Chapter XXXI: Arguments

Both Korra and Saltrall managed to calm down before the TARDIS landed. Saltrall washed his face in the bathroom and came back out.

"You can wash your face if you want," He said, seeing Korra still on the couch.

She shook her head no, "I think it'd be better if I didn't, they might question why I'd look completely fine after being kidnapped."

Saltrall nodded at her logic and the TARDIS landed.

"Well, time to face the world again," He said, going over to the door. Korra nodded and stood. She kissed him on the cheek again before he opened the door and they stepped out.

The others hadn't come back yet and he looked at his watch.

"It's noon, I have no idea when the others will get back." He said, looking at Korra.

"Soooo, what are we gonna do?" She asked in response, looking back at him.

He shrugged. "We got this big open area," He looked around, "All to ourselves, just us, alone."

He gave her a seductive stare, making her blush, before he started laughing. Korra, realizing he had no intentions of doing anything started laughing too.

"Ah shit," Saltrall said, still chuckling, "wanna play hide and seek?"

Korra nodded, still giggling, "but no Sonic! That's cheating."

Saltrall pouted but took it from his pocket and opened the TARDIS door and tossed it on the couch. "Killjoy," he said, still pouting.

Korra smiled, "Here, I'll count first to make it up to you."

Saltrall nodded and they were about to start when they heard Naga coming down a tunnel.

"Took them long enough," Saltrall said with a chuckle and Korra smiled as Naga came running into the room with the other three members of Team Avatar on her back.

"Korra! Are you alright?" Mako asked, jumping off of NAga and hugging Korra. The other two slid down Naga's side slowly and Asami glared at Mako.

"I'm fine, Mako, don't worry," She said hugging him back softly.

Saltrall was off to the side and smiled a little, a glint of pain in his eyes but he made sure to hide it when he turned and looked at Bolin and Asami.

"So, where was she?" Bolin asked as they walked up to him.

"The same place the kept me," Saltrall replied, "remember that, Asami?"

Asami nodded, "That means that must be a base of theirs."

Saltrall nodded, "And it's also a research facility apparently."

They looked at him quizzically as Korra and Mako walked over. Saltrall pulled the folded up pieces of paper from his pocket.

"I took these before I got Korra, I got in through a window in what I assume was a lab and, well, just look at these." Saltrall said, handing the papers to Asami.

Asami read them out loud and her eyes widened.

"This is really bad news," she said, handing them back to Saltrall, "please tell me you did something about this."

"Well if killing two scientists and destroying the syringes that contained the drugs counts as something, yes, yes I did." Saltrall replied, looking at Korra and noticing her scared expression.

Saltrall walked over and hugged her softly and she hugged back, making Mako visibly upset and he cleared his throat.

"I don't know why you're clearing your throat," Saltrall said, looking at him, "you're basically cheating on Asami at this point,"

Mako glared back, "At least I'm not some freak from another dimension," he shot back.

Saltrall pulled away from Korra and stared at Mako, arms crossed in front of his chest.

"You don't scare me, Mako," Saltrall said, "if anything, you should be afraid of me."

Mako stared back before Bolin and Korra got between them, Bolin pushing Mako back and Korra pushing Saltrall back.

"Try me!" Mako said angrily.

Saltrall just smirked and walked away, going to his TARDIS. He heard Mako start bending fire behind him but he ignored it and closed and locking the TARDIS door behind him.

"Mako, what are you doing?" Bolin asked, surprised at his brother's actions.

"He's goading me on!" Mako accused, motioning at the TARDIS.

"Mako, calm down," Korra said, walking over. He sighed and looked down.

"Good, now why don't you go talk to him, try to work things out, it's obvious you two have some issues to work out." Bolin said.

Mako nodded and relented. "Fine," he said, "But I won't like it."

He walked over to the TARDIS and Korra stood next to Bolin.

"Is that really the best idea?" Korra asked quietly. Bolin tried to hide a grin, "no," he said, "but it ought to hilarious."

Mako walked up to the door and knocked, "Saltrall? It's me, can we talk?"

Saltrall opened the door and froze Mako's nerves with his Sonic before smiling.

"Sure," he said, "now we can have a nice, calm civil conversation."

Mako glared, "Unfreeze my nerves you asshole!"

Saltrall picked him up and carried him inside. "Calm down, I just don't need you trying to firebend me in my own house." He said, setting him down, "now, what do you need to talk about?"

Outside the TARDIS Bolin, Korra and Asami listened as their soft muffled voices soon grew in intensity until they were shouting at each other. Mako called Saltrall several body parts that are not used in a positive context, and Saltrall started calling Mako things in a foreign language.

"Holy cow..." Korra said, the others nodded, before Korra blushed profusely when the yells started to involve her.

"Are they fighting over you?" Asami asked, looking at Korra with a saddened expression. Korra just nodded a little and Asami frowned and nodded before looking down.

A long while passed and things had quieted down in the TARDIS so the others sat and waited until the door opened and Saltrall walked out carrying a still paralyzed Mako.

"So that went well," He said, setting him down and unfreezing him. Mako collapsed to his hands and knees and shook his head.

"Easy for you to say, you could actually use your limbs," Mako grumbled as he stood shakily.

"Hey, couldn't risk you trying to kill me in my own house now could I?" Saltrall chuckled while helping him up, "In all seriousness, I'm sorry, things started out heated and I apologize for some of the things I said, even if you couldn't understand them."

Saltrall held up his hand and Mako looked at it wearily before slowly grabbing and shaking it. Saltrall smiled softly and turned to the others.

"Good news: Mako and I will no longer threaten to kill, maim, or otherwise incapacitate each other, we have vented our grievances and you don't have to worry about us anymore," he said. Mako nodded in accord and walked over to the others.

"That's good, it's really hard to fight an evil revolutionary force when we're bickering like school children," Asami said, putting a hand on her hip.

The group soon went their different ways and Saltrall saw Mako talking softly to Korra, no doubt explaining what the two of them talked about inside the TARDIS. Korra soon walked over to him.

"So Mako explained the... more important parts of your argument to me," she said, "but I want to hear it from you too, just to make sure he isn't telling me one thing while you said another." Saltrall nodded.

"I assume this is what he said, but we said that since we are in a, how would you say, delicate situation involving a possible love triangle here, we want you to choose," Saltrall started. "We want you to think about it so you don't jump to conclusions."

Korra was quiet for a second, thinking, before she nodded.

"Okay, that's what he told me, well, basically, thanks, Saltrall." She said and smiled. Saltrall smiled and they hugged. Korra pulled away and kissed his cheek.

"Come on, let's go see if there's anything to eat." She said before grabbing his hand and leading them over to the others.