This is an idea that I have been entertaining recently. I know that stories with a similar premise have been written so I will try to keep this as original as I can. No plagiarism intended. I do not own either Legend of Korra or Harry Potter. They belong to Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and J.K. Rowling.
-Line Break-
'That girl will be the death of me!' Lin Beifong sighed as she arrived on the scene alongside twenty of her officers. As they rounded up five men found tied and gagged outside, she entered the brewery, finding Tenzin and a large white animal standing watch over a group that had been packed tight and encased in solid tile in the floor.
"So what have we got?" she barked as she approached Tenzin, her officers moving to handcuff those encased in the floor. "I presume these are the Tong that ran this place."
"Yes, Officer Beifong," Tenzin replied. "Korra, Mako, Bolin, and Asami went further in to find Ryuukhan, while Lee went toward the back passage. Naga and I stayed behind to guard the prisoners."
"Well at least you have SOME sense" Beifong sighed with exasperation.
"Indeed," he replied. "Korra actually ordered the BOTH of us to check the back passage, but I overrode her and sent Lee on her own."
"Spirits give me strength." Lin groaned as she smacked her palm into her face.
"What happened next?" she asked, sliding her hand down.
"Shortly afterward there was a crash, followed by Lee barking orders to some unknown person." he answered, pointing to the back door. "I couldn't hear her clearly, but I think she apprehended another member of the Tong."
Nodding, Lin turned to her officers and barked out "Sun, Ji, follow me" as she headed for the back door, Tenzin falling in step alongside her. "I can handle this on my own." she snapped.
"The Tong perhaps," he replied, his eyebrow quivering upward. "But how about Korra and Ryuukhan? Criminals you know fairly well, but children are not exactly your forte."
"Suffice to say child handling is covered in police training." she answered, her eyes narrowing. "I'm sure I can handle a couple of kids."
"Perhaps, but your chances are better with me around." he replied. "They've known me for far longer; you've only just met Korra, and Ryuukhan's never seen you before. Furthermore, if we encounter further resistance from the Tong, additional backup will greatly improve your odds."
"Very well" she sighed, pushing open the door, only to be greeted by the sight of Lee handcuffing a man near a set of broken stairs.
Once her prisoner was secured, she snapped to attention and said "Chief, Officer Lee. One Tong member ready for pick-up".
"At ease" Lin answered as she pointed to Sun and Ji to take the prisoner. "Do you know where the others are?"
"Nothing certain chief," Lee replied before turning to the next floor. "But this man clearly came from upstairs, and that's where Korra and Bolin went."
Nodding, Lin and Tenzin made their way to the stairs. Seeing the damage, she shot out her metal cables to the wall up the stairs, reeling them in to jump over the hole, landing safely on the intermediate platform while Tenzin used a gust of wind to follow her.
"Ji, Sun, take the prisoner to the van with the others. Lee, find Mako." Lin called down from the stairs. "I want this building searched from top to bottom for any men, evidence or information you can find."
Seeing them nod in affirmation, she and Tenzin made their way up the stairs, their senses on high-alert. Crossing the threshold, they saw the banister that Lee's prisoner fell over when he broke the stairs, and across from it they saw an open doorway leading to a room or a corridor blocked with a blue fabric. Upon a second glance, they realized the fabric was the same color as Korra's tunic, and then they recognized Korra's signature high ponytail.
Taking the initiative, Tenzin stepped forward and called out "Korra, Korra it's me Tenzin." drawing her attention. As she turned, Tenzin could see her holding Ryuukhan close to her chest, his arms limp, his head collapsed unto her shoulder, and his legs barely skimming the floor, looking like a marionette, with the strings cut.
"Tenzin," Korra said. "And Chief Beifong. It's great to see you. Ryuukhan needs a healer, and you've got to see what we've found."
"First thing's first" Lin replied, massaging her temples. "Are there any other Tong up here that we should know about?"
"No, I don't think so." Korra answered, looking to her side. "We haven't met anyone other than that big hog-monkey that Bolin sent flying over the banister."
"And where is Bolin right now?" Lin demanded, her eyes locked on Korra. "I hope he's still with you."
"Yes Chief," Bolin interjected, peeking out into the doorway. "I've been with her ever since we came into the building."
"Good, because I'd hate to add 'Unlawful Flight to Escape Prosecution' to your list of crimes." Lin said.
"Wait, crimes?" Korra blinked, confused. "You mean you're going to arrest him?"
"And his brother," Lin added, feeling another headache approaching. "They may have helped with his case, but they're still criminals. As such they need to be tried for their crimes and punished accordingly."
"But-but-but they saved Ryuukhan!" Korra stuttered. "That means nothing?!"
"One good deed is not enough to balance out a life of crime," Lin answered. "And let's not forget that in the eyes of the public they are prison break-outs and hostage-takers. The extenuating circumstances WILL be made clear at their trial, but until then they are still criminals. And they must be arrested and tried for their crimes."
"But-" Korra began, only to feel Bolin grab her shoulder, drawing her attention.
"Korra, she's right." he said. "Mako and I ARE criminals. We've done some terrible things, and we need to serve our time. Whatever our role in this affair, that does not change our status as criminals."
Seeing her about to argue he held out his hand, preempting her. "We WANT to be tried for our crimes. We WANT to serve our time. We WANT to do this Korra. We'll be fine. Just do me a favor: look after Pabu. You'll find him at our apartment at Chun's in the Dragon Flats. Seedy place. Room 416."
Without missing a beat, he turned to Chief Beifong, held out his hands and said "I surrender."
"Thank you Bolin," Lin said, gratitude and relief leaking through her voice as she clapped on handcuffs. "Bolin, you are charged with property damage, hostage-taking, flight from prison, conspiracy to commit arson, and being an accessory to criminal activity. You have the right to remain silent and to request a public defender at your trial. Any words you say from this moment can and may be used in a court of law against you."
Nodding silently, Bolin followed Beifong toward the stairs, Tenzin remaining behind to attend to Korra and Ryuukhan. Pondering for a moment, Lin shot out some of her metal plates into the stairway near the hole, forming a disjointed, triangular gutter along the stairs. Flicking her hands out palms down, the metal plates then flattened against the stairs, forming a very narrow stair-case for she and Bolin to descend. Gesturing for him to follow, they carefully made their way down the stairs where they met Lee, Mako, and a young girl with black hair and green eyes. To her surprise Mako already had handcuffs on and was being led by Lee to the main lobby where the captured Tong had been detained.
"Any trouble?" Lin asked.
"No trouble, chief. He submitted quietly." Lee replied.
"Excellent, you take these two to the vans, but keep them separate from the Tong," Beifong ordered. "I'll conduct an investigation upstairs, see if there's any evidence or information about the Tong we can use."
Turning to the other girl she asked "While I'm upstairs could you contact the Healer's clinic and let them know we have a case coming in soon?"
"Yes madam, I can do that." she replied.
