Just Like the Good Old Days
Redbayly: Hey, everyone, sorry I took so long to update. I'm just really busy with my schoolwork right now.
Sokka: Oh, come on, Red, it's not like anyone even cares. I mean, no one really likes these fanfics after all, people only read them because they're dissatisfied with canon.
Redbayly: *Bursts into tears*
Toph and Aang: *Both glare at Sokka*
Iroh: I think it would be wise to apologize to Miss Redbayly. You know how sensitive she is and that was not a courteous thing to say to a lady.
Sokka: Hmph, no ladies here.
Redbayly: *Cries louder*
Toph: *Grabs Sokka by the front of his clothes* Care to rethink your statement, Snoozles?
Sokka: Uhhh…Redbayly doesn't own Legend of Korra and that's a real pity because she would have made it much better than canon?
Toph: Good boy. *Drops him* Also, a bit of warning, this chapter includes a somewhat "mature" scene, nothing too explicit, but just thought I should let you know.
Cold War
Third Person POV:
"Are we all ready?" the leader asked.
The members of the group all nodded. None of the people there were clearly identifiable, something caused by the dark, moonless night and the warrior face-paint they were all wearing; they were dressed in battle gear as well, but no one intended to actually kill anyone. At least, not on that night.
Stealthily, the group sneaked towards the bay; small teams got together and the Waterbenders made ice-rafts they all climbed onto and then propelled them up to the lead Northern ship. With ropes and grappling-hooks, the teams scaled the side of the vessel. The leader was the first one to reach the top and peered over the railing at the small group of Northern soldiers.
"When are these Southerners going to learn their place?" said one guy.
"Can't the stupid rubes see that we're just trying to help them?" another added.
The leader's blood boiled at those statements and he gave the signal to his comrades. Within moments, the deck was swarmed by Southerners, both Benders and Non-Benders, each one dressed as a Wolf Warrior, each one letting out furious battle-cries, and each one causing untold mayhem. They tied up or froze every Northerner they could find and pitched their cargo overboard.
"Aiiiiyaaa!" the leader shouted as he knocked out the Northern commander.
Looking on, a certain Waterbender was having some doubts.
Tarrlok wasn't entirely certain about this mission; true, he'd come to see the South as his home, but it still bothered him that he was attacking his own countrymen. He was happy to be helping a cause he supported, but he also wished it didn't have to require him to do exactly what he was doing now. He looked over to where Lomasi was battling two men twice her size and winning, managing to knock them both over the side of the ship; Tarrlok found he couldn't look away, Lomasi seemed like some beautiful and terrifying war-spirit with how she fearlessly took down any who stood in her way. That's when he realized exactly why he'd come out here.
Noatak's POV:
Well, that dinner could certainly have ended better. Perhaps it's my fault; I probably should have just made it a private occasion for me and Korra. Of course, knowing my luck, everyone else would have tagged along anyway.
After I had gotten ready for bed, I entered the bedroom Korra and I were sharing and I saw that she was still wide awake. As I got into bed beside her, I noticed she was looking at me in a strange way. She just seemed to stare at me with an odd glint in her eyes.
"I'm sorry dinner didn't go well," I said.
"It's alright," she replied softly. "Even though it wasn't your fault, I'm sure there's a way you can make it up to me."
Now, while I could never profess to being naïve, I must admit that innuendos can sometimes go over my head. It's not necessarily my fault considering my sexual experience has been fairly limited throughout my life and because my father's method of explaining it to me when I was ten years old involved a rather graphic and blunt description that had, understandably, caused me to repress a great many thoughts about sex.
Of course, these repressed feelings are not exactly capable of withstanding getting pulled into a very deep, demanding, and tantalizing kiss from my betrothed, especially not when she was making no attempts to hide what it was she wanted right then in that moment. I would be lying if I said I was not interested in reciprocating.
I knew for a fact that neither of us were very experienced when it came to matters like this, so a lot of what we did was nervous fumbling and exploration. Somewhere in it all my shirt came off and I heard Korra whisper my name. There was a foreign feeling of heat building inside me, a warmth that spread through my veins; it was not an unwelcome sensation, but it was…strange.
