Chapter 2
No matter what others may say to you, no matter what hardships you may face, always remember one thing; you are my daughter, and like all my children, you are meant for greatness Kuvira.
Those honey coated words that her mentor spoken that day is what drive her to do the best with her life. That practice speech which her mentor told all her blood-related children, is what made Kuvira to what she is to this day. It is what made her leave her home on unfavorable terms as she did. Because of those words spoken to an abandon child who was seeking love like she desperately was, a strong leader, who always get what she wants, was born.
The annoying humming of the airship's engine would probably drive most insane. Matter of fact, it almost drove Kuvira to the breaking point when she started as a lowly guard in Zaofu, learning the ins and outs of airships. But now, as she reads the official reports about her relief force spendings at today's pit stop, she finds it oddly soothing. Maybe it is because she finally got use to it after spending a little over two months in a office where the engine room is right below of.
She remember her trusted genius of a friend, Baatar, asking her why she does not move to a better office on the airship. She chuckle at the memory and the response she gave him. Kuvira was-actually, she still is a really stubborn woman. She did not want to admit defeat to some damn noise.
Kuvira place the reports down, rubbing her strain fern-green colored eyes with her fingers. When she left Zaofu to help her people, she knew bringing an end to the riots and thievery is going to be a long, hard, and possibly, violent process. She just did not think it would involve so much paperwork. Though Kuvira should be used to doing these sort of things. She was a captain back in her home's guards after all.
She still remembers the day she was appointed the position. As soon as she turned sixteen she decided to work for the Zaofu's guard. She wanted to live up to those words spoken to her by her mentor. Kuvira quickly rose in the ranks like she was born for such a thing. The job was her nature's calling if you will. Finally she had something that made her stood out from the rest of her mentor's children, something she can be proud of, something her mentor could brag about to the legendary earthbender and Mother of her mentor, Toph Beifong.
When she became captain at a young age of nineteen, her mentor, the matriarch of Zaofu, presented her the rank in front of everyone of the force and her family. She celebrated with them the night of then slept the rest of the night away by herself in her lonely comfortable apartment of hers. At long last, the greatness she sought for when she was just a young girl, she attained it. She thought she attained it.
Hearing someone knocking on her door brought her out memory lane. She unclench the fist she unknowingly was making. She accidentally crumple the financial reports in her daze.
A sigh escape her lips, "a Beifong is strong," she mutter under her breath. But she is not a Beifong. How her mentor's acted when she was younger prove such a thing. But such belonging and affection does not matter anymore. For when she returns to her home, it will be on her own terms. When she returns, she will show her the greatness she saw in her.
"Kuvira, are you there?" A voice asked from the other side of the door. The individual continue to knock on the metal door.
Kuvira try to smooth out the paper by using her hands and the corner of her desk. Doing the best she could, she place it with the rest of the papers when she was done. It is a bit wrinkle but it is still readable. Mistakes happen to the best of people.
She straighten her back, crossing her fingers over each other. She looks like a respectable leader now. She needs to be. Though they are a minority in her relief force, some do not respect her leadership because she is a woman. She needs to prove them wrong.
"Enter." Kuvira ordered the individual at the door.
A skinny and quite nerdy looking young man open the door and enter the office. He smile at her and she responded in the same way. "I was beginning to think you might be in your room Vira."
"Sorry, I was lost in thought while reading the financial reports from our today's stop." Kuvira stood up from her desk and walks towards him. "And what did I said about calling me that Baatar?" She fold her hands behind her back, smirking at her friend.
"Not to in public, but," he push his glasses up, "I do believe we are alone now."
Kuvira had to give him that one, they are currently alone. He has always been somewhat of a smartass with her, ever since their childhood.
She notice he is holding something in his hand. Another document for her to read? No, it is too small to be a document. "What is that in your hand?" She said, pointing at the item in his hand.
He showed the item to her; it is a envelope. Did his Mother send another letter begging for him to come back home? "It's a letter from someone you would not believe."
She crossed her arms under her chest with a look of disbelief. "Try me."
He hands her the envelope. "The Avatar." He had to hold back a laugh from his friend's hilarious astonished expression.
She took the envelope and inspect it. It looks like a normal envelope to her. "You sure?" For the life of her, Kuvira does not understand why would the Avatar send her a letter.
Baatar nod in affirmation. "Yes, a White Lotus sentry gave us the letter at our pit stop today. The sentry said it was for you."
If the White Lotus is involved then this letter must be legitimate. Wait, did he said for her? "The letter is for me?" The Avatar and her are not close at all, only having a few exchanges during the Red Lotus incident. So why would she send a letter to her?
"That's what the White Lotus sentry said." He said with a shrug.
Guess the sure fire way of finding the reason as to why the Avatar send her a letter is to read it. Kuvira metalbend a slate of metal off of her desk. She mold it to a sharp object, cutting the envelope open to reveal the precious letter that is sent to her. She bent the metal back into place before taking the letter out of the envelope. She starts reading it, placing the open envelope on her desk.
Dear Kuvira,
You probably don't remember me from our short time dealing with the Red Lotus together, but my name is Korra of the Southern Water Tribe. I am this cycle's current Avatar. But I bet you probably knew that part. Hehe, I'm sorry, I'm not really good at writing formally, so bear with me.
About a month ago you saved my Father's life from death by the Red Lotus hands. Hearing my parents talk about your accomplishments one night, made me realize that I never thank you for it. You have no idea what I felt, thinking my Father had died because of me. If it weren't for you, he wouldn't be here anymore.
What I'm basically saying is, thank you Kuvira. Thank you for saving my Father's life. I hope you the best in her campaign to stabilize the situation in the Earth Kingdom.
