Back again! Sorry for the wait, writers block is a bitch and terrible to fight against. I've done my best and now I'm back again to help you all fight the good fight, the Earth Kingdome's regime! Wait….that's next chapter. No, fight the complicated plot I'm drawing up for no reason! Woooo!
A Will To Live is going to be uploaded next then I might try to upload Brotherhood. Hope it's interesting and leave a review, let me know in something other than flames. Just know, next chapter will hold a lot more excitement and action than this one but might be just a tad shorter in hopes I can update a lot faster.
"No trait is more justified than revenge in the right time and place" ~ Meir Kahane
Chapter 6
Naruto stood in front of the train doors as he waited for Bolin to arrive with the bags he was sent for. He didn't have to wait in front of the train as a guard seeing as they were given two guards but the man and woman given where part of the city authority. Naruto didn't expect a city retaliation before they left but he knew better than to leave the entrance to the train unguarded by someone on their side. After all, it was great idea now that he was face to face with Tenzin.
"You know better than anyone, I'm not letting you on here. So, why are you here?"
"To speak with you, Naruto. You've traveled with my father for years, helped him create the vision of a city that this is today. So, why do you stand beside a dictator like Kuvira?"
"She is someone I see as a strong and capable leader but she needs my guidance to help her reach what she is capable of doing. The Earth Kingdom has been in disarray for years, just like the Fire Nation was for its long life before it was…..rewritten after Zuko took the throne. I want to see the same done with the Earth Kingdom. You know, better than most people, that I have always steered things into the direction they needed to go. If you wish to challenge me, you know how to do so" said Naruto as Bolin boarded and Naruto walked to the open door but stopped just as he entered.
"I have always been a believer in change, just as your father was. I never have gone against his wishes if it could be helped but you need to remember one thing. I may have travelled with your father but you know better than most his power compared to my own. Try not to test what you know will not give back." With that the doors closed and the train took off, speeding away through the city and past it's borders.
Tenzin only sighed as Lin and Suyin walked up to him "So, how did that go?" asked Suyin.
"As I expected but there was a bright side to it. He hasn't seemed to have gone crazy or chose to just rule the entire world. He believes she has potential and he wants to see the dictator reign of power in the Earth Kingdom broken down. Just as he was all those years ago when he was with my father."
"I can't legally agree with him but personally I see his way. However, it goes the same for the move they just made. They can keep the nations who willingly defect from the Earth Kingdom and there is nothing we can do to go against that as a governing party" said Lin, crossing her arms. She knew that the blonde knew this and was playing the legal system to keep things locked against them.
"However, the Earth Kingdom can still take military action to regain it's territory. We can try to dissuade them but they are within their own right as a nation to regain territory that has seceded from power within the borders of the continent" said Suyin.
"We'll have to wait and see how things work but for now I'll begin strengthening the search for Korra. She's still nowhere to be seen and we can't leave her alone out there" said Tenzin.
With Naruto
The tall blonde watched as men scrambled far off in the distance of the train stop, running as fast as they could back to a small village neighboring the town they stopped in.
"It seems not all of your men were happy about the reform" said Bolin, watching the men scramble away.
"Some believed in her teachings and others believed in the full overtake which we cannot do legally or safely" said Melawin, walking with Kuvira off the train.
"What do you think their up too? That camp isn't too far but they have a long run if they wanted to get to that place."
"They might just be running seeing you're here but there is the issue of them reporting to some larger group. We haven't heard back from a large portion of your army which is another problem that needs to be addressed. The attire of your current group must change, with such a large force of yours running under the same uniform and banner, things won't be easy to fix. A change of attire in a large town as this one will spread word of a new look and keep the old one with defectors and rebels" said Naruto, mostly thinking out loud but Kuvira agreed and responded.
"Our tailor is actually in this town, we'll switch the color from dark green to beige. Keeping the traditional green color but moving the darker one to a softer tone" said Kuvira, looking off into the distance.
"Focus on one thing at a time while you can, keep your mind at rest before the storm approaches" said Melawin, following Kuvira's line of sight.
"I know, I know. I'm just worried with how these men acted things may not have been as pretty as we hoped it would. The report was good but what does anyone know past the paper and pen sent by whoever decided to send it?"
