Ally Beifong

38: The Past

"Korra's gone? I can't believe it. What if she's hurt, or alone, scared, I don't know. I need to find her, but I don't know-how. How am I supposed to find someone who clearly doesn't want to be found?"

*This chapter is going to have a lot of flashbacks, I'll number them and explain what's going on*

Flashback 1: *one month after the battle*

"Ally, I know it's only been a month, and I don't want to rush you," Lin started. "But we need to get you back to your old self."

"I don't know if I'll ever be my old self," Ally replied softly.

"Don't talk like that, kid," Lin knelt down and out her hand on the armrests of Ally's wheelchair.

"I know the healers here aren't as good as Katara, but we can't go to the South Pole. We just have to keep trying, I believe in you, sweetheart, you can do this."

"I'll keep trying," Ally's lips turned up in a smile, and with her mom's help, she stood up and braved herself using two parallel bars that had been set up. She gripped them and closed her eyes, sensing the vibrations with her feet. She took a step and felt her knee collapse, but she didn't give up, she pushed herself up again and took another step, this time she didn't fall. She tried to take one more step, but couldn't, it was too much. She collapsed down to her knees with a happy laugh, panting slightly. She looked up and saw Lin's jaw dropped with an expression of shock. She scooped Ally up and spun her around, laughing.

"You did it!" She cheered. "You did it!" Ally laughed and tears filled her eyes, dripping down her cheeks.

"I thought I'd never walk again," she whispered. "But I just did. Look, mom, I just did it."

Flashback 2: *six months after the battle*

Ally took a deep breath and took her first step, then another. Just as she was about to take the third, the memories of Zaheer came back and she fell, collapsing onto her elbows. Lin knelt in front of her daughter and put a comforting hand on Ally's head.

"I know it's been tough, kid," Lin murmured. "Your body still thinks it's in danger, that is has to fight. You're safe here, sweetheart, I promise." Ally looked up and wrapped her arms around Lin's neck.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be, it's been a rough few months," Lin replied.

"I just thought I'd be stronger," Ally said as Lin helped her into her wheelchair. "It's been 6 months, heck, I thought I'd be back on the police force by now."

"Honey," Lin chuckled. "Your body went through a lot of damage when you saved Korra. No ones expecting you to jump up and be your old self again." Ally smiled and stood up with the help of the bars. She held her hands loosely above them, and took a few steps without the bars support. She could walk a few steps, but she still had a long road to go.

Flashback 3: *1 year after the battle*

When Ally could walk and fight again, Lin put her back on police duty. She returned, stronger than ever, but the past still haunted her, until one day when she decided to face it.

"I need to see him," Ally told her mom one day at dinner. "If I don't, I'm never going to be able to face my past and move on."

"Ally, are you sure?" Lin asked.

"He's locked up, and he can't hurt me anymore," Ally said gently. "I need to do this, otherwise I'll never be able to fight like I once did." Lin agreed and took ally to the remote prison where Zaheer was being kept.

"After all this time," Zaheer smirked. "Look who decided to come visit me. Let me guess, you need my help?" Ally tried to speak, but she couldn't and she ran out, her past haunting her.

Back in the present year, Ally started to meditate more, to see if she could find Korra. One day, she got a reading is spiritual energy, and she knew it was Korra. She got Lin's permission and borrowed a Sky Bison from Tenzin, and flew out to the area where she got the energy reading. It was a large swamp in the middle of nowhere, she landed and sent the sky bison home, there was no place for him here. She walked around and found a small house in the bark of a tree, as she touched the delicate wood, she felt something behind her, the footsteps of an older woman. She whirled around, clenching her fists as a rock floated above her. 

"Who are you?" An old woman's voice asked. 

"Alice Beifong," Ally replied. "Who are you?" An old woman with a large bun hairstyle that rose above her head like a cloud, a headband covered it, making it look even more like a cloud, and the most distinctive thing about the woman, her eyes were cloudy gray, she was blind. 

"Lin's daughter," the woman said. "You're Lin's daughter!"

"Yeah," Ally replied skeptically. "Who are... oh my god, you're Toph."

"I like you," Toph chuckled. 

"That means... you're my grandmother?" Ally stammered. 

"Bingo," Toph replied. "Quit your gawking, I may be blind, but I can feel your heartrate from here. Come on in." She led Ally into the house and had her sit down. 

"How are you?" Ally asked. 

"Pretty good," Toph replied. "Last time I saw you, you were just a baby. And to be frank, I didn't think Lin would ever have a kid, but when you came along, she changed. I've never seen her that in love. Not in a creepy way mind you, she changed when she became a mother." They talked for a while, until Ally put her hand on the vines that lay around the house, and felt something weird. 

"Korra," she exclaimed and bolted out of the house. She found her friend passed out in the mud and scooped her up, bringing her back to Toph's house. A few hours later, Korra woke up to Toph making some stew. Ally was siting next to her friends bed, healing her up a bit. 

"What happened?"

"We found you in the mud, what are you doing here?" Ally replied. 

"Avatar senses," Toph said. "They called her here."

"How did you know who I am?" Korra asked, standing up. 

"In a way," Toph replied. "Just like I recognized her, I know you. We were good friends in a past life." Korra held it a handful of fire that illuminated Toph's face and long white hair. 

"It can't be... that's unbelievable," Korra murmured. "Toph!" Toph chuckled lightly as Ally stood up and walked over to her. With a gesture that was unknown to her, she wrapped an arm around Ally's waist. 

"Nice to see you both, twinkle toes," she said. "It's been a while."