Book 3: Metal (Mystearica x Malin)

[Mystearica]

Avatar Korra​

Being the Avatar was a tough job. Nobody seemed to give a shit about whether or not you had good reasons for anything when you did something that messed with people's lives. Most specifically, the spirits were causing more than a few problems in the Heart of Republic City, and she wasn't solving them fast enough for the likes of the people in the city.

And that included the even more incompetent President Raiko, who'd made the wonderful decision of exiling the Avatar -- the bridge between worlds, and the most powerful bender alive -- from Republic City.

Korra had been at a loss for what to do. She had mastered firebending, waterbending, earthbending, and even airbending... and had even started to master the more spiritual aspects of her position. But now she was left with nothing to do. Well, almost nothing.

Her entire life had been spent at either the South Pole or in Republic City, never even setting foot in any other land. Aang, and every Avatar before him, had traveled the world extensively, searching far and wide. It hadn't been too hard to get an airship and borrow a small crew (courtesy of Asami), but Mako and Asami had duties in the city... which had left her with Bolin.

She liked Bolin, but she'd hoped for some of the others. But Tenzin, Asami, Mako... just about everyone they knew had lives back in the city, the city Korra couldn't legally return to (not that that would stop her for even a half second if she actually wanted to return).

So there they were, floating over Earth Kingdom territory. Korra had taken to a observation deck off the front of the airship, below and just in front of the bridge, a metal lip with a railing they could easily step off of once the ship landed. Korra was sitting on the railing, glancing out over the vast world as her hair whipped out behind her. They planned to visit the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, plus some of the more independent areas that made up their world.

 

[malin]

Bolin​

This was awesome! Ever since Bolin had first met Korra it had been one string of adventures after another, and now he and Pabu were on an airship going off to travel the world with the avatar, and do... well avatar things! It was all so new and exciting and he hadn't been this happy about something since Korra had joined the fire ferrets back when they had first met. Lifting up Pabu he leaned back against the cold metal.

"Bolin and Korra on a brand new adventure, I tell you little buddy it does not get much better then this!" Pabu blinked slightly as Bolin talked to him nodding and then scrambling up his arm and down into his shirt where it was more warm. Letting out a small sigh he walked out of his room, and along the halls of the airship. Asami really had pulled out all the stops for this airship, aside from the full crew at their disposal, they also had just about every comfort and need that he could think of. His mind drifted back to when he was just growing up as a kid in the streets of republic city.

It was a little hard for him to put it all in perspective just a year and a few months ago he and his brother had been a set of nobodies trying to make it in the pro bending circut surviving off instant foods. Now they had a crew that included a chief that cooked for them, and a galley on an air ship that was almost always full of food. Oh and there was also the fact that he was a super famous mover star.

Lost in thought he found himself walking absentmindedly out onto the deck, and finding himself standing behind Korra as he felt the rush of wind bring him back to his senses. His eyes went a little wide as he walked out onto the sun deck and grabbed hold of the rails. Aside from their trip to the north pole he had never really left republic city all that often, and now he had the chance to see the rest of the earth Kingdom. The fields and sky stretched as far as the eye could see, and he couldn't help but smile a little as he looked out over everything.

"Wow." The word escaped him and yet seemed to sum up everything about the situation. "If Mako and the others could see this."

He shook his head realizing who he had just mentioned. He glanced away from Korra sharply. "Sorry, I uhm." He wondered if he should back away from this conversation and just apologize. He didn't know if things were still sore between Korra and Mako.

 

[Mystearica]

Korra didn't seem to realize that she had been joined on the deck until she heard a very familiar voice behind her, trying to apologize about something. She'd been distracted recently -- but who could blame her? Ever since they'd taken down Unalaq and the boundary between the human world and the spirit world, things had been so different. It was... a good change. Or at least she thought it was -- but everyone else didn't seem to think so.

