A/N: So this is a sequel to Woman in White taking place before most of the events in Girl in Green except the Bolin's message which I'll include here at the end of this chapter for some laughs and because I plan on taking Girl in Green down soon (relatively soon).
Woman in White: Red Queen
Chapter 1
Guilt and Blame
People packed into entryway of the United Forces Head quarters trying their best to get a clear view of the stage. Many of the world's leaders sat on the raised platform near a large object covered in a sheet. Fire Lord Iroh sat next to Queen Sozza of Omashu, Chief Tonraq of the Sothern Water tribe while Tenzin sat to one side of Tonraq; Wu was conspicuously missing. On a balcony overlooking the lobby sat the royal families. Iroh could just see his three-year-old twins sitting by the glass railing more interested in the toys their mother had given them. His oldest daughter, Sona, talking to a woman who just gave her some flowers. Iroh shook his head and hoped that this would end soon. The room was filled with a dull roar until former General Howl, now President Howl, stood up and addressed the room.
"Ladies, gentlemen, and people of the press; six years ago on this day this city, and the world, suffered a great tragedy: the Massacre at the Colossus. An attack that took so many lives, including Avatar Korra's, it was agreed that spirit weapons would never be again. Every man and woman lost that day left behind a family, a loved one, a memory. Today, long over due, we commemorate those who were lost while giving those left behind a place to gather and remember."
President Howl gave the signal and the sheet was pulled away to reveal a statue of a woman sanding under a cherry tree with a small fountain at her feet. There was a calmness about the piece, a softness about the woman. Iroh felt a pang of regret as he recognized her as Korra, his Korra. He was surprised someone had gone through the troubled of capturing her how she had been and not how all the other 'heroic' depictions that littered the city looked.
"The woman is obviously Avatar Korra as I remember her and how, I hope, her husband and daughter remember her." Howl continued. "Each cherry blossom represents a soul lost in the massacre from both sides. Their names are inscribed on the pedals." He explained. "This is a place of remembrance and a grim reminder of the wastefulness of war. Let's hope in the future we don't have to make new statues to learn the same lesson." Howl stepped down to deafening applause.
After all the people had cleared out Howl caught up with Iroh who was looking at the statue. The president put a hand on Iroh's shoulder. "So what do you think? Did I get her right?"
The Fire Lord nodded. "Yes, it's almost life like. Well, if she was made of bronze, but you managed to find a sculpture to capture her beauty."
"Yeah, had a hell of time getting it right, old friend. I actually didn't tell the sculptor who he was sculpting to get it to look right." Howl sighed. "I wanted this to be for the families left behind, the world has enough 'heroic' statues of Korra. There aught to be at least one true image of Korra." He looked down. "Spirits I miss that spit fire."
"You're not alone." Iroh smiled. "Thank you for this Howl. I really mean it. I-I had almost forgotten how beautiful she was. You were able to get the kindness in her eyes." Iroh's eyes glissaded.
Howl patted Iroh's shoulder. "Glad to see that even remarried you still care about Korra, some were worried. They think Mi'tem put a spell on you; made you forget your true love." He walked away before Iroh could say anything.
Iroh stood alone for a moment thinking about Korra and Mi'tem. Sona walked up to him and took his hand. "They did a good job on mommy's statue."
Iroh squeezed her hand. "Yes they did sweetheart."
"Daddy, Aunt Asami's looking for you. Atem and Mizuki have fallen asleep and she needs some help. She can't find mom."
"Huh, I wonder where she got off to? Well lead on princess. Let's save Aunt Asami before one of your siblings sets her dress on fire."
.o.
Korra took deep breaths, leaning against the bathroom door, trying not to let all the backhanded comments get to her. She had been married to Iroh for almost four years now. She would have hoped the snide comments would go away at least for such a somber occasion. In her hand she clutched another political cartoon depicting her as a whore with the caption "Queen Mi'tem's first job." Someone had slipped it in to her pocket when she had not been looking. Korra walked over to the sink to clean herself up a little. She really couldn't leave Asami alone with the twins for too long. Asami was her best friend but definitely not the best babysitter.
