Elio, Talos, and Korra sat in the far corner of a water tribe restaurant to discuss tense renegotiations. Talos opened the gambit.
"Why should I rewrite a perfectly fine contract to service your bizarre need to be in contact with not only the Avatar but also have a say in the development in this world." Talos said with great annoyance that was returned by looks of discontent by the two teenagers.
"Maybe because that dammed-koff-" Elio coughed up blood when he tried to say Eclipso. His tongue flashed burned and forced him into wrenching pain that Korra caught him, Staring daggers at Talos.
"I see that Hakim was overzealous with his precaution," Talos commented as he placed a bottle in front of Elio. "This should help the burning." Elio was still in shock to notice the item. He had never experienced heat before as intense as that. He felt warmth, he never felt searing, boiling pain. Especially on something so vulnerable and moist as his tongue.
It was like boiling soup was trapped in his mouth.
"That jerk nearly killed him!" Korra yelled, not caring who heard it despite Talos asking for this conversation to be only them.
"I do find Hakim's deterrence to be...barbaric for lack of better words but such things are needed for the mission of Steelworks." Talos' words only sparked more anger form the young Avatar.
"What does your dumb company do that needs people's tongues to be burned!?" Korra growled. Talos signed.
"We do many things Miss Korra, things that a city needs to remain efficient and safe to live in. Most importantly we maintain its integrity and stability." Caught the meaning for Talo's words.
"Wait? That's what I'm supposed to do! Are you taking my job!" Korra continued to yell. Talos simply let its fingers fidget on the table. In a similar manner to one playing on a piano.
"The White Lotus saw fit to lock you within the south pole, the world didn't simply remain in peace while the White Lotus wasted time only giving you bending training." Talos dictating sounding like it was reciting something from a prompter or script. " I picked up your predecessor's mission of maintaining political stability since his unfortunate death. I picked up the pieces of people who had no idea of how to run a nation-state of such magnitude. I picked up the mantle of being the great innovator of this city and its great guardian. You are welcome to challenge it but recognize that I came to save this city, you came to spite your elders and to grow your power." Talos laid down its gauntlet, Talos wanted a more amenable deal and relation to the Avatar but the tide has turned. She wanted the truth and Talos gave as it seemed fit.
Korra didn't take the information well.
"You think you can take Aang's legacy- my legacy. You're just a businessman who thinks he's the Avatar!" Korra's anger was expressed with the growing intensity of the candles around them, becoming roaming fires that burned out their wicks within seconds.
Elio chugged the potion and got between the two.
"By God that is foul. Look I hate you, I really do hate you." Elio tried to state clearly while choking on the potion he chugged. He pointed the finger at the mechanical arbiter but then looked at Korra. "I appreciate the quick defense but for the time being, we need him. Even though he is a scumbag." Elio said calmly as the potion finally trickled down his throat. "Now I'm going to assume the whole "I'm better than you" speech was just you trying to scare her and make her bow. Maybe actually say what you want." Elio suggested. He couldn't see Talo's reaction but noticed a bit of relenting.
"I have been here for a long time Korra. I once resigned myself to hiding in the nearby mountains until your past life convinced me to help this world." Talos said with some abandon, sinking into their chair with resignation.
"Wait, Aang convinced you to make your company?" Korra reacted with a great surprise which only earned a slight shrug from Talos.
"No, but he did urge me to help with the growth of the city. He did have… had comments about me making a company and not simply inventing but we got along swimming enough." Talos explained simply as Elio kept close to Korra and examined Talo's words. He was under no illusion that the businessman had a secret sensitive side to him. He was just waiting for the obvious lies.
"So what are you trying to help this world or keep so it goes on its own way?" Elio asked incredulously as Talos himself didn't really know how to answer the young man.
"The Avatar seeks Balance in their lifetimes, I seek my own Balance in what I desire to achieve and see." Talos' tone became much more somber and melancholic. " I honestly want this world to be at its best, within the standards it can achieve." Korra raised an eyebrow.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Korra questioned while Elio's expression softened slightly.
"It means that I don't want this world dependent on me. It should only rely on those that come from it and will stay on it." Elio finally pulled the pieces.
