Path towards Harmony [AU Legend of Korra Quest]

In addition to training for your match with the Tigerdillo, you decide to investigate the Spirit Sages with your mom. Your dad, meanwhile, is spending a lot of time with the local Water Unionists. After telling your parents that you wanted to do that southern expedition sooner rather than later, it seems like the Water Unionists are preparing things behind the scenes. Two days after you get back, you're told that the voyage is scheduled, and that you'll be leaving the day after your match. It sounds like they expect you all to be down there for at least a week, if not longer, so they're talking with your teachers about how to handle that.

In the meantime, you do your thing.

The Tigerdillo is virtually the opposite of the Speed Hawk. He fights defensively and patiently, waiting for opportunities and landing devastating counterattacks, moving almost like an Earth-bender (that is, only when needed). You think about how to best fight against that...

(How should Korra approach this next fight?)
[][Duel] Go all in on offense. (1.25x)
[][Duel] Be heavily defensive.
[][Duel] Be flexible and evasive.
[][Duel] Be adaptive to the situation. (1.25x)
[][Duel] (write-in for a more detailed approach)

...and direct your training, shaping your fighting style in the appropriate direction.

After one of your training sessions, you decide to hop on a ferry over to Phoenix City. They have an extensive library system, so you figure they're your best bet for getting any information on the Spirit Sages. You and your mom walk into the largest one, which is built like a massive temple and even has its own garden. As you enter, you frown and turn back around.

"...Is something the matter, dear?" your mom asks.

"No," you say, turning back around. You thought you sensed something – a spirit, for sure – but it looks like it had left already.

As the two of you walk in, you're greeted by a small seating area, a café, and a staff desk. While no one's at the desk, one of a group of chatting librarians gets up and walks over to you, asking if you're looking for anything in particular.

"Yes, I'm looking for books on the Spirit Sages. Do you have any?"

The librarian looks confused. "Spirit Sages?" he asks. "Never heard of them..."

He turns to the rest of his group, but they're all as clueless as he is. You then ask for any general books on the Spirit World and spirit society, and they're then able to guide the two of you to a whole section of books and scrolls on the matter. Unfortunately, most of the books pre-date the Artificial Spirit Portal and are thus of dubious quality. Fortunately, the few books that were published in the last decade seem decent at least. Your mom, for example, is able to find a partial map of the Spirit World, and while most of it is just labelled as wilderness and it lacks many important details like what direction is north or how big the Spirit World is, there are sections that cleanly correspond to each of the four classical elements.

If you ever need to enter the portal, you'll at least have a general idea of where to go.

That said, you get a hunch that you should keep looking, and proceed to keep poring through books while your mom heads off to order food at the café. The books are pretty boring to you, but it's worth it to hopefully get something else out of your visit...

...though when your mom finds you, you apparently had fallen asleep.

You grumble under your breath. You're not going to let a bunch of books defeat you!

The two of you come back the next day, and the day after that, and during those trips you're able to figure out more about the Spirit Sages. There's four of them – the Phoenix-Dragon, the Mountain Spirit, the Tree-Tortoise, and the Golden Bird. They reside within their respective sections of the spirit world and are apparently still alive, though maybe that's not the right word to apply to a spirit. Regardless, going to the Spirit World to try and talk to them won't be a waste of time.

And on both of those days, you also sensed a spirit nearby.

This time, when you and your mom exited the library, you decided to talk to that spirit. So, sensing out where it was, you spun off a little whirlwind and blew it over to you.

"Korra! What are you-!?"

Your mom's question is answered when an albatross suddenly appears in front of the two of you, despite its habitat being in the south closer to the pole. You dispel your whirlwind and the albatross glares at you while fixing its feathers.

"Some manners you have!" it complains. "So, this is what's become of old Wan's soul..."

"Wan..." you say. "Was he the first Avatar? How did he know the Spirit Sages? How are you connected with them?"

"And demanding answers without a proper tribute too!"

