Korra opened her eyes, her vision blurry for a moment before sharpening into razor focus. Her body was stiff, and she realised that she was in a pool, still fully clothed, the water just the right temperature. A spirit oasis, seemingly. She looked around the small pool and saw loads of random spirits in there relaxing, chatting peacefully. She budged a little bit, then stretched her arms above her head, not minding the drips. It was heavenly, and a broad smile etched itself on her face. She felt her bump, and revelled in the feeling of pure happiness in the fact that she wasn't in pain in the slightest. She felt rejuvenated, the best she had felt since getting pregnant.
Her smile faded, as that memory brought on what she had done just before she fell unconscious. Guilt and regret were threatening to return, but she pushed it away so not to spoil the moment. That did bring up the question of where she was and why. She vaguely remembered the exhaustion of shutting the portal, so someone else must have brought her there. Her first thought went to the dragon spirit that she had brought to its nest years ago, but that was nowhere to be seen.
"Sorry," she asked, diming the general chatter. "Who brought me here?"
"You're awake!" one spirit rejoiced, and they all started surrounding her, comforting her. She smiled and returned their questions graciously. They made her feel at home, and didn't bring up a problem they had with her unlike most.
"You're not mad about me closing the portal?" she asked.
"Humans were getting far too comfortable strolling into our world," a pear spirit said at the back, and there was a general murmur of agreement. "I don't mind having another portal, but they need to learn their boundaries!"
Korra nodded as if that was why she did it, not in the mood for another argument. "Who brought me here?" she repeated, and she got a response from an unexpected source behind her.
"I couldn't help but notice that you were using a dangerous amount of your power while in your condition," a man said behind her, and Korra twisted around in an instant, getting out of the pool.
"Aang!" she cried happily, going up to and hugging him. "I thought I'd scared you away forever!" There was another Air Nomad beside Aang, but Korra didn't recognise him.
"Katara was much worse, trust me," Aang joked, and hugged her back. "It's great to finally see you again Korra. I hope that you've sorted everything out now."
Korra's smile faded, and she looked down at her feet. She broke the hug, sat down and hugged her knees. She glued her lips tight to avoid her voice cracking, and stayed silent. "Not really," she answered gloomily.
"This is a perfect place to open up, Korra," Aang said gently. "I won't judge you. I did many questionable things when I was growing up that had I not accepted, would've ate away at me for spirits know how long."
Korra sighed, figuring there was no-one better to talk to, and slowly explained her whole situation. Accidentally getting pregnant, hiding it from everyone, breaking up with and effectively assaulting her girlfriend, using bloodbending to beat the Triple Threats, running away from the police. Aang took it all in, and related with how low he felt when he abandoned his people in their time of need.
"Aang had no malicious intent, and neither did you," the other air nomad said. Korra found herself being optimistic for the first time in a long time while talking to Aang. Yes, she was pregnant and hadn't told the father. But she was having a baby! That was great news in itself. She giggled at the thought of it, negativity finding no room in her mind now.
"What's your name?" she asked the other man. "Were you two friends?"
"My name is Gyatso," he replied, smiling gently. "I was great friends with Avatar Roku and Aang. You certainly seem like a nice person."
"Thanks," Korra said, beaming. The sudden flurry of compliments were very welcome. But a pressing question wouldn't leave her head. She directed her attention back to Aang. "What was that about a dangerous amount of power in my condition you mentioned earlier?" Aang's smile faded, and his gaze became a serious one, locking onto Korra's eyes. She switched on to full attention instinctively, and indicated that she was all ears.
"When I felt you closing the portal, I knew that you were in danger of overusing the Avatar State in your current condition. It would make sense that nobody close to you knows the consequences, since when the last time an Avatar was pregnant was hundreds of years ago."
"Overusing the Avatar State?" Korra asked, frightened of what the implications could be. No-one had ever said she could over-use it, but it definitely sounded bad.
"Until you have given birth," Aang continued, Korra hanging onto every word. "The Avatar State will be locked. The enormous flow of power can be fatal for the baby, and if you force it while pregnant anymore like you did by opening the portal, there is a very real chance of a miscarriage. It would be the same as trying to bond with Raava at any time other than Harmonic Convergence for the child, to put it simply. It only applies to women, as men can't get pregnant, of course."
Korra sat frozen to the spot, her heart skipping a beat. This baby had certainly created a lot of inconveniences in her life, but she wouldn't give it up for the world. "If you're joking, I need you tell me right now," she said, leaving no chance for misunderstanding.
"I am dead serious," Aang said. "Bending is not healthy either, but not nearly on the same level of the Avatar State. Go somewhere where you can take it easy for the reminder of your pregnancy. I don't suppose you could move in with Mako? He is the father."
