Well, against my better judgment, I'm starting a new, *massive* fic.
What you can expect is a lot of world expansion as we walk with Korra through the next phase of her journey of growth as the Avatar. Some original characters that I think are awesome (me? Biased?) Korrasami (who, let me be as clear as possible about this – at no point will be in any danger) and more.
I've recently finished a rewatch, and I wanted more, so so much, that my brain wouldn't shut up. I'd rather look at this fic as a collection of one-shots, connected into a massive story.
The sheer amount of ideas I wrote tells me this might take way over a year to complete, mostly because I don't want, and can't pressure myself with updates like I used to with every other fic. I want to write and update because I enjoyed the writing and felt like it. It also means that the editing might not be as tight as, but I'll do my best.
Just so that you get some idea, I currently have 7 books in mind, though how many chapters each book will be? It's anyone's guess! It can be 2 chapters, it can be 10.
If you're patient but also want to watch Korra's growth, this one is for you. I also promise to do this – have "previously" on every new chapter.
There are small liberties that I allowed myself, for example – that Korra wasn't born the same year that Aang died, but 3 years after. But I'm at peace with these small changes for the sake of a bigger story. Also, I'd like to state I'm yet to read the Kyoshi novels, and the Avatar comics (aside from the 2 Korra trilogies) so while I'm trying to do a lot of research here, some contradiction may arise.
Hope you like, buckle up!
Book 1 - Water
Chapter 1
She could feel the tension building in her stomach as the Northern Air Temple came into view. She avoided this day for a long time, making all sorts of excuses. First, she felt unprepared, then she felt guilty, and then she felt that she missed her window of opportunity. When she told Mara she couldn't bear the thought of being away from home for so long, Mara called her out on her bullshit.
"It's one thing when you make excuses for yourself," she told her, "it's another when you use me as your excuse. You've been preparing for this your entire life. You're ready. You're more than ready, you deserve this."
She smiled at the thought of the woman she left behind, though she knew said woman must've left home a few days after her, and was currently climbing some mountain, or jumping off some cliff.
She shuddered at the thought. Mara sure loved jumping off cliffs.
"At least Silo and Paco are with her," she noted, patting the head of her flying bison. "They'll watch over her. And you'll watch over me, right girl?"
Tui growled in content as she started to make her descent.
"Well, here goes nothing. Twenty something years in the making." Mara wasn't wrong. She did wait for this day for a long time, she wanted it, wanted to be useful. But just because that was what she wanted, didn't mean things were going to go her way. She put a hand in her pocket, making sure, for the umpteenth time, that the note was there. It was the key to start this journey.
Tui landed smoothly, and they were greeted by a group of air acolytes who gathered below them when they noticed the bison in the sky. They assumed an Airbernder was approaching, and she expected the suspicious looks she received once they realized that that wasn't the case. The new Air Nation was still small enough for the acolytes to recognize most of the Airbernders.
"Greetings," she started, trying to sound as confident as possible. "My name is Yue. I'm an historian and an anthropologist. I've come to meet with the Avatar. It's my understanding that she's here on a getaway?"
The acolytes exchanged looks. They were peaceful, trusting people, but they were no fools. Eventually one of the acolytes spoke.
"Is she… expecting you?"
"Not… quite. I have come to offer her my services. You might say that Avatars' history is my specialty."
They stared at her, unsure what to make of her. Her physical appearance indicated Water Tribe origins, but her clothes were neutral and her long hair was bare of jewelry or beads. She could've been from Republic City just as easily as she could've been from the one of the Water Tribes. Add to that the fact that she showed up on a flying bison, and the acolytes were at a loss.
She could almost hear the wheels turning. She knew what they were thinking. Her looks, her young appearance, no one wanted to turn away someone who may possibly be a childhood friend of the Avatar.
"Who's bison is this?" another acolyte asked. She could see the question made him uncomfortable, as if he didn't want to insult a guest, but had to do his due diligence.
"Tui is mine," Yue smiled and patted her bison's head. The bison hummed, which served to confirm her claim. "I got her at Bhanti Island. Or, more accurately, she got me." Again, as if for emphasis, Tui let out her tongue and licked Yue from bottom to top.
"Are you… a friend of the Avatar's?" a third acolyte dared to ask
"What's going on, why is everyone gathered here? Did we miss anything exciting?"
The acolytes snapped their heads towards the voice, as did Yue. And then she saw them. Two women, one with features similar to her own, accompanied by a slightly taller woman. Both were striking. Korra, Yue knew. She also realized who Asami was right away.
"Apologies, Avatar Korra," one of the acolytes bowed. "We didn't realize you were expecting a friend."
