Author's Note: 9/30/13 Hey! It was only a little over a month for this one. Good job, self.
As always, let me know what you all think so far! I am talking book report status. What is your favorite part so far and why? I'd like to know if everyone's catching what I'm throwing.
"Korra, I was wondering if you and your friends would like some lychee juice."
Perhaps she had not heard him. Outside her room, Tenzin winced. He would have slapped his head if he wasn't holding the tray. What teenager wanted lychee juice? There was a pause and Tenzin was tempted to open the door.
"No, but thank you," Korra predictably answered.
"Well you have all been cooped up in there for quite some time." Tenzin's annoyance with that fact shone. He smiled, proposing, "Perhaps you could stretch your legs. I would be more than happy to give your friends a tour of the island."
"Maybe later."
That response took a fraction of the time as the first. Tenzin frowned, sighing. He wanted to speak to her face to face. He carefully put down the tray, reaching for the door.
"I did not want to intrude because I respect your privacy, but I hardly think it's appropriate to-" He didn't have to exert any more effort to know that the door was locked, blocked somehow from the inside. "Open this door."
"Tenzin, it's not-"
"I will not ask again! Open this door. Now."
Korra appeared before him in an instant. She widened her stance, holding her ground and blocking his way. "Let me explain. Wait!"
The papers rustled in the breeze when he walked in. Tenzin scanned over the room. Mako, Bolin, and Tao all stood straight, their heads cast down in guilt. He used the wind to pull a few papers into his hand.
"How did you get these?" Tenzin questioned, looking between the teenagers. "What are you doing with them?"
"Investigating," Bolin responded, quickly meeting the monk's eyes. "…s-sir."
"Investi-" The airbender shut his eyes in irritation, cutting himself off with a frustrated sigh. Korra was in front of him again.
The young Avatar began to explain, "We were-"
"Lin told me about yesterday," Tenzin interrupted.
Korra rolled her eyes, mumbling under breath, "I'm sure she did."
He continued, unnerved, "And she warned me that you might try something…"
"Stupid?" she offered in a grumble, crossing her arms in offense.
"Misguided," Tenzin corrected. He stood straighter, looking down his nose at her. "And do you know what I said in response?"
The teens glanced at each other as if one of them would mysteriously have the answer. Korra settled on shaking her head.
The monk looked supremely disappointed, explaining sadly, "I told her that I trusted you."
Korra couldn't look at him anymore, her eyes falling to the ground in guilt. Trusted…
He continued, his tone returning to a stern cadence. "I trust that-" Tenzin didn't point, but rather eyed the box. "-will be returned to its rightful place." No one responded and he added harshly, "Tonight."
"Yes," Korra answered, jolting to attention.
The airbender scanned over each teen. "And I won't hear about anymore investigations, will I?"
"No," the teens echoed in unison. Korra's voice stuck out, sounding more annoyed than the others.
"Good," Tenzin nodded, adjusting his robe. "Now, how about that tour?"
Bolin and Tao walked eagerly on either side of Tenzin as the monk led them around the island. Korra fell behind, taking deliberately slower and slower steps in hopes of losing him. Whenever she was far enough away, Tenzin noticed and would pause the tour, smile as he waited for her to catch up. The Avatar glared at his back. He didn't have to look so happy about it.
"Come on, guys!" Bolin called excitedly, waving his arms animatedly. "You're missing it! This is where the sky bison sleep!"
Tao giggled at the earthbender's behavior before asking Tenzin something. The monk grinned as he answered. Korra groaned, rolling not only her eyes, but her whole head. With the action, she caught a glimpse of Mako. He had fallen behind her at some point. She turned to fully look at him.
"The eggs are Korra's feelings and Mako wishes to protect them."
Korra blushed at the thought and looked away quickly, hoping he hadn't noticed. "Is…uh…," she fumbled with a laugh. "Is your brother always so excitable?"
She chanced looking at him through the corner of her eye. Mako hadn't reacted or changed expression in the slightest. He didn't even look at her. The firebender only shrugged his shoulders in answer.
Korra sighed, shaking her head. You're acting like an idiot. Forget what Tao said. "Oh, come on! And then he jumps on the chance to hang out with you." She shut her eyes, groaning. Forget what Bolin said too!
"We need to come up with a new strategy."
She jumped at the sound of his voice, especially as it was a whisper so close to her ear. The Avatar cleared her throat guiltily, looking off to the side just in case he could see that she had been thinking about him or how his proximity affected her. "What are you talking about?"
He whispered again, "The box was a dud, so -"
"We don't know that yet," she argued under her breath.
"Maybe," his jaw tensed as he agreed tightly. "But those files have to be gone by tomorrow morning-"
"Then, we have to find something tonight."
"Tenzin wants us to take them back tonight."
"And we will. After we go through them."
"We can't go through them, Korra," Mako said definitively, losing patience. His voice had risen above a whisper and he and Korra looked to the trio ahead of them.
He tried again, quietly. "Even if we had the time, we can't do this here. Beifong and Tenzin are friends, right? It's only a matter of time before he gets her involved."
"Where are we gonna meet then? What are we going to do?" Korra lamented more than argued as she turned to him for answers.
Mako hadn't realized how closely they had been speaking until now. She looked up at him those spirits damned eyes. His gaze darted to her lips out of a hormonal, fleeting habit. He took a step away, squaring his shoulders and shoving his hands in his pockets.
Korra sighed defeatedly as they walked in silence. Up ahead, Tenzin had stopped again, waiting for her to catch up. Tao was explaining something to Bolin now. The earthbender hung on the acolyte's every word.
"If we don't find anything tonight, we can move on," Mako stated confidently, swallowing his nerves as he felt Korra's eyes fall onto him. He nodded to Bolin. "Meet us at our place and we'll go from there."
"You're…" He knew by her voice that she was smiling. "You're okay with that?"
He pursed his lips, mumbling, "Yeah, whatever."
Suddenly, she was hugging him. As his hands had been in his pockets, Korra trapped his arms awkwardly with her embrace. She squeezed him once, humming in delight as she let him go. "It's a date, hot shot."
"It's-" he began to retort, but she had jogged up to Tao, Tenzin and Bolin. Mako sighed, conceding dryly, "Great."
