Chapter 16

Mako strolled slowly through the grand halls of the building, each step placed with just enough pause to allow him to soak in the familiar atmosphere. While the lights of the hallway were no longer illuminating the path, the movements of his feet awoke memories as they reconnected with the place that had once been his home. It felt almost like bending, the natural way the path came to him. Even in the darkness, he found himself seeing the arena as he did once before - the scuffs and scratches on the walls, the wear of footsteps across the ground, and the great curves of the hallway arches.

Eventually, his body brought him to a door he had opened thousands of times - the entrance to his team's dressing room. He rested his hand on the handle, afraid of what he might find and what memories would be replaced by the stark reality of the stadium's remains. A memory surged back to him as he willed his hand to open the door.

"You're the Avatar, and…I'm an idiot."

His own voice echoed in his head and he recalled his first encounter with the girl when he had brushed her off.

The excited gleam in her eye, her eager tone to meet them, and her awe upon seeing the full magnitude of the stadium in all its glory.

Juvenile.

Immature.

Annoying.

A first impression that had lasted.

But so had the second impression.

He couldn't forget his astonishment, surprise, and pride when he had seen her bend for the first (real) time in one of their matches. Her dedication to honing her bending was truly the most impressive - how she narrowed her eyes when she focused on mastering a move, her responsiveness to adjust a technique, or the gleeful and grateful disposition she carried whenever she showed up to practice with them.

While her naivety of the world and optimism made her seem juvenile, her perseverance, passion, and talent aged her and awed him. It was tough for him to balance his perception of her. Some days she seemed like just a kid to him, and others she proved herself as the powerful Avatar she was.

So often, he had found himself comparing her to Asami and weighing his options. He liked Korra's tough resolve, independent attitude, and her drive - but he also liked Asami's gentle nature, her refined disposition, and her discipline.

Mako stared into the empty room before him. It had been filled with so much joy, so much excitement, so much comradery, and so much love.

Now empty and barren.

Abandoned.

He brushed his hand against the bench, wiping off the dust that had accumulated on its seat, and perched himself on the edge.

We wouldn't have given this room a break.

He allowed himself a soft smile as the thought came to his head. The Fire Ferrets had spent every minute they could tirelessly pushing themselves to their limit during practices. Day in and day out, they'd spend their time either hurling the elements around in the gym or observing the other competitors through the open window in the room. Observing techniques, monitoring new moves, and understanding their opponents' style.

And now, their team was gone.

His time spent with Bolin was now gone, their days of practice behind them.

Having something to do both with and for his brother, dedicating his time to something meaningful, and being able to exert his anger into energy that he could unleash at the world.

He missed it.

Korra sat on the beach, finding herself staring at the water again as she tried to make sense of her own thoughts. The pit in her chest was deeper than usual, as feelings of sadness, guilt, frustration, and anger battled inside her.

She felt useless, thinking of all the lives that Amon had ruined by taking away the powers of benders.

All of the lives that had been changed in just a few seconds.

Because of that monster.

Because she hadn't been there.

No matter how many times anyone told her it wasn't her fault, deep down she knew it was.

If she had figured out a plan sooner, if she had taken him out sooner, if she had been ready sooner.

If she had been better.

It was her fault.

No matter what evil came about, it was her job to bring peace to the world. Justice. To keep people safe.

And she had failed.

Countless nights she had been kept awake by the thought.

You should have been better.

You should've done more.

You're a failure.

You're a failure as an Avatar.

Her body became heavy as the words burrowed deeper into her head, and she let go of her muscles - falling back and laying on the ground. She stared into the light blue abyss above her

If you weren't born when you were, then someone else would've been the Avatar.

It would've been someone else's responsibility.

Someone else probably would've stopped him sooner.

Someone else wouldn't have let all of this happen.

But you were born.

As much as she imagined alternate versions of her life, the overwhelming feelings that accompanied her lived experiences always brought her back to reality.

"It's going to be okay."

A calm and collected voice spoke softly to her, breaking her trance.

Korra flinched reactively, taking a fraction of a second to react before jumping to her feet and taking a defensive position to address the unfamiliar voice. Her eyes traveled up and down, glazing over light markings and analyzing the brightly-colored garb that hung loosely from the figure standing before her. It wasn't an exact match to the outfits that adorned many of the island's inhabitants, but it was still familiar despite its aged look.

Korra lowered her arms slightly, one hand folded into a fist and meeting the palm of her other hand. She shut her eyes respectfully as she slowly leaned forward, bowing to greet the man before her.

"Avatar Aang, I-"

11/27/2022