Author's note: I do not own anything. I will be trying to add a chapter to the story at least once a week. I may update more than that if I am feeling really ambitious. If I miss a week, I will upload twice in the next week and so on. Thank you for reading, please comment and tell me what you think.
'At the sound of music to his ears'
Korra stood there, her mind completely blank; she had no idea what to make of what just happened. Zaheer's words swam through her head, and her rage bubbled up again inside of her. His Avatar? Oh boy, did he have another thing coming. Korra took a couple deep breaths trying to calm herself down; before she disrupted the spirit world with the amount of anger radiating off of her. She turned away from where Zaheer was just standing and noticed that there was a small river flowing towards the mountains in the distance. Korra wished she could have taken a quick dip into the river, but she knew she had to get back to her body before the others got worried. She sat down, crossed one leg over the other and took a deep breath. Korra closed her eyes and allowed her mind to go black; she felt her body's small tug at her soul and followed that tug back into her body.
When she finally felt the warm sensation of her soul being back in her body, she slowly opened her eyes and breathed out a little bit of fire. She needed to feel in control once again; Korra hated when she wasn't in control and recently it had seemed like she was in a rapid river being tossed around like a rag doll. Korra was still slightly flustered but her body steamed with anger, "How dare he call me his!" She shouted as she stomped down into the sand, pushing her quickly made rock walls back into the ground from once they came.
Korra was so furious she had yet to notice that Mako, Asami, and Bolin were standing nearby. They went looking for her, although Mako hadn't told them the real reason that Korra had ran away; since Asami didn't notice that she had run off, and Bolin was too busy talking to Lin, Tonraq, and Fire Lord Zuko. Mako just told them that before Asami ran over, Korra said something about going off and meditation in peace. When Team Avatar saw the rock tent they figured it was her; Bolin had pushed the rock walls down to make sure Korra was in there and when they saw she was in the spirit world, Bolin put the walls back up. The group had stayed close to her rock barrier, just to make sure no one came around and tried to harm her while she was in the spirit world.
Korra's eyes were closed as she clenched her fists in rage, "First Mako acts as if he actually cares about me, then Zaheer goes and acts all high and mighty calling me his! He wishes he could tame me!"
"He did what?" An angry shout caused Korra to open her eyes in shock, she hadn't even realized people where there. That could have been really dangerous, "Hello? Earth to Korra? He said what?" Mako angrily questioned once more, when Korra just stared at him. Quickly her daze was shaken by the anger in his voice and Korra just stared at him with disbelief.
"Oh and why do you care?" Korra shouted, shocking everyone around her. They could practically feel the anger radiating off of her body. Bolin and Asami took a couple steps back, while Mako stood his ground and lowered his eyes. He even took a couple steps closer as anger filled both of their eyes as now they were only a couple steps apart.
"Because he is the enemy, Korra! He tried to kidnap you! Or have you forgotten about that as well?" Mako shouted back, crossing his arms over his chest. As if she could have forgotten that she almost was kidnapped, you can't just forget those things.
"I doubt you even cared!" Korra said with anger lacing each word, as she took a step and jammed her finger in the center of his chest, "I am the Avatar; you don't owe me any favors." That she whispered but with still as much anger as before. Mako's eyes widened for a second, realizing she had said something close to that before he confessed his love, then with a sigh Mako shook his head.
"Look, I don't care if you are the Avatar or not, Korra. We are on the same side here." Mako said softly with a slight smile on his face, "What would I do without my best friend?" Her heart shattered a little more as Mako pulled her into a tight embrace. Korra did not return the hug at first, her eyes were stung with the truth that she heard; her arms remained at her side, and for the second time today, she wanted to run away. With a heavy sigh, Korra wrapped her arms around his slender torso. Basking in his warmth, and allowing his scent to surround her once more.
"Now, there is something that me and Bolin have to tell you. So why don't we go back to the inn and talk." Mako said pulling back from the embrace, his arms still on her shoulders, looking into her blue eyes. Bolin and Asami were now walking towards the two benders and with smiles on their faces, agreed with Mako; saying it was the best course of action.
"Zaheer said you guys were supposed to deliver a message to me." Korra said thoughtfully as she remembered what Zaheer had told her in the spirit world, it was definitely weird. "Anyway, I could use a cup of Lychee juice" The others laughed as they headed back to the oasis, Korra couldn't help but notice how Mako grabbed Asami's hand as they walked back.
When they reached the Oasis, after Korra grabbed a rather large glass of Lychee juice, Team Avatar went straight into the room that Korra was staying in at the inn. Korra took a seat on the bed, Naga came up to the window and putting her head through the window, Naga laid her head on Korra's lap. Asami and Mako took the couch in across from the bed and Bolin created a chair from the earth below to sit in. Korra rubbed behind Naga's ears, waiting for Mako or Bolin to speak.
"So, what was the big message that you had to deliver to me?" Korra said impatiently, as she stared at Mako. Bolin sat there extremely interesting on looking at how his fingers looked. Mako shifted to the edge of the seat and cleared his throat.
"I guess by now you already know that Zaheer killed the Earth Queen," Mako paused waiting for Korra to nod, "well before that, me and Bo got locked up in a jail cell when Zaheer gave us to the Earth Queen so he could have you. Like a trade, when he found out the ship carrying you got destroyed, that's when he killed the Earth Queen. Zaheer made an announcement to all of Ba Sing Se, and then he had Ghazan, the guy who bends lava, to burn down the inner walls. Zaheer let all the prisoners out, except for us. He came to us and said that he was going to set us free but first he wanted to speak to us. That he had a message that he needed us to deliver to you."
