Echoes from the roots
Building Echoes
When numerous echoes crash into one another they can build to a new sound.


(Asami's point of view)

I was glad to get back to some real work, not paper work, some proper engineering work; enjoying the heat of the welding torch from behind the safety mask, working on the first part of my new project, a foot. I had to remember to make it as small as possible but still with enough room for the internal hydraulics, and strong enough to support everything else.

"Ms. Sato." I hadn't even heard Arika enter the workshop, I was so wrapped up in my work. "Chief Beifong is back, she said she'd like to speak with you in your office." Lin? What would she want to talk about that couldn't be discussed over the phone? Or mentioned the other day when Korra was here.

"Thank you, Arika, I 'll go to talk to her now." I informed Arika as I turned off my welding torch and removed my safety mask. As I was about to leave Arika suddenly stopped me.

"Asami, you've got a little-" Arika trailed off as she took out a handkerchief and ran in over a few spots on my face, when she pulled it back it was blackened with grease in multiple places; I blushed a little at Arika's sudden actions. "All better now." Arika cheerfully informed me, I was glad to hear that I was again presentable.

"Thanks again, Arika."

"Your welcome, Asami."

When I made it into my office, I found Lin, as expected, looking somewhat more serious than usual; if that was possible. "Asami, there's something I need to talk to you about." So the Chief wasn't in the mood for even the illusion of pleasantries.

"Nice to see you too Lin." I gave a roll of my eyes to accompany my sarcastic quip. Lin responded with guilty look, that was new; I absent-mindedly wondered what this could be about

"Sorry, it's just this is quite important." Now I felt a little bad at my comment, and worried; Lin wasn't the type to apologise often.

"Okay, let's sit down then." I mentioned to my desk as I moved to sit behind it; as I did I notice a file folder that Lin was holding, it was probably connected to what she needed to talk about. "So what's so important that you couldn't call over the phone or mention it the other day when Korra was here?" I asked, not meaning to sound accusing, but afraid that I came off as such.

"Some Agni Kai documents recently came into our possession, they shed some light in relation to..." Lin trailed off seeming nervous; Lin, nervous. This was beginning to become worrying. "A... A specific incident that had been a closed case for years." Lin informed me, a bit more formal than I'd prefer. My mind quickly asked the question; why bring this to me? How could this have anything to do with- No.

"Y-you don't mean..." I stuttered out as best I could as the minor revelation dawned in the back of my mind; why couldn't that night stop haunting me. Lin let out a breath as she answered, her expression and tone were solemn.

"I'm afraid so, Asami." The chief responded and placed the file on the desk, pushing it towards me. I honestly didn't know how to react; so I just opened the folder, terrified to see what was inside; and wondering if they'd found who'd actually done it...


(Korra's point of view)

"So now what do I do?" I asked myself out loud as I looked around the swamp, extending all the way to the horizon. I was so not eager to try the one thing that came to mind.; I didn't want to give Tenzin the satisfaction.

It seemed that I was stuck, I was supposed to be here to get in touch with the whole 'spiritual' side of the Avatar; having no luck in that area since Aang gave me back my bending. Problem was that I was mad at Tenzin for objecting to me and Asami, and Asami was trying to be supportive with my role as the Avatar, but to make progress I had to take Tenzin's advice.

I guess the real question here was what was more important, being mad at Tenzin for what he said about Asami, or being a better Avatar... I didn't need to think too much about what Asami would suggest... Having an awesome girlfriend had it's drawbacks.

I let out a loud groan as sat down in the standard meditation position, just like I did when I was locked up by Tarrlok; I hoped that something similar would happen sooner or later. As I started trying to empty my mind, I made sure that if I talked with Tenzin later to brush over that I'd done what he said; so didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

I wasn't sure how long it took till the first, didn't think bring a watch into the swamp; wish I had, hard to keep track of time in the middle of a giant swamp, even if you can see the sun, that pretty much only told you if it was before or after noon, not very useful for-

"Gah!" I shook my head and followed up with a few light slaps on my cheeks to try and get my mind to clear; I've never been good at this and I don't think I ever would be all that good at it. Taking a deep breath I tried again to clear my mind to connect with something or whatever this swamp had going.

Eventually an image started to form, I was underground, not sure where it was, there were green crystals all over the place and I was surrounded by light with a feeling of great power flowing through me -

"Ahhh!" I screamed as the whole thing was suddenly broken with a huge shot of pain in my back, I checked as quick as I could, there was no mark; I hadn't been snuck up on whilst meditating. "What was that?" I asked myself , not having the slightest clue. The pain had had an element of burning, like something white hot had been violently shoved into my spine; what could cause pain like that? The spot still ached a little.

I got back into position as best I could and tried to get back into whatever vision I was getting before, hopefully I'd be ready if it decided to try and torture me again. I thought for a second that maybe the reason I wasn't too good at the whole spiritual thing was a survival instinct; I smirk to myself at that idea.

