Chapter 42: Opening a Path

Now that Korra was at the factory, she looked at Asami's suit with a start, something within her finding its lack of paint offensive. Remembering that her body image would need to be updated with the new tattoos, Korra said loudly into the radio communicator, "Asami, get out of your suit, please. I want to paint both of our suits, and I need to make some modifications to mine!" Forgetting to recall Aang, Korra drew on her spirit and began re-shaping her suit's spiritwire to more closely resemble her tattoos-to-be, even changing her suit's "hair" shape to better show the Raava diamond and four thicker elemental lines.

Exiting the suit, she admired her handiwork, adding on three symbols she forgot earlier directly by channeling Raava's energy into the suit's chest, spiritwire not fine enough to do the detail work. Realizing that part of her back would be visible, she did the same on the back, adding in spiritwire where her brown flesh color paintjob would show next to the different colored lines once painted. Not able to wait any longer, she yelled, "Can anyone tell me where the dyes are, or bring them over here? I want to paint now!"

Korra jumped slightly when she heard Aang say, "WOW! I wish Raava had contacted me. I can't believe you just did all that!" Korra was about to say something, but she felt an energy surge next to her and a familiar voice say drolly, "I figured you were panicked enough about the Fire Nation and the Air Nomad genocide and didn't need me to appear directly for you, Aang." Korra gave Raava a withering look, saying, "It's not all about business, you know. It sounds like Aang wanted to know you just to know you." Aang sighed, saying, "Yeah. It would have been nice, to know everything about Harmonic Convergence, before – what's the look for, Korra? I thought you were on my side!" Korra laughed, saying as she gave Aang "that look", "It would have been nice if you warned me about Harmonic Convergence like you were supposed to, instead of peeping at Katara."

Aang began twiddling his thumbs, saying, "Uh, Roku wants to tell me something. Bye!" Korra laughed as Roku replaced Raava, saying, "I know you're lying, Aang. I can see the object of your desires approaching with a lot of dye, as well as Korra's parents and your own daughter, so I'll just leave now." Snickering as she did so, Korra recalled them both, saying loudly, "Thanks for the help. Just set the dye containers down on the ground – I'll take it from here."

Korra drew up an image of Asami's Reach and its color scheme in her mind, carefully choosing just the right dye for the job, using the Avatar State to infuse the color into the metal somehow. When she looked at the suit, there was a slight amount of vapor coming off. Puzzled, Korra approached the suit, the vapor gone as soon as it had appeared. Shrugging, Korra intently focused on using the dye to "paint" her own suit in a similar fashion, vapor and all. Getting a funny idea, she made the two suits hug each other with metalbending, remembering her little performance with the ice puppets yesterday. As she heard Asami laugh in the background, she found herself making Korra's Spirit a little more spirited, laughing as a metal hand slapped Asami's Reach's anatomically accurate butt.

Smiling broadly, Korra turned around, seeing everyone but Asami staring at her with wide eyes. At first, Korra thought the staring was due to her little puppet stunt, but it was Katara who broke the silence, saying, "What did you do with that dye, Korra? It almost looked like you were... etching the metal, as though with acid." Korra shrugged, saying, "Acidbending? That's ridiculous!" Her mother, Senna, looked vaguely uncomfortable, but Korra ignored it after someone she didn't think would be present said, "I don't know, Korra. I thought lavabending was crazy, and look at what I can do now!" Korra nodded slightly, saying, "I guess you're right, Bolin. And why are you here? I thought the tattooing was going to be women only." Bolin laughed, saying, "I was gonna help prepare Kai for his tattoos, along with your dad, but came along, curious to see what you made. That suit looks intimidating." Pointing at the suit's shoulders, he asked, "How did you make spirit cannons that small? Only Kuvira knows that kind of… oh, wait. Nevermind. Now I remember her telling me about some infobending you did."

Korra manipulated the suit into the brighter light, saying, "Use this for reference, if you get stuck. I'll also infobend you the tattoo designs and temporary artistic skill, just to make sure I don't wake up with tattoos I want to hide instead of show." After some laughter from Lin, Su, Kuvira, Senna, Kya and Katara, Korra slammed her hand against the ground, imparting the information to those who would need it. When she stood up, eyes still glowing she heard her mother say, "Oh, wow! I love how that tattoo glows when your eyes do!" Korra smiled, saying, "And so do I. Though, I imagine you won't like doing the Raava and Vaatu tattoo, mom." Senna shook her head, saying, "We all have a little evil in us, shattering your dark self or not." Her mother had an odd look on her face, so Korra said, "Why don't you come over here, mom, and we can talk about whatever is troubling you."

Senna sighed, saying, "I suppose it's better that everyone hears, especially seeing how you etched the dyes into the metal of those suits already." Korra's eyes widened as her mother said nervously, "Bolin isn't the only one with a special talent, you know. I've hidden mine for years, out of regret for what I accidentally did one time, when I was young." Korra scratched her head, saying, "Why are you crying, mom? You didn't kill someone, did you?"

Slowly, Korra heard her mother say words she had never expected: "Yes… I did. Messily."

Korra's eyes widened as her mother said, "When I was about Kai's age, an older man tried to assault me. I still remember it very clearly. I was playing by myself on a glacier when a deep voice from behind me called me over. Thinking it was my father, I innocently walked towards the source of the voice, finding my… limbs encased in ice when I got close enough." Korra said, crying, "What happened? I never heard you tell me you almost got molested before." Senna shook her head, saying, "I learned to live with what he tried to do rapidly afterwards, grief over my own actions eclipsing the horrible man's intentions. When he got close, I yelled, 'You won't take me easily!' I broke the ice, and formed what I thought was a ball of normal hot water…"

Crying slightly, her mother continued, "But it wasn't. When I shot the hot water at his hands, he grabbed it, screaming, 'IT BURNS! Just what kind of monster are you, little girl! That felt like… acid!'" Korra listened, seeing everyone stare at Senna as she continued, "Knowing my life was still in danger, in a fit of rage I sent wave after wave of the caustic water at him, somehow knowing it was either me or him at that point. The adrenaline rush was so powerful, by the time I stopped, I could see exposed bone, and fluids I'd rather forget pooled around his lifeless body." Senna said mournfully, "Horrified at what I had done, and never wanting anyone to find out, I tried to replicate the feat, finding that I could, producing another kind of caustic water that I hadn't noticed before." Sighing, she continued with some tears, "I used the acid to dissolve his body, heating the acidic water to near boiling using my more conventional bending. I vowed to never use this horrible talent again, even if my life was in danger." Smiling, she added, "Though, if I had been present when the Red Lotus tried to kidnap you, I probably would have broken my vow. You're my everything, Korra."

Korra ran over, hugging her mother intently, not even caring about her own odd choice of dress. Senna kissed her on the cheek, saying, "Before we do anything else, I want to see if you inherited this… talent of mine. I don't know if I hope you did or not." Korra stood back, turning away from the crowd as she made an earthen mockup of Jinshu Kuangmai riding Long Yumao like a beast of war. Drawing water from the moist air, Korra imagined the results of a partnership between the two and her angry sadness at the being of darkness from Earth's plane. Eyes flashing, she felt herself separate the water into two balls of equal size, tossing the one on the right at the sculpture after she superheated it. Korra was glad she had made the target far away – the water devoured the earth, even eating down into the ground below! On some impulse, she tossed the other ball at the acid, neutralizing it, feeling an intense heat come her way afterwards.

Maybe you need to study some Earth chemistry if you can do this weird bending, Korra. It would help make sure you don't mis-use it. After a pause, Raava added, I think I even know how it works. Somehow, you and your mother can concentrate something Earth scientists call "hydronium ions" in one body of water to form a strong acid, and concentrate something else they call "hydroxide ions" in another body of water into a strong base, like bleach.

