Author's note: So, apparently Tenzin's 51 years old. Um, no, say what you want. Katara and Aang had Kya but something went wrong and they had to wait a while before having Bumi and then Tenzin. Yes, let's go with that. So Tenzin didn't have his first kid at forty-one because that doesn't make sense and it didn't work well with what I had setup up. So he's more like thirty-five, having lost his father when he was eighteen and then been very responsible and gotten on the council at a young age (partly through his connection to Aang), and we'll cross how Bumi became Commander when he shows up. Also, since Legend of Korra is over with (at least for now) I do not have fresh inspiration for this fic. Yes, I know where this fic is going and I broke off even before the end came about, but I'll miss my inspiration. Any ideas where I can keep the idea fresh and interesting so I have reason to keep writing?
Summary: Aita is Spirit, a member of the Anti-bending Revolution and a personal confidante of Amon. The arrival of the Avatar in Republic City is both a cause for excitement and fear for Aita. As Amon's Spirit, Aita finds herself torn between her beliefs and love for her twin brother who is a bender.
Disclaimer: Is not mine, I could never make up something so beautiful and predictable as it, though I do wish I had Zuko (I would lock him in my room and never leave). Song "Brave Soldier Boy" is also not mine and belongs to the creators.
Warnings: Language, violence, protagonist is a bigot, allusions to sex, eventual increase in rating is possible (but not determined). Mentions of considered suicide (should I raise the rating?)
Chapter Nine: Parentage
Aita was back on the flying bison almost as soon as she landed on Air Temple Island. Not even for Amon would she get in the middle of the lover spat between Mako and Asami. The avatar somehow factored into the mix, something about Mako fawning over Korra since she escaped from the cabin in the mountains. Aita didn't really want to hear about it, but she'd come back later with chocolate, lots of chocolate, and then she'd hang around the avatar, tell the bender about Aang and needing to reach the Spirit World, and avoid Tenzin to the best of her ability.
"Aita, wait, where are you going?" Aita looked down to see Bolin running at her at full speed with Sota in air acolyte clothes. The command to rise the flying bison up again dies on her lips as she scowls at her brother, running behind the Bolin, who is already decked out in air novice uniform.
"Somewhere else. I'll come back when the drama has died down," said Aita. Maybe later that afternoon, or wait until Amon had won the war. Really, with their biggest threat more caught up in a love mess it was a wonder that Amon hadn't won already.
"Take us with you," said Sota, immediately climbing onto the flying bison's back and quickly followed by Bolin. "You think you could stop by the store?"
"Sure," said Aita with a sigh. "Yip, yip. But if you want to go talk to mom you're on your own."
"Yeah, I'd figured out that part," said Sota dryly.
Aita landed the flying bison first in front of their shop. Bolin and Sota filled her in on the gossip on the way over. Aita retained about as much as she'd picked up the first time. Sota started talking about Tenzin a couple of time, but Aita interrupted him and steered the conversation back to something that didn't make her want to fly the bison into one of the buildings.
"Looks like we didn't need to go home," said Sota, slipping off the flying bison. Aita just stared at where her mother was standing, and the woman's wide blue eyes stared back up at both her and her brother with fear and relief. A moment later their stepfather crashed through the front door of the shop. Aita finally looked through the window. It didn't look like anything had been touched, though the window had been broken. Aita didn't remember that happening.
Sota gave their mother a hug and Aita watched them impassively. Their stepfather stood to the side and patted Sota awkwardly on the back. Sota smiled at him cheekily before their mother pulled him down to fuss at him and check for any bruises or cuts. Their stepfather turned on Aita, and the equalist felt her body stiffen. He didn't look angry though, just gruff and maybe a little relieved.
"We were surprised when they said they took you too. Ameli was worried sick," said their stepfather. Aita glanced to where her mother was still fussing over her brother. But she did notice the woman's gaze kept flicking toward her. Aita kept on the flying bison, debating on whether to fly away or not.
Still, it was nice to hear that one of them cared about her.
"They wanted to say that Amon couldn't 'help' anyone who was rooted," said Sota, coming to stand next to the flying bison, bringing their mother with him as he walked. "It was too late, I guess, to revise his speech when they found out Aita was unique."
"How'd they know she was rooted?" asked their mother. Aita shrugged and interjected before her brother danced around the issue.
"Whoever saw Sota airbend must have done some digging later and found out his sister was rooted," said Aita with a shrug. "Obviously they must have stopped their investigation after that."
"Yeah, anyone who's been to our store knows that Aita is the one who really runs the store, at least that she does readings. Someone trapped in their own head can't do that," said Sota. Their stepfather frowned and their mother gasped.
"No, Sota is a firebender," said their mother. Her eyes wild and confused.
"It's alright Ameli," said their stepfather, drawing her into a hug, but their mother just kept shaking his head.
"I never slept with... He wasn't…" she seemed lost and Aita just looked down at her mother in confusion. "I would have known if I slept with Tenzin. He used to cling to his father when they were here. At least, that's what the boy I was dating said. But I've seen Tenzin, I never…"
"I know mom," said Sota, and Aita glanced between them. Maybe she should have paid more attention when Sota was trying to give Tenzin's excuses. "The man you dated told you he was a nonbender. I remember you being surprised when I reveled I was a firebender until Aita said that sometimes, in rare cases, bending skips a generation. Well, it did, but he wasn't the son of a firebender."
