Chapter 6: 'The Path of Wind'
"Bolin, in here!" Chief Beifong hissed from the darkness ahead, pulling the young earth bender into a nearby building a second later. The lights of this district of Ba Sing Se had been plunged into darkness in the last hour. And it wasn't a coincidence either, the Dai Li had discovered their small team of earth and metal benders prowling the streets of the lower ring on a possible lead for air benders in hiding.
The Chief raised her arm and held it, an indication to be silent. The metal of her armour covered arm glinted in the blackness. For once, Bolin knew he had to keep his mouth shut. It was life or death. He nodded in understanding.
One of the families they'd came across earlier must've gave them away, reported them to the authorities. Bolin could hardly blame them for that. People were scared. Especially the people of the lower ring who the Earth Queen already treated like garbage anyway. Garbage was easy to throw away. Plus the fact that the head of the Dai Li's or the Earth Queen's voice played on speakers placed throughout the district every few minutes, reporting more air bender dissent, or starting false panics about the Avatar having arrived in Ba Sing Se. That and the constant reminder of handing over any air benders or their supporters to the authorities.I wish Korra was here. She'd fix this. She wouldn't let this horrible stuff go on.
Lin peered around the wall of alleyway they were cowering in, looking out into the empty street they'd just fled down. Bolin couldn't see a thing in the darkness, not even those flickery Cabbage Corp lights that the poorer people of the lower ring used. The former actor felt a deep emptiness then. If Asami was here she'd have complained about that rather than being afraid of capture. In any case, it seemed the Dai Li had cut off the power to this entire district, not just the street lights.
If it was the secret police's tactic to make people scared enough to hand themselves over before they were inevitably nabbed it was definitely working, Bolin couldn't stop his large hands from trembling. Chief Beifong showed no such signs of fear, resolute and stern faced as ever as she slammed a foot to the ground and closed her eyes.
She immediately shoved a hand over Bolin's mouth. "There's 20 Dai Li agents in this area. They've split off into groups of 5 and are working their way towards us. I don't know about you, but I don't think we could take all them." The Chief's voice was so low that Bolin could barely hear her. There wasn't a hint of panic in her tone.
He bowed his head in agreement. If they'd hadn't been spilt off from the other members of their group, four of Suyin's metal benders, then that fight wouldn't have been such a suicidal option. Those guys were probably in Dai Li custody by now. Good thing they weren't dressed like Su's guards, just in ordinary Earth Kingdom garb, otherwise Zaofu would have a pretty unwelcome guest in the form of the Earth Queen's military.
"Hold your breath. Five are coming down this way."
Bolin did as he was told, inhaling and holding as he peered with narrowed eyes out into the street. Sure enough 5 men dressed in the pointed hats and dark green garb of the Dai Li marched past, fists clenched in an earth bending stance as though expecting a surprise attack. They wouldn't get one. At least not today.
After an agonizing amount of time Bolin felt the blood rushing away from his head as his lungs ached and trembled. He wasn't a water bender. Holding his breath really wasn't one of his skill sets. Mercifully the Dai Li heard a noise in the distance and ran on ahead, leaving the street empty once more.
"Now what?" Bolin muttered quietly as his arms trembled.
Lin's head panned in every which direction as she tried to search for a solution. "Hey, you two over there, come inside!" a hushed voice hissed from the other side of the street as a door opened, a tiny light coming from inside. Probably a candle burning given the lack of power.
The Chief gave Bolin a questioning look before she grabbed him by his upper arm and dragged him across the street as quickly and silently as possible. "Better in there than out here."
A second later and they were guided inside a poorly lit living room as the door slammed behind them. A frightened group of civilians, varying drastically in ages sat cowering in the corner, staring at the newly arrived guests with wide eyes. One of the people that had called on them, a woman in her early 20's and dressed in the most basic Earth Kingdom clothing pulled across the curtains of their window and double bolted the door. "Check the back one," she ordered before marching across to Bolin and Lin.
