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Entry tags:
Condolences
Note: Spoilers for the Book Two finale of Korra! Just something to help me find closure for now. It is set within the final scenes.
With the light restored to the world, the homecoming heroes soon reconvened at the South Pole. The newly awakened Jinora was tended to and fussed over by her parents. Tonraq endured similar treatment from his daughter and wife until he opted to pull them both into a bear hug. Some preliminary celebrations began and carried on into the evening. There was only thing out of sync with rest of the chatter: Korra herself. She was able to be bright and lively throughout most of the festivities, but a discerning eye couldn't help but pick out a few details. That she had only barely greeted Katara, seated herself as far away from her as possible and shot guilty-looking glances towards her every now and then. That discerning eye happened to belong to Tenzin, who stroked his beard in concern.
Once the festivities died down, Tenzin departed for a while to tuck his children into bed. He contemplated his next action - and he managed to shake of his siblings before he went off to do it.
Tenzin trudged through the snow towards the hut where his mother was staying. She had retired to it within the hour, but he knew that she wouldn't be asleep yet. Korra knew, too. Tenzin saw the Avatar standing there, her legs looking like they were sinking towards the snow, as she looked towards the hut uncertainly.
With a thrust of his cloak, Tenzin stepped forward to reveal himself to the Avatar.
"Tenzin!" she said in a partial surprise. It wasn't completely unexpected.
"Korra," he said with a thoughtful frown as he drew near. "I know what you're thinking."
"Is is that obvious?" She said with a slight pout. It was a pout that looked more weighed down by sorrow than
Tenzin placed a hand on her shoulder, "You don't have to do this, you know. I'll deliver the news for you. They're my parents, after all," he spoke as calmly as he could.
Korra looked into his eyes with concern. It's tempting at least. And in the past, she might have been more likely to accept Tenzin's offer and let him take care of the dirty work. But she shook her head resolutely. "No. Tenzin, I caused this. I have to be the one to tell her. Please."
Tenzin was quiet as a moment, giving a serious and searching look towards her. Then, with a slump of his shoulders, he went on, "Let me rephrase that, Korra. You don't have to do this alone."
Korra paused and nodded. "Okay." And then after a few frosty breaths she added with a smile, "Thank you, Tenzin." She had been set to do this on her own. But having Tenzin at her side helped to give her further strength. Tenzin proceeded to march calmly forwards towards the door of her hut, with Korra walking at his side.
"Mother," he said as he softly rapped on the door. It was odd how such a deep voice suddenly sounded more like that of a child. "I'm here with Korra. May we come in?"
"Of course," Katara said with a smile as the door opened. "Come on in." The elder then shuffled on into the den, past a wall which bore framed items such as a boomerang and a bison whistle. "Please, have a seat."
"Well, Mother, you see..." Tenzin awkwardly tried to grasp as words, but Korra quickly cut her off.
"I'm sorry, Katara." Her voiced wavered as she looked towards the Waterbending master. "Master Katara. But we can't stay. We have to tell you something, and... it won't be easy to hear."
"At my age, you may find that there's little that can truly surprise me." She spoke with warmth and a hint of humor. But her expression was serious - serene. She was very attentive to whatever was being said. "Please, go ahead."
Korra was quiet at first. It was hard to find the words to break it to her. It was hard to even look her in the eyes - those two deep wells which hid so much history, history like that which was now sealed off from Korra as well. But then, Korra felt that presence beside her, as Tenzin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, quietly. And Korra felt a wave of comfort spiraling through her. It gave her the calmness she needed to speak. So she raised her gaze to meet Katara's eyes.
"I've told you all most of the story, but there's one part I left out. When Vaatu... when he attacked Raava, it was all of my previous lives who took the blow. Even after I became one with Raava again... I couldn't find them. I'm sorry, Katara, but I've lost my connection to all of the other Avatars. They're all just... gone."
Katara was silent for a moment, and stoic. And then she spoke with unusual simplicity. "I wondered if something like that had happened."
Korra's eyes widened in suprise. "What? But how could you..."
"I don't see him in your eyes any more." Her voice carried an unusual gravity, but she was smiling.
Korra wasn't sure what to make of it, except that it couldn't be good. Her shoulders slumped. Tenzin himself was frowning. The Avatar muttered, "I understand if you're mad at me, Katara. It's my fault."
"Mad?" She said with a raised eyebrow. And she chuckled. "Dear spirits, Korra, why would I ever be mad at you?" She started to close the space between her and the two visitors. "Haven't I told you? My husband's time has passed. Aang died long ago. This era is yours, Korra. And I know he'd be proud of what you've accomplished without him." She glanced towards the tall bearded child standing beside Korra. "He'd be proud of of both of you."
