me Korra didn't take her own—"

He was speaking. Distraught, she missed what he had said, but after he finished, he smiled. Gently.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry… Aang, say that again, please. I couldn't read your lips well enough."

Another smile. Bigger. Warmer.

I said, don't worry. Korra's still alive.

Katara exhaled and came to her knees. "Good. Oh, good. I was afraid… afraid she had…"

No. Not if I can help it.

"Not if you can help it?" Katara looked at him, puzzled, despite her recent horror. "What are you going to do? Can she see you now?"

That big smile turned into a big grin.

Katara. Do you really think that son of Yakone can outbend an Avatar?

With that, he faded, leaving Katara alone in the room.

Alone, and puzzled. Confused. I mean, if I can't heal her, she thought, then how—

Suddenly, it came to her.

She rose, rushed to the door, and burst into the common room.

Bolin, Asami, Lin, and the others looked up. Tenzin was surprised. "Mother?"

"Quick. Get Ugi." She smiled, full of hope. "I think something wonderful has happened."

o o o

It had been many years since Katara had ridden on the back of a sky bison, but it still had a familiar feel. That was a good omen, she thought. She, Tenzin, and Ugi flew alone, leaving the others at the compound. From the air it didn't take too long to find Korra. She and Mako were on Naga, who was racing back to the compound with all speed—also a good sign. Ugi landed in front of them, and everyone dismounted.

Katara approached them. "Korra?"

Korra smirked and flicked a snowball at her. Katara ducked, indignant. "Hey!" Then she realized that the snow came from the ground—not from Korra's hand. She had Waterbent it at Katara.

Katara cried aloud and ran and hugged a grinning Korra, then held her at arm's length. "You're all right!"

"Yes. Aang healed me. And he gave me something else, too." Korra nodded her head sideways. "Let's get Bei Fong out here. I've got some work to do."

o o o

So often during the training of Korra, Katara found herself looking back at what she had taught her, what she herself had learned in the past… often at what lessons Korra hadn't gotten right or simply hadn't gotten at all. Sometimes Korra did figure it out, sometimes she found a clever way around the obstacle, others she simply bulled her way through by sheer stubbornness or anger. Only a handful of things she couldn't master, no matter what she did, but they were there. Those proved a test in themselves. Katara had known from the outset that Avatar Korra was going to be significantly different from Avatar Aang, and in many ways. Now, Katara knew how, first-hand.

It could have been said that the mission of the Avatar remained the same down through the ages, to bring balance to the world—but that was only partly correct. Each Avatar was charged with bringing balance to the world and maintaining it, but what needed rebalancing and how it was to be done differed with every generation. Avatar Aang's tasks had been different from Avatar Roku's as Roku's had been different from Avatar Kyoshi's. Thus, Avatar Korra's missions and her methods of achieving them would be different from Aang's.

Did Korra now have the tools she needed to bring balance to the world? Not all of them by any means… not yet. But she would learn. Had Korra learned only techniques of bending and not the life experiences that went along with them? When to be flexible instead of stubborn, subtle instead of direct? To come at problems from other angles rather than head on? Katara had a feeling as to what the answer was, but Korra would learn about that too. That, or keep struggling with the same problems.

Did Korra know how to sort out her priorities? Katara smiled. That too took time to master. Even she didn't have it all down.

She had told Korra once that she didn't know if people were born at certain times for certain reasons, but that Tenzin, the most serious and the most patient Airbender she knew, was here in her time, now, to train her. So too, now, Korra had been born into this time. She was the Avatar of this generation, with her own unique skills and her own particular take on the world. That would help her in part to solve the problems she faced… but as with Aang before her, that could also get her into trouble if she wasn't careful.

Katara smiled.

And Korra would have to deal with it.

Bringing Up Korra

A wherewulf writing enterprises production

The End

Once again, I'd like to thank (and praise) Invaderk very much for being my beta/editor for this story, and my great thanks goes to Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for creating both Avatar: the Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra so we can dream in their world-as well as to all the writers, artists, and everyone else that made Avatar and Legend of Korra possible. Thank you again very much.

Also, once again, to all the readers, followers, and commenters of my story, thank you very much for letting me share with you. :D It's been a great pleasure. See you all again soon.