AUTHOR'S NOTES: War! The battle of Republic City has begun, and there's no way Korra is going to sit it out even if she could or even if she wanted to. That said, I apologize for the bit of a hiccup in the time of posting this one I admit, but April's a really bad month for me to do much of anything. That said, I'm also going on vacation in a couple days and so posting might be delayed until the 6th of May. Worry not, for I shall return, and hopefully return to regular posting schedule some time after that.
Happy Reading!

BOOK TWO: CHANGE

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR: A CITY SEIZED

The next morning, a few hours before Korra had woken up, Tenzin made preparations to head to City Hall for the emergency Council meeting he had arranged. He would have done it two or three days ago after Korra had returned, but other things had come up. He did not publicly state these reasons to any of the city, although did admit to Asami that it had been because of Korra. As he made preparations to leave, he ran into Asami, who was helping Pema clean up breakfast. She seemed particularly jubilant this morning, and Tenzin pointed this out.

"I think I finally got through to Korra last night," she smiled. "I'm exhausted for it, but I'll manage."

"What did you do?" Tenzin looked curious.

"I told her the truth," Asami explained, "I don't think she understood that our previous attempts to talk to her weren't us telling her she was weak."

"It's a very sensitive issue for her," Tenzin frowned, "but after the whole ordeal with Tarrlok and the ensuing discussion she and I had, I feared the worst for her."

"Oh, she was in quite a state when I got to her too," Asami shook her head, although a smile crept onto her face, "But honestly, I think what she was looking for was acceptance. She hates special treatment, and so a lot of what I did to get through to her was to simply let her know that her trauma doesn't make her weak. Korra thinks she's broken, and that that means she can't be accepted. Naturally, I'm trying to break her free of that mindset. As much as I hate to say it though, I fear she'll slip back into it at least a few more times. The road to recovery is never a straight line and I don't think Korra understands that."

"Of that I have no doubt, unfortunately," Tenzin sighed, "but she is in good and capable hands, Asami. I'm glad that you two make each other happy—for her sake as well as yours."

"Heh," Asami looked a touch flattered, "thanks."

"Would that we could discuss more on our favourite Avatar," Tenzin moved to the door, "but I need to get going, and make a few final arrangements before I do."

Asami nodded and casually followed Tenzin out into a courtyard as he approached Oogi. Much to his delight, Lin was there, for he diverted his course towards her upon noticing her.

"Lin?" He called to get her attention, "Um, I—I need to ask you a favour."

Lin paused and turned towards Tenzin to indicate she was listening.

"It would mean the world to me," Tenzin stammered, "but I-I know it could be a… a potentially awkward situation; furthermore—"

"Spit it out already!" Lin commanded.

"Will you stay here and watch over Pema and the children while I meet with the council?" Tenzin's tone sounded somewhat rushed as if he feared Lin's response. "With everything that's happened lately, I want to be sure my family is in safe hands."

"Of course I'll help out, old friend." Lin smiled, putting a hand on Tenzin's shoulder.

"Thank you," Tenzin smiled. He wasted no time in hopping up onto Oogi and taking off towards Republic City, the overcast skies almost hinting that something was going to go wrong.

And wrong something went indeed. Tenzin was running late, and yet he was still the first of the remaining council members to arrive. Unbeknownst to him, the three council members that had formerly been in Tarrlok's pocket had been "removed" as a preparatory phase of what was to come, in a series of very calculated attacks by Equalist officers. Tenzin nearly suffered the same fate when a trio of window-washers atop City Hall ambushed him. They too were Equalists, Tenzin learned, as he felt both of his wrists get tangled up in a pair of bolas. He retaliated by forming a powerful tornado around himself, swinging the Equalists around like tether balls before their grips eventually let up, launching them several buildings away.

It was only after the commotion that Tenzin learned what had happened to his fellow Council Members. The squeaky council page that had revealed Tarrlok's abduction of Korra poked his head out a door.

"Ah, Councilman Tenzin!" he squeaked, "I'm so relieved to see you!"

"The other Council Members," Tenzin turned towards him, "Are they alright?"

"I'm afraid not!" he warned, "I just received a call from Chief Saikhan. They've all been captured!"

"This can't be happening!" Tenzin shook his head.

"The leadership of Republic City is in your hands now," the council page frowned, "And… you might want to take cover!"

No sooner had he said that when the sound of a large explosion caused Tenzin to cock his head towards the north. A fleet of Equalist Airships was approaching the city, and the bombs began to fall. The city was under attack.

