The Little Pony Legend 3: The Great Change

by MaggiesHeartLove


Broken crowns. Broken hearts.

Broken crowns. Broken hearts.

That night, after Jinora's ceremony, Korra was once again having trouble sleeping. She stirred and stirred in her bed, sweat dripping from her brows. She saw the images again; Zaheer, the poison, him suffocating her, Twilight's burn.
"AH!"
The young Avatar screamed out loud as she jolted up from her bed, taking in slow deep breaths. Mako, who was getting himself a glass of water, bursted into Korra's room after hearing her screams.
"Korra! Are you okay? Korra?"
But the Avatar didn't answer, for she was far too busy sobbing. The firebender sat beside her, wrapping his arms around her, allowing her to sob on his shoulder. Naga placed her head on Mako's lap, whimpering sadly as Korra continued to cry.

(~)

Three days latter, Zecora arrived at the island and inspected the Avatar. Like most ponies, she too gained an anthro form, her mane styled into a mohawk and her skin white with grey stripes as was her mane. She wore a long white tunic with short sleeves and wore golden bracelets on her hands and ankles. Korra sat on her bed while Zecora examined her wings, new feathers were growing back in nicely.
"Open."
Korra cringed when she opened her wings. But to her surprise, unlike before, they did not hurt as she did it.
"Close."
She closed the wings, once again, completely painless. The zebra smiled at the progress. "It would appear you are no longer sore. I predict soon enough, you will be able to soar."
For the first time in a while, Korra smiled genuinely. "Really?"
"Indeed, but be patient my little flower seed. Your feathers are not yet fully grown, if you fly now you will fall and land with a groan."
Korra frowned, "So in other words, no zooming through the clouds any time soon?"
"I'm afraid not." she took a wooden cup and poured the healing tonic into it, "Here, this should help hit the spot."
Korra did not hesitate in taking the cup and drinking the medicine. However, that still didn't change the fact it left a pretty bad taste in her mouth. Like a little kid, Korra stuck out her tongue in disgust. Zecora turned to Tenzin, Tonraq. "Her recuperation is progressing wonderfully. But if you don't mind, may I have a word with you, privately?" Tenzin and Tonraq nodded in agreement and Zecora once again turned to Korra, "Now, remember--"
"I know, I know: Don't push hard. Get some rest. Let the time ace the test." Korra had memorized Zecora's little rhyme for her. The zebra playfully ruffled the Avatar's loose hair and walked outside with Tenzin and Tonraq.
"She seems to be getting better." said the Water Tribe Chief.
"Her physical health is becoming sturdy, but it is her spiritual strength for which I worry."
"What do you mean?" Tenzin asked.
"Princess Korra has been through much, but I suspect Zaheer is not the only blame as such."
Tenzin and Tonraq both looked at one another in confusion. Why did this zebra always had to speak in rhymes?
"Uh…come again?"
Zecora rolled her eyes. Typical humans. "Korra's body is healing fast, but her spirit is reaching last. I noticed her eyes, no sparkle or glow, only sadness and regret is what she shows."
Now that the two men understood. Korra may be healing physically, but her spirit was down in the dumps, and they had a hunch why.
"If she is to be back up and about, she will need to over come this shadow of guilt and doubt."

(~)

Korra laid on her back on her bed, looking at her wings, she could have sworn she saw more feathers growing before her eyes, but she didn't show any excitement. She really didn't feel like going outside, not that she could on her own anyway. She didn't want to bother anyone, and besides Jinora was busy training the new airbenders, they really didn't need Korra right now. She didn't feel completely useless, but she didn't feel completely useful either. She could still barely walk and she still had to use her magic very little. What she wasn't entirely aware of was that a certain alicorn was feeling just as down as she was.
She didn't feel like speaking to anypony, she still couldn't fly due to her still growing wings, and her burned leg would certainly raise questions she did not want to answer. It was so unlike Twilight to distance herself from her friends. The princess rose her head when Spike walked up the stairs to her bed.

