| By LinaRush | Genre | Rating | Reviews | Updates |
| More from LinaRush | Comedy and Mystery | G (all ages) | None |  Done
|
Korra handed the charred remains of the scroll to Tenzin with trembling hands. She was fully aware that her careless attitude would one day make him explode with annoyance. When he had asked for the scroll, she hadn't stalled by making up flimsy excuses about its whereabouts. She knew that Tenzin would hate that even more than he was going to hate seeing that the scroll which he had taken so long to fill with poems was ruined.
Tenzin clutched the burnt scroll with eyes filled with disbelief. Almost immediately, the look of disbelief was replaced by a scowl and his face and bald head turned crimson with rage. Korra could have sworn that at that instant, he even shook with anger.
'Korra how could you?!'
'I'm sorry Tenzin, I just –'
'Do you realize what you've done? Do you know how long it took me to finish this? How did this happen?! When did this happen?! How long have you been keeping this from me?! ...'
Tenzin asked question after question, barely giving Korra an opportunity to answer any of the questions. When he did give her a chance, she didn't even know where to begin.
'It was a mistake. I was just firebending and –'
'Firebending?' Tenzin asked in a way that seemed to suggest that he didn't know what it meant to firebend. Korra started to feel annoyed. The older Airbender always seemed so calm and collected; to see him so furious was quite surreal to Korra. So much so that she lost her temper as well.
'Look, I'm sorry!' Korra retorted angrily, raising her voice as loudly as Tenzin had been doing. 'I hate what I did and I don't appreciate your jumping down my throat for it!'
Tenzin glared down at the teenager. Her nerve made him even more annoyed. The thing he wanted most at that time was to smack her. But the reasonable part of him held him back. He couldn't condescend to such in front of her friends, who had come to visit her, and his own children.
So, with the gentlest voice he could manage, he spoke. 'Of all the careless things you have done, this is the worst and I will not have you disrespect me for my interrogation. I am highly disappointed in you.' With that, Tenzin walked away, ignoring Korra as she called his name.
Korra watched the councilman leave. She could understand why he was so upset about the scroll, his Tenzinian scroll as he had called it, but not to this extent. Judging by the fact that she had done other things that should warrant an even worse reaction, she wondered at what exactly was making Tenzin so angry. He hadn't even been patient enough to hear her explanation, which was, to a reasonable level, very good.
Despite the fact that Korra and Tenzin had had an audience during their spat, no one moved or said a word, till Korra turned around to face them. Bolin was the first to speak and his question covered everybody else's question.
'What did you do to Tenzin?'
'I burnt his Tenzinian scroll.' Everyone knew about the Tenzinian scroll. The little airbender kids had found the scroll and handed it to Korra just a day ago, she had read the poems on it aloud and later taken it with her to Republic City, with Tenzin's permission, and shown it to Mako, Bolin and Asami. All three were just as amused as she was to see a poetic and romantic side of uptight councilman Tenzin. For a second or more, everyone remained silent. Trying to digest what Korra had just said. Then the questions and comments came. They came so quickly that soon enough, Korra could hardly distinguish who asked or said what.
'Daddy's so going to airbend you back to the South Pole!'
'Why did you do it?'
'Are you crazy?'
'Avatar or not, Tenzin's going to kill you!'
When did this happen?'
'How are you going to fix this?'
'I never knew that you had it in you be so cruel ...'
Everyone but Jinora, who stood quietly behind the others, kept speaking rapidly. At that point, Korra never thought they'd ever give her a chance to speak until a shrill voice from behind ordered them to keep quiet.
'Shut up!'
Pema's voice seemed to be ten times louder than Korra could remember it ever being. Her order was received properly as all the kids and teens immediately shut up.
Pema looked extremely tired. She had been in bed all day because Tenzin had ordered her, in a loving manner, to do so. She was quite far along and had her right hand was around her swollen belly. Korra had always respected how tough Pema was, even with her pregnancy. She never attempted losing control of her fortress – Air Temple Island, no matter what.
