"These spirit vines were formed when Unavattu battled Avatar Korra in her giant spirit form during Harmonic Convergence," their tour guide informed.
Yuan Fen and Mizuki observed their group members snapping photos of the Spirit Wilds. "It still baffles me how this place ended up becoming a popular tourist attraction," he said. Mizuki felt something nuzzling against her feet and looked down to see a silver four-eared fox spirit. She began petting it and it wagged its tail in response.
"Mommy, look a spirit!" a little boy called out. The tourists began to swarm Mizuki and the little fox spirit hopped behind her.
Yuan Fen stepped in front of her. "Ok folks, nothing to see here. Leave the poor spirit alone."
"He's right everyone. Let's move on," the tour guide urged.
"Think you should go, little one. That kid looks like he wants to take you home with him," Yuan Fen warned.
"Ok," the spirit answered in a squeaky voice. It turned to Mizuki. "Hope you feel better!" it called out before fading away.
"You're always surrounded by them, like Jinora. They really seem to like you. Do you think they could help us find your other chakras?"
Mizuki immediately shook her head at the suggestion. She grabbed Yuan Fen's hand and tugged him towards the tour group.
They met up with Asami for lunch at a café. She did most of the talking as she discussed the construction plans for Central City Station.
"Still not sure how I feel about a railway connected to the Earth Kingdom. That's how Kuvira is mobilizing her forces and she's been gathering up more land from what I've heard," said Yuan Fen.
"Should we be discussing this when Mizuki's-"
Mizuki raised her hand to interrupt her. It's okay. I shouldn't remain uninformed about what's happening, especially when it comes to Kuvira.
Asami sighed. "You have a point there, sorry. I can't seem to shake off the habit of worrying about you."
You're not the only one guilty of that. Mizuki rolled her eyes at Yuan Fen.
"It's been a few weeks already, and no chakra has showed up. I really think we should consider all our options, like bringing Korra back."
"She might actually return for Prince Wu's coronation. The Northern Water Tribe and Fire Nation royalty have been invited along with Tonraq since he is Chief of the Southern Water Tribe," Asami responded.
"She'll come for that little snot-nosed brat? Ugh, I had the displeasure of interviewing him. If it wasn't for Mako being in the same room I would've jumped out of a window," he recalled. Mizuki placed her hand over her mouth and her body shook with laughter, but no sound came out. "Glad to see my suffering amuses you," he said sarcastically. I wish I could hear you laugh again though.
He's not that bad is he? Mizuki wrote.
"I hope you'll never have to meet him. He's as spoiled and pompous as royalty comes, and worse. He wanted to drag me along to a club. I made up an excuse and I felt bad leaving Mako behind, but he is his bodyguard."
"He seemed to like you though," Asami commented.
"Nah, he wanted to 'teach me' how to charm the ladies when I admitted I was single since he kept badgering me to answer if I had a girlfriend. Though I might've enjoyed seeing him get rejected and getting a drink or two spilled in his face," he mused as he stroked his chin.
"Well you haven't had time to date, what with you chaperoning Mizuki every time she goes out of the apartment," Asami hinted. "Taking her out to meals, strolls through the park-"
Bathroom, Mizuki scribbled and she took off from her seat.
"Miss Sato, I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work," Yuan Fen cautioned.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just stating the facts." He rolled his eyes at her. "How has she been though?" Asami asked him with utmost seriousness since they were alone.
"She's fine for now, but I don't know how much more I can do. She eats enough, but she gets exhausted pretty quickly. She won't admit it even when there's days she collapses from exhaustion."
"And she'll keep losing energy more quickly the longer she goes without her remaining chakras," Asami surmised.
"Exactly, that's why I'm pushing the situation so much. We need the Avatar."
"We have time. She seems happier and livelier when she's with you though. That must be helping with her situation."
Yuan Fen cleared his throat. "That's uh… she likes being back in the city."
Asami scoffed. "Honestly, the way you two dance around each other… have you even tried confessing your feelings yet?"
"We have bigger things to worry about than my relationship with Mizuki."
"You know, back when she didn't even like you, she still said you were cute." She felt a great deal of satisfaction when she saw Yuan Fen's face turn red.
"I think you might have misheard her at the time," he brusquely replied.
