Earth
Fire
Air
Water
Only the Dual Avatars master of all four elements can bring balance to the world.
Book II: Spirits
Chapter VIII: Night of a Thousand Stars
Wan can't bear to watch Pema as she realizes that her daughter's spirit is trapped in the spirit world. Guilt overtakes him like a tsunami washing up a city. He can't look Tenzin in the eyes, it is unbearable.
"I should have done more…" Wan mumbles. Everyone turns to him as he looks up with his eyes filled with determination.
"I promise Unalaq will pay and I won't stop until he does."
The rebels wait looking from the snowy mountains, they all prepare themselves for the next battle. Tonraq looks below to see Unalaq's troops, a rebel woman walks up to her leader and turns to him.
"Should we wait for another day? Korra and Wan still might come with reinforcements." She asks, still hopeful for a miracle.
Tonraq shakes his head, "No, we can't wait any longer." He turns to his fellow rebels and yells, "It's time to take back what is ours! It's time to take back our city!" He announces to the rebels and they all put their fists up in agreement. The rebels with waterbending slide down the mountain, charging at the northern troops. At the tower the guards sound the alarm.
Wan meditates in the garden trying to connect to Raava once more. He can feel her light dancing inside him. He focuses on her voice again. Wan.
"Raava, it's good to hear from you again." Wan smiles a bit.
Wan, both of the portals are open. You and Korra need to close them before Harmonic Convergence.
"I know, Unalaq tricked me and it won't happen again," Wan growls in slight anger.
Wan, calm down, though we don't have much time, we can still remedy this.
Wan takes a few deep breaths, trying to find his peace again, "Yeah, you're right. Do you have an idea where Jinora is?"
The Fog of Lost Souls, that is where lost souls who go into the spirit world go. She might be there. It's very difficult to get someone out, however you all might have a chance.
"Okay, that's a good start." Wan breathes as he opens his eyes. "Raava, I have another question: who was that little girl that came to me when I was amnesic?"
Oh, that's Istina. She's the spirit of truth. She sings to humans or spirits that need to know the truth of memory and all things. I called her to help you.
"Ah, okay that helps a lot."
"Wan, you ready to go?" Korra asks, coming through the entrance to the garden,
Wan gets to his feet, "Yeah..."
Wan walks towards her and out the gate. The two simply walk in the mists of silence, Korra begins to break the ice.
"This wasn't your fault you know." She looks at Wan who downcasts his gaze.
"Yes, it is." The first avatar says, Korra sighs, "Wan, this is all Unalaq's fault. Please stop blaming yourself!" Korra closes her eyes, "It hurts me, too, when you do that…"
"But-" Wan is quickly cut off by Korra, her hands grasping his shoulders, though shorter than Wan she makes herself figuratively bigger than him, "Stop." Korra's voice is thick with emotion, "Stop holding guilt that isn't yours. We will get Jinora back, but stop."
"Okay..." Wan says relenting to Korra, who smiles softly as she lets go of him, then the duo continues walking.
"So what happened to you and Mako?" Korra glances away from Wan, can she really explain that horrific argument without tearing up? It was bad enough that she confronted Mako aggressively like that.
"Mako ratted me out to the president," Korra answers, "I was trying to help my family, so I went to General Iroh for help, but Raiko came and Bolin told me that he did it, I confronted him and we argued and... And he broke up with me..."
"I hate to say this but, I knew this was coming." Wan shrugs trying not to hurt Korra's feelings, though he most likely did. Wan knows Korra and Mako were arguing a lot and other things in the relationship. "It was honestly inevitable."
"I was too aggressive, I kicked the door open and-" Korra admits as she wipes her tears trying to pull herself together, "I was so angry." Korra sniffles a little, "He said that he can't be worrying about keeping me from making another mistake, and I said I have a job to do, too, only it seems like he's always standing in the way of me getting it done. Then he said 'Well, I guess if we're both putting our jobs first, maybe there's no room for our relationship!' Then he broke up with me."