With that, Lin made her way back up the stairs, using the metal plates she implanted, where she met Korra on the second landing, Ryuukhan now hanging limply on her shoulders, while Tenzin stood by next to a young girl in a dirty, patched-up dress.
"Mako and Bolin are on their way to Police HQ." Lin said, seeing Korra's expression. "Don't worry. They'll be treated well so long as they behave. And we'll get Ryuukhan to see a Healer about his condition. Looks like a case of chi-blocking to me, which should alleviate by itself but better safe than sorry. I'm heading upstairs to search the building. If there's anything we can use against the Tong, I'll find it. You four head downstairs and await further instructions. No ifs, ands, or buts."
Seeing Beifong's expression, Korra sighed and made her way slowly down the stairs, holding Ryuukhan higher in the air than before to minimize the risk of bumping into or tripping over his limp legs. As Korra and Ryuukhan reached the end of the stairs, Tenzin and the girl followed in their wake, leaving Lin to proceed with her search. Climbing back up the stairs she made her way to the doorway where she found Korra, Bolin, and Ryuukhan. After a quick check for traps or potential ambushes, she found that it was an office with a large cabinet and desk with file drawers and lockers stacked behind it.
'All right old girl,' she thought. 'Time to get to work.'
-Line Break-
As Mako, Bolin, and the Tong prisoners were loaded into the vans, Korra turned to Ryuukhan, held up in her arms like a ragdoll, and asked "How are you feeling? Can you feel anything yet?"
Looking down, he winced as he tried to move his limbs, but all he got was some twitching in his fingers.
"I can feel pressure, and some tingling, but that's it. Man, he got me." he replied, looking up to his sister.
"Don't worry; that chi-blocker's gonna pay!" Korra said, fire burning in her eyes. "When I get my hands on him, I'll...I'll…"
"Now Korra," Asami interrupted. "I know how you feel, but you're scaring Xin.".
Looking to Asami's side, she could see Xin huddling tightly to her, trying to make herself as small as possible, like she was trying to disappear.
"Don't worry Korra,'' Asami continued, drawing her attention. "These men will pay for what they did to Ryuukhan, and to Xin, and to who knows how many others. Once they're at Police HQ they'll be interrogated and tried for their crimes."
"And then what?" Korra asked, her fire returning. "How will they be punished? Exile? Imprisonment? Execution?"
"They will be imprisoned," Asami answered, her tone firm but placating. "For years, possibly for life if their crimes are severe or numerous enough."
"Imprisoned? That's it?" Korra replied, semi-incredulously. Turning to herself, she muttered "I would have had them burned or fed to Naga."
"Korra!" Asami exclaimed. "They might be criminals, but that doesn't give us the right to treat them like animals! They're people and their rights should be respected!"
"Like they respected my brother's?" Korra snapped back, her tone sharp and acidic. "Or Xin's? Or any of their other victims? If I violated a person's rights shouldn't I lose mine as punishment? How is it fair that I, a criminal, get housed, fed and clothed at the expense of others? Doesn't sound like justice to me."
"Considering the poor conditions in the jails in terms of sanitation, food, etc," Asami retorted, matching Korra's tone. "And that you've lost your chance, your right, to have a life, to be free, to make an impact on the world. Rotting in prison for years, possibly for life, sounds like justice to me. Better to die free than to live in a cage."
"Now, now you two." Tenzin interrupted, breaking off their argument. "You've both had a very trying day, and I think it's best for all of us to get some rest. The Healers are here, so they'll take Ryuukhan in for treatment. Korra, you can go with them if you'd like, while I can drop off Asami."
Nodding, Korra grabbed Ryuukhan as the Healers approached, carrying a stretcher for him. She felt Ryuukhan tense up upon their approach, his eyes locked on the stretcher with a look of disgrace and fear. Feeling his hesitation, Korra rubbed his shoulders soothingly, giving him a calming smile while gently guiding him to the Healers.
After setting him down, the Healers moved Ryuukhan into the back of their van, prompting Korra to follow them, jumping into the back and grasping his hand as a sign of support. Seeing him look up, she smiled once again, putting his mind at ease while the Healers ran a preliminary diagnostic, carefully feeling his limbs for broken bones and checking his chi network.
"It'll be okay Ryuukhan," Korra said, running her thumb along the back of his hand. To her surprise and gratitude, she felt his thumb mirroring her movements. "See? You're moving your fingers."
"I've always been a rather quick healer," he replied before smiling. "But thanks big sis."
Smiling, she turned to the Healer, who had suddenly stopped his diagnosis. He ran his fingers along Ryuukhan's limbs a second time, a puzzled look crossing his face. Running his fingers a third time, his puzzlement soon turned to confusion, prompting a fearful look from her brother.
"Excuse me, but is something wrong?" she asked, trying hard to keep her voice level.
"I...I don't know," he finally answered after a lengthy pause. "I've never encountered a chi network like this before. But then again, most chi-blockers don't go THIS far in their work. Whoever did this must have REALLY hated your brother."
"Is...is it serious?" Korra pressed, fear and concern leaking through despite her best efforts.
"I don't think so," he offered, though she could detect his uncertainty. "There are no broken bones or any sign of deeper damage. I think it should be all right, but we'll give him a more thorough diagnosis when we get to the clinic. We should be getting underway soon."
"Where is the clinic by the way?" Korra asked suddenly. "Is it near Chun's apartments in the Dragon Flats? Someone asked me to do a favor, and I kind of owe him."
"The clinic is in the Midtown district," he explained, his face narrowed in thought. "It was meant to be near the center of the city so people could easily access medical care, though that's not so much the case now. If you take the tram you could reach Chun's apartment complex, which is near the Industrial Sector. Rather seedy place, and could be dangerous at night."
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm sure I'll be fine." Korra replied, only to feel a slight tremor in her hand. Looking down, she saw Ryuukhan look up in concern, his eyes locked on her with fear and apprehension. "But to be safe, I'll ask a police officer to accompany me."
"Are you sure about this?" he asked. "Whatever it is, surely it can wait until morning."
"I'm sure." she answered, unconsciously gripping Ryuukhan's hand to reassure them both.
Then they felt a jolt as the van began moving, slowly at first but gradually picking up speed. Korra resumed running her thumb on Ryuukhan's hand, helping him to stay calm as the van made its way to the clinic, sirens screaming to alert traffic ahead of them.
'First, I'll get Ryuukhan checked over,' Korra thought. 'Then I'll go find Pabu. Just who the heck is Pabu?'
-Line Break-
"If you're sure about this Lin," Tenzin said as he and Beifong entered the last police van.
"I've never been more sure, Tenzin." she replied, passing a stack of folders into his arms. "I'm ordering a raid across all of Republic City. All police units are to take action immediately. We've got a chance to deal the Tong a serious blow. Thanks to these folders we know where they are right now, and the names of many of their sponsors. If we hesitate, they'll just destroy the evidence and move shop, like they always do."
"Very well." Tenzin sighed, turning to her as the van sped down the road to their first target. "You're in command."
