cyclicality | Welcome to Republic City!

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Welcome to Republic City!

It was a bright and sunny normal day in Republic City. Children were playing, spirits were chirping about, and everything was going along like normal. Well at least that's what everyone seemed to think. That is until so many people seemed to be appearing out of nowhere. For some reason Republic City seemed to be more lively and the crowds bigger.

The spirits have grown restless as if something important was about to change, and to try to fix that change, the spirits with their big long tree like limbs dragged people into the world left and right. Even the vines covering Republic City seemed to help. Although the spirits had the best intentions in mind, some people were more affected by the grab than others. There's talk that people in this city don't even know what this place is. People who have never heard of the words "bender" or "non-bender."

Welcome to Republic City! And to those who already live here: Happy Saturday. Please make yourselves at home and don't mind a little spirit gunk. It's mostly harmless. Go enjoy yourself a classic mover. Maybe you're the athletic type. If that's the case, come watch a few Pro-bending matches or form your own team. Just watch out for any Satomobiles. They can be deadly no matter how pretty the driver is.

Please remember to enjoy your stay and don't cause too much trouble. The Republic City Police don't need more riffraff to take care of. And don't stray too far. To make the the peace is kept, there's a huge spirit barrier around the perimeter of the city. It seems pretty strong, but it won't be able to last forever. Still, it's worrying. Radio signals and telegraphs don't seem to be getting past it.

[ OOC: The game is officially open! From this point on, feel free to make any posts you want or tag into this. Please remember to tag your posts with Canon: Character. Finally, although the game has no real network, you're free to respond with prose or brackets, whatever you're comfortable with. With that said, have fun! ]

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"I see," he says quietly. He wonders if he should ask how much she's learned, if anything, of her fate after the battle with Zaheer. It was deeply saddening to see her in such a bad way, and it could be unwise to bring it up now, when it's a distraction from the task at hand... So he opts instead to offer what encouragement he can.

"You and the airbenders were saved, and the leaders of the Red Lotus were stopped. That is the most important thing."

"I'm glad. When I woke up here, I was so worried that I'd messed something up and the air benders were still being held captive," Korra said, arms crossed over her chest. Though it had been almost half a day already, some of the panic and worry she'd felt for her friends, her father, still lingered under her skin. It would take a little longer for it to completely wear off.

She looked at Lord Zuko then, gaze hesitant, but steady. "I...looked at the papers already. They said I was injured badly during the fight."

No details, though Korra suspected that must have been Lin and Tenzin's doing, maybe. The reporters didn't dare try to reach her when she was at Air Temple Island. She wondered how much Zuko knew about her condition--whatever had happened to her in the future, there was no way to check with her future self gone from the Island.

Lord Zuko nods. Reluctant though he is to discuss it, especially now of all times, if she's already read about it there's no point in hiding the truth from her. Better for her to hear the whole story now, than to get by on headline-grabbing half-truths. "Yes. You know already that the Red Lotus's goal was to eradicate the Avatar, and the Avatar Cycle itself, for good. They very nearly succeeded, had the airbenders and Suyin not come to your aid."

There's a moment's pause as he lets the implications of that sink in. Then he lifts his gaze to look her in the eye. He had promised he would be her confidant if she needed him, and that means not hiding the truth from her, no matter how painful. He would do no less, if it had been Aang in the same position... So, expression darkening, he continues.

"Zaheer poisoned you. His idea was that it would force your body into the Avatar state, and from there... end it. Although you survived, you were left severely weakened from the ordeal."

She hadn't known about their target being the Avatar Cycle, but it makes sense once she thinks about it. A group wanting to rid the world of its leaders? They obviously wouldn't want the Avatar ruining their plans, and the only way to permanently rid the world of the Avatar is through the Avatar State.

Korra holds Lord Zuko's gaze, even though she feels something in her turn brittle at the thought.

"But the air benders are safe...you're right. That's the most important thing," Korra says quietly. "How--how bad was it? The poisoning. Did Kya or the other healers say anything?"

