You weren't enough.
You killed me, Korra.
You failed to save me.
"Mom?" Korra stares at her mother, who stands in front of her. "Korra." Senna wraps her daughter in her arms. "Mom! Mom, I missed you so much!" Korra grabs hold on her mother. "I had to see you. I had to come." Her mother pulls away as she speaks, "Honey, you've got to let go." Korra scowls, shaking her head. "I don't understand." Senna walks away from her. "Let go, Korra. No one needs you anymore. You're not enough. You killed me, Korra. You failed to save me." Korra shakes her head again as tears spill, "NO! It's a lie! I tried to save you! I was too late! He killed you, I didn't kill you. I-I'm sorry! HE KILLED YOU!" "You killed me, Korra."
Korra wakes with ferocity, sweat dripping from every pore. "Korra!" She feels soft hands grab at her, pulling her into a hug. "A-Asami?-" Korra chokes back her soft sob as Asami whispers softly into her ear. The bed sheets are scattered about and the lamp next to them is shattered on the ground. "You didn't kill your mother. You did your best to save her, Korra. You did what you could do. She died protecting you. She died FOR you, not FROM you. Stop thinking you killed her, because you didn't." Korra breathes staggered, trying helplessly to regain herself. "Korra I love you, and you aren't a murderer. You're a kind soul who will do anything to save someone. Please Korra, don't blame yourself for everything." Asami speaks so softly it pains Korra to listen to her speak. She scared her; Korra scares the heiress and she knows it.
"Asami, I-I'm so sorry.." Korra stampers, her breath catching in her throat. She can't see anything; it's too dark and she doesn't know where a light it besides the lamp that lays shattered on the ground. She can't see Asami's face, and she probably doesn't. She might've hurt Asami. And if she did, she didn't want to see that. Not now. Asami cradles the tan girl in her arms, slowly rocking her back and forth to calm her. How long has this been happening for? Ever since the first night Asami spent with Korra. She can't remember a time where Korra WASN'T having nightmares. But they were getting worse, and Asami knew something was going on. But she couldn't ask; not that it would offend Korra, but it was that Korra didn't know either. No one did. Except….
"Korra." Asami grabs Korra by her cheeks softly, like a newborn in her hands. Korra sniffs and tries to calm, hiccupping as she does. "I'll be right back. I'm going to go get you something to drink, okay?" Korra just nods slightly, but before Asami crawls off the bed Korra grabs her wrist. "Promise you won't be gone long?" Korra sniffs, and Asami's heart breaks. Now that their eyes have adjusted with the dark, Asami is able to see Korra's swollen eyes and cheeks. It's the first time she's actually seen Korra cry in full sobs of true terror and confusion, and it's something she doesn't want to ever see again. "I promise you." Asami reaches up and pecks the girl's cheek, before sliding off the bed and grabbing her robe to exit.
She practically scales the walls as Asami makes her way down the hall, her fingers gliding on the rather smooth walls from behind her back. She stops as some people walk by, then quickly slides around the corner. She breaths slowly; Okay, there's got to be a control center somewhere around here. She makes her way through a series of halls and doors, until she stumbles upon an open door and voices just above a whisper. No wait, it wasn't voices; a TV. Something was being displayed in there, and Asami could barely see it. She looks both ways; left, right. Then she slides into the room, the television eliminating the small room inside. She sits at a desk with numerous keyboards and buttons to which Asami is actually familiar with. The heiress shakes the sleep from her eyes and begins working. Up on the screen displays a series of files, with various names and titles. "'Zaheer?'" Asami whispers to herself and pulls up the file with that name, opening a footage.
It's a man, Asami presumes, with shaggy hair and blistering eyes. He lays strapped in a chair, and suddenly a familiar face enters the screen: Asami's father, Hiroshi Sato. His glasses gleam and his hands a covered with latex, whilst he holds a syringe in his hand. "This is take one of the dose. Codename Zaheer. First dosage." Asami grips the table in front of her as they inject the man, his screams filling the speakers from which she sits and listens from. Wait, she's seen this before. In Korra. When she was injected…
"I see you've been snooping." Asami jumps and whirls to a fighting stance, and very well keeping it when she sees Lin. "Yes, I have. Something's not right. Korra knows it just as well as I do. And this just proved my theory." Asami gestures to the screen as the man now struggles in the chair, until he suddenly stills. Lin sighs deeply, turning and moving her arm behind Asami to turn the footage off. Asami catches a glimpse, and the man suddenly rips out of his restraints before the screen turns black. "What we see here, didn't happen, Ms. Sato. I trust you won't tell anyone; especially Korra. You wouldn't want something to happen to her, would you?" Asami's eyes widen with anger at Lin's words, "You dare threaten us? We saved this country, and this is how you repay us? With blackmail?!" Asami shouts, and Lin shakes her head. "We do what we have to do, Ms. Sato." Asami shakes her head as tears spill. "You're different, Lin. Something's different with you. You're not the same. And I'm going to figure it out."
