Chapter 38: Daybreak
As Korra approached the meeting location, she noticed both Jinora and Kai curled up together, talking intently. Part of Korra envied them - they couldn't infobend. Remembering what Aang had said about its abuse, she told a distracted Asami, "Maybe if we talked more and infobended less, you'd feel better. How does that sound?" Asami sighed deeply, saying, "No, no - we feel as one while infobending, something I know you love," with a defeated air that made Korra suspicious. Landing a distance away from Jinora and Kai, Korra asked Asami in the early morning light, "Asami, do you get to feel that love any time other than infobending, sex, or holding your necklace?" Korra didn't like the way Asami's heart was beating rapidly as she said, "I... I'm not like you fully, Korra. It takes a lot for me to feel the feeling of oneness you savor so much. You? You can get it just from hugging me the right way. It takes a lot of sexual activity for me to feel it." Korra was shocked - Asami was lying, and she knew it! Figuring Jinora and Korra could wait, Korra said softly, "You're being too hard on yourself, Asami. Why are you lying - to me and yourself? I can tell you've felt the oneness more than just during sex, just from your heartbeat."
Asami had a very conflicted look on her face as she said, "I've only felt it a few times when I wasn't making love to you. Two times when we were battling Dark Korra, the first when I was punching her in the face as I thought of you, the second time when I pushed my hand onto your chest when you were staring at Dark Korra in the physical world. The third time was when we took the naked nap after the press conference." Korra half felt like slapping Asami across the face and yelling, "SO? Some people go entire LIFETIMES without ever feeling as one with another person!" but for some reason, this "failure" deeply disturbed Asami, and Korra didn't want to reduce her to tears.
Feeling out of her league, Korra said loudly, "Jinora - can you come over here and help me figure out what's wrong with Asami? I'm not doing anything until she's feeling better." Jinora came over with an oddly mature look on her face as she said, "I think what we want to show you can help with Asami's conflicted feelings. Kai and I were just talking, and we finally managed to come up with a good mantra for what we discovered yesterday, at 3:00 AM."
Figuring what Jinora meant based on her own experience, Korra grabbed Asami's shapely butt. Korra then hugged Asami tight enough around the chest that Korra felt Asami's soft breasts and Asami's quickening heartbeat - even through her vest. Korra's eyes glowed briefly from excitement. When Korra lifted off the ground slightly, Asami finally broke from her funk and returned the favor, hanging on with one hand as Korra felt Asami's other hand caress her face gently, kissing her as she said, "I love you, Korra - no matter what that nagging voice in my head thinks I do, or don't." Korra shuddered, saying loudly to a stunned Jinora, "Is THIS what you and Kai were doing yesterday - flying?" Korra said a dirty word loudly with enthusiasm and no shame, figuring it much better than just saying a body part's name like a greenhorn teenager, as Jinora and Kai had done. She suddenly found she could actually control her path now, half tempted to fly away from Jinora and Kai and make another private ice bubble. Both Jinora and Kai were staring with rapt attention, Kai blushing as he yelled, "Okay - you can stop demonstrating now!" Jinora said, protesting with a disappointed tone, "Aw, come on! I'm not a child, you know - show Kai what he should do to me later!" Asami laughed, obliging Jinora's request on Korra's chest in a lapse of judgment, saying, "Oh, great. Now I'm guilty of indecent conduct!" once the welcome grab was gone.
After she regained her focus from Asami's breast grab, Korra found something very odd with how Jinora was staring at them as they landed, much less her outburst - her expression wasn't appropriate for her age, spiritual advancement or not. Korra chuckled with a hint of nervousness in her voice, saying, "Something tells me Jinora and Kai don't mind, Asami. It's not like you directly grabbed my breast anyways. That look Jinora has - it'd find a better home on your own face, Asami." Frustrated that Jinora didn't take the subtle hint to stop being weird, Korra busied herself by taking Asami aside and asking, "What nagging voice in your head, Asami? Is it connected to why you were so glum just now?" Asami briefly looked like she was being tormented by something, but she said, "Yes - I don't know what it is, but it's been bugging me ever since you infobended me what you talked about with Atokara about love versus lust." Asami shook her head, saying, "Whenever it comes around, I get this awful feeling, like Dark Korra were in my head. It seems to be hypocritical too - what it says makes no sense." Korra took a deep breath, sighing as she said, "Looks like we have some work to do once I figure out what's going on with Jinora - it sounds an awful lot like your dark self." Seeing the wide look in Asami's eyes, Korra said, "It's okay, Asami - I'm here for you. You were there for me when I needed you most. You're not seeing things like I did, are you?" Asami shook her head, saying, "No, I - what is Jinora doing?"
Korra turned her head to see Jinora talking heatedly to a floating Kai, trying to catch up with regular airbending and failing. Jinora would try and grab Kai when she came close, saying, "Come on, Kai - you know you want to!" Korra and Asami recoiled in horror as Kai said, still trying to avoid Jinora, "What is wrong with you, Jinora? Yesterday, you refused Sharktar's gift and wouldn't even say 'penis', and … and now you seem like you're one hand away from grabbing mine! And I won't grab your breasts like that - not yet, and not for a long time if you keep chasing me!" As Jinora giggled and said, "Embrace your earthly tether, Kai!" Korra flashed her eyes briefly and enveloped Jinora in a block of ice, saying, "It sounds like you need to cool down, Jinora - and I noticed you can't fly like Kai is!" Jinora said what must have been her new favorite word three times before finally taking a deep breath, frustrated with her little icy time-out block and her inability to fly, grumbling.
Kai finally came down, talking to Jinora at eye-level while staying away from her mouth, saying passionately, "I can see why Sharktar warned you about the growth being permanent - you aren't ready to handle this at all! You've got to start thinking with your wonderful mind, and not your vagina!" Jinora started weeping slightly, saying, "You're right, Kai - but all this new feeling! My body seems like it's hijacked me! My parents never taught me how to deal with these emotions!" Korra said, whispering in Asami's ear, "Do you have any idea how to help Jinora with her new feelings? I didn't exactly get a stellar education from the White Lotus, and while my reaction wasn't as extreme as Jinora's, it wasn't fun." Asami smiled slightly, saying, "I did take all those dating courses, and my father made sure I knew how boys worked, inside and out. Maybe Jinora could use some infobending."
Apparently, Kai and Jinora had partially made up in the meantime, given how Jinora wasn't moving her head anymore. Kai leaned over, saying, "It's okay, Jinora - I'm not mad at you, just disappointed. Just because you found your sexual self doesn't mean you have to try and satiate it right away." Korra loosened the upper portion of Jinora's icy tomb, letting the two embrace as she said, "I didn't have sex until I was 22, Jinora, and even then, there was a relatively slow buildup to it. You may feel older than 14 mentally and spiritually, and you are, but your lack of knowledge about sex, courtesy of your upbringing, makes you ill-equipped to deal with your new feelings." Jinora nodded her head, saying, "Yes, you're right - that awful behavior of mine started with an appropriate butt grab, and ended with me being unable to fly 'properly' at all."
Still not having gotten a full explanation for why Korra and Kai could fly, but Jinora temporarily couldn't, Korra asked Jinora "Can you tell me more about this new mantra associated with this flying? Given your chase of Kai, you obviously didn't enter the void like Zaheer did, and neither did I." Jinora perked up after taking a breath, saying, "Originally, it was 'Embrace your earthly tether. Shun the void. Embrace your mortal body and become free. Empty shame and become wind.' Given my little self-control issue after I embraced my earthly tether too much, and your advice on going slow, the first word should probably be 'nurture'." Korra nodded her head vigorously, saying, "That sounds good to me, and encapsulates how this new flying feels to me as well. When I was grabbing Asami, and she grabbed me, the feeling of love was at least equal to the arousal." Korra laughed, adding, "If it was just arousal and not emotional attachment and love, I think some rogue airbender would have discovered it by now." Kai laughed as Jinora blushed, saying, "Can I get those dating lessons now? Something tells me Asami might also have some sex ed in her brilliant mind as well."
