SO. I have to be kind of proud of myself, because number one: I didn't take as long to write a chapter this time, number two: I think I have an actual idea for a plot this chapter, and number three: I am writing this at the end of IB exam hell week, in which my brain is fried. Literally. I came home today and slept for two hours because the lightening from a storm knocked out the cable and the internet. Anyway! So here I am, and I cannot guarantee the coherency of this chapter, but it IS a chapter. Enjoy!
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Previously:
Their clothes were tattered and dirty, and they had mud up to their ankles. They looked skinnier, but none of that mattered.
A pair of green and a pair of gold eyes met bright blue, and she smiled calmly, even though her heart felt as if it would pound out of her chest.
"Well boys," she addressed the brothers of earth and fire. "Welcome to New York."
They stared at her. She stared back. Then, a smile broke across the earth bender's face. He took a step forward, reaching for her- only to be blocked by an arm across his chest. Korra turned a confused gaze to the amber-eyed man next to him, only to see anger.
"Who are you?" Mako hissed angrily. Fire ignited in his fists, and through her shock, Korra could only think: Well at least he can fire-bend.
Bolin looked at his brother in surprise. "Mako, it's Korra. You remember her, right? She's the Avatar!"
"She may be a threat, Bolin, be ready to run if I tell you." Mako was watching her like a hawk, and Korra was unnerved by the stare she was receiving. He also looked ready to attack her…
She put her arms up in a calming gesture. "I'm not going to attack you."
"I can't say the same for me," Mako growled out, before striking forward. Korra dodged left, wincing at the smell of burning hair as she was singed. He struck again, and she countered with a defensive air move. What was going on? He continued attacking her, seemingly at random, but she refused to hit him back.
Suddenly, he had her pinned against the wall, wrists held together over her head.
"Bolin! Run, now!"
Korra made eye contact with Bolin over Mako's shoulder, and saw his hesitation. She nodded at him, mouthing go.
He turned and ran, and Mako relaxed slightly. He took a step away from Korra, holding a flame at the ready in case she tried to bolt. She wouldn't.
"If you…" her voice failed and she had to clear her throat. "If you need anything at all, just come to Avenger's tower. It's huge, you can't miss it."
He glared at her. "If you ever come near my family again, I will not hesitate to kill you. I don't know who you are, but stay away."
Then he turned away, and she watched as he darted after his brother. She tried to catch her breath but her head was pounding. She leaned on the wall, glancing around her. Why was everything blurry?
She reached a hand up to her cheek, only to feel wetness. She was crying? Since when? She let out a hysterical laugh, one that choked off at the end to sound more like a sob.
She walked on weak legs to the door of the abandoned building, seeing that it was raining. Of course it is.
She wandered out into the alley, letting the rain mingle with the tears on her cheek. It was a cooling rain, and filled with intermittent flashes of lightening and rolls of thunder. She created water steps with a wave of her hand, climbing up to the rooftops. She turned this way and that, feeling lost.
Ok, Korra. Ok. They are alive. Bolin remembers you. They can bend. They are ALIVE. Despite her tears, she felt herself smiling. As she kept from rooftop to rooftop, she grinned through her teeth with a fierce determination that one day, the three of them would all be together again.
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Korra was almost run over by a bus when she was crossing the street to get to the Tower. Sometimes she forgot that she wasn't in Republic City, where the vehicles were smaller and slower. This place was just filled with way too many machines.
When she entered the tower, she was met by the mechanical voice of Jarvis.
"Ah, Ms. Korra. They have been looking for you, and you may want to brace yourself for some yelling."
Korra frowned. "How long was I gone?"
"About twelve hours."
Ah, crap. They were probably going to be furious with her. Maybe they would even kick her out, and then where would she be?
She entered the elevator and bent the water off of her clothes into a snowball that she held loosely in her hand. She went up, up, up, and then it dinged for the floor. She shut her eyes, bracing for the anger that she was sure she was about to receive.
"Korra! Where were you?"
She was met with yells, but what came next was completely unexpected. Steve grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. She stiffened, and he pulled back a little, holding her at arm's length.
"I'm sorry." She averted her eyes.
"You should be! We were so worried!"
"Wait, you aren't mad at me?"
Tony snorted. "Of course we are! We're just glad that you're ok, though. Everyone else was worried."
Korra cocked an eyebrow. "And you weren't?"
"Well, the mutt was still here so I figured you couldn't have gone far."
True. She wouldn't go far without Naga. Speaking of…
Korra was met with a face full of white fur and dog breath.
"WHOA girl. Down! I'm ok!" Naga sniffed her all over, pausing every now and then. Then, she sniffed around Korra, looking for something. Korra's heart sank.
"No, girl. They aren't here." Naga whined.
"Who's not here?" Bruce asked.
Korra looked around sheepishly. "I think I should probably tell you what happened in the last few hours."
"Oh yay, story time," Clint grumbled sarcastically.
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"So he doesn't remember you at all?" Tony asked tactlessly.
"No," Korra answered miserably.
"Tony! Be nice!"
"I'm just saying, that's a cruel twist of fate right there-" He was cut off by an icy face mask that covered his mouth.
"You can just wait until that melts," Korra huffed.
Natasha couldn't contain a grin.
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Korra was out in the park with Naga a few days later when a flash of green from behind a bush caught her eye. Naga gave a bark and dashed forward, Korra yelping and giving chase to the wayward polar-bear dog.
"Naga! Come back, you silly-"
Bolin stood there scratching the white animal behind the ears, grinning from ear to ear.
"Bolin!" Korra raced forward and launched herself at the boy, knocking the both of them to the ground in her excitement.
He hugged her fiercely, and she hugged right back. They didn't speak for awhile, just held on tightly, as if trying to reassure the other that they were both alive.
"I thought you were dead!" Korra spluttered after a time.
"Nope, not dead. But to be fair, I thought you were too."
"Where's Mako?" Bolin grimaced.
"He's out looking for money. So am I, for that matter. Happen to know where I can get any?"
Korra laughed and reached into her pocket, pulling out the pouch full of money that Tony kept shoving at her. She handed the whole thing to Bolin, smiling, before she straightened up.
"Does he remember anything at all?"
"He… He remembers fighting, but his memories before that are of the time before we met you. He doesn't remember the Avatar at all."
Korra nodded, biting her lip. Really, she hadn't expected any differently. It would be wishful thinking to expect such a quick turn around. That didn't stop the slight burn behind her eyes, though.
She gave Bolin a rueful smile. "So what do you think of the city?"
Bolin perked up at that, and started rambling off exclamations and spouting off stories. Korra listened intently, a small smile on her face the whole time. It was good to see one of her best friends again. Now if only the other one was here…
"I should get back." Bolin said, standing from the ground.
Korra hopped up, sighing heavily. She knew he would have to go at some point. Bolin pulled her into another tight hug, and Korra drank in the smell of earth and spicy noodles that hung on his clothes.
"When can we meet again?"
Bolin pulled back, looking hopeful. "Tomorrow, same time, same place?"
Korra grinned back happily. "You bet."
He turned away calling back over his shoulder, "See ya later, Avatar."
Korra only waved back, before mounting Naga and riding back to the tower.
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So there you go! Some fluff! The next chapter should be along soon, since I already have it planned out. But then again, I say that every time. But I have no intention of abandoning this story. Also, does anyone know when Book 2 of LOK is supposed to start? It needs to hurry!