"No, that's not an option," she said gloomily. Then an idea hit, which seemed painstakingly obvious. "That's it, I'll go home to the South Pole!"
"That's a great idea," Aang agreed.
"There is something else I feel we should mention," Gyatso interjected, who'd been quiet for most of the conversation. Korra looked at him, wondering what else they had in store for her.
"We're not even sure if we're right!" Aang argued. "There's no point needlessly worrying her."
"Tell me," Korra requested, and Gyatso obliged, to Aang's disappointment.
"The spirit of Raava is currently very… murky, at the minute," Gyatso started, raising an eyebrow from Korra. "That is all we can make of it right now, but her balance has been unstable ever since you created a new spirit portal. Your emotions are having a much greater effect on her than any Avatar has ever before."
"But it's been over seven months since I created the new portal," Korra said, not really getting what the man named Gyatso meant. "Shouldn't any spiritual outburst from opening that have calmed down by now?"
"Raava has lived for over a million years," Gyatso explained. "The time period you just mentioned is nothing compared to her lifespan. You have never been completely at peace with yourself in the time in between. We figure that until you have temporarily satisfied yourself to the full, the darkness cannot be erased to its complete extent. After that, it should probably not return unless you were to create yet another portal, but you evidently don't have any intentions on that."
"You can say that again," Korra emphasized. "But can you narrow it down a little bit more? Will it pass after I give birth?"
"He simplified it down greatly there," Aang said. "And no, it is not related to your pregnancy. This is entirely new. For the first time ever."
"Ok," Korra said, and got into some deep thought on who might be able to elaborate. "Is there any way I could talk to any of my other past Avatars? I thought the connection was gone but then you appeared not too long ago, and now here too."
"Republic City and Air Temple Island were my home for most of my life," Aang explained, "and my spirit has remained on there. It is very sentimental to me, and with the sudden flourish of spiritual energy, I was able to appear in front of you, even if only for a few minutes."
"Can I talk to some of the other Avatars in the spirit world then?" Korra asked. "If you're having a conversation with me right now, why can't I speak to the others here?"
"I had very little choice, it was for your own safety," Aang told her. "If you went to places like where Roku's Temple once stood or Kyoshi Island, then it is possible, maybe. They will not seek you out. I felt I had a personal responsibility as your predecessor to talk to you."
They continued to talk for a little while longer, when a question struck Korra's head. "I have a question," Korra approached.
"What is it?" Aang replied.
"I have the ability to give it back, but… how do you take someone's bending away?"
"What's brought this on?" Aang asked.
"It's such a powerful weapon, and I could stop so many problems before they even got off the ground with it," Korra told him. "I know how you brought down Yakone with it."
"Energybending is very risky, and you're in no state to be playing around with that power," Aang rejected her. "And besides, you don't even meet the most important criteria."
"Which is?" Korra pressed.
"You must be true to yourself, or else you will be corrupted, and your bending as the Avatar will be removed permanently," Aang told her bluntly. "I mastered the technique, but i only used it as an absolute last resort, even with the Avatar State ahead of it. You have the ability deep inside you, but I cannot teach you it just yet."
"Oh," Korra said dejected. "And I've got this 'darkness' growing inside of me."
"There is only one person in the entire world who has the potential to unlock and control this ability aside from you," Aang revealed.
"Who, who, who?" she begged.
"My granddaughter Jinora," Aang surprised Korra.
"Jinora…?" Korra said, surprised, although she was a very good candidate for anything spiritual.
"She is easily the most spiritual of my descendants, and the power is dormant within her after being passed down from me. She may discover it, or she may not. Tenzin, Kya and Bumi didn't. It isn't up to me, but if she seeks me out, I can teach her. She is fully capable of contacting me now. Although she won't be capable of taking someone's bending away, the raw power of the Avatar State is needed for that, and would probably kill her if she tried. I don't think she would go doing that anyway though, so there's no need to worry about her."
Korra felt like protesting his decision, but decided against it. She had to leave bending alone for the next while anyway, according to Aang's advice. She got up to leave.
"Leaving so soon?" Gyatso asked. "But we just got to know each other."
"I appreciate all your help," Korra said. "I really do. But I need some time to think about my next actions. Thanks, Aang, Gyatso. I hope we meet again."
"Until next time," Aang said cheerfully, and waved as Korra left the spirit oasis. Korra could be anywhere she wanted in the spirit world in an instant, of course, but she needed some time to muse for the next while, and wandering through the spirit world was the best place and time to do that. The water dripped off her slowly as the oasis slowly became a small dot in the distance.
