Fandom Legend of Korra - After the War (jaydude x Necroknight)

[jaydude]

NecroKnight
"It doesn't matter to me whether or not he can bend. I'll love him all the same." Xiao said in response to Li's question. "Though unless one of his birth parents came from the Fire Nation or one of the Water Tribes, chances are he'll either be an earthbender, or have no bending at all."

"Well, I expect we'll find out in the near future." Her father said, before the family turned around and re-entered the mansion. As they did so, Xiao looked at Li.

"Where do you want him to sleep?" She asked in a whisper, referring to Yun. "We could put him in the nursery with my siblings, but I was also thinking we could arrange a cot for him in our room. Just so that we're nearby him at night."

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

"I was thinking the same thing," replied Li in reply, gently continuing to stroke his head. "I mean....we could have him sleep between us two...that way, we both can bond with him and if he is needed. We are right there to offer assistance."

"So...what are you guys thinking of - now that we have dealt with one problem," she spoke, addressing Xiao' father. Namely about the rising banditry and poverty in the various states around them - some of them just couldn't simply maintain stability on their own.

"This was the largest bandit army to date - maybe more organized than during Kuvira' time," she spoke. "What I am saying is...do we continue with our own Qutong...or move beyond our borders?"

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight
Xiao had to admit, Li's idea of Yun sharing a bed with the two of them did have its merits, the key one being that she could cuddle up with two of the people she loved the most in the whole world right now.

"Yes, I've been meaning to talk with you about that, Commander." Xiao heard her father say when Li asked about what Qutong's policy was going to be from this point on, his mood becoming grave. "When you've got time, I'd like you to join men in the meeting room."

"May I join the two of you?" Xiao asked.

"Feel free." He replied after spending a few moments contemplating the concerns and possible benefits of making this decision, before starting to wheel himself towards the meeting room.

"I'll get Yun settled in your room." Xiao's mother said. Xiao gently handed the baby over, and the older woman turned around and headed towards Xiao and Li's room.

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

Li nodded in reply, watching as her mother-in-law take away their future child and son. She soon followed after Xiao' father - not much sure about Xiao' being part of this kind of likely war meeting.

But Xiao was liable to take over ruling Qutong once her father was old enough to retire. Whatever the case was, Li got her Commander look on - as all three of them arrived in the meeting room.

"So...what did you want to talk to us about?"

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight

The meeting room consisted of a circular chamber with a large round stone table in the middle, around which were a number of wooden chairs. Xiao and Li sat down next to each other on one half of the table, while her father wheeled himself over to the other half.

"Look here." He said, sliding a long and official looking document across the table towards Li. "That's a missive from the United Republic that's been sent out to all the states that border them. The crux of it is, right now they're overwhelmed with refugees, both Republic City residents left homeless from Kuvira's attack, and Earth Kingdom folk who've fled there over the last few months. They've assured us that they'll "try and find a solution of benefit to both parties", but the bottom line is, they can't accept any more of our people for the time being. They want the Earth Kingdom states to stop allowing people to travel into their nation."

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

"But this kind of order is almost impossible to enforce," spoke Li. "Since most of the refugees are liable to come from the more poorer states way down in the south-eastern regions. Those have barely a stable government, let alone the manpower to stop people from leaving..."

Li groaned in reply to that, as she read the missive order once more. "So this...it has come to this. We're either going to be forced to take in refugees we can't handle or...."

Commander Li took on a rather dark look at that. "No. Despite what I consider I am still an Earth Kingdom' member. I hate to say this but..."

"...we have to repeat history and unite the Earth states once more. Neither the monarchy nor the Avatar was upto or willing to help us. So we start over, a new nation, a new government. At this rate, what will remain of culture will be the scattered remains of the states..."

"...and whatever city-states manage to survive this chaos," spoke Li. "I know I sound like Kuvira...but I sadly see no way forward, less our people be starved near the borders of the United Republic."

