Author's Note - Hi guys! So this chapter is one of my favorite styles of chapters because it's a filler-foreshadowing chapter. It's lighter than most of the other chapters and I hope that you get some major domestic fluffiness from this (because that's what I was aiming for). Now, Lin and Tenzin are a tad out of character in this chapter but that was the whole idea. Basically, I wanted to portray them when they were completely at ease, relaxed and happy. So instead of seeing the grumpy chief and stoic munk, we'll see Lin and Tenzin in full on parent-mode (because let's be real, that's totally what LOK should have done for them; who doesn't love 'Incredibles' vibes in a show). Also, Opal is more a narrator in this chapter but don't worry, we'll get all of the Beifong sassiness in her next chapter. Oh, and I've given Korra more of a role in this fic than I expected (you're welcome, Korra). Ok, I think that's everything. On to the story!
Chapter Nine: Return of the Masters
Opal
"Let me make sure we heard you correctly." Aunt Lin said from the head of the table as her and Master Tenzin stared at Korra in disbelief. Next to Korra was the rest of Team Avatar, who sweat-dropped at their leader's less than stellar investigational skills. Across from Team Avatar was Opal, Jinora, Ikki and Meelo. "You went to the spirit world and found two spirits?"
"Yep."
"And you, the student of Katara since you were six, did not recognize that you had ran into the Painted Lady and the Blue Spirit? Two spirits that Katara and Firelord Zuko have told you countless stories about growing up."
"Well it's not like they introduced themselves to me-"
"Then you proceeded to get into a fight with the Painted Lady and the only thing you got out of her was that the portals were necessary and that you need to be more patient?"
"Yep." Mako interrupted, his arms crossed in annoyance as Korra's short hair flipped around to level a scathing look at him.
"Shut up, Mako! No one asked you-"
"Mako, don't egg Korra on. Korra, did you get anything else from? Anything at all?"
"Chief, that bitch told me nothing-" Aunt Lin threw a hand up, stopping Korra's rant as the older woman took a deep breathe before asking,
"Please, don't tell me you call her a bitch to her face?"
"… Maybe?"
Opal was trying (truly, she was) but she was one second away from laughing out loud. Across from her, Asami smothered her giggles into her palm while Bolin mimicked Korra and Mako's contrasting facial expressions. It didn't help that Aunt Lin was now making her 'I'm-too-old-to-deal-with-this-shit' face. Next to her, Master Tenzin looked up at the ceiling before shaking his head into his palm, with a 'where-have-I-gone-wrong' air to him.
"Ohhhh, Korra's in trouble!" Meelo teased, causing Opal and Ikki to release the snicker. Between them, a rather subdued Jinora cracked a small smile as they watched Master Tenzin muttered in disbelief while Aunt Lin stood up from the table.
"Right, I give up." She walked around the table and to the doorway. She paused at the doorway and looked back over her shoulder. "Tenzin, is the emergency sake still stocked?"
"Yes. Get me a glass." Master Tenzin answered, earning eyebrows from everyone.
"I thought monks didn't drink?" Bolin asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"Yeah, but they're not supposed to be married so…" Opal shrugged. "Or maybe Korra just driving him to drink?"
"Oi! I heard that!"
"Can I come too, Aunt Lin?" Meelo called out, farting himself out of his seat. Instantly, Aunt Lin twirled around from the hallway as Tenzin popped up in panic, their annoyance evaporating instantly at the horror of the idea of Meelo drunk on sake.
"No!" They yelled. Meelo floated back down into his seat in a huff.
"You're not even having so much as a sip of sake until you're sixteen, Meelo." Aunt Lin stated firmly.
"You mean twenty-one, right, Lin?" Master Tenzin coughed into his fist.
"Ah, you're right. Seventeen."
"Twenty."
"Eighteen."
"… Fine, eighteen." It was like watching a game of power disc, watching the two negotiate. There was something different about the conversation that Opal just couldn't put her finger on.
"Awh!" Meelo pouted. Aunt Lin frowned before a smirk replaced it as she stepped back into the room. She crouched slightly; her knees bent to rest her palms on them as she leant forward to get the boy's attention. Meelo looked back up at her with deer eyes and in that moment, Opal remember just how young Meelo actually was. Hell, the kid had just turned ten and he's already been kidnapped multiple times and fought in battles. Aunt Lin smiled slightly, her softened features and the care of her mannerisms with Meelo were breathtaking.
"Besides Meelo, if you went with me, who would make sure that those three," Aunt Lin waved her hand in their direction. "stayed put?"
"Um, us-OW! Asami!" Bolin whined as he rubbed where Asami had elbowed him.
