Cadence Chapter Nine: Alliance
They reached a small, rocky island, and for a moment Korra was certain the base must have been disguised, as all she could see were mountainous cliff faces, upon closer inspection she noticed the opening in the rock, and the staircase that wound down into darkness.
"Great, more underground fortresses," she grumbled.
"Don't worry, Princess, you can hold my hand if you get scared," Ghazan grinned.
Korra made a rude gesture in his direction, but he just laughed. He seemed to laugh at everything she did, as though she had been brought along specifically for the purpose of entertaining him.
Mako made a noise that sounded like a snort and strode down the stairs, Ghazan following.
Korra blinked, dumbfounded and more than a little hopeful at the idea that they'd completely overlooked her. She glanced around, then turned and strode towards the water, intending to make a break for it.
But then Mako was in front of her, having moved too fast for her eyes to follow.
"Quit doing that!" Korra shrieked.
Mako simply took her by the upper arm and pulled her back towards the opening and down the stairs.
"Okay, okay, I get it; no escaping! You can let go of me now."
"Apparently not, since I cannot trust you to follow me on your own," Mako said tightly, as though the words pained him somehow.
"What's your problem?" Korra spat, frustration rumbling through her gut like thunder. "No, don't answer that, I don't care; just let me go!"
"You've got your hands full with her," Ghazan snickered as the fire bender dragged the young Avatar past him, with her protesting all the way.
There were cells in this base; long ones that lined the corridor, reinforced with thick steel bars. Korra went still in Mako's grip, forgetting to fight the hold on her arm as she stared at the people contained within.
"Are they okay?" she exclaimed, twisting against Mako's fingers so she could keep the people in sight as long as possible. She could hear them talking to each other, saying that the rumours must be true; Mako had defeated Amon, and was here to free them!
Korra was about to demand that they help those people when Mako came to a halt, releasing her.
They'd stopped in front of one of the many cells within the base; this one however was built from pure platinum and was sectioned off from the remainder of the cells. Whoever was being held within the cell meant business.
"Mako..." she came a voice from behind the bars, a lanky woman standing behind them, her eyes scanning the group. It might have been Korra's imagination, but she thought she detected a flicker of resentment in the woman's eyes when they rested on her. "There must be something exciting going on. No one interesting has visited me all year. I suppose though, if you're here alone, the rumours must be true."
"That's cold," Ghazan huffed. "What about me and Princess here; what are we, chopped liver?"
"What are you doing here?" the woman asked, as though he hadn't spoken.
But Ghazan wasn't deterred. "Mako wants to speak with you. But hey, let's bust you out of there instead of standing around, so you can take us to a room or something? It's been a while since I've stretched my legs and I'm beat."
The woman; who Korra assumed was Ming Hua, snorted from behind the bars. "You'd best get started on melting this cell open then."
It took Mako mere minutes to melt away the lock to the cell. Ming Hua emerged, smirking. She eyed Mako and marched down the corridor, gathering water from a nearby sink to create prosthetic arms, all the while pointedly ignoring both Ghazan and Korra. Korra stared at the woman in bewilderment; she'd never seen someone bend the elements with will power alone.
Ming Hua opened a small door that stood at the end and they strode in, both males sitting down on a small couch in one corner of the room. Korra moved to sit beside Ghazan, but Mako seized her wrist and yanked, sending her careening down beside him.
"Hey!" she yelped indignantly. "Watch the arm; I swear you'll dislocate it if you keep up this pulling and grabbing."
"And who is she?" Ming Hua drawled, pointing at the young Avatar.
Ghazan smirked. "She's Mako's sweetheart."
Ming Hua smirked, and the shark-man laughed and amended, "Well, she's more like his slave. See the collar Princess is wearing?"
Ming Hua glanced at Korra again, and nodded slowly, apparently realising that Korra was a slave. "She doesn't look particularly strong, no good for manual labour...so she's a whore?"
Korra opened her mouth to shriek a denial, but Mako beat her to it.
"No," he said bluntly, his voice hard. "Korra is not a whore."
Korra blinked, rather taken aback at the cold fury in Mako's eyes. Ming Hua seemed similarly shocked.
But Ghazan didn't seem surprised. "Bit touchy, aren't you?"
Mako ignored him. "Ming Hua, you're coming with us; I need you."
At that blunt statement, Korra felt a tightness in her throat, she was so tired of hurting over him.
