Part 2 - Order

Ghazi, Khana, and Claire sauntered down to City Hall whilst Kang tested and created inventions inside his lab. The Trio reached their location, standing outside its bustling, Sun illuminated surroundings.

"What's this plan again?" Khana asked.

He turned to face the curious ladies, his stature looming over them, "When your people wish to consummate in romance, you go on 'dates', do you not?"

The two slowly nodded, "Well... yes, are you planning on setting Kang and Lin up on a date?"

"Yes."

"... How are we going to do that?" Claire asked.

"We simply ask and persuade. The Inventor has no backbone in the social sphere, so we will have to compensate."

Ghazi twisted around and proceeded into City Hall whilst both Claire and Khana unsurely stared at each other, "This may not go well."

Nevertheless, they followed him into City Hall, striding down the aisle between the pews towards the stand.

"If I remember correctly, The Captain's office is this way!"

He continued leading the way to a metal door, slamming his fist on the door and making Lin rouse from her paperwork, with a perplexed, slack-jawed stare, "Who let a Platypus-bear in?"

She pulled the metal door open with a flick of her wrist to reveal Ghazi filling the doorway and the ladies just barely in the frame. She raised a befuddled eyebrow to their presence and stood up from her desk, waltzing around and perching against it.

"Avatar, Khana... Kang's accomplice I didn't get the name of."

"You may call me Ghazi."

She slanted her eyes, "I recognise you now; you're the mercenary Zu hired to protect Kang."

"I am no mercenary, simply a man who at the time needed funds to travel home."

Lin brushed off the subject, crossing her arms, "So, what brings you to my office..." she looked at a small device on her wrist, "in the middle of the day?"

Ghazi marched forward, standing like a soldier at attention before her, "I am sure you are aware of the Inventor's... infatuation with you."

Her eyes rolled around the room, "The Inventor... do you mean Kang?"

"Are there multiple Inventors who lust after you?"

"I... certainly hope not. What are you getting at?"

"Would you indulge the Inventor in going on a... 'date'?"

She froze, "... A date!?"

"Yes, it's what you people do when you wish to progress a romance, correct?"

Claire and Khana silently watched while Lin flusteredly stammered, "I... we... Why doesn't he just ask!?"

Ghazi grumbled, "He has no backbone. But he is a powerful man, the self-proclaimed 'World's Best Fire-Bender. And you are the daughter of the 'World's Greatest Earth-Bender, are you not?"

The Captain took a deep breath, "Yes, I am..."

"Then you know that the offspring of such a pair would be the mightiest warriors to grace the world."

Claire and Khana's eyes widened simultaneously as Lin's jaw almost crashed through the floor.

"Surely you see the benefits of this?"

The ladies quickly rushed beside him, "We'll, uh... take it from here, Ghazi!"

Khana shuffled him to the door while Claire remained steadfast before the Captain.

"But I am not done!"

Khana perked up to his ear, "Oh, I think you're done."

The door slammed behind them, bringing a silence in its wake as Lin's gaze pierced through Claire like a halberd shot out of a canon.

"You have twenty words or less to convince me to go on this date before I kick you out of this office!"

The Avatar took a deep breath, "...Kang is a really great guy, and you're the only person he likes, and..." she seized up as Lin slanted her eyes and raised her eyebrows to her.

However, before she could say more, Hou descended through the ceiling and scanned the room, "Is everything alright?"

She hung her head, "Everything is fine, Hou. The Avatar and her cohorts are trying to convince me to go on a... date with Kang."

"Kang? That Inventor who wears the goggles all the time?"

"I'm pretty sure he's the only Kang in the city, Hou."

"Right... well, I think it's a good idea. You could think of it as a way of repaying him for all he's done for the City Guard."

"Are we forgetting he's a Yakuza? He and his friends have smuggled, killed and even robbed the bank! Twice!"

Despite her protest, her brother stood firm and placed his hands in the arms of his green robe.

"Smuggled for those who needed it, killed those who quite frankly should've been done in sooner, and are you forgetting he took down Aislinn, something you say he didn't take easily?"

Claire oohed as Hou looked Lin dead in the eyes.

"All I'm trying to say is that even though Kang has been a criminal in his past, he's done a fair amount of good. And he does like you; even mother could see that."

