Hi y'all! Major shoutouts to the guest reviewers and to the newest people aboard the S. S. Baavira thanks to Ironclad. To that one guest reviewer with a suggestion- keep 'em coming! The fic is already finished planning-wise, but who knows, the odd suggestion may inspire me to build on the plot points I already have. :) Say it with me now: onward!


Baatar had been arguing with Lin as they left the port, having dropped Keisai off for his visit to the Fire Nation, when the next incident occurred. The man deserved a break after spending the better part of his year working tirelessly on two cases, and Lin had conspired with Baatar to get him sent home for a couple of weeks. She claimed her reasons were to get him out of her hair, but Baatar knew better; he could see that his aunt had grown fond of the lawyer despite her irritation at his continued flirting.

"Have you thought about letting Kuvira testify for you?" Lin asked as he held the door for her, climbing into the driver's seat. "Keisai mentioned the idea to me, and I don't think it's a bad idea."

"Why would I do that?" Baatar said irritably. "The media has already portrayed me in the most pathetic light... I have some pride, you know."

"That didn't stop you from wanting to dump everything the second Korra threatened to keep you both apart," Lin pointed out, smirking. "And that's on record."

"I was an engaged man faced with the prospect of never seeing the woman I love again!" Baatar snapped, embarrassed at the reminder. "What was I supposed to do, take a gamble on my future with Kuvira?"

"It didn't work out anyway," Lin said, her words ending in an exclamation of surprise as a sudden clip of metal projectiles lodged themselves in the outside of the open passenger door. "What the flameo was that?"

Baatar's eyes narrowed as he looked in the direction the metal had come from. "Looks like we're being followed," he said, jumping into the car without further preamble and slamming the door. "Hang a left off of seventh and take the long way," he said as she began to drive.

Lin wordlessly acquiesced, rolling down the window on her side and bringing up a stone barricade to delay their pursuers. "Mako?" she barked into the radio. "I need you to send officers to the port lot right now. We're being followed, but I'm trying to shake these guys. They're metalbenders and likely members of the loyalist party."

"Copy that, chief," Mako's voice crackled through the speaker. "Drive safe."

"Same to you, kid," Lin muttered. "Now get on it."

Lin wove through every crowded street with a furrowed brow, her hand on her horn and her foot on the gas. More than once, she erected barriers to block the car in hot pursuit, finally losing them when they were far from Baatar's apartment and her own place of residence. They circled back, taking the long way to her house, and Lin sank onto the chair with a sigh. "You're more trouble than you're worth, kid. I didn't sign up for babysitting a twenty-five year old."

"I didn't ask for crazy supporters," Baatar retorted.

"Actually, you did," she pointed out, "and I'm glad we didn't stick around to find out if these guys were from the sect that still wants you back in the Earth Kingdom." She drummed her fingers on the armrest as they both regained their bearings. "But I've got a feeling that those projectiles weren't friendly fire. So, if she testified for you, would you go with it?"

"Aunt Lin," he said flatly, "you of all people ought to know that I will never take that angle in the courtroom."

"I didn't suggest it because I thought you should," Lin said gently. "I payed her a visit earlier today."

Baatar stared. "You did? Why?"

"She won't have visitors in a while, with Keisai off to the Fire Nation, and you've been double-booked for the past month," Lin said. "I appreciated you spending whatever free time you have with Opal and myself, but I felt bad for her." She shrugged. "She's going a little crazy, and your visits help her. I've pushed for her to have bending privileges under strict supervision, since she's demonstrated good behavior."

He groaned. "You told me that we're bad for each other, and now you're telling me to visit more? Make up your mind."

"No," she said pointedly, "why don't you make up yours? You're still in love with her, aren't you?"

Baatar narrowed his eyes. "Why does everyone keep accusing me of that?"

"Your charges were released a month ago," she snorted. "Don't act like I'm adding to them, I'm being serious. Half the time you say 'we' without realizing it, you mention her for stuff as trivial as what sort of soup she prefers, you still keep the schedule you both followed-"

"Military habits die hard," he said, aware his voice was too loud.

"That's exactly what she said when I visited this morning, and found her doing pushups in her cell," Lin retorted, crossing her arms. "When you don't have anything to focus on, you're thinking of her. So make up your mind and tell me what you intend to do about it."

Baatar sighed, kicking the coffee table and scowling when his stack of papers slid off. "What am I supposed to make up my mind about, exactly?" he asked, leaving his seat and stooping to pick up the blueprints strewn on the floor.

"Say you're acquitted. Say Keisai gets her acquitted. Then what?" Lin regarded him with genuine curiosity. "Would you take her back?"

"How do you know she even wants me back?" he said, straightening the stack and returning to the couch. "Aunt Lin, she effectively told me that if I were in her position on the day of the annexation, I would have been stupid not to fire. She made it sound as though what she did was unselfish, and that it was a necessary sacrifice." He paused, his chin in his hand and his eyes unfocused on a spot between them. "I don't know if we can be together after that, even if everything worked out legally...I devoted my life to her, and she apparently never recognized that she means more to me than anything-"

"This is what I'm saying," Lin said. "Do you hear yourself? You still talk about her in the present tense. Even when you're doubting how she feels about you, you make it clear that your feelings haven't changed a bit." She smiled despite the exasperation in her voice. "Answer the question. If you both were acquitted, would you give her a second chance?"

"I would want to," he admitted. "I don't know if I would."

His aunt sighed. "Well, you'll never make a clean break until you know the outcome of both of your cases, I can see that much."

"What did she say to you?" Baatar said, trying for a change of topic. "Why do you want me to throw my self-respect away and play the lovesick fool?"

"Keisai has mentioned it to me more than once," Lin said, "and I mentioned it to her in passing. She's worried about your case, Junior... she suggested testifying that she convinced you to join her and used her role in your personal life to make you look the other way to some of her crimes. You were engaged, so it's entirely believable."

"That would only lengthen her sentence," he said, frowning. "She told me she's going crazy in there, and it hasn't even been a full year yet. Why would she do that?"

Lin sighed noisily. "You're a real idiot sometimes, you know that? You said she was the first person to see your potential as an innovator. She was the first person to encourage you in your field. She gave you an outlet to make a name for yourself, didn't she?"

"Yes..." he said slowly, "I told you all of that; believe me, I remember."

"Kuvira always wanted to help the earth kingdom," she continued. "And at this point, I think she knows that your acquittal means a damn sight more to the country than hers. She knows how much your conditional release has helped Republic City, and I think she'd be content to see you making a difference at home since she no longer can." Lin leaned back in her chair, studying his face as he processed what she said.

"So you're telling me she's being strategic again," Baatar said softly. "She's thinking of our country first-"

"Not just that," Lin said, grimacing. "She wants you to be happy."

"Excuse me?"

"She wants you to be happy," Lin repeated. "She's pretty guarded around me, but she effectively gave me a sappy and pretentious speech about how you have a life ahead of you and how you deserve to move on-"

Baatar held up a hand to stop her. "That's touching, but that doesn't mean I want her to commit perjury on my behalf... What exactly are you implying here, Aunt Lin?"

"All I'm saying is she's thinking unselfishly," she said. "You've come a long way, kid, but I think you could learn something from her. When was the last time you talked to Su?"

Baatar nodded. "Point taken, I'll call her."

"Don't screw it up this time," Lin admonished, punching his shoulder. "You're going to run out of chances."

o0o

The generators were up and running, and the entire downtown sector was powered by clean energy. His utility patent on the technology was still pending, but Asami Sato was eager to sponsor the endeavor and handle production on a larger scale for different parts of the city. She hoped to land another contract with the government, an ambition Baatar could appreciate. Varrick's refusal to work with the vines after the disaster on the train nearly a year ago had left the opportunity ripe for the taking, and as he had left the fenced-off site of the generators that afternoon, his workday having concluded early, he silently took in the view of Republic City at night. The newly-fixed buildings had lights in every window, and the skyline immediately within sight was running entirely off the vines. He regarded his handiwork with a rush of pride as the sky darkened overhead, even as he felt a little prick of discontent that his father couldn't see what he had accomplished on his own.

Once he got home, he regarded the phone in silence. A few days had passed since his conversation with Lin, and he felt as though he had delayed long enough. He dialed Su's office number rather than the main line for the house, and waited until he heard the voice he had missed more than he had been willing to admit.

"Mom?"

"Junior?" Su's voice sounded concerned. "This is a surprise.. is everything all right?"

"I'm fine, Mom." He drummed his fingers on the desk. "Keisai will be meeting with Raiko soon."

"How does he think it will go?"