"You want to leave?" Elio guessed.
"At some point, I will leave on my own accord. I can't go home but I can go to a place I can make a home." Talo's finished. Elio guessed that Talos was going to exile himself, the machine gave the impression of a wanderer with a nomadic streak that was forced to be sedimentary.
"Why can't you go back home?" Korra questioned as she kept her eyebrow raised.
"It doesn't exist as it should at the moment. I will say no more about it." The bit of information made Korra and Elio immediately suspicious, especially Elio who first guessed that Talos destroyed their home. Korra imagined that Talos would conquer it and ran it to the ground.
"Will you at least allow me to rewrite the contract?" Elio asked as Talos seemed to stare off, barley being attached to what is going on around them.
"I can but I need assurance." Elio and Korra both raised an eyebrow in response to Talos's answer. "From my perspective, a teenager I met a few days ago is laying down moral judgment on me and reneged on a deal that he agreed to on a whim." Elio slump in his seat. "I need assurance that you can be trusted after our initial plans are met."
"Which I would like to know." Korra chimed in. Talo's knitted unseen eyebrows.
"You will know what I can spare you to know." Talos said half-heartedly.
"Just so long as you don't forget that I am here." Talos nearly retorted Korra's answer but decided against it.
They discuss the small details of the contract first. Elio's pay, which was going to be lowered as a punishment, Work hours, and how communication will work between Elio, Rio, Hakim, and Talos from now on to avoid such backroom dealings afterward. The serious negotiations started with the information that Talos told Korra. That Elio and Rio were not benders but had special powers and that they were going to fight a great power in over a week.
Korra didn't respond right away. She sat and listened while Talos did his best to describe what Elio and Rio were training to do without being specific.
"So they are training for the big fight that's coming?" Korra asked with raised eyebrows. Elio and Talos both nodded. "A fight that took you away from home and the thing that forced you to leave is now in the city messing with the local gangs." Korra elaborated.
"Pretty much if you leave out the juicer details." Elio said apologetically. He wanted to say more but wanted to say them when the world was a bit safer. In its current state, it would just put an unnecessary burden on her. That was the furthest thing in Elios's mind that he wanted, unneeded harm of anyone in this new world.
"That is all you need to know for now. I have more information but that is for a later date." Talos' words only flared Korra's suspicions again. " Yes, it must be frustrating that I speak in what seems like riddles to you but trust me that information like this is something you ease into." Talos did not succeed in convincing the Avatar.
"Think of this way. If we can't handle it we will get you involved." Elio kept a hand on Korra's hand and tried to convince her that was sound. But when he turned to Talos he gave him a glare. "And if that happens we will explain everything to her and the important members of the white lotus."
Talos didn't immediately say anything, staying motionless in his seat as the restaurant remained quiet. After a near minute of intense staring and private thoughts, Talos bowed his head.
"I concede to the Idea that the Avatar was properly educated." Korra's smile grew when she heard the C.E.O's computation but may have given her reaction too soon. "If she agrees to endorse my company and help me build influence in the city with her presence I will personally fund any donation or project of your desire." Talos pointed at Korra who felt bombarded with information.
"Anything I say?" Korra asked as she pushed the finger away.
"It is as I said. All I require is that you help me with my problems and I will help you with yours." Talos explained simply. Elio immediately was suspicious of this. He felt that if Talos was making a deal like this, the things he wanted support for might be highly compromised. Who knows what he could ask them to do.
"Promise that Elio and Rio remain by my side and that you will do all you can to earn my endorsement." Korra said simply. Elio was proud of the remark for the vagueness that Korra managed to inject into it. The best deals inject as much wiggle room so they can get the most out of it. Besides in Elio's mind if Talos is going to be shady in his dealings everyone else can pick up the same tactics to keep him on his toes.
"I promise only that the company will do as it is always done, propel the limits of innovation in a way that the consumer can afford. I swear to you that I and the company will represent the values you show to the public." After saying his piece, Talos walked from the restaurant opening into the night time streets. Korra followed suit but by the time that they reached the entrance, the streets were empty.
The two teenagers decided to leave for the island after some bit of searching.
