Korrasami: Golden Age

#1 - New Challenges

At noon, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Republic City ...

- Enough of this nonsense, boys! Get ready for prison! - I exclaim and let my eyes light up briefly with avatar whiteness.

The robbers, who boldly dare to disturb public order and peace for this wonderful, fragrant, spring noon, look at me in surprise.

Yet the villains do not allow themselves to be intimidated so easily but go on the counterattack. Of course, why would anything in my life be too easy ...

The first one, a bald tall guy tries to crush me with a wave of water while the second amplifies my partner's effect by adding a jet of sharp pebbles.

I avoid them and shoot them with air balls. They miss, but disorient them and that gives me a few precious moments.

On the wave of water I rush to them. I knock out a bald man while I strategically kick another one in places that numb his muscles. Ha! I also learned something from those hard chi blockers, it seems!

The next moment they are both on the floor unconscious.
I don't triumph, I turn around. Just two? That was definitely too easy ...

- Avatar Korra! - a deep voice came from above.

I do not distract myself with anything but squint upwards, for the sun shines over the silhouette of the one who appeared.

- This is none of your business! We don't steal anything, we just return our long-lost legacy to its rightful owners!

- Oh yeah? If that were true, you would do it legally, not like this!

- We wouldn't, avatar! - the voice says angrily - endless and useless administrative procedures are just a further insult to the injustice inflicted on us!

The guy is right. The Republic City administration isn't as awful as in Earth Kingdom, but it doesn't lag far behind it.

Still, I will not tolerate robbers. Let's say they're telling the truth and their goal is fair or at least justifiable. But if they succeed now, sooner or later they will try again ... and again. That won't be possible while Avatar Korra is around!

- No negotiations! Surrender immediately or prepare for pain! - I threatened him, and the guy laughed contentedly.

- We expected such an answer, avatar, and we are prepared for it! Dual benders, now!

My eyes widen in surprise. The next moment I was submerged under the swirling water. It carries me somewhere, but I resist. Suddenly, the water throws me up, and as I am momentarily disoriented, metal chains chain me around my arms and legs, the water around my waist climbs up to my neck and freezes.
And, as if that wasn't enough, a ball of air mass embraces my head.

Really surprised, only a moment later I see that I am so disabled, transferred to the roof of the museum and that I am currently secured by a team of at least a dozen, maybe a dozen people.

- So easily disabled! Who would have thought that you were the same avatar who fought so many battles and came out of them as a winner! - said the same wicked guy.

I just frown. He nodded to his men to continue the robbery. They quickly descend from the ropes to the museum and the theft continues.

I am waiting. I'll be free soon ...

- We don't want to hurt anyone, really - the guy will be distracted, but honestly - but this has to be done. Don't worry, you won't meet us again.

I stir and start resisting. Metal shackles tighten, as does ice, and a ball of air around the head begins to lack oxygen.

The big guy laughed.
- Always on duty in law and order, huh? Or what you think is right? You're going to have to put up with this until it's over, I'm afraid.

Really?
I try to say something and he, a mild-hearted criminal, orders the guys who keep me trapped to loosen their grip and let me talk.

I say:

- Where did you find so many benders willing to join your goal?
"Easy," he boasted, "after all, the guys around you are dual benders." Five of them search for land and water, and five for air and fire. So you're really ... restrained.

They laugh and I frown.
Not good. These dual benders have been appearing everywhere lately. People who can deal with two elements at the same time ... I wonder if one day someone with all four powers will appear without being an avatar?

But I just smile and say to the guy:

- You said earlier that it's hard to imagine in me the same avatar who fought so many battles and came out of all of them as a winner. Well, I'm not the same person.
- How are you not? - The guy is confused.
- Everything changes over time, including the avatar.

He just looks at me in amazement. I start to resist and the benders around me start squeezing my makeshift prisoner.

But they have no success.
I see fear on their faces because they think I'm entering an avatar state, but that's not happening. Instead, I rely on dealing with matter itself: matter bending.

And they have no chance.
My bonds are breaking, the ice is melting and evaporating, the air dome around my head is dissolving.

With acrobatic moves I make several gestures that strengthen my inner spiritual strength in the material world.

I almost feel sorry for them as I watch them struggle with attempts to handle the elements without any success.

- Impossible! - the guy exclaimed, retreating - you blocked our bending. How? You are not in an avatar state!

- I do not share the secrets of the wise with the worthless - I answer and restrain him in a circle of air, earth, water and fire.

I do the same with the others.
When I'm done on the roof, I head down to the museum to return the stolen goods. A smile plays on my lips.

This time, I will really try not to break anything.

***

- Korra, - Lin, the city police chief, tells me, - you did it good, kid."
- Thanks, it was too easy.
- Remind me, how did you know the robbery was going on?
- I didn't know, but out of the corner of my eye I saw unknown silhouettes running to the top of several buildings in the city. I followed them and ... you know the rest.

Lin sighed.
We are in her office, in the evening, at the end of her shift. She is tired and has two small children and a husband waiting for her at home.

- I'm just worried, Korra. These dual benders are something completely new. Who knows why they showed up.
- Tenzin will know, - I say firmly, though I'm not sure.
"All right." Lin gets up from her chair and leads me outside.

I escort her to her house, and then drive with my faithful air-glider to the Asami residence.

Before I enter and join Asami - who has been working tirelessly from home lately - I stop and breathe in the fresh, night air.

I think about everything again today. Dual bender criminals. Like I told the guy who's in jail with the others now, the world is changing. Avatar along with it.

And then I wonder once again if it is still possible to renew contact with my avatar predecessors. Um ... maybe one day, if there's any luck.

And as I enter Asami's villa I decide to sniff a little whether the guy was telling the truth about the city administration not allowing a fair return of the property to the owner.

Yes, I make a firm decision, the Republic City administration must also change ... and for the better.

- Korra! You arrive just as dinner is over! - Asami said cheerfully, kissing me quickly, in a kitchen apron and a chef's hat. She looks sexy and ridiculous, but the scents are worryingly intoxicating so I dare not comment on her appearance.

- Yeah, I'm starving! - I grin and think that we could extend our just finished honey moon into a honey year. Why not? To visit all the exotic places of our world that we have not yet visited.

Busy Asami rushes around me, turns off the stove, opens the oven and takes out the perfectly baked, juicy and crunchy ...

- Pizzas with vegetables, anchovies and cheese for my favorite, muscular avatar lady are coming ...

- You're the best, Asami.