Bent Metal, Breaking Spirit
Summary: Set after the Series Final. The new spirit portal has unlocked something dark. In captivity, Kuvira struggles with more than just her reeling emotions. Can team Avatar uncover what is coming in time to respond.
A/N: Getting Su right was hard... but I think I got her close to how I see her... a somewhat standoffish leader who sees herself as more of a good motherly person than she really was.
A/N2: Kuvira on the other had I just missed... I got her character really wrong this chapter and had to do edit to bring her back to what I think she is... I also wanted to make Kuvira a little sympathetic.
Chapter 1: Alone
Platinum handcuffs scrapped against the wood table, echoing in the chamber. Kuvira pushed herself up, her bare feet meeting cool wood. Pain rippled through her side, and she held her arm against it as best as she could. Her breath faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. Kuvira was dressed in a simple green robe as she limped around the room trying to stretch her legs. Her back ached, but the pain radiating from her side was far to prevalent for her back to register fully.
Two laps around the room and Kuvira's breathing was ragged as sweat formed on her brow.
"Attention!" The sound of a slammed fist and a muffled voice from the other side the thick wooden door drew her focus. "Move to your seat now. Remain sitting when the doors open or you will be subdued."
Kuvira moved to the chair and table in the center of the room, taking several deep breaths before dawning a stoic expression. Her eyes intently, almost hopefully, watched as a woman walked through the opening doors. "Su?"
XXXxxxXXX
Tires smoked as they skidded across pavement, the bike coming to an abrupt stop. "HEY! What do you think you're doing!?" Mako yelled. "Are kidding me!?" he dove behind a nearby car, a blast of fire used to expedite his movement, as a dozen stones torn through the air he had just vacated. Mako gritted his teeth as he saw his bike had been reduced a pile of twisted smoking metal.
The men ransacking the street paused, as if forgetting entirely about the police officer. They shifted focus as one unit, resuming their task of tearing apart the buildings. Two of the men stepped forward, and with one swift motion, they're arms reached out before pulling back, stone ripping from a storefront.
Terrified screams came from inside the building as it shook and the face of the building began to crumble.
"Enough!" Mako stepped out, A blasts of fire flying from his right fist as he rolled to cover behind another car.
One of the men dropped as the flames burst across his chest. The remaining troublemakers charged Mako, rocks raising into the air behind them.
Mako's eyes widened as the stones flew towards him. He took shelter behind the car as the pavement and metal of the car were pelted by a shower of stone debris. Mako made his way to the other end of car, ducking around it only to run into three more people attacker. Sirens blared in the distance as Mako let his instincts take over. With as hard of a strike as he could muster his right fist connected with the jaw of the biggest of the three.
Before the large man had hit the ground he was out, but Mako wasted no time as he jabbed over in over with his right hand at the two nearest vandals. Flames popping from the tip of each strike as Mako held his left arm to his chest.
Stepping over the fallen man, Mako barely turned in time as a stone crushed into his leg. Mako hissed in pain as he threw another blast of flame, only to be tackled from behind. He manage to turn to face his attacker as he hit the ground and the remaining thugs closed in around him.
XXXxxxXXX
"Avatar, Avatar, Avatar!"
"Ow! Really?" Korra challenged to the strange winged spirits that circled overhead, tugging at her hair. She crossed her arms and exhaled in a huff, sending a swirl of powerful wind, blowing away the tiny spirits.
"Korra, Korra, Korra!"
Asami covered her mouth with her hand, but failed to contain her laughter as the spirits swarmed back to resume their nearly aggressive praising of the Avatar. "Just you and me, hmmm." She teased, watching the Avatar deal with the unwanted attention.
"Hey! You picked the spirit world." Korra ducked and swayed away from the spirits, dodging them as they darted around her.
Asami rested her hands on her hips, looking around the area at the ever changing wonders of the spirit world. Massive lily pad like plants swayed in the breeze as Korra and the spirits flitting about. Asami smiled, watching Korra. "Maybe we should ofph..."
A grunt of air left Korra mouth as she jumped backwards, slipping away from a spirit only to collide mid dash with Asami. "Sorry, lost track of you."
Asami took a breath to collect herself. "Maybe we should try for some more alone time." Asami reached into a pouch at her hip, one hand emerging clothed in a gauntlet. "Ok, Time to leave her alone!" Asami placed her bare hand on Korra's arm and leaned against Korra to push her forward. At the same time, Asami waved the gauntlet over Korra's head.
The spirits scattered at the crackling sound and sparks of energy that flew from the gauntlet.
Korra blushed feeling the gauntlet on her hip as Asami urged her towards a grove of dense twisting spirit trees.
XXXxxxXXX
"WHAT!?" Varrick screamed as he gripped a paper to his face reading rapidly. "STOLEN! AGAIN!?"
Zhu Li, who was wearing an ornate blue dress, walked over to stand behind Varrick. "Not exactly, it seems the shipment was attacked, the cargo destroyed, The crew injured or..." Zhu Li paused, leaning on Varrick's shoulder to flip a page in the report. "… or worse..."
