She'd decided on the trip north that she would go to Air Temple Island the first night back. Asami probably would put up with Korra if she went home with her, but Korra didn't want to overstay her welcome. They'd been nearly constant companions for two weeks, capped off with sharing the room on the ship for their overnight travel to Republic City.
They hadn't talked about what would happen when they got back. In fact, Asami slept nearly the whole way back. It made Korra a little hot under collar to think of how she'd woken her up for dinner. They'd missed dinner.
Asami had arranged for a bus to pick them up from the docks, and the first stop was Air Temple Island's ferry. Korra grabbed her backpack and motioned for Naga to climb off the bus.
Asami took her hand and threaded their fingers together. Her smile was soft. She was made-up and dressed like she'd be going to work, but the way she looked at Korra held intimate weight. "When will I see you again?"
"Tomorrow night? I can come by and make you dinner. Would eight work?"
"Yes. Feel free to bring Naga."
At that, Korra nearly changed her mind about not going home with Asami. She kissed Asami lightly on the mouth but was unprepared by her response. Asami gasped, blushed, and pulled back quickly. She turned a wide-eyed look towards the driver, but the man was outside under the bus.
It had been a peck, something she didn't realize would offend. Asami's response hurt a little. "Sorry."
Asami shook her head; she was still blushing. "Don't be sorry. Please come tomorrow. Eight o'clock." She kissed Korra's knuckles in a discreet gesture, which soothed the insult of her first reaction.
Korra hugged Mako and June, and she cuffed Bolin as he kissed Opal—probably harder than she intended by his yelp. She and Opal approached the familiar ferry dock with most of their bags in Naga's mouth. The White Lotus sentry on Air Temple Island's small ferry looked from his small boat to Naga dubiously. Korra could guess his concern. She tried to reassure him. "I can help you balance the boat. She'll get down low on the bottom."
"We can call a larger ferry over."
"I'd rather just go," Opal said with a tired sigh.
Naga carefully stepped into the ferry and lay down flat on the bottom. They arranged their luggage around her and settled in too. Korra knew inexperience when she saw it. She guided the White Lotus waterbender through several techniques to keep the boat balanced. When they reached Air Temple Island, he nodded his head and touched his fingers to his forehead as if tipping his hat.
"That's the most instruction I've gotten since I signed up last year."
"You don't get bending practice?"
He shrugged. "They say if I advance I'll get some, but I can't advance without passing bending proficiency tests."
That made absolutely no sense. "Have you complained about this to anyone?"
"You don't complain." He flushed suddenly and lowered his voice. "I shouldn't have said anything. Just… If you ever have time, there are plenty of us here that would love the instruction."
Korra asked his name and made it a point to remember his unit. She would have to seek him out later to work with him. She hadn't thought about the White Lotus members who were stuck in menial positions. Paddling people back and forth to Air Temple Island probably wasn't a coveted job.
Pema and Rohan were there at the docks to greet them. Korra made a few faces at Rohan before he'd duck from behind his mother's legs and hug her. Pema's hug was strong. She cupped Korra's cheek, and her smile widened. "You look wonderful, Korra."
"I feel better. Recharged, kind of."
"Hungry?"
"I can—"
"—Always eat," Opal and Pema said together. Pema continued, "Dinner is in thirty minutes. Tenzin was hoping you'd get in after his meditation session, but you can bet he and the kids are raring to see you."
"How have things been?"
"Sweetie, Tenzin hasn't lied when he's said things were quiet. He didn't want you to come back before you were ready, but the little issues that have come up haven't been worth you coming back either." She reached out to hug and greet Opal too.
The women's dormitories were quiet. A few airbenders moved through them, but everyone was probably out at the end-day meditation session. Korra opened the sliding door to her room and took a moment to sink back into the feeling that this place was home.
Republic City winter was hot compared to Southern Water Tribe summer. Her room was stifling even with the windows cracked to allow a cross breeze. It was bare, and the straw mattress would hurt her back for the first week until she got used to it again. Naga was already panting.
Korra opened the window all the way, and the cool, misty breeze was soothing. She rubbed a hand over Naga's cheek. "If we came back in summer, I'd have to shave you. And one thing's for sure: polar bear dogs aren't supposed to be naked. You'd be so ugly."
Naga licked her.
"Yeah, I know. I promised Mom and Dad I'd write." She sat down at the desk and pulled out paper for the first of regular letters home. She'd miss her parents and the South, but a bigger part of her was looking forward to being back in Republic City.
Hey Mom and Dad,
As promised, I'm writing as soon as we docked at Republic City. Don't worry about me running off. Asami would have tied me to the boat if I'd tried to slip away.
Korra stared at her last sentence and felt heat flush her face. She'd written the distinct character for 'bed' instead of 'boat'. She marked over it heavily and wrote the character for 'boat' above her strikethrough.
We had a good trip back. Asami slept almost the entire way except to eat. Apparently she needed the rest. I don't have much more to say. Call if you want to talk. I'll probably be staying on Air Temple Island.
Korra stared at that last paragraph. She'd written 'breast' instead of 'rest' in the phonetic script. The character for 'slept' looked like 'fuck'. Korra balled the letter up and disintegrated it in a controlled flame. She'd write her parents later.
"Korra?!"