Naruto seemed to think for a moment before responding "Fair point, that does need to be checked out. Melawin, take Bolin with you and make sure everything is shut down as the note mentioned. It's only about five miles from here so it won't take long to walk."
"Let me change first. I'm not scouring the forest wearing this formal mess" said the red head, walking back into the train. It didn't take as long as Bolin thought, knowing Asami for so long, the time seemed to fly by before she walked out in new clothes. She now had on a short sleeved gold dress with a black etched dragon that reached down to her ankles, a long slit from her hip down allowed movement. Under the dress was a pair of skin tight black short shorts, plain black slip on shoes and gold bracers on her forearms. She lost the little bit of makeup she put on for the earlier meeting and threw her hair into a ponytail. Bolin wouldn't say it to Opal but she had an exotic look that he really liked and the outfit only complimented it.
She stretched a little and walked down the platform "Let's get going Bolin. We've got an uphill walk to get to that damn camp."
"Coming!" shouted the lava bender, running to her side as she began to walk straight out of the town and up the hill.
"It won't take her long to get there so let's reserve a few rooms for everyone and get something to eat" said Naruto, motioning for a few men to grab their luggage and bring it with them.
With Melawin and Bolin
The red head sighed, enjoying the shady tree cover as they traversed the forest up the incline. They didn't have to worry about getting lost thanks to path laid by the constant walking from the village to the camp. They had been moving for only around half an hour and they could see the path clearly leading over the last hill too the camp.
"It better be empty or there's gonna be a lot of problems" said the woman with quite a bit of edge in her voice.
"I'm sure it will be" said Bolin, trying to stay positive throughout the encounter. They only had a quarter of a mile left to the top of the incline when they heard someone shout out Bolin's name. The two benders turned and saw the shape of the massive air bison descending just below them before two red and yellow jumpsuit clad teens jumped off. The female member quickly ran to Bolin, the two hugging for a few seconds before separating.
"What are you doing out here? I thought you were with that….group" said Opal, trying not to say anything past that. She frowned on everything it stood for and what it had done up until now. They were operating legally now, no camps, nothing forced, just states of the Earth Kingdom leaving for a better life, or so they said.
"I'm going with Melawin here, this is Melawin by the way! She's Kuvira's assistant and super strong. Ok ok, aaaaaaaand oh! And we are checking to make sure the note saying the camp was shut down wasn't a lie." Opal knew his speech pattern was….erratic and she easily got the gist of everything he said even though it was everywhere seeing his current excited state. Not to say, she wasn't excited for him to be walking around with this female. Opal was proud of herself, how she looked and such, but this woman was on a different level. She had a lot of appeal, almost primal in a way, and she just radiated such confidence and power in her.
"Well, we're tasked with searching for Korra. There isn't any news yet but hopefully we can find her soon. I hope you are well too, Melawin. I'm Opal, and this is Kai."
Melawin just waved "Hey. We gotta get moving so wrap it up or start walking and talking."
Bolin turned to the two "Can you just walk with us up here please! It'll only be a few minutes!" Opal hesitated, the search was important but she gave in quickly. She hadn't seen her boyfriend in forever and she also wanted to see what this Melawin women was like. Thinking she's too high and mighty to hold conversation with them. Bolin said she was strong but Opal was sure as an air bender she could take care of her just fine.
"Ok, just here then we need to keep looking around." The group begun to move once again, the bison walking behind them as they scaled upwards. Melawin was only happy about one thing then, that woman hadn't asked about Baatar. She most likely knew the situation change and her mother would have informed her of the happenings with what Kuvira had said but they didn't like Kuvira. That dislike would lead to distrust and other problems down the road. She blocked those thoughts quickly as they peaked over the mountain but it was useless. As soon as they made eye contact with the gates there was a change in everyone's thoughts.
Speechlessness. Rage. Sadness.
They group of four was now overlooking the burning mess of a log mill labor camp. This was nothing new to any of them, each having seen it at some point or another but this one was different. In this was the slaughtered mess of the slaves, and even a few guards. Men, woman and children alike were impaled on earth spikes, shattered wood and metal beams and even burnt to a crisp. As they scanned the area Melawin saw four people moving, both dressed in the gear of the men Kuvira used to lead. That was her tipping point.
