Old Wounds

Chapter 2: The Metal Clan, Part 2

Reluctantly, Lin joined them and ventured into the city of Zaofu for the first time riding a modern train past metal streets, metal buildings, metal statues and metal fountains that very surprisingly didn't spew liquid metal mercury. It was a forty-minute ride through three of the domed neighborhoods of the City to get to the Beifong Estate in Zaofu. Their first destination on their tour of the expansive property was a metal pit with four metal columns and two youths kicking and punching a metal disc towards each other, ricocheting it off the metal walls and columns of the pit.

"These are my two youngest, Wing and Wei. They're playing a game called Power Disc. They invented it all on their own!"

Suyin informed the group with a beaming smile on her face.

Wing shot the disc at Wei who redirected it, ricocheting it off a few columns. Wing leapt to intercept the disc but fell just short, allowing it to slam into a net with a loud buzz.

"Oh nice power, Wei!" Suyin yelled.

"Ha! Wing goes down!" Wei yelled pumping his fist in the air as his identical twin brother pounded his fists on the ground in defeat.

"I'm so proud of those two." Suyin said quietly waving the group to follow her through the rest of the property.

Here she is, flaunting her children like trophies on a shelf. They're not even decent benders. Wing is slow, and Wei is basic. The game isn't even original, just a modified version of airball. Tenzin and I created an air and metal hybrid version of the original game when we were younger that incorporated discs with angled blades that we both could bend at each other. Su probably built the court and told them about how we played and let them add it. How could she tell everyone her boys created this? Oh right! Suyin always lies.

Their next stop was a courtyard decorated with an assortment of what appeared to be clumps of scrap metal scavenged from the aftermath of an explosion in an industrial building. In the center of it, a lone metalbender curled the end of one of his incredibly abstract creations.

"Huan, I'd like you to meet the Avatar and her friends, and your Aunt Lin," Suyin said interrupting the boy's work.

"Nice to meet you!" Korra said cheerfully.

"Hey," he replied disrespectfully keeping his back to the group.

Lin would have smacked the boy if he were hers. A smack would have been merciful compared to how Lao and Poppy treated her when they were teaching her how to live in high society.

"Wow, that's a really nice.... Banana? Yes, very—very lifelike!" Bolin stammered in a foolish attempt to compliment the boy's work.

Huan whipped around almost violently, clearly offended, as if his own behavior wasn't already offensive. "It's not a banana! It was inspired by Harmonic Convergents; represents the dawning of a New Age. OBVIOUSLY!"

Lin rolled her eyes. And there he'd receive a lashing for snapping at guests. It doesn't matter if they're daft, impoverished, intelligent, wealthy, or simply family. Guests deserve respect.

"Oh! Yeah! No... uh... I can—I can toally see that!" Bolin stuttered. He made a frame with his fingers and held it up to the statue. "I can! Oh, let me stand here. Yes, I can see that now. Yes. Thank you!" Bolin added as he began to walk off with Asami and Mako, following Suyin. "Banana! I mean, that's a Banana right?"

Finally, they reached a girl sitting on a bench reading.

"And this is my daughter, Opal," Suyin said.

The girl looked up. Lin had to admit she was lovely. Lin could already tell by her posture and composure that she would become an excellent airbender. There was no maliciousness in her wide, green eyes.

"Wow! Avatar Korra!" Opal exclaimed standing up and bowing lightly. "I can't believe you are here! You are SO amazing!" Opal exclaimed, clearly starstruck.

Lin nearly gagged. And incredibly naive. Lin thought about Opal. Maybe once we can get her away from Su, I can teach her a bit about how the real world operates, and how incredibly misleading the media can be.

"It's great to meet you Opal," Korra said with a friendly smile.

"Opal. That is a beautiful name!" Bolin breathed.

Opal blushed and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear nervously. "Thanks."

"I'm Bolin!" the teenager informed her, extending a hand.

"Opal," she replied shaking it nervously. "But.... Uh.. you already knew that."

Lin could taste the vomit in her mouth. A sudden wave of protectiveness overcame Lin that instant, as she wanted to protect her niece from the teenage boy who was just as young, dumb, and naive as she was being.

Korra glanced between the two with amused curiosity.

That is enough! Lin decided trudging towards the group to remind them of her presence. "Great! We've found the airbender! Now we can leave! Let's take her back to the airship and get out of this wretched place!" Lin growled reaching for the girl as Suyin stepped between.

"And the woman apparently trying to abduct you is your Aunt Lin!" Suyin said to Opal with a perfectly cool expression.

The girl's eyes lit up. "Really?! Aunt Lin? I've always wanted to meet you! My mom has told so many stories about you!"

Great! "I'm sure she has." Lin replied skeptically, her eyes narrowing at Suyin. What game are you playing this time?

Opal looked confused and something else, maybe hurt, but it didn't matter. Lin would toughen her up and teach her how to read people soon enough, even if it meant fighting Tenzin who would be taking over most of her training. She may be an airbender, but she was still a Beifong, and Lin would not let the girl become another disgrace to their family name.

"So, I've set all of you up in the guest houses while Korra trains Opal," Suyin said breaking Lin's train of thought.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I was hoping she could train with the rest of the airbenders at the Northern Air Temple," Korra replied.

"That sounds amazing!" Opal exclaimed.

"Nonsense! This is where Opal's home and family are! You can train her here!"

"I guess I could help her get started!"

"Absolutely not! We're leaving!" Lin interrupted her face growing hot with annoyance.

"She's just a little worried because there's a bunch of crazy criminals after me," Korra explained.

And I don't want to spend another second in a city ruled by a crazy criminal that was exiled from Republic City!

"If you're concerned about security, don't be. This is the safest city in the world!" Suyin replied. Lin rolled her eyes. Only when under attack can a city's defenses be tested and scored just like how only when one is afraid, can one be brave.

"Now I'll see you all at dinner. And come hungry. My chef will blow the taste buds right out of your mouth!" Suyin exclaimed.

"Why do you have such a problem with your sister?" Korra asked. "She seems nice." SEEMS! But you don't know; Suyin always lies. "Come on, we can stay a little while!"

"Fine!" Lin snapped walking towards the guest houses.