Since I won't be writing any new stories of LPL, instead I'm going to have kind of my version of a recap of the saga. Basically, interviewing the characters that have come so far at this point in the story, and my way to revisit the glory days one more time.
First interview is Princess Avatar Korra
*(~)*
I am a Princess.
Since the imprisonment of the dark spirit Vaatu, the Avatar has been the soul protector of the human world and the bridge between the human and spirit realms. There have been many Avatars who changed the world, sometimes for the better but often times had to pay a dire price. One Avatar, Aang, stood out from among the rest in which he saved the entire world at the age of twelve and was part of the construction of the United Republic of Nations. However, one Avatar stood out even more so from Aang and ever the rest. One who started out very low in her life only to rise up by completely altering the image that the Avatar had built over the centuries. But for the better.
That girl, was Korra…
(~)
"I discovered I was the Avatar when I was only five years old. The first time I realized I wasn't like any other kid was when I was saving my childhood friend Teo from a bunch of bullies. Next thing I knew I created a small earthquake by stomping my food on the ground. It was the first time I earthbended. I didn't know how to react, really. I was just as stunned as anybody. A bit scared, even. But when I got home and my parents explained to me what the Avatar was and who I was that fear went away. I became kind of excited."
"Normally, any other kid would be scared straight if they found out they were the reincarnation of an ancient hero destined to save the world, but for me I saw it as an adventure. An opportunity. Even as a kid I always wanted to do something great when I grew up. I wanted to make a difference somehow, and yes I'm aware that's kind of a lot for a five year old." *giggle* "But, my parents supported me and I got a visit from the White Lotus and the rest is history."
(~)
After the White Lotus found out Korra was the new Avatar, they made it their mission to teach the child everything she needed to learn. The original agreement was for her to travel and see the world to gain more experience, but only when she was old enough, around twelve years old like Aang, so she could have a normal childhood with her parents before she had to leave. However, things did not go as planned when Zaheer and the rest of the Red Lotus tried to kidnap the child. The White Lotus and Korra's parents then decided to start Korra's training quicker than before and keep her safe within the walls of a compound if this were to ever happen again.
Thus, Korra has lived the isolated and uneventful childhood she had come to dislike for so long.
(~)
"Nobody ever told me about Zaheer until I was eighteen, so I pretty much grew up believing Aang wanted me to remain in that compound for my own safety. I didn't question it too much at the time because, well it was Aang, so I complied. But, that didn't mean I liked it. I openly voiced out my dislike for living in that place, and my parents not being around as much as they used to. But, thankfully, I did have a way or persuading the White Lotus to let them visit more often." *smirk*
"So yeah, it was pretty much a basic routine after that. Every day I trained and trained and studied and studied and got a few breaks here and there, got weekends off too but, all in all I was pretty much forced to grow up too fast. Okay, well maybe not that fast. I took any chance I got to have a little bit of fun…even if it meant at the White Lotus's expense. BTW, If you ever hear them mention anything about a few worms in the tea one time; Guilty!" *laugh* "Hey, I was five, cut me some slack."
"And yeah, I won't deny it, I snuck out whenever I could. I know, it was wrong but in my defense I lived in a compound surrounded by no-nonsense adults and…no, I think that's pretty sums it up, I was a kid who lived in a compound surrounded by stuffy adults, need I say anymore?"
"Anyway, when I snuck out I would see Teo and we would go up to the roof of his house and just talk about our hopes and dreams and, I even met Naga during one of my sneak outs. I found her wandering around the tundra and took her in. We've been friends ever since. I didn't know up entirely by myself, and I honestly can't complain too much. The Sentries took good care of me, I had good food, though I had to get them to switch to vegetarian since, for some reason, meat always made me feel rather woozy, and I had a few toys, not too many but I wasn't much of a "playing with dolls" kind of girl. There was also Katara, who was by far the best person there and the closest to a grandmother I had. She told me stories about her adventures and about Aang, which only motivated me to keep on training and become a better Avatar. And of course, my parents' visits and Naga were the highlight too. But, even with the positives, I still felt…kind of empty sometimes. It took me a few years to finally realize why."
