Book Five
Chi
Chapter 18
Only Human
There was no time to lose. As soon as Korra stepped out of the portal, she scoured the crisscrossing network of roots and vines throughout Republic City, desperately searching for any trace of Jinora. The how, the why – none of that mattered right now. The only thing that mattered was finding her before he did. But there was nothing. No matter how hard she focused, there was no trace of Jinora anywhere in Republic City.
The Avatar was confused, and then afraid. Normally, this was an automatic solve for her – just think of who she wanted to find, and the vines would connect her to them. But if she wasn't finding anything, then either she was outside the city for some reason, or…
Korra shook the thought from her head. She couldn't afford to think like that. Besides, this was nothing new when it came to the Chi Eater. She was never able to sense that corrupted spirit until it was right on top of her, let alone seek it out through the spirit vines, so clearly he had some way of hiding himself from her. If Jinora was infected with some of his energy, then that could easily be what was happening now.
Concern set in her brow, Korra stood up and bit her lip. If the vines weren't going to help her, then she'd have to look for Jinora the old fashioned way. So, after taking a moment to limber up, she broke off into a mad sprint across Republic City. She wasn't going to search all of it though; that would've been impractical, especially without a glider suit. No, she already had a destination in mind: Air Temple Island. That was where Tenzin was, and if anybody was going to know where Jinora was right now, it would be him.
This was no ordinary sprint, though. Korra was bolstering her speed with her airbending, and was moving faster than Naga or any Satomobile could carry her, fast enough to run straight across any bodies of water that happened to be in her way. She figured she must've been quite the sight for any confused onlookers – a determined blue blur, there and then gone in a gust of wind – but she was an Avatar on a mission.
Thankfully, the distance she had to cover wasn't that great – a couple of miles at best – and before long, Korra had made it to her destination. She leapt from the bay over the pier and hit the ground running, dashing full speed up the stairs and toward the island's main tower, and Tenzin's study at its top. She must've barreled over a dozen acolytes along the way, but for them, this was a familiar scene. Korra had done this not even two weeks ago when she first found out about the Chi Eater, and because of that, they all knew the drill, clearing a path as best they could and opening any doors for her along the way.
After entirely too many staircases, Korra arrived, sliding to a messy stop just outside of the doorway to Tenzin's study. She only just managed to stop herself from falling over by grabbing onto said doorway for support, propelling herself into the very intentionally dimly lit room while making entirely too much noise.
"Tenzin!" she cried out.
The old Airbender nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound. Up until now, he'd been sitting on the floor, meditating. Now, he stood in the center of the room clutching his chest, scared half to death by the Avatar's very sudden and climactic intrusion.
"Korra, please, you nearly gave me a heart attack," he said with some frustration, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his other hand. But his tune quickly changed when he saw the look on her face. He knew that look all too well. Something terrible had happened. "…Oh no."
"Tenzin, I'm sorry… I… it's…"
Before she could spit it out, Korra collapsed onto her knees, and then the floor. Tenzin immediately rushed to her aide, but she was already pushing herself back up. She was exhausted and trying to catch her breath, but if she were being honest, she had no clue where to start once she had. So much had happened in so little time. There was so much she had to fill him in on. But… Jinora.
Inhaling as deeply as she could, Korra forcibly steadied her breathing as much as her body would allow, and then sat herself down on the floor. As soon as she felt she could speak, she tried again.
"Tenzin, where's Jinora?" Korra asked.
"Jinora?" Tenzin asked, at first confused, and then afraid. The look on her face hadn't lightened any, and she was asking about his daughter. Alarm bells immediately went off in his head, and understandably, he began scrambling for answers. "Korra, what's wrong? What's this all about? Is Jinora okay?"
Korra frowned. That's what she was trying to figure out. "Tenzin, please. Just… tell me where she is. Please."
Though he wanted nothing more than to press her for some answers first, he could tell she wasn't going to budge until he told her. "…She's outside, at the training grounds," he acquiesced, "but why do you want to know? What's going on?"
Korra was so relieved she nearly fainted on the spot. She must've run right past her on the way up here and not even noticed. She'd been moving so quickly, everyone and everything around her was kind of a blur, so it wasn't much of a surprise, but if Jinora was here, on the island, then she was safe. For now. Now, maybe, she could find a way to-
"Korra?"
Right. She could worry about what came next later on. For now, she had some explaining to do. "…You might want to sit down for this," she said, frowning. Reluctantly, her master obliged, and the Avatar went on to tell him all about her terrible, no good, very bad day.
She told him about how the Chi Eater was still alive, and that he was an immortal half-human, half-spirit hybrid like the Avatar. She told him about her dream and the secret meeting she'd held with Lin and Raiko, and how she went into the spirit world to chase down leads. She told him about Iroh, and Koh, and how she fought the Face Stealer and won. She even told him about Avatar Rin, and how after being beaten by the Chi Eater, she struck a deal with him that prevented future Avatars from interfering with him ever again. And then, finally, she told him about Jinora, and how, somehow, she'd been 'infected' with the Chi Eater's energy.
All throughout her tale, Tenzin remained deathly silent – not a single question was asked. She could tell by the look on his face that there was a lot in her explanation that concerned him, and even more that he didn't fully understand, but he understood that last part well enough. Jinora was in danger. Without missing a beat, Tenzin airbent himself back onto his feet and urged for Korra to follow him. Though his face was stern and indecipherable, she had never seen such fear in his eyes before. She followed him out the door without any hesitation.
Though there was no telling how safe Jinora really was right now, the two were walking – not running – down the halls and stairwells leading to the training grounds. And though there was undoubtedly a lot to unpack in what she'd told him, he didn't utter a single word as they departed. Korra felt like she was drowning in all the silence, and eventually, she couldn't take it anymore, and to try and break the tension, she did the first thing she could think of after everything that had happened.
"I'm sorry. I should've invited you to that meeting earlier, you should've been a part of this," she apologized, as if his presence there would've changed the outcome in any way. "it didn't feel right, and now, I-"
"You made the right call." Tenzin said, catching Korra by surprise. She wasn't expecting him to respond, let alone agree with her.
"I did?"
"You were trying to keep the circle small until you knew what was going on. You didn't want to start a panic prematurely and only told who needed to know. Until now, that wasn't me. So yes. I think you made the right call."
Korra swallowed hard. Here she was, supposedly a full-fledged Avatar, and she was still second guessing herself and her decisions every step of the way. She was still relying on Tenzin for guidance and approval. For a moment, she wondered if she would ever grow out of this. She wasn't in training anymore, but whenever she was with Tenzin, it felt like she was. Like she still had so much to learn. Sometimes it was almost as if she felt as though he were the Avatar, not her.
It wasn't a train of thought she could dwell on, though. Tenzin's next words made sure of that, pulling her back to reality and refocusing her on the task at hand.
"Is Jinora going to be okay?" Tenzin didn't turn to look at her as he asked this, and the Avatar was thankful. She was sure that if he had, and she'd seen the look on his face, she would've started freaking out. She was lucky. Like this, she could maintain an air of false-confidence.
"She will be. I'll make sure of it," she promised. "Koh said that the Chi Eater doesn't know about their connection yet, but I don't know how long that's going to last. But once I get to her, I should be able to pull out whatever's attached itself to her with my Energybending." Or so she hoped.
