A spirit adventure (part 4)
The air was weighted thickly. Squirrel toads gathered nuts from the trees. A flutter bat flew into the open upon spotting a delicious flower. Unfurling it's mouth to suckle the thick nectar.
The sound rattled around in one's head like a thousand bees buzzing. But unlike the bee's it's quite pleasant. Calming very much indeed. More so to one person in particular in the group. The sound of the rushing water of the stream. Much like the rest of the island the stream was untouched by human hands. Still not as crystal clear as the southern water tribes waters. One could make out the dull brown and green coloring of wiggling fish making their way against the current.
The coolness washed over her legs. She did not shiver. Her muscles just sagged and reveled in the bliss it brought. The water twirled around her legs. Lifting her slightly into the air. Shifting her to the side to avoid being squashed by a boulder. That flew past the river bank. Crunching a tree under its might.
"I thought we weren't going to be serious about this?" Korra shouted.
Bent at the knees and anchored to the river bed. Lin was only ankle deep. Punching the air in an upper cut. The water had a hole punched into it to allow a rock half the size of the other to come out. "Sparing should always be taken serious Korra." The playfulness was on mute. As it always was during training. Instead Lin talked with a hardened tongue like she were addressing one of her trainee's; not her wife.
The rock was launched an instant later. Again it didn't hit its target. But managed to ruin the beauty that had taken decades to grow. A family of squirrel toads lost their home.
This was not what Korra had in mind when she offered to spar with her wife. By the way she had been looking at Korra in her skin tight light blue one piece. Things should of turned out a lot different. With far more kisses and maybe some groping snuck in. Instead Korra regretted calling it a spar the moment she saw her wife's eye's harden. Sinking down into a fighting stance. Now she had to avoid going to a healer and ruining the trip.
Another boulder came. Instead of avoiding it Korra waved her hand like a blade making a length of water slice the boulder in two. Each piece skirting by and kicking up the river bank behind her.
This is not what I had in mind, Korra harrumphed. And held up her hands in surrender. "I'm done."
"You can't be done. We didn't even do anything." Lin whined. Arms flopping to her sides.
"I'm done." Korra growled, and Lin shrunk.
That tone meant she had done something wrong. What did I do? She wanted to spar.
Quick to shift the wrath of her wife. Lin spun her head around. On the bank of the river was a little ball of fire sitting in a chair made of earth. Head turned away from the action. Yee-Li was watching the flutter bat suck on a flower.
"Hey Squirt. Why don't you join us?" Lin asked.
Lazily the red headed child responded with a no thank you. Not wanting to mess up her hair with icky water.
That kid is spending way too much time with Asami. Who had indeed begun to introduce the ten year old to the world of cosmetics and beauty things. Though unlike Asami who was willing to get down and greasy when working on her cars. Their daughter would rather avoid all manner of gross things entirely. Which Korra only indulged Yee-Li in and bought her all the make-up and smelly perfumes she'd wanted. Just by stepping into their bathroom Lin came out smelling like whatever scent her daughter was using that day. The looks Lin got at work were embarrassing to the woman. People would compliment her. Even joke that it was Korra's doing in trying to spruce her up. Most of those comments came from other male co workers who would relate their own stories of how their wife's were trying to do the same. Not all of them were bad. Lu and Gang looked more dignified without the moustache's. Though the two were seen periodically petting their upper lip.
Water whiped Lin in the face playfully. "Leave her be badgermole; she doesn't want to have fun."
Lin parted her bangs. Korra was giggling as she pulled her arm back. Readying for another attack.
The whip cracked over her head as Lin dodged. Or more simply fell back onto the water as a means of escape. Short lived because she was thrust into the air and over deeper waters. Coming down with a gruff yelp. Lin was sucked underneath. Spun around then raised to the surface.
Lin harrumphed wiping the hair from her face. "Thought we were done sparing little penguin." She grimaced before the ethereal woman hovering on the water. Which surged and brought Lin up and into her wife's waiting arms. The pair stood above the water line in an embrace.
