Grievance for Another


What is justice? What is government? What is democracy?

If a government abuses its power more than once, the people have the rights to rebel against it.

(Found scribbled inside a novel called "Goodbye to the Night")


At night Korra sits in a slipper tubs where one end is raised and sloped, staring at the statue of Aang on Memorial island out from the window. She then stares at the glistening water, water drenching her brown locks. Home is never far you say, Tahno. I wonder what happened in my previous lives. Another thing in mind is how I avoided almost everyone except Tenzin. I even ate my dinner alone in my room with Naga.

Tarrlok is my mother's cousin that's for sure. But then I noticed Amon has the same scent. Why is that?

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she grabbed the photo in her hand of her parents, her aunt Senna, Tenzin and his family, Lin and her mother, Sokka and Suki, Zuko and his daughter Honora and Appa standing in front of temple during the years when Aang was still the current Avatar.

"How would you handle it, Mom? Being the avatar is hard after all." She lounged more lower into the water as the photo fluttered to the tile floor. It was then she begins to see it again.

Tarrlok's father signals to him as Tarrlok in his teens, exhales and gets up. Tarrlok jumps over the small ledge and raised his hands to eye level, make the wolves stand in a row and move from side to side. The wolves whine before Tarrlok lets them go.

Then his older brother breathes and forces the wolves to come back. He concentrates on them, and the wolves turn around in unison. Finally Tarrlok's older brother lifts his head, making the wolves float in the air. Tarrlok gasps and his father smiles.

The older brother then lowers the wolves, making each one bow to him. "That's the way it's done. That's what you need to strive for, Tarrlok." What a terrible life you must have suffered, Uncle Tarrlok.

Later Korra sits on a mattress with tears on her face, looking out to the city from the temple's window. She collapsed face down into the pillow. "I think I would be sleeping here tonight." Korra then heard some shouting from outside, scrambling up to her feet. It was Mako and Bolin, shouting so loud that you could wake a sky bison from its nap. She looks down to see them searching for her along with Asami.

"Korra? You out here?" Korra sees Pabu coming up the stairs and runs towards her. He wraps himself around her and licks the tears off her face. She pets Pabu on his head and sighed. Korra squints at her paintings, and she could see in them are the previous Avatars before her. They appeared along the walls with faint golden glows. As she touched them, they triggered flashback memories of her past lives and wind begins to ravel around her.

First was Avatar Kyoshi. She was standing by the rocky mountain terrain. Her eyes glow for a moment, and she assumes a fighting stance. Kyoshi then performs a series of moves, causing the two large earthen badgermole statues to rise into the air and sends them forward.

The scene then changed to Avatar Kuruk as he rides on top of a raft in the middle of the ocean. His eyes glow before he raises his arms and summons a gigantic tsunami-like wave. Korra then sees Avatar Yangchen standing in a grassy field surrounded by a forest. Her eyes glow briefly as she swings her arms and swivels around, conjuring powerful winds out to the entire field and the forest.

Then she sees young Aang steps forward and looks towards the sea as fire spreads on the land below. He then breathes deeply and his eyes glow as he enters into the Avatar State. Aang moves the water from the ocean below and extinguishes the fires.

Suddenly the flashbacks seem to stop, and Korra is back in the attic with Pabu running down the stairs. I should stop relying on myself and rely more on everyone from now on.

"Korra! Where could she be?" Bolin was worried about Korra since she came back from her trip somewhere. She ran off after she got off of the boat without saying a word. Something must have happened to Korra while she was there.

"Bolin, you look for Korra this way to the training platform. Asami and I will find her at the stables." Mako and Asami left while Bolin looked around for Korra.

"Today had been- a full day to say the least."

After looking in every room of the temple, he knew he'd have to climb somewhere high. Looking up above the rooftops, his eyes rested on the tallest thing on the entire island: a blue-roofed tower. He wandered deeper into the island and sees Pabu scurrying out of the meditation tower. The fire ferret was excited to see his friend as he climbs onto Bolin's shoulders. "Did you see Korra in there?"

Pabu squeaked 'yes'.

It took Bolin forever to climb all those stairs. There should be an elevator built in this thing. By the time he reached the top, he was panting. Low and behold, Korra sat meditating at the far end of the room. She opened her eyes, looking at Bolin up and down.

"Why is this thing so tall?"

"You look like crap." At least she's still the same Korra.

"Why are you all the way up here?" Bolin asked, laid on his back like he'd die from exhaustion. Pabu imitated him.

"No reason, I guess."

"Are you okay?"

Korra tries to act normal. "I'm fine."

"Come on, what's wrong? You can tell me and Pabu."

Korra sighs in exhaustion, "How am I supposed to save this city when I can't even save at least one person? I'm the worst Avatar ever!" She then turns her head and hangs her head down. "I just feel- alone."

"I can see that it hurting you, but you don't have to be hurt alone. You can come find me and we'll talk about it-"

"There's nothing to talk about. You don't know what it's like to be so awkward and confused like this." Korra closed her mouth and her eyes shut. Bolin could tell that she was fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

"I may not have those inner battles like you do, but I can still see how much this hurts you. So stop suffering all by yourself! You have me, Mako, and Asami. You've always had us. And maybe later in life we will grow distant, but we are here now. Together."

Korra looked at Bolin like she was just seeing him for the first time today. "And if you don't cry this out, I'll be forced to make my mystery soup!" Korra yelped a laugh, and tears came pouring out of her eyes.

After a while Bolin said softly, "You don't always have to be so strong. No one expects you to be strong all the time, Avatar or not. It's okay Korra."

Korra hesitated, but nodded. Bolin then hugged her as she hugged him around his waist.