I'm sorry guys; I didn't mean to make you wait this long. I just ended up getting so busy and then I realized you all had waited a month for this chapter. Even though I don't update as often as I should I do try and work on the story at least once a week. The chapter is a bit longer this time, so that helps make up for the wait right? Book 4 is here guys and I'm not ready.
"I don't think the world is sold I'm just doing what we're told. I feel something so right about doing the wrong thing. And I feel something so wrong doing the right thing."-(Counting Stars) One Republic
Recalcitrant (困难;)-having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline
~~~~~WELCOME TO DOUM-UI DEVELOPMENT CENTER~~~~~ WELCOME TO DOUM-UI DEVELOPMENT CENTER~~~~~WELCOME TO DOUM-UI
The man before her had a large face. It was not concealed by a white surgeon's mask. His skin was close to the shade of hers. She could see his prominent cheek bones, angular jaw line and square chin. The center of his face was mostly taken up by his nose. He had coffee brown hair that was pulled back away from his face. She couldn't see most of it but could tell that it was very long. The sides of his face were framed with two small pieces of hair that stopped at the bottom of his earlobe. The man's eyes were like the ones of her people. They were a soft blue that symbolized the element that many of them controlled.
He was dressed well too. He had on a rather modern suit. All of it was in shades of blue with a bit of white trim around his jacket. The colors ranged from a dark navy to an icy blue. The clothing suited the man very well. He was dressed better than most of the people she had seen in the city. Well other than the triad thugs that lingered around corners. But no, the man before her gave off an aura of sophistication and class, unlike the gang members. She began to ponder if Kavik really live here? Or had he given her the wrong address.
Was this man a relative? She had never seen more than her doctor's eyes. Truthfully she didn't know what her doctor looked like, besides the blue eyes and fair skin. She knew his skin was much lighter than the adult before her. Korra was looking for a man that she had no real idea of what he looked like. The doctor had never mentioned having any family. The man also looked too well dressed to be a butler or a maid. But his face certainly was familiar. She couldn't put her finger exactly where she had seen him before though.
"Can I help you miss," the man asked?
"Oh, Yeah," she said after being broken from her trail of thought. "I was wondering if a man named Kavik lived here. I'm a friend…Just stopping by for a visit..." She lied stuttering a bit before giving the man a small smile.
It wasn't a complete lie there was some truth in it. Kavik was a companion of hers. She had just left out the part about breaking out of a psych ward and traveling miles by foot to see him. She silently prayed that she had the right house. If she had been given the wrong address she wouldn't know where to look. And going back to Doum-ui was certainly out of the question.
The man studied her for a second before speaking, "Any friend of Kavik's is a friend of mine." He stepped aside ushering her into his home.
The outside was nothing compared to the inside of the house. The foyer was huge. The walls were painted a light shade of blue with a white border on the bottom. The ceiling was around high with a large chandelier hanging from it. The glass sparkled like ice crystals. She had never seen a home like this before. Not to mention the tall ceiling and the towering spiral staircase. She also noticed the elaborate rug beneath her feet. With such a design it surely had to just be for show. He began guiding her down the hall to another room. When they arrived at the room he began to speak.
"You can wait in the den while I tell Kavik of your arrival," he said before turning to leave.
The den was larger than the foyer. Small laps were posted on the walls of the room and from the ceiling. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the roaring fire. After spending an entire day out in the snow the fire had been exactly what she needed. Sure she had used firebending to keep her body temperature up but still. It was no replacement for the dancing flames of a fire inside a cozy home. In the room two comfortable and rather plush looking sofas were positioned across from each other. Between them was an onyx colored marble coffee table.
The teen made her way into the room and sat onto one of the sofas. She made sure to sit on the end closest to the fire. It had been hours since she had been able to sit down. When she did she felt her entire body finally relax. She could really feel just how sore her feet were. The sofa was covered in what looked felt like leopard seal skins. The room had a few pictures of the man hanging around but no family pictures. She could see old photos of him shaking hands with people dressed in the same finery. There were view framed certificates hanging as well. She was too far away to read that they said though. The teen could feel like heat radiating off of the fire and hitting her skin. She did notice that under the table was a fur rug. The fur looked brown but from what type of animal she couldn't tell.