"Mother..." Tenzin breathed quietly, at a loss for words as his eyes glistened.
"Thank you, Katara," she said with a fond smile. "I just wish I could have gotten to know him better. We... didn't really talk much."
"You've known him all along, Korra. And you'll continue to know him."
"What do you mean?"
Katara's smile was fonder than Korra had ever seen. And she sounded so nostalgic as she started to speak. "He's not in your eyes any more, Korra. But he's in your heart. And just today, I've encountered him several times. I heard him in Ikki's laughter earlier, and I saw him in Jinora's airbending forms. When Tenzin here had that snowball fight with Kya and Bumi, he was shining in all of your smiles. It doesn't matter if he's not a solid entity any more. Life is something that's too big and too grand to be confined to one soul. And it's not something that can ever completely be banished. My husband lives on in his family, his legacy, in the air we breathe." She remembered words she heard over the years. From Hue at the swamp. The lesson that Aang passed on from Gutu Pathik. "And that's enough for me. So please, don't worry for my sake."
"I won't, Katara. Thank you." Korra stepped forward, and the two women wrapped each other in a hug.
Katara smiled sincerely. How was it that Avatars always gave the warmest hugs? But she knew she was living someone out of this. "Will you be joining us, son?"
Tenzin had looked away partway through Katara's speech. When he turned to face them, it was clear that he had been in the process of drying the streams of tears that had run down his cheeks. But he kneeled over as well and hugged them. "Thank you, Mom," Tenzin said, his voice filled with an unusual honey. "You don't know what it means to hear that."
Katara peered towards the door, with was slightly ajar. "Why don't we get the full family involved as well? Come on out."
With a pair of sighs at being discovered, Kya and Bumi stepped in from behind the door. They didn't seem to be in a perfect emotional state, themselves. But they smiled at the scene they witnessed, and closed in to add their own hugs to the group. "Mom, isn't it illegal to make an old man cry?" Bumi whined affectionately. Kya chuckled, taking a brief break from her hold to elbow him in the ribs.
It was as if she was hugging them all as children again. And as if He were still there, too. "You know... now that the spirit portals are open, there's a trip I'd like to attempt. Korra, my husband's spirit may be gone, but there should still be an old friend out there I can introduce you to. I know you've met sky bison before, but none of them are quite like this one..."
With the light restored to the world, the homecoming heroes soon reconvened at the South Pole. The newly awakened Jinora was tended to and fussed over by her parents. Tonraq endured similar treatment from his daughter and wife until he opted to pull them both into a bear hug. Some preliminary celebrations began and carried on into the evening. There was only thing out of sync with rest of the chatter: Korra herself. She was able to be bright and lively throughout most of the festivities, but a discerning eye couldn't help but pick out a few details. That she had only barely greeted Katara, seated herself as far away from her as possible and shot guilty-looking glances towards her every now and then. That discerning eye happened to belong to Tenzin, who stroked his beard in concern.
Once the festivities died down, Tenzin departed for a while to tuck his children into bed. He contemplated his next action - and he managed to shake of his siblings before he went off to do it.
Tenzin trudged through the snow towards the hut where his mother was staying. She had retired to it within the hour, but he knew that she wouldn't be asleep yet. Korra knew, too. Tenzin saw the Avatar standing there, her legs looking like they were sinking towards the snow, as she looked towards the hut uncertainly.
With a thrust of his cloak, Tenzin stepped forward to reveal himself to the Avatar.
"Tenzin!" she said in a partial surprise. It wasn't completely unexpected.
"Korra," he said with a thoughtful frown as he drew near. "I know what you're thinking."
"Is is that obvious?" She said with a slight pout. It was a pout that looked more weighed down by sorrow than
Tenzin placed a hand on her shoulder, "You don't have to do this, you know. I'll deliver the news for you. They're my parents, after all," he spoke as calmly as he could.
Korra looked into his eyes with concern. It's tempting at least. And in the past, she might have been more likely to accept Tenzin's offer and let him take care of the dirty work. But she shook her head resolutely. "No. Tenzin, I caused this. I have to be the one to tell her. Please."
Tenzin was quiet as a moment, giving a serious and searching look towards her. Then, with a slump of his shoulders, he went on, "Let me rephrase that, Korra. You don't have to do this alone."
Korra paused and nodded. "Okay." And then after a few frosty breaths she added with a smile, "Thank you, Tenzin." She had been set to do this on her own. But having Tenzin at her side helped to give her further strength. Tenzin proceeded to march calmly forwards towards the door of her hut, with Korra walking at his side.
