Thank you Toastermarketing Board for editing!
Kai and his band of Airbenders managed to track Kuvira's transport all the way to Ba Sing Se but lost her once the airship docked at the palace. They had attempted to land on the royal airfield, but a dozen guards and boulders came alarmingly close to Lefty's shaggy underbelly. The bison roared as he galloped into the sky and out of harm's way.
The boys and bison circled overhead to witness Kuvira's removal from the airship. Even as high as they were, they couldn't miss the platinum sarcophagus-like casing Kuvira was kept in being wheeled down the ramp. After the visual confirmation, Kai gave a tug of the reins and steered Lefty off to the lower ring to find overnight accommodations.
Kai felt strangely at home in the lower ring. He had still spent more of his life scrounging in slums than in the care of the Air Nation. It wasn't much of an upgrade in glamour, but three meals a day, clean clothing, and your own bed was a luxury he couldn't imagine living without anymore.
The group secured a room at a rundown inn, but not for free like they were accustomed to as missionaries. Kai hated to spend their petty cash, but this was an unprecedented circumstance.
A whole day passed since they arrived, and Kai could feel his group getting restless. A few local children passed a patched-up ball around with them out in front of the inn for the better part of the morning. Scrubby-looking kids missing baby teeth, though some seemed a little too old to have that kind of gap in their smiles still. Around lunchtime, they got called home. It was a relief for Kai; he had hoped none of them lived on the street.
Now they were just hanging out in front of the building, cooking in the high sun. Yanten managed to find a girl to chat up while the rest of them leaned against the building's tired streetside wall, watching.
"How will we know when Avatar Korra's arrived or if she's even going to come at all?" Cheng moaned, pushing off of the wall and shuffling into the street.
Kai rubbed his forehead, tired of this conversation already. "It'll be a Future Industries airship flying over our heads. We can't miss it. Korra will come. Word of Kuvira has already spread through the capital."
"You sure you'll be able to tell when it's that high in the sky?"
"I'll grab Lefty soon as I see any ship flying overhead. Why don't you and the others go see what good you can do in the burrow if you're so anxious to do something."
Chang snorted. "City folk are suspicious of anyone coming around to help." He made air quotations for the word' help.'
"Let's go to the market square and get something to eat," Mu said, pawing at his paunch, stepping into the street beside Cheng.
Chang looked to his brother Cheng and gave him a shrug. "Do that?"
Cheng nodded his head. "Fine."
"I'll wait with you," Yung offered quietly at Kai's side.
Kai smiled. "Thanks, buddy."
The left side of Korra's forehead pressed against the glass window next to her seat on the airship. Puffs of fluffy white clouds obscured any possible points of interest below. It was like drifting an endless field of koala-sheep. A few hours into the flight, all conversation had dropped off, and the propellers' steady thrum guided the rest of her group asleep.
Absently, Korra's hand found its way to the spot on her neck. She couldn't feel anything different, despite knowing what was there. Her face flushed as she felt her body wake up and shift towards the physical state she was recollecting. She curled up and pressed more of herself against the window in an effort to conceal the pinkness on her cheeks, not that anyone was looking.
Korra closed her eyes and allowed her mind to drift back to last night. After she and Asami had exchanged words, they continued to hold each other. She didn't know who moved first, but they were rocking together again. Her fingers must have found the right spot because Asami stifled her cries by latching onto Korra's neck. She wished it hadn't left an obscene mark, but not enough to take back what caused it.
Korra noted the anxiety she felt about being intimate was all gone. Now she wished for time, time to explore this part of their relationship. The forty-eight hours they stole away together at Asami's family home was like a dream. Their near future would likely continue this way, pockets of intimacy during breaks in the chaos. Korra had been a full-fledged Avatar long enough to know chaos appeared to be the natural order.
Korra heard a gravely male voice in her head speak that last thought. She jerked herself up from her seat.
"Zaheer!" Korra spat out the name like a curse word. She scrunched her face and shook her head to get him from her mind. It had been a long time since he had seeped into her consciousness.
"It's not the natural order. I am the Avatar. I have to believe in the goodness of people. I fight for balance. I can't let the words of a jaded and defeated old man taint my world view."
Korra repeated the words in her head over and over like a mantra until she eventually drifted off to sleep, feeling assured in her belief in balance.
Hours later, Korra woke with a jump. Her face peeled off the glass of her window with a sticky groan. She glanced around the cabin to find Mako was awake. Their eyes met across the aisle. He got up from his spot and sat down in the free seat beside Korra.
"So, how's the leg doing?" He asked after clearing his throat.
Korra looked down at her cast. The dragon Meelo painted snarled up at her. "Fine. Inconvenient."
"Bolin said it was a close call."
"It wasn't my finest moment. I'm hoping to keep up my treatment plan while we're on this trip. Maybe someone at the palace can recommend a good healer."
"I'm sure we can find one." Mako shuffled in his seat, readjusting himself.
"Speaking of, how is Rohan?"
Korra kept her eyes on the dragon. "Doctors think he's paralyzed."
"That's awful. It's hard to imagine an accident that could cause that happening on Air Temple Island."
"Right?"
"Tenzin and Pema, they must be…" Mako shook his head. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much."
Korra took her eyes off her cast and turned to Mako. "Yeah, where have you been?" She grinned as an assurance she wasn't mad.
Mako scratched at the beard, still struggling to fill his jawline. "I needed some time to recalibrate after the whole Kuvira thing…Just in time for the
Kuvira thing."
