Responses to Reviews:

RonaldM40196867: My favourite thing is difficult. I set out to write this story to edit some things I wasn't so sure about with the real series, although overall I am a fan of it and I do not claim to be a better writer than those who made it.

Zigzagdoublezee: Yes, Raiko is just concerned with stopping a war. Perfectly understandable, especially given Kuvira openly wants to annex his country. And Lin, equally understandably, just wants to help her family.

As Always, Please Review!

Bolin

For the 35th time that day, Bolin groaned as he looked down at the form on his desk.

When they had arrived at the city, Bolin had been expecting to lead from the front in rescuing the Beifongs from the rebels Kuvira had told him had them prisoner. But instead, Kuvira had handed him an enormous stack of paperwork, so tall that he had groaned under the weight of it, and banished him to the rear to complete it all in a compartment of the train.

Bolin didn't understand it, but something smelled fishy. For now though, he tried to concentrate on filling out the stupid form in front of him. Which box did he need to tick again?

He never had the chance to find out. In the distance came a rumble of thunder. And then another, and another. Bolin sighed. Great. Now there was a thunderstorm too. He raised his eyes to the heavens- and froze.

For the sky out of the window was a deep, perfect, cloudless, lovely, blue. There was no thunderstorm, there weren't even any clouds.

But if there was no thunderstorm, that meant the thunder was coming from lightningbenders. And if it was coming from lightningbenders, that meant there was a fight.

Bolin dropped his pen and stood up suddenly. A battle had started. Without him! He was offended.

Why was Kuvira sidelining him now?

Then a small, niggling voice in his head reminded him that there might be a very obvious reason.

The door opened, and a guard poked his head inside, having heard the movement.

"Is everything alright?" He asked.

"Yes," Bolin told him distractedly. "What's going on?"

The man looked out of the window worriedly.

"Sounds like a storm," he said. Bolin narrowed his eyes.

"It doesn't look like one," he replied.

The guard stared at him for a second.

"Sounds like a storm," he said again, more forcefully this time, and closed the door.

Now Bolin definitely knew something was up.

The sound of thunder continued in the distance, and Bolin had seen enough thunderstorms to realize that lightning tended not to strike that often, that quickly, in one place. This was definitely not natural lightning.

He moved over to the door and knocked. The guard opened it, eyeing him warily.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me," Bolin said sweetly. "Could I be excused?"

The guard and his friend exchanged looks.

"Sorry," he replied, "but Kuvira has given express orders that you remain here and do your paperwork."

"Why?"

"Why?" The guard was dumbfounded. "Why does she ask us to do anything? We don't question orders."

Bolin fell silent for a moment, and then decided to be honest.

"Look, I know she ordered us to stay here, but there's obviously some kind of fight going on out there and that's my girlfriend- long distance, of course- that's her family Kuvira is trying to rescue. I need to go and help!"

"No," the other guard shut him down. "You need to sit down at your desk and fill out your form."

"I am higher in rank than you," Bolin reminded him, deciding to try to pull rank for the first time ever. But the guard just shook his head.

"Are you higher in rank than Kuvira? Because this is her authority."

Bolin groaned, and closed the door again. He eyed the enormous pile of papers, and closed his eyes. He didn't think he could face them. He missed Pabu. He missed his brother, and Asami, and Korra, and Opal, and he was stuck in this carriage while a battle was going on.

His eyes fell on the stone paperweight on his desk. It took a moment for his mind to catch up and realise what he was looking at, but a plan began to form. The Beifongs needed him, and he intended to be there for them. He just hoped that Kuvira would be able to forgive him.

The paperweight lifted itself off the desk until it was hovering just in front of him, and then it began to heat itself up, dissolving into a red disk of molten rock that hung in the air. From right next to it, Bolin could feel the immense heat radiating from it, and winced. With a movement of his arm, the lava began to spin like a buzzsaw and cut through the floor of the train under his desk. Bolin hoped the guards wouldn't hear, but fortunately the noise wasn't too loud. Finally, he pulled the lava back up, and let it reform into the paperweight in his hand as he walked over to the hole and put his foot through it.

There was a clang as the floor fell out and landed on the earth below, and the noise attracted the attention of the guard. The door opened, and a head appeared through it.

"Bolin? What's going- stop right there!"

"No!" Bolin shouted defiantly. "I'm going to help! You can come with me or not!"

"Stay there," the guard replied dangerously, now joined by his friend. Bolin froze for a moment, and then thought of Opal. Her family was in danger, and he was not about to let them down. With a flick of his wrist, the paperweight flew into the air again and then he punched. The rock flew across the room and smashed into the first guard's forehead, sending him tumbling backwards. A further motion sent it slamming into the second guard's helmet, emitting a loud metallic clang that sent him to the ground clutching his ears. Bolin took the chance, and jumped.

He hit the ground with a grunt, and rolled, in one fluid movement coming out from underneath the train and standing upright. He took in his surroundings. It was pandemonium.

The sound of thunder still echoed in the distance, although Xaofu itself was obscured from his view by a ridge that ran in front of him. A series of tents had been set up next to the train and a constant stream of men were pouring across the ridge in both directions- green clad soldiers in their metal armour pouring across towards Zaofu, and stretchers bearing the wounded coming back. Bolin could hear their cries.

"Stop him!" A voice came from behind him. He turned to see one of the guards, still clutching his ears, leaning out of the window and pointing at him. He began to run, bending whatever stones he could see up into his hand as he went, up the ridge as he jostled for position with the rest of Kuvira's men. He got to the top of the ridge, and was met with the sight of a pitched battle for the city of Zaofu.

Six airships, bearing the insignia of the United Republic and Future Industries, hung in the sky over the city. Bolts of lightning streamed down from them to land among clumps of men racing towards the walls, where a pitched battle was going on with the defenders. Little platforms were being raised and lowered between the airships and the people with the tiny outlines of people on them.

The sight brought Bolin to a complete stop. What was Future Industries, Asami's company, doing helping terrorists? Asami wasn't Varrick! And where did they get so many lightningbenders from?

Unless they aren't helping terrorists at all, the voice in his mind said again. And it was true, that did not seem like the kind of thing Asami would do. The only thing that would cause her to come with this much force would be to help a friend. Like, for instance, Suyin Beifong. The airships could be stolen, he supposed, but surely he would have heard if they were. Bolin didn't know what to think. He decided that the best thing to do was go and find out what was happening once and for all.

Steeling himself, Bolin ran down the slope and towards Zaofu, to join the battle raging there.