[VOICE | Backdated Pre-Event] Survey

[anything_it_takes]

[You wanna play it this say, Raph? Taking surveys to prove a point? Fine. Let's play.

It's not about who cares - well okay, to be fair, that's the MAIN reason they developed such fine-tuned stealth skills in the first place. But that's not the only reason a ninja should stay hidden. With enemies who would probably not announce themselves first, who would see him and his brothers on the Network and then proceed to silently hunt them down one by one...

The last time the team faced Shredder, he nearly killed them all, starting with Leonardo himself; the memory of seeing the intent in Oruku's eyes while facing down his blade remained a deeply chilling moment. But now Leo's team is down by one, they're not always together and they can't just stay underground here. If Shredder found one of them out in Keeliai, alone, with no way to contact the others for help...]

How many people have had their enemies show up.

[A question with the cadence of a statement. That's how you know he's serious, apparently.

If this survey turns up zilch? Leo will have to concede the point completely. But he doesn't really suppose that'll be the case. Let's find out.]

Comments

[alphatar]

[Their enemy’s peculiar name gets a raised eyebrow from Korra, but she doesn’t interrupt. After all, she had her own crazy opponent that had an army of his own and constantly wore a mask.]

Glad you guys pulled through. What is it with them and taking hostages?

[Korra had to ask thinking of how the airbending family was abducted, and even though he wasn’t necessarily a hostage, Korra put Bolin in that category anyway.]

Yeah, guess I can see why you posted that on the network now. If this Shredder ever does show up, I think I’d like to take a crack at him. Taking down one insane psychopath qualifies me for that, right?

[There’s a wry smirk on her face after that. The parallels they shared in regards to training and life experiences were different and similar at the same time. It was comforting, in a weird way, to know that others close to her age were going through similar troubles. Human or not.]

[anything_it_takes]

It's a line they can cross but we won't, [Leo comments on the topic of hostages, brimming with faith in the wisdom of his sensei's words on the matter. He paraphrases them now.] It makes them dangerous, but it doesn't make them strong.

[Leo's reaction to the suggestion that Korra might confront Shredder, on the other hand, is nothing short of dramatic. His eyes widen in alarm and he turns to face her squarely, one hand gesturing for emphasis.]

Korra, NO. Shredder – he isn't just some psychopath with an army. He's a Grand Master of ninjutsu, like Sensei. We've only fought him once, all four of us against him alone, and we – we barely made it out alive.

[The young turtle is dead serious. That fight hadn't been a battle; it had been a rout, where it seemed all the progress they could make was to pull the heavily-armored ninja off a family member: after Raphael went down, Leo engaged only to be taken out in an unprecedented five seconds; then Donnie was flattened, so Mikey dove in with shuriken flying and was tossed off the building for his contribution; after that Leo and Donnie both got cornered and Raphael saved them by inches with a kamikaze leap, and so on and so forth.

It was blind, random, sheer lucky chance that they got away. A crucial distraction, just as Leo was facing the end of a blade and an ultimatum to surrender his father or die – they were given the space of seconds in which to escape, his brothers pulling him to his feet as he limped from a cracked rib and they retreated to the sewers while Shredder's head was turned. Leo had stared death in the eyes that day, and that sobering memory plus the knowledge that the only reason he and his brothers were alive was due to the protection of their shells lends urgency to his warning.

If the Shredder got inside Korra's guard – and the man excelled at ripping through defenses as if they were tissue paper – she would wind up with a lot worse than the deep, parallel scores that dent Leo's shell here and there. Some marks are the result of training flubs, but an increasing and now-overwhelming number of them are from live combat; a deep few are from that battle. Turtles carry their history.

On impulse, Leonardo reaches out for one of her hands and holds it between the two of them. There's nothing proprietary or invasive about the gesture; he's merely that earnest, and desperately trying to get through. She cannot go after Oruku Saki. The Foot clan leader will take her out and she won't even see it coming; her bending won't get a chance.]

