Chapter 20: Bolin's Training
When Bolin, Korra and Katara got inside the Spirit World, the first thing that Korra did was try to pinpoint where Koh and Long Yumao were. As usual, they were hiding in the bushes outside Xai Bau's Grove, Korra wondering why they liked a place associated with chaotic humans - the Red Lotus. Without explaining to Katara and Bolin, who were too busy looking at the beautiful trees, she used her earthbending to move them both into view - Long Yumao had been sleeping on the ground, leaving him vulnerable. He awoke to find himself hampered by earth, far too late. Korra yelled, "You two won't be taking anyone by surprise this time!" as her eyes glowed and she performed the hand movements necessary to imprison both. These prisons looked more substantial than previous ones, and she realized with a start that she had made an inner elemental prison without consciously directing their formation. As Long Yumao accused Koh of failing in sentry duty, and Koh yelled at Long Yumao for not sleeping while floating above the ground, Korra grinned widely. She noticed that Koh was still missing a portion of his carapace, and that Long Yumao's beak had a familiar score in its surface.
As soon as Bolin and Katara had finished gawking at the two spirits, Katara yelled, "Hey, Sokka! A little grumpy bird told us you have something for Bolin - come on out!" Much as Iroh had over two days ago, Piandao and Sokka strolled out of the bushes. Piandao spat in the direction of the two imprisoned spirits, saying, "Good riddance. I like the little inner prisons, Korra - they should buy us some more time to train. Sokka, are you ready to start help training Bolin?" Piandao looked around in panic, saying, "Get back here! Sokka, this isn't funny - we have a time limit here! Oh, there you are - I see you already found Bolin. Just what are you doing?" Korra and Katara turned to see Sokka and Bolin talking animatedly, and from what Korra heard, they appeared to be… swapping jokes?
Korra and Katara groaned at the same time, Korra saying, "I don't think anything short of bloodbending could separate those two now. We may as well wait until they're done and Piandao tells us they've stopped yammering. Let's go under that tree over there." As she and Katara walked to the tree, something occurred to Korra - her little jest made her remember Tonga's awful ability. Korra shivering involuntarily, Katara asked her, "What's wrong, Korra? You look like you just saw a ghost." Korra said, "My little bloodbending joke just reminded me of Jinshu Kuangmai and his awful ability. I don't know how I would counter it just yet." Bloodbending, silly - I bet you could bloodbend without a full moon if you used the Avatar State. And Aang broke out of bloodbending with the Avatar State, facing Yakone - how could blood-iron bending be any different?
Raava's little suggestion just made Korra shiver even more - didn't she know how Katara felt about bloodbending? A clearly concerned Katara hugged Korra as she explained Raava's little comment. Katara gave a deep sigh, saying, "I hate that form just as much as you do, Korra - I still remember the despair people had when they thought that monster Amon had taken all your bending. But if this Jinshu Kuangmai is who I think he is, you're probably going to need it." Korra's mouth was now agape... had she accidentally let the fireferret out of the bag? Seeing her expression, Katara said, "If you're worried that you accidentally let the fireferret out of the bag about Jinshu Kuangmai's identity, don't worry - I figured it out myself. I'm old, but not senile, you know. Especially given how Toph covered her mouth after mentioning 'family', and 'Jinshu Kuangmai's ability to see Kuvira did not fear him - Su and Lin may have their suspicions as well. I'll keep it secret, of course." Taking another sigh, Katara said, "If half of what you told me about his power is true, and he really is Toph's amoral son, you're going to need some ace up your sleeve against him - and Avatar State bloodbending does sound like a rather good trump card."
