Impulsive Korra, upset about living in confinement, takes a piece of advice given to her as seriously as she can be... she is the avatar, and she forges her own destiny.
...
The interrogation room she's escorted to immediately upon arrival is dark and clean, with a single light shining on the table. She's seated in a chair with shackles on her wrists. Generally, it's not Korra's favorite situation to find herself in. She'd broken the rules, and she'd broken some at the White Lotus Compound, but it'd never ended like this.
"Let's see..." a woman's voice sounded behind her. It belonged to one of the officers who had arrested her. She had come in recently and stared at him for a while before looking at something she had with her. "Multiple destruction of private and city property, not to mention resisting arrest... you're definitely in trouble, young lady." She slammed the table hard as she glared at Korra.
"But some thugs wanted to burn down the lord's house, and I just..."
This certainly wasn't going the way Korra would have liked. Being arrested after she stopped those Triple Threat men, one would expect her arrival in Republic City to be simple. She had only come to find Lord Zuko and see the city while she could, but things had gotten so complicated.
Naga's search for food led her to a food stand, and she realized that she didn't have any money to pay, so she had to look elsewhere. She searched a nearby park, which led to a disconcerting conversation with a homeless man in a bush, and then she had to flee from the police.
After that, the non-bender mentioned a group known as the Equalists and unfairly accused her of being a bender, and somehow, people supported him. She then wandered the streets, realizing she was lost and looking for directions, and then a group of thugs appeared in a Satomobile.
Terrifying some poor guy, and she, as the Avatar, couldn't let things like that happen. She immediately rushed to confront them. After underestimating her, the "Triple Threat" gang, as they called themselves, ended up running away like cowards before her, and she stopped them.
But then the police arrived to arrest them, and Korra couldn't understand why. She caught them and prevented them from escaping. The officer didn't seem to understand, so he tried to arrest her as well. Then she and Naga escaped, which led to another chase until they were caught, and it ended here.
"Silence!... You should have called the police and stayed away." The officer silenced her, dismissing her argument.
"But I couldn't just stand there and do nothing. I must help people!" With a tired sigh, Korra decided she had to tell the officer who she was.- "Look, I'm the Avatar."
"Oh," the officer said in an almost bored tone. "I know exactly who you are, and your title of Avatar might impress some, but not me."
Ugh, great. That didn't work. Time to try something else. Maybe she could request to speak to someone else... someone who might be willing to listen."
With a sigh, Korra looked at the officer with a determined look. "Okay, fine. Then I want to speak to whoever's in charge."
"You're talking to him... I'm Chief Beifong."
The mention of his last name took Korra by surprise, as she knew it well. "Wait... Beifong?! Lin Beifong?! You're Toph's daughter!" she exclaimed excitedly.
"What's up with that?" Lin crossed her arms, still unimpressed.
"Because he's treating me like a criminal. Avatar Aang and his mother were friends and saved the world together." She hoped that mentioning Aang would help her get out of there.
Lin dismissed Korra's comment with a wave of her hand. "That's ancient history... it has nothing to do with the mess you made. You can't just come here and dish out justice like you own the place."
Before Korra could say anything else, a hatch in the door opened, and the face of a metalbender appeared. "Chief, Councilman Tenzin is here..."
Korra's eyes widened in disbelief and alarm upon hearing that Tenzin had just arrived. He couldn't possibly have known she was in the city, could he? Things were getting more complicated.
Lin, for her part, rolled her eyes. "Uhg, let him in..."
She stood up from her seat while she waited for the aforementioned to decide to appear.
The metal door opened, and as it did, the figure of a tall, elderly man dressed in air nomad robes, with a long gray beard and a frown, appeared. He turned to Korra. Korra gulped, knowing who it was.
"Tenzin... listen, I'm sorry. I can explain..."
However, the aforementioned man took a deep breath, trying to control his anger, so he turned to Lin. "Lin, you look radiant as always..."
"Save your compliments, Tenzin. Why is the Avatar in Republic City? Shouldn't she be at the South Pole with her mother until she completes her training?
While Lin waited for an answer, Tenzin turned his gaze on Korra, giving her a look that told the latter she was in a lot of trouble.
"I don't know. It took me as much by surprise as it did you when I found out, but I'm already taking measures... The Avatar will return immediately to the South Pole where she will remain..."
Korra's eyes widened at what Tenzin had said; they wanted to send her back. "But..."
Tenzin and Lin, for the time being, ignored her as they exchanged glances again, while Tenzin said, "If you would be so kind as to drop all charges against Korra, I will take full responsibility for the events that occurred today and pay for all damages..."
"Ugh, all right, just get her out of my city." With a wave of his hands, the shackles on Korra's hands came loose and fell off. Relieved by this, Korra rubbed her wrists.
Tenzin sighed in relief at being able to convince her. "A pleasure as always, Lin... it's time to go, Korra..."
Without further ado, he left without even saying anything. Korra, as much as she didn't want to, had to get up and follow Tenzin, resigned. As they passed Lin, she turned to look at her. Before Korra left, she made a sign with her fingers that she would be watching her. Korra, offended by this, returned the gesture before crossing the door and leaving.
Lin, seeing this, was confused by Korra's senseless insinuation.
...
"Tenzin, please don't send me home," Korra said, hoping Tenzin wouldn't do what he had said he would.
