Author's notes: Thank you ToasterMarketingBoard for editing this chapter!
The Next Chapters:Part One
Kya grunted as her brother Bumi began to slip from her grasp.
"Whoa there sailor," he slurred, "I'm not ready to come aboard."
"We're going up the stairs, Bumi. I'm gonna need you to try and stand on your own," Kya said, leaning a wobbly Bumi into the railing.
Bumi felt around haphazardly until he got a decent hold. Kya let go and staggered backwards when she was sure Bumi could hold his own, then started walking up the long steps of the Air Temple dormitories. She too was using the railing for support. Kya may not have had as many drinks as Bumi, but she was still a victim of overindulgence.
"Okay, okay. Bumju can take it from here."
"Ugh, Bumju isn't here, he flew off back when you started vomiting."
"Leave no man behind! Has he learned nothing? If we were still in battle I would dishonorably discharge him so fast his little bunny spirit ears would spin." Bumi called up to her, trailing behind.
The siblings finally reached the top and took a moment to get their bearings.
"We're getting too old for this," Kya sighed, sitting on the top step to rest.
Bumi eased himself to the ground using the railing and looked back at the party. From their spot on the steps they could see all the festivities. The blue lights twinkled even at their distance.
"Why do you think we never got married?"
The waterbender grunted at the comment and began to hoist herself back up. They needed to keep moving, they had beds to find.
"I don't know. It just never happened for us," she said, waving her brother to get up too. "And we didn't have the same pressure to start a family like Tenzin."
"Whatever happened with that earthbender you were seeing a few years back?" asked Bumi.
"Irreconcilable differences. What about that military nurse you were seeing?"
Bumi let out a little laugh before answering. "Her husband found out about us."
Bumi sniffed a little as he rose from his resting spot. The corner of his eyes started to burn as he thought. "Do you... Do you think Mom is disappointed that we never got married?"
"No more than Dad was disappointed we weren't airbenders."
"Maybe not that disappointed. She only wanted us to be airbenders because that's what Dad wanted so badly. That was for him! She just wanted children. But we didn't even give her a wedding to go to or ah-little little grand-babaaaahahah…" Bumi couldn't continue as the tears began to fall.
Kya rolled her eyes as she tucked her arm around Bumi once again.
"Alright, it's time for bed."
Kya helped her sniveling brother into the dorms. They walked a few feet before they heard a rustling down the dark hall.
"Bumi, ssh! You hear that?"
"I bet it's a leftover Kuvira supporter trying to get revenge!"
The noise happened again.
"Maybe it's just a thief? Sounds like they're looking for something."
Bumi flung himself against the wall to listen for the sound. With his ear tightly pressed to the wood he walked farther and farther towards the noise. Kya followed closely behind.
They heard a muffled "Oh for-," the last part of which they were not able to make out.
Kya tapped Bumi's shoulder, getting into her waterbending stance to let him know her intentions. Bumi nodded, walking to the other side of the door in front of him. He gestured with his hands, making elaborate finger symbols and whistles.
Kya stared at him blankly. "Do you really expect me to understand that?"
"Doh - it was obvious! On three, we open the door."
"Why didn't you just say that?"
"Cus I don't want them to hear - Ohhh let's just open the damn thing!"
"Right," Kya said, nodding her agreement.
The siblings made a charge for the door when it flung open, colliding with Bumi's face.
"Korra?" Kya asked, relaxing her arms.
Korra jumped at her name and staggered back into the doorway. Her cheeks flushed as she hid something behind her back. Bumi found his way around the door and joined the girls.
"Geez Korra, what are you doing sneaking around in the dark?" Bumi's voice was muffled from his hand holding his tender nose.
Kya nodded in agreement, giving her the once over. "Korra, you're not running away again are you?" Kya said, starting to panic.
"Korra you can't do that to us again!" Bumi added.
Korra held up her free hand in defense. "No, no. I'm not running away. I mean I am leaving, but I am coming back."
Bumi leaned in. "But you just got back, where could you possibly need to go?"
"I'm ah. Well actually Asami and I. We uh…" Korra started to sweat as she stammered. Her eyes darted back and forth between the siblings. Their stances relaxed as they watched Korra stall. She could hear the note in her hand start to crunch as her grip tightened from stress.
Kya noticed the crinkling noise coming from behind Korra and reached around her.