The two stared ahead for a few moments in contemplation, the ship's propeller's steady purring filled in the void.
"I hoped that when she got dropped off in the Fire Nation, that would be the end of it, but part of me wondered if…." Korra bit her lip and shook her head. Many false starts formed at her lips. She adjusted in her seat again uncomfortably. "If it could ever be as long as she was alive. There'd always be that risk."
"I know, but it seems like she's blown her chance at a new life. We can't let someone else or ourselves get taken down for her now."
"I hate this," Korra whined, sliding down in her seat. Mako put a hand on her slouching shoulder and squeezed it.
"We're still going to try and help her, as best as we can. We just have to take care of ourselves first."
Korra looked up at Mako and nodded. He quickly took his hand back and set it on his lap.
"I hope Wu is okay," Korra said wistfully.
Mako felt anxiety and annoyance bubble inside him, a knee-jerk reaction he still would get at the sound of Wu's name. The trauma of being at his beck and call even fresher than he'd like to admit. "Yeah, I can't see him dealing with imprisonment very well."
"They probably aren't serving him his daily requirement of cucumber water."
Mako smiled, remembering the Wu who had become his friend. "We should be sure to have a glass ready for him when we get him out."
"What are you two laughing at?" Opal asked, leaning over Korra's headrest.
"Wu's expense," Korra offered.
"Oh, well, I'm sure there will be more of that to come on this trip. Are we almost there? What time is it even?" Opal asked, followed by a big yawn.
"Yeah, I checked in with the crew. We'll be landing shortly." Mako brought his wrist closer to his face to examine his watch. "As far as time goes… It's four am in Republic City. Ba Sing Se is eight hours ahead, so it's noon, the day after we left."
Korra and Opal groaned.
"That layover in Rong to gas up and give the crew a break did cut into our time significantly."
Opal pushed off the headrest and stretched her arms above her head. Her balled-up fits punching into the air one at a time. "I can't believe I slept the whole way. I don't think I realized how tired I've been until now that I'm actually rested. Too bad this isn't going to be any sort of vacation." Opal finished her stretch and draped herself over the headrest again. A hand stanked down and poked at Korra's cheek. "Korra, you've had two vacations recently. What are those like?"
Korra swatted at Opal's prodding finger, but the Airbender was too quick and retracted it.
"You convert the energy of the giant spirit death beam into a spirit portal and not need a little downtime after."
"Is that what you and Asami are calling it?"
Korra's face flushed, and her eyes narrowed. She was still raw from Opal's teasing earlier, and Mako, now being present, made it all the more uncomfortable. She snuck a look at her ex-boyfriend. He wore his detective's face. A perfectly composed neutral expression that was impossible to decipher.
"What about a group vacation after this?" Opal asked, changing the subject.
Korra wrinkled her nose. "You and Bolin are going to drag us along for your honeymoon?"
"I was thinking more of a weekend trip to Ember island or something?"
"I could probably get the time off for that," Mako offered.
Opal slapped her palms together. "Alright, Mako, that's the spirit! Maybe we can find you a cute babe for you while we're there. It's a big singles spot, I hear."
A crewperson popped into the doorway and gave a small wave. "Please fasten your lap belts. We're about to start our descent."
Mako shot up from his seat. "I better hit the bathroom."
Once Mako cleared the door, Korra whipped her head around to face Opal.
"What were you doing making a comment like that?"
"What?" Opal pushed off Korra's headrest, putting some distance between them. "He knows you and Asami are dating."
"But we don't need to wave it in his face," Korra flourished, a hand around for emphasis. Flitting it in the space Mako once occupied.
"It's exposure therapy."
Korra furrowed her brows.
"It's going to come up over and over again on this trip. Did you forget it's the cover story of a heavily circulated magazine?" Opal groaned and grabbed at her forehead. "Listen, I wasn't around for the love dodecahedron or whatever, but you two dated what, three years ago? I'm tired of all this dancing around the topic. We're all friends. We're all adults. It's time we all got comfortable with the group dynamic change and move on, cos I don't see things ending between you and Asami anytime soon." Opal's hand ferreted down Korra's collar. "Not with displays of affection this grand."
Korra bent a puff of air in Opal's face, and she withdrew her hand reflectivity to shield herself.
"No bending on the airship!" Opal cried with a grin.
Once the airship was fully docked, one of the crew rotated the large latch to open up the main door. The captain had called in a request for a ramp; otherwise, she would have released the stairs usually stashed in the ship's belly.
The wind blew in through the open door as the crew member watched the ramp be pushed towards the vessel. He reached out as it got close to guide the railing flush to the doorway. It settled into place with a clang.
"Ready."
Opal led the group, followed closely by Zhou Rhen, Korra, and Mako on wheelchair duty. Mako gripped the handles tight, so Korra didn't go speeding down the rampway. A small group of people gathered on the landing pad. Opal felt a wave of relief wash over her when she could make out her mother in the small crowd.
Once on the ground, Satchi dashed towards them, followed by two guards. His eyes searched for Korra, and his eyebrows sagged as he noticed she was the one in the wheelchair.
"Avatar Korra," he stammered. "We are honored and relieved you have come to see us through this crisis."
"Crisis?" Korra muttered to herself.
"The statesmen and representatives are eager to meet with you, but I am sure you would all like to freshen up first after such a long journey. We have a suite ready for you and your party." Satchi gestured towards the entryway into the palace. "Follow me."
Opal snuck a look to the group where her mother was and dashed over once Korra and the boys started following Satchi.
Suyin ushered her daughter into her arms. "I'm so happy to see you."