"Thank you Tenzin," Beifong replied. "Our target is that warehouse that Bolin mentioned. It's pretty large, and it's been renovated, so I'm expecting plenty of surprises, including ambushes and booby traps. I'll take the lead and you support me."
"Lin, with all due respect, is that wise?" Tenzin asked, his stoic mannerism giving way to concern and shock. "I would be faster to react, and thus evade any trap or ambush we run into."
"But you don't have the Seismic Sense," Beifong replied, turning the van to the left. "Thus, I can detect their surprises, rendering the need to dodge or react to attacks rather redundant."
"That being said," she continued, cutting him off. "An extra set of eyes and ears is more than warranted given what we are dealing with. I'm counting on you to watch my back, and to react to any unexpected surprises. And, given your experience and skill, I would not trust the success of this operation to anyone but you."
"I appreciate your faith in my abilities," he answered as she pulled into a vacant spot behind a run-down, darkened building. "But even so…"
"Not to mention, I'm a mere Chief of Police," she interjected, cutting him off. "You're a member of the Republic City Council, and the only Airbending Master in the world, and a husband and father. Thus, if it comes down to it, your safety is a higher priority than mine. If I say run, by KOH you run. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
Turning to Tenzin, Beifong locked him in the eye and intoned "If you can't work with that, then I'll go it alone."
"As a member of the Republic City Council," he answered, standing to his fullest height. "I can override you."
"But only if you have a reason to doubt my ability or judgement, and even then you need support from at least two other Council members," she replied, mimicking his stance. "And since you have neither, your ability to override my authority is limited at best. In fact, given we're at a probable crime scene, this falls under Police jurisdiction and thus all authority is to be left to the highest ranking police officer, which happens to be me. That is, of course, unless you can get the support of the Council to overrule that, but as you said, time is of the essence, and the others are asleep, so good luck with that."
Tenzin, realizing he had lost the argument, felt his shoulders sag as he acquiesced "Very well Lin."
"Thank you." Beifong replied as she and Tenzin made their way around the building. The space was narrow, and stank of garbage that had piled up over the years, forcing them to move single-file and step carefully to avoid making excessive noise, slowing them considerably.
Emerging from the narrow gap, they found a line of warehouses facing them, with raised loading bays projecting from their massive double doors toward the open street where trucks and cars could back in to receive their goods. Most of the warehouses were simple brick and metal, dull gray and dark red pitted with age and stained from years of spills and mishaps. Their doors shut tight, and their windows pitch black…
...except for one near the end, whose windows glowed around the edges. Listening intently, they could make out low voices and clattering of machinery or equipment inside.
They had found their target.
Checking their surroundings, they made their way towards the warehouse, hugging the raised platforms to minimize their exposure. Every fifteen paces or so, they would stop so Beifong could tap the ground and activate her Seismic Sense. Once she was satisfied that the coast was clear, they would move up to the next raised platform. As they approached their target, the voices grew louder and more distinct, allowing them to pick up some words and phrases.
"...inconceivable…"
"...incredible…"
"...not much time…"
Just then one of the windows let out a nearly blinding light, as a head peered out into the street. Luckily, Beifong and Tenzin had ducked beneath the platform just in time. Freezing in place, they listened as intently as they could, hoping whoever was above them would lose interest and shut the window, or at least turn off the light.
After what felt like the longest few minutes of their lives, they heard a voice mutter "No one out." and the light went out, plunging them into darkness once more. But, worryingly, they did not hear the thump of a window closing, and, fearing to expose themselves too early, they waited…
...and waited…
...and waited.
For about ten minutes, but still the window did not close.
Pondering their situation, Tenzin turned to Beifong and, whispering as softly as possible, proposed a plan. "I'll use my Airbending to enter via the window to sneak inside. I'll take out as many as I can with all the stealth I can muster before exposing myself. While they're busy with me, you enter the door, and take them out from behind."
Beifong, affronted by this plan, could only stare in shock and incredulity before hissing out "Are you nuts?!"
"I know it's dangerous, but who else can do it without alerting everyone inside?" he replied, catching her off-guard. Without missing a beat he pressed on "Before I try anything we'll check to see if the window is open or not. If yes, we'll proceed with my plan. If not, then yours."
Breathing deeply, Beifong exhaled slowly before reluctantly nodding. Peeking out from behind the platform they could see that the window, while dark, was indeed open. Turning to her briefly, Tenzin simply nodded before sneaking out from behind the platform to directly under the window.
Extending his arms to the right and sweeping them in front, he piroquetted, forming a small tornado that carried him up to the window. Much to his relief, there was no one inside as he swept his arms out behind him, flying in through the window, making sure to tuck in his legs and head as he entered to avoid banging the window ledge. Landing gracefully and silently inside, he found himself on a causeway looking out over the massive interior of the warehouse, which was stocked full of crates, boxes, and vehicles, men milling around frantically beneath, loading the vehicles and frequently bumping into one another.
'They're scrambling to move out.' Tenzin thought as he looked to the sides and found one guard, watching the men below so intently that he did not notice Tenzin's entrance through the window.
'Stress? Inexperience? Arrogance? Either way, he's mine.' Tenzin thought as he swept his right arm downward with the elbow bent at a sharp angle. Following that with an upward sweep of his left arm, the elbow held straight, and a leftward sweep of his right arm, the guard found himself flying towards Tenzin, who simply grabbed him by the mouth and jabbed him in the shoulders, causing his arms to go limb. Finishing the job with a jab to the nape, Tenzin left the man unconscious on the causeway, before cautiously making his way to the stairs that lead to the ground floor.
Seeing no one on the steps, he returned to the causeway and looked to the ceiling, where he saw lights hanging from long wires. Sweeping his arm in front of him, he sent a wave of high pressure air flying toward them, severing the wire and plunging that part of the warehouse into darkness. The men, taken off-guard by the sudden loss of light, froze in shock and confusion, only to duck at the last minute as the lamp fell onto the vehicle, sending shards of glass flying everywhere.
As pandemonium erupted beneath him, Tenzin sent another blade of wind toward the next lamp, dimming the light even further and sowing more havoc among the men. Looking further down he found the last light, but it was too far for him to hit accurately from his position. Turning to the walls he saw that the causeway had a barricade, preventing him from running the length of the wall to a better position. Glancing down, he saw the men starting to regroup, with some forming circles to guard their flanks against attack, meaning they were regaining their senses and would soon be ready for battle.
Breathing deep to steele his nerves, he looked to the severed wire and jumped off the guardrail, launching himself into the air. Grabbing the wire he swung overhead, the ceiling groaning under the newfound weight before giving in with a grating screech of metal, causing the men below to wince in pain. Tenzin released his grip just as the wire came loose and grabbed for the next one. Once more the ceiling gave in under his weight, but he managed to sever the last hanging light just before the wire came loose.
As the warehouse plunged into darkness, Tenzin swept his arms around him, forming a gale that softened his landing and sending the men waiting below flying in all directions. Landing on his feet, Tenzin took up a stance and prepared for battle.