The Avatar scanned Yue curiously. "I… have never seen you in my life. I think." It didn't come out as rude, or uninviting. Mostly, Korra sounded confused by the implication that she was supposed to know who Yue was.
"Avatar Korra, it's a pleasure to meet you. I heard so much about you," Yue smiled and turned to Asami. "And you must be Asami Sato. Big fan of your work. My name is Yue."
"Yue?" Korra asked in interest.
"I was born during a full moon," Yue explained.
"I'm sorry, but I don't recognize you. Are you from the Northern Water Tribe?"
Asami watched their exchange in growing interest.
"I'm sort of… unaligned, one might say," Yue provided. "It's a very long story. One that I hope to tell you some day. But for now, I'm here to offer you my services. I'm an anthropologist and an historian. And I come highly recommended," she smiled, and took out the note from her She was praying she didn't crumple it one too many times while she was trying to talk herself out from ditching her plan and turning around to head home. She handed the note over to Korra who unfolded the paper and started to read.
"Twinkle Toes," she started. "Wait, this is from Toph? But Toph can't write," Korra eyed her suspiciously.
"Keep reading," Yue smirked.
"Twinkle Toes, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking 'Toph can't write.'" She stopped and raised her head to eye the guest. Yue smiled innocently as Korra tilted her head in puzzlement, but went back to reading.
"But guess what, genius, I asked Yue to write this for me. This is how you know it's really me," Korra huffed. "Yep, it does sound like Toph alright." She looked at Asami who nodded in agreement. "Yue is a very smart young woman, and a very gifted Waterbender. She has interviewed many people and visited many places and the ideas she have could be very beneficial to you. If you let her teach you, you might not be such a sorry weakling after all. That's all. End of letter." And then there was a random scribble, supposedly Toph's signature. Korra narrowed her eyes. "She calls me names yet compliments you. A lot. How did you get her to do that?"
"Bribery," Yue shrugged.
Asami chuckled. "I think I like this one."
Korra's features softened. "Well, I don't know how you pulled this off, but you got my attention. She says you can teach me. Teach me what?"
"How to think. How to see things differently."
"That's quite… vague," Korra noted.
Yue looked at the acolytes who seemed very invested in the ongoing conversations. But Yue perceived teaching as something intimate, personal, and the Avatar clearly caught on.
"Would you all please excuse us," Korra bowed to the acolytes. "Follow us," she told Yue. Asami grabbed Korra's hand and led them away.
"You stay here girl. I'll come back with some hay later, I promise," Yue patted Tui's head.
"Don't worry, we'll take care of her," one of the acolytes offered. Yue nodded in gratitude and followed the couple.
They arrived at what looked like a meadow. Yue recognized the place. She visited the temple before, but it was less populated back then, and she mostly spent her time with the Earth Kingdom fraction that still populated the temple. They showed her the sometimes literal ropes.
"So," Korra turned smoothly, without dropping Asami's hand. "You're going to teach me how to think, huh?"
"I'd like to help you master the elements."
"Um," Korra and Asami exchanged confused looks, "I'm sorry to break it to you. But you're a few years too late. I'm already a master of all elements." Once again, her tone wasn't mean, or rude, just puzzled.
"Yes, you have become master of all elements. But you haven't mastered the elements themselves," Yue explained.
Korra still seemed at a loss.
"Each element comes with unique abilities. You've seen it yourself. Metal Bending, Lava Bending, Lightening Bending. You are, by default, the strongest bender in the world. You have the potential to unlock all these unique bending abilities within each element, and then some. Bend bending itself."
"That… makes a lot of sense, actually," Asami noted.
"Think of it this way. Bending is your craft. You want to become a master of your craft," Yue stated. It wasn't a question. From everything she heard about the Avatar she knew the woman was ambitious. So it didn't surprise her when she saw the spark in the Korra's eyes, an excitement, about the possibilities. But it was gone just as quickly as it arrived.
"You're not wrong," Korra allowed. "But I have people to teach me some of these things. Friends. Good ones."
Yue understood the subtext. The subtext which said – you're a stranger. An intriguing one, but a stranger nonetheless.
"You had masters, you had teachers, and we will visit them, for sure, but you never had a guide," Yue argued. "I don't want you to learn just one skill, I want you to change the way you think about bending. To learn different bending concepts. I want you to be open to completely new possibilities. I believe that my knowledge of history and cultures, especially that of the Avatar, can help you become limitless."
Korra looked at her, considering, but still unsure. Yue decided to drive the message home by using her wild card.
"And I'm hoping that by the time we're done, you'll be able to get your connection to all your past lives back."
Asami squeezed Korra's hand, it was subtle, but it grounded Korra. As if her girlfriend knew this was Korra's heart's desire, an answer to a loneliness no one else could fill or comprehend.
