I want to thank SaoirseParisa, Taurus The Dragon, and Maria Sato for reviewing the previous chapter. I note that today is International Autism Day, with the theme of "Empowering Women and Girls with Autism" as the topic for last year (2018). Since I missed recognizing that theme last year, I thought I'd make up for it by recognizing it this year. What better way to recognize a strong autistic female than to post a chapter of my story on this date? With Korra finally taking the showdown against the Red Lotus to the next level, this is a chapter you don't want to miss!
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own the Legend of Korra.
"Should we wait for Korra, Asami, and Opal?" Suyin asked, trying to catch up to Kuvira. The last time they were together with the aforementioned threesome, they were still in the main ballroom. Korra's distractions allowed Suyin and Kuvira to use some of the metal hinges on the wooden platform they were imprisoned in as weapons, which led to the hostages all escaping. Now, Suyin and Kuvira were outside, scouting out the entire exterior to ambush the Red Lotus.
Kuvira tilted her head around the corner, her full skills in security work coming on display. Keeping herself hidden from plain sight, Kuvira observed any exits the Red Lotus might appear from, but also for metals that she could use to attack the Red Lotus. "As long as there are still hostages, we can't back down," she responded to Suyin.
"I get that, but let's not forget that Opal was a hostage not long ago," Suyin pointed out, pulling out her phone to check for text messages. While they got out, Korra and the others got into a huge battle with the Red Lotus. The last update Suyin got was that the lava bender destroyed the ballroom. "Shouldn't we at least wait for her, or check on her?"
But a set of doors burst open before Kuvira could speak. Stepping out first was the recognizable leader of the Northern Water Tribe, Unalaq Arnook. Behind him were several of his troops, some of whom holding hostages. This was followed by Zaheer and P'Li, and both of them held two hostages with them. "Zaheer has President Raiko and his wife, while P'Li has Korra's parents," Kuvira reported, "If you're texting Opal, you might want to tell her that."
While Suyin quickly texted Opal, Kuvira took a gander at the surroundings. The door was made of metal, but she was too far away to feel for its quality. There were some metal pipes and scaffolding just above, and given their slightly rusty nature, they might be bendable. And of course, the ground was concrete. It could also be put to good use, if they went in that direction. While the situation was not ideal, a victory to this battle was still within reach.
"You two, go get the vehicles," Unalaq commanded, waving his arm at the two closest troops. As the soldiers trotted off, Unalaq could be heard ordering the shift in personnel. Now, more troops held the hostages instead of focusing on defence. That gave Kuvira and Suyin an opening, as an attack would surely distract them from the hostages. With that, Kuvira grabbed Suyin by the wrist and brought her closer to the group, the latter nodding her head in realization.
Kuvira charged out from her hiding spot and stomped on the ground. Lifting two slabs of concrete, she kicked them in the direction of the Red Lotus. The first slammed hard into some Northern Water Tribe troops, knocking them off balance. But the second was countered by P'Li, who threw Tonraq and Senna to the ground and shot a combustion blast. The concrete exploded in midair, showering the group with soot. "Get the hostages away while I hold them off," P'Li called, taking a fire bender's stance against the assailants while waving off Unalaq and Zaheer.
Suyin then followed up with a twisting kick, sending another slab of concrete at P'Li. While the combustion bender dodged, the Northern Water Tribe troops pulled out their own weapons. Before they knew it, water whips lashed in their direction, forcing Suyin to bob and weave while sending more concrete P'Li's way. While Suyin was confident she and Kuvira could hold their own, they were also concerned about harming the hostages.
But with P'Li focused entirely on Suyin and Kuvira, it allowed Tonraq and Senna to move away unnoticed. They made some water trickle out of the pouches of the troops closest to them. They turned those into sharp icicles and thrust their wrists down onto the blades, cutting through the bindings and freeing their hands. Removing the gags from their mouth, Tonraq and Senna could now attack.
"Suyin, we'll give you a hand!" Tonraq called. Now completely free of his bindings, the Minister of Foreign Affairs then tackled the closest Northern Water Tribe troop. He snatched the water pouch from the soldier and drained all the water away. Forming a large ice club, Tonraq swung it hard at the solider he pinned, knocking that individual out entirely. "Just focus on the combustion bender," Tonraq shouted, "Senna and I will get the other hostages!"
P'Li looked back, horrified at how quickly things fell apart. The thought of the hostages slipping from her fingers was distasteful to her. She turned to fire at Tonraq, whose sheer strength was enough to push back the Northern Water Tribe troops. Meanwhile, Senna used the limited water she obtained to free the other hostages. If Tonraq could hold everyone off for a few more minutes, and no one paid any attention to Senna, all the hostages would be freed.
P'Li took a deep breath and, risking it all, sent a blast right at Tonraq. She would have succeeded in hitting the water bender had it not been for a slab of concrete slamming into her just as she fired. As she tumbled to the ground, she released her shot, causing a crater to explode on the concrete sidewalk that sent shockwaves through the entire formation. The only people who still remained on their feet were Suyin and Kuvira, the latter of whom sent the boulder at P'Li. "All we have to do is distract her, and she can't get a shot off," Kuvira reported to Suyin.
The Zaofu security officer pulled another concrete block off the ground, swinging it around and aiming it straight at P'Li. Suyin, positioning behind Kuvira, chose the rapid-fire option, sending smaller pieces at both P'Li and the Northern Water Tribe military. Suyin was still concerned about her daughter still not coming out, but she had bigger fish to fry now. "You're going down, three-eyed freak. Let's see how you handle all of us," Suyin taunted P'Li.
