Sultan Asil Arslan-Hiatus: Ok… that last line was pretty damn badass and I am sure many will steal it. And politicians are dumb, did anyone expect otherwise?
Re: It was my intent to leave a great zinger at the end, yes~
As for the Council, I'm eager to write my interpretation of how they give way to a Democratically-elected leader instead of whatever the hell they were doing before. That, and it was also fun writing them a bit "salty" since after Book 1 we never hear from them again.
Eve007hero: Great story, the author breaks that trope in which Mc must be super powerful and rule the whole world, in this story we have a strong Mc, but he recognizes that his greatest strength is in his mind and he is also not afraid to hold his hands. (I hope the author can continue, by the way I totally support the idea of a "harem" so that you really develop the characters instead of just playing them in the story.
[Translated from Spanish]
Re: When I started reading FanFic years and years ago, the biggest "killer" was a Lead who was never Challenged by anything around him. Once I got out of my Nascent Phase, I endeavored to write Characters with Flaws and Failings, and I'm always glad when people notice that. When people notice and appreciate the flaws I've built in.
It also brings a smile to my face when people vouch for a Harem for an OC before that's even "the plan"; shows people are Invested.
LoamyCoffee: Excellent job with this chapter.
It feels really important to start reintroducing larger roles for the non-benders while the Metal-Benders are out of commission. I'm looking forward to a blended police force.
[This message has been truncated due to length]
Re: I feel like the backroom politics that made Star Wars: The Clone Wars such a joy for savvier watchers was put to the wayside in Legend of Korra beyond fits of "politicians are alwasy evil/up to something"; which is why in the Worldbuilding, I try to make this world feel as Lived-In as I can.
And while it's true that Korra had a later-former Councilman in her corner, she never really had a Savvy "Everyman" to bring some "Perspective" into play, which is why it's so fun to have Korra & Zhu play off of one another; especially in terms of Character Growth.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
"Honestly, I was hoping all this would be over and done with by the time I got back…" Asami sighed that morning as she set the paper down, the headline being the impending trial of Hiroshi Sato for his various crimes in the now-concluded civil war.
With Amon aka "Noatak" dead by his own hand, at least according to Zhu's late-night radio show where the story was told in graphic detail… Hiroshi was the next-available figurehead on the proverbial chopping block.
"Not to mention, Cabbage Corp is going to be throwing their whole legal department at Future Industries to get reparations," Korra said as she skimmed over the story with her own paper.
She wasn't as-big a fan of recreational reading as Zhu or Jinora, let alone for work, but more and more, she was recognizing how-important it was that the round herself out. In the same way that she'd drawn Zhu out into the open, casting off his shroud of secrecy and accepting the fact that he was a Bloodbender, she too had to accept that there were some problems you couldn't solve by chucking fire or rocks or water at them.
The fact that she was presently only an Airbender notwithstanding, she realized with the way that Dragon Flats Borough had helped with the "underground railroad" for Benders fleeing Republic City, that she had to be the "bridge" between Benders and non-Benders as well; not just between Humans and Spirits.
After all, she was "their Avatar too". And they'd probably only helped Zhu with his work because she, in turn, had pulled her weight with the White Lotus to get technicians to put their lights back on behind the Council's back.
It actually felt pretty good, making a tangible impact on people's lives through her own efforts. Not by using Aang's name or the efforts of all her friends, but with an action that she'd fronted, of her own initiative. Sure, she hadn't turned the lights back on herself, but even Aang knew he couldn't fight the entire war by himself. If he hadn't delegated, he'd have been stretched too thin by the time he fought Ozai.
"Honestly, I'm surprised Zhu's story didn't steal the front page," Jinora hummed behind a paper of her own, which looked ridiculously large in her prepubescent hands.
"Honestly, I'm glad it didn't," the red-head in question hummed, raking his fingers through his crimson tresses. "It means people have more on their minds than the latest gossip."
"Still, what do you think the North's going to do, now that you've aired their dirty laundry on top of your own?" Mako hummed as he leafed through a police driving manual. Zhu throwing shame at his homeland was personally his favorite part; the guy had a flair for storytelling, and if the whole White Lotus thing didn't work out for him, he could always make bank on radio dramas.
"I'm sure enough people have gotten snubbed by those assholes in the past, that they'll start coming out of the woodwork now that I've done it," Zhu shrugged. "And even if they do send a rep my way, it's not like they can really do anything."
"What would they try to do?" Korra asked worriedly.
