Disclaimer: Bryke owns The Legend of Korra
"Earth, Fire, Air, Water. Only the Avatar can master all four elements, and bring balance to the world."
"When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown, Faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly."
-Patrick Overton
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第十章
Chapter Ten
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Upon her arrival back to the islands shoreline, she became lazy, allowing the currents carry her the rest of the way rather than her bending. The water was cold and it stung her tired, worn body, but she couldn't bring herself to move much more. The only movement she performed was to keep the bubble around her head so she could breathe. But she also didn't want to close her eyes; every time they shut, she could see the image of that black Spirit coiling around in the air, whooshing in on her, almost as though it was tattooed onto the insides of her eyelids.
Not wanting to put her health at stake for a second-third?-time that night, she quickly departed the water and raced across the snow covered sands, making short distance of her spot and her bedroom window. Using a branch hanging low towards the ground, she vaulted herself back up the wall, the grainy bottom of her boots allowing perfect traction. Everything was how she left it, except for Naga, who now had half of her body sprawled on top of her bed. She lifted her head when Korra made it fully into the room, a low whine escaping her.
"Good girl, Naga," she whispered in affection, crossing over to the polar-bear dog. She embraced her muzzle and Naga flicked her warm tongue against her numb cheek. "Did you miss me?" Naga's lips flapped like they would when she barks, but only a silent breath came from her. It was all the same though. She curled into a fetal position underneath her, her fur tickling her cheeks softly. So much had happened in that little trip into the city, and it was unlike anything she had ever experienced since her arrival. The Revelation had been one thing, but, to an extent, she had an idea what she was facing. But whatever this was that came after her tonight, it didn't even look like it had a form. And that yellow eyed man...
Korra shivered under Naga at the memory, causing her to whine in question and nudge her with her nose.
"It's nothing, girl." She pulled an arm up, the muscles protesting in pain, and scratched behind her pet's ears. "Let's just get some sleep."
Under the protective hold of her best friend, Korra fell into a somewhat easy sleep, her subconscious taunted by the color yellow.
It was predetermined that no one had probably ever run so fast in their entire life, but as she tore through the abandoned streets, facts were the last thing that mattered. Her hand tightened around whoever's she was holding, fervently refusing to let go. It seemed as though they were only tie to something normal, even though she couldn't see their face.
It was hot, sweltering in fact, and the heat made everything hazy while it settled thickly into every corner and crevice of the world. It nipped at her heels. A screech was dislodged from somewhere deep inside her. She felt the other's hand slip from hers, and without having to turn, she just knew they had been taken.
"Help! Help!" She was certain she was yelling loudly. Someone had to hear her, dammit. But, to her unknown dismay, no noise was produced. The heat had caused her body to start becoming submissive. And still, the expanding shadowy substance behind her advanced, nearing closer and closer to its target. Everything else had been taken under, leaving her completely unprotected.
A precipice came into her view, presumably leading to somewhere out of the things reach. She could see it was dark, darker than what was breathing down her neck, but desperation overruled sense of logic. With a sucked in breath, trying to gather her nerves, she took the overly faith derived leap.
The unknown was a frightful thing.
"Korrrrrraaaa! Daddy said it's time to wake up! Why are you wet? Did you go swimming? Is it because you wanted to see that handsome Firebender? Huh, is it, is it?" Even though she couldn't see her, due to the fact she still had her head buried in her pillow-how did she end up in this position?-she just knew the little girl was probably jumping up and down. She and Jinora were her and Mako's own personal little fan-base. But seriously, where does the kid get this energy?
"Go away, Ikki," she groaned out, but immediately regretting it. Her voice was raspy and her throat felt as though it were on fire. She just wanted to go back to sleep, possibly sleep off whatever was making her feel so awful, but it seemed as though no one was going to take that as an option.
"Is she awake, Ikki?" Pema's question was quiet, considerate for if she was still asleep, but Korra had no hopes for any more sleep. Her body and throat hurt too much, and she was restless now. So without uttering a single word, she threw the blanket off her, wishing she could have kept it over her when the chills made her muscles contract painfully, and stood up. Her legs wobbled under her weight, but Naga scooted closer to her as though to prevent whatever fall she would more than likely have been subjected to. "Oh, good, she is. Breakfast is-Korra? Are you alright? You don't look well."
