Chapter 11: Retaliation

Noon, Hidden sewers

Republic City

Ever since the occupation, Republic city was finally taken over by the Equalists. Korra and Mako went out at dawn while Raiku snuck out last night. He witnessed benders captured at every time and turn with families captured to be sent to imprisonment by Amon. Fortunately, Raiku managed to save a few families and lend them to a safe haven underneath Republic city. He arrived back at the hidden haven in the sewers, seeing Korra and the others eating some food from a hobo Korra met during her first time in Republic city. Raiku took a bowl and poured some in, giving it a taste.

"This stuff is good. What is it?" Li Mei glancing at the cook

"I collected it from the finest trash cans of the city have to offer." he said with Raiku spitting the trash made soup out of his mouth as he heard a gasp from everyone

"What? What are you... oh..." Raiku paused and realized who he spat the trash soup, feeling a sudden chill to his spine. He slowly looked at an enraged Korra with Raiku's eyes being completely wide. "Korra, I'm sorry. I-I-I didn't mean to-" he was cut off when Korra threw the trash soup at his face. "Gotta go!" Raiku ran with intense speed, getting away from Korra's wrath yelling at him

Night, Underground haven

Republic city

Raiku laid on a makeshift bed, staring at the lockett that showed a picture of his mother and father. He lifted the lakogian blade in the air, glancing at the symbol of Lakogi and his parents as he placed the lockett back in his pocket. He didn't know what to think anymore. Amon was winning, the Equalists took control of Republic city and he didn't have the slightiest idea how tomorrow would turn out. Would the republic army arrived and take the city back from the Equalists? Or would the battle be lost? He remembered what his uncle Acaro said whenever battle arose: Prepare for the worst that your enemy will unleash.

Raiku sighed. "Dad, what do we do?" he asked staring at the night sky, wondering how to stop Amon and the Equalists. "Every step we make Amon seems to be ahead of us. Every time! And for the first time, I don't know what I should do. All I can hope is that we stop this guy."

"Need some company?" Raiku turned his head to see Asami, now laying beside him as they stared at night sky

"Sure. I could use some right about now." Raiku replied. "To be honest," he then glanced at Asami. "I have no idea what's going to happen tomorrow."

"Me neither. I can't believe my father would do this."

"At least you know yours. Amon killed mine's and held my mother prisoner."

"But you still have your mother. She's still alive."

"I'm sorry about what I said when I accused your dad for working with the Equalists. Most of all the part of mentioning your mother's death."

"No, I'm sorry. I realized you just wanted to find your mother." Asami shed a tear as she quickly wiped it away. "Know that you still have her, Raiku. You didn't lose everything." she planted a kiss on his cheek as Asami stood up leaving

"She's cute." Raiku glanced right of him to see a familiar face. "You two an item?"

Raiku blinked. "Nolun?" he got up from his makeshift bed. "I thought you were captured."

"I manage to give those equalists the slip." he chucked as two women appeared right beside Nolun. "I like you to meet Jesara." he pointed at the waterbender on the left, then at the firebener on the right. "And this is Haiki. Anyway, I'd never thought to see you here kid."

"Same with you. Aside from what's happening, how come you're here on this side?"

"Ever since the Equalists occupied Republic city, I've been putting together an army to take back the city." Nolun stated. "I'm not going to be waiting around like some cattle. If I'm going down, I'm going all-out with a fight."

"We still got backup coming from the Republic city."

"Who's leading the charge? General Iroh?" Raiku nodded his head in reply. "Maybe this will turn out well, then."

"But..." Raiku hinted, trailing off

"But I can't help feeling that's it a trap." Nolun said, stroking his chin. "And if reinforcement are ambushed tomorrow, we'll have make our final stand."

Morning, Outside underground haven

Republic city

It was morning as Republic city was covered in fog, with a view of the ocean being barely visible. Raiku was the last to follow Korra and the others, narrowing his eyes as he felt a deep feeling of worry and somewhat doubt on his mind. That's when he saw them, the United forces. Everything was all quiet, to quiet as a matter of fact. He felt a trap coming, or worse an ambush as he figured Korra and the others were getting a bad feeling as well. Then all of a sudden, United ships were going attacked from below. Meaning the Equalists planted mines in the ocean upon the United forces arrival. That's when he heard a vrooming sounds coming from above as Raiku leaped up in order to get a better view of what was coming. It wasn't blimps, seeing as how it sounded more quick and louder. His answer came when he saw flying contraptions, which looked to be made from Future Industries. The company Asami and her family own. And they were bombing the United frieghters as Raiku went to help Korra as he flew on his air glider.