"Repatriate me, probably. Of course, since I'm White Lotus and so close to 'the Avatar', they don't have any authority over me."
"Still… What does this mean for interests in the Spirits?" Jinora questioned. Out of everything that'd been discussed on Zhu's late night talk show, him being bathed in a Spirit Oasis 'like Princess Yue' had probably been the easiest to digest, since most-everyone knew that story, even now.
The city's most-iconic body of water was named after her, after all. And Yue kind of did become… you know… the Moon!
"Something I've learned during all my years wandering the wilderness is that unless a Spirit wants to be found, you typically can't," Zhu hummed idly as he ate. "So I don't think we'll have to worry about an influx of 'Spirit Touched' any time soon."
"Which is good, because I think we've all had our fill of Bloodbenders," Mako huffed. "Present company excluded, of course."
"I wonder what green hair would do…" Bolin hummed thoughtfully.
"Onto a more-difficult topic…" Asami said folding her paper. "Do you think any of us are going to be called? To testify, I mean."
"They probably won't call you onto the stand, given it's a 'conflict of interest'; even if you totally would send your father up the river," Mako hummed. "No offense."
"None taken."
"I should probably stay out of this too. You know, 'conflict of interest' and all," Korra admitted.
That, and she wasn't confident-enough in her public speaking skills that she'd be able to take the stand and not make a complete fool out of herself.
"Well, I'm sure there's going to be no shortage of witnesses, at the very least," Zhu sighed. "All that Equalist hoopla upended hundreds, maybe thousands of lives. And now that the Equalist backbone is broken, all sorts of unsavory stories are starting to surface."
"Hey, now that we have some breathing room… how do you know the Metal Clan?" Asami inquired, one of Zaofu's airships visible in the distance.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that there was a link between Ty Lee's mysterious message and the Metal Clan coming to Republic City's aid once the Equalist backbone had been broken.
"I uh… might've done the Beifong family a great service, back before my sojourn to the Fire Nation," Zhu answered as he scratched his cheek.
"What kind of 'great service'?" Meifan asked.
"I don't want to toot my own horn or anything, buuuut… well, they don't call it a 'life debt' for nothing," Zhu shrugged.
"And the Beifongs knows you're a Bloodbender?" Korra asked, remembering that he'd cut off a loch of his hair for that message.
"Well, I did sorta have to use it in front of their little princess, sooo… yeah," Zhu hummed. "First warm bath I'd had in months. And it was heavenly~"
"Well, I'm glad you kept on wandering instead of setting down roots, otherwise, we might've been kinda screwed," Bolin hummed. "No offense."
"None taken. And who's this 'princess' you saved?" Korra asked turning her attention back to Zhu, only for him to lean over and press his lips to hers for a long moment, giving the Avatar a gooey center. "I rescind my question. Hehehehe~"
"Smooth," Mako chuckled.
"Lord Zhu," one of the White Lotus said coming in. "You uh… You have visitors… Again."
"Hooo boyyy…" Zhu said as he and the others looked out the window, a Metal Clan airship making a beeline for the island. "Looks like you guys might get to meet that 'princess' after all…" he amended, the Metal Clan ship on approach one of the Beifong family's pleasure yachts, as opposed to the transport vessels circling over the rest of the city.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
Elsewhile, in the Council chambers at City Hall…
"Tenzin. Your pet Bloodbender seems to be garnering a great deal of sympathy from the populace," the Fire Nation councilwoman hummed at the start of proceedings.
Grand Lotus Zhu's radio show and Q & A session had been the talk of the town ever since. That he'd gotten Shiro Shinobi to commentate in the verbal exchange had added a bit of levity to the whole affair, and using a radio station that many through the city knew to tune into by heart for their late-evening entertainment had been a genius stroke in of its own. Doubly-so because the future of the Pro-Bending Arena, as well as the sport itself, was still up in the air.
"Technically, he would be the White Lotus' 'pet Bloodbender'," Tenzin returned with a cooled head. "Or perhaps Korra's, since they might become wed sometime in the future."
Tenzin expected for everyone in office to want a piece of Zhu once he'd come out into the open with his… particular abilities. But he'd have thought his peers would be a bit more tactful about their inclinations.
"Pfeh. Semantics," the Fire Nation councilwoman replied.
"If we can return to the topic at hand," Tenzin said as he rubbed at his forehead. "The current system of governance is untenable. The goal of a people's revolution is to create a nation where all men are considered equal. Where anyone can become the leader of that nation. What happened in Republic City will only continue to happen until we've built a new nation by and for the people. A nation, where everyone shares a collective responsibility; not just a select few."
