The sun shone brightly over the bustling Country-State of Tu Zin. Outside its towering skyscrapers and diverse inhabitants, at the mansion located at the skirts of the country was Ozai, dressed in well-fitted clothes, a white shirt under a black vest, and red pants. The vest was also his training clothes made of the heaviest material, with metal inside, and at the left of the vest was the symbol of the old Fire Nation family. He also carried a small bag slung across his shoulder, containing all his essentials.
Ozai, the son of Goku and Azula, was no ordinary individual. Even without bending abilities, he had spent years honing his fighting skills with hard training from his parents, who would never stop until perfection was achieved. When he explained that he wanted to become an investigator rather than a fighter, his parents supported him with the condition that he would never stop training. What came after that was more brutal training and more demanding study sessions so he could become the best investigator. Now, with #years old, he is an investigator, determined to make a name for himself in a world where benders often held the spotlight.
His efforts were heard by the Water Tribe Chief, who had followed his progress since his first visit to his lands. This led him to be hired as a private investigator. His current job is to investigate the performance of the Water Tribe delegate, who had recently come under scrutiny due to allegations of corruption. In addition, there were reports of increasing attacks perpetrated by the Equalitarians, a group advocating for equal rights between benders and non-benders.
The Water Tribe Chief explained that he would need to work on the investigation about the 'Equalitarians' and, while doing so, he should also keep a close eye on Tarrlok, the North Water Tribe delegate. These developments were not given to him by his delegate, which infuriated the Water Tribe Chief, who now is looking for more information to remove the delegate from his current station.
Ozai sighed a little before departing. He was outside his house, in front of the door, and his family was in front of him. His mother, Azula, had squinted eyes and a stern expression. "Are you sure you've packed everything?" she asked, her arms crossed above her chest.
Wanting to ensure her son's safety and preparedness, Azula continued questioning. "And have you double-checked your documents? What about local currency? Do you know how to use it?" Her voice revealed a mix of irritation and genuine fear.
Ozai smiled reassuringly at his mother, understanding her need to fuss over him. "Mom, I'm not a child anymore. I've got everything under control," he replied, attempting to calm her nerves. "But thank you for worrying about me; it means a lot." Goku giggled behind her, knowing that his wife was only worried.
Azula sighed, softening slightly. "just promise me you'll stay safe, alright? There are many dangers lurking around every corner, especially in a city like Republic City." She paused, looking into her son's determined eyes. "Remember, if things get too difficult, you can kill them; it doesn't matter what the Republic City or the Avatar in turn or whoever may say."
Ozai laughed uncomfortably, hoping his mother was kidding, but he knew best. He also wanted to think things would not go badly, so he nodded firmly to his mother.
His father, Goku, on the other hand, simply offered a supportive smile. "Good luck out there, Ozai," he said, confident in his son's ability to handle whatever challenges lay ahead.
As for Ozai's younger brother, Sozin, tears welled up in his eyes as he hugged his older sibling. "I'll miss you so much, big bro," he whispered, sniffling softly. Ozai, ever the caring big brother, patted Sozin reassuringly on the back and promised, "Don't worry. You can go and visit me once I am well established there, and I'll come to visit here, too, as soon as I can."
Ozai took a deep breath and stepped outside, ready to begin his adventure. He said goodbye to his family once more, and then he started to fly away with a firm grip in his small bag.
His flight made him cut distance. A trip that would have taken two days or more took him only a couple of hours.
Upon arriving at the skirts of Republic City, he decided to start walking. He then took a paper from his bag. A map with verbal descriptions of the streets was given by Toph Beifong, which detailed the position of her house to him. He had been the one writing the instructions for her, but the problem was that her descriptions were from a few years ago, and the city had gone through great changes. She also gave him the key and a weir metal shape that should pass as her signature, and she asked him to always take it with him, as it can help him to bail from prison.