"But, how?" asked their stepfather.
"Tenzin has a brother, Bumi. He's a commander in the navy, but he was wild in his youth, and even now…" Sota trailed off and shook his head. "You said he was rich but without any real possessions. That describes airbending mentality pretty well. The monks were always said to be rich, but not overly showy or attached to what they had."
"He used to say he hated it," she said with a shake of her head, and then she giggled. She looked over at Sota and started to play with his hair. "I suppose this'll be gone soon."
Aita snorted as Sota made a face. Her brother loved his hair. It wasn't that he had a lot, but he put more gell and product in it than Aita had none nay girl to.
"You'll be staying with your uncle then," said their mother.
"Well, I will. Aita can't stay on Air Temple Island overnight or she slips back into the Spirit World," said Sota. All their attention turned on Aita, and she felt her entire body stiffen in surprise.
"You'll be staying with the boy than?" asked their stepfather gruffly. Aita felt her entire face heat up. Alright, so that was the excuse she was going to give them, but still.
"What boy?" asked Sota.
"You're really thick," Aita said. Really, everyone else picked up her hints that she staying with someone and that's why she didn't come home, though she didn't really ever hint at that. But she had known that after she gave that excuse, she wasn't going to be able to live on her own, or on the pocket change her father gave her, so she quickly worked out that she was able to live with someone because the nature of their relationship would have allowed her to get away without paying rent. She hadn't even been trying to be subtle when the subject was broached. But, leave it to her stepfather to immediately jump to conclusions and have him, annoyingly enough, be the ones she wanted him to jump to, and her brother to not get it until it was spelled out to him.
"Aita," her mother scolded, and it was obvious she also wanted an answer. Aita pursed her lips.
"Yes," she said.
"And he treats you right?" asked her stepfather. Aita glared at him. What did he care if Amon treated her right? He'd never really shown an interest in her life before this.
"Fine," said Aita carefully.
"How close are you two?" asked Aita's mother and suddenly Aita has the impression that her mother was already seeing wedding bells in her head. She was already making the fact that her daughter had decided to shack up with a boy a bigger deal than it really was. Really, a guy taking in a girl, or the other way around, during a relationship, especially if they were poor, wasn't that unheard of. It also was common that it was a relationship of convenience or quick to burn out passion. Sometimes things just ended, sometimes they ended explosively, and sometimes one of them (usually the girl) was left with an extra mouth to feed by the end of it. But, that was the sort of things that mothers feared their daughters would get into. Better to hope that they were settling in with the right boy who would do 'right by her.'
"Aita," screamed a voice. And Aita was surprised to see Miss Ping come flying toward her. Aita pushed herself off the flying bison. Ms. Ping still didn't look pregnant, but she still shouldn't be throwing herself around like that. Well, at least Aita didn't believe she should. "I was so worried."
"It's not really me they were after," said Aita, leaning her head toward Sota. Miss Ping smiled at Sota, but she hardly ever met him so she instantly started fussing at Aita. Aita giggled. She hadn't realized she meant much to this woman. Yes, she went out of her way a couple of times during the month to talk to Miss Ping, well, have the woman talk at her, sometimes they did earthbending forms because Aita said she had an interest in that sort of thing. Still, Miss Ping was a bit of a gossip.
Aita pulled away from Miss Ping and smiled. Her smile quickly froze in place and her heart started to beat at an impossible pace. Lee was with Miss Ping. He didn't seem too concerned though. Aita glanced over at Sota but he hardly seemed to notice Lee, more intent on his sister and their hovering mother. Aita looked back at Lee who was staring at her suspiciously. Aita quickly looked away from him. That mustache, the shape of his face. Didn't anyone else see it? Maybe it was just that she knew Lee so well.
"Are you alright Aita?" asked Bolin. Aita nodded nervously and Lee frowned angrily at her.
"Yes, but we should probably go get those chocolates," said Aita, and then glanced at her stepfather. "We won't be able to run the store, at least not for a while."
"Yuaa is about the same age as you two were when you started," said their father. "And that firebender employee has taken over the shop for the day and knows what he's doing. I'll have him coach Yuaa. We're already drawing up plans for a co-ownership."
Both Aita and Sota looked a bit shocked at this. Sota even looked a little hurt.
"Not because I thought you were dead, but I thought you'd need time if your bending was really taken from you and your sister would hardly agree to continue running the store with you if she was… I know you two well enough to see the signs of your days running my store are over," said their father. "Plus, that firebender is planning on expanding the stores, making a franchise out of it. He says enough people go out of their way to come here that they would probably be glad to have one on the other side of town. He thinks the whole bending, spiritual thing you had going was good grounding for something big."
"He had said he wanted to talk to you for a while now," Aita muttered. She'd just thought that Jiron was looking for more hours so he could finally move out of his parent's house. "If he was that sure than he should have realized that talking to me about talking to you about anything wasn't a good idea. He should have bugged Sota."
"I do not talk to the help," said Sota, and then laughed. Him and Bolin started in on some comedy routine mostly consisting of pantomime that appeared to mean nothing to anyone but them.
