Something happened to me. Follow the text to find out, or alternatively move past the bold writing to start the chapter. And I do apologise for the bleeps. Adieu.

I am not happy.

I'm going to explain that sentence now. So, there I was, happily browsing away. Quite happily actually. For the first time in a while I was about a chapter ahead. Sure, it was a bit difficult because I got caught in a creative slump, but hey, that happens to everyone. I was on schedule, on track, blah blah blah.

And then I get hit by a virus. Yes, I know. A f***ing computer virus. I know what you're thinking. It's 2016! We live in a technological marvel of an age! Who the f*** gets computer viruses?!

Me, apparently. Anyway, suffice to say a load of Chinese icons start popping up on my desktop. Taking up space on my drives, showing me a percentage of who knows bloody what, in general being a f***ing nuisance. And I'm tech-savvy, but I'm not that tech-savvy. Time is of the essence, because this thing is eating away at my storage space like a morbidly obese man at an all you can eat buffet. So I do the only thing I can think off.

Factory reset. Complete factory reset. Sure enough, I reboot my PC. And that Chinese thing is gone. Happy days! Then I go into my documents.

Every single thing I have ever typed on this computer is gone. Erased. Deleted. F***ing wiped out. Including the next chapter I was going to release. And the potential novel I was working on. Not to mention all my college related stuff. To make matters worse, I didn't even have Microsoft bloody Word. Had to re-download every single application.

This happened about a week ago. Jesus, I was furious. And to be honest, I'm still a bit pissed at the whole thing. Half the reason I'm typing this heads up is so I can vent. Anyway, if this chapter feels a bit rushed, a bit cobbled together, a bit on the fly, it's because it is. You see, all I had were the backups that are actually stored on , the ones I upload and edit before I put out a chapter. And since I'm not the Flash, I can't re-type two months amount of work in a week. So what I did was take a few scenes from those chapters I'd judged weren't ready or suitable for that chapter and reworked them into here, along with hastily typing out the beginning of the Spirit World journey.

This is not an excuse. Christ, it was my own bloody fault. But it is what happened. And not to sound like a needy writer or anything, but I didn't want to go another month or so without updating. So this is what I came up with. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy it. And I wasn't lying when I said, "shit will hit the fan." It most certainly will. Unfortunately, you'll just have to wait a bit longer to see it.

I'm sorry, and this chapter is my apology. I hope it makes up for it somewhat.

"Today, Republic City is in mourning. After a surprise attack on the presidential offices yesterday, President Raiko was pronounced dead late last night in Okio Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Amelia, and two children, Ro and Argus. May the Spirits bless his soul, and may his passing be gentle."

This is what most denizens of Republic City woke to. Shopkeepers and workers, men and women, so grateful to have survived another night, yet saddened by the news that someone else did not. The police, who held their badges and hats to honour the man who helped hold the city together. Even politic rivals and enemies took a moment of silence, a sign of respect, before plotting how they could benefit from Raiko's tragic fall.

And as Korra sat there on the table, her breakfast long forgotten, she silently hoped that she was still in a nightmare.

"Alongside our most esteemed president lie the bodies of Quan Li, representative for the Water Tribe, and Rian Arnold, councillor for the Earth Kingdom, now known as The Earth Federation. They were also murdered in the attack that occurred yesterday. Judging by our reports, they were killed before being taken to the hospital. Our thoughts are with their families during this deeply troubling time."

Throughout the city, people listened to the radio intently. Two brothers, who'd just healed a rift between them, found themselves cursing the same menace that had dismantled their lives so recently. They knew Raiko. They thought he could be ignorant, condescending and harsh in his judgement. But they knew he didn't deserve this.

Very few deserved this.

"Although any and all reports about the identity of the person responsible for these attacks remain unconfirmed, it appears that Joan Rivers, head representative of the Fire Nation, is the lead suspect in the case. However, most news outlets seem to think that another is responsible."

Her assistant held his breath. Asami envied that oblivious look Tenshi had on his face. He was gripped by the situation, hanging on the news reader's every word. She on the other hand knew what the man on the radio was about to say. It was the same name that pounded in her skull every time she closed her eyes to think, every time she rubbed her forehead in despair. It was the same reason she had called him in to her office early today, so they could work on her obsession in bringing the fiend down.

