I do not own any of the original Legend of Korra characters.
Bad Sign
Sado watched the ground passing by below them. The Earth Kingdom was apparently still in ruin, and Suyin had been asked to help rebuild, but had refused. Kuvira had taken it upon herself to get Ba Sing Se under control again, staking all of Zaofu's security troops with her. Once she had successfully stabilized Ba Sing Se, the world leaders had agreed to allow her to stabilize the rest of the Earth Kingdom until it was stabile enough for Prince Wu to take the throne. Sado didn't have anything against Kuvira stabilizing the Earth Kingdom, however, Suyin was very displeased. She hadn't spoken to Kuvira once in the several months that Kuvira had been working. Of course, it probably didn't help that Kuvira had stolen Zaofu's troops, or that Kuvira had called Suyin a coward to her face, or that Baatar Jr. had gone with Kuvira.
"We're almost to the village," Korra called back to Sado. "You ready?"
"Yeah," Sado said.
They were heading to a village where bandits had blockaded basically every possible way into the town, cutting off all food and supplies. The airbenders were spread thin trying to help similar cases, so Korra and Sado were going to help this town. Of course, before they headed back, they were going to be checking out report of Kuvira's ever-growing army purging the Earth Kingdom of anyone that had a heritage other than pure Earth Kingdom by deporting everyone that didn't pass her investigations, as well as forcing anyone who didn't agree to her into "Reeducation Centers" around the Earth Kingdom.
Korra set her bison down in the middle of the village and the governor of that entire state ran over instantly as the two of them dropped to the ground. "Sorry it took us so long. And I'm sorry that it's only the two of us."
"Right now we'll take anything we can get," the governor said. "Especially if it's the Avatar. Please, save us from the bandits. I don't want to have to hand over our state to Kuvira. The rumors...I can't risk them being true. Please."
"Okay," Sado nodded. "We'll do what we can. Where's the fastest path for food?"
"The road heading east," the governor said. "But that's also the most heavily populated by bandits. There are hundreds."
"That's an awful lot of bandits to be working together," Sado said.
"You're right," Korra said. "Something's up."
"Let's go and find out what, shall we?" Sado asked.
Korra nodded and they turned, getting back on their bison before flying away. After a few minutes, they found a group of twenty or so bandits waiting to ambush anyone unfortunate enough to pass by. Sado dropped first, slowing himself with his flames before landing in the center of the group and spinning, sending out a ring of flames that hurled the majority of the group, a few having defended themselves with earthbending. However, as soon as they dropped their walls, Korra landed and spun, kicking in a circle as Sado ducked under it, a blast of air flying out and launching the remaining bandits away. Sado walked over to one he had knocked out as Korra restrained all of the others with her earthbending.
"Hey, wake up," Sado said, slapping the man a couple times.
The man's eyes opened and his arm snapped out to strike, only for Sado to pin it with his foot, forming a firebending dagger and holding it to his throat.
"Now, you're going to explain to me why there are so many bandits working together to starve that village," Sado said.
"We were all payed to!" the bandit said. "Someone payed off all of the bandit groups to starve the village!"
"Who?" Sado asked.
"I don't know!" the man said. "We just found the money and a note giving us instructions! We were going to take the money and not do the job, but we heard about another bandit group that didn't do the job getting completely wiped out so we did it!"
"Someone's paying off all of the bandit clans?" Sado asked. "Why?"
Just then, a train whistle sounded as a bullet train bearing Kuvira's symbol passed about a half mile away on the train tracks.
"Did you instructions include allowing Kuvira through?" Sado asked.
"No," the bandit said. "Ours were only to block the road, and it never mentioned Kuvira."
"I see," Sado said. "You guys are done the job. Spread the word. All bandits need to disappear before whoever is paying you finds out."
The bandit nodded and Sado released him, Korra releasing the other. The bandits all scattered and Sado and Korra flew back to the town, running over to the governor just as Kuvira held out a contract."
"Don't sign that," Sado said, Kuvira turning to him, narrowing her eyes.
"We're simply offering to help with the food and supplies problem," Kuvira said.
"No need," Sado said. "We've taken care of the bandit problem. Within the next couple of days, you should be able to get supplies through no problem."
"That's great!" the governor smiled, before turning back to Kuvira and ripping the contract. "Kuvira, we don't need your help. You may leave."
"I see," Kuvira said. "As you wish. For your sake, I hope they really did solve your problem."
She turned, getting back on her train and leaving. Sado sighed, turning to the governor.
"Someone's been paying the bandits to blockade the village," Sado said. "I'm willing to bet it was Kuvira, but I can't prove anything. The bandits didn't know."
The governor sighed, nodding. "It wouldn't surprise me. Are you sure they're finished starving us?"
"Yes," Sado nodded. "You'll be fine from now on."
"Thank you," the governor said. "We are in your debt."
"You don't owe us anything," Korra said. "We'll be back in a couple of days to make sure the bandits didn't change their minds. If they did, we'll bring you supplies by air then before dealing with the bandits again."
The governor nodded and Sado and Korra left again, heading North toward a village Kuvira had saved a month ago. After several hours, they landed a ways away and walked into it, looking around. The people were all looking at the ground, as though afraid to look around. They looked hungry, sick, and hopeless.
"Excuse me," Sado said, stopping a man as he was passing. "What happened here? I thought Kuvira was supposed to be looking after this village."
"So did I," the man said. "But after the first time she dropped off food and supplies, she began to take anyone with a heritage other than the Earth Kingdom away, like my friend. Then anyone who spoke out against her was taken to one of her prisons in chains. Then the supplies stopped coming in regularly. We're barely scraping by again. And there's never really enough. We all have to share and ration everything, and we're one bandit attack away from starving."
Sado nodded. The rumors were true.
"We'll try to find a way to help," Sado said.
"You can't," the man said. "The governor signed a contract. We're not allowed to accept help from anyone other than Kuvira's forces. Even the Avatar or airbenders."
"I see," Sado said. "Because of the bandits starving you all out?"
"No," the man said. "Because Kuvira brought her troops here and threatened to destroy the village and arrest us all if he didn't."
Sado's eyes widened. "She...oh no."
He and Korra instantly scrambled onto the bison and took off, flying south again. When they finally reached the village they had saved, they found that Kuvira had returned, this time with a full platoon of earthbenders and a dozen mecha-tanks. Sado and Korra landed in the middle of the village, Sado dropping to the ground just as the mayor finished signing the contract and Kuvira took it back.
"That was a very wise decision," Kuvira said.
"What decision?" the mayor said. "To surrender a village with no benders or fighters to a full platoon of highly trained soldiers and mecha-tanks?"
"What are you doing Kuvira?" Sado demanded.
"Bringing the state back under the control of the throne," Kuvira said. "And as this village is now under my control, you two are no longer welcome, nor are any of your airbenders. Leave, or I'll arrest you both."
"You insufferable-" Korra took a step forward but Sado caught her arm.
"We can't, Korra," Sado said. "We have to go."
Korra glared at her before sighing and turning, climbing back onto the bison, Sado climbing up as well, glaring at Kuvira, who merely smirked.
"Don't get comfortable," Sado said. "You'll have to hand over the power soon. And if you don't, you will regret it."
Kuvira's smirk didn't even waver, and Korra flicked the reins, the bison taking off and leaving the village behind.
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