To beenjammin0421, I always felt like the 6-month interim between Books 1 & 2 was a missed opportunity. We just… insta-skipped throughout Republic City's reconstruction, with President Raiko's election treated as little more than a footnote. And yeah, Korra having to get her Avatar State through the Chakras instead of "Force Ghost" Aang using Energybending on her from beyond the grave will give her a greater appreciation for it.
To LoamyCoffee, Zhu & Asami have an interesting chemistry I didn't plan for, I admit, and in another time and place maybe they would've been a thing first if she hit him with her scooter instead of Mako~
Blaze1992: Huh that went rather calmly was expecting more yelling to happen there.
Re: Perhaps, but what Zhu told Asami that day at her pool, what he showed her, it was all very bracing, so she took his knowledge to heart. The last time, could very easily be "the last time".
Before my own grandfather had the heart attack that killed him, I had no way of knowing that the last time I spoke with him would literally be "the last time". Zhu never knew, and before those "hateful little water monsters" pushed him to his breaking point, he didn't part with his parents on the best of terms before he was made to go out and try to make "friends", so this is an issue that's very close to his heart.
To (Austin)… Zhu having a disembodied head that says "Kill me." like in Team Fortress 2 might be a bit of a stretch. Maybe he could make a [Healing Gun] with Spirit Vines mixed with [Water Healing] and then it could happen since that whole thing was from a [Healing Gun] mishap, but not before.
As for Korra giving Zhu "death by Snu Snu", it's already implied they've "tested the waters" back in the South, but that story will only be posted on AO3 so my entire account doesn't get "Canceled" by some stuck-up prude. As for them having kids… Probably not until post-series, and I might leave that up to the imagination of the readers, if not in a post-series Epilogue. Remember that Korra has only ever been to the South Pole and Republic City; she'd want to do some traveling well before she settles down and have kids like her mom did.
To Okaze, I have a plan in mind for everyone to get their Bending back, but since I'm playing "Book 1.5" by ear… I have a rough draft of which events I want to happen in this Book, but not everything that'll happen and in which order. I also don't want to rush through this because I've only got one shot to tell my story for this 6-month gap. I don't want to have to Retcon anything important for Book 2: Spirits.
To Cchang3, even if there's no Internet in 171 AG, there's still the Radio, the Printing Press, and probably Motion Pictures by 172 AG. Radios and the like probably still use Vacuum Tubes, but I imagine prior-to and by Book 4 that Varrick has probably figured out Transistors for the new top-of-the-line Mecha Suits, with Hiroshi's old Mecha Tanks being more analogue with maybe hydraulic tech.
And yes, I had flashbacks to those obnoxious Tabloids at the supermarket check-out line.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
The Coup de Tat that occurred weeks prior, what would come to be known as "The Equalist Rebellion", while done in the best interests of the Non-Benders of Republic City was still completely unlawful in the eyes of the wider United Republic. As such, the Republic City Council, taxing what remained of their current authority, instigated an "Equalist Tax", wherein all formally recognized members of the Equalist Faction would be made to pay reparations to the United Republic out of their wages for the foreseeable future, if not pay a one-time lump sum.
Worse off for the Non-Benders was that due to the looting, rape, and murder that occurred unopposed (if not outright encouraged) by the Non-Bending populace, they had no leg to stand on to fight this new law. While Future Industries' new CEO, Asami Sato, as well as the Beifong Family and other affluent members of the Metal Clan made large donations to help rebuild Republic City, in addition to other parties with corporate interests, the damage was so-widespread at the behest of the larger population, that it only made sense for those that propped up the Equalists to pay their dues.
The fact that Amon was a complete sham the entire time only hurt the Equalist cause further.
As for deciding who would get taxed, Hiroshi Sato himself instigated a massive recruitment drive once the Council and the Avatar were "routed" from Republic City. Because all of his records were left behind on Air Temple Island, it was a simple matter to find those who had supported the Equalists in an official capacity both before and after the takeover. In fact, many of the well-to-do never expected that they'd be brought to task for what they did, which was essentially no different than supporting a criminal enterprise.
That being said, those of the Equalist faction who hadn't quit en masse after Amon's duplicity was revealed, were still at large. Even with the help of the Metal Clan and the United Forces, as Zhu himself had shown during his time as the Red Spirit, Republic City's underbelly made for an excellent hiding place for those seeking to avoid the long arm of the law; which, in of itself, was still in the process of recovering. Even if you could bring in Metalbenders and train them up, they wouldn't "know the streets" the same way those on the beat for years if not decades would.