The airbender kids were by and large quiet when they ran, but they could shout with the best of them. Ikki, Meelo, and Jinora collapsed on her in a huge, happy hug. Korra squeezed them close, enjoying their enthusiasm. "I missed you guys."
"Are you really back? For real this time?" Ikki asked her.
"Yeah. I'm back."
Tenzin cleared his throat at the entrance to her room. Korra turned and stepped into his arms, enjoying his hug. "Hello, Korra. You seem to have gotten the rest you needed."
"More than that."
"I'm glad."
Dinner was loud, happy, and deliciously light. The food was a nice contrast to the heavier meals of the south. Korra returned to her room to take care of Naga but promised to have tea with Tenzin in his office. After she'd brushed Naga's fur and teeth, Korra noticed a thick letter on her desk that must have been delivered during dinner. The addresser was a law office in Republic City. Dread filled her as she tore open the envelope.
Avatar Korra,
Enclosed is a summary of the financial situation of the White Lotus. We've used both copies of their finances to guide us and have begun research into the personal finances of each high master of the White Lotus. Given the incomplete, incorrect, and simplistic copy that you were first supplied, we question the validity of those numbers. The second set of records is significantly more plausible.
So far, we have gleaned enough information to shed light on your main question of embezzlement. The miscarriage of moneys is blatant. Of the sixteen million yuans (approximately) received by the White Lotus in donations last year, nearly half was diverted directly to four masters: Suntoq, Gaou, Zhaoli, and Lang. We have extended a request to financial offices of several countries to access public tax records from these individuals to determine where the funds have gone. It is known already that Suntoq purchased a vacation home on Ember Island early last year. Properties there generally sell for seven digits.
There is, unfortunately, some issue with each master declaring bankruptcy in the last few years, muddying the waters. We will continue piecing together more information. This is far from a simple case, and we will keep you informed, preferably in person. Please let me know when and where you prefer to meet to discuss these findings.
At your service,
Sung
The following pages were filled with numbers: accounts, summaries, and uncertainties.
The information was bitter certainty. A million yuan vacation home on Ember Island. Korra wasn't surprised, and that alone hurt. That anger and sense of betrayal was deep rooted, and it threw her out of her happy place so easily.
She folded the letter neatly and slipped it into her pocket. It took a few minutes to settle in Tenzin's office on his floor pillows with a cup of tea in each of their hands. His smile faded as he studied her. "What's wrong?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Yes, of course."
"Did you know the White Lotus was selling me out to world leaders?"
His brow gathered. "What do you mean?"
"Fire Lord Zuko wrote to me a while ago. He told me the White Lotus kept asking him for donations when he said I'd be welcome to visit him to learn about the Fire Nation."
Tenzin looked like she'd physically struck him. "Surely that wasn't how it sounds. Of course the White Lotus would ask for help in supporting you financially."
"It was exactly how it sounds."
He tugged his beard and seemed to accept it for the sake of argument. "Why then?"
"Suntoq and the other masters collected over sixteen million yuans last year, and only half of it was used in White Lotus matters. I went to talk to Master Lang in Harbor City, and he gave me fake numbers. I talked to another person in that office, and they gave me real ones. I sent both to a law office here, and they're digging into it. The second person who gave me the real numbers, they acted like they'd be hurt if the White Lotus caught on that they were giving us that information."
"That cannot be true."
"We went close to midnight to the office. They gave us a copy that was saved for me. So I can fix it."
Korra handed Tenzin the letter. Tenzin's complexion paled as he read the letter and then paged through the summary. He murmured under his breath. "I can't… But… Are you sure the information you received was true?"
"I'm sure. Tenzin, why did you let him keep me locked away?"
"Your safety—"
"Who else tried to attack me other than the Red Lotus?" She was tired of that weak excuse.
Tenzin looked away. "I admit Master Suntoq is not the most unbiased man, but to think he would be capable of extortion…"
"I was imprisoned for twelve years. I was imprisoned by a man who was friends with Unalaq back when he was a member of the Red Lotus. Suntoq tried to marry me off to Iroh. Who is he and why does he think he can control me to make a profit? What am I supposed to feel?"
His hand paused in stroking his beard. The stare of shock Tenzin level at her confirmed he hadn't know any of that. "Marry you off? I don't understand." He looked back at the letter. "I don't understand. They took oaths when they took their position."
Tenzin paused to drink tea. He kept his gaze on his teacup for a moment before he took a long breath. "So what will we do?"
Korra couldn't help but smile at his even response. "I'm not sure. Not yet. I'll have to dismiss the masters—anyone who knew about this or participated in it. We should restructure. The White Lotus members should be paid better too and trained appropriately. The money we get from people who want to make the world a better place, that has to go back to the world."
"And what of Zaheer and Kuvira?"
That stopped Korra cold. She would give Kuvira to the United Republic without a concern, but Zaheer… Though could it get any worse for him than that dark cave day in and day out? If Ba Sing Se wanted him… "I don't know."
"How can I help you?"
"For now, stand behind my decision. And don't tell anyone. I don't want anyone to lose their job, and I don't want the masters to know."
"I do stand behind you. Please keep me informed, Korra. I want to help you."
"Okay. Is there anything I should know about Republic City?"