Bolin bounced on his toes as he waited for Korra and Tao. He stood close to the Arena's courtyard, watching closely for some sign of the girls. He couldn't believe Mako was not only letting people into their apartment (if you could call it that), but had suggested it.
"He's got it baaaaad," the earthbender sang to himself, leaning out from the archway to stare down the street.
His green eyes scanned over the distance, Air Temple Island not too far beyond. So late at night, the usually busy street was empty. Korra had always come from this way before. Why weren't they there yet? He watched closely for any movement in the shadows, a sign of the girls' arrival. "Their shadows moved…" Bolin straightened. Okay, if you see any shadows moving in any non-shadowy way, you're going to run.
"And probably scream," he added aloud. A silhouette slowly grew over him.
"Huh?"
"AH!" he yelped, jumping at Korra's voice. Bolin swiveled his body around to face them, clearing his throat. He bowed, crooning, "Good evening, ladies."
When he straightened, he gestured for them to be silent. Tao and Korra nodded, taking quiet, cautious steps through the arena. None of them spoke until they reached the run down attic. Korra recognized that they were close.
"So why were you guys coming from the city? I thought you'd come from the island," Bolin asked.
"Korra and I had to take the files back to City Hall before arriving here," Tao explained.
"Oh, okay," the brawny teen smiled easily. He did a double take. "Wait! You took them back? How are we gonna find anything?"
Korra elbowed Tao and the acolyte produced some papers from her loose sleeves. The Avatar revealed, "We already have."
"What is this?" Mako squinted, glared really, at the paper.
"Look at the name," Korra instructed, pointing out Tarrlok's scribbles. She stood on her tip toes, looking over the paper in his hands. "It's circled here and-" She shifted the other paper in his hands. "-here." The Avatar pressed herself closer to his side, trying to get a better view of the article while she spoke. "Tarrlok thought this Shengkai g-" Her nose scrunched in frustration at her almost rhyme. "-person could be Amon."
"Sounds like you've got everything worked out," the elder brother sloughed her off, pushing the papers into her chest and dropping them for her to catch.
Korra took a breath through her teeth, forcing herself to calm down. She still ended up snapping at him, "Well, what do you think?"
"You don't want my opinion," Mako warned.
"I asked, didn't I?!" she huffed. Then she groaned, putting her hands on her hips, "We're… a team. I want to know what you think."
"A team," Mako repeated unamused. "And the team decided to abandon our last idea for three sheets of paper."
Korra pouted, her eyebrows knitted in confusion and some hurt. A part of him wanted to back off. The very existence of that part convinced him not to. He had given into that pout before and the box she had "cared so much about" was nowhere to be seen. He felt an idiot.
"No. You decided. And it's only a matter of time before you're done with this too. You still want to know what I think?"
Mako glared at her, waiting for a nod, some kind of response. Korra looked him square in the eye, meeting his scowl with a steely glare of her own.
He leaned in, his arms crossed. "I think you're unstable and you need help. But you don't want it." Then, he turned on his heel, heading for his room. "You want to do this on your own? Fine. You know the way out," he stated coldly, gesturing to the door.
"Mako…" Bolin called sadly.
The elder brother was about to shut his makeshift door when he heard her voice. Korra was whispering, breathing the words. He turned at the soft sound.
"Help me."
The Avatar glanced over her friends with an angry pout before she cast her face down in embarrassment. She let one arm hang, gripping her elbow with the other. She sighed in irritation, rolling her eyes as they all gaped at her.
"I have no idea what I'm doing," she added dryly, throwing her arms out. "Happy?" Korra shot Mako a pointed look.
The firebender's shoulders relaxed as he reached out for the papers, curling his fingers back and forth. She roughly handed them back to him. He read the article over carefully, his golden eyes transfixed on the words while he spoke.
"What were you going to do?" Mako asked casually. When she didn't answer, his gaze shifted up to her face.
Korra squirmed, reluctant to answer. "I… was going to look up the name at Immigration Services. See if he had any family. Talk to them." She looked down at her feet, toeing the cracked floor. She ventured a glance and saw Mako's retort forming, so she added in a snap, "Family that's not dead."
"Hold it! His family's dead?!" Bolin exclaimed, scrambling over to his brother and the articles.
"Wife and kids were killed in a house fire," Mako briefed, not offering up the paper just yet. "Someone locked them in and…" He sighed in disgust and sadness, "Watched them burn alive."
"Who could be capable of such cruelty?" Tao mourned.
The firebender scoffed quietly to himself, thinking back to his days with the Triple Threats. He knew plenty. They were all trash. Most of them didn't deserve to live.
Mako blanched fleetingly. "Two-toed" Ping, one of the worst, had died mysteriously, along with dozens of other gang members. "They were all benders."
"All triad too…," he mumbled under his breath.
Korra reached out to Mako, asking cautiously in an attempt to taper her excitement, "What is it? Did you think of something?"
"Maybe," the older brother straightened, reasserting his cool demeanor. He let Bolin take the article, turning to Korra. "When were you going to Immigration?"
"Uh… tomorrow," she answered, flustered by his suddenly intense gaze.
"I'm going with you," Mako stated.
"Really?" she smiled proudly.
"Yeah," he agreed halfheartedly, not even looking at her. Mako was already walking over to his brother on the couch with Tao. He kicked Bolin's foot, grabbing his attention. "I need you to do something tomorrow."
The next afternoon, Korra and Tao returned to the Arena. The Avatar tapped her foot impatiently as the brothers argued.
"I don't understand, Mako," Bolin whined. He leaned in to complain through a nearly closed mouth, "I thought we weren't going to mess with the triads anymore."
The older brother gritted his teeth, explaining, "We're not! I just want you to talk to Bao and see if he's ever heard of someone named Shengkai. That's it."
Bolin nodded and gestured for Tao to follow him. Mako nodded over to the Avatar.
Korra picked at her nails, arching her back to shoot herself away from the wall, "What is Bao gonna know anyway?"
The firebender didn't look at her as they walked together. He adjusted his scarf, answering, "He's a bookie and he has the numbers on every fixed bet in Republic City. If someone was in the red, he'd know."
"Why does that matter?"
