Homeless, But Not Alone - brucethemoose (2024)

Chapter 1: Welcome to Republic City

Chapter Text

Earth.

Fire.

Air.

Water.

When I was a girl, Katara told me the story of how she and her friends heroically ended the Hundred Year War. Avatar Aang and Fire Lord Zuko transformed the Fire Nation colonies into the United Republic of Nations, a society where benders and nonbenders from all over the world could live together in harmony.

It was a story of hope and valor, of the beauty of inner peace, and the value of life. True to his element, Aang freed the entire world. Everyone knows the legend, and I dreamt of it for years.

...But it's not my story.

Fate didn't give me childhood friends. I was no hero, and hope couldn't save me. To survive, I had to adapt to my reality, and fight.

But water is the element of change, of love and community. And a few fateful connections changed me, and the world around me, in way I could have never imagined.

My name is Korra. I'm the Avatar. And this is how a new era began.

On a windy autumn day near the coast of Republic City, just as a light drizzle started to fall, a woman nearly stepped on a stray copy of the Republic City Times. Curious, she picked it up and scanned the headlines.

"Equalist Bombings and Kidnappings Continue!" it read, but a smaller article caught her eye.

"...Born in the Water Tribes, the Avatar should be twenty years old. As per tradition, the Avatar should have been revealed to the world when they are sixteen. But where are they? Why do the White Lotus guard the Avatar's location, their identity, keeping them hidden from society? What secrets lie beneath the icy waters of the Water Tribes? Our sources in the White Lotus refuse to comment, saying only that the safety and training of the Avatar is paramount..."

She crumpled up the paper and tossed it away in disgust. If only the world knew the true nature of the White Lotus, she thought bitterly. To the public, they were war heroes, protectors of the Air Nation and the Avatar.

The scars and burns on her back from 'training accidents' itched. Just thinking about her old routine made her muscle ache, and brought back flashes of her masters' crushing criticism.

Korra shook her head sharply. At this moment, she was free, and she was going to stay that way. She was done letting others warp her thoughts...

No matter how much of a failure she was.

She passed a few prostitutes on a narrow street, and an older woman looked Korra up and down. "Hey sweetie, looking for some Yuans?" she purred. "We have some customers that love blue eyes and a strong body. How about you give them a visit?"

"No thanks," Korra said firmly, ignoring jeers from the women that made her cheeks burn as she rushed by.

The street eventually dumped out into a busy boardwalk, with Yue Bay stretching out before her one side while noisy taverns and bustling shops lined the other. The salty air and the scent of cooking meat made her mouth water, and the sound of seabirds mixed with the sight of laughing children on the docks brought back memories of fishing trips with her father.

"I miss him so much," she whispered.

Did he even miss her? Given where dad left her... how could he? "He's just one more person that sees me as a failure," she sadly muttered.

In spite of the lively atmosphere, Korra felt alone, and saw plenty of desperation in the eyes of others passing her by. There were no job openings in this miserable city, and without an ID, she'd be the last pick among all these poor souls anyway. Even Triads wouldn't take a ghost like Korra, though she'd rather starve than join them.

Across the boardwalk, an older guy in a fancy red vest and dress pants exited a seafood shop, carrying a bag full of fresh fish and bread. Korra couldn't help but stare at his luxurious coat, the way the light glinted off his golden watch... and how he was totally unaware of his surroundings.

He was perfect.

Korra shadowed him on the sea side of the boardwalk like a polar wolf stalking its prey. He ducked into an alleyway, and she followed, her heart pounding.

With a sly flick of her wrist, Korra burst a pipe, filling the alley with hot steam as the man shrieked and dropped his groceries. Before they even hit the ground, she snatched the bag up and sprinted out of the alley, using her seismic sense to see through the fog.

"Stop! Thief!" the man shouted, stumbling out. But Korra had already blended into the crowd, casually walking along the boardwalk as if nothing had happened, with a slight smirk on her face.

Korra hopped off the pier, freezing the ocean beneath her feet just as she landed, and cracking the ice as she hit it. She started jogging along the shoreline, careful not to spill one drop of the precious food. The tide lapped at her boots, and the sand grew dark and oily as she transitioned into the Green Meadows Industrial District. Graffiti covered the walls, and she spotted an Equalist slogan someone had painted overnight.

"Down with benders, death to the Avatar!" it read.

Rage bubbled up inside her. Korra shot her free hand forward, and the ocean crashed into the wall, wiping away the hateful words.

The sun was setting over the sea, casting an ominous orange glow over the factories and smokestacks as she approached her home. Nestled in a big, sloped concrete seawall was her luxury abode.. a storm drain facing Yue Bay, just barely tall enough to stand in, with a little strip of rocky sand in front of it. But a girl no older than seven, with a dark water tribe complexion, blue eyes, and ragged clothing like Korra, stood in front of the grates, snapping Korra out of her dark thoughts.

"Phoebe!" Korra smiled, kneeling down to meet the girl's level. "How's my favorite little scavenger?"

Phoebe giggled nervously, reaching out to pet Naga. "Good!" she chirped brightly. "I got you something today!"

Phoebe reached into her bag, struggling as if she was lifting something heavy. Finally, she triumphantly pulled out a small pot, with a single flower blooming from the black soil.

It was a Blue Panda Lily, found only around the rim of volcanoes in colder climates. The flower was a striking shade of intense blue, with big yellow thorns lining the stem and a brilliant red center.

"It made me think of you," Phoebe explained shyly. "Its special. Pointy, but pretty! Just like you."

Korra gasped in surprise, reaching out to take the rare flower. "Where did you find this?" she whispered.

"I didn't steal it!" Phoebe assured her hastily. "I... I bought it for you. With all the stuff I had saved."

Korra's eyes watered. Phoebe had almost nothing, and she'd given what little she had to Korra. "Thank you, Phoebe," she choked out, wrapping the girl in a fierce hug as tears spilled down her cheeks. "This means more to me than you could ever imagine."

"You're welcome, Miss Korra," Phoebe said softly, returning the warm embrace. "I'm glad you like it."

Once Korra wasn't a blubbering mess, she broke apart from Phoebe and carefully placed the pot on the ground, like it was precious treasure. She started a fire, preparing to sear some fish and smoke the rest for later. Phoebe busied herself collecting driftwood and helping Korra prepare the meal.

"So, what's new? Find anything good today?" Korra garbled, chewing seared fish as she leaned against Naga's warm fur, with Phoebe by her side. A little campfire cast an orange glow over their faces, and the sound of Naga's contented chewing filled the air.

"All our ocean traps are still empty. I found a few clothes and an old radio," Phoebe said, her eyes dimming slightly. "But after I bought the flower, I saw some Equalists beat up a firebender on the street. He was crying, and no one helped him."

Korra's eyes narrowed. "Did they say why they were doing it?"

"Just that he was a crooked bender, and they were cleaning the streets," Phoebe replied, her voice trembling. "And..." She hesitated, looking down at the ground.

"And what?" Korra prodded, eyes filled with concern.

"There was a mean man at the orphanage today. He said kids were telling on the Red Monsoons, and that he would hurt us all if it happened again," Phoebe whispered.

Korra's grip on her cup tightened. "What was his name?"

"Zei. He was with a policeman, but the policeman just stood there and watched," Phoebe answered, tears welling in her eyes. "Miss Korra, what do I do if they come back? Or if the Equalists come for me? I don't want to get hurt..."

Korra grabbed Phoebe's tiny shoulder, and looked deep into her eyes. "Listen to me, Phoebe. If anyone comes for you, I want you to run. Run as fast as you can, and wait for me here. Do you understand?"

Phoebe nodded, sniffling.

Korra wrapped Phoebe in a hug, trying not to cry again. "Things will get better, Phoebe. Just hang in there, okay?"

"OK," Phoebe whispered, burying her face in Korra's shirt. "I love you, Miss Korra."

"I love you too, Phoebe," Korra replied, her voice thick with emotion. She desperately clung to the girl, like Phoebe would float away if she let go, all while Naga curled up around them both.

Meanwhile, in the dark, damp basem*nt of a nearby factory, someone popped a long crate open, and carefully ran his bare hands along two gadgets resting inside.

"Everything's where it should be," he muttered. "The security, all the mechanisms, they held up just fine."

Not that he was expecting anything less. But he couldn't just leave these things buried in the ground, unchecked.

Not these.

If something went wrong...

The mere thought made him flinch. He slouched against the nearest wall, and stared at the terrible devices. "I can't believe I keep these around..."

He just wanted to forget, to pretend that part of his life never happened. But he couldn't. He had to remember how they worked, just in case someone else discovered them on their own.

...And he had no right to any peace after what he'd done with them.

Eventually, the guy pulled his knees up to his face, and tried to hold back tears as loneliness and guilt gripped his soul.

Korra's eyes cracked open. Moonlight was filtering into the dirty grates of her shelter, reflecting off the wet concrete, and Naga was already up, growling at the entrance.

"What is it girl?" Korra mumbled groggily, sitting up. "Is someone here?"

Naga whined. A moment later, the sound of ice and fire crashing into each other made Korra jump. Angry screams echoed through the night.

"What's happening, Miss Korra?" Phoebe whimpered, hugging Naga's leg.

"Move into the tunnel, don't make a sound," Korra whispered urgently.

Creeping forward, Korra saw four Red Monsoons on the beach, just outside her shelter. A powerboat was pushed onto the sand, and they were jeering over the still bodies of some Agni Kai gangsters, with bloody ice spikes sticking out of their bodies glimmering in the moonlight.

"What a bunch of morons," one of them sneered. "They thought they could take us on under a full moon? Do a deal in our territory?"

One of them turned their head to the side. "Oh look what we have here. A street rat!"

Korra cursed under her breath and walked out of the tunnel. "I don't want any trouble," she pleaded, keeping her voice steady.

The Monsoon closest to her smirked wickedly. "You're already in it, sweetheart."

"You've seen too much," another Monsoon agreed, his bloody knife glinting in the light. "Shame to waste a pretty face."

Korra's eyes narrowed as they sauntered up to her and Naga. "Back off!" she snapped. Naga stood wide and barred her teeth, growling just as menacingly.

The sight of a giant polar bear dog seemed to give the Monsoons pause as they surrounded Korra. But she had seen too much, so they all lunged at once.

Korra threw herself to the side, rolling across the sand, and just barely avoided a spike of ice to the head. Naga leapt forward, snarling ferociously, and bit down on the arm of one of the Monsoons. He howled in pain and dropped his blade.

Another bent a hose of water from the ocean towards Korra, but with a smooth wave of two arms, she steered it towards the Monsoon behind her, sending him tumbling into the sand. The last two gangsters charged at her, but Korra was faster. She spun around, kicking one in the gut, and let the other just stumble by.

As another gangster got back on his feet and aimed an ice spike at Naga, Korra lost her patience. She reached out to the ocean with her arms, and pulled it back. Water surged around her, washing the monsoons into the concrete seawall, then carrying them back to the beach as it flowed away.

They all stumbled to their knees, coughing up water and wheezing as Korra stood in front of them, levitating ice spikes above their heads, and getting a good look at their faces. "If I ever see a Monsoon on this beach again, I'll come find all of you, and send you so far offshore you'll wash up in the Fire Nation!" she snarled. "Got it!?"

They nodded frantically, and she let the spikes melt into the ground. "Go!"

As they ran off into the distance, Korra bent down checked the pulses of the Agni Kai gangsters. "All dead," she murmured. "I guess we gotta move the bodies, or the Agni Kais will think we did this."

Naga whined softly, nuzzling Korra's arm.

"I know, girl," Korra said quietly, rubbing Naga's fur. "I should have frozen them solid and turned all of them into the police, but..."

Naga nudged her hand and whimpered.

"Yeah, I hear you. But we can't afford to deal with cops or tick off the Red Monsoons," Korra argued, standing up. "Not yet. I need time to heal, girl. Before you know it, we'll be back on our feet... any day now."

Korra turned around, and saw Phoebe peeking her head out from the tunnel. The girl wasn't even surprised by the sight of dead bodies anymore.

That may be the saddest part of all this, Korra thought.

A few days later, from a bench in Industrial District, Korra watched the first streams of morning light hit the towering statue of Avatar Aang in Yue Bay.

"What do you think of me now, Aang?" she mumbled, staring at the bronze figure like it was judging her. "You saved the world when you were twelve. Here I am, hiding in your shadow, letting your city rot. I can't talk to you, I can't finish my training. I can barely even hold myself together."

She sighed, and turned away from the statue. "Maybe my masters were right."

Her eyes landed on graffiti painted into the power plant across the street. "Down with benders! Death to the Avatar!" it read.

"Or maybe the Equalists are right..." she whimpered, wiping away tears.

"Hey there, sunshine!" came a cheerful voice from behind her. Gommu shuffled into view, holding a cup of tea in one hand and a piece of fruit in the other. His grizzled face split into a wide grin as he offered them to Korra. "You look like you could use a pick-me-up."

Korra sighed, taking the tea and fruit, and smiled weakly. "Thanks, Gommu."

"No problem, kiddo," Gommu said, sitting down next to her.

She bit into the fruit, enjoying its tartness as the juices ran down her chin. "How do you always know when I need a little cheering up?" she asked, taking a sip of the hot tea.

"You wear your heart on your sleeve," Gommu chuckled. "And when you're feeling down, you always stare at that statue. It's like you're waiting for him to reappear and fix everything."

"If only he would," Korra muttered. "Spirits know this city needs an Avatar."

"Ah, we can't wait for the Avatar to save us. We've gotta help ourselves," Gommu retorted, shaking his head. "Cheer up! I've got a lead on a job through the grapevine."

Korra's eyes widened. "Really? What is it?"

"Some rich guy needs an escort to a courthouse in the Dragon Flats borough. No gangsters, no names, no questions. If only we knew a fierce waterbender that wasn't on anyone's radar..." Gommu winked.

Korra's heart raced. "I'm in."

The early night was warm and humid, with a thin fog hanging over the streets and obscuring the darkening sky as she walked alongside the mysterious client. He was tall, with a well-tailored suit and a cane, and the face of a Water Tribe elder.

"So... any reason you aren't taking a satomobile?" Korra asked, trying to get conversation going.

"Too visible," the man replied simply, his voice deep and calm.

"Fair enough," Korra admitted, glancing around the empty street. She couldn't see Gommu though the fog, but she could feel him scouting ahead with her seismic sense. Gommu was... Gommu, so he didn't need to get caught up in any fighting anyway.

"What exactly am I protecting you from?" Korra asked after a long silence.

"None of your business," the man coldly replied.

"It kind of is," Korra argued. "I'm the one putting herself out here."

"Oh, you're still talking?" the man scoffed.

"Oh, you're still a jerk?" Korra shot back.

He chuckled, and his mood lightened just a little. "Someone threatened me for daring to show up at the courthouse, and I'm expecting trouble. That's all you need to know."

Korra sighed, and shook her head. Eventually, the street gave way to a big courtyard, with the courthouse just on the other side. But Korra put an arm in front of the man when she felt the ground rumble, and heard the sound of high-pitched engines.

"We got company," she warned.

A group of four Equalists on bikes came roaring around the corner, all wearing dark green jumpsuits with their logo stitched onto them. Their green eye covers gleamed under the streetlights.

"You benders aren't going anywhere!" one of them shouted, skidding to a halt.

"We know what you did! You're not spreading your lies anymore!" another yelled.

As they hopped off the bikes, two started spinning bolas, while sparks flew from shock gloves the other two wore. Korra's eyes narrowed.

"Get lost!" Korra snapped, pulling water from the fog and snagging the closest Equalist's foot, sending him tumbling into his friends.

The Equalists recovered quickly, and one with a bola launched it at Korra. She whipped it away with a tentacle of water, and flung the water at another Equalist before she could shock her.

But the others were fast, and on Korra like lightning. She darted out of the way of a jab aimed at her spine, flipping back to avoid a bola, and landed on her feet. "Chi blockers," Korra spat, blocking a strike with her arm as memories of her training flooded back.

Sheltered away from a winter storm roaring outside, the water Avatar was thirteen, and going stir-crazy in her own home. "Oh, oh, is that her!?" a younger Korra cheered as a knock came at the door.

Tonraq couldn't help but laugh at his daughter's energy. She was the light of his life, though it got a little too bright when she was bored. "Master Ty Lee," he greeted. opening the door as snow blew inside.

"Hey, Tonraq!" the cheerful woman said, stepping in with a youthful spring in her step that utterly defied her old age. "And how is my favorite Avatar doing today?"

"Ready to train!" Korra shouted, bounding over and wrapping Ty Lee in a hug. "Please tell me you're here to start chi blocking lessons!"

Ty Lee chuckled, patting Korra's head. "Of course! If you're ready, that is..."

"Ow!" Korra whined as Ty Lee hit another pressure point. "That one hurts."

"Good!" Ty Lee grinned, pressing her fingers into Korra's arm harder. "Now try to bend with that arm."

Korra gritted her teeth, but no matter how hard she tried, a slab of earth wouldn't budge. "I can't!"

"Exactly. If you hit juuuust the right spots, you can block the flow of chi through the body. No bending, no fighting back," Ty Lee explained. "Know where to strike, and you can take down even the most powerful bender, and more importantly for you, anticipate where chi blockers are going to strike. And I can show you how to get at least a little movement back..."

Senna and Tonraq beamed with pride as their daughter traded blows with the nonbender from legends, like an elegant dance between master and student. They were always proud... but Korra was determined to be the best Avatar she could, and if that's what she wanted, they'd support her every step of the way.

"Good precision!" Ty Lee praised, deflecting another strike. "I see my old friend has been rubbing off on you."

"Maybe," Korra grinned, twitching just enough for a jab to the clavicle to harmlessly hit her shoulder instead.

Korra saw an opening, and went for Ty Lee's neck, landing a solid jab with two fingers. Ty Lee stumbled back, but caught herself quickly.

"I got you!" Korra cheered, bouncing on her toes.

"Not bad," Ty Lee chuckled, shaking out her arms.

"I've never seen someone pick up chi blocking so fast," Ty Lee commented, watching Korra go through stances as she drank tea with her parents. "I suppose she has more of a base than my other students, to say the least."

"She's always been a quick learner, like her mother." Tonraq smiled. "And stubborn, like me."

"And Zuko mentioned something about synergizing her training with the elements and other skills," Senna added, sipping her tea. "He always encourages her to think of them together, instead mastering them in order, as is tradition for the Avatar."

"That's a great idea!" Ty Lee exclaimed. "Zuzu picked that up from Uncle Iroh, if I remember correctly. I wonder if I could use that with my other students..."

"You're welcome to stay for dinner, Master Ty Lee," Senna offered. "We're having stew."

"I'd love to!" Ty Lee cheerily replied. "It's always a pleasure to speak with you two, and Korra..." she trailed off.

"She reminds you of Avatar Aang, doesn't she?" Tonraq asked.

Ty Lee's face softened. "It's uncanny. She's so different, yet sometimes when I see her bounce around or smile wide, it's like Aang is right in front of me."

"It gets to Katara too," Senna admitted. "She says she expected it, but sometimes I see a tear in her eye when she looks at Korra..."

Back in the present, Korra was smirking wide. As an Equalist went for a jab on Korra's arm, she moved just enough for it to miss, and returned the favor in kind. The Equalist stumbled to the side in surprise, holding her arm as she tried to regain her balance.

Korra didn't give her a chance. She kicked the Equalist in the gut, sending her flying into another one of her friends and crashing into the hard ground.

The last uninjured Equalist circled his target and the waterbender warily, shock glove raised and crackling with energy. "We're just here for the guy you're protecting," he pleaded. "Let us question him, and we'll leave you alone!"

"In your dreams," Korra taunted. "Why don't you-"

They were all interrupted by a deafening boom. The ground shook as a shockwave blew past them and thumped their chests, and a fireball erupted from the entrance to the courthouse. The sounds of screaming and sirens filled the air as the fireball rose into the sky.

For a moment, Equalists were just as stunned as Korra, but she quickly turned to face them with fury in her eyes. "You did this! You planted that bomb!"

"We didn't know!" one of them shouted, raising his hands. "We were just told to-"

Another Equalist put her arm on his. "We need to leave! Now!" she barked.

Enraged, Korra sliced one of the bikes in half with a blade of ice, but the other Equalists frantically piled onto two bikes and sped off into the night. Korra could only watch them go, cursing under her breath as she turned to run towards the carnage. The mysterious man had already left, and she couldn't care less.

Korra pulled water from the fog, dousing what flames she could in the charred courthouse lobby. She could feel bodies everywhere with her seismic sense, trapped under rubble.

Most of them weren't moving... if they were even whole.

Police and firefighting airships rushed to the scene, and were already dropping rescue teams into the building. Amid the rush of cops, firefighters and medics behind her, Korra heard a familiar voice.

"Korra!" Gommu yelled. "You find anyone?"

"Help me pull this woman out! She's alive!" Korra snapped, shoving aside a chunk of concrete.

Gommu and another man helped her lift the woman free, and laid her on the ground. Korra wrapped her hands in glowing water, and pressed it to a particularly nasty burn. She sighed in relief, and opened her eyes to look at her saviors.

"What happened?" Korra asked, trying to keep her voice calm. "Who did this?"

"Equalists," the woman coughed, trying to catch her breath.

"How? Why?" Korra demanded. "Did you see anyone?"

"There was no message, no warning. Just an Equalist symbol and a bomb," she spat. "They hate us. We were all in a case for a firebending union at the power plants... we never hurt anyone, but they don't care."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

The woman shook her head, and closed her eyes again. "...How many others were hurt?" she slowly asked.

Korra's face dropped. She didn't know how to tell her.

Korra sat in front of her grate next to Gommu, looking out at the darkened sea as he took a swig from his flask. "Why... why would the Equalists do something so horrible?" she asked quietly.

"To send a message. To make benders feel afraid," Gommu weakly replied.

"Why do they hate benders so much!?" Korra shouted into the night. "What did I ever do to them?!"

"There's no excuse for that kind of hate... but I get where they're coming from," Gommu sighed. "You don't know what its like, to stand in front of someone who can burn your skin off with a punch, and no way to defend yourself. You've never had to live like that."

Korra closed her eyes, vividly remembering pain of firebending attacks. "But that doesn't mean we deserve this. We shouldn't have to live in fear because of what we can do."

"I know," Gommu agreed sadly. "We're all scared of the thugs in this city, and the Equalists are just the latest ones to enter the fray. And now everyone is mixing up benders and nonbenders with the bad apples and victims."

Korra nodded. "I wish more people would listen to you, Gommu. You always get what's going through everyone else's heads..."

For a moment, Korra wondered why she was even here, hiding away in such a rotten city.

...But the thought only lasted a moment. How could she ever forget?

Chapter 2: Old Wounds

Chapter Text

It was a warm, sunny day... as far as warm and sunny goes so close to the South Pole. A fierce wind blew across the blinding landscape, somewhat dampened by the tall walls that surrounded the Southern Water Tribe military compound, now occupied by the Order of the White Lotus.

Concentrated in this fortress were some of the best benders on the planet. Old masters knew their elements like the backs of their hands, while veterans and prodigies kept a vigilant eye on the compound's borders. No one unauthorized was allowed in.

And at the very center of the compound, in a big field full of props, icebergs, and piles of Earth, stood an average height Water Tribe girl, with big, round blue eyes and long hair in a ponytail. Her identity was one of the most closely guarded secrets in the world, known only to the highest ranking members of the Order. Even bringing a camera inside was considered an attack on the compound.

Months ago, she celebrated her eighteenth birthday, going ice dodging with her mom and dad. And practically every day since then, she sparred like her life depended on it.

Wearing padded clothes and a metal helmet, Avatar Korra stood still, eyeing her surroundings. She panted heavily, and the sweat dripping off her brow froze before it even hit the ground.

A master waterbender spun around and launched a hail of icicles at her. Korra deftly rolled aside, only to run straight into a blast of fire. She countered hard, throwing her arms forward as intense blue flames erupted from her fists, intercepting the blast a moment before it engulfed her. The red and blue fire mixed in a dance of color.

With a burst of earthbending and a weak boost of airbending, she lept into the air and shot quick bolts of fire in every direction, at the waterbender, an earthbender holding a boulder over his head, and firebenders who quickly adjusted to counter the attacks. A stream of water whizzed by her a moment she landed, but Korra was ready, spinning around and turning it into an attack it with in one easy motion.

A huge boulder came hurtling towards her, but Korra didn't move. She simply let it crash into her, turning it to dust. It was quickly reconstituted into a narrow wall, blocking a blast of fire, before the loose stone melted into lava and Korra kicked it back to the master it came from.

A wave of water washed over Korra, soaking her, knocking the wind out of her. But she sprung back up, lifting a massive chunk of ice out of the ground and hurling it at the waterbender in retaliation. He dove out of the way, but the ice shattered against the wall, sending razor sharp shards everywhere and nearly destroying the metal wall of the compound.

Korra kept this up, dodging powerful attacks, countering with her own, weaving around the battlefield like an ethereal spirit.

The Avatar felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and without even thinking, launched a wave of fire in front of her. A combustion bending blast exploded feet away, sending her tumbling to the ground as her ears rung.

Korra slowly pulled herself off the hard ice and eyed her attacker, a tall woman with a tattoo of an eye on her forehead. Much to Korra's dismay, the White Lotus had decided to add combustion bending to Korra's sparring regime. After all, they didn't want the training to get too boring, Korra mused in her head.

Ice sliced through the skin of her torso, and Korra grunted in pain. A quick reminder that training was not over... no, it was just beginning.

Korra's eyes widened, and she threw her hands up, creating a wall of ice in front of her. An explosion rocked the ground, and the ice shattered. But Korra was ready once again, kicking up a cloud of snow, obscuring her opponents' vision.

A firebending master raised his arms, sending a wall of flame towards Korra... but she wasn't there. In the haze, she had closed the distance to the master, giving him a swift kick to the gut. But Korra heard footsteps behind her, and brought up her arms just in time for a sword to scrape against her metal bracers.

"Good reflexes, Avatar," the swordsman commented coldly. "Don't waste them."

He slashed again, and again. Korra dodged each attack, and ducked to avoid a blast of fire that singed her hair. She leaped backwards, narrowly avoiding a blade to the chest.

Korra and her trainers kept this up for hours. The masters rotated in and out, as no human could possibly sustain intense combat for long periods... none except for Avatar Korra, apparently. She got breathers between rounds, breaks to eat, meditate, study and get patched up. But mostly, she fought.

Legs shaking, her vision blurry, Korra barely missed a dodge, and she felt a dull blade slice across her back. She staggered forward, only to be hit by a combustion blast that sent her rolling.

Korra lay on the ground in pain, breathing heavily, face up, as a nonbending master walked over to her, sword in hand. Xia Bau was never pleased, and today was no exception. "You're sloppy, Avatar," he accused bluntly. "Slow. If this were a real battle, you'd be dead."

"Maybe we need to ease up on her a bit," another trainer suggested. "She's not ready for that level of combat."

"Indeed," Xia Bau agreed. "You are an adult, Korra, and yet you act like a child, so far from a fully realized Avatar. How long will it take you to complete your training? How long until you are ready for what the world demands of you, until you are ready to protect the Avatar Cycle?"

Korra felt rage bubble up inside her, and she shot to her feet with a guttural scream, surprising Xia Bau and the other trainers. A ring of ice erupted from the ground as she landed. She followed it up with quick, precise bolts of flame at all her masters, sending them staggering backwards, buying her a brief respite.

She controlled her anger, her inner fire, dropping to a low stance as she moved her arms back and forth methodically. In a moment, lighting arced from her fingertips, forcing her distant Earthbending master to drop the boulder he was preparing to throw. The intense thunderclap disturbed the steep slope just outside the compound, creating a small avalanche.

Korra used distraction to eye today's tormentor, the combustion bender standing on a far ledge, no doubt preparing another crippling attack. Her bones ached, her torso bled... but Korra was done being cautious, done playing defense. And she would NOT let these assholes get the best of her, even if it kills her! Korra took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, focusing her chi with every fiber of her being... hoping she was doing it right.

She opened her eyes wide, exhaled through her nose, and leaned forward. A combustion blast erupted out of Korra's forehead, cracked through the air, and destroyed the ledge the other combustion bender was standing on. She tumbled to the ground, but managed to roll to safety.

"Still think I'm a half-baked Avatar!?" Korra challenged, gesturing at the crowd of masters surrounding her.

Most of the masters were wide-eyed, shocked that Avatar Korra could already confidently combustion bend, much less do so in combat. Xia Bau and the combustion bender exchanged a worried look.

"...Next time you consider something so wreckless and irresponsible to compensate for your failure, think about your responsibly to the world!" Xia Bau barked, slamming the door shut.

Korra flinched, and put her hands on her face, finally allowing tears to fall. Before long, she collapsed into her simple bed, wrapped in bandages and compression sleeves. Her body screamed in agony, and she was drained in every possible way, physical or not.

It was just like any other night in the compound.

Naga, one of the few indulgences they allowed Korra, laid at the foot of her bed, gently licking her hand, with a concerned look on her face. Korra's spirit animal could sense her distress, and Naga never quite got used to it.

"It's alright, girl," Korra murmured sadly. She tried to think of something reassuring to comfort her beloved beast... but there was nothing to say. This was her life, her purpose. And it was going to be this miserable every single day.

She held up a picture of Master Tenzin's airbending kids, smiling wildly as Korra held them on her lap. She hadn't seen them in... well, she couldn't remember. The days just blend together now.

"I'm sorry, Naga," Korra whispered, stroking the polar bear dog's fur soothingly. "We'll go on a morning ride like we always do, OK? Clear my mind."

Naga gave a soft grunt of agreement, laying her massive head next to Korra's.

After a quick look around the room, and a quick seismic sense stomp, Korra pulled a brick out from the wall, and carefully pulled out her forbidden indulgences; an emergency radio, and a simple doll, resembling the Painted Lady spirit.

She charged the radio with a tiny zap of lightning, and tuned into a jazz station broadcast all the way from Republic City. She hummed along quietly, listening, imagining what things were like outside her personal prison.

Brushing her cheek against her fur, Korra snuggled up against Naga and clutched her doll. It was stupid, a relic from her childhood... but it reminded her of simpler times, when the weight of being the Avatar wasn't literally crushing her. How she wished she could be that tranquil spirit instead, floating peacefully above misty water instead of spending her days in violence.

Soon, Korra would pass out from sheer exhaustion, and the cycle would begin again.

Korra shot up, tears clouding her eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision, but the smell of salty sea air quickly washed the fear and pain away.

Leaning back into Naga's fur, she let out a sigh. "What a relief, huh?" she joked softly. "When waking up homeless in a sewer tunnel is so much better than our daily routine..."

Naga whined, nudging her gently.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Korra muttered, hugging Naga tightly. "I'm fine. Just a bad dream."

In truth, out of all her nightmares, that was her very worst. Because every time she had it, Korra was convinced she would wake up the next morning and live it all over again, just like she had for years.

Chapter 3: New Beginnings

Chapter Text

Korra jolted awake to an explosion that shook the concrete tunnel above her, sprinkling dust down onto her and Naga.

"That was close by," she muttered. "Come on, girl. Let's go check it out."

Korra dashed out the drainage tunnel, running towards the source of the noise in the clear morning sun. Just outside her camp, a small factory had a hole blown out of a wall. Smoke billowed from the opening, and a lone man came stumbling out, coughing violently.

Korra rushed over, grabbing him by the shoulders and spinning him around. He was about her age, with the intense green eyes of an Earth Kingdom native, a stocky build just a hair taller than Korra, black hair with a few curls, soot covering his face and clothes, and arms covered in burns and blisters. "Are you alright?" she shouted.

The guy dropped to his knees in another fit of coughing, but managed to nod at her question. He pointed at the hole in the wall, gesturing wildly.

"Don't worry, I've got this," Korra reassured him, switching to a deep waterbending stance. With a smooth wave of her arms, she pulled a stream of water from the nearby bay, sending it crashing through the smoky room. Korra repeated the action several times, pushing the flames back and putting them out.

The smoke thinned, but the water itself was boiling and bubbling, like something was burning beneath it. As it flowed away, Korra's eyes widened.

A pool of molten metal slag covered the floor, still glowing red. She could feel the heat radiating off it, even from a distance.

Having composed himself a little, the guy stood up, adopting a bending stance that even Korra didn't recognize. He moved his arms in slow circles, palms horizontal and open, kinda like he was bending water with wide, planted feet. The pool of molten metal rippled and dimmed, until it finally solidified into a smooth sheet.

Korra blinked, not sure her eyes were working right. "Was that lavabending? On metal?" she breathed, staring at the guy in genuine awe.

He nodded, still gasping for air.

"Here, sit down, let me take a look at those burns," Korra ordered, gently lowering him onto the grass. "I'm a healer." Korra wrapped her palm in a bubble of glowing water, and placed it on his blistered forearm.

The man let out a sigh of relief as the burns healed. "Oh, spirits above, that feels amazing," he weakly praised. The guy finally stopped to take a good look at his savior, a Water Tribe girl with big, wide set, bright blue eyes, brown hair in a messy bob, a dark complexion and a seemingly athletic build. She was clean, but unkempt, wearing a loose, ragged blue shirt with rolled up sleeves, torn pants and worn boots.

And sitting next to her was a... polar bear dog? He blinked, not sure if he was hallucinating from the smoke.

Korra smiled. "Good. I'm Korra, by the way."

"Ren," the guy introduced himself in a quiet voice, still raspy from the smoke. "I think you saved my livelihood, Korra. I owe you, big time."

"Don't mention it," Korra waved off, offering him a hand up. "You're lucky I was nearby. What happened?"

Ren narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "I don't know, but I think we're about to find out."

Korra followed his gaze, and saw two figures approaching through the haze. One was short and scrawny, and the other tall and fat. Both wore the blue colors of the Red Monsoons, Republic City's waterbending crime syndicate, and the taller one was adorned with garish jewelry.

"Peng. Qwen. What brings you here?" Ren asked warily, crossing his arms.

"Quite an accident you had here, huh?" Qwen drawled, smirking nastily. "You know, these kinda things tend to happen when you're behind on protection money."

Ren stiffened, his eyes flashing with frustration. "I'm not behind, I already paid you guys this month."

"Oh really?" Qwen sneered, stepping forward menacingly. "I don't recall seeing any cash. Maybe we need to remind you of your obligations."

As if sensing Ren's nerves, Naga stepped forward with her master, growled low, and barred her teeth, causing Qwen to flinch and Peng to stumble back and fall on his butt.

"Easy, girl," Korra cooed, putting a hand on Naga's head. "Naga gets testy when she's hungry. Wouldn't want her to accidentally hurt someone, would we?"

"Yeah, that would be a real shame," Ren smoothly agreed. With a wave of his hand, he gently heated the earth the Monsoons were standing on, just enough to make Peng yelp and for Qwen to feel it through his boots.

Eying the beast and the concrete below his feet, Qwen's face twisted from smugness to fear. "Consider this your last warning. Pay up next time, or we'll take your shop apart piece by piece," he threatened, before turning on his heel and leaving Peng behind.

Ren let out a long breath as Peng pulled himself up, muttering curses as he shuffled to his feet. "Sorry about this Ren, nothing personal," he whined, desperately trying to brush the mud out of his jacket and pants. "Qwen's a crook, double-dipping and pocketing half our tributes. The asshole is gonna get me killed."

"Why are you even a Red Monsoon, Peng?" Ren sighed, bending the mud out of his suit for him. "You're not a bender, and you're not a very good thug."

"I got a family to feed," Peng lamented. "You know how tough it is in this city. I gotta do what I gotta do."

Korra frowned. "A family?"

"Two boys, eight and ten. I'm all they have," Peng explained. "I know what people think, but I just want to keep 'em safe."

Korra's expression softened, and Ren rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. "Look, tell the Monsoons I'll keep up with the payments, OK? And if you run into trouble... your kids can stay at my place overnight."

"Really?" Peng asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Yeah, really," Ren assured him. "Just keep Qwen out of my hair, or at least give me a heads-up. Please?"

"I'll do what I can. Thanks, Ren," Peng promised, running off to catch up with Qwen.

When he was gone, Ren turned to Korra with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Korra, you saved my skin again. Maybe I could have fought them, but..."

"I'm not fresh off the boat, even if I look like I am," Korra chuckled. "I know scaring gangsters off is better for your health than getting on their hit list."

"Still, I owe you," Ren insisted. "I'm short on cash right now, but once I get back on my feet, I'll pay you back."

"I hate to sound greedy, but I would appreciate that," Korra admitted, looking embarrassed. "I've got mouths to feed, and I... don't really have a steady income."

"Really? A waterbending healer like you?" Ren asked, surprised.

Korra sighed, and looked away in shame. "It's complicated."

Ren's face dropped sympathetically, and he stepped a little closer. "Hey, I didn't mean it like that. I came to Republic City as a trained engineer, and I lived behind a dumpster for months. Even after that, I was scraping by."

"Really?" Korra asked, her eyes wide.

"Yeah," Ren confirmed. "My head was in a terrible place."

"I can relate," Korra muttered, looking down at her hands.

"I'm just saying, you won't get one bit of judgement from me," Ren promised, offering a small, shy smile.

Korra smiled back, and nodded, meeting his gaze once more.

Ren rubbed his chin. "If you're looking for work, you wanna help clean up my shop? The sooner I get back on my feet, the sooner I can pay you what I owe you."

Korra eyed him suspiciously... but what was the harm in just checking it out? "Sure, why not?" she agreed. Korra stepped through the hole and followed Ren inside, and the workshop built into the old factory wasn't what she expected.

Bins of ores, big and small, lined one wall, while workbenches littered with parts, gizmos and elaborate tools lined two more. Huge machines filled the center, some of them still humming, steaming, and crackling with electricity, and an engine block hung from the ceiling by chains. All surfaces were solid metal... almost like a lab instead of something that belonged in the dirty industrial district. "Whoa," Korra breathed, still trying to take everything in. "What exactly do you do here?"

"Technically, I'm a metallurgist," Ren explained, pointing to the bins. "I refine ores into metals, and then I use those metals to make parts for other machines. But if I'm being generous, I like to think of myself as an inventor too," he added, gesturing at the big machines. "I work contracts for the local factories and a few other clients, mostly small-time jobs since it's just me."

"Impressive," Korra admitted, looking around. A good part of the workshop was black and charred, but most of the stuff was still intact.

"Not really." Ren shrugged modestly. "Just lemme clean myself up before we clean up this mess."

"Allow me," Korra offered, bending water from a nearby sink.

Blobs of water washed across Ren's face, his limbs, his clothes, and before he knew it, the ash and soot were gone. He blinked, surprised. "Wow, that was fast. Uh, can you use that same trick to clean up all this ash?"

"Sure thing, boss," Korra quipped. She wove her hands in intricate patterns, summoning streams of water from the sink that obeyed her every command, lifting ash from surfaces and carrying debris away.

Ren watched in awe, not sure what to say. "Wow," he just managed to breathe.

Korra grinned, and winked at him as she kept it up. Before long, most of the grime and trash was swept away.

"You're an incredible waterbender," Ren complimented.

"Thanks. I enjoy praise," Korra teased.

Ren chuckled, and then eyed the giant beast sitting next to him, panting idly, seemingly comfortable with his presence now. "I'm sorry... Naga, right? Is that a polar bear dog? In Republic City?"

"Yeah!" Korra confirmed proudly, stroking Naga's thick fur affectionately. "Don't worry, she's super obedient."

Ren shook his head in disbelief. "Is it OK if I give her a treat?"

"Go ahead," Korra encouraged. "She likes jerky, if you have any."

Ren happened to have a bag of fish jerky in his toolbox, which he generously doled out to Naga. "That's a good girl," he praised, ruffling her fur.

Korra couldn't help but smile. Naga seemed to like Ren, thumping her foot happily as he scratched behind her ears before he turned back to the mess.

"Come on, let's see what we can salvage," Ren suggested, levitating some twisted metal bars littering the ground.

The pair worked into the evening, patching up the wall, cleaning up the burnt wreckage and salvaging what remained of Ren's equipment. Korra felt a sense of purpose creeping back into her bones... even if it was just cleaning and moving junk. It was a long way from bringing balance to the world, sure, but it was better than nothing. And the smooth motions of waterbending eased her troubled soul.

Later, Korra found herself staring at Ren in awe as he levitated chunks of his shattered forge into the air, heating them up and welding them back together with bending alone. The motions were fluid and graceful, like waterbending with a firmly rooted stance. And they weren't explosive like regular lavabending moves, but longer, drawn out... more powerful and methodical, almost like lighting bending. She couldn't take her eyes off him, and Ren was too focused to notice.

"How are you doing that?" she finally asked, breaking the silence.

Ren flinched in surprise, and the metal flared with heat, but he quickly regained his composure. "Well, the forge walls are a tungsten alloy. I can't even afford a welding torch hot enough to melt it, so I have to be careful, get it to just the right temperature and-"

Korra smiled and shook her head. "Yeah yeah, but how are you bending it?"

"Oh, right," Ren said, looking embarrassed. "It's just lavabending on metal, like you said."

"But that's... not possible," Korra argued. "I've never even heard of anyone doing that." Her masters certainly hadn't, Korra thought to herself.

Ren smiled nostalgically. "My family has pretty much always been doing this."

"Really?" Korra asked with a curious tilt of her head.

Ren nodded. "My great grandpa, his dad, and his dad before him were all miners and blacksmiths in the Hundred Year War. They used lavabending to make weapons and armor for the Earth Kingdom, and passed down what they knew to their kids. Then my grandpa learned metalbending from Toph Beifong, figured out how to put the two together, and taught it all to my dad. So I'm at least a fifth generation lavabender, and a third generation metal lavabender."

Korra watched him weld a complex hinge back in place as he spoke, like it was second nature. "Wow, that's amazing. And your skills are incredible."

Ren blushed, looking away. "Thanks. I'm not that great, really."

"You are," Korra insisted. If only he knew how high that praise was. "Your dad must be proud."

"I hope so," Ren replied quietly. "My parents died when I was a teenager."

Korra cursed under her breath, feeling stupid for bringing it up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine," Ren assured her. "My sister and I immigrated here after it happened. We heard so much about Republic City, and wanted a fresh start... though it wasn't exactly what we expected."

"I know the feeling," Korra agreed. "I heard a lot about Republic City in the Southern Water Tribe, and I came here looking for a little peace, but the city just kicked my ass."

Ren chuckled, and shook his head. "Same. But we're still here, aren't we?"

"Yeah, we are," Korra admitted, smiling.

Korra looked around the workshop, taking in the various gadgets and gizmos scattered throughout. She didn't understand half of what she saw, or half of what Ren said. But after they cleaned up the last remnants of the damage, Korra leaned against the cool metal of the reconstructed forge, thinking.

"This would have taken me days without you. Great work," Ren praised, wiping sweat from his brow. She didn't even seem tired, despite the long day.

And honestly, Korra was pulling him along the whole time, Ren thought. He had never felt so productive and energized.

"Thanks, it was fun," Korra admitted, smiling. "It must be nice to make stuff with bending, instead of just using it for fighting."

"It is," Ren agreed. "My parents prided themselves on just that, and I've been cobbling things together ever since I could walk."

"I know your parents would be proud of what you built here," Korra reassured him.

Ren smiled sadly. "Thanks. I hope so too."

After a long pause, Korra bit her lip, and decided to press her luck. "Hey, Ren?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I was wondering... do you need another hand around here? I'm a fast learner, and I could help with small jobs here and there," Korra offered. "Even if it's just occasionally."

"Actually, I was hoping for more than that," he admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "If you're willing, I'd like to take you on as a partner with equity. You're sharp as a tack, and I could use a waterbender of your caliber to flash-cool alloys and cut parts, among other things."

"What?" Korra gasped, her eyes wide. "A partner?"

"Yeah," Ren confirmed.

Korra's disbelief hardened into suspicion. She'd made the mistake of signing contracts for phony jobs that were too good to be true. "Why?" she asked bluntly. "I'm a homeless vagrant with no experience, and you haven't asked a single thing about my background. I could be a total crook."

Ren shrugged. "I don't care where you live, or what your past is. I've got skeletons in my closet too. And if you really wanted to rob me, you could do it in broad daylight with Naga here," he chuckled, rubbing Naga's fur.

"I... this must be a con," Korra stammered. "I'm not giving you any ID."

"I don't need any, and you don't have to sign anything," Ren promised.

"But I don't know the first thing about engineering. Whatever your angle is, I'm not falling for it!" Korra snapped.

Ren sighed. "I'm not looking for a master engineer, Korra," he calmly explained. "I don't trust random hires either, and honestly, I don't want to deal with them. But..."

"But what!?" Korra demanded, narrowing her eyes.

"I don't know. I guess I feel comfortable around you, and I'm not usually like that," Ren admitted, looking away. "Even now, you're speaking your mind, and putting all your energy into what you're doing. I've always struggled to do that, and working with you makes it easier." He looked back with a shy expression. "You're already helping me, Korra. I just want you to keep doing it, if you're willing, and make it worth your while."

Korra blinked. This is usually where tempers flare and Korra gets herself into a fight... but instead, her anger just floated away.

That never happens. She didn't know what to do.

"I don't want you to think I'm stiffing you," Ren added. He walked over to his safe buried in the ground, twisting the metal tumblers deep inside with his own bending, and pulled out a wad of cash. "Here, this is about the last of what I have."

Korra stared at the fat wad of Yuans in disbelief. "This is just for today!?"

"It's not even enough for today," he corrected. "I swear I'll give you what I owe when some contracts are knocked out. And if you help me, it'll happen faster."

"I don't know what to say," Korra whispered, her eyes watering a little.

"Then just try it? Come in tomorrow, and if you're sick of me by then, no hard feelings," Ren suggested.

Korra nodded slowly, and wiped away a tear. "Thank you for giving me a shot, Ren... And sorry for blowing up at you," she meekly apologized.

"Don't be. You're just being open," Ren assured her. "In fact, if you ever need to vent... do it. I can take it."

"Wait, really?" Korra asked.

"I won't fight back," Ren assured her, before softening more. "Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you've got a temper. You just get passionate, and I respect that."

"I do have a temper," Korra admitted. "I've never had anyone offer to just... accept it. And let me be myself."

"Well I will," Ren promised.

"Will you?" Korra bluntly asked. "My head is still a mess from my past. Do you really want to deal with that?"

"I do," Ren said firmly.

"Why?" Korra asked, her voice cracking.

Ren locked eyes with her. "Because mine is too."

They stared at each other for a long moment, searching each other's eyes.

"I... I get it. I won't push you over the edge, because I know what that's like. So just think about it?" Ren pleaded.

"I don't need to think about it," Korra retorted, her voice firm, offering her hand. "Partners?"

Ren smiled, and shook her hand. "Partners."

"I swear, I will give this everything I've got," Korra promised, smiling back, her eyes shining.

"I know," Ren replied confidently.

Feeling grateful and overwhelmed, Korra stuck around to help Ren clean up and lock up for the night.

After Ren soldered some wires together with his fingers, Korra flipped a switch, and a light flickered on. "There we go."

At that very moment, Korra's stomach rumbled obnoxiously, and she blushed. "Sorry."

"Don't be. You want dinner?" he casually asked. "I actually live on the second floor. I've got some frozen possum chicken ready to go, and some fish I could give to Naga."

"That sounds amazing!" Korra agreed, perking up. "I'm starving."

On the former factory's back patio, as the last bits of twilight faded into darkness over the bay, the red glow of lava lit Ren's face as Korra watched him grill.

Ren's deep, but raspy voice and easy demeanor calmed Korra's mind... but the things he was doing to frozen possum chicken all but undid it. Precooking the breasts and fish over a little pit of lava was torture enough, but then he dumped some kind of coating onto a sheet of metal, bent it around the possum chicken, and heated it to a faint glow. The smell alone was making Korra drool almost as much as Naga.

"It's kinda like frying, but easier," Ren explained, noticing Korra's ravenous stare. "And it sears the meat perfectly."

"I'm gonna pass out if I have to watch this much longer," Korra joked, trying to keep her composure. "Lavabending meat... another family tradition?"

"Nah, dad was a horrible cook," Ren chuckled. "And stay with us, it's almost done."

Always alert, Korra felt someone creep into the backyard with her seismic sense, hiding behind a stack of metal scrap. But she wasn't worried, especially when she saw a pair of blue eyes peeking out from behind it.

"Phoebe! Come on, nothing to worry about!" she encouraged, immediately perking up herself.

The girl stepped out from behind the pile, and ran over in excitement. Korra picked her up and wrapped her in a hug, spinning her around as they laughed.

"Hey Miss Korra!" Phoebe cheered, wrapping her arms around Korra's neck.

"Hey Phoebe!" Korra grinned, setting her down as Naga licked her face. "How's my little troublemaker doing?"

"I couldn't find you in your home, and I got scared," Phoebe confessed. "But then I saw a light up here, and came to check."

"Sorry for scaring you," Korra apologized, stroking Phoebe's hair.

"Are you OK?" Phoebe asked, looking at Ren warily and clutching Naga's fur. "Is he a bad guy?"

"Not even close," Korra assured her. "This is Ren, he's my new boss."

"Hey, Phoebe" Ren greeted, moving a little closer. But Phoebe still looked scared, peeking out from behind Naga.

"She's nervous around guys," Korra explained. "Her foster parents were bad to her."

"It's OK," Ren assured her, kneeling on one knee to meet her level. "I'm not a social butterfly either, Phoebe. I get nervous around new people too."

"Really?" Phoebe asked, looking a little less afraid.

"Yeah, really," Ren promised. "But it's easier with nice people like you. Here," he started, turning around and levitating a metal rod from a workbench just inside, and bringing it into his hands. He split it in half, and both chunks started glowing bright white as Ren bent them into little circles. "This metal is different than most. It's really hard, and I can't shape it with bending unless it's really hot."

Phoebe watched with wide eyes as the glowing metal rings floated into the air, and dimmed into a dark gray.

"And it has a little blue shine. It took my family generations to perfect, and there's nothing else quite like it," he explained as the newly formed bracelets floated over to Korra and Phoebe. Korra held out her arm, and then Phoebe tentatively did the same, letting the still-warm bracelets slide onto their wrists.

"It's beautiful," Phoebe whispered.

"It's special, just like you and Korra," Ren agreed. The sight of their warm, appreciative smiles made his heart swell a little.

"Thank you, Mr. Ren," Phoebe said softly, stepping out and moving a little closer.

"You're welcome, Phoebe," Ren replied, smiling back. "You like possum chicken?"

"Yeah!" Phoebe cheered. "It's my favorite!"

"Great," Ren smirked. "Because we have plenty."

Korra couldn't stop smiling as she watched the exchange. She had stabbed in the back too much to trust easily, much less after a single day... but she couldn't lie to herself either.

She liked Ren already. And she felt comfortable around him, too.

Chapter 4: Nightmares and Daydreams

Chapter Text

Korra opened her eyes, and found herself over a sink, washing and scrubbing pots. She waved her hands in small circles, bending soapy water over the dishes, carrying away grease and grime.

She looked up, and found she was in a smokey kitchen in a dimly lit building. A firebender missing an arm was working a stove, a short old lady was chopping vegetables. The restaurant itself was seedy, filled with drunken sailors and rowdy patrons.