"There's been more activity in the Spirit Wilds recently. To the point that President Raiko has issued a public warning against visiting them."
Korra could imagine that the vines had thickened since she left. The time between Republic City's battle and her escape to the South had put a jungle-thick cover back over the entirety of downtown. The portal still sprouted out of the center of that mass, but it would be easy to get lost in that mess.
"No one was kidnapped, right?"
"You can be sure we would have recalled you immediately in that case. The vines have been moving, stealing things from people, and there was one incident where a group of tourists was herded into a building, and they escaped by exiting the roof."
It was another dark worry on top of the White Lotus. She wished Tenzin had told her even if she understood why he hadn't. What she didn't get was the motive for all of it. Stealing and herding seemed like it would inevitably lead to kidnapping. "I don't understand why the vines kidnapped people."
"With the disturbance of the bayou tree—"
"Well sure, but for what purpose? I don't think revenge is a concept spirits even understand."
Tenzin's frown was deep and directed at himself. "I wish I could help you in this, Korra."
She shrugged and then yawned. Tenzin smiled at her. "You must be tired. Go, rest. We'll start tomorrow."
The ice and water were cold and familiar. She looked into the darkness of the deep ocean, watching the flutter of the linen cloth sink past her vision. She could reach out to feel it escape the sensation of her waterbending, but she didn't. She watched until her own body's water betrayed her and tears blurred her sight.
"Avatar," came the quiet whisper.
"I should never have had her," she admitted softly. Her child, bundled in the so tiny wrap, given up to the sea. Dead because of the selfishness of having her.
"Hana," came the whisper of horror beside her. Her husband tried to pull her into an embrace, but she pushed him away and escaped his care. He was too gentle, too understanding. Blame the man who did this, he had told her. Don't blame yourself. You're just a woman.
She'd told him she had no right bringing a child into this world when her obligation was to the world, not her family. At least she had never blamed him aloud for not being strong enough, not when he'd lost an arm to her enemy.
And where had she been? Gone, touring the Earth Kingdom while the Fire Nation sent an assassin to kill her family for nothing but vindictive revenge. She'd only interfered to avoid the imbalance of the nations, but now they tipped her into imbalance. She would sail upon Capital Island and wash it away. The Avatar could never be impartial, not when the Avatar was also human. Not just a woman, but a human with the power of four elements and the wisdom of a string of fools. She saw that now.
"Hana," her husband said at her elbow. "Please. It's alright to mourn."
"No. I will not mourn. I'll deliver a blow that will eviscerate the Fire Lord as much as this eviscerated me. He killed me!" She strode away, barking out for the chieftain to follow her. It was beyond time to act.
Korra awoke unsettled, her memory of that Avatar sharp in her mind. A child lost… The sensation was still a dull empty ache in her chest. She pushed the grief and wrath away to concentrate on her life, her plans. She was Avatar Korra of the Southern Water Tribe, and she was in Republic City. She didn't have a child to lose, not yet.
Her back ached from the hard wooden pallet. Her shoulder ached too, but that softened with self-healing and stretching. The temple was quiet even with the activity she sensed. Korra fed Naga, grabbed breakfast to go from the kitchen, and left Naga in the care of the bison handlers for a workout. She had a place to be that morning.
The path she found herself on wasn't familiar, but it probably would become so soon. Korra walked because the mountain winds had battered her around on her kite. The brisk wind cut through Korra's thin parka jacket, but it wasn't close to being cold.
The White Lotus guards at the entrance to the massive cave were surprised to see her, but they offered bows. Korra glanced between them. "I'm here to see Zaheer."
One guard glanced at his partner, but the other lowered his head in a nod. It felt strange to receive deference. It felt good, good enough to make her chastise herself. Kuvira had probably thought the same thing once.
A few minutes later, Korra approached the earthen elevator. She waited calmly as it descended into the darkened pit that housed Zaheer. Zaheer's chains rattled—a noise that made the hair stand on her neck—as he became aware of her. He slowly dropped to the ground and walked the length of the chains to watch her approach.
Korra dropped her backpack and pulled the tea set and tea tin from it. She bent water from her water bladder and brewed the tea with a few sweeps of waterbending. When she'd finished, she poured two cups and walked to the edge of Zaheer's reach. With a slight hesitation, she continued into his perimeter.
Zaheer's expression opened in surprise, but he sat down in front of the tea set without speaking. He reached out and cradled the teacup in his hand, taking a breath of it before his first sip.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." Korra sat down in front of him, mirroring his half-lotus stance. He set down his teacup with his eyes fixed on her hand. Slowly, he reached out to touch the skin on the back of her hand. She stilled and didn't breathe as long as his fingertip was on her skin.
"I haven't touched another human in three years," he said quietly. He breathed deep, then withdrew his hand. "You're a fool to trust me."
Korra felt her body relax, but she was still wary. "Who says I do?"
Zaheer smiled. "Touché." He picked up his tea once more. "Are you back to stay?"
"For now. I have a few things to take care of."
"The dark energies."
Korra nodded.
"And the White Lotus?" he guessed, though his voice had dropped to a soft murmur.
Korra nodded again.
"Is something else troubling you?" he asked her when she didn't respond. Korra turned their last unhappy conversation over in her mind. They'd seen each other in passing in the spirit world since then, but they'd paused their in-depth discussions.
