Chapter Text
Meelo wondered if he'd know her when he saw her: that, somehow, their friendship had transcended her lifetime. And that, when he saw into the child's eyes, he'd know without a doubt, Korra was looking back at him too.
It had been soon, too soon, really. Though he never admitted it, Meelo and his friends were old. Not old enough to die, certainly, but Korra had been through a lot when she was younger. Old wounds had started aching. New wounds never healed. Being the Avatar asked a lot from one's health. In some ways, it was a relief when she passed away. It wasn't the easiest transition, but she'd been with family, which was more than what Meelo could hope for himself. He'd been living the nomad life for years now (no one stops the MEELONATOR!) Still, he would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't lonely at times. Which is why, even though he was at odds with them, he was glad he was with his siblings as they traveled to meet the new Avatar.
It had been Jinora's idea. The original four Avatar toys used to recognise Aang had ben destroyed in the Air Nomad genocide but Jinora presumed she could sense the new avatar through their spiritual connection. In Meelo's experience though, babies weren't the most spiritual people around. Still, the four Airbender siblings set off on Saja - Jinora's bison. Speed was necessary, lest some other group found the Avatar first. Nobody wanted a repeat of the Red Lotus ever again.
Meelo found the last sentiment ironic.
If Korra hadn't been discovered, she'd never have been part of a kidnapping attempt. Or atleast, four years old when it happened. Then she could've had a childhood. Meelo knew alot about having uptight parents who thought air scooters in libraries were bad idea and a life-changing field trip to find extinct dodo-dragons too dangerous, but even he had been allowed to visit the city with supervision. But Korra had had none of that. She had grown to resent the isolation and here they were -, trying to discover the new Avatar and possibly give them the same fate. Trapped and alone. At the very least he had had the entire air temple island to wander and he had his siblings, his very first friends.
He missed when they were closer.
He and Korra had remained close though. Even though she had settled down, got married to Asami and didn't have as many adventures, she still had the spirit of freedom and daring that had drawn Meelo in close ever since he was a little boy. They'd gotten each other. He was, in many aspects, as stubborn, as impatient and as wilful as she was. And Korra had not only seen that but understood.
She supported his decision to leave his family to search for his (greater) destiny. Ever since then, Meelo felt she was more of a sister to him than his own sisters were.
Which is why she'd asked him for one last adventure.
And it was why he'd promised it to her.