And then there was the issue with the power grid. With most if not all the Lightning-capable Firebenders "Equalized", even with massive signing bonuses offered in an attempt to entice Benders from the Fire Nation, there were still rolling brownouts in abundance. Yet another reminder that Non-Benders needed Benders more than they wanted to admit.
As all of this was going on, the bulk of the new Team Avatar, aka "The Krew", had gone their separate ways. Zhu spent most of his time carrying out research on Chakras and Bending-related maladies, Korra spent her days in deep contemplative meditation when she wasn't practicing Airbending, Asami was trying to keep Future Industries from going under, Mako was doing his best to join the metamorphosing Republic City Police Force, and Bolin was doing everything in his power to help rebuild the Pro Bending Arena so everyone would have something to spectate over together once things got better.
At least once Butahka had felt it safe to return after almost being beaten to death and narrowly escaping the Equalists for "glorifying Bending". Yet more justification by the Council to levy taxes upon those that had supported the Equalists.
Because if you give a criminal the money to buy a knife, and you know he's going to use the knife to commit a crime, that makes you an "accessory" in the eyes of the law.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
"I remember back when things were simpler…" Korra sighed as she looked down from the morning's paper. People were still up in arms about the Equalist Tax, but they didn't exactly have a lot of ground to stand on once people came forward as having witnessed looting, rape, and murder; not necessarily in that order, nor nonsequentially.
Maybe that was why some were quietly agreeing to pay it? Because they recognized that not all of what the Equalists did were made from sunshine and rainbows?
"Yeah, me too…" Zhu sighed, still a little on the fence about Varrick's 'decaf' but willing to give it its day in court.
"So… How's the research going? Cutting open… people, and stuff."
"Well, we're invalidating a lot of old textbooks," Zhu hummed. "Honestly, it's like half these old physicians only ever cut open dogs and hog-monkeys."
"Hm… What's Meifan up to?"
"Working at another of Varrick's labs. Something about 'nutritional supplements'."
"I see… What was that last thing she sold him on? Seemed real excited."
"Er… Sometimes men above a certain age have trouble with… marksmanship, and Meifan's little blue pills… help, with that."
"Marksmanship… Like the Yuyan Archers?"
" . . . Yeah, let's go with that," Zhu said after a moment. "What about you? How're things going on your end?"
"It really sucks that I have to keep… starting over, but I'm getting better at unlocking my first Chakra."
"The Earth Chakra; deals with Survival and is blocked by Fear."
"Yeah. How'd you know that?"
"I studied Chakras, back when I wanted to get rid of… well, this," he said brushing some hair over his ear. "Noatak probably studied Chakras too, but without any notes, I'm basically trying to reproduce a painting without knowing what colors to use."
"What happens when you mess with the wrong Chakras?"
"They die," Zhu answered, Korra growing reticent. "People are right to be afraid. About Bloodbending. Unless you're the Avatar or there's a lot of you, one on one there's almost nothing you can do to stop it."
"Maybe, but you've been using yours to help people."
"Yeah… Guess it'll just take a while to work past the stigma. Firebenders had it real tough outside the United Nations for a good while. Doubly-so for Ba Sing Se."
"The one place you've never been to, you mean."
"I've heard the stories. Not just from the bandits that took me in, but from pirates, and travelers. Anyone who's ever been snubbed has a story to tell, just like my horror stories about the North."
" . . . What do you think the North wants with you, long term?"
"Probably want to fold me up into their theocracy, which is just shorthand for making me their slave," Zhu said as his eyes narrowed and his hair writhed.
" . . . With the way you paint them, with how Katara painted them, I'm not sure I ever want to go there."
"Nothing says you have to. Avatar Szeto barely went anywhere in his lifetime. In fact the first time he left the Fire Nation was after he helped stabilize things with the economy and the noble clans. Most Avatar are informed of their status when they're sixteen, but Szeto and the White Lotus by extension only learned about that when he was more than twice that age."
"Were things really so bad in the Fire Nation back then?"
"If you want to know more, you'll have to read the book~"
"Ugh, more books…?" Korra groaned. "Why can't they just make recordings of books for people to listen to instead?"
