AUTHOR'S NOTES: Lo and behold, this story lives. No covid, no giving up in despair, no writers' block, no abandonment issues; just a mixture of game addiction, a newly-obtained (few months ago) full-time job, and a bit of flat-out laziness on my part. That being said, I can't quite promise a regular update schedule yet but the story will go on. As such, we're going to see a bit more about how all this Red Lotus hullabaloo fits together.
Happy Reading!


BOOK THREE: WATER

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTEEN: THE RED LOTUS DUPLICITY

Korra glanced around, wondering where Risha could have disappeared to that swiftly. She made a mental note to not take her eyes off of that woman lest she vanish under Korra's nose again, but as she looked around, she saw another slip of paper, this one not even folded.

"I'll keep the Blood Whisperer off your case as long as I can. If you ever want to find me, come to Suite 576 of The Winter Waters Hotel any time of the week after 8PM." ~R

Korra did not like the idea that someone was after her; especially not if this person was a bloodbender like their name led her to believe. It also didn't help that her parents were arrested and going to stand trial tomorrow morning, which meant that Korra couldn't do anything too big or too rash this evening lest something come up that would prevent her coming to Tonraq and Senna's defense.

Korra hated waiting. She especially hated waiting when someone she knew or loved was in danger, because she had that inescapable drive to want to help, as well as to defend her loved ones. Still, Tonraq and Senna were detained for another 3 or 4 days before the trial would take place, which left Korra that much time to figure out her next course of action and how she wanted to proceed. Maybe it was her inner Red Lotus talking, but her first thought was immediately breaking them out. Perhaps in her frustration, the first thing she did was find Kwan to ask her about this, figuring Kwan would agree with her.

"I came to the Water Tribe to take a vacation from all the hustle and bustle of Republic City, and yet still I get the Avatar banging on my door long after sundown. Don't you have a curfew or something kid? I swear sometimes…"

"Come on, Kwan, you know me." Korra pleaded, "It's always something important."

"I know and that's the problem," Kwan grunted, "if you were just seeking attention I would have acted like I was asleep or something. Come in, sit down, and make me a coffee. I'm sure your nifty bending can do that for me better than mine can."

"Fine, I'll make you coffee," Korra submitted, and did exactly that before they sat down.

"But what then?" Kwan crossed her arms after Korra had shared the story, "You were the one that said they needed a fair trial, and so busting them out would not only label them as fugitives, but also paint a black mark over you by causing people to believe that you think yourself above the law. I mean, some of 'em already kind of think that anyways but that's old news."

"Yeah, I don't exactly want that perpetuating," Korra shoved her hands into her pockets. "But I need to do something."

"You're gonna have to wait it out," Tarrlok pointed out as he entered the room. "While I would bet a great deal of money that Unalaq pushed the date back as far as he reasonably could on purpose, I believe he did so in the hopes of capitalizing on your restlessness. Were I still your enemy, I might have even suggested the same thing."

"I fucking hate politics sometimes." Korra let out a dramatic sigh, topping it off with her signature pout, "All the time, really. Why can't we keep things simple like in ancient times where the strongest men and women ruled the roost?"

"Like the Interregnum Avatars?" Kwan quipped, "the way Avatar Imalek had the world on strings like a puppet? Don't even get me started on Zeruda."

"Okay, but that's different," Korra shook her head, "hear me out—"

"Or the Red Lotus, who are both strong and dangerously smart." Kwan interrupted her. Korra slumped in her seat, crossing her arms and pouting in defeat.

"Okay, point taken." she sighed, "Still, it… it makes me uncomfortable. It brings back a lot of unpleasant memories and…" she trailed off.

"And I'm sorry for the part I played in that damage, Avatar Korra." Tarrlok put a hand on her shoulder, "you deserved better."

"It… it hurts, but I meant it when I said I forgave you, even if I haven't forgiven those actions." Korra grunted for a moment, clutching her sidelocks. "I just need to be patient and wait this out. No doing anything rash."

"Maybe talk to Asami?" Kwan pointed out, "I'm sure she has something to say about all of this."

"I know, I…" Korra stammered again, "I guess I was just angry and didn't want to accidentally take it out on her."

"So you come to take it out on me instead," Tarrlok quipped,

"Tarrlok," Korra snapped her eyes onto him, "you know that's not—"

"I was going to call it a wise idea, considering I deserve it," he gave a light 'hm' that almost hinted at amusement, "but no; all things considered Korra, you seem rather calm. It's quite the improvement over the old days when I was still on the United Republic Council."