He looked left and right at the ambush, bombs landing everywhere as soldiers were sent falling down on the ocean. Raiku jumped above his air glider, putting out his blades as he performed a air slash while leaping on top of a Equalist airplane as it was sent spiralling away toward a hull of a united ship. Raiku landed on the glider with his feet, launching a couple of air slashes toward incoming bombs while sneaking behind another Equalist plane. Raiku air slashed the tail rotor of the plane, sending it crashing down in the water. Then unsuspected to Raiku, a equalist plane was following him as Raiku started manuevering away from the plane. It flew above him while a bomb begun to fall down on top of him, with Raiku creating a air bubble to cover him from the impact as Raiku dived into the ocean grabbing his air nomad glider shifting back to a staff

Raiku gasped coming out of the water. "That was too close."

"Raiku!" he quickly turne his head to see Korra grabbing hold of General Iron. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. We need to go." he declared as Raiku's grabbed Korra to help her out with carrying General Iroh

"Hang on!" Korra used her waterbending to move away from the losing battle

Noon, Underground haven

Republic city

"Here comes the hard part. We need to take down those air crafts." General Iroh stated

"And with General Bumi's fleet, they'll be caught in the ambush again like before." Nolun replied

Mako pointed his finger northwest on the map. "They came from that direction." he moved his finger at the mountain side. "So it'll be here in the mountain range."

"Everyone get ready. We leave at dawn." Gen. Iroh declared as everyone left the tent

"It's time to take down my father."

"Wait." Korra said, leaving Raiku and the other to stare at her. "I'm sorry. I'm not going with you."

"Korra, why not?" Li Mei asked

"I'm sick and tired of hiding from Amon. It's time I face him."

"That's not really a good plan." Raiku joked nervously

"I'm not waiting for him to hunt me down."

"Yeah, I'm with the Avatar on this." everyone glanced at Nolun. "It's time we fight back. My army's team ready to strike. We can cause a diversion that'll keep Equalists off the whoever's heading to sabotage their factory."

"You can do this alone." Li Mei stated. "I'm coming with you."

"Me too."

"You both don't have to do this."

"Yes, we do. We're in this tomorrow."

"Bolin and Asami can go with Gen. Iroh to shut down their factory."

Asami glanced at Raiku with a worried look. "What about you?"

"I'm going with Nolun to start the attack."

"What?"

"You guys heard me. I'm settting up the attack."

"Raiku I don't be rude, but are you out of your mind?! If they capture you and the rebels, Amon's going to take your bending away!"

"I know he will. But I'm going down fighting. And above all..." Raiku strapped his headband on his forehead. "This is where we take a stand."

Nolun slammed his fist to his hand. "Hear, hear. Tomorrow dawn, we attack." he said as Raiku saw Asami leave, with Raiku running toward her

"Asami, asami!" Raiku shouted, trying to catch her attention. "Hey, hey. What's going on? Why are you-"

"What are you thinking?" she said. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking you're upset about something."

"Raiku, you're volunteering for battle."

"Aren't we all? I mean, come on!" Raiku exclaimed. "This is where we make our stand. And I don't know if we win or lose tomorrow, but I know there comes a time when we must fight back."

"If you captured you know what will happen." Asami looked away. "Amon won't just capture and maybe torture you, he'll also take your bending away and locked you up."

Raiku moved Asami's chin as she was facing him. "I know. And I won't be captured by him. I promise I'll come out of this." he declared as he kissed Asami on the lips, with her kissing him back passionately

"Can I ask you something, Raiku?" Asami said as Raiku nod his head in reply. "Did you have any feelings for Korra?"

"You mean I did love her?" Raiku shook out a shrug. "A little crush maybe when she came by Air temple island that day. But not anymore. You still have feelings about Mako?"

"I have feelings for him as a friend now. And Raiku..." Asami embraced him in a hug as she rested on his shoulder. "Be careful."

"You too." he said as he kissed her forehead