He didn't want to return to the South Pole after leaving. How could he even return after everything he'd seen, after everything he'd experienced? Maybe things hadn't gone well since he arrived in the city, but it was real. Some things needed to be resolved, but after today, he couldn't return to the South Pole.
Even less so when he hadn't even achieved what he came for in the first place.
Tenzin, for his part, shook his head. "You disobeyed the White Lotus's orders, all because... what are you doing here in the first place?"
Tenzin still couldn't understand it. After the call he received from the police saying Korra had been arrested, he received a call from the White Lotus saying Korra had escaped from the South Pole and somehow made it to Republic City.
But aside from that, they still don't know why she did it in the first place. Korra had tried to leave the Compound before and succeeded several times, but nothing like this had ever happened before.
"Katara wanted me to come. She said my destiny was here, and..."
"Don't bring my mother into this!"
Seeing how upset Korra was, she decided to start over to make her point. "Listen, I came to find Lord Zuko. I want him to teach me. I know you wanted Master Yim to teach me, but he's not the master I need."
Tenzin, however, shook his head. "Lord Zuko is too busy right now, Korra. Besides, he agreed that Master Yim was the best option for your firebending training... and now that you mention it, he's upset about your act of rebellion. Do you have any idea how upset the entire South Pole is about you disappearing?!... you..."
"It's more than just that! I can't stay locked away and isolated from the world until I complete my training. That won't help me become a better Avatar. I know they want to prepare me to be that, but with Lord Zuko, I learned more about firebending in one lesson than I did with Yim after going over the same kata all day. If that's true, imagine what I could accomplish if he were my master and helped with things in the City. I've seen what happens, and things are getting out of control. They need me here to solve that."
Tenzin sighed, tired of Korra's insistence. He didn't understand why Korra couldn't just accept Yim and focus on training. If she's that stubborn, he doesn't want to think about what things will be like when it's time for her to move on to airbending, and now he, as the only airbender there is, has to be her master.
"Is this your Polar Bear Dog, Miss?" The voice of an animal control officer caught Korra and Tenzin's attention. They turned to see a young man who had Naga with him. The young man's hair was disheveled because of Naga.
Seeing it as an opportunity, Tenzin decided to end the conversation. "Stay here, don't move while I fill out the paperwork."
...
-...and while we were trying to get out of there, out of the blue, her grandfather Sokka decided to propose to Suki, all while we were trying to save the village from that typhoon...
Finishing his story, Zuko looked at the audience, which included Tenzin's daughters, Jinora and Ikki, a pair of Air Acolytes who had decided to listen to the stories the former Fire Lord had of his days with Avatar Aang.
Jinora opened her eyes in surprise, while Ikki listened to everything with his mouth agape, after hearing Azula's story, Ikki asked for a story about Grandpa Sokka as he had heard his father mention him once and wanted to know something about him, Zuko gladly told them about his old friend and what a great warrior and strategist he was, though he certainly doesn't regret telling them this story and how it was going to end once he told the denouement, regarding how Sokka's proposal went.
For the time being, Zuko was happy to remember all those adventures he lived decades ago. Although he couldn't always participate due to his job as the Fire Lord, he certainly helped do his part and is proud of the achievements that have been achieved.
Now that he has decided to retire, he can continue helping the world in other ways. People his age may decide to spend their time living their retirement, either by moving to other places or taking a well-deserved vacation, but Zuko will not get to that point yet. He had decided to move to live on Ember Island, but that does not mean that he will retire from public life. He can still be of help; there may always be something that they need him for.
You could do it by being my firebending master...
The memory of Korra's request crossed his mind, but he shook his head trying to dismiss it, she didn't need it, she already had all the help she needed, she would be fine, Korra needs to find her way to become the Avatar she is destined to be, Aang went through the same thing and exceeded expectations leading the world to an era of peace, and he did it by following his path, he learned during his journey everything he needed to be one, from the people he met he learned, he learned from Katara, from Sokka, from Toph...
-From me too - thought Zuko while reflecting - and I learned from him, and I still do...
But then the sound of a ship caught everyone's attention there. Zuko got up from his seat and looked through the railing at a ship that belonged to the Order of the White Lotus.
That certainly piqued his interest at his sudden appearance. As far as he knew, the White Lotus had nothing to do here. In the distance, he saw a couple of White Lotus sentries get off the ship and wait at the dock, he frowned at that.
"Lord Zuko?" the aforementioned turned in the direction of Pema, who was carrying her youngest son while looking at the old firebender with concern- I need to tell you something...
...
Sitting in a chair, Korra snorted, annoyed as she waited for Tenzin to leave, and once he returned, they would go straight to Air Temple Island where they would take her back to the South Pole.
Frowning, Korra was determined not to go back, she had to think of something to avoid that.
And then one of the metal doors opened, and a metalbender stepped out. "You're lucky you're not adults, boys, or else we'd have to put you in with the rest of your friends..."
With that, two young men close to Korra's age came out of the room. A young man with golden eyes with a red scarf tied around his neck, and dressed in grey and red, there was also a fourteen-year-old boy dressed in green and grey.
The officer put them in some chairs in front of where Korra was, The two boys sat down resignedly while the officer proceeded to walk down a hallway. "Wait here while I look for Child Protection. Don't move from here..."
Without further ado, the officer left while the two boys sat waiting. The youngest of the two, the one dressed in green, soon seemed to get bored and started looking at everything he could see in the room until he noticed Korra.
