Korra vs Kuvira: The End of an Age (Conclusion)

(So, like I said, have it done by Saturday, Sunday... or Monday! Regardless, here it is! In two days time, you will receive the first part of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer story, and week after that will be X-Men, back on schedule!)

A short time later, Korra was walking down the sterile hallways of Ba Sing Ce’s security headquarters, the former home of the Earth Kingdom’s secret police, the Dai li. Entirely underground, the passageways looked more like those of a hospital than a dungeon, clean with neutral, lily green walls and a tile floor. She had never been here before, but she’d heard stories of the experiments, brainwashing, and torture that was rife in this facility.

In some ways it was fortunate Korra was so tired and hollow. She hardly cared at all about her possible fate.

Barefoot she trudged, hands held behind her back in silvery shackles, her eyes on the floor. Kuvira led her by the arm, allowing Korra to simply stumble one foot in front of the other and worry about nothing else. Just like the empress had said, she would guide her exactly where she needed to be.

“Almost there,” Kuvira whispered, “You’re doing very well.”

The two of them walking side by side were a complete contrast.

Kuvira looked as proud and pleased as she ever had, taking long, purposeful strides with her head held high. A crooked grin remained plastered on her face, her eyes lidded with pleasure, and she couldn’t resist looking Korra over like a proud mother hen. She would keep her gaze fixed ahead, marching with a soldier’s proud gait, but every few seconds her eyes would be drawn back to her prisoner, smiling and admiring her. She would brush Korra’s hair back, perhaps straighten scrub at the girl’s silver collar with her thumb, or simply stroke her skin and offer a small word of encouragement.

Beside the empress, Korra walked with her head low, shoulders slumped, almost like a zombie. Her warrior’s body, similar in stature to the Empress’, was spent and shamed, slumped without dignity. Collared and shackled in threadbare green prisoner garb, her hair messy and drooped, she was the quintessential beaten rebel, next to the authority she had failed to overthrow.

“Chin up just a bit, Avatar,” Kuvira made a curling gesture with her finger.

At the gesture, Korra’s collar tugged at her, pulling her head up as the empress wished.

Her silvery collar and bracelets, recently added accessories, had been made by Kuvira herself. They were polished smooth, fitting her perfectly with no seams or catches, with no adornments other than the boxy seal of the Earth Empress that stood raised from the metal. Notably, they were made of an alloy with just the right amount of platinum that few, if any, metal masters could bend other than Kuvira.

Korra barely reacted at the manipulation, simply blinking and fixing her apathetic stare a bit further along the floor. She had already grown used to the little tugs and pulls of the empress’ “gifts”.

They were the perfect fetters. They not only allowed Kuvira control of her prisoner’s body but were almost impossible to remove without her permission.

Eventually they came to a sealed door, shining silver and without a handle. Kuvira stopped in front of it, thrust out of her hand, and the door groaned, bending its way open. A metal bender security door.

Beyond the door was a room that looked like part blacksmith’s, part science fiction laboratory. The inside was warm, made so in large part to the orange glow of a large forge in the corner of the room, fed by various pipes and tubes that vanished into the ceiling. Scattered around the rest of the chamber were various worktables, strange machines, and glass domes and capsules filled with various glowing specimens of plant or creature. Sometimes as pedestrian as butterflies, sometimes cartoonish amalgams of different animals, sometimes simply a root or leaf, everything under the glass had a ghostly transparency and glowed, not of this world.

Korra frowned, the first show of emotion she’d managed since Kuvira had taken her from her cell.

These were creatures of the spirit world. She had known the Earth Empire was experimenting with spirit energy, but now it looked like they were experimenting on the spirits themselves.

Korra swallowed and lowered her eyes. Before her was another reminder of her failure, to protect the balance and the spirit world. Kuvira clearly had her own plans for the spirit world and Korra suspected she would conquer it just as she had this one. It would be the beginning of a new age.

Kuvira led her inside and bent the door back behind them as a lone figure approached, wearing a lab coat over an Earth Empire uniform. She was prim and upright, like a slightly smaller, willowy version of Kuvira. She had been there outside Zaofu, one of the empress’ advisors, but Korra hadn’t caught her name.

The woman stopped before them and bowed low.

“All hail the Earth Empress.” She gave the formal greeting.

Kuvira smiled and nodded back in acknowledgement, “Chen Li.”

When the woman straightened, she met the empress’ eyes in a direct manner few would dare. To Korra’s mild surprise, the advisor smiled, friendly, and Kuvira smiled back.

She hadn’t expected Kuvira had many friends, but apparently this woman had enough of the empress’ respect to manage it.

