Events take place between the first episode of Book Four: Balance through to the beginning of episode 7.
Some of the conversations were take directly from the transcripts of the show, some were altered as to who actually says them. So credit to the writers of the show for them.
Lin stood beside Mako who was standing behind the Prince of the Earth Kingdom, Wu. She felt bad for Mako having to deal with the idiot, but Raiko had requested him and Saikhan had his hands tied. She wasn't sure if she had still been Chief if she could have gotten him out of it herself.
They were attending the grand opening of the new Central City Station. There was a large crowd around the entrance, and the President was standing on the steps at a podium with Asami standing to his side.
Lin realized she had tuned out part of his speech and turned her focus back to the other idiot. "And of course, my biggest thanks goes to Asami Sato and Future Industries. She brought our old central terminal into the modern era. Ladies and gentlemen, the world is entering a new age of peace and prosperity. Soon, Prince Wu will take his rightful place on the Earth Kingdom throne." Lin just barely caught herself from rolling her eyes as the young man in front of her struck a pose for the reporters. "And thanks to our updated rail system, Republic City and the Earth Kingdom will be united like never before!"
The crowd applauded as Raiko and Asami cut the ribbon to ceremoniously open the new station. Lin did let a proud smile grace her face as she clapped for Asami. She knew how hard the younger woman had been working to help update and fix the city over the last few years, despite everything else happening.
Asami was talking to a reporter, when she was approached by Prince Wu. She internally grimaced, not wanting to deal with him from what Mako had told her, but she realized she was trapped.
"Hey there! Asami, right? Great train house. Maybe you can give me a personal tour sometime, what do you say?" Wu said, ignoring the reporter who ended up leaving.
Asami frowned in annoyance. "I do like the idea of putting you on a train and sending you far, far away." She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him.
It seemed the Prince did not hear the tone in her voice, as he chuckled. "That's... that's funny. I like funny dames. Maybe I should introduce myself. I'm Prince Wu, future king."
"Yeah... I'm aware of who you are."
Wu waved a hand dismissively. "Don't let my reputation intimidate you." He shrugged. "I'm still human just like everyone else. Only more human, like, extra human, or, hmm, superhuman."
Asami quirked her eyebrow again. "Superhuman?" She drew it out slowly, disbelieving how idiotic this guy was.
"So, what do you say? Can I show you a low-key night out with a superhuman soon-to-be king?" He wiggled his eyebrows obviously trying to flirt, which just made Asami give him an even weirder look.
Thank spirits Mako interrupted as Asami did not want to be in this conversation any longer.
"Prince Wu! President Raiko has some really important... king stuff to talk to you about." Mako said, obviously making some of this up, but Asami didn't care in this moment and was thankful Wu was too stupid to realize that Mako was lying to him.
"Now?" Wu responded disappointedly, before sighing. "Fine." He turned back to Asami. "Think over the offer. I'll be back." He blew a kiss at her and walked away.
Asami rolled her eyes.
Mako smirked at her. "He's a real charmer, huh?"
"He's... something. Remind me how you can stand being his bodyguard?"
"Well, I just remind myself that once he's on the throne, I go back to being a detective."
Asami looked at him in amused disbelief. "And that works?"
"I also go home, and smash my head into the wall for an hour, you know, just to get the stress out." He said sarcastically, making Asami laugh. "Also seeing Haru when I can helps, though Mom has a strict 'No Wu' policy. She wants him nowhere near Haru or the house."
"Yeah… I can definitely see why."
"It's good to see you, Mako. It's been a busy few weeks. You hear from Bolin lately?"
Mako sighed. "I haven't talked to him for a while, but he's coming in a few days for the coronation. Though Mom told me that Korra is getting in tonight."
Asami nodded, having heard from Lin herself. "I can't wait to see her. It's going to be weird, having the old Team Avatar back in the city after all these years."
"Yeah, but it will be nice to see them too. And hopefully this thing with Kuvira doesn't get messy… But I have a feeling she isn't going to let go as easily as Raiko thinks."
