Enemy At The Gates

The following morning, Korra and the airbenders climbed onto Pepper and Mochi, waving goodbye to Toph as they set off on their journey home. 

"Are you sure we should be going to Zaofu? Dad wanted us to bring you back to Republic City," Jinora asked as Mochi and Pepper flew side by side.

"If Kuvira's heading to Zaofu, so am I. She needs to know that the Avatar is back. The world needs to know," Korra declared, gazing off to the side.

"Zaofu it is, then," Elira nodded with a smile. 

"Woo-hoo! Avatar fight!" Meelo shouted, jumping to his feet and balancing on Pepper's saddle. "This is going to be awesome!"

"Meelo, there's not gonna be a fight," Korra smiled at his antics. "Kuvira saved my dad. She was a captain in Su's guard; I think she can be reasoned with."

"Right, 'cause she's so reasonable," Elira scoffed softly to herself while Korra looked at her, concerned and confused.

"What? No fight? Why did we go through all that trouble to save you if you're not going to beat someone up?" Meelo complained, pouting.

Elira shook her head, amused, before looking off to the side in thought. If Kuvira was heading to Zaofu, then... was Bolin going to be there too?

*

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, Kuvira's train was gliding through the mountains on its track. Inside, Bolin was sitting in a chair, looking apprehensive as he faced Kuvira and Baatar Jr.

"Am ... I in trouble?" He asked

"No. In fact, I have good news. We want you to be a part of our inner circle." Kuvira declared

"Inner circle? No way! Yes!" Bolin exclaimed, excited before quickly clearing his throat, composing himself, "That is a great honour. What does it mean, exactly?"

"It means you've proven your worth. We're so close to uniting the Empire, but Su has some resentment towards me and Baatar that might cloud her judgment and stop her from making a wise decision. We believe you can help her see clearly." Kuvira explained

" I can do that! By the time I'm finished telling her all the great things we've done, she'll be begging to join!" Bolin smiled eagerly.

"Good. Because we're here." Kuvira metalbent the shades on the windows up, letting outside light pour into the car.

Bolin glanced behind him and saw Kuvira's forces gathered at the bottom of the valley. He stared at the immense army for a moment before turning back to face Kuvira. "Aren't all these troops gonna send the wrong message?"

"The army is here to project strength. You're here to present peace," Kuvira declared

Before long, inside the city, a set of double doors swung wide open, and Kuvira, Baatar Jr., and Bolin stepped into the room where Baatar Sr., Suyin, Wei, Wing, Huan, and Opal awaited them. Opal was perched on the large table in the centre of the room, which featured a scale model of Zaofu. She rose to her feet as the intruders entered, hands on her hips.

"Opal! You're here, too!" Bolin grinned, happy to see his friend

Opal scowled and turned away, crossing her arms. "No! You've chosen your side."

"Sides? There shouldn't be sides! I know; why don't we all stand in a circle, huh? Maybe hold hands?" Bolin suggested to the group with an optimistic smile.

"I'm not giving up Zaofu. I don't care if you brought your entire army." Suyin glared at Kuvira, ignoring Bolin

"Su, I didn't bring my army to threaten you. I wanted to show you all that your son and I have accomplished." Kuvira explained

Suyin turned to her eldest son and said, "You must realise what you're doing goes against everything your father and I tried to teach you."

"Son, you belong here", Baatar Sr added.

"Why? So that I could go on living in your shadow?" Baatar Jr snapped

Baatar Sr looked astonished while Suyin only continued to get angrier.

"Don't say that! Can't you see she's brainwashed you!" She exclaimed

" Ha! I didn't brainwash him! I set him free!" Kuvira laughed as Baatar Jr. smugly crossed his arms, smirking, "And now he's accomplished more with me than he ever could with you."

Bolin cut in, laughing awkwardly. "Okay, guys, obviously, there's a lot of personal, painful history here, so what do you say we just all forget about that stuff, huh? I mean, that's the past! Right Wing? Right, Wei? " Continuing to smile awkwardly, he slid up behind Wing and Wei as they glared at him. "You guys know what I'm talkin' 'bout, right? High five!"

