Avatar of the lamp
There was apparently trouble brewing in the Si Wong Desert.
A great many number of spirits lived in the area, the environment being far too harsh for most except perhaps the sand-benders and the native fauna. Most humans, be they peasants or city-dwellers, even the most trained of benders of all disciplines, could not truly hope to live well within the arid, hot and nearly empty dunes which characterized the whole place. Located at the center of the Earth Kingdom, very few opted to explore it, to venture even far away from its borders for fear of never coming back and thus it was but a land known for its hostility and death-rate. If she had the choice, Korra would never go there even if she needed to prove that she could. She was headstrong, yet not suicidal and despite it all her duty to both the living and spirit world made it so she needed to investigate, to see for herself just what exactly needed her attention. There was apparently a disturbance, something of great impact and power which landed there, far away from Misty Palm Oasis, which had turned into a small town whose expansion was always interesting to hear tales of. If she had the time and the opportunity, perhaps she'd go there and see just how big they became, their hard-work perhaps turning the desert into something much more precious than just sand and high mortality.
She needed to focus, however, as she used her water-bending to properly circulate and manage her fluids within. She had a few gourds with her, each filled to the brim with water as it was necessary in order to actually manage and survive. She drank sparingly, ever-prepared for the worst as she heard spirits whisper to her about an object, one of gold which seemed to house nothing, yet radiated with power still. It was a wonder, a danger, possibly both at the same time and even more, but it needed to be seen and taken care of and the Avatar was perhaps the only one who could do such a deed. She trekked forth for hours, the sun being immensely warm as she dared not approach the cacti which could cause hallucinations, nor did she try to do everything without checking her direction constantly for fear of going in circles. Eventually, she saw a bunch of palm trees, a rare occurrence given that there was no water nearby, and then she saw the item in question, which rose more questions than it answered as she inspected it carefully.
It was a golden oil lamp, expertly-crafted as its sheen was pristine despite laying on the sand for perhaps a good amount of time. Flawless, round at the bottom, flat at the top with a round stopper, a long spout and a curvy handle, it seemed benign at first, albeit spirits dared not come near it, afraid of the lamp for some reason, whispering that Korra ought to leave it alone, to use her bending to hide it within the sand so that none may ever find it. Her curiosity, however, was too great as she got closer, bent herself over and then picked it up with her left hand, curious to see if there was more to it than it seemed...yet it proved to be a bad move as the lamp shook slighly and began to shine, unleashing something within that seemed to connect with Korra on a spiritual level but also, somewhat, on a deeper one as well.
There was an intellect within the object, albeit an alien one as it went on to delve within Korra, assessing her through criteria that she did not understand. Her reflex was to drop the lamp and rise, observing it from a removed and higher position, yet the link between Korra and the lamp was still ongoing, still bizarre as she opted indeed to do as the spirits suggested and hide it, beginning to go forth with burying deep, yet the moment she thought of doing this, on how to achieve such a thing and so forth the lamp reacted by throwing a great torrent of smoke toward her. It was thick, smelled nice, but also overwhelming. It circled around her, coiling around Korra much like a snake would with its prey as her hands and arms were pinned, making bending much more difficult that way as she tried to struggle, yet there was immense strength and resistance within this substance, as odd as it seemed. The smoke was tougher than cement and steel, yet it still remained a gaseous substance which went on to surround her, enforcing its might upon her. It was somehow warmer than the heat of the sun, invasive in ways which she could not describe and yet it was also soothing in a way that felt dangerous, unnatural. This was bad and she knew that this was but a strategy to make her drop her guard as she continued to struggle, the muscles in her arms and legs tensing up due to her continuous efforts.
The first thing that seemed to be influenced by the smoke were her clothes. Her water-bending outfit, something which was characteristic of her, the blue outfit with white fur delimitating it beginning to shift as the abdomen area began to dissolve, eaten away by the smoke as it left her midriff bare, showcasing her slightly brown skin, her abdominal muscles, her hips and her navel for all to see. Only spirits could witness this, of course, yet none seemed to be able to do a thing as the rest of her clothes went on to get changed by similar, albeit different effects. The wool and linen which had been used for her top went on to alter themselves into silk and satin, the blue and white still there albeit drawn into patterns and symbols which she did not recognize. The sleeves she wore turned puffy, losing their slick texture for something a little more flamboyant, useless in battle yet pretty for a sight as they became see-through, showcasing her strong arms. Her belt turned into a sash, one that hugged her waistline and the lower area of her hips tightly, amplifying her natural curves somehow. She struggled through all of this, the unwelcome caress of the smoke ongoing along with it, yet it was a very weird, terrifying but also somehow fascinating spectacle to behold. She was turning into some kind of fire-bending dancer, albeit with vibes of a culture unknown to her. As she made these observations, though, the alterations and changes were most decidedly not done, the smoke proceeding with its tweaks and its work, no matter how she felt about it.
