I do not own Avatar: The Legend of Korra or Naruto
*Ba Sing Se*
"Light on your feet, Uncle Bumi" Jinora advised. They were nearing the end of their journey to Ba Sing Se. In the meantime, Jinora had taken to supervising Bumi and Kai's training on the upper deck of the airship. "Remember, you want to be quick and evasive."
"Don't you worry about me, little lady. I've been in a scrap or two, you know" Bumi said confidently, as he turned to face his opponent. "You're just a youngster, so I'm going to go easy on you."
Taking advantage of Bumi's overconfidence, Kai rushed him, dropping into a slide avoiding the older airbender's lazy attempt at a punch, countering with a blast of air that sent Bumi flying, knocking him into the stairs leading to the lower deck.
"Uncle Bumi, you've got to work on your stance changes" said Jinora. "Kai, that was just…really good."
"Thanks, Jinora. You're a great teacher" said Kai, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
From his place in the cockpit Naruto glared down at the scene, wondering if he should roast him first or just eat Kai raw.
"Would you stop that" Asami said teasingly, from her seat beside him. "You're being overprotective."
"I'm just looking out for her" said Naruto. Besides the more time he spent thinking of how to do away with Kai the less time he spent thinking about his current relationship problems with Korra.
"Jinora told me you threatened to eat him. Don't you think that's a little much?"
Naruto directed Asami's attention back to deck where they saw Bumi chasing after Kai screaming about him taking his wallet. "No, I don't."
As they made their final approach to Ba Sing Se, Korra and Tenzin stood together on the lower deck, the former staring eagerly as the first of the city's walls came into view.
"It's so exciting to be on a diplomatic mission to Ba Sing Se" Korra said eagerly. "What's the Earth Queen like?"
"I've never met her" said Tenzin. "but I've heard she can be quite...Demanding."
Korra grew concerned at that. With only one airbender they needed everything to go smoothly.
As the airship finally passed over the wall Korra and the others got a look at just how divided Ba Sing Se really was. The Lower Ring was dirty and crowded with shacks and apartments with beggars and citizens lining up to collect water from a polluted stream.
"Ugh" Korra cringed. "The Lower Ring looks terrible."
It wasn't just looks either as a sickening smell filled the air prompting Mako to pull his scarf over his nose in an effort to shield himself while Bolin looked like he was about to puke.
"No wonder Dad left."
Leaving the depressing sight of the Lower Ring behind they crossed into the Middle Ring with views of beautifully manicured gardens bellow. A pleasant change from the dirty slums from before.
This quickly gave way to the golden rooftops of the Upper Ring as the airship made its final descent at the docking station.
Disembarking the group was met by a middle-aged man in formal Earth Kingdom robes. "Avatar Korra, Master Tenzin" he bowed to them. "It is a pleasure to welcome you and your party to the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. I'm Grand Secretariat Gun."
Voicing their gratitude Korra and the others watched as Gun's welcoming smile fell into a nervous grimace. The cause of which was their small animal contingent Naga, Pabu, and Oogi.
"The Queen hates animals" Gun explained. "We've got to get them out sight."
"Well, I can just stash Pabu in my shirt" said Bolin. "The other two are gonna be a bit tougher."
Clearly worried that someone would tell the Earth Queen about the animals, Gun hurried them along, directing them towards their lodgings while they were in the city. Along the way he worked on prepping Korra for meeting the Queen.
"Now, when you meet the Queen, make sure you bow low enough. That's very important. And don't look her in the eye, she can't stand that. If any food is served, don't eat before she eats. Oh, actually, I have to taste her food first, then she eats, then you can eat. Better yet, just don't eat.
"Seems like an awful lot of rules" Naruto commented. Glad I don't have to meet with her.
"Oh, you have no idea" Gun said dejectedly. "And I'm the one who gets in trouble when people don't follow them. So please, please, for my sake, just try not to upset Her Majesty."
There was no further discussion until the group arrived at their destination, a luxurious three-story apartment in the Upper Ring.
"Ooh, very swanky" said Bolin, voicing their collective appreciation for the upscale lodgings.
Encouraging the rest of Team Avatar to make themselves at home, Gun instructed Korra to follow him to the Earth Queen, taking a moment to stress to Bolin in particular to keep the animals out of sight in the backyard.