You roll your eyes. "Look, if you don't want to answer, that's fine. But don't go around stalking me, got it!"

Your mom then speaks up. "Korra, what's going on? Who is this?"

"That's what I'd like to know!" you reply.

"Hmph!"

The albatross then leaps up from the ground and perches on your head.

"I am an albatross, sent here by the Spirit Sage of Water! I have come here to invite you to my Master's domain for a personal audience."

"Oh! Well, thank you... but I can't go right now."

"Of course! We shall depa... wait, what?"

The bird launches itself back into the air.

"What do you mean you can't go right now!?"

"I have my match coming up, and then we're going to the south pole, and I really should catch up with my friends again, and then there's school... I have a lot going on right now."

"Hmph! Impertinent!"

The albatross flies up and starts flying away.

"I shall return soon enough!"

Your mom gives you a confused look and you return it. You're not sure what's up with that either.

(After the match, it's time for the expedition! Korra, Senna, Tonraq, and a group of Water Unionists are going down to the South Pole. Who goes with them? Choose as many as you like, assembled in a plan vote.)
[][Expedition] Unalaq
[][Expedition] Vanra
[][Expedition] Biyong
[][Expedition] Asami
[][Expedition] Azula
[][Expedition] Rika
[][Expedition] ex-Equalists
[][Expedition] someone else: (write-in)

The day of your match against the Tigerdillo you wake up bright and early as usual.

Unlike usual, most of your things are packed away, as you'll be leaving for the villages of the Southern Water Tribe as the night falls. The northern ice can be reached in only two days or so via steamboat, but the trip to the southern ice is much longer. Unfortunately, you can't simply take the spirit portal there since the one at the south pole is closed... and besides, it's not even clear that it would be shorter. Distances in the Spirit World are weird according to the few who have visited.

In any case, you, your family, Asami, and a bunch of Water Unionists will be gone for a long while.

Unfortunately, your school teachers insist you keep up with your education and have also dumped a bunch of books and homework on you. Bleh.

You can think (or not) about that later. Right now, you need to focus!

Your parents don't seem to be up yet – they were also panic packing last night – so you make yourself breakfast with what little is left in the fridge. The smell wakes frying fish wakes them up, and you all eat a quiet breakfast together.

Not long later, you head out for Phoenix City, your parents hanging back on the island.

When you arrive at the arena, you see that yet again it's swarming with militia and detectives. When you walk up and talk to one of them, they confirm that Tarrlok has struck again in the area and that they're searching for him. This time, however, they've got a nasty little surprise for him, the woman declares as she pulls out an Anti-Spirit Radio. The Experimental Station has been busy studying them, and so have a few to lend out in a special case like this. With it on, it should hopefully neutralize his weird powers and let them capture him for interrogation and sentencing.

You simply wish them good luck, and wait for them to depart so you can be left in.

While waiting...

"Hey, Korra! Good to see you!"

"Good morning, Lady Korra!"

"..." A friendly wave and a bright smile.

...Asami, Biyong, and Vanra arrive. You spend a while chatting with them, a crowd slowly emerging around your group. During the conversation, Asami notes that they've made an interesting development at the Experimental Station – they can reverse the Anti-Spirit Radios such that bending is strengthened instead of weakened. Maybe around an hour later, the detectives and militia depart and the larger group starts trickling in. You depart from your friends, hoping to join them in the end with a victory under your belt.

Your opponent today is the Tigerdillo, and he's basically right between The Speed Hawk and The Komodo Rhino in terms of height and build. He has goggles built into his mask that you think are supposed to substitute for his glasses. He's otherwise completely unremarkable, except for one thing – his stance. He sinks into the ground, resting his full weight on his feet, just like an Earth-bender. You have to remind yourself that this is an Agni Kai so that you stay in the right mindset.

"I've noticed that each of you match different elements," you say as you opt for an opposing stance and start lightly hopping on your feet, waiting for the match to start as the announcer keeps talking. "That on purpose?"