Jewelry began to adorn her body, all useless little baubles which she would gladly remove if she had any control as large circular earrings, bracelets around her uppers arms, a belly jewel, a necklace, a tiara and multiple rings on her fingers made themselves manifest. Sapphires, diamonds and gold, pure opulence and extravagance which she disliked went on to pop out from the smoke as she felt other influences spreading, this time inside her body as she felt her hips pop a bit, stretching out to provide for a more curvaceous appearance without sacrificing any muscles. Her chest went on to feel tight against her new top, yet the clothes, along with her bosom, went on to expand, gaining a few sizes as her breasts were round, full and decidedly very different from their usual look. They were flattened by her clothes which were suited for battle, for sport, yet now they were on display, her cleavage now unable to be left unseen by even the most prude eye. Her short hair went on to get longer, looking like when she got to Republic City the first time, adorned with a golden band to attach it in the style of the water-bending tribes. All of this she felt, but also saw as if her senses were attuned to the smokes, gaining some modicum of enhanced perceptions through it all, which jumbled her focus, but the worst was yet to come as she felt something crawl not only against her legs...but within them too.
The smoke was seemingly swallowing her legs, yet not exactly eating them either. It was changing, transmuting them from flesh to smoke in a way that felt alien, yet not unpleasant. It was a sparkle of energy, one that went through her bloodstream, her muscles, her entire self as she looked down and witnessed that she did not have any feet, yet instead a trail of blue smoke which connected to the tip of the spout, as if instead of blowing smoke it was sucking it up. The smoke got higher and absorbed her legs, melting them together to create a tail made entirely of gaseous substance and energy which seemed to infiltrate thoughts within her. She had to let go, to accept this, to find joy in what was happening as it would be her life from now on. No words were exchanged, yet the sensation was vivid and clear despite it all. Her lower legs and her knees were now fused, a blue blue of smoke not unlike a thick cloud appearing there instead as her thighs were next. The concepts thrown at her subsided her fear and reluctance for a time, lowering her resistance and struggling, yet she got back into the game, into herself as she was the Avatar. People needed her, but also she simply did not want this, whatever was happening. However, by the time she regained her senses, her thighs were all but gone as the smoke was below her waist now, stopping just short of below her belly as only her abdomen, her hips and all that was above were left untouched. She looked a far cry from what she had come dressed in, yet now she felt a strong suction pulling her inside the lamp, making it so she'd be literally brought inside the object.
She tried to flee, to move past it yet her efforts were for naught. Her attempts only brought a slight tug as the tail she was now wearing, something that linked her to this lamp in more ways than one, was adamant in keeping her there. She was glued to it, chained through mist-like chains that were beginning to pull her down. She tried bending, she tried using her muscles, yet the power which brought her closer and closer made all of this futile as she screamed for help, for whoever would be kind enough to provide assistance and yet no one came while the lamp finally brought her inside with a popping sound, then Korra was gone, absorbed as the lamp stopped shining as if content by what had happened, its goal achieved. All that was left were the numerous gourds on the ground, the only signs that someone had ever been there.
She felt groggy, downright uncertain for a moment as she could sense the sun nor its heat on top of her. The smoke restraints were gone as she adjusted herself to new surroundings, with her eyes and her others senses, but also new ones which she knew not how to calibrate herself to. There was an aura around her, a power which manifested herself as she looked everywhere, witnessing that she had been entrapped within a half-spherical room filled with pillows and cushions. There was an aesthetic of another country, seemingly another time, with the smell of incense and lavender basking the area and her. It was made to soothe her, to calm her down and it did for a moment before she saw her reflection within the golden walls. She was still dressed like a performer, some kind of dancer with her puffy sleeves, her midriff-baring top and she hadn't regained her legs in the slightest now with them still being connected to the spout. She was actually within the lamp, confined in this sordid yet powerful object as she tried to slip within the spout and make her escape, yet it was too narrow for her still-solid top half to slide through. She inspected to see if there was anything she could do as she tried at first to punch the curved walls, then to dig below the cushions to make her way down. She used her bending to manipulate the metal, yet all of this had no effect as she was brought down to a level in which she was basically powerless. She felt mighty, given force which were attuned to more than just the elements, yet it was not entirely hers to control but rather the lamp instead which channeled it through her. The lamp was sentient, yet could only communicate through ideas, through vague suggestions rather than words and gestures. It was infuriating, insulting, criminal even as she had been abducted against her will. The incense was still going on strongly, the lamp sent concepts of peace, acceptance, tranquility and happiness, yet Korra refused it all, her strong will making it so she wouldn't just cooperate out of spite, out of the idea that what was happening was not right and should be corrected instantly.
"Release me, you freaking lamp!" she said out loud, demanding for freedom from unjust capture, to be rid of all this which had been changed about her. The only thing which the lamp gave her was a brief history through flashes, a few ideas. Just as the Avatar was the spirit between the spirit and the human world, so was the lamp the bridge from somewhere else to the human world. It was acting through her, it was an honor, a little marvel and yet Korra dared not listen or give it anything positive given that she had been "given" this without her consent. "I did not ask for this and I want my freedom back, you-"
Before she could even continue this, Korra felt something deep within herself, a contact which spread through her like a jolt of pure energy. Right there, she understood that the lamp was being rubbed, that she could go out. Her connection to the lamp, why this happened and how it had truly changed her were still mysteries, yet her yearning for freedom could be assuaged as she felt a pull from the spout which made it so she turned into smoke, pushed outside back into the material world as she then released into a torrent, one which she kept in check by a quick use of her air-bending techniques. She went from smoke to material, yet no matter how much she tried to go forth and turn them back to normal nothing happened. They were stuck this way. However, as she tried to do this, she eventually saw a middle-aged man, now carrying all of her gourds as if it were a treasure, holding the lamp within one of his hand as he looked at her in stupefaction. She was indeed dressed like a half-naked dancer, clad in jewelry, had a smoke tail instead of legs and floated above an object, so she couldn't exactly question his reaction. However, this being not the perfect time to let a perfect opportunity slip away, she tried to speak with him, asking for assistance, yet an impulse came upon her, a strong and irresistible one.
"Greetings, oh great master. I am the genie of the lamp and I shall grant you three wishes. You may ask-" she said, placing her hands on her mouth to stop herself from continuing as she willed herself to shut up. This was her voice that had been used, yet not her own desires. What was this about genies, about wishes, about the compulsion to say this and actually mean it? She sensed that she could actually use her powers to rewrite reality, to conjure things, a far more powerful arcane than any bending could ever produce, as if it was some reality-bending or cosmos-bending. However, the lamp had made it clear not only to her but to this man that she was a slave, a servant, and that it was his right to command her of all people. She wasn't some strumpet that would be subservient to just about anyone and as such, amidst the confusion that was prevalent in the situation, both for her and for the man himself, she removed her hands and tried to explain herself for him to give help instead of take advantage of the situation. "Might I know the name of my benevolent owner and what he so desires~?"
She bit her lower lip right there as she struggled to keep it shut for fear of saying something stupid anew as the man seemed to be incredulous and yet somehow blessed as this look on his face told her that he wouldn't quite catch what kind of situation she was in. A glimmer in his eyes revealed that he was more interested in those wishes than the subtext in which she was fighting an arduous battle against some unknown force which he unwittingly held in his hand. "Really? Three wishes?" he asked, his smile peaking as he took the situation in stride, most assuredly being more than curious about testing it out. "Why you can call me Su Kin Ju, or master if you'd prefer, both works for me...Now about those wishes of yours...Hmmm..."
He was thinking about it as Korra felt an opportunity to perhaps snatch the lamp away from his hand, perhaps even to seize control of this strange moment as she tried to move away from the lamp, yet as she got further her tail began to tug her back to the proximity of not only Su Kin Ju but itself as well. She tried to pull it away using the strength of her waist and abdomen in tandem with her arms, yet it was firmly stuck in place. Vying for something else, she instead went on to try and grab the lamp, perhaps putting it down and away from his hand would deny this servitude and allow for clearer thoughts to assail her minds instead of this whole servitude business. There was a constant reinforcement and pull toward obedience and enjoyment of it now, the lamp strongly suggesting this course of actions and this train of thought so as to make the most of this situation, but Korra would not have it. However, no matter how much she pulled or tried to lift the lamp it stayed firmly in place, as if it was the heaviest item in the entire world. It did not budge one millimeter, stuck there to demonstrate directly that there was naught that she could do to change her fate.
"Oh yeah, I got one to-" Su Kin Ju went on to say as he firmly desired to test the water, yet he had been to distracted to realize what Korra had been trying to achieve and one look upward made it so he got an eyeful of her cleavage, which did give him other ideas right there on the spot. However, before he'd indulge in something like this, he instead gave this an eyeful as Korra went back from him, realizing the position she had been in. Before she could explain or budge or do anything of the sort, Su Kin Ju instead went on to declare what he wished for right on the spot. "I wish for a beautiful palace for me to live in. You see, living in the desert as a beggar and outcast really is-"
And then he went on to talk and talk, telling his sad life story. Korra was not unsympathetic to the pleas of others and perhaps would have naturally given him some much-needed help, yet her own problem took precedence in her own mind as she felt a pouring of energy coming from the lamp, coursing through her tail and then through her veins. Within this came the idea to go forth and make the master happy, to make it Su Kin Ju would be content and fulfilled thanks to their effort. It launched accomplishment, bliss and ecstasy through their contact and their connection, yet Korra denied it all through a sheer effort of will. She would simply not do this, for she refused to collaborate in this scheme. She was meant for more than that and there were still things she wished to achieve on her own, this lifestyle the lamp was choosing for her simply did not work with what she intended to do and Korra would have none of it. Instead of doubling down on this approach, on convincing and bringing contentment, the lamp seemed to have understood that the one it had chosen would simply not work alongside it and thus there was only one option left and that was to simply overpower and use Korra instead. The waves of that strange energy went on to multiply in effect as it invaded Korra, making her entire self feel somehow bloated, too full of this force which she knew next to nothing about.
At first, she simply held it in and denied what was happening, hoping to use her strength and her own knowledge, perhaps even some kind of focus that only the Avatar state could give her to fight back. These tools, this approach usually did work most of the time, yet not now as the rules were different and she was not in a position of power as the energy swirled and coursed through her with nowhere else to go, nothing else to do but stay there and accumulate. She felt uneasy, struggling to keep it in as the lamp mercilessly poured its influence in a constant and growing flow and then the inevitable happened as it went on to burst out, making Korra shine in an Avatar-like state, yet one that was different. She needed to unleash this power and to do so now or else she knew things would turn badly. She then heard multiple echoes of the wish being spoken aloud, the one she had to grant and then she pictured a palace to build, a magnificent place which she'd build. She moved and then danced, unleashing this might in motions which made sense to her given her bending mastery.
At first, she used snake arms in order to make the sand twirl in the air, creating piles which spun around to form pillars which rose high toward the sky. She then placed her hands and arms above her head, as if going into communion with the clouds and the horizon up high and the pillars were done. Then she bumped her hips roughly, the smoke tail allowing for a wide arc to be put in place as she swung them right and left, reaching for far below the ground. She moved rock, granite, all types of minerals above as it pierced the sand, revealing itself before it was sculpted by those hips who were no longer rough, but instead gracious and fast. She went for shimmies, chipping away to form a basis for the palace as many more rocks went on to attach themselves while her hands twirled within the confines of each other, more sand going to on create pillars, furniture, sculptures and all sorts of accommodations. Then she went on to roll her stomach along with her chest, creating sweet-looking undulations to tap into a water source far under the ground, creating fountains and small oasis's for the palace to be a true living area. This was a dance made of moves she had mastered, some she had never heard of as well as the projection of all that magic. It was a tiring affair, a demanding task which gave her no satisfaction yet which needed to be done as eventually the palace stood tall and proud, done and made in such a way that no one could find any fault with it. It was fit for a king, perhaps even an emperor as its domain was vast, made flowery and full of life due to the power that Korra had channeled through her. She could have been impressed, perhaps even proud of it yet her lack of desire, personal input and her craving for freedom made it almost feel like an ugly construction more than anything else.
As Su Kin Ju, whom she refused to consider as her master, went on to admire the handiwork, running around like a child before a well-crafted and loving present, Korra felt that perhaps now was the time to make him understand just how exactly she had been trapped within the lamp and who she really was. However, she felt exhausted after doing something so grand and demanding and, as if understanding that fact immediately, the lamp began to pull on her. With Korra weighing next to nothing and Su Kin Ju not aware of anything but what he had gained, he sensed not that Korra was being pulled back within the lamp, the object sucking her in once more. She tried to ignore it, the tug being small yet insistent as her reaction caused for the lamp to be much more direct in its demand. As she understood the insistence, Korra tried desperately to fight against it, tugging at her tail with all the force she could muster. Again, a pattern which she grew to recognize yet also hate, Korra was sucked back inside, leaving the human world for the inside of the lamp, unable to really resist in any way that could count.
"Just leave me be. Find someone else!" Korra said, punching the golden walls anew as she knew it would be useless, yet she was frustrated and needing to vent in any way she could. "Look, I'll grant those other two wishes and then you'll release me, okay? I'll play along for that stupid thing you want me to do, but then you'll leave me alone forever. Does that sound fair?"
The lamp made it known, again through no direct communication that this was not a one-time thing, but it would be Korra's life from now on. Through the most blessed of servitude they would bring joy to countless people, masters and mistresses, through millennia and perhaps even toward eternity. This was their gift: a role to fulfill and the potential of the infinite, given forever. Korra, however, saw things differently as she'd be a slave, dragged around everywhere until the end of time. She refused, plain and simple and opted to fight until the lamp would just spit her out and find someone else. She had a life, a girlfriend, family and duty prior to this and she wouldn't just throw this away simply because some kind of weird artifact demanded it. Things did not work like that, period. As she felt the same pull as prior, meaning that she'd get taken out of the lamp, this time she resisted and stayed put to illustrate her point. She felt the contact, the jolt within as the lamp's surface was rubbed again, a proper call to be summoned and to grant more wishes again. The jolt was getting a little more intense as she felt the hand of Su Kin Ju going with a little more vigor and energy, as if impatient, yet she would simply not do it and that was that. "No. You won't get me this time. You can suck me in, but I bet you can't blow me out."
On that front she was wrong as a solid gust of wind, a torrent of smoke went on to go around her as if threatening her, then it grabbed her as if it were a solid hand before trying to push her out. Korra tried to hold on to anything, be it pillows and cushions, yet there wasn't anything too solid or heavy to properly latch onto. Her struggle gave no results as she was pushed within the spout, turned into smoke as she was propelled outside to a tornado-like state until she used her air-bending to assume the form given to her by the lamp. She was a little dizzy, more than a little surprised by the strong reaction and initiative from the lamp as she checked around to see that she was now in some kind of large living room, filled with cushions, sofas, small tables, enough for perhaps thirty persons to lounge comfortably while still having their personal space. This was but one of the room she had created using the power of the lamp which had been inserted and channeled through her and as she looked around, she felt an impulse to look at a specific direction, that of Su Kin Ju, the one who was her master yet which she refused to openly call him that. "Oh, great mas-" she began to say, stopping herself and trying to focus to instead go with a more direct approach. "Look, Su Kin Ju, I think there's been a misunderstanding here and we need to seriously talk."
"I agree...It seems I thought the place would be filled with things I need, and it is, but I've realized that there are other stuff that I'll be requiring as well in order to live well and maintain the palace," Su Kin Ju said, not entirely aware that there was a certain urgency to what Korra was trying to say. She could not entirely blame him as she knew that very few could resist the temptation of a powerful and beautiful woman like herself giving him the boon of three wishes, especially considering what she had unwittingly accomplished with a single one. He was excited, eager, and most assuredly his imagination had planned for what he'd like next. She was afraid of what he might say and thus opted to speak as quickly as she could before but the lamp tried to silence her, to make it so she'd listen instead of vocalize any need or message she had to let out. "So I'm thinking that in order to be more comfortable I'd need to be rich too...So I wish to be the richest man in all of the Earth Kingdom!"
She wouldn't do it. She chose instead to go on and speak, to reveal what this lamp really was and how she was treated. Perhaps saying she was the Avatar would help, maybe also destroying the lamp might help if it was the key to freeing her. Wishing for it, perhaps? She had to try something, anything really. Yet the lamp was savvy now and instead went on to pour more of its energy into Korra, making her feel as if she was being inflated by unknown and intangible power. On the outside nothing was changing, yet on the inside Korra was fighting as hard as she could, hoping that all her efforts would tire the lamp, that it would relinquish and just move on. Yet the lamp was a very dedicated entity in that it knew what it wanted and latched onto it just like she had attached itself to Korra. Her smoke tail was sparkling with such splendor, glimmers of the cosmos coursing through it that Korra essentially knew this was a losing battle and yet her stubborn nature made it an impossibility to just give up. The lamp would have to fight her every steps of the way and even if she lost all the time it would still be in the same condition as her: annoyed and angry. However, much as she expected Korra couldn't last eternally, albeit she did give it a fair shot, as the energy burst out and it was time to unleash it unless something drastic might happen.
Much like last time, this was manifested through some dance as her body rejected all the power held within and used it within what Korra knew as she twirled and then spun her hips in circle, her body animated by another will entirely but also through her own desire to eject all that had pooled inside her. She moved her waist forward, then to the side, then backward, to the side and then continuously so in a slow fashion, her belly stretching in a taut fashion until she upped the tempo and made small whirlwinds appear out of nowhere. All residue of dust, rocks and sand that was housed within this palace was attracted to these as Su Kin Ju felt his clothes lift up due to the strong centrifugal forces that were appearing within the living room. Each speck of dust began to then move in circle, brought in to the heart of a whirlwind until Korra then switched her moves and went on to twist her hips, bumping forward and backward with them while her torso stood still. She did so quickly without breaking a sweat as each little motes transformed into sacks of gems, coins and precious items. One sack appeared, then two, then three and so forth as she shook her waist and hips, transmuting the most useless and unworthy little element into something worth more than any peasant could ever dream to obtain in a lifetime. Her hips were ablaze with power, throwing it through invisible means toward all of this as not only was the room, the whole palace actually, squeaky clean but now a pile of coins and other monetary items, of absolute opulence, was created within a single minute. She stopped, the lamp not insisting anymore as Korra felt that she had once more exhausted her body and her reserve and as Su Kin Ju placed her lamp on a nearby table she felt the tug of the lamp once more which followed these intense efforts. She tried to hold on to a couch to stop this from happening, yet now the lamp knew better than to be slow and gentle, a much more stern approach being required for this reluctant genie.
As she got back inside, Korra felt ashamed and angry for being used so easily. She tried to defend herself, to speak up and to vocalize her needs, but it was to no avail. She had defeated so many enemies, brought peace to nations, countered plots and made so many lives better and this was to be her fate? This couldn't be just and right. The lamp tried to reason with her, its influence more felt than heard as it wondered why there was such reluctance, such opposition. Each time would be like that, filled with exhaustion, despair and being devoid of hope. The lamp had a duty to accomplish and Korra had to do it, lest terrible things would happen as there were rules. Not many people could truly enhance other's life like this, after all.
"Screw you!" Korra said, communicating in the only way she knew when she was this frustrated. "I influenced events and changed life long before you came in and you can't just come in, capture me and then tell me about rules which I know nothing about. It doesn't work like that. You didn't even ask me. You just tried to bombard my mind with happy thoughts and to you that was enough...Well guess what? It's not!"