'Now, would one of you, in a very civilized manner tell me what happened.'
Meelo cleared his throat and proceeded to speak. 'Ikki and I were air scooting behind the Library when we heard Mako and Asami talking from inside the Library then we decided to scare them –'
'Wait, that was you two?!' Asami screamed while glaring at the little air benders.
Pema sighed in annoyance. 'Meelo, I meant what happened just a few minutes ago when you were all screaming.'
'Oh, right. Korra burnt daddy's lady scroll,' Meelo replied, with a voice that suggested he was more interested in telling his initial story.
Pema directed her next question to Korra. 'Which of Tenzin's scroll did you burn?'
Korra stepped forward. 'It was an accident Pema, I didn't even know it was there ...'
'Korra, just answer the question, I don't want to have my baby while standing.'
'It's the scroll the kids gave me yesterday.'
'Korra, how could you? He loves that thing and so do I.'
'Pema, I know this looks really bad.'
'Actually, it is really bad,' Bolin chipped in.
'Bolin, stay out of this. Korra continue,' Pema said.
'Remember this morning when you told Jinora to get rid of all those scrolls?'
'Yes.'
' Well, I was firebending at the time and it seemed like a really good way to get rid of unwanted paper. And it took a little while before I noticed that Tenzin's scroll was missing. I searched everywhere for it, even the charred remains of the burnt scrolls and I found the scraps there.'
'Jinora, did you put your father's scroll beside the unwanted ones?' Pema asked.
'No, I didn't. If I had seen it anywhere around, I would have told Korra, but I didn't so I couldn't. Besides, I know Korra would never do that to daddy. She knows how important that scroll is and –'
'Jinora, stop! I asked just one question!' Pema sighed before continuing, 'Korra don't worry. I'll talk to Tenzin.'
Korra beamed at Pema's words. 'Thank you so much, Pema!'
' It's alright. Just find out who did put that scroll amongst the ones you were to firebend,' that said, Pema turned around and walked away. Though her legs felt heavy and her toes hurt, she knew she had to talk to Tenzin. No one but she, could calm Tenzin at times as this.
'Jinora, are you sure you didn't see anyone toss the scroll in said pile?' Mako asked with a straight face.
'Um ... I-I already said that I didn't,' the ten year old began with a shaky voice, before coughing away her urge to stutter. 'In fact, I should go tell my father that.' The young airbender quickly scurried away in the direction of her mother, leaving everyone behind her stunned for more reasons than one.
'Okay, since when did Jinora start stuttering?' Bolin asked.
'I was too busy wandering when she started spewing words faster than Ikki to wonder at that,' Mako replied.
'She has been behaving like this since I saw her this morning,' Korra added.
I think she's lying,' Meelo said.
Mako sighed before speaking, 'I think she's hiding something.'
'Difference being?' Bolin asked.
'Difference being that –' Mako started before being interrupted by Ikki.
'Stop! You can all say things about Jinora. I know my sister, very well. She doesn't lie, she doesn't hide things and she certainly doesn't speak faster than I do!'
Asami immediately took a few steps forward and squatted in front of the younger girl. 'Ikki, I'm aware that I don't know your sister all that well, but how else would you explain the stuttering and such.'
Ikki frowned in deep thought before replying. 'I don't know, but I know she's not lying,' she stopped to focus an accusing look at Meelo, 'Meelo, you know Jinora never lies and yet you were the first to say that she does!'
Meelo glared at Ikki in self-defense, 'I don't know what you're talking about little woman!'
'Okay. This has gone on for way too long. Ikki, Meelo go play or airbend or whatever it is you kids do,' Korra said in a commanding tone. Ikki and Meelo wasted no time in obeying her as they hurried off, whilst being propelled by their airbending.
Asami got to her feet with an annoyed look on her face. 'Korra, what was that about?'