"Why should I go with you?" Ming Hua asked nonchalantly. "Why do I need to go anywhere? I've just been released from this hell hole."
"Amon's gone," Mako countered.
"What're you going to do with all the captives?" the woman retorted.
"Ghazan, go and release the prisoners," Mako instructed.
Korra sighed. Typical, really. 'Overbearing, self-righteous jackass!'
Of course, if it got those poor people out, she couldn't really complain.
"Whatever havoc they cause is on you" Ming Hua hissed as the Ghazan rose from his seat.
"There is no more reason to keep them around," Mako pointed out. "What would you have me do with them?"
Remembering the ragged, thin people she had seen in the cell, Korra stood as well. "I'll help."
"What did I say?" Ghazan smirked. "Real soft touch."
"It's not a bad thing," Korra groused as she trotted out the door behind him. Mako had made no move to stop her, so she took that as unspoken permission.
"I have no obligation to go with you." Ming Hua lulled as the door closed behind them.
Mako gazed at her, assessing how serious she was. One part of his mind was tracking Korra's energy signature, monitoring her to ensure he'd be aware of any escape attempt.
Mako was well aware of Ming Hua's infatuation with him; he'd had plenty of experience of that when playing probending in Republic City, and if there was one thing he knew about infatuation, it was that if he affected disinterest, they simply tried all the harder to gain his attention.
So he simply sighed, and said, "Fine. If you feel that strongly about it, I'll just have to find someone else."
Barely slower than a blink, Ming Hua had rushed to the door and locked it.
"I'll come," she cooed, as she slowly approached him, sitting down next to him and deliberately sidling close to him. "If you really want me to...I'll go with you. I've nothing better to do anyway..."
"Don't get so close," Mako said, feeling himself begin to tense. He didn't like it when people moved into his personal space. He had never really minded when Korra did it...but that was different.
"Ghazan!" came Korra's shout from behind the door, making Mako stiffen, wondering if he'd have to reinforce his threat of mutilation. "What are you-!"
But then the door was cleaved into pieces, fragments of wood and stone skittering across the floor. Ming Hua leapt away from Mako like he'd suddenly caught fire.
Ghazan stood in the doorway, leaning on his sword as one of his arms bulged with muscles. Korra was behind him, her arms flung up over her head to protect herself from the rain of debris.
"You idiot!" she snarled, her clenched hand slamming into his back. "What if you'd brought the whole ceiling down on us?"
"Watch those fists, Princess," the onyx-haired man whined, rubbing at his side as his muscled arm went to hang by his side. "I need some of those ribs you're cracking."
"You'll live," Korra retorted.
But Ghazan noticed her eyes flicker over him briefly, assessing his condition. Korra might put on a front of sharp-tongued insults and sarcasm, but at heart she was probably the most compassionate person he'd ever met.
So he grinned at her, letting her know he'd only been joking, then addressed Mako again. "Well, let's get going, then; Ming Hua clearly doesn't want to come."
"Actually, she's changed her mind," Mako informed them.
"I-I never said that!" the woman protested. "I'm...I'm just heading in the same direction."
'Sure you are...' Korra thought, hating herself for the touch of resentment that snaked into that thought. But she was confident there was a reason she and Ghazan had found that door locked, forcing him to knock it down.
Ghazan seemed to be of the same opinion, because there was an edge to his voice when he replied, "Really? Well, that's convenient, then. Guess you'll be with us for a little while, huh?"
"Just a little while," Ming Hua smirked.
"Hear that, Princess? You're gonna have a gal-pal." Ghazan reached out to pat her on the shoulder, but pulled his hand back when Mako glared fiercely at him. "Take it easy. I'm not touching her."
"Oooooh Mako's the touchy type huh?" Ming Hua chuckled slightly.
"He's the jealous type," Ghazan replied. "Doesn't want anyone else messing with his woman."
"I am not 'his woman'!" Korra insisted.
Mako couldn't help the small smirk that flickered across his face at Korra's defiance.
Of course, Korra wasn't paying attention to him. She was thinking of the people she and Ghazan had released, carrying their messages to the outside world. Ghazan had told them to say that Mako truly had defeated Amon, and Korra...
She'd told them that, if they made it back to Republic City, to say that Avatar Korra was unharmed, and that she would be doing her best to get back to her duties soon.