In time the vision returned, same light, same feeling of power and same crystal laden cave, but this time I noticed people, a lot of people. One in blue, waterbending, she was surrounded, somehow I knew she was a she, surrounded by men in dark green robes she was losing ground – Katara – The name suddenly jumped into my mind right before there was -

"Gahhh!" That same blasted pain again! "This is getting old!" Must be something in the vision that was causing it, and was that really Master Katara? I think it was, that little surprise distracted me so I got hit by whatever that was. It must've been another of Aang's memoires, same as before when Tarrlok had me locked up; guess this was all I could pull off still, even after our one brief conversation when I lost my bending.

"Okay I know to expect it now." I really hoped that if I braced myself I'd be able to maintain my focus and see what comes after; I was not looking forward to that pain a third time.

It took a little longer this time, nerves about that pain I guess, but I managed to get back into the vision. Light, power, crystal laden cave, Katara surrounded by enemies, I braced myself as the next part came.

It felt like a wave of stifling heat washing over me and fading away as quickly as it came. Then there was cold as everything began to go dark, and feeling of falling, falling... and then...

I came out of the vision with a start, sucking in as much air as I could, coughing a bit as I realised why I was suddenly so out of breath; I'd stopped breathing for a moment, was that meant to be part of the vision? I wish I knew what I was meant to take away form this, I hadn't the slightest clue how this fit into anything.

I had the idea that maybe there was more to this, since what I'd seen didn't make any sense, perhaps adding something to it would give some clue as to what it meant because it didn't make any since on it's own. So for a fourth time I got into position and tried to clear my mind to see if the fourth try would bring anything useful.

This time was different there was no cave or crystals, instead there were trees, a lot of trees; a forest. There was also little light so I guess it must've been night, with the wind rushing in my face as I flew after something- I was flying! Okay keeping my cool, what else was there is this vision?

A large black and white animal of some sort, it was moving fast through the trees, just as fast as I was flying, if not faster. It was bounding on it's large arms with a pair of smaller arms, one was holding some one, I was reaching out to them and they to me, I almost had his hand when – They both vanished, and I came to a crash landing into a pile of ash and dirt; I might've made out of more if not for the vision fading away then and there.

"Okay, what?" That vision didn't help at all with making sense of the first one, what was I meant to take away from this. The last time it was pretty obvious that I was being told that Tarrlok was related to Yakone; but looking back it was probably just as much a warning about Amon being a bloodbender.

I was really hoping that some third vision would tie these apparently random events together to figure... Something, I still didn't have the slightest clue I was still not in the mood to ask the one person I knew was pretty near by who might be able to see what I was meant to figure out. Then I thought of Asami for a second and what she might say, probably something supportive about my Avatar role and how Tenzin could still be helpful.

Okay, I decided, if the next one didn't clear anything up, then Id go looking for Tenzin to see if he could help; but I wouldn't be happy about it.

The image began to form on the third, hopefully final, vision. A temple, obviously one of the air temples from the look of things. A cliff face was facing the the temple, looked like it was opposite the temple itself, across a gorge of some sort. There was a single person standing and facing a group of three others, no four, one was sitting on a small pillar of stone.

Then the voices came, not much but definitely voices, they seemed fragmented like there was more that didn't get through, or wasn't meant to get through.

The first voice was young and seemed familiar; it seemed to come from one of the four, the one in front. "I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher-"The voice faded for a moment like it was skipping something, "I'd like you to teach me." Teach? Teach who? What was this?

"Thank you. I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group." This voice was different, older but still male, and faded for a moment, like the one before; this voice seemed to be from the lone figure facing the others. "I won't let you down, I promise." Then the voice and the image faded, the vision ending; leaving only more questions!

"Oh, come on!" I screamed out at the blasted swamp, throwing my arms up at the third confusing vision that seemed to make no sense. I mean, where these meant to be separate visions, or all part of the same message from whatever or whoever. "Could you please be clear!?" I tried to demand from the swamp yelling at the sky as loud as I could; I got no answer at all.

"Figures." I leaned my head in my hands trying to make sense of the images that I'd been shown, and couldn't find any connecting theme or message; I did know of one person that might be able to help figure this out... And I had thought about talking to him... "Oh, wonderful."

Looking up I spotted a familiar bison flying over the tree tops in front of the setting sun; how long had I been meditating? I couldn't help but scowl at it knowing who was riding that bison; I was not looking forward to this.


(Asami's point of view)

Lin had just left, leaving the file that I still didn't know what to make of, or maybe I just didn't want to face the obvious conclusion.

It was a hard revelation to process, that a single tragic, seemingly random, event was not at all random; far from it...

So many thoughts about the possibilities, it was maddening, and in the back of my mind a small pit of anger growing steadily at the obvious answer that I hoped wasn't true.

I needed answers about this, soon; and I knew of one person that might have them, and with a little luck be willing to give them. I picked up the phone, made the call and again used the password from my mother's dairy.

"Azure flame, I need to see the grandmaster immediately, at my place." I quickly added a small addendum to what I'd intended and then hung up straight away, not leaving any room to argue my request. I just hoped Zuko wasn't feeling cryptic.