In truth, she was still a beginner Energybender. The Chi Eater had been at this for a thousand years. She wasn't sure if she could really do what was being demanded of her here. But she had to believe that she could. That promise was as much to herself as it was to Tenzin.
Even still, as Tenzin breathed a sigh of relief, Korra felt conflicted. Not only because she was doubting herself, but because of Avatar Rin. How could he still have faith in her after hearing all of that? But she didn't dare press him on it. She knew he needed to believe in something.
"So. You really fought Koh?" Tenzin asked. The suddenness of the question threw her, but Korra figured he'd rather think about anything else right now. "Not even Avatar Kuruk managed to defeat him. It must've been a difficult battle."
"Actually, it was scary how easy it was." Korra admitted with some hesitation. "I could've killed him, and I knew it. It would've been the easiest thing in the world. He seemed to think I was reveling in that power, and compared me to the Chi Eater." As she said this, she was half-afraid that Tenzin might agree with him. But though she waited, that agreement never came. "I… I didn't like that feeling."
"As the Avatar, you're always going to have that power," Tenzin reminded, not that Korra really needed it, "and some Avatars, like Kyoshi, were not afraid to use it. But I trust your judgment. I don't think you'd ever take a life unless you had to. Not even Koh's."
"So even after hearing about Avatar Rin," she replied, the words just spilling out of her as Tenzin once again demonstrated his faith in her, "you still don't think any less of me?"
"No. I don't."
Korra felt like she was about to cry. She'd been so scared that when she started telling people that story, it would shake their faith in the Avatar. In her. But Tenzin still believed in her. And if he did, then she was sure that all her friends would, too. Asami would. She felt bad for ever having doubted them, but this was… Korra was just thankful Tenzin never turned around to look at her. She was barely keeping it together.
"Thank you. I… I really needed to hear that."
With that, the two returned to silence, but not for long. By now, they'd descended the final staircase and stepped into the courtyard, and the primary training ground wasn't far off. In fact, Korra could see it in the distance, and there, sitting at its edge, was Jinora, exactly as Tenzin said. Immediately, a look of relief washed over her. Strangely, she still couldn't seem to sense her energy, but as she tried again, she did sense somebody else's – Jinora wasn't alone. And once she caught glimpse of who it belonged to, Korra's expression quickly soured.
Opal.
From the looks of things, she was repeating basic Airbender forms, quietly encircling the center of the yin-yang pattern on the floor. Korra could only assume this was part of her punishment. Part of her hoped there was more to it than that.
As soon as she circled around to see Korra, Opal gasped, then shrunk and looked away. Much to the relief of both of them however, she wasn't why Korra was here, so that brief glance was the extent of their interaction. Korra had nothing to say to her.
"Oh, Korra, Tenzin, there you two are,"
Korra jumped slightly as a third voice broke the silence. She'd been so focused on Opal and Jinora, she hadn't noticed that Suyin was here, too, seated on a bench off to the side. Presumably, she'd been watching her daughter train. But the announcement of Korra and Tenzin prompted Jinora to open an eye, her face lighting up as soon as she saw that it was true.
"Korra!" Jinora shouted happily, immediately running up to pull her into a hug. As soon as she got up, Korra could feel her presence reappear, and she breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She must've been meditating into the spirit world – that was why she wasn't able to sense her before. After a second, Korra returned the hug hello. "I'm so glad to see you, we barely got to talk at all last night! But, dad told me what happened, so I guess I understand why…"
Korra frowned. So Jinora knew too. She supposed it made sense. Aside from Tenzin, she was the only other Master Airbender in the world. She'd probably be overseeing a lot of Opal's training and punishment, in whatever form that took. She may even have had some say in what it was.
"Part of Opal's punishment is to start over from scratch," Suyin interrupted, having been filled in by Jinora earlier on. "with an added emphasis on the teachings of the monks."
Jinora nodded in agreement. Though she kept the thought to herself, Korra couldn't help but wonder if that would be enough. She spared another quick glance in Opal's direction, but she was staring at the floor now, trying to pretend she wasn't here. Korra would ask more about that later.
"Anyway, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm actually glad you're here," Suyin segued, taking charge of the conversation before Korra could. "I originally came to see Tenzin to ask if he knew where you were, but Jinora said that he was meditating and that I'd have to wait. This saves me the trouble."
"Me?" Korra asked, pointing to herself for confirmation. Unfortunately, Suyin nodded. Great. If Suyin wanted to talk to her, it could only have been about one of two things – Opal or Kuvira. Korra wasn't really sure she wanted to hear about either of them right now. "Is this about what happened last night?"
"No. Well… maybe?" Suyin said with some uncertainty. Korra looked confused. "I went to see Kuvira today, to try and talk to her. She wasn't ready to talk with me, but, apparently, she is with you."
That caught Korra off guard. Kuvira was ready to talk? "That's… that's great, actually," she said, a slight smile finding its way onto her face. Finally, some good news. "I was hoping I'd get the chance to talk with her eventually. Thank you for letting me know. I'll be sure to get to her as soon as this Chi Eater thing is wrapped up."
All it took was a name, and the mood completely changed. Even Opal, who had been trying to just keep her mind on the task at hand, had frozen at its mention. Korra bit her lip. Oops.
"What do you mean? I thought you already dealt with the Chi Eater?" Suyin asked. She looked scared, but not as scared as Jinora. Korra's frown returned.
"Well, I guess it's going to be public knowledge soon, anyway…" Korra said, rubbing the back of her head. "The Chi Eater is still alive. Not the spirit, but the one who corrupted it."
"But… how?" Jinora asked. "They'd have to be over a thousand years old by now!"
Korra nodded. "He's an immortal who extends his life with the chi he steals from spirits and other people. I met with a spirit who knew all about him, and he told me that he's still alive. What's worse, he's killed me before."
Nobody knew what to say to that. Korra definitely had some explaining to do before all this was over, but now wasn't the time to rehash the Avatar Rin story all over again. Before anybody could ask her any more about that, Korra carried on with why she was even here in the first place.
"But none of that's important right now. Jinora, I think you might be in danger."
Jinora's heart skipped a beat. "Me…? Why?"
"The same spirit who told me about the Chi Eater told me he could sense his presence on me. For me, that makes sense. I fought the spirit he corrupted and wrestled with his energy directly, so there's still traces of him on me. But he also said he could sense his presence on you, too. I don't know how, or when, but at some point, you and I both met the Chi Eater, and when we did, some of his energy latched onto yours."
It didn't take long for Jinora to make the connection. As soon as Korra said they'd both met him, and that his energy latched onto hers, she knew. Her face went white as a sheet at the realization. "I… no. No, it couldn't be," Jinora wrestled, "it can't be him."
"Who?" Tenzin asked, beating Korra to the punch.
"Ryuuki." Jinora said. "Ryuuki is the Chi Eater."
Korra's mouth went dry. "No. No, it can't be. He's… him?" She asked, trying to rationalize the thought.
"But he fought the Chi Eater alongside us!" Suyin exclaimed.
"I know! I know. It doesn't make any sense… but… aside from Ravi, he's the only new person Korra and I have both been in contact with recently."
"No. No, no, no, no, no – Ravi? Are you kidding me?" Korra asked. "After everything he's done for this city? And Asami… she's known him for so long, you don't think she'd have noticed if something was off about him?"
"Which just leaves Ryuuki." Tenzin said.
