-zzzzt. They're at it again.
"Tsk! This old man is starting to really piss me off." Zhong said as he drove towards his house.
It has been two days since someone started following him wherever he went. Presumably, Shang's work.
"He won't be able to find anything on me, anyway. What about Jun? Has he left his place yet?"
Zhong asked the man he's been talking to on the communicator.
- He hasn't.
Jun has been holed up in his home after the board presentation. The access to his floor has also been restricted except for Shang.
"When was he supposed to go to the orphanage?"
- That was today, sir.
Zhong's face contorted. Jun not leaving his home even for his regular visits at the orphanage which he had faithfully done for years infuriated Zhong. He had realized his mistake when he got too emotional. He got heated up when it looked to him like Shang was putting benders on a pedestal. Disgusted, he unintentionally hinted on what he really is. But he still did not expect Shang to fully distrust him because of the relationship he had built up with him over the years and the loyalty he's shown.
He was confident that he had hidden his connection with the equalists, but time can only tell if he had made any mistake hiding it now that Shang was on his case. They needed to do something.
- Sir?
"Stand by." Zhong replied. He got out of his car and went inside his house. It was a big house like you would expect someone of his stature to own. All the latest appliances were there and a few art pieces that would cost ten times an average person's annual salary.
Zhong got hot water in a cup, then he calmly and carefully put tea leaves in his tea infuser before soaking it in the hot water. The hot cup was then placed on the table in his living room where he sat in his sofa and clasped his hands after gathering his thoughts as he waited for his tea to brew.
A foreboding smile flashed.
Five days later...
Ring. Ring.
'Who?' It was rare for Jun to get phone calls so it was natural he'd be surprised. There's no caller ID. With what's been going on in his life lately, he was extremely cautious and thought about ignoring it. Eventually it stopped.
Ring. Ring.
But the phone rang again and he ended up nervously answering it.
"Hello?"
-You're a hard man to reach.
A woman's voice gracefully flowed out the phone.
"Who's this?"
-Tsk. See, this is what happens when you stop getting in touch with someone.
"...Samaya?"
- You guessed it right on the first try. Clap. Clap. Clap. I guess I was the only one you blew off, huh?
"What? No... It's just that you stopped replying to my letters and eventually..." He was gonna say he stopped writing but he felt like it would lead to a bad ending.
"And you were the only real friend I ever really made there."
- hahaha right. That's how you were.
"Still am. I don't know why but my charm isn't for everyone." He jested.
-Hahahaha yeah right
Hearing Samaya laugh for the first time in a long time soothed Jun.
- Jun... I'm sorry I wasn't able to answer your letters. We had to constantly travel depending on the season because of our tradition. We had so much to do at that time as well, fixing the air temples and such. I could have left earlier but...
She felt like she needed to help finish the stabilisation of the Air nomads.
- When news came out that you were the mastermind behind Global Industries, even though I found out two years late, I was so happy that you were doing okay. You are okay, right? You going bald wasn't because of a disease?
She worriedly asked him. There was a rumor going around that all the cures for genetic disorders that Jun made were actually results of his research on his balding disorder. But that couldn't have been the case because he also found a remedy for that.
"Hahahaha I'm doing fine. And I'm also happy you're doing alright."
- Pfft. Anyway, the Air Nomads finally finished everything and I'm finally freed up. I was just at the orphanage yesterday and I got your number from Yui.You still remember our promise?
"Yeah, that."
- If you still dream of travelling the world, this big sister will guide you.
Samaya turned out to be a year older than Jun.
"Actually, now that you mentioned it, I'd really appreciate you coming with me. In fact, I just finished packing."
- I never expected that we'll leave immediately, but that works too.
She gleefully said.
- Just tell me when and where
"Okay, then meet me at-"
Jun cut off his words when he heard the call waiting tone and saw the caller ID
"Sorry, Samaya. I'll put you on hold. I think Yui is calling me from the orphanage."
- Alright, I'll wait.
Jun could never know but Samaya was pouting on the other side of the call.
"Hello?" Jun said when he answered the phone.
- Oh, Jun. It's me, Honey. From the orphanage.
"Oh, right. Why did you call? Where's Yui?"
Honey was one of the part timers working at the orphanage that started just a few months ago.
- Actually, Jun. That's why I called you. You see, Yui suddenly collapsed and-
No more words were needed. Jun immediately got off the phone and ran. He even forgot that Samaya was waiting on the other line. Yui was already a middle-aged woman so he worried about her health more than before.
He quickly got in his car and left the building.
Meanwhile in Zhong's office...