Korra continues to cry, "I'm the Avatar, I have a duty, but I'm trying to protect my family from Unalaq! He just can't understand that I'm desperate to protect the ones I love!"
Wan rubs her back as she continues to cry, "I understand, sorry if it was a sensitive subject. I didn't mean for you to get upset."
Korra takes a few deep breaths, as she glances at Wan, "It's fine- I'm just glad I can have someone who understands what I'm going through." Wan grins as he gives her a small hug, "Yeah, me too."
After a long day of traveling, Oogi lands near the arena entrance, Wan and Korra are the first ones to jump out of the Air Bison sattle, following them are Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi.
"Mr. President!" Wan calls out to Raiko, this immediately gets his attention and he turns to Wan,
"Avatar Wan, Avatar Korra." He acknowledges them,
"Sir, I know we've asked for your help before, but things have changed. Unalaq doesn't just wanna take over the South anymore. He wants to destroy the entire world." Korra announces to the President, Raiko's eyes widen in fear, Bolin gasps asking, "Unalaq is going to destroy the world? He really does have a doomsday device?"
"Not exactly, the doomsday device is Vaatu. The spirit of Darkness and Chaos." Wan answers then turns his attention to the president once more.
"Unalaq is trying to undo the work I did at Harmonic Convergence, which is only a few days at least. If Unalaq succeeds, the world as we know it will be over. Sir, we desperately need your help, please." Wan pleads.
"Wait, the work you did?" Asami asks blinking awkwardly,
"I'll explain, later" Wan replies, sighing. "I'm sorry, my answer is still no," Raiko replies, putting his arms behind his back. Wan then goes closer to the man. "Listen closely, there are lives on the line. Innocents will be killed, I can't and will not allow Vaatu to be free again. A little girl's life is on the line, her name is Jinora."
Raiko then responds in a neutral tone again, "I'm aware that lives are on the line. And that's precisely why my troops are staying here. If the world is going to be thrown into chaos as you and Korra claim, I need to protect my citizens. I'm sorry."
Wan gives off an annoyed sigh and rubs his head. "Fine, we'll do it with or without you."
Before Bolin can say something the president walks off, Korra gives Wan a pat on the back, comforting the First Avatar as he closes his eyes in defeat. "You tried."
"If you guys need help, I'm here for you." Asami smiles, Bolin chimes in as well, "Yeah, me too." Wan chuckles as he smiles at them, "We missed you guys. And I got my memory back."
"What?!" Bolin gasps dramatically, "Really!? So what's the work that you did?" Asami adds.
Wan slightly blushes at his newfound identity, "I'm the First Avatar, trust me the story is long."
Bolin bows at Wan, who moves back and is very uncomfortable. "I am honored to be in your presence, First Avatar." Bolin bows at his feet,
Asami playfully kicks the earthbender, "Bolin stop, you're making him really uncomfortable." Bolin quickly gets up rubbing his head, "Sorry! Sorry!"
Wan chuckles awkwardly, "I'm the same guy- Wait. Where's Mako?" Korra groans, Asami looks at Korra who sourly states, "Who cares where he is? He's probably sleeping under his desk like a workaholic."
Wan whistles in an awkward fashion, "Bad break up?" Asami asks knowingly, Wan nods. "Mako is actually in jail-" Bolin mentions, "Long story, turns out Varrick was trying to start even more war! Crazy huh?"
"What!?" Wan and Korra shout in unison.
Everyone waits in the visiting area, once Mako comes out everyone claps for him.
And after, Lin talks to Mako about his new promotion. Mako looks at Korra, who glares at him and turns her back on him. "Korra-" Korra spins around, Mako tries to grab her hand before the female Avatar pulls her hand and grunts at him.
"I just need to talk to you-" Mako starts, he is quickly cut off by Korra.