"Shut up." Asami mouthed, knocking her head towards Meelo as the youngest airbender in the room lit up.
"Me?"
"Yes, you, Sergeant Twinkletoes." Aunt Lin crossed back into the room to ruffle Meelo's freshly trimmed hair, both of them missing Ikki's grumble of 'why is he Sergeant Twinkletoes?'. "You think you can handle it?"
"Aye, Aye, Chief Aunt Lin!" Meelo saluted dramatically.
"Close enough." Aunt Lin chuckled at the (technically inaccurate but adorable) response before she locked eyes with Opal. Opal held her breathe because the 'don't-you-even-think-about-leaving-again' look Aunt Lin sent her was terrifying as it was touching. Aunt Lin pointed two fingers to her eyes before flicking them back at the girls. "I'll be back in a few."
Opal used her aunt's exit as an excuse to peek back to the head of the table and, holy shit, her jaw damn near fell to the floor. Thankfully, Opal was an amazing actress (if she did say so herself), so she was able to (somehow) remain completely pokerfaced when her brain finally processed the fact that Master Tenzin was totally checking out Aunt Lin's, ah-hm, derriere. And yes, Opal was rather new to this whole, sexual-tension-and-naughty-time-with-a-man deal but it's pretty damn obvious what had just transpired.
Weren't old people not supposed to be behaving like this?
Ok, all jokes aside (and she was joking, Aunt Lin, promise), Opal couldn't help but feel like this wasn't the first time that this had ever happen but it was definitely the first time that she noticed. She quickly scanned the rest of the room. Bolin, her loveable, idiot boyfriend, was oblivious to it all (real shocker there) while Mako and Korra got into another pissing contest at the other side of the table (again, shocker). But Asami, oh she definitely saw that. The Sato heiress' lips were pursed more than usual, her eyes tighter. Clearly, Asami was processing everything but like the true strategist that she was, Asami said nothing.
Meanwhile-
"Meelo!" Ikki growled, shoving her hand out to hold back Meelo. Said boy had plopped down right next to Ikki (like right next to) and was staring rather intensely at them.
"But Ikki, I'm just doing what Aunt Lin asked me to do."
"You're supposed to 'watch' us! Not get in my face!"
"Dad, Ikki's not letting me carry out my mission for Aunt Lin!"
"Dad, Meelo's in my personal space again!" That seemed to snapped Master Tenzin out of his… whatever that was and back into Dad Mode.
"Meelo, go back to your seat. Ikki, you know you aren't supposed to shove your brother." Master Tenzin said. He clapped his hands, causing the attention to return back to him. "Now, let's think about what we know and how we should go from here. Korra, are you sure the Painted Lady didn't tell you anything as to why the portals were necessary?"
"Tenzin, if she told me, I would have told you." Cricket, cricket. "What? I totally would have."
"Your track-record says otherwise."
"Do you want to fight, Mako?!" Korra leaned forward, her fist starting to flicker and smoke. Mako glared and slammed his fist down on the table. His crackled with electricity as he started to get up.
"Maybe I do!"
"Fight, fight, fight." Bolin and Meelo whispered-chanted.
"Well since you're looking for an ass-whooping-" Just when it was about to get good (Opal's money was on Korra), a blast of air cut between them, pushing them back down.
"Awh!" Meelo and Bolin whined.
"Korra, Mako, enough." Master Tenzin pinched the bridge of his nose as the ex-couple glared at each other and huffed away from one another, their arms crossing in annoyance. "I can't believe this needs to be said, especially at your age, but no bending in the house."
"But you just-"
"Korra!"
"How they were ever together is beyond me." Jinora leaned closer and whispered. Opal smile, glad to see Jinora back to her old self.
"I know, right?" Opal whispered back. "You feeling better?"
"Yeah." Jinora reached under the table to give Opal's hand a quick squeeze. "I'll tell you later."
"Good news, Bumi and Kya restocked it with the good stuff and- what the flameo happened here?" Aunt Lin asked as she sauntered back into the room while juggling the little metal cups with her bending. The woman sniffed the air (it was still a tad hazy in the room) and raised an eyebrow at the still pissed off pair as she sat back down. She bent the cups to the table, filling Master Tenzin first before topping herself off. "Do I want to know?" She asked as they clicked glasses. Her second eyebrow joined the first one as the man shot back the first cup and held it back out to be refilled.
"Nope, I don't want to know." Aunt Lin decided as poured more out. "Right, where were we?"
"Aunt Lin, the mission was a success!"
"I see that, Sergeant. I expected your report on my desk at 1800 hours."
"Huh?"