Korra had just one question for Raava, thinking, "Did Atokara inherit this ability?" Korra was frustrated when her eyes flashed white briefly, Raava saying from her larger form over the sea, "I do not know if your daughter inherited this ability, nor will I try to find out. On Earth, they know what many genes do. I am not going to tell any mortal where the mutation for lavabending or acidbending lies. In fact, if anyone finds it, I will wipe the knowledge from their minds. Earth has enough problems handling 'genetic engineering' as is, and there aren't any 'supersoldier' genes or mutations there, like lavabending or acidbending." For some reason, Korra understood Raava perfectly, loudly agreeing with her stance. Everyone else just nodded their heads, Kuvira saying, "Uh-huh. Right. Got it." Raava turned into a huge laughing girl, saying, "Good. Now let's quit yammering and start tattooing." Korra felt her eyes and solitary tattoo glow again, remembering what Aang wanted with her and Asami during the meantime.

Once Korra lay prone on a part operating table, part tattoo bench, she said, "Do the scalp spiritwire first. Get the most painful part out of the way now." Clenching her teeth as Su obliged her request a short time later, Korra focused on the jade betrothal necklace she was gripping tightly in her own hands. Korra imagined that a naked Asami was standing over her instead of Su. Once Korra felt the spiritwire laid in place, Su said loudly, "Stitching you back up, Korra. With your hair in the way, this could take a while." Korra managed to growl softly, "It's fine. Just do it."

After a while, Korra noticed that the pain was no longer searing, hearing Raava intone, Your natural painkillers must have kicked in. I'm going to tell Atokara to tell Asami to start meditating now – there is another secret you need to know. Korra found herself saying in a multi-voice, "Bring the Avatar's real clothes here, and lay the envelope that Asami Sato sent Avatar Korra a letter in over the Avatar's chest." Korra laughed internally as she spoke with Aang's young voice, "saying", "And no peeking at the envelope, Katara, or anyone else!"

When Korra came to, she noticed that she was standing on a brightly-lit Air Nomad ruin, fog swarming in the distance. She noticed she was wearing her regular clothes and holding the envelope that Asami's letter had been inside, curious as to why an envelope was important. Korra noticed something odd about the envelope when she gave it a closer inspection, but ended up distracted by the fact that her right hand was now fully tattooed. Korra found herself staring at the larger symbol for Water intently, smiling. Korra looked around, seeing that she wasn't alone – Asami, now in her regular clothes as well, was talking with a fleshy young Aang, Raava tapping her foot in boredom. Korra said loudly, "I'm here! Before we get started, I want to do something first. Here, Asami, take this envelope."

Korra was rather confused by how Asami treated the envelope like a precious artifact, nor why Raava said, "Wait! I need to infobend you about that, Asami… it's not what you think." Korra did not like how Asami yelled back, "Get away from me! I can see the ink clearly!" Not having any idea what was going on, Korra busied herself with looking in a large elevated pool connected to five other ones of similar sizes, with one final larger pool. Korra noticed that water was flowing from the first pool into the next as she examined her reflection, but it was partially blocked by some waterweeds and earth. Having a vague idea what this sequential pool could be, Korra examined her forehead, knowing she'd need some guidance if she were to remove the block entirely.

Ignoring a heated argument that she hoped was between Aang and Raava, Korra re-focused on the image in front of her. Looking at a reflection she loved, Korra sighed contentedly as she traced the light blue and white diamond on her forehead, finding herself wishing all the lines on her body were as intricate and thick as the ones visible on her forehead. Korra looked at the four lines feeding into the diamond, tracing them in the proper order. Air was represented by a thick light yellow line with smaller symbols for Air running down its center. As Korra traced the symbols for Water inside the deep blue line that represented Water, she noticed that it felt as though she were actually manipulating water as she did so. Tracing the line for Air again, Korra noticed a similar sensation, laughing like a little girl. She was too happy to be bothered by the sound of a heavy slap behind her.

Korra heard another sound and turned her gaze to the blockage, seeing that the fourth pool looked different somehow. Realizing that the pools must represent her chakras, she tried saying, "I fear nothing," frowning slightly when she saw ice form temporarily on the surface of a now-stilled first pool that said in English, "Wrong chakra. Try again." Putting the idea of opening her chakras fully out of her mind for now, Korra returned to looking at her forehead, enjoying the passion she felt when tracing the ruby red line for Fire. Korra saw the stone lip between the second and third pools lower slightly, increasing the water flow substantially. When she traced the dark brown line for Earth, the fourth line, Korra felt as though she were bending metal and earth at the same time, smiling to see that the plants impeding the flow of water in the first pool had shriveled slightly.

Knowing that nobody present would mind, she took off her shirt to get a better look at the tattoos on her chest. Korra laughed when she noticed she was still wearing a bikini beneath, mesmerized by how her chest moved as she laughed freely. Korra wanted to save the best tattoo for last, so she started by looking at the symbol of Raava and Vaatu over her right breast first, saying, "That is awfully vivid." Without thinking, she added, "The better a reminder it will be, for its 'honesty'," noticing that the fifth pool shimmered slightly as she did so, laughing when she heard Dark Korra curse her in English in her head. Korra heard Asami bark, "Like you know anything about honesty! Get away from me, Raava - I want to talk to Korra about this, when she's done staring at herself!"

Not knowing why Asami was so angry, Korra began to cry slightly, distracting herself by touching the center of her chest on the Water symbol. Negative feelings overridden, Korra smiled, feeling a pleasant chill on her being as she did so, as though she were wearing iceclothes. Remembering the last time she had worn them, her eyes widened as she saw English ice letters form in the second pool that said, "No sexual shame means Water Chakra much easier." Realizing the reason for this message, Korra looked at her favorite tattoo, one she likely would have gotten even without the issues raised by her armblades and mechasuit.

Seeing the full-color version of Asami's handholding yin and yang above her chest made Korra start to cry happy tears, saying, "I don't know what I'd do without you now, Asami. I just wish we had come together earlier…"

The strong strike in the middle of her back felt like someone had just punched a hole in her soul.

Korra got up off the ground, saying, "I thought Long Yumao was supposed to be weak now? It felt like a beak just bit me in the middle of my back." When Korra looked around, she saw both Aang and Raava standing back in horror, Raava saying, "I… I think you need to have a talk with Asami, Korra. She won't let me explain…"

That's when Korra could no longer ignore the heavy, angry breathing to her side. Turning towards its source, she was momentarily stunned by what she saw. Asami's jade green eyes were flashing menacingly, with a hint of instability. Before Korra could move or speak, Asami said as she held out what looked like a letter, "Explain THIS! The only way that all the text on this could be visible is if you applied heat, then water, then tears. I know you read this envelope, Korra." Korra started to cry silently, unable to make sense of why Asami was so angry and hurt. Not looking at the envelope, Korra said, "I don't remember anything about this, aside from waking up from a bad blackout when I was on the run and seeing 'Keep Asami's envelope' etched into the floor in front of me. Give it to me, and maybe I can remember better…"

Korra heard a sound from Raava's direction, but Asami interrupted, saying, "Silence! You wouldn't understand how hurt and betrayed I feel, Raava, especially considering that Korra just admitted to having known while on the run from the world!" Korra now felt hurt more than confused, saying, "What is wrong with you, Asami? You are NOT setting a good example for Atokara right now!" Asami's eyes temporarily widened, then contracted as she said, "She started crying a while ago, so I sent her to her womb. Much like you might banish an annoying Raava, I might add."