"Why the disappearing act?" Korra asked as she steered her polar bear dog to the ocean. As Naga placed a paw on the water she walked on it as she would with stone.
"My best guess is just to be dramatic but there might be another reason that I don't know yet. The upside is that we both are confused on this front." Elio said with an awkward smile. He held Korra from behind as they rode their way to the island. He wondered about what to do next.
Elio now had a goal beyond helping Rio and that fight coming up. He wanted to figure out what to explain to Korra and what to leave out about his world. He thought about how he was either going to get his family to come or if he was going he was going to leave them.
He didn't want to leave them of course and wanted them to come with him to live in this world but that was not something he could guarantee. He couldn't and shouldn't force them to follow him here just because he thought he might get a better life.
He felt guilty for even considering the notion.
"You're being quiet again." Korra teased. They were halfway to the island. Naga was running on the water, confidently and with a lack of care. Elio was envious of both of them. "What did we talk about? Not intentionally keeping secrets this time?" Korra verbally poked at Elio.
"I'm a bit worried about what comes next…" Elio's statement hung in the air as they traveled to the island.
"Rio said some strange things about you." As the words left Korra's mouth Elio felt a chill went up to his spine. "Things that made you seem to be….A bit off is an understatement. A bit overzealous maybe the right word." A thousand questions swirled in Elio's brain. What did she specifically know? What she was going to hold against him? Why did Rio reveal any of the things that went down in Camp half-blood?"
"I fulfill my promises, even the bad ones. Nothing worse than a man that can't commit to anything." He got a small chuckle from Korra which made Elio slightly better. It might have also been the fact she didn't say anything that was outright accusatory, just blanket statements.
"Well, let's hope you keep the good ones for now." Korra remarked with warmth. Elio breathed a sigh of relief as Naga set foot on the island.
They immediately went towards Rio's recovery room to check on her but were met with a strange shot. Rio sitting comfortably while arguing with Hakim.
"Everyone says the originals better, that doesn't mean you should try to bury the sequels or discount them if they upset you. It breaks canon and continuity." Rio said while drinking some warm tea on a small table between herself and Hakim. Hakim took a quick sip before his rebuttal.
"The sequels completely ruin the meaning of the first one. I mean the only reason they made her act like that was to-" Hakim Finally noticed Korra, Elio, and his new pet, slithering on his arm staring at both of them. "Ahem." Hakim did his best to re-establish his demeanor. Cold and in control, he was not succeeding.
"What is-What even?" Elio was not in the right pace of mind to comment on what he was seeing. Korra kept silent, remembering the enchantment on Elio's tongue.
"Please he is threatening as a puppy. We spent the last few hours arguing about stereotypes and story tropes." Rio said before taking an annoying sip of tea. Elio and Korra both turned their gaze on Hakim. Both sharing a surprised, raised eyebrow.
"I got bored alright. And before you say anything I got Talo's message." Hakim showed Elio his smartphone and Elio saw a simple message of-
Need deal has been brokered. A link is under the message with the revised contract.
Elio rolled his eyes while Korra looked fascinated by the small machine.
" I'll give you this. You did make sure Rio was awake and she at least seems alive." Elio looked over to Rio. She was wearing her light water tribe clothing minus her boots, kneeling on pillows drinking sweet-smelling tea.
"He wasn't that bad of a doctor. Though there was a lot more chanting than I was used too." Rio joked, which put a slight smile on Elio's face. He was glad that she had awoken even she had tried to put Korra against him. Rio had every right to do that, Elio thought. "You didn't answer my ques- Is that a snake?" Rio pointed to Juanita as the reptile glared at Hakim. A look of hunger was in her dilated pupils.
"It appears you have taken back control of sewers from the beast." Hakim inched a bit closer to Elio but Juanita snapped at him to back off. Elio had the largest actual grin he ever made in Korra's world. The day was turning his way more and more and he was going to enjoy it until karma puts some brakes on it.
"She is a delightful Terror." Korra remarked giving the serpent a wide berth and rushed to hug Rio.
"You two really do know how to evening things up around here." Korra nearly crushed Rio with her bare strength.
"Wow there!" Rio eked out as Elio watched with great amusement. Hakim kept a hard stare on him as he smiled.
