The ninth chapter! Sorry the previous one was short. Hopefully, this one will make up for it!
P.S. Did you know Season 2 is gonna be in April? I can't wait!
Chapter 9
Life was better, in Jinora's opinion.
After Pema had gone, Lin came over to help take care of them and coax Tenzin out of his office. He wouldn't come out, so she brought his food to him. But after two days, Lin had burst into the office and yelled at him for a couple of minutes. Then, she led him out. Jinora and her siblings had hugged him as he apologized a million times for turning his back on them.
Kuzon would sometimes sleep over in the men's dormitories and when he wasn't, he'd go home with Lin. And occasionally, he'd spend the night at Asami's mansion, claiming only to help with Lian. During the day, he and Jinora would discuss different books and enjoy meditating together. Ikki talked to him a lot and he listened to everything, giving her rapid answers before she came up with another question. Meelo like to gnaw on his head and asked Kuzon why his head smelled like jasmine tea. Kuzon didn't answer and would chase him, then tickle their younger brother until he had tears in his eyes.
His relationship with Tenzin grew stronger. As a present, their father gave him what he really wanted.
He and Asami were approved to be Lian's adopted parents.
Tenzin had pulled some strings with the council and had to give them a small fortune, but it was worth it. Asami and Kuzon had celebrated with their friends. They drank only a little bit of wine because Jinora was there with her siblings while Lin and Tenzin watched Rohan and Lian. Bumi had not had alcohol in a long time and celebrating Lian's adoption was just an excuse for him to get drunk.
Jinora was thinking about this while they ate lunch with Kuzon, Korra, Bumi and Lin. They were laughing and having a good time. This week was the best since Pema had left.
"…and maybe we could eat fruit pies on Oogi, then watch the Fire Ferrets, even though they're not that good anymore because Korra and Mako quit…" Ikki was telling Kuzon, who listened attentively.
"Daddy, remember when we broke out of prison? It was so cool 'cause I farted on one of the masked guys faces…" Meelo excitedly told Tenzin.
"So I'm sitting at the cliff and your dad comes up to me and gives me my bending back! It was incredible." Korra told Bumi.
"Well guys, I have to go. I need to go help Asami with the baby. I'll be crashing at her place tonight, Mom." Kuzon announced.
Jinora waved goodbye. "Have fun with your girlfriend." she teased.
He smirked. "I will."
Tenzin, Jinora had noticed, looked suspicious. "Kuzon, before you go I want to talk to you. It's really important."
"Aw, can't it wait-hey, you're not gonna give me the Talk, are you?"
Their father's face turned red. "Well-"
"You don't need to worry about that. Mom gave me that a long time ago. So see ya." Kuzon said and made a futile attempt to flee.
Tenzin grabbed his arm, "Not so fast. You didn't have a girlfriend back then."
"Let me assure you, I do not plan on having another kid anytime soon. Lian's enough." he said.
Bumi laughed. "Sorry kid. When Zin-Zin's made up his mind, he's not going to be changing it!"
Ikki looked confused. "What's the Talk?"
"You'll find out when you're older." Lin assured her.
"Why does all the good stuff happen when you're older?" she pouted.
Jinora shook her head. "You really don't want to hear it. It's really, really gross."
"Kuzon's gonna have the Talk! Kuzon's gonna have the Talk!" Bumi chanted.
Korra and Jinora joined in with Bumi to chant, "Kuzon's gonna have the Talk! Kuzon's gonna have the Talk!"
"Real mature guys." Kuzon said and rolled his eyes.
"Tenzin, all he needs to know is he shouldn't be making any little earthbenders until he's married. If you do, Kuzon, I swear I will disown you and send you to an all boys school." Lin threatened.
"That would be paradise for him if he was gay." Korra pointed out.
"Hero lady, what's gay?" Meelo asked Lin.
_line break_
"Kuzon, I need to talk to you. You too, Tenzin." Lin said.
The father and soon looked at each other suspiciously, then joined her in the hallway away from everyone.
"What do you mean, you're retiring?" Kuzon asked Lin loudly.
She silenced him with a look. "I'm too old for this. I'm fifty years old. Besides, I'd rather be a vigilante."
"But…"
"You know I have to do this."
He sighed. "I guess I can't stop you."
"Smart boy."
"So you wanted to tell me because…?"
"I'm asking you to take my position."
Kuzon blinked. "Wait, what?! I'm nineteen. No one's gonna listen to a kid."
"Not yet. When you're older. I arranged with Saikhan to let you be Police Chief when you're ready."
"So I have to serve under Saikhan? Darn it." he pouted and leaned against a doorway.
"Even though he is the worst chief of police ever, he will probably change now that Tarrlok isn't telling him what to do." Tenzin pointed out.
"Key word: Probably." Kuzon muttered.
_line break_
The next day…
Korra groaned. "Why do we have to do this again?"
"My mom and Tenzin wanted us to take the kids to see Bolin's pro-bending match." Kuzon explained as they drove in his car.
Meelo was blowing raspberries at the other cars and Ikki was trying to start conversations with pedestrians but the car zoomed past them and she couldn't. Poor Jinora was in the middle and she looked very, very annoyed.
"What did we do to make them punish us?" Korra murmured.
He shrugged, his eyes on the road. "I don't know. Tomorrow I start work again so they wanted us to do something "special" together."