Just as Bolin was about ask what craziness was going Chief Beifong spoke. "What the hell is going on here? Who are all these people crammed into your house?"
"Not my house, it was my mom's, and they're refugees. Well actually in hiding, from the Earth Queen," the woman spoke with a maturity well beyond her age as she adjusted some jet black hair that sat just above her shoulders. Her appearance suggested Fire Nation heritage, perhaps from the old colonies, but her faded blue eyes spoke of something else, not quite water tribe colors either. Grey actually, a soft grey coloring.
"Was?"
"She's gone. The Dai-li picked her up not long ago, took her to the palace, haven't heard from her since," the girl spoke quietly as her eyes assessed the guests she had brought in thoroughly. This was why Bolin hadn't seeked his family out for refuge. It'd only put them in great danger. "You two. You're part of that group going round the city picking up air benders the secret police have been hunting, yes?"
Bolin gulped as he noticed the woman's hand glance across the hilt of a small blade in her belt. "Yeh, it's not been a whole lot of fun. We pick up any we find."
The girl raised her eyebrow and tightened her grip. "And what do you do with them?"
"We get them out of this place," Lin interrupted with folded arms. "We put anyone we find on airships and get them to the nearest operating Air Temple."
"And you only take air benders?"
"Yes. There's no room for anyone else. The Air Temples aren't what they were in the past, they can only house so many people," Beifong replied as she glanced to the woman's knife. "And don't even think of using that on me. I'll bend it right out of your belt before you even get a chance."
"Think so?" the girl challenged. "That'd be impressive, considering it's made of platinum. And do you really want to attack the person who saved your asses from the Dai Li? If I hadn't pulled you in here you'd be in chains by now."
Lin grinned but didn't lower her arms. "You're bluffing."
The grey eyed girl dashed forward then and Lin immediately metal bent the dagger from her belt, tossing it across the room with a clang. So she was bluffing. Guess the Chief's as good at detecting liars as Toph.
Suddenly Lin was toppled over and crashed into a nearby wall, a gust of air flowing across the room as Bolin covered his head defensively.
The Chief grumbled some curse word from against the wall as she pulled herself into a sitting position. "You're a damn air bender."
The girl smiled slightly as she offered a hand to pull the Chief back up. "All my life. You left yourself stupidly open to an attack by going for my dagger, but then that's exactly what I wanted you to do. Name's Kasumi by the way."
Beifong bashed the girl's gloved hand away as she staggered to her feet, a deep scowl across her face. "And why did you feel the need to send me flying across the room when you invited us in here in the first place?"
"Well, I wanted to see if you were really on our side. If you were the Dai-Li or any of that lot you'd have used that dagger to kill me on the spot instead of tossing it across the room," Kasumi replied confidently as she picked the blade up from the floor.
"That's quite a risk you took."
Kasumi's expression became grim. "The Earth Queen's extreme ruthlessness has changed the playing field. If I want to protect as many new air benders as I can then I have to be willing to be just a bold."
"I still don't appreciate being played," Lin grumbled as she adjusted her armour plating, marching over to the group of refugees in the corner. "And these, these are the air benders you've been taking in?"
Kasumi crouched down beside the group, offering one of them a water skin. "They aren't all air benders, but they're in need of shelter all the same. The Earth Queen isn't just going after air benders anymore. Anyone associated with air bender's or found to be conspiring to protect them is taken away as well, for questioning. Truth be told they never come back, at least not on two feet. Their bodies wash down from the upper ring's streams right down to the lower ring, but no one here bats an eye lid. You'll always find the dead lying around the lower ring, from the Dai-Li, from poverty, from some street brawl. People here are just used to death."
"Why?" Bolin mumbled slowly as he tried to process all this horror.
"I don't know. I'm almost glad I don't. There's no logical reason on earth for this level of cruelty," Kasumi replied as she sat with crossed legs on the floor. "The bodies of air benders and those who've help them turn up every night. The Dai-Li could burn the corpses easy enough, get rid of the evidence, but they send them down here regardless, to make people scared, to remind them what will happen if they disobey her majesties orders."