"Based on what we know, Republic News cannot help but agree with their assertions. One man very publicly declared war on our city. One man very recently threatened the lives of everyone we hold dear. One man warned that this would happen. Perhaps we were naïve to think he would wait to deliver on his blood soaked promise."

Korra clenched her fists, surrounded by Tenzin's family. Mako and Bolin looked at each other in their apartment, knowing the name that was about to be broadcast. Asami gazed out of the window emotionlessly, her eyes pointed and scattered, wondering where he was hiding now.

"This is undoubtedly the work of Shin La. We have been warned by our police chief about him. He has slipped in and out of the shadows our great city cast, destroying and harvesting anyone unfortunate to encounter him. He has-"

Korra switched the radio station. She couldn't stand to hear his name any longer. It only reminded her of her inability to stop him.

"We have suspicions that the entity known as Shin La is behind the attacks."

That was no good. Another news station, with a female presenter this time. She switched the frequency again.

"How can we live knowing Shin La can strike at us whenever he sees fit?"

Switch.

"We are awaiting a statement from one of the remaining councillors after Shin La-"

Switch.

"Shin La has attacked-"

For the love of the Spirits, switch!

"Shin La-"

A second later all Pema and her children could hear was the electronic wiring of the radio scrunching in the Avatar's palm as Korra crushed the radio with as much force as she could muster. She was breathing heavily, and despite the mild temperature of the morning sweat was streaming down her face. Her teeth were ground together in anger and her eyes were alight with indignation.

Wordlessly, she threw the tattered remains of the transistor into the bin before muttering "Sorry." She stomped off out into the gardens not a moment later. Pema could hear the crackle of a flame as Korra's cries of anger and frustration were intermingled with fallible amounts of flame. For a second, all the family did was just look at each other, while Rohan babbled away in blissful ignorance.

"I was listening to that," Meelo finally said sadly.

"Damn it," Asami ground out her teeth in frustration. "Damn it."

Tenshi was watching her with a curious, and probably humorous, eye as she tinkered with her latest contraption. He was itching to say something, and she knew it. It was probably taking all his willpower not to open his mouth.

A few moments passed by, as sweat rolled down her bare arms, her sleeves rolled up to emphasize how seriously she was taking this. She bit back a curse as the screwdriver slipped and she nearly severed a wire. All the while the buzz of static whirred in the background, sufficient enough to drown out Tenshi's infuriating chuckles.

He went to open his mouth, and she immediately shot him a look that said "Don't." He wisely closed it.

With her bedraggled hair, sweaty palms encased with the handles of her tools and the fact that there was a humidity in the morning air unlike any so far this autumn, she probably looked like a madwoman. If it got him to keep his mouth shut, it was worth it.

"You know, if you want to listen to the radio, you can always put it on like a normal person. Just an idea. Flick of a switch, lovely-jubbly, Bob's your uncle, you're in business. I mean, I'm not the CEO of a company which makes the infrastructure that an entire city relies on, so what do I know? Keep at it. Maybe you'll catch the latest adventure of Grognak the Barbarian. That started, what, ten minutes ago?"

Small miracles could only last so long.

She finally stopped fiddling with the transmitter to give him a withering glare. He could barely keep his laughter inside in response.

"Why do I employ you again?"

"Because of my endless charm and witty banter," Tenshi easily replied. "Either that or the dress sense. It certainly wasn't to ensure you go to board meetings," he laughed.

"Uh huh," Asami shook her head, as she managed to create a small spark as she laced two wires together. "Tenshi, if you want to know what I'm doing, you can ask."

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that? Much more enjoyable to annoy you until I get an answer."

"As opposed to your job?"

"Yep."

Asami sighed, but a small smile played on her lips. Ever since… well, all that had happened and was continuing to happen, she'd thrown herself into work, doubly so once Varrick had passed his little pet project on. It was a form of escape, in the sense that what she was doing was normal. Yes, the reason she was trying to create a singular form of communicational radio was because of the serial killing madman, but more importantly, she was inventing. Putting one or two things together to build, taking something old and transforming it into something new.

Tenshi's running commentary also helped. Again, it was great to talk to someone not affected by all the lunacy of the past couple of weeks. It was one of the few conversations where she could actually crack a smile without visible effort. And with her father gone, her list of contacts that did not include Korra or anyone attached to her was basically nil. Tenshi was a welcome relief.