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight
Xiao couldn't help but look uncomfortable when Li voiced her opinion that the only way forward was for them to unite the Earth Kingdom states under Qutong's banner, even if the two of them had discussed it before. Her father meanwhile just looked skeptical and flinty.

"I don't believe that. I don't believe that even for a second." He said once Li had finished speaking, raising his voice as he spoke. "Besides, even if I were to agree to what you're proposing, do we even have the means and resources to police other states along with our own? And what about when we come to the cities, states and provinces like us, who've managed to come out of this ok so far? Zaofu, Ba Sing Se, Gaoling and Shan, to name a few. How do you propose we deal with them? Are we just going to politely ask them to pledge allegiance to us, or march in and force them to? And if we do that, do you really think the Avatar, the Air Nation and the United Republic will be willing to allow a new dictator to rise in the Earth Kingdom?"

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

"I am not saying, we use force to do it. I am saying, we use all options available before us," replied Li. "I am not asking us to become another Kuvira - as we march and conscript all those before us. All of that, was done by force and under Kuvira' leadership. Despite Kuvira' losing her focus at the end of the world - one can atleast say, she was mostly successful...back when we were at the edge of oblivion."

"Now we are back there, only without much the physical danger present as before Kuvira," sighed Li - as she looked over at Xiao' father. "You say, we can't do that - what other choice do we have?"

"Do we wait, until these states collapse - and deal with the horde of refugees that will most likely be pouring onto our territories and that of the other nations. We have to face facts - not all the states, could operate without support from the central government. Some were reliant on the Earth Kingdom before that - and some were simply too damaged to sustain themselves after the war..."

"And...we have something, that the other states do not have. A technological edge," she said.

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight

(OOC: Since we don't know how the events of Turf Wars are going to play out yet, I'm going to be somewhat vague regarding things in Republic City.)

"I'm not saying we do nothing, Li." Xiao heard her father say in a sincere voice. Both he and his daughter could tell that, regardless of how she wanted to go about doing it, Li genuinely wanted to help the Earth Kingdom.

"I'm just saying that we can't go around forcing our ways of thinking on other states. And I'm not just saying that out of a sense of idealism. Look at how the Southern Reconstruction Project almost fell apart after the Hundred Year War. Or how the Water Tribe Civil War started, for that matter. And of course some people weren't happy with Kuvira telling them what to do, even if she bought peace. If we insist on telling every governor and every Earth Kingdom citizen how they should live and work, some of them are going to get angry."

"Li, we all want to help the Earth Kingdom." Xiao said, placing a hand on her wife's shoulder and giving her a reassuring smile. "But I don't believe that we have to conquer it. I think we just need to make sure that every state has either the means to grow its own food, or the resources to trade for it, and that their people are safe from bandits. Does that sound like a good idea? Besides, I doubt we're the only group who want the Earth Kingdom safe. Surely by now, the Avatar and the Air Nation are done dealing with the issues surrounding the new Spirit Portal."

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

"That...may be true, yet we still have the hordes of bandits and ex-Kuvira soldiers whom are still loyal to her ideals and eager to resume her work..." sighed Li, scratching her nose.

"Okay, okay...let's give it a week. Let everything stabilize and then we can see to opening some trade-routes. Alright?" replied Li in reply.

---

(After this I plan to skip a week; maybe mix a bit of Turf Wars into our story and force Qutong to go on the offensive)

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight

Xiao sighed. "I don't want to wait a week. It seems like we've already waited two months without doing anything, and in that time the Earth Kingdom's done nothing but shift further into chaos."

"I agree. And I never planned to spend the next week being idle, anyway. As a matter of fact, the reason I summoned you was because I was considering military action, of sorts."

Looking up in slight confusion, Xiao saw that her father had a small grin on his face.