The sound of the city being bombed was what woke Korra up—for it was heard from Air Temple Island. She screamed, flying out of bed and almost smashing through her door to find the source of the commotion. Mako, Bolin, Asami, and Lin were already outside watching the scene unfold, and while she managed to calm down after realizing that she herself was not threatened, she was still fidgety, and not because of the cold.

"Republic City is under attack," Lin stated the obvious.

"Then I can't just sit here and watch it get destroyed." Korra cracked her knuckles, completely disregarding that she was barefooted and in little more than her favourite sweatpants and white tanktop—in the winter.

"Korra, what are you—" Asami attempted to interrupt her, but Korra's eyes flashed, and she leaned forward onto her tiptoes just long enough for the others to see the blue flames that sprouted from them and her hands. A split-second later, Korra was skybound, rocketing herself towards the city. Asami, Bolin, and Mako exchanged looks. For how unstable she was mentally, she seemed to have a remarkably delicate balance in place that loaned her impressive mastery of the Avatar State, among other things—at least when she was in a fairly stable mood.

"She's got the right idea," Lin suggested, "I've got the island under control. You all go after her."

It wasn't like they needed Lin's approval, but Asami in particular found it somewhat reassuring that Lin felt confident enough to handle Pema and the children herself. Of course, there were also White Lotus members and Air Acolytes, but they couldn't do it all either.

"Leader Amon, this is Unit Four," the radio on Amon's airship buzzed, "the Avatar was just sighted en route to the city, around your four o' clock."

Amon glanced out the side of the ship, and in a short second, he saw a streak of blue flame shoot through the sky before dropping altitude and disappearing behind a building.

"No worries," Amon replied, "The Avatar wanted a war... And so a war she shall receive."

Hiroshi Sato was at Amon's side, stowing a photograph of himself, his wife, and Asami back into his coat pocket before turning to Amon.

"I've dreamed of this day for so long." he sighed.

"Yes," Amon nodded, "The time has come for the Equalists to claim Republic City as their own."

There was a brief moment when Korra was still skybound that she contemplated just flying up and attacking the airships directly. She had proven to be menacingly powerful with her Avatar State, and now that Amon had openly attacked the city, killing him would not make him a martyr. On the other hand, There was only one of her, and surely hundreds of Equalists on the dozen or so airships that were attacking the city. That meant Korra had a less than 1 in 10 chance of finding Amon's flagship, for each zeppelin was identical in appearance. The odds were simply not in her favour, and if she attacked the wrong ship, she would likely be swarmed by Equalists in minutes—and they had proven before that they knew how to subdue even an Avatar.

As such, Korra instead chose to descend. She hit the ground and took a look around her to collect her bearings. Seeing the Dragon Flats District in the daytime was almost as dismal as the evening, but now that Korra knew where she was, she decided to race through the district at the slim chance that fortune would favour her—and that their old 'team car' would still be exactly where they had left it a few days ago.

To Korra's utmost delight, it was; and other than a little dust and snow (both of which were alleviated with a swift bending move), it was exactly how they had left it. Korra fished a spare key out of the glove compartment before revving up the engine, not even realizing that her eyes were still aglow. She generally found that keeping a singular focus in times like this helped her accomplish her goals better. When her mind started to wander, it was seldom pleasant.

Korra was by no means as good a driver as Kwan, let alone half as good as Asami, but she was not far from where Kwan's shop was, and that was good enough for her to know exactly where she wanted to go.

Naturally, seeing Korra pull up to her shop (with a tire over the curb) in nothing but her nightclothes, and with her Avatar State still active, no less, was Kwan's fourth reminder that this was going to be a really crazy day. The sirens, the bombs, and the fact that the shop two buildings down from hers was reduced to rubble, were the first three.

"Why can't I ever make normal friends that do normal things?" Kwan sighed as she stumped out to Korra's car. "And what's up with your outfit, kid? You not cold?"

"I'm from the Southern Water Tribe," Korra reminded her, "Now get in. We need to get my friends at the docks and then get to City Hall, stat."

"And do what?" Kwan looked at her curiously.

"We need to reach Tenzin," Korra warned, "there's no way he's safe out here."

"Then may I make a suggestion…" Kwan grinned, opening her garage door.

5 minutes later, they were flying down the road in one of Kwan's old vans, headed towards the bay in the hopes of finding Mako, Bolin, and Asami.

"So why the van?" Korra asked as she managed to peacefully exit the Avatar State, "Asami's car not good enough for the nefarious Ikiza or something?"

"Not crappy enough, actually," Kwan replied, "I get this feeling we're going to run into Equalists soon enough, and this van's expendable. I'd rather just be rid of this damn thing anyways, since I can't seem to sell it."

