It was now past seven o'clock in the evening when Yuze got back to Temple Island. Though her conversation with the Chief of the Police had ended three hours ago, she decided to stay at Héxié for a bit to chitchat with Chyou and Jianjun. When she told them about her applying to Lin Beifong to be her assistant, at first they looked at her like she had grown another head then both of them burst out laughing, telling her that she was an idiot for doing that but she just rolled her eyes to them.
But she still doesn't understand 'till now why the esteemed Chief of Police doesn't have a secretary or personal assistant when all of the high personalities she knows have one, even Fire Lord Izumi has one.
Yuze shook her head, "It had nothing to do with me. If she doesn't want to have it, then she doesn't want it. It's not like it's the end of the world. It's not like there's a law saying that everyone should have—"
"Airbend."
Yuze stopped dead track to where she was walking. She frowned in confusion when she heard a familiar voice.
"And what does the kid's doing now?" Yuze asked no one as she followed where she heard Korra.
"What is wrong with me? Airbend!"
Yuze turned the corner and saw Korra blasting the newspaper with fire that was hanging in the cloth line.
"Ugh!" Korra turned to her polar bear dog, Naga, "Maybe I'm just not cut out to be an airbender, huh, Naga?"
"What are you doing?"
"Ahh!" Korra jumped out of surprise with a hand on her chest. When she realized it was just her former teacher, she breath to calm her heart down and once she calmed down, she glared at the firebender who was looking at her in amusement, "Just for once, Yuze, just once! Can't you make a noise whenever you'll walk to me?"
Yuze raised an eyebrow as she leaned her body on the rail sideward, "I thought I'd already taught you how to sense your surroundings?"
"Yes, but— you know what? I give up!" Korra said exasperatedly, throwing her hands in the air.
"Hmmm?" Yuze hummed, "How's your first-day learning airbending?"
"I don't get it!" Korra said as she slumped down beside her polar bear who snuggled to her as if comforting the girl. Korra petted Naga making the latter whine happily, "It's hard. They said 'Don't force yourself through', 'Dance like the wind', 'Be the leaf' and all of that doesn't make sense to me! And I've never even been produce just a little puff of air at the end of the day!"
"Korra you need to be patient. You just got started training on your airbending," Yuze said calmly, "and besides it's alright if you still don't produce even just a little puff. Often the element that's the most difficult for the Avatar to master is the one most opposite to the Avatar's personality."
"You know what? That's the same thing Tenzin told me," Korra pouted, her hand on her chin.
"Well, if you already heard it for the second time then it means those words are true," Yuze produced a small ball of flame on her forefinger then bounced it to her ring finger then to her other fingers.
Korra sighed, "Let's just talk about something else. How's your interview for receptionist? Do you have a job now?"
"Well, no," Yuze said as she continued to play with the small ball of fire on her fingers, "Someone got the job before I even got to the interview."
Korra looked at her former teacher and friend with sympathy, "Then what are you going to do now?"
"I'll convince Beifong."
Korra frowned and looked at the firebender with confusion on her face, "Convince Beifong? On what?"
"On hiring me to be her personal assistant," Yuze said closing her fist to put off the fire and looked up to the Avatar who was staring at her like she had grown another head.
"Are you okay, Yuze? Or it's just my frustrations speaking that I've now imagining things I shouldn't be," Korra frowned.
"Yes, so don't look at me as if I'm a crazy person," Yuze rolled her eyes.
"Well, you are. Who's in the right mind that will convince the Chief of Police of Republic City to take them or hire them as her personal assistant? No one, Yuze. Only a crazy or an idiot, and maybe a mix of both will do that."
"Funny, that's the exact thing Chyou and Jun said when I told them about Beifong," Yuze huffed.
"If you already heard it for the second time then it means those words are true," Korra smirked as Yuze glared at her. The firebender opened her mouth and was about to speak when they heard something come out from a radio from somewhere.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm coming to you live from Republic City's Pro-bending Arena, where tonight, the best in the world continue their quest for a spot in the upcoming championship tournament. Grab your snacks and grab your kids because this next match is gonna be a doozy."
Korra's face lit up and immediately dashed towards the place where she heard the radio, which was the guard house, and sat down on the rooftop. Yuze followed the teenager at a much calmer pace.
