Here is the twenty-second chapter in Book 3, for once on time. I am trying to get one more chapter out before 2020 and there is no reason that I shouldn't achieve this. I will then try and continue this rate of one chapter every other day until I am caught up though I will not make any promises on that front as it is New Years and well there is often a recovery period after that. As usual, there are no questions to answer here so sit back and enjoy the 22nd full chapter in the third installment of Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 3: Unity.
Disclaimer: As always I own nothing related to these two great works of fiction.
Chapter 22
It had been a month since Harry had sent his kids back to the Academy for their second semester of the year. It had also been a little over a month since he had left Hermione in Azkaban and ended that part of his mission to catch the last Enlightened once and for all. Now he, Ron and Neville were in a dressing room backstage of the main theater in Republic City.
Today was a big day as it was the penultimate debate of the Presidential Election season and they were preparing for it as best they could. Luna and Ginny, tired of dealing with politics that they couldn't care about given their career choices but supported nonetheless, had gone the Avatar's box to wait for the start of the debate. Luna had apparently brought popcorn so as she enjoyed the spectacle of the debate, the only part of the election she truly enjoyed.
The men were disturbed by a sudden knock on the door. Before any of them could answer, Johannes Jonker opened it and walked in, closing it behind him.
"Your highness, I have just been talking with your campaign manager and speech writer about what to expect in the upcoming debate." Johannes said with a formal bow to Ron that he returned. "They sent me here to let you know what they think will come up and to make sure that you are prepped for all of it. They trust that the Avatar has already begun doing so but wanted an extra mind on it.."
"Of course Johannes, we have been preparing but let me know what the others have to think." Ron said as Johannes walked into the room. "I am always open to other perspectives on it, the more the merrier."
"Well firstly they wanted to let you know that Oliver has just announced his intention to drop out and will not participate in the debate." Johannes said.
Harry was only slightly surprised by this seeing as Oliver had been falling behind in the polls. This was good for them, Oliver had been the other clearly moderate candidate and with him gone his supporters should come over to Ron thus bolstering his campaign.
"That leaves you and Theo the only benders in the field." Johannes continued. "As you know, Oliver's poll numbers were going down and they took a significant drop after Hermione's confession to the point that he couldn't recover."
"A shame." Neville said shaking his head. "Most other years someone like that, a famous, well-liked, Hall of Fame probender, war hero and accomplished Secretary of Sport and the Arts would be almost guaranteed to win. Alas people like Tru-Da, Theo, Dudley and Ro have warped the system and perverted it."
"Especially Tru-Da." Harry agreed with a nod. "Ro is just corrupt and colluding with aspects of the media that are opposed to Shacklebolt. Tru-Da is perverting the process and making it into a spectacle."
"Yes he was the reason why I decided to enter the race." Ron admitted. "I didn't want to run but after he decided he wanted to be president I knew something had to be done. We cannot let him, or really any of the other remaining candidates, be elected. Their all too extreme and we cannot let extremism win, we all know what happens next."
"Well that extreme will likely be tested today." Johannes said with what Harry felt was fake annoyance. "There are almost certainly going to be questions on the more controversial and extreme views of the other candidates."
"Like what?" Ron asked.
"Well Dudley's bending ban will be addressed, no way around something so blatantly discriminatory." Johannes said looking at a notebook he had pulled out of his jacket. "As will the proposed barriers with Tor Blinn and Kuei that Tru-Da wants in order to prevent the criminal elements from those states illegally entering the United Republic. This despite there not being much of a problem coming from those states."
"It's Tru-Da, all he will say is that it will Restore the United Republic Prosperity or one of his other 4 set phrases that his supporters echo." Harry said shaking his head. "He's all bluster and no substance but he is seductive to the disenfranchised and ignored, especially nonbenders who feel that Ro is even more untrustworthy and Dudley is too extreme. There are issues that have been ignored and Tru-Da is targeting them, though doing so in the wrong way.."