" . . . You might actually be on to something there," Zhu said as his eyes glinted. "Hope Varrick hasn't thought of it yet. The Pizza Palace is basically printing money, but you can never have too much cash," he said hastily scribbling something on his newspaper before getting up.
"Zhu? You're leaving early?"
"Early bird gets the worm and all that!"
*RECONSTRUCTION*
Later that day after breaking her previous record with her Earth Chakra, Korra decided to decompress away from her fears and hangups by practicing her Airbending. Initially her motions were very reminiscent of Firebending forms, quick jabs for close range with mid-distance swings like Waterbending. However, since she didn't have to hold Republic City's hand anymore, now that her friends had spread out to do what they could even if it meant being away from one another, she'd started dedicating time and effort to learning more traditional Airbending forms with Jinora. The "Air Scooter" always looked like a lot of fun, but that was basically on the level of an Airbending prodigy, if not a full-on Master like Tenzin. In fact, it was Tenzin's own Air Scooter that got him his tattoos; it might've been slower than Aang's, but you could actually mow through light obstacles if one was in your way.
Normally it would be on Tenzin himself to do this, but with the recent Equalist Tax, justified as it was, not only was he busy in the Council, but he was also working outreach programs, predominantly from the Dragon Flats Borough, to help quell unrest. While it would be a long, long time before anyone got roped into another "revolution" like with Amon, as Zhu was oft to say, "people have short memories".
"It's weird. Having the island so-empty, I mean," Jinora hummed.
"Yeah…" Korra nodded. The White Lotus and the Air Acolytes both had come back, but there was a certain… lethargy to the place. Even when the White Lotus who'd been 'Equalized' dedicated themselves to more conventional weaponry like swords, axes, spears, and even boomerangs, there was still a certain listlessness to them. Like her with her Water, Earth, and Fire, they'd lost a piece of themselves, and they weren't completely sure if they could get them back or not.
"You and Zhu… The two of you used to be joined at the hip," Jinora sighed thoughtfully. "Is it weird that I miss him, even when he's just a boat ride away and he comes back home every evening?"
"Fell for him really hard, didn't you?"
"Wh-Wh-Wha?! What're you…!? . . . Okay yes, maybe," Jinora stuttered, red in the face.
" . . . Sorry."
"Nothing for you to be sorry for. You two met first, and you're actually his age while I'm…"
" . . . Maybe this is how Lin felt?"
"Yeah… Yeah, maybe," the emotionally-mature girl sighed. " . . . You wanna go?"
"Go? Go where?"
"To town you silly tortoise-goose~ Nothing's saying we can't," she said gesturing to Republic City. "And even if there's no schooner, we can borrow a dinghy, give it a little 'Airbending boost'."
" . . . That sounds like fun. We can take Zhu out for lunch," Korra nodded.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
"*Snrk* Tarrlok, are you… Are you his secretary~?" Korra tittered after she and Jinora walked into the ASC.
"Avatar Korra…" the ex-Councilman said from his place behind the lobby desk, manning the phones and elevator controls. "And guest."
"Hmph," Jinora huffed.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"A-Apointment?! I'm his wife!"
"Fiancé. Until you actually tie the knot, you don't have the legal rights of his recognized spouse."
"Just call Zhu and tell him we're here to take him to lunch."
"Zhu's in the middle of surgery and he can't be interrupted."
"What?! What happened!?"
"Not to him," Tarrlock deadpanned like Korra were a mentally slow child; a look the Avatar was not fond of receiving. "I'll send word ahead and he'll come down as soon as he's done. Until then, we have a very nice lobby for you to wait in."
"Oh you are just enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Only a little~" the ex-Councilman chuckled. "You can wait with the others."
"Others?" Korra blinked before turning and catching flashes of silver on green. "Wha- Opal?! And…?"
"Kuvira."
"Right! Yes. Totally knew that!" Korra deflected as she and Jinora went to join the two Metal Clan members. "So, what're you here for?"
"I thought I'd take Zhu out for a nice lunch. I mean we!" the pretty Metal Clan girl blushed.
"Smooth," Korra deadpanned.
"I-I can still take a good friend out for a nice lunch! There's nothing weird about it!"
"Maybe not, but it's your funeral if you wanna piss off the Avatar."
"Oh, go back to your phone calls Ponytail Man!" Korra snapped back.
