反射

Book 1.5: Reflections

Chapter 7: A City in Crisis: Part II

Korra took pause at seeing the young man sitting on the bench, like a single point of focus among the chaos in the Police Headquarters. He was dressed in his usual grey waistcoat and boots, dark pants, and maroon scarf. The same scarf that had belonged to his late father.

"Mako?"

He looked up, the warm glow of the lamps on the ceiling and wrought-iron brackets at the front desk making his amber gaze appear golden. It seemed to take him several moments to recognise her. This fact did not escape her.

"Korra? Is that you?" His tone was filled with surprise as he stood up. "I didn't know you were back in the city."

"Yeah, well I only got back last night."

A moment of awkward silence passed between them, made all the more obnoxious by the din of the bustling reception area around them as people hurried to and fro on police business.

Mako scratched the back of his neck nervously. "So… how've you been?"

"Oh, you know, just causing trouble like usual," she offered lightly. "I'm sure you know Bolin and I got arrested last night."

"I know that Bolin got arrested last night." The firebender sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose irritably. "I should have known you had something to do with it."

"Nice to see you too," she muttered sarcastically.

It was then that Mako took note of what she was wearing. "I haven't seen you in a trench-coat like that since back when we snuck into that Equalist rally ages ago," he commented. "What's with the disguise? If I didn't know you any better, I'd think you were trying to stay under the radar." The expression on his face was that of light conversation, but his tone implied something else.

Korra found herself unable to answer his question.

"I sent you letters," he said after a prolonged silence. "You never replied." His brows furrowed. "You never gave me a chance to say goodbye before you ran off either."

"Mako…" She tried to find the words to tell him what was really troubling her. "Listen… When we were in the South Pole… I… I'm sorry I just ran off like that." She shamefully recalled her outburst at him, when he had just been trying to help. "I was so frustrated and upset, and I took it out on you."

The hardened and brusque expression that had been steadily manifesting itself on the young man's face softened. He glanced away momentarily to gather his thoughts, before taking a deep breath. "Listen, about what I said in the South Pole – "

The Avatar had chosen that exact moment to speak. "How are things with Asami?"

They both paused, then, "What?"

"Uh, you go first," Korra said, blushing slightly.

"No, you go," Mako offered.

"…How are things with Asami? I heard you two are still dating."

"Uh… yeah… Everything's fine," he lied. He glanced awkwardly toward the far side of the room, hoping that Bolin would emerge at that moment to steer them off this subject. No such luck.

"That's good. I'm glad to hear it," Korra said genuinely.

Mako frowned, finding it hard to hard to meet her gaze. Shamefully, he chose to look down at his murky reflection in the polished wooden floorboards instead. Despite his relationship problems with Asami at present, things were much more stable than they had been a few weeks ago. With some measure of control returned to the police and the United Forces, and without the immediate issues of Amon, the Equalists and Asami's father, the city had managed to return to some semblance of normality.

And, Mako was ashamed to admit to himself, his relationship with the heiress had been in a much better condition without Korra around.

But now that the fiery Water Tribe girl was back in the city…

How can I be so selfish? Mako berated himself angrily. Korra is great… She's amazing. But Asami has always been there for me. Especially in the past month… She just lost her father to prison as well… Korra said it herself – I have to be there for Asami.

It occurred to him that neither he nor the blue-eyed girl before him had spoken for the past few moments. It was clear there was more to be said, yet no words came. Just as the silence between them was becoming unbearable –

"Mako! Korra!"

The girl in question visibly breathed a sigh of relief and turned to see her earthbender friend rushing toward them from across the lobby, sidestepping a number of people. "Bolin! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" he grinned. "Those Triple Threats can't touch this!"

"Bolin, I told you to stay away from the triads!" Mako snapped, visibly angry. "You've seen what's been happening in the city. We can't afford to get mixed up in all of this again!"

"It was my fault," Korra interjected reluctantly. "We came across some police officers being attacked, and I jumped in to help them." She turned to Bolin and bowed her head apologetically. "I'm sorry I got you caught up in all of it."

He opened his mouth to reply, but –

"So you should be," his brother snapped, amber eyes flashing.

Yet another moment of silence descended upon the three teenagers, and Korra bitterly realised how far she and her friends had drifted apart. Only a few weeks ago, they had loyally followed her into battle against the Equalists. And now…

"I… I have to go," she finally said. "Training… Airbending…" She gave Bolin a brief hug and turned to leave. "It was… nice to see you both again."