Meanwhile, Beifong had made her way to the doors, tapping the ground to activate her Seismic Sense. While he could not detect any booby traps or men waiting just beyond the doors, she refused to let her guard drop. Tapping the ground intently, she felt men running frantically inside, with heavy thumps indicating dropped boxes or crates nearby.
Just as she was about to tap yet again, she heard a crash, followed by shattered glass and confused, frightened yelps like a coati-hound sniffing in fire flakes. Then, she heard another crash, followed by glass shattering and men running urgently. This time, though, she could feel them move into circular formations, showing more discipline and purpose than before.
'Tenzin, just what are you doing in there?!' she wondered, only for her thoughts to be interrupted by a screech of metal from above, like the ceiling giving way under a sudden weight.
'You're having a field day, aren't you?' she thought, exasperated by her old friend's antics, as she heard the ceiling inside groan once again. 'Tenzin, you and I WILL be having words about this. But first…'
As she heard a third crash come in from inside, she felt the men run out toward the back end of the warehouse. Seeing her chance, she thrust out her hands, palms facing each other, into the door, indenting the metal under her Bending. Kicking in the door, the metal crumbled away, granting her passage inside.
Just as she crossed the threshold, she felt a man leap at her from the right, to which she replied by squatting low and flicking her hand out, sending a metal band out from her armor and wrapping it around his ankles, hamstringing him and sending him sprawling out on the floor. Stomping the ground, she opened a fissure just large enough for his arms and hands to fit in, which she then closed with a swift left uppercut, trapping him inside while blocking the exit with his prone body.
Not missing a beat, she kicked out to the left, sending a metal band flying out at another man who tried to jump her. The metal band wrapped around his wrist and sent him flying into the side, pinning him to the wall. She then stomped the ground, causing the floor in front of her to buckle upward, tripping around four men who ran to join the fray. As they fell, she punched downward, opening up rifts and trapping their hands within the brick floor. Jerking her fist upward, the floor closed up, immobilizing them.
'Six down,' she thought as she made her way into the warehouse, kicking and punching as more assailants ran to face her, only to crumble as her metal bands and fissures immobilized and imprisoned them.
Meanwhile, Tenzin was piroquetting around a man attempting to Chi-block him, jabbing him in the solar plexus and sending him flying into another man. Using his momentum, he kicked out behind him, creating a gust of wind that sent glass shards flying up into the faces of additional attackers. As the glass cut into their faces, he swept his arm upward across his chest, summoning a powerful wind that sent them careening into the side of the van.
Hearing glass crunch underfoot, he bent down on one foot, kicking out the opposite leg while piroquetting, sending a whirlwind out in all directions, tripping up the assailant from behind, and giving him time to jump to the top of the vehicle.
From his new vantage point, Tenzin listened for additional attackers, only to hear the floor opening up nearby, brick crumbling and earth buckling, and numerous men yelling out in shock and surprise as they lost their footing and became entombed in solid rock.
"All right, listen up!" a voice yelled out from the darkness. "This is a raid. You're all under arrest for being accessories to or participating in the criminal activities of the Eight-Animals Tong. Said activities include, but are not limited to, smuggling, contract bonding, child abuse, extortion, and running an illegal fighting ring. You have the right to remain silent and a legal defense expert at your trial. Anything you say can and may be used in a court of law against you."
'Well Lin, it's your jurisdiction now,' Tenzin thought as he descended from the vehicle. Upon his arrival he heard Beifong tapping the floor with her foot, tallying the men they had captured.
"About twenty," Lin said, satisfaction evident in her voice. "Tenzin, find a phone and call HQ. I'll watch these sewer-eels. Once they're detained, we'll hit the next target."
"Right away Lin," Tenzin replied, as he searched for a phone.
-Line Break-
"Well I can safely say that your brother will make a full recovery," Tsu'ku, the Healer at the clinic, said as he finished his diagnosis. "There weren't any broken bones or internal damage. Just an unusually thorough chi-blocking session. Your limbs will be numb for a time, and there will be unpleasant sensations later as your chi network reestablishes itself. But you'll be fine."
"Thank you," Korra and Ryuukhan said together, surprising each other with their synchronicity before lightly laughing.
"There is one thing I noticed though," Tsu'ku continued, drawing their attention. "Your chi network is a little different from what I've observed in the past."
"How so?" Ryuukhan asked, worry and confusion seeping into his voice.
"Most chi run along a network similar to blood vessels, radiating outward from a central axis highlighted by the seven chakras." Tsu'ku explained, bringing up a chart to help illustrate his explanation. "These chakras, located along the spine and running up to the crown of the head, can be thought of as the heart of the chi network. The chi network then runs through the body, from the central axis to the ends of the digits."
Pointing to the diagram, he highlighted the chakras and the pathways radiating outward through the limbs. "This means that the chi usually is more or less equally distributed through the body, with each limb and organ being supplied by the same amount of chi, and none receiving more than any others. With me so far?"
As Ryuukhan and Korra nodded, Tsu'ku continued "But when I was examining your network, I found that your right arm and hand seemed awash with chi while the others had comparatively little chi. I don't know if this is usual for you, or if it's just the chi-blocking at work. But I would like you to come see me in a few weeks time and we'll check you again."
Korra and Ryuukhan looked at each other briefly, unsure of how to answer Tsu'ku. After a long moment of thought, Korra replied "I'm not sure if we'll be around in a few weeks, but we will look into this further. Thank you."
Turning to her brother, Korra asked "Would it be all right if I left you for a bit, Ryuukhan? I owe Bolin a favor for helping to rescue you. It's not too far from here, and I should be back in less than half an hour."
For a moment, Ryuukhan was tense, his eyes furrowed in conflict as fear and uncertainty warred with his sense of duty to others. After a very brief but tense moment, he breathed deep, shut his eyes, and nodded, shakily but firmly.
"You sure?" Korra inquired, to which he nodded once more, this time more steadily and forcefully.
"All right. See you soon." she said as she departed.
'Well that was unsettling.' she thought as she entered the elevator. 'He has been through a lot though. Hopefully we can get him help soon. But for now...'
Soon the elevator bell dinged, informing her of her arrival to the ground floor. Disembarking, she headed for the secretary at the front desk and asked "Excuse me, can you tell me how to find Chun's apartments?".
The secretary, Matsuo, looked up a map for a moment before turning to Korra and replying "If you take the nearest bridge to the Dragon Flats and follow the coastline south to the Industrial Sector you'll reach Chun's apartments near the edge of the latter. I should warn you that it is rather risky."
"I know, but I need to take care of something." Korra replied, turning to depart, but stopped, turned to Matsuo and asked. "How will I be able to tell Chun's place from the others?"
"No worries." Matsuo replied, her eyes rolling. "Chun makes it a point to advertise his place. You'll know it when you see it."