The Captain raised an eyebrow as the Governor paused for a moment, "Oh... yeah. Well, you understand what I meant."

She let out a defeated sigh, "Fine; I'll... go on a date with Kang."

"Success!" Ghazi screamed through the door.

Hou rose an eyebrow to his outcry before turning to Claire, "And if you're, uh... looking for a suitable location, I recommend 'The Blue Dragon'; it used to be Lin's favourite."

"...still is."

"Tomorrow night at The Blue Dragon, got it!"

Claire marched for the door but turned back around to Lin, "Do you have anything... nice to wear?"

She perked up, "... what? Is my uniform not nice enough?"

She opened the door to find Khana peeking through, "When do you finish work?"

And as she was about to reply, Hou interjected, "She can finish now. I'll be able to pick up any paperwork she has to do."

She grimaced at her brother's smug, smiling face.

"Lin, you, me and Khana are going clothes shopping!"

"What have I got myself into?" a brief silence came over the room, "Sure..."

The Avatar and the others left as Hou turned to Lin with a smile, but she merely scowled and marched out of her office, shortly followed by him and the paperwork.

The Trio stood in the premier room of City Hall, "What's step two of your plan?" Khana asked

"Now that we... well, that man convinced The Captain, I will inform the Inventor and get him prepared."

"You get Kang ready; we get Lin ready. Gotcha!"

Ghazi nodded and took his leave, marching to the Derelict estate whilst Lin approached the remaining two and menacingly stood behind them, "Clothes shopping, was it, Avatar?"

They cautiously turned to her, "Yes... Khana, do you know any good places?"

"I do! Whilst waiting for you to return, Kang got me familiarised with the City."

Claire sceptically crossed her arms, "Kang? And here I thought Ty Lee would've done that."

Khana averted her gaze as her fist softly clenched, "She... had other things to take care of."

Lin quietly hummed and slanted her gaze, but before she could press questions, the Kyoshi Warrior trotted out of city hall, leading the way to Little Ba Sing Se.

The three stood before its elegant beige and green walls as Khana led them through the cobblestone floored rings, taking in the sights of stall vendors, general stores, florists, and fashion shops. If you could think of it, Little Ba Sing Se probably has it.

They ventured into the upper ring as Khana guided them to an expensive fashion store, strolling in with excitement whilst Claire and Lin uncomfortably peered around, "This all looks rather... expensive," Lin whispered.

"I know... do you have any... cheaper recommendations?"

"I don't get out often, so... no."

Claire chuckled as the two strolled past clothing racks and checked out dresses, coats, shoes, and other pieces.

Khana pulled out a pure red dress with a sweetheart neckline and part of the dress open on the left side near the bottom, "What do you think of this?"

Lin hummed, "... Red's not really my colour."

"Understandable!" She put the dress back and searched around once more, this time pulling out a blue bedazzled dress that didn't go past the knees and a V-neck shape on the chest, "How about this?"

"The design could be better..."

She turned the dress around to observe it, grumbling as her eyes shifted up and down, "I see your point."

Claire's eyes darted around the store before spotting a Green dress draping low enough to cover half of the shins, adorned with silvery material along the bottom of the dress and the chest with shoulder straps and a ribbon coloured a lighter hue of green around the waist.

"How about that one?"

Lin turned to it, her eyes lusciously flaring as she rushed over to it, "I LOVE IT!"

Her sudden out of character reaction left the two shocked, but she quickly straightened her posture whilst keeping her back to the two, "It will suffice."

"I think that's the happiest I've ever seen her," Claire whispered.

"So, I guess we're getting that Dress?"

She turned to face the ladies, "I said it will suffice!"

Lin tried to brush aside her initial reaction, but it would be something that they had forever etched into their mind. The three next searched for shoes to go with the dress.

Khana spotted a pair of flat beige shoes, "These should go nicely!"

The Trio grabbed the dress and shoes before venturing over to the shopkeeper, but as they did, Khana spied a crimson Qipao dress with golden trim, snatching it from the rack and presenting it to Claire with a bright-eyed grin, "I think this would look good on you, Claire!"

Her sudden outburst surprised Lin as she quizzically stared at the pair.