Korra looked in the mirror and stepped back in shock at her reflection. It was the reflection for a past life. Blue eyes and light brown hair looked back at her almost sneering.
The reflection of Avatar Korra smirked. "You know it must be really hard trying to fallow in my foot steps even if technically they're yours too Mi'tem."
Korra shook her head. She was not going to talk to her reflection. Fixing her makeup best she could without the aid of a reflection, Korra made to leave the room.
"Oh? Don't want to talk to me? That's fine I can talk to myself; list all the other reasons they might not like you other than you replaced me as Iroh's main squeeze. You'd think they'd resent him but I guess you're the easier target." The reflection shrugged. "What else could they not like? Well let's face it, you dress in too little even if it's 'traditional' they think it's slutty. Speaking of slut having the twins born six months after you married Iroh didn't help that reputation. So what if they were under weight everyone can do math."
"Shut up!" Korra hissed.
The reflection seemed to back up. "Oh, so you can hear me? And here I thought I was talking to myself."
Korra gritted her teeth. "Go away. I'm tiered of seeing you instead of my real reflection! You're going to drive me mad!"
"But I am your reflection or at least I used to be. Do you really have that much self-loathing for me you don't even want to pretend for old times sake this is what you look like? Don't you ever want to be me again? Not you? Be loved by the people again? Be respected again?"
"I was Mi'tem long before I was Korra! This is who I am! Avatar Korra was just another life that's gone now!" Korra yelled. "Avatar Korra is dead, she is no more! There's nothing left of her!"
"Is it really? Than why does he still call you Kor when no one else is around? Why do all your friends call you Korra?" The reflection asked softly. "Be honest your highness, you would give anything to be me again."
"No I wouldn't!" Korra snapped at the mirror raising her hand to smash it. She stopped as her real reflection gazed back at her. A tall woman with black hair, gold eyes, and the traditional red tattoos of her people decorating her light caramel skin looked back at her. Mi'tem was in a red and gold gown that was clearly Sun Warrior while the ornament in her hair designated her as the queen of the Fire Nation. Korra lowered her hand down. "No I wouldn't?" She whispered to herself before realizing Asami was probably still trying to corral the twins. "Crap! Got to save Asami."
.o.
"You know that statue was sculpted in Zoufu." Bolin pointed out over dinner. "They didn't even tell the guy he was sculpting Korra, just said a beautiful woman and some photo graphs."
"Howl mentioned that." Iroh said taking a bite of his food before offering spoon full of soup to his son Atem. "He said it was to make it look like Korra and not as heroic as the other statues."
"What's wrong with heroic?" Bolin asked while trying to get Eevee to take a bite of her food, who glared at it with distain. "I want all the statues of Eevee to be larger than life and heroic!"
"Some people don't want to be remember that way." Korra pointed out. "I for one am glad there's one statue that has me looking like human being. I still don't see why people think I was such a great avatar. I died young and you all had to sort the world out."
"It's because you inspired so many people." Asami chimed in. "And you brought so many people together. Who would have thought Omashu and Republic City would actually be allies in our life time?"
Korra handed Mizuki her sippi cup. "I guess you're right but let's hope Eevee is a better avatar than me."
"Let's hope at least she has a longer life span than you." Mako joked before getting punched by Asami. "Ow! What? I'm just telling the truth. I'm pretty sure everyone here wants Eevee to live past twenty six."
"I hope so!" Bolin clutched Eevee close to him. "I want my little girl to break Avatar Koyshi's life span record! Even if that means I have to lock her away."
"So that's why you're hiding her away in Zoufu?" Iroh smiled. "I thought you had started to despise us."
Bolin pouted. "I could never hate you guys; it's just that you all moved to the Fire Nation and Opal wanted to be with family. Also with Kuvira and Bataar Jr. serving their sentences out in Republic City it made sense to keep Eevee a little ways off the beaten trail."