Truth be told, I had never been so intimate with another person; physical contact, especially of this sort, had been beyond me to a certain extent. In my first life, my focus had shifted primarily to finding out what to make of my life, my quest for power, and later my obsession with ridding the world of Bending. When I began this, my second life, things I had never had time for suddenly became important again; living out a happy childhood with my brother, learning and playing alongside friends, discovering the joys and the pains of my teenage years, and finding out who I was in relation to both mind and body. All these things had been denied me by my father, a father who saw me and my brother only as weapons to be cultivated.
Experiencing physical urges I had once repressed, and being able to learn with someone I loved absolutely, it is hard to put into words. I suppose you could say that when you open up to another person in such an intimate manner, you reveal who you really are underneath everything you show yourself to be outside.
Tarrlok's POV:
I was wrecked the next morning. I had not had such a long night in ages.
"Good morning, Tarro," Senna greeted as I left my room.
I mumbled a reply and she handed me some breakfast.
"Korra and Noak aren't up yet," she continued with a knowing smirk. "I think they were up late…talking."
I was certain she was implying something, but I was too tired to pick up on what it was.
"You were out pretty late yourself," she continued gently. "Now, I know you're over sixteen and capable of making your own choices, but you know it's not good to stay out past midnight. What exactly were you doing?"
"Mrmph," was my articulate reply.
I never stayed out late when I was sixteen in my old life. I never saw the need to. I didn't have many friends back then and my mother had needed me to help her because my father was dying, finally passing two days before my eighteenth birthday (it might seem cold of me to say so, but that was probably the best birthday present I could have gotten). I had no way of knowing how my mother was doing; she had still been alive in the old timeline, something which made me feel even guiltier about blowing up the speedboat so long ago. I had told Noatak about it several years ago; he had not been pleased and wouldn't speak to me for several days.
I do hope my mother is alright. She would probably beat down all that stood in her path if she knew both Noatak and I were alive and down here in the South; she'd probably be even quicker to get here if she knew Noatak was getting married.
"Morning," came a sleepy voice. Korra entered the sitting room, closely followed by my brother. They both looked tired but had rather bright smiles. I didn't know and didn't ask what was going on; their business was their own.
They had both just sat down to breakfast when there was a knock on the door. This was quickly followed by the door swinging open to admit Senna's brother Paytah.
"Senna! Senna! Senna!" he said frantically.
"What? What? What?" Senna replied.
"Unalaq! Unalaq! Unalaq!"
"Yes? Yes? Yes?" Senna said patiently.
"He said! He said! He said!"
"Out with it, Paytah!"
"Unalaq has sent his troops on a raid through the tribe; he's searching for any Southerners who were involved in an attack on his ships last night! He's arrested several people and Kaliska is in an uproar! She says that if the Southerners are not released then she will resort to violence!" He took in a deep breath. "Hey, are those kale cakes?"
"Paytah!"
"Sorry."
"This is a disaster. What are these people thinking?"
"It gets worse. Unalaq thinks that Ciqala was behind the attack and has sent out a dispatch to capture him."
"What?" Korra exclaimed. "He can't do that. Ciqala wouldn't do something like that. I might, but Ciqala-"
I cleared my throat awkwardly and everyone turned in my direction.
"Tarro?" said Korra.
"Well…it wasn't Ciqala's idea."
"Is there something you want to tell us, Tar?" said Noatak.
"We weren't trying to hurt anyone," I insisted. "We just wanted to let them know not to mess with us."
"Who came up with it?" said Senna.
"Ciqala was leading the mission, but the idea was started by Unnuk and his crowd."
"The guys who hang out at the tea houses?" said Korra. "The ones who protest against the White Lotus becoming a public organization instead of staying secret?"
"Yeah." I nodded. "Ciqala met me and Lomasi outside the restaurant last night and asked if we wanted to get in on something to help the tribe. He took us to a meeting lodge, the location of which I cannot tell you, and Unnuk briefed us on the mission. Lomasi wanted to go and I wasn't about to abandon her."