"You would have us just give up our power?!" the Earth Kingdom councilman demanded angrily, pounding his fist on the table.
"In as many words," Tenzin replied without a shred of hesitation. "Don't forget, there have been forty-six Peasant Uprisings in Ba Sing Se and the Earth Kingdom at large, within the dominion of only fifty-three ruling monarchs; and at any given time, there is always someone with living memory of the last one. Does one perhaps wonder why that is?" he asked leveling the man a stern look.
If it could cow the Avatar into submission, a bunch of pencil pushers didn't stand a chance.
"What would you suggest, then?" the Southern Water Tribe councilman inquired.
"A democratically-chosen leader, a 'president' chosen by the people. They'll have to have been born in Republic City, otherwise our constituents will think a foreigner intends to turn the Republic into a puppet state," Tenzin replied.
And such had been attempted in the past, the Earth Kingdom the most-frequent perpetrator of such quiet incursions. Even decades later, the Earth Queen still couldn't accept that the former Fire Nation Colonies had remained seceded from the Earth Kingdom.
"I suppose it would be prudent to screen for a non-Bender; at least in this first election. One who has no direct association to the United Republic Council, otherwise the people will think this election a complete sham."
"Is there truly no other way?" the Fire Nation councilwoman inquired conciliatorily.
"Not unless you want a third civil war to be added to Republic City's history," Tenzin scoffed. "While Amon himself may've been a complete sham, the ideas he's espoused, were not; otherwise he wouldn't have gotten the entire city to rally behind him. And the only thing that can truly kill an 'idea', is a better idea."
"Perhaps… But it would still be prudent to explore all possible alternatives," the Fire Nation councilwoman replied forcefully. "All in favor?"
'By the time we actually come to a decision on this, the Pro Bending Arena will have probably already been rebuilt…' Tenzin sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
For the third time, Zhu headed a small parade of Air Temple Island residents to welcome those that had made the trip to meet him specifically. And while the Metal Clan pleasure yacht wasn't nearly as ostentatious as those used by the Earth Kingdom or Fire Nation, or even Hiroshi Sato's own private craft, the sheer level of artistry and craftsmanship on display couldn't be denied. The level of finery and detail was utterly staggering, with some of the most-intricate craftsmanship in the world coming from Zaofu alone. The unmistakable glint of platinum siding was also a hallmark of Zaofu craftsmanship, and the Beifong family themselves had pioneered its use.
Compared to Hiroshi's stalwart bulkhead in his underground lab, what they saw before them was the height of grace and elegance.
"So, just throwing this out there, but is there any other royalty you're in bed with?" Mako asked aloud.
"No. Just them," Zhu hummed, his hair flapping in the breeze, a beacon for the approaching pilot as they descended.
The airship spinning around in a graceful 180 before coming in for the landing at the end of the dock, a pair of Metalbenders leaned out the windows and dexterously shot out a pair of mooring lines. The rear door opening, another pair of Metalbenders extended a gleaming silver gangplank before it snapped up into a flight of stairs in an expert show of Metalbending. Moments later, men and women in gleaming silver armor over vibrant fashionable greens stepped out in a line like ceremonial guard, a few clad in greater finery and trappings following after. As soon as the airship was cleared, pretty green eyes behind the line went wide.
"ZHU!" a pretty Metal Clan girl with dark shoulder-length hair squealed happily as she broke past her guard, running up to him with open arms and a beautific smile that even left Asami blushing.
"Opal. It's nice to see you again," Zhu said opening his arms to receive her, spinning the pretty girl around before setting her back on her feet.
"Zhu, it's been so long!" the girl named Opal beamed as she held on, the Metal Clan guard shifting uncomfortably after their line was broken, one who could only be their captain verbally chastising them. "I'm so glad you're okay. As soon as we got your letter, we scrambled to get a force together and render aid."
"And I'm sure you've been a great help," Zhu nodded as he held her at arm's length. "I only wish we could've met again under better circumstances."
"I'd have visited sooner once we learned you were here, but mom said things were too dangerous in Republic City," Opal pouted.
"Suyin was just looking out for you. I'm sure she'd have let you visit if things had been more peaceful."
"Zhu, how've you been?" a pair of twins that looked like more-handsome versions of Bolin grinned in stereo as they stepped into the light.
