Dark Spirits - "Tag In!"
After the banquet, Bolin, Mako, Korra, and Chai went out to enjoy more of the festival. Mako and Korra were giving one another goo-goo eyes as they fed each other with cotton candy.
While Bolin was put off by the cutesy display the couple was putting on, Chai stared at the two of them with an intense look in her eyes.
"You two are disgustingly cute and I love it," Chai said
The couple didn't react to Chai's words, whether they just didn't hear her or ignored her went unknown. Bolin frowned as he looked away but then his eyes widened when he spotted the twins Eska and Desna.
"Wish me luck. I'm making my move! Whee!"
Bolin ran off with a huge pep in his step.
"Good luck," Mako said
"She's gonna eat him alive and leave his soul for a late-night snack," Chai commented
"Those two have always creeped me out. They smell like a grandma's attic," Korra said
Bolin ran over to the twins making sure he was talking to Eska.
"Hey, I'm Bolin. I'm a friend of Korra's! You're, uh, Eska right? Wow, I'm just, I am loving these robes. So, you are from the north right? Cool, that's, like you know, that's my favorite direction."
"I think he is trying to establish some kind of bond with you based on your geographic point of origin," Desna said to his sister.
"Perhaps it would be interesting to spend time with a person whose ways are so rough and uncultured. You amuse me. I will make you mine," Eska said
Bolin gave a nervous smile. "You mean like a boyfriend, or like a slave?"
"Yes." Eska reached out and grabbed Bolin by the front of his jacket. "Win me prizes."
Bolin nervously laughed as Eska started to drag him off.
Since Bolin was in the clutches of Eska and Chai and vanished, Mako and Korra were left alone enjoying one of the booth games of the festival.
The two competed in a game where you squirt water into the mouth of a cut out that resembled a young cartoon version of the previous Avatar, Aang. When the bell of the game rang Mako missed his target while Korra missed as well, but unlike Mako who was just a bad shot she was missing because she was busy looking Mako's way.
"Unalaq offered to train me. He says he can teach me about the spirits and my connection to them," Korra said
"Sounds good. What does Tenzin think?" Mako asked
"Tenzin thinks I'm his prisoner or one of his kids. I'll never finish training with him in charge."
Korra grits her teeth in irritation and waterbends a large stream of water out of her squirt gun and into the target winning her the game.
"We have a winner!"
Korra is given her prize, a large stuffed plush sky bison.
"I mean, you heard what Unalaq said. The South is spiritually unbalanced and it's the Avatar's job to fix it, but my dad won't even let me think about Unalaq teaching me. Well?" Korra said
"Well, what?" Mako questioned
"What do you think I should do?" Korra asked
"I guess you should do what you think is right. I support whatever decision you make," Mako said
Korra rolled her eyes. "Oh, thanks. That's a big help."
"I thought you wanted me to be supportive? Now you want me to tell you what I think? Make up your mind!" Mako said
Korra throws her prize in Mako's face before stalking off.
"Just forget it."
Mako sighed pulling the plush off his head.
"Wow, that was rough."
Mako looked to his right and spotted Chai standing right next to him.
"What-Where did you come from?" Mako questioned
"From over there," Chai said, throwing a thumb over her shoulder.
"How do you keep doing that?" Mako asked
"Doing what?" Chai questioned
"Showing up out of nowhere without making a sound?" Mako said
"Duh, my Uncle Tenzin," Chai said as if her words made complete sense.
"Huh?" Mako said
Chai let out an exasperated sigh as she put her hands on her hips. "I have quiet footsteps because I'm light-footed. I'm light-footed because I trained under Uncle Tenzin."
"Trained under Tenzin? I thought you said you didn't bend?" Mako said
"I don't," Chai said
"Then why would you train under an airbender?" Mako asked
"What? Just because I can't bend doesn't mean I can't learn some awesome moves. With the skills Uncle Tenzin taught me I can dodge a lot and move with the swiftness of the wind."
