Maintaining the Balance

"We believe it's in Korra's best interest if you came and stayed in Republic City."
Though he had been expecting something like this, Kahn couldn't help furrowing his brows ever so slightly in response to Tenzin's words, asking, "How so...?" in a flat, almost threatening tone.
Feeling the hairs of his beard bristle, Tenzin forced a smile as he combed through it with his right hand and stated, "While your presence has been a positive influence on Korra, she needs time away from you to develop her independence. You have said, time and again, that your purpose here is to support and protect her. At this rate, it is only a matter of time before she develops a dependence on you. If you genuinely wish for Korra to be free, you need to give her some space."
"..."
Looking away from Tenzin, Kahn met the gazes of everyone present in the room. Katara, Kya, and Toph were there, but it was the gaze of Senna that Kahn most focused on, asking, "What do you think?"
Though she had gradually come to accept Kahn, Senna couldn't prevent a wry smile from developing across her face as she answered, "I appreciate everything you've done for my daughter, Kahn. I really do. However, Korra needs to learn how to interact with and socialize with other people. Other children. There needs to be more to her life than her constant struggles to try and overcome you..."
Supporting Senna's argument, Katara explained, "Korra is far beyond the level we expected at her current age. Since many of her duties as Avatar revolve around interacting with and helping others, we have decided to let her attend a nearby non-bending academy to gain a bit of perspective on what it's like to be a non-bender. If things continue as they are, you would remain Korra's one and only friend until you're both young adults..."
Narrowing his eyes, Kahn effectively detailed the conversation by stating, "The Order of the White Lotus sponsors orphanages throughout the Four Nations to rear loyal Sentries. If Korra having children her age to play with was ever a concern, they could have imported hundreds to raise and train alongside her."
Adopting a rare frown, Katara stated, "While it is true that the Order has built numerous orphanages, they are not nearly as malicious as you make them sound. We would never force hundreds of children to migrate to the South Pole just to provide Korra with playmates."
Shaking his head, Kahn refused to comment further. He didn't care how the Order of the White Lotus procured new Sentries. His only goals thus far were protecting Korra and opening up a restaurant that specialized in preparing dishes using ingredients from the Spirit World. The food in the Actualized World of Avatar wasn't bad, but Kahn couldn't help feeling as though it could be better. Once the Harmonic Convergence occurred, he would have access to all kinds of ingredients that could cure illnesses and even extend a person's lifespan by several decades. It would take some time, but he intended to completely revolutionize and rebuild the culinary arts from the ground up.
"It doesn't matter. Even if you use logic and reasoning to try and convince me, the only person who can get me to leave is Korra. You may think you know best, but that's just arrogance. I was created by a being that could erase this world from existence with a thought. He even provided me with knowledge of the future, yet, even with it, I can't say for sure what's best for Korra. All I know for certain is that I want to protect her smile. Tell me, what kind of expression do you think she would make if I suddenly up and left? For some strange reason, I don't think it would be a smile."
Though his expression remained neutral, everyone present could tell Kahn was angry. He was, very clearly, not pleased with them.
"Kahn..."
Exhaling a sigh, Katara promptly decided against trying to convince him and instead turned to Senna, asking, "Can you go and get Korra? While I support our original decision, I can't help seeing things from Kahn's point of view. Even if our intentions are pure, we shouldn't be making decisions about Korra's life without her being present. She may only be nine years old, but she is the Avatar."
Nodding her head, Senna promptly departed the room to go and retrieve Korra. As for everyone else, they were forced to stand around and endure the rather tense atmosphere. Kahn was also only nine years old, but the aura he exuded when angry left them feeling as though they were locked in a cage with an apex predator.
In an attempt to reduce tensions, though it certainly didn't seem like it, Toph crossed her arms and remarked, "You're even more of a blockhead than Rokr, and he turned into a statue. It's not like we were asking you to separate and never meet again. If anything, you traveling to Republic City would have spurred Korra to train harder. You need to stop babying her so much."
"..."
Though Toph was blind, Kahn found himself averting his eyes from her gaze, repeating, "It doesn't matter...even if I were to accept your logic, it wouldn't change the fact that I would be doing something to harm Korra. Unless she is okay with us being separated, I have no intention of going anywhere..."
