*This chapter has been edited 4/13/14. New content has been added, Korra doesn't go to jail after kicking the poop out of the two Triple Threat, instead, I threw something else in*
Enjoy.
The sun seemed a little dimmer, and the air a little cooler. The clouds grey, dark and bundled up in the sky. Millions gather at the television screens and radios to hear their worst fears come true. Their one true hope is officially dead. The young girl is no longer missing. Their Avatar who could have saved the benders from the man in the mask, the one and only being who could put an end to the war is now believed to be a baby infant with sparkling green eyes. A hopeless baby.
They could fill the oceans with all the tears being shed, they could create thunder with all the screams of frustration and defeat the nations of the world blare. They could kill the spirit world with all the abhorrence and battle. And there is no fighting back Every second a bender loses their bending. Every second another flow of chi is shattered. Every second another bender falls from their knees in an excruciating pain that paralyzes. Every second a bender is kidnapped from their homes. But every second a new bender is born. A new hope.
He is frustrated, angry, victorious but most of all confused. He sent out his best men to end the Avatar. They returned claiming triumphant but they brought back no body. Nothing as proof the Avatar met her demise. He is unsatisfied.
He stands back turned with his arms folded behind him. The room is dark with no windows. On the wall is a map. Red push pins pierce the locations. Several towns and large cities of the nations have been cleansed. Still he is untouched. Nothing is a threat to him. In his eyes, he is god, a new hope.
Equality shall be spread. Through violence, through peace. Anyway he chooses the same fate applies. He will be written in the History books. His picture printed on every newspaper. Every journalist will publish a story on him. He will plague the nightmares of children who wake up screaming for their mothers. He is the man who will change the world for the worst. He will cause all the fires, gun shots, anguish, and despondency. He is a man with an inevitable motive who has two faces, and a mask.
"Sir? Is everything all right?" One of the soldiers asks staring at the back of the man's cloaked head. The soldier tries his best not to quiver. The Masked Man voice is smooth but a frightening resonance to the ear.
The man bites down on his lip and slams his fist down on a table next to him. The wood beneath his fist weakens and the table's legs wobble. "Alright? You claim you killed the Avatar. You bring me no proof. The news casts claim she was missing. Now they say they found her body. Are you positive you Killed the Avatar?" He seethes angrily and confused. He is no fool. If she was killed like his soldiers claim, then how come her body went missing? They fled the scene as soon as the trigger was pulled and they heard the Avatar's screams. Something doesn't click here.
"Yes Sir." His soldier answers evenly .
The man narrows his eyes. The phone on the table next to him rings. "Leave me!" He demands. His soldiers cringe and file out of the room, closing the door behind them.
"Mr. Sato, Why are you interrupting my evening?!"
A gunshot sounds. The black materializes to Korra's room back at the compound. She hesitantly looks around at the familiar room. Her bed draped with furs, the dark wood floor, the cream walls, and the window above the bed she has spent countless nights staring at. The room is dimly lit and still smells the same; sweet flowers and jasmine. It's home.
Then there is blood pudding at her knees. Her eyes widen as her jeans soak red. She jumps to her feet and stumbles back from the puddle and falls against the wall.
Korra gasps. A Sentry with glittering green eyes suddenly is standing before her with his hand over his heart. "I vowed to protect your life." He whispers before another gunshot rings out, his chest is penetrated and blood spews. His eyes fade grey, and crumples to the floor dead.
Korra sobs and cries out as she watches the man pool in his blood.
"I'm so sorry!"
She awakes in a yelp with tears staining her cheeks. Darkness covers every corner of her room. Only a small light of the moon seeps in through her curtains. It was only a dream. She chants in her head over and over before she convinces herself it is over.
Every limb in her body aches dully and her muscles are stiff and tight under the hard wood floor she fell asleep on. Her hair hangs long in her face like a curtain. She soothes it back and her blurred vision falls on the destroyed radio she had chucked at the wall last night. Drying the face with the back of her hand she tries to hold back her sobs.
She clenches her fist and bites hard down on her lip till it hurts. She curls in on herself and lets the tears come freely.
She is terrified. The world is falling apart and she has no idea what could be happening right at this moment. She is fighting blindly. She knows nothing of her enemy except his power. One day she will have to face him. Few cheer her on while the rest mourn her. She is strong but all the weight she holds on her shoulders is great for only one teenager. I'm alone.