"Wait... It's you!" He gasped in amazement as he pointed at Korra. He quickly turned to the other boy and pulled his sleeve to say- Mako, you see? That's the girl who faced Viper, Two-Toed Ping, and Mushi.
The aforementioned paid attention to what he was saying and fixed his gaze on Korra. The girl gave him a sweet smile, but that only made Mako frown- Of course I remember her, Bolin; thanks to her we were arrested too...
Korra's smile twisted as she remembered that, of course those two boys were with the group of thugs and of course the firebender boy remembered her, because he had tried to stop her but then things took an unexpected turn, when he ended up kicking her ass with a water whip.
-That was quite a demonstration you did... I don't know how you did it without waterbending, because from what I could see, you're a waterbender, but you managed to crash Viper's Satomobile like it was nothing...
Korra smiled arrogantly as she crossed her arms- It wasn't a big deal, I'm an earthbender...
Mako opened her eyes slightly while Bolin was confused and hummed, trying to find an explanation for that. "Sorry then, now I'm confused. I thought I saw you doing waterbending because you're someone from the Water Tribe."
Mako then sighed as he lowered his head in shame- You're the Avatar, and I'm an idiot...
Korra hummed. "That's true."
Bolin stared at Korra in disbelief, stunned. "No... tell me..." He quickly turned to Mako, who looked unimpressed and frowned at her, making her feel like this was real. "The Avatar..."
Mako simply rolled her eyes. "Yes, the Avatar, and now, thanks to her, we're trapped here, including her..."
Korra frowned at the boy's stubbornness. However, a part of her couldn't help but agree. It was because of her that she ended up locked up in the first place. Now, she'd have to return to the South Pole unless she did something. Maybe run away, but she couldn't do that if she had nowhere else to go. She didn't know the city, and if she got out, it would only be a matter of time before they found her again. She needed a way to get around the city.
Then she saw the two boys in front of her and had a great idea.
"Listen, I'll make you a deal. If I get us out of here, then you'll help me on my mission..."
"After you got us arrested, why would we trust you?!"
Korra grimaced at the way he said it but wouldn't back down. "Well, you have a point, but from what I see, your friends will be here for a long time, so I don't think you have much of a choice."
Mako, however, wasn't going to listen any further. "Forget it..."
However, Bolin put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Mako, maybe we should listen to him."
Mako opened her eyes and looked at her brother. "What? Bolin, did you hit your head hard during the escape?"
The aforementioned shook his head. "No... well, maybe a little, but she's right. Zolt won't come for us or send someone to look after us, and we don't know where they'll take us after this... Besides, he's the Avatar. Do you think they'd dare go after us if we helped the Avatar?"
That might not be entirely true. They didn't know they wanted to send her back to the South Pole, so helping her might make things worse for them... but it wasn't something they needed to know. After all, it was for a good cause, and they managed to hide her long enough to avoid the police. They didn't want Tenzin to send her to the South Pole, and if he managed to find Lord Zuko, then everything would be better.
Mako thought about it for a moment, grunting and sighing in resignation. "Okay, okay... let's assume we accept your deal. How do you plan to escape? We're in a place surrounded by metalbenders; running away will be very difficult."
"Not if we have a means of escape fast enough..."
She said that last bit as she looked at Naga, who was nearby, being guarded by the same officer who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.
...
In a luxurious Satomobile, a young woman with green eyes and Fire Nation features was staring out the window, looking out at the streets of Republic City. She was being taken home. Although bored, she planned to spend the day with her father after he had time. However, he canceled at the last minute, saying that an associate of his wanted to talk about a private project he was working on.
And while she could understand that her father was busy, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.
At least he promised to make it up to her later, and she could hold on to that.
Her car was about to continue moving when suddenly, a large white beast appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the street, taking her car and others by surprise. Her driver and the other drivers quickly braked as the beast, which appeared to have three people on top of it, sped away.
The moment it left, police sirens began to wail, and she noticed a couple of patrol cars following the beast. The girl opened her eyes in surprise at the apparent pursuit.
...
"Is this your idea for escaping?!" Mako shouted angrily as he looked at the police cars approaching behind them.
Korra, hearing this, rolled her eyes. "Excuse me. If you had another idea, you could have said it..."
Mako frowned. "How was I supposed to think of anything? You didn't give us time to do anything. You hit the guy who was guarding your Polar Bear Dog, you got on him, and then the officers reacted..."
"Mako, we could discuss this after losing the officers!" Bolin, who was behind his brother, shouted as he pointed behind him where the police cars were speeding toward them. Although Naga, thanks to the training Korra had given her, had good endurance, the police vehicles were certainly a new challenge, and she couldn't avoid them forever.
Mako looked from Korra to the Patrols and nodded in agreement. She took in their surroundings and got an idea of where they were and where they might go to hide. She fixed her gaze on a busy street that could block the Patrols' path and said, "Turn here. If we continue this way, we could lose them in Dragon District. Their patrols won't be able to follow us."
Korra looked straight ahead at Mako. Seeing a possible exit, she nodded and gave instructions to Naga. Her friend roared in agreement and veered into the street, catching several people by surprise. They stepped aside to avoid the Polar Bear Dog running wildly.
The police stopped at the obstacle. Some went to possible exits to intercept the boys, others ventured to walk along the route they had chosen.