No more words or concepts were exchanged then, as if the lamp had been thinking. Korra knew not if this had changed anything, if her shouting was actually doing much in the grand scheme of things. It felt good, though, as then she felt the tug of the lamp being rubbed again as she figured that Su Kin Ju might actually listen for once, that perhaps this could be reversed in some ways. She still held on to hope and instead of fighting she cooperated, being released in the human world once more as she looked at Su Kin Ju with determination in her eyes. She gathered her willpower, her focus, opting to concentrate on what really mattered before he'd go on to say anything else. "Su Kin Ju!" she started, trying to claim his attention immediately. "You need to let me speak as it's very-"
"Oh, can it wait after I wish for a harem full of pretty women?" he asked, an awkward little smile on his face as Korra was aghast now, taking no more than a few seconds before this man would actually destroy her attempt to move past this predicament of hers. He wanted a harem of all things? Plenty of devoted women obeying him, subservient to him? The thought disgusted her and she would have none of it, yet by now she was accustomed to how this went as Korra felt the torrent of energy flow through her, insistent on this wish being granted immediately as it was what the lamp was there for. It needed this, wanted this and no matter how Korra felt it would be done. She knew that it was inevitable, yet she also was aware of how she acted, what were her priorities and values and thus she restrained herself as much as possible. She gritted her teeth, held it in, did her best with the strength she had, with her inner self being tested to its limits. She only lasted a few seconds last time, a meager yet still symbolic gesture against the one who tormented her, yet now it was the time to really see how far she could take this. The energy was relentless, merciless in the way that it just kept on piling up within her genie body, the tail beginning not just to sparkle, but shine as well. She was a beacon of light, a luminous and iridescent entity right now as her eyes were sending beams, her mouth stood half-open and then, after fifteen seconds, she could not take it anymore and she knew that unless she unleashed it she might actually do something terrible not just to her and Su Kin Ju, the palace and its surroundings, but to the world at large. As she stopped fighting, an explosion of light, a great flash appeared with her at the epicenter as the energy found a way to be used and channeled.
It was again a dance, yet this time the moves were different, she pushed one of her hip forward, then brushed it to the side in as wide an arc as possible before doing the same with the opposite hip. This made for an eight-pattern, a figure in which she did create a cycle with as the energy gathered, crackling on the skin of her abdomen and hips. It made it so sand went on to approach in little snake-like creations, slithering through the open windows to go forth and appear before both Korra and Su Kin Ju. The snakes amassed more sand, gathering more mass and size until they went on to become bigger, larger, more imposing and yet featureless as there were a dozen of them, all of them staring directly at Su Kin Ju. Then, as they all gathered, they dematerialized into piles of sands, ready to be put into a different shape again. One hip was brought down and then brought up, pushed to the side, creating curves which were lifting and shaking the sand as if any excess was removed, made to reveal something hidden beneath. Then the same gesture was repeated in the opposite direction, going for vertical eight-patterns with her hips as her arms rose and spun, bending and that cosmic energy being used in tandem. Arms,, a torso, a head, hair and many things that could form a fully-grown woman erupted from the sand, attaching themselves and gaining color as water came in from outside to give them softness, life-giving liquids within them as Korra essentially created life from sand, air and water. Each women went on to take shape as clothes were given to them, different patterns for their vestments along with colors. Long hair, shot hair, brunette, blondes and so forth, giving way to variety as the intent of the lamp and of Korra came clashing. The lamp wanted to do it well while Korra wanted to get it over with, the two channeling this energy with no cooperation between the conduit and the provider. Eventually, though, life was instilled within those makeshift golems turned to flesh as they all gathered toward Su Kin Ju, possessing no past nor anything much besides adoration toward this man. Given that he was perhaps in his forties, slightly fat, a little bald at that and not entirely a good listener as Korra witnessed, her had indeed hit the jackpot as before she could speak with him and perhaps make someone act on her behalf, she was pulled inside the lamp as the last thing she saw was his smiling face, gratitude being imprinted on it as for Su Kin Ju this had been indeed the best thing to ever happen in his entire life. For Korra, though, it was another matter entirely.
As she was inside the lamp again, she sighed and felt that this last wish could have been so much worse, trying to console herself. All this dancing, this sensuality which she did not know she could show off, could have certainly made him feel attracted to her and she could have been one of his wives. Thankfully, she did not need to enslave anyone, use blood-bending to make them worship him or something similar. Trying to take this as a small victory, she nonetheless couldn't quite stick with this sentiment for long as she knew deep down that she'd get in the same situation, stuck with the exact same challenges time and time again. She'd fight the lamp, it would try to convince her, then it would force her to do these tasks with or without her consent. This was no life and Korra, as much as she thought about it, couldn't quite see many positives to that. She had performed miracles, creating a palace out of sand and rocks, turned dust and sands into jewels and even breathed life into statues of her own semi-design. This was impossible and yet she had done it, which should be an achievement of the grandest order, yet she was merely a conduit, not the driving force behind it all. If she was the one doing it all, perhaps she could somehow see a silver lining, yet she was but a tool here and not even one that the actual provider, the lamp, respected all that much. She'd fight so long as she'd have the will to, but how long would that last? This question alone made her question everything, as she knew it was inevitable until she'd surrender. The lamp, at the very least, did not send her any concepts or ideas, which was strange but most welcome for the time being.