"Or he tried and Sota went all high and mighty on him," muttered Aita with a look of annoyance.
"Oh, Aita, after we get chocolates for Asami can we go to Narook's?" asked Bolin.
"We can go before. That should kill some time," said Aita.
"May I join you?" asked Miss Ping, clinging to her husband. Aita stiffened. "Oh, I've never been on a flying Bison. Urla will be so jealous. What do you say Lee?"
"That sounds like fun. Aita won't be able to see you two that much anymore, unless she's living with you two," said Sota, looking at them hopefully. Aita pulled herself onto flying bison as all she wanted to do was throttle her brother. He was such a babbler mouth. What would happen if Lee started to notice weird connections? Like Aita was just starting to join up with the avatar and her friends. They hadn't known she was sleeping with someone until recently. Since she was thirteen she'd started to stay up later and later at night doing gods know what. She'd taught herself all of the bending forms. But then again, neither Bolin nor Sota seemed to realize who Lee was. Okay, he was married to an earthbender, but he was easily one of their more noteworthy and easily recognized frontline fighters. He was Amon's right-hand man. Where Amon wore a mask, Lee just wore a cap and goggles. He made no real effort to hide who he was. Aita thought he'd only lasted in the city so long was because his daytime image was either convincingly a bender supporter, which despite his marriage, Aita didn't buy. He probably just wasn't anyone worth noticing as Lee.
Aita smiled into her soup as Sota poked Miss Ping and asked if he could see her when she's pregnant because that was fascinating. Aita wanted to strangle him, but since that was her normal reaction to her brother's antics she just ignored him and talked to Ping when she could distract her from Sota. Lee had bowed out, thankfully. Aita checked the clock, it was only noon.
"We should probably be back before noon so you can get reacquainted with everyone before you go to your meeting," said Bolin to Aita as he finished up his third bowl of noodles. Aita looked at him in confusion before realizing what he was talking about.
"I forgot. I have to go to the meeting tonight," said Aita.
"What? No, come on Aita. Your uncle is one of the councilmen of the city. You can get out of it now," said Sota.
"I like those meetings," said Aita.
"They're degrading," said Sota.
"I'm not having this conversation again," said Aita dryly before smiling at Miss Ping. "It was good to see you. I'll have to stop by at some point."
"Bring that boy your father was talking about," said Miss Ping kindly as she started to route in her purse. Aita went for hers, she should have just enough to cover them, maybe, but Miss Ping put up a hand. "I'll be happy to pay."
"Thank you Miss Ping. You're my favorite of Aita's friends," said Bolin, throwing himself over the woman. Miss Ping giggled, and Aita rolled her eyes.
"You don't like your brother?" asked Aita teasingly. Bolin made a face.
"Not the way he's acting today," said Bolin with a tortured sigh. Aita giggled and led the way out of the of the shop. They got the chocolate. Bolin going for the most expensive kind at first. Aita dryly stated that if Bolin wanted to steal his brother's current girlfriend, she wasn't going to foot the bill. He ha d turned an interesting shade of red and muttered something under his breath.
Sota had found something more suitable, and fairly inexpensive. Aita glanced down at it from where she was sitting on the bison; her brother had taken over leading the flying bison. Aita wasn't worried; she hardly had to direct the thing when she was on it. It seemed to be able to sense where she wanted to go. She hoped Asami liked the chocolate. The girl seemed nice enough, but she was from a rich family. Some things she just expected unconsciously. She wouldn't find it disgusting because she was rude, rather because it just wasn't up to the standards that she usually got served.
Aita shrugged. It was just chocolate. The most you could whine about it was that it might have a different texture, or the filling wasn't to your liking, or you preferred light chocolate to dark. The only chocolate Aita ever found herself hating was the 'healthy' type that her supplier had sent with them to encourage them to put it on the market. It cost more, but none of the kids bought it, and Aita quickly had to agree with their decision.
When they landed next to the main temple, almost everyone was already outside. The three kids were playing some sort of game with their airbending, Korra was practicing airbending forms with Tenzin, and Asami and Mako were standing as far apart from each other as possible. Sota slid off the flyinf bison carefully, a few white fairs clinging to his clothes. He was quickly corralled into the game by the airbending kids. Bolin slipped down and Korra and Tenzin let their postures relax as Aita came to stand next to Bolin.
"Is something wrong?" asked Bolin.
"No, Pema went into labor almost the second after you three took off," said Korra.
"Wow, really, is she alright?" asked Bolin.
"We haven't…" but the avatar was cut off as a healer called to Tenzin. He immediately seemed to fly away to where his wife and new born baby were probably waiting for him. Sota quickly slowed down the airbending kids, probably trying to give the parents a moment to meet their little one and get over that first emotional swell. Aita followed at the back of the pack. She was regretting coming here. She really didn't care about the avatar and their friend's dramas. She really didn't care who her real father was or getting reconnected with her family.
"Come on Aita," said Mako, slapping her on the back. Aita had thought he was in front of her. "Let's go meet your cousin."
