Kalbario: As satisfying as this chapter is to be, it felt a bit rushed. Mako's confession, Korra's nonchalant reply, the extremely short 'duel' last chapter. I guess it's ok but I feel a bit more could have occurred. the segments feel like flashes and that's basically how I feel reading this after all the build up. I guess the word I'm trying to go for is Anti-Climactic.
Re: To be fair, this is meant to be the wind-down before the next Book, which will be an "Interquel" because I love worldbuilding.
guytrouble76: Cool, cool, and cool again. Thanks so much for the update, very nice, especially at the end of the week for me. The last scene with Korra and Zhu alone is a masterpiece, no joke, that's what I like about authors who know how to make something sometimes even better than the original. Looking forward to the next updates, I'll try not to miss them :)
Finally, I want to wish you further success in writing stories, and most importantly, don't forget to rest. Thanks again!)
Re: Well, that scene right there is more or less what I'd been building up to, way back in the events of Episode 1 where they met up in the cargo hold. Every little back-and-forth, the good times and the bad, them both growing together and apart was meant to take them to that point, because without the in-between, it would've turned out the same as the Canon.
Of course, this does have ripple effects for the future Books as well.
LoamyCoffee: This... this is utterly fantastic!
I could really feel the emotion in this. Yes, Jinora is feeling both happy and sad that they got together but it's something she can learn and grow from. I admit that I only learned who Afiko was recently as I was curious as to how the Fire Nation got to the Air Nomads. And the guy did so out of jealousy that Aang was revealed to be the Avatar. It's a shame that people can do the most terrible things out of something like envy.
I'm just laughing at Mako, as he's VERY lucky Korra gave him that out in response to his confession. He's got a lot of groveling to do for Asami. Unless she's already decided she's done with him.
Ah references~
You just keep adding to why I love your work! I NEVER see anyone do something else to restore her Bending.
I either see the weird Force Ghost or they avoid Amon taking her bending.
This... is going to be so great. Earn back your Bending, Korra.
I feel so giddy!~
Re: Jinora and Zhu's dynamic was fun to build up, and represents a character arc I'd been planning since the beginning; Jinora would naturally gravitate toward Zhu because similar to Aang, Zhu traveled all over and learned from first-hand sources all-over. For someone as-learned as her, that would be an attractive quality.
As for the "Afiko" in their midst, it only made sense for that to happen if I still wanted Tenzin and the family to be captured DESPITE Zhu arranging that convoluted game of 'Find the Lady'.
As for Mako… The dialogue there was fun to write, because Korra's relationship with him is way different than the Canon.
As for Korra getting her Bending back another way, the buildup to that in Book 2 (or maybe Book 1.5) is what I'm eager to write about in the next book, instead of the six-month timeskip. I was tempted to have Amon not have the opportunity to take Korra's Bending, but only for a while before deciding that what I have planned for Book 2/1.5 would be more-interesting to write. That, and Korra Airbending Amon/Noatak into the bay was the only thing that could've broken the back of the Equalist movement in a sufficient manner.
On an unrelated note, I had fun sneaking in that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish reference~ It was better than I thought it'd be, and I hope this possible resurgence into the Shrek franchise stays the course, because The Last Wish was an amazing movie.
Blaze1992: I mean wasn't there one or two episodes in the ATLA where they did affect the world by "joining" Aang's body when his Tat's glowed?
Roku during that thing at the temple was able to lava carpet bomb the s**t out of that place, then there was that part where Aang transformed to his past life self to clear her name of wrongdoing.
Maybe it is a bit of cop out, but we only saw what she thinks she saw during the end there, perhaps from an outside perspective Aang took over and used his knowledge of the seven chakra's and his energy as a spirit to force open the pathways in her body keeping her from bending.
Re: That was the Avatar State, not Energybending. The distinction is that Aang was channeling Roku (in the physical sense) and all the other Avatar in the spiritual sense. What happened to Korra at the end of Book 1 was basically Aang using Energybending "from beyond the grave" despite not having a physical body of his own to do Energybending with…
(Guest): Can zhu do a Kamehameha, a haduken or even a rasengan?!
Even just using chi like RWBY aura is a start to shooting it out!
I hope he figures out how to weaponize pure chi with Asami (really cuck mako lol, maybe zhu could use blood bending to stimulate their pleasure spots? That'd be cool)
Would be a great way to mend bridges with non benders besides chi blocking and weapons
Plus a kamehameha! Maaaybe he won't call it that but it would have the same form!
Re: Even if he could use his Chi to do a "Spirit Cannon" like Kuvira's giant mech, it'd be too energy-intensive, and even then he'd need Energybending to pull it off. For the time being he's limited to Bloodbending.
Wow, people are really pushing for that pairing. Usually in OC-centric stories people don't care about extra pairings. Guess I've done a good job in the writing~
As for mending bridges between Benders & Non-Benders, that will be a theme of the next Book prior to the Book-after-that, "Spirits".
P.S.
The end of Book 1 and the beginning of Book 2 have been "Simulposted", so make sure to hit up my Profile after this and hit "Follow"!
*AIR*
" . . . Do you think she'll be okay?" Asami asked worriedly a good while after Zhu had hooked Akamaru up to a sled and gone after her.
Tenzin had wanted to intervene, but one cross look from the red-head and their Airbending Master capitulated.
"The Avatar- Korra, she's a big girl. She wouldn't let something like this get her down," Lin said, realizing that it was Korra, not some messianic savior, who needed their support.
"I've known Korra since she was a child, and she's been able to bounce back from anything," Katara hummed. "Still, having your Bending taken away… I almost didn't believe it at first, but there was definitely something wrong with her when I tried to heal her."
