反射

Book 1.5: Reflections

Chapter 15: The Avatar, the Idiot and the Heiress

Stray arcs of sunlight pierced the pall of dark grey clouds that hung over the South Pole, doing nothing to stave off the biting chill in the air. The barren snow-covered landscape stretched as far as the eye could see, but the young firebender kept his gaze firmly in the direction of the deep blue ocean.

It had been an hour since they had learned that Master Katara could not restore Korra's lost bending, and the despondent Avatar had made her escape, making it perfectly clear that she wanted to be alone. Mako was extremely worried about her. The look in her eyes and the anguish in her voice when she yelled at him, stopping him right before he confessed his lov –

Stop it. Stop right there. There are more important things to worry about right now.

Mako shook his head clear and continued toward the ocean on his search. Bolin, Asami and Tenzin were looking around the White Lotus compound, while Senna and Tonraq searched the nearby village for their daughter. Worry was etched in everyone's faces.

The sea far below was still and calm when he reached the edge of the cliffs at the coast of the icy continent. He cupped a hand to his mouth and yelled Korra's name as he walked along them. He had to find her and make sure she was alright. She may not be the Avatar anymore, but it was clear that, all thanks to her dysfunctional upbringing at the hands of the Order of the White Lotus, she had never had a chance to develop any other sort of identity.

But he was going to find her, and help her to realise that, although she could no longer be the Avatar, she was still 'Korra' – the girl from the Southern Water Tribe who could airbend.

His heart leapt into his throat when he saw a familiar blue-clad figure standing near the edge of the cliff nearby, her back to him. "Korra!" he shouted, running forward toward her. As he came near and walked around to her front, he saw that her head was bowed slightly forward, and her eyes closed in deep concentration. She did not stir, or speak, not even when he stopped a few feet away.

"Korra?" he said uncertainly. "Hey, are you okay? It's me, Mako."

At that moment, her head shot up and her eyes snapped open. Only… they were not her eyes anymore. They were glowing an ethereal white. Her hair and fur-lined parka began to billow about her as a powerful wind seemed to emanate outward from her very body.

Mako cried out in shock as she rose up into the air on a funnel of wind, hovering above the cliff like an angry deity. She turned toward the ocean, not even acknowledging his presence, her arms thrust out to her sides. On command, a gust of air swept outward from her, sending the boy tumbling back a full ten metres with its sheer force. Thankfully, the snow softened his fall. A wall of fire came next, followed immediately by a rolling wave of ice. Luckily, Mako had been thrown far enough back to be spared from the awesome power he was bearing witness to.

He heard the sound of rushing water below and looked down to see the Avatar drawing a mighty wave toward the shore. Moments later, it crashed against the cliff-face before Korra in a deafening roar. Mako stood in awe as he watched the monstrous wave reach all the way up to the top of the cliff, seemingly shaking the very ground upon which he stood.

The Avatar hung in the air, her arms held high above her head as she commanded the elements. As the water dissipated, Mako fought his way forward, an arm held to his face against the rushing wind.

"Korra!" he shouted over the roaring noise. "Please stop this! You're going to blast us both over the cliff!"

She gave no indication to having heard him, and he worked his way around to her front to see her blazing eyes staring out into the distance, focusing on some unseen enemy. Large chunks of rock and ice levitated all around them, unaffected by the wind.

Before he realised what he was doing, Mako reached up and grabbed her by the wrists, pulling her back down to earth. The Avatar's forearms lifted up in resistance, but he held on tight, refusing to let go.

Korra's white eyes were wide open, her brows furrowed in concentration, as though she was terrified by the power coursing through her body. Mako's solemn and pleading expression was the picture of fear as he watched the Avatar State tear her apart.

"Korra… please…" he pleaded, oblivious to the howling wind and the pieces of rock and ice floating around them. "You can come back now. It's over."

It seemed that the sound of a familiar voice was what she needed to break through the surface. She breathed, her vision fading in as the white glow left it, her world taken up by molten eyes.

"Korra?"

She closed her eyes and let herself fall.

Mako's eyes opened, and he found himself lying on his mattress. His apartment mostly dark, and the sky outside the window was alight with stars. Bolin's snores drifted through the air. His brother glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. Four a.m.

Another dream.

Although it had happened weeks ago, Mako often found himself recalling the scene as though it was yesterday: the Avatar collapsed in his arms, her eyes closed and the terrible power once again dormant within her. It was not until he carried her all the way back to Katara's hut that he learned that what he had witnessed was Korra's Avatar State. It was then that Tenzin had instructed them to let her be while she was on her "spiritual journey".

What a load of hog-monkey-wash. He should have stayed in the South Pole. He should have been there when she woke up. Now it was something he would always feel guilty for.

The dark colour of the pre-dawn sky outside the windows, and the fact that the sun had yet to rise did nothing to deter the young man as he rose and dressed. He had put this off long enough. He was going to Air Temple Island.

Right now.

The cold and crisp air chilled Mako's skin as he stood at the bow of the ferry, the darkened spires of Republic City to his back, and the shadowy mass of Air Temple Island before him. Aside from the Air Acolytes operating the ferry at this time in the morning (thankfully), it appeared that most of the island was still fast asleep.

Some time later, he stepped onto the shore of the island. It had been quite some time since he was here last, but he was sure that he could still remember the way to the women's dormitory. His footsteps echoed slightly in the silence of the island as he made his way to a modest house with the Air Nomad crest above the doorway. He quietly made his way around the side, down to where he roughly remembered Korra's room to be. Loud snoring could be heard on the other side.

He hesitated for a moment, but then raised his fist and knocked on the wooden shutters across the window, startling the occupant awake. Moments later, the window flew open, a sleepy and angry head-shaven little boy fuming in the dark opening.

"Who do you think you are? It's five in the morning!" Meelo stated, his eyelids drooping. "This had better be important!"

"Oh... uh, wrong bedroom," Mako said sheepishly. "Can you tell me where Korra's room is?"

"This is my daddy's house. Korra sleeps in the girls' house, over there." The young boy pointed to the larger building next-door, and then shut the window without another word, apparently too tired or not bothered to know why Mako was there.

The firebender shrugged and made his way around the side of the women's dormitory, soon coming to a familiar window. A few knocks later, the window opened, revealing Korra, her long brown hair down for once and not in its usual tails.

"Mako?" The sleepiness in her deep-blue eyes immediately faded when she saw him. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk."

"At five in the morning?" The girl rubbed her bare arms as a cold chill blew past the window. When the firebender didn't answer, she sighed. "Let me grab my parka."

Five minutes later, the pair were walking along a dark beach on the west side of the island. The sky was just beginning to brighten, although most of it was still a deep blue, and the bright stars vividly visible. Aside from the crunching of the sand with their footsteps and the soft crash of the sea waves against the beach, no other sounds could be heard. Not a word had been spoken between them, and the atmosphere was awkward, to say the least.

After some time like this, Mako decided to make amends. "Sorry about what happened at dinner the other night."

Korra had chosen that exact moment to speak up. "Sorry for calling you a jerkbender."

They both paused, then, "What?"

"Uh, you go first," the young man said awkwardly to the Avatar.

"No, you go," she shot back.

Mako took a moment to collect his thoughts. "I'm sorry about all the things I said at the restaurant. You've had a lot going on in the past few weeks, and it wasn't fair for me to say what I did." His compatriot opened her mouth, but he silenced her with a wave of his hand. "I'm also sorry for not being there in the South Pole when you woke up."

The Avatar frowned when she heard that. "Why would you be sorry about that?"

"I just am, okay?" he snapped.

Silence fell between the pair, Korra turning to look out across the sea toward the dark sky on the horizon, and Mako berating himself snapping at her. Again.

"Look," he said, causing her to turn back toward him. "It took Bolin to make me realise what an idiot I was being. I... I don't want a wedge to come between us."

"What matters is that you realised it," she replied, her gaze softening. It was then that she realised how much she had missed him. Ever since she got back to the city, it almost felt as though a wall had arisen between them, and that they were strangers to each other. But it appeared as though they were taking the first steps toward breaking down that wall, and learning to trust each other again.

The young woman stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. The firebender was taken aback, but eventually got a hold of himself and returned the gesture. He was surprised that the normally head-strong and stubborn girl seemed to have forgiven him so easily.

"You're crazy. And I'm an idiot."

Korra smiled. "Both are true."

They remained that way for some time, until Mako eventually stated that he had to get back to the city for work. As Korra saw him off to the ferry, the sun was beginning to rise, bringing with it the promise of a bright new day. However, if she had learned anything, it was that she should take the clouds on the horizon as a possible omen.

The teenage girl sighed guiltily. She had been extremely busy over the last few days, occupied with her Avatar duties and training. But she would be lying if she told herself that she had not also been avoiding her friends, after the argument at the restaurant.

The fact that Mako had come over to apologise only reinforced to her how selfish she was being. She owed everyone an apology. Especially Asami.

The morning sun of the day had quickly become overcast with the grey clouds that had rolled in from across the sea, bringing with them the fleeting chill of a winter that did not seem to want to let go. In the one of the richest boroughs near the edge of Republic City was the vast Sato estate. At the top of the hill stood a large and imposing pagoda mansion, against the breathtaking backdrop of the snow-capped inland mountains.

Korra took a deep breath, savouring the cool and fresh mountain air. She was tired from her morning's airbending training with Tenzin, and the climb up the steps seemed to take forever, but she eventually found herself standing before the ornate front door of the mansion. She knocked and waited for a few minutes, before the door was opened by the raven-haired socialite.

"Korra!" she said, surprised to see her Water Tribe friend. "What are you doing here?"

The girl in question scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Well... I came to say sorry about what happened the other night at the restaurant. You obviously went to a lot of trouble to organise that little get-together, and I blew you all off." Asami opened her mouth to speak, but Korra waved her off with her trademark bluntness. "I also owe you an apology about my argument with Mako. You two are dating, and it wasn't fair of me to go off at him like that."

The Sato heiress was at a loss of what to say for a moment. It was true that she had been feeling uncomfortable about the tension and hostility between her boyfriend and the Avatar. She had not heard from Mako since the incident either, aside from a short telephone call, which had consisted of awkward small talk and strained interaction from both parties.

The firebender had assured her time and time again that nothing was going on, but a small part of her could not help but feel the slightest bit of resentment toward Korra.

However, she shoved these thoughts away and smiled. "You didn't have to apologise, but I appreciate it anyway." She stood aside and ushered the Avatar through. "Come on in. I've just put out some tea."

The Water Tribe girl wiped her boots on the doormat and entered the mansion, relieved that Asami appeared to have accepted her apology. When they came to the parlour, her eyes widened when she saw a familiar black-haired man sitting on one of the sofas. "General Iroh?"

The handsome military commander looked equally surprised to see her, but he stood up and bowed respectfully. "Avatar Korra. I'm honoured by your presence."

"Oh, please stop with all that formal nonsense," she said, smiling sheepishly. "It's good to see you again. How is... everything going?"

"With the Equalists, you mean?" he replied good-naturedly. "That problem is actually how I ended up here in the first place. A few days ago, I paid a visit to Future Industries and came before Ms Sato in a brutish and impolite manner. I came over today to apologise."

Apologies seem to be the theme of the day, Korra thought to herself.

The Sato heiress smiled as she sat down on the sofa across from him and poured out three steaming cups of tea. "I've already told you to call me Asami. And we both know that you really came over for the mooncakes."

"Well, the mooncakes, and the company," he replied.

The statement caused her to blush slightly, but she could not deny that she had enjoyed the unexpected visit either. After the general had shown up, unannounced and uninvited, on her doorstep, she had been ready to slam the door in his face. However, the two had unexpectedly found themselves chatting amiably about their different pursuits and paths after the Equalist Revolution. It turned out that the Fire Nation prince was a lover of cars and Satomobiles, and very excited to be in the United Republic for the upcoming racing tournament.

"Anyway, I'm very sorry to cut my visit short like this, but I have duties elsewhere," he stated, standing and straightening out his military uniform. "This is probably against protocol," he said, turning to Korra, "but the garrison is having a dining night in three days. I would love to catch up, and it would be an honour if you and your friends could attend."

She was taken aback by the invite. "A party on a battleship?"

"A 'formal dinner'," he replied, a playful glint in his eye, before turning to his hostess. "The invitation also includes you, Asami."

"Thank you, Iroh. It would be my pleasure to attend," she said, smiling in return. "I'll show you to the door."

As the two left the parlour, the Water Tribe teenager gazed around the room, still in slight awe at the immense wealth of the Satos. Growing up in the South Pole, Korra had never known wealth, even as the Avatar. She and Asami were worlds apart, but she was grateful to have her friendship.

A little while later, the two young women were sipping tea idly.

"I'm glad you were home," Korra said. "I thought you might have been at work."

"Half of what I'm doing these days is making arrangements for the Republic City Circuit," Asami replied. "Did you know that Mako and Bolin offered to drive for the team? I mean, it's really just to save face and secure sponsorship and investors, but I really owe them."

"Wow! I'm going to have to catch a few races and show them my support then!"

A silence fell over the room as the pair sat awkwardly. It was rather obvious that their friendship had been strained by everything that was happening.

"I've been hearing you on the radio a lot over the past few days," Asami finally said. "I think it's really great what you're doing, trying to stop all the fighting."

"Well, 'trying' being the keyword," the other girl replied. She knew that it was not going to be easy to quell the disorder throughout Republic City. "So how's the business going?" she asked, eager to change the subject.

