With Korra so often away with Tarrlok, her pro-bending training pretty much fell through. "Hey guys, it's just me." I called with a wave as I entered the gym then lifted the bags I was carrying. "I brought breakfast, are you hungry?"
"Starving!" Bolin grinned and quickly dropped the ball he was holding and raced over to me so with an affectionate smile I handed him his breakfast, knowing exactly the type of stuff he liked so I had got plenty. "Man, this is just what I needed. You're the best Kanna." With a blush I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, bashfully looking away as he chowed down on a chocolate muffin.
"Hey it's no big deal, but you're welcome." Clearing my throat I held out the other bag to Mako, gesturing with my head for him to come over. "I got you something too, don't worry. I didn't forget." However as he approached, he didn't look all that enthralled.
"No Korra today?" Smile fading I shook my head, feeling guilty that she wasn't putting the time and effort into her training since Tarrlok had her pretty tied up with the infiltration and raids on the Equalists. It sucked. "No surprise there." Mako muttered before looking into his bag to find a buttered croissant and his favourite blueberry muffins. "Not bad, thanks Kanna." Nodding my head to him I watched them train for a while and even sparred with them a little, using my ice blocks as attacks for them to practice blocking against.
"You know, I never asked why you only bend ice." Bolin suddenly asked as he continued to dodge or break through my attacks as I continued to send them flying at them both. "I mean, you're a water-bender, right? So therefore, you should…be able…to bend…water…I need a break." He panted so I stopped, inclining my head slightly before I then stood upright so that Mako could grab a drink too.
"Well, water is actually something I'm afraid off. I don't like being near huge bodies of it unless I'm with Korra or someone else who can water-bend, so I tend to stay away from it if possible. I don't even like it hitting my face, it really freaks me out so there's that too." I listed off before shrugging. "Also I can't actually control it. It's like whenever I try it has a mind of its own and rebels against me. It fights me and I usually end up hurting people, so ice is all I can do. Steam and mist are fine, as well as plants and other things like that and healing isn't a problem, it's just water in its pure form that I can't bend." I explained to them without telling them exactly why. That was my business. "So if you need ice, I'm your girl." With a grin I jerked a thumb at my chest, making Bolin grin and lift his drink.
"Could use some ice over here if you don't mind." In answer I froze his entire drink, making him drop it as it suddenly became cold before complaining. "Aw come on Kanna! No fair I'm thirsty." With a laugh I then blasted a stream of cold snow into his face, dusting him with the white powder which made him shiver before all at once he was after me. "That does it! Get back here Kanna! You're going to pay for that!"
"Knock it off you two, you act like kids." Mako said however when a snowball hit his face, his entire demeanour changed, a smirk growing on his face at the challenge before all at once it was an all out sparring war. It was great hanging out with Bolin, Mako too I guess, though I wished Korra would show up for practice. It had become a habit to bring the guys breakfast every day for their morning practice, though each time I didn't show up with Korra, I saw them grow more and more dejected. When I got home I was in high spirits, the sun having already set long ago however when I got to the pier, I saw Korra boarding her own boat with Tenzin and Tarrlok there also.
"Korra this is madness!" Tenzin was trying to tell her so I rushed forwards.
"What's going on? What's happened?!" I skidded to a halt whilst shooting a dark look at Tarrlok as Tenzin slapped a hand to his face in frustration.
"Will you please try and make her see sense! She is challenging Amon to a duel with no one there to help her. Convince her Kanna!" My eyes widened in alarm as Korra continued to detach her boat from the pier. How could she be so stupid?!
"Korra, get out of that boat right now! You can't face Amon alone, there's no way he'll play by your rules which means he will ambush you and take away your bending." I spoke forcefully as I placed my hands on my hips. "You're not going."
"You're not the boss of me, Kanna! Don't try to stop me and don't follow me. I have to face Amon alone."
"No you don't you idiot!" I yelled back at her as Tenzin turned on Tarrlok.
"This is all your doing!"
"I tried to talk her out of it too but she's made up her mind." He argued however I was not convinced by his lack of sincerity. "We'll be watching the island closely. If anything goes wrong I have a fleet of police air ships ready to swoop down." I wasn't going to take that risk, however. Korra can't risk facing an enemy as dangerous as Amon right now, she was not ready. Not as an Avatar and not mentally either. As she tried to speed away I suddenly shifted stances, thrusting my hands outwards before weaving them into a pattern, churning the water around the boat as it froze to ice before I then dragged my hands back, anchoring it down.
"Hey!" Spinning around in fury Korra sent a wave of water at me but I was fast, leaping up into the air and the moment I touched the water it froze, allowing me to land on it as I slid down before I then found my footing, eyes narrowed as I then pulled a huge ice spike from underwater, smashing the boat to splinters as Korra sprung free from it, forming an ice platform for her to land on as I did the same, facing one another. Our rage burned at one another, water-bending stances ready however Korra then changed, shooting a flurry of flames straight for me so I lifted my arms and summoned an ice wall, taking a deep breath as I flipped over my head as my platform was pushed back and used the wall to propel myself forwards straight for Korra.