The next evening President Raiko and Prince Wu were having dinner on Air Temple Island, much to everyone's dismay - especially Lin's.
She decided to retreat to where Mako and Saikhan were resting against the wall. Haru didn't seem to mind much, sitting beside Rohan with Pema and Bumi.
They heard Wu discussing spa treatments with Raiko and his wife. Which caused Mako to groan in annoyance.
"Ugh. This coronation cannot come soon enough. I can't wait to go back to being a detective."
Saikhan shifted slightly, causing Lin to narrow her eyes at him in suspicion of his guilty look. "Right... umm... yeah, about that…"
"Oh spit it out man." Lin grunted as Mako also caught on that there was something going on.
Saikhan rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know how to tell you this... you're going to Ba Sing Se... with the prince."
Mako grabbed Saikhan by the shoulders in disbelief. "No!"
Lin crossed her arms and glared at her successor.
Saikhan held up his hands, even with Mako still gripping his shoulders. "I tried to get you out of it, but it's over my head. Wu personally asked Raiko. He said he doesn't know what he'd do without you."
Mako let go and ran his hands through his hair. "This can't be happening! I'm not even an Earth Kingdom citizen; I work for the Republic City Police Department."
Saikhan sighed. "Not anymore. You're just a pawn in Raiko's diplomatic game. You can try talking to him, but I don't think he's going to let you quit."
Lin cracked her knuckles as she watched Raiko laugh at something the Prince said. "How about I talk with him? I'm not Chief anymore, so I don't have to watch my words."
"No, I'll handle it. But - uh, thanks." Mako replied.
Lin nodded, understanding he didn't want her to fight his battles for him. "I'm sure I'll find another reason to chew him out." She said with a shrug, causing the two others to crack a smile at the thought of the President being shown his place by the strong willed woman in front of them. He wouldn't know what hit him.
Mako escorted Wu back into the Four Elements Hotel, passing two guards who were at the door. He looked over and spotted Bolin, who was standing in the center of the foyer with his back turned.
"Bolin!" He called out, causing Bolin to turn around and make his way to him. They traded some mock-punches before hugging each other tightly. "Look at you! My little brother got all... important."
Bolin grinned at his brother. "I know, right? I see myself in the mirror sometimes and I think I'm in trouble before I realize: it's only me."
"So, what's it like working for Kuvira? From what I've heard, she's pretty harsh." Mako asked.
"No! I—I mean, she can be tough, sure, but we're turning around the Earth Kingdom like you wouldn't believe! You remember how bad Grandma's neighborhood in Ba Sing Se was? All that's completely changed, I mean, we are really... helping people. But what have you been up to? Fighting crime?" He started mimicking fighting. "Busting triads? Chasing the ladies, Mako-style?" He shouldered Mako playfully in the chest.
Mako sighed. "Well, I've been working for Wu." He motioned over to Wu, who was fixing his hair in the reflection of a window, causing Mako to roll his eyes at. "And, uhhh…" He hung his head in disappointment. "Yeah."
Bolin just nodded supportively, not wanting to continue upsetting his brother with talk of Wu. "So, have you seen Korra yet?"
Mako's disappointed face turns into a frown of worry. "No. She was supposed to come in with Tonraq, but he said she left the South Pole months ago. No one knows where she is."
"I'm sure she's fine. She's Korra!" Bolin said, but Mako could tell he was worried too. Bolin turned his own head down after a moment of silence, scuffing the toe of his shoes on the floor. "H-how are Lin, Bumi, and Haru?"
"Haru's great! He's gotten so big. He talks in sentences, even if they are disjointed most of the time but you can usually get the gist. And he can run circles around us all. He definitely got D-Bumi's endless energy." He barely caught himself from calling Bumi, Dad, as he wasn't sure how Bolin would take it. "But he is also pretty thoughtful for a toddler. Kinda reminds me of little Bolin, always wanting to share his toys or rocks." Mako smirked as Bolin blushed slightly.
