Chapter 15

Lin was massaging her temples, her eyes tightly closed from the stress she was getting from her officers when she heard someone put something on her desk. When she opened her eyes there was already newly brewed tea in front of her.

Lin looked at her assistant before she reached for the cup and brought it to her nose. The smell of woody, earthy notes immediately brought comfort and relaxation to her.

"Cinnamon tea?"

"Yes," Yuze nodded at the older woman's correct guess, "It has many benefits and one of them is blood sugar regulation which in this case you greatly needed."

The Chief of Police once again inhaled the comforting scent of the tea before she took a sip. Her eyes closed and sighed as the slightly spicy with a hint of sweetness hit her taste buds.

"And Beifong," Lin hummed as she took another sip, "A man, claiming he was sent by Councilman Tarrlok, gave this envelope," the Chief of Police gestured for Yuze to read it to her without opening her eyes, "Greetings! You are invited to the Gala for Avatar Korra's Honor. Tonight, at 8 pm at the Republic City Hall."

Lin's eyes twitched before she took another sip. It's good that she is currently drinking tea or else her desk will fly out of this building.

Yuze sensed her boss' exasperation, "Well, I don't envy you, socializing with rich people and politicians," she chuckled, "Good luck with that."

Lin opened her eyes and Yuze saw the glint in her eyes. The firebender shook her head, "No. I will not—"

"... Why am I here again?" Yuze asked nonchalantly her arms crossed while walking beside her boss.

The eartbender chuckled at her assistant's expression, "I'm not the only one who needs to suffer from this party."

The firebender groaned, "But I'm not even the one who is invited! I'm not an important figure like these people!"

Lin raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lips curling up, "But you are the assistant of one."

"Chief Beifong!"

The duo turned their heads and saw Tarrlok with other more people, including the Avatar. Lin's face immediately frowned as she walked toward them, Yuze following closely behind her.

"Just because the city's throwing you this big to-do," Lin narrowed her eyes and leaned forward. "... Don't think you're something special. You've done absolutely nothing to deserve this." with that Lin walked away.

Korra looked at her former master with a frown but Yuze just shrugged and mouthed'Sorry'then her eyes went to Tarrlok she rolled her eyes before she followed her boss.

"How harsh," Yuze remarked the moment she kept up with Lin, "You Beifongs do really not let go of your hatred, do you?"

Lin raised an eyebrow as she reached for the champagne glass on the waiter's tray which her assistant also did, "And why is that?"

"Just like what I said, I already met your mother and sister," Yuze took a sip at her champagne, "Guess what? Your mother told me the day her feet got burned by Zuko and your sister told me the story of how she the Earth Kingdom Queen disrespected and mocked her."

Lin snorted at the last sentence but didn't comment. Yuze looked at the older woman from the side of her eyes before she once returned her eyes to observe the crowd.

"Did you know your sister married to architect? And the two of them had five children," though her boss acted indifferent, Yuze knew she was listening to what she was saying, to her story about her sister.She really loves her sister even after all of what happened."Their oldest is named after his father, Bataar, who seems following his father's footsteps. We are the same age. The second oldest is Huan, he's an artist, though I don't understand his art. I believe he's 18 now. The middle child and the only girl is named Opal who will be 17 next month," she noticed how Lin stiffened at that name before she relaxed again. The firebender didn't question it and continued, "The youngest are twins, named Wei and Wing, both are 15. Those two are what I think inherited the most the Biefong's spirit."

Lin just let out a tsked as she swirled her glass, "I don't care about her kids or what she is doing right now."

Yuze snorted as she brought her glass close to her lips, "Right."

The older woman looked at her assistant but her attention went back to the crowd and saw the Tarrlok leading Korra to the stage. They saw how the reporters bombard the teenager with questions leading the Avatar to say the sentence that was only brought because of pressure.

"I'm not afraid of anybody. If this city needs me then I'll join Tarrlok's task force, and help fight Amon."

Yuze sighed, "That stinky Councilman."

"That's politics," Lin took a sip of her champagne.

Another day, another exhausting day. Yuze took a deep breath as she entered the living room where she found Tenzin drinking tea while listening to the radio.

The firebender slumped down the couch, massaging her temple. Tenzin looked at her, with concern.

"Are you alright, Yuze?" Tenzin asked the younger woman, assuming that she pushed her body too far after she only recovered from whatever happened to her.

Yuze waved her hand, "Yeah, just exhausted. No need to worry."

The Airbending Master furrowed in concern and was about to ask further when they heard Korra's voice from the radio.

"You wanna know why? Because Amon is hiding in the shadows like a coward."

Yuze's eyes snapped open and sat properly. She leaned forward towards the radio to hear what her former student was saying.

" Amon, I challenge you to a duel."

The two masters look to each other and back to the radio.