"This Mako's got mixie. He advances, fires two quick shots. Yomo is hammered back to the zone three."
Korra grinned as she closed her fists, heart beating at the anticipation. While Yuze, who's a fan but not like Korra who's a dead fan, also listens in anticipation, curious about who's going to win.
"Clock is winding down. Can Yomo hold on? He's teetering on the edge of the ring now. The Fire Ferrets line up to strike—"
Korra's eyes twitched when all of a sudden the radio died. While Yuze just sighed and cracked her bones.
"Korra, come down here please," the voice of the Airbending Master said. Korra peeked down upside down. The three White Lotus guards looked up and got startled causing them to step back. The Avatar jumps down and faces Tenzin, "You too, Yuze!"
"Okay, okay," Yuze gripped the edge of the roof and jumped inside the room, "Spirits, no need to be so loud. It's a peaceful night."
Tenzin glared at her which the Firebending Master ignored and just leaned to the wall sideward and picked on her ear.
"You shut it off at the best part," Korra said with exasperation.
Tenzin looked at the young woman with disapproval, "I thought I made myself clear. I didn't want you listening to this distracting nonsense."
Korra walked closer to the nomad, "But it's their radio," held her hands towards the White Lotus guards, "And technically, you said I couldn't watch a match. You didn't say anything about listening to one."
"The girl has a point," Yuze nodded her head to Korra.
Tenzin glared at the Firebending Master, then back to Korra, "You—" Tenzin closed his eyes in exasperation, "You know what I meant. Anyway, shouldn't you— Shouldn't you be bed by now?"
"Oh, common Tenzin," Yuze pushed herself against the wall, "It's still..." she glanced at the clock from the opposite wall, "It's still eight o'clock in the evening! How could you expect us to be in bed this early? We're not children!"
"I don't care. Go to your bed!" with that the nomad turned to his heels, his robe blowing an air in Korra and Yuze's face.
"Drama Queen!" Yuze shouted at the retreating form of the Master Airbender and was replied with a blast of air on her face, "Mmm!" she turned to the sulking Avatar, "Ignore him, Korra, that man has a different meaning of fun in his vocabulary. Let's go and do the old man's request," but Korra didn't say anything. Yuze sighed, "Or we can stay up for a while and talk about things."
At that, Korra nodded and both of them walked towards the porch, sat down at the stairs, and talked about different things until they called it off the night.
Yuze was sitting in the dining room while sipping at her cup of tea when Korra came in with a scowl on her face. The firebender followed Korra with her eyes as Korra, the Avatar went to the kitchen, her tea cup still raised on her lips. The teen went back with a glass of lychee juice and sat down in front of her with her arms crossed.
Yuze raised an eyebrow as she finished her tea and brought down her teacup, "What happened to you?"
"Nothing," Korra said as she picked up her glass of lychee juice and took a sip.
"Yeah, that's so believable," Yuze said then she glanced behind Korra and then back to the teen in front of her, "Why are you here? Is your meditation lesson already finished? That's quick."
Korra groaned, "I hate this! I hate learning airbending! And I hate Tenzin's teachings!"
"Hmmm? What did really happen?" Yuze asked the younger woman.
"It's just, his teachings don't sink in on me. Then he said let my mind and spirit be free because air is the element of freedom," Korra said mockingly, emphasizing the freedom with an air quote, "When he wouldn't even let me listen to the radio and leave this island," she rolled her eyes then put her chin on her hand, "You're much better teacher than him. I wish it was you who is teaching me about airbending."
"Well sorry kid but I can't," Yuze said, "I don't know anything about airbending stuff and the spiritual aspect of a person. Only Tenzin can help you about this," the Firebending Master said mostly truthfully, as she said one lie.
"I know," Korra sighed, "but it doesn't mean I have to like it."
"Korra, you need to be patient. Others may be easier for you, and others may not. And in those, you can't—"
"Force yourself through it. You can't get everything easily. There will be time that you need to work hard and learn the long way, I know, I know."
"Then apply it," Yuze said as she stood up, went to the kitchen to wash her used teacup, and went back to the kitchen to put on her coat and pick up her bag.