"Speed it up will ya?" the cook barked, throwing a dirty plate at her. "We ain't paying you to stand around!"

"Sorry, sir," Korra called out apologetically, bending over to pick up the dish. "I'll hurry up."

The cook snorted, and returned to his grilling. "Just don't break anything," he warned gruffly. "I swear, if you cost me a customer, I'll toss you out on your ear."

Before she knew it, Korra found herself behind the restaurant, standing in front of some older guy that owned the place. It was wet, humid, but cold and dark, with dim yellow lights barely illuminating the alleyway. He was counting out a few Yuans, with a sly grin plastered on his face.

"Say, how'd you like to earn a few extra Yuans?" he asked, looking her up and down.

"What do you mean?" Korra asked cautiously.

"It gets awfully cold in the restaurant, you know?" he hinted suggestively. "Why don't we warm each other up?"

Korra slowly backed into a wall. "I'm, uh, not interested," she stammered.

"Oh come on," he coaxed, taking a step closer. "I've got plenty of cash for you."

Korra gulped, feeling trapped. She needed this job. "Please, I just want to finish my shift," she pleaded.

The man put one hand on an arm, another on her waist. "Relax, honey," he purred. "You'll make bank tonight."

The back door slammed open. Korra felt a ping of relief, happy for any kind of interruption. It was the cook... but he barely even glanced at the scene unfolding as he dropped some trash into a bin.

"Please!" Korra cried out desperately.

"Don't be such a wuss," the cook scoffed as he headed back to the kitchen.

Korra panicked, feeling tears prickle at her eyes as the guy leaned into her neck. This wasn't happening...

"Get of me!" she yelled, shoving the owner to the side. He stumbled backwards, falling to the ground.

"You ungrateful bitch!" he screamed, wiping blood off his lip. "You're fired! Get out of here!"

Korra ran, not daring to look back. But the scenery shifted around her, and all of a sudden she was on a dirty street. It was sunny, hot, only amplifying the awful smell of the sprawling slums.

A couple of teens were lined up on one side of the street, in firebending stances.

"Oh no," Korra whispered. "Please, no."

They shot their fists forward in unison, and flames washed over a couple of younger kids from a rival gang. They squealed in agony, collapsing to the ground as they burned alive. Korra could smell flesh sizzling, and taste bile rising in her throat.

The face of a bald man, then a woman, quickly flashed in her vision.

Korra gasped, and bolted upright. Her heart raced, and sweat dripped down her forehead.

She was in her drainage tunnel, the moon still filtering in through the grate. A rat was running around, squeaking loudly.

Phoebe was sleeping here tonight, uttering something from her own dreams while resting on Naga's fur. But Naga had stirred a bit, looking concernedly at Korra.

"It was just a dream," Korra whispered, soothing her furry friend. "A nightmare."

Naga licked her cheek, trying to calm her. "I know, girl," Korra murmured, stroking the polar bear dog's fur. But she knew it wasn't just a dream. This was her life, her reality. And her future, if she didn't change it.

She looked out at the statue of Aang in the bay. "I'm working on it," she whispered to her past lives. "I'm getting better, I just... I need a little more time."

Korra had never spoken to any of her past lives before. She wasn't sure if that's because she was a spiritual failure, or because she was so afraid of what they would say.

"Leave me alone," Phoebe begged.

"Shut up!" her foster mom snapped, grabbing her by the arm. "Now stop crying and put on a smile, or I'll sell you to the Agni Kais. Do I make myself clear?"

Phoebe nodded, sniffling and wiping her eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

The woman dragged Phoebe over to the door, and opened it, putting on a big, fake smile. "Good evening officers. What can I do for you?"

"Evening, ma'am," the first cop said, bowing slightly. "We got some reports of some Agni Kai hitmen hiding out in your neighborhood. Have you seen or heard anything suspicious?"

"Not at all, officer," the woman lied smoothly. "Have you seen anything, sweetie?"

Phoebe bit her lip and shook her head. "No, ma'am."

The officers eyed the pair. "All right. Just keep an eye out," the first cop suggested. "If you encounter something suspicious, let us know."

"Of course, officers," the woman agreed, closing the door behind them and all but forgetting about Phoebe once they left.

Phoebe shuffled to her bedroom at the end of the hall, little more than a closet with a thin mattress, but another door slammed open in front of her. A tall, young guy with yellow-green eyes and sharp features stood in the hall, blocking her path, smiling wickedly. He had fancy clothes, with a little blood spattered on them.

"Phoebe, right?" he cooed, looking down at her.

"I didn't say anything," Phoebe whimpered, backing away. "I promise."

"I know," he assured her, squatting down in front of her and grabbing her shirt. "And it better stay that way."

Phoebe's eyes widened, and she tried to pull away, but he was too strong.

"If anyone asks, I'm your good friend, Lee, just visiting from the Earth Kingdom." He pulled a bloody dagger out, and coated it in flame with his firebending, holding it close to her neck. "Got it!?" he snapped.

Phoebe nodded frantically, tears streaming down her cheeks as the flames licked at her neck.

"Good," he hissed, and shoved her into her room. "I'll be seeing you around, Phoebe. Don't go anywhere, we're gonna get to know each other real well..."

Phoebe's vision shifted, and she found herself running as fast as her legs would carry her, her feet thumping against the wood of the boardwalk. It was the middle of the night, and the people she bumped past barely even seemed to notice her.

Hearing a shout in the distance, Phoebe ducked to the side, scrambling around a dockside warehouse. As she turned the corner at the very end, she almost ran smack into an old man sitting on the edge of the pier, feet dangling off, fishing pole in hand and a bottle of beer on the ground.

"Hey there, kiddo," he called out. "You look like you're in a hurry."

"Please, mister, don't hurt me," Phoebe begged, backing into a wall and trembling.

"Easy there," the man soothed, patting the ground next to him. "Ain't nobody gonna hurt you here. No one but us ever comes here this time of night, and these old bones can't keep up with someone young like you."

Phoebe hesitated, but eventually sat down next to him. "I'm scared," she whimpered.

"We all are," the man agreed, casting his line into the water. "This city is full of scary, troubled people. But there are good folks too. You just gotta find 'em."

"Where? How?" Phoebe asked, wiping away tears.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But when they run into you, I've learned to stick to them like glue," he chuckled, smiling warmly. "What's your name, kiddo?"

"Phoebe," she whispered.

"Name's Gommu," he introduced himself. "And I ain't gonna make you do anything, miss Phoebe," he promised, reeling in a small fish.

"I don't know what to do," Phoebe confessed, her voice cracking. "I don't have anyone. I have nowhere to go."

"I know the feeling," Gommu agreed. "But I know a place where lost souls like us can stick together, and watch each other's backs. If you're up for it, let's enjoy the moonlight a little longer, then I'll introduce you to some friends of mine..."

Her vision shifted again, and Phoebe was a little older... but in the same spot. The sun was setting over the bay, and now Korra's feet were hanging over the edge of the pier, tears streaming down her face.

"What's wrong, Miss Korra?" Phoebe asked.

"I'm so scared, Phoebe," Korra whispered, barely able to speak.

"Scared of what? You're so brave, and strong, and smart," Phoebe argued. "What could scare you?"

Korra sniffled, and wiped her eyes. "I don't know how to explain this, but... I've got people watching me, judging me, all the time. And I was told they'll punish me because I'm a failure, Phoebe," she sobbed. "I ran away from my life because I couldn't handle it, ran away from people I loved, and now I'm stuck. Too scared to go back, and too scared to move forward." Korra put her face in her hands. "I'm worthless."

"You're not worthless, Miss Korra. You're the best person I know," Phoebe insisted.

"You're just saying that," Korra argued.

"You saved me, helped me, helped all the other kids. You're always there for me." Phoebe wrapped Korra into a tight hug, and started crying herself. "I love you, Miss Korra. You're the best family I've ever had," she confessed.

Korra's heart swelled, and she hugged Phoebe tightly. "I love you too, Phoebe..."

A little wind blew by, and the ocean swelled. Neither of them knew it, but it was the Avatar Spirit trying to reach out in a moment of vulnerability, and tell Korra just how wrong she was about her past lives.. and to warn her of what was coming, of what her spirit sensed in that dismal compound that not even her past lives could see. It was something that should have died long ago, and yet stirred in the shadows.

Phoebe opened her eyes, back in reality, but found the same scene in Korra's tunnel. She was staring at the big statue again. "Miss Korra?" Phoebe called out softly.

Korra looked over, and smiled. "Hey, Phoebe."

"You were crying," Phoebe pointed out, walking over to her.

"I had a nightmare," Korra explained, wiping her eyes. "But I'm fine now."

"It was a real nightmare, wasn't it?" Phoebe asked innocently. "One that really happened?"

Korra nodded, and sighed. "Yeah, it was."

"I had one too," Phoebe admitted, scooting over and leaning on Korra. "But things will get better. Like you said. And we have each other."

Korra smiled sadly, and hugged Phoebe tightly. "We do. And I think they already are."

Phoebe nodded, cozying up against Korra. "Those people you said are watching you... are they mean?"

Korra's eyes slid to the statue once more. "Not exactly," she murmured.

"Then I hope I can meet them, and tell them how great you are," Phoebe said confidently.

Korra laughed softly. "Maybe you can, some day. And I can show them how great you are too."

Ren was sipping tea the next morning, levitating some parts as he eyed blueprints spread out over his workbench. He was still half asleep, and the caffeine was just barely kicking in. Korra would be here any second and perk him up, Ren mused, largely failing to concentrate on his work.

A scream from outside his workshop sent his heart racing. He dropped the parts with a clang and peeked out the door.

Ren's converted factory was squeezed onto a little corner of the industrial district, nestled between the coast and two bigger factories on either side. And down the street hugging the coast, he saw Phoebe running like mad, knocking over bins and screaming for help. Two cops and a tall guy were chasing her, and followed her into an alley as they all disappeared from sight.

"Come here you little brat!" one of them yelled. Still in a dead sprint, he raised an arm and bent his spool of metal cable at Phoebe, snaring her and yanking her to the ground.

"You're coming with us," the other one declared.

"Let me go!" Phoebe cried.

Ren ran up to the alley's entrance, and eyed the cops suspiciously. "Uh, what's going on here?"

"None of your business," the first cop snapped, pulling Phoebe to her feet as she bawled her eyes out.

"She has a right to know why she's being arrested," Ren argued, stepping closer. "For spirits sake, she's a kid."

"You heard him," the other cop growled, raising an arm. "Or should we bring you in for disrupting police business?"

Ren knew crooked cops when he saw them, and he didn't want to push his luck. But he couldn't just let them take Phoebe, so he dropped to a slight bending stance and stiffened. "I'll ask again... what's Phoebe being charged with?"

"She's not being arrested," guy smoothly corrected, sauntering to the front. He was tall, with yellowish green eyes, dapper clothes, and a look that made Ren's skin crawl. "We're just bringin' her home."

"Please!" Phoebe sobbed. "Don't make me go with him!"

"Shut up!" the first cop barked, tightening his metalbending grip on Phoebe.

Ren stomped a foot onto the ground and held and two arms out, slightly forward, and the adjacent alleys walls started to glow red with heat. "Let's just talk this out," he suggested calmly.

The sight of lavabending made them hesitate, but one cop hardened his stance. "You're not our boss, kid," he growled before shooting a cable at Ren.

Ren liquified the metal mid-flight and let it whiz past him. And before he could think of his next step, a shout came from behind him.

"Let her go!" Korra roared, pulling a water tentacle out of the humid air. "I know exactly who you are! You're not taking one more step with Phoebe!"

"Or what, sweet cheeks?" the guy in the fancy clothes sneered. "Come on, we got a lot to talk about, Phoebe."

Korra snarled, and lashed at the gangster with a whip of water. He dodged, and hurled a fireball at her, missing and blowing away a stack of crates.

"Talking's over, I guess," Ren muttered, twisting his arms with open palms just as the cops prepared to attack, heating their metal armor. They immediately stopped and dropped to their knees in pain, screaming until Ren mercifully cooled it back down.

The gangster cursed, and jumped behind Phoebe, lifting her up off the ground in a headlock and holding a knife to her neck. "You're making a big mistake," he warned. "I'm walking outta here, or I'll slit her throat."

"Take it easy," Ren cautioned, eyes wide.

But Korra wasn't having it... he would kill Phoebe anyway. With a scream and a lighting fast kick, a nearby pipe burst open, and a stream of water threw the gangster off his feet and slammed him into the opposite wall, breaking his neck. He lifelessly slumped to the ground as water sizzled off the blazing hot brick.

"Phoebe!" Korra shouted, running over and picking her up. "Are you OK!?"

Phoebe nodded, still trembling. "I'm fine, Miss Korra."

"You think you punk kids can mess with cops, and kill in broad daylight?" one of the cops growled, getting back to his feet. "You're gonna pay for this!"

Ren sighed in exasperation, and heated their armor just enough to make them very uncomfortable. "Now let's just stop and think about this, unless you'd rather cook inside your own armor," he suggested. "This guy looks like bad news, maybe an Agni Kai?"

"He was," Korra spat, glaring at the body as she consoled Phoebe. "A big time hitman."

"Lemme guess, they paid you off," Ren continued.

The cops glared at him with hatred, but said nothing as sweat rolled off their brows.

"You guys are done. You let a hot shot enforcer die on their payroll, when you were supposed to be helping him," Ren accused. "How do you think the Agni Kais are gonna react?"

"You aren't any better off than us," one of them growled.

"But what if this never happened?" Ren proposed, cooling their armor and relaxing. "I mean, you guys didn't even meet up with him. So whatever happened to him isn't your fault, right?"

The cops looked at each other, and then back at Ren. "Yeah... This guy never showed up, did he? And y'all don't know anything about it either."

"Nope," Korra agreed, catching on. "Not a thing. But I just saw a dozen Red Monsoons swaggering down the street, bragging about some big hit. Right?"

"Come to think of it, that's exactly what we saw too," another cop agreed.

Ren looked around, then waved his arms, melting the ground below the Agni Kai into lava.

Korra didn't even flinch as she watched the body sink back into the bubbling earth. "And we're all walking away from this, unless you two want to start something you can't finish. Agreed?"

"Yeah," the cops nodded, looking between the trio and the bubbling pit. "Agreed."

Ren felt a little unsettled when he finally cooled the Earth... but it was the best way out of a bad situation.

And it was far from the worst thing he'd ever done.

Chapter 5: Skeletons In the Closet

Chapter Text

The first weeks of working with Korra were... strange, Ren thought to himself. She was smart as a whip, streetwise, yet oddly naive about other mundane things. She was blunt and unfiltered, yet stealthily paranoid, like she was always expecting someone to jump out of the shadows. Sometimes she was energetic, cheerful, bright, and the next day, moody, irritable, and quick to snap.

Even running errands could be a challenge.

Levitating a bunch of crates out of a truck, Ren sweat through a rare fall heatwave that Korra seemed oblivious to. The sun beat down mercilessly, making the air thick and sticky, and pedestrians filled the busy sidewalk, running from shop to shop.

"Korra, are you OK?" he asked, noticing her tense up every time someone brushed past her.

"I'm fine," she insisted, her voice tight.

Ren eyed her curiously, then sighed. "Let's just take all this inside and out of the heat." He pushed the door to the shop open, and the coolness of a massive ice block used to chill the room hit him like a wave.

"Mr. Lee," Ren addressed the elderly man behind the counter. "These are the parts you ordered."

"Excellent," Lee beamed, inspecting the boxes. "Thank you, Ren. Your service is always impeccable."

Meanwhile, Korra had already gotten distracted, wandering over to a shelf displaying swords and knives. She picked up a sleek dao, examining its sharp edge with fascination.

"Is this a weapons shop? Cool!" she enthused with wide eyes. "I've never seen so many kinds of blades."

"It's mostly for collectors," Mr. Lee explained. "But I also sell to local security firms and law enforcement agencies."

"Huh," Korra mused, setting the dao back on the shelf. She walked over to case on the counter holding a single, nondescript round object. Then she opened it, and picked it up.

"Korra, be careful! That's a firebomb!" Ren grabbed her arm, and gently removed the object from her fingers.

"Oops," Korra winced. "I didn't realize. Sorry." She noticed Ren's arms tremble as he carefully set the bomb back on the shelf. "Are you alright?" she asked, concern creasing her brow.

"Just a bit spooked," Ren demurred, before turning back to Mr. Lee. "Anything else I can do today, Mr. Lee?"

"No, thank you, Ren," Lee replied, signing the delivery receipt. "Keep up the good work. It's always a pleasure doing business with you."

Korra's sympathetic expression dropped as she focused on her seismic sense. "Ren, I think we have company," she warned, turning towards the door.

Ren squinted through the barred windows, and felt some metal shutters bend apart. "Korra, get away from there!"

Ren shoved Korra to the ground just as a fireball hit the firebomb sitting inside the case. The explosion rocked the store, and sent Ren flying backwards, crashing into a shelf full of swords.

"Ren?!" Korra shouted, hopping up and whirling around to see four figures busting in the door. They wore rough clothing and bits of light armor in gaudy elemental colors, the signature gear of the Triple Threat Triad, Republic City's biggest gang. Two of them were brandishing short swords, and the other two were in bending stances.

"Wrong place, wrong time, lady," one of them drawled, pulling his fist back and lobbing a spike of ice at her.

Furious, Korra broke it apart with her fist and sent the shards flying back at them. A firebender pulled his arms back to launch another attack, but Korra quickly bent the giant cube of ice in the corner of the room, and slammed it into two of the Traids, crushing bone and metal alike.

"Get out, or I'll gut you!" Korra snarled, standing low. "Now!"

Mr. Lee appeared from the back room with another firebomb in his hand. "You heard her," he growled, waving it threateningly. "Leave, or I'll make you regret it."

The remaining two Triads hesitated, looking at each other. "We'll be back, Mr. Lee," one of them promised darkly. "And we'll remember this. You can't hold out forever."

"Try me," Lee challenged, raising the grenade higher.

The Triads backed away, disappearing into the street.

Korra quickly knelt over Ren, and turned him upright. "Ren!" Korra called out, looking at a few cuts and stabs on his arms and torso. "Can you hear me?"

Ren groaned, and opened his eyes. "I'm fine," he assured her, wincing. "Could have been much worse."

Korra ripped water from the ice cube as Lee checked for pulses on the Triads, and waved it over the worst of Ren's stabs. "Doesn't feel like anything serious was hit," she breathed in relief.

"Thanks," Ren muttered, sitting up and giving Korra better access to his wounds. "What was that all about, Mr. Lee? Did they threaten you before?"

Mr. Lee sighed heavily. "They've been after me for months. I pay my protection money, but the Triple Threats want me to sell weapons to them, or sell the store."

"Why not just move your business?" Korra suggested as she focused on the worst of the wounds.

"To where? Gangs own every inch of this city," Lee lamented, bringing a med kit over to help with Ren. "In fact, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up..."

"I'm sick of these gangs! I can't even walk down the street without running into some stupid thug!" Korra exploded. "How can they just barge in and tear up a weapons shop?!"

"Do you see any cops around?" Ren asked bitterly, wincing as Lee pressed a bandage to his torso. "They're too busy lining their pockets."

"They were probably paid to stay away," Lee agreed. "Don't repeat this, but honestly, I'm considering throwing my lot in with the Equalists."

"What?" Korra asked, surprised. "Why? They're terrorists!"

"Maybe. But they seem to be the only ones fighting Triads in this part of town," Lee lamented. "And they're the only ones who care about nonbenders like me. What choice do I have?"

Korra bit her lip. She didn't have an answer, and she hated that.

Back at the shop, Korra watched as Ren pulled a blazing hot blob of liquid metal from his furnace, pressing it into a mold shaped like a gear. She helped him flash cool it, surrounding the mold with ice and freezing it into shape.

"This is crazy," Korra marveled, watching as Ren examined the cooled gear critically. "I feel like a mad scientist."

Ren chuckled. "Mad scientists are cool," he quipped. "Besides, you're doing great work."

"Thanks," Korra replied, feeling oddly bashful. "I've never done anything like this before."

"I would never have guessed." Ren said with a smile.

"Thanks," Korra repeated, returning the smile.

"Come on, let's get ready for the next part," he enthused, walking over to the furnace before adopting a lava-bending stance. He concentrated, lifting two blobs of different metals into the air, keeping them separated. Korra was ready with the next mold, and Ren quickly combined the metals and stuffed it into the turbine blade mold before Korra froze the whole assembly.

"There we-" Ren started.

The ice popped, shattering into pieces with a deafening crack as bits of ice and hot metal went flying everywhere.

Korra swore, ducking instinctively. "Whoa! Are you okay?"

"Uh... yeah," Ren groaned, sitting up. "You've, uh, gotta be careful not to let water into the mix."

"Sorry," Korra apologized, helping him up. Her eyes went wide. "Your arm!"

Ren looked down, and saw a big cut oozing blood. "Oh."

"Here, sit down," Korra instructed, guiding him to a chair. She bent over, placing her palm on his wound. A bubble of water formed around her hand, and Korra focused her chi, healing the cut. "I've been healing you way too much lately, huh?"

"I guess," Ren weakly agreed. "Thanks..."

As Korra held his arm, she could feel it trembling, harder this time. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked again, concern clouding her features.

"Yeah, I, uh... just give me a sec," Ren muttered. He put his hands on his forehead, closing his eyes.

Korra put a hand on his knee. "What's wrong?" she asked gently. Both his arms were shaking, and his face was pale.

"Nothing worth worrying about," Ren insisted, opening his eyes after a while. His gaze was distant, unfocused. "Just... bad memories."

"From the streets?" Korra guessed, her voice soft.

"Not exactly," Ren admitted quietly.

"Tell me," Korra urged.

Ren sighed. "Explosions, loud noises," he revealed. "I have a... bad reaction to them on some days. It's a long story."

"I'd like to hear it," Korra requested simply. "If you're comfortable sharing."

Ren hesitated, chewing on his lower lip. "I'm OK, really," he said, getting up and brushing himself off. "Thanks for all the healing. And I, uh appreciate the offer too."

"You're welcome," Korra assured him, watching him closely. She wished she could do more, but she knew forcing someone to share their pain wasn't the answer. Oh, did she know.

After a few moments of silence, there was a knock on the door.

"I got it," Ren announced, heading over to the entrance. He opened the door, and found a Republic City Police officer standing there, in full armor.

"Lieutenant Fong," Ren acknowledged politely. Fong was cop in his thirties, with hazel eyes and a long face, wearing full police armor. "Come in, please."

Fong nodded, and entered, eyeing the damage caused by the failed fabrication. "What happened here?" he demanded brusquely.

"An accident, nothing to worry about," Ren replied evenly. "What brings you here? Is something wrong with the armor plating?"

"No, no. In fact, my officers love them. You saved lives, Ren," Fong assured him. "I was curious to see if you had anything else in the works."

"We do," Ren nodded. "My associate and I-"

Ren gestured to introduce Korra... but she was gone. And the back door was swinging open.

Later, after he dealt with Lieutenant Fong, Ren went down to the beach where Korra usually hung out. The sun was low, shining into a drainage tunnel. He peered inside, and saw Korra leaning against Naga, stroking her fur absently.

"Korra?" he called out tentatively.

Korra looked up sharply, her expression shifting between surprise and guilt.

"Hey," she greeted him warily.

"This is your place?" Ren asked bluntly, gesturing at the tunnel.

"Yeah," Korra admitted reluctantly. "I'm, uh, saving up for something better."

Ren nodded slowly. "Well, it's better than anywhere I stayed when I first came to the city."

"Is it really, though?" Korra asked.

"It's safe, isolated," Ren pointed out. "You even have a front gate," he added, pointing to the grates with a small smirk.

Korra smiled. "True," she agreed. "I like the view too."

He moved a little closer. "Why did you run earlier?" he asked, tilting his head.

Korra blinked. "I, um... I didn't want to meet any cops," she admitted, avoiding his gaze.

"Why's that?" Ren pressed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't even have ID. And I have a bad history with police," Korra confessed, looking down.

"I know what you mean," Ren said sympathetically. "But Lieutenant Fong's a good guy. His whole unit is. I wanted to introduce you, actually."

Anger flashed in Korra's eyes. "Did you tell him my name?" she snapped.

"No," Ren protested.

Almost faster than Ren could blink, Korra grabbed Ren's shirt and shoved him against the wall. "Don't lie to me!" she growled dangerously.

Ren put his hands up. "Easy, Korra. I didn't tell him anything about you, I promise," he swore, trying to keep his voice calm. "I just mentioned I had a great business partner."

Korra released him, stepping back. She slowly sank down onto the floor, leaning against a wall, putting her hands onto her face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's okay," he said, kneeling down beside her.

Korra chuckled. "I just assaulted my boss, again," she lamented. "It's no wonder I've been living on the streets."

"Hey," Ren said gently, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. "No harm done."

She looked up at Ren, meeting his gaze directly. "So... I'm not fired?"

"Again, you're my partner, not employee. And no. You're not fired. Just..." he trailed off.

"What?" Korra prompted.

"Look, if you're uncomfortable with things, like cops or busy places, just let me know, OK?" Ren suggested. "You don't have to explain it. And I'd rather know than find out later."

"Okay," Korra agreed, nodding seriously. "You too. If you've got things that make you anxious, just let me know how I can help."

Ren smiled. "Deal."

Korra returned the smile, looking back into his eyes. "Hey Ren?"

"Yeah?" he replied.

"You couldn't know how that firebomb would explode... you risked your life to push me out of the way," Korra said softly. "Why?"

"Because I care about you," Ren answered without hesitation. "That's what friends do, right?"

Korra felt her heart skip a beat. "Right," she echoed, feeling a warmth spread through her chest.

Later, Korra peered outside her shelter with a suspicious pout, looking left and right. The morning sun was just starting to rise, casting shadows across the beach, but no one was around.

"Coast is clear, Naga," Korra announced, with a solid seismic sense stomp to confirm. She turned to a chunk of scrap metal she dragged inside last night, staring at it with intent.

"How did Ren stand..." she murmured, shifting her feet to mimic his metalbending stance. With a bending grip on the metal, she tried twisting open palms, then moving them in small circles, copying Ren's movements. The metal twisted and turned, and...

Nothing.

Korra huffed in frustration. "Maybe its like waterbending," she mused aloud. "I need to move more fluidly."

She lightened her stance, shifted her weight, and gripped the metal once more, trying to pull it apart by the seams like she would do to boil water. It stretched and contorted, but didn't heat up.

Then she tried everything she could think of, from dumping chi into it like she does with lava, to moving energy through it like lightning, to concentrating it like fire or even combustion bending. Nothing, not even the slightest warmth.

"Ugh!" Korra snapped, stomping her foot to the ground and melting concrete around it. "How does Ren do this!?"

Boiling over in frustration, Korra stripped into her bindings, jogged onto the beach and dove into the water, swimming out into the bay like a dolphin. Far from shore, she floated face up, watching clouds drift by, morning light bouncing off them, as the cool ocean absorbed her petty anger. Her native element always calmed her down and deepened her thoughts.

"What's Ren's deal?" she wondered aloud. "What's the catch?" From the moment she left the compound, Korra quickly learned most people, especially those her age, would stab her in the back if they didn't attack her outright.

Korra sighed heavily, letting her body float on the waves. "He's way too good of a bender, and way too educated to be scraping by like this. Ren's hiding from a past... but I guess I can relate," Korra admitted to herself. "How can I judge him over that?"

Korra thought about all the people that hurt her in the Earth Kingdom, in Republic City, in the Southern Water Tribe... She wasn't Aang, Roku, or Kuruk. Storybook companions didn't just fall into her lap like presents.

But she had found friends along the way anyway.

Korra realized she wasn't just afraid of betrayal... she was also afraid of the opposite. What if someone got close enough to see she was the Avatar?

The thought opened up a whole can of worms even Korra couldn't deal with.

"You seem awfully chipper. Are you sick or something?" Sara teased, placing a wrist on Ren's forehead.

"Ha ha, very funny," Ren retorted, slapping her hand away. He was leaning over the balcony of Sara's apartment, watching rain pour down onto the street below. She was his oldest, closest friend in the city... and to be honest, one of his only friends.

"Does it have anything to do with that waterbender you hired?" Sara prodded with a smirk. "Finally moving on from Anah, huh?"

"Ouch, low blow," Ren winced.

"Sorry," Sara apologized, patting his back. "Just trying to get you to put yourself out there."

"It's alright," Ren assured her. "And it's really not like that, we're just friends."

Sara studied Ren intently with her golden-gray eyes. "Seriously though, you seem different. I've never seen you like this since... well..."

"Anah?" Ren finished for her. "You don't have to rub it in."

"No, not her," Sara corrected. "Ren, I've known you and Kylie since y'all got here. And that whole time, up or down, it's like you've had this huge weight on your spirit. But your shoulders, your eyes, your aura... you seem lighter now. What's going on?"

Ren hesitated, looking out at the rain. "I don't know," he finally confessed. "Maybe it is Korra. She has this..."

"What?" Sara asked, leaning forward.

"Energy," Ren explained. "You're right. It's like we feed into each other, but there's something else about her I can't quite put my finger on."

"Well don't overthink it," Sara advised. "If she makes you feel better, that's all that matters."

Lightning struck nearby, and Ren nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Easy," Sara soothed, rubbing his arm. "Lightning still gets ya, huh?"

"Yeah," Ren muttered, closing his eyes.

Thank the spirits Sara didn't know why.

Chapter 6: When Extremes Meet

Chapter Text

A month later, things were going well. Better than well, Ren thought. He finally felt like his head was above water, thanks to Korra's hard work.

And she was a good friend, quirks and all.

As the day turned to evening, Ren was panting from the pace of work, but Korra was hardly breaking a sweat. "We've burnt through more contracts in a week than I could manage in a month," he marveled.

"Well you're paying me well," Korra pointed out.

"Not nearly well enough," Ren disagreed, giving her a grateful grin. "How about we celebrate our good fortune? I know a great Fire Nation restaurant downtown, and I've been meaning to meet my sister anyway."

"Sounds fantastic," Korra enthused, excitement dancing in her eyes. "I love spicy food."

Korra used her newfound wealth to pick up better clothes, and showed up in a dark blue, tight-fitting qipao with white trim, long navy gloves, new pants and new boots. She tidied her bob a little, and actually washed herself off. It wasn't much, but it was the most effort she'd put into her appearance since arriving in Republic City.

"Wow, you clean up nice," Ren complimented her. He had never really seen Korra's physique outside of her usual baggy clothing, and she had a stronger build than a pro-bending athlete. There were a few scars on the exposed part of her broad shoulders, and a small burn mark on her neck. Even without makeup, her big blue eyes shone against her sharp face, which made her look younger than she already was. Ren had to stop himself from staring.

"If you can call it cleaning up," Korra scoffed, smoothing out her top self-consciously. "You look pretty spiffy yourself."

Ren had changed out of his usual grease-stained clothing and into green pants that matched his round, deep set eyes, and an asymmetric, black button-up shirt that fit his stocky frame, with rolled up sleeves. His curly hair was somewhat tamed, and his round face was clean-shaven. Korra wouldn't admit it, but the look made her heart flutter a bit. And a burn scar on the back of his neck made her feel less self-conscious about hers.

Ren walked Korra over to his garage, where he kept a wrecked Future Industries race car he managed to salvage.

"You sure this thing will get us there without blowing up?" Korra asked skeptically, eyeing the vehicle dubiously.

"Probably," Ren coolly replied with a smirk. "Not knowing is the fun part."

They ended up downtown, on a patio under the glistening lights of the skyscrapers. Korra's eyes widened at the sight of the towering buildings, stretching far into the starry sky.

"I haven't been downtown much," she admitted. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah. It's so different up close," Ren agreed. "I'm not used to the skyscrapers either."

Ren opened the door for Korra, and she was immediately hit with the smell of sharp spices and sizzling meat. The host led them to a table right by the window, where Korra could take in the cars driving by, the airships soaring overhead, the strange people bustling along the sidewalks. For a moment, they were both mesmerized by the view.

"So I've said it before, but thanks for hiring me," Korra said seriously. "And putting up with my antics."

"Antics?" Ren echoed with a smirk. "What do you mean? I wouldn't call crushing a client's car under a block of ice an 'antic'."

Korra winced. "Sorry about that. I got a little carried away."

"He just asked where you were from," Ren teased.

"I like my privacy, OK!?" Korra defended herself. "I... I've had a rough past couple years. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid."

"Just a bit," Ren agreed. "Seriously though, it's alright. Working with someone so hot-blooded has its perks, I guess."

"Like what?" Korra challenged, folding her arms over her chest.

"Well," Ren considered. "You're utterly determined to pick up anything you set your mind to. You're relentless, energetic... its kind of infectious. I wouldn't have gotten a third as much done this month without you."

"Hmph," Korra sniffed, trying to act unimpressed. But she couldn't stop the smile that tugged at her lips. "People always told me to focus, meditate, calm down. They'd say I was too impulsive."

"Those people are idiots," Ren declared bluntly. "That's not you."

Korra blushed. "Thanks. Still, sometimes I'd kill for your calm, easy demeanor, or your head for all those machines."

"Maybe that's why we click. We balance each other out," Ren suggested, taking a sip of his drink. "And you do have a head for it, you've picked up everything crazy fast."

Before they could ponder that any longer, a woman in a tight green corporate suit approached their table. She had dark brown hair tied neatly into a bun, and piercing green eyes that looked exactly like Ren's. She looked every bit the corporate shark, but her smile was far too warm for any boardroom.

"Kylie!" Ren cried joyfully, jumping to his feet and enveloping his older sister in a huge hug. "I missed you so much."

"Hey Ren!" Kylie responded, returning the embrace with equal enthusiasm. "Spirits, it's been too long."

"I thought you forgot about me, working as some big time manager in Zaofu," Ren teased, pulling away to inspect her closely.

"Never," Kylie retorted, rolling her eyes affectionately. "I take my eyes off you too long, and you'll end up blowing someone up in that workshop of yours."

"Hey, watch it," Ren warned, feigning offense. "I've only done that a couple of times."

Kylie chuckled, and turned her attention to Korra. "Hey, I'm guessing you're Korra? Ren mentioned he finally hired some help. He was so excited, I knew it had to be someone special."

"Yep, that's me," Korra confirmed, shaking Kylie's offered hand. "The feeling is mutual. Ren gushes about you, Kylie. You sound awesome."

"That's a generous way of putting it," Kylie deadpanned, making Ren chuckle as they sat down. "So, how do you like Republic City so far?"

"It's been... interesting," Korra hedged cautiously.

"Please, you don't have to sugar coat it for me," Kylie waved her off. "I was down there in the slums not too long ago. I remember how it is."

"It's been tough," Korra admitted frankly. "But I met some wonderful people, including you and Ren, and it makes it easier."

"Good. That was our experience too. There are good people in this city, you just have to find them," Kylie assured her, clapping her brother on the shoulder. "Now come on, let's order some food and drinks before we starve."

Over dinner, Kylie regaled them with stories of her work, of her coworkers, of the parties thrown by the wealthy elite. She was technically an executive at Future Industries, but in practice she got into the weeds with the engineers she supervised. Zaofu sounded particularly fascinating, an almost utopian city founded by the metalbending Beifong clan.

Ren caught her up on his own projects, describing his inventions and detailing plans for new ones. Korra listened intently, a little jealous at the ease with which they conversed. She always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling, and it seemed like their brains were in sync.

The lights went out in the restaurant, and all the patrons grumbled and complained.

"That's weird," Kylie muttered. She looked out the window, and noticed the whole block was plunged into darkness. "This infrastructure is brand new. I worked on it myself."

A scream echoed out from across the restaurant. "My baby! They're taking my baby!" A woman screamed.

"Equalist!" Someone yelled.

Korra stood up, eyeing the darkened restaurant warily. She saw a hulking man in an Equalist outfit, running with a toddler draped over one shoulder.

"Stop!" Korra yelled. Bending drinks from the surrounding tables, she formed a puddle under the thief's feet. With a flick of her wrist, she froze it solid, causing the man to slip and fall.

The kidnapper caught himself before he hit the ground, and jumped to his feet with speed. He whipped around, glaring daggers at the attackers who dared interfere with his mission. What looked like two siblings were levitating a metal table, while a Water Tribe girl stood beside them in a waterbending stance, all glaring defiantly, ready to fight. He assessed the benders, determining which one was the bigger threat... and made a grave miscalculation, charging straight towards the metalbending siblings.

Ren rotated his makeshift shield to block the attack, but the hulking man was unnaturally fast, ducking under the table and sweeping Ren and Kylie's legs out from under them in one smooth motion. The heavy table clattered to the ground, leaving Ren flat on his face and Kylie on her butt, seeing stars. The kidnapper gave a quick jab to a pressure point on Ren's neck, knocking him unconscious instantly.

"Hey! Don't touch them!" Korra roared, launching a ball of ice aimed right at the criminal's face. He dodged, only to see a fist coming at his jaw that landed with a solid thunk. The Equalist stumbled backwards, clutching his bruised chin.

He didn't have time for this. The man casually pushed back a woman attempting to tackle him, and lunged at the Water Tribe girl, intending to knock her aside and continue his escape.

But the girl was faster than he anticipated, sidestepping the blow and delivering a sharp kick to his shin. He howled in pain, dropping to one knee. The girl sent another kick flying towards his face.

He caught it, and threw the girl over his head, sending her crashing into a table. But she bounced back up immediately, charging him with renewed vigor.

Korra had misjudged her opponent as well. This guy was unnaturally fast, moving with a grace and precision that belied his size. The attacker threw a punch, but Korra just barely managed to dodge aside, feeling the wind rush past her cheek. She responded with another kick, barely missing his side.

The kidnapper growled in frustration. He lunged at her once more, going straight for her neck. But the Water Tribe girl was ready, grabbing his arm and throwing him over her hip. He hit the ground hard enough to knock the air out of his lungs.

While Kylie tried to clear her head, and shake her brother awake, the other restaurant goers just watched from the side, half in shock, and half in terror. The fight played out like a mover running at triple speed, with the pair dancing around each other like whirling dervishes, knocking over tables and chairs, sending glasses and plates flying. A few brave onlookers tried to jump in, but they were quickly knocked back, like leaves in a hurricane.

Ever since Korra had left the compound, she had always held back in fights, wary of revealing her true nature. But this guy... there were a few people on the planet who could keep up with Korra in hand-to-hand combat, and some random thug was doing just that. But she had no time to ponder this. Instead, she took advantage of another tiny opening, grabbing the attacker's arm and twisting it sharply, forcing him to drop the chair leg he was wielding as a club. She threw him over her shoulder, slamming him into the ground hard enough to crack the wood floor. Korra quickly bent some tea out of a pot, and lobbed it in his direction, clenching her fists to bring it to a boil. The scalding liquid soaked his shirt and seared his right torso, eliciting a scream of agony as it steamed.

Who the heck is this Water Tribe girl, the would-be kidnapper wondered? She was a menace. He saw stars as he thudded onto the ground. His whole body ached, and he heard police sirens approaching.

It was time to leave, now. Under his breath, he uttered "freedom for all," and took a more desperate gamble.

Korra barely dodged yet another punch from the man, but then something strange happened. Something she couldn't have predicted in a thousand years. A blast of air erupted from the attacker's fist, hitting Korra in the gut, sending her flying backward into a pile of broken barstools.

"What?!" Korra gasped, trying to regain her bearings. Did that attacker just airbend? But she didn't have long to consider this either. The man sprinted out the back of the restaurant at an incredible speed, escaping moments before Republic City's metal bending police burst in.

"Hold it right there!" one officer demanded, threatening to restrain Korra in metal cable. "You're under arrest!"

"Wait! No!" Korra protested, holding up her hands.

Out of the crowd, a short, balding man jumped between the officer and the Water Tribe girl. "Officer, you shouldn't be arresting this young lady, you should be thanking her. She saved my daughter from being kidnapped by that Equalist!"

"Councilor Soza!" the officer exclaimed, relaxing his stance as he recognized the man. "Apologies sir, just doing our job."

Soza waved dismissively, and turned around to face his child's savior. "Thank you so much, young lady. You saved my little Lily from who knows what. I am Soza, City Councilor," he said with a deep bow. "I'm forever in your debt, Ms...?"

Korra blinked. "Uh, Korra." she introduced herself, before returning the bow.

"Well thank you again, Miss Korra, you are quite talented," Soza repeated. Another officer was already signaling for Soza to come over. "I must deal with this situation, but please, if you ever need anything, anything at all, come to City Hall. Do not hesitate to ask me personally..."

Meanwhile, Kylie had shaken Ren awake. His eyes were still bleary, but otherwise he seemed okay. "What happened? What did I miss?" he asked groggily.

"We got our asses kicked, Ren," Kylie informed him, groaning as she helped him stand. "And Korra just put up the best fight I've ever seen."

"Ha, I'm not surprised," Ren laughed, rubbing the back of his neck gingerly. "She's a spitfire."

Kylie shook her head. "Ren, you don't understand. I've seen pro benders fight up close. I even watched the Beifongs spar with White Lotus masters in Zaofu, and none of them could move like that. She was like a whirlwind."

"Really?" Ren asked.

Kylie nodded. "Ren, who the heck is your new friend? Where did you say you found her again?"

"She found me," Ren answered simply. "She was living on the streets just outside my shop, stealing to survive."

"That doesn't explain anything," Kylie insisted, shooting Korra a curious glance. "She's obviously trained. Educated too. What is she hiding?"

"I have theories," Ren admitted. "The craziest is that she's Water Tribe royalty... but all I really know is she's a good soul down on her luck, just trying to survive the city."

"Oh Ren," Kylie sighed affectionately. "You always had such a soft heart. It's your greatest strength, and your biggest weakness... Look, just promise me you will watch your back? Something is going on here, and I don't want you to get hurt."

Ren looked his sister in the eyes. "I'll be careful, Kylie. I promise."

Kylie hugged her brother, rubbing his back soothingly. "Take care of yourself, okay? I'll be back in town for a while, so don't be a stranger."

"Never," Ren assured her, hugging her tightly.

Thanks to Soza's vehement support, Korra was soon cleared of any wrongdoing. The three left the restaurant, with Kylie splitting off to return to her downtown apartment.

Korra and Ren cut through a darkened alleyway, heading back to their car. A steady breeze blew through the narrow passage, rustling their clothes, and Korra was lost in thought.

"Are you OK? That fight was intense," Ren observed, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Korra assured him, forcing a smile. "Just... there was something weird about that guy."

"Like what?" Ren asked curiously.

"This is a bad idea," the Equalist muttered to herself.

By sheer coincidence, she was eating in the restaurant during the kidnapping attempt, as a civilian. She played the incident back in her head again... she was trained by Amon himself, yet when she tried to jump in the fight, she was knocked aside like a rag doll.

It was humiliating.

From her hasty spot in the shadows, she refocused, and watched the pair enter the alley cautiously.

She was prepared for the guy. Metalbenders are dangerous, yeah, but they telegraph all their moves. Disrupt their planted feet, or shock metal they're touching, and they're easy pickings.

But the waterbender...

"Hey! Come out!" that very waterbender yelled, startling the Equalist. "I know you're there!"

The Equalist cursed under her breath, and stepped out of the shadows, shock glove ready, smoke bomb armed in case things went south. She should probably run, but she was desperate.

The guy seemed nervous, and dropped to a bending stance she didn't recognize. The concrete in front of her started to glow red, and she felt the heat radiating off it.

A lavabender?

...Oh.

The Equalists don't even have protocols for those.

She tried to project confidence, but in truth, the glowing lava filled her heart with more fear than any bender ever had. It was her worst nightmares and worst memories all wrapped up into one.

"Here to ambush us!?" the waterbender challenged, stepping closer. "Just try it!"

"I'm not here to fight, but I will if I have to!" the Equalist warned, spinning an electrified bola in her hands.

Her own invention, she thought proudly.

The waterbending girl had a look that could kill, but oddly enough, she put a hand in front of the guy. "What do you want?" she demanded.

"To talk," the Equalist replied, lowering the bola. "We need to-"

"Oh no, I want some answers first," the girl interrupted. "Why do you guys keep killing benders!? Why are you bombing innocent people!? What's your problem!?"

"That's not us, like we keep telling the press!" the Equalist argued. "We defend nonbenders against the tyranny of the elite, but we don't kill innocents! Even if they're benders."

The guy looked skeptical, and the waterbender kept her hard stare. "I've seen you guys beat up plenty of benders," she accused.

"And I've seen plenty of benders kill," the Equalist retorted. "Isn't that what you're going to do? Burn me alive?"

The lavabender's face softened. He relaxed his stance, and the pool of lava cooled into distorted concrete. "No," he admitted.

"You're scared," the waterbender pointed out. "I can see you shaking, ever so slightly."

"Shouldn't I be!?" the Equalist snapped, her voice cracking. "Thanks to your bending, you have all the power here, and you know it!"

Now the waterbender's expression changed, like that hit a nerve. She walked up to the Equalist, arms crossed, eyes hard, but cool. "Don't get me wrong, I'll drop you in a heartbeat," she warned. "But I've been trapped by benders before, and it made me sick. So I will not stand here and terrorize you unless you're a threat. You wanna walk? We won't stop you."

The Equalist hesitated, looking between the two.

"Well, are you gonna attack us, or not?" the waterbender asked bluntly.

The Equalist sighed, and deactivated her shock glove and bola. "I suppose not," she admitted.

The lavabender walked up next to the waterbender while she looked the Equalist up and down. "So if you're not here to fight, what do you want?"

"I was in the restaurant, I saw the fight you were in," the Equalist explained. "What do you know about that guy?"

"He was wearing an Equalist outfit, but I know he was no Equalist," the waterbender replied.

"And what would make you say that?" the Equalist prodded.

"Nuh uh, I want answers first," the waterbender countered. "What's it to you? Do you know him?"

"He's an imposter, kidnapping and ransoming children under our name," the Equalist revealed after a moment of hesitation. "We've been trying to track him for months, but he's practically a ghost."

"Why haven't you told anyone?" the waterbender asked.

"We do, all the time, just like we constantly tell everyone the bombings are not our doing. But no one listens." the Equalist argued. "The Council and media label us as lying terrorists to suppress us, just like they always have."

There was another pause. The waterbender in particular looked lost in thought.

"But you don't seem to be contesting that," the Equalist observed. "You believe us?"

"A few hours ago, I wouldn't have," the waterbender admitted. "But that guy in the restaurant..."

"What about him?" the Equalist asked.

The waterbender shook her head. "No offense, but you have no idea what class of fighter you're dealing with. He was fast, precise, and deadly. That was a trained master disguised as a thug, one that makes your best chi blockers look like amateurs. And..."

"And what?" the Equalist pressed.

"He's an airbender," the waterbender whispered. "I know it sounds crazy, but he blasted me in the gut with a gust of wind."

"That last punch." the Equalist realized, thinking back. "I thought I was seeing things... How?"

The lavabender seemed just as surprised. "Are you sure? I thought Tenzin and his family are the last airbenders on Earth, other than the Avatar I guess."

"They are. And trust me, that guy wasn't any of them," the waterbender confirmed.

"Then how?" the Equalist asked again.

"I don't know," the waterbender admitted. "And I don't like that one bit."

"Neither do I. No wonder we can't catch him," the Equalist agreed, rubbing her chin in thought.

"Do you think he's behind the bombings too?" the lava bender suggested.

"We've never caught bombers in the act, but it would make sense," the Equalist admitted. "We're going to find out."

"There's no way someone like that is working alone," the waterbender reasoned.

"Agreed," the Equalist nodded. "Thank you, this is valuable information. And I appreciate you not attacking me on sight."

The waterbender looked like she was searching the Equalist's eyes through her mask. "I know you hate me for being a bender, and for that, I hate you right back. But seriously... good luck finding this jerk. If we find anything, I'll bring it to the Equalists," the waterbender promised.

"You would help us?" the Equalist asked, surprised.

"I've got a bad feeling about this guy in my gut," the waterbender confessed. "I want to know who he is just as much as you do, and he should not be running around Republic City unchecked."

"On that, we agree," the Equalist admitted, nodding. "In that case, good luck to you too..."

Back at an Equalist hideout, Amon found himself alone with his lieutenant, who had ripped her mask off and was wiping sweat off her brow.

"An airbender..." Amon mused aloud. "I can hardly believe it. Are you certain they were speaking the truth?"

"I saw the air blast with my own eyes, and I looked up airbender stances," the lieutenant confirmed. "They just confirmed what I wouldn't let myself believe."

"This changes everything. The threat against us is more grave than we feared," Amon lamented.

"He must be involved in the bombings too," the lieutenant suggested. "And it can't be the gangs, like we suspected. They would flaunt an airbender if they had one."

"If not them, and not the Council, then who?" Amon wondered aloud.

"I don't know. I feel like we're missing something big," the lieutenant agreed. "I should have followed the waterbender home..."

"Why?" Amon asked. "She told you what you needed to know. And confronting them alone, unprepared, was already grave risk. It's not like you to be so reckless."

"I know," the lieutenant admitted. "But you didn't see the fight, Amon. I had to know what we are dealing with. And that waterbender is hiding something too."

"We can only afford to chase so many ghosts," Amon argued.

"Maybe... but I can't shake the feeling that she's somehow connected to this."

Chapter 7: The Terror Within

Chapter Text

Some time after the fight in the restaurant, in the wee hours on the morning before the sun had even begun to rise, Korra woke up to a strange sensation...

Something sharp was pressing against her throat.

Her eyes snapped open, and through her bleary vision she saw a figure looming above her, holding a knife against her skin.

"Give me all your money!" the figure demanded hoarsely, voice muffled by a dirty bandana covering his mouth. His arms shook, and he smelled of alcohol. "Everything. Now!"

Adrenaline coursed through her veins. She felt a flash of anger, and Korra's body reacted before she could even think. She opened her mouth and screamed, letting loose a torrent of flames like a dragon breathing fire.

Korra shot up, just now gaining her senses and assessing the situation. She had blown the mugger back, now rolling on the floor, his alcohol and grease-stained rags ablaze. After a moment, he stopped moving, lying face up for Korra to see as the bandana burned off his face.

...He wasn't a man. He was a kid, his face already charred beyond recognition.

Korra fell to her knees, horrified. She quickly put the flames out, but it was far too late. The boy was dead, his corpse laying limply in her camp, with a look of terror etched across his blackened features.

"No," Korra breathed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She immediately heaved, and emptied the contents of her stomach onto the floor.

Afterward, Korra felt numb, empty. She sat there for what felt like an eternity, staring blankly at the lifeless form before her.

What kind of person was she? He was just some homeless kid that wanted a few Yuans to survive, and she had burned him alive for it.

She had killed before, and now she was killing kids... Is this what the Avatar had devolved into?

Korra buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry," she choked out, unable to look at the body anymore. Dark thoughts she had managed to suppress came flooding back.

She didn't deserve to be the Avatar.

Naga nuzzled Korra, but it did nothing to ease the unbearable pain in her chest. Korra pulled her beloved animal close, wrapping her arms around Naga's neck and sobbed until her tears ran dry.

Eventually, she sighed, stood up, and used the hour or two before morning to gather some driftwood and seaweed. The boy looked like a Fire Nation native, so she decided to give him a traditional funeral pyre.

When the fire reached its peak, Korra knelt beside it. "Go in peace," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I hope you find it in your next life. And if you have anyone out there looking for you, I hope they can find peace too."