Korra spent the next two days strolling around the spirit world, sorting her head out. She let her feet take her whatever direction she felt, and when she needed food or water, she had no problem finding it. Spirits kept her company whenever she needed it, and her belly pains no longer stressed her like they used to. She didn't have to hide it now, and she could stop and take as much time as she wanted if she wasn't feeling good. She had taken in Aang and his friend Gyatsos' advice, and was going to avoid any negativity she could. It was very vague, what they'd hinted at, but spirits were very complex and could drive someone like her insane. It was better to take their advice without questioning it. Just keep it simple, she thought.
Finally, after two long days of walking, she stumbled upon someone that she could always rely on for a chat.
"Iroh!" she called out happily, and the former firebending master turned around from picking ingredients for his tea. A wide smile spread on his face as Korra wrapped him in a bear hug.
"It's so good to see you again so soon Korra!" he greeted, returning her hug. "And it seems that someone else has come along too," indicating to her bump.
"Yeah," Korra confirmed happily. "For a while, I wasn't sure about it but now I couldn't be happier about it."
"That's wonderful to hear," Iroh agreed. "Can you stop by for some tea? I would love to have you around for a chat."
"Of course," Korra accepted, and walked back with him to his table. It took what felt like an hour, but no-one really had a sense of time in the spirit world, apart from day and night. Korra was buzzing to sit down with Iroh and reminisce with him, but when they reached the table, her heart dropped. Her smile fell from her face and she got into a fighting stance, the top of her knuckles itching for a reason to blast to people who she'd hoped to never see again.
"Zaheer!" she snarled as the spirits around the table began to get edgier. "And your third eyed girlfriend!"
"Korra please, relax," Iroh said, putting his hands on her shoulders to comfort her. "Your energy is more prevalent than ever with the new changes in the world."
"You're defending them?!" Korra asked, turning back to Iroh, shocked. "Do you know what they tried to do to me? I-"
"Korra, I beg you, try not to be so negative," Iroh pleaded softly in his soothing old voice. "I know that you may have grudges with Zaheer and his wife, but you must remain calm. I am not proud of what I did as a general in the Fire Nation during the 100-Year-War, but I was given a chance at redemption, and that is what I am asking you to offer this couple while you are here."
"His wife?" Korra repeated, looking at the two of them, sitting there calmly. "When did you two get married? And how are you even here? I saw you get killed with my own eyes."
"As the descendant of the late Air Nation, P'li was always more spiritually connected than most," Zaheer explained calmly, his hand on P'li's. "I would've thought you knew."
"Air Nomad? How was I meant to know that?" Korra questioned, not dropping her hands.
"You were never taught about combustion benders?" P'li asked. "Honestly, what has come of the White Lotus?"
"I'm not talking to you," Korra stated, keeping up her fists. "I don't want to after everything you did to me."
"We have many common traits, ourselves and Iroh," Zaheer said. "The White Lotus that Iroh fought for has the same ideology as the Red Lotus. We've enjoyed our time talking to each other very much."
"They cannot bend here," Iroh reminded her, taking his hands off her shoulders as she dropped her guard. "Maybe they have something you are searching for."
"What could I possibly have to learn from them?" Korra asked. "They put me through the worst emotional trauma of my life!"
"Have you ever heard the saying that you find something you didn't know you were looking for in the spirit world?" Zaheer said. "I've heard that you're currently not welcome in Republic City, and rumours about why."
Korra glared at him, then looked at Iroh, seeking his opinion. He gestured to the conveniently empty seats across the two. Korra stood still for a second, then begrudgingly walked over and sat in it. She didn't say anything, waiting for one of them to start the conversation. Zaheer did after a few moments.
"So, is it true that you took down an entire Triad using bloodbending, and yet the police chased you out?" he asked.
"Yes," Korra replied gruffly.
"Why don't you tell us about it?" P'li said.
No," Korra rejected.
"We're not asking you to open up, we just want to hear the real story," Zaheer requested. "It's very little to ask."
After a few seconds hesitation, Korra relented. "Fine," she said. She told them a detailed enough explanation of the raid on the Triads, and how she wasn't able to go into the Avatar State because of her health, not specifying her 'illness' (even though she didn't think of it like that). She didn't give them the chance to ask any questions, but they didn't try to regardless.
Korra went on to brush over her breakup nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal when really the thought of Asami ached Korra's heart. P'li whistled suggestively at the mention of Korra having a girlfriend.
"Got a problem with that?" Korra challenged.
"Of course not," P'li taunted.
Don't rise to the bait. She's only playing with you, Korra thought. She really couldn't care less about P'li's opinion on her sexuality. The Red Lotus had done considerably worse things to her in the past.
When she was done, Zaheer nodded, taking everything in. "I understand where you're coming from," he sympathised genuinely. "You were forced to defend yourself when surrounded by dozens of gang members with ill intentions. They were hardly obeying the law, now were they, but yet you're the scapegoat." Zaheer wasn't just saying this to get her on board. He meant every word from the bottom of his heart.