“And what little creature have you brought today?” Chen Li’s gaze turned to Korra, looking her up and down, “Some ragamuffin prisoner, it seems. A pitiful specimen indeed.”

Kuvira laughed gently and turned to regard Korra as well. She smiled fondly and brushed some of the Avatar’s hair from her cheek, another small adjustment to her new toy.

“Don’t be cruel, Chen,” the empress chided gently, “She’s tired right now, but she’s learned her place.”

Her hand slipped down to gently pat Korra’s bottom. She left it there, stroking with her thumb, soothing.

“With a bit of training, she’ll have the temperament to be an excellent servant,” Kuvira cooed, “She’ll be very useful, once she’s settled.” She gave Korra’s rump a squeeze, “And endlessly entertaining.”

Chen Li stepped closer and cupped Korra’s chin, tilting it up to look into her eyes.

Korra stared back without any sort of assertiveness, just looking into the woman’s eyes and letting her peer inside her soul. She blushed slightly, both at the directness of the woman’s inspection and Kuvira’s gentle exploration of her rounded butt, but otherwise made no protest. These women were talking over her like she was a small child or an invalid, but she was happy to let them do it. In fact, the gentle touches were almost enjoyable after weeks of solitary confinement.

“Hm,” Chen li pursed her lips, thoughtfully, “She seems pretty settled to me. Not much fight left in this one.”

She patted Korra’s cheek, offering a gentle smile.

“She’ll perk up,” Kuvira assured her, “It’s just been a difficult breaking for her. Not as difficult as I expected, but she’ll still need a firm hand.”

“Hmm,” Chen Li mused again, nodding to herself.

For a few moments, the two women simply looked Korra over, marveling at how far she’d fallen. From proud, truculent, and powerful, to a raggedy, tired, slouched prisoner, meekly hanging her head while the method of breaking her will was discussed. Chen Li watched her like a curiosity, a psychological experiment, while Kuvira looked at her with obvious pride and affection, still massaging her bottom.

“Speaking of a firm hand,” the empress finally looked back to Chen li, “Is it prepared?”

The scientist turned back as well, “Of course.”

Her demeanor suddenly professional once more, she turned and marched towards the forge.

“Lie her down across the palette, if you would, empress,” she gestured to a nearby vinyl table, “And expose the place you want it. I’ll be there in just a moment.”

That brought Korra somewhat out of her apathetic haze. She blinked, brow furrowing slightly as she watched the scientist march to the forge and stir a metal handle that had been sticking out of the glowing mouth. Chen Li withdrew the handle and held it up in the air, examining an octagonal metal shape on the end.

“Come on, Korra,” Kuvira took her by the arm, “Let’s go.”

She was let to the table, and though she went along without resisting, Korra didn’t take her eyes off what Chen Li was doing.

The scientist was clearly holding a brand, but instead of glowing with red heat, the metal glowed a vibrant, glittering purple. The light shifted unnaturally and was semi-transparent, not at all like molten metal.

Chen Li frowned at it, then put it back into the forge, stirring it around again.

Before Korra could see what happened next, Kuvira turned her to face the table and she lost sight of the forge.

“It’s all right, Korra,” the empress whispered to her, gently rubbing her back, “Don’t worry about what Miss Li is doing right now. You’ll see soon enough.”

Korra’s bonds disconnected then raised the girl’s arms over her head at a command from Kuvira.

The weary water tribe girl tensed for a moment, looking at the empress with a worry-furrowed brow. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but she saw the brand and could put two and two together. Frightened, but knowing not to protest or speak, she stared pleadingly at her captor, her conqueror. Silently, with big blue eyes, she begged the woman that owned her for mercy, knowing she was the only one who could save her.

Kuvira tilted her head at the look and offered a sympathetic smile.

“Awww…” she cooed, stepping closer, “Poor little Avatar…”

Looping her arms around Korra’s waist, the Avatar Vanquisher hugged close and pressed several small kisses to her pet’s cheeks and neck. They were gentle and warm and Korra whimpered at the touch, eagerly accepting them, hoping it meant she would be spared what came next.

With a final kiss to her pet’s forehead, Kuvira drew back and smiled, staring into her eyes.

“It’s all right to be nervous,” she whispered, “This is a big moment for you. And a big moment for the Avatar spirit itself.”

Reaching down, she took the waist of Korra’s tank top and worked it up over her stomach.

“It’s going to hurt,” Kuvira drew the top over Korra’s chest, “But you’ll see that’s a good thing in time. You’re going to remember this.”

The top came up over her head and arms, then the empress tossed it to the side. Korra’s breasts were surprisingly ripe for such a muscular girl, healthy and round, stretching the fabric of a simple, white sports bra issued with her prison garb.

