A/N: Chapter two was pretty fun to write. Because both of these two women are stubborn as hell. I already have a few ideas for the third an fourth chapters. Shit's gonna get REAL soon. As I stated in the first chapter, this is loosely based off of the series of LoK. A LOT of the main plot will be intact, as may some lines, but it will be heading in a new direction starting with this chapter.
Warning: This chapter contains foul language and... Wait, yeah. That's about it. Still pretty damn chill for one of my fics.
With love,
Korrupted.
Shout outs-
Kigo Stories: Well, I'm glad you are excited for this fic. So here, read more, damn you! *throws chapter at your face*
Femslash Fetale: Thank you for your kind words! And you can thank BadAssPANTieStalker for drawing up such amazing art for my writing this. Seriously. I ship pairings I never even wanted to ship thanks to her. If you like AU stuff, Frozen Hearts MAY be up your alley. It's a super AU Frozen fic based loosely off of artwork from AtomicRedBoots on deviant art. It will only be ten chapters, and I am currently fighting away writers block, it's my only other fic that I never had intended on writing. I mean it, I NEVER wanted to write a Frozen fic, let alone an ElsAnna. It just... happened.
kleiner Indianer: I am glad I could oblige you in writing this. Once again, thank BadAssPANTieStalker for doing such inspiring arts. And check her arts out.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Avatar, not LoK. And you all should be really, really, REALLY happy about that fact. I am known to do horrible, unspeakable things to characters I create/write about. I mean... just look at Courage-less!
Lin had never liked children. They were noisy, needy, clingy, and generally obnoxious. But Korra was giving her even more reasons to never want to reproduce in only a matter of weeks. Constantly underfoot, excessively crass, and now she was even in the pro bending touraments with the Fire Ferrets! No matter where the woman turned, the childish new Avatar was right there, causing trouble and mouthing off with a wild abandon for athourity. And now she found herself grumbling irritably as the girl in question barged into her office, likely ready to rant about how some Equalist had verbally slighted her, no doubt. The metalbender kept her feet propped up on her desk, reading into her book deeply in her efforts to ignore Korra now that she had simply stormed in.
"Lin! Amon can take away people's bending!"
The book was snapped shut and the boots hit the floor, grey-green eyes wide as they met blue. "Excuse me?" Was the oddly stupid reply that came tumbling from the fifty year old woman's mouth.
Korra was gesturing wildly, as if unsure how to word this unsettling revelation. "He took away someone's bending! Mako and I saw him do it, and he almost took Bolin's too. What are we gonna do?!"
Lin rubbed the bridge of her nose, her expression grim. "First, calm down. Second, 'we' aren't going to do anything. You are going to do whatever it is possible to keep out of my way, and I will take the police force out to investigate this." Was the curt reply.
The water bender was staring at her with her mouth agape. "B-but, I'm the Avatar! It's my duty-"
"You're a kid, and your job as a child is to stay out of our way!"
She was on her feet, her hands braced on the desktop as she glared daggers at the teen before her. "I will not be allowing a child to impede this entire investigation just because of some damn title. You are Tenzin's pupil, and we are trained metalbenders. You can't even bend a paperclip!"
It seemed that her direct reproach had rubbed the blue eyed girl wrong, a snarl on her lips as she took a determined step closer to the fifty year old woman. "Yes, I'm just his student, but I HAVE to do something! I can help you fight, so stop treating me like a child!" There was a touch of smoke wafting from Korra's nostrils. "Sure, I can't metalbend! Sure, my airbending is crappy at best! But dammit, I still can do SOMETHING!"
"Then stay out of my way." Was the coldly growled reply. "I am not having your blood on my hands just because you have your head filled with other people's praise. You have no idea what you are up against."
"Do you?!"
Lin blinked at the two words half shouted at her, stunned by the stubborn resolve of the waterbender. In the quiet confines of her own mind, she admitted that she really didn't have any idea of what the hell they were facing, but she would never say it aloud. And most certainly never to Korra. Instead, she pulled her own defiant anger up around herself like a cloak, standing tall and firm. "Now you listen to me. You can't fight this. You don't have the equipment, and you sure as hell don't have the training." She took a few steps around her desk, her scars lending an air of ferocity to her features. "Go back to the Fire Ferrets, and stay put. Or I swear to the SPIRITS I will lock you up so fast, your head will be spinning."