"You make it sound like you're already planning a vehicular suicide," Korra noted as Kwan sped down the streets, "at least for this van."

"If I did something like that," Kwan slowed down as they neared the docks, "it'd only be after we're out of the vehicle. Oy! That's them!"

She stopped, pointing at an approaching ferry. Korra squinted but couldn't make any details out.

"How do you know?" Korra turned to the lavabeneder.

"Because only you and your friends would be stupid enough to try and travel when the city's being bombed," Kwan quipped, "honestly, kid, if I didn't love you I'd be down in my bunker waiting this whole storm out. I want no part in it."

"And yet here you are, helping me without thought of compensation." Korra smiled.

"Hey," Kwan pointed out as they parked out of the way and stepped out in the hopes that the approaching ferry would recognize them, "my sister was a lunatic, my dad was a crime lord, my grandmother was a despot, and my great-grandfather was Fire Lord Ozai. We all know how great that family line is when you follow it back to Azulon and Sozin…"

"So how did you turn out so different?" Korra tilted her head, "think it's the earthbender blood?"

"Nah," Kwan shook her head, "My sister could have turned out like me too if she had accepted her weaknesses like I did. Speaking of which, I've got something for you after this whole shitstorm is over. Otherwise, we've got company."

Mako, Bolin, and Asami wasted no time hopping off the boat, all of them looking relieved to see that Korra was alright.

"That was bold, Korra," Mako pointed out, "I'm glad you're okay."

"So what's your plan?" Bolin turned to her. "You… do have a plan, right?"

"We need to get to City Hall," Korra explained, "or the Police Headquarters. Wherever he is, Tenzin's in trouble, and sooner or later he's going to find the Equalists or they're going to find him. I hope you're all ready for a wild ride."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Mako quipped.

"Because I like trouble and you know you want to help," Korra riposted without skipping a beat. "Come on, was that a trick question?"

"Fair point," Mako admitted defeat on this one.

"Sato," Kwan gestured, "you ride up front with me. The rest of you, hop in back and hold on tight."

"Why didn't you just take my old car?" Asami asked as she opened the door.

"Blame Kwan," Korra thumbed towards Kwan as she opened the back of the van, where she, Mako, and Bolin hopped in.

"I ain't saying we're gonna run into Equalists on the way to City Hall," Kwan called back as she revved up the engine and sped off, "but given the circumstances, as well as Korra's inability to go more than 17 seconds without attracting at least eight different types of trouble… odds are we're gonna run into Equalists between now and the time we find the Councilman."

True to Kwan's premonition, it did not take long for them to find the Equalists—or rather, for the Equalists to find them. Several loud explosions nearly shook the van, causing Bolin to crack open the back door and peek out.

"Aww man, they're throwing bombs on us!" he grabbed his hair.

"Floor it, Ikiza!" Asami ordered, "the last thing we need to do is get hit!"

"We won't," Korra got to her feet and peeked out the door. "Just keep moving!"

"Korra, what are you—" Bolin gawked right as Asami looked back to see what the Avatar was doing. Korra had climbed onto the roof of the van, focusing on the airship above them. A few well-aimed bursts of air diverted explosives from hitting the van or the street around them, and even managed to chuck a massive chunk of stone at one of the explosives to detonate it prematurely. Her main goal remained unchanged, however, and she launched herself skyward in a streak of blue flame. For a moment it looked like Korra was about to just use herself as a battering ram and smash right through the zeppelin's hull, but instead she grabbed hold of one of the large metal rods using a tendril of water not unlike a trick Ming-Hua had taught her years ago. This gave her extra momentum, and she flipped around, before focusing a blast from her forehead on the bay where the bombs were being dropped.

The result was a spectacular explosion that even staggered Korra out of the sky as the airship went down in flames. Korra managed to recover herself before she would have hit the street in a splatter of blue and red, and launched herself right back into the back of the van, rolling into a crouched position as she shook some hair out of her face.

"Takes care of that," She muttered, "but someone definitely saw that."

"You think?" Bolin and Mako both stared at her bug-eyed. All of them, including Korra and Asami, were startled at a rather loud explosion which had to have come from the fallen airship hitting the ground, but they recovered their bearings a moment later.

"Are we there yet?" Korra knew the answer to the question, but she was no longer keeping track of where they were.

"There's a lotta detours," Kwan warned, "Equalist bombs have really messed up the grid."

"Do what you need to," Korra ordered, "we can't let the Equalists reach Tenzin."

Kwan continued zigzagging through the streets, and while they had a reprieve for now, they all knew that it was once again only a matter of time before they were attacked again. They just hoped that it would not be too late to catch up with Tenzin and the police before then.