A/N: This will be a five-part story chronicling the development of Pema and Tenzin's relationship. With appearances and conflicts in the form of Lin Beifong, of course! There doesn't seem to be a lot of Pemzin love out there, so this is my contribution. Please read and review! Next chapters on their way soon.

Pema wished she had about ten more eyes. Air Temple Island was more beautiful, more vast, and more elaborate than anything she had ever seen, and that was even if she ignored the Republic City skyline in the background. She gasped like a girl when a sky bison swooped in front of her, and a man got off its back, bowing to all the new Air Acolytes.

"Welcome," he said in a deep, calming tone. He was very tall, she noticed. The blue arrows on his forehead and hands marked his status as an airbending master. He wore a short brown beard over his strong chin, and his warm blue eyes were shadowed by heavy brows. When he smiled at them all, Pema couldn't help but blush and look away. "I am Tenzin. I am glad you have all shown such interest in learning the ways of the Air Nomads. You don't have to be an airbender to be a part of this culture. It has ancient roots and traditions. Here, we value peace and harmony, understanding the truths in the world around us… and our place in it."

It was a fine introduction, full of meaning. Pema could tell that Tenzin truly cared about the ideals he would teach them. Suddenly, from behind him, the sky bison gave a great burp, so long and loud that the ground itself rumbled. All of the new Air Acolytes started laughing, even more so when Tenzin, red-faced, glared at the unconcerned animal. At last he sighed.

"Well. With that, let me give you a tour."

Falling into step at the back of the group, Pema had to strain her neck so she could keep him in sight. She could barely hear his voice, but listened with keen interest anyway as he showed them the Meditation Pavilion, the dormitories and homes, and Air Temple artifacts. It was all well and good, but they moved on so fast. Pema wished she had more time to explore and study every inch of the place.

Another girl touched Pema's elbow and smiled. "He's a handsome man to have for a teacher, isn't he?"

Pema giggled. "Oh, I wouldn't know. Isn't he old?"

"Oh, come on," said the other girl. "He's in his thirties, that's not old. That's just… mature."

They giggled again. "I'm Pema," she said, extending her hand.

"I'm Tashi," said the other girl, flipping her short, dark hair out of her face. "Nice to meet you!"

Listening to Tashi whisper humorous commentary alongside Tenzin's stoic descriptions, Pema couldn't stop smiling. She was right, after all – Tenzin was handsome. Pema had a friend by her side and a beautiful place to live… At that moment, she couldn't have asked for anything else.

At first, it seemed like all they did was meditate. Every morning, a bell's toll woke them at the crack of dawn and they met Tenzin at the Meditation Pavilion, where he was always already seated, waiting for them. He explained how to meditate in a very slow, deep voice. Sometimes Pema would even start to doze off, it was so soothing.

"Relax your body, and then you can relax your mind," she heard, right above her. "Sometimes you don't have to think. Only feel." If it hadn't been for his hands on her shoulders, pressing them down, she might have jumped – she hadn't even heard him move, and he was right next to her! Pema tried to remember everything he'd said about calming breaths, but it was only once he walked away to help someone else that she really started to breathe again.

It was easy to lose track of time on Air Temple Island. They were so disconnected from the outside world – that was part of the goal, of course, and Pema appreciated it. Tenzin left sometimes for his council duties, but other than seeing the skyline and hearing the noise, the Acolytes hadn't yet experienced anything of Republic City. Tashi kept telling Pema that they should sneak out there sometime – everyone does it! – but Pema was perfectly content to stay where she was.

Even after so long here, Pema still didn't feel like she'd seen enough. Not like she wanted to, anyway. Tenzin's descriptions weren't too short, necessarily, but there was only so much that could be described in words. And though she'd done some of her exploring with Tashi, her friend's eager, quick attitude meant they were usually doing more running than admiring.

So tonight she was alone. And it was glorious. Pema lingered as long as she liked, awestruck by the intricate architecture, which Tenzin had told her was more in the Southern Air Nomad style. What differentiated the different groups, she wondered? She wished she could have seen them.

Sky bison circled the tall tower, lazily riding the night's currents. Pema watched them happily for a while. They normally only bonded with airbenders, but perhaps someday she'd get to ride one.

Next she found her way to the training area, breathing a little harder than usual at the climb. Her heart skipped a beat when a ring-tailed lemur leapt over her head, swinging from one stem of bamboo to another. It whipped around and fixed her with its wide, dark eyes, sniffing warily.

Pema laughed. "You startled me, little one," she said, extending her hand. "How are you?"

It nestled its nose briefly against her palm but, finding she held no food, shortly flew away. The lemurs here were pretty spoiled. Pema peered through the edge of the bamboo forest. No one was around. Stepping into the starlight, Pema approached the ancient gates.

The pattern always the same, but each panel was still unique, as different as the trees they were made from. Though she was no airbender, Pema could feel a calm sort of power when she was here, a place so steeped in history and culture. It was like a warm blanket around her shoulders, or her favorite pair of shoes. Familiar, comforting, reliable.

"Pema?"

She literally jumped as she spun around. "Master Tenzin?" she gasped. "I'm sorry, I… I know I shouldn't be here…"

"Why shouldn't you be?" he said graciously. "I was just surprised to see you, that's all."

"Sorry." She looked down at her feet, but Tenzin just laughed. When she felt his hand on her shoulder, she looked up.

"I'm glad to see someone so interested in the history of this place," he said. "Sometimes even I get so caught up in the furor of city life that I forgot how beautiful it can be here, especially at night.

Pema nodded fervently. "It is," she said. "I wish I could know more about it. About everything here."

"Well, I certainly have stories to tell about these," Tenzin said pointedly. "My father taught me airbending here. I learned quickly, but there were some disasters at first. I must have stumbled through these gates a hundred times…"

As he continued to tell tales and answer all her many questions, Pema realized for the first time how easy it was to talk to him. Every other time he was near and they'd had brief conversations, always in groups, her heart would beat a little bit ahead of pace. He was their mentor, after all, and handsome in his way. But this was pleasant. She didn't feel nervous anymore. Just happy.

They talked well into the night, sitting cross-legged on the training pavilion. Every now and then a breeze would rustle the gates, the noise like muffled chimes. Finally Pema drew up the courage to ask, "Can you show me? How you go through the gates, I mean."

Smiling, Tenzin rose, and with a twirl of his arms, the panels were spinning so fast Pema could barely even see them. Tenzin took a few deep breaths and stepped inside. Oddly anxious for him, though she knew she had no reason, Pema jumped up and followed his passage around the circle, awed. He was a tall, well-built man; she had never known he could move with such grace. Not a single splinter touched the fabric of his robe. Straining to see through the spinning boards, Pema watched as his whole body swayed and turned with the rhythm of the wind, his eyes closed, his expression peaceful.

He came out of the boards with one final spin, and Pema was waiting for him. "You aren't dizzy?" she asked, and he only laughed.

"When you move with the wind, you change direction at a moment's notice, like it's nothing, like you are the wind. The movement is not something you do. The movement is you."

Pema didn't quite understand the distinction. Before she could ask, though, Tenzin gave a great gasp.

"It's almost daybreak?!" he exclaimed, sounding as shocked as if the sun's rays peering over the hill were a wildfire. "I had no idea – Pema, we must get to the Meditation Pavilion –if I'm not there, I'll never hear the end of it…"

Hiding a smile with her hand, Pema ran behind him down the hill. Luckily, they made it to the pavilion on time; none of the other acolytes were there yet. Tenzin took his usual place in the center, hurriedly brushing bamboo leaves off his shoulders and straightening his robes. He opened one eye to make sure Pema looked as still and innocent as he did. Pema gave him a quick nod.

The other air acolytes trickled in, surprised perhaps to see Pema already there, but as it was meditation, no one could comment. Tashi did elbow Pema and wink, but Pema ignored her.

"Who's that?" Pema asked one day, pointing to the tall, black-haired woman walking beside Tenzin one afternoon. She looked rather stern and grim.

"That's Police Chief Lin Beifong," Tashi said. "She's Toph Beifong's daughter. You know, Avatar Aang's friend who helped win the Hundred Year War? Her daughter's the head of police and security forces in Republic City."

"Oh," said Pema. She watched curiously as Tenzin gestured excitedly around at the newest building on Air Temple Island, the expanded library. "I've never seen him so energetic before."

Lin Beifong was only grim-faced, at least, when she wasn't smiling. But she did smile a little now, a short glance at Tenzin, and looked rather sweet for it. Then Tenzin's arm was around her shoulders, and her face was hidden as she turned into him for a kiss.

"Oh," said Pema again.

"Apparently they've been on and off for years," said Tashi, crossing her arms and frowning. "They've been friends since they were kids, after all. But still. He's like a pile of putty in her hands. That's not healthy."

They had long since grown out of the days where they would giggle over handsome men, or tease each other for their crushes, but there was something a little too knowing in Tashi's eyes as she glanced over at Pema. Pema stuck her tongue out at her friend.

"If they're happy, more power to them," she said firmly. And she did mean it. But all the same, she couldn't help but think that she didn't like Lin Beifong very much.