Ghazan had laughed at that. "Don't count on it, Princess," he'd told her. "I don't know what you are to Mako, but I don't think he's letting you go anytime soon."
So, we're heading to Zaheer now, right?" Ghazan said as they made their way to the surface once more. "Does this mean more walking?"
"Zaheer?" Ming Hua piped. "You're going to include that guy in the team?"
She shot a glance at Mako, but he wasn't paying attention to her. It irritated her to realise his eyes were on the chocolate haired woman, who was currently gazing out to sea.
Korra, for her part, was weighing the possibility of escape if she simply made a run for it. 'Not a chance,' she decided. 'Mako would be on me before I so much as set foot off the island.'
"You know if we go to the Northern HQ, we'll be dead the second we walk in," Ming Hua stated bluntly.
"I only know about it from maps," Ghazan admitted. "Is it really that dangerous?"
"That place is the highest security prison in all of the United Republic. Ming Hua answered. "It's nothing but a nest of monstrosities."
"Monstrosities that you and your kind created," Korra said quietly.
For a moment, there was silence. Ming Hua looked as though she couldn't believe Korra's audacity.
"Amon was paving a path to power you've never even dreamed of!"
Korra sneered. "I'm sure. And if 'power' means taking away thousands of people's bending, then I don't want anything to do with it!"
Ghazan's eyes darted to Ming Hua, waiting for the retaliation, feeling as though he were watching a fencing duel.
"What's the matter?" Ming Hua cooed mockingly. "Don't have the stomach for it?"
Korra's eyes flashed, but her voice was soft and controlled, hard as diamonds, "I'm the Avatar; it's my duty to restore and maintain balance. I will only undertake such drastic measures if it is for the good of the people. As not only the Avatar but as a human being I do everything in my power, my ability and my judgment to never do harm to anyone."
Ming Hua blinked, apparently lost, and Ghazan chuckled, seeming to derive malicious amusement from her confusion.
"Though I suppose someone like yourself wouldn't know of what it is the Avatar stands for," Korra mused, naked contempt in her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"
Ming Hua's face twisted in fury, but a warning glance from Mako quelled her immediate outburst, making her tone low and tempered when she spoke.
"Why are you here anyway?" she asked. "You can't do a thing with that collar on. Though, I suppose you can spread your legs-"
"Ming Hua!" Mako's voice cracked through the air like a whip.
Korra spoke as if the insult had never been thrown. "If I knew why I was here, I'd tell you, but as it so happens-" she tilted her thumb at Mako, "-you'll have to ask him."
Ming Hua glanced at the fire bender, but one look at his closed face told her he wouldn't say anything on the subject.
"Well, I guess there's no helping it," Ghazan grumbled, stepping out onto the water with a lot of groaning and muttering. "Let's get going."
"Stay close, Korra," Mako ordered.
She sighed in exasperation, but shadowed him nevertheless. If she didn't, he'd probably just yank her around by her arm again.
It was in a canyon that Ghazan next demanded a rest.
"You're pathetic!" Ming Hua snarled. "There's still a long way to go to the Northern hideout."
"I thought you were headed somewhere else?" Ghazan shrugged, taking a long drink from his water bottle. "So why don't you just leave?"
"What should it matter where I go?" Ming Hua deadpanned.
Silence reigned for a few moments. Korra sprawled out on the warm rock, allowing herself a small smile at the feel of the sun slowly heating her skin.
"Ghazan...why are you traveling with Mako?" Ming Hua asked eventually.
"I could ask you the same question," the onyx-haired man shrugged. "But I have plans of my own, and I need Mako's help."
"While we're addressing goals and reasons," Korra piped up, turning to Mako. "Why the in the flameo did you bring me along?"
Mako snorted. "You should know why."
Fury pulsed at the edges of Korra's vision and her jaw clenched so tightly it was a wonder her teeth didn't crack. He abducted her, dragged her across the countryside while he gathered a team that was supposed to help him take down Zolt while completely ignoring the fact that his friends in Republic City were perfectly willing to help him and he was suggesting that she was the idiot because she didn't know why?
Her frustration boiled like an overheated pot, demanding release, screaming for an outlet.
So Korra bent a rock at him.
It was certainly childish, and almost definitely futile, but she noted that she felt better, calmer, almost as soon as the rock was released from her hands.