The man returned to the room holding a silver tray. On top of the tray was a powder blue tea pot. There was a small ring of gold around the top of the tea pot adding that special something to it. Beside the tea pot there was a matching cup.
"Kavik will be down in a bit; I thought you would enjoy something to drink while you wait." He said placing the tray in front of her in onto the table. The man proceeded to pour a bit of tea into the cup.
"Thanks," Korra replied.
Her eyes watched the green liquid fall out of the spout and into her cup. She didn't want to impose but she hadn't had anything to drink in hours. She was desperate for something, anything really. As the man finished pouring the drink he spoke.
"It's very dangerous to be wandering the streets this late at night," He said.
"Oh, I don't live too far from here," She lied shrugging his comment off.
He was right though, it wasn't safe. She was in shock when she saw so many thugs posted on corners in broad daylight. But once the sun had set they really started crawling out of every gutter and posh home in the city. And the looks that they gave her were venomous. They knew she was not a part of their world. If she had stayed around any longer they might have tried to get rid of her. She had a sinking feeling in her gut that something bad was about to happen.
"I never did catch your name miss," he said eyeing her.
For a split second she froze. If she gave him her real name would he know she was the Avatar? Then again the world had only had a glimpse of their savior for a few moments. She had hardly been in the city to be seen while she had been with Tenzin. Korra was a fairly common watertribe name…Right? And the man said he knew Kavik. She trusted Kavik with everything. If her doctor trusted this man, then so did she. She cleared her throat before replying.
"It's Korra," allowing her eyes to meet his.
"A watertribe name," he mused as he handed the full cup over to her. "Well, it is a pleasure to meet you Korra. I am-,"
She had barely swallowed a small gulp of the tea when she was startled by someone yelling her name. The man's sentence was cut off by the sound as well. She nearly choked on her tea before turn to face the doorway. There stood Kavik. His white mask was still upon his face but he no longer had on his white therapist attire. He was wearing dark grey loose fitting clothes. If anything they looked like pajamas. Was he about to retire for the evening when she arrived? Her eyes focused on his face, his skin looked beet red. The look in his eyes was a mixture of so many emotions. The most prominent one was his anger.
"Oh, ah hey Kavik, You said if I was ever in town that I should stop by for a visit," she said attempting to lighten up the mood. She gave the doctor a nervous smile and a small wave trying to play down the situation.
"Korra," Kavik growled before turning his head to look at the man across from her. "I'd like to speak with my guest alone, Tarrlok."
Then it clicked. This was the man she had been looking for. He had been right under her nose and she hadn't even noticed. Just as Tarrlok was moving from his spot Kavik was moving in closer.
"Wait, Tarrlok? Councilman Tarrlok?" She said jumping to her feet. "I came to Republic City to find you! She exclaimed.
Tarrlok stopped and looked at her skeptically. His left eyebrow raised a big further than the other. It wasn't until she saw the look he gave her that she started to see how strange the situation was for him. A teenager had showed up at his door at night asking to speak to a man at least twenty years her senior. Not to mention her clothes. She didn't even want to imagine what her hair was like under her hood. She looked like some runaway teen. Which technically she was... Just not the type that Tarrlok probably thought she was.
"Well, you see...I'm the Avatar," She said attempting to explain it to him.
Tarrlok's misty blue eyes widened with shock. He was taken back with the girl's statement. He had never imagined that he would find the Avatar at his doorstep. No one had seen the Avatar for quite some time now. People knew that they had an Avatar but many had never seen her.
"I came here to see if Kavik could help me find you. And I did. It's perfect." She said her smile spreading across her face once more.
"No, it's far from it," Kavik said his voice seething with anger.
"Avatar Korra... I must say it's an honor to have you in my home. I gladly assist you with whatever you need," he said offering her his hand to shake.
Just as she was about to reach for this hand she was stopped cut off by her doctor again.
"I don't think you understand how serious this situation is, Korra. You broke out and ran way," he said glaring at her.
"You were going to let me out in a few days anyhow…" She said shrugging it off. "It was more of an early release." The teen said pouting a bit.
"I need a word with Korra, alone Tarrlok." Kavik said facing the man before turning his head to shoot daggers at her.
Tarrlok opened his mouth to protest but quickly closed it once he saw the look in the other man's face. And with that the councilman exited the room leaving the two alone. Her plan had worked out brilliantly. She had escaped Doum-ui, made her way through the city without being noticed and even found where Kavik had been living. The hard part was talking him into not sending her back to Doum-ui or to Air Temple Island. She couldn't decide which was worse. Fighting Tenzin or having to talk and calm an angry Kavik. There had only been one time when she had seen him upset like this. It had been when they had talked about her airbending teacher during one of their sessions.
"Sit down," Kavik said shattering the silence. His voice was merely a whisper but filled with anger. He moved to sit on opposite side of her where Tarrlok had stood.
She sunk down into the plush cushions and looked at her doctor. Her doctor took the set across from her. He had buried his face into his palms. He began to run her fingers through his dark hair. With that all of the anger he had shattered. It melted away like snow outside would do once the spring came. With it gone she saw his true emotions. He was upset with her but there was something more. She could feel how tired he was and sad but also relief. More than anything he had been worried about her safety. He let out a deep sigh before sitting up and looking at her. Kavik laced his fingers between one another and placed his elbows on his lower thighs.
"Do you know how much trouble you've caused? I was worried, Korra. I came into your room the next day and you were gone." He said his voice becoming strained.
The guilt began form inside of her. She knew leaving would have upset him. But seeing him like this way hard. His cool blue eyes glistened with water threatening to overflow. His tone had lost the initial shock and anger. Deep down she knew that leaving was just something she had to do.
"I'm sorry but, I had to leave. I have to find my own path as the Avatar. And I don't know what's exactly going to happen from here… But I know that I wouldn't be able to help anyone if I was stuck on that island. I'm sorry if I got you in trouble," She said looking up to meet his gaze. She could feel herself choking up a bit as well.
"Kor-," he began but was cut off by her.
"I traveled through the city today… And these people. They need me. They spend everyday living in fear," she said her voice was filled with confidence but also with grief.
Her doctor let out a sigh relaxing a bit before replying. "Even if I had sent you to the island you wouldn't have stayed there. Not for very long at least. If I sent you back to Doum-ui you would try to break out again… I agree with you Korra, the city is a mess right now, no one is safe. The thought of you being out there with the triad members lurking around...I'd rather not say," he said leaving a small pause. The man before her became tense before relaxing once more.
"The only thing we can do now is to move forward. What has happened is in the past. We can't change it now matter how much we try. We need to focus on what's going on now. Right now you're here, in the city. And I know Tarrlok has the ability to keep you safe." He said giving her a minute eye smile.
She could feel a smile spreading across her face as well. He was going to let her stay. He wouldn't send her back or with Tenzin. Happiness began to spread to every part of her body. She wanted to jump high into the air. Sensing her newly returned glee he began to speak again.
"Now Korra this can't be a one sided thing. If Tarrlok is willing to help, you have to tell him everything. And I mean everything. He'll be putting a lot on the line for this. If things don't go well he'll lose his job and be sent to prison. You'll just be sent to live with Tenzin instead. ..." he finished.
She listened carefully as Kavik stressed the word 'everything.' She knew exactly what he meant. She would have to tell him how she and Kavik met, along with at least a few of the incidents with Tenzin. It would only be fair right? Staying here with Kavik and Tarrlok wouldn't just be a way for her to help the citizens. No, there was some selfishness in the deal as well. Tarrlok would be able to keep Tenzin from her or at the very least keep him at bay enough for her to dig up some dirt against him.
No one had believed her when she had tried to tell others about Tenzin the first time. Who was to say they would believe her now? Would he still want to help her if he knew the truth? Or would he simply tell her she was crazy and call the police? The man seemed nice enough but still. She didn't know if she was one hundred percent ok with telling someone such intimate details about herself. But Kavik trusted Tarrlok. Kavik was the only one other than her parents that she had trusted.