Promise me you won't go after him, especially not alone. Please.

[alphatar]

[Leo’s reaction take Korra completely by surprise. After the posturing and confidence in his abilities, she hadn’t been expecting him to turn gravely serious. Baffled by it, Korra blinks in rapid confusion at Leo’s abrupt hand grab and plea. Then a slightly offended sigh.]

If he does show up here and does anything that could endanger others it’s my job to stop him. [No limitations, no promises. Her tone was clear and concise. Taking the protective duties of the Avatar seriously was one of the foundations Korra had learned early on in her training.]

Whether I’m alone or not.

[anything_it_takes]

[Leo's dramatic reaction reflects the fact that the prior battle, although a very narrow call, was won through Leonardo's actions. But the battle against Shredder hadn't been a win at all, it had been a lucky escape. He's proud of how good he is, and has a tendency to get cocky and egotistical about it, but he's learned through dangerous and painful experience that he's just not ready to face some things (although sometimes you must). Although incredibly good, he is still not a master, and he's never balked at a prudent retreat.

If Korra couldn't take Leonardo down in about half the time they were fighting, even considering the light-hearted sparring situation, the Shredder was perfectly capable of making mincemeat out of her. Every strategic instinct he has tells him a one-on-one battle between the bender and the ninjutsu master, regardless of Korra's impressive power, could end only one way. And she didn't have the stealth training to escape.

He blinks at her vehemence. But despite his instincts on the battle, a second later he smiles in kindred recognition. It's a hero's answer, one he can respect. When other people's lives were at risk, Leo would also put his own on the line. Even when the odds were insurmountable.]

The people in the most danger are going to be the ones who get between him and us. But if you want to stand with us, we could use a little fire on our side.

[Of course, if Leo gets his say in who fights alongside them, he would grab his cousins as well. And that group, he thinks, would be enough to fight the master into a standstill – perhaps even, with the right strategy, defeat him. IF he was allowed that luxury; the experienced Oruku Saki may very well engineer any conflict on his grounds. It's a prospect Leo is struggling to plan for. Yet despite logistical difficulties he has no intention of letting the Shredder catch them by surprise again.

He's let his forearm droop a little, but yep he's still holding her hand, a little absently in lieu of focusing on the conversation. His thumb is resting across her knuckles, but there's little to no pressure holding her there. With his metabolism up from the fight, the pair's only a slight temperature difference between them, but he does run cooler.]

[alphatar]

Only a little fire? [Asked playfully now that Korra was assured Leo didn’t take offense to her words. Sitting/standing by and doing nothing while something untoward happened to others wasn’t how any Avatar react.] I’ll bring as much as you guys need.

[There was little Korra wouldn’t do to help someone with a frightening foe as Leo described the Shredder to be. Taking her hand back absent-mindedly, Korra stuck a finger in her mouth and pulled out a small blood clot on the tip of blood and saliva covered finger.]

I should get some water when I get home. [She said thoughtfully before flicking it off with her thumb.]

So you know how to get a hold me on the network if you need boys need anything, right?

[She was smiling, a faint pink across her teeth from the little cut.]

[anything_it_takes]

Well I can encrypt a call-out, but if there's a faster way I'll take it.

[Leo grins at her cavalier attitude. Words are all fine and good, but Korra has thoroughly demonstrated she can more than keep up. He knows he must have seen only the tip of the iceberg, and with the correct planning, her powers can give them a winning edge.]

I bet that'll heat up his armor. You'll make a heck of a secret weapon, that's for sure.

But… [His serious face comes back on – yet this time he's just informing her, not forbidding. He knows this won't change her decision, but it's his responsibility to let her know the full risks first.] You should know, before getting into this? Once he finds out you're our ally, he won't ever stop coming after you.

This is a clan blood feud. Standing with us – it'll make you a round-the-clock-target.