Korra's group, meanwhile, continued down the street. Even so, the street wasn't that long, and their detour would soon end. However, Mako knew this, but there was still a way out of this, and she soon saw it when they were not far from it.
"Get into that alley. If we go in there, it'll be impossible for them to reach us."
Korra nodded. "Come on, Naga, straight to that alley!"
The aforementioned responded with a bark and headed for the alley, which looked like it had obstacles that wouldn't be a problem for her. She was skilled at getting around obstacles, effectively dodging, jumping, or climbing over them. Naga made her way through the alley until she soon found herself exiting it and arriving at a new part of Republic City, where no police officers were seen following them; they had been left behind.
"They're not following us anymore," Bolin exclaimed in confirmation.
Mako nodded with a smile upon seeing that they had escaped. He looked at Korra, who also looked at him with a triumphant smile. However, they both soon realize that they weren't friends but rather means to an end. They put aside the emerging sense of camaraderie and returned to the situation.
"Dragon District is up ahead. If we go there, there will be some places to hide," Mako said with some seriousness.
Korra nodded with the same seriousness and gave instructions to Naga, who soon headed there.
...
They found possible refuge in a theragon Ward Library. Besides being a very common sight, it was nighttime and locked. Korra instructed Naga to hide nearby while Korra, Mako, and Bolin took shelter inside. Korra and Mako aid so. Bolin suddenly said he had something to do and left before anyone could do anything.
Mako instantly growled in annoyance at the thought of where his brother would go. That left Korra and Mako in the Library wondering where to go after all this happened. And also as a chance to get to know each other better.
"Come to think of it, what are a couple of kids like you doing with people like the Triple Threat? Where are your parents?" Korra asked curiously.
Mako looked skeptically at Korra, not knowing if he could trust her. Although she had done her part in getting them out of there, in a way, revealing that part of his past was another matter. He looked briefly and saw no malice in her eyes, but rather genuine curiosity, the kind that was interested in him and his brother. He didn't know if it was because of that or something else, but he decided to say it. "Bolin and I have been orphans for years. Since then, we've wandered the streets and had to work for the Triple Threat to survive."
Korra opened her eyes in surprise. "I'm sorry, that must have been hard... Can I ask what happened to your parents?"
Mako then remembered what had happened, and sadness and pain filled him as he said, "They were attacked by a firebender... They were killed right in front of me. I was eight years old."
"Mako..." Korra reached out and squeezed Mako's shoulder in a sign of support, trying to build confidence so she could continue.
That worked, as Mako soon continued, "Bolin is the only family I have left. I'll do whatever it takes to keep him safe and to keep us from being separated..."
Korra nodded while she sighed. "I... didn't grow up here. I was raised in the Southern Water Tribe." Mako turned her attention as Korra told her story. "However, I didn't get to live a normal childhood. Being the Avatar means I already had a set destiny. I grew up far from everything, focusing solely on learning the four elements... I'm not complaining. They took care of me and I lived a good life... but I couldn't go out, I couldn't do other things... I felt trapped there."
Mako nodded at that prospect. "It couldn't have been easy."
Korra sighed but didn't deny it. "Right now, I'm in training to become a firebender, but... the teacher who's supposed to teach me isn't what I need; it must be someone else. I came here to find him so I can finally get out of the South Pole."
Mako raised an eyebrow at that. "Well, I don't know who you could find here for that, unless you're looking for a pro-bending player..."
Korra perked up, hearing this. "That would sound good. I've always wanted to see a Pro-Bending match."
Mako smiled at her. "Yeah, they're pretty good, but it would be even better to compete in one... Bolin and I want to enter one. We decided to skip the Triple Threat and do just that..."
Korra grimaced at this, then made a guilty face. "And then I showed up and complicated everything, right?"
Mako exhaled but shook her head. "Maybe... but we knew the consequences of joining the Triple Threat, and even now, you got us out of Police Headquarters. We've come this far, and even though we haven't gotten what we wanted yet, that doesn't stop us from continuing to fight for it."
Korra smiled in agreement. Just because she hadn't gotten it didn't mean she should give up. It was nice to identify with someone who, despite having a tough time, decided not to give up.
"How about we start over?" Korra turned to Mako and extended her hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you, Korra."
Mako looked at her in surprise but instantly smiled and extended his hand in return. "Mako."
Then they heard the sounds of footsteps, someone just arriving. They both became alert, getting up from where they were and standing near one of the bookshelves. Something was walking toward them. They were both ready for anything. They didn't know who it could be, so when they heard it near the shelf where they were hiding, they quickly ran out, taking it by surprise.
It was Bolin, who yelled in surprise, as did the thing he was carrying.
Mako and Korra, recognizing him, dropped their fighting stance.
"Bolin? What's wrong with you? We almost attacked you!" Mako scolded him, frowning.
Korra nodded. "He's right, anyway. Where did you go?"
Bolin cheered up at that and took the Fire Ferret he had with him and showed it to him. "I couldn't leave this little one alone for too long. Pabu needed to know he was okay, and since we don't know how long we'll be on the run, I decided to bring him with us."
"You brought that Fire Ferret?" Mako said, frustrated. "It's one thing to let you keep him, but going after him is risky, Bolin. They're looking for us, and we don't know how long it will take them to find us."
Bolin nodded nonchalantly. "Relax. The two guys who came in didn't notice us. They continued on their way as if nothing had happened and went through the basement."