As Chai gave her explanation, she did a few poses ending with a spin on her toes to show how light on her feet she was.
"Also I like to flip and airbending combat moves are the perfect preps to flip in the middle of a fight."
"Of course flipping would be an important part for fighting for you," Mako said
"Soooo...another argument with Korra huh?" Chai said
"It wasn't an argument," Mako said
"Uh-huh, and she didn't just throw that stuffed toy in your face," Chai said
"Look it's complicated okay," Mako said
"Yeah, I saw. But I'm a bit worried," Chai said
"Worried? About what?" Mako said
"Well from an outside perspective and by that I mean my mine, yours and Korra's relationship doesn't seem all that healthy. I'm pretty sure it's not normal for a couple to argue so much, especially a couple such as you two who haven't even been going out for that long. I mean I've only seen you and Korra go about one day where you two were not mad at one another about something and that was the day I saw you guys become a couple," Chai explained
Mako clenched tightly onto the sky bison plush his lips pulled down into an angered frown.
"Well, what do you know! You've never been in a relationship."
At first, Chai looks both scared and hurt by Mako's outburst but that changes as her eyes narrow and a serious expression overtook her face.
"Hey! Don't get mad at me because you had a tiff with Korra. I may be your friend but I sure as heck won't be your emotional punching bag you get to take blows at when your angry," she said
Mako sighed, "Your right I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you."
Chai stared at Mako for a moment before her smile came back. "All right you are forgiven, but don't do it again because I won't be so nice next time."
Mako quirked an amused smirk. "Okay, whatever you say Princess."
"All right now let's get back to enjoying this festival!" Chai cheered
"You know I think I'm just gonna turn in," Mako said
He turned to walk away but was stopped as Chai grabbed his belt pulling him back.
"I don't think so, mister! Just because you had a little disagreement with your girlfriend doesn't mean you don't deserve to have fun. Let's play some games. Having some fun will help you clear your mind and maybe you'll be able to figure out how to patch things up with Korra later? Ooh! We can do some role-playing. I'll be Korra and you'll be yourself. You can bounce some ideas off of me and I'll react in my best Korra fashion. We can do all this while playing more festival games! Beanies I have no one else to hang with. Asami is busy working, Bolin is in the clutches of Eska and my family turned in for the night. Come on Mako don't leave a poor girl alone," Chai said
"You're not going to let go of me are you?" Mako asked
"You and I both know the answer to that question," Chai said
"Fine. Just stop pulling my belt you're making my pants ride up," Mako said
"Oh sorry." Chai let go of Mako. "Let's head out. I saw a booth that has balloon popping. I'm awesome at that. I'll win you a prize."
"Isn't the guy supposed to win the prize for the girl?" Mako said
"Ha!" Chai laughed hands on her hips. "I laugh in the face of stereotypical gender roles! Now come on, I'm gonna win us some of those good prizes."
Bolin was exhausted as he laid face down on the floor of his and Mako's hut.
"Bolin what are you doing?"
The earthbender doesn't get up but simply moves his head to the left to see his brother entering the hut.
"Oh Mako just resting after hanging out with Eska," Bolin said
"On the floor?" Mako said
"Yeah, yeah, a lot was taken out of me and the floor just looked so inviting," Bolin said
"Okay," Mako said
Bolin took a better look at Mako and saw the many plush toys and prizes he held.
"Wow, Mako. You sure won a lot. I never knew you were so good at those games," Bolin said
"Oh, I didn't win them," Mako said
"I did!"
Chai popped up from behind Mako.
"Chai?"
"Yup, it was I who won these goods!" Chai said
"She's really good. I think she left a few booth workers in tears," Mako said
"I'm one skilled individual. Since I can't bend I was taught a multitude of skills to give me the upper hand. Dart throwing has almost the exact same skill set as knife throwing," Chai explained
"You can throw knives?" Bolin asked
"Yeah," Chai said
"You so cool," Bolin said
"Aww, thanks. Here Bolin."