As Korra used infobending to take out the dating lessons and sex ed, Asami smiled, happy to feel the oneness with Korra. Korra laughed slightly as she started the sex ed, saying, "If I had those dating classes, maybe I wouldn't have failed so badly with Mako," and burst out laughing when Asami said, "No no no!" Just as Korra was about to finish the sex ed, she caught a glimpse of a disturbing figure, and given Asami's expression, she must have seen it as well. Putting it off until later, Korra walked over and freed Jinora from her ice prison, satisfied with the speed of her heartbeat. Before Korra could place her hand on Jinora's head, Jinora warned her, "There are some very disturbing images in there, and I will try my best to think of Kai while you make the transfer. I recommend you hold your jade betrothal necklace tight, Korra, in case you catch a glimpse before I'm ready to show you."
Grasping Asami's jade betrothal necklace, Korra noticed that the love within the necklace was also flowing into Jinora's brain, as a sort of measuring stick for when Jinora would be ready to have sex with Kai. Jinora didn't make a sound aside from the beginning and ending, saying, "Okay - if I feel that, I'll know I'm emotionally ready to do more than make out with Kai," at the beginning, and giggling slightly towards the end with the sex ed. Before she removed her hand, Korra saw what Jinora must have been warning about - an odd, yellow and black symbol that had the characters "Asami particles" written beneath it that was immediately replaced by a flash of light and a sickening mushroom cloud. After describing the image to Jinora, she smiled, saying, "It sounds like the necklace did its job after all - filtering."
Stepping back, Korra said, "I think we're done here. Let's just make sure we can all fly again, and then I can take a more in-depth look at what you and Kai saw and experienced yesterday." Jinora sighed, saying, "Are you sure you want the unfiltered version? It made the Painted Lady cry." Korra nodded her head, saying, "Yes - I do. Aang was telling me on the boat ride back during a break that I must see, and then disseminate this vision, before Raava shooed him off, saying, 'Only the relevant portion.' I just laughed at her and told her to get lost, and quit telling me what to do." Jinora laughed weakly, saying, "Okay - but you'll probably want to do Kai first. He doesn't really have anything disturbing. Well, aside from one thing, but it's nowhere near as bad as mine."
As Korra probed Kai's brain for information, she found most of it very uplifting, particularly his personal transformation and adeptness with dealing with powerful spirits. Korra loved how Kai had managed to fluster Koh. Korra only found part of the vision involving Jinshu Kuangmai amusing: his unbridled arrogance. She didn't like the fact that Jinshu Kuangmai could now enter people's visions, but suspected he would not be able to go into the actual Spirit World, given Long Yumao didn't like him very much. They wanted the same thing: to rule. Korra found the exchange with Sharktar very interesting, making note to try her best to never tell Atokara about his existence, but knew it was unlikely to stay a secret. As soon as she showed Asami, Atokara would know. Korra was surprised by how Kai managed to win over Wan Shi Tong - his taking of the blow intended for the information seeker reminded her of how he took a combustion blast from P'li. Seeing the previous day's events through Kai's eyes made her more understanding of Jinora's behavior as well - in some ways, she was like Asami, with a lot of pent up energy, Jinora's not even being entirely sexual. Just simple, basic facts and emotions had come off as a mystery to Jinora through Kai's eyes. Before Korra removed her hand, she gave Kai a mental note: "Ask me to project to June. She deserves something for her help." Kai thought, "No - I want to try first. Maybe after I try." Korra removed her hand, smiling as she said, "If I had known about all these inner spheres and transformative experiences, I would have tried meditating after I was poisoned."
Asami shook her head, saying, "I don't think that would have been a good idea, Korra - Dark Korra would have easily overwhelmed you. Plus, we have no idea if they even existed back then - they could be a new phenomenon." Korra's eyes glowed momentarily, hearing Raava's voice say, "Just as Kai's struggle mainly manifested itself in the endless blue, so do others have different settings for their struggles. Some don't even need a spiritual experience, like Korra. They learn their lessons through events. Some individuals can even change their mind and how they act, only having to struggle against their brain's 'habits', as science knows them." Korra started to open her mouth, but Raava interrupted, saying, "No, I'm not going to tell you what they're really working to change. You can disclose information about Jinora's most disturbing vision as you see fit, as far as I am concerned." When Raava returned to Korra, she heard her voice intone Most of the lessons learned by the beings on the plane that holds the planet "Earth" would be very valuable learning tools for ours. They have no Avatar - only great souls, some they call "prophets", and the others just their name alone, they were - and are - so great.
Curious to see what Raava was talking about, Korra took just one precautionary measure before infobending a calm Jinora, holding Asami's hand as she told her, "I love you - in every sense of the word. You'll be my mooring, Asami - get ready."
After some time had passed, Korra realized something - Jinora had skipped a huge time block! Korra heard Jinora think, "That will be saved for last, Korra - it is a vision worse than if Vaatu had won Harmonic Convergence." Korra saw more of Sharktar, this time from Jinora's perspective, and when she saw the adult Jinora, Korra thought, "I can see why you were tempted by his offer, Jinora - you're beautiful." Korra rolled her closed eyes when she heard Atokara's voice say, "I wanna go see Sharktar!" and laughed at Asami's stern "No!" and Atokara's curse, thinking to herself, "You can't use words like that when you're born, sweetie - no matter what Raava says." Korra savored all the positive feelings Jinora had - the awakening sensations, converting the Painted Lady, some very heavily edited emotions of happiness from what must have been Jinora's meeting with Aang, Jinora's joy at being able to fly…
After some time, Korra heard Jinora think, "Okay - least disturbing first, then everything else in one lump. After you get the last information, make ready - Dark Korra might see it as a time to strike." Korra was puzzled by Asami's gulp, but pressed on anyways, learning of what Yue had told her the incomplete truth on: dark meditation. Korra knew the power of love, but human hate must be strong as well - very strong, for Jinshu Kuangmai to retain not only his normal bending, but also his sick trademark.
As Korra witnessed Jinora's talk with Aang, with the worst saved for last - the vision, the death of Earth. She grasped Asami's hand tightly, thinking to herself, "Love must not run out. Not like that…" Korra could feel this being of light's sadness, something that Jinora had apparently not been able to do, and Korra realized that it closely resembled something Raava might "feel". The same went for the being of darkness - closer to Vaatu than Long Yumao.
Even though Korra could still feel Asami's hand and love, something about this last being slipped their connection, and Korra found herself standing in front of a familiar sphere - and figure. Pointing out her hand, noticing that she was emanating light from her face, Korra said, "I don't fear you. The only reason you're here is because someone from another plane played a little dirty trick." Dark Korra laughed, saying, "That's not entirely true - on both counts. I remember our last encounter, Korra - I've got backup this time."
Korra saw a metallic figure appear, with a dark, pulsating red-lined orb in its chest. And it laughed.
The last Asami knew, she was witnessing the destruction of a planet called Earth by Korranium and fusion weapons, idly wondering if this is what Uncle Iroh meant to warn about instead of some stupid gas. After an alien pulse of utterly insane, evil energy, finding herself preferring Vaatu over it, she found herself here. Staring at a white sphere with pulsing blue lines, one thought from the alien pulse of energy remaining: "Love… is…weak…stranger…No…matter…the…universe…"
As Asami looked around, she expected some odd form staring at her, or trying to place its hand on the white orb. After searching high and low, she shrugged in frustration. Looking at her neck, she screamed - the lovely betrothal necklace was blackened, with red lines!"
"Ahaha…ha…ha."
Asami clutched it tightly, thinking of her feeling of oneness with Korra, finding that it purified the necklace somehow. Flicking open the latch, she was relieved to see Korra's wonderful naked form there, completely normal.
Asami looked up after she heard a raspy voice say, "I wondered when you'd kick me out, Asami. But I want back in." Asami said, not yet looking at the figure fully, "You - you're the voice in my head! What do you want?"
"SEX. Lots and lots of sex. Lust is truth, Asami Sato."
Asami looked at the form in front of her with sadness, not disgust. It was a doppler of herself with exaggerated sexual features and ridiculous lingerie on, fanning itself with a very crudely engraved fan. When she looked at the face, however, she was shocked.
Her doppler had a feminine version of Amon's mask on.
Her doppler said, slowly, "I don't just want sex, Asami - I want benders to pay for what they did to our mother. I desire vengeance, retribution, to see Uncle Iroh's prophecy come about a madman's vision to pass. For nonbenders to eclipse those that can, and make them pay for all their crimes. With…. Technology!" With this, her doppler threw the lewd fan at Asami.
