Korra woke with a groan, she looked around blearily before she saw Asami. "you're safe" Korra sighed. "what happened?"
"we were contaminated by that creature thing"
"we returned to Five?"
"Yup"
"How long was I out?"
"Over a day"
Korra stood and caught sight of her reflection in one of the many glass observation panels, "ugh. I look a mess... wait, did someone kiss me?"
Asami looked away, "what do you mean, Korra?"
"looks like I've got lipstick on my face" she moved closer, "yup, definitely lipstick, looks surprisingly similar to your favourite one, Asami" Asami blushed even brighter red before she turned away trying to suppress a giggle. Korra looked down and saw a strange mark on her hand. "Asami, what's this?
"i don't know, Korra, I tried to wipe it off but it's burned into your hand"
"crap. Another scar to add to my collection" Korra grunted in annoyance. "anyway enough about me, how are you feeling?"
"kinda... Disconnected... Distant... As if a part of me is missing" Asami replied
"I know how you feel..." Korra wiped her lips with the back of her hand and moved towards the space elevator, "c'mon Asami, everyone's probably waiting for us... Boy, I hope Mako has cooked up his lovely noodles"
"I'm not sure, Korra" Asami spluttered hesitantly
"Well you getting in or not?"
Asami nodded and squeezed herself in to the capsule, "let's go home" she whispered
*
"Korra's back!" Bolin grinned
"Korra!" Jinora, Ikki and Meelo gasped and ran forward to embrace her
"Asami!" Mako and Opal ran to her side, "is she alright?"
"yup, I think so" Asami replied calmly, for some reason being on Thunderbird Five made her feel uneasy but now she was back in the island she felt complete
"after what happened we were all worried about you, Korra" Virgil stepped over and hugged her tightly
"what...?" Korra asked
"Didn't you tell her?" Virgil looked at Asami seriously
"No"
"tell me what?"
"Korra, Alan and Gordon... They didn't make it..."
"No... Ffffff..." Korra turned and ran out of the room
"Let her go, Asami" Virgil called to Asami
"but..."
"Trust me"
"fine"
*
I'm worried about Korra... She's been gone for nearly eight hours" Opal whispered
"me too, Opal"
"She just needs space" Virgil advised
"Screw you and your space Virgil" Asami snapped, "you don't know Korra as well as I do. She probably thinks she's failed or something!"
"Actually Alan and Gordon gave her a hundred percent" Brains explained
"not helping"
"sorry"
Asami and Opal ran out of the room. "where do you think she went?" Opal poked Asami's shoulder
"Uh... There's no snow or ice but there is water"
"A lot of it if you mean the coast"
"i do" Asami nodded, "Asami to Kuvira"
"Kuvira here"
"Would you mind launching Shadow and searching the island's coastline for Korra?"
"Consider it done, Asami. Thunderbirds are go!"
"We've got Kuvira in the sky, shouldn't take her long to find Korra"
"what about the caves?"
"no security systems have been triggered, most of the caves have alarm laser nets over them"
"No sign of her, girls" Kuvira appeared on their monitors and shook her head
"oh no..." Asami teared up so Opal helped her sit down before she triggered her own comms device
"Opal to EOS"
"go ahead, Opal"
"scan the area around Tracy Island for biosigns"
"Scanning..." a tense few seconds passed, "biosigns detected"
"Where?!"
"Mateo Island"
"how the... How are we gonna get over there?!" Asami screamed
"hop on" Kuvira's holographic face appeared again, both Asami and Opal grabbed hold of Thunderbird Shadow's legs with their arms and legs and held on tight while Kuvira flew the craft over to Mateo Island
*
Asami and Opal let go of the legs and rolled to lessen the impact, the last time they had been on this island was in their early training where they had to survive for two weeks. "Ouch" Opal groaned
"now that one hurt. The things I do for you, Korra"
"she's about a hundred metres away on the beach"
"she... Swam here?"
"seems so, Asami, now, go get your girl"
"Will do, Kuvira"
"Good luck" Kuvira's face disappeared and they moved forward towards where Kuvira said Korra would be. Sure enough they heard the crackling of a fire and saw its warm glow. Opal knelt down and nodded at Asami
"Korra..." Asami sighed when she was close enough to her
"Asami..."
