The Legend of Qiang
團結
Book One: Unity
Chapter 4: Traps and Prisons
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Shiyi, capital of the State of Yi
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The clang and crash of construction filled the factory. Governor Kun observed the work from the vantage point of a catwalk high above the factory floor. The whirr of machinery and flashes of welders' flames punctuated the symphony of industrial work being played out before him.
The foreman approached the governor, joining him in observing the workers' toil.
"They're things of beauty, aren't they?" the foreman said proudly. "I figured those scientists were a bunch of soshes at first, but I gotta hand it to them, these designs are outta sight. Don't know where we could be getting the bangers, though."
"I know of a place rich in them," Kun explained, offering no further elaboration.
The foreman shrugged. "Hey, none of my business. As long as the scratch is good I'll have my boys whip up anything you want. I'm sure you want to see where the real bash is happening, right? C'mon, follow me. It's this way to the hangar."
Kun gave a muted smile, and followed as the foreman led the way.
Things were shaping up positively beautifully.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Air Temple Island, Republic City
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Qiang and Master Opal danced and spun in counterpoint, wind billowing around them and gently rustling their hair. The whirling and blustering of the wind filled Qiang's ears, and a wide smile graced his lips. He was finally airbending. This was no dream. He was actually airbending. He almost couldn't believe it.
The wind died down, and Opal and Qiang bowed to one another to polite applause from Hotaru and Yuzuki. Hotaru seemed to have become more interested in watching Qiang's training, having taken to sitting with Yuzuki rather than leaning against the wall.
"You're progressing well, Avatar Qiang," Opal smiled. "You only began to airbend two days ago, yet your performance in our exercises is remarkable."
"Sifu Zhi was very good at teaching me the basics," Qiang said modestly. "It's just been a matter of applying those to actually airbending."
Opal nodded sagely. "Very wise, Qiang," she said. "This last exercise was certainly focused on the basics of circular movements. Avatar Korra and I performed it together when I first began to airbend. The air dance is a demonstration of the fundamental tenets of airbending: circular movements and moving with the flow and rhythm of a situation. Airbending is a primarily reactive form, and in combat the airbender's focus should be on finding the path of least resistance, countering an opponent but rarely attacking directly."
"Malarkey!"
Two new individuals had arrived at the circle. The first was familiar to Qiang: it was Tiriaq, now dressed in a baggy, pale blue outfit. His long hair had been messily pulled back into a ponytail, and a hint of scruff had begun to form on his chin. He wore a disgruntled expression, and his eyes were darting around the area as if he was taking in and taking note of his surroundings with alarming speed.
"I was the one the kid airbended," Tiriaq contested. "That jazz is scary up close. It's perfectly suited for offense. You cats oughta take advantage of that."
"Don't interrupt, Tiriaq," the other man snapped, smacking Tiriaq lightly on the head. The man was sharply dressed in a police uniform, with greying hair and olive skin. His face - especially his eyebrows - were familiar to Qiang, but he couldn't quite place why.
"Captain Kaito!" Hotaru said with a smile. "It's good to see you again!"
Kaito nodded at the younger officer. "It's good to see you again as well, Hotaru," he said. "I'm sorry you couldn't convince my father to give this assignment to someone else. I know how vocal you were about how little you wanted it."
"It-it's not so bad," Hotaru stammered, glancing away shyly. "I mean, there are some good parts to it. Once you get used to it."
Kaito laughed. "Glad to hear it. I wish I could stay, but I'm just here to drop off Tiriaq. I understand you've met."
"I know of him," Hotaru huffed, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes venomously at the thief.
"Captain Kaito?" Qiang said tentatively, stepping forward. "You're Mako's son, right? It's great to finally meet you!" He extended his hand for Kaito to shake.
Kaito stared at Qiang's hand, then into Qiang's wide and wondering eyes. He clenched his jaw, balled his fists, and turned around to leave.
"I have to go," he said gruffly. "Enjoy your new ward."
Qiang tilted his head in confusion. "What was that?" he asked, turning to Opal. "It seemed like he didn't like me at all."
"Beats me," Tiriaq shrugged as he made his way to the porch and leaned against the wall. "Old silver fox there seemed perfectly personable to me. Wouldn't stop bashin' my ear about his kids the whole way over. Honestly, I'm impressed that you were able to make him quit gabbin' without even trying."
"But why?" Qiang wondered, glancing at the ground sadly. "I didn't mean to offend him, whatever it was I did."