If she looked anything like she felt, then it must be a sight to see. Her bangs were plastered to her forehead with sweat, which also covered the rest of her body. She had never taken off her parka, and now it felt heavy and suffocating on her heated body. Unbuttoning it, she ripped her arms free of the restricting material, only to discover it was soaked through; it seemed to have not dried fully from her swim. Glancing at her bare arms, she noticed a thin sheen of sweat coating them as well. The neck of her tunic felt too tight; she hooked her finger inside of it and pulled it from her throat, fanning herself with her free hand.
Pema bustled into the small room, making Korra feel even hotter, and stopped in front of her, smoothing her bangs to the side of her head with the back of her hand. Her skin was cool, and she leaned into the woman's touch, reveling in the bit of relief it offered.
"You're burning up!" she exclaimed, jerking her hand away as if in fact her face were alight with flames. Gripping her shoulders in a firm yet gentle hold, she pushed her back onto the bed.
She gasped out a painful breath when her sore body hit the thin mattress.
"Stay here. I'll go talk with Tenzin." With that command, she flew out of the room.
Korra sniffed loudly and fell backwards on the bed, her head connecting soundly with the wall beside it. "Ouch!"
Ikki twirled around, racing down the hall as a string of colorful expletives came forth from the ill Avatar's mouth.
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The infirmary wing on Air Temple Island was no fun place to land. At least, not in Korra's opinion. Healers and nurses fussed over whoever was in there, hovering over them for most of the day.
"What seems to be the problem, Avatar Korra?" The Healer before her was an old woman named Aiyana with wispy, graying hair. She wore glasses on the brim of her nose and had a puckered mouth.
"Nothing's wrong," she spurt indignantly. The Avatar didn't get sick. Aiyana clicked her tongue and tapped her pen against her chin.
"That's fine. Would you mind if I checked everything out, just to be safe?" Korra gave her the go-ahead, and she lifted the bucket of water up beside her, immersing her hands in the clear liquid. Pulling them out, the water followed, glowing an ethereal blue. She traced them along Korra's flushed skin; she had been stripped to her bindings, much to her displeasure. It was cold, but momentarily relieved the burning heat under her skin, so Korra tipped her head back and allowed herself the little moment of pleasure. "Just as I thought. Your body has been strained, and it's made your bending weaker."
"What?"
Aiyana disposed of the water back in the bucket and then turned to fully face the young woman.
"It's not an uncommon thing to happen, Avatar Korra. Many Benders' fall ill due to similar situations," she tried to alleviate her stress. "Nothing a few days rest and some ginger tea won't take care of."
"But-but I can't be sick!" she stressed the importance of her words. The new moon would be coming around in a few days, and she could waste no time in her departure back to the South Pole. The promise of her return weighed heavily on the event.
"I'm sorry, but I am afraid you are. If you'll excuse me, I'll go have some tea prepared for you." She departed the infirmary, pulling a curtain around Korra's bed for a sense of privacy. A gown had been lain out for her at the foot of the bed, and she plucked it up. It were soft and white; her fingers stood out grandly against the cotton as she tugged it over her head. The gown flowed loosely around her, stopping right at her knees, which was a better feeling on her achy limbs rather than the tightness her Water Tribe tunic, pants and fur pelt had provided. Deciding to make the best of it while she had to, she pulled back the thick duvet, also white, and scurried under it, snuggling down and tucking it under her chin. Her eyes scanned the immediate area around her; it seemed as though the Air Acolytes favored white. A tiny, entertaining thought entered her head at that moment-I'm the most colorful thing in this room.
Aiyana returned with a small, white-how surprising-cup of steaming tea. She handed the warm cup over to Korra, who began sipping on it slowly. It soothed her raw, scratchy throat, and she exhaled a content sigh through her mouth.
"Does that make you feel any better?"
"Much." She had opted to indulge herself in the care of this Healer for the day. It felt nice to have someone take care of you after spending so long taking care of everyone but yourself. But that was the life, the duty of the Avatar, and she took it all with immense responsibility.
"You will be allowed to have visitors soon," Aiyana informed her while flipping through the papers in her hands. "Just no one too young, such as baby Rohan. We do not need him exposed to any illness and him not even a year old yet." Korra nodded in understanding, draining her cup before handing it back to Aiyana. "Would you like some more?"
"No, I really just want to sleep." After all, the morning was evil. Burying herself back in the white overload, her eyes fluttered closed while she hoped for some peaceful sleep.