"Never mind, kid. Now-"
"Why is Meelo Sergeant Twinkletoes?" Ikki said louder this time with a pout. "That's not fair."
"Yes, it is!"
"Nah-huh."
"Yeah-huh."
"Nah-huh!"
"Yeah-huh!"
"Nah-"
"Woah, you two." Aunt Lin's cables shot out to pull them apart. The woman ignored Korra's grumble of 'Oh, you can use bending in the house'. "We've been over this, Ikki. Meelo is carrying on the tradition of Twinkletoes in your family."
"It is not a tradition-"
"Besides," Aunt Lin continued, effectively cutting off Tenzin in his rant. "we've already agreed that you're Captain Chatterbox."
"When did you-"
"But being a captain sounds so boring! Sergeant sounds way better!" Ikki argued. And just when Opal thought that this conversation couldn't get any odder, Mako (of all people) interjected,
"You know, a captain is a higher rank than a sergeant."
"So?"
"It means you can boss Meelo around."
"HA! In your face, Meelo!" Ikki cheered, fist-bumping.
"That is some bull-"
"MEELO!" Master Tenzin scolded.
"What? I was going to say crap." What had this conversation come to?
"Am I missing sometime here?" Bolin asked. Pabu popped out of his collar, nodding to agree that he too was just as confused as his master. "What's with the nicknames?"
"Meelo and I are joining the RCPD when we're eighteen. The nicknames are cop humor." Ikki explained. Opal blinked in shock at the exclamation as Master Tenzin sputtered,
"Eighteen?! We did not agree on eighteen."
"But Dad, you said we could apply when we were old enough. The RCPD starts accepting application when you turn eighteen."
"Yes, but- ugh." He turned to Aunt Lin in defeat. "Why did I agree to that?"
"Because you know there's no way in hell those two are going to stay in the temples now that there are other airbenders." Aunt Lin said. Mako's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"So you're letting them into the police force?"
"Unfortunately." Master Tenzin sighed as Aunt Lin patted his shoulder in support.
"Trust me, Mako, no matter how much easier the force would have it with some airbenders back in it again, I've thrown pretty much every argument that I could at those two to get them to change their minds." Aunt Lin explained. Jinora perked up next to her as Opal picked up on the wording.
"What do you mean, again?" Opal asked, earning a look from her aunt and her master. The rest of the room leaned forward in anticipation as it clicked from them.
"That's right, you guys don't know about when Aang and Tenzin used to be apart of the force." Aunt Lin say what now?
"Woah, time out!" Smoke was practically coming out of Korra's ears, she was thinking so hard. "You mean to tell me that you, Mr. Pacifist, used to be a part of the force?" Aunt Lin snorted.
"You should have seen this one," She pointed at him as the monk next her rubbed his neck in embarrassment. "when we had to stop one of the triads' trafficking schemes and the only way we could find the girls was for me to go undercover. Those schum bags didn't know what hit them."
"You let yourself get kidnapped."
"Same difference."
"It is not- oh, never mind." Master Tenzin sighed. "Technically, I was an honorary member who was only called in during more, shall we say, delicate missions." Master Tenzin said as he stroked his beard. "My father played a far more active role with the force but as his health faltered, I was called in more often."
"Did you have a nickname too?" Really, Bo, that's your question?
"No-"
"What Lieutenant Airhead meant to say," Aunt Lin chuckled. "was yes, he did. Avatar Aang's nickname was Chief Twinkletoes.
"… You guy used to call Avatar Aang, Chief Twinkletoes?" Korra asked, earning a shrug from Aunt Lin.
"Mom used to just call him Twinkletoes to his face. We just add the chief part as a sign of respect."
While this conversation was completely off topic, it made Opal think back to her first time meeting her grumpy grandmother. While it sounded outrageous, she could totally see her grandmother at HQ call Avatar Aang Twinkletoes. And after meeting Avatar Aang, she could also totally see him taking the nickname in stride.
"Maybe we should get back on track?" Asami asked tentatively. Aunt Lin nodded in agreement.
"Right, so what do we know?"
"The Spirit World likes Opal, Jinora and Ikki and hates Korra?" Bolin offered, earning a face-palm from the room.
"Anyone else?" Aunt Lin asked again. Seconds passed as Opal watched the rest of the room. She froze as Mako locked eyes with her. His determination rolled off of him in waves and she could see why he was considered one of the best interrogators in the city.
"Hey Chief? Don't you think it's kinda of weird that only the girls were sent to the Spirit World?" Mako asked, his eyes never leaving Opal's. Jinora's hand made its way back over to hers, stopping Opal from going all Beifong Bitch on the firebender. Opal kept quiet though and met his glare head on as Aunt Lin hummed in agreement.
