I do not own any of the original Legend of Korra characters.
Introductions
Sado gave Korra a quick kiss before putting his helmet on and walking into the arena after Bolin and their new waterbender. Mako had quit to become a cop, and Korra was too busy with her training to play anymore, though she did make the time to cheer them on. So, Sado and Bolin now officially carried the team, as the waterbender generally ended up being knocked out completely within the first or second strike. And this game was no different as about the time the bell stopped ringing, their waterbender cleared the back edge of the arena. Sado blasted a stone disk, then dispersed a fire blast as Bolin blocked a blast of water. Then, Bolin slammed the disk into the gut of their water bender sending him back to zone two.
Sado punched twice, sending a fire blast at each of the other two teammates, only for them to block it. However, as soon as they did, Bolin slammed a disk into them, forcing them both back, throwing the earthbender two zones. Sado and Bolin advanced and Sado ducked out of the way of a fireball, sending his own blasting into the firebender and sending him slamming backward into the waterbender, both bouncing into zone three.
"I tell you, right from the time he made his debut in the finals of last season, Sado has been a devastating member of the Fire Ferrets!" the announcer was saying as Sado blocked everything the other team threw at them, Bolin standing beside him, feigning checking his nails. "If it's not massive blasts of fire that launch players its the fastest fireballs I've ever seen. And now he's made an impassible wall that the other team simply can't get through!"
"Alright Bolin," Sado said. "Show time."
Bolin grinned and Sado let a disk pass over him, a fire blast streaking over Bolin. Then, both stood, movements mirroring each other as they punched several times, fire blasts and stone disks smashing into the other team's defenses rapidly before they both kicked, sending the water and earthbender flying. Then, Bolin folded his hands behind his head, turning and walking back across the platform. Sado smirked, motioning for the firebender to attack him. The firebender hurled several fireballs at him and Sado dispersed them all, punching and sending a fireball of his own at the firebender, allowing him to easily dodge it, then kicked while the player was distracted, a fire blast exploding into the player's guy and hurling him over the edge. The crowd went wild and Sado turned, walking back to the team's staging area where Korra smirked knowingly at him.
"Copycat," Korra smirked.
"It's a good move," Sado shrugged.
Korra shook her head, smiling. "So, are you ready to go?"
"Go?" Bolin asked.
"We're going to the South Pole for the Glacier Spirit Festival," Sado said, putting his gear away and pulling his jacket on.
"But...what about the tournament?" Bolin asked.
"I'm sorry," Sado said. "You'll have to find a replacement."
"Won't you be coming back after?" Bolin asked.
"Uh, yeah, originally I was going to, but...Tenzin's making me go on his tour of the Air Temples with him," Sado said. "So, I can't. This was my last game."
"Aw," Bolin sighed. "Alright. I understand. Have fun."
"With Tenzin leading the trip?" Sado snorted. "Not likely. Good luck. We'll be listening on the radio."
"Yeah, see ya," Bolin said.
Sado and Korra walked out of the locker room and Korra rested her hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you for agreeing to come with me," Korra said. "I know you're supposed to be off training with your family's dragon bird, but...it means a lot to have you there."
"You know I'll always be there for you," Sado smiled. "Besides, now that I'm back from my training trip, and not playing pro bending, that means we have plenty of time for you to beat the tar out of me with your airbending. Which I'm still totally jealous of, by the way."
Korra laughed. "Oh I'm sure you'll you'll put up a halfway decent resistance this time."
"Not likely," Sado said.
She smiled and they headed back to Air Temple Island where Tenzin's family, along with Bumi now that he had retired from the United Forces, were waiting for them to pack so they could catch their cruise ship to the South Pole. Sado hurried inside, grabbing his bag and his sword then came back outside. A few minutes later, Korra returned wearing a slightly darker blue top with the collar open slightly and a pair of dark blue bicep-length gloves with the fingers and half of her hand just before them uncovered and her thumbs extending out of a hole, then white string around her forearms just below her elbows. She had a bag with her and slipped her hand into Sado's as she reached them. They left, heading to the ship, then put their things in their rooms on the ship before spreading out to enjoy themselves on the ship. Sado and Korra eventually found themselves on one side of the ship, laying against Naga.
"This trip's going to be torture," Korra sighed. "It's like Tenzin's totally forgotten how I beat Amon."
"He hasn't," Sado said. "He's strict, but he hasn't forgotten. But if it'll make you feel better, we can sneak out and have some fun at night like we did when we met."
Korra grinned knowingly. "Sure. Come on. It's getting late and we're going to be arriving early tomorrow."
Sado nodded, standing and following her to the room they were sharing, as they had been ever since Amon, much to Tenzin's annoyance. They both fell asleep quickly and early the next morning found themselves at the South Pole. Sado smiled as he reached the top of the ramp and saw Kya waiting with Katara.
"Aunt Kya!" Sado cheered, running down the ramp and hugging her, Kya smiling.
"Hello Sado," Kya smiled. "It's been a long time. How are you?"
"Good," Sado smiled. "How've you been?"
"Oh, you know," Kya smiled. "Same old thing."
Korra stepped up beside him and also hugged Kya before they walked over to Tonraq and Senna, Korra hugging them and Sado shaking Tonraq's hand.
"I don't see a necklace," Tonraq said.
"Dad!" Korra groaned. "Stop it! Jeez!"
Tonraq laughed. "Don't worry Korra. I'll show him how to make one later."
Korra groaned, covering her face as Sado chuckled.
"Wow, look at all these people that came out to greet us!" Bolin said, walking over and smiling around at the crowd.
"What are you doing here?" Sado asked.
"Yeah, we couldn't find another firebender in time for the game so that team we destroyed ended up taking our spot," Bolin said. "So, I figured I'm come see this festival...thing."
