Avatar: The New World

Epilogue: Aftermath

Lula

Lula was scratching Lucky's chin when Jing entered the room. She turned towards him and saw that Vince had arrived. "You okay, Lu?"
She tried to smile and wiped her face dry. "I'm fine, what is it?"
"You know I got a journalist for ya, right?"
"Yeah, I used that spy camera or whatever it was, don't worry."
"That's great, that's really gonna help."
"What else do you need? I'd rather be left alone."
"It's just that journalist I mentioned, she wants to see you."
"She can't do that, not today."
"Too bad." It wasn't Vince's voice that had responded. A woman stepped out from behind him and Lula rolled her eyes.
"Yara Garlan? Really?"
"She's the best choice, I'm telling ya. With her coverage of Lee's attack, she's the one people wanna see break this news."
"I'll be the one breaking the news." Lula's voice was venomous.
"But you'll need my help to do it." Yara moved to the couch and took a seat. It bothered Lula that she didn't ask first. "And Vince is right. The people love you and I'm the one they want talking about you. I'm the one they turn to when they want news about your career, your personal life, your campaign."
"So you're saying you're like a parasite who's latched onto me for a free ride?"
"Free?" Yara scowled. "I work damn hard and I deserve the audience I've built for myself."
"You mean, the audience I've built for you."
Yara took a deep breath, Lula could see her looking to Vince. He had obviously coached the woman on how to best talk to Lula. "You're right, you built that audience, you did the hard work."
Lula smiled and inclined her head. "So, if you're my best option for this story I guess we should start talking. I think you'll wanna hear about what happened tonight."
"Before we start," Yara said, "Remember that the election is tomorrow. You will be the mayor of Capital City. Are you sure you want to be caught up in a scandal like this?"
Lula held out a hand and Jing was quick to bring her a drink. "Please, I live and breathe scandal, Miss Garlan. You should be the one afraid right now. Once I tell you what I know there's no turning around. ToCo will come for you the same way they'll come for me, eventually. Are you sure that sounds like something you want?"
Yara seemed to think about it for a moment. When Lula was sure the woman was ready to get up and leave, she took a recording device from her bag, clicked it on, and placed it down between them.

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Rorrick

Silence filled the remains of freak town in the aftermath of the explosion. Rorrick got to his feet, trying to remember what had happened. He was covered in ash and soot, the hovercopters that had been in the air were littering the ground. The sight of them brought back a flash of power raging through him. He remembered the fire bending around him as he directed the explosion up and over his fellow benders. They were all now huddled together in the tight courtyard of the town hall, the only portion of the earth not scorched by Mae's hydrogen explosion.
Mae.
He turned to where she had been standing but she was gone. Or at least, what was left of her was unrecognizable. He fell to his knees beside her remains and allowed his tears to stream freely through the ash on his face. As he mourned, he heard voices from behind him.
"Did he just fire bend?"
"I thought he was an air bender!"
"Did you see his eyes?"
His eyes. That comment brought back memories of his visions of Avatar Korra. As he stood up from his mentor's body he could feel Korra standing beside him. She was smiling and that made him feel good, but behind her was the ever present shadowy beast, whispering and hissing in the scorched trees. Korra didn't say anything, she gestured towards the benders of freak town and he knew what she wanted him to do. He turned to the crowd and inhaled deeply. The air was still heavy with ash and it made him cough, which seemed to stop the benders from saying anything else.
"You're right," He said to them. "I did just fire bend, and I can air bend too."
"How can you do that?" Someone called out.
"I... I'm the Avatar."
The hush was broken. Not many of the benders had read anything in the Lotus Library but they'd all heard of the Avatar, the savior of the world. As they whispered, Rorrick stood beside his dead teacher with so much emotion flaring inside him he could barely stand. Just as he was about to fall to his knees, he felt a strong body prop him up. He turned to see Bowie, snout coated in blood, orange fur singed. "I'm the Avatar," he said again, this time with more confidence and the crowd started to cheer.