"Bumi is good too. He and Asami created new airbender suits that allow them to glide without needing the traditional gliders. As for Lin, well she has been good. Don't get me wrong, she is still a little upset with how you just left and then never reached out." Bolin had the decency to look guilty. "But she does seem interested whenever I bring up a new letter from you, even if she tries to hide it. I guess the biggest thing to tell you on that front is that she is no longer Police Chief."
"What? Lin not being the Police Chief, just sounds wrong." Bolin said, mouth hanging open in shock.
"She decided to work part time with training new recruits so that she could spend more time with Haru. But she still helps out if we need her."
"Do, do you think she'll forgive me for the way we left things?" Bolin asked softly.
Mako put a hand to his brother's shoulder. "I'm sure she will. She might make you earn it though." Mako smirked at Bolin's gulp.
"So that's it? No hello or goodbye. You're just going to leave and continue following her around?"
Bolin turned and saw Lin standing there with her arms folded, at the new Central City Station as he was about to get back on Kuvira's train. "I figured you wouldn't want to see me after the failed coronation. While I didn't know that's how it was going to turn out, I still stand by Kuvira. We are doing the hard work that the other Nations are not. We are helping the everyday people, not just the rich folks."
Lin let out a hollow chuckle. "You really have no idea do you? She is not helping people, she is abusing their rights to freedom. I don't know where you have stuck your head, but it must be up in the clouds in order to have missed the damage she is doing."
"I don't need to stand here and listen to you belittle me. I understand you don't care for me anymore, you don't need to rub it in further with insults. At least with Kuvira, I am not treated like a little boy who needs someone to hold their hand to do things."
He watched as her eyes took on a hurt look before being shuttered behind the mask she used as Police Chief. "One day, you will realize I have said these things because I care too much. I realize now that I have wasted time and energy worrying about someone who doesn't want it. I really hope it's not too late when you figure it out."
Bolin closed his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts before responding. "Wait, Lin…" he opened his eyes to find her gone, lost among the sea of people. He sighed, shoulders dropping a little. He then boarded the train and headed to his quarters.
He shed his uniform and fell back on his bed, not caring that his legs dangled off haphazardly. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
'Why can't any of them be supportive of me? I'm finally doing something with my life, but they all are too focused on my faults than my accomplishments. First Lin, then Opal, and now Mako… no they are wrong. Kuvira is doing good, they just can't see it… right?' He shook his head to rid himself of the doubt the three had brought up about Kuvira. She told him what they were doing, and he trusted her implicitly. Though he thought he could trust the other three… but he supposed people could change.
He snagged his pillow and placed it over his face, trying to get his brain to shut up.
Lin knocked on her sister's hotel room.
The door was wrenched open with a growled, "What?" Su noticed it was only Lin standing on the other side. "Oh, Lin. Sorry. You can come in." She said, stepping back and bidding her entry.
Lin stepped past her sister and noticed the state of the room. "Did someone try to attack you?" She asked, taking in the disarray of the room, broken vases, and picture frames hanging at weird angles.
Suyin sighed as she closed the door. "No. That would be my anger at Kuvira and Jr. I'll make sure to pay for the damages." She went over and flopped onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Lin hummed and set about fixing the vases, thankful they were clay and she could bend them back together. She then straightened out the frames on the wall. "There. You only have to worry about your clothes and such now." She went and sat beside her sister. She sat for a minute, not sure how to proceed. "You, uh… You wanna talk about it?"
"I don't understand what I did to make them both hate me. Not to mention, they are engaged! I raised them as siblings, that is just... wrong." She pulled a face.
Lin paused, taking in the new details as she hadn't been aware that the two were engaged. "Well… wow. Well they are not actually related so…" She cleared her throat, not knowing what to say to that. "Regardless, you can only guide them so far until they need to be held accountable for their own actions. You offered them a safe, loving home albeit a little sheltered, but nowhere near the restrictiveness Mom had growing up. If anything it said something more about them than you."