"Korra, you're soaked and freezing"
"I don't care"
"Korra... Come on Korra, get out of those wet clothes"
"do you have anything I could wear instead? No" Korra crossed her arms, "leave me be, Asami. I just learnt that I killed two of my family"
"Nonsense, Korra!" Asami put her hands on Korra's shoulders
"Oh really, Asami, then why are they in coffins"
Asami gently hugged Korra, "because they got contaminated" Korra sighed, "because we all got contaminated"
"exactly"
"yes, but that wasn't your fault, Korra"
"I was stupid. I was going too fast"
"no, you weren't" Asami pulled her top off and pulled it down over Korra. "I know this won't help the guilt you're feeling, but Alan and Gordon unanimously agreed that you did everything perfectly"
"Then why did they die"
"Things like this happen"
"I still failed"
"no, your didn't, Korra" Opal's voice echoed. "i was there, Korra. I saw everything you did and before I passed into oblivion on Three I heard Alan and Gordon recording a report to Virgil and the others. You and Asami had already passed out whatever it was impacted you the most seriously, except from Alan and Gordon of course"
"So I carried the contaminant aboard?"
"ugh! Korra! That wasn't what I meant!" Opal exclaimed
"Ready?" Asami whispered to Opal who nodded and grabbed Korra's legs
"hey!!"
"you're coming back with us before you catch your death out here" Asami declared, she wrapped her arms around Korra's waist and between them they carried Korra to one of the access doors. Asami slammed her hand against the biometric scanner which read her fingerprints and opened the door
"get off me!" Korra attempted to wriggle free but another pair of arms wrapped around her legs. "Kuvira!"
"Asami's right, Korra" between the three of them they managed to carry Korra back to the access elevator and force her to sit in the seat until the safety belts click into position
"Agh get stuffed, Kuvira" Korra spat, still trying to wriggle free
"Asami, Mako and Bolin are waiting on the other end of this for you and Korra"
"Right"
*
Korra and Asami soon arrived back in Tracy Island's control room which, fortunately had been cleared by Grandma Tracy. Mako and Bolin were leaning against the far wall and they moved forward to restrain Korra again. "Kuvira warned us you're feeling fighty today, Korra" Mako said sadly, upset to see his ex like this
"no fight" Korra groaned, her fight all used up on trying to break free from Asami, Opal and Kuvira
"alright, Korra"
"Just... Take me outside, to the pool"
"alright" Mako and Bolin stood either side of Korra and walked her to the pool where Grandma Tracy was waiting for her. She stared at Mako and Bolin who withdrew quickly, she then turned to Korra and smiled at her
"I knew you couldn't resist getting back in the water" she spoke quietly and respectfully. "and I know you'll probably blame yourself for my grandsons' deaths for a long time, but it's not your fault, Korra" Grandma Tracy indicated some clothes by the edge of the pool, "they're there for you when you're done in the pool, Korra" she smiled at the younger girl and withdrew a bit. "you're up, Asami"
"Thank you" she moved forward and embraced Korra as the tears started to fall
"I failed and they're DEAD" Korra cried before she raised her arms and brought them crashing down on the top of the water. "they're DEAD AND I CAUSED IT" she brought her hand down forcefully on the water again only to gasp when the water reacted differently to her. Instead of making a small splash and soaking Korra's hair once again, the water rose up into a sizable wave which flowed down the length of the pool. Asami, who had been to the toilet returned and saw the wave heading towards Grandma Tracy who's mouth was hanging open and was otherwise frozen in place. Asami moved forward being guided by instinct more than anything else, she moved her arms apart while she flew through the air and the massive wave separated, passing harmlessly around her and Grandma Tracy.
"What the?" Asami whispered, feeling the darkness creeping in. The last thing she and Korra felt before they fell unconscious again was a warm arm wrapped around their waists and the last thing they heard was Grandma Tracy's voice. "you two need to go to sick bay" she explained then the darkness took them both