B R E A T H I N G U N D E R W A T E R

5: The Healing

On the other side of the town, the wall was crumbling and cracked open hear the small blue hut.

"Korra, this is a human village. The healer might not want to help you."

It's worth a shot... I need my wings."

"I know. I miss my fin..." Asami touched her shoulder

Korra gasped "I didn't even think about that! I can't imagine my wings just...disappearing... I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, really. But let's go. I'll go in first."

Asami opened the door to find a woman, sitting in a rocking chair.

"Oh, young lady, welcome" She said and stood. She was elderly, with a kind face covered in wrinkles, and her white hair pinned up into a bun.

"Please, my friend and I need help" Asami looked back to Korra who was slowly entering.

"Well if c- ahh, I see. I help anyone in need my dears." the woman said, gesturing for them to come in before turning towards a mat already laid out. As she walked further into the hut, Korra and Asami both noticed the two thick vertical scars on the woman's back, right where wings would be. The girls looked at each other, wide eyed.

~~~

Korra insisted the woman healed Asami first, and she complied. Korra and Asami expected he to get out some bandages, maybe a stitching kit; but instead she hovered her hands over the wound and waved them gently. In the space between the woman's hands and Asami's head, golden light began to glow.

"What... what are you doing?" Korra stood, awestruck

"I'm healing her, Korra."

"How do you know her name?" Asami asked, opening her eyes

"Because I do, Asami. Now stop moving"

"Who...are you" Korra asked, sitting on the mat by Asami's bare feet

"My name, you do not need to know. But I am a friend. I was once like you, little birdie"

The healer, who Korra later deemed insane, took little time to work, but couldn't do much for the bruise on Korra's shoulder

"It will hurt to fly for a while, but you can without all those bullet holes. I won't even ask how all this happened."

The girls thanked the mysterious healer, and were about to leave, but then-

"What do you know about cross-species... mating..." Asami asked abruptly

"What?" Korra whispered

"Hhm? As in human mother, merman father?"

"Well, yes. That's an example." Asami took a set back into the hut

"Well, it's very possible. Same as Wingèd-human, Wingèd-mermaid. A human-mermaid baby could come out like a normal mermaid or a normal human, or maybe... a little bit of both."

"No reason," Asami said pulling Korra out of the hut "Korra, my mother was a human. That's why I have legs....which means... my father..."

"Well.. why are you so surprised? I mean... I kinda figured. My adoptive sister is half human, but she looks full wingèd, but then again her wings don't disappear when she touches land..." Korra trailed off, stretching her wings

"You 'figured' and you didn't say anything?" Asami stopped in front of the wall

"Look, what do you want me to say? I wouldn't be too happy if someone told me I was half human, let alone believe it. And it's none of my business. I don't even know what your plan is now" she shrugged, resting her sore wings

"I don't know what my plan is either."

"Well... what do you want to do"

"Well my kingdom has been taken over, and my father... god knows. The only way I'll be able to return is if I marry Eric, and I... can't...." Asami sighed "That's not an option. And I'm sure Eric has guards looking for me so I can't go live undercover, and-"

"But what do you want?"

"What do you mean?"

"If all this crazy stuff hadn't happened, what would you choose to do knowing what you know now?"

Asami looked at the winged girl

'stay with you' was the first thing that came to her mind, but she tried to reject the thought

"I don't know" she lied

"Well, you can come home with me until you do... if you want" Korra said as they began walking

"I would like that" Asami smiled "a lot"