The young Avatar threw her hands into the air in exasperation, something that Lin had become accustomed to in these last several weeks. "Fine! But if someone comes after me, or my friends, I will defend myself. And there isn't a damn thing you can say to stop me!"
"Fine. Now get out of my office." The police chief snarled, watching the Water Tribe girl stomp away. This kid was a good person, but damn was she aggravating. Hopefully the Council wouldn't think of shutting down the Pro-bending tournaments, they were one of the biggest draws for the city, and to be honest, Lin enjoyed watching the fights. If she was younger, she might even try to join.
"Lin, we need to talk." Tenzin broke the thick silence in the park with a sentence that made her wary.
'We need to talk' was almost always the preceding line for bad news; 'I'm breaking up with you' was one that the older male had used when they were younger. That phrase was rarely accompanied by good words, and it put the armor clad woman on edge. 'Just relax, Lin. There's nothing he could say that is close to him breaking up with you.' She assured herself, her hands firmly clasped behind her back as she faced the airbender. "What is it, Tenzin?"
His light blue orbs were soft, which meant he was going to be asking her a favor; Lin knew most of his expressions almost as well as she knew her own. In some ways, he still was thirty two in her opinion, but she couldn't think on that at the moment. "Mother wants me to come back to the South Pole with Pema and the children to check on her progress. Therefore, I need you to watch over Korra until I return and make sure that she keeps up with her training."
The scarred female could almost taste her blood pressure rising already. Babysit the childish Avatar while Tenzin and his family practically go on vacation? 'No, this is just as bad as him breaking up with me all over again. Or worse.' Was the oddly calm musing as the rest of her mind was screeching in rage and horror. "Are you out of your damn mind, Tenzin? I'm an earthbender and a metalbender. I don't know how to airbend." She rebuked, trying to maintain composure.
The bearded man sighed and slumped a bit. "But you know everything that must be done, Lin. I know you have a memory like a vice. You used to watch me train under Father every day, and you know me very well. Almost as well as Pema. If anyone can ensure that Korra stays on task, it's you."
A grey-black eyebrow arched slightly. "Actually Tenzin, I know you just as well as Pema. Just because I didn't want children doesn't mean that suddenly we never were intimate." She rubbed at her right temple. "And as for your student, I don't know if I can do it."
"Lin Beifong, if anyone can keep the Avatar in check, it's the most stubborn police chief in Republic City. She just needs discipline."
"Exactly! Your version of discipline for being unruly is having her clean the Island. Mine is hanging her upside-down from the rafters! She has no respect for authority, and half the time I want to just tie her up in wire and shove her into a corner just to make her sit still for two minutes!" Lin didn't even realize that she was throwing her hands up in exasperation in the exact same way as the source of her frustrations did.
"Perhaps that isn't a bad thing." A deep sigh escaped the bald male. "Lin, please. I am begging you to watch her for me. Just until I get back, and then you can both go back to hating each other's very breathing habits."
Taking in a deep breath through her flaring nostrils, the grey haired earthbender crossed her arms over her chest and exhaled her answer. "Fine. But you owe me, Tenzin."
"Always a pleasure, Lin." He responded, turning to leave.
"And stop saying that, you damn windbag!" She shouted at his retreating form.
The woman sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Just what in the hell did she just agree to get herself into?
"No way am I listening to her!" Korra snapped at her mentor, fire all but shooting from her mouth. "She's arrogant, and annoying, and loud, and-"
"Sounds like somebody we know." Ikki muttered, giving the irritated Avatar a sidelong glance, receiving a stuck out tongue.
Tenzin held up his hands to attempt to calm the angered teen. "Korra, it's only for a few days. She's the only person that I know who knows almost as much about airbending as me. She may not be as spiritual, but she can keep up your training."
The coffee skinned girl leaned forward, her sky blue eyes imploring. "Tenzin, can't I please come with you? You're my teacher after all."