Claire blushed, gazing at the Dress and Khana, "You really think so?"

"I do! This colour of Red would complement your lovely white hair."

The Avatar's face turned redder than a tomato while Lin observed the two, her widening eyes darting between them.

"Well... I suppose if I ever have a special occasion, at least I'd have something to wear."

Khana nodded and eagerly put it alongside the dress and shoes picked out for Lin, finally approaching the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper turned to the ladies, "Hello, how can I help?"

However, not expecting to see the Guard Captain and The Avatar, he audibly gasped, "Guard Captain Beifong! Avatar! It's an honour!"

The shopkeeper bowed to them as Khana placed their items on the glass desk before them, "We're here to buy these."

"Oh, darling, for the Guard Captain and the Avatar, it's on the house!"

Lin crossed her arms, raising a sceptical eyebrow, "Really?"

"Oh, of course! The valiant heroes who defeated that dastardly masked fiend! Consider it my personal thank you!"

"Wait, we di-," The Captain interjected with a light nudge, resting her steely glare on the Avatar, "Oh! Yes, we did. My memory's a bit fuzzy, and I just got back to the City!"

The three bid him farewell and marched out of the store with the dresses and shoes, returning to the Beifong Manor, a grand structure with a flying boar crest hanging on the flags.

The Guard Captain stepped inside, striding down the pearly walls and green matted hallways, sliding a wooden door aside and entering her room. A large bed lay by the wall with clothes racks full of Guard Captain Attire and an empty closet. She hung the dress in front of her wardrobe and placed the shoes down beside it, letting out an unconscious optimistic sigh.

Ghazi returned to Kang's Lab, his eyes slowly scanning around, "Inventor!"

A colossal explosion boomed from a secluded part of the lab as part of the wall slid open. Kang crept out with his face covered in soot and his hair stuck up like a mad scientist, "Yes... Ghazi?"

He indifferently hummed at the sight of him, "Another invention explodes; how original."

While Kang grumbled and searched for a towel, Ghazi strode up to him, "We have secured you a date with the Guard Captain.

Kang grabbed a towel, but at the mention of 'date' and 'Guard Captain' in the same sentence, he motionlessly stared at him, "You what!?"

"Did that explosion make you hard of hearing? You have a chance to expand your romantic horizons with the Guard Captain!"

Kang's emotions churned inside him like a blended smoothie, "H-How in the name of Roku's Royal Hairpin did you manage that?"

"She wasn't inclined when I mentioned how powerful your offspring could be. But a bald moustached man showed up and helped."

Kang paced back and forth, humming and rubbing his chin, "... I haven't got anything to wear, at least nothing fancy."

But he paused, "wait, you mentioned what!?"

As Kang quizzically leered him up and down, the metal doors of the elevator opened up, "I have already arranged something with your tailor friend."

Zu and Li strode in, a fabric box and a hop-up, being carried by them, "We heard you got a date with Lin. And since you have no other clothes aside from what you're wearing, we're here to make you one!"

The Giant placed the hop-up in front of Kang, inviting him to step aboard, "Hop on, and we'll start doing the measurements."

Kang stepped onto it whilst nervously staring at Li, "Are you sure it wouldn't be better to get Kane to do this?"

"I am Kane!"

He measured the mad Inventor's waist, "Thirty-six waist," Zu wrote it down.

He went to measure his legs, "Forty length for legs..." He made another note.

He moved up to Kang's torso, "Forty chest... have you been exercising recently?" a third note was made.

"Not the traditional exercising, but controlling the Magnificent Turtle Duck requires some muscle."

"Ah!" He measured his arms, "And twenty-six length for the arms..." Zu made a final note.

Kang jumped off the hop-up as Zu scooped it up and pocketed the notes, "We'll have an outfit ready for you by tomorrow, buddy!" Kane said, picking up his box and leaving with Zu.

"And now, we wait... unless you have any other date preparation ideas?"

"I've never been on one, so I have no idea!"

Thirty hours had passed, and the Sun began to set on Republic City while Kang sat inside his lab, awaiting Zu and Kane, humming a tune to himself, and upon hearing the metal door open, he perked up from his seat as Ghazi, Zu, and Kane came striding in.

Kane carried a navy blue suit, a white pop collar shirt, and a red tie.