(~)
Aside from her isolation, there was still one thing that kept Korra's youthful and fiery spirit alive. Even in her childhood, she would have recurring dreams of a magical land, magical creatures and even a powerful Sonic Rainboom that only ignited her spirit all the more.
(~)
"I started having the dreams very early on. In fact, I think it wasn't long after I came to live at the compound. The first couple of times were fuzzy but later on I started seeing a lot of beautiful images every night. I saw winged creatures, I heard music, I could feel and hear the galloping of tiny hooves, the incredible sound of the Sonic Rainboom. I woke up, not screaming, but trembling with excitement, almost as if I was actually there! I had never felt anything like that before. For a while I even began focusing more on my dreams than my training. I started drawing them on pieces of paper and I even started singing. At first it was just humming, but before long I was belting it out solos and arias, making up my own lyrics as I went along it was amazing! I never felt happier than when I was singing. It was my own way of expressing myself. You would not believe the looks on the White Lotus's faces when they saw me hit the high notes so effortlessly. I'll never forget it."
"I even started sharing my dreams with Katara, Naga and even Teo…but, then I had the nightmare."
"I didn't know it at the time, but I saw Vaatu. I saw his horrible image and could feel his tentacles around her, tightening, trying to suffocate me until I woke up in a cold sweat. Katara sang me back to sleep. That was the last straw for the White Lotus and…It was for me too. That nightmare was too horrifying that for weeks I was scared to even go back to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes I could see him."
"After a while, I realized they were right. I had been neglecting my studies and I had to get back to them. It was hard for me but I eventually learned to push aside my old fantasies and study being the Avatar. I stopped drawing, but I never, ever, stopped singing. I still kept singing, my heart just wouldn't let it go. I couldn't. I wouldn't. So, my voice stayed."
"You know, looking back, I realize now just why being the Avatar was so important for me for so long. Those dreams, or rather what they meant, they filled up that empty space in my heart. I felt like there was something more for me. For once, I felt…like me. But, when I pushed that all aside I tried filling up the hole with my Avatar tittle and, you know what?…it kind of worked."
"I felt like I was accomplishing something, or at least trying to. But, because of that I also forgot my promise to Teo. Heck, I practically forgot him almost entirely and even though things between us are better now, I still have that stinging feeling of regret."
"Over time, being the Avatar became everything to me. It was my identity, who I was, what I was, what I was supposed to be, what others wanted me to be. It was a seed that was sinked in so deep it took a pretty long time for me to finally spit it out, even after I got my wings. Now, you're probably saying "Oh, but it's the White Lotus's fault because they told you to stop dreaming", right? Well, that's not entirely true. Yes, they played a part in that but, I played just as much of a role in it too. I let fear get the better of me. I let fear guide me and I listened to what they had to say. Vaatu was real and I didn't want to see that again. I forgot about it latter on, sure, but by then the damage was already done."
"However, I can't say I was entirely lost. Those dreams, wether I remembered them or not, stayed with me in spirit even if I didn't know it at the time. Because of that, I never lost sight of the root of what I wanted to do: I wanted to do what was right, and I thought the only way to do that was by being the Avatar. In other words: What people expected me to be, which stood in my way. I had the good intentions, yes, just not always the right motivation. I wanted to help people, I wanted to do what was right, but I didn't think I could if I wasn't the Avatar or a better Avatar or the Avatar Aang was. I was in a very, very deep hole I had to climb out of and, thanks to a group of colorful ponies…"
"I finally did."
(~)
Seventeen years old, Korra was finally ready to study airbending. But, the tomboyish Avatar had struggle in mastering the element. When Tenzin couldn't move to the south to train her, Korra took matters into her own hands.
(~)
"I had already mastered earth, fire and water easily and I was ready to learn airbending. Naturally, I was excited to have Tenzin teach me since I never was able to master airbending before but I really did want to learn it. However, that couldn't happen because Tenzin was needed back in Republic City due to the whole Amon and Equalists thing. I tried convincing the White Lotus to let me go with him to train but, big shock, they said no.