"Well," Baatar said, thinking back to the grim satisfaction in the lawyer's voice when he had called. "He's just happy to be barfight-ready again, I think." He told her with genuine excitement of the power plant downtown and of the formal application for the utility patent, trying to have a normal conversation with her for the first time in months. She sounded happy, and answered his inquiries after the family and his brothers in good humor. Unable to find a way to work in what he had set out to say, Baatar paused, trying to figure out the least offensive way to bring up the topic he had in mind. "So.." he began, bracing himself, "I actually called you for a specific reason..."

"You can tell me," Su said, her voice hopeful. "What is it, sweetie?"

"It's something I should have told you a long time ago," he said, grimacing. "This isn't easy for me to say..."

"It's fine, Junior," Su said earnestly. "Say whatever you need to and take your time."

A cruel part of him wished for an instant that he could see her face, but for the most part Baatar felt bad about the words as they left his mouth in a rush. "I'vebeenvisitingKuvira."

There was dead silence on the line for a moment before Su spoke again. "What did you say?"

"I've been visiting Kuvira weekly," he repeated. "For nearly seven months now. Even when you and Dad and the boys were here for Opal's birthday." He listened, concerned when he didn't hear anything. "Mom?"

"Anything else to tell me?" Her voice was cold, but Baatar could hardly blame her; still, he found himself more unnerved by her silent anger than he expected.

"Well.." He cast around for something to diffuse the situation, but nothing came to mind. "I'm incredibly sorry about it, for a start..."

"So now you're lying to me."

"Yes..." He could hear his father's voice in the background and winced, hoping Su wouldn't find out that her husband had known long before her. "Mom, I told you because I felt bad about keeping this from you-"

"Then thank you for telling me, Junior," she said, her voice icy. "Anything else?"

"I love you," he said awkwardly. "And I'm looking forward to seeing you all soon... tell Dad I called."

"Tell him yourself." There was a brief moment of background noise and he assumed the phone had been unceremoniously thrust into his father's hands. Baatar winced, but couldn't help but feel relieved that the secret was finally out.

"Son?"

"Dad," Baatar said. "Save yourself. I told Mom about Kuvira. Play dumb."

"You couldn't wait til we visited so you could tell her in person?"

Baatar growled in frustration as he heard Su explode with fury on the other line, tossing out accusations as though she had been completely betrayed. "Dad, I just told you to play dumb-"

"I'll deal with it later, Junior. How is everything going?" his father asked. "Think the city hall will be ready in time for the tribunal?"

"I'm cautiously optimistic," he said. "Even if it's not complete, it'll be more than enough for the trial."

Baatar Sr. sighed on the other end of the line. "I read the list of formal charges when they came out."

"I thought you would have."

"What does Keisai think?"

"Hard to say," Baatar replied, "but he decided not to go for a plea deal, if that makes you feel better. How's the new magna-train coming along? I'm excited for you to see what I've engineered for downtown, but you'll be able to read about it soon enough if you can get your hands on a copy of the Times."

"Quite well," his father said, and he spoke of it for the next few minutes, though Baatar could hear the anxiety in his voice. "I'm going to go calm down your mother, Junior. And your aunt told me about the earlier brush with the loyalists- please be careful."

"I'm a paragon of caution," he said with a fond smile at the mention of Lin. "I have to be, with my weekly visits to the woman who tried to kill me."

o0o

Baatar took the stairs to Kuvira's cell two at a time, ignoring the looks on the guards' faces as he entered her room. His greeting died on his lips, and he leaned in the doorway to observe her.

It had been months since he'd seen her dance, but he had assumed she had been practicing to a music only she could hear for a good while. On a handful of visits, he had found her slightly out of breath covered in a thin sheen of sweat, her hair thrown into a bun at the nape of her neck and loose strands around her face. Now, he watched her dance for the first time in ages, her hair braided down her back, her body unimpeded by injuries, and her limbs gracefully extended as she flowed from one move to the next. Stripped down to her white undershirt and prison uniform trousers, he could see that she had lost weight. Her limbs were more wiry, the muscles standing out under the skin, and the sharp blades of her scapulae were visible through the white cotton of her shirt. She was paler than he'd remembered too from her prolonged time indoors, and as she danced facing the window, the glow from the mid-afternoon sun seemed to further wash out her skin. Overall, she had an ashen appearance; her once-glossy hair was now a dull black and the curve of her hips significantly less pronounced, but as he watched her effortlessly execute her own difficult choreography with military precision he found he didn't care.

He had in reality only watched for a couple of minutes, but it felt much longer, and he knocked on the doorframe with regret as he jolted her from her little moment of tranquility. "May I come in?"