"Come on Korra, you need to focus." Tenzin swipes his sword at her, and Korra growls in defense. "I'm trying! If you'd shut up maybe I'd be able to concentrate!" Korra suddenly jousts her sword right at Tenzin, who deflects it easily and it falls to the ground with a loud clang. "I think we're done for today." Tenzin sighs deeply and sheaths his sword, but Korra doesn't let up. She runs for her sword, tossing it up with her foot and swinging it in the air at her master.
Tenzin reacts almost too easily, shifting his body and deflecting the sword mid-air. Korra stands with heaving breathes, to which Tenzin lowers his sword at the rage in her eyes. "Korra, you need to control yourself." Tenzin says with sincerity, his gaze softening as the tribal girl who suddenly slouches and falls to a knee in exhaustion. "Tenzin, I-I'm sorry. You're right; I need to control myself. I just…" Her blue eyes dart away, "I don't know how. I'm so confused, Tenzin." She now looks up at him, her eyes rimmed with tears, "What's wrong with me? Why?..." Tenzin drops to her level and puts a hand on her shoulder. "I'll help you, Korra. You're not alone in this. I'm not sure I can explain, but you were just involved in some traumatic events. You have a lot of stress layered on you, and you don't need anymore." His grey eyes sink into her blue seas, and Korra nods swiftly. "Now, go clean up. Iroh is here to see you." Korra gives a slight grin at the name of her old friend and pushes herself up.
Korra's now washing her face in her secluded bathroom, the sweat that covers her pores slowly drips away from the water that flows down her tan skin. She ducks her head down to splash some more of the holy liquid, but when she resurfaces, she gasps and steps back, almost tripping to the floor. In the mirror stands Tonraq, his face lively and a small grin plastered upon it. "Korra." Korra can hear his voice clearly, almost too clearly. "H-How?..." She whispers, her body visibly shaking. "You need me, Korra. You called, and I came running. Just like your mother did." Korra's eyes widen as tears threaten to pour. "I don't n-need your help." She explains, but her father shakes his head. "I know you hurt, dear. I hurt you. But I can help you. All you need to do is let go." He says while he holds out his hand, to which Korra flinches. "Stop this! I don't understand! What do I need to let go?!" She clenches her fists as she falls to the ground, her tears suddenly unleashed as she sobs on the cold white floor.
"Korra!" A familiar voice fills her ears and she feels warm, loving hands around her. "Korra it's okay, I'm here. I'm here." Korra looks up at the mirror again, this time staring at her and Asami's reflection, rather than her father. "What happened?" Asami whispers, but Korra shakes her head, unable to speak words. Rather she leans into Asami's contagious warmth, shaking and drying her tears.
"Iroh." Lin speaks solemnly when Iroh enters the room. "Hello, Lin. I see you've been busy with training Korra and Asami." He states, to which Lin responds with a slight nod. "Indeed. I see you've been busy with your father. Catching up, hm?" She says lowly. Iroh raises a brow, "Of course. I was imprisoned for most of my life, Lin. I wanted to spend some time with my family, you know." Iroh says sternly, but let's up when he sees Korra. "Hey there, Avatar." For some reason, Korra flinches, but smiles none the less. "Iroh. Hey." She lets go of Asami's hand who stands beside her and pulls Iroh in for a hug. "How's the family?" She asks, and Iroh nods with a shrug. "They're family." He smiles and Korra gives a slight chuckle. "I'm sorry, but I've got to go Iroh. I have more training to do. I hope that's fine?" Korra's blue eyes seem duller. Iroh scowls, but he straightens, "Of course. I'll come watch, I suppose. After I talk with Lin, of course." Lin nods swiftly, and Asami eyes her suspiciously, walking out with Korra.
"What's wrong with me Asami? Am I going crazy?" Korra asks her companion when they start to walk down the crisp halls. "No, honey no you're not crazy." Asami puts an arm around her girlfriend, "You just need some time to rest and get strong. You've had a rough couple of months from before, so your body is still trying to relax. I promise you're not going crazy." The soothing words Asami lets out seem to relax the avatar, as she feels shoulders relaxing and her breath is less heavy. "Okay, I get it. Thanks, Asami." Korra turns with bright blue eyes and pecks Asami's bright red lips. Asami smiles, "I still have butterflies when you do that." Korra grins, tugging at Asami's hand that's now in hers, "Well good. I love you too."
"Do you think this is another Zaheer case?" Lin shakes her head unevenly, "I'm not sure. Could be both ways. She has yet gotten her illusions under control, but she hasn't given in yet. That's a good sign." Iroh sighs, "This is going to be hard. We have to tell her-"Tenzin catches Iroh, and Lin speaks, "No. Raiko gave us specific orders not to. She won't do this mission right if we do." "Oh? And what about Asami? You know she isn't going to let up now that she knows about Zaheer." Iroh speaks strong and confident, and Lin almost laughs in response. "Don't worry about Asami; I'll take care of her when the mission starts."
Alright! Chapter 3 is a go! Did you like it? I hope so. Poor Korra, I feel so bad for her. Don't worry; this isn't the last you'll hear of the 'Zaheer Case'.
1. What do you think happened to Zaheer? See any connections?
2. Do you think Korra is seriously going crazy?
3. What do you think Lin is going to do with Asami?
I love you all! Thanks for reading! :)
-PMI