Title: A Chance Encounter

Rating: T for swearing. Could go to M later for violence.

Pairing: Eventual TahnoxKorra (Tahorra)

AN: Going to cross post this on tumblr. Inspired by a lack of AU fan fictions where Korra meets Tahno and the Wolfbat's first instead of the Fire Ferrets. Be warned I am a slow person when it comes to updating...

Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once

~Lillian Dickson

Being on Air Temple Island was no different than being back at the South Pole in the training facility where she had been kept after the White Lotus discovered that she was the Avatar. She was being confined just like she had been before except there were no walls this time. This time it was just Tenzin and his rules that were repressing her freedom while the White Lotus guards kept their eyes on her every move. They were keeping her caged up, like a poor little fragile turtleduck that had lost its mother. She wasn't fragile and she wasn't something that needed to be guarded, she was the Avatar and if she wanted to go out and see Republic City then she would find a way.

She had watched the guards patrol outside her dormitory for the past few hours. It was funny how the air nomads had lived, with men and women separated and that Avatar Aang decided to continue that tradition. In any case she noticed that every few hours the guards would have a shift change and her room was unguarded for a brief moment. That would be all she would need to sneak out and get away from this new prison. She had turned the light off in her room hours ago and Naga, her faithful companion, was sound asleep on the floor of her room. Now, she was just waiting for the current guard, she wanted to say his name was Yakul or something like that, to leave. She watched him patrol from a small crack in her window.

It was only a few minutes later that he eventually left and that was all she needed. In a few seconds she had jumped and maneuvered like an acrobat to the courtyard in front of the building. From there is was a quick run to the edge of the island. She leapt off the cliff and quickly bended the water below to catch her. Her plan was going perfectly and it wasn't long before she came up to the reason she had escaped.

The Pro-bending arena.

With a quick twist of her arms she created a vortex that carried her up to the upper level of the arena. She didn't have any money and she was sure that just because she was the Avatar they wouldn't let her in for free. Money was something she had never grown up with. Things had just been provided for her. It might be a good idea to speak with Tenzin about potentially getting an allowance or some money that she could use.

'Its just a one time thing,' Korra told herself, 'I won't be making a habit of this.'

She spun the remaining water from her clothes and then wiped the excess water from her hair and set off down the dark hallways of the arena. However as she was searching for the entrance to the actual stadium portion her luck ran out. She rounded a corner and ran right into a tall, muscular, and beefy man. She noticed the words imprinted in his uniform, security. She felt her heart drop in her stomach like a dead weight.

'Oh, spirits!' she cursed to herself, 'Why now? I was so close.' The security guard looked down at her with narrowed eyes and grabbed her arm. Korra stopped herself from attacking the guard, as that would have and should have been her first reaction.

"What are you doing back here?" he commanded. If his looks were intimidating then his voice added to that factor. Korra felt her face flush and she quickly tried to think of a good excuse.

"I was looking for the bathroom," that was the first thing that slipped from her mouth and it was stupid at that. The guard raised an eyebrow at her and his face changed from annoyed to infuriated.

"I'm going to have to ask that you show me your ticket, ma'am," he wasn't asking for it he was demanding and then added, "I would hate to have to remove you from the premises, permanently, for sneaking into the arena. I hope you understand." Korra was frozen to the spot. Her heart pounded in her chest and she was certain the guard could feel it from the tight grasp he had on her arm. She was in deep trouble this time. They would really kick her out forever if she couldn't pull a ticket out of thin air?

She briefly thought about running from the guard and returning to the island but then she remembered he had grabbed her arm. She could fight her way out, but that would be a really bad idea. The avatar fighting an innocent worker because she had snuck into the Pro-bending arena, that would be all over the newspaper.

"Um, well you see there is a slight problem," she started to say. That was until she felt an arm snake around her waist and a body press up against her back. She immediately tensed and felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"There you are my little turtleduck," the man sang in a drawled tone and she could feel his breath against her neck, "you should know better than to wonder off." She had yet to see the man that was touching her but she was grateful that he was coming to her rescue. However, she wanted to punch his face in for touching her in that manner. Who the hell did he thing he was?

"Tahno," the security guard had a razor sharp voice this time, "I hope this isn't another woman you have brought to the arena? Did you even get clearance from the manager?" he asked as he slowly let go of Korra's arm. The man, Tahno, pulled her closer to him and farther away from the guard.

"It must have slipped my mind, but you could see why?" he then touched her shoulder and ran a slender finger down her arm, "She does have a way of making anyone forget their, priorities."

The guard's face at the moment was priceless. He turned sharply and left the two of them alone. Korra didn't waste anytime removing herself from Tahno's grasp. Which he didn't resist to at all.