"I... ah, excuse me. I don't see how this is really about me." Bolin said as he sat, eating the sushi that Zhu Li had made for him.
"ARE YOU KIDDING!?" Varrick yelled, throwing the papers into the air and springing from the desk he sat at. "This is all about you! You're a hero! You're NUKTUK! Part of team Avatar!" Varrick pointed into the air as he spun around walking over to a large map. "We can't turn a profit off the city rebuilding if every other shipment of supplies gets stolen!"
"Not Stolen." Zhu Li cleared her throat.
"DETAILS, DETAILS!" Varrick quipped, pointing at the map. "Its like the whole city has lost its darn mind! All over town, if it wasn't wrecked by Kuvira and her insane spirit weapon, random people are stealing MY stuff! Wait!" Varrick hesitated, then whirled around, and began to point between himself and Zhu Li. "OUR STUFF! Which means YOUR STUFF! How dare people steal MY Zhu Li's STUFF!"
"Not Stealing... Breaking." Zhu Li said again, adjusting her glasses.
"WHAT DOES THAT MATTER!?" Varrick snapped only to be met by Zhu Li's glare and recoil back into the map. "Jeezz Sorry."
Zhu Li sighed before she stepped over to Bolin. "I think something is odd about all of these attacks. Few of the supplies have been stolen, and there has been a number of odd events with spirits. I, We, were hoping you could give this to the Avatar so she could look into these areas and see if she can find anything wrong..."
"Why not go to the police? Hey, Mako is even back on the force! I beat he could wrap this up in no time! I could even help out! You could film it!" Bolin shouted, excitedly standing to slowly move his hand above him like he was reading a grand marquee. "We'll call it 'Nuktuk! Hero of Crime' no wait, that sounds bad. 'Nuktuk! Hero of freedom!' No wait, that doesn't have anything to this. Ok, ok, 'Nuktuk! Hero of Police!' Hun? Huuunn?" Bolin turned from Varrick to Zhu Li searching approval.
Varrick glanced to Zhu Li, who nodded at him. Shifting his eyes back to Bolin, before clearing his throat, Varrick spoke in a hushed tone. "Riiight, so about the Police..."
Bolin exhaled with exasperation as he stared flatly at the man in front of him. "You're doing something illegal..."
"Nooooo!" Varrick yelled, again peeking to Zhu Li who again nodded to him. "A little!"
"I KNEW IT!" Bolin said slapping his forehead. "Every time!"
"This city is in desperate NEED of rebuilding. You can't have people living in rubble!"
"I'm out!" Bolin made for the office door, only to have Zhu Li move in front of him.
"Bolin please." Zhu Li plead, as she held one hand over the other.
Bolin slumped, his shoulder dropping. "Guys come on... I just want to do good. We worked for Kuvira, and that lead to so many bag things... I just, I just want to help people." Bolin rambled, a slight begging tone in his voice.
Varrick moved over slapping his hand on Bolin's shoulder. "Look I mean it. Just 'A Little' illegal... no one, N, O, NO ONE, is getting hurt." Varrick said, his face sincere as he tried to persuade Bolin. "We are just skirting around some silly fees, and misapplied taxes, and outdated bans, and you know what it isn't important. You know WHAT is important!?" Varrick paused shrugging to Zhu Li.
"Nothing Harmful." Zhu Lu said in a low voice.
"That's Right! Not a thing harmful."
"But doesn't the money from the taxes go to the city to help rebuild?" Bolin asked.
Varrick swept his hand swiftly across from left to right before. "NOT! Important! I'm helping more!"
"Urgh fine." Bolin relented in defeat.
There was a long pause before Varrick nudged Zhu Li "The thing."
Zhu Li blinked for a moment before rushing back to the desk. "As I was saying..." Sifting through piles of documents until she grabbed a small paper and ran back. "We were hoping you could give this to the Avatar so she could look into these areas and see if she can find anything wrong..." Zhu Li paused, adjusting her glasses which had fallen out of place from the sprinting. "… spiritually speaking that is." Zhu Li finished before handing a small map to Bolin.
"Yeah, there is one small problem." Bolin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"What!?" Both Zhu Li and Varrick asked in unison.
"Korra went on Vacation with Asami like a month ago, no one knows where they are." Bolin said, as he tucked the map into his vest.
XXXxxxXXX
"We will be right outside ma'am" A guard called as she closed the door with a thud.
Suyin crossed the room, her normal metal adornments absent. Her steps flowed until she loomed sternly opposite the woman sitting at the table. "Kuvira..." Su's voice was harsh, her eyes narrowing as she spoke the name.
Kuvira clenched her jaw, the cuffs feeling heavier than before.
Suyin sighed, crossing her arms to look down at Kuvira. Suyin took note of a new bruise on Kuvira's face. "Your trial will start as soon as the Earth Nation has settled."
"Trial?" Kuvira questioned without raising her eyes to meet Suyin's.
