Spiritual Guidance (korrasami fanfiction)

Chapter Sixteen

Warning: this scene has a sensitive subject in it about corrupt law enforcement and prison rape.

"Against the wall, prisoner. you have a visitor." A voice boomed, causing the person inside to flinch and cower in fear. Korra stared at the woman shackled in the middle of the floor. she was a shell of her former self.

The prison was maximum security, yet there was only one person inside being contained, making most of the other cells useless unless they planned on moving any other convicts inside.

It seemed a little overdone to Korra, but she understood that the person inside instilled fear into countless nations and committed terrible war crimes.

When the gates shut, the avatar went inside and knelt in front of the former dictator, hesitantly reaching her hand out to the woman. The terrified prisoner was hesitant to let her guard down when Korra provided a calm and gentle disposition. "I'm here to talk, Kuvira. I won't hurt you."

The scared woman blinked her eyes slowly and looked down at the floor. "Avatar Korra, why would you want to see me?" The prisoner asked. Korra sat down in front of her and pulled out a small smooth stone. "If you want to kill me, use this pebble."

The woman stared at the avatar in shock and furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you trying to do? I don't understand the point of you coming here to let me kill you." Korra placed the pebble in between them and stared into the woman's cold eyes.

"It's a sign of trust. I don't want you to feel like I came here to take advantage of you when you're down. If you feel the need, just use it to hurt me." Korra said blankly. Kuvira closed her eyes and let out a small sigh of relief. "I have no ill will towards you, Avatar Korra."

The two women sat in silence, not knowing what to say, but not feeling a need to say anything. Suddenly, Korra started to speak, causing the metal bender to flinch slightly. "I just wanted to talk to you about some things that I've been struggling with."

Kuvira looked over at the avatar without speaking, showing that she was ready to listen. Korra proceeded to explain everything to the prisoner, letting out every fear and inhibition as she opened up to her former enemy.

Kuvira nodded and looked to be in deep thought. "I see, I do not know very much about your air bending mentor, but I do know that leaving a situation before knowing what will happen next usually results in a negative change." Korra stared at her and looked down after what felt like a while.

"I can't help but be afraid. What if I'm never accepted by them again? What if-"

"Stop."

"What?"

Kuvira took a deep breath and sat against the back wall in her cell. "As you can see, I am not accepted anywhere with open arms unless it's a prison cell. But you shouldn't have to worry about these things.

Everyone will accept you because you saved them from a monster. If I can accept my fate, you should be able to as well." Korra felt guilty for bringing up her petty problems to someone who had it far worse.

"I'm sorry," Korra said with her head hung low. Kuvira scooted toward the avatar and placed her head onto her shoulder. "This will be the only positive body contact I receive until you visit again. You have many friends that you can hug and shower with affection. Do not limit yourself by clinging to fear. Fear is only an emotion that can be crushed with confidence."

Korra smiled at the former dictator and wrapped her arms around her, causing the woman to hug her back to the best of her ability. Korra felt the other woman's shoulders begin to shake, pulling away to see the fear and loneliness in her eyes. "You're the only person who hasn't cast me aside. I am grateful for your company, avatar."

Korra smiled and gave the woman another tight hug. "I knew you had changed." The two of them embraced for a long time, then Kuvira pulled away with a longing expression in her eyes. "Please promise to visit more. I have nothing to look forward to except your visits."

The pain in her eyes tore Korra's heart in half. She heard two guards come back inside of the room to open the cell door, letting the avatar out. "I promise to visit more." She smiled at the woman until she heard Kuvira yell "wait!"

She turned around to see the chained down woman trying to crawl toward her in a panic when the guards came inside to tighten her chains more to the floor until she was flat on the ground. "Please help me! Korra please!" The avatar sprang forward in a panic and yelled at the guards to stop, only to have more of them pull Korra away and throw her out of the prison.

Before she was thrown out, the woman frightfully said as if it were with her last breath, "Tell her I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Korra saw the last glimpse of the guards beating her with malice and bloodlust in their eyes, one of them tearing her clothing off of her bruised and bloodied body.

"Kuvira!" Korra called out and tried to get back inside. The whole prison was made of platinum and made it impossible for Korra to get back inside. She heard one loud and painful scream, then silence. The sudden quietness in the air made Korra's blood run cold. She grabbed her glider and flew to the temple, the last images of Kuvira she saw stained her mind.

She wasn't going to let any corrupt guard hurt anyone she cared for, not even Kuvira. She saw the pain and longing in her face in the one instant they spoke. Korra wondered why the once strong and resilient woman was so traumatized, then it dawned on her, making the avatar shudder with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

They were raping her.