A/N-The first three episodes of book 3 were AMAZING! The plot, the humour, the characterisation and pacing of the show was top-notch, and a massive improvement from the last book. And I am loving Korra's development, the writers have done a great job(let's hope it continues)I'm also very excited about Evil!Team Uhvatar, can't wait to hear their stories! I had to keep pausing to laugh at certain scenes, the humours that good, very atla-reminiscent. Don't want to give away spoilers for those who haven't watched them yet, and if you haven't, do get around to watching it, you won't regret it!
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Responses to the previous chapter's reviews:
meowmeter:
So, I typed in this long and really good review, but I erased it on coincidence :(
Basically, what I tried to say is that:
- you write really good and spot-on in terms of Korra's emotions and thoughts
- the plot is developing at a reasonable and curiosity awakening speed
- you're not too fast in introducing Amon or letting Korra and him meet
- you keep their meetings conicidential and professional (no late night visits in his quarters that I've read multiple times and come to hate, since they're so unreal!)
- while the story may be slowly advancing, it's absolutely real (read above ;) )
- I'm gonna review each and every single chapter that follows :D
- and I have no clue what's happening to the buildings that get sliced in RC
Good luck writing the next chapters! :)
Aaaand, for your first story, this is simply AMAZING (couldn't resist the urge to review twice as I have a short waiting span) :D
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Wow, thank you so much for your thorough review! I'm glad you are enjoying it so far, I was kind of nervous when I uploaded this, being my first fanfic and all, but I'm happy that you like it :) I've re-watched through season one to grasp a better understanding of the characters, how they would respond to a situation etc. It helps a lot, and avoids making them OOC(which I don't like either, that's why I planned the story out first, made notes etc to keep them from being OOC as much as possible, I tried anyway!) I've even read a couple of character analysis on tumblr, they also help! Canon-wise there are a lot of things to keep note of, you have think of yourself as that character in that particular moment, how would he/she think, act out. More about what the spirits are doing and why will also be revealed soon, along with other stuff ;) Once again, THANK YOU, I hope you continue to enjoy this story! :D
ZapZapYotsuba
Great story! I love the setup and can't wait to read more Amon and Korra scenarios :D and you're mixing in the Spirits - excellent!
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Thank you for your review! :) I'm glad you love the setup, I think it's important to set the tone of plot, locations and characters, It kind of plays out like a movie in the reader's mind (hopefully!). And I'm delighted you enjoy the spirits, they will definitely play a major role in this story :D
OKAY I'VE WRITTEN TOO MUCH, NOW ONTO THE STORY, HOPE YOU ENJOY!
Chapter Seven- Growing Perils and Escape
Plumes of smoke were rising from factories in Republic City's industrial sector as the workers began their shift for the day. In just one week since the desecration of the city's buildings, many more anomalies had been reported. In fact, the situation had become much more extreme. It was no longer just the buildings being carved and cut away at, the strange substance left behind from the attacks were growing into vegetation, covering the entire buildings with plants, shrubs and vines.
But one of the most harrowing and mysterious incidents to occur was the disappearance of entire buildings. Not the people themselves, but their shops, houses and other local establishments. Panic ensued throughout the public as they feared for what would happen next. The council and the police force tried to subdue the public's response, assuring them they would have it under control soon, though the press and media heard otherwise as they stirred up the mass hysteria instead.
Amon filed away the last stack of paperwork of the day. In light of recent events, the Equalist's activities had slowed down. The revolution had being placed at the back burner, for the time being. Placing a diagram and map of the city in front of him, Amon pinpointed the various sites that had been attacked, or straight out vanished in thin air. How such an event could escape the eyes of the authorities was a whole matter in itself. They seemed to be proving themselves incompetent more and more.
Republic City was a mess, its situation drawing the attention of every other nation around the world. It was near impossible to confront the spirits. For one it was not easy trying to face the spirits themselves, who were difficult to track down. It was suspected they made visits back and forth from the spirit world, but where the portal was to enter the spirit world was a mystery, its location unknown.