Kuvira stopped abruptly, and as she turned he saw that a dull flush colored her cheeks. It could have been from the exercise, but he preferred to think it was from his visit. He wondered how he had missed the dark circles under her eyes or the pallor of her skin before; he realized it made little difference to him. Baatar was saddened to see the toll prison had taken on her, but bathed in the light from the window and her body humming with life only dancing seemed to bring her, she was as beautiful as he'd always remembered. "You're already in," she said snidely, sweeping the loose strands from her face. "Have a seat, I'll stretch and be there in a minute."

He sat, giving up any pretense of looking away when she used the window ledge as a bar, her back to him once more as she extended her leg and brought her forehead to her shin. She repeated it with the other leg, arching to the side and letting her fingers brush the window glass. As she stretched, the hem of her shirt was tugged slightly out of place, and Baatar could see the ridges of scar tissue that marred her side. His throat tightened. "Stop showing off."

She swung her leg down from the ledge, crossing her arms behind her to loosen up her shoulders as she walked towards him. He could see that the drawstring of her waistband had been pulled tight, her already-narrow waist even smaller in circumference. "Who's showing off?" she said, voice innocent even though he could detect a mischievous glint in her eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, I look like hell. At this rate I'll have grey hair by the time I'm thirty, and when I'm released I'll look older than your mother."

It took Baatar a moment to realize she was only joking, but his smile was still sad. "You don't look a day over twenty-five, Kuvira. Don't feel bad."

She laughed as she sat opposite him. "I thought you were too busy to visit me."

"I made time." He watched as she unwrapped her arms. "Lin knows that you can bend the metal in the ring."

Kuvira stopped, looking at him sharply. "Is that a joke?"

"No," he said, quirking a brow. "That's what she told me." He reached for the note on the table, recognizing the lawyer's handwriting. "She's also been trying to get you a few minutes of allotted bending time for your good behavior, since she knows firsthand what it's like to lose the ability."

"That's more than I deserve," Kuvira said thoughtfully. "I'll have to thank her as soon as I get the chance. Since you see her often, tell her for me?"

"I will," he promised. "I also told my mother about us."

She narrowed her eyes. "Meaning?"

"I told her I've been visiting you," he said, unable to keep the smile from his face. "She didn't take it too badly..."

"Oh no, Baatar," she groaned, "you did it over the phone? You're an idiot, wipe that smirk off your face. She'll be upset now."

"I didn't do it to upset her," Baatar protested. "I didn't want to hide anything any longer. They'll be here for the trial in a few weeks, and I'd rather let her accept it now instead of making her blow up right when everyone's nerves will be strung thin-"

"So long as you didn't do it out of spite," Kuvira said. "We've put your family through enough..."

She trailed off, and Baatar idly read the papers from Keisai. It mostly consisted of legal briefing, but a note was attached to the final sheet. The lawyer's handwriting was on a small square of paper stuck to the back page, and as he read the message Baatar's expression darkened. "So... he's putting you up to testifying for me?"

Kuvira snatched the papers from him. "Don't read that, it doesn't concern you."

"Apparently it does," he said, frowning. "By the way, when did he make a habit of calling you 'sweetheart,' exactly?"

"That definitely doesn't concern you," she retorted, "and why are you getting offended? I didn't get upset when you both arranged a date night in front of me."

"That's completely different!" Baatar said, crossing his arms. "I owe him for risking his own wellbeing for my case, and he's..." He trailed off as he thought of Keisai's apparent ease when it came to physical contact. "He's a bit overfamiliar."

"Exactly," Kuvira said, mirroring his position. "So stop getting offended by it, especially when it has nothing to do with you." They regarded one another in silence, until she cracked a smile. "He told me to work on my resting bitch face."

"He told me I have a bitchy fiancée," he replied, his smile quickly fading as his words hung in the air between them, Keisai's longstanding implications all too apparent to them both.

"Do you?" she prodded gently. "I'd love to meet her someday."

Baatar sighed. "Not now, Kuvira. Can we change the subject? I'm sorry I ever brought it up."

"Of course," she said, arranging the papers in a tidy stack. "To what?"

"I'm glad to see you're dancing again," he said, settling on a safe topic. "You always were at your happiest after a good hour of practice."

Even the mention of her favorite pastime brought a twinkle to her eye, and he found that he had missed it more than he'd realized. "Would you like to see what I've come up with? Imagine it's to the tune of Suyin's favorite ballad," she said, standing and facing away from him, her arms gracefully extended and her feet pointed, poised to begin. He smiled when he heard her counting herself off under her breath.