He nods. "Such sub-styles used to be more common, before... well, you know."

You nod. You'd rather not talk about Sozin and his consequences right now either.

The crowd goes wild once the match is called, though it dissipates once neither of you start with heavy attacks.

Staying light on your feet, you start circling around your opponent, but don't commit to any attacks just yet. He easily turns to keep you in sight, remaining rooted to the arena floor. Well, looks like you'll have to make the first move!

You breathe out a stream of fire, using it as cover for your approach. He easily redirects it up and makes a shower of small flames that crash around you. You dance around them, blasting more flames at him. By the time you get close, swimming embers are circling the battle-field. You blast out flaming fists up close, but he alternatives between blocking and deflecting them. You back off when he moves to counter-attack, breathing out flames that you spin around yourself to disperse.

You smirk as you return to your light-footed stance. Nice... you'll have to strike harder to break through his guard!

You start spinning around and bring forth a wave of flames. When the Tigerdillo brings up a fire wall to repel it, you stop and burst flames out from your bare feet to move around it and get in close. However, he notices you before you can strike him and brings up the fire wall behind him. He then blasts out fireballs and pushes his fire wall and your flame wave at you.

So, that's how he does it... well, two can play that game!

You seize hold of the fire wall and flame wave, letting them absorb the fire balls, and push them back at him. He pushes back and it's a contest of wills... you sink yourself in the ground to match him, but as an Earth-bender you have one advantage that he doesn't. As rooted as he can get, you can match and surpass him, and you do so, forcefully shoving the flames at him and forcing him off his feet so that he doesn't get knocked out of the ring.

The crowd, which was quiet up to this point, audibly gasps.

You seize the momentum and go in for a series of heavy attacks, switching stances at will to keep the Tigerdillo off-guard and off-stance. While he does recover somewhat, and forces the match to go to time, it's clear that you had seized command of the match and the audience goes overwhelmingly in your favor. You've won, finally!

With a loud cheer, you breathe out a large stream of fire... and end up setting off the sprinklers.

Oops...

Well, your Water-bending can solve that! Being the Avatar has its benefits.

.

.

.

The Tigerdillo congratulates you on a match well fought, and the Dragon Lady tells you that she's looking forward to your match with her at the end of the month... assuming you get back by then. If not, she's willing to get it pushed back so that the two of you can have a proper match. The air is electric around the two of you as you accept her offer. That said, when you mention that you didn't beat all of them, she tells you not to worry about it. You've made a lot of progress and she thinks you have what it takes to learn lightning-bending... as long as you impress her in the arena, that is.

As such, your mood was through the roof when you reconnected with your friends and left the arena, telling them the good news.

But not too long later...

"Well, well... look what we have here!"

...you would get a surprise visit by the Phoenix City shore from the Light Oni.

"Avatar Korra... isn't there something you should be doing right now?" asks the mighty being. "If you have time to spare at this arena, you have time to free Raava!"

"I already made my stance clear! I'm not freeing one without the other, and I might not even do that!" you declare. "I'm not just the Avatar for the spirits, I'm the Avatar for humanity too. I won't let your power struggle ruin any innocent lives!"

The light oni brings her club to bear. 'Then, I'll just have to force your hand!"

You're a little tired, but you can still fight. And thankfully you're not alone either!

[][Korra] Fight using a preferred element: (Water/Air/Fire/Earth)
[][Korra] You're the Avatar! Use every element at your disposal
[][Korra] (write-in something more detailed)

[][Asami] Activate the Anti-Spirit Radio to strengthen Korra (will also strengthen the Light Oni)
[][Asami] Go get backup for Korra
[][Asami] Stay near to keep bystanders away
[][Asami] (write-in something more detailed)

[][Biyong] Summon the guardian spirit to help Korra
[][Biyong] Let the guardian spirit possess you so that you can help Korra directly
[][Biyong] Stay near to keep bystanders away
[][Biyong] (write-in something more detailed)

[][Vanra] Help Korra fight directly
[][Vanra] Go get backup for Korra
[][Vanra] (write-in something more detailed)

QM Note: Note that this month is likely to have 15 parts, due to how much is going on at the moment.