"I'm still not sure what it was that got me to do it. Was it my rebellious spirit? Was it me being tired of my isolation? Was it my Avatar instincts telling me to go? Or was it my destiny calling me? Either way, there was no doubt in my mind that I had to go. I needed to go. So, I did."
"I mounted onto Naga's back and got on the next ship to Republic City and to this day I never regretted it."
(~)
Upon arriving to Republic City, Korra gained more than she bargained for. Both bad…and good.
(~)
"I naively thought I would fit in the moment I got there. I thought I would be surrounded by happy, friendly people and save my first life in just two days…boy was I wrong."
"It was my first day out in the real world and I was a fish out of water. Strike that, I was a goldfish swimming in a tank of tuna fish! Granted, I wasn't expecting people to know who I was since, again this was my first debut, but I wasn't expecting the city to be so…out of wrack. Street gangs harassed innocent people, the normal folks weren't all sugars and candies either, and don't even get me started on the homeless people and the equalist propaganda going on. And I didn't leave such a good first impression on the law enforcement of the city. I can still see Beifong frowning at me. But, despite all the crazy nonsense, something good did happen to me that day. Something that changed my life forever."
"It was the day I met the Mane Six. The moment I looked into their eyes I felt like an invisible thread bounded us together. Suddenly, I didn't feel scared or confused anymore. Throughout my stay in Republic City not too many things made sense to me, but one thing always did. I cared about these ponies and they cared about me. For the first time in so long I felt I had gained real friends. Friends with who I could be myself with, friends who I could share my secrets, friends who would support me and knock some sense into me when I needed it. I felt like I was part of a team. I felt…like I was home. I saw so much of myself in each of them."
"When I kept on discovering just how twisted the world was, I wanted to protect them. They were completely out of their element, just like I was. We were all lost and confused in this world, there were times in which I didn't even know if I could carry on or wanted to carry on."
"But, from tribulations is where we best learn how to endure. I learned that the hard way many times. And, when you know what you're fighting for, it makes any sacrifice you make worth it."
(~)
Korra soon learned how to adjust to life in Republic City, becoming acquainted with the Mane Six as the days passed. But, they were not the only friends she made.
(~)
"Aside from the Mane Six, I also met Bolin and Mako. I even got to be a pro-bender for a while. Bolin's like the little brother I never had. I love him to bits and I'm supper happy I can now officially call him my brother. He's always there when you need him and always there to make you laugh. Even if he may not always know when to take things seriously. There's also Asami Sato, and needless to say I wasn't that big of a fan when we first met, but now I can honestly say she's one of the most loyal friends you can have. She had a pretty bumpy road but then again, who hasn't?"
"Now Mako…he's a different story. Was it love at first sight? Well, no. No it wasn't. Was it something that happened beyond my control? Yes and no. Let me explain. I will confess, I was very attracted to Mako after I saw him in action. But really, can you blame me? But, I of course didn't sugarcoat that he wasn't perfect. He was a jerk, he was rude, he was bossy, he didn't like me, yeah, the attraction was kind of breaking a little bit there. But, after I won us our first match, he…actually turned out to be a pretty decent guy after all. So, did I fall in love with him then? Ehhhhhh….I'm getting to it."
"I won't deny I did find him attractive, I still do, but Katara taught me a long time ago, "A pretty face can only go so far when it comes to boys." For the most part he drove me crazy! Mostly because of his attitude. I seriously didn't understand what was this guy's problem. Then Bolin told me about their parents and my perspective completely changed. While his attitude did still get to me, I couldn't help but feel bad about what he went through. Granted, I can't say I went through the same thing but…I know a thing or two about how it feels to be alone and wanting to break free from an unappealing life."
"After we saved Bolin from Amon and practicing for the championships, I got to know him a lot better. I discovered there was more to him than meets the eye and I wanted to know more about him and I even started to feel as if we had a powerful connection. I wanted us to be friends and, I will admit, I started seeing him in a whole new light. His looks didn't matter to me anymore. Don't get me wrong, he still made mistakes, his indecision between me and Asami is one of them, among others. But, he's human so he's not perfect. Just like me."
"We've been through so much together. We've been through good times, and bad times and I could go on and on about all of that but it would take me almost all day. During that whole Civil War nonsense we were both so stupid and proud and we said things we regret. It could have been so easy for me to just walk away after our first breakup and I even considered it for a moment…but then I realized, he was willing to make the effort after everything that happened. He refused to give up on me so…how could I give up on him?"
"I used to hear folks talk about how love is something uncontrollable that when you fall you fall where you land and you have no choice in the matter but, I know first hand that it's not entirely true. Love is a partnership, working as a team. It's based on friendship and trust and sacrifice. It's about making mistakes and learning from them. I love Mako, but I stay with him because I choose to. Every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or mess up or disappoint each other, I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me. There isn't anybody else for me, not because I can't or won't be able to find anybody else, but because he's the one I choose. And say what you want about his past, I know his heart and he knows mine. To me, he's worth it."
(~)
After Korra managed to defeat Amon, she dealt with many other villains as well. Including her evil uncle Unalaq, Vaatu, Zaheer and Kuvira. Each encounter scarred Korra one way or another, but through it all, there was always something that brought her back to the Light.
(~)
"As the Avatar, I couldn't wait to start fighting bad guys. I thought I could handle anything, but I still had a lot to learn. Surprisingly, I learned just as much from my enemies as I did from my teachers. From Amon, I learned about fear. About, how it can cloud your mind, even your heart. It can either stop you or push you in the wrong direction. I tried not to let fear stop me, but I did it by denying it. That was wrong. I wanted to badly to prove I was a strong and capable Avatar I didn't think I was supposed to feel fear. Heck, I hardly ever felt fear aside from that nightmare but that was a distant memory by then. However, throughout the whole Equalists revolution crisis, my friends really did help me see things differently. They helped me realize I didn't have to feel ashamed about being afraid or about sharing my feelings with those who love me. That I wasn't alone even when I try to act like I was. That, deep down inside, wether you're a bender, non-bender, pony or spirit, we all have more in common than we think. I especially learned that when you really care about somebody…you have to think of them before yourself. The ponies have done so much for me I was willing to give up my bending so Amon would free Twilight Sparkle. It didn't end well at first but you get the idea."
"From Unalaq, I learned the hard way that even when you have good intentions, the wrong kind of guidance can lead you to disaster instead of success. I trusted Unalaq because I saw first hand just who bad the spirits were and I wanted to help, I really do. But, sadly, I let my pride and own understandings cloud my judgment and I hurt a lot of the people I cared about. Take my advice, always be wary of who you trust. People will tell you what you want to hear, but in the end it could lead to your own destruction. I was fortunate enough to have my friends and family forgive me, and the Mane Six, they were with me through it all, even when I messed up. I didn't think I deserved a second chance but my friends did. Real friends, real family and even real love can always forgive any mistake and welcome home even the most repentant of hearts. I learned a lot that day, and I changed a lot, in more ways than one. I can't express how lucky I am."
"Zaheer, was probably the most life changing in more ways than one. No denying it, he was a mad man. He tried to kill innocent lives all in the name of "freedom", he attempted to murder the Earth Queen, wipe out the air nation, tormented Twilight Sparkle and myself. If not for my alicorn magic I could have died right then and there. Once I focused my magic and allowed it to do its work I got it out. I was still crippled and traumatized but at least I was alive."
"It wasn't easy for me. I'm a restless person, I live for action, I live to do things…but for a long while I couldn't. I couldn't do anything for myself and I hatted every second of it. I hatted feeling helpless, I hatted feeling week and I especially hatted that people kept trying to sugarcoat the whole situation by saying I was going to be alright when I wasn't even sure if I would be. But what was even worse…was that Twilight suffered just as much as I did. And I was the cause of it. I burned her in my fiery rage while fighting off the poison. Twilight. The pony who stayed with me through thick and thin. The pony who believed in me even when I messed up. The pony who taught me about real friendship…and she was down because of me."