Su sniffed. "It doesn't matter. I don't know if I could ever forgive them for this… Does that make me a bad mother?"
"Of course not. They are adults, and have made their beds. They need to realize their actions have consequences." Lin then fell back, laying beside Su and sighed. "If it's any consolation, I got a brief taste of how you feel. I know I didn't raise Bolin, but I had come to see him as my kid, as with Mako and Asami. But when he said he was leaving to join Kuvira, after what she did to you and what I had heard from other informants… I got angry at him. He made it clear he didn't see me as his mother, which is fine, I just wish it didn't hurt so much. We got into another argument today." Lin shrugged. "Not sure what I was expecting."
Su reached over and took Lin's hand in hers. They laid there in silence, taking comfort from each other's presence.
"You wanna come to the house for tonight, before you go back tomorrow?" Lin asked. Su had only stayed at the hotel because all the dignitaries were, besides Izumi who had her own embassy residence in the city that was built by her father.
"Actually I decided to leave tonight. Kuvira… She threatened Zaofu. We're the last hold out of her new 'Earth Empire'. I need to get back to prepare everyone."
Lin sat up, startled. "She what? That bitch… I wish I could come with you, but with everything going on, Saikhan has asked that I help out a bit more, and I have my students who are about to go through their final trials." She grabbed Su's hand again. "But if you really need me, call. I will work it out."
"I appreciate it, Lin. I'm not letting Zaofu fall."
"I have every faith in you. Just... be careful."
They embrace, clutching each other tightly. Both sisters knew something was brewing, and it filled them with dread.
"Tenzin is actually letting the three of them go find Korra?" Lin asked Bumi after he had shared that Jinora, Ikkia, and Meelo had left on Pepper, Jinora's bison, this morning.
"I know, I was shocked too, but they are good kids; Jinora is 14 and very responsible. Ikki is just shy of what your mom and my dad were when they travelled the world. It's more Meelo who is the small concern really." Bumi said, leaning against the counter, watching Lin cook.
Lin snorted as she dished up their dinner. "That boy has good instincts, even if he takes after his crazy uncle. Did I ever tell you he defeated equalists with his gas? He was 5 then."
Bumi grinned at her, a hand held over his chest. "A boy after my own heart." He winked at her.
Lin rolled her eyes playfully at him. "I just hope they find her. Spirits knows what was, and is, going through that girl's mind running away like this."
"I'm sure she is fine, probably on some type of Avatar journey - Dad had quite a few of his own in his day. I have faith that the kids will find her and we'll be seeing her soon. I'm sure she'll be happy to know you've missed her." Bumi teased her, coming up to stand behind her, hands on her hips.
"What? No, I haven't missed her. The kids have." She groused quickly.
"Sure, love. Keep telling yourself that. Maybe one day you'll be convincing when you say that. I happen to know you have a soft spot for her."
"Shut it."
Bumi let go of her after placing a kiss to her reddened cheek. He chuckled as he left the room to get Haru for dinner, hearing Lin grumble about airheads and avatars.
Lin followed Asami's assistant into the young woman's office.
"Lady Beifong for you Miss Sato." Asami's assistant said bowing.
"Thank you Chin. Please leave us undisturbed, unless there is an emergency." Asami replied, rising from her desk and walked over to Lin, greeting her with a hug. "Afternoon Lin, I hope this morning's classes went well."
"Good afternoon, Asami. As well as usual. Sometimes I wish it was legal to slam a rock repeatedly into their heads. I swear it is the only way some of them will ever learn."
Asami motioned Lin over to where a couch and two armchairs were set up overlooking Republic City below. They sat on the couch together and Asami set about pouring their tea from the already prepared tea set. When Lin had gone back to work full time, they had had to stop their weekly tea sessions, but now that Lin had more flexibility again, they were back to their Monday afternoon chats.
Lin noticed Asami tearing apart one of the bao's that had been placed with the tea, instead of eating it.
"What's on your mind?"
"I - what? Oh nothing. Just going over plans for the new project Raiko has commissioned."
