I want to thank SaoirseParisa and Taurus The Dragon for reviewing the previous chapter. Now that Korra has had her reunion and got to know Tonraq and Senna better, it's time to move forward with their relationship a bit more. This chapter you'll see how they're getting together more often, and how Korra juggles her life between her biological parents and her foster parents, Varrick and Zhu Li. I'm also exploring more of what has happened with our other characters, before we try to wrap this all up. So it'll be a slower paced chapter, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own the Legend of Korra.
Kai lifted an eyelid after what seemed like an eternity of meditation. It was midterm break for Jinora's first semester of university, and she invited Kai over for some basic air bending training. Tenzin wanted Kai re-assessed before he took him on as a student after finishing his term as vice president, hence Jinora's proposal to Kai today. And given how she was entirely focused on meditation, Kai wondered what he signed himself up for.
Kai tilted his head slightly and saw Jinora sitting before him, completely still and not moving a muscle. Lifting his eyes away from the attractive blue arrow tattoo on Jinora's forehead, Kai turned his head slightly to the left. Ikki and Meelo were also invited to join, and they both meditated quite well. Kai wondered why Rohan was not there, given he was part of the family as well. Kai had never seen Rohan air bend, but it didn't mean he wasn't an air bender. Perhaps he was a late bloomer, like Kai himself, or Yung, or even Jinora's uncle Bumi?
"Kai, are you still focused on meditating?" Jinora's gentle voice called. Kai immediately snapped back to attention, whipping his head back to see Jinora with her eyes open and aimed right at Kai. Kai knew she had a stern streak with her students, and he hoped she was not upset at him. "I hope you weren't trying to run off or something," she commented with a lifted eyebrow.
Kai rubbed the back of his head while emitting a nervous chuckle. "No, of course not," he responded, flashing his usual grin at Jinora. Directly to his left, Ikki gave Kai a strange stare, which Kai tried not to pay attention to. "I'm perfectly ready to keep going, Master Jinora."
Jinora responded with her own chuckle. During the time she spent in school, she still contacted Kai quite frequently to help boost his grades and improve on his community service. Even though they were both eighteen, Jinora was a freshman at Republic City University while Kai was working at the warehouse. Both decided that Kai should aim for entry by the time he was twenty. "Let's move on to the next test," Jinora proposed.
Jinora led the way down the wide path, with Kai close behind and Ikki and Meelo bringing up the rear. Air Temple Island was the gift that Jinora's grandfather, Aang, brought to the world. Aang convinced the United Republic government of the day to turn this island off the coast of Republic City into an Air Nomad retreat. With regular Air Temples in faraway places and located on mountaintops, it was difficult to access physically and financially. This nearby island gave air benders who could not afford to travel an area dedicated to their culture.
"So Kai, did you ever train here at all? Did you ever visit this place? Who taught you your air bending?" Ikki asked in her trademark rapid-fire method. Kai tilted his head back incredulously, only to realize that Ikki was now right beside him. "Whenever Daddy didn't take us to the Air Temples, we would come here a lot. I'm surprised we've never seen you here."
"Ikki, relax," Jinora called from the front. They went around the bend which was lined with bushes to one side. "This isn't an interrogation, you know. I'm sure Kai will be more than happy to answer you after you give him a chance to breathe."
"Don't worry, I'm fine," Kai replied, realizing a flash of irritation on Ikki's face, "I've been here only a few times with Yung. Free time isn't really free when you're not financially stable, and Yung usually works as hard as he can to make some extra money. That usually means working evenings and weekends with his deliveries, so we don't come here as often."
Ikki hummed soberly, but the tranquility lasted barely a second before Meelo got his face into Kai's space. "So did you study any military techniques when you were at home? Even with Yung working, you should still brush up on your battle plans," the boy with the buzzcut insisted, "You're not a very good soldier if you're caught unprepared for war."
"Meelo, Air Nomads don't initiate anything with force, and they never use more force than necessary to stop an attack. How will you ever get your tattoos when you're always thinking about beating someone up all the time?" Jinora retorted with a slight bite in her tone. Shaking her head a few times, she led them up a small hill before reaching an open field. Before them was a strange sight, where a series of thin pillars stood in the open. "And here is your next test."
Kai took a few tentative steps towards the poles, placing his hand on the nearest one and giving the exterior a good rub. It was typical wax wood, similar to the materials air benders used in their staffs. Even the shortest one was five feet off the ground, while the tallest one was near fifteen feet. It was also only wide enough to put one foot on the top platform, which suggested to Kai that this was a balancing and endurance test of sorts. And with this being autumn and a cool wind breezing in from the coast, Kai figured that the test would only be made harder.
As if Jinora had read his mind, the air bending master propelled herself onto that pole with an air blast from her legs. She balanced on one foot on that pole, all the while glancing at her younger siblings and Kai with a proud look. "When my father taught me this technique, it's for maintaining a 'heaven and earth' balance," she explained, "You have to be in tune with both the skies and the ground, using skills you honed with your meditation to balance yourself."