"Fair enough," Sado shrugged. "But anyway, they're not here to greet us. They're here to greet them."
He nodded toward a massive, heavily decorated, white, ship bearing the crest of the Northern Water Tribe, everyone assembled there cheering as the ship pulled into the dock.
"The great chief of the Northern Water Tribe comes to grace us with his presence," Tonraq said, crossing his arms. "Hurray."
"Just relax Tonraq," Senna smiled, resting a hand on his arms. "He'll be gone soon enough."
"Bad blood?" Sado asked.
"Blood is exactly right," Tonraq said. "He's my brother, Unalaq."
After a moment, Unalaq began to walk down the the ramp with a set of twins following, one with purple eye shadow and one without.
"Whoa," Bolin said. "Who are the lovely ladies?"
"I think one of those is a boy," Sado said. "Though, I could be wrong."
"No, you're right," Korra said. "That's Eska and Desna, the chief's children. Desna's a guy."
"Oh no sure I knew that," Bolin laughed. "And which one is Desna?"
"Probably the one without makeup," Sado said. "I hope."
Unalaq walked up to them, bowing to Korra. "Good to see you again, Avatar Korra."
"Good to see you too," Korra said, returning the gesture.
"Tonraq," Unalaq said, halfway civil.
"Brother," Tonraq grunted.
"Unalaq, this is Sado," Korra introduced, trying to break the instant tension. "My boyfriend."
"I see," Unalaq said. "So this is the grandson of the famous Sado Matsuda, son of a mass murderer."
"Unalaq!" Tenzin snapped.
"It's fine," Sado said. "We can't choose our fathers, anymore than we can be held accountable for their sins. I'm not my father, or my grandfather. It's an honor to meet you." He bowed, Unalaq doing the same.
Then, Unalaq and his children walked past him, most of the crowd leaving, allowing Sado to slowly exhale a tongue of flame to calm himself before following, catching up with Korra.
"It's such a shame the southerners have abandoned all connections to the spirits," Unalaq said as they were walking through the festival. "Even during the most hallowed times."
"I've always loved the Glacier Spirits Festival," Korra said. "It's fun."
"This festival used to be a solemn time of fasting and meditation," Unalaq said. "Now it's just a time to watch some rube try to stick an entire arctic hen in his mouth."
They all stopped, staring off to the side where their team rube, Bolin, was doing exactly that.
"What?" Bolin asked around the meat on a stick. "This tastes so good!"
"Traditions change," Tonraq said. "It's not the end of the world."
"Tell that to the sailors who are being attacked by angry spirits in southern waters," Unalaq said. "Some traditions have purpose."
"Wait, spirits are attacking ships?" Korra asked.
"Since when?" Sado asked.
"I'm surprised the Avatar doesn't know about that," Unalaq said. "Apparently you haven't been given all the information you need. It would be my honor to instruct you in the spiritual ways of the Water Tribe."
"I wouldn't necessarily say that she needs a new teacher just because she didn't know about something happening," Sado said.
"Well, it would be nice to learn something new for a change," Korra said.
"Tenzin is Korra's instructor," Tonraq said. "He can give her all the training she needs."
"So you've said," Unalaq said, turning and walking away.
"Why can't I learn this one thing from him?" Korra asked. "Tenzin hasn't even started training me to deal with spirits."
"You must master airbending first," Tenzin said.
"Your father was dealing with spirits when airbending was all he knew," Sado said. "Maybe you should consider taking a break from teaching airbending in order to teach her something new. She can use airbending well enough to make it through most situations now, but she hasn't even started training with spiritual things yet."
Tenzin sighed. "You make a fair point. Fine. After the festival, we'll start training you in the spiritual arts."
Korra nodded, smiling, then hugged Sado as Tonraq and Tenzin walked away. "Thank you."
Sado smiled, kissing her before they followed Tenzin and her father. After a few hours of enjoying the festival, They made their way to a banquet hall where there was going to be a feast in Unalaq's honor. Within ten minutes, the food had been served and everyone was enjoying themselves. Except for Unalaq, of course. And Sado wasn't overly pleased with the seating arrangements. He wasn't welcome at the head table, so instead, he was sitting with a group of Southern Water Tribe hunters, listening to their extremely played up stories of their "most dangerous" hunts. He sighed quietly, looking up at the head table, seeing Tonraq and Unalaq in the middle of an argument, Korra literally stuck in the middle.
"And we've lost him," one of the hunters grinned. "Looks like someone's got their eyes set on a different hunt."
"I'll burn you," Sado said, turning back to the table as everyone laughed.
"Come on now, he might not be hunting," one of the others said. "Maybe he's more of a fishing man."
Everyone laughed again.
"I hate all of you," Sado said, eating the last piece of his food and walking out of the banquet hall, sitting off to the side with a fireball in his hands and beginning to meditate.
He vaguely heard Unalaq's speech in the back of his mind, and got the feeling he didn't like it, but he kept himself centered and ignored it. After a few minutes, Korra sat beside him.
"Is everything alright?" Korra asked. "You can sit somewhere else if that's the problem."
"It's not," Sado said. "I just..." He sighed heavily. "Your uncle's giving me a distinctly Tarrlok feeling. I didn't feel like listening to the speech."
"I see," Korra said. "I don't think he's too fond of you either."
"It's not that I'm not fond of him," Sado said. "I just get the feeling that you shouldn't trust him. Like he's trying to play you against Tenzin and your father. I know you're getting tired of learning the same thing from Tenzin, and I'm trying to help, but Tenzin's still the best person to teach you."
"I know," Korra said. "I'm not leaving Tenzin. I promise."
Sado nodded and Korra hugged him, Sado wrapping his arms around her.
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