"I don't entirely disagree with you at all, Li. Far from it, actually. You are right in that the United Republic's actions will not stop refugees from travelling west, and you are entirely right about the dangers of a refugee crisis. Over the last few days, I've heard that the city of Tanjing, north of us and close to the eastern border of Republic City, is already surrounded by refugees planning to claim asylum in Republic City. Something they'll likely find impossible given the United Republic's orders. Other refugees will likely flee to areas of the Earth Kingdom they perceive as safe, like Ba Sing Se, Zaofu, and our state. Even if those cities can sustain them, it'll be a tremendous drain on resources, to say nothing of the risks of infighting and disease." He shook his head, frustrated at the situation.

"What are you suggesting, father?" Xiao asked.

"If we want to solve this problem, we need to deal with whatever problems are causing people to leave their homes and livelihoods. You are right again, Li, in that poverty is one of these factors, but a far greater concern are the bandit gangs, like the one that attacked us this morning. If we were able to get rid of them, they would be unable to rob and kill, and then people might feel secure enough to not consider moving away, but staying and improving their situations at home. As big a hardship as poverty can be, it can also be escaped through help and hard work."

At the same time, Xiao was looking at the missive in more detail. "It says here that the Avatar and the Air Nation left for the Earth Kingdom last week, now that Republic City has become more stable. And apparently the Republic Armed Forces are offering troops to help restore and maintain order in the Earth Kingdom!" She said, that last part coming as a surprise to her given how little the United Republic had done after Hou Ting's death.

"I know. I can't be sure whether it's out of the goodness of the President's heart, or they just want to prevent another Kuvira from appearing, but in any event, I'm not going to complain about them helping us out." Her father replied, before turning back to Li. "Anyway...Li, I'd like you to start looking into military options we could carry out against these bandits. I'll look into diplomatic and political options, and see what information I can gather for you. Is that okay?"

(If you want, you can skip ahead a week, either to us beginning an attack on a large gang of bandits, or preparing to carry one out.)

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

After they followed the proposal set by Xiao' father - Li for the most part had her hands full. Namely being the assistant to her wife Xiao - as their plan was to unify the various stable regions and help produce something of an economic union.

It was a bold and heavy plot - but the basic principle was simple. Trade. If they could get trade flowing, then that trade could be used to help keep people in their homes and not go around and drain resources from other states.

Namely, what they first needed to deal with - was draw up thousands of miles of trade routes - which was a chore itself. "Oh goodness, I am sick of papers already," groaned Li, carrying another stack for Xiao.

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight
"I hate to admit it, but nothing worthwhile is ever achieved without hard work." Xiao said with a small grin, taking a sip of tea from her cup as Li deposited the next stack of paper on her desk, Xiao going over the documents and drawings with a sharp eye and a ballpoint pen.

Dealing with the trade paperwork was monotonous and time-consuming, and when combined with the time she spent looking after Yun, it meant that Xiao was a very busy woman nowadays. Still, the work would become simpler as Xiao learnt more about the worlds of politics and economics, and she knew that, in terms of lives improved, everything she did would be worth it in the long run.

She focused on the documents, and the objectives she had to achieve with the trade deals, both in Qutong and the states that surrounded it. Look for where we can export our non-essential goods for the most profit. Check what goods the surrounding states need, and what goods they can trade for it. Take bandits into consideration regarding trade routes. Send food to areas that need it, but make sure to find a good balance between helping people and maintaining Qutong's resources. All in all, there was a lot to consider.

"You're aware that Suyin Beifong's negotiating with us about buying some of our platinum to rebuild Zaofu's domes, right?" Xiao asked, as she worked on her current sheet of paper. She wouldn't be surprised if Li already knew; when it came to matters regarding Qutong's supply of platinum, she wouldn't have put it past her father to discuss it with his daughter-in-law, just in case Li had plans to use it for more defenses or other stuff.

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

"That I am aware of. Zaofu is known to be rebuilding at a rapid pace as well as our own - I hope this time, they won't ignore the problems that are plaguing our location, until it isn't knocking at our front door," hummed Li.

As she soon took a chair and sat next to Xiao, checked ng up on what she was doing. Yun' crib nearby, as she took over gently rocking him in it.

"How much plantinum we're talking here?"

