Chapter 13: Chapter 13 : Past Avatars and Paperwork
*Chief Beifong's office*
"In light of your excessive and unwarranted use of force the Council has revoked your special consultant status. You are no longer allowed to-" Lin reads off to me but I interrupt her.
"Wait a minute! Sure, my last move was a bit destructive and the glass falling to the ground could have injured somebody but this is not the first time I got caught up in a moment."
"While what you're talking about has a part in your loss in the title it is not because of it. The real reason is that you maimed three equalist suspects." She explains.
"Are you talking about the bad guys I castrated?!"
"Yes. While officers are allowed to use force when needed, that was too much. The suspects won't be able to walk for months and the… assets will never function again."
It does make sense. Imagine if a police officer did that, at best he would be fired and fined at worst jail time. But still, now I'm a regular civilian and can't use any force on bad guys legally. Though I doubt anybody is going to complain if I do unless I go overboard again.
"This blows. Did you at least get the mustache guy?" I inquired about him as from what I remember he was Amon's lieutenant.
"He escaped during transport."
"Of course he did. This really blows. Well, see you around Chief." I stand up from my seat and head for the exit.
"And don't forget you still have to pay for the damage you caused in the Pro-bending arena." My body flinches at her reminder.
Walking into the main hall of the police headquarters I overhear Korra talking to Tahno. He looks like a man who lost everything.
"Whatever Amon did to me is permanent. I've been to the best healers in the city. First my hair, now my bending."
"I'm sorry Tahno." Korra apologizes feeling partially at fault.
"No. I'm the one who should be sorry for the way I acted. Listen Korra you gotta get him for me."
She nods.
As an officer comes and takes him away for questioning he gives her a dead smile and leaves with. "See you around Avatar."
I sit down beside Korra and give her a wave of acknowledgment.
"How did it go with Chief Beifong?" She asks me.
"Fine, she just informed me that the Council is taking away my special privileges."
"Sorry about that. If you want I can talk to Tenzin to help you." Korra offers.
"Nah, It's fine, I know Tenzin has his hands full as it is and I personally don't care. Oh, and don't apologize you didn't do anything wrong."
"But I-"
"But you nothing. By the way, have you eaten your lunch yet?" I divert the subject.
"No. Do you have something in mind?"
"Yeah, I know a good take-out place near the park. You down?"
"Sure."
*Republic City Park*
After the whole finals incident, Korra seems a bit different. Now I'm no psychologist but I know something is bothering her. Even now as we are sitting in the park she is staying quiet and poking her food with chopsticks not eating.
"If you don't like the taste just say it." I told her.
"The taste is fine I guess I'm just not hungry."
Silence returns.
I get tired of this and speak out. "Oh for crying out loud! Just spit it out what's bothering you already!"
"What do you mean!? Nothing is bothering me!"
"Come on, do you take me for an idiot?!"
"Maybe I do?!"
We look at each other in the eyes stubbornly for a minute before smiling.
"So?" I ask again.
Sigh. "I'm feeling useless. I always wanted to be the best Avatar I can be, but as of late it seems that whatever I do fails."
"Airbending training is going nowhere. Amon and his equalists are wreaking havoc and whenever I confront him I lose without fail."
"Even the smaller things like the pro-bending tournament or just today in the morning Bolin and Mako decided to rather move to Asami's mansion than when I offered them a place in Air Temple Island."
"You can't really fault them on the last one." I butt in.
"Maybe you are right on that." She smiles weakly.
"But I feel like I'm the worst Avatar ever whenever I compare myself to others." Korra tells me in resignation.
"As if!' I exclaim, gaining her attention.
"Did you run away from your responsibilities for a hundred years just for some beauty sleep while your nation got slaughtered, like Aang? Did you ignore a monster like Fire Lord Sozin who moved on to start the hundred-year war, like Roku?"
"Did you create a group of brainwashed elite killers who went corrupt and now are being used as a tool for the powerful to oppress the weak, like Kyoshi?"
"Listen Korra, you are doing just fine. Sure, you may not always succeed, you may even lose but what matters is that you don't give up and move forward. After all, your legend has just begun."
She looks at me directly and carefully asks. "Do you really think so?"
I gently smile at her and answer. "I do."
Korra suddenly leaned in and kissed me on the lips. After the initial surprise, I returned the kiss. It was tame and short but conveyed the passion we felt for each other.
And as the kiss ends and our eyes meet again we realize what just happened and both of our faces turn red in embarrassment.
"Hanzo I'm so sorry-"
"No! Don't be! It felt right… Right?"
"Right… So are we like a couple now?"
"I guess we are." I reply with a smile which she returns before putting her head on my shoulder.
"You think we could stay like this for a moment?" Korra asks.
"I think we can."
Unfortunately, me and my new girlfriend both had some prior arrangements. Korra said she promised to help out Pema with the airbender kids while Tenzin was busy and I had some business at my clinic. So with a short kiss, we parted ways.
*Hanzo's private clinic & massage parlor, 1st floor*
I walk into my office only to find it occupied by a stern-looking lady who is doing paperwork. She looks to be in her early thirties and is sporting neatly arranged medium length hair, her cold blue eyes don't move away from her work for a second, even when I enter the room
"Look at who decided to show up, maybe you still work here after all." The woman tells me in an emotionless voice.
Meet my assistant Nari, the reason I am not constantly buried in paperwork like a certain Hokage.
"What do you mean still work?! I own this place!" I retort
"Do you now? Well if that's the case then come over here and help me fill out this expense report."
My whole being reals back in fear over her threat. "Nari, no need to bring in paperwork into this, we can do this peacefully."
"Really? Then explain this bill I got in the morning for the repairs of the pro-bending arena." She says to me while sliding the papers over and still filling out that damned expense report.
I took a look and while it's expensive My wallet can easily take it. And as if sensing my thoughts Nari breaks my hope in humanity.
"That's just for the cleanup. The real price is on another page."
I flip the page and my eyes bulge out. "Motherfucker! This is outrageous! Why is there a twenty million yuan add-on written under psychological damage?! Spiritual damage- That's it! Nari, who is the receiver of the money?"
"A guy by the name of Butakha. He is the owner of Republic City's Pro-bending Arena and the director of the pro-bending league." She answers.
(Image here)
"Now I remember him. He's the reason Mako and Bolin never got a fair cut for their matches. Nari, I'm going out for some... negotiations." I tell her with a vicious grin at the end.
"Before you go and disappear again I need to remind you that tomorrow your schedule is fully booked. So. Don't. Disappear." Nari gives me 'advice'.
"You can't talk to me like that, I'm your boss." I try to remind her.
"Then as the big boss, you will not mind some paperwork right?" She hits me with my only weakness.
"Got it! Don't disappear." I say cheerfully before walking out to 'talk' to Butakha.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone