Wrong Time, Hero
At the streets of Republic City near a bakery, Team Avatar rest and ate their dumplings, when the radio suddenly starts buzzing. "All available units, please respond to the fifty six hundred block of Dragon Flats borough. Equalists have taken to the streets, consider them armed and dangerous. Proceed with caution."
Team Avatar moves into the car. Bolin jumps besides Asami. "I call front!"
Mako lets Kanna go first. "After you."
"Yeah thanks." Mako helps Kanna into the car. She mumbles in her breath, "Not like I'm that helpless."
Both jump into the car. Kanna sits quietly while she pretends to listen to Mako making small talk to her. Asami adjusts the mirrors, narrowing her eyes at them before starting the car and driving off to the Dragon Flats district.
During the drive, Kanna watched the tall rectangular buildings of the city give way to smaller apartment blocks, and finally the arched roofs of houses. The drive was quiet, too much tension has developed as none of her friends spoke at all. She began to sing softly,
"White lips, pale face. Breathing in snowflakes. Burnt lungs, sour taste. Light's gone, day's end. Struggling to pay rent. Long nights, strange men."
Kanna then frowned as she begins to think of the difficulties between her sister and her friends. The speed slowed, and Kanna looked over to Asami, catching her watching Kanna in her rear view mirror. Korra smiled weakly, letting Asami know that she was okay. At least that is what she meant to say.
Asami has everything taken from her. Kanna knew that Korra didn't want to drag her into her war. Not even with Mako and Bolin; they can't be hurt because of her. She was lost in her thoughts until someone called out her name. "Korra, are you okay?"
Kanna looked up to see Bolin. He has a look of worry on his face, and then she sees police airships circling around an area plunged in darkness."Why is the power out?"
The car swerves around the corner and stops. Asami takes off her goggles as they look at hundreds of non-benders protesting at the metalbending police officers who are holding them behind a blockade. "I can't believe it. Tarrlok must be up to no good."
"Wait a second, these people aren't armed or dangerous," said Asami.
"Sure doesn't look that way." The team turn to see Saikhan speaking through a microphone. "All non-benders, return to your homes immediately."
"Yeah, as soon as you turn our power back on," cried a citizen. Cries of protests in agreement began to stir.
"Disperse, or you will all be arrested."
A woman holds her child with protection. "You benders can't treat us this way!"
"Let them go, Saikhan. They haven't done anything wrong." Kanna get out of the car and runs toward Saikhan.
Her other child tugs at her skirt and points at Korra. "Mummy, look! It's the Avatar!" The people then turn around and rush toward Korra.
The mother cried out, "Please, help us! You're our Avatar, too!"
Kanna looks at the people in sadness and strides forward, pushing two metalbender officers aside. "Everyone, please stay calm. I'm gonna put a stop to this." She turns along with Korra's friends as they search for Tarrlok who is talking to a task force member. "Tarrlok, you need to turn the power back on and leave these people alone."
"Avatar Korra, you and your playmates have no business here."
"We're not going anywhere. You don't have the right to treat these innocent people like criminals."
Tarrlok lifts his hand and points at the crowd. "This is an Equalist rally. There is nothing innocent about it."
Asami stands up to him, "They're not Equalists, they're just normal people who want their rights back."
"They are the enemy!" He then commands the metalbending offices to round up all of the 'Equalists'.
Metalbending officers begin to remove the legs from the barriers and force the people back as they coil the barriers around them. They then slam the legs into the ground, causing large mounds of earth to rise underneath the non-benders as they lift them off the ground.
Fear begins to spread through those not caught, and they start running away. The police force prepares to put people into the police trucks, while Team Avatar looks on aghast.
Suddenly one of the officers shocked their own with kali sticks. As the mounds began to fall, another officer stomps the ground, moves the mounds of earth down gently and removes the barrier so that every one can escape.
"What is going on? Is this an Equalist ambush," questioned Tarrlok. The power then came back on in the district. "Arrest those two Equalists!"
Korra stood still from her position as the officers surrounded her.
One of the officers was about to coil his cables around Korra, but she managed to deflect it away from her.