'Pema's talking to Tenzin. He's going to forget about the scroll and we should too. I don't care what Jinora's hiding but all I know is that it's not going to ruin my day, so do you guys want to go back to Republic City or something?'
'Maybe later, but not yet,' Mako said.
'Yeah, we've only been here for like an hour or so,' Asami stated, her answer in accord with her boyfriend's reply.
'Usually, I would say yes,' Bolin said as he pulled out a hat from thin air and placed it atop his head, making his little Fire Ferret, Pabu, recoil around his neck. 'But, I don't think this case is solved and I would like to stick around for that because I am –'
'Oh no, don't say it, don't say it ...' Mako chanted quietly.
'Detective Bolin,' Bolin said with an air of superiority, completely ignoring Mako as he clapped his palm against his brow in total disapproval.
As Asami began giggling at Mako's reaction towards Bolin's alter ego, Korra frowned at his puerile behavior. 'Seriously Bolin, aren't you a little too old to be playing detective?'
'Mako gave up an uncharacteristic short laugh before turning to face Korra. 'He's not playing.'
'Avatar Korra, my fire ferret and I would like to ask you a few questions,' Bolin said.
'Come on Korra ... just play along for a little while,' Asami said, in between giggles.
'Fine. What would you and your fire ferret like to know "Detective Bolin?"' Korra asked, placing air quotes when she said Detective Bolin.
'My sources confirm that the time of the crime was from around noon. Where were you at said time?'
'I was and still am, on Air Temple Island.'
'Please be more specific.'
'Why are you questioning me? It's not like I'm a potential suspect or anything.'
'Those who evade questioning inevitably become potential suspects and besides, my catchphrase would beg to differ your previous statement,' Bolin replied, switching from his current straight faced Detective look, back to his usual smiling face.
Asami, who had stopped laughing by now, was next to speak. 'What's his catchphrase Mako?' she asked her boyfriend, a little too enthusiastic about the whole thing.
'You do not need to know,' Mako replied in his usual frank manner. But Asami did find out what it was, for as he stopped talking, Bolin started speaking, 'My catchphrase is everyone is guilty until proven innocent.'
'Okay,' Korra said before turning around to face Mako. 'How long before Detective Bolin switches back to just Bolin?'
'It's definitely going to take a while, might stop at the end of the day, if we're lucky.'
'You cannot evade justice Korra,' Bolin said, retrieving his Detective voice.
Korra could feel herself getting annoyed which prompted her to speak louder than necessary. 'I'm not trying to evade anything! If you're so interested in where I was then I'll tell you! I was Firebending at the Airbending Training Area when Jinora came up to me with some scrolls her mother wanted her to get rid of! Now you know, hope you're happy!'
Bolin didn't reply immediately, he just used Pabu's fur to wipe off the streaks of spit that had fallen on his face when Korra screamed at him. After doing so, he set Pabu around his neck again. 'Though the spitting was unnecessary, I totally get your point, but why were you Firebending at an Airbending Training Area? One more thing, were you in possession of the Tenzinian scroll while you were Firebending?'
'First of all, I was Firebending there because I'm a terrible airbender. I can't even airbend and it makes me really mad and when I'm really mad, I tend to firebend,' Korra began with a calm voice, realizing that Detective Bolin wasn't so annoying after all, 'and yes, I did have the Tenzinian scroll in my possession. I had it in my pocket.'
'So you're suggesting that it was in your possession and there was no time when it might have fallen off or something like that?'
'Absolutely. But ...'
'But what?'
'After Jinora came to me with the scrolls, she told the White Lotus Sentries might have some scrolls which they didn't need and then she suggested that we should go get them. So we raced off to get –'
'Raced off? Did this race involve just running or both running and bending?'
'It involved both running and bending. She used airbending and I used waterbending.'
'So, I'm quite safe to suggest that while both of you indulged in a bending race, the Tenzinian scroll might have fallen off.'