- Zzzzt. We just saw him leave the building.
At that, Zhong smiled. "Finally." He remarked.
Skrrrt. Jun arrived at the orphanage and ran. He's imagined so many scenarios at this point. Only to find Yui laughing as she played with the children.
"Huh? Jun?" Yui was surprised at the unexpected visit.
"Yui? I thought you were... Where's Honey?"
"Honey? She just left with someone saying she it was urgent. Why? What's happening?"
But before Jun could answer her question, they heard the phone in the office ringing.
Jun ran towards it as he felt something ominous.
Ring. Ring. Click.
"Hello?" Jun answered as soon as he reached it.
- Jun! Don't listen to anything they say! They- Argh!
"Grandpa!"
- Ohhh you better start listening to anything and everything I say, Jun.
Jun's eyes widened when he heard the voice other than his grandfather's.
"Zhong..." Jun narrowed his eyes.
- How rude. You don't even care to call me uncle, now. You're making me sad.
Jun gritted his teeth as Zhong ridiculed him.
- Pfft. Anyway, you better get back here quick or else. And you better not tell anyone.
Click.
Jun's eyes darkened.
"Jun?" Yui just arrived at the office where Jun was.
Without looking her in the eye, he started walking back. "... It's nothing. I need to get back."
"What's wrong, Jun? What happened?" She urged him to answer.
"... I have to go." He fled without explaining.
At Jun's place.
"You won't get what you want by doing this, Zhong." Shang uttered to his captors. "I won't let you."
Men with intimidating appearances and dangerously armed were scattered in Jun's home.
Despite the situation, he maintained a calm demeanor, sitting still on the sofa with his eyes closed like he was meditating.
"I won't kill you. You're gonna keel over soon even if I let you be. Just hand over the company to me and I won't hurt you and Jun." Zhong pushed a contract to Shang's direction.
"..."
Zhong pinched the bridge of his nose when he was met with defiance.
"Stop being so stingy, old man and sign the papers!"
"..."
"Tsk! We'll do this the hard way, then."
He leaned his back on the sofa opposite to Shang and crossed his legs.
As they waited, Zhong's goons looked around the place with curiosity. One of them started playing with one of the swords displayed. It was clear that he had some mastery with it and appreciated the piece.
Whrrrr. Tok. Whrrrr.
The elevator started moving.
Zhong opened his eyes and smiled that what he was waiting for was finally here.
Ding! At the sound of the of the elevator arriving, they all turned their attention on it.
The elevator opened just halfway but they saw Jun in full sprint coming out of it and took them by surprise. The most unfortunate one was the first one in his way as he got knocked out with an an open palm to his chin before getting a chance to react. With the element of surprise gone, three other men swarmed him with their tonfas and electric gloves, but even with three of them, they were not able to overpower him and just forced the momentum into a stalemate.
At this, Zhong got up and started applauding. "Very impressive, Jun!" But the second he snapped his fingers, like it was rehearsed, two other man grabbed Shang on each side, forcing him to stand up from the sofa. "Now, stop if you don't want us to hurt your precious grandfather."
"No, Jun! Don't stop and- argh!!!"
"Grandpa! Buh!" He got distracted when his grandpa got hurt and the three men was successfully able to land one clean in finally.
Jun trudged backwards as he clutched his stomach.
"Guh! How much did this guy train?!" One of the men that was attacking Jun earlier voiced out his complain like it was unfair.
"You're just a bum." The only woman out of Zhong's men that was on stand by during the fight said.
"Oh, yeah? Why don't you try me?"
"Come." She taunted him.
"Grrrr!"
"Stop." Zhong lifted up his index finger towards them. Both of them stood down.
"Now, Jun. Here's what's going to happen. Your gramps will hand over the company to me, and you will continue to create new products, as well as the bending sleeves for the company. You'll still get your share, of course. But in return, we won't hurt you and your grandfather. Not a bad deal, right?" Zhong beamed a smile at Jun.
Jun furrowed his brows at him and looked down at the table where Zhong was tapping his finger on a contract.
"... If I do this, you promise you'd let us be?"
"I swear on my ancestors. If you sign this, we'll both be out of each other's hair."
Jun nodded and started walking towards Zhong and the contract. He glanced around and saw the Zhong's men were watching his every move in case he decides to fight back again.
He was about to crouch down and sign the paper but...
"Jun... don't... kukh!" Shang's knees suddenly gave in.
"Grandpa!" He jumped in front of his grandfather and kicked the two men holding him. They were late to react because they were surprised by Shang's sudden collapse and ultimately pushed away by Jun's kick.