Slightly confused with this talk of cards, Korra said, "So, you're implying that you're willing to teach me bloodbending?" Katara said quietly, "Yes - but not the kind of bloodbending I used in my youth. The form that Hama and Yakone and his sons used is cruel - bending limbs deliberately just to inflict pain, jerking people around like puppets. I hope that we can, under a full moon of course, try to bloodbend some adorable creatures." Korra yelled "WHAT?!" and Katara sighed, saying, "I figure it would be best to practice on something cute so that you have added motivation to not use any of the forms that previous bloodbenders have used. I want you to be able to immobilize people without killing them - bloodbending could even be a humane tool if used right, akin to those electrogloves the Equalists used. My ideal bloodbending form would just use waterbending to hold someone in place while another combatant handcuffs them." Korra said, "But what about lethal force? If Jinshu Kuangmai is too strong to hold..." Katara shivered, saying, "There was one move I thought of absentmindedly in my later years, after swearing off bloodbending forever - internal ice crystal formation. If you were to take blood surrounding the brain or inside the heart and force the water into a jagged shape and use it as an internal dagger, you could kill someone very rapidly. It's a good thing Amon never thought of it - it would be very hard to counter." Korra shuddered, still not relishing the idea of using bloodbending. Korra felt a familiar energy surge and saw Raava in front of both herself and Katara - in her true form.
The large spirit boomed, seemingly only into Korra and Katara's minds, "Remember what you said to me in the swamp after we restored the Great Banyan tree, Korra - Tonga is one situation where Aang and his reluctance to take away life will lead you astray. You are willing to turn sufficiently evil foes into ash, and relished the thought of the first to try and harvest the Great Banyan tree again being blown in the wind as dust. What difference does it make what element or technique you use to kill, Korra? Zaheer found a way to kill with air, and your little ammunition idea for Opal will no doubt be used for a similar purpose. I highly suggest you get over even your small squeamish tendencies, Avatar Korra - any conflict after the Spirit Civil War will be bloody, human on human combat. You can still take away life while valuing it. The truly evil inflict pain for their own pleasure. I will leave you with these thoughts, for now." And with that, the spirit returned to Korra's being.
Korra thought for a good while on what Raava had said, as well as what Aang had said about being true to herself, Katara giving her a light hug as she did so. Korra finally turned to Katara and said, "So, next full moon - bloodbending training? I don't know where we could do it, though - you did campaign pretty hard to have it outlawed." Katara thought for a second, asking Korra, "Your new house wouldn't happen to have a basement, would it? If I am to show you any forms or if you want to try and bloodbend without using the Avatar State, we'll also need a window of some sort - for moonlight to filter in." Korra responded, "No, but I could easily bend one in. We need flowing water, a functioning bathroom and electricity - I could use that as a cover and make a whole secret room underneath the house. I could even make a hidden inlet from the sea into the room. Asami could maintain a primed motorboat there in case we ever need to make a getaway." Katara said, "Sounds like a good idea - technically, since you made the whole new island from magma, it'd be a 'secret volcano base'." Not sure entirely why she found this funny, Korra laughed along with Katara anyways.
Korra heard a loud coughing sound over her shoulder. She turned to face a relieved-looking Piandao, who said, "Don't worry - I'm no eavesdropper. Listening in is not a gentlemanly thing to do. Anyways - I came to tell you that Bolin and Sokka finally stopped telling each other jokes, but Bolin wants you to be present for his training. He said he thought you could benefit from a blade yourself, though seeing as you are the Avatar and have do not have natural pure physical combat skill like Avatar Kyoshi did, I do not see what he could mean. Come." Piandao bent over to help Katara and then Korra up, and escorted them towards Sokka and Bolin. Sokka produced a large, black sword with a flair, causing Katara to yell, "You FINALLY found your meteorite sword? Where was it?" Sokka gave his sister a slight frown, saying, "Just like kids with Suki… I never did find it while I was alive - I just wished for it back after I finished taunting Koh for the first time, and it appeared at my feet. Anyways - I believe, for some reason I can't understand, Bolin wants to use a one-handed sword." Sokka shrugged, saying, "I always thought two was better than one - but to each his own." Bolin said, while trying to lavabend in a futile effort, "Gah! If only I could show you why - I want to use my other hand to bend with, but I can't bend in the spirit world right now. Korra, why don't you show Sokka that 'Ghazan shuriken' form - you managed to trap Koh and Long Yumao in elemental prisons earlier."
