Kuvira's Assistant

Chapter 14

"Fucking crap ass dictator piece of shit, stupid-looking, idiot, why I..." Toph Beifong, top resident of the swamp, grumbled under her breath as she slid through mud and weaved through vines, on her way to Zaofu. Her new home was ambushed, however she had something else to take care of, first. Upon holding one of the Great Banyan vines last night to check on her daughters, she saw, in a vision, that her daughter Suyin and her entire family were in deep trouble. Mother was on her way. As were Lin, Opal, Bolin and the boogery bison, Juicy.

"Congratulations on all of your hard work. This weapon is proof that the Earth Empire is the strongest nation in the world. And believe me, this is ONLY the beginning!" The Great Uniter declared to her army at the superweapon demonstration. Turning to Bataar, "Fire the weapon" she instructed, earning her a wink from her assistant. Behind her stood Zhu Li, Ikuyo, Ju and, closest to her, Akemi. They watched as the spirit-vine energy tube gained momentum before the emergency alarm rang.

"What's wrong?" She sternly questioned Bataar.

"Probably something minor... I should be able to find the problem." His slithering voice assured his boss. "The distributor pin is gone..." He peered inside the machine. "I swear I locked it in place yesterday! There's no way it could have just... Fallen out?!" He turns to Kuvira.

"And this could cause the entire weapon to fail?" She seethed.
"It could cause it to explode..." Akemi jumped in, instantly regretting her elaboration as her commander turned to Zhu Li, who had been working as Bataar's assistant for the past few days.

"What do you know about this?" She questioned as she stomped towards Varrick's former assistant.

"Nothing!" In that moment, Kuvira squinted her eyes as she metalbent the distributor out of Zhu Li's uniform.

"YOU swore your loyalty to ME, and I gave you a chance at GREATNESS. THIS is how you REPAY ME?" Zhu Li's three friends watched with wide eyes as Kuvira began fuming. The firebender placed a hand on her back, leaning in to calm her down before she was pushed away when Kuvira demanded that Zhu Li be tied to a pole right in the superweapon's line of energy output. "SHE can see how the weapon works, up close and personal." The commander boiled.

"Kuvira, WHAT?"
"Stay OUT of this, Akemi."

"Kuvira," the firebender grabbed Zhu Li's arm away from Bataar, "You can't ANNIHILATE her! Are you insane?!"
"She's one of many who are going to be injured by this weapon, Akemi. You better get used to that fact fast. Th-" Kuvira was cut off by a deafening alarm; "THE PRISON! Get there now."

As Ikuyo and Ju ran off, Akemi snuck in two words to Zhu Li before she was taken away to the target town (where the cannon was pointed at) by a mechasuit; "Stay calm. You won't get hurt."

"What are you saying to her??" Kuvira pulled Akemi back.

"I was apologising for YOUR actions."

Ignoring Akemi's response, Kuvira announced, "Bataar, FIRE that weapon. I want to see that town destroyed."

Once the second round of firing preparations ensued and the lever was pulled, the smell of a trillion flamey-o's filled the air whilst a blinding purple light boiled at the tip of the tank's gun, about to pierce the view the team had in front of them.

While the mechasuit dragged Zhu Li off to the target town, Akemi had spotted a cloud moving rapidly towards the pole where she would be tied. She had the strongest suspicion that it was the airbenders. Ready to push the gun up and away from the target town, using the pressure of a strong flame, she suddenly flung back as the tank jolted with force to the left; with that, the gun swivelled up anyways, burning a gaping hole in the tall hill that shielded the back of the town.