He offered a high five to each of the twins, but after a few moments of their scowling at him, he gave up and slid away from them smoothly. "All right. No, that's cool."

He moved back to the centre of the room. "You know what I think we need to do? Focus on the future! And the future is bright, let me tell you! I've seen it! Yeah! Saw it last month! We went to this town that had nothing. Most of the people there had never seen a Satomobile before. Now, they have two Satomobiles, running water, and a magnet train that goes right through their town! I mean, how awesome is that?"

"They might have been happy when you first arrived, but I've seen what happens after you leave. And so has El. Remember her? She tried to tell you that citizens are forced to work as slave labour, and dissenters are sent off to who-knows-where!"

"You're wrong, Opal! Now, I don't know what you and El think you've seen, but I am giving you the one-hundred-percent Bolin guarantee that we're making the Earth Empire a better place to live!" Bolin argued

"I can't believe you brought Bolin here to try and sway us" Suyin glared and advanced on Kuvira. "Leave! Zaofu will never accept you as their leader!"

Kuvira's gaze hardened.

" Then you leave me no choice. You have twenty-four hours to agree to join the Empire, or we take the city by force." She threatened

Bolin looked astonished at Kuvira's sudden ultimatu. A knot of anxiety tightened in his stomach as uncertainty started to cloud his thoughts. 

*

As Mochi and Pepper soared gracefully through the sky, the breathtaking mountain ranges stretched majestically beneath them, their peaks bathed in golden sunlight. The cool breeze ruffled their fur, making the journey feel like a dance among the clouds.

Perched confidently at the front of Pepper's saddle, Meelo squinted towards the horizon, a spyglass in hand. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he scanned the distant landscapes, eager for the adventures that lay ahead.

"I see it! Zaofu! We made it!" he cried suddenly.

As the bison crossed over the ridge and into the sprawling valley below, a chilling sight unfurled before them—the vast army of the Earth Empire, like a storm gathering on the horizon.

"And a bunch of other people are here, too," Meelo finished.

Elira's heart raced as dread washed over her, and her eyes widened with disbelief at the formidable force before her.

"Oh no, I hope we're not too late," Korra muttered under her breath, her expression tense as she shared a worried look with Elira. 

When they reached the city, Korra opened the door to the same room as before, followed by the airbenders. The family inside looked at her, and after a brief silence, Suyin broke the stillness, stepping forward with a relieved expression.

"Korra? I can't believe it. Where have you been?" She exclaimed as she embraced Korra. "You disappeared! Everyone was so worried!"

"I'll tell you the whole story later. Right now, I want to help you stop Kuvira. What can I do?" Korra asked. 

*

Meanwhile, within Kuvira's tent in her encampment nestled in the valley, Kuvira sat at her desk while Baatar Jr. and Bolin stood in front of her.

Bolin seemed a bit on edge and said, "You were just bluffing, right? I mean, you're not really gonna attack Zaofu ... Are you?"

"When people don't cooperate, we must find other ways of convincing them to join," Kuvira replied.

"Other ... ways? How many ... times have we used these "other ways" in the past?" Bolin asked timidly.

Kuvira stood from her chair. "It's not for you to worry about."

"So, uh ... what does happen to all those towns and villages after we leave? I mean, Opal's right; El did point out before that I'd never really ... gone back and ... checked on them." Bolin continued, nervously playing with his fingers.

"Those people are my loyal subjects, and they contribute to the Empire however I see fit" Kuvira walked around the table to face Bolin. "Now that you're in the inner circle, you're going to have to accept some hard truths."

Bolin looked unsure. "Maybe ... I'm not really an "inner circle" kind of guy. Or--or maybe, we don't take over Zaofu! Maybe we can just--let them be on their own, and then, "Yay! The Empire's united! Congratulations to us!--"

Bolin suddenly faltered, cowering as Kuvira advanced on him angrily.