"What the spirit told me: that I'm darkness and light. Can we talk about that now?"
"Are you afraid they said you have darkness? Why is darkness bad? Light cannot exist without darkness."
She'd predicted that response word for word. "I'm always kind of hopeful that the darkness is outside of me."
"Balance, Korra. Even you have darkness in you. Don't fear it."
"What about the next Avatar?"
"Teach them by your legacy then. You have great power, and you're the start of the next dynasty of Avatars." Zaheer opened his hands. "Why waste your time worrying about an impossibility? You should be routing out the darkness in the spirit world instead, expanding your knowledge of the spirits and their home." He paused for emphasis and caught her gaze. "Don't get distracted by worldly things."
She blushed as she realized his implication. "Is love really worldly?"
"Lust is," he retorted. "You reeked of it in the spirit world."
Did he really sense that? It embarrassed her to imagine how lust presented in the spirit world. "What's wrong with wanting to make the person you love feel good? That pleasure is a part of me, as much as I like to drink tea and swim."
"You aren't sustained on tea alone."
"I get it, but you're not going to warn me away from someone I've spent the majority of the last three years not seeing. I love her, and she makes me a better person."
He rubbed his thumbs together. "Don't lose sight of your goals."
"Sort out the spirits and fix the White Lotus. Got it." She cocked her head. "If you knew Suntoq was involved with Unalaq, why didn't you say anything?"
"Have care with what you say," Zaheer said softly. "But I did. I spent over thirty days saying a great many things as the White Lotus tortured me. Very little of it was considered true."
"You were tortured." Fluid rushed in her ears, and the tea soured in her mouth.
"Yes. Gaou was once a Dai Li trainee. He learned a trick or two. He would visit once a year for the first few years, but that dropped off." Zaheer snorted. "I suppose I should have told you when we spoke for the first time, but I didn't think you would believe me. Had I realized how jaded you were towards the entire organization…"
Master Gaou had overseen some of her earthbending lessons. He'd always been the nicest of the High Masters. Korra pushed her anger down. "And now?"
His smile was slow. If Korra had to put a word to it, she'd say affectionate. "No. No torture, Korra."
"You'd tell me if you were mistreated, right?"
That smile remained. "I would." He sipped his tea. "I would like to know more about what you know of Avatar Wan."
"I need to make more tea for that."
She nearly talked herself hoarse, and Zaheer interjected at intervals for a conjecture or question. He was especially interested in the lion turtles and spirit possession. "Are there any lion turtles today?"
"The world is so small now. Seems like we'd know if there was one."
"Another goal." Another dot on Korra's to-do list, he meant. Zaheer took an odd tangent. "You retrieved Raava back from Vaatu's darkness."
"Yes. She was inside him."
"Even after her evident destruction?"
Korra nodded. "Her spirit, her power, even if the Avatar memories were erased."
"Then if you retrieved Raava back from Vaatu's darkness, surely a piece of him was within her too. There cannot be one without the other. And now you balance it. Your light keeps your darkness at bay and in so doing balances your spirit."
It put a cold shiver in her spine. "Vaatu should be gone for ten thousand years, not living in my soul."
"And why do you say that? You didn't imprison him. You purified the thing that had fused with Unalaq. And now you carry a bit of him inside you. You are the ultimate balance, Korra. If that's true, Harmonic Convergence won't ever occur again. In that way you have fulfilled the Red Lotus's goals better than we could have ourselves."
Zaheer seemed to like this logic, but it frightened Korra. She took a deep breath and slapped her hands on her knees. Zaheer jumped, startled by the sound. "I should go. Do you want more tea before I do?"
He took his last sip and set his teacup beside Korra's knee. He retreated back to the center of the ring and levitated. "Good day, Avatar Korra. Be safe."
Tenzin was the last person Korra expected to see when she stepped out of the elevator, but as soon as she saw him she realized she shouldn't be surprised. Even if no one had questioned her right to see Zaheer, they'd probably put a call in to Tenzin and Raiko. His expression had more disapproval than she could remember seeing him exude at once in all the years they'd known each other.
He fell into step beside her wordlessly as they strode out to the mountain path. Oogi waited for them there. Korra climbed up and waited for Tenzin's outburst. It took over a minute of flight before Tenzin spoke. His voice was tightly controlled. "That was foolish."
"Was it?" she threw back him, by now raring for a fight.
"Zaheer is dangerous ! Just because he's in chains doesn't mean he can't hurt you. That you would willingly visit him—!"
"Tenzin, I know what I'm doing!"
"He tried to kill you!" Tenzin's voice boomed with his anger. He turned around on Oogi. "How can you stand to be near him?!"
"I've learned more from Zaheer than anyone else in my life. He says I can do anything, that I have unlimited potential. He told me that when you were too busy asking Wu for advice on world matters!"
Tenzin's face twisted in outrage. "How dare you insinuate he has anything of value to teach you!"
"It's not an insinuation! He challenges me to think about more than one side of every argument. He trusts that I'm intelligent enough to do that, that I'm strong enough to defend my beliefs."
"He could kill you, Korra! Every time you interact with him endangers you." Tenzin put his hand over his mouth. "What… What would I do if you were hurt or lost?"
