The spirit portal formed a double helix, illuminating the sky. Bumi and Opal looked from the dark forest below to the portal over yonder.
"What do we do?" Kai called out to the folks who had not fallen or jumped from the skybisons.
"We can't just leave Kuvira and Bae here." Opal leaned over to scan the forest below for signs of them, a futile gesture.
"Not all of us. We've got to get to Tenzin and the others ASAP," Bumi said. He turned to listen to a suggestion from BumJun that only he could understand and reported back to the rest. "BumJun says we have to hurry because the landscape is constantly shifting. And our distress is irritating the spirits."
"Fine, you all go. I'm staying here and waiting for them," Opal said.
"But Opal," Kai said. "What if –"
"I don't care!" Opal gripped Juicy's reigns tightly. She realized her own distress and took a deep breath.
BumJun made another inscrutable sound.
"BumJun says we have to go. Their best hope is if a spirit guide finds them and leads them to the Republic City portal," Bumi translated. He turned to BumJun. "Wow, you're quite eloquent in the Spirit World."
BumJun bowed, his massive ears fluttering as he hovered next to Moo.
"Opal, we've got to go. She'll find a way – she's Kuvira," Kai said.
They all gave each other a knowing look.
"She is and she will," Opal closed her eyes and made a wordless wish; her intention emanated into the Spirit World like a siren, and the right spirits heard. When Opal opened her eyes, she said "let's go," and they went.
The forest was cold and shrouded, the trees forming a vast web of connections through its roots and the soil and the fungi. At first glance the forest seemed spiritless, but in a blink, life or something like it teemed everywhere.
"Bae? Bae?" Kuvira called, walking around. She tried not to disturb the spirits, but with her gross body clunking and stinking about the place, it was nearly impossible.
"You mean the other smelly human?" A high-pitched voice called.
"Who said that?" Kuvira said, spinning around before finally looking down.
"Me," a mushroom spirit replied.
Kuvira knelt to mushroom head level. "Have you seen the smelly human you speak of? And if so, can you please point me in the right direction?"
"Well I don't have hands, so I can't point. But she's over there." The mushroom motioned with its eyes and Kuvira turned to find Bae wandering, muttering to herself.
"Where are you, my love? I know I heard your voice. I'm here now. You can show yourself," Bae said, feeling around aimlessly in the dark.
Kuvira approached and grabbed Bae's hand. "I'm here."
Bae looked at Kuvira and her eyes began to water. "Finally, you made it. "I found you, I - ahh!" Bae unfastened her hand from Kuvira's and backed away, running deeper into the forest.
"Bae! Come back here!" This time Kuvira did chase her, grabbing her hand once more before Bae slipped further into the shrouded abyss. "It's OK, I've got you. We've got to go."
"No. You're not him. You're... someone else! I don't know you!" Bae said desperately.
Kuvira held Bae then, knowing her emotions affected their immediate surroundings. Dark spirits crowded around but Kuvira paid them no mind. "I know I'm not," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm truly, truly sorry."
Bae gripped Kuvira's torso tighter and cried, letting it all out. Slowly, the spirits shifted from agitated malevolent beings, to sad and sniffly, to peaceful and airy. They no longer focused on the two stinky creatures below but floated off down their own paths.
"I'm sorry. I sure messed things up, didn't I?" Bae said after a long spell.
"If you're referring to the spirit portal and the apocalypse - don't worry. We'll find a way. One thing you should know about me, I never give up."
Still holding Bae's hand, Kuvira motioned to go. She planned to ask the mushroom for directions out of the forest but before she could, a majestic sight appeared.
In a clearing emerged two regal spirits. A white tiger with black stripes ambled its immense haunches toward them, yawning to reveal canines the size of Kuvira's head; a black crane hovered above it, flapping its wings elegantly. They both emanated a soft glow. To the women, they appeared to be traveling companions.
The tiger approached, encircling the women. Bae was shaking. "Are we a snack?" she whispered to her traveling companion.
The crane locked eyes with Kuvira momentarily before coyly turning away; the tiger snarled.
"No, I think we insulted them by saying that," Kuvira said. She slowly let go of Bae, who protested. "It's OK, I think they want me to do something. Please give me a little space."
Bae stepped back, though carefully avoiding the path of the tiger.
Kuvira took a deep breath and steadied herself before dancing the tigercrane form.
"Fun fact about me, Bae – since I've never told you anything about my past," Kuvira said, as she performed. "When I was a little girl, I had a bad temper and couldn't sit still. So, when I learned the basic earthbending forms, to make it less boring, I turned everything into a dance. Anyone else would have punished me for doing it wrong, but Su – Mom – saw something special in me then. And I couldn't be more grateful."