But she knew the boy probably died alone, before he had a chance find love or a decent life.

She waited until dawn broke. After the fire had reduced the body to ash and remnant bones, Korra placed the remains in a grave in the sand.

As the sun rose, casting golden light over Yue Bay, Korra piled rocks atop the modest grave. Finally, she carved a simple symbol into one of the stones; a flame, burning eternally.

Korra walked the beach and the streets the rest of the day, mired in guilt. She avoided people she knew, especially Phoebe and the other orphans, afraid she might break down if she saw another child she could potentially hurt.

She eventually returned to work, all but dragging herself into Ren's shop. She was quiet, sullen, and her usually bright and expressive eyes were dull and lifeless.

"Morning, Korra," Ren said, facing away from her as he scribbled notes onto a piece of paper. "Look at the little scamp I found rummaging around in my pantry."

Korra heart skipped a beat. Phoebe was sitting on a tool bin, greedily eating cookies from a jar. She giggled as Ren tickled her sides playfully.

"Hi Miss Korra!" Phoebe chirped happily, waving at her.

Korra nodded silently, barely able to look at Phoebe in the eyes.

"I had an idea over the weekend, and I've been meaning to ask you-" Ren started, pausing as he turned around to face Korra. He barely even recognized her. "Korra, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Korra lied unconvincingly, averting her gaze. "Just tired, I guess."

Ren squinted at her skeptically. Phoebe wasn't buying it either. She hopped off the bin, walking over to Korra.

"Miss Korra, is something making you sad?" she asked gently, reaching out to hold her fingers.

Korra flinched, pulling her hand away instinctively. "Uh, I'm OK, Phoebe," she assured her, trying to force a smile. "I just have a lot on my mind, that's all."

Ren was worried. That light behind her eyes... it was gone. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked softly.

"No," Korra said firmly. "I'll be fine. What were you going to ask?"

Ren sighed heavily. Maybe his offer would make her feel better. "I was thinking... I don't mean to pry, but are you still living in that drainage tunnel? There's not an apartment in the city that will take a polar bear dog."

"Yeah," Korra confirmed quietly. "Why?"

"Well, I live on the second floor of this building," Ren explained. "I finally got around to refurbishing the loft, what used to be an old executive office. If you and Naga are looking for a place to stay, you're welcome to crash there."

Korra blinked, taken aback. "Seriously?"

"Of course," Ren assured her.

"I... I'm touched, thank you," Korra stammered. "But you don't me want me saying with you, Ren. I'm not a good person, and I'm not worth the trouble," she dejectedly confessed, grabbing her shoulder.

"Don't say that," Ren argued. "You've got more kindness in your pinky finger than most people do in their entire bodies."

Korra shook her head. "That's not true."

Ren pulled Korra into another room, away from Phoebe's ears. "Korra, did something happen? Is that why you've been acting so strangely?"

"It's... it's not worth talking about," Korra insisted, her voice cracking slightly.

"Korra, listen to me," Ren said earnestly, kneeling in front of her. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it isn't as bad as you think. And even if it is, we're friends. You can tell me."

Korra burst out crying. "I killed a kid," she blurted out. "I woke up to someone robbing me, and I... I panicked. I got mad, then I killed him on the spot," she admitted, shaking her head miserably. "Everyone was right. I can't control my impulses. I'm a monster, a danger to everyone around me."

Ren's eyes widened. "Korra, listen to me. It's not your fault."

"Yes it is!" Korra wailed, burying her face in her hands. "I burned the body. I'm a murderer."

Phoebe poked her head into the room, no doubt hearing Korra's cries. "Miss Korra, what's wrong? Can I help?" she asked, worry creasing her brow.

Korra jumped out of her chair like cat that heard a loud noise. She backed herself into a corner, knees drawn up to her chest and arms wrapped tightly around them. "Stay back, Phoebe. I... I might hurt you," she stuttered, her voice breaking.

Phoebe ignored the pleas. She ran over to Korra and hugged her a tight as she could. "You won't hurt me, Miss Korra," she insisted. "I trust you. And I love you."

Tears streamed down Korra's face as she clung to Phoebe desperately. "I don't deserve your love," she choked out.

"Yes you do," Phoebe murmured soothingly. "You're always so nice to me, and to Mister Gommu. And to Mr. Ren. You're the best person I know."

Ren kneeled beside them, placing a hand on her shoulder. "She's right," he added. "Korra, you wouldn't be this upset if you were truly the monster you think you are."

"I... I don't know," Korra sobbed, wiping at her face. "You don't know anything about me, Ren. I lie to you about who I am, every day."

"I don't care," Ren declared emphatically. "Whoever you are, wherever you came from, none of that matters to me. I know you're not a bad person."

Korra sobbed into Ren's shoulder, with Phoebe cuddled up against hers. She wasn't sure how long she stayed there, but eventually, Korra's breathing slowed, and she calmed down.

Her friends were still there, waiting patiently. Korra sniffled, wiping away her remaining tears.

"I-" Korra stammered. "I'm thinking about leaving Republic City. Going somewhere far away, where I can't hurt anybody."

"You know you don't want to do that," Ren pointed out.

One look at Phoebe's sad face convinced Korra that he was right. "I guess I don't," she admitted reluctantly.

"Good," Ren smiled warmly. "Now, how about you and Phoebe join me upstairs for breakfast? I've got some fresh bacon, and lots of tea."

"That sounds amazing," Korra agreed gratefully, allowing Ren to help her stand and lead her upstairs.

Ren offered her a chair, Phoebe hopped into her lap, and then Korra took a moment to take in Ren's living space. The main room had a kitchen, a couch, an electric fireplace, and the dining table she was currently seated at. A door led down a hallway, presumably to bedrooms and bathrooms. Everything was modern and metallic, with exposed steel beams, aluminum furniture, steel countertops, and a high-tech radio and other gadgets scattered around the room.

"Wow," Korra commented, admiring the view. "Nice setup you got here."

"Thanks," Ren replied modestly, pouring cups of steaming black tea. "It's not big, but it works for me. Plus, it's basically free, since I have to work out of here anyway." Eventually, Ren handed Korra and Phoebe a big plate of fruit and thick cut bacon, and set out a smaller plate of food for himself.

"Mmm," Korra hummed appreciatively, biting into the candied bacon. It was sweet, crunchy, caramelized, with a savory spice she couldn't quite place. "This is delicious."

"I took you for a meat lover," Ren teased.

"You have no idea," Korra garbled, gnawing on a big chunk while Phoebe chewed on a slice of pineapple. She was spilling juice all over Korra's lap, and Korra could not care less.

They ate in peaceful silence for a while, listening to jazz music playing on the radio. As they finished, Ren casually asked "So... have you thought about my offer? About moving in here?"

Korra swallowed a big bite of bacon, and tilted her head. "That still stands? After... what I did?"

"Of course it does," Ren affirmed. "I meant it, Korra. The loft is yours, whenever you want it."

"Does that mean I get to stay with Miss Korra sometimes?" Phoebe piped up excitedly.

"Well, yeah," Ren agreed. "You can sleep over anytime you want, Phoebe."

"Yay!" Phoebe cheered, jumping off Korra and giving Ren a big hug.

Korra couldn't stop smiling. How could she refuse now? "Alright," she agreed, meeting Ren's hopeful gaze. "I accept. Thanks, really."

Relief washed over Ren's features. "Glad to hear it," he said sincerely. "Let's get you settled in once we finish."

Ren led Korra into the hallway. His bedroom door was open, revealing a twin bed and a desk with letters strewn across it. There was a picture of his sister on the night stand, but none of his parents, at least not that Korra could see at a glance.

She eyed what must have been her room, a much smaller room next to Ren's, filled with boxes and a few pieces of furniture. "This looks great. I can help you move this stuff around if you want," she offered.

"What? No, I'm not putting you in a storage closet," Ren protested. "The loft is just up these stairs."

Korra followed him up the staircase, which wound around the central column of the old factory. At the top, there was a big room with windows overlooking the bay, seamlessly blending into a skylight that covered most of the ceiling. In the center, there was a queen-size bed, along with a wardrobe, a vanity mirror, and a bookshelf, all made of smooth, shiny metal. There was even a private shower bathroom combo tucked away in a corner.

The sun shone off of Yue Bay, its waves reflecting onto the polished surfaces of the room. An airship flew overhead, casting a shadow is it briefly eclipsed the sun through the skylight.

"You're kidding, right?" Korra breathed. "This is for me?"

"Yeah. Like I said, it's an office I've been meaning to turn into a guest room anyway," Ren shrugged nonchalantly. "What do you think?"

Korra could hardly speak. "I... wow. I don't know what to say. Can I even afford this?" she asked, gesturing wildly in the room.

"You're my business partner, remember?" Ren reminded her. "Maybe it's my place on paper, but this is your home too, if you want it. You're not paying a single Yuan for it."

Korra felt her eyes well up. "Thank you, Ren," she whispered, wrapping him in a fierce hug. "I don't know what I did to deserve this."

"You're my friend," Ren simply replied, hugging her back. "You deserve way more than this, and some day, I'll figure out how to pay you back."

By that night, Korra had moved what few things she had into the loft. She took a proper shower for the first time in months, scrubbing away the dirt and sweat from her body and hair.

Korra's most prized possession, Phoebe's Blue Panda Lily, sat proudly on the windowsill, right next to a bracelet from the Earth Kingdom, a bronze pocket watch, and a hunting knife from her father. She traced a finger around the bracelet Ren gave her, feeling the smooth metal.

Whatever it was made of, she couldn't metalbend it. It was another mystery of Ren's, yet it didn't worry her.

Korra lay awake in her new bed, listening to the waves lapping at the shore, watching the reflected moonlight dance across the wall. Naga spun around in a circle one more time before finally settling down while Phoebe snoozed away in the crook of Korra's arm. Her mind was all but ripping itself in half, with complex grief and guilt battling with the simple joy of having a roof over her head, and people who loved her.

As she drifted off, she wasn't sure if Aang's statue out her window was judging her... Or just watching over her.

Maybe she was overthinking everything.

Chapter 8: Dualities

Chapter Text

In the dead of night, in Republic City's industrial district, an Equalist lieutenant stuck to darkness like glue.

Squatting on a roof, she eyed her target carefully. A short, very nervous looking man was pacing back and forth in front of a warehouse, occasionally glancing nervously at his watch.

"He looks like a bundle of nerves," Akari mused in a whisper.

The lieutenant nodded. Akari was technically her subordinate, but with everything they had been through, the lieutenant treated her more like a partner. "He should be, if the tip we got is accurate."

A satomobile with police markings pulled up in a nearby alleyway... "A newer model, with an upgraded engine," the lieutenant mused. She could hear the rumble of the aftermarket exhaust from here.

"You're such a gear head," Akari teased.

A single officer emerged, wearing the force's signature thick armor plating, and slowly approached the man.

"Lieutenant Fong?" the man called out tentatively.

"That's correct," Fong acknowledged, stopping a few yards away. "What brings you here, Mr. Qi? You said you had something on Cabbage Corp?"

He nervously looked left and right. "An executive is paying gangs to hit shipments from their competitor, Future Industries," he whispered conspiratorially.

"I knew it," the Equalist lieutenant whispered under her breath.

"I've got proof," Qi continued. "But we've got to keep this quiet!"

"What do you mean, quiet?" Fong asked warily.

"They're... they're paying off police too," Qi revealed. "Someone told me you could be trusted. Is that true?"

Fong cursed out loud. "I swear, I've never taken a dime from them. But my department is filled with crooks. I'm gonna need evidence, lots of it, if I even stand a chance of keeping my head."

"Well I've got it," Qi promised, handing over a briefcase. "There are recordings, documents, even photos of the meetings."

The Equalist lieutenant eyed movement near the entrance. "Showtime. Get ready, but let them talk first," she ordered, signaling to her team. Akari simply nodded, readying her shock glove.

A woman in a tight corporate suit, flanked by 3 officers, exited the warehouse. The lieutenant recognized her as Kwan, CTO of Cabbage Corp. "Mr. Qi," she greeted icily. "What an odd hour to see you."

Qi visibly paled.

"I could say the same for you, officer Fong," one of cops chimed in. "Shouldn't you be off duty?"

"Lieutenant Cheng," Fong growled. "I'm taking this case."

Cheng laughed derisively. "You're taking nothing, Fong. We're handling this."

"Oh really? And what if I took this up with Lin?" Fong challenged.

Cheng frowned. "I'm afraid you won't be seeing Chief Beifong today," he warned ominously.

Fong narrowed his eyes and widened his stance. After a tense moment, the trio of officers shot their cables forward, wrapping Fong and Qi up in metal bonds. Fong struggled mightily with his own metalbending, but the officers held firm.

Kwan spawned a flame in her hand, and approached. "Now tell me, Qi, where exactly did you get this information?" she demanded.

"Now!" The Equalist lieutenant signaled, and her team leaped from the rooftops, landing in a circle around the group.

"Equalists!" Cheng yelled, whipping around to face them.

There wasn't even a chance to talk them down. A metal cable came whipping towards the Equalist lieutenant the moment they hit the ground, gashing one of her fellow compatriots in the shoulder. But she deftly ducked under it and spun around, closing the distance.

The officer held up his metal gauntlet, ready to block her, and no doubt slice her open... exactly what she wanted.

She grabbed the police officer's arm with her shock glove, and activated it. The officer convulsed in agony, dropping to his knees and passing out. From the corners of her vision, she could see arcs of electricity flowing across other officers as they went down.

The Equalist lieutenant quickly stood up. Fong escaped his restraints, and was spinning around, eyeing the Equalist surrounding him.

"Stay back!" Fong shouted, his hands in a metalbending pose. "Under the authority of the Republic City Police Department, I order you to stand down!"

One of the newer Equalists recruits jumped forward, but the lieutenant pulled her back. "Hey! Stick to the plan," she hissed.

"He's a bender!" her subordinate protested. "We can't let him escape."

"Take a walk," the lieutenant ordered, pushing the Equalist aside. These new recruits...

She faced Fong directly, adopting a neutral stance and holding up her hands. "Relax, we're not here for you," she assured him. The lieutenant slowly reached into her pocket and tossed a recorder forward. "Here. We taped the whole thing."

Fong slowly bent down to pick up the device, eyeing her warily. "Why would you help me? Aren't you going to kill me, like all those other cops?"

"Because we believe in justice," she answered simply. "The Equalists are not cop killers, like we keep trying to tell the press."

Fong stared at her, unsure whether to believe her, and finally sighed. "I swear, this city is going to kill us all," he muttered. "And I can't afford to look a gift ostrich-horse in the mouth."

"We know the feeling," she agreed grimly. "Good luck, Officer Fong."

With that, the Asami Sato and her team vanished into the night.

Asami was waiting near her office phone, right in the middle of Future Industry's industrial complex. Surely, the meeting would be canceled or altered, she thought.

But no. Her CTO to CTO meeting with Cabbage Corp was right on schedule. The doors to her office opened, and in walked Kwan, in a cabbage green corporate suit, with a perfect corporate grin plastered on her face.

"Miss Sato," she greeted smoothly. "I'm glad we could meet."

Asami stood up, and put on her best poker face. "Likewise, Ms. Kwan."

"I'm looking forward to negotiating a supply deal between our companies," Kwan began, settling into a seat opposite Asami. "As you know, we own quite a few mines in the Earth Kingdom."

"Of course," Asami agreed. "But I'm... hesitant. I heard there was some kind of legal trouble with your company."

Kwan waved dismissively. "A gross misunderstanding, all taken care of."

It took everything Asami had not to shock Kwan to the ground right there. But she took a deep breath, and maintained her composure.

Asami had no choice... she had to make the deal, lest suspicion be cast upon Future Industries.

Back at the Sato estate, Asami sipped a strong brew of tea and rubbed her forehead as she looked into the fireplace. "What are we doing wrong, dad? The police hound Future Industries for the slightest infraction. We had a mountain of evidence on Kwan and Cabbage Corp, and yet she slithered away unscathed."

"I don't know, Asami," Hiroshi Sato admitted, scratching his chin.

"I thought I would throw up making that deal with Kwan," Asami confessed. "She all but ordered the execution of my employees! I... I knew them. Vera had a wedding coming up, and invited me. I had to tell her fiancée that she wouldn't be coming..."

Hiroshi sighed heavily. "This is why we joined the Equalists," he reminded her. "To bring justice to the corrupt. To show benders that they're not invincible. We just have to keep fighting, Asami. Keep pushing."

"I know," Asami agreed, nodding. "But it feels like we're swimming upstream. Republic City is getting worse. And you should see the new recruits, dad. They're angry, violent. They want blood, not justice and equality. I know Amon is doing his best, but..."

"I understand," Hiroshi sympathized. "But we can't lose faith. We have no choice but to continue."

"I hope you're right," Asami said quietly.

For a moment, she couldn't help but think back to the Equalist impostor again... and that waterbending girl. There was something off about the way she moved in the restaurant, something Asami couldn't quite put her finger on, yet couldn't get out of her head. In her gut, Asami knew that girl was involved in whatever is ailing Republic City.

Chapter 9: The Beach

Chapter Text

Two nights after killing the boy, already feeling a little nostalgic, Korra sat in front of the grate she used to call home, watching the moonlight glimmer on the waves. Gommu sat beside her, nursing a bottle of cheap wine.

Korra told him about the boy, and he didn't seem to think any less of her either.

Gommu sighed. "You know, I remember when I first came to Republic City. I was just a kid, fresh off the boat from the Earth Kingdom, full of dreams and ambition."

Korra chuckled. "Sounds familiar."

"It was great!" Gommu reminisced fondly. "I got a job as telegraph operator right off the bat. I felt like I was part of something bigger than myself, helping people connect across the world. Then I met a girl, got married, had a kid... I was the happiest man alive."

Korra nodded. "You've told me. The company went bankrupt, your wife died..."

"Yeah," Gommu sighed. "And after Avatar Aang died, the gangs got big and recruited my son. Next thing I knew, he had an icicle sticking out of his gut, courtesy of a pro-bending star turned gangster."

Korra winced. "I'm so sorry Gommu."

"Don't be," Gommu waved it off. "I'm just saying, life can suck. Sometimes it feels like the universe wants to kick you while you're down. But you gotta keep pushing through."

"I do. I keep pushing and pushing," Korra agreed. More than even Gommu knew. "But what does it matter if I'm not going anywhere?"

"Trust me, it's worth it," Gommu assured her. "One day, you'll look back at all those times you've been stuck, and you'll realize how far you've come, about how many surprises and delights you would have missed along the way if you stopped."

"Like you, and Phoebe," Korra pointed out.

"Exactly," Gommu agreed. "And the little things too. It's hard to see when you're so young and full of energy, but they add up. Besides," he added, patting her knee. "You're not stuck. You've got new digs, and a new friend."

Korra smiled. "Yeah, I guess I do."

"And you deserve it, kiddo. Don't ever forget that," Gommu encouraged.

Korra wrapped Gommu in a hug. "Thanks, Gommu. Don't think I'll stop coming down to chat just because I'm living indoors," she promised.

"Course not," Gommu agreed easily. "We're pals, aren't we?"

"Best buddies," Korra agreed, breaking away from Gommu. "I'll never forget what you and the others have done for me. Not for as long as I live."

Gommu waved it off. "You've done plenty for us too, kiddo. Don't sell yourself short."

Korra gave him a playful push. "Alright, alright. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Count on it," Gommu assured her.

Korra snuck some cash under Gommu's cup before he could protest, and slipped away into the darkness.

Gommu watched her go, smiling. Those two have a future, and he couldn't wait to see where it goes.

The next few weeks flew by. Ren noticed the fire returning to Korra's eyes, her energy coming back, as she seemed to put the tragedy behind her. He could use some of that energy himself today.

Late in the evening, Ren and Kylie sat side by side on the beach, watching two simple candles float on the water. They lit the flames in memory of their parents, at this same time, every single year.

"Dad would have loved Republic City," Kylie mused aloud. "He was such a nerd. He would have spent all his time marvelling at the tech here."

"And mom would have been one step ahead of him," Ren added. "I bet she'd be some big shot scientist at Future Industries, bossing a bunch of people around. Just like you."

"Probably," Kylie agreed, a tear leaving her eye. "Dad worshiped the ground she walked on. He's where you got your big heart."

Ren wrapped Kylie in a comforting embrace, resting his head on her shoulder. "I miss them," he confessed quietly.

"Me too," Kylie echoed, rubbing his back.

They sat like for a quiet minute until they heard footsteps approaching. Both siblings tensed, but turned to see Korra sitting down beside them, Naga padding along obediently.

"Hey," Korra greeted them awkwardly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

"It's fine," Kylie assured her. "We were just paying respects to our folks."

"I figured," Korra said sympathetically. With a wave of her arm, she pushed the candles further out to sea, lighting the darkness with their soft glow. "What were they like? Your parents?"

"They were wonderful," Kylie gushed. "Mom was a genius inventor, dad was a brilliant metallurgist. He was a big softie, and mom loved him right back, with everything she had."

"Sounds like you guys had a great childhood," Korra commented enviously.

"Yeah, we did," Ren amended sadly.

Kylie hesitated, before finally deciding to share. "We used to live in an Earth Kingdom town nestled in a valley. One day, when we were teenagers, a rogue warlord took over the place. He tried to recruit mom and dad to make weapons, but they refused. So he had them executed... right in front of us."

"Spirits," Korra gasped. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," Ren dismissed, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "We survived, and ran away to Republic City. We had some close calls too, but we managed."

Korra nodded, and watched the candles fade into the distance. It made Korra miss her parents too. They were alive, probably looking for her... but she missed them all the same.

Ren wiped a tear from his eye. "I'm going to turn in early. I'll see y'all later."

"Yeah," Kylie agreed. She placed her hand on his shoulder, and gave him a long, knowing look. "Just take it easy, OK?"

"I will," Ren promised, kissing her forehead affectionately. He walked away, heading towards his workshop.

"Will he be OK?" Korra asked quietly.

"He'll be fine," Kylie assured her. "Ren never wants to do this, never wants to remember. But I make him do it every year, and I like to think it helps."

"It seems like it does," Korra agreed.

Kylie turned to Korra, offering her a sympathetic smile. "You know, I never thanked you for saving my brother," she admitted. "He means the world to me, and without you, he would have lost his shop."

"He would have been fine," Korra protested. "Ren would have beat up those thugs anyway. You know what he can do with lava."

"If he had lost everything, I know he would have spiraled," Kylie informed her. "He's more fragile than he lets on."

Korra nodded. "So am I."

Kylie squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Korra, I know you're keeping something from us. I saw how you fought. You're obviously trained... and not just by street toughs."

Korra looked away.

"I'm just saying, if it ever gets out of hand... let us know? Please?" Kylie implored her. "Don't leave us out to dry."

"I would never," Korra promised, looking back at her. "You guys mean the world to me too."

Kylie smiled. "Good. Don't get me wrong, Korra. I'm so glad you're in our lives. And you've helped Ren more than you know."

"I'm glad too," Korra agreed, returning the smile.

Korra found herself on the beach, leaning against Gommu, with Phoebe half asleep in her arms. Sometimes they talked, and sometimes they just stared into the twilight sky, listening to the waves crash against the shore.

"Hey Gommu," Korra murmured.

"Yeah?" Gommu asked, looking over at her.

Korra bit her lip. "You mentioned Avatar Aang the other day. How your son died after he passed..."

"Yeah?" Gommu prompted.

"Why did you mention that? Is that when Republic City went downhill?" Korra asked.

Gommu sighed heavily. "Aang worked wonders, but he wasn't perfect. The slide started before he died, but it really picked up after."

"Is that why people keep writing 'death to the Avatar' on the walls?" Korra lamented.

"Maybe," Gommu admitted. "Everyone has an idea about what the Avatar should have done, but what happened to this city is our fault, and nobody else's. We let the rot creep in."

"Still, what do you think the Avatar should have done?"

"It's the past," Gommu shrugged, taking a sip of his wine. "No point in getting worked up about that. What matters is what we do now."

Korra looked to the side, meek and uncertain. "Well... what if you met the new Avatar? What would you tell them to do?"

Gommu smiled faintly, looking back out to the statue. "That's easy. If I ever met them, I'd tell the Avatar two simple things."

"What things?" Korra asked.

"Protect people, and connect with them," Gommu said simply.

"...That's it?" Korra asked, surprised.

"Well let me ask you this. You've got problems, right? Things you've been through, things that you feel in your heart when you see others going through them," Gommu reasoned.

"Yeah," Korra agreed. "And when I see it, all I want to do is help."

"Everyone does," Gommu agreed. "Folks here all have all kinds of problems that are personal to them. Deep down, they want nothing more than to fix it for someone else, and they know how to do it because they've been there themselves. But they're too scared, or too busy protecting themselves. Or worse, they're too busy listening to someone else tell them what to do." Gommu took the last sip of his wine. "But if the Avatar can make them feel safe, if they can connect people so that they aren't scared of each other anymore, their spirits would come out again. All these messes would clean themselves up once the good folk start helping each other. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would be our city again, just like the old days."

Korra gazed into the horizon, stroking Phoebe's hair as his words sank in. "I'll remember that," she whispered under her breath.

Chapter 10: Out of the Past

Chapter Text

Korra opened her eyes, and found herself on the street, clutching her shoulder. Her shirt was barely holding itself together, and her torn pants were soaked with blood and dirt. Naga trotted alongside her, her fur matted and dirty, clearly exhausted.

It was cold and humid, but sunny. Korra was wandering through a richer part of town. Maybe to look for some kind of opportunity. Or maybe to just escape the smell of dirty factories or filthy slums for a little while.

People gave her glares on the street, as if she was some sort of disease. A cancer that didn't belong in this part of town. If only they knew who and what Korra really was, the power she commanded.

...Maybe they would still be disappointed, Korra mused. Just like her masters were.

Unable to take the dirty looks for one more moment, Korra ducked into a green park, taking refuge under a tree. Naga flopped down beside her, with a sad look on her face.

"I'm sorry, girl," Korra apologized. "I shouldn't have dragged you here. I don't know why we stay in Republic City, but... Where else could we go? The Earth Kingdom wasn't any better."

Naga whined, nudging her gently. "I know, I know," Korra consoled her. "You're hungry, aren't you?"

Korra turned her eyes forward, and saw a group of protesters marching through the park. "Down with benders! Death to the Avatar!" they chanted. "Equal rights for nonbenders!" Just another group of people that hated her, she thought bitterly.

Korra spotted movement in the corner of her eye. She turned to look at a crystal clear pond, and saw plump fish swimming around lazily.

Korra's mouth watered. Without even thinking, she switched to a bending stance, and pulled several fish out in a bubble of water. With a clench of her fists, she boiled the bubble, cooking them and softening their skin.

The tender fish dropped into her arms like a gift from the spirits. Naga's mouth watered too. But before she could even taste the treat, a voice called out.

"Hey, that bender is stealing fish!" a young woman shouted, pointing at Korra.

The crowd turned around, and began to advance menacingly. "Thief! Thief!" they yelled.

Naga growled defensively. "No, please," Korra pleaded, backing away. "I just wanted to feed my animal."

"You're just like the rest of them," a middle-aged man sneered, stepping forward. "You should be rotting in jail!"

Grasping the fish like they were made of gold, Korra hopped onto Naga. "Go girl!" she urged, kicking off hard.

Naga bolted, leaping over bushes and ducking under trees as the crowd roared and sneered behind her. Korra hung on tightly, grinning as they left the angry mob behind... only to run into some cops.

"Hey, stop!" they ordered, giving chase.

Korra didn't even know why the cops were chasing her. Everyone just hates her, she figured. Naga dashed down a ramp, around a corner... and into an alley. A dirty middle-aged man was sitting there, drinking from a brown bag.

"Crap!" Korra cursed, looking behind her. She could hear the cops drawing closer.

"In here, kiddo!" the man called out, gesturing towards a big sewer grate. "Make it quick!"

Korra dashed in behind the guy, with Naga just barely squeezing in after her. Korra put the grate back, and followed them through the darkness, into the bowels of the city.

The old guy slowed down to catch his breath, hands on his knees. "I think we lost 'em," he wheezed.

Korra nodded. "Thanks, you saved our skin. Uh, are you OK?"

"I'll survive," the man grunted, sitting down and leaning against the wall, barely illuminated with greenish light. "Name's Gommu, by the way."

"Korra," Korra introduced herself with a small nod. "And this is Naga." She looked in her hand. "Uh, are you hungry? I don't have much of anything, but I caught a couple fish."

Gommu perked up instantly. "Oh, I thought I smelled something delicious through this stinking sewer," he remarked.

Korra sat down next to him. She gave Naga two fish, and offered Gommu his own with a smile.

"Thanks, kiddo," Gommu accepted gratefully. He bit into the fish eagerly, closing his eyes in pleasure.

Korra nodded. "It's the least I could do."

"It's more than most would do," Gommu pointed out between bites. "What's a young lady like you doing out here alone, anyway?"

Korra shrugged. "I... got fired. Not that it was much of a job to start with," she admitted sheepishly.

"Ah," Gommu sympathized. "I know how that goes. I used to work for a telegraph company, back before radio. Then they went belly up."

"Sorry," Korra commiserated.

"Don't be," Gommu waved her off. "I got by. Found ways to survive."

"How?" she asked, pulling her legs to her chest. "I feel like I'm just barely eking by, like I could perish any day now."

Gommu smiled. "Oh, we have our ways. I've got something to show you, kiddo," he hinted mysteriously.

After finishing off his fish, Gommu led them down a long tunnel, through dark passageways and nasty sludge. Eventually, it opened up to cavernous chamber filled with makeshift tents and ramshackle shelters. Some people were passed out under cardboard boxes and dirty blankets. A fire was burning in the center, with some vagrants stirring something in a big pot, and others sitting around chatting or washing clothes.

"Welcome to our five-star resort," Gommu announced grandly. "Home sweet home."

Korra smiled. "Pretty fancy."

"I know!" Gommu agreed, leading them deeper into the underground camp. "Come on, I'll show you around."

Korra meekly followed, her eyes scanning the area nervously as Gommu showed her makeshift shelters and stores. She spotted a young girl, no older than eight, picking through a pile of discarded clothes. She turned around to look at Korra with big blue eyes, half suspicious, but half curious.

"Hello, Miss," she meekly called out, before turning back to the pile and pulling something out. The little girl shuffled over to Korra and held up a blue button down shirt. "Would you like a shirt?" she quietly asked. "It's too big for me, but it matches your eyes."

Korra's heart melted. She knelt down to meet the girl's level. "I would love it, thank you," she assured her, graciously accepting the shirt and slipping it on. "What's your name?"

"Phoebe," the girl answered, shyly peeking up at Korra. "What's yours?"

"Korra," she introduced herself, smiling kindly. "It's nice to meet you, Phoebe."

"You too, Miss Korra," Phoebe responded politely. "You seem nice."

"Thanks," Korra replied, blushing slightly. "You do too. You're one of the nicest people I've met in this city."

"Really?" Phoebe asked, brightening up considerably.

"Definitely," Korra assured her.

Phoebe pulled Korra over to the pot, and Gommu introduced her to the rest of the camp. Everyone was friendly, inviting her to eat with them, sharing stories of their pasts, and their struggles in Republic City.

Heads turned. Korra followed the gaze of the crowd, and saw a rough looking duo approaching. Both wore leather jackets, heavy boots, a bit of armor, and had bandanas covering their faces. One was guy with a sword, and the other seemed to carry herself like a bender.

"Who are they?" Korra asked warily.

"Triads," Gommu spat out.

"What do they want?" Korra demanded.

"They want us out of here," Gommu explained grimly. "This is their territory, and they use it however they want."

"That's not fair," Korra objected.

"Life ain't fair, kiddo," Gommu reminded her. "Now come on, let's get out of here before they decide to make an example out of us."

Korra hesitated, but nodded. The vagrants started filing out, hiding in the darkness of the tunnels that branched out from the main chamber. Korra followed behind them, with Naga padding silently at her heels.

"Wait, where's Phoebe?" Korra suddenly remembered.

Gommu looked around, and winced. "I dunno. But we need to move. Now."

"No. I'm heading back, just to make sure she's okay," Korra decided firmly.

"Korra, no!" Gommu argued, stumbling after her.

Korra peered around the corner of the tunnel, and saw the Triads talking to someone just out of view.

"Ugh, this tastes like crap," the female Triad complained, kicking over the pot of stew.

"What do you expect from a bunch of bums?" the guy retorted.

"Knock it off, both of you," the third figure commanded. "Do you have the cash or not?"

"Maybe..." the woman drawled. "Only if you have something special to offer me."

The third figure stepped forward... he was a cop, a metalbender in police armor, holding a heavy looking bag. "Don't insult me," he warned. "I'm not here for fun."

"Fine," she relented, tossing him wads of cash. "Here's your money. Give me the goods, and we'll call it even."

The officer tossed the bag, and a brick of opium fell out. "There," he said gruffly.

A barrel on the corner of the chamber tipped over, and the three figures flinched. Inside the barrel, Korra saw a set of blue eyes standing out against the darkness.

"Look at that," the cop sneered. "A rat." The cop dropped to a metalbending stance, and shot a cable forward, snaring Phoebe and dragging her out of the barrel.

"Leave me alone!" Phoebe cried. "Please, sir!"

"Quiet, brat," the cop barked.

"What are we gonna do with her?" the female Triad wondered. "We... we can't whack a kid."

"It's her, or you," the cop threatened. "Your choice."

"No," Phoebe whimpered, shaking her head frantically. "Please..."

Korra burst out of the shadows, glaring daggers at the trio. "Let her go!" she ordered, adopting a fighting stance.

"Another rat," the cop muttered dismissively.

Naga hopped out behind her, letting out a loud growl. The cop flinched once more, and the Triads backed away a little.

"I won't ask again," Korra warned.

The woman regained some composure. "This is our turf," she snarled. "Get outta here, or we'll make you regret it."

Korra narrowed her eyes, and burst into violence. With a swift kick, she shot a blast of water at the male triad, slamming him into the wall. The woman dodged aside, and returned the favor with a bolt of fire."

Korra rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the flames. Naga charged forward, forcing the cop back.

"You mangy mutt!" the cop yelled. "I'll slice you open!" True to his word, he bent a shard of metal from the floor, hurling it straight at Naga and slicing into her fur. Blood trickled down the beast's side, causing her to yelp in pain.

"Don't touch her!" Korra screamed. She summoned a huge wave of sewer water, and sent it crashing into the cop. It knocked him back into the wall, and he fell forward on his knees, coughing and spitting up fluid.

In a fit of rage, Naga roared and charged the cop, biting onto his armored leg.

"Aaaaaah!" the cop screamed, struggling to break free. Naga shook him, cracking bone, and lobbed the cop into a wall, knocking him out cold.

The remaining Triad slowly backed away. "You're... you're gonna regret this," she stammered. "We're coming for you. The Triads don't forget."

Korra thrust her arms forward, and another wave of water engulfed the woman. With a clench of her fists, she froze it solid, trapping the Triad inside a block of ice, with just her head exposed.

Korra slowly walked up to the frozen prisoner. "What's your name?" she asked coolly.

"Eva," the Triad squeaked fearfully.

"Eva," Korra started, leaning in close. "You can do drug drops somewhere else. If a Triad ever comes in this camp again, I promise you, I will find you, and end you."

Eva gulped.

"Got it?" Korra demanded.

"Y-yes." Eva stuttered.

Korra nodded, and shattered the ice. Eva collapsed to the ground, coughing and sputtering.

"Scram," Korra ordered. "Get your friends out of here, and never come back."

The other Triad came to, and they dragged the cop away. Meanwhile, Korra ran over to Phoebe, checking her for injuries.

Phoebe hugged Korra's leg. "Miss Korra, you saved me," she whispered.

"Of course I did," Korra assured her. "You're my friend, aren't you?"

"Yes," Phoebe nodded fervently, which brought a wide smile to Korra's face.

Gommu walked up behind her. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you, kiddo?" he chuckled. "Tell you what. As a thank you, I'll show you one of my other secrets to getting by."

Korra nodded. After she healed up Naga, they followed Gommu down a long tunnel. Korra could see sunlight at the end of the passage, and the sound of waves crashing grew louder.

Eventually, they emerged onto a beach. Factories billowed smoke near the docks overhead, waves crashed onto the sand below, and the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon.

Gommu inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "Smell that?" he asked rhetorically. "It's a heck of a lot better than the sewers."

"Yeah," Korra agreed, staring out at the ocean. "I guess I could get used to this view."

"And you can fish, trap out here. Scavenge leftovers from markets and restaurants," Gommu suggested. "You can survive out here, Korra. And if you stick around, maybe we can help each other."

"I'd like that," she agreed sincerely, watching the sun finally sink beneath the waves.

Korra's eyes snapped open from her dream, and she was back in her loft, with thunder rolling outside and rain sliding over the skylight above her bed.

She heard screams from downstairs, like Ren was in agony. Korra shot out of bed and rushed to his room.

"Ren!" she yelled, bursting in. She found him in bed, shirtless, face down, trembling, his face twisted in terror.

"Ren!" she repeated, grabbing his shoulders and trying to shake him awake. "Wake up!"

Ren's eyes snapped open, and he immediately stopped moving. He panted heavily, his body slick with sweat. And there was a huge burn scar covering his back, but strange and twisted, with faint cracks crisscrossing the flesh... almost like an oversized, distorted lightning burn. Korra had seen glimpses of it before, but now it looked irritated and inflamed.

"Ren, are you OK?" she asked worriedly. "What happened?"

Ren turned over, and stared at her. His look of shock turned to relief. "Korra," he breathed. "Yeah, just a nightmare," he said between heavy breaths.

"Are you sure?" she pressed, sitting on the edge of his bed. "You looked like you were in real pain."

Ren couldn't lie, not with the pleading look in Korra's eyes. "I... I was."

Korra pouted a little as she thought. "This is related to your episodes in the shop, isn't it?" she guessed. "To the warlord that killed your parents?"

Ren closed his eyes and nodded. "Yeah... It's nothing new though. I've dealt with them since I was a teenager."

"Why haven't you told me?" she asked, a little hurt. "I thought we were friends."

"I didn't want to burden you," Ren admitted as a half-truth. "I'm dealing with it."

"But you're not," Korra countered. "Look, I have plenty nightmares. There's this horrible one where I see a bunch of kids die in a gang fight."

"That is horrible," Ren sympathized. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you," Korra said softly. "But I'm telling you, it helps to talk about it."

Thunder boomed again, and gusts of wind howled outside. Ren sat up and buried his face in his hands. "I hate this weather," he groaned.

Korra squeezed his arm. "It's OK," she reassured him. "I'm right here."

Ren took a deep breath, calming himself, before nodding and looking at the floor. "For me, it's usually the same nightmare, from when Kylie and I escaped the warlord. We abandon our home, run from the warlord's soldiers..."

"Tell me," Korra encouraged.

Thunder cracked once more. Ren flinched and winced, as if he was in pain.

"Ren, please," she urged.

Ren looked up at her. "Korra, this one is... really personal. I'm sorry, but I just can't talk about it."

Korra nodded reluctantly. "OK. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

"Thanks. I appreciate you coming to check up on me," Ren said sincerely with a shy smile.

"Mhm," Korra assured him, before pausing to think. She searched the green of his eyes, trying to find the courage to say what she really wanted to say. "Ren?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I know what it's like. Being unable to share a part of your past," Korra confessed. "Believe me, I get it. And I'm here for you anyway, OK?"

Ren was quiet for a long moment. She didn't know... but she understood. He could see it. "Does your past hurt too?" he whispered.

Korra's eyes misted. She couldn't speak, so she just leaned forward and wrapped Ren in a hug as memories of her training came flooding in. Ren hugged her back, feeling the scars through her shirt as if he could sense her pain.

Lighting struck nearby, shaking the room as the lights flickered, and Ren flinched violently. But Korra held him tighter, burying her face in his shoulder as she felt his racing heart slow and steady, his muscles relax.

Ren desperately held onto her, fear and tension draining out of his body as his tears streamed into Korra's shirt, all while she soaked his shoulder with her own.

After a few minutes, the storm passed, and the two broke apart. Ren wiped his face, and smiled shakily.

Korra smiled back.

Nothing needed to be said.

Chapter 11: The Storm

Chapter Text

More time passed. After far too many mistakes and a few too many tantrums, Korra finally picked up domestic life as a roommate, something that was a total mystery to her a year ago. She found a routine, with breakfast, cleaning, laundry, groceries, everything. And Ren was so easygoing. It really wasn't that hard.

It seemed so stupid, but this is why she came to Republic City. Korra wanted to have a peaceful, safe, boring life, just for a bit. And she finally had it. So when something came to interrupt that life, she was not pleased.

Another big thunderstorm was approaching, and rain was starting to fall. Korra could see lighting flashing in the distance as she looked out her window. "I hope Ren feels OK today," she murmured to herself.

Korra walked downstairs to the sound of an argument. Qwen had a sh*t eating grin on his face, standing in the middle of Ren's workspace, while Peng leaned against a wall nervously.

"I'm not paying you again. This would be the third time this month," Ren growled, crossing his arms defensively. "I don't owe you squat."

"Oh really?" Qwen sneered, sauntering forward.

"I could burn you alive, Qwen, you know that," Ren threatened lowly, gently heating the metal beneath his feet. "Stop messing around."

"Hey!" Korra intervened, stepping between them. "What are you two doing here?"

Qwen smirked. "Nothing much, just collecting what we're owed, doll face."

Qwen approached Korra, but she smacked him in the gut, sending him stumbling backward.

"Get out of our home!" Korra shouted, her eyes filled with anger.

Qwen rubbed his belly, glaring at her hatefully. "We only let you do that once, sweetheart," he warned. "The Red Monsoons have a long memory, and people who cross us tend to regret it."

Korra stepped forward, putting her face directly in front of his. "Are you threatening me?"

"Maybe," Qwen drawled, grinning maliciously. "Or maybe I'm just reminding you of who runs this district. Zei doesn't tolerate disrespect."

Korra was imagining how good it would feel to smash Qwen's teeth in, when she heard the workshop door swing open.

"Miss Korra!" Phoebe called out, running straight into Korra's leg, tears coming out of her eyes. "The mean man came by today. He says someone else has been telling on him, and that all the orphans are in trouble."

Korra's blood boiled over.

She knelt in front of Phoebe. "I'm glad you came to me, Phoebe. That was very brave of you," she praised. "Just stay upstairs. You don't have to go with anyone, but the grown-ups have to talk, OK?"

Phoebe nodded, wiping her eyes and heading up to the living space.

"You're making a mistake," Qwen warned.

The moment Phoebe left the room, Korra lunged at Qwen, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him into the nearest wall. "A mistake?" she seethed, her grip tightening.

"Uh, Korra," Ren interrupted nervously. "Maybe we should calm down a bit?" Peng was fidgeting nervously as well.

"You should listen to your boyfriend," Qwen wheezed, struggling weakly. "We're coming for you, and that little brat. Mark my words."

Korra slammed Qwen's head against the wall, knocking him out cold. "Next time he threatens us, I kill him," she vowed, tossing him aside, walking over to Peng.

"Take it easy, Korra!" Peng yelped, backing away hastily. "I don't want to mess with kids!"

Korra grabbed Peng by the shirtfront, lifting him clear off the floor. "You're taking me to Zei. Now!"

Peng squeaked helplessly, but nodded frantically. Ren, on the other hand, was not so eager. "Korra, what are you doing? Are you trying to get us killed?"

"No," Korra bluntly answered. "Now move it!"

Korra dragged Peng outside, and all but threw him into the gangster's car. He drove them to a white mansion at the edge of the district, surrounded by a tall iron fence.

The rain was falling harder now, soaking the three of them to the bone. But Ren swore he could see water boiling off Korra's skin.

"Korra, you really shouldn't be doing this," Peng pleaded, as Korra marched them inside. "Zei doesn't like surprises."

"Oh, I'm counting on it," Korra seethed, following Peng through the grand entrance hall.

Zei's office was a huge suite, filled with expensive antiques and artworks. Korra almost knocked the wooden doors off its hinges as she stormed in, with Peng and Ren nervously trailing behind her.

The older Water Tribe native was at the head of the table, discussing contracts with several men in suits. When he saw Korra enter, he raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Can I help you?" he asked disdainfully.

"Yeah, you can start by telling your lackeys to leave me and my friends alone," Korra retorted, pointing at Peng accusingly.

Zei looked at his fellow gangsters, and everyone in the room burst out laughing.

"That's sweet, honey," Zei mocked, folding his hands together. "But I don't think you understand the situation. You see, I own this district. Everyone here pays me tribute. If you don't like it, you're free to leave."

"Really?" Korra challenged. "I think I won't."

Zei scoffed, and stood up from his seat. He walked around the desk, towering over Korra. "You know, I respect courage," he began silkily. "I like your spunk. Tell you what. I'll go easy on you. I'll let you walk out of here alive, and we can pretend this conversation never-"

Korra interrupted Zei by spitting straight onto his face, staring him right in the eyes with a hard glare.

Zei slowly wiped the saliva from his cheek. Thunder boomed in the distance, and lightning illuminated the room briefly. Most of the room was shocked, but Ren was utterly mortified.

"Duel me," Korra demanded. "Unless you're too much of a coward to face me."

"You wanna be serious?" Zei asked, fuming. "Fine. Let's be serious."

Outside, Korra and Zei faced each other in a dueling circle, styled after ones from the Northern Water Tribe. Even with the rain pouring down, a crowd of gangsters gathered around the circle, eager to see their boss eviscerate this insolent waterbender. Water, after all, was the Monsoon's element.

"Don't worry, I won't let you suffer for too long," Zei promised ominously, drawing water from the surrounding puddles into a long whip. "This should be quick."

Korra narrowed her eyes. "Cowards first."

Zei smirked, whipping the water around in a circle. He shot it forward, aiming for Korra's torso. But Korra sidestepped, easily avoiding the attack as the whip slapped against the ground.

"Is that the best you've got?" she taunted.

Zei growled, launching a torrent of water at her. With a slice of her arm, Korra cut it in half, sending the streams flying harmlessly to either side.

"Not bad," Zei complimented sarcastically. "Shame I have to ruin your fun."

Zei pulled water into razor sharp spikes, hurling them straight at Korra. She leaped backwards, somersaulting into the air. Zei caught sight of her midair, and fired another blast of water at her.

Korra landed deftly, twisting her body to avoid the water. She whipped her foot around, deflecting more icicles with a powerful kick.

"Are we fighting yet?" Korra mocked. "Let me know when you decide to actually try."

Zei's eyes flashed dangerously, and he sent a tidal wave crashing towards Korra. She held her ground, digging her feet in, simply letting the water wash past her like it was a gentle current.

Lightning struck again, closer this time, illuminating the battle as thunder rolled overhead. Ren had a worried look on his face, even more tense from the battle than he was from the lightning, but the Monsoons were snickering and cheering, clearly expecting a swift victory. After all, the girl was barely even fighting back.

"I'm gonna gut that dog of yours like a fish," Zei promised darkly, pulling more water into a ball.

"What did you say?" Korra snapped.

Zei smiled. "Naga, right? I hear the Earth Queen pays handsomely for polar bear dog. She likes it cooked rare."

Zei got the reaction he wanted. Korra charged right at him, and he was ready, hurling a huge ice spike straight at her torso. But Korra punched it, shattering it with her bare fist. He summoned a wall of ice spikes to skewer the young woman, but Korra jumped through them, smashing through the ice and landing right in front of him.

Zei already had his arm encased in water, and he plunged it into Korra's chest, aiming for her heart. But Korra grabbed his wrist, pulled his arm over her head and slammed him into the wet concrete. Zei saw stars, and before he could even blink, a boot was standing on his throat, pinning him to the ground, face down.

"I'm sorry, what did you say you were going to do to Naga?" Korra repeated, leaning in close. "Didn't quite catch that."

Zei tried to scream in rage, but Korra pressed on his throat, cutting off his air supply. He struggled feebly, but she kept her weight steady.

"I can't hear you," she cooed, pressing down harder.

Lighting flashed again. Zei's face contorted in pain. Finally, he started tapping the ground repeatedly, signaling surrender.

The gangsters gasped. Korra sat there, pondering whether to break his neck or not, until she finally lifted her boot.

Zei gasped in relief, coughing violently as he wheezed for breath, his eyes red and puffy.

Korra looked around the dueling circle. Some gangsters looked impressed, but others were angry, clearly wanting revenge. She closed her eyes, turning her focus to the rain washing over her.

She could feel the drops running over her skin, the wet wind lapping at her hair, the mud pooling around her boots, like it was all connected. All part of her. Water was her native element, and she would show the Monsoons exactly what that meant.

Korra stretched her arms wide, and the rain around the arena stopped dead. Water droplets hung in the air as if frozen in time.

The bubble got bigger and bigger, encompassing the spectators, the yard, and then the entire mansion estate, like gravity had suddenly ceased to exist.

Korra let out an icy breath and clenched her fists. Every single droplet froze into a tiny, razor sharp spike, all aimed directly at the crowd of Monsoons.

Korra opened her eyes, and lighting ripped across the sky, illuminating her fierce expression and the sea of daggers that hanging over their heads. The Monsoons looked around in terror. Even Zei had fear etched across his face.

"If a Red Monsoon threatens me or someone I care about, it will be the last thing any of you do. Got it?"

Everybody nodded silently.

"Good," Korra declared, releasing her hold on the water. The drops melted and fell to the ground, disappearing into the earth.

The Monsoons gave Korra and Ren a wide berth as they exited the compound. Nobody said a word, but the message was as clear as day. As they turned to the street, the worst of the storm had passed, but Korra squeezed Ren's shoulder as a final bolt of lightning flashed in the distance.

Ren was trying to form words, figuring out how to process what he had just witnessed, but the faint thunder snapped him out of his stupor. "Korra, that was incredible," he finally blurted out, unable to contain his awe. "I was going to nag you about how dangerous that was, but you scared the entire gang into submission."

"It was just waterbending," Korra dismissed.

"Just waterbending?" Ren repeated incredulously. "Look, Korra, I don't want to pry. But how can you expect me to blow that off?"

"I... I can't explain it," Korra stammered. "It's nothing you have to worry about."

Ren grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him. "Korra, I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about you," he argued. "You're brave enough to face down a dragon, with the skills to back it up, but whatever this is... I can see the fear written all over you. It's eating you alive. And if you're scared of it, it must be horrible," he accused softly.

Korra stared blankly at Ren, unable to respond. She couldn't deny it, and she couldn't lie to those pleading green eyes.

"Please," Ren begged her. "You don't have to tell me everything, but just give me something. Anything."

Korra sighed heavily. "I'm not a fugitive, but I'm running away from something," she explained cautiously. "I'm hiding from a group."

"A dangerous group?" Ren guessed.

"Yes. No. I don't know," Korra hedged. "They're not violent. They technically don't have any power over me. But... they messed with my head," she admitted with shame. "I'm scared of them. I've been trying to pull together some semblance of sanity since I arrived in Republic City, and it's not been easy."

Ren nodded. "Then we'll keep you safe," he vowed. "I don't care who they are. I don't care what they told you. They have no right to make you feel that way, and you don't deserve one bit of that anguish."

