She was in the shop, getting them coffee. He was outside with the animals, trying to keep them from killing one another. Pabu was hissing at Tǎoyàn from his shoulder and clawing up at him. Tǎoyàn was pacing back and forth, huffing and growling. He knew that he wasn't allowed to jump on people, but he was thinking about it, Bolin could tell. It was only a matter of time before he did something.

"Would you two just calm down? We're all friends here." He tried to reason with them, but they didn't care. Tǎoyàn make an attempt at Pabu's tail, jumping up but his feet hit air as Bolin took a quick step forward to save his buddy, "Tao, stop that!" He didn't stop that. Pabu wasn't helping matters either, he was hissing and swiping his claws and swaying his tail, making himself too irresistible to the predator. So the sealhound followed his instincts and made another jump for his snack. "Stop it!" They kept at it. He was caught in the middle as the ferret twirled around his body and the hound ran circles while jumped up.

"Enough!" A loud, authoritative bark came. Both animals froze mid-lap/jump. They looked at their master/master's mother to see if she really meant business, then decided that they didn't want to fight anymore. Pabu hunkered all the way to his master's shoulders and Tǎoyàn slunk over to his master's side with his tail between his legs.

"How do you do that?"

"I'm not a pushover. Here you go, Boy." She nudged his arm with hers, and offered him his drink, which he eyed skeptically. The woman was being nice to him, and it was unsettling to say the least. She was never nice, not when someone was opposing her. Their past history taught him to prepare for yelling and earthbending tantrums, but she was buying him coffee...after giving him a full day off, and taking a day for herself... something was not right. There was this sinking feeling in his gut, like he was being set up. Maybe she was plotting to put sleeper's tonic into his drink and ship him to the Southern Water Tribe?

"Uh, thanks." He took the cup, but wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to drink it. No, decided that it must be safe. She wouldn't drug his coffee, she wasn't that subtle. If she did want to send him away she'd just knock him out cold and pack him in a crate with the words 'do not shake or unleash' on the sides. The hot coffee went down his throat as they started walking. The shop wasn't far from the park, so he figured that's where they were going, "You're luring me into a false sense of security, aren't you?"

"Don't be ridiculous." She rolled her eyes as they reached a small pond. This early in the morning, there weren't that many people around. A couple sat on the wooden bench a little ways off to their right, or technically they were laying in each others' arms on the bench, but they were too engrossed in themselves and their newspaper to pay them any mind, "We're here to talk."

"Okay..." neither spoke, he didn't know what to say and she suddenly seemed disinterested in him. Didn't she just say that she wanted to talk?, "So do you want me to start or-"

"Just a minute." Her eyes narrowed. She stomped her foot, and the ground that was holding the couple's bench caved in on the front legs, making it's occupants roll to the ground. For a moment there was silence. His mother glared, they looked at her in horror, he stared in shock.

"Mako?!" He shouted when he found his voice again, "Asami?!" Well, their faces were hid behind the newspaper, now he knew why.

"We were just, um-" Mako was at a loss for words as they pick themselves up.

"Leaving!" Asami wisely grabbed her boyfriend's wrist and made a run for it. As Bolin watched the two retreat, he heard another stomp. The tree behind the bench shook, and something fell out of it.

"Oh, hey, Beifong. Hey, Bolin." A young Water Tribe woman scratched the back of her head with a sheepish smile.

"Hey, Korra." He waved, but the pleasantries were wasted on the grumpy chief. She pointed at the girl, and then to the path that retreating couple took,

"Leave. Now."

"Right." She causally turned a heal and strolled off for dignity's sake until she she went behind the treeline, then she suddenly broke into a run.

"Sit down boy." She sat down on the cold earth near the pond, so he did the same, "You know I'm not giving in on this."

"I'm not-" A hand stopped him from going on.

"And I know that your not giving in either, being the damn stubborn boy that you are when you want to be." The woman had a point, this was a perfect example of the irresistible force meeting the unmovable object, "Now we got to find a way to...", it seemed like the very word was poison in her mouth, "compromise."

"...Okay?" How could they possibly compromise? He wanted to be a cop, and she was making his life hell to run him off. Where was the middle ground?

"People are dropping out of the Metalbending Academy by the dozens. I want you to train the ones who aren't cutting it in the normal classes." She looked at him expectantly, but only got a blank stare in return. That sentence didn't sound like it had anything to do with the conversation they were having at the moment.

"But only one out of a hundred people can metalbend, and I won't have time to train anybody, I'll be on the streets busting criminals." Two very important points, both of which made her roll her eyes and growl.

"I want you to represent the force at the metalbending academy. You'll keep your rank and be called in if I need you." And the chances of that were slim. If she had her way, Bolin would never do another day of police work, "And that damn statistic is a lie made by people who wanted an excuse to give up."

"But I wanna stop criminals." And he wasn't going to let her tuck him away at the academy while she and Mako cleaned up the streets. He was as good as his brother. Mako might be street smart, but he was the best fighter. Why did Mako get a chance when he didn't?

