Just Like the Good Old Days
Redbayly: So, I've been thinking…
Sokka: Uh-oh.
Redbayly: I should really go back and rewrite the first half of this story. I started this back before I really knew how to write fanfiction and I'm kinda embarrassed by it. I followed canon way too much in the beginning and I don't think I portrayed Noatak and Tarrlok accurately.
Sokka: Why are you even working on this today? Shouldn't you be having a birthday party or something?
Redbayly: Hmm? Oh, that's right. I'm twenty years old today: January 22, 2014. I guess everything's just sort of going like a normal day, except that I got let out of class because of the snow.
Toph: Aren't you even gonna have a cake or something?
Redbayly: Unfortunately, I don't think so. I was gonna go get a cake to bring to class today, but with the snow storm and everything…
Toph: Excuses, excuses.
Redbayly: Just do the disclaimer.
Toph: Redbayly does not own Legend of Korra, though it would probably have been the best birthday present ever. Well, aside from the original Avatar series, of course.
Seeking Answers
Third Person POV:
Two figures moved stealthily to the base of a giant, twisted tree that looked out over a large valley that appeared to be in the form of the Yin and Yang. The figures were shrouded in darkness but one of them stopped and knelt down while the other approached confidently.
"So, the Southern portal has finally opened," came an eerie voice from within the tree. "What news do you have for me?"
"Unalaq has brought the Northern military into the South and conflict is sure to arise," said the standing figure. The voice was deep and masculine, not unlike that of the one coming from the tree.
"Excellent. The plan moves forward."
"May I speak?" said the kneeling figure. The voice was that of a woman, but somewhat high-pitched and with an arrogant tone. "Surely now would be a perfect time to have the Dark spirits feed on the negative energy coming from the hostility between the two tribes? My girls are growing restless."
"Then remind them of the penalty for disobeying orders," the male figure snapped. "The tensions must be allowed to boil over and the Avatar must not be there when they start to feed. Need I remind you what happened the last time one of your little demons tried to feed when there was an Avatar protecting the Southern Water Tribe?"
The female figure looked away.
"My apologies, sir. I meant no disrespect."
"Remember your place, then," said the voice in the tree. "Are our plans still secret?"
"Coahoma tried to interfere," the male figure answered. "But she was not able to warn the Avatar about anything before the spiritual energy forced her back to her lair. I could sense that the Avatar is uncertain about whether opening the portal was wise, but I do not think she will close it right away. The girl clearly wants to wait and see what will happen."
"We can only hope that Raava will remain unable to communicate with her. If that should happen then everything will fall apart."
"Do not worry about that. The girl is incapable of connecting to her past-lives for longer than a few minutes at a time, except when something triggers the memories like when she was in the Temple."
"Good. See to it that it stays that way. You may go."
The two figures turned and left. As they reached the other side of the valley, the male figure grabbed the female's arm harshly.
"Do not embarrass me like that again," he said. "Remember who you are and who you were speaking to."
The female pulled her arm away.
"I do not like him," she said. "You are far more powerful than he is. And yet you act as if you are nothing more than his lapdog."
"You know why," he growled. "Do not question me. Ever." He began to walk ahead while his companion stood scowling at the ground, before he stopped. "Oh, and, Hakidonmuya, try not to let your…human sympathies show through so much."
"I have no human sympathies," Hakidonmuya said in a deadly whisper.
"Keep telling yourself that and you may one day believe it."
Unseen by the two, a dark blue crow with glowing white eyes watched them from a nearby rock before taking off into the sky and vanishing through the Southern portal.
Korra's POV:
This did not seem right. There was no reason to bring troops here. Unsurprisingly, my aunt was ready to vocalize what I was thinking.
"What the Naraka is this?" she demanded, gesturing towards the ships. "How dare you bring troops onto Southern territory without permission?"
"Now that the spirit portal is open, we need to protect it," Unalaq insisted.
"I can protect it," I said.
"I need you for something more important. There is another portal, in the North. Once you open it, spirits and man will be able to move freely between the North and the South in a matter of seconds."