"Wait... two guys what?" Both Korra and Mako ran in the direction Bolin had mentioned, seeing the problems those two guys Bolin mentioned could cause if they had noticed them without being noticed."
...
Finding a group of chi blockers inside a warehouse beneath the library was unexpected. The only sounds were the muffled thuds of chi blocking practiced on mannequins and the trainers' grunts of affirmation.
The kids watching from the half-closed door took in everyone involved as well as the warehouse's decor. There were banners with symbols and a larger banner of a masked man.
"They're chi blockers. They're Amon's henchmen," Mako whispered as she watched.
Korra opened her eyes and looked at Mako. "Amon? The anti-bending guy, is that him?"
She'd heard Amon's name from the guy at the library but hadn't gotten a good look at him until now.
Mako nodded. "Yes, he's the leader of the Equalists, and it looks like we've entered one of their headquarters..."
He said as they watched an Equalist recruit harshly hit a training dummy.
The trainer at his side nodded. "Very well, but it's not just random force; it's directed force, Ping. Concentrate it in the direction of the body's points. A Master will never expect that, and they will be vulnerable."
The aforementioned Ping nodded and repeated the exercise more harshly.
Seeing this, Mako decided they didn't need to see any more. "It's not safe to stay here... we have to go..."
"But..."
"What are you doing here? This is not a place for children!"
Someone caught them from behind and grabbed Bolin's shoulder, to which they reacted instinctively. Bolin tried to break free, but the guy's grip tightened. Korra jumped over him, throwing a rock from the wall while Mako grabbed her brother and knocked the guy down. However, the noises alerted the others to the boys' presence. They opened the door, and the three stood still for a moment before the guy who surprised them pushed them into the warehouse, surrounded by all the Equalists present.
"Those kids are benders!"
And then all hell broke loose.
...
Tenzin couldn't believe Korra was disobeying him.
Arriving with Oggi at the last place they'd seen her, Tenzin got out and headed to where Lin, accompanied by a couple of officers, were searching the scene while simultaneously determining routes they could have gone and others they couldn't.
"Any news?" he said, drawing the attention of Lin and her officers, ordering them to continue searching. They quickly nodded and left, leaving the two Masters behind.
Lin shook her head in frustration. "Nothing. Somehow, that girl slipped under the radar. My officers are subtly scouring the streets as we speak."
Tenzin certainly appreciated that. The last thing he needed was for people to start finding out Korra was in the City. There are certainly people who would take advantage of the Avatar's decision to reveal herself, and the last thing Tenzin needed right now was dealing with people like Tarrlok who would only complicate things.
"How did she get so far? Korra's never been to Republic City before. She doesn't know her way around here enough for us to lose sight of her."
Lin then sighed in frustration. "She wasn't alone. A couple of Triple Threat guys were with her. If anyone knows how to navigate the City, it would be them."
Tenzin, hearing this, was incredulous. Incredulous that Korra had decided to leave with two gangsters. What was wrong with that girl? Didn't she understand the risk?
"This just complicates things even more..."
"I guess it's good she's here, then."
Lin and Tenzin turned to face the person who had arrived, watching Zuko's figure slowly approaching. The metalbending officers, observing him, moved away, murmuring among themselves at the sudden appearance of the now former Fire Lord.
"Lord Zuko, what are you doing here?" Tenzin took a step forward, confused as to why the old firebender had decided to come.
"I came because I'm worried about Korra, which you were hiding from me, Tenzin," Zuko said in a serious tone as he looked at Tenzin. "Luckily, your wife, who was very worried, alerted me of the situation, and I came as soon as I could."
"Lord Zuko, the situation is under control. You don't have..."
"And it's good that I came. You need my help finding her," Zuko continued, ignoring Tenzin and advancing toward the duo, who stepped aside while Zuko stood in front of them. "Lin, would you be kind enough to tell me what you have so far about Korra?"
Lin, regaining her formality, nodded as she said, "Apparently, that girl and two others with her, a firebender and an earthbender belonging to the Triple Threat Triad, caused a disturbance here and then fled..."
"So you did, and why did they run away in the first place?"
Tenzin sighed and said, "I'm afraid it was because of Korra. She's determined not to return to the South Pole and convince him that she's not going to return to the South Pole that you teach her firebending."
Zuko's good eye widened in surprise at what Tenzin had said. He hadn't expected Korra to go through with it, though his persistence had been notable, but he hoped he'd convinced her. It seemed Korra was more stubborn than he'd thought.
"If Uncle Iroh were here right now, he'd tell me this feels very familiar to him," Zuko thought reluctantly.
"I see. So if Korra is hell-bent on this, we'll have to do everything we can to find her."
Tenzin sighed in agreement. "But how will we do it?" Republic City is very big, they could be anywhere right now...
Lin nodded in agreement. "Even more so if we only consider nearby places, but if we go further, there are the docks, the central station, the lower districts..." With a tired sigh, she said, "This could take a long time..."
"Kids, you're talking to someone who has experience searching for the Avatar. This isn't new to me. Your parents got into worse trouble when they were Korra's age, otherwise, I'd know," Zuko said as if he were telling a funny anecdote. He soon raised his hand to his beard and began stroking it while he thought. "This is easily solved. If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that Aang tended to get into trouble involving dangerous people. You say Korra was with two members of this Triad. One possibility is them, but my intuition tells me Korra won't be there, but will want to get away from them, which leads me to ask... where else?" Can Korra go and cause even more problems?
