Chapter 20
The next few weeks flew by because they were so busy planning Kuvira and Bataar's wedding. Bataar entrusted his Aunt Lin to ensure that his mother didn't find out about the wedding. At first, she didn't want any part in it, said it would hurt Suyin, but when Bataar told her the more Suyin pushed Kuvira, the less likely it would be that she would ever talk to Suyin again. Suyin hasn't stopped talking to Lin about Kuvira and Lin was going insane.
"You do realize that I may not be able to come to your wedding if you do this?" Lin declared knowing that wasn't true. "Yes, you can, the wedding is small and only for one evening. Just make sure she has something to do. Not to mention all the times my mother went behind your back. Remember when mom sent Korra after Aiwei knowing how dangerous it was?" Bataar reminded his Aunt. "I'll never forget. OK, you've got a deal." Lin promised. This time it was Kuvira who hugged Lin and surprisingly she put her arms around her niece. Kuvira looked at Bataar and then back at Lin. Wu, Korra and Asami were watching., and they knew what was coming next as they had talked about it and Kuvira didn't feel right hiding it from her. "Aunt Lin, we want to show you something, but you have to swear that you won't tell anyone until we decide it's the right time." Bataar began, "don't worry, it's not a bad thing, just something that we don't want getting out." He assured noticing the panicked look on his Aunt's face. "Lin, please, we have known for a while and you know if it we would tell you if it was something that we had to, but she can't show you unless you swear you won't say anything to anyone, especially Suyin." Korra assured her.
Lin looked at all of them. "OK, I promise I won't say anything until Korra says it's okay." Lin relented and everyone nodded in agreement. "Lin hop in the car, we have to do this by the race tracks so no one sees." Asami warned. Lin looked suspicious, but got into the car. When they got to the tracks, they hopped out of the car and Kuvira walking to the middle of the tracks as she did when she showed Bataar her lava bending for the first time. Lin didn't know what was going on, there was clearly nothing of importance here until she looked at Kuvira and her mouth dropped open. Kuvira had sent a wave of lava directly at Lin, and she closed her eyes as it was coming. It stopped a few feet from her and when she opened her eyes, she was amazed to find a statue of her. "How did you do that?" Lin asked clearly amazed. "We found out by accident when Korra and I were sparring when we went to Crescent Island a few months ago. We didn't want to tell anyone because we didn't want people to panic." Kuvira admitted.
"Lin, I don't mean to interrupt, but I have a question, are those handcuffs made of metal or platinum?" Wu interrupted. Lin glared at him and couldn't believe he would ask such a stupid question and of all times, he had to pick now. "Of course, they're platinum! What would be the point of using metal handcuffs on a metal bender?" Lin balked. "I understand, but why platinum?" Wu asked again, trying to provoke Lin. "The point is to keep them from bending the handcuffs. If we used metal handcuffs on a metal bender, they would simply bend the handcuffs off. We us platinum because no one can bend platinum! Lin stated through gritted teeth. Ignoring the look on her face, Wu continued, "Are you sure no can bend platinum?"
"Of course, I'm…." Lin froze as she watched her handcuffs detach themselves from her belt, and hover in the air before they clicked open and closed themselves around Wu's wrists. She thought she was seeing things, no she had to be seeing things. No one could bend platinum. Lin kept her eyes on the handcuffs not daring to take her eyes off them until she saw that it was Kuvira who was bending the handcuffs to her will. She watched as the handcuffs opened and floated through the air until they reattached themselves to Lin's belt.
"Please tell me, I haven't lost my mind?" Lin pleaded, "did Kuvira just bend platinum?
"Lin, I know it's a lot to take in, but yes, she is bending platinum. You're not imagining things." Korra confirmed.
"But how," was all Lin could say. "How did Toph metal bend? She was the first because had the ability and was in a situation that required her to think outside the box." Asami added.
"A few months ago when you picked Bataar up because I was sick. Suyin came that day and when I asked her to leave, she refused, surprise, surprise. Anyway, I was so angry that I went into the bathroom to calm down, but nothing was working. I did the only thing I could think of and I grabbed onto one of the shelves and though I knew it was useless, I concentrated on the way it felt. The more I concentrated, the more sensitive I became to the particles in the platinum. Before I knew what had happened, the shelf was bent." Kuvira confessed. Lin was still at a loss for words.
"No one can know because if this gets out now, Raiko will fight for everything he's worth to keep them in prison. Once they are out, we can stop hiding the truth because it would be far more difficult to put them back in prison once they have been released." Asami noted.
Lin was still staring at Kuvira before a huge smile spread on her face, "my niece has achieved the impossible. I knew it from the moment I saw your bending that you were a prodigy. Bataar your grandmother invented metal bending and your soon to be wife invented platinum bending. You are a lucky man."
Bataar smiled at his aunt as he wrapped his arms around Kuvira and kissed her cheek, "I know Aunt Lin, I am the luckiest man in the world."
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. Your case is about your past actions, not present abilities. I have your back." Lin assured, she understood why they were worried and they were right. People would probably panic if Kuvira's new abilities became public. After they were out of prison, Raiko wouldn't be able to make a case to put them back in just because of her abilities.
"Come on we have wedding to plan. It's not every day my nephew and niece get married." Lin jested surprising Kuvira with a hug.