Korra wishes for someone to hold her, a shoulder to cry into. A friend who knows the truth.
Crawling across the floor she pulls herself onto her bed and under the covers. Holding the pillow tightly to her chest, she cries silently until she runs dry and falls back into a dreamless black.
Her eyes flutter open to the sun's glow. A pillow under head ,sheets covering her body and a soft mattress under her back. Ripping the sheets from her body, she tiredly stumbles to the bathroom and closes the door behind her.
Korra stares in the mirror. Thoughts swarm in her head as she stares into her own blue eyes. She cringes.
Korra pulls on her long locks of hair. She grabs a chuck of waves and holds it between her fingers. I need a change. She gathers her hair and pulls it back into a loose ponytail before washing her face and brushing her teeth. Taking one last glimpse of the non-existent Avatar in the mirror she flicks the light off and slogs her feet back to her chamber.
She exchanges her jeans for navy blue sweats, and pulls on a fresh tank top then heads down to the dining room. As she pushes the door open three familiar eyes meet hers. She gasps. She thinks about turning and running but she has already been seen.
What are they doing here? She glances over to Tenzin then back at her guests. Korra forces a smile from the doorway. Asami, and Bolin stare up at her. Each has a different look in their eyes. Where is Mako? Asami lets out a breath of relief as she jumps up from her seat and tackles Korra in a hug. "I am so sorry Yuke! Are you alright? Oh my spirits!" Asami asks as she hugs Korra tightly. Bolin rises from his seat and pates Korra lightly on her shoulder. "Yeah Yuke, you alright?" Bolin asks with his eyebrows pulled up in concern.
Korra grins. "I'm fine guys. Thank you." She lies.
Asami pulls back from the hug and nods with a smile. "I'm sorry. I'm just glad you're ok."
Tenzin clears his throat. "I'm sorry. Did something happen Yuke?" Tenzin asks.
Korra goes stiff. Asami opens her mouth to say something to Tenzin but Korra gives her the Don't-tell-him-he-will-worry- look. "No Tenzin. Nothing happened." Korra says evenly.
"Can we talk Yuke?" Asami whispers. Korra's heart lurches into her throat. She nods then turns to Tenzin. "Can my friends and I have some privacy please?" Korra asks with puppy dog eyes. Tenzin shakes his head un-fazed.
"Anything you wish to say you can say it in front of me." Tenzin says sternly. Korra rolls her eyes.
"Follow me guys. We can talk somewhere else." Korra says glaring at Tenzin and leading Bolin and Asami out to the courtyard. The sun high and hot surrounded in flawless blue sky. Korra sits on a planter, Asami on a wooden bench beside the planter, and Bolin stands.
"So what did you guys want to talk about?" Korra asks trying to keep her voice calm and casual. Her palms sweat.
"We just wanted to make sure you are ok. That was a close call." Asami says.
"Yeah. You were almost Yuke road kill." Bolin adds. Korra cringes as she imagines all the bones in her body that could have snapped under the weight of the car if she hadn't saved herself.
"You we're lucky one of my father's workers used his earthbending stop that car." Asami explains.
Korra's heart skips a beat. "What?"
"Well I talked to my dad and he said one of his workers claimed to have earthbended up a wall to stop that car. Lucky he did."
Yeah, lucky. "Very lucky," Korra says quietly. But I'm positive it was me…But someone else thinks they did it then I'm home free. I am very lucky. "So do you know why that car was gonna ram me down?" Korra asks trying to hide a relieved smile.
"Well they investigated the car and the break was broken. The car had no way of stopping. The driver sends his deepest apologies." Asami explains.
"Oh." Korra sighs.
"You sure you're alright Yuke? You look a little pale." Bolin asks. Korra nods
No. I'm not alright. "Yeah I'm fine. Just tired." Korra scratches her head.
"Well go get some sleep. I must be going. I have some errands to run. I will see you at school?" Asami says getting up from the bench. Korra nods.
"I should be going too. Mako and I have some waterbenders to audition." Bolin adds.
"You found waterbenders?" Korra asks with a smile.
"A few. I don't think any are good. I will keep you updated. Seeya Yuke." Bolin waves and he and Asami leave the island.
