Authors Note: In this chapter I am including a theory about the Avatar Cycle. It probably doesn't make sense so I am putting a summarized version at the end of this.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar world, that is all owned by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.
—
Chapter 17
Reconnection
Wikilow sprinted out of the city, not even thinking over the attention he was likely drawing to himself. The Avatar charged to the mountains and began making his way up, finally allowing his thoughts to catch up with his body.
"What am I doing?" He mentally questioned as he jogged. "I am… running away… why am I running away?" Wikilow wondered. "This is not logical, there is nothing logical in what I am doing. If I want to achieve my objective, the logical course of action would have have been to stay. Why am I running?" He repeated yet still pressed forward.
Suddenly he heard voices carried through the wind, causing him to slow down ever so slightly. Though he recognized who their belonged to, he didn't turn around.
"Hey… Dude… wait up!" They called from behind him, getting closer. "Wikilow!" Elsi and Arlo yelled, the former dragging the latter to catch up to him. The two soon caught up to match Wikilow's pace up the mountain. An airborne Gale encircling them overhead.
"Elsi, Arlo." Wikilow coldly acknowledged as they trekked. Hyper focusing on the path ahead. He didn't put much thought into his comments. "I thought you two would stay behind with the Resistance." WIkilow dryly noted with no distinct expression or tone.
"Why would you think that?" Elsi questioned, both her and Arlo confused at his remark.
"You were open to the Resistance's plight earlier. Sympathizing with their cause." The Avatar clarified in the same distant tone.
"Right…Er… well yeah. We were…" Both of his companions bashfully admitted. "But that doesn't mean we wouldn't choose to come with you. We've been there for like, barely a day. You're more important to us then that, dude." Arlo explained with a small cheerful smile.
"That's right." Elsi backed up, putting her hands together. "You're our friend, Wikilow." The air bender gently added.
"Friend…" Wikilow repeated to himself, finally stopping his fast pace. He recalled the festival, where they had spent that one, memorable evening. They had used that word then too. Friend… they had called him their friend back then too.
The concept had been foreign at first. It had greatly confused him back then. Simply being synonymous with companion. Wikilow turned to face Elsi and Arlo, at their smiling faces. Who had come with him. Who were still with him. He realized it was much more than a concept, wasn't it?
"Friends…" Wikilow said again, louder this time. Elsi and Arlo's faces briefly morphed into ones of confusion. "We are friends… aren't we?" He told the two with this new understanding. Though his face remained impassive and unchanging. At once his companions lit up with warm expressions.
"Obviously!" Arlo exclaimed. Offended that Wikilow might've thought otherwise. With a few laughs they continued their journey back up the mountain. It wasn't until they reached the summit's path that Elsi spoke.
"So… about earlier." The air bender slowly began. Approaching the topic of the Resistance. Wikilow stopped and turned to stare at Kang City, at the opposite mountains behind where the Resistance's base was located.
" I caused a large and demoralizing disturbance among the Resistance. Then retreated. " Wikilow surmised without emotion.
"It looked like you got kind of overwhelmed, dude." Arlo noted. Wikilow paused before responding.
"…What happened after I left?" He asked, avoiding the topic. Arlo shrugged in response, while Elsi looked at the ground for a brief moment, which no one noticed.
"They… the Beifong's were pretty upset. But, I did talk to them before leaving." The air bender quietly explained, awkwardly shuffling.
"I see." Wikilow stoically replied, though inside he felt odd. He couldn't quite find the words to describe the sensation. "We shouldn't involve ourselves in the conflict. The Dai Li will surely detain the Resistance." The Avatar stated. Mentally debating sending an anonymous tip detailing the information he had just learned. Behind him Elsi and Arlo gave each other concerned looks. Before Elsi slowly shook her head, sighing, she stepped forward towards him.
"I don't agree, but I don't think there's anything we can say to change your mind either." The air bender let out with a resigned tone.
"Is that it? Do we really just leave?" Arlo asked the group, uncertainty lacing his voice.
"…Correct." Wikilow said after a long pause. It still didn't feel right. As if there was a rock inside him that stuck out, and wouldn't budge no matter how hard he tried to force it into place. His two companions seemed to pick up on this behaviour.
"Are you sure, Wikilow?" Elsi prodded, giving him a serious look. It was clear they disagreed with him and didn't want to leave. It served to only add to the mountain of confusion growing in Wikilow. He shook his head to clear his mind, then again, and again. He let out a breath as he swiftly turned around to face his companions. Gale had settled themselves on one of the mountain's small ridges overlooking them.
"I need to think." He told the two as he walked off the path and onto a flat rock to the side.
"Of course, take as long as you need, Wikilow." Elsi softly reassured with a nod from Arlo, who leaned against the mountain. She sent him a small smile as she sat against an earthy bump on the opposite side of the path. Mechanically going through his usual routine, Wikilow got into his mediation position and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he emptied his mind.
"We were passing through Kang City and ran into Yulan…" Wikilow thought, processing the day's information and activity. However, before he could continue the mysterious whispers distantly echoed in his mind. Taking another quiet breath he pushed them away to ignore. "We were passing through Kang City and ran into Yulan…" He tried to repeat, though the mysterious whispers returned. They were louder, more insistent in interrupting him and more difficult to ignore than usual. Each time he pushed them away they rebounded with twice the force when he began anew.
Eventually, Wikilow snapped his eyes open and let his stance fall. Not having accomplished anything due to the distraction.
"How was meditating?" Elsi asked him, getting up and moving towards him. A surprised Arlo snapped his head in their direction, proceeding to quickly follow suit.
"Unfortunately, I was unable to focus." Wikilow informed, still on the rock with a rigid posture.
"Er… That's too bad." Arlo told him.
"Got a lot of things on your mind huh?" Elsi related.
"It was actually an unrelated factor that I have no control over." Wikilow blankly explained.
"…Eh?" Both deadpanned.
—
*Flashback* Twelve years ago…
Wikilow as a child lived his life with a simple schedule. Get up, dress in his uniform and follow the assigned Dai Li agent to the training room. He would spend the rest of his day training his bending abilities and mediating. At the end of training he would follow the agent back to his assigned quarters to rest. Which would repeat the following day.
One day however turned out to be different. The agent training him had brought in a man he had never seen before. Grey hair streaked through the stranger's black hair, their skin was dirty and scared with blood, both old and new. His clothes were tattered, stained with foul smelling liquids, urine and blood. The stranger's limbs were restrained with metal cuffs. Lifeless green eyes stared at him as the agent threw the man on the ground by their collar.
Wikilow impassively watched the action with an emotionless gaze, face unmoving. Having long been trained to not question anything the Dai Li did. His own dull eyes were completely devoid of person.
"Wikilow." The agent called from a few feet away, immersed in the shadows of the dim training room. The young boy lifted his head up to meet the agent's gaze unnaturally quick.
"Yes sir." Wikilow blankly stated.
"Today's assignment will be different." The agent harshly began. Gesturing to the limp man on the floor. "Using the techniques you've been practising, eliminate this man." The agent ordered, roughly ripping out a soggy gag from the man's mouth.
That was different. He had never killed someone before that day. But he wouldn't question it.
Wikilow silently walked up to the man who remained still on the floor. He was struggling to breath as his eyes weakly moved. The stranger's eyes met Wikilow's. For a moment the only sound was the tweak and grind of the Dai Li's headquarters. Wikilow readied his stance before hearing an odd sound from the man. At first it resembled some sort of gurgle. Like a dying animal in its last moments.
"…Please… please…" The man was saying in a tired, raspy voice, so quietly it was audible to Wikilow only. However, the boy didn't make any indication he heard or cared, face remaining empty. The boy felt nothing about the stranger's words or predicament. The boy was given an order, and he followed orders. Wikilow didn't hesitate-
There was suddenly another sound. Echoing and bouncing off the metallic surfaces in the training room. It made Wikilow pause, right before he could eliminate the stranger. Who in turn continued his futile pleads.
"What are you waiting for?" The agents angrily demanded. "Your orders are to eliminate this man." They repeated, louder. Their voices mixed together, the agents, the strangers, and the new sounds, a voice he could make out. Though he couldn't discern what they were saying, it sounded… female.
"I apologize. I was distracted by the voice." Wikilow stated over the noise.
"Voice? What voice?" An agent asked, confused yet still in that dark, angry tone.
"You do not hear it? The female one." The boy asked, tilting his head. The agent froze, before scowling and muttering something to one of their fellow agents.
"Kill the man and be done with it, Wikilow." The agent repeated themselves, taking an intimidating step forward. Not like Wikilow felt anything. The female voice, the whispers were loud but he tuned them out. He had an order after all. Wikilow didn't hesitate.
The stranger stopped breathing.
Later Wikilow was told to ignore the whispers, to completely block them out at all times. He listened and did what he was told. Wikilow didn't question the Dai Li.
*Flashback End*
—
"Occasionally, I hear mysterious whispers in my mind. It happens most often when I am in the process of meditating. Usually I am able to ignore them but as of now they were at the point where I could not focus." Wikilow explained in monotone.
"Whispers huh…?" Arlo repeated, looking up at the sky while he scratched his chin. Elsi also looked to be in deep thought as she pondered his explanation.
"What do the whispers sound like?" She asked after a minute of silence. A theory dancing in her eyes.
"They are always discernible. But in most cases female. Why do you ask?" Wikilow answered, tilting his head.
"Do you think it could be Avatar Korra?" Arlo hypothesized, looking from Elsi to Wikilow. Quickly catching on to what Elsi was going at. The girl in question affirmed his guess.
"You believe the origin of the whispers is my predecessor?" Wikilow asked, doubtful of the theory.
"Yeah, the Avatar can speak to their past reincarnations and stuff. Who else could it be?" Arlo excitedly clarified, making a sweeping motion with his hand.
"That is impossible. Avatar Korra destroyed the connection between Avatars during her lifetime." Wikilow rebutted, slowly shaking his head.
"Is that what the Dai Li told you?" Elsi prodded.
"Correct." The Avatar affirmed.
"Of course they did…" The air bender softly mumbled, sighing. "We were taught that Avatar Korra only destroyed the previous connection between Avatars when the previous cycle was destroyed. But she was able to start a new cycle afterwards. So you should be able to talk to Avatar Korra as her successor." Elsi swiftly explained.
"It's mostly common knowledge, dude." Arlo supplied, scratching the back of his head.
"…Is it?" Wikilow said after a moment. "Interesting." He added, quieter.
"Wait… did you say you were ignoring the whispers?" The fire bender questioned. After Wikilow confirmed this the cirque's mouth hit the floor. "WHY?!" He incredulously asked.
"The Dai Li instructed me to." Was Wikilow's answer.
"Of course they did…" Arlo muttered.
"Maybe you should try and speak to Avatar Korra." Elsi suggested with a cheeky grin.
"That would go against what the Dai Li instructed." Wikilow replied.
"Oh come on!" Arlo groaned, stuffing his head in his hands. "What's the harm in trying?" The fire bender went, waving his arms like a frenzied bird. Before Wikilow could respond Elsi spoke.
"Yes! Let's try, Wikilow!" The air bender said with an eager smile, grey eyes lighting up. Wikilow blinked, tilting his head and thinking it over.
"…I'll test out this hypothesis of yours." Wikilow answered in monotone. Proceeding to move into his meditation position once more and closing his eyes. Elsi and Arlo went back to the opposite area of the path where Gale perched on Elsi's shoulder.
"Again… of course he listens to you." Arlo jokingly muttered to Elsi after a few minutes passed. Elsi in turn, turned her reddening face away. Gale making a sound of curiosity.
—
Wikilow withdrew into himself. In the dark expanse of his mind, the outside world slowly faded away. Shades of black coalesced together across his vision, the day's light reflecting from the other side. Steadily, the light died out to turn into an omnipotent starless night. The only sound he heard was the slow steady beat of his heart. The small, silent breaths he made. There was a seemingly weightless sensation as he concentrated.
Soon enough, the whispers made their presence known.
"I hear you." Wikilow thought, mentally acknowledging the whispers for the first time. And the whispers seemed to respond, volume fervently increasing before falling silent. "Avatar Korra." Wikilow stated, and the whispers answered him.
—
"So, what did you talk to the Beifong's about?" Arlo asked Elsi, who was calmly stroking Gale's head while they waited for Wikilow.
"Oh uh… just talked to them about Wikilow was all." She nervously stuttered, Gale looking up at her expectantly. Arlo raised his eyebrow, crossing his arms across his chest in a doubtful gesture. "Oh okay! I may have…may have… blew up at them…" Elsi speedily admitted, burying her face in her hands.
"…You blew up? You? Seriously?" Arlo slowly went.
"I know!" The bashful air bender said to him. Gale moved to sit on her head, doing a little dance as they did so. Suddenly Arlo started a tiny small chuckle. That soon turned into full out boisterous bellows. The wheezing fire bender was clutching his sides as he clapped Elsi on the shoulder. "Good for you Elsi. Good for you." He said through wheezes as Gale flew off.
"B- be quiet!" Elsi indignantly complained. Playfully punching the fire bender.
—
The whispers were all around Wikilow, filling the black void as if it were a hollow cavern. They bounced off each other yet no words could be concluded, just voices. However, they suddenly began fading once more. Wikilow noticed this, feeling perplexed at their behaviour. The whispers grew distant, retreating ahead of him.
Intrigued, Wikilow attempted to follow the whispers, pushing his mind out towards them. But it appeared he was making no substantial progress whatsoever. So he reached farther and farther out, following the whispers. It was like that for a few, ominously silent minutes. Mindlessly following the whispers through his empty mind.
Until he felt a brisk breeze on his face, gently moving the hair across his head. Odd, normally he could completely block out the outside world when meditating. Then Wikilow heard the sound of rushing water, a creek. This greatly confused the young man as there wasn't any water at the mountain's summit. His eyes snapped open like lightning.
Wikilow did not find himself on the mountain. Instead he looked up at an ashen grey sky, in a forest of large, abnormally twisted dead trees. Sickly looking water rushed off slanted rocks in hordes. Coming together to form a shallow murky lake. The Avatar stood on a patch on yellow grass that crunched under his feet. Looking around, Elsi, Arlo and Gale were nowhere to be found.
Wikilow was quick to come to the conclusion that he was in the spirit world.
The young man had travelled to the realm before in his many training regimes with the Dai Li. However each and every one of those visits had been heavily regulated and mainly involved Republic City's spirit portal. However, scanning his surroundings, he couldn't place where he was in the realm.
Besides the howling wind, it was oddly silent in the area. But then Wikilow heard the whispers. Turning, he saw a flash of blue disappear behind the trees. The Avatar immediately marched in the direction of the whispers. Finding no one, he continued to follow the whispers in a run.
The landscape grew more and more dense with skeletal remains of life. The light slowly ebbing away from underneath the monstrous canopy. Wikilow adjusted his movements to the shadows as he ran. The whispers always present and a moment away, leading him somewhere. Eventually his surroundings morphed to resemble a swamp, the trees becoming more uniformed and less imposing around him. The ground descended underneath the shallow waters at that point, leaving Wikilow no choice but to venture into the lake. Murky liquids splashed behind him as he sprinted across. Hiding the discreet appearance of faceless birds
in the trees' branches. Grey feathers stained brown and black as they flew off.
Wikilow observed as the sky faded into an eerie yellow. As if the evening sun was ripped out of the sky and steered across it instead, mixing with the dark night. He soon reached the lake's end and crept forward as the tree line decreased until it was nowhere. The sky continued to darken, keeping the few rays of light that shone through captive.
Travelling across a completely rocky ground, Wikilow stopped when he came across a ginormous landmark. A large tree that seemed to overshadow the surrounding area. Greatly resembling the other trees he had seen yet outdoing them at the same time. It's roots strangled the rocks beneath it and above the branches stabbed the sky. The ground seemed to curl away from the tree. Leaving it to stand on its own in the middle of a circular ravine, with only steep pillars of rock surrounding it. Below mist overwhelmed the descents.
Wikilow hesitated in stepping forward. They are clearly imposing a warning to stay away. But, the whispers insistently beckoned him forward. Looking back behind him, he cautiously approached.
There were a series of pillars that formed a path towards the tree's bottom. With a running start Wikilow leaped across them one by one, careful not to fall as he was without his bending.
At the end he landed on one of the tree's gnarled roots, and scurried up it to reach the base. The whispers were louder then, a sign he was getting close to where they were leading him. Hopping past a couple of the misshapen roots, he found a small nook leading into the tree. The shadows within leading down into a cavernous chamber. Yet the whispers were louder than ever, and practically spilled from the nook.
So he slid down the nook and to the ground below. Where the dusty atmosphere enveloped him. And then… the whispers grew completely silent. Wikilow studied his new surroundings, perplexed.
"Well… look who it is…" A deep, slow voice echoed from the shadows. Reverberating throughout the ghastly chamber. Wikilow stilled, eyes carefully scanning the dark folds of the roots. Silently, a large monstrous black mass emerged from the darkness. Crawling on small insect-like legs, it stopped just before Wikilow's own face. Wikilow took a cautious step back, face blank. "We meet again… Avatar." The black mass drawled, the centre swirling into a porcelain white Noh mask.
"Koh the face stealer." Wikilow impassively surmised. "I've heard of you." He added without emotion.
"As have I…" Koh responded in a taunting tone. "…That annoying… pest of a fan of mine recently regaled all about our newest Avatar…" The spirit informed, sounding bored. Wikilow merely tilted his head, face unchanging. But Koh did not elaborate, only slightly backing away. A few seconds passed before Koh suddenly lurched back around, inches away from his face. The spirit's own having transformed to resemble some sadistic old man. Wikilow did not react in the slightest. Making Koh sigh as they backed away once more, shifting to the previous Noh mask.
"I've always found humans like you despairingly tedious… No fun in the slightest to play or tinker with… Always the statue alone the forest…" Koh deplored. "…Why have you come to my domain… Avatar?" The spirit interrogated, looming over Wikilow.
"…I was following… someone." He slowly answered.
"You are unsure…" Koh drawled, a dark curiosity coming over them.
"I am only guessing that what I'm following is a person." Wikilow explained, finding no logical reason to lie or misguide the spirit. Koh was silent as their tendrils circled Wikilow like a claw.
"… The one you seek… is no longer in your world… yet still walks among it… " Koh began as his tendrils swept back into his form. "Avatar Korra!" The spirit bolstered as their height increased. Voice, ricocheting off the walls and making the ground beneath them tremble from the sheer power it held.
"Correct." The young man dryly affirmed, looking up at Koh.
"…Tell me Avatar… have you found what you were looking for?" Koh questioned from up high. And at that moment the whispers decided to return before he could respond. Wikilow briefly glanced around him, the noise incessant as they stormed throughout the chamber. He was certain he had found the origins of the whispers, was where they had wanted him to go. Yet he hadn't made contact with Avatar Korra. Looking back up, Wikilow found Koh uncomfortably close to his face once more.
"…I am making progress towards my goal." The Avatar dully answered, blinking as the spirit backed away.
"…Have you…? Tell me Avatar… how do you intend to accomplish this goal?" Koh pushed, something resembling glee hidden in his words. Wikilow fell silent, thinking it over but not answering. In truth he didn't know how to make contact with his predecessor. The Dai Li had never taught him. If he even could. If Avatar Korra really was the one behind the whispers.
"…Hidden in the human mind… are voices that are not your own… voices of people you've never met in your short lives… buried is the treasure that nobody knows is there…" Koh riddled to him.
"I am already aware of the fact that Avatar Korra is trying to communicate with me." Wikilow stated unemotionally.
"… Who says the tree only bears one fruit?" The spirit questioned.
"I don't understand." He said in turn.
"…You are in the middle of the storm, correct?" Koh asked, receiving a curt nod in return. "… Listen closely Avatar… who do you hear?" The spirit instructed, causing Wikilow to tilt his head. He heard the whispers, more precisely the scattered voice of Avatar Korra. Didn't he? Wikilow listened…
Waves of sound cascaded around him, swirling with the force of a bear. He waded through the noise, focusing on the tone and pitch of the whispers. And heard what definitely wasn't a female voice. And what definitely resembled that of an adult male. The Avatar blinked, in a different situation perhaps widening his eyes if not meticulously in control of his facial movement.
"It is… not possible for any connection to any Avatar besides my predecessor to exist. It was destroyed during her lifetime." Wikilow dismissing the notion while shaking his head.
"Rava the spirit did lose the battle. But the human Avatar she resides in was not." Koh went.
"Rava's destruction destroyed the previous cycle. All the Avatars before my predecessor were erased entirely." Wikilow argued in monotone.
"Rava is what gives the Avatar their immense power over both the physical and spirit realm…" The spirit began. "She collects their power and carries it from one life to the next… only unleashing it during the… Avatar State." They continued.
"I know." Wikilow stated, unsure at what they were trying to say.
"She gifts the Avatar the ability to bend the four elements until they die. Upon which she carries the ability to the next…Destroy the source of power… and all you will lose is power." Koh went.
"…I am aware." Wikilow reiterated, tilting his head.
"…Power does not make the Avatar… you share the same soul from all those thousands of years ago." The spirit explained.
"Are you insinuating the connection is still there?" Wikilow asked. Koh ignored him.
"…Deep within the human soul… a human's past lives live on… locked. Like throwing them in an ocean… chained so they can never rise. Rava… lightens those chains… so the Avatar can bypass the ocean's depths…" Koh explained with the same slow drawl. "Rava was connected to the Avatar's past lives… which is why she could lighten the chains…without her, there is no one to lighten them for you." The spirit informed.
"So the connection is broken?" He questioned, greatly perplexed by the spirit.
"…A human's personality, their identity. Every piece of the puzzle that makes them who they are… is the chain that keeps them from remembering their past lives… from communicating with them." Koh went before narrowing their eyes at Wikilow. "…Except you… a mind so empty… that the chains have lightened on their own… yet a mind that has also frozen the ocean so they can never rise above the surface…" Koh told him.
"Thaw the ocean." Koh concluded in an omnipotent manner, before disappearing into the shadows.
"Thaw the ocean?" Wikilow repeated, yet seeing as Koh and the whispers had gone quiet, decided to leave.
"…Please… Entertain me Avatar…" Koh echoed from behind him as he exited the tree.
—
Wikilow made his way back to the swamp and sat against one of the dead trees, deep in thought. The storm of whispers had followed him back, keeping him as the eye.
"I don't understand." The Avatar mentally said. "How would I thaw the ocean?" He wondered, closing his eyes and greeting the familiar darkness that followed. "Koh said that my lack of personality have made it so my predecessors cannot communicate with me. But all I can hear are whispers." He went, summarizing what he learned.
"Thaw the ocean… implies that the problem lies within a frozen ocean. How was the ocean frozen?" Wikilow asked, posture upright and still. "What am I doing incorrectly?" He added as an afterthought. "I doubt it's how I behave or operate, that has varied between Avatars for as long as they have existed." Wikilow continued, finding himself stuck.
"How did I make progress?" He asked himself, going over what had worked so far. "I've obtained all this information from following the whispers. But now they are not going anywhere…" The Avatar thought, before going to a realization. "But before… I wasn't following them. Before I ignored the whispers and tuned them out. That must be what Koh meant by freezing the ocean." Wikilow concluded. "So, if ignoring the whispers freezes the ocean. To thaw it would mean to do the opposite." He tried to go, before ramming into an obstacle.
"However, I am doing the opposite of ignoring the whispers by following them instead. Yet I still can not communicate with my predecessors." Wikilow determined.
"Okay… think… I can figure this out." He told himself, taking a breath. "A person's person makes it so connection is impossible. Ignoring and following makes it so connection is impossible. What makes connection possible?" The Avatar asked himself once more. "Koh said that an empty mind is what brought the whispers about. Ignoring them froze the ocean, so I can't ignore it. The problem with following… the problem with following is that it makes my mind not empty. Which sinks my past lives. So… what I should do… is not think or do anything at all." Wikilow concluded, going over the theory in his mind.
"That should work. Do nothing at all." Wikilow thought, raising his hand to his chest. "And Rava will reestablish the connection." The Avatar determined, opening then closing his eyes once more. Truly emptying his mind.
