Korra and Asami were lying in a grassy field in the Spirit World, gazing at the neon-purple butterflies that were dancing overhead. Days had passed since they entered the new Spirit Portal, and after the madness of Kuvira's invasion, it went without saying that the girls greatly appreciated the change of pace.
"They're beautiful, aren't they?" asked Asami as she gently clasped Korra's hand.
"Not as beautiful as you," Korra said, rolling over and wrapping her arm around Asami's waist.
They gazed into each other's eyes until a horrible wheezing sound echoed in the field.
"What was that?" Korra asked, instinctively sitting up to see what the commotion was. Asami reared up as well.
"Oh, pardon me," said a large, green spirit that resembled a pile of slime. "I'm just a tad sick is all." He sounded congested despite not having a nose.
"Sorry to hear that," said Korra.
"It's quite alright. I'm sure I'll feel better in a few… a few… ATCHOO!"
The spirit sneezed into the open air, spraying a thick goop all over Korra and Asami.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry!" he apologized.
"That's probably why you're supposed to cover your mouth…" said Asami.
"I just hope it's not contagious," said Korra, wiping sludge off her face.
"It's a spirit flu. I don't think humans can catch it. Anyway, I should probably be on my way before I sneeze on anyone else. I'm sorry again for the mess," the slime spirit said as he slid away.
"Ugh, this is gross," Korra complained, trying to shake off the sticky goop. "How am I supposed to get this out of my hair?"
"I think it's seeping through my clothes," Asami groaned, twitching uncomfortably. "We're gonna have to wash this stuff off."
"How? There aren't any washrooms in the Spirit World," Korra grumbled.
"We could just do it the old fashioned way," said Asami.
"What do you mean?"
"Remember that spring we saw in the woods?" asked Asami.
"Um… Yeah?"
After she removed her clothes, Asami carefully stepped into the glistening water. Satisfied with the temperature, she immersed herself until she was shoulder deep in the spring.
"Korra? Are you ready yet?" Asami asked.
Korra peeked out from behind a tree.
"Almost…" she said sheepishly.
"Come on, there's no need to be shy," Asami said, smiling lightly.
"Well, alright then…"
Korra reluctantly stepped naked into the open, covering her delicate parts with her hands. Her face was a deep shade of crimson, much to Asami's amusement.
"What's the matter? Are you afraid the spirits might see you?" Asami teased.
"No, of course not. I mean, they're always naked themselves, right?" Korra said, smiling coyly.
"Then come in. The water's fine."
Korra ventured into the spring, wading deeper and deeper until she was close to Asami. Once they got over the initial awkwardness of the situation, they started washing off the grime.
"This stuff is thick," said Asami, rubbing the slime from her legs.
"Tell me about it. It reminds me of Opal's bison," said Korra as she used her waterbending to clean her hair.
"Could you wash my hair, too?" Asami asked.
"Sure."
Korra raised a ball of water, but Asami motioned for her to stop.
"Actually, I was hoping you could use your hands," she said.
"Why?" Korra asked.
"I just think you'd be good at it," Asami said, blushing.
"Oh, I see," Korra giggled, mirroring the blush.
Asami turned around, allowing Korra to caress the sludge from her hair. This went on for a long time, even after the last clump of slime was gone.
"It feels like you're doing a good job," Asami complimented, well-aware that Korra was taking her time, but not minding it one bit.
"Oh, I'm sure you'd be better at this," Korra cooed.
"Is that so?" Asami asked, nestling up to Korra.
"Yeah, it is. Maybe I should've let you wash my hair," Korra said, lowering her eyelids.
Asami slung her arms around Korra's midriff, grinning affectionately. Korra happily returned the embrace.
"I love you, Asami."
"I love you too, Korra."
They shared a tender kiss.
"Hello? Is someone out there?" a voice called. Korra and Asami flinched in surprise as Iroh emerged from the wood.
"Well, if it isn't Avatar Korra!" he greeted. "It's been years since we last spoke. I see you've brought a friend."
"Hey, Iroh! Long time no see!" Korra replied, crouching into the water. "This is Asami."
"It's nice to meet you," Asami said, crouching lower than Korra was. "Korra told me all about you."