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight
The younger woman gave a small nod after hearing Li's remarks about Suyin. While Xiao sympathized with the leader of Zaofu not wanting to become a tyrant, Li was right about her doing almost nothing to help the Earth Kingdom. And unlike the Avatar, she didn't have the excuse of recovering from a near-death experience.

"That hasn't been agreed on yet. My father wasn't sure how much of our current stocks you wanted to retain for our own needs." Xiao replied in answer to Li's questions, laying her pen down and turning to look at her wife. "I imagine that he's going to want you to play a part in the negotiations."

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

"Is it because, I am the Commander of our Guard Forces? That I had once served in Kuvira' ranks and might be a direct face on what has happened to many people in the Earth Kingdom?" asked Li. "Or the simple fact, that I handle most of the protection detail and manufacturing of the plantinum?"

Namely, when they started rebuilding Qutong - Li had been the first, to invest and try to get people back to search for ore in the old mines. While they had been closed down, after the Hundred Year War was over; Li had still believed there might be something left there. Despite Kuvira having that mine stripped at a rapid pace. As her luck would have it Li was right - a few years later and a half a mile to the right; Qutong had discovered plantinum once again. In large quantities - it might Li a rich woman in truth. But the woman never cashed-out on it - sinking more money than she had been paid into Qutong and its Guard Force.

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight
"Well, yes. You are in charge of our state's defenses after all, and that includes all the platinum we mine. Truth be told, I think my father just wants to know whether or not you're not planning to use the platinum to build...I don't know, our own Colossus or something like that, before he exports any of it." Xiao answered, turning back to her paperwork and chuckling at the thought.

As evening started to encroach on the city, Xiao lay down her pen and leaned back in her seat, looking at all of the completed paperwork with fatigue, but also satisfaction. "Well, I've just written up lots of detailed trade plans for us, and all five surrounding states. Now all that's left to do is just hope my father approves, and try to convince the other states to accept them." Xiao said.

Right now, most of what Xiao had written was theoretical, and it was bound to be negotiated over by whoever they presented it to, but she was still quite proud of it.

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

"That is my wife for ya," chuckled Li in reply, gently rubbing Xiao' shoulders with her hands. "As for the mine and all, I have been thinking."

"...and no. I am not planning on building a Colossus. With that amount of money, we could easily construct several hundreds of tanks instead," replied Li. "Plus, we can pay an army for about - I don't know. A good two years of payment, for a single Colossus. It wastes money, plus...you can't send it to the scrap yard after it is finished with..."

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight
"It was a joke, Li." Xiao said with a smile, humming happily and stretching like a cat as she felt Li's hands on her shoulders, before standing up. After tucking her chair back in, she picked up a stack of the papers she had just worked on.

"I'm just going to deliver these to my father, then I'll come back here." She said, giving Li a quick kiss on her lips before leaving the room and heading to her father's study. It would likely take him a few hours at least to look through everything on Xiao's desk, so she didn't plan to hang around for long.

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

Li smiled in reply, as Xiao left their quarters. As she gently picked up Yun, and rocked him in her arms. She hadn't seen herself as a mother at that - too much time protecting everyone from the brutality.

But now that she held Yun - she could feel her maternal instincts kicking in and wanting to care and protect the child from harm.

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight
After handing the papers over to her father, giving him a quick explanation about what they were, and assuring him that everything was okay with her, Li and Yun, Xiao made her way back to her and Li's room.

Shutting the door behind her, Xiao took a moment to smile at the sight of Li being in mommy mode and gently rocking Yun, not having to think about things like bandits, soldiers or state security. Then she walked over to the two of them, looking down at Yun, her own maternal instincts beginning to kick in.

"Right now, the two of you are my favourite people in the world." Xiao whispered, after leaning down and softly kissing Yun's forehead. It might be considered a bit of an "oogie" gesture, but Xiao didn't care; both those people deserved to hear it.

(Skip to Suyin's arrival?)

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude
(Sure)

About two weeks later the delegations from Zaofu had arrived. Namely Suyin herself had come in person - while nobody blamed the Metalbender Clan for not stopping Kuvira; here still existed that overall thought that Suyin could have done more.

