Though initially they had planned to find refuge within the shelter of an inn, Korra and her companions chose the rugged freedom of the outdoors instead.
"I think it will be more efficient if the money is spent only on food," Korra declared with a pragmatist's tone, and thus their decision to rest under the vast canvas of the night sky was sealed. They remained in the park, wrapped in the embrace of darkness lit only by scattered lamplight and the celestial bodies above.
The city clock struck nine. Whereas the streets of Republic City would still thrum with the lifeblood of ceaseless traffic at such an hour, here in Pristella, the absence of carriages and sparse sightings of night wanderers spoke of a quieter, more introspective evening.
Ikki and Meelo, ever the spirited duo of their band, had succumbed to slumber atop their air bison, their breaths deepening into snores mere moments after they had laid themselves down.
Korra leaned against the warm, massive flank of the air bison, a living pillar in their makeshift camp, while Jinora sat in silent meditation beside her. Time seemed to slow, wrapping the two in a cocoon of tranquility until Jinora's eyes fluttered open.
"How was it?" Korra's voice broke the stillness, tinged with a hopeful note.
With a sigh heavy with unmet expectations, Jinora shook her head. "I can't project myself to my father, and I also unable to enter the spirit world."
The air grew heavy with Korra's sigh of disappointment, her shoulders slumping slightly under the weight of concern.
"Can you try that again? Like, maybe there's some kind of error."
"No, Korra, there's not. You can try to meditate with me if you want," Jinora offered, her voice steady yet gentle.
"I will," Korra responded with a nod, settling herself into a meditative stance mirroring Jinora's. She drew in a controlled breath, seeking to quiet the storm of thoughts and touch the elusive spiritual realm. Yet, despite their combined efforts, the barrier remained impassable.
"See? It can't be done," Korra murmured, more to herself than to Jinora, a trace of resignation threading through her words.
A profound sigh escaped her as she leaned back, her thoughts dark with implications. If her connection to her past and her powers as the Avatar were truly severed, what path lay before her now?
"Don't worry, Korra. There's probably another way to come back," Jinora reassured, her voice a beacon in the dim.
"Yeah, I hope so. If I still can talk with past Avatars, they probably have an answer to this problem," Korra mused, her gaze lifting to the stars that dusted the night sky like flecks of silver paint on a black canvas.
"Probably. Never read about an Avatar that was trapped in another world, though," Jinora added, her tone thoughtful.
"Well, the past Avatar I ever talked to was mostly Aang," Korra said, a faint smile touching her lips as she remembered.
"Maybe Toph was right," she murmured, her voice a soft blend of wonder and melancholy.
"Right about what?" Jinora, always curious, edged closer, her eyes reflecting the same stars that held Korra's gaze.
Korra sighed, the weight of her thoughts as heavy as the air around them. "She said to me that the world doesn't need me. She basically said all I did will be pointless because it will resolve itself anyway," Korra confessed, struggling with the harshness of the words.
"That's ridiculous. Don't say something like that. She probably just said it to make you want to prove her wrong," Jinora countered swiftly, her tone laced with disbelief and a hint of frustration.
"Maybe. But now I think what she said is true. The world keeps going without me, and even without me, problems that arise can be dealt with," Korra's voice faltered, revealing her deep-seated doubts.
"No, Korra. The world still needs you. You're The Avatar." Jinora's words were firm, meant to ground Korra back to her purpose.
Korra pondered quietly, her heart heavy. "Is that so? But no matter what I do, the world seems to always be out of balance. Growing up, I couldn't wait to be the Avatar. I thought I was really gonna change things. I was so naive."
"Are you forgetting all the good things you accomplished?" Jinora pressed on, unwilling to let Korra drown in her own despair.
"Like what? Defeating Amon and The Equalists?" Korra's question was rhetorical, yet it invited affirmation.
"Yeah. That's a big accomplishment. After you exposed them, the movement lost its power." Jinora reminded her, hoping to ignite a spark of pride.
Memories of her battles against Amon surged through Korra's mind, followed closely by the darker memories of when her bending was stripped away, causing her to visibly shudder.