Jinora then propelled herself to a higher pole, allowing Kai to use the lower one. Taking on the challenge, Kai blasted himself onto the pole Jinora was on earlier, all the while Ikki and Meelo took two poles to Jinora's either side. When Kai's foot landed on the pole, his entire body wobbled significantly, causing him to sway from side to side. He felt all his weight shift onto his lone standing leg before he finally stood still, taking a pose similar to Jinora's. By the time he looked up, Jinora was flashing the same lopsided cheeky grin that Kai usually had all the time. "Are you comfortable yet, Kai?" she asked amidst some chuckles from her siblings.
"Sort of, I guess," Kai murmured, his eyes tilting between the ground and his sides, "To answer Ikki's question, I didn't go to this park a lot, and I don't recall ever being at this part. All my air bending training is informal, and we all know Yung has never been properly trained. So none of us have our tattoos, and I don't think Yung will try for the tattoos anytime soon."
"It's interesting you say that, because when I was eleven, I was so eager to do the final exam. I still remember Dad kept saying I wasn't ready, and I really blew up at him that time," Jinora described. Kai lifted his head again, completely caught off-guard at Jinora's comment. How could the calm and collected Jinora lose her temper that volcanically, and why would Tenzin believe she was unready? Just looking at how high up she was right now on the pole, Kai knew it reflected her current position, which was head and shoulders above everyone else. If there was anyone who deserved the title of air bending master, it was Jinora!
"Don't worry, Kai. If you're going for your tattoos in the next year or two, you might be getting them with me!" Ikki exclaimed, bouncing a bit on the shorter pole to Jinora's left, "Ever since Daddy let Jinora let her get her tattoos, he's really open about when Meelo and I get ours. Since I'm the closest to mastering all the skills, I think I can do the final exam soon. Maybe you and I can be tested together at the same place!"
"Why would Kai get them with you when he can get them with me, Ikki?" Meelo snapped from Jinora's right, "Him and I should do a totally different final exam where it's an all-out air bending battle. Whoever is left standing last gets their tattoos first!"
"Guys, it's not a competition or a fight to the death," Jinora chided them. Turning back to Kai, she gave her evaluation of his skills so far. "I think I agree with Ikki when she said you and her might take the final exam together. You guys are about the same level, which is impressive considering your lack of formal training. You have the basic skills, Kai, and I think you'll do just fine. Now let's do this balancing test first, and then we'll try the obstacle course, okay?"
To say it was awkward for Opal to sit across from Bolin was an understatement. Ever since Bolin was reinstated by Future Industries, he had been contacting Opal nonstop, asking her to meet up with him. Opal was fine keeping everything between them professional, only treating him as a colleague. However, she had a feeling that Bolin wanted things to go back to the way they were before. Given the betrayal he put on her by siding with Ginger, Opal was hesitant to take him back romantically. At this point, she wasn't even sure what this meeting was for.
But here they were in a local coffee shop, with them both nursing a drink and their eyes tilting around. They looked at anyone and anything except each other, almost like they wanted to avoid each other right now. Not even the sounds of people talking and sights of servers placing drinks on the other tables could get them to pay attention to each other. If anything, the activity around them only made them nauseous, which in turn made them want to leave even more.
Finally, Opal took a deep breath and turned back to Bolin. "So, what do you want to talk about?" she asked, her volume barely above a murmur, "I know Asami reinstated you to work with Toza and Yung again. I also see how hard you work at the warehouse, which I appreciate. But right now, I'm not sure what you want to get out of this meeting."
Bolin licked his lips, his heart racing and his stomach churning. Even the sip of coffee he put into his mouth tasted rancid, and the earth bender had to force himself not to spit it out. "I know what I did caused us to fall apart, and you probably only see me as a regular co-worker, but I really hope we can build things back up," he responded pleadingly.
Opal pursed her lips, allowing a loose strand of hair to fall over her face. Brushing it back with her hand, she lifted her head to face Bolin with creased eyebrows. "I saw the improvement in you, where you're taking things a lot more seriously and you're working harder than before," Opal commented, once again placing both hands on her drink, "And you did it without anyone helping you, so how can you say you haven't proven yourself?"
"I know, and every day I think about what Ginger and I did made me believe I don't deserve you," Bolin stated, becoming uncharacteristically emotional. Opal knew that Bolin was really fun-loving and had a childlike streak. Getting this serious about his romantic feelings was out of the norm for him. "But believe me when I say that I have changed, and it's not due to me wanting you back. I mean, I do want us to be together again, but I also want to be a better person to everyone around me. You know what I mean, right?"
Opal stared at Bolin expressionlessly, all the while mulling over his words. She always knew Bolin was a good person, and it was due to a mistake that caused him to stray off the right path. If Mako was prepared to give him a chance to redeem himself, maybe she should as well? But even so, did that mean she was ready to re-accept him back into her life?
Shaking her head a few times, she stared right into Bolin's bright green eyes. There was no impurity within them, just like how Bolin's soul was pure and good. "I know any mistake you made wasn't out of malice, but right now I'm just not sure about our relationship," Opal pointed out, "There are a lot of other things going on, mainly with rebuilding the reputations of Future Industries and the warehouse. We have to help Asami out, now that Hiroshi stepped down as the leader of Future Industries. And with Korra tied up adjusting to bringing her biological parents back into her life, I think we should really focus on our work first."
