Legend of Korra: Reimagined

Chapter 24: Proposition (Tarrlok)

Tarrlok was known to be heartless. He was known to be evil. He was considered the biggest douchebag in all of Capital City. But when he witnessed Shyla throw that baby into the ocean, he felt nothing but complete and utter sorrow. He also felt extreme anger at Shyla. Shyla had killed her own baby, and she didn't even feel remorse. Tarrlok almost pitied her, but then thought better of it. He pitied no one. Tarrlok stood there, watching Shyla cackle and walk back to her car, Amon following behind her with a devilish smile on his face. Tarrlok could have bloodbent him right there on the spot, but he had forgotten his pillar.

Lin started to sniffle next to Tarrlok, and then she began to whimper, which quickly escalated into wrenching sobs. Tarrlok quickly put his arms around her. In truth, he felt like sobbing, too. But he was a man-a strong, evil man, in that. If he broke down now, he would never hear the end of it. Shyla and Amon would make sure the news spread like wildfire, and everyone would be talking about the night Tarrlok finally broke down. But then...they'd also be talking about how Shyla Bei Fong had murdered her child. He wondered if he should cry, after all.

"BWAAAHAHAHAAAA!" he wailed, tears spilling from his eyes and onto Lin's shoes as he sank to the ground on his knees. Lin collapsed next to him, screaming with sorrow.

Tarrlok couldn't stop now. He couldn't control himself. He was too upset to do anything but bawl next to his girlfriend and soon-to-be fiancé.

Finally, he regained his composure. He had to, or he would not have enough strength to pick his fiancé up and carry her to the car. They drove to Tarrlok's Air Temple, where he carried Lin up the stairs. It near about broke his back, but he managed to get the love of his life upstairs to his bedroom. He laid her down and tucked the sobbing woman into his bed, climbing in next to her. His own eyes filled just looking at her. All the joy and radiance had drained from the woman's face. It made his heart constrict, and he had no choice but to turn away, for he could bear Lin's distraught face no longer.

Tarrlok wrapped his arms around Lin, trying to calm her so that she would fall asleep. That horrible Shyla had sent her mother into hysterics, and if there was anything in this world he hated, it was seeing his baby cry. Of course, now, Lin had cried so much that she was now lying still, her eyes shut.

Tarrlok leaned his head closer to Lin's, and he could hear faint snoring. All he could do now was lie his head on his pillow and try to fall asleep as well.

That night, he dreamt of that child dangling from Shyla's hand over the ocean. Shyla's back was turned, but he could imagine her face, twisted into an evil grin, as she prepared to throw her only child into the water.

Tarrlok woke up at 6:00 a.m., and when he had made breakfast and come back upstairs, his soon-to-be fiancé was still lying in bed, her face the picture of sorrow and remorse.

"Lin, please wake up," he told her as he crossed the room to her bed. "I know you're sad. We both are. But you have to wake up. Life has to go on."

Lin's eyes suddenly flew open, so quickly that it frightened Tarrlok a little. She turned her eyes on him. He was shocked at how fierce they looked.

"Life will never go on without my Cala." And with that, Lin shut her eyes slowly.

Tarrlok could see her eyelids start to relax.

********

The funeral for Lin Bei Fong took place at the Air Temple, hosted by Tarrlok himself. He gave the opening remarks and a speech that brought everyone else to tears. He could barely go on with the tears spilling out of his eyes. But finally, he ended his speech and glanced around at the funeral goers, noticing that nearly each person had been crying and was dabbing at their eyes with a tissue. A woman blew her nose loudly, like a trumpet.

Tarrlok turned to the light blue coffin behind him that contained Lin's corpse. He could remember the morning's events clearly.

"Lin, wake up!" He shook her. "You cannot sleep forever. Lin. Lin!"

He continued to shake her and she would not stir. Lin's breathing had slowed so much that it appeared she-

"NOO!" He flung himself onto her, bawling and screaming. His sobs ripped through him and shook the bed viciously. He, amidst all his sobs, still had some glimmer of hope that the shaking would wake Lin. He became more and more distraught when he finally realized that his Lin wasn't going to wake up. Ever.

Presently, Tarrlok wiped at his eyes and nose again as he stepped down and let another friend of Lin's, Mr. Mako Faustino, take the stage.

Tarrlok stood to the side, silently weeping as he tried to pay attention. How could this be?? He'd already lost his first love to death, and then his second love died of a broken heart.

And all because of Shyla Bei Fong.

Tarrlok was going to have to pull himself together so he could destroy Shyla. Right after the funeral, he would seek to find her and ruin her.

The band Tarrlok had hired began to play onstage, a melancholy violin song. No words were sung. Just the music reverberated throughout the backyard of the Air Temple. Finally, Tarrlok was called back up to the stage, and he wiped his tears and began his closing remarks.

"I would just like to point out that the cause of all this is Shyla Bei Fong, Lin's youngest daughter. As you probably know, her oldest daughter, Seisha, passed a day ago. Yes, it was Lin's doing." People gasped, and Tarrlok continued, "I assume her reputation is ruined now, but she is dead now so it doesn't matter. Anyway, Shyla Bei Fong decided to throw her only daughter into the ocean last night to spite Lin."

More people gasped and Tarrlok waited for the noise to cease. He continued, "Although Lin was evil, Shyla had no right to take her child's life, especially only to spite her mother. She took away an innocent toddler! She must not get away with this!"

Now people roared, fists rising in the air. People were screaming and chanting, "LET'S KILL SHYLA! LET'S KILL SHYLA! LET'S KILL SHYLA!"

Tarrlok stood back, satisfied. Maybe he and Lin had failed to murder Shyla, but maybe if the entire city was against her, they'd finally be rid of her.

The lowering of the casket took place next, and while it was still a pretty sad event, they were all too busy screaming, "LET'S KILL SHYLA!" to even cry. Tarrlok even managed only to shed one tear.

Tarrlok began to smile then. If he could get his city on his side, he would finally be respected in this town.