"I need more metalbenders." she knew that a gruff commanding talk wouldn't work, as it hadn't worked yet, so she did her best to don a soothing and persuasive tone. "You got over a block, you can show them how to do it, too." A hand landed on his shoulder, "You can give me the people I need." Her son shrugged off her hand, much to her surprise,

"That's not a compromise." That was a lie. Something like when someone told a small child they were being a big help when in reality they were just being kept busy,"I just want to be a cop, and I'm not changing my mind." He would stand his ground, ironically using his own mother's teachings about stubbornness against her. As her eyes narrowed he felt his life fade away, he was getting the death glare and he was starting to remember that he still had a lot to learn.

"Is that so?" She asked coldly. He stiffened his body, 'Stay strong, Bo. You're a Beifong, too.'

"Ye-yeah, that's so." He answered with defiance. Well, she tried it the pure airhead way, and it wasn't working. Now it was time to mix in a little Toph love. Bolin grimaced as she grabbed a hold of his ear, pulled him up by it and drug him out of the park.

"Mama?" Opal Beifong asked for her mother's attention towards the end of breakfast. The family and a few family friends went silent so that the timid voice of the little girl could reach Suyin's ears.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"What's a bastard?" Everyone ten and older choked on their food and drinks. The question was just there, without cause or warning, so it took a few seconds for everyone to pick their jaws off the floor and gather their wits.

"Where did you hear that word?" Su made sure to ask calmly so she wouldn't frighten her daughter, but her eyes were alight with fire. She looked over the table to search for any potential suspects, but couldn't see any guilt in the room. Opal caught the tension in the air, and began to get nervous, but she knew to answer her mother.

"From Li Ming at the bakery shop. She said that she didn't know how anyone could blame a bastard. So, what is it?"

"Well, it's a complicated subject." The mother said as she stalled for time. Li Ming was a nice woman, but perhaps a bit too chatty and tactless at times. But on the other hand Opal was a child and she would ask eventually, though Su would've preferred that she didn't ask at the table in the presence of guests and her little brothers. "She was probably talking about me." She would tell her daughter the complete truth of the matter, and the twins, and be done with it. It worked just fine for her two eldest boys,

"So you're the bastard."

"Technically. A bastard is someone who's mom and dad are not married." she explained, "There are a lot of people who try to make the child feel bad about that, so they call them names like 'bastard'."

"Why do they try to make them feel bad?"

"Because they think that everyone should live the way they do. And since they think that people should be wed to have children, anyone who was born without a wedding is bad to them." Su explained. Her daughter thought about it for a second before hopping out of her chair.

"You're not bad, Mama." She assured her mother with a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, sweetie."

"Is our auntie a bastard?" Wing asked from his spot.

"No, our mom was married to her dad. Though it wasn't on purpose. And we say 'illegitimate child', Wing. It is more polite." Though that phrase cut through Su more than the first, how could any child be 'illegitimate', were they not flesh and blood?

"How do you marry someone on accident?" her eldest boy asked, no possible solution coming to his mind.

"Now that's enough today. Why don't you all go play outside?" It was a common understanding between parent and child that sometimes a mother's suggestions were commands in disguise. And it never took the children long to recognize the difference so every one of them left their plates and headed for the door,

"You stay, Junior." Baatar told his son, "Tell him, Dear. He's sixteen."

"Alright." Su relented. It was a moment that made Junior's pride swell, he was finally getting to sit with the adults. He came back to the table, taking the seat next to Kuvria and Hiroshi and settled in for his first adult conversation, "There is a funny story behind that. Apparently, my mother and her friend,-" the older adults knew what the word was really implying, Baatar Junior had to think about it for a second, "had a few too many drinks and got hungry. They went looking for a restaurant, ended up at a temple and asked for the house special. They woke up the next day and they were married."

"..." Crickets sounded as the story sunk in. Yes, it was funny, but also very stupid. Su had learned to laugh at most stupid mistakes made by her or her relatives, or at least laugh the look on people's faces as the story was told, so she smiled a sly smile,

"Otherwise, she probably would've been a bastard, too."

She didn't let go of his ear until they reached the Metalbending Academy, then she unceremoniously pushed him into a beginners class. Everyone stopped and stared as Bolin stumbled in, except the instructor. He noticed them, but didn't pay them any mind. He knew who they were and that it was none of his business why they were there. The ground shook to get the student's attention back and the class continued. Bolin watched the man push his students hard, looking more like a drill sergeant more than a bending master. When he stopped to shout at a teenaged girl who couldn't get her coin to even shake, the young Beifong's blood start to boil. It was also when mom waved the instructor over and led him out of the room, so since he was there with nothing else to do...

"I had trouble learning too." He admitted after sliding up to the girl who got singled out, "You feeling the metal?"

"Yes."

"You try closing your eyes?"

"Yes!"

"Well, then it sounds like you just gotta show the metal who's boss."

"I've been trying that!" she said exasperated, holding back tears of anger.

"Yeah, yeah," he said sympathetically, "I did too. For years. I can help you, this is going to be tough, but you'll be tougher. I know it." He put a thoughtful hand to his chin while looking over her stance, "Alright, come here." There was a decorated sheet of metal on the wall, he pulled it down and held it like a boxing bag, "Here, push it. Come on, hands flat, dig your feet in the stones, and mean it." The attempt was pitiful, "You didn't know that you can. Do it again, but know that it's gonna move this time." The second attempt was as bad as the first. And the third, fourth and fifth tries were the same. What, exactly, was it that pushed him to do it? He took a second to think as she continued to try,

Amon had him and Mako locked in an interrogation room.

His saw his equalized mother, who he'd been desperately searching for, in Amon's prison.

He saw his avatar friend in the same cell as his mother, and didn't know whether she'd been equalized yet or not.

And last, but not least, he saw Asami in an equalist uniform.

The damn metal door was in his way, and he had people to save.

"Alright," maybe he had a solution. Unconventional? Maybe.. "cuss at it."

"What?" She looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

"Cuss at it. It's in your way, it's pushing you around, and it deserves to be told off.", he drove the sheet into the stone floor so it could stand by itself and causally leaned against the side, "If a guy waltzed up to you, and wouldn't take 'no' for an answer... you'd give him hell, right?"

"Right."

"Well, okay." He etched a haphazard bad guy with an almost toothless grin and a sword on the metal, "here's the biggest bastard you'll ever meet, trust me on that." Bolin came around behind her, "He's stubborn. He'll just stand there, making fun of you, and the only way you'll ever get him to shut up is to knock his lights out... he's just standing there, calling you names and laughing and shouti-"

"You...damn twisted son of a bitch!" She roared, scaring everyone out of their wits, as she punched the metal. Now there was a small dent in the bad guy's left eye.

"There you go," Bolin laughed as he patted her on the back, "he won't be bugging you again. Any one else wanna try?" They all lined up.

…

After she heard excited laughter coming from the classroom and saw the reason, she gave Sifu Shui the day off and headed back to Headquarters. Now, at least she had something to do while she waited for her boy to make up his mind.

"Chief," her assistant appeared in the doorway, "your son's on the line." Lin nodded and waved her off, hoping for good news.

"You ditched me." A disgruntled voice came through the telephone.

"You looked like you were having fun helping those newbies beat up that sheet metal." she shrugged out of habit, "You still at the acadmy?"

"Naw, I just got to your house." He replied. That wasn't bad, he'd still been there most of the day, "I thought you'd be here. Didn't you have the day off?"

"I got bored." but enough about her, "How was it, Boy?"

"It was great.", Success, "But I don't get how it'd be helping you." maybe not.

"If the metalbenders sign a two year contract with the police force, their tuition is on the house." The first academy had actually been completely free, but as Republic City got bigger it became harder to get enough officers to keep the peace. So, despite her mother's ideals, a tuition was demanded and an incentive program was put into effect.

"So the more people who learn, the more officers you get."

"Right. You'd be good, Boy, but you're only one man. You do this, I could have twenty or thirty more a year."

"...I think I get it."

"Is that a 'yes'?"

"Under one condition." his borderline evil smile could be heard over the line, "This is a compromise."

"What?" she growled.

"I teach at Headquarters. That way I'm close if you guys need me." He wasn't going to make this easy on her, was he?

"Are you serious?" Of course he was, she knew it.

"Compromise. Remember? I'm doing the job you want, so I want to chose the location...they're gonna work there anyway, right?" Not all of them, and those that would join up wouldn't work there until after they'd finished the courses. Which led to the problem, most of the building was off limits to civilians. There was that small gym on the ground floor on the south east corner. She supposed that it would be easy enough to close off from the rest of the building and make available for classes, "Mom? We got a deal?"

"...Deal." She was starting to go soft.

A large crowd gathered around Captain Lee's desk, all were arguing about the betting pool. Some were trying convince him that since the boy wasn't going to be an officer, only a fill-in deputy like he was now, the Chief won. Others said that since the boy hadn't been run off by the Chief, and he kept his rank, he won.

"Good evening, Officers!" a loud, eccentric voice carried over the others. A United Forces commander strolled up to the desk with at least thirty of his sailors, "I'm here to collect my winnings."

"Sorry, Commander Bumi, but all bets are off since we can't call a winner. I'll find your ticket and refund your money."

"You just look at my wager, Captain." They all looked at him skeptically, but Lee searched through the numerous tickets until finally found Bumi's.

"Commander Bumi: Winner- A draw." many groans were heard, "Judging by the moaning, I guess all agree on that. It's all yours, Commander." The Captain almost looked ready to sob as he handed over the lock box containing the money.

"Don't take it hard, Officers. Drinks on me!" Those that were going off duty cheered at the consolation prize and quickly grabbed their things.

"Hey, Commander." one woman asked him as she locked her desk, "How'd you know it was going to be a draw."

"When you got a rock meeting the hard place, you know neither's gonna win."