"Ah, then you must know that I'm Zuko's uncle. Perhaps he should pay a visit to the Spirit World sometime so we can catch up," Iroh laughed.
Asami leaned into Korra's ear.
"Korra, do you think he knows we're…?"
"…Bisexual?"
"Naked. Do you think he knows we're naked."
"I don't think so. The water isn't clear enough. Just play it cool."
"How about I join you two?" Iroh suggested. The girls' pupils shrank.
"No!" Korra blurted.
"Why not?"
"Well… We're kind of, um…"
"Oh, I see what's going on here!" Iroh said, smirking.
"You do?!" Korra and Asami exclaimed in unison, clenching their teeth.
"Yes. You two are on a date."
There was a pause before Korra put her arm around Asami and said, "yes, that's exactly what's happening." Asami took the opportunity to plant a kiss on Korra's cheek.
"Well, I don't mean to interrupt. The reason I came here in the first place is to collect some water. The spirits tell me that this spring has mysterious properties," Iroh explained as he filled his pail with water. "Hopefully it'll be good for brewing tea."
"Maybe we can get together and have tea with the spirits sometime?" Korra asked.
"That can certainly be arranged," Iroh said. "Anyway, I've already gotten what I came for. I'll let you two get back to your date now."
Korra and Asami watched Iroh walk away. Once he was out of sight, they sighed in relief.
"That was close," said Asami.
Korra was silent.
"Korra? Is something wrong?"
"Do… Do you feel something funny?" Korra asked.
"No. Why?"
Korra sank into the spring.
"Korra!"
Asami sank too.
Korra and Asami were floating in an endless, purple sky, their hair gently flowing despite the lack of wind. Inexplicably, they were wearing their dresses from Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding.
"Asami… Where are we?" Korra asked groggily.
"I don't know…" Asami said, a listless look in her eyes. "Where were we before?"
"…Beats me," said Korra. "But what matters is that we're together."
They joined hands and held each other, evidently not bothered by the peculiarity of the situation.
"Your love is strong," said an ethereal voice. "But is it strong enough to survive trials?"
The girls were suddenly pried apart by an unseen force. They cried out to each other as the sky faded into darkness.
"Whatever happened with Mako, I'm glad it hasn't come between us."
Korra opened her eyes and saw Mako glaring angrily at her.
"...Mako? What is this?"
Korra looked around and saw a Future Industries factory nearby.
"Why am I in Republic City?" she asked.
"Why are you doing this? Are you that jealous of me and Asami?" Mako growled.
"Huh? Mako, what are you talking about?"
"If you don't drop this, consider our friendship over."
Korra's eyes widened.
"Wait… I remember this!"
Mako stormed off and put his arm around Asami.
"Asami!" Korra called.
Asami grimaced and turned away, leaving with Mako.
"No!"
Korra chased after her, but the faster she ran, the farther away they got.
"Remember what you used to think of her?" asked the voice. "You considered her an object of disgust. She was nothing but an obstacle, standing between you and Mako.
"Who are you?! Show yourself!" Korra demanded.
"What was that you said about her?" the voicee continued. "Ah, yes! You thought she was prissy."
"That was years ago! Things have changed!
"I'll be the judge of that," said the voice.
"Look, I don't know what's going on here, but I swear, if you-"
Korra disappeared in a flash of light.
Asami opened her eyes and saw Korra lying on Naga, looking very weak.
"Korra!" she yelped. "What happened to you?!"
Asami tried to pull Korra's down, but someone shoved her aside.
"Hey! What's the big-?!"
Asami's eyes widened when she realized who it was.
"...Mako?"
"Give her some space!" Mako commanded. Asami stared in confusion as he pulled Korra into his arms and carried her away.
"I was so worried. Are you all right? Mako asked Korra.
"I'm fine. I'm glad you're here," she said, leaning against his chest.
"I… I know this!" Asami stammered. "This is-!"
Mako gently placed Korra on Oogi's saddle. "You're safe now," he said, brushing her hair.
"I know," Korra chuckled, smirking at Asami.
"…Korra?" Asami asked.
Mako hopped onto the saddle and grabbed Oogi's reins.