Bolin's mouth opened and closed several times, but no words came out of them. Opal's heart ached when she saw how helpless Bolin was, but right now this was for the best. "You know, when I took the job as Asami's assistant, I was a wide-eyed, curious, sheltered rich girl with little life experience. I was so eager to see the world, that I wasn't really ready for some of the challenges," she candidly declared, "I really thought everything would be fine as long as I just followed the rules and didn't step on any toes, but looks like I was wrong."
"No, don't say that, Opal!" Bolin exclaimed. That got several people around them to glance over, much to Bolin's surprise. Waving a hand to excuse himself, Bolin continued with a more muted volume, "Nobody is born mature, and we all have to learn from our experiences. If I didn't make this mistake with Ginger, I would have never known how to avoid them in the future. You can't possibly think this will damage our relationship, right?"
"No, of course not," Opal replied, shaking her head vehemently, "What I'm saying is that just like you, I still have a lot to learn just to navigate through the complex business world. And with so many things still in flux, I'm think we should temporarily put the brakes on for us. We can be good friends for now, which is what we've always been. Until we're done dealing with this current situation, it's just too early to think about the issues between us."
"Geez, that sounds so bad when you put it that way," Bolin remarked, rubbing the back of his head. By now, some guests beside them had already left, leaving them an open look at the window. Being a mid-autumn day, there were many students wandering around, by virtue of the end of school hours. "I know I'm a bit of a loser right now, and I'm not from a privileged background. Mako and I bounced around foster homes, and for a while we were on the streets. Toza didn't meet us and invited us to stay with him until we were almost teenagers. But I never see us as a poor guy trying to hook up with a rich girl. I truly believe there's something there."
Opal nodded, agreeing that she also didn't see Bolin as a gold digger. She knew how caring and kind he was, and she would probably regret it if Bolin ended up dating someone else. But right now, there was just too much uncertainty in her mind, and she didn't want to commit to this until she was absolutely sure. "You know that Ginger is still on probation indefinitely, right? And Kuvira is going back and forth between Future Industries and the warehouse, similar to what I do?" she pointed out, "Things are different now. I've already let bygones be bygones, but there's still a lot to be done. Whether it's for your sake, my sake, your family's sake, or Future Industries' sake, we both have to keep working hard. That's why it's best to stay focused now."
It was now Bolin's turn to purse his lips. While it was not the answer he wanted, he found it near impossible to counter Opal's points. With Korra, Asami, Kuvira, and even Kai occupied with other things, it was his time to step up. He was no longer the street kid barely scraping by, but a mature adult who could take leadership of the situation. If Opal, his family, or his friends wanted his help, he was prepared to offer it. "I think you're right," he answered emphatically, "Maybe we should stay friends for now. At least we can still support and encourage each other."
Opal cracked a smile for the first time that afternoon. Raising her cup, she requested a toast from Bolin. The earth bender reciprocated before they both took a long drink. "So, did you hear about Korra and her biological family?" Opal asked, "She's getting involved in Tonraq's presidential campaign, and they're about to submit the nominations."
Bolin chuckled. "I'm glad to see Korra getting so involved in that, but I'm more worried about Mako," he reported, informing Opal that Mako did text him about his return to Republic City, "He got hurt in a Red Lotus trap, and right now he believes the Red Lotus may be coming back to Republic City. He wants to tell the police to be on full alert."
That wiped away whatever happiness that Opal had a few minutes ago. Would the Red Lotus reunite with the Triple Threats to hurt the people again? Would she have to worry about her clothes being set on fire? Maybe this was something she should discuss with her aunt.
The large office of the Republic City police headquarters didn't change at all as Mako re-entered the building. He returned after spending a couple of months in the Fire Nation as part of the United Republic's contribution to the Interpol, and barely escaped by the skin of his teeth. It was extremely frustrating that the Red Lotus outsmarted them by a hair, and up to this point the senior leadership was nowhere to be found. Now, with his mission over, Mako could only hope the information he discovered at the Fire Nation would assist Republic City police.
As he marched through the rows of cubicles, he managed to get a few smiles and nods of approval from his colleagues. He still recalled how viciously he called them out before his suspension, and even after he was proven right with the Triple Threats, there was still a bit of animosity among them. But now, after his heroic deed in the Fire Nation, none of them doubted them again. Heck, maybe even Lu and Gang would change their tune about him. But given their history of obnoxious behaviour, Mako was not prepared to bet money on that one.
"Hey, May-ko!" a recognizable voice called. Mako didn't need to turn around to know his two rivals were following him. Instead of giving them the luxury of picking on him, Mako marched straight to his desk and plopped himself down. It allowed him to look up and see Lu and Gang strutting straight up to him. "How was your vacation in the Fire Nation? Did you spend more time investigating or checking out their hot girls?" Lu asked with a sneer.
Mako was about to retort, but thought the better of it. His Fire Nation experience taught him that his record should speak for itself. It wasn't up to anyone else, no matter how much he hated them, to judge him. Instead of telling them off, Mako merely smiled and nodded. "I did have a pretty girl on my team, but I'm pretty sure she's as focused on the investigation as I was," he replied, not letting Lu and Gang get the better of him.
"Oh, really? Was it you who's focused on the investigation or her? Or maybe she's focused on the investigation, and you're focused on her!" Gang exclaimed, creating a wave of giggles between the two senior officers. Despite rolling his eyes and tilting his head back to his desk, keeping a cool around those two would always be a challenge for Mako.
