Keep me safe

The snow in the south was bitter for our young Avatar but not in the way that ice scraped the cheeks or the cold made one clatter their teeth. It was bitter because it was filled with the entrapment Korra had grown up with. The white lotus had always believed that they kept the Avatar safe, and to most that was reasonable, but for Korra it was a prison just without the bars. She had to be wheeled in because of her impairment and the shackles that she had felt before Asami basically carried them we’re now dragging behind her in the cold and heavy snow. When she lifted up her eyes hearing that very familiar voice that Aang had grown to love for years she held on even tighter to the handles.

“It’s good to see you again Korra.”

She didn’t have it in her to say anything. All she could do was nod her head in acknowledgment to her teacher.

The past Avatars have always had a connection to one another, but what no one understood was that the feelings they also carried over after each generation was a heavy weight. Seeing katara even at her old age swelled up a feeling Aang had felt in the past when he also was broken. For Korra it wasn’t his memory that was being carried over into her mind, it was the feeling he had that reminded her of her own weakness, her failure, her loss, her pain.

She was so tired.

“I want to go to my room and rest.”

Was all she could say to the man wheeling her in. He looked at Katara and she nodded. It wasn’t the first time she had seen a hurt Avatar and it wasn’t the first time she had to wait patiently for her student to recover.

Korra was taken to her room and laid down. And she stayed that way for three days. The only time she needed assistance was for the bathroom or a shower, but other than that she stayed in her room.

When she dreamed. Asami was there in front of her, but when she woke up the feelings Aang carried over from his distress made her weep in sorrow. He was a constant reminder of her weakness. The pain she felt in her limbs was a heavy weight that carried up to her chest. Exhausted by the back and forth between him and her. She had no other choice but to sleep so the pain could be relieved.

It wasn’t until on the fourth day that she dreamed of Zaheer and she screamed in her sleep. Katara was right there also examining the young Avatar as she would come in and out of the Avatar state. Molding the healing water in her palms over Korras forehead and limbs trying to ease the pain.

Korra was breathing in and out heavily as if her heart would explode, but this was not something Katara could fix even as a healer. Korras anxiety, her pain had to be processed.

So that’s what they did for months but it wasn’t an easy process.

On the fifth day Korra was woken up with gentle hands, and when she would not wake up she was splashed with soft snow.

“It’s time to get up Korra.”

Upset and disgruntled she muttered under her breath and forced herself into her chair.

“ I said I needed rest.”

With a smile Katara wheeled her into the healing room.

“Yes and you got your rest, but even being well rested can damage you in more ways than one.”

Korra didn’t understand but she didn’t fight back either.

After one hour of intense healing she couldn’t take it anymore.

“ I want to go back to my room.”

So she was taken back by a white lotus member and behind the doors she wrote to Asami.

Dear Asami,

We made it back safely.

Hesitation gripped her hands and she wanted to tell her the truth but she didn’t.

I hope you are doing well-

And that’s how it continued after training. Korra would put up a mask for Asami and her friend would tell her the honest truth about her journey.

Everyday Katara would heal her and train her and everyday Korra would write to Asami.