"It is more an airing of evidence than a trial. Movers of your 'education' camps, the contracts you had the province leaders sign displayed, testimony of how you recruited your army and dealt with those that would not cave to your wises." Suyin listed as she studied Kuvira's subtle reaction.
Kuvira closed her eyes, her hands gripping the thigh of her robe as she hunched over. "Why can't you see I did those things to pull my nation back from chaos, to keep it together. You-"
"Save it." Suyin scoffed, holding up her hand. Suysin walked slowly to the simple bed at the back of the room. She examined the bed and then the rest of the room as she moved about. "I'm here to tell you, myself..."
Kuvira tried to twist to keep vision of Suyin but flinched as pain stabbed at her side. She remained still, moving as little as possible to avoid the pain. Unable to see Suyin, Kuvira tried to tack Suyin's movements by the sound of her voice.
Suyin ran her hand along the wall, nodding as she felt the dense tight grain of the stained wood. She let a faint smile cross her lips. She had ordered the construction of this cell herself and it had been crafted perfectly.
The cell was not cheap or rushed like the one Kuvira had held the Beifong family in. Fine thick hard wood was used for the floors and ceiling. The only metal used in the construction was platinum, salvaged from Kuvira's Colossus. This Platinum was used for the hedges and locks for the doors. Slits in the ceiling allowed for light to come in from a light source held high above of the cell.
"The World Leaders have decided your punishment..." Suyin stepped back in front of the table, her hand gliding along the table to feel the quality of the wood. "Is to be left to me."
"When am I being transferred to Zaofu?" Kuvira questioned, her head remaining down.
"As if I'd let you set foot in Zaofu." Suyin waited for a reaction but when Kuvira only dropped her shoulders slightly, Suyin sighed. "Kuvira, I know you better than anyone. Look at me." Suyin's voice held a measure of compassion, as she walked around the table to put a firm hand on Kuvira's shoulder.
Kuvira shuddered, shaken by the contact. She was suddenly aware of herself. How dishevel her hair must be, how tiredness and fatigue had built up in her, how badly she wished for Suyin's forgiveness, how she wished she could have earned her place in the family, and how much she still resented her. Without a sound Kuvira rose her face to the woman that had taken her in when she was a child.
"I've chosen your punishment. When I leave, the doors will be closed and you will remain alone. From now on, no guard will enter or speak within ear shout of this room. In fact there will be no guards outside the doors. Should you manage to open them you will see why. Until I say otherwise, your punishment is to be left alone." Suyin held the gaze of Kuvira as vague emotions danced behind her eyes.
"Allow me to speak with Bataar." Kuvira asked quietly.
Suyin's grip on Kuvira's shoulder tightened as anger whelmed in her.
"Su, Please." Kuvira plead, her eyes clenched, fighting tears of frustration.
"No."
"SU!" Kuvira shouted, slamming her hands on the table as she surged to her feet turning to face Suyin. Anger and desperation on her face.
Suyin watched as Kuvira immediately doubled over in pain, leaning on the table for support and grasping her side. Her mouth hung open, eyes closed, as she sucked in short tight breaths. "Su."
At the outburst, guards flooded into the room, stopping only when Suyin held up her hand to halt them. "You are not needed." Suyin order in an authoritative tone.
"What do you want from me?" Kuvira panted.
Suyin held her words until the last guard retreated from the room and closed the door. "I want you to face what you have done, to think about where you went wrong, where you crossed the line."
"Have you ever faced anything you ever did? When you gave me the hope of a home, a family, then kept me a second class member. When you told me 'No' at every turn. When you treated me like one of your hobbies!" Kuvira spit the words, as she straighten, up pushing through the pain that plagued her to faceoff with her mentor.
Suyin's face remained stern, using a firm hand on Kuvira's shoulder to force her to return to the chair.
"You abandoned our Nation, The Avatar was gone, Our people suffering, I did what I thought was right. What did you do?" Kuvira coughed out the statement between breaths, her expression fierce.
"I'm sorry if that is how you see things." Suyin let silence fill the room as Kuvira sat, catching her breath.
"The Avatar, Korra said she would help me. Let me speak with her." Kuvira said, leaning forward to hold her side, hair falling over her face as she tried to regain her composer.
"Korra is unavailable." With a gentle touch, Suyin moved her hand from Kuvira's shoulder to brush her hair away from her face, exposing a resent bruise. "Your side was not this bad at the end of the battle... and this mark is new. How?" Suyin brought the tips of her fingers to Kuvira's cheek gliding them over the darken area.
Kuvira refused to lean into the touch but also could not bring herself to pull away. "I saw... I don't know."
Suyin let her hand run through Kuvira's hair, tucking it behind ear. "I will handle it." The words still hanging in the air, Suyin broke the contact as she turned and elegantly strolled away. Suyin stopped at the door to the cell. "I'm finished here." She called out to the guards. The door swung open and Suyin walked through never once looking back.
Kuvira closed her eyes as the doors slammed closed. The silent, dim, nearly empty, room already haunting her as the tears roll down her face. "I'm sorry..."
A/N: I don't know... I guess I got the characters close. If this gets a bit of attention I'll continue it.