"Are you sure about this," Kavik asked, he could see the uncertainty spread across her face.
"I'm sure; I know not all of it's my fault. But I coul-," she was cut off by her doctor.
"You shouldn't blame yourself. Everything happens for a reason. You must always focus on what's happening now; the past is in the past." He said smiling at the Avatar before continuing. "I know you must be hungry. Tarrlok should have something for you to eat in the fridge."
The two moved from their seats in the den. They made their way back into the foyer and down the long hallway. The walls were lined with russet colored doors along with small crystal light fixtures. The lamps gave off a warm golden glow to the blue hall. At the end of the passage there was a double door leading to what she assumed was the kitchen. Kavik opened the doors to reveal the interior or the room. The spicy smell she had smelt at the front door hit her in full force. It had been so long since she had last eaten anything. She could just feel herself beginning to drool.
The room was grander than the den. Like the rest of the house they were all decorated in shade of blue. Dark amber cabinets lined the walls. Below the cabinets there was countertop space for pots larger than her torso. In the center was a small island. It held a few basic seasonings. Overheard was yet another dazzling chandelier. It was much smaller than the one in the foyer but still impressive. On the far side of the room was a large pearl white refrigerator with a gleaming silver handle on the left upper side.
Not too far from the fridge was a large stove with what looked like it had seven or maybe even eight burners. A few of the burners were occupied with small silver pots. Korra wasn't very big on interior decorating and still everything she saw left her spellbound. It was nothing like she had ever seen before. The kitchen at the compound had been nice but not this nice. To the left was a spacious sink that was currently occupied by Tarrlok.
She had to say she was confused by the sight. Although she had just met him moments ago the image didn't seem to fit him. The teen had assumed he had hired people do things such as cooking and cleaning for him. Being member of the city's council must pay very well. Especially given the size of the house he lived in. It didn't seem like anyone else really lived here. From what she could tell it was just Kavik and him in this castle of a home. Not to mention how busy he must be. And with all of the pandemonium in the city his schedule had to hectic.
With his back to her she could see how long the man's hair was. It was kept in three ponytails that went down his back. The man scrubbed away vigorously at the dish in the sink. He hadn't seemed to notice the therapist open the door.
"We have a few leftovers from our diner that you can have," Kavik said as he walked over to the cabinet next to stove.
He retrieved a cream colored bowl before closing it. He moved over so he was in front of the stove. The man took the lid off of the pot freeing the zesty aroma. The smell was familiar though. She just couldn't recall exactly what the dish was. Kavik took the ladle in hand and dipped it into the pot. Despite the strong smell she could tell that they pot was almost empty. The doctor grabbed a spoon from a drawer before moving towards the exit.
"Why don't we all sit down while Avatar Korra eats and discuss the situation?" Tarrlok said as he dried off his hand turning to face her.
Korra nodded in agreement and Kavik guided the way with her food in hand. The walk to the dining room wasn't as long as the trip to the kitchen. The rooms were practically right next to one another. The dining room was twice the size of any room she had seen so far. The long table stretched across the middle of the room, while still leaving space for people to move about. There were two larger chairs at the opposite ends of the table. A long white table cloth was draped over it. The chairs were made of wood with detailed carving of waves on them. Large windows lined the walls leaving only a few feet of wallpaper before another window had been placed. Each window was at least seven feet tall and closed off by long powder blue curtains.
Kavik placed her bowl adjacent to where the head of the table sat. He took the stop across from her while Tarrlok took his spot at the head spot. Her eyes focused in on the food before her. Now that she was able to get a better view of it she could see that it was Muktuk soup. The dish held very many fond memories for her. Her mother had made it for her when she was small. So many things about Tarrlok's home were different. But also many of them reminded her of home. She couldn't help but to smile.
The blue eyed teen dipped her spoon into the soup and lifted to her mouth. The dish was delicious, it tasted just like what her mother used to make. Korra could feel the hot broth running down her throat. The meat was so tender it just melted in her mouth. She didn't really bother to watch her manners. No she had been starving, after a bit she had blocked out the other two people beside her entirely. It wasn't until she saw a class of water be placed in front of her bowl that she noticed that Kavik had even moved or was still sitting by her. With the bowl emptied she quickly drained the cup of its contents.
