A/N: Advanced chapters ahead at: www.patreon.com/Blazuki
-x-X-x-
"I need a drink," Korra said, eyes wide open as she sat across Akashi and looked at the table. The disbelief in her eyes was so obvious.
The Northern Water Tribe's fleet of waterbenders had just created a massive ice wall around the South Pole, trapping the people of her tribe in.
She extended her hand, trying to take the glass of alcohol from him.
Akashi refused her and took his glass.
He advised, "You drink to forget love and pain, not to run away from reality."
"What am I supposed to do. People hates me for allowing such a thing to happen. On the other hand, it's not within my power to stop the union of two tribes that were originally one," she said, holding the sides of her head, "And uncle says that everything will be fine, and we'll be citizens of the same land once the other portal is opened.
"Not to mention, if I don't open the other portal, dark spirits would only grow in numbers, and they would annihilate both tribes." She sighed. Her fear of more dark spirits also played a role in her standing aside.
Akashi tightened his gaze.
So, Unalaq said that by opening the portals, the tribes would be one, and logically, they'd be under the same rule.
But it seems that the hateful, disappointed gazes of the people she grew up with pierced her.
On one hand, Unalaq's words were sound and logical. On the other hand, he had always been the loving uncle that she had never doubted and had always trusted. On the other hand, everyone saw that she was abandoning her duties as a Southern Water Tribe member.
No matter whether we were one or not, freedom was above all.
Akashi had some understanding of her dilemma. If someone from his family or someone he loved committed a murder, he might help them escape. After all, he wasn't justice-oriented. And if they did something worse that would trigger him to kill, he might enter denial. But he might or might not finish them.
"Well," Akashi shrugged, "That's too tough."
"Is that all you say?" she said, narrowing her eyebrows at him.
"What am I supposed to do?" he asked.
"I don't know. Maybe act like my boyfriend and offer some support."
"Isn't that the Avatar's problem?"
"I'm the Avatar."
"But you're staying aside because you're the Avatar. No? If you have someone to tell the Avatar what to do, what am I supposed to say when you're acting like the Avatar?" he asked.
"You're the Avatar's mentor, no?" he asked.
"I taught a girl who didn't know the Avatar's state that time," Akashi shook his head. "All I can offer her now is a hug and tell her it's fine."
He spread his arms.
Korra lowered her head. Yet her body slowly leaned toward him.
She rested her head on his chest, and he patted her back.
"Everything will be fine." Akashi deadpanned, "Just remember. When that asshole says don't interfere, don't, even when things go against his will."
"Well, he made it clear it's not my concern to get in inner conflicts, like the White lotus had. If my people kicked him out, I have nothing to say. Though, I wouldn't know what I would do if you, or dad or mom got hurt."
"Hush… Just forget that now." Akashi kept patting her on the back.
She had gotten herself in big trouble, and her love for her family and admiration blinded her to question the real scheme behind Unalaq's actions.
Well, eventually, Korra would turn against him when she learned that he would bribe the judge to put her father on death row when people rebelled. But for now, she'd have to handle being treated like an outcast, even by her own blood, for not taking a side.
But for Akashi's plan to work, he needed Korra to open the other portal.
And for that, his father-in-law mustn't be put on death row.
Korra closed her eyes and fell asleep. Hearing her snort, Akashi put her head on his lap. Poor girl — it seemed like it had been a while since she had felt safe enough to fall asleep.
-x-X-x-
Needless to say, nobody liked Unalaq's decision to invade the South Pole in the name of union. The North Pole had abandoned them during the hundred-year wars, and afterward came and took resources from them.
Not to mention, Unalaq had just imposed strict policies and had stripped the tribe elders of their powers.
The guards were stricter. Nobody could walk the streets anymore without seeing a soldier from the North Pole asking where they were going and what they were doing.
Not to mention, some of these soldiers got cocky. They kicked and hurt people on the road. Why? Just because they could get away with it.
And the worst thing was, the longer these guards stayed here, the hornier they got.
The Southern Water Tribe was more like a town where everybody knew one another, and resources were shared by everyone. There were no brothels, so they started to harass people. Though they had not acted yet, it was obvious where the situation would go if this continued.
Unalaq might talk about imposing spiritual values on them for their own good.
But they lived like occupied people, feeling strangled by being watched by the guards at all times, and being treated the same way the other nations had been treated by the Fire Nation.
To the Southern Water Tribe, it felt more like an occupation.
And Korra was being treated as an outcast for doing nothing until now.
So, they held a secret meeting behind her back in a tent.
Akashi, who was crossing his arms and glaring at one guard as if daring him to do something, listened to the meeting by distinguishing specific sound waves and reading them.
"You should get inside while you can," said the soldier from the Northern tribe.
"Listen, I have had a beef with a whole super agents secret base, a two bloodbenders with one being over powered than the norm. And you think I'd fear you. Shoo. Shoo, get back to your ship."
Akashi waved his hand at them to shoo them away.
The physically larger soldier clenched his jaw and reached out to grab Akashi by the shoulder.
Akashi took a deep breath and contemplated which technique he should use to deal with this soldier.
Having many techniques wasn't always good.
It's like owning a Netflix account: you scroll for hours, only to watch something for half an hour or one episode.
"Fuck it. Old school shit."
Akashi decided to test his strength stats.
The soldier, whose hand was as large as his entire shoulder, squeezed.
But Akashi didn't budge or show any reaction.
Akashi clenched his fist and punched the man in the guts, sending him rolling on the ground a couple of times.
When you have high speed and high strength, your strikes are nothing short of a disaster.
A large dent appeared on the soldier's armor, and he rolled his eyes.
[+13000 exp]
'That shit worth this much experience… I guess when defeating a waterbender in their natural environment yield more experience points' Akashi's eyes lit up when the remaining soldiers gathered, taking a waterbending stance.
The snow under him shifted its shape, trying to wrap him and confine him.
Akashi vanished from his spot, appeared next to them, and flicked his finger, causing them to fall to their knees, their noses bleeding.
[+total of 50k experience]
"Well, I don't want to ruin my friends' plan anyways."
Akashi smirked.
Tomorrow, the people of the Southern Tribe would rebel and attack Unalaq.
Korra wouldn't be able to interfere.
And he needed to maintain Unalaq's image as a good uncle.
So he would kick everyone's ass. Conflict would arise, and Korra would still follow him.
Leaving the grown-ass men groaning in the snow, he walked out.
"By the way, I'm dating the Avatar. So, good luck complaining," Akashi added as he left.
-x-X-x-
The next day arrived.
A group of Southern Tribe people wore masks and surrounded Unalaq's house in an attempt to attack him.
Needless to say, there was a traitor among them, a snitch.
The Northern Tribe soldiers, better trained and more numerous, resisted; when they gained the upper hand, they fought back.
And just as the soldiers were about to announce their victory, a jet of sharp wind hit one of them, sending him flying.
A man walked down the street with a bunch of cigars in his mouth, facing what seemed to be hundreds of men alone.
"Look at that. Not only you invaded a nation and bullied their people. But you consider them rebelling. That's not uniting. That's occupation." he said.
"Akashi. If you don't stay out of this, we'll have to put an end to you," said one of the soldiers' leaders.
Akashi smirked.