Gritting her teeth, P'Li took another deep breath and reached into her arsenal. While she knew this was a tougher technique to manage, she had successfully pulled it off before. Turning her head to the far right, where Senna was busy freeing the last hostage, P'Li unleashed a blast in her direction. But instead of focusing solely on Senna, P'Li slowly turned her head left, sweeping the whole area. She even hit Tonraq, who continued his one-man battle against Northern Water Tribe troops. While the sweeping blast did less damage to the targets, it was clear that P'Li was shooting to kill, and this skill was meant to do as much collateral damage as possible.
Sensing the danger, Kuvira reached out to grab a metallic piece. She pulled the pipe from the side of the building, the loud snapping sounds not deterring her. She threw the pipe at P'Li, tying her body up and wrapping it tight. "No more surrounding blasts for you," she growled
Unfortunately, P'Li turned to face Kuvira. Taking a deep breath, she aimed directly at the Zaofu security officer. Sensing the danger and having to protect her confidante, Suyin pressed her hand against the metal door. There was enough impurity to make it bendable, and she pulled it out of its hinges. "Kuvira, duck!" she shouted just as she threw the door at the head of P'Li.
Kuvira released the pipe seconds before the door hit P'Li, diving to the ground and covering herself with a concrete shell. This time, it was P'Li who had a look of fear in her eyes. The door collapsed onto her head just as she unleashed the blast. With nowhere to go, the explosion engulfed her body, ending her life in seconds. Even so, the shockwave affected even Suyin, who was further back and braced herself against the wall and wait out the aftershock.
By the time everything calmed, there was nothing but a mutilated body emitting the smell of burning flesh. Suyin struggled to her feet, edging towards Kuvira and peeling the concrete shell off her body. Kuvira was still breathing, but the shockwave stunned her so much that she could barely move. Looking up, Suyin was surprised to see that Tonraq and Senna succeeded in their nearly suicidal act. Tonraq disabled most of the Northern Water Tribe troops and Senna freed all the hostages. While there were still the vehicles that Unalaq requested coming to them, Suyin knew she could use that to their advantage.
Whipping out her cellphone, she immediately sent Opal a text message. "Bring Korra and the rest of the group out here," Suyin murmured as she typed every word, "We could use backup to deal with some loose ends." Pocketing her phone, she hobbled towards Tonraq and Senna.
Zaheer and Unalaq glanced at the roads before them, wondering when their rides would arrive. They had no idea what happened to P'Li and the rest of their group, given how quickly Suyin and Kuvira caught up to them. Right now, they could only hope that they made it out to international waters, where Unalaq's ship was waiting. "As long as we have the president, there's not much the United Republic can do to us," Unalaq reminded Zaheer.
The air bender stared back at Unalaq with scepticism on his face. "You realize your man Tarrlok is most likely toast after this," Zaheer shot back, "With Korra exposing his secrets, do you really think he has any influence, let alone stand a chance at winning the election?"
Unalaq pursed his lips. He had a perfect plan with Tarrlok winning the election and him influencing the United Republic's affairs. It involved the Red Lotus making a mess in Republic City with the help of the Triple Threats, all the while distancing himself from the terrorist group by proclaiming himself as a political leader. With diplomatic immunity, there was no way he could be prosecuted, and if plans failed he could always throw the Red Lotus under the bus. If he played his cards right, he could still implicate the Red Lotus while getting out unscathed. All he had to do was get to his ship and restart negotiations with the United Republic.
Just then, a series of shots sounded off from the distance. They hit several of the troops present, but only enough to wound them. While Unalaq stared in shock at his wounded troops, the same vehicles he expected came zooming up to the curb. But instead of his usual drivers, out popped the most unexpected people. "Did you forget about us?" Korra called, sticking her head out from the back seat on the right side of the vehicle.
Unalaq and Zaheer could only stare in shock as Asami reloaded and pointed the same semi-automatic weapon she held since the beginning. The engineer was in the passenger seat, brandishing the firearm at the remaining troops. "Not bad for someone who hasn't shot guns in the past, right?" she taunted the group, "But then again, with such shoddy technology, it doesn't take a lot for me to figure out how they work. So, are you ready to surrender?"
The first car's occupants soon all stepped out, with Bumi coming out from the driver's seat and Opal from the back with Korra. The second car consisted of Tonraq, Senna, and Kya. And just behind them, Lin and Saikhan directed several police squad cars onto the scene. The Northern Water Tribe and the Red Lotus were clearly outnumbered, and there was nowhere to go. "Release the president and the First Lady immediately!" Lin demanded.
Zaheer stared around him and tried to lock eyes with Unalaq. Surprisingly, the Northern Water Tribe chieftain did not reciprocate, leaving the air bender quite stunned. Nonetheless, Zaheer focused back at the task at hand. "You don't dare shoot, because I'm not letting either the president or his wife go," he retorted, pushing the tied politician to the forefront, "How about I let all the air out of their lungs right now? You can't shoot as long as they're in front of me, and there's nothing you can do to stop me from suffocating them."