"Well, it's nice to know the youth still have some sense of honor," came a voice from the door. We all froze for a moment, and let out relieved breaths when we saw that it was Chief Kaliska.
"You scared us there, sis," said Paytah.
"You should be less worried about me, and more worried about Unalaq," said Chief Kaliska. "He's gone too far this time. He is openly persecuting our people and we should respond in kind."
"Kali, there's something else," Paytah continued. "Yue tried to talk to me the other day. She was terrified that Unalaq had done something to her husband and sons. She kept saying that she couldn't tell me anything or Unalaq would kill us."
Chief Kaliska narrowed her eyes.
"I'll talk to her," she said. "Korra, do you still want to stop this peacefully?"
"Of course," Korra replied.
"Then speak to Unalaq. You're the Avatar; you're the only one he's even remotely likely to listen to." She then turned to Senna. "Where is Tonraq?"
"He left early," Senna said. "I thought it was strange and he didn't tell me what he was going to do."
"Try and find him. Unalaq probably has him at the top of his hit-list."
"Unalaq wouldn't arrest his own brother," Senna said aghast.
"Listen, Senna, I know Unalaq spent a year in our tribe for a diplomatic mission and that you two were friends, but he is not a good man. Understood?"
Senna nodded.
"Good, now let's head out. Try to stop some of these arrests if you can."
As we left the house, I stopped Paytah.
"I didn't know Senna was friends with Unalaq," I said.
"It was twenty-two years ago," he replied. "And it was more like she was the one person in the entire South Pole who could stand him. Senna has trouble thinking the worst of people and tolerated his self-righteous crap. Look, all that matters is stopping him; stick close to your friends today because things could get bad."
Third Person POV:
After his time as a councilman in Republic City, Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe had returned to the place of his birth to continue raising his family. His eldest daughter, Kaliska, had been almost twenty when they journeyed back to the South and moved into the igloo that Aunt Katara had made for Grandpa Hakoda to live in; the return of his firstborn child had seen Hakoda retire from his position as chief, handing the responsibility over to Sokka. The igloo had changed very little over the years, with only a few additions made by the time Senna, the youngest, had turned twelve.
This was the home that Yue had run away from and yet it was the one place in the entire tribe that she actually felt safe. Even though Kaliska inherited it following their father's death when their niece, Korra, was only four years old, Yue still felt connected to the place. That's why she did not argue when Kaliska brought her there to talk. There were many things that needed to be discussed.
"I need you to be honest with me, Yue," said Kaliska as the two sat across from each other in the main room. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what the problem is."
"If you knew something that a loved one had a right to know, but the knowledge of it could get that loved one killed, would you tell them?" said Yue.
"Depends on what that knowledge is. Why?"
Yue took a sip of tea and wouldn't meet her sister's eyes.
"When was the last time we talked like this, Kali? Really talked."
"When you came home for Mom's funeral," Kaliska answered. "You didn't come to Dad's; I always wondered…"
"You know as well as I do why I didn't come home. Mom would have been furious with me if I had and I only came to hers because it was too painful to stay away."
"Did you hate Dad?"
"No! No, never!"
"Mom was sad that you didn't come to Dad's funeral." Kaliska gave her sister a piercing look. "She'd only be furious if you were keeping something from me that I need to know. In war, information is essential; reveal too much and the enemy knows your secrets, but reveal too little and your allies suffer." She set her cup of tea on the ground in front of her and began to speak in a deathly calm voice. "Tell me what you're hiding."
"I can't," Yue gasped, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "You have no idea what you're asking of me."
"As your chief, I order you to tell me what is going on!" Kaliska demanded, suddenly harsh.
"I can't!" Yue shouted back frantically. "If I do, he'll kill you! Just like he killed Ahote!" She gasped as she realized what she just said and slapped her hands to her mouth.
"What?" Kaliska said quietly.
"I…I shouldn't…you have to understand…"
"WHAT HAPPENED?!"
