She ducked, dodged, weaved, swung and fought her way through the random obstacle course which happened to be the hardest to complete. Random...it was just about as randomly selected as the monthly exercise trainees. It also hadn't escape her attention that the 'volunteers' standing in as criminals were members the most renowned brute squad in Republic City. But Lin inwardly smirked at this little unintentional help. So far, the brute force was over-confident against a woman who no longer possessed the earthbending that made her a formidable opponent in the past. No, to them she was just a fifty-year-old has-been, trying desperately to avoid the pasture Tarrlok was trying to put her on...and they had been embarrassingly easy to take down. Now she was at the last bit of the course, a hostage situation. Ikue stood at the finish line with a wooden knife at a volunteer hostage.
"Oh, hey Korra, how are you this fine morning?" Bolin greeted his friend as she joined them in the observation booth.
"I came to help with Amon. What's Beifong- I mean, what's your mom- doing down there, anyway?"
"Defending her right to be Chief of Police." Bolin answered with a dirty look in Tarrlok's direction, "You missed the good stuff, she was all like", he swung his arms comically, almost hitting one of the judges, "and man, I couldn't even see the whip, just the flags."
"Quiet, Bro, I wanna hear this." Mako was looking down at Lin, who was trying to reason with the captor, with intense interest. Bolin hid his mouth behind a hand and whispered to the girls,
"I think he wants to follow in Mom's footsteps."
"I heard that."
"Good."
"Course clear. Well done, Chief Beifong." The middle judge said into the microphone.
"She missed." Tarrlok pointed out as if they'd overlooked something.
"Councilman, Chief Beifong missed on purpose." It was painfully obvious. The dart of the chain whip was embedded in the wall just slightly to the left of Ikue's head. She wasn't going to stick a dart through the woman's head on an obstacle course for crying out loud.
"My good people, I implore you to reconsider. Think of the dear woman's health."
"Dear woman?" That couldn't have sounded for fake to Mako's ears, "Give it a rest."
"Worry about your own health." Bolin advised. If his mom could hear what this guy was saying, Tarrlok would need to do just that.
"Yeah, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think Beifong's the right person for the job." Though given the options, that really wasn't saying much. But Korra still meant it in the nicest possible way.
"And what wisdom brings you to that conclusion? The opinions of your friends?"
"No." she had to think of wise words, and she had to think fast, "She's a lot more trustworthy than you. Tenzin was right about you. You played me, you played my friends and now you're trying to play the judges. All just so you can gain more power for yourself."
"I'm simply doing what is necessary to protect Republic City from a very dangerous threat." he said with his most reassuring voice, which was starting to sound more and more like a weaslesnake. "I'm sure after some time, you'll begin to see things clearly and help me in that task."
"Don't hold your breath, Bub. I got news for you. You need me, but I don't need you. I'm the Avatar."
"You're not, in fact, the Avatar." He loved their reactions, Korra's especially, "You are merely a half-baked Avatar in training, which reminds me, how is your airbending going? Made any significant progress with that?" That would teach her.
"That's low, man." Bolin defended Korra, putting an arm around her shoulders.
"I didn't think so. If you will not be part of my task force, then you had best stay out of my way."
"Go sit behind your desk, Tarrlok." Lin declared victory over the councilman as she joined them in her new uniform consisting of a black, gold trimmed coat."We're finished here." The judges wisely took this as their cue to leave.
"So we are." outwardly, it seemed as though he'd finally admitted defeat, but everyone in the booth could see his next move coming a mile away, "While I have you here, I want to make sure that you don't believe those horrible rumors that I put your boys in danger in hopes that the equalists would kill and make martyrs of them." foreseen, yet still so effective. Lin had to clamp her mouth shut, 'If you hit him, you go to jail and give him exactly what he wants', "I would never intentionally hurt any member of your family. Why, I'm sure any decent mother would kill me for even trying. And you are a terrific mother, Chief Beifong." This started an inner battle between Lin and her conscience.'Let me kill him!/ Don't you dare!/It'll be quick! He's asking for it!/That's the point! Don't give the bastard what he wants. Rein in that Beifong temper and let him win this round!'
"Get out." She seethed with clenched fists.
"Did I say something wrong?" He asked with all the innocence he could muster.
"GET OUT!"
"I have a meeting soon anyway. Good day, Chief Beifong."
"Go to hell, Councilman." 'Damn your temper, Beifong.' Lin's conscience scolded her as the councilman turned on a coin.
"Excuse me?"
"I didn't stutter." 'And damn your pride, too.'
"Yep," Her son pipped in quickly, "she said 'I wish you well', clear as day." Just as his mom gave him a look of disbelief, his brother popped in,
"Oh, I thought I heard 'I'll just get some tail'."
"Now what kind of sense does that make?" Bolin asked pointedly. 'DON'T SAY IT, BEIFONG!'...damn conscience.
"None! That was my point!" Mako shot back as Tarrlok stormed out in a huff.