Everyone froze on the spot. The remaining members of the Northern Water Tribe troops gathered around Unalaq, while two remaining Red Lotus members stepped up to Zaheer. Each member held one hostage, Raiko and Buttercup, keeping the police and the others at a stalemate. Asami certainly didn't have confidence to shoot at this time, which basically left her helpless. Bumi and Opal might be able to air bend at Zaheer, but he was probably as skilled as both of them combined. And with Unalaq still active, what would attacking him entail? "We have to regroup, or this will go sour in a hurry," Saikhan suggested.
The distraction gave Unalaq a perfect opportunity to escape. It meant leaving the Red Lotus to the authorities, but Unalaq was prepared to turn on Zaheer. Reaching closer to the backs of the two Northern Water Tribe troops closest to him, Unalaq pulled out some water. To everyone's surprise, he created a small wave with that limited amount and sent it rippling at the group. And since Bumi and Opal were the closest, they took the brunt of the hit.
"Bumi, Opal, are you alright?" Asami shouted, not before she was targeted herself. Luckily, Korra was there to deflect the shot, sending the water right back at Unalaq. As Asami gripped her firearm, she could see Unalaq try to escape. "I really don't want to shoot to kill, but that guy is really pushing it right now," she commented, aiming her weapon at Unalaq.
"I don't think so, Miss Sato," Zaheer stated. The engineer snapped back to attention as the air bender created those same spheres around the heads of Raiko and Buttercup. "If you and the rest of the police won't drop your weapons, then these two will die in seconds."
Indeed, Lin and Saikhan order their team to stand down. Asami could see from the corner of her eye that Unalaq and his two troops now boarded their vehicle before speeding off. It left their team with Zaheer and the hostages, along with a couple of junior Red Lotus associates. They had numerical superiority, but they were also at Zaheer's mercy by virtue of Raiko.
"Zaheer, we can work this out," Lin began again, trying to negotiate the way she and Tenzin did earlier, "You let the president and his wife go, and we'll work out a plea deal or something. I'm sure whoever the new Minister of Justice is can drop some serious charges."
"The president is coming with me, so you better do what I say!" Zaheer roared back. They slowly edged towards the group, approaching the second car that Tonraq, Senna, and Kya got out of earlier. The three water benders pushed closer to the sidewalk, nearly bumping into Korra. "I will head to the pier, and there better not be a police car within ten metres of us."
But Korra noticed something unusual as Zaheer brushed past them. Neither of the junior associates holding Raiko and Buttercup was actually armed. With Unalaq abandoning Zaheer, and Zaheer focusing his attacks on the president, he also wasn't armed. Seeing the water pouch hanging from her father's waist, Korra wondered if she could borrow some water right now.
Glancing up again, Korra could see Zaheer getting close to entering the vehicle. But the way the car seats were positioned meant one Red Lotus member had to drive, while the others held one hostage each. Either the Red Lotus people had to sit apart, or one of Raiko or Buttercup had to take the front seat. It meant they would have to take their hands off at least one of the hostages, which might give Korra just enough time to create a distraction.
The moment came when the Red Lotus member holding Raiko slowly released him. Reaching for the back door on the passenger side of the vehicle, he pulled it open to put the president in it. It meant Zaheer's attention was now on Raiko, who still had the air sphere around his head. With that momentary lapse, Korra shot her hand out at Tonraq. In one smooth motion, she pulled one a string of water. With the momentum carrying her forward, she rushed at Zaheer and rammed the water right under his chin in an uppercut motion.
That act threw Zaheer off balance and caught the Red Lotus off guard. Opal took the initiative and blasted the associate holding Buttercup with air, sending him spiralling away before Asami picked up her firearm and shot him right in the shins. It let Tonraq and Senna focus on the associate who held Raiko, with two water blasts slamming into him and sending him tumbling down the streets. As Lin, Saikhan, and other police officers rushed to apprehend the Red Lotus and check on Raiko and Buttercup, all that was left was Zaheer.
Zaheer turned to Korra with a murderous look. He could not believe that Korra would singlehandedly destroy his plans like this. Even though he told the Red Lotus to underestimate Korra, he now realized she was a more serious threat than envisioned. Twisting his arms again, he tried to bend the air out of Korra and put her out for good.
"No, you don't!" Korra shouted. Pulling out more water, Korra combined that with moisture in the air and flung it at Zaheer. This time, the hit was so hard that Zaheer was sent through the windshield of the car. The glass shattered into dozens of pieces as Zaheer's body flopped into the driver's seat. But Korra was far from done, as she now froze the water into a large iceberg and made it hover it over the car. "This is for everyone I love," she snarled.
Korra released the iceberg and allowed it to fall onto the car. The sickening sound of metal being crushed echoed through the area, and Zaheer was soon buried under the hard ice. Korra could only hyperventilate, her body beyond overstimulated by her latest act. She wasn't sure if she ended up killing Zaheer, but at least she knew he could no longer kill her or anyone around her. As Lin and Saikhan approached again, Korra squatted down and rubbed her temples.
Unalaq kept glancing over his shoulder, looking out the back window of his vehicle. He made a daring escape by slipping into this car, heading for his ship while leaving Zaheer and the Red Lotus alone. He had no idea what was happening to Zaheer at this moment, other than hoping that the Red Lotus leader could hold the police and military off for a bit longer. All he had to do was stall until Unalaq reached international waters, and everything would be fine.