"Thank you." Korra said, more confused than anything else as she exited the clinic. Looking out, she saw the city alight, the streets and ground floor illuminated by lamps while the higher floors were lit around the windows, leaving the rooftops and the archways a faint silhouette in the night.
Glancing above she tried to make out the stars, but whether due to the lights or the clouds the stars were all but invisible. Gritting her teeth, she looked to the City Park, knowing it was to the south and ran parallel to the coast, but the buildings blocked her view. With growing exasperation, she ran out to widen her view, only to have to dive back to avoid a Satomobile.
"Hey, watch it!" the driver barked as he drove past her, earning a glare from the agitated Avatar. Resuming her search, she recalled that the clinic's main entrance faced southward toward the Central Station. Smacking herself in the face, she reoriented herself toward the east and made her way along the roads, sticking to the sidewalk for safety.
Within a few minutes she found the bridge to the Dragon Flats, but to her frustration it only featured a pair of train tracks, with guardrails along the sides that provided no room to squeeze past. A brief search nearby revealed no stations to catch a ride, and even if there were, she didn't have any Yuans to purchase a ticket, and she had no idea where she would catch a ride even if she could buy one.
Looking down in frustration, she found the bay devoid of ships, boats, or passersby. Seeing she was alone, she ran to the water's edge and jumped into the bay, stretching out her arms and sweeping them around her, bending the water into a spout beneath her feet. As the water lowered, she bent her knees and began moving her legs in a running motion, racing across the bay, making sure to stay within sight of the train track to keep her bearings, thanking the architects that they had outfitted the bridge with lights to illuminate against the dark.
Nearing the opposite shore, she turned to the south, searching the buildings for anything that might indicate Chun's presence.
'How am I supposed to pick out a single apartment complex out of all THIS?!' she thought wryly, her eyes furrowing in frustration.
Turning to the shore, all she saw were rectangular buildings with flat roofs, softly illuminated by street lamps and internal lighting. Off in the distance, she saw the skyline transition from flat rectangles to tall cylinders, indicating that she was approaching the Industrial Sector. Frustrated, she turned to the coast, only to glimpse a sight so bizarre that she tried to stop too quickly and slammed into the shore, landing on her stomach and getting a mouthful of salty sand.
Spitting and coughing, she turned and confirmed the sight was no mere figment of her imagination. While most of the apartment complexes were colored dull greys and dark reds, making them appear largely black in the dark of the night, one was colored bright green, with white and yellow alternating on the sides. Looking closer, she found this building featured a floral motif along the corners and the archways, making it more similar to a flower shop than an apartment complex. Completing the look were images of the sun on the underside of the overhangs, giving the impression of flowers and grass greeting the spring sun.
'THIS is advertising?' Korra thought as she picked herself up. 'Is this even legal? I'm not exactly an art critic, or a fashion expert, but surely…'
Approaching the complex, she realized that the floral motif was not just painted, but actually carved into the building. Along the main doorway she could make out moon-flowers interspersed with fire lilies and gold-berries. Around the windows, she could see cherry blossoms, their pink petals fluttering downward, along with strangler orchids, beautiful but insidiously deadly, wrapping around thick tree trunks that formed the sides of the windows. Even the stairs and the closed curtains had a floral motif, featuring flowering orchids and budding fruit in the latter, with golden lotuses along the sides of blue painted steps for the former.
'Okay obviously a LOT of work went into this,' Korra thought as she made her way up the stairs. Seeing the door, intricately carved with flowers, clouds, and the sun much like the rest of the building, she knocked gently, not wishing to disturb the residents. Not hearing anyone approach, she knocked again, a little louder this time.
Hearing no one inside, she made to leave, only to hear the door swing open, and a man illuminated from the internal light, wearing a white shirt with blue pants, and a pale-white moon-flower in his neon-orange frizzy hair. The man greeted her warmly, hugging her and pulling her in as though they were old friends.
"Zhuwei, my friend!" he said, managing to speak softly yet enthusiastically at the same time. "I'm Chun, Yi Chun. How are you this morning? You look so tired young lady, I bet you'd love a place to sleep for the night. Why don't I show you the rooms I have available? And don't worry about the price my dear."
"Um, thanks but…" Korra answered before letting out a large yawn. "I'm not here to find a place to sleep. I'm returning a favor to Bolin."
"Bolin? Of the Triad Brothers?" Chun asked, his eyebrows flying up into his hair, nearly disappearing from view. "You mean something has happened to them? I knew they were heading for trouble. I've told them so many times that they should have gotten out of the Triads before things got bad. Too bad they didn't listen. Are you here to collect items for a memorial? I can provide you with..."
"No, no they're fine." Korra interjected, waving her hands to break off his rambling. "I'm just here to look after Pabu."
"Pabu?" Chun asked, his eyes furrowing in thought as he rubbed his stubbled chin. "Bolin would never entrust Pabu to anyone other than his brother. Why would he trust you?"
"He helped rescue my brother from the Tong." Korra explained, sending him staggering back in shock. "We came here separately, but he was captured by the Tong. Bolin and Mako helped me rescue him, but they were caught by the cops and are facing trial for their activities with the Triad. Before being shuttled into the van, Bolin asked me to look after Pabu, and directed me to your apartment complex."
"So they're facing charges," he thought, glancing away briefly.
Then, in a flash, he shrugged and said "Can't be helped." before beckoning her inside.
Cautiously, Korra followed him only to stare dumb-founded at the lobby. The walls and ceiling were painted in much the same floral motif as the exterior walls, only with insects and birds interspersed among the plants. Interposed against a cast-iron fireplace, the furniture, which was rather modest, consisted of low tables and floor mats, with a few chairs here and there. But what struck her most was the condition of the furniture, most of which was heavily worn. There were large holes in the floor mats, and the tables had extensive staining from tea and other beverages. Only the chairs seemed to be in good condition, but even they showed signs of wear and tear, with the stuffing poking through holes in the seats and backs, and the legs chipped and battered.
"I've got the key to their apartment," Chun said, snapping Korra's attention to him. "I'll let you in and grab their stuff. Then I'll put up their apartment for rent."
"Wait a minute!" Korra snapped in shock and indignation. "You're going to put their apartment up for rent already? They're not even convicted yet!"
"You think the trial will begin tomorrow?" Chun asked, stopping Korra cold. "You know how many people are already in prison? You think they've all been convicted? Some of them have been waiting months for their trials. Why would those two get ahead of all those others?"
"How could they be waiting that long?" Korra asked, collecting her thoughts. "I thought…"
"You need evidence that a crime took place." Chun explained, beckoning her toward the elevator. "Just because a person's been accused of a crime that doesn't mean the police have the evidence they need right away. Gathering evidence, and possible witnesses, could take weeks or months, depending on the number of charges facing them, and the time-scale and scope of their activities."
Reaching the elevator, Chun looked at a young woman leaning against the wall, reading a magazine. She was a few years older than Korra, though clearly still a teenager, with brown hair adorned with a cylindrical white hat, and wearing a dark green tunic with black pants. Clearing his throat to get her attention, he waved to the elevator, to which she simply nodded and took her horse stance, opening the door.