"Umm," Korra wasn't quite sure how to say this, "I know I'm new here, but where I come from, that means-"
"I'm sure it means the same thing here." Asami clarified with a friendly pat on the shoulder, as Bolin realized his arm was still around Korra and jumped away.
"Huh...oh!" Mako started to blush. Lin started to see the family resemblance between him and his brother.
"...You're a sick man, big brother."
"Enough. Asami, I'll need those arm guards soon as possible."
"I got your measurements right here." Asami held up two pages full of numbers, "I'll get to the maintenance department and get started right now."
"Good, and no fancy stuff. You two." she pointed at the brothers, "You're both officially deputized. Bolin, you'll be with Lee's team as a tracker. Mako, I have you assigned with Saikhan as a communications officer." Both relatively safe jobs with strong teams. She couldn't save them from their own stupidity, but maybe this would pacify them a little, "I've already given your captains the order, so report to them now."
"Shouldn't we take some kind of oath?" Mako always heard deputies swearing an oath in the radio shows.
"Only if it were negotiable. Get moving."
"Yes, Chief."
"You." The only person left was the avatar, "What did you tell the acolytes this morning?"
"That Tenzin took his family away from here and they didn't need to worry. And I told them to tell the council Tenzin is sick today."
"Good." The avatar followed instructions, would wonders never cease?
"What should I be doing?"
"Staying away from my son."
"Hey Korra, there you are." Korra wiped a tear away when she realized that she wasn't alone.
"Bolin...Mako, Asami. I didn't know you guys were looking for me."
"Seismic sense, so there wasn't much looking involved. You okay?" Bolin had seen her like this before, but at least this time there didn't seem to be any burnt artifacts laying around.
"I'm fine." Lie.
"Come on." Mako called her bluff, "What's wrong? You can tell us."
"If your feeling lonely here on the island, you can always come stay with us."
"Thanks, but I don't think Beifong would like that. She hates me." She'd probably throw her in jail for even speaking to Bolin.
"Ah, don't worry about that. She hated Mako when she first met him, too. And look at them now, they're family. Come to think of it, we all kinda hated Mako back in the day. But, family is family, right?"
"Yeah," Asami backed up her friend, completely ignoring the part were he went off topic, "I know it's hard to believe, but she actually cares a lot and can be really nice when she wants to be." Korra didn't look convinced.
"No, no. It's true. But that is her biggest secret. Example: 'Thanks for telling me stories before bedtime, Chief'," he frowned and mimicked his mom's voice, "'Don't thank me, kid. I'd rock you to sleep, but they'd arrest me if I threw a boulder at your brains'." They laughed at his impression, then Asami gave one of her own,
"Or how about, 'Thanks for taking us to the park, Lin'. 'Don't let it go to your head, Girl. I just want you to run off that extra energy so I don't have to deal with it later'."
"Yeah or how 'bout, 'Thanks for setting me up with that lightningbending teacher, Lin'. 'I just don't want you to blow us all to hell'."
"Actually, that one was probably true. She hated you for that very reason." Bolin laughed at Mako's poor attempt to join in, "But you get the point, Korra. Go pack some things. You can share a room with Asami. That alright Asami?"
"Of course." Like they had to ask.
"See, it's decided. Go on."
"Well...okay." She didn't have but a couple of saddlebags full of things to pack anyways, and with Tenzin and his family gone, it really was a little lonely on the island. As the remaining three watched go into the house, Mako put a hand on his brother's shoulder.
"Lin's going to kill you for this."
"Oh what are you complaining about? You're about to become the sole inheritor of the Beifong fortune."
"Hey, you're right." Mako rubbed his chin thoughtfully with a smirk, "I never thought of it that way."
"Oh, you two." Asami fulfilled her mandate to break in, "This is pointless."
"Yeah." Bolin agreed.
"You're right." Mako relented.
"Because we all know that she'll blame the both of you, then I'll be inheriting the Beifong fortune."
"By the spirits, this has been your dastardly plan all along! You're the Melon Lord incarnate!" Bolin shouted with a pointed finger.
"Mwahahaha!"
"Hey that was quick." Mako gestured to Korra putting the bags on Naga's saddle.
So they made Korra a bunk bed in Asami's, formerly his mom's, room. Bolin gave her his mattress, insisting he was just as comfortable on the ground, and built a huge earth tent in the backyard for Naga to sleep in 'She doesn't even like Pabu being here...I'm a dead man'. Even with the time it took to get from the island to the house, it still took less time to get Korra settled than Asami.
"So, everything better now?" Mako asked as they all flopped down in the sitting room.
"Yeah. Sure." She said, trying to convince herself as much as them.
"Okay, everyone who buys that, raise your right hands." Bolin called for a poll, and all hands remained firmly in their resting places.
"What is it, Korra? Come on, we're all friends." Asami urged her on. Korra sighed.
"How am I supposed to save the city when I can't even learn airbending? I'm the worst Avatar ever. I just feel alone."
"Now that's nonsense." Asami insisted, "You're amazing."