Korra didn't know what her body was doing as her brown hand slapped Asami across the mouth, nor where "You can be abusive of me, but you will NOT mistreat my daughter!" came from. Korra began wrestling with Asami, trying to get a hand on her forehead, saying, "Just let me see what was in that letter, and I might be able to heal your hurt!" Asami used a boot to knee Korra in the groin, saying, "While you're on the ground, why don't you take a nice look at it, and maybe you'll stop LYING to me!"

As Korra read the letter, she began bawling, but not from physical hurt. Korra said with complete desperation and sincerity, "I… I don't remember this at all, Asami." Asami crossed her arms in a huff, saying, "I made those three inks very specifically for this, Korra, and I know you must have read it, and cried profusely while reading." Turning around, Asami barked, "What do you want, Raava? To bug me some more? I don't want any infobending about this!"

Hoping a hug might help, Korra surprised Asami with a big bear hug, saying, "I have no idea what's going on right now, Asami, but I'm willing to work through anything with you. I'll even refrain from infobending." Korra racked her brain, trying to remember something, anything connected to the envelope, coming up with almost nothing. Sighing deeply, Asami said, "If you can't be honest about why you read, then ignored my love letter…"

Before she could finish, an adult Aang barked, "Don't you dare say the words I think you're going to say, Asami. Infobending will be required here - the memory you both need to see was erased by hatred, long ago, only Raava preventing it from being lost forever. What Raava and I were trying to tell you is that Korra suffered a memory wipe, even Raava only able to remember part of what happened." Korra felt some horrible feeling of déjà vu, saying, "All I managed to remember about the events surrounding the instructions on the floor was that one minute I was making myself an earthen cot in a cave, and the next I was passed out of the floor." Thinking harder, Korra said, "I also remember Uncle Iroh visiting me when I was falling asleep, talking about time and love for some reason I didn't understand."

Korra heard a rustling in some nearby bushes, glad to hear a friendly male voice say, "Don't worry, Korra. You and Asami aren't like my nephew and Mai. I am sure you'll put aside your small differences and go on with your lives." Korra vaguely considered knocking Asami out with lightning when Asami said angrily, "Our lives TOGETHER would have been a lot longer if Korra had acted on the stupid envelope! I can't believe that anything is powerful enough to wipe the Avatar's memory!"

With a deep sigh, Raava said, "You underestimate the power of self-hatred and your dark half, Asami. Dark Korra has as much power as Korra gives her, and you are no different, Asami. I want you to do something right now. Think of your sphere, yin and yang, and how it should look."

Korra heard an ominous screeching sound, followed by a sickening boiling and stench, as though a soul were being cooked. Korra tried to find the source, and found herself staring at a sight she wished to never see again.

Asami's doppler was back, partially transformed by Asami's reprehensible behavior. The creature raspily said, next to a partially black yin yang sphere with a boiling surface, playing with bizarre feathers that covered parts of its limbs, "I never thought I'd be free again, much less able to help you corrupt yourself. Now, I'll just be standing back, and letting you continue your lovely work. I look forward to blindly having sex with all sorts of different women, no love involved." Asami took a deep breath, saying with remorse, "I'm sorry, Korra, for not trusting you. Let's see this event, together, as one." Ignoring the screeching, Korra let Asami kiss her deeply on the mouth, saying once Asami was done, "I forgive you."

The screeching doppler gone and the sphere still slightly blackened, Raava said, "There's still one person who needs an apology from you, Asami. Atokara." Korra sighed deeply as Asami began crying, saying, "I totally forgot about her. I'm such a bad mother…" Korra watched the darkness on the sphere grow and the white section being to boil again, telling Asami sternly, "You need to remember what you said earlier today, and quick - how you love yourself." When Asami did not immediately reply, Korra felt desperate, saying as she grabbed Asami's butt, "I mean, how can you not, Assami?"

As Asami laughed, Korra watched the sphere turn white again with relief, noticing they had a new companion with them. A four-year old Atokara said, "I hope I'm not in trouble for leaving my womb, mommy Asami. You just seemed so sad." Remembering that they were supposed to be in the Spirit World, Korra asked, "If we're in the Spirit World, how is Atokara here?" Raava laughed, saying, "Your inner world and the Spirit World connect, inextricably linked. You remember how Long Yumao appeared in Jinshu Kuangmai's inner world, right?" Korra nodded, saying, "Yes, I do. Atokara, time to go back to your womb - something tells me mommy Asami will need all your love for this."

Atokara nodded, saying eagerly, "Okay!" After she had vanished, Raava said, "I had originally planned to show this to Korra first, and let it go from there. If Asami hadn't been so… angry earlier, I would have shown her exactly why Korra never returned the gesture in the letter. Despite having read and accepted it, I may add." Korra smiled deeply at the way Asami nuzzled her, saying as she sighed, "I should have listened to Raava in the first place. Come, let's see what's in store for us."

Korra stood back, telling Aang and Uncle Iroh, "I want you two to make sure Raava doesn't get bothered by Long Yumao, or that teapot around her necklace stolen." Raava laughed, saying, "I'll put it back inside - for now. It will mean that Jinshu Kuangmai and Vaatu can communicate, however, without the seal's effects." Korra was torn, considering the plusses and minuses of both options, deciding to tell Raava, "Keep the necklace on," after remembering how Vaatu wanted to give Jinshu Kuangmai blueprints for Korranium weapons, and all sorts of other horrors. Given how loud cursing escaped the teapot, it must have been the right decision. Aang volunteered, "Since I have experience with chakras, I can help look at Korra's chakra representation."

Remembering that Asami needed her chakras unblocked as well, Korra said, "What about Asami? She'll need some help." At Uncle Iroh's behest, Raava whistled, speaking in the same strange language of love she had earlier after.

Asami looked so happy she might just die, saying as she ran from Korra's embrace, "Mom! Dad! I… I never thought I'd get to see you again!" As Asami hugged her parents, Hiroshi said, "I do not want grief to consume you, Asami. Your mother, Yasuko, passed away many years ago, but her love for you can be re-born in your love for your daughter." With a smile, he added, "And Korra," making Asami begin to cry, saying, "Thank you so much, father. It means a lot more, coming directly from you rather than just a vision." Raava coughed, saying, "That was no vision. Your father has been reincarnated already, into a life that will make sure he learns the lessons he failed as your father." Hiroshi turned to Raava, saying, "Which ones? Being an Equalist sympathizer, or the repression of my daughter I now regret?" Raava laughed, saying, "It's against the rules to tell specifics, but let's just say your more personal regret will come in handy." Hiroshi took a deep breath, saying, "I can only hope I weather the storm as well as my daughter did. If you wouldn't mind, Raava, can you make what you called us here for?"

Raava said, with a smile, "Just one second," then Korra found herself moving without input, a series of seven large interlocked gears appearing, with some critical teeth jammed by what looked like oily towels. Knowing what this must be, Korra tried to incinerate the towels, laughing when she heard Raava intone, You can't solve other people's problems for them, Korra - only help. Why do you think I didn't just give you all the secrets of the universe the day you were born? It'd be so… boring that way! Raava added, now outside Korra's body, "Some of the other beings of light like to directly manipulate their universes constantly. So boring… ugh, don't even get me started on how they go on and on and on during the meetings every 100,000 years. If I were like them I'd say, 'Oh, look at me, master puppeteer! Did I tell you about the time I made Mako and Bolin make out with Korra, then each other?'" Korra shook her head, saying loudly, "That's just not right! Th…. Bluch! Gahh!" Hiroshi gave Raava an uneasy look, saying, "I… I want to take a look at these gears. You can just keep your filth to yourself." Smiling slightly, he added, "I hope your dirty tendencies haven't rubbed off on my granddaughter.