Aita winced but nodded. Personally she thought it was a bit weird how easily everyone accepted that she was related to Tenzin. Maybe there would have been some tension if they were actually Tenzin's kid. Aita wasn't convinced she wasn't. Something had convinced her brother, or Tenzin had legimately not known and even if he was denying Sota just didn't care because he got to be with the man. Aita didn't really care. The fact that she was related to the airbender only complicated things. She didn't like that now she had to think about the fact that it was her uncle she'd tried to kill. She couldn't compartmentalize as well as Sota, but she was an assassin to a lesser degree, so killing didn't bother her as much anymore, but Tenzin. She now had to think about him if simply because she had to factor in the likely hood of him figuring her out, and how she could exploit this new relationship to get information.
So many things to consider. She was sure to be confronted by Tenzin soon. Sota might have agreed to hide what kind of bender he was, but it had been Aita's idea. Tenzin would want to know why she encouraged her brother to switch, what she had been afraid of if it was revealed they were benders and thus at least related to Tenzin.
That was another problem and benefit of Tenzin at least claiming that they were his brother's screw up, not his. Tenzin had certain responsibilities as an uncle, and he'd uphold them and beyond. He'd teach Sota how to airbend and teach the twins about their heritage. He might even unofficially adopt them, especially if Bumi didn't take responsibility, but Tenzin wouldn't get looked down on. The family might, but Tenzin couldn't be blamed for Bumi siring illegitimate children.
Aita really didn't want to think about it.
"You wanted to talk to me?" asked Korra as they left the room to give the new family time to say hello to their new family. Aita shoved the chocolates at Bolin. He looked confused for a moment before nodding and hurrying off in the direction Asami had gone.
"Yeah, it seems that Aang wants me to help you connect to the Spirit World, and properly this time," said Aita and then she shrugged. Korra seemed to think about this before sighing and walking down the hall toward the beach.
"I'm about as good at getting connected to the Spirit World as I am with air bending. I know how to meditate and reach in toward myself, but I can't connect," said Korra.
"I wouldn't worry too much," said Aita with a shrug. "From what I remember about my studies on avatars, most don't deal too much with the Spirit World unless they have to. Avatars are the product of the Real World, but the Spirit World will often speak through an avatar when times become desperate, and the avatar is more drawn to areas where the two worlds are rift between each other. And Spirits that exist within this world, for whatever reason, are either drawn to the avatar or draw the avatar toward them. Besides that, I think when the avatar goes into the Avatar state they are connected to the Spirit World. But that's where my knowledge stops."
The avatar sighed again. They walked down the remaining stairs to the small beach. The tide was up, which meant there was very little sand in this area before it met the water. Aita took off her shoes and rolled her pants up to the first scar.
"I just wish it wasn't this hard. I mean, when you read about Aang's travels, he had a bit of trouble with earthbending, but not as much as I'm having with airbending," said Korra.
"The avatar often reflects the world at large," said Aita, shivering as the water washed over her feet. "There are only four, now five airbenders in the world and they all belong to the same family. The world has missed airbending. The avatar himself, or herself, didn't count. They did not completely embody the spirit of the element. Thus, since humans have been chosen to represent the elements in this world, the element of air has been less connected to the Real World as it should."
"But other creatures can bend the elements," said Korra.
"But we are the only creatures that exist who every lifetime has a being born in it's species that can bend all elements," Aita pointed out. "While some creatures can more easily move between the Spirit World and the Real World. We were the ones gifted with a race that fluctuates between elements, the connection to the Spirit World, and the balance we strike is what allows the equality between all elements, ourselves, and the Spirit World."
"Watch where you step," said Korra. Aita stopped suddenly, turned red, and took a step back.
"Sorry, I don't know where that came from," Aita revealed.
"This place really gets into your head, doesn't it?" asked Korra, sounding a little concerned, and maybe a touch jealous. Aita nodded and walked a little toward the shore. "You hate it."
Aita froze. The avatar was blunt and rough. Not stupid, but Aita hadn't thought the other girl would be any good at picking up that the equalist hated her connection. Maybe that she recented the connection and that she hated that nobody took her seriously because of the negative reputation rooted people had, but not how much Aita hated the connection.
"There's moments, not many, but right after I get out of the Spirit World that the Real World is crisp and beautiful. Everything is vibrant and blue and red. The earth smells deep and sharp, and it feels warm or cold or both at once. And then I see them again," Aita looked down to where a water snake had curled itself around Korra's ankles. "I see everything in a haze that becomes common place, little spirit creatures like to roam the Real World."
"Are you looking at something?" asked Korra. Aita blinked and smiled.
"Sorry, I'm used to ignoring them," said Aita. "You attract a lot of water snakes."
"What are water snakes?" asked Korra.
"They're these snake like spirit beings that take images, smells, and words into them, at random or for specific reason depending on timing and fate, and reflect back within their bodies," said Aita. "They have very little influence in the real world, but I think they can affect waterbenders to a small degree. Thus why they are following you around and why I call them water snakes."
"I think they're actually called Soul Snakes," said Korra. "My teachers taught me a bit about them. They used to be the favorite of one of my past reincarnations. I guess the connection to water was why."
"Huh, in any case. I wouldn't worry about the Spirit World overly much. Some avatars avoid it almost completely, and you can always access it through certain key points within the year," said Aita.
"If you mean like the Summer Solstice then it doesn't work. Neither did the Full or New moon or whatever that thing for the air was," said Korra with a sigh. That caught Aita off guard.
"What about the avatar state?" she asked. Korra shook her head.
"I watched my best friend eaten… I tried everything…" Korra shook and Aita quickly came to the other girl and put a hand on her shoulder. She was a bit surprised when Korra turned to hug her.
"Then I guess Aang had a reason to be worried," said Aita, her feet lifted off the ground a little as the avatar gripped her even tighter. "But I still don't know how to help."
Korra must have heard the breathless quality in Aita voice, because she put the shorter girl down. Aita coughed once and rolled her shoulders and back a couple of times.
"What about what you did before?" asked Korra, Aita wandered back into the ocean.
"That only worked because something got tangled up," said Aita with a shrug.
"But you said I was keeping the Spirit World at bay. Couldn't you open it, or force it open like a door?" asked Korra. Aita paused and then shrugged.
"I don't know. I didn't really have enough time to meditate on it with everything that's going on," said Aita, she then glanced over at Korra and stared at her in interest. "Why are you so interested in reaching the Spirit World?"
"The last time I got the vision I saw Turlock's father. I didn't know what it was at the time, but maybe if I had talked to Aang or been able to explore the vision to a greater degree than I would have known what it meant before Turlock captured me," said Korra with a shiver.
"The Spirit's don't always have an answer to that, and Aang won't have all the answers," said Aita softly. "I can't find out Amon's identity through the spirits, or the latest gossip, or even if you will win against the Antibending Revolution."
"But you'll help?" asked Korra.
"Let me meditate on it. At the very least I'll see about getting you connected to your past lives," said Aita. "Of course, your teachers must have given you the other examples of how to get connected to them besides danger to self or friends."
"High emotions," said Korra seriously.
"And it has to be something extraordinarily meaningful. A depression so deep the ocean can't contain it, joy that reaches past the heavens, fear that makes you shrivel and bring the world crashing about your head," said Aita. "But since the threat of violence didn't work, I'll assume the other won't, if simply because I have no idea how to invoke that sort of emotional reaction within anyone."
Korra smiled.
"Tenzin wanted to have a proper talk with you," she said. Aita batted the idea away.
"He can wait. We'll meditate on this first." The avatar groaned and Aita grinned ruthfully. "You'll find that I'm a firm believer in meditation. It's what keeps my mind planted in the here and now. Well, as much as it can be planted, and I haven't done it nearly enough lately."
Aita walked onto shore and folded her legs. Korra just stared at her for a moment before joining her. Time to slip away, and when they Aita opened her eyes, Korra had slumped over, asleep, the water had retreated, and the sky was going dark.
"I'll be late," Aita shouted, standing unsteadily against the sand and her legs tingling.
"Wow, careful Aita," said Mako, running down to help steady Aita before she crashed back down to the beach. He then went and helped up the sleepily blinking avatar.
"We were just coming to see you two. What were you doing all these hours?" asked Tenzin, sounding amused.
"Aita was meditating on how she could help me get in contact with the Spirit World," said Korra sleepily. Tenzin nodded.
"I need to head to my meeting. What time is it?" asked Aita. Tenzin shook his head.
"You're not going any longer," he said firmly.
"What? No. Why?"
"I let my prejudice of what I knew about those who are rooted cloud my judgment. What you have is a gift Aita, any mental deficiencies you might have suffered because of that connection you've overcome and turned into a strength instead. I should have seen this before," said Tenzin. He shook his head and offered a hand toward Aita, but she didn't take it. "I'm sorry Aita. I know that these meetings mean a lot to you, but they're support meetings for those people who aren't able to connect with anything but their element. You're able to talk and interact with the real world. And unfortunately, I think the only way you're going to be taken seriously is that we show your connection isn't weakness but something that can benefit all of us, starting with the avatar."
Aita just stared at the man for a moment, open mouth like a fish, she just wasn't sure. She wanted to yell at him. Spit at him. Why hadn't he shown any interest in her besides what he felt was his civic duty before he'd found out she was his niece? Was the timing just so coincidental? And how could being caught between two worlds be seen as a good thing? All it gave her was constant headaches and a gimmick for her store. Actually, it had also taught her how to fight and take away bending. Aita wanted to snap at Tenzin, show him exactly what she'd learned from the spirits and why he should regret ever compelling her to find a way out of the Spirit World.
But she held her tongue. The ability to travel between the two worlds, her own genetic connection to Tenzin, those were what was allowing her to act as a spy for Amon. It wouldn't be long before she got information. The ex-chief was an old friend of Tenzin, and Tenzin himself was on the council. They'd probably didn't think twice of talking at the dinner table about their plans, especially when they had to fill the avatar in on things. So Aita would have to play it that she was grateful for Tenzin's praise, that she was finally getting recognition for her rooted status as something useful instead of something pitied.
Aita gripped Tenzin's hand and smiled.
"What about getting in contact with the Spirit World?" asked Korra, yawning, but looking a good deal more awake than she had a moment before.
"I'll tell you my idea tomorrow. It's starting to get late and I don't want to meditate once the sun goes down," said Aita. Korra made a face but nodded. Mako whispered something into her ear that had the avatar giggling. Aita sighed, but at least everyone had accepted her excuse as to why she couldn't stay on the island. But she had a feeling she would be coming back later in the night to Amon than before.