"What's with the look?" Elio said with a puzzled hand stroking his chin.
"Don't think the path you're going on has a happy ending." Hakim kept his voice low and got closer to Elio to whisper his words. "This thing you're trying to start with the avatar. Take this from a fan of her predecessor's work, her soulmate is already written in the stars, you're a side piece in the making." Hakim described. "Take this from me if you're ever going to listen to either of us, bottle your feelings." These were Hakim's last words before bumping into Elio and disappearing into the hallway. Rio and Korra didn't notice, Elio merely kept his smile as Korra explained what she and he did while Rio was in her coma.
"So you finally got your pet back." Rio carefully walked up to the serpent as she spoke. "Nice to see the quetzal up close." Juanita let Rio get close and even brushed against her hand. Like a scaly cat. " So a sports game and a new pet in one day. Nice to see some of your tourist checklist was crossed off…" Rio trailed off as she brushed the colorful wings of Juanita.
"You alright?" Elio asked with a genuine look of sadness. Rio seemed to soften in his presence again. Not outright forgiven him but seemed more receptive.
"I'm glad you gave us a way to tell the truth." Rio looked back to Korra. "I really do but that still has a price. I don't that I'm...that I am ..." A fighter, Elio guessed. Elio already thought that it was a psychic attack from Eclipso. Talos gave him the only confirmation he needed.
"Rio if I can fight off the thing in our path I know you can as well." Elio then looked toward Korra and her sympathetic smile to the two teenagers. "We also have one of the most powerful benders in this world on our side. For the first time in an awhile." Elio gave Rio a surprise hug. " I feel hope." The height difference between them made the hug slightly awkward but Rio tensed up, not from fear or awkwardness but in stark surprise. Rio hugged back.
"Well...If you even have hope what's the harm in trying to keep it." Rio, Elio, and Korra all gathered around the small table and poured themselves some tea. Sharing some light conversation about what to do next.
"Are you ready to move around tomorrow?" Korra asked. "We could start your waterbending training bright and early." Rio grimaced. "I know I hate it too but I need the air bending practice. And a distraction after getting handed my butt from that stupid machine." Korra said with a slight groan. While she was, for the most part, starting to get used to the information being given, she still wanted some simplicity.
There was only so much information she could and would take in, even if she did like these two. Rio as a friend and Elio as something she was not sure of. Something she was going to nail down when they could tell her everything.
As they joked, drank, and enjoyed the lull the three teenagers did there best to keep the dangers of tomorrow buried under the hope that it might bring.
Korra let herself fell hopeful about her training and found excitement waiting for the next chance to be in the arena.
Elio let himself feel emotions he had suppressed out of shame. Emotions that had Korra at the center of them as the warning that Hakim gave rang in his ears. A small bit of hope.
Rio buried her fears, she didn't mention in detail of the vision she had. The dream of drowning in the deep ocean as Eclipso laughed in the background. The weight of the sea on her as the wicked eyes watched her unable to get up while she was in constant pain. She did her best to hide all these feelings, it was how she dealt with pain before meeting Elio and it was how she was going to deal with it now.
Whatever choice did she have? They felt hope, who was she to take that away. Rio put on a fake smile, drinking her tea as she thought about how screwed they are if Eclipso would get serious. He knocked her out for an entire day and trapped her in a coma-like state. Trapped while Elio and Korra were risking their lives, she was thankful that it wasn't serious but felt shame that she could do anything if something would have happened.
From there she silently spiraled as unseen eyes watched the island from afar.
Hakim and Talos were arguing on top of the balcony of a nearby hotel.
"We are wasting time negotiating. We need them to train!" Hakim shouted as he, shakily, poured a glass of grape juice into a goblet. " Less than five days are left, The timeline is accelerating, and we don't know what Eclipso is doing?" Hakim rambled as he drank in quick sips. Talos sat on their seat watching the window with great attention paid to the golden theatre.
"I have dealt with Eclipso before. I can assure his death if we come to blows." Talos said confidently. Hakim stared at the C.E.O.
