Part 3
Nerio screamed to wakefulness. Through the window, he saw purple sky turning pink. The room was filled with soft snoring. Nerio snuck out for a morning walk and returned to a room with soft snoring. He poured himself a glass of water and thought to play a prank on his new best friend. It was five to noon. He levitated a handful of water, chilled it, then dumped it all on June's head.
"Who?!" She sat drenched in ice cold water. "I'm gonna kill whoever did that!" She blinked a few times and saw Nerio standing over her. "Oh it's you. Morning." She growled, trying not to yawn.
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Nerio said. "Sorry for the cold shower. Here." He gathered the water in one hand, and directed it to the plants. "Because you can't see, it's five minutes to twelve and we're cutting it real close now." He turned aside, not wanting June to see the glum on his face. If there was any dream, good or bad, that should stay in dreamland, it would be this one.
"There's a reason why people sleep in, Nerio." She rolled her eyes and stood. "Thank you though; we have a lot to do today." She stretched her back and walked toward the center, kicking the guy by the door. "You gonna check out that hobo's underground later?" she asked him.
He shrugged, opening the door. "Go before you get caught."
"Where to first, Nerio, the island or the station?" she asked when they reached the second door.
The air temple was more magnificent in the daylight, but the view was suddenly blocked by a gray blimp. Dark figures descended the cables. Nerio pointed. "We've got bigger problems right now." They wouldn't be around if there weren't any benders breaking the rules. Rushing to the scene, they saw metalbenders surrounding... the Avatar! Korra used a combination of fire, water, and earth to ward off the police force. Nerio snuck up on a metalbender, shocking him to dreamland. More metalbenders arrived and surrounded Nerio. He knew he wasn't at his best until he bends, but at least he has this alternative. He was agile as he had a few days to train himself with the glove. June was watching the battle. "You know, you can join in any time now," he called out to her.
"Where is she?" she muttered. "Damn it!" She ran forward and jumped, lifting the earth, carrying two of the so-called benders with her, pushing them into the water. "These aren't real benders, the fakers, Mom can metalbend better than this. Frack, where is she?" June pushed a few more soldiers into the water before stopping and looking around. "Where the hell are the Airbenders and Chief BeiFong!" she screamed, taking out another soldier heading towards the center.
A cable wrapped around a pole. Chief BeiFong swung into action, landed at the scene, and pointed. "Return to base. We'll return for the Avatar." The metalbenders raised their arms and rose to the blimp. The Chief turned to June. "Forget about missing curfew, you didn't even come home last night, young lady." She recalled her cable, turned to Nerio, then back to June. "You weren't with him last night, were you?" she asked, with a jerk of her head as if Nerio was a vagabond.
"Um, if I may say something," Korra raised hand. Nerio thought she never looked more vulnerable.
"No. You. May. Not. This is between me and my daughter." Lin glared at June. "I'm giving you a chance to explain, so don't blow it. What could you have to say for yourself, young lady?"
"Oh great we got into the wrong fight!" June growled. "I got nothing to say, Mother, just wanted some time away from you and the rules and stuff." June crossed her arms, glaring at them all with her good eye. "Metalbenders and Equalists look similar. Zit I thought. I'm not sorry."
"Grounding you will do you no good," Lin said, "maybe you'll listen when Amon blocks your bending. Yes, it's a terrible thing, which is why I stress that you follow the rules. If you don't want to, then don't expect me to save you if gets you. I've my own concerns." She turned. "And you are?"
"Nerio, Chief BeiFong," he said, inclining his head. "I don't mean any trouble. I sensed danger and I had to help the Avatar. She can't take on all those metalbenders, your police force, by herself."
"I was doing just fine 'til you showed up," Korra said. "I'm the Avatar; I can take care of myself."
"Now that everything's settled," Lin said. "If you'll excuse me, I have to get going. I can't waste anymore time babysitting." Lin shot her cable, lifted off into the blimp, and it carried them away.
"You really have issues with your mother, don't you?" Nerio asked June. "Avatar Korra, we needed to find you, and it looks like we did. June and I can't fight off the Equalists on our own. Not surprising, but we need your help. We benders need to stick together."
"Wait a minute," Korra said, glaring at his form. "You used the glove made for and used by the Equalists. You're with them!" Korra bent water from the barrels on either side of her.
Nerio sighed, swung his arm, and redirected the twin streams back into the barrels. "June, why don't you explain, please? You're apparently much better at talking than I am."
"Yeah, whatever! Woman doesn't care that I need to get out of the damn house!" she screamed at the blimp that'd passed. "Excuse me. Miss Korra, I am June, an earthbender, and this sly dog is a waterbender who happens to be against Amon. I don't know how he got the glove. All I can tell you is he knows ways to avoid bending or whatever. Amon is ruining my turf, my grounds; like you I can take care of myself but we need to team up with your other friends to make sure nothing else happens to Republic City or us. Amon has the upper hand, telling others that bending is unequal; a waterbender like you should know the balance, yes?" She looked around. "Any chance I can get some food in me or what? Damn woman thinks she can handle it herself. I was scared goddamn it."
"I don't mind explaining how I got the glove. Just not in public." Nerio looked around, peeking in the alleys, checking the sewages. "Any place we could go where Amon wouldn't dare attacking?"
"I got just the place." Korra nodded. Nerio breathed a mental sigh. The Avatar trusts him. "The air temple," she said. "You'd better get your friend, before she wanders off into trouble."
Nerio chuckled and wrapped a coil of water around June's waist. Struggle as she may, she couldn't earthbend her way out of the water. "Sorry," he told her when he pulled her back to them. "Korra can take us to the air temple. Then we can freely talk without fear of Equalists." Well, my fear.
"Fine, give me a break. I can't think straight without food." June growled, following them to the pier, looking at the waterbenders. "How are we gonna cross without a boat?" Only a few minutes of blindness, Nerio wanted to tell her. "Can't I just earthbend all the way there or something instead, eh?" Korra made a face and June flung her arms in the air. "Oh, come on! I can't swim."
Nerio and Korra exchanged looks, as if to say "you thinking what I'm thinking?" As he formed an ice bridge winding as they slid further, she pushed the three of them forward, much to June's dismay; she couldn't see any better on the ice than the ground. Korra defied gravity at the loops while keeping June's feet attached to the ice. They arrived at the island in 60 seconds flat.