Kaliska grasped her sister by her shoulders a little harder than necessary. Yue was not even trying to hold back her tears anymore.
"TELL ME!" Kaliska persisted.
"U-Unalaq," Yue sobbed. "When Ahote came up North five years ago, he found out something about Unalaq and tried to warn me. When I met him at the palace to find out what it was, I got there in time to see Unalaq and his guards surround Ahote. Unalaq had them drag Ahote out of the city and kill him and to make it look like a hunting accident."
Kaliska released her grip on her sister's shoulders, her hands shaking. A red mist seemed to fill her vision and all she could think about was how painful she would make Unalaq's death; she was out for blood. She slowly and silently turned to the door.
"Kaliska, where are you going?" Yue said fearfully. "Kali, please, I had to keep it secret. He's got my husband and my sons. He threatened to kill all of us if I said anything. You have to understand!"
Kaliska stopped. She glanced back at her sister's tear-streaked face and then headed right out the door.
Korra's POV:
Things were definitely not looking up. We had to break up a number of fights and I had to issue a number of threats to keep things from getting out of hand; several times I even had to follow through on my threats. I was in the center of town when I suddenly felt someone grab me, put a hand over my mouth, and pull me into a side-street. When I prepared to blast my attacker, I saw that it was Ciqala.
"Shh, Korra, please don't make any noise," he whispered. He looked around to make sure there wasn't anyone listening. "I don't have much time. Unalaq's troops are looking for me and it would not end well if I got captured."
"Unalaq wouldn't do anything," I replied quietly.
"Yes he would. Korra, I should tell you that I did lead the attack on the Northern ships; however, things have gotten out of hand. Several members of the group I'm in are considering assassinating Unalaq and I think Varrick has been egging them on. While I don't care what happens to Unalaq, his death could spark a full-on war and that would destroy our tribe."
"What should we do?"
We heard some shouts nearby and I could see Ciqala getting anxious.
"It's more about what I'm going to do," he said softly. "If Unalaq's death looks like it was caused by Northerners then we won't get in trouble."
"Don't tell me you're actually going to…" I was horrified. Ciqala was actually contemplating murder.
"If I don't, then the insurgents will and that would be disastrous. Korra, the only way for this to end is for Unalaq to go down."
I thought for a moment.
"I should do it, then," I said.
"What?"
"If I take Unalaq down then it will just be the Avatar removing a tyrant for the sake of peace."
"Korra, you've never killed anyone; strange as it seems. Your record is even cleaner than Avatar Aang's. I couldn't ask you to do that."
"But it's my obligation to-"
"Shh!" We both glanced to make sure no one heard us. "I've already settled the matter, Korra. I'm going to the embassy to finish this and I want you to promise me that you won't interfere, even if something goes wrong."
"Ciqala…"
"Please, Korra. I know that there is going to be an attempt to kidnap Unalaq tonight; I have to make sure that I get him before the resistance group does."
"And if you get captured and killed?"
He gave a somber smile.
"Well, I never wanted to be chieftain, anyway."
"That's not funny, Ciqala."
"Just promise me you won't get involved. Promise me."
"I promise."
He gave me a quick hug and then disappeared into the shadows. I wasn't so sure I could keep my promise.
Redbayly: Hey, sorry I had to stop here but I just really needed to get the next chapter up because I haven't updated in months. I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to update again because I'm in the last stretch of my spring semester and have a ton of work to get done.
Sokka: Don't know why you'd bother, it's not like you're going to amount to anything.
Toph: Do you need me to threaten you again, Snoozles?
Sokka: *Cringes* No. I'll be good.
Redbayly: Oh, one more thing, remember when I mentioned that thing about Atlantis? Seems that some of my information was a misinterpretation of what I was reading. Firstly, the guy I mentioned was Critias (I misspelled it as "Criterias"); secondly, I think I might have gotten confused about his role in creating the Atlantis story because it turns out one of the books that Plato wrote about Atlantis was named Critias after the man in question. Sorry about the suddenness of this but I don't want to be accused of disseminating falsehoods.