Ozai continued walking through the streets until he arrived at the heart of the city, and he realized he was officially lost. But instead of panicking, Ozai decided to enjoy the moment and experience the vibrancy and energy of the place. It felt smaller than Tu Zin, even though he knew Republic City was bigger. Still, the number of people moving from one place to another makes you believe otherwise. The air buzzed with activity as people hurried past, engrossed in their daily routines.
The Sato mobiles are all over the streets, and it seems that the company has grown exponentially as the roads are full of cars. Walking through the streets, Ozai watched the street vendors. From one corner of the street, he could see the park, which helped him determine where he should go.
He was lucky that some reference points were still in the city, like a big old crooked tree or the house in the middle of the city that still has livestock animals within your property.
After a few more turns, Ozai finally found the house. It was tall and had a green area around it with enough space for training. The grass looked so tall and wild, but Ozai decided not to pay attention to it and walked to the door and started to knock.
There was silence for a moment, and Ozai knocked at the door again. Again, there was no answer.
Ozai looked around and then took a key from his bag and used it to open the door. When he entered, the door made a creek sound, and the dust assaulted his nose. He coughed for a brief moment, and then he looked around.
The place seemed forgotten. Blankets covered the furniture, and dust made the floor look brownish. Even the air, shown by the light coming from the windows, had that brown color.
"I guess Lin moved out of the house a while ago," said Ozai to himself. He then walked around the house to familiarize himself with it. He found the kitchen, the bathroom, the bedrooms, and a training room inside the house.
He chose one of the bedrooms and left his bag there. Then he started to clean the house from top to bottom. He searched and found a closet room with some brooms. He opened the windows, and the dust began to leave the house.
After a couple of hours, Ozai finally finished. But now he was hungry, and there was no food in the kitchen, so he decided to eat outside. It was early in the evening, and he was new in town, so the whole experience was exciting for him.
Ozai took the money in his pocket. He had a few yuans, enough to pass the first week. He really thought that Lin was going to be at the house. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Ozai then decided to leave the house and find something to eat. 'Maybe I can also find where to buy groceries,' he thought.
The following day, Ozai woke up. He looked around, still drowsy, and walked to the bathroom to try to clean his face, but there was no water coming from the tap. He sighed, resigned to his bad luck, and then decided to walk outside to find a place to buy groceries.
Ozai only smiled, thinking that he had done the right thing by coming to the city a few days before he was asked to.
Outside the house, he met an old woman walking close to him. "Excuse me," he said, approaching the old woman. "Is there a grocery store nearby?"
The older woman turned and saw Ozai and smiled. "Oh, a youngster in this area? Did you buy that old house? Finally, someone took it over. Are you Lin's kid or Suyin's?"
"What? No, I am not their son."
The older woman interrupted, "Oh, so they sold the property. That's rather sad, but I guess they already made their lives elsewhere." The woman shook her head, "Anyway, what did you ask, kid?"
"Oh, the grocery store. Do you know where the closest one is?" asked Ozai again.
"That should be five blocks away to the east. In the way of the commercial district."
"Thank you, ma'am," replied Ozai, bowing with his typical fire-style hand gesture.
"My, my! You really are a polite fellow. From the fire nation, then?" asked the woman.
"From Tu Zin. Well, I'll be going. Thank you again," said Ozai before turning away to the east to buy food.
Once he found the commercial district, he saw the different vendors showing their goods. He was overwhelmed by the abundance of choices before him. His wallet wasn't enough to indulge in all the delicious treats his eyes coughed. Gohan knew he had to make careful decisions about what to purchase; every cent counted when living alone for the first time. Then, he found himself debating between various items. Should he splurge on some exotic fruit or stick to the familiar taste. But then again, the food in Tu Zin seems to be exotic here, with higher prices.
After some calculations and expecting to get paid soon, he bought bags of fruits, vegetables, and necessities. Fortunately for him, on his way back, he stumbled upon an unexpected sight: a bathhouse with a sign that said 'older than the Republic city.'
Ozai first went to his new house, stored all the groceries, and made something to eat. His poor attempt was enough to relieve the hunger in his stomach but not to satisfy it. Then, he went directly to the bathhouse. He spent his money and then showed up there.