Korra laughed bitterly. "All due respect, I don't know what your historical sources are, but I've done everything I could think of and nothing worked, and I'm not exactly the most spiritual Avatar out there."
"Wrong," Yue's voice was sure, forceful as she took a step forward, not backing down in light of Korra's deflection. "You opened two spirit world portals, you learned how to Spirit Bend, you faced Vaatu, without Raava, by connecting to cosmic energy. You lived through harmonic convergence, an event that occurs once in 10,000 years, and you created a whole new portal. Not even Avatar Wun did most of these things. You are the most spiritual Avatar who ever lived. And I know you can do this."
"Wow, she really got you there, Babe," Asami pointed out.
Korra stared at the stranger, unsure of what to make of the outburst. "You… know about Avatar Wun?"
"Again, an historian," Yue chuckled. "But I have to be honest with you. I want you to focus on the journey, not on the end of it. Who knows how long it's going to take, and until that day, there's a whole lot you can achieve."
"I… can I think about it? I'd love to discuss all of this with the pretty lady over here," Korra smiled at her girlfriend.
"Of course. And besides, if we do this, I'd like Asami to be a part of it as well. I think you'll find that some of what we'll do, and some of the places we might visit, are of interest to you as well."
"Such as?" Asami questioned, evidently intrigued.
"Such as here."
"Here?" Asami sounded doubtful.
"The Earth Kingdom fraction that still lives here?"
"Yeah, what about them?"
"They're descendants of a brilliant mechanic who lived here during the 100 years war," Yue explained. "He invented the hot air balloons which served as the foundation of all…"
"Modern day airships!" Asami exclaimed. "I did not know this is where the balloon was born!"
"Well there you go. There are still some old pieces scattered in the valley below, left from the attack of the Fire Nation over the temple when Aang and co. were here. Not to mention, a lot of old inventions in the Earth Kingdom side of the temple. Happy to give you a tour."
"You would do that?" Asami eyes widened in delight.
"Um, hon, can we at least still pretend that we're debating this?" Korra rolled her eyes.
"Yes, yes, let's go to our quarters and have a meaningful discussion!" Asami announced.
Korra shook her head and turned to Yue. "Please, join us for dinner later. Whether or not we decided to move forward with this, we'd love to get to know you better. Clearly, you have many interesting stories to share," Korra smiled.
"You have no idea," Yue mirrored the smile.
She watched the couple as they walked away. Once they were gone she headed to the other meadow, where she assumed the acolytes took Tui.
"Hey girl," she greeted as she found her bison. "Seeds were planted. You like seeds, don't you? Nothing to do now but hope and cross our fingers," she nuzzled her nose into the fur of Tui's cheek.
Not too far from there, Korra and Asami reached their quarters. They took their shoes off and stepped in.
"So I want to learn more about bending, and this girl clearly knows about history of inventors, and that's a you thing. So is this even going to be a conversation or are we just pretending here?"
"Well," Asami started. "I think we both see the benefit of at least hearing what exactly she had in mind. So… that part's decided. But then how ever are we going to occupy our time until dinner then?" she looked over her shoulder, quirking an eyebrow.
"I can think of a thing or two," Korra smirked and closed the distance between them.
"So what do you actually make of all of this? Do you really think we should do this?" Korra asked.
They were in bed, their clasped hands resting on Korra's stomach. Dinner was fast approaching.
Asami was snuggled to her side, and Korra used her free hand to caress her girlfriend's back.
"Well, exciting first impressions aside, we don't know anything about her. She's a complete stranger. Do we just up and leave and follow her into the unknown? Even though she's kinda cute," Asami chuckled.
"Wow, okay, peachy. We're off to a great start," Korra huffed.
"I'm only saying that because she kinda reminds me of you," Asami yawned.
"Are you saying all of us Water Tribe folk look the same?" Korra challenged, offering Asami a dangerous smile.
"That is not even remotely what I was saying," Asami leaned in and kissed her girlfriend's neck, making Korra hum. "We should take this dinner as an opportunity to ask her a million more questions."
"Always the practical one," Korra noted warmly.
"Where is she from? Have you really never met her before?"
"Never. Though that might just mean that she's from Republic City, or the north."
"And was that her own bison?" Asami sat up.
"It's kind of a big deal that Toph sent her our way," Korra prompted herself up to mirror her girlfriend.
"If she really did send her your way it is. But is it enough of a big deal to follow this girl blindly? No pun intended."
"Toph's a truth-seer, in addition to everything," Korra reminded. "She will never send someone whom she thought might hurt me."
"Knowing you, you'll want to do this. And I don't object. If she can deliver, and that's a big if, I think you should."