Asami dodged it as she said, "I don't see a dark half, whoever you are. I see an angry, scared, hurt little girl, who was repressed by her father and wants to make up for lost time by becoming a degenerate, obsessed with sex. I see a deep-seated hurt and fear - the loss of a loved one. We both lost our mother to horrible criminals. Mind telling me your name?"
As Asami saw tears dripping from the masked face, she heard the same, utterly insane voice from before say, "No… no…. NO! The… secret…must…not…escape…" Asami shook her head side to side, saying, "Whoever you are, being of darkness from the plane of Earth, I love you too. You remind me a lot of Azula - hurt. Just a whole… hell of a lot crazier."
After she spoke these words, Asami heard a horrible, pained gasp from whoever this was as her doppler's mask shattered, revealing a crying little girl's face underneath that she recognized as her own. Asami ran over, embracing the doppler as she said, "You can love somebody and have lots of good sex too - just look at Korra and I. If you have somebody to love, you have no reason to hate." Asami noticed that her doppler was now the size of a proper four-year old, and fully dressed. The mini-Asami said, tugging on Asami's skirt, "Will you be my mommy, Asami?" After whisking up her four-year old self and saying, "Of course! I love being mommy Asami!" she saw the little form split in three, one settling in her heart, the other in her stomach, the final one in her betrothal necklace.
When Asami grabbed her betrothal necklace, she smiled broadly - finally, the feeling of love was equal to the sexual feelings in power. Thinking of Korra, she vanished from the internal "room".
Korra knew full well who this laughing maniac approaching Dark Korra was, but she didn't dare let herself feel fear. Korra took a deep breath, putting her hands together, index fingers extended straight at Jinshu Kuangmai's metal form. Thinking of Asami, Korra let loose a massive, concentrated blast of blue flame from her fingers, unleashing an uncontrolled billow of flame from her open mouth as she exhaled. Korra smiled when she saw how part of Jinshu Kuangmai's metal form was melting from the flame.
Jinshu Kuangmai took a deep breath, partially melted hands temporarily fusing together as he said, "Tempered by HATRED!" As Korra watched his form heal almost immediately, she heard Dark Korra laugh in a raspy voice, "You can't melt him, stupid - even if your flame is blue from love and not hatred, as it should be!" Dark Korra began moving her hands, cackling as she said, "Let's see how you like being bloodbended - it's been far too long. The fear Amon produced in you…" Korra didn't feel anything. She laughed, saying, "You're the stupid one - Tarrlok couldn't stop his brother with bloodbending, and I'm more powerful than you!" As her dark doppler cursed, Jinshu Kuangmai let out a chilling laugh as he said, "Two heads are better than one. Prepare to die. I'm going to enjoy this, after my failure with Kai and the missed opportunity with my accursed sister, Lin."
Korra tried to break the connection, making Dark Korra and Jinshu Kuangmai laugh, along with an alien voice that Korra somehow knew was the being of darkness from Earth's plane. The voice said, slowly, "I…don't…play…by…the...rules…'Avatar'…Korra…" Clutching her betrothal necklace, Korra yelled, "Show yourself, you coward!" The voice laughed, saying, "I…have…no…one…true…form. Many...try…to…describe…fully…but…all…fail…"
Not really caring if this horrible thing's true form was Pabu, Korra said loudly, "You all share one weakness. Let's see how you like this!" Korra closed her eyes, thinking, "You want to fight? Then help me!" remembering she was still touching Asami in the physical world.
Korra smiled broadly when she heard Atokara's voice say, "Sure, momma Korra! I wanna kill Jinshu Kuangmai for real this time - he's bad!" Korra opened her eyes, looking for Atokara. After a shimmer appeared next to her, she heard all three evil beings laughing hysterically, the two more familiar ones practically immobilized with laughter. Atokara turned to Korra, who barely had time to take in her daughter's beautiful face as Atokara asked, "Why are they laughing, momma Korra? Are they stupid?"
Jinshu Kuangmai said, barely avoiding breaking into laughter again, "I've killed a three-year old before, and I fail to see how one year's difference in age will make you any less weak! I never thought I'd get to kill an unborn child before." Atokara's face became enraged, her ruby lips opening wide as she screamed, "I'm NOT weak! Watch this, you goon!"
Atokara's form shifted, shimmering as it expanded into a shape that was decidedly not four years old. Atokara took a deep breath as she grabbed a stunned Korra's hand and betrothal necklace. Korra felt a whole different kind of love coursing through her, laughing as she heard the disembodied voice actually screech, "AUGH, no! Every plane, it's the same - why is what is so weak so powerful!" Korra yelled, "Maybe you should just give up then!" After what sounded like a snake having a double take, it screamed, "No - that's not an option!", finishing with a curse that made Atokara and Korra laugh heartily.
Korra and Atokara advanced, no longer holding hands. Korra slowly approached Dark Korra, saying, "Whoever that was, he sounded awfully crazy, and dumb - even conflicted. Too bad you're not more like him." Getting an odd idea, Korra made to place her palm on Dark Korra's bloody forehead, liking the horrified look on Dark Korra's face. Shrinking to the size of a four-year old to avoid Korra's thumb, she screamed, "You're not going to infobend me, Korra! I don't care about your lovey-dovey garbage! I'm outta here! Nice knowing you, Jinshu Kuangmai!" He howled in rage, "I'll fight to the death - and win! I don't fear either one of you!"
Korra turned to Atokara, seeing she did have Asami's hands, along with a blue nail polish that matched what little of Atokara's face Korra had properly processed in the commotion - she had Korra's blue eyes, except deeper. Korra made to assist Atokara, but her daughter said in an incongruously mature voice, "I can do it, momma Korra! Watch! Jinshu Kuangmai can't even blood-iron bend me!" Atokara rapidly swept a large amount of water from the "air", sweeping it on the ground enough to muddy it. Atokara then placed her hands together much as Korra had earlier, projecting a concentrated, high-velocity muddy water at Jinshu Kuangmai's wrist instead of blue flame. Korra was shocked by what she saw - somehow, Atokara had used cloudy water to cut Jinshu Kuangmai's metal hand clean off! The stump was now oozing a reddish metal as he howled in pain.
Making the same motions as she pointed her twin blue fingernail tipped index fingers at Jinshu Kuangmai's upper shoulder, Atokara said excitedly, "You won't hurt momma Korra, or anyone again! Now, to finish the job!" Jinshu Kuangmai dodged to the other side, just in time to avoid the powerful stream of water, saying, "Once I fix my hand, I'm out of here! There - fixed. I love this metal form - and nothing else." Overstaying his welcome, Jinshu Kuangmai said, "Your daughter is a freak - unnatural! Look at those stupid white hair braids! Not to mention, she has two mothers!"
Korra looked at the back of Atokara's naked form in awe - the twin white hair braids were glowing, much as Korra's own eyes might have! As soon as it had started, it stopped, Atokara cursing with a word Raava must have taught her, saying as she turned to face Korra more fully, "I wanted to make him pay for that, but he ran away! What a coward!" Korra ran over, hugging Atokara as she said, "You're beautiful, Atokara - now I can see why you want to visit Sharktar." Atokara's deep blue eyes glittered as she asked, "Can I, momma Korra? I can fight!" Korra shook her head, saying, "It sounded like Sharktar is a forgetful spirit - there's probably some side effect that he couldn't remember. Even Jinora and Kai are going to wait to go to him." Korra tussled Atokara's beautiful white hair braids that stood up above her head much like Korra's own old hairstyle, wanting to say something, but forgetting what it was.
Lightly grabbing one of the twin hair braids, Korra inspected it, making sure she wasn't hallucinating. Atokara giggled, saying, "Do you like my hair, momma Korra? I know you already saw the braids earlier - you cheated!" Korra laughed, saying, "I can't help it if I think my daughter is beautiful, sweetie. I don't remember these blue lines in your hair, though - and they definitely don't look like hair dye." Atokara giggled, saying with a voice that Korra now realized most closely resembled a more confident and aggressive Asami's, "I'm going to grow and change as I get older, momma Korra, aside from the puberty thing you told me about. Those Raava blue hairs in my hair braids are just part of it!" Korra found herself hoping that puberty and the blue hairs were all the changes, chalking up Atokara's statement as childish exaggeration. When she asked Atokara, she said, "Sorry, momma Korra - the biggest part is going to be growing up and learning!" Korra smiled, saying, "Good."