"Everyone, please come into the briefing room for our meeting!" Lin's voice called. Mako lifted his head to see the police chief standing outside the boardroom door, pulling it wide open and gesturing at everyone. "We have one of our own come back from the Interpol. After reading his briefing note, I think we should talk about a change in our strategy."
Mako felt a small grin creep up when his report was referred to. He stood triumphantly, casting a small smirk at Lu and Gang before striding confidently towards Lin. Lu and Gang had their mouths hitting the ground, which only made it sweeter for Mako. If this wasn't redemption for everything that happened since his suspension, he didn't know what was. Marching to the front row, Mako took a seat and pulled out his notepad, waiting to hear the chief out.
"Alright, team," Lin announced, taking her spot in the front with Saikhan to her side, "We have our members who assisted the Interpol back from the Fire Nation, and I have read over their briefing note. Mako wrote most of it, and I'm impressed at the discoveries. Even though we didn't get any Red Lotus senior leadership, we are much closer to them now."
That got a small round of applause from the crowd, to which Mako acknowledged with a quick wave. Turning back to the front, Lin dove right into the details. "Before the Interpol was led into the baited room, there were signs that Red Lotus members were engaged in small-scale activities," she described, flipping through Mako's report, "I see observations here on more rural communities, mainly along the coastline where the Fire Nation security is less stringent. Has the Fire Nation navy been notified about this, and if so did they act on it?"
"They were notified, and even though the navy and Coast Guard did their patrols, nothing has been found yet," Mako replied from his seat, "We intercepted some small attacks or attempts of attacks, but those involve junior Red Lotus members only."
"Did you interrogate any of the junior members during this time? If you could stop their attacks, I assume you apprehended them, right?" Saikhan chimed in. It was like the entire team focused in on Mako, who was no longer a pariah but as a mentor. "What type of communities did they harass, and how did local law enforcement handle those?"
"We did assist with the interrogations, and that's where we found out where the senior leadership of the Red Lotus was hiding," Mako added, flipping through his own set of notes, "The location they gave us was at the small Fire Nation pier where we were ambushed. So it's either they knew ahead of time we were coming, or we reached there too late."
Lin clacked her tongue while flipping through her own report. While none of the officers from Republic City were severely harmed, they all required hospitalization, some of which for weeks. "I'm glad the team's injuries aren't serious, including yours, Mako," Lin remarked, "However, I am concerned how quickly they set up that booby trap. It doesn't look like something that can be done in a few minutes, so I'm guessing your assessment may be correct."
"This is baloney!" a voice shouted from the back. Mako didn't have to turn his head to know that it was Lu again. The short and stout officer did not let up on Mako, which only grated on him more. "Everybody's saying that the Red Lotus got one step ahead of us, and we haven't caught them. Well, if that's the case, then why bother going to the Fire Nation in the first place?"
"Because the Red Lotus is an international threat, and being one of the top police forces in the world, we have a duty to help out the Interpol," Saikhan responded in an uncompromising and stern tone, "They may have outsmarted us once, but we can always regroup and try again."
"So that means sitting here and doing nothing," Gang added with a snort, "Maybe it's best if we get someone with more experience, since a certain candidate didn't get it done."
"That's uncalled for, you two. I said before that I don't tolerate offensive language being used on others. For you to openly question one of our own who investigated in the Fire Nation, you're really toeing the line," Lin admonished Lu and Gang. Mako almost choked on his on breath at that statement, considering that he was suspended for being overly critical of them. Now the shoe was on the other foot and Mako could not be more pleased. "I will talk to Mako and the rest of the group who went to the Interpol in greater detail. We have to make sure the right thing was done, but in the meantime I am very impressed by their report."
"In light of all these things, the chief and I will be re-strategizing for tackling the Red Lotus threat," Saikhan declared, rubbing his hands together in anticipation, "I agree with Mako's report in that we have to be more diligent in tracking our ports of entry. We already spoke with our colleagues at the Department of Public Safety, and they will be posting more border security. We will also work with the United Forces to boost patrol of the oceans, in case the Red Lotus tries to smuggle in by boat. I also agree with Mako's report in that there's a possibility that they already arrived, so land patrols will have to increase as well. This requires full coordination for several departments, so let's be diligent and make sure this works right."
Mako nodded his head, his smile not leaving his face even as the chief explained the more intricate details of their following missions. Mako was aware that the major event would be the Winter Solstice, followed by New Year Day, and then the nomination convention for the election. Whatever the case, he knew he scored points against those who bullied him, including Lu and Gang. Things were finally looking up, and Mako wanted to be a part of this new venture.
"So you're telling me that is your brother?" Korra asked Shiro, who sat at the announcer table observing all the VIP's in the room. Tonight was another one of Korra's shifts with Shiro, who surprisingly was not at the pro-bending arena. Instead, he was on a special assignment to cover the nomination confirmation night, taking place at the main ballroom of the Four Elements Hotel in downtown Republic City. Given Korra had not worked for Shiro long enough to be there for the previous election nomination, this was a totally new experience for her.
From beside Korra, Shiro nodded. "My brother is, just like me, into broadcasting. I just addrf cinema work into my portfolio, while he did only television talk shows," Shiro explained. Other than the presidential candidates themselves, there were also throngs of their supporters, including captains of industry that Tonraq mentioned. It was like when she was at the Future Industries anniversary party, when Korra was also around VIP's.