"If Shengkai was deep enough in the hole…" Mako looked remorseful for a moment, but quickly steeled himself. "The Triads always get their money. There's more than one way to make someone pay."
"So they killed his family," Korra added, watching him. He neither confirmed nor denied her. She eyed the side of his face, pouting even if he couldn't see it. "What do you know about the triads? Maybe you're wrong."
The firebender squared his shoulders, still facing directly forward.
"So what's so special about this Shengkai guy-" Bolin burst into a smile at the rhyme. "-anyway?"
"This individual shares a similar history with Amon," Tao stated uneasily.
"How similar?" He gently pulled the distracted acolyte over to him, so she avoided running into someone.
"Identical." She clasped her hands in front of her, lowering her head, staying close to him. "From what Amon stated in the meeting and the information in those articles, their pasts are identical."
"It could… be a coincidence?" Bolin offered happily, squeezing her waist affectionately. Upon realizing their proximity, he let go and laughed it off.
Tao nodded, "Perhaps." A thought came to her mind and she shyly looked up at Bolin, brushing her hair behind her ears before clasping her hands piously in front of her. "The man we are going to see… he is an acquaintance of yours?"
"Uh, yeah, yeah. Just someone me and Mako used to… work with," the earthbender struggled to explain. "O-on occasion."
She bowed her head, accepting the information as Bolin lead them through the seedier part of town. The earthbender felt a twinge of guilt. She trusted him completely.
"Mako and I…," Bolin drawled, afraid of what she would think. "We…" He took a deep breath before blurting, "We used to work for the Triple Threats." She hadn't reacted yet, but he hastily added, "It was a long time ago! We were kids and it kept us off the streets! It's not like we hurt anybody! I wouldn't! I would never!"
Tao lightly touched his arm, giving him pause. "I understand."
Bolin smiled, placing his hand over hers. "Thanks."
She bashfully smiled back and removed her hand.
"Well, we're here," he informed, opening the door and motioning for Tao to go ahead. The earthbender celebrated behind her back before following.
"Why did you come with?" Korra grumbled to Mako's back. "I could have done this alone."
I might as well be alone, she added mentally. He hadn't said anything to her since they left the arena.
"I don't want you to be by yourself," he responded and she took a moment to realize he had done so.
Perked up by his participation in communicating, Korra hurried to his side. She eagerly looked up to meet his eye as she spoke. "You could've fooled me."
To her benefit, Mako did turn and register her new presence, but he quickly returned to looking forward. He sighed, rolling his eyes, "This is an investigation, not some…" He had trouble thinking of a word. "Some… date," he finished.
Korra chuckled at his word choice. "I told Tenzin and Pema it was."
The firebender blushed furiously at that, turning to her in shock. "What?"
She smiled at his reaction. "What?" she repeated, giggling.
"Why would you say this is a date?" He glared at Korra for laughing at him, purposely turning away from her and quickening his pace. "It isn't," he clarified.
"I know that," she snapped, rushing to keep up. The Avatar shrugged her shoulders, throwing her arms out. "Tenzin wanted to know what I was doing in the city, alright? The girls asked if I was going on a date and…" She grabbed his arm to slow him down. "It seemed like a good excuse."
He sighed, still not looking at her, but he had at least quit storming off. Korra laughed, some venerability in the soft sound.
"It's not too crazy to think… we could…" She looked off into the distance. "Nevermind," she concluded sourly.
Mako noticed her hand still tucked in by his elbow. "Are trying to hold my hand?"
"Sorry." Korra ripped herself away, but after a second huffed defensively, "What if I was? You have a problem with that?"
He started walking away, explaining simply, "Yes."
She grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers and holding on with a tight grip. He jerked away subtly to no avail.
"Let go," he ordered tiredly.
She held her mouth tight to keep from smiling. "No."
"Let. Go," he growled.
"No."
Mako pulled and tugged, swinging his arm roughly in an attempt to escape. Spirits, she was strong! After some effort and giggles from passersby, he was free. Korra was smiling, laughing at him again.
The firebender scowled at her. "You're crazy."
"You like it," she teased with a smirk.
Mako groaned in frustration, stomping inside the Immigration building. Thank the spirits they were there.
Bolin cowered slightly in the dimly lit hall. The walls were dingy, their steps echoed and he hadn't had many positive memories associated there to begin with.
"Is something troubling you?" Tao's voice seemed louder in the cavernous hall and he flinched at the sound. Her back was still to him, but she turned her head to the side. "You seem uneasy."
"Whaaaat?" Bolin drawled exaggeratedly. He straightened his back and moved in front of her. "Nah, I'm good. Just… you know…"
The acolyte watched his back, eagerly waiting for him to continue, but he did not. The two of them came to an empty room. On the side opposite of them, a wall of bars separated the room. Behind the bars, there was a vault of some sort. Tao squinted in the dark.
"Bolin," a new, almost unfriendly voice greeted, the owner of it only a shadow in the light. A man stepped forward, closer to the bars, revealing his smirking face. "And… who is your friend?"
"Uhhh… Tao," Bolin answered. He laughed off his nerves, gesturing between the bookie and the acolyte. "Bao, this is Tao. Tao, this is Bao." He chuckled uneasily again. "You get it? It's funny… 'cause your names-" Bao wasn't laughing or even smiling anymore. "Nevermind."
"I doubt you've come here to pay back your debts…" Bao rolled a yuan between his fingers before flipping the coin into the air.
The earthbender rubbed his neck, mumbling, "You still remember that, huh?"
Bao caught the coin easily, adding with a bit of venom, "So I am curious what business you have here."
Tao took a step forward, responding in a strong voice. "We have only come to ask you one question. Do you recall a man named Shengkai?
Bolin watched in awe of her newfound toughness. While appreciated, it didn't do much for his ego. After all, this tiny girl was sticking up for him.
The coin momentarily stopped rolling, pausing between the bookie's fingers. He responded coolly, "What do you want to know?"
Tao's eyes widened in excitement before she bowed, "Please. We would greatly appreciate any information you may bestow."
Bao scoffed at her actions, giving Bolin a questioning look. He crossed his arms, answering simply, "He was a thief."
"That's all you know about him?" Bolin chimed in.
"Yes," the older man sneered, gulping subtly. Tao noticed.