Kuvira admired the proud shapes with a tart grin, savoring the view like the taste of a sweet dessert. She ran her hand up Korra’s firm, grooved stomach, until she found one of the cotton clad breasts. Her fingers molded it playfully and she sighed, enjoying yet another perk of victory.

“It’s important you remember,” she said, “Not just in this life…” she delicately ran her thumb over a protruding nipple, “But the next… and the next…”

Korra squirmed, the wrinkles in her brow deepening. She could hear Chen Li working behind her, metal pieces clinking against one another. She tried to crane her neck around to see what the scientist was doing, but failed, then turned back to stare at Kuvira with an even more desperate expression.

“Wh-what--?”

She was quickly silenced when the empress placed a finger to her lips.

“Shhh…” Kuvira whispered gently, but her eyes were sharp, warning.

On instinct, Korra bit her lip and lowered her eyes, bowing her head in submission. She received a purr and a kiss on the forehead as a reward.

“Good girl,” Kuvira crooned, “You’re already learning.”

Her hands slipped down and began undoing the draw string of the Avatar’s trousers.

Korra didn’t even flinch, keeping her head bowed.

“From this moment on,” Kuvira continued, sounding more formal, “The Avatar will not be a warrior or a diplomat or a guardian of anything. The position will be passed down from one generation to the next as the first servant of the Earth Empire.”

With the draw string loosened, Korra’s trousers were allowed to fall down her toned legs, pooling at her ankles.

“You will be the first, Korra, but every Avatar that comes after you will remember this. This moment will call to them and they will come to Ba Sing Ce to kneel before the throne…”

Beneath the trousers, a gray, shabby pair of panties had found themselves slightly pinched between Korra’s brown, swelling cheeks. In the baggy clothing she wore at Zaofu, and now in prison, there were only hints at the shape of her bottom, but now the rounded forms were clear as day, barely protected by the thin, twisted cotton.

Kuvira smiled and gave a tug at the side of Korra’s underwear, straightening them out.

“The burden of the world belongs to the Earth Empire now,” Kuvira consoled her prisoner with a pat on the bottom, “The Avatar will only have to serve.”

Korra swallowed and kept her head down. She was nervous, worried, not entirely understanding what the empress meant, but she knew now what she hadn’t known at Zaofu. The knowledge she had gleaned was an absolute truth and it was that whatever Kuvira wanted to happen, happened. There was nothing she could do.

Chen Li’s footsteps approached. They stopped behind Korra, where she couldn’t see.

“It’s ready,” she said, “If you wouldn’t mind securing her, Empress?”

Kuvira smiled at Korra for another moment, before turning to her subordinate.

“Of course.”

The empress turned to the table and with a wave of her hand, it turned upright, suddenly vertical. Another wave tugged on Korra’s collar and the prisoner waddled forward until her chest and stomach were pressed to the padded vinyl, her hands still held over her head.

“Where does the empress want the marking?” Chen Li asked.

Leather straps, pulled by their metal buckles, swung across Korra’s shoulders and upper thighs, snapping into place on the other side of the table.

Hands restrained, now locked into place, exposed in just her underwear, Korra couldn’t help but whimper faintly, burying her face into the vinyl tabletop.

“Hmmm…” Kuvira slowly drew a circle with her finger, just at the curve of her prisoner’s lower back, “Right… here.”

“As the empress wishes,” Chen Li responded.

Korra shivered. She couldn’t see what was happening, but she could feel the heat of the brand coming closer.

Kuvira lay a hand on the back of her neck, like she was calming a frightened mare.

“It’s all right, Korra,” she cooed, “This is a brand of spirit energy. It will link itself to your soul, a symbol and reminder of your new purpose.”

She massaged gently as Chen Li slowly drew the brand closer, careful not to twitch, aiming exactly where the empress wanted it.

“Every Avatar from now on will be born with this mark,” Kuvira continued, “It will remind them of this memory, of what you’ve learned. And it will make their powers… more manageable.”

Korra wanted to squirm very badly, but she was trapped in place. Her collar and bracers kept her from wiggling her upper body, while the straps pinned her tight so she couldn’t even kick.

“It will be the dawn of a new age,” the empress said, then leaned closer to whisper into her ear, “And after this you will be bathed, properly fed, and allowed to rest in a soft, warm bed.”

Korra whimpered and Kuvira kissed her ear.

“Shhh…” she cooed, “It’s time now.”

Her hand came to squeeze Korra’s bottom, firmly, owning.

“Remember this.”

Then the brand pressed into Korra’s back.

The Avatar screamed, her anguish, shame, and utter defeat ringing out through all generations that followed.