Korra smiled sadly. "I know that, I guess. But it's nice to hear it out loud."

Ren placed his arm over her shoulders, leading her away from the estate. "Come on, let's grab a bite to eat at Hu's. My treat."

Chapter 12: The Street

Chapter Text

Just outside the industrial district's factory block, down the street from Ren's workshop, a heated battle was raging.

Korra jumped into the air, headbutting the ragged ball towards the makeshift goal posts. She barely missed the net, and the opposing team cheered loudly.

"Nice try," one of the boys jeered playfully, kicking the ball back down the street. "Better luck next time!"

"Ha ha, very funny," Korra quipped. She ran back to the center of the impromptu field, bouncing on her toes eagerly. "Ready to lose again?"

Her opponent grinned widely. "You wish." She launched the ball downfield with a kick, and the chase was on.

Ren and Gommu watched from the side, cheering the players on with a few other locals and vagrants, enjoying the salty breeze of the ocean. The sun was low, casting golden rays across the waves, painting the clouds above in vibrant shades of pink and orange.

Ren waved his hands over a huge grill, carefully heating the grates as fresh fish sizzled on top, before throwing some more seasoning onto the meat. Naga plopped down next to him, eyes wide, drooling greedily at the sight of it.

The ball flew into a crowd of younger kids, and the older ones gave them a wide berth, letting the children fight it out amongst themselves.

"You got it Phoebe!" Korra encouraged, watching the tiny girl weave through the chaos. "Keep it up!"

Phoebe squealed happily, chasing after the ball as it rolled across the uneven pavement. She deftly dodged around a boy trying to steal the ball from her, and passed it to a teammate.

"Go, go, go!" Korra urged, pumping her fists excitedly. She had a bright smile plastered across her face, and her eyes sparkled with pure joy.

Gommu couldn't help but smile at the scene. "Seeing them run around like that, reminds me of when I was young," he reminisced, taking a sip of beer. "Life was simpler back then."

Another local named Ming joined in. "Tell me about it," she agreed. "Oh, I miss those days, when I could move like a teenager."

"Aww, you're still young at heart," Gommu teased, patting her on the back.

Ming rolled her eyes. "Uh huh, sure."

Ren handed them both paper plates of blackened fish, veggies, and a little baked ash banana. "Here, enjoy. My treat."

"Thanks, kid," Ming accepted, tearing into the food hungrily. "Now this reminds me of the old days. We had street parties every day, back before people were too busy or too scared to come out." She let out a sigh. "But you're a good one, Ren. Keep it up, and we might get the neighborhood back."

A cheer erupted from the game, and Ren glanced over to see Korra holding Phoebe over her head triumphantly.

"Way to go Phoebe!" Korra called out encouragingly, spinning her around as she giggled madly. "You scored the winning goal!" Korra tossed her up into the air and caught her effortlessly.

"I'm a pro!" Phoebe bragged proudly, puffing out her chest. "I'm gonna be a famous player someday!"

Korra laughed, ruffling the girl's hair affectionately. "Duh! Of course you are!"

Ren shook his head, smiling fondly. "Alright, fish is done!" he announced, waving the group over. The mass of humanity descended upon the grill like a pack of wolves, already driven mad by the smell.

The meat and sides rapidly disappeared, devoured by hungry mouths. Ren took his piece last, and sat down on the seawall, dangling his legs over the edge.

He heard footsteps behind him, but Ren didn't bother turning around. A tall woman just a bit older than Ren, with a light Fire Nation complexion, dropped beside him, watching the sunset with a quiet smile. Her grayish yellow eyes shone against the fading sunlight.

"I dunno why we don't do this more often," she commented thoughtfully. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Ren agreed absently, chewing on a piece of fish. A strong breeze rustled their hair as they sat in silence for a moment. "I know people are scared of the gangs, and the Equalists... but we can't let them take over our lives, Sara."

"For stuff like this? I'll burn anyone who tries to stop us," Sara declared fiercely. "This is what we live for."

"I guess I would fight for it too," Ren agreed, narrowing his eyes. Sara turned to follow his gaze, spotting a few Red Monsoons sauntering casually down the sidewalk.

"Wanna bet they're looking for trouble?" Sara asked pointedly. She got up, and spread her legs and arms apart, adopting a firebending stance.

"Oh look who it is," one of the gangsters sneered, recognizing her immediately. "Little Miss Hothead. Just because you used to be a pro bender, you think you can act so tough? I think it's about time we taught you some manners."

"Try it," Sara coldly countered, with flickering flames in her hands that illuminated her fierce expression. Ren was standing beside her, threateningly heating up the concrete beneath the thug's feet.

They quickly jumped off to the side. "Why you little-"

Another thug cut him off. "Wait, boss, that's her. The chick who got Zei," he said, pointing a Water Tribe girl giggling in a crowd of kids.

The leader's face immediately dropped. "Eh, y'all aren't worth the effort," he decided dismissively, turning tail and running away.

Sara dropped her stance and blinked. "What the heck was that?" She looked back at the group, and saw Korra high five a young boy. "Are they talking about your friend, Ren?"

"Yep," Ren confirmed.

Korra started tickling the child mercilessly, causing him to collapse in a fit of laughter. Another kid attacked back, and soon she was rolling around in a pile of kids, wrestling and shrieking. "Korra looks harmless," Sara mused, turning to face Ren fully. "She's the one that dueled Zei? Everyone on the street is talking about it."

"Yeah," Ren replied seriously. "I was there."

Sara's eyes widened. "What was the fight like? Was it intense? How close was she to dying?"

Ren shook his head. "She wasn't even trying. You should have seen it, Sara. She didn't just down Zei, she scared the daylight out of the entire gang."

Sara whistled. "I'm glad you two are living down my street," she admitted honestly, before grabbing his shoulder. "Are you two doing alright? Are you feeling down, Ren?"

"I'm fine," Ren assured her. "Honestly... I'm better than I have been in years. Korra and I are leaning on each other, and it's working wonders."

"Good," Sara smiled warmly, briefly looking back as she heard the kids playing. "I really need to talk to Korra more... she seems like a cool person, and I'm glad she's helping you out."

"What about you?" Ren asked. "You haven't cracked a single joke since I saw you last. That's not like you."

Sara sighed heavily. "Yeah, I'm sick of the violence. I feel kinda aimless and lost... but I'm squeaking by, finding myself. Got a few odd jobs here and there, and I'm meditating more than I ever have."

Ren squeezed her arm. "You took Kylie and I off the streets, and treated us like family, Sara. If you need money, someone to watch your back, a place to stay, anything, we will always be there for you."

Sara hugged Ren, feeling better already. "Same to you," she murmured before pulling away. "I've gotta run, but stay safe, OK? You and Korra. We've been through too much to die to some brain-dead thug."

"You too," Ren promised, watching her walk away. He pitied any thug stupid enough to mess with Sara.

As Sara walked off, she thought back to those old days, when she found Kylie and Ren sleeping behind a dumpster... And she thought of now.

Ren was right. She barely talked to Korra, but there was something about her Sara couldn't quite put her finger on. Her aura... it was so bright, she couldn't even read it.

Days later, Korra walked downstairs, feeling giddy and ready for work... but Ren wasn't up like he usually was.

"Ren?" Korra called out, knocking on the door. "You awake?"

"Yeah, come in," he answered groggily.

Korra opened the door, and found Ren sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "Hey," she greeted him. "You're still in bed?"

"Sorry," Ren apologized, scratching the back of his neck. "I must have overslept."

Korra plopped down next to him, and looked him over. "Are you feeling alright?" she asked worriedly. "Nightmares again?"

"No, no," Ren dismissed. "Just a little slow today."

Korra pouted anxiously. "Is it because I snapped at you yesterday? Sorry, I just got all worked up over the stupid Cabbage Corp thing."

Ren chuckled. "No, that was totally my fault. Really, I just have slow days sometimes."

Korra smirked. "Well in that case, we're taking the day off, and getting into trouble."

"Trouble?" Ren echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"We're sneaking into a Pro Bending match," Korra revealed, grinning mischievously.

"But... I'm sort of your boss? You can't just do that," Ren protested weakly. But he couldn't stop a slight smile tugging at his lips.

"Well I'm playing hooky! What are you gonna do about it?" Korra challenged, shoving him playfully.

"Hey!" Ren yelped, pushing her back. Korra grabbed a pillow and smacked him with it, and Ren retaliated with a throw pillow, missing her by inches.

Korra got up and lobbed her pillow at Ren's face, laughing madly. "Gotcha!"

Ren had no choice but to defend his honor, and chase her out of the room.

After sneaking under the bay, and launching themselves to the top of the arena with some creative waterbending and metalbending, Ren and Korra found themselves lying prone on the roof's glass panels, side by side, with a bird's eye view of the action below. The light from below illuminated their faces under the darkening sky.

"Woo hoo!" Korra yelped as the Capital City Catgators scored another round against the Golden Temple Tigerdillos.

"How do you even know any of the teams?" Ren chuckled. "You've never watched a game before."

"I heard a little on the radio. The Tigerdillos seem like pompous jerks," Korra seethed. "And the Catgators are the scrappy underdogs!"

The crowd cheered as the Catgators got a surprise knockout and won the match. "YES!" Korra cheered, pumping her fist excitedly. "Go Catgators!"

Ren couldn't help but get caught up in her excitement, and cheered along too. "You're such a fanatic. Thinking of joining a team?"

"Maybe in another life," Korra quipped. "It's fun to watch, but following so many rules isn't exactly my style."

"I can tell," Ren agreed, nudging her gently, and giving her a long sideways glance. "Hey Korra?"

"Yeah?" she asked, with a smile plastered across her face.

Ren grinned back. "You're like a big, infectious ball of fun. And I'm... kinda not. I get being a good roommate and friend, but why do you hang out with me like this?"

"Are you kidding?" Korra laughed. "You are fun! You're smart, funny, so easygoing and cool..." Korra trailed off, and her face dropped a little as she looked to the side. "I have issues too, Ren, and you're always there for me to lean against. You're never mad, never judgmental, not even the slightest bit." She looked back. "That means so much to me, to have someone like that to hang out with."

"Same to you. I feel like a brighter, better person just being around you... Honestly, now, I don't know what I'd do without you," Ren confessed.

"Me neither," Korra agreed, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. She leaned closer to Ren, resting her head on his shoulder as they watched the crowd file out of the arena and the twilight fade into night.

Chapter 13: Opportunity and Circ*mstance

Chapter Text

Another month passed. Fall turned into frigid winter, and bombs continued to rock Republic City. Korra savored her mundane existence and kind friends, as if it was salve for her mind.

Meanwhile, at the Future Industries test track, Asami Sato was testing out a company racecar. The twenty-something green-eyed woman was dressed in a form fitting black and red jumpsuit, with pockets big enough for tools and the Future Industries logo emblazoned on the shoulder pads. Her always-impeccable raven black hair was tied into a high ponytail, and her skin was pale, smooth, and flawless, but with some grease stains on her cheek.

Steering the race car around the Future Industries test track, Asami pushed the pedal to the metal down the long straight, feeling the speed build up as she shot past the buildings along the track.

"What the heck?" she gasped, looking at the speedometer. The needle was past the redline, in the top gear, but the engine wasn't even breaking a sweat.

Asami screeched to a halt in the garage, and climbed out of the driver seat. She popped the hood of the car, leaning in to inspect the engine.

"Huang? What did you do to this thing?" Asami asked incredulously. She listened to the hum of the idle, shaking her head.

"Is something wrong, Ms. Sato?" Huang, one of the mechanics, asked.

Asami looked at the dials and gauges. "No, that's just it. This engine makes more power than it did brand new. It blew past its redline and should have exploded, but it's purring like a kitten."

"Well maybe you should check your math, huh?" another mechanic joked.

"Oh please, I know my stuff," Asami argued.

"I contracted out the engine refurb to a small shop on the coast," Huang admitted. "They said it'd be as good as new. I've actually got another delivery to pick up today."

"Hmm. I'll take the delivery myself," Asami decided. "I want to meet whoever worked their magic on these engines."

Before long, Asami pulled up to a block of factories near the coast. She got out, and walked the sidewalk, brushing past a flurry of construction workers refurbishing a building.

"Look out!" a girl yelled. Asami looked up just in time to see a huge steel girder plummeting toward her, and she contemplated her mortality for a split second.

But a blast of water erupted from behind her, blowing the girder far enough off course that it missed hitting her by mere feet. After stumbling out of the way, Asami turned around, and saw a young woman in a waterbending pose.

...It can't be, Asami thought to herself.

"Are you alright!?" Korra called out, rushing over to help Asami.

But it was. It was the Water Tribe girl from the restaurant.

"Yeah, thanks," Asami panted, still shaken from the near miss, and from the realization. "You just saved my life."

"Don't mention it," Korra assured her, turning to yell at the foreman. "Hey, watch where you drop those freaking things! Some people have to walk under them!"

Asami chuckled, genuinely amused by her spunk. "I didn't get your name."

"Korra," she introduced herself with a bow and a big smile.

"Asami Sato," Asami responded, offering her hand.

"Wow," Korra marveled, taking it. "I've heard of you. You guys make... everything, right?"

"Something like that," Asami agreed. "I'm actually here to pick up an engine, from a shop on the coast."

"Really? That would be from us!" Korra exclaimed. "Right this way, Miss Sato."

Asami couldn't help but smile back. Her energy was contagious. "What exactly did you do to our engines?" she asked curiously.

Korra laughed out loud. "Honestly, you're talking to the wrong person. All I know is we switched some parts out with replacements made of a lighter alloy. Ren, my business partner, is the engine maniac."

Asami's mind raced as Korra led her into a small factory. This world-class fighter is some kind of... mechanic's assistant? A cheery one, nothing like the fierce bender she met in the alley.

"Ren!" Korra called out, opening the door. "You'll never guess who I found outside!"

Ren was hunched over his refurb racecar, messing with wires. "Just a sec," he muttered distractedly, trying to remember which ones to fuse together.

And the lavabender, Asami thought. Such a rare ability, and he's a mechanic?

Asami peered over his shoulder, and her eyes widened. "What have you got under the hood? That's not the stock engine for this car."

"Just an experiment of mine," Ren shrugged, standing up to face her. "It's two economy blocks I fused together, and something I call a 'turbocharger' hooked up to the exhaust and intake."

Asami's other thoughts came crashing to a halt as she inspected the engine, following the lines of the pipes and tubes... "Turbines. That's... that's genius," she breathed. "Does it work?"

"I don't know. I've been meaning to stretch it legs, actually," Ren confessed sheepishly. "Sorry, where are my manners. I'm Ren."

"Asami Sato," Asami introduced herself, shaking his hand. "CTO of Future Industries."

Ren's eyes widened, finally recognizing her. "Miss Sato! Um, uh, sorry, I wasn't expecting to meet you today."

"Please, just call me Asami," she insisted. "I came to pick up the engine you worked your magic on, but... would you want me to run this car around our test track? I'd be glad to help you put it through its paces..."

Ren and Korra watched from the side as Asami rolled off the starting line. The rev limiter was crazy high, but Ren assured Asami it was intentional.

Asami lined up with the straight, and floored the throttle. And... nothing much happened, not at first. But as the revs climbed, the engine started to howl like a hogmonkey, and Asami heard a whistling noise from the engine bay. Suddenly, the rear tires broke free, spinning wildly.

"Whoa," Asami murmured, easing off the gas slightly. She shifted gears, and the acceleration pressed her into the seat, a high-pitched scream filling her ears as it reached the redline at an alarming speed.

Asami screeched to a halt in the garage, eyes wide and hair somewhat mussed. "Huang, what was my time down the straight?" she demanded.

"Fifteen seconds flat, ma'am," he reported. "That's faster than... well, any vehicle we've tested."

Asami was practically drooling as she hopped out of the car. "I want this engine in every car we make, immediately," she announced decisively. "I want this technology. I want you."

Ren blanched. "Me?"

"You," Asami confirmed. "I want you two to come work for me, with me."

"That's... amazing," Ren breathed, unable to believe his luck. "We have to close out a few contracts-"

"I'll buy them out," Asami interrupted smoothly. "Name your price. I will make it happen."

Asami's ulterior motive of learning about Korra was barely registering in her mind. She wanted this tech, right now. And she knew good people when she saw them... in spite of the fact that they were both benders.

Chapter 14: The Heiress

Chapter Text

On a cool, rainy day, Asami found herself in her personal workshop on the Sato Estate, leaning against a wall, watching in morbid fascination as Ren carefully fused two engine blocks together with his bare hands.

Korra set a box of parts down and ejected the water from her clothes with a little bending, before leaning against the wall beside Asami. "Crazy, huh?" Korra commented, noticing Asami's wide eyes. "Lavabending on metal. I never get used to it either, and it's always beautiful to watch."

"I've never seen anything like it," Asami admitted, her voice soft. "I... didn't know Ren was a bender of that caliber when I hired y'all."

"He's not, not exactly," Korra corrected. "Ren can fight, but he's an engineer, first and foremost. This is how he learned his bending."

Asami let that sink in for a moment. She had a few metalbending engineers, but certainly no lavabenders, and most were trained in combat first.

"Are you OK, boss?" Korra asked, nudging her gently.

"Huh? Oh yeah," Asami lied, forcing a smile. "Just thinking."

"About what?" Korra prodded.

"Just... you two, I guess. What's y'all's story?" Asami wondered aloud.

"Not much to tell," Korra demurred. "I was homeless, and we're both immigrants here. He saved me from poverty, and I helped pull his shop back from the brink."

"Hey Korra!" Ren called out. "Come help me freeze this piston head."

"Coming!" Korra yelled, grabbing a blob of water and walking over.

Asami watched in fascination as Korra surrounded the glowing part in a block of ice, with a slight grin on her face.

She didn't know what to make of the two benders. Their apparent backgrounds don't match up with their skills, but neither did their modesty. Asami should have been suspicious, distrustful, even fearful. But instead, she felt drawn to them.

In the cool air on a sunny day, Asami watched as Korra sparred with some of her security guards in the estate's courtyard. Korra hardly even used her own waterbending, simply dodging, tripping and throwing her bending opponents with ease.

"Oof," the guard groaned, picking himself up. "Where'd you learn to fight like that, little lady?"

"From a bunch of jerks," Korra quipped, cracking her knuckles and bouncing on her toes. "Come on, give me your best shot."

Amon trained Asami to gauge benders, to assess the threat level they posed before engaging. And as she watched Korra grab the guy's leg and flip him over, Asami... couldn't read her at all.

It wasn't just that she was holding back against some of the best security money could buy. She clearly was. Asami saw a taste of what she could really do in the restaurant.

But Korra didn't even move like a waterbender. Or any bender she had ever seen.

Who is this girl?

Asami decided she'd assign Korra as her personal security detail, just to keep an eye on her. She was certainly... effective. And certainly friendly, too.

Asami walked alongside Ren deep in the industrial district. They were going to inspect a shipment of raw materials arriving at one of their forges... and Ren had requested some bizarre ores.

"How do you know about all those alloys, anyway?" Asami asked curiously. "I hired some of the best metallurgists in the world, and they can't make heads or tails of your recipes. They don't even recognize some of these ores," she added, squinting at the manifest.

"Family trade," Ren answered with a shy smile. "We grew up near a mine, and my grandparents were miners. Being able to refine and mix ores with our bare hands made quick iterations easy."

Ren was always a little vague about his background. But he wasn't doing anything wrong, Asami admitted to herself. "Well it's impressive," Asami complimented sincerely.

"High praise. I still can't believe I'm walking side by side with the great Asami Sato," Ren gushed.

"Oh please." Asami rolled her eyes. "I've never met an engineer as modest as you, much less a lavabender with so much talent. You've already revolutionized a good swath of our product lines."

"Thanks," Ren said bashfully. "Just trying to help." He was still nervous and starstruck working with Asami, but getting more comfortable around her. Behind the celebrity status, she was surprisingly down to earth and approachable.

A kid dashed by, deftly reaching into Asami's purse and grabbing her wallet. She barely even noticed.

"Hey!" Asami cried out, chasing after him "Stop!"

Ren held his arms wide and stomped his foot on the ground. A pool of lava formed around the kid on the sidewalk, forcing him to skid to a stop.

Asami was shocked too. As she stared into the molten rock with wide eyes, she felt a little sick seeing such a grave power being used so casually. And she was very afraid.

"Give it back," Ren ordered calmly. "Now."

The kid whimpered, dropping the wallet.

"Here," Ren said, tossing the kid a wad of Yuans and cooling the surrounding pool. "Just stay out of trouble, OK?"

The kid grabbed the wad of cash in confusion, and gave Ren one last look before bolting.

"That was... interesting," Asami observed quietly. "Why would you use lavabending on a kid, only to give him money after?"

"I wanted to scare him, to knock some caution into him. But he needs the cash more than I do," Ren shrugged. "He's just hungry. I know what that's like." Ren bent down to grab Asami's wallet, putting some pictures back inside. "Hey, this looks like you! Is this a picture of your mom?"

Asami nodded, taking the wallet back. "Yeah. She died when I was young. We got held up by a firebender, and he burned her right in front of me."

Ren nodded, and looked at her sympthetically. "Same. Both my parents were immolated by a firebender," he revealed, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I'm so sorry. I know what that's like."

"I'm sorry about yours, too." Asami nodded in understanding. Being burned is a gruesome way to go. "A judge threw the case, and he was released before I could even face him. Did you at least get some closure?"

"Kind of," Ren demurred. "The warlord behind it is dead, but it doesn't feel like justice at all."

"It doesn't?" Asami asked, surprised.

"No," Ren confirmed. "Trust me, revenge is not all it's cracked up to be."

"Still... I would have given anything to have your lavabending when it happened to me. So I could have at least defended her," Asami admitted. "I'm fine with being a nonbender, but sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to have such a power."

"I had my lavabending, and it didn't help a thing," Ren revealed. "I would have given anything for our family to be nonbenders that day."

"Wait, really?" Asami echoed, taken aback.

"Yeah. The warlord targeted my parents for their bending, among other reasons," Ren explained. "If we were nonbenders, I think they'd still be alive."

She felt another pang of guilt. Asami didn't want anyone to feel like she did when her mom died. It's why she joined the Equalists.

But... is that was the Equalists were doing to people like Ren? Targeting them? Making them wish they weren't born with bending?

"You know, you're not what I expected," Korra admitted to Asami as they strolled through downtown between meetings. "I thought you'd be a stuck up, prissy rich girl."

Asami chuckled. "That's what everyone thinks, but I appreciate how honest you are about it. I know how lucky I am, but I also work hard for what I have."

"I can see," Korra agreed. "Y'all founded and fund the Orphan's Guild, you give so much away... You're not like other wealthy people I've met."

Asami nodded. "I know what people think, but not all the rich in Republic City are corrupt, you know. Many of us helped build this city, and we want it to thrive." Asami lowered her eyes. "But honestly, working with you, Kylie, Ren and my other engineers is a breath of fresh air. Some executives I deal with from outside the company can be so... Greedy. Self-serving. It makes me sick to see them pay off judges, councilors, or worse, just to squeeze a little extra profit."

"Was business in the city always this crooked?" Korra wondered aloud.

"No," Asami admitted. "Our competition gets dirtier with each passing year. So does the Council, and the theft we have to put up with..."

"It's no wonder people join the Equalists," Korra murmured. "There's nowhere else to go."

Asami raised an eyebrow. "You sound sympathetic to them."

"Maybe I would be," Korra confessed. "I talked to an Equalist once, and she wasn't what I expected. They're not behind the bombings, and they seem to genuinely want justice."

"Really? You believe them?" Asami asked skeptically. Korra seemed pretty heated at that confrontation.

"Yeah. And giving everyone a fair shot... I can get behind that," Korra revealed quietly. "But the Equalists hate me, Asami. I don't want to hurt anyone, yet they hate me just because I'm a bender. I can feel it every time I see them."

Asami felt another pang of guilt. "Well I don't necessarily condone their actions, but a lot of benders really do abuse their powers," she admitted reluctantly. "I can't blame nonbenders for being scared."

"I've gotten plenty of abuse from benders and nonbenders alike," Korra revealed.

"You!?" Asami asked, surprised. Asami couldn't imagine anyone bullying Korra, much less a nonbender.

"Yeah," Korra confirmed. "And you don't know what bending feels like, Asami. I know it looks like a weapon people wield to hurt others, but it's not. It's part of your body, your mind, your character. And if someone abuses it, that's their fault, not all of ours." Korra turned to look at Asami. "How can the Equalists fight for equality when they're discriminating against me, hating me for something inside my soul, when I have no problem with them? When I even agree with some of what they say?"

Asami considered this for a long moment.

She didn't have a good answer, not even in her head. Asami simply couldn't justify hating someone like Korra.

In the silence, Korra spotted someone on the street eyeing Asami a little too closely. "Hey! Eyes forward, buddy!" she barked loudly.

The man immediately looked away guiltily.

Asami was snapped out of her thoughts, and nearly burst out laughing. "You're such a spitfire," she teased. "No one ever sees you coming. It's why you're such a good bodyguard."

"Just how I like it," Korra quipped.

Asami smiled. "I didn't mean that in a demeaning way, you know. You work for me, but I like to think we're friends by now."

"Of course we are," Korra affirmed, putting her arm around Asami's waist, and pulling her in for a sideways hug. "A wise old hobo once told me to find good people, and hold onto them. And you're definitely one of them."

Asami wrapped her arm around Korra, holding her friend close. "Right back at you."

But inside, Asami felt conflicted. Was she really a good person for discriminating against benders? And lying to her new friends about it?

"What is that smell?" Asami marveled, twitching her nose. She was sitting in the estate's dining room with Korra, who was already drooling.

"Meat, that's what it is," Korra informed her, licking her lips. "The things Ren can do with a little lava..." She trailed off as her brain succumbed to the scent wafting from the kitchen. Just before she went completely feral, Ren and Kylie mercifully came through the door, levitating metal plates.

"There we go," Ren said, setting them down. "Lava seared saber toothed moose-lion, with seasoned veggies and onion," he recited. "Simple, but I hope it hits the spot. And careful, the plates are hot."

"And the moon peach pie is my specialty," Kylie added, levitating a large golden pastry onto the table before sitting down herself.

Korra started inhaling the double portion Ren had preemptively prepared just as Asami took the first bite.

Asami moaned. "This is incredible. I thought moose lion was supposed to be tough and stringy."

"Not if you cook it hot and fast," Ren explained. "Shred it with some hot steel filings, add a few salts to soften it up..."

"You should see what he can do to fish," Korra garbled with a mouth full of meat. "It's unreal."

"What, did you train as an exotic chef too?" Asami teased. "Another family trade?"

Ren laughed a little. "Actually we had all this stuff in our hometown. Kylie was feeling a little nostalgic."

"Yeah," Kylie chimed in. "Moon peaches grew on the mountain slopes, and we occasionally had to put down a wild moose-lion anyway. I suppose a little culinary experimentation rubbed off from our mom," she reminisced fondly.

"So what was your hometown like?" Asami asked curiously.

"It was so gorgeous," Kylie remembered. "A mining town, nestled in a deep, steep valley. There were ski slopes with lifts, a river running through the middle, and a waterfall nearby..."

Asami saw a sad look on both their faces as Kylie trailed off. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up painful memories," she apologized.

"It's alright," Kylie dismissed, flashing a weak smile.

Ren shuts down whenever anyone brings up his hometown, Korra sadly thought. Kylie is more open, but even she avoided the topic, which was so unlike her. She wished she could help.

"I still can't believe I hired you both without knowing you were siblings," Asami mused, smoothly changing the subject. "You're so different."

"Yeah," Ren agreed, smiling a little. "She's the nerdy social butterfly, and the whip when she has to be."

"And you're the air headed mad scientist," Kylie retorted, elbowing him playfully.

Asami smiled at their banter, watching them tease each other mercilessly before Ren finally surrendered.

"Hey Asami... can I ask you something personal?" Ren asked cautiously. "And sorry if this is inappropriate."

"Sure," Asami agreed, curious.

"You seem to get scared whenever I bend lava," Ren noted. "Do you want me to stop? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Asami stiffened a little. "No, it's fine. I... I've just never seen it before."

"Yeah, it's intense," Kylie agreed. "I never quite picked it up from dad. Yet even I get a little anxious seeing it up close, so trust me, it's normal."

"And it's rare," Korra pointed out. "Hardly anyone sees it in person."

"I guess it also reminds me of intense firebending," Asami admitted.

"I get it," Ren sympathized. "I'm scared of lightning bending myself. Even storms make me jumpy."

Asami nodded, and looked around at her new friends. "In the spirit of honesty, can I ask y'all something personal?"

"Shoot," Korra encouraged.

"Do y'all think less of me because I'm a nonbender?" Asami asked, in an uncharacteristically vulnerable tone.

Korra burst out laughing. "Are you kidding? You're amazing! That's the most ridiculous question I've ever heard."

"Yeah," Kylie immediately agreed. "You're a great boss, a great person, and a great friend. We wouldn't change a thing about you."

Asami smiled back at her friends. She felt something inside her chest loosen, like a knot untying itself. "Thanks. I wouldn't change a thing about any of you either..."

On another late night Equalist mission, Asami found herself working alongside Amon as they rooted out some Agni Kais running an extortion scheme. She didn't see Amon in the field much, but sometimes he liked to come and check up on cells in action.

She ducked under a fist of fire aimed at her face, and shoved the last Agni Kai gangster straight towards her compatriot. With a few quick chi blocking jabs, Amon knocked the man unconscious.

"Excellent work," Amon praised, helping her stand. "These benders were a blight on this neighborhood."

"Half of them will probably get out of jail and get right back to it," Asami pointed out. "Still... yeah. Good riddance."

Amon eyed his compatriot, noting her slumped shoulders and stiff stance. "You seem troubled," he noted, crossing his arms over his chest.

Asami bit her lip. "I'm proud of what we do. But have you ever wondered if we're doing this for the right reasons?" she asked bluntly.

"You sound like a Councilor trying to slander us," Amon retorted coldly. "We're fighting for justice. For equality. For peace."

"I agree. But what if bending isn't the problem?" Asami suggested. "What if it's just a symptom of a deeper sickness?"

"Bending is the source of power for the privileged," Amon reminded her. "It's what allows them to trample on the weak. You know this well."

"Yes... but perhaps not all benders are worth expelling," Asami argued. "How can we call ourselves Equalists if we're striking fear into the hearts of innocent benders, ones who might otherwise support us, just like the corrupt benders we oppose?"

Amon was silent for a long time, lost in thought. "I understand your concern," he finally conceded. "Perhaps we are temporary hypocrites, but it is a compromise we must make. There is simply too much power accumulated among the bending elites, too much out of our control with the bombings. And we have a time limit."

"Right. The Avatar..." Asami whispered.

"We have no means to fight nature," Amon agreed grimly. "We must liberate Republic City before the water Avatar finishes their training. If we are too late, and the Avatar comes here, they will back the bending elite just as Aang did, and our cause will fail. We must stand as a nation representing nonbenders to have any hope of recognition, soon, and then we can dedicate time to judgement and tolerance."

"I suppose you're right." Asami sighed heavily. "But I didn't sign up to hate benders."

"I did not found the Equalists to foster hatred," Amon assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We will find balance, Asami. And we will find the group fostering malice inside and outside our ranks."

Chapter 15: Revelations

Chapter Text

To celebrate their success, Asami treated Ren and Korra to Kwong's Cuisine, a high class restaurant with dishes Korra didn't even know how to pronounce.The air was dry and bitter cold this time of year in Republic City, and everyone wore warm clothes as they walked along the waterfront.

They had grown close. Asami let them stay at the mansion whenever they wanted, and... they were her best friends. Two of the only honest ones she had left, and two of the nicest people she had ever met, even though they were so different.

And ironically, they all had secrets, Asami mused. She felt guilty hiding her life as an Equalist, and she wondered if Korra and Ren felt the same about their own pasts, whatever they may be.

"It's beautiful here," Korra commented softly.

"I love Republic City at this time of night," Asami agreed. "All lit up against dusk, bustling with activity, but just quiet enough to hear the waves lapping against the seawall."

In the distance, the three of them heard screaming and chanting echoing over the water. "Sounds like a protest," Ren guessed. They followed the sound until they found themselves standing in Republic City Park.

A huge crowd had gathered near the center of the square, holding up signs and shouting loudly. Some held banners with Equalist symbols, waving fists, but most looked like unaffiliated protesters to Asami.

"More Equalists," Ren muttered, crossing his arms defensively. "What are they protesting now?"

"Probably something about hating benders," Korra guessed, rolling her eyes.

"Not all the Equalists are hateful," Asami objected. "It's not just about hating benders."

"Do you not hear them chanting 'down with benders, death to the Avatar'?" Ren challenged.

Asami sighed. "Yeah," she admitted. "I hear it. It's awful." With every passing day, Asami was growing more and more disillusioned with the anti-bending rhetoric.

"And why would they want to kill the Avatar?" Ren wondered aloud. "That part I really don't understand. Isn't the Avatar supposed to bring balance?"

"...Calling for death is horrible," Asami admitted, feeling shame for promoting that phrase. "But they should be scared of the Avatar. Even I'm scared of the Avatar."

"What? Why?" Korra asked, tilting her head.

"The Avatar is a relic from a different era. They'll wipe out any hope of protection for nonbenders like me," Asami explained. "I mean, look at Aang. He was a pacifist, an Air Nomad, a hero. But he set up the Council, the police, and shut down any criticism or opposition until the day he died, completely ignorant of the gangsters they were being paid off to protect."

"Is that really the Avatar's fault? Korra questioned. "I mean, Aang wouldn't do that, would he?"

"Korra, my mother died to an Agni Kai. We had the best lawyer in the city, hard evidence, and a judge Aang appointed just let him walk," Asami spat out. "My father said Aang could have walked down most streets and run into the very thugs he was protecting. But he didn't. The Avatar is above everything, powerful, untouchable, and totally detached from what it's like to be a normal person living in fear, because they aren't even fully human."

"...Is that what people really think?" Korra quietly asked, deeply hurt. "That the Avatar is an unfeeling spirit? That they're invulnerable, and not even human?"

"Some people show more deference or indifference, but... yeah," Ren admitted. "I'm newer here, and respect what the Avatar has done as a whole, but even I can see the disconnect. All this stuff was going on right in front of Aang, and he never even noticed."

"The water Avatar will be even worse. More violent, more detached, more naive," Asami predicted.

Korra looked away, and barely held back tears. "Well I can tell you, the Avatar feels plenty of fear and pain," she muttered out of earshot.

"What?" Asami asked, turning to face her.

"Nothing," Korra dismissed, wiping her eyes. "I'm gonna go ask that cop what's going on."

Korra walked up, and the officer sighed heavily. "They're nonbenders protesting the new curfew law," he told Korra. "They say it's unfair."

Asami nodded. "Right. Starting today, all nonbenders must be indoors by sunset. Only benders are exempt from the curfew."

Korra's eyes widened. "Wait, what?! That is unfair!"

"I don't make the rules, miss," the officer protested. "I just enforce them."

"Uh huh," Korra dismissed. "See my friend here? This is Asami Sato, a nonbender out past sunset. Are you going to arrest her?"

"I... um..." the officer stammered nervously.

"That's right!" Korra taunted. "You won't, because she's a Sato! What about the people who don't even have a roof to sleep under, huh? Who don't have Sato for a last name? What are they supposed to even do!?"

"Look, I'm just following orders," the officer tried to explain. "We've got to arrest them if they keep this up."

"No, you do not, and I am going to let your boss know," Korra declared, striding purposefully towards the protesters.

"Easy, Korra," Ren cautioned, placing a restraining hand on her shoulder. "You don't want to start anything."

"Why not?" Korra challenged, pushing his hand aside. "It's not fair!"

Even Asami was surprised by Korra's outburst. "Korra, wait!" she called out, running after her with Ren.

Korra pulled her scarf and beanie over her face to conceal it, marched right into the courtyard and pushed her way to the front of the crowd. "Hey!" she called out, pointing an accusing finger at the stage where a city councilor stood. "This isn't right!"

Tarrlok ignored the young woman, looking down upon the angry mob. "Citizens of Republic City, please disperse. This is an illegal assembly," he announced. "If you don't return to your homes, we will have no choice but to use force."

This did precisely nothing to placate the crowd, who grew more riled up by the minute. Korra shoved her way past the police officers to stand directly below Tarrlok's platform. "You're wrong!" she shouted up at him. "You're supposed to protect everyone, not just benders!"

Tarrlok turned his gaze onto the young woman. "Get back, or you'll be arrested for disturbing the peace," he threatened.

"No!" Korra roared. "You're the one disturbing the peace!" With a wave of her arms, she froze the microphone solid, causing the speaker to crackle and stop working. The crowd erupted into cheers, pumping their fists in the air. "I'm a bender, and I'm telling you this law is wrong!" she continued passionately.

Meanwhile, Asami and Ren watched from the crowd. "I've never seen her get this fired up," Asami marveled.

"Oh, I have," Ren assured her. "There's no point in trying to reign her in now. We should probably watch from that hill, before she gets us all arrested."

"Don't you want to join her?" Asami asked. "This law is wrong, and you know it."

"Yeah, but someone's gotta bail her out of jail later," Ren pointed out reasonably.

Asami nodded. He had a point, it's why the Equalists didn't officially organize this protest, and she didn't exactly want to advertise her association. "You're right. Let's go watch."

As Asami and Ren escaped to a hill overlooking the scene, the cops tried to push Korra back. One of them grabbed her arm, but she threw him off with ease, and managed to jump onto the stage. "You can't do this! These people have a right to basic freedom!"

"You've got some nerve, girl," Tarrlok sneered. He looked at his watch, then nodded to two metal bending cops on either side of him. "Arrest her," he ordered coldly. "And arrest all these Equalists too."

"No!" Korra screamed as the cops moved forward. She bent water from a nearby fountain, forming an ice wall between the police and the protesters. "Back off!"

Asami and Ren sat down next to each other on the hill, legs stretched out on the grass as they took in the escalating scene before them.

"She's really going to fight the police?" Asami gaped.

"Yeah, I know," Ren agreed. "That's gonna end badly, though not before she gives the cops a run for their money."

Korra water whipped cable after cable thrown by the metalbending cops, and the crowd cheered wildly. But she only had so much water... and there were so many cops. It took over a dozen metalbending and waterbending officers and a mass of cable to finally snare her, and as Korra fell to the ground, time seemed to slow down around her.

She got a good look at the crowd. There were old ladies who could barely hold up signs, people in wheelchairs, vagrants, scruffy teens, tired parents, even kids. These weren't terrorists, they were just people trying to scrape by in life.

As her head hit the ground, she saw stars. And when it came to rest, she saw something that all but broke her... a homeless father clutching his little girl, tears streaming down his face as the cops wrapped him in metal cables and dragged him away from her. He literally had nowhere else to go, no home to even attempt to follow curfew rules with.

She knew exactly what that was like. To be desperate and alone on the streets, scared, despondent, and hated for it. And the little girl... The cops were bringing her along. She knew all too well what being imprisoned meant for someone young.

Something broke inside Korra. Or more accurately, something broke free, like a dam that finally burst. She felt a cold fury seep in her soul, a rage echoed by past lives. She closed her eyes as it filled her veins, with memories of injustice that weren't quite hers flashing through her mind.

"No," she whispered. Much to the shock of the police, the waterbending girl metalbent the mass of cables holding her down. They snapped apart instantly, leaving her free. "I'm never being imprisoned again," she declared out loud, as wind started to blow across the square.

On the hillside, both Ren and Asami gasped. "They got her," Asami said quietly. "Should we do something?"

Ren sighed. "I'd like nothing more than to run down here and melt the cables, but I think that would make things worse."

"We should-" Asami stopped mid-sentence as the cables binding Korra snapped open, revealing her standing free. "Wait. What just happened?" she murmured in confusion.

A strong wind was picking up, swirling dust and debris around the park. "No!" a loud voice boomed, with a strange resonance behind it. And in the next few moments, Asami and Ren saw something that would be burned into their memory for the rest of their lives.

Just as the police were about to restrain her once more, Korra shot into the sky atop a whirling tornado, blowing them back, floating above the crowd and the stage. And when she opened her eyes, they were glowing bright white, with the unmistakable fury of the Avatar State.

"Spirits above," Ren muttered under his breath.

"...The Avatar," Asami breathed.

Across the world, murals in temples dedicated to past Avatars glowed brightly. Sages and monks meditating in front of them felt energy surge through their bodies. Reporters surrounding the protest scrambled to get their cameras out, struggling to expose the Avatar, with her glowing eye blowing out the shots.

The Avatar was back.

Korra spun around, waving her arms wildly. A wall of fire erupted from the earth, surrounding the crowd, separating them from the police. "You are arresting no one!" she threatened.

Tarrlok was shocked, staring wide-eyed at the spectacle. The Avatar? Here, in Republic City? "She's bluffing," he insisted weakly. "Arrest all these traitors, now!" he barked.

But none of the cops dared approach. Most stood frozen in place, not knowing how to react to the sight before them. A few of the older, more spiritual cops calmly dropped to the ground and bowed in deference to the water Avatar. Some older protesters were doing the same thing.

"LEAVE!" the Avatar roared, pointing at the stage where Tarrlok stood. The flames rose higher, the wind gusted, and a crack in the Earth itself began to form under the platform. "NOW!"

The last thing Tarrlok needed was an incident with the Avatar in Republic City Park... and fear was finally starting to grip him too. "Fine, defy city law at your peril, Avatar," he growled, stepping down from the platform. "This isn't over!"

Rapturous cheers went up from the crowd. And unknown to Korra or the other onlookers, a small group of people wearing masks watched the scene unfold from the shadows.

"The Avatar?" an Equalist asked nervously. "Here? Is she going to destroy us?"

"She saved all those nonbenders!" another argued excitedly.

"She's just a tool for the rich and powerful!" a third protested. "This is all just a show!"

Amon silenced his companions with a wave of his hand. "We were here to observe a tragedy, and instead witnessed history," he announced solemnly. "Do not make any assumptions yet. We will see where this goes."

Instead of greeting the protesters as the police fled, the Avatar shot high into the air, riding the wind to a nearby alley. It was dimly lit with yellow light, beyond eye shot of the crowd.

Korra stumbled and nearly lost her balance as the Avatar State left her body. Her scarf and hat were still covering her face, and she leaned against a wall. Before long, Ren and Asami came running around the corner, with mixed looks of shock and concern.

"Are you alright?" Ren asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Korra assured him. "Just need a minute..."

But before she could even regain her bearings, a group of masked figures dropped from the roof above and surrounded them.

Korra forcefully steadied herself, and stood up. "Amon. What do you want?" she yelled from behind her scarf.

Amon eyed the Avatar carefully. This confrontation was a risk far beyond his usual level of tolerance... but the Avatar is an existential threat to everything the Equalists had built. He needed to understand her actions in the square, to assess her. She had landed right by their vantage point by sheer coincidence, and this opportunity to interact with her alone may never present itself again.

And what's more... Asami Sato, his trusted lieutenant, was with her. Another curious twist of fate.

For the moment, Amon decided to hold his tongue and consider his words, as his compatriots were eager to speak their minds.

"You're the Avatar?" one Equalist asked. "You helped those non benders escape?"

"She didn't help them, she just put on a show for the Council to save face," another Equalist argued.

"What?" Korra scoffed. "No, I'm not working with the Council!"

"You're just a puppet for the government!" one sneered.

"A tool to keep us down!" another agreed. "She's just going to help rich and powerful benders the moment they tell her to!"

Korra widened her eyes. "I am not a PUPPET!" she snapped, causing the Equalists to flinch backward as the earth shook a little. "I don't work for anyone! Not the Council, not rich benders, and not even the White Lotus!" she screamed. "No one is ever manipulating me, ever again! Got it!?"

The Equalists were silent, tense, and in defensive fighting stances. Many were trembling, the memory of those glowing eyes fresh on their mind, thinking this confrontation was a deadly mistake.

Korra took a deep breath, slightly calming herself. "Look. No one deserves to be jailed for just trying to survive, for something they can't control. That's why I saved those protesters. They're innocent."

"Why should we believe you?" an Equalist officer challenged, stepping forward. Though still shocked to silence, replaying all her interactions with Korra in her head, Asami recognized her as Akari. "What's to say you won't just go back to siding with the benders on the Council tomorrow?"

Korra walked up to Akari and looked her in the eye. "I'm not fighting the Council," she stated. "Who knows, maybe I will side with them. But I swear, if one more person gets arrested for something as stupid as being a nonbender out after sunset, I will march down to the jail myself, rip it from its foundations and toss it into the bay! And I don't care if the Earth Queen herself is standing in my way!"

There was a long pause after her outburst.

"This is personal for you," Akari observed.

Korra's temper cooled, and her eyes softened. She leaned against the alley wall and slid to the icy ground, holding a knee with one hand. "Yeah," she admitted. "Very personal."

The Equalists relaxed a little, surprised to see the Avatar acting so human, so... vulnerable. She looked weary, maybe even hurt.

"I get what those nonbenders are going through," she quietly stated. "And I know what they faced in prison."

Amon stepped forward, finally speaking up. "The Avatar is born with power and privilege beyond measure, and revered around the world. How could you possibly relate to the plight of the common nonbender, living under the thumb of the rich and powerful? Under the thumb of benders who can smite them with a thought?"

"Because I was oppressed too," Korra revealed. "I was all but imprisoned in a training compound for years... but not physically restrained. The masters there abused me emotionally, mentally. Every single day, they made sure I knew that I was worthless, that I was a failure to the world unless I was a flawless fully realized Avatar. They made me believe training that nearly killed me was my only choice, and that I deserved every bit of pain and misery they inflicted on me. I had the ability to walk out... but I didn't. I was too scared of failure, and too scared of them."

"That's impossible," Akari scoffed. "No one has authority over the Avatar. No one would dare treat you like that."

Korra sighed, and lifted her top a little, revealing scars dotting her ripped torso and back. She put it back down and added "And that's just from the 'training accidents' that didn't heal."

Amon was silent. He knew abuse all too well. The scar on his own face burned with the memory of his own father's cruelty, and the line of questioning he had thought out seemed to slip away.

"So I know what being imprisoned for something you were born with feels like," Korra started. "It makes you feel hopeless. Trapped. Ashamed, like you deserve everything that's happening to you. And believe me, I understand what being oppressed and manipulated by the very people who claim to protect you does. It saps your spirit, your self-worth. It makes you feel powerless, even if you have all the power in the world." Korra looked up at Amon. "So don't tell me I don't know what it's like to live under the thumb of the powerful. Because I do. I would *never* put anyone else through that. And I will not sit by while someone else is imprisoned for something they can't change."

Amon glanced at his fellow Equalists. All their stances had softened considerably, and even behind masks, he could see their expressions soften as well.

"Eventually, I escaped to the Earth Kingdom and hid here, terrified of the White Lotus worming their way back into my head. I lived on the streets, too messed up to even earn a living. I stole food to survive. I saw cops beat on vagrants, children die in gang wars, people lose everything to corruption. I went hungry, I was injured. So I got a good taste of that 'plight of the common nonbender' you boast about... And you know what I found?" Korra paused dramatically. "Equalists hated me for it! When I got here, I bumped into some crowd chanting 'death to the Avatar' and holding up Equalist signs. I saw it on posters, graffitied to walls everywhere I went. Because of you, I thought the whole city despised me, that I was the failure my masters claimed I was... That maybe I deserved what you were saying. That someone else should carry the Avatar Spirit."

Korra stood up and looked around at the Equalists, her eyes clouded with tears. "Why do you hate me so much!? What did I ever do to you!?" she cried. "Does it look like I'm trying to oppress anyone? To smite you? Do I really seem like some kind of unfeeling monster?"

"You... you're a symbol of our oppression," Akari weakly started. "We thought you would suppress us, empower corrupt benders..."

"You didn't know the first thing about me, and you called for my death as a catchphrase!" Korra accused. "How are you any better than the benders you despise? How can you claim to fight for equality, when you're just as prejudiced as the worst scum of this city? How can you sit there and tell me benders are the root of all oppression, when you don't know a thing about what it's like to be one. When you're scaring innocent benders trying to survive, just like the elite benders you hate?"

There was no response.

"OK, how about this. Who do you think my cruelest master was? Who had the most power over me?" Korra asked, crossing her arms. "A big Earthbender? Maybe a waterbender?"

"Fire is the most destructive element," one Equalist offered.

Korra shook her head. "My worst tormentor was a nonbending sword master. He was manipulative, cold, and bitter, and gave me most of my scars. And he wasn't the only one," she revealed. "Does that sound like the stupid bending hierarchy you keep rambling on about?"

Amon considered her words. He thought back to why he founded the Equalists. His own father had abused countless others with his bloodbending, only to have his bending stripped by Avatar Aang himself. The Avatar is the ultimate power, largely because of their ability to wield all four elements as weapons. His whole world view was rooted in the supremacy of benders, none more so than the Avatar, who held authority over the entire world.

...And yet here was the new Avatar, humbly standing before him, with a fire in her soul hotter than his own, broken by a nonbender, and damaged by his own movement.

Just like he was broken by his father.

She was not lying, not exaggerating. He could see her truth in her eyes as if he was looking into a mirror. Amon felt his whole worldview crumbling around him, but he tried to keep his composure.

Akari managed to find her voice. "Even if there's truth in what you say," she argued with a slight tremble, "the ruling class is still largely made up of benders. They're the ones making the laws, enforcing them, and abusing them."

"You're right," Korra agreed, wiping her eyes. "So why not turn the tables?"

"Turn the tables?" Akari repeated.

"What are you getting at, Avatar?" Amon asked warily.

"Make benders a part of the Equalists." Korra proposed. "Starting with me."

There was a long pause of utter disbelief.

"...You're serious?" Akari asked, incredulous.

"Only if you let other benders help too," Korra clarified. "Republic City is my home now. I am sick of sitting by and watching good people suffer, of feeling unsafe and helpless. And even with your stupid bigotry, its seems like the Equalists are actually trying to fix things. So yeah, if you drop the hate, I will fight alongside you."

Amon was stunned. "That is a radical change. Our followers would never accept such a shift."

"'Change.' 'Shift.' I'm not hearing you say it's wrong," Korra noted. "Can any of you think of a good reason to hate me? To hate other benders that would fight for justice?"

The Equalists exchanged looks, unsure how to respond. Their ultimate enemy was in tears before them, and offering to join them.

"Then tell them! Tell your followers about me. Tell them about you," Korra urged, looking right at Amon.

"What about me?" Amon challenged.

Korra eyed him up and down. "You're a waterbender, aren't you?" she guessed. "I can tell by the way you move, how you hold yourself. You hide it well, but it's there."

Amon froze. The idea was out. There was no point in lying about it now, he realized. "Yes, I am," he finally confessed.

All the other Equalists gasped, turning to stare at him in shock.

"You're a hypocrite!" one accused.

"You lied to us!" another yelled.

"I was ashamed of my bending," Amon explained. "I saw how it brought misery to others, and I couldn't bear to be a part of it."

"Then tell your followers!" Korra demanded passionately. "Tell everyone about your past! About whatever drove you to form the Equalists. Let them see the truth instead of a lie, and they might come to see things differently, and realize it's not just bending that's poisoning this city."