"Please," she begged again. "Anything you know may of use to us."
Bao shifted, unsettled by her observant and pleading gaze. "I'm not one for ghost stories."
"He's a ghost," Bolin marveled, fully believing.
The bookie rolled his eyes, "That's what they say. But I hardly believe it." Tao was staring at him again and he went on with a sigh. "Like I said, he was a thief. Bolin can tell you what we do to the people dumb enough to steal from us."
As instructed, Tao looked to Bolin. The brawny teen shuffled his feet, watching the ground intently in lieu of speaking. The acolyte frowned, thinking of Shengkai's family trapped in a burning building.
The older man continued with a mocking tone, "Some of the men think that his spirit is alive and kicking, seeking revenge…" The sharp lines of his face were contoured by the shadows. He leaned closer to the bars, finishing ominously, "That anyone associated with his demise has swiftly met their own… one by one."
Bao straightened again, the yuan casually swirling through his fingers. "Some chumps ended up dead and suddenly everyone believes in silly ghost stories."
"Uh, yeah," Bolin agreed, trying not to sound scared. "Silly."
"The men who attacked Shengkai, have they all been killed?" Tao questioned worriedly.
The bookie's hands tensed in irritation and the coin wiggled between his middle and pointer finger. "I don't know, doll. It's a big city, lots of people. If you really want to know, go see the Boss." He nodded to Bolin, "Do him a favor, I'm sure he'd tell you all you wanna know."
Korra frowned at the paper. The clerk had been kind enough to write down the information. But it still wasn't much. The Avatar squinted at the letter, hoping something would pop out.
"So…," she drawled with a disappointed sigh. She turned to Mako as he'd have answers. "That's it?"
"I guess so," he shrugged, gesturing to the paper. "Only family he has left is in the Fire Nation."
Korra hummed in dulled agreement, adding, "Not even family. They're his beneficiaries." She slapped her own face, letting her hands drag down as she groaned, "He donated his belongings to strangers."
Mako sighed, shoving his hands in pockets. "Come on," he nodded his head away. "Maybe Bolin and Tao had some luck."
Korra and Mako waited in the courtyard of the Arena. The Avatar had begun to swirl the fountain's water about out of boredom and luckily didn't have to wait much longer.
"Hey!" Bolin greeted with pleasant surprise. "I thought we'd be the first back."
Korra grumbled, releasing her hold on the water. "Immigration was a bust. What'd you guys find out?"
The acolyte walked in front of Mako, bowing her head as she answered. "Bao confirmed the Triple Threat Triad's involvement in the murder of Shengkai's family, heavily implying their sole responsibility."
Korra eyed the firebender suspiciously, pouting at her apparent exclusion. "So you knew?" she accused.
"It was a hunch," Mako responded distantly. He barely registered her question, his eyes glazed over in thought. He paused his train of thought, speaking more clearly. "It's pretty common for the triads to target innocent people."
Her pout had changed into a deep scowl. "They burned someone's family alive," she hissed. "That's pretty common?" She crossed her arms and turned her back to him as much as she could.
"No…," he countered, his eyes squinting in confusion. Mako shook it off and looked to Bolin and Tao, explaining seriously, "He did something. And whatever it was, they wanted make sure no one would try it again."
Bolin waved his hand excitedly. "Oh! Oh! I know!" He lowered his arm, answering with pride, "He stole something."
The older brother let out his irritation via a huff though his nose.
Tao smiled, celebrating Bolin's input. "That is correct. During our conversation, Bao referred to Shengkai as a thief on two occasions."
"So what did he take?" Korra propositioned, still slightly annoyed.
The younger brother gasped and quickly raised his hand again and all eyes went to him. "Uh…" His fingers curled back, his pointer remaining out and he shot it to Korra. "Actually, I'll get back to you on that."
The Avatar smiled, shooting a smug look in Mako's direction. The firebender scowled, trying to ignore her.
"Perhaps we could speak to your boss," Tao suggested.
Korra's head tilted in question, while Mako's eyes widened. Bolin hurried between his brother and the acolyte, offering a flurry of explanations.
"No, no. He's not our boss… Well, he was..." Korra looked more interested now and Mako subtly shook his head. "I mean, no, he wasn't. Ever," Bolin hastily added. "He's the boss," he offered, but Tao waited for further elaboration. "You know… of the Triple Threats. They call him a boss."
Both girls leaned back in understanding and the younger brother breathed a sigh of relief.
"I see," Tao weighed the information carefully. Confidently, she proposed, "We should go all go. We will be safer in numbers."
"We're not talking to him," Mako crisply stated.
"Why not?" Korra snapped rudely. "A lead is a lead. If Tao thinks we should talk to this guy, then I think so too."
Bolin quietly reminded his brother, "Zolt would know more than Bao did. Way more."
The Avatar's acute ears still picked up the whisper. "See?" She nudged Mako's side. "We're going," she announced.
"No. We're not!" Mako countered. He shot his brother a toxic look and Bolin tiptoed behind Tao. Mako turned back to Korra, explaining, "Trust me. We're better off not getting him involved." His voice softened as he confessed, "You have no idea what these people are like, what they're capable of."
Korra snorted, "And you do?"
"Y-!" Mako cut himself off to fume. He pointed accusingly at her before crossing his arms arrogantly. "You're just pissed because Bolin and Tao found something and you came up empty."
The Avatar pouted, mirroring his action and crossing her arms with just as much gusto. "You agreed going to Immigration was a good idea. You came with me."
The firebender nodded, explaining coldly, "I went with, but going there was never a good idea." Korra shrank before his eyes as he continued. "Any distant relatives weren't going to be in Republic City and we would have no way of getting to where ever they did live."
Mako smirked, but his eyes cut into her. "Luckily, none of that matters because he doesn't have anyone left anywhere. So going was not only inconvenient, but a complete waste of time. Congratulations, Avatar."
Korra could feel tears brimming behind her eyes and she snarled at him. Storming off, she grabbed the other girl's arm.
"Come on, Tao. We're leaving," she ordered roughly, pulling the acolyte and forcing her to walk backwards for a few steps.
Tao hastily bid the boys farewell with a bow before correcting her stance and following Korra out.