With her stomach full and her throat no longer parched she could feel her eye lids growing heavy. It had been a long day and her body was ready for it to end. The last place she had slept had been a tree. She just wanted someplace warm to rest. Anywhere was still better than cold rough bark. Seeing that she had finished eating Kavik began to speak.
"I believe Korra should begin," he said looking at her.
"The reason I came to the city was to stop Tenzin," she said turning her head to face Tarrlok.
"Councilman Tenzin?" he responded with one eyebrow raised.
"He's not the person everyone thinks he is," she said feeling her tone becoming serious. "I was sent to live with Tenzin when I turned fourteen by the White Lotuc..But when I got there after one press conference he kept me locked up on that island. My training wasn't exactly up to his standards...And things got worse…" She said feeling a lump form in her throat.
Tarrlok's confused look turned into a sympathetic one as he looked at the young Avatar before him. Her eyes averted his gaze and looked down at the white table cloth. At this moment she could feel it. She could feel those cold blue eyes on her. She remembered his towering height. And worst of all his rage, his unyielding, painful, terrifying rage. Her mind raced through the memories. She quickly shook the thoughts away trying to focus.
"After a while Tenzin shipped me off somewhere else and covered it up by saying I needed more training… I was sent to Doum-ui on the outskirts of town and that's how I met Kavik..." She said allowing her voice to trail off.
"Doum-ui? Doumui Development Center," he asked seeking clarification.
"Yeah, the place for all the nut jobs," she mused letting out a dry laugh. "When I was with Tenzin I suffered from hallucinations. He sent me there to get me out of the way more than to help me. Kavik was my doctor while I was there," she finished.
"Hmmm… So this was the mystery patient you were so busy with, the Avatar herself," he said finding himself interested as he look to his right where Kavik sat.
"I know this all seems really crazy but I'm better now. In fact I was going to be released a few days from now but…" She said looking over to Kavik then back to Tarrlok. "Kavik told me about Tenzin using the triads to control the city…And I knew if I was sent back to the island it would be hard for me to help anyone so.."
"You ran away," Tarrlok said finishing her thought.
"Yeah, I can understand if you don't want to help me."
Tarrlok placed his elbows onto the table. He laced his fingers together just like Kavik had done while they were in the den. His expression became serious as he began to speak.
"We'd all be breaking our fair share of laws…Kavik and I would be thrown in jail…Tenzin may already have come up with a plan to counteract this… I made a promise to abide for civil law and do what was best for this city."
Korra could feel a pit forming inside her stomach. He wasn't going to help her. There was so much at stake if he did. She knew that. But if he didn't help her there was so much that hundreds of people would lose. Her mind drifted to the faces of the people she had seen in the city. The tired and overworked police, the frightened shop owners and children. Many of them had already lost their peace of mind.
"…But this time what's best for the city is to break a few laws. I've tried so hard to mold this city into the dream it was meant to be...But I've failed. This city needs its Avatar." He said as his solemn face turned into a smile.
As he completed his thought Korra couldn't help but feel her spirits lift again. She wanted to jump up and hug the man. This was it! She was finally going to able to do her duties as the Avatar. It was something she had been waiting her whole life. Just as she found herself on a whole new high it was brought done by the next topic of discussion.
"How are things at work for you Kavik? Avatar Korra's recent covert relocation must have caused you some trouble?" Tarrlok inquired looking over to his right.
"As strange as it might sound, I don't think we have much to worry about." he said nonchalantly.
Both Korra and Tarrlok raised an eyebrow at his comment. How could an escaped patient not be a concern of the staff? Yes it was true that she had been rehabilitated. She was no longer hallucinating and haunted by nightmares. But she wasn't just any patient she was the Avatar. Her disappearance could throw the world into chaos. People might begin speculating she had gotten stuck somewhere like Aang had or worse. Before the two could open there mouth to question the doctor's statement he began to speak again.