Korra felt a tap on her shoulder, turning around to see a smiling Asami. Asami said, "Mind if I join? I've just been listening in for a while. I'll explain what happened to me later, or you can just infobend it." Atokara said excitedly, "Infobend! I like how you feel when Korra infobends you, mommy Asami." Stepping over to Asami, Korra gave her a hug, saying, "I'm glad you're all right. Some being of darkness slipped our connection - apparently, from the plane of Earth." Asami surprised Korra with her response, saying, "Yeah - me too. I just told him I loved him and he fled. How sad…" Asami hugged Korra tighter, saying, "I can finally feel the feeling of oneness right now, Korra. Now let's stop talking about us, and get back to admiring our beautiful daughter. We won't see her like this for another fourteen years. You know, given how it sounds like she's going to be eight physically before she's even one."
Atokara loved the attention as Korra and Asami stared, at times walking around to see what their daughter would look like at their own age - 22. Korra noticed that Atokara didn't retain her cute little four-year old stomach, but she was still curvy. Borderline impractical curvy. Korra said, looking at her wide hips, Atokara's other mother's long, shapely legs and slightly larger cute butt, "I'll have to ask Jinora to ask Aang how you have a curvier body than we do, Atokara. Maybe it's got something to do with these 'genes' I heard him mention." Korra ignored an odd tug on her mind - Raava could wait her turn. Asami pointed, blushing as she said, "Your breasts - I wish I had them!" Asami clearly finding the whole affair surreal. Atokara laughed innocently, saying, "I hope they don't get in the way - I wanna fight well way more than being 'sexy'!" Korra laughed, saying, "Don't worry - I don't think they will. You fought just fine before mommy Asami came," as she patted Atokara on her shoulder. Atokara nodded, adding, "But that was without any stupid clothes to get in the way!" Asami pointed to herself, then Atokara, saying, "Given how much you take after mommy Asami already, once you are actually in that body, I don't think you will curse your boobies, sweetie." Atokara crossed her powerful brown arms, saying, "No! I'll always be the same as I am now - puberty, boobies and curvies or not!"
As Asami laughed hysterically, Korra finally got a good, long look at Atokara's now smiling face. Her daughter had the deep blue irises she had seen earlier, though the eye's shape was like that of an almond, like Asami's. Atokara had Asami's eyebrows, and Korra suppressed a snicker when she saw what appeared to be mascara on Atokara's face. Atokara must have noticed Korra staring at her eyes, as her daughter said, "My eyes are bluer than yours because of Raava, momma Korra. I like mommy Asami's eye lipstick." Korra laughed, saying, "It's called mascara, Atokara. It looks beautiful on your older body, but I hope you'll wait until you're older to wear it." Atokara sighed, saying, "Only if I can wear mommy Asami's lipstick. Deal?" Korra shook Atokara's hand, saying, "Now I see your business sense first hand. Maybe you can give Varrick a run for his money." Atokara shrugged, saying, "I got mommy Asami and momma Korra - I don't see why I need all that dumb money." Korra embraced Atokara again, saying, "You're sweeter than I thought, Atokara. Now let momma Korra see your hair better - it looks complicated."
As Atokara showed off for Asami and Korra, Korra asked, "Where'd you get the hair loopies? You haven't seen Katara yet." Atokara giggled, saying, "When mommy Asami was busy thinking of you last night, I sneaked around in her head, and saw Katara's face. Once I found that part of my name comes from hers, I loved them even more." Caressing one of Atokara's twin brown hair braids in Korra's old style, Korra said, "Given these ponytails, like what momma Korra used to wear before she cut her hair, you must have seen my past self as well." Atokara nodded, saying, "Yeah - why did you cut your hair, momma Korra?" Korra shrugged, not really knowing the answer. Eager to return to looking at her daughter, and not talking, Korra took in her nose, seeing it was pointed and slight like Asami's was. She had Asami's full lips, but Korra found herself cradling Atokara's chin, saying, "The only thing you got from me on your face was my eye color and my chin." Atokara smiled, saying, "I'm getting a little tired, momma Korra and mommy Asami. I'm going to go now."
Asami hugged her daughter, but as Korra followed, she felt her own eyes glow temporarily before a slightly annoyed Raava said from behind Korra's back, "I was trying to 'answer' your question on genes earlier when I tugged at your mind, Korra." Korra finished her hug with Atokara and turned around, giving Raava a confused look, saying, "I thought you wouldn't answer questions like that?"
Raava's human-y form nodded, saying through her small mouth, "Ordinarily, no, I would not. After seeing how many times the… being of darkness from another plane interacted with you earlier, Korra, I figured a little explanation on a much happier subject couldn't hurt." Korra stepped aside, letting Raava see Atokara, Raava saying, "Now that I see them, I have no idea. Maybe one of your grandparents were particularly well-endowed. Phenotypic traits, which some genes encode, can skip generations." Atokara giggled, saying, "The only 'endowment' I care about right now is how good I can fight!" Raava cursed mildly, saying, "I don't even have the equipment needed for a thingie, and here you are, ignoring your great gifts. Go figure." Atokara looked like she was going to say something but said, "Never mind, Raava - you're doing good to be human-y as is," prompting Raava to ask what Atokara wanted to say, stamping her small foot in frustration when Atokara refused to answer.
Raava took a deep breath and now had a serious look on her face, saying, "I can't remember, even in ten thousand years, that being bothering anyone on our plane. I don't think he can contact anyone but myself, Vaatu or Korra, seeing as she is the Avatar." Asami shook her head, saying, "I had a little vision of my own, in case you forgot, Raava. The same nasty voice was present in mine as well." Raava started to frown at first, but then she smiled as she said, "Good - in a way. I guess that means he's losing, like Long Yumao is." Korra was tired of talking about this nasty being with no name, saying, "Do you think you could show us this being?" Raava shouted, "NO! He's even crazier than Vaatu is - everything on their plane is more concentrated, given they have no easily accessible spirits. I will show you a song someone wrote about him on Earth, so you can see the parallels between our plane and Earth's plane better." Raava said four alien words, then shook her head, saying, "Sorry - I forgot that this Earth has many alien languages, one of the strangest of which is 'English'. Even I can barely make sense of it at times, when I am inclined to think of it."
Korra wanted to ask about this dark being's counterpart, but Raava anticipated her question, saying, "All you need to know about the good guy is that he's a lot more human-y and lovey-dovey than I am." Asami said, tensing her face slightly, "Does he love his enemy, like I told whoever this dark guy is?" Raava nodded her head, saying, "Enough. Let me just show you this song, seal you and Korra against further intrusions, and get out of here. Jinora and Kai are probably worried sick - I wouldn't be surprised if everyone that loves you both are sitting outside in the physical world right now."
At Raava's instruction, Korra and Asami sat together on the floor, this just making Korra all the more ready to get out. Atokara sat down, at first shrinking to her four-year old self until Raava said, "Not yet, Atokara - I'll need your help to seal against this intruder. Love affects him much more greatly than it does Vaatu, or even Long Yumao." Raava laughed as Atokara said, "Can you show me the song too?" replying, "Sure - I've never tried to infobend through a foot before."
As Raava finally began, Korra felt an odd knowledge enter her head, finding herself thinking in an entirely different language but still understanding herself, even knowing the song's title now: "Sympathy for the Devil". As she listened to the catchy tune, which was in itself alien, with what sounded like a piano and drums in a rhythm she had never heard before, a series of images and feelings came to her mind. First, she saw a man on a cross, nailed to the wooden form and a crown of thorns on his head in an act of barbarism she could have never imagined until now, men in partial metal armor and strange helmets laughing at him. She saw the English words "One of many great human prophets and thinkers" appear beneath him, realizing this must be the "Jesus Christ" from the lyrics. Once she had processed this information, she saw a much more familiar face, this man breathing his dying gasp - Avatar Wan. Proper characters said below him, "First Avatar, great soul."
