Hitch Pt. 1
I hate this!" The woman shouted across the gap in the wall between them. Sweat perspired profusely down her brow and dripped from the bottom of her chin. It hit the ground and feed the dry crumbling earth at her feet. She was crouched with her hand steadied on the jagged protrusion of earth. The metal soles on her boots retracted so that she might see with her sense what was going on around her. Feet covered in a thick grim of dirt and mud. Toe nails chipped and the nail of her big toe was torn, the blood swelling over, the ghostly images that came back revealed two bodies beyond the woman's barrier. They were jumping about like circus acrobats. Using the natural formations on the mountain side to their advantage and were very good at using Lins own earthbending against her. The two people's misty forms tensed and Lin curled in around the barrier of rock as bright orange and red flames flashed around her, the sound like a heated thunder storm in her ears.
Above it was a loud voice that grew more obnoxious as the fight dragged on, and Lin's wife was supposed to be on their side. "You're the one who couldn't play nice badgermole," said a jovial woman whose brown skin sweltered in the heat. Korras upper lip was split the blood pooled in the crevices of her mouth creating a haunting smile. The glow of the lingering embers simpered into the air. They made the woman look radiant.
Lin felt a twitch in the earth which caused her to somersault away from the rock. In the space between Lins and Korras positions she saw the two men, brothers, with the long sleeves of their Changshan tied back past the elbows their fists, which had been pointed at the spot where Lin had been, erupted; consuming the rock in flame.
Metal cables hooked into the ground at Korras feet, accompanied by a loud screeching sound as Lin dragged herself from the air. The woman landed with a thud her shoulder struck the rock rolling her body. Hands stopped her and the body beneath Lin lost the air from her lungs and gasped. Breathe exalted heavily against Lin's ear. Parted lips had the nerve in the midst of the fight to extend a tongue and drag it wetly over Lin's ear.
"This is kind of like a second honeymoon you know," hands traced low on Lin's armor around her stomach, "place all to ourselves. Nice scenery. I know you'd find this very relaxing if we only had some tea." Korra had moved her mouth over the woman's shoulder as she tried to bite the flesh on the older woman's weathered cheek.
Lin gruffly rolled her shoulder to push Korra off. "We never had a honeymoon, and I'm sure this isn't what many have in mind when they plan one. And this is not the time for that. Get ready." Lin said as she heard the shouts; not a second after the woman had tapped her shoe to the ground was she grabbing Korra by the collar of her robe and launching them into the air on a pillar of springy rock.
Their last vestige of safety was taken as the outer layer of rock quickly burnt black. Lin held her wife with one arm as she used the other to lash out at the two with a cable succeeding in kicking up the dirt at their feet into their faces. As they cleared their sight Lin tossed Korra away. Not perturbed at the rough treatment Korra landed on her feet. They both broke into a sprint.
The brothers, recovered, began their barrage. Hopping like rabbits they took turns sending streams of flames at either of them. Lin's wife had it easy, able to part the fire and harmlessly caste them aside. On the other hand Lin only had earth for her defense but she made the most of it. Ripping a large boulder from the ground she used it to block the column of fire coming her way. The surface of the rock baked and liquefied it set several small brush fires as it skipped across the earth on the mountain when it was tossed. Lin cursed when she saw that she had missed hitting even one of the brothers.
Stripes of flowing cloth rippled around the brothers as they jumped back, their backs pressed together they outstretched their hands as their flames entwined. Lin scrambled to get clear that is until the air began to still. The woman stood to face the flames. Face calm. Ready. The trees branches snapped as the brewing storm began to pick up. Through her bloodied toe Lin could see the earth begin to vibrate wildly. Things were happening underground. Rocks split and shifted. A whole network of burrows long abandoned by a family of gopher bears caved in as the dirt swelled. The flames making their way towards Lin started to dwindle till they were a few sparks that popped against the woman's armor. Dust began to swirl as small twisters cropped up. Sticks and twigs but nothing heavier than a few pebbles elevated off the ground and haphazardly spun in the small cyclones.
Fear of capture motivated desperate actions as fire burst forth; the brothers fired off as many times as they could. Yet every action was halted as the air seemed to suck the life from their flames. Hands slowly worked up a rhythm tapping into an unforeseen presence, a deep power within such a small body. Eyes glowed with a blinding purity but hid vengeance in that light; a vengeance to purge the world of evil. Of a thousand lives that sought the same thing. Lin could not see her wife's mesmerizing blue irises, it made her shiver regretfully, thinking that this was who her wife really was, a being of immense power that neigh a person could hope to approach.
Korra raised her arms and nature responded to the command. The earth opened to swallow the two brothers. They escaped and tried to retaliate. Futility didn't even cross their minds with the blood pumping through their ears. A wind gust knocked them back into a convenient pair of earth pillars. It began to consume them. Inching up their bodies and encasing them and aiming to suffocate them in dirt, before it mercifully stopped at their necks. Bound, the two brothers stared in disbelief as the woman before them who glowed with might. Settling such a power by extending her hands to the ground as if channeling it back into the very mountain they stood upon.
Once more Lin could see those blue eyes and was grateful.
. . .
They dropped off their capture at what stood for the local officials. This turned out to be nothing more than a shack with an iron cellar. Hopefully, they wouldn't be able to break out of this jail like the others. Yet with the man with the wandering left eye in charge, then the two of them might need to make another trip to the earth states again.
Back stiff from the hard leather seat. An arm slung over the handlebars Lin tapped the brake and fiddled with the throttle trying to keep entertained as her wife handed over the criminals. "This prison will never hold them for long," she mumbled under her breath, "that cellars going to be up in flames by tomorrow. They'll be out and causing trouble again unless you take better measures to keep them jailed." Lin said a little louder hoping that dimwit of a jailer could hear her; which was the reason why she had been made to babysit their ride.
Nothing but dry cracked earth even though there was lush growth and a whole forest just behind the slight peak, bigger than a hill but a dwarf as far as mountains went. For some reason the world decided to neglect this patch of earth close to such a majestic source of life. Not even tumble weeds wanted to be around here when they could be a lush growth sprouting berries or fruit and be the snacks for wildlife, and have all the water they could ever want from the clouds that hung around all the time.
Lin kicked at a dirt clod, as it hit her boot it turned to dust and a plume of smoke rose and drifted away. The woman frowned. Would this be considered fond memories, hiking in the earth states with her wife while rustling criminals? A shrug full of certainty as she felt her chest swell at the sight of a single braid swinging with each step, a bouncing kind of grace both clumsy and still full of youth. Brown cheeks burning in the hot sun, if not careful they'd start to peel from exposure. Korra didn't like that it made her feel like some kind of serpent. This coming from the person who was supposed to uphold that all life was wonderful; except a creepy scaly reptile that crawled on its belly and licked its own eyes. Lin raised her brow when she saw her wife shiver despite the heat.
A sight to behold the woman before her dressed head to toe in metal, powdered with earth as she was drawn in deep thought yet completely aware of what was happening around her. Korra knew her wife's focus was on her. Yet it seemed worried, like she had a thought or secret she wanted to tell. Lin always had something on her mind and it sometimes took the woman a while to work it out of her mouth. Instead of this though Lin stood up and straddled the bike. Cocked her head back and threw Korra a sympathetic smile.
She's faking it, thought Korra as she got on the back of the bike. There was time later to think things over. To talk about whatever this was that had her wife in a grouchier mood as of recent. The whole trip Lin had been a snarkier, sharper, dare she even say it...rowdier come nighttime as if to keep herself from dreaming. Straining her muscles and wiping her mind so not a thought could settle before she slept thus preventing any interruptions till morning. Korra put her arms on Lins waist making sure her thumbs brushed the plates hanging off her hips. She knew her wife could fell it from the way Lin jolted in the seat. Play with some metal and they are putty in your hands. That was the way to any metalbenders heart.
The engine chocked on its own fluids as horrid black fumes belched from the exhaust. A lively sound between their legs; and as they had left the mechanic of team avatar behind in republic city neither of the two woman knew what it meant. Good, bad, it had been a buzzard wasp in their ears since they forced the motorcycle up and down a couple of roads to many.
Before they got underway for the long trip back to the shore where they'd catch one of three boat rides back to republic city, Lin handed her wife a helmet. Safety was always a top priority. Lin wore hers only because Korra would throw a fit as to why she had to wear one if Lin wasn't going too; the armor protected her body not her head. Lacing it tight the strap cut deep into the flesh, it hurt, but better then it falling off.
The wheels caught easily enough on the hard surface and the bike made off at a brisk but slow pace. Tires wobbling the two weren't well versed at working in tandem on turns. Lin knew how to ride a motorcycle but one with a side car, riding this way felt freer and made the woman apprehensive about going above a snails pace. They chugged along the open land no path to follow but Lin knew which way to point them. Towards the slight hill of a mountain, and beyond that the sea, and beyond that home.
Korra tightened her hold, hands locking around her wrists. She rested her cheek on Lin's back the armor was uncomfortable and as the bike bounced it rubbed her skin harshly but it was the warmth beneath the cold exterior that Korra was seeking. That hard back with muscles and sinew, toned and battered by years of training. Scars there were a plenty. Some long, some deep, all of them were a treat for her sight and touch. Lin wasn't a woman who felt ashamed of them; they were the traffics of a daily life and years of compound interest. Korra's I love you was swallowed by the noise of the engine but she felt the message had been received when the plates thrummed. Arms relaxing into a more comfortable position rather than splayed at the sides and Lin even sat straighter instead of hunched over the handlebars.
Arid earth soon gave way gradually to green and a much more enjoyable path. Deep lines ran for miles where permanent trails were carved into the ground marking the way many had come to, and from. There pace slowed more as the tires tried to adjust to the change in the road, catching in the trails left by wagons and other vehicles. The motorcycle jumped about hitting divots and patches of mud that sprayed the air and landed upon their clothes. The hem of Korras robe grew heavy, hunching over the back of the bike, the furry fringe batted playfully by the tire.
Trees weren't plenty, but not sparse either, they dotted the side of the path ever couple of feet like markers. Screeching birds yelled at each other over their heads, there fat plump cheeks jiggling. As they passed one larger than a regulation earth bending disk for pro-bending its branch so low the leaves touched the ground; they had to swerve to avoid it. The bike teetered as the pair tried to match their movements to the swerve of the bike, the back tire bounced and shreds of fur littered the trail they left. As they steadied they heard a sharp angry caw at their backs. Lin throttled the bike and the wobbling subsided.
The field of grass grew almost as green as that in the spirit world. A mouse bent a trail to follow back to its home as it searched for food. Its teeth chattering and whiskers twitching as tit sniffed the ground using agile paws to climb dying logs with insides hollowed out. Tiny black eyes locked onto the noisy beast with two heads that rumbled by. Unperturbed the mouse continued its search, fuelled by a hungry belly.
Static followed a pop repeating several times as the motorcycles engine whined when they reached an incline that was less steep than a thumb tack under a piece of paper. Lin had to twist the throttle more to get up it. At the top the bike gave a shutter and died. Lin's knee jerk reaction was to cock the handlebars; the two came to an abrupt stop as the back end of the bike reared. A gasp came from Lins back as Korra sucked her teeth.
"You ok?" Lin asked as she tried to swivel her head to look over her shoulder. The strap caught on the collar of her armor and she was blind on one side as the helmet twisted around her face. Nose squeezed against the inside. Lin could smell a thousand dirty and disgusting scents of like overripe eggs all who wore it before her. She grabbed it roughly and affixed it back into place. Stars popped before her bruised eye.
Korra was confused as to why her wife was winking at her a lot, with a mouth set in a snarl no less. "Are you ok?" Korra asked in return as she grabbed Lin by the shoulder and felt the armor beneath shiver, the kind that one's own body usually gave when it feels a pleasant touch. To Korra it felt like her wife's armor had simply molded to fit her fingers when in actuality it shriveled as to draw her touch closer. The woman could feel everything when she deepened the contact and for a moment Lin closed herself off from the world. Not letting her senses leak out through her feet but settled it closely on the contact her wife was keeping with herself through the armor. Lin could see the rough phantom outline in white on a black background. There was the barest of detail if she focused some. More so where the heart beat, that area was the clearest.
A genuine smile, small with but a slight upward turn of the corner of the mouth but it was enough to tell Korra that she need not ask anything more. They simmered on the spot, Lin keeping her eyes shut as Korra took a peek at where they were. The middle of the mountain, maybe not even far from where their fight has been; she couldn't tell for no matter how far Korra went or how remote the location, whether for diplomatic business or to knock a few heads in. These places always felt so unfamiliar no matter how many times she visited them. They didn't have the smells she liked such as Lin's favorite tea: Jasmine Oolong. Or Yee-Lis perfumes: a mix of sweet fruit and flowers which varied depending on the day, or her mood.
Korra wanted to go home. They had trudged through the mountains searching for the brothers and then having to fight them then using the avatar state on top of that, it was all so draining. As her chin descended to rest upon her wife's back it rose up to meet her as Lin jumped in her seat to kick start the motorcycle. Korra's teeth clicked the sound audible but quickly drowned out by the engine coughing. Lin was grateful that she had managed to get it started again while Korra rubbed the ache in her jaw. Flexing the muscles to make sure everything was working right. They tightened painfully and forced her mouth shut so when Lin asked if she were ready to get moving again Korra couldn't respond.
The silence was taken as consent and Korra felt herself near pulled off as the tires spun in the soft ground throwing chunks behind them before they began to march. Korras hand slid against the slick metal on her wife's torso as she tried to hold on. Her loose hand flailed about before she nervously hooked it over Lins shoulder and pressed into a solid back. For Lin there came a pleasant pain on her neck as she felt teeth grate and took what her wife was doing as a playful gesture yet Lin couldn't see the displeasure she was showing to the older woman's back when she pulled back. The way her bottom lip engulfed the top one was...like their daughter so much that it would have made Lin laugh and kiss her little penguin.
Maybe it was for the best that Lin didn't see the reminder. Lin needn't anymore to pop up as she was already focused on what she would have to ask her daughter when she got home. If the teen had broken it off with her...with Xiu to spare that girl the heartache that Lin knew was unavoidable but she was young and would hopefully get over it quickly and that this would also be a chance for her daughter to learn as well, that the kid would understand her own feelings.
The motorcycle took a misstep on a stone and caused them to swerve slightly. Front end bouncing as Lin frowned as she corrected the handlebars. Not only had this whole trip come at a bad time but now Lin had to deal with these terrible conditions. One was the horrible bike they had given the avatar and her companion, as they had come to refer to Lin since she had decided to tag along, and the other was clinging to her back trying to start something by the way her hands were wondering. Lin didn't like having to lie to Korra about anything. She was an honest person to her metal and earth covered core, but Yee-Li didn't need the over protective woman on her back while she figured her situation out. The only hope that Lin had, that she was constantly praying to the spirits for, was that Yee-Li could let go of Xiu and not hang on like Lin had done. So many years we stayed together out of sheer...normalcy? Convenience was more right. Even though the love had clearly dried up.
There came a slope along the left side of the road. Dense foliage blocked their view but the pair could hear the sound of moving water. Lin couldn't see it, but Korra could definitely feel the moisture down there through the trees and brush and fallen limbs.
Then Lin feels the pleasant weight ripped from her back and a scream so loud it can be heard over the engine. The motorcycle jack knifes. Lin finds herself in a tumble over the handlebars. Her grip is gone and her body floats towards the edge and over it.