"I didn't know your personal feelings for Elira were stronger than your loyalty to me," she glared, backing Bolin up against a table and leaning over him intimidatingly. "Zaofu will join us. The only thing I'm second-guessing is my decision to bring you along. Maybe you need to spend some time in a reeducation camp."

"I ... thought that's where we sent people to learn new trade skills," Bolin muttered.

"Hard truths, Bolin", Baatar Jr said unsympathetically.

A look of realisation crossed Bolin's face as he glanced down. Each argument he had had with Elira suddenly replayed in his mind like a mover, her comments about Kuvira echoing in his ears as warnings he had only just now understood.

"El was right", He whispered to himself.

"What was that?" Kuvira snapped

"Nothing! Nothing"

"Your loyalty seems to be wavering." Kuvira narrowed her eyes menacingly.

"No--no, I'm totally on your side, completely, one-hundred-percent loyal," Bolin said in a panic, giving a hearty salute, while Kuvira, sceptical, glared down at him.

*

That night, in the metalbending courtyard in Zoafu, Korra, Elira, and Suyin stood under the gazebo.

"How did things get so bad between you and Kuvira? I thought she was your protégé" Korra asked Suyin.

"She was more than that. She was like a daughter to me. I took her in when she was eight years old and nourished her talents. Kuvira was smart, a natural leader, and quickly rose through the ranks. I saw myself in her," Suyin explained.

"So, what happened?" Elira asked, never knowing the reason behind the rift between Suyin and Kuvira. She only knew that Kuvira had become a power-hungry dictator who had brainwashed and stolen her best friend. 

"Three years ago, after the fall of the Earth Queen, Raiko and Tenzin came to see me. They wanted me to take control of the situation in the Earth Kingdom. But when I refused, Kuvira argued strongly about it." Suyin recalled,

"I didn't realise it at the time, but that moment put a rift between us. Kuvira turned my own son against me, and together, they plotted behind my back. I caught them just as they were preparing to leave. I tried to stop her, but she had already made up her mind. Kuvira and Baatar left that day with Varrick, my security force, and a few of Zaofu's wealthiest citizens. After Kuvira proved herself by stabilising Ba Sing Se, Raiko and the other world leaders made her the provisional head of the Earth Kingdom. When she refused to step down, I knew it was only a matter of time before she made her way back here."

"I want to fix this." Korra declared

"You will", Elira smiled encouragingly.

"You can", Suyin added, "Go into the Avatar State and demolish her entire army. Remove Kuvira from power once and for all."

Elira's eyes widened in shock. "Woah, woah, hang on! I know Kuvira's not exactly the most sane person in the world right now, but you're not suggesting we...you know."

Elira comically dragged her finger across her throat, making a face and a strangled noise.

"It's the only way, Elira" Suyin argued.

"Maybe, but...Do we have to take that far?" Elira questioned 

Korra looked reluctant. "Fighting is something the old me would do. That always made things worse. Let me talk with Kuvira. Maybe I can reason with her."

But Suyin was adamant: "Kuvira doesn't listen to reason."   

*

The following day, in Varrick's workshop, Varrick leaned over the railing on the upper level while Zhu Li stood behind him, preparing tea.

"I can't believe Kuvira locked me in here like a prisoner! I'm not feeling well! I think I'm running out of air! Zhu Li, hold your breath!"

"I'm not holding my breath." Zhu Li replied, pouring the tea calmly.

"Great! Now we're both gonna die!" Varrick exclaimed, exasperatedly hanging his head

Suddenly, a noise of creaking metal filled the air, and a whisper drifted through the room. "Varrick? Varrick?!"

"Ahh! And the head voices are back!" Varrick raised his head, panicked

Glancing at Zhu Li, she silently pointed a finger at the ceiling. Varrick looked up and noticed Bolin's head peeking through a hatch in the top of the car.

"Bolin! Thank goodness you're here!" Varrick sighed in relief. "Where did that hatch come from? Forget the hatch! There's something important I gotta tell ya!"