It didn't hit him, of course. Mako flashed across the distance between them before the rock was even halfway across, letting it thump harmlessly onto the bare ground as he seized her wrists, twisting them up behind her back and forcing her against his body, effectively pinning her while standing upright.
'This seems to be becoming a habit for us,' she mused. 'Physical contact under extreme anger. Though it's probably my fault; I should learn to curb my impulses better.'
But damn if Mako couldn't make her mad enough to rip the skin from his body piece by piece.
"You will not do that again," the fire bender said sternly.
Ming Hua was smirking, apparently unable to believe her eyes. "Serves you right."
Ghazan shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. "I'll say this for you, Princess; you've got energy!"
Mako and Korra ignored them, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills.
"I will release you," Mako said, carefully enunciating each syllable as though ensuring there was no possible way she could misunderstand. "And you will not attempt to attack me again."
Korra's lip curled. "Yeah, right," she scoffed.
Mako's eyes narrowed, but Korra paid no heed to the warning signs and forged blindly ahead.
"You know what your problem is, Mako? You're as self-centered as Amon was. You can't conceive of any way but yours being the right one, and you never notice anyone else's needs and wants because you never look past your own nose. So here's a newsflash, jerk; the world doesn't revolve around you!"
Ghazan winced, wishing Korra could have held her tongue. He'd seen Mako singe people's bodies for speaking to him like that, and he hoped that whatever Mako did to her to curb her attitude didn't hurt her too badly. He was becoming rather fond of her.
True to Ghazan's prediction, Mako's expression darkened and he jerked on the wrists he held captive, forcing her closer to him. He could see Mako's grip on her tighten until his knuckles bleached and then abruptly, the fire bender relaxed his hold, allowing Korra to scramble away from him.
Ghazan was left staring. He'd seen men and women bleed for less grave offenses than that but Korra had gotten away with it with little more than a glare. And though Mako had never been the touchy-feely type, he seemed to take every opportunity he had to initiate physical contact with Korra.
Ghazan still had no idea what she was to Mako but whatever she was, she was clearly important.
"What do you really know about Zaheer when you say you want him in the team?" Ming Hua asked eventually when they started walking once more.
Korra had positioned herself well away from Mako, still stinging from his flippant remark about what was essentially his abduction of her. But she listened to their conversation; eager to pick up anything that might aid her in her escape.
"I know a little," Ghazan admitted. "I fought him once. He was pretty strong, and he had some interesting powers...but I didn't like him. I could never tell what he was thinking. I heard that he's being held up in the Northern base voluntarily, which says a lot about how crazy he is."
Ming Hua rolled her eyes. "Yes, but do you know why he came to Amon?"
Ghazan shrugged. "Maybe because he's just a bit thick in the head."
"No; he wanted to be rehabilitated."
Korra blinked in surprise. This Zaheer person had gone to Amon to be cured of something?
"Rehabilitated?" Ghazan echoed.
Ming Hua nodded. "He wanted to suppress his killing impulses. Usually, those urges are practically nonexistent within him, but eventually, he snaps, forgets who he is, and turns into a murderous, raging demon."
Korra had never met this Zaheer, but she was feeling sorry for him already.
"This was very appealing to Amon," the redhead continued. "Zaheer possesses skills not seen in benders for thousands of years."
She allowed them to digest that for a moment. "Do you know what I'm talking about?"
Korra thought she did, and her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Mako glance towards her. "The ability to fly."
Ming Hua's head snapped towards her, looking irritated at the idea that the other woman had worked it out. "Yes," she said shortly. "Zaheer possesses the ability to fly; such is the origin of Air bending."
"So he's an air bender, huh?" Korra mused, making note of that. "Did anyone try healing with water bending or chemical therapy?"
Ming Hua turned her face away from the Avatar, deliberately ignoring her. But Korra reflected that seemed to be the woman's usual attitude to her. Ming Hua seemed to understand that Mako wouldn't tolerate any outright hostility towards her, so she instead appeared content in pretending Korra didn't exist for the most part, save to toss out an occasional scathing comment when an opening arose.
And frankly, Korra couldn't bring herself to care about it. Ming Hua wasn't the first person that disliked her for no apparent reason, and she certainly wouldn't be the last. She'd learned it was better to just accept it and move on rather than waste energy worrying about it or antagonising them.
