So, this was Amon's grand vision for her city...his supposed 'peace' included mecha tanks to patrol the streets? But this was expected. He came into the city to promote equality and start a war. Now the war had been won, and the victors were showing off their power to keep their newly conquered city under control...that sounded vaguely familiar. Lin would like to raise a fist and shout 'Amon is nothing but a psychopathic hypocrite', but considering she was at an equalist rally...dressed as an equalist, she kept her mouth shut while an 'old friend' rubbed the victory in the city's face.
At least now they knew for certain that equalists knew the United Forces were coming. Unfortunate, but again, this was not unexpected. Once it became clear that Hiroshi wasn't going to giving give them any more useful information, Lin and Korra quietly left the city square and retreated back underground for the time being.
"I can't believe Hiroshi, 'The avatar's on the run'. I'm not running from anyone!" she proudly declared, changing her direction, "Let's go back up there and knock some heads, they'll never know what hit 'em."
"No." Lin grabbed the avatar's bicep, "We're out numbered and they have mecha tanks." How exactly did the kid expect to win that fight?, "Wait and listen."
"I've listened! I'm standing around waiting for General Iroh, aren't I?!" She tore her arm from Lin's grip, angry because she thought she was getting lectured for doing as she'd been told.
"'Wait and listen' is an earthbending philosophy." Lin clarified, "It means, 'let your opponent make their move, then attack them in their weakest spot. Their own weight will bring them down'." She shook her head in annoyance, "Didn't your earthbending master ever teach you that?"
"Ah, no." How could the idiot not teach the avatar that? Sure, a lot of people stuck with the principal that earthbending was all about endurance and strong stances, but damn it, if there was one bender in the world who should know that you can't always punch something to make it go away, it was the avatar! She would've have thought that if a brute like her knew this the 'wise masters' of the White Lotus damn well should.
"Sometimes rushing in will get people killed." Sound advice, and easy for even a hot head like Korra to understand, not that she expected the kid to listen to it.
"I hate this 'being patient' stuff."
"You and me both, Kid."
"Hey, you two were gone awhile."
"Did you find out anything?" Mako asked impatiently, probably still a little sore that he didn't get to go on the reconnaissance mission himself.
"Not a damn thing."
"Welcome back!" the friendliest man Lin ever seen came up to greet them. She swore, if Bolin had stayed on the streets, this would be him in fifty years, "Hope you worked up an appetite 'cause dinner is served." then he put an arm around each of their shoulders and pulled them close. Every instinct, every desire, every thought told Lin to shove him away. But, she wouldn't, the guy was hiding them, he was feeding them, she owed the man a lot and she wouldn't do that to him...but, oh, how she wanted to.
"I'd once again like to thank you for giving us shelter here." Tenzin, ever so formally, thanked his host.
"Well, honored to oblige Master Arrowhead." He said something about benders and such, but Lin was watching those around her, mainly Asami. She'd never go so far as to call the kid spoiled, but going from the finest cuisine in Republic City to something Bolin called 'street gruel' wasn't something she was willing to do. This wouldn't normally be a problem, as Lin would wait for hunger to compel her, but she had to keep up her strength and this was all they had.
"Eat, Girl. Don't make me force-feed you." And she would do it, too, if she had to.
"No need, Mom." Bolin said holding a spoon in front of her with his right hand as a parent would a toddler.
"This 'oughta be good."
"Open wide for the chu-chu."
"Really, Bo?" But while Asami glared at the spoon, she failed to notice the left hand move in to tickle her side. Her mouth involuntarily opened to laugh, he shoved the food in and clamped it shut, "Let it go down." he said smoothly as she fought not to shallow it, but she lost the battle.
"You'd better eat the rest willingly kid, or I'll hold you down for him." Lin warned. The rich girl somehow managed to look nauseous and infuriated at the same time.
"It's not so bad, you know?" Bolin patted her on the back, "If you really want nasty, you should try Toph Beifong's hangover remedy. That stuff will kill you." He went back to eating for a second before he realized that something didn't add up in that sentence, "Hey, come to think of it...just how does a blind woman invent a hangover remedy? Waltz into the kitchen and throw random things into a cup?" His brother paled, he apparently hadn't thought of that. Saddest part was, his mom wasn't denying it, "You know, not everything in the kitchen is edible!"
"What's in that stuff anyway?" Mako asked as his own stomach turned.
"You don't wanna know." And for good reason, they imagined, but that made them want to know all the more.
"You should trust her on this." The airbender wisely suggested.
"He was dumb enough to ask."
"And I'm afraid Aunt Toph was cruel enough to answer."
…..
"Mom, why can't I come too?" Bolin whined. Mako got to go with his mom to the wooden jail, they'd free all the officers in there before dawn. That way, while the equalists were busy trying to fight off Iroh's fleet, they could take back headquarters with all the supplies, weapons and trucks. When the time came, though, the firebender was chosen for her partner. And, maybe it was childish, but she was his mom, shouldn't she pick him?
"Because." She was sharping her dart, "You won't like what I may have to do." This was a war now, and she may have to take a life again. Bolin might not be able to handle that. Mako had been on the streets long enough to see a few things. Another thing, Mako would still be able to use his bending while in the cell, Bolin would be limited to his blades,"Quit giving me that look, Boy. I'm not giving in this time. You ready to go, Mako?"