Amon drew plans to send out a team of his Equalists to find the portal. It had to either be somewhere in the city or the surrounding outskirts. If such a task wielded positive results, it would give further credit to the revolution. However the whole matter of spirits was something the Avatar dealt with.
The Avatar. Once again showing her obvious disconnection with the events. Surely, plant covered sites and disappearing buildings must have being bought to her attention. Did she not consider herself the bridge between the two worlds? Even her previous successor would have somehow handled the situation despite his many shortcomings. So far this Avatar had made evident how much she had failed as the world's saviour. There had being no news about her, no message from her, or even a public appearance...
Something about this did not sit right with him. It was unusual to not show up already, all excuses included. No matter the age or experience of an Avatar, they would always be called upon in these situations. There was definitely something suspicious about the Avatar's apparent course of action, or lack thereof. Even the public was questioning her whereabouts. In fact, councilman Tenzin, one of the Avatar's primary mentor in regards to her training, had not stepped up to suppress the public's outcry or at least provide a definitive reason for the Avatar not being in the city. He was hiding something, hiding her, perhaps...
The Avatar had to be in Republic City, there were no other reasonable explanations for her absence otherwise. And he was going to investigate the situation for himself.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
Korra bought the cup of tea to her lips, feeling the hot liquid slide down her throat. Her current state of mind was under pressure from what was happening in the city at the moment. Just when she thought her position could not get any more difficult, there was news that entire buildings had just vanished in the blink of an eye. Not that there had been any witnesses for the event.
And then there were the other bizarre spirit shenanigans throughout the city. The public was going crazy, much like her mind. And spirits, she did not sign up for this. This whole trip was supposed to be about enjoying her stay in the city after the completion of the task. She could kiss those dreams goodbye just about now. Korra turned towards Riya, noticing the girl's concern. And I hate lying to her; she's too kind and doesn't deserve this. Riya was after all the first friend she had ever made, after Naga of course.
"I'm fine, really. It's just that with everything going on, I'm kind of worried, I guess," replied Korra, moving around a piece of fried octopus-squid in the bowl with her chopsticks.
"If there's anything else, just let me know," said Riya.
Korra gave a small smile, and continued eating her lunch. This could not go any longer. It had almost been a week since her hand-to-hand combat exam. A week since she had told herself she would leave. But to her dismay, she had not found the opportunity to do so. The regulations had become even stricter, with Equalists patrolling every tunnel under the city. The couple of times she had wandered off, she had been noticed by an Equalist guard, and had to make up an airy excuse before returning to the base.
Today would their first chi-blocking session, and despite her dilemma, Korra was excited to learn the technique. She had seen it in practice when going past training halls, as the students used wooden posts to simulate a person, jabbing different points on them. Chi-blocking was the next skill after hand-to-hand combat, and from what she had learned during their theory classes- or what she bothered to listen about, theory work not being her strongest point- the technique had being practiced for centuries, though only by a select few. Amon was one of the first people to craft chi-blocking on a larger scale, with more people able to learn the skills with practice. Korra changed her direction of thoughts. She had being placing him at the back of her mind, not wanting to deal with anything more than she could handle.
Korra stood and faced out towards the hall's entrance as more students entered through. The instructor had placed the wooden posts at every internal, one for each student.
"The art of chi-blocking is an ancient technique. It is considered one of the best forms of defense, as your opponents no longer remain as much of a threat once their bending is blocked," said the instructor.
Some of the students began to joke about how harmless a bender becomes when their bending is temporarily blocked. Korra looked away; the technique was useful, that much could not be argued about. But their words were true, if she was chi-blocked by someone during a fight, she really would become harmless, especially when she heavily relied on bending to fight. She would be left weak.
"Chi-blocking stops a bender's chi flow and reduces their muscle's strength," continued the instructor as he explained more about the effects of chi-blocking.