"Aita?" asked Tenzin as Aita fell into step beside him. "I'm guessing Sota told you I'm not…"
"Yeah, though I didn't give him time to give the reason why," said Aita, glancing at Tenzin.
"Well, for one thing, I'd have to been pretty young when I fathered you," pointed out Tenzin.
"I've known people to have kids at a younger age," Aita said dryly. Tenzin turned red but nodded. He leaned into Aita and practically whispered to Aita.
"I promise I never slept with your mother. The only two women I've known are Pema and Lin," he quickly straightened after he finished. Aita glanced at him suspiciously, but he sounded sincere, and while he was whispering, he probably knew his wife had heard about him 'knowing' another woman, though she might have known that from the start. Still, Aita was inclined to believe. Aita finally sighed. It really didn't matter to her. As far as she cared, her father was dead to her, even if, maybe especially because, he was a relative to the past avatar.
"Fine, but if I don't like this Bumi I'm still going to claim your our father," Aita said, trying to sound teasing. Tenzin chuckled.
"At least give my brother a chance," said Tenzin. Aita nodded, but she was hungry and had plenty of superficial information to pass on to Amon later that night. She probably shouldn't have any more than that for her first day.
-A-I-T-A-S-P-I-R-I-T-
By the time Aita arrived at the underground training site, she was out of breath. She took a moment in the shadows to compose herself before she headed into the room. She waved at Dou and headed to where Amon was watching while Luco laid out a battle plan describing what was probably their next big move.
"We need someone near the back here, but I need to know if you want an opening or if you want us to capture everyone," Luco said this last bit with a sneer. Aita agreed. They suaully gave less important people a way out. If they just went around killing and capturing everyone, especially during their big moments, then a third of the city would be dead and the rest would either already be an equalist or in prison.
"I haven't decided yet," muttered Amon. Both Aita and Luco looked at Amon, a little taken back. The answer to that question was obvious, the only reason Luco had asked was because he thought it was expected of him. Luco had already decided to post less equalists there, and to have them more or less disperse when everyone came tearing out of the building. The only ones there would be watchers, ensuring that no one important was slipping away.
Maybe Amon was still shaken up about the rally the other day, or maybe he had a plan that he hadn't yet finalized or told them about. A part of the movement that he hadn't yet set in stone. Aita and Luco locked eyes for a moment. Mutual confusion shared and acknowledged before Amon spoke up again.
"Spirit, why don't you get settled in our rooms?" asked Amon. Aita gripped at the bundle of clothes she had stashed under her darker ones. Amon had said to bring some of her civilian clothes with her a little at a time. So she'd picked up a water tribe themed one from one of the alleyway's along her path, and all the ones she kept in the store. Amon said he'd have them shifted between his quarters, and that the same person who washed Amon's clothes would wash her. That was a bit of a relief. Aita hadn't had a lot of free time lately, and she didn't think she would anytime soon. So her clothes had started to well, smell like they hadn't been washed in three weeks.
There was still the problem that Amon would see or at least know who she was if her clothes were described. Aita never really thought about it before. Her darker clothes had always sufficiently covered up her civilian ones, and while Aita didn't go for high fashion, she did have a distinctive look, if simply for convenience. Her civilian clothes had to fit under her black clothes, so they were form fitting, often water tribe themed, long sleeved, and easy to move in. Aita had slight variations on the themes, but nothing else, the only time she wore something more gaudy was when she was dressed up as a fortuneteller.
Aita found herself almost relishing the thought. Maybe one day Aita would be corralled into going into a fight with the equalists or she'd be caught with the avatar in the wrong sort situation and Amon would see what the rooted twin was wearing and he'd know who she was. Maybe Aita should do more to see if she could help those who were rooted. Maybe Amon just didn't care about rooted people one way or the other. It wasn't that Amon was a cruel man, but he had a huge change to implement. He had enough problems without adding in rooted people into it, especially if there was nothing he could do to rooted people.
A little form clutched onto Aita as she entered into Amon's quarters. Aita froze and looked down, then she crouched and lifted the girl's face she saw the half crocked, glassy eyed gaze of a rooted child.
"Amon was hoping to experiment a little," said Bethai, not standing to pull the girl from where she clung to Aita. "That's the little rooted girl that started the big movement for the orphanages. Her name is Sura."
"Hello Sura," said Aita softly, running her hand through the girl's hair. The little girl actually responded a bit, her forehead following Aita's hand for a second. Aita froze a little in confusion. She looked up sharply at Bethai.
"I know you weren't there, but when Amon said the rooted people he tried to help had no reaction, he wasn't being completely honest. Most just continued to gaze out uninterested, yes, but two screamed and three started to follow Amon around after a couple of seconds of inaction," said Bethai. Aita walked over to the old woman and tried to get Sura to cling to her instead, but the rooted child's fingers just fastened tightly onto Aita and refused to let go. "It wasn't that they were more responsive, the screaming was attributed the screaming to the kneeling position we had them in and then someone sneaking behind them. And we weren't sure if those three were following him, they could have just started wandering the way rooted people do when left to their own devices."
Aita nodded but stared. This all made sense, but why was the girl here now? And why was Bethai telling her all this.