"Where are you going?" Korra asked with curiosity.
"Didn't I tell you, I would convince Beifong to hire me to become her assistant?" Yuze said as she walked towards the door.
"Well, good luck then!" Korra yelled at the leaving firebender, "Because I'm sure that woman is a hard one to crack!"
"You know who I am, Korra," Yuze looked at the Avatar from her shoulder, "I can crack even the toughest rock," she smirked and saluted, "See ya later!"
Korra watched her former teacher and shook her head, "She's a psycho."
The Avatar picked up her glass of lychee juice when Ikki came in, "Korra, Daddy said break time is over. It's time to continue your lesson."
Korra threw her head back and groaned.
"Have you already asked the witness?" Lin asked one of her officers who was walking with her through the corridors. The people they were passing by were either greeting her with a 'Good day, Chief', 'Hello, Chief' or saluting to her or bowing down, which she answered with a nod and salute as well.
"Yes, Chief," the officer answered then he handed a clipboard to Lin which the latter received and read, "The witness said that she saw a tattoo on one of the members. The description of the tattoo consists of a sword with two dragons circling the sword and breathing fire to each other."
Lin flipped the page and saw the sketch of the tattoo.
"Looks familiar?" the officer asked.
"It looks like the one we saw from one of the bodies who we suspected was a member of one of the triads who got killed from the triad conflict last month," Lin furrowed as she analyzed the sketch.
"That's correct, Chief. We also learned what is the new triad's name."
"What is it?" Lin asked as they turned a corner.
"Shadow Pang."
Lin stopped outside of her office and raised an eyebrow as she looked at the officer beside her, "Shadow Pang?"
"Yes, Chief," the officer nodded though as he coughed into his hand to stop himself from laughing at the presence of his boss.
"Hmm," Lin hummed as she gave the clipboard back to the officer, "What a ridiculous name. You're dismissed."
"Yes, Chief," the officer saluted before he went.
"Who named their triad? That's the most ridiculous name I've ever heard in my whole serving career," Lin muttered to herself as she entered her office, "Though I know I shouldn't judge a group by its name, but still—"
"Hey, Beifong!"
Lin stopped as her head whipped to the right and saw the firebender she greatly despised (not because she hated her, but because she felt something to the girl that she was all familiar with but couldn't point a name to it). Yuze was sitting on the sofa in the corner of her office while pouring what seemed like tea on a teacup.
"What are you doing here?" Lin scowled, crossing her arms.
"I'm making you tea," Yuze said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Lin took a deep breath to calm herself down, "And why are you making me tea?"
"It's part of my plans to convince you to hire me as your personal assistant," Yuze shrugged as she finished filling up the cup and brought down the kettle to the table. She made a gesture of presenting while smiling sweetly, "Tea?"
The esteemed Chief of Police pinched the bridge of her nose, "I already told you I don't hire an assistant, secretary, or whatsoever."
"Beifong, just think about it," Yuze said as she stood up and raised both of her hands as if stopping her from saying anything, "Your life will get easier. You'll get more free time. You can take a rest and have a nap—"
"I can handle my work perfectly all by myself," Lin rested her weight on her left foot, her left hand resting on her waist.
"If you think you can handle it, then you're wrong. Look at—"
"Yes, I can. Now. Goodbye," Lin cut Yuze as she waves her hand and the floor below the firebender open.
"Wha— BEIFONG— OUFFF!"
Lin walked towards the hole and glanced. Yuze is seating on the floor while rubbing her butt, people around her were either looking at her with curiosity or amusement.
Yuze groaned and when she looked up, she saw Lin smirking down to her. She scowled and pointed at Lin who just raised an eyebrow at her.
"ONE DAY YOU'LL ACCEPT ME AS YOUR PERSONAL ASSISTANT, BEIFONG! REMEMBER—"
"Yep. Not going to happen," then Lin closed the hole with a satisfied smile.
The Chief of Police walked towards her desk but then her eyes caught the still-smoking tea on the coffee table. Lin walked towards it, picked up the teacup, and took a sip.
"Hmmm," Lin hummed in satisfaction as she tasted the tea. She went to her desk and continued signing the paperwork while occasionally sipping at the tea that the Firebending Master made.