Kuvira continued the form blithely though powerfully. When she was done, she collected her chi and bowed to the tiger and crane who returned the gesture.
"There are many paths... will you please lead us to the new spirit portal?" Kuvira said humbly.
"Ask and you shall receive," the tiger responded in a low drawl.
The tiger approached the women and turned to its side, signaling them to climb on. Kuvira whispered to Bae to remain calm and helped her up. Sometimes being cool was vitally necessary.
They both straddled the tiger who shifted its immense figure, swinging its hips as it walked; the crane flew low, leading the way out of the forest.
When they emerged, the landscape had changed to something neither woman recognized. The tiger stood on its hind legs, sliding the women off its back; then it leapt up and merged with the crane, forming a giant striped tigercrane with sharp talons and black stripes and wings that spanned a jet plane. Its head was a tiger; it's body, a bird.
The women climbed atop the tigercrane who cleaned itself with its prickly tongue leisurely before launching off the ground and greeting the sky.
They flew for countless miles over hill and dale and stream and river, through mountain and desert, through ocean and jungle until off in the distance, the spirit portal appeared.
"We're almost there! We made it!" Bae said. She was incredulous as if she had been in the spirit world much longer than a few hours – it felt like both a moment and a lifetime.
As for Kuvira, nothing could break her focus, not even the moon shining full and bright through the portal as if it appeared to be slowly crossing over into the spirit world.
The tigercrane soared through the portal across worlds to Republic City. All was peaceful it seemed, no sign of death and destruction.
They landed a few feet from the portal and dismounted the tigercrane, which wordlessly separated once more and ambled back.
Kuvira and Bae showed their silent gratitude by not turning away until the tigercrane disappeared into the portal, though Bae was struck by the City.
"So this is Republic City. I always wanted to come here – never imagined it'd be under these circumstances." Bae gazed about the spirit wilds and around at the skyscrapers.
"And I never imagined I'd be back here again," Kuvira said, scanning for signs of something apocalyptic.
"Maybe they didn't need us, well, you. Maybe things are fine."
A Satomobile sped around a curve and screeched to a stop next to them. It was Asami with Opal in the passenger seat.
"Kuvira! We need you!" Opal hopped out of the car as they stopped, using a small gale of wind as a boost.
The airbender ran up to Kuvira and jumped in her arms, kissing her. Then she pulled away and looked at Bae, blushing before leaning in to hug her and delicately kiss her on the cheek at the corner of her mouth.
"Glad you made it. I knew you would," Opal said.
Bae was also blushing and Asami noticed the sexual tension among all of them but pretended not to.
"Things are not OK," Asami said from the driver's seat of the car. "Korra's gone. We were going to tie her up before the full moon but she disappeared sometime last night. Now get in, I'll explain the rest on the way."
Kuvira and Bae hopped in back and Opal in shotgun. She turned to Kuvira. "They already know the rest about what Kyoshi said and the blood moon."
"And if it's true," Asami shifted gears before speeding off, "Then we have a lot to worry about."
"What do you mean?" Bae said. Her spirit world stupor had dissipated.
"I mean – we need to stop Chai Son and his little secret society because they have no idea what an Avatar really is. And especially now that Korra is vulnerable... I just worry about her." A tear streamed down Asami's face and she quickly wiped it before the others noticed. But it wasn't a tear of sadness, it was of anger and resolution. She gripped the wheel and bore down on the gas pedal.
Meantime, Kuvira was thinking of ways to acquire gold in the city, and all the while she focused on her mission, it didn't occur to her that she had fucked everyone in the car.
The night before...
Korrasami were snuggled in bed, discussing the game plan. The next morning, they would strap the Avatar down, muzzle her, and lock her away on Air Temple island until the whole thing blew over.
Varrick had acquired gold handcuffs, but he wouldn't say where he got them or what he used them for. Either way, they took what they could get on short notice.
They would take turns standing guard while some of them searched for Chai Son, who was probably hiding out somewhere in or around the city.
Jinora, having made great strides in her spiritual progress, appeared in spirit at Air Temple Island to give a heads up that Kuvira, a newly minted goldbender, and the rest were headed to Republic City.
"What if she doesn't get here in time and I do something awful?" Korra's mind was circling again.
"She will, baby. Jinora said they're already on the way... And you won't," Asami caressed Korra's forearm which was draped around her.
Korra kissed the back of her neck. "I don't know what I'd do if I hurt you or anyone. I've been thinking – maybe we need to get far, far away from here. Disappear."
Asami turned to face Korra. "The Earth is filled with all the elements. There's no escaping – unless we launched you to outer space."
"There's the high school librarian, the one I told you about... if worse comes to worse, I want him around."