Zu carried a pair of red and white lace-up shoes, and Ghazi brought a light brown trench coat.

"We got you your outfit... with a few extras," Kane said, handing him the suit.

"Thank you!"

He quickly rushed away, changing into it and popping out seconds later with a perky grin, "How do I look?"

"You look good!" Zu replied.

"Are we sure the goggles are necessary?"

Kang froze as The Boys disapprovingly turned to Ghazi, "The goggles stay!"

"It's personal. We don't like to delve into it."

"As you say."

Zu handed Kang the shoes to which he quickly put on, "They go well with the suit!"

Ghazi marched over and handed the trench coat to Kang, "If it gets cold, I doubt either of your scrawny arms would last long."

Kang half-heartedly accepted it, draping the trench coat over his arm with a slight huff.

"Do you have a mode of transportation?"

Kang twisted over to the motor vehicle he built, "Yes!" he outstretched his hand to it, "The Rapid Electronic Ottomotive Speedwagon!"

His voice bellowed like a presenter while Ghazi and Kane stared blankly, "Isn't it pronounced 'Automotive'?"

"Yes! But R.E.O Speedwagon rolled off the Tongue better than R.E.A Speedwagon."

"I just call it 'The Fast-Cart'."

"Do any of you know how to operate it?"

"I do," Zu replied.

"Looks like you're my pilot for tonight!"

The Giant and Inventor waltzed over to the Speedwagon; Zu squeezed into the Pilot's seat, his bald head pressed against the roof of the vehicle while Kang sat in the back, "You know, I remember this thing being bigger,"

"Maybe... you got bigger?"

He turned his gaze to the mad Inventor, "Good point."

Kang breathed a puff of relief before turning to Kane and Ghazi, "Kane, press the red button that says 'lift' please?"

He walked over to the Speedwagon and pressed the button, ascending the platform through the ceiling and bringing it out into the Derelict estate. Zu pressed a red button inside the Speedwagon, ignited the engine, and then pressed his foot on the accelerator, driving off into the City.

Lin adorned herself with the dress and the shoes gifted to her whilst Claire and Khana waited outside her manor.

She stepped out of the door into the moonlit street, "Are you sure he knows?"

"We're sure," Claire replied.

After a moment of silence, the Speedwagon appeared before the three ladies, the Giant squeezing out to approach Lin, "Good Evening, Madam Beifong. I will be your Pilot for tonight... Kang's in the back."

She rolled her eyes, "You don't need to act polite, Zu," she marched over to the back of the Speedwagon.

"But I'm not acting..."

She entered the back seat to find an eager Kang awaiting her, "Hello there!"

"And here I thought you'd be in the same old stitched up rags."

"I'm full of surprises!"

Zu squeezed back into the Pilot's seat, "Where to, esteemed daughter of the Captain?"

"The Blue Dragon," she replied; Zu nodded, driving the two to their location.

Ghazi caught up to Claire and Khana with Kane in tow carrying two briefcases.

"We're at the last step of your plan," Claire said.

"How observant of you. Come, let's get to The Blue Dragon!"

Zu, Lin, and Kang arrived at the restaurant; the Giant shuffled out of the Speedwagon and opened the door for the two, both hopping out and thanking him before waltzing into The Blue Dragon.

The restaurant had an oak wood interior, blue carpets decorated with navy dragons swirling around the edges streaming through the centre of the aisles.

A band played on the far side, filling the air with jazzy sounds while other customers emitted the sound of clanking metal on ceramic and inaudible chatter.

A receptionist approached the two and humbly bowed to them, "Ah, Miss Beifong. Mr Kang. Your table awaits you!" he guided the two to their table.

As they arrived, Kang pulled out Lin's chair for her before taking his own, the two peering to the soulful band dressed in black suits with white shirts and black ties and black glasses covering their eyes.

"I don't think I've heard music like this before."

He observed them a while longer, humming to himself before turning to her, "I believe there's been a new style of music sweeping the four nations lately. Perhaps this is it!"

Lin's foot unconsciously tapped to the beat of the music, "I kinda like it."

Four discreet figures on a table nearby popped their heads up from behind their menus and leered at Kang and Lin.

"I have to ask, Kang. Did you get your friends to set this up?"

