Unalaq sounds confident, but it's gonna take a whole lot more convincing me than just some nice words.

He removes his blazer and shifts into the lotus position. He shoots me an expectant look, so I follow suit waiting for further instruction.

"I want you to close your eyes. Relax your mind and allow your thoughts to ebb and flow like the water before you."

I grumble unhappily. This is shit I've already done. Meditating has never worked before, so what makes him think it's gonna work this time? My uncle seems to pick up on this.

"Your base element is water, Korra. I heard of your struggle with airbending. They say the element most unlike your personality is the hardest to master. If you had difficulty in that, it would make sense using airbending rituals for spiritual connection would prove challenging if not ineffective. Wouldn't you agree?"

He had a point—I'll give him that much. It wasn't rhetorical, but I stay silent anyway.

"We will elicit your spiritual connection with bending that came to you naturally. Focus on the sound of the waves. Flow with the currents that run beneath."

I breathe in time with waves ahead. I can sense the wave's crest to when it breaks on the sand. My thoughts are less than still, but act in unison with the ocean. But I still don't feel any spiritual energy my uncle and Jinora insists there is. Each second that passes, I grow increasingly frustrated. A hand grabs my shoulder.

I open my eyes and meet the light blue of my uncle's.

"Sorry uncle, I just can't get this stuff."

His eyes are unfocused, almost as if he's staring at something I can't see. They zero back in.

"I sense a block in your chi path."

"Is that what's blocking me from mastering the Avatar state?" I have a sinking feeling it does. Unalaq removes his hand and stares at me hard.

"Yes. You must find balance within yourself before you can bring balance to the world."

I look at the ground and clench my fists. Just another damn thing I have to do. But I nod my head and meet his gaze again.

"Tell me, what do you know of chakras?"

"What the hell are chakras?"

"Come with me."

We enter Republic City Park. It's a cosy place. Soft grass. Trees and bushes trimmed nice and neat. Park benches dotting the pathways that cut through the spacious area. The sun now peeks out from behind the clouds and I feel it warm my skin. It's nearly empty here as my uncle leads me to a small creek ahead. I notice several little pools that cascade into one another. It'd look nice if there weren't all sorts of junk and grime swirling in 'em. I watch him bend down to face the topmost pool.

"The water flows through this creek much like the energy flows through your body. There are several pools where the water swirls around before flowing on. These pools are like our chakras."

"So, chakras are spiraling pools of energy in our body?"

"Exactly," he points to the debris in the water, "if this wasn't here, this would flow pure and clear. However, life is messy—"

Don't I know it, bub.

"—and things tend to fall in the creek."

Somehow this all seems familiar, like something I've heard before. Almost like a memory that's not your own but you know how it's gonna play out anyway. My response comes easy.

"So it clogs up and the creek can't flow."

"Yes. Therefore, if we open the paths between the pools—" He manipulates the water to move the debris.

"—The energy flows." I answer, watching the water run freely.

He turns his head and smirks. "Sit."

I move next to him and take my spot.

"There are seven chakras within the body. Each pool of energy has a purpose and can be blocked by a specific emotional muck." I nod and wait for him to continue. His features grow more serious.

"Opening the chakras is an intense experience. Are you ready?"

I swallow. How can you be ready for something you don't know shit about? But if it can get me to the Avatar state then maybe I can actually make a difference.

"Yeah."

I move into the lotus position and close my eyes to meditate.

"First, we will open the earth chakra located at the base of the spine. It deals with survival and is blocked by fear. What are you most afraid of?"

His voice drifts off and becomes distant as the last word leaves his lips. My mind buzzes. I'm chained by each of my limbs, suspended in the open cavern. Black masses surround me and fire rages beyond my control while magma boils beneath me. A face appears. It's him. Zaheer. They've already administered the poison into my veins and I watch as he walks slowly over with the smile of the dark spirit himself.

I fight against my own body and the platinum chains, the avatar state threatening to take over. He advances to the narrow ledge that doubles as a bridge.

"Korra." Unalaq's voice is faint. I can barely hear him. So far away.

Zaheer raises the gun and I'm helpless.

