all that we've amassed
sits before us, shattered into ash
Korra does not know how to deal with spirits. And she definitely doesn't know how to deal with firebending spirits. One would think she'd be able to (she's the Avatar, why wouldn't she be able to?) But this spirit does not react at all to the endless amount of fire she hurls at it, or any element, for that matter. Fire does not burn it, water does not wet it, earth does not stop it, and air goes straight through it.
For the first time in her life, Korra does not have the upper hand.
The spirit ignites itself on fire, and Korra has to shield her eyes to avoid becoming temporarily blinded. As the light diminishes from the edges of her vision, she puts her arm down to find black smoke curling up all around her, and it doesn't take long before it engulfes her completely.
The smoke burns Korra's eyes and her vision becomes blurry, and as she takes another labored breath her lungs fill with dust and ash, and she clutches her side, coughing violently.
Somewhere far into the thick curtain of black smoke Korra manages to make out the spirits figure, and she stumbles towards it, wiping at her eyes.
The smoke gradually clears until she can see the snow covered ground beneath her feet and a halo of golden light emitting from the ground. The barrier between the mortal world and spirit world is becoming weaker and weaker, and circles of light like these indicate where the barrier has completely broken down, allowing the mortal world complete access to the spirit world and vice versa.
She takes a deep breath in and sprints towards the center of the circle. As she passes through the light her eyes are blinded from the brightness, and there's an unfamiliar pressure all around her before everything goes black.
"Can you see Korra?" Mako asks Bolin as the two brothers run through the bitterly cold wind, their feet crunching the snow beneath them. He should've known something like this would happen. Leave it up Korra to spot something strange and leave in pursuit of it without saying a word.
"I think I saw her come out of the smoke," Bolin answers, and the two approach the huge, dark, curling mass of smoke.
"Hold your breath," advises Mako right before they enter. His eyes begin to water immediately and he tries to run as fast as he can to quickly get out of the smoke. Just as his lungs are right about to give out and he is readying himself to take a breath, he comes out of the smoke and into the wide expanse of the tundra.
He collapses on the snow and wheezes, and Bolin comes out of the smoke right then, coughing heavily. The two stay like that for a few seconds, trying to catch their breath, before Bolin lifts his finger up and points in front of them.
"Mako," he gasps. "Is that...?"
A circle of light shines out from the ground, glowing a yellowish hue.
"That's the spirit world," Mako says, quickly getting up off his feet and grabbing his brother by the wrist. "I bet that's where Korra is. Come on, we've got to go inside."
The two brothers run into the light, and disappear.
Korra opens her eyes and a soft gasp comes out of her mouth.
The scenery surrounding her is unlike anything she's ever seen before. Everything around her is lush and green and lively and absolutely breathtaking. She's never paid much attention to nature or anything of the sort, never been the kind of person to, but now she regrets it.
She turns around and hears the waters of the river move behind her.
"Avatar Korra," a voice says, "it's nice to see you. Your first visit into the spirit world, am I correct?"
She whips around and gasps at the person in front of her.
"A-Avatar Kyoshi?" she asks, and the woman's red lips turn downwards into a scowl.
"Really, Korra. I'm disappointed that you have to ask."
"I'm sorry, but I really need your help," Korra tells her. She's surprised at just how damn tall the woman in front of her is, and her height just adds to her intimidating aura. Though Korra has heard plenty of stories about her massive stature, along with her inability to put up with bullshit, she is not prepared anything like this at all. The earthbending Avatar reminds her very much of... Lin Beifong.
"What do you need?" asks Kyoshi.
"I- I need to keep the barrier between the mortal world and the spirit world strong. Right now it's really weak, and spirits are just coming in and out of the mortal world whenever they please," Korra explains. "And I'm really confused, because Jinora - that's Tenzin's daughter, but you probably already knew that - told me that spirits had to give up their immortality in order to exist in the mortal world."
"What do the spirits look like in the mortal world?"
Korra pauses and her eyebrows scrunch up in confusion.
"Um, what does that have to do with anyth-"
"Just answer the question," Kyoshi says firmly.
"Uh, they look, um, weird. And they have all these arms," Korra explains, flailing her arms around in an attempt to demonstrate.
Kyoshi sighs. "And when you try to use your bending, what happens?" she asks, clearly unamused.
