Asami gave Korra the most comforting and warm hug she could muster. "I know this probably seems like…like we don't care. But we do Korra."
"That's why you're sending me here?" Korra didn't bother shifting her gaze from the ground to her friends.
"Well yeah." Mako scratched at the back of his head nervously. "We. We just don't know what else to do."
"It was Tenzin's idea, I swear!" Bolin outburst. "I told him it was a stupid idea but…"
"It's okay Bo, I'll be fine." Korra gave him a light and playful punch on the forearm. But it seemed to lack the oomph it once would have.
"You sure Korra?" Asami asked.
"Yeah."
"We'll visit you as much as we can." Asami offered her a reassuring smile. "I promise. Just hang in there Korra."
Korra slung her bag over her shoulder. She packed light…not that she had a choice. This institution didn't even allow a well sharpened pencil. Apparently that was too dangerous. Apparently they trusted her enough to find her own room without an escort though.
The hallway was so dim and quiet it set Korra at a sense of unease. And left her with only her darkest of thoughts and deepest regrets. How could she have let herself fall to such a low? Why did she have to keep seeing and hearing things everywhere she went? How the hell did she land herself in a place like this?
"This sucks!" she yelled to no one in spite of herself. She was in an asylum…it's not like anyone else had the right to judge. "It is really lonely in here." She added to herself, her voice echoed down the hall. God, how much worse did she have to make this for herself…having conversations with no one.
"You get used to it." Replied a woman with a shrug. She couldn't be much older than Asami.
"I'm not sure I can…" Korra frowned.
"I guess that's because you've always been surrounded by friends." The woman pointed out. "Someone always cared about you."
"I'm sure someone cared about you too."
"Nope."
"I'm sure someone misses you and can't wait until you get home."
The woman shook her head. "Nope. No one." She flicked her hand through her hair. "No one cared about me before, no one cares now, and no one ever will."
The words hung heavily between the two of them. They continued walking down the hall in silence. Korra was becoming all too aware of the sharp smell of disinfectants. All too aware of the dismal and lonely atmosphere. And she wondered how this woman dealt with it all these years. So drab…so…hopeless.
"I care." Korra blurted out.
"Hmm?" The woman muttered.
"I care." Korra repeated. "About you." She added.
The woman stopped walking. "Why?" She turned and looked Korra in the eye. "Why would you care about someone you met not more than five minutes ago?"
"I don't know. I guess I just think everyone should have someone who cares. You were right you know? When you said that I had lots of people who cared about me. And they still do…"
"And that's wonderful for you." She was pretty much pouting at this point.
"Maybe I can introduce you to them when they come to visit." Korra offered.
"That's awfully hard to do when you don't even know who I am."
"Right." Korra rubbed the back of her neck. "Well I'm Korra…Avatar Korra."
"The Avatar hu?" The woman drawled. "Well then, you probably don't want to get to know me." She paused. "I killed you once."
Korra shot her a puzzled look.
"When you were Aang, I mean." She gave a lazy yawn, as if killing the Avatar didn't impress her at all.
"Is that why you're here?"
"Of course not! I'm here for a lot more than that. I'm one of the staff's least favorite patients to deal with." The woman laughed. Korra couldn't really tell if it was a bitter one or a prideful one…maybe it was an unstable mix of both.
"What else…"
"Why are you asking so many questions…Avatar?"
"…Because, I care." Korra repeated. "Tenzin…my airbending teacher, he told me that I didn't always have to deal with things alone. He told me it was okay to be scared. I don't like to be afraid or show weakness…"
A flicker of sadness cut through the woman's indifference. "Stop talking."
Korra knew she was getting somewhere. "No. I won't. You're right, I don't know much about you, but I know about people like you. I was afraid to be afraid. I am afraid to be afraid. And I am afraid of letting people down…sometimes I feel like the world doesn't need me…and…"
She looked over to her companion—the woman's face grew even more sullen and withdrawn. And Korra knew that she uncovered at least some of the problem.
"That's because it doesn't. It just moves on and forgets you." The woman muttered. "What place does a former princess have when someone else takes the crown?"
"You can find one." Korra replied. "When I get out of here I can take you with me and you can help me restore balance…or whatever the hell I have to do now."
The woman chuckled…and this time it was definitely bitter. "And why would you want me in your little group? I just told you I killed the Avatar."
"And now you can help her." Korra offered a smile.
The woman rolled her eyes. "I still don't know why you are so insistent on helping yours truly."
"If I can't help myself I might as well help someone."
"And by helping me…you help yourself?"
"Something like that I guess." Korra nodded. "So…do ya think we can both try to get better?"
"Perhaps."
"Until then I guess we'll be roommates." Korra stated, realizing they both stopped at the same door.
"Guess so." The woman kicked the door in.
"Nice to meet you…"
"Azula."
"Nice to meet you Azula."