"Can we not drive any faster? We should have been at the pier by now!" Unalaq ordered, jabbing the shoulder of the driver. Even though he had to leave Zaheer behind, Unalaq did not have any regrets, nor did he have time to regret it. He always had the option of abandoning the Red Lotus and returning to his tribe. Plus, as a political leader, he had the luxury of diplomatic immunity on his side. Only his own government could overturn his immunity, and as long as it was filled with his loyalists, there was no way he would be caught.
The car swerved into a back alley, bypassing all the traffic of the main streets and cutting straight for the waters. From the passenger seat, Unalaq could hear his troop ordering a small boat meet Unalaq at the pier. They wanted to slip him out of the city on the boat, and then into international waters where Unalaq's command ship waited. It wasn't ideal, given the amount of marine traffic and coast guard they had to avoid, but right now they had to make do.
The group travelled in complete silence, even when the vehicle lined up against the waterfront. Unalaq could see an informal pier, which resembled a series of steps going into the ocean instead of a boarding area for ships. The troops stepped out of the vehicle, getting onto their radios and requesting the small boat to arrive. Meanwhile, Unalaq was asked to wait in the car, in hopes that he could avoid being spotted by local police or the military. To think a political leader like him would have to be smuggled out like a refugee, it was beyond undignified.
"Chief, the boat is arriving," one of the troops reported, knocking on the car window. Unalaq took a glance over his shoulder to make sure nobody followed or saw him. He slowly stepped out of the car and took one last look at his surroundings. If it wasn't for his political ties with this country, he never wanted to set foot in this city again. Nodding at his two men, Unalaq headed for the steps and saw a speedboat pulling up to the edge.
Again, there was more silence as Unalaq climbed into the speedboat with his two men, allowing the boat pilot to take them to the command ship. Other than the winds whipping past him this evening, he could see the city skyline lighting up. Republic City was always seen as the beacon of hope for the world, with these city lights a welcome sight for all those coming in. He just couldn't believe that it would be the same lights indicating to him that he was no longer welcome here, and the sooner he left, the better.
But barely a minute passed after the boat left the city when sirens blared through the night. Unalaq glanced up and saw a series of boats, all of which kept spotlights on him. "We have you surrounded, Unalaq," the recognizable voice of General Iroh Sozin called from a megaphone, "Stop your boat, turn off your engine, and turn yourself over!"
Unalaq gritted his teeth. From the silhouettes against the spotlights, he could see that the United Forces navy had their weapons turned on him, and there was nowhere left to go. Taking a deep breath, Unalaq resorted to the one trick he still had up his sleeve. "Did you forget that I'm an active political leader? That entitles me to diplomatic immunity!" Unalaq exclaimed, standing tall from his boat, "Let me pass or I assure you there will be a diplomatic issue in your hands!"
However, Iroh stood firm and refused to back down. "About that, I have someone that you might want to speak to," the general explained, signalling at one of his troops. Unalaq could only look on, half frustrated but half curious, at what the fire bender had in mind. There was no way he could stop Unalaq at this point, so why was he even attempting to delay?
Before long, Iroh returned with a tablet. He turned it to Unalaq, and to the Northern Water Tribe chieftain's surprise, there were two simultaneous video screens up. One had the unmistakable face of Tenzin, the United Republic's vice president, while the other had the faces of his two children, Desna and Eska. "I guess you're curious to know what's going on here, so let me give you an update," Tenzin reported, "I've spoken to your children about what happened at the convention centre today. As Desna and Eska are both part of the political leadership of your tribe, they've taken the liberty to remove the diplomatic immunity from you permanently."
"You have become a deplorable man, Father," Desna stated in a monotonous voice, "We will not condone or support any efforts to invade another country, let alone invading them with a known terrorist group. You will not be missed if you become incarcerated as a result."
"But we promise you that we will explain this to Mother once you are brought back to the tribe for your trial and sentencing," Eska added in an equally bored tone, "We won't be saddened if proper punishment is handed out to you for your actions."
Iroh smirked at Unalaq as he put the tablet away. "My troops have full authority to shoot to kill should you resist arrest. So you can come quietly or we can shoot down your boat right now," the general pointed out, "Which option will it be, Unalaq?"
Undaunted, Unalaq pulled up a wave and pushed it right at the military boats. While it was strong enough to edge the first three boats back, Unalaq was soon met with a barrage of flames. Fire benders on the boats unleashed their full arsenal at Unalaq, lighting up the entire night sky. The fire was so hot around him, Unalaq could feel steam rising from the waters.
"Cut through the blockade at all costs!" Unalaq commanded his troops. He focused on the water again, this time making punching actions. He launched a series of waves in short bursts at the military, hoping to dent their ships. But it was Unalaq who would soon be dented, as earth benders launched a series of earth disks, slamming into Unalaq's speedboat. They smashed the front windshield, crushed the engines, and created holes on the sides.
Unalaq cursed under his breath, realizing that his speedboat was next to useless. "Radio the main ship and order them to head straight for the city," he directed, all the while trying to freeze an ice piece against the hull. There was no way the United Forces could take on the full arsenal of his command ship, at least not with this handful of smaller boats.
But Iroh beat Unalaq to the punch, reaching for the radio once more. He ordered the United Forces navy to look out for and intercept Unalaq's flagship. Turning back to Unalaq's sinking boat after he gave his command, Iroh signalled to his four most elite water benders. "Do the same trick Bumi did, except it's a water tornado and not an air one," he proposed.
