Maintaining the Balance: Ch. 16

Situated at a convergence point between the four nations, specifically within Yue Bay, Republic City was the heart and capital of the United Republic.

Despite being founded by Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko mere decades prior, Republic City had an ever-growing population that numbered in the millions. It accepted immigrants from all Four Nations, and, as a result, it had quickly risen to become one of the largest and most modern cities in the entire world.

Before the creation of Republic City, the Four Nations had always been divided. Technology advanced at a snail's pace, and depending on the circumstances of your birth, most people were forced into specific jobs and duties from which they had no hope of escaping.

With Republic City promising peace, prosperity, and, most importantly, opportunities for all, countless people migrated to what was once a Fire Nation Colony known as Cranefish Town. There, they worked together to build what many hoped to become a Utopia, a place where everyone was given fair and equal treatment regardless of whether they were a Bender.

Though Republic City ultimately failed to become a Utopia, it did manage to secure its place as the center of urban industrialization, technological advancement, and capitalism.

While many nations still used carriages to get around, Republic City's streets were filled with vehicles ranging from the ever-popular Satomobile to the recently developed Satocycle. If you turned your eyes skyward, it was possible to find airships flying about while the ports were filled with cargo ships whose size dwarfed common sense.

For a time, it seemed like nothing could stop the United Republic's rise as the most modern and powerful nation in the entire world. Unfortunately, as was often the case when opportunities were aplenty, they were quickly seized by the most opportunistic, often despotic individuals. Republic City started as a city where anyone could succeed if they were willing to work hard. Now, in just a few short decades, it had become yet another place where the rich and powerful gamed the system at the expense of virtually everyone else.

Despite having numerous specialized police forces, Republic City was overrun with criminal enterprises, violent gangs, and burgeoning political factions that often had ties with both. It was just a single city yet had a crime rate that exceeded the combined crime rate of every other city in the world.

Though Republic City had been founded as a place where cultures could coexist alongside one another, it had now become a place where people were looked down upon for having lingering attachments to their cultural heritage. In more modern times, there was even a push to outlaw all non-professional Bending within the city. Some of the more extremist groups even believed that Benders should be imprisoned or outright executed so that they could no longer endanger others. Bending was seen as a relic of the past, so, as Republic City continued to blaze a path towards a future it had no sight of, some groups wanted to do everything they could to erase it from existence...

...

..

.

Located near the mouth of Yue Bay, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, was the comparably peaceful Air Temple Island.

During the Hundred-Years War, nearly every Air Nomad had been hunted down and killed by the Fire Nation. By the time Avatar Aang was released from his ice prison, he was, as far as most people knew, the last surviving Airbender.

Shortly after the birth of Tenzin, Aang's only Airbending child, Air Temple Island was founded as a bastion to protect and train future Airbenders. To that end, it was structured in much the same way as a fortress. A single path led up to the Air Nomad Compound, while the rest of the island, sans a small beach leading to a large shipping dock, was surrounded by steep, nearly insurmountable cliffs.

Unless they were an abnormally skilled Air or Earthbender, sneaking into Air Temple Island was remarkably difficult. Even if you did, you would find yourself beset and detained by White Lotus Sentries. Tenzin was an Elder within the organization, so, for the sake of his family and protecting Korra, he had allowed them to build a barracks, a safe house, and several sentry towers around the island.

When Kahn first saw Air Temple Island from above, two thoughts entered his mind. The first was that it was incredibly stunning, almost like a sacred holy ground or religious sanctuary. The second was that, despite its outer beauty, it gave off the impression of a military outpost or prison.

"What do you think, Kahn? For the next couple of years, this will be your home."

Shaking his head, Kahn's expression remained his usual mask of calm as he said, "No, this is your home. I'm just a guest."

"Hmm...I see..."

Not sure what else to say, Tenzin just stroked his beard as a group of Air Acolytes, Avatar Aang's former Fanclub, rushed over to greet him and his family. They also welcomed Kahn, but only because Tenzin presented him as a Master and an important guest.

Representing the group of Air Acolytes was a skinny man in his late sixties named Shung. He was dressed in the traditional, monk-like robes of an Air Nomad, and, though it wasn't strictly necessary, he preferred to keep his head cleanly shaven, a common trend amongst male Acolytes.

Upon hearing Tenzin refer to Kahn as a Master, Shung's eyes widened in surprise as he remarked, "How fascinating. Except for the Avatar, I don't think I've ever met such a young Master. You must be a truly exceptional young man, Master Kahn. Welcome to Air Temple Island."

Cupping his hands together in the manner reserved for greeting Masters, Shung led the other Air Acolytes in bowing towards Kahn. Regardless of their age, a Master, at least within polite society, was always treated with respect.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Kahn returned the group's gesture but ultimately chose to remain silent. He wasn't particularly fond of talking to new people, not because he was an introvert, but because he didn't want even more people pestering him for answers. He would rather be viewed as an aloof, indifferent individual than someone who could be approached and questioned at the convenience of others.