"Stay here, all of you. I have business to handle with those two" said the woman, already making her way down to the front of the camp but Opal spoke.
"No! We must have them stand trail for what they have done and face punishment! This is not the way!" Melawin continued to walk but turned her head slightly, her bright red eyes filled with fury forcing Opal to a stop.
"I will take care of this threat myself, as judge, jury and executioner. Locking someone away for years does nothing but taint the very air we all breath with their wasted carcasses. Now hush, and let me do my job, child." Melawin said no more to her and continued her walk, reaching the two benders just moving to exit the camp when they came face to face with Melawin.
"Who are you? You aren't allowed here!" shouted both men, his two female companions taking a stance. The red head could see it easily, earth benders and a fire bender. Good, less hassle.
"My name is Melawin Surion, I am tasked as Naruto Uzumaki's assistant and sole guard. As an assistant it is my job to keep certain issue in check he needs not deal with. You four, and this disgusting act, fall under that category. There is no arguments, no running and no hope. Pray to whatever you worship, for I will not show the mercy they may give you in the next realm."
"The fuck? This ladies crazy, kill her and let's go meet up with the others."
Melawin's smile grew "So the others are involved, wonderful news. Glad it was cleared up before I turned everything they stood on into a glass floor."
"Glass floor? You really are crazy, bitch. I'll burn you alive and laugh at your screams just like we did with the others" said the female companion before she moved first, thrusting forward and sending a ball of flames her way. Melawin continued her walk, batting away the fire with a backhand. The man saw that and assumed her easy prey being a fire bender and stamped his down while tossing a hand to the left, intent to usher a pike if earth to impale the foolhardy bender. She easily side stepped the rock formation then stopped.
"I did say a glass floor, didn't I? Sorry Naruto, it's a special circumstance." Melawin grabbed the ring on her finger and pulled it off, as soon as she did the air around them became dry and if felt as if some kind of weight was being pressed down on everyone. Melawin's figure seems almost radiant, her crimson hair seemed to flow like fire and even some parts of her body were licked with dancing flames.
With Naruto
"How long will it take to get the order done?" asked Kuvira to her seamstress.
"I can get the ones done here within a few days, editing the existing colors is easy but the rest not here will need a brand new line since sending them in and back will take longer. Those will be done within a few weeks before being sent out. I'll use the locations you've already given me and send them there."
"Thank-" Kuvira stopped when she noticed the air seemed to become oddly dry, her lips instantly chapped. Naruto's look of shock and fear seemed to tell he knew the cause. He moved quickly to the door, Kuvira following as fast as she could after him. She had only made it to the open door when he touched the city street and jumped, disappearing from view just before a gust of wind was created form the backlash of power he used. She stepped outside and followed his line jump, it was straight towards where the camp was located.
"Shit! Men, mount up a force and protect the city. The camp may be under attack and we need to be at the ready in case they try for the city!" Her men around her moved into action, relying messages to the train and rallying up around the city's border.
With Melawin
Her opponents were mostly in shock, they'd never seen something like they were seeing now. However, after the initial awe one man in front, an earth bender, tossed a few chunks of rocks at her. She leaned forward, charging into them before disappearing from view in a wisp of fire. A moment later the bender was hit in the stomach with a fire blast fist at point black, enough to burn deeply into his skin and knock him unconscious. The woman next to her, the fire bender, moved next and swung her hand down in an arc intent to bring a fire wave across her side. Melawin ducked and slid forward, delivering a palm strike charged with lightning into her chest. This one was obviously a killing blow, the lightning held enough charge to stop her heart, but left her alive for a few moments to feel the pain of being electrocuted as she fell to the ground.
Her two partners were already in action when their comrade fell, both thrusting fists into the ground and sending two waves of earth on either side at her. She squinted her eyes and growled a little before lifting her foot and bringing it down hard towards the wall coming directly at her. A wave of fire and lightning rippled off of her foot, destroying the earth wave with ease and stunning the bender behind it. Once that was done she flipped backwards, letting the earth wave behind her pass harmlessly under and continue its path, directly into the stunned bender. It hit him much harder than normal since he couldn't defend himself, sending him crashing into a burnt rock holder support. His body hit hard enough to break the weak support and everyone watched as the massive metal holder fell on top of him, ending his life as well.