Once the song started talking about some city called "St. Petersburg", Korra saw dual images appear, both with moving flags in the background. The first was an alien flag, its blood red form and strange crossed yellow hammer and sickle waving behind a bald man. Strange characters appeared beneath him and his distinctive beard and mustache, the characters looking like someone blindly metalbended English words while drunk. Korra had no trouble with the figure on the right - Kuvira's stony face was facing in the same direction as what Raava sounded out as the man's name: "Lenin". Korra was surprised to see proper characters form beneath both Kuvira and this Lenin's face, saying "Bad - but the worst is to come." Korra could feel herself crying slightly as she saw both flags stained with blood, the Earth flag again showing the most barbarism, looking as though it was soaked in the blood of many millions. Lenin and Kuvira vanished, replaced with a horrible looking man with a bushy mustache Raava identified as "Stalin" replacing him, and a fleshy version of Jinshu Kuangmai replacing Kuvira. Korra found this Stalin so off-putting, she didn't even have time to get a good look at Jinshu Kuangmai.
Hoping to hear more music and not just pause on images - again - Korra was disappointed to see a blonde-haired, blue eyed man riding the cupola of what appeared to be a tank intermediate between existing tanks and the one Bumi and Asami had designed. Raava imparted a feeling of dread when Korra looked at his hat, its eagle and strange, angular symbol stained in the blood of many millions as well, seeing a twin image of some horrible atrocity against what must have been humans unlucky to be born with a six-sided yellow star next to the bones of air nomads. Korra knew the next figure better, but he still chilled her to the bone. It was Admiral Zhao, holding a Fire Nation symbol in one hand and what Raava had labeled as a "swastika" in the other hand on the deck of his ship. Korra was disturbed by how he threw the Fire Nation symbol into the sea, grinning savagely, apparently liking the horrible Earth symbol of evil better than his own nation's.
Korra thought angrily, "Just how barbaric are these Earth savages?" Raava did not respond, merely replaying something she had said earlier : "Everything on their plane is more concentrated, given they have no easily accessible spirits". Korra started to see images of some 100 Year's War – but not Aang's. As Korra began to cry harder, Raava replaced the gruesome images with something much more uplifting. Korra was glad to see a strong-looking girl in full body armor aside from her face instead. This woman had a flag in one hand, a small sword in the other, yelling "Vive la France!", inspiring the soldiers around her to fight to defend their home, "France", against the English aggressors she had seen earlier. Once the text "Jeanne d'Arc" vanished from below her form, so did this heroic woman, replaced by a much more familiar woman hero. Korra managed to hear Atokara say "Katara!" out loud as Katara gave her inspirational speech to the Earth Kingdom prisoners, Haru and his reluctant father, Tyro. Remembering what Korra had "said" earlier, Raava paused, saying, "Earth is not all savages, Korra - you wouldn't condemn our world that way just based off Jinshu Kuangmai, would you?"
Korra said, out loud, "Of course not! Now can we just finish the song, without any more horrible images, please? I like this 'Jeanne d'Arc' – I hope nothing bad happened to her." Raava obliged Korra after an audible nervous chuckle. Raava still let slip brief, concentrated feelings and images, the last one a crazy man with a swastika on his forehead in what looked like a courtroom next to a depiction of Azula going insane in front of her mirror. Opening her eyes, she asked a morose looking Raava, "What is wrong with those people, Raava?" Raava sighed, saying, "I don't know - I chose this 'job' for a reason. I don't see how… the good guy handles those beasts. At the very least, the last I saw, they're improving, and significantly. That must be why the bad guy is so desperate, trying to harass our plane." Now smiling, Raava said, "Now let's make sure they don't come here uninvited. I don't want any of their stupid current divisive zealots coming into contact with someone, and spreading something that I only see causing trouble on their plane. Killing each other in the name of the good guy… pathetic, and sad."
Korra was starting to see why Raava had never shared Earth with an Avatar before. Korra took a deep breath, trying her best to remove the disturbing images from her mind, saying, "Let's get this over with." As the words left her mouth, she noticed their defeated tone - one she hadn't had since fully recovering from Zaheer's poisoning. Being the first to place her hand on the white yin and yang sphere, she noticed something odd - the lines.
They appeared as though they were an endless black. Never-ending hunger, unceasing, unrelenting. Korra took a jagged breath, witnessing things Raava had not shown. An image of some sort of factory, an awful scent, black, black ash… the realization that death and misery was its only product. A floating swastika, tearing into a map of a strange continent with vengeance and hatred, leaving smoking death in its wake, and worst… more of these "factories". The swastika was shattered, Korra briefly seeing the image of a man with a strange, small mustache, only to be replaced by another face she recognized. Half the same strange continent was enveloped by a red tide as the man spoke in a guttural language, the factories gone. After some sort of time skip, Korra saw the horrible Meesiles from Jinora's vision begin to launch, ice somehow forming on their sides as they reached towards the sky, streaking towards a familiar land mass.
Seeing the result a second time, with dark energies added, Korra's heart felt about ready to shatter. As she heard menacing laughter, Korra's feeling changed entirely. She knew that Earth wasn't dead - this was just one possibility, someone telling her gently, "This outcome is exceedingly rare, Avatar Korra. Do not fear - only love." Korra felt her fear and anguish fade, replaced by a sadness that seemed as ancient as Raava.
Korra removed her hand from the orb, smiling as she noticed the lines were blue once more. Recalling Raava and flaring her eyes, she heard a shrieking - but it wasn't Dark Korra. Korra envisioned a small, void-filled, confused, violent and insane little boy, saying three words that shattered him into a million dark shards.
"I love you."
As she opened her eyes, she saw Raava standing in front of her, crying happily as she said in a proud voice, "Good job, Korra - I can't bring myself to 'love' Vaatu, let alone a much more horrible being from another plane of existence. Let's do what we need to, and get back to our own damn business." Korra nodded, saying, "Our own business – that sounds good to me." Korra placed her hand on the orb, joined by Asami and Atokara. Her daughter said, eyes wide, "Maybe my bending isn't my best power, momma Korra - it's my love for you and mommy Asami." Korra heard the same gentle someone's voice from before sigh as Asami, Atokara and Raava made to help her lock out any unwelcome guests - from this plane, or any other.
Before they could start, a particular small, annoying dark spirit managed to interrupt. Raava laughed, saying, "Long Yumao was right – Vaatu doesn't have any restraint," as the foolish red and black kite spirit poked his head out of a now-open teapot clasp proudly. Vaatu confidently said, "Love won't work on me – my Earthly counterpart is a fool! Now just get out of the way, and let me touch that obnoxiously white sphere you want to ruin, so I can have a proper Avatar. Unalaq was a failure." Seeing Raava stuff him back into the teapot, Vaatu's presence reminded Korra of a boast he had made about being willing to share dangerous information with Jinshu Kuangmai. Korra said, walking towards Raava, "I think it's time we actually made that stupid teapot a proper prison. Hold it in your hands, Raava – let's see if we can shut Vaatu's yap permanently." Raava snickered at Vaatu's muffled protests, helping Korra imbue the metal clasps with both their energies. Raava cursed angrily when Vaatu just popped the latch back open and came out, laughing maniacally. Vaatu said before he returned, "You'll have to lock me in the Tree of Time and close all three spirit portals if you want to be rid of me, Avatar Korra and Raava. All that did was prevent me from contacting Jinshu Kuangmai just now." Cursing in frustration from inside the open pot, he said, "And probably forever! I was going to try and give him blueprints for a Korranium weapon, but you stopped me. I liked how those Earthlings managed to destroy their own world in one alternate, without any real help." Korra slammed the teapot's clasp shut, managing to fuse all but one stubborn metal clasp shut with her bending as she said glumly, "I hope Jinshu Kuangmai doesn't figure it out himself, or any of his scientists."