Rolling her eyes, Toph didn't hesitate to retort, "Yeah, yeah, we get it. You care about your beloved Korra. Man, you two aren't even married yet, and you're already whipped worse than a Goat Dog raised in captivity..."
"..."
Refusing to dignify Toph's words with a response, Kahn sat on the ground and decided to meditate until Korra's arrival. This action nearly resulted in Toph forcing him to stand with a blunted earth spike, but she managed to resist the urge thanks to a nudge and a shake of the head from Katara...
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"Korra...Korra...wake up, sweetheart..."
Hearing her mother's voice, Korra awoke to find its owner staring at her with a concerned expression on her face.
"Mom...? Did something happen...?"
Rising to a seated position, Korra did her best to force herself awake until Senna caressed her head, saying, "Nothing like that...I just wanted to ask you something..." in a soothing tone.
Tilting her head to the side, Korra resisted the temptation to rub the sleep from her eyes as she asked, "What is it?"
Sweeping away a few stray hairs from Korra's face, Senna forced a smile as she asked, "What do you think of Kahn?"
Though she was a little confused by the sudden question, Korra didn't need to think about her response before answering, "He's a smelly, know-it-all jerk, but *yaaaaawn~* but I really like him. He's my best friend. And one of these days, I'm going to...going to...beat him..."
Dozing off towards the end of her statement, Korra nestled against her mother with a contented smile on her face. She felt that her mother was behaving strangely, but after a long day of playing and celebration, she was too tired to care about the reason.
Exhaling a sigh, Senna gently caressed her daughter's head before lying her back down. She didn't have the heart to wake her a second time, so, after watching her daughter sleep for a few minutes, she got up to inform the others they would talk first thing in the morning.
What Senna didn't know was that Kahn's Astral Form had been watching the interaction between her and Korra. He typically only used said form to spy on the Order of the White Lotus or search outside the compound, but, fearing Senna might try and manipulate Korra into chasing him away, Kahn went against his own rules and decided to listen in on their conversation.
Feeling a little guilty, Kahn lowered his head in shame before preparing to return to his body. Before he could, he noticed the figure of Senna frozen at the entrance of Korra's room, seemingly frozen in time.
"Wha-"
Interrupting Kahn's reflective remark, a hand plopped down on his head as the voice of a man teased, "You're a lot more uptight than I expected. Loosen up a little. Learn to relax and enjoy life."
Jerking his head away from the hand, Kahn turned around, an expression of shock coloring his face as he found the man that had created him, Vahn Aldrnari Mason, standing less than a meter away.
Though he was capable of changing his shape and size, the current Vahn was around 190cm tall with a head of wild brown hair, glowing aquamarine eyes, tanned skin, and handsome features that would make most women, even Goddesses, gawk like a young maiden before their idol. Kahn would never describe the man as perfect, but it was remarkably difficult to find so much as a single flaw in Vahn's appearance or demeanor.
Amused by Kahn's reaction, a resonating chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he pulled out a brilliant, rainbow-hued crystal and explained, "I may have been a little hasty while designing your Template. It was never my intention to make you a tagalong or selfless guardian for Korra. I just wanted you to keep her safe and prevent the White Lotus from grooming her into a convenient tool."
Tossing the crystal over to Kahn, Vahn's figure began to blur along the edges as he added, "That's a baby version of Rindo's Ultimate Culinary God System. The genuine article would be a little too overpowered, so I removed the Quest Function and modified it so that its primary purpose is to process and store ingredients. You can think of it as a sort of Inventory with extra benefits."
Staring between his Creator and the gently pulsating crystal in his hands, Kahn was a genuine loss for words. Unfortunately, Vahn didn't appear to have the intention of waiting around. Instead, half his figure disappeared into the void as he said, "I removed the parameter that compelled you to behave a certain way. With the amount of time you've spent in the Spirit World, I doubt you'll have any substantial issues. Still, you should expect to experience some puberty-like mood swings until your body and mind reharmonize. Try not to be so edgy in the future, okay?"