Chun, entering the elevator, ushered Korra to join him and called out "Level 4 please."
As the door closed, Korra saw the young woman stomp the ground through the iron bars and felt the elevator shoot upwards, nearly knocking her off her feet.
"And in the case of witnesses, they could be long gone." Chun continued. "They could have moved away, died, or simply disappeared. So if you desperately need a witness who's moved to another nation to testify, how long would it take to fill out the paperwork?"
"I'm guessing it could take days or weeks." Korra replied, furrowing her eyes in thought. "I understand that people need passports to gain access to other nations, and that could take a while to fill out. They need to check your health, your criminal record, and other things to make sure you don't present an immediate threat to others."
"Exactly, and that's not getting into the multiple levels of law." Chun replied just as the elevator came to a sudden stop, knocking Korra off-balance once again.
Exiting the elevator, Chun turned right, Korra following close behind. The hallway walls were painted white with flaming red flowers, purple berries and yellow birds fluttering here and there. Ruining the paint job, however, were multiple brown stains trickling down the walls and onto the floor where the junction showed significant signs of warping from the spills. Looking closely, she saw that the floor was bare tile and covered in dark-brown paper pressed deep into it from countless years of walking through the hall. Disturbed, Korra tried kicking the paper away, only to find that it had essentially fused into the floor, making it impossible to remove without tearing it all up.
"People can get into a LOT of trouble when they move across borders." Chun said, interrupting her thoughts. "What is perfectly fine in one country may be illegal in others. If a potential witness gets in trouble with the law in another nation, that requires extrication, which is a messy affair in and of itself. You have to worry about the witness trying to escape, or demanding asylum in other nations. Not to mention people always question the trustworthiness of those that have committed crimes, even if they did so long ago. So you might have brought them in for testimony only for the judges to rule them out as unreliable, untrustworthy, or biased, making you go through all that for nothing."
"Well that's...complicated." Korra replied, moving swiftly to catch up with him. "I never heard of Avatar Aang or his companions getting into trouble like that."
"Well to be fair it was a VERY different time." Chun replied as he opened the door. Looking inside, Korra found the room was rather bare, hosting only a low table and some floor mats for seats. Further down she could see a mostly closed door leading into another room, though she couldn't tell what the room was. Looking to the sides, she saw the walls covered in the same floral motif as the hallway, though without the stains or warping.
"The world was at war, so borders shifted constantly." Chun continued as he walked inside. "And governments were more focused on fighting instead of a bunch of kids roaming around. Heck they were not even all that concerned with the refugees. Most simply passed them along to other provinces or nations rather than dealing with them themselves. Fewer mouths to feed, fewer bodies to house or keep warm, and less traffic on the roads impeding their soldiers and war materials. And travel was much slower back then, unless you were on a ship...or a Sky Bison."
"But now travel is far easier and faster, so more people can move around." Korra said as she started looking for Pabu. Finding nothing in the first room, presumably the living room, she moved to the door in the back. Opening it, she winced as the smell of stale water, and less pleasant things, wafted through the air. Looking inward, she found it was a bathroom, featuring a small shower, a low toilet, and a simple sink.
Seeing nothing inside, she closed the door and exhaled forcefully, trying to clear her nose.
"And that ease of travel presents a wide range of challenges for governments today." Chun said as he entered a door to Korra's right. "More people moving around increases the risk of disease outbreaks. And if too many people are crammed into the same space, resources, like food, are depleted more quickly, and that leads to conflict, even violence."
"But Chief Beifong says that migrants are also key to Republic City's growth and economy." Korra replied, following him. "Without them, there would be fewer businesses, higher prices, and less technological developments."
"Indeed yes." Chun said as he turned to her. "But you need to balance the pros and cons. How do you balance the benefits of a young, diverse population with increased difficulty of resource distribution, disease management, and conflict mediation? Do you know?"
For a moment, Korra, furrowing her eyes, racked her brain intensively for answers, but all she could do was shake her head in the negative.
"I don't think anyone does." Chun said. "These are questions humanity has been asking for millennia. If anyone has a chance of answering these questions, it would be the Avatar."
Hearing this, Korra briefly winced as she pondered her ignorance, but Chun didn't seem to notice, or understand her expression as he simply said "Anyway, let's get Pabu and go."
"By the way, who IS Pabu?" Korra asked as she searched the room, which turned out to be the kitchen. She could see a brick stove to her left, with three medium size archways leading into the fireplaces built atop a brick shelf, and a single wok sitting upon the stove. Flanking the stove were large cabinets, presumably stocked with food and utensils. Across from her, she saw an empty sink, with a large wooden barrel of presumably water nearby for cooking or washing. To her right she could see a window showing the neighboring buildings.
"I mean I haven't seen or heard any other people around, and no one's come to greet us." Korra said, looking at Chun in confusion. "And there really isn't any space large enough for a person to hide in."
"Oh, Pabu's not a person." Chun explained. "He's a Fire Ferret, Bolin's pet and best friend."
"A pet?" Korra asked in shock and surprise, just as she heard a clattering sound from one of the cabinets. Pausing in surprise, she waited, and heard it again, along with a chittering sound, like birds, or some other small animal.
Seeing Chun nod at her unspoken question, Korra turned to the cabinet and said in her gentlest voice "Hello, Pabu? It's all right, I'm a friend. Bolin sent me to pick you up."
At first, nothing happened. Then she heard the chittering once more, followed by pots and bowls clattering. Based on the direction of the sound, Pabu seemed to have climbed down, perhaps trying to make a run for the door. Squatting down on the floor, Korra whispered "Pabu, I promise I won't hurt you. Please, come out."
In response, Pabu peeked out from the cabinet, only to withdraw like a gopher-mole down its hole. Giggling lightly, Korra reached out a single finger and whispered "Pabu, it's all right. Please, come out."
Slowly, cautiously Pabu popped out again and sniffed her finger, letting her get a good look at him. He had a white face with triangular ears, and reddish teardrop markings under his dark eyes. Feeling more secure, he extended further to sniff her hand, revealing a long, low body with short legs.
"That's it, Pabu." Korra whispered as he began nuzzling her hand. "That's it."
Slowly, Korra scratched Pabu behind the ears with her extended finger, making him chitter in excitement. Smiling, Korra began rubbing his neck with her other fingers and, slowly but surely, she extended her remaining hand, inviting him to cuddle with her. Pabu, feeling very secure and safe, exited the cabinet entirely and reared up to greet her face.
"It's going to be ok, Pabu." Korra said, smiling as he began sniffing her face. "I'm going to take care of you for now. But don't worry. You'll see Bolin soon enough."
As Pabu jumped into her lap, Korra wrapped her arms around him and held him close to her chest, making sure to support his legs. Turning to Chun she asked "Can you help gather Mako and Bolin's things?"