'Well, I guess so. My pocket is rather shallow and I tend to get engrossed in my bending whenever a competition is involved.'
While Mako was extremely tired of witnessing the exchange, Asami was very much entertained by it. He knew that if he listened to one more statement, he would lose his mind. So as Korra stopped speaking, he cut in before his brother could voice another word. 'I love this interrogation, but Asami and I really have to return to Republic City.'
'What? No we don't ...' Asami stopped when she noticed the look on Mako's face which suggested that she should play along. 'I mean um, yeah. We totally have to get back to Republic City because I just remembered that my father has this party he's throwing and I really need to be there and so does Mako.'
'Nobody's going anywhere!' Bolin said with a voice full of authority as he faced the couple.
'Oh yeah? Well then, I'll like to see you try to stop me!' Mako said ferociously.
'If you leave then you would be evading justice!'
'I'm not trying to evade anything!' Mako replied in the same manner as Korra when she too had been accused of evading justice. 'I haven't even seen the Tenzinian scroll today and you should know that because you have been with me everywhere throughout today!'
'And why would I do that?' Bolin asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
'Because you're my brother – we live in the Pro-bending Arena together ... we even ate breakfast together this morning!' Mako yelled in utter frustration.
'Are you trying to have me pervert justice on basis of nepotism?'
'Nepotism? Ha!' Mako laughed in sheer mockery of his younger brother before continuing. 'You don't even know what nepotism means!'
'Well that's not for you to decide and for your information I do and I know that you're trying to use it as a ploy to stop me from finding out the truth about what happened to the Tenzinian scroll!'
'Okay! That's it! I've had enough of all this! You asked for this!' Mako screamed as he brandished a huge fire ball and shot it at his brother who immediately dodged it sharply and took an earthbending stance.
As the bending brothers got set to strike each other down, Korra began laughing. She made no attempt to stop them, she laughed until her eyes watered and her stomach hurt. It was Asami who got in between both of them, in an attempt to stop the impending brawl.
'Both of you stop!' The raven haired teen screamed at the brothers who immediately stopped glaring at each other and focused on her, though Mako still held a fire ball.
'Arguing I can understand, but why would you try to fight each other? Can't you just let off steam and forget about everything?!'
'But he started it!' Mako and Bolin screamed at the same time.
'I don't care!' Asami yelled before facing Mako. 'Mako, get rid of that fire ball!'
'But –'
'Get rid of it!' Asami yelled, her face scrunched in a menacing way that made her look grotesque.
'Fine,' Mako muttered as he used his bending to puff off the fireball.
'Now I want both of you to ...'
While Asami spoke, the only thing that ran through Korra's mind was wonder at how Asami had reduced the bending brothers to ten year olds. With the way she spoke, one would assume that she had younger siblings and was not at all an only child. The dark skinned Avatar frowned at her own uselessness in the current situation. She then decided that she would unravel the mystery, thereby giving Bolin no excuse to be Detective Bolin which in turn would make him apologize sincerely to Mako and everybody will be happy again and it would be all thanks to her.
Korra knew that the only way she could have a shot at solving the mystery was by finding Jinora and more importantly finding out if she was hiding something or lying or whatever. It was then that she left the front of the Library furtively, and as she had expected, neither the bending brothers nor Asami noticed that she was gone.
Easily maneuvering her way through the green house and the flying bison caves, Korra searched scrupulously around the Island for Jinora. Often shouting her name and receiving no answer. 'Where could that girl possibly be?' Korra asked herself. She knew that Jinora had said she was going to tell her father about the scroll but she could bet that Jinora had gone nowhere near wherever Tenzin had gone to pout and mourn his precious Tenzinian scroll. She wondered if Pema had had any luck in finding Tenzin.
Korra sighed deeply and then shook her head vigorously as if to ward off the thought of her returning to the front of the Library and just laugh as Asami was, most probably, still yelling at Mako and Bolin. A strange energy and tenaciousness surged through her and moved her onward.