She felt the jolt again, not even letting her have five minutes to actually unwind and make point of the situation as Korra shouted at the item confining and enslaving her. "No! No, you leave me alone. Let me rest!" she said, going to the bottom of the pile of cushions and pillows if only to hide, a gesture that she knew to be entirely futile and childish, yet one she hadn't tried yet. As expected, it didn't work in the slightest, yet at the very least it was an attempt to do something about this as she was pulled out with force that the lamp most certainly never used before, making any resistance moot as Korra was pulled outside, arms crossed and then looking away from where the impulse from the lamp told her to gaze. "Nope. I refuse. I'm still not yours to toy around with and there's nothing you can-"
"Korra?" a feminine voice said, one intimately familiar to Korra as the Avatar-turned-genie recognized instantly. This time it was her own compulsion that made her turn around as the one holding the lamp was none other than Asami, her girlfriend, perhaps her most favorite person in the entire world. "Korra...is that you?"
Korra couldn't help but throw herself at Asami, hugging her so tightly that words came spilling out, most of them hers in a way that felt refreshing and liberating. "Oh I'm so glad to see you. I'm stuck in the lamp and now you're my mistress and I have to grant you three wishes, to think of you as my sole duty and it's so infuriating!" she said, her own words converging with some of the concepts thrown by the lamp as she incidentally identified Asami as her mistress, which made Korra blush. "So...uh...yeah...A little help, please?"
"Uh...I'm afraid you're gonna have to bring me up to speed," Asami said, a little flabbergasted by this entire moment as her girlfriend had some kind of fancy outfit, jewelry, no legs and radiated power as she burst out of the tip of a lamp's spout. None of this made sense and Asami took a deep breath and went on to look at Korra, at first checking her out as this was most decidedly a very different yet sexy look for her girlfriend, but then in her eyes. "Okay, explain what happened to you. The last I know you were in the Si Wong Desert, heading off on your own before waiting for me...as always...and now you're...this."
So she explained, Korra going on with what the lamp did, what it seemed to be, about Su Kin Ju and the wonders that she had made possible. She spoke about resistance, about wanting to be free from this, to be with Asami again and how the last one she had to call master did not even let her speak up and that the lamp actually restrained her...albeit this time around it actually let her speak without doing much of anything save referring to Asami as mistress on occasion, which was certainly quite odd.
"Okay...so you're now super-powerful, almost like some kind of goddess..." Asami said, piecing things together as she paced around, never one to stay in one spot for too long even while in a conversation. "But you're stuck to this lamp which enables and disables certain actions and ask for your compliance..."
"That about sums it up, yes," Korra said, thankful for the ability to speak her mind and have a breather for a change, which was unexpected but certainly most welcome. "You don't know how glad I am to have found you like this. I expected my next...owner...to be someone else."
"It is strange indeed, as I felt a deep need to search for you all of a sudden. I always know you'll be fine, but I felt some sort of, let's call it compulsion, to seek you out. As if you were in trouble," Asami explained, revealing that it might not be happenstance for them both to be reunited as both Korra and Asami looked at the lamp. "I didn't question it and I felt that, somehow, if I grabbed this and removed the dirt I'd find you...and here you are!"
The lamp had listened to her somehow. This was the only explanation as the connection they shared had made it so the lamp knew who Korra was as well. Either that, or it was the biggest coincidence of all time and considering what the lamp could make possible with Korra as a conduit, the latter felt quite improbable. However, she was not about to waste this opportunity as she looked at Asami with an expecting smile on her face. "Alright. Wish for my freedom...Pleeeeeeease~"
A worried expression went on to appear on Asami's face, caution and wisdom giving her a hunch about how feasible such a thing might be. "Tell me, Korra...What would happen if I were to wish for that...For your freedom, I mean?"
Korra did not know, yet the answer came right here and then as the lamp basically gave it to her like a transfer of information and rules. "Basically, someone has to be inside the lamp to act as a conduit, so if you were to wish for my freedom you'd be..." Korra said, learning this at the same moment as Asami as her expression turned from delight to terror as she finished her sentence. "Taking my place inside the lamp..."
This was not a good solution. In fact it was the worst one possible as Korra would never put anyone in there for her sake, certainly not the woman she loved. It seemed that to regain what she had, something had to be sacrificed, or rather someone. It was disappointing, terrible even, and yet once a connection was established it needed to be maintained. Korra was just the unlucky soul who got there first. Asami, however, even intelligent, looked at the lamp and then at Korra with a curious expression, as if piecing a solution together. "And what would happen if I were to rejoin you in the lamp?"