"We uh, we're going on a little vacation. Just to get away for ah-hey-"
"You were going to sneak off without telling anyone, weren't you?" Kya said, gesturing with the note for emphasis.
"I was going to leave that note you're holding," Korra whined, trying to grab it back from the older woman.
"'Dear Tenzin, Asami and I are going to the Spirit World for a brief vacation. Be back soon, Korra.' That's it?"
"There's nothing more to say, we just need to get away for a little while. So we're gonna go, tonight, but we'll be back, really soon. Will you give that to Tenzin?"
"Sure," Kya said, folding her arms.
"Tell him there is no need to worry, or come after us. We'll only be gone a week, maybe two. It's sort of a spur-of-the-moment thing, so we don't exactly have a plan."
"Yeah, we got it Korra, don't worry."
The three stood in awkward silence. Korra fidgeted for a moment before readjusting the strap over her shoulder.
"Well I gotta go. Asami is probably waiting for me, so- see you guys later!" Korra said, making her way between the two.
Kya and Bumi watched Korra stumble down the hall into the darkness.
"Bye Korra…" Kya said as she watched the Avatar disappear.
Bumi's legs were beginning to fail him again and he grasped the door frame for support. "What's making her so jumpy? You'd think she was going on date instead of a vacation."
"Stop it. Let's go find our beds."
Lin let out a tired sigh as she scanned the party for the umpteenth time. Everything had gone off without a hitch tonight. The evening went so smoothly Lin couldn't relax because she didn't believe it was possible. After everything that had happened in the last four years in her city, she was starting to doubt she'd ever see a peaceful time.
A waiter was making his way towards her with a tray of goodies. Perhaps she could allow herself a few indulgences tonight. She wasn't drinking, so food really was her only option. Lost in thought, she nearly missed the waiter. Lin reached out a hand to grab a stick just in time before he was completely out of range. Her last minute assault on his food tray startled the waiter. He regained the balance of the tray and continued on, not before shooting back a frustrated look to Lin. She shrugged it off and started eating the kabob.
It wasn't long before a deflated Mako was walking her way, drink in hand. He grunted as his back made contact on the pillar next to hers. Mako looked over, nodded and held up his glass slightly.
"Chief."
"Detective."
They looked away from each other and back to the party. Everyone had sectioned off into laughing groups around a table or couples swaying on the dance floor. The children who were too young to appreciate the festivities were climbing over a few air bison and Naga.
Mako's eyes finally locked on Tenzin walking up to Pema. He must have finished talking to Korra too. Pema started to pull him towards the dance floor; he tried to resist but caved very quickly.
Mako let out a long sigh.
"How do you do it?"
Lin raised an eyebrow as she looked over at the young man. "Do what?"
"Watch Tenzin with Pema."
"Oh, that 'how do I do it?' Humph. It's not so bad, now, but initially, and because it happened so soon after we broke up, it was hard as shit. I didn't do it."
Mako looked over at his boss as she spoke. He took a big swig from his glass.
"You know me. You know how I handle my problems. I don't. I remove myself from the situation until it's bearable to be in it again. Not a healthy approach, but I never really developed that skill growing up."
Mako nodded, thinking back to when he was with Lin in Zaofu. How long did Lin say it had been since she saw her sister, twenty or thirty years? He waited for her to continue, but it seemed that was the end of her explanation.
Mako looked down into his drink. Not much liquid left, just a lot of ice. He swirled the glass with his good hand, watching the ice churn up the remaining liquid. Was the ice in the shape of the Varrick Industries logo? Seriously Varrick?
"So are you going to tell me what's bothering you or you just going to stand here, annoying me with that sound?" Lin said with a grunt.
Mako flushed, realizing that Lin could see through his paper-thin question, and at the fact that he was maybe just intoxicated enough that he found his ice cubes entertaining.
"I uh, I was speaking with Korra…"
"Here we go, haven't you had enough of that? Or you think the third time will be the charm?"
"No, no. It wasn't like that. Well it was... But it didn't…" Mako shook his head in frustration. Lin had made him lose his train of thought.
"I was speaking with her alone, well Wu was with us first, but then he left. It was the first time we had been alone together since before she left for the South. As we spoke, I realized we had come so far, that we had grown up so much those three years apart. She wasn't a girl anymore, but a young woman standing there talking to me. It made me wish we were meeting now, for the first time. We are so much more the people we are going to be, instead of those stupid teenagers."