She soon reached the part of the island which was occupied by the White Lotus Sentries. She then asked them if they had seen Jinora. Fortunately for Korra, they had seen Jinora on her way to the airbending training area.
Korra sighed in relief as she went on her way to the airbending training area. She mentally slapped herself for not searching for Jinora there.
When she got to her most desired destination, the seventeen year old used her eyes to search for Jinora and instantly spotted the younger girl in front of the airbending gates. just as she was about to initiate the gates into motion by summoning a gust of wind through airbending, Korra screamed, 'aha! I finally found you Jinora!'
Korra immediately had need to regret speaking at all, for as Jinora heard her voice, she took off on an air scooter. 'Jinora! Wait!' Korra screamed, but to no avail, Jinora kept going, the air scooter propelling her quickly through the dense bamboo garden that surrounded the area.
Korra thought to chase her but thought otherwise later on. She was, only then, realizing how tired she was. She then cursed Aang for creating the air scooter in the first place. Moments later, she remembered that Aang was the Avatar and so is she. Luckily for her, Jinora was still in her line of vision, though quite far away. She then assumed an earthbending stance and focused intently on her surrounding as she determined where Jinora would be in the next ten seconds and used her bending to make the earth jut out as Jinora arrived at the right spot.
Jinora felt the air scooter disappear from beneath her as the earth jut out and took her way into the sky. She lost her composure and fear made her forget everything she knew about airbending and as she felt herself fall backwards, she started to scream. 'Korra! Help ... I'm falling!'
Korra could see Jinora falling. She immediately conjured up a large part of the earth in the form of a platform and swayed her hands in a way that made the platform swoop through the air and catch Jinora before she reached the ground. Then Korra made pulling movements that dragged the platform towards her, Jinora still atop it.
When the platform got close enough, Korra set it on the ground and crossed her arms. A frown spread across her face as she glared at Jinora. The little girl was still too shaken to speak, so Korra spoke first.
'What was that about? Why were running from me? You didn't even know what I was going to say and do you know how long it took me to find you?'
'Korra, I-I ... I'm so sorry,' Jinora stuttered as she got off the platform.
Korra could feel herself soften towards the ten year old, she obviously felt very sorry for whatever she was yet to confess. 'What are you so sorry about?' Korra asked gently.
'I can't tell you.'
'Why not?'
'Because you'll hate me.'
Korra sighed sadly and almost fearfully, what could Jinora have done that was so terrible? 'Jinora, look at me,' Korra said as she got on her knees in front of the little airbender.
As the ten year old stared at her, Korra continued, 'take your best shot. Whatever it is that you did which is making you so scared of me, will not make me hate you and you wanna know why?'
'Why?'
'Simple. Its cause you're the smartest one of Tenzin's kids,' Korra said as she ruffled Jinora's hair, 'and whatever you did, couldn't have been that bad.'
Jinora laughed as she spoke. 'So you promise not to hate me?'
'Cross my heart.'
'I didn't start gathering the scrolls I was supposed to get rid of this morning, I started last night and I got into your room without permission.'
'Wait, is that the very bad thing that I won't forgive you for?'
'No, I wish it was but it's not,' Jinora said then gulped before continuing, 'when I got into your room, I sifted through your stuff and I found the Tenzinian scroll but then I didn't realize that it was the Tenzinian scroll till I read it and so I dropped it back where I had seen it.'
'Good, you left it in my room. So what else happened?'
'Well, I ...' she hesitated then rushed through her next set of words with her eyes closed. 'I didn't leave your room immediately, I stayed. I looked through your things again and that's when I saw your diary and I read it.'
Unable to contain her anger, Korra immediately scrambled to her feet. She reminded herself that she had promised not to get mad, so she calmed herself before speaking, 'did you read all of it?' she asked through gritted teeth.
'Yes, I read everything,' noticing Korra's transparent turmoil as she opened her eyes, Jinora quickly added soothing words. 'If it'll make you feel better, everything you wrote about Mako was kind of obvious from the way you behave when you're around him.'