"And besides if we ever need any help you guys are only a airplane ride away." Opal pointed out.
"Or Dragon." Korra added. "Nix it still the fasted thing in the air. We can be there in just under 5 hours."
Mako turned a little green. "I think if it's that urgent I'll keep the weight to a minimum and take the airplane."
"Still not a fan of Nix?" Iroh asked taking a sip of wine.
"Look if I had the choice between riding Nix to Zoufu or getting divorced again…someone call my lawyer and give Asami the house."
The whole table erupted in laughter but all too soon the dinner ended and they parted ways. Bolin and his family caught the late night train to Zoufu while the rest returned to their hotel to rest before the long sea journey in the morning.
.o.
Iroh's sleep was restless. He woke up in a cold sweat waking his companion and Naga who was sleeping by his side of the bed. Korra opened her now golden eyes. "Iroh what's wrong?"
Iroh kissed her cheek. "Nothing Kor, go back to sleep."
Giving a shrug Korra turned over and fell back asleep. Iroh stayed up a little longer trying to clear his mind of the disjointed images he had seen in his dreams. There was something haunting his dreams a dark shadow lurking just out of awareness. He gulped and tried to go back to sleep. His eyes shot open when he felt a cold hand touched his face. Standing just inches away was a woman dressed in all white. She leaned over her dress turned progressively red.
"It's not over my love." She whispered.
.o. End .o.
Bonus Story:
3 years prior
Tonraq's answering Machine
Tonraq rubbed his temples as he walked in to his home after a long day. Seena had left earlier that day for the Fire Nation and to help Korra get ready for her second big day. He would leave in a few days but he was still chief and it would seem extremely odd for him to leave so early to help with the wedding of his widowed son-in-law. He glanced down at the phone and found to his dismay the contraption attached to the phone that Varick had come up with blinking. He sighed sitting down by the phone and hit the button to play the messages.
"You have 13 messages." The calm female electronic voice informed him before the onslaught of messages.
"Hello, Chief Tonraq it's me Bolin. I was just calling to ask if you have any parenting advice? Like how with Korra did you ever have issues with Korra freezing your spouse to the wall? I guess since you're a water bender that wasn't an issue um… please call me back, thanks!"
"Hello, Chief Tonraq this is Opel, um I know we've never really been introduced but I was wondering with Korra did you ever figure out a way for her not to set things on fire when she had a tantrum? I guess I could ask Mako, forget I called."
"Hi, Chief? This is Bolin again, what is the best way to treat burns? Please call me back."
"Hi, Chief? With a Waterbeder is it normal for them to freeze the bath water? Call me back."
"Hey Tonraq? Bolin. Hypnotically, will not giving a cookie to a child avatar cause them to go into the Avatar state like temper tantrum?"
"Hey, It's me sorry about that last message; I forgot Korra didn't go into the Avatar state until after her fight with Amon. And yes, not giving them a cookie can and does result in the Avatar state…. So how do you treat frostbite? Please call me back."
"My little Eevee thinks she's Avatar Kioshi! Call me back!"
"Hey, did the White Lotus give you like a pamphlet on what to expect while raising the avatar?"
"She's bending Lava! What do I do? She's…oh wait I can do that too. Never mind!"
"Hey do you know an insurance company that covers damage caused by Avatar? Also do you know how to dry wall?"
"How do you make sea prunes?"
"Are you screening?"
"Hello Chief Tonraq, this is Fire Lord Iroh, I really need you to call me back Sona-
"tape is full end of messages."
Tonraq shook his head as he picked up the phone and started to dial Iroh back. He sighed and here he thought he was going to have a quite night.
A/N: yeah sorry about reposting old stuff at the end of this chapter but like I said I will be taking Girl in Green down soon and some of the stuff there I really liked this included. So please comment if you feel so compelled and if you are at all confused read Woman in White first if you haven't already. Have a great day!~ C.C.