Vaguely remembering the spinning disk that the Red Lotus member Ghazan used in battle, Korra bent a chunk of earth from a nearby rock and replicated the feat handily. Sokka stared at it for a little while, finally saying, "You know what would be cool? A lavabending boomerang!" Katara laughed, saying, "Sokka, why would Korra or Bolin need a lavabending boomerang? They can just directly control the Ghazan shuriken with their bending, after all." Sokka let out a whimper, saying, "Even after I'm dead, I wish I were a bender. Come on, enough with the bendy talk, Bolin, Korra and sis - let me train Bolin with a REAL weapon! Before we can begin, Bolin, you need to wish for your ideal weapon." Bolin closed his eyes, and a rather nasty looking one handed jet black sword with strange thick brown lines in it appeared at his feet. Korra asked, "Bolin - what are those funny lines? They almost look like… rock."
Clearly proud of whatever idea he had, Bolin said, "After seeing the Ghazan shuriken again, I wished for a blade that would let me use my rare talent - lavabending!" Bolin postured with bare arms near Sokka, who whacked him over the head with the flat of his sword. Bolin said, getting up off the ground, "Hey, that wasn't fair! I thought you were going to teach me to fight like a gentleman!" Both Piandao and Sokka laughed deeply, Piandao saying over top of a rolling Sokka's laughter, "There are no rules in war, trainee Bolin. You have to be creative and use every advantage you have - especially if you're not a bender like Sokka or I were. Now, no more bragging about your lavabending, or training is put off until you can show nonbenders a little more respect. You'd do well to remember that the Avatar's girlfriend is a nonbender." Korra laughed, adding, "I'd hate to think of what Asami would do to you - probably lightly shock you with her glove. Or Opal, for that matter - she wasn't always an airbender, remember."
A clearly flustered Bolin changed the subject, saying, "So anyways, my wish was for a sword that played to one of my talents, and I got one. I think the basic idea is that I can use this like a regular sword, but also expand and heat the earth in the 'funny lines' into a lava cutting blade - though I will need some practice to master it, most likely." Sokka said, "See, I told you! He needed a lavabending weapon - just not my favorite, the boomerang. Okay, Bolin - time for us to start training. I guess I won't have to worry about you cheating and bending - good." With that, Sokka flew at Bolin, whose first instinct was to assume an earthbending stance and try to throw Sokka off balance. When his movements provided no results, he just grabbed his smaller sword and met the edge of Sokka's blade head-on, shattering his "lavasword" into two pieces.
Sokka laughed and said, "First, you try and earthbend instead of fighting with your sword, body and environment, and then that stupid block. What was that? Real combat isn't like those insipid movers Varrick makes, especially not the one you starred in - it's clear you've never seen a realistic parry." Bolin picked up his shattered sword, sniffing slightly, saying, "Now what am I gonna do?" Piandao stepped over and grabbed the two fragments, saying, "In a real fight, you'd have just lost one very expensive and labor-intensive sword, and would have to fall back on bending. Sokka, stop making faces at him! Anyways, since we are in the Spirit World, I can just mend the sword, and back to business as usual. Now try again - try to use your environment." Bolin exclaimed, "But if I could bend, I could just make my own!" A visibly angry Piandao slapped his own forehead, saying, "And I thought training Sokka was difficult. This is going to take a while - if you want to truly master the sword, you need an entirely different mindset. One that doesn't use bending as a crutch. No offense, Lady Katara or Avatar Korra."
As Katara let out a small sigh, Korra sat down and watched Bolin get beat mercilessly by Sokka many times. Bolin appeared to have trouble anticipating Sokka's moves, and it didn't help that Sokka apparently had the agility of a 15-year old boy and the strength of a 25-year old man. After Bolin collapsed to the ground in the wake of a particularly bad match, Korra yelled, "Bolin, when you're outside - can you earthsense?" After a dejected Bolin shook his head, Piandao said, "That makes taking in your surroundings as important as it is for a nonbender, Bolin, and unless you work on learning earthsense outside, you're going to continue getting beaten." Hearing a large hissing sound followed by a loud monkey howl, Korra turned to see Koh and Long Yumao still fighting, and she took the opportunity to refresh their prisons, not wanting them to crash Bolin's training. Sokka began training Bolin once again, after both took a short break to harass and mock the spirit prisoners.