The socialite sighed. "Not very well. Sometimes I feel like I'm not doing right by Future Industries, and just driving it further into the ground. And I know I'm not the only one who feels this way – I can see the looks that I'm getting from the directors. They all think that a woman should not be running the company, let alone one as young as me." She did not know why she found herself opening up to the Avatar, but she had wanted somebody to share her woes with. With her father in prison and Mako being distant, she had never felt so alone.

Korra was also surprised, but touched that her friend was being so straight with her. She remembered the disappointed and exasperated looks that had been directed at her throughout her training under the Order of the White Lotus, and found that she was able to relate to the troubled heiress. "You need to stop thinking like that. For most of my life, I was never able to airbend – or even produce a measly puff of air. I was starting to doubt myself, but that's the worst thing anyone can ever do. Tenzin believed in me, and you, Bolin and Mako all believed in me, and, sure enough, I can airbend now."

At the cost of my water, earth and firebending, but that's not the point...

Asami took a sip from her teacup as she pondered Korra's words.

"And you just point me toward those sexist pig-chickens in your company and I'll knock some sense into them," the fiery teenager continued. "Some of the strongest people I know are all women: Beifong, Master Katara, Pema, my mum, and you. Don't let a couple of idiots make you question yourself."

The raven-haired girl looked over at her friend and smiled.

The Water Town slums were notorious for being one of the most poor and dangerous districts of Republic City. Crime was rife throughout the borough, and burglaries were common, given that many of the houses were haphazardly constructed of scrap material.

The majority of the district consisted of tall wooden huts with corrugated iron roofs, suspended on stilts above a dirty lake on the edge of the city. Rough and uneven wooden walkways stretched between the huts, painting the picture of a bizarre stilt village.

Just outside the water slums, in an alleyway between two ugly concrete buildings on a street that ran along the shore of the lake, stood a small group of men and women, wrapped up in trench-coats. The leader of the motley crew snuck a glance around the corner, toward the cluster of huts suspended above the lake's murky surface.

"How does it look?" the man nearest to him asked in a low tone.

"All quiet. Just like last night. The place has been left unguarded? The Blood Queen and her Red Monsoon idiots must be trying to keep the location of their new headquarters a secret from the cops." He smiled thinly. "Well, they're going to regret that. The Agni Kais should be at the top of their list of worries." He nodded to his subordinates. "The water rats' leader will be at their headquarters now, according to that squealer we caught the other night. We'll burn this place to the ground if we have to, but the boss wants her dead. Let's get started."

With that, the firebenders cast aside their coats, revealing pitch-black clothing underneath.

Unbeknown to them, they were being watched from a window across the street.

In a stilt hut near the middle of the lake, a telephone rang. A tall man, dressed in a long dark-grey overcoat, a bowler hat and dark glasses, picked up the receiver.

"Todo!" the voice on the other line said. "The Agni Kais are on the move!"

"Good," the man replied. "Get your group together, and enter five minutes after them." He slammed down the telephone and turned to the collection of hardened waterbenders waiting behind him. "It's time."

The wind whipped through Asami's hair as she gunned the Satomobile through the streets toward the city docks. She had an Avatar to return to Air Temple Island for training, after all.

"Thanks for the lift," her passenger said. "I had to catch a cable trolley to your house. Naga was so lazy this morning, I couldn't even get her eyes open."

"Well it sounds like she needed the sleep," she laughed. She then noticed the slightly dark circles under Korra's eyes. "You look like you could probably use some more sleep too, no offence."

She absolutely agreed, having been disturbed twice the previous night – firstly by a spirit to guide her on an emotional journey, and then by Mako, who wanted to apologise to her for his actions. The funny thing was that both events were just as surreal as the other.

The sleep deprivation had been well worth it.

A sudden blare of static from the police scanner installed in the car caught both girls' attention.

"Calling all available units," the speaker squawked. "Riot underway in the Water Town slums. Agni Kai and Red Monsoon triads engaged in what appears to be another turf war. Officers on the scene, but awaiting backup. Repeat – all available units, please proceed to the Water Town slums."

"Oh, no..." Korra muttered. It sounded as though the police were having trouble containing the situation. She glanced over at her friend. "Hey, Asami. Change of plans. Do you think you could drop me off near the slums?"

"I can do more than that," she answered. "I'm going with you."

"But it'll be dangerous!" Korra insisted. "Are you sure about this?"

The heiress smirked and pulled her driving goggles down over her face. "Absolutely."

The Satomobile gave a loud roar as she spun the wheel and slammed on the accelerator, shooting across town, toward the triad war.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I'm sorry for the long delay in updating. Thing got pretty busy, but I'm slowly getting back into the writing groove. Plus I'm pretty damn excited for Book 2.