Legend of Korra spoilers for those not caught up through Episode 8! (Although only minor spoilers for Episode 8, if any. This story is set pretty much right after that episode.)
So I'm hoping we get to see the scene when Lin learns what happened at Zaofu and where her mother is, but just in case that's glossed over in the following episode(s), here's my version!
Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Korra.
Lin hadn't planned a trip to Air Temple Island during her dinner break, but twenty minutes after the report landed on her desk she was glaring at Tenzin, arms crossed.
"Lin! What a…lovely surprise?" he tried.
She raised an eyebrow. "How about you explain to me why I just received a report of a car chase that apparently happened this morning?"
"A car chase? Why should I - ?"
"More importantly-" Lin cut him off. "Why one of the cars in questions is the property of a Miss Asami Sato. And eyewitness reports mention a Water Tribe girl jumping onto the roof of a truck and metalbending it open."
"Ah."
"Ah, indeed. I don't know about you," Lin sighed. "But I know only one Water Tribe girl who can metalbend, and I'm certain I gave explicit orders to be informed as soon as you had information regarding Korra's whereabouts."
Tenzin shuffled awkwardly in the doorway. "Would you like to come in?"
"Might as well," she muttered, stepping inside while still glaring pointedly at Tenzin.
After shutting the door, he sighed. "Look, Lin, it's been a busy day – Korra needs her space and time with her friends. She's been through a lot."
Lin reluctantly softened her glare. "I can understand that. But you can't just fail to mention these things, Tenzin. I need all the information, especially with everything going on in the Earth Kingdom – Kuvira marching on Zaofu-" She rubbed her forehead, closing her eyes briefly. "-and the United Forces deployed to assist-"
Tenzin cleared his throat. "Actually, um, see…I may have also not been in a particular hurry, well…a lot has – you have enough to worry about already, and, well-"
"Tenzin…" Lin took a menacing step forward, and he raised his hands in surrender.
"I – look, there's been some, ah, new developments." He rubbed his forehead. "Korra's really the best person to explain, as long as…well, just be gentle with her Lin. She's not who she was three years ago."
Lin nodded. "I'll do my best." She started to walk away and caught his involuntary sigh of relief. Snapping around, she pointed a finger at the airbender.
"But don't think you're off the hook!"
Tenzin swallowed.
Stomping into the kitchen, she startled Asami, who was lifting the tea kettle.
"Oh – hi – I mean, hello Chief." Asami carefully set the kettle back down, frowning. "Can I help you with something?"
"Do you know where Korra is?" Lin asked.
Asami bit her lip. "She's outside. I was just refilling our tea cups… But I really don't think – I…just please don't question her now. She's not feeling great."
Lin frowned. "Is she sick?"
"She's just missing a little of her old spirit. I worried, and-" Asami shook her head. "I don't think putting a lot of pressure on her would be best right now."
Lin scrutinized the girl – the way she shifted slightly to stand protectively between Lin and the exit to the gazebo. The genuine concern on her face.
Lin took a step back. She'd get her answers some other way. "You're a good friend, Asami."
The girl looked surprised before ducking her head and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Thanks, but I just-" She trailed off.
Lin nodded. "I'll see if I can chew out Tenzin some more instead. Although…you wouldn't happen to know about anything that happened to Korra while she was away that for some reason Tenzin deliberately failed to mention?"
Asami's eyebrows scrunched together for a moment before her eyes widened in dawning realization.
Lin narrowed her eyes.
"You really should just talk to Tenzin. I…" Asami clasped her hands behind her back. "I mean I've only heard a little here and there from Korra, and if you don't know what happened…"
"What happened with what?" She crossed her arms.
Asami sighed, closing her eyes briefly. "What's the last thing you've heard about Zaofu?"
"Su radioed for assistance from the United Forces." Lin shook her head. "I said she was an idiot going back there in the first place when Kuvira had her eyes on it, but she wouldn't listen." She muttered under her breath. "She still never listens."
"Yes..well…see-"
"Aunt Lin?"
Lin turned, surprised to see Opal standing in the doorway, eyes wide. What in the Spirits name is Opal doing in Republic City?
"I didn't know you were here," Opal frowned. "I was just coming to start dinner."
"Oh Opal-" Asami crossed the kitchen and rested a hand on the young airbender's shoulder. "You don't have to, Pema and I'll take care of dinner. You should rest-"
"I don't want to rest!" Opal jerked away. "I should be out there-"
"There's nothing you can do right now-"
"I have to do something!" She took a deep breath. "So I'm helping with dinner."
Asami smiled sadly.
Lin raised a hand. "Hold on. Opal, what are you doing on Air Temple Island? I thought you were in the Earth Kingdom."
Opal stared back, her forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Where else did you think I would go after escaping Zaofu?"
Lin's eyes widened. "What do you mean escaping Zaofu?"
Opal turned to Asami for an explanation. Asami looked at her feet.
"Lin doesn't exactly know yet what happened in Zaofu," she murmured.
"You don't know what happened to mom?" Opal exclaimed.
It took Lin a second to process Opal's words, and it hit her for the first time that of course the United Forces couldn't get there in time.
Suyin.
"W-what happened to her?" Lin managed.
Opal ducked her head, squeezing her eyes shut. "She tried to take down Kuvira with Wing and Wei. But it was a trap. They were captured-" Her voice broke. "After Korra lost to Kuvira, she told me to go. And I just left her there trapped, I-"
Asami pulled Opal into a hug. "You did the best you possibly could, Opal. That's all anyone can ask of you. Your mom would be proud that you helped Korra escape."
Opal didn't speak.
Lin didn't either.