The rest of the lesson was spent learning about different pressure points in the body and the effect they had once hit. To her horror, Korra found out that there were pressure points which would instantly kill the victim if they were jabbed. She practiced the different moves on the wooden post, using light jabs with her fingers. Even the thumb could be used to block a chi path. Later, the students were instructed to practice on each other. Korra teamed with Riya, who was quicker with the technique than she was, twisting around and jabbing her arm. The sensation of being chi-blocked made her joints soft, as if they were made of melted wax. The feeling did go away after a while however.
Korra continued to practice with Riya, laughing as they tripped over one another until the instructor scolded them for their bad etiquette. But she found it hard to stifle her laughter as she glanced across to Riya, who also tried to keep herself composed, but failed. Korra couldn't hold it in anymore as she burst out laughing again, collapsing to the ground and clutching her sides.
Some of the students paid her attention, but most were busy trying to block each others chi. Korra felt tears welling up in her eyes; it had been too long since she had felt like this. She was over everything. Nothing made sense anymore. Korra wished this moment would last forever, where she could just be herself again. She laid there, staring at the high ceiling, at least his dumb mask isn't covering this space-
"Nanuq, Stand up immediately!" yelled the instructor at Korra.
She stood up, and looked around sheepishly. The hall felt eerily quiet, but no one seemed to be looking at her. Even Riya was facing towards the front. Korra followed her gaze. She froze, as her mouth suddenly got very dry. Why oh why does this happen to me?!
Amon stood at the entrance of the hall, along with two masked Equalists by his side.
"Show proper manners Nanuq. You will not be given any leniency next time," the instructor continued.
But Korra only partially heard what he said. She was rooted to the spot, her mind numb. All those emotions she had bottled up threatened to spill out. No matter how hard she tried, she would never get over the sheer terror she felt. It was tearing her apart; it was making her go crazy. He made her crazy. His whole presence and entire existence haunted her dreams, her life. If it wasn't for him, she would not even be here right now, but instead enjoying her normal avatar life. She wanted to run away from everything.
"Apologize to our leader right now."
Korra took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. I'm the Avatar, I'm the Avatar. She clenched her fists by her side. All for appearances, she reminded herself. It's all for this now pointless mission. She could feel the beads of sweat trailing down her temple.
"I, I apologize for my bad behavior, sir."
Amon held his hand up, "It's fine. We sometimes tend to get carried away with our emotions without realizing."
Like you have any emotions. Korra looked around the training hall, at the instructor, the other students, anywhere but at him.
He stepped forward, addressing the whole class.
"I'm sure you may all know about the present state of the city," he said. "And I'm also sure you know there have been a lot of speculations regarding the Avatar."
There was murmurs and whispering among the students. Korra held her arms, trying to look insignificant. There was that uncomfortable, awkward feeling again. Her heart was racing; she really didn't want to be here right now. People began to speak up.
"The Avatar's done nothing to help us or this city!"
"Worst Avatar ever."
"She doesn't even deserve the title!"
Korra bit her bottom lip, her eyes downcast. Once, she would have thrown those words back in their face, tried to prove them wrong. But right now, there was no pride or honour, just a sinking, hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. The words stung her. What they were saying was true, she really had done nothing to help anyone or this city. Korra wished for the lesson to just end.
"Yes, the Avatar has failed once again in her duties," said Amon
"But we do not need her, brothers and sisters," he continued. "The spirits have been entering through a portal, and as of yet the council and police have failed to locate it. I'm recruiting a small group with me to find it instead." There was excitement among the crowd.
"Anyone interested is welcome to join; it is a dangerous task however so I encourage you to make your decision with thought. The rest of you can leave, class is over."
Finally, Korra did not want to have anything to do with this, and promptly left the hall, hearing his voice as he spoke to the participants. Once at a small distance away from the hall, Korra made a sprint back to her quarters. No more, I have to escape.