Of course, Atokara chose just that moment to appear, saying in iceclothes, "Raava's told me all sorts of fun words! And I know what momma Korra looks like naked!" Hiroshi slapped his forehead, saying, "Gears, gears, gears… you do look beautiful, though, Atokara." Atokara skipped over to the gears, poking and prodding them as she said, "Why is the fourth one so jammed up, mommy Asami? I thought you were over your grief!" Asami sighed, saying, "I guess I'm not." Yasuko smiled, saying, "Grief doesn't just vanish overnight, Asami. In fact, I'd be worried if you felt no grief whatsoever." Asami nodded, saying, "I guess my grief is just part of who I am, and as long as I don't let them drain the joy from my life - Korra and Atokara, among other things - it doesn't matter if I still mourn my parent's deaths, or the time whatever this memory wipe cost me with Korra." Asami continued, saying, "My father gave his life willingly to stop Kuvira, my mother was the victim of random violence that has been greatly reduced, and my love for Korra and Atokara is timeless, two or three years lost as a grain of sand on an endless beach."

Korra was nodding in agreement as she saw the fourth gear light up with energy, blue and white lines pulsing through previously hidden circuitry below, the central smaller gears clanking rapidly. It appeared as though the only reason the gear didn't move fully was the oily towel in the link to the gear above it, the oily towel between what must have been the Air "chakra" gear and the Sound "chakra" gear reduced to rags, sure to be shredded by Asami easily.

Raava walked over, saying nervously, "That's odd. I've never seen anyone partially unblock the fourth chakra by accepting grief's existence, and not trying to eliminate it entirely, considering it a proper emotion to have, but in limited amounts." Laughing, Raava added, "Of course, I've never seen anyone unlock their seventh chakra by embracing their earthly tether, so to speak. Korra isn't the only spiritual prodigy, I guess." When Korra looked at the seventh pool and seventh gear, she noticed both look very clean, the pool having some swimming fish inside she hadn't noticed before, smiling when she saw they were blue and jade. The gear had a similar pattern, a central dais with a blue and jade yin and yang symbol turning slowly.

Aang said incredulously, "Guru Pathik told me you had to open them in order. I don't know how you two partially opened all seven at once…" Korra laughed, saying, "I guess saying 'I love who I am' without reservations will do that.' Asami said the exact same thing, basically." Asami let out a yelp of surprise when her mother and father hugged her in a vice grip, her father saying, "I'm glad the errors in my ways didn't prevent you from loving yourself." Breaking the hug, he walked over to the gears as Yasuko said, "You have no idea how proud we both are of you, Asami. I hope your father doesn't suffer too much for his controlling behavior of your romantic interests, even if the universe wills it. Things turned out fine in the end."

Vaguely curious as to who Yasuko was now, Korra walked over, trying to not draw Raava's attention. Korra managed to put her hand on a smiling Yasuko's forehead for long enough to see the image of a firebending bear.

Hey! Quit that!

When Korra came to, she was staring up at Raava's full-sized form, saying, "Hey, there Raava. Fancy meeting you… here," finishing with a lame chuckle. Raava boomed, "There are certain things mortals are not meant to know. Now let me show you something you ARE supposed to know." Korra laughed when she noticed that Aang was obsessing over the blue and jade fish along with Uncle Iroh, Asami's parents talking animatedly with Atokara next to the gears. Yasuko seemed to show a particular interest in her granddaughter, playing with her in a way Korra knew she likely wouldn't be able to, with her own… protected childhood. A bit of the vision of no protection remained after all, Korra able to see a masked Asami next to Amon briefly.

Finally noticing she was splayed on the ground, Korra felt Asami squeeze her hand, saying, "You ready?" Korra laughed when she saw Asami was also in her bikini, playfully asking Asami, "For what?"

Korra found it odd the way that Raava giggled and said, "That… is something new I will show you later, if I can. Your inner world has many uses, beyond personal struggle and otter-penguin sledding. Especially the inner world you share with Asami…"

Korra felt herself fade out, wondering what lay in store for her. After.

Asami opened her eyes, seeing Raava in her full form in front of her on top of a massive walkway, finding herself still holding Korra's hand. The great spirit boomed, "You will be seeing this event through Korra's perspective, Asami, as will Korra. Obviously. There are portions of the event that are blacked out even to me, and I hope your love for Korra will allow Korra and I to see past where the 'memory backup' ends." Asami looked at her darkening hands as she felt an odd sensation, gasping, "What? I look like I'm morphing into – "

A mirror appeared from the blackness, Asami looking into it with a startled yelp, saying in a voice that wasn't her own, "I… I look like Korra did, when she was on the road! Why is this necessary, Raava?" An invisible Raava intoned, in a way that reminded her of Atokara's interjections, When you experience this event, you will be Korra fully. I hope directly experiencing what she did will heal your previous, unnecessary hurt of your own, as well as make seeing past the memory's end more likely. Asami laughed, forming a blue fireball as she said, "I could get used to bending. Aw, come on, Raava – why'd you dismiss the fireball? It's not like I'll ever get to bend again." Korra laughed, saying, "I see no reason Asami can't 'D-d-duel!' me, Avatar on Avatar."

This is serious, and don't carry out your other, more earthy desire, Asami. You already get to play with Korra anyways. And she's right next to you!

After Asami stopped laughing hysterically, she said, "Let's see what Korra thinks." Turning to the real Korra, Asami said, "Want to 'play with yourself'?" Given Korra's wide eyes, she could also hear Raava intone, I said, later. This first! Korra giggled, saying, "A little self-hug can't hurt."

It's a good thing this doesn't take any real time. DO whatever you want.

"Whatever you want" ended up being a simple topless hug, Korra saying, "Yeah, this feels sort of weird. I know what would be interesting, though - if I were you." Asami snorted lightly, saying, "Now there's an idea." Growing bored of the unique embrace, Asami looked around, idly touching "her" body as she did so, making Korra laugh.

Asami looked through her body's now-glowing eyes, taking in the universe with wonder, no longer finding Korra's body interesting from the inside. At least, not compared to the infinity of creation. Holding up her hand in front of her face, Asami noticed the brown skin of Korra's body - hers- gradually becoming less and less illuminated, her final thought being, "I think I know why my eyes are dimming… Korra and Raava were very weak back then." Korra said with sadness in her voice, "You're right, Asami. Just remember, I'll be with you in your heart, even if you are experiencing everything as my old, negative self."

Asami then felt herself subsumed, feeling Korra's old hopelessness and self-loathing consume her in mute horror… Losing her sense of self entirely, the feelings ran rampant, Korra heard Raava intone, Memory backup accessed. I will store the full memory, for… you to see later, "Korra." Korra groaned, saying as she felt all sorts of alien energies, "What do you mean, 'Korra'? What's going on here?" Korra felt an intense energy surge in her body, half thinking she had been struck dead by lightning like Aang almost was all those years ago.

After another pulse of energy, she remembered nothing but her despair and borderline self-hatred, looking around her pitiful abode with disgust.

Alone. In a cave.