"And? What is that message, get on with it." Korra said once again impatiently, she wasn't one to wait for things.
"Well the red lotus is meeting up, not just the members we met, but the whole red lotus." Mako said, he saw Korra's face and sighed, "To decide what they are going to do about you, and how he told us to tell he can't wait to see you again."
"Eh?" Korra said, her eye twitching, "That's it? I mean that's not so bad, guess." She said shrugging and picking at something in her ear. She was expecting something a lot more threatening, like he had her parents or something. He is not acting how I thought he would.
"I think we should figure out where that meeting is being held, and try to infiltrate it." Asami said with a thoughtful look on her face, as if she was already trying to figure out the details.
"But we go in like me and Korra did when we rescued Bolin, undercover. We aren't going to go in trying to fight everyone. Okay, Korra?" Mako said, glaring in Korra's direction. Korra glares at him back but she nods. "I'm serious this time, Korra!"
"I'm understand, boss man!" Korra yelled standing up, with a sign she sat back down, "But how do we figure out where the meeting is being held?" Korra had to admit she wasn't the most patient, and sometimes she was pretty quick to act.
"Well last time, Zaheer and Aiwei, met in the spirit world. And only Korra can go there, so it can't be there." Bolin said in a serious tone, as if he was actually contemplating if it could actually be there or not.
"I doubt that everyone in the red lotus would be going to the meeting can go to the into the spirit world, Bo." Korra said laughing a little at the thought of just a hundred people's bodies all sitting next to each other, now that would be silly.
"Well somehow we are going to figure out how to find out where they are having this meeting, because this could be the break that we are looking for." Mako said staring at the ground, placing his head in his one hand. Korra already had an idea about how she could find out, but after how Mako freaked out about what Zaheer said, Korra wasn't about to bring up her idea.
"Well we should probably get to how we are going to figure this out." Korra said pushing Naga off her lap and pushing her arms above her head and stretching. "I am going to go the spirit world," Everyone raised their eye brows at her, Mako stood up and was about to say something to her, "No, shut up. Mako you have no say in what I do or say."
"Korra, I do not feel comfortable with you doing things on your own." Mako said with small traces of anger lacing each word; with a sigh Korra decided that it wasn't worth it getting into another argument.
"I am in the spirit world, there is no bending, and no harm can come of me. I am not meeting anyone, it just helps me think." Korra said with a sad smile on her face, "It just isn't worth fighting anymore, Mako. So just go figure out how we are going to find Zaheer with Asami and Bo. If it makes you feel better, I'll leave my body right here on the bed. But first, I need some more Lychee juice" She got happier when she spoke about the Lychee juice, but the rest was mostly just spoken with little to no emotion. With that said, Korra started to walk out of the door, she hesitated when Mako spoke.
"What do you mean; it just isn't worth fighting anymore?" Mako whispered his face scrunched up in confusion.
With a sigh Korra turned around and face Mako, with a fake smile on her face, but like everyone else, he believed it, "Like you said, we are best friends, we shouldn't be fighting this much" Mako didn't say a word as he watched Korra walk out of the door, with a sad smile on her face.
Korra returned to the room taking a huge chug of the Lychee Juice she just gotten; within the room Bolin and Asami were playing Pi Sho, what caught her attention was that Mako wasn't in the room anymore. Korra looked all around the room, but she couldn't find him.
"Where did city boy go?" Korra asked as she settled herself in her meditation position on top of the bed.
Asami looked up from the Pi Sho game and glanced around the room, "Huh, I didn't even notice that he left the room." Bolin just shrugged his shoulders and went back to trying to figure out how to quickly beat Asami, and prove once and for all that Shady Shin's way of Pi Sho was superior. Korra chuckled when Asami beat him once more and Bolin yelled out "15 out of 21".
Korra closed her eyes, and focused on her breathing and heart beat as her mind melted into blackness. With a deep breathe, and for the second time today, she released her spirit from the binds that bound her to this world. Korra felt her soul push itself out of her body, as if it was in a hurry, and disappear into the other world. Korra new exactly where she would land, and she was expecting to speak to a certain air bender.
When she felt her feet touch the soft grass of the spirit world, Korra opened her eyes and glanced around her. This better not become a normal thing for us. But Zaheer was nowhere to be seen; Korra let out a noise close to a growl and yelled out his name. With a sigh she glanced up at the tree, and to the small spirits next to her. With a playful smile on Korra's face she raced some sprits to the top of the tree. She lost of course, but she would never admit it to anyone, she couldn't help but let the laugh slip through her lips.
Without her realizing it she called him to her; Zaheer had felt something pull at his heart, calling him to the spirit world. Right after him and the red lotus finished eating some weird steaks that the Queen had, he quickly went to his room and allowed his spirit to leave his body, and travel to where his heart was calling him. When Zaheer arrived beneath his favorite tree, he couldn't help but to hear the most wonderful song ever heard. It was more touching than the song the wind sung as it passed by his ears; it tugged at his heart, like what had called him to this very place.
He narrowed his eyes, and glanced up from where the noise was coming from. His eyes widened when he realized that the noise he had heard was actually the Avatar laughing. Quickly he gained his normal stoic face, as he watched the Avatar play with the spirits with such care. Zaheer knew that she was the key in the Red Lotus's plans, and he would have to kidnap her soon, but for now he just listened to her beautiful laughter. Zaheer took a deep breath, and took his meditating position underneath the tree; waiting for the Avatar to finish playing with the spirits. One could not tell by looking at his face that he was enjoying her joyful spirit around him; one probably wouldn't be able to tell if he enjoyed anything with him usually wearing a stoic mask, but he truly couldn't stop himself from smiling on the inside at the sound of music to his ears.