Finished with what he had to say, Vahn waved his hand before promptly disappearing into the void. He usually wouldn't interfere like this, but he couldn't just ignore Kahn after seeing how standoffish the young Avatar was becoming. After all, it was more than a little his fault. Loi-chan may have distracted him, but that wasn't a valid excuse. He should have paid more attention when he was preparing Kahn's Template.
Fortunately, the Actualized Worlds were essentially just fiction from the perspective of Vahn and anyone viewing them from the outside. He had seen the person Kahn would become and taken action to prevent it. Now, so long as no unexpected changes occurred, he would be a heck of a lot happier than the Dark Avatar that had shoe-horned himself into being the counterbalance of the Light...
Unaware of the radical changes Vahn had made during his relatively short stay, Kahn just stood in silence for several minutes before exhaling a sigh and implanting the pulsating crystal into his chest. A sensation similar to sinking into a warm bath enveloped his body as a soft, almost mechanical whirring sound began to emanate from the back of his mind. Kahn tried to focus on it, but a gentle, soothing, and distinctly feminine voice disrupted his thoughts, asking, "Oh my, you're a little cutie, aren't you~?" in a mischievous, almost feline-sounding tone.

"I will go to Republic City."
Surprised by Kahn's sudden change in tone and behavior, Katara couldn't help asking, "Did something happen? You were against the idea just a few moments ago."
Though he didn't provide any details, Kahn nodded his head, answering, "Yes." before rising to his feet and adding, "I changed my mind."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
After a moment of stunned silence, Tenzin decided to take advantage of the situation, stating, "You're welcome to stay on Air Temple Island. We have more than enough room to accommodate you."
Though he was tempted to refuse, Kahn didn't have so much as a single yuan to his name. He could always make money by traveling around and working as a mercenary, but only the nefarious and unlawful would even think of hiring a nine-year-old child. He may be setting off to start his own journey, but he didn't want to put Korra in a difficult position by increasing his infamy...at least for now.
"Very well. In exchange, I will transcribe some of my knowledge and help guide your children during their training. As one of the Five Councilmen of the United Republic, I imagine you can afford the wages of a professional tutor."
Without waiting for Tenzin's response, Kahn made his way to his bedroom. He needed to organize his thoughts, but, more importantly, he wanted to learn more about his newly acquired System.
Seeing Kahn walk away, Tenzin raised his hand to stop him but ultimately decided against it. His original plan was to convince Kahn to enroll in the Republic City Bending Academy. With Kahn's knowledge and abilities, he would quickly garner a name for himself as a prodigy. After that, not only would Kahn have an easier time finding work, he would be well on his way to climbing the sociopolitical ladder.
With Kahn's knowledge and power, it was only a matter of time until he became someone of significant import. Rokr had gone from a peasant to someone who was seriously considered for the position of Earth King by the time he was twenty-seven. If the incumbent Earth King had been the tyrant people made him out to be, the Monarchy of the Earth Kingdom, a dynasty that had persisted for thousands of years, would have ended at the hands of a single person.
While it was difficult to imagine Kahn caring about such things, getting him actively involved in politics was better than leaving him to his own devices. If he were allowed to run rampant, it wouldn't be long before he either stepped on someone's toes, resorted to vigilanteism, or became a criminal.
The curious thing about socioeconomics and politics was that the same actions committed by a crime syndicate would be ignored if perpetrated by a member of the social elite or someone holding a public office. If the White Demon, for example, had joined the Republic City Police Force as a First Grade Special Consultant, most of their activities would be regarded as meritorious deeds rather than crimes. Instead, they were considered a criminal since their actions undermined or outright embarrassed the ruling body of Republic City.
Tenzin had hoped to convince Kahn to attend the Republic City Bending Academy before recommending him to the Republic City Police Force. An ordinary person would need to wait until they were sixteen to attend the Police Academy, but Kahn essentially had four Council Members and one of the largest organizations in the entire world backing him. So long as he had the merits to support it, it wouldn't take much to convince the general public he was an exception to the rules.