Besides, the less she thought about Ming Hua, the less opportunity she had to dwell on the fact that Mako had said he needed her.
"What do you mean by 'chemical therapy?" Ghazan asked.
"Chemicals regulate practically every function of the body," Korra explained. "There are chemicals that can give you incredible rage and strength, chemicals that produce adrenaline, for example, and there are also chemicals that can calm you down. If Zaheer's ability to fly is indeed enzymatic in nature, and not based on a spiritual connection to the element, it can probably be countered with another chemical."
Ming Hua huffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
"Oh, right," Korra nodded, a cynical smirk on her face. "I get it. Zaheer was a source of power; why cure him?"
She shook her head, feeling moved by pity for this man she had never met. If he had come to Republic City, they would have truly tried to help him, instead of exploiting him.
But then, that seemed typical of the Equalist faction. They understood violence and power but compassion and self-sacrifice were beyond them. Amon knew how to train people to kill, but he could never truly understand why people were willing to die.
And the more she saw of this world, the more frightened Korra became that Mako was too far down this dark road to ever be saved.
"Hey, why don't we rest a little?" Ghazan said, sitting back on the ground.
"All you ever do is rest!" Ming Hua growled. "We're already here!"
Ghazan waved a hand dismissively.
"Is it the sword? The sword's heavy, isn't it? Just drop the damn thing so we can go!"
"It might have more to do with the fact that he's been locked up in a crate for spirits knows how long," Korra muttered.
"Hey!" Mako said, apparently trying to attract their attention.
Korra glanced in his direction and saw a man lying face down on the earth in front of them, his clothes tattered and stained with blood.
And just like that, her healer instincts took over. She bolted towards the fallen figure, the others hard on her heels. As soon as they reached the man, Korra, Ghazan and Mako dropped to their knees beside him. The lava bender made to turn him over, but Korra's hand flashed out and caught his wrist.
"Don't move him yet; his spinal column could be damaged!"
"Oh. Right." Ghazan said as he retracted his hands, but Korra didn't hear him.
She was too busy running her hands gently along the curve of the man's vertebrae, letting her energy seep into his skin, assessing his condition.
"It's okay, there's no damage to the spine," she said at last. "We can turn him over."
They did so, the man stirring as the motion roused him from unconsciousness.
"What happened?" Mako asked as soon as the man's eyes opened.
The man coughed, and Korra rested her hands on his chest, closing her eyes as she dredged up any energy she could and began to heal his many injuries.
"The prisoners..." the man wheezed. "They started rioting..."
She pressed a hand over his mouth. "Stop talking if you want to stay alive."
And then she closed her eyes and threw herself into the healing. But it was difficult. The collar around her throat meant she had to conserve energy as she would water in a desert; she couldn't just repair every wound she sensed on his body, she had to seek out the worst of his injuries, the ones that were life threatening, and heal them first. She poured all the energy she could into him and when she realised that wasn't enough, she poured some more.
She knew what she was doing was dangerous. The collar meant she ran the risk of fainting before the healing was over. And she didn't know this man; he was a part of the Equalists, she owed him nothing...
Or so Korra the teenager said. But Korra the Avatar was determined that no one was going to die while she was capable of helping them.
So she spent every particle of energy she could to heal the shattered body her hands rested on. Her skin felt strangely hot yet cold, her limbs feeling like dead weights as she sapped more and more energy from her body.
At last, Korra sensed she was done; he was still suffering, she hadn't been able to heal everything but he wouldn't die.
She opened her eyes as she began to lilt forward, her arms and legs feeling as incapable of supporting her weight as thin reeds. But an arm around her ribcage, just under her breasts, arrested the fall that would have sent her toppling onto her patient abruptly. A small tug, and Korra collapsed backwards against Mako's chest.
"He'll be unconscious for a while," she mumbled, her lips and tongue feeling strangely thick. "But he'll survive."
Ghazan whistled as he looked the man over. "Wow; you are good. I thought for sure the guy was at death's door and yet even with the collar you managed to fix him up."
Korra smiled weakly.
Mako looked down at Korra, noting the thin sheen of sweat that glistened on her mocha skin, the slow, sluggish movements of her normally radiant turquoise eyes, and realised that Korra was at her limit. His arm tightened around her, holding her more firmly against him. He felt something in his chest swell when she leaned more of her weight against him, resting her head trustingly in the hollow beneath his chin.