"Wei, Wing. You're looking hale and hearty," Zhu said exchanging a 'secret handshake' with the two. "And is that Kuvira I see over there?"
"Hello, Zhu, it has been quite some time. I see you've moved up in the world since we last spoke," the captain of the guard, a handsome but still-beautiful woman with a beauty mark under the right of a pair of sharp-looking eyes greeted cordially.
"Yeah… Things just kinda played out that way, I guess," Zhu said flattening his robes from where the twins had playfully shoved him about. "Lady Beifong," he greeted with a bow as the last of the visitors, a beautiful woman in the finest of Metal Clan finery nearing middle age, a bead of jade astride a thin metal circlet, approached.
"Zhu, please, we're practically family," the aging beauty replied with a wave as she walked up to him, arms held open expectantly. "Call me 'mom'."
"S-Suyin! You're embarrassing me!" Zhu hissed, going red in the cheeks as Opal pushed him into her mother's waiting arms.
"Please, if anything, at least call me 'Su'," she pouted.
"Man, you really are rubbing elbows with the Beifongs, huh, Zhu?" Korra hummed as she protectively grabbed his arm.
"Korra, we talk with a Beifong all the time," Zhu deadpanned.
"Yeah, but it's just not the same," Korra hummed.
"So, where is that sister of mine?" Suyin inquired, making a show of looking about.
"Wait, sister!?" Korra and Bolin gawped.
"How-many Beifongs do you think are out there?" Mako deadpanned.
"She's heading up reforms at the police academy," Zhu answered amidst the background noise.
"Mm. I heard what happened to her. I'm sure she must be devastated, being taken off the beat like this."
"She's managing. We haven't given up hope quite yet."
"Well, I have to say, it was quite a shock when we got your letter, but I'm glad you reached out to us," Suyin said holding up a familiar-looking envelope, a bit of crimson hair poking out of a corner. "Even if your little acrobat friend did have to sneak into our house and crash our evening meal to deliver it."
"If that's what Ty Lee had to do, I guess it means I made the right call sending her as the vanguard," Zhu chuckled. "Thank you so much for rendering aid. I'm eternally grateful," he said bowing deeply.
"Zhu, please, after what you've done for my family, it was the least we could do," Suyin smiled.
"What exactly did he do for the Metal Clan?" Mako asked.
"He saved me from a ravenous pack of Saber-tooth Moose Lions!" Opal beamed, eyes glittering with excitement. "He was so cool the way he held them back with nothing but his mind."
"I'm just glad you got back to your family before I hit my threshold," Zhu hummed.
A Bloodbender's biggest limitation was the number of people they could Bend simultaneously, and animals tended to be harder to Bloodbend by merit of volume and sheer primal strength. The sheer wrongness of Bloodbending had kept many in the Pro Bending Arena at bay, even when the crowd had been rallied against him, but if everyone had come at thim, he and Jinora wouldn't have stood a chance.
"Yeah, Zhu was half-dead-" "-by the time we got there," Wei and Wing said in tandem.
"Poor dear almost didn't make it. Imagine our surprise when we cleaned all the blood and grime off," Suyin said putting a hand to her cheek.
"You almost died?!" Korra cried out.
"Maybe just a little," Zhu chuckled awkwardly, holding his fingertips apart. "I'm just grateful the Metal Clan was open-minded enough to keep my secret and not shout 'Bloodbender!' from the rooftops. Even ran a disinformation campaign to make it sound like 'the Bloodbender' people had been telling stories about had been chased away back to the east. Took a lot of the pressure off as I traveled the Fire Nation."
"Just because people consider Bloodbending a perversion of its root form, doesn't mean Zhu should've been punished unilaterally for it if he never used it for ill gains. He'd have been more than welcome to stay with us, had he so chosen," Suyin hummed. "Oh, but it's so lovely to see you starting a family of your own, congratulations you two~" she smiled Zhu and Korra's way, the Avatar blushing as she felt eyes fall on her choker. "You're a lucky girl to have someone so well-traveled as your betrothed. Opal was positively green with envy when she found out~"
"M-M-MOOOM!" Opal squealed going completely red in the face.
"So um… where're the others?" Zhu asked, seeing that Opal desperately wanted a change of topic. "Not that I'd expect them to come all the way out here just for me."
"Baatar and my husband are back in Zaofu running things while I'm gone, and Huan is off touring the city to inspire his latest art piece," Suyin replied graciously. "He actually wanted some mecha tank wreckage to work with. There's certainly plenty to go around."