"No, wait!"
Asami ran after them, but the bison flew off, leaving her in the dust.
"What is this?! What's happening?!"
"It was Korra's dream," said the voice. "And your nightmare."
"Who are you?" asked Asami. But the voice carried on as though she didn't speak.
"Back then, you weren't upset because of Korra. You were upset because of Mako. He was the target of your desire, not Korra."
"But that was before! I'm with Korra now!"
"Yes, for now. But will it stay that way? Mako was easily swayed from you, so what's there to say you won't be easily swayed from Korra?"
"Who are you?!" Asami asked again, getting angry.
"Who I am isn't important," said the voice. "What's important is who you are."
Asami tried to speak, but disappeared in a flash of light.
Korra reappeared in a dark, empty room, wearing her normal outfit again. A single lightbulb dangled from the ceiling, barely illuminating the room with its faint glow.
"Where have you taken me?"
"Worry less about where you are, and worry more about who you're with," said the voice.
As if on cue, a figure emerged from the shadows. As it moved closer, Korra could see that it was wearing a familiar disguise.
"An Equalist chi-blocker?" she asked.
The chi-blocker tossed a pair of bolas at Korra, who effortlessly rolled out of the way. She was about to shoot fire when the voice spoke again.
"I wouldn't be so quick to attack, if I were you. Take note of who you're fighting."
"I'm fighting a chi-blocker," Korra replied.
"A chi-blocker is what you're fighting. But you don't know who you're fighting."
The chi-blocker closed in on Korra and unleashed a flurry of punches. She dodged them all and seized the attacker by the shirt.
"Alright, let's see who you are, then." Korra grabbed the mask and pulled it off, revealing what was underneath. She wasn't happy with what she saw.
"Asami?!"
Korra released her in shock.
"I don't understand, why are you-?!"
Asami kicked Korra in the stomach, knocking her to the floor.
"I should've taken Dad's offer all those years ago," Asami said as she equipped an electroshock glove. "He was right about you benders."
"What did you do to her?!" Korra wailed.
"Nothing," said the voice.
"You're lying! You did something!"
"I've done nothing, and I will continue to do nothing. But enough about me. What are you going to do?"
Korra screamed in pain as Asami delivered an electric shock to her chest.
"Asami, snap out of it… This isn't you…" Korra pleaded, falling to her knees.
Asami leveled her glove at Korra's face.
"I don't want to fight you, Asami."
"Good. That makes things easier."
Before Asami could deliver the finishing blow, Korra thrusted her palms, producing a gust of wind that swept Asami off her feet. Korra then stood up and waved her arms, trapping Asami in a cyclone of air.
"Let me go!" she yelled.
"I don't know what he did to you, but I'm going to fix it," said Korra. Her eyes glowed as she clasped Asami's cheeks, and soon, Asami's eyes started glowing too. After a few seconds of this, Korra released her and scowled.
"This isn't Asami," said Korra.
"What?" asked the voice.
"This isn't Asami! You tricked me!"
"What leads you to believe this?"
"I felt her spirit. It's not Asami's."
"How can you be sure that-"
"I would never mistake Asami's spirit," Korra said firmly.
"…Fascinating…"
The fake Asami melted into nothingness.
"Where's the real Asami?" Korra demanded.
"You can find out for yourself," said the voice.
Korra seethed with anger until she remembered something. Crouching, she placed her hand on the floor, generating a ring of golden light.
"I don't care! Even if you're right, I'll always love her!"
"Asami!" Korra cried, turning to the wall.
Asami reappeared in a dark, empty room.
"What is this place?" she asked.
"The identity of this place is unimportant," said the voice. "I believe the identity of the person in this place is far more pertinent."
"Person?"
A pair of bright, white eyes flashed from the other side of the room. Slowly, an imposing figure trudged into visibility, revealing itself to be someone highly familiar.
"K-Korra?!" Asami stuttered.
Korra's appearance was noticeably different from the last time Asami saw her. Her hair was long and messy, her stance was almost feral, and she had a chain attached to her right arm.
"Does this remind you of anything?" asked the voice.
Asami didn't speak.
"Three years may have passed, but that morbid event is still a part of her. Your Korra isn't quite the same on the inside as she is on the outside."