Korra felt miserable, her thoughts all gloom. She had not begun to erase from her mind, that madman, Zaheer - and not just his attempt on her life. She couldn't connect with Raava, she was deceiving the world right and left, and she was dogged by a horrible vision constantly. Thinking of her letter to her parents, Korra felt like spitting in her own face, saying, "They deserve better than that. Forget being a bad Avatar. Not even a good daughter…" She had even cut her own hair, and burned her clothes - getting rid of her Water Tribe identity, in favor of being any anonymous "earthbender"! Remembering what she had done to her clothing after failing to catch that common criminal about a month ago, she groaned, "Even that simple incineration took effort!" Part of her wanted to blame it all on the poison, but she knew that was a lie. She felt weak, powerless, even if she could walk and bend again - like a four-year old Korra could best her pathetic self in a sparring match. The little tyke certainly would have been more of a challenge for that robber than herself… Feeling anger rise within her, Korra stamped around the hideout she had found, too weak to even create a proper living space.

Crying, Korra yelled, "I'm living in a cave, like some drifter! I'm not a drifter - I'm supposed to be the Avatar! I hate myself! I can't even bend right!" After she said this, Korra felt a sickly feeling within her that intensified when she spat on the ground, saying with tears, "I'm a miserable failure! WEAK!"

Right on cue, she heard the dreadful clanking of chains outside, but there was something new this time… Horrifying, raspy, scraping laughter. And worse, it sounded joyous. Physical, somehow. Korra stood in mute horror as she heard a voice say slowly, "I always wanted to hear you say that. You hate yourself good, you miserable failure. Make me stronger…" After hearing a chilling cackle, Korra sensed her tormentor had vanished.

Taking a deep breath, Korra said tersely, "I need a pick-me up after that, self-loathing or not." Feebly trying to improve her cave, Korra yelled, after a particularly bad attempt, "This sucks. Everything sucks!" In a funk, Korra sat down on the bare, damp cave floor, not even having been able to create a proper table and chair for herself with her efforts. She had barely managed to create a raised earthen cot. As she cursed her own name, she felt the sickly feeling intensify, and when she closed her eyes, she was frozen in pure terror.

In the darkness, she saw her tormentor once more, the vision laughing wildly as she said, "Weak. Just like Raava. It's a pity that little brat, Jinora, helped save her all those years ago." Cackling, she added, "Dark Korra. Pleased to meet you formally, especially while you're so down. It's a shame my master didn't win during Harmonic Convergence, but maybe I can change that."

Korra's body convulsed, and not from a seizure. But from fear. The glowing orange eyes. She'd never seen that before.

Korra tried to open her eyes, but found them stuck, unable to dispel the terror she saw. At first, she thought, "I can't even contact Raava anymore, or even enter the Avatar State - maybe she can do something to me after all," and she felt the sickening self-hatred grow substantially. Dark Korra laughed with a grating voice, saying, "My, my - it's a pity the poison weakened you so. I'd love to use your body to do what Unalaq failed so miserably at. Keep this up, and you'll never recover fully." Baring gleaming teeth, she added, "It is rather difficult to recover from going insane, you know. Or worse."

Some small inner voice told Korra, "Self-hatred only makes her stronger! Think of others and their love for you, if you can't love yourself, for whatever reason!" At first, Korra focused on the last part, weeping, "I don't know if I've ever loved myself, for who I am - not after my ruined childhood! Damn the White Lotus!"

Dark Korra shifting to the side, Korra saw an icy image of a small boy almost overcome by the dark energies of a barely more human foe, recognizing them both. Aang and Ozai. Korra heard a faint whisper, a muffled voice saying, "Do not… let… hate… win. More than… your own… life… depends… on… it," as though it were coming from within an icy prison.

Korra took a deep breath, thinking of Mako, Bolin, Asami, Katara, Tenzin and many others as she assured herself, "I may not love myself, but others do." All their faces but one vanished, puzzled by Asami's laugh and wink. When she looked for Dark Korra within the darkness, she actually burst out laughing, saying, "Look at who's four years old now, scumbag! Now shoo!" Dark Korra just laughed, orange eyes glowing sickeningly as she said, "Hatred has no age, Korra. You don't have to be a grown woman to feel hate - some children act more hatefully than adults. It's a pity you never got to be teased as a child. I'll be back sooner than you think, Master Failurebender."

Korra's eyes finally opened, looking down at her "disguise" with shame, fussing with her anonymous haircut with disgust. Remembering what the icy, strained voice had said, she pushed such thoughts from her mind, fishing out some letters she had kept with something closely resembling enthusiasm. As she read the letters aloud, she could feel the self-hatred stop growing, even shrinking eventually, to a more normal level. As normal as hating yourself could be… Still disappointed that reading the letters didn't do more, Korra tried meditating on a whim, thinking of Raava.

"Look at Asami's envelope again, Korra."

Korra's eyes widened, saying, "Raava? Is that you?" Korra could hear a small laugh in her head, an uncorrupted version of her voice saying cheerfully, "No, I'm not. You have a spirit too. A strong one. You do remember holding your own against Vaatu as just you, right?" Korra smiled slightly, saying, "Yes, I do. Let's see what Asami has to say." Korra spent 15 minutes or more, trying to figure out the words she had heard, from her… soul? About to give up in frustration, Korra idly unfolded the envelope itself, vaguely considering lighting it for warmth. Laughing unstably, Korra said as she held a flame to its back, "It's not like you can say anything on the envelope. That would just be weird - everyone would see it!"

Korra moved the flame closer, the feeling of self-loathing intensified as she did so, asking no one, "Ugh - what is the deal here! What, did Asami invent fireproof paper, or something?" With horror, she felt her lip tremble slightly as a corner finally began to smolder, as though someone else was in control of her face, trying to smile at her own destruction.

That was when she finally noticed the characters, immediately dimming her fire enough to not burn, but read. Korra read this second letter aloud, saying with tears in her eyes, "Dear Korra, I hope this finds you in your hour of need, whenever it may be. I thought it a stretch, in many ways, to write this, but here goes." Korra stopped, confused as she saw an elaborate drawing with the characters "I want you to know that I'm here for you. If you ever want to talk or ... anything," stressed, with an emphasis on the last, solitary character. Looking again, she was puzzled, saying, "Wait - that's the symbol that means 'all, anything, everyone, everything, everybody,' not just 'anything'. 'If you ever want to talk or … everyone' makes no sense. At all."

Korra put the paper down, slumping forward as she stared at her weak, pathetic little fire. An odd idea entering her mind, she picked the paper back up, noticing that there were more characters around the embellished characters, apparently revealed by the water of the damp floor. Korra smiled, reading multiple versions of the text, feeling a warmth suffuse her being as she read.

"I want you to know that I'm always with you, within your heart, Korra, my… wait, what?" Korra blinked, sure she was hallucinating again. Korra continued, now with surprise instead of disbelief, "My love for you stronger than Raava, never to be dulled or extinguished?" Korra felt her face trembling as if it wanted to revolt again as she thought, "Surely, Asami doesn't see me as a love interest? I thought we were just… friends!" Part of her found the idea enticing and fit like Asami's electroglove on an Equalist's face, part of her recoiled in horror at the thought of being "unnatural", part worried about what people would think of a bisexual Avatar… But the most disturbing part was the largest one, something within her head saying with an all too familiar screech, "I don't deserve her love!"

The worst part was, it wasn't Dark Korra. It was her. And it was new. Korra realized what all her negative - and more recently, defeatist - thoughts had wrought over the years of her life in mute horror, saying as her eyes watered, "What did I do to myself?! I've poisoned myself worse than Zaheer ever did!"

Focusing all her energy on reading, Korra did her best to silence this wailing alarm of self-hatred, saying the alternates with a yell, hearing her voice reverberate in the small cave: "I want to know if you'd be there for me, as more than a friend. If you ever want to kiss me, or… anything." Korra began laughing, her face blushing as she continued, saying with growing enthusiasm, "I want you to know that I'm here for you. If you ever want to talk or… do anything at all. Everything. Together."

