I'm not a writer. Sorry if this sucks. Just something I thought up this evening and figured I'd put it into words and see what happens. It's AU.
I do not own Legend of Korra or any other trademarked properties/ideas that may appear in this one-shot.
A tyrant, they call her. She smirks to herself as she lounges on the throne of iron that she has fashioned for herself, a leg slung over the right arm, her head resting on her closed fist. At first, it had bothered her when the title had been applied to her by the Republic Gazette. Now, she rather appreciates the moniker. After all, she knows all about tyrants. She's taken down more than enough of them for a lifetime.
First it was Amon and his Equalist uprising - her first encounter with oppression and tyranny; the first time she had ever experienced gut-wrenching, soul-crushing fear. Eventually she and her friends had exposed Amon for the fraud he was and wrestled control of Republic City away from the Equalists. She would never forget that season of her life.
After that was Unalaq - her uncle, her own flesh and blood - who had fused with the dark spirit Vaatu and successfully ripped Raava completely from her body, severing her connection to her past selves. The first time she experienced true darkness. It took every ounce of her being, her very soul, to overpower him and imprison Vaatu in the Great Spirit Tree for another ten thousand years. Another tyrant removed, another crisis averted.
Then came Zaheer and his merry band of anarchists. Despite all of the positives that Harmonic Convergence had brought about at the time - the return of the Spirits, the rebirth of the Air Nation - it had also created one of her most fearsome opponents. She had tasted death for the first time, though definitely not for the last. She shudders slightly. She still wonders if she ever truly healed from the ordeal. Maybe that's one of the reasons why she is the way that she is today.
Following Zaheer was Kuvira, the metal bending prodigy from Zaofu with a penchant for manipulation and a thirst for power. Her conquests were actually what had inspired her future decisions regarding the nations. Nevertheless, she hasn't faced anyone more deserving of the label of tyrant than Kuvira. In the end she had spared her. If they had fought now, she's not sure she would have made the same decision.
Things weren't quite the same after Kuvira's defeat. Things began to change for her. How could they not? Because after Kuvira was Sai-Cho of the Fire Nation, then Roatuq of the Southern Water Tribe, then the next Earth King (Emperor? She doesn't care), then that Rogue Airbender from the Eastern Air Temple… She blinks. She can't remember the rest, there's been so many. Eventually she began to understand what drove her enemies' quest for power, because after ten years of fighting and defeating the next "bad guy" and then watching the new controlling power muck it all up and fail miserably, giving rise to another tyrant to depose them and take their place, she realizes you can only sit by for so long and observe the cycle again and again before you accept the fact that you can do the job better.
So that's exactly what she did.
She reflects on how her journey to tyranny began. During her time in the Spirit World after her battle with Kuvira, she came to realize that the world was still unbalanced. Having Vaatu sealed away was actually making the problems in the universe worse, not better. With him locked up and out of the picture, the balance between Light and Dark was unequal. She knew she needed to fix it in order to prevent another catastrophe like the last five years had been.
So she set him free. And absorbed him into herself.
Now carrying both the Light and Dark Spirits, she dedicated the rest of her life to keeping the universe in check. That is what she hopes people will remember about her: that everything she did was to protect the world. To maintain the balance.
It wasn't long after Kuvira's trial that Amon's lieutenant returned with the Reformed Equalists who attempted to depose the President of the Republic. She remembers being tempted to avoid the conflict, but the choice was taken from her. The Lieutenant had made it personal when he had murdered Asami in her own home. It had only taken her and her friends a matter of days to track him down.
She hadn't spared him like she spared Kuvira. She cut him down in front of his defeated followers.
She wonders if that was when her friends first began to question her decisions. After Kuvira's defeat, she remembers how Mako had promised to have her back no matter what. She remembers how Bolin had hugged her and gleefully exclaimed that "The New Team Avatar was here to stay!" She recalls how Tenzin had so confidently told her that she would be one of the greatest Avatars to ever live.
A twinge of feeling - was it guilt? She can't remember what guilt feels like - flickers in her chest, but she pushes it back down. She knows Raava is still in there, but perhaps she listens to Vaatu more than she should. She dismisses the thought.
The years have blended together, and she only holds on to the important memories. Of how she seized power from President Enzo and banished him and his corrupt cabinet from the Republic. Of her efforts to unite the Water Tribes, deposing her father and her cousins in the process. How she overthrew the last Fire Lord and claimed the Fire Nation for the Republic. How she led the Republic forces as they stormed across the Earth Kingdom to the walls of Ba Sing Se. How she used her influence over the Air Nomads to maintain her control of the nations as they traveled across the globe.