"That's true and with all of this talk about the portals being necessary-"
ROAR!
The room jumped as the bellow echoed through the house. Opal shot out her seat. She leapt over the table and her foot may or may not have nicked Mako in the face as she flew. As she landed in front the window, Lantern popped up from its place from the hedge on the other side. The light fire spirit jiggled, like it was waving to her before zipping back to its hiding spot. That's when her eyes grew to the size of plates as she made out the beast headed for the island.
"Um, guys, there's a dragon headed this way." Opal said. She felt silly just saying those words as gasps filled the room. Aunt Lin and Master Tenzin locked eyes.
"You don't think?" Master Tenzin asked. Aunt Lin shrugged as the two stood.
"There's only one way to find out but that definitely sounded like Druk."
As the group made it to the courtyard, the Air Acolytes peeked out from the temple in worry. Aunt Lin and Master Tenzin waited by the fountain and Bumi and Kya joined them. Opal sat next to Bolin and Jinora on the stairs. The dragon was approaching fast when something flickered at the corner of her eyes. As carefully as she could, Opal shifted as she saw Lantern skirt up the temple walls to the top tower. There Pema stood on the balcony with Rohan in her arms and what looked to be a scroll in her left hand. Next to her was Nira and from the looks of things, they had been fighting before all of the chaos had erupted. Just as Lantern was about to hit the balcony, another baby portal opened and Lantern flew into it.
"What are you looking at?" Opal stiffed at Mako's question. Of course, he would be the only one to notice. Unfortunately, he had sat behind her on the stairs, which means he must have seen Lantern's latest escapade.
"None of your business." Opal snapped at him. Mako bristled and looked ready to yell back at her when Bumi cheered,
"Is it?! It is! Guys, look! Uncle Zuko is gracing us with his presence!"
"Way to state the obvious, Bumi." Kya rolled her eyes. Then she squinted as she focused on the staddle on the beast. "Hey, does Uncle Zuko have someone with him?"
"You know, it looks like he's holding something-" Aunt Lin cut herself off with a cough, her eyes glancing in amusement at the siblings then back at the descending dragon. Unfortunately for the Avatar's kids, they didn't have to wait long to find out just what the former Firelord was holding.
Or rather, who.
The dragon puffed as dust kicked up around. Smoke climbed out its nostrils, shielding the Firelord and his guest from view. Then the dragon laid flat to the ground and shifted its head, giving the group a clear view of the staddle and its riders.
"No-" Bumi started.
"Fucking-" Kya added.
"Way." Master Tenzin finished. The siblings gaped at each other as Firelord Zuko, still graceful and nimble at the age of 91, disembarked from his dragon and held his palm up to his guest. A petite hand reached out and grabbed him as the little woman maneuvered herself towards him. Her blue skirt puffed up as she pushed herself off of the staddle and into Firelord Zuko's waiting arms. The woman crashed into his chest but he didn't falter, holding her tight against himself as she regained her bearings. The woman smiled up at him lovingly, earning one back. She patted in his chest in a way only a lover could get away with and for a second, Opal was certain that they had forgotten that they had an audience. Then Firelord Zuko stepped back and held his arm out to her. The lady in blue wrapped her arm around his, ready to be escorted to the main house.
"Daaaammmnnn." Korra shout-whispered as the elder couple approached the group. Opal had to agree with Korra, this was a twist that she did not see coming.
"Hello, kids!" Master Katara waved with her free arm. "Be a doll and get our luggage for us." It took her children a few moments to react with a loud and confused shout of-
"MOM?!"
Author's Note - Damn, Katara! Get some! Ok, guys, let's talk about the rest of the fic before we get to the cliffhanger. First, Lin and Tenzin giving us major 'The Incredibles' vibes makes me happy. Is it out of character? Eh, kind of. Do I care? Nope! Now, as for Ikki and Meelo deciding to join the RCPD when they're older, I can totally see that happening. With other airbenders in the world, they have no reason to stay in the temples. Besides, Lin is their role model and they love action (and even though Meelo is like, 'I listen to no man or girl', I can still see him following orders when he's older). Oh, and that little bit of Aang and Tenzin being a part of the RCPD? That may or may not become a side story in the near future. Ok, now to the cliffhanger. Yes, Zutara is happening in this fic. Yes, Kataang is Canon and without it, this fic wouldn't happen, blah, blah, blah. Here's why Zutara's is happening. One, Aang and Mai have been dead for decades now. Two, Zuko and Katara deserve to have each other as they grow older. Three, the parallels between the Painted Lady and the Blue Spirit was foreshadowing (from the Queen of Foreshadowing, obviously). And four, the comedic factor was way too big to pass up. Side note, I'm of the belief that being bender means that benders live longer and stronger than none benders (hence Zuko still kicking ass in his late 80s). Ok, I think that's everything! Don't forget to review, favorite and follow! Love you guys so much!