"But…" Korra didn't want to believe it, but she could see it in Jinora's eyes. She was sure about this, one hundred percent. "That… asshole." she exclaimed. "He played us!"
"I should've realized sooner," Jinora said, "that night at the premiere, when he touched me… that shock he gave me wasn't normal, and I knew it, but I didn't call him out on it. If I had, then maybe we would've caught him already."
"Jinora, this is not your fault," Korra assured, but Jinora shook her head.
"No, I should've known. His energy is inside of me, Korra. How could I not notice that?" Jinora was beginning to freak out. "It's been harder for me to meditate into the spirit world lately. Every time I've tried, there's been resistance. I knew it wasn't normal, but I never thought…"
"It's okay." Tenzin said, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Korra's right. This isn't your fault."
"If he's killed anyone else since the premiere, then it kind of is."
"No, it's my fault." Korra argued. "I'm the Avatar. I'm supposed to be on top of this sort of thing. Instead, I let you become a victim too."
"How did this even happen? You said the Chi Eater doesn't know about their connection, right?" Tenzin asked.
"That's what Koh said. But he also told me he isn't human anymore, and that he's somehow modified himself. If I had to guess, that's made his chi unstable. Jinora's always been close to the spirits, so some of his energy was probably attracted to her like a magnet."
"Wait a minute, Koh? The Face Stealer?" Jinora asked. Korra nodded, but didn't elaborate any further than that.
"If we're all sure about this, then I need to tell Lin," Suyin said, ready to leave at a moment's notice.
"Probably, but we shouldn't go into this blind. I don't know what he's fully capable of, but he's bested Avatars in the past. If we just charge in head-first, there's a good chance he'll escape, or worse." Korra sighed. "We need a plan. And we have to hit him when he's alone, so nobody else gets caught in the crossfire."
"I agree. First things first though, we need to find out where he is."
"He's renting a penthouse just a few blocks from the spirit portal," Suyin revealed. "that'd probably be our best bet, but we'll have to evacuate the rest of the building without him knowing. If he realizes he's been caught, he might make a break for it before we can confront him."
"But we also have to make sure he's actually there, first. If he comes back to an empty building, he'll know something's up."
"I can make sure of that." Jinora announced. Suddenly, all eyes were on her. "Some of the Chi Eater's energy attached itself to me, right? If I focus, I should be able to find it, and when I do, I should be able to use it to hone in on Ryuuki. Then we can track his every move."
"No. No, I won't allow it, it's too dangerous," Tenzin said. "we'll find another way. If we're careful, then maybe we can-"
"This is our best chance at finding him. If he doesn't know we're connected, he won't see me coming. It'll be a lot easier to isolate him once we know where he is."
"Jinora, please, don't," Tenzin begged. "You have no idea what he could do to you if he finds out!"
"He doesn't know about your connection now, but if you use it to track him down, that could change." Korra warned. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Korra! You can't seriously be considering-" Tenzin began, only to be cut off by Jinora.
"I'm going to do it either way," she declared, "Don't worry. I'll be careful. If anything seems off, I'll stop."
"Korra, please, couldn't you just Energybend him out of her now?"
"I could, but I agree with Jinora. This could be our best chance at isolating him and taking him down. I have faith in her."
"Thank you, Korra…" Jinora said, happy that at least somebody was on her side.
Tenzin wasn't too pleased with it, but he knew there was nothing he could do. He'd just have to trust in his daughter.
"It's going to take some time for me to isolate his energy from my own, let alone track him down with it. In the meantime, Suyin, you should go tell Lin and Raiko and have a team at the ready." Jinora directed. Suyin nodded, leaving without another word. "As for you, Korra, you should probably go see Kuvira in the meantime."
"What? Now?" Korra asked. Was this really the best time for that?
"It's going to take us all a while to get ready, and it's better than going in and confronting him alone." Korra frowned. It seemed Jinora had her all figured out. Korra knew it probably wasn't the smartest decision, but she didn't want to put anybody else at risk. The Chi Eater was very much the Avatar's mess to clean up. "Please. Just… trust me on this, okay? Both of you." Jinora begged, looking from Korra to her father as the two of them shared a look.
"…Okay." Korra agreed. "If he's as dangerous as I think he is, I might not get another chance, anyway. While you try to track him down, I'll go talk with Kuvira."
"I…" Tenzin was still uncertain. But he'd never seen his daughter so determined before. He knew this was out of his control now. The least he could do was have faith in her. "…Be careful. Please."
"I will." Jinora promised.
"Tenzin, you should go help Lin and Suyin." Korra suggested.
"Absolutely not," he replied. "I'm not leaving Jinora's side until I know she's safe."
"I can help," Opal meekly spoke up, having been listening in to the entire conversation. Everybody immediately turned to look at her, but it was Korra's glare that affected her the most. It was not a very trusting look. "I don't know what I could do if something goes wrong, but… I fought that spirit, too. I'm already a part of this." Though she waited for Korra to shoot her down, the rejection never came. Instead, after a moment of silence, Korra simply nodded in agreement.
"Jinora, come contact me with your spirit projection as soon as you find him, okay?" The Avatar requested.
"I will. I promise."
That was all the Avatar needed to hear. With everything decided, Korra left the three airbenders behind, grabbing an old glider staff from the edge of the training grounds and taking off for the sky. With any luck, by the time she was done with Kuvira, they'd be ready to move on Ryuuki.
Maybe it was the Water Tribe in her, but when Korra took a moment to soak it all in, Kuvira's prison was actually kind of… well, pretty.
The endless blue of the sea and sky and how they melded together on the horizon, the familiar salty scent of that cool ocean air, the sound of the waves sloshing up against the raft – they were all things Korra enjoyed immensely. It was serene, peaceful, and exactly what she needed to, at least for a moment, push the Chi Eater to the back of her mind.
Maybe Kuvira felt differently. Maybe she preferred the mountains and the valleys of the Earth Kingdom to the allure of the sea. Korra couldn't be certain. But as far as prisons went, at least from Korra's perspective, Kuvira was pretty lucky.
When the Avatar arrived, she was greeted with much more fanfare than Suyin. Even despite the previous night's events and the cover-up that followed, the guards all still seemed to like her. Though she was thankful, Korra was a little put off by all the attention. She'd reveled in it when she was younger and more hot-headed, but now… well, she wasn't really sure what had changed, but it didn't feel right anymore. The hero's welcome seemed a bit much. But all this meant there was no hiding who'd arrived from the prisoner in the central cell.
Kuvira was surprised. She hadn't expected Korra to come by so soon. Was it a matter of convenience, or was this actually important to her?
The truth of the matter was somewhere in the middle. To Korra, this really was important, but she wouldn't have swung by so soon if it weren't for Jinora's insistence. It was a good way to pass the time, yes, but that wasn't her sole reason for being here. Korra genuinely cared about helping Kuvira, too.
As the guards led Korra to their prisoner's cage and set up a chair for her to use, Korra awkwardly played along. When one of them asked her for her autograph though, she'd had enough. Bowing to the assemblage around her with respect, the Avatar dismissed them all, asking that she be allowed to speak with Kuvira in private. Nodding, the officers and airbenders all gathered in their half-finished break room and turned up the radio. That was about as much privacy as she was going to get, but it would do. Korra took a seat.
At first, only silence was shared between the two of them.