"Yeah, you too!" the earthbender called after her, but it was too late – she had already left the building.

What a disastrous reunion…

As Korra rode in the back of the Satomobile that Lin Beifong had arranged for her, she gazed silently out the window. During the drive across the city, the scene that unfolded before her eyes on was not a peaceful one.

Evidence of revolt – destruction, vandalism, the aftermath of riots and looting – was everywhere. Banners hung from streetlamps and the faces of buildings, seemingly being put up faster than the police could take them down. Banners which bore the symbol of the Equalists, imprinted over a large red circle.

Korra's frown deepened as she saw what this hideous revolution was doing to Republic City. The supposed centre of peace and balance in the world.

I am not afraid, she told herself. I have a duty to this city, to the world, to Aang.

After a short drive, she thanked the driver and climbed out of the Satomobile. She looked toward the bay and saw the bright orange sails of the ferry, tied up at the city docks. The young woman began to make her way toward it, but the sound of loud voices drew her attention. There was a protest underway across the road, where many people were chanting and holding up placards with angry messages.

BENDERS GET OUT OF TOWN!

WE REFUSE TO SUBMIT TO OPPRESSION

THE UNITED REPUBLIC – OF NON-BENDERS

Korra was appalled at the level of hatred being shown toward benders. The entire movement appeared to be driven by nothing more than a xenophobic fear of people like them, but not the same as them.

It raised her hackles, and she was seriously considering going over there and giving them a piece of her mind, when she heard Tenzin calling out to her. She made her way over and met him at the ferry.

"I heard what happened," he said, disapproval in his tone. "While I am happy that you feel confident enough to apply airbending in combat, it was a very dangerous thing to do. You need to understand that you can no longer bend the other elements – you are a lot more vulnerable now."

Korra said nothing, and his face softened. He imagined that, after spending the night in lockup, a lecture was the last thing she needed.

"Come on," he said, turning to step onto the ferry's wooden deck. "Let's head back to the island. You can catch up on your sleep, and then resume your training in the afternoon."

"What about you?" she asked in surprise. "Aren't you needed over at City Hall?"

"I've taken the day off. I wanted to instruct you further. Also…" His tone softened as he took on a thoughtful expression. "I've been at work so much lately, and I'd like to spend some time with my family."

Korra smiled at that, warmed by her teacher's family values. They rode the ferry across Yue Bay mostly in silence. Tenzin looked back toward the stern of the boat, where his pupil was leaning on the railings, gazing across the water back toward Republic City. He was hit with a sense of déjà vu – they had both been in this exact same situation when Korra had first arrived in the city all those months ago. Right after she had been arrested for the first time as well, no less.

"Are you… doing alright?" he asked, making his way to stand beside her.

She looked back at him, surprised by the question. "Uh, yeah. I'm fine." Seeing Tenzin's solemn expression cracked her façade, and she relented. "…I just saw what you've had to deal with for the past month. This anti-bender movement, it just makes me so… angry." Korra's voice gradually rose as she vented, giving rise to how stressed and frustrated she was feeling. "I mean… what do they want us to do? We're all the same people, whether we can channel the elements or not, but the Equalists want benders – and by extension, me – out of the country." Her shoulders heaved as she sighed heavily, almost as if in defeat. "I'm just not sure if I can see a peaceful resolution to all this."

Tenzin put a hand on her shoulder in an effort to reassure her. He gazed out across the bay as the sun sparkled off waves, patches of blue sky present among the pall of clouds. "Those people are not the Equalists, Korra. You can't put them all in the same basket. They would never go to the same extremes."

"Are you sure about that? How certain are you that this anti-bender movement won't escalate?" She rubbed her arms as the wind snaked beneath her trench-coat, taking a moment to regain her composure. "I saw a lot of the city in the last couple of days, and things are a total mess. There was an Equalist riot, the triads are in open battle with the police, and there is violence everywhere."

"One thing at a time," he replied solemnly. "For now, things are under control."

Korra vehemently hoped he was right.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This sucker took me a while to write up. I had trouble imagining how Mako and Korra's reunion would go down after leaving things the way that they did.

I hope you enjoy, and please let me know what you think.

Have a happy and fun New Year. See you next year!