"Uh huh and I'm going back to work full time. I call bullshit. Come on, spill."
Asami sighed, putting down the last piece of what was left of the poor bao, and brushed her hands to clear the crumbs. "I'm thinking of visiting my father…" She said quietly.
Lin froze, not expecting this from the girl. She wasn't sure why not, when she really thought about it. Up until Hiroshi was found out, Asami had had a close relationship with her father. Despite the betrayal, Asami wasn't like Lin, she didn't hold grudges that spanned decades. "Okay. If you think that it will help you, I think it is something you need to do."
Asami looked up and met Lin's eyes, green on green. "You don't think it will be a mistake?"
Lin took a moment to think about how she wanted to respond. "I think you know yourself pretty well. You are very smart, and don't make decisions lightly. If you think you are ready, then I know you are. I can't guarantee that he will be a changed man, or that you won't argue, but sometimes that is the closure that is needed." She placed a comforting hand on the girl's arm.
Asami offered her a small, relieved smile. "Would you go with me? Not into the room, but wait outside?"
"Sure kid, I can do that."
"This means a lot to me, Lin. I-I just want you to know that while I remember my mother more than the boys remember theirs, and I may not be able to call you Mom like Mako does, please know that you mean that to me. You and Bumi both. I don't think you are ever too old to need parents, or at least parental figures, and I very much appreciate and love you and Bumi for taking me under your wings."
Lin felt her throat tighten with emotions. She patted Asami's arm, where her hand had still rested. "I do see you as a daughter too. Both Bumi and I do. We will be here no matter what. I am not one to voice my emotions well, but I- I love you too."
Asami's face lit up in a beam, even with tears starting to run down her cheeks. She leaned over and embraced Lin for the second time that afternoon. It took Lin a moment, but she smiled too and hugged the girl back, just as tightly.
Bumi burst through the door from the backyard, into the dining room, and picked Lin up, swinging her around. "Korra's back!"
"Bumi, put me down!"
With the serious tone of Lin's voice, he let her down immediately. He then noticed her worried expression. "Sorry, just got a little excited. Korra gave us an update about Zaofu."
"Wait." Lin held up her hand and double checked with her seismic sense that Haru was still in the living room. She then sat heavily in one of the dining chairs. "Just wanted to make sure Haru didn't overhear. Go on."
Bumi sat beside her. "You know that Raiko got a distress call from Zaofu. Well, Korra and the kids went right there after wherever they found her. Kuvira and her army were already stationed on the open field in front of the City. According to Korra and Opal, Su and the twins went out in the dead of night to try and subdue Kuvira, but they were tricked. Korra tried to duel Kuvira the next day to get them back, but lost and Opal and Jinora managed to hold back the attacks while Ikki and Meelo picked them up on Pepper. Unfortunately, Su, Baatar, and the boys were captured. I'm sorry Lin." He took her trembling hand in his.
Lin took a moment to process what Bumi had just told her. She rubbed her forehead with her free hand, feeling a tension headache coming on. "You know what this means right?" She glanced up at him.
Bumi offered her a sad smile. "I know love. If anyone can rescue them, it's you. I wish I could go with you, but I think it will be better for Haru if I stay with him."
"I agree, and so would Su. I suppose there will be an emergency meeting held in the next few days so Raiko can discuss with the other nations on what to do. I will see if they will offer help to rescue Suyin, but I'm not holding my breath. I suppose I will have a chat with Opal soon."
Bumi pulled her onto his lap and hugged her to him. "I love you. I have every faith that you will succeed in finding Su and her family. But it's also okay to be scared for them."
Lin nodded against his chest. He didn't comment as he felt his shirt get a little damp, he just held her that much tighter.
Soon Haru came into the room, and when he saw their hug he demanded to be included. Lin laughed and helped the boy onto her lap, hugging him to her chest. "I love you, little badgermole."
"Love you too Mama! And Daddy!" Haru exclaimed, attempting to wrap them both in his hug and sloppily kissed their cheeks.