Lin raised a questioning eyebrow again. "Okay so maybe I was more stupid then she was, but she was pretty hard headed too!" Mako said defensively.
"As we spoke, I was searching, searching for an indication in her face, her eyes, that she felt it too. That maybe not now, we're both still so young, but someday. Someday we should try again. But I didn't. The warmth in her eyes was for that of an old friend. She looked at me like she looks at Tenzin…"
Mako looked down at his drink again. The ice had melted, leaving a diluted brown liquid. "It's really over for her and it felt like she was very much at peace with that. And I... I didn't realize until tonight that I had never let her go…"
Lin snorted and turned her body towards Mako. "People like Korra and Tenzin shouldn't be with people like us. I think the reason it hurt so much when Tenzin got together with Pema was because she's so perfect for him."
Mako bowed his head down again to look at his glass as Lin continued.
"We're all similar in temperament, but get set off by very different things. They're too emotional and we're emotionally constipated. It's why you're perfect for this job. You don't let your emotions get in the way when there is a job to do. But that 'Spiritual Avatar' stuff is all grey areas and feelings. It's enough to drive me nuts. I know Korra is going to meddle in the trial of Kuvira. She spared her life and is going to want to be responsible for it."
"I know. Things like that about her either drive me crazy or make me love her more."
"That is what keeps on getting you into trouble. You admire her, but can't accept all that comes with being with her. What Korra needs is someone like Pema; someone to be her rock, someone who will be patient with her. And you need someone more level headed like you. How come it never worked out with you and Asami? I feel like you two were a way better fit," Lin said, pointing her kabob stick for emphasis.
"Eh, yes and no. We have a similar problem of being too alike and too different, but not in the same ways as Korra and me." Mako paused a moment to consider his feelings about the subject. "I dunno… It always felt like we were using each other as distractions. Me from my feelings for Korra and her for... I'm not sure what. I could never really figure her out."
"Well one day they'll both be with someone else and you're going to have to get used to it."
"Thanks Chief."
"Any time, Detective."
Lin put her hand on Mako's shoulder, and mustered a smile for him.
"I think I hear wedding bells Suyin," Senna joked as she took a seat next to Suyin and Pema. The three women looked over at Huan being dragged around the dance floor by Ikki.
"Huan's been so sweet, humoring her all night," Pema sighed.
Suyin waved the comment off. "It's good for him. He's too serious most of the time."
"I still believe a wedding is in your near future, just a different child," Pema said, motioning to Bolin and Opal. The two were cuddled on a bench watching the festivities a few yards away from the mothers.
"Oh, I don't know if I'm ready for that. Opal's my only daughter," Suyin said, putting a hand over her heart. "I had envisioned her being the last of my children to get married or permanent partnered."
Pema and Senna both raised an eyebrow. "Well you know we have domestic partnerships in Zaofu. Sadly, if Wei ever entered one, it wouldn't be legal marriage in the eyes of the Earth Nation, or any other."
"I didn't realize you one of your children is gay," Pema said casually.
"I have no qualms with homosexuality. I hope one day all nations can recognize their archaic stance on marriage."
Pema held up her hands defensively. "Oh sorry Suyin, that came out wrong. I don't have a problem with it either. I would love my child, no matter what."
Suyin nodded as she listened to Pema continue. "Any concerns I'd have would be with the rest of the world. Would they have a tougher life? Will they find a partner? All parents want their children's lives to be easy."
"That is why I'm glad I raised him where I did. Zaofu has always strived for progress. Though I have a feeling the United Republic may be the first nation to make it fully legal."
"Oh, I wouldn't be surprised, if there is enough support behind it. Raiko always votes with the majority."
Pema began to notice that Senna had dropped out of the conversation. She looked over at the Avatar's mother. Her expression was hard to read, but she could at least tell a subject change needed to be made.
"So Suyin, when are you and the family heading back home?"
"After the trial, we all want to be here to support Junior."
Pema quickly realized she swapped one uncomfortable conversation for another. The light and happy mood the three women initially had was slipping away.
"Well, all I can say is I am so happy that here we are able to have at least one night where we can forget our woes and have a nice get-together. After tonight we probably won't get to do this till the next wedding."
Senna finally joined in. "To the next wedding."
"To the next wedding!" Suyin said, lifting her glass.