*Earth Kingdom Royal Palace*
"Your Majesty, may I present Avatar Korra" Gun announced Korra's arrival as he led her into the throne room. Dressed in elegant robes befitting her royal status, Queen Hou-Ting was a rather stern looking woman in her fifties.
"So, I finally get a visit from the Avatar" she said hotly. "Let me guess, you want something."
Korra awkwardly took a step forward. "Well, actually, Your Majesty, I was hoping you could-"
"I hardly think you're in a position to ask me for favors after everything the last Avatar did to the Earth Kingdom" the Earth Queen interrupted. "He and Fire Lord Zuko took advantage of my father's weakness, and stole our lands to make their own little empire. The United Republic is Earth Kingdom territory."
Korra certainly wasn't prepared to debate the actions of her predecessor. "Well, I- I'm not sure what I can do about that" she said uncomfortably.
"Not that you care" the Queen said rudely surprising Korra. "but what's left of my kingdom is falling to ruin. Roving bands of barbarians are raiding villages in the countryside, and now, some of my subjects are refusing to pay their taxes.
"I'm very sorry for your troubles, Your Majesty, but the reason for our visit is that we're trying to gather all of the new airbenders who are popping up in the Earth Kingdom, and we'd like your help finding the ones in Ba Sing Se."
"Airbenders in Ba Sing Se?" the Queen said skeptically. "Where did you hear that?"
"Before we left Republic City, we got some reports."
"Hmm. Well, before I even consider helping you, I'll need you to do something for me."
Korra was thrown for a moment but quickly recovered to her credit "Oh. Of course. What is it?"
"I have a vault full of tax money sitting in a town south of here. Barbarians have stolen my past two shipments. Go collect my money and bring it back here."
"Yes, Your Majesty" Korra said reluctantly. Something about the Earth Queen's story just didn't sit right with her.
But before she could say anything further the Queen made a shooing gesture and a panicked Gun turned Korra around and forced her out the door.
*Earth Kingdom Desert Town*
Upon her return from her meeting with the Earth Queen, Korra learned that Kai had disappeared. Not about to lose their only airbender the others split up to look for him, leaving only Naruto behind to accompany her to collect the tax money. Though neither of them said anything both of them suspected their friends were hoping they'd take the opportunity to work things out between them.
"So, what's the plan?" Naruto asked, as he piloted the airship.
"There are royal guards waiting at the vault" said Korra. "I think Her Majesty likes ordering me around."
Unfortunately, it was proving difficult to break the ice. The rest of the flight was filled with uncomfortable silence until they reached their destination a barren town. Upon their departure it didn't escape either of their notice that the town's few residents were in hiding.
"I don't like the looks of this" said Naruto. He could practically taste the fear in the air.
"Let's hurry up and get out of here" said Korra.
The pair made their way to the center of town where they met up with a group of five thuggish Earth Kingdom guards.
"You here to pick up the tax shipment?"
"Go ahead and load it on the airship" said Korra, pointing back at their ship.
As the guards started to load up sacks of coins into a wheelbarrow there was a sudden explosion from overhead. Searching for its source they spotted a red flare shooting up from a nearby cliff. The Earth Kingdom guards exchanged worried glances while Naruto and Korra braced themselves for a fight as the sound of motorcycle engines filled the air. Moments later a motorcycle gang came riding into the town square many of them carrying spears and maces.
In a show of intimidation, the biker gang circled around them frightening the Earth Kingdom guards enough that they took off running. They didn't get far before the sand beneath their feet suddenly rose up and encased their bodies.
"So much for our escorts" Korra said dryly.
"Oh, great" Naruto groaned. "He's here."
"Who?" Korra didn't mean to have such a harsh tone but she couldn't help but think it was another bit of important information that Naruto was keeping from her.
"My brother!" he snapped back at her.
Korra certainly wasn't expecting that. she of course knew there were other Biju besides the Nine Tails, but she had assumed they'd all chosen to have nothing to do with humans just as Kurama once did.
But she was proven wrong as the bikers stopped their circling, breaking harshly sending clouds of dust in the air as their leader stepped forward. He looked to be about their age with pale skin, short spikey auburn hair, and green eyes with dark rings around them.
"Well this is a surprise, Kurama" he said, revealing himself as the other Biju. "Step away from the gold."
"Not happening, Shukaku" said Naruto. "We're taking this gold back to Ba Sing Se. Unless you think you can take me, One-Tail."
"Oh, so he's not that tough" said Korra, assuming from the mocking way Naruto spoke of his tail number.