"Korra, no! It could drive you crazy – getting locked in that portal or whatever it is for seeming eternity. And, like Tenzin said, who knows what that would do to our world? Losing both the dark and light spirits? That's the worst idea I've ever heard."
"It might be the only... unless you killed me. And if it happens to be while I'm in the Avatar state, so be it."
"Don't talk like that baby. I'm not going to kill you – I'd rather die."
Korra delicately kissed Asami's lips and the tears that collected about her eyes. "I'm glad Kuvira's coming."
They lay there in silence before dozing off.
Hours later, Korra awoke clutching her gut, feeling sick. She fell out of bed and made her way to the bathroom, vertigo setting in. Crawling to the toiled bowl, she dry-heaved in it to no avail. She could barely lift her head, so she let it rest on the ground and began to flail this way and that, crying "Asaaamiiii," before passing out.
Korra opened her eyes and saw Asami's unmade up face staring back at her.
"Are you OK? You were out for a minute. I was going to call Tenzin," Asami said, leaning in to hug the Avatar.
Korra patted Asami's back with one hand and sat up. "I feel... fine. Great actually. I don't know, maybe I was sleep walking. By the way, you look gorgeous without makeup."
Asami smiled. "Don't change the subject. I was worried about you. Let me get you some water."
She got up and grabbed a cup, filling it with water from the sink. Before she could turn around, she saw Korra's reflection in the mirror standing behind her.
A dark hand slid across Asami's waist and lips caressed her shoulder, turning her on. Blues eyes looked back at her through the mirror.
"We do look good together, don't we? I don't blame you for choosing me," Korra said.
Asami recoiled slightly, feeling a chill creep up her spine. "You're being weird. Here, drink this water and come to bed."
"I'm sorry, baby. I guess I'm just nervous." Korra took the cup and drank it.
"It's OK, come here. I know what can help us both relax." Asami threaded her fingers with the Avatar's and led her to the canopied bed of their country home.
They were kissing on the way, making out and such. Asami leaned against the foot of the bed, legs straddling the Avatar. She undressed slowly, lowering one strap of her pink night gown to expose her creamy breast, then the other. The Avatar leaned in and suckled them, then she ripped the damn dress off Asami.
"That was my favorite nightgown!" Asami said, before cooing: "but I have another."
She bit Korra's ear as the Avatar's hands ran down her body.
"You are the perfect woman," Korra said.
"I want you to fuck me, if it's the last thing you do," Asami husked.
Korra took off her sweat pantaloons. Her expression changed suddenly, and she recoiled.
"What is it?" Asami sat up.
"I don't know what to, how to – "
"Don't be so hard on yourself. How many times do I have to tell you you've given me the best orgasms of my life? How about this?"
Asami wrapped her legs around Korra, bringing her in to lie on top of her, and flipped the Avatar over. She kissed the length of the other woman, starting from Korra's dark nipples and moving down the center of her chest and belly button until she reached the bush and went to town.
The Avatar bucked her hips and gripped the sheets and curled her toes and moaned loudly, feeling the heat building in her core until the final explosive release that redirected the ecstatic energy with her.
"Fuck!" The Avatar huffed, catching her breath. "That was the best orgasm of my life."
"Good, now get some rest," Asami said, peppering a few kisses on her. Then she yawned and crawled back to her side of the bed and fell asleep.
Korra made sure Asami was out cold before making her next move. She walked over to the closet and picked out an outfit – not the blue Avatar getup, but something for the city gal. She found a unisex suit, dapper but casual enough, and slicked her hair back. Then she tiptoed out the house and toward the car, where she started the engine and drove off into the night.
She made it to a night club known for its homosexual patrons and found a seat at the bar. Hushed and other nameless voices said things like "It's the Avatar," "Avatar Korra," "She's so hot," and "Check out those gams."
Korra looked at her own gams and couldn't help but agree. A woman approached, young and buzzed by look of her face and smell of her breath.
"My friend and I made a bet. I said you're the Avatar, and she said you're not – because you're not wearing your Water Tribe outfit."
The Avatar noticed the woman by the jukebox the one in front of her had just mentioned.
"And what happens if you win?" Korra smiled.
"If I win, then I get to talk to the Avatar," the other girl stuttered nervously.
Sensing her nerves, Korra said reassuringly: "I am the Avatar."
"Wow!" The girl could hardly look at her as she added: "All these people would line up to fuck you."
"What if I all I require is a kiss?"
"From me?"
Korra nodded. "Privately. No audience though."
"OK."
The girl followed Korra out the back to a dark alley. They started kissing passionately. After about five minutes, the girl finally pulled away and asked "Aren't you with Asami Sato?"