Lin and Tenzin, upon hearing her reasoning, don't think twice and come to the same conclusion. There's only one answer to that, and it's not at all favorable.
The Equalists.
...
Later...
"This girl sure knows how to attract attention," Zuko said, impressed by what he saw as he looked at the building across the street, which looked somewhat damaged. It may also bring back a bit of nostalgia, remembering how he had to get Aang out of the Pouhai Fortress many decades ago, watching from a Republic City Police patrol car.
After it was determined that Korra might be heading into territory where the Equalists were present, Lin mobilized her officers to search for the young Avatar. Zuko volunteered, deciding to accompany Lin on her patrol while Tenzin kept an eye on things by air with Oggi.
They were searching Dragon District when they noticed Korra's Polar Bear Dog. Noticing the danger to her friend and the new friends she had made, she ran off in search of someone who could help her.
Fortunately, she was able to find Zuko, who recognized her as Korra's guide animal. They followed her until they reached their current location.
Beside her, Lin, who was driving, placed a hand on the bridge of his nose as he growled in frustration. He looked at the building again and decided not to let things be. "I've got the Avatar in my sights..."
He quickly got out of his patrol car and prepared to rush into action.
"Lin, I don't doubt you can... but don't you want some backup?" asked the older man, still seated, hoping Lin would wait, but she just shook her head respectfully.
"Calm down, Lord Zuko. I know how to deal with things like this."
Without further ado, he ran straight to the building.
Zuko sighed, slightly disappointed. However, Tenzin's Bison soon jumped out, and then Tenzin himself jumped out and headed for the fight as well.
Lin immediately opened the wall inward, sending bricks flying all over the Equalists' training room, taking them and Korra's group by surprise. Lin soon descended, alarming the Equalists upon seeing the Police Chief. Some brave souls rushed to try and stop her, but Lin was faster. Two metal whips emerged from her armor, which she quickly entangled with some, raising rock fragments that she then directed at others.
Some of the Equalists, seeing that they couldn't confront Lin, decided to escape. Signals were sent, and then several threw canisters that began to release tear gas to ensure their escape. However, the gas was dissolved by bursts of air. Tenzin had also joined the conflict, quickly sending bursts of air in the direction of the Equalists to prevent them from escaping.
Korra's eyes widened in surprise as she saw the new direction of the fight and how the Equalists were trying to escape. She looked to the side and saw a pair fleeing through another exit.
"Oh, no! They won't!"
She immediately went in pursuit of those two, much to the siblings' surprise.
"Korra!"
Mako and Bolin went straight to accompany her; it wasn't wise to chase them, not knowing what surprises and traps might await them in an Equalists' lodge.
Korra crossed the door and saw that the stairs she, Mako, and Bolin had descended led them to the Library above. They would surely want to escape that way, not if she had anything to say about it. Climbing up to the Library, she ran through the various stacks, hoping to find them and return the favor for the confrontation she had received. However, the further she ran, the more she couldn't find them. Soon, she reached the entrance of the Library, unable to find them.
Mako and Bolin arrived at her side, panting from the long run, though they also remained defensive about whatever might be coming, but nothing could be heard inside the Library.
"They shouldn't be far. They're probably still in here," Korra said as she began to continue searching, but then Mako stopped her.
"Listen, I don't think..."
She couldn't finish because the sound of a Satomobile starting up caught her attention, as well as Korra and Bolin's. They looked outside and saw a Satomobile starting up at full speed, trying to escape.
The kids immediately went outside and saw the two Equalists they were chasing in the Satomobile.
"How are we going to catch them now?"
Korra smiled at the thought, and soon, with a whistle, she found herself calling out to Naga, her faithful friend. She heard the call from where she was standing, next to Zuko, listening to everything. Taking the old firebender by surprise, the Polar Bear Dog's sudden actions took the old firebender by surprise. Naga excitedly began running toward Korra, heading toward the entrance of the Library and standing in front of her and her friends. Korra, happy to see her, climbed onto her back and prepared to chase the Equalists.
However, Mako and Bolin soon jumped on as well, much to Korra's surprise.
"Wait, you didn't say..."
Mako didn't let her-"Let's leave that for later. We have a couple of Equalists to stop."
"Let's go!" Bolin shouted excitedly.
He soon reached Korra, nodding and signaling Naga to advance. Her friend began running straight to intercept the Equalists. However, the boys didn't know that someone else was also watching them.
...
Driving through the city, Ping and his brother were escaping the raid. It had started as simple as that. Ping took his brother's advice to join the Equalists' cause. After the treatment they received from the Masters, it was clear it was time to act. He believed in Amon, and he was sure he would bring equality to Republic City.
But thanks to that trio of kids, the police found one of their training rooms, and now they're escaping for their lives. At least they left them behind.
Or so he thought until he heard the sounds of an animal trying to catch up with them. He looked back and saw the same boys who were responsible for everything. They were riding a Water Tribe beast, from what he could see. But honestly, that didn't matter to him. He wanted to get even for what they did. He looked at his brother, and he thought the same thing. They nodded, and soon his brother drove to take them to a nearby alley.
The boys followed them, but they had the advantage here. They quickly jumped out of their vehicle and prepared to attack. The boys, though skilled, were no problem. They approached quickly, taking them out one by one until all three fell beyond their control.