Chai walked over and placed a stuffed fire ferret next to him.
"A Pabu Jr."
The real Pabu scampered over and stared at the stuffed animal version of himself. His black eyes blinked and his ear twitched before he pounced on the thing rolling around the hut.
"I think he likes it," Chai said
"Thanks, Chai. Why were you two hanging out?" Bolin asked
Chai crouched next to Bolin and whispered. "I was alone and Mako got into it again with Korra. I was trying to cheer him up."
"Ah, I see," Bolin whispered back.
Mako frowned, "I can hear you two."
"Wha? But were whispering," Chai said
"Not very good," Mako said
Chai stood up. "Okay. But you have to admit you do feel better, don't you? Come on, admit it. Admit it."
Mako rolled his eyes. "Okay, I do feel a bit better."
"Yes! Goal accomplished!" Chai cheered
"I think-"
Mako is cut off by the sound of Naga's howling. The polar bear dogs loud howling cut through the night, echoing everywhere.
"Is that Naga?" Mako said
He turns to Chai and Bolin but is confused when he sees Chai. The girl was as still as a statue, her eyes were wide, she looked like prey that had just been cornered by a predator. She looked thoroughly spooked.
"Chai what's-"
"Somethings coming," Chai said
Once the words left her mouth she ran out the hut.
"C-Chai!"
Mako dropped everything in his arm and followed after the girl, Bolin right behind him.
Chai was standing just a few feet from the hut entrance looking out. A few huts over Korra was outside as well starring in the same direction as Chai was. The two girls spotted something forming in the snow.
It was a wispy form and glowed with an anonymous violet light with piercing yellow eyes. It was a spirit and nothing about it said it was there on pleasant terms. When the creature fully took shape it stood still for a brief second before it shot off at an unimaginable speed, tearing up snow as it moved, and attacked Korra.
Korra let out a grunt as she was knocked off her feet and landed a few feet back into the snow. She tumbled across the ground before slamming into the side of a rocky wall.
Mako, Chai, and Bolin immediately moved running up the snowy hill and to Korra's aid.
The creature grabbed Korra pinning her to the wall. She grunted and struggled against its hold but couldn't break free.
A fireball shot out, stopping the creature from attacking Korra.
"Got it!"
Bolin sends a row of jagged rock at the spirit but it jumps out the way.
"Don't got it!"
The spirit whips around and hits the two brothers knocking them down the snowy hill. Tenzin and Tonraq ran out helping the boys up.
"Hey!"
Chai appeared, whip in hand. She spun around and her whip sliced through the air hitting the spirit in the side. It let out a loud screech withering for a brief moment before its body went back to normal. It roared at Chai but the girl just stood determined, her eyes burning, and golden locks of her hair seeming to shine.
"Back off!" She shouted
As her whip hit the spirit there was a brief burst of golden light that came from its body. Chai did her best to doge swipes from the spirit but was unable to counter due to its quick speed. Chai took a step back and her balance was thrown off as her foot sunk in deeper into the snow. Her momentary lapse gave the spirit just enough time to hit Chai sending her flying off and into the snow. She slid a few feet and ended up next to Korra.
"Tag in," Chai groaned, lifting her hand.
Korra stood up and actually slapped Chai's hand, before running at the creature. She first tried attacking with fire but the creature moved quickly and changed its form to avoid the attacks.
"Korra!"
Tonraq appears riding on a large block of ice. He goes around the spirit creating an ice corral then bends the ice to entrap the creature. All is quiet for about a moment before the spirit breaks free. It grabs Tonraq and Korra, tossing the man into the side of one of the huts while throwing Korra in the opposite direction. She lands harshly on the snow just before the fencing that surrounded the festival.
Tenzin drops before the sprint holding his hands out in a nonthreatening manner.
"Spirit, why are you angry with us? What have we done to offend you?"
The spirit pauses and briefly stares at the man before knocking him away.
Chai finally recovered standing up just in time to see Korra enter the Avatar State. The fight continues on but ends up going into the festival grounds. Korra was doing well until the creature grabbed her and slammed into a stack of wooden boxes, the blow knocking her out of the Avatar State. The spirit stood over Korra, about to deliver another blow to the fallen girl but is unable with a stream of water encircles it. Unalaq moves his hands fluidly, controlling the water, the spirit standing still and calm. The water starts to glow and the spirit changes color turning a pure white color. The water drops down and the spirit calmly starts to walk off before it vanishes.
"Go in peace," Unalaq said
Tenzin and Tonraq run over to Korra, checking the girl over.
"Korra!"
"Are you all right?"
"How are you able to control that spirit when no one else could?" Korra asked her uncle.
"As your father could tell you, I have spent my life studying the spirits and learning their ways. All of this knowledge is lost in the South, but I could teach you everything I know," Unalaq said
"Chief Unalaq, clearly you are very knowledgeable, but Korra still has much to learn about airbending. And I hope that going to the air temples will help her connect with the past Avatars," Tenzin said
Korra threw her hands up a bit as she groaned.
"The air temples will teach her nothing. Only I can give her the training she needs to be a complete Avatar," Unalaq said
Tonraq stepped forward, "I've told you that will not happen!"
"Hey! I'm right here!" Korra cut in. "Anyone want to ask me what I think?"
"Korra, please listen-"
"I'm tired of listening to you. Both of you. You keep me locked up, telling me you know what's best. But both of you were powerless against that spirit attack. I think it's time I had a new teacher," Korra said
"Now Korra-"
"Unalaq has proven he's the only one who knows what I need to learn. I have to go with him," Korra said
"Please, I know you're angry, but we've come so far together," Tenzin said
"I'm sorry, Tenzin. This is as far as we go," Korra said
"It has been a pleasure serving you, Avatar Korra," Tenzin said
The next morning Tenzin and his family had packed up and were ready to depart.
"I think you forgot a couple of things."
Katara appeared with Bumi and Kya behind her.
"Mother, I think I need some time alone with my family right now," Tenzin said
"This is your family, Tenzin. When you get to be my age, you'll be thankful for the time you had with your siblings. Besides, I think it's important that you all visit your father's home together," Katara said
Bumi gave a playful punch to Tenzin's shoulder. "Come on! It'll be fun."
"I'm dying to see that laid back, Vacation Tenzin I've heard so much about," Kya said
"All right, hop on," Tenzin said, gesturing to the sky bison.
Kya suddenly waterbent some snow to her left and everyone looked to find Chai once again frozen in ice.
"Darn. So close," Chai said, snapping her fingers.
"Gotta try harder than that kid," Kya said as she let Chai go.
Chai ran over to her father jumping and embracing him.
"See ya later Dad."
"Aw, I'll see you later to my little Princess," Bumi said
Chai looked up waving. "Bye, my baby airbenders. Bye, Aunt Pema. Learn lots of airbending culture stuff and bring me back a present!"
"Bye Chai!" The kids waved back.
"Hmm…" Bumi hummed studying his daughter.
"Something wrong Dad?" Chai asked
"No, it's just...was your hair always this bright?" Bumi questioned
"Huh?" Chai grabbed a few locks of her hair pulling them into view. "It does look shinier than normal."
The father-daughter duo hum in the same manner, hands on their chins, thoughtful looks on their faces.
"Eh, I'm sure it's nothing," Bumi said
"Yeah, your probably right," Chai agreed
Tenzin walked over to Katara giving her a hug. "I love you, Mom. We'll see you soon!"
Bumi attempted to get on Oogi and started to make some odd noises as he struggled to climb aboard the bison. Tenzin, without breaking his hug with his mother, kicks his foot back sending a gust of air that pushes him atop the bison. Chai snorted out a laugh as she pointed at her father.
When everyone was on board Oogi took off. Chai stood next to Katara, waving her hands until the sky bison was no longer in sight.