Lin looks over a he young man, Katsu, Firebender, "He looks very young," a voice behind her says, she turns to see Tenzin, not even having the energy for her usual anger at the man, she instead just nods.
"18, he was kicked out of a school in Dragon Heights for an Agni Kai with another student," she looks at the file, nothing in there til this, "How's the Avatar?"
"Alive, despite his best efforts," he says, sounding far more angry and vengeful then Lin can recall hearing him, "They healed her up in the hospital, she's still unconscious, they think she'll be up tomorrow or the day after, should be up and running again in maybe two weeks, knowing Korra, in ten days she'll be trying to take on the Triple Threat Triad and Equalists again."
"And the rest of them?"
"She has a dozen or more waiting for her to wake up, honestly. But Sato's father is wanting to take her home, your nephew is arguing with your sister and his siblings as to whether he should return home or stay here for a bit, I think he'll be leaving as planned though."
"I still can't believe Su sent one of her kids."
Tenzin shrugs, "Korra learned earth and metalbending in Zaofu, from someone named Kuvira, I'm not shocked she had other friends, though your nephew seems a bit older then I'd think, when you're 13, 14 would you want to be friends with an 11 year old?"
She rolls her eyes, "I'm not discussing the Avatar and my sister with you, Tenzin." She picks up the file, "I take it you're watching the interrogation?"
"I'd like to, yes."
"I can't stop you, councilman." She grunts opening the door and leaving him in the side room.
The boy looks up as she slams the door shut, he attempts to give her a cold look, though the tears remind her he's only 18, "You're in a whole Sky Bison load of trouble," She growls stealing her eyes.
He grins, "Is she dead," he leans forward just a bit, shackles rattling on the table, "My hands were shaking so bad, I almost missed."
Lin frowns at him, shaking her head and instead begins "So let's see if I get this story right, stop me when I'm wrong, sound good?" She leans back a bit, "Someone came up to you with this plan."
"I did it alone."
Lin laughs, "You're not smart enough to come up with this," she pulls a picture of the weapon from the file, "Someone came up to you, with a plan to kill the Avatar. They gave you the weapon, they got you into the gala, they told you when to attempt to kill her."
"The Avatar has killed millions," he begins.
"Avatar Korra is 16, I think it's pretty clear she hasn't killed anyone in this lifetime. You, however, after all that, that show of loyalty to the cause, they're going to let you take the fall for this, how does 50 years to life sound? Longer if she dies."
"They won't, he won't leave me, he promised." The boy responds, his gaze wavering before hardening again.
"Who is they? Come on kid, this'll be easier for you if you help us."
"No, no," he shakes his head, "He'll come, he'll help me. He thought this up, he won't let me take the fall for this alone."
"Okay," Lin nods, "while we're waiting for him, let's just talk." She leans forward, "Did you know my nephew was on that stage?"
"No," he shakes his head, suddenly seeming scared.
"His mother's the Matriarch of the Metal Clan, I may not get along with my sister, but mom's proud. Councilman Tarrlok, Councilman Tenzin and his entire family, one stray shard and the world is down 1/4 the remaining Airbenders in the world. And I mean, the Sato's or Probenders, imagine the public outcry." Lin watches the boy. "Honestly, I wouldn't want to deal with the headache that you'll have if he comes and helps you."
"He will, and I really can't bring myself to care about politics."
"Yet you just did the most politically charged attack since Yakone. You grew up in town, ever hear of him?"
"He had his bending taken by Avatar Aang, like Amon is."
"For someone who isn't interested in politics, you're very quick to bring up Amon."
"Well, that's what they were asking Avatar Korra about right? How she's scared of Amon and his Equalists? Everybody's running scared." He crosses his arms, "I think I'm done talking."
"He isn't coming to help you. I don't care how powerful you think your friend is, he won't be able to."
"I'll take my chances." The bright light sheens off the boy's dark hair as he looks anywhere but Lin, the bare walls give him nothing and his reflection in the mirror behind the Chief of Police is worse than the steely green eyes.
They sit there in total silence for a minute, then ten, after almost twenty minutes Lin nods, "Okay, Katsu, was it the Equalists? Amon or someone else who supports them?"
