I do not own Legend of Korra or any aforementioned literary articles.

Chapter 2:

Third person pov:

Republic city, Lao's room

It is in the early hours of the day; the sun has just barely started to break the horizon of Yue Bay.

Since Lao was given the notes, the pendant, and the knowledge that has come with them earlier that night, He was stuck in a loop of thinking about all of this.

He knew he could not just lay in bed, and let his mind ponder upon the realization that his mother gave him up.

Not being able to sleep, he just stared at the notes, and the bronze flying-boar for hours on end to the point he knew he had to do something to distract his mind.

Getting up from his bed to change; he slipped on dark grey pants, white socks, black leather boots, white shirt with light blue trim, and a black tang with dark red trim.

He grabbed the bronze flying-boar pendant from the bedside table, hesitating for a second when he reached up to put it around his neck.

He stopped and stared at it for longest time before finally putting it on with a small pulse of sadness and happiness.

Lao's pov:

I must find something to do, the longer I just sit here, and think about the letters the more the thoughts feel like there crushing me under there weight. Looking around my room for a distraction of any kind, I saw the silver pocket watch that Tia, Lee, and I acquired yesterday on my bed side table.

So, I decided to go pawn the pocket watch, and spent the next couple minutes deciding on who to go to have it fenced.

Red monsoon triad? No, they are more likely to rip me off by paying less than its worth.

Creeping crystal triad? No, they keep on trying to recruit me with empty offers and Jargala Omo will take the watch as tribute for the honor of joining his triad, if I did join.

Terra triad? No, they keep asking if I am a cop since I can metal bend.

Agni Kai Triad? No, they are too edgy for my liking.

Triple threat triad? Yes, their least likely out of all these shady creatines to rob me or rip me off, and will probably pay me the most for it.

I will need to bring Tia, and Lee with me on this excursion

Third person pov:

Lao grabs the watch, and a small bottle of steel dust just in case if things become dicey.

He walks out of the orphanage through the back door towards Lee and Tia's houses.

Sometime later:

As Lao, Tia, and Lee came into view of the fences place, Lao looks around the street for anyone watching the place, cops, or other triads before heading towards the building.

Just in case he opens the bottle of metal dust, and drew the dust from the bottle. Forming it into spiral bracelets on each of his arms running from his wrists, and up his arms to his elbows.

Tia pulled some rocks from his pockets, and formed them around his hands like cloves.

Lee rolled his shoulders, stretched his arms, and checked his water flask.

He walks through the front door with Tia and lee trailing behind him, the headquarters is a dingy restaurant, he takes a seat at a table, Tia sits to his left, and Lee to his right.

They then waited for someone to come.

Soon after three large men walk up to the table, "What is your business here?" The middle man asks.

Pushing his seat back, "We got some merchandise, and need to talk to Shady Shin." Lao says, standing up from the table.

Lee and Tia stayed seated looking on with hard stares at the three goons.

"He's busy, what about you hand me what you got, and you three leave back to where you came from." The middle one says, moving closer to Lao

Tia, and Lee stood up from their chairs, Tia matched up with one of the goons, while Lee stood back behind Tia, and Lao with his flask at the ready.

Lao shifted his bracelets into a pair of knuckle dusters on his hands behind his back.

Smiling devilishly, "Oh, this is going to be so much fun." Lao says, upper cutting the middle guy in the jaw with resounding crack he falls.

At the same time Lao knocks out the first guy, Tia kneed the guy he was staring down in the balls and followed it up with a right hook to the head.

As the second guy hit the ground the third slashed at them with a water whip, just barely missing Lao's and Tia's heads as they ducked under the slash, and while they were ducking the water bender is struck in the chest with a frozen orb with a sickening crack.

Now that all three of the goons were writhing in pain on the ground, they start to hear clapping, and they look over to see Shady Shin standing there with a smirk upon his face.

"I see my men kept you entertained, gentlemen." Shin says, moving across the room.

"Your men tried to steal from us off, and rip you off." Lao says, sitting back in his chair.

Lee and Tia followed suit, returning to their chairs on either side of Lao.

Shin sits down across from Lao, "Why do you say they were ripping me off as well as you too." He asked, placing his feet on a nearby chair

Lao takes out the silver pocket watch slides it across the table to Shin, "We were going to sell you that fine piece, when these three Zhao's on the ground tried to take it from us, and if they took it then we wouldn't get our money, and then you wouldn't have gotten your merchandise." Lao Explained, gazing at Shin with sparks in his eyes.

"Now let's talk money." Shin says, staring sharply at Lao.

Lao returns the stare with an equally sharp stare, and Shin just starts laughing.

"Kid I like your style, what about 200 yauns." He said with a low chuckle.

Shin removed his feet from the chair, and sat up straight.

"300." Lao countered, leaning calmly back in his chair

This goes on for hours until they agreed upon 260 yuans.

The boys were leaving with the money hidden on their persons, and as they reached the door, they hear Shin say, "Kids if you are ever looking for some work, come and see me."

Lao tilts his head to the side, "I'll remember that." Lao said, walking out of the front door

Tia stopped and gave a mock salute to Shin, "See you around, Shin." He said, mockingly

He walked out the door, Lee only answered Shady Shin's offer with a silent stair before following Tia out the door.

Once outside they said their partings to each other before heading separate ways.

Tia and Lee returned to their homes while Lao headed for the orphanage.

30 minutes later:

Getting back to the orphanage, he walked through the front door up to his room.

Once in his room, he slid open a loose floor board, laid the cash inside, and then slid the floor board back in to place.

Laying back on his bed, the thoughts on the letters, and his mother came back with a vengeance. The longer he thinks about it, he wonders not just who his mother was, but who was his father, and why he was not even mentioned specifically in the letter or implied in it.

All he could say was, "What's next?"