Spike;
"Twilight?"
Do you wanna get some ice cream?
Or have a little walk?
I know you're still upset about,
What happened so if you ever wanna talk
You know I'll be right here
Waiting for your call
Just sitting beside the wall
Do you wanna talk right now?
Maybe work some magic know how.

Twilight;
"Not now Spike."

The little dragon lowered his ears in sadness.
"Okay…bye.

(~)

Korra watched from the window while sitting on her wheelchair at the airbenders playing around with the bison, when she heard a knock on the door. She heard Bolin's voice.
Bolin;
"Hey Korra!"
Do you wanna see some bison?
I tell ya,
"They're so cute!"
I think some company is overdue
Everyone's waiting, all they talk about is you
I hate to see you lonely
In that empty room
Just watching the hours tick by
Do you wanna see some bison?
Give me a haller if you listen.

Korra;
"Maybe latter."

Bolin;
Okay….bye.

The sad earthbender walked out, leaving Korra alone.

(~)

Throughout the days, Twilight was still as cold and distant Korra was. Sure they came out of their rooms now, but they hardly spoke. Korra was still upset over what happened with Twilight and felt terrible that she was so sick. Zecora and the doctors said she was physically healthy and should be able to walk upright in a few days, but every time she tried, she kept on falling. Twilight's scar was now permanent on her leg, every now again it would sting and she limped as she walked. Once Korra heard of this, it made her feel even worse. She knew she couldn't avoid Twilight forever, but every time she saw her, she could see Zaheer beating her up and both of them being tortured. She had made Twilight go through something awful after she promised she would help her. Korra felt guilty.
Everywhere she went, mainly around the temple, airbenders would bow and say how wonderful she was. Even in the city people would shower her with compliments, saying how lucky they are to have a princess like her around, and for her heroism. She was appreciated despite her condition. She still had a role to play, and everybody knew it.
But Twilight still didn't. Korra was already a well known princess and Twilight still wasn't.
Twilight.
The one who became a princess far faster than Korra ever did.
She felt she let her down.
And Twilight, she felt she let Korra down.
From the moment they met, they were a unstoppable team, along with the rest of their friends, but now, Twilight mostly took the back seat on most things. She couldn't even help protect her from Zaheer, even her plan to outsmart him with that whole 'switch-ero' idea. But still, Korra was captured and poisoned while Twilight was helpless. And in the process, she even got burned. Again, she would always say she did not blame Korra for it, but the sting of it always reminded her of that horrible display that Zaheer did. And even after all off this, Korra still won the fight. She managed to overcome the poison on her own.
Without Twilight.
She wasn't needed as a princess and she wasn't needed as the Avatar's bonded pony.
They both felt they let the other down.
Despite the love and attention they received, the two princesses remained stoic and distant from others. Korra should have been able to walk by now, but no matter how hard she tried, she still tripped and fell, feeling a stinging pain in her legs.
Twilight kept her scarred leg bandaged, away from viewing eyes. She was having a serious identity crisis, and still copping with what she had experienced. Korra was guilt ridden and too copping with the ordeal. She also worried, if she did not get up and about soon, what will she do?
How can she perform her Avatar duties?

(~)

That night, in the two worlds, Flash Sentry and Mako walked up to the room and home of their respected girlfriends. Like everyone else, they knocked.

Mako;
"Korra?"

Flash;
"Twilight?"

Mako and Flash;
Please, I know you're in there
Your friends are asking were you've been
They say have courage
And I'm trying to
I'm right out here for you
Just let me in
Will you say just one word
To let me know
Answer me this just one time….
Do you wanna see the moonrise?

As the two boys sat beside the closed doors, their girlfriends listened to their loving words through the door. Twilight curled up in a ball, weeping while Korra hugged her legs, weeping as well.
On the far corner of both rooms, sat two broken gold and silver crowns.

(~)