"You're vision is not real. It is nothing but a distant memory. You are concerned for your survival, but you must remember how it played out. Surrender your fears"

My eyes light into blinding white. It's his cue. He cocks the gun back and a bullet exits the chamber.

"Let your fear flow down the creek." I hear Unalaq say.

It stops before it hits me. It's suspended in mid-air and I'm floating. Gale-wind force whips around me and I strike back with pure survival instinct.

The memory fades and I breathe heavily. Sweat trickles past my brow.

"Well done. You have opened your earth chakra."

I wipe the moisture from my face and grin like a chump.

"Next is the water chakra." I nod and return to my meditative position.

"This chakra deals with pleasure and is blocked by guilt. Look at all the guilt that burdens you so. What do you blame yourself for?"

The memory comes barreling in stronger than the last. I soar through the air with all the elements swirling around. Something more than rage overcomes me and I'm not myself. I lose control over my consciousness.

I come to and the scene unfolds before me. It's as if it's pulled straight from a nightmare. I see I've rained pure destruction onto Zaheer's compound, not caring who or what stands in the way. Disfigured forms litter the land, scorched and charred to a crisp. Men, women, and even children lived in the compound.

I took their lives easily like shooting fish in a barrel. I torched them, not a single ounce of mercy given. Maybe I knew what I was doing during it all or maybe now, but if I did, my mind chose to erase it anyhow. All I am left with is the remaining devastation.

I stare in horror, my body unable to move. Just like those bodies before me. Except they're nothing but black lumps now.

I caused this. I killed all these people.

"Accept the reality that these things happen—"

I force my eyes open at Unalaq's words. I'm like a feral animal now.

"No!" I'm loosing grip on my control. The air stills. Earth and water is suspends above. I feel the familiar energy surging through my body.

Unalaq's usual cool appearance vanishes instantly and fear enters his eyes. I'm rabid and he knows it. Before he can rein me in, I bolt. I hear the water slosh back down into the creek and the earth slam into the ground as I flee.

The park was next to empty when we arrived, but now dozens strolled aimlessly. Fingers point at me, but their faces are blurred as tears stream down my face as I race out. They're innocent just like the ones I slaughtered.

I run and run but finally stop as my lungs threaten to burst. I vomit until there's nothing left. My stomach hollow and empty like the rest of me.

How long I'm there, I don't know, but I finally take a look around and I'm in little Ba Sing Se. Was this what it was like for those in the compound? Guilt racks through me and I'm suffocating again.

I hunch over, trying to draw air into my lungs. But I'm choking in the smoke. Flames lick around me. I'm burning in the pyre.

There's pressure on my shoulder. I turn wildly with teeth bared like some wounded animal. The pressure lets up some momentarily, but returns more intensely. Green eyes bore into my own and I freeze.

It's that girl.

"Move," I try to say, but the words don't come out, "I'll burn you too." It's too hot. My mouth is dry and the words can't leave.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I look around and there's more than one pair of eyes watching me. They keep their distance though. I don't blame them. They must see the fire too. If you stay far away enough, you don't get burned.

But then I remember the pressure on my shoulder. I focus my sights on it. Her hand is there unburned. How is she doing that?

I meet her eyes again. There's concern and a flicker something else I can't put my finger on. Recognition? Maybe she's been in this inferno before.

"C'mon, let's get you out of here." And I'm suddenly pulled up with remarkable strength. I almost forget the fire. I wouldn't have guessed she'd be able to manhandle me like some rag doll, but here I am hauled through the streets.

After who knows how long, we stop in the outskirts of the city. Buildings are sparse and the land is more open. I've crawled out of my nightmare and I'm spent.

I give her a one over and she's fashioned in Republic City's finest. She's wearing a gunmetal grey pinstripe vest and pants. Underneath the vest, she's sporting the whitest shirt probably to humankind with a thin crimson striped tie to match her painted lips. Her heels are nothing to be scoffed at and I wonder how she walked so far in them without wanting to chop her feet off.

Compared to her, I probably look like some deadbeat. Almost as if I'm a nutcase that screams to be helped. Embarrassment settles in and with it anger.

"You shoulda left me there. I'm not some charity case okay? Go get your fill somewhere else, sugar."