Bolin pouted disapprovingly at his brother, "Dude…"
Mako squared his shoulders and looked away guiltily.
Tenzin sipped his tea, awkwardly glancing at the pouting Avatar. Korra had been upset since she returned, while Tao's behavior hadn't changed at all. Watching Korra stab and glare at her food, he could see something still weighed on her mind.
The monk put a smile on his face, trying his best to sound casual. "So, Korra, how was your date?"
Pema lightly hit his knee under the table, but otherwise looked unaffected.
"Fine," Korra answered sourly, promptly chomping down some food.
Tenzin scooted away from his wife, his brow furrowed in worry, "It doesn't sound like it was fine."
"Ahem," Pema cleared her throat not too subtly, shaking her head at her husband.
Korra slammed her fists down on the table. "He's a jerk, alright?!" She bowed her head in apology, but her arms were still tense. "May I be excused?"
"Of course, sweetie," Pema smiled.
"Great." The Avatar shot up, grumbling, "I'm going to bed." She turned back to look at Tao, but said nothing to the other teen.
Tao promptly finished the food on her plate before bowing. "May I be excused as well?"
Tenzin shared a glance with his wife. Then, he nodded tiredly, shooing the acolyte away. "Of course."
Ikki's grumpy face lifted from her plate as Tao left. She raised her arm excitedly. "Oh, daddy! Daddy! May I be excused? Please? Please? Please?"
The monk calmly scooped up another bite of food, responding simply, "Not until you clear your plate."
The young airbender pouted animatedly, poking at her food. Jinorra snickered at her sister's distress, reading and eating quietly.
"Where are you going?"
Korra's whispering voice jolted Tao. The acolyte held her posture despite the scare. Although confused, she gracefully turned to her friend.
"To my room," the disciple answered waveringly at normal volume.
The sound echoed in the empty dormitory hall and Korra winced before pulling Tao into her room. The Avatar shut the sliding door and listened for a moment. Tao took a seat next to Naga, observing the Avatar's suspicious behavior.
"What do you have planned?" the acolyte questioned uneasily, petting Naga.
Korra threw a black top to Tao as answer. "Put this on."
The disciple frowned at the clothing. She instantly recognized her ill-fitting disguise. Inspecting the material, she found it was still missing a button. Her frown deepened.
"I suppose I am sneaking into another government building," she guessed, forlorn.
"Nope," Korra corrected proudly, slipping into a large, baggy robe. The Avatar pulled up the collar of the dark jacket, effectively hiding much of her face. "We're going to find Zolt and see what he knows."
Tao went from pouty to worried. "Mako advised agai-"
"I know what he advised," Korra rolled her eyes, pulling herself up through the window. "I'm going anyway," she stated firmly. She paused halfway through the window to look back at Tao. "You coming or not?"
The acolyte tossed the idea around her head for a second before reluctantly joining Korra. Naga followed suit, getting both front paws onto the roof before her master stopped her.
"Nuh uh. Sorry, girl," Korra admonished softly, ruffling the beast's ears. "Covert mission tonight. So no Nagas allowed."
The polar bear-dog whimpered, but put her paws back inside the room. The furry giant sadly laid her head out on the window sill as the girls left.
Mako loosened his traditional uniform, kicking a pebble with his pointy-toed shoes. The factory work had been monotonous as always and he couldn't wait to get home and sleep. He grumbled under his breath, talking to himself in the empty street.
"I'm sorry for what I said," he rehearsed. Then he scowled, adding, "But it's all true, so I'm not taking it back."
The firebender groaned, slapping himself in the face, partly to slap the stupid out of himself. So what if she was mad? He wasn't wrong. He had only been stating the obvious. And he certainly wouldn't have gotten so rude if she hadn't have started it. What was her problem anyway? He groaned angrily again. Why did he even care?!
Mako sighed defeatedly, stating sincerely, "I'm sorry, Korra. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He pursed his lips, correcting, "Ok, I did, but I'm sorry I did. I…"
He sighed again, confessing, "I care about you. And I worry about you." He cringed after saying the words. He quickly snapped, sending the rock he had been kicking flying, "So can you just listen to me for once!"
A spider rat scurried away in fright, knocking over some trash. Mako groaned yet again, cursing himself. He must sound like an idiot, yelling to himself in middle of the night.
Korra and Tao emerged from the bay. The Avatar shielded the two of them from the water, forming a protective bubble around them. Tao eagerly hopped away from the water, happy to be on dry land.
"Jeez, you alright?" Korra asked with a smile, releasing her hold on the waves.
The acolyte nodded weakly, admitting, "I cannot swim."
"Good thing we weren't swimming."
Tao pursed her lips, clarifying, "I did not find a massive body of water looming overhead to be much more comforting."
Korra gave her friend a quick side hug, heading into the city. "I wasn't going to let it fall."
"Perhaps not intentionally," the smaller girl reasoned. She added with grave seriousness, "But what if you had sneezed?"
The Avatar laughed, patting Tao's shoulder. "Well, it was that or steal a boat." Korra's eyes lit up with the self provided idea. "We could steal a boat for the way back. Then, I could shoot us across the bay! It'd take two seconds tops!"
Tao's eyes widened in horror at Korra's gesticulation. "No. Walking underneath the water is an adequate means of transportation. We do not need a boat."
"Okay," Korra agreed easily, leading the way. "If you say so."
Tao carefully watched the streets. After a few blocks, she realized that Korra was leading them aimlessly through the city.
"I thought our mission was to find Zolt," the acolyte reminded.
"We are," Korra stated confidently.
"But… we are heading in the opposite direction."
The Avatar turned on her heel quickly and Tao bumped into her. Unfazed, Korra looked down her nose, watching the smaller girl closely.
"How do you know that?" Korra asked guardedly. She crossed her arms with a pout, demanding, "What do you know?"
Tao bowed her head, "I know "Lightning Bolt" Zolt is named so due to his ability to produce and bend lightning. Even in the most well trained of firebenders, the ability is rare…" She looked up, beseeching her friend. …and extremely dangerous."
The Avatar scowled. Now Mako had Tao turning against her? She shook her head, her ponytails hitting her cheeks.
"Whatever," Korra huffed. "If you know where Zolt is, then where is he?"
