The Girl After

Chapter 15

"Where did you say you parked the car?" Asami asked Korra as we all ran through Republic City. When we found the car, I discovered just how awful the Avatar's parking skills were. A lamppost had been used to stop the car rather than the brakes. Asami frowned at the sight.

"Hey, you guys god arrested and left me alone with the car," Korra tried to defend herself. "I made it very clear that I don't know how to drive."

"That's an understatement," I mumbled.

"All things considered," Bolin said, trying to find the brighter side of things, "you did a great job. But how are we going to pay for all of these parking tickets?" He pulled a sheaf of them from the windshield. Mako impatiently snatched the bundle of tickets from his brother's hand, setting them ablaze and dropping the ashes. Bolin gasped dramatically at the illegality.

"Relax," Mako said. "The city's under attack. The police have more important things to worry about."

I rounded the car and popped open the trunk. Asami, suddenly at my side, pulled out a pair of electrogloves and handed me one. "These will come in handy," I said, a teeny smile forming as I looked at her.

Asami suppressed a smile. "Now is not the time for puns, Nani," she said in her serious voice. We began filing into the car, but Asami stopped Mako before he could take the passenger seat. "Why don't you sit in the back," she said spitefully, not making it sound optional, "with Korra. Leinani, you're up here with me."

As I took the passenger seat and Bolin sat next to his brother, I asked Asami quietly, "Is everything okay with you two?"

"Just peachy," she answered through gritted teeth.

The car — or, as Bolin had dubbed it: the Avatarmobile — raced through the streets of Republic City. We neared the mechatanks. Bolin and Korra earthbent a ramp. Asami yelled for us to jump out, and we quickly obeyed. The car zoomed over the ramp, crashing into two mechatanks and destroying them. While the benders were disabling mechatanks, Asami and I spotted a group of Equalists carrying something into a truck.

"Tenzin," I exhaled upon realisation. I turned to Asami and instructed, "Come on!"

We bolted forward as the crackling of the electrogloves sent of a surge of energy into my body, heightening my adrenaline. The Equalists stood no chance.

Standing beside the pile of disabled Equalists, Asami and I helped Tenzin out of the truck as he regain consciousness. "Thank you," he mumbled. "Both of you." As we rejoined the others, Tenzin cleared our path by airbending a mechatank to the top of a building. As I watched it soar, I noticed an airship flying above us.

"I have a feeling," I said, "that something really bad is about to happen." My feeling was confirmed by Mako pointing off into the distance. We followed his gaze.

Above Air Temple Island was another airship, and Equalists were streaming down from zip lines.

"We need to go," I said. "We need to go now. Now!" Without argument, we made our pursuit. Tenzin mounted Oogi, and we piled back into the Avatarmobile.

Much to our surprise, the Equalists had already been taken care of by the time we arrived. Not by Lin, but by the little airbender children. Under other circumstances, I would have laughed and congratulated the children, but these were not the best of times. Pema had gone into labour, giving birth to a healthy baby boy, whom she and Tenzin had named Rohan.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Korra said as everyone cooed over the new addition to the group, "but more airships are coming."

Ikki looked up at her father, asking softly, "Everything is not going to be fine, is it, Daddy?"

He frowned apprehensively.

I stood up follow the group, but Bolin stopped me. He pulled me aside and lowered his voice. "I don't think you should go out there," he said. "I'm worried about you."

"What are you talking about? I'm fine, Bo." I frowned and tried to brush past him. "You're wasting time."

His hand caught mine. "Leinani, I'm serious. After your screaming fit, I... I don't think you should fight for a while."

I narrowed my eyes. "Are you forbidding me from helping?" I asked in disbelief. "Are you grounding me, Bolin?"

He gave a nervous, short laugh and said, "You're really angry so I'm not completely sure if I should laugh at that pun or be very afraid."

I rolled my eyes and turned on my heel. I stopped and looked over my shoulder at him. "Tell Korra to contact General Iroh II," I said. "If you're going to keep me from fighting, you can at least take my advice. He's a good friend of mine, and he can help."  Before he could respond, I stomped off and locked myself in my bedroom.