In an instant, you've blasted the Light Oni with a burst of fire and explode it with a burst of air, sending her flying towards the sandy shoreline, away from the crowds. You notice that your three friends look like they're ready to join you in battle... but you'd rather keep them out of the line of fire. The Light Oni is strong!

So, you ask Asami and Biyong to keep any bystanders from getting hurt while Vanra goes to get the local militia. Vanra signs her assent and dashes off eagerly. Asami and Biyong look a little annoyed at having to work together, but do it anyway for your sake. They walk off just in time for you to notice a boulder heading your way, which you seize control of and send back at the Light Oni.

"Hmph!" she grunts, as she takes her club and smashes the boulder to pieces while running towards you. "Not enough!"

She then jumps up, while raising her club high... but you're already prepared and spin out a stream of air to knock her back. Still spinning, you then weave out strands of water from the nearby ocean to swarm the Light Oni. As she uses her club to swat them away, you decide to be more aggressive and agglomerate them into a mighty wave that crashes down on her.

"Urgh! Why you!"

You smirk. "Is that all you can do? You made a promise to be peaceful, but since you're breaking it... I won't hold back!"

You end your declaration by unfolding your arms, letting the water expand into an icy cage around the Light Oni, with her club getting sent flying away into the ocean.

"Now stand down!" you demand.

"Absolutely not! The world is at war! Only Raava can end these wasteful struggles forever!"

The Light Oni flexes her muscular body and shatters the ice surrounding her.

"I demand that you release her!" she roars as she charges at you.

Uh oh...

You release a massive gust of wind at her and sustain it, slowing her down.

"Ugh!" she grunts as she slowly advances despite your efforts.

"Come on!" you shout as you ramp up the intensity. What's it going to take to get through to her? War... why is she so fixated on war? Doesn't she like fighting, like you? You'd think she'd be in favor of more opportunities for battle!

Your breath starts to get heavy... you'll need to make a decisive blow soon.

...hm...

An idea strikes you. You change up where you're standing...

"Whoa!"

...and then quickly reverse the flow of air, dragging the Light Oni towards you. Focused on her attack, she swings at you. You slip around her, sliding on wet sand, and root yourself. Then, with a simple push, you shove her hard in the direction of the ocean, using the same combination of fire and air as before. You watch as she falls and falls and crash lands and submerges into the sea.

Approaching footsteps can be felt through the ground. Must be the militia... took them long enough!

You take your boots off and approach the ocean. Feeling out where the Light Oni fell, you drag her out of the waters, surrounding her in a liquid shell this time. She's dazed but still conscious.

"I won't... forget this... ugh..."

"Good, I won't either."

The militia turns on an Anti-Spirit Radio when they get near, forcing you to dispel the water sphere. Ugh... but you can endure for the short amount of time it takes for them to take the Light Oni away.

Vanra, meanwhile, dashes up to you and gives you a big hug. Asami and Biyong do much the same when you catch up with them, and the four of you go to celebrate your twin victories!

.

.

.

Much later, it's time for you to depart Republic City again. You and your parents take a ferry to the main port in Downtown Republic City, where you meet Asami. She's in the company of a few other members of the Experimental Station, as well as a much larger group of Water Unionists. There's also a crowd of other assorted people, mostly Water Tribe members, who also plan on visiting the southern reaches now that service has been re-opened.

Not long later, you're all on the boat and the multi-day journey begins...

(While Korra does have a lot of time on the boat, she also has a lot she can do. Choose one to neglect.)
[] Schoolwork is lame, so you ignore it. Besides, you can just do it all on the way back, right?
[] You feel confident in your strength and abilities, so you decide not to train the boat ride.
[] Both you and Asami are busy with your own things, so you end up not spending much time with her.
[] You know you should keep meditating and working on spirit things, but you just can't get into it...
[] (Something else? Propose a write-in)

QM Note: On towards the South!

