Korra had always thought meditation was bullshit until she really needed it. Sitting with the hood over her head and the music reverberating in her chest all she could do to not go absolutely insane was to meditate.
Square breathing - IN 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4 - OUT 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4
She played this over and over in her mind and the pain of how she was sitting would ease up.
IN 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4 - OUT 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4
Some point in the last few hours, or days, honestly everything was such a blur since she watched Zaheer kill Ghazan, she recognized that it was only a matter of time before her number was up.
IN 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4 - OUT 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4
There had been moments in the breathing exercise she would let her mind drift to the life she left behind - Asami, Naga, Bolin, her boring personal training gig. She would think about the apathetic expression on Asami's face moments before she left, then her body would begin to seize remembering not only that pain of knowing she may never see Asami again but also the position she was in.
The pain in her shoulders and knees were unbearable but she was thankful she wasn't paralyzed - although it might not matter soon.
IN 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4 - OUT 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4
Letting her thoughts drift from the breathing again she thought of buying the engagement ring for Asami. It was a few weeks before Mako came to her with the last assignment she would do before putting her camera away forever. Korra and Bolin had told Opal and Asami that they were going to the gym and instead they both went to look at rings to get an idea for each of their future proposals. That's when Korra saw it, a platinum band with a diamond flanked by two emeralds, and a simple matching wedding band. It was everything she had hoped to find and to give Asami going into the new chapter together, except she would never see Asami again.
Korra's body began to remind her of her reality.
IN 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4 - OUT 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4
—-
Asami took the ring out of the small blue velvet box and turned it over and over again in her hands as she sat outside. The sky was barely beginning to show the early signs of the new day and deep down Asami knew that her life would never be the same after today.
As she continued to move the ring around she heard someone enter the garden. Turning her body she saw Mako walking towards her.
"Hey, I wasn't expecting to see you out and about yet"
"Bolin, convinced the nurse to let me be with people today outside of my hospital room," Mako said, settling next to Asami. "He has been with me pretty nonstop, I told him that you would watch me so he could get some rest. I think we will see him soon though. I know he's nervous about today and getting Korra back."
"I've always admired how close the three of you are," Asami said, placing the ring back in the box. "I honestly have never really had true friendships until you guys came along with Korra." Asami smiled, "I realized it's a package deal pretty early on."
Mako laughed in what felt like the first time in years.
"If there is one thing I can say about Korra, it's that her circle may be small but they are her everything."
Asami and Mako sat in a comfortable silence as they watched the sunrise.
Clearing his throat Bolin announced he and Opal's presence.
"We brought you guys some coffee and a couple bagels," Opal said, handing both Asami and Mako their cups. "I know you guys might not be in the mood to eat, but you should at least try."
"Thanks guys," Asami said, sipping her coffee. "Any updates?"
"No," Opal replied. "Mom was in the situation room and they have it pretty locked down. I think we will just have to wait it out like you guys."
"That's ok though," Bolin said. "We don't want to be anywhere else than with you guys when we hear how things turned out."
"Thank you guys," Mako said. "I feel like today is going to be a long day."
—-
Bataar moved through the hallways yelling to his team members to clear all the rooms in the hotel as they made their way to where P'Li told them Korra was being held. He tried to push the thought of Kuvira going down out of his mind but it kept nagging at him every time there was even a second of time to think and not just be on autopilot.
Soon, they made their way down to the floor they thought Korra was on, and they began clearing every room yet again. It seemed that there was heavy resistance on the top floors but it was clear that the numbers weren't as strong as they were when the Red Lotus movement first started.
As they moved they met very little resistance, Bataar was unsettled at how quiet it was becoming. Moving through the hallway Bataar Jr could hear what sounded like heavy metal music. Stacking outside the door, Bataar Jr kicked the door open and what he saw made his heart sink.
Several people laid on the floor, Bataar unsure if they were dead or posed a threat, he would have to let his team decipher because in front of him stood Zaheer holding a gun to a person unnaturally chained to a table.
—-
IN 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4 - OUT 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4
Then Korra felt it, something hard jammed into the side of her head, her blood went cold.
IN 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4 - OUT 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4, but it was going faster and faster each cycle. No matter what Korra put her mind to, she could feel the panic rising in her.
IN 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4 - OUT 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4
IN 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4 - OUT 1,2,3,4 - Hold 1,2,3,4
"Oh fuck, of fuck," started taking place of the numbers. She felt the muzzle of the gun press harder into her temple. Then she heard shots ring out, and pain like she never had before ripped through leg and soon darkness took over the ringing in her ears.