"No, I had no idea they set this up until Ghazi had already spoken to you."

Lin shuddered, "The big guy..."

Kang awkwardly nodded, "Yeah..."

She took one of her shoes off and placed it on the floor with a deceptive smile, "I'm also curious why you still wear the goggles even on a special occasion like this?"

He winced as his heart rate spiked, "It's a... thing with my eyes."

She determined his half-truth, but his spiking heartbeat took her aback, "Must be something serious; we don't even have your eye colour on record."

"It is, in a way, although I'd prefer to not talk about it."

She sensed the discomfort in him, quietly humming and dropping the subject. The two conversed and browsed the menu as a waitress approached them, "Is there anything I can get for you two?"

"I'll have a seared Elephant Koi, with a side of sweet buns," Lin replied

"I'll have the roast duck with a side of rice," Kang replied.

She made a note of their orders, "Any drinks?"

"Sparkling wine!" Lin replied.

Kang quivered slightly, "Uh, freshwater for me!"

The Waitress made a final note and marched back to the kitchen while the four discreet figures continued observing the two, but Lin glanced at them as they ducked back behind their menus.

"Do you think she saw us?"

"Probably."

She slanted her eyes at them before returning her attention to Kang, "Don't look now, but I think your friends are watching us."

Despite being told otherwise, he partially twisted his head to them, "I thought there was an odd familiarity in the air."

"Busted!"

"Shuffle away... slowly."

The not so discreet four shuffled to a different table.

"So, what made you want to help the City Guard, Kang?"

"Because of the blow against you dealt by... Aislinn," he tapped his fingers and heavily sighed, "I figured you'd need some help to get back on your feet."

"So it wasn't just to get on my good side?"

"That was an added benefit!"

His words kept ringing true, to the Guard Captain's surprise, "I remember the first time I arrested you; mother said it was the easiest arrest she'd seen in all her years."

"Well, seeing you kick Zu and Li... or was it, Kaz? Anyway, since you kicked them into the ground with ease, I was both aware that fighting you would be pointless and enchanted by you at the same time!"

Lin mockingly threw her wrists in the air, gazing up as if affixing her eyes on the face of a beautiful goddess, "'Take me, oh sweet enchantress!'" she spoke in a mocking Kang voice, all the while her date blushed and nervously chuckled.

"Well, didn't think it'd be that memorable..."

Lin smiled, lowering her wrists and peering at him, "Ironic that you'll stand up to an Avatar of all things but not me."

He longly giggled before spying their food and drink arrive. The Waitress dished out their dishes with a hearty smile, "Here you go, Miss Beifong and Mr Kang!"

She bowed and departed as the two dug into their food, conversing with one another until they eventually finished, and all that remained were their glasses of Sparkling Wine and Freshwater.

Lin grasped the glass as a curious thought came to her mind, "Kang, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that Giant Turtle Duck people have reported, would you?"

His eyebrow raised as he put his drink down, "Do you mean The Magnificent Turtle Duck?"

"Are you the one who pilots it?"

"Yep, I built it, and I fly it. At the moment, it's the Avatar's mode of transportation..." he replied before quizzically pondering to himself.

She sat surprised to hear Kang spoke the truth, "So, we get minor devices, and you have a... 'Magnificent Turtle Duck'?"

She slanted her gaze as Kang nodded, "The Magnificent Turtle Duck took me years to perfect. I can't mass produce them with a click of my fingers," he raised a proud finger to the air, "And The Magnificent Turtle Duck is a work of art! Creating replicas of it would be costly and damage its spectacle!"

Lin determined his words rung true as she smiled and swirled the sparkling wine in its glass, "I can understand your reasoning. You're more than just an inventor; It's like you're an artist."

"Huh... Artist... That's a new one!"

The two continued conversing, sharing laughs about their experiences with one another as the four observed them.

"Surprising, this has not been a total failure after all."

"Yeah..."

The Waitress returned to the couple's table, "Is there anything else I can get you two?"

"I'm fine. How about you, Kang?"

"I'm fine too."

The Mad Inventor pulled out a sack of gold pieces, giving it to her as payment, but Lin's eyes widened at the sight of his pack, "Where did you get so much money?"