Feeling the dirt leave his body was so comforting that he relaxed completely, almost forgetting about his hunger, which stroked again. When he finally left the shower, he went to the counter.
"Excuse me," approached Ozai.
"Hello, sir. Anything I can do to help you?" the attendant said.
"Yes, I was wondering if you could point me to where I can go and make my house have water."
The attendant thought for a moment, "I guess you must go to The Council Hall. They managed those kinds of services."
"Thank you," said Ozai. After that, he walked around to familiarize himself with the area. He needed to know where everything was.
As he strolled leisurely through the bustling neighborhoods, taking note of landmarks and memorable sights, his attention was drawn to a grand building standing proudly amidst the urban landscape, The Council Hall.
Ozai saw the place and wondered if it's open. He thought that he had nothing to lose by trying to solve the water problem first. As luck would have it, he arrived at The Council Hall just as the sun began to hide below the horizon, casting long shadows across the cobblestone pathway leading to the entrance.
When he entered the Hall, he went to speak to the attendants, but the guards stopped him. "Working hours are over, citizen. Please come back tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m."
"Oh, sorry. Ah, I just want to ask what documents I would need If I need the water services to work at the house I am living in," said Ozai.
The woman behind the desk only shrugged, "I can answer that without opening anything that I already saved." The guards stepped to one side. "New house services are normally taken care of by the house builder company. So I gathered that you bought a used house."
Ozai shook his head, "A family friend lent us her house."
"Family friend? Well, the owner has to come or give you a document to prove that they are lending you the property," replied the woman.
Ozai scratched his head and then remembered the weird piece of metal that Toph had given him back in Tu Zin. "Does this work?" asked the half-saiyajin, showing the piece of metal.
The woman grabbed the piece of metal, and suddenly, her eyes went wide. She looked at the piece of metal and Ozai simultaneously with her mouth open. "You-you…"
Ozai looked at her, unable to understand the reaction.
"You are late! The meeting is being going on for about 20 minutes! Guards, take him to the council meeting!"
Ozai was surprised, just as the guards were, and the woman explained to them, " He is the one that Ex-Chief and world heroine Toph Beifong chose."
The guards stiffed at the mere mention of the famed hero's name. The faces of the guards lit up, and then they guided Ozai to the meeting hall. Ozai walked behind them and had no idea what she was talking about; he was in Republic City because of Unalaq, not Toph. Before arriving at the meeting, a woman passed in front of them. She had gray hair and a scar on her left cheek. She moved with an air of regality, her steps measured and confident, dressed in the police metal armor.
In the small moment they met, Ozai could feel the disapproving scowl etching lines onto the woman's aged forehead. Her gaze locked onto Gohan with a mixture of suspicion and disdain. It was clear that the woman perceived Ozai as an outsider who dared tread where he didn't belong. Her gaze traveled up and down his body, taking note of his casual attire, unlike hers, which was ready to fight.
All of this happened in a mere second when they passed close to each other. The guards continued walking as the woman left the place. Ozai then finally entered the meeting hall.
When the guard opened the door, Ozai saw the Hall, which was adorned with rich tapestries, regal furnishings, and ornate decorations that screamed authority and tradition. At the center of the room stood a semi-circular table. Five council members sat around it, their faces etched with varying degrees of skepticism, anticipation, and concern as they awaited the arrival of the young interloper.
"Esteem council, here is the one that Toph Beifong had recommended," said the guard.
The five councilmen looked at Ozai. On the right side was a man that Ozai remembered, Tenzin. He looked older, but his features were the same. Next to him was an old man with blue garments, who should be the representative of the southern water tribe. In the middle was an old man with green robes and a gray bear, representative of the earth kingdom. Next to that man was the only woman in the council, an old woman dressed in red robes and wearing glasses. And at the end was Tarrlok, dressed in light blue robes. Tarrlok, who worked as the Chairman, had a face of anger for a moment, but he tried to mask it; still, a deep frown was on his face.