With Kahn declaring his intentions from the start, Tenzin understood that changing his mind would be difficult, if not impossible. Kahn was the type of person that chose his path and stuck to it unless something forced him to change. You could make suggestions or offer advice to him, but, unless you had a very compelling reason, he would, basically, just ignore you.
"Haaaaaa..."
Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Tenzin looked toward his mother, asking, "What are we going to do with that boy? While he is incredibly mature for his age, I'm worried about his and Korra's futures. If he can't learn to care for others, I fear it's only a matter of time before a tragedy occurs..."
Shaking her head, Katara adopted one of her grandmotherly smiles as she said, "Kahn is a lot more considerate than most people think. He may be a little standoffish, but he goes out of his way to help Toph and me without being asked. I think the reason he acts the way he does is because of the way adults treat him. Around children or people who have no expectations for him, he is a lot calmer."
Supporting Katara's statement, Toph added, "Sugar Queen's right. Kahn is a brat and a half, but he's a good kid. If he were to encounter someone in need of aid, he would probably help them without stopping to think about the merits or consequences of his actions. It's honestly a good thing, but he's bound to rustle a lot of jimmies. People addicted to power absolutely hate people like Kahn. They only know how to use their status and power to benefit themselves, so they despise talented people who refuse to play the games they've rigged in their favor. It's the reason I basically told my father to shove it when he wanted me to take over the family and support Rokr's claim to the throne. Politics are stupid."
Finished with what she had to say, Toph loudly yawned before waving her hand and saying, "You've got your work cut out for you, brat. At least you don't have any hair to pull out."
With those parting words, Toph disappeared into her room at nearly the exact same moment that Senna entered to inform everyone that Korra was too tired to participate in the discussion...
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After retreating to the relative privacy of his quarters, Kahn blocked off his senses in order to focus on the faint whirring sound emanating from the back of his mind. When he did, he felt as though his consciousness was briefly sinking into an abyss of darkness before finding himself in an arena-like kitchen filled with tables, tools, and various cooking utensils.
Though he was interested in his surroundings, the thing Kahn focused on was the young woman with maroon-red hair rinsing potatoes over one of the nearby sinks. More specifically, he focused on the cat-like ears poking out of her head and the tail swaying behind her as she happily hummed a song to herself.
"Rindo...Kobayashi...?"
Hearing Kahn's voice, the Rindo-like figure's ears began to twitch as her other actions ceased. The faucet she was using suddenly turned off, so, for a very brief moment, it was like everything except for the woman's ears had frozen in time.
Just as he was about to break the silence, Kahn's instincts compelled him to leap backward, lightning enveloping his body as he took evasive action. What he never expected was for the redheaded woman to teleport behind him, the back of his head impacting her unfathomably soft breasts as she wrapped her arms around him and squealed, "Kyaaaaa~! I was wondering when you were going to stop by!"
Seemingly impervious to the lightning coursing through and across Kahn's body, the redheaded beauty enthusiastically rubbed her cheek against his with a silly, cat-like smile on her face. Kahn attempted to free himself, but she was both larger and, apparently, stronger than him.
"Let...me...go...!"
"Okay~!"
Without any hesitation whatsoever, the redhead released Kahn from her grasp. Her action was so unexpected that he nearly fell onto his bottom, but, thanks to his accelerated reaction and response time, Kahn managed to avoid embarrassing himself as he turned around, glared at the woman, and asked, "Who are you?"
Pointing at herself, the Rindo lookalike adopted an 'OwO' like expression as she answered, "I'm whoever you want me to be, cutie pie. This is just my default appearance. If you want..."
Transforming into a copy of Korra, the overly playful woman teased, "I can even look like this. My name, appearance, and the way I address you are all for you to decide. If it were up to me...I would probably go with da-na-sa-ma~?"
Though he was used to Korra staring at him with a competitive look on her face, Kahn felt extremely uncomfortable seeing the strange woman licking her lips as she eyed him with a playfully predatory expression. It would have been fine if she elected to resemble the adult Korra; Seeing a nine-year-old girl emulate such an adult expression just felt wrong.
"Never do that again..."
Reverting to her original form, albeit around the same age as Kahn, the redheaded cat woman covered her mouth and snickered playfully before responding with a playful, "Hai, hai~!"