"It's not something you can help, Qiang," said Jinora, who strode onto the porch with her hands clasped together. "I'm afraid you simply remind Kaito too much of his mother. Simply being in your presence must be incredibly uncomfortable for him."
"Why?" Qiang asked, raising an eyebrow. "Who's his mom?"
"Why, Avatar Korra, of course," Jinora answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Whatever reaction she was expecting of Qiang, it certainly wasn't the one she got, which consisted of Qiang's jaw dropping, flapping open-and-close noiselessly, and copious confused blinking.
"A-Avatar Korra got with Chief Mako?!" Qiang sputtered.
"Why, yes." Now it was Jinora's turn to tilt her head in confusion. "I had believed that to be fairly common knowledge."
Qiang ran his hand through his hair. "This doesn't make sense," he said. "I thought Korra ended up with Asami Sato. That's what the history book I read said. I guess that book stopped just before the Great Fragmentation, though. I never got a chance to read the second volume."
"That would explain your confusion," Jinora laughed. "Asami and Korra were together for a few months, but eventually decided that it wasn't going to work out. Goodness, I don't even recall exactly why; it's been nearly sixty years! Mako and Korra decided to give their own relationship another shot a year after that, and the rest is history!"
"Which is another way of saying you don't remember what happened," Tiriaq said with a roll of his eyes.
"Ah, you must be Tiriaq!" Jinora smiled. "Mako told me all about the situation. Come with me, I'll show you where you're going to be staying while you're here."
A booming groan filled the air, and a sky bison suddenly landed next to the meditation circle, with Zhi on its head clutching the reins tightly. A look of concern was etched on her face.
"Zhi!" Qiang cried happily, but his excitement was cut short when he saw how grim she looked.
"Is there a problem, Zhi?" Opal asked. "How was the mediation?"
"Badly," Zhi remarked with a grimace. "The situation in Xuezhen is worse than we thought. The political tension is just the tip of the iceberg. Corruption and crime are rampant, and unless a peace can be brokered, I fear the whole town is going to slip into open conflict between the factions. I came to get some backup. I can't do this alone."
Qiang stepped forward. "I'll go," he declared. "This is exactly the sort of thing the Avatar is needed for." He glanced at Jinora. "Is that alright with you, Master?"
Jinora chuckled. "You didn't listen to me last time I said not to leave the island, so I doubt I could stop you now, either."
Qiang laughed along with her. "Thank you, Master."
"I'll go, too," Yuzuki said, rising to her feet. "Just let me grab my sword. I'm still the Avatar's bodyguard, and you might need the extra muscle." She sprinted away to collect her things.
Qiang looked at Hotaru. "What about you?" he asked. "Are you coming?" He wasn't sure why he felt so hopeful that Hotaru would come along, but he felt a pang of disappointment when she shook her head.
"I really shouldn't leave Republic City," she sighed. "With you off somewhere else I might get called in to assist with police business. Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on the criminal." She jerked her head in Tiriaq's direction.
Tiriaq growled. "I ain't gonna be fadin' out, doll, so keep your peepers to yourself, you hear?"
Hotaru countered his glare with an equally-intense glare of her own. "I'll keep my 'peepers' exactly where they're needed," she hissed.
Qiang groaned. He turned to face Zhi. "Anything else we should know about what the situation's like?"
"I'll explain on the way," Zhi answered as Yuzuki returned with her sword clasped to her belt. "Hop on Xiang. We need to get going ASAP."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Xuezhen, United Republic. City Outskirts.
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"So, review," Yuzuki said as Zhi touched her bison down onto the craggy foothills outside of Xuezhen. "The triads have their hooks in this town, and with all the gangs backing different candidates, even political contests can turn into gang wars."
"That's right," Zhi nodded, sliding off of the bison's head. "We're meeting with the mayor and a few other honest town officials to figure out a way to set Xuezhen on the right path and keep the tension that's been building here from exploding into violence."
"That's where I come in, right?" Qiang grinned. "Avatar Qiang, resolving conflicts and making things right!"
Zhi frowned. "I… I think maybe you ought to let me do most of the talking, Qiang," she said. "You're still new to all of this, but I've mediated conflicts before. Think of this as an opportunity to observe and learn, not to take charge."
Qiang scowled in annoyance, but nodded his head reluctantly. "I guess you're right," he admitted. "I can't help but feel a bit useless as the Avatar, though."
"That's alright," Yuzuki reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're not a fully-realized Avatar yet. No one's expecting you to shoulder all the problems in the world."