Korra sags in relief. Thank you random earthbender guy who thinks he saved my life! Korra throws her fist in the air. "Thank the spirits."
Korra eyes half of an egg salad sandwich on her plate. Her stomach cramps and flips. Finally after several minutes of looking at it she pushes it away. "Not hungry again Korra?" Pema asks across the table sipping at her tea. Korra slowly shakes her head eyeing the sandwich in disgust.
"Korra you need to eat. It isn't healthy to have no food in your system." Tenzin says taking a bite of dumpling and easily chewing it.
"Daddy does Korra starve herself?" Ikki asks. Jinora nudges Ikki's stomach disapprovingly and Meelo giggles.
Korra grimaces. "I'm not starving myself. I just haven't been all that hungry lately." Korra protests. Food doesn't seem appetizing to her. Her stomach is still recovering from her nightmare.
"Dear did something happen?" Pema asks gingerly.
Korra shakes her head. "No. I just don't feel well."
"Just eat a little of your lunch and you may be excused." Tenzin deals.
Korra sighs and tentatively pulls the yellow plate towards her and lifts the sandwich to her lips. She takes a bite as the sweet taste makes home on her taste buds. Her throat closes up as her stomach convulses. Still she forces the food down with a sharp swallow. She takes a few more bites and a sip of juice before she is excused. Korra jumps up from her seat and brings her plate and empty cup to the kitchen. She dumps the remainder of her sandwich in the trash before using a sponge to clean her plate in the sink.
Pema strolls in holding her plate. Korra steps aside to make room for Pema and her bulging belly. Korra dries her plate and then helps Pema wash and dry the dishes.
Korra's mind drifts off. She recalls looking in the mirror this morning and seeing Avatar Korra. She's dead. She thinks setting a plate down. Goosebumps crawl over her skin. It's official. The world thinks I'm dead. She can't help but feel intensely guilty leaving the world without an Avatar. But she can't worry about that. She needs to focus on her training, school work and staying a secret. "Pema?" Korra asks as she runs a towel over a dripping cup.
Pema scrubs dried food from a plate with a sponge. "Yes dear?"
"Can you help me?" Korra asks setting down the dish she was drying.
Pema drops the sponge in the soapy water and turns to Korra. "Of course, what do you need?"
Korra sighs and drops her current dish gently on the counter and leans against the granite surface. "Well don't tell Tenzin but lately at school I have been told I look a lot like the Avatar. Do you think you can maybe help me improve my disguise?" She asks with an unsure smile.
"Sure I can. What did you have in mind?"
"Maybe we can cut my hair? Some kind of makeup. Something that will throw people off. I just can't look like Korra anymore." She says distressful, her voice cracking.
Pema frowns and rests a hand on Korra's shoulder. "Is this about improving your disguise or is this about something more?" Pema asks staring at the side of Korra's turned face. Korra turns to face Pema with tear glistened eyes.
"I guess a little bit of both." She admits sadly with a shrug. "Just everything has changed. I've had no say in any of the decisions made for me. I guessThank you. You have no idea how much I needed to hear that." Korra says. Pema runs a hand over Korra's hair.
"You're welcome."
Korra breaks the hug and smiles lightly. "But still my disguise sucks. So will you please help me?"
Pema smiles and nods. "Let's get started."
She can't help but cringe as Pema brings the shears to her hair in the mirror. "You sure you want to do this?" Pema asks seeing the way Korra stiffened.
Suck it up Korra. It's just your hair! Yeah hair you've been growing out for three years. Stop! She argues with herself before she hesitantly nods. "Yes." She breathes taking a deep breath.
Alright Stop acting like a girl! It will grow back! Pema works around her hair cutting and shaping. When she is done Korra's thick hair that once hung down to her mid spine is now thinned, and rests on the blades of her shoulders. Her bangs trimmed and brushed to the right barley grazing her eyelashes. "Do you like it?" Pema asks setting down the small silver shears on her vanity.
Korra looks at her new reflection. She looks different, fresh. Korra smiles up from her seat and up at Pema. "I love it!" She exclaims running her fingers through her short pin straight locks. "Thank you Pema!"