"And why can't they come?"
"I really don't wanna know."
"Kuzon! Drive faster, that car's beating us!" Ikki whined.
"Ikki, I'm already over the speed limit. My mom would kill me if the Police Captain got arrested!"
Meelo waved him off. "So? Ew, gross! That guy's taking a bath in a fountain!"
"Cover your eyes, kids!" Korra instructed.
Jinora made a face. "That guy wasn't even cute."
"Ooh, Korra! Can I peek too?" Ikki asked excitedly.
"NO!"
"Are we there yet?" Meelo asked.
Kuzon sighed. "Nope."
"How about now?"
"No."
"Now?"
"Meelo, if you ask one more time I'm gonna put your head on a stick!"
Meelo began to cry. Korra glared at his older brother. "Seriously?"
"Well, I'm sorry! Just shut his facehole!"
Korra took Meelo in her arms and rocked him gently. It didn't really help. He kept bawling.
The Avatar sighed, exasperated and annoyed at his crying. "A little help, Kuzon?"
"I'm driving." he gritted his teeth.
Finally, they got to the Probending Arena. Meelo stopped crying. The kids jumped out of the Satomobile and ran into the arena. Kuzon and Korra caught them and kept an eye on them the whole time they went to their seats, one of the best in the arena.
Ikki was looking at a couple who were a few rows in front of them. "They look familiar. Have I seen them before? Hey Kuzon, can I go look at their faces?"
"Calm down, kid. The match is about to start. You probably don't know them anyway." Kuzon told her.
But Ikki had already went to go see them.
Korra chased her, followed by Kuzon who told Jinora to watch Meelo before he left.
"It's the cute firebender and Kuzon's girlfriend!" Ikki squealed.
"What are you doing here?" Korra asked Mako.
"What are you doing here?" he asked her, surprised to see her.
Kuzon folded his arms across his chest. "What's going on?"
Ikki gasped. "Mako and Asami are dating?!"
"I can explain." Asami said quickly.
"This was a last minute thing. I called you but no one answered. So I took Asami instead and luckily she was free." Mako explained.
"Yup. Very lucky." he muttered.
Ikki looked up at them. "Maybe he called when we already left."
"So why didn't Tenzin pick up the-oh." Korra started to say then blushed. "I guess Tenzin was 'busy'."
Asami hugged Kuzon. "I wasn't cheating on you, idiot. I love you"
He kissed her forehead. "I know. I love you too. Where's Lian?"
"The butler's taking care of her." "So why were you two together?" Mako asked.
"Oh, we had to take the kids to the match. Bolin gave us free tickets and Beifong said we had to take the kids to see it because Kuzon's going to start work tomorrow." Korra said.
The firebender nodded. "Okay. We'll see you after the match."
"Sure." Korra and Kuzon said in unison and then went back to their seats with Ikki behind them.
Jinora was trying to keep Meelo from gnawing on an old man's balding head. "Meelo, quit it!"
"But he looks yummy!"
The lights dimmed and Shiro Shinobi's voice rang in the arena. "In-tro-ducing, the Fire Ferrets!"
The crowd cheered loudly.
"And their opponents, the Boar-Q-Pines!"
Some people cheered.
The bell rang and the match began.
Bolin shot two earth discs quickly at one of the opponents, who was a waterbender. The firebender of the Boar-Q-Pines shot fire at the big waterbender. She flew into the lanky fire bender and they were both in the water.
"C'mon Bolin!" Korra heard Mako yell.
"Go short earthbender!" Ikki screamed.
But Bolin wasn't really a match for three benders because he was all alone. They kept on attacking, pressing forward. He tried to dodge and counter attack, but to no avail. He was out of the ring in a minute.
"Wow, folks! That was a quick ring out! The Boar-Q-Pines win!"
Jinora pulled Kuzon's sleeve. "It's over?"
"Yeah. Man, Bolin's team sucks." Kuzon said, still shocked because of the quick match.
"Wow. I feel sorry for him." Korra said.
Mako and Asami walked to them to discuss the short match all the way to the car. Jinora had to make sure her younger siblings wouldn't get into trouble because the teenagers were too engrossed in their conversation to even notice the younger kids.
"Well, we've gotta go. I'll see you later." Korra said.
They all said their good-byes and drove home.
_line break_
Lin heard the kids come in. She and Tenzin were in his room. They had been talking and kissing. He seemed more relaxed with her than ever. She snuggle closer to him. He put his arm around her waist.
"That was the worst probending match I've ever seen." she heard Jinora.
"I know. Bolin needs to find better teammates." Korra quickly agreed.
Lin nudged Tenzin. "Come on. We don't want them to find us in here. They'd assume-"
"Yes, I agree." he sighed and they walked out to greet them.
"Hello, kids. How was the match?" Lin asked.
Meelo looked up at her. "It was bad. Bolin got his butt kicked."
"The Fire Ferrets lost. They sucked today." Kuzon confirmed.
"Meelo tried to eat a guy's head but Jinora wouldn't let him." Ikki said and giggled.
Everyone laughed. The aribending kids hugged their father and Lin gave Kuzon a punch on the arm. Korra just smiled at Kuzon, who smiled back.
They heard a knock on the door, then someone opening it with keys. The door opened and a kind voice rang out in the house.
"Hi everyone, I'm back!"
Review my wonderful readers!
~Teen Warrior