Her defensiveness bled away. They were both arguing into thin air, too muddled with emotion to hear each other. Korra made herself see Tenzin's fear without presuming her own helplessness. "Tenzin, I'm not doing this to worry you. But you have to start trusting me at some point."
"I trust you! I don't trust him."
There had to be some personal hurt in the exchange too. For her to go to Zaheer after she'd already replaced Tenzin with Unalaq once might open an old wound. She hadn't confided in him about her worries about the spirits or her own balance. Korra studied the back of Tenzin's head and wasn't sure how to keep her connections to everyone in her life without stepping on people's pride.
When they landed on Air Temple Island, Ikki waved frantically from a walkway. "Daddy! Mima's missing. Jinora can't find her. Help!"
Mima? She was an airbender. Korra pictured a small woman with dark hair pulled into a bun. She slipped off of Oogi with Tenzin beside her. A missing adult didn't seem worth Ikki's excitement, but she humored Ikki if only to distract herself from her fight with Tenzin. "How long has she been missing?"
A woman with brown hair answered from beside Ikki. "She left yesterday afternoon. She hasn't been back since. She was visiting her father. In the Spirit Wilds."
"The Spirit Wilds?" Tenzin's dismay reflected Korra's sudden worries.
"Jinora's looking for her," Ikki said. Korra hurried to the meditation room. She strode inside, jolting Jinora out of her meditation. There were tears in her eyes and panic on her face. "Help me, Korra. I can't find her."
Korra caught Jinora's hands, startled by her panic. "Take a breath. Calm down. We'll find her together." When Jinora centered on her face, Korra entered the spirit world smoothly; her urgency didn't slow her. Unexpectedly, Zaheer materialized in front of her. Jinora took a startled step backward.
"You're concerned," he said, his face cast in stern worry. "A problem?"
"Yeah. An airbender may have been taken. Jinora, what was her spirit like?" She could find the woman without Jinora's help, but this would be faster and it would settle some of the panic that set their surroundings into a vague vibration. Korra took Jinora's hand, and the information flowed between them. It was a clumsy exchange, so unlike when spirits guided Korra to knowledge. This was muddled with emotions like surprise and fear, and the spiritual imprint flowed with other pieces of knowledge Korra ignored—the taste of Kai during a kiss, Jinora's fear of inadequacy…
Korra let go and took several deep breaths, concentrating on location. She was connected to the energies all around. The scope almost terrified her as she swept her awareness outward; instead of being large, the world shrank on her, rolling upward like a wave.
She found the pulse of unique energy, and her surroundings shifted at will. She pulled Zaheer and Jinora with her, and they came upon a dark clearing, not unlike the one that had housed Jinora and Ryu's spirits before the Republic City battle. This pocket was smaller with a globoid shape of bright yellow centered on a ring of darkness. The energy emitted from the pod was soft and pure even surrounded by the bitter inky energies of the clearing.
The warm spiritual energy caressed Korra's palm. She felt the vital human forms within and drew upon the energies around her to soften the energies therein; it was a more familiar transition than it had been before. It felt like that trap that had housed the dark spirit in the South. The cocoon melted away, and the spirits drifted away to find their way back to their bodies.
"Can you purify this place?" Jinora asked.
Korra glanced around, taking in the twisted roots and shadowed earth. The darkness rolled back into the center of the clearing; the husk of the cocoon became black and twisted into sharp points. She bent down to place her hand on the ground, trying to draw energy from the world around her to soothe the darkness. The energies were muted and didn't submit to her. She focused and pushed, forcing light energy outward around her hands. The energy pulsed golden a few inches outward. As soon as Korra lifted her hand, the darkness returned.
"If you can't purify it here, something else must be corrupting this place," Zaheer said.
"Why was the pod light energy though? Wouldn't dark energy be responsible for kidnapping people?" Jinora murmured. "And why airbenders?"
Zaheer glanced around. "Dark spirits want to be balanced. We know spirits and physical are linked by the environment."
"And the use of spirit vines," Jinora said, her eyes going wide.
"I read about Kuvira's spirit vine weapon. It would be logical to assume the kidnapping prior was related."
If Korra let them, Zaheer and Jinora would puzzle this out for hours. "We should go. Mima is still in the Spirit Wilds, and we need to make sure she gets out along with whoever was with her."
"Later then, Korra. Thank you for the tea." He faded away.
"He's creepy. You took him tea?"
"He is creepy, but creepy people need to drink too. Let's go."
Despite Tenzin's unwillingness to put Jinora in danger, Jinora won that fight and traveled with Korra, Bumi, and Tenzin to the Wilds. When they got to the outskirts of the jungle of vines, Korra touched a vine and traced spiritual energies to an abandoned building a few miles away. She snapped out her glider, and the three of them flew above the canopy before diving down into the thick of the vines. The vines writhed and snapped at them, but with their combined efforts, they managed to get into the building.
As expected, there were two people inside. The airbender, Mima, seemed stunned, wiping slime off of her face and arms. Beside her, an older man sat still and looked at the goop on his hands.
"Korra," Mima said in recognition.
"Are you okay, Mima?"
She nodded and placed a hand on the man beside her. "I was visiting my father, and a vine caught us both. I don't remember much after that."
