Welcome back everybody to Book IV.
I'm sorry this chapter took so long. I had a flu it seemed. A terrible one at that. I could barely move in the first two days, and the next ones were spent with laying in bed and coughing severely.
While I feel a lot better, I still have coughing fits. So please be patient.
I also apologize if the chapter is short or shit. I just wanted to finish it and get going with the story.
Crystalheartlover17: Hope you enjoyed the lemon.
Fanfic writer 117: Your review made me burst out laughing. 117 huh, Halo fan?
Chris (guest): No he's not using a water arm, you'll see why. I created Kanan to show that he's the best Waterbender in the world. And I already said they'll get stronger together.
I don't own anything aside from my OC's and some other stuff I might add.
Now to the story.
After the fight in the Spirit World, Kanan was on edge. He was lost in thought, he was afraid if he would turn into one of the uncontrollable Kijin. Korra's reassurances didn't help much.
Both were currently in an Earth Kingdom village. Korra suggested they change their appearances.
Both were wearing green tank tops, Kanan's still had the blue kimono sleeve. Bandages wrapped around their hands and forearms, with dark pants, Kanan still wore his sandals. The gigantic Masamune was held at his waist with a red sash.
Korra had, much to Kanan's dismay, cut her hair into a short bob cut. But it didn't matter that much to him. She was still beautiful in his eyes.
Talking about hair over the last year while they were recovering, Kanan's hair had turned completely snow-white. He didn't tie it anymore, all of it was freely flowing in the wind.
As Kanan was gone to get some supplies, Korra was minding her own business. As she looked at the streets, the people living her life.
She spotted herself.
She was locked up in chains and Zaheer was taunting her. Korra closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. She opened them again and the image of herself was gone.
"Everything okay?" She turns to see Kanan, a neutral expression on his face.
"Yeah." She waved him off.
They got back on Byakko and flew off.
Korra always marveled when they flew. Soaring through the skies, it made her feel... free.
Freedom she craved when she was a child.
Freedom she finally truly experienced.
Seeing his girlfriend's expression Kanan couldn't help but smile. Her smiles brightened his day.
That night they settled at an Inn. Luckily both brought money.
"Names please?" The receptionist asked, clearly bored.
Korra gasped, she didn't want people to recognize her.
"Shin Igami." Kanan answered. "And she is my girlfriend Ava Tar."
The receptionist gave them a key, and they left for their room.
"Shin Igami and Ava Tar?" Korra voiced her thoughts, as she changed to her sleeping wear.
She gasped in realization. "Shinigami and Avatar!"
"It just suddenly came to my mind." Kanan explained as they snuggled together in bed, both quickly falling asleep in each other embrace.
The very next day both were meditating in a spirit oasis that was seemingly created after Harmonic Convergence.
The Avatar herself was doing her best to contact the spirit of light Raava. Her connection with the other Avatars was lost but she still had Raava.
She found herself in a purple mindscape, looking around she spotted nothing. Concentrating, Korra hoped to hear anything. But sadly, nothing happened.
She then heard something.
A feminine chuckle.
Before Korra could investigate, she lost her concentration and was torn from her mindscape.
She looked over to Kanan, the gusts of the wind blowing his empty sleeve around. His eyes shot open, the grey-blue gaze rivaling a thunderstorm.
"Any luck?" He asked her.
She shook her head. "Nothing. But I'm not letting that stop me from trying harder next time." Korra smiled slightly.
Kanan was surprised by her good mood. Normally it was him who lightened the mood, but now the roles were reversed. It just showed how she had become more mature. But she was still Korra.
Korra then noticed something bugging her boyfriend.
"Is something wrong?" She asked him as his face went slightly red.
"W-Would... you h-help me out." Kanan muttered scratching the back of his head nervously, as his face gained a red hue to it.
Korra blinked a couple of times. Staring at Kanan like he had grown a pair of antlers. Kanan was asking for... help?
"Can you stop staring at me like that?" His question brought Korra back to reality.
"What do you need my help with?" Korra asked.