Korra had to breathe deeply, as if she were meditating, trying to make sense of it all. Korra remembered all her interactions with Asami, putting them in this new light. A million questions entered her mind, many negative in nature, but she chose to focus on one, feeling something within her die as she did so, asking it aloud with tears in her eyes: "Why didn't you ever ask me, Asami? You - what could you have to lose?" Korra's crying had wet the paper again, noticing that there was newly visible text, and images she now found heartwarming, all the negative self-talk finally shut up, not missing the yammering one bit. The images just seemed right, somehow.

Korra took in two detailed drawings in silence. One was of Asami holding Korra's hand in her wheelchair, before Korra had begun the bitter work of overcoming her crippling physical illness, and she saw there was text underneath it. As she read it, Asami's explanation for her subtlety filled her with sadness, and a righteous anger she had never felt so strongly before. Looking below the explanation she wish she had never read, she felt an odd, pleasant feeling in her chest, smiling broadly for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. The feeling intensifying, Korra looked at the image Asami had drawn in this odd tear-activated ink on the inside of the unfolded envelope, Korra wished Asami was here, right now.

Korra did not speak for a while, taking in the lovingly rendered image of Asami embracing her passionately and a smiling Korra returning the gesture at the same time, saying loudly, "This could be just what I need to heal fully, and not just from Zaheer's poison. I have many old wounds…" Korra idly wondered if anyone else had a hidden message. Chuckling with growing strength, she said, "I hope Mako didn't send me something like this. That would be very… awkward, given my feelings."

Korra tried to think of where the nearest town was, where her cave was, and the fastest route to Republic City. As she tried harder and harder, her head hurt, like something was fighting to the death inside her. And… it was winning. After a gasp of pain, Korra heard a raspy voice say, "This was not the plan. Thank darkness your link to Raava is so weak. You can't even see anything of her other than a mirage. I didn't expect such a strong reaction to Asami's drivel." Korra's soul screamed, "I'm getting out of here, no matter what!" but her lips did not move.

Korra heard a very, very weak voice say Direct memory backup initialized. Sorry – it's all I can do.

A now visible Dark Korra said with anticipation, "Over two years of physical healing, and you haven't even truly started to fix yourself! You may have changed in soul, Korra, but with me inside, Raava weak, and your brain riddled with all sorts of convoluted, twisted pathways from living your life as the Avatar and not yourself, and your old wonderful emotional wounds…" Dark Korra began cackling wildly, advancing towards Korra, saying, "You won't remember a thing. As much as it pains me to erase your memory of saying you hate yourself, I can't allow you to go back to Republic City – not like this, all filled with hope and love, even if you are properly terrified still."

Dark Korra shot her right hand forward, her metal chains glowing black and red, the horrible shining links encircling Korra's chest tightly, their physical nature making Korra scream in terror. Korra stammered, every word painful as the chains crushed her chest, "B-b-but you're not supposed to be physical! What's going on here?" Dark Korra howled, saying hoarsely, "Wouldn't you like to know! Let's say you helped me out earlier, and your terror just makes it better for me." Dark Korra looked vaguely disappointed now, continuing, "It's a shame I can't corrupt you completely. Now, to business…" Korra broke her brain's grip, yelling, "NO! Get back! I want to go to Republic City, with this letter!" Though her eyes did not glow, Korra felt power course through her. Dark Korra stepped back in horror, saying, "Vaatu, give me strength, even if you are tiny right now!" By this point, Korra was pretty sure she was full-on hallucinating, seeing how the fire in her own hands was huge, and… blue. Rather than cackling with horror, Dark Korra screeched, "WHAT? I thought only hatred, raw talent and focus could do that! This ends now!"

With that, the metal chains shot back up and tightened, Korra finally realizing that somehow, this was very real, and no vision. Try as she might, Asami's letter began to fade from her mind. Korra turned her free hands in desperation, trying to etch "Keep Asami's envelope" into the floor in front of her. She tried to add "Read it" as well, but found her hands frozen.

Backup… completed. Good luck, Avatar Korra. Before Korra could celebrate the tired voice, recognizing who it was, her mind revolted, somehow strengthened by her own faults and Dark Korra's energy. Korra had no time to mourn, finally feeling dark energy enter into her being, and then leave, taking the memory of what she so desperately wanted to keep with it…

After an odd energy surge, Raava intoned, Memory extension succeeded. Good work, Asami. Let's see what happened afterwards. Korra is holding up just fine. Finding herself temporarily detached, Asami thought strongly, "Korra, I just want you to know how sorry I am about my earlier behavior." Asami felt Korra respond, "And I'm sorry that you had to go through thinking I was a horrible, terrible lying backstabber. I understand your reaction perfectly now, and why my professions of innocence only made your madder." With that, Asami lost her sense of self again, the event resuming, feelings of relief that Korra accepted her apology being stored somewhere else.

Korra neither understood why her normally docile vision's eyes were glowing an intense orange, nor how she could speak while gripping Korra with chains. Her tormentor laughed as she said, "I'm sure your brain will help keep your soul in check, especially with my help. It will take a transformation I know you could never make to unlock what just happened, much less act on it." Dark Korra looked at the floor, cursing and spitting, finally saying, "Gah – I can't earthbend that stupid message away!" Korra laughed, saying, "You should be glad you can constrict me with those chains. So negative… I guess I'll have to fix that in myself."

With that, the "vision" shifted, howling in rage as Korra blacked out, her mind violated.

When Korra woke up, she looked around the room in a funk, saying, "Great – now what did I do wrong? First thing I remember, I'm just frustrated, trying to make this place livable, and then I wake up. Must have been something to do with Zaheer." Remembering her newfound ineptitude, Korra added, "Or maybe making that stupid cot exhausted me." Korra looked at the floor, seeing "Keep Asami's envelope" etched into the floor, as though by intense heat. Shaking her head, Korra said, "There's no way I could lavabend." Her hand idly obeyed the floor's command, blindly folding up the envelope and stuffing the letter back inside.

Korra sighed deeply, saying, "I wish I could get direct comfort from my friends and family right now without them remembering. If only there was some way to wipe people's memory…"

Uh-oh. Time distortion and memory deviance detected. I had forgotten about this detail. I am uncoupling you from Korra's past self. It's about to get really crowded in that cave.

Asami could hear her Korra laughing hysterically, joining Korra as she said, "It's a good thing your past self couldn't infobend!"

"What in the blazes is an infobend?"

Korra stared ahead with wide eyes, seeing that both she and Asami were somehow physical. Remembering what Raava had said about a time distortion, Korra listened calmly as her past self said, vaguely terrified, "Oh, great, now I'm REALLY hallucinating! Me, in a scandalous swimsuit, a necklace that looks like a love gift from Asami, all those weird tattoos, and Asami, also in a ridiculous swimsuit, somehow transported into this … wait, is that a Water Tribe betrothal necklace? Why is it pulsing blue and white?" Asami smiled, saying, "It's not the only betrothal necklace, sad Korra. Take a look to my right. That jade necklace is my gift to Korra."

Korra took her own betrothal necklace off, making sure to not show the unlatched back as she said, "Things turn out a lot weirder and a whole lot more wonderful than you might think, me." Frowning slightly when her past self said, "I must have drunk cactus juice or something! There's no way I'm bi!" Korra said, "Both allies and love come from the most unlikely of places," half tempted to tell her past self about Kuvira's transformation and Wan Shi Tong.

Uh-uh. I can only edit so much, even with help. Tread carefully.

