[ Ifs. Buts. Maybes. They've never done Hei any favors. To him, they're a moron's mantra, talismanic sounds stripped of their animating magic. He functions on self-realization, not self-pity. He can't shrug his shoulders over what he did during the curse. He's bitter, but he's not that sort of brooding type. He'll have his moments of madness over it in the future, and has had his bad hours of flashbacks and nightmares since then. What he did to Yin, to Korra, to Chekov, even if he failed to do the worst -- that will always stay with him, and he means never to let himself off the hook for it. But the curse is over. He's made his mistakes. He can't forget them, but he refuses to let them paralyze him. That's as good as admitting defeat. ]
[ Naga's growl rumbles like a seismic quiver through the air. He ignores it, keeping his eyes on Korra. Simply: ]
Not this time, no. But that doesn't mean you'll be unprepared next time.
[ Because there's always a next time. Especially in the City. And because it's necessary in his line of work. Future visualization. Contingency plans. Holding your chin high and staring into the belly of the beast when all you have is riding on one inch of give in the rope at your wrist -- before you go plunging to hit rock-bottom. ]
no subject
[ Naga's growl rumbles like a seismic quiver through the air. He ignores it, keeping his eyes on Korra. Simply: ]
Not this time, no. But that doesn't mean you'll be unprepared next time.
[ Because there's always a next time. Especially in the City. And because it's necessary in his line of work. Future visualization. Contingency plans. Holding your chin high and staring into the belly of the beast when all you have is riding on one inch of give in the rope at your wrist -- before you go plunging to hit rock-bottom. ]