I instantly regret my words cause she's down right menacing now. Her eyes are sharp and a scowl appears on her features. It almost doesn't sit right on a pretty face like hers.

I think about apologizing, but words as cold as ice hit me. And it chills me just like it too.

"Maybe you should quit acting like a little bitch and get your shit together, Avatar. World's full of problems if you haven't noticed and you think you're the only one. Fucking figures. You know what? Maybe you are insignificant. You have the power to do so much, but here you are. And here I thought for a moment maybe you were different. Guess not."

She turns on her heels, fury radiating off of her as she walks away. The ice of her words thaw because now I'm heated.

"What the fuck do you think you know? Dressed up all rich and fancy. Probably never had a rough day in your life. Get over yourself."

She came at me so fast I didn't have a chance to deflect her incoming fist. It hits hard and now I'm seeing stars. I didn't think that was actually a thing. I spit to the side and warm metallic liquid covers my tongue and the ground.

Regret covers her face, so I use the temporary opening to tackle her to the ground. A grunt leaves her lips as we hit the earth, but she uses the momentum to send me flying through the air behind her. She rolls backwards and springs to her feet.

"That all you got?" She's taunting me now. She drops to a fighting stance, but it's nothing like any bending form I've seen. Fine. We'll do this the old fashioned way.

I recover and match her stance. A smirk tugs at her lips as she beckons me to make the first move. I take the bait and come barreling in with a fist. She catches it. Fuck, she's quick. Suddenly she twists my arm behind me, but I break underneath and send a swift roundhouse her way.

It lands and she caves into my leg, but she closes the gap quickly and uses the opening at my torso to nail three punches into my ribs and stomach. I belly over and she uppercuts, launching my chin up toward the sky.

I stumble back and my head throbs. She comes rallying in again with another fist, but I take a step back and use both my hands to grab at her wrist and shoulder. I use her force to send her to the ground. She grabs my leg in the moment and we're tangled together.

We both latch to each other, grabbing parts for tap outs on both ends. I got her arm locked out, ready to break it at any given moment, but she has her legs around my throat ready to choke me out.

It's a good ol' fashioned showdown and we are both ready to pull the trigger. We breathe heavy in the silence. My body aches. I'm gonna have some shiners for sure if I walk away.

She relents and the excruciating hold around my neck is gone. I'm definitely confused now; so much that it deflates my anger for the most part. I let go of her arm, but neither of us moves. Just who is this girl anyway?

And I laugh. This babe just fought me in heels and practically won. Not to mention, never been between a woman's legs quite like this before. She's knocked the air outta me more times than I can count. Now I'm belly laughing. You know, that kind where you're whole stomach moves and you literally shake.

She peers down at me remnants of anger still left on her features, but it's softened by confusion at my outburst.

"What's your deal?"

I shake my head, or attempt to, but I move against the fabric of her suit pants and it throws me in another fit. Her eyes narrow and I know I'm grating her. I put my hands up in defense in a silent plea. I don't want another fist coming my way for no good reason.

I shift some and my eyebrows ask, "mind if I move?" In answer to my silent question, she quick makes work on untangling us. She stands, fixing herself up in the process. I start pushing off the ground, but a pale hand extends my way. I take it and she pulls me up.

I wipe my face using my arm and spit again to the side. It's less bloody this time. It's my turn to fix my appearance, but that's not saying much. I was a mess to begin with anyway.

"Thanks, and not just for helping me up. Guess I needed some sense knocked into me." I rub my cheek for effect.

She smiles and it's a genuine one I think. "I do what I can to help."

"Sorry about your shirt." And I do feel bad. The thing was as white as angels.

"Don't worry about it. I'll just get another since I'm 'rich and fancy' as you so eloquently put it."

I chuckle some, but the statement reminds me of why this all started anyway.

"Why'd you help me?"

"Can't walk by and leave a pretty damsel in distress can I?" She responds instantly. She smirks and I'm left dumbfounded. What are words anyway? She laughs at what I'm sure is my jaw hitting the ground, but seriousness returns to her face.

"We've all been there one way or another," a darkness clouds her face now and her eyes drift beyond to something I can't see, but the intensity returns to her eyes, "like I said, I do what I can to help."

A/N: Note to self: Never fuck with Asami Sato

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