Not that she would ever admit that to him. He would be insufferably pleased with himself.

He'd rolled up his sleeves too. He was sitting in her workshop, again in a fashionable set of slacks and a white dress shirt. They looked great, and accentuated how slim he was, but they were also highly inappropriate for this setting. Any number of things could happen and ruin them. There could be an unfortunate accident…

There could. There definitely could.

"Hey, Tenshi?" she asked, sure to inject a little more lightness into her tone. "Could you please take a look at this?"

"Only because you asked so nicely," he replied, before sitting himself next to her. "What am I looking at?"

"This."

His dress shirt really was pretty. It was a shame that it had now been stained indefinitely with oil. He spluttered in surprise before looking down at his now ruined article of clothing. His expression was priceless, a mixture of indignation and miniature heartbreak. He tugged it off pitifully, revealing his chest to the inventor.

A real shame… a real shame indeed.

She stopped her eyes raking down his form before he turned his eyes to her. "Asami! That cost, like, a month's salary!"

"At your old post, maybe," she smirked. "Not your new one."

He huffed like a child before plonking himself down with a puff of frustration. "Very funny. Ha ha. Laugh at the assistant."

"You should've just asked," she said, barely keeping the giggle out of her voice. Thankfully, Tenshi didn't catch on it.

"Fine," he said impetuously, still acting like a little kid told he couldn't have any more sweets. "Now that I'm colder and shirtless, what are you working on?"

"That's better," she said, before answering him properly. "This is kind of like a radio, but one meant to give and receive messages. And only on a particular frequency. A private one."

"You mean like a different channel?" he asked, getting down to business immediately. She did respect that about him. He'd joke and mess, but when things got serious he'd bunker down and do the work as well as anyone. "One separate from the radios?"

"Yes. I want to be able to talk to my friends privately, especially if they're across the city and I can't get in contact. The idea is that, no matter where I am or they are, we can keep in touch."

"Is this the next big thing to sweep Republic City?" Tenshi asked, a smile creeping onto his face.

"Um… not yet," Asami awkardky answered. Truthfully, she hadn't even considered it. If she could make it work, it would be a much easier way to communicate than the wiring system they employed. But she hadn't thought about that. All she'd thought about was keeping tabs on her loved ones in case 'you know who' decided to show up.

"I just want to make sure it works first," she elaborated when Tenshi's eyebrows raised at the peculiar answer. "Then yes, I can see it being made in the future."

"Okay," Tenshi nodded. "Well, first off, to make that work it needs to be operating on a different frequency than the radio stations. Not too high or low obviously, otherwise only dogs could hear it. But say we tinker with this…" he drawled off as he removed a wire and replaced it with another, all while flicking the switch and watching the little needle search for a relevant frequency. "We can create an entirely different private channel. All your friends need to do is wire their transmitters to that frequency and they'll hear everything you have to say."

"And if I add in a receiver, I can also add in the function to speak back," Asami realised, as she sat up. An idea hatching in her brain, she headed over to the radio.

"Tenshi? Speak into that transmitter. I have an idea."

He looked puzzled, but did as she asked. "Hello, hello, hello! This is Three Dog, coming at you live from Republic City!" he said, off the top of his head.

As he spoke, and as she rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time, she messed with the nozzle on the radio, until it was broadcasting on the same frequency. True enough, Tenshi's voice could be heard loud and clear.

"Three Dog?"

"Third brother. The nickname stuck."

"Right," she shook her head in amusement, willing to let him indulge. Her experiment worked. Now all she had to do was transfer it into a helmet…

She thought about that for a moment. So far, she'd barely got stuck into the blueprints Varrick had given her. She'd drawn up a more intricate design, one where she could actually be able to walk in, but the only thing beginning to take actual physical shape was the helmet, and even then barely. She didn't find much time to work on it, what with Shin La and then Korra and of course, her job and…

It was an awful lot of work for one person.

She turned to look at Tenshi. He'd put his jacket back on to cover his upper body. He was a good guy, and he'd helped her so much already. The question was, did she trust him?

She'd trusted him with her company in the testing times Kuvira had made Republic City endure. She'd trusted him to handle her workload and he'd taken up the slack with no bother and no fuss, only a witty remark instead. She didn't lay her faith in people easily anymore, but he'd earned it. And he was just as smart as she was, just in a different way. He could, in theory, be a massive help.