'So it's that obvious?'
'Definitely, it's quite conspicuous and very clear. You'd have to be blind not to take notice of it. But even a blind person would still be able to hear your heartbeat cause it's always gets ten times faster and louder whenever you're –'
'Okay, I get it and we are never going to speak of this again. Agreed?'
'Agreed!' Jinora said, nodding her head as she said the word.
'I'm really glad you had nothing to do with your father's scroll getting burnt, but, I don't understand why you were stuttering.'
'I only do that when I'm either feeling guilty about something or when I'm hiding something.'
'Good. Now let's go tell everyone that.' Though Korra hadn't exactly unraveled the mystery, she was glad to find out what Jinora was hiding. So as she found her way back to the Library with Jinora in tow, she felt completely at rest.
Pema finally found Tenzin at the Meditation Pavilion. It had taken awhile for her to find him because she had been distracted from her search by some Air Acolytes who needed her assistance in running some things on the island and after she had done that, she still had to stop Ikki and Meelo from playing in the green house. After that, she finally got the chance to continue her search. She knew it was going to be tough, Tenzin was very good at hiding himself whenever he wanted to do so.
When Pema thought to search the Meditation Pavilion, she hadn't expected her husband to be doing anything but meditating. However, when she got there, she saw him doing the one thing he always reserved for whenever he was deeply distressed – communing with his father's spirit which was just another way of saying, 'hey! Tenzin's talking to himself again!'
Pema had never questioned this particular attitude of his. After all, it was his way of dealing with losing his dear father. So, as Tenzin spoke, she just listened, waiting for the right time for her to jump in.
'Father, Korra gets more and more of a challenge as the days go by. Today, I just wanted to wring her neck or better still throttle her. I can't believe there's a part of you in that girl – she's just so difficult, too difficult!'
He sighed deeply then spoke, 'I know, I know... I must be patient with her,' with that, Tenzin said no more. He just held on to the Pavilion's wooden railing as he stared at the setting sun wordlessly, this therefore stood as Pema's cue to speak.
'Communing with your father again?' If Tenzin was surprised to turn around and find Pema walking towards him, he didn't show it.
'Yes, I am.'
'What did he say?'
'Though he was as silent as the wind, he spoke in volumes.'
'About Korra?'
'About everything and everyone – Korra, Amon, my scroll ... he even mentioned our little bundle of joy,' Tenzin ended his statement by rubbing his hand around his wife's belly, feeling the growing baby in it kick, gave him so much joy and it also reminded him of something.
'Aren't you supposed to be in bed?'
'Well, I was until you had your little spat with Korra and all kids started yelling and I had to get out of bed and sort things out.'
'Right. Sorry about that. I'll just go fix things with Korra right away while you get some rest.'
Pema smiled weakly as she pecked Tenzin's cheek. 'I know you were really mad at Korra for burning that scroll but she really didn't mean to do it and she's really sorry about it. Plus, even though the last scroll of your poems for me is gone, I want you to know that I loved each and every one of it and I'll always have it here,' Pema stopped to place Tenzin's hand on her chest, 'in my heart.'
Warmed by his wife's sweetness, Tenzin smiled. 'Now, go and listen to Korra's explanation and make sure you get Ikki and Meelo out of the green house. I tried to stop them from playing there earlier but I'm certain that they just got back in there when I was gone.'
'Alright, but you have to promise me that you're going to remain in bed no matter what the noise.'
'Promise.' That having been said, Tenzin and Pema left the Meditation Pavilion together before going in opposite directions.
Korra smiled as she and Jinora neared the Library. When they got closer, her smile quickly vanished for Korra didn't like what she saw. Her heart ached and she felt a numbing pain in her stomach. Standing there were Mako and Asami. Problem was, they weren't just standing there. They were also kissing. Korra wasn't surprised to see them kissing, they had been a couple for a while now, but that didn't stop her from feeling jealous and just plain angry.
