Standing above the Valley of the Lost, he knew the woman was lost deep in thought. She had been standing at the cliffside, staring into the fog with a look he knew well. The formal General of the Fire Nation let out a sigh before speaking.
"Korra, are you still haunted by her?" he spoke softly, before gently sipping from his tea.
She quickly turned, a bit startled from the question, "Yes, but it's not so much haunted than it is painfully followed. As if I don't have enough of my past following me…"
Iroh hummed, taking another long sip of his tea, "Our past actions will always follow us, but the bad actions always seem to be first to come up. Speaking of actions, are you sure that this one will not haunt you later?"
"If it does, I'll just come hide here again for another few years." She flashed a smirk before sighing, "In all seriousness though, does it matter what I do now? Half the world thinks I'm crazy and the other thinks that I should disappear. This talking to the spirits to free these lost souls has been my project for over a year now and it's been the only Avatar related action the rest of the world seems alright with. Some of these people have even decided to embrace the modern world and leave the makeshift town! He is the last one though. It would not be fair to keep him here, no matter what he did in the past."
"Killing a spirit and destroying history is no laughing matter, Korra. I do not believe Zhao will simply change and adapt like the others have. He may even try to use you to his own gain."
"I'm not the young girl that was tricked into opening the portals anymore. He won't convince me of anything. I've changed and now I am willing to let him do the same." She said, lowering her tone, "If it was the only thing I've learned in the last nine years, is that people need second chances. If he blows this, then I'll bring him back here. But this has to work or I'll lose all creditability with both worlds."
He shook his head, seeing that there was no use in arguing with her further. He watched her in silence as she tied the rope harness to herself. He soon let out a chuckle.
"I hear that your birthday is coming up soon? How does it feel to be turning thirty?"
He heard a low growl as she grumbled on, "Why did you remind me? I'm dreading it. I already found a few grey hairs, but I plan on drinking the night away and maybe getting into a bar fight or two." There was a pause, "I haven't decided yet."
She made her last adjustments before calling out to the spirits about holding onto the rope.
"I'll see you shortly Iroh. If I'm not back in ten minutes, have them pull me out." She waved before stepping back and letting herself fall over the side.
Korra cushioned her landing with her bending. Giving the rope a test, she pulled it three times. In return, the rope was pulled again on the other side with two more tugs. She carefully guided through the fog with a path she had made from previous trips. The hair on the back of her neck stood. She knew that the Avatar Spirit hallucination was still following her. The intense look remained as stern as ever, but there was another figure near her.
"You tormented me, Korra." She heard the second figure say.
Korra rubbed her face, retorted in a tired sigh of lost, patience, "You deserved the same pain I felt."
As she continued on her way, the figure became more visible. Zaheer stood in front of her, beginning to speak again.
"Revenge is a like a two headed rat-viper," he soon shifted form, turning into her old waterbending master, "As-"
"I know. You all have told me before and I did my time. Let me finish this!" She shouted, hitting the vision with her airbending.
In the split moment of cleared space, she spotted the pacing Fire Nation Admiral. If he were any other person, she'd gently bring him out of the fog. After all of the tales about him, she decided to make his fast by encasing him in a cell of rock and bending the both of them to the cliffs. Through the stone, Korra felt the man pounding it with his fists. She chuckled to herself before untying the harness and tugging on it. After watching it being pulled up, she bended the stone cage to bring the both of them back up.
Iroh saw the knowing grin on her face as she came over to him. He straightened his face, giving her a nod.
"Avatar Korra," he started, "Perhaps I spoke too soon about your idea."
"You changed your mind about him?"
"No, I still do not like it, but I will support your decision. I only hope for your sake, that it works out."
Korra smiled before turning to the cage, "Now, let's see what state of mind he's in."
She waited for the pounding to slow before dropping the walls. The firebender looked slightly crazed, his top knot disordered. An angered look was on his face.
"You forgot air holes in that stone coffin."
Korra raised her brow in disbelief, "Excuse me?"
"Air holes. Are you deaf, or did your savage mind forget that humans breathe?"
Korra crossed her arms in front of her and spoke after a grunt, "A simple' thank you' would be nice or did you forget your manners in that valley?"
Iroh stood silently, knowing that this was going to be bad. He watched Zhao step close to Korra, inches from her face.
"I'm surprised that you know what manners are, Water Tribe savage."
"Savage?" Korra shouted, stepping back.
"Korra, settle down. I tried to warn you."
The Avatar glared at him, "I'm going to burn those stupid mutton chops off your face."
Zhao grinned before turning his sights on Iroh, "Those Earth Kingdom clothes look fitting on a traitor."
"It's nice to meet you again Zhao, though I had not planned on seeing you ever again in this manner. I suppose it was too hopeful to see you recover from the fog spirit's mind trick and see that you are a changed man, but you are lucky the Avatar does not know you like I do."
"Hey!" shouted Korra.
Zhao laughed, "Speaking of that airbender, where is he? Hiding like the coward he is?"
Iroh simply smiled and pointed to Korra, "No Zhao. She is the Avatar now. You have been imprisoned here in the Spirit World for just over eighty years. The world has changed and I advise you to take it in with an open mind."
For once, Iroh saw the man in a different light. He seemed confused as he turned to the woman.
"And why am I now being released?"
Korra placed all of her weight on her right leg, "Because the portals between the Spirit World and the Material World have been opened. There's no sense in keep lost humans trapped here anymore. I've spent the last year bringing them back to the Material World or helping them adjust to the Spirit World, with Iroh's help, depending on how they were trapped. You are the last one as it took me a while to learn how I wanted to deal with you."
"So I'm free to go and live how I want?"
"I never said you were free to go." Korra smirked, "I still have to make sure you are mentally ready to support yourself with all the change in the last few decades and that you won't attempt to cause political issues or any form of issues really."
She then rubbed the back of her neck with a nervous smile, "And I still need to ask the Fire Lord if you will be allowed to stay there."
Iroh let out a sigh as Zhao angrily thought this proposal over.
"Your lack of planning is not welcoming."
"At least you are out of that Valley! I can just put you back if you prefer that?" Korra retorted.
"Please you two," Iroh interrupted, "Arguing here is not going to help any of us. Korra, please calm yourself. You are beginning to affect the world around us."
Sure enough, when Korra looked up, she saw the clouds had darkened. She grunted, knowing she was in the wrong.
"Alright. Let's get going. The Northern Water Tribe is expecting us." She then muttered to herself, "Stupid mutton chops."
Author Note: I know, it's been such a long time since I've written anything. And it's been too long to attempt to write a Korra story. Anyways, please let me know what you think. Also, I'm not sure if this will have crack ship. Zhao does not seem capable of dating anyone but his military rank, in my mind at least. We will see.