Amon sighed heavily as his head spun. How was he even considering this? And why weren't his comrades protesting? "Lets suppose I do. We would lose many followers. And what bender would dare stand with the Equalists, especially with the terrorists slandering our name?"

Korra walked up to him. "If they know the Avatar is with the Equalists? Plenty."

Amon shook his head. "You are asking for a revolution within our movement, Avatar."

"No," Korra replied simply. "I'm asking for equality."

Amon paused, staring at her intently. All the other Equalists were silent, waiting for him to speak.

She was right. How could he possibly go back, and return to the status quo? How could he discriminate within his own movement? Or continue the hypocrisy of leading an anti-bending movement as a bender, with the most powerful bender on Earth standing before him, humbly offering her support in the pursuit of equality, having suffered from grave injustice herself?

"Come to the old brick factory in a week's time," Amon decided firmly. "I will address my people. If my movement is to fall... it might as well be with honor."

Another Equalist shook her head. "This is madness. We'll ruin everything we've worked for."

"Perhaps," Amon agreed. "But do any of you contest what the Avatar says?"

None of them spoke.

"And do you wish to continue living a lie?" Amon asked.

Again, silence.

"Then there is no choice," Amon concluded.

Akari sighed, and turned back to Korra. "Thank you for saving all those nonbenders, Avatar. I... I had family in the protest. They'd be in jail if not for you. So... I'm so sorry for assuming the worst, for assuming you're an enemy when you just might be an ally." She offered an Equalist salute, thumping her chest, which was quickly mirrored by her subordinates.

Korra bowed a little and mirrored the gesture. "You're welcome."

"I just hope there is a movement left following this," Akari warned. She gave another glance to Asami, who still had a look of shock on her face, and decided against revealing her allegiance.

The Equalists dispersed without their usual stealthy flare, clearly reeling from seeing their ideology shatter before their eyes. Amon stayed behind and asked one final question. "Avatar, why do you hide your identity, your face?"

"Why do you hide yours?" Korra countered.

Amon smiled under his mask. "Fair enough. Stay safe, Avatar."

With that, Amon vanished into the night.

Korra slumped back against the wall, emotionally drained, and eyed her two best friends. "Well, that was intense," she joked weakly.

"I'm still processing this," Ren admitted honestly. "I mean, I knew you were hiding a past, but... wow."

What should he even be doing in the Avatar's presence, Ren thought. Bowing? Should he even be speaking to her? And all that stuff that happened to her...

"Yeah," Korra agreed. She started to tear up once more. "Please don't kick me out," she begged.

That snapped Ren out of his thoughts. "What?" Ren asked, genuinely confused. "Kick you out?"

"For lying to you, for keeping secrets," Korra sobbed. "I'm so sorry. I need you guys... I don't know how I would keep it together without you. Please don't hate me," she desperately pleaded.

Ren and Asami kneeled beside her, wrapping her in a hug. "We're not going anywhere, Korra," Asami promised. "Not ever."

Asami was in tears too. She thought the Avatar was a cold tyrant, when she was really her friend, the warmest person she had ever met. How could Asami have been so heartless?

Ren was desperately trying to reconcile how the most powerful being on the planet was living in his loft. But as she cried into his shoulder, he realized it didn't matter. She was still Korra, his best friend. She needed his help, and he needed hers. The thought of losing her as a friend... that made him cry along with them.

Chapter 16: The Lavabender

Chapter Text

Korra went downstairs the next morning, not knowing what to expect. But she found what she got most days, a big pile of bacon and fruit waiting for her on the table, with Ren humming a tune as he poured tea.

Ren sat at the table across from her, and dug into an orange. Phoebe hopped in Korra's lap and spilled juice everywhere, like she often does, before running off to play with the other kids.

"So... this is it?" Korra asked uncertainly. "You know who I am, and nothing changes?"

Ren shrugged. "Is that OK with you?"

"Yeah," Korra nodded, a big smile spreading across her face. "More than okay. It's a dream."

"Good," Ren grinned back. It was nice to see that smile again. "Honestly, I'm kind of relieved myself."

"What do you mean?" Korra asked. "That it explains stuff?"

"Well that too," Ren admitted. "Honestly, I thought this would be too weird for me, that I would freak out. The Avatar has been living in my loft. But..."

"But?" Korra prodded.

Ren shrugged. "I look at you, and you're still Korra to me. But uh, are you sure you still want to live here? Work for Asami? I mean, you are the Avatar."

"Positive," Korra assured him. "I cherish every single minute I spend with you guys. You have no idea how much you've done for me."

"I do too," Ren said sincerely. "Though there is one Avatar thing I wanted to ask you."

"Sure, shoot," Korra encouraged.

"Can you bend metal? And lava?" Ren asked.

"Yep," Korra replied, grabbing a fat slice of bacon. "I can't heat metal like you though. I wasn't lying when I gushed over how awesome that is."

Ren grinned. "How would you like to learn? It would be kinda cool to teach the Avatar."

"Really!?" Korra asked, brightening up instantly. "I'd love to!"

Later, on the workshop's bottom floor, Ren stood facing Korra, with a small lump of dark, spotty metal his hand. "This is raw meteor rock. It's very rare, very expensive, and easy to metalbend," he explained. "It's a good starting point."

Ren tossed it to Korra, who caught it with her own metalbending, levitating it between her hands. "Yeah, I learned how to metalbend with a meteor," she revealed.

"Right, I guess the Avatar gets the best of the best," Ren realized. "So when you bend it, what do you feel? What do you see inside the metal?"

Korra concentrated. "I can feel the little bits of Earth moving around, kind of like grains of sand in a bottle."

Ren smirked, putting his hands behind his back. "That's exactly what every metalbender says. And they're all wrong."

"Huh?" Korra asked with a confused pout.

"Bending the impurities is just a shortcut," Ren explained patiently. "Metal is not like lava or earth. If you pay attention, you can feel the energy flowing through the whole object."

"Like water," Korra realized.

"I'm not a waterbender, but I guess that makes sense," Ren agreed. "Earthbenders don't recognize it because they're used to bending particles in rock and soil. But when you try to lavabend metal like rock, to dump chi into the impurities, it just gets conducted away into the ether."

"That's exactly how it feels, like the chi is disappearing!" Korra realized. "So what do I do?"

"Feel the currents of energy resonating around the metal, like bending a river instead of the river rocks in it," Ren instructed. "Then amplify it. Like lighting bending, I guess."

Korra concentrated on the ball of metal, trying to picture it as a single unit. She closed her eyes and focused, looking for the flow of energy within. She reached to the metal with her chi, trying to move it around like building a charge for lightning...

Ren had to suppress a chuckle has Korra winced in concentration. He saw a vein on her forehead bulge, and her arms tremble.

"I think you're trying too hard," Ren suggested.

"Ugh!" Korra groaned, opening her eyes and tossing the ball to Ren. "That's impossible!"

"I've got another idea, one I probably should have started with," Ren admitted. He went over to his safe, twisted the tumblers inside with his metalbending, and pulled out a dark crescent wrench with a faint blue shine. "Here," he offered, tossing it to Korra.

"Bwah!" Korra stammered, barely catching the wrench with her hands. "I can't metalbend this wrench! What is this stupid thing?" she asked, knocking it against a workbench.

"That is my most precious possession," Ren revealed.

"...Oh," Korra quietly muttered, freezing in place. "Sorry."

Korra's adorable sheepish expression made Ren laugh. "It's alright. My dad gave me that crescent wrench on my sixteenth birthday. It's the culmination of his life's work, and one of the few things I have left of him."

Korra turned it over in her hands with newfound respect. "A wrench?"

Ren walked over to Korra, and reverently ran a finger over the tool. "It's made of a meteor rock alloy that took generations to perfect, doped with dozens of rare ores, reduced and refined in extreme conditions only a lavabender can replicate with the help of machines. Cobalt and osmium give it its blue shine. It's workable with bending, but lightweight, practically indestructible, conducts electricity perfectly, and will last forever." With a wave of his hand, Ren levitated the wrench. "And it's all metal. There are no impurities to bend."

Korra gazed at the floating wrench in awe. "It's the same metal as bracelet you made me. How are you bending it?"

Ren placed it in her hands and closed her fingers around it. "Close your eyes, and grip it tight."

Korra did as she was told, clenching around it until her knuckles turned white.

Ren smirked, and walked up next to Korra. "Not so hard. Just relax your muscles, but grip enough feel the metal on your skin," he quietly instructed, placing his hand over hers.

His gentle touch calmed Korra's nerves, just like it always did. She relaxed her grip on the cool metal, feeling tension drain from her body.

"Feel the wrench resonating in your hand. Feel electricity circling around inside," Ren whispered.

Korra felt a tingle run up her arm. "I... I can feel it, almost like I can hear it," she murmured. "Like a low-pitched hum."

"Good. Now sync it with the muscles in your forearm, like you're trying to hum its note," Ren instructed. "Let the energy flow through your hand, into and out of the wrench, like water swirling in a circle."

Ren gave her forearm a gentle squeeze, his hand hot against her skin, making Korra's heart skip a beat. But it relaxed her too. She could feel the energy flowing through her arm, feel the wrench resonating in her palm, vibrating against her skin. She flexed a little bit, letting her muscles match the vibrations, hearing the hum in her ears...

The wrench grew warm in her hand.

Korra gasped, opened her eyes, and opened her palm in surprise.

...And the wrench sat there, floating, the same energy holding it in the air.

"I got it!" Korra cheered, giddy with excitement. She tensed her arm, and the wrench began to glow a subtle red. The heat faded she pulled the energy back. "This is so cool!"

"Congratulations," Ren smiled, clapping her on the back. "You're the first metal lavabending Avatar, and the first that can bend pure metal."

Korra grabbed the wrench and wrapped Ren in a bear hug, all but squeezing the life out of him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is so amazing!"

Ren laughed, returning the hug.

The next moment, Korra immediately went back to levitating the wrench, unable to contain her excitement. "It's so... different."

"Yeah. Once you metalbend this way-" Ren started.

"You can't go back," Korra finished for him, nodding knowingly. "It's more natural, like that's how it was supposed to work all along. I can't wait to show Asami!"

In her own workshop, Asami laughed as she saw Korra melt one of her wrenches into a blob of molten metal, rippling the surrounding air. "Well, congrats. No Avatar has done that before," she teased.

"I know!" Korra enthused. "I was always so jealous of Ren. It was mesmerizing to watch, and now I can do it too! And look," Korra enthused, grabbing a metal plate. "I can metalbend pure platinum!"

"So much for unbendable metal," Asami joked, watching Korra effortlessly fold the plate, then liquify it.

"I know, right?" Korra agreed, beaming with pride.

Asami shook her head. Korra was back to her usual self, so energetic and full of life. It was like nothing had changed between them. "Korra... are you not mad that I hid my involvement in the Equalists from you?"

"I don't exactly have a leg to stand on," Korra reminded her. "I'm just relieved you're still my friend."

"You keep saying that," Asami said seriously. "But I'm the one who lied to you."

Korra solidified the platinum blob, and walked over to Asami. "Asami, I understand why you joined the Equalists. I respect that you were fighting for justice," she assured her. "And even if I didn't, you're way too important to me to stay mad at... I can't lose a friend like you."

Asami smiled. "I can't afford to lose you either, Korra."

Korra turned her head to the side, giving Asami a timid sideways look. "But I am curious... did you ever hate me? Just because I was a bender?"

Asami wrapped her in a hug. "I couldn't. Not even in the alley. You're too kind, too amazing."

"Thanks," Korra murmured, tightening the embrace. "So are you."

Chapter 17: The Avatar Returns

Chapter Text

In the Council Chambers of Republic City, yet another emergency session was being held. Councilor Tenzin was the last to arrive, rubbing his temples tiredly.

"I apologize for the inconvenience," he addressed the room. "However, I believe we are all aware of the gravity of recent events."

"The Avatar? In Republic City?" Councilor Yu asked incredulously.

"Siding with Equalists," Councilor Tarrlok added coldly.

"She did not explicitly declare her alliance with the Equalists," Soza interjected calmly.

"But she intervened on their behalf!" Councilor Li retorted. "We have to arrest her!"

Lin Beifong, Republic City's Chief of Police, was technically an observer at these meetings, but she rarely remained quiet. She bluntly interrupted Councilor Li.

"Excuse me, are you asking me to arrest the Avatar? Hold her against her will?" Lin scoffed, with a scowl on her face. "If that was even possible, do you know what the diplomatic repercussions would be?"

"Fire Lord Izumi would come here, in person, demanding answers," Yu added gravely. "We would have none to give. And she wouldn't be the only one."

"But she cannot be allowed to continue interfering with the stability of our city." Tarrlok argued.

"I think you misunderstand the situation, Councilors," Tenzin cut in smoothly. "The Avatar is a force of nature. She is not something that in our power, or anyone's power, to control, just as the wind is not beholden to any man."

The Council argued in circles. Once again Tenzin was getting nowhere, and he was getting a migraine.

Most of the council was beholden to their wealthy patrons, who funded their initiatives and supported them financially. Tenzin and, ironically, Councilor Tarrlok were perhaps the only two exceptions, with the latter truly believing that Republic City's corruption could be purged with an iron fist.

Tenzin had grown weary of the political games. He knew the Council needed reform, desperately. But he had no intention of throwing his support behind the Equalists. They were violent extremists, bent on destroying the social order... but he couldn't help but wonder what the future of Republic City looks like.

"Korra, what are you doing out there," he murmured softly as he flew back to Air Temple Island on his glider staff. Above all else, he worried about his the future of his family's home, and the future of his pupil, his father's reincarnation, who he had not seen in far too long.

Later that night, in the middle of Republic City's busiest port, two figures waited on top of a pile of metal shipping crates, sticking to the shadows like glue. The sky was clear, but the new moon, noisy work, and strong breeze made hiding all too easy.

"I still can't believe this," Akari muttered. "Did I hallucinate that encounter in the alleyway?"

"I've already tried pinching myself," Asami joked, shaking her head.

"I hated the Avatar," Akari confessed quietly. "I feared her. But... she's just a girl, with as sad a story as anyone in the movement. She had every reason to spite us, but she poured her heart out and humbly joined us instead." She looked to the side. "I feel sick to my stomach for judging her, just like others have judged my family."

"Me too," Asami agreed. "She was like that before I even knew. Intense, wearing her emotions on her sleeve, fiercely protective of others... Impossible to dislike. I had all but given up our anti-bending stance already."

"Do the other lieutenants know yet?" Akari wondered aloud.

"I don't know how to tell them," Asami admitted. "But the fact that she saved the protesters is already spreading like wildfire. I'm hoping that will soften some hearts before Amon rips the bandage off."

"I hope so too," Akari agreed. "But if this is the last week of the Equalists... well, it's been a good run, Asami."

"Yeah," Asami agreed sadly. "But have some faith, Akari. Maybe it's a new beginning, even if we lose most of our followers."

"I could live with that," Akari agreed. She took a deep breath, peered over the edge of the crate, and saw a few Future Industries forklifts unloading cargo onto the dock. A guard was leaning against a stack of crates, looking out into the ocean as she tapped her foot to music playing on her radio. "Uh oh, I hear something pulling up. You think Fong's tip was legit?"

"Let's see. Get down, get ready," Asami ordered, before clicking the radio twice to signal the team.

"Copy," Akari acknowledged, ducking down.

The pair watched as a truck pulled up to the warehouse, disgorging a dozen burly men and women in rough blue and black gear. Some were covered in tattoos, and all of them brandished swords and water pouches.

"Are those even Red Monsoons?" Akari whispered. "They look like hardened pirates, not gangsters. I barely recognize them."

"I didn't anticipate this..." Asami murmured.

The guard kicked herself off the wall as the Monsoons approach, standing in front of them. The workers cowered behind her, trapped on the loading dock. "Nami!?" she exclaimed. "Since when do they let women be Monsoon grunts?"

"Hey Sara, looking good," Nami quipped. "There's been a little shake up in the Red Monsoon leadership."

Sara narrowed her eyes and spread her feet. "Well you guys are in the wrong part of town. Back off."

Nami and the other Monsoons laughed derisively. "I'm gonna miss you Sara, but a job is a job. Don't worry, we got paid to make it quick and clean."

Asami cursed under her breath.

"Sara's brave," Akari commented.

"Yeah," Asami agreed. "I hired her myself, but I didn't hire her for a suicide mission."

"What are we going to do? Can we take these guys?" Akari wondered. "There's only eight of us."

"I'm not watching my workers perish," Asami vowed. "Are you in?"

"Always," Akari promised, squeezing her shoulder.

Deciding to take the initiative, Sara screamed, jumped into the air, and let out a wide wave of fire with a kick. The monsoons immediately drew water from their pouches and formed a shield, but the sheer intensity staggered them backwards.

Sara landed right in the middle of them, coated her limbs in fire and began punching and kicking wildly.

"Now!" Asami yelled, jumping down from the crate and landing in a crouch. She dashed forward and surprised a Monsoon, shocking her to the ground with her shock glove.

But another one caught on, and immediately threw Asami and Akari back with a water whip. "Equalists!" he roared. "Get them!"

One Equalist recruit was immediately knocked unconscious with a blast of water that slammed them into a wall. Another narrowly dove out of the way of an ice spice, and just missed a sword lunge from a tattooed Monsoon.

Asami was already cursing under her breath again as she righted herself and ducked under a water whip, then charged forward once more.

"Give up, Nami!" Sara spat, singeing her arm with a fist full of fire.

"I'll kill you, bitch!" Nami snarled, whipping a stream of water straight at Sara's chest. Sara countered with a blast of fire, turning the water into hot steam, exploding in a hiss and obscuring her vision. Hearing a whistle behind her, Sara instinctively ducked as an ice spike just barely missed her head. "Ahhhh!" Sara screamed, kicking a lance of flame right back where it came from, immolating the Monsoon thug.

"She's a machine," Akari marveled, dodging aside as a hose whip crashed into the warehouse wall.

"Yeah," Asami agreed, watching Sara dance around the Monsoons, before burning another Monsoon's legs, sending him screaming to the ground. Asami charged a Monsoon about to skewer one of her recruits, grabbed his neck from behind, and shocked him to the ground, with the smell of ozone filling her nostrils.

"You and me!" Sara roared, launching herself towards Nami with flames from her feet. She barely missed Nami's head with a flaming fist, and an ice knife jab from Nami whooshed by her ear. Nami quickly froze the water below them, trying to trip Sara up, but she stomped her foot, bathing the ground in fire and sending Nami stumbling back.

Nami looked around, and saw arcs of electricity bring another one of her compatriots crashing to the ground. She lost her patience, and grappled both of Sara's arms with a snarl, pressing her size advantage over the smaller woman.

"I'll snap your spine!" Nami threatened, twisting her wrists.

Sara screamed once more, and slammed Nami to the ground with every ounce of strength she had left, pulling a few muscles in the process.

"You're finished!" Sara yelled out, in a firebending pose over Nami's head, flames flickering in her hand and illuminating Nami's face.

"Do it!" Nami dared.

Sara yelled out once more and sent a bolt to the ground... missing Nami's head by mere inches.

Nami smirked. "I knew it. You're still a wimp, just like you were when-"

Sara kicked Nami's head, hard, drawing blood and knocking her out cold.

"I'm not a wimp," Sara growled, panting heavily, sweat pouring from her brow and blood soaking her shirt. "I'm just not a soulless coward like you."

Sara looked up, and found she was surrounded by four Equalists. "Stay back!" she ordered, lashing out with a wide arc of fire.

Asami stumbled back and held up her hands. "Easy! We're on your side."

"You're Equalists," Sara spat. "I don't know what you want from us, but my job is to defend these people. Take one more step, and I'll burn you alive."

Asami ripped off her mask and raised her hands once more.

"...Miss Sato?" Sara asked, squinting at her.

"Just take it easy, Sara. We're not going to hurt you," Asami assured her.

Sara slightly softened her stance. "You're Equalists, and I'm a firebender. You'll stab me in the back the first chance you get."

"No," Asami denied. "It's not official yet, but we're dropping the anti-bending stance." She slowly stepped forward, taking a closer look at Sara's torso. "That's a horrible wound Sara, you're bleeding profusely."

Sara didn't move a muscle. "I'll live."

Asami took another step. "Look, are you going to burn your employer alive, or let us patch you up?"

"I..." Sara hesitated. She looked Asami in the eyes, before lowering her arms and letting out a sigh. Sara all but collapsed to the ground, clutching her wound. "Fine."

Asami knelt down beside her, and a recruit rushed over with a med kit. She cut open the fabric with a Monsoon's sword, and found Sara's torso was shredded from a volley of ice. "Ouch... OK, this is going to hurt," Asami warned.

She winced a little as Asami poured alcohol over the wound and began stitching up the worst of it, but didn't scream. The bleeding slowed, and Asami wrapped a bandage around her waist, tight. "Uh, thanks," Sara meekly mumbled.

"You were bleeding out, we can't just leave you like that," Asami dismissed.

"I normally take care of my own wounds," Sara admitted. "So... you guys really aren't fighting benders anymore?"

"Not anymore," Asami confirmed, offering her a hand up.

Sara accepted it, and limped to her feet. "I don't know what to say. I've spent years fearing you guys, hating you..."

"Yeah, we know," Akari agreed. "We're assholes, but we're working on it."

That made Sara smile a little, and the tension drained from her shoulders. "Well I used to be an asshole too, so I guess I can relate."

Asami chuckled. "Thanks for saving my dockworkers, and my recruits," she said, gesturing to the Equalists treating their comrades. "You're an incredible bender."

"Just doing my job, Miss Sato," Sara easily replied.

"Please, call me Asami," Asami insisted. "...You remind me of someone I know, Sara."

"Oh yeah? Who?" Sara asked curiously.

"A friend. A good one," Asami answered evasively. "Anyway, it just got me thinking... would you want a more permanent job as security consultant for Future Industries? For me?"

"Seriously?" Sara asked, blinking in surprise.

"Definitely," Asami affirmed. "You put down your life for my employees, thinking you were alone. That's the kind of honor and courage money can't buy."

"...Yeah," Sara agreed. "I'd like that."

"Great," Asami said sincerely, extending a hand. "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks, Asami," Sara accepted, shaking her hand firmly. "I think this is gonna be fun."

Chapter 18: Ice and Fire

Chapter Text

Back in the industrial district, Korra whistled a tune, happy as can be. The sun was setting, the moon was full, the air was cool, and Korra was walking down the street with groceries in either arm. She turned the corner to Ren's workshop, her vision partially obscured by bags full of food.

She felt an odd heat coming from the street, and turned to the side, bending forward to investigate.

It was... a pool of lava. Like someone had lavabent the concrete itself.

Korra slowly turned, and saw a trail of pools leading to Ren's workshop. A fire was burning, a hole was burned in the wall, and solid blocks of ice littered the street. A body was slumped over on the ground. It looked like a war zone.

Korra's heart raced. She dropped the groceries, and blasted forward on a current of air, not caring who saw her airbending in the open.

"Ren!" she screamed, bursting into the building. "Are you in here! Ren!"

She sprinted up to the second story, and found Ren slumped in a corner, beaten, discolored by bruises, but conscious. Peng was healing him with waterbending when he turned around and saw Korra.

"Oh no. Korra... you shouldn't be here," Peng stammered nervously. "Go, just go. Before they come back."

"Peng, what happened?" Korra demanded frantically, "What did you do!?"

"I didn't want any of this! I swear!" Peng protested, looking to the side.

Korra followed his eyes to a big block of ice sitting in the middle of the floor. Korra walked over to it, kneeling beside it.

"Phoebe!" Korra screamed. She was frozen solid.

Korra immediately melted the ice, and scooped Phoebe into her arms. "Phoebe! Please be alive. Please," Korra tried to warm her with gentle firebending, and checked her pulse. "Oh spirits, please wake up!"

There was no pulse. Phoebe was as cold as the ice that had entombed her, her face frozen in a rictus of shock and horror.

"Phoebe!" Korra wailed. "No, no, no, NO! Phoebe, please!" Her lips quivered, her body shook, tears streamed out of her eyes as she desperately rocked the sweetest thing she had ever known, now frozen in her arms.

Ren stirred slightly. "Korra..."

Korra turned around, and saw a group of Red Monsoons steadily striding towards here. They were young, bulky, with shaved heads and pirate tattoos.

They surrounded Korra. "Well well well, just whom we were looking for," one of them sneered.

"Did you do this?" Korra growled, standing up to confront them.

"We're just collecting debts, sweetheart," the same gangster drawled. "Can't have you tarnishing our good names, can we?"

Korra clenched her fists as rage clouded her mind.

"Now are you gonna put up a fight, or-" another started.

Before he could finish, Korra dropped to the ground, and spun around. A tornado of intense blue fire charred the flesh of the gangsters, cooking them down to bone. She stood over their burning bodies for a moment, panting, before turning back to Peng.

Peng was on his feet, jaw open. "You're... you're the... the Avat-"

Korra slammed him against the wall with a metal table, pinning him there. "What did I say!?" she roared, her voice echoing throughout the room. "Did I not make myself clear? No one messes with us!"

Peng squirmed helplessly, unable to break free. "There's a new boss!" he blurted out. "Zei's gone!"

Korra narrowed her eyes. "Who?"

"Kuru. Some pirate who brought a bunch of muscled thugs with him. They said Zei was weak for losing the duel with you," Peng stammered.

"Yes! That was the idea!" Korra snarled, pressing harder.

Peng struggled feebly, but Korra held him firm. "Kuru cleaned house, torched the mansion, killed a bunch of us, including Qwen! Threatened the families of those who didn't comply. Korra, I didn't want anything to do with this. I warned Ren, tried to warn you! But we didn't know you were the Avatar!"

Korra's eyes hardened. "Where. Is. Kuru?"

Later, on a cargo ship outside the harbor, Kuru lounged outside, taking in the cool winter breeze under the moonlight. His longtime crew busied themselves around the deck of his cargo ship, loading weapons and other cargo off the vessel.

He heard what sounded like ice and fire colliding, and perked up, interested. Some of his Monsoons were all looking at something just off the dock. He peered over the railing, and saw a Water Tribe girl stomping up onto the pier.

"Who the heck is this chick?" Kuru asked his men.

"I think it's the girl who dueled Zei," one of the older Monsoons reported, a clearly nervous. "You weren't there boss. She beat him bad."

"Pfft," Kuru dismissed. "Zei was a weak old man. This kid thinks she can take me? She looks like a sobbing mess."

The Monsoon didn't respond. Instead, he backed away from the edge of the ship, clearly fearing for his life.

"Where is Kuru!?" Korra shouted, hopping aboard the ship with a metal clank.

"Right here, darling," Kuru drawled, stepping forward to greet her. His fellow sailors stepped in line beside him, flanking Kuru on either side. "Got a problem?"

Korra clenched her fists, barely able to even speak. "Did you kill my friend? Beat up another?"

"Just trying to get your attention. Nothing personal," Kuru smirked.

"What?" Korra gasped. "You targeted her?"

"You made the Monsoons look weak," Kuru informed her. "But I'm not a puss* like that old man. Tell you what, I'll give you a choice. I'll let my boys here have some fun with you, or you can duel me. One on one. Winner takes all."

Korra was seeing red. "A duel? A duel!?" she repeated furiously. "You killed Phoebe, and you want to duel? I'll show you a duel!"

Korra dropped to a strange stance, eliciting a snicker from Kuru. "This should be cute. Come at me, kid." Kuru's loyal sailors watched from his side, while the older Monsoons more nervously looked on from a distance.

What they didn't see was the static electricity crackling in the air around Korra's body. She stretched her arms apart, and lightning arced from her fingertips, briefly bathing the dim ship in cold light.

It struck Kuru square in the chest, charring his body. Everyone around him dropped and convulsed on the floor as wild arcs of electricity danced across their skin.

Deafening thunder boomed, breaking windows, shaking metal walls. The lights flickered and failed, plunging the ship into darkness.

"How's that for a duel!?" Korra yelled, her voice echoing throughout the ship.

The pirates were, unfortunately, too stupid to realize what had just walked onto their boat. Crew started streaming out from below decks, brandishing swords and pouches of water. Korra turned to face them, and only then did they see her glowing eyes.

Korra screamed, unleashing a torrent of blue fire from her mouth. It swallowed the entire front half of the cargo ship, incinerating anyone unlucky enough to be caught in its path.

As more crew tried to file out, Korra jumped into the air with a burst of fire, and stomped her feet back onto the deck, arms stretched wide. She crushed the lower decks of the ship, crumpling it like an accordion, trapping anyone inside in a tomb of metal as screams echoed across the darkened sea. It listed back and forth, threatening to capsize.

One sailor crawled out of the wreckage, fury in his eyes, winding up for an ice attack. Korra reached out with an arm, and bloodbent him, levitating him by his very flesh. He screamed as his face contorted in pain, before Korra violently threw him off the starboard rail.

Korra breathed heavily, and turned to the Monsoons cowering at the stern of the ship. She recognized them as older Monsoons, who witnessed her duel with Zei.

"Please," one of them said, holding their hands up. "We have families! We didn't want to go along with Kuru!"

Korra hesitated. Peng stepped in front of them, dropping to his knees. "Korra, listen," he pleaded. "I warned Ren! I healed him, he'll be OK! We didn't want anything to do with this!"

Korra took a breath, calming herself a little. "Give me a good reason I shouldn't kill you all where you stand. You have thirty seconds."

"We'll go underground!" Peng blurted out. "You'll never even see a Monsoon again! We all have people we need to take care of, Korra, and we just want to live."

Korra eyed the other Monsoons, who were all nodding vigorously. "Keep talking," she ordered.

"We'll stick to easy smuggling. Booze, medicine, tech, stuff that shouldn't even be illegal! And we won't hurt anyone that doesn't have it coming!" he begged. "We'll keep a hold on the district, oust anyone stupid enough to cross you. We'll be so quiet you'll never even know we exist! Please, just give us a chance!"

Korra stared at the terrified men for a minute, judging them, considering their fate. They stared into the glowing eyes of the Avatar as if she was the spirit of death herself.

Korra grabbed Peng by the shirt, and dragged him forward. "You hear Peng?" she barked at the others. "He's smart! He just might keep you alive," she said, unceremoniously dumping him onto the deck. "Anyone got a problem with him being the new boss?"

Every single Monsoon shook their head, dead silent.

"Good!" Korra declared. "Now maybe I wasn't clear before. If I so much as smell a Red Monsoon again, or if anyone reveals my identity, I will make it my life's mission, as the Avatar, to hunt every single one of you down like animals. When I find you, I'll slowly drop you into a pool of lava as I bend the air out of your lungs, and there is not a thing on this planet that can save you," she threatened. "Is that clear enough this time!?"

They all nodded vigorously.

Korra took another deep breath. "Get. Out!" she commanded, pointing to the dock. "Now! Before I change my mind."

The Monsoons scrambled off the ship, jumping onto the dock and running like a pack of wolves was chasing after them. Korra screamed, waved her arms, and raised a huge wave, carrying the ship back out to sea.

A crowd had gathered on the docks to watch the spectacle. No one knew what was going on as the massive cargo ship, crumpled like a tin can, slowly sank into Yue Bay. Amidst the crowd, a young Water Tribe woman dropped to her knees.

"Are you OK, young lady?" a concerned passerby asked.

Korra's lower lip quivered as the last bits of rage left her body. Tears starting pouring from her eyes as she broke down and wailed uncontrollably.

A few members of the crowd patted her back in concern and empathy, completely unaware of who she was. And as Avatar Korra watched the battered ship break in two and sink into the sea, she felt her heart do the exact same thing.

Chapter 19: Light in the Dark

Chapter Text

The next day, Korra, Asami, Ren, and Gommu gathered on the beach, watching the sun set over Yue Bay. With Phoebe being a Water Tribe girl, they had prepared a traditional burial at sea, complete with a funeral pyre.

Ren was still on a crutch, one arm around Asami as Korra put the finishing touches on the pyre. A few orphans and vagrants had shown up, as did a lady from the orphanage... but there was no one else to attend her ceremony.

Korra stepped back, considering her words carefully. "Phoebe was such a brave girl," she began quietly. "Always smiling, never complaining, even when times were tough. She was empathetic, strong, loving." Korra blinked. "She was everything good in this world distilled into one little person. She meant the world to anyone who met her, even though the world was so cruel to her. She... she brought me pure joy that I've never experienced anywhere else. Love that I didn't even know existed. She had enough love in her heart for a thousand people, and I feel so lucky to have been one of the few that received it."

Others offered their respects, placing flowers on top of the pyre. Korra stepped forward, lighting the wood with a small torch. She pushed the casket out to sea, and they watched as it floated away, the fire growing brighter as the waves lapped at its base.

"Go in peace," Korra whispered. "Phoebe, know that you saved my life. As long as I breathe, you will always be loved, remembered, cherished."

Gommu placed a comforting hand on Korra's shoulder. "She knows that. Wherever she is, she knows."

Korra nodded mutely, watching the flames dance higher and higher.

A few hours later, Asami was finishing up in one of the Equalist's secret recruitment centers, in a shady basem*nt not far from Ren's shop. Sara leaned against a wall, feeling weird about being in an Equalist hideout.

The door slammed shut, making Asami and Akari flinch. "Wow, that guy was a real charmer," Sara joked, rolling her eyes.

"He just wanted to kill benders," Asami lamented. "He didn't even care about justice. Hardly anyone tonight did."

Akari grabbed her shoulder and squeezed. "Don't worry, Asami. The Equalists will get through this."

"Will we?" Asami wondered aloud.

Akari sighed. "Well, we'll find out soon, won't we?"

Asami nodded, and the three of them headed upstairs. After saying goodbye to Akari, Asami and Sara hopped into Asami's satomobile, and the engine whirred to life.

"Sorry for dragging you here, Sara. Late night Equalist recruitment isn't exactly in your job description," Asami apologized as she backed up and pulled out.

"Just happy to be here, really," Sara dismissed.

"There aren't many people I trust with my life as an Equalist, you know," Asami sadly stated.

Sara looked to Asami. Her usually impeccable cool, collected demeanor was breaking. "You OK, Asami?"

Asami blinked a tear out of her eye, and the car swerved a bit. "I don't know..."

"Hey." Sara gently touched her shoulder. "My apartment is just around the corner here. Why don't we stop by, grab some tea, talk things out?"

"Sure," Asami quietly agreed.

Sara heated a tea pot with her hand, and set it down on a table in front of her sofa. "Thank you," Asami murmured gratefully, accepting a cup.

Asami flinched, and splashed some of her tea out when Sara punched a fist forward to light her fireplace. "Sorry," Asami choked out, wiping her chin.

Sara raised an eyebrow. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's OK, really. Firebending just makes me jumpy, sometimes," Asami admitted sheepishly.

"Why?" Sara asked curiously, sitting down next to her.

"My mom was burned alive by a firebender," Asami revealed quietly. "I was there. I couldn't protect her."

Sara winced. "That must have been awful."

"It was," Asami agreed, before pausing to think on today's events. "It's just... I have these two friends that are insanely powerful benders. Today, I went to a funeral for a little girl they cared for-"

"Ren and Korra?" Sara guessed.

"You know them?" Asami asked, surprised.

"Not Korra so much, but Ren and I go way back. I talked to him today, and he was a total wreck," Sara explained, placing a hand on her knee. "I'm sorry about Phoebe."

"Me too," Asami agreed, sniffling. "Anyway, it just got me thinking. If those two couldn't keep someone they love safe..."

"Then what chance do we have?" Sara finished for her.

"Exactly," Asami agreed. "Sara, the Equalists are about to fall apart, maybe totally collapse. Future Industries is being chipped away by crooked competitors, and it will just get worse if the Equalists are gone. I can fight, I'm armed, and even I don't feel safe on the streets without a bender like you," Asami cried, breaking down into tears.

Sara leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug.

"I'm so scared. I'm going to lose my cause, my father's legacy, my city... my whole life," Asami sobbed. "Maybe people I love. I've fought so hard, and everything is still slipping away. I don't know what to do anymore."

Sara teared up a bit, rubbed her back, and then pulled away. "I know it's not the same, but my parents abandoned me when I was a kid. I thought my life was over. And I thought it was over again when I lost my Pro Bending career to a stupid mistake. But I learned things don't always work out like you'd expect." Sara bent forward to meet Asami's gaze. "Sometimes, you meet people who change your life, who make it worth living again. Sometimes, even after disaster strikes, they fix your life in ways you never thought possible." Sara grabbed her shoulder, and smiled reassuringly. "I'm scared too. But there's a way though this, Asami. Maybe you don't see it yet, but it's there. And I bet friends will lead you through it."

Asami smiled back, and wiped her eyes. "Maybe they already are. And I think I just met another friend who will."

"Me too," Sara agreed, wrapping her in another hug.

The next night, Gommu and Korra set on the beach, staring silently at the ocean.

"You want a sip?" Gommu asked, offering Korra a swig from his flask.

Korra shook her head.

Gommu looked at the flask. "Eh, I should stop drinking anyway," he decided, chucking it into the water.

They watched the flask float away for a good while. Korra looked down at the simple grave she dug for the boy she killed, at the eternal flame carved into rock. She took a long moment to remember him.

Eventually, Korra spoke. "I'm sorry, Gommu."

"What for?" Gommu asked gently.

"I didn't know what loss was like. Not really," Korra confessed sadly. "I'm so sorry you lost your wife, your son."

Gommu looked out to the sea. "It's something you never get over. But it gets easier," he assured her. "I just hate you have to experience it when you're so young."

"Me too," Korra whispered. "I miss her so much."

"Yeah, I do to," Gommu agreed.

After another long pause, Korra took a deep breath. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was the Avatar sooner."

Gommu smiled. "I wasn't even that shocked. You're a whirlwind, Korra. Always surprising me. It was just one more surprise."

Korra smiled weakly. "Thanks, Gommu."

Gommu wrapped her in a hug. "You're gonna be a great Avatar, kiddo."

"You think so?" Korra wondered aloud.

"I know so," Gommu affirmed. "You understand what matters most."

Korra leaned into Gommu's embrace. "But I failed Phoebe. I couldn't even protect her..."

"You gave her love and a home, and she loved you right back," Gommu reminded her. "That's what matters, Korra. Not how many lives you save, but how many you touch..."

Chapter 20: The Voice in the Night

Chapter Text

A few days later, Ren, Asami, and Korra showed up at the Equalist rally, wearing masks over their faces and dark jumpsuits. Ren and Korra blended seamlessly into the crowd, while Asami was dressed more distinctively, with the big shoulder pads of a lieutenant.

And the crowd was enormous. There were thousands of people, packed into every corner of the old brick factory. "I never realized there were this many Equalists," Ren commented.

"In spite of the bombings, we've been growing," Asami revealed. "Some of our cells have exploded since the curfew law passed."

"Do any of them know what's about to happen?" Korra wondered aloud.

"It hasn't spread beyond the group you met. But I did let loose a few rumors about you," Asami admitted with a grin.

"Like what?" Korra asked curiously.

"That you aren't a puppet," Asami answered. "That you're not the oppressor we thought you were. The water Avatar is still a total mystery to the outside world, so I figured it would spark interest."

"Great, so only some of them want to kill me now," Korra joked, rolling her eyes.

"It's progress," Asami countered. "I really am sorry about drumming up all that hatred. We were so wrong about you."

"It's alright," Korra assured her. "Hey... is that your dad over there?"

Asami spotted the profile of her Hiroshi near the stage. "Yeah," she confirmed. "Even he doesn't know. I... couldn't figure out how to tell him."

"You should be with him. We'll be fine back here," Ren suggested.

Asami nodded, and slipped away from the group.

Amon stepped onto the stage, flanked by his usual officers even though this rally was far from usual. He held a microphone, and took a deep breath. "Citizens of Republic City, I stand before you today to speak the truth," he declared.

The crowd roared, chanting his name. "I am Amon. I am the leader of the Equalists. And I have been lying to you."

The factory fell silent.

"I founded the Equalists because I believed in the cause," he continued. "My father was a brutal criminal, a bender, and he abused others with his abilities. When I was young, I saw him stripped of his power, and I thought the world would be a better place without bending. So I started the Equalists to turn the United Republic into a refuge for nonbenders, where everyone would be equal. Where we had the power to give nonbenders a voice all over the world... but I was wrong."

The crowd seemed confused.

"Are you going on stage?" Ren whispered to Korra.

"I dunno," Korra shrugged. "Maybe just to confirm what Amon says at the end, if it feels right. But I'm not much of a public speaker... especially in front of a crowd that hates me."

"You'll be fine," Ren encouraged. "You're the Avatar. Just think how many crowds your past lives spoke to."

"Yeah, yeah," Korra muttered, crossing her arms defensively.

Amon turned his head as he looked to the crowd. "I was blinded by my past. I have led you astray. I abused hate against bending as a weapon, and became the very tyrant I vowed to destroy. I have become the oppressor, and I have betrayed the trust of all of you. For that, I am deeply sorry."

The crowd whispered amongst themselves, unsure how to react.

"Asami, what is going on?" Hiroshi whispered.

"Just wait," Asami urged him.

"We are not here because we hate benders, we are here because we have been wronged. Because we have witnessed injustice. Because we deserve equality. Because the elite of the city have taken advantage of us, regardless of whether they can bend or not." Amon closed his eyes, and took another breath. "The Air Nomads, when they were still with us, used to say the only true source of power is understanding oneself. They believed in equality, freedom, and in truth. I have been blind to the truth for too long, and have corrupted the meaning of our movement."

He opened his eyes, and looked directly at the crowd. "Today, the lies we tell ourselves end. Today, the Equalists movement will either end forever, or begin again. With truth. With justice. For everyone."

Amon took off his mask, revealing the sharp face of a Water Tribe man, with sharp blue eyes and a scratch scar across his face. The crowd gasped collectively. "My name is Noatak. I am the son of Yakkone, the bloodbender who once ruled the streets of Republic City," he revealed. "And I am a waterbender myself."

The crowd gasped in utter shock. After a moment, many started booing, but most were too stunned to even react.

Noatak raised his hands, slightly calming the crowd down. This was already going better than expected. "I have hidden my identity from you all because I was ashamed of who I was. I was ashamed of my bending, the terrible power I inherited from my father. But I see now, that bending itself is not evil. The people who wield it are."

Noatak looked out over the crowd. "No longer will the Equalists use bending as an excuse to divide. There is only one enemy, oppression. And no matter who holds it, no matter what form it takes, we shall oppose it!"

The crowd was not pleased.

"You're a traitor!" one Equalist officer called out. "You lied to us!"

"Benders can't be trusted!" a woman from the crowd called out.

"You're as bad as the Avatar!" another protester accused.

"The Avatar," Noatak repeated. "The ultimate authority. Our ultimate enemy, now here with us in Republic City. But does she rule us? Does she demand tribute?"

"She will lord her power over us!" the protester argued.

"Then what of the incident in the square?" Noatak challenged. "Some of you were there. You would be in prison right now if the Avatar had not intervened."

The crowd murmured uncomfortably.

"The Avatar saved me!" a protestor cried out. "I saw her protect the innocent!"

"She doesn't care about us!" another protester argued. "She serves the rich and powerful!"

"She is not our enemy!" Akari loudly retorted from beside the stage.

"The Avatar is just a puppet, a bender who will use her power to keep us down!" yet another protester declared.

That one hit Korra's nerves. "No, she is not!" Korra yelled out, her face still covered with a mask. "She is no one's puppet!"

"And how would you know?" the protester demanded.

Korra had enough. She rocketed onto the stage with a blast air and fire from her feet, landing with a loud thud, eliciting a gasp from the crowd. "Because I am the Avatar!" she announced. "And I stand with the Equalists!"

That made the crowd go nuts, mostly with booing, and arguments erupting from everywhere. A few stumbled to the exits in fear. Even Noatak was surprised to see the Avatar introduce herself so brazenly.

"Stooge!" one woman chanted.

"Tyrant," a man exclaimed.

"Fraud!" another shouted. "Oppressor!"

"ENOUGH!" Korra screamed at the top of her lungs. She jumped in the air, and stomped on the ground, shaking the foundations of the entire building, silencing everyone. Many in the crowd had a fearful look on their face. "I. AM. NOT. A. PUPPET!" she roared. "I am no pawn for any government, nor anyone else!" she yelled. "I've been stepped on, abused, and manipulated by people who claimed to be protecting me, just like you." She took a breath to calm herself. "I've lived without hope, without freedom, because others told me I wasn't good enough. And I'm DONE with it! I'm done with letting people tell me how I should think, how I should feel, what I should do, so you all can just put that out of your minds right now!"

The crowd was silent.

Korra turned to look at Noatak. "I protected the people in the square because they were being arrested for no reason, for something they couldn't help! I saved them because, believe it or not, I know what it's like to be poor, scared, desperate. To have the city turn its back on you, because you're not special enough! And I know what being imprisoned does to an innocent person. It eats away at their soul, makes them feel unworthy, numb, bitter, like they deserve the punishment they're given. So I refuse to sit idly by while that happens to a single person. Mark my words, if one more person is jailed for something as stupid as being a nonbender out past sunset, I will rip Republic City jail from its foundation, and there is not a thing on this planet that can stop me!"

The crowd had mixed reactions. Some cheered, others jeered. More contemplated in silence, though most were still tense, fearful of the Avatar standing before them.

Korra took a deep breath, and switched to a softer tone as her thoughts poured out. "I'm not here to smite you, to start a war, or to protect crooks," Korra promised. "I don't want to lord over anyone with power. I just want to live a happy life, without having to worry about some jerk deciding whether I deserve it or not. It's why I'm hiding my face and name behind a mask, just like you, even though I'm the Avatar." She paused. "I was beaten and broken by people who claimed to be my teachers. Then I was homeless, battered by the darkness festering within this city, because I was afraid of them. I know what it's like to be under the thumb of the powerful, to lose yourself to oppression, to... lose something you love to violence," Tears started rolling out of Korra's eyes, for all to see, and her voice quivered. "I... I just buried a child, my dear friend, who had nothing but kindness in her heart. With all my strength, all my bending, I couldn't protect her. She deserved everything in this world, and yet she died in fear, because people in power decided her boundless love wasn't worth anything... I may be the Avatar. But I know how much it hurts to be powerless to protect what you cherish. I feel it now, and it's unbearable."

The crowd was dead silent, hanging onto her every word. Noatak noticed a few of his own officers wiping away tears.

"So please! If you came here because you hate benders, or because you hate me... don't. Hate the asshole that took something you loved, who took your life away from you, not their bending. Don't hate others for something they can't change," Korra walked closer to the crowd. "If you really want to make things equal, then let benders join you. Let us help. There are plenty of us who have been wronged, who are scared, who are suffering just as much as you are," she urged them passionately. "And to any reporters in the crowd, you can tell the world the Avatar vouches for the Equalists. That anyone, benders included, is welcome here. The kidnappings, the bombings, the attacks on the police... On the graves on my past lives, I swear, none of that is coming from the real Equalists. I'm not fighting the Council, in fact I'm happy to help them. I sure as heck don't want to hurt anyone. I'm not even leading the Equalists. I'm just a protester that wants to go home, so I can grieve for a friend in peace," she finished softly. Korra paused for a moment, gentle sobs echoing through the factory, before her teary eyes hardened into those of fierce determination. "But starting tonight, the Equalists don't have to live in fear anymore! If someone in power wants to kick these innocent people when they're down, when they're already in so much pain, you can tell them to go screw themselves, and that they'll have to go through me!"

Onlookers cheered in agreement, pumping their fists in the air.

"I won't let it happen!" Korra yelled.

The Equalists grew louder, and pumped their fists again.

"WE won't let it happen!" she roared.

The crowd roared back in approval, erupting into wild cheers and applause. Korra saw some protesters embracing each other tightly or wiping their eyes.

Noatak couldn't help but laugh out loud. The Avatar utterly stole the spotlight, and robbed the hearts of his own followers. She opened her soul to these people, and instead of a bender to fear, they saw a mirror of themselves, someone who had been denied a fair life, and refused to let others suffer the same fate. She was the embodiment of the Equalist cause, and just risked her reputation, her privilege to show it to everyone.

She's exactly what the movement needed all along.

Noatak took the microphone, unable to calm his followers. "Then it is settled. Today the Equalist movement begins anew! With equality, for all. This time, with the might of the Avatar among us, stronger than ever!"

Equalists erupted in excitement once more. The speech was all but over, as any semblance of order was long gone.

Unable to restrain himself, Ren leaped onto the stage and embraced Korra tightly. She returned the hug with equal fervor, and it only made the crowd cheer louder.

And as Korra heard them chant her title in unity, instead of in hate, she finally felt like she had chance at being an Avatar.

Asami watched the whole spectacle unfold before her as cheers filled her ears. Her heart swelled with pride, dread melted away, and her father was actually moved to tears. She had never seen dad cry... not since her mother died.

"What do you think of all this, dad?" Asami gently asked him.

"I... I think it's wonderful," he admitted honestly. "I never realized the Avatar could be so human, so vulnerable, that she felt the same way we do. That she would defend us so passionately."

Tears welled in Asami's own eyes. "You never stopped hurting after mom died, did you?"

Hiroshi shook his head. "Never, not for a second."

Asami wrapped her dad in a hug.

"I'm sorry for going into my shell, Asami. For hating benders over it. All I care about in this world is you and your mother," Hiroshi admitted.

"Me too," she said softly. "And I love you too."

They stayed like that for a while. Others in the crowd were having similar moments, breaking down walls as they realized the ultimate target of their hate, the most powerful bender in the world, was hurting just like them. That they were feeling hate where there should be grief.

They finally pulled apart. "In the spirit of getting things out in the open," Asami began nervously. "I... kind of know the Avatar. Personally."

Hiroshi blinked. "Really? How? Who is she?"

Asami looked around. "I'd rather not say. But dad, everything the Avatar said is true. She's just a humble person. I didn't even know she was the Avatar until recently."

Hiroshi nodded slowly. "You talk about her as if she is a friend," he observed, thinking. For better or worse, his daughter had many acquaintances but few close friends. "It's that new assistant you hired, isn't it? The Water Tribe woman?"

Asami sighed. "Yeah... yeah it is. It's so ridiculous, I was paying the Avatar to guard me and work in our labs," she laughed awkwardly. "I still am, I guess. But dad, you can't tell anyone. Please."

Hiroshi held up his hands. "I swear, Asami. But tell me, do you vouch for her character?"

"With my life," Asami insisted. "She's a good person, dad."

Hiroshi smiled. "In that case, I am going to take Future Industries' support of the Equalists public, immediately."

Asami gasped. "Dad! Are you sure?"

"No more lies, no more fear," Hiroshi repeated. "Just as they said. I want our company to stand for what is right, next to the Equalists, next to the Avatar, even if it puts us at risk. There are other CEOs in this room who will follow suit, I guarantee it."

Asami smiled widely. "I think that's wonderful. You have my full support as CTO, as a lieutenant. And as your daughter."

Hiroshi gave her another hug. "That's everything I could ever want."

Behind the stage, still in her mask, Korra tried to regain her bearings. She was terrified the crowd would hate her, maybe even attack her... But they didn't.

Noatak sat down beside her, staring at his followers in awe.

"Could have gone worse, huh?" Korra joked.

Noatak shook his head. "You are not what I expected from the current incarnation of the Avatar. You sit here, with more humility than confidence, after giving the most impassioned speech I have ever heard," he marveled. "I admit, I was ready to sacrifice my movement today, to reveal the truth, to burn it all down... but thanks to you, we may come out stronger than ever."