"This is play time Lin." Turning themselves away. Korra slipped a finger into the bottom of her wife's bikini. Pinching the skin. "Did I ever tell you how much I like this." Admiring the jade of her bathing suit with its golden straps. Korra felt a hand grip her side in warning.
"None of that Korra. We wouldn't want to misbehave in front of our daughter."
The haziness in her wife's eyes cleared. As Lin felt the hand that was hovering over the knot of string on her hip decide to there instead. "Yeah. Your right." Korra tucked her blushing face into the crook of Lin's neck.
The platform of water that supported them began to disappear and lowered them. Korra attempted to keep her chin above the water while Lin didn't have to worry as the water came only to the top of her chest.
The water splashed Lin in the face as Korra gasped. "Lin. I thought you said no funny stuff." Looking at the shore. Where Yee-Li was still enamored by the flutter bat. Now joined by a companion. There claws on the ends of their wings gripped the flowers tenderly as not to damage them as they feed.
Pressing close to her ear. Lin whispered. "I said not in front of her. She can't see in the water; now can she." A fat tongue poked her earlobe. Korra went red. And the water responded to it.
Lin broke the surface. Searching out the sheepishly grinning face of her wife. Lin attempted to splash her but came up short as they were a few feet away from each other.
"Sorry." Korra said with a raised voice over the noisy water. Gliding over like a fish. She saddled herself into the others side. "You ok?" Grabbing Lin's arm she tried to keep the other steady in the steeper depths.
Without the earth beneath her feet Lin was struggling to keep her mouth above the surface. Korra was fairing much easier able to keep even her neck out of the water. So her hands gripped Korra's much tighter. As they were brought closer to shore. And when Lin's feet made contact with the earth and she could feel the two of them standing on it together. Lin sighed happily. Then moved further in till it could only lap at her knees.
Lin was followed by Korra who was being led by the hand. Out of the corner of her eye she caught someone peeking at them.
"Sure you don't want to come in squirt?" Lin asked again.
"You have such a cute bathing suit. Why don't you use it?" Korra had been on a grueling three hour and twenty minute search through only one store for the one piece. It was between this one and five others. All practically the same; only some had fringe and others had none. But they were all a jade color in different shades. The one Yee-Li had on was lighter than her momma's. And had a small fringe like a skirt around her waist. It's a shame to not get any use out of it.
"I'm fine." The girl replied. Looking at her parents. Her mommy's hair was stuck to her back and laced with some unknown smelly residue.
"Come on squirt. You can just take a shower later." Lin huffed. Waving her in.
She received a furious head shake.
Squeezing the hand in her grip Lin leaned close. "So..." She whispered. "should we just throw her in?"
"Lin." Korra swatted her in the chest.
Lin shrugged. Confused that her wife wouldn't be all gun hoe for the harmless prank.
"Do you want her to be mad at us the rest of the trip?"
"She'll get over it. You know what I'm mad about. The fact that her mother got her such a nice swim suit and she won't even use it. Do you remember how you described that trip?"
"I may have blo..."
Lin laughed. "You said that clothing stores should be banned for being the most boring, soul sucking, places in the four nations." Bumping their hips. Lin grinned.
"I-didn't mean-well they could be more fu-sigh-yeah. Those places are awful." Korra bit her lip and slumped over. Grumbling. "How am I supposed to deal with this. I can't take going into those stores with her?"
"We can always get Asami to go with her. Besides she be better at picking out clothes with her. We'd just make her a look like a clown." Lin offered.
"We are the most unqualified people when it comes to fashion."
Rubbing circles on her back Lin decided to only compound the argument further. "You do wear the same thing every day..." The look could wither a spirit. For a second Lin swore her wife's eyes had begun to glow too. "And I wear tattered clothes that should see the bottom of a dumpster." She added at her own expense.
"They aren't tattered. There just worn in. I think you look hot in them anyway. Who needs fashion when I got me a woman who can make anything look good."
Lin nodded in agreement. "That maybe."
"And I don't want Asami to take our daughter shopping I want to do that. I'm her mother."
Lin's thumb played with Korra's chin. "That you are my little penguin. And you do a fine job at it." The kiss was quick because Korra pulled away with something to say.
"You do too. I can't handle her when she gets all rowdy like you can."
"That's what I'm here for."
"No." Pressing a finger to those thin lips. Korra drew closer. Their breath mingling. "You're not just for that. She looks up to you. You might have to be hard on her sometimes but I think...I know she respects you for that."
"Ha-she has a funny way of showing it."
"Hey." Korra shrugged. "She's gonna be a teenager soon. You know how moody they can be."
"Harrumph, I never was growing up with my mother. I was always the model child."
The water splashed around Korra as her body shook with laughter. "And I'm sure she was devastated by that."
Lin smirked. All those times when her mother would hint or try to poke her into something. Saying it was alright to let loose every now and again. Get up to no good. Saying she was the same way when she was a kid. Though not to get involved in any wars was a running joke. And if she got into trouble so what. Her mom would just bail her out. Simple as pie. But Lin was her mother's polar opposite. Straighter than the arrow tattoo on her uncle Aang's head.
"What's so funny?" Korra giggled.
"Thinking." Lin said. Rocking to two of them and scaring the fish that had come to nibble at their feet.
Her wife's eyebrow creeping up her forehead was asking for more details. "Just that you look good in a one piece."
"Good?" Korra asked; as in that's all.
"There are other things but I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate me saying it aloud."
"You look good too." The heat baked off her face. Her eyes bounced around the scenery. Korra was perspiring in the cool water.
Lin's stomach clenched as a finger traced around her abs. Clearly defined. The tip of ground down nail of her thumb dug into the flesh. The unhappy sigh that followed the body worship was ego deflating. Lin thought her wife was unhappy by the scar on her abdomen as she had taken her time to trace the small sliver. Were a blade had gone through. But once her hand left the spot Lin could tell she wasn't paying much attention to where she was going as it started to wander higher. About to reach her chest.
Lin wasn't about to stop her.
As it wedged itself there. Pressed firmly to her sternum. Korra leaned against Lin and let her eyes slip shut. So that she could let go of all her senses and focus on what her hand was feeling. The steadily increasing beat.
"Momma? Mommy?"
The pair were torn from their happy little moment. Arms were untangled but their feet did not come apart so easily. The two tumbled into the river. Water spewed into Lin's face as Korra expelled it from her lungs. The woman whipped it off and looked to shore.
Yee-Li was at the river side. Close but still far enough to not let anything touch even her feet. "Can we get something to eat?"
. . .
A fire blazed outside their window. Yee-Li watched it sway with the breeze. Illuminating the faces of the dancing people carrying on in their merriment. Butchering the traditions of the Bhanti people. Though the old musicians carried on. Putting up smiles as they internally laughed at the tourists attempts to keep up with their own who lead the dance.
Those who were more self conscious. Were enjoying the games. Toss the ring on the bottle; win a handmade doll. Catch a fish with flimsy paper nets.
Others walked about and admired the fiery streamers running between buildings and around dozens of blazing torches that lit the town as if it were daylight.
While watching the hypnotizing flames Yee-Li had something snap in her face. It drew her back to her plate.
"You Ok squirt?" Her Momma asked.
With stains on their shirts and more appearing every time her mother's took a bite. Unlike Yee-Li who was taking small bites of her fish and rice. They were eating like a couple of children. Slurping the noodles out of the bowls in long strands at a time.
"I'm fine momma." Yee-Li replied. Taking another small bite of her rice. Chewed it for a few bites them wiped her unstained mouth with her napkin. The picture of sophisticated poise at a young age.
Her mother's laid their spoons into their bowls with a gracelessness at the same time. The loud clang echoed out the open window and was swallowed by the music.
"You almost done their?" Lin pointed to the more than half full plate.
The kid nodded taking one more bite of her fish then setting down her chop sticks.
"Desert!" Shouted her mommy. Looking to Lin and grinning.
The woman raised a hand high in the air. The grunts of other dinners filled the air. As their chairs were physically moved. Some pinned to their tables. As a woman came up to their table. Hanging breasts over a very round belly. The older woman had an unflattering mole that blocked the vision in her right eye.
"What can I get you girls." She said in a sweet voice as if she were their grandmother.
"What kind of sweets do you have." Korra licked her lips. Thoughts of big brown cakes topped with frosting were in her head; the darker the color the richer the taste.
"Well, we got fire gummies, fire cakes, fire flakes. All made fresh this morning." The woman counted the short menu off from memory.
"Oh-um-do you have anything without-fire in it?"
Not even skipping a beat the woman said. "We have ice cream."
Korra deflated as her sugary dreams were dashed but she ordered anyway.
"I'll have a coffee." Lin said when the woman glanced at her.
When she looked at Yee-Li the lady put on the biggest sweetest smile she could. "And what would you like sweetie."
"I'm fine." Was her immediate answer.
Lin wouldn't let it end with that. Not during a vacation. "She'll have a fire cake."
"Momma! I don't want anything." Yee-Li crossed her arms.
"Course she does." Lin smirked and waved the woman off. Who parted the tables as she left.
Yee-Li huffed and avoided meeting her momma's face. Who she could feel was staring right at her. Both of her parents were. With big and knowing smiles. The sweet was set down in front of her impassive face. Yee-Li took a visible gulp. As Lin reached over took her fork and cut off a sliver.
"Take a bite." Lin cooed. Waving it in front of her mouth.
The little brown piece was so inviting. With flecks of red on the frosting. No doubt it would have that hotness she liked. But she wanted to be more grown up. Korra was scooping heaping amounts of her desert into her mouth. The bowl was bigger than the ones they serves noodles in. Which Yee-Li could of worn as a helmet. Her mommy was scooping all three flavors onto her spoon. The white, brown, and pink swirl was quick to disappear behind her smiling lips. It might not of been cake, but it was a step up from the snow cones she ate as a kid.
Lin held onto the fork keeping it hovering in front of her while she took a sip of her drink. "Eat it." The fork touched her mouth. Leaving a smidge of frosting. Still keeping a straight face Yee-Li rubbed her tongue along her lips and scooped it up.
It was impossible to hide her feelings as soon as that warm taste hit her brain. The fork is ripped from Lin who leaned in her seat to enjoy more of her drink. As her daughter began cutting off larger and larger chunks and making them disappear almost as fast as Korra had her own desert. Who was now staring forlorn at her daughters. Her bowl having been licked clean.
"Do you want some?" Yee-Li offered a pittance; a tinier crumb that couldn't of fed a mouse.
Oh how Korra was very tempted by the offer.
"It's all yours, squirt." Lin said. Taking her napkin and dabbing the remains from her wife's face. Lin leaned in and licked the small dab on her nose and gave Korra a unfortunate wink. That lit a fire that would never be quenched during their vacation; until they got home.
A patron pointed out the window.
Lin felt a wet kiss to her own nose. Well, more like her wife were trying to eat it from the embarrassing trail of saliva that hung between the two body parts when she separated.
Someone was shouting outside. It was far away but still could make Lin's ear twitch.
That kiss no matter how awkward had succeeded in its intension. Making the older woman's stomach burn. Knowing nothing could come of it. The pair locked sharp eyes. Roving over the other in all the right places. The ones they wanted to kiss. To touch. To run a tongue along leaving a wet...
Chairs screeched. As everyone in the room got up at once.
Not wanting to the two looked out the window. Ending their staring contest.
"Oh come on!" Lin smacked an open palm on the table. As flames licked the sky over the villagers homes.