"Can you explain yourself, young man," said Tarrlok. "You arrived almost half an hour late."
Ozai first greeted them with the Fire Nation gesture and then explained himself, "Hi. I did not know that I was required today. I was told to come here until Monday."
"Likely lies. If then, why are you here?" pressed Tarrlok.
"I came to ask about the water services for the place I am staying in. The woman at the front desk is the one who asked me to come here," said Ozai.
Tarrlok was going to say something, but it was Tenzin who spoke first. "Monday was the original day for this meeting. The sudden change for the meeting that Tarrlok told us about always felt strange."
"Dear Master Tenzin. I would ask you to think about how you phrase your words. It seems that you are accusing me of something," said Tarrlok.
"Is that how it sounded? I guess then that I phrased it correctly," Tenzin replied.
"Now, now," said another councilman. "Dear, young man. Ozai, correct?"
The half-saiyajin nodded, and the councilman continued. "Although I wished to do the meeting as planned, a key person is no longer here. The Chief of the police, Lin Beifong, who just left a few moments ago."
"This was not only about him meeting the Chief of the police. It was about him getting recognized by the council to work under us," said Tarrlok.
The Fire Nation representative said, "He has the approval of Toph Beifong and from The Water Tribe Chief. His calcifications on the scholar side are also implacable. I don't see the problem."
Tenzin then said, "While I do have great esteem for both figures, but he is too young to be part of the investigations. Also, I had been told that he is Toph Beifong's godson, and I am against nepotism."
The Southern Water tribe representative then said, "Do not take it wrong, Master Tenzin, but those are strong words coming from the son of the Avatar and the only Air Nomad representative. Besides, anyone had to start their work somewhere, and if he has the backing of two important figures, I do believe that is correct to give him the benefit of doubt."
The Earth kingdom representative then intervened, "Shouldn't we put it into a vote, Master Tarrlok?"
Tarrlok, who has the gavel in front of him, frowns but nods, "Those agreeing with letting him work in the ongoing investigation about the Equalist, please raise your hand." The representatives of the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Southern Water Tribe raise their hands.
Tarrlok then continued, "Does against?" Only Tenzin and Tarrlok himself raised their hand. The Chairman gritted his teeth but still used his gavel.
The earth representative smiled and looked at Ozai. "Young man, I advise you to present yourself to the Chief of police, Lin Beifong, tomorrow at your earliest. We will send the information to her."
Ozai stood all the time, looking at the councilmen debating, nodded, and left. Once he arrived at his new house, he was still unsure about many things. The water not working at his home was just another problem to add to the list.
The next day, he awoke early to start mowing the garden when suddenly a few men arrived, saying that they had come from the city to fix the water and light services. Ozai helped them the best he could, but his real motive was to learn what they were doing. The books had taught him so far, but seeing the whole installation for himself was another thing.
The whole process took a few hours, and once it was finished, he finally was able to use the water and have a shower in the house.
After cleaning up, he went to visit the Police Station to meet with the Chief of the Police. His eagerness made him run faster, and some people confused him with an air-bender. Unfortunately for those who saw him, they also got a strong wind after he passed, a wind full of dirt and some trash. When Ozai realized that his run was making a wind that was disturbing the people, he decided to walk slower.
When Ozai finally arrived at the police station, he could not help but smile. He entered the station, approached the front desk, and politely nodded to the officer on duty. "Good morning. I'm here to see Police Chief Lin. I was informed to come here to talk with her as early as possible."
The officer, a round man with a thick mustache, eyed Ozai skeptically. "Name?"
"Ozai," he replied, his voice stiff because of his nerves.
The officer glanced at a clipboard, then picked up the phone, murmuring something too low for Ozai to catch. After a brief exchange, he hung up and turned back to Ozai. "You'll need to speak with the Chief's secretary first. Down the Hall, last door on the left."
Ozai thanked the officer and made his way down the Hall, feeling the weight of curious and judgmental glances from the officers he passed. Reaching the indicated door, he knocked softly before entering.