Korra shrugged. "I didn't plan anything, it just started coming out. But if I helped your movement, I'm glad," Korra replied sincerely. "By the way, I'm sorry about what you went through with your father."

Noatak nodded. "I ran away, and yet his ghost still shaped my destiny, and sent me down a path of darkness. Just as it shaped my brother."

"Your brother?" Korra asked.

"Councilman Tarrlok is my younger sibling," Noatak revealed.

"What?" Korra exclaimed incredulously. "Are you going to tell anyone?"

Noatak considered this. "It would destroy his position on the council," he mused. "But perhaps that would be for the best."

"Would it, though?" Korra wondered aloud.

"You have sympathy for him?" Noatak countered.

Korra stopped to think. "I think I get Tarrlok now. He wants to destroy what your father stood for, just like you. He's a jerk, yeah, but he's your brother. Maybe we can change his mind, show him we're all on the same side," she suggested optimistically.

Noatak chuckled in disbelief. "I drastically underestimated you. I thought your power came from your bending. But now I see, your true strength comes your ability to sway minds and move hearts," he mused, gesturing out to the crowd. "Look at them. They are transformed, their hate all but evaporated by a spontaneous display of empathy. That is your power, Avatar," he praised, before pausing to think himself. "I would never even imagine negotiating with my brother. But with you? Perhaps it is possible."

Meanwhile, on a roof across the street, two figures in black jumpsuits, a hulking man and a petite woman, stood in secrecy, observing the rally from afar.

"This is not going according to plan," the man whispered.

"No," the woman agreed. "The Avatar? Here? Who could have predicted that?"

"We still don't know where she lives," the man pointed out. "She was remarkably paranoid, all but impossible to track from the plaza."

"She is a danger to our cause," the woman warned.

"A danger?" the man asked inquisitively. "Or perhaps, our greatest ally?"

The woman paused. "She did speak of liberty, of freedom. And just look at how she moved the masses, in spite of the hate that we sowed against her."

"Precisely," the man agreed. "Maybe she is our way forward. But she is... unpredictable."

The woman snorted. "That's putting it mildly."

"And yet she spouts the very words we need to hear," the man mused aloud. "I propose we use this to our advantage in the future."

"How?" the woman wondered. "It appears she wants to unite this city, not liberate it. Maybe we should neutralize her, keep her under control."

The first turned around, looking directly at the second figure. "Do not underestimate her," he warned. "Countless tyrants and dictators have had the same idea throughout history. And every single one has failed because, in their hubris, they underestimated the power and influence of the Avatar. We will not make that same mistake."

The second hesitated. "So we should leave her alone?"

"For now, yes," the first agreed. "She is a wild card. And if she is truly committed to the cause of freedom, we cannot afford to cross her."

The second nodded slowly. "Very well. We will watch, and learn."

"Yes," the first agreed. "We continue with our other plans, and pray that she remains ignorant of our goals."

With that, the two figures vanished into the night, bounding away with blasts of air.

Well after the rally, Asami and Akari led a few new recruits through their cell's main underground base, one of several hidden through the basem*nts and sewers of Republic City. Technically, it was all but a mundane routine... but tonight was anything but normal.

"We're divided into cells," Asami explained. "For security, you'll never exchange information with anyone outside our cell. Officers will post missions here, but of course participation is up to you. We all have lives," she assured them, leading them inside.

"And remember, never disclose your identity," Akari added. "I guess some of you might want to identify as an Equalist in public now, thanks to the Avatar, but when on mission, don't even hint at your real name."

Asami led them into the main room, brightly lit, with soft rugs over a stone floor and training dummies. "This is where we train you in basic combat, the use of shock gloves, and chi blocking. Uh, I suppose this is where we will train bending now too," she added with uncertainty.

Asami didn't know why she was even talking. All her recruits were distracted, looking at each other with curious glances.

A nondescript recruit in loose clothing sighed. "I'll save you all the trouble. I'm the Avatar," she confessed.

Everyone turned to look at the girl in their midst.

"It's not a big deal," she shrugged. "Really, I'm just a newbie like any of you."

"You really are joining us," one of the recruits marveled. "You seem so... normal."

"Yeah. I'm a person, you don't need to treat me differently," Korra dismissed. "And, uh, is there anything to eat around here? I'm starving."

Akari tilted her head. Asami couldn't help but shake hers and smile under her mask. "The Avatar will be outfitted as a regular Equalist like any of you. It's better if our enemies think she could be among us anywhere, anytime. And yes... we have a few training rations-"

A loud thump at the main entrance cut Asami off. There was yelling, and the sound of metal scraping against metal.

"What's going on?" one of the recruits nervously asked.

Asami cursed under her breath. "Probably a raid. I don't know how, but gangs keep finding our hideouts," she growled. "That door in the back is an escape route through the sewer. Everyone out, now."

"What? We're just going to give up the base?" Korra asked incredulously.

"The stuff here isn't worth our lives," Akari quickly explained.

"She's right," Asami agreed. "They always come in huge numbers. Even with you, there's no point in staying and risking any of us."

Korra's eyes hardened. "Don't bother leaving, just stay back. I said I would protect you, and I want everyone to witness exactly what that means."

The recruits looked at each other in confusion and fear as the Avatar metalbent the front door open herself. Dozens of earthbenders, firebenders, waterbenders, and swordsmen wearing the light armor and rough garb of the Triple Threat Triads poured into the room.

Standing in the center, Korra stomped her foot, and raised a short wall, blocking the Traids from moving any farther back. They formed a semicircle around her, swords drawn, water whips dancing, flames flickering.

"What's this?" the leader drawled, eyeing the girl. "The Equalists are hiring Earthbending mercenaries now? Are they that desperate?"

"Take a hike," Korra threatened. "The Equalists are off limits. And I won't ask again."

They all laughed out loud. "And just who do you think you are?"

"Why don't you come and find out?" Korra challenged, standing low and cracking her neck.

Asami watched in horror from the back, standing defensively in front of her recruits, but unsure of what they were supposed to do against so many benders. It was too late to run. Some recruits were praying to the spirits, others were drawing their gloves, but the Avatar put up a hand, signaling them to stay back.

"Ren, aren't you going to do something?" Asami whispered, turning her head to her anonymous friend.

He crossed his arms, totally unconcerned. "Trust me, we would just get in her way. I already feel sorry for the Traids."

Before Asami could fret any further, a deluge of all the elements went flying towards Korra, and the eyes of all the Equalists widened.

The Avatar rocketed into the air, spun around and let loose a huge arc of blue fire. When she landed, the Earth buckled beneath her, spreading out like a wave. The Triads were thrown back, and the battle devolved into chaos.

Dust and smoke were kicked up everywhere. Asami and the recruits saw blasts of red fire overwhelmed by blue, slabs of earth thrown around like confetti, water explode into steam and then freeze back into shards of ice. Combustion blasts rocked the room, the shockwaves thumping the Equalists' chests, sending triads flying back into walls and leaving craters in the ground. Others were thrown around by the metal in their own armor, their swords melting into puddles, and the whole room shook as more waves of earth erupted from the ground. No one could even track the Avatar herself, as she moved like a blur cloaked in the elements, leaving utter destruction in her wake.

Within minutes, the small army of Triads laid unconscious, bleeding and bruised. A few weren't moving at all. Only two remained standing, the leader, and a swordswoman cowering in the corner. And in the back, the jaws of the recruits hung open. Even Asami was awe struck.

"What are you waiting for!?" Korra taunted. "If you aren't going to run, give me your best shot!"

With a furious look on his face, the leader moved his arms back and forth, and let loose a bolt of lightning.

Holding two fingers forward, Korra caught it, and redirected it right back at him out her other arm. But the mundane arc of electricity was amplified, now resembling a lighting bolt straight from the sky. The lights flickered, and the underground thunderclap made everyone jump and cover their ears.

The smoking body of the leader fell to the ground, and Korra turned to the swordswoman. The wall behind her glowed with heat, sending her stumbling forward. With a stomp of her foot, Korra melted the surrounding Earth, and the surviving Triad, crawling on the ground, looked up into the mask of the Avatar, illuminated by the glow of molten rock, with sheer terror in her eyes.

"I want you to tell the Triple Threats what happened here." The Avatar kneeled down, and looked her right in the eyes. "The Equalists are under my protection, and this was the last warning. Next time, I won't hold back, and I won't stop until whoever ordered it is in the ground. Do you understand?"

She barely nodded as sweat dripped down her forehead, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

Korra stomped the ground, making her flinch, and lava around her hardened back into rock. "Get out."

The Triad scrambled away, and Korra turned to her comrades, still frozen in shock. "You guys OK?" she asked, raising her hands.

"Yeah," Asami barely managed to say. "I... I knew you could fight, but..." Asami trailed off. She was at a loss for words.

Korra shrugged. "I don't like threats to my friends." She turned back to the wrecked room. "Ugh, I guess we have to tie up and drop off these guys, huh?"

"I've got a friend in the police, they can help deal with them," Asami assured her.

"Oh, thank the spirits," Korra breathed, holding her arms up and stretching her back. "I'm dying of starvation now."

"...You just did all that, and you're hungry?" a recruit asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Korra admitted sheepishly. "I'm always hungry. It's kind of a problem."

Asami had to suppress a chuckle once again. Even though she's the Avatar, Korra was still Korra, and her fellow Equalists were starting to see that.

Chapter 21: Turning the Tides

Chapter Text

"Anonymous Avatar an Equalist!" Ren read in the headlines next day, with a smirk on his face. For once, the headline didn't do the article justice. "The Equalist movement transformed overnight, promising equality for all citizens, regardless of their bending status. Our sources confirm that the Avatar personally addressed the crowd last night, and that she has pledged her allegiance to the Equalists, while the Equalist leader revealed his identity as the son of the infamous criminal Yakone. On the streets, signs, and symbols of the Equalists have already begun to appear. In a comment to the Times, the Republic City Police emphasizes that citizens should not display these symbols..."

He turned the page, to an excerpt of a woman gushing about her experience at the rally. "I've never seen anything like it," she enthused. "The Avatar was so passionate, so genuine... She defended us, even shed tears for us. I never knew the Avatar cared so deeply." Another person said "It changed my life. I was so angry, but hearing her story, seeing her vulnerability, it made me realize that I was letting hate consume me."

He looked down, and Ren's eyes widened. "Future Industries CEO, Hiroshi Sato, has publicly thrown his weight behind the Equalists. Future Industries has begun openly donating supplies and resources to the movement. Several other companies have followed suit, including our colleagues at The Republic City Sun..."

On the radio, Ren heard political pundits arguing. "This is unprecedented! The Avatar supporting a group known for violent extremism? And Sato throwing his weight behind it? What's happening?"

"I think it's beautiful," another pundit responded. "We have an Avatar who understands the plight of common people. And she said it perfectly. We're all grieving for something we've lost to the city, and we need to band together instead of hating each other for it."

"And the bombings?" the first pundit pressed. "The kidnappings? The police killings? Are we just going to ignore the chaos?"

"She swore none of that was coming from the real Equalists," the second pundit countered. "Do you not trust the word of an Avatar? Of a spirit?"

The other pundit was silent. Ren couldn't help but smile.

Asami woke up early, and found herself in a satomobile factory, trying to rush though her to-do list before news of the rally spread through the city. Between the Equalists and Future Industries, she would have a busy week.

"Why is the line stopped?" Asami asked, walking up to the foreman.

"See for yourself," she replied, pointing to a crowd of workers huddled around a radio. "I just had it on a jazz station."

Asami walked closer, and found Sara huddled among them, listening intently.

"...WE won't let it happen!" the recording finished, before the DJ's deep voice cut in. "Jazz is about saying what goes unsaid, and that, folks, was music just as much as anything I play. The Avatar, speaking from the soul..."

"That was so real," one worker commented, wiping a tear from his eye.

"She knows what this city is like. She's going to help us," another added.

"We need to join the Equalists!" a third proposed. "We need to support the water Avatar!"

"Shh, you idiot, it's still technically illegal," a fourth warned.

"I don't care," the third argued.

Asami smiled a little. "Hey guys, on break?" she asked.

"Miss Sato! Uh, ma'am," a worker corrected himself. "Just about to get back to work."

"It's fine," Asami dismissed. "What do you guys think of all this? How would you feel if Future Industries supported the Equalists?"

"I'd be proud!" one worker immediately piped up.

"Yeah," another agreed. "Noatak and the Avatar are right. I don't care if supporting them is illegal."

"I don't want to join, but I respect what they're doing now," a third chimed in. "I mean, the Avatar is with them."

Asami's smile widened. "Well, starting today, Future Industries is officially backing the Equalists. None of you are going to lose a job over it... in fact, I'm already a member," she confessed.

The workers cheered, pumping their fists in the air. Asami's heart swelled with pride once more, and she felt her two lives finally meld together.

"What did I tell ya?" Sara grinned, wrapping Asami in a sideways hug. "There's a way through this."

"And my friends are leading me through," Asami recalled, returning the embrace. She didn't know how she would ever repay them, but she would try, even if it took the rest of her life.

Meanwhile, the Council had an emergency meeting that morning, the most urgent one in many years.

"The Equalists are gaining legitimacy," Tenzin noted gravely. "Their numbers are swelling by the hour, and supporters are becoming increasingly vocal."

"I can already hear protestors outside..." Yu added, peering out the window.

"We need to act swiftly," Soza agreed. "Public opinion is shifting rapidly. We need to show the people we are on their side."

"Are you suggesting we give in to the demands of violent criminals?" Tarrlok accused.

"That's ridiculous!" Lin Beifong interjected heatedly. "My officers are dying to Equalists by the week. What are we supposed to do, just lay down and surrender?"

"According to the Avatar, these crimes are not sanctioned by the Equalists," Tenzin calmly corrected.

Lin rolled her eyes. "And we're supposed to trust her word?"

"Lin, your mother would have trusted the Avatar implicitly," Tenzin reminded her. "I trust her too. We cannot dismiss the possibility that there are rogue elements within the Equalist movement."

"Pfft," Lin scoffed.

Tarrlok glared daggers at Tenzin. "Then tell us, Master Tenzin. What do you think of her actions? After all, the Avatar was your pupil, wasn't she?"

Tenzin sighed heavily. "Yes. She is headstrong, impulsive, but she has a good heart," he admitted. "I don't know why she sided with the Equalists, but... It makes me wonder."

"Are you implying her state of mind is not sound?" Tarrlok pressed.

"I must admit, I have not seen her in a few years," Tenzin confessed quietly. "But this is irrelevant. We cannot control the Avatar, we have to accept that," he stated. "We need to weaken these laws against the Equalists, as I have been advocating for some time."

"Tarrlok, we have no choice," Soza insisted. "We cannot stand against so much political pressure. As a start, I put forth a motion to repeal the curfew law, and allow non benders to stay out after sunset."

The motion, and several similar ones, passed without much debate. But it was only a small step towards addressing the deep corruption that had been plaguing the city, and it did little to quell the Equalist's newfound popularity.

That night, the Equalist ranks were growing faster than Noatak could possibly have anticipated, almost faster than they could even handle. The normally secret, shady recruitment centers were packed, and the police knew better than to interfere.

Noatak himself was watching a stream of people walk through the doors of the old brick factory. Two newcomers, a homeless man and a wealthy businesswoman, bumped into each other, and the man ended up falling onto the floor.

"I'm so sorry," the woman apologized quickly, offering a hand to help him up.

"It's quite alright, ma'am," the man replied politely. He took her hand, and got back onto his feet. "If you don't mind me asking... what's high class lady like you doing here?"

"I lost my husband to a Triad hit," the woman explained quietly. "His old business partner hired them to kill him, I know it," she said, a tear running down her cheek. "I went to the police, the government, the business itself. No one cared. They all said I shouldn't stick my nose where it doesn't belong. I... I've been alone and lost since then. But when I heard the Avatar's and Noatak's voices on the radio today, I finally felt like there was hope. That I wasn't alone," she finished softly. "Look at me rambling. Tell me, what are you doing here?"

The man smiled. "As you probably guessed, I'm homeless," he admitted sheepishly. "I'm an accountant, believe it or not. I've been living on the streets since I was fired from my job, for refusing to cook books. My boss slandered me, trumped-up a phony charge, and paid off a judge," he said bitterly. "All I have left is my daughter," he added, patting her head. "The Avatar saved her, saved me, in the plaza. I owe her my life, and I'm here to return the favor."

"Oh spirits," the woman gasped. "I... Well, that's just not right. I'd be happy to offer you a job, if you're interested. I am dying for an honest accountant."

"Really?" the man asked incredulously.

"Of course," the woman promised. "It's yours. Just let me know when you're ready," she offered with a smile.

The man nodded gratefully. He eyed the woman's colored clothes, her metal cuffs, the red highlights in her hair. "So, are you a bender?" he guessed.

The woman nodded. "Yes, a firebender. Is that a problem?"

"Not at all, ma'am," he assured her.

The woman smiled. "I feared I would be unwelcome, but I am glad to be wrong. Since you have seen her in person, tell me, do you really think the Avatar actually supports the Equalists?"

Someone gently grabbed the woman's shoulder from behind. She turned around, to see a pair of bright blue eyes looking at her from behind a mask. "I assure you, I do," she whispered.

The woman gasped. "You're... You're the Avatar?"

Korra nodded silently, spawning a tiny blast of wind with her hand to prove her point. Her eyes looked soft. "I'm sorry about your husband," she murmured. "That's exactly why I am here. And your job, your daughter, that is why I'm here," she said, turning to the man. "I want to help. We all want to help. And we're going to stop this from happening to other people."

Tears started streaming from the woman's eyes. "When I heard your words on the radio, I thought I had dreamed it," she confessed. "I can't believe anyone in this city actually cares, much less someone with power. But you do. I could feel it, I can feel it now," she said, wiping away tears. "Thank you. I'm going to stand with you. My business, everything I have, it's all going to support this cause. If I can help save someone else from grief, I will do whatever it takes."

Noatak smiled as he watched the Avatar mingle with the crowd. She really did care about the people of this city.

In mere days, the movement swelled. Benders joined by the thousands. Members of the public started displaying Equalist symbols openly, and the police had no choice but to largely tolerate it. Spontaneous protests broke out across Republic City, with citizens demanding the end of corruption that had plagued the city for years.

A particularly large crowd gathered in front of City Hall, with signs and chants calling for an end to laws that protect corrupt authorities from persecution. The mood was tense, but peaceful.

Nevertheless, displaying 'symbols that advocate for terrorism' was technically still illegal, and Tarrlok eventually sent a squadron of metal bending cops to break it up.

The police arrived, but the protestors refused to budge. Reporters surrounded the scene, and the order was given to arrest those who displayed Equalist symbols.

The crowd screamed as they were snatched up, but one masked woman stepped in front, dropped to a metalbending stance, and peeled the police vans open like they were tin cans.

"You want to arrest them?" she growled, pointing at the cuffed protestors. "You're going to have to arrest me first!"

The crowd erupted into cheers. Several other benders from the crowd, feeling more confident, stepped beside the Avatar, ripping the cuffs off their allies.

"What are you waiting for? Go ahead, arrest me!" she yelled, offering her wrists.

The officers hesitated.

"Well?" the Avatar challenged.

"I... I'm not authorized to arrest the Avatar," an officer stammered nervously.

"Then the protests stay until the unfair laws are repealed," Korra stated firmly. "And I suggest you tell the Council that if they want order, they should listen to these people."

The crowd roared in agreement. Even some reporters were cheering. The officers shared looks, feeling like they were on the wrong side of history.

Chapter 22: Remembrance

Chapter Text

Ren and Kylie sat on a bench deep in the North side of Republic City, nestled between dirty tenements and government buildings.

This is where they lived when they first immigrated, sleeping on cardboard boxes behind a now abandoned store. And they made a tradition of coming back to visit every once in a while.

"Some things never change," Kylie quipped.

"Yep, still smells like rotten meat," Ren agreed. "As warm and homey as ever."

"Remind me, why do we keep coming here?" Kylie groaned. "Why can't we just forget this place?"

"I dunno. I guess it reminds me of where we came from," Ren answered seriously. "And how far I've come."

"Yeah. You're in Asami Sato's inner circle, a proud Equalist. Oh. And your roommate is the Avatar," Kylie chuckled. "You could say you've done pretty well for yourself."

Ren leaned back. "Could be worse," he joked. "Seriously though, it makes me anxious. Like all these amazing people will race ahead of me, and leave me in the dust. Like I'll end up back here, somehow."

Kylie placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I've seen how close y'all are," she reassured him. "Don't doubt yourself. You're amazing, and they know it, just like I do."

Ren smiled weakly. "Thanks, sis."

Kylie looked into a narrow street, where a group of kids played soccer with a deflated ball. "You know, sometimes I wish we could go back to simpler times," Kylie mused. "When we were just kids, starting fresh."

"Well yeah," Ren agreed. "Our childhood was a fantasy. But it's gone, Kylie."

They watched the kids play for a bit.

"How are you holding up, anyway?" she asked suddenly.

"I'm fine, really. I'm healing up pretty well, and I feel like my life is coming together," Ren assured her. "I miss Phoebe so much, but I'm holding it together."

"You know what I mean," Kylie prodded.

Ren looked away. "I've been so busy, I haven't even thought about it much."

Kylie squeezed his hand. "You can't tell Korra," she whispered seriously.

"She's the Avatar," Ren reminded her. "Should she know?"

Kylie shook her head. "Remember what you told me? You swore you're taking it to your grave. That it's what Mom would have wanted."

"Yeah," Ren agreed reluctantly. "I know."

Memories that Ren desperately wished he could forget flooded back. Their parents' bodies, the warlord... the things they did. The escape. But in a moment, reality came crashing back.

Ren felt a thud hit his body, immediately followed by a deafening boom. He was knocked to the ground, his ears ringing, his vision blurry as what felt like bits of rock rained onto his back.

Ren tried to push himself up, dizzy and disoriented, but he collapsed back down on the ground. His ears rung even harder, his limbs trembled as the memories he was just trying to push away flooded his mind. But one thing snapped him out of his trance.

Kylie.

"Kylie!" he called out frantically, picking himself up and crawling forward.

Kylie was laying on the ground, rubbing her eyes.

"Sis, are you OK?" Ren asked worriedly. She had a nasty gash on her arm, and blood on her forehead.

"I think so," she croaked, sitting up. Kylie winced in pain, clutching her side. "What... Was that a bomb?"

Ren looked around. A huge hole was blown in the building behind them, with smoke billowing out. He spotted a young woman lying unconscious nearby.

"Spirits," Ren breathed. He scrambled over to her, checking for a pulse.

"Is she alive?" Kylie asked.

Ren took his finger off the woman's neck, and shook his head sadly. "No... No, she's dead," he confirmed, closing her lifeless eyes.

People were running out of the destroyed building, screaming and crying. An airship rushed to the scene, dropping cops straight into the chaos below.

The building shuddered, the smoking corner threatening to collapse. "Kylie, help me hold this up!" Ren yelled, dropping to an Earthbending stance and bracing the hole people were running out of.

Kylie mirrored her brother, spreading her legs wide and thrusting her arms up. Together, they managed to stabilize what was left of the wall, holding it together while people streamed out.

"Who would do this?" Ren cried, gritting his teeth.

"I don't know," Kylie grumbled, struggling to hold up the collapsing stone. "But whoever it was, I hope they burn for what they did."

Korra stopped in front of a shop. The sign read "The White Jade", and inside, she found a young woman arranging flowers behind the counter. She had light skin and blue eyes, but with the look of an Earth Kingdom native. Exotic flora from the Foggy Swamp lined the shelves, alongside rare blossoms from every nation.

"Uh, hey," Korra greeted her uncertainly.

The woman looked up, smiling warmly. "Hey there," she returned. "Looking for something?"

"I need some help," Korra admitted nervously. She placed a pot on a counter, with a sad looking Blue Panda Lily inside.

"Oh what an exotic beauty," the woman complimented, inspecting it carefully. "I sold one just like it to a little girl not long ago."

Korra's lip quivered. "That was Phoebe," she managed to choke out. "It's the same plant. I think it's sick."

The woman nodded, examining the flower closely. "How is that little girl, by the way? She was the sweetest thing. She said she picked it out for someone as special and rare as this flower."

Korra bit her lip, trying to keep from crying. "Phoebe... she gave it to me," she whispered. "She passed away."

The woman looked up to see Korra's misty eyes, and her expression fell. "Oh, spirits, I'm so sorry," she consoled her, placing a comforting hand on Korra's arm. "I wish there was something I could do."

"There is," Korra sniffled. "Can you fix it? Make it bloom again?"

The woman smiled. "Blue Panda Lilies are indeed special. Sometimes, they survive best with a companion," she said, reaching up to a higher shelf. She brought down a smaller pot with a Blue Panda Lily bud, and carefully moved both plants to a bigger pot. "They'll revive each other, keep each other healthy, like two good friends," she assured Korra.

A smile spread across Korra's face. "Thank you," she whispered, bowing her head shyly. She took out a big wad of cash, and handed it over.

The woman waved it away. "Take it. It's on me," she insisted.

Korra shook her head, and left it on the counter. "I would have paid a million Yuans for that," she said sincerely. "Thank you again."

The woman nodded, waving goodbye as Korra left the store.

Korra walked down to the beach, and sat in from of her old shelter. Naga sat beside her, and they both looked out into the bay.

She looked out at the statue of Avatar Aang, standing tall and proud above the water. "How am I doing, Aang? Spirits, I wish you could answer me," she lamented quietly. "I've made mistakes... so many mistakes. I'm still scared. But I'm learning, aren't I?"

Naga whined softly, nudging her gently.

"I know," Korra agreed. "I know I'm not perfect, but I'm trying."

She turned to the new bud, and remembered Phoebe's gentle touch.

"I'll never forget you," Korra whispered. She looked down at the boy's grave once more, and closed her eyes. "And I'll always remember you too. I guess we're all shaped by those we love, and those we lose."

Chapter 23: In Harm's Way

Chapter Text

"Join the Equalists," Sara mocked. "Travel to new places, meet interesting and exciting people... and then kill them, before they kill you. How did I ever let you talk me into this?"

"Hey, you were the one that wanted to join," Asami teased. "Besides, isn't this fun?"

"Yeah. Remind me to cross crawling through a tiny shaft on a floor full of Agni Kais off my bucket list," Sara retorted, ducking under a low beam.

"Will do," Asami agreed with a smile, staying just ahead of Sara. "I think this is as close as we get." After a few quiet moments, Asami pushed a grate aside and peeked out. She heard talking in the distance, but the hallway was clear. "OK, follow me," she whispered.

Sara nodded, and followed Asami down the corridor. They were dressed in Equalist jumpsuits, wearing masks, with Asami's shock glove at the ready.

Asami carefully opened a cracked door and peered inside. "This is it, f*ckyo's office," she whispered.

They slipped inside, leaving the door right where it was, and found themselves in a large office. Asami immediately started flipping through a filing cabinet, while Sara scanned the room.

"So I remember the briefing, but what exactly are we looking for?" Sara asked. "If f*ckyo is such a dummy, what is there to find?"

"That's just it," Asami explained. "He's a thug, but he's making moves like a schemer. Including moves against the Equalists no gangster should know to make. I think he's getting information from a high place."

"Maybe he's on a leash," Sara suggested, peering out into the hall.

"Or just working with someone," Asami agreed, pulling out a folder. "Look at this... dirt on councilors, on police officers." She pulled out an explicit photo of a Councilor sleeping with a prostitute. "Where would the Agni Kais even get all this?"

Sara's eyes widened, and her ears perked up. "Move!" she hissed under her breath, grabbing Asami and shoving her into a tiny closet.

Sara stuffed herself in and shut the door, peering through the grates. She was smushed against Asami, and they could barely breathe.

Neither would admit it, but Asami realized Sara was... very athletic. And Sara noticed Asami was, uh, very well proportioned.

"Right this way, little lady," f*ckyo drawled, leading a woman into the room. He was tall, thin, wearing the garish red colors of the Agni Kais.

A petite woman covered from head to toe in a black jumpsuit followed him in. She had a mask covering her face, but her big, light gray-hazel eyes were visible.

"We know each other. You gotta give me something to call ya, honey," f*ckyo cooed.

The woman visibly rolled her eyes and slapped his hand away. "Are all of you gangsters such pigs?" she snapped. "Are you trying to tick me off?"

"Take it easy," f*ckyo dismissed. "I'm just saying, you're a real looker."

She sighed. "Stick to business. Or do you not need our help anymore?"

f*ckyo frowned. "Fine," he relented, sitting down at his desk. "We'd like some dirt on Councilor Tarrlok."

"And I'd like to make deer-pigs fly," the woman retorted. "Are you an idiot? The man is a zealot. You mind as well ask for dirt on Councilor Tenzin." She crossed her arms. "Are you not using the police contacts we already gave you?"

"We are," f*ckyo assured her. "But we need something to bring him down. Something to get him off our backs."

"No, you don't, you just need to stop leaving bloody messes everywhere," the woman argued. "Get your fingers out of bad pies, stop being such a violent thug. And if you don't like it, you can go on alone. Without our network, I give you a week, tops, before someone deposes you."

"Alright, alright," f*ckyo relented. "I'll tidy things up, and slow down."

The woman nodded. "Good. Are you at least keeping an eye on the Equalists for us?"

"Yeah," he affirmed, handing her a file.

She flipped through it, and her eyes widened. "What's this?"

"It's the Equalists' new hideout," f*ckyo revealed. "We got plans to hit it soon."

She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "No. Don't touch them. And all that anti-bending stoking, you can just drop it. That ship has sailed."

"Don't be such a wuss," f*ckyo scoffed.

"A wuss?" she scoffed back. "Did you not hear about what happened to the Triads?"

"Yeah, yeah," f*ckyo dismissed. "They ran into the Avatar. I'm not scared of some little girl."

"Oh, I love working with misogynist narcissists," she grumbled, rubbing her temples.

"Thanks... I think," f*ckyo flatly replied.

"You're welcome," she deadpanned, putting her hands on the table. "Look. The Avatar is taking the Equalists in a direction we want, so you're not going to mess with them. And if you do, she'll turn you into a smudge, and we'll just find someone smarter to work with. It would honestly be a relief."

f*ckyo sighed. "Fine, fine."

"Good. Just keep gathering info like I asked. And I want you to get eyes on the companies supporting them, too. Future Industries, The Republic City Sun, and the others," she added.

"Can do," f*ckyo agreed. "But why?"

"Because I said so," she replied simply. "Two more things. One, don't ask me to meet here again. I don't like insecure locations."

"Whatever," f*ckyo dismissed.

"And this is a long shot... but do you have any info on the Avatar?" she asked. "A name? Sightings? Even a vague description beyond the obvious?"

"Not a thing," f*ckyo admitted. "No one does."

"She's a ghost," the woman agreed, shaking her head. "It's not a priority anyway," she finished, walking over to the filing cabinet. "Have you been messing with our file?"

"No," f*ckyo denied.

The woman turned around, quietly searching the room. Eventually, she walked up to the closet, and her gray eyes narrowed.

Sara cursed under her breath, kicked the door open and let loose a blast of fire. The woman dodged aside, and f*ckyo stood up. "Looks like we got a pest problem!"

f*ckyo shot his fists forward and unleashed a wave of fire. Sara countered it with her own blast, sending papers, furniture, and heat flying everywhere, and Asami jumped out from behind her, charging the mysterious woman.

But she was unnaturally fast. Asami couldn't even touch her as she danced out of the way of every single grab. And just when Asami thought she had an opening, she was sent flying across the room with a blast of air, slamming into the back window and cracking the glass.

Sara blinked, struggling to process what she was seeing, giving the airbender the opening she needed. After staggering f*ckyo, Sara sent a sloppy bolt of fire towards the woman, which she easily dodged, countering with a blast of wind that blew her right next to Asami.

f*ckyo grinned wickedly, and pulled back his fists.

"No, don't kill them, you idiot!" the airbending woman yelled.

But he ignored the woman, hitting Asami and Sara with a wide blast of fire. Sara dissipated the flame in front of her, but Asami was knocked back once more, crashing out the weakened window and flying out of the high rise office.

"Asami!" Sara screamed. With no time to think, she panicked, and jumped out the window after her.

Squinting against the freezing wind, Sara blasted herself towards Asami with flames from her fists, and grabbed her with one arm, holding her against her chest.

"This is going to hurt," Sara muttered, blasting fire out of her feet and free fist as hard as she ever had.

Sara screamed at the top of her lungs, straining to slow their descent, body burning as she pushed her firebending past every limit. The last thing she saw before they both lost consciousness was hard concrete rushing towards them.

Asami woke up in a hospital bed with a splitting headache, bruises, and bandages on her head and backside, and a splint on one ankle. She looked around, and found she was alone.

"Easy, Miss Sato," a nurse said, walking over to her. "You've got a cracked shin, and you're pretty banged up."

"I was with someone, a girl named Sara," she said in a panic. "Is she...?"

"Next room over," the nurse assured her. "She's a little worse for wear, but she's fine."

"Oh, thank the spirits," Asami muttered, her heart rate slowing. She groaned as she got up, tested her legs, and limped out before the nurse could stop her.

Asami walked into Sara's room, and found her in the best meditative pose she could manage, sitting in front of a window with her back to the door, still as a statue. She was covered in bandages, with splints on an ankle and a forearm.

Asami hobbled up to her and gently touched her shoulder. "Sara?" she called out.

After a moment, Sara opened her eyes and turned around. "Sorry, was meditating... and thinking about high rise diving again, now that I've had some practice," she joked weakly.

"Sounds like fun," Asami chuckled, sitting down beside her. "How are you feeling?

"Honestly, I thought it would be worse. I've been more banged up than this," she admitted. "I'm just glad we're both alive."

"You... dove out a high rise window for me," Asami quietly marveled, unsure of what else to say.

"I'd do it again," Sara assured her. "I, uh, couldn't stand the thought of losing you."

Asami wrapped her in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're safe," she whispered. "I was so scared."

"Me too," Sara agreed, returning the embrace, then pulling back after a bit. A blush crept up her cheeks. "Say, uh, I know this is probably bad timing. And I'm just a street kid, I don't know how this works with rich folk, but-"

Asami cut her off with a tender kiss. Sara eagerly returned it, wrapping her good arm around Asami's waist.

Eventually, Sara pulled back and smirked. "I'll take that as a yes?"

"Definitely," Asami agreed, kissing her again.

They passionately made out, with Sara's fire meeting Asami's electricity, yellow eyes meeting green, hands exploring each other's battered bodies. Asami's hand lingered over her washboard abs, her shoulders, her tapered waist, while Sara's greedily explored Asami's firm ass and toned thighs, caressing anything that wasn't covered by bandages.

A nurse poked her head in, investigating the moaning. She quickly turned around and locked the door, before walking away with a knowing smile.

"I think we're good," Sara joked, carefully pulling Asami onto her lap.

"I'm glad you're safe," Asami repeated, kissing her neck.

"I'm glad you are too," Sara agreed with a sigh, nuzzling Asami's ear.

Ren sat down in the back of an Equalist truck, shut the door with bending, and took a long breath.

As it pulled out, he watched the darkened city pass by through the rear window. Heavy sleet poured outside, with fat drops of ice and rain clanking against the metal roof. His own jumpsuit was dripping wet, just like everyone else's.

It would have been miserable... but as if sensing his thoughts, Korra leaned against him, warming his side like a furnace. Ren couldn't help but sigh in relief and lean back into her. Korra was always impossibly warm, radiating heat like a small sun, he mused.

An Equalist recruit across from him wasn't faring as well. She was trying to put on a brave face, but trembling hard. With his free arm, Ren bent the mud off everyone's boots into a little pile of lava in front of her, like a makeshift campfire. Korra, catching on, wicked the water and ice out of everyone's clothes with a wave of her hand, and boiled it, turning the space into a sauna for a moment.

"Thanks," the recruit breathed, holding her hands over the heat. "I... think I'm getting used to being around benders."

"Yeah," a more seasoned Equalist guy agreed. "Even the Avatar. I don't hate y'all, but with everything that's happened, it's just..."

"Weird? Yeah, I'm getting used to it too," Ren agreed.

"I just hope f*ckyo is at the next stop," Akari grumbled.

"Third time's the charm, right?" a recruit asked uncertainly.

"It better be. It's where I'd be if I were f*ckyo," Akari agreed, wincing as the truck hit a big bump. "Inferno Den is a major Agni Kai hideout, the ritziest underground casino in the city. It's got escape routes out the wazoo, but I know exactly how to get us in quietly."

"How do you know that?" Korra wondered aloud.

"I, uh, used to be a dancer there," Akari confessed sheepishly. "I was in a bad place..."

"I can sympathize," a recruit chimed in. "I was a stripper for a Triad club, and joined when I got beaten to a pulp by a bad cop. It was a wake-up call."

Another recruit visibly tensed. "I am a cop... a metalbender," he admitted. "I joined when I found a warehouse worker, a source of mine, in a dumpster, and realized it was one of my own who did it." He looked up. "I'm sorry. Not all of us are dirty, but I can see why you would hate us."

The former stripper looked at the anonymous cop. "Maybe I shouldn't hate y'all," she admitted. "You're here, aren't you?"

"I am," the cop agreed. "I joined the force to protect people. And now, I feel like I can finally do that with the Equalists."

"I'm glad," she said sincerely.

Another Equalist sitting next to Ren nervously tapped his foot, shrinking into his seat.

"What's wrong?" Ren asked him.

"I... I'm not sure if I should be here," he confessed. "I'm not a good person."

Ren put a hand on his shoulder. "Whatever it is, it's alright."

"It's not," the Equalist insisted, staring at the floor. "I was a Red Monsoon fixer. One day, I had to get rid of the body of a teenager, with her pants ripped off and an ice spike through her chest. I didn't even know her name. I incinerated her, went to bed... and when I woke up, I couldn't live with myself anymore." His voice broke, and he put his hands over his face. "I've done things I can never take back. I can't get redemption here."

Korra sighed heavily. "When I first said I'd join the Equalists, I thought I could be a hero and make up for lost time. That I could run around smiting gangsters, scaring crooks, and fix everything my way. Then I found my friend frozen solid... as retribution for a single person I beat up, a mess of my own making," she admitted. "I annihilated the Monsoons for it, but that didn't make me feel any better. And that's when I finally understood some advice an old, wise friend of mine gave me."

"What did they say?" the Equalist asked curiously.

Korra leaned forward and looked the former fixer in the eye. "He told me I need to work alongside the people of this city, to empower them, protect them, instead of chasing my own justice, redemption, or revenge. I realized I can't fix anything alone... We're in this truck, chasing down f*ckyo, because we're Equalists on a mission, not people on personal quests. We're part of a movement greater than ourselves. Whoever you are under that suit, if you want to protect people, to make the city feel safe again, then you belong here."

"I want to make people feel safe... more than anything," the fixer admitted.

"More than anything," another recruit echoed.

"More than anything," Ren repeated.

"More than anything," Akari agreed, looking around at her recruits with pride. "We all do."

As everyone agreed and nodded, Ren felt proud to be part of something bigger than himself, something that mattered, that helped others...

Yet he knew, deep down, he was not like these people. What he had done was unforgivable beyond what they could comprehend.

As Korra crept through the Inferno Den's dark kitchen, she took at peek at the sprawling club outside the tiny windows. Strippers danced in cages surrounded with fire, music blared, and she could see fat stacks of Yuans flying out of peoples' hands, gambling at every kind of table imaginable, drinks sloshing everywhere. Paintings of dragons adorned the walls, and the air was thick with smoke.

"That almost looks fun," Korra whispered under her breath.

"It is, if you like burning money," Akari quipped.

Peeking out from behind a shelf, Korra bent a little piece of the floor up, just enough to get a thug to turn his head. Akari lept out and shocked him unconscious, carefully lowering him to the ground to avoid making noise.

Just across the kitchen, two other guards went down the same way. Three teams, each with an earthbender, had to move in lock step, otherwise f*ckyo could bolt the moment a guard yelled out, and turn the club into a war zone.

"Great work," Ren whispered to the recruit beside him, watching another guard drop unconscious.

"Yeah, we're almost there," the recruit agreed, peering around the corner.

Akari took the lead, barely cracking a door open, peering into the open hallway. It was dim, filled with cigar smoke, but empty. She waved everyone forward, and they slipped past the door.

But another door at the end of the hallway opened, and a pale woman in a tight dress with red, dyed hair stepped out. Everyone froze... she was too far away to knock out or restrain.

As the woman's eyes widened in panic, Akari quickly stood up and ripped off her mask, revealing a pale Fire Nation woman with dark eyes and shoulder-length hair. "Rhea, wait!" she hissed. "Don't scream!"

"...Akari?" Rhea gasped, recognizing her. "What are you doing here? What... are you an Equalist?"

"Please," Akari begged, stepping closer, hands up. "We just want to talk to the boss before he bolts, we're not here to hurt anyone, not unless we have to."

She was tense, frightened, but Rhea's expression softened when Akari grabbed her shoulder. "Oh it's good to see you," Rhea whispered, wrapping her in a hug. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too. Though I don't miss this place," Akari admitted, pulling away. "Rhea... why are you still here?"

"I... one of the Agni Kais says he owns me now," Rhea confessed quietly. "He won't let me leave."

"You can stay with me," Akari promised. "We'll get you out of here, keep you safe."

"Really?" Rhea asked, her eyes filling with tears.

Korra pushed her way to the front. "Rhea, I'm the Avatar. I will punch that creep's dick in before turning him to dust if he comes near you."

"The Avatar..." Rhea whispered, her eyes wide. "You would do that for me?"

"I promise, you are no one's prisoner," Korra assured her. "But we need to move. Where is f*ckyo?"

"f*ckyo? Uh, I think he's already downstairs, in the dueling arena," Rhea answered nervously.

"What!?" Akari exclaimed. "Did someone challenge him?"

"Yeah," Rhea confirmed. "Some big guy with a sword."

"We need to get down there, now!" Akari ordered, dispensing with the stealth and running down a staircase.

The elaborate casino gave way to rough rock walls as they descended deeper into the building. The air was cooler, and the sounds of fire and jeering echoed through the halls.

The narrow passage exited to a huge cave, dimly lit with yellow-orange electric lights. Cheering Agni Kai gangsters lined an edge of a traditional Agni Kai arena, little more than a long, rectangular slab of concrete with bright torches on either end. A tall, skinny man was struggling to hold off a younger, hulking guy as he flung fire with swings from a two-handed sword. They were both shirtless, sweating, and panting from the exertion.

"Ah, ha ha!" Kuro yelled, flinging another wave of fire at f*ckyo with a wide swing. "This is too easy!"

"You're gonna pay for that," f*ckyo growled, rubbing the burn on his arm. With a kick, he sent a spear of flame towards Kuro, who promptly sliced it in half with his blade.

"What, are you chicken? Come at me!" Kuro taunted, waving his sword around.

f*ckyo screamed, coating his good arm in fire and charging right at Kuro... which is just about the stupidest thing he could have done.

With a smirk, Kuro side stepped and swing his sword low, tripping f*ckyo up with a low wave of fire as he ran past. He raised it high.

"No!" Korra yelled, jumping into the area with a blast of fire from her feet.

But it was too late, Kuro stabbed f*ckyo in the gut, spewing blood everywhere has he pulled his sword out.

"You asshole!" Korra roared. A stomp of her foot sent a slab of earth flying into Kuro, knocking him back. Korra rushed over to f*ckyo, healing water in her hand, and turned him over...

It wasn't good. Blood was already pooling beneath him.

"f*ckyo!" Korra pleaded, bending down to meet his gaze. "Who was the airbender girl? Who did she work for?"

f*ckyo coughed up blood, and shook his head. "I... I don't know... saw her with a guy."

"A big guy? Buff?" Korra guessed.

"No. Slim, average, Fire Nation... She didn't know I saw," he managed, before coughing again. He had no love for the airbender who ghosted him, and was happy to spill his guts as he... well, spilled his guts.

"Who are they? How can I find them?" Korra demanded.

"They're... everywhere," f*ckyo wheezed. "Government... business... Don't want money."

"What do they want?" Korra pressed.

"Control..." f*ckyo choked out, his eyes rolling back. "Get Kuro, that ass," he managed to gurgle, before passing out.

"f*ckyo!" Korra called out desperately, trying to heal him. But it was too late. She closed his lifeless eyes, closed her own, and whispered "go in peace."

Kuro started laughing out loud. "Sorry about your boyfriend, sweetheart," he mocked. "You wanna upgrade to me?"

"Shut up," Korra growled, standing up and trying to think.

"Hey, I don't take insults from filthy Equalists," Kuro challenged, pointing his sword at her. The other Equalists had caught up as well, standing in an awkward confrontation with the onlooking Agni Kais.

Korra shook her head. "Did f*ckyo tell you anything?" she asked Kuro.

"Did you not hear me? I'm the boss of the Agni Kais now," Kuro sneered. "We're gonna make an example of you, and show others what happens when Equalists barge into our turf."

As he talked, Ren decided he didn't like the aggressive look the onlookers were giving them. He spread his arms out and stomped his foot, raising a fissure of lava in a line between the Equalists and the Agni Kais. They stepped back in surprise, eyeing the glowing rock warily.

"Are you threatening us?" Korra asked Kuro, taking a step forward. "Do you know who I am? Did you not see me bend earth and fire?"

"I'm not scared of some little girl," Kuro scoffed.

Korra put her hand over her face, and sighed heavily, trying to control her temper. "I'm going to make this simple. You're going to tell me everything you know about the airbender, and then we are leaving. Got it?"

Kuro laughed again. "f*ckyo was an idiot that didn't know his place. Now beg, Avatar, and I may make the death of all your friends a little less agonizing. Boys, knock them out, and tie them-"

Before Kuro could finish, Korra exhaled through her nose, leaning forward, eyes wide, and a combustion blast erupted from her forehead. It exploded just in front of Kuro, sending him flying back into a wall and knocking him unconscious, leaving a crater in the ground and Kuro in questionable health.

The Agni Kais reflexively shot their fists forward and bathed the Avatar in fire... or at least tried to. Korra spun around and redirected it right back at them. The wide blast sent them stumbling back, almost falling into Ren's lava pit.

Korra jumped in the air and stomped the ground, completing Ren's fissure and encircling the Agni Kais in a tight ring of lava. Getting the message, Ren widened the lava ring in step with Korra, forcing them into a smaller and smaller space, while the cop guarded them with slabs of earth.

"Anyone else want to follow that order!?" Korra challenged, glaring daggers at the trapped gangsters.

"No," one of them whimpered.

"Good," Korra said simply, relaxing her stance. "Now, do you idiots know anything about the airbender?"

"We don't know anything! She only spoke to f*ckyo, and hasn't shown up since you guys came." one of them cried.

"Urgh!" Korra roared, kicking a chunk of earth into a wall. "Who the heck are these guys?!"

Chapter 24: Movers and Shakers

Chapter Text

"Come on Ren," Asami lamented, as she finished locking up her workshop. "Don't be so modest."

"I don't know..." Ren hedged, nervously twisting a tool in his hand. "Are you sure you want someone like me at a hot shot party like that?"

"Of course!" Asami enthused. "They'll love you. And you're my friend, Ren. I want you there."

"Yeah," Sara agreed. "I'll be there too. Don't worry, Ren, you'll fit right in."

"Alright, alright," Ren relented with a shy smile.

That night, Ren showed up in the best suit he could find, fitted, adorned with a few green and gray metal accents, hair shining, standing at the entrance to a marble ballroom filled with the elite of Republic City. CEOs, politicians, actors and actresses, even some royalty... it was a veritable who's who of titans, from inside and outside the city. Gentle music from an erhu player echoed throughout the large space, and the walls were adorned with ancient scroll paintings depicting scenes from various Avatar's lives.

Ren saw three women dressed to the heavens walking towards him. Asami Sato, the famous heiress of Future Industries, wore a floor length crimson dress that sparkled like stars, black hair flowing freely down her back. She looked like a model. Sara wore a black dress that hugged her tall, angular frame, black hair straightened into a neat ponytail with a few strands framing her face, with her sharp, light yellow eyes shining against the lighting. She had a mischievous grin on her face.

And a next to her... none other than the Avatar herself, the most powerful person in the world. Not that anyone else in the room knew it, save Asami and Kylie. Korra was in a tight, shorter blue dress matching her big eyes, covering most of her scars while showing off an impossible athletic figure, her hair straightened into a sharp bob, assuming the role of Asami's advisor. She didn't have a drop of makeup on. But by the spirits, she looked stunning.

"Looking sharp, Mr. Lavabender," Korra teased, narrowing her eyes playfully.

That look all but gave Ren a nosebleed. "You too," he stammered, offering Korra his arm. "Shall we?"

Korra looped her arm around his elbow, Sara looped hers around Asami's, and they strolled into the grand hall. They got polite nods from some attendees before a short city councilor approached them.

"Miss Sato. A pleasure, as always," he greeted Asami politely with a bow. "And Miss Korra," Soza added. "I still haven't properly thanked you for saving Lily. I would say I'm surprised to see you, but I would expect nothing less than the best to accompany Asami."

"Councilor Soza," Korra greeted him warmly, returning the formal bow. "It's nice to see you again. I trust you and your daughter are well?"

"Very much so, thanks to you," Soza affirmed. "Though I must admit, we are concerned for our safety with the current state of Republic City."

"Councilor Soza, that's why we're here," Asami assured him confidently. "I know Future Industries' decision to support the Equalists is controversial, but we believe it's necessary. We can't ignore the rampant corruption that has been allowed to flourish under our noses," she argued passionately.

Soza nodded. "I myself proposed to repeal the curfew law," he revealed. "But we cannot simply undo decades of injustice overnight. We need time, and patience..."

As they debated, Ren could see Korra biting her lip, struggling to hold her sharp tongue. It took everything she had not to burst out and demand immediate action. Sara, of course, kept her cool, chatting and jesting alongside Asami with an easy smile.

But Ren felt like an accessory being dragged along by the women. He didn't have much to say. No one knew who he was. And they probably wouldn't care unless he started melting something.

He grabbed a glass of water from a passing tray, lightly flavored with fruit, swirling it nervously as he leaned against a pillar.

"Ugh," Korra groaned in frustration, leaning against the pillar next to him. "I swear, these politicians drag their heels on purpose. Can't they see how bad things are?"

Ren shrugged. "Not all of them are corrupt. They're used to moving slow, and they like the status quo," he reasoned.

"So you think they should be slow?" Korra challenged.

"Not necessarily," Ren admitted honestly. "But maybe they're trying to avoid making things worse."

"Worse?" Korra repeated incredulously. "Things can't possibly get any worse. How can you support them?"

"I don't," Ren clarified.

"So they should move quicker!" Korra argued heatedly.

"I... I don't know," Ren stammered. "It depends."

Korra flashed an angry glare. "Glad to see you're so enthusiastic about saving the city," she sarcastically snapped, before storming away.

"Wait, I..." Ren protested, but Korra was already gone. He let out a sigh.

Before he could ponder anything further, Ren saw a group approach him. There was middle-aged woman with intense green eyes, dressed in elegant green robes trimmed with metal plates and accessories. Flanking her was a regal looking man in his 30s, with brilliant yellow eyes and a sharp red military suit. Asami and Kylie were leading them in his direction.