After exhaling a sigh, Kahn took a brief moment to analyze the strange girl's current appearance. There were no natural blondes or redheads in the Actualized World of Avatar, so, even without cat ears, visible fangs, and a tail, the girl had a very exotic appearance. Even her golden eyes, a surprisingly common feature among members of the Fire Nation, gave off a unique vibe due to her slit-like pupils.
"This appearance is acceptable. As for your name...Rindo will do for now. If I'm not mistaken, that was the name mentioned by our Creator when he gave me the System Template..."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Rindo explained, "That's correct. My Ego is copy-pasted from parts of the Templated Rindo Kobayashi. Right now, I can only teach you how to cook and prepare meals. If you want to unlock my other features, you'll need to defeat me in a series of Shokugekis, food wars. Be warned, though. I won't go easy on you~!"
Thumping her now flat chest, the chibi Rindo gave off an even haughtier impression than Korra when the latter insisted she would one day defeat him. However, the roles were reversed this time as Kahn had no hope of defeating even a shadow of the Templated Rindo Kobayashi. Unless she limited herself to his approximate skill level, even the rice she prepared would exceed the taste of his most delicious dish.
Seeing Kahn's expression sour, Rindo snickered before spontaneously appearing next to him and linking her arm around his neck as she said, "You're really uptight, aren't you? It's no wonder Vahn sent me to look after you. How do you expect to cook delicious food and make people smile if you look so glum? Come. Time flows differently here than in the outside world. We also have virtually unlimited ingredients since they're all imaginary. I'll teach you how to cook something and if you do well, I'll give you access to your Inventory. Deal?"
Though he was a little annoyed by the prospect that Rindo could restrict him from accessing the functions of his System, Kahn didn't say anything. Instead, he shrugged off Rindo's arm before making his way to one of the tables to familiarize himself with the available utensils. Rindo followed him with her glistening amber eyes, her cat-like smile growing ever-wider until he turned around to say, "I challenge you to a Shokugeki..."
With the most predatory expression she had shown thus far, Rindo licked her lips before cautioning, "Careful, Kahn. While it is good to take pride in your cooking, I get bitey when people give me bad food. Are you sure you want to challenge me to a Shokugeki?"
Turning to meet Rindo's gaze, Kahn's eyes emanated a fierce glow as he said, "I have tens of thousands of years' worth of knowledge in my mind. I will confirm the distance between us directly..."
Smiling in a manner that showed off her rather prominent fangs, Rindo's expression revealed a mixture of glee and amusement as she remarked, "Oh, this is going to be so much more fun than I expected. Just try not to cry when I wipe the floor with you! Nyahahahaha~!"

Though Toph had never been known for her subtlety, she still waited a few weeks before asking Kahn, "So, what exactly is your relationship with that stone-headed husband of mine?"
Instead of answering Toph's question, Kahn focused on pouring tea for her and Katara before returning the pot to the stove. Toph had her own place nearby, but she often came by to chat with Katara until late in the evening.
"We're acquaintances who periodically share tea and stories..."
Snorting through her nose, Toph quipped, "You know that isn't what I was asking. I want to know if Rokr was sent to watch over me like you were to protect Korra. Was I just some pity project for him? Is that why he died so early?"
Feeling uncharacteristically anxious, Toph had nearly risen to her feet by the time she was finished speaking. She didn't believe Rokr was the kind of man she was imagining, but neither she nor her children had ever been able to reconcile his death. A man who could shatter mountain peaks with a punch and halt rockslides with his mind wasn't just killed off in his 50s.
Annoyed by Toph's questioning, Kahn surprised the two elderly women by sitting down, crossing his legs, and bringing his fingers together. The last thing he said before a strange atmosphere permeated the room was, "Ask him yourself..."
Immediately following Kahn's words, he opened his eyes to reveal that the color had shifted from vibrant green to a luminous gold. His usually standoffish demeanor was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he gave off the impression of an exceptionally bright and cheerful person as he looked towards Toph, smiled, and said, "You've aged beautifully my little badger mole."