"Mom," Opal sighed as she squeezed her mother's waist. "You're okay?"
Suyin let go, and the women separated to an arm's length. "Yes, things have been moving quickly. I want to brief Korra on all that has happened."
"Hopefully, you know where her room is because it looks like we've lost them."
"I do, but I want you to come with me first. We need to speak with your brother before rumors get to him."
Mako tuned Satchi out as he rattled on about their 'Avatar worthy' accommodations. He had spent enough time in the palace to know where everything was located or who to call if you didn't.
The two guards were in step with Satchi, who had taken over the reins of Korra's wheelchair to talk her ear off. This meant Mako could slink behind the group unnoticed.
His eyes scanned the halls. Who in the palace did he recognize? How many new faces? Who sidestepped into a hallway as they approached. Whose conversations ended as they passed by. The mood in the palace had changed. Mako could feel it. Was it witnessing Wu taken hostage? The knowledge that the Dai Li was still operational? Kuvira presence, or the Avatars?
They reached a small stairwell, and Satchi stopped Korra's chair as if taken by surprise.
"I'll have a ramp put in right away. We can wait-"
"No need," Korra said, thrusting out her fists and then pulling them to her chest. The four stone stairs flattened. The forest green runner slipped and pooled at the bottom.
"Oh, how resourceful of you, Avatar Korra," Satchi stammered as he moved them up the ramp. As he passed by one of the two guards, he rose on his toes to reach their ear. "Be sure to find someone who can make a more permanent fix to this."
A short walk further, and then they stopped outside an ornate door. It was already open, a chambermaid clutching a handful of rags, and a bucket rushed out. She bowed deeply as she scurried by.
"Here we are, the Avatar Suite. Avatar Aang himself had stayed in this room when visiting King Kuei,"
"What about Queen Hou-Ting?" Korra asked with a smirk.
Satchi cleared his throat nervously.
Korra shrugged. "She never offered this room to me either."
The group entered the suite, and their senses were overwhelmed with the lavish gold decorations strewn about the interior.
"I can't see Avatar Aang being comfortable in a room like this…." Zhou Rhen murmured as he entered the room.
"It, of course, had been redecorated by the late Queen. It even survived the sack of the castle. Queen Hou-Ting had several rooms' doors made secret. We only recently rediscovered this room along with a few others. We did replace the exterior door."
"Well, if you want to redistribute some of this ambiance, knock yourselves out," Korra murmured, wheeling herself out of Satchi's grasp.
A few more guards appeared in the doorway carrying the group's luggage. Satchi waved them in. Three large men with several bags slung over their shoulders looked more like pack-mules than anything else. Satchi shooed them out once the bags were dropped, along with the other guards who had escorted them.
Satchi shuffled to the door and then bowed deeply. "I'll leave you all to get settled. Your welcome cocktail hour starts at seven in the former throne room."
"Cocktail hour?" Korra looked to her companions. "That doesn't seem appropriate."
Satchi clasped his hands together and wrung them. "There should be some fanfare for your arrival. It's customary for a nation hosting the Avatar to make you the guest of honor."
"Well, last time I was here, there was very little fuss over me," Korra grumbled as she eased herself out of her wheelchair and into a cushy-looking green loveseat.
"Where's Opal?"
The metallic groan of the door to the cellblock turned the heads of the four guards keeping watch of the final entryway. They sat around a small table engaged in a game that involved small square tiles. They slapped their pieces face down as Suyin and Opal passed through the doorway into the chamber with the men.
"The Professor's mommy's back," one whispered.
"Not so loud. She'll hear you."
Suyin marched right up to them. "We would like to speak with Bataar Jr.."
"Of course, Mrs. Beifong, if you could just sign in for us first," one guard said, tapping a piece of parchment on the table with a pen.
Suyin's face scrunched up. "I didn't have to do this before?"
"New policy," the guard replied with an uninterested shrug.
Suyin grumbled as she snatched the pen from the guard's outstretched hand. "For me or everyone?"
Once done, Suyin passed the pen to Opal, who quickly took her turn to jot her name down.
The guard who monitored her last visit put one of his large hands on the door handle. He paused before opening it. "Any gifts this time, Mrs. Beifong?"
"No."
Suyin marched past the other prisoners' cells, eyes forward on a singular mission to reach the end of the hall. Opal tried to keep her mother's pace but found her gaze drifting to the side. Some prisoners were slumped over their cots like bored hog monkeys, while others stalked back and forth along the bars like a pygmy puma. Opal felt like she was walking through a sad and rundown zoo like the kind she heard would travel to the Earth Kingdom. All sorts of animals in barred carriages hitched together like a train.
Suyin would always refuse their entry into Zoufu. Her mother had a very high standard for traveling entertainers, likely based on her own experience. She swore there was never any abuse in her troop, that she had only heard from her companions about the rampant poor treatment of humans and animals alike in the industry.
Baatar Jr. was waiting for them at the bars. It was clear he had not expected two visitors.
"Opal," Baatar Jr. breathed.
"Not happy to see me?" She quipped back.
Baatar Jr. shook his head. "Surprised, but I know why you're here."
Suyin pursed her lips. "So you've heard the news."
Baatar Jr. clasped the bars and rested his head between two of them. "Some of the guards couldn't wait to start taunting me about it. I thought it was just another attempt to wear me down, but if you're both here, it must be true."
Opal and Suyin exchanged a look.
"She's alive, isn't she?"