Melawin continued her backwards move, landing on her hand before letting one leg fall down like an ax kick, a large wave of fire engulfing him. He took a few steps back, trying to bat away the flames as his opponent landed and took a step forward, thrusted two fingers out and let a bolt of lightning loose directly into him. The power behind the lightning blew him backwards but Melawin ignored it as he skidded across the burnt land, already dead, and she moved to stand atop the first attack which was just now coming too.
"You're team is dead, treated the same as you treated those here. Now, I will show you no mercy as I showed them" said Melawin, squinting her eyes hard before raising a fist. Lightning crackled at her feet, flowed up her legs, around her chest and onto her forearm before she brought it down and spoke.
"Azayakana shōmei(Brilliant Lightning)!" said the red head in a foreign language, her fist inches from his face before her right foot was kicked out from under her, sending her facing right, now looking at the mountain face the camp was placed against. Once her fist was fully extended a large bolt of lightning shot out, impacting the mountain and leaving a sizable creator from the blow. Melawin turned her head, seeing Naruto looking at her with those cold blue eyes, the eyes she only saw when he fought people that could compete with him. The eyes of a killer, a ninja of long past era. It was the last thing she saw before the world around her turned black. The next thing she knew Naruto was helping her up and trying up the hostage before turning to her.
"Why did you take off the ring?"
"They deserved no mercy, no trial, only the death and pain those here were showed" said Melawin, her eyes closed.
"There was no point in taking off the ring for that and you know it, especially because of the consequences involved."
"No, there was. Men, woman and children were slaughtered like animals, even the last war had only a handful of moments like this which were majority accidental fire's after a battle. This was intentional and personal, one I made sure to return in kind." Naruto looked to the three teens running towards them now, none looking very nice after watching what Melawin did.
"We'll speak of this later and I'm keeping this guy alive. He's good for information" said Naruto, tossing the once more unconscious man on his shoulder.
"H-hey Naruto. I'm glad you got here when you did. Melawin…..uh….got into a fight" said Bolin, trying not to accuse her. He understood her rage, he wouldn't have done that, nor did he think it was all justified, but he did see her side.
"She just killed them all in cold blood! A trial was needed for the to serve their sentence in a proper way! That's never the answer!" shouted Opal, her companion agreeing but somewhat fearful to speak. The woman behind the blonde was already scary enough, this guy that literally appeared from nothing seemed just as scary.
"What's done is done and there is nothing we can do to fix that. This guy here will lead us to the rest that did this. Thank for accompanying my friends to the camp, I appreciate inter-group communication from the air nomads. Kuvira's army is changing and we wish to tie new relationships within it, for a just and balanced new leader in the Earth Nation" said Naruto, taking a much more neutral but strong speaker position. It threw off Opal's anger and she could only nod her head in response, losing the drive she had a moment ago. That was something Bolin caught onto quietly, he diffused what would have been an argument so they could return to Kuvira.
"Let's travel back, he needs to be locked up and I need to check over Melawin."
"We can give you a ride on Juicy there. It's a long walk" said Kai, and Opal seemed hesitant but knew the act would show the hospitality the air nation was known for.
Naruto smiled and nodded his head "Thank you, we would all appreciate it." Opal called her bison over and everyone boarded before they took the quick ride to the train station where everyone was let off, besides Bolin.
"I'll be seeing you later then" said Bolin to Opal, the two hugging briefly.
"Yeah, try to stay safe out there. We're doing a round right now, if you guys are still here within a week when we make it back we'll come say hi. Please, stay safe" said Opal, more worried than ever for Bolin. Seeing that camp, and the power Melawin possessed, made her fear what he was getting into more than ever. The enigmatic blonde was something she needed to speak to her mother about as soon as possible. He was a worrying factor, even more so than the red head that had yet to open her eyes for some reason.
"I will, you do the same!" shouted Bolin as he jumped off the Bison and Opal took off into the sky once more. Naruto said nothing as he led Melawin into war room on the train, stopping by their holding cell to drop off the prisoner. They were only in the room for less than a minute before Kuvira entered, telling Bolin to wait outside.