"I'd never work for those cowards who hide behind masks." He shakes his head.
"Then someone else, who?"
He remains silent.
She nods, "Okay, Katsu, you're under arrest for the attempted assassination of the Avatar," she forces him to stand, grabbing the cuffs as other officers start leading him away.
"He'll come," he calls over his shoulders as the door closes behind him, "He won't leave me."
Lin sighs before going back to the room that Tenzin's in, "probably not Equalists, but," she sighs, "We'll let him stew, see if hid trusts whoever's behind this hold after a few nights in prison."
•••••
Asami's pretty quickly figuring out why Korra doesn't like the White Lotus guards, there are too many of them and they're everywhere and too still. She looks down at her hands, there's still blood under her nails, Korra's blood, "Hey," She looks up as Bolin sits next to her, looking over the too pale Avatar, her torso wrapped tightly in bandages.
"Hey, Bolin," she smiles weakly, looking at his hands, he has blood under his nails too.
"Korra wasn't sure you'd make it," He states, "Said you two had been fighting."
"Yeah," Asami nods, fighting is one way to put it, "We, um," she brushes her hand through her hair, "We actually broke up, at the party."
"You broke up?" Bolin repeats.
"Yeah, I made a really bad mistake, and I should have told her." she gives the boy a sad smile, "I'm sure she already told you. But yeah, she found out and yeah," she sighs.
"Like I said, she just told us you were fighting." He looks at her for a moment before sighing, "You know, me and Mako, we were fighting, the day our parents died, I can't even remember what about, but we were. Then they took Mako out to do something, coming home, they were mugged and killed by a firebender. Mako gets home though, in dad's too big scarf and has a burn on his shoulder, but alive and there, and I have never been more happy to see him."
Asami sighs, leaning forward, closer to Korra's bed, "What's your point, Bolin?"
"Death, or near death, it changes things. I'm sure, no matter what you guys have been fighting about, Korra forgives you, and wants you here." He promises.
Asami looks down at her bloody nails again, "I hope you're right, Bo." She looks at Korra's unconscious face again.
•••••
Korra's standing in a clearing, almost barren except for a dead tree in the center of it, and two bubbles of light on either side, She's been here before, or one of her past lives has.
"Soon Raava. Soon we'll meet again." A deep voice says.
"Who's Raava?" She turns walking towards the tree, trying to find the source of the voice.
"I wouldn't do that, Korra," A new voice says, she turns quickly.
"Kuruk?" She questions, the man is in Water Tribe clothes, he nods, "Am I dead?" She looks down at her hands.
"No, Avatar Korra, but you were injured."
"I- I have to go back," she looks around wildly.
He nods, "You will," he promises, putting his hand out to her, "Come, there's something you must see."
She takes the offered hand, she feels herself be pulled forward, into the deadened forest. When she stops, she's stuck in the forest, she looks around, Kuruk is gone, "Hey!" She yells looking around, "What did you-" she coughs, a pain in her side forcing her to her knees, "What did you want to show me?" She forces out, screwing her eyes shut.
"Stand down, Chin, or I will make you!"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I'm letting you go in the name of our past friendship."
She sees a flash of fire lord Sozin and Roku, then Aang and Zuko. "What do you want to show me?" She demands again, coughing, feeling a trickle of warm blood trails down her chin, is this how she'll die, here in the spirit world?
A flash of Aang in the Avatar state, "Yakone," she sees Toph straining against an invisible force.
"Blood bending," she mutters.
"It just proves anyone is capable of great good or great evil," Aang's voice says.
"You must go back, Korra," she hears Aang say.
"But-" she begins straining against the pain.
"No, now go." Airbending robes are right in front of her, if she just looks up, she'll see Aang, she knows it.
"Okay," she nods, using one of her forearms to keep her up, she forces a deep breath and opens her eyes, but she doesn't see the ground of the spirit world, instead a ceiling.
"Korra?" A deep voice asks, airbending robes fluttering into view with blue arrows.
"Aang?"
"Korra," the voice repeats, it's not Aang, it's Tenzin, "You were hurt at the gala, but you're in the hospital, the healers say you'll be fine."
She nods, closing her eyes again to fight off the pain.