love builds prisons

[anatural]

WHO: Hei & Korra
WHAT: After losing the baby, Korra sneaks out of the metal clan city to find Zaheer.

[Korra walks quickly and quietly down the corridors, using every technique she'd learned during the civil war to remain unnoticed by the guards. Snow and metal were two entirely different elements, but when you looked beyond the surface differences, the techniques for one can guide techniques for the other. She's heading for one of the isolated service doors that open up to the world outside the metal clan's city. Naga's already outside — earlier that day Korra had gone for a ride with her, and returned on foot after the guards had changed shifts. Her escape has been carefully, meticulously planned. The only person who could stop her is Hei, and he's not going to notice. He's been off in his own little dark world since she lost the baby. He doesn't see her at all.

Nobody does. Tenzin, Bolin, Mako, even Asami... They're so caught up in their pain for her that they can't see they're drowning her. Every time they say Korra, I’m so sorry, all she can think is Why? She's never wanted to be a mother. The Red Lotus is gunning for her and every other world leader. It's honestly for the best that the baby is gone. She knows there's a part of her that's grieving, but she can't feel it. That numbness and detachment frighten her, but there's no one she can talk to about it because all she'd get is more sympathy and orders to rest. Take it easy. Stay inside. Love will once again build her a prison — but she doesn't plan on giving it the chance. More than anything else, she's the Avatar, and she's not going to just hide inside a metal fortress while the world burns because she's "recovering." Even if she has to do it alone, she's going to find Zaheer and stop him.

She reaches the service door and lets out a relieved breath. Almost there.]

Comments

[candothat]

[Chekov can't understand what Korra's asking, of course, but he can guess. How is he here, why is he here... who knows? He shrugs in reply and lets her go after giving her a final squeeze.

It's terribly flattering that his presence is so appreciated that Korra can ignore Hei, but he's right--talk can wait. He slips back into Russian.]

Where are we heading back to?

[anatural]

[Korra shoots Hei a glare. He's right, but that doesn't mean she has to like it. It'd be a lot nicer if she could focus on the positive — her best friend being back — rather than dealing with her shitty reality and the fact she wants to beat the crap out of her boyfriend for being an asshole.]

Where's Zaheer and the rest of his group?

[mortemscintilla]

[ Hei is aware he's being a killjoy. But he's not planning to lose sleep over it. Despite Chekov's unexpected but gladdening arrival, the fact remains that Korra is in danger, in a limbo where there is no way to know when the next blow from the Red Lotus will come, or from what direction, or how long the onslaught will last. ]

[ To Chekov, in Russian, he says, ] The metal city. This place is supposedly impregnable. Zaheer and his group didn't get inside without help. [ Then, to Korra, ] Chekov and I fought them off. We did some damage, but they got away. [ Terse, operational, until an irrepressible need to reassure her leaks in. ] We'll get them next time. They're tough. But not invincible.

[candothat]

[An impregnable metal city. That would seem bizarre to Chekov if he hadn't somehow beamed to wherever Korra and Hei are only to engage in a fight with would-be abductors who can control elements.

How long has it been since he left the ship? An hour? And to think that he has already managed to get into trouble and see someone die.]

Korra should go there, yes, but perhaps I should stay away from this city. [As much as he doesn't want to hang out here with the bad guys, if everyone around here looks like the people he has seen so far, Chekov can only imagine that he will stand out terribly in all of his curly-haired, blue-eyed Europeanness.]

[anatural]

What? No! Don't be stupid! You're staying with us! [She's not letting him go after they get to reunite like this. Not happening.]

[mortemscintilla]

[ Hei's face, smoothed flat of expression as he translates for both teenagers, is nonetheless contemplative. Privately, he weighs the merits versus the demerits of letting everyone in on Chekov's presence. On the one hand, Chekov would stick out like a sore, melanin-deprived thumb. But so what? Hei's brought Yin to this world -- in all her wintry Nordic beauty -- and she's become almost a quaint novelty at Air Temple Island. Sometimes invisibility is better achieved by standing out. A local character gives the illusion of being ever-present, their quirks and idiosyncrasies easily dismissed as products on an alien culture. ]

[ On the other hand ... Maybe it's best for Chekov to keep a low profile. Partly for his own safety -- (if anything goes awry, it's common to use the new weirdo as a scapegoat) -- partly in case Zaheer attacks again. Having an ally behind the scenes -- an ace in the hole -- could put the odds in Korra's favor. ]

[ Hei considers everything for a moment. But in the end, sentiment -- stirred by Korra's effusive joy earlier -- trumps tactics. God, you've gotten soft. ]

[ Flatly, he tells Chekov, ]

You'll be fine in the city. We won't let anything happen to you.

[candothat]

I have no doubt that I will be safe. [How dangerous can these people be, really?

What worries Chekov more than his appearance is everything else: his unfamiliarity with the culture, the language, and the level of technology, the possibility of having any of the items on his person discovered. While he has no doubt that he can learn the local tongue given time--he is, after all, rather adept at learning languages, if not at speaking them with an accent that's readily understood--the period of adjustment will be awkward. He isn't afraid, though, so much as nervous. He has spent the vast majority of his life being the local oddity. As long as his phaser, communicator, and translator are secure, he can probably get out of any additional trouble by playing the part of the wide-eyed ingenue.

To Hei, because Korra's tone didn't leave much room for argument:] If you believe that it be strategically advantageous to have me stay hidden outside of the City, please tell me.

[His mind went to the same place as Hei's, but he doesn't know the situation well enough to determine the cleverest course of action. Chekov might trust Korra with his life, but he trusts Hei to assess the realities of a situation impartially.]