"Gladly." He watched in silence as he had so many times in the past, but this time it was different. He could feel each step and leap and spin through the wooden floor, since her performing space was only a few feet in front of him. He could feel the air shift as her body displaced it, at times only inches from his face, and he could feel her breath, steady and controlled, as she danced with the finesse of one born to it. He drank in the sight of her throughout the private recital, and Lin's words from earlier came to mind as Kuvira twirled and struck her final line, holding his gaze and extending her arm in a graceful bow.

"What do you think?" she said, straightening and tossing her braid over her shoulder. "I know I'm a little rusty..."

"You're perfect," he said impulsively. Her face was flushed from her exertion but he felt his own cheeks redden, and he backtracked hurriedly. "You're as good as ever, it's like you never stopped choreographing."

"Here's another bit I'm working on," she said and she launched into a new routine, with Baatar imagining the music and the pavilion back home, as if it was his first time watching her again.

o0o

"Mr. President," Keisai said smoothly, nodding. "I'm honored to finally have an audience with you." He inclined his head to the woman seated next to Raiko. She was elegantly dressed in steel grey with an eggplant-colored silk cravat, her legs crossed at the knee and her manicured hands resting atop her lap. Her nails were shaped and filed to blunted ovals, and her thick, dark brown hair was pulled back from her face, secured in a severe knot with a pin of plum jade. "You must be Meilin Dai."

"You must be Keisai," Meilin replied, a snide smile on her face. Her high cheekbones and sharp black eyeliner lent her blue eyes a feline appearance. "I hope I won't be intruding on this little deposition?"

Keisai took her hand in his, arching a brow at her remark. "I'm afraid you already are," he said as he dropped it back into her lap. "But I would expect little else from a member of the prosecuting team... after all, you can't have Raiko saying something he'd regret, can you?"

Meilin gestured to the chair opposite them. "I would love to continue this bit of... adolescent posturing, but please have a seat," she said. "The president is on a tight schedule, and I doubt you want to waste your allotted time with him."

Keisai narrowed his eyes. "How considerate of you." He turned his attention to Raiko. "Mr. President, four years ago you approached Suyin Beifong with Councilman Tenzin to ask her to assume the role of interim president for the Earth Kingdom."

Raiko nodded his assent.

"I'm afraid I can't take visual responses as answers," Keisai said, his tone clipped. "A yes or no, please."

"Yes," Raiko said, the animosity evident in his voice. "Anything else?"

"Now we're getting somewhere," Keisai said merrily, switching on the dictaphone. "Did you present her with the contract for the role?"

"I did not."

"And yet, there was a contract drafted about two months before the date of your visit to the capital of Zaofu," Keisai observed. "Any reason for that?"

Raiko glanced at the attorney. "There isn't any such draft on accessible file," Meilin said.

"Please don't be dishonest with me," Keisai said evenly, pulling a copy of the document from the case that lay before him. "Perhaps this will ring a bell, Mr. President?"

A vein pulsed in Raiko's forehead. "Yes, we drafted that before the visit to Suyin," he said. "In light of the instability following the earth queen's demise, we felt it necessary as global leaders to give some order back to the largest sovereign nation in the world."

"Would you classify the revolution in the Earth Kingdom as an international affair?" Keisai asked. "The events aren't too different from those that led to the creation of the United Republic's current form of government."

"That question is irrelevant," Meilin interjected. "May I remind you that my client also reserves the right to leave questions unanswered?"

"Duly noted," Keisai said, winking at her. "Eight months later, when Kuvira and Baatar Junior stabilized Ba Sing Se, you approached her with the contract for the role of interim president. I have a copy of that as well, Meilin," he added sweetly, handing it to her. "Well, sir?"

"I did," Raiko said shortly.

"What legally binding role did the contract play?" Keisai asked, cocking his head to the side.

"It was an agreement that she would step down after completing her assigned task of bringing stability to the kingdom."

"'Assigned task.'" Keisai leaned forward. "Elaborate, please."

"Next question," Meilin said dismissively. "Although if you plan on wasting your time on trivialities, please continue."

He smiled tightly. "Did you provide Kuvira and her army with any military support after 'assigning her' this task?"

"No."

"Did you give her any legal or political council following her contract as interim president?"

Raiko gritted his teeth. "No."

