I do not own any of the original Legend of Korra characters.
Brewing Storm
Sado smiled as they walked through the streets. Dinner had been great. It had tasted amazing, the service had been excellent, and Now that they had food in their stomachs, they were on their way back to their hut to forget about the impending war and just go to sleep.
"I can't wait to go to sleep," Korra smiled. "It's been such a long day."
"And now it's finally over," Sado smiled just as they rounded a corner and saw a masked man with a Southern Water Tribe jacket drop over the wall of Unalaq's palace grounds, disappearing from sight. "Or maybe not."
"Let's go!" Korra said, both sprinting forward and through the gate, reaching the palace within two minutes, only to find three unconscious Northern Water Tribe guards tied to a pillar in the first room.
"Those fucking idiots!" Sado snarled. "This is going to start a war!"
They ran up the stairs on either side of the room toward the hallways leading to Unalaq's chambers, only to stop at the beginning, both peeing around the corner, seeing four Southern Water Tribe men standing guard outside Unalaq's quarters as a fifth, a large man with Tonraq's build, carrying an unconscious Unalaq out of the door. Unlike the rest, who had black hoods and masks, this one wore white, singling him out as their group's leader. Sado grit his teeth. He hoped it wasn't Tonraq. That would inevitably cause irreparable damage to his relationship with Korra.
"Dad?" Korra breathed.
Sado glanced at her just as she stepped around the corner. He sighed, stepping out after her.
"Dad, don't do this!" Korra pleaded.
"Turn around Avatar," one of the other four said. "And pretend you didn't see anything."
"We can't do that," Sado said. "We're trying to avoid a war. We're trying to keep the Northerners from crushing you all in an instant."
"You underestimate us," the man said.
"No," Korra said. "Leave Unalaq and go. I'll tell him I tried to stop you but you escaped. We can still avoid a war."
"No, we can't," the man said, then swung his arms, around before punching the ground, a wall of ice tearing across the ground at Korra.
She dove out of the way and Sado melted through it with a stream of flames, walking toward the four men calmly.
"This is your last chance," Sado said. "I don't want a war. I don't want to fight any of you. But if you continue to try to start one, I'll have to try to choose a side, and as much as I hate to say it, Unalaq is not in the wrong at the moment. Is he causing trouble by having his troops here, yes. But you're the ones starting the war."
The man sent a wall of ice at him, as did three more, but Sado blasted the walls instantly, seeing the five of them rounding a corner. He and Korra followed, the hallway looping back around to the entrance. Korra froze the railing of the stairs and slid down it, flipping and landing in front of the other four, the one that had been doing the talking ordering the one with Unalaq to leave them. Sado slid down as well, landing beside Korra and both readied themselves.
"We're all part of the same tribe!" Korra pleaded. "I don't want to hurt you!"
The waterbenders began to hurl blasts of water at them and Sado and Korra began to block and dodge the strikes, Sado suddenly feeling like he was in a pro bending match for some reason. After several moments, he sent a strike of his own out, blasting one of the men backward into the stairs as Korra took off to the side, two of them following. The last sent a continuous stream at Sado and he met it with a stream of flames. The two began to fight for dominance for a moment before Sado ducked to the side, letting the water pass him and punching twice, his fire blasts slamming into the man and sending him flying backward into a pillar, knocking him out. He looked over as Korra used airbending to wrap her two opponents up in a banner, knocking them to the ground and running over. Korra froze both of Sado's opponents in place and they both followed the side hallway the other man had taken. As they got outside, finding themselves at the top of a staircase, the man sped off with Unalaq on a snowmobile.
"Dad, stop!" Korra shouted, running after him for a moment before forming an ice ramp into the air, making the snowmobile stop and fall to the ground.
They ran over, Sado running ahead of Korra and pinned the man to the ground, ripping his mask off.
"Oh thank God," Sado sighed, seeing the black hair and the full beard. "It's not your father."
"No," the man said. "He wouldn't help us. He's a traitor! Just like you!"
Sado punched the man, knocking him out and stood, glancing at Unalaq, who was stirring finally. He turned to Korra, resting a hand on her shoulder but she shook her head.
"I'm fine," Korra said. "I was just afraid it was my Dad."
"You saved me?" Unalaq asked, staring at Sado.
"I may disagree with you having your troops here, and I may not be particularly fond of you, but for the moment you're not really trying to start a war, you're just doing what you believe is right," Sado said. "I'm sorry you disapprove of me, and I hope that eventually you'll decide to accept that I'm not my father."