"Your brother paid me a hefty sum for lending my genius to the City Guard!"

Lin once again determined his truthfulness, "He isn't even attempting to lie..."

The two stood up, exiting the restaurant and gazing up to the starry night sky, "Are you cold at all?" he offered her the trench coat.

"I'm alright, but thank you for the offer!"

The two approached the Speedwagon as Zu ignited the engine, "Would you like to take a ride in The Magnificent Turtle Duck?"

Lin mulled it over, "Sure, we'll be away from prying eyes," she peered over to the discreet four leaving The Blue Dragon.

Kang opened the door for her, allowing her to sit down in the Speedwagon before taking a seat next to her.

Zu drove them back to the Derelict Estate, the local Yakuza staring at them as they arrived back at the house above the lab. The Giant pressed a blue button on the control panel, allowing them to descend into Kang's Lab.

Lin's eyes nervously darted around as they entered, and when they stepped out into the underground lab, the Guard Captain stood utterly flabbergasted.

"I never knew you lived here... I thought you just cooped up in one of the derelict houses."

"Like I said, I'm full of surprises!".

Kang held out his hand, to which Lin wholeheartedly accepted, letting the Mad Inventor guide her to The Magnificent Turtle Duck.

Zu smiled at the two and took his leave.

He took out his remote, pressing the button to make the shell piece arch out and form a staircase for the two as they strode. The shell piece reinserted itself as they strolled into the dim cockpit and over to the chairs.

"So this is your Turtle Duck?"

"Indeed! This is my Magnificent Turtle Duck!" He sat in the Pilot's seat while Lin sat next to him.

He pressed another remote button, making The Magnificent Turtle Duck list upwards and face the opening metal tunnel which revealed the night sky before them.

"Hold on to your seat!"

He pressed the red button, making fire eject from the exhausts and launch them through the metal tunnel. Kang smirked at Lin as she smiled and unconsciously laughed while The Magnificent Turtle Duck shot into the moonlit sky.

The mad Inventor quickly pressed the wing-shaped button, making the wings of The Magnificent Turtle Duck emerge and allow them to glide across Republic City whilst they gazed out amongst the City's skyline.

"This is a sight I never thought I'd see in my lifetime..."

Kang smirked, pressing a blue button on the control panel to make the Magnificent Turtle Duck slow to a halt and hover in the air.

"Would you like to do some stargazing?"

She raised an eyebrow, "That would be... nice."

He pressed the shell button and guided her into the Shell's interior as it opened up, revealing the sky above them while they lay on the steel surface of the interior and stared at the stars.

"It's quite a sight," Kang said.

"It is... Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"As long as it doesn't involve the goggles, go ahead!"

"That day, when you fought against Aang... what did you do to make him want to take your bending away?"

He heavily sighed, "I... don't know."

She lay there in surprise, knowing he told the truth, "The only people he ever used Energy-bending against were Yakone and Ozai... there must have been something you did to make him go to such extreme measures."

"... All I can remember is that when I fired that bolt of lightning at him, he redirected it into the sky... and after that, he looked like a different person, pulling me in with a gust of wind, then striking my face with his knee, and as I fell, he encased me in earth from the waist down... and all I could see in his eyes..."

He stammered and sighed.

"What did you see?"

"Fear. I don't know if the lightning triggered a painful memory for him or what, but all I know is that it nearly cost me my bending. Luckily, Zu was there to pull me away and rescue me."

Lin smirked, "They may be criminals... but Zu and Li... somewhere inside them, I think they're good people."

"Yeah... they are," he smiled to the starry skies.

They gazed at the stars for hours before Kang returned Lin to her manor in The Magnificent Turtle Duck, landing in front of the extravagant building and walking with her to the grand green and gold front doors.

"Thank you for tonight, Kang... it was nice," she softly blushed.

"I enjoyed spending time with you; perhaps we could do it again sometime?"

"I'd like that," she opened the gates and stepped inside, "I also appreciated your honesty tonight!"

A quizzical expression washed over Kang before he peeked at her feet, "Oh yeah. I forgot she could do that."

"Goodnight, Kang!"

"Goodnight, Lin!"

The Guard Captain closed the doors as The Mad Inventor returned to The Magnificent Turtle Duck, both fondly smiling to themselves.