"Your husband-to-be certainly keeps… interesting company," Kuvira hummed, having read the news that reached Zaofu about Tarrlok's fall from grace.
"Yeah. He sure does," Korra smiled as a hand went to her necklace, Jinora giving Opal a knowing pat on the shoulder.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
"Korra, Jinora, Opal, Kuvira! What's the occasion?" Zhu greeted as he stepped out of the elevator, clad in some casual Water Tribe-colored clothes, his Shirshu walking alongside him.
"Just thought we'd take you out to lunch. Last time we were in this part of town things were a little…"
"Terrifying beyond the capacity for rational thought?"
"I was going to say hectic," Korra blushed.
"Heheh~ That sounds like a fun story~" Opal giggled as Akamaru came up to her for headrubs.
"So, where's the rest of the Metal Clan?" Zhu asked Kuvira's way.
"Scattered and doing their own things," the young woman sighed.
"Hm. Well, I'm glad they're enjoying themselves, at least. Even if the city still looks like shit," Zhu hummed as he scratched his cheek. "Tarrlok, we're going out for lunch. Wanna come with?" he asked over his shoulder, Korra and Jinora shooting the man a look while Opal wondered what their animosity was about.
"No, I… already have a packed lunch," Tarrlok replied. Without his usual revenue stream, he'd had to make some cutbacks; not on his clothes, he'd refused to cut back on that.
That and he could recognize when he wasn't wanted. Amazing (read: unsurprising) how-quickly his so-called "friends" left him out to dry once it got out he was a Bloodbender (who'd kidnapped the Avatar). And that was before Amon took his Bending. Doubly-so before it got out that "Amon" was his own brother.
And of course, Tenzin had just relished the ex-councilman asking (read: begging) to stay on Air Temple Island until he got back on his feet wholesale. His main home had been looted during the civil war, and the Northern theocracy had cut his funding while they scrambled for a replacement, but he'd been able to salvage money and clothes from his off-the-books "bug-out home".
"Alright, then. If I'm back a little late, tell the others to go on without me," Zhu hummed with a wave as he guided his little troupe around to the rear of the building where the garage lay.
"Nice Satomobile," Opal hummed as Zhu opened the doors to the luxury vehicle and ushered them in.
"It was originally Korra's, but the only thing she can drive is a Polarbear-Dog."
"H-Hey, I'm not that bad behind the wheel…"
"You also don't know 'Right of Way'."
"Urk…"
"I guess even the Avatar has things she's bad at," Kuvira hummed thoughtfully.
"D-Don't give me that pitying gaze!" Korra cried as Zhu drove them smoothly onto the street.
"So, where'd you have in mind for lunch?"
"I-I'd like to go to Little Ba Sing Se!" Opal called out. "We don't have anywhere like that in Zaofu, I mean, so that's why…"
"Korra, what do you think?"
"Haven't been by there in a while. Feels like forever since I've just sat down and did normal teenage stuff," the Avatar sighed.
"Hopefully none of the vendors got run out of town when the Equalists took over…" Jinora hummed furtively.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
Unfortunately, a number of vendors had been run out of town.
Some had been dragged out kicking and screaming before either being beaten to death and then handed to Amon and then being beaten to death yet again, or were just dragged out and killed indiscriminately; something the Council loved to bring up when it came down to justifying the new Equalist Tax. Those that hadn't been beaten to death and/or killed had the foresight to leave Republic City when things began to turn. This essentially meant that half the storefronts in the Little Upper Ring, reliant on Bending arts for niche services like designer baking, pottery, glassblowing, and so-on had been shuttered up if not completely gutted in the looting and pillaging. The only storefronts that really remained were those that were non-reliant on the Bending arts, or whose owners didn't blatantly advertise their use of the Bending arts. A few had posted announcements of their inevitable return now that the civil war had ended, but to see that the Equalist Uprising had even affected this place…
It hurt Zhu and the Korra both a great deal because some of their best pre-complicated-Avatar-stuff memories came from that area.
"Yanyu! You made it!"
"Avatar Korra, it's lovely to see you again," the seamstress sighed as the Avatar approached.
"So… How bad were things?" Korra asked worriedly.