"This is hard for me to say, Korra, but..." His frown deepens, and he places a hand on her shoulder, as if to brace her. "It weakened you so entirely that you were left unable to walk. After we'd last parted ways, you were to travel to the Southern Water Tribe for treatment."

He doesn't say it outright, but the implication is there that she wasn't expected to recover quickly. Was her sudden jump back in time the Spirit World's way of getting the Avatar back on her feet? Or was it unintentional, entirely a random occurrence? It's impossible to guess.

You were left unable to walk. It's even worse than what Korra had imagined, and for a moment, she's too much in shock to even speak. If she's out of commission, with no way to recover quickly like Lord Zuko is implying, then what will happen next?

"But what if something happens and the Avatar's needed?" Korra finally asks, still trying to swallow this. It's her worst fear, failing to protect people when it's her job. One thing's certain; if this is her future, she has to find some way around her injuries. She's not going to just sit by and let them keep her from her duties.

"In return for all you've done for the airbenders, they've pledged to carry on your work in maintaining world balance, under the leadership of Tenzin and Jinora."

He hopes that much, at least, will offer her some solace: rescuing and inspiring a nation slowly trying to get back on its feet is an enormous, and very selfless, accomplishment. If Aang were here now, he's sure he would be proud of her beyond measure.

"I tell you this not because I want to burden you with events you don't remember, but because it is better that you learn the truth of what happened now, rather than at an inopportune moment."

It does bring her some solace, knowing Jinora and Tenzin, both people that she trusts, will be handling things if she’s not able to. Though it’s something that bothers her, having others step in while she’s recovering, she also can’t complain too much. The Red Lotus has been stopped. The air benders are safe. All she has to do is know what might happen to her in the future, and prepare herself to work hard to overcome those injuries.

Korra breathes out.

“Thank you,” she says, finally. “And I agree. I’d rather find out about this from someone like you than the newspapers.”

She's taking it as well as she can, under the circumstances, something Zuko's glad for. What she says makes a thought occur to him, though: "No doubt you'll face a lot of questions from the papers, if they find you're still in the city and in good health," he muses. "I'm sure I don't have to warn you to be prepared for that."

"When have they not had a lot of questions for me?" Korra asks, a flash of her usual dry humor leaking through the unusual sadness.

"I can handle them. The only problem is, they're going to ask about the people showing up around the city, and...I don't have an answer to give them."

And the reporters always expect her to have the answers, somehow.

"They're going to have questions about the barrier, as well," he says pensively, turning his attention back to it. "By now the city is used to strange spiritual occurrences, but I hope this particular phenomenon will not cause too much panic."

Especially if the barrier, like the vines and the spirit wilds, is here to stay for the long haul. At this point, it's too early to tell.

"What should I tell them?" Korra's brows knit together as she follows his gaze to the barrier that she'd been examining earlier.

"Normally Raiko's the one who tries to get the people to calm down by giving a speech or something, but he's missing. Beifong and Tenzin are, too."

If that isn't a cause for worry, then she doesn't know what is.

"You can only tell them the truth," he muses, looking back to her, "and assure them you're working on a solution. If you wish, I can accompany you. Raiko's disappearance is my current priority, and the public need reassurance the crisis is being dealt with."

And perhaps Korra might need the support, too, he thinks, without Tenzin or Lin there for her. He's worried for the both of them as well, but for now there's no use in fretting on the disappearances. The most pressing issue is keeping order in the city.

Korra looks up at him in surprise. "Really? You...you would do that?"

It's not that she thinks Lord Zuko doesn't care, it's that Republic City technically isn't under his jurisdiction. But with Raiko and the other major figures of the city gone, Korra thinks his help will be invaluable. She has no idea what is needed to keep a city running, and technically she shouldn't even go near politics because of who she is.

Korra places her fist in her other palm, giving him a bow. "I'd be grateful for the help, Lord Zuko."

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Welcome to Republic City!

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I weirdly decided to tense change in the last tag...sorry!

no worries! I didn't actually notice, haha

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