"Why does he keep harping on about that fucking barrier?" Neville asked. "It's not going to change anything, they have earthbenders, they can tunnel under it. Besides, there has always been relatively free movement amongst the nations. There hasn't been a ban on any form of immigration since Hermione's blockade of her own nation. After that no one has wanted to prevent free travel unless you count what Impia did and no one does. Yes we should have passports that are easy to obtain, there is wisdom in that, but other than that there really isn't much we need."
"There are places like Ba Sing Se that are just so big and transient that they need some sort of immigration system but not what Tru-Da is proposing." Ron said. "Which is why I am against his barriers and have been fighting him on that issue but also proposing sensible reform to address those who are affected by the mass movement of labor."
"And Neville, remember that Tru-Da wants the barriers because of how shit Kuei and Tor Blinn have become since the end of the Second Purity War." Harry pointed out. "After their Purist governments fell, they fell into disarray and have become some of the poorest places in the ISEK."
"That is a consequence of Purism." Johannes said. "It is an oligarchic ideology and when it ends the results are predictable. The victims of that should not be punished for it."
"While that is true, Kuei and Tor Blinn are also rife with lawless crime, drugs, bandits etc." Harry pointed out, noting that Johannes had slipped a little with that statement as it was a favorite of the far left to avoid any discussion on the issue. "Many are fleeing for safety and a better life and that should be considered but amongst them are many criminals who do cause problems. It is a delicate issue that is not exactly in balance at the moment with the free movement but something should be done at those borders to make sure that only law abiding citizens are coming in. So long as they are going to abide by the law there should be no barrier to entry."
"Exactly, which is why I am willing to compromise between Tru-Da's position of keeping them all out and Ro's one of let them all in with basically no vetting." Ron said. "Just a simple check at the borders to make sure that they aren't connected to crime. The IBI has an extensive file on those states and will share it with me so it shouldn't be hard to accomplish this."
"Emotions always trump facts though and both Tru-Da and Ro are experts at playing to the emotions of the citizens of the United Republic." Johannes said with an attempt at sage wisdom and likely to cover for his slip up earlier. "They know how to rally people. Theo and Dudley do it as well but they are both even more extreme and only appeal to those wings."
"True and they are not split on ideologically lines though like Ro and Tru-Da but bending lines." Neville said. "The other divisive thing in society. Theo offers a return to what the Purists promised with his benders first and equal rights for benders stance while Dudley offers what Amon did with his anti-bending stance and the extremes love them for it. Fortunately as the extreme candidates they have minimal support and can pick off more votes from Tru-Da and Ro than Ron as the centrist candidate."
"We can only hope." Ron said. "At the moment my numbers have been dipping a little as Tru-Da has finally found an attack angle on me that he has been unable to exploit until now."
"The failure to capture Cresswell." Harry said darkly. "It ain't easy finding a man like him. Cresswell is not only one of the best linguists in the world but he is an expert on culture, even if he usually wants to change it to match his own perceptions on what is right. He can hide anywhere and know how to blend in without being found. There are numerous places in the ISEK alone that he could be."
"What does Tru-Da expect to do to catch him?" Neville asked. "Ron's jurisdiction is Republic City and by extension the United Republic, not the world and Cresswell could be anywhere. The President of the United Republic cannot send investigators beyond his borders without invitation from that nation's Head of State."
"Don't forget his recent attacks at the Avatar's failure to unmask the Water Enlightened." Johannes said with straight face that gave nothing away. "That is another angle of attack for Tru-Da and anyone else looking to knock a few points off Ron."
"Yes of course how can I forget that criminal." Harry growled. "It's not like it's the easiest thing in the world to identify a man who has never shown signs of Enlightened views, who all records on were destroyed before we could access them and of the 4 people who could identify him, 3 are dead while the last is still a fugitive. But according to Tru-Da it is the easiest thing in the world and with him it will be done."
"A good line of attack on him." Ron said, a look of thought on his face at that. "I can turn his attack back on him if he tries to go after me on it. I just wish I had a lead on either Cresswell or the Water Enlightened but I have nothing."
"Besides, I am the one with the jurisdiction of the world." Harry grumble. "And as my brother-in-law, best friend and member of Team Avatar, my failures are placed upon Ron when they shouldn't be."