"When I was asked to take Korra on as a patient Tenzin and The White Lotus had a lot of regulations they wanted me to follow. They wanted to make sure as little people as possible knew the Avatar was there. They thought if the world knew it would cause uproar. Because of this your interactions with other patients was cut off. With the system we used at Doum-ui all of the patients there are given numbers. We use the numbers instead of using names just in case files would be taken." He said before pausing and looking at Korra.
"Do you remember the journal and folder I had with me during your sessions?" He asked.
She had actually been trying to forget the whole ordeal of her rummaging through his stuff and ruining it. It wasn't exactly the best memory that they two shared with one another. But the memory was certainly a strong one and not to be disregarded. She simply nodded in reply.
"That was my person copy. I started using your name in the log which was bad on my part. I didn't understand how some of the other doctors could constantly refer to their patients as just numbers, so I stopped. I would copy what happened into another book in my office for the ward to keep. Your file is different from any other patient. To stop anyone from making a connection the name on it isn't yours. If anyone suspected that you were the Avatar they would go looking for a file and not be able to find one. There is a picture of you but it is outdated. For now the police believe you've gone north instead of south. The police have speculated you're off to visit some family. They're trying to keep quite as possible and they don't have very many clues either. I don't think we have much to worry about. The police don't suspect me" He concluded. "For now I'm not going to be with another patient for some time. Not until this blows over."
Even though Kavik didn't seem too concerned she still felt guilty. At the same time she also had a bit of pride in the job she had done escaping. The authorities that thought she had gone north and not south. Her plan had worked perfectly. She didn't know she could feel so good about running away.
"It's already late and I think it's time for all of us to retire for the night," Tarrlok said rising from his chair. Korra and Tarrlok followed in suit.
"I'll show you to your room Avatar Korra," Tarrlok said making his way to the exit.
The two traveled down the same path back to the foyer and then up the long staircase. When they reached the top he turned to the right where another small set of steps awaited them. From those steps the two made their way down a long hallway. The walls were blue with averaged sized brown doors. For every four doors there would be a window covered by curtains. At the end of the hall was a large double door. The halls were silent with only the sound of their footsteps keeping them company.
"I can't thank you enough Councilman Tarrlok for helping. It means everything," She said looking up at the back of his head as he led her down the hall.
"I should be thanking you, Avatar Korra. It is an honor to serve you. If you need anything to do be too shy to ask" He said as he stopped a few doors short of the large double one. "There's no need to be so formal, you may call me Tarrlok." He said turning towards her and giving her his signature million Yuan smile.
"Just Korra is fine," she replied.
"Well then Korra, I'm sure this room will be to your satisfactory. If you need anything my door is at the end of the hall and Kavik's is to the right of mine." He said as he opened the door and flipped the light switch.
Her jaw nearly hit the floor at the sight before her. The room was bigger than any bedroom she had ever had. The space was so big she could do anything in there. The walls were covered in a powder blue with white trim on the ceiling and floor. There was wood flooring that had large fur rugs by the window and in front of the bed. In the center was a king sized canapé bed. Small crystal light fixtures hung from the ceiling and two others were located on a night stand and a dresser in the room. On the left side of the room across from where she stood there was a huge window that was draped with the same powder blue curtains.
Beside the window was a tall wooden dresser. On top of the dresser was a wide mirror that sparkled. Across the room from the bed was a full length mirror. A few feet from the wall there was a wooden door. Korra stepped closer into the room to get a better look.
"The door to you left is the bathroom; the one to your right is a closet. You should find soaps and towels available for your use." Tarrlok explained.
"Ah-wow thanks, this is more than enough." She said awestruck.
"Then I'll see you in the morning, Korra," he said taking his leave.
"Good night," she turned around to reply as he shut the door.
Korra kicked off her shoes into the floor. Her feet were so sore and tired. She usually wasn't the type to obsession of things like this. But the room was impressive. Not just in size but as a whole. Everywhere she had lived before she had humble surroundings. Her home in the South Pole with her parents held stuffed animals from her childhood along with various other toys and pictures. When she had stayed at the compound she had a few pictures here and there of her parents and maybe one or two toys. At the Air Temple she didn't have anything but a few extra pairs of clothes.