"Sure thing." Chun replied, his former enthusiasm returning with a wide smile. "Fortunately they didn't have much. Just a few sets of clothes and some personal mementos. Not to mention a little money they saved up over the years. This shouldn't take more than a few minutes."
"Is there a cage or something for Pabu?" Korra asked as she stood to follow Chun through the apartment.
"I don't think so." Chun replied. "Bolin always carried Pabu on his shoulders or in his jacket."
"Guess that'll do for me." Korra shrugged before lifting Pabu to her shoulder, letting the Fire Ferret climb up and wrap himself around her neck, his fur soft and warm against her bare skin. "I'm presuming there's food for Pabu. Would it be all right if I took some?"
"Go ahead." he replied, looking up from a closet as he pulled out a bag and began stuffing it with clothes. "It'll take me some time before I get another client, so no sense in letting good food go to waste. Help yourself."
"Thanks." Korra said as she made her way back to the kitchen. Rummaging through the cabinets, she found some dried jerky and held it up to her shoulder. Pabu, smelling it, snatched it, holding it in his paws as he gnawed away.
While Pabu ate his snack, Korra looked through the cabinets and found some bags of dried rice, as well as some fresh fruit and tea bags, but not much else. In fact, apart from the food, some bowls and one additional wok, the drawers were surprisingly empty, making them seem bigger than they did from the outside.
"Got it all." Chun cried out as he entered the kitchen, holding a large rumpsack and a smaller hand-bag. "This rumpsack should hold enough space for any food you want to take with you. And this hand-bag contains all the money I could find in the apartment. If you see them could you ask them if they have more? I hate for them to lose their money."
"For a guy who's so fast to kick them out you sure seem concerned about them getting all their stuff." Korra said as she took the bags.
"Hey! I resent that!" Chun barked, startling her and Pabu. "They were two of my best tenants. Always paid their rent on time. Always kept their apartment clean. Never caused any trouble. No spills. No broken windows. No chewed-up furniture. They were the best tenants I could ask for. But I gotta make my living. It's nothing personal. It's just business. If they ever need a place to stay, or someone to talk to, they always have me."
"Uh, sorry about that." Korra replied sheepishly, turning to the kitchen to collect the food she saw. Carefully balancing Pabu on her shoulders, she grabbed the rice, setting it atop the clothes in the rumpsack, followed by the tea bags, with the fruit being last to minimize bruising. After sweeping through the kitchen, she said "I guess we're done here."
"Very well my dear, let's be off." Chun replied, heading for the exit. "Are you sure you don't want a place to sleep? You can sleep here for the night, no charge."
"Thanks for the offer, but I really need to get back." Korra answered, watching Chun's enthusiasm dwindle away as he opened the door and walked with her to the elevator.
One jarring ride down, Chun said "Zhuwei, my friend. Give my regards to the brothers."
Smiling, Korra replied "Zhuwei, and thanks for your help." before heading out the door.
Exiting the complex, she turned to the river and began walking toward it. Arriving upon the river bank, Pabu wrapped himself tightly around her neck and she could feel his fur standing on end.
"You don't like water Pabu?" she asked, and he hissed as though to say "By Koh I don't!".
Glancing aside, Korra weighed her options. Walking would be better for Pabu, but it would take much longer than she would have liked. Skating would be much faster, but it would freak him Pabu, and if he tried to make a break for it, she'd probably never get him back.
Looking to the bridge, she saw a train crossing the inlet, and she looked to the hand-bag that had all of Mako and Bolin's money. Weighing her options, she made her way to the bridge, the distance from the water helping to calm Pabu down. Nearing the train tracks, she looked for a boarding area and she found one on the opposite side from her. Checking the tracks for incoming traffic, she sprinted across and jumped onto the boarding platform.
"That's technically illegal, you know." a voice called out, startling her. Turning she saw an old woman in dirty grey clothes, much of which showed fraying and patches. Her grey-white hair was tied in a bun at the back, and her brown-green eyes were lined with wrinkles. On her back was a rumpsack that clearly had better days, with cracked leather, frayed threads, and missing buckles. Her hands, knobby knuckled with long fingernails, held tight to a gnarled wooden cane that she used to support herself. Turning to Korra she gave a warm smile, revealing her teeth had been stained black as coal, shocking Korra and Pabu greatly.
"It's all right." she said, her eyes full of warmth and sincerity. "I won't tell. Are you here for the train?"
"Uh, yeah." Korra said, still working through her shock. "When is the next one coming?"
"Well…" the woman replied, looking aside for a moment. "The eastward train left mere minutes ago, and there are usually two trains in circulation in any particular district of the city, so I would say no more than five, ten minutes. Of course, that's presuming nothing goes awry."
"And how much does a ticket cost?" Korra asked before looking around. "And where do I get one?"
"If you look behind me, you'll see a booth where you can purchase tickets." the woman replied pointing to a small structure behind her. "And ticket prices vary according to your luggage and whether you're only doing a one-way trip, or want to use the train multiple times. They can explain it better than I can."
"Oh, thanks." Korra said as she made her way to the ticket booth. Seeing that she was facing the rear of the structure, she turned the corner to find a row of wooden archways with sharply sloping roofs and shelves leveled around her waist. The windows, protected by iron-barred grates, were dark save for one near the end closest to her, where she could see a single attendant nursing a beverage with a bored expression and dark circles under his eyes.
"Ahem, excuse me." Korra said, snapping the attendant from his drink. "Could I buy a ticket for the westward train?"
"Sure, whatever." he said, his voice a flat monotone. "Will that be one-way or all day?"
"Just once please." she replied.
"Any luggage?" he asked. "Rumpsacks, backpacks, and hand-bags don't count."
"Uh, no." she answered.
"Just so you know, animals are supposed to be contained within cages," he said. "But at this hour, no one really cares. That'll be three yuans."
Nodding, Korra rummaged through the hand-bag, inspecting the unfamiliar coins and paper money, trying to read in the dim light. Pulling out a single paper bill, she read the number and handed it to the attendant. Running his finger over the yuan, he then held it up to the light before shrugging and, with a ring, deposited it away and pulled out a ticket and two coins.
"It's clean, and here's your change," he said. "Have a good day."
"Thanks," Korra replied, pocketing her ticket and change, and heading back to the station, where she saw the old woman leaning on her cane.
"Well that didn't take long, did it?" she smiled, showing her blackened teeth once again. "Where are you getting off at?"
"The clinic near the Central Station." Korra replied. "I've got someone waiting for me."
"A boy by any chance?" she asked, a rather mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Is he cute?"
"He's my brother." Korra replied, killing the twinkle there and replacing it with shock and concern. "He's had a rough day, but he's recovering."
"I hope he gets better soon, dear." the woman said, her eyes filling with warmth. "The healers are really skilled, so he's in good hands."
"Thanks." Korra said as she looked down the tracks, but saw no train in sight.
Sighing, she turned to her fellow passenger and asked "So out of curiosity, where are you getting off?".