'I still think Asami isn't that pretty,' Jinora said, in an attempt to pacify Korra.
'Maybe, but apparently, she's pretty enough for Mako to shove his tongue down her throat,' Korra said bitterly.
'Yeah, but you and Mako would make such a better couple.'
'You really think so?'
'If I didn't, I won't say it. Besides, you're the Avatar. That gives you way more advantage than some rich and pampered dark haired Barbie doll.'
Korra smiled at Jinora, greatly impressed at the way girl's mind worked. Apparently, Jinora was full of surprises. 'This is why you're my favorite!'
'I always knew it!' Jinora said joyfully as she hi fived Korra, the two then walked briskly to the kissing couple.
'Seriously, you guys should get a room,' Korra announced as the couple slowly pulled away from each other. Korra and Mako immediately had a surreptitious eye contact.
'Look, who I found, ' Korra said, pointing at Jinora in an attempt to clear the air of awkwardness.
Mako still had his arms around Asami when she spoke, 'Jinora, where have you been all day?'
'Just here and there and well ... everywhere,' Jinora responded.
'By the way, where's Bolin?' Korra asked the couple.
'Not sure,' Mako responded.
'Last time we saw him, he was on his way to complete his investigations,' Asami said.
Just then, Korra heard her name being called out loudly and continuously from afar. Turning around she saw a panting Ikki running towards her.
'Korra! Korra! Korra! ...'
'Ikki, what is it?' Korra asked when the little girl had finally reached her.
'Meelo and I were playing in the green house even after mummy said we shouldn't but we did anyway then daddy came to get us out but we made him run around for a while before we actually listened to him then he told us that he's ready to listen to your explanation. So Meelo got on his shoulders and I ran all the way here to tell you that you better have a good explanation cause he looks like he could get ticked really, really, really fast,' Ikki said, finally stopping to catch her breath.
'So your dad's on his way here, right?' Ikki nodded in response to Korra's question. 'Don't worry, I do have a good explanation,' Korra said, still in reference to Ikki.
'This better be good Korra,' Tenzin said as he approached her with Meelo around his shoulders.
'Oh it is,' Korra began, 'Jinora, would you like to do the honors or should I?'
'You should, Korra, you should.'
'Well Tenzin, it's simple really. When you told one of the Air Acolytes to tell me to go to the airbending training area this afternoon, I had your scroll in my pocket. I only lost it while I was waiting for you when Jinora arrived at the airbending training area, with a bunch of scrolls that weren't useful anymore. I'd wanted to firebend them immediately but Jinora told me that the White Lotus Sentries might have more useless scrolls so Jinora and I had a bending race, which I won by the way, to see who could get to them first and I think I might have lost your scroll along that time. Somehow, someone found the scroll and placed it amongst the useless ones and I burnt them all. And that's exactly what happened.'
'So that's the really good explanation?' Though Tenzin asked his question calmly, he frowned deeply and he had frown lines arched across his brow. As he wasn't glaring at anyone, it can be assumed that he was frowning at himself.
'Yes it is,' Korra replied meekly.
'Oh well, that's all I needed to know. Come on kids, it's time for dinner,' Tenzin said to his little airbenders as he stopped frowning.
'That's not true daddy, dinner time is still a while away,' Ikki said.
'Wait a minute Tenzin that's it? You're not even going to try to find whoever placed your scroll beside the useless ones?'
'Nope, I know all I need to know and I'm okay with it. Besides, what did you all expect me to do, scream?'
'Yes!' Everyone, including Meelo screamed.
'Well I'm not going to.'
'Why not?' Korra asked.
'Because I am not interested in prolonging this case anymore.'
'Something's not right here,' Korra said just as a flicker of realization spread across her face, 'unless .... You know who that person is and you're trying to protect him or her,' Korra said smirking.
'That's absurd,' Tenzin said.