"You wouldn't be able to be in the exact same lamp, but you could visit me if you were to become a genie yourself," Korra explained, sharing the information as she got it. "You'd be in the same predicament, but you'd also be authorized to share a common space with me in which we could see each other...That's the best the lamp can do."
So the lamp was actually trying to give her something now, sensing that it might be the best, or at least only course of action as Korra was conflicted about this, hesitant. She was cursed with this, but for someone else to be caught like her, especially Asami, was rather difficult to choose. "Very well, I wish for this arrangement to be possible. I wish to be a genie, Korra," Asami said, not hesitating a single moment as she looked at Korra, at the lamp and then she prepared herself. Before she could even voice her opinion on the matter, Korra was bombarded with the most intense flow of energy she had ever felt, as if the lamp was trying its best to make this happen quickly. And then Korra went on to dance, her own conflicted emotions managing to make her more vulnerable to the lamp's effect on her. She shook her shoulders, swayed her hips and then her smoke tail got longer and went on to coil itself around her lover's body, Asami looking at Korra while Korra did the same with Asami. It was an important choice, but the determination in Asami's eyes told Korra that this was what she wanted and thus she did not fight back this time, instead going with the flow.
And it was magical. The energy poured out of her through ideas and methods which seemed magnificent, downright amazing as she felt attuned to it for the first time. It traveled through her and poured into Asami who herself accepted it completely. It was the end result which mattered, the scenario in which they could be together, help support the other and perhaps even do something good. It was not the best narrative, but it was certainly one of the better options given the circumstances. As Asami was cocooned and made snug, warm and secure, Korra went on to release unfiltered power within her, the cosmos itself giving way to a second genie which would brighten this world and provide many opportunities for amazement, chaos and all that could be found between.
At first, Asami began to feel the smoke of Korra's tail dissolve some of her vestments, removing the midriff area at first to reveal a more slender, smoother skin than Korra's own. Asami was not athletic nor was she muscular, going for a more lean and slim physique instead. Then her top went on to separate itself in two parts, one being an open vest which was cut just below her breasts while another was a tube top which hugged her torso firmly yet neatly. Red, black and white were her colors, with beads and coins attaching themselves to the top, to the vest and to the sash which now adorned her waist. The sleeves were gone from her upper garments, showing off slender arms, her pale skin contrasting with Korra's yet her vestments highlighted this very carefully, making her look splendid. Then, jewelry popped up as the smoke tail sent sparkles which coalesced into rich-looking accessories like rings around her fingers, a belly ring in her navel, a gem placed right on her top, a circlet around her head and some pearl linings in her long hair which got smoother and slightly longer. Then, the energy which Korra was the conduit for went in a different direction, going through the pore of Asami's skin as Korra looked at all of this in awe and terror, witnessing just how gorgeous Asami looked in such a sumptuous getup.
However, the transformations were far from over as Asami's breasts, which were generous, went on to gain some vigor and size while the makeup she ever wore went on to imprint itself permanently, Her red lips, the eye-shadow, her blush...it all stuck there to remain for good while her face looked smooth and flawless. Her hips went on to enlarge a tiny bit in a way that felt much less imposing than Korra's as her legs began to get massaged by Korra's tail, going on to fuse flesh and clothing together to create another smoke tail out of nothing. Feet, ankles, knees, thighs, all below the waist was touched as then the lamp went on to create an extra step, creating a copy of itself out of thin air as Asami's tail went on to attach itself to the spout of that newly created object. Now sporting a red smoke tail, Asami felt an energy rise up within her, giving her access to alien thoughts and all that Korra had experienced, yet this time with actual understanding and knowledge on her side. As of this moment, Asami was a genie too, a powerful conduit for forces that could rewrite the human world, for better or ill.
"So this is what you went through...Odd...Pleasant...But also mysterious despite what you told me," Asami described, looking at her lamp, still visibly unable to be used to the idea that this was to be her home from now on. "Now, until we find a way to free both ourselves...I suppose we shall try to find as much time as we can to ourselves between owners, yes?"
"Yes...I..." Korra said, moving forward as she kissed Asami right there on the spot, a crackle and some incredible warmth passing between those two. "I love you, Asami."
"And I love you, Korra. Always."
And with that said, both genies returned to their lamp and were found by multiple people, for good or ill as they went on to grant wishes. Some masters and mistresses were certainly better than others as the world evolved, changed and adapted to new things as the legend of the two genies grew, then distorted. Korra and Asami reshaped things here and there, trying their very best as they got accustomed to rules, to limitations and to their lamps, these weird entities which were compassionate yet cold, insistent yet indulgent, a complete study of contrasts upon themselves. Still, they found time to be together more often than not, sharing love and quality time whenever they could. They eventually did find a way to be freed...
Though that is a tale for another time.