"You were trapped in the spirit world. Come on; let's get you both out of here."
Mima smiled at her. "This isn't the first time you've saved me."
"Just returning the favor."
The vines had settled enough that their escape was relatively easy. The vines did twine and shift, but there were no more direct attacks. Despite the gentle flight, Mima's father was screaming nonsensically when they landed on Air Temple Island.
Mima caught his hands. "It's okay. It's okay, Daddy."
Later, when he was calmer and everyone was settled at a table in the communal dining room, Mima explained, "I can't afford to keep him in a good group home. He always runs away from homes I put him in, but he stays around the same area of the spirit wilds. A few other people who live there check on him when I can't."
"Why didn't you say anything, Mima?" Tenzin asked. "We can provide for him here."
Mima shifted in evident surprise. She looked over at her father. "I didn't think that could happen. It's one thing for me to have him here, but when I'm away on a mission…"
"You're a part of our nation now. We will provide for you."
"Thank you, Tenzin," she said with a tight smile.
"Are there homeless people who still live in the Spirit Wilds?"
Mima nodded. "A lot of them went right back after the battle."
Korra had never considered Gommu and his peers as people who needed or wanted help, but it couldn't be easy to live in a place as inhospitable as the Spirit Wilds. Looking at Mima's bedraggled father, she felt a seed plant within her. What a good thing for the White Lotus to do to start in their new direction.
"But why the kidnapping?" Jinora asked again. Her focus was on Korra, who struggled to think of an answer.
"Jinora, I don't know. If it had been a dark spirit, I could have let it possess me to learn the root of its issues. I did that with a few spirits in the south. The vines are like spirits, but I don't know if they form memories." She considered what the little yellow spirit had told her. "One of the spirits told me they can sense me and that airbenders carry similar spiritual energy."
"Perhaps that was why keeping the portals open caused people to gain airbending," Tenzin mused.
"So is bending just a form of spiritual energy?" Mima asked. She looked at her hands as if trying to sense the answer.
"The kidnappings happen just because they sense us?"
"Maybe." Korra rubbed her forehead. "I can't just ask. I've tried, but they won't answer. I don't know why. They refused to help during the battle for Republic City. I think we'll have to figure this out for ourselves."
"In the meantime, we should also heed President Raiko's order to stay out of the Spirit Wilds."
Mima said, "Tenzin, I wouldn't have gone, but I was worried about my father."
"He'll be safe here with us now." Tenzin glanced at Korra when she stood up. "Where are you going?"
"To meditate."
"At the end of your rope?"
"I like it now. I've done a lot of it in the last four years."
There were no spirits in the spirit world who were willing to talk to her. It was like trying to call for help before the Republic City battle. Spirits saw her and faded away to avoid conversation. Korra moved from place to place long enough to feel her body physically reacting to her frustration.
She gave up and came into her body to legitimately meditate. While the sun tracked from overhead to the edge of the gazebo roof, she sat within it and tried to feel something other than stress. Her shoulders were heavy with it, and it expanded in her chest and throat. Swallowing exacerbated that feeling: like something dark was looking over her shoulder and she would never find a state of peace.
Already that feeling was pressing in on her, and she'd only been in the city for a day. These were problems she'd ignored or only considered abstractly in the South. As much as it was a temptation to retreat back home, that was only a 'flight of fancy' as Tenzin would say.
There was so much to do: fix the spirits, fix the White Lotus, learn about the world around her. And she had no idea how to do any of those things. She needed to learn more, fill in the gaps that the White Lotus had left in her. Republic City had a university, and she wondered if she could take classes. Added on were smaller worries about probending, finding a place in Asami's life, making sure Naga adjusted to life back in Republic City, and if the Earth Confederation would call her away again.
She thought of that angry exchange with Tenzin and realized her bitterness sprang from defensiveness, even now. She needed to be better about presuming someone thought she was helpless if they offered help or clueless if they offered advice. She was the Avatar in a new age; she couldn't scream or bend her way through conflict. Just because her early life had trained her out of confidence in negotiation while raising it in combat was no excuse for the kind of argument she had with Tenzin.
But how could she be better? She was supposed to be an authority figure, but there was little respect to be had other than her own respect for the authority of standing government. She wasn't Kyoshi, and Raiko wasn't Chin the Conqueror. How could she be the Avatar if she couldn't use the Avatar state to demand her way? She didn't have the backup of a thousand lifetimes to proclaim her inherent rightness.
Korra meditated on peace and quiet and solitude, but she found her thoughts finally circling back to Asami and the happiness she found with her. She thought of their first kiss in a junkyard, their quiet conversation in the bar, the laughter they shared that morning within the igloo, and of their laziness in the steamer on the way back to Republic City.
She was in love with her best friend. This was comfort and belonging. She'd never felt anything like this.
As Asami had so gently pointed out, they were there to help each other. She would have to talk to Asami, to all her friends, to help her make decisions about her current problems. Their judgments would help and give her direction.
Asami would help her. Asami would bring her peace. She was happy with Asami.
And then her mind slipped into what Zaheer had accused her of: sex. Korra's body was different now, different in how she knew Asami could pleasure her, how she could pleasure Asami in turn. A physical reaction that felt and meant so much more. Emotion, love, even soul perhaps. Korra felt Asami's pleasure, more than even her watersense told her, more than her own body's responses.