"Yeah, so?" The Avatar kissed the young woman along her neck. Then she grabbed the girl's wrists with one hand and lifted them up against the wall, continuing her kisses and nibbles at every bit of exposed skin. She continued: "It's a blood moon, by the way."
"What's that supposed to mean?" the girl moaned, her panties getting wetter by the second.
"It means I wanna try something, but it's kind of important."
"What?"
"Well in order to do that, I'll need something – to seal the deal."
The girl giggled. "You're not making any sense. What do you need?"
"A sacrifice."
The girl opened her eyes, fear washing over her. "What kind of sacrifice?"
The Avatar had stopped kissing the girl and looked into her eyes before leaning in and whispering in her ear: "Blood. Yours will do."
Inhaling the cool night air, the girl went to scream but was muffled by the Avatar's strong hand. She struggled but Korra had bent the earth to lock around the girl's legs and hold her arms in place above her head.
From a puddle on the ground, Korra bent a water dagger and held it at the girl's throat. She bent the girl's hand toward her, wrist ensconced in rock, and moved the dagger to prick her finger. Blood gushed out and Korra sucked it, closing her eyes until she opened them again and they were bloodshot red and glowing.
Piss ran down the girl's leg.
"Are you afraid?" Korra said, wiping her lips.
The girl nodded.
"Because I can taste it." The Avatar gripped the girl's neck and prepared to squeeze until she was knocked over.
"Please, A-Avatar. Please don't hurt me." The girl was crying. She had been completely humiliated.
"No," Korra said, writhing on the concrete. She looked up at the girl "I won't. I'll never..."
Korra's consciousness was struggling to remain in control, despite a dark force within her trying to steer her actions. In a lapse, she went back to the girl who cowered, still a prisoner. She motioned to grab the girl's neck but moved her hand to slam into the wall, crashing a hole through it.
Unbending the earth that held the girl in place, Korra yelled "Run!" as she continued the struggle within her. The girl ran off into the night.
"Chai Son, I know it's you!" She was changing faces, back and forth from her possessor to her.
The conversation with herself continued like this, Korra fighting with all her being to remain in control of herself while her eyes shifted from red to white and back to blue. She clutched her core and fell to the ground.
"In a few days, no one will want to associate with you – you'll be public enemy number one. That's worst-case scenario. Best case – you'll perish once and for all lifetimes," Korra's voice said in an altered tone, Chai Son's visage appearing in the puddle.
"What's that gotta do with you?"
"Everything, my dear. Now, what are your fears? Wait, don't tell me. I feel them. Scary movers – vampyres and zombies. Let's see what else? Ooh! Jackpot."
"No!" Korra squirmed. "Don't say it, please!"
"Did you know that during this special time, you can make your inner world your outer world?"
"Inside I feel light! Inside I'm good! I'm the Avatar!" Korra yelled. "I have a responsibility."
She laughed menacingly. "Don't be pathetic. By the way, Avatar, now I know what a woman's pleasure feels like, thanks to your Asami."
"You're disgusting, you brute! If I ever see you again, I swear to the spirits, I'll-" Korra replied to herself.
"But wait, what's that deep, dark fear of yours again? Aside from losing Asami – sheesh who would have thought the Avatar was so insecure? But what was it? Oh yes – yourself."
Something clicked within Korra and she hurled herself against the wall and held a flame dagger to her own neck. "That's right. If I end myself now, it'll take away your power before you or I can do any real damage."
Korra felt her spirit getting stronger with every passing moment, the hold of herself regaining center. She realized Chai Son or whoever possessed her made a grave error in helping her realize a little more of herself, strengthening her spirit.
"Do you know why I was chosen to be the Avatar?" Korra – the real Korra – continued. "It's because of my spirit."
Silence.
Korra continued: "Therefore I banish you! I banish you Chai Son from controlling my spirit! I banish you! Now begone!"
Falling over and taking heaving breaths, Korra pushed an unwanted force out of her until it disappeared into the ether.
Exhausted from her self-imposed exorcism, she passed out in the alleyway, face-planting in the dirty puddle.
When Korra awoke, it was twilight the following evening. How she slept unbothered for the rest of the night through the next day was beyond her.
The moon hung low in the sky appearing to kiss the skyscrapers.
Quickly, Korra's thoughts gathered steam: I need to get out of here, restrain myself, get far away, tell someone, I need to...
Korra fell to her knees, clutching the road as if it were soft dirt, and titled her head back. A beam of pink light shot out of her mouth and through her eyes, penetrating the night sky toward the moon like a laser beam.
Up next: Showdown
And... the denouement
Note: Also, I want to thank folks who reached out or left comments! Cheers!