"Seems we've both come a long way then, haven't we?" Korra riposted in turn, "and I'm glad we have—or at least that I have, because I wanted to wring your neck so many different times that I'm kind of impressed that I didn't find a chance."

"Oh trust me, Avatar," Tarrlok gave an amused chuckle, "the feeling was absolutely mutual. You were insufferable—in a way you still kind of are. It's endearing though."

"That… wait, isn't that contradictory?" Korra's signature pout returned.

"In a way. Originally you were insufferable because you frustrated my peace and quiet as well as my plans. That was because I didn't understand your motives as clearly as I understood your methods. Now you're insufferable because trouble still follows you everywhere and it still disrupts my peace and quiet, but I can see the compassion behind your causes. I was like that once upon a time, and so even though that incarnation of me died at the hands of my father and brother's cruelty, it still warms a cold heart to see it in you."

"And momma over here doesn't do any heart-warming?" Kwan snarked.

"Kwan, love; don't even get me started." Tarrlok shook his head. "Especially not in front of Korra."

"You're joking right? If anything Korra's the only one that deserves to know."

"Know what?" Of course this got the Avatar's attention immediately.

"How much we love each other," Kwan replied with enough confidence to surprise even Korra, "How much you've changed our lives despite everything we've done to you."

"Even then it wasn't one-sided," Korra pointed out, "it's not like I'm just going around magically changing everyone's lives while I remain this unmoving bastion of inspiration."

"And that's part of your charm, Korra." Tarrlok pointed out, "you're very much the Avatar and yet still delightfully human all the while. Perhaps if I had been more human while I was a United Republic Councilman I may have been met with the same kind of striking success you were met with when you came there and started changing things."

"Speaking of change," Korra narrowed her eyes for a moment, "don't take this as an accusation or anything, but have either of you heard of someone called "The Blood Whisperer?" she brandished the note, "a contact of mine gave me this—whoever they are, they're apparently conspiring against me… or trying to teach me bloodbending. Either way, neither of those outcomes seem exactly… y'know—desirable."

"I can understand the association you might make with me, Avatar," Tarrlok admitted with a sigh as he massaged Kwan's shoulders, "but the only bloodbenders I ever knew in my life were my father and brother. My mother may have been one too, but if she was she never showed it, or showed any signs of knowing it—much less any desire to commit such atrocities."

"Is she still alive?" Korra helped herself to some of the coffee she had made for Kwan.

"She is; and safely up North, no less." Tarrlok frowned, "Either way I highly doubt she's involved in any of this. Again, I don't even know if she could actually even bloodbend or not."

"Surprise, surprise," Kwan looked up now that her coffee mug was empty, although she did hold it out and wordlessly demanded Korra pour her another cup. "The Red Lotus Sister knows a few "special someones" in the bloodbending department. Both of them were women, believe it or not, although I also believe both were apprehended. One was a teenager at the time, so she'd only be about 10, 15 years younger than me. This was a while ago, after all."

"What happened to them?" Korra leaned in a little.

"Last I heard they were still in prison, in a situation not unlike Ming-Hua." Kwan shrugged, "I don't exactly keep in contact with my old buddies from the Red Lotus considering that I betrayed them and all that. Given how hard Shenzi and I took Senna betraying us all those years ago, I can safely assume that if any of the Red Lotus members ever got out of prison and met me again they'd be none too happy about it."

"Do you still hold that grudge against my mom?" Korra gave a frowny-pout.

"Well, barring what we did to you, the Red Lotus got their revenge in one way or another," Kwan frowned, "I think we're still suspicious of each other, but it's a deep-seated wound, Korra. It'll take years to heal, and so patience will prevail in the long run. Just… well, thanks for putting up with me. It's been a wild ride."

"Thanks for hearing me out," Korra rose to her feet again, "I should get going."

This hunch turned into something of a premonition where Korra mentally sighed and realized that she hated being right in times like these, because while Asami was notorious for looking pristine in almost any situation, there was just barely enough 'off' about her appearance for someone to notice if they spent enough time around her—and Korra was likely the only person in the world that could have caught it.

"Hey babe," Korra kicked the door shut behind her, "everything okay?"

"You can tell?" Asami cracked a half smile, "I'm fine, Korra; I just had a bit of a body spasm out of nowhere a few hours ago… like, everything seized up for just a second, and it kind of threw me out of sorts for a moment. What about you though? You look tense, and I'm sure your parents getting arrested didn't help matters."