She waved her hand away at him. "You should ask her yourself one of these days." The waiter arrived with the bill and handed it to Asami. Yuan Fen was about to protest, but she raised her hand. "I'm the owner of Future Industries. Plus save your money for your dates."
Yuan Fen scowled at her, but noticed Mizuki was coming back to the table. "Try not to embarrass her further at least," he grumbled.
She smirked at him. "Again, just stating the facts."
He sat in the backseat of Asami's car with a sleeping Mizuki slumped over on his shoulder. "Seems a little early for her to knock out already."
"Actually, she's taken up napping in the afternoon. Really short ones for less than an hour, but they're getting longer. She pushes herself too much and tries to go as long as she can without them."
"That sounds like her."
"She hates them because they remind her of the time she was sick as a child. She swallows her pride around my mom, but around me, she vents out her frustrations as fast as she can scribble them out. But I see it in her eyes. I see the light fading from them just a little more each day. I'm trying to be as happy as possible with this situation for her sake, but if she's not happy-"
"Then what is the point of everything we've done so far?"
"Yes," Yuan Fen whispered.
"We'll get through this together, like we always have. The whole team. We have to," Asami reassured, the last statement more for herself.
Weeks passed by again and Mizuki felt her strength diminishing at a faster rate. She tried her best to keep smiling for the others when she was around them. They did not know of the nightmares that haunted her. Please no more… I can't sleep and dream of those terrible things any longer. Mizuki was at least grateful that she no longer had a voice for she was sure Zhe Shu would've heard her screaming in bed many times.
"I promise. We will see each other again. I promise."
"Kaimu?" She turned around and saw him standing on a dock.
"Pinky promise like you wanted." He smiled at her and raised his pinky.
"Wait!" Mizuki raced over to him, but he jumped into the water. "NO, KAIMU!" She prepared to jump after him, but when she did, the water turned into sand. She was now in an empty desert. "Why…why must I always be the one left behind," she sobbed. Her tears spread throughout the desert and red spider lilies bloomed all around her.
She heard a baby crying in the distance. She rose to her feet, accidentally stomping on a spider lily in the process. When she lifted her foot, she saw the sight of blood on her heel. She took a step back and heard a crunching sound. She slowly lowered her head and screamed when she saw it was a human skull. There was a grave nearby the skull and she saw her sister's name. She fled from the grave, chanting to herself that she was seeing things and that what she saw was only a lie. With each spider lily she stepped on, more blood oozed out until a river formed along her path, and Mizuki was soon swept into its current.
Mizuki woke up feeling nauseated and ran to the bathroom. She barely made it when she began vomiting blood. Zhe Shu eventually heard the commotion and held back Mizuki's hair while gently patting her back. "Let's get you to the hospital." Mizuki shook her head, but Zhe Shu insisted and helped her to her feet.
Yuan Fen stopped to catch his breath when he entered the hospital waiting room. He saw his mom and walked over to her. "What did the doctor say?"
"I didn't tell them everything that's going on with Mizuki because well- it's hard for normal people to understand it. I just said she's going through bouts of exhaustion and weakness, but the healers couldn't see anything beyond a weak chi flow. They want to keep her for a few days to observe her."
"She threw up blood though?"
"Yes," Zhe Shu lowered her head in despair.
"She's getting a lot worse. But Avatar Korra should be arriving in a couple of days. She can use her powers to find the last chakras."
"I hope so."
They found her curled up in her bed, blankets up to her neck, and staring at the wall. "Mizuki?" Yuan Fen called out. She slowly rolled over to the other side and he peered into her eyes. There was no longer any light left in them. It was almost worse than the time she was just a soulless shell, but he didn't want to give in to despair just yet. "This is just a small setback. You'll be out soon. Korra's returning to Republic City." He hoped something he said stirred whatever remained inside her, but he only received a slight nod.
"Mom, can you give us a few minutes?" Zhe Shu nodded her head and quietly exited the room. Yuan Fen slid her slate into her hand. "What do you think is the outcome for you? After finding your chakras, what do you want to do next?"
Mizuki clutched the edges of her slate tightly and looked away from him. He grew afraid his words pushed her towards the tipping point before she began writing. It's been months. Shouldn't we have heard from them by now?
So she's trying to change the subject, fair enough. "We have to be patient," Yuan Fen reassured her. "They're not in the best position to keep in contact with us."
But what if Mizuki's eyes looked crestfallen as she stared down at her writing.