Korra just brushed off Raava, sure that memory modification wasn't that hard - Dark Korra had managed to do it with the help of her brain. Korra sighed when she heard Raava intone, You really think your brain and Dark Korra did that alone? Vaatu helped. Seeing her past self yell in frustration, Korra said to Asami under her breath, "You sure you would have wanted this Korra knocking on your door, pulling on her matted hair insanely with one hand, holding out singed flowers with the other, torn between her heart and wounded mind? I felt what you felt and thought directly, you know - you were still not exactly… stable. Certainly not when this happened." Asami laughed, adding quietly and jokingly, "I think after using you as a sex toy and mistress for long enough, you would have become un-crazy enough to love me and function properly… both as the Avatar and a person." Korra blushed, remembering how Asami was apparently into bondage, finding herself saying quietly, "I… I could still go for that. But lovingly!" despite having heard the joking tone.

Now laughing loud enough to draw a frantic past Korra's attention, Asami said, "I was joking, but maybe not, if you're… willing. Maybe Raava could arrange something, if she's hinting at what she seemed to be earlier. I liked how she talked about doing more than otter-penguin sledding in our shared internal world…" Korra opened her mouth to say something, but found her tongue frozen, mad she couldn't tell Asami, "A different kind of playing," in a sultry voice.

Yes, that's what I meant! Beyond your wildest dreams! You happy now? After Korra thought, "Most definitely," Raava continued, Now get back to work! The longer this takes, the more editing I have to get help with!

Looking forward to the "after party", Korra smiled, seeing her past self must have heard everything given the way she seemed torn between attraction and revulsion. Grabbing Asami's butt, Korra said, "This could be you in just a few years, and I know you can do it. You're strong. Don't let Dark Korra tell you anything else." Remembering her past self had just had her memory wiped, Korra added, "And don't hate yourself. It just makes Dark Korra stronger." After she said this, Korra felt an odd energy disturbance, Raava intoning, That just went backwards in time, though modified. Remembering an earlier event, Korra sent out well-wishes to her past self internally, including the command to read Asami's envelope and reminder of her spirit's power.

Good.

Korra half felt like slapping her past self as she sobbed, "Okay. Now I'm sure I'm just straight up hallucinating. Me, finding love - what a joke." Korra turned to the entrance of the cave, surprised to see it empty, expecting to see Dark Korra appear there. Korra felt a queasy feeling in her stomach when she heard the sounds of dripping liquid from behind her, though no pool of blood formed. Korra found she could move, but she was too late, her past self noticing the dripping blood. Sad Korra said, with fear in her voice, "Wha… what is that? What's bleeding behind you?" After a raspy cackle, Dark Korra said, "Love isn't the only thing that is timeless. So is hate, Master Failurebender." Only finding solace in the fact that her past self didn't remember that insult, Korra got an odd idea, saying as she handed her past self her betrothal necklace, "I want you to think of Asami in the same way as I do - teammate, best friend, lover, future wife, mother of our child together."

Her past self started to give her a funny look, as though Korra were her dark doppler, but sad Korra no longer felt sad as she cradled the jade necklace, saying, "I… I feel like there's an energy in here more powerful than Raava. It's… amazing." Smiling broadly, Korra said, "Now I want you to turn the large jade piece around, and see if you like what's there."

Are you sure it needs to be this complicated? Korra thought curtly, "It's me I'm dealing with here - she needs a confidence boost, even if it is erased!" Okay, fine.

Korra and Asami both hugged each other as they heard her past self say, "Yes… I guess I do. Though, I'd still like to see Mako naked, before I make up my mind." Asami laughed, saying, "I thought you broke any idea of being with Mako after that huge lie." Her past self sighed, saying, "I don't know who, or what I am. I still don't feel comfortable with the idea of marrying a girl… what would people think?" Laughing weakly, she added, "You gonna get rid of that pest behind you, or what? Don't tell me why she's dripping blood." Korra cursed as Asami cried bitterly and Dark Korra gave a very edited version of events, Korra yelling, "Quick, show her the back! She'll vanish if you do!"

Korra frowned when it half looked like her past self were about to shatter the jade necklace, but at the last minute gripped it tightly as she walked forward, saying, "I may be confused about the image, but I do know I like the love! Now scram!" After a screeching that was music to her ears, Korra said, "See? If you just rely on your inner strength, you can overcome anything. It's important that you at least stop hating yourself." Korra cried slightly as her past self said, "I think I might actually do that. The energy in here - it's so enticing…"

Dark Korra must have gone crying to daddy, as a significantly stronger version of Vaatu's voice said, "And disgusting. I hate the way things turned out, Jinshu Kuangmai or not, so I'll just be corrupting you now, pathetic excuse for an Avatar. Timeline be damned!" Korra stood in stunned silence as her past self produced a blue flame in one hand and held the jade necklace at the ceiling, saying fierily, "Look, Vaatu! Love cooties!" Korra and Asami laughed as Vaatu said, "UGH! I'll be leaving now! Man, I wish I were more like Jinshu Kuangmai…" Korra vaguely wondered if Long Yumao regretted not taking Jinshu Kuangmai's offer, or if Vaatu would manage to learn from Jinshu Kuangmai one day.

Korra saw her past self sit down after handing the jade necklace back, saying, "I guess I really am seeing both of you. Something tells me this will all be erased. Nonetheless, even if for just a moment, I want to know how I came to bloodbend. And more importantly, how I came to love Asami as more than a friend." Nodding, Korra said, "It will be erased. The events between now and when I am contacting you are far too complicated to explain properly or quickly. Love is timeless, so maybe you'll want to take another look at this betrothal necklace. And feel. You won't remember any specifics, but maybe more of this jade betrothal necklace's energy will nurture the seed I planted. Help you weather the coming storms." Korra sighed contentedly as her past self's eyes began to sparkle again, barely able to avoid crying as her past self said, "Th-thank you. I'm sure most of what I felt again will be erased, but I do feel like I love myself slightly now, instead of just not hating who I am. I have the feeling that's permanent. The feeling didn't come from that weird necklace - it came from me. Well, the one without tattoos, that is."

As Asami hugged her tightly, Korra nodded, feeling a faint confirmation from Raava as her past self began to cry, saying sleepily, "Can you escort me to Republic City? Help me see my Asami? Or Mako. Still don't really believe I'm bi…" Asami laughed, saying slowly as she posed suggestively, "Are you sure?" Korra's past self said, with wide eyes, "Uhhh, okay. I'll rephrase my question. Can you escort me to Republic City? Help me see my Asami? No Mako?" Asami laughed, saying, "My work here is done. See you at the chakra pools and gears, Korra." With that, Asami vanished, leaving Korra alone with a vaguely sad looking past self, who repeated the question with less enthusiasm.

Korra held up a hand, making sure to cut off her past self before she said Mako's name. Smiling, Korra said as though she were her mother talking to a four-year old Korra, "In time, Korra. Love never dies. Before you are ready, you have much healing and growing to do yourself, even if your true desires were the only factor. I know you are strong." Seeing her past self gently crumple to the floor, Korra smiled, realizing what she had just done. Apparently, her memory of Uncle Iroh giving her the same advice had been modified. She herself had given the advice, and Raava let it stick, along with the slight self-love.

Korra sighed contentedly, realizing she would make a great mother, after all her growth, especially with a daughter like Atokara. As she broke the connection, she found herself wishing she could go back in time and talk to Azula, or Tonga Beifong.