"So the Queen isn't interested in recruiting them for her army any more?" Lin asked with concern.
"No. I don't know what she's doing with them, all I can tell you is that anyone the Dai-Li picks up don't came back, and it's not just Ba Sing Se. Once she gets everyone she can from here she'll go out into the Earth Kingdom and pick up every last air bender she can get her wrinkled hands on."
Concern for Opal gave Bolin his voice back as he moved to stand beside the Chief. "Then no air bender is safe here. We have to get them out, take them to the United Republic. And not just the air benders, any one that's helped to shelter them. We're friends of the Avatar, comrades of the Avatar, we can't leave these people to die."
Beifong shook her head sadly. "I admire your enthusiasm kid, but that won't be so easy. As far as the Earth Queen is concerned, those air benders are criminals. President Raiko would be harbouring them, it'd put the United Republic directly in the sight of the Earth Kingdom."
"Then we don't do it officially. We take them by airship to the nearest temple and then use bison to get them to Republic City. President Raiko doesn't need to know anything. We can even put them in the sewers or something, we stayed their for a while. It was...interesting. But – anyway – any where is better than here," Bolin pleaded with clasped hands.
"I'm sorry, but we can't do that. We'd be putting the people of the United Republic in danger. I have a responsibility to protect them," Lin replied as she glanced from Kasumi to the group of refugees and then finally to Bolin's puppy dog eyes. She grabbed the bridge of nose and snarled in frustration. "Maybe...maybe we can get them to the Air Temples to start with, and then Chief Tonraq could take them to stay in the Southern Water Tribe, at least until the rest of the four nations have figured out a response to this."
"You think Tonraq would be okay with that?" Bolin asked.
"If he's anything like his daughter, then yeh. Besides, the south pole is a million miles from the Earth Kingdom. It'd be a lot harder for the Earth Queen to retaliate."
"Sounds like a plan, but I won't be coming with you. I need to stay in Ba Sing Se and keep my eye out for anyone else, if you could get an airship here, then I can organise the refugees to get on it tonight," Kasumi interrupted as she peered out the window. "Chief Beifong, I think you'd be interested in seeing some of the bodies I recovered. There's something unusual about their injuries you might be able to figure out."
Lin nodded quickly as she pulled out her radio. "We have a Future Industries airship outside the city walls. I can get it to the land in the main square of the lower ring in 2 hours. Will that give you time to organise the refugees together and show me these...bodies?"
"Should be," Kasumi replied before pointing to Bolin. "You, earth bender guy. You've got a good heart. Take care of these people until I get back. They are your responsibility for now."
"How did you know I was an earth bender?"
"Your eyes, your everything – honestly." Kasumi threw a dark green robe over her shoulders and pulled up the hood, covering her face in shadow. "Keep them safe."
Chief Beifong placed a hand on his shoulder and passed him her radio. "Call in the airship Bolin, and if I'm not back by the time it's here, leave."
"But – Mako would – Opal would-"
Lin snorted loudly. "Kill you. Probably. That's your problem."
With that Lin and Kasumi disappeared through the door. Bolin double checked the locks before he turned to face the refugees who had finally left the corner they were cowering in, clearly trusting him a little more. Bolin simply smiled at them with as wide a grin as he could manage, knowing it must've looked crazy. How to pass the time without Beifong. How to pass the time... "Anyone know any old air bender songs?"
"Where did you get a record player from? They're pretty expensive," Asami asked quietly as she worked, having been forced to remove the needle and arm of the player entirely when records kept getting stuck.
"Stole it." Of course. Ghazan was sat in the other end of the sparse sitting area that made up the lounge of the sort of relaxation area of the Red Lotus lair. If there could ever be such a thing in a place like this. The lava bender was on his third bottle of ale and was sitting with fellow criminal Ming Hua, talking about some old adventure or another.
