"Soon Raava." A pounding voice echoes through her ears, this one brings darkness, and cold.
"Korra! You must fight!" A new voice yells, this one warm and light, comforting.
The voices echo through her head, one after another, spinning around her faster and faster making herself feel like she's spinning out of control, she drops to her knees, waiting for it to stop.
"Korra, hey, come on," a new voice breaks through, "You're okay." She feels the world slow its spinning, she pushes herself to her feet, blinking a few times.
Then she opens her eyes, "You good?" She takes a breath and looks around, she's still in the satomobile, "Korra? Are you okay?"
She turns to face Kuvira, "Yeah," she nods, "Yeah, just a dream." She sighs, running her hand through her hair, "I need to find Raava, quickly."
"Raava? Great spirit of light Raava?" Kuvira nods forcing her face to keep straight, "That's a… that's not a small project." She looks to Korra, "How long do you have, and how can I help?"
"The winter solstice. And I don't know."
Kuvira nods, "We're about ten minutes outside of Zaofu, we can figure out a plan tomorrow, okay?"
"I have some ideas." Korra responds.
"There's also only about 5 weeks, let me help at least with the plan."
Korra nods, resting her head against the window, "Vira, I-" she sighs before shaking her head, "Nevermind." Before Kuvira can respond, they are at the gates of Zaofu, and Naga whines a bit, "We're almost there, Naga." Korra soothes the polar bear dog.
"So why aren't you still up north with your uncle?"
Korra shakes her head, "Long story short, I was stupid to trust him. I'm hoping he'll leave it be, not make opening or not the Southern Portal harder than it has to be."
"Southern Portal?" Kuvira's brow furrows as she parks the vehicle.
"The Spirit Portal, down at the South Pole," Korra explains, opening the door, leaning on the hood to continue, "They're where the Spirit World and the Physical World connect, if they're open…" she trails off
"Then we can physically go into the Spirit World, you wouldn't be the bridge between worlds." Kuvira let's Naga out of the back of the car, before walking back to look at Korra.
"True, also, theoretically, it'd bring balance to the world."
"I take it you're considering it?" Kuvira rests her elbows on the hood, looking across the vehicle, trying to read Korra.
"I don't know, maybe." She shrugs looking down at her hands, is this just so she can remain Avatar? Is she really being that selfish? "I need to find out more."
Kuvira nods, "We will," she walks around the vehicle, grabbing Korra's hand, cupping her jaw, "We will." She repeats sighing before stepping back, dropping her hand from Korra's face, giving a small smile, motioning towards the house, "Shall we?" She moves to let go of Korra's hand, only for the Avatar to squeeze it, the hands remain linked as the start walking towards the building.
"Yeah, Raava, I'm never going to live down the getting arrested thing, am I?" Korra chuckles.
"I'm sure eventually," Kuvira responds before laughing herself, "Su will probably let you forget it in 10, 20 years."
"And you?" Korra asks as the continue walking.
"Never." Kuvira responds easily, no need to think.
"Never?" Korra frowns, though is unable to keep it steady, a small smile.
"Nope, jailbird."
Korra rolls her eyes, "hush, Vira."
"I mean, the semi hidden tattoo, the torn up shirt sleeves, mysterious stain on your shirt which is either blood or dirt, cut up forehead. You pull it off beautifully, Avatar."
Korra looks down, she definitely needs to change, though she's about 85% sure the stain is mud, "You know what, Capitan?"
"What Korra?" Kuvira laughs.
"I don't need this from you, Vira."
"Well," Kuvira pushes the door to the house open, "You're probably gonna get more from Su, who wants to talk to by the way, probably only mostly about your new jailbird status." She slips her hand out of Korra's looking around the room, "I have a shift for most the night, so I probably won't see you til morning."
Korra nods, "Thank you, Vira." She pulls the guard into a hug.
"No problem, Avatar." Kuvira shakes her head, "It was no big deal."
"Yeah, it was." Korra responds.
Kuvira sighs and shakes her head, "See you tomorrow, Korra."
Korra nods, waiting for Kuvira to leave before she makes her way to Su's office.
•••••
By dinner, Korra's ribs are aching, she had gotten used to the pain from breathing, but the kicks made it much worse. She's unable to fight bad the pained look and quick gasp when Opal's elbow runs across one of the bruises. As the pain fades to a dull thrumming, she looks around, Opal noticed, but it doesn't look like the others did, even in the smaller family dining room, there were too many people in too big of room for everyone to keep focus on everyone else.
"Sorry Korra, what did I do?" The sixteen-year-old asks worriedly.
"It's fine, Opal. Just, my ribs are a little bruised is all," Korra responds quietly, taking shallow breaths not daring to breathe deeper and cause herself more pain, "It's fine." She promises, carefully beginning to eat.
Opal nods, though Korra notes she doesn't meet her gaze the rest of the evening.
•••••
Su had set up one of the guest houses for Korra, which she was immensely grateful for when the nightmares come as usual. She snaps awake, feeling blood and sweat all over her body and unsure which is real and which isn't she stands, turning on the lights before stumbling into the shower, resting her head against one of the walls as the water pounds on her back, "It's not real. I'm okay. They're okay." Slowly she can almost make herself believe it.