In the tiny amount of sex education the White Lotus gave her, Korra drew her own conclusions that humans were just animals, that sex was rutting and dominance and procreation. Physical. Asami had dashed those presumptions. For an act so rooted in the physical, it was one of the most emotionally rich things she'd shared with another person.
She wanted Asami like the warm musky thickness of honey left in the sun. Familiar and beautiful and responsive. Korra pictured Asami looking into her eyes as they climbed high to find pleasure, and she opened her eyes to gaze out over the ocean.
It wasn't a particularly good meditation session, but she felt a little better about her day, if only to be able to see Asami later. She needed to be on her way to buy food and cook for her girlfriend. Korra stopped by Tenzin's office before she left.
She opened her arms, and he released his beard from his grip and stood to fold her close. It felt good; Tenzin was always safe. "Thanks, and I'm sorry."
"It's alright, Korra. I just worry for your safety. You must do what you think is right, but please, tell me the next time you go see him."
"I will. I'm going into the city now. I'll take Naga with me."
"Oh?" His beard was back in his grip as he studied her with an unvoiced question.
"I'm staying with Asami, but I should be back tomorrow. I know I have a lot of work to do."
He immediately relaxed. "I was afraid you were perhaps staying with Mako."
One part feminist and two parts mischief formed her next statement. "Just because we're both women doesn't mean we don't have sex."
Tenzin gaped at her, and red slowly crept up his neck. Korra left him sputtering in his office.
Korra stopped by the market, picked up a few ingredients with her last bit of money, and was stopped in Asami's ostentatious lobby by someone who worked there. "Can I help you, Avatar Korra?"
"I was going to see Asami."
"Ms. Sato isn't presently in the building. If you'll wait a moment…" The man made a phone call, murmured a few words, and waited. After a minute of silence, he spoke softly again and hung up. "Come with me, Avatar Korra."
He led her around to a different elevator that had wider doors. "Your polar bear dog is a bit large for the other elevator." He closed the elevator cage and punched the floor key for the top floor. The man cleared his throat. "This is highly unprofessional, but do you mind signing something for my girlfriend? She's a big fan."
"Sure. What's your name?"
"I'm Jhee, and she's Fala." After the elevator stopped, he pulled a pen and paper from his pocket. Korra leaned on the wall to sign a note to both of them. She handed both back, and he grinned at her message. "Thank you, Avatar Korra."
"No problem."
Jhee unlocked the apartment door and unlatched the second door to allow Naga to walk inside without problem. Naga sniffed the air and the furniture. Then she found a massive furry bed by the window and pulled a rubber toy from within its furry confines. It was a dog toy. Naga collapsed in the dog bed with a huff and went to work on the toy.
Korra stared at that for a moment. Asami had bought Naga a bed and a toy.
"Your groceries, Avatar."
She jolted from her thought. "Thanks, Jhee. Have a good day."
He tipped his hat to her and exited the apartment. Korra went to work.
Asami's cooking pots were dusty. Korra stared at the pots and pans, swiped a finger across them, and then set them in a sink for a good washing. She chopped and grated and prepared and then mixed and kneaded a no-starter dough.
By the time Asami's keys clicked into her door, it was fifteen 'til eight, and the food was just about ready. "Hey! I was hoping I timed this right."
"Perfect," Asami said, not quite smiling. Her mood matched Korra's then. Even Naga's enthusiastic greeting didn't brighten her mood. Asami made Naga sit before she rubbed her neck. She looked at Korra's boots in the doorway before she toed off her shoes. Korra approached; she wanted a kiss. It was a light kiss, but it made her feel so much better. Asami looked good in her stockings, skirt, and vest.
"Love the stockings. Do they have the stripe up the back?"
Asami raised both her eyebrows and turned her heel to show off the seam of her nylons. Korra whistled more for the look she'd been given than the confirmation...though admittedly she'd spent a lot of time looking through Shiza's clothing magazines as a kid. Nylons had always fascinated her.
"How was your day?"
"Meetings and more meetings. It's the most tedious part of my job. But nothing collapsed while I was gone."
"Why would it collapse?" Korra was startled to think she could have caused a real problem by calling Asami away.
"I actually came out before I came to the South Pole."
"Came out of what?"
"The proverbial pantry." Asami sighed as she shook out her hair. It tumbled across her shoulders in glossy black waves. She looked rumpled and sensual, and that didn't help Korra understand what she was talking about. Asami focused on her expression and furrowed her brow. She clarified, "I told them I'm gay. How did you not know that phrase?"
That was an odd surprise. She'd assumed that Asami had sexual interest in men; she'd dated Mako. "You're gay? Not bisexual?"
"I'm gay," Asami said almost defensively. "I've always gravitated to women. I may have had sex with Mako, but I could never make a romantic relationship work with him—not the way I can with you."
Korra shrugged, hoping to communicate she hadn't been critical. "Sure. I'm not doubting you."
Asami hesitated, but she slumped onto the couch and sighed. "How was your day?"
Korra returned to her previous question. "Wait. Did you expect something bad to happen if you told people at work that you're gay?"
"Oh. Yes. At least I was afraid of it. People aren't always that accepting here of homosexuality. My father wasn't… He's the reason I was dating Mako instead of you back when we met."