"Now look here!" she shouted and pointed a finger at his face. She stopped for a split second to look at him. He was a pale and lanky man, with cold eyes, a sharp face, and hair that would make any girl jealous. "You had no right to touch," she was cut off however as he again invaded her personal space and placed a hand over her mouth.

"Now is that any way to thank your savior," he whispered, "I thought you would be more appreciative of what I did for you. I could have just watched as someone as beautiful as you was kicked out." Tahno released her and she quickly moved away from him again. She sighed.

'I have to agree with him,' she thought, 'He did save me from that whole mess. Wait, did he just call me beautiful?' She looked up at him and he seemed to be waiting for her answer.

"Fine, pretty boy," she said in annoyance, "But lets just get this straight. You will not touch me like that ever again!" Tahno's face had the hungriest looking smirk on it as he held up his hands.

"I will try to be civil," he drawled, "but could I at least know the name of the maiden I have saved?" This guy was quickly making her regret that she had snuck out. It might have been better if security had kicked her out.

"Korra," she answered sharply and crossed her arms.

"Well, Korra," he emphasized her name, "will you allow me to escort you to your seat?"

"Fine" she answered. Tahno again invaded her personal space and placed his hand in the small of her back. She quickly glared at him but this didn't seem to faze him at all.

"Right this way," he said. Tahno then lead her out of the hallways, keeping his hands on her but in less flustering places. She was on edge the entire time. They walked in silence and Korra thought for a second Tahno had played her. That he was just leading her to someplace other than the arena.

Then she heard Tahno chuckle slightly next to her and ask her, "You must be new around here or are you just playing the role of a naïve lost girl?"

She should have taken it as an insult but she didn't, "Um, I sort of just moved to Republic City. Why does that matter?" she asked him.

"You really have no idea who I am do you?" he stopped.

She groaned, "Why does that matter?" she snapped at him for not answering her question. He continued to lead her on until he stopped in front of a door.

"Trust me my little turtleduck, it does matter," he then opened the door and lead her in. "Here are our seats, the best seats in the house. Front row to watch the best pro-bending team to ever play in Republic City: The White Falls Wolfbats."

Korra rushed forward, her eyes wide with excitement as she took in the sight before her. She hardly noticed that she had walked into the railing until she looked down. She jumped but continued to survey the area: the stadium, the locker room, everything.

"Whoa," she gasped. Tahno had slid next to her, leaning on the railing, arms crossed, with that hungry smirk again.

"I take it you are enjoying the sights," he asked. She failed to get the hidden message in his voice.

"Its amazing!" then it hit her, "Wait, you're Tahno of the White Falls Wolfbats? The three-time champions?"

"Glad to see that you aren't a complete naïve little turtleduck," he said with a little lackluster in his voice.

"Tahno," another voice called. She had failed to realize that there might have been others in the room. "If you haven't noticed we have a problem," Korra could catch the hint in the man's voice. She was a distraction and she wasn't wanted there. Tahno looked around the room and his eyes widened and the cocky expression washed off his face immediatly.

"Where is Shaozu?" he said with a little fear.

"I haven't seen him in days," the other man replied, "He could have gotten fed up with your attitude at the last practice."

"Shit! We don't have time to wait for that emotional Firebender to show up when he feels like it," Tahno snapped.

"Maybe if you had been here earlier, instead of finding your newest floozy fan, we could have found him or a replacement," the man retorted. He called her a prostitute? Did he think that Tahno and her were going? Was he blaming him for messing up their team?

"Have the refs warned us yet?" Tahno asked and the man nodded, "How much time?" his voice was desperate.

"They should be coming any second to disqualify us," those words cut into Tahno like a waterwhip. Then without thinking Korra piped up.

"I could help," she said in a quiet tone. The two turned and looked at her like she had grown another head. Tahno gave her a look of doubt.

"Sorry sweetie, but we don't need a Waterbender. We are down a Firebender. So unless you can magically find one soon we are out," he brushed her off.

"I'm actually a Firebender," she declared. The room was so silent you could have heard a cave hopper breath. The two men looked at her and quickly pulled her over to the lockers and pulled off her non-essential clothes and shoved the pro-bending uniform on her. She was pushed onto the platform that took them to the center of the ring. Before she could step off Tahno grabbed her elbow and whispered into her ear.

"Listen, don't you dare do anything out there that could draw attention to you. Just sit back and Ming and I will finish this match. Got it?" it was like one second Tahno was flirting with her and the next he was telling her what to do.

"You got it, captain," she grumbled. He couldn't have been a little nicer about it. It's not like she was going to cost them the match. She pushed her helmet on, got into a fighting stance, and waited for the ref to start the match.