The phone call had come soon after morning broke. Toza, being the only one up and about in the belly of the arena, snatched up the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Yes, may I ask who I am speaking with?"
"You called me. Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" he snapped out.
"This is Councilman Tenzin, from Air Temple Island. I am calling in regards of the Avatar. I'm certain you're aware of her acquaintanceship with the brothers who live there?"
Toza grumbled something incoherent before offering up a, "Hold on," and stomped up to the attic to drag one of the bending brothers out of bed.
The sparsely furnished attic was unsurprisingly silent. He had seen Mako finally come home sometime after midnight, looking completely exhausted, but also worried. He decided he'd question the boy about it later and let him rest for now. Bolin had fallen asleep in the gym after a heavy dose of training; he hadn't even cleaned up the crushed and cracked earth disks. Toza had had a trip trying to lug the stocky kid up onto his shoulders and help maneuver him up the ladder. So, no doubt both of them were still sleeping.
"Either of you boys awake?" He called out, not really too keen on bursting into their room, just in case. He heard a groggy growl.
"I am, now," Mako's voice was husky, still sleep-ridden. He stumbled out of their bedroom, and Bolin's snores could be heard the second the door swung open. Mako slammed it shut in an attempt to drown out the atrocious noise. "What is it?" He quirked a hooked eyebrow.
Toza jammed his thumb in the direction of the latch. "Got a Councilman Tenzin on the phone. Says it's got something to do with the Avatar."
Mako's gold eyes, dulled from tiredness and, now he knew, worry, widened, and he all but jumped down the ladder. Toza was behind him, following as quickly as he could.
"Darn that kid and his young age!"
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"How long has she been asleep?"
"About three hours."
"Is she doing any better?"
"Much. Her temperature has gone down significantly."
"Will she be okay for her travels next week?"
The voices fell silent as she roused from her groggy state. But then, Aiyana's grim words reached her ears.
"I can't be certain, Master Tenzin."
Korra moaned lowly, lifting her hand to her head in hopes of stopping the throbbing behind her eyes. She soon felt a hand grasp her other one, the familiar feel of rough fabric sending a shiver through her. Mako.
"Mako?"
"I'm here," he whispered, brushing her hair back from her forehead and pressing a breathy kiss there. She knew he had been worried at her attitude and departure from the previous night, and her suddenly falling ill was most likely not helping him at all.
"How are you feeling, Korra?" She recognized it as the even baritone of Tenzin.
"Better," she confirmed this by her talking alone. Had she not been feeling better, the pain in her throat would probably have had her in tears. She kept her eyes shut, but she didn't need to look at anyone to sense the sky-bison in the room. "Will I be allowed to leave next week?"
Tenzin cleared his throat, clearly in discomfort, before answering. "Korra, they are not sure yet how well you will be."
She felt her spirits soar and sink at the same time. She wouldn't have to face this imminent fear if she didn't leave for the South Pole next week, which brought her mood up greatly. But, she knew Katara, as well as her parents, were anticipating, and even looking forward to her coming back. She couldn't let them down, not after she had promised them. But she didn't bring her argument about, just nodded and feigned trying to fall back asleep.
His shuffling footsteps were heard, and then he slid the door closed behind him, leaving her alone in the room with Mako, who still held her hand in a death grip.
"Mako," she chuckled hoarsely. "I'm not going to disappear. You don't have to hold on so tight." He looked momentarily confused, and she raised their hands up. He loosened his grip, his lips twitching down into a frown.
"I was worried about you."
She felt something close to guilt spread through her chest, making her stomach drop.
"I'm sorry."
Mako shook his head once and leaned in closer, resting his forehead against hers. Her heart fluttered nervously, and she mentally slapped herself for acting this way every time he got close to her.
"I'm going to go," she affirmed, clasping her hands in her lap and focusing on them. He pulled back, confusion gracing his face once more.
"What are you talking about?"
"Next week, the trip back to the South Pole. I'm going to go."
Mako looked perplexed. She had thought that was obvious. Taking his silence as his need of explanation, she trudged on into her story.
"I had promised both Katara and my mom I would come back, and I can't let them down." She remembered the wonderful moment outside of the compound she had spent with her mother brushing her hair and telling stories about when she was little, and a thin gleam of tears made her eyes shine brighter. "They'd be heartbroken, not to mention Katara would be disappointed." She frowned thoughtfully at that.
"But what if they forbid you? What if you're not better by then?"
A ghost of a smirk appeared on her lips.