"The Tiger Ward." she replied. "I usually don't come out this far, but I thought I'd go see the city, and I lost track of time."
"Sorry to hear that." Korra said. "Would you like an escort back?"
"No thanks, dear." she answered. "You should get back to your brother soon."
Just then they heard a bell dinging in the east. Turning to the sound, they saw the train coming toward the station, the dinging bell announcing its arrival. As it rolled into the boarding station, Korra could see five or six cars, approximately the length of two polar-bear dogs, colored dark red with white trim around the roof, windows, and front and rear ends. Each car had four lamps stationed just under the roofs, illuminating the doors positioned at the front and rear of each car, with a waist-level bar that curved upwards at the outer ends.
"All aboard!" a voice cried out, urging Korra to board the train, the old woman following close behind, her cane tapping rhythmically behind her. Looking around she saw the car had seats installed along the sides, allowing people to sit shoulder to shoulder along the outside, granting others freedom to move or stand along the center. Above she could see leather or rubber loops dangling down from the ceiling, and at either end was a pole running vertically to provide additional points to secure oneself.
Taking a seat at the end closest to the exit, Korra placed the rumpsack in her lap, where Pabu curled up on top. Across from her the old woman had managed to seat herself just as the train lurched forward, heading west across the bridge.
A few minutes later, a voice called out "Next stop, Central Station".
"I think this is your stop dear." Korra heard from her fellow passenger as the train ground to a halt.
"Thanks." Korra said as she rose from her seat, turning back with a final "Zhuwei." before disembarking from the train.
Walking swiftly into the clinic, Pabu clinging tightly to her shoulders, Korra passed Matsuo's desk and headed straight for the elevator. Reaching the right floor, she made her way to Ryuukhan's room, making sure to watch for nurses, doctors, and other patients. Thankfully, the hallway was empty, with no people, stretchers, or equipment along the way, facilitating a speedy return trip to her brother's side.
Upon entry, she found her brother alone and asleep, but something was wrong. His face was tense, his jaw clenching, she could even hear his teeth grinding in the still of the night. His body was similarly tense, his head randomly jerking side to side, and she could see sporadic movement under his blanket, likely his arms and legs.
But what disturbed her most was what sounded like her brother whimpering, almost like Naga when she was hurt or scared.
'Well, he has had a very trying time today.' Korra thought as she sat next to him. 'What am I thinking?! He was kidnapped, beaten, chased, kidnapped again, and nearly sold into slavery. Trying is hardly the word for this!'
Pabu, seeing Ryuukhan's discomfort, instinctively ran down Korra's shoulders and tried to snuggle with him, only to jump back as Ryuukhan snapped awake, his breath sharp and shallow and his eyes darting side to side in fear.
"What?! Who?! Where?!" he said, struggling to sit up.
"It's all right Ryuukhan." Korra said, bringing his attention to her. "I just got back after retrieving Pabu. You weren't sleeping well, so Pabu tried to snuggle with you, and that's when you woke up."
"Who's Pabu?" he asked, only to hear a chittering sound from Korra's lap. Turning he saw Pabu, his tail curled up around his legs and his eyes locked on Ryuukhan. Smiling, he weakly held out his hand, allowing Pabu to smell his fingers before inviting the Fire Ferret to curl up on his bed.
As Pabu jumped onto his lap, Ryuukhan turned back to Korra and asked "Was I...talking in my sleep?"
"More like whimpering, and some teeth grinding." she answered, to which Ryuukhan looked down. "Not very much, but I was concerned. Were you having a nightmare?"
"No, I do that when I'm having a good dream." he replied sarcastically, earning a raised eye-brown from his sister. Looking down, his hands began absent-mindedly scratching Pabu behind the ears. Inhaling deeply, he said "It was that chi-blocking hog-monkey, and the tattooed komodo rhino. I was fighting them, but nothing I did worked. Punches. Kicks. I tried my best, but my fire was cold, my air weak, and my water and earth attacks...didn't even appear. And they just laughed. They parried. They punched. They kicked. They blocked my chi. Over and over again. Laughing long and loud as I fought in vain."
His eyes darkened in anger and shame as he took a deep breath, held it for a short time, and exhaled hard.
"And in the background, I could see people. I couldn't tell who they were; their clothes were just robes, and their faces were cloaked in shadow. And they were just standing there, staring at me, with this...look, you could say, of disappointment. I was weak, powerless, and they just watched. I needed help, and I was abandoned."
"Ryuukhan," Korra said, locking his gaze with hers. "It's all right. I don't think you're weak or powerless. You managed to give them a lot of trouble, and you're not even eleven years old yet. But the important thing is that you are alive and well. The Tong have been arrested and you and I will see them punished for what they did to you, to Xin, Asami, and the others. And after we're done with them, we'll get straight back to training. You WILL get stronger. I promise you."
For a moment Ryuukhan was silent, stroking Pabu around the neck and ears. Exhaling slowly, he turned to Korra and asked "When will they be punished?"
"I don't know." Korra answered. "But knowing Beifong, it won't be too long. With luck, you and I will get front-row seats when it happens."
"Wait, Beifong?" he asked in shock. "As in Toph Beifong?"
"Her daughter actually," Korra replied, smiling. "But she's a good cop...so long as you're not a crook."
Laughing lightly, Ryuukhan said "Good thing I'm not a crook then."
"I wouldn't be so sure bro." Korra retorted. "She REALLY laid into me when I arrived. Illegally entering Republic City. Holding an exotic pet without a license, namely Naga. Damage to private property. I think I'm still on the hook for those."
"Wow!" Ryuukhan said, his eyes wide in shock. "I guess we really need to clean up our act then."
"You know a good first step? Get. To. Sleep." she said.
"All right big sis. Good night."
"Good night, Ryuuki."
-Line Break-
Author's Note: Well I'm back and writing again. Sorry for the wait. Real life and all that.
Once more I really appreciate your constructive criticism and I hope I haven't disappointed you.
Just replying to a few reviews. I haven't finalized Ryuukhan's pairing, though I do have a few favorites in mind. But for now I want to see where the muse takes me, so I don't force the story down an unnatural path or force character development at the last moment.
So Ryuukhan might end up with Jinora, or Fleur, or Hermione, or an original character. There are a few rules when it comes to pairing, however.
There has to be a reasonable age gap (1-5 years difference, so no pedophilia on either side).
The person can't be a member of his blood or adopted family (so no cousins).
There must be a foundation to build up on, so whoever he's paired with will be someone he's worked with for a while in a mutually respectful and reciprocal manner (constant arguments and fights are NOT a sign of a healthy relationship; a fight here and there is one thing, but having an argument every scene you star in is another altogether).
And as you can see I will be writing an AU, so the characters won't all end up with their canonical partners, if they end up with anyone at all that is. After all, so much has changed that we can't really expect the universe to somehow be the same. But I'm trying to build up to the big changes with little ones. I know it's torture waiting for these chapters and I truly appreciate your patience and feedback.