. . .
The ravenous beast illuminated the faces of the villagers. It sent ash into the air and turned the leaves of the trees to cinders. Wood began to shrivel. To groan and want to give. Windows were like flaming eyes. Screaming in pain.
Buckets of water were thrown in a meager attempt to quell it. But the water flashed to steam before it even touched the fire.
The people of the village looked to one another for answers. No one had any. They would have to sit and watch the building burn to the ground. And hope a stray ember would not drift close to town.
One such man was spun on his feet to face an older woman. Who snarled in frustration. "Is anyone inside?" She queried.
The answer was a shrug.
Unsatisfied he was thrown to the side.
"Does anyone..." The woman gestured wildly to the crowd. "...know if there is someone still inside?" She yelled at them. Unable to stand the open mouthed looks.
"It's a storage shed no one lives there dear." Said an elderly woman.
This brought some hope to the situation. It would be quicker to tidy up.
"Ok, Korra!" Lin called. "Do your thing."
A murmur went up. As out stepped a woman dressed in water tribe clothes. She raised a hand to get the crowd's attention.
"Alright, I'm gonna need a lot of water. Any source you can find bring it here. The more the better."
They didn't move. Slack jawed as the thought of who this person standing before them was. They were in awe. Who'd of thought such a person would visit their island. And the tourists knew this was a once in a lifetime chance to be up close with the actual avatar. There heavy cameras the size of small children were hefted up. Trying to focus on the woman in front of the blaze.
"Everyone go grab some water." Korra attempted to usher them off.
Some one raised a hand. "You're the avatar aren't you." They said with exuberance and a rabid voice.
The ground shook beneath their feet with each step taken. She could of toppled the island with just a point of that finger. "Are you idiots going to listen to her. Or are you going to let your village burn to the ground?" Lin yelled.
The crowd scattered. As buckets began to appear at the pairs feet. Large barrels. Even a tea cup was mixed into it.
Standing in the middle Korra raised her arms. The water responded. Rising into the sky. About the size of a pond it moved like a heavy cloud till it drifted over the barn. Fingers splayed. As four cyclones of water swirled down. The fire sizzled and screamed as it withered.
The barn collapsed in upon itself with a groan of relief. Steam rose from its remains.
A cheer went up from behind them. Korra was surrounded by the villagers and tourists. Lin pushed to outside the ring. They all took turns shaking her hand. Thanks and praise for the good deed.
Glad to not be in the middle of it all. Lin was content to sit at the back and let her wife get the praise. She knew Korra needed this sometimes. Being the avatar could be a thankless job. So these rare moments, anything that could brighten her little penguin, were welcome.
More people came. Seemingly out of nowhere. Adding to the pile and pushing Lin back further and further. It would be wrong to break this up now. Selfish to stop these people from heaping praise upon her wife. So she would sit it out. Holding the elbow of her arm as her hand hid her smiling lips.
As a family of three were the last to join. A little girl bounced on the balls of her feet. Unable to get a look. Till her father picked her up and put her on his shoulders so she could get a look at her wife.
Hands lowered. Grew shaky. Lin looked left, then right. People became agitated. Shouted as they found themselves pushed. Squished to each other. And all but thrown out the way.
Her hands begun to bruise from all those who shook it. Korra tried to keep the smile in place. To keep herself looking happy for the people. She didn't want to be. She wanted to be somewhere else. With two someone else's.
When Lin all but shoved her way through the crowd. Korra's heart leapt at the sight. Hoping this was her rescue. But Lin's eye's were wide. She had begun to cold sweet. Lin never did that. Hands shaking. Lin stumbled over in front of a silent crowd.
Gripping her elbows Lin mumbled.
The happiness slipped. Brows rose. And Korra looked around the crowd. Behind her. Hoping to find someone attached to her leg.
Korra gripped her face tightly. Looking at her wife between the spaces of her fingers. As she choked on her own words.