While continuing to caress his beard, Tenzin said, "Please have someone show Master Kahn to the Men's Dormitory. He will be stay-"

Before Tenzin could finish speaking, his wife, Pema, elbowed him in the ribs, declaring, "Kahn will be staying with us. He's Jinora's teacher, and I could use his help around the house."

"But, sweetheart..."

Though he had come to recognize and appreciate Kahn's vast knowledge, Tenzin wasn't comfortable with the thought of having the mysterious boy stay with his family. He was still coming to terms with the fact Kahn would be teaching his daughter. The idea of Kahn helping around the house and helping to raise his future children left Tenzin feeling...unsettled.

Fortunately for Tenzin, Kahn wasn't particularly enthused by the notion of becoming someone's babysitter/gopher. He assumed that living within the Men's Dormitory would afford him more time to himself, so, in response to Pema's proposal, he said, "I am in agreement with Master Tenzin on this matter. I don't mind rendering my assistance if it's necessary, but I would prefer to have a place where I can collect my thoughts without having to worry about possible interruptions."

Hearing Kahn's reasonable response, Pema puffed out her cheeks to form a slightly pouty expression. She had thought that Kahn would just go with the flow and accept living with her family. Now that he had made his case, there was little she could say or do without making it seem like she was forcing the matter.

"Kahn...?"

Thinking that Kahn was going someplace far away, Jinora began to tear up as she grabbed the hem of his shirt. Her father was rarely around due to his duties and responsibilities as a Councilman, so Kahn was one of the first people she had conversed with actively outside her family. She didn't want him to go away.

Seeing her daughter pull out the puppy eyes, Pema had to suppress the urge to give her a thumbs up. Unfortunately, even this wasn't enough to sway the stalwart Kahn, who, without any hesitation, explained, "We will have lessons between five and six days a week. You don't have to worry about me disappearing somewhere."

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Jinora promptly released her hold on Kahn's shirt. Even if Kahn only visited every other day, she would be happy. Due to her status as one of the only two Airbenders in the entire world, Jinora lived a very, very sheltered lifestyle. As a result, Kahn was her first and, until her siblings were born, only friend.

...

..

.

With her daughter giving up, Pema no longer had any leverage to try and convince Kahn to live with them. Instead, he ended up being given one of the larger rooms in the Men's Dormitory.

Though his room was pretty much empty, Kahn didn't mind. He had very few attachments to the world, and none of them were material. So long as he had a mat to sit on, clean water, and access to a stove, he could live an even more ascetic lifestyle than the Air Nomads.

Fortunately for Pema, Kahn didn't just hole himself up in his room when he wasn't teaching Jinora. Since she had mentioned needing his help around the house, he would periodically stop by to lend a hand. More often than not, this involved cleaning, babysitting Jinora, and preparing meals. Pema was between six and seven months pregnant by the time Kahn arrived on Air Temple Island, so the latter took it upon himself to handle most of the chores around the house so that she could rest.

One of the traits hardcoded into each of the Templated Avatars, not just Kahn, was an earnest desire to protect children and their mothers. Kahn had no particular attachment to Pema and her family, but that didn't stop him from helping out around the house. Over time, he even grew to enjoy the time they spent together, particularly during meals.

Though he had yet to win a single match against Rindo, Kahn had learned a lot just by competing against and observing her. Hardly a night went by where he didn't challenge her to a Shokugeki, and, as a result, his passion for cooking quickly blossomed into something more than a simple hobby.

By the time Pema was nearing the end of her pregnancy, Kahn was taking care of most of the cooking. This led to an amusing incident where Tenzin praised his wife's skill only to learn that Kahn had been the one preparing dinner. The look on the middle-aged Airbender's face when his wife was staring at him with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes quickly became one of Kahn's fonder memories.

Fortunately for Pema, Kahn didn't stop helping out once she had given birth to her second daughter, an adorable, potato-like infant named Ikki. Helping out around the house had already become a habit by then, and he had learned to enjoy cooking to the point that he would sometimes travel to the White Lotus Outpost to help prepare meals.

Over time, Kahn gradually became an extended member of the Airbending family. Even Tenzin had come to sincerely appreciate him after seeing the incredible progress of his daughter. Jinora had always been a prodigy, but Tenzin hadn't been able to nurture her talent due to his commitments as a Councilman of the United Republic.

Under Kahn's tutelage, Jinora was able to master an Airbending technique that hadn't been seen in more than four thousand years, flight. He taught her how to sense Chi, infuse it into her eyes, and perceive the air currents produced by Flying Bison calves. By training alongside newborn bison as they learned from their parents, it wasn't long before Jinora was able to glide and eventually fly short distances. Once she matured, built up a bit of stamina, and increased her overall Chi reserves, she would be able to fly much, much further.