Tao paused reluctantly, but stood firm when she spoke. "We should bring Mako and Bolin as well."
Korra breezed, "We don't need the boys to protect us. I'm the Avatar, remember? I can handle a little lightning." I think, she added mentally. She had heard of people bending lightning, but she had never seen it.
"We do not know what to ask Zolt when we get there. Mako knows-"
"Ugh!" Korra vented, throwing her hands up to her hair. "Why did you even come with?"
"I do not want you to be by yourself," Tao answered honestly.
That struck a chord for the Avatar. Mako had said the same thing. Both of them accompanied her because they cared about her. While it was easy to accept that Tao cared for her, the idea that Mako did was foreign. But Bolin had told her before that his brother cares more he lets on. It still made her feel strange.
"We'll just talk to him. If it looks like we're in trouble, we'll run," Korra assured. Tao looked unsure and the Avatar added, "I promise."
The acolyte smiled, nodding in agreement. She happily pointed in the opposite direction of where they had been facing, "Triple Threat Headquarters are located in the West District on Silver Street. The building is disguised as a restaurant. Zolt will most likely be there."
Korra blinked, letting all that sink in. Mako told her all that? She felt a twinge of jealousy, but pushed it away.
"Okay," the Avatar grinned. She gestured out for Tao to go in front of her. "Lead the way."
Tao and Korra waited in the shadows of the nearby alley, peeking their heads out to see the triad's headquarters.
"Okay," Korra mumbled, mentally preparing herself. She stood up straight and left the alley with determination. "Let's talk."
Tao silently followed, her head ducked low. The Avatar strutted over to the two burly thugs posted outside.
"We'd like to talk to Zolt."
The guards didn't look at her. They didn't even blink. Korra huffed, crossing her arms and getting in one's face.
"I know you heard me," she grumbled, getting no reaction from either of the men. She leaned back, sighing, "Well, I'll just let myself in."
Korra moved to walk past the two guards, but their arms instantly blocked her. Her head swiveled between the two of them. They still weren't looking at her.
Her voice strained with irritation, she reasoned, "We're only going to ask him a few questions and then we'll be out of your hair." They didn't move at all. "Stop ignoring me!"
It was small, their lips moving just the faintest bit. But Korra saw. They thought this was funny.
The Avatar snickered darkly, "Oh… so this is a joke?"
Tao stepped forward, suggesting timidly, "Perhaps we should go."
"I know a good one," Korra went on. She feigned deep thought, smiling, "I can't exactly remember how it goes…" Her grin faded as she scowled at the men, "But it ends with two meat heads getting their asses handed to them."
Tao tugged at the sleeve of Korra's jacket now.
"Go home before daddy finds out you're up past bedtime," one of the men quipped.
The Avatar sloughed Tao's hand off. She eyed the men up and down before smirking. In a flash, Korra froze one man to his post using his own waterskin. The other couldn't do much because in the next moment the earth rose, encircling him and trapping him as well.
Korra smiled proudly, but Tao looked horrified.
"We need to go now, Korra."
"Why?"
The Avatar arrogantly walked past the men. She reached for the door when it burst open. Three men came through.
"What's going on out here?" one questioned as they walked outside.
The three new thugs quickly took in the scene before them. Their two guards each trapped to a pillar and these two girls. Korra smiled crookedly, chuckling nervously.
The thugs prepared to fight and Korra made a split second decision. She froze two of the men using the new thug's waterskin. There was barely enough ice to keep the two of them down, so she used earth to pin the last one. Now, that all five men were secured to the porch via ice or rock, the young Avatar attempted to plead her case.
"Okay, everyone calm down. We just want to talk."
It was unlucky on her part that one of the men she froze was a firebender. He melted through the ice easily, releasing himself and his waterbending partner. Korra bent the steam into a cloud, blinding the men.
"Run!"
The firebender thug blasted the ice holding the one guard. The three free men rushed out of the steam cloud after the girls.
"What about us?!" One of the earthbenders cried.
The second waterbender, skinnier and taller than the first, laughed, "You're on your own, bub." He slapped the free guard and firebender upside the head. "Now what are you palookas waiting for? Let's go!"
Korra and Tao raced down the streets, ducking into alleys and changing directions. The Avatar glanced behind them as she ran.
"Did we lose them?" Korra squinted into the darkness, a smile creeping up her lips.
Tao pulled the Avatar forward, narrowly avoiding a fireball, and the girls ran with renewed vigor.
"We should not have gone there," the acolyte lamented with panting breath. "You should not have provoked them."
"Okay! Can we talk about how this is all my fault later?" Korra snapped.
Tao frowned, apologizing, "I did not mean this was your fault. I-"
"Now isn't the time," she huffed in annoyance. The Avatar shook her head, trying to come up with a plan. She needed a minute to slow down and think. Just one minute. Something.
"I-"
"Stop talking!" A pang of guilt hit her. "Uh…"
The acolyte grew serious. "How can we lose the men following us?"
Korra nodded, focusing on her surroundings. She felt the cold breeze at their back, much colder than it should be. The waterbenders were following them, probably icing the streets to move quicker. They'd catch up soon. The firebender was with them, but he'd be left in the dust if the other two were ice surfing.
Korra ventured a glance back and saw three silhouettes, two more defined than the last. Alright, so the waterbenders were close behind and the firebender was dragging along…
SHINKT! SHINKT!
"The police," Tao whispered.
"Great. Just what we needed," Korra grumbled. She turned back to see the three men had abandoned the chase. The coldness in the air was fading away as they departed. The echoing sound of metal scraping filled the silence.
"We have to get back to the island," Tao ushered, pulling Korra in the right direction.
In response, the Avatar put two fingers to her mouth and whistled loudly.
The smaller girl covered her ears, wincing. "What are you doing?"
"Calling a ride."
Naga laid her head listlessly on the windowsill, looking out to the city. She whimpered, shuffling her body as she waited for Korra to return. Suddenly, her ears pricked up and she leapt onto the roof.
A loud crash jolted Tenzin and Pema awake. The monk looked up as a pounding sound reverberated through the ceiling.
"Something is on the roof?" the sleepy mother questioned.
Tenzin gestured for her to stay in the bed, "I'll go see what it is."