"Well, there's something important I gotta tell you, too!" Bolin replied just before he fell through the hatch, landing on his feet. As he turned to Varrick, they both grasped each other's shoulders in a frenzied panic.

"Kuvira's crazy!" They exclaimed at the same time. They stared at one another for a brief moment before starting to talk animatedly.

"How'd you find out?" Bolin questioned

"When I refused to build her a superweapon, she threatened my life!" Varrick yelled

"She threatened me, too! And she's threatening Zaofu, and it turns out she's been threatening villages this whole time!" The two men let go of each other, and Bolin tugged his hair in annoyance. "Gah, why didn't I listen to El? She was right the whole time! We gotta get outta here."

"I couldn't agree more, kid."

Varrick signalled to Zhu Li with a finger, and Bolin watched as she climbed onto a table next to the wall and leapt through the hatch. Varrick stepped towards Bolin and raised his hands. Moments later, Zhu Li's hands appeared above Varrick, grasped his hands, and pulled him up in an instant. Bolin quickly climbed onto the same table Zhu Li had used and made his own escape through the hatch.

*

Back in Zaofu, Korra had gone to try and reason with Kuvira while Elira's siblings were who knows where, probably causing some trouble. So, Elira decided to enjoy a tranquil stroll through the lovely gardens while Pichi darted around her, chittering as she explored. They made their way into the meteorite garden, where Pepper and Mochi rested in the fading sunlight. Elira suddenly paused mid-step, staring at the little bridge over the brook leading towards the gazebo. Once upon a time, she and Bolin had sat there together, playing with Pabu and Pichi. She could almost hear their past laughter after their pets accidentally tumbled into the gentle stream below as they play-fought. 

Mochi groaned and nudged Elira from behind; Pichi perched on her horn. Elira turned and smiled, gently stroking the bison's head.

"I'm okay, girl. But how about the three of us go for a fly?" The airbender asked her pets.

Mochi groaned in agreement as Pichi chattered, jumping from Mochi's horn to the edge of the saddle. Elira chuckled at their excitement, airbending herself up onto Mochi's head.

"Mochi, yip yip!" And with a flick of the reigns, they took to the skies. 

*

Meanwhile, in the mountains bordering Kuvira's camp, with the army and Zaofu in the background, three mecha tanks walked uphill, away from the army. One of them then stopped and turned around to face the camp.

"Okay, I say we go up and around the mountains–" Bolin opened his helmet, revealing his face, "and sneak into Zaofu from the rear."

He turned to face Varrick and Zhu Li, who had also stopped and opened their helmets.

"We're not going to Zaofu. That place is doomed! We gotta head to Republic City!" Varrick declared

"What? No, nonono, we gotta help here." Bolin insisted

"We'll be helping by warning the world about Kuvira's potential superweapon!" Varrick argued

" Well, that's helping, but it's a completely different type of helping." Bolin raised the arm of the mecha tank to his chin. "Hmm. Let me think about this."

Suddenly, the familiar groan of a sky bison made them all look up, spotting Mochi flying in the distance.

"Is that...Mochi? But then that means—" Bolin gasped and grinned before starting to wave his arms frantically. "El! El!"

Varrick suddenly pushed him to shush him. "What are you doing?! Are you trying to get us caught?"

"But it's El! I need to see her! – tell her she was right! El!...El!...ELIRA!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs

But Mochi was too far out of range; Elira couldn't hear him, and as the bison circled and headed back to Zaofu, Bolin's look of disappointment quickly turned into determination.

"I'm going back." He proclaimed

"Now, kid, hang on just a second. I get you wanna see Ellie, but –"

Varrick was interrupted abruptly as Bolin was struck by a bolt of lightning, sending him tumbling to the ground. Suddenly, three menacing mecha tanks barreled toward them, with one being piloted by Baatar Jr.

In a swift motion, Baatar Jr. lunged at Varrick, who instinctively yelled and ducked into the safety of his cockpit. Zhu Li bravely stepped in front of him, arms raised to defend.