When she opened her eyes, she did not see what she expected, starting to cry as she said, "So… you are alive after all." The small three-year old in front of her smiled, saying, "Of course. If someone as nice as Asami can retain her dark half, there's no way 'Jinshu Kuangmai' can kill me." Sighing deeply, Tonga Beifong said, "Though, I wouldn't mind you killing me and Jinshu Kuangmai, physically. I want to be re-incarnated already, or even tossed into the Fog of Lost Souls. Anything but destruction…"

Korra started crying bitterly, saying, "You've almost completely given up, haven't you." When Tonga Beifong nodded, Korra said, "Don't. I wouldn't dare try to press this necklace against the sphere beside you - 'Jinshu Kuangmai' would likely go insane, but I do have an idea." Holding the precious gift out on an act of faith, Korra said, "Why don't you try holding this for a bit."

As Tonga Beifong held the necklace, he began to cry, saying, "Thank you. I'll make sure to remember Lin and my mother, Toph - there's a lot of information in here." Smiling micheviously much as Toph might have, he added, "I'll try to be as big a pest as I can, Korra. Nice tattoos, by the way." After Tonga made to hand the necklace back, Korra instead pressed it against Tonga's heart, saying, "I won't kill you unless I have to, only with your permission." Korra smiled gently, adding, "Yours, not Jinshu Kuangmai's, obviously." Tonga Beifong smiled, saying, "Thanks. Though I'm pretty sure that I will need to give you permission, at some point…" Korra groaned, saying as she put her jade treasure back on, "I guess you really are a Beifong. Stubborn."

As Tonga Beifong laughed, Korra saw the sphere pulse violently, a metallic hand reaching from it blindly as a bone-chilling voice screamed, "I TIRE OF THIS NIGHTMARE! YOU WILL NOT DEFILE MY INNER SANCTUM! BEGONE!" Korra watched in horror as the metal hand grabbed Tonga Beifong, choking him. Something snapping, he bit the hand holding him, saying, "I have not yet begun to fight!" The metal hand closed forcefully, crushing nothing but void.

Korra saw a massive metal humanoid form crawl from the sphere, listening to howling rage with a mischievous smile. Locating Tonga Beifong, not knowing where he was, Korra pressed a hand to the floor as she pumped love's energy to him, adding in Raava's energy as an afterthought, eyes and tattoos aglow. Korra stood up, saying to a stunned Jinshu Kuangmai, "You're going to have a lot more trouble from here on out."

Jinshu Kuangmai screamed in blind rage at the alien-looking Avatar, "First, you thwart my efforts at the conference, mocking me openly, sending me threats on my own ship! Then, that little brat Kai escapes from my clutches, running away like a coward!" Smiling broadly as he began to move metal hands, he said, "You won't be so fortunate. You're on MY home territory now, you pathetic excuse for an Avatar. Time for you to die." Thinking of nothing but hatred and its ultimate master, he placed one hand on his orb as he lifted the Avatar off the floor slightly, cursing in frustration, "Be a good little girl, and die quietly! Why won't you obey my hand's command?"

Korra laughed hysterically, saying as she soared out of his reach, "You can't blood-iron bend me. Not when I'm in the Avatar State." Zipping around like some glowing mockery of power, she added, "I've picked up a little love-based trick, with the help of that 'brat' Kai and Jinora. I hope you look forward to facing an army of free-flying airbenders someday." Smiling broadly, the Avatar added as she made an unfamiliar hand motion, "Ones, I may add, that won't ask permission from Tonga Beifong before killing you. I'm not sure how Jinora would dispatch you. She's got two choices."

Cursing to see twin images appear within his innermost space, he found himself forced to look at an image of a particularly gruesome fate as Korra said, "Your head - it moved! It must be a little help from Tonga. I'd never force you to look at a fitting death by Jinora's hand - asphyxiation. Tyrant. No different than Earth Queen Hou-Ting." Finding himself able to speak again, he howled, "Airbenders are too weak to kill!"

As his head turned to face a second, unfamiliar object, he wanted to laugh. Hysterically.

What's a little piece of metal going to do to a metalbender? It's just ammunition!

As if Korra could read his mind, she said, "Yes, it is ammunition - but not for you. Watch this." His eyes widened in terror as he saw an image of an anonymous enraged airbender point an odd glove at a platoon of his soldiers, the unknown person sending projectile after projectile slamming into the formation, cringing as he saw holes appear where they shouldn't be. Helmeted foreheads, armored chests - penetrated like tissue paper.

No…

"Maybe you do have a heart after all, if you dislike seeing your soldiers die," said this increasingly infuriating Avatar as she lowered herself back down to his level. With a smile, she said, "Tonga's helping in more ways than one - I've established a permanent connection with him. Since I am present in your inner world, I can hear what you think." Jinshu Kuangmai hated the way she paused, staring. Those eyes, and the unnerving forehead…

Korra frowned slightly, saying, "Fear wasn't what I was hoping for, but Raava's more than happy to take it." After the Avatar's eyes and tattoos flashed brightly, he could see a dead husk of a world, a strong female voice asking him, "Is this what you want, Tonga Beifong? To ally with an ancient force of evil that would see our planet a dead husk, not even your Earth Empire remaining?"

Jinshu Kuangmai could tell Korra was lying somehow. But just barely lying.

Jinshu Kuangmai was furious. But not with the Avatar. Turning his hatred on an unlikely target, he yelled, "I want to rule EVERYTHING, not see EVERYTHING turned to ash before me, Vaatu! The Fire Nation could be a source for volcanic glass for all I care, but that's… sickening!" Korra smiled, asking, "Now do you see what you're becoming?"

Jinshu Kuangmai laughed, saying loudly, "Long Yumao is right about two things - order must triumph over chaos. Controlled life, over utter annihilation. That vision – if everyone's dead, how can I take pleasure in seeing other's fear, or their quaking obedience? Or, even better, willing, no, zealous servitude?" Imagining himself speaking directly to Vaatu as though the spirit were a small, particularly dense and stupid child, Jinshu Kuangmai continued, "You know nothing about power, Vaatu. Chaos – useless! Human fear gains you control, feeding other's human hatred lets you manipulate them. Better than that borderline failure you fused with years ago ever could hope to - Unalaq. He hid his true nature from the world, from what Kuvira told me – acted like he was a good guy, for a long time." With a deep laugh, Jinshu Kuangmai said with a toothy grin, "I have no need for such deception. I want the whole world struck into silence, immobilized with fear, at what I am willing to do. The Shiro family was only the beginning." After cursing that he did not get to kill the vermin himself, he began speaking with great conviction, finishing, "I can feed and draw from my own hatred. Human hatred. I don't need to talk to an outdated fool like you, Vaatu. You can't even answer me!" Korra laughed uneasily, saying as she stepped backwards, "I… I'll be going now."

Jinshu Kuangmai never did find out what Vaatu's response was, what with the accursed block that was now in place. All Jinshu Kuangmai knew was he loved how uneasy the Avatar looked before she vanished.

Maybe I can teach that stupid spirit a thing or two, someday. The Avatar teaches Raava, so I see no reason I couldn't drill sense into that chaotic moron's head.

The inner world fading, Jinshu Kuangmai relished a pleasant dream of himself inside his superior Colossus on a rampage at the South Pole. He turned the White Lotus training compound turned to slush, steam and ash using spirit energy for its proper purpose, and the Avatar's parent's house was crushed beneath massive platinum-coated feet, blood staining the snow.

"I don't know what Korra sees in us. You disgust me."

Jinshu Kuangmai laughed so hard, he found himself awake, staring at the wall, smiling. Before going back to sleep, he thought, Good. I can see a use for you, yet - anything you hate, I'll make sure to do. A meterstick.

For the first time in his life, he was disappointed that his annoying half didn't speak, merely hearing intense weeping sounds. As he listened, he realized he wasn't disappointed after all - it was a nice music, of the best kind. Asleep once more, Jinshu Kuangmai had a borderline unbelievable dream – Vaatu, morphing, changing.