"I am," Qiang muttered under his breath, before hopping off the bison and following Zhi to the rendezvous point.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Police Headquarters, Republic City
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Mako was flipping through reports when a knock came on his office door. "Come in," he said absentmindedly as he scribbled a note in the margins.
Kaito entered Mako's office with a disgruntled frown on his face. Mako looked up from the reports and smiled at his son, motioning him to come in.
"Hello, Kaito," Mako said cheerfully. "I was just looking through the reports from the other day and that firebender's confesion. Seems the Triple Threats knew that the warehouse was used as storage for Varricorp's prototype weapons, but no one in the raid knew exactly what the weapons were going to be used for, least of all Tiriaq."
The police chief raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of that kid, how did things go on Air Temple Island? Did you meet the new Avatar?"
"Yes," Kaito replied tersely. Mako sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Kaito," he said sadly, "she died seventeen years ago. I miss her too, but it's time for us all to move past our grief. I'd hoped meeting her successor would help you understand that."
"There's nothing I need to understand," Kaito said gruffly, standing to leave. "And nothing I need to move past. I'm fine, dad."
"We both know that isn't true," Mako countered. "I know how it feels to lose a parent, Kaito. Like I told you after she died, if you need to talk-"
"And like I told you back then," Kaito rebuked, "I don't."
Mako's son stormed away, slamming the door shut behind him. Mako bowed his head and rubbed his temples. "What am I going to do with that boy, Korra?" he morosely asked the air.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Xuezhen, United Republic. Rendezvous Point.
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"My name is Feng, mayor of Xuezhen."
The man was tall and skinny, with a thin head perched atop a pencilly neck. A whispy moustache trailed away from his nostrils, and he was draped in steel grey robes. He was a mousy old man, and Qiang couldn't help but feel a measure of distaste for him.
"It's good to see you again, mayor Feng," Zhi said with a bow. "How is the situation in Xuezhen?"
"Worse since you left," Feng replied, grimacing. "The Triple Threats are muscling up for something big. I think they're about to make their play."
"Then we have no time to lose," Zhi reasoned grimly.
Feng nodded. "Indeed. Follow me. I've gathered the last few honest officials this town has in a secluded shed a short walk away from here."
He waved the group along, leading Qiang, Yuzuki, and Zhi to an old-yet-sturdy-looking metal shack a short distance away.
Feng opened the door and ushered the three teenagers inside. Qiang had only a second to realize that the shack was empty of any other people before the door slammed behind them and he heard the click of a lock.
Qiang whirled around and glared at Feng, who peered in at the group from a slot in the door. "What's going on?" he demanded. "Let us out!"
"I'm afraid not," Feng replied coldly. "My apologies, Zhi. The Triple Threats came to me with an offer I couldn't refuse. By this time tomorrow, I will share complete control of this town with their local leadership. You three are going to stay put here until we've taken care of outstanding business. Don't want you interfering with what needs to be done, you see."
"And what will you do with us once you're finished with this… 'business?'" Zhi asked, gritting her teeth.
"I'm afraid you will all make tragic yet heroic sacrifices defending the town," Feng chuckled grimly. "You'll be heroes, of course. For whatever good it will do you."
"You'll regret this!" Yuzuki barked. "I belong to the Tooru family! They won't just blindly accept whatever fake story you try to spin! They'll investigate my death, learn the truth, and bring you down!"
Feng rolled his eyes as he turned to leave. "Even if that were true," he ridiculed, "which I doubt, I hardly think I've anything to fear from a family of rich athletes. Marks for effort, in any case."
Yuzuki's scowl grew larger as Feng's mocking laughter faded away into the distance.
"What was that about, Yuzuki?" Qiang asked, raising an eyebrow. "Who are the Tooru family? I've never heard of them."
"You probably wouldn't have, growing up sequestered in Shiyi," Yuzuki sighed. "They're my family. They're a famous dynasty of athletes - probenders, specifically. The Toorus have arranged marriages and childbirths meticulously to have a wide stock of skilled benders of all stripes to carry on the family tradition."
"But… you aren't a bender at all," Qiang noted.
"Yeah," Yuzuki replied bitterly. "I know."
Realizing that pressing the subject would be a poor decision, Qiang turned to Zhi.
"We need to get out of here," he said. "If what that rat-viper said is true, we probably don't have much longer before things start to get bloody."