Part of it was because of the air nomad way other reason was because she had never really needed to have so many possessions. They seemed irrelevant to her. At Doum-ui she had even fewer things. She had to discard her signature hair ties, fur boots and lined wrap she wore around her waist, arm bands and all. They had been deemed as something unsafe. That she could use to hurt herself or someone else.
Looking back at it now, she knew it had been for the best. Thinking back to how she had acted towards Kavik after her fever. The way she had attacked him… Anything would be a weapon for her. She could have really hurt him or worse… But that was behind her. She was better now. She wasn't the same lost and angry person she had been. Through all of those layers of doubt and confusion she had found herself. It was time for her to make things right. She had made them right with herself. Now the young Avatar just needed to do that for the citizens of Republic City.
She walked towards the bed. She could feel the thick fur of the rug under her feet. She could feel the heat radiating off of the pads of her feet. The fur held the heat in place as it began to spread through the rest of her body. She went to the bed next. The bed spread was blue cover in silver waves across the top layer. The blue eyed teen sat down in the edge of the bed testing it out. The bed was tall. As soon as she got onto it she found her feet unable to find the floor beneath her. She bounced a few times on her butt so see how the material felt. The bed was sturdy more importantly it was soft. Just sitting on it made her feel relaxed. It was like nothing she had ever felt before. Then again her experience with beds hadn't been so great. She had spent the last three years of her life on an old hospital bed and then a tree.
The female began to kick her legs back in forth when she heard a small wrapping against her door. She pushed off from the bed and walked over to the door. Her slender yet calloused fingers wrapped around the golden doorknob and twisted it open revealing her doctor. He was holding forward a set of neatly folded pajamas. They had a crisp fold over collar with small buttons down the center. It was decorated with vertical stripes in the colors of azure and sapphire. Underneath the top she could see folded pants.
"I thought you could use something clean to sleep in," He said in a soft tone.
"Thanks Kavik," she responded the same as he spoke as she took the clothing into her hands. A smile spread across the Avatar's face as she looked at him.
"You shouldn't be thanking me yet. They might not fit very well," he said chuckling.
"Not just for the clothes, for everything."
"I don't know why you're thanking me…I didn't do anything. Getting better and making it here. That was all you." He said giving her that same eye smile as placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Good night Korra," he said before leaving her doorway.
The teen shut the door and turned her attention to the bathroom. She was going to be able to take a shower. But not just any shower. She could take one as long as she wanted. No more timed showers like at Doum-ui. She had never been one to spend excess amounts of time on personal grooming but she was in desperate need of a long hot shower. She had travel through the mountainside, into the woods, through the countryside, then across town. She didn't even want to imagine what she smelled like.
The water tribe teen opened the door and stepped inside of the bathroom. From head to toe it was cover in white tile. A color she didn't miss very much. She had been surrounded by the color for so long. If she never saw a single white anything for the rest of her life it would be too soon. Blue fuzzy rugs lined part of the floor. To her left there was a pearl white extensive bath tub. To her right there was a tall shower with glass doors surrounding it. Before her was a silver accented sink with a mirror above it. She got good look at herself and cringed.
Her hair was a mess. Parts of it were stuck to her face from sweating so much. Other areas had hair sticking up in all of the wrong areas. Her face was had dirt on it on certain parts. She had most likely gotten that from her fall in the forest.
She began to weigh her options. She could take a bath and relax for a bit. It had been so long since she had soaked in a bath tub. But she was exhausted after having such a long day. She would most likely just fall asleep in the water instead of cleaning herself. So she opted for the shower instead. It was something quick and easy. Beside the shower there was a shelf that held towels. The highest one held smaller towels for your face. The shelves grew wider holding heavier, thicker towels.
Korra placed the clothes beside the edge of the sink and began to undress. She discarded her clothing onto a small pile on the floor by the door. She opened the shower door and reached for the crystal knob turning it to the right. Within seconds water flowed from the shower head above. She stuck her hand under the water waiting for it to reach the right temperature. Steam began to billow off of the water. The Avatar stepped into the shower closing the door behind her.