"I hatted myself for such a long time. I felt like I was letting everybody down for being in the state I was. I know that wasn't true, but it's how I felt at that time. I was scared of never being myself again. I was scared of facing Twilight again and seeing that scar on her leg. I was broken. Broken in so many ways. I even started to give up until Katara showed me what I had lost so long ago."
"She gave me a box filled with drawings and things from my childhood, from before I forgot about my dreams. It was then, everything because clear. I finally realized why I was having those dreams, because I had a bond with Equestria. I was always the one Avatar who was prophesied to unite the two worlds, I was meant to meet the Mane Six, I was meant to bond with them, I was even meant to become an alicorn princess. For so many years, I had neglected those dreams and chose my Avatar tittle only to realize…that was exactly the very thing I needed to let go."
"Yes, I was the Avatar, but in reality, that was a name everybody else had given me, I never chose it. Being an alicorn, in a way, I did choose it. I choose to share my power with the ponies, I choose to face UnaVaatu, and with that choice, I gained wings, magic and a new name. A name I choose this time."
"When my real destiny revealed itself, I choose to take it. I was meant for great things, but not in the way I thought. Everything I knew about myself had to be taken down in order for me to really see the truth. My eyes were opened wide for the very first time that day. That was the first step on my personal road to recovery. I had to let the Avatar part of my life go. That's why the name Princess comes before Avatar in my name now. I learned that you can't always control what happens in your life, only your choices. It was as if something or…maybe someone had other plans for me. Since then, I decided to let the Light guide me to wherever it was I needed to go. I finally got myself to walk and I even got through to Twilight. I was so stupid to think I was the only one suffering. Together, we both managed to stand back up and defeat Tirek, Twilight even got her own castle. I did too, latter on. Just because I'm an alicorn princess didn't mean I had to do everything alone. And I'm glad I don't have to."
(~)
Korra's journey was never an easy one. Often times, it was very difficult and it took a while until she could truly see herself as a true hero.
(~)
"I did say learning about my past and my future was the first step to my recovery. The second was trying to adjust. Even with that revelation I still had the nightmares I still wasn't feeling like myself. Twilight and I visited Leilani and Luna for weekly therapy sections and, being the impatient girl that I am, I had a hard time with it. Then, Twilight and I got a distress call from Sunset Shimmer from Canterlot High. Just like with Twilight, I found I could related to Sunset's troubles. We both pretty much hatted ourselves over what happened, and like me, she cared too much what the other students thought of her. Okay, sure she did turn into a horrifying she-demon and tried to turn everyone into zombies to invade Equestria but I've seen a lot worse."
"It was…probably one of the first times where I used my own experience to help somebody. I tried to get Sunset to realize that she shouldn't allow the world to decide what she is because nobody can. Sometimes, not even yourself. I used to think all I could be was the Avatar, I thought that was who I really was, but I was wrong. Just as I knew Sunset didn't have to be labeled as the former bad girl all her life just because folks said she was. I knew she was capable of more and, with time, she found that out at the right moment. Maybe the answers we seek aren't found so quickly by ourselves, but with the right guidance and friends the answers will come when its needed most. I know it did for me. After that, I felt even better. I still had a long way to go, but I was getting there."
"Then, there was the incident with NightMara. Things weren't going so smoothly for Asami in the love department. Bolin was with Opal and the two just didn't know what to do about the whole thing. Thankfully, Opal was smart enough to know what to do, and for a moment it seemed as if things were going to work out…until Ginger came in and things went south."
"NightMara took hold of Asami at her most vulnerable state and turned her into her new host. The worse part was she kidnaped Twilight to make sure I'd duel her. If I won, she'd stop the eternal dark winter's curse and free my friends, if not…well, you know. It was definitely one of the hardest for me. Facing bad guys wasn't anything new, but this was the first time I had to fight one of my best friends. I couldn't protect Asami or Twilight, I couldn't protect either of them. It was already hard enough that I made Twilight go through so much pain it wasn't fair that Asami, a girl who had already lost so much, to be in pain too. Not just her, but Bolin too. He loved her, and she had turned into a monster because I couldn't stop NightMara beforehand. I couldn't stand the thought of Twilight being tortured again, or Asami being forced to obey that monster, or seeing Bolin be so heartbroken. It killed me to see him this way. I know, if it were Mako who was taken over I'd have been loosing my mind! I realized that no matter what, life is always going to throw a wrench at you. It won't always take it easy on me."