After Asami gave her a big hug, Korra felt up to channeling their shared love into the yin and yang sphere, savoring the unfiltered feeling of oneness as they did so. Atokara added her own love for momma Korra and mommy Asami as Raava joined them, Raava adding in many past Avatar's loves, all but a few being unfamiliar. While Korra was not surprised at Avatar Wan's selfless love for the world, Avatar Garkan's love for Ryung, or Aang's love for Katara and their children, Korra was confused by one Avatar's love. After they were done, Korra removed her hand from the sphere, saying, "Wait – Avatar Roku had a wife and a daughter? Long Yumao didn't mention that…" Raava laughed hysterically, saying, "What – did you not remember what the White Lotus taught you about Avatar Roku, Zuko's mixed heritage, what you saw of Aang's life, or even Avatar Roku's recent comment to Firelord Izumi about his blood running in her veins?" After Korra slapped her forehead much as Lin might have, Asami added in a much gentler tone, "Long Yumao isn't exactly a good source of wisdom, Korra. Vaatu may not be able to lie very well, but Long Yumao shares a penchant for lies with this 'devil' from that song." Korra sighed deeply, prompting Asami to say, "I'm sure there are good things about Earth and its plane as well, Korra – maybe Aang could show you some time." Korra nodded her head, saying, "That sounds good – I need to scrub the image of that death factory out of my mind." Raava cursed, saying, "That little, no-good, sneaky… That's one of the worst things I've ever seen, Korra – and I have lost Harmonic Convergence before." Korra gasped, saying, "But I thought Vaatu was locked from the physical world until three Harmonic Convergences ago!" Raava shook her head, saying, "His old imprisonment was the result of a particularly bad previous loss on his part. In reality, it was just particularly easy to keep him in check – it was not until Wan locked him up that he was truly trapped. I am just glad the teapot prison has held so well. We have been fighting ever since time began. The universe is much older than thirty thousand years – people on the plane of Earth have fossils of animals that are millions of years old, some of the first forms of life on their planet leaving behind evidence billions of years old."
Finding that the more she learned of this other plane, Korra had more new questions than resolved ones, Korra asked one final question: "Why don't we have fossils, Raava?" Raava laughed, saying, "I didn't say we had no fossils, Korra - Vaatu destroys them out of spite for life whenever he wins Harmonic Convergence, frustrated that he cannot eradicate life entirely on our planet. All historical records share a similar fate and all human's memories are wiped blank by the chaos and hatred that follows a victory. Only my own victory can restore order." Raava let out a dejected sigh, saying, "It's like a constant reset button, and it came awfully close to being pressed again when Unalaq became the first Dark Avatar. And hopefully, only…" Asami hugged Raava as she said, "Maybe we can stop the reset button from being pushed, with fusion powered 'spirit' weapons. Kuvira was right to want a failsafe. I doubt even a Dark Avatar could stand up to a multi-nation army of Colossus spirit cannon weapons, even if they don't have your energy." Raava smiled, saying, "I never thought a human would be cheering me up. Now let's go make sure this cheery woman won't be bothered any more as well."
Korra grabbed Asami's heart and betrothal necklace, throwing in a little boob pinch for good measure once they had reached Asami's sphere. Once Korra, a pleased Asami, Raava and Atokara had locked Asami's "door", Raava said, "I do not think this weird being can return during your lifetime, Korra. The only reason he was able to bother Asami was your close bond, and a little desperate cheat he used – a one-time gambit, I hope. I will make sure to contact the next Avatar's parents as soon as he or she is born, using their help to lock that monster out, and for every Avatar after that, for the rest of time." Korra nodded, asking, "This doesn't mean that I can't learn anything else about Earth, does it? After feeling an ancient sadness, as old as you, I want to learn more – though nothing aside from the practical or novel. You can keep your awful little visions where they belong. I didn't see any lessons from them that I couldn't have learned from looking at a history book, talking to a past life, or even just talking to someone on the street. Not even the vaguely positive ones."
Raava said in a huff, "I decide what to show, and you needed to see those images to understand just who that being of darkness was!" Korra laughed, saying bitterly, "I figured him out just fine from my interactions with him. Better than you understand him, in some ways. I'd like all that stuff gone. Erased. Nothing. Especially the death factory. You can leave Jeanne d'Arc and Jesus Christ, though." Raava sighed, saying, "Last request denied. Knowledge can't hurt you, Korra. I will honor your more positive request, however. I already told you about fossils, after all." Running over and hugging Korra's legs, Raava said, "I need to learn more about being human-y as well. That is why I want to see more of Earth – the good and the bad, Korra." Korra half felt like kneeing the little smug spirit in the face, merely saying, "I'm not dropping this issue, Raava. Let's come back to this." Raava nodded, saying, "Fine – maybe Asami or Atokara can help convince you otherwise." Raava's face turned sullen as Atokara and Asami howled in laughter, Atokara saying, "I don't wanna know anything I don't hafta, especially not nasty crap I can't do anything about! You're crazy!"
After Raava returned to her and Korra gave Atokara one last long, strong hug, Korra was about to leave, but stopped, stepping back from Atokara, pointing to her own clothes. Korra said, "Mind showing us what you might wear on your wedding day, Atokara? Or even just any regular day?" Atokara laughed, saying, "I guess I can't have a nude wedding, momma Korra. I'll show you, then you gotta go." Korra started crying, asking, "Will I still be able to see you? When I hold Asami?" Atokara nodded her head, saying, "Of course, momma Korra! Even in this big body, though I don't think you want to see it as much as my 'cute' four-year old self, for whatever reason." With that, Atokara grinned, now wearing what Korra recognized as her own outfit, except with a white and light blue yin yang symbol on her chest. Atokara gave Korra a light child's kiss, saying, "I wanna be like momma Korra too, you know. I got mommy Asami's face." Korra was too happy to move, instead gasping at Atokara's new, much more formal dress. Atokara wheeled away from Korra, giggling, "Maybe clothes aren't so bad after all - I feel pretty." Asami said, "Your dress is beautiful, Atokara! I like the white and light blue yin and yang on your chest. I like how it's displayed even more - you aren't ashamed of your body." Atokara smiled, Korra liking the dress's chest that accentuated what her mothers gave her. Korra said, dead serious, "I think I'm going to make my wedding dress like yours, Atokara. It's prettier than my formal dress, and I'm sure Asami will like it better too."
Asami laughed, saying, "You got that right, Korra - though I wouldn't mind a plainclothes wedding. They're a lot easier to remove than a dress, if you know what I mean." Korra stamped her foot, saying, "I'm the Avatar, and you gotta deal with it!" As Asami and Atokara laughed, Korra said glumly, "I never really got to wear dresses when I was little." The last thing Korra remembered was Asami saying gingerly, "If you want dresses, for both of us, I'm good with that too. Anything for you," the kiss sending Korra back to the physical world.
Apparently, Raava had pegged Jinora's reaction to the entirely too long stay in Korra and Asami's inner world. Looking around silently, at first, Korra was alarmed at what she saw - everyone who could bend was standing ready around her and Asami, almost as though they were about to attack! Before Korra could speak, she realized why they had done so - they must have feared the worst, and were prepared to do their best to take out Korra, had Dark Korra won. Korra gave a broad smile, flashing her eyes white to re-assure everyone that nothing bad was going to happen. Seeing that this eased everyone, Korra decided to kiss Asami after she said, "I love you with all my heart, Asami," for good measure.
Korra was baffled by the reactions she heard. Tenzin, who had not been in the circle, embraced Pema, saying, "Whatever those weird words Korra just said? Ditto," before he kissed her on the mouth, making Pema giggle. Bolin hugged Opal tightly, saying, "You might not be Dark Korra, but you sure don't speak like a normal person!" as Opal laughed. As Korra took in the first reactions, Asami said exasperatedly, "What's so funny? Korra just told me 'I love you with all my heart, Asami.' Nothing weird!" Asami joined Korra in her confusion, saying, "Why is everyone looking like we're aliens from another planet?" Korra could hear Raava laughing hysterically in her head, refusing to reveal anything. Picking up a stick and poking Korra, Meelo asked, "Are you and Miss Asami okay, Miss Korra? You're talking all weird, and I can't understand you! You sound like a weird dog!"
Sick and tired of Raava's refusal to explain and her constant laughter, Korra booted her out and yelled, "Tell me what's going on, Raava - you know why everyone thinks Asami and I are crazy!" At first, Raava appeared to be hesitant, then crossed her arms fully, saying, "I've never seen this before, and it's too funny to let it stop! Even Vaatu thinks it's funny - just look at the teapot around my neck!" Nobody batted an eye when Vaatu popped out, saying, "I've never heard an Avatar speak in English before, much less her annoying love interest!" as he dodged Raava's small hand, retreating back inside for good measure. Given how no one reacted to Raava or Vaatu's words with anything but shaking heads, confused looks, or loud exclamations of "What?!", the spirits must have been speaking in English too. Asami started laughing, saying, "Atokara just told me she can understand what Raava and Vaatu said - it sounds like we have a 'secret' language, Korra!" A flood of words came to Korra's mind, and she said softly, "And I think this 'English' is a lot more sexy - Assami." As Asami hugged Korra tightly and said, "Oooh - I like that nickname, Korra. I'll have to think of one for you later," Tenzin asked with a straight face, "Why did you say Asami's name like that? And why are you and Raava laughing at me wildly?"