"She'll never get that thing going again. It hasn't worked for years. Besides, shouldn't she be fixing something a little more important here?" Ming Hua grimaced as she glared at Asami over Ghazan's shoulder.
"Shut up and drink your sake," Ghazan grumbled as he turned his chair. "She sorted out the constant dripping in our barracks that's been driving me insane. But of course you'd be okay with that. Water bender and all. Now I want Sato to fix the really important stuff, like my record player."
Ming-Hua simply snorted. "Your record player? You stole it, remember? Besides, what do you expect when we live in caves that were carved out by the sea hundreds of years ago? Of course it's going to be damp you moron."
"Doesn't mean I have to like it..." Ghazan replied coldly as he stared up at some of the ancient carvings on the stone wall in front of them. "Other people used to live here you know? Earth benders, hundreds of years ago as it happens. And they disappeared without a trace. I don't like livin' in the company of ghosts. The sooner we're out of here the better."
"Maybe they left for the same reasons you can't stand it here, the dampness. It's not like they had to hide here from the government. They chose to live here and probably chose to leave," Ming-Hua reasoned as she swivelled some liquid in his bottle with some light water bending, then her eyes drifted back to Asami at work. "Still can't believe Zaheer's letting that Sato girl wander about, bad enough letting that water tribe freak have free reign of the place."
"Again. Shut it. Sato is under my control," Ghazan assured before his eyes darted towards a clenched fisted Asami. "Besides, she knows what will happen if she steps out of line. She ain't stupid."
"People do stupid things for the people they love," Ming-Hua reminded sharply.
Asami felt her face going instantly red at those words, turning away from the pair (the only other people in the room at this late hour), and focusing in on the arm of the record player and taking it apart bit by bit. She wouldn't let them see her vulnerable. These past few days had been about showing strength, not weakness. Fixing things, showing her skills, her value, and hopefully extending her life expectancy in the process.
And still she hadn't had a conversation with Korra, more because Asami was terrified to approach the Avatar than the fact that the water tribe girl hadn't been around. In fact it was the opposite. She'd been ever present in the sparring arena, or talking to people in the barracks, or even playing pai-sho in the lounge area. Definitely not my Korra then. She couldn't play pai-sho if her life depended on it.
"Damn straight," Ghazan mumbled. "How's that thing coming along? Don't tell me you can't do it. You've fixed everything I've put in front of you so far."
"Give me a sec, there must be a decades worth of sand in this thing. It'll scratch anything you put under it to pieces," Asami muttered as she wiped her brow with the sleeve of her jacket. Ghazan had at least given her that back, which was some sort of comfort, a reminder of home and who she was, and kept her a little warmer if nothing else.
After a few more minutes of tinkering Asami had reassembled the record player arm and needle and shove the power cord into one of the Red Lotus power generators, which the engineer had also made a lot more efficient in her time here. Getting to work like this, despite it being on other peoples orders, was a welcome distraction. A reprieve for her mind above all else, and a chance to strategize. She'd hadn't found an opportunity to steal any more batteries yet, since the Red Lotus would quickly notice if their power generators were faulty and exactly who to blame. The current plan was to find a way to get a hold of some batteries without the rest of her 'fellow' anarchists instantly pointing the finger at her.
"Alright. This should work," Asami muttered to herself before turning to Ghazan. "Do you have a record for me to play?"
Ghazan walked over with a large black disc in hand and passed it to her with a strange gentleness. "Here, take care of that. It's the only one I have, my favourite bit of music. You wreck this, you're dead, screw the guidelines."
"Where did you get this?" Asami asked as she examined the record. 'The Path of Wind' This is an old record. Maybe 20 years. So...how did he get this, in such good condition? Only the wealthiest people could've bought this...
Ghazan returned to his chair and raised and eyebrow. "What, did you just assume I was some street rat down on his luck? That only the disenfranchised could join such an 'evil' organisation willingly? Well you're wrong. My family had a lot of money, they had it good. Didn't stop me seeing the injustice of the world, unlike you Sato. Daddy bought you everything, and blinded you good."
Asami nearly snapped the record in her hand but resisted with trembling hands, placing the black disc down gently and lowering the needle. And holding her breath. Please work. Please work. I don't want to die over a broken record.
Thankfully the calming piano and flute of 'Path of Wind' echoed around them as the record spun smoothly. Asami exhaled subtly as she absorbed herself in the music, taking her away from this place momentarily. Back to Republic City, or even the hunt for air benders. Searching with the rest of Team Avatar and Korra across the entire Earth Kingdom. Laughing with Korra, pranking Mako with Korra, becoming friends with Korra...and falling...falling in love with Korra.
"What is this crap Ghazan?"
"Too beautiful for you to appreciate water tribe. Just listen to it or shut up."
"How about I leave?"
Ghazan leaned back in his chair with closed eyes. "I ain't your life coach. Do what you want."
Asami was so caught up in the soft melody of the music and that - realisation – that she hadn't even noticed she was crying lightly, or that someone else had entered the room in place of Ming-Hua. The engineer quickly wiped away the tears before turning away from the player again.
Korra stood in the door way, in her Red Lotus garb with the exception of the metal shoulder protectors or bracers, and a bowl of what looked to be noodles in hand, taking a seat alone at an empty table as she dug into her food. At least the Avatar's appetite hadn't died away with Zaheer's torture. That thought gave Asami a little courage, enough to start walking towards Korra and ignore the pounding of her heart.
Ghazan raised his eyebrow at her as she passed, but he didn't say anything, nodding slightly before he closed his eyes over again. He seemed content to just sit and listen to the record player.
Asami lowered herself down on the seat across from Korra on the table, pretending to busy herself with some cocoa bars Ghazan had given her for her work in the barracks. The Avatar's eyes widened slightly before returning to her bowl of noodles. Sitting like this, it was almost easy to forget that Korra wasn't her Korra anymore. She was Rei. She was a broken person, and she was Zaheer's puppet.
"Gonna finish that?" Rei asked quietly, eyeing up one of the cocoa bars the engineer left sealed.
Chapter 5: 'The Path of Wind'
"What – um this – oh – no you can have it. I wasn't going to bother," Asami stuttered as she passed the bar over with a trembling hand.
"Right, thanks," Rei almost smiled as she picked the bar up. "The music in here, did you do that?"
"I fixed the record player, yeh."
Rei looked around with a certain misty glaze in her icy eyes. "It's...it's beautiful...I don't remember ever hearing music like this back in Republic City, but then...I can't really remember much." The Avatar scratched the back of her head for a few seconds.
Asami had nothing to say to that. If only because anything she could say, wanted to say, would break guidelines.
"What's your name again? Everyone makes you out to be this 'big bad', cause you betrayed us and stuff...but I...I don't really see it. I could take you out in a second, bending or no bending," Rei grinned a little as she started getting to work on the cocoa bar.
"It's Sato. Yeh, betrayed us, pissed off Zaheer, the works. But I'm just too damn useful for them to get rid of me."
Rei laughed at that, a little light laugh, nothing like the boom Korra would normally produce, but it was lovely to hear none the less. And it made Asami smile aswell, a slight smile she felt straining her cheekbones with a blissful ache. How long had it been since she'd last smiled?
Fix her. I'll fix her. One day at a time.
End Notes
The music in this is legit music. And it's title sort of goes with this chapter, the music itself, well, it's pretty dang emotional. Which I guess goes with Asami's realization in this chapter. Youtube search it, 'Path of Wind'.
I don't know if anyone picked up on something pretty major in this chapter which I had characters gloss over in the chaos, but readers may have noticed.
Also Happy Korrasami Anniversary! Can't believe it's been a whole year. A whole year...holy shit
Thoughts, questions and anything you can think of are welcome in the comments! Thanks for reading!
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