"I know, it's so backwards!" Korra agreed, rubbing her temples. "People have real short memories!"
"I was outcast for being a combustion bender," P'li related.
"In terms of your girlfriend, it seems that you didn't have full control over your ability. You didn't know how to control it," Zaheer said.
"Yes!" Korra nearly shouted. "It was an honest mistake!"
"Were you ever taught how to bloodbend?" he questioned.
"No," Korra said. "Katara refused to teach me how."
"We had a similar conversation when we first spoke," Zaheer started. "You, as the Avatar, are being bound down by the public opinion. You achieve and become so much more."
"Why are you offering me guidance now?" Korra asked sceptically. "If you had had your way, the Avatar cycle would be over now."
"That's only partially correct," Zaheer informed her. He took a drink of the tea that was sitting in front of him and continued: "When we tried to kidnap you as a child, we did so with the intention of teaching you the arts of bending that the White Lotus forbid due to their archaic standards as well as what you already know. We would've taught you so much more than the knowledge and abilities you already possess. There was a change of plans after you disrespected our belief of the natural order. That's why we tried to kill you."
"Your 'advanced' teaching can't be too important," Korra responded, not yet buying his argument. "And I stopped all you."
"You were reliant on the Metal Clan to kill my lover, and I would've done away with you had it not been for the other airbenders, and if you've been telling us the truth, you've severed those ties." Korra fell quiet at this, but Zaheer kept on going; "Avatar Kyoshi was a powerful Avatar, so powerful that she nearly never used the Avatar State. She understood the need to be decisive and ruthless. She knew that she didn't have to abide by the usual standards because no-one could touch her at her full power.
"She wasn't always a popular figure, but she backed herself, and always came out better than her opponent. She didn't need to rely on allies who would betray her at the first sign that she wasn't perfect. No-one accepted her for having a girlfriend back then, but she believed in herself."
"So what are you saying then? How is Avatar Kyoshi relevant to me?" Korra asked, frustrated by how good he was at dissecting her words and throwing them back at her. "I don't intend on shoving my relationships in peoples' faces."
"What I'm saying is that you need to use your authority as the Avatar to do what's right when nobody else agrees with you because of the morality of it," Zaheer told Korra, "and that includes learning to control bloodbending and exploring the other elements as well, like the ability to combustion bend."
"I don't need that!" Korra reiterated, her blood rising.
"Tell me all you know about combustion bending then," P'li tested. "If you're so sure, then you should be able to give me a lecture about it."
"You can shoot fire from your mind," Korra answered immediately. "And it's got something to do with airbending." She tried to think of something else, but that was all that came out.
"That's it?" P'li asked.
"What else is there to know?" Korra said, trying to flip the question.
"So much," P'li started. "As soon as I was discovered to have the potential, I was kidnapped and shipped away for a warlord in the Earth Kingdom from the age of eleven. That's how powerful it can be."
Korra pursed her lips together. "I'm sorry, I didn't know…"
"I don't care what you think," P'li continued. "There was a society in the Fire Nation that specialised in the mastery of firebending, and one of them moved to teach me for the six years I spent in the warlord's prison. Somewhere down my family line, there was an airbender who had moved to the fire nation, and his children with a firebender first discovered the power. I was one of many in my family who was cursed with this ability.
"I was a freak, no-one wanted me!" P'li said, her voice cracking a tiny bit. "I never had any friends up until I was seventeen! But then Zaheer noticed me getting whipped while he was exploring a mountain valley, and he rescued me when it couldn't have been more inconvenient for him to do so." Tears were brimming on the edge of her eyes, and she looked at her now-husband lovingly. It clearly wasn't something they brought up much.
"But if you hate the power so much, why do you want me to learn it?" Korra asked, now curious.
"No-one is able to redirect it. I was tormented as a child by a lord, and soon enough you'll find yourself facing leaders too. It is so much more powerful that regular firebending. You need to find a master to teach you. Go to Crescent Island when you're ready. As both a master airbender and firebender, you should have no problem getting it down. The tattoo isn't necessary, if that's what you're wondering."
"You're crazy if you think I'm going to listen to you for another minute," Korra told her, the atmosphere starting to turn hostile again. But she didn't care. She stood up and imagined the old spirit portals. She felt herself slowly beginning to drift away despite being in her real body, but as she left, she heard Zaheer call out to her.
"You have more potential than any Avatar before Korra!" he called out. "Don't let it rot listening to others' opinions!" Then she zipped away from the table, Zaheer's voice bounding around inside her head. She was furious with herself for even bothering to give them the time of day.
But deep down, she knew that she wasn't totally against what they had told her, even if she refused to believe it.