Kanan proceeded to explain that since his spiritual side awakened, so has his spiritual energy. He wants Korra to teach him how to control it. She's the Avatar, she already controls her own spiritual energy.
Korra nodded. "Close your eyes and give me your hands."
Kanan did just that, and after a minute or so Korra found herself in Kanan's mindscape. It didn't look nice if she was being honest.
It was constantly raining, the area around them was completely flooded. A harsh wind was blowing, ripping the trees from the ground. But as soon as she approached the rain and wind stopped.
She looked at the meditating form of Kanan. There was a combination of dark-blue and pitch-black spiritual energy roaring around him like a gigantic flame. He had no control over it.
Korra exited his mindscape, and let go of his hands.
"Your energy is completely out of your control. To control it you need to meditate." Korra explained.
"I kinda expected that." Kanan frowned as Korra laughed.
Soon they found themselves on the road again. Kanan was explaining to Korra how his waterbending worked, he promised he'd teach her in time the secrets about it.
Korra had also nervously asked Kanan to train her in martial arts. While he had trained her before, it were simple stances and nothing more extravagant.
In all honesty, even if Korra had beaten Kanan back at the South Pole, it didn't feel like much of an achievement to her. She clearly saw he was struggling to fight with one arm.
They stopped at a small rundown temple, and decided to settle in for the night.
Kanan had explained to Korra, that for the first exercise she would only use her own strength. No chi-control, no bending. Just her own brute strength.
Kanan pressed his fingers against a thick plank before ramming his hand through it.
"Can you do that?" Kanan asked her.
"I can but not that close." Korra responded.
"Then you can't do it." Kanan began.
"What if your enemy is three inches in front of you? What do you do then, curl into a ball, or ram your FIST through him?" Kanan said ramming his fist through the wood again.
"Now begin."
Korra presses her fingers against the wood before punching. She recoils back in pain holding her hand.
"It's the wood that should fear your hand not the other way around. No wonder you can't do it. You acquiesce to defeat before you even begin." Kanan reprimanded the young Avatar.
"I'll show you defeat!" Korra shouted as she proceeded to punch the wooden planks several times.
Kanan smiled. His words of courage, worked.
After several hours of punching wood Korra's hand and fingers hurt. She was grateful that Kanan wasn't going easy on her. She didn't want to be babied by anyone.
It's through pain and effort that you learn.
She noticed someone approaching. Turning around she saw Kanan, who motioned for her to follow.
Korra followed him to a small circle, which reminded her of a fighting ring.
A water arm formed itself in the missing space of Kanan's left arm. Kanan took his stance.
Not needing any words Korra took her stance.
Both charged at each other, Korra unleashed a fury of strikes, all of which Kanan effortlessly weaved around. He retaliated with his own strikes, which Korra, surprisingly blocked perfectly. Korra aimed a kick at Kanan's side, before he could catch her leg Korra dropped and sweeped kicked Kanan, who jumped up to avoid it.
As Kanan was defenseless in the air Korra cartwheels him in the jaw, sending Kanan flying back. Kanan quickly stood up and blocked several strikes from Korra before striking her chest several times. He caught her next fist but her next move surprised him. Korra spun forward and tripped Kanan with her foot while ramming her elbow into his chest at the same time.
With a one hand backflip Kanan evaded being thrown to the floor. He took a good look at Korra. He knew she was tired, but she was showing no signs of stress or exhaustion. Her eyes were filled with determination, like nothing could bbeat her now.
He smiled as he took his stance again. The fight continued for another hour or so, before Kanan decided it was enough, and they should over exert themselves.
"An enemy won't leave you a breathing pause Korra. You need to learn to be ready at all times." Kanan suddenly spoke up.
"Come on, it's getting late." Kanan gestured her forward.
And with that both left for their room for the night.
The next month or so we're spent teaching Korra his martial arts. Kanan had noticed Korra mixing in her own moves. He didn't mind, he wanted her to personalize it, he explained to her.
After a day of training followed a traditional spar. They repeated this process every day, Korra growing better by day.