A middle-aged woman with sharp features and glasses perched on the edge of her nose looked up from her desk. "Yes?"
"Hello, I'm Ozai. I was told to speak with the Police Chief?"
The secretary's expression shifted to one of mild disdain. "Ah, yes. The new investigator. Take a seat; the Chief will see you shortly."
Ozai nodded and sat in one of the uncomfortable chairs lining the wall. He pulled a book from his bag, trying to immerse himself in its pages to pass the time. However, minutes stretched into hours, and his curiosity kept him from focusing on the text. The clock on the wall seemed to mock him with its slow, deliberate ticks.
As the afternoon sun began to cast long shadows across the room, the door to the Chief's office finally opened. Lin emerged, tall and imposing, her grey hair tied back in a no-nonsense bun. Her sharp eyes scanned the room and landed on Ozai.
Suddenly, Ozai heard some yelling, and when he turned to see the source, he saw two policemen struggle to escort a young woman in blue clothes. The woman had dark skin, a strong body, and blue eyes. Her voice filled the hallway with defiant anger: "I wouldn't have done it if you had done your job properly!"
Ozai watched the scene unfold, his curiosity piqued but remaining silent. The young woman's fierce demeanor was striking. She fought against the policemen's grip, but her hands were tied with some metal around her wrist, and her moves suggest that she was not someone who would be subdued easily.
The policemen finally managed to get her into the Chief's office, the door slamming shut behind them. Moments later, the door opened again, and a man in orange and red robes entered. He walked with a calm, authoritative presence. Ozai observed as the man disappeared into the office.
Moments later, a Tenzin arrived wearing his orange and red robes. He walked with a calm, authoritative presence. Ozai observed him disappear into the office.
The minutes ticked by slowly. Finally, the door opened, and Tenzin emerged with the dark-skinned girl in tow. She looked less combative but still defiant. And for an instant, the eyes of the blue-eyed girl met the golden eyes of Ozai.
"Korra!" Tenzin called, and the girl broke eye contact to follow him. Ozai turned to see the office door still open. He then entered the office unannounced and met a very annoyed Lin, who was still looking at her desk in frustration.
Then Lin looked up and saw Ozai standing in front of her, whispering to herself, "Sure, why would I have a secretary for?"
Lin sighed and spoke curtly, "Ozai!." Her voice was full of authority. "Why are you here unannounced?"
Ozai bowed slightly, "Chief Lin, I apologize for the intrusion. I came to discuss the ongoing case of the Equalists."
Lin's jaw tightened. She had been expecting this. The City Council's decision to involve him in the case had not sat well with her. She believed in the integrity and merit of the police force, and Ozai, in her eyes, represented neither.
"Sit," she ordered, gesturing to the chair opposite her desk. "Let's get one thing straight. You are here because the City Council insists on it, not because I believe you have anything valuable to contribute."
Ozai nodded, his expression earnest. "I understand your perspective, Chief. I'm here to help in any way I can."
Lin leaned forward, her eyes boring into his. "You're not a police officer, Ozai. You will not interfere with our procedures, and you will follow my orders to the letter. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Chief," Ozai replied, his voice steady. "I am here to support with my investigations, not to overstep."
For a moment, Lin's gaze softened, if only slightly. She saw the sincerity in his eyes, the genuine desire to assist. But her years of experience and hard-earned wisdom kept her wary.
"You may be here under orders," she said, "but understand this: I run a tight ship. If you cross any lines, you'll be out of here before you can say 'nepotism.'"
Ozai smiled faintly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "I wouldn't dream of it, Chief. I'm here to learn and help the best I can."
Lin snorted in disdain, leaning back in her chair. "Just do your job."
As Ozai left her office, Lin watched him go, her thoughts a mixture of skepticism and disbelief that her mother would do something like this. 'But again,' she thought, 'she wanted to hide what happened with Suyin years ago.' She sighed as she would keep a close eye on him for now, ensuring he stayed within the boundaries she had set.