They quickly tied them up with a rope they had.
This was perfect; they could undress the children, leave them here, or take them to Amon; the possibilities were endless.
But then the sounds of police sirens were heard. The two Equalists reacted to the arriving patrol car, from which Zuko jumped out as he ran toward them.
The two Equalists, seeing that it was only an old man in the patrol car, decided to get rid of him quickly. It would be an easy task that only one of them could handle. The one dressed in green ran to confront him.
Zuko quickly parried and prepared a fire attack to stop him. The Equalist masterfully dodged the attack, leaping forward and managing to get close to Zuko, ready to block his chi.
However, Zuko had grown up and trained with Ty Lee many times to know how to react to attacks like this. He quickly stepped back, positioning himself at range, and charged a powerful and large blast of fire that the Equalist couldn't dodge.
The other Equalist and the three children watching the fight widened their eyes in surprise at the old firebender's agility and how he could get ahead of the chi block.
Zuko, for his part, smiled. "You think I don't know that technique? Compared to Ty Lee, you're no match."
Following that, he prepared a stream of fire that he launched directly at the second Equalist, who jumped to the side and ran at full speed, determined to knock the old firebender down. However, that allowed Korra and her friends to free themselves.
"We have to get out of here and help Lord Zuko," Korra said, trying to free herself from the ropes that had her tied up.
Bolin, who was standing in awe, watching the fight, soon heard the familiar sounds of Pabu. He turned his head and saw that Pabu was approaching them, and something occurred to him.
"Pabu!" The fire ferret sat down behind Bolin to listen intently. "Listen, friend."
He made chewing sounds with his teeth as he looked at Pabu with a smile, while Korra and Mako looked at him in disbelief.
"Stop messing around, Bolin," Mako said, angry that Bolin didn't see the seriousness of the situation.
Bolin looked at his brother and Korra, hoping to convince them. "Don't you see? I'm trying to get us out." He turned his attention back to Pabu and repeated the same gesture.
It seems Pabu understood this because he soon began chewing on the ropes.
Zuko, for his part, took charge of keeping the Equalist at a distance with a fire whip. Its long range prevented the Equalist from advancing, as the moment he dodged it, the attack followed him. However, there was still a chance to win. His partner soon recovered and joined the fight. Zuko had noticed this, too, but that was fine. He may not have his old skill and dexterity, but he more than made up for it with a wealth of experience.
He got rid of the whip and let the Equalists advance, these two ran at full speed to incapacitate the old firebender when he decided to end this, creating swirling bursts of fire around him causing the Equalists to not be able to get close, so he soon joined his hands, concentrating the bursts of fire and then separated them, causing the streams of fire to expand, taking the Equalists by surprise who tried to dodge them, but the expansion of fire in the dome made it nowhere to go to avoid them, hitting the two full on, knocking them down and leaving them defeated.
Just at that moment, Korra, Mako, and Bolin were able to free themselves. The Equalists were recovering from the defeat, they noticed Zuko's scar and that was when they realize who was fighting them, they soon saw the boys approaching. If they stayed, the fight wouldn't go in their favor, especially if the former Fire Lord was there. They looked at each other for a moment and nodded. They got up and proceeded to escape. They got into their vehicle and fled.
By the time they did, the three boys had arrived and saw their escape.
"That's it, you better run!" Korra said, confident that they fled because they saw she was free.
Mako nodded at her side. "We got them to leave, so we're safe."
Bolin nodded in agreement, but then he noticed Zuko, and his mouth fell open. "It can't be... It's Lord Zuko! It's unbelievable!"
Mako quickly pulled away and looked at Zuko with an embarrassed expression. "Mmm, excuse my brother... It's a true honor to meet you, sir." After saying that, both he and Bolin respectfully greeted Zuko, bowing to him.
Zuko smiled and bowed to them, returning the greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you too..."
Zuko looked at the group of children while he decided what to do. He knew the next decision he made would be very important, and he didn't know if he'd regret it or be glad he made it. It would probably be the latter.
"Lord Zuko... are you there?"
The sound of the radio caught the four of their attention. Zuko looked at the children and then at the patrol car's radio. He headed to the patrol car and grabbed the radio. He hurried to answer, "I'm here, Tenzin. Korra is with me, and she's safe."
Tenzin, from the other side, sighed in relief as he said, "Stay there. We'll be right there. After that, we'll send Korra straight to the South Pole. We shouldn't drag it out any longer."
Korra, Mako, and Bolin also listened, which saddened Korra and made both Mako and Bolin look at her with pity. Even though they had a rough start, they had grown to like each other and also made a good team, kicking Equalist ass. It was a shame it all had to end like this.
Zuko, for his part, looked at Korra and then at the two boys. He was impressed by the camaraderie he'd come to notice between them, a feeling that reminded him of his days at the Western Air Temple when he'd first joined his friends. These boys were building something similar, and it was a shame to have to end it now.
Although it didn't have to be that way.
Coming out of his thoughts, Zuko returned his attention to the conversation he was having with Tenzin over the radio. "Tenzin, there's been a change of plans... Korra needs a severe punishment for running away... and as I recall, your father considered my firebending training very harsh..."
Korra opened her eyes, as did Mako and Bolin, and Tenzin himself on the other end of the line.