It would do no harm to ask.

She was about to open her mouth to ask him, but she was beaten to it by a red-faced airbender rushing into her office.

"Asami! I need to-" Jinora stopped as she saw the inventor wasn't alone. "Talk to you," she finished, a lot more calmer this time as she regained her bearings. "Korra needs you."

"Avatar business huh? I'll take my leave so," Tenshi smiled, getting up to leave. "You owe me a shirt, by the way."

"Hang around. If you listen to my proposal after I'll consider it."

Asami waited for her cohort to leave before addressing the young woman before her. "Jinora. What can I do for you?"

"It's Korra. I think… she needs someone to talk to."

A flash of concern spread across her features. She reached for her coat. "I'll be right there."

He wasn't sure how he ended up here. The last few hours he'd just been on autopilot, his feet taking him wherever he needed to be. A report at the police station, a vigil at the hospital. A moment at home to watch his family peacefully sleep. And then he was whisked away once more, to deal with the earth shattering ramifications of the night's events. And now he had been led here, sitting down with his head in his hands, watching one of his oldest friends sleep.

Although it was no surprise to him that he had. Tenzin had been meaning to drop in, even if it was only a few minutes. She deserved far more than that, and he'd been trying to find time, to create time to support her. Even if she couldn't acknowledge his presence. Even if it was more for him then for her. But things kept coming in the way, and only now, in the cold light of day, could he sit back and reflect.

Or maybe he was selfish. Maybe he didn't want to see her, not in this state. Lin abhorred showing weakness, and that thought brought a small, remorseful smile to the airbender's face, if only for a moment. She'd be furious.

But that's what she was right now. A reminder of what Shin La had done. Could still do.

"Hello, Lin," Tenzin began, his hands clenched together in contemplation. "I'm sorry I haven't visited you sooner. I was dreadfully busy and… I lost a few people today. All I can do is hope you do not become one of them."

There was no response from the comatose police chief. Of course there wasn't. Miraculous recoveries and instant healing were things of fiction and fairytales.

"It's hard to see you like this," Tenzin admitted. "For once, you are vulnerable. Your fate is out of our hands. And by the Spirits, you're gone when perhaps we need you more than ever."

He took a deep breath before he continued. "Korra is doing her best. We all are. But we need an anchor. We need someone to drive us, to keep us going no matter what. Already I see tensions arising, tempers beginning to flare. And without you here to defuse them, I don't know how long it takes before we begin to crack."

His only reply was the stuttering breaths that escaped through the tubes in her nose. "But that's just it. When we were kids, we had people to guide us. My father, my mother, Sokka, Toph… they have made mistakes. I may have been the favourite, and you may have felt neglected. But they did their best. They shaped us into the people we are today," he said, his voice trailing off in realisation. "It's funny. You never know the burden of responsibility that hangs upon a parent's shoulders until you become one. And by then, it's too late to say that to the ones that matter," he sighed, thoughts of his father coming in a fleeting glance.

"But now, I must do the same. I've been doing it subconsciously ever since those kids entered my life. And you have too. I can see Mako learned from you. I only hope that my own kids follow the same example, just like the one I tried to set for Korra. She's a fine young woman, and that's why she needs all my help now. Our help. She deserves no less. And she certainly doesn't deserve what's happening now."

One more time, as the sun seeped in through the blinds, he rubbed his bald crown in scrutiny. "Korra needs you, Lin. We all do. We need your indomitable will, your undying spirit. I believe that might be the one thing Shin La fears. And I… I don't want to lose more people. Especially my oldest friend."

He got up, already the demands of Republic City starting to call. He knew had to make an announcement, and a statement, and… and all of that seemed to pale in comparison to the woman lying in the bed before him. He could spare one more minute.

"Do what you've always done, Lin. Fight. Fight this, and come back to us. The Spirits know, we need more than ever before."

Sometimes, Mako missed his old scarf. It was warm, and it reminded him of home. It was better in hands now, of course, but still, from time to time, he wished he had it wrapped firmly around his neck. He could use it cover up his eyes so he wouldn't have to see stuff like this.

