Regrets Collect Like Old Friends
It was almost the end of the day, the sun a hazy orange and the wind picking up. Brown leaves were slowly falling down on the cold earth as they joined other dead leaves.
"Do you think she's home?" Mako asked as he and Korra reached the porch of a pink home.
It was the only house that stood out in the entire neighborhood which was full of dull coloured houses.
Korra glanced at Mako and shrugged, "Only one way to find out." Her caramel knuckles met the hard oakwood door and impatiently waited. Her blue eyes scanned the surrounding area while her partner stood diligently, always the calm one.
A few minutes later footsteps could be heard nearing the door before it fractionally opened.
A single grey eye cautiously looked at the two detectives before she opened the door entirely.
A flash of a young woman appeared, an image of what the older woman looked like when she was younger.
Her chestnut hair made into a single braid, her face youthful and eyes radiating kindness.
In front of the detectives stood a former shell of the young woman. Her face marred with wrinkles and old age having stolen most of her energy. Though her large grey eyes still had the same the kindness in them as in her youth.
Ty Lee shuffled out the way and welcomed Korra and Mako into her home. "Detectives, I'm so happy to see you here. Is there any news you have for me?"
"Yes, ma'am. There is something we would like to speak to you about," Mako said coolly. He followed the older woman towards the sitting room.
However Korra hovered near the kitchen and stared into golden, lifeless eyes. Their haunting gaze was stuck in Korra's mind as she turned her head away from the kitchen and towards Ty Lee.
"Is that your wife you mentioned earlier?" Korra asked Ty Lee while she moved to join her partner on a violet couch.
Most of the house seemed to have brightly coloured furniture or ornaments that seemed to match the quirky personality of the white haired woman.
Ty Lee's eyes looked in the direction of the kitchen before looking at Detective Korra. "Does it bother you?"
Korra noticed a slight flicker of worry in Ty Lee's eyes before it quickly disappeared. A small smile spread on the female detective's face as she shook her head. "Not at all. I just never met a woman that married a doll before."
Ty Lee face took on a airy expression as her mind drifted off. "It's hard to understand addiction unless you experienced."
Mako glanced at Korra with an uncomfortable expression while Korra gave him a small smirk in return.
Ty Lee's dazed expression lasted for a few minutes, wrapped in deep thought before her eyes darted around the room, each object making bringing her out of her thoughts.
Once it seemed like the old woman had returned to the real world, Mako cleared his throat. "As I mentioned before, we need to talk to you again about the disappearance of your best friend, Mai."
"Is there any new news Detectives?" Ty Lee asked, her tone full of hope but mixed with eagerness.
"There is," Korra said, "but isn't good."
The worry in Ty Lee's eyes returned. She began to scratch her left wrist as she stared at at Detective Korra. "What is it?"
"Well we spoke to your alibi, Suki, the owner of Kyoshi Productions. She told us that she does remember speaking to you on the telephone about a ballet show that night," Mako stated, his tangerine eyes never leaving Ty Lee's. "Although she mentioned something interesting. She said the conversation ended around nine o'clock because her husband came home around that time. Do you recall this?"
Grey eyes flickered between the two people in her living room. "Yes."
"Mai left her boyfriend's house around eight thirty after their fight. She lives an hour away from your house, which would be perfect since it would be appropriate for her to seek comfort from her best friend," Mako continued on, his face passive as he told the scenario. "Ma'am, did Mai come to your house the night she disappeared?"
"N-No! She didn't," Ty Lee stammered, her body turning ridged. "I went to Mai's family when I didn't hear from Mai after a few days. I was the one who suggested that they go to the police."
"It was the perfect cover-up," Korra finally said after observing the frail woman. "Do you know that you tend to scratch your left wrist when you're stressed or lying?"
Ty Lee's nails stopped mid scratch as she looked surprised at Korra.
"You killed your best friend and I think I have an idea why," Korra continued speaking once it was clear the older woman wasn't going to say anything. "That doll in the kitchen seems to look very similar to Zuko's sister, Azula. I saw a portrait of her when we went to speak to him and he told us how you three were inseparable until Azula had a psychotic break and tried to kill Mai. Am I lying?"
Tears began to swell at the the corner of Ty Lee's eyes. They seemed desperate as if she was running out of air as they flickered at a maddening pace until she broke.
"I didn't mean to kill her!" The confession came out as a strangled cry, fat tears rolling down dry skin. "I didn't mean to kill her…"
Korra neared the old woman, a more comforting aura surrounding her. "Then tell us what happened."
The night was windy as the wind roared outside while Ty Lee snuggled deeper into the wooden arms of her girlfriend. The pink blanket kept them warm as they watched a movie on the square television.
An impatient knock came from door. Ty Lee's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She glanced at her clock. Nine- thirty five.