As Baatar Jr. landed with a thunderous crash, a thick cloud of dust erupted around him. When the dust settled, Zhu Li stood resolute, catching Baatar Jr.'s powerful blow with her hands and held his fist at bay. Just then, Bolin charged in and tackled Baatar Jr., allowing Varrick and Zhu Li to focus on the other two approaching tanks.

With fierce determination etched on her face, Zhu Li's helmet slammed shut as she engaged in a fierce brawl with one of the other mecha tanks, striking it backwards. Seizing an opportunity, she then launched a bola, surprising the second tank as it charged at Varrick, who was still on the ground, his helmet alternating between opening and closing rapidly.

"That's not the flamethrower!" Varrick yelled, slamming a metal hand against the helmet, trying to get it to work. "What idiot designed these things?"

"You did, sir!" Zhu Li replied

"Less lecturing, more saving my life!"

Varrick quickly retreated back into his cockpit as Zhu Li pivoted just in time to intercept a punch from a tank, the blow striking her squarely in the head and propelling her backwards a considerable distance.

To halt her slide, she drove a spike into the ground. Harnessing her momentum, she swiftly spun on one leg and delivered a powerful kick to the chest of another tank, sending it crashing into a nearby tree.

Nearby, Baatar Jr. swung Bolin's tank around with menacing vigour.

With a mighty thrust from the hand piston, he sent Bolin's tank crashing onto its back, momentarily incapacitating him.

Though slightly dazed from the impact, Bolin quickly shook off the haze and spotted Baatar Jr. leaping towards him.

In a swift motion, he flung open the tank's hatch, rolling out just in time to escape as Baatar Jr. landed, completely obliterating the suit.

Using his earthbending, Bolin launched rocks towards Baatar Jr., who deftly manoeuvred using cables to evade the onslaught of flying debris, flying up into the trees.

In a breathtaking midair twist, Baatar Jr. retracted one cable while his free arm readied the flamethrower, preparing to unleash a torrent of fire.

Bolin, quick on his feet, rolled aside just as the searing flame rushed past, quickly raising a makeshift rock barrier for protection against the blaze.

Behind him, Zhu Li stood her ground against the two remaining pilots, fiercely holding them off. Meanwhile, her boss, awkwardly perched in a tree, grappled with the complicated controls of his mecha tank.

A grin spread across Varrick's face as a mechanism on the tank's arm sparked to life with crackling electricity.

"Hey! I think I figured it out!" he shouted excitedly.

Just then, Zhu Li tossed aside one of her attackers just as Varrick aimed his device to unleash a bolt of lightning. But in a moment of chaotic miscalculation, he accidentally zapped Zhu Li instead, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"Sir, you're making this very difficult," Zhu Li sighed, only to be picked up and thrown once more by another assailant.

Back with Baatar Jr. and Bolin, Bolin was still covering from Baatar Jr.'s flamethrower before suddenly launching the boulder at his former boss, giving him time to roll away and uproot a big tree, bringing it down on Baatar Jr.

Meanwhile, Varrick found himself forced to abandon his tank, ensnared by a bola and trapped in the grasp of an enemy vehicle.

As he tumbled to the ground, the rival pilot seized the opportunity, tossing Varrick's abandoned suit aside before launching into a furious chase.

Behind him, Zhu Li was now gaining the upper hand, having only one opponent left.

She delivered a powerful punch to her opponent, then unleashed a flurry of cables that coiled into the ground around him. Drawing herself in like a predator, she unleashed a fierce kick, catching her opponent off guard.

Spotting Varrick in danger as he was being pursued up the treacherous slopes of the mountain by a menacing mecha tank, she removed her helmet, her eyes blazing with determination. Without a second thought, she sprinted after him, her heart pounding with resolve.

With pinpoint accuracy, she shot a cable around a massive boulder, using it to hurl the rock at the relentless mecha tank that threatened Varrick. The boulder connected with a resounding crash, sending the armoured suit tumbling off the cliff and out of the fight, at least for now.