[anatural]

[Korra looks to Hei for translation. Talk about fly in the ointment — she hates not being able to talk to Chekov directly, when they've never had problems with it before. She knows both of them would leave her out of the conversation if they thought it was in her best interest.]

[mortemscintilla]

[ Hei glances from Chekov's earnest face to Korra, who is radiating a sulk so electrically charged it's a wonder she hasn't shorted out all of Chekov's machinery. Objectively, he knows keeping the boy hidden at the fringes is the smarter option. If there's an opportunity for strategic deception against the Red Lotus, he needs to take advantage of it. His ends involve keeping Korra safe -- and he certainly believes they justify a wide range of means. ]

[ On the other hand, it's risky to leave Chekov alone outside the city's walls. He's unfamiliar with the terrain, doesn't speak the language, and if he gets into trouble, it will be one more loose end for Hei to contend with. Stealth and subtlety are good tools. But they're not the only tools available. What he needs is a middle ground. ]

[ A moment of silence spins out. Then, to Chekov, ]

It's better for you to stay hidden. But not outside the city. I'll get you a disguise, then smuggle you in. There a places in the metal city where you can stay without being discovered. Korra and I can come see you there, and vice versa.

[ A beat, before he glances at Korra. ]

He'll come with us. But we can't tell the others about him. Yet. It's better to stow him in through one of the tunnels.

[candothat]

[Oh, Chekov can feel the mighty Avatar Sulk. He's taking a great deal of care to not look at Korra lest he find himself throwing good judgment aside in favor of placating her.

Hei's idea is... kind of insane, honestly, but Chekov knows when he's out of his element and needs to trust others to lay down plans, even if those plans sound patently ridiculous.]

Yes, good. And you will tell me what I need to know?

[He risks looking over at Korra.]

I'll do what I can to repair my translator, although I make no promises.

[anatural]

[Don't worry, Chekov, Korra will question Hei's insane plan for you.]

Why?

[mortemscintilla]

[ He exhales irritably, more expressionless than usual, as if gravity pulls more strongly at the muscles of his face, tugging its masked surface flat. He lists the reasons off on his fingers. ]

Because the Red Lotus only got a few glimpses of him. Because they know nothing about his background, or who he is -- which works in our favor. Because he has weapons and smarts that will come in handy. Because it's better to keep your friends -- and the metal clan -- in the dark, especially if there's a double-agent relaying information to Zaheer. Also -- [ Here he visibly bristles, as if appalled by her blindness. ] -- If we leave the metal city, keeping a low profile will be impossible with a white boy tagging along.

[ No offense, Chekov. There's a beat, before he glances at the younger man. In Russian: ]

I'll give you all the info you need. Also supplies and additional weapons. I know you don't like the plan. But you've arrived at a volatile time. We need to get the jump on our enemies -- and you can help us achieve that.

[candothat]

[Chekov doesn't need to speak Korra's language to get the gist of what they're talking about. He pats Korra's shoulder in what he intends to be an it's-okay-I-don't-mind-hiding-in-a-tunnel sort of gesture. It would only be temporary.

(How temporary might depend on where, exactly, he is in relation to the Enterprise. It might be very temporary indeed if the ship is in the same universe.)

To Hei:] I can't argue against a plan if I have no counterplan to offer. Worry more about convincing Korra.

[He's already trying to figure out how to rig some kind of charger for the phaser. Perhaps he should ask if Jinora is around; she seemed to have a solid understanding of the workings of the technology of her world...]

[anatural]

[Be appalled all you like, Hei — Korra's not ready to give into you just yet.]

We could shave his hair and dress him like an Air acolyte!

[mortemscintilla]

[ If it's a charger Chekov wants, Hei can filch the requisite materials from Varrick's quarters -- once that omnipresent female assistant of his is preoccupied. Or he can loan Chekov one of his own modified adapters, brought along from the City. (Or, if worse comes to worst, Chekov can use Hei as a power-source. What does Pai's ability grant him, if not the benefits of functioning as a sentient battery?) ]

[ He starts to say something to Chekov -- but Korra's suggestion cuts him short. His expression segues into something just short of withering. ]

Good plan. If you're Zaheer. [ Have you forgotten that's how he infiltrated Air Temple Island? ] Tenzin and Beifong are already suspicious of any new acolytes.

[candothat]

[Korra. Korra, no.

Right now, Chekov just wants to know what's going on, attempt to contact the Enterprise, and wash off the blood and grime. It seems rather counterproductive to stand around arguing about his living arrangements when there are exceedingly powerful people after Korra.

Also, he isn't going to shave his head. He needs his hair to remain on his head so he can continue being adorable.]

Perhaps we could discuss this somewhere safer...?

[mortemscintilla]

Agreed.

[ Hei's cadence falls like a fullstop at the end of a tedious paragraph. As far as he's concerned, the discussion is over. (What kind of monster would make Chekov shave his hair off? Even he isn't that heartless.) ]

[ He scans the periphery one more time, in case a threat has been lured here by the burble of their low voices. Determining none, he prods Chekov forward with one hand, the other skimming the small of Korra's back to keep her close. ]

[ In Russian, ] I'll show you where the tunnels are. [ Then, to Korra, ] We need to head back. The others will be worried about you.

[ Not that he cares if they are. But if Suyin sends metalguards to scout the area, it's better for the three of them to slip out of sight. ]

[anatural]

[You both are idiots and Korra hates that she loves you.]

This discussion isn’t over.

[Even if she is, for now, conceding to necessity.]