Suyin slipped a hand over her sons. A clang came from the other side of the hall. The guard stood with his club resting on the cell's bar he banged to cause the commotion. The prisoner it belonged to was clearly startled by the unexpected attack.
"No touching!" The guard barked.
Suyin maintained eye contact with the guard as she took her time retracting her hand from her Bataar Jr.'s. "It seems she is."
"How?" Bataar Jr. pressed.
Suyin slouched. "Well, we're not really sure."
"What do you think is going to happen to her?"
"We don't know, but we wanted to assure you-"
Bataar pressed his face against the bars. "Assure me of what?"
Suyin found herself at a loss for words. What was she doing? She hoped to intercept the news of Kuvira to control the narrative of what Bataar Jr. heard, but what could she tell him that was any different. The truth of what actually happened to Kuvira could never be uttered. How could she explain to him what lengths she went to spare that dictator's life while her own son stared down twenty years in a cell? This was a mistake. She came too soon.
"Mom?" Bataar Jr. asked, bringing her back to the conversation.
"I just want to know you are okay."
Bataar Jr. shrugged. "Doesn't change much for me, I guess. The conclusion is going to be the same. She'll be executed, and…."
A few tears formed at the creases of his eyes. He pulled down his still patched-up pair of glasses to brush them away. "Nothing I can do about it. Kuvira made her choice back then. If she somehow escaped the crash, she blew her; what second, third chance at life? How do you help someone like that?"
Guilt formed in Suyin's stomach. She felt like she swallowed one of her twin's power discs. "I don't know."
Korra, Mako, and Zhou Rhen loitered in the Avatar suite's sitting room dressed in their formal clothing. Mako donned a simple grey suit. Zhou Rhen wore a dressier version of his robes in a rich shade of red. His silky black hair in a top knot with a simple gold clasp. Korra was wearing the Watertribe inspired dress she had worn to Verrick and Zhu Li's wedding. Korra had pushed back when Asami pulled it out of her closet at the temple, but now she was grateful to have it. Korra felt envious that Mako and Zhou Rhen just knew they might need something nice and packed their dress clothes independently.
A knock on the door startled Korra out of her thoughts, and they all turned to the door. Mako dashed out of his seat and opened it just a crack. When his eyes spied Opal and Suyin, he opened it up all the way.
Suyin dressed for the event, but Opal was still wearing her travel clothes. She excused herself to her room to change. Suyin plopped down next to Korra on the loveseat and let out a sigh.
"Have you left your suite at all?" Suyin asked the group.
Mako shook his head. "No, we've been waiting for you."
"Good," Suyin said curtly, folding the bottom of her dress robes off her feet. "It's been a real, pardon my crudeness, clusterfuck. The Dai Li are holding Wu at some unknown location, while the palace has custody of Kuvira. No one is offering any insight as to who, what, how, or why. Everyone has been keeping their cards close."
"Do you think we can see Wu?" Mako asked.
Suyin waved a hand at Mako. "I doubt it. I don't even know where the Dai Li have tucked him away. He'll be present at Kuvira's trial, but I'm sure heavily guarded."
Korra grasped her forehead. "Another trial?"
"For her newest crime of escaping punishment."
"When is the trial?"
"Three days," Suyin replied, holding up the number of fingers. She made eye contact with all of them. "Hope you all came here with some ideas."
"And Kuvira?" Korra asked.
Suyin shrugged. "We campaign for you to get access at the very least. I figure tonight will be one of our better shots at it."
"Who do we need to convince?" Zhou Rhen asked.
Suyin cocked her head and peered at the Zhou Rhen. "Who are you again?"
Korra turned to Suyin. "Zhou Rhen. He's a friend and adviser."
"Just curious." Suyin held up her hands defensively. "Regarding who to convince, I'm not fully sure. Who exactly is in charge here? In many instances, it either comes down to a vote or some deference to Wu. See, this is why we need a president."
Opal entered the room. She wore a red dress robe with a silky orange sash across her shoulder that wrapped around her waist. "Well, mother, looks like Kuriva put a wrench in your grand political plans."
Suyin's fingers found the frown forming on her brow. She recalled an image of Kuvira and her son the night they told her they were leaving Zaofu. "Figures she'd always play a part in my decision to participate in greater Earth Kingdom politics."
Korra and the group arrived at the throne room right at seven, but it made them appear fashionably late, given how crowded it was.
Korra looked around, hardly recognizing the place. It has been stripped down to the wallpaper and light fixtures. The raised platform where the Queen once sat and glowered at Korra was now a simple stage with a podium and microphone.
Satchi noticed their presence and started shushing people in his march towards them. The crowd saw and turned to where he was heading.
"Everyone, please welcome our honored guest, Avatar Korra!" Satchi raised his glass towards Korra. The room followed suit.
Korra glanced around. Some of the crowd seemed genuinely excited to see her, whereas others more skeptical, guarded.
"Would have been nice if he'd given us a chance to get our own drinks first," Suyin murmured.
As if on cue, a waiter slid into view with a tray of flutes containing bubbling lime green liquid. "Sparkling sake?"
"I'm going to do a sweep of the party, find out who's here who's not," Mako grumbled, snatching a glass. He quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Suyin's head swiveled around the room. "There are my new friends from Omashu. Let me go say hello and wrangle them over to you." She was gone not long after the words left her mouth.
Opal took a big swig of her sparkling beverage. "And then there were three."
They looked around the room. There were as many people talking as were carefully eyeing them.
"Shall we journey into the eye of the storm and get this over with?" Korra passed her drink to Zhou Rhen to free up both hands. She grasped her wheels and propelled herself towards the mass of people. Opal and Zhou Rhen dutifully followed.