"I'll just sneak out. That's what I did last night."
Mako blanched, remembering her frantic form slamming into him.
"You never told me what happened," he said offhandedly, dropping his gaze to her hands as well. He rested one elbow on his knee, cupping his chin in his palm, while dragging the index finger of his other hand along her knuckles.
"I'd...rather not talk about it."
"Korra-,"
"Mako," she kept her voice stern. "I'm serious. I'll tell you soon, but right now, I can't."
Mako scowled. "Where have I heard that before?" Shoving the chair he was sitting in back roughly, he jerked the curtain around her bed back and stormed out of the infirmary, not bothering to replace the curtain or to close the door either.
She sat rigid, shell shocked from his response. But then her shock dissipated, turning to quick anger.
"Fine, Mako!" She yelled after him, completely unsure about whether he was still close enough to hear her. "I don't want to see you around here again!" She knew fully well she didn't mean that, but her pride got in the way, refusing to let her take it back no matter how much she regretted even thinking that, let alone saying it. Sinking down against the headboard, she let her apology for her brash statement remain a tiny whisper.
"Don't worry." Korra raised her head to meet the always concerned Pema. She balanced a small tray with a bowl and another cup, closing the door behind her. "I was close behind him after your two's little scuffle. I made sure he didn't take your words to heart. But he was quite upset." Korra groaned in shame, hiding her face in her pillow. Pema set the tray on the bedside table and settled herself on the edge of the bed. "Sweetheart, I know things are difficult right now, and things like that can bring difficulties into a relationship as well, especially a new one. I was in a similar situation when I was your age."
"With Tenzin?"
Pema nodded, smiling softly. "When we were first together, there were a few difficulties that arose between us and others," her face scrunched up, and Korra had to fight not to laugh at the thought of Lin Beifong trying to arrest her over Tenzin. "But, we took each problem we faced slowly, and most importantly, together. There's nothing that the one you love would not be willing to try and help you with if you let them." She fooled with the clasps holding her hair up, beginning to loosen them. "You might be surprised at what Mako would do for you." Pulling each of them out, she ran her fingers through her brown locks, letting them splay around the pillow.
Korra sighed. "It seems as though fighting comes easier to us." They fought, a lot, before they were together. But now, even though they were dating, it seemed as though their arguments had increased.
"That's to be expected. Especially with ones like you two. You're very stubborn-don't look at me like that," she wrapped her arms around Korra's shoulders. "You know it's true. You don't want anyone else trying to take care of you because you think you can yourself. And even though you can, there's nothing wrong with letting him do that from time to time too. Now," Pema removed her arms from around her and grabbed the bowl off of the tray. "How about we try to get some kind of food in you? I'm almost certain you haven't eaten since that roll yesterday morning." She winked and Korra's cheeks flushed pink. Taking tentative sips of the soup and second cup of ginger tea, she began thinking of possible ways that she could explain everything that has happened to her to everyone.
It all started with an old man with yellow eyes...
Soooo...I did a little calculation on my part, and uh, well...at this rate, I should actually have 17 chapters instead of 10 O_o" Pleasedon'tbemad! But seriously, I am sorry about my super snail slow updating. Things have been busy, what with looking at colleges and all that useless stuff (look at me, acting like I actually have a life xD) I promise to do better!
Can I just, like, give virtual hugs to you all? You amaze me! The reviews, subscriptions, alerts, and favorites still don't fail to excite me :) I literally become some kind of giddy weirdo every time I get an email telling me this ^_- So a big, ginormous thank you is in order for you all!
thesavannakathleen:Well, thank you very much! :) Yours is too, if I do say so myself. I hope this satisfied(?) your eagerness.
CoolCherry:You are correct! :D I did. And I agree, it is pretty badass. But, in my opinion, Korra still beats it there, hands down. As for Tenzin drinking that juice, with him being as serious as he is...well, my mental image is funnier than anything I could manage to write down ;) Haha!
AllPEACENoWAR25:(I'm finally getting to where I can write your name without having to check which letters are capital or not :D) Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter too. No, you never did tell me that, until now, of course. I take pride in those creepy, yellow eyes, haha!
Actually, I didn't know what kind of reaction I'd get from them, but I think this probably fits them the best. I creep myself out with them, and I'm the one writing about them!
So, as always, review if you'd like. I always love reading what you guys have to say :) Or just continue reading; really, you all just reading this makes me oh-so-happy.
Until next chapter!
-Okki