"What happened up there? Is there some kind of attack heading for us?"
"No, we only encountered four enemies at the camp. We know of none others currently on the way" responded Melawin from her seat on the long couch built into the side of the train.
"What happened up there then?" Kuvira asked Naruto. Naruto said nothing but let out a heavy sigh, as he did an invisible weight seemed to push down on the room. Kuvira moved to the hold onto the table in the center with one hand. This weight wouldn't normally affect her but this time it was much stronger than it had been previously. Melawin stayed unmoving at her seat, legs crossed, hands folded in her lap and eyes still closed.
"It seems some of your former army didn't take kind to shutting the place down and sided with Baatar the defector. They burned the place down and killed everyone there, including guards that didn't comply with their standards" said Naruto in a calm manner, hands folded behind his back as he faced the wall. It was at this point the weight got worse and it became obvious Kuvira was having trouble standing up at all.
"Naruto, control your chakra. Kuvira cannot stand properly right now" said Melawin and like that the weight disappeared. Naruto turned around and shook his head, helping Kuvira up and leading her to the seat just behind her, across from Melawin as Naruto took up standing at the end of the table.
"Melawin decided to take things into her own hands seeing four guards there and dispatched all but one. The last one is currently in a jail cell inside the train."
"Still, what was that sensation and the worrying for earlier?" said the dark haired woman.
Naruto sighed "I have told you a lot about myself, what I can do and other such things. Melawin's lightning bending isn't much of a secret anywhere but what I'm going to tell you now isn't something to share with anyone. This is completely private information between us three, period." Kuvira only nodded her head, seeing the seriousness in his face as he spoke.
"Melawin is the world's first lightning bender, but there's more to it than that. Her lightning is the only bending she can do with that black and red ring on. The ring was something I created, a seal that keeps the rest of her powers in check. She is a master fire bender, even the great General Iroh, the first, couldn't hold a candle to her. Without the ring, her lightning use and power is increased significantly, her fire bending is more powerful than any normal fire bender could ever achieve."
"If she's so great, why seal it away? I understand keeping the power in check but isn't that going too far?" asked Kuvira.
"There is a cost, in return for such overwhelming power in the element she loses one thing every time her power is unsealed. Her sight, the eyes shut down and she can no longer see as we do." Kuvira took that as quite a shock and turned to Melawin, now knowing why she hadn't opened her eyes the entire time.
Then she noticed something "How come she doesn't have it back on?"
"Only after 24 hours can the ring be put back on. Once off, it lays dormant for a short period before it can be used once again. After she has it back on it'll take about a week for her sight to return to her."
Kuvira then turned to Melawin "Can you move around alright like that?"
The woman nodded her head "I can sense things using the energy we use, similar to how earth benders feel but much more accurate. It's actually easier for me to sense attacks like that than to use my own sight. So don't worry, I can move and operate just fine like this." The woman nodded her head but then something clicked in her head and she spun around to Naruto who was a little taken back by the sudden gesture.
"Wait! You spoke that she fought Iroh the first and she said energy just like you use. Is she a ninja?" Naruto smiled a little then he laughed, thoroughly laughed and even Melawin giggled a little. Eventually the two died down, their laughter calming before Naruto spoke in a serious tone once more.
"I didn't think you'd catch that stuff so fast but it's a yes and no answer. She uses energy like me but she's never been a ninja in her life, nor will she ever. She's something else entirely."
"Which is?" Naruto sighed, he looked around the room before pulling out a tag and placing it on the table before the room glowed a faint blue.
"That was a silencing seal, this part is much more personal and I really don't want anyone hearing it by whatever means. What I'm going to tell you is part of my origin, both before the war and after which caused certain things to happen. I'll simplify this as easy as I can. Long ago, in my time, there were ninja, and other beasts that existed within our world. Summons and bijuu were the largest of the beasts, summons being helpers that reacted with signed contracts while bijuu were powerful entities created from chakra well before the time of ninja.