As Korra suspected, the politicians were waiting out of politeness before making their approach. After a few revolutions of her wheels into the party, she got ambushed with greetings.
As pleasant as everyone pretended to be, there was an undeniable awkwardness. Korra could see the struggle behind their eyes as they debated the best way to greet her. Of course, she'd never know the real reason. Was it because she was seated in a wheelchair while they towered above, or the article detailing her relationship with another woman? It could even be more likely due to the Dai Li re-emerging and taking hostages.
Whatever it was, it wasn't enough to deter anyone from trying to gain her favor in the upcoming election. She was the Avatar and her opinion still held value. That brought Korra little comfort. The guilt of her privileged social standing began to gnaw at the back of her mind. She became lost in her thoughts, politely nodding at those talking to her until a young man's face appeared directly in front of her. He was crouched, offering a hand.
"Avatar Korra, may I join you?"
Korra shook the hand offered to her and inspected its owner. He was about the same age as her, maybe a few years older. He looked of Earth Kingdom descent, olive complexion, and green eyes. His mid-length nut brown was slicked back and divided by the top being pulled back into a small ponytail. The rest tickled his shoulders. His strong chin was covered in prickles of dark hair, maybe a day's length.
"My name is Bingwen, of Gaoling," he said, giving Korra's hand one last shake. He tried to take it back, but Korra held it tight. Korra blushed as she realized what she was doing. A hand shot out from over her shoulder and grasped Bingwen's.
"I'm Opal Beifong."
Bingwen rose from his crouch to meet Opal. "Suyin's daughter, right?"
"You are correct."
"Opal Beifong, you are blessed with airbending, right?"
"Correct again," Opal replied with a bright smile.
"I'm envious."
"Are you a non-bender?"
"No, just a mediocre Earthbender who feels like he should have been born an Airbender. When I heard airbending was going around the Earth Kingdom like the flu, I was so upset. I actually could have had a real chance at it had I not already been born a bender." Bingwen turned his gaze on Korra and then gestured to her. "Only one among us gets the privilege of access to all the elements."
Korra stretches out her arms and wiggles her fingers. "I can't lie, it's nice having options."
"Is it often mood-based?" Bingwen asked, casually resting against Korra's chair.
Korra considered for a moment. "My mood and circumstances. Sometimes you have to go with the element you have the most of around you."
"I'd love a demonstration sometime."
"Well, see how the next couple of days play out, and you might get it," Opal offered, looking around the room.
Bingweng ran a hand along one of the handles of Korra's wheelchair. "That reminds me, has anyone given you any grief yet about the article?"
"Nope, no one's even mentioned it until now," Korra said and then shrugged. "Not that it's a whole lot different to the way it's been in Republic City."
Bingwen blew a raspberry. "Stuffy old codgers. Avatar Kyoshi had a female lover, and they still worship every spec of ground she bent."
"Oh, really, I feel like someone should have mentioned that to me before," Korra said as she gave Zhou Rhen a sidelong glance.
"She never made a public announcement out of it," Zhou Rhen replied with a bit of a huff. "And time has a funny way of fading certain details in the public consciousness."
Bingwen reached out and grasped Zho Rhen's shoulder, giving it a friendly squeeze. "Which is why I have brought it up whenever possible in casual conversation."
"So that means Korra, you better get ready for a lot of people to drop that little fact nugget to you on this trip," Opal offered with a jab to Korra's shoulder.
Korra shifted in her seat. "I mean, it is interesting."
"Too bad you can't get Avatar Kyoshi on the spirit phone and ask her for all the juicy details," Opal snickered.
Korra frowned and mentally added 'juicy details' to her long list of reasons not being able to talk to her past lives sucked.
"Think about it, Kyoshi crib notes." Opal looked around the group dumbfounded. "Man, the Avatar had a thousand lives worth of experience."
Korra held up a hand. "Opal, believe me, I have gone this road. I have to figure it out just like everyone else."
"So you're admitting you need help in that department?"
Korra scowled and turned her body away from Opal.
"If you want smut, I'm sure there might be some saucy old scrolls kicking around somewhere in this palace. The Queen's father had quite the collection of erotic art I hear," Bingwen offered and then took a big swig of his drink. "Though Hou-Ting was such a prude, I bet she had it all burned."
Opal cocked her head to the side. "You just have the pulse on all the hot gossip, don't you?"
"I have my sources." Bingwen looked past Opal. "Speaking of, I need to pay my respects to one of them over at the snack table." His eye caught an older gentleman's. He raised his flute. Bingwen waved in response and then crouched back down to Korra's eye level.
"It was an honor to meet you, Avatar Korra. I'll be waiting for that demonstration." Bingwen then rose and nodded to Opal and Zhou Rhen. "Lovely to meet you both as well."
Not long after Bingwen left, Mako returned to the group."What'd I miss? Who was that?"
Opal let out a long sigh."Some super hot guy from Gaoling who was not, not flirting with Korra."
Korra blushed. "He is startlingly handsome."
Mako's mouth fell agape. "You think some guy's handsome now?"
"Yeah?" Korra said with a shrug.
Mako took a step closer, his body angling down towards Korra."But what about Asami? You're into girls now."
"I never stopped liking guys. I learned that I like girls too."
"Well, you still shouldn't be talking like that about another person when you are in a relationship!"
"Oo, he's defending Asami's honor now!" Opal hooted.
Zhou Rhen took off his glasses and started to rub at his eyes. Opal noticed and got into his face.