"Your not exactly an A-lister in power. We are facing a villain that could take on the justice league on a bad day." Hakim transition from sipping from his goblet to drinking it all in one gulp. His trembling now making the liquid periodically spill. "It only a matter of time until he makes a deal with that snake." The look of fear on Hakim's face was a rare sight of Talos. Hakim was expressing more emotion than Talos ever saw from him. A near wreck of nerves and endless insecurity in his eyes. Talos waved off his concern.
"Eclipso is a threat that parallels the stupidity of the host he uses. We reside in a world where the average person has, at the most, the power to level a block." Talos said categorically. Talos felt no need to deal with Eclipso before all the other projects they had on their feet. Talos wanted to get some affairs in order and Eclipso can very much wait until Talos did so as far as the C.E.O was concerned. Hakim did not share the confidence.
"You don't know magic. He is magic, I am magic. I deal with all the mystical disturbances and Eclipso is not as powerful as the snake but is more dangerous." Hakim explained as he pulled out a chart. "He can actually make a detailed plan and because of how little power he uses he can hide. I feel physical pain when the snake breathes when Eclipso makes a portal It feels like a mosquito fart." Hakim explained in severe detail as he held his arms close to his chest.
Talos rose from their seat and placed a hand on Hakim's shoulder. The boy became less tense, but only ever so slightly.
"We still have time to deal with the snake. We have plans and confirmation that it is possible to kill this monster. The demigods have dealt with the dragon and gained a new ally. If it wasn't behind my back I would be praising them." Talos did their best to be reassuring while Hakim settled down.
"I need to work them by the hour tomorrow. I need to shape them like marble, whether they like it or not." Hakim said with a sudden gruffness. "I'll make an exercise plan and list of jobs to get done for the week." Hakim started to ramble off into a thousand different plans and ideas. Talos estimated that it would last for about half an hour and simply waited while the thoughts that swirled in their mind.
Talos felt the age of this current body. The rusted gears and small sounds of whirling. The old stone mask is now crumbling around the edges. The sense of replacement Talos saw all around the city. The old buildings being torn down for the new ones, the renovated buildings when they got sold, the newer policemen replacing the old guard. Talos's feelings in the simplest terms were obsolescence. Talos was no longer needed, obsolete, yesterday garbage.
Talos thought more and more on this feeling. A small plan came into Talos mind.
"Schedule for Vira to come to the city. She will make her debut." Talos words cut through the word vomit of Hakim and made the boy silent. Stunned by Talos' request he raised a finger.
"You can't be serious." Hakim said with great shock. "You can't be implying-"
"I have existed much longer than one should. When this Eclipso and snake crisis is dealt with I will retire myself from existence. This body will rest forevermore when the job is done, such is the faith of Tools." Talos said with verbosity. Hakim, while still trying to understand what Talos was even asking, wrote down a letter and planned out a route and schedule for a marketing/meet and greet for Vira Dox. A person he has only known through letters and off-hand comments.
"Fine. but I am going to go ham on Rio and Elio's exercise regime tomorrow. Let's see how mouthy they are when they can barely move." Hakim grumbled. Talos waved off the comments as the robotic C.E.O continued to watch the theatre and wondered if Eclipso's first target would be there or the inner city. Doing the calculations in the mind, Talos was calculating which would be most likely. Air Temple Island came up in calculation and so did the Dragon Flats Borough, while some government buildings were in the running few granted any great message or profit for Eclipso.
The only clue was the gang infiltration but even then does not narrow down the options it just means that when Eclipso will strike that it will be hard and fast. The more Talos thought about it, the more thoughts turned to the two brothers in the pro-bending arena.
The Fire Ferrets Hakim had called them. They seemed affable if a bit dull to Talos who expected much more from such specialized benders. The fire bending brother the dullest of all while the younger, earthbending one was more naive and energetic. Haki told Talos that they would play important roles for the coming conflicts, the ones beyond the snake, and concerned this equalist that roam the moon-lit streets.
The more time passed, the more thought was devoted to this idea as Talos heard Hakim leave to get some rest. Talos felt a strange feeling, a feeling that lingered in the android's mind in decades. Uncertainty. A bubbling, smoldering feeling of true uncertainty. What are theses next few days going to require from the mechanical mogul and will the price be tenable?