"But he couldn't Metalbend them," Bolin hummed.
"Nothing says he can't make art the old-fashioned way," Suyin hummed.
"I really am grateful. We were able to save a lot of people from the Equalists because they had somewhere safe to go," Zhu nodded.
"Those 'Equalists' wouldn't have stood a chance if they tried to assault Zaofu," Kuvira hummed idly.
"I don't know. Those giant magnets the mecha tanks were equipped with looked pretty solid," Mako said eyeing the Metal Clan's metallic vestments up and down.
"On an unrelated note, we heard your radio show."
"Yes, well… Figured I should control my own narrative than let others decide for me. I kinda made a spectacle of myself at that last Equalist shindig," Zhu admitted.
"I'm just happy you found something worth fighting for. People can draw more strength from it than they realize," Suyin hummed. "By the way, I heard you and Varrick went into business together. A… 'Pizza Palace', was it?" she inquired. "I've actually heard quite a bit about it from the refugees. Care to give us the tour?"
"Alright, alright…" Zhu sighed bashfully. "Come on, let's have an early lunch. Or maybe a late breakfast."
*RECONSTRUCTION*
"The humble circle. A form that carried mankind in all aspects since ancient times. The wheel, the coin, the shield, the wedding band, the sundial. Some could say that even time itself is a circle as opposed to a straight line. And with a surface that can play host to countless toppings in infinite combinations… Truly, an inspired creation."
"Huan. You're reading way too much into this," Zhu deadpanned as the artist in Suyin's family went on a tangent when their pizzas arrived.
"I don't know. There's a certain elegance to be found," Suyin hummed as she held a slice in her hands, in comparison to Opal who was cutting her slice into pieces with cutlery. "We might have to establish a branch or two in Zaofu. I am a supporter of small business."
"Pizza Palace is a subsidiary of Varrick Global Industries. I highly doubt it counts as 'small business'," Kuvira deadpanned as she and the others stood guard before the VIP table in the very first Pizza Palace.
One would think that a family restaurant affordable to all wouldn't draw the higher echelons of Republic City in, but the perceived "exclusivity" of the VIP section had a way of drawing the well-to-do in.
Varrick might've been many things, some of which are considered unflattering in polite company, but the man knew how to make a Yuan.
"Oh, you know what I mean~" she chuckled. "While some might criticize the man sticking his finger into so many pies, it does make sense that in order for people to reach their fullest potential, that capital is required. The man isn't an expert in everything, he pays other people to be experts for him. Probably why he erected that dynasty of his so-quickly."
"You know, my father did try to start his own shipping subsidiary, just because Varrick irked him so much…" Asami hummed through her Fire Nation Special. "It didn't work out. Everything from the lumber in the crates to the metal on the ships, Varrick has his hand in it."
"Talk about 'diversified revenue streams'," Mako hummed thoughtfully as he picked at a Fire Nation Special.
"What do you think will happen to Hiroshi?" Korra asked, giving voice to what was on everyone's minds.
"Well, he was definitely a collaborator with 'Amon', but that in of itself isn't a crime since that one law Tarrlok passed got repealed, what with how unconstitutional it was," Zhu hummed as he nibbled on the 'Red Spirit Special' that Varrick had come up with over the phone; the thing a garish shade of red from the crust all the way through to the last ingredient. "Unless he embezzled money from his own company to pay for all the Equalists' gear, on a technicality the worse he might have to pay for is framing Cabbage Corp. I'm not sure he committed any crimes directly apart from being racist."
"That or a bigot," Bolin hummed thoughtfully.
"What about the war crimes?" Mako asked.
"I don't think that applies to a civil war, and Hiroshi was a private citizen the entire time…" Asami said tapping her finger on the table. "If Future Industries has to pay reparations for everything, that might be the magic arrow that finally sinks the company."
"Since the citizenry participated just-as-much, I doubt that'll be the case," Kuvira hummed, having studied the goings-on of Republic City intensively, what with Zaofu only being a stone's throw away. "In lieu of mass jail time, the council might choose to levy a tax on Equalist supporters rather than empty the city's coffers. It's what I'd do."
"I'm hoping the council is smart-enough to abdicate. They're at fault for the state of things as well," Suyin hummed.
"I'm sure Tenzin is well aware. Whether he can get the rest of them in line before another coup happens has yet to be seen," Zhu hummed as he scribbled some notes about the 'Red Spirit Special'.
It was actuallly pretty good. He hoped it passed the prototyping stage.