Another twinge of guilt - she's sure that's what it is now - ripples in her chest. Again she pushes it down. Controlling the Air Nomads had been more difficult than she had anticipated. Tenzin and the others had expressed concern over her efforts at the time.
"How is what you are doing any different than what Kuvira attempted to do with her Earth Empire all those years ago? You are going to become a tyrant just like her! The Avatar's role is not to rule. The Avatar is supposed to maintain the balance of the world!"
She had explained that her choices had been made for the good of the world, the good of the Republic. She was attempting to maintain the balance. Tenzin hadn't taken that well. A permanent rift had been created and there was no way to heal the wound.
In the end Tenzin had held control of the Air Nation for too long. It was time for him to give it up.
The official reports called it a freak accident. A fateful flight on Oogi that resulted in a tragic fall culminating in a gruesome end by impalement on the sharpened remains of a partially downed tree. Oogi had been found dead several meters away. Everyone accepted the story and mourned the loss of a beloved father, master, and leader. But she knew better.
After all, she was the one who had staked him through the heart with an ice spike. The last thing he saw before his final breath left his lungs was the menacing orange glow of her eyes and the slight smirk on her lips. Her eyes never reverted back to their natural cerulean color after that.
She had swooped in to fill the power vacuum left in the wake of Tenzin's death. The Air Nation accepted her rule begrudgingly, albeit unaware of the part that she played in their master's fate.
Looking back, that was clearly the last straw for Mako. One look at her new irises and he had walked out on her without looking back.
"I can't do it. I can't keep following you like this. When you came back from the Spirit World and told me about Vaatu, I was concerned. But I trusted you. I knew you were strong enough to handle it. I was there by your side with each tyrant you faced. I wanted to help you take down the enemies of the Republic. But then you started taking over. You know that's why Bolin and Opal left, right? They were worried you were getting power-hungry. They felt like they were losing their best friend. And honestly? I've been feeling that way for a while too. I swore I would have your back, but this? What you're doing? What you have done? This isn't what I signed up for. And this isn't you."
And now here she was. Alone, and in control. Mostly.
She's aware of the small growing rebellion in the heart of the former Earth Kingdom, based out of the remains of Zaofu. She's not too concerned though. She's faced worse.
But she also has to admit that they've gained substantial ground in the territory and that at this moment they are launching an attack against her and her city. They've become more bold, especially with the recent recruitment of two very capable new commanders.
Her dear friends - Mako and Bolin. The Sons of the Rebellion.
The guilt spikes more sharply this time and she emits a growl and releases a blast of blue flames at a nearby tapestry bearing her seal. She watches as the tapestry burns, tries to regain her composure. She hears his dark whispers in her mind.
Forget them. You don't need them. Focus on your mission. Maintain the balance.
She breathes in, breathes out, heart rate returning to a normal rate. He's right, after all. She has a duty to maintain the balance. She won't let anything get in the way of that. Not even old connections. She's not afraid of them - she's not. She's ready to face them.
She closes her eyes. She can feel their presence, them and their comrades who are currently doing battle with the members of the New Order of the Lotus in the hall outside the former council chamber where she now sits upon her iron throne. She's trying her hardest to fight against the small flicker of joy at the prospect of seeing her former companions again, blocking out her voice urging her to make amends. She focuses on his voice instead.
Everything you have done is for the good of the world. Focus on your mission. Maintain the balance.
She's aware that the sounds of fighting have died out. The doors to the council chamber slam open. Footsteps approach.
"KORRA!"
The voice is full of emotion, more emotion than she has been able to comprehend for some time now. She opens her eyes to see Mako and Bolin - her Mako and Bolin, her friends! - standing not 15 feet from her throne. Bolin points an accusing finger at her, arm shaking. There are tears in his eyes.
"Your reign of tyranny ends today!"
"Please Korra." It's Mako who speaks now. His voice is more calm and gentle than she expects. "We don't want to do this. Surrender now and come with us. There's still time to fix this mess."
Korra sighs and rises from the throne. "Mako. Bolin." Her voice is deeper, more gruff, corrupted with the influence of the dark spirit that has grown stronger within her. "Everything I have done is for the good of the world. For the Republic. I must maintain the balance." Blue flames leap to her hands as she meets their gaze. "I don't expect you to understand."
Mako's eyes narrow as the tears begin to fall from Bolin's eyes. "Then I guess you leave us with no choice."
And as the flames and rocks begin to fly throughout the makeshift throne room, Korra can no longer ignore the soft voice in the back of her mind. The one that reminds her that for all of the effort that she has put into maintaining the balance, she herself is the most unbalanced.
Funny how the one who has spent years fighting tyrants has become the worst tyrant of them all.
And that's that. I wish there was a better way to word the ending. Ah well.
Please feel free to rate and review and let me know how I can improve.