Tenzin was nearly out of breath when he finally located Varrick. He was nowhere to be found on any of the rooftops, leaving Tenzin to originally believe he was too late in stopping him. But there he was, just sitting at a table laughing and carrying on, oblivious to the effort that had been put into tracking him down.
"There you are. I must insist. You do not. Use a glider. To leave tonight." Tenzin got out through breaths.
Varrick arched his eyebrow at the deep-breathing man before him. "Tenzin old bean, what are you talking about?"
Everyone at the table was now looking at Tenzin.
"Asami said you were going to fly off with one of my gliders."
"I think Asami's been hitting the Champagne a little too hard tonight. I would never fly off on my honeymoon on such an archaic hunk of junk."
Tenzin furrowed his brow as the groom spoke.
"We'll be flying outta here on the last working hummingbird suit. It's actually Asami's wedding gift to Zhu Li and me."
"But then why would she...?"
Varrick got out of his chair and put a firm arm around Tezin, causing him to hunch over slightly. "She obviously was pulling your leg! Loosen up, have a drink. That's not against Air Nomad policy, right?"
"Well-"
"It's my wedding! This kinda thing is only going to happen for me once!"
"It better," Zhu Li countered, handing Tenzin a glass of Champagne.
Tenzin thought a moment before accepting the drink offered to him. After everything that had happened, he could allow himself to be a little lax on his principles.
Five toasts later, Tenzin needed to escape the bride and groom's table before he got into real trouble. He stood up more abruptly than he intended and muttered incoherently about needing to find his wife. Fortunately no one was paying attention as the old airbender tripped over his chair while trying to make a smooth exit.
Bolin let out a long and content sigh as he and Opal snuggled into their new-found spot.
"Something on your mind?" Opal asked shortly after.
"Actually nothing. Well, nothing troubling. I'm just so happy to be here, with you and all our friends and family. Everything worked out. This was the first time I wasn't sure it would."
"I know. I was really mad at you."
"I mean not just us, but like everything!"
"I'm just teasing, goofball. I know a big part of what you did was to make up with me, but I still can't thank you enough for helping to save my family. It wasn't until Baatar Jr. left home that I realized how important my family being together was to me."
"Even if we weren't fighting I would have gone with you. Your family is my family and mine is yours. And fortunately we both have big ones, so we're used to it! Well I'm still adjusting to how much I actually have but-" Bolin was cut off by Opal's lips.
After a few moments they broke apart. "You talk too much sometimes."
"Well feel free to stop me anytime," Bolin said as he tried to get his breathing back to normal.
The two snuggled in silence for a moment. Soon a wobbly Tenzin came into view. The pair waved. "Hey Tenzin!"
Tenzin kept moving, apparently not hearing his name. He tripped slightly on his robe, but caught himself with a quick gust of air.
"Is Tenzin drunk?" asked Opal.
"Sure looks like it. I saw Bumi and Kya staggering away from the party earlier."
Opal relaxed back into her snuggling with Bolin. "Guess their family has a weak tolerance for alcohol."
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me. Can Air Nomads drink?"
"Tenzin never said we couldn't, but I don't think it's encouraged. Alcohol doesn't really go with self-control."
The three mothers looked up from their conversation as they saw Tenzin approaching.
"Pema, I think I'm ready to go home now. Where are the children?" Tenzin said as he grabbed the back of her chair for balance.
"But the party is just really getting started. We should at least wait until the bride and groom leave."
Tenzin sighed at the reminder of his pointless venture. Pema got up from her chair and walked towards her husband.
"Also, you still haven't danced with me tonight."
"I really shouldn't, Varrick just coerced me into toasting with him several times over."
"Did he now? Then you are definitely ready for a dance. The Champagne should loosen you up, now c'mon!"
Tenzin once again resigned himself to his fate and let his wife lead him to the dance floor.
The next morning started very slowly at Air Temple Island. Most of the wedding's guests ended up crashing there.
Pema was the first one up, and was feeling fairly fresh for such a late night. She didn't realize that the bride and groom were such heavy partiers, and ended up exiting the party well after midnight. Pema had been determined last night to stick to her decision to leave after them; it was a tradition to see them off.
It wasn't long after Pema started cooking that she heard some sounds of life from the rest of the island.
The long dining room table began filling up with heavy-lidded friends and family.