"Be careful."
BAM! SCHLUK!
The monk winced at the noise as he raced outside. Whatever was on the roof apparently didn't have sure footing. Several guards had amassed outside, attempting to hold Naga back. The frantic polar bear-dog wasn't having any of it and she thrashed and batted lightly at the guards. Tenzin breathed a sigh of relief, approaching the giant.
"Easy, girl," he cooed and Naga settled down, but continued to whimper, looking out anxiously across the bay. "It's alright. Let's get you back upstairs to Korra."
At the Avatar's mention, the polar bear-dog struggled to pass the monk. Her gargantuan paws shuffled cautiously, not wanting to hurt the nice man. Still, he held out his arms, shooting in front of her at every turn.
Where was Korra? She couldn't be that heavy of a sleeper. Tenzin had paused in thought and Naga used the opportunity to throw him on her back. She nudged him with her muzzle and flipped him into the air. Thankfully, the monk got a hold of her fur before she bolted off the island.
Mako turned to see what had just plopped out of the bay. A giant mass of white scurried out, shaking off the excess water and drenching the firebender in the process. He grumbled to himself, looking at the intruder. It was…
"Naga?" Mako called out, but the polar bear-dog ignored him, rushing off into the city with some unwilling passenger on her back.
He looked up to the Arena, all the way up to the attic windows, where his bed was waiting for him. Then, he looked back down the street where Naga had gone. With a frustrated sigh, he went after them.
His heart pounded as he raced through the familiar streets, too familiar. Mako turned the corner after Naga only to swing himself back around into the shadows. The polar bear-dog barreled down the street while Mako pressed his back to the brick wall, listening to the thugs posted outside.
"What was that?"
"Doesn't matter. Get these two idiots inside and then you can tell the boss all about how some little girls got the jump on ya."
"Hurry! We don't need to be explaining nothing to the cops."
Mako clenched his fists. "Korra, you idiot," he muttered under his breath. Then a thought came to mind. "Bolin…," he hissed.
Korra and Tao crouched down, hiding by the trash. The acolyte grimaced, but stayed still. Korra watched the officers intently.
"It looks like they only sent a couple officers to check things out," the Avatar surmised quietly as the metalbenders inspected the icy street. She kept her eyes on the departing cops as she spoke, slowly turning around. "Okay. They're heading out and so shall-"
Naga licked her master, wagging her tail exuberantly. Korra grinned, petting her furry friend while Tao shrank back into the trash. Confused, the young Avatar followed the other girl's line of sight to find a very, very angry monk.
"Oh… Hey, Tenzin…"
"Bolin! Wake up!" Mako bellowed as soon as he entered the attic. In response, his little brother snored loudly. Livid, the firebender pushed him off the bed.
"OW! Wha…" Bolin rubbed his drowsy and still unfocused eyes. "Mako?" He pouted angrily, climbing back onto the mattress. "What the hell?" he demanded groggily.
"You told Korra about Zolt's place?!"
Bolin flinched at his brother's tone, but settled back onto his pillow. He started to answer, already drifting back to sleep. "Huh? No… No, I didn't tell Korra any-" His green eyes fluttered open slightly as they flickered with an epiphany. "Oh. Oh. I told Tao," he announced before plopping his face into his pillow.
"Why did you tell her?" Mako gritted through his teeth.
The earthbender scowled, his half lidded eyes shooting daggers at his loud, older brother. "I don't know," he whined. "We talked about how me and you worked for him and-"
"What?!"
Bolin was accustomed in Mako's new volume and responded casually, "She doesn't care. It's not a big deal."
"It is a big deal!" Mako countered anxiously. He ran both hands through his hair, ranting more so to himself than Bo, "We're all gonna be arrested because you can't keep your mouth shut."
Bolin sprang up, "Arrested?! What happened?"
The older brother closed his eyes and took what was supposed to be a calming breath. "Get dressed."
Tao had her ear pressed to the door, straining to hear the argument inside. White Lotus guards approached and the acolyte jumped away from the door, clasping her hands and lowering her eyes guiltily. She recognized two pairs of feet as the guards and the other two as Mako and Bolin.
Her head shot up and Tao was taken aback by Mako's evident and aggravated temper. "What brings you both here?"
"Is Korra in there?" Mako snipped, taking a step towards the door before Tao could even answer.
"Y-yes." The disciple wedged herself between him and the door, holding her hands out. "Korra and Tenzin are speaking. I-" Tenzin's muffled, but uncharacteristically loud voice escaped into the hall. "…would not interrupt them."
"Are… we getting arrested?" Bolin wondered. "See. I'm confused… because… I thought we were getting arrested."
Tao opened her mouth to answer, but Mako cut her off. "What were you thinking?" he fumed. "How could you let her go?"
The acolyte did not appreciate his interrogatory tone. She stiffened her shoulders and stood strong although her voice didn't quite match her stance. "Korra was determined to find Zolt whether or not I accompanied her. As her friend, I could not allow her to go alone."
The firebender cooled off, but a fight still boiled under his skin. "You didn't have to tell her where to go," he rebutted.
Tao sheepishly looked away, pulling at the tight, black jacket she still wore. "She promised we would run if in trouble." With a spark of hope, she added, "And we did evade capture from both the police and triads."
Mako crossed his arms, sighing, "Except Tenzin caught you both red-handed."
Tao lowered her head in shame. "Yes."
Bolin piped in, "How exactly did he do that?"
"Naga brought him," the firebender answered simply. Both Bolin and Tao's heads shot up and he added, "I saw her running through the city. A polar bear-dog is kinda hard to miss."
After a moment with only the sound of a muffled argument to fill the air, Mako chose to sigh again, complaining, "How could Korra do something so stupid?"
Now the small acolyte's voice was strong and she stared disapprovingly at Mako. "She may not have done anything if you had not antagonized her."
The older brother shifted on his feet in guilt while Bolin pushed past him. The earthbender pointed with his thumb, asking, "What are they talking about in there?"
Tao answered quickly, "I was listening earlier-" She cut herself off, scrunching her lips tight and looking away. "I was eavesdropping," she confessed, ashamed. "I did not hear very much before you arrived."
