Valkyrie

The Gathering: Part Two

Korra hadn't expected the conversation with Zuko to go so smoothly. Well, that wasn't exactly true. She first had go through the arduous task of informing him about Azula's rejuvenation.  For a brief moment, she experienced the full force of the Fire Lord's explosive and unrestrained anger. 

"That devil! I should ended her myself all those years ago! When I get my hands on her I'll-" the list of expletives went on and on. 

The medics were quickly tending to Korra's burns and bruises as best they could, all the while a very worried Naga contributed to the process by licking her face incessantly. She would have pushed her away, but right now Korra felt like she needed a little affection.

After nearly kicking a hole in the airship, the Fire Lord eventually calmed himself, at which Korra took the plunge and carefully laid out the situation. While she had expected some sort of backlash, she was met by unnerving silence as Zuko listened.

"...My uncle said that?" he asked slowly.

"He said; life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not" she repeated.

An unusual smile crossed his face, the grizzled monarch suddenly looking around fifty years younger.

"That old man. Even when he's departed the land of the living, he's still giving me lectures" he chuckled, all the while fighting a lump in his throat. As he looked upon the Avatar, his eyes returned to their steely luster. "Go, find these remnants as quickly as you can, then join me in hunting down Azula."

Korra's bandaged fist tightened.

"I will. I promise."

***

Republic City was practically beaming today, especially when it came to the local parks. It would have been the perfect setting for a romantic walk or just soaking in the sun. Korra let her eyes linger on the greenery as long as she could, thinking at how wonderful it would be to go snatch up Asami and spend the better half of the day here. Of course, indulging in such pleasantries would act only as a fatal distraction.

"Let's go girl," Korra said as she squeezed her legs around Naga's side, prompting the polar bear dog to leap across the pathways towards the centre of the city, only just managing to avoid pedestrians, who by this point had gotten pretty used to seeing the giant white fur-ball rampage through town.

It had taken a whole day for the zeppelin to take her back from the Southern Water Tribe, and most of that time she had spent sleeping and meditating in the hope of a quick recovery. There had been no time for her to contact the likes of Lin, Tenzin, Mako or even Asami, something she was once again regretting.

"I'm such a screw up," she thought to herself.

"You really are too hard on yourself."

"GAH!" she yelled out, her sharp reaction causing Naga to come to a grinding halt and nearly throw her off in the process. "W-What?" she thought aloud, still in shock.

"Is my voice really that scary? You wound me Korra," a soft laugh echoed her ears again, one of deep familiarity.

"Iroh?"

"Bingo."

"You scared me half to death! I thought you were going to give me some warning before you did this whole mind-talk thing!"

"I prefer the term mental network."

"Still doesn't make it any less weird!"

"I thought speaking to Aang and the other Avatars would have made it this easier for you?"