"Hah!" Korra shouted as her fist went through the thick wooden planks like they were nothing. She repeated the process several times as Kanan watched with a satisfied and proud smile. Her fist went through several cinderblocks next.
The next day Kanan was teaching Korra his waterbending. Korra was thrilled, in the past she had seen several times Kanan bend large amounts of water from no existent source. He basically pulled it from thin air.
Right now the Avatar was meditating underneath a waterfall. As the water splashed her and ran down her body, she felt a certain connection to it.
"Let it become a part of you. Feel as the water drips down your skin." Kanan stated.
That's how Korra's next days were spent.
Meditating. To get a connection to the element.
Practicing. Enjoying the fruits of her labor.
Practice was when Korra needed to create her own water, without using any from the lake she was standing on.
Slowly but surely Korra got a hang of it. While she doubted she'd be as good as Kanan, she still practiced.
Speaking of Kanan, Korra looked over to see him meditating. She could feel how his spiritual energy was more controlled, it wasn't perfect but it was something.
Kanan's practice consisted of him calming the raging storm that was his spiritual energy. It was hard. He found himself exhausted several times through simple meditation.
After a resourceful day for the couple, they found themselves walking back to the temple, that for the last months they called home.
"Kanan?"
"Yes."
"I was thinking. Why aren't you using a water arm? I doubt it's hard for you to maintain it." Korra asked, she was curious. A master waterbender such as himself could easily create multiple limbs if he wanted.
"It's my punishment. Punishment for my arrogance. I had this false sense of invincibility." Kanan began.
"Now every time I gaze upon my arm, I'm reminded I'm not invincible. I'm human just like everyone else. That I have faults."
Korra found herself gaping at her boyfriend. She never knew that his loss had such deep meaning. But now that she knew she felt their bond was even stronger.
She slipped her hand into his, Kanan's hand instinctively softly grabbed hers.
A couple of weeks later both found themselves traveling again.
Kanan stopped in his tracks. The air, it was filled with the stench of smoke... and corpses. Kanan immediately took of soaring through the air with his jumps.
"What's the hurry?" Korra asked as she caught up, but retracted her question upon seeing the smoke.
As both reached the village they were met with the sight of bandits burning everything, not only that Kanan caught some of them harming the innocent villagers. Anger flooded his mind, he found himself breathing heavily, hoping to contain it all.
Korra punched several bandits at once sending them all flying. She instinctively dodged a blast of fire, she caught the firebenders fist and threw him onto his recovering comrades.
Kanan created a whip out of his spiritual energy, slashing any bandit that dared to get close. His whip ensnared a bandit by his leg, Kanan swung and threw him into an burning house, the small house collapsing from the impact.
"Stop!"
Korra and Kanan turn to see someone who looked like the leader approach.
"We have hostages. Stop your resistance." He ordered holding a woman next to him, his hand covered in fire.
Kanan growled as he and Korra were restrained with chains. Who knew bandits could metalbend.
"What do we do with them?" One of the bandits asked.
"We could leave them here to burn with the village." One of them suggested.
"Or we could sell them. We could get a good price for both." Another suggested.
Kanan couldn't hold it anymore. Watching innocents die, the filthy bandits clearly eyeing Korra. He snapped.
His eyes shot open revealing blood-red eyes staring at it's prey. Kanan ripped the chains from himself, he swung them bisecting several bandits at once.
Kanan lunged at them shredding them apart with his claws. He only needed one hand.
"Kanan stop!" Korra shouted as she knocked out a couple of bandits. But Kanan didn't listen.
The bandits started running for their lives.
"You're not going anywhere." Kanan stated as he flexed his fingers, cracking his knuckles with the simple act.
Kanan laughed as his claws tore through another group. Some of them made a beeline for the nearby forest, but didn't have the chance as Kanan's blood drenched claws fired several crescent shaped blades of blood which shredded those fleeing towards the forest.
The few left ran towards the lake hoping to swim away from the monster.
Kanan appeared in front of them, destroying any chance they had for survival.
Kanan grinned flexing his fingers as his knuckles cracked again.
"Please. We were payed to attack this village, we're just following orders." One of the bandits begged as he fell to his knees.