"Yeah." Simple a plan as ever. Mako dressed up as the equalist this time, they'd yet to question a strange person in uniform, he'd take her to the jail presumably to lock her up. They'd knock out the guards and steal the boats, then make their way to the small jail by the docks and do the same, with the exception of stealing whatever vehicles they could find to take them to headquarters.
"You two," Lin put her right hand on Bolin's shoulder and the left on Asami's, "take care of each other." She pulled the both of them into a hug, "And make sure those two don't do something incredibly stupid. Especially that one."
"You know, 'that one' has a name." Korra defended herself.
"Yeah, yeah." She pushed the two away gently so they could say their other goodbyes, "Airhead. Stay low." He had a sort of habit, he'd only put his foot down when it was the greatest inconvenience to her or most dangerous for him. She could never stop him before and she wouldn't be able to do it now.
"I will do my best." he smiled gently, "You be careful as well."
…...
"Why aren't the mecha tanks leaving?" her officers whispered as they waited in two armored trucks near headquarters. They could hear the sounds of a battle, but none of the equalists had moved. Just how big was Amon's army anyway?
"They're not going to leave." She signaled the other truck to follow her. They had to abort this mission, but they could still help the United Forces.
"What are those things?" Mako voiced the question for them all as they reached the bay to see the entire fleet in flames thanks to a new kind of aircraft.
"Does it matter?" Lin silently cursed the spirits, why the hell did they want Amon to win so badly?, "Come on." It was time to retreat...again, "We need to get underground." So, with heads hung in shame, they all trudged downwards to seek shelter.
"Brought some new friends?" How could that old man be so damn cheerful? Lin reminded herself not to snap at the guy and chose to rub her temples instead.
"Can you set them up for the night?"
"Can do. Right this way, my fellow street spiderrats."
"I don't suppose you completed your mission?" Iroh asked when he noticed her coming in as Korra healed the wound on his arm. At least her family all made it back, that was more than a lot of them could say.
"Headquarters was surrounded by mecha tanks."
"Man, we can't catch a break with this guy." Bolin groaned. She felt the same way.
"Amon is winning so far, but we're not out of the fight yet." The young general was confident, perhaps too confident in her opinion.
"Great!"Well, he had her son on his side, "What's the plan?"
"A second wave of reinforcements is on the way, but I need to warn them." he had just one question for the avatar, "Do you still have a way to get a message out?"
"I know just the man for the job." It really came as no surprise who was going to take care of the message.
"And who is the recipient of this top secret message?" The man asked almost officially.
"Commander Bumi. Second Division of the United Forces."
"Your brother?" Korra looked to Tenzin.
"Yes."
"He's a bit of a wild man." Iroh claimed, "But he's the bravest commander you'll ever meet."
"Ready Sir."
"Fleet ambushed and destroyed by equalist aircraft. Retreat to Redsand Island until my signal. Do not approach city until you receive the 'all clear'."
"And...your message has been sent."
"Thank you. Is there somewhere private we can all talk?" As a matter of fact, this place was very accommodating. There was a hovel with a table that would suffice as a war room, "Now for the hard part. We need to ground those aircraft, otherwise Bumi's fleet will never be able to retake the city."
"The aircraft came in from the North East." Tenzin had noticed.
"Then they came from the mountains." Lin had guessed.
"Everyone get ready," at least finding them would be easy, "we leave at dawn."
"It's time to take down my father." Whether Asami was telling them this or telling herself this, they didn't know...and the wouldn't ask.
"Wait." Korra stopped them as they walked away, "I'm sorry, but I'm not going with you tomorrow."
"What?"Mako was a bit angry.
"Why?" Asami was a little confused.
"You have to." Bolin was in a state of disbelief.
"Korra," her mentor came up and in a soothing voice told her, "this is very important."
"I know. But I'm sick and tired of hiding from Amon. It's time I face him." She had to take care of this. It had to be done eventually so it might as well be now.
"Hell no." Lin was annoyed.
"Korra, no." Tenzin stern.
"That's not a good plan, we need to stick together." Iroh was calm. Everyone else was too dumbstruck to speak, they couldn't believe she actually wanted to fight Amon again.
"I'm not waiting for him to hunt me down-"
"So you'll go to him and get yourself equalized instead." Lin shot her down sarcastically, "Good plan."
"Listen. My gut's telling me that it's time to end this. On my terms."
"Korra, you cannot face Amon alone." Tenzin decided to be blunt.
"No Tenzin. Let her." If the girl didn't want to listen, why try to stop her, "It worked so well last time."
"I can do this, I'm the avatar."
"'I'm the avatar'." Lin growled, "If I hear that come out of your mouth one more time, I'm gonna-"
"Whoa, calm down!" Bolin stomped the earth, making a small quake as Asami got in between the two women, "You're all three right!" he said louder than he intended, "So let's all work together...and compromise...and not gang up on the guy who's making this suggestion."
Okay, I'm breaking my rule again. But thanks to a reviewer, I found out that someone actually drew the first chapter of this story as a comic. And since they took the time to do that, the least I can to is shamelessly promote it. you can find it on
Tumblr (. com) /tagged/forced-to-be-a-family
Edit. I've gotten more than one message from people having problems with the link. If you go to tumblr, search for'kaykic' (no quotations). Look at the top of the page, you'll find my blog (it will have the same picture as this story) it will be one of the newest posts( as of 8-2-14).
It is also not a picture post, it's a texted with a read more break. It will look like this,
lime-shadey:
Finished the first chapter of Forced to be a Family comic.
Read More
I hope this helps everyone who's having trouble finding it.