We used bijuu as…..no, we used to see them as only monsters and weapons to be sealed into children and used for weapons. The child would grow and harness the power of the bijuu, a fraction of course, and fight the war of whatever their village was in currently. My mother was the holder of the strongest, the nine tailed fox. Shortly after giving birth to me it was ripped from her and I was turned into the next holder after some unfortunate circumstances. My parents gave their life to do so, ensuring I stayed alive with the great bijuu's help as well as saving the village from the rampaging bijuu.
Years passed, I lived with the curse and blessing brought by it and during the beginning of the last great ninja war I made peace with it before fighting alongside it during the remainder of the war. As you know, we won but the world was tainted and at the time we didn't know, humans were too. The chakra throughout the world was no longer that, any civilian no longer had the trace of chakra inside them. It became what you now as chi, the bi product after it was tainted from the spread of energy of the beast we fought. Those civilians, and ninja that were still alive has the use of chakra, as did their children but soon it began to die off. Within a few generations, no one could use chakra like they could until the first avatar and so on as you know the story.
Now, what you don't know is what happened to myself, and my companion I spoke of previously. He was untouched by the taint, as was I, thanks to a gift given to us during the war. Suddenly, my bijuu and I became severely ill. My companion stayed with me through it, trying to find some kind of cure but eventually using my companions eye ability we saw that the bijuu was causing me to get sick since it was inside me. That left us with only one option, unseal it from me. With my companions help we did just that, unsealed the great beast and immediately after something strange happened. It's began to dissipate, almost like it was just slowly fading away. I only saw the very beginning of it before passing out, the toll on the unsealing was too much for myself, or my companion.
I awoke to sound of a woman running around the house, screaming and freaking out about what happened to her. That woman is who you see now, Melawin Surion. I am her former container and she is the formerly known Kurama, nine tailed demon fox." Kuvira seemed to follow most of the story, it wasn't very complicated until the unsealing part and now she was just rubbing her head in pain from sorting out it all out.
"Why did she turn into a woman and why isn't she as powerful as you say bijuu were?"
"The woman piece is because I am a woman, or well, we are genderless beings but I prefer this body over a man's. Living inside one made me not want to look like one, and I enjoy the appeal of this form, or did back then so I reverted to this. For the last one, that's because I no longer use the same chakra I did before, I use the chakra ninja's use. What I had before was demonic chakra, much more potent and darker than normal chakra. I can still use it but not to the degree I had before. My body adapted to the change from the loss of my demonic chakra and reverted to a state it could function properly in, which now relies on chi as you all do. I still use and hold chakra like Naruto has but my body can't form it like he can now. It subconsciously adds it to my bending, which creates a much more potent form of bending. As for the element, that's because I was more in tune with fire nature chakra in my bijuu state so when I reverted to this form I took on a fire bender. You know my curse but at the time we didn't know about it. I had lost my sight within the first few days of transforming. Naruto and Sasuke assumed the reason was because this body couldn't handle the mix of power inside me so it took my sight in exchange for keeping my power from flowing around wildly. I lived without it for centuries until Naruto created the ring you know of now."
"Any questions?" asked Naruto with a smile. He knew it was a lot to take in after all. It wasn't every day you learn the woman you travel with used to be a powerful being of chakra and was sealed in the guy who's guiding you.
"You are all crazy but yes, three more. One, after the unsealing your body reverted to normal?"
"Mostly, the unsealing disrupted the arm that was given to me by a close friend, which was the second time I lost it. I haven't gotten around to getting a new one but with how things have been happening recently I might just decide on getting it back."
"I don't want to hear any more on that. Enough information about your crazy bodies for today. Second is why is she, along with you, still alive now? You both stated you are humans, Melawin to a degree, so what made you both stop aging?" Naruto looked to Melawin who could sense him turn to her and shrugged.
Naruto sighed "We could only guess the reason being is how we defeated the original user of chakra. I'll skip the fancy details on this one and put it simply. We had two seals on our hands, the one I'm missing, and that was used to seal her away but when she had she was trying to gain access to her personal realm as she called it. Our assumption was since we sealed her then it may have distorted the sealing, taking whatever odd energy was inside that and put it into our bodies and caused our aging to stop. Melawin was sealed in me at the time so it would make sense since she kept the same immortality, as well as her former form being ageless as well. One more then we've got some plans to attend to."