"So-so…" the woman admitted. "There… wasn't a lot I could do…"
"They were sharks out for blood. No-one expected you to dive head-long into the deep end," Zhu said consolingly. "I'm amazed the Avatar Kyoshi statue outside Shuang Salon was left alone, considering…"
Amon and/or Hiroshi were not ones for subtlety if the giant mask shamelessly slapped atop Aang's own was any indicator.
"Earth Kingdom sees her more as a historical icon than a political one, given how-far-back she lived and died," Yanyu hummed.
"Notwithstanding the fact that she lived for three centuries," Zhu huffed.
"Not to mention, all the Kyoshi Warriors 'look the same', so no-one even knew it was Kyoshi. They just assumed it was 'bigger than life-sized'," the seamstress chuckled. "So, who are your new friends?"
"Opal Beifong and Kuvira of the Metal Clan," Zhu introduced. "We're old friends from a while back. I passed through Zaofu and Republic City on my way to the Fire Nation."
"My, you really have been all over, haven't you?"
"Yeah, maybe I'll write a book."
"I'd read it~" Opal smiled prettily, Korra's brow furrowing.
"I have to say, I've always been curious about Metal Clan fashions. Tell me, is it all the same metal, or is it metal-cladding?"
*RECONSTRUCTION*
While Zhu left Opal to talk shop with Yanyu and Kuvira to watch over Opal, Korra pulled her betrothed aside and circled the three rings of Little Ba Sing Se to just… drink everything in by their lonesome.
Well, Jinora was trailing alongside like a lost puppy, so it wasn't entirely by their lonesome…
"I've only been by once or twice to study the intermingling of cultures as opposed to the commercial goods, but I've never seen it so sad before…" Jinora hummed somberly.
"Well, what do you expect? The messiah they'd propped up and banked their hopes and dreams on turned out to be a sham," Korra hummed as she eyed the lethargic non-Benders trying to get through the day.
"Not to mention all the rape and pillaging," Zhu huffed dismissively, shooting looks at anyone who even thought of looking at Korra funny.
The moment those stories had begun to surface, was truly the moment the so-called "Equalist" movement had rolled over and died.
"Funny how-often history repeats itself…" Jinora hummed, thinking back to the Cranefish Rebellion.
"If we can fix the larger systemic issues, maybe we can prevent a second Bender Supremacist uprising," Korra said aloud. "Mr. Juice! You're here!"
"Avatar Korra, Grand Lotus Zhu, Jinora," the older man greeted. "How is the day treating you?"
"It could be better," Korra admitted. "Did the looters give you any trouble?"
"Only a little, but I was able to hide my pictures of you and Aang in the floor safe."
"That's good to hear," Jinora hummed as she found her familiar seat by the counter. "Can I get my grandpa's special, please?"
"Of course," Mr. Juice hummed as he chopped the bananas and onions with a practiced hand before dropping it all and a bit of water into a blender. When the power went out, the old man dumped the concoction into a hand-blender and cranked the handle until it was at just the right consistency. It was only when he'd given the juice to Jinora that the power flickered back to life, causing the old man to rub the bridge of his nose. "Every time. Every, single time…"
"Well… To getting some replacement Lightningbenders," Jinora said raising her cup awkwardly, the old man taking an empty glass and clinking them together.
"So, what'll you two be having?"
"Water with lemon."
"Same," Korra added. "So… Do you know any good restaurants that're still open?"
"I think there's a café that's still open. Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom mix if I'm not mistaken."
"Thanks for that," Zhu said sliding some yuans across the table; more than was needed, but the old man needed it more than him.
"If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to speak to my dad," Jinora offered.
"I'll keep that in mind, but don't worry about me. I've been through my fair share of 'downs', and this is just another one," Mr. Juice replied.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
With Little Ba Sing Se as a bit of a dry well in terms of actual food, the party of four decided to head to the café that Mr. Juice had recommended for them. It was a nice place that'd managed to hold on through the civil war, and the outdoor seating was brisk, yet enjoyable. The five of them made for quite the odd group, though it was hard to say whether the Avatar or the red-head drew the most wandering eyes.
"Kuvira. You feel it too, don't you?" Zhu asked as Akamaru's fur stood on end, the Shirshu pawing at his foot.
"Yeah, I do. Girls, act natural," Kuvira whispered as she sipped her tea, body tensing up beneath her armor.
"What's going on?" Jinora said as she picked at her food.
"There's a lot of pissed-off people gathering up around us," Zhu answered as foot traffic around them started to slow.