"Perhaps you're right," Unalaq said. "I may have misjudged you. Thank you for saving my life."
Sado nodded, offering him a hand up, which Unalaq accepted. "I still urge you to pull your troops out before things escalate any further, however."
Unalaq ignored him, walking back toward the palace. Sado sighed, Korra floating the unconscious man along behind them in a block of ice from the shoulders down as they walked inside, Korra likewise restraining the two she had fought. After a few minutes, more Northern Water Tribe soldiers arrived, unfreezing the attempted kidnappers and cuffing them.
"Find Varrick!" Unalaq said. "I want him to freeze in prison with the rest of these traitors!"
Sado remained silent. That may actually be the best idea Unalaq had come up with since he'd met him.
"Wait, you can't just lock them away," Korra said. "That will only make the south angrier."
Sado sighed. She was right.
"They should be tried," Sado said. "Half southerners, half northerners. Let them decide by majority rule what to do with them. Me and Korra will tell what happened, that way it's seen as some semblance of fair."
"He's right," Korra said. "Let them stand trial for what they did. Every Water Tribe citizen deserves that right."
"Unfortunately, that includes Varrick," Sado sighed. "If Varrick isn't found guilty and arrested, I urge you to let him alone leave with his ship and assistant. If he's not here to cause trouble, things may be a bit less...tense."
"Very well," Unalaq said. "I will respect the Avatar's wishes in this matter."
"Thank you Uncle," Korra smiled.
"Do you agree about Varrick?" Sado asked.
"I do agree that he is causing trouble," Unalaq said. "I'll consider allowing him to leave."
"Thank you," Sado said. "We'll take our leave, then. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Unalaq said.
They headed back to their hut, laying against Naga and and falling asleep quickly.
Korra waited on Naga as Korra went to see her father, to thank him for not being one of the kidnappers. He looked around, seeing Unalaq walking toward them, several soldiers following. He swore, dropping off of Naga and ducking inside just as Korra and her family hugged each other.
"Trouble," Sado said, all three looking at him. "Unalaq's coming to arrest Tonraq."
Korra was on her feet in an instant, just as Unalaq stepped through the door.
"Tonraq, Senna, you're under arrest and will stand trial," Unalaq said as four northern waterbenders stepped into the room, surrounding them and preparing themselves for a fight.
"What the hell did they do?" Sado asked. "They're both innocent."
"For what?" Tonraq asked.
"For conspiring to assassinate me," Unalaq said.
"He had nothing to do with it!" Sado snarled, hands beginning to steam and glow red, the waterbenders turning on him.
"If he generates even a single spark, arrest him as well," Unalaq said. "He won't be needing a trial. He's not a citizen of the Water Tribe."
Sado grit his teeth but cooled his hands. "I knew you couldn't be trusted."
"You can't do this!" Korra said, standing. "They did nothing wrong!"
"It's alright, Korra," Tonraq said, standing. "We'll come quietly, just leave the boy alone."
"As you wish," Unalaq said, the waterbenders stepping forward and freezing Senna's hands, leaving them out of the building.
"No, stop!" Korra said. "You can't do this!"
She stepped forward but Sado caught her, holding her in place as she fought to go after them, finally breaking down into sobs against him. Outside, Senna and Tonraq were further restrained before being loaded into a truck and driven away.
"It's alright," Sado said. "It's going to be alright. They're not going to get convicted. Unalaq has no proof."
Korra nodded, continuing to sob.
"Rest assured," Unalaq said, ignoring Sado's scathing look. "I have appointed judge Hota to oversee the trial. His is the most fair and honorable man I know."
"They had nothing to do with the men who attacked you and you know it!" Sado snarled.
"I'm sure you're right," Unalaq said. "So we should have nothing to worry about. The trial will be held tomorrow at sunrise. I hope this matter will be settled then."
Sado grit his teeth, holding Korra a little tighter as he felt her sobs beginning to grow stronger again. Unalaq turned, getting on his pet camel and riding away. After a few minutes, Korra pulled back, wiping her eyes.
"Tell me it's going to be okay," Korra said.
"It is," Sado said, kissing her. "You just need to be strong. Everything's going to be fine."
Korra nodded, kissing him again, and they stayed like that for several minutes before finally pulling away.
"Come on," Sado said. "Let's go find Bolin and Asami. They should know what's going on."
Korra nodded and they left, heading for Varrick's office, where Asami, with Bolin as her assistant, was supposed to close a deal with Varrick.
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