"Excuse me, Lord Zhu. If I might have a moment of your time."
The gathering looking up from their meals, beheld an oily-sounding Water Tribesman who immediately reminded Korra of Tahno. The man was clad in Water Tribe finery more-indicative of the North than its counterpart, particularly the clergy, and his eyes strayed on Zhu's hair longer than necessary.
"No. You may not," Zhu said curtly. "Kuvira, show him the door."
"With pleasure," the guard captain replied as she and a compatriot took him roughly by the arms.
"U-Unhand me you lowbrow wench!" the man growled as he fought against them. Twisting an arm free, the man Waterbent the surrounding drinks before lashing out with water blades. Kuvira leaning out of the way, the man's blade slicing a loch of her hair, before things could get any further out of hand, Zhu flicked up a finger, locking the man in place with a Psychic Bloodbending hold.
"SIMPLETON! Can you not see I am entertaining guests?!" Zhu demanded furiously, his hair standing on end, an ominous chill spreading through the air around him. "Say what needs saying and be done with it. But choose your words wisely. They could very well be your last…!"
"Ch-…! Chief Unalaq… extends his sincerest invitation to Agna Qel'a-"
"Pass."
"Bu-But he-"
"Let me rephrase myself; hard pass," Zhu said with a flat stare that made the man's blood run cold. "If you want to leave with your head still attached, you'll tell Unalaq to come and visit me himself or not at all. Now get."
With a flick of his finger, the man was sent careening out of the Pizza Palace and onto the sidewalk, the icy glare the man sent inward evaporating as Zhu rose from his seat with his hand on his Space Sword. It was only once the man had the good sense to flee for his life that he allowed an exasperated sigh to leave his lips.
" . . . Well that escalated quickly," Zhu sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Refills are on me!" he announced, the whole of the restaurant's clientele cheering exuberantly. " . . . As soon as my story got out there, I knew the North was going to come knocking, but I'd have thought the Republic Forces would be a bit of a buffer zone…" he grumbled as he sat back down. "When I was born, the North saw me as nothing more than a 'filthy Mud Blood', but now that my secret's out, they want nothing more than to get in my good graces. How utterly transparent."
"Hm. Yes. The circumstances surrounding your re-birth were probably the hardest part to swallow," Suyin said with a heated edge to her tone. "Withholding the healing properties of their Spirit Oasis, merely because you were sired by a foreigner… Clearly, the flaws of a theocracy are beginning to show themselves."
"You think they'll come back?" Bolin asked nervously.
"Their messenger attacked a member of the Metal Clan. I think they'll try and clean up this mess before trying for another," Mako hummed thoughtfully.
"Still, is it really that big a deal you've been touched by the Spirits?" Opal inquired.
"Spirit, singular. And people who have been touched by the Spirit World in a positive light have always been a rarity," Zhu answered.
"Apart from the Avatar, Princess Yue was the only other one in living memory I can think of," Korra hummed. "Normally when you cross paths with a Spirit, you wind up horribly… mutated. The results are never pretty."
"All those ghost stories people tell around the campfire about monsters? They're really about poor saps that cheesed off some Spirit somewhere and paid the price. It's why Princess Yue, and now I, are such a symbol for the Northern Theocracy; always going on and on about their 'spiritual enlightenment' and how everyone else are low-brow, tch!" Zhu huffed.
"One would think your life's story was mud in their eye, then," Huan hummed as he stared at a slice to drink in its aesthetic value. "Deplorable. Simply deplorable."
"Those rat-vipers have always been good at hiding their uglier tendencies behind a front. Why do you think they got away with staying out of the war for so long, sending their sister tribe into the meat grinder for a hundred years?" Zhu huffed.
"Zhu," Korra spoke up, reaching over and laying her hand on his own. "Whatever you decide to do about them, I'll support you. An Avatar's gotta protect her little Zhu-Zhu, now don't I?" she grinned, Opal fuming off to the side.
"Well then, I guess I can rest easy knowing I'm in good hands," Zhu said taking her hands in his.
"Awwwww…" the restaurant patrons cooed.
"Ugh, get a room, you two," Kuvira huffed as she mussed with her bangs.
*RECONSTRUCTION*
AN:
Had lots of fun introducing the Metal Clan a full book early. Tell me what you think, and maybe Opal might go to the South in "Spirits". It all depends, really.
Also available to chat on Discord; name and number's on my Profile.
Until next time, see you on Giant-Slayer: New World!