'Is it Tenzin? Is it really?' Korra asked, arching a brow as she spoke.
'Okay fine ... I did it,' Tenzin said.
'You?!' Everyone asked simultaneously.
'Yes, I did it,' Tenzin sighed before continuing. 'When I got to the airbending training area, I saw Korra and Jinora having a bending race. I looked around the place and noticed that there was a single scroll just a little farther away from a huge pile of other scrolls so I just put that one amongst the others. Then I remembered that I had to tell Pema to remain in bed, so I went to her quarters. I didn't even unroll the scroll to see what was on it before tossing it beside the others.' He turned to face the Southern Water Tribe teen. 'And Korra, I'm sorry for blaming you for everything and I promise to be more patient next time if you promise to forgive my bad temper and harsh words.'
'It's a deal,' Korra said, smiling.
'All, this time we all blamed poor Jinora for all this,' Asami said.
Mako smirked, 'I wish Bolin were here to hear this.'
Suddenly, the clouds seemed to darken as an Airship descended from above. It was a Police Airship so no one was surprised when Police Chief Lin Beifong, stepped out of it. The only thing everyone was wondering at the moment was what the Police Chief was doing on Air Temple Island.
'Lin, what a wonderful surprise,' Tenzin said in a welcoming manner as he approached the Police Chief.
'Cut the garbage Tenzin,' the metalbender began tersely, 'I know you're all wondering what I'm doing here. Well, don't worry, none of you is in trouble ... yet,' Lin said frankly, narrowing her eyes at Mako and Korra for no particular reason. 'I'm just here because I was going through some of my things and I noticed that I still have some of your poems, Tenzin.'
Tenzin grinned wildly and spoke in a way that made him sound like a giddy ten year old. 'You do? Where are they Lin?'
'They're in my Airship, what did you call them again? Oh right, your Tenzinian scrolls from the good ol' days are in my Airship, Tenzin.' Lin smiled from nostalgia at these words, but she soon managed to wipe off the grin quickly.
'She has my Tenzinian scrolls everyone!' Tenzin declared.
'Let's go get them daddy!' Meelo said as he, his sisters and their father all rushed into the Airship.
As the airbenders raced off, Asami stepped forward, 'Chief Beifong, may my boyfriend and I trouble you for a ride back to Republic City?'
'Of course, Asami Sato,' Lin replied simply.
'You know me?' Asami asked.
'Everyone does,' then she turned to Korra, 'you can come too Avatar.'
All three teens walked into the Airship with the Police Chief in tow. As the Airship door slid shut, Tenzin suddenly screamed, 'I haven't told Pema that we're leaving!'
'Relax Tenzin, we're only going a ferry ride away from here. You'll certainly be back in the arms of your beloved before she has her baby,' Lin said.
'Wait. I feel like we're forgetting something,' Korra announced.
'Yeah, we're forgetting to read the poems on these scrolls,' Jinora said as she picked up one of the Tenzinian scrolls that had been found on the Airship.
'No, that's not it,' Korra said, 'but that's going to be really funny.' As Jinora started reading the poems on the scroll she had picked, everyone listened with rapt attention, by now the Airship was already soaring through the sky.
Bolin finally got to the Library but no one was either in front of it or in it. He had been at the other side of the island for about an hour or so, questioning the Air Acolytes and White Lotus Sentries about the Tenzinian scroll, which they conveniently seemed to know nothing about.
He had noticed an Airship soaring through the sky but he hadn't noticed that in it were Tenzin, Korra, the airbender kids, Asami and his brother, Mako. On his way back to the Library, he had noticed that the island was a little too quiet. He then assumed that he would see his brother and friends at the Library where they would be waiting to hear all about his investigation, which was a failed one. He knew Mako would smirk and make snarky comments about his failure, but he also knew that with Asami around, Mako would do no such thing.
But the thing is, none of them was anywhere in sight. Surely, if they had gone anywhere else he would have known about it, for wherever his friends and brother were, there would be.
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