"Lord Zuko..."
"I've decided that Korra needs to start her firebending training from scratch. I think a training trip would be right for her," he said with a smile as he looked at Korra, who also began to smile.
"What?" Tenzin, on the other end of the line, was incredulous at Zuko's sudden decision. "But... she must continue her training at the South Pole like you..."
"Her firebending training and how it will be will be decided by her firebending sifu, which is me. Once she transitions to air bending, you'll have your chance to decide." He spoke every word with the same seriousness he had when he was Fire Lord, but Korra, Mako, and Bolin could all see the mischievous glint in Zuko's eyes, which caused smiles and light laughter among the three of them. "Besides, this will be a great experience for her and will help her become a better Avatar... Or do you differ on that goal?"
Tenzin didn't know how to respond to that, so all he could do was sigh heavily as he thought about what to say. "I'll contact my mother and let her know your plans for Korra's training."
Zuko nodded. "Fine, but from what I understand, your mother already knows... she knew all along what Korra was planning and still let her go."
Tenzin couldn't find a way to refute that, so with a sigh of resignation, he agreed. "At least let them notify us where you're supposed to be going during your training."
Zuko heard her plea and concern and decided to at least grant her that much. "Fine, I'll contact you to arrange that. In the meantime, I want the charges against the boys traveling with Korra dropped. I'll plead their case if necessary, but they won't be locked up again."
Tenzin nodded at that concession. "I'll contact Lin and let her know about your request."
Zuko smiled at that. "Fine, now we'll head to Air Temple Island. We should continue planning the details there."
Tenzin nodded. "I'll finish up here and join you there then. Just don't take too long."
"Don't worry, I'll see you there, Tenzin." Ending the conversation, Zuko put down his radio while he prepared for what was coming.
"That was incredible," Bolin said as he ran toward Zuko.
Zuko laughed softly at the boy's hyperactivity, while Mako and Korra approached him as well.
"I agree," Mako said, approaching his brother and trying to calm him down while they continued to stare at Zuko.
Korra then said, "Will you be my firebending master?"
Zuko stared at her and nodded. "I suppose you were right. I can still be of help by helping you become the great Avatar I know you will become one day. I just wanted you to do it by forging your path and forging your destiny."
Korra smiled at Zuko's response. "Well, you know what they say. Isn't destiny a funny thing?"
The phrase made Zuko very nostalgic, remembering who had said it to him first. "You're right. It seems my responsibility to the Avatar isn't over, and if my destiny is still tied to helping him, then I will help you on your journey."
With that, he bowed respectfully to Korra in the Fire Nation style. Korra returned the gesture, accepting her new master.
"I suppose this is goodbye, then..."
Returning to the present, Korra noticed Mako and Bolin, who were nearby but now seemed to be saying goodbye. Then Korra realized that now that the adventure was over and she had achieved what she wanted, they no longer had to continue accompanying her.
She couldn't help but feel disappointed that they must now part ways after what they had experienced in the last few hours.
"I have no problem with your friends joining us, Korra," Zuko said, drawing the attention of the three, who remained hopeful that this wasn't the end of their new friendship. "After all, Aang had a Team Avatar who accompanied him on all his adventures, and it seems you've found yours."
"So... Team Avatar?" Korra looked at the pair of siblings, who looked at her with a smile.
"After today? How could anyone refuse?"
"Oh yeah!" Bolin cheered as he hugged Korra and Mako. "The new Team Avatar has arrived. Watch out, Republic City. Who knows what new adventures await us now!"
"I would advise you to rest," Zuko said in a serious tone as he looked at Korra. "If you're learning from me, you'll get used to waking up with the sun," Zuko said, crouching in her space, trying to sound firm. "Firebenders rise with the sun, so you should too... especially tomorrow. We'll start early with a trip to the Fire Nation... if you're going to start over in firebending, you'll learn from the source like Aang and I did..." He said the last part with a smile, as memories of how he and his old friend went together to the ruins of the Sun Warriors on a trip that changed both of their lives began to creep back into his memory. It seems he'll be taking that same path again with an Avatar...
Meanwhile, Xiànshí watched from the sky, satisfied with the outcome...
...
With a new path to follow, the life of an old hero has crossed and joined with a new generation of heroes, and together they will create a new course of possibilities to discover...
...
Unknown location...
Inside an Equalist base, a man with a pair of Kali staffs on his back was entering a room where several high-ranking figures from the Equalist group were discussing new recruitment plans and expanding their ranks.
Among them was a hooded man watching from the center. He noticed the man who had entered and looked at him curiously. He crossed the room, drawing everyone's attention when he began to tell them what he had to report. The hooded man's eyes widened in surprise at the story.
"Amon, how do you expect to handle this?" The man with the Kali staff stared at his leader for an answer.
However, Amon turned to a map of Republic City while he considered this new problem.
"So, the Avatar arrived much earlier than expected. We must speed up our plans..."
...
However, that's another story...
…
Hello all readers, how are you? Here we have this universe with its resolution. It was good writing it, and I must say, although Asami didn't appear, those who know Avatar will see the hint where she was included. She could appear later in this universe, but that's another story, and we've seen enough of this universe.
It's time to move on to another, and I'll give you a hint: we'll have a proposal from one of you.
Without further ado, that's all for now. See you in the next chapter, and don't forget: in a multiverse of possibilities, anything is possible.
Thank you.