"No task force, no chi-blockers, just the two of us. Tonight at midnight on Avatar Aang Memorial Island. Let's cut through the chase and settle this thing. If you're man enough to face me..."

Yuze's hands went to her face, while Tenzins went to his bald head.

"Tenzin," Yuze said. The Airbending Master looked to her, "Go to Korra."

Tenzin nodded and grabbed his glider before exiting the living room.

After a minute Yuze walked outside. She looked at the Avatar Aang Memorial Island from afar. She sat down on the steps waiting for the clock to strike 12. Yuze knew Korra was too stubborn to listen to Tenzin, so she knew the two would not come back till midnight. Once she heard the bell indicating midnight she clasped her hands, praying to the spirits that nothing happened to Korra.

It's been an hour since midnight when she saw Korra and Tenzin walking towards her. Yuze stood up and met them halfway.

"Korra? Are you al—" Yuze didn't finish what she was going to say when Korra hugged her and sobbed at her clothes. "Oh... Korra," Yuze softly said as she stroked her former student's hair.

"What happened?" Yuze turned to Tenzin.

Tenzin sighed. "Amon ambushed her," Tenzin saw Yuze's face. "Don't worry, he didn't take her bending away." Yuze nodded and just stayed there whispering nothing to Korra but comforting words.

When Korra broke the hug, Yuze wiped away her tears. "Feeling better?" Korra nodded. "Come. Let's go sleep." she was about to start to walk when she felt Korra's hand grab her coat.

"Can I— Can I sleep beside you?" Korra asked in a quiet voice. Yuze smiled warmly as she cupped the younger woman's face.

"Of course Korra, you can," Y/N said softly then looked to Tenzin. "Goodnight, Tenzin."

"Good night, Yuze," Tenzin said, nodding to her.

Yuze wrapped an arm around Korra as they walked towards the women's dormitory.

Yuze opened her eyes and she's back to the warehouse. Her eyes widened and her head looked everywhere frantically. No, not this again.

She tried to run from this place but the place seems becoming longer cause she can't get out of the place. She heard laughs echoing the place.

"You can't escape your destiny," a voice of man said.

"The destiny of destroying the world," a woman's voice laughed.

Yuze ran as she looked behind her hearing the laughs getting louder and closer, until she bumped into someone and she screamed when someone grabbed her shoulder.

When she looked at who is it, she saw Lin holding her shoulder. Her heart beating fast, "Yuze, are you alright?"

Yuze panted and looked around. She noticed she was no longer in the warehouse but in the Air Temple Island. Yuze closed her eyes and tried to calm her heart, "It's nothing, it's nothing."

"Wha't nothing?"

Yuze opened her eyes and it widened in horror as she saw half of Lin's body was now burned. She swatted the hands holding her and stepped backward as the older woman's face contoured into a rage.

"Why are you afraid? You did this to us."

Yuze shook her head, "No. This is just a dream."

"Dream? Look at us, Shifou."

Yuze turned her head and screamed in horror as she saw half of Korra's face was missing.

"Why did you do this to us?"

Yuze spun around and covered her mouth with her quivering hand as she saw Zuko and Isumi bleeding. Glaring at her.

"No. Please, stop. Leave me in peace. Please."

"You don't deserve peace," a familiar voice said behind her.

Yuze turned and sobbed as she saw her adopted mother looking at her with so much hatred. Half of her body is missing.

"You deserve to be hunted for the rest of your life."

Yuze's body quivered, "No. Please, stop."

"You are a murderer, Yuze."

Yuze looked around and saw everybody she cared about wounded and bleeding. Tenzin, Ikki, Jinora, Meelo, Chyou, Jun, Iroh, the Beifongs, the Trio.

Then their voices mixed. Everyone accusing her. Cursing her.

"You're a murderer!"

"Yuze."

"You're a monster!"

"Yuze."

"You deserve to pay!"

"Yuze!"

Her eyes snapped open. Her body sitting up in her bed. She clutched her chest as she panted heavily.

"Yuze?" a soft voice coming from the corner of the room said. She looked and saw Korra alert but staring at her in concern, "Are you alright?"

Yuze calmed her racing heart before she nodded, "Yes. Yes, I'm alright," she took a deep breath. Then she felt something being offered to her. She took the glass of water and gulped it in one go. She lowered the glass and gripped it tightly. But before she could even crack the glass it was taken from her.

"Another nightmare?" Korra asked.

Yuze just nodded. As she closed her eyes, the images from her nightmare played in her mind.

"If you want to talk about it, I'm just here."

The firebender stared up at the younger woman and smiled, "Thank you, and sorry for waking you up."

Korra shook her head, "It's nothing," then she sat beside her former master, "And besides you're like an older sister to me, I'm not going to let you face whatever it is alone."

Yuze nodded. Korra wrapped her arms around the older woman which the latter returned. But the firebender's mind was somewhere else.

'Will you still view me the same after you know what kind of monster I am?'