"Mother," he said as he softly rapped on the door. It was odd how such a deep voice suddenly sounded more like that of a child. "I'm here with Korra. May we come in?"
"Of course," Katara said with a smile as the door opened. "Come on in." The elder then shuffled on into the den, past a wall which bore framed items such as a boomerang and a bison whistle. "Please, have a seat."
"Well, Mother, you see..." Tenzin awkwardly tried to grasp as words, but Korra quickly cut her off.
"I'm sorry, Katara." Her voiced wavered as she looked towards the Waterbending master. "Master Katara. But we can't stay. We have to tell you something, and... it won't be easy to hear."
"At my age, you may find that there's little that can truly surprise me." She spoke with warmth and a hint of humor. But her expression was serious - serene. She was very attentive to whatever was being said. "Please, go ahead."
Korra was quiet at first. It was hard to find the words to break it to her. It was hard to even look her in the eyes - those two deep wells which hid so much history, history like that which was now sealed off from Korra as well. But then, Korra felt that presence beside her, as Tenzin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, quietly. And Korra felt a wave of comfort spiraling through her. It gave her the calmness she needed to speak. So she raised her gaze to meet Katara's eyes.
"I've told you all most of the story, but there's one part I left out. When Vaatu... when he attacked Raava, it was all of my previous lives who took the blow. Even after I became one with Raava again... I couldn't find them. I'm sorry, Katara, but I've lost my connection to all of the other Avatars. They're all just... gone."
Katara was silent for a moment, and stoic. And then she spoke with unusual simplicity. "I wondered if something like that had happened."
Korra's eyes widened in suprise. "What? But how could you..."
"I don't see him in your eyes any more." Her voice carried an unusual gravity, but she was smiling.
Korra wasn't sure what to make of it, except that it couldn't be good. Her shoulders slumped. Tenzin himself was frowning. The Avatar muttered, "I understand if you're mad at me, Katara. It's my fault."
"Mad?" She said with a raised eyebrow. And she chuckled. "Dear spirits, Korra, why would I ever be mad at you?" She started to close the space between her and the two visitors. "Haven't I told you? My husband's time has passed. Aang died long ago. This era is yours, Korra. And I know he'd be proud of what you've accomplished without him." She glanced towards the tall bearded child standing beside Korra. "He'd be proud of of both of you."
"Mother..." Tenzin breathed quietly, at a loss for words as his eyes glistened.
"Thank you, Katara," she said with a fond smile. "I just wish I could have gotten to know him better. We... didn't really talk much."
"You've known him all along, Korra. And you'll continue to know him."
"What do you mean?"
Katara's smile was fonder than Korra had ever seen. And she sounded so nostalgic as she started to speak. "He's not in your eyes any more, Korra. But he's in your heart. And just today, I've encountered him several times. I heard him in Ikki's laughter earlier, and I saw him in Jinora's airbending forms. When Tenzin here had that snowball fight with Kya and Bumi, he was shining in all of your smiles. It doesn't matter if he's not a solid entity any more. Life is something that's too big and too grand to be confined to one soul. And it's not something that can ever completely be banished. My husband lives on in his family, his legacy, in the air we breathe." She remembered words she heard over the years. From Hue at the swamp. The lesson that Aang passed on from Gutu Pathik. "And that's enough for me. So please, don't worry for my sake."
"I won't, Katara. Thank you." Korra stepped forward, and the two women wrapped each other in a hug.
Katara smiled sincerely. How was it that Avatars always gave the warmest hugs? But she knew she was living someone out of this. "Will you be joining us, son?"
Tenzin had looked away partway through Katara's speech. When he turned to face them, it was clear that he had been in the process of drying the streams of tears that had run down his cheeks. But he kneeled over as well and hugged them. "Thank you, Mom," Tenzin said, his voice filled with an unusual honey. "You don't know what it means to hear that."
Katara peered towards the door, with was slightly ajar. "Why don't we get the full family involved as well? Come on out."
With a pair of sighs at being discovered, Kya and Bumi stepped in from behind the door. They didn't seem to be in a perfect emotional state, themselves. But they smiled at the scene they witnessed, and closed in to add their own hugs to the group. "Mom, isn't it illegal to make an old man cry?" Bumi whined affectionately. Kya chuckled, taking a brief break from her hold to elbow him in the ribs.
It was as if she was hugging them all as children again. And as if He were still there, too. "You know... now that the spirit portals are open, there's a trip I'd like to attempt. Korra, my husband's spirit may be gone, but there should still be an old friend out there I can introduce you to. I know you've met sky bison before, but none of them are quite like this one..."