Another loud knock forced Ty Lee to stand and hurry towards the door. "Coming!"
She struggled to tie her loose brown strands of her hair into a bun as she shuffled to the door.
She opened the expensive oakwood door and an angry Mai barged in without an invitation. Her pale face was, as usual, blank like a canvas though her aura spoke volumes. Ty Lee could already tell that she and Zuko had fought again but she usually called before she came over. The phone call was always the indicator, the warning.
"Zuko again?" When Mai averted her eyes she answered Ty Lee's question. "Well go to the kitchen and put on the kettle, I'll quickly go clean the sitting room."
Mai simply sighed. "It's fine, I don't need jasmine tea tonight. I'll help you clean up instead." As she turned to walk away Ty Lee quickly stopped her with an iron grip.
Mai paused. She stared at the hand and then at Ty Lee's face. A black eyebrow rose in question as she tugged her arm free from Ty Lee's grip. She slowly moved backwards, her expressionless eyes intently studying Ty Lee's as she moved into the sitting room.
Ty Lee nervously followed after her best friend was out of her sight until she saw her best friend looking at the doll with resentment. Her perfect emotionless mask cracked at a sight of a doll.
Rage steadily consumed Mai as she snapped her head towards Ty Lee. "This is the mystery person you're seeing?"
Ty Lee felt her tongue grow numb. What could she say? Mai understood that Azula wasn't mentally ill but she would never forgive the other girl and now Ty Lee was caught between a rock and a hard place.
"I love her," Ty Lee managed to say. Her voice barely audible but she knew Mai heard her.
Ty Lee could see Mai cool down and her face returned to its usual stoicness. "You need help Ty Lee. This addiction with Azula isn't healthy. You have a replicate doll of her!"
Ty Lee's at this point turned hard, a fierce glare in place. "It's hard to understand addiction unless you experienced, Mai! You think I want to be like this? I can't help it!"
Mai calmly looked Ty Lee before looking at the doll. She inched closer to it and to picked it up.
A shot of anxiety rippled into Ty Lee's eyes and moved towards her beloved doll. "What are you doing?"
"Helping you. I'm going to burn this thing," Mai replied and headed to the fire place. The message was clear: I'll burn this doll like she tried to burn me.
"No!" After the shriek, Ty Lee was already trying to tug the wooden doll but Mai, with a much stronger pull, managed to grasp the human doll out of Ty Lee's hands.
Her tawny eyes looked at Ty Lee with a hint of pity but it soon returned to its closed off expression. "You need to let go."
The Azula replica was tossed into the fireless fireplace and bent down to pick up a box of matches.
Desperation clawed at Ty Lee's heart and forced her to move. She took the first thing in sight, a iron poker, and swung it hard at the back of Mai's head.
Red splattered across the room and Mai's lifeless body lay still like the doll in the fireplace. Ty Lee looked at the scene with horror. She stared at the blood around her and dropped the poker on the floor, regret slowly consuming her.
Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play
Ty Lee's hands were cuffed as she was lead by Mako in a row of cell.
Fear was the most evident feeling in her bones. Her frail body shook as she stared at the white iron bars.
Mako placed her into her cell and took the cuffs. He closed the metal door firmly, the sound of metal meeting metal, locking the old woman with a finality.
And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues strong
It's always darkest before the dawn
A white haired Zuko looked at a picture of a stoic Mai. His eyes pained as he looked at her. His shriveled fingers stroked the frame with love.
A dark wrinkled hand brought Zuko out of his thoughts as he placed the picture and turned to his wife.
He took her hand and spun her around before they swayed together slowly. His gold eyes stared lovingly at her blue ones.
And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around
Tom-Tom kneeled down at the grave of his sister. He placed black flowers by her tombstone and tears shimmered at the corners of his eyes.
He was just a young boy, naive with the whole situation when he had lost his sister. Now he was man and finally his sister could rest in peace and he too could finally move on with his life.
Our love is pastured such a mournful sound
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
So I like to keep my issues strong
But it's always darkest before the dawn
Korra was heading out of a cafe with a coffee in hand. Across the street an apparition of Mai appeared.
The woman in all black still had a stoic face just like in all her pictures. But for a second her lips twitched into a smile as she gratefully looked at Korra.
A black car passed by and the ghost disappeared with only air in her place.
Korra sipped her coffee with a small smile and walked across the road.
Pro-Bending Circuit: Round Three
Write a story about a character (or characters) battling an addiction, and the reaction and consequence of someone else finding out.
Addiction: In a relationship with a lifelike doll
Prompts used: violet; "It is hard to understand addiction unless you have experienced it " - Ken Hensley; (AU) Old Detective Movie/Crime Drama
Words: 1906
The inspiration behind this story is Cold Case, one of my favourite crime drama, and the song Shake It Off (Florence and the Machines). Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.