Kuvira sat quietly in her cell with her knees pulled up into her chest and her back turned to Korra. Though she knew the Avatar was there, she didn't want to have to physically face her. For her that would be like staring at the sun.
Korra, meanwhile, sat patiently in her chair, waiting for Kuvira to speak. She was the one who called her here, after all, and she didn't want to jump to any conclusions as to why. It would be up to Kuvira to start the conversation.
And so the minutes passed, the two women content to sit in silence. It was not a tense silence, however. Kuvira just didn't know how to start. And now, she was having second thoughts about starting at all. She couldn't help but wonder what difference any of this was going to make. It was only as the sun hanging low on the horizon threatened to set that she finally opened her mouth to speak.
"A part of me didn't think you'd actually come," Kuvira began, pulling her knees closer in to her body. "from what I've heard, you've been awfully busy these last few weeks. Vacationing in the spirit world, fighting a corrupted spirit, testifying at my trial, getting betrothed – with everything you have going on, I don't know why you would want to come see me."
"Because you asked me to." Korra said. But Kuvira didn't buy it.
"I'm sure that's not the only reason," she led, turning her head to catch a glimpse of Korra's expression. She looked sincere. But Kuvira was sincere as well. "I'm sure you want to make use of me, as well. I'm more valuable to you alive than dead. That's the only reason why you saved my life last night, and it's the only reason you're here now. You want to get on my good side so I'll help you during the Earth Kingdom's transition."
Korra laughed.
Enraged, Kuvira turned around to face her completely, almost standing up as though she could threaten her. But when she saw the look on Korra's face – so kind and genuinely amused – Kuvira stopped. Now, she just looked confused. When Korra stopped laughing and saw this, she immediately felt bad.
"Sorry, it's just, you make it sound like I'm Raiko or something," she explained, still laughing a little to herself. Did Kuvira really think so little of her? Or did she just assume that everybody wanted to use her? Whatever the case, Korra was not about to let that stand. "That's not why I'm here. I promise."
"Then why are you here?"
"I already told you – I'm here because you asked me to be." Korra said, smiling at her with what Kuvira knew was genuine compassion.
Gritting her teeth at the sight, Kuvira looked away. "It can't be that simple,"
"But it is." Korra promised. "Not everybody who associates with you wants something from you, Kuvira. People aren't that selfish. Sometimes, they just want to know that you're okay."
"What do you care?" Kuvira asked, whipping her head back around "After everything I've done, why would you care if I'm okay or not? You should want to see me rot."
"I think there's more to you than fear and anger. You may have bought into your hype and think that you're a monster, but you're not. You're only human, just like me. Even in spite of everything you've done, you deserve to live with dignity, and to maybe find some peace with yourself. Because if I'm right, then there's a lot about you that you don't like. I'd like to believe you feel genuine remorse for what you've done."
"Well you're wrong." Kuvira declared. Korra frowned. "I'm still proud of what I built. Maybe I went too far, but I'm not sorry for trying to save my country."
"You really love the Earth Kingdom."
"More than anything."
"Then you must be happy you're going to get a second chance as part of your sentence. The Earth Kingdom territories could use someone like you to help them organize, and we could use your help in dismantling isolated pockets of your empire. Not everybody has given up your fight."
Kuvira frowned. "Why should I bother? I'll never be free again. I have nothing to gain from dismantling the Earth Kingdom. I spent three years of my life trying to prevent exactly that. What makes you think I would want to help?"
"Because you love your people, and you want to see them thrive." Kuvira was silent, so Korra continued. "I don't think you are proud of what you built. Not anymore. You certainly acted like it during your trial, but when we talked in the spirit world, it seemed like you got it. You willingly surrendered and ordered your followers to stand down. Even if the Earth Kingdom rejected you, you still love it. You still want to see your people succeed."
Kuvira laughed. "You've got me all figured out, don't you?" she asked, a hint of sarcasm to her voice.
"I don't know. I'd like to think you're a good person, deep down."
"I killed thousands and I didn't even bat an eye," Kuvira reminded. "I operated internment camps."
"Yeah. What you did is unforgivable. I'm not saying that it isn't, or that you don't deserve to be in this cell. The world is a safer place without you in it right now. But I'd like to think you're better than this. I'd like to think that anybody can change. Even you."
"What's the point?" Kuvira asked. "If what I've done is so unforgivable, if the world really is better off with me in here, then what's the point in changing? I'll never be free again. Nobody will ever trust me, or forgive me. I have nothing to gain."
"You have nothing to lose."
"It doesn't matter. The whole point of changing or 'bettering yourself' is just to prove yourself to other people. But I've already proven myself, and people called me a war criminal. Everything I did, I did to make my people strong, and in the end, I lost everything and the Earth Kingdom fell apart anyway."
"Change is a point in and of itself."
"Sure, you say that, but what's my motivation? My people have rejected me, my family has disowned me, my lover will never look at me again – so why? Why should I bother?"
Korra sighed. "Don't you feel any remorse?"
Though Kuvira was silent, she didn't deny it. Not at first, anyway. For a second there, Korra even thought she saw a tinge of guilt. But Kuvira was good at burying her feelings deep, and as soon as it registered, it was gone. "No," she said.
"I don't believe you."
"Then believe what you want. The only reason I asked you to come here was to tell you to your face that I don't want your help. I don't need it. Because of you, I have to live the rest of my life as a prisoner. If you'd just left well enough alone, they probably would've sentenced me to death, and everything would've been fine. Opal wouldn't be a criminal, the United Republic wouldn't feel threatened by a girl in a cage, and I wouldn't…"
"You wouldn't what? Have to deal with the consequences?" Korra asked. Kuvira didn't reply. "That's not how this works. You hurt a lot of people. Some of them even loved you. If that makes you feel bad, then that's a good thing. It isn't punishment, it's proof you still have a soul."
"Right. A lot of good that'll do me. Maybe I'll just starve myself to death slowly."
"I get it. I really do."
"How could you possibly understand? You have everything."
"Not always. I've never told anyone this, but there were a lot of times over those three years that I thought about just taking my own life. Like you, I didn't see a point anymore. I felt like I'd lost everything and let everybody down, and that the world would be better off if I'd just let the Avatar cycle continue rather than leave it waiting for a recovery that might never happen. Spirits knows at times it didn't feel like it would."
"That's different," Kuvira said.
"Is it, though?" Korra asked. "Like you, I felt like I had everything, and then suddenly, it was all taken away from me. I felt like I was a lost cause. I came close to actually doing it on more than one occasion."
"But you still had something to live for. People who cared about you."
"It didn't feel like it, just like you don't feel like it now. The circumstances are different, but the feeling is the same. It's that tempting idea that the world is better off without you, that it'd be easier if you'd just died, that you wouldn't have to suffer anymore if you just… gave up. But you can't let that feeling control you. You have to keep fighting, and healing, and growing, however you can. That's the whole point of being human."
"Don't compare your depression with what I'm feeling."
"What, your guilt? Because lemme tell you, I had plenty of that to go around, too." Korra insisted, crossing her arms. "You're not special, Kuvira. That's my whole point. You're just… a person. And people can change if they want to. They can be better."
"Maybe some people can, but not me. There's no coming back from what I've done."
Korra sighed. Kuvira was certainly as stubborn as a Beifong. "Don't you want to prove them wrong?"