"Who's this companion you speak of? You never said his name, not once, but you mentioned he's still alive multiple times."
Naruto waved it off "That's business best handled elsewhere, at a better time. Just know he's doing his own thing, one that usually keeps him far away from the great nation's most of the time." Kuvira was most certainly not pleased with the answer but she decided not to push, already getting much more information than she expected today. She sighed inwardly, a lot more than she wanted too. These two were truly a confusing duo.
"Right oh, time for some plans! Bolin!" shouted Naruto, already having released the seal while Kuvira seemed to space out in her thoughts.
The door quickly opened and Bolin walked in "Yes?" Naruto ushered Kuvira who seemed to jolt from her thought before turning to the young man.
"Tell the men to keep of the hold around the town and take off their outer uniform but make sure we've got guards stations in sections across the border as scouts. The last thing this town needs is a quarantine. After that take a break and rest, enjoy the next few days off while we get our suits relined."
Bolin saluted "Yes ma'am!" He took off from the train, once more leaving the three alone.
"Now?" asked Melawin. The suit color was their only current issue for being in the town, however now they had a different problem to deal with.
"We've got some spare time to lay out details for our next few stops in nations we have left" said Naruto, walking around the table where a detailed map of the earth kingdom lay. On it were multiple pieces that showed who owned what providences inside the earth kingdom.
"As it stands we have almost a quarter of the earth kingdom, more than we were projected to work with. We have control of the majority of the western coast, from the United Republic to Gaoling, which does include the city of Omashu. Gaoling is remaining neutral for both sides, refusing to allow any occupation in or around it's city. The last we heard from the group in The Great Divide they were setting up a small outpost with the help of some willing citizens seeking a better life from the slums in Ba Sing Se" said Kuvira, placing silver pieces along every city and town they controlled.
"What of Chin village and Kiyoshi Island?" asked Melawin.
"After Naruto announced himself during the prince's coronation both have decided to stay, even against the words of the United Republic. Word around Ba Sing Se is the earth kingdom is preparing for war, no matter what the United Republic has to say. They know diplomacy won't gain their nations back so they're resorting to hostile takeover." Naruto placed six black pieces along a scattered path in the lands Kuvira still held under control.
"These are the most likely places any of the resistance will hid out, villages, towns and especially near the desert. It's far from most standing army on either side and Baatar isn't stupid enough to challenge you directly. We already sent word out to the rest of the men speaking about the defectors from the army as well as the threat of the Earth Kingdom's army moving in soon" said Naruto before the door to the room opened once more, this time two new faces to Naruto walked in.
"Kuvira, great news! The weapons ready for a test fire!" said a very eccentric man walking in, a woman close behind. Kuvira seemed quite confused before remembering about her project for the genius inventor and his assistant before the coronation. They'd been holed up all that time it fell from her mind when everything started picking up.
"Yes, thank you Varrick for the notification. If you're sure let's move to the cart and see how the progress is going."
"Right away! Zhu Li, lead the men, I need to make a run to the boys room" said the man, rushing off the train as his assistant bowed to them.
"Please follow me." With that she turned on heel and walked from the train and made her way outside.
They only had just made it outside when Naruto reacted, sweep kicking Melawin and Kuvira down and standing in front of Zhu Li as a hail of ice was sent their way. A moment later four benders approached from hiding spots around the houses as the water benders who sent the ice began rushing them from ahead. Naruto moved first, taking on four that charged ahead. Melawin charged the water benders coming towards them and Kuvira was left with three metal benders who had scaled the train and were flanking from behind.
"How did you not sense them!?" shouted Melawin, sending a wave of fire at one the benders, overwhelming her.
"I don't know!" responded Naruto, taking two down as the other two shifted to gain distance from the skilled blonde. Kuvira was in a duel with the three meal benders, dancing around each other and trying to wait for small slip up. Then, one shifted wrong and Kuvira caught it before whipping out her blade and ending him quickly. She shifted the earth under the two who were stunned by the kill, crashing them into each other and knocking them out. Once her opponents were dealt with she looked around to see what was left. Melawin was walking back from her recently down second water bender who was covered in burns as Naruto stood from atop the last woman that had attacked him.