The blood pooled on the rough surface of the pavement as the body lay still and lifeless. It had long stopped bleeding profusely, now just dripping from the open wound inflicted on the poor man. What really shook Mako to the core was the letters stickily drawn in blood on the walls of the alleyway.

There had been a sick feeling in his gut when he'd gotten the wire at the station. Usually he was able to supress it. Not this time. He'd seen his fair share of grisly murders and homicides. But this was something else.

"The Dreaded," Aria, the rookie cop beside him said. "What does that mean?"

Mako shook his head, partly because he didn't know, partly because he didn't want to see the man's small intestines that were still hanging haphazardly out of the man's abdomen.

"Could be just some nut," one of the other officers suggested, as he leant down to take a photo for the various detectives back at base to analyse, Mako included. "Praying to some devil or whatever. Wouldn't be the first time someone pulled a stunt like this."

"I'd hate to see the others then," Aria replied, tugging at her cap anxiously. She hadn't even been called in for work today, and she'd still wandered onto a scene like this. Mako shook his head again.

"When did you find him?" Mako asked her, speaking for the first time since he'd arrived at the crime scene. His eyes were still trained on the body, but now he was analytical, tactical in his musings. Detective mode had been entered.

"Nine o'clock. I wasn't the first person to find him actually. Some old woman found him, called me over to see. That's when I wired the station."

"Nine o'clock," Mako stroked his chin. "That old woman's the owner of the bar here," he said, gesturing to the pub right beside the alleyway. "Greasy Sae's. It's right next to the crime scene, and it doesn't close till ten, so we can assume for the moment the murder occurred between ten last night and nine this morning, although the blood on the wall isn't fresh, so it's safe to figure that it didn't happen really recently. Blood takes a while to dry, so if we push an hour or too back…"

"That's the time of the curfew," the cameraman muttered.

There were grim expressions all around as the potential culprit immediately came to mind in all of their heads. "Could it be him?" Aria eventually asked, after everyone else endured a lengthy silence. "Is it Shin La?"

"Definitely could be. From what we've been told he's an axe-crazy son of a bitch. Doesn't seem implausible for him to pull something like this for a sick sense of amusement." The other man seemed convinced. Mako however was unsure.

"Maybe," he wondered aloud. "Certainly wouldn't put it past him. But whenever he's killed before, the bodies that are left behind look like… husks. Shells of former people, like if humans shedded skin. There's barely anything left. This just looks like a, well, not a normal murder, but a basic one. Not something supernatural."

"So it is just some nut?" Aria asked him. She was of the inquisitive sort, and if Mako looked at her he could almost see her taking notes in her head.

"Again, maybe. But why 'The Dreaded?" Mako said. "What made whoever did this write that name? Who does it refer to? Themselves? Some sort of satanic figure? What I'm saying is that this was done with intent. A crazy person doesn't time their murders like that. The insane lucid ones, anyway."

"Spirits, I hope we don't have another serial killer," the other officer groaned. "One is bad enough."

"Maybe they'll take each other out," Aria replied hopefully. Ever the optimist, Mako thought.

"Set up a proper crime scene here," Mako finally said. "Swathe the place in police tape, keep the public away and the panic to a minimum. Let forensics get at this. See what they can find. And bring Sae and any patrons of the pub in for questioning. We need every bit of information we can find."

As the officers acquiesced to his orders, Mako looked back and took one last look at the body, and the wall adjacent to it. The Dreaded. Why did that name fill him with such… well, dread? He scratched the back of his neck, oddly feeling a tingle creep up on his spine as he did so. There was more to this, a lot more. Something told him this would not be the last he heard of it.

The ground was too sturdy. The air wouldn't break, and her blows would just pass through and peter harmlessly through. Times like this made Korra wonder why she hadn't invested in a punching bag.

Shin La, again. Another day gone bye, another murder that she was helpless to stop. It didn't matter that it was publically broadcast for all of Republic City to hear. The fact that she knew he was out there made her shout in frustration.

Did you think I would go easy? I mean what I say, Korra.

She would be unnerved that she could envision his words so accurately if she wasn't so angry.

Every death hit her in her heart. Another life cut short, because she had not acted quickly enough. Another son or father, another mother or daughter. All these people that no longer walked in their world, yet still she remained. It wasn't fair.

"Korra?"

A voice of an angel cut through her berated musings, yet she didn't want to hear it. She silently wondered how long she'd been out here, if Pema had had time to contact her.