"What do you mean?"
"Your family, your people, yourself – don't you want to show them all that you can be better? That you can make a change? That you can help the Earth Territories?"
"Of course I do, but they'll never welcome me back, I'll never-"
"How do you know?" Korra asked. "How can you be so sure they'll never accept you? I'm not going to lie, I don't think you'll ever be free again, but that doesn't mean you can't still make amends, or that nobody will ever care about you. Avatar Aang once told me that when we are at our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change. This doesn't have to be the end for you. This can be a new beginning. A better beginning."
"After everything I've done… all the suffering I've caused… do I really deserve that? You're talking about a second chance. Do I really deserve to get a second chance?"
"Of course you do. Everybody does."
Kuvira scoffed. "Then there's more Aang in you than I thought. Tenzin must've really rubbed off on you."
Korra frowned. This wasn't working. Any time she tried to extend an olive branch or change her perspective, Kuvira resisted. She hoped she could maybe relate to her over their shared depression, but even that wasn't enough. If Korra wanted to connect with her, she had to dig even deeper than that. She had to make herself even more vulnerable. To give her hope that anybody could change, and that everybody deserves the chance to, no matter what they've done.
"You know… I've done some pretty terrible things, too." Korra said after a moment of silence, leaning back in her chair to look up at the sky.
"Please. You're the Avatar, you're the epitome of 'good'." Kuvira scoffed. But Korra's frown only deepened.
"Not always. I'm human too. I still make mistakes, I still do the wrong thing. Sometimes, I even do it on purpose."
"But you're still the Avatar. You're not like me, you're a hero, the bridge between worlds. People worship you. Anything you do, they'll forgive you for, or rationalize for you."
"Not everything." Korra asserted. She never even gave it a second thought – she knew what she had to do. "I'm going to tell you something I've only told Tenzin so far. None of my friends know it yet, not even Asami, and definitely none of the public."
Kuvira raised an eyebrow. "...Then why tell me?" she asked.
"Because. We're in the same boat."
"I find that hard to believe."
Korra sighed. "You've heard about the Chi Eater, right?"
"Of course. It's all the news has been talking about."
"Well, a long time ago, I tried to stop him. Not the spirit he used, but the one who corrupted it, the real Chi Eater. I tried several times, in fact, and he killed me every time. Then, in one life, he took everything from me. He killed the one I loved and stole her chi, and he beat me within an inch of my life. But before he killed me, he stopped, and he gave me an ultimatum.
"If I let him go, he would let me live. But if I refused, he would kill everyone I loved, in that and in every life. However many times it took until I gave up. He was an immortal more powerful than anyone the Avatar had ever faced before. I'd lost to him again and again, and I became scared. I didn't want to go through what I just had ever again. So I gave up. I accepted his offer. I acted like I had defeated the Chi Eater, and I prevented my future lives from ever knowing what I'd done."
Though she barely showed it, Kuvira was shocked. She'd never considered the Avatar could do something so… so…
"The Chi Eater is still alive today, and everybody that he's killed since then is my fault. Their blood is on my hands." Korra looked down. "If this story ever got out, people's faith in the Avatar would be ruined. Maybe forever."
"So why tell me…?" Kuvira asked.
"Because, I'm in the same position as you. Even if it was in a past life, it was still me who took that deal. What I've done is unforgivable. And honestly, the more I think about it, the more I think I don't want to be forgiven. I don't deserve it. But that still leaves me with a choice. Either I can sit here and hate myself for it, or I can do the right thing and take a stand.
"I know that if anybody ever knew the whole story, they might never forgive me. And if I choose to fight him now, he might very well make that story public. I have nothing to gain and everything to lose. But I know in my heart that it's the right thing to do. And even more, I want to prove I'm better than that. That I can, and have, changed. Not for them, but for me. I want to prove to myself that I am not Avatar Rin, and to at least try and make up for all the suffering that I've caused. Can you honestly sit there and tell me you don't feel the same?"
"…" Kuvira was silent.
"It's not about what you have to gain, or what you have to lose, or other people – it's about you, Kuvira. It's about being the best you you can be, even when the world doesn't believe you can, or even when your own past actions say you can't. We're not static like the spirits – change is what we do, just by living. But at the end of the day, we don't do it for somebody else's sake. We do it for our own. We do it for ourselves."
Kuvira laughed weakly. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?"
"Aren't you? Isn't that why you called me here? This is your life, Kuvira. You get to decide how it's lived."
Kuvira sighed. "Maybe," she conceded, sitting back down.
"I don't want you to die, Kuvira. I don't want anyone to die. And in this case, dying is just giving up, and since when have either of us ever given up on anything?"
Though it was weak, Kuvira smiled. "Thanks. At least somebody believes in me." Kuvira was done with trying to hide it. She was grateful. She knew she didn't deserve such mercy or compassion, and yet… Korra was trying so hard. She was making herself so vulnerable to her. For the second time today, Kuvira felt as though she were going to cry. "I don't deserve this," she repeated weakly, "but I'll try to."
"That's all I'm asking for." Korra said with a smile.
Kuvira sniffed. But she was never one for sentimentality - as soon as she'd shown herself as vulnerable, Kuvira built back up her iron wall, deflecting the conversation to something less emotional. "Well. I'm assuming you're going to try and stop the Chi Eater soon, right? Don't let me stop you."
"Honestly, I don't think I'd have rather been anywhere else right now. But you're right. I probably should get going." Korra said, rising from her chair and stretching out her back. Before she turned to walk away though, Korra wanted to make sure that she was okay. "Kuvira… just, hang in there, okay? If you give them the chance, people might just surprise you."
"Mm." Kuvira still wasn't sure about that.
"If you want, when this whole Chi Eater thing is behind me, I can come visit you again."
Kuvira scoffed. "What, you want to make a habit out of this?"
"I don't know. Maybe, if you want me to."
Kuvira shook her head. "Whatever you want, Avatar."
Viper was nobody's favorite, that much was certain. But, in the absence of Lightning Bolt Zolt, who never did get his bending returned to him, there was nobody else savvy enough to take charge of the Triple Threats in his stead.
Maybe he wasn't as seasoned as Zolt, but Viper was every inch as shrewd and cruel of a man as him. Sure he lacked the presence and theatricality Zolt brought to the table, but he made up for that with surprising efficiency. Somehow, Viper had perfected the art of making everybody think he was the underdog. But in actuality, he was the only reason the Triple Threats were still at the top of the food chain. So no, maybe he wasn't everything Zolt had been, and maybe nobody liked having to deal with him, but Viper certainly still commanded respect.
But, if he were being honest, Ravi greatly preferred Viper at the reins than Lightning Bolt Zolt. In fact, the two of them went back decades. Even when they were in different organizations, he, Viper, and Atsushi all maintained a solid friendship and respect for one another. If Zolt were still running the show, then this meeting may well have never happened.
Ravi was lucky his two friends were the ones who were in charge now. It made things so much easier. All it took was a phone call, and here he was, sitting face to face across a table from the most powerful mob boss in the world. The two of them were situated in a restaurant deep within Triple Threats territory, completely empty save for them. Well, them and one other – a little bit of muscle Viper brought along to make sure the premises remained secure. Ravi had left his man out in the Satomobile.
"I gotta say, that's quite the achievement there, Ravi. Getting Atsushi and Chiasa to agree on anything is like trying to waterbend in a volcano," Viper remarked, cutting into his steak for another bite. Across the table from him, his rather tall and imposing friend had already finished his meal.
"At the end of the day, we are still businessmen, are we not?" Ravi asked. "When the offer is good, only a fool would turn it down, and neither of them are fools. They've seen what I have to offer them. With your cooperation, the four of us could run this city in a week."
Viper took another bite of his steak, though he didn't let that stop him from replying. "Yeah, that's a mighty interesting proposition you got there," he said, taking a pause to swallow and sip his wine. "Can't say I'm not intrigued, but I am a little concerned. You're honorable enough, but we both know how impulsive Atsushi is, and Chiasa is the most devious bitch this side of Kuvira. Working with the Terra Triad is one thing, but the Agni Kais and Red Monsoons, too? I don't know if we have it in us. We're greedy people by nature."
Viper poured himself a little more wine, offering the same to Ravi, but he turned him down with a wave of his hand. "You say that, but the three of us have already traded territories and figured out how to distribute them evenly amongst ourselves. We even finalized a few agreements on how to progress from here. The only one we're waiting for now is you, because you didn't want to be seen in Agni Kai territory."
Viper shook his head. "You know it's not that simple. Yeah, there's a lot of people in the Agni Kais who want me dead, that was certainly part of it, but there wasn't no way I was gonna be seen at a club with as dangerous a crowd as that one had. The President and the Chief of Police were bad enough, but the Avatar, too? I'm shocked those two idiots actually showed up."
"I had the situation under control. My position as acting CEO of Future Industries these last couple weeks has afforded me plenty of good will. Nobody suspected a thing."
"Well, that's not entirely true, now is it?" Viper asked. Ravi looked confused. "I have a few plants in the Agni Kais. From what they tell me, Atsushi very nearly caused a scene with the Avatar and that there fiancee of hers, no? That doesn't sound very 'under control' to me."
Ravi's expression hardened. "I guarantee you: I had it under control," he asserted.
Viper smiled and gave a shrug. "Well, none of you are dead or in jail, so clearly you did something right. But you can't blame me for being concerned nevertheless."
"I suppose not."
"That does bring me to our next order of business, though, which is that there Avatar problem of ours. She's a bit of a wild card these days, no? Technically, she isn't law enforcement, but that doesn't mean her words and actions aren't as good as law. She's going to come knocking on all our doors sooner rather than later once we start making bigger and bigger moves on the city. And honestly, after seeing how she dealt with that whole Chi Eater situation, I'm not terribly confident there's anything we could do to stop her when she does. It may be better to simply lay low and operate as we always have."
"Did she deal with it, though?" Ravi asked. Viper raised an eyebrow.
"What, are you saying that spirit thing's still alive?" Viper asked. Ravi shook his head.
"I doubt it. If I were her though, I'd be more concerned about whoever created it than the spirit itself. Maybe it really was a holdover from the distant past like she said, but then again, maybe not. Whatever the case may be, I can't say I can see her letting the Chi Eater case go until she investigates the possibility. In which case, we are left with a small but very open window in which to move with minimal Avatar interference."
"That's a lot of assumptions you're making there. Maybe you're right, but if what you're saying is true, then that wouldn't bode well for us, either, would it? As I recall, that thing took out Kazuo like he was nothing. Clearly, the Chi Eater isn't intimidated by the bending triads."
"So?" Ravi asked. "We will put our faith in the Avatar like everybody else. She'll inadvertently be working to our advantage and fulfilling her duty all at the same time. It's a win-win."
Viper laughed. "Oh, you're good," he said. "Say the Chi Eater is still a threat then, and that she does eventually take care of it – what then? She's still going to come barreling our way. Even with the four of us together, I don't know that we could take her, especially since she won't be working alone. She'll undoubtedly have those brothers and the rest of the police on her side, and they're all bad enough as it is. How do you propose we stop her then?"
"It's simple," Ravi began, folding his hands in front of him. "You cannot attack the Avatar directly, she's too powerful for any one bender alone – maybe even all of us. You're right about that much. So, I say, we don't attack her directly. We go for her heart, instead."
Viper's eyes narrowed. "You don't mean..."
Ravi nodded. "By using Asami Sato as a hostage and a bartering chip, I can practically guarantee that we won't be facing any trouble from Avatar Korra."
Viper flashed a toothy grin. "That's cold, Ravi, even for you. I like it. But I thought that girl was pretty special to you. Are you really saying you'd be willing to hurt her if it came down to it?"
"I'm saying it doesn't matter whether I do or not, the threat alone will keep the Avatar at bay. But yes, if it came down to it, I would not be opposed to roughing her up some to prove a point. I am the leader of the Terra Triad, first and foremost. My business will always come first."
Viper leaned back in his seat, whistling. "I'm impressed. Alright then, rock boy. You've got yourself a deal. I'll meet you, Atsushi, and Chiasa at the Future Industries warehouse in Dragon Flats tomorrow night. It's time we take this city for ourselves once and for all."
Ravi smiled.
All according to plan.
Back on Air Temple Island, Jinora had made breakthrough. Though it'd taken her the better part of an hour, she had finally isolated the Chi Eater's energy inside of her. It was faint, like a ghost, and almost completely undetectable, but it was there. Finding it was only half the battle, though. Now came the hard part.
Now that she had managed to lock on to the Chi Eater's spiritual signature, finding him within the city should be easier. Finding Ryuuki should be easier. She had to keep reminding herself that it was him. Though she was certain, a part of her still didn't want to believe it. Not only because she'd been a fan, but because he'd seemed like such a nice guy. He was a better actor than anybody gave him credit for. She genuinely felt bad for accusing him of something so heinous.
Curiously though, Ryuuki already had a spiritual signature, and it felt nothing like this. He wasn't a walking void, that would've made it obvious who he was – no, he felt like a completely normal person, somehow. But this? It was only the tiniest sliver of his energy, but as Jinora focused on it, it became clearer and clearer how sickening and unnatural it was. It was even worse than that corrupted spirit.
By now, Jinora had been joined by Kai, as well as Opal and Tenzin. He'd returned from a relief effort in the city fifteen minutes prior, and while he wasn't filled in on everything, he was told that Jinora was in danger. Tenzin felt as though he owed the boy that much, given how close he and his daughter were.
While Jinora sat there meditating, trying her hardest to isolate Ryuuki's energy in a sea of millions and then further confirm that the Chi Eater's energy was buried beneath it, her guardians sat close by. They exchanged no words, only occasional glances at each other and then back to Jinora. They knew not speak up or bother her.
Jinora's focus intensified, harder than ever before. She was now projecting her spirit out of her body, manifesting it in the sky high above Republic City, her eyes closed as she carefully picked through countless people's energies in search of Ryuuki's. As she ruled out sections of the city, the projection would disappear and reappear above another, ruling out neighborhood after neighborhood one after another.
Eventually, she'd searched the entire city, and had found… nothing.
Jinora knew he couldn't have left the city yet, his feeding cycle was still incomplete, but she couldn't rule out the possibility he'd entered a portal to feast on some spirits. In which case, all this may have been a waste of time. But then she remembered that corrupted spirit, and how it could make itself spiritually 'invisible' whenever it wanted to. When Ryuuki wasn't out and about in public, maybe he did that, too?
On a hunch, she dismissed and recalled her projection one more time, appearing now directly above the apartment complex housing Ryuuki's penthouse. She tried again to hone in on his energy, but still couldn't find it, so instead, she switched gears and focused instead on that sickening energy buried beneath. That, naturally, was always hidden, but she'd managed to find it within herself. She had experience slipping past the Chi Eater's defenses now.
If Ryuuki really was the Chi Eater, and he was here, if she focused hard enough, using that trace within her as an example, then maybe, just maybe, she'd be able to…
Success had never made Jinora feel so sick. She'd done it – she'd found his energy, his real energy. It was, in fact, in his penthouse. And he seemed to be alone. The energy of the Ryuuki she'd come to know was nowhere to be found, but this was as close to a smoking gun as she would ever get. Ryuuki was definitely the Chi Eater, and he was definitely home alone.
If she were half as wise as she felt she was, Jinora would've called it quits there. She would've recalled her projection, ceased meditating, confirmed with her dad that the Chi Eater was there, and that would've been that. It'd be up to Korra and the police to handle from there.
But Jinora was still young. Young, and more than that, guilty. She could only imagine how many people and spirits the Chi Eater must've killed since that night at the theater. She was guilty, and embarrassed, and angry, and that made her reckless. Reckless enough that when she recalled her projection, it was only to re-materialize it inside of Ryuuki's penthouse.
She knew it wasn't the smartest plan, she knew how dangerous this could be for her, but Jinora wanted to be sure. She wanted to see him with her own eyes.
Jinora crept through the suite completely silently, her ghostly footsteps not making a single sound. She walked through walls as if they weren't there, and slowly approached the position she could feel the Chi Eater's energy from the strongest. Which, given how well hidden it was, still wasn't all that strong. But she knew its epicenter.
Before long, she'd found him. He was sitting on a chair facing the main balcony, and the Spirit Portal in the distance. This should've been enough – and for her, it was. She was ready to retreat, when she noticed something strange.
Ryuuki was… whispering?
"I..e….n..v.r….. ."
She couldn't make it all out. If she wanted to hear what he was saying, she'd have to get closer. But if she got too close, he might sense her. Her projection was very weak, but it was still her energy – it was not undetectable. But right now, he had no reason to think he wasn't alone. And for all she knew, what he was saying might've been important. Against her own better judgment, Jinora inched closer from behind Ryuuki's chair.
"I….ss...y...re..d...r...ev...day….I..w..h….u…..ld….me now."
He was whispering so quietly, she still couldn't make it all out. But it sounded like he was talking with somebody? If he was half-spirit, could he be talking with the spirit inside of him like Korra did with Raava? Jinora bit her lip. She knew that she shouldn't, but she had to. She had to get closer still.
"Hang on. I don't think we're alone, anymore."
Jinora froze. That much had been whispered louder than anything previous – she didn't even need to get any closer. She could feel her heart beating a thousand miles a minute. He'd noticed her. She immediately thought to escape, dismissing her projection so she could return to her body back on Air Temple Island, but… she couldn't.
She couldn't get back to her body.
"Didn't anybody ever tell you that it's rude to eavesdrop?" Ryuuki asked, still seated in his chair.
Jinora was freaking out. Why couldn't she get back to her body? What was going on?
Suddenly, pain.
Jinora screamed, but her projection made no sound, even though it should have. As she collapsed to her knees, she clutched her head tight, feeling as though it was going to explode. This was worse than the corrupted spirit – way worse. She couldn't move. She couldn't think. She couldn't breathe.
Calmly, Ryuuki stood up from his chair.
"Interesting. To think some of my energy would latch onto you… I guess the jig is up then, huh, Jinora."
Jinora's vision was beginning to blur. The pain wasn't going away – if anything, it was only getting worse. Ryuuki wasn't even trying to hide his energy from her anymore.
"What? Catowl got your tongue? …Ah, I see. You don't like my energy, do you? Here, how's this-"
In an instant, the pain was gone, and so was Ryuuki's energy. Finally free of his spiritual pressure, Jinora collapsed onto her hands and knees, panting heavily. She could hear herself again, but she still couldn't return to her body. She didn't know how, but somehow, Ryuuki was blocking her from escaping, no matter how hard she tried. Her breathing grew shallower. She didn't dare look up from the floor, but she could hear his footsteps inching closer. She felt like she was going to throw up and closed her eyes tightly in fear of what came next, only for them to fly back open at the unexpected sensation of Ryuuki's hand touching her chin. How…?!
"You didn't actually think I wouldn't be able to hurt you like this, did you?"
Gently lifting up her head so that she was looking into his eyes, Ryuuki gave the young master a wide, wry smile. As she stared deep into the blue abyss, only evil stared back at her. It was then that it dawned on her what was going to happen next. As she realized she was going to die, a tear rolled down Jinora's cheek.
"After all, they call me the Chi Eater for a reason."
When she arrived back at Republic City's port, the last thing Korra expected to see was Mako and Bolin waiting for her in full uniform. But given the nature of what Suyin must've disclosed by now, she supposed she should have. Mako looked as serious as ever, while Bolin seemed anxious. A lump began to form in Korra's throat.
When her boat finally docked, Korra ran down and pulled her two best friends into a hug. Given what was bound to happen next, and how dangerous the Chi Eater was, this could very well be her last.
"Korra, is it true?" Bolin asked. Korra frowned and nodded her head while it rested on his shoulder, pulling away a moment later.
"I'm sorry. I know you looked up to him."
"That doesn't matter now. If Ryuuki's really the Chi Eater, then we've got to stop him, Team Avatar style." Bolin said, steeling himself for the ensuing confrontation.
"You look like shit," Mako remarked, trying to break the tension somewhat. Korra playfully knocked him on his shoulder.
"I've had a crazy day, okay? Honestly, talking to Kuvira was the most relaxing thing I've done since I got up this morning," she said.
"That bad, huh?"
"I almost got my face stolen today, so, yeah, that bad."
"Wait, face stolen…? …Did you go see Koh?!" Bolin asked.
"Yeah, he was the only spirit old enough to know about the Chi Eater. It wasn't fun, but I learned a lot about Ryuuki from him. And about me."
"About you…?" Bolin trailed. Unfortunately for him however, Korra didn't feel like rehashing the Rin story again so soon, so he'd have to wait until after they'd taken Ryuuki down for an answer.
"So, what does he want, then?" Mako asked.
"According to Koh, he just wants to live forever. That's… basically it. But he's willing to sacrifice others to do it." Korra explained.
"That's... refreshingly small-scale, actually. Huh." Bolin thought aloud.
"I mean... I guess? But it's still a problem we need to go deal with." Mako replied.
"I agree. Honestly I think we might be the only ones who can deal with it." Korra said, frowning.
"Suyin also said Jinora was in danger… did Ryuuki do something to her?" Bolin asked.
"Kind of. Apparently, some of his energy latched onto hers when they met at the premiere. Right now, she's using that energy to try and track him down in the city. Once she finds his location, she'll tell Tenzin, and he'll tell Lin."
"Isn't that dangerous?" Mako asked.
"She was going to do it no matter what. The least I could do was have some faith in her."
"Lin's taking this really seriously… she's gathering all the best metalbenders in the city to take Ryuuki down. She wants Suyin, Mako and I there, too. And you, of course."
"I hope that's enough. He's killed me before."