Zhi nodded. "The sun will set soon," she said. "That's probably when the fighting will start. If we can get out of here, we might be able to bring an end to things before they begin."
"Do you have any ideas?"
"Not yet," Zhi admitted sadly. "I suggest we meditate on a solution. I'm sure something will present itself."
Qiang sighed. "It feels like doing nothing, but- but fine. I'll try it."
"You spiritual types go on ahead," Yuzuki said, drawing her sword. "Meanwhile, I'll try to find weak spots in this shack's construction. It can't be that well-put-together."
Qiang sat facing Zhi, his legs crossed. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began to meditate.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"Bring us in!"
"Asami made a hole, alright, but the bay doors just collapsed right back in on themselves. We're not going to be able to squeeze this balloon through what little opening there is left."
"Leave it to me," Korra grinned. She leapt from the basket and lit a fire beneath her feet, keeping herself hovering in midair. Surging forth, she pounded her fists against the metal bay doors. She could sense the earthen impurities in the metal, clear as day, and she focused on those as she seized the metal and peeled it back like a piece of plastic packaging.
Korra metalbent the doors back open and flew into the hangar on her jets of fire, beckoning her comrades to follow. The sounds of a skirmish and zaps of electricity could be heard from within. No doubt Asami was giving the Ozaist troops a good fight.
Even Asami couldn't handle things on her own, though. Luckily for her, backup had just arrived.
"Everyone, support Asami and keep the Ozaists off my back!" said Korra. "I'm going to take down Suisei."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Qiang's eyes snapped open. "I've got it!" he cried.
Zhi cracked her eye open and looked at him. "What is it?" she asked curiously.
Qiang stood up excitedly and faced the wall, rubbing his palms together. "I just had a vision," he explained. "I don't remember much of it, but I think Korra was trying to tell me something."
"Korra?" Yuzuki repeated. "Avatar Korra? Your past life?"
"Right," Qiang nodded. "I've been getting these flashes of something that happened when she was alive. I never remember everything I see in these visions, but something or other always sticks out. Something that I need to deal with whatever problem I'm facing."
"Well, what did, uh, Korra show you this time?" Yuzuki asked, tilting her head.
Qiang flashed a grin. "How to metalbend."
Before Zhi or Yuzuki could react, Qiang slammed his hands against the metal wall. The wall reverberated with a metallic "thwang," and Qiang felt as if he could see the vibrations themselves, showing him the metal's impurities. He focused on those impurities, manipulating them and forcing them to move.
It was harder than anything Qiang had ever attempted before. It felt familiar, like the earthbending he had always known, but at the same time completely alien, like nothing he had ever known.
He wondered if this was how Toph Beifong had felt when she first invented the art of metalbending.
Gritting his teeth and straining, Qiang forced the wall to rend in two, opening the metal like a package and leaving a hole large enough for he and the others to escape.
"Great job, Qiang!" Zhi grinned. "You're a metalbender!"
"Not bad," Yuzuki agreed, placing a hand on her hip.
Qiang knelt over and rested his hands on his knees, panting. "I sure hope that gets easier with practice," he joked.
"Come on!" Zhi said, rushing through the opening. "Let's get to Xiang and hurry into town! I know where the local Triple Threat headquarters is - with luck, we'll still have time to stop this war before it starts!"
"Be right there," Qiang huffed, out of breath. "Just gotta… get my wind back-"
"No time!" Zhi said testily. With a wave of her arm she caught Qiang in an air current, dragging him behind her. Qiang, caught off-guard, could do little except flail his arms helplessly as he was pulled along.
"Whoa! Hey! Zhi, this is not okay!" he protested.
"Settle down, Avatar," Yuzuki cracked. "Just sit back and enjoy the ride. Some of us still have to walk."
Qiang stuck out his tongue in response, and Yuzuki laughed jovially the entire way back to Xiang.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Air Temple Island, Republic City
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Tiriaq gazed up at the silvery disc hanging in the sky. The night was illuminated by the sickly green glow of the spirit portal far in the distance. The cold waters of Yue Bay splashed against the rocks at the foot of the cliff on which he stood. For the first time in a long while, Tiriaq felt something approaching peace.
"You'd better not be thinking about making a break for it."
Tiriaq looked behind him and scowled at what he saw. The policewoman - Hotaru - was glaring at him with her arms crossed. She'd been tailing him all day. Tiriaq was sick of it.
"'Making a break for it?'" Tiriaq repeated. "Ain't that a big tickle? You should be a comedian." He rolled his eyes. "Where do you think I'd even go? We're standing over a cliff."