"Korra, I heard you were angry. And we haven't talked properly in a while. You shouldn't be on your own in times like this."

Korra looked at Asami with a sardonic slight. She was right, but that didn't mean she had to be happy about it.

Asami's expression grew sympathetic. "What's wrong?"

"Everything," Korra said, shrugging her shoulders before they descended into a slump. "He's out there, killing anyone at any time he so pleases. We only see him when he wants us to see him. Every time he comes into contact with someone they inerrably end up dying, and what's worse is that today I plan on running away as a solution!

"I know I have to do it. I know the longer I put it off the more time he'll have to do things like this," Korra said, but with less anger this time. "But… people are dying. And instead of being in the thick of it, trying to protect them, I'm left watching on as he dismantles everything. And now, I'm leaving, and in the time I'm gone who knows what might happen? I… Asami, I have never felt more helpless in my entire life than I do now."

Asami shifted her hands in her pockets. She chewed her lip thoughtfully. "I know, Korra. But see the way you care? That's what he's counting on. That's why he's doing this. If you were to stay, more people would die with the same result. You said it yourself, it's the only practical thing we can do."

Korra sighed. "I know," she agreed quietly. "But it's a hard thing to accept. I mean, what's the point in leaving to defeat him if we've got nothing to come back to after it's over?"

"We can rebuild," Asami immediately reminded her. "We can't do that if we're dead. Life will go an after Shin La, Kor. We'll get there."

Korra studied her as the woman laid a hand on her shoulder. The contact felt reassuring and it calmed her down immediately. "What would I do without you?" the Avatar asked, in no small part to herself as well as the woman inches away from her.

"Well, I think I could ask you the same thing," Asami chuckled, her smile coming to light and immediately it started coaxing Korra to do the same. "You are the one constant in my life. You're there for me whenever I need you, no questions asked. That's why you're my best friend."

They were getting close. They both knew it. The elephant in the room that they hadn't talked about. Didn't talk about. A silent agreement had been struck, and now they both realised they were about to break it. Korra coughed awkwardly to relieve the tension. It only served to heighten it.

Their expressions were both so unsure. Unsure if anything past platonic laid in their hearts. Unsure that this was the right day, the right time, the right place. For a while, they just looked at each other.

Eyes are the windows to the soul. A wise woman once said that to Korra anyway, when she was a little girl. And right now she looked through Asami's eyes and saw… she couldn't possibly tell. Just a lot of doubt mixed with hope and possible grief. She could only imagine what Asami saw in hers.

They both opened their mouths to speak, but at that moment Pema decided to make her entrance.

"Calmed her down, have you?" she asked Asami, a knowing smile on her lips. Both women looked away.

"Yeah, I'm fine now," Korra called. She looked back to see Asami standing up. The moment was gone. But it had existed, whatever it was. And that was the most confusing thing about it.

Every time she thought about it, her doubts grew. Her nerves frayed. And judging by the way Asami was trying to steady her breathing, the effect it had on her was similar.

A silent agreement passed between them. They had more pressing concerns to face.

"Come on," Asami nudged her, offering her hand. "I've been waiting to give the Spirit World another visit."

The gateway hummed with energy. Luminous fluorescent lights decorated the sky beside it, the narrow beam cutting through the atmosphere and basking anything that stood alongside it in a glorious, golden glow. the orange textures reflected on both their faces as they looked to venture within.

They'd said their goodbyes already, but a few had chosen to personally see them off. Tenzin had managed to catch a break in his whirlwind of a schedule. Mako had taken his lunch hour later to witness it, and Bolin had joined him. And her parents of course, were ready to hopefully, but also anxiously, see their daughter off.

"You know," Tonraq said. "You don't have to do this. No matter how much you may feel you have to. It's your decision."

"Nice try," Korra smiled, pulling her father in for a hug. "But it is my decision. I decide it's worth it."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Be safe, darling," her mother embraced her. "I couldn't bear to lose you again."

"The same with you," she replied, feeling both her parents hold her close. "I'll see you back at the Pole when all this is over."

Their warmth was infectious, and for a moment Korra found herself wanting nothing more than to just stay there, held in a secure, comfortable place. But moments are often fleeting, and this was no exception. She broke away, reality setting back in.

