A few days past and the trip to the earth kingdom was growing nearer. Ikki and Rohan stopped by the estate, Kuvira had been staying at the house since Korra passed. Unfortunately Jinora refused to come by as long as Kuvira was staying there, despite everyone else Jinora rejected Kuvira when she came back. It was like Jinora and Opal signed a blood pact to reject her so when Zhu Li asked Jinora to join Kuvira to find the new Avatar she was going to refuse but she couldn't turn down the most powerful woman in the city.
Ikki, Rohan, Shou and Kuvira all began talking about the course of their trip. This would be a rather difficult journey due to Kuvira's past of which they never told Shou about.
"I'm thinking we should be starting in South Chuli and go east from there." Ikki said "it just makes sense"
"I'm not against it but should we talk to the white lotus and see if they've heard anything?" Shou chimed in "Actually that's probably better to do and who knows the cycle could have changed. Like what if there's someone in the Fire Nation? Or in the Water Tribes?" Kuvira walked in right at that moment
"I think it would be wise to talk to the White Lotus and if they yield nothing then we start in South Chuli" She told
everyone in a rather stern voice almost like she was channeling her inner dictator self. Everyone looked at each other and nodded as an agreement. Even though she changed she still scared a lot of people.
"We'll leave in two days let's find this Avatar." And with that everyone disbanded. Asami pulled Kuvira into the kitchen
"Listen I'm worried about Shou. He's gotten really distant really fast. I think this trip is freaking him out."
"Asami the whole reason I'm coming with them is to keep an eye on him and-" She was about to let slip that he was a blood bender "Besides I think you're worrying too much I'll be there and he'll be fine." The metalbender gave a reassuring smile to the widow.
Two days passed and they all met at the warehouse packed and ready to leave. Meelo despite being 37 acted like a child when he saw the size of the airship. Everyone entered the large zeppelin and everyone went to claim their individual rooms. Kuvira went to see who took which
room. Nobody took the very first room on he left so she did. She threw her bag onto the small bed. Due to the large yet still limited space the rooms were rather small. Kuvira laid down on the bed with her feet still planted onto the floor and dozed off for a moment. Meanwhile
Rohan and Shou began to talk both unaware of Kuvira's former dictator title.
"I just don't understand why Jinora and Opal hate her, personally I really don't get it."
"Yeah I don't either." Shou's voice trailed off as he looked at the door to Kuvira's room and wondered. He knows about her being a general in Zaofu but his moms told him that she was injured and could no longer serve in a military
capacity and that's why she came to Republic City, even now that story has
many loose ends. 'If she was injured why was she chief of police?' Shou thought.
After an hour of them flying Kuvira was still sound asleep. Jinora and everyone began playing several different rounds of Pai Sho. A thud echoed from Kuvira's room so Shou got up to investigate. He knocked on the door just as it opened.
"Oh hey um, are you okay?" He asked in a rather concerned tone. She looked up at him through her long hair holding her head. He knew something was off because she always wore her hair up in some fashion
"Um yeah" she winced a little "I just fell off the bed" she was lying and Shou could tell. How was she supposed to tell someone who idolized her that she used to be a ruthless dictator and that she just had twenty minute long PTSD episode triggered by a metal wall? How was she supposed to tell him that the world's idea of fixing someone is sticking them in a padded room for weeks and months on end while wearing a mask and straitjacket, being given barely enough water to survive and being mocked and ridiculed by the entire planet and be knocked from the highest power to wishing for death.
"Anyways we're about to go contact the White Lotus, you want to join us?" Shou asked trying to change the subject.
"Give me five minutes." She said as she closed the door. Shou walked back into the "common area" to tell everyone about radioing the White Lotus and that Kuvira would be joining them. Jinora gave a loud scoff at this.
"Okay I get you're not the greatest fan of hers but at least act civil. We're all stuck together until we find the Avatar."
He sighed trying not to get worked up "Meelo could you set the radio up while we put the Pai Sho boards away?"
Five minutes passed, the board were away and everyone was gathered around a table; Kuvira and Jinora stood on opposing sides. The room was still, except for Meelo who was fiddling with the radio and static. A voice came through the constant static.