"Stop this! Both of you!" Tenzin shouted however neither of us were listening. Korra summoned a water veil but I cut through it and landed a hit to her gut, trying to knock her out however she was too strong and recovered quickly, using the water to try and unbalance me. Flames shot towards me again as I leaped from platform to platform, spiralling around as my hands jabbed in quick movements so that shards of ice flew at Korra, forcing her to defend before her stance changed once more and I looked up to see the rocks come crashing down around me. I had to jump, springing off them before then twisting, the water turning to ice once more before it then became a stand for me however in my distraction, I hadn't seen Korra recover from where I'd partially frozen her in ice and smash me against the rock face with water.
Immediately I froze, panic settling in as I fell into the water, completely submerged. Korra instantly spun around and dashed away, not even thinking about what she had just done as her mind was too set on facing Amon. My limbs were paralysed, completely frozen as the water began to push me further down until all at once, I screamed. My limbs lashed around and the waves grew choppy, writhing and churning into a putrid dark mass as I struggled, trying to fight my way to the surface however in my panic, I was tossed against the cliff and the rocks smashed against my head, knocking me out and drawing blood which spread into the infinite void of the water.
For a while I was motionless and unfeeling until my vision came back and I opened my eyes to see that same shape in the water, drifting out of my reach and disappearing from view. Dad, I wish I could have saved you. I miss you. It felt like forever under the water, however with a sudden rush I felt the water wrap itself around me and push me upwards and into the biting air, my uncle crying out my name as Tarrlok guided me back to the pier before then holding out his arms as the water fell back into the ocean. I fell into his grasp, one hand under my head as he knelt down and then pulled the water from my lungs with expert water-bending until finally I sucked in a breath. "Take it easy, you're alright now. You're safe." He said to me however Tenzin quickly took over, wrapping me up in his large cloak as I shivered and struggled to breathe.
"Tenzin…Tenzin…I saw him…my dad, he's down there, you have to save him!" I whispered, eyes bright and wide as Tenzin supported my head.
"I'm sorry my dear, but your father passed away a long time ago. You're not in danger anymore, it's alright." He lifted me up in his surprisingly strong arms, thanked Tarrlok a little curtly before rushing me to Pema so that I could be treated. The kids all huddled around me as I got my head bandaged and I had changed into a dry set of clothes, Pema chatting away to keep me focused with a warm blanket around me. I was a little zoned out for a while, reminded sharply of my fear of water thanks to Korra. I didn't blame her, she's a little headstrong like that, though I'll get her back for it.
"How are you doing, Kanna?" Tenzin asked after knocking and entering.
"I'm fine Tenzin. Can we please go to Korra now? She's going to need me. She's terrified!" I pleaded, leaping up with my hands on the girls' backs as they still huddled close to me. "Please!"
"Alright, if you're certain that you're recovered." Nodding my head determinedly I kissed all the kids on the head then hugged Pema before running after Tenzin who had Oogie ready to go. We flew over to Aang's memorial island, fearing the worst as the airships closed in however as the police scoured the island, we were the first to find Korra. "Korra! Korra are you alright? What happened? Was Amon here?" Korra murmured, collapsed onto her side and we both rushed to her as she struggled to sit up however Tenzin helped to prop her, hand at her shoulders as I flung my arms around her in relief.
"Korra! I was so worried about you! Please don't do something so reckless again!" I practically sobbed as my pounding pulse slowly began to ease up. She seemed a little dazed so I helped to keep her upright, hand at her waist as she blinked blearily.
"Yeah…Amon was here…" She murmured and I heard Tenzin inhale worriedly.
"Did he…did he take your bending away?" In answer Korra lifted a hand where she managed to produce a small flame, making her eyes widened before all at once she collapsed into sobs, releasing all her pent up fears as she admitted to Tenzin that Amon had terrified her. As she cried I rubbed her back, pulling the blanket from my shoulders to wrap it around her so that she didn't get too cold as Tenzin also comforted her. "It's alright, the nightmare is over. Admitting your fears is the first and most difficult step in overcoming them." As he spoke, I couldn't help but feel that this was partially directed at me and sure enough, when I looked up, his eyes were fixed on mine.
Quickly I looked away again, knowing full well what he meant. Tonight had been a disaster so I suggested that we simply went home, however when we got out into the open there were a plethora of press cameras and journalists snapping photos and yelling their questions at Tarrlok. The moment they saw Korra, however, they seemed to rise like wild animals, fighting and clawing to get closer to her so I narrowed my eyes and with a flare of my hand, a huge ice wall erupted between us, shielding Korra from view as we made our way back to Oogie. "Thanks." Korra murmured quietly, reaching out and taking my hand so I smiled, giving her fingers a squeeze as we climbed up then returned to the island where I cuddled Korra close all night with the kids, staying awake long after daybreak to make sure to wake her from any nightmares however thankfully, she seemed so exhausted that she slept peacefully. It was a start, but I think her nightmare really was beginning to end.