Another swiped at her feet and she leaps into the air. One of the task force members ran towards Korra and hurled at her with a powerful water blast. However, she blocked his attack with her fan. Korra leapt into the air, twirling, her fans slicing through the air around her and carrying her higher. She landed a few feet from an officer, taking a ready stance and fans held defensively.
The next officer punches forwards, and Korra struck his unprotected underarm with one fan while diverting his punches with her other fan. The officer pulled back, surprised.
He then kicked out. Korra ducked under his leg and caught the back of his upper thigh with her fan and forced his leg up higher, making him lose his footing and fall backwards. He gets up and rushing at Korra. She calmly grabbed his arm, spinning him around with his own momentum, before yanking him backwards and spinning him that way. She forced him to stop, throwing him out of balance.
Tarrlok snarls at her and turns to see Asami watching her. He forms a water whip, grabbing onto Asami's wrist. Asami turns and looks up at him and struggles to be free. "Hey! Let me go!"
"You're under arrest!"
Mako points at Tarrlok, "What? You can't do that!"
As Asami is being grabbed by the task force. "Actually, I can. She's a non-bender out past curfew and her father is a known Equalist conspirator."
"Still, you can't arrest her for something her father has done. Let her go," Korra took off her helmet and lifted two massive rocks on either side of her. Everyone gasped at this moment. No one expected this at all.
"This is ridiculous Avatar Korra. I would have never guessed that you sided with the Equalist." Tarrlok commanded the metalbending officers while pointing at the brothers. "Arrest him and his brother! That includes Officer Kanna."
The metalbending officers coil their cables around the brothers and Kanna, pulling them in. "Tarrlok you lowlife coward, I ask you one more time now to let them go."
"Unless you want to join your friends and sister in prison, I suggest you put those down and go back to the Air Temple."
"Korra, listen to him. It's not worth it."
She drops the rocks back. "You don't need to do this! I'm begging you! Please let them go! They're not involved with this."
As the brothers and Kanna walk into the police truck, Bolin calmed her nerves, "We'll be alright, Korra. Don't worry, it'll be okay. However, Korra's face contorts with sadness and fright.
"Don't worry, I'll call Tenzin. He can get you out." Mako walks into the police truck, and looks up at Korra before the doors close on him. Korra looks on in dismay, "I'm so sorry."
So sad to see your little Team Avatar broken up. You had a good run." Korra turns around to see Tarrlok smirking.
"This isn't over, Tarrlok."
"Oh, I believe it is." Tarrlok then commanded the drivers, "Take them away." Korra looks at the trucks before looking down in regret, collapsing on her knees.
"Korra, what are you going to do about this? You can't let him get away with this," asked Astrid as she gets rid of the uniform, revealing herself in a navy jacket, maroon mini-skirt, black leggings, and black combat boots.
"What I am going to do right now, Astrid."
At the Police Headquarters, Tenzin walks up to the front doors and towards Korra as she attempts to talk to the person behind the counter without success. "Hey!" Her fists hit the counter.
"I came as fast as I could. Are your friends alright? Where's your sister?"
"I don't know! The authority won't tell me anything."
"I'll take care of this." Tenzin spots Saikhan walking. He sees the chief trying to walk away. "Saikhan, a word please."
Saikhan turns to them, "Councilman Tenzin, I'm pretty swamped at the moment. Can this wait?"
"No, it cannot. Three of Avatar Korra's friends and her sister Kanna were wrongly arrested tonight. I'd like you to release them immediately."
"They're not going anywhere. They were interfering with police business.
"That's nonsense. Your police force was rounding up innocent people and claiming that they were Equalists. Well they are not, so release them immediately." Korra couldn't believe that Tarrlok forced Saikhan to do this.
"All Equalists suspects are being detained indefinitely. They'll be freed if and when the task force deems they are no longer a threat."
"Those people are entitled to due process under the law."
"You'll have to take that up with Councilman Tarrlok." Tenzin raises his pointer finger, "Oh, I plan to. At the council meeting, first thing in the morning."
"You're officially the worst Chief of Police ever! Kanna was right about you." Korra then places her hand and grips his chin, moving his head up and down.
Tenzin grabs Korra away. "Calm down, Korra. I'll get this sorted out; we just need to be patient." Both turn away before Tenzin quickly turns back and points at the chief. "But you really are the worst. Ever!"