"C'mon, you need to be writing this down in your little book. This is that complex relationship stuff you're supposed to be archiving or whatever."
"Opal!" Suyin barked in her mom's voice as she approached the group. She grabbed the flute from her daughter and put it on the tray of a server darting by. "I can hear you from across the room."
Opal looked around and noticed the party had given their group a wide berth. It was dawning on Korra and the boys as well.
"You're just like your father. Mild-mannered until sake passes your lips," Suyin sighed.
"I don't think it's sake. Opal's been teasing me all day."
Suyin's eyes widened. She looked down at Korra, aghast. "You've been picking on Korra?"
"Mooooom!" Opal moaned.
Suyin grabbed the handles of Korra's chair and started wheeling her away from Opal towards a group of representatives from Omashu. "Why don't you three stay here while I introduce Korra to some people who can actually be helpful tonight."
Korra grabbed her wheels, stopping the chair short. Suyin bumped into the back of the wheelchair, startled.
"I'd like to wheel myself."
"Of course," Suyin whispered so only Korra could hear. "I respect that. You want to show strength."
Opal, Mako, and Zhou Rhen watched the two women depart their group and join another.
"My mother has the biggest crush on Korra," Opal sighed. "Now I know how Kuvira must have felt when Mom took our side."
"Yeah, that was kind of embarrassing," Mako said, pulling at a pinch of his short beard hairs. "I did manage to get a little intel."
"Avatar Korra, these are some of my new friends from Omashu," Suyin said, gesturing to the small group of three facing her. "Governor Jin."
A stocky, balding man gave Korra a big grin and a small bow.
"Lieutenant governor Ching Mei." At her name, a tall and waif-like woman waved. "And treasurer Xue." A slight man with glasses, the youngest looking of the three, put a hand to his chest and leaned forward.
"So who's back home running the place then?" Korra said, cracking a grin. No one was impressed.
"Below us is the state council, which is composed of elected officials," Ching Mei answered.
Korra nodded. "Of course." She fought the flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck to her cheeks. She made a mental note to ask for a brief lesson on Earth Kingdom political positions. She needed to be taken seriously on this trip.
Suyin cleared her throat. "Avatar Korra has a request, and I was hoping you could help us with it."
Governor Jin beamed. "Of course."
Korra took a breath and adjusted her grip on her wheels.
"I'd like an opportunity to meet with Kuvira before her trial."
The three Omashuians shared a look.
"I think that is a reasonable ask for the Avatar," offered Lt. Governor Ching Mei.
"I think so too." Suyin started. "I figured maybe a simple vote on the matter. In case there are any among us with reservations on the idea can be heard. I was thinking we could call a meeting tomorrow..."
Governor Jin waved a hand at Suyin. "You're fussing too much. We should just ask now." He raised his flute and clinked the gem on one of his thumb rings onto the glass. Conversations died down until the whole room eventually went silent.
"Hello!" Governor Jin started. He raised his glass so people far in the back could know who was talking. "Just a quick bit of business I wanted to bring to the group. Avatar Korra is requesting an audience with Kuvira. I believe her station should give her that right."
Mako, Opal, and Zhou Rhen watched Governor Jin speak from a buffet table. Mako jabbed Opal in the side. "Try to pay attention to who opposes on the left side." He then grabbed the back of Zhou Rhen's sleeve and pulled him close. "Watch the right side, make a mental note of who says no. I'm going to try to get to the other side of the room before the vote happens." Mako let go of Zhou Rhen.
"I don't know who any of these people are!" Zhou Rhen whined as he watched Mako quickly disappear into the crowd. Mako tried to feign an urgent need for the bathroom as he pushed past the guests.
"All who agree to allow Avatar Korra to meet with Kurivra?" Governor Jin bellowed out to the group. A chorus of yay's and yes's boomed. "All opposed?" The opposition was much softer. Governor Jin looked around to verify fewer mouths were moving in dissent. "The yay's have it. Back to the party, everyone!"
The room applauded and jeered for a few moments, and then attendees quickly went back to their several small conversations. Suyin gave Korra a wink as she clapped her own hands.
"Do you think I could maybe do it tonight?" Korra asked, looking around the Omashu group.
"What was that?" Ching Mei asked, easing down towards Korra.
"I'd like to see her tonight, if possible," Korra repeated.
Ching Mei straightened out and leaned to Governor Jin. "What do you think?"
"If we can track down Satchi, I'm sure he'll arrange it." Governor Jin put a hand on Xue's shoulder. "Be a good lad and go fetch him."
Xue blew a frustrated breath from his nose and then gave Governor Jin a nod.
Xue was able to locate Satchi, and the group convinced the slightly intoxicated man to let Korra visit Kuvira. The only catch Korra had to go alone. Her hands clenched and unclenched on the rubber wheels of her chair as she watched the two palace guards escorting her negotiate for clearance to pass through the final set of doors.
A loud clang rang through the hall. The large bolt in the doors unlocked, signaling the permission to enter had been granted. One guard turned back and waved Korra forward. "Are you sure you feel comfortable seeing her alone, Avatar Korra?"
"It's just a broken leg," Korra explained. She was getting the feeling she'd be repeating this phrase often during the course of this trip.
"Don't worry. Kuvira's in one of our special platinum cells."
Korra was about to protest that it wasn't necessary anymore but quickly caught herself. Perhaps that was how they were able to snatch her up so easily. Unless Kuvira had any non-bending combat training, they had left her pretty defenseless in the Fire Nation.