Jun looked at them furiously. "What did you do to him?!" But Zhong's face said it all. He was just as confused by the situation.
"Jun..." Shang uttered.
"Grandpa..." Jun crouched down and held him up.
"It's just my time, Jun." Shang caressed Jun's face.
"No..." Jun's eyes started weling up with tears as he held his grandfather's hand on his face.
"It's not truly the end..." Shang smiled at him. "...there will be a time when we get to see each other again..." A tear rolled down his cheek.
"Sniff. Grandpa..." Jun bit his lip
"Until then... continue to make me proud... live your dream... and show... them-"
"Grandpa!!! Aaa...."
Shang died in Jun's arms with a smile on his face.
As Jun was mourning, Zhong's mouth gaped.
'I knew he'd die sooner or later, but...' Shang was already seventy-two years old but was still quite spry, so he hadn't anticipated his sudden death. Could their beatings have sped up his death? It may be one of the reasons.
"What bad timing." He muttered to himself.
He doesn't have a way to tie down Jun now except for one thing...
Violence.
Jun carried his grandfather's body and laid it down gently on the couch.
"Jun... we're terribly sorry for your loss but-"
"SHUT UP!!!"
All of them was jolted by the sudden outburst.
"You will pay for this, Zhong."
"Kid, I get it, your grandfather just died. It's really saddening. Shang was also something of a father to-"
Fwoosh!
Fire shot out towards Zhong but thankfully he was able to dodge it. His eyes widened when he traced back the fire from Jun's extended fist.
"How..." He immediately looked for the bending sleeve, but it was still on Jun's work desk where they found it in the beginning. He couldn't have used it unless he made another one. But Jun is just wearing a black t-shirt and no bending sleeves on.
"I'll have you all arrested for this." Jun said with wrathful eyes and started walking towards the elevator.
But two of Zhong's men stood in his path and others started surrounding him.
Jun put on a stance, seemingly intent on fighting.
"Even if you can fire bend, there's still only one of you and twelve of us."
It was true. It may even be hard for a master in firebending. That's how good these guys were judging by their fight earlier.
But he was really intent on running away. Surrounded, he needed to find an opening.
And what was good for escaping situations like this one?
Jun started swaying his hands in a circular motion, and the air around him followed.
Wooosh!!
"Oh my god! He's...!!"
Airbending!
All of them started to get pushed back but it wasn't enough.
Jun's eyes started to glow and glowing lines started to appear on his head and his forearms like airbending tattoos but looks composed of lines reminiscent of a circuit board found in electronics.
Fire also started to circulate along with the air current and made them back away.
Seeing the opening, Jun cancelled the "Avatar" state and lunged straight towards the window using airbending. He looked like a torpedo in water.
Crash! He broke the glass window.
Now outside, he started free falling.
"Graaaah!!!"
He frantically waved his arms and airbent to cushion his fall.
An experienced airbender would have landed gracefully but he wasn't yet and so he landed on all fours.
Successfully landing, he immediately ran.
Zhong's men peered over the window and saw Jun heading towards the direction of the police headquarters.
"Oh no..."
"What are we gonna do, Zhong?" They looked over to their leader for what to do next. It was a dangerous situation for them if Jun gets to the police.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA" but they were met with laughter. "You son of a gun! You did it! You actually did it! HAHAHA!!!"
They all looked at each other like he was going crazy.
Zhong wiped away his tears from laughter. "Ahahaha! I wanted him to make bending sleeves for other elements too, but I guess I can't be greedy." He said as he clutched the firebending sleeve that was on the desk earlier and looked at it.
"Ummm, Zhong? I know you're having a moment right now but uhhh.."
"Don't worry." He took a deep breath to calm himself down and calmly headed towards the phone. "It's time to collect some debts." He picked it up and started calling someone.
"Pant. Pant." Jun finally reached the Police headquarters. He looked behind him to check if they were following him but there was no sign of them. "Phew! I made it!"
As he was about to open the door, the ground opened up and swallowed him. In a second, he was spat out beside the police building. A man immediately covered his mouth with his hand and put one finger on his own mouth to shush him. It all happened so fast that he wasn't able to react on time.
Fortunately, it was someone he knew.
"Don't be loud. Nod if you understand." The man whispered.
Jun was confused but he complied and nodded.
"Okay, good. Now, I'm gonna ask you this question one time. Nod or shake your head when you answer. Don't lie because I'll know it. Did you or did you not kill your grandfather?"
Jun's eyes widened in surprise, but ultimately, he shook his head.
