eachdraidh | VISUAL ; SEELIE LOCKED.

[ when the visual feed starts, there’s a bright green snout poking at the locket, and korra’s voice can be heard in the background — soft, encouraging. “it’s how we keep in contact, rizhao,” she says. satisfied, the dragon slithers away to mako — currently sitting on the floor with a conspicuous collection of bowls of black powder, paper tubes, and clay — and climbs right on top of him, all thirty feet of her piled on his shoulders, looped under his arms, and all over his lap. the locket swings around, catching a glimpse of one asami sato at a carved wooden table, looking over some small parts that look like clockwork gears with a hand to her chin. she seems Very Interested in what she’s doing, so we’ll leave her alone for now and get to the focus of what this post is really about:

korra comes into view, fixing the angle of the locket before setting it down. she’s about to start talking when a great white head comes into view, and naga drops herself down next to korra, chin on the girl’s lap. as korra relaxes, she begins to address the network, ]

I hope everyone’s feeling better — did anyone find out what caused that silver stuff to spread? How it got started? There seemed to be a lot of different cures, but…

[ that’s not really what she wanted to talk about, so she lets that thought drift off, leaning back and drawing her hand between naga’s ears for a second before she continues. ]

We’ve got a lot of new people, don’t we. [ and she doesn’t seem happy about that, oh no. ] My name is Korra, you can find me out on the Western Road if you ever need to travel to Redgate or the University — but you don’t wanna go to Daonna, trust me. You’re more likely to end up dead than actually accomplishing anything.

[ she’s really no good at this, this talking off-the-cuff thing. maybe she should’ve written this all down beforehand… ]

Look, I don’t know how much everyone else has been told, but I do know that Queen Solais isn’t in the sharing type when it comes to what the Seelie court’s objective is. Sure, they say it’s “justice and the order of nature,” but I think it’s important that everyone knows what that means. No dancing around the subject, no ducking the harsh reality.

There’s a Void out there and it’s eating away at the world — all worlds. It signals the end of everything that we know, and it’s our job as Seelie shardholders to let it run its course. [ she adds quickly, trying to be reassuring; ] I know that sounds scary. No one likes thinking about the “end,” no matter what the “end” is, but it’s important to realize that everything has an end, just as everything has a beginning.

[ she takes in a breath and sits up straighter. korra reeeeally hates talking about all this philosophical mumbo-jumbo, so the fact that she’s even trying speaks volumes about how important she feels this is. ]

My teachers taught me that everything comes in cycles. Spring to summer, to fall, to winter; old years to new. Even an Avatar’s life isn’t forever — we have to protect ourselves and our Avatar spirit so that the next Avatar can balance and change the world as they see fit.

This Void — it’s not the end of everything, it’s just the end of this cycle, and it’s important that we keep it intact. From this end, new worlds will form; maybe even our own worlds again. I don’t know how many worlds are familiar with ‘reincarnation,’ but where I’m from, it’s real, and I believe the worlds eaten by the Void will come back. Maybe in different forms, maybe the same. It’s important to remember that this is something that will benefit every world that we come from.

[ her fingers curl at naga’s crown, and the polar beardog lets out a soft whine at korra’s sudden tensing. tipping her big head back, naga licks at korra’s face, and korra rests a hand against her dog’s cheek. ]

The Unseelie don’t see it that way. The court’s main objective is killing every Seelie from every world, regardless of whether they can stop the Void or not. They think all life is precious except for those who disagree with them. [ there’s venom seeping into korra’s voice at that, and it’s clear exactly how she feels about the unseelie ideals. ] I heard from someone in the Unseelie court just what they planned on doing, so if you know anyone in the Unseelie court, that won’t protect you. If they win, you’re dead, and that’s it, that’s the end. No chance of you being reborn in your world again because if the cycle doesn’t continue, I believe that every world will eventually die. [ korra has no way of proving this, but this is what she fears. if the unseelie win and interrupt the cycle, if the natural order gets corrupted, then what happens? do things just peter out? or does everything go on to become stagnant. ] Change can bring about balance or it can destroy everything we believe in and want to protect. Change is good, and sometimes, change is necessary — but not like this.

A lot of the Unseelie are probably scared of the Void, and I’d believe that some of the Seelie are, too. [ korra is, though she won’t admit that. ] I know the natives are. Some kill shardbearers, a lot of them are in Daonna. They’re scared of the Void and scared of us, so if you meet any Drabwurld natives, please don’t give them a reason to hurt you. Some of them will still try and you should defend yourselves against them… but a lot of them just want to live their lives as peacefully as they can in spite of the war going on around them.