"You're welcome." Pema opens a drawer in her vanity and pulls out a pair of eyeglasses. "So I was digging through some of my old stuff and I found these. There from an old Halloween costume. They could help improve your disguise if you want to wear them. Just say you lost your contacts." Pema winks placing the eyeglasses in Korra's hand. Korra takes them and puts them on. Korra scrunches her nose up at her refection.
"I look nerdy." Korra whines pushing the thin silver frames further up the bridge of her nose.
"You look fine. And I can barely recognize you."
For some reason this doesn't satisfy Korra as much as she thought it would. "Oh." She examines her short haired four-eyed reflection once more.
"Hey you look great. I don't think you have anything to worry about anymore with the kids at school or anyone for that matter." Pema says patting Korra's shoulder.
"Thank you for your help Pema."
"You're welcome sweetie. Now you better scootch. You have training with Tenzin." Korra jumps up and hugs Pema one last time before she removes the glasses, sets them on the counter and bolts from Pema's bathroom and up to the Gazebo that overlooks the cliffs. The waters below showered in rays from the high sun.
Tenzin awaits Korra at the Gazebo sitting down on the wood deck with eyes closed. He hears her walk hurriedly up the slope. "You're late." He asserts evenly. "Sorry." Korra says skipping up the steps.
Tenzin nods, opens his eyes and looks up instantly reacting to Korra's new appearance. "You cut your hair? And since when do you wear glasses?" He states. Korra leans against a wooden post.
"Yeah Pema helped me further with my disguise, hence why I am late. Sorry won't happen again."
"Hopefully not. Sit Korra." Tenzin tells her.
Korra obliges falling to her butt in front of Tenzin with her legs outstretched. "Are we sitting for training today?" Korra asks with a high eyebrow.
"Meditating. Cross your legs over like mine with your fists together and rest them just above your lap" He instructs. Korra mimics Tenzin's posture.
"Good. I want you to even your breathing. In through the nose and out through the mouth."
Korra inhales taking in crisp air into her nostrils before releasing it out her mouth. "Like this?"
"Very good. Now close your eyes."
Korra closes her eyelids. "Now what?"
"Have you ever heard of Chakra flow?" Tenzin asks.
Korra opens her eyes. "Isn't that what gives a bender it's bending?" She asks cocking her head to the side.
"Not exactly, Chakras are nexuses of metaphysical or biophysical energy within one's body." Tenzin explains. (1)
Korra scrunches her face up. "Hi, yeah I speak English…Could you maybe say that again in English this time please?" She drops her hands in her lap.
Tenzin sighs. "You should know these terms Korra."
Korra shrugs. "I'm not a very spiritual person." She smirks.
"Chakra are the centers of spiritual power in the human body. There are seven different Chakras." He rephrases.
Korra snorts. "Well, I don't have that."
"You do. You just haven't opened them yet." Tenzin explains.
Korra cringes. "I don't like surgeries. So I will be opening nothing thank you very much." I don't do needles or scalpels. She shudders.
"Korra opening your Chakras does not require surgery, just intense concentration." Tenzin explains.
"I don't know Tenzin, I'm not someone who is good at concentrating." Korra explains doubtful. She has always been rambunctious and calming her sentiments and sitting still has always been difficult for her.
"That is why I am here. I will help you. But you must be diligent and willing." Tenzin elucidates.
Korra nods. "I will."
"We will start easy. Today we will focus on clearing your mind of negative and corrupt thoughts."
Easier said than done. Tenzin spends several hours scolding Korra on her rowdiness and lack of calming down. Finally Korra gives up. "I can't do it Tenzin. I can't be concentrate or meditate! There are too many distractions!" She shouts throwing her hands in the air.
"Tell me what is distracting you." Tenzin says.
"Well the sound of those waves crashing against this stupid cliff is distracting! The Sky Bison, all big and obvious flying around is distracting! The sun that is shining in my face is distracting!" Korra points out with a huff shielding her eyes from the hot sun.
Tenzin sighs and shakes his head. "The sound of crashing waves is peaceful. It's the work of the moon. Pushing and pulling… Korra you need to focus on ignoring the things that bother you. It really isn't difficult." By now he was beginning to get annoyed with Korra's gullible character that causes her to fall into her distractions.
