Dinner:
"Tonight, for your dining pleasure, I present a seared wild Kyoshi Elephant Kori, paired with a ginger-infused pea tendril and hibiscus root salad!" Suyin's Chef presented proudly. The heavily tattoed, pieced, big-bellied man with a long beard braided into three ropes looked rather... out of place wearing an apron standing in Suyin's lavish dining room.
"Stunning!" Suyin commented on the presentation of the dish placed in front of her by servers. The chef bowed and took his leave, crossing another man on his way out.
"Sorry, dear! I'm going to have to take dinner in my office. I just had a major breakthrough on the ram station remodel," the rather frazzled-looking middle aged man informed his wife in a hurry, followed by a nearly identical, smooth-faced, younger version of himself carrying a stack of papers.
"Well, don't let me stand in the way of inspiration!" Suyin replied waving to him with a soft smile.
"You're the best!" Baatar yelled running off down the hall.
"That was my brilliant architect of a husband, Baatar, and our eldest son, Junior. He engineers all of my husband's projects."
"Five kids, what a nightmare,"
"No, no. My children are a blessing!" Suyin replied shaking her head before taking a sip of wine.
"Yeah Mom used to say that too, but she never meant it," Lin muttered looking away.
Before anything got too out of hand, Bolin eased the tension. "Mmmm. I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical when he said "pea tendrils"," He said with a laugh. "but this is delicious!"
"I know, right. I don't think I've ever had a bad meal in my life." Opal giggled.
Lin frowned. Of course she hasn't. No doubt Suyin coddled her. None of these kids have any idea what the world has to deal with. None of these kids have even the slightest notion of the struggle of those on the streets.
"Oh. I had plenty when Mako and I were living in the streets," Bolin replied nonchalantly as Opal's face dropped in horror. "I mean, you'd be surprised how bad food from a dumpster can be!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Opal said sympathetically.
"You should. You could ask your mom all about it. I'm sure she's had plenty of experience with harbor trash in her pirating days," Lin interrupted quietly.
Suyin shot her a look, but neither Bolin nor Opal heard.
"No, no, it's okay, that's all in the past. Things are great now. I got to be a pro-bender, fought against a dangerous revolution, became a mover star, and now, I'm helping the Avatar rebuild a whole nation." Bolin said rapidly, trying to ease Opal's nerves.
"Wow. Your life sounds so exciting!" Opal said enviously, folding her hands in her lap.
Lin rolled her eyes and Suyin pretended not to notice.
"So, Korra, how is your search for the new airbenders going?" Suyin asked.
"Honestly, not great. We had to rescue a whole group of them from the Earth Queen who wanted them for some elite division of her army," Korra replied.
"Oh she's horrible! She thinks she can just do whatever she wants!" Suyin replied with a dismissive wave of the hand.
"Sounds familiar," Lin muttered with her lips touching her own glass of wine.
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing... Nothing at all," Lin lied glaring at her sister.
Flashback:
Lin - 18, Suyin - 12
Lin was studying for her final exams for the Police Academy. She only had one more set of procedures to memorize regarding how to handle hostage and ransom situations safely and effective techniques to barter with criminals. She passed the physical exams two years prior and only had left the written exams.
"Hey, Beifong! Go home! Get some rest and quit worrying. You're going to pass those exams with flying colors. I know it!" her instructor reassured her.
"Yes Master Fan. I know, I just- I don't want anyone to think that I was given a place on the force just because of my mother's position. I want everyone, including myself to know I earned it," Lin replied with a wide, kind smile.
"I don't think anyone here could ever doubt your worthiness regardless of your lineage, Beifong. You've been working for this since you were a baby. You deserve it more than anything. Now go home, get some rest. You're done here for today."
"Thank you, Master Fan." Lin replied. She packed her books into a shoulder bag and left the Academy section of the Police Station and went down to the underground garage. She smiled as she passed the official, Police Satomobiles on her way to her own that her mother got her for her sixteenth birthday.
"I'll never be able to drive it, but you will. Now be safe, and don't forget to bring home dumplings EVERY night," Toph had told her before handing over the keys.
Lin smiled at the memory. She wondered what she would spend the rest of the afternoon doing. She knew the exam wouldn't be too difficult, and Master Fan was right. She was ready. She could go grocery shopping, or visit their neighbor. She could volunteer at the neighborhood earthbending academy for a few hours before dinner. She could visit Tenzin on Air Temple Island. The possibilities were endless in the City. She could-
"Su! What are you doing home?" Lin asked as she opened the door finding her twelve-year-old little sister in the living room of their home with two strangers on the couch and an assortment of jewelry that Lin didn't recognize from hers or her mother's wardrobe, and an expensive handbag on the table.
"Wow! You almost look like a real cop!" Suyin laughed from her place on a chair alone, sitting like a queen on a throne while her two friends shared the couch.
