Nectar's Whisper

Chapter 10:

Korra struggled to open her eyes and felt a throbbing and sharp pain in the back of her head. Her head lulled to the side and she managed to look down, she groggily groaned when she felt that her hands were tied behind her back, her abdomen and legs had also been tied. She was resting against a pole. When her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, she knew she was in some sort of cellar or basement. It had a musky and slightly wet smell. The smell of water that had been sitting on concrete probably for years. Korra thought back to when Suyin had taught her about metal bending. How it was significantly different from the other elements because it required much more concentration and a true connection to the materials. Bending the pole she was attached to wouldn’t do her any good in the given moment. With her hands bound tightly in what felt like rope; there was a slim chance she would be able to get out of it. 

She tried to remember what happened. All that came back was her fiddling with her keys in a jammed lock and then blackness over took her vision. Who could have wanted to kidnap her so badly? Hiroshi.. She thought. But why? What did he want with her? Was this to do with Asami? She hoped that he hadn’t gotten a hold of her too. 

Footsteps were heard, she heard them come from behind her which indicated that hopefully that’s where the exit was. 

“Ah, you’re awake.” Hiroshi’s distinctive voice was now in front of her. He stood a few cautious feet away, adjusting his round glasses on his face. 

“Why? Where am I? What is this about?” Korra said, her voice was laced with curiosity and anger. She pulled at the restraints, feeling the plastic of zipties dig into her wrists. She was still figuring out everything that was used to keep her in place. 

“Why capture the Avatar? Why.. why.. Why..?” he said in a knowing and condescending tone. He paced back and forth and brought a hand up to his facial hair. “I bet you have so many questions. And the least I can do is give you the answers.” he stopped pacing and took a few steps closer to Korra, he grabbed her by the back of her hair and tilted her head back to look at him. 

“Fuck you.” Korra spat in his face. 

Hiroshi let out a laugh and wiped his face. “Oh Korra.. Dear Avatar. I can feel your line of descendants angrily wanting to help you.” 

Korra’s eyes brightened, just skimming into the Avatar state. Her head filled with voices of the previous Avatar’s. ‘When you break free, kill this fool.’ Kyoshi’s voice echoed. ‘Korra, breathe. Don’t let him break you. But be thoughtful and remember that taking a life has far more consequences than you can see.’ Aang’s voice followed Kyoshi, almost as if they were the angel and devil upon her shoulder. She released the state and looked into his maroon eyes. 

“Let me go. If you want me to stay away from Asami, if that’s what this is about then I will.” She never ever thought she’d say, but if it was what he wanted to hear and it would keep Asami safe, then it was worth mulling over. She would always put Asami’s safety first. 

“You think this is about my daughter? Well, you’re half right. But no, mainly it had to do with a new invention I discovered. After years of research and finding the semi- willing candidates, you’ll be happy to know we are in the final stages of perfecting it, all of the benders that had to undergo the procedure risked their lives to help with science.” He explained. “If Asami winds up showing up here, which is incredibly unlikely, I’ll be happy to welcome her home with open arms. You see, I’ve been able to strip bender’s of their abilities completely. I also have created a mechanism that renders the powers to inhabit into a new ‘host’. The transfer was a lengthy and painful process, but through lots of trial and error we finally came to a conclusion that this could also work with the Avatar. Your abilities can now be given to someone more worthy, someone who has worked hard enough and is deserving of such. And once I find a suitable successor, they will receive it after myself. The long line of Avatar’s prior to you will cease to exist and a new and stronger line awaits. Think of it almost as a movement, a movement that in the right hands, has the power to create and re-write history. A more intelligent and powerful generation awaits, young Korra.”