"Okay, seriously, I can't be the only one getting creeped out here," said Aunt Kaliska. "Why would we want spirits other than the ones who protect our tribe to be able to enter at will? What could possibly come of allowing Northerners and Southerners to be able to travel from one place to the other in…" She paused, and a look of growing realization appeared on her face. "No…no way!" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "You're not trying to promote unity or 'spiritual enlightenment' or whatever other crap you claim. You're trying to conquer us and force our tribe to be under your control!"
"That is preposterous," Unalaq asserted. "I am simply attempting to bring our tribes closer and strengthen ties to the spirits in a way that will be better for the world as a whole and not just the South."
"Say whatever you want, Chief Unalaq. My eyes don't deceive me. As soon as that Northern portal is opened, I bet you'll have a whole other army ready to move in and seize absolute control over our tribe. Admit it! You're here as an invader!"
The accusation hung in the air and everyone was too shocked to speak. I hated to say it, but it was very suspicious. Why had I opened that stupid portal when every part of me was telling me not to? I should have just left it alone. But, now that the solstice is over, will I even be able to close it again.
I was interrupted from my thoughts when I noticed a figure hurrying towards us.
"Dad!" Lomasi shouted.
"Shaman Guyapi, what is it?" my aunt demanded.
"It's terrible," he said between gasps for breath. "The patients I told you about…they-they're possessed. Something caused a shift in the spiritual energy, allowing the beings that had a hold on them to take over."
"Can you and Ituha do anything?"
"We can try. We've been scouring the archives in search of the old rites of exorcism, but nothing we've found has been able to help."
She turned to glare at Unalaq.
"Chief Unalaq, I suggest you and your children return to the embassy," she said in a strained tone. "I would also suggest removing your troops from my people's land, but I have a feeling you won't. Believe me, though, this isn't over."
Unalaq gave a polite nod before he, Eska, and Desna left and headed back towards the city.
My aunt then put her hands on Guyapi's shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes.
"You know something is wrong, Guyapi, I can see it."
"What exactly is going on?" asked Noak. "Who are these 'patients' you mentioned?"
"Perhaps it is best you see for yourself," said Guyapi.
We all followed him back to the Temple and into the wing set aside for Healing. I have known Shaman Guyapi since I was born and nothing ever seems to scare or even remotely ruffle the man; now, however…
"For the past few months, we have been admitting people to the Healing rooms for a strange, coma-inducing condition that we can't explain," he said as we walked through the halls. "We did everything we could, but the patients simply would not awaken. Then, on the solstice, something caused the energy shift and every one of those patients shot awake and began to attack the Healers."
"How did they get like that?" Noak asked.
"Some had been out on the tundra before the spirit attacks got worse. Others…well, there was a group of five young people who were fooling around with spirit-boards."
"What now?" said Bolin.
"Spirit-boards. Charts with numbers, letters, and various symbols used to communicate with otherworldly forces. We think those kids summoned up something they couldn't handle and, well…"
There was a sudden crash and the sound of rage-driven cries before a figure appeared in the hallway in front of us. She was hunched over, her dark brown hair hanging limply around her head; her clothes were torn in places and she seemed to have ripped restraints on her wrists. She raised her head and I was shocked to realize that I knew her.
"Meli?" I said.
She looked directly at me and I knew right away that it wasn't Meli, a girl I had a passing acquaintance with. There was a darkness in her eyes and the expression on her face was one of pure malice. She let out a catlike hiss and began to speak in a voice that could only be described as inhuman.
"Avatar," she growled.
Just as she began to advance towards us, two women managed to grab her and started to pull her back out of the room as she frantically struggled to escape, making all sorts of bizarre cries as she did so.
"She was one of the five," Guyapi explained.
"Do you know what's possessing them?" said Noak.
"Yes. We believe they are the victims of Shadow Men."
"What are Shadow Men?" said Mako.