The doors into Kuvira's cell room opened, and all guards stepped aside for Korra to pass through. Korra wheeled herself forward, her grip loosening as sweat coated her palms. Was she more mad or scared? She still couldn't sort her feelings. Her heart skipped a beat as she cleared the doors and could see a familiar-looking woman clinging to the bars, her head cradled between two.
As Korra got closer, things began to fall apart. The notch in her hairline on the right side of her forehead wasn't there. The woman's eyes were green but paler. And the signature beauty mark was more tan, like a freckle, and closer to her nose.
Korra expected relief to wash over her, but no such feeling came. Who was this woman, and what would they do with her? Korra looked back to see the guards peaking in. She made her face neutral. "Can we have some privacy?"
Embarrassed, the men scrambled to shut the doors at the same time. They closed with a loud thud and a few hushed voices arguing.
The two women considered the other for a moment in silence.
"So, who exactly are you?" Korra asked, cocking her head to the side.
"You know I'm not Kuvira?"
Korra nodded.
The woman clumsily adjusted her grip on the bars. "This has all been a crazy misunderstanding. No one will listen to me."
"What's your name?" Korra asked.
"Lian."
"Has anyone like 'official' seeming come and speak to you? Someone who would have maybe known Kuvira, known you weren't her?"
Lian thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't know. Everything happened so fast. I had just relocated to New Gaipan to start a new life. I left my husband, you see. I was so worried he would come after me, so I didn't leave the house much. One day I heard a violent knocking at my door. When I opened it I was ambushed. They kept calling me Kuvira. I tried over and over to tell them they had the wrong person. They marched me to the town square, to the capital, and then flew me here."
Korra wheeled herself a few feet closer to the bars. "Are you a bender?"
Lian shook her head.
Korra let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "I mean, at a glance, you strongly resemble her. But the longer I look at you, the more I see the differences."
"You're the Avatar; they'll believe you." Lian cracked a desperate smile. "You can get me out of here, right?"
"Yes, but I have a feeling not as quickly as you may hope." Korra looked down at her hands tightly grasped around the wheels. "Some people might want to believe you are Kuvira."
"Why?" Lian stamped her foot.
The sound brought Korra's gaze back to her. Lian's eyes pleaded. Korra's stomach tightened.
Lian continued, "who would want such a thing? The world is a better place with her dead and gone."
Korra took in a breath. "I'm going to try and figure this all out. In the meantime, you need to hang tight."
Korra's head throbbed as she propelled herself down the hallway back towards her 'Avatar suite.' The wheels of her chair skimmed through her palms. The rubber was starting to get warm from the speed. She prayed Mako and the others had left the party by now and returned to the room. She couldn't go back to the party and continue to put on airs, not after what she just discovered.
Korra rounded a corner and almost crashed into Satchi and a pair of guards.
"Avatar Korra," Satchi started.
Korra pulled her chair back a few revolutions to put some distance between them. Did Satchi know she wasn't the real Kuvira? Did Satchi now know that she knows that woman isn't Kuvira? Korra felt herself become cross-eyed as her thoughts unraveled.
Satchi took a step forward. Korra turned her chair to angle her body away protectively. Her eyes glanced around the room to see what could be bent at her or by her.
"I have a group of Airbender's requesting an audience with you," Satchi said with a strained smile. "Apparently, those watching their airfield figured since we were partying, why not them too?"
Satchi shot an evil eye at the men accompanying him. "I know it's late and been a very full day for you, but they insist they know you personally-"
"Of course, see the Airbenders to my room. I'll meet with them there."
Satchi put a hand to his chest and bowed. "As you wish."
Satchi and the guards maneuvered past Korra and headed down the hall she just had come through.
Korra let out a breath and then reached for her wheels.
Inside the Avatar suite, the group spread out around the sitting area. Their uncomfortable dress shoes kicked aside, and heavy accessories dropped on the coffee table. Suyin and Opal claimed the armchairs. Zhou Rhen had the love seat to himself. Mako started unbuttoning his top shirt buttons as he paced around the room.
"So in my head, I've been calling them 'The Six.' Whenever a motion would come up that I thought would really help people, like clockwork, these six governors would be part of the opposition. After the crash, I was able to find out that one of them secured the designs for a lighting chair. They were all too eager for a public execution. Then tonight, they voted against Korra seeing Kuvira."
Zhou Rhen raised his hand. "Lightening chair?"
"An execution device commissioned by the Earth Kingdom. There apparently was a vote on the method that Wu and I were not made aware of, among other things…"
"It's fortunately gone. Burned up in the crash." Suyin huffed.
"You were there as well for the rescue mission?" Zhou Rhen asked
Suyin's eyes widened. She had forgotten Zhou Rhen was not a part of the circle of trust formed during that mission. She didn't even know what he knew. An opportunity to confirm with Korra hadn't yet arisen.
Suyin waved a hand at him. "Goodness no. Zaofu's too far away. The ship blew up, so I just assume it's gone-"
"Oh, it's gone," Mako said with a sweeping gesture of his arms. "The whole thing was like a fireball. It was a Cabbage Corp ship. Asami often mentioned their shoddy craftsmanship would eventually cost the Earth Kingdom. I used to believe it was bitterness about not getting their business, but that day changed my mind." Mako finished with an awkward smile.
Suyin watched Mako ramble. It reminded her of her future son-in-law's similar habit in awkward situations. "So what states are these six governors from? I have a hunch, but-" Suyin didn't finish, but instead just gestured to Mako.
"Jein Sin, Bai, Ru, Kun, Kerkaw, and Siaw Jong."