Mako and Bolin shared a worried look. That really wasn't what they needed to hear right now.
"So, are we gonna meet up with Lin, or join Jinora on Air Temple Island?" Mako asked.
"Well, first things first, I want to take a look at your arm," Korra said, Mako's eyes going wide at the mention. In all the chaos of the announcement of Ryuuki being the Chi Eater, he'd completely forgotten about that. "you said Ryuuki healed you, right? I want to make sure he didn't do anything else."
"That's probably a good idea," Mako agreed, rolling up his sleeve and extending his wounded arm to Korra. As soon as she reached out to touch it though, the three of them were interrupted by a scream and the ghostly image of Jinora briefly flickering into view.
"Korra, help!" She cried, finally breaking free of Ryuuki's hold, if only for an instant. Then, as suddenly as she'd appeared, she was gone, forcibly pulled back to where she was before.
While Mako and Bolin were startled by her sudden appearance, Korra was terrified. This was the worst thing that could've happened.
"We have to get back to Air Temple Island, now!"
Back on Air Temple Island, Jinora screamed, her body convulsing uncontrollably as Opal looked on in horror, Tenzin and Kai scrambling trying to figure out what to do. Her eyes flew open and intermittent blue light began to flicker in their visage, the energy unintentionally left by Ryuuki now making a bid for control over her entire body.
Jinora's spirit was thrown back into her body with tremendous force, but the pain of Ryuuki's touch from the penthouse didn't fade. Her whole body felt like it was on fire, and her heart felt as though it was going to leap from her chest if she didn't physically hold it in place. She gripped her chest tight as her body continued to tremor and shake, screaming all the while as Ryuuki ate away at her very soul.
"Tenzin, Jinora!" Korra cried, running up the stairs from the pier. She'd run across the bay again, and had apparently carried Mako and Bolin with her, because as Tenzin turned to meet her voice, he saw all three of them running full-speed for Jinora. When Korra saw her lying there, convulsing in her father's arms, she could feel only rage swell up inside her chest. Guilt, fear, panic – all of that was pushed aside by righteous fury. Ryuuki was going to pay for this.
"Korra, what's happening…?" Tenzin asked. Kai was now sitting on the ground, crying, and Opal had turned away, no longer able to watch. The Avatar grit her teeth and ran to Tenzin without a word, pushing his arms away to lay her hands on Jinora's body. As soon as she had, her eyes went white, and Korra entered into the Avatar State to begin Energybending the Chi Eater's energy out of her.
As soon as she made contact with Jinora's spirit, Korra screamed, her arms recoiling in pain and the glow of her eyes subsiding. She'd never felt anything like that before. It was like as soon as she touched Jinora, her spirit was being corroded and eaten away. Korra immediately realized the danger this put not only Jinora in, but her, as well. When she next tried to bend Jinora's energy, she'd be fighting with the Chi Eater directly. Preparing herself for what that might entail, Korra reentered the Avatar State and tried again.
Korra felt like she was on fire. The Chi Eater's energy inside of Jinora wasn't even trying to hide anymore – and it was quickly becoming the dominant energy. But she could still feel hers buried beneath. It was swallowing her whole, but it had yet to fully digest her, meaning she still had a chance to peel that energy away and pull it out of her. So Korra got to work. It was her will against Ryuuki's, and it was nothing like at the premiere. She'd never felt such power or malice before. He was almost completely unbendable.
Almost.
With Raava's help, she'd begun chipping away at his control, visibly banishing his energy from Jinora's body in pitch black spheres of energy that radiated only darkness. As these bubbles of energy left her body, they dissipated in the open air without a living thing to latch onto but Korra, who was commanding them away with her Energybending. Those gathered instinctively moved away as the orbs drew close to them, giving Korra and Jinora some space as she tried to completely banish the Chi Eater from her body.
It was at this point that Korra began to feel a familiar sensation. Something – no, someone was calling out to her. It was just like when the decoy connected with her spirit, only this time, she was being given the option to respond, not forced into it. But he easily could've forced her if he'd wanted to, and Korra knew it. Reluctantly, she allowed for the connection to be made, and as the corruption of Jinora's spirit paused, Korra's spirit was thrust out of her body and into a pitch dark space where only she and Ryuuki now stood.
He was smiling at her.
Korra had never wanted to hurt someone so badly before.
"Hey there, Avatar! It's been a while!" Ryuuki greeted cheerily.
"Bastard…" Korra seethed.
"Perhaps, but I wasn't the one who broke our deal, now was I? I believe I made my terms very clear."
"I'm coming for you."
"Oh, I'm sure you are. I've known you would be from the very beginning, that's why I sacrificed my pet to you. I knew once your connection to your past lives was severed, you might come looking my way again, no longer remembering our little arrangement. But I can feel it in your soul – you know all about that now, don't you? The sad story of Avatar Rin. …Oh! And you've met with Koh! Is that persistent little insect still alive?"
"How…?"
"You have no idea what I'm capable of, Korra. I made you a promise when you were Rin that I would kill everyone you loved if you ever crossed me again. I told you I'd make you watch. Given how nosy this one was being, I figured a demonstration was in order."
"You call this a demonstration!? You're killing her!"
"I could. If I wanted to. I'd have to commit more energy to it than that tiny sliver, but I could easily consume her soul. But instead, I'm going to let her go. I'm nice like that. Let this serve as a warning, Avatar Korra: stay away. Next time you interfere with me, I won't hesitate to kill them all."
"Not if I kill you first!" Korra screamed. Ryuuki just laughed.
"Funny, Rin was confident, too. That didn't work out too well for her, did it? But I've said my piece. If you really want to come for me, I'll be waiting at my penthouse. Take all the time you need to prepare, gather as many friends as you think it'll take – by the end of the day, either everyone you know will be dead, or the Avatar and the Chi Eater are going to have a new arrangement. See you soon, Korra."
Terminating the connection between them with a smile and a wave, Ryuuki disappeared from view as Korra was thrust back into her body with tremendous force, reeling back and off of Jinora in the process. Thankfully, she was no longer convulsing, and the remainder of Ryuuki's energy was disappearing from her body by its own accord in a pitch black mist. Screaming, Korra ripped that mist to shreds with her Energybending before it dissipated naturally into the empty air.
"Korra…?" Tenzin tentatively asked, cautiously approaching the two.
Suddenly, Jinora gasped for air, bolting upright on the ground. Tenzin nearly had another heart attack and Kai immediately flung his arms around her, holding her as she panted for air, tears still streaming down his face. Opal was now on her knees, sobbing. Mako and Bolin looked more terrified than Korra had ever seen them. As Tenzin joined Kai in holding Jinora, Korra broke down and cried. She almost lost her. That was just a sliver of his power, and she was just barely holding her own. If he'd been serious, if he'd devoted more of his energy to corrupting her, she… she…
"Korra, thank you…" Tenzin cried. "Thank you…"
"I'm going to kill him." Korra said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Ryuuki. I'm going to find him, and I'm going to kill him. That's the only way this can end."
"He's going to be waiting for you," Jinora shakily warned, clinging to her father's chest.
"I know. This ends tonight." Korra said. "Mako, use the Air Temple's radio to let the chief know Ryuuki's in his penthouse. Once we clear the building, we're going to go up, and we're going to finish this."
Mako nodded, running off to follow his Avatar's orders without a word.
Korra was on the warpath.