But Kanan didn't care, as he readied his claws, Korra jumped in front of him.
"Kanan, stop." Korra said as she slowly approached him.
Kanan grasped his head in pain as he stepped away from Korra.
"No... stay away. Stay away from me!" He shouted at her as he disappeared in the woods.
"Oh thank you lady, you..." The bandit was interrupted as Korra trapped the remaining ones with her earthbending.
"Don't talk to me." Korra said sending a soul-piercing glare their way, as the bandits fell unconscious from fear.
Korra rushed after Kanan. As she ran through the forest, she cursed herself. She should have protected him. But like always she did nothing.
This time she would help him.
"Hold on." Korra said as she picked up her pace.
Kanan arrived in a swamp, as he stepped in the mud he was assaulted with visions.
"You're useless without me." Kanan's spiritual half mocked him. "I always have to bust you out of trouble."
His spiritual half leaned in closer and grabbed Kanan by the throat.
"Maybe I should take control. I will be the Kanan everyone needs. Not this broken down man you are. I'll be of actual use to mom, to the others... to Korra."
"Shut up!" Kanan shouted as he punched the illusion.
His illusionary spiritual half laughed. "You don't want me to shut up. If you wanted I wouldn't be here." He then laughed loudly.
"I'm just a figment of your imagination, of your guilt. Get. Over. It." He said emphasising the last three words.
Kanan grasped his head. "Shut up!"
Korra arrived at a swamp it seemed. As she walked through the mud searching for Kanan, she was faced with herself.
Korra herself was standing there, hair in mess, her clothes torn.
"You can barely help yourself, and you think you can help Kanan. You can't do anything in the state you are." The imaginary Korra mocked her.
"I can and will help him, as if I'm gonna let an illusion stop me." Korra exclaimed as she walked past her imaginary self.
"You got that right I'm an illusion, a figment of your mind. But I'm here for a reason." The imaginary Korra chuckled.
Korra stopped in her tracks. That chuckle... it sounded like the one she heard when she tried to connect to Raava.
"You still don't understand. You can't hope to connect to Raava if you can't even get over your fear." The imaginary Korra said.
"Your fear prevents you from finding Raava again. You're afraid, the last time you were in the Avatar State you experienced pain and suffering, like never before."
"Fine! I'm afraid, I don't want to be hurt like that again." Korra exclaimed.
"But... it was my time with Kanan that I realized, pain is always a part of someone's life. Whether it's emotional or physical pain, it doesn't matter. Pain will always be a part of your life. But it's through that pain that we grow as people, as human beings."
"I'm not perfect no one is. I am who I am. I'm Korra"
And with those words Korra left to find Kanan.
After what seemed like hours in this maze of a swamp Korra found Kanan.
As she approached him Kanan spoke up. "What are you doing here. It's...It's not safe. I'm a monster."
"No, you're not." Korra said, kneeling behind him. "I know you'd never hurt me."
"How can you know that." Kanan spoke up. "After everything you saw... how... how can you still believe in me."
"Because I love you."
Kanan's eyes widen, his mother's words echoed throughout his mind.
"That one word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. Love."
Kanan turned slowly around, his slightly teary gaze meeting Korra's loving one. She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his own and smiling.
After a moment Korra locked eyes with Kanan and brought her lips to his.
No tongue was involved. No hormonal interference. It was a simple but delicate kiss.
They separated, both with smiles gracing their lips. It was starting to get dark.
As they stood up rain started to fall, they hurried through the swamp.
"I saw a cave nearby." Kanan said pointing in the supposed direction.
Both quickly raced through the rain, and to their surprise found a cave.
"It's really dark." Kanan commented, before it lit up.
"Better?" Korra asked as a small flame stood ignited in her hand.
As they moved deeper into the cave, Korra and Kanan's eyes widened.
"Toph..."
Finally. Sorry this chapter took so long.
Well next chapter Toph is gonna tease the hell out of them, okay maybe not that much.
Sorry if the chapter is short, or shit. I just wanted to get it over with.
See ya.