"Those are…" Suyin scrunched her brows together as she pictured the states in her mind. "Those states are all right outside of Ba Sing Se."
Mako took a step towards Suyin. "Really?"
"Huh," Suyin leaned back in her seat. "I wonder what their aim is."
The room got quiet as they pondered.
"Sounds like they don't like Kuvira," Zhou Rhen offered. "They must not have benefited under her regime?"
"Did any?" Opal muttered. She kicked up her feet on the coffee table. "A beef with Kuvira doesn't make these governors unique."
Suyin, seated in the armchair beside Opal, swatted at the back of her daughter's legs. Opal flinched. Suyin pointed to the floor. Her daughter groaned and moved her feet off the table.
"There were improvements to poor states; it was just all under duress. And individuals willing to sell her weapons, dress her soldiers, or buy her favor. I didn't hate her ideas, but she ended up being exactly what I feared I would become of myself had I forced myself as the fixer of the Earth Kingdom."
"What are they going to do with her?" No sooner did Zhou Rhen pose the question, the main door swung open. It banged into the wall with a thud. All heads turned at the noise and watched Korra wheeled herself through the doorway.
"It's not her," Korra murmured out of breath.
Mako ran to the door to help Korra close it as she propelled herself further into the room. Mako nearly had the door touching the frame when Kai's face appeared in the crack.
Mako flung the door back open to reveal Kai and his group of Airbenders. Kai didn't wait for an invitation and started marching into the room.
"Korra, I'm so glad you're here," Kai said as he came to her side. He paused when she noticed the chair she was seated in had wheels. "What happened?"
"Long story, just a broken leg."
Kai nodded, accepting her answer. He looked around the room to see who was with Korra. He smiled at Opal. "Good to see you, partner."
Opal got up from her reclined position in her chair and made her way to Kai to shake his hand. "Likewise, but what brings you all this far?"
"We followed Kuvira to Ba Sing Se. We were at the village she was caught in."
"They marched her through the streets," Yung added, stepping to Kai's side.
The other three boys were all settled in the room now, too, leaning angst the wall. Mako closed the door and leaned against it.
"So, what's the plan?" Kai asked.
Korra and the rest exchanged looks. Kai's gaze locked on Korra, so she decided to answer. "There is a trial in three days. We uh, just got here, so we're still trying to gather information."
"Where are you all staying?" Opal asked.
Kai turned his attention to Opal. "The lower ring."
"You should stay there. We don't think the palace is safe."
"What should we do? We want to help," Kai pressed. The other boys nodded their heads enthusiastically.
"Give us a day or so to regroup and gather intel. Write down where you're staying so we know where to find you," Opal said, wandering to a nearby side table. She rummaged through its one small decorative drawer.
Zhou Rhen dug into his long sleeve and pulled out a pen and his notebook. "I have something here." He offered it to Kai, who accepted it and then started scratching down the information.
Opal slammed the drawer closed. She moved over to address the other Airbenders. "In the meantime, you need to continue your mission. See what kind of aid is needed in the lower rings. I imagine it's a lot."
Cheng groaned. "We already told Kai this. Those people are suspicious of our help."
Opal frowned. She motioned back to Suyin. "You can at least find out what is needed. We got folks here who can improve their lives in more long-term, meaningful ways. An on the ground perspective would be really valuable."
Cheng sucked his teeth. "Alright."
"I know it's not as glamorous, but this is the kind of stuff that really changes people's lives for the better."
Chang, Yung, Mu, and Yanten nodded obediently. "Now fly back to your hostel. It's late."
The Airbender boys started to file out of the room, Opal tailing behind them. She figured it would better if they had an escort out of the building. They could get snatched up by the Dai Li, and who would ever know? If something happened to her, at least she had people who'd realize she was gone hopefully in time.
Mako closed the door once the Airbenders and Opal were out of sight. He whipped around to look at Korra, who was sitting sheepishly in her chair.
"Yeah, so…"
"It's not Kuvira?" Mako shouted.
Suyin threw a finger to her lip and shushed loudly.
Mako held up his hands defensively. "I'm shocked, sorry."
"Wouldn't it be more surprising if it was her?" Zhou Rhen asked innocently.
Korra grabbed her forehead as it dawned on her Zhou Rhen's ignorance of their secret. She still hadn't concluded what the best course of action with him was in that regard. She already determined Kai was a no-go. How could they conspire with him and somehow keep his four companions out of the loop? Telling them was not an option. Recently reformed youths, even with Airbender teachers, could not be trusted with a secret this big.
Korra felt eyes on her. The group must have been waiting for her to speak while she had pondered. "Of course. I think we were all just under the assumption it was her because how could they mistake someone else-"
Mako moved to the loveseat and sat down to be at eye level with Korra. "Yeah, how could they"
Korra cleared her throat. "It's kinda crazy, but she really does look like Kuvira."
Suyin leaned in, intrigued.
Korra continued. "Like even from the door, it was like her. Once I got within a few feet, the differences were apparent. But I think only to someone who actually knows her. If all you knew her from were posters or watching her in a crowd speaking, you wouldn't know the difference."
"So what do we do? Come out tomorrow and let everyone know they got the wrong woman?" Mako asked.
Suyin pursed her lips. "Do you think anyone else knows?"
Korra shrugged.
Suyin rose from her seat and moved around the sitting area. "We keep it to ourselves for now. Someone else could know this woman isn't Kuvira, and if that person exists, what benefit would there be to punishing Kuvira all over again?"
To be continued...