"Asami, we're supposed to be on vacation."
"Our vacations always get cut short," Asami shrugged. "I think we need to accept that we'll always mix business with…" she leaned in for a quick peck. "Pleasure. Could be exciting. An adventure."
"But your company. What? You're just gonna, relocate? Or do we not see each other for months? I don't like the sound of that."
"Neither do I. But it sounded like she wasn't going to force you into anything, and that she wants me to be a part of whatever this is. So frankly, you can lay down terms. I'm not going to lie, from an observer's perspective? I'm curious about what she planned for you."
"And possibly for you."
"Yeah." Asami confirmed, and leaned in again, this time to suck on Korra's neck.
"So…" Korra's breath quickened, "many questions at dinner?"
"Manny questions at dinner," Asami agreed.
"And until then?"
"I think you know."
They chose to sit next to Yue at dinner. Korra was trying to find the right way to breach the main subject without coming off as insensitive. It was something she was working on, being more calculated. But Asami beat her to it.
"So, Yue, where are you from?"
Yue chuckled, not holding the no-so-subtle attempt against the other woman. "I grew up outside of Ba Sing Se. The White Lotus has a small hold there."
"You were raised by the order?" That alone raised even more questions in Korra's mind.
"Yes, I was. I left when I was fifteen and moved to Ba Sing Se full time. Enrolled in the university."
"That's a pretty young age," Asami noted.
"Yeah, well, it felt like a lot of freedom after years of being somewhat isolated."
"I know the feeling," Korra provided. "That's how I felt when I moved to Republic City. I was also kept away for a very long time."
They exchanged sympathetic smiles.
"So how did you come to be raised by the order?" Asami continued.
"They found me. They took me in."
"Found you where?" Asami's question was innocent, but Yue looked away. It wasn't a story Yue particularly liked to recount, which was also the reason why she only ever told it to three people. One of whom figured it out by herself, another was a spirit. And then there was Mara.
"It's okay," Asami said, recognizing the pain, the kind that felt similar to her own, that indicated a loss at a young age. "You don't have to tell us."
"One day," Yue forced a smile. She meant it, she hoped for it, but they hardly knew her.
"So…" Korra tried to pivot, "this thing that you were planning for us, how would that look like, exactly?"
"That's really up to you, Korra. I put together a bit of a curriculum, but we can shift things around."
"You really put thought into this, haven't you?"
"I grew up with the order, Korra. The Avatar was always the focus, always on our minds. And for a moment there…"
"They thought you were the Avatar," Asami realized.
Korra looked from her girlfriend to the visitor who offered her a soft smile in return.
"I was born three years before you. And with no one knowing exactly where I came from, it just made sense for them to keep an eye on me."
"I'm sorry," Korra shoulders sagged slightly. "You must hate me."
"Hate you? No. Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think I'd have liked being the Avatar very much," Yue chuckled.
"Smart woman," Korra smiled. "It can… be a lot."
"I bet. That's how many assassination attempts now?" Yue quirked an eyebrow.
"Four," Korra rolled her eyes. "That I know of."
"Well, you have a great support system, and I'd love to be a part of it."
"So… curriculum?" Asami circled back.
"Look, here's the thing. Even if you dedicate a whole year to one element, you'd still become the most versatile Avatar who ever lived, before you turn 30."
"That's a bold statement," Asami interjected.
"And I stand by it. Because I have a plan. And a big part of it is about balance. Balance doesn't just mean with your bending, with your Avatar duties, but in your life, too. Being there with your loved ones and for your loved ones. I think that when we feel fulfilled, grounded, we're more receptive to what might come our way."
"So you're saying…" Korra started.
"I'm saying there's a reason why I want Asami to be a part of this, but also, that you can take breaks whenever you want. You want to spend a month travelling and learning and then a month home at Republic City? That's fine. You want to work on two elements and take a year-long break afterwards? You got it. This is the easy part, because you can also change your mind as we go. Asami can join for some, or for all of it. It's truly up to you two."
The couple exchanged looks, wordlessly thinking the same thing - that it didn't seem like they had to lay down terms, since what the self-claimed guide was offering was along the lines of what they were hoping for.
"You said you can fix my connection to my past lives. How?"
"I said that I think you can fix your connection to your past lives. And it's a hope, not a certainty. Based on a general working theory."
"Which is?
"You had amnesia. You had to regain your memories."
"How do you…"
"Then you lost your connection to Raava after Zaheer poisoned you. You had to regain that connection as well."
Korra looked at her, clearly on alert.
"Korra, I'm an historian, who specializes in Avatar history. It is my job, not to mention, purpose, to know these things. Please don't be alarmed. The point I was trying to make is this – you dealt with trauma. You had to face it in order to heal, to reconnect to Raava."