"Oh, hey Bolin," Korra said as she spun around on the railing, settling her hands on her knees as she regarded her friend. They'd all been together for a while now, fighting Amon, saving the world from Vaatu... and now here they were, the world in front of them and nothing to do with it. It felt... strange. At least she was glad to have some company. She would have gone crazy alone.

"Wanna sit with me for a bit?" Korra asked, giving him a little smile as she gestured over to the railing beside her. "About the only thing to do in this big can is to look at the view. Not that it's not great," Korra said, glancing away from Bolin, pretty blue eyes drinking in the world as the light played across her features. if nothing else, she seemed... relaxed. More than she'd been in a while, though there was still some sort of tension there.

Doing things, fighting bad guys, might always have been stressful... but it was better than doing nothing. Korra craved action, adventure! She had a zeal and a zest for life that few could match.

 

[malin]

Bolin blinked oddly feeling like he had just dodged out of the way of a conflict through the simple fact that Korra had been in a more trance like state then he had originally thought. Returning her smile with one of his own. He gave Korra a small nod as she offered to let him join and though he didn't sit on the railing he slid his legs through the gaps in the railing and sat on the floor. He didn't want to take the chance of being knocked off the airship in case of turbulence.

"I would like that." He said as he joined Korra in the activity of gazing out into the world. It was kind of hard to say where they were going since they had no direct mission. It honestly felt a little weird after spending months together saving the world, and stopping an entire war they were suddenly faced with an absence of activity, and what was worse was the team was once again separated.

"It's not so bad up here. It's kinda like a giant vacation, and come on after saving the world and facing off against the dark avatar you deserve of all people deserve a bit of a break." He said with a small shrug. It probably wasn't what she wanted to hear, but at the same time it was the truth of the situation, Korra may still be the avatar, but she was still human. Everyone needed a break some days.

Bolin's green eyes were practically glowing in the sunlight, his dark hair helped to take attention off of his slightly more pale skin tone. The bright light helped give him a strong aura around him as he looked at Korra for a moment admiring her in a small way. Really he was glad that he was a part of Team Avatar, because without Korra and the rest of them... he really wouldn't have anything else. His pro bending career had ended in second place followed by a humiliating pre tourney elimination, and he had only been a mover star because of Varrick who had been setting him and Asami up. Without Korra he would be a washed out nobody by now.

"It's not so bad doing nothing, and really Korra look around us. Were traveling the world doing the avatar thing! This is gonna be great Just you me Naga and Pabu out to see and do everything. Sure we got no crises to solve, no real plan of anything now that i think about it oh and no goal, and your the avatar so you must be under like constant pressure or need to do something but... i'm not helping am I?" Bolin let out a long sigh as he realized he was letting his mouth run again.

 

[Mystearica]

"... yeah, it's beautiful up here," Korra said as she spun back around on the railing. She didn't seem to have any fear up here -- but when one was a fully realized Avatar, capable of inhuman bending at the drop of a hat... well, falling wasn't much of a danger to her, after all. Still, she wrapped her hands tight about the railing, her legs crossing and resting on the lip of steel beneath her.

As Bolin rambled on, all Korra could do was laugh gently to herself, her blue eyes sparkling as she glanced down at him, wrapped around the bars as he was. "Thanks, Bolin. I know you're just trying to help," she said, her smile lingering on him for a moment before her gaze cut away to the distant horizon.

"... sorry for being kind of a downer. It's just... I know what Aang wanted more than anything was to try and make sure Republic City was a good place to live for everyone. And it just seems like for everything I did right for it, I also did something wrong. You know?" She was still wondering if leaving the portals open had been the right move. The worlds needed to coexist, but they were doing so in a very obtrusive way. It wasn't necessarily a BAD thing, but adjusting was proving difficult for the people that were most affected by it.