"Yeah, and remember Aang hadn't mastered all the elements when he was battling the Fire Nation." Mako didn't think so, anyway, "He was just a little kid."
"And he wasn't alone, he had his friends to help him, just like you do. Look, we may not be the Fire Ferrets any more but we're still a team. The new Team Avatar."
"We got your back, Korra. And we can save this city. Together." Inspiring words from the firebender brought a smile to the avatar's face.
"Yeah, let's do it."
…
The new Team Avatar's mode of transportation was Asami's Satomobile. At first, Bolin had been a little disappointed, he'd always wanted to go riding on Appa to adventure with their predecessors and Naga was as close as he was ever going to get to that. But he had to admit, this option had it's benefits, namely the police scanner that came with it. And after a very short time of cruising around the city, that little device came in handy.
'Calling all units! Level 4 alert! Jailbreak at headquarters. Officers down, electrocuted! Chi-blockers and equalist convicts are still at large, armed and dangerous. Last seen heading East. I repeat. Level 4 alert! Equalist jailbreak!'
"Chi-blockers!" Bolin yelled as they were cut off by a armored truck and motorcycle tracks.
"That's them!"
"Let's get them!" Korra didn't have to tell them twice. Asami kicked the car in gear and they were off. They drove down the street until a truck accidentally blocked their path.
"Bolin. Korra. Give me a ramp. Now." Asami told them. This seemed like a bad idea to Bolin, but he wasn't the resident Satomobile expert. So they made a ramp to jump the truck and miraculously made it to the other side safely. About the time he recovered from the shock, Mako blew out a motorcycle tire with lightning. He, in true Beifong fashion, brought up a boulder and shot it at another one's tire, taking the motorcycle down and it's rider with it. In front of them, the armored truck came to a sudden stop. The convicts jumped out and tried their luck on foot and the motorcyclists tried to cover them. One was dragged off the vehicle by a chain whip, the other drove into a newly created hole. Team Avatar helped the rest of the cops round up the ones in prison garbs. The adventure was over and the day was saved.
"What the hell are you four doing here?" Of all the cops in the city, why oh why, did it have to be his mom?
"Lending a helping hand." he said meekly, looking behind the Chief to notice the reason the equalists had stopped their trucks. The Republic City Police Department apparently had much bigger armored trucks and the equalists probably knew their truck would lose a battering contest with it.
"Get. Home. Now."
"But we helped you! Can't you at least be grateful?" This avatar was going to get them all killed. He hoped he got to be a firebender in his next life.
"Grateful?" That was the final crack, "Come here." She pulled Korra aside, "What you're doing is making a mess. You're being a vigilante, and inspiring others to do the same. And if enough people follow your example this entire city is going to become a battleground!" The avatar went to reaspond, but that was a valid point.
"...Well none of this would've happened if you would've let me help!" She grasped at the straws.
"You haven't earned the right! I need people I can trust!" Lin shouted, somebody had to put this self-important teenager in her place.
"I'm the Avatar!"
"I don't give a damn who or what you are! You run off without thinking, and you end up doing more harm than good!"
"But tonigh-"
"And when you arrived in the city, you hurt people. Eventually, that kind behavior will get someone killed. When you're ready to listen to people who know better than you, then I'll let you work with the police. Until then, forget it."
…...
"I gotta get outta here." Korra said through her tears as she grabbed her saddlebags out of the room and ran down to get Naga.
"Korra, don't go." Asami begged behind her.
"I, I can't stay. Just leave me alone!" She yelled in frustration. Mako and Asami backed off, but Bolin cautiously followed her out to the backyard.
"Please, we're a team." He pleaded as he saddled the animal.
"We're not a team. I'm just some half-baked Avatar, and I'm gonna kill somebody." This woman was near hysteria, and he knew the feeling. But when he lost it, they didn't give up on him, so he wouldn't give up on her.
"Korra! Listen to me, damn it!" He grabbed her by both arms, "You right! You are half-baked, but how are you gonna finish cooking if you leave the kitchen?!" He got a tearful laugh, but it was still a laugh so that was a good sign, "How does stuff get cooked? It goes into a fire and burns. It's painful, but the end results are delicious." he rubbed his stomach for good measure, "So someone told you off. Believe me, I know how much it stings. That woman can be down right brutal, she's made generals cry, and she really needs to learn compassion. But, I look at it this way 'how am I gonna learn any better if no one corrects me?'. You were just corrected by your elder tonight so learn your lesson and move on."
"Come on, stay with us." Asami said from the backdoor. Neither he nor Korra noticed when they'd got there. Korra sniffed, but took her bags off her polarbear dog.
"Alright! There's that fighting spirit we all know and love. Allow me to take those, Miss."
"Thank you, Sir." She followed him up back up the stairs, "Have you given that speech before?" It sounded a little rehearsed.
"Naw, I got a one just like it myself from Grammy after mom grilled me. Except her analogy to life lessons was about refining metal through pressure and pain. And I never forgot it." he laid the bag on her bed, "Well, get some sleep, things will look better tomorrow."