While she had a valid point, Tenzin stood his ground. "It's not just airbending and meditation that she can teach you. She can help you with discipline, and refining your earthbending more. And your tournament is in a few days. You, Bolin, and Mako all fought very hard to keep it open. You can't miss it after all that."
The girl before him slumped visibly, finally admitting defeat before pouting. "Promise you'll come right back?"
The airbending master smiled gently and embraced her. "I will be back as soon as possible, Korra. I promise." He held her at arms' length. "Now, you better behave for Lin. She is in charge, and you really don't want to get on her bad side."
Korra blinked a few times. "Wait, I thought I was already on her bad side."
Tenzin chuckled. "No, you are on her mostly neutral side. Just... Try to keep it that way. I don't want to come back to see Air Temple Island in ruin."
She refused to meet his gaze. "No promises..."
"Korra..."
"Fiiiine." She submitted, folding her arms over her chest as Jinora helped a few staff members load the final few trunks onto the air bison they would be riding out to the South Pole. "But I really hate being treated like a kid."
A gentle hand rest atop her left shoulder. "Korra, you still are a child. For all of being the Avatar, you know very little of how the world works. Maybe my mother and the other caretakers are to blame, but Lin is just trying to keep you safe. In her own cold, irritated, slightly crass way, she cares a little."
"Or she just has it out for me and doesn't want to have to deal with me."
"That could be it too." Finally, the tattooed man turned to walk away, climbing atop the giant creature and looking at her sternly. "Now, just keep up your training, and whatever you do; do not get Lin angry with you. Do I make myself clear?"
Another dramatic sigh from the waterbender. "Yes, Tenzin."
"Good. Now, I should be back in a few days. Until then, Korra." And with that, the great bison rose into the afternoon sky, Meloo already acting as hyperactive as ever as they flew off into the distance.
Korra turned back inside and walked into the radio room, sitting on one of the chairs and staring at the wall. She had absolutely no idea how on earth she would survive with Lin Beifong as her mentor, let alone play nice. At some point, the young woman dozed off, only waking again when someone cleared their throat in the doorway. Korra turned to see the policewoman leaning against the door frame, looking as condescending as ever in her black and steel police armor. "Hard at work, I see." The older female stated dryly.
The Avatar in training glowered darkly, kicking her feet up onto the table. "I'm tired, so I took a nap. Anyways, I see you didn't bring anything with you. Staying at your own place? Can't stand to share the dwellings with me?" Was the rather snarky reply.
Lin rolled her eyes, not moving otherwise. "I already have my stuff in the room I will be in. Now, don't you have evening meditation that you need to be doing?"
Korra internally groaned. Evening meditation, or as she called it; how to struggle not to fall asleep sitting. It was boring, and obnoxious. Maybe Lin really didn't know if she had to do it or not. "Nope. I only meditate in the morning." She lied rather boldly.
"Is that so?"
The tan teen didn't really like the low growl that Lin used, annoyed further. "Yeah, so just go away." And tilted her face to the ceiling, wanting to rest a bit more.
The moment she closed her eyes, she felt the chair violently knocked to the side, the two back feet pitched upwards by the ground surging forth. She yelped as she found herself ejected rather unceremoniously from the item, thrown a good four yards to the floor and looking up at the seething police chief. "Nice try, kid. But I know you have meditation. Now, to help you clear your obviously already empty mind, you better run three laps around this damn island. Because I hate being lied to."
When the girl simply stared on in disbelief, Lin took a step closer, her eyes narrowing more. "That wasn't a suggestion. Now get your ass up and start running."
The metalbender watched as her charge climbed to her feet to dash outside and started earthbending her strides to quicken her pace around the island. With only a few gestures, the policewoman had the Avatar suddenly face-planting in the dirt. "I said run three laps. Not bend three laps. Try again." Was her stern command.
"But that will take me almost an hour!" Korra protested loudly after dusting herself off.
"You should have thought about that before trying to lie to me. Now, less yapping and more running!"
With several choice words being muttered under her breath, the blue clad girl did as she was told. How was she supposed to not agitate the older bender when her ever instinct told her to waterbend the old hag to the moon? Just what in the hell had Tenzin gotten her into? She would be lucky if Air Temple Island wasn't a smoldering wreck when the airbender returned, let alone one of them wasn't dead.