"Really?" Keisai frowned in mock displeasure. "So she had the liberty of appointing her own cabinet and assigning rank to members of her army." Raiko nodded. "Out loud, if you please," Keisai said, gesturing to the dictaphone.

"That is correct," Raiko ground out.

"I see." Keisai glanced at the contract again. "Her term expired two months after the date of Prince Wu's coronation."

"Yes."

"Why was that?"

"As you know, a new ruler's election or ascension is not immediate," Meilin said evenly. "It takes time for power to be formally handed over. The coronation date was symbolic-"

"Thank you, Mr. President." Keisai said drily. "Were any resources granted to the interim president to aid her in her 'assigned task' of reunification?"

"The offer of military backing through the United Forces always stood," Raiko said, holding up a hand when Meilin opened her mouth to speak. "Kuvira turned them down."

"When was this offer made?"

"About two years in, when she encountered difficulty in Haven City," Raiko said.

"Are you all right, Meilin?" Keisai asked innocently as a frown tugged her lips into a thin line. "I'll take silence as a yes. Mr. President, you pardoned Varrick of his crimes against the state, and chose not to press charges against him despite his long employ with Kuvira. Why is that?"

"Varrick defected to the side of the United Republic early on," Raiko said irritably. "His service, especially against the colossus, merits forgiveness."

"Why was he pardoned?" Keisai persisted.

"Next question," Meilin said, tapping her foot. "That has no bearing on Kuvira or Baatar Junior's case."

"I admire that degree of focus, though I thought I would be speaking with the president," Keisai said as she narrowed her eyes again. Raiko's expression darkened. "So service against the Earth Empire merits forgiveness, when it's on the side of the republic."

"Yes," Raiko said. "He defected before her defeat. I consider that sufficient." Meilin made a small noise of protest in her throat, and Keisai smiled, steepling his fingers.

"On the day of her invasion," Keisai said deliberately, "we have the audio recording of your transmission to General Iroh."

Raiko gripped the armrest of his seat. "And?"

"Is there anything you'd like to say?"

"Following the surrender, Baatar Junior was sent to officially negotiate the terms," Meilin said sharply. "President Raiko had no say in the stealth operation that followed and resulted in his capture."

"Understood," Keisai said. "And you recently deployed General Iroh to aid in the relief effort in the western states?"

"Correct," Raiko said, nodding. "He will be providing the avatar with military backing, and protect Wu from potential threats."

"After Kuvira's arrest, you signed off on Baatar's terms of release," Keisai continued. "In the months following his release, you've spoken highly of his work in the reports I've read. The tourist attraction in the vines will be opened to the public soon."

"Yes," Raiko said, an edge to his voice. "The city hall is nearly complete as well. He's done a good job rebuilding the destruction they both caused."

"I think that's everything I wanted to cover," Keisai said smoothly, proffering his hand. "Mr. President, it has been a pleasure. Meilin, may I have a quick word with you? Alone?"

She frowned, but stood and followed him to the door, crossing her arms as they stepped outside Raiko's office. "What?"

"You're assisting the head attorney as part of the private legal team?" Keisai said in a low voice. "Bit young for that, aren't you?"

"Is this a professional question, or a personal inquiry?" she said irritably. "I'm twenty-nine, I don't need this."

"Yes," Keisai said, smiling. "Don't give me that look, I read the piece about you accompanying the release of Baatar's formal charges. Why weren't you there when I met with the prosecution before? Are you a secret weapon?"

"I was occupied with matters pertaining to the case," Meilin said neutrally. "I was impressed to learn that you're taking on both cases with close to zero assistance... trying live down some family baggage?"

"Fazle and Kimura didn't hire you, did they?" Keisai said, ignoring her question.

"They didn't send you an offer," she retorted, her mouth tightening again. "I'll have other openings in due time."

"I look forward to seeing you in the courtroom," Keisai said, bringing her hand to his lips. "Winner grants loser a consolation prize?"

"I'll consider granting that request when I'm in a position to offer you a job," she said, withdrawing her hand and re-crossing her arms. "It's been a pleasure, I'm sure."

Keisai laughed as she walked away. "Likewise, Meilin. Likewise."


A/N: HEYO, new OC. Meilin is a citizen of the republic, but I like to think she's got some water tribe in her. Idk, they're all mixed race there. :P If you think she's a bitch, cool, we agree.

So, Keisai likes to hit on women who are prepared to slap him into next week... no wonder he and Baatar are bros, they apparently have a type. Hope y'all enjoyed it, reviewers and silent lurkers alike! Can't wait to read dem theories!