"It's become important," said a slightly distorted female voice. Aita tried not to jump or show any signs that she was surprised. In the corner of the doorway stood a smallish figure, delicate looking despite the full equalist uniform and glowing green eyes.
"Rat," said Aita with a nod. Aita didn't see the person Amon called the Spy Master very often. Aita, technically, fell under the woman's jurisdiction, but that had never been a problem. Aita hardly ever saw the woman, and what communication she had was through Bethai. All verbal, all about spies and stolen documents. Aita knew most of the spies this way. Well, not all, but she knew the ones that Rat had setup as her fallback plan. Those who would leak information directly to Aita, and who would help her if they could if Aita got caught in a trap.
"Heard you took on a more involved in spying recently. Amon thought I should be here for the first debrief, and I has some sensitive information I needed to personally relinquish to him, so I came," said Rat smoothly. She walked into the room and took one of the little girl's hands. Sura didn't seem to notice. "You'll probably be seeing me a bit more, if you don't mind."
"I'm not telling you who I am," Aita said with a shrug. Rat chuckled just under her breath, the electronic cackling with static as she did so.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Rat said. Aita stared at the Spy Master, trying to read the woman through the standard equalist face mask. If anyone knew who Aita was it would be this woman. She had eyes and ears everywhere. She could have had some beggar see Aita slip one too many times into an alleyway, or heard the wrong things Aita said as either Spirit or herself. The woman lived on information, more so than Rebc, and almost none of it was written. Just kept snug in her head until she had use of it. But Rat said she liked Aita. She liked the complex ones with their silly little hang-ups. Oh, Aita wasn't her favorite. Rat's favorite operates were the ones that needed to be 'taken care of' sometimes. The ones that ninety percent of the time didn't know which side they were on, and swayed between loyalties until one side had to silence them.
"Rat had something to with my bringing Sura here," said Bethai, filling in the silence. "I don't know if that little rooted girl at the rally that has Amon interested in this angle and I can certainly use it to our advantage if it pans out."
"But it didn't," Aita pointed out.
"One trial does not negate anything," said Bethai. "Just means we have explored all the angles we could have. Plus, we did get results of a sort, they were just so odd that we wrote them off."
"But why the interest?" asked Aita.
"Intrigue. Actually the fact that Amon admitted to not being able to cure rooted people had some people approaching, well, not him, but others. They want to see if that's actually true. Amon actually said that you were learning the technique and were the one with the interest helping those who were rooted," said Bethai. Aita sighed. "The difference of your using the ability will ring with some. Curing those rooted has always been thought to be humanitarian. Plus, modern medicine has been working on separating the rooted from their element. This is a process we have come the closest to solving."
"My thing?" asked Aita.
"Not necessarily. You can claim to know someone rooted, someone close, and that's where your interest is. You can claim you didn't even think anyone was working on a cure and still be hailed as a hero because you tried," Bethai said. Aita wasn't sure. It seemed like a good way to have people start to doubt their cause. But Bethai was the woman who ran their public image, so Aita would work with the new task as well as she could.
Aita kneeled, placing her bag down next to her and put her hand to Sura's head. She closed her eyes and reached. Aita's eyes snapped open. Why hadn't she tried this before? But before she could even start to celebrate she watched as the light slipped out of Sura's eyes and then girl became listless again.
"Spirit?" asked Bethai.
"It works, only for a second," said Aita.
"But it works. Why aren't the rooted reacting then?" asked Bethai.
"They only have a second to be present," Rat pointed out. "Most are probably too stunned to properly react, and the screaming ones are the ones who have time to."
"But they want it, even now Sura trying to mold herself into Spirit. She must have been able to sense that Spirit could help her," said Bethai, who grinned cheekily at Aita when the masked girl turned to her as she tried to push the insistent thing away from her.
"I'm undercover," Aita pointed out.
"And I'll take the child home with me when I go, but I can't deny the child an opportunity to hug her aunty Spirit now can I?" teased the woman. "And stop scowling at me behind that mask or I'll bring in one of the screamers for you to work on next."
Aita was about to ask what that even meant when the door opened and Amon and Luco walked in.
"Good news. It seems your trick really does work on rooted people, just not permanently or for very long," said Bethai.
"Can you work with that?" asked Amon, looking at Aita. Aita frowned at him. She rather he didn't just assume that she would jump to do his bidding, but she was his subordinate, she couldn't just yell at him that it wasn't fair she'd been saddled with so much responsibility lately. It was expected she'd have to do a lot. She was one of his confidants, and his lover.
"I'll try," she said after a pause. Amon nodded at her and Luco shut the door behind them.
"There's been a bit of trouble over at the Airship site and the new chief of the metalbending cops is on a rampage, so it will just be us tonight," said Amon. Sura wandered over toward him, not letting go of Aita as she did so. Aita followed the girl obligingly. There wasn't much she could do short of forcing the girl to let go of her, and though the kid looked about eight, she'd probably cry or become too stunned if Aita tried that. Amon chuckled, ruffled the girl's hair and then pulled Aita into his lap. Aita squirmed, not comfortable, but she trusted Amon had his reasons for acting silly. Maybe he was trying to make a point to Luco.
"Well, what to report?" asked Rat.
"I'm in, got a position and everything now, still working through some trust issues but…" Aita shrugged. "Most of what I've got is gossip though."