"How do you know that? I didn't share it with many people. Certainly didn't speak about it with members of the order," Korra accused.
"Toph told me," Yue shrugged. "She said you came to her to get the residue from the Mercury Poison out of your body."
"Toph has been uncharacteristically chatty with you," Korra pointed out. "Isn't there, I don't know, doctor-patient privileges in place?"
"With the old lady who lives in a swamp? And I'm sorry, were you expecting warm and fuzzy kindness and understanding from Toph?"
"Fair point."
"I believe her exact words were 'I'm not a therapist. Why is everyone constantly coming here and nagging me with question of self-discovery.'" Yue snorted.
"Huh," Korra seemed contemplative. She looked at Asami who smiled at her openly, as if to say that whether or not Korra wanted to elaborate was her call. "Toph actually… only helped in part."
"Oh?" Yue was intrigued. She could tell this was information that she was missing.
"I… went to see Zaheer. He guided me back into the spirit world."
"I… did not know that," Yue admitted.
"Finally something you don't know," Korra smiled victoriously.
"Hey, I never claimed to know everything," Yue smiled. "But maybe one day you'll tell me about your conversation with him."
"Maybe," Korra hummed. "When we hear about that mystery past of yours."
Yue laughed genuinely. "Okay, but here's what I'm trying to say. You dealt with your trauma. Raava didn't."
"You think Raava needs to face what happened too?" Asami proposed, realizing where Yue was going with this.
"She has been hit, injured, severed from your body," Yue reminded. "She stored these past lives for you, and they were struck out of her. You got your memories back, Korra. I really believe that so can she."
"But how?"
"I don't know. I'm sure the tree of time would help. As will your spiritual powers. And Katara once restored memories with her healing powers."
"I tried some of that already, after Zaheer," Korra argued.
"I know. But you're not the Avatar you were back then. And you're not the Avatar you'll be once we're done with this. Once you see how much more you can do, I hope you'll find the answer to that specific question on your own."
Something shifted. Yue assumed it was because Korra felt like there was much for her to gain. Either way, it was another crack in the wall.
"And how would we start? If we do this, if I agree to this, where would we go?" Korra inquired.
"We'd start with water."
"Water? But it's my native element. I'm already a healer, and a spirit bender. What else is there?"
"The fact that it's your native element makes it a great place to start. It'll be the easiest. Besides, it's the one element we don't need to wander far for, since your teach is right here," she pointed her thumbs towards herself.
Korra eyes her suspiciously, making Yue laugh lightly.
"Ouch. So many doubts," Yue feigned hurt. "Then how about this. Meet me at the valley in about an hour. Consider this our first lesson and some food for thought. It should make your decision making much simpler."
"What do you have in mind?" Korra tried.
"For today? Just a quick demonstration, and a conversation," Yue smirked.
It was summer time, which meant the days were long and early evening was the perfect time for a little session. Not too hot, but not chilly, either.
Yue saw the couple approaching and smiled in greeting. While she knew her proposed arrangement to work with the Avatar wasn't yet a done deal, as far as Yue was concerned, she at least managed to pique Korra's interest, and as a first step, it was all she needed. She was fairly certain that the following hour was about to seal the deal. Or get her thrown to prison.
She smirked. She knew what she was about to do was a cheap party trick, but it would also get the job done, and quickly.
"Thanks for coming. Please," she gestured at the boulders in front of her.
Korra and Asami exchanged looks, but sat down.
"Since Katara was your master, I'm sure she told you there's water all around us."
"You mentioned her earlier, but now it sounds like you know her?"
"She was my master, too. Would take trips to the Earth Kingdom specifically to train me."
"So that's where she disappeared to every other month or so!" Korra exclaimed. "I was always worried that she traveled far at her age."
"I agree, but I wasn't given much of a choice," Yue provided. In truth, Katara always promised her that one day she'd bring a friend to play with her. Yue always suspected that friend was Korra, but the promised visit never happened. Everyone on all sides were too protective.
"She did say water is all around us, but she explained to me that's how she was taught blood-bending, against her will. So…"
"Indeed. But it's worth looking into, if only to understand the possibilities," Yue clarified. She bent some water from the air around them, surmising, based on Korra's expression, that the Avatar never seen it done before. "I personally prefer taking water from the air. Because air is everlasting. When we take water from trees and flowers, they die. Not a fan." Yue explained. She needed the Avatar to realize she had a code. Better now, then later, when things will become more controversial.
"I haven't seen this done before," Korra admitted. "But it's not a new concept."
"No," Yue agreed. "It is not," she smiled. But this is. Here goes.