"You should be in school!" Lin's eyes narrowed, a frown forming on her flawless skin.
"Oh no, are you going to tell Mom? It's not like she's going to care!" Suyin laughed, glancing sideways at her friends who snickered and swept the jewels into the handbag.
Lin sighed. She knew Su was right about that bit. Mother was too busy to care. She was always too busy. It seemed like as long as her daughters were still eating and breathing, she was content. It wasn't fair.
"I mean, just the idea of even having a queen is so outdated! Don't you agree, Korra?" Suyin asked subconsciously staring the young avatar down.
"I haven't really thought about it too much," Korra replied fiddling with her fingers nervously probably thinking about how she used to think Suyin was the 'nice one' of her and Lin.
"Well, you should start. The world is evolving and the Earth Queen can evolve with it or step aside!" Suyin said with a wave of her hand.
"Hey, everyone," Lin said slamming her palms down on the metal dining table, denting the edge of it. "Apparently my little sister is an EXPERT on world affairs now.
"You want to talk about what's really bugging you? Because I'm RIGHT HERE!" Suyin replied slamming one hand on the table, turning on her chair to face the enraged chief of police.
Your hypocrisy. Hating on a queen when you're no less an autocrat than she? Your false belief that you're somehow enlightened and are suddenly above everybody? "Your uncanny ability to fool to everybody," Lin growled.
Suyin's eyes narrowed dangerously but she didn't say anything. Lin wouldn't back down.
"Well that's a bold accusation!" Korra scolded Lin.
Before the sisters could spear each other through with metal, two newcomers joined the group for dinner.
"Sorry we're late, everyone!" The flamboyant Southern Water Tribe Native apologized loudly as he danced into the room wearing Zaofu fashion, followed by his assistant.
"VARRICK!" Bolin shouted with a little too much excitement.
"What are you doing here?" Asami asked narrowing her eyes with just as much suspicion and unease as Lin was feeling.
"Great question, Asami. I mean what are any of us doing here? Wow, food for thought. Any who, how's our company doing?"
"You mean my company. Future Industries reverted back to my leadership after you plotted to abduct the President." Asami answered.
"Allegedly plotted to abduct the President. Never convicted." Varrick replied defensively with his hands up in innocence.
"Uh, that's because you escaped prison," Mako reminded him.
"No, the universe decided to set me free. So, I looked up my old friend Suyin here, pitched her a few ideas, [Smacks the table.] "and bam! We're in business together!" Varrick informed everyone proudly.
"Varrick's heading up my new technology division." Suyin added.
"I've seen the future, and the future is, magnets! I'm working on a high-speed rail that would revolutionize transportation and shipping as we know it. But that's not all, I'm-," Varrick began to tell everybody.
"All right, enough!" Lin yelled standing up. "I'm trying to keep the Avatar safe and you're harboring a criminal?" she yelled pointing an accusatory finger at her little sister. "What else is new?"
"Ease up, Lin. Sure Varrick's made a few mistakes in his past, but that doesn't mean he should pay for it for the rest of his life. My chef was a pirate, but now he's a culinary master. People change," Suyin said.
"YOU HAVEN'T!" Lin yelled throwing her chair into the far wall as she turned away.
"Lin!" Korra yelled.
"Can I have the rest of your elephant koi?" Bolin called after Lin as she slammed the door behind her with a cable.
As Lin walked back to her assigned guesthouse, she remembered.
Flashback:
Lin - 18, Suyin - 12
Lin turned her attention to the boys that her little sister brought home with her a little too often. "Where'd you get all that stuff?"
"Fell off the back of the truck," one of the boys said standing up.
"Haha. Likely story. Give me your IDs," Lin ordered.
"Nice try, Beifong, but you have no authority yet," the boy said walking past Lin. "You can't make us do anything!"
"You little-" Lin growled bending the door shut in front of the boy.
Suyin yanked it open again with her own bending and jumped to her feet always ready for a fight. The younger girl had stronger raw bending, was faster than her sister, and at times, could be smarter.
"What are you doing hanging out with these losers, Su?" Lin demanded, whirling on her heel to face her little sister.
"They're my friends and you have no right to call them that!" Suyin replied. "Come on guys, let's get out of here."
"Su, stop!" Lin yelled grabbing her sister's wrist.
Suyin yanked her hand free and bent her metal cuff into a blade, pointing it at her sister's face.
"Why?" Suyin asked glaring up at her older sister challengingly.
"Because you have so much potential! You're ruining your life!" Lin replied ignoring the sharp metal in her face, glaring down at her spunky little sister.
Suyin laughed and lowered her hand, retracting the blade. "At least I have a life!" she laughed walking out the door with her friends.
As the door closed behind Suyin, Lin let out a sigh of frustration.
Notes: