A/N: Hi, everyone!
Is "sorry, I'm late" appropriate? x) So, yeah, it's been a while. I've been really tired and busy, I still am, so I have no idea when I'll post the next chapter, but I'll try to work on it during the holidays.
This chapter is actually half of the original chapter, so I guess we'll have 29 chapters. We'll see.
I decided some things, so I'm sorry if they feel rushed but you'll understand where the story is heading at the end.
Have a good read!
After the meeting with Zaheer, investigations intensified. The Earth Republic was involved, as well as Republic City, the White Lotus, friends, acquaintances... Everyone tried to put an end to this terrible organization: the Black Lotus.
The more they looked into it, the more horrors they discovered. But at the same time they discovered this invisible network, old disused bases... All this was evidence of a complexity that only added to the difficulty of the task, almost requesting them to give up.
But they kept going and learned a little more about the organization's system. Only one law reigned: the chiefs' absolute despotism. They maintained a continuous submission on their subordinates by terror and threats. There was only one way to destroy the organization: to get rid of the leaders, Ba Tu and Hieu.
If some fanatics—or victims—perpetuated the actions of the organization, they would then take care of them: their power would certainly be much less. It would be attenuated by their psychological weakness due to such a hurt and submissive mind.
Many raids occurred. Korra always took part in them, even if she had to go to the other side of the world. Asami accompanied her from time to time, which depended on the complexity of the mission. If so, Isolina stayed with Reena, protected by the White Lotus. Unfortunately, most of the raids were unsuccessful and they had to start again: to start again to investigate, to interrogate, to travel the world, to fight...
"Isolina!" Reena shouted when she saw her friend show up.
Instantly, she threw herself on her. The blue-eyed girl hugged her. She said hello to Opal, who was approaching, while Reena greeted Asami who was with her.
"Well, shall I leave you?" the green-eyed woman said after a little conversation.
Isolina nodded. She kissed her one last time and left to play with Reena.
"I'm sorry to leave her with you that much currently," Asami sighed.
"Oh, you know she doesn't bother us," Opal said, dismissing the apology with a wave of hand.
"I know, I know, but even so... I would rather avoid it. It's just that we're so close to the goal right now..."
"Yes, we know it. And after that, there won't be this problem anymore. Or less."
"I hope so... If only it could end quickly. I feel like Isolina is a little annoyed by the situation... Fortunately Reena distracts her."
"You can count on her for that," the airbender chuckled.
"Well, I'm going anyway. The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll be back! Thanks again Opal!"
"No problem! See you in three days!"
Three days, yes… Three days away from her daughter, that you could add to the two days of the week before and the four days of two weeks before that... It was as if it wouldn't stop. But it would be over soon. Soon, they would put the organization where they wouldn't make any harm. The only thing that reassured her was that they were so busy escaping them that there had been no sign of life from them for several months. But they were going to bring them out of the shadows and throw them in jail for good, that was certain.
—
As usual, the two friends played, spent time with Reena's siblings, did their homework a little and then, after eating, it was time to go to bed.
As Isolina still struggled to sleep alone and Naga couldn't keep her company (she always left with Korra), she usually slept with Reena. There were two beds in the room, but they always ended up using only one.
The first time, they had fallen asleep by accident, and then it was for various reasons, including Isolina's nightmares. And eventually, they got used to it and they slept next to each other.
That's why when Isolina awoke with a start, Reena woke up too. The blue-eyed girl was breathing softly, as she had learned to do, to let the nightmare go and calm down a little. Reena was a bit used to it, so she let her do her things.
"You're having a lot of nightmares these days, right?" she asked, after a while. "I feel like you're having more of them than usual."
"It's because my moms are far away... I don't like it..."
"But you have nothing to worry about here!"
"I know... But they... are always chasing bad guys... I don't want anything to happen to them and I like them to be with me. I feel safer."
"You'd like a hug?"
Isolina said nothing but slipped into Reena's arms. She smelled of vanilla. Asami smelled of violet and Korra a sort of sweet salt water as if her South Pole roots never left her.
"Will you manage to get back to sleep?" Reena asked.
"Yes... Since you're with me."
"Of course! I'll always be with you!"
She hugged her even harder and Isolina laughed slightly. Yes, she knew that, and it reassured her intensely; even if her moms were far away, she could at least count on her best friend.
In parallel with this relatively constant problem of insecurity and lengthy investigation, Isolina continued to have a normal life. That meant she was still going to school, but she was still protected by the White Lotus. People sometimes looked at her a bit oddly, but her classmates didn't say anything. Isolina was hardworking in class, she had never had problems to follow despite being two years younger; she had made friends and had continued to get on well with Reena. This is how the elementary school ended.
Everything began to change when she started middle school. Classes were not a problem, but the schedule was. She had been separated from Reena and some of her friends because classes had changed. Their schedules didn't always match and as a result, they didn't always finish at the same time, they didn't always see one another during breaks (sometimes, some teachers took pleasure in keeping them longer than necessary), or didn't necessarily eat together.
After a few weeks, Isolina started to find it hard, especially since Reena abandoned her sometimes to be with her classmates, her new friends, with whom she had common projects or with whom she was simply going to have fun to the detriment of her former friend. It did not happen that much, but it was enough for Isolina to feel abandoned and hurt.
One day when Reena had abandoned her and she was a little quieter than usual, Asami noticed it. She began to worry when she noticed that she was again petting her purple teddy bear; she only did that when something bothered her.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" she asked, sometime when they were alone.
"Reena went to play with her other friends today..."
"Ok... And... you don't like that?"
"Whenever she does that, she gives up on me!" Isolina exclaimed, a wounded look on her face.
She knew that expression... It was her expression that meant: "you don't love me enough and you abandon me". Asami knew that Isolina had friends, she counted on them, but Reena had a very special place in her heart. She also knew that relationships, friendships changed over time, and that Isolina had trouble with this change... For her, nothing changed: what was felt once for someone was absolute and applied forever. Unfortunately, it was not because her feelings did not change that others' feelings didn't.
Which didn't necessarily mean that Reena was abandoning her either. She knew that she loved Isolina, but she also had the right to hang out with other people. Besides, she had always done that, and she could not see it changing any soon.
Sometimes, Asami was worried about her daughter's feelings, about her way of seeing things. She had a slight tendency... a big tendency to lean on important cornerstones. She knew she was one, Korra a second, and surely Reena a third. She had rebuilt herself around the three of them. If one of the cornerstones collapsed or even eroded a little, as it was the case with Reena, she feared that Isolina might really struggle to recover...
"She doesn't really give up on you," she tried to ease. "She has other friends and that's normal. You hang out with Anka and Erity."
"But it's not the same! Reena is my best friend... The others are nice, but... it doesn't matter if they leave me alone," the girl finished sadly.
"You know, even if she's your best friend and you've known each other for a long time, maybe one day you won't be able to see each other so much anymore. You have to be able to rely on your other friends too, Isolina. And then, you will perhaps stop thinking that Reena abandon you by having other friends around."
"But I just want to spend time with her…"
"You already spend a lot of time with her compared to your other friends. We go to the Air Temple a lot, then Mom and I went on a trip a lot of times, so you could stay with her. But you don't just have Reena, Isolina. Your other friends love you too. Try to spend a little more time with them when you feel alone, okay?"
"I'll try..." Isolina said, reluctantly.
She knew that Asami generally gave her good advice. She did not like this one, but if it made her a little less sad and angry, she was willing to try. Besides, Reena would maybe pay a little more attention to her this way...
"Mum, Mom!" Isolina shouted, as soon as she saw her mothers arrive at the Air Temple Island to pick her up.
She threw herself into Asami's arms as she did with Korra right after. Calming down, she noticed the terribly tired look of the women. She was going to ask them if everything was all right, but she did not have time to do so.
"It's over, little puppy," the blue-eyed woman said with a smile.
Isolina frowned a little, confused. What was over?
"Do you mean you…?"
"Yes," Asami replied, hugging her again and kissing her on the top of the head. "We got them. This time it's over…"
Isolina didn't say anything, stupefied. It was really over? After all these years? She would never have to be afraid again? They would never hurt her again? Suddenly, everything was coming to a stop. Her mothers would stop going to the other side of the world in order to stop this organization. She could finally live.
"It's weird..." she said, letting her head rest on her raven-haired mother's chest.
Korra laughed a little.
"It kinda is," she replied.
"You won't go away anymore?"
"No, we won't. Not after them anyway. They won't escape. They never will."
"Thank you… Thank you. So much."
The blue-eyed woman wrapped her arms around her too.
"Everything will be fine now, Isolina. I promise."
They stayed like that for a moment. The girl was a little stunned, a little impressed, she felt completely empty for a moment. Maybe she wanted to scream out of joy, cry; she didn't really know. But she knew that she was infinitely relieved, that she was at peace in a way that seemed a little odd to her, in her mothers' arms.
Everything was over then... It was as if a new life was given to her, yet she knew that nothing was really going to change. A fresh morning air only blew on her life, replacing the hot and time-worn air that had contaminated her for too long.
Finally, they put an end to their embrace and Korra and Asami smiled again at Isolina, who found the strength to smile back at them.
Opal eventually joined them and offered the two exhausted women to stay on the island to get some rest. As it did not bother Isolina to stay a little longer, they agreed.
Then Isolina left to join Reena, whom she had cowardly abandoned, she had to admit. When she reached the green-eyed girl, she was still dripping and trying to dry herself with a towel, near a stretch of water.
"Ah, here you are!" she said, seeing her arrive. "Why on earth did you leave so quickly?"
"Sorry," she smiled. "I saw my mothers arrive, so I left to join them."
"Oh, and what did they find this time?"
"They said it's over."
"It's over? They stop investigating? But those people..."
"No, it's really over. They caught them."
Reena's eyes widened for a moment, then she rushed to Isolina to hug her.
"I'm so happy!" she shouted excitedly, hopping. "They got them! Finally! I'm so happy for you!"
"Reena, you're all wet!" Isolina protested.
"I don't care! Plus, you're like a waterbender, why do you care?"
Since it bothered her friend, she rubbed her down with herself to make her wetter. Isolina, who had stiffened at the contact, gently pushed her away. However, she was still clinging onto her, leaving just enough space between them so that the waterbender wasn't going to have more water on her.
"Yes, well, in any case, they looked tired, so I think I'll stay a little longer here while they rest."
"Yeah! More good news !"
She hugged Isolina again and the latter grumbled again.
"But I'm so happy!" Reena justified, pouting in front of Isolina's face.
She looked her into the eyes and pinched her lips a little.
"What?" the airbender asked, curious about her friend's expression.
"Nothing at all!" she replied hastily.
She kissed Reena on the cheek.
"I'm glad you're my friend."
The airbender brightened with a smile and placed a quick kiss on her cheek as well, before moving away from her.
"Well, you're getting back in now?" she asked, cheerful.
"Uh... No, I don't really want to..."
"Well, get me dry me then!"
"You have a towel."
"It's faster if you do it!"
The blue-eyed girl sighed but still took the water off from Reena's body with her bending, as well as the one on her own clothes that the hugs left on her.
"Thanks!" the airbender exclaimed.
Then, she began to take off her swimsuit to change herself with the clothes lying on the ground. Isolina quickly turned away, putting a hand on her eyes.
"Can you be at least a little prudish sometimes?" she complained.
"Come on, you're exaggerating."
"And you don't need to change since your swimsuit is dry."
"I just like being in my clothes. I don't get what the problem should be. Besides, it's not like you didn't know what's underneath..."
Isolina groaned. She allowed herself to take a quick glance between her fingers, without Reena noticing, then she decided that she preferred not to look.
When the airbender had finished, she approached Isolina and took the hand that prevented her from meeting her eyes. Then, she pulled her to another place where she could surely continue to have fun while waiting for her leaving.
"Hey, Reena, do you know what they say?" one of her friends asked.
She was looking out the window, not really paying attention to what she was looking at or to the lesson. In fact, she was not paying attention to anything at all. It was almost the end of the year and the end of middle school, and she really wanted to be on holidays.
In addition, her parents had told her that they would go on vacation, she was really looking forward to it! Even if the idea of constantly being with her brother and sister did not delight her greatly, especially since she would like to spend a little time with Isolina. Maybe she could ask her to come too? But even if she accepted, her parents might not agree, or Asami would not even let her go...
The blue-eyed girl was always busy anyway. Reena knew she wasn't avoiding her, but sometimes it was just like it. She ended up making a lot of friends, people Reena did not necessarily like. These people liked Isolina and somehow used her a little, she who loved so much to help others. And Reena didn't like that. But, it was her friends, she didn't really have the right to intervene.
"What do they say?" Reena asked her friend without really being interested.
He approached her with a notebook to hide his mouth as he whispered in her ear:
"The girl over there. With black hair," he said, pointing at her with his chin.
"Isolina?"
Oh, indeed, she was outside. She had not even noticed it. Well, it was sunny and she was hidden in the shade, laughing face to face with a girl with medium-length hair that she did not know. Surely one of her friends who took advantage of her too...
"Yes, yes, that one," he continued. "Well, they say she's dating the girl with her."
"She's dating this girl?..." Reena repeated, astonished.
"Some people say it's because of her mothers... You know... They say that this kind of thing passes on."
"What the hell is your problem? She's my best friend, leave her alone!" the airbender burst out. "And Korra and Asami have nothing to do with it!"
The friend in question turned white. He had forgotten that she knew them... Few people had the privilege of knowing the Avatar personally after all. As for her daughter, some didn't approach her because they were afraid of suffering the mothers' wrath and others were a little more daring, or even infinitely curious. Others again didn't care.
The whole class turned to Reena, who had spoken a little too loudly, and she was reprimanded by the teacher. She apologized, the blood still boiling.
She did not regret having raised her voice or getting herself noticed. She would protect Isolina, even if she had the whole world against her when doing so. They did not have the right to insult her friends like that. Besides, just because of a rumor that said she was dating this girl... Even if it were true, she knew Korra and Asami personally and she knew it was not what made a person good or bad. They should keep their judgments to themselves or she would make them be in for a rough time. Like, seriously!
Unable to concentrate on the lesson, she ended up watching Isolina through the window. Maybe she really was dating this girl... Her behavior suggested it, anyway. But it was strange, she had not told her about it...
After a while watching her, she noticed her look and smiled. Reena was surprised. She was about to make a discreet wave, when the girl in front of Isolina suddenly leaned over to kiss her.
Ah... So, they really were dating…
Isolina did not break the contact between their eyes right away, but the girl pushed her a little and she had to give in. Reena gritted her teeth a little. She did not like this girl, her behavior. She almost felt she had done it on purpose because Isolina was looking at her. Moreover she found her far too intimate and aggressive with her... Isolina was fragile, she did not need that. And she would not say anything, she knew it. This girl was taking advantage of her. She was sure of it. And she hated that.
A/N: Thank you for reading! Don't hesitate to leave a comment/review! I need them x)
I'll try to post between one or two chapters during the next two weeks. Don't get too much your hopes up, but I'll do my best. Everything depends on the motivation… I might disappear for a few weeks again, even if I don't want to. What you can be sure of is that I will definitely finish this story next year. Like during summer if I don't manage to do it before. Which I'll try.
By the way, I might post OS that are translations from some of my French works if anyone is interested? Just tell me and if the chapter for this story is too long to come, I'll post a few OS that are mostly ready. Oh, and if anyone wants to correct the story, just tell me, because I'm like so fed up with struggling with the translations while not knowing if it's actually any good.
Since I doubt I'll be back in a few days, I wish a merry Christmas to everyone and a happy new year! See you!
Lion
Review "guest":
GuestMcCarry:
Hi! Thank you for your review!
I like the story between Zaheer and P'li too xD
If horrible people existed in real life? I'm pretty sure the answer is yes :p
Thank you for your idea. I thought about it too but that's not where the story was heading, and since I already wrote most of it apart for that damn chapter that I don't manage to get right, I couldn't and didn't want to change. Hope you're not too disappointed and that you'll like what's happening.
See you!
Lion