"Okay. Phew." The man sighed in relief. "I knew you wouldn't do that. But the chief of police has issued an order to every captain in every precint to arrest you for Shang's murder."
Jun's eyes furrowed. "Mmm! Mmmm! Mmm!" His protests were muffled by the man's hand.
"I know. I know. Shhh. Calm down."
When Jun finally calmed down, he finally took off his hand on his mouth."Okay, now tell me what happened."
Jun started telling the story from when he got called by honey informing him about Yui, up to the point where he stopped him from going into the police station.
"It's a good thing I found you when I did." He said as he glanced at Jun's bald head. It just so happened that he was headed to the police headquarters to get something when he received the orders and noticed something shiny from the sidewalk.
"Thank you, Xiao Dan." Xiao Dan is Yui's huband and knew Jun since before they even got married. He also happens to be a police captain.
Xiao Dan shook his head as if saying its was nothing. "Listen to me. Remember everything I say with that big brain of yours. You need to disappear for a long while until this all blows over. Don't go back to your place, our place, Shang's, or the orphanage. Get out of this city right now. Don't talk to anyone. And don't worry, I'll tell Yui."
He then extended his fist towards a tree with a piece of clothing hanging on the branch and shot metal wires at it using metalbending.
Ziiiip!
When it came back, it had grabbed the clothes that were on the tree and Xiao Dan, then, gave it to Jun. It was a hoodie and Jun immediately put it on knowing it was to hide himself.
"You're like a son to my Yui. That's why I need to protect you." Xiao Dan patted Jun's soldier. "Go. Be careful out there."
With a regretful expression, Jun bowed his head. "...I will." He said, then he left.
Xiao Dan looked at Jun's back as he was leaving and remembered the day when he and Yui got married. The little kid that cried the whole event because he was so happy for Yui grew up to be a very decent man. He didn't know him as well as his wife did but he knew him well enough to know that he loved Yui like his own mother. Someone like that could never hurt his grandfather.
There's only one reason this happened. Xiao Dan looked up at the top of the building where the office of the police chief was and furrowed his brows. It all made sense to him now how an incompetent officer like that made it to the top. "Zhong..." He muttered.
If Zhong had managed to get the chief of police in his pocket, it wouldn't be hard to imagine people in other seats of power to be eating from his hands. And now that dangerous person will be the head of one of the most powerful companies in, not just Republic city, but the whole United Republic.
Thanks to Xiao Dan's warning, Jun was able to sneak out of the city safely. Into the forest, he went in deeper and deeper. The pockets of the hoodie had money in it, and he also had extra money in his pocket when his house earlier. He didn't know how long that money will last him but his problem right now is he can't use it inside the forest. Fortunately, he knows how to survive in the wilds because he knew he would have to camp out when he finally travelled the world.
He took off his shoes and went into a horse stance.
Crack! Crack! Thud! Boom! Everytime he stomped the earth, it cracked and erupted by his will.
He earthbended a small dwelling for him to stay in. He still needed to secure food and water, but he decided to rest for now.
Jun sat down on a bed he made with earthbending and went deep in thought.
Just a week ago, he had just showed Shang a more sophisticated invention in contrast to the bending sleeve.
That time, when they went to his place after the board meeting, he revealed that he had hidden it behind the shelf of his library.
He didn't know what to call it.
"That's it? That's what you told me about?"
Shang asked him.
"Yes. With this, one would be able to bend all four elements."
"How..."
It was in a tube, glowing, as it was suspended in liquid. It's shape followed the chi pathways similarly to the airbending tattoos of the airbenders and synthetically created as it looked like it was made of circuitry.
When he travelled to the north pole where the spirit portal is, he managed to enter it. It was forbidden to enter the spirit world but curiosity got the best of him, his instincts as a researcher was fired up. There, he saw traces of a battle.
"That's when I came upon it. Bits and pieces of the spirit Raava. I can only conclude that it was torn off during Avatar Korra and Unalaq's fight. The spirit vine I brought with me reacted strongly to it. When I brought it near, it absorbed it."
"And then you made this with that."
Jun nodded and opened the tube.
He was brimming with excitement.
When he brought his hand near it, the synthetically made thing made out of spirit energy stuck to his body, anatomically positioning itself along Jun's chi pathways. Then it seeped into his skin.
"Urgh!" He felt a bit of pain so he closed his eyes and groaned. When he opened his eyes, it was glowing, along with the other parts of his body where it seeped into.
At the earthbent tent in real time, as Jun was remembering these things, his eyes and body also glowed. His body floating in the air.
That was the start of Jun's adventure as the fake avatar.