"Hello, and welcome to Qutong. I am Li, Commander of the Qutong Guard Force and majority owner of the Qutong Mines. Xiao here is my wife and second negotiator for our deals and her father as well," spoke Li, welcoming them to Qutong.

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight
"It's good to meet you, Li and Xiao. I'm Suyin Beifong, and these two are Wei and Wing, my sons." Suyin replied with a smile, nodding to each of the two young men, both of them twins, who accompanied her. In terms of physical appearance, the Metal Clan matriarch looked just the same as she had before the Earth Queen's assassination. Both she and her sons wore the typical green robes and metallic accessories of Zaofu.

Now the Zaofu delegation's gazes turned to the prosperous city and the walls that surrounded it, and Suyin couldn't help but give a slight look of appreciation. "Compared to some of us, you've really come out of this crisis well." She said.

"Well, this city was nearly razed to the ground by bandits several months ago, but since then, we've rebuilt and recovered. I hope we can help Zaofu do the same." Xiao said with a polite smile, deciding not to mention that the main reason Qutong had been so successful was because of Kuvira's support. They didn't need the negotiations getting awkward before they even began.

 

[NecroKnight]

jaydude

"It is just the usual - hard work and a drive to rebuild your home, no matter the cost," replied Li to that question - as Qutong had once been nothing but rocks and broken walls. Before Kuvira started rebuilding it for its plantinum resources. Then afterwards, Li and Xiao' family had taken over and rebuild the place even more and further.

The motto of Qutong was 'never again'. She still remembered, how Xiao' mother and her own mother-in-law now had been found being played around by horrid bandits. While their father had been left in some ditch, with his legs broken. Suffice to say, the two - once simply considered guard and heir to the Family - had proven themselves.

Li shook her head, to get out of the nostalgia - before addressing Suyin."So then...shall we get down to business?" asked Li with a smile.

 

[jaydude]

NecroKnight
"After the last few months, I know the feeling." Suyin replied when Li talked about what had gone into rebuilding Qutong, and Xiao was silent as she remembered the dreadful feeling of coming home to find it destroyed and her family half-dead. Soon afterwards, Li asked if she wanted to begin negotiations.

"Of course." Suyin replied with a smile of her own. Looking at the older woman, Xiao had to admit that there was a stately beauty about her, much like that of her mother. It was the kind of elegance that came with age and wisdom.

"Come on, it's this way to our meeting room." Xiao said, as she and Li led the Beifongs to the location in question. Both Xiao's parents were already there when they entered the room, and her mother wasted little time asking Suyin how her family was doing.

"Bataar's in charge of Zaofu while I'm away. Right now he's co-ordinating the rebuilding of our domes. Huan's currently working on a piece of art based on the appearance of Republic City's new Spirit Portal. Opal's with Avatar Korra and the other Air Nomads, helping the Earth Kingdom get back on its feet. Bataar Jr...he's currently at Zaofu, dealing with...what happened during Kuvira's attack on Republic City." Suyin answered, fondness in her voice up until she got to Bataar Jr, at which point she became slightly despondent.

"Let's start the negotiations, shall we?" Xiao's father asked a bit too cheerily, evidently trying to prevent Suyin from dwelling on the subject of her firstborn.

(Skipping through most of the negotiations)

Some time later, all parties had, after much discussing and haggling, reached an agreement that suited everyone; Suyin had her platinum, Li had retained sufficient for her needs, and Xiao's family stood to make a good profit on the deal. With that concluded, Suyin bought up the matter of transporting the platinum.

"With the amount you're buying, we're not going to be able to load it onto an airship. We'll have to move it by rail." Xiao said, looking apologetic. The train carrying that platinum would be an attractive target for bandits while it was between Qutong and Zaofu.

"Me and my sons can accompany the train." Suyin replied. "But would Qutong be able to provide some additional protection?" All eyes turned to Li, considering her the best person to answer that question.