"Faceless beings of darkness that try to take hold of those who lack the strength to fight them off. They tend to prey upon the spiritually weak or those who have suffered a serious trauma or strain. That type of void provides them with easy access to a person's heart, mind, body, and soul."
"Is there anything I can do?" I said. "This all seems to have happened around the same time I opened the spirit portal. Maybe if I close it, these things will go away."
"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Avatar Korra. These people were already possessed; the Shadow Men just hadn't taken complete control until the solstice. Unfortunately, the Shadow Men are likely going to become stronger because of the rising negative energy. This energy will reach its zenith in several weeks' time on the day of Harmonic Convergence when the celestial bodies are all in perfect alignment."
"That's why I am going to march straight over to Unalaq and tell him to get his troops out of here," said Aunt Kaliska. "It's all his fault this is happening." She gave me one final look. "Korra, I know Unalaq says he's doing what's best, but there is something seriously wrong with him." She turned and stormed off.
"Korra, we need to find out more about this Harmonic Convergence," said Lomasi. "It could help us know what we're going to come up against."
"Okay, let's head down to the archives," I said.
"I've gotta go find Asami," said Mako. "We'll come back and help you guys look."
"I would like to have a quick word with you, Noak," said Guyapi.
"Alright, sir," said Noak. "I'll see you guys in a sec."
With that, Lomasi, Tarro, Bolin, and I began to walk deep into the lowest regions of the Temple.
Noatak's POV:
"Walk with me for a moment," said Shaman Guyapi.
The two of us proceeded to walk through the halls, occasionally looking in on the people being treated.
"I've been meaning to speak to you for some time, Noak."
"Indeed?"
"Yes. Several years ago, Master Katara told me you were one of her most proficient students of Healing. She said that you certainly gave her a run for her money, and she's one of the greatest Healers in the world."
"Is that so?"
"In the history of the Southern Water Tribe, the best Healers were often the Prophetess and the Shaman, whether they were Waterbenders or not."
"Really?"
He stopped walking.
"Noak, I am not going to mince words with you. For a long time, I have been keeping my eyes open for someone to be my apprentice. I'm not going to be around forever and I have been waiting for the spirits to send a worthy Healer for me to instruct in the art of shamanism."
"Sir, I'm only nineteen…"
"My master started training me after I received my vision on my sixteenth birthday. I became the official Shaman at twenty-seven. I have a feeling that you are the one that the spirits have chosen to be my successor. Is it not true that you delivered Master Tenzin's youngest child by yourself despite complications and the threat of siege?"
"Well, yes, but…"
"And is it not also true that you were able to recite the prayers, completely from memory, to bless the child's safe arrival into the world?"
"I was just repeating what I've heard Master Katara say when she delivers a child."
"Yes, but you remembered it. Most Healers can't remember the words. You recited them verbatim."
"I…" I couldn't really think of how to argue with him. I hadn't really put much thought into what I was going to do with my life. I suppose it would be only right to use my abilities to help people, and in a way that didn't involve a revolution and the removal of Bending from the world.
He gave me a warm smile.
"You see," he continued, "being a Shaman is a vocation, something you are called to do. You are able to see things in people that even they themselves cannot, and I see in you what my master saw in me."
"How does that work, exactly?" I said with a smirk.
"I think you'll know it when you experience it for yourself…Noatak."
Whatever I expected him to say, it certainly wasn't that.
Third Person POV:
Ambassador Yue was not usually a person you would expect to be particularly sneaky, or guileful, or capable of keeping secrets. However, the circumstances were such that she was doing her best not to be noticed by anyone, especially the Northern troops marching through the town, as she made her way to the public telephone service. She slipped a few coins into the machine and kept praying that someone answered.
"Hello? Yes, it's me," she said. "Altsoba, I need to speak with my husband or one of my sons. What? Where are they, then?" Her eyes widened slowly as she listened.
With a shaking hand, she hung up the phone and ran to find Paytah.
Paytah was currently kneeling in front of a large statue in the memorial shrine. He had a long, thin package by his side and looked very unsure of what to say.
"Hey, Dad," he started, "it's been a while, huh? My little girls are really grown up now; I think you'd be very proud of them. Adsila just turned nineteen a few months ago and graduated from Earthbending school. Hachi's sixteen and still doesn't like to talk much, but she's really a brilliant young lady." He took a deep breath. "Sorry, I never was good at talking about stuff. Guess that's something we always had in common, didn't we?" His smile faded slightly as he looked up into the statue's eyes.
"I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry that I was never as good at fighting as my sisters, that I never really achieved as much as they did. Kaliska, spitfire that she is, is chief of the whole Southern Water Tribe. Yue's done a lot for herself; went to a fancy university, became Southern Ambassador to the North, has three grown-up sons and everything. And Senna, well, you know all about little Senna; always the good child, mother of the Avatar, a master Waterbender.
"But, listen to me, going over old news like this. You probably see everything that's happened. Just wish I had something to boast about for myself. Of course, I suppose I'm not a total let-down. I brought you something."
He unwrapped the mysterious package to reveal a glinting, black sword.
"You wouldn't believe what I went through to find this. I was backpacking through Wulong Forest a month ago and found it embedded in a rock. Took me a while but I managed to pull it out. I know you always regretted losing it." He set the sword on the base of the statue and gave a sigh. "Just wish I could hear you one more time."
"Paytah!"
"Dad?! Wow, your voice sure has changed."
"Paytah!"
"You know, you kinda sound like Yue."
He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see his sister Yue.
"Yue? When did you get here? I was just talking to…"
"Never mind that," Yue said breathlessly. "Something's come up."
"Okay, slow down. What's the matter?"
"I just made a call to the embassy back up North. My housekeeper said that my husband and sons haven't been there for several days and that Kohana was last seen talking with several of Chief Unalaq's councilors."
"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Unalaq wouldn't do anything to hurt them, would he?"
Yue suddenly looked uncomfortable about something.
"Or would he?" said Paytah suspiciously. "What has he done?"
"I…I can't…" she tried to turn and leave.
"Yue, wait!" He grabbed both her arms. "What has he done?"
Yue looked absolutely terrified. Her eyes began to fill with tears and she threw herself into her brother's arms.
"He'll kill us," she sobbed. "If I tell you anything he'll kill both of us."
"Yue, you have to tell me what's going on."
"I can't."
"Is there a problem in here?" came a voice from the doorway.
The two siblings looked up and saw Unalaq standing there.
"I just came here to pay my respects to your father's memory," he said. "Chief Sokka was a truly great man." He gave them a narrowed look. "There isn't something wrong, is there?"
"No," Yue answered with shuddering breath. "There isn't anything wrong."
"Very well, then. I will take my leave and I suggest that you do so as well." He gave them a final glance before turning and leaving the memorial shrine.
Tarrlok's POV:
We'd been searching for hours and hadn't found anything that explained the importance of this Harmonic Convergence thing. Bolin had fallen asleep about an hour ago, Mako and Asami were both carefully reading over each thing they picked up and scanning them for details, while Korra and Lomasi were desperately poring over books, tomes, scrolls, and various other documents at a rapid pace. Noatak had come downstairs a little while ago, looking contemplative about something. The archives were very extensive and ran underneath the entire Temple; the rooms themselves were once structures known as kivas, in which the early tribesmen performed ceremonies before the Temple was built.
I had just opened a particularly ancient tome when something caught my eye.
"Guys!" I called out. "I think you'd better see this!"
I was soon surrounded on all sides.
"It's called the 'Compendium of Sacred Time' by Avatar Kachina," I said. "Look at the details on the cover."
The cover was clearly a later addition to the text, but its message was clear. It contained the figure of a woman with long, dark brown hair and glowing eyes who was standing on top of the Earth with her hands outstretched while the other planets were aligned above her and a green, winding substance linked them all together with the sun and moon on either side.
I opened the book and skimmed through the pages until I reached two sections that bore the names: The Festival of Lights and Harmonic Convergence. I began to read the passages aloud.