"We're standing over water," Hotaru corrected. "You're a waterbender. This is the perfect place for you to try and run. The moon's even full. Your waterbending is at its strongest."
"Oh, get bent!" Tiriaq snarled, clenching his fists. "Listen, doll, I'm a thief, not a liar! I promised the top cat with the eyebrows that I'd stay here and help ol' Babyface with his bending, and that's what I'm gonna do, dig?"
"And how does that benefit you exactly?" Hotaru asked, pointing a finger at Tiriaq accusingly. "You criminals are all alike! You'll say whatever you need to in order to get what you want, and then as soon as you can you turn on anyone who shows you an ounce of kindness! You're just like-" her expression softened and she glanced away briefly before returning her gaze to Tiriaq, as hardened as before. "You're just like all the rest."
Tiriaq raised an eyebrow. "This sounds like it's more personal that you wanna admit," he said. He sat down on the soft grass, legs crossed. "You wanna bash ears?"
"I've got nothing to say to you," Hotaru rebuked him angrily.
Tiriaq sighed. "Look," he said, "I ain't interested in having you for an enemy. It'd make everyone's lives easier and more pleasant if we weren't at each other's throats. We get to know each other, all that jazz, maybe we can come to an understanding. Plus, y'know, I prefer being able to take a walk without gettin' stalked."
Hotaru pursed her lips. "Fine," she finally agreed. "I suppose it sometimes helps to tell someone."
She sat down next to Tiriaq. "I'll tell you why I hate criminals so much."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Xuezhen, United Republic. Downtown.
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Mayor Feng smirked as he shook the hand of the crime boss Lok. Everything had fallen perfectly into place. The other triads had been crushed, and Feng now had complete control over the city's government. From now on, he would be the unopposed face of Xuezhen's legitimate insitutions.
Lok was a burly, portly man whose unassuming appearance hid the heart and mind of a ruthless criminal. Few in Xuezhen dared to cross him directly. With the other gangs taken care of, "few" would soon become "none."
"Pleasure doing business with you, scrawny," Lok chuckled. "Want to head back into the base for some celebratory spritzers?"
"No thank you, my friend," Feng said cheerfully. "I have many things to take care of. Policies to put forth… pardons to issue…"
"So you do," Lok smiled. "Feng, I think this is the beginning of a long and beautiful-"
Lok was interrupted by the deep, rumbling bellow of a sky bison, dropping out of the air before their very eyes. Three people leapt from the bison, ready for a fight.
"More trouble," Lok growled. "Take care of them!"
Lok's guards rushed forth to fight the three strangers, but soon found themselves blown away by a blast of air produced by one of the trio, a bald young woman.
There was no time to react before the only boy in the group stomped the ground and bent a secure and tight trap of rocks around each of the guards. With a thrust of the boy's palms, a similar prison rose up around Lok. His movements restricted, Lok found himself helpless, unable to perform any of the deadly waterbending techniques that had made him infamous.
Feng tried to make a break for it, but his escape was cut short as he found himself staring down the blade of a sword wielded by the last of the trio. With a few more quick movements from the boy, Feng was as trapped as his co-conspirators.
"I am Avatar Qiang!" the boy declared. "This town has been under the control of crime and corruption for far too long, and that ends today!"
"Zhi of the Air Nation," the airbender introduced herself. "We sent a telegram to Republic City. The United Forces will be here in a few days to restore peace and order in Xuezhen."
"It's all over, Feng," the swordswoman finished.
"P-please!" Feng sputtered. "You must understand! Lok is terrifying! He forced me to cooperate!"
"You lyin' sonuva-" Lok growled.
"Listen!" Feng begged. "I beg you to spare me! I-I know things! I know what the Triple Threats are planning! Xuezhen is a waypoint for them to smuggle things into Republic City!"
"What are you talking about?" Qiang asked.
"If you promise to let me go, I'll tell you everything," Feng promised. "I'll tell you what I know about the Triple Threats' plans in Republic City!"
"You rat!" Lok barked.
Qiang glanced at Zhi. She seemed to understand what the Avatar was thinking, and replied with a nod. Qiang thrust his arms downward, and Feng's prison receded to his feet, which remained trapped in place.
"Start talking," Qiang ordered.
Feng let out a relieved breath.