"But speaking of family members, how are you doing with your biological parents?" Shiro asked his assistant. That got Korra to whip her head back around to her employer, who stared at her with serene eyes. "Are you enjoying reconnecting with Tonraq and Senna? And what do you think about Tonraq running for the presidency?"
Korra tilted her head back and forth, trying to find the right words. By virtue of her weekly stays at Tonraq's home, Korra saw how much Tonraq cared for her. He publicly gave Korra credit for things she did but still respected for Korra's privacy, and Korra now found it easier to identify with a presidential candidate. And given Varrick and Zhu Li also offered Tonraq their unconditional support, Korra definitely saw a chance to bond more.
Turning back to Shiro, Korra flashed a bright smile. "I think it's going great, and Tonraq will be an amazing president," she responded, "I really hope he gets the nomination, but I guess they won't announce the results until later on?"
Shiro shook his head. "They don't announce it until after the New Year, when they hold an even bigger gala at the convention centre," he described, "Tonight, our job is just to announce all the candidates that submitted their paperwork, have them say a thing or two, and that's it."
Before Korra could inquire more, a set of familiar faces approached her table. The water bender's smile stretched even wider when her foster parents greeted her. "I know you're working right now, but it doesn't hurt for us to say hi, right?" Varrick stated with a wink.
Korra became all giddy when Zhu Li followed suit, almost like her foster parents took pride in sharing Korra's crowning moment. A short few months ago, mingling with VIP's would have shocked Korra to the core. But with Korra completely at ease today, it made Korra feel like she could conquer anything. "We haven't talked to Tonraq yet. I think he's still in the back with the nomination papers," Zhu Li pointed out, "Senna's just waiting for him to come out."
"I'm a little surprised the Vice President isn't here," Korra commented, craning her head around to see if a tall bald man with a blue arrow tattoo was present, "You think he or President Raiko will show up, given this is an election for their successors."
"But keep in mind that neither will run in the election next year," Shiro reminded Korra, "President Raiko probably wants to take care of his health, kind of like Tonraq has to as well. And the Vice President is more focused on his family, so it's unlikely they'll be here. But for the nomination gala in the New Year, I'm sure at least one of them will be there."
However, Korra's sensitive ears could pick out an argument. There were no raised voices, but the water bender was certain that some discontent was being proclaimed. She craned her neck to the right, causing Shiro, Varrick, and Zhu Li to follow. From the side door that led to the nomination room, Korra could see Tonraq and Tarrlok strolling out, but the latter definitely seemed agitated. Korra was used to Tarrlok's usual scowl, but this time it was magnified exponentially. "What's with those guys?" she wondered.
Korra soon saw Senna march up to Tonraq, placing a hand on Tonraq's arm before leading him away. But Tarrlok was not relenting, following Tonraq and Senna all the way to where Korra was. One look at Korra and Tarrlok just about lost it. "So is this what this is all about? You ask Shiro Shinobi to bring your daughter to cover the event, just so you can show off Korra? I didn't think you can sink this low," Tarrlok stated with a growl.
"Look, I didn't do anything Korra didn't want. Besides, it's not my fault that Korra blew up at you," Tonraq retorted, patting Senna's hand while shielding his petite wife from Tarrlok's advances, "You know she has autism and you have to be sensitive when talking to her. I already told Korra to watch her language and behaviour in the future, and she's done nothing but work on her social interaction. But when you personally attack her, how do you think she'll react?"
Tarrlok whipped his head right towards Korra, his eyes narrowing to darts at her. But instead of shrinking or turning away, Korra took a deep breath and stared right back. Her focus was not on Tarrlok's eyes, but slightly past his head and over the shoulder. It was another one of Tonraq's techniques that he taught her, and Korra was more than thankful for that. "How did you become this way, Tarrlok?" Tonraq continued his admonishment, "All I said when I was in the nomination room with you was that you should run a clean and fair campaign without attacking Korra or my family. I know you're capable of that, because you always portray yourself as the white knight. So what happened since then, or is your entire white knight image a façade?"
Tarrlok glared at Korra before sending his cold stare at Tonraq, who frowned the entire way. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two men, and Korra could tell that Tarrlok wanted to retort but chose not to. Korra did not consider herself a political expert, and other than knowing Tarrlok's name and position in cabinet, she knew very little about him personally. She would like to believe there was a reason for Tarrlok's bitterness towards her all this time. Was he truly a white knight character, like he often portrayed? Maybe he could still salvage it right now.
But whatever hopes Korra had of that dissipated in a second. Tarrlok brushed right past them and marched off, not before taking a last shot at Korra and both sets of parents. "This is your last warning. If you're not supporting my campaign, then stay out of my way! That goes for Korra and her foster parents," Tarrlok spat, side-glaring at Varrick and Zhu Li.
Zhu Li stayed emotionless as the Minister of National Defence brushed past her, but Varrick did not even bother hiding his disgust. Making a face at Tarrlok, he turned back to his foster daughter. "Don't worry about that guy," Varrick reassured Korra, "I think he just can't stand you beating him at his own game. It won't stop us from supporting Tonraq, so don't let him deter you. You're doing the right thing, no matter what that guy says."