"Gossips good," said Rat.
"Councilman Tenzin's wife had a baby boy that they're certain is an airbender," said Aita, leaning back into Amon and throwing her arm around his neck. Finding a comfortable way to sit like this was difficult. "The firebender likes the avatar but he's dating Mr. Sato's daughter. The new airbender went with his sister and the earthbender to get Asami chocolate. The airbender is officially a student of Tenzin's and a member of the avatars little group. And his sister works in there somehow, but no one seems to quite know how yet. And they're saying Tenzin isn't the twins father, and that Tenzin's brother is the father instead."
Aita hoped that was vague enough. She really didn't know anything important. The ex-chief claimed she trusted Aita now; she was even nice to her during dinner. But the focus of the talk during dinner had been on the new baby and trying to avoid getting sucked into Mako's and Asami's fight. And then Rat started to interrogate her. Aita kept as many facts straight, and her answers allusive under the reiteration that she wasn't giving up enough for them to figure out who she was. A couple of times Aita found herself answering while her head was still in a spin from the last five rapid connected questions and she just caught herself in time from saying something stupid.
"That all you need?" asked Rat, finally tearing her gaze and attention back to Amon. Aita felt like she could breathe again.
"Yes, thank you Rat," said Amon.
"Always a pleasure," said Rat, and with that she was out the window. "See you later Spirit."
"You two are so a like it's scary," said Bethai looking at Aita.
"I'm not like her," said Aita. Amon laughed and offered to lead Bethai back to her place as long as it was safe. Aita was left to herself for a while. She meditated until Amon came back and distracted her.
-A-I-T-A-S-P-I-R-I-T-
Aita swung out of the bed, careful not to disturb Amon as she did so and headed for the shower. The water felt good against her skin and Aita shivered under the cool water. Maybe she should do this after. She should definitely throw on some clothes afterward. Amon had and both of them had slipped on their masks immediately afterward, and it made sense. The door was locked and weapons were kept close at hand. Aita literally slept with her knife in her hand the last night. But someone could bust in, and Aita would rather not fight naked.
Aita quickly dried her hair as well as she could. Amon didn't have a dryer in the immediate vicinity, so it would probably be fine. She'd just let it dry while she flew the flying bison and then let her brother help. She'd have to waste some time brushing it after that, but it was better than putting her hair up and keeping her hair damp the rest of the night.
She slipped the towel around her and entered the bedroom as quietly as she could. Amon snorted and then turned over. Aita smiled and then dug under the bed for her clothes. She couldn't see what she grabbed, so she didn't know if it matched, but Aita didn't really care. She then slipped on the dark outer clothes. Aita paused; Amon said he'd have her clothes washed, but that didn't count her outside clothes, and those were starting to smell a bit too.
Aita left Amon's bedroom, locking it behind her and then left out the study window. She spent the morning at a discreet washers where no one would look twice at her or pay attention to the fact all her clothes were black. The most they might think is that Aita was 'dark' or into a 'young person's trend'. It wasn't all her dark clothes, and she had to be careful as she picked it all up and then redistributed the clothes and masks into new hideaway spots. She did this periodically to make sure that they weren't found. Or if they were, then they would lose track of them. Aita prided herself on being able to know when she was being tailed and then learning how to lose that tail.
Aita thought about that for a moment. Perched on the flying bison she felt a little air sick that morning. So she concentrated on this new thought. She could feel a person's spirit if she concentrated right. Maybe Aita should try to find people's bending with that same trick. Bending was spiritual to a great deal, it wouldn't be crazy for Aita to know if someone was a nonbender, rooted, or bender with her connection, with her eyes that saw things that wasn't really there to other people. She could see more.
"Aita," shouted Sota as Aita told the flying bison to land. He was jumping ten feet into the air with the help of his bending. Aita was glad that they hadn't given Sota one of the hang glider things. Maybe they didn't have those anymore. Aita would be glad for that. She didn't trust her brother to act maturely if he actually had the ability to fly. "Aita."
"Stop that or you'll scare the thing," said Aita.
"It has a name," said Sota, landing on the flying bison's head.
"Do you know what it is?" asked Aita. Slipping off the creature since if had landed a second after her brother had landed on it.
"Well no," said Sota. Aita rolled her eyes and waved to Korra, who paused in her forms to wave back. Bolin sleepily stumbled next to the avatar and started to do his own set of warm-ups.
"You're all up late," said Aita.
"How much coffee did you have? And it's only eight," said Sota, and then he shook his head. "Not important. Guess what, Aita, guess what? Guess what?"
"What?" asked Aita mostly to make her brother stop being obnoxious.
"Our grandmother is coming later today." Aita froze in her steps.
"What?"
"Yeah, I know. Apparently the conditions were right or something and she got the message by airwaves or whatever yesterday and took the first boat she was able to down here and she'll be here this afternoon. We just got the message this morning. Isn't that great Aita? We haven't ever had a real grandmother. Not really," Sota kept talking, but Aita found herself retreating. Katara. If her father was really Bumi or even Tenzin then Katara was her grandmother and her grandmother was then the most powerful waterbender still alive. Certainly the most powerful healer.
"Aita?" asked Sota.
"I need more coffee."