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𝐀s they arrived back at the South Pole, the sight of the Northern Navy docked on the Southern shores suddenly made her feel suspicious and incredulous. Cloud had a hunch that restoring balance wasn't the only thing Unalaq wanted to do. She couldn't believe Korra was playing into his sick little trap, and even so, the poor girl didn't even know about her uncle's true intentions.
Because if she knew, Korra totally wouldn't be helping him right now.
Cloud stood in the corner of Tonraq's house for a meeting, looking around, she found a few familiar faces. Varrick waved at her with an impish grin on his face and she merely rolled her eyes in amusement. Her gaze also landed on the woman with glasses who stood next to him in silence.
Varrick was also another mad genius that she knew, and she was quite relieved that he was on their side this time. Truth to be told, she was sure sides weren't his thing. He was the type to go around every side, sometimes, to save his own butt or to actually help others. Right now, she couldn't figure out which one he was playing.
"Thank you for coming, everyone," Tonraq greeted as the entire group looked at him. "I know these last few days have been very troubling."
"Troubling? Troubling is when I get that itchy rash that won't go away, and Zhu Li's not around to scratch it. This is shocking," Varrick rambled as he helped himself to the cookies before standing up straight, dropping the cookies then tossing the plate on the floor. "Nay, sickening! But these kale cookies? Opposite. Remind me to get the recipe later."
"What's your point, Iknik?" Cloud raised an eyebrow, the man flashing her a bright grin at the mention of his first name.
"My point is, Unalaq's already booted our chieftains out of their palace. How long before he starts telling us what kind of cookies we can eat?" Varrick said and now that got her thinking about a lot of things that she zoned out from his rambling about other different things not relating to their topic anymore.
"Chief Unalaq is here to help the South," Korra insisted. "He wants to show us how to restore balance with the spirits so they'll stop attacking."
"The only spirit I'm interested in restoring is our spirit of independence. Am I right, people?" Varrick said as the people who gathered around them agreed in anger.
"All Unalaq is trying to do is make our tribes unified again," Korra said stubbornly.
One thing she was sure about was that Korra had been manipulated. She was very onto defending her uncle's intentions, causing the people who were against Unalaq to be angered. A war wasn't really what they needed right now, but some people are just persistent. She only hoped Korra would snap out of it soon and realize Unalaq had been playing her from the start before anything got worse.
The airbender had been left on her own devices as her friends had fun with their personal relationships. She wasn't bitter about it but she wasn't too glad either. She wasn't able to walk around freely since the Northern tribe troops had been marching around the Southern Tribe. Not exactly the vacation she expected.
Stuck inside her hut, Cloud sipped on her fruit smoothie that Katara made her since the old lady figured the girl must've missed the Air Temple Island. She donned her usual Air Nomad attire, sitting on the floor with her back against the bed while watching the tiny tornadoes she made on the floor with a spaced-out look on her face.
Her peaceful nature was ruined when the door flung open and busted inside the room were four armed Northern tribe troops.
"Cloud of the Air Nomads, you are under arrest and will stand trial," He stated as the aforementioned woman threw her hands up in disbelief before the guards bound her wrists together. She was sure Unalaq was celebrating her demise.
In the Southern Tribe Palace, inside the courtroom stood the rebels, including Korra's parents and a bored-looking Cloud who was scratching the side of her stomach. From her peripheral vision, she could see Mako and Korra with worried expressions on their faces. Cloud caught his gaze and she sent him a small wave despite the bounds around her wrists. Mako fought the urge to smile.
"This trial will now come to order!" The law clerk annunciated after the gavel was hammered. "Judge Hotah presiding."
Unalaq began the hearing with the side of his story. "I was asleep in my chambers when the rebels attacked. They overpowered me, and the next thing I remember was waking up in the snow after Avatar Korra had saved me."
"According to Unalaq's testimony, you attended a meeting where Varrick tried to incite a civil war. Is that true?" The judge questioned and Korra answered with a nod. "And where these men and women present at that meeting?"
"Well, yes, but━"
"And where exactly did this meeting take place?"
"Objection!" Bolin tried to cut in but failed as Judge Hotah silenced him.
"Quiet down out there! I'll ask you one more time. Where did the meeting happen?"
"My parents' house."
"And who led this meeting?"
Her earthbender friend tried to speak again but was silenced for the third time, and before she even knew it, Judge Hotah left, saying that he would come back with his decision. Cloud scowled at the back of his head. That man was bribed for sure. Why couldn't he just make a decision there on the podium?
She glanced around the room and locked eyes with Mako, his golden eyes fiercely looking into her sky-blue ones. The two shared a small nod with each other, Mako sending her a silent promise that he wouldn't let her be taken. Then again, it wasn't like Cloud was going to let them without a fight in the first place.
When Judge Hotah came back, the defendants were now standing before him, including Cloud as she bore a blank stare at the man.
"Senna, please step forward," He said and Korra's mother stepped up, looking worriedly at her husband. "I have found you... innocent. You are free to go."
A guard removed the woman's handcuff and let her run towards her daughter as Korra hugged her. Cloud slightly gulped and looked back at the judge, her heart wildly beating against her chest while she clasped her hands together. The cuff on her wrists made it harder to move it around. She turned to the left and looked at her friends who were standing next to each other. It made her calmer that they were there for her.
"On the charge of treason, you are all found... guilty. The punishment for this crime... is death."
Korra was enraged and stepped forward, scaring the judge. "You can't do this! You take their lives, and I'll take yours!"
"Korra, calm down. I'll talk to him." Unalaq tried to calm her. Then he turned to the judge, sharing a silent agreement with the man after bribing him with something rich. "I know I promised to respect whatever decision you made, but I must ask you to reconsider. Show these men and my brother mercy."
"Very well. I'll change their punishment. Your lives will be spared, but you will live them out in prison." Judge Hotah nodded in agreement as the rebels and Tonraq let out a sigh of relief, although Cloud couldn't bear to be relieved as she continued to glower at the man and Unalaq.
She wished to the odds that she would get to punch Unalaq's face, at least once. He really deserves one.