[ silence falls between her and naga, and in the background, the dragon picks up her head and trills softly in korra’s direction; a gentle whalesong. ]

I think I flapped my gums enough, but if anyone has questions, I’ll answer them.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I have.

[He acknowledges that, but unlike so many immortals doesn't have that contempt for the less long-lived.]

I've seen these cycles before, these shifts in the wheel of time...and I know that change? Is not possible if they continue. Not real change. Lasting change.

If it were up to you...how would you handle it? You and your friends, the ones that fought the monster.

That...is a complicated question. They are not here, but the Void is a bigger problem than Godzilla ever could be.

[He chuckles darkly, a bitter expression.]

If truth be told? We would call the other Avengers. We would shatter the Void like any other foe, through magic most mighty...and genius unfathomable. And then fix whatever problems arose with those same tools. But Henry is not here, nor Doctor Richards, nor Anthony. We will have to make due with what we have.

It's a complicated issue and I'm only beginning to understand it.

[ And they all need to if they're really supposed to fight in a war. ]

I can't say I blame anyone for wanting to fight it. It's a terrifying concept.

But you also don't know what it means if you let it consume the world, either.

[He at least has some idea.]

[ She shakes her head. ]

I've got no idea. I'm not sure if there's a right or wrong answer here. But...

[ But. ]

I trust Korra. I know she wouldn't share all of this if she hadn't spent a long time thinking about it.

I understand that. And I trust Korra's word as well. She is saying what she believes, and what she knows as truth.

[He's heard conviction before, he knows it by sound.]

I know not what I will do, but I'm not turning my back on you, her, or any of the other people in this court. I may not agree with the goal, but I have little choice save to wait, watch, and learn. And...[A hint of a smile.] to Avenge.

I would've asked if it was really you, if you said otherwise.

[ She returns the inkling of a smile with a somber, but warm one of her own. ]

I have to admit I'm curious how we ended up on the sides that we're on. It's a little intimidating to be asked to fight a war for a cause you don't really understand.

If you ever hear me saying something absurd like that? Assume I am replaced by a Skrull, and shoot me.

[Complete deadpan there. He's not kidding. A bullet won't hurt HIM but it will a Skrull!]

And as for that, Dick and I had the same question. I really don't understand it well myself, though I wish that I did.

I'm assuming a Skrull is something a little less heroic?

[ Oh, he is serious. My goodness. ]

It must be hard for anyone who knows someone on the opposing side.

An alien shapeshifter. They like to steal faces.

[And fuck that. The world has room enough for only one face as majestic as this!]

And aye, it is. Turns out? My best friend is on the other side. Thor, God of Thunder.

...That sounds terrifying.

[ Steal faces? Does that mean they wear them? Why did her mind make that leap... ]

Another God?

[ Maybe...they are trying to even out the playing field. ]

I'm sorry. No one should be forced to fight against their friends.

Another god. From a different pantheon. The Son of Odin, their Skyfather. My...I suppose you could say, counterpart.

[Shaking his head, Herc rumbles a faint laugh.]

And we've fought many a time. The playing field between us is even enough, and I suppose if battle were joined it would be best if we...occupied...one another. Immortal hands were not meant to be stained with the blood of mortals, despite what some of my kin believe.

You could be rivals, then, but you're friends.

[ That's what it sounds like to her, though she can't say she has an understanding of how pantheons really work. She doesn't imagine that deities from other areas would all get along. Perhaps be in competition? ]

That's thoughtful of you. Let's hope it doesn't come down to that. Maybe...there's a way we can all work through this together.

[ Of course, she realizes that there's a time to take up arms and fight. She was willing to turn against her own father for the greater good, after all. ]

We are friends...yes, but rivals as well. The best friendships often are.

[And in a way, brothers.]

As to that though...I hope to not have to fight anyone. Those who can move mountains and divert rivers should not have to fight for anything more than the joy of it. But I do hope to resolve this some other way, if it be possible.

[He really cannot say he won't fight, but he won't fight to kill or destroy. Only to protect, to keep the people safe. That's what he's decided, though it feels imprudent to announce it for all to hear.]

[ It's a statement she can't entirely argue with. There'd been a time where she and Korra were at odds with one another, despite Asami's best intentions otherwise, and yet they've come so far since then. She's glad they have. ]

Maybe if we learn more about the Void...it seems sort of daunting and mysterious right now.

We will at some point, of course, if we watch and observe. War and strike is not won or overcome by haste.

[Look, Athena's rubbed off on him a bit...]

I hope so. It feels like we've got a lot of catching up to do.

[ Of course it's easy for Asami to feel that way, when her two friends have been in the Drabwurld for two years and counting. ]

VISUAL ; SEELIE LOCKED.

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