Sincerely yours, Avatar Korra
Kuvira blink a couple of times trying to comprehend what she just read. She re-read the contents of the letter to make sure she is not crazy. Yup, it is still the same, no matter how many times she reads it.
The Avatar, the master of all four elements, the bridge between the spirit world and the physical world, and the keeper of the balance of the four nations, had sent her a letter to say thanks to what happened months ago. She went out of her way to send her, a nobody whose parents abandoned her, a letter saying thanks for doing her job.
Her job. Reading the letter reminds her a incident that happened at her previous occupation she had in Zaofu. It was a couple of years ago, she was just starting out in the force. Kuvira was chasing a criminal in the metal dome city. The criminal had not done anything major, just small time stuff but the idiot just did not want to get arrested, no matter what. Perhaps he was on parole or something, it does not matter now.
While chasing the criminal, he was able to hold a child hostage. The child could be no older than eight. Like most earthbender in the city, the criminal was also an metalbender. He bended the metal wristband he was wearing to form a sharp knife. He hold it dangerously close to the kid's throat, threatening Kuvira he would kill the child if she does not give up.
Kuvira back down, showing she was compliant. She even took off the metal off her guard uniform to show her compliance. Seeing the criminal pulling the knife away for a second, Kuvira took the initiative. She quickly took control of the knife with her own superior metalbending skills. She did a smooth quick jab with her left hand, causing the criminal to stab himself in the neck. It was a quick clean kill. Kuvira's first kill. Kuvira's regret.
A couple of months after the incident, the child she had saved sent her letters showing her gratitude. They were all about mundane things a eight year old goes through, like school problems, daily excursions, and her dream of being a guard like Kuvira was. Kuvira did not respond though. She did not feel like she deserve the praise for killing a man. The letters slowly stop after a month.
"What did the Avatar say?" Baatar notice how quiet she is being.
Hearing her friend's voice, snap her back to reality. "What?"
"I asked, what did Avatar Korra wrote to you about?" He gently place his hand on Kuvira's broad shoulders. "Are you okay?" He hopes being leader of their cause is not already getting to her.
"Yes I'm fine, just remembering something." What is with her and remembering everything today. This is not like her. She is usually focus on the future. Maybe she should get some rest.
Baatar removed his hand off of her shoulder. "You sure?"
"Yes Baatar." Kuvira look at the letter one more time before placing it carefully on her desk. "The Avatar wanted to show her gratitude for me saving her Father."
"She did not before?" Baatar is quite shocked to hear that. He had expected she already said her thanks once she was stable after the poison in her system was remove by his Mother.
Kuvira shook her head. She did not expect thanks from the Avatar. Like the Avatar, she was just doing her job. Receiving thanks from one of the most important and influential person in the world does her make her feel slightly happy though. At least she took notice of her efforts in both her old occupation and her trying to save her nation unlike her mentor.
"Anyways," Kuvira folded her hands behind her back, straighten out her back, standing tall and proud. "How are the plans coming along with the new train system?"
Guess she is back into business mode. Baatar got into attention. "Everything is going smoothly. Varrick and I expect it to be fully functioning two months for now, and implemented in two years."
Two years is not good enough for her. Having a fast moving train system will help her bring order to every part of the Earth Kingdom more efficiently. The maglev train, she believes Varrick dubs it, is a genius revolutionary idea in which trains glide above a track, supported by magnetic repulsion and propelled by a linear motor.
Kuvira start walking to her chair. "I want it to be done by the time we reach Ba Sing Se tomorrow morning." She sat down in her chair.
Baatar nods at the order. "Understood."
"You are dismissed." Kuvira lift up the report that she was reading earlier. After finish with these paperwork, she is going to sleep. She needs the energy for taking back Ba Sing Se from the rioters and looters tomorrow.
Baatar curtly turn around and make his way out of her office. Kuvira is not asking the impossible. He knows that Varrick and him can make the maglev train system functional by the time that they reach the capital. It is actually a fun challenge for him to do so. Not only is it working his brain to its fullest to find the right solution to their problem, but also showing he is even better than his Father, and finally getting out of his shadow. Who would ever thought one can use magnets polarities to move an object faster. That Varrick really is a man beyond their times. Truly progressive type of man. He can see why Kuvira wanted him with them when they left Zaofu.
Baatar stop at the exit. He wonders if Kuvira would respond to the Avatar. "Hey, Vira?" He said, turning towards her.
She sigh from the nickname. Honestly, she dislike the shorten name he calls her. Maybe she should talk to him about it? She look up from her papers, "Yes Baatar?"
"Are you going to respond to the Avatar?"
Is she going to respond to her? She really does not know. The Avatar probably would not expect a response from her. She most likely think that once she sent the letter, everything will be good in her conscious. She knows she would think the same.
Now that she is thinking about it, maybe Kuvira should send her a letter in response. It could be about as mundane as how she is thankful that the Avatar sent her a letter in the first place. She could possibly use her for some wisdom for the troubling times that are sure to come. She had read that Avatars are known for their insights on situations such as the one she is in. It is kind of funny to her; asking an eighteen year old for wisdom when she is twenty-three.
Kuvira made her decision. The pros outweighs the cons in this situation. She smile lightly at Baatar. "I think I will." What could go wrong from being pen pals with the Avatar anyways. Also it could not hurt having a female friend. Baatar and her Mentor had told her she needs more of those.
A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry for the long wait, it was a whole harder to think of the contents of the letters than what I originally thought.
I'm going to start to do a rotation with my stories rather than doing shit randomly. After this, I will work on two chapters of 'The Rain Among Leaves' then do a chapter of 'Dreams to Nightmares' then finally this story. So yeah. If you got any questions about this story or something else, you can PM me.
Don't forget to review and all that good stuff.
Till Next Time.