"That feeling didn't last long. Because of Unalaq, I betrayed your father, opened the portals, and threw the Spirit and human worlds into chaos," Korra's voice broke slightly, her regrets spilling over.
Images of her confrontation with Unalaq, especially the painful memory of Raava's destruction, played vividly in her mind, a reminder of the connections lost.
"That's the past, Korra. Also, opening the spirit portals turned out to be a good thing, right? My people are now roaming the world once again," Jinora offered, trying to steer Korra towards a more positive reflection.
Indeed, Korra vividly recalled the journey she undertook with Tenzin and others to find the new airbenders, a flicker of hope in her tone as she replied, "Yeah, if it weren't for Zaheer. Because of him, things are more out of balance than ever now. Nothing's really changed!"
Jinora sighed, a sound of patience and understanding. "Korra, there will always be new conflicts and enemies to face. But the important thing is to learn and better yourself over time. You've changed a lot since the first time I met you. Also, the new Air Nation is a testament to that. You sacrificed everything to save them. You're an inspiration to the world."
Moved by Jinora's words, Korra's spirits lifted slightly, her posture relaxing as she turned to Jinora with a gentle smile. "Thank you, Jinora. I'm glad you're able to make me see it from different views."
"You're welcome," Jinora replied, her smile mirroring Korra's.
Silence settled between them, comfortable and contemplative, until Korra broke it with a sudden request. "Can I hug you?" This caught Jinora slightly off guard.
"Well, sure..."
Their embrace was warm, a mutual exchange of gratitude and support, an affirmation of their bond. It was a simple gesture, but for Korra, it was deeply meaningful.
Their moment, however, was abruptly interrupted by a patrolling guard. "Hey! What in the Od name are you all doing here?"
"Oh, hello. We are just resting here, officer," Jinora explained calmly. "Is there something wrong?"
"Resting here? You all tourists?" He asked, skepticism tinting his voice.
"Well, as far as I know, there's no specific law that says tourists must sleep inside an inn or someone's home during a border inspection," Jinora responded, her knowledge of the local regulations clear.
The guard paused, considering. "Well... It is true. I just want to make sure you are all safe here," he finally conceded.
"Don't worry about it, we are all safe and sound here," Korra assured him.
"Alright, then. Have a beautiful night," he said before turning away, leaving Korra and Jinora to their quiet contemplation under the stars.
After the guard's departure, Korra turned back to Jinora, a trace of amusement in her voice. "Did you really memorize the rules mentioned by the previous gate guard? I only remember 'don't litter.'"
"They also said don't use magic for harming purposes." Jinora's response was matter-of-fact, a testament to her attention to detail.
"Magic, huh? Are they calling bending as magic here?" Korra's curiosity was piqued, reflecting on the differences in terminology and perception across cultures.
"Don't really know. Bending itself is not magic, so I don't know what they mean by magic in this case. Maybe we can talk with Subaru about that," Jinora suggested.
"You're right," Korra agreed, the earlier heaviness of their conversation giving way to a lighter, more practical concern. "Anyway, don't you want to sleep?"
"If you go to sleep, I will. It's safe for all of us to sleep, there's a guard roaming everywhere after all," Jinora replied, her gaze drifting back to the stars, then to the sleeping forms of Meelo and Ikki nearby.
"Let's sleep, then," Korra decided, a yawn punctuating her intention.
"Alright."
Jinora gracefully got up from her sitting position and climbed onto the air bison. The back was already occupied by Meelo and Ikki, so she found a spot at the neck to head area, settling down comfortably. Korra, meanwhile, was used to sleeping leaning on the body of the air bison, finding her usual spot and making herself comfortable.
The night was quiet around them, the only sounds being the occasional call of a night creature and the soft breathing of the sleeping air benders. The stars continued to twinkle overhead, indifferent and distant, yet offering a serene beauty that seemed to watch over them.
"Goodnight, Korra," Jinora whispered, her voice blending with the gentle rustling of the leaves.
"Goodnight, Jinora," Korra replied, her voice soft and tired. As she closed her eyes, the burdens of the day began to lift slightly, eased by the presence of her friend and the tranquility of the night. They both drifted off to sleep, the challenges of the day set aside for a few hours of peaceful rest under the watchful eyes of the cosmos.