The Girl After

Chapter 40

"Mika," Gran Gran said warmly. "It's wonderful to see you again. Even through our current circumstances." Her eyes gave a dangerous warning, like an ocean just before a violent storm. Along with her commanding voice, it was the only other thing could silence and condemn even the most stubborn of people. Hence, how she could control the tempers of her husband and their children. 

Zuko's arms were still around me, both out of affection and his protectiveness towards me. He gave a nod towards his old friend. His eyes then trailed to Dakota, who stood to the side uncomfortably. The eyes of my aunt and uncles followed, as did mine. I watched her twitchy fidgeting. Her eyes darted everywhere in an awkward attempt at avoiding the stares. I don't want to say that I felt bad for her. I certainly didn't and I never will. But I did pity her simply for the sole reason that she had fallen victim to Jasmine's bone-chilling glare. "I apologise for the unannounced intrusion," Zuko said to Mika, then to Pema once she and her children came running. They must have heard the chaos that was my family. "Once Izumi told us about Leinani's recent developments, we had to come right away."

"And it seems we couldn't have come at a better time," said Gran Gran as she eyed Dakota. She seemed to be sizing her up, evaluating her. Assessing how this girl could have possibly caused all of the damage that she did. With a small, sad smile, she said, "She looks just like June." I could only guess that June was the name of her mother, which made me wonder: What happened to her mother? Gran Gran looked to Mika again and declared that it was time to focus on the important issues at hand, to which Pema offered to make tea for everyone. Soon enough, we were all sitting around the table with steaming cups of ginger tea. 

"As I was saying," Jasmine spoke again once every had settled down. Tensions were an all-time high. I stared down at my tea in silence as the hot cup burned my palms and the steam drifted then disappeared into the air. "Dakota needs to held responsible for her actions. Though Master Mika strongly opposes the notion." 

Mika spat, "Because your notion is outrageous! You're suggesting my granddaughter is a monster. She's just a little girl that was scared and emotional, and she let those emotions get the best of her."

"A little girl doesn't bloodbend someone nearly to death!" Jasmine shot back, slamming her palm against the table. 

"If I remember correctly," Mika said calmly, "you set your sister's doll ablaze when you were young. It spread and burned a good portion of the Royal Garden."

"That was different," Po argued in a cool tone, completely contradicting his sister. "Jasmine was six years old and was new to her bending. Dakota is far older and has been bending for nearly two decades. She has trained alongside Avatar Korra for most — if not all — of her life. There is no excuse for that sort of outburst."

The argument escalated. Voices and accusations overlapped. Neither Dakota nor I uttered a word, or even made a sound. We didn't even look at one another. We watched as the verbal battle ensued. Finally, a roar and a pound of a fist against the table brought the room to a frightened surrender. "That's enough," Gran Gran demanded. Her hard scowl scanned the room like a feline prepared to pounce. She looked to Mika, "While my children are out of line, they aren't wrong. Dakota needs to learn to control her impulses. What with her father being the man that he is..."

"Did Leinani not cause this entire situation?" Mika asked. "Isn't she the reason my granddaughter was so upset in the first place?"

"Don't you dare blame Leinani for this!" Uncle Klei growled. "Even she had some part in Dakota's emotional state, she was not the only one. Where is the boy that seemed to spark the feud? Where is his brother? The Avatar?"

"How can you defend such a thing?" Po asked, appalled. 

"I said enough!" Gran Gran shouted again. Now she was standing, towering over us all. She looked to Dakota. Dakota finally looked up. She first looked at me, then at my grandmother nervously. "Dakota," she said slowly, "I want you to come with me. We have quite a bit to discuss." Cautiously, Dakota stood to her feet. She avoided the glares of my family by keeping her eyes locked on the floor. She followed Gran Gran out of the room, leaving us to an unsettling tension that was only a few words from boiling over.