"Just go get her, please. I swear I'm not making this up."
"Miss, I don't know who exactly you think you are, but I'm not just going to go get the Chief of Police because some vagrant decided to spend the night on Aang Memorial Island."
"Look, I don't think Aang would mind if his daughter took an incredibly brief nap on his dumb island," Kya almost growled at the officer from behind the bars, trying to look as threatening as she could while also not being charged with threatening an officer. It was a fine line.
"Mhm, yeah. As soon as you give us some real information about who you are, maybe then Chief Beifong will grace you with her presence," the officer said, laughing as he walked away from her.
Kya groaned aloud and slumped down onto the bed in her cell. Today was not going as well as she had originally hoped. The plan had been to spend one quick night in the park before going to Air Temple Island, but the rain had quickly shut down that idea. Not having money to pay for an actual hotel and still not wanting to spend more time than absolutely necessary at the Air Temple, the logical conclusion was that she should take cover at Aang Memorial Island. And some moron had called the police on her. Hopefully, Tenzin wouldn't think she just decided not to visit after all and he would eventually come looking for her.
After what felt like hours (although, admittedly, she may have fallen asleep), she heard familiar laughter coming from the hallway outside her cell. It was dark, so she couldn't make out the face, but the laugh was unmistakable.
"You're damn lucky the arresting officer found your story so hilarious and decided to share it with the entire squad," Lin said, still smiling more than Kya had seen her smile in years.
"There was nothing funny about it, Lin."
"Well, if you assume that you're just some crazy homeless lady who thinks she's the avatar's daughter, then it does become a little funnier," Lin argued while she looked through her keys for the one that would unlock the cell door. Finding it, she let Kya out of her cell.
"Thanks."
"Care to explain why, exactly, you were camping out underneath the memorial? Couldn't you have stayed at the Air Temple?" Lin asked, shutting the door behind Kya after she walked out into the hallway.
"Don't get me wrong, I love my brothers and Pema and the kids… but the acolytes aren't… they're not… I don't know, they just act like I don't exist, most of the time. It's not a big deal, I'd just rather not spend more time there than I really have to," Kya said, "Could you just show me how to get out of here?"
"Yeah, this way," she said, leading her down the hallway towards the stairs, "What are you doing in Republic City, anyway? I thought you were pretty much settled in the South Pole?
"Settled? You thought I was settled somewhere? And that that somewhere was the Southern Water Tribe?" Kya said, laughing at the absurdity of it, "Nah, I was just spending some quality time with Mom. I'm just here for a visit. I heard Korra was getting some sort of award or something, thought I might go to the ceremony. Or at least the party they will undoubtedly have for her"
"Oh, right. That's tomorrow, isn't it? President Raiko thought she deserved one after all that with Kuvira," Lin remarked as she walked up the stairs, Kya following behind her. They were quiet as Lin led Kya through the police station. There were a few officers working quietly at their desks, but it was mostly empty this late at night. Lin pushed open the front door and held it for Kya to leave.
"You're gonna be there, aren't you?" Kya asked, turning back towards the Police Chief after she walked outside. It was raining again tonight.
"Be where?"
"Korra's award ceremony. Or the party afterwards. Whichever."
Lin thought about it for a minute, frowning in concentration. She didn't think she had any terribly pressing matters that had to be attended to tomorrow night. Plus, the kid had done good and did actually deserve the recognition. Nodding and promising to be there, she watched as Kya's demeanor visibly brightened against the grey night.
"Great! I'll see you tomorrow, then," Kya beamed.
"Just try to find somewhere at least semi-legal to spend the night from now on, okay?" Lin called after her as she bounced down the steps and into the rain.