"But you got a point. Seeing the rest of the world... that's also what I'm supposed to do as Avatar, right?" she asked. First was the Earth Kingdom, the biggest part of their world, bordering Republic City given that it had formerly been Earth Kingdom territory. "I guess there's not just trouble back home, huh?" she asked absentmindedly. "Maybe I'll find something to do while I'm out here. Heh..." she grinned ruefully to herself. "... maybe not. The world would probably be better off without another big crisis, huh? Last thing we need is another whackjob like Amon or Unalaq."

 

[malin]

Bolin and Mako had been two of the people who had been displaced by the now wild vines and spirits who were living in republic city, which hadn't been all bad. Bolin had lived with Tenzin and his family along with Korra for a little while, and that had been great, the kids were fun to deal with and it was nice to be a part of a bigger family for once instead of the streets that he and Mako had lived in nearly their entire lives. So for him while there had been a change it had been enjoyable.

"People will come around, and see your getting it, we don't need the world to be endanger we can just run with this and have a little fun." He said being optimistic about Korra's decision. He had faith in her that keeping the portals open had been a smart idea, and while they wouldn't be able to go back too republic city for a while there was a lot they could do out here in the world away from it.

Korra was a bit of a downer, but that was what Bolin was for. He gave her a broad smile as he looked out at the horizon and felt the infinite possibilities of the world as they were opening up around them. And he did have to agree with one thing he certainly didn't want them to have to deal with another world ending scenario. "Yeah well we could honestly do with some rest and relaxation before the next world ending event happens that is for sure."

As the Airship rounded out into a valley Bolin's eyes widened even further as he let out another 'wow' They were approaching a city that was unlike anything he had ever seen before, made of three main structures each constructed to look like a flower in bloom, all made out of metal and twisted into such a way that they were both grand and majestic it was unlike any city that Bolin had ever seen before. "What is that." He said still in awe of the city.

 

[Mystearica]

Korra sucked in a deep breath, turning around on the railing with a sudden smile. "You're right. You're right! This isn't a time to get all mopey." She'd saved the world, even if people were whining about what decision she'd made next. But she was a bridge between the two worlds, and it had been her duty to try and bring the world back to a semblance of the balance it had once known, the sort of balance that Wan had fought for so hard back when he had first fused with Raava. And though she could not reach back through time and speak to Wan -- or any of the other Avatars for that matter -- she had to hold it as true that she had done the right thing.

Otherwise, she was going to go crazy and mope some more all over the place. And that wasn't what she did.

"Thanks, Bolin. You always know what to say," she said, socking him once on the arm (perhaps a little too hard, considering), giving him a wide grin as she saw his eyes fill with awe. Very slowly, Korra twisted on her heel in order to look out at the majesty of the city of Zaofu.

"... I have no idea," she breathed, leaning out over the side of the railing, her eyes taking in the great metallic flower on the horizon. Immediately, she ran over to the side and hit the button on the intercom -- they were linked all over the ship, going idrectly back to the bridge.

"Hey, Captain! Can we land there?" Korra asked, sounding more excited than she had in a good bit.

"Uh... yes, we can. That's the city of Zaofu -- just let me radio their control tower..."

There was a moment of static on the other end, Korra looking apprehensive before: "Good to go."

The airship turned ponderously toward Zaofu, ferrying them onward to their impromptu destination. Korra made her way back over to Bolin, blue eyes shining. "Zaofu -- I can't wait to see what kind of place this is," she said.

 

[malin]

"Ow!" Bolin rubbed his shoulder as he took the punch. Sometimes he had to seriously question if Korra knew her own strength. That was probably going to leave a bruise. Still seeing her smile like that was actually kind of worth the pain that he took from the hit. His eyes were pulled away from the view of the new city for a moment linguring on Korra as she admired the view, old feelings of attraction came back to the surface for a moment as he admired Korra in the glow of the sunlight, but quickly shook his head and snapped away when she went to the intercom.