"All we can do is wait for her to return, and help her through this trying time," Tenzin nodded.
Meanwhile, off to the side, Mako was staring at a wall, isolated from everyone else.
"Hey, Mako, you doing okay?" Bolin asked.
"Y-Yeah, I'm okay! Why do you ask?"
"Well, it's just… you've been really quiet since Korra ran off. Did something happen?"
" . . . No… Nothing happened."
Bolin, knowing his brother for as long as he had, knew that something was up, but decided it was best not to press the issue.
The sound of feet clomping through snow coming through the gate of the White Lotus ice fortress, everyone's eyes honed in on the familiar form of Naga as she rounded the corner. When they saw her saddle was empty, they almost had a fit of panic were it not for the fact that Korra's blue and brown attire astride Akamaru's sled rounded the bend a moment later, Zhu standing immediately at her back, sill clad in the red and blacks of his Red Spirit attire.
A relieved look coming over Tenzin, Katara, and Lin's faces, they and Korra's parents ran forward to intercept them, Zhu offering his hand to Korra as she dismounted the sled.
"Korra, are you okay?" Senna asked worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Better than okay, even!" Korra beamed as her hand found Zhu's, the girl smiling to her eyes.
Cue Avatar the Last Airbender OST – The Avatar's Love
An unfamiliar glint of red from Korra's parka catching Senna's eye, the woman turned her gaze down before letting out a shocked *GASP!*, eyes wide as she saw the Water Tribe choker around her daughter's neck. Korra and Zhu blushing up a storm as Senna's pointed finger drew more attention towards it, Lin felt a smirk tugging at her lips.
"Well… Here's hoping this time, it's for real," Lin chuckled, Korra sputtering while Zhu chuckled nervously at the look Tonraq was sending him.
"Korra, oh my god, congratulations!" Asami squealed happily as she came up to them.
"Hey, c-come on, now, there's no reason to make a big deal out of it…" Korra blushed.
"Are you kidding? Of course this is a big deal! We, we need to celebrate!"
"When are you getting married? What about the honeymoon? How many kids are you going to have? Are you going to keep living with us on the island or are you going to make your own island?" Ikki asked excitedly, her questions familiar from what felt like forever ago, yet embarrassed Korra further now that the symbol around her neck was real instead of camouflage.
"Zhu, way to go, you are the MAY'ANN!" Bolin whooped excitedly as he put an arm on Zhu's shoulders. "So, who's going to be your Best Maaaan? Is it going to be a certain Earthbender you know who took you out for noodles one time?" he asked not-so-discretely pointing to himself. "Don't worry about Mako, you can tell him he's your Best Man even if it's really me; I can keep the truth a secret~" he whispered conspiratorially.
As the Water Tribesman and -woman from North and South were showered with praise, well-wishes, and questions about the future, the only one feeling out of sorts was a once-surly Firebender, hugging himself to stave off a cold that wasn't from the ice and snow around them.
"I know that look," Katara hummed as she walked up to him.
"What look?"
"The look of a broken heart," she hummed, cutting straight to the issue. "It's alright to feel this way. As long as you don't let it hurt the friendship you have with the two of them."
" . . . When Korra told me she 'really liked me' and that she thought we were 'meant for each other', I was already dating Asami," Mako said after a tense moment. "Somewhere along the way… Somewhere along the way things just got so complicated," he said, the hurt of his rebuffed confession coming back to the forefront of his mind. "I… I know I shouldn't feel like this, but a part of me… A part of me really ha-… dislikes Zhu," he said as the two newlyweds nestled close together, Korra's arm around Zhu's neck and his arm around her waist, the two looking at their happiest.
"It will fade," Katara hummed, patting him consolingly on the shoulder. "You wouldn't believe how many broken hearts Aang left in his wake. He even had a few of his first Acolytes fall for him, in fact~ And then there all the village girls we met on our travels-"
"This isn't really helping me feel better," Mako slumped.
"Do you know what might?" Katara asked, the Bending Brother shaking his head. "Going over there and giving them your best wishes. Letting them know that even after all this, you're really happy for them," she said before motioning for him to come down a little. "Plus, it'll make that botched confession of yours less awkward in your memory," she chuckled into his ear.
"Y-You saw that…?" Mako blushed.
"I'm old, not deaf~" she grinned. "Go on now. You've still got that pretty heiress waiting for you, after all."
" . . . Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Thanks."
Katara waving him off, feeling nostalgic at the sight a little ways away, subconsciously reached for a hand that wasn't there to meet hers anymore.
Her hand meeting empty air, a momentary pang of loneliness washed over her. Turning her attention back to Aang's successor after a somber moment, she realized anew that love, like friendships, could transcend lifetimes. That Aang's love for her, and hers for him, had become reborn in the form of the new love that Korra was receiving from Zhu and was given in turn.
"You're going to be okay, Korra," Katara smiled, wondering if Ty Lee could help her eke out just-enough years to see the first child that Korra and Zhu were bound to have together.
Because after that juicy little piece of gossip Ikki shared with her from their flight down south, well…~
"If you want, I can help you eke out just-enough years to see the beautiful babies they're bound to make together~"
"Is it really that obvious?" Katara asked turning to her one-time enemy.
"Just a little~" Ty Lee grinned. "So, you up for the challenge?"
"Hmhmhmhm. I'll think about it," Katara smiled, her heart feeling lighter for Korra ever since her best efforts had failed her.
The End of Chronicle of Zhu: Book 1 (Air)
. . .
To Be Continued… in Chronicle of Zhu: Book 2 (Reconstruction)