"They've been using this city as a stop on a smuggling network running to Zaofu and beyond," he explained. "For weeks the Triple Threats have been shipping a number of things to Republic City. Artifacts, scrolls, the like. Mostly things recovered from raids against the Red Lotus years ago."
"What do the Triple Threats want with old scrolls?" Zhi questioned.
"They want the means to learn dangerous, old, and rare bending techniques," answered Feng. "The Triple Threats are getting ready to bolster their operations, to challenge law enforcement openly and aggressively. The first step is to gain their strength, and then push the other triads out of every scrap of territory they can."
Zhi's eyes widened. "You mean-"
Feng nodded. "There's going to be a war in Republic City's gangland," he said grimly. "And the first strike is set to be made in just a couple of days."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Air Temple Island, Republic City
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"I was born in Shu Jing, in the Fire Nation. My mother and father were both friendly and well-liked by the community. When I was in the capital city attending Kuzon Academy, they turned our home into a halfway house for convicts on parole to stay while in the process of reintegrating into society. They were kind, compassionate people, and they opened their hearts out to even the worst criminals without a second thought. They were too good-hearted. It was their undoing.
"There was a man. An airbender. He was dangerous and not entirely stable. The only reason he was even able to make parole was because my parents were willing to house and monitor him. The authorities trusted them. Mom and dad were said to be able to make any criminal turn over a new leaf with their influence. And for a while, it looked like that was true of this man."
Hotaru's hands and voice began to shake. "It was all a trick. The man killed my parents once they let their guard down and then stole everything of value that they owned. He was caught soon after, but it was too late for my parents. I went to live with my grandparents here in Republic City, and I've been here ever since."
Hotaru's lip trembled, and tears began to fall from her eyes. "That event turned my world upside-down. That man is the reason I chose to become a police officer. And it's the reason I know that criminals are all the same. Untrustworthy, treacherous, opportunistic. I won't believe for a second that you're any different."
Tiriaq was silent for a moment, before gazing up at the moon. "My parents were killed as well," he said softly. Hotaru's eyes darted to him.
"What?" she asked.
"It was about ten years ago now," he said. "On a night with a full moon like this one. My parents were mugged in an alley. They fought back, and the mugger… he… he was a waterbender, and… well, when you're impaled with ice, ain't much chance of surviving.
"I've never felt safe since then. The whole world became a prison to me, with danger lurking everywhere. I made myself tough and strong so that I could take on any surprises life threw at me. I stole things because for a long while, the thrill of picking a pocket was the only thing that made me feel anything at all. Guess I just never stopped. I feel safe here, though. Like there's a wall between myself and what's out there. Full moons usually make me nervous as anything, but here… here I don't feel nervous at all. Maybe bein' here, helpin' Babyface… maybe the top cat was right. Maybe it is gonna change me. Maybe for the better, I don't know."
His eyes met Hotaru's, and he smiled. "Point is," he said. "I guess I kinda understand what you've been through. Maybe you can't trust me, but at the very least, maybe we can found a truce on that. Sound hip?"
Hotaru reciprocated his smile weakly. "Sounds hip," she agreed.
Tiriaq punched her shoulder gently, and the laughter of the two began to echo through the night.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
General Suki Memorial Prison, Republic City
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Kosuke lay dreadfully bored on his cell's cot. Waiting for his trial was the most mind-numbingly dull thing he'd ever experienced. He'd imagined feeling anxious and full of stress wondering what the verdict would be - but if Kosuke was honest with himself, he already knew what it was. He would be found guilty, it was inevitable.
It was waiting for the judge to tell him so that was painful.
Nothing ever happened in prison. There was no excitement to speak of.
pip
pip
BOOM
The wall of Kosuke's cell exploded apart with a crash and a bang. Through the smoke and rubble strode a tall, solid man with slicked-back hair dark as pitch and a long, braided goatee. A strange symbol was tattooed on the man's forehead - it resembled a horizontal eye with three bars protruding from it.
"Nensho?!" Kosuke exclaimed. "I ain't sayin' I'm not glad to see you, but-"
"Do not speak," Nensho ordered in a cold, metallic voice like iron. "Viper has need of you. The war will begin soon. As one of the triad's top firebenders, your presence is invaluable. You will come with me."
The prison's alarms began to ring, and Kosuke didn't have to think twice. "Right you are, pal!" he agreed. "Let's book it, on the double!"
The two firebenders fled into the night, their destination unknown, but their purpose disconcerting.
It would not be long before they and the rest of Republic City were swept into a turf war on an exponential scale.
To Be Continued...