While most women would feel insulted being compared to such a large, smelly, and overbearing creature, Toph practically sprang to her feet, her voice shaking as she asked, "Rockybear...is that really you?"
Shaking his head, Rokr's expression became noticeably more apologetic as he answered, "I'm afraid I'm just borrowing little Kahn's body for a bit. Out of consideration for him, I'll have to ask that we don't hug or kiss. As beautiful as you are, I doubt he would appreciate being kissed by an old lady."
Snorting through her nose, Toph resisted the urge to give Rokr/Kahn a Chi-empowered punch for calling her old. She was, but that didn't mean she liked hearing it.
"You still have that bad habit of saying whatever's on your mind..."
Regaining a friendly smile, Rokr nearly reached out to caress Toph's face before stopping himself, retracting his hand, and whispering, "As much as you learned from me, I learned from you..."
Tearing up a bit, Toph closed her eyes before crossing her arms and asking, "Twenty years ago...what happened? How did someone like you, the Grand Marshall of the Earth Kingdom's Military, one of the greatest Earthbenders in the entire world, end up dying in an alleyway?"
Raising his brows, Rokr asked, "One of the best? I don't recall ever losing to anyone.."
Furrowing her brows, Toph shot Rokr a glare, pointedly stating, "You're currently using the body of a brat to speak to me. If you were the best, you wouldn't have died like a dog. Now talk. Did you get wrapped up in some kind of conspiracy? I want to know everything."
Though she couldn't see him, Rokr avoided Toph's gaze as he scratched his head and muttered, "I knew this day would come..."
Exhaling a sigh, Rokr shook his head before forcing himself to meet Toph's gaze and answering, "I got drunk." in a matter-of-factly tone of voice.
"..."
Expecting Rokr to continue, Toph's expression gradually morphed into a scowl as an incredibly awkward silence permeated the previously cozy and comfortable igloo.
Shuddering in response to the blood-curdling aura exuded by Toph, Rokr raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, reminding her, "This isn't my body. Don't lose your cool and do something that would jeopardize little Kahn's trust..."
Inhaling through her nose, Toph did her best to calm down before asking, "You got drunk?" through gritted teeth.
Scratching the back of his head, Rokr offered a wry and apologetic smile before explaining the circumstances of his demise. He had been attending the bachelor party of one of his junior officers, a young Lieutenant named Guh Bamin. Since the other guests had been acting a little tense, he made a show of opening the first bottle of wine and pouring a cup for the young officer.
Since the Earth Kingdom had a tradition of juniors pouring drinks for their superiors, Rokr's actions had caused quite a stir. To mitigate any potential resentment, he went on to fill the glasses of everyone present before later accepting nearly every beverage offered to him. He was already relatively famous for his tolerance by then, so, as the night progressed and tensions rose, people kept egging him on to consume more and more alcohol.
In the end, the thing that had killed Rokr, the most powerful Earthbender in the entire world, was alcohol poisoning. The only reason the toxicology report came back negative was because his body had filtered out all the toxins by the time it was discovered...
By the time Rokr was finished recounting the circumstances of his death, Toph was sitting in her chair, head cradled in her hands as she muttered, "You stone-brained idiot..."
Unable to refute the claim, Rokr just smiled wryly before stating, "I have to go now. Kahn's mind and body are unsuitable for housing my Spirit. If I stay too long, he could end up in a vegetative state. Take care of yourself, Toph, Katara. I'll see you again when the boundary between the living and Spirits Worlds blurs."
Without bothering to elaborate, Rokr relinquished his control over Kahn's body. When the latter regained consciousness, a painful throbbing unlike anything he had ever experienced shook his mind as blood began flowing from his nostrils like open faucets.
"Kahn...!"
Worried about the boy's health, Katara practically sprang from her rocking chair to check his condition. He did his best to assure her everything was okay, but the older woman refused to listen. She had long since regarded Kahn as one of her grandchildren, so there was absolutely no way she could remain calm when he was practically hemorrhaging blood from his nostrils...
"Just sit still and let me do my job...!"
"..."
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Unaccustomed to the aggressively fretful version of the old woman, Kahn just sat in silence as Katara healed the capillaries in his nose and relieved the painful throbbing in his head.