"Don't beat yourself up about it." Ron said with sympathy. "I can handle my own shit. I know what to do to counter Tru-Da and come out on top. Plus I have a feeling that the Enlightened will make their final move soon. They are liked a cornered animal, they will strike one last time and when that happens we will be ready."
"True, we will be." Harry said to Ron, not looking at Johannes at all to avoid tipping him off to their suspicions. "Soon they will be no more, I promise that."
"Anyway what about the other candidates?" Neville asked Johannes, a good distraction from their talk. "What kind of attacks can we expect to see on them. Let's be realistic, this debate will quickly devolve from a policy debate on the merits and experience of the candidates and become a mudslinging contest about their greatest failures and weaknesses of all the candidates."
"Well other than the inexperience of Dudley and Tru-Da there will be the usual." Johannes said as he looked back at his notebook, not showing any discomfort at the mention of the Enlightened. "Ro will face questions about her confidential messages scandal that the IBI ruled careless but not illegal. That is old news though and she has recovered from it. She will also have to deal with the fact that she claims to be a candidate for women and their rights and protection and yet has stayed with her powerful and charismatic husband despite his affairs and alleged sexual assaults."
"Well that and she ruined the careers of no less than 7 women who have come forward against him." Ron pointed out. "That is something Tru-Da has been using whenever his own problems with women come up. It is useful to know and likely will be the death nail in Ro's campaign."
"That is what the experts are predicting." Johannes agreed with a nod before continuing with his notes. "Theo will face a lot of pressure about his alleged Purist views and sympathies in the past, he was one of the names on Pansy's list that Luna got out of that Purist bitch regarding the Purist students during the Second Purity War. Theo was never arrested or even charged with a crime over that period but all of his friends from then were either arrested and convinced or died fighting for the Purists in the Battle of the Elemental Academy."
"Also the fact that his father was a convicted Death Eater who died in the Waterbending Supermax Prison's bloodbending wing while serving a life sentence without parole doesn't help his candidacy, no matter how he much he distances himself from it." Neville added. "That will haunt his candidacy. It is an advantage for us. He may have disavowed the Purist philosophy during the campaign and claims that he isn't one but his connections to them close and his views are to similar that it is hard to see him as anything but a Purist in all but name."
"The same can be said for Dudley and his parent's arrests for plotting to overthrow the United Republic and instill an Equalist dictatorship." Harry added, pointing out the biggest issue with his cousin. "Except that it is Equalist philosophy and not Purist that Dudley is connected to. Though in Dudley's case he has been very much courting that idea, only trying to do so via political election rather than force of arms. It won't work but it is better than the alternative."
"Yes your friends are right, that's effectively what to look out for." Johannes concluded putting his notebook away. "They all have serious baggage, that is our biggest advantage in this election. Ron has no such baggage."
"Good to know." Ron said as he checked his watch and sighed. "Alright y'all had better find your seats before this shit show starts. Last question Johannes. Who are the moderators?"
"Lee, the famous sports announcer and radio host who is best friend with your twin brothers, Rita Skeeter the freelance investigative journalist with multiple ethics complaints and some nonbender political contributor who I don't know." Johannes said as he made his way to the exit. "Only Skeeter is to be feared though, that bitch will twist anything and has absolutely no morals."
"Thanks." Ron said with a tight smile as Johannes left closing the door behind him as he left. "I agree, that bitch is the worst of the worst when it comes to gossip journalists."
"Fucker didn't give anything away." Harry said as soon as Johannes was gone. "I am almost certain that he is the Water Enlightened but he won't give it away. He's almost as good as Pyrites at hiding within the upper echelons of society."
"Well he will slip up." Ron said simply. "They all do. Even Pyrites fucked up and we caught him. Besides, I will have a talk with him soon enough and see if I can rattle him in a one on one conversation. Anyway you two should get the box. Please try to prevent my wife from heckling us during the debate, that might not go over well."
"Ron, that is a losing battle and you know it." Harry said with a smile as he and Neville shook Ron's hand and turned to leave. "Good luck out there, we are counting on you to do well. We can't let any of the others become a World Leader, none of them can be trusted with power."
Ron nodded as Harry and Neville left before he closed his eyes to compose himself. It was going to be a tough debate but Ron knew that in the end he would come out on top with the voters who focused on facts and policy rather than emotions.
Harry and Neville hurried through the backstage part until they found the door to the main area. Once there they quickly climbed the stairs to the second level and moved to the small box set up for the Avatar and his friends to watch the debate.
Harry opened the door and walked in to take his seat next to Ginny while Neville took one next to Luna. Luna already had a bag of popcorn open and a glass of wine and was looking eagerly out at the empty stage waiting for the debate to begin.
Harry looked out over the theater to see that it was packed with spectators, media personnel and other interested parties all waiting for the debate to start. On the stage there was 5 lecterns for the 5 remaining candidates to stand at during the debate. They had been quick to remove the 6th that should have been there for Oliver.
On a raised platform a few rows into the audience was a three person desk for the moderators. In the center was the dark skinned broadcaster Lee, still wearing his hair in dreadlocks. On his Lee's was a short, dumpy bald man who was clearly the nonbender political contributor. On his left was the dyed blond, 65 year old, investigative journalist and in reality purely gossip hound Rita Skeeter.
The moderates were talking lowly with each other and looking over their notes for the upcoming debate. With Skeeter on the panel this would certainly devolve into a mudslinging contest with her providing the buckets to the candidates. Harry just wondered how long into the debate it would be before Skeeter brought out those buckets.
Harry sighed and looked at his watch. It was almost time for the debate. He just wanted the marathon election to end but there was still a few months left before the election and then another few months of transition before the inauguration of the first newly elected President since the disgraced President Fudge.
A soft chiming sound and a slight dimming of the theater's lights broke Harry out of his thoughts and let him know that the debate was about to begin. Harry put his watch away and turned his attention to the moderators as the debate was set to begin. It was time for Ron to shine and take another step towards the Presidency.
"Ladies and gentlemen, benders and nonbenders, welcome to the second to last Presidential Debate for the President of the United Republic, hosted by the Wu Society for Democracy." Lee said in his calm announcer's voice into the microphone at his desk. "We have just learned that Oliver, the current Secretary for Sport and the Arts and a Hall of Fame probender for Puddlemere United, has announced that he is dropping out of the race for President. He has formally endorsed Chief Ron of the RCPD for President."
This announcement caused a buzz amongst the spectators who clearly had not heard this news. Harry noticed that a few of Oliver's supporters in the back of the auditorium putting away their signs with annoyance. Harry knew that this was the perfect time for Ron to win over Oliver's supporters.
"And now we shall introduce the candidates." Lee continued ignoring the buzz. "As with the prior debates the candidates will stand on the stage based on their current poll numbers with the current leader in the polls, Chief Ron, being center stage, though this will have nothing to do with the frequency of questions they shall receive. So without further ado, let us meet the candidates starting with the candidate polling 5th based on average of the recent polls: Secretary for the Treasury and former noble from the Northern Water Tribe, Theodore."
Harry watched as the tall, reedy, allegedly former, Purist walked out of the wings and up to his podium smiling at the gathered spectators and waving at his supporters, completely unperturbed by the fact that more boos than cheers accompanied him. Theo's long salt and pepper hair and neat beard were both made up in traditional Northern Water Tribal braids of the nobility, despite the fact that his father's conviction for Death Eater activities voided his family's noble claim.
Theo wore a formal and expensive light blue suit from his home nation accented with precious stones and fine ivory and bone jewelry, the latter likely made from his hunting trophies as was tradition. Over his left breast was the crest of the Secretary of the Treasury to show off his office. The stable and balanced economy was Theo's best asset but it was outweighed by his other views.
Once Theo was at his podium he nodded at the moderators. Then he took a relaxed pose and started to smile at his supporters while Lee continued his introductions.
"Next we have businessman and current owner and operator of Grunnings Drilling Company, Dudley." Lee announced.