"It is for me!" She argues folding her hand over her chest with a pout. "Face it! I can't do this! I can't be spiritual! If I can't do something as measly as meditating how am I supposed to open my Chakras? How am I supposed to master the Avatar State?!" She cries in frustration. "Or better yet learn to airbend!" She adds infuriated with her failure to bend air.
"You can do this Korra you just need to have patients!"
"I don't have that either! I never have! I just can't do this!" She shouts in distress pushing herself up to her feet. She spins and runs from the gazebo.
"Korra!" He calls after her but she is already edging her way down the slope. He sighs hoping somewhere down in the young girl the spirit of his father is burning bright.
She exchanges her baggy sweats for a pair of dark jeans, black sneakers and her tank top for a dark grey hoodie. Wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand she slides the eyeglasses on. Korra grabs some crumpled up Yuans Tenzin had given her for emergencies from a sliver tray and shove them deep into her pocket. She peers out her window at the setting sun that is being swallowed by the mountains. The sky that had faded orange is now diminishing to dark and the full moon lights up the sky and stars.
Flicking the light off of her bedroom, she positions the pillows on her bed under the covers so it looks like a sleeping figure. Satisfied she hoists herself up onto the frame of her window and leaps onto the roof below then slides the window shut. Crouching down she edges her way down the shingles until she is at the edge. Without hesitation she pitches herself off the roof and lands gracefully and easily on the balls of her feet. Smiling up at the high jump she just made she sprints across the courtyard to the edge of the cliffs. Taking a deep breath she lets her feet carry her to the edge where she throws herself off the rocks.
As she slices through the air she positions her body pin straight with her hands out in front of her. She motions the water up to catch her and soften her fall. The freezing water swallows her body but she uses her fire chi she warms herself before she can fall numb. The salt burns her open eyes and it is hard to see in the black water. Coming up for air she sees the city lights and submerges once more kicking her feet and using waterbending to propel herself to shore.
Walking up the secluded sand of the shore Korra double-triple checks to make sure she is alone before using her waterbending to pull the salty water from her hair, skin and clothes. She pulls the hood of her jacket over her hair, and casually shoves her hands in her pockets before waking up to the empty streets and sidewalks.
She isn't sure what she is doing but she felt almost claustrophobic on the island. She knows if she is caught she will never hear the end of it but she needed out.
Judging by memory Korra walks the almost empty sidewalk towards the downtown area. She keeps her head hung low and watches her feet as she walks. She dodges other citizens walking and refuses to give any kind of eye contact. She can't stand to look into the eyes of those who believe she is dead.
An hour, and several blocks later Korra stumbles upon the downtown area. By now the sun has fully set and the moon suspends high. It's a little crowded. Families and people line up at stands and file into little shops. Korra walks the sidewalk looking up at the little shops and stands. Korra crosses a newspaper stand. She cringes as she examines the front page. A giant picture of her face stamped big and clear. She is smiling with her hair pinned up traditionally with her eyes big and a smile that could put the sun to shame. She remembers taking the picture. A photographer from a news magazine came out to the compound to take a face-shot of her for an article. Korra remembers everybody making a big deal of it. She never liked taking pictures and the photographer annoyed her. The overweight woman kept on telling her that her head was tilted too much to the side. As soon as the flash of her expensive black camera went off, Korra refused to let her take anymore pictures. But Korra was happy with that one picture and the photographer left with that one photo.
Korra reads the big, bold, and black headline.
Avatar Korra Assassinated.
This time there was no question mark at the end of the headline. She doesn't read further. Korra grabs the paper from the stand and flips the boy behind the stand a coin. "Thanks." The boy says. Korra nods keeping her head down and stuffs the paper under her arm before going on her way.
After a while of walking Korra comes across a quaint little tea shop and her dry throat begs her to walk in. She looks up at the calligraphy painted sign. The Boiling Jasmine Tea Shop.
Korra walks in to the dim lit tea shop with light ivory walls and framed paintings of Sakura's and other exotic flowers. Korra takes a seat in a small booth in the corner of the shop and sets the paper on the bench beside her.
A young petite girl with brown hair and green eyes approaches Korra's booth. The girl smiles. Korra keeps her head down. "Hi welcome to The Boiling Jasmine I'm Maeling. Do you know what want yet?" The girl introduces like she has practiced to her family and bathroom mirrors a million times before.
"Jasmine Tea, lightly sugared please." Korra asks peeking up through her lashes.