The culprit of Kahn's headache turned out to be a series of minor brain hemorrhages causing blood to pool around his brain. When Toph learned of this, most of her frustration regarding Rokr's departure evaporated into thin air. She was still a little upset, but she forced herself to apologize and express her gratitude before retiring to her private quarters to sulk.
When Kahn first saw Toph drift away, he felt genuine empathy for the old, clearly lonely woman. In the days, months, and even years that followed, they would both be a little nicer to each other whenever they met. More importantly, the evening's incident served as a suitable deterrent against further questioning. Katara was genuinely worried that Kahn would injure or even cripple himself trying to answer their questions, so, in the months that followed, she only asked questions about Korra and her training.
The next time Kahn was asked about his status and the purpose of the Four Avatars was during the eve of Korra's ninth birthday. Two of Katara's children, Tenzin and the Waterbending Master Kya, had journeyed to the South Pole alongside their families. Their main reason for visiting was to celebrate Korra's birthday, but, later that evening, they approached Kahn to ask about the Air and Water Avatars.
While they had yet to find out any information related to Yao Yoko, it had only taken a few days for Tenzin to learn everything there was to know, at least publically, about Regina Akua. After all, the Akua family was second only to the Sato Family in terms of wealth and status.
Regina, though she preferred to be called Akua, was the only daughter of the Akua Family. Despite her young age, she had made a name for herself as a prodigy in the arts of song, dance, and music. Alongside Asami Sato, she was regarded as one of the most graceful and elegant young buds in the entirety of Republic City. Everyone was eagerly awaiting the day the two heiresses would blossom into even more breathtaking beauties.
Since the name Regina Akua wasn't exactly common, it was natural to conclude that the one in Republic City was the Avatar of Water and Virtue. The only problem was that Akua was registered as a non-bender. She had never displayed her abilities in public, so, as far as the people of Republic City were concerned, she was just a normal, albeit exceptional young girl.
Though Tenzin was a member of the United Republic Council, the highest governing body in Republic City, it wouldn't exactly be appropriate for him to request a private meeting with the eleven-year-old heiress of the Akua Family. He had tried meeting with her after one of her piano recitals, but the pale-haired virtuoso had politely refused his invitation before leaving alongside her mother.
Without knowing for certain that Akua was the person Kahn had been referring to, neither Tenzin nor the Order of the White Lotus had a proper justification for approaching her. They could approach her on suspicions of her being the White Demon, but, depending on how things played out, they risked provoking the Akua, Sato, and practically every other affluent, non-bending family in the city.
Since approaching Akua was like trying to navigate a minefield in the dark, Tenzin decided the most innocuous approach was to ask Kahn if she was the person they suspected her of being. Unfortunately, while Kahn knew of Akua's existence, the two of them had never met. He would be able to identify her if their paths crossed, but, for the time being, they were total strangers to one another. All he knew for certain was that they probably wouldn't get along.
When asked why he and Akua wouldn't get along, Kahn explained that his Creator, the Sage Dragon Emperor, had hard-coded personality traits into each of the Avatars. More specifically, they were nearly the antithesis of what people expected when dealing with a specific type of Bender.
Traditionally, Firebenders were aggressive and easily swayed by their emotions. Kahn was much the same internally, but you wouldn't know it from how he acted. His expression was always calm and serene, and no matter how people tried to rile him up, he would just ignore them unless they showed genuine hostility.
Though he had never met Akua, Kahn could already imagine what kind of person she was. Most Waterbenders were as gentle and soothing as the water they manipulated. They could be temperamental at times, but, more often than not, they were the subset of Benders that showed the greatest concern for others.
While they were free to shape themselves into whoever they wanted to be, Kahn knew that Akua would, at least for a time, exhibit the personality traits ascribed to her by their Creator. In other words, she would secretly be a calm and caring person, but, on the surface, she would be as violent and unforgiving as an icy mountain river. The moment you got swept up in her current, your only options were to allow yourself to be dragged along or to swim against it until you were, inevitably, pulled under.
Few could oppose the might of a mountain stream and walk away with a smile...

Chapter 13: Chapter 13