This was the night; she was going to leave this place for good. Korra had waited for three days, monitoring the Equalists guard duty in the tunnels. It had been an exhausting task, waking up early in the mornings and staying up until late. They were almost always on duty, pacing the tunnels or taking the trolleys. They had not caught sight of her during that time as she hid in the shadows, for which she was thankful for.
Korra was here now, near a ladder under the trapdoor. This was not the one which led out the candle store, but a much less used door for a restaurant. She went up the ladder, opened the trapdoor and let herself in. It was a small kitchen, used primarily for baking goods. The light was off and the floor was covered in flour. She went down the corridor, the scent of fresh earth kingdom cuisine getting stronger.
During late hours of the restaurant, there were not many customers inside. Most were spending their down time with drinks, not giving much notice to their surroundings. They're also just trying to escape the realities of life. Korra slipped out the entrance doors, breathing in the sharp, chilly air.
The streets were deserted, with only a few lamps lit along the road. There was a slight breeze in the atmosphere, swaying the lone trees and swirling loose leaves and debris along the pathway. She continued at a brisk pace on the footpath, cursing herself when she remembered leaving the city map in the quarters. If only she could get out of the central district of the city, she would find the way to Air Temple Island with much more ease.
Korra wrapped her arms around herself when the breeze became stronger, with the wind whistling. She felt horrible about not notifying Riya of her leave, but she would have to spew out more lies and cover up even more. Quite frankly, she was tired of lying to her, and to everyone else she had come to know. Besides, Riya would never have accepted her true identity. She also held extreme dislike for the Avatar along with everyone else. Korra sighed as she turned a corner, her mukluks patting softly against the cobblestone path.
She almost laughed to herself when remembering Lin and Tenzin's words about not talking to anyone unless absolutely necessary. It was almost impossible for that to happen in a place where you can't get around knowing one another. It had felt nice, talking to someone other than Naga about stuff which did not include her bending or training. Korra was an extrovert, she felt energized when spending time with others.
It was sometime later when she noticed something wrong with the town's bank up ahead. The building was completely covered in a plant-like growth. Shrubs had sprouted at the base, with thick vines plastered down the sides. They appeared to have grown out from large cracks in the side, and twisted their way around the entrance and windows.
It was not the only site; there were more buildings like this a couple of blocks down the road. Spirits were the cause of this, she knew. It was her responsibility to solve this issue. I will fix this soon, I'm the Avatar, but she doubted herself already. Korra knew there were also a couple of sites from which the buildings had disappeared, though she did not see them on her way.
The ocean soon came into view, its deep blue hue illuminated by the full moon. Korra relaxed, she was almost at Air Temple Island. She crossed the intersection of the road and continued on her way. There were no satomobiles out on the road as the quiet chirping of the grasshopperflies rung through the air.
Korra found the familiar rocky edge down the side of the footpath. Almost a month ago she had come up from here. Almost a month ago she had been a different person from now. She carefully stepped down the rocks, until she felt the soft sand depress under her. She dragged her feet across the sand, reaching the shoreline.
Korra stopped for a moment and stared out across the vast body of water. She could almost make out the twinkling lights of the island. The ocean looked beautiful, with Yue's light dappling across its surface. Korra bent a stream of water into her hands, feeling a sense of calm and peace she did not realize she had missed as she arced the flow of water through the air.
She was about to get ready to bend the water around her to propel herself into the ocean, when she noticed something different about the ocean. She peered closer. It appeared as if the water was...colorful. It wasn't the light, no; the water itself was in hues of red, violet and green among other colors. Right before her eyes, the water began to ripple and form a small wave.
Korra was so immersed in the movements of the rippling, colorful water that she did not notice when her hands were clasped behind her in a firm grip and another hand clamp tightly over her mouth.
"Welcome to Republic City, Avatar," she heard in a distinctive voice she knew all too well.