Finally tiring of this bizarre occurrence, Korra closed her eyes briefly, saying when she opened them, "Let's just say I can explain partially in a minute with infobending. And no, Meelo, I will not tell you what 'ass' means, or let anyone in on this weird language called 'English'." Meelo crossed his arms, saying, "Rats!" dejectedly. Korra turned to Raava, saying in English, "I need you back in here, Raava - I want to see what Asami experienced, and then I'll need a lot of help editing what went on in there. Got it? No. Death. Factories. Or anything but Jeanne d'Arc or Jesus Christ, for that matter, and even then, only if they are relevant. I want to keep the 'devil' a secret – a closely guarded one." Raava shook her head, saying in the odd language Korra was starting to love, "No. Aside from making knowledge of English temporary as I had originally intended for you two and Atokara for everyone else, I'm not behind any editing. It's not like showing them Korranium and fusion weapons' use is any worse than what happened in there with the exception of Auschwitz, and the Air Nomads were a lot closer to being wiped out than the Jews were anyways. I imagine Jinora would love to hear their story – it has a happy ending."
Raava returned on her own, but Korra had some very large misgivings. Saying loudly, "Just a minute – I need to talk to Raava with Asami," Korra grabbed Asami's arm, saying in English, "I'm not showing that garbage to anyone unless they ask for it, and I have the bad feeling Raava wants to show us more. I imagine Jinora will be curious, but I'll let Aang decide when information about planet Earth is relevant. Raava has proven she doesn't have mature judgment yet." Liking how Asami nodded her head, Korra laughed when Asami said in English, "Atokara thinks you're right, and that Raava was dumb to show us all the awful stuff, much less not erase that death factory. Nobody needs that in their head – it's not as if we can open a rift to Earth and help sort out their myriad of problems, based on what we both saw. It sounds like bending there would be breaking all sorts of their plane's rules, much less Avatar Korra's presence." Asami continued in English, "I want you to see something first, though – it should show you why I want as little to do with Earth as possible. It's just so sad… it's like their entire plane is broken."
Korra savored the feeling of oneness as she infobended Asami, saying in their shared language, "So I guess that's why you could feel oneness while we hugged earlier - you healed your little scared self," tears in both their eyes. Korra added in English, with sadness in her voice, "Vaatu managed to make me laugh at least, but I find nothing funny about this other being, not after seeing confirmation of his nature. I don't know why Raava showed us 'Sympathy for the Devil' much less all those horrible images. Those flags… Admiral Zhao and the swastika… you saw what that other little sneak showed me, given how you're crying."
After Lin barked, "I may have forgiven my mother for all her faults, but this gobbledegook is over the line!" Korra shook her head, saying normally, "You're right, Lin – but I have a big problem with Raava I need to settle. Everyone should practice fighting, draw - do something useful. This could take a while." Korra took a deep breath, focusing on Raava's energy as she held Asami's arm.
When she opened her eyes, Korra smiled – it looked like she was going to have some major help. In the same strange house that the Avatar Party had been held in, Korra watched multiple Avatars yelling at Raava angrily. Given their energetic arguing, this must have been going on for quite some time. Even Aang was mad, saying in his older form, "What is wrong with you, Raava? Why did you flip-flop from saying I couldn't give innocent information about Earth and suggesting Varrick make movers about World War II to showing Korra, Asami, and worst of all, Asami's unborn child all sorts of horrible images? You won't even erase Auschwitz from Korra's mind, for crying out loud – a vision myself, Roku, and every Air Nomad Avatar find very upsetting, especially given we all know more about it that Korra does!" Raava was in her larger form, trying to defend herself wildly, saying, "I don't see how any of what I did was objectionable!" Korra sighed deeply, saying, "Yes – you can't see it. You're not as human-y as you think, Raava. You've been outvoted. Even Aang doesn't see the point of your overly detailed horror visions, and he showed his own granddaughter a vision of Earth being destroyed. Behind your back, before your huge flip flop on showing things about Earth, I might add."
Spotting Wan near Raava, Korra walked up, holding his hand as she said, "Would you have shown Avatar Wan any of this, Raava?" Raava's large form twisted slightly, saying desperately, "Ten thousand years ago, they weren't any better than animals! Now they're… better! Leave me alone!" Wan sighed deeply, saying, "You can fool Korra partially, but you can't fool me, Raava – I have access to the same information that Aang does. Their current 'century' isn't looking so hot either, even compared to our own troubles. Quit stalling – you know you're wrong." With that, Raava shrunk to her human-y form, sobbing, "I'm so sorry – having so much power yet becoming more human-y is very confusing. I can't handle certain emotions, I was just doing what I thought was best, and I was new to transmitting information about Earth. Do you forgive me?" Asami, a four-year old Atokara and Korra were the first of many to join a mass hug of Raava, Korra saying, "I forgive you. Just promise me you will listen to me in the future, Raava," as she felt a strange pleasant grip in her chest unlike any she had felt before. Raava sighed deeply, saying, "I can't promise that, but I will erase the memories like you asked, and help edit the infobending," and the feeling was gone, Korra frustrated with Raava's stubbornness. Korra wondered idly if Raava's "adult" human-y form was actually a younger Toph. After Aang said, "I guess that's better than nothing," angrily, Korra felt herself back in the physical world, smiling slightly.
Even with the increased ease of infobending, the process took a long time, Korra making sure that Meelo did not learn of Sharktar and that Raava kept her deal about heavy editing – and erasure. Korra breathed deeply, glad to have the weight of the faded visions lifted from her, no longer troubled by things she could do nothing about. Korra remembered nothing of the song, aside from its catchy beat. As Korra had thought they might, almost everyone was crying when she finished, and decidedly not happy tears. Korra had saved the vision of Earth being obliterated for last, saying in her best re-assuring voice, "I don't expect people to make sense of everything at once. Just know that that horrible vision was just one of many possibilities, and that I convinced Raava to spare everyone much worse horrors, even erasing them from my own mind." Jinora was the first to speak, saying, "It sounds to me like Long Yumao is losing ground - Yue and La joining our side is a pretty big blow. It sounds like the other bad guy is losing badly as well, which is good - I hate to see that horrible vision. It makes me feel almost broken every time I see it." Tenzin was next, saying, "I'm glad you sealed that thing off, Korra - we've got our hands full as things stand. I just have one question, out of curiosity - I don't mind my daughter being more capable than I am. It just makes me proud." Tenzin asked, looking at Jinora proudly, "Are you sure I'll never be able to fly like you, Jinora and Kai can?" Opal joined in with a hint of anger in her voice, saying, "Yeah - just what do you mean, my relationship with Bolin is flawed?"
Korra laughed nervously, pointing at Bolin as she said, "Hey - Wan Shi Tong said it, not me. Although, honestly, I think he's right - you don't treat Bolin as an equal, and given how even Jinora failed to fly when she was chasing Kai around without his consent, you'll have your work cut out for you. No offense." Opal sighed, saying, "I think you're right, Korra - before Jinora called us all here, I saw Kuvira treating Mako with more respect." Opal was about to continue, but Bolin interrupted her, saying, "I gotta earn respect too, you know. You can't just give it to me without me deserving it. I don't think you could fly then, and it wouldn't make me happy. I gotta prove myself!" Opal gave him a hug, saying, "You're too hard on yourself, Bolin - you think you're dumb and useless, but you're not. You've proven yourself plenty of times. I don't know a ton of details about you before we met - just what the world knew. Even then, you weren't a waste of space. You were a pro-bending semi-finalist, helped defeat Amon and the Equalists, were a mover star, helped re-build the Air Nation, helped stop the Red Lotus - you can even lavabend, Bolin! You're no talentless moron." Seeing she had a teary Bolin's full attention, she continued, "The recent stuff is even better. You ran away from Kuvira all of your own, saved your brother from certain death, you're trying to better yourself in your fighting skills, and best of all?" Opal paused dramatically, saying, "You're you," before kissing Bolin, who said, "Whoa! Thanks, Opal. Did I just jump involuntarily, or did you hover for a second?" Opal giggled, saying, "Maybe we can find out tonight - but only if you're ready." Bolin nodded, saying, "Sure!" continuing after he blushed, saying, "Just not anything that'd make me a father."