"How can you tell?" Korra asked.
"Spikes in blood pressure, mostly. This-many people gathering up around us, it feels like every angry mob I've ever had to run from," Zhu replied, Opal's expression growing somber as she reached across the table and took his hand, Korra pouting as the Metal Clan girl stroked circles on his knuckles with her thumb.
"Who do you think they're after?"
"Hard to say, but I'm sure they'll tell-"
"BROTHERS! SISTERS! KILL THE AVATAR! KILL THE BLOODBENDER!"
"Guess that answers that question," Kuvira said snapping out a pair of telescoping batons as dozens of ordinary civilians suddenly donned white ceramic masks like Amon's, minus the red circle, and rushed them.
"We're surrounded!" Opal cried as the heaving mass approached with improvised weapons.
"Akamaru! Protect Opal!" Zhu ordered, the Shirshu taking a defensive posture in front of her while he, Korra, Kuvira, and Jinora readied themselves.
Jinora's Airbending was the least-directly confrontational defense raised; simply wide, high-powered air blasts that killed the momentum off those before her and threw them onto their butts. Korra's Airbending on the other hand was fierce like Firebending, strengthened further by her continued training both physically and spiritually. Kuvira's batons would sometimes shoot out like a whips, and when Zhu started flinging knives from his sleeves, Kuvira suddenly realized the silverware in the café was much the same, and gathered it to herself before letting those fly with her Metalbending to incredible effect.
"Please, stop this! Amon might've been a lie, but-"
"AMON WAS NOT A LIE!"
"IT'S ALL A CONSPIRACY!" two mask-clad non-Benders raged at Jinora's pleading words.
"Don't waste your breath! If they had a lick of sense in their heads, they wouldn't be here!" Zhu shouted as, on his last knife, he nicked the tip of his finger and extended it at the nearest attacker. "EVERYBODY DOWN!"
Kuvira tackling Opal to the ground while Korra dragged Jinora down, Zhu swept his finger at the closest ring of attackers firing off drops of blood with mental flexes of Bloodbending. The attackers recoiled as they were struck, but other than a trickle, they barely hurt at all, confident sneers forming behind ceramic faces as they stepped forward, only to suddenly go rigid as Zhu made agonized clenching motions with his hands.
His fists snapping shut across his chest, all of a sudden, the dozen people he'd shot his own blood into burst into massive crimson ice flowers not dissimilar to what Noatak did to himself. With sweeping motions of his arms like a graceful dance, Zhu then tore the ice crystals free, splitting them apart and spinning them overhead like icicles before firing them like a rain of arrows. Non-Benders squealing in agony as they were struck, Zhu refocused his efforts on those that tried to flee, their own bodies growing rigid, blood trickling down his nose at the strain of barring their escape.
Kuvira and Akamaru getting up, the Metalbender wrenched slabs of rock from the ground and sent them at those Zhu wasn't holding, while Akamaru whipped out his barbed tongue and dropped everyone.
A few minutes later as the Republic City Police entered Little Ba Sing Se, around five-dozen faux-Equalists had been defeated, Zhu choking the last of them out with a mass feat of Psychic Bloodbending.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
"Man, not being a Waterbender sucks…" Korra grumbled as she dabbed at Zhu's face, the Bloodbender pinching the bridge of his nose which shone red beneath his skin as he used Blood Healing on his burst sinuses.
"Hey, don't sell yourself short, Korra. Those 'Air Darts' really knocked them on their asses," Zhu complimented as those that were still alive were taken away.
"Still, what was… this?" Opal asked making a pointing motion with her finger.
"Something I found out, was that by injecting a little of my blood into another body, I could Bloodbend it more-easily," Zhu answered. "First time I used it outside a controlled setting, though…"
"Did you have to kill them, though…?"
"They were literally out for blood," Kuvira huffed as she nudged the nearest body, which Zhu's 'Ice Flower' had ripped to shreds. "I'd have killed if they came for you."
"I'd never want anyone to die over me!"
"Hey, these people did this to themselves," Lin huffed as she walked up to them. "So, think this is the start of something bigger?"
"I doubt it. None of them had Equalist shock gauntlets, and none of them were even Chi Blockers," Korra shrugged. "I think these are just new Amon Worshippers that grouped up after the actual Equalists went to ground and stopped taking new members."