Slowly she lifted her head up and slowly, but surely three pairs of eyes met. No sooner than that did they all scramble to the door.
Korra stood, frozen in place, clutching one arm as the other hung uselessly. Tenzin's outrage had yet to subside.
"Do you have any idea what would have happened if the police caught you?! I know you do… so you must not care!"
The Avatar interjected, "I care. I-"
He ignored her, cutting her off. "And to instigate a fight with… criminals! How can you be so… so…"
His anger had left him speechless, so Korra grumbled an adjective. "Careless?"
"Yes," the monk agreed, knowing full well that his simple agreement hurt her pride. "And you endangered your friend as well. What were you thinking?"
She waited, tapping her foot and feigning surprise when he didn't continue. "Oh. I can talk now?" The young Avatar sighed, trying to sound as serious and as reasonable as possible. "I need to do this. I'm the Avatar and it's my-"
"Korra, for the last time," Tenzin snapped. "Being the Avatar does not grant you the right to do whatever you wish. Chief Beifong asked you to stop-"
"I want to help!"
"She doesn't need your help! The police have solved cases without your aid before and they will continue to do so now."
She took a moment, choosing her words carefully. When she spoke, she reasoned calmly, "You couldn't teach me in the South Pole because you said Republic City needed you. You let me stay here because you agreed that it needed me too."
When she was finished, she looked up at him, waiting patiently for his response. At last, the monk's temper began to wane.
"I… apologize that I led you to believe Republic City requires your direct protection," Tenzin sighed. "In your life and travels, you will find the world is full of problems. But they are not all for you and you alone to solve. It is not your duty to personally right every wrong. This isn't your fight."
Korra nodded along, watching her feet as he spoke and allowing him to finish uninterrupted. She took a deep breath before she announced, "I am going to face Amon and I am going to die. This is my fight." She smiled up at him, despite the sadness in her voice. "This is my only fight."
Mako frowned at the Korra's depressed tone. He shrank away from the door somewhat, looking to Tao and whispering, "What is she talking about?"
The acolyte avoided his gaze and ignored him instead of answering.
Tenzin reached out to touch his pupil's shoulder, hoping to comfort her. "Your dreams may not be literal events."
"One is. I've had it enough to know." She wiggled out of his touch, turning her back to him. "There's a mask and shadows." Her hands clutched into fists. "As much as I fight, I can't beat him. And then…" She braced herself, stating factually, "I die." She whipped around to face her teacher, imploring him. "But I know whose mask that is. And once I find out what's behind it, how Amon is doing this, I'll be able to stop him."
Korra headed to the door, not turning around as she warned, "And I'm not letting you or anyone else get in my way."
Korra was surprised to find Tao, Bolin and Mako all outside waiting for her. Right outside waiting for her. She pursed her lips, choosing to ignore them the way they ignored her privacy.
"That's why you want to find Amon," Mako said in understanding, watching Korra through his peripheral vision as they all walked down the hallway.
The Avatar boxed her shoulders, hissing, "Is that a problem?"
The firebender shook his head, shrugging. "No. I just thought…"
She scoffed, speeding up to get away from them all.
"Did you really dream that you… died?" Bolin called out uneasily and Korra stopped, but wouldn't face them.
Mako piped in too, albeit more quietly than his brother, "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because I didn't want to talk about it," she confessed softly before rushing off.
Korra snuggled into Naga on her bedroom floor. The polar bear-dog whined in apology and the Avatar pet her.
"It's not your fault, girl," she assured, but the giant rested her head in the teen's lap nevertheless.
Knocks sounded at the door for the hundredth time. If it wasn't Tenzin, it was Pema or Jinorra or Ikki or… The knocking started again. Korra groaned, yelling at the door from her perch on the ground, "I want to be alone!"
"Korra, let us in," Mako ordered from the hall.
"Why?" she asked dryly.
Tao's muffled voice came through. "We have found a lead concerning Amon's identity."
"We're going on VACAY!" Bolin cheered.
Next, Korra heard what she assumed was Mako hitting his brother followed by Bolin's quiet protest. She laughed to herself, ruffling Naga's ears as she stood up. When she opened the door, she leaned back against the frame, crossing her arms.
"What are you guys talking about?" she questioned tiredly.
Tao pushed past the squabbling brothers, clearing her throat and bowing. "Mako has shown me the information you found at Immigration Services." The brothers detangled themselves, straightening up and giving the acolyte room. She smiled, nodding in thanks before she continued, "Shengkai has no listed relatives and donated what belongings and money he had to a monastery."
"I know. It was inconvenient and a waste of time," Korra sighed, rolling her eyes and heading into her room. Mako grabbed her arm to stop her.
"It wasn't a waste of time," he affirmed. He let go and looked anywhere but at her. "Shengkai doesn't have any family listed alive or dead. He's…" the firebender got stuck on his next word.
"An orphan," Tao supplied factually, happily even. "In the Fire Nation, it is not uncommon for monasteries to take in wayward children and provide them with a home."
Korra squinted, her gaze shifting between her friends.
"We found his family, Korra!" Bolin exclaimed with a wide grin.
The Avatar held back any excitement, instead posing, "How would we get there to talk to them? The Fire Nation isn't exactly next door."
Korra noticed the small nudge Mako gave his brother. Bolin nodded and went on to explain, "Mako and I have been saving money for an apartment, but we could use it to go to the monastery."
"You're okay with that?" Her blue eyes flew to the firebender, watching his every move. She got the feeling that he was intentionally not looking at her.
Mako shrugged.
"But… what are you gonna do when we get back?" Korra worried.
"I'll figure it out," he snapped, turning to scowl at her.
The Avatar smiled affectionately at him before jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck. He caught her and she hugged him tight. They were about to part when suddenly Bolin was squeezing them back together. Tao lightly wrapped her arms around the group as well. Mako wrestled out of the group hug, shaking away from everyone's hands.
"Alright! Team Avatar's on the case!" Bolin cheered, throwing light punches into the air.
"Team Avatar?" Mako repeated with distaste.
"Yeah, bro. What? Are we gonna call ourselves the Fire Ferrets still? 'Cause that doesn't make any sense."
"We don't have to call ourselves anything," the older brother countered.
"I don't know," Korra teased. "It has a nice ring to it."