"Tick tock the bell is wrought and-" Kuvira looked at Meelo with a confused expression and whispered while covering the microphone
"Meelo are you sure this is the right frequency for the White Lotus headquarters?"
"I'm positive." Meelo had never sounded so serious. The voice, even through the static sounded almost identical to the one that Kuvira and Shou heard in the warehouse.They both picked up on that. She grabbed the microphone and spoke using a cold, heartless and emotionless voice
"This is the Republic City police, I demand to know who I am speaking with"
"Pardon me 'Great Uniter' I didn't realize you were all high and mighty again. I digress, I am well aware of where your beloved Avatar is" The voice chuckled "but I simply cannot tell you, or at least not with a straight answer. I will give you six locations, maybe he's there-. Oopise guess I let that slip, or did I? The screams of syrens filled the waters with death. Azulons Gates, both Water Tribes,Omasu, Republic City and my favorite, your airship" the voice burst into a flurry of laughter. Everyone looked at Shou. By that logic though he would have to be around three months old. Kuvira took him by the arm into a separate room.
"What is going on?" Kuvira demanded.
"You're really going to listen to the words of a demented man? And why does he keep calling you 'The Great Uniter'?" He was becoming agitated
"Boy you are hardly in a position to be questioning me of all people" The two were at each others throats "What did he mean when he said the Avatar was on this ship" Kuvira's voice dropped back into it's natural and terrifying state. Shou looked at her and began to really call into question everything he knew about her. "Shou talk to m-!" Kuvira got an overwhelming headache, all the yelling and tension, it was a trigger.
Kuvira's mind transported her back almost 28 years ago a few months after she surrendered. It took her to one of the months she spent tied up in a plush room. She screamed and screamed but no one heard. If only the hallucinations were confined to her head but no. Everyone heard the deranged screams of the metal bender and rushed into the room. Shou was terrified.
"Shou what's going on, do you know what to do?" Jinora asked in a rushed voice. Shou stared wide eyed and said one small word
"No"
"Well someone do something, I read that said if you basically platypus-bear hug someone they snap out of it. Shou try it" Shou slowly walked over to Kuvira as she was on her hands and knees with her hair down and covering her face. Shou fought past her flying hands and hugged her in an attempt to calm her down. She slowly but surely loosened up and began to cry. Kuvira ad never like showing weakness even as a small child. This was a problem of her own making, she should've told Shou before. This is where Korra's personality over-laped: They both despised showing any form of weakness or fear.
Jinora ushered everyone away from the room as to make another attempt at the radio. Shou picked Kuvira up and took her to her room then walked to join everyone else.
"Can someone tell me what just happened?" Shou asked as he sat down. Jinora, Meelo and Ikki all gave each other a hesitant look.
"Well Shou" Jinora started "About six years before you were born Kuvira took it upon herself to reunite the entire Earth Kingdom after the Queen died. She left Zao Fu with a sizeable amount of the military and Su's son Battar Jr.. She refused to step down and went on to take Zao Fu. For her that wasn't enough and she attempted to take the United Republic by force and a giant mech suit powered by spirit vines. Her power drunken state almost killed everyone, but your mom saved us. When the spirit vines exploded it tore open the spirit portal in Republic City. Her and your mom had a heart to heart in the spirit world. After that she surrendered and was sent to a special prison, they broke her down and I guess she has PTSD as a result." Shou looked at her, his eyes wide and said in a low voice with one tear in his eye.
"What happened after" Jinora couldn't hear him so he repeated it far louder.
"Well when the White Lotus declared that she was better she returned to Republic City having been banned from most of the Earth Kingdom. She went to your moms a couple years after you were born. Asami was very much so against it but Korra took pity on her and let her stay in the guest house in the backyard." Shou interrupted
"How did she become my godmother? If they didn't like her, isn't a godparent supposed to be a trusted person?"
"I'm getting to that" Jinora continued "When you four there was a break-in when Korra was in the Fire Nation. Kuvira saved you and Asami from the Triple Threat Triads. That's when your parents started talking about making her your godmother." Shou sat there rethinking everything he had ever been told about her.
"Shou look at me" Jinora said trying to make eye contact with broken man "Kuvira's not a horrible person-" Ikki butted in
"Yeah and that says a lot coming from Jinora" who shot her a side glance.