"Su, this is Ren," Kylie introduced him. "The brilliant engineer who designed the engines you've seen in our vehicles. And he just so happens to be my baby brother," she added with a grin.

The woman flashed a small smile, with curious emerald eyes. "Quite the reputation you've earned, Ren," she observed. "I am Su Beifong," she introduced herself formally.

"General Iroh, with the United Forces," the man said, shaking Ren's hand. "We're very impressed with your work."

The matriarch of the Metal Clan and the heir to the Fire Nation throne were both talking to him. Ren managed to keep his cool, but only barely. "Thank you, General, Madame Beifong," he returned graciously. "It's not much, really, just some tinkering."

"I beg to differ," Su countered. "Your innovations are leagues ahead of what we currently produce in Zaofu. We're hoping to strike up a partnership," she suggested smoothly. "But tell me, where are you getting those incredible alloys?"

Ren smiled a little, relieved to talk shop instead of politics. "I formulate them myself. It's nothing too crazy. I just dope common ores with small amounts of rarer metals and smelt them a very specific way. There are quite a few deposits around Zaofu, actually..."

Su and Iroh nodded along as Ren spoke, clearly impressed. "Well that settles it," Iroh declared, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "The United Forces would like to license this technology as well. We desperately need better power plants and materials on our warships and airships."

Ren's heart skipped a beat. "Warships?" he repeated. "Airships?"

"Yes," Iroh confirmed. "You seem surprised."

"Just a little overwhelmed," Ren admitted awkwardly. "I didn't realize my innovations would be useful in... that sort of context."

"The United Forces will put them to good use," Asami smoothly assured him.

"I... suppose so," Ren agreed reluctantly. "Su, General, it was an absolute honor to meet you both. Thank you, but if you will excuse me," he excused himself, retreating into the crowd.

"The honor is ours," Iroh assured him as he walked away. Asami and Kylie exchanged a worried glance.

Ren stood on an empty balcony, watching the lights of the city twinkle below. His stomach churned, and his palms were sweaty, and trembling just a little, slightly denting the railing with his grip.

"Hiding away too, huh?" Korra asked, joining him at the railing.

Ren flinched. "Sorry, didn't hear you come up."

"I'm hiding from Master Tenzin," Korra confided. "He'd recognize me as, well, you know. I didn't think he'd show up tonight."

"Right. Tenzin, the last Air Nomad," Ren recalled. Just another legend in a sea of legends.

Korra gripped the railing. "Ugh, I'm such a coward. I wish I could confront everyone as the Avatar, tell them to clean up their acts, or else."

"Yeah," Ren said, nodding slowly.

Korra glanced at him. "Why are you so indifferent to all this? So apathetic?" she wondered aloud.

"Korra..." Ren stammered.

"What!?" Korra demanded. "You should be mad! Excited. Sad. Something! Do you just not care, after everything you've been through?" She looked back out at the city. "I don't understand how you can just sit here and nod along, like you don't feel anything," she wondered, her frustration boiling over.

There was a long pause.

"Well?" Korra pressed.

Another pause. Korra heard something hit the ground, and turned back to Ren. He was sitting on the balcony floor, taking quick, shallow breaths.

"Ren?" Korra asked cautiously.

Ren clutched his chest, like something was crushing him.

"Ren?!" she cried, kneeling beside him. "Ren!? What's wrong? Are you having a heart attack?"

Ren's arms trembled, and he didn't respond.

"Ren," she urged him, "Stay with me," she desperately pleaded, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Oh spirits, please," she begged.

Ren put a hand on her arm. "It's not a heart attack," he breathed. "I... I need a second."

Korra wrapped him into a hug, a few tears forming in her eyes. "Don't leave me," she whispered, pressing closer to him. "Please, don't die on me."

Korra's warm embrace calmed his racing thoughts. His mind slowed. After some time, Ren took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I'm OK," he assured her, pulling away. "No worries."

"No worries? What was that?" Korra asked, still shaken.

Ren sighed heavily. "A panic attack, a bad one. I... I get them sometimes," he admitted sheepishly, still trying to steady his nerves.

"Was it something I said? Oh spirits, I'm so sorry," she fretted.

"No. Well, not really," Ren demurred. He shifted a little, hanging his feet over the edge of the balcony. "I was just overwhelmed, is all."

"By what?" Korra wondered aloud, scooting closer to him.

Ren gestured to the party. "By all this. Rubbing shoulders with councilors, talking with leaders of empires... arguing with the Avatar," he joked weakly. "I'm just some greasy guy from the slums, an immigrant with no family, no connections," he explained. "I shouldn't be here."

Korra reached over, and held his shoulder. "That's not true," she disagreed earnestly.

"It is," Ren insisted with a dejected look. "I'm a nobody. And you are right about me," he confessed. "I'm boring. Low energy. I don't get excited and worked up about stuff like you do. I feel like an anchor weighing you and Asami down, some sad, emotionless lump you two hang around because you think you owe me." he admitted, closing his eyes. "You don't have to pretend anymore, Korra. Don't waste your time on me."

"Is that what you think!? That I think so little of you?" Korra exclaimed, genuinely hurt. "That I just hang around because I pity you or owe you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Ren challenged.

"No!" Korra argued vehemently. "Ren, look at me."

He opened his eyes, and met hers.

"First, you are not a nobody. You're a genius. You're like the only metal lavabender on the planet. And most of all, you are a good person! Screw all those pretentious, fancy titles, you deserve to be here more than some stupid prince," she insisted. "Second, you're not boring! You're sharp, witty, creative. You have more empathy and compassion in one toe than most people have in their entire bodies. And you're careful, calm, adorably shy. Stupidly nervous, sometimes. But never angry either, even when I'm being a total jerk like I was earlier," she admitted shamefully. "Third, I think the world of you," she confessed earnestly. "You're my rock, my best friend. You ground me when I spin out of control, calm me down, make me feel safe. I... I was terrified of losing you, because I don't know what I would do without you," she whispered, squeezing his shoulder tightly. "So don't insult me. Don't ever say that I'm wasting my time on you, because it's the other way around! Every day, I wake up feeling lucky to call you my friend, for as long as you'll put up with me."

Tears began streaming down Ren's face. He pulled her back into a hug. "I would never abandon you," he whispered.

"And I would never leave you behind either," Korra vowed, wrapping her arms around him. "Not for anything."

As they passed by a painting of Kuruk fighting a dark spirit, Sara suddenly jerked Asami around a corner, just out of eyesight of the rest of the party.

"No need to panic, ma'am," Sara said evenly, but with a huge sideways grin. "Just a quick security checkup," she added, running her hands up and down Asami's dress, gently squeezing the flesh beneath.

Asami smirked back, and guided her hands as her cheeks flushed. "Wouldn't want anything planted on me, would we?"

"Oh, absolutely not," Sara agreed, leaning in close. "I'd hate to see you get in trouble."

Asami leaned into her ear. "Make sure you're thorough," she whispered.

Sara blushed bright red. "Wouldn't dream of anything less, ma'am," she promised in a hushed voice.

Before things got even more out of hand, they heard a heated argument around the corner, and pulled apart.

"You're a disgrace, Tarrlok!" Councilor Yu roared. "You and your task force have let the Equalists run wild, and now they're calling for the end of the Council!"

"I have done my duty," Tarrlok retorted coldly. "I have tried to protect Republic City from the chaos the Equalists bring, in spite of Councilors like yourself who refuse to take basic action against the criminals plaguing our streets."

"Criminals?" Yu scoffed. "The Equalists are the ones causing the chaos! They're the ones bombing buildings, killing police. They are calling for anarchy, for the end of order!"

"Perhaps they wouldn't if you didn't vote down every single proposal to reform business regulations, or police oversight," Tarrlok accused. "Remind me, where exactly did you get your new boat from? It's a Cabbage Corp model, correct?

Yu's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I earned that money fair and square, unlike you. And I'm the one trying to push through decriminalization reforms you continue to block. Do your job, Tarrlok, and I will do mine," he huffed, storming off.

Tarrlok sighed heavily. But alas, there was never a break in his fight for justice, as three observers were already giving him dirty looks.

"Quite a spectacle, Councilor," Kylie commented, walking up to him. "But I suppose you're used to it."

"It tends to happen when fighting against the will of the people," Asami agreed.

"Miss Sato, Kylie," Tarrlok acknowledged politely. "And I believe we have not been acquainted Miss...?"

"Sara," she introduced herself simply. "And Councilor Yu was wrong about one thing. You arrest plenty of Equalists, in spite of the Avatar's threats."

"I take it you disapprove?" Tarrlok asked pointedly.

"They're not criminals," Asami corrected. "They're just scared, desperate people banding together for protection."

Tarrlok put his hands behind his back. "There is no need to be coy, Miss Sato. I think we both know you are more than a mere Equalist sympathizer."

Asami narrowed her eyes. "What you're doing is wrong, Councilor. We're going to stop you."

"I am upholding the law," Tarrlok evenly countered. "Something you and your movement would not understand."

"You're protecting the corrupt," Asami argued. "You're letting them buy off judges, bend the system to their will. That's not justice."

"I am protecting no one," Tarrlok dismissed. "I work tirelessly to bring criminals to justice, every single day."

"Republic City is sick, Tarrlok," Kylie interjected. "It's falling behind other cities, and it's because of oppressive laws you uphold, and the corruption that allows it to stand..."

They argued in circles, then stormed off, just as many do. Tarrlok walked up to a depiction of Kyoshi smiting Chin, gazing upon it thoughtfully.

"Does anyone understand what I am doing?" he wondered aloud. "Am I truly alone in this city?"

He lingered on the depiction of the past Avatar herself, eyes glowing white. Tarrlok had done everything he could to fight his father's legacy... but the water Avatar, and his own brother, had shifted the ground beneath his feet. How much longer would everyone's ignorance, their hubris, last before Republic City collapses under its own putrid weight?

Korra and Ren decided to sneak out early, leaving the party to its own devices. They walked through the moonlit streets, enjoying the crisp winter breeze.

"I'm glad we left," Korra commented casually. "I was tired of pretending."

"Me too," Ren agreed. "I'm sorry I freaked out on you."

"Don't apologize," Korra dismissed. "You needed to get that off your chest, and I'm glad you did."

Ren nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "There was something else that bothered me tonight, something Iroh kinda brought up," he confessed.

Korra raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

Ren bit his lip. Was he really going to tell her?

"Ren?" Korra prompted gently.

Ren stopped, and pulled her aside, standing against a wall. "Korra, if I ask you to keep a secret, can you promise me you won't tell anyone?" he asked, looking directly into her eyes.

"Cross my heart," Korra quipped.

"I'm serious," Ren warned her.

Korra blinked. "Alright, alright. I swear, on my past lives, I won't tell a soul."

Ren paused. He took a deep breath, and looked Korra in the eye. "You remember how my parents died?"

Korra nodded. "Yeah, you told me about the warlord."

"That wasn't the end of it," Ren confessed. "He threatened Kylie and me. We... we made weapons for him," he revealed. "He forced us to design war machines, bombs, all sorts of terrible things."

"That's not your fault," Korra insisted. "You were teenagers."

Ren shook his head. "Korra, I made one weapon that was beyond horrible. Something that should never see the light of day," he admitted, swallowing hard. "I swore on the spirits to take it to my own grave. I can't tell you what it is, but I can't just keep the fact that I made it from you," he confessed. "You're living with someone who has blood on their hands. A lot of blood."

Korra's features softened. "Ren, you try to hide it. But I've felt your anguish over this thing," she said, squeezing his shoulder. "I already know it's not your fault because I know you're a good person. And if you still blame yourself, just remember that I'm always here for you."

"I... destroyed, people, Korra. You're accepting what I did? Just like that?" Ren asked, somewhat stunned.

"Just like that," Korra affirmed, offering him a smile. "Now come on, let's go home."

Ren nodded, and followed her back... but he didn't feel any better. Korra doesn't understand what he had done. She didn't know what he built. And spirits, he hoped she never found out.

Chapter 25: The Sting

Chapter Text

The movement continued to gain traction. Korra had all but found her purpose, fighting for the Equalists.

And yet she was frustrated, pacing back and forth in Asami's workshop. "Why isn't it working!?" she demanded, slamming her fists against the wall. "I've done everything I can! Why can't the councilors see reason?"

"Korra, take a breath," Asami implored her. "We're making progress."

"But we're not," Korra argued. "The Council won't repeal anything, even with masses of people marching outside their offices!"

Ren grabbed both of her shoulders. "Easy, Korra. Just breathe."

Korra took a deep breath, calming herself slightly. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "I didn't mean to snap. I'm just... I don't know what else to do. If only I could speak to the Councilors..."

Korra trailed off in thought.

Uh oh, Ren thought. "Korra, you can't just march into City Hall," he warned her. "It wouldn't solve anything."

"Who said anything about marching?" Korra grinned slyly.

"Korra, no," Asami protested. "You can't sneak in there."

"Oh, I can. And I will," Korra vowed.

That night, Tarrlok rubbed his temples in his office, unable to finish a report thanks to the noise of protesters *still* echoing below. Couldn't they see he was trying to help them?

His window burst open, with a gust of wind blowing ice inside. And a young woman in a mask and jumpsuit landed gracefully in his office.

Tarrlok leaped to his feet, and assumed a waterbending stance. "Who are you?" he barked. "Get out of my office!"

"Tarrlok!" the Avatar shouted. "You need to listen to me! You have to give the people what they want!"

Tarrlok narrowed his eyes. "You're the Avatar," he guessed. "Come to threaten me? With the very power you claim to despise?"

Korra clenched her fists. "I don't despise power!" she snapped. "I despise the way it gets used! You're supposed to protect everyone, but instead you're keeping them down!"

Tarrlok relaxed his stance. "Is that what you've convinced yourself of? That I'm the villain?"

"Just like your father, Yakone!" Korra accused.

Tarrlok flinched. "I see you have been speaking to my brother," he said, shaking his head. "So you are threatening me with my identity, Avatar? Doesn't that seem a bit hypocritical?"

"No," Korra denied. "I'm telling you to change your ways. To stop being so stubborn."

"You are naive fools. You have no clue what you're asking for," Tarrlok scoffed.

"We're not fools!" Korra insisted. "We're standing up for what's right, and you're sitting there, playing politics while the city burns."

"Playing politics? Is that how you think I spend my time?" Tarrlok asked incredulously. This was his breaking point. Tarrlok was sick of being misunderstood, of being called a tyrant for his tireless work. "I'll tell you what, Avatar. I'll make you a deal."

Korra crossed her arms. "I'm listening."

"I'm leading a police raid tonight," Tarrlok informed her. "I propose that you accompany me, without interfering. And at the end of the raid, if you ask me to withdraw support for any law, I will."

"What?" Korra gasped.

"You heard me," Tarrlok confirmed. "I need your word. Will you abide by my conditions?"

Korra considered this for a long moment. "Alright, easy enough," she conceded reluctantly. "I'll hold you to that."

Within the hour, still masked, the Avatar sat in a van packed with armored police officers, one of many vehicles driving towards an inconspicuous restaurant on the east side of town.

"I've never been here before," Korra commented. "What are we raiding?"

One of the officers chuckled. "You'll find out soon enough, Avatar," he teased.

The van stopped, and the doors burst open. A Water Tribe restaurant, with Equalist banners hanging proudly on the windows, stood before them.

"Equalists?" Korra exclaimed. "You're asking me to stand by while you attack my own movement?"

"You gave me your word, Avatar," Tarrlok reminded her. "Remember your promise."

Korra bit her lip. She hated this. "Fine," she relented. "Let's get this over with."

The officers stormed out, surrounding the restaurant as workers frantically tried to run. The metalbenders quickly formed a perimeter, snaring anyone that dared try to escape.

Korra winced. "Go easy on them," she pleaded. "They haven't hurt anybody."

Tarrlok ignored her, standing in front of the entrance, and quietly counted down. "Three... two... one..."

The door to the restaurant burst open, and the officers were met with an immediate assault of fire and water bending from within.

Tarrlok thrust his arm forward, sending a hose of water flying straight at an attacker. He was thrown back, smashing against a fridge and dropping unconscious.

The officers burst in, with Korra quickly following. She eyed the downed attacker, and the Equalist logo on his jumpsuit. "It's just a kid!" she yelled. "You're attacking Equalist teenagers?"

Tarrlok said nothing, gesturing for the Avatar to follow him down hallway as the cops split up to search the building.

Korra moved beside him, eyes scanning the hallways nervously. "Where are we going?" she asked suspiciously.

Tarrlok pushed open a door, and was immediately met with a blast of flame from a burly young Fire Nation native. Korra jumped in front of him, dissipating the flames with a wave of her arms.

The boy backed up. "The Avatar?" he gasped. "You traitor! You should be protecting us! Not helping these pigs!"

"Ugh," Korra groaned. "I know. I'm sorry," she apologized, as Tarrlok cuffed the teen.

Korra walked beside him, her fists balled tightly. "Are you trying to piss me off?" she demanded. "Is that your game? Making me watch you arrest a bunch of Equalist kids, hoping I'll crack?"

Tarrlok continued to ignore her, turning to an officer. "Search everything! Every square inch of this place!"

Korra marched up to him, grabbing his collar and pulling him close. "Listen to me!" she roared. "I came here trusting you. I gave you my word. Is this a joke to you? Are you even going to live up to your end of the deal?"

Tarrlok batted her hand away, giving her a cold stare. "Just keep your word, Avatar," he ordered bluntly.

Korra was seething. The police were destroying the restaurant, pulling out Equalist posters and pamphlets, cash, peeling away wallpaper and tearing up floors.

"There's nothing here!" Korra yelled. "This is a waste of time! You're destroying someone's livelihood!"

"Councilor!" an officer called out. "The intel was good. We found it."

Tarrlok strode over to the kitchen, where a door behind a fridge had been pried open. Korra all but knocked him aside, and rushed over to investigate what could possibly be worth such a brutal raid.

Her eyes widened.

Inside a dark, damp room, were rows of... children. Boys and girls, dozens of them. Some looked almost eighteen, others as young as seven, all squatting against the wall. They were barely clothed, shivering, thin, and some were caked with makeup.

"What... what is this?" Korra breathed.

Tarrlok entered the room, eyeing the children carefully. "Human trafficking. I assure you, it is even worse than it looks."

Healers bent over to inspect the kids, checking their vitals, treating bruises. They were terrified, cowering in the corners as the cops moved in.

Korra knelt in front of a young boy. "Hey, buddy," she cooed gently. "You're safe now. It's alright."

"Don't hurt me." he whimpered. "Please."

Korra placed a gentle hand on his arm, but he flinched, recoiling and turning away in fear. She saw a number tattooed onto his wrist, and he just was so scared... it made her heart break.

"Shhh, it's OK," Korra cooed soothingly, but he didn't really respond. She spotted a bruise on his thigh, and pulled out some water from a nearby sink. Under the healing glow, he seemed to calm down a bit.

A girl, seeing the act of kindness, shifted over to Korra and hugged her, shedding silent tears into her shoulder. Korra wrapped her in a tight embrace, crying just as hard.

"I'm so sorry," Korra sobbed, rubbing her back. "Don't be scared, we're not going to hurt you..."

Eventually, Korra stood up and faced Tarrlok, feeling numb. "I don't understand. Why would Equalists do this to children?"

Tarrlok sighed. "They're a gang masquerading as Equalists, as they often do, thanks to you."

"Me?" Korra slowly echoed.

"Your insistence on defending anyone who carries the Equalist banner has made it impossible to distinguish between real and fake cells," Tarrlok explained. "Criminals like these effectively operate under your authority."

Korra felt sick to her stomach. "I... I didn't know," she stammered.

"I've sent messages every day. All ignored," Tarrlok accused.

Korra shook her head. "I didn't want any of this."

"Of course not," he quipped. Tarrlok turned to look at the children. "And do you know who tipped us off to this whole trafficking network? Take a guess."

"Uh... an employee?" Korra guessed.

Tarrlok shook his head. "Zei. We had the Red Monsoons on a leash, under control, feeding us dirt on every gang in this city. But according to reports, a young Water Tribe woman, an extremely powerful waterbender, showed up and discredited him," he said, turning to Korra. "Now he's dead. I don't suppose you know anything about that, do you, Avatar?"

Korra swallowed hard. "I... It was awhile ago. I didn't know Zei was a spy."

Tarrlok stared at the Avatar with hard eyes. "Avatar, without the laws you are asking me to strike down, I would never have been able to flip and protect Zei. I would never have gotten a warrant for this raid, not before corrupt officials tipped them off long before. I would not be allowed to arrest teenagers with Equalist banners, with my own task force, and I would never be able to flip them and pursue their bosses," he said, gesturing to the room. "You think you know this city, just because you've walked the streets. But you have no idea what lurks beneath the surface."

Korra was silent.

"Now, I will honor our agreement," Tarrlok declared. "I cannot fight the Avatar and the gangs of this city at the same time. So take a hard look at these children." He turned back to the room. "Say the word, and I will dismantle the laws that just saved them, and so many more, from something unspeakable."

Korra clenched her fists. "Aaaah!" she screamed, breathing blue fire into the air. "What is wrong with this city!?" She marched over to the firebender that begged for her help earlier. "You lied to me! You wanted me to turn on the police, so you could get away! How... how could you do this to other kids?"

The teen hung his head shamefully. "I'm in debt to a loan shark," he confessed. "They threatened my family... I needed money. I was scared."

"Everyone is scared," she muttered, looking down and shaking her head.

Another teen in cuffs turned to look at the Avatar, with harder eyes, and spat on the ground near her. "You were born with power, Avatar. We have to take ours."

"That's no excuse!" Korra snapped.

"You'd never understand," the teen sneered as the cop took him away.

Later, Korra sat on the curb outside the restaurant as a cold, thick fog descended upon the darkened city. She had her mask off... she felt like she couldn't breathe, and she didn't care who saw her face now.

A Water Tribe man in his 30s sat down beside her, and stared out into the fog with her.

"Ugh!" Korra snapped, denting the concrete with her fist. She put both hands on her face, rubbing her eyes. "How many?" she whimpered.

"This year? We saved hundreds, thanks to Zei," Tarrlok revealed. "There is no telling how many children we missed."

"...How?" Korra asked quietly, looking at Tarrlok. "Do gangs steal that many?"

"No. Most are sold by friends, relatives, or parents," Tarrlok admitted sadly. "Many are shipped here and traded, a lucrative business my father pioneered."

"Sold by their own parents," Korra muttered, looking out to the city.

Tarrlok sighed. "It is far from the only heinous crime my task force pursues, though I admit it is the most... personal." He turned to look at her. "I've been doing this since you were a child, Avatar. It is my purpose, how I spend my days, how I atone for my father's crimes."

"I am so sorry," Korra whispered, meeting his gaze, tears staining her cheeks. "I... I was almost raped in the Earth Kingdom, and I've seen a little of that slave trade up close. That feeling of helplessness was unbearable, but what those kids must go through..."

Tarrlok nodded slowly. "At least you see. The lengths I must go to earn me few friends, but I am not the monster you believe me to be."

"No, you are not," Korra agreed. "I'll talk to Noatak. This blanket protection of crooks hiding behind the Equalist name ends, tonight," she vowed. "So does my persecution of you. And if you need me on your task force, I'll be there."

"I do not work with Equalists," Tarrlok dismissed. "And I do not need loose cannons disrupting my operations."

"I won't be there as an Equalist, but I can talk down any we find. I will do whatever it takes, whatever is needed," Korra promised.

Tarrlok studied her intently, looking the Avatar in the eye. "Very well. I will hold you to that promise. But it hardly matters with all the hardship you bring as an Equalist."

"Why do we need to fight? We want justice too," Korra argued.

"Justice?" Tarrlok scoffed. "Noatak wants to purge the Council. He would destroy everything we have built, and find the same problems and horrors waiting for you all on the other side. Crime would flourish. Does that sound like justice to you?"

Korra groaned. "I don't want a revolution... Just change. Reform."

"I, too, enjoy fantasies," Tarrlok retorted. "What would you have me do? Purge laws entirely, only for them to be rewritten by my misguided or corrupt colleagues? Push for revisions that would be voted down? Shall I just magically bend away the incentives that force others into corruption in the first place?" Tarrlok shook his head. "I am no fool. I know my brother is no murderer, that the bombings cannot be his doing. But he is dangerously naive, just like you."

"So are you! People are suffering under these laws and corrupt officials, Tarrlok. Laws you propose and vote for! It's eroding any support you'd get from the public, and it can't go on!" Korra declared, standing up.

"Perhaps not," Tarrlok grimly agreed. "But I assure you, Avatar, that if you remove the structure holding up Republic City, it will collapse."

"Ugh! There's a way through this," Korra declared, staring at the city with fire in her eyes. "Mark my words. I am going to find it."

Chapter 26: Night of a Thousand Stars

Chapter Text

The night was ice-cold, but dry and crystal clear as the winter solstice approached. The air was still, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, with the stars shining brightly above Republic City. And the moon hung low, casting a faint shadow across the bay as Avatar Aang's statue loomed tall above the waves.

After emerging from a bubble under the bay, Korra stared up at it from its base, with Naga sitting obediently beside her. She took in a long, slow breath, letting the cool air fill her lungs, before slowly exhaling.

"Can't hurt to try again, huh, Naga?" she mused, patting the beast affectionately.

Korra walked up to the statue, where the base housed a memorial to the revered Avatar. Inside, she rubbed her fingers along glass displays of airbender necklaces, robes, his staff, journals... even priceless possessions from his companions, who left them here as tokens of their love for Aang. She stopped at a metal bracelet, feeling a warmth inside her, like it was from an old friend she couldn't quite remember, and rubbed the metal bracelet on her own wrist.

Aang literally saved the world as a kid. And here she was, still lost and afraid. Spirits, did she need his advice.

She stepped out of the memorial, walked around the side of the building, and hopped up onto the roof, with Naga bounding up behind her. But sitting in Korra's usual spot, directly under the statue, she found a tall woman with a light complexion in tight-fitting red and black clothes, sitting in a meditation pose.

"Sara?" Korra greeted her uncertainly. "What are you doing up here?"

Sara didn't respond. Curious, Korra walked up to her, and gently shook her shoulder. Sara remained unmoved.

"Hey!" Korra called out, waving her hands wildly. "Uh, are you alright?" Naga imitated her master, barking loudly and nudging Sara with her snout. Korra checked her pulse. It was there... but very slow, like she was in a deep sleep.

Sara took a deep breath, and slowly opened her light yellow eyes. "Korra?" she asked, blinking several times. "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh, I usually come up here to think," Korra admitted evasively. "But why are you sleeping up here?"

"I'm not sleeping," Sara corrected, stretching out her arms. "I was meditating into the spirit world."

Korra blinked. "Really? You don't seem like the type to meditate."

"Heh, that's what I told my mentor," Sara laughed.

"Your mentor?" Korra asked, sitting down beside her. Naga settled down next to her.

"Yeah. When I was a kid on the streets, I used to hang out in front of city hall, looking for idiots to rob in the sprawling gardens. One day, I held up this rich old guy who was walking alone," she said, looking away uncomfortably. "I was desperate, and pissed at the world."

"Believe me, I get it," Korra sympathized.

"Anyway, turns out I misjudged him," Sara continued. "He disarmed me in one move."

"Wow," Korra marveled. "Did he arrest you?"

Sara shook her head. "The guy kneeled in front of me, and gave the knife back. He said I needed to work on my stance, and showed me a few moves," Sara recalled fondly. "He bought me tea, got me talking... he was the first person that really made me feel human since my folks abandoned me."

"That sounds beautiful," Korra enthused. "Who was he?"

"Some kind of Fire Sage. He said to call him Mushi," Sara remembered. "He came by to see me all the time, and taught me all sorts of firebending. He showed me how to control my temper, to focus it, and eventually, how to meditate into the spirit world."

"Mushi?" Korra repeated, thinking. "That name sounds familiar..."

Sara shrugged, and smiled. "He made me who I am today. I'd be dead or in prison if not for him," she finished, before taking some time to eye Korra.

"What?" Korra asked defensively.

Sara had a strange look on her face, as if gears were turning in her mind. "Korra... Are you the Avatar?" she suddenly blurted out.

Korra froze. "I, uh... what would make you say something like that?" she stammered, trying to play it cool.

Sara studied her closely. "You didn't deny it," she noted.

Korra sighed. "How did you figure it out?" she wondered aloud.

Sara flashed an oddly tranquil smile. "It's almost the Winter Solstice, so the spirit world is close the physical world, kinda like its overlaid on top of it. When I was there, I saw this white light approaching from the distance," she recalled. "It was warm, so bright that it was blinding. And it was moving closer and closer to where I left my body," she explained. "I rushed back to my body thinking an ancient spirit was coming to possess me or something... and when I returned, I saw you."

Korra lowered her head, "I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Nah," Sara waved it off. "It was kind of incredible, actually. I felt like I was in a sea of light when I got close," she described, before taking another moment to think. "You're the Avatar. Huh. That kinda makes sense," she finally concluded.

Korra raised an eyebrow. "You're not gonna freak out? Ask me a bunch of questions? Ask why I lied to you?"

"Maybe later," Sara teased. "But I hear what you say as the Avatar. And I kinda know you as a person. I think I get it."

"Get what?" Korra asked.

"Why you keep it a secret," Sara answered simply. "I mean, I can't imagine what it must be like to carry that weight, to feel like the fate of the world rests on your shoulders. I'm sure it's lonely," she mused sympathetically. "Its sounds easier to take things one step at a time, and have a normal life to go with it."

"That's... yeah, that's pretty much it," Korra admitted, to herself and to Sara. "When did you get so wise?"

"Oh, I'm not wise," Sara dismissed. "But I've picked up a thing or two."

Korra nodded, and looked out at the city.

"Did I take your spot?" Sara asked. "Is this where you usually meditate into the spirit world?"

Korra sighed, and bumped her head against Naga's fur. "No. I've never meditated into the spirit world," she confessed. "It's just another thing I've failed at."

Sara looked at her in disbelief. "But you're the Avatar, the bridge between worlds. It should be easy. Didn't your masters teach you?"

Korra shrugged. "It never worked. I've been trying since I came to Republic City, too," she added. "But nothing ever happens."

Sara tilted her head. "Why don't I help you?" she offered. "I'll be your guide, show you the way."

Korra blinked. "You'd do that? For me?"

"Yep," Sara agreed easily. "Come on, just sit down in front of me and relax."

Korra followed her instructions, crossing her legs. Sara spawned a small flame in her hands, casting a warm glow over their faces. "What's that for?" Korra wondered aloud.

"It helps me concentrate, focus my energy." Sara explained. "Now, just close your eyes, do what your masters taught you. I'll lead you from there."

Korra closed her eyes, and focused on her breath. In, out, in, out... she concentrated on her chi, her energy. She focused. A faint wind started swirling around her, and she felt warmth radiating from Sara, like her spirit was reaching out to her. Korra concentrated even harder, going deeper into her mind.

Then she heard a slight snort. Korra opened one eye to see Sara smiling widely, before she burst out laughing, falling backwards.

"What?" Korra asked confusedly, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," Sara gasped, clutching her stomach. "Oh, spirits. Now I know how Mushi felt when he tried teaching me."

"What do you mean?" Korra asked again, feeling utterly embarrassed.

Sara let out another chuckle, and barely composed herself. "You can't punch your way into the spirit world, Korra. You looked like you were going to pop a blood vessel."

Korra rolled her eyes. "I was concentrating!" she defended herself.

"Oh yeah, you were concentrating," Sara mocked. "I was the same way. I was too tense, too frustrated, too... forceful. You're trying way too hard."

"Then what do I do?" Korra asked impatiently.

"Here, sit beside me, look out to the sea," Sara instructed. "It might be better to do this my way."

Korra scooted over, and rested her elbows on her knees, staring out at the waves.

"Now," Sara began softly, "Put your hands together and spawn a small flame, like this," she demonstrated. "Focus on the warmth. Feel its heartbeat, like it's alive."

Korra obeyed, and created a tiny flame in her joined palms. "It feels like its part of me."

"Exactly," Sara affirmed. "Now, hold onto that feeling, that heartbeat, and look out to the ocean, where the sea of stars meets the sea of water."

Korra looked out at the horizon, seeing the glimmering lights of the night sky abruptly fade into darkness.

"Hold onto that image. Remember it," Sara encouraged her. "And close your eyes, picture the seas in your mind."

Korra did as she was told, closing her eyes and imagining the scene in front of her. "The stars. They're even brighter than the real thing."

"Yeah," Sara approved. "Now imagine you're floating in that dark sea, surrounded by the stars. Reach out. Reach into the sky, as far as you can, and try to pull one star closer."

Korra pictured herself swimming through the void, her arms stretched wide. Then she imagined reaching for the stars, like she was trying to touch them.

"That's it," Sara praised. "That's where you put your energy, your chi. Stretch out, like you're straining with your muscles, and pull it in with all your might."

"I got the star!" Korra announced triumphantly. She pulled it in, closer, and closer, until it started to light up the darkened waters around her. "It's getting bigger," she marveled.

She pulled the star into herself, like it was part of her all along. The dark sea faded into nothing, and she felt herself falling... then flying, a hand guiding her through the white void.

Korra's eyes shot open. She was staring at same darkened sea.

"Ugh," Korra groaned, standing up. "I hate this! Why can't I do this?"

Sara was standing there with a sly smile, waiting for it to hit her.

"Why-" Korra stopped mid-sentence, and she saw her own body still sitting there, in a meditation pose. "What... What happened?"

"Welcome to the Spirit World," Sara introduced her, gesturing out to the bay. The terrain was the same, but where Republic City used to stand was a vast wilderness, with towering trees of every color shooting into the sky like skyscrapers, closely mimicking Republic City's skyline.

Korra looked up, and saw the same stars, but with streams of ethereal light flowing between them. "Whoa," she whispered, awestruck.

"Yeah," Sara agreed. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It's amazing," Korra gushed.

"Come on, you've got to see the forest," Sara urged her, grabbing her hand.

Korra wasn't exactly sure how, but they warped over the bay, landing at the base of towering trees. Spirits big and small danced around them and scurried between them, like some strange imitation of Republic City.

"Look at this place," Korra marveled. "It's like a dream."

"I know," Sara agreed happily. "It's so peaceful..."

A little hedgehog spirit scurried up to them, and nuzzled Korra's leg. "Aw, cute," she cooed, petting it gently.

"Are you the Avatar?" it asked, with a squeaky voice.

"Bwah!" Korra jumped, before regaining her composure. "I, uh, yeah, I am," she admitted shyly.

"Guys, look. The Avatar is back!" a squirrel spirit called out, running up to join them. Soon they were surrounded by creatures of all shapes and sizes.

"Uh, hi, everyone," Korra greeted them awkwardly. "I'm Korra."

"That's a funny name," a bird spirit chirped. "Are you OK? Your Avatar Spirit seems... faint."

Korra sighed, and sat down. "I'm not a fully realized Avatar, I guess. I haven't mastered airbending. I've never even talked to my past lives."

"We can help with that!" a bear spirit promised. The spirits morphed into a blob of light, and the surrounding landscape faded away.

Korra found herself sitting in a temple next to Sara. "This looks like the Southern Air Temple," she remarked.

"Yeah," Sara confirmed. "Distance is funny in the spirit world. Especially for the Avatar, I guess."

"Right," Korra agreed nervously. She looked around the halls, and saw what looked like an old Air Nomad monk walking towards them. His skin was tanned, and his hair was gray, but his eyes were light, sharp, and youthful.

"Hello, Avatar Korra," the monk greeted her formally. "We've never met, but I was good friends with you in a past life. Two of them, actually."

Korra blinked, and memories that weren't quite hers flooded her mind. "Gyatso?" she asked tentatively.

He chuckled warmly. "It's good to see you again," he said sincerely.

Korra found herself hugging the old monk, her heart filled with joy. "I missed you," she whispered, unsure how she even knew such a thing.

"I missed you too," Gyatso assured her, returning the warm embrace.

Korra pulled away. "Gyatso, can you help me?" she asked earnestly. "I'm trying to find Aang. I... I could really use his guidance right now."

Gyatso smiled. "Aang has always been with you, Korra. He is a part of you."

"Then how can I talk to him?" Korra implored.

"Why don't you ask him," he said with a wink.

Korra turned around, and saw a middle-aged man with a beard, wearing traditional airbender robes, sitting cross-legged on the floor. He was smiling as warmly as Gyatso. "Aang!" she cried.

"Hello Korra," Aang greeted her. "What took you so long?" he added with a laugh.

Korra and Sara sat down beside him, and Korra couldn't help but frown and lower her head. "I'm sorry, Aang."

"For what?" Aang asked kindly.

"For not being ready," Korra confessed. "For failing you. For failing myself."

"Oh Korra, you didn't fail anyone." With a deep sigh, he added "now I know how Roku felt."

Korra tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Aang looked to the side. "Roku expressed guilt for the state he left the world in. He blamed himself for leaving me with the Hundred Year War. I always thought it was silly," he said, looking back at Korra. "But now, I see. I charged the White Lotus with training you, protecting you, and they failed. I don't know how, but what happened was never meant to be." Aang took another deep breath. "And I founded Republic City to bring the nations together, yet it has fallen apart. It has broken far too many hearts, including yours. Looking back, I can see my own ignorance as clear as day..."

"It's in the past, Aang," Korra insisted. "You did the best you could."

Aang nodded. "I know. But it doesn't change the fact that I wish I could go back," he admitted sadly.

"But what about now?" Korra asked. "I want to save the city, but I'm stuck between extremes. I have no idea what to do."

"You're not going to like this answer Korra, but I don't know either," he confessed with a shrug. "I found who I thought were the best people to lead this city. I consulted with my past lives, fought who I thought were enemies. And look what happened... I can show you the history and politics of Republic City, but I am afraid that is where my wisdom ends."

"So what do I do!?" Korra demanded impatiently. "I just want to help people. But I'm too scared to even reveal my identity, too weak to become a fully realized Avatar, much less navigate this mess," she lamented.

Aang put a hand on her knee. "What I do know is that you are strong, Korra. You are the strongest Avatar the world has seen in a long time, you just don't realize it yet."

"How can you say that?" Korra argued. "I wasted years, helpless, then homeless. I'm a total wreck... It feels like I cry every other day. My friends are just barely holding my head together," she admitted, trying to hold back tears just thinking about it.

"You've survived great adversity, Korra. And more isolation than any Avatar should," Aang agreed, feeling another pang of guilt. "And yet here you are. Your will is utterly unbreakable, and your fiery passion has endured. You are a powerful bender, with a mastery of subelements beyond what I could have imagined, thanks to the unfortunate circ*mstances of your training,"

"But I can barely airbend," Korra protested.

Aang sighed once more. "Air is the element of freedom. You were deprived of freedom for so long that it stunted your growth, as if you were suffocating. And I can't help but feel responsible for that too."

"I guess I can see that. I feel closer to air than I ever did in the compound..." Korra looked down. "I came here expecting you to chastise me, maybe even sever ties with me," she confessed. "I thought you would be disappointed in me. But instead you keep apologizing to me." She looked up. "I don't blame you for anything, Aang. Not one thing that happened."

Aang smiled weakly and nodded back. "I'll tell you a little secret, Korra. One that took our past lives too long to learn," he confided. "All the Avatars are failures. We break. We make grave mistakes, leaving scars on the world. But every generation, we pass on a little wisdom gained from that failure. So let me pass on an observation of mine."

Korra leaned forward.

"You care for others, deeply," Aang began. "You are so compassionate, so empathetic, in spite of the isolation you suffered from... or perhaps because of it. And that is not a weakness, Korra," he assured her. "I learned that strength comes from the people we surround ourselves with, and the impact we have on their lives. So you are not weak for leaning on your friends, for needing them." Aang smiled. "And Noatak was right. You are going to connect with so many people, to inspire them to follow you, even if you don't know how just yet."

"He's right, Korra," Sara cut in. "We're here for you. And you've already changed so many lives, including mine."

Korra finally let some tears flow, and hugged Sara. "And you've already changed mine," she murmured.

After a long moment, they pulled apart and turned back to Aang, who was smiling nostalgically. "I know you're scared of the White Lotus, Korra. You have every right to be. But you should consider reconnecting with Master Tenzin. My son wants nothing more than to help you, not just with airbending, but with everything else."

Korra wiped an eye. "Maybe I will. I miss him. I miss the kids."

"As do I. I am so proud of him..." Aang trailed off, a small tear leaving his eye as well.

Korra sighed. "I hate to bring it up, but the mysterious airbenders-"

"They are not my children," Aang assured her. "I don't know who they serve, and I cannot imagine how they came to be."

"What about the lion turtle?" Korra wondered aloud. "The one that gave you energybending? Could it have granted them airbending?"

"It is a fire Lion Turtle, the last of its kind." Aang revealed. "It can only grant the power of fire. You and I can energybend other elements because we already possess them."

"Another dead end," Korra muttered.

"Eh, at least we didn't have to search the ocean for it," Sara joked.

"It would have been fun," Aang chuckled, before turning back to look at his successor. "Korra, I know you came here looking for clearer advice, but your world is so different from mine. New technology, new governments, foes we do not even understand yet... As you tackle it, just know your past lives are not here to judge you. That is a lie your later masters planted in your mind. We are here to support your decisions, and to support you, every step of the way."

Korra jumped forward and hugged Aang. "You have no idea how much of a relief that is," she whispered.

Looking on, Sara couldn't help but smile wide. She didn't wake up today expecting to find an Avatar... much less befriend two of them.

What was that Mushi used to say? 'Sometimes life is like a dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place.'

Chapter 27: Machinations

Chapter Text

"Oh, I could get used to this," Sara mused, pushing off the wall. She was in the Sato's indoor swimming pool on the estate, wearing a black swimsuit she found in changing room.

"How do you even stand the water?" Asami marveled, dipping a toe into the pool. She was wearing a red pajama camisole, a robe, and shorts, and shivered when the cold water hit her skin. "It's the dead of winter."

Sara climbed out of the pool, and stood in front of Asami, water steaming off her angled, chiseled body, hand on her hip. "Why don't I show you?" she teased.

It took a lot to break Asami Sato's composure, yet she found herself blushing hard as Sara sauntered over, wrapped her arms around her waist, and rubbed her washboard abs against Asami's chest. "You're so... hot," Asami gasped, her voice cracking slightly.

"Mhm," Sara agreed, nuzzling her neck, and slyly dropping her robe. "So are you, Miss Sato."

Just as Asami started melting into her touch, Sara pulled back a little, with a big sideways grin and a spark of mischief in her light yellow eyes. "Wait, what are you-" Asami started.

Sara grabbed Asami by the waist and jumped into the pool with her. Asami yelped in surprise, and gasped as the cold water shocked her system... But Sara held her tight. Every bit of her skin felt like fire against Sara's, and whatever expletive Asami was about to yell was suddenly stuck in her throat.

"Oh, I've got you now," Sara cooed. She turned Asami around and embraced her from behind, grinding her hips against her backside. "Just say the word, and I'll rescue you, Miss Sato."

All Asami could do is push back into Sara's chest, rub her legs against hers, and expose her neck to her lips. Asami looked down, and saw Sara's submerged hands rippling with heat from firebending as they grazed her belly, her waist, her thighs... the mix of ice-cold and burning-hot made her heart race. Asami gasped out loud as a hand passed over her groin, barely brushing her cl*t through her shorts.

"You're so..." Asami tried to speak, but Sara kissed her neck, and she lost all control.

"That's what I thought," Sara purred, nibbling on her earlobe.

Asami turned her head and kissed her back, exploring her mouth with her tongue. Sara moaned softly, and hugged her even tighter, warming every bit of Asami she could with gentle firebending.

After a long embrace, Sara pulled back as Asami turned to face her, wrapping her arms around Sara's neck and looking deep into her eyes. "I love you, Sara," she confessed. "I've never felt this way before, not about anyone."

Now it was Sara's turn to lose her composure. "I love you too, Asami" she admitted. "I've never met someone like you."

Asami smiled, and kissed Sara deeply. Sara returned the kiss, and they both melted into each other, losing any sense of time or space.

Later that day, Korra sat on top of Ren's shoulders while Asami rode on Sara as they played a game of chicken in Asami's pool, trying to topple each other. Ren was in a t-shirt, while Korra wore a sleeveless wetsuit, both a little self-conscious of their scars, while Asami had found a proper one piece swimsuit. Thanks to Sara's earlier antics, the water was hot like a bath.

Naga barked wildly from the side, and eventually leaped into the pool after them, knocking everyone over with a huge wave of water. "Naga!" Korra called out, laughing madly. "What do you think you're doing, girl!?"

Eventually, Asami and Sara hopped onto the ledge of the pool, watching Korra tease Ren. They started to playfully wrestle each other as they tried to mount Naga.

"You think they're..." Asami mumbled, tilting her head.

"Maybe," Sara agreed, smirking a little. "They just don't know it yet. Give it time."

Eventually, they all retreated to Asami's living room, where a fire was crackling in the fireplace. Asami, Sara and Ren lounged on the sofa, but Korra was stirred up, brow furrowed, her hands balled into fists as she paced back and forth.

"You're going to wear a hole in the floor," Sara dryly warned her.

"Wasn't the spirit world supposed to give you answers?" Asami asked curiously. "I thought Aang encouraged you."

Korra sighed heavily. "It did! He did! But they weren't the answers I wanted," she complained. "I feel like things are coming to a head. The Equalists are all but sweeping through the city, the Council is fractured and dragging its feet... if this keeps up, I don't know what will happen," she lamented. "I don't want a war. And even if the Equalists 'win' a revolution, will it really fix anything?"

Asami crossed her arms. "And the bombings are still happening. It's like someone wants this city to burn."

"If you ask me," Ren began. "A lot of people are fighting for the same thing. They just go about it differently."

"Yeah," Korra agreed. "Corruption aside, the Council wants peace and order, but turn a blind eye to the suffering. The Equalists want justice and reform, but they're ignorant of the chaos a revolution will bring. If only we could get everyone in a room, and get them to hash it out..."

She trailed off, and stopped pacing.

Korra had that mischievous pout again. "Korra, whatever you are thinking, it's probably a terrible idea," Ren cautioned her.

Korra grinned slyly. "Probably," she agreed.

Ren and Sara shared a worried glance.

Peng was at his desk, feet up, counting fat wads of cash, with a fat grin on his face. "Easy smuggling. The Monsoons should have thought of this years ago," he mused. "No cops on us, no other gangs bothering to whack us. No losing sleep. And it's like money just falls into our laps."

"Hey Peng," a woman called out, waving a piece of paper. "I got the manifest for the new shipment. We're getting a ton of stuff," she reported happily. "Mostly medicine and booze the Earth Queen is too stupid to export. Oh, and I got a buyer for all those satomobiles we have."

Peng shuddered in pleasure. "Incredible," he breathed. "We're gonna be rich!"

"Hey, boss, some chick is here to see you. Say she knows you," another worker called out. "Uhhh, I think she's just barging in."

Peng blinked. "Who?"

The door opened, and Peng nearly wet himself. There stood the Avatar, in all her glory, glaring at him.

"K-Korra," he stuttered, backing away. "Whatever it is, I swear, I had nothing to do with it!"

"Relax, Peng. I'm not here to beat you up," Korra assured him, walking up. "Y'all doing OK?"

"Uh, great!" Peng hastily answered, regaining a little composure. "You're not still mad?"

Korra sighed, sitting down. "No," she admitted honestly. "I know you're not a jerk, Peng. You never want to hurt anyone, and you kept your word. That's kind of why I'm here."

"Oh yeah?" Peng asked, perking up.

"I need help," Korra admitted. "How would you like the Avatar to owe you a favor?"

"Wait, seriously?" Peng gaped. "What do you need?"

"First, tell me. How much contact do you have with the other gangs in the city?" Korra asked.

Peng shrugged. "We don't talk, but we keep close tabs on them, mostly bribing people for info. It lets us move around the gangs like water, instead of having to fight," he explained. "Why?"

"Perfect." Korra smirked, and leaned forward. "I have a proposition for you..."

Chapter 28: Old Friends

Chapter Text

Korra cracked her eyes open, and felt a chill. Snow filled her vision, and wind howled outside. Her heart dropped, she almost started to cry...

And then her groggy head cleared. She saw sunlight filtering through the snow on her skylight, and the snowy skyline of Republic City outside her window.

"Oh, thank the spirits," Korra muttered under her breath.

After a quick floor workout and shower, she walked downstairs and found Ren sitting at the kitchen table.

"Sleep well?" he asked casually.

"Not really," Korra admitted, staring at the apple in her hand as she sat at the table.

Ren noticed Korra's shoulders slump, and her eyes looked a little tired. "Are you OK? Anything you want to talk about?"

"It was just my training. Again," she sighed. "Every time I dream it, I think that its reality. That I'm going to wake up in that cold bed again the next day, and spar until I collapse," she lamented. Korra took a slow sip of tea, closing her eyes and savoring the spicy warmth. "You have no idea what a relief it is to wake up in that loft instead. To just come down and share tea with a friend, instead of being stuck in a cyclical nightmare."

Ren smiled sadly. "I kinda do. Sometimes I wake up thinking I'm imprisoned in my own home by the warlord, that I'll have to design a grenade or something horrible, just like the day before... But then I remember, I'm home. I know I'll see you and Naga's cheerful faces before long."

Korra couldn't help but smile back.

"There it is, that bright smile," Ren teased.

"And there's your kind grin," Korra countered.

They both sat in happy silence for a moment, feeling their old anxieties melt away, before Ren leaned forward and brought up a new one. "Korra, are you sure you're ready to go through with this today?"

Korra took a long, deep breath. "Yeah. Today's the day," she declared firmly. "Actually, can you come with me?"

"Me?" Ren echoed. "You sure you want me tagging along?"

Korra rolled her eyes. "Ren, you have got to stop thinking so little of yourself. Of course, I do... I'm not sure if I can hold it together without you,"

Ren paused, and nodded. "Then yeah. I got your back."

"Thank you," Korra said sincerely. "I... haven't seen them in so long."

"They won't be mad, Korra. They'll be happy to see you," Ren reassured her.

"I hope so," Korra murmured.

Within the hour, Korra was gripping the rails of a ferry, unconsciously denting and twisting it. She squinted against the wind, trying to see Air Temple Island through the foggy snow.

It was just her, Ren, Naga, and the driver on the boat, with Naga basically filling the entire passenger platform. Korra was wearing a blue parka with fur trim, while Ren wore a black coat and a green scarf over steel gray pants with bits of metal trim.

Ren put a hand on her shoulder, and squeezed gently. "Relax. They have no power over you anymore," he reminded her.

Korra breathed deeply, and leaned against him. "I know. But I'm still scared."

Ren nodded sadly as the boat pulled up to the dock. Being the home of the last airbenders on Earth, the White Lotus guarded the island zealously. One guard came up to inspect the passengers.

"Hold it," he ordered. "What business do you have here?"

"I'm here to see Master Tenzin," Korra stated evenly.

"Master Tenzin?" the guard repeated. "Do you have an appointment?"

Korra shook her head. "I don't need one. I'm Korra, his pupil."

"Uh huh," the guard said skeptically, clearly not recognizing her.