Almost without realising he was doing it, he tilted his head until it rested against the top of her own, until the soft strands of her hair were pressed against his cheek.
He could feel her breath against his skin.
But the moment was broken when he detected a high level of energy speeding towards them.
He rose swiftly, grateful that Korra's legs unfolded as he did so as she tried to support some of her own weight. She would have difficulty standing alone, but at least she wouldn't have to be carried.
"Ghazan, take her!" he shouted.
"Oh, I can touch her now, can I?" the onyx-haired man muttered, his arms sliding around Korra's shoulders to support her as Mako carefully handed her over.
"Your skin's hot..." Korra muttered.
"Comes of being a lava bender, Princess."
A dark grey missile slammed into the ground in front of them, the rock cracking beneath the force. Korra blinked, her tired mind realising it was actually a person.
"What the hell is that?" Ghazan asked, echoing her own thoughts.
"Zaheer," Ming Hua told them.
"Hn." Mako drew his kali sticks, knowing his fire bending alone would not be enough to bring Zaheer down.
And the next thing Korra knew, their attacker was crashing to the ground, blood staining his clothes. Sometimes she forgot how insanely fast Mako could be.
Korra tried to push away from Ghazan, automatically trying to move to Zaheer's aid, but Mako was suddenly right in front of her, his arm around her waist to support her shaky legs.
"I avoided the vital points," he said, sounding slightly irritated.
She nodded blearily, too tired to censor the urge to lean into him. And too exhausted to wonder why she instinctively trusted him to take care of her.
She hated the way her body refused to obey her, the way her normally fast mind seemed to have slowed to a crawl but she supposed it could be worse. She could have passed out entirely.
"The North base is up ahead," Mako went on. "Let's go."
"Mako, maybe we should leave her here," Ming Hua suggested. "She's obviously too weak to be much use-"
"No!" he snapped, whirling around to face Ming Hua. "Korra stays with me."
The woman subsided, but Korra could tell from her thinned lips and tight expression that she was less than pleased.
They made their way slowly towards the Northern hideout, and Korra knew their pace was mainly a concession to her. She felt as unsteady on her legs as a newborn deerdog.
She could feel Mako's arm around her getting tighter and tenser, and knew he was probably sensing something of what lay ahead; a sense that the collar denied her. She was proven correct when they rounded one of the rocky pillars surrounding them and found themselves facing what seemed to be an army of monsters.
"The guards are all dead," Ming Hua breathed. "A complete prison break..."
Korra would have felt intimidated if she weren't so exhausted.
"How do we tell which one's Zaheer?" Ghazan pointed out.
"Ming Hua, is Zaheer in there?" Mako asked, his amber eyes sliding to the woman standing beside him.
"Wait a moment," she said, her eyes sliding closed. "No...he's not there."
In spite of herself, Korra was impressed. She'd never heard of anyone capable of picking a single energy signature out of a wild chaotic mass like the one in front of them. Was this why Mako had taken her along; because she could detect people's locations through her connection to people's bending? Was he planning to track Zolt through her?
"So we can go crazy, right?" Ghazan grinned, hefting his enormous sword.
"Just avoid the vital points," Mako instructed, shifting Korra over to Ming Hua. "Ming Hua, watch her."
The woman grudgingly took Korra's half-limp form from him, slinging Korra's arm over her shoulders to anchor her in an upright position.
"Thanks," Korra muttered.
Ming Hua ignored her, still doing her best to pretend Korra didn't exist.
"You really are from Republic City, aren't you?" Ghazan snickered at Mako. "You're too soft."
All Korra could think was that this Mako who insisted on not killing prisoners seemed rather at odds with the Mako who had tried to kill both her and Bolin.
'Well, you know what they say about protesting too much...' came a soft, hopeful voice in the back of her mind.
And there we have it; Chapter Nine. I've had a few messages in regards to why Mako defected and became an Equalist and my answer to this is; sit tight and wait. I'm getting to it. Indeed the suspense may be a bit much but it'll be so much more worth it when you do find out.
I've also had reviews asking to make Mako and Korra a couple; I just want to clarify that this fic isn't about them being all lovey dovey with one another. This fic is about the two of them resolving their issues not only with each other but with themselves. I'm not going to lie and say that Mako and Korra have no feelings towards one another, because they do but whether they end up together as a couple is still undecided.
Anyway; review as always!