You already know where that road goes Bolin, don't get caught up in that again. He thought blinking for a moment as he gripped the hand railings and watched the city below them start to get bigger as the Airship shifted coarse and got permission to land.

Immediately the feelings were forgotten and in there place came the blind excitement of a brand new city to explore. Getting to his feet as he felt the airship shift and move as it slowed down and started to descend. "See Korra this is what I am talking about. A brand new city to explore. They probably have new exotic foods. Oh and cheap nick knacks!"

The ship took a little while to land as and get tied down into the metal city finally coming to a rest so that Korra and Bolin could walk off, and when they were they were greeted by one face who was kinda familiar looking. Suyin Beifong looked like a kinder slightly younger version of her sister, right down to the grey hair and bright green eyes. Though Bolin couldn't place it she looked instantly familiar to him.

The woman walked forward and gave a polight bow towards Korra. "Greetings Avatar Korra I am Suyin Beifong, it is an honor to have you here in Zaofu."

 

[Mystearica]

"Haha, maybe we can grab some stuff for people back home? Maybe we can find something for Meelo to annoy Tenzin with," Korra said with a wicked little smile. Yeah, she was back -- Bolin had always been good at dragging her out of the dumps when everything seemed dark. It was his talent, and kept the relatively more serious Korra, Asami, and Mako were not doing so great.

"Let's go see what it's like," Korra said, reaching out to grab Bolin in a one-armed hug. She almost seemed like she was about to jump off the side with him in tow, but she managed to keep herself nice and steady on the side of the airship. Perhaps she wasn't as excited as he was, but she reeeally wanted to get up and stretch her legs some.

Understandably, Korra didn't do well with confinement.

The moment they had landed and were out on the metal docks, Korra was sucking in deep breaths. Despite the buildings looking more artificial than Republic City's, the air was far fresher. She sucked in a great lungful of it, exhaling with a grin that just would not stop, only pausing when a older woman arrived to greet them.

Korra bowed respectfully, fist to palm, peeking at Suyin with one blue eye when she heard "Beifong".

"Wait... like Toph Beifong?" Korra asked. It made sense with all the metal, which meant: "Are you Lin's sister?" Korra asked, looking for a moment mystified.

Suyin's face froze for a split second in surprise before it rapidly gentled. "Ah, yes... Lin and I are sisters. Though we've not seen one another in many years." She hesitated for a single moment, glancing between Korra and Bolin. "How... is she?"

 

[malin]

As Korra pulled Bolin into the hard hug he had some of the air he had been holding in his lungs knocked out of him. Korra's strength even with one arm was crushing but he hardly cared. Rather he was more happy to just see Korra out of her funk and acting like the head strong Avatar that he admired and worked with. "Crushing... air." His voice squeeked a little as she constricted his lungs a little too much.

However despite the air escaping him and the crushing strength of Korra's arms he was more then happy to be in the hug of one of his closest friends, and seeing Korra back at her full strength brought back some of his own strength. He was also very greatful that she contained herself and didn't throw him and her off of the ship as it landed.

Walking along side Korra he took a deep breath and noticed something very odd about the air in Zaofu compared to the air in republic city. Mostly that he could breath it without it tasting weird. "So that's what air is supposed to smell like... I had no idea."

"Oh Lin is great. She's a big, mean, kinda scary chef of police in republic city." Bolin didn't have a lot of interactions with Lin, she was more then a little intimidating to him, and he certainly found her more then a little scary so he wasn't lying, but he also knew a few stories from Mako's side of things. Where Lin had been very accepting of the former street punk turned police officer story.

"So uh... Where exactly are we? I mean I've never heard of a metal city like this before." Not even in his wildest dreams had he thought something like Zaofu was possible even with metal bending it seemed to have everything from pools and gardens, to it's organic metal design. The city it's self was an amazing feat of bending and engineering. It was starting to warp his mind the more he thought about it, so instead his mind jumped to a much more simple topic. "And does it have any food?"