The teen just stood there allowing the hot water to beat against her body. With each droplet of water hitting her skin she could feel the tension in her muscles leaving her. The water flowed into her hair down her face and arms then her legs to the drain. She closed her eyes feeling her element all around; the steam in the air, the water on her body.
She opened her cerulean orbs and looked down at her body. She wasn't so thin this time. Her body had gained back most of its thickness. She could feel her muscles were back in the right places. Her arms had gained back more of their bulkiness. Her stomach was lean and tight with rippling muscles. The bruises had faded a lot. Most of them were gone now. A few still remained where she had the most strain. There were two that were on her left arm. One was just above her wrist the other on her forearm. Her right arm had the remains of a large one a few inches from her elbow. She had been healed mentally the physical aspect was going to take some time.
True to his word sitting on a small shelf at eye level was a collection of small soaps. Below that one was another shelf that she believed held shampoos. The bottles were each unique. The one closest to her right hand was champagne colored with white detailed writing. The first one read 'moon peach orchid.' She scrunched up her face at the name. She had never been too big of a fan of very feminine fragrances. Beside that one was one that was a soft spring green with grey colored font. That one was labeled 'white jade.' Out of curiosity she reached for the small bottle and opened the top to get a whiff of it. The scent was light and rather smooth but still a little too much for her taste. The final one in the lie up was a deep red like the color of the fire nation flag with a pink font. The last bottle read 'cherry blossom.' The scent was very strong but not her taste. The teen decided to settle for the white jade one instead.
After she finished washing her body she went to do her hair. She made sure to grab the bottle that read white jade. She squeezed a bit of the milky white liquid into her palms and began to work it into her hair. She found herself having to rinse and repeat multiple times. She just couldn't seem to get all of the dirt out of her hair. For what felt like forever she was caught in an endless cycle. Finally when she was done she opened the shower door and stepped out and on to the blue mat. The watertibe teen reached for a towel before pulling away. She wasn't at Doum-ui anymore she didn't need a towel to dry off.
She began to bending the extra water off of her body and into the sink. Bit by bit the water flowed down the drain until both her body and hair were perfectly dry. Once she was dressed she made her way out of the bathroom and into the rest of her room. Steam crept into the rest of the space as her door swung open. It had been so long since she had been able to use waterbending. Kavik had been right about them not fitting so well. Although they were warm the pajamas were far too big for her. She found her arms swimming in the sleeves. Even her old patient attire fit better around her torso than this nightshirt. The pants had been the true hassle. She had to pull the strings to tight to get them to fit on her hips. She made sure to tie the strings up tight so that they wouldn't come undone in her sleep. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw something shimmer. She walked to the window to get a better view.
Her thin hands pushed the rest of the curtain aside and she stared out of the window. She could see practically the entire city from here. She had been right Republic City was beautiful at night. There were lights everywhere. She could see them on the bridge, at street corners, from restaurants and shops. The site was simply breath taking. Her eyes scanned the city taking it all in. They stopped when they reached the bay area. Once her eyes hit the water she saw nothing. Her blue topaz orbs looked further past the bay and saw a lone light blinking off the coast. Korra began to scowl. There it was Air Temple Island, the place where so many of her fears lurked. But she wasn't a kid anymore. No, she was stronger, wise and more determined than ever to take Tenzin down. Her gaze stayed fixed on the island for a while before she continued on her path to her bed.
The young Avatar pulled back the canopy before flopped down on her bed unceremoniously face first. The pillow was soft like sleeping on a cloud. She quickly crawled underneath the layers of blanket. She moved around a few times trying to get comfortable before settling in. In a matter of seconds Korra was fast asleep enjoying a well deserved nights rest.
~~~~~WELCOME TO DOUM-UI DEVELOPMENT CENTER~~~~~ WELCOME TO DOUM-UI DEVELOPMENT CENTER~~~~~WELCOME TO DOUM-UI
That's all for now, Counting Stars is my favorite song for doing everything, cooking, exercising, writing etc. I have to say I suck at describing complex interior decorating. I'll try to get better for you guys. Tell what you: like, don't like, want to see, or tell me you prediction for the next chapter. Bye, see you real soon (hopefully).