"All of my fears, all of my thoughts came to life during the fog of lost souls. I saw visions of my enemies, my greatest fears, everything. I felt so alone, so helpless my powers acted up. I was trapping myself in ice until I heard Mako's voice. I didn't want to hurt him because of how out of control my powers were. I was scared because I couldn't control what was to come. I knew I wasn't at the pinnacle of my strength at that point so there was no true guarantee I would win the duel, and my friends would suffer because of it. But Mako, just like before, he didn't give up on me. He spoke to me, he stayed with me, he told me he understood my pain. The pain of going through something you didn't deserve. I never deserved to be poisoned, and his parents didn't deserve to die. But Mako told me that we all have a choice. He choose not to seek revenge and to let go of the past and that he still believes there is still good in the world. That wickedness happens because of people's wrong choices. His words cleared my mind and I could remember everything that had happened before hand. Neither of us deserved to suffer the way we did, but we could choose to either stay down and rewind the past, or move forward and not repeat the same mistakes we, or our abusers, did. Thanks to him I was able to snap out of it and we both made it out. I made another choice that day too…Him. Forever."
"Of course, Asami got back to normal, she and Bolin got together FINALLY! Sorry, I was rooting for them like crazy. We had the party and…I took a very, very, very big leap. I went to see Zaheer with Twilight. At first, I was petrified, but then something incredible happened. When he lunged at Twilight to scare her, I jumped in. My hand touched his heart and, for the first time, I literally saw the world through his eyes. I saw his past, I felt his heart, I saw him grow from an adorable little boy into the man who poisoned me. Remember when I said my eyes were opened the first time I remembered my dreams? Well, this was the second time my eyes were opened. Zaheer, believe it or not…was no different from me."
"I may not be a crazy anarchist with twisted ideals, but he didn't start out that way, the same way I didn't start out as an alicorn. What made us different wasn't our statues, it was our choices. He choose to follow his own path and fell, while I choose a path I was led to and found happiness, freedom and love. It broke my heart to realize he could have had the same, but didn't. Suddenly, me being poisoned wasn't the painful part of my experience, it was the fact that it could have been avoided if Zaheer had chosen another path to follow. We all must choose our own path, but if we take one without the right guidance, then we will enter a void of pride, anger and illusion. I choose this path not because I wanted to rebel, but because I could see it was the right one for me to take. It took me a while to figure it out, but I'm glad I did."
"From that day forward, I no longer saw bad guys or good guys. I saw people who can make mistakes. From my experience, I realized I wanted to help others who had suffered the same way I did, and help others so they don't make the same mistakes Zaheer made so they don't cause another to suffer and fall like he did to me. That was the role I was meant to play, not the childish Avatar fantasy I made up to fill up a void in my heart."
"And when Kuvira and the sirens gave me that potion which made me forget my real past, it was Zaheer, my abuser, who helped me remember who I truly was and I didn't punish Kuvira, but I offered her my friendship again. Just as I choose to love Mako, I can also choose to forgive just as I forgave the Earth Queen, P'Li, Discord, Starlight Glimmer, Zaheer and especially Kuvira after everything she did. And just as Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash choose to stay by me even when I messed up. They never abandoned me. Ever. Their friendship opened my eyes in more ways than one. They taught me what true friendship was, and now I will pass down that wisdom to my daughter and hope she finds as wonderful friends as I did, and hopefully, an equally amazing and wonderful guy who will love her every day."
"That's my story. My real story."
(~)
But, this also begs the question. At the end of the day; Who are you?
(~)
"I'm Korra. I am a Princess. I wasn't born an alicorn…but I was born again. Deal with it."
*(~)*
Romans 6:6~
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
*(~)*