"Don't think that. Lili and our siblings are not to be trifled with."
Mizuki's hand was wobbling as she continued to write. I can't lose… Yuan Fen felt his heart sink when he saw tears dripping onto her slate. I have no strength left. There is no outcome for me that won't end in suffering.
He pulled her into his arms. The shock of their close proximity ceased her tears. "Why did I always leave your side when you needed me the most?" He felt her shaking her head in response. "Mizuki, it's true and every time I let that happen, you've nearly died, once was in my own arms." He tried to fight back his own tears, but to no avail. "And what did I do after you came back to this world? I left you again. I thought about you every day for years and yet I did nothing about it. I almost lost you forever. But you've always been strong, definitely stronger than me." She shook her head again. "It's okay if you don't feel like the same person you were before because I know you, you'll bounce back. I know you…" She began crying again. "I don't know what will happen next, except this, I'll always be at your side." She gripped him even tighter in her arms. "So please, even if you feel like there's nothing left, just keep holding on because I will help save you, I promise… Give me this last chance to protect you…" he sobbed.
President Raiko addressed the crowd gathered in front of Central City Station. "And of course, my biggest thanks goes to Asami Sato and Future Industries. She brought our old central terminal into the modern era. Ladies and gentlemen, the world is entering a new age of peace and prosperity. Soon, Prince Wu will take his rightful place on the Earth Kingdom throne. And thanks to our updated rail system, Republic City and the Earth Kingdom will be united like never before!" Yuan Fen groaned inwardly on how he managed to rope onto this assignment. He did feel worse for Asami who was being subjected to Prince Wu's schmoozing.
"Looks like she needs some help," Mako pointed out.
"As his bodyguard, mind helping me to keep him away from Mizuki?"
"I make no guarantees. Once he sees anything female, even I can't keep him under a tight leash." The two of them walked over. "Prince Wu! President Raiko has some really important... king stuff to talk to you about."
"Now?" He sighed. "Fine. Think over the offer." He blew a kiss good-bye to Asami. "I'll be back." She rolled her eyes.
"He's a real charmer, huh?" Mako noted sarcastically.
"I warned her before," said Yuan Fen.
"He's ... something. How can you stand being his bodyguard?" Asami questioned Mako.
"Well, I just remind myself that once he's on the throne, I go back to being a detective."
"And that works?"
"I also go home, and smash my head into the wall for an hour, you know, just to get the stress out."
"That still wouldn't be enough in my opinion," Yuan Fen added.
"It's good to see you though Mako. It's been too long. You hear from Bolin lately?" Asami wondered.
"I haven't talked to him for a while, but he's coming in a few days for the coronation. And Beifong told me that Korra is getting in tonight."
"I can't wait to see her. It's going to be weird, having the old Team Avatar back in the city after all these years. Has Mizuki checked out of the hospital yet?"
"Just this morning," Yuan Fen answered her. "But how long have we've been waiting for this day?"
"Too long," said Mako.
"When Korra gets here, I bet she's not even going to know who I am," Meelo declared.
"Why is that?" Ikki asked.
"Because Meelo the boy has turned into Meelo the man!"
"Right. You're completely unrecognizable," Ikki said in a deadpan voice.
"Are you excited as I am about all of us being together?" Asami asked. Mizuki smiled and gave a small nod.
"We need to warn Korra about the chakras first thing though," Yuan Fen stated.
"Yuan, it's been over three years since we've seen her. Cut Korra some slack when she arrives. I think Mizuki agrees with me."
"Hmph." But he stopped frowning when Mizuki gently placed her hand over his.
Nice job taming the beast there, Asami thought.
"There's a Southern Water Tribe ship pulling up to the dock!" an Air Acolyte announced.
"Korra!" Tenzin's children shouted in unison.
Naga and Tonraq arrived on the dock as everyone came to greet them.
"Tonraq. It's good to have you back in the city. And everyone is excited to see the Avatar again," said Tenzin.
Tonraq was shocked. "What do you mean? Isn't Korra already here?"
"No, we thought she was coming with you."
"Korra left the South Pole six months ago. She's written me letters. She said she was here in Republic City."
"I assure you, your daughter is not here."
"Then where is she?"
"Oh no," Yuan Fen looked towards Mizuki who cast her head down in disappointment. He gently squeezed her hand and she looked up at him in surprise. "You'll be okay," he tried to reassure her.