"I write this now, as the last trace of the Southern Lights fades from the sky, because it reminds me now, in my old age, of why they nicknamed me the Light-Bringer. I made the Festival of Lights because of a tremendous imbalance of spiritual energy that had begun to emerge here in the South. We celebrate the festival on the solstice in order to maintain the balance so that the negative energy will not overtake the positive. We do this to protect our descendants because of the terrible implications should negative energy be high during the time of Harmonic Convergence.
"The Harmonic Convergence has always been a mystery to me. I know I will never live to see it happen, but I know my future incarnation one day will. During the years I spent on the tundra with the man who became my husband, my beloved Hemene, I learned much from studying the movements of the stars and planets. I learned the power behind the Southern Lights and how the spirits who guard our tribe use those lights as a means of protecting us from the Dark beings who try to escape every year on the solstice. It is only by celebrating the rituals I have discovered that we are able to keep away the negative energy successfully.
"I do not know what will happen on the day of Harmonic Convergence; however, when I spoke with my past-lives, I learned that the event will either bring great good or great evil, depending on the dominant force. The Prophetess had a vision about the Harmonic Convergence and gave me her prophecy:
In 8,000 years or more,
The shadows of strife shall gather,
Brother against brother shall turn,
Daughter of Setna shall rise from South and North,
Innocent blood shall taint the ground,
The spirits of the dead shall walk the earth once more,
The planets shall become joined,
The gates that lock away the Dark ones shall break,
And a new age will begin.
"I can only hope that what little I know can help my successor. If the Avatar to which this prophecy pertains is reading this, know that I am always with you and will give you whatever help you need if you ask it of me."
We were all quiet for a while. This did not sound good. I could see Korra was looking very conflicted and that she clearly regretted ever opening that portal. None of us said anything else as we packed up and headed back home.
The sight of all those Northern soldiers around town did nothing to improve my mood. I could only hope that things would get better soon.
Redbayly: Sorry it's so short, but I'm rather strapped for time right now.
Toph: *Pokes head in from other room* Oh, Red! I've got something to show you.
Redbayly: *Shrugs and walks to the door* Toph, I swear, if this is a prank-
Everyone: Surprise! Happy birthday, Red!
Redbayly: A surprise party? For me? I've always wanted a surprise party, but I never had one. Thanks, guys, this really means a lot.
Sokka: Eh, think nothing of it. Just blow out the candles and make a wish.
Redbayly: *Blows out the twenty candles in one breath*
Aang: Hooray! Now, tell us a story.
Redbayly: A story, huh? Alright. I'm gonna tell you all about the night I was born.
Sokka: *Sarcastic* Oh, great.
Redbayly: It was a cold, icy night of January 22, 1994. My father had been ordered to his base, because back then he was in the Navy. Unfortunately, I wasn't willing to cooperate with my parents' schedules and my mom was promptly rushed to a hospital in Washington D.C. My dad then got the telephone call shortly after he arrived at the base and had to make the treacherous journey through the ice to get there.
While he was sitting in the waiting room, he noticed a man in a white surgical uniform stop and look at him. He couldn't see the man's face except for his eyes, but he was certain the man looked a lot like his brother John.
Sokka: What's so important about that?
Redbayly: His brother John died years ago in Vietnam, trying to save the life of his co-pilot in an aviation assignment. My uncle was also studying to become a doctor before he died.
Anyway, the mysterious doctor turned and walked through the doors that led into the hospital ward. About a second later, a nurse came out and my dad asked her "Who was that doctor who just went through?" and she replied that no one had come through the doors, that all the doctors were already inside, and that if someone had gone through it would have triggered a sensor.
That night, the doctors treating my mother discovered, just in time, that the umbilical cord had gotten wrapped around my neck and they had to perform a c-section to save my life.
Say what you will about supernatural phenomena, but I am certain that my uncle was there in that hospital ward with me and my mom that night.
Thank you for the party, guys. And thanks to all my readers, please review.