"Yeah, I guess," Korra murmured, rubbing her arms up and down. Even though she had a lot more confidence now, she was still uncomfortable when someone went off on her like that. "But you're right, and I won't stop supporting Tonraq just because of him."
"That's the spirit, Korra!" Senna added, pulling Tonraq closer to her. The large man then reached out to Korra, to which the autistic water bender grabbed his hand. Even though they still had some distance between them, it felt like this family was pulling itself back together.
Unalaq scanned his documents again, clearly perplexed and disturbed by the latest reports coming out of the Southern Water Tribe. It had been a little more than a month since he left his forces in charge down there, while he and a couple smaller ships regrouped back north. Since his departure, the United Forces had gotten involved, issuing his troops an ultimatum to vacate the waters. It would allow the Southern Water Tribe to continue its trade routes unimpeded. While no shots were fired, it was clear that Iroh meant business, and Unalaq had to tread carefully.
Unalaq flipped another page, frowning at the details of the report provided by the interim government leaders of the Northern Water Tribe. While he focused on his goal of unifying the two tribes and taking out certain rivals in other nations, he put his own children, Desna and Eska, in charge of negotiating with the United Forces. They had been updating him on-and-off for now, including sending him this latest report. But overall, it was clear that they were on defence.
Unalaq's phone sounded off in the midst of his reading, snapping the man's attention to the offending object. Given he was now back on his ship, all calls were made via satellite phone, and this was no exception. But seeing the number it came from, Unalaq had an idea what he was up against. "Desna, Eska, you better have good news for me," he stated upon receiving the call.
"Father, you might want to reconsider your position right now," Desna, the male twin, explained, "The United Republic isn't backing off anytime soon, and our time to reach a nice, peaceful solution is running out. Is there really a need to be down here in the south for no other reason than harass shipping routes? If not, then let's get us out of here."
Unalaq shook his head. He would think that his own children, who sided with him all this time, would understand the meaning behind his actions. "Are you serious about letting those in the south destroy what we stand for?" he retorted, his tone icier than the waters around him, "I don't call myself a leader of the Northern Water Tribe for nothing, with my knowledge and wisdom and spirituality. We can't let those southern buffoons break our traditions like that."
"Are you sure it's not because they're richer than us? If they're making more money by doing more trade, then maybe we should get in on the action," Eska, the female twin, chimed in, "Besides, the United Republic is pretty secular and they're richer than both tribes combined."
Unalaq clacked his tongue at the comment. He could not believe how much his own children lacked in understanding his principles, even though he taught them all his life. "And how much good do you think my connection at the United Republic did?" Unalaq challenged, "Tarrlok Yakone is no longer the frontrunner, and it's your idiot uncle who might win. They may be filthy rich in the United Republic, but none of that can help us."
There was a tense silence in the room, with each side wondering how to proceed. Other than the soft hum of the engine and splash of the icy waters outside, no sound came out from either side of the line. It was like there was no good solution to resolve this impasse, and nothing could progress at this point. "What are you suggesting then, Father?" Eska queried, "How do you want to protect the Northern Water Tribe's interests?"
Unalaq inhaled and exhaled deeply. "There is only one thing left to do, and that's to get in touch with some of my contacts in the Fire Nation," he described, flipping to the next page, "I am aware that I sent some goods to the United Republic to go on the black market. Oher than a small goof with Tarrlok with a personal item, they should have raised enough funds for us to do something. My contacts then left for the Fire Nation, but after that little explosion a while back, they should be on their way to Republic City. They seem to be our only hope right now."
"But the United Republic took down some of your plans, right? The whole idea with getting local gangs involved fell apart when Chief Bei Fong arrested most of the Triple Threats," Desna pointed out, "And with the Interpol increasing patrols in the Fire Nation, you'll only put yourself at more risk. State-sponsored terrorism isn't a good thing, and I don't know if we should get involved in that. Should we just back down now and deny everything while we still can?"
"And what makes you think I haven't already thought of that?" Unalaq responded with a dry chuckle. He chucked his pen on the table and stretched his arms melodramatically, almost like he felt this conversation was below him. "Just make sure you keep running interference with Iroh and his idiots. I'll focus on the other parts of the operation."
Before his children could say another word, Unalaq slapped the connect button on the phone, terminating the call between them. He slowly lifted himself off the chair and wandered to the window of his office. Ever since the refuelling and restocking stop at a harbour friendly to his Northern Water Tribe, Unalaq had weighed his options very carefully. While his motivation to control the Southern Water Tribe did have some spiritual reasons, the economic ones still had the most impact. The fact was that the Southern Water Tribe developed extensive trade routes with most nations of the world, particularly the Fire Nation and the United Republic. With the two richest areas aligned with them, the Northern Water Tribe was left on the sidelines. Without a larger piece of that pie, Unalaq knew there would be consequences for his nation.
Yet at the same time, Unalaq also knew there were options to get what he wanted, both using soft power and hard power. His display of force with his naval fleet was hard power, but he also tried soft power. Even when he committed what his children described as state-sponsored terrorism by loosely aligning with the Red Lotus, Unalaq still showed his influence in the legal sphere by endorsing Tarrlok for presidency. He could not help it if Tarrlok fumbled away a huge advantage by not doing more after the Red Lotus put Tarrlok's main competitor in a coma!