Harry watched as his obese cousin waddled onto the stage smirking and playing to the crowd as soon as he received a few enthusiastic cheers from the Equalists. However, like Theo, for the most part he received a lot of boos from those who did not like Dudley's views. Harry's prejudicial cousin had medium length, straw colored hair that was plastered to his fat skull with sweat from the exercise of walking to his podium.
Dudley wore an expensive three piece suit cut in the latest fashion favored by the right and powerful nonbenders. Though it was clearly not as well tailored or finely cut as what Tru-Da would ultimately wear due to Dudley's large frame. Dudley leaned heavily on his podium when he got there and Harry hoped that it was reinforced to hold Dudley's immense weight. His piggy little eyes glared into the crowd ready to rile them up with his hateful rhetoric.
"Next we have the former First Lady of the Imperial State of Ozark, a one-time elected Imperial Senator from the State of Yank and the former Secretary of State for the United Republic, Ro-Clo-Hy." Lee said with the same level of enthusiasm as he had had for the prior two candidates.
Harry watched as Ro walked out onto the stage waving and smiling to the crowd that was significantly more enthusiastic about her than the former two candidates. The woman was in her mid 60s with grayish hair that Harry thought might be dyed but that suited the older stateswoman look she was going for. Shame her smile looked more predatory than genuine, she might have more success if she didn't always look like she was after power.
Throughout the election, Ro had forgone the expected dress for female candidates for a series of jumpsuit like suits of various colors. It was a fashion that had caught on with her middle aged female supports due to being professional and not flirtatious. Luna often criticized it. This time she had gone for a dark green suit with a purple accent that showed she hailed from the Earth Kingdom originally but that the United Republic was now her home.
Still smiling a smile that always creeped Harry out, Ro took her place to Theo's right and continued to beam at her supporters while ignoring chants from those who supported Tru-Da of "Azkaban for Ro!"
"Seriously does she take something to produce that sadistic smile or is that her natural smile." Luna whispered from behind Harry. "She looks like a poisonous bush in that outfit. No wonder her husband felt it prudent to stick his dick in the ass of every young receptionist while Governor of Ozark, regardless of gender."
Harry couldn't help but snicker at Luna's comments as Lee tapped his microphone to quiet the crowd down so he could introduce Tru-Da. The man's very loud supporters had begun to buzz with anticipation for his arrival.
"Next is businessman and chairman of the Tru-Da Corporation, Tru-Da." Lee said again in the same tone as he had introduced the others.
There was a loud cheer and an equally loud set of heckles from Tru-Da's supporters and haters as the man himself walked out of the wings waving, giving a thumbs up, waiving and smirking at everyone. The eldest member of the field was on the wrong side of 60 with a distinctly fake tan and dyed blondish hair in what looked like wig. The man was one of the richest in the world and was self-funding a large portion of his campaign, another thing that had endeared him to his supporters as he wasn't seen as someone who could be bought.
He was dressed in an exquisite cut suit that was perfectly tailored to the latest fashion. Tru-Da paused a moment to wave to everyone again while soaking in the audience before finally walking to his podium and taking his place next to Dudley.
"And last we have the leader in polls, a Prince of the Southern Water Tribe, Republic City's most popular Chief of Police since Toph Beifong herself, a hero of both the Second Purity War and the Liberation of the Fire Nation, the brother-in-law, best friend and counsel to Avatar Harry and a proud member of Team Avatar, Chief Ron." Lee announced Ron with much more enthusiasm than any of the other candidates on stage in Lee's trademark slight bias.
Ron smiled as he walked out to the overwhelming cheers of his supports, who clearly comprised the majority of the crowd. As with all his public appearances during the campaign he wore his dress blacks with all his medals on display to show that he had the experience to lead the nation. Ron never liked the fanfare of the political arena and walked purposely to his podium and stood still waiting for the debate to start, though he did wave to his supporters to acknowledge them.
"Well folks the candidates are present so let us begin this debate." Lee said with a hint of eagerness in his voice. "As usual the ground rules are that each candidate has a minute to answer a question given them before a buzzer goes off and their mic is turned off to prevent them going over. In addition, if we decide that you are not answering the question posed, we will turn off your mike early and ask someone else a question."
This got some grumbling from a few of the candidates. Harry personally liked the system as it prevented a candidate from ranting for too long and ensured that all got to say their piece. It also ensured that the candidates stuck to substantive answers and not tried to avoid the tough questions that were going to be asked them.
"Should a candidate want to respond or has been called out he or she will have 30 seconds to respond to the comment." Lee continued, ignoring the discomfort at the previous rule. "Each candidate now has a half a minute to give an introductory statement as to why they should be our next President. At this time we would like to ask the crowd to keep quiet and hold their applause until after all candidates have addressed the question posed to them and response so as to ensure that this debate goes smoothly. Dudley let us start with you."
"Thank you Lee and thank you to Republic Theaters for hosting this important event." Dudley said in a slightly nasally voice. "I am the only candidate here who will truly make the nonbenders of the United Republic equal to the benders for the first time since President Raiko and I will ensure that benders can no longer oppress us. I pledge to my fellow nonbenders to legally end the menace and inequality that is bending. Thank you."
"Powerful words." Lee said with a slight shudder as he spoke, likely because he was a firebender. "Tru-Da your turn."
"Thank you Lee and thank you United Republic for giving me this chance to be your next President." Tru-Da said in a thick accent that belied his intelligence while he spoke with his hands, something that always distracted and annoyed Harry. "All I have to say to the people of the United Republic is that I will restore the United Republic to prosperity."
"RURP, RURP, RURP!" Tru-Da's supports began to chant as soon as their candidate was done.
"Ok thank you Tru-Da." Lee said loudly enough to silence the chanters. "Chief Ron."
"I will keep this simple for y'all." Ron said with a smile. "I am not a demagogue making you false promises and playing to your emotions. I will not use my gender as the reason to be elected President. I will not appease the extremes of the United Republic, extremes that I have personally fought against and beaten on multiple occasions."
Ron paused for a second to make it clear where he stood. He stared out at the crowd with a serious look in his eyes to further emphasis his point. Harry knew that this would help him with the large centrist block of the electorate.
"Instead all I will promise you is that I have kept this city safe as its Chief of Police for the last 4 years and as an officer of the RCPD for 21 years prior to that." Ron continued. "I have helped end two of the greatest threats this world has ever seen in Voldemort and Hermione and I know what needs to be done to continue making the United Republic the envy of the world. I ask you to let my record and experience speak for itself when you are deciding who to vote for. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to be chosen as your next President."
"As usual wise and sensible words from our decorated Chief of Police." Lee said with a slight nod. "Secretary Ro-Clo-Hy your opening remarks."
"Thank you Lee." Ro said in an educated, sophisticated voice that sounded like she was talking down to everyone around her from a high ostrich horse. "I want to emphasis that I and I alone have any experience in elected office or with international relations out of any of the candidates on this stage tonight. In addition the United Republic has only ever had four female presidents in Presidents Moon, Wilhelmina, Jenkins, and Bagnold so it is time to elect a 5th woman to the most power leadership position in the world."
"Er ok thank you for that typical introduction Secretary Ro." Lee said to the boilerplate introduction that Ro used every time. "Lastly Secretary Theodore if you please."
"Thank you Lee, it is good to see two benders as moderators tonight, for once going against the prevalent discrimination against benders in the United Republic." Theo said in a slightly weaselly but educated voice. "Firstly I would like to point out that my regulations as Treasury Secretary have not only balanced our budget in the Untied Republic but allowed us to become the strongest economy in the world with an unprecedented surplus. But that is not enough. A President must also be a President for the people. This is why I stand here today as the only candidate who will protect the rights that benders have been losing for decades. This discrimination must end and I will dedicate my administration to ending it and restoring equality for all."
"Thank you candidates." Lee said over the applause and cheers of the assembled crowd. "Rita if you will, please ask the first question."
"Thank you Lee." Rita said in silky voice that always made Harry's skin crawl. She was a predatory just waiting to strike, the buckets would come out right at the start tonight. "My first question is to Chief Ron."
"Go." Ron said with a smile that Harry knew was practiced for just such an occasion.
"Chief." Rita continued. "You say we should look to your record and what you have done to protect us in the United Republic and the world in general but do you really think we should trust it when you failed to capture one of the Enlightened in that raid several months ago and have since been unable to find Cresswell or even unearth a lead as to the identity of the Water Enlightened? How is this protecting us?"
"Thank you Rita." Ron said not reacting to the long-winded question in any negative way. "I admit that one of my recent failures has been in my hunt for Cresswell and the Water Enlightened but we are all not infallible, not even me."
This got a chuckle out of the crowd while Rita glared at Ron, taking notes. Harry knew that she would be twisting this in her write-up of the debate but Harry was glad Ron had said that. It was a humbling statement and made him more relatable."
"It is true that Cresswell escaped through a tunnel that we did not know about and is a master of both culture and language." Ron continued. "This allows him to hide in any culture in the world should he so chose and there are a lot of cultures he could hide in. As of right now the RCPD does not believe either are within the United Republic and as such we must allow the other authorities such as the IBI and the Fire Marshals aid us in this hunt for an international terrorist who I guarantee will be brought to justice. In the meantime the safety of the citizens of the United Republic is paramount to me and I will continue to do what I can to ensure that."
As Ron finished the buzzer went off signaling the end of his time. Harry thought that it was a good answer, the best Ron could have given to a question like that.
"Anyone wish to respond to that?" Lee asked opening the statement up to the floor.
"I do." Tru-Da said a gleam in his eyes as he was ready to go on the attack, it was his best tactic in debates after all. "I just want to reassure the people of the United Republic that these terrorists will be brought to justice at all costs and I will direct the new Chief of Police to do so should you elect me President. Chief Ron has clearly failed you in his and the Avatar's attempt to bring down the last great threat to the world. I will not. They will be brought to justice and executed for their multiple crimes against humanity."
"Interesting." Lee said over the cheers of Tru-Da's supporters. "Chief Ron anything you wish to respond to before we move on?"
"Just that my goal will always be the safety of those in the United Republic." Ron said and Harry was leaning forward to see how his best friend handled this question. "I will capture, dead or alive, Cresswell and the Water Enlightened. I would like to point out that Tru-Da has no experience fighting the evils of this world while I decades of experience. I have personally taken out Death Eaters, Chosen and many who have followed the evil philosophies of those terrorist groups ever since I captured the Death Eater Travers back when I was only 14. In addition I have captured all of the most vile criminals to plague this city in the last two decades so I will capture or kill Cresswell and the Water Enlightened and my record speaks for itself."
Harry smiled. It was a little strong for Ron but it was what he needed to do when responding to a blowhard like Tru-Da. Ron had been able to avoid attacks as of late but that would change down the final stretch of the election when his opponents got desperate and did anything they could to cut into Ron's lead.
"Damn he turns me on so fucking much." Luna moaned from behind Harry and he had a feeling that she was touching herself in some way, likely much to Neville's discomfort. "I am going to fuck him senseless tonight, both on the way home and as soon as we get there. I am going to have an epic orgasm."
"Thank you Luna." Ginny said with an exacerbation that was well used. "I just love hearing about my brother's sex life. It's always the highlight of my day."
"Thank you, I will tell you more later." Luna whispered and both Harry and Ginny had to restrain themselves from face palming in unison. Even in their 40s, Luna hadn't changed one bit.
"Dudley I have a question for you." The nonbender contributor said and Harry focused again at the debate and not whatever Luna was doing. "You have been vocal about banning bending but why should bending be banned? Surely that is discrimination against benders."
"Of course it isn't." Dudley said with a smile and Harry could tell that Theo was trying really hard not to attack Dudley with his waterbending right there and then. "All it is is allowing for an equal playing field. Benders have an unnatural advantage over us nonbenders and they use that to oppress us. They have been doing this for decades. It is time we once again rose up and restored the ban on bending Amon made decades ago. Only once bending is banned can we truly be an equal society. I am not calling for the Avatar to strip all of their bending, well except in extreme cases, just a ban on it within the United Republic. Preferably all benders will be kicked out of the United Republic but that will never pass so I will settle for the bending ban."