"Zhu Li!" shouted Varrick, jumping from his hiding spot near the train to tackle his assistant, an arrow flying past where her head once was. A split second later a kunai found the assailants throat that was perched atop a house well over a hundred yard away.
Naruto lowered his hand and looked around "Who would have sent these men and why didn't anyone sense them? I should have felt them, or even Melawin."
"Varrick, you saved me" said Zhu Li, smiling from under him.
"Of course I did! I can't do all this crazy work by myself when my great mind's worked so hard!" A second later he was tossed to the side as she stood up and dusted herself off.
"I didn't say anything mean!" whined the former business owner.
Melawin ignored their bickering as she closed in "I can barely sense their movements when they fought. I had to rely on the wind currents, not my normal chakra sense because I couldn't see anything."
"Does that mean they somehow found a way to be undetected by you two?" asked Kuvira.
"I'm not sure yet but I need to call my friend in for this before I can move any further along. He's better at the technical side of our life than I am but there is something that's worrying me more. Why would they come after us like that? What would they gain if they already knew what we could do they know an attack like that with everyone around wouldn't work" said Naruto before a guard from the border arrived to Kuvira.
"Kuvira! Some group of men broke through our line and took the last train cart. They had all kinds of benders, we couldn't hold them all off!"
"What? Take me there now!" He nodded and turned around before taking off with the group close behind. They arrived at the other end of the train shortly and what they noticed was surprising. Over a dozen men were laying around, a few were dead, impaled by ice, stabbed or burnt and others were suffering massive injuries. The two mech units were frozen, their pilots killed after ejecting and the train car was long gone from the scene.
"They distracted us to take the cart but what was in the last one."
Kuvira's fist tightened "The spirit canon prototype we were working on."
Naruto turned to Varrick "How far along was it?"
"It was perfected, at least the firing portion was ready for testing but I don't figure much of a flaw resulting in it. It's mine after all" said Varrick before Zhu Li elbowed him, making sure he didn't anger that dangerous blonde.
"We need to get that back. In the wrong hands it's a weapon of mass destruction and there's no telling what would happen if it was set in something larger" said Zhu Li.
"Soldier, get medics to look at the men here and get to gathering the rest in the town. I want a full meeting in the next hour. Understood?"
The soldier saluted "Yes ma'am!" He took off running down the side of the train, headed for the camp they had made.
"What are you planning?" asked Naruto.
"I'm gathering everyone we're going to prepare for a full war right now. The Earth Kingdom wants my head and this new enemy seems to want your head, along with mine. Secondly, I'll have some men trail the car and see if they can find any leads as to where it's headed. Call your friend, we need to be moving out of here once the uniforms are ready."
Naruto smiled a little 'Glad to see she's finally taking charge again after her awakening. She's got a lot to worry about with the Earth Kingdom and Baatar hasn't shown his face around recently which isn't any good either. I just wonder, what were those men and woman just now? I couldn't feel anything, life energy, chakra, smell, nothing was pinging on my sensing. I need him here, he'll know more and I may need my arm back with this new enemy able to move under our radar.'
"Yes ma'am. Melawin, I'll meet you all back at the train car later. Keep these three safe."
The red head bowed "Of course." With her words he disappeared, heading into the forest nearby.
There's the end of that, sorry for the delay again. I really have had trouble getting idea's out that sound half way decent. Few notes, one being Melawin's fire bending power varies on how much effort is applied. Normally it's a step or two further than most fire and at max it would compare to Sozen's comet fire bending.
I did add a new element at the end with the stealing of the canon and the bender able to hide from Naruto and Melawin. They've been around for a while and with this time period going on now I think it's better than anything to see someone notice their existence and find a way to combat it. You'll see more of these new enemies and some more of Baatar next chapter.
A change as well is the Earth Kingdom going to war with Kuvira's army, which is gonna be a challenge. I've gotta have someone to lead that army as well as focus on the missing canon, Baatar and the new enemy all while making sure it doesn't sound like shit. Romance wise there will be more next chapter, this one was more informational, and story building for later events so I pushed that down. I had a scene written but cut it since it really didn't go with the current mood I was portraying. Sorry for any grammar errors, took a few days of my off time to rush this and didn't focus to much on my mistakes. Take care everyone, peace out.