She missed the misty eyed look that Asami got as she watched them. She was too busy addressing the other people there to watch them go.

"Stay safe," Mako said, wrapping his arms around Korra before he even thought about it. "Both of you," he amended, offering the same hug to Asami after the Avatar had reciprocated his gesture. Asami couldn't help but roll her eyes. He wasn't exactly subtle. She accepted the hug anyway.

"We have a lot of baggage, and tension but… Don't dare die out there," Bolin smiled. "I'd miss both your faces. Wouldn't be fair either. You girls are already hard to read, let alone without your faces being blank. Isn't that right, Mako?" he added cheekily, elbowing his brother.

A perceptive person would see Mako's ears going slightly pink. The man himself prayed they didn't notice. "Very funny. In all seriousness, I wish I was going with you. As it stands, I'll make sure there's a city to come back to. I promise."

"I'm going to hold you to that, city boy," Korra grinned. "We'll be back before you know it."

With their temporary goodbyes said, Korra turned to address the group at large. They were all gathered here, took time out of their lives, for her. Every time and any time. She made a silent vow that Shin La would not hurt any of them any longer.

And then, she turned back to the glowing portal before her. With a wordless glance, she took hold of the hand Asami offered. And together, they stepped back into the Spirit World.

No matter how many times she experienced it, Korra would never be quite be able to fully describe the sensations she felt as she stepped into the portal. A massive light blinded out the rest of the world, all-encompassing in its warmth. It felt like she was being something more than physical, almost omnipotent, before her body reasserted itself and she was normal once more.

She was sure Asami had a more scientific phrase for it, but for the Avatar, the word 'amazing' would suffice.

They stumbled out of the pulsing beam, taking a step into a world that was now so familiar to the Avatar, yet still so surprising. She couldn't imagine how hard Asami was geeking out over this now.

The area they were in was different to the last excursion they had made here. Whereas before they had been transported to a purple plain, now they found themselves in a thick, swampy forest. Vines hung regimentally from their trees. Pale, yellow water pooled around their ankles. And the smell was… pungent, to say the least.

"Wow," Asami said, in awe despite the fact that she was holding her nose and thanking the spirits that she had worn firm, dirty boots. "Different story every time, huh?"

"Exactly," Korra replied, as they trekked through the swamp. Pink clouds in red sky circled overhead. Whatever the Spirit World equivalent of night was, it was fast approaching.

"So, how do we find him?" Asami asked, only now thinking about how they would reach his lair. They knew it was hidden away, in a swamp not unlike this, but apart from that they only had their wits to figure it out. No one back home knew where he dwelled. Even Katara had only heard stories.

"Don't worry, I have a plan," Korra said. Reaching out to a thick tree trunk, she closed her eyes and tried to access its roots.

The vision came in a rush. It was like she was being strapped to a train, running away at a thousand miles an hour. A rollercoaster sensation hit her as she was railroaded around the world, trying to fix a course to where she wanted to go.

Immediately, as thoughts of the Face Stealer came into focus, the vision led her down a deep and dark path. She winced as the pain of such a place flooded her brain. She heard Asami ask her if she was all right in concern.

But she'd got a fix on his location. It was a start.

"I've found him," Korra said, still rubbing the back of her head. A small wave of dizziness passed. "He's not too far. But in this swamp it could be a long journey."

Asami shrugged her shoulders. "Well then, we better get started."

In the original draft, Aang appeared right about now. He performed a reggae version of Queen's "We Will Rock You" with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, and proceeded to end all conflict on any and all worlds, spreading the joy of peace and love, man. Korra and the rest of Team Avatar became their groupies, and Shin La was destroyed forevermore by their endless compassion.

No, not really.

This originally was longer, but I'm done bitching about it. I had my rant and although I decided to leave it in, I'm moving on now. The story will keep going on, and hopefully get better and better as I write it. The Internet may reboot my hard drive, but it won't reboot my brain. At least until the Illuminati get me anyway.

Sarcasm.

In all seriousness though, hit me up and tell me what you thought about this. I had to think on my feet here when I was caught with my pants down, so I'm interested on how well I managed to improvise. Alternatively, if you think this was a waste and I should have just typed the original back up with a way longer timeframe, say that too. I welcome reviews and criticism, in all its forms.

Except trolls. Never trolls.

Until next time, peeps.