She pressed a button on the upper part her boot which exposed her foot. A gift from Mara, with a design which was inspired by the police Metal Benders of Republic City.
Korra's eyes followed her with confusion as she chose a clear patch of earth, spread her legs to an Earthbender stance, and with an Earthbender hand movement she raised two chunks of earth from the ground.
Korra grabbed Asami's thigh instinctively, starring in disbelief. Both women looked at her with mouths agape.
"How, what!" Korra managed.
"Don't worry, Avatar," Yue smirked, throwing the earth to the distance with another Earthbender move. "I think we've established that I'm not coming for your title," she winked at the astounded woman before her.
"Explain!" Korra demanded, standing up.
Yue sat down on the ground, hoping the Avatar would calm down and join her. Korra did.
"When I first went to visit Toph, I wanted to hear about how she invented Metal Bending, and about her time travelling with Aang. Her way of explaining things was very…"
"Physical?" Korra proposed in sympathy.
"Yes. Many rocks were thrown at me, many, many times. But I finally got her to talk, and when I did, she told me that she was stuck in a metal cage decades ago, no way of escaping. Then she touched the metal, felt the earth particles within it. But she also describes how she 'sees', by feeling the earth under her feet. It made me realize, her bending was sensory, above all else. She was so in-tune, she could feel her element. You and I, we see water, we bend it. But she senses her element."
"So?"
"So… I asked her to teach me how to sense. It requires a lot of concentration. Not so different, I imagine, than the way you concentrate in order to feel the earth within metal."
"So she taught you to sense and you started Earthbending?!"
"No, Korra. Earth is not my element, and no matter how in-tune I am, I could never, ever bend it."
"Um…" Asami gestured at the two holes created when Yue lifted the earth.
"I could never sense earth," Yue repeated and stood up, "but I could sense water. There are earth particles in metal, and there is…"
"Water in the earth!" Asami exclaimed. Korra looked at her, eyes widening as she was starting to catch up.
Yue smiled widely. "Exactly. And we can bend water into ice, crystallize it within the earth, and then..."
"Use the ice as leverage to pick up earth!" Korra concluded, jumping back up, earning another smile from Yue. "Each one of these patches you just threw has ice in them now, isn't there?"
"I told you," the historian reminded, "this isn't about learning new bending, it's about using what we already have in a new way."
"You used water to turn yourself into an Earthbender," Korra laughed. "That is… brilliant!"
And just like that, Yue thought, trust and faith were earned.
"And when Toph realized what I was doing she demanded I start paying her with foot rubs."
"Eww," Korra's face twitched in disgust, imagining the things Toph's feet has 'seen.'
"No, Korra," Yue chuckled. She put her hand to the ground and bent the water under the earth Korra was standing on, creating vibrations.
"Oh. Oh!" Korra face relaxed. "This is nice."
Asami stood up next to her and Yue expanded the area she was bending.
"Um, yeah, you're going to have to learn how to do this," Asami moaned. "And then it's going to be permanently added to your list of girlfriend duties."
"It's not exactly neat and complex Earthbending, but it has its perks," Yue noted.
"Are you kidding? This is amazing!" Korra allowed.
"I have this theory, about groundwater. If I really really focus I can sense it deep within the ground. But bending it would require an immense amount of power since it needs to break through the surface from deep below. But hey, if anyone can do it it's probably the Avatar," Yue winked.
"That's a cool concept, but when will I ever need that?" Korra contemplated.
"Could've been useful when we were stuck in the desert," Asami pointed out.
"Shit, you're right," Korra realized.
"That's sort of the point," Yue explained. "Recognize a past need, and find a way to face it differently in the future. Aang and co. were also stuck in the desert."
"Really?" Korra seemed interested. "Maybe I should hit the books more often," she nodded at Yue, letting her know that the value of her knowledge was becoming very clear.
"I promise you, this will lead to many philosophical debates. Which brings me to my next point."
"Wait, there's more?" Korra's enthusiasm was growing by the minute.
Finally, Yue thought. "Yes, Avatar. Pace yourself. You don't want to show too much interest too soon, now do you?" Yue tilted her head.
"Tell me it gets better," Korra air bent to sit herself back down, on the still vibrating ground. "Oh, my butt likes this, too."
Upon hearing this, Asami was quick to join her. "That it does," she hummed.
Yue giggled. "It does get better, actually. Tell me, in your years of fighting, what are some of the greatest obstacles you faced."
"Being poisoned wasn't great," Korra provided.
"Yeah, but the poison wasn't the thing that limited you, right? It's the fact that you were in binds."
"Right."
"Oh, and chi-blockers. God, I hate those," Asami lowered her eyes.
"Exactly. What do you do when your own limbs, for one reason or another, can not assist you?"