Korra felt a small air movement beside her - almost as if someone had simply displaced it. Korra and Katara both turned to face a concerned Tenzin, who asked, "Is everything all right? I came to check - people are starting to get worried, with three motionless bodies just sitting on top of the marble." Tenzin turned to look at Korra's prisoners, laughing at a visibly intensified conflict between the two. Tenzin said, after a long sigh, "I can see you have imprisoned your main two concerns, Korra, but keep in mind that Long Yumao has followers - and they would not be happy to see the Spirit World used as a sparring ground." Korra infobended an explanation for what they were doing, apparently accidentally including her future bloodbending training. Tenzin looked at his mother in shock, saying, "Wait. So after you pushed for its outlaw, you're going to train the AVATAR to bloodbend? As your son, I'd never turn you or your trainee in, but remember - you hate it for good reason. And don't use fluffy animals - just think how I'd have to explain to your grandchildren and daughter-in-law if Korra accidentally… made a bloodbending mistake in the Avatar State and splattered fluffy creature into the waters around Air Temple Island." Katara, now visibly mad, asked Tenzin, "Okay, then - what do you suggest we use for bloodbending training? And just so you know, this training is non-optional. I don't want Korra suffocated by some blood-iron bending madman." Tenzin shrugged, saying, "If you want, I could help. It'd help to have a target that can fight back, or tell you to stop." Katara let out a shriek, saying, "NO, I'm not going to let one of my three children be used as a practice target - even if you are Korra's mentor!" Seeing that this conversation was going nowhere fast, Korra suggested, "Me and Katara could always practice on each other. Katara could drink a lot of water and let me try to move it around in her stomach to start with so I don't hurt her." Katara said, with only slight resignation, "That sounds okay to me - I did manage to break free from Hama's grasp, after all, and unlike my body, my bending has aged well." Satisfied that the conversation was done, Tenzin said, "Okay, let Bolin finish training with Sokka. Keep in mind, though - the time outside is starting to approach 12:00 PM, and your body may kick you out from hunger or thirst," and vanished.
Not liking the idea of another lecture on proper body care from Raava, Korra tried to think of a way to save some time. Korra got an idea that seemed stupid at first, but seeing that the twin spirit prisons were starting to look like they needed refreshing yet again, decided to carry it out anyways. She figured that knowledge was knowledge, even if she had no clue how to handle a sword. Korra yelled out to a reclining Piandao and a brawling Sokka and Bolin, who had apparently forgot Bolin was there to learn swordfighting and not wrestling, "Hey, guys, come over here! We're starting to run low on time, so we need to wrap this up - but I think I can still salvage the training session!" After a confused Sokka and curious Piandao joined Bolin in front of her, she explained her infobending to the uninitiated. Piandao agreed, but Sokka had some reservations, asking, "And you're sure Raava is going to help you with this? Aang never did anything like that." Korra felt a surge of energy, and noticed that Raava had joined them. The small spirit said, "Yes, I am, Sokka. Now put your palms on their foreheads, Korra - this is going to be a little tricky."
Korra extended her palm to a calm Piandao's forehead and Sokka's sweaty temple. She felt a rush of information enter her about fighting techniques and combat forms she had never trained in as the Avatar, and couldn't help but find them all very interesting. She moved her palms to a deeply-breathing Bolin's forehead, who said after she and Raava removed their hands, "Wow, that wasn't actually that bad this time. Although, it felt like for every three pieces of information you gave me, only two stuck - is it because I'm stupid or something?" Piandao laughed, saying, "No, it doesn't mean you're stupid - it just means you will have to complete your training with an actual physical sword. The last portion that escaped you was information from Sokka and I on how we bonded with our weapons and made them extensions of ourselves. If you want to truly master your 'lavabending sword', you will need a physical sparring partner." Piandao turned to Korra, saying, "I noticed your interest in the subject material as you withdrew information, Korra. If my hunch is right, due to your interest, you probably retained the same information as Bolin did. You would make excellent sparring partners."
With that, Piandao vanished, and Sokka gave his sister a big polarbear-dog hug, waving goodbye as he too dissipated. Making a final mocking face at Koh of her own, Korra withdrew from the Spirit World, taking Katara and Bolin with her. A now free Koh hissed through a serpentine face, "Long Yumao, thisss isss sssimply embarrasssing. We mussst get better sssecurity essstablissshed." Long Yumao's hide flashed in anger, causing Koh to ask "Why ssso ssseriousss?" As Long Yumao started to curse, Koh's face changed to that of a savage monkey and began laughing wildly.