Heeding the command, the four water benders swirled the waters around Unalaq's boat. The chief and his troops were soon trapped in a water vortex, with his benders unable to undo the tornado. With the wall of water rising against him, it was only a matter of time before they would be apprehended. With a defeated look, Unalaq could only watch as the boat was lifted from the water and pulled closer to the military. It gave Iroh and the rest of the United Forces a chance to approach and pulled them out. "You are now hereby detained by our troops," Iroh stated.
Unalaq let out a shout of frustration as the water benders immediately bound his arms and legs, making him immobile and incapable of bending water. As they took him into custody, Unalaq could only wonder what drove his own children to betray him the way they did.
Jinora and Yung waited anxiously outside a makeshift military tent, pacing back and forth while eyeing nervously at the closed curtains. Before Iroh left to invade the convention centre, he ordered his medics to set up medical tents to assist all those who were injured. Unfortunately, one of those requiring serious medical attention was none other than Yung's own foster child, who suffered burns to his upper body as a result of protecting Jinora. "The only reason I'm still alive is because Kai blocked P'Li's shot," Jinora informed Yung when Kai was wheeled into the tent, "If he doesn't make it out in one piece, I'll be devastated."
After more pacing, Jinora and Yung finally entered each other's lines of sight again. "He is everything to me, even though I sometimes feel I can't provide for him enough," Yung stated, "I'm proud that he was so selfless, but the parent in me obviously wants him to come out alive. If I can trade spots with him right now, I'd do it in a heartbeat."
"Jinora, are you alright?" a deep voice called. Jinora and Yung both turned and saw Tenzin trot up to them. The vice president looked like he aged a decade in one evening, with his face pale and lungs out of breath. "I heard about what happened from some of the military. Are you doing okay? Did you get checked up already? And how is Kai doing so far?"
"He was still unconscious when they brought him out," Jinora reported, gesturing at the closed tent, "I ran into Yung when we were evacuating and told him the news. Kai was brought into this tent and we've been waiting for an update ever since."
Tenzin saw Yung and immediately went to shake his hand. "I have to thank you and your child for protecting Jinora," Tenzin remarked, "I've spoken to Kai several times and I know he's a good student of his culture. I assure you that if Kai recovers, I will help you with the expenses for his medical care. I will also train him in the rest of his air bending, if his health allows it."
Yung gave a weak smile. "Thank you, Mr. Vice President, but I'm pretty sure Jinora held her own in there as well," the chubby air bender responded. He gave Tenzin a quick rundown of what happened, including his battle with the Red Lotus. After heading out of the ballroom, the group went after the separated members of the Red Lotus. "I took on Ghazan with Toza and Bolin, and Mako went after P'Li. Korra and Asami went after Zaheer, who had the president."
Tenzin nodded. He received correspondence that Raiko and Buttercup were saved by Tonraq and Senna, no less. Tonraq and Senna escaped when Suyin and Kuvira intercepted Zaheer and P'Li. The Minister of Foreign Affairs then joined up with Korra, Asami, and Opal in stopping Zaheer. "I personally ordered the arrest of Unalaq, after we caught him leaving the city on a speedboat," Tenzin explained, "Iroh and the navy should be thanked for that move."
"How did you manage to arrest Unalaq? I thought he was subject to diplomatic immunity and can't be arrested by the United Republic," Jinora asked, rubbing her forehead curiously.
Tenzin sighed and pursed his lips. He mimicked his daughter's move, touching the spot where the blue tattoo ended on his head. "It took some serious arm-twisting, including making some moves that I deem ethically questionable, but we managed to pressure Unalaq's children, who are also in charge of the Northern Water Tribe, to waive diplomatic immunity," Tenzin described, "I told them very forcefully that I will make their tribe's action to financially support an active terrorist group known to the world. That will subject them to political and economic scrutiny by all other nations. We got Desna and Eska to agree, and I relayed the orders to Iroh."
Yung nodded. "Mako, Bolin, and Toza probably went through just as much stress as you did. Bolin has never killed anyone before, let alone throwing lava over someone. And I heard from the police chief that Mako electrocuted Ming Hua, and he's never killed anyone even in the line of duty," Yung explained, "I think both those boys will have to get some counselling, and Toza told me he'll probably join them, just to settle down a bit from all this drama."
"I'm most worried about Korra, since she had her foster parents held at gunpoint and her biological parents kidnapped by terrorists," Jinora commented, nervously rubbing her upper arms, "I heard Asami and Opal were with her the entire time, at least based on what she texted me. But to take on the Red Lotus like that, I don't know if she can cope properly."
"The good news for Korra is that, on top of Tonraq and Senna escaping, Varrick and Zhu Li are also okay. They got out with Hiroshi, while Yasuko left just before them," Yung informed Jinora, "And what's this I hear about Varrick taking down Tarrlok Yakone?"
Tenzin let out a chuckle, finally relaxing his pose a bit. He showed Yung and Jinora a text message written to him by his own mother, along with a video sequence of Tarrlok blood bending. "Hiroshi, Varrick, Zhu Li, Bumi, and Kya confronted Tarrlok, who tried to blood bend them. But then Mom showed up and took Tarrlok down with ease," Tenzin declared proudly.
Yung and Jinora both nodded, well aware of the anti-blood bending law. It was enacted by none other than Tenzin's own maternal uncle, Sokka Kuruk. "So how will the police deal with Tarrlok, since he can blood bend?" Jinora asked, "And will Unalaq also be extradited?"
Tenzin nodded. "Tarrlok will be under high security escort until he stands trial, and even then we will keep an eye on him," the vice president described, "As for Unalaq, he will also be under high security escort until the Northern Water Tribe sends troops to pick him up. He will be expected to stand trial there, and I will ask whoever wins the presidential election to direct the person appointed as Minister of Justice to assist with the prosecution."
Just then, the surgeon pulled the tent cover open. "The patient has been patched up and is awake, but we recommend taking him to the hospital for further observations," he explained, pulling off the mask on his face, "I will caution against him doing anything physical at this point, as the explosion did burn his torso quite a bit. It'll be a little while before he completely recovers, but for now we confirm that Kai will be fine and you can talk to him."
Yung sighed, a smile finally coming back onto his face. He trotted into the tent, followed closely by Tenzin and Jinora. Indeed, lying on a stretcher with various bandages covering his shirtless torso was Kai. "Hey, you okay, kiddo?" Yung greeted his foster child.
Kai turned to his left and smiled weakly at Yung. "I've been better," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper, "So that was pretty crazy, huh? I'm sorry I worried you so much."
Yung tried to hold back a tear, feeling both frustrated and proud at Kai's selflessness. "I won't be the only one who's worried if something happened to you," Yung responded. Much as he wanted to give Kai a hug, he had to restrain himself just to avoid loosening the bandages. He only reached out and held Kai's hand, all the while gesturing behind him.
Kai looked over Yung's shoulder and smiled even wider. Waving Jinora over, he allowed her to position herself on his other side, holding her hand with his free hand. "Thank you so much for believing in me," he whispered, "I hope I proved myself worthy as an Air Nomad."
Hearing that, Jinora allowed her tears to flow, which finally triggered Yung to do the same. "You're always worthy, Kai," she answered with a sniffle, "But just don't do that ever again. If I lose you, I don't know what I'll do for the rest of my life."
Korra was pleasantly surprised that only a week had passed before the presidential nomination event was rescheduled. She knew there was still a lot to do for police, military, and national security forces in settling the issues with the Red Lotus and the Northern Water Tribe. Bu Korra also knew that life must go on at Republic City, especially with the upcoming election. With no special request made by any government officials to postpone it, Korra knew that the nomination event had to proceed regardless.
And here she was, at the Four Elements Hotel, attending a scaled-down version of the event. Raiko and Tenzin both decided to roll it back, pushing more government funds towards investigating terrorist threats and recovery efforts. Raiko, who was still recovering from being held hostage by Zaheer, only gave a quick introductory speech before heading off. It left Tenzin as the one giving the main speech after all the candidates have been announced. And of course, that included Korra's own father, who recovered very well from his ordeal.
"How are you doing, Korra?" a gentle voice called from behind her. Korra turned and smiled at Senna, who slowly approached her and placed her hands on Korra's upper arms. Not only did Tonraq and Senna recover well, they also helped the police and military fight off the Red Lotus. Even though they were the ones captured, and Korra started the whole sequence to save them, it felt like Tonraq and Senna were more worried about how Korra was doing. "Are you feeling okay the past week? Are you coping well? I know everything that happened can be overwhelming, so feel free to reach up if you have to."
Korra turned her head slightly away, trying to focus on something other than her parents. In reality, Korra had not coped well alone, as she still had nightmares about battling Zaheer. Even though she won the battle and saved everyone, Korra could not erase the fact that her water bending move ended the Red Lotus leader's life. While part of her knew she did the right thing, and the world was probably better off without Zaheer, it still shook Korra to the core. With how she hounded her new therapist, Korra was surprised she wasn't cancelled as a result.
Taking a deep breath, Korra turned around to face Tonraq and Senna again. "I'm really glad you guys are okay, and that you're ready to take on the presidential election again," Korra commented, "You can't believe how nervous I was when I saw you being held hostage on stage, and the only thing I could do was throw boiling water at people just to hide."
"We'll definitely talk more about this in the next day or two," Tonraq reassured Korra. Due how busy everyone was, plus Korra wanting some familiarity in coping with this event, Tonraq and Senna did not debrief these events with Korra. They still wanted to sit down and talk, letting Korra know they were proud and happy. But for now, the campaign was back on, and Tonraq wanted tonight's event out of the way first. "After accepting my nomination, I plan to hold a press conference in the next day or two. I have an important announcement to make, and after that I'll spend some time with you."
Korra blinked a couple of times. Before this evening, Tonraq did not tell anyone about any special announcement. What was this all about and would he try to get her involved? Doing her usual head tilt, Korra asked, "What do you have in mind?"
"Tonraq is planning to announce a running mate for his presidential campaign, meaning that person will be his vice president if he's elected," a male voice sounded off from Korra's other side. Korra turned to see her foster parents, Varrick and Zhu Li, approach, with Varrick explaining the details to Korra. "Remember how some candidates already have running mates in mind when they run? Well, Tonraq already decided, and he'll announce it at the press conference soon. If you want, we can tell you who it is, but you have to keep it a secret."
Korra nodded her head vigorously, causing some chuckles from the group. But what happened next was completely out of Korra's expectation. Zhu Li slipped out of Varrick's arm and stood proudly next to Tonraq. "Your father has chosen me to be his running mate," the bespectacled woman declared, "That means if we're elected, you will be connected to both the president and the vice president."
Korra's mouth opened and closed several times, but no words came out of it. The feeling of constriction that occurred after Zaheer's death returned, only it felt warm and fuzzy instead of cold and hard. While Korra continued to stare at the ground, struggling to find the right words, Tonraq explained his reasoning. "The main reason is that Zhu Li's ideas for building housing and infrastructure really resonated with me, and I felt those ideas can be put forth with ease. She and Varrick already have a hand in Future Industries, which is an engineering firm. With that experience, I figure she should give input into developing the city, including rebuilding the areas damaged by the Red Lotus attack. Of course, all bids on projects must go through a fair and transparent process. We won't favour Future Industries, but at least her input will be valued."
"Which also makes this very special, because it means you are the First Daughter and the Second Daughter," Varrick chimed in, placing a hand on Zhu Li's shoulder and his other hand on Korra's shoulder, "I know the presidential mansion and the vice presidential mansion are on the same block, so it'll be perfect for you if we win. You can alternate between houses any time you want and still see all four of us on a regular basis. We'll work it out with national security staff when the time comes, but until then we all have to work hard at getting elected."
Tonraq wanted to say more, but the announcer requested that all presidential nominees went to the stage for their introductions. Because the stage was much smaller this time, only the nominees were allowed to go on, meaning Senna would stay in the crowd with Varrick, Zhu Li, and Korra. "I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?" Tonraq assured Korra.
"Good luck, Dad!" Korra suddenly called. It got everyone around her to stare with their jaws hitting the floor. Did Korra, for the first time since she was put into Varrick's care, call Tonraq her father? All this time she never called Tonraq Dad, so why the sudden change?
Tonraq also heard the statement, and he couldn't help but beam from ear to ear. "I'm so happy you finally called me Dad, Korra," he whispered, trying hard not to spill any tears, "Let me finish my speech first, and then we'll talk afterwards, okay?"
As Tonraq headed for the stage, Korra was escorted into the audience. Varrick, Zhu Li, and Senna could not guess what went through Korra's mind when she said that. But whatever the case, it seemed like it was yet another step that Korra took to re-establish their relationship. Even with everything happening in Korra's hectic life, there was a huge positive waiting to occur.
"How are you guys holding up?" Asami asked Opal as they waited in the crowd. Both the Sato family and the Bei Fong family attended today's smaller nomination event. And like Korra, both Asami and Opal had to get physical and mental healing after what happened at the previous event. "With my mom helping hostages escape while hobbling on one leg and my dad being blood bent while trying to stop a corrupt politician, I'm a little weary around firearms right now," Asami commented, "But how have you been coping?"
Opal inhaled and exhaled deeply. She thought she had problems coping after the Triple Threats attempted to set her clothes on fire, but this took everything to a whole new level. "I still have nightmares about the part when the Red Lotus blew that hostage's head off," Opal replied, rubbing her tight cheeks, "I know Korra told us to duck and pulled us away from the window, but I can still picture those seconds before they did it. It's not easy to forget, that's for sure."
"Well, it's good that you both agree that you should seek counselling," Suyin stated, placing an arm around her daughter's shoulder. Unlike Kuvira and Lin, who were outside with the rest of the police and military forces providing security, Suyin attended the event with Opal. "To have more than ninety percent of the people surviving, that deserves some recognition."
"Yes, but we should still honour and respect those who sacrificed their lives and safeties for us," Hiroshi pointed out, stepping up from Asami's other side. Despite being blood bent, the heavyset entrepreneur was not worse for wear. "Future Industries will provide resources for rebuilding, including donations for hospitals and medical clinics for those injured."
"And those injured include some of our closest friends," Yasuko added. Even though her legs could still carry her, Yasuko suffered from fatigue by just standing, thanks to the workout her bad leg got shipping hostages out while leaning on a cane. "Kai recently got released from hospital, and Yung took time off work just to take care of him. Toza and Bolin both had to get checked out, and Mako is back to work even when he's still healing. Talk about dedication!"
"Do you think they're watching outside? I know they set up large monitors outside to let the public see, if they can't make it in here," Opal commented, craning her head towards the door. Bolin texted her earlier today indicating he would be here, but she did not see him or the rest of their group since she got here. "Maybe I should text them just to see where they are."
But before Opal could pull out her phone, her attention was interrupted by another group. Varrick and Zhu Li led Korra and Senna straight to them, with Korra's grin that stretched from ear to ear getting Opal's attention the most. "Are you guys excited to hear my dad give his nomination speech?" Korra asked, bouncing slightly on her feet.
That comment got everybody leaning their heads closer to Korra. "Did you just call Tonraq your dad?" Asami asked, "You've been calling him by name all this time. We figure it's because you're not used to him as your biological family yet. So when did it all change?"
Korra's eyes tilted away from the group, her gaze going diagonally to the ground. "I just figure after everything that happened, that maybe I should cherish those around me more," Korra explained, "To see everyone, no matter their ethnicity or bending element, whether they are male or female, old or young, autistic or not, gather together to take on a common enemy, it made me realize how special it is to be human, which means cherishing those around me."
"I'm just really glad Korra chose to accept Tonraq and me, and to hear her call me Mom is amazing," Senna chimed in, placing a hand on Korra's elbow, "But more importantly, it only convinced Tonraq and me to be an even bigger part of Korra's life. We owe it to Korra for so many years of relating to her without her knowing our identities, so now is the best time to start."
Before they knew it, the announcer beckoned everyone's attention to the stage. Soon, all the candidates were announced, with each given an opportunity to say a few words. Korra knew that they had to keep things short due to the scaled-down nature of this event, but she was still eager to hear out what Tonraq had to say. There were still a few people to go before Tonraq took the stage, but Korra already heard the speeches given by those before Tonraq. "At least they all spoke about policies instead of launching personal attacks like Tarrlok," Korra muttered.
Finally, after the final few speakers finished, Tonraq was called up. Now that Tarrlok was detained and disqualified for blood bending, Tonraq was the clear frontrunner in this campaign. As the applause died down, Korra paid attention to her father, who shuffled his notes on the podium before gazing into the crowd with his strong and confident blue eyes.
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. I am humbled and honoured to accept my nomination for the presidential election this year," Tonraq announced, pausing for a second to scan the audience before referring back to his notes, "We've had quite a month, with what happened at the previous attempt at a nomination event. It only shows that there are challenges facing our nation, both from within and from outside. Whether it's from internal corruption like our own politicians doing illegal acts, or from external actors like rogue political leaders that support terrorists like the Red Lotus, we still face an uncertain future in our world."
The mood in the entire hall went sombre, and Korra could sense everyone around her tightening. While the mention of the Red Lotus did Korra no favours, she tried her best to shove the worst parts of those events to the back of her mind. She redoubled her efforts to focus on Tonraq, who now moved onto the next part of his speech. "But we have an advantage in that we are an ethnically diverse country. We encourage each culture to maintain their specialty, while promoting them to live together as one," Tonraq added, "These differences need not be a source of conflict. As those threats I mentioned before found out, the United Republic has found balance throughout the years. No amount of intimidation from those threats can change that."
That induced a round of applause, with some people even chanting slogans favouring the United Republic. Tonraq allowed the crowd to cheer for a few seconds, flashing a wide smile of his own, before continuing on. "We still have a lot of work to do, including rebuilding our city and taking it to the next level. We have made a lot of progress through the years but we can do so much more. Whether it's housing, economy, environment, or international cooperation, the United Republic has so much to offer, both to its own citizens and to the world. But instead of surrendering to the chaos, we should face whatever challenge thrown our way. Just like how we came together to defeat the Red Lotus, we can make the country thrive, no matter the situation."
Another round of applause was emitted, including from Korra. But what Tonraq said next made Korra's smile permanent for the rest of the night. "I share with you the words of Aang Anil, the father of our current vice president," Tonraq quoted, "The true mind can weather lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can tough hatred without being harmed. Though darkness thrives in the void, it always yields to purifying light. And it is with this thought that I accept the nomination for presidency, and I won't let you down."
And as usual, here is my list of acknowledgements and inspirations for this chapter:
1.) I have to thank SaiorseParisa for editing the scene with Korra at the new presidential nomination event. I really wanted to do a scene where Korra finally stops calling Tonraq and Senna by name and address them as her parents. We had an interesting discussion about Korra's routines and why she made the change, mainly because Korra was now comfortable enough to consider Tonraq and Senna her family. Korra is "no longer alone" in this world and she now accepts Tonraq and Senna, bringing them into her support circle. I also recognize that autistic people have routines and won't break them, but nothing suggests that autistic people cannot incorporate new things into their routines, which is what Korra did here. So major thanks to SaoirseParisa for the input and I hope this scene worked well.
2.) The comment about Unalaq having to reach international waters in order to be free is based on admiralty law. A country has control over its coastlines and waters that extend a certain distance from the coastlines. However, once that distance is passed, it is open waters with no country having control over it. With no occupation over it, no one country has monopoly over laws in international waters, and only the country to which a ship is registered in has jurisdiction over what happens on the ship. But because diplomatic immunity was waived against Unalaq, and the fact that he hasn't reached international waters yet, the United Republic can arrest him and hand him over to the Northern Water Tribe, where Desna and Eska are in charge.
3.) The electoral system in the United Republic is a bit unusual in that I partly based it on consensus government. All candidates for presidency can also qualify for cabinet, based on how many people run and how many votes they get. The candidates are nominated and confirmed, and all of them make the ballot. The winner will become president, but all other "losers" can still make it into cabinet. My thought is that this allows for consensus building, and only when there are not enough candidates for cabinet will the president appoint them from outside. That's why Tarrlok said he would not appoint Korra as a cabinet minister, even when Korra wasn't running. But now that Tarrlok is out of the picture due to his serious criminal charge of blood bending, we don't have to worry about that!
4.) Suyin throwing a metal door over P'Li to make her blow herself up is from "Enter the Void" in Book 3 where she did the same thing, except with her armor instead. Desna and Eska calling Unalaq deplorable and offering to explain to their mother what happened to Unalaq is from "Light in the Dark" in Book 2 where they said similar things after Unalaq was defeated as the Dark Avatar. Zhu Li accepting Tonraq's proposal to run as his vice president is from "Turf Wars, Part 2" when she agreed to run as president against Raiko (and ultimately defeated him!). And Tonraq's speech at the end of the chapter quoting Aang is from "Turf Wars, Part 3" when Zhu Li similarly quoted Aang in her victory speech as president.
I have one more chapter to go before wrapping it all up with an epilogue. It's been an amazing ride, but I think it's time to wrap this story up soon. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and I will see you next time for our final full chapter of this story.