They beat the shit out of me.
"Well, nothing, really," Korra answers. "But Unalaq, the chief of the Northern Water Tribe, he can control them. He's supposed to start teaching me about how to do all that spiritual stuff, but, um, he hasn't yet."
"So you just entered the spirit world without any spiritual training whatsoever?" Kyoshi asks.
"No!" Korra defends, crossing her arms. "Tenzin makes me meditate. I can meditate. Sometimes."
"Listen, Korra. I had some trouble with the spiritual aspect of being the Avatar as well," Kyoshi tells her, now unusually serious. "But it has to be done, and the sooner, the better. Especially in your case."
Korra can't tell if she's insulting her or not.
"The spirits that are in the mortal world right now are still most likely immortal. From your detailed description," Kyoshi says, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "They are still spirits. They do not have solid, physical bodies. They simply wandered out of the spirit world into the mortal world. Before you do anything, you must make sure all the spirits are back in the spirit world."
"And how do I do that?" Korra questions.
"I believe that job is for your spiritual mentor," Kyoshi answers.
"...so there's nothing you can teach me or help me with?" Korra asks, disappointed.
"I can't make you get in touch with your spiritual side, if that's what you're wanting me to do. You need to learn patience, you need to learn restraint. You need to learn how to be spiritual," explains the past Avatar. "You have easily mastered the physical side to being the Avatar, but you have no idea how to even get in touch with your spiritual side."
"Well thanks for your help," Korra says, growing frustrated. Like she doesn't know she has trouble with being spiritual! Half-baked Avatar.
"See? This is what I mean," Kyoshi points out. "You show great promise, Korra. But if you continue to be as stubborn as you are, you will never reach your full potential. You must bring back balance between the two worlds," Kyoshi tells her. "Terrible things happen when there is no balance."
"I know." Korra nods.
"I believe you can, Korra. Good luck."
And with that, Kyoshi's body slips back into river, and she is gone.
As soon as he enters the spirit world, Mako immediately notices something is wrong.
Bolin is nowhere near him.
"Bolin?" he calls out, circling around the area. "Bolin?"
This is not good, this is not good. Mako begins to panic, but forces himself to take a few deep breaths and clear his mind. Panicking will not help him.
"Bolin!" he shouts, his voice echoing. "Where are you?"
He walks towards a large grassy field he sees in the distance, his thoughts clouded with worry. His little brother is lost, and he has no idea where to look for him, because he too, is lost. But what's the worst that can happen, right? At least he hasn't been kidnapped by Amon this time, right? How much trouble could Bolin possibly get himself into here?
Mako forces himself not to ponder the last question.
"Bolin!" he yells.
And then he hears something. Someone is shouting his name, but it's not Bolin. It's... Korra.
"Mako?" her voice shouts in the distance. "Where the hell are you?"
Definitely Korra.
"Korra! I think I can see you," he replies, noticing a small figure near a river. "Just- oomph!"
He trips over a large branch on the ground, and he falls face first onto the dirt.
Groaning, he gets up, spitting the dirt out of his mouth and brushing himself off.
"I swear to-"
He stops midsentence as he looks up and finds himself staring at two very familiar people. Their faces look exactly the same as the ones that are burned on the back of his eyelids; the same ones he sees every night, in his happiest dreams and his worst nightmares.
"Mom? Dad?" he whispers, in a voice so fragile it frightens himself.
Faraway in the distance, he can hear Korra yelling his name, but he doesn't respond, can't respond, because the two people he's been waiting his whole life to see again are right in front of him.
A/N: Oops, cliffhanger. Sorry not sorry. I plan on this fic being a series of three oneshots with a possible epilogue. I know there's not really any Makorra action at all right now, but there will be much, much, more in the next one. Follow to know when I post the next part up, and review so I can get some feedback! (Also this fic is set in Book 2 ok yes good)
(ALSO THE BOOK 2 TRAILER AND THE EPISODE LIKE PLEASE DEAR LORD HELP ME I WANT TO CRY I CAN' I'M SO EXCITED IT'S BEEN TOO LONG OH GOD MAKO AND KORRA KICKING ASS TOGETHER AND FEEDING EACH OTHER COTTON CANDY MAKO BEING A DORK IN HIS COP UNIFORM I AM D EA D)