Unalaq's phone rang again, and the chief hurried back to his chair to answer the call. One look at the number and Unalaq knew who it was. "Hello, Zaheer," he greeted the other line with a monotonous voice, "I hope you managed to get out of the Fire Nation intact."
"We did, and we're on our way back to the United Republic," the bald man reported. He explained that they sneaked out in the dead of night at an area where the Fire Nation navy had limited abilities to observe and patrol. In a small motorboat, the four Red Lotus leaders sailed through the treacherous waters before landing near Merchant's Pier, away from where the cargo usually ended up. "It's either a stroke of luck or the security for both countries was that slack. But whatever the case, we hope to enter Republic City soon."
Unalaq pursed his lips. Republic City held its nominations for presidency last week, and the finalization of the nominations would take place in the New Year. All candidates would be announced at a large function, which signified the unofficial start of the campaign. If Tarrlok was the frontrunner, then Unalaq would have no problems double-crossing the Red Lotus on the spot. He still wanted to keep them at arm's length, given his status as a political leader. But right now, they were on the same boat, whether he liked it or not.
Turning back to the phone, Unalaq gave his next set of instructions. "You can re-enter the city, but make sure you lay low for a while," he directed the Red Lotus, "I'll be coming in under the guise of an observer to the nomination convention, but I'll also direct what we'll do next. If we have all the candidates under the same roof, then it'll make life a lot easier for what I have in mind. In the meantime, see how many junior associates you can gather and have them ready."
Opal glanced out the windows as the maglev slowly pulled out of the station, winding its way past the platform and through the city. Asami was kind enough to give Opal two weeks off so she could spend the Winter Solstice and New Year holidays with her family, and that meant going back to Zaofu. She recalled when she was first hired by Asami to work here, and realized it had been eight months since she made the move. Realizing how far she came, Opal could not help but be proud of herself.
"What's on your mind, Opal?" a gentle voice called. Opal snapped out of her trance and looked across the small table to see her mother with a small smile. Suyin came to Republic City to drop off some presents for Lin, who unfortunately could not make it to Zaofu for their family reunion. "You must be thinking about something good with that look on your face."
"Oh, I'm just thinking about everything that's happened since I've been here," Opal replied, her right hand rubbing the back of her left hand, "I'm surprised my head is still on after everything that I went through, and it's not even a year. I'm just glad Aunt Lin and the rest of my friends are here to help me through this, and it's really too bad Aunt Lin can't come."
"Well, she's got the big investigation with the Red Lotus. Don't forget that they might have left the Fire Nation and re-entered the United Republic," Suyin pointed out, "You don't know what those guys might do during the holidays, especially with so many people out and about enjoying their time."
"And they better keep their eyes open, especially with open ports like where you work," Kuvira added, slipping back into her seat next to Suyin and across from Opal. The Zaofu security force member stepped away to use the bathroom earlier, but returned just in time for the maglev to accelerate. Outside the window, the cityscape zoomed past them, with even large buildings turning into blurs. Soon they would be in open fields, heading into the United Earth States in what would be an over ten-hour trip into Zaofu.
Opal tiled her eyes between her mother and her foster sister, pursing her lips and giving it some serious thought. She would be the first to admit that all this was new to her, given she was born in Zaofu. Being the safest city in the world with an almost non-existent crime rate, Opal did not even worry about having her pocket picked, let alone dealing with gangs and terrorists. And of course, adding to all the conflict was the political interference with Tarrlok, always picking on their warehouse and causing Korra to be fired. So what a turn of events it was when Korra turned out to be the biological daughter of Tarrlok's own rival!
Turning back to Suyin and Kuvira, Opal let them know how she felt. "I think it's like what I said to Bolin when I met up with him," she stated, recalling how Bolin tried to bring them back together, but Opal chose to take a break instead, "So many things have changed, and they are still changing. There's so much more I have to focus on, so it just gets overwhelming."
"But overall, I think your experience is positive, right?" Suyin remarked, folding her hands on the tabletop, "Despite the argument with Bolin regarding Ginger, and the Triple Threats almost hurting you, you still managed to stand on your own."
Opal nodded. She explained to Suyin and Kuvira everything she learned, similar to what she said to Bolin. Mother and foster sister both listened on patiently, realizing Opal's lack of experience but also impressed by her willingness to learn. In Suyin's eyes, it truly felt like Opal grew more in the past eight months than she did in more than twenty years of her life. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I learned a lot but there's still a long way to go," Opal concluded.
"And that's actually a good attitude to have, Opal," Suyin complimented her daughter, "Part of the reason metal bending was developed was because your grandmother Toph had the same attitude. Despite her gruff exterior and tough talking ways, she is extremely open-minded about new possibilities. If she didn't do that, I don't think people can metal bend at all."
Opal smiled shyly. In the past, she was always a bit nervous talking to most of her siblings about metal bending. It wasn't her fault that she inherited her father's half Air Nomad genes, leaving her as the only air bender in the family. Heck, neither Baatar nor Baater Jr. could bend at all, so she was definitely the black sheep here. "You think Bolin would be interested in metal bending? It sounds like he's a pretty big fan of Grandma," Opal observed.
Suyin shrugged. "Well, I'm eager to teach metal bending, but it'll depend on if Bolin is open to it. After all, as I always say, the only thing stopping one from learning a new skill is their attitude," Suyin commented, "Besides, maybe Bolin is interested in learning other earth bending skills too. Shouldn't you ask him about his interests before you go too far with that?"
