Ally Beifong

6: Arena Attack

"I guarantee their safety," Lin said. "After all, my kid is going to be in that arena too." 

"The arena stays open!" Tarrlok announced. "It's quite hard to argue with Chief Beifong's past. She's an elite officer and she can protect them." 

"Lin and Alice, may I have a word?" Tenzin muttered. He led them outside to a hallway where he started his lecture. "You know Tarrlock is playing you. You could get hurt, I don't want that to happen."

"I've been working this job for a long time, I know the risks," Lin snapped. 

"Are you willing to risk your daughter's life?" Tenzin asked. "Our daughter's life."

"Oh, really?" Ally scoffed. "Don't pretend you care about me. Where were you my entire childhood?"

"I'm going to stay with you during the match," Tenzin said. 

"I don't need a babysitter," Lin grumbled. 

"For Korra and Ally," Tenzin tolled his eyes. 

"I'm capable of protecting my daughter," Lin snarled. "Whatever. Do you what you want to do, can't stop you anyway, unless it's helping me raise our daughter." She scoffed and walked away, taking Ally's hand in hers. A few hours before the match, Lin had her metalbenders search the entire place for any signs of equalist gear or an attack plan, there was nothing. 

"How's everything going?" Tenzin asked. Ally took a deep breath and avoided an eye roll.

"Good," Lin said. 

"You've checked underneath the stands for any bombs and such?" 

"Yes,"

"And you're covering all points of entry?" 

"Would you leave me alone?" Lin inquired. "I have the sea, sky, and every place of this arena covered." 

"Lin, can we just help each other out for one night?" Tenzin sighed. "There's just so much at stake right now." Lin felt a small smile come to her lips and she looked at her old friend. 

"Fine," Lin sighed. "I'll try... I said try, to be less harsh." The announcer called out the teams playing for the championship, the Future Industries Fire Ferrets, and their opponents, the Wolfbats. The first round started and the Wolfbats were already cheating, exceeding time limits, and the ref said nothing. 

"Really?!" Tenzin shouted. "That was a foul! there is a serious problem there!"

"Since when do you know the rules of pro-bending?" Lin smirked and crossed her arms. 

"I-I, Korra has been giving me some tips," Tenzin stammered. The rounds passed, and Korra showed no mercy, she was tough and light on her feet. Lin watched with curiosity as the young woman continued to shock her. 

"That kid is tough as nails," Lin noted. "Your dad was reincarnated into her? Seems hard to believe." The third round passed and the Wolfbats won by cheating, they put rocks in the water they bent and fired it at their opponent's heads. Tenzin flared up, sending a gust of hair to blow back an unamused Lin's hair. Ally was laughing, but she agreed with Tenzin that it was an unfair game. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, but Ally noticed a man in a mask advancing toward her mother. 

"Mom!" Ally yelled, pushing her out of the way. The equalist stuck out a gloved hand and caught Ally in the back, shocking her with blue lightning. She let out a yell of pain and collapsed on the floor. 

"Ally!" Lin yelled. But she was shocked too and collapsed next to her daughter. Equalists with the shocking gloves took out the rest of the metalbenders as Amon took the stage. Screams filled the arena, as Ally started to come too. She saw the masked figures standing over her mom and Tenzin. She stayed lying down, hoping no one would notice. If she got up, she was as good as dead. Amon warned everyone that if any bender stood in his way, he would take their bending away, for good. The revolution began that night. An airship, bearing Amin's logo, flew over the glass roof of the arena and shot cables down to pick everyone up. Once the equalists were gone, Ally shook Lin's shoulder. 

"Come on," Ally muttered. "Wake up, mom!" Lin groaned and grabbed her head, looking around. She was about to shoot a cable up to go after Amon, but the stage exploded, throwing her back, Korra made a vortex of water to go after Amon, but she ran out just as she was about to get to him, and fell. 

"Korra!" Ally yelled. She shot a cable up to the roof and wrapped another one around her friend's waist, flying through the air. Korra grabbed onto the metal as Ally pulled herself into a split and shot her up towards Amon. She pulled herself up to the roof, retracting the metal to a spool on her back. She was followed by Lin who shot a cable up to try and catch the airship, but equalist's caught and electrocuted her, causing her to collapse. 

"Ally, get to Amon, I'll hold them off," Korra shouted. Ally nodded, but Lin stopped her. 

"Stay here," she ordered. She got herself up to the ship just as the glass beneath her cracked. Korra didn't notice the damage, but Ally did. She shoved Korra out of the way, just as the glass gave way and she plummeted. She let out a yell, and Lin let go of her hold on the ship to save her daughter. She attached a cable to a banner hanging from the stands and sent one after Ally. The young woman grabbed the metal cord and Lin swung her to safety. She landed hard on the concrete floor of the stands, and stood up, looking at her mom. 

"You alright, sweetheart?" Lin asked. 

"Yeah, I'm ok," Ally replied. "I'm okay."

"We'll get them next time," Lin squeezed Ally's shoulder.