Fire in the Sky (TLOK)

Chapter 34: Recruitment is a Fickle Thing

The group was determined, confident in their abilities to recruit many airbenders to their cause. But soon they realized, the job wasn't as easy as they had hoped.

"In my head, I saw that playing out very differently." Korra said in the airship. The group had just tried to convince Kuon, a humble farmer who got airbending abilities to come leave his home and learn the ways of an airbender. But it was clear that Kuon wasn't willing to move anywhere. After a much-panicked debacle with his family that they weren't going to capture their father, the group went back to the airship, dejected.

"Maybe we should have stayed and tried harder to convince him to join us?" Asami asked.

"Or we could have thrown him in a potato sack and forced him into the ship." Bolin suggested.

Bumi added fondly, "That's how they got me to join the United Forces."

"No, we can't coerce people, or throw them into potato sacks." Tenzin said, "They must come freely."

"We are asking for a lot though," Yuki said, "We're asking people to... well, abandon their old life to make a new one."

"Not to worry," Tenzin said briskly, "There are plenty of other air benders out there who will be happy to come with us once they find out what the Air Nation is all about."

Or so Tenzin had hoped.

Every single village they traveled to seemed to be in vain. Every door that was knocked on, was slammed in their faces.

"When your son becomes a master, he'll have tattoos all over his body, like me!"

"There's nothing more nutritious than our vegetarian diet!"

"I can tell that you're going to love wearing our ancient airbender robes! They're very breathable!"

"You'll never have to worry about your worldly possessions again, because you won't have any!"

"You'll get to shave your head!"

"Your best friend will be a giant bison-!"

Every. Time. Rejected.

Yuki patted Tenzin's back comfortingly, returning to the airship yet for another time.

"Ugh, I really thought I had that last guy! Who doesn't want a bison as their best friend?"

"It's okay dad," Yuki said, "We still have Ba Sing Se to visit. You never know, I bet there's a sky bison enthusiast out there."

"Besides," Bumi said, "I still want to be an airbender." Tenzin frowned at his brother's attempt to comfort him.

Korra threw her hands up, sitting in a chair, "Okay, we've tried your way," Korra said, "And people just don't seem to be responding." She rubbed her hands together, eyes glinting with ideas. Yuki deduced them as terrible ideas. "It's time for a little tough love."

Yuki frowned, "Are you sure that's the best way to go? It's kind of going against airbender ideals-"

"Then don't come to watch," Korra said, looking out the window. Asami was steering the airship towards their next stop.