"Yes ma'am." Maeling smiles writing down the order in her palm sized notepad then walks away.
Korra grabs the newspaper beside her and hesitancy brings it to her face. Her stomach jumps up to her throat and her heart races painfully in her chest. She forces her mind to read every little black word.
Avatar Korra Assassinated.
Last Sunday evening in the South Pole was peaceful, until a single shot rang out in the night.
Avatar Korra (17) was in her chambers with four White Lotus Sentry preparing for slumber when an assassination took place by an Equalist who is a soldier for the Masked Man. The Equalist was believed to be hiding outside her chambers window with a sniper, awaiting the right moment to pull to trigger. The assassin was not caught at the scene. White Lotus Guards who were guarding Avatar Korra we're Chi blocked and saw the Equalist kidnap the body of the young Avatar who later dumped the body outside of the South Pole. Autopsy shown that Avatar Korra as shot once in the chest and was instantly killed. No further information has been released. A Memorial Ceremony for Avatar Korra will be held Tuesday evening in the South Pole, her birthplace, to celebrate her life. The world mourns over the loss of our Beloved Avatar. It has been announced that the White Lotus Sentries will begin to search the earth nations for the next Avatar before the Equalists can find him/her. No further deaths have been released to the media. The Masked Man has not yet striked since the night of Avatar's passing; which leaves the world to wonder what he is planning next?
Korra re-reads the last line over and over until there are tears running down her cheeks. What is he planning next? At this time Maeling returns with a steaming glass cup of tea. As she sets the tea down in front of Korra she sees the wet tears running down her cheek. "Is everything all right miss?" Maeling asks.
Korra drops the paper on the table and quickly whisks the tears away. "Yes I'm fine thank you." She lies quietly.
Maeling glances down at the paper and sighs. "Sad isn't it? She was so young. I just hope they find the next Avatar before the Equalist do." Maeling sadly purses her lips.
Korra swallows sharply. "Yeah…Me too."
"Well enjoy your tea miss." Maeling smiles, bows and saunters off.
She wants to scream. She wants to take the paper into her hands and burn it to a pile of ash in front of everyone. She has to admit the council did one hell of a job coming up with a cover story(2).
Reading it gives Korra goosebumps, and at one point of the article even she believed herself to be dead. So this is it. This is what the world is going to believe until Avatar Korra can 'rise from the dead'. What then? Won't the world be mad and think she ran away when they most needed her. This is her biggest worry.
Korra takes the small cup of tea in her shaky hand and pulls the tag of the tea bag and stirs it around in the steaming water till it turns dark. She lifts the tea up to her lips and takes little slurping sips, being careful not to burn her lips too bad. The taste is sweet and delectable. Sinking further into her hood, she takes deep breaths.
At a table beside her booth a man with a cup of sweet tea sits. The movement of the figure beside her catches her peripheral vision and she turns to see the side a familiar man's face with golden eyes framed in long lashes."Mako?" Korra asks with an eyebrow raised.
Mako stiffens and sets his tea down. He turns his head to a vaguely familiar girl with silver framed glasses and short hair tucked in a hood. Her cerulean eyes wet and tired looking. She almost looks broken. "Yuke? Is that you?" He asks with his eyebrows pulled up.
Korra sighs as an embarrassed blush creeps over her tanned cheeks. "Yeah. It's me."
He eyes her suspiciously like he is seeing right through her. "Oh." He says almost bitterly.
"So, what brings you here?" Korra asks nervously.
"Tea" Duh!
"Is everything ok,Mako?" Korra asks.
"Yeah, fine. Peachy. I think I'm going to have my tea to go." Mako mumbles before throwing yuans on the table and getting up from his seat leaving his tea untouched.
"Hey wait!" Korra exclaims leaving Yuans on the table and the newspaper. She runs after Mako who has already disappeared outside the doors. She easily catches up to Mako. "Hey! I thought we were past this bitterness. Seriously pal what is your deal?" Korra demands. Mako speeds up his pace trying to walk away from the girl. He cuts through an ally between two shops. "Mako seriously what did I do to make you hate me?!" Korra demands in a shout. Mako's dark shadow in the distance stands still. It goes silent between them. Only the sounds of cars and people sound in the night.
"Can I ask you a question?" He asks coldly.