"That is the most discriminatory thing I have ever heard and I was raised by a Death Eater." Theo yelled ignoring Lee's attempts at order. Harry had to admit, the rejection of his father was a good strategy for Theo to use. "It is people like you, criminals just like your father, who oppress us benders and take away our rights under the guise of equality. I will restore the rights of my fellow benders and once and for all we will be equal again. I promise that."
"That's rich coming from a so-called former Purist who believed equality was a myth." Dudley retorted back with equal anger. "We know that there is no such thing as a former Purist. My father was wrongly convicted, your father was a convicted Death Eater who committed some of the worst atrocities the world has ever known. Nott got off easy with live in prison, he deserved to hang for his crimes."
"Enough." Lee said into his microphone as the mikes on Theo's and Dudley's podiums went off though they kept yelling at each other for another moment, only they couldn't be heard as well as before. "Thank you for that spirited discussion but let us keep some decorum. Rita I believe you have a question for Secretary Ro."
"I do." Rita said with a hint of pleasure at the chaos already unfolding and clearly looking to stir some more. "Secretary Ro, you pride yourself as being a voice for women's rights but how do you respond to the allegations that you bullied and belittled the brave women who came out and accused your husband of abuse and ensure that they were discredited and blacklisted. One of them even killed herself because of your actions. After all, we know we can't trust you with classified materials given your history with them so why should we trust that you are a voice for women when you have been accused of such treatment of your fellow women who bravely came forward to report abuse?"
Ro clearly look flummoxed by the question and proceeded to completely ignore it and answer a policy question that hadn't been asked instead. Her mike was cut off halfway through under the policy of not answering the question posed.
Tru-Da used that moment to call her out on it and in response Ro gave some platitude about protecting abused women, but not abused men, and how she is a champion for women's rights. She continued to ignore her own actions or the accusations against her husband. This lead to cheers from Tru-Da's supporters at her discomfort. Ro had not helped her campaign with her response.
Harry sighed and settled back into his chair for the rest of the debate. It had only been two questions in and already Rita was stirring the pot and bringing out the mud. It was going to be a long night, he might as well try and get comfortable.
The rest of the debate followed the same sort of pattern as all the previous ones. Most questions, while challenging, were focused on failures of the candidates and not their successes or qualifications. They all devolved into some kind of mudslinging contest between them with Lee being forced to turn off the microphones of the candidates to shut them up. Yes there were a few good points here and there, almost exclusively by Ron, but for the most part it was an embarrassing shit show. It was a typical debate.
When the debate ended, Harry had no doubt that Ron had won it and was one step closer to the Presidency. There was just so much going on right now with the hunt for Cresswell and the threat he posed now, as well as the attempt to investigate Johannes, that Harry really didn't have time for the debate. Still, it was a necessary part of democracy and Harry would support it.
As soon as it was over, Harry and Ginny quickly left to return to their home for a quiet night in. They would catch up with Ron and his interpretations of the debate in the morning. Ron needed to decompress afterwards even more than Harry and Ginny did and Luna would certainly do everything she could to help, something Harry did not want to think about.
Harry just hoped that when Ron confronted Johannes he could make the older waterbender slip and they would be able to prove that Johannes was the Water Enlightened. Then they could arrest him and be one step closer to ending their threat once and for all.
After that, Harry could turn to the rogue bloodbender running around that was Delphine before once again restoring peace and balance to the world. Somehow, Harry had a feeling it wasn't going to be that simple.
So this was my attempt at a presidential debate, hence why there are few statements that are longer then I would have liked. This chapter is more to show what is going on in Harry's arc and how they are suspicious of Johannes, and how he interacts with them, then the set up part of the Triumvirate's plan as that is on Delphini, not Johannes. There are 2 more chapters in the Harry/Ron/Johannes arc that are needed to conclude it and then it will shift to the last focus of Book 3 that will lead to the final confrontation. The next chapter is the most important one in this arc so get ready for it. That is all for this post chapter note, as always please like, favorite, follow, review, this story and any questions asked in reviews or PMs will be answered at the start of the next chapter. Until next time.
Stringdog