Kuvira's Assistant

Chapter 25

A soft grunt escaped Bataar as he pressed his hands tightly onto his forehead.

"Sweetie, it's okay. It'll go. Just keep drinking water." His mother Suyin's soothing voice reassured him as she knelt beside him. He was sitting on a chair in the corner of Asami's workshop at Future Industries tower with a throbbing headache. The rest of Team Avatar had joined him and Asami, and a loud chatter filled the space as everyone, on edge, discussed the events that were unfolding.

"Isn't there a healer around? I feel like my brain's encased in a kickdrum..." The young scientist moped. "... Mom. How could you even stand to look at me right now?"

"Bataar... What kind of question is that? I'm your mother. You may have made some... questionable choices these past three years, but I can't ever stop caring for, loving, or worrying about the wellbeing and safety of my son. Things got dangerous out there-"

"I betrayed you. ALL of you... I gave my life to Kuvira... And she just fired that weapon at me! How could she do that?!"

"I don't know, sweetie." Suyin's bright green eyes sincerely looked into her son's. "She's a... complicated person."

"Wing and Wei will never forgive me... And Opal, my little sister..."

Suyin let out a gentle indicative cough and Bataar added, "And Huan..."

"Yeah, they might take some time to come around... But we'll work through it as a family." She clasped his hands. Her eyes quickly darted to the floor, however, when he asked her:

"Mom, how could she have had an affair while we were engaged?! And on TOP of that it was with a woman!! Like since when has that ever even been an option for her?!"

"I, uh, um-" Suyin's mind briefly flashed back to when she had caught Huan and Kuvira apparently jokingly discussing being 'each other's beards' back when they were teenagers. That same day she'd caught them metalbending a sign that said 'get with the winning team, babes', which was apparently for a school project. A few days later, Huan subsequently presented that sign to anyone that he'd come out to. "I have no idea, Bataar!" She sheepishly smiled.

Akemi kept her eyes fixated ahead of her. She was watching Kuvira's every move. Every now and then, the three operators in the room would glance back at her to make sure she was in place.

"Hmf. Seems like they retreated. We obviously can't assume anything, though, so EVERYONE must keep an eye out. Keep every angle covered. Every distance ahead of us scanned... Akemi here was obviously in cahoots with the Avatar's friends all along." The Great Uniter slowly turned around to look at the back wall to which Akemi was strapped. "So we can't trust anyone or assume anything." She turned back again, facing the glass wall in front of her.

The firebender shut her eyes tightly, scowling, and focused on her body's temperature. She had to reach a very precise degree of tame fire that would be hot enough to soften the metal around her wrists, but not too hot as to alert everyone in the room with a burning smell, flame or smoke. She had to focus.

Her mind seemed to keep bombarding her with memories of Kuvira. Not even hateful ones; just various random memories... Unfortunately, most were sweet. She had no bad memories with her, really.

Back when they had first conquered Zaofu, the pair stayed in a two-storey guesthouse for some time.

"Kuvira, I'm back! Got all the papers signed." Akemi shut the front door behind her. "Kuvira?"

"MM- ptoo - YES!" She heard her girlfriend's faint voice and running water coming from upstairs. It was late at night and most of Zaofu's lights were out.