"S-sure." Korra stammers.
"Are you an earthbender?" Mako asks.
Korra feels her heart skip two beats and her breath hitch. She slowly swallows. "No." she answers shakily.
"Then how come you earthbended yesterday to save yourself from being road kill?" He questions suspiciously turning on his heel and taking small strides towards Korra.
He saw. "That wasn't me. It was one of Hiroshi's workers. I can't bend Mako." Korra explains trying her best to keep her tone level and smooth.
"I saw it, Yuke!" He almost shouts. Korra flinches. "At the exact moment you drew your hands up to shield yourself that wall came up!" Mako protests now standing less than a foot away from Korra.
No. This isn't happening. Please tell me this isn't happening! "That must be a coincidence. I can't bend."
Mako narrows his eyes. His topaz irises glows fierce in the moon's silver light. "You say that as if you're trying to con-Yuke watch out!"
A small silver blade whizzes just across Korra's neck barely grazing the skin. Korra yelps as Mako pulls her towards him and pushes her behind him protectively. Korra peers around Mako at two massive built men dressed in black. The first one holding a small pocket knife with pale blue eyes and the other has no weapon with dull gold eyes. "Mako, fancy meeting you here." The blue eyed one greets with a rough deep voice.
"What do you want Mertai, Linjin?" Mako demands with a boom in his voice.
"We just need to have a little talk with you." Linjin smirks.
Mako's heart hastens, his eyes still set forward on the two men."Yuke, I want you to run. Run as fast as you can until you get home do-" Mako is interrupted when Korra steps around Mako with her hands perched confidently on her hips. He watches horrified as she steps towards the leering men.
The topaz one smiles down at Korra. "Hey there sweet lips. Want to have some fun?" Mertai asks flirtatiously flaunting his small knife.
Korra scoffs unimpressed. "With you? I don't think so." She remarks cocking her head.
"Yuke, be quiet!" Mako whispers perplexed at her confidence.
"Hey Mako, whose your friend here?" Linjin licks his lips. Korra snorts in disgust.
Mako tenses, his fists balling at his side. "She's nobody." He hisses. "Yuke, seriously, beat it." He says rather harshly, grabbing her by her shoulder. Korra jerks her shoulder away, her lips still set in a sly smirk.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Korra questioned, ignoring Mako's demand, one of her brows raised.
The Mertai steps toward Korra, a vicious smile pulling open his lips, barking his yellow crooked teeth. "She's rather pretty." He says. Korra scowls, disgusted as Mertai takes another step forward. Korra was about to punch his grin right off his face, but Mako clasps a hard grip on her arm and yanks her away.
"Leave her alone Mertai." Mako growls, keeping his hold on Korra who is trying to struggle out of his warm grip. "She isn't involved in this."
"She will be if I decide she is, Champ." Mertai retorts sharply, turning his blade over and over in his hand. "Now, word on the street is that you're makin' big bucks as a big time pro-bender, and last I checked, you have a debt to pay."
"I owe you low lives nothing!" Mako hisses, anger and annoyance lacing every word spat from his mouth.
What are they talking about? "Mako?" Korra asks, a questionable look glimmering in her eyes. "What are they talking about?" Mako doesn't answer but looks down and her and frowns before replacing his frown with that dangerous scowl.
"Leave. Now, before you make things messier than they already are." Mako seethes, his girp growing hotter on Korra's skin.
"Not until you pay up." Linjin jeers.
"I'm not paying you shits anything!"
"Then it looks like, we will have to get messy." Mertai lunges, his sharp silver blade aiming straight for Korra. Mako shoves her back and out of the way. The blade nearly nicks the skin of Mako's arm. Linjin jumps into the fight, fists bared and closing in on Mako.
Korra lunges for Linjin, but he hears her before he sees her. He whirls around quicker than Korra can react and cracks his open palm against her cheek. She cries out as pain blossoms from her cheek to her eyes, but she shoves the pain away, her eyes watering before springing at Linjin, her fist flying forward. Linjin easily catches her wrist, smiles, and twists her arm back.
What he didn't anticipate though was the girl catching her knee in his groin. He immediately releases her, dropping to his knees, his face withering in pain. Korra takes the opportunity to roundhouse kick him in the jaw.