"That's not my Korra," said Asami.
"Oh, she's more Korra than you realize. She's more you than you realize."
"What do you mean?"
"The Phantom before you might not be real, but everything she stands for is. Observe…"
The Phantom Korra lashed her chain around Asami's upper body, binding her arms. Asami tried to struggle free, but to no avail.
"Feel that?" asked the voice. "That's the fear that tethered Korra for so long. But it's not just her fear. It's yours, too."
The Phantom dragged Asami closer.
"Korra almost lost her life that day, and you almost lost Korra. You yourself said that you couldn't have handled losing both Korra and your father on the same day, and it was only shortly before his death that you managed to forgive him."
"What are you saying?" Asami asked as the Phantom drew her nearer and nearer.
"I'm saying that if you were that upset over a man you barely made amends with, then imagine how you would feel if your beloved were to perish…"
"Stay away from Korra!" Asami snarled.
"Oh, I'm no threat to the Avatar," said the voice. "However, the same cannot be said for everyone. In the past four years, many attempts have been made at her life."
Asami kicked at the Phantom, only for her foot to pass right through.
"Zaheer poisoned her, Unalaq nearly destroyed her spirit twice, and Kuvira tried to kill her a number of times, not to mention the rogue spirit that attacked her at sea."
The Phantom delivered a devastating punch to Asami's gut, sending her to the other side of the room.
"The Avatar may possess great power, but it comes at a price. It is her responsibility to maintain balance, and as long as evil exists, death will always be nipping at her heels."
"That's why she… has people like me… to watch after her…" Asami said weakly.
"But there's only so much you can do. Her allies have saved her life many times, but she can't always count on somebody coming to the rescue. Do you really want to be with someone you could lose at any given time?"
"Shut up!" Asami snapped.
The Phantom lashed her chain again, catching Asami by the ankle.
"You're setting yourself up for devastation. Avatar Korra has faced some of the most threatening benders the world has ever seen. Do you truly wish to pour your emotions into someone who's constantly in peril?"
"You will NOT turn me away from Korra!"
Asami pried the chain off her ankle and heaved it with all her might, bringing the Phantom to the floor.
"You're quite tenacious," said the voice. "But the fact remains that your attachment will always be in danger of an abrupt-"
"I don't care! Even if you're right, I'll always love her!" Asami insisted.
"…Very well."
The Phantom melted into nothingness.
"I suppose there can be no further doubts," said the voice.
"Doubts about what?" asked Asami. "Actually, on second thought, I don't care what your doubts are. Tell me where Korra is right now!"
"You don't need to look for her," said the voice. "She's already found you."
Suddenly, there was a loud crash. A blast of fire tore through the wall as Korra jumped into the room.
"Asami!"
"Korra!"
They ran up to and threw their arms around each other.
"I was afraid something had happened to you," said Korra.
"I was afraid too," said Asami. "But we're together again."
They shared a passionate kiss.
"Yes…. Yes, there can be no doubts," said the voice. "Your love is resolute."
"I'm going to ask this one more time," said Korra. "Who are you, and what was the purpose of all this?"
"And how do you know so much about us?" asked Asami.
"I am but a mere spirit, one with the ability to tap into people's memories," said the voice. "I can see your past, and now that I know what you're made of, I can see your future as well."
"So this whole time, you just wanted to see what we're "made of"? Aren't there better ways to go about doing that?" asked Korra.
"No, I don't believe there are. You can't expect conventionality from the Spirit World."
Korra and Asami glanced at one another.
"I think it's time we left," said Asami.
"I agree. Let's go," said Korra.
"Farewell," said the voice as the couple treaded into the darkness.
"I love you, Asami."
"I love you too, Korra."
Korra and Asami emerged from the spring, holding hands.
"We are definitely never swimming in that spring again," said Korra.
"You don't need to tell me twice," said Asami.
"What do you say we go have tea with Iroh?" asked Korra.
"I'd love too," said Asami. "But we should probably put some clothes on first."
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Korra laughed.
As Korra and Asami walked away, a blue catfish watched from the surface of the spring.
"Best of luck," it said before diving underwater.