"Asami, no… I asked about you first so we're going to deal with your problems first." Korra took her hands, squeezing them before looking up into her eyes, "are you gonna be okay? Should I get a healer? Are you feeling lightheaded or dizzy or anything? Did someone come in? Are any of the doors or windows or walls tampered with at all? What's wrong?"

"Korra," Asami almost chuckled as she shook her head, "you're the cutest thing when you get like this, and honestly, it means the world to me. I promise you; everything is fine. I checked all the locks, I made sure nothing was out of place, I don't feel any different other than maybe my posture, but you've lectured me on that plenty already. If you're just trying to get me out of my clothes you know you can just start undressing me right?"

"Tempting…" Korra chewed her lips, "I just… I want to make sure you're safe. I… I just have nightmares sometimes—that something or someone uses you as leverage against me somehow, and that honestly scares me more than it should."

"It's a valid concern," Asami nodded understandingly, "I can go pretty well against people hand-to-hand, and with the right tools or machines at my disposal you've seen me go… but at the same time, bending can often tip the scales against me if I'm caught out of my element, as it were—but we promised, Korra. We said no more secrets, so there's no more secrets. I promise you that I'm feeling fine right now. You on the other hand, look like the one that needs the massage more than me right now."

"Right…" Korra took a deep breath, "I trust you then. You're probably right that this whole debacle with Unalaq's power grab and my parents getting arrested and my mother admitting to being a former Red Lotus member all…" she grabbed her hair. "It's getting to me, babe. And now there's someone called The Blood Whisperer that wants to either teach me bloodbending or that wants to conspire against me somehow." she showed Asami the note.

"If there's some psycho bloodbender on the loose right as Unalaq's no doubt about to rig the trial against my parents, then this is all about to converge at basically the worst time."

"Do you think it's a Red Lotus conspiracy?" Asami sat Korra down and began to ease some tension out of her shoulders, "do you think the bloodbender and Unalaq are connected?"

"I'd honestly be amazed if they were," Korra muttered, "Unalaq apparently sold the Red Lotus out so I think they'd be even more upset with him than they were with Kwan. Whenever Kwan sold them out, they didn't have the Avatar they had nearly finished weaponizing."

"So it's just a really nasty coincidence then?" Asami suggested, "or do you suppose Unalaq is still behind it, trying to use the Red Lotus as a scapegoat?"

"That's something to consider—aaah!" Korra chewed her lip before crying out as Asami's fingers plunged into a rather fierce knot on her shoulder. "I should probably just go to the Winter Waters Hotel and talk to Risha."

"Need me to come with?" Asami offered, "Or would it be better to go alone?"

"Probably I should go alone;" Korra relaxed for a moment, "Risha's kind of a sketchy woman… I don't want any of my friends getting caught up with her like. Can you check on Mako and Bolin for me too? Tell them I said hi?"

"Sure thing, Korra," Asami smiled. "Get ready and go do what you need to do. I'm sure there's a telephone at the front desk of the hotel that you could use if you need to get hold of me."

Whether it was Korra's internal fear of every possible thing that could go wrong or just her old trauma coming back to haunt her, the ride through town felt a bit more ominous. The festival lights and structures and supplies had all been cleared since the solstice was at an end, and after the whole anarchist suppression, it was like a curfew had been placed in effect which caused many of the lights to be out and the city to be eerily quiet.

Fortunately for Korra, no one accosted her on the way to the Winter Waters hotel, and she was able to find suite 576 without any difficulty. This late at night she was surprised to find Risha awake when she answered the door. Not only was she awake, but she was still wearing the same little black dress and heels Korra had seen her in last.

"Do you ever change your clothes?" She couldn't help but ask with a suspicious pout.

"No," Risha riposted, "if you want to take your top off I'll go ahead and get changed though."

"So what's this whole facade about," Korra cut right through Risha's words, "You seemed to want me to learn bloodbending and suddenly there's this freak on the loose that's conspiring to bloodbend me right before my parents' trial?"

"Hey," Risha put her hands in front of her, "you know why I'm interested in you, Korra. Barring that my boss has invested a lot in you, you're also the Avatar, and let's also just say that I've got some stock in Future Industries as well."

"So what do you want from me?" Korra narrowed her eyes.

"Your safety," Risha replied, "This lunatic bloodbender woman is one of the Red Lotus members. Not unlike your friend Tarrlok and his brother, she could bloodbend people without hardly even moving, and could get multiple people at a time. Sure, you might be safe, Korra… but would your family and friends be safe from one of them?"

Korra froze, and her mind immediately went towards Asami. She was silent in that moment, and knew that in the next few moments, she would have to solve a moral dilemma.