"You suffer and get poisoned," Korra reminded flatly.
"Not an ideal solution," Yue observed. "When I was growing up, my guardian took me to Omashu to look at the delivery system. It's beautiful. Have you ever visited?"
"I haven't," Korra admitted.
"I have," Asami chimed in. "It's fascinating. And a great architectural achievement."
"Right. And after we went back to Ba Sing Se, I had to read everything I could about Omashu. King Bumi played a big part in helping to end the war. But the interesting part is what he did on the Day of the Black Sun."
"Is that the eclipse? The failed invasion?" Korra recalled.
"It is. But in Omashu it was the day when King Bumi released himself from his metal cage by bending… with his face."
"With… his face?" Korra scratched her head.
"It was the only part of his body that was exposed," Yue explained.
"So you're saying you don't have to use your limbs to bend?" Asami inquired.
"Kinda like P'Li, remember?" Korra turned to Asami. "She could just… boom stuff from afar."
"My guess is that the concept is similar," Yue nodded, "but to be frank, I've never managed to interview anyone with this ability. But it doesn't matter, because the facts are there – Mind Bending is possible." She concentrated, and water drops appeared from the ground below them. She brought them together into a larger blob, turned the blob into ice, and then back to water. She split the blob in two and let each half hover in front of Asami and Korra's faces. She did it all without a single movement.
"I… I don't know what to say," Korra was astounded.
"This seems so obvious yet none of us ever thought about it," Asami observed.
"Hardest thing to break is habits," Yue shrugged. Letting the water fall to the ground.
"How are you doing this?"
"A shit ton of concentration. Fair warning, you'll be hearing the word concentration from me a lot. But again, it does help that I can feel the water around me."
"I could've saved myself back in that cave!" Korra exclaimed. "This is a gamechanger. Where have you been this whole time?" she smiled at Yue.
But Yue looked away, the guilt not new to her. "I wasn't ready. I'm sorry."
"What? No, Yue, I'm kidding. I'm just saying that history sure is proving to be an ally."
Yue offered her a tight smile.
"Teach me," Korra asked.
"Not yet. There's something else that we need to get out of the way first. And if, after that, you still want to do this, then I'll be honored to be a part of this process."
"What is it?"
"Blood Bending."
"No," Korra stood up, her face spoke of betrayal. As if she felt like this was a trap Yue was building up to all along.
"Korra…"
"I said no."
"Please, sit down."
"Blood Bending is banned, and illegal, and for a good reason."
"I know it's been used on you, so I understand you're speaking from a deeply personal place, but I want you to at least hear what I have to say about it."
Korra ignored her. "Asami, are you coming?"
"I… aren't you curious babe?"
"Curious? You mean about the illegal activity we're speaking of?" Korra crossed her arms.
"Since when are you such a stickler for the rules? In the span of 30 minutes you've seen things you've never thought about before, and you trained with the best benders of every element. Don't you want to know what this is?"
Korra huffed and turned to Yue. "Why would you even bring it up as one of the first things you discuss with me? What was the strategy here? You had to know I won't be okay with it."
"I brought it up early because it's the most controversial bending. If we can get through this, we'll get through everything."
"Unlikely," Korra insisted.
"Fire is life," Yue quoted.
"What?"
"When Aang first started learning Firebending, he burned Katara. He refused to try Firebending again, thinking fire was nothing but destruction, until Zuko told him that fire is life, too."
"You read that in one of your history books?"
"Heard it from the ambassador himself, actually," Yue admitted. "Access is a little easier when you're sort of a member of the White Lotus."
"Great, you met Zuko, too. Where's the recommendation letter then?"
"Korra, my point is this – every skill we have can be used for good, or for bad. Water can heal, but it can also flood a field and ruin a man's living. Earth can be used for building, innovation, but some would use it to crush bones. You've seen it yourself. The criminal benders in Republic City."
Korra didn't respond, her expression intense, but she didn't turn away to leave, either.
"Fire is life, and so is blood. They aren't inherently bad." Yue stood up and unsheathed a dagger. She slice her palm from edge to edge, wincing in pain, but knowing that in order to get her point across, the only receiving end of Blood Bending, for the moment, had to be herself.
She turned her palm towards the ground and let the blood fall.
"What are you doing?" Korra demanded. "You almost had me fooled, but you're just insane."
"Blood Bending can be used for terrible things," Yue agreed, "but, just like fire, just like water, it can be good, too."
She turned her palm to face up again and concentrated, making the blood drops come up from the earth. She knew that at the very least, she had a captive audience.