Zhu Li lunged forward, determined to take her opponent down for good, when a brilliant bolt of electricity struck her down, sending her sprawling. As she struggled to regain her composure, her former adversary quickly regained their footing and charged at her with renewed ferocity, while Varrick's attacker also rose to their feet, ready to continue the battle.

Out of nowhere, Bolin launched himself off a small cliff, his voice booming with fury as he yelled. He executed a perfect roll upon landing before he slammed his fists into the ground. With a surge of his lavabending power, he summoned a torrent of molten rock that ensnared the two opposing tanks just as Zhu Li narrowly dodged the fiery wave, barely escaping its grasp.

His adversaries, caught in the chaos, had no choice but to leap from their vehicles, which disintegrated into the bubbling lava below. Seizing the moment, Bolin charged forward, using his earthbending to slam the pilots against the wall and trap them, ensuring their escape was impossible.

"Stop!" Baatar Jr.'s voice rang out

Looking up, they noticed him standing above them on the cliff, his helmet visor down, as he held Varrick by the head over the edge.

"Turn yourself over, or else ..." He threatened.

"Thanks a lot, Zhu Li", Varrick scowled, his arms folded.

Zhu Li's face contorted in anger as she averted her gaze, gritting her teeth.

*

Back in Kuvira's tent, Baatar Jr. led Varrick, Zhu Li, and Bolin through a doorway. The troopers pushed them through the entrance, and they found themselves, to their horror, facing a furious Kuvira.

"Don't ... torture us." Bolin pleaded, terrified, as Kuvira stood up and leaned on her desk.

"Send these three away on the next train. Bolin and Zhu Li will be going to the reeducation camp for our most severe dissenters." Bolin felt his heart sink to his stomach. No, he can't be sent away. He had to get back to Elira. He had to tell her how sorry he was for not believing her, for destroying their relationship, and just hope she didn't hate him too much.

Kuvira walked around her desk and got right in Varrick's face. "And you will continue work on the spirit-energy project under close, armed supervision."

She turned her back on the three deserters and walked back to her desk, ordering, "I want it weaponised immediately."

"Please!" Zhu Li walked forward and fell to her knees, begging, "Have mercy on me! Don't send me away! Take me back!"

"After a moment's hesitation, Kuvira turned to look at the woman below her. "Why would I?"

"Because my only mistake was being loyal to the wrong person," Zhu Li declared penitently, and Bolin and Varrick stared at her in shock. "I was blindly devoted to Varrick, and I looked past all the times he ridiculed me or ordered me around or made me clean his disgusting feet – because I thought he possessed the most brilliant mind in the world. But when I met you, I realised I was wrong. Compared to you, Varrick's a fool."

Varrick's shock quickly changed to offence. "Hey, come on! I'm right here!"

"I believe in everything you've done, and I believe in your vision. I want to devote my life to you. I pledge my allegiance to you, Great Uniter." Zhu Li declared

Kuvira stared at Zhu Li before addressing Varrick and Bolin. "You two could learn something from her." She turned back to the woman on her knees "Zhu Li. I'll give you another chance."

"Think about what you're doing! We're partners! We have history!" Varrick cried, stepping towards his former assistant with a pleading expression.

Zhu Li only glared at him.

"I did everything you ever asked of me, and you never appreciated it! Guards, do the thing!" She angrily pointed towards the doors.

"No! Not the thing! Zhu Li!" Varrick yelled as the troopers grabbed him and pulled him outside, the door slamming shut as they left. 

*

Back in Zaofu, the sun had set, and darkness blanketed the city. Baatar Sr was anxiously pacing back and forth in one of the gardens when Korra ran up to him. The deal she'd made with Kuvira was that there would be a temporary truce, and Kuvira wouldn't make any moves until Korra had spoken to Suyin to "talk some sense into her". But the matriarch was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Su? I have to talk to her." Korra questioned

"She's not here. She took Wing and Wei. They're going to sneak into Kuvira's camp and put an end to this." Baatar Sr revealed

"No!" Korra muttered, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and panic.