Tying her hair back, she pulls her pants on, and puts her bindings on. Figuring she isn't going to sleep again and not wanting to go for a run and have people talking. Instead she turns on the radio, turning it to a music channel before half sitting, half lying down on the nearby couch, hoping to pass the time until it's a better time to be awake. She ignores the shaking of her hands.
There's a cackle of the radio by the door, "Everything okay, Avatar Korra?" A voice asks.
Frowning Korra stands, shuffling to the radio pressing the button, "Um, yeah," she clears her voice to stop it from shaking, "Yeah," she repeats, "I'm fine." She feels her eyes tearing up a bit, she needs to calm down, this is why she doesn't talk to anyone for awhile after her nightmares.
"Okay, sounds good, sorry to bother you, Avatar Korra." Korra nods hand still on the wall before sliding down, hand still resting on the wall, curling into herself before allowing the first tears to fall.
She's not sure how long she stays curled like that, but she's startled by a knock on the door, she debates not answering, only to dismiss the thought rapidly, wiping at her eyes before standing and opening the door, forgetting her lack of dress.
"Kuvira?" She wishes her voice was stronger at this moment.
"I can always tell when you're lying, Avatar." The guard is very careful to keep her gaze to Korra's face, "Can I come in?"
"Yeah," Korra nods, letting her in and closing the door before looking around for her bag to get a shirt on, but can't find it, instead crossing her arms loosely, "It was just a nightmare, Vira no need for the Captain of the Guard to come check it out. They happen all the time, it's fine. I'm just not getting back to sleep tonight."
"You're crying, Korra." Kuvira responds instead.
Korra shakes her head, "Just a nightmare," she wipes her eyes again, "I can deal." She finally spots her bag, she pulls a shirt out, resting it on her shoulders but allowing the front to remain open.
"Where'd the bruises come from?"
"I told you my ribs were injured on a trip to the Spirit World, here, here, and here," she points to the darkest bruises, "Are from my sheriff friend." she's not going to lie, "It's no big deal, I've had worse, no blood." She bites her lips, trying to force the tears to stay in, "You should go, your still working, aren't you?"
"Nope, just got off," She takes a step closer to Korra, "How much sleep have you gotten?"
"Couple hours, it's- it's fine Vira," her voice is shaking again, images of everyone she loves dying at the mad man's hands. Flashes of light and dark, balance and chaos, echo through her mind.
"Korra, come on, you look like crap, you need to sleep."
"Gee, thanks Vira." I'd rather see you and everyone else I love die because of me only once tonight, "I don't- I can't have another nightmare, Kuvira. I can't see that again." Her fingers dig deep into heart
"I'll stay. I'll wake you up the second you have a nightmare."
"I can't ask you to do that, Kuvira. It's fine."
"I'm off and I'm no stranger to nightmares, come on, let me help."
"I can't. I don't want to hurt you."
"I can deal."
Korra stumbles back, "I can't. I can't." She sighs, "I'm-" She runs her hand through her hair, falling back against the wall, "I'm exhausted, Vira. I'm so tired."
"I know," Kuvira nods, "I know, Korra. Let me help, okay? I can help." Before Korra can think about her reaction, she pulls Kuvira into a hug. The guard holds tight as Korra buries her head in her neck, "I got you. I have you. It's okay. It'll be okay. I got you." Kuvira murmurs softly.
Feeling Korra calm, "Come on, let's go to sleep, it's not even 3."
"Yeah," Korra nods, turning the radio off before walking back towards the bedroom, motioning Kuvira to follow.
•••••
Kuvira is woken by the sun hitting her eyes, groaning she looks around, she's in one of the guest houses, "Korra," she mutters looking around, not finding the Avatar anywhere.
Sighing, she quickly gets up, looking to the corner where her armor is before shaking her head, fixing her hair before leaving the guest house.
She doesn't have to go far, Korra's sitting in the courtyard, legs crossed, she's meditating. Sighing, she sits down, back resting against the pillar closest to Korra, waiting for the Avatar to be done.
Before the Avatar finishes, a green and blue wolf spirit saunters in, sitting between Kuvira and Korra, looking to the guard and tilting her head.
"Korra, hey," Kuvira stands, keeping her eyes on the spirit, "You have a visitor, Korra."
The Avatar untwisted her legs, turning towards Kuvira, only for her gaze to be caught by the spirit, "Huh," she tsks her tongue, causing the spirit to look at her, suddenly the wolf stands, growling slightly before running towards Korra, pouncing at the Avatar in two bounds, pinning her to the ground.
"Korra?" Kuvira taking a step closer to the downed girl.
"No, Vira, I'm fine." Korra wiggles, "Off," she orders the spirit, "Please." The wolf steps back, off Korra's shoulders, "Thank you," she murmurs quickly jumping to her feet, she looks to Kuvira, then the wolf, who is rubbing its head on her thigh, "I think he wants me to follow him."
"And you want to follow the wolf spirit?" Kuvira frowns, "You know I was joking when I was calling you suicidal, but given recent events…"
Korra rolls her eyes, carefully walking closer to the guest house entrance and Kuvira, "I'm going to follow, whatever is going on, I think he may be my best lead."
Kuvira pinches the bridge of her nose before sighing, "No fucking way I'm letting you follow a random spirit who knows where alone. Think he'll stay for five minutes?"
"Yeah, five minutes then we meet back here." Korra agrees.