Korra lost to Kuvira…
They were captured…
Left her there, trapped…
Zaofu hadn't lasted, that was certain. And Lin's reckless baby sister had gotten herself in trouble again. She didn't know whether to be angry – what, did you really think it would be that easy? - or worried – Spirits, Su, we're still not sure how much she's capable of –
Oh, who was she kidding? Lin was always, always angry and worried when it came to Su, ever since they were kids.
"Opal." Lin swallowed.
The girl lifted her head, wiping her eyes. "Yes, Aunt Lin? I'm sorry-"
"Don't be." She narrowed her eyes. "I won't let anything bad happen to your mother, I promise."
Asami shot her a look that said Please don't make that promise, you can't know if you'll deliver, if you break her heart…
But Lin was willing to take that responsibility. And even if there was that time when they didn't speak for thirty years, old habits die hard, and for better or for worse Lin was used to trying to keep her sister out of trouble.
Lin took a few steps forward and rested a hand on Opal's other shoulder.
Opal gave her a small smile in return.
Asami glanced between them before turning to Opal.
"Can you run and get Pema? Then we can start on dinner," Asami said. The airbender nodded and headed out of the kitchen.
Lin massaged her temples. "So that was it? What Tenzin didn't want to tell me was that Suyin was captured and Zaofu fell?"
Asami twisted her hands. "Part of it. Alright, maybe I should just tell you what Korra-"
"Asami, is everything alrig – Oh. Hi, Lin."
"Korra!" Asami rushed to her side. "Sorry, I meant to be out a while ago with the tea-"
"I'm fine," Korra smiled. "And you really didn't have to refill my cup too, so I figured I'd come in, too." She paused. "Well, first I wondered what was taking so long, then I decided to come in, but uh…well, good to see you, Lin."
"And you, Korra." Lin inclined her head. She shot a sideways look at Asami. "I can be leave you to your tea, I do have work back at the station-"
"No-" Asami raised a hand. "I…you probably need to hear this." She turned hesitantly to Korra.
"Hear what?" Korra frowned.
Asami continued wrapping her hands around themselves over and over. "Opal and I were just telling her about Zaofu." Korra's smile vanished.
"I tried." She didn't meet Lin's eyes. "I tried to stop Kuvira, but I wasn't good enough and I couldn't save Su, I'm sorry-"
Asami clasped Korra's hand. "Korra, no one is blaming you."
Lin nodded, her expression softening. "It sounds like you did you absolute best, and I can only thank you for trying so hard to protect Zaofu. And I know Su. She's stubborn and reckless at times, but she's also smart and resourceful. She'll be fine." Lin held up her hands. "I'm only here because Tenzin had the brilliant idea to not tell me any of this, including the fact that you were back in the city."
Asami frowned. "Then how did you know?"
Lin raised an eyebrow. "You think you're little car chase went unnoticed?"
"Oops." Asami ducked her head. "But Prince Wu was kidnapped!"
"Great." Lin sighed. "Something else to worry about. I'll have to get my best officers on city security while I'm gone."
"Gone?" Korra frowned.
Lin crossed her arms. "My little sister's in trouble. Again. I need to at least take a reconnaissance squad to figure out how to get her out."
Korra shook her head. "You don't understand. Kuvira has eyes everywhere. You couldn't get into her Earth Empire unnoticed, much less wherever she's keeping Su. She's too powerful." Korra's shoulders sagged. "She was so confident she would win Zaofu because she's always won. She knows how to win."
The three heard footsteps and Opal reentered the kitchen with Pema. She glanced at Lin. "Are we starting dinner, or…?"
"I think I've heard everything – thank you, Korra, Asami." Lin nodded. "And Opal – I meant what I said."
"Thank you," Opal murmured.
"Wait." Asami swallowed. "Chief, I think there's one more thing you need to know. And Korra, you were there, so…"
The two exchanged a look, and Lin could almost see the realization pass from Asami to Korra.
"Oh. Lin, I…I spent some time in this massive swamp in the Earth Kingdom before Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo found me." Korra fiddled with the bands on her arms. "And I kind of…ran into your mother."
Silence.
"My what." Lin couldn't even seem to phrase it into a question. Whatever she had expected Korra to say, it certainly wasn't that. She hadn't seen her mother in years, and then suddenly –
"Your…mother. Toph. She's been living in the swamp for a while. She helped me reconnect with the world in a way – although she had a funny way of helping," Korra muttered.
Lin closed her eyes. Helped Korra reconnect with the world. Oh Mother, that's so rich when you've cut yourself off from it, completely. Did you bother to tell me or Su where you were? Did you bother to –
Wait. Su.
"You said this was before Zaofu?" Lin kept her voice carefully under control.
"Yes."
"She didn't come? She didn't help? Or at least try?" Lin clenched her hands into fists. Before Su left for Zaofu, Lin had argued endlessly with her about whether or not her family should return at all, whether or not Lin should come with them. She had finally, finally agreed to stay put and do what she could as Republic City's Chief of Police. She had personally overseen the mobilization of the United Forces after Su's message came in, and she very nearly jumped on a boat and went with them.
If her mother was hanging out in a swamp the entire time and knew what was happening and didn't lift a finger…
Korra shrugged helplessly. "I don't think she sees it as her fight."
"She hasn't changed one bit then," Lin snapped. "Never taking responsibility, always running away-" When she saw the confused mix of expressions on Opal's face, Lin paused and took a deep breath. "Sorry. And thank you for telling me, Korra."
"You're welcome," Korra said quietly, and Asami squeezed her hand.
Two things were for certain now. One - Lin was going to rescue Suyin, and no confident dictator could stand in her way.
And two – Spirits help her she was going to drag her mother along with her.