"Forget it, save your breath city boy!" Korra roars in anger, and Mako backs off at her
tone, it wasn't like her normal outbursts. This comes from hurt and pain.
Everyone but Wan is shocked at this outburst, "You've made it known about how you feel about me." Korra storms out of the room.
Bolin eyes the situation awkwardly as Wan gives Mako a death glare, "Oh yeah, did I forget to tell you? Korra and Wan are back, Wan got his memory back and is the First Avatar." The earthbender looks around then does a very awkward and meek, "Yay!" While waving his hands.
"So." Wan starts, crossing his arms letting Mako know he knows what happened.
"Got anything to say?"
"Uhhh, No? No." Mako says, uneasy by the tension in the room and Wan's piercing glare.
Tenzin then steps up next to Wan, "Wan, we don't have much time, we need to figure out how to deal with Unalaq."
Bolin gives a small grin, "I think I know just the man to talk to."
Varrick turns his chair in his surprisingly lavish cell with plenty of amenities, it almost looks like the interior of a house, he wears a slight smug grin.
"Guys, hey, what do you think? Varrick Industries built this prison, and I had this cell made special. I had a feeling I'd end up here one day." He winks at his visitors.
Wan rolls his eyes, "I'm not surprised that you did." Wan sasses as he crosses his arms.
"Zhu Li, c'mon, we got guests! Whip up a pot of that green tea I love!" Varrick calls to his assistant who walks up with a pot of green tea.
"Zhu Li's in prison with you?" Korra asks rather surprised.
Varrick then looks at Korra, confused at that question. "Of course! I don't go anywhere without my assistant. Do you?"
Wan glares at the man behind bars, "I'm her partner not her assistant, and this isn't a friendly cuddly visit."
Varrick sighs while sipping his green tea, "Don't tell me you guys are still mad about everything that happened. I did some good things, too. Korra, who warned you about Unalaq? I did. Wan, who helped you out with your research about the portals? I did. Bolin, who got you into the movers? I did. Asami, who saved your company? I did. Mako, who got you thrown in jail? I did!"
While the dual team avatar's faces soften, Mako's frown deepens, Varrick takes a moment of self realization then closes his eyes. "Oh yeah, guess that was a bad thing."
"You stole everything from me and you tried to kidnap the president. Those are pretty bad, too." Asami retorts, Wan then points out, "You also tried to instigate a Civil War further by hiring bombers to bomb the Cultural Center."
"I wasn't going to hurt him. I just needed to start a war. Well, a bigger war."
"Well, no big war for you buddy. We're stopping it!" Wan retorts getting more upset.
"Where's all the stuff you stole from Asami?" Bolin questions.
"The 'Future Industries' stuff? It's on my battleship." Varrick simply says, sipping his tea.
"Battleship!? Okay, you are just wild." Wan says a bit surprised as he puts his hands up.
"I bought the first one they made! Named her 'Zhu Li'," Varrick responds while sipping his tea once more.
"They're both cold, heartless war machines."
Varrick puts his hand on his heart having an apologetic look, saying,"Look, I'm truly sorry for the mess I caused. Let me make it up to you, take Zhu Li, my battleship, it's yours, and everything on it."
"Okay, not what we were asking for but we'll take it." Wan shugs.
Bolin then ecstatically cheers; "All right! Dual Team Avatar is back in business, haha!" Bolin grabs the team and hugs them, everyone laughs in the group hug. Lin just smiles.
Later on at night, on the ship Zhu Li, Korra stares at the vast ocean, Wan walks behind her with a blue blanket. "You cold?" He asks, offering a blanket, Korra smiles, accepts the blanket, and Wan puts it over her shoulders.
"You know, we can beat him together, right?" Wan smiles, "Your uncle has nothing on the First Avatar."
Korra giggles then looks out at the ocean, "Yeah, but I'm worried about my Father."
"Your Father is a strong man, I'm sure he'll be alright." The dual avatars hug each other, watching the stars.