Both Opal and Bolin gave each other surprised looks as Lin said loudly, "Keep in mind, you don't have forever - either one of you. After seeing what my mother went through and feeling the love she has for us, even Tonga Beifong after all these years, I'm actually starting to regret being so career-obsessed. I let Tenzin slip through my fingers, just from emotional hurt I kept inside." Lin added, ribbing her sister Su, "Opal's quite the catch, Bolin - she's more earthbender than airbender." Speaking before anyone could react to Opal and Bolin's slightly airborne embrace, Lin continued, "Korra, Asami, Jinora, Kai, Mako - we all know now what you were up to yesterday, and today. This seems like a good place for me to explain my horrible behavior yesterday - threatening Asami with a metal blade was just as bad as Kuvira threatening to drop Varrick off a moving train." Before Lin could continue, a goggled Varrick said loudly from the back, next to what must have been Mr. Tuber-Vine, "Yeah! I hope the little voice in your head bothers you about that, Ku - ouch! Zhu Li, that hurt - the electricity is for the spiritwire, not me!" As Kuvira sighed dejectedly, Zhu Li admonished Varrick, "I want you to apologize to Kuvira for that, like Asami apologized to me for fighting with her! You know full well what Kuvira went through - and not just her spiritual crisis!"
Lin coughed, getting the discussion back on track by saying, "Yes - I know what I did and said to Kuvira yesterday was not very nice. Over the past week, Kuvira went from being an irredeemable villain in the world's eyes, to conflicted individual, to a bettered wounded soul with her change of heart. I thought the whole world was going crazy, still seeing more villain than virtue, everyone around me trusting Kuvira just because of some heavily edited vision. We even threw Baatar Jr. in a cage and forgot all about him, and he wasn't as big a war criminal as Kuvira." Su's eyes opened wide, saying, "Wait - did we tell someone to come and move him? We didn't leave my eldest son to starve, did we?" Pema smiled, saying, "No - before we left for the conference, I told Ikki to take care of him, and try and talk some sense into him. Given what I heard, he sounded slightly broken. He's in good hands - the Air Acolytes are sympathetic, not to mention my other daughter." Kuvira took a deep breath, saying with emotion, "I don't know if Ikki can 'fix' Baatar Jr. - I think I broke his heart by firing the Colossus' weapon at him, and everyone's treatment of him two days later must have finished the blow." Ignoring everyone's protests of "But you changed!" or "He should have accepted you!", Kuvira finished, saying, "Some wounds cannot heal just because the person who hurt you changes - I no longer hurt very much from being an orphan, or Lin's rejection of me. But they still have left a mark, and given that I tried to kill Baatar Jr. then his own mother criticized him harshly for not just accepting I had changed on blind faith... He never really was one to believe in spirits or their power, aside from for war - just like me, before Raava chose to help save my soul, for reasons I will never fully understand."
Lin nodded her head, saying, "What Kuvira just talked about, how Baatar Jr. didn't believe her change - I felt much the same way, but I kept it bottled up inside, letting it simmer and drive me crazy. Add to that the secret surrounding Toph's third horrible child, Tonga Beifong, and I was ready to snap. I had figured out the basics, but Kuvira's comment about a secret only she and Korra knew pushed me over the edge, all that pent up emotion and rage coming out, first at Kuvira, then at Asami." Asami sighed as Lin teared up slightly, saying, "I am so sorry, Asami - you've never been anything but kind and loving to others, even turning on your father, Hiroshi Sato, for being an Equalist and against three people you barely knew, four years ago. You even forgave him eventually - without any crisis like I had, that forced me to reconcile with my mother fully… or…go insane." With this last word, Lin hugged Su and Kuvira, saying, "Beifong family hug!" loudly, Opal, Bolin and Kai joining. Kai laughed lightly, saying, "What are you doing here, Bolin? Do you want Mother Suyin to adopt you too?"
Bolin laughed, saying, "I'm extended family, Kai - I'm not going to marry Opal just yet, but I wanna. What are you doing walking over here, Mako?" Mako hung outside the hug circle, saying, "I'm not sure just yet - watching. I am going to date Kuvira properly, once she's finished her sentence, after all." After Su's predictable response of "What sentence?", Kuvira said strongly, "I am going to fulfill that sentence, Mother Suyin. If for nothing else, it will make great press - I can imagine parts of the Earth Empire rising up once they hear tales of how the Great Uniter is trying to become the Great Mender."
Korra was about to say something, but an excited Shiro ran towards the assembled, panting, "I just managed to get radio contact with Ba Sing Se a while ago! I thought I heard something about an uprising from Kuvira when I could barely hear - it's true! The conscripts and common people of Ba Sing Se wrecked all radio communication equipment in a concerted attack after news of Kuvira's defeat reached the city. After some peasant girl, who I didn't get the name of, gave an inspirational speech, most of the elite metalbenders there defected as well, only some fleeing the city! They told me they have enough troops to defend the city, as well as spirit vine weapons." Taking a breath so he didn't pass out, Shiro continued, "When I told one of the defecting officers who seemed especially trustworthy about the airship hangar, he requested Kuvira come and unlock it, and help organize the force in and around the city. This same officer also told me they had been getting a steady stream of young students, saying they wanted nothing to do with Jinshu Kuangmai." Kuvira ran over, embracing Shiro as she asked, "Were they all right? Did he say how many had come? There should have been hundreds, if not over a thousand." Shiro had a happy look on his face as he said, "Almost all made it. I know those children mean a lot to you, Kuvira - one of the few good things you did as 'Great Uniter'. I hope they serve the new United Earth Republic well." At mention of the new entity's name, Korra felt a familiar tug on her mind, thinking, "Not now, Aang - later. And much later, if it has anything to do with Earth - that place is full of savages." After she heard Aang sigh and say, "Okay - I just wanted to show you some good stuff about that place," Korra caught the last of what Kuvira was excited about as she said, "Really? Almost all the idealists defected too, and more are sneaking in? That's great news! They will fight especially hard - they know what happened to officers in Jinshu Kuangmai's way." Shiro nodded, saying, "The officer made special mention of a few idealists. One, a former architecture student from Ba Sing Se, apparently managed to memorize and draw Jinshu Kuangmai's plans for Zaofu, and another intelligent young man was the one who fixed the radios. He said his father was 'Chief Intelligence Officer Jang' and he wanted to run away, and that he hated how his father resented Su for keeping a close watch on him."
Su joined Kuvira at Shiro's side, though with a desperate look as she said, "Wait… please don't tell me that man, Jang, is high-ranking. If he didn't have so much fear, he'd be just like Jinshu Kuangmai - I kept him away from Kuvira for good reason." Shiro had a foul look on his face as he said, "The officer told me about rumors that this Chief Intelligence Officer Jang is now very close to Jinshu Kuangmai. One even related to myself." Choking back tears, Shiro said, "Knowing what I know about Jinshu Kuangmai's killing of his three-year old self and how these events take real time, it must be true. While that monster was busy killing Tonga Beifong, his inner child… Jang killed my own family. With a blade of metal." Shiro spat on the ground, sitting down as he said, "I need to go grieve my loss, alone. Maybe some day I can be of more use."
Korra joined Su and Kuvira at Shiro's side, saying, "Let me try something - maybe I can help dull the pain." Shiro stayed still as Korra placed her betrothal necklace directly on his chest, thinking of her mother and father, Asami and Atokara as she placed a hand on his forehead and said, "Your family is not gone, Shiro, even if their spirits are not immortalized like Uncle Iroh. They are within you. No one can ever take them away." As Korra removed her hands and the necklace, she noticed that Shiro still looked sad, but it was no longer crushing.
As she hugged Shiro, she heard Raava's voice intone, Wow, Korra - that was amazing, and true. Aang wants you to know this: many people on Earth say the same thing.
Korra smiled, thinking, "Maybe I'll take Aang up on his offer after all." Feeling Raava was about to say something smug, Korra added, "But only if the information's relevant!"