After breakfast everyone stayed around the table, catching up and sharing stories of last night's party.
Tonraq and Senna eventually joined the group with concerned expressions.
"Good morning. Is Korra here?" Tonraq asked.
Everyone looked around the table; the Avatar's absence had gone unnoticed.
"She was supposed to meet us for breakfast, but she didn't show. We figured she might have slept in, but when she didn't show up to the docks to see us off we got worried," Senna added.
"I haven't seen her all morning. Ikki, can you go check her room?" asked Pema.
Tenzin stroked his beard thinking back to when he last saw Korra. "I saw her shortly after the wedding, and then Asami sent me on that wild goose-pig chase."
"Where is Asami? And Mako?" Opal asked.
Ikki came back alone. "She's not there."
"Okay, okay, let me think," Bolin said, holding out his hands. "Everyone was together when Varrick and Zhu Li left in the hummingbird suit, right?"
Bolin looked around the table, but no one looked confident in that statement.
"Mako caught the bouquet!" Ikki said with a huff.
"Yes, Mako caught the bouquet and skulked off for some reason. He probably just went home last night," Bolin said, putting a finger down from his left hand as if keeping count.
"You don't think someone kidnapped her while we were all distracted?" Pema asked.
Bumi looked up from his half-touched and very cold breakfast. "Did we see Korra last night Kya? I have the foggiest memory with her in it."
Kya perked up from nursing her hangover. "Yeah, we did, didn't we? She was skulking around in the dark and scared the crap out of us."
She looked over at her brother Tenzin as she rambled. "You! She left a note for you. Hold on, I think it's still in these clothes…" Kya said, fishing around in her pockets. Kya finally retrieved a crumpled piece of paper and tossed it over to Tenzin. Bumi gave it a little bump of air to get it across the large table.
The room was quiet as Tenzin unfolded the crinkly note.
"'Dear Tenzin, Asami and I are going to the spirit world for a brief vacation. Be back soon, Korra.' That's it?"
"Yes, that is exactly what I said! And she said don't call her, she'll call you. It was all very suspicious now that I think about it."
"I think it's a date, and that is why she was all jumpy and sneaky last night," Bumi said with a huff.
Everyone gasped.
"Again with that you old fool. It's not a date," Kya scolded.
The group started to laugh nervously.
Bolin sensed the anxious energy in the room. "That would just be ridiculous, dating the same guy and then dating each other!" He stood up in his chair and motioned for Opal to come with him. "Well since we know where Korra and Asami are, Opal and I are going to go make sure Mako is where we think he is. See ya all later!"
Once the two were away from the crowd Opal leaned over to Bolin.
"Good call. That felt really awkward for some reason."
"I know! I mean, I don't think it's true, but I can't rule it out as a possibility. The seed of doubt has been planted!"
"Well I think it's kind of sweet, if it's true. Those two could do with finding a little happiness and if it's with each other, then great."
"Asami was the only one of Team Avatar that hasn't taken a shot at Korra, so I guess it is her turn."
"What? You and Korra dated?"
"Oh... I forgot you weren't around for that. I had a crush on Korra when we first met and were on a Pro-bending team together. But she liked Mako and Mako was with Asami and that was when that whole 'thing' started. It was like a love square, but then I got booted out pretty quick."
"Aww, my poor baby wasn't invited for all the drama."
"I think it worked out pretty good for me, I ended up with no drama and an amazing girlfriend."
"I'm not your consolation prize, am I?"
"Of course not, in the end you turned out to be the perfect girl for me. I don't know if things happen for a reason, but it's interesting to see how people and events in our life push us in certain directions. Had I never met Korra I never would have gone to Zaofu and met you."
"Had Korra never left the spirit portal open, I never would have gotten airbending and you never would have stopped in Zaofu. I think we owe that girl a gift basket or something."
"How about we treat her and Asami to a double date when they get back?"
"So I take it you're officially on the 'it's a date' side?" Opal said as Bolin scooped her into his arms.
"I'm on your side. Whichever side it is, I will follow you, my love!"
Opel softly hit Bolin in the chest. "I already told you I've forgiven you for that!"
"I know, I just want to make sure you know, I will never choose a side over you ever again. Now let's go find my brother!" Bolin said enthusiastically as he starting to carry Opal towards the air bison pen. "And maybe not tell him about what everyone is saying about the nature of this mystery vacation."
To be continued...