"So a deluded all-or-nothing, huh?" Lin groused before more Metalbenders ran up.
"OPAL!" Suyin cried as she and her sons ran up to her.
"MOM?!" Opal cried as Suyin embraced her.
"Opal, when I heard what happened, I came right away!"
"Mom, it's okay, really! Zhu and the others… protected me," Opal said with a strained face as she tried to tune out all the bodies.
"Su…!?"
"Lin…?!"
"Oi, you two, whatever beef you've got with one another, do it on your own time," Zhu ground out.
"How did you-"
"I can literally feel your blood pressure rising," Zhu said shooting them a look like a disappointed parent. "Whatever thing you Beifongs have isn't any of my business, but don't do it in front of the kids, either."
" . . . Lin, I-"
"I've got work to do," Lin said as she stormed off, leaving Suyin, Opal, and the others surrounded by bodies.
"So… What're you going to do with all these?" Kuvira asked.
"Probably put them on ice, maybe cut them open if no-one comes forward," Zhu shrugged. "If I can prove definitively that Benders and non-Benders are made of the same stuff, maybe someday we can put an end to all these superior/inferiority complexes."
"What, like finding out why some people are Benders and others aren't?"
"That's another reason," Zhu shrugged. "That, and you can never have too many cadavers. I'm still trying to collect enough data points for my 'Blood Type' theory…."
"I think I'm going to be sick…" Opal groaned holding her mouth.
"Though there is a frightening beauty to be found in the end of the mortal coil," Huan hummed in deep contemplation as he stared at the puddles of blood and the shapes they made.
"I might be too used to this myself…" Korra admitted.
"From a purely academic standpoint I'm fascinated… even if I can't stand the sight of blood," Jinora said covering her eyes.
"Akamaru, stop sniffling. That's filthy," Zhu chastised, his Shirshu retreating from the bodies all on his own.
And the chattering went on for a good time until Zhu called someone up to take the bodies into storage.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
"What a mess…" Tenzin sighed the following evening at dinner, his arrow resting on the table in an undignified fashion.
"Sorry," Zhu apologized. "Though technically I do have diplomatic immunity where the Avatar's safety is concerned."
"I know that, and you know that, but 'they' aren't going to see it that way…"
"Not that they have much of a choice. They did scream 'kill the Avatar' like a bunch of n-u-t-j-o-bs," Korra spelled.
"Korra, you are not helping," Tenzin sighed.
"That reminds me for whatever reason, what's the beef between Lin and her sister?" Korra blinked.
"That's none of my business, and it's none of yours either," Tenzin chastised.
"Given the way their blood pressure spiked, I feel like it should at least be my business."
"Zhu, you stay out of it as well. Not everything that has to do with blood is your problem."
"Said the guy that got folded by a Bloodbender making me step in."
"Gurk…!"
"Still though…" Korra hummed. "If those were the fake Equalists, what about the real ones that're still at large?"
"Well, we're at a deficit for Earthbenders, so it's not like we can sweep the city with 'Seismic Sense'," Tenzin sighed. "Thankfully, their numbers are small, and they won't be able to turn the people against us again. After taking inventories, they only got away with a small handful of Mecha Tanks, a few crates of Shock Gauntlets, and the clothes on their backs. And without Hiroshi's resources, they won't be able to get any more."
"Which is all the more important you try and establish a democratically elected leader," Zhu hummed. "Amon being a phony won't really matter if the people feel like that's an excuse for the Council to return to the status quo. Things have to change, or we'll just keep repeating the same mistakes."
"And I doubt the next civil war will only happen after another seventy years," Korra hummed.
"I'm working on it. Believe me, I really am," Tenzin sighed as he rubbed his temples.
"That reminds me for whatever reason, what was Akamaru doing at your clinic?" Korra blinked.
"Experiments with Shirshu venom," Zhu shrugged. "That and, on the off-chance one of them did get their Bending back, I'd want to be able to drop them quickly."
"As long as you don't let Jinora watch," Tenzin hummed as Pema came into the room with the baby, one of the acolytes bringing in dinner.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
AN:
The whole "Equalist Tax" thing might be a little divisive among the readerbase, but I genuinely feel like those that supported the Equalists, even if not charged with any crimes, would still be expected to help pay back the destruction they caused. They're the very definition of "accomplices" after all, or maybe "accessories" depending.