The whispers increased in volume, higher than ever before. Spinning around him, the eye of the storm. Wikilow didn't think about it, didn't pay it any mind. He didn't think about anything. The storm collapsed in on itself. Waves dunking Wikilow above and below its surface. Then he was underneath the waters, falling.
He thought nothing.
And the whispers came to him.
—
Opening his eyes, Wikilow saw that he had moved locations again. Moving his head, Wikilow observed that he seemed to be standing above the clouds in the sky. Colours of gold, yellow and blue were painted behind him. The whispers had died out again. Had it not worked? Suddenly, there were noises behind him.
Wikilow turned.
Turned to see an army of Avatars, dressed in red, yellow, blue and green. They were talking, but it wasn't whispers. Wikilow could make out actual words and conversations from them as they proceeded to walk past him. His eyes followed them as they gathered in front. Until he felt a hand on his shoulder.
Wikilow glanced to his side, and then upwards to find a tall woman dressed like Elsi. In blue and white fur, yet with dark brown hair and skin, with bright blue eyes. His own eyes widened, he recognized this woman, had seen her so many times in pictures and tapes.
"Avatar Korra." Wikilow acknowledged, voice steady. Korra gave him a warm, thankful smile.
"Well done." She told her successor, before joining the rest of the Avatars in the front. As she did so, hers and Wikilow's eyes glowed white. As did every other Avatar before them. Every single one of them entered the Avatar State.
And restored the connection thought was lost.
—
"I spy with my little eye… something white." Arlo told Elsi as they played a small game of I spy to pass the time. It had turned night, the sky void of colour. With the full moon and speckled stars shining down, gracing the world with their light. The small remnants of a fire and bits of food were located a few feet away from the group.
"Hmm… the moon?" Elsi guessed, pointing up at the celestial body.
"Nope." The fire bender dismissed with a wave of his hand.
"Gale?" She tried again, glancing at the small spirit bird nestled in her lap.
"Nada." Arlo turned down.
"…Err… the tulips?" Elsi prodded.
"Try again." Arlo replied, resting his hands behind his head as he leaned against the mountain's summit.
"… I have no clue. Just tell me." The air bender gave up with a sigh. Arlo proceeded to lift the white hairs on his head up. "Okay, does that even count?" Elsi retorted, crossing her arms. Her companion shrugged before leaning further against the summit.
"Wikilow's been in there for a while." He noted, gesturing to the person in question with his head. Elsi nodded in agreement, before yawning, using her arm to stifle it. However, Wikilow's eyes snapped white. The light illuminating the darkened area. The two benders made noises of surprise, looking towards their friend. "Did he do it?" Arlo asked out loud, taking a step forward.
"It's definitely a good sign." Elsi responded, attempting to rub the tiredness out of her eyes. For a few minutes they just stared at Wikilow. But after observing his lack of response, backed away.
"What's he doing in there?" The fire bender wondered, sliding to the floor. Receiving a loose shrug from Elsi. They exchanged a brief look of concern as silence enveloped them. "…Hey, Elsi?" Arlo asked his companion, resting his chin on his knuckles.
"Yeah, Arlo?" The air bender went, turning to face him with a confused look on her face.
"Is it really okay to just leave the Resistance by itself? Like, will they be okay and stuff." The fire bender asked, igniting a small flame in his hand. Red and orange sparks fizzling out into the cold air, reflecting in his eyes. Arlo shaped the flame into different forms and shapes, slightly swaying in the wind. Elsi looked up at the stars before answering.
"Bara said something about handling this sort of thing before. They'll be fine. I'm sure of it." She quietly answered, eyelids drooping half closed as their shadows danced behind them.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, outside the Resistance's base. A lone figure emerged from one of the exits and wandered away. Their steps were calculated and controlled. Eyes dark and focused as they navigated through the dark without any form of light. Reaching the base of the mountain, they pulled a small radio from their coat.
"They're taking off in about an hour. Be ready." Hark instructed, a crooked smile on his face.
—
Authors Note: Explanation of the whole reconnection thing. New personality usually prevents reincarnation communication. Rava would usually bypass this by living the past lives as well. Wikilow's lack of personality made it so he could reconnect. Dai Li made him subconsciously block it out. So, doing nothing fixes things.
That doesn't make sense either…