Opal mulled this over. It was true that during her time dating Bolin, she didn't actually find out too much about his likes and dislikes. Part of it was that Bolin was so focused on fun stuff that she didn't really focus on the more personal parts of the relationship. It bothered her that they were now taking a break without taking that step, but Opal still believed they could circle back to it. Shaking her head a few times, Opal decided to focus on the present. "Besides, I'm sure if I reach out to Bolin again in the New Year, it'll be fine," she affirmed.
"Let me point out something, though," Kuvira interjected, waving a nonchalant hand at Opal, "I'm not against you and Bolin taking a break, given how he basically fed plays to the other team. But even when you're taking a break, you have to think about how to re-bond with them. Baatar and I went through a rough patch for a while, but we still managed okay. It takes a lot of communication with each other, but in the end it's all about what you value in each other."
Opal nodded. She knew that Kuvira's uncompromising attitude could be hard to deal with sometimes, but it was obvious that she and Baatar Jr. genuinely cared for one another. In fact, it was odd at the beginning when Baatar Jr., who was quite introverted and tended to be a follower, would get into a relationship with Kuvira, who was a take-charge leader with a somewhat one-track mind when it came to getting things done. But for whatever reason, they made it work out, and Opal was truly hoping that she could do the same for what she wanted with Bolin.
"But I'll tell you another person that I see a major change in, probably even more than Opal," Suyin chimed in, changing the topic on the foster siblings, "That person is Korra, who really made some great achievements. Biological parents reunion aside, the way that she carried herself through all this messiness, despite her autism, it's something to be proud of."
"Yes, I'll agree with that," Kuvira added, "I definitely got Korra pegged wrong when I first met her. The fact that she didn't even look me in the eye when I first met her left a sour taste in my mouth. But after seeing the way she put the warehouse back together, I have nothing but respect for her. I guess I'll have to spend more time with her to see what her routines are like."
"I'm glad you and Korra understand each other better now, Kuvira," Opal replied. She glanced out the window and saw the hills surrounding Republic City, signalling that they were beyond the outskirts of town. As Opal thought about the upcoming holidays with her family, she wondered how Korra would spend her holidays. "Will Korra be with Varrick and Zhu Li, or will she be with Minister Arnook and his wife, or maybe all five of them will spend time together?"
"Whatever Korra chooses, I'm sure it'll work out for them. Because in the New Year, with the presidential election underway, she'll be even more swamped," Suyin pointed out. With that, she leaned her head back against the seat and took a deep breath, trying to relax for now as the maglev continued rumbling its way through the United Earth States towards Zaofu.
And here is my usual list of inspirations, which is a bit shorter than usual:
1.) The whole deal with Opal, Boln, Kuvira, and even Suyin to an extent is an expansion of some of their interaction in the show. I felt the breakups in Books 1 and 2 with that awful love triangle (or square?) gave the parties very little room to work with, including debriefing how they felt about what happened. Likewise, I always wondered how Kuvira and Suyin will relate to each other if the whole Great Uniter thing didn't happen. So what we got is that Opal tries to patch things up with Bolin while seeking help from Suyin and Kuvira, and that lets Kuvira reflect on her own relationships, both with Suyin and with Baatar Jr. I hope this additional tidbit puts more perspective onto these characters.
2.) The bit about Shiro Shinobi having a brother isn't canon, but it's something I always thought about. Shiro Shinobi is basically the main announcer for everything in the series, which makes me wonder how he can do it all. The answer is he can't, and that's why my head-canon is that Shiro has a brother who also does broadcasting. While Shiro broadcasts pro-bending matches, his brother is a talk show host. And of course, the part where the Four Elements Hotel hosts the nomination event is from Book 3 of Turf Wars, where Shiro announced the presidential election results. I won't give away who won the election in that comic, but I will say that it's not Raiko!
3.) Unalaq putting the South Pole at a stalemate is basically similar to a ceasefire. It's not really a negotiation or a peace treaty, but it's basically every side agreeing not to engage in further violence. The entire goal is that if Unalaq can get back with the Red Lotus and influences the United Republic election, then he can restrict the trade with the Southern Water Tribe legally. Desna and Eska are, similar as in the show, basically pawns for his game, not to mention that Unalaq will also attempt to double-cross the Red Lotus. More on that in later chapters, but that's the way things will go for now.
4.) The tests that Jinora is putting Kai through, including meditating in cooler weather and balancing on a pole, are the same tests from "Original Airbenders" in Book 3. Tarrlok telling Korra's parents (biological and foster) to get out of his way if they won't support him is from "When Extremes Meet" in Book 1 where he said the same thing to Korra. Desna and Eska showing doubt about what Unalaq is doing, even wondering if Unalaq even has everyone's best interests at hear, is from "When Darkness Falls" in Book 2 when they started questioning Unalaq after he almost let them die in the Spirit World. And Suyin wondering if Bolin is open-minded enough and has the right attitude about metal bending "Old Wounds" in Book 3 when she said the exact same thing to Bolin about his reluctance to learn metal bending.
And thank you so much for reading this chapter. I will be travelling a bit in the next little while, so I hope to write when I'm away. I still hope to have an update in a month, but until then, happy reading!