Stability. Patience. Timing.

Korra repeated the words like a mantra in her head as she waited for her opponent to strike. These, according to her instructors, were the fundamentals of earthbending. She could almost hear Len telling her to listen to the earth before making any moves of her own.

One of her opponents took the first move, pulling sheets of earth out of the stone slab they were sparring atop. Korra instantly recognized the motion and sunk the rock back into the ground, returning with strikes of her own.

As the duel continued, Korra made sure to display her mastery of earthbending technique- low stance, reliance on footwork, waiting for the exact moment to strike. All this knowledge had been drilled into her every day since she was 8 and had officially mastered waterbending, moving onto her second element.

After her opponents had been suitably roughed up and the training ground was a mess of earthen columns and walls, Korra turned to her instructors. She smiled. “I did good, right?”

Len, Korra’s personal earthbending instructor, smiled at her. “Excellent usage of neutral jing, young avatar. We’ll have to confer for a moment, but know that you did well.”

Korra earthbending a small stool to sit on while her instructors and guardians talked. Ever since she was discovered as the avatar, she had dedicated her life to learning the elements, and now, nine years later, she was already halfway done. She spent all her spare time training, trying to become the best avatar she could possibly be. Not that she had much choice in the matter, the world needed its avatar.

It wasn’t much of a matter, though, at least not to Korra. She couldn’t even remembrer not being the avatar. It was such a close part of her identity that she couldn’t imagine herself without it.

“Avatar Korra” Len called, bringing Korra out of her musings. He had used her ‘official title’ meaning whatever he was saying was important. “You have officially passed your earthbending exam. Congratulations.”

Despite the calm, almost grave tone of his voice, there was a tone of lightness in Len’s voice. He was proud of her.

Korra beamed. “Thank you! I- Thank you!” She found it hard to put her excitement into words. “I did it!”

“And there were rocks flying everywhere but I was just trying to keep my cool and remember what they taught me and it worked! I passed!” Korra waved her arms around as she recounted the events of her exam to Katara, her waterbending instructor.

The old woman smiled back at the young avatar, pausing cleaning the herb supply cabinets for just a moment. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to see it.”

“It’s ok, you had healing stuff to do.” Korra pulled her legs up onto the seat so she could sit more comfortably. She paused for a moment, trying to think of something else to say. “I can’t believe I did it.”

Katara looked like she was about to respond when the door to the healing hut opened and two boys walked in. They were about Korra’s age, around 13 or 14, with almost identical shoulder length haircuts. Their names were Sora and Amak, notorious for being indentical twins and the most troublesome boys in the southern water tribe. The only way Korra could tell them apart was that one of them had his hand wrapped in a makeshift sling.

“What happened?” Katara asked, abandoning her cleaning to inspect the boy’s wound.

“Sora fell down one of the cliffs by the river.” The non-injured twin explained, evidently Amak. “I told him not to.”

“You did not!” Sora retorted, blowing a raspberry at his brother. “You dared me to go.”

Katara sighed but smiled. “Sora, you can come with me and I’ll heal your arm up. Amak, you wait out here.”

Korra watched silently as Katara led Sora to the back room where the healing water was kept, then turned to Amak.

The boy looked back at her, unimpressed and bored already. “Who’re you?”

“I’m Korra.” She responded simply, somewhat awkwardly.

“I’ve never seen you around. You go to that fancy Private Waterbending Academy?”

“Uh, no.” Korra gave Amak an awkward smile “I’m the avatar!”

Amak looked Korra up and down, a look of realization dawning on his face. “Oh yeah. It’s you.”

Korra’s brow furrowed. “What, you’re jealous?”

Amak stifled a laugh. “Nope. Why would I want to be cooped up in a compound and train all day.”

“Because it’s my job?” Korra responded, heat and anger rising in her voice. “I have a duty to the world, y’know.”

Amak laughed again, stuffing his hands into his pant pockets. “Yeah, get back to me on that saving the world thing when you’ve been anywhere but your house, the compound and the healing hut.”

As if on some sort of cue, Katara walked back into the room, accompanied by a freshly healed Sora. Although his arm was still bandaged, he definitely looked better.

Korra was grateful for the woman’s presence. She didn’t know what she would’ve done if Amak had kept taunting her like that.

“Now, don’t you two get hurt again.” Katara advises the two boys as the buttoned up their coats and left. “I don’t want to see either of you here for another week.”

After the twins were gone, Katara turned back to the young avatar. “Korra, are you alright.”

Korra nodded, the enthusiasm gone from her voice. “Yeah. It’s getting pretty late, though, I should probably get home.”

Before leaving the healing hut, Korra gave Katara a goodbye hug.

Korra couldn’t focus on her food. It was delicious- her mom had prepared her favorite dish in celebration of Korra passing her earthbending exam, but all Korra could do was pick at it.

“Are you alright?” Senna asked her daughter, putting a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve barely eaten any of your noodles.”

Korra shrugged and continued starring at her food.

“You know you can always talk to us.” Tonraq, Korra’s father, added.

“I don’t think the other kids like me.” Korra mumbled.

“Of course they like you, Korra.” Senna responded.

“And even if they don’t, it’s not like their opinions matter in the long run.”

Korra sighed. “S’pose so...” She couldn’t take her mind off of what Amak had said, that she couldn’t save the world if she had never seen it.

“I’m gonna go on a walk.” Korra announced as she got up and walked to the door. “Bye.”

If there was any disappointment in Tonraq and Senna’s faces that their daughter had left the conversation unresolved, Korra didn’t see it.

It only got colder during the night, but Korra was used to it. The snow glistened in the moonlight, creating an ethereal landscape. Since Korra’s home was somewhat far away from the city, the sky above was clear and pollution-free, lit only by the stars and moon.

Korra sat down on a small hill and faced up at the sky. She remembered Uncle Sokka, Katara’s older brother, telling her stories about the moon spirit, and how Katara had taught her how the moon guides waterbenders with its push and pull of the tides. Seeing the moon was always comforting to Korra.

Maybe Amak was right, Korra thought. But I’ll see the world someday. And one day, I’m gonna save the world.