"If done well, you can separate the blood from the dirt," she explained, "and since I can manipulate the blood within my own body, I can create some room for the lost blood," she continued, doing just as she described, putting the blood back in her own body, "and then, just like you harden water into ice, you…"
"Clot the blood," Asami concluded, jumping to her feet to take a closer look when Yue did just that.
"You… you use Blood Bending for healing?" Korra realized.
Asami took Yue's palm and brought it closer to her face, scanning the newly healed wound. She turned to look at her girlfriend. "Imagine the possibilities. Water-healing is incredible, but this? If someone is injured and lost too much blood? If a Blood Bender is on the scene…"
"He can save a life," Korra finished. "It's not even nighttime, let alone a full moon. How are you doing this?"
"Frankly Korra, I don't know," Yue admitted.
"Some people are born with the rare ability," Korra pointed out.
"I know, but I couldn't always do it. Maybe it's the fact that I was born on a full moon, special connection to the moon spirit and whatnot. But honestly? I think that, too, had to do with concentration, and becoming so immersed in sensing my own element, that… I mean I can sense the water in your body right now," she confessed. "And if I can sense it, I can bend it. And if I can, then at the very least, you can, too. And maybe we're not the only ones."
"That's not necessarily good news," Korra argued.
"You're right, it might not be. But what if you could regulate Blood Bending?" Yue proposed. "I'm not saying you should, but let's say you did, and you certified Waterbenders, ones who are interested in studying medicine, or becoming paramedics."
"They could give immediate emergency assistance on the field," Korra contemplated, understanding Yue's thinking.
"You don't need to decide to change the world today, Korra. I just wanted you to see the benefit. That, and to realize that if you're a Blood Bender, and a Mind Bender, and someone controls you, you can probably resist them if you master these two abilities."
Korra seemed intrigued, but still uncomfortable. "How did you practice this," she eventually demanded.
"The same way I'd teach you if you choose to learn this. And to be clear, it is your choice. Just because I came to a place where I feel comfortable with it, doesn't mean you have to. But if you are, we'll be going to the wild and looking for wounded animals and heal them."
"Have you ever tried this on another human before?"
"Healing? No, fortunately I never had to. But I want to be very transparent with you. If I were in a situation where this skill could've saved someone's life, I wouldn't hesitate. But I have two rules that I always imagined I'd stick to, and we'll employ them if you're ever to learn this. And that's having the consent of the person on the receiving end of the bending, and having a witness."
"You said you never Blood Bend to heal another human. What about regular Blood Bending?" Korra wouldn't let go. The gravity of the subject told her not to.
"I have, yes," Yue admitted. "Just the one person."
"And you had their consent? And a witness?" Korra pushed.
"Well… yes to consent. Witness, um, not so much. But it's different."
"Why?" Asami stood next to her girlfriend. As much as she found the entire presentation to be invigorating and stimulating, and had a suspicion that her girlfriend's defenses were waning, she, too, wanted the answers to the tough questions. Especially if Yue was to teach her girlfriend a forbidden skill. One that was punishable by law.
"Because we have a special understanding," Yue provided simply.
"Please, do elaborate on what sort of understanding you have that would justify Blood Bending, while not obeying the rules you just laid out," Korra challenged.
"It's my training partner. We both like to… experiment, one might say."
"So you're in agreement to try crazy shit on one another?" Asami figured.
"Yeah, and believe it or not, my shit tends to be less crazy."
"Huh."
"I need to think," Korra finally stated. "About all of this."
"I understand, and I expected as much. Please, take all the time you need, Korra. But know that I truly believe we can achieve a lot together."
"Good night," Korra managed, which was an achievement of its own, considering she truly didn't want to be there anymore. Mostly because deep down she knew what she wanted to do, and that scared her.
Yue watched them leave, hoping beyond hope that she made the right call, and that she won't find herself handcuffed sooner rather than later.
"Say what you will," Asami told her girlfriend once they were out of earshot, "she told you she can help you become the most versatile Avatar that ever lived, and it looks like she can deliver."
"Would you have done it?" Korra inquired, actually looking miserable.
"I don't know what bending feels like, Korra, and I can't imagine what Blood Bending must feel like, but you seemed pretty excited up until Blood Bending."
"I was."
"We talked about terms, remember? She offered you freedom to pick and choose. You don't have to learn Blood Bending if you don't want to."
"I know, but…"
"But the Blood Bending part was exciting, too?"
Korra hesitated but nodded. "Does that make me a monster?"
"Do you think Yue's a monster? If she truly only uses it to heal? Is what we saw today make you want to lock her behind bars?"
"God, I don't know. My head hurts. Maybe one too many new concepts at once."
"Let's get you to our room. I'll draw you a hot bath."
"Will you join me in said bath?"
"I think I will."
"Now that's an exciting concept."