Korra and the Southern Ocean (Month 10, part 8)​

Despite having brought all your schoolwork with you, you have no desire to actually do any of it, so all those papers and books sit in their own trunk untouched. You have several other things you would rather do instead. Mostly, you exercise and practice with your bending, but it's not all that you do.

Particularly, one of the obvious things to do is spending time with Asami, your good friend that you haven't spent as much time with ever since things started escalating in Republic City and Phoenix City. Unsurprisingly, she's doing well in all her classes at RCU Dragon Flats, and has made a few friends there that have now joined the Experimental Station. Speaking of the Experimental Station, she pulls out one of Anti-Spirit Radios one day and demonstrates the ability they've given it to now improve bending ability.

"It should be this frequency... yep, that's it!"

The instant that sound starts to play, you feel a burst of energy start to flow through you!

"Whoa!" you shout, and suddenly jump into the air, beckoning the sea breezes to carry you aloft. Only soft and subtle motions are needed now... at least, until you get too far away and the light feeling dissipates. You fall back down, cutting your way through the air, and once you're back in range of the sound, you glide – or rather, swim through the sky, perhaps – alongside the boat for a good while.

"Tenzin and the Air Nomads might like some of those!" you shout over the ambient din to Asami. "If he had one of those, I would have had a much easier time learning Air-bending!"

"Sure... but wouldn't you just get used to this and still find normal Air-bending hard?" she asks.

"...huh. Good point!"

You burst flames out from your bare feet and return to the boat's deck, flipping twice in the air before you land. A few curious on-lookers give you a round of applause, and you bow graciously at them. Asami holds in her laughter as she turns the radio off, and the two of head down to grab a bite to eat.

You also spend some time meditating and working on your spirit projection. You're not any closer to being able to get into the Avatar State at will, but you are able to extend how much longer your spirit can exit your body. A few minutes already, and you're able to extend it by at least a minute or two more. You notice that you're able to extend it even more by going in the ocean, but that won't help you in most cases so you don't think too much about it.

However, you do notice something odd one day while out and letting your spirit fly free...

"...are those pirates?"

...a small fleet of ships all flying the same blue and black flag, and in the direction of your vessel. Using your Air-bending enhanced hearing to listen in, you hear them talking about a... mermaid? Mermaids aren't real, so what are they... oh.

They mean you. They saw you.

Well, it's nothing you can't handle!

When you get back, you alert the captain about what you saw. At this point you're sailing past the southern half of the Earth continent, and the general state of calamity has led to a surge in piracy. You all, however, have no time for this.

So, as the Avatar, you decide to send them on their way.

You ask Asami to turn on the radio and have it boost your abilities. Strengthened, you float in the air, and send out a massive gust of wind in the direction of the pirates, which blows their ships away. They make a couple more attempts to approach, but your repeat performances convince them to retreat.

Once you all get to Whitetail Island, there's no longer any threats of pirates. Instead, the seas are being patrolled by the Water Tribe Navy, and you all regularly run into their boats as you approach the southern ice sheet. Unlike with the North, there is no wall to keep people out – after all, who would invade now that the world was at peace? At least, that was the idea and the Southern Water Tribe has stuck to it ever since, despite political violence breaking out again.

The rebuilt and sprawling capital city eventually comes into view as your ocean-bound journey nears its end. The massive harbor sits nearly full, ocean-bound traffic continuing despite the nearby war thanks to the now unified navy's efforts. The city itself seems peaceful... but that could just be an appearance.

As you all arrive and disembark, you decide to...

[] Go straight to the South Pole.
[] Spend some time in the Southern Capital first. (may choose two)
-[] Aimlessly wander around the city.
-[] Attempt to sneak into the royal palace.
-[] Visit the Water-bending school.
-[] See about the local light spirits.
-[] (write-in)