"Watch your damn mouth!" Shukaku snapped. The desert sand swirled around them in response to the sand Biju's rage. "I'm not the one that lost to a human, Nine-Tails!"
Korra watched as the cocky smirk on Naruto's face turned into an irritated scowl. Evidently despite choosing to remain mortal his fateful defeat against Avatar Aang was now a sore spot to the restored Nine Tails' pride.
"At least, I haven't been reduced to bandit scum!" Naruto snapped right back. The aura of his Nine Tails power flickering around him like golden flames.
Feeling the intense energy in the air Korra and the bandits were starting to get nervous about the Biju sibling bickering. Honestly it would've been funny to watch if not for the small earthquakes that occurred with every step they took towards each other.
Afraid to see just what kind of destruction the two Biju would wrought, Korra placed herself between them, in an effort to keep them apart. "Woah, let's all just take a minute to calm down."
"I am calm!" Naruto and Shukaku shouted, their respective powers swirling around them.
"That's not calm!" the Avatar yelled.
"Um, boss?" Shukaku looked back at one of the bikers shirtless, muscular guy with a shaved head with the exception of a long lime green ponytail. "Maybe the Avatar's right." with the rest of the gang voices their own support of the idea, Shukaku took a breath and agreed to a sit down.
"Alright, now why are you stealing from the Earth Queen?" Korra asked, shooting Naruto a look when it seemed like he was about to make a comment. Clearly millennia's worth of memories did nothing for sibling rivalry.
"More like taking back what belongs to the people" said Shukaku. "Hou-Ting's reign has brought nothing but poverty, suffering, and starvation to the people. She is ill fit to rule."
"Oh, and you are?" Naruto spoke up. "You know we have no right to interfere with human government."
"That's laughable coming from you, you damn fox." Shukaku knew all about the Nine Tails' exploits with the Avatar.
"Can, we please keep things civil" Korra interjected before they could get started again. "Now, what were you saying Shukaku?"
"I'm saying the Earth Queen cares only about her own self-interest. I've made my home in this desert and I've grown rather fond of the humans living here. I'm not about to make myself king, but I sure as hell not gonna sit on my ass and watch as their taken for everything they have. Just so some stuck up bitch with a silver spoon can plant some more topiaries."
"Well, that's where we've got a problem" said Naruto, sounding far more understanding now that he's heard his brother out. "Korra struck a deal with the Earth Queen in exchange for helping us find the new airbenders popping up in Ba Sing Se."
"Planning on rebuilding the Air Nation I'm guessing?" Shukaku asked, to which Korra confirmed. "Well, I'm telling you now. Her Majesty isn't going to honor her end of the bargain."
"I still have to try" said Korra, wanting to avoid going to war with the ruling government so soon after being banished from Republic City.
"Fine. Take the gold" said Shukaku, much to their surprise. "You'll see soon enough that you're on the wrong side, Avatar."
*Earth Kingdom Royal Palace*
"Your Majesty, the Avatar has returned with the tax payments" Gun announced upon her return to the castle. This time she was accompanied by Naruto though the Earth Queen made no comment on his presence, obviously unfamiliar with his identity. Evidently she doesn't pay attention to anything that occurs outside her kingdom.
"Finally" the Queen said rudely. "Secure it in the vault."
"It's being done as we speak."
Glad to have that out of the way Korra stepped forward. It was time to see if Shukaku was right about the Queen. "So now, Your Majesty, if I could start meeting some of the airbenders here in the city."
Hou-Ting's eyes shifted as she attempted to appear innocent. "The Dai Li thoroughly searched the city, but it seems your reports were incorrect. There are no airbenders in Ba Sing Se. So, you can gather your little band and be on your way tomorrow."
Naruto didn't need his powers to know she wasn't telling the truth. "You're lying. Where are the airbenders?"
The Earth Queen glared. "And who are you to question…"
"You make me do your dirty work extorting your own citizens then you just want to send me away?" Korra cut her off angrily. "We're not going anywhere until we find some airbenders!"
Hou-Ting pointed to Korra and Naruto "Get them out of my sight!"
Gun attempted to follow his guns orders but one flash of red in Naruto's eyes and the man fell flat on his butt in fear. Seeing that sort of violence, they weren't going to get anywhere Naruto and Korra took their leave. But this was far from over they weren't leaving Ba Sing Se empty handed.