That was an amusing thought. "You would have wanted to?"
Asami gave her a long up and down look. "I did want to. How did you notice that I was falling all over myself to make you like me?"
"No way."
Asami rolled her eyes. "I guess I didn't try hard enough. Homophobia—or at least a lack of acceptance—is common among the rich masculine class of the city, which is my board. I was afraid I'd lose financial backers if I came out."
"But how does your sexuality matter for your business?"
"It doesn't."
This was all confusing. Korra moved on, sensing Asami's shortening patience with the exchange. "Why did you tell them if you were afraid of that?"
"One of my engineers was fired because she's a lesbian. That's illegal and against our contract. I fired the bigot who fired my engineer, and then I fired his manager for turning a blind eye to his bigotry. Someone on my board told me I was being harsh, and I came out in a rage. I think I sleep-walked through the next two days. But everything has been smooth sailing so far."
"Did the woman get her job back?"
"Of course," Asami said like it was nothing. "I apologized and asked her to return to work. I hear everyone on her team is much happier with their current manager."
Korra studied Asami, her beauty and grace. She wondered how such a morally strong person had been made in this fast-paced world of machines, businesses, and yuans. "You're a good person, Asami."
Asami looked nonplussed by the compliment. She tucked hair behind her ear and turned a vulnerable look toward Korra. "Thanks, I guess."
"I mean it. That really makes me proud of you."
Asami got to her feet and rounded the counter to pull Korra into a hug. Her voice was thick. "That means a lot, especially coming from you."
Korra turned and kissed her lightly on the mouth.
"How was your day?" Asami asked still pressed up close.
All Korra could say was, "Okay."
"What happened?"
She was afraid to say Zaheer's name and take that criticism again. "I had a fight with Tenzin. A lot of things blew up at once."
"What did you fight about?"
"Same old," she hedged. "Then I found out another airbender was kidnapped by vines. And that lawyer wrote me back about the White Lotus. They are embezzling. It's a mess to come back to on the first day back in Republic City."
"Did you take care of the missing airbender?"
Korra nodded. She leaned back into Asami's arms. "You haven't heard about anyone experimenting on spirit vines again, have you?"
"Certainly not within Future Industries. I doubt Varrick would restart his research. I'll keep an ear out. Cabbage Corp has been trying and failing to make a jump into the renewable energy market so it's quite possible they would be behind it. Do you think that's why people would be kidnapped?"
"In the South, it seemed to be more about the environment. I guess it could be the same, but it just seemed extreme. I think the vines were kidnapping people when Kuvira was harvesting the vines so… It's a stretch. I still don't know much about the spirits after all of this."
"But you've done something there. If I hear anything about spirit vine research, I'll tell you."
Korra sighed. She thought of the White Lotus again. "It just burns me up how much I've been used by the White Lotus. I was a paycheck for them."
"You should meet with Sung as soon as possible to discuss legalities in person. The sooner you do that, the sooner you can get things moving. It'll be less stress on you. Do you want to talk about Tenzin?"
"Not today. Let's eat."
Halfway into the meal Asami asked, "Are you here for the night?"
"Yeah… If you want me to stay."
"Of course I do. I was… I would have liked for you to stay last night."
"I wasn't sure if you were tired of spending time with me. Why didn't you ask me to stay?"
Asami's mouth had cracked open, and her fork hovered over her plate. She sighed. "The same reason you didn't invite yourself. Korra, I want to spend time with you. My biggest time commitment is work, but I can plan around your visits."
"Are you working tomorrow?"
"I'd planned to. If you're going to be here, I could work from home part of the day."
Even with all her worries, the thought of rolling around in bed with Asami all day held tantalizing appeal. "I'm not sure. I have stuff to do, but it would be nice to laze around with you tomorrow."
Asami set her fork down; her mouth thinned in unexpected irritation. "And it would be nice to know so I can plan."
That uncharacteristic irritation put Korra at attention. She went back over on their conversation and hoped she was reading between the lines. "Okay. That makes sense. Give me a minute to think about it."
Then Asami looked contrite. "I'm sorry. I'm not used to scheduling around other people."
"Don't be sorry. I've been winging it as far as my schedule goes for months. I need to be more organized anyway. Go to work, okay?"
"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked as if she was afraid of a denial. Korra wasn't about to give one. She said, "I can make you dinner again. Is it good by the way?"
"My plate is clean, and I'm getting more."
Apparently Asami liked dinner enough to ask for a box of leftovers to take for lunch the next day. It was a tiny but significant boost to Korra's ego for the day. As was when she abandoned Asami to her work and climbed into bed only to be pressed down into the mattress by Asami. Her intent was clear by her mouth and her wicked hands. Korra held her close and hoped she could pleasure Asami even a fraction of the way Asami swept her away.
Zaheer had been right: Korra and Asami couldn't exist on sex alone. He was also wrong because they were so much more than their physical interactions. Sex was only a small piece of what they meant to each other, but it communicated the depth of their relationship. More than physical pleasure, more than the trust Korra required to take the leap each time, more than the emotional connection she felt with Asami... Just more... Korra faded into restful sleep as she stroked Asami's hand and reflected on that quiet truth.