AUTHOR'S NOTES: This chapter gives a nice little insight into how Korra's been recovering over the last few months, and also shows just how much she and her brother resemble each other. There are probably not too many chapters left, since the tour and the epilogue will probably be covered fairly quickly what with the stops I have in mind, and with what (and who) Korra deals with after the tour.
Happy Reading!

CHAPTER 35: A Victor's Concerns

Much to Korra's dismay, 6 months was not quite enough time for Korra's legs to heal. She could stand up for a few moments at a time, and even limp a little, but her legs were not ready to carry her around the way they used to before the games. Still, for Korra this was progress, and so she would take what she could get in that regard.

Still—Korra could dress herself again, and walk from her bed to her wheelchair without falling. To get around her house, she actually had two wheelchairs—one that she had at the top of the stairs, and one for the bottom. She would slowly climb or descend the stairs firmly gripping the handrails in either direction, and this system worked for her. At this point her legs did not need bandaged up, but she was prescribed some kind of medicine that did something to her bones or something. She preferred not to think about it, and had deliberately not listened to very much of what the Capitol doctors had said or explained about it, and so instead she just dealt with Clove making playful quips about how they had to shoot themselves up every so often.

On the other hand, Korra knew that there was no putting off the inevitable, and so she shrugged all of these thoughts off and focused more on the here and now.

"You ready for the big day?" Kada ruffled Korra's hair. It wasn't like they had any other family—Kada and Korra had been orphaned for years. Korra shook her head.

"I'm as ready as I'm ever going to get," she shrugged, "I hope Misaha and Zakuya have something good going on for me this time—unless you want to masquerade as me?"

"Come on, I don't look THAT much like you, do I?" Kada teased.

"It's the hair." Korra grabbed some of Kada's long auburn strands and tugged them playfully. "and we're about the same height—and your arms are almost as big as mine…"

"My legs are bigger," Kada retorted.

"Yeah, because you've been able to use them for the last 6 months," Korra snapped. "I could beat you in an arm wrestle right here and now though."
"Is that a challenge?" Kada tilted his head, staring Korra in the eyes.

"If it wasn't, I wouldn't have challenged you, you pansy." Korra retorted, wheeling herself towards the table. "you, me, both hands, right now."
Korra easily overtook Kada with her left hand, but once both of them were using their dominant hands, they got a lot more into it. Korra had a claim to prove, while Kada had his dignity to defend. However, his face began dropping as Korra's hand began pulling Kada's arm down towards the table.

"HA!" Korra laughed as she triumphed over a slightly pink-faced Kada, "bested by your own little sister! It's a good thing no one else saw it. Mom and dad might have disowned you."

"You can't tell anyone about this then," Kada put a finger to Korra's lips, only to have her playfully snap at it with her teeth.

"Have you forgotten who you're dealing with?" she waggled her eyebrows. Kada made her happy. They disagreed on a few things that Kada usually avoided ever bringing up as a result (especially given Korra's sometimes erratic behavior), but for the most part, they appeared to get along well.

Before Kada could respond, the doorbell rang, and Korra knew who it was.

"Wanna grab that for me?" she requested, "it's probably Delun."
Sure enough, Delun, Misaha, and Zakuya were waiting for Korra at the door when Kada opened it. Delun actually fell for it for a moment.

"Korra!" he exclaimed, "You're stan—oh! Goodness, my apologies!" his hand went to his forehead, "Kada Francisco, right?
"Yup," Kada shrugged, "my sister ain't quite walking around, but it's amazing how much she's recovered. I'll go grab her."

A moment later Korra wheeled into view, even rising shakily to her feet to give her escort and stylists all hugs. She was always a very physical person, and enjoyed human contact.

"Dress me." she sat back down, widening her arms as if to submit and say she was ready to get prepped for the crews and cameras that would be waiting for her between her home and the train station. The 93rd Victory Tour was about to begin.

Misaha and Zakuya were skilled and efficient in bathing and dressing Korra, primping her up to a slightly higher standard than she was normally used to, but in the end, the outfit they had put her in spoke volumes about their talents, and the outfit was comfortable enough to Korra, who had to model it.

The oddest part about the blackish, combat-style getup was the cape that flowed down her back, especially since she was still in a wheelchair, and would likely be for the entirety of her tour unless she somehow finished recovering in the next 13 days. She had seen Amy's outfit the year before, and this year the tiny girl was outfitted in something similar as she greeted Korra at the front door of her house.

"No Clove this year?" Korra tilted her head.

"Pfft, I tried for hours to shake her off," Amy shook her head, "no luck. She's already at the train."

Korra knew that this was a lie, but even she chuckled at it before cracking her knuckles. It was time to meet the crowds.

Stepping outside of her home was very similar to the greeting she had received after stepping off the train 6 months ago after she had won the 93rd Hunger Games. There was definitely a 'District 2 pride' thing going on here, and it was probably more than usual considering that District 2 had just won back-to-back Hunger Games for the 3rd time in its history. Korra wished that she could walk properly, and so despite her contented face, there was a glint of melancholy embedded within her expression that only Amy really noticed.

Whatever the case, they made it to the train without further incident, Korra waving goodbye to Kada one last time for two weeks as she toured Panem. In truth, she was scared about many of the stops: 1, 6, 11, and 12 were the ones that particularly came to mind. Vivian had been right up there with Marcus Romero and Chel Colorado from the last couple of years in terms of likeability, and Korra knew she was going to get emotional. Other districts, such as '6, '11, and even '12, worried Korra because of who it reminded her of. District 6 housed Garrett and Alayna, while District 11 had been the home of the frightening duo that had slain Vincent and that had made Vivian an amputee.

Amy noticed Korra's sinking face once they were on the train and flying far away from District 2.

"Cheer up, kid." Amy took Korra's hand, "yeah, there are some parts of the tour that are going to suck. I guess I should just get that out of the way right now. But do you know what else?"

"Hmm," Korra glanced up at Amy, and at Clove behind her.

"You're going to meet my people—our people." Amy smirked, "other victors just like me and you and all the others back home. We're a crazy lot."
"That's an understatement," Clove interrupted.

"But the thing is—" Amy continued, "is that we also know each other, and most of us watch out for our own. We've all been there trembling to hold back tears on that stage for one reason or another, or staring into the large holographic faces of the boy or girl who killed our best friend or whatever else. I'm not trying to trivialize it or anything, but as soon as the speeches are over you're off to the Justice Building to party it up."
"And unless you're more antisocial than Everdeen from '12 the year after mine," Clove piped up again, "you'll meet a few and probably even befriend a few. The fact that she's got friends means that pretty much anyone can warm up to you—and you're a very personable girl, Korra—much more so than I ever was, anyways…"

"It's okay if I'm a little nervous though, right?" Korra's eyes darted around, "especially if you all are really serious about that whole 'Mockingjay' thing, yeah?"

"We've all been a bit nervous before," Amy reminded her, "knowing you, Delun won't even have to write your speeches. Speaking of which, where'd he go? We need a 4th for Red Maiden…"

"I'll go get him," Clove stood up, stepping out of the compartment for a moment, only to return a moment later with Delun in tow, carrying a pack of cards.

"I heard my name." he grinned. "and it's not like we've got anything better to do in the meantime, yes?"

Even Korra couldn't help but crack a smirk at that one. Delun had a point—there was no reason to stress over something she could not prevent, and so the only thing left to do at this point would be to calm back down and let it happen, come what may.