Somehow that isn't enough because Linjin is back on his feet, a visious fire burning in his bloodshot eyes. She could already see the bruising her foot had caused his face.
Good.
"You little bitch!" He snarls before producing a flame of fire in his hand and catapulting the large flame Korra's way. She dodges the fire swiftly, bending backwards to duck under it, her hood falling from her head. The fire bridges over her in a beautiful tidal of orange, yellow and blue before dissipating into nothing but a weak yellow spark. She bounds up, throwing another kick that catches the other side of Linjin's face. He is sent sprawling to the ground, and before he can recover, Korra is on him, grapping him by his button down shirt and lifting him up like he weighs nothing. She slams him into a nearby dumpster, before faltering her grip, grabbing him and slamming him into a small window. His head snapped back, shattering the glass. His eyes roll into the back of his head before his lids flutter close. She drops his limp body to the ground, wiped her lips which are wet with blood with the back of her hand, and spits her bloody saliva at him.
"Who's the bitch now?" She taunts. Upon hearing grunts and seeing flashes of orange behind her, she spins on her heal to see Mertai and Mako in lethal combat. Mertai springs at Mako, trying to stab him with his knife, but Mako is skillfully dodging every strike. That is until the knife finally finds home on Mako's wrist. He hisses and draws his hand in, giving Mertai enough time to kick Mako hard in the stomach.
Mako! Korra stomps over to Mertai before quickly seizing his wrist holding the knife. Mertai's eyes widen and he tries to pull away, but her grip is strong and cold. He twists his body away, bringing Korra with him, slamming her into a wall. She grunts as the breath is knocked out of her and the bricks of the building scratch at her cheeks, but she doesn't let go. She can feel the cold metal of the knife pressed to the hallow of her throat.
Panic sets in. His breath reeks of dry whiskey and cloves as he whispers in her ear. "I liked you sweet cheeks. After I was done with your friend over there I thought that maybe you and I could have a little fun."
Mako, recovered from that nasty kick to the stomach, is about to jump in to yank Mertai off of Yuke, but is surprised when he sees her head snap back and collide with Mertai's nose. He swore he head a crack as he yelped in pain.
Korra grabbed onto the brick before using her feet to push off the wall, sending Mertai and her both to the cobble. Korra landing on top of Mertai, leaps to her feet and slams her foot down on Mertai's wrist still holding the knife. When she hears a satisfying crack and his scream, she lifts him by the collar of his shirt and punches him in his already broken nose. His eyes close, and Korra drops him from her grip, her breathing labored.
Mako watches, stunned with his eyes wide as Yuke stands over the two battered and unconscious men who have been part of the Triple Threat Triad for more that fifteen years. Never in his life had he seen fighting skills like that, quick, tactful, fierce, in such timid girl. His jaw falls agape.
Korra pants victoriously then remembers Mako who had witnessed her fight. She slowly turns on the ball of her foot to see Mako leaning against a brick wall with wide eyes and fallen open jaw.
"H-how…" Mako trails off, his voice small and cracked. Then he notices the blood smeared on her lips. "You're bleeding." He breathes. "Are you alright?"
Still panting, Korra runs the back of her hand over her throbbing lips, blood smudging the back of her hand. She wipes it on her jeans. "I'm fine." Her eyes find the blood dripping from his pale wrist. "You're bleeding."
Mako looks down at the crimson incision that is dripping blood from his finger tips, dropping to the cobble below. He grabs his wrist and covers it with his hand. "It's nothing. I'm fine."
"Who are these guys Mako? Why are they so intent on killing you?" She questions, her heart beat uneven from the adrenaline coursing her veins.
"They just want money." He insits, his eyes forward but distant. She can tell he is lying. "They're nobody."
"Okay." She says quietly. "I should- I should go." She stutters before she is gone from the alley. Mako watches as she leaves, and when she is out of sight, he looks down at Mertai and Linjin. Scoffing, he leaves the alley too, calls the police from a pay phone and goes home.
Yes I changed a majority of this chapter because I was 14 when I wrote this and someone told me that Korra getting arrested for the minimal damage she did just didn't make much sense, and I had to agree. I like this version a lot more anyway, and I hope you do too.
Thanks for reading!
(1.) Avatar Wiki provided this information
(2)- The council is fully aware of Korra being in the city and that she is alive