-V.I. Winthrop
Kya
Kya knew that Lin was making the biggest mistake of her life when her and Izumi broke into the apartment that Lin and Tenzin once shared the night before Tenzin's wedding. Okay, so they didn't actually break in and they may have actually used the spare key but that was besides the point. Kya nursed her sake as she took in how different the space was. The apartment had once been the place where all of them could get together at for card nights and impromptu dinner parties. Now it looked barely lived in. Gone were the photographs of their life together, the splashes of color that Tenzin insisted on, the feeling of a home full of love and laughter. In it's place was a cold and empty space besides the pile of used coffee mugs in the sink. Izumi glanced up at the clock in the room and frowned.
"She can't still be at work, can she?" Izumi asked. Kya shrugged.
"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised." Kya said as the door opened.
Lin stopped dead in her tracks and honestly, the fact that Lin didn't sense that they were already there showed just how lost Lin was. Kya took in how Lin too had changed since her break-up with Tenzin. She still had a rocking body (lucky bitch) but Kya could tell that Lin had lost weight. Gone were her long, wavy locks of hair that would curl over one shoulder from its side part. In their place was a short, curly bob with thin streaks of gray running through it from its middle part. For a second, Lin looked like she was going to bolt but her pride won out because earthbenders do not cut and run. She bent her armor off of her and leaned back against the door to look at them.
"What are you doing here?" Lin asked with such a defeated tone that Kya's heart tugged in sympathy. Kya and Izumi looked at each other before Izumi adjusted her glasses and waved to the open seat next to her.
"Sit down, Lin. Let's talk." But Lin shook her head and squared her shoulders.
"There's nothing left to say." Lin said calmly but her eyes spoke differently. Her eyes screamed of pain and love and heartache and longing. So, much, longing.
"Come on, Lin." Kya pipped up. "Don't let this farce of a wedding fool you. Tenzin's been a mess since you guys broke up." Lin flinched and wrapped her arms around herself for comfort. A spark of hope shinned through her eyes before it was squashed by defeat.
"It doesn't matter anymore." Lin said through gritted teeth.
"He loves you, Lin. There's still time." Izumi said. Lin shuttered and bit her lip.
"Don't do this to me." Lin pleaded.
"He's changed, Lin!" Kya insisted because no matter how crap of sister she was, she knew her brother and she knew that he was not okay. "He doesn't laugh anymore! All he talks about is airbender lore and he's even started dressing like Dad!"
"Please stop." Lin wasn't looking at them anymore, her hair shielding her face away as she stared at the floor.
"That girl doesn't even know him, Lin! And he barely knows her!"
"Kya, ease up a little." Izumi whispered but Kya shooed her off.
"Are you just going to give up on everything you've built together?!" Kya yelled and immediately regretted it as Lin's head snapped back up with the most murderous look ever thrown at Kya. For a second, Kya was sure that Lin would kill her if it wasn't for the tears that started to roll down her cheeks.
"Don't you dare!" Lin heaved through the tears as she stood tall despite her trembling body. "Don't you dare think that this isn't killing me! I've lost everything! I lost him and I..." She choked up, the tears crimpling her as she whispered. "I lost my babies..."
"Lin, please-" Izumi moved to stand but Lin shook her head to continue her rant.
"I lost them! And because I lost them, I lost him! I can't give him want he needs!" All the fight left Lin in that moment as pained defeat blanketed her. "I can't give it to him..." The confession turned Kya's blood to ice as the dots started to connect.
"What do you mean, can't?" Kya asked as she stood. Izumi gasped, the truth hitting her too as she looked at Lin with horror-struck eyes.
"Lin, what happened when you lost the third pregnancy?" Izumi asked. Lin shuttered as she sunk to the floor to cradle her head in her hands. "Lin?"
"Tell me that I'm doing the right thing." Lin begged, stopping them from approaching her. Lin looked up at them and Kya's heart shattered for her best friend. "Tell me I'm not making the worst mistake of my life."
Tears started to roll down Kya's cheeks. Izumi sniffled next to her as the pair remained silent because the truth was finally out.
Lin Beifong, after multiple failed pregnancies, was no longer fertile.
Author's Note - This is the scene in my head that triggered this whole fic (sniffles into tissues).
-V.I. Winthrop