"Wait," a green-eyed woman exclaimed, who just happened to be strolling by with a child in a stroller. "Korra? Is that you?"

Korra flinched. "Hey Pema," she greeted her with a weak smile. "Long time, no see."

"For spirits' sake, let her in!" Pema demanded. Ren and Korra disembarked onto the island, and Pema approached them with a warm expression. "Korra," she sighed, wrapping her in a warm hug. "We were so worried about you."

Korra softened and returned the embrace. "I know," she admitted, pulling back and kneeling down. "Who is this little guy?"

"This is Rohan," Pema introduced her child proudly.

"Korra!?" a familiar voice call out. Korra turned around and saw a teenage girl in yellow airbending robes and a loose red coat. "Ikki, Meelo, get over here!" she called out.

The three figures came bounding towards Korra, their faces filled with delight, and tackled her to the snow in a gust of wind. Naga piled on top of them, furiously licking their faces.

"Korra!" Ikki cheered excitedly. "We missed you so much!"

"I've had to keep these ladies in line myself," Meelo half joked.

Korra giggled as tears of joy streamed down her face. "Oh, I missed you guys too!" she exclaimed, hugging them fiercely. "I'm sorry I haven't been around."

"But you're back!" Jinora enthused.

"Yeah," Korra agreed, wiping away her tears. "I am."

A White Lotus captain came running over to investigate the commotion, and apparently had enough rank to recognize Korra... Or at least her giant polar bear dog. "Avatar Korra?" he gasped.

Korra's face dropped. "Yeah... yes, it's me." Korra felt her arms trembling, and clenched her fists to steady them.

Pema had never seen such a look on Korra. "It's alright Captain, give us some privacy," she chided him. "We're going to see Tenzin."

"But-" the captain started.

"No buts," Pema cut him off, taking the lead. "Come on, Korra. You came at a good time."

Ikki and Meelo rode on Naga, chatting Korra's head off as Ren and Jinora walked beside her. "We've been practicing so hard," Ikki bragged. "Dad says we're almost ready to start learning expert moves!"

"Of course you are," Korra encouraged, ruffling her hair affectionately. "You guys are amazing."

"I'm going to learn how to fly!" Meelo boasted.

"Keep dreaming, Meelo," Korra quipped, playfully rolling her eyes.

"I like your haircut!" Ikki complimented. "It's sooo you."

"Thanks," Korra accepted. "You're all so grown up now... I hate I was gone so long."

"We're just glad you're back," Jinora assured her, finally getting a word in. She put an arm around Korra's waist and squeezed, and gave Ren a curious glance.

Pema caught up to them, and stopped abruptly. "Ikki, Meelo, Jinora," she said sternly. "Go wait inside. The adults need to talk."

"Aww, mom!" Ikki protested.

"You can play with Naga while you wait," Pema insisted

"Fine," Ikki relented, leading the others away.

Pema turned to Korra. "Your parents are here, Korra," she informed her quietly. "They've been in the city for weeks, looking for you."

Korra stiffened, but nodded. "I... I'd like to see them too."

"Of course, sweetie," Pema assured her. "They miss you. They're eating with Tenzin right now, along with some other guests."

Pema lead them to the traditional Air Nomad dining room, with low tables and cushions spread throughout. She opened the sliding doors, and time seemed to stand still.

Tonraq and Senna turned to see their daughter walk in, and froze. They looked at each other for what seemed like an eternity, before Senna finally uttered "Korra?"

"Mom, Dad," Korra cried, running over to them. They stood up and hugged their daughter as tight as they could manage, tears streaming down all their faces.

"Korra, oh spirits," Tonraq cried. "We missed you so much. We didn't know what happened."

"I missed you too," Korra sniffled, burying her face in her mother's hair and her dad's chest. "I'm so sorry."

Senna rubbed her back soothingly. "It's OK, honey."

Korra pulled back, and finally took in the rest of the room. Standing there were some of her old teachers, Master Tenzin, Lord Zuko, and Lady Azula. She greeted them and bowed respectfully. "Master Tenzin," she addressed him formally. "I apologize for my absence."

"Korra... where have you been!?" Tenzin stammered. "Do you know how many people are looking for you? We feared the worst until we saw you in the papers." Tenzin walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so glad to see you safe."

Korra held his hand, and saw a concerned look on Zuko, and even Azula. More of her anxiety melted away. "I... I had to get away," she confessed.

"Here, sit down, all of you," Pema commanded, as if the room of royals and masters were children. They all obeyed. "I'll get some more tea and snacks."

Korra nodded, and sat down at the table, next to Ren. They gave each other a quick glance.

"Uh, everyone, this is Ren," Korra introduced him. "He..." Korra thought about how to sum up Ren. "He's a brilliant engineer, my roommate, and my best friend. I trust him completely. And I definitely wouldn't be sitting here if not for him."

Senna's face lit up. "Well, we're certainly grateful, Ren," she said sincerely. "Thank you."

Ren smiled a little, and bowed his head shyly. "It's an honor to meet you all."

Tonraq leaned forward. "Korra, why did you run from your training?" he asked seriously. "You left without saying a word to anyone."

"I'm sorry," Korra apologized, averting his gaze. "I hated to worry everyone, but I couldn't risk anyone knowing where I was."

"What? Why couldn't you tell us?" Senna wondered aloud.

"I was afraid of being pressured back into the compound," Korra admitted "The training... it was breaking my body, my mind. By the end, I felt like I was dying every day."

"You're being dramatic, as usual, Korra," Tenzin dismissed. "Mastering the elements takes years of disciple and practice."

"But not abuse!" Korra argued heatedly. "Not torture! Do you even know what I went through? Tenzin, when is the last time you talked to me? Or even just checked in with a letter?"

Tenzin opened his mouth to respond, but paused. "I assumed you were busy. The White Lotus said you needed to focus, to avoid wordly distractions," he argued weakly.

"Focus?" Korra scoffed. "I dueled over a dozen masters at once till I all but dropped dead, bleeding, every single day! I was yelled at, berated, belittled all the time. Is that what you call focus?"

"You're... being hyperbolic," Tenzin argued in disbelief. "The White Lotus would never do something like that."

Korra closed her eyes. No one ever believes her over the White Lotus. So she just pulled up her sleeves and lifted her shirt, letting scars and burns on her torso, back, and upper arms speak for themselves.

Tonraq's eyes widened. "They did this to you!?" he growled. "I'm going straight to the compound and showing them what happens when someone hurts my daughter!"

"No, dad, please!" Korra implored him. "I... I let them do it," she whimpered, hanging her head. "I was told I was a failure, and I believed it. I pushed and pushed, because I wanted to prove them wrong."

"Oh sweetie," Senna cooed, wrapping her daughter in a comforting embrace.

Tonraq grabbed her hand, but didn't know what to say. He felt like a failure as a father, letting his daughter endure such treatment thinking she deserved it. All while he was nearby, in the South Pole with her.

"How did this happen," Zuko wondered aloud. "This is not the Order I built with my uncle."

"Oh please," Azula sneered. "Those zealous old windbags were never fit to train the Avatar."

Korra sniffed. "Well they did. And I ran away," she admitted. "I traveled the Earth Kingdom for a bit, and then hid in Republic City, but didn't work out like I hoped. I was a mess, and had nothing to my name. I ended up on the streets..."

Korra described her homeless life in the slums of Republic City. "I met Gommu in an alley, as I was desperately trying to find food," she remembered fondly. "He gave me clothes, showed me where to sleep, helped me survive..."

Korra described her miserable jobs, her violent encounters, and eventually meeting Ren. Then she got to the fight in the restaurant.

"Another airbender?" Tenzin gasped.

"Two, actually," Korra revealed. "Aang said he doesn't know who they are, or how they could possibly bend air."

"...You connected to my father?" Tenzin quietly asked.

"Yeah," Korra confirmed. "I found a spiritual guide, and she helped me meditate into the spirit world."

"After all those years of teaching and trying... I suppose you just needed a better guide than me," Tenzin admitted sadly. "I'm sorry, Korra."

Korra reached across the table and held Tenzin's hand. "I just needed freedom," she explained. "Aang said he couldn't be more proud of you, of everything you accomplished."

"I'm glad," Tenzin agreed, smiling sadly.

Meanwhile, Azula rubbed her chin, deep in thought. "Korra, what else do you remember about the fight?"

"It was intense," Korra recalled. "Hand to hand. He was crazy fast, strong, huge build, brown eyes..."

"Think, Korra! Have you forgotten what I have taught you? Focus on identifying features, small details," Azula instructed.

Korra searched her memory. "He was quiet, but muttered something about freedom."

"Freedom?" Zuko echoed. "Maybe an Equalist slogan?"

"Yeah. 'Freedom for all', I think," Korra affirmed.

Blood drained from everyone's faces.

"What did you say?" Tenzin asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"'Freedom for all'," Korra repeated.

Zuko and Tenzin looked at each other. Tonraq and Senna were frozen like ice. Even Azula was visibly shaken, with an angry expression.

Ren and Korra shared a confused glance. "What's the big deal?" Korra wondered aloud.

Tenzin sighed heavily.

"Tell her!" Azula snapped. "We've kept it from her too long, against my wishes!"

After a pause, Zuko was the first to speak. "Korra, do you remember why we put you in the training compound in the first place?"

Korra nodded. "To give me space to bend the elements. To... to protect me from the world, and the world from me. Right?"

"Korra, when you were a child, a powerful group of terrorists tried to kidnap you," Tenzin revealed gravely.

"What!?" Korra gasped.

"They almost got you," Tonraq added grimly. "Sokka, Suki, and many others sacrificed themselves to save you."

"They came out of nowhere, undetected, and they were unbelievably skilled benders," Zuko added. "They all but bested us."

"Abominations is what they were!" Azula spat. "We only captured one lowly member. I interrogated her personally, but the only thing she said before she died was 'freedom for all'".

"Why didn't you tell me?" Korra demanded.

"We didn't want to frighten you," Senna explained softly. "You were so young..."

"And later!?" Korra pressed. "I was all but locked up a fortress! Didn't you think I deserved to know why!?"

"We feared telling you would make you feel vulnerable," Zuko admitted reluctantly. "That you would feel unsafe, and try to run away."

Korra blinked. "Run away?" she repeated incredulously. "You left me to suffer in a prison, didn't bother to check up on me, lied to me about why I was there, and you didn't want me to run away? Oh, well, I'm glad you never had to concern yourself about that!" she snapped, getting up and storming out.

"Korra, wait!" Tonraq called out.

Ren got up, and put up a hand. "Give Korra a minute, please," he implored, before running after her.

Korra clutched railing overlooking the bay, squeezing hard enough to warp the metal, boots deep in snow. Her heart was beating out of her chest, and water was pooling in her eyes. Naga plopped down beside her, and gave her a worried look.

"How could they?" she muttered to Naga, eliciting a whine.

"Korra?" Ren gently asked, struggling through the snow to reach her. "Are you OK?"

"Ahhh!" Korra screamed. She ripped the railing out of the stone, and lobbed it off the cliff as far as she could manage. "They lied to me! About the worst thing that's ever happened to me!"

"I know," Ren sympathized, putting a careful hand on her shoulder.

Korra burst out crying. "My parents, my friends over two lives... They isolated me, ignored me, and lied to me about it, for years!"

Ren pulled her into a hug while Naga nuzzled her side.

"I trusted them, I loved them. And they have the nerve to blame me for running away after everything that happened!?" Korra cried, clutching Ren tightly.

Naga whined, and Ren just rubbed her back. "Just breathe, Korra. In and out. Let the anger flow and cool, like lava in snow..."

Korra took a few deep breaths, her rage softening as she pulled away. "Why am I even here?" she whimpered. "Do they even care about me?"

"They do," Ren disagreed. "They love you, Korra. They looked utterly broken when you told them what you went through."

"But they put me there. Then they let it happen, and ignored me..." Korra quietly argued.

"They didn't know, but they made terrible mistakes," Ren agreed, looking her in the eye. "I'd be pissed if I were you too. But you don't have to forgive them. Just... hear them out?"

"I dunno," Korra murmured, looking to the side.

Ren squeezed both her shoulders. "They're your blood Korra, and your friends from two lifetimes. They deserve a chance to make amends," he insisted. "Please? You'll regret it if you don't."

Korra sighed heavily. "Alright," she relented.

Ren rubbed her back as they trudged through the snow, snowflakes blowing around them, and Korra rested her head on his shoulder.

She let out a sigh as her heart finally slowed, and wrapped her arm around his back. Ren placed his over her shoulders, and they walked back in silence.

"I'm sorry I lost control," Korra apologized, standing in the entrance of the dining hall.

"No, Korra," Zuko interrupted, standing to face her "You have every reason to be upset." Zuko closed his eyes. "I swore to Avatar Aang that I would protect and guide you." He opened them after a pause. "And I failed, just as gravely as I failed Aang so long ago. I even had the gall to insult you for it. So please, accept my deepest apology," he offered with a deep bow.

Korra hesitated, and then nodded.

Zuko smiled weakly. "I don't know how many years I have left, Korra, but on my honor, I will spend them making it right. I will not fail the Avatar again."

"We all will," Senna added. "We love you sweetie. We made a terrible mistake, but we just want to help you however we can."

"Thank you," Korra said sincerely. She sat back down at the table, alongside Ren.

"Korra, this is a serious threat," Azula stated bluntly. "You have no idea how dangerous these terrorists are. They are skilled, powerful, and connected."

"To think that they are in Republic City..." Tenzin mused aloud. "My family isn't safe. None of us are."

"Noatak is worried too," Korra revealed. "He thinks they could have infiltrated the Equalists, and he's afraid of what they might do."

Korra went on to recall her encounters with the Equalists, how she joined them, how she helped Noatak transform the movement.

"Now I see why you supported the Equalists," Tenzin realized. "The Avatar has always had sympathy for the oppressed."

"What this city is doing to its people is wrong!" Korra argued passionately. "But... I get that it's complicated. And these stupid airbender terrorists seem to be pulling strings behind the scenes."

Feeling uncharacteristically brave, Ren decided to speak up. "This isn't all bad. Think about it," he suggested. "We know there's a group behind the kidnappings, and maybe the bombings by extension. We know they are connected to Korra's kidnapping. We know they are pulling strings with gangs, watching others. And most importantly, they don't know we're connecting the dots."

Azula smirked. "An astute observation, Ren. Yes, we can take advantage of this," she mused, thinking. "I will bring the royal spy network to bear. Discretely, of course. If there is a terrorist cell in Republic City, I will find it..."

After the reunion, Ren plopped down in the snow on his butt, breathing heavily as he looked out at Air Temple Island's training courtyard. Korra was relentlessly chasing Ikki and Meelo around, throwing herself into the sky with bits of elements as the kids bounded around with air. Naga barked and played along, chasing them around.

Jinora walked up behind him, light as a feather, eyeing Ren. He seems quiet... and kind of cute.

A strong gust made Ren shiver, so he bent a little pool of lava in the dirt in front of him, holding his hands over it.

Jinora watched the snow melt away with wide eyes. "Whoa," she marveled.

"Ah!" Ren jumped, turning around. "Oh, hey Jinora," he greeted her, trying to regain some composure.

Jinora giggled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you, Ren."

"It's alright," Ren assured her.

"I've never seen lavabending before," Jinora admitted, walking a little closer. "But I just read a book about this lavabender named Gamur who fought Fifth Nation pirates."

"Yeah. Tales of Gamur is a good one," Ren agreed. "Kyoshi's biography has a great section on one she fought, too."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," Jinora remembered. She smiled shyly and sat down next to him. "It feels like forever since I've talked to someone who reads old books."

Ren smirked, watching Meelo bound through the air. "Let me guess. You're hiding away from your crazy siblings, and they aren't big readers either."

"Yeah," Jinora admitted. "I love them, but... sometimes I need to hear myself think."

"I get it," Ren assured her. "I have a hyper sister, and a very hyper roommate. Sometimes I need to get away too."

Jinora nodded. "Ugh, I wish dad would let me off the island by myself. Between all of them, I feel like I'm going stir-crazy."

"I'll tell you what," Ren offered. "See that little factory there, the gray one with the glass top floor?" he said, pointing across the bay.

"Yeah," Jinora confirmed, squinting.

"That's where Korra and I live. If you ever feel like sneaking out, fly over to us," Ren invited her. "I mean, what can your dad say if you're protected by the Avatar?"

Jinora grinned widely. "Thanks. I may do just that," she promised. "So... you really live with Korra?"

"Yep," Ren confirmed.

"Are you two together?" Jinora wondered curiously. "Like, romantically?"

Ren blushed. "You're awfully curious, aren't you?" he deflected.

"Sorry," Jinora shyly apologized. "I, uh, may be reading a romance novel."

"I'm just teasing," Ren dismissed. "I remember being fourteen... You know, there are some pretty cute kids around your age at the street parties we throw."

"Really?" Jinora asked excitedly.

"They'd swoon if you snuck in a little airbending in the soccer games," Ren teased. "Just... don't tell your dad. I'm pretty sure he'd break his pacifism vow if he found out..."

Chapter 29: Arcs and Fire

Chapter Text

Some years ago, Azula found herself arguing with her insufferable brother in the Fire Nation capital palace. "I have no desire to trudge through the South Pole," she complained to him. "Avatar Aang was spineless monk. He had no conviction, no resolve. And he was weak, even with all that power. I am not interested in training his successor." Privately, Azula believed training any non-royal blood was beneath her, but it was not something her brother liked hearing.

"Please, sister." Zuko begged her. "The Avatar is trying to bend lighting!"

Azula raised an eyebrow. "At age twelve?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes," Zuko confirmed. "We don't know how she figured it out, but she refuses to listen to reason! She could kill herself, or others, without proper guidance. And there is no one better to teach a child lightning bending than you."

Azula rubbed her chin.

"Azula, I think young Korra will surprise you," Zuko urged her. "Please, see her. As a favor to me."

And so Azula found herself trudging through the snow, her boots sinking into the powder. Before long, she found herself standing in front of a young Water Tribe girl.

"I'm the Avatar, and you gotta deal with it!" Korra challenged, spewing fire from her hands.

Azula was not impressed. The girl was even more impulsive and hyperactive than her predecessor, and she was nowhere near ready to learn lightning.

Young Korra, without warning, dropped to a low stance and stretched her arms wide. A spark of electricity arced from her fingertips, dissipating into the air.

Azula raised an eyebrow.

"Fear me!" Korra yelled, pumping her fists triumphantly.

Azula sighed, and approached the girl.

"Who are you?" Korra asked, eyeing the old lady cautiously.

"I am Lady Azula, and you will treat me with respect," she warned.

"You're a Fire Nation princess?" Korra marveled. "Cool! Can you teach me how to shoot lighting from my fingers?"

Azula shook her head. "No. Not with that attitude. Lighting is deadly, precise. It requires discipline and focus."

Korra did her best to calm down, and gave a respectful bow. "Then show me, please?" she requested earnestly.

A week later, deep into the night, Azula was in a cold, dim corner of the compound with a steaming cup of tea. She was chatting with her brother once more, and he had a sh*t eating grin on his face.

"What did I tell you?" Zuko gloated.

Azula felt a ping of annoyance, but suppressed it. "She is... not what I anticipated, not like her cut and run predecessor," she admitted grudgingly. "Korra is impulsive, but she is even *more* strong-willed. When she wants something, she will not rest until she gets it. Even now, she is practicing the forms I have taught her incessantly."

Zuko smiled even wider. "That sounds like a certain someone I knew at her age," he teased. "A fiery someone who was also a determined bending prodigy."

Azula rolled her eyes. "Perhaps," she conceded reluctantly. "But she needs discipline. And she needs focus."

"And who better to teach her than you?" Zuko pointed out, taking a sip of his tea.

"I am doing this as a favor to you," Azula reminded him.

They both flinched as they heard a thunderclap echo through the compound. Zuko frantically jumped to his feet, while Azula calmly followed him outside.

They found Korra standing in a clearing, surrounded by a ring of ice. In the center of the circle was a pile of wood, smoldering slightly.

Korra looked up, and spotted them. "Look! I did it!" she called out excitedly. Korra stuck her tongue out in concentration, adopted a surprisingly decent stance, and sent a tiny bolt flying into the pile.

"Still sloppy, Korra... but good power," Azula seriously praised. She didn't expect real lighting for another month, at least.

"Thank you, Sifu Azula," Korra said with a deep bow, almost falling forward into the ice.

Azula couldn't suppress the slight smile tugging at her face.

The next year, Azula was teaching a thirteen-year-old Korra more than just lightning. At the moment, they were alone in the cold wilderness, miles from any civilization.

"As the Avatar, you will be stalked. You will be hunted," Azula lectured. "There are those who fear your power. Those who envy it. And those who wish to exploit it."

Korra nodded intensely.

"You must learn to cover your tracks. To conceal your identity, your intentions, the trail you leave wherever you go," Azula continued. "We will start with a simple exercise. I want you to track me through the forest."

Korra's eyes lit up. "Really?" she asked eagerly.

"It will not be easy. You will fail many times," Azula warned. "But if you are to escape pursuit, you must learn how others would pursue you."

Azula covered her tracks well, intending the first test to be an exercise in futility. She waited patiently, hidden high among the trees, watching Korra's progress.

Korra was thorough, checking for signs, following trails. She used Naga to her full advantage, using her nose to sniff out clues.

But it was indeed futile. Azula anticipated the signal for surrender, to show Korra where she failed. But it never came.

Korra hunted for hours, and then well into the night, using her firebending to illuminate the darkness. She was clearly tired, hungry, but refused to admit defeat. Curious, Azula remained hidden.

Finally, in the dark of night, after following the faintest disturbance in the deep snow, Korra looked up, and found her master waiting in the branches above her. "I found you!" she declared triumphantly, not a hint of fatigue in her voice.

"Indeed," Azula admitted, leaping down to meet her. "Persistence is critical when tracking prey. If you show this same persistence as the hunted, you may yet elude the hunter," she praised. "Now come. It is too late to return home tonight. We shall camp here."

Korra brought back another rabbit, and helped her set up camp. Azula watched her closely, observing how she handled a knife. Korra's family taught her well, that much was clear.

Korra, in turn, watched Azula cook their meal, with her infamous blue flames searing the animal's flesh. "Sifu Azula," she asked politely. "Can you teach me how to make fire like that?"

Azula eyed her apprentice carefully. "Blue fire is not something that can be taught, it is the result of perfect technique," she explained. "You must focus your chi flawlessly. Balance your energy perfectly, and put all your power into your form. It requires an inner fire hotter than most."

Korra nodded sleepy-eyed. "That sounds fun. Can I try tomorrow?"

Azula handed her a piece of cooked meat. "We shall see."

Azula would come to regret telling Korra about blue fire. The girl practiced obsessively for months, distracting her from more important lessons. Sometimes a flicker of blue danced across her palm, which only served to encourage her further.

But one day, as Azula was meditating in the morning sun, she heard footsteps sprinting towards her.

"Sifu Azula!" Korra shouted, panting heavily. "I did it! I got it!"

"You did what?" Azula asked, opening her eyes. "Be precise, Korra."

Korra knelt beside her, and held her hands up. Two thin streams of blue fire shot forth, dancing around her palms. "You were right. It's not something that can be taught. But once you find just the right balance-"

"I know," Azula finished for her. "It comes as naturally as breathing."

In a fit of excitement, Korra hugged her master, before realizing her mistake. "Uh, sorry, Sifu Azula," she stammered, quickly pulling away.

Azula eyed the girl. "I will tolerate the occasional outburst," she allowed. "But never again will you interrupt my meditation."

Korra nodded, and her big, crooked smile returned. "I'm gonna go show Master Tenzin's kids!" she burst out, before running off once more.

Azula watched her go, shooting blue fire high into the sky. A rare smile crept onto her lips.

After a hiatus, Azula returned when Korra was fourteen. Today was her lightning bending test, where Azula would determine whether Korra was ready to call herself a master... just as Azula was at the same age.

Gone was the undisciplined brat she had met years ago. Now, at least when bending, Korra moved with deliberation and precision. Azula watched closely as Korra methodically moved her arms back and forth, building up a charge.

"Not one hair out of place," Korra murmured under her breath. She locked her eyes on her target, a dummy far away in the field, and everything else faded away.

Azula narrowed her sharp eyes.

Korra took a step forward and spread her arms in utterly flawless form. Electricity flowed from the Earth, into one arm, around her core, and then out of her fingertips.

Korra's other firebending instructors flinched when the deafening thunderclap hit. They were used to the mockery of lighting bending that had spread through the world in recent years, not the powerful, difficult forms the Royal Family had perfected over centuries. The forms that Korra, in Azula's opinion, had mastered.

"Aang never had the inner fire for this," Azula mused aloud.

"And she is not Aang," Zuko agreed.

Target dummy after target dummy caught fire, leaving flaming chunks scattered across the icy field. There was not a single miss, not even a stray hit outside a bullseye.

"Woo hoo!" Korra cheered, jumping into the air.

"Impressive," Azula acknowledged. "You have passed. I have no criticism to offer."

Zuko chuckled quietly. He never thought he would hear his sister utter those words.

Korra ran up to them, practically bouncing on her toes. "I did it! I, uh, ahem," she coughed, trying to sound modest and compose herself. "Thank you for your instruction, Sifu Azula. I appreciate that I still have much to learn," she said with a bow.

Azula smirked. "Indeed. But you have earned your title, Korra."

Korra's self-restraint finally snapped like a twig, and she wrapped Azula in a huge hug.

If it was just about anyone else on the planet, Azula would have immolated them where they stood. Instead, she patted the girl on the back, and returned the embrace.

Perhaps it was Azula's old age getting to her, she mused. Yes, that was it. It was certainly not this fierce girl worming her way into Azula's cold heart.

Back on Air Temple island, Korra was leaning against a tree, staring out at the statue of Avatar Aang. Snow covered the base of the island and the statue's bald head. She heard footsteps behind her, and didn't even need to look to know who it was.

"Sifu Azula," Korra greeted her respectfully.

"Avatar Korra," she replied, standing next to her. "You look well. Healthy, fit. I'm glad the city has not taken its toll on your body."

"It's good to see you too," Korra assured her. She had learned to see past Azula's cold exterior long ago.

Azula looked out to the setting sun, watching it cast golden light across the waves as it dipped below the horizon. "Korra, I have come here to apologize," she said suddenly.

Korra blinked. Azula? Apologize? "For what?" she asked cautiously.

"I have made many attempts to visit you in recent years. The White Lotus insist I am a 'bad influence'." Azula complained bitterly.

Korra chuckled. "I can't imagine why they would say that," she quipped.

Azula smirked. "Nevertheless, I suspected something was amiss. I should have been more aggressive, and come to investigate sooner, no matter what those old fools said."

Korra wrapped Azula in a sideways hug. "I know you would have done anything to keep me safe," she assured her. "After all, wouldn't want anything happening to your best student, huh?"

Azula smiled a little, and pulled away. "I am considering retribution," Azula admitted. "But that is for later. For now, I will stay in Republic City, as we discussed. This unknown enemy could be a threat to the Royal Family as well. I will not tolerate such insolence."

Korra nodded. "I haven't forgotten what you've taught me. I cover my tracks, especially in places where I identify myself as the Avatar." She smiled. "My friends think I'm paranoid, but I'm starting to think it was justified all along."

"Good," Azula approved. "I time, I will be sending agents to shadow you, from a distance of course. They will bear my royal crest. If someone is hunting you, we will find them."

"I appreciate that," Korra replied. "And if anyone thinks they can threaten my life, and live to tell the tale, they have another thing coming."

"Of that, I am certain," Azula agreed. "But be cautious, Korra. You have enemies you cannot even imagine."

Chapter 30: City of Walls and Secrets

Chapter Text

Korra stepped into one of the Equalist's many underground hideouts. They were relics of the past, of a time when the Equalists were forced to operate in total secrecy. Where expulsion of all benders was considered a legitimate goal.

In this particular basem*nt, she found Noatak under a bright yellow light, reading reports on a table. "Avatar Korra," he greeted her formally.

"Noatak," she responded, sitting down opposite him. "Still no info on the Equalist impostor?" she wondered aloud.

"Nothing," Noatak confessed. "It is as if there are ghosts in our ranks, feeding information to some unknown master."

Korra bit her lip. "I have an idea to flush them out," she proposed.

Noatak raised an eyebrow. "I am listening."

"You're not going to like it," Korra admitted. "Just, bear with me, OK?"

Noatak nodded, gesturing for her to continue.

Korra leaned forward looked him in the eye. "Sorry about this," she started.

"About-" Noatak started. But he was unable to finish, as the Avatar jabbed him in the neck at a pressure point. His vision went black.

The next thing he knew, Noatak was opening his eyes to find himself chained to chair. He couldn't move a single limb.

He blinked, trying to clear his vision, focusing on the figure in front of him.

"Brother," Tarrlok drawled.

Noatak blinked again. Tarrlok was tied to a chair as well, facing him. He hadn't seen his brother in... over a decade, not since he ran away.

"What is this?" Noatak demanded. He looked around, and saw he was in a large underground chamber, some kind of vagrant camp. They were near a fire in the center, and homeless people were sleeping or moving about everywhere. A short man in Red Monsoon garb was leaning against the wall, next to Asami Sato.

"I see you've noticed the interesting company," Tarrlok remarked.

"Is this your doing, Tarrlok?" Noatak accused. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Tell me, brother," Tarrlok countered. "Who is the last person you remember seeing before arriving here?"

Noatak paused. "The Avatar."

"What a coincidence," Tarrlok sarcastically mused. "She is the last person I remember seeing as well."

Noatak turned his head, and heard conversation coming from a nearby tunnel.

"Korra, Lady Azula, why are we here?" Tenzin demanded. "Why are you leading me into this pit-" Tenzin stopped. "Tarrlok? What is going on here? Why are you tied up?"

Korra and Azula stepped into view, both with mischievous smiles. Korra quickly raised a wall of ice behind her, blocking off the exit.

"Master Tenzin, we're having a little party," Korra informed him casually. "And no one leaves until we've sorted things out."

"You're... you're holding me hostage?" Tenzin gasped. "You can't do that, Korra!"

"Oh she can, and she will," Azula interjected, crossing her arms. "Now, are you going to sit down bound in chains, or free? It's entirely up to you, Tenzin."

Tenzin looked between the two women, and then back at Noatak and Tarrlok. "This is preposterous," he objected, before walking over to an empty chair.

"Excellent choice," Azula complimented.

Peng, Azula and Asami all followed Tenzin to empty seats around the fire. Korra moved to the middle, standing in front of the bubbling stew and eying the odd group she had assembled.

"Korra, Asami what is the meaning of this?" Noatak demanded. "Have you turned on the Equalists?"

"No. But I am sick of everyone fighting each other, pointing fingers, and pushing this city to the brink, all while someone is manipulating us in secret." She looked around. "No one is leaving this room until we figure out what's going wrong in Republic City, and what we're going to do about it."

"You expect us to fold to your demands, while we are bound in chains, Avatar?" Tarrlok scoffed.

"No," Korra corrected. "I expect you to talk."

Tarrlok glared at his brother. "You'd think I'd negotiate with these criminals, simply because we share blood?"

"I am not the criminal, brother," Noatak countered.

"Tarrlok is right, Korra. Are you asking us to ally ourselves with the very groups that want to send this city into a spiral?" Tenzin questioned.

"No! I am asking you to compromise. And to listen to me," she started, walking over to the Equalist leader. "Noatak, Tenzin is right. The Equalist protests need to be reeled in, immediately. Unrest is threatening to tear this city apart, and a full-blown revolution would to destroy everything worthwhile the Council has built. It won't fix anything!"

"I have to agree," Asami chimed in. "Toppling the government, as we originally planned, doesn't fit the Equalist's goals anymore. It's counterproductive. The possibility is already starting to impact Future Industries, and our partners are getting nervous."

"The Council needs to be purged," Noatak argued. "They are corrupt, they are selfish. They serve themselves, not the people."

"We protect the people!" Tenzin defended himself.

"You are both right! The Council needs to change, but it can't be destroyed," Korra argued. "We're all going to work together to do it, like one big happy family, and I'll show you how. Peng, care to share?"

Peng nodded, still trying to wrap his head around this charade. "We... have an information network," he offered. "We already monitor the other gangs. We know just where to find dirt on people, just where to place bribes, without hurting anyone."

"Exactly," Korra encouraged him. "And Tarrlok, Tenzin, you are going to help him. Peng is under my personal protection, and whatever info from the police he wants, he gets. Whatever blind eye he needs to be turned, you turn it. And in turn, he's going to spread his network and give you everything he has."

"That's absurd," Tarrlok objected.

"It's what you're going to do," Korra threatened, leaning over and glaring daggers at Tarrlok. "And I'm taking a page from the airbenders' playbook, squeezing the other gangs until they feed you information, which brings me to my next point." She stepped back took a breath. "As I've already told all of you, there are ghosts running around this city. They're behind the kidnappings, and probably the bombings. They're manipulating gangs, police and more, and they attacked me as a child. I don't know who they are or what they want, but I intend to find out."

"So what exactly do you propose?" Tarrlok asked skeptically.

"We are going to solve this mystery together," Korra began. "Tarrlok, you and your most trusted officers are going to investigate the Equalists, while the Equalists's most trusted officers investigate the police. You're going to coordinate, to find the moles in each other's organizations."

"No," Tarrlok denied. "I would never trust an Equalist."

"Trust your brother, Tarrlok!" Korra snapped. "You two are blood! What happened that was so bad, you can't even look him in the eye anymore?"

Tarrlok hesitated.

"I... abandoned Tarrlok when he needed me most," Noatak revealed. "He was younger than me, and I left him alone with our monster of a father."

"You tore our family apart!" Tarrlok roared.

"And you became everything Yakone was," Noatak accused. "You let the corruption consume you."

"No!" Korra interrupted, stepping between them raising her hands. "Neither of you did. You are both obsessed with destroying your father's legacy, you are just too pig headed to realize it! Look each other in the eye, or I will smack you both until you do!"

Tarrlok and Noatak shared a glance.

"Good. Now, are you two going to let your father win? Are you going to let him consume you? Or are you going to stop complaining and start solving problems?" Korra demanded.

There as a long silence.

Asami had to suppress chuckles through this circus. She had seen Korra's temper before, but she never imagined it would be so effective, especially with how insane this plan was to begin with.

"I am sorry, Tarrlok," Noatak finally said, looking his brother in the eyes. "For everything."

Tarrlok stared back. "I am sorry too, Noatak."

Korra breathed a sigh of relief. "See, was that so hard?" she asked rhetorically.

Azula stepped forward. "You two have a foothold in this city that I do not," she started. "In addition to working with each other, you are going to work with me, with the royal spy network. You will give me information on this mysterious third party. And I will give you the resources to root them out."

There was a long pause.

"Agreed," Tarrlok finally said, nodding slowly. "As much as it pains me to admit, I am desperate for resources to clean my own house."

"I... I accept," Noatak echoed. "There are information leaks among the Equalist leadership, yet we have made no progress finding them. I suppose external assistance is our only choice."

Korra let out another sigh. This was going way better than she expected. "Good. Finally! Now, next order of business. We need to find compromises in laws that let the police operate, and the Council function, without letting corruption and oppression run wild."

"Passing reform is not a trivial task, Korra," Tenzin protested. "Even minor changes need campaigning, debate, revisions. Favors, most often. Councilors vehemently defend their own interests, and have every opportunity to shoot them down."

"And that's where all this comes together," Korra pointed out. "Noatak, Asami, we are going to refocus the Equalist movement to build crushing public support for whatever compromises are necessary. The Councilors and their patrons won't be able to take a step without calls for specific reforms ringing in their ears." She turned back to Tarrlok. "And Tarrlok, you will use your vast new information network to torment the paid-off politicians opposing those very compromises until they either cave, change, or resign in disgrace."

"That sounds like a conspiracy," Tarrlok muttered. "A shadow government, with us as its puppet masters."

"For once, we agree," Noatak agreed. "I will not turn into our father."

"If either of you turn into criminals, I'll tear you down. But I know that's not going to happen," Korra assured them, kneeling in front of Tarrlok. "You dedicated your life to rooting out crime, Tarrlok. You told me it's your purpose. I know you're not going to pursue petty rivalries or abuse this power, because it goes against everything you live for."

"She's right. This is our movement's purpose, Noatak," Asami added, standing beside Noatak. "Korra and I will fight you, and split the Equalists over this if we have to. But we don't want to. Cooperating with the government isn't what we envisioned, but this is the justice we've been fighting for, the end to your father's legacy, and there is no one better to lead us than you," she pleaded, grabbing his shoulder.

Noatak and Tarrlok eyed Korra and Asami. Then they eyed each other for what, to them, seemed like an eternity.

"We're fighting fire with fire," Korra reminded them. "There is already a shadow manipulating us. Are you going to let them manipulate you?"

Tarrlok took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly, before locking eyes with his brother. "Never again."

"Never again." Noatak echoed. "We will... cooperate."

"To banish Yakone's specter," Tarrlok vowed.

"And the shadows plaguing this city," Noatak agreed.

"Thank you," Korra breathed. "You won't regret this, I promise."

"Indeed," Azula agreed. "If it is not already obvious, know that this agreement never leave this room. Someone is watching this city, and they must not learn of our plans."

Korra nodded. "Now, we just need to figure out the specific compromises for existing laws, and work out the details. Tenzin, you and Tarrlok know the laws best, where should we start?"

Tenzin stroked his beard thoughtfully. The more Korra spoke, the more sense all this made. "I never considered such drastic reform to be within reach. But I suppose I know where we would begin..."

The unorthodox meeting lasted hours, but specifics were eventually hammered out. Everyone was freed, plans were set, protocols established.

After most of the group left, Korra walked over to the vagrants that had returned to the fire, stirring a big pot of stew.

"Thanks for keeping a lookout, guys," Korra thanked them sincerely. "And for letting us use your home. I owe you. I don't know who else I could have trusted in this situation."

Gommu smiled. "You're welcome, kiddo," he assured her. "Folks in this city have gotta help each other, especially in tough times." Many others nodded in agreement.

Another vagrant spoke up. "We know you're looking out for us, Korra, just like you always have," she said warmly. "We'll watch your back whenever you need."

In what was a bizarre sight, the Lady Azula herself sat down next to the Avatar and a titan of industry in the scruffy camp. Asami let out a chuckle.

"What?" Korra asked, giving her a curious glance.

"I'm imagining other leaders dealing with this situation," Asami joked. "They could have tried many things, but dragging councilors, rebels, and royalty into a sewer, tying them to chairs, and yelling at everyone until they see reason? That seems unlikely."

"I concur," Azula added dryly. She looked around the fire, eying the vagrants with discerning eyes. "You trust these people, Korra?" she asked suspiciously.

Korra nodded. "With my life."

Azula eyed the vagrants once more. "What would you all say to being informants for the Fire Nation? Very well compensated, of course," she suggested smoothly.

The vagrants around the circle exchanged looks.

In what was one of the oddest walks he had ever experienced, Master Tenzin trudged through the sewers next to Noatak, Tarrlok, and Peng.

"I can't believe this," Tenzin muttered, shaking his head.

"Nor can I," Tarrlok agreed. "Did this really happen? Did we agree to be complicit in a conspiracy?"

Noatak chuckled. "Once again, I have drastically underestimated the Avatar. We all have."

"I didn't," Peng chimed in. "I've seen her wrath up close. No, I am never doubting her threats again."

Tenzin saw a light ahead, and what sounded like the crashing of waves. "Well, as unorthodox as it may be, I look forward to working with you all," he said sincerely. "I've lost sleep over the future of this city, of my home. And this is the closest I've been to a solution."

They all approached the exit, pausing to take in the scene. The moon hung low, casting silver light over Yue Bay. The waves lapped gently at the shore, and a cool breeze blew across the beach.

With a formal bow, Tenzin left the group behind, returning home on his glider. "I am not looking forward to looping Lin in on this," he murmured to himself.

Peng quickly followed, leaving the two brothers alone.

"I am glad you are here, Tarrlok," Noatak admitted awkwardly.

Tarrlok nodded. "So am I."

Noatak sighed heavily. "I... I wish we could go back," he lamented. "I wish I could have been there for you, for mom."

"It may not have made a difference," Noatak admitted honestly. "And besides, it is water under the bridge."

They stared out into the sea, feeling the power of the moon.

"Have you bloodbent ever since?" Noatak asked curiously.

Tarrlok shook his head. "Never. I did not want to become our father," he admitted.

Noatak hesitated. "I have. Only to debend," he confessed. "Before I quickly found even that too repulsive."

"I understand," Tarrlok said sympathetically. "I... I wish to reconcile, Noatak."

Noatak smiled. "We were never really enemies," he reminded him, "Just two fools. But we were always brothers."

"Yes," Tarrlok agreed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Always."

Zolt sat at the head of a big oval table, eying his cards with confidence. He was in an estate near a mountain peak, looking out a huge facade that overlooked Republic City's skyline, with guards standing against the walls and a fireplace crackling away.

But today, a blizzard was raging, wind howling into the night, snow blowing sideways and piling up outside. He was still at the top of the world, the mused.

"Heh, have you heard?" another man drawled, shuffling his cards. "The Agni Kais are still in shambles, fighting each other and the Equalists."

"They got no one like you, boss," a third man chimed in. "No one strong enough to hold 'em together."

Zolt smirked, eyeing the big table of his fellow gangsters. "And the Monsoons have gone soft, and gone underground. This whole city is ours for the taking," he gloated. "And we're going to make sure it stays-"

The glass windows shattered, and a flood of snow poured into the room, knocking the gangsters out of their seats. Four figures in identical black jumpsuits and masks lept into the room, one with snow whips jutting from her arms like an octopus, another with a spinning bola, all in fighting stances.

The woman immediately threw the bola and snagged a standing guard's legs, tripping him up, while another let loose a blast of fire that slammed him into the wall. Two more were knocked out by whips of snow from the waterbender as the rest stammered to their feet.

Guards and gangsters jumped in front of their boss and started to retaliate with fire, water, and earth. Zolt, furious, dropped to a lighting bending stance, and let loose an arc of electricity.

One of the intruders raised a wall of earth just in time, grounding the lighting and giving the others some cover as he intercepted other blast. The firebender retaliated in kind, sending furious kicks and stabs of flame towards the crowd surrounding Zolt, who was forced to dodge aside.

As elements pounded the wall, the firebender had to step back, and another intruder rolled out of the way... but they all made the mistake of ignoring the waterbender for too long. Like something from a horror mover, tentacles of snow and water whipped around the room, wrapping around arms and legs, pulling people off their feet and slamming them into walls.

The apparent nonbender of the group dashed forward as fire and snow slammed into Zolt's guards, ducking under their blasts, their punches, and tripping another along the way. Standing out of a roll, she pushed Zolt's arm into the air just before he unleashed more lighting, sending it into the roof, and chi blocked his free side with her free arm.

Before long, all the gangsters and guards were unconscious, and Zolt himself was chi blocked and immobilized on the ground, with the nonbender kneeling over his body.

"Screw yourself!" Zolt spat. "This place will be swarming with cops in minutes."

"Oh, we cut the lines and jammed the radio," she informed him, just as the Earthbender melted the only entrance into the room into lava. "We have time to chat."

"Nice place you got here," the firebender quipped. "Sure is a shame it got torn up, huh?"

"When my boys get here, I'm gonna-" Zolt started.

Asami lifted Zolt by his collar and slammed him into a chair, cold as ice behind her mask. "Listen to me very closely, Zolt. Don't touch the Monsoons. And every drop of dirt you have on anyone, every tip you get, every deal you make and scrap of intelligence you stumble on. You're sending it straight to Councilor Tarrlok, in secret. Got it?"

"Or what?" Zolt challenged. "I'm not scared of some Equalists."

"Oh, we're not Equalists," Ren corrected. "And we're not police either."

The waterbender sauntered over, octopus arms still waving around. "You know the thing about gangsters, Zolt?"

Zolt gulped at the unnatural sight of the ice spikes waving around. "What?"

"You're all like co*ckroaches," Korra explained, leaning in close. "Hard to find, and determined to survive. But if we kill you, another one of you will just scurry into your place," she threatened, gingerly dragging the ice spikes across his face. "So what'll it be, Zolt? You want to survive, or should we start squashing bugs until we find a reasonable Triad?"

Zolt swallowed hard, eying the tentacles, before nodding weakly. "Who in the spirits are you?" he asked nervously.

"Don't worry about that," Sara dismissed. "Just remember, you're working for us now. Let us know where you are, so we can check up on ya. And if you don't, we'll be back, and we won't be so warm and fuzzy like tonight."

Chapter 31: Scarred Souls

Chapter Text

Korra's heart was beating out of her chest. Her mind raced, body paralyzed as everything moved in slow motion. "Ren!"

But there was no response.

She was frozen in Ren's living space, watching helplessly as he levitated his metal dining table in front of him, bruised and bloody, panting, ice spikes protruding through the metal. Ren stomped his foot, hard, and the floor under a Monsoon melted, sending him falling to the first story, only to land in a pile of molten metal.

Phoebe was cowering behind Ren, backed into the kitchen corner, tears streaming from her face.

"Ren, Phoebe, run!" Korra helplessly cried.

An ice block slammed into Ren's chest, and he collapsed against the wall, coughing and wheezing, eyes closed.

"Mister Ren!" Phoebe screamed, running towards him. But a Monsoon grabbed her by the shirt collar, hoisting her off the ground with a smirk on his face, right in front of Korra.

"Phoebe!" Korra wailed, desperately trying to move.

Another Red Monsoon drew a blob of water from what remained of the busted sink, and surrounded Phoebe with it. Korra couldn't look away from Phoebe's expression of sheer terror as water filled her lungs, and ice encased her from the feet up. Her eyes frantically darted around the room, until they too were frozen in place, staring right into Korra's soul as the life left her tiny body...

Korra gasped and shot up out of bed, trembling, covered in sweat, heart racing. She felt like she was drowning, like someone was crushing her lungs.

Naga whined softly, nudging her gently. "Easy girl," Korra whispered, stroking her fur soothingly. "Oh spirits... Maybe a cup of tea will help, huh?"

Korra shuffled downstairs in the dead of night, and headed towards the kitchen, but stopped when she got to Ren's bedroom hallway.

The door to Ren's room was cracked, and she could hear a faint whimper coming from inside. She inched closer, and noticed a dim purple light coming from within.

"Ren? Are you OK in there?" Korra called out, knocking gently on the door. "Do you need help?"

No response.

But the whimpering was getting more intense, turning into cries.

"Ren?" Korra asked again, slowly opening the door.

Inside, she found Ren face down, covered in sweat. His huge back scar was inflamed... and glowing. A purple light emanated from the cracks crisscrossing his skin, pulsing subtly, as if in sync with his beating heart.

Ren cried out again, his face contorted in pain, body trembling like it was being electrocuted.

"Spirits," Korra gasped. She rushed over to Ren, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Wake up! You're having a nightmare!"

Ren's eyes shot open, and he immediately stilled. The glow on his back faded, but the burn was still red and irritated. He breathed heavily for a moment, before their eyes met.

"Korra..." he managed to whisper. He sighed. "Oh spirits. Sorry for waking you up."

"Sorry for waking me?" Korra repeated incredulously. "Ren, your back was glowing! You looked like you were being shocked! What's going on?"

Ren looked away. "I... I get these episodes sometimes," he confessed sheepishly, sitting up. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Korra knew better than to prod Ren by now. He just shuts down when pushed too hard. "It's alright," she reassured him. "I was just getting some tea, wanna join me?"

Ren nodded weakly, climbing out of bed and wrapping a blanket around his waist.

Korra poured them both a steaming cup, and sat down next to him on the sofa. "Here, drink this," she ordered. He took the black tea with two hands, but she noticed a tremble in his grip.

"Are you sure you're OK?" she asked uncertainly.

Their eyes met again. "No," he admitted. "This nightmare was... more real than usual."

"Mine too," Korra confided. "I dreamed of what you told me about Phoebe's death. It was so vivid, like I was there with you."

"Oh," Ren murmured. "Yeah, that was terrible."

Korra teared up. "I'm sorry I left y'all, that I didn't get there sooner."

Ren pulled her into a hug. "It's not your fault."

"I thought you were gonna die too," Korra admitted quietly. "I was so scared..."

Ren started to cry too. "I miss her."

"Me too," Korra agreed, holding him tighter. "I miss Phoebe so much."

Ren could feel a few of Korra's own scars through her shirt. "Do they still hurt?" he eventually asked.

"Some days, yeah. Not physically... but emotionally. Like I've been marked, damaged." she confessed quietly.

"You're not damaged," Ren assured her, pulling away. "But... I guess I know the feeling."

Korra looked Ren in the eye. "Ren, what's going on with your nightmares? Your back..."

Ren looked away, but didn't say anything.

"Can I see your scar? Feel it?" Korra asked earnestly.

Ren hesitated. Then he turned around, revealing the scar covering his back. Up close, it looked like he'd just been struck by lightning.

Korra bent some water from the sink and wrapped her hands in a glowing bubble, before touching his back lightly. "Does that feel better?"

Ren winced, gritting his teeth. "Not exactly."

Korra looked down, and saw the cracks glowing under her hands. She dropped the healing water, and the glow faded once more. "What is this?" she asked. "It feels... spiritual?"

Ren sighed, and nodded. "That's because it is."

Korra turned his shoulders towards her. "Ren, talk to me."

"I can't," Ren denied.

"Please," Korra quietly pleaded.

Ren made the mistake of looking back into Korra's blue eyes. They were pleading, desperate, boring straight into his soul in a way only Korra could.

A wall around his heart cracked, one he thought would never break...

Not for anything.

"You'll hate me," Ren whispered. "You'll regret hearing it."

"I won't," Korra promised. "I swear."

Ren rubbed his face with his hands. "I never think about this. Not when I'm awake. It's too hard..."

"Try," Korra encouraged.

Ren took a deep breath. "My hometown... is Bao Shui."

"Wait, I've heard of Bao Shui," Korra remembered. "Didn't it-"

"Get dragged into the spirit world?" Ren finished for her.

Korra nodded. "Yeah. I read about it in training. They said it was an angry spirit."

Ren shook his head. "That's just what people assumed," he started, recalling memories he had thoroughly compartmentalized as they trickled back into his mind.

Ren took a long breath, and ice-cold air filled his lungs. The sun shone on his back. He was a little winded, but transfixed by the view before him.

Nestled in a bowl between steep mountain peaks was his home, Bao Shui, glittering like a gem in the shadow of the cliffs. The top of a frozen waterfall was barely lit in the evening sun, cascading down to a stream that followed a narrow path out of the valley.

"Come on, slowpoke!" Kylie jeered. "Get your head out of the clouds!"

Ren shook his head. "Right, yeah." He pushed off with his poles and went flying down the mountain, chasing his sister and dad as they carved their way through fresh powder. Thanks to the meteor impact that formed the bowl long ago, the slope was kinda rocky, but nothing a little earthbending here and there couldn't smooth out.

Dad skidded to a stop. He ran his hand over a big outcropping sticking out of the ground, dust floating around his gloves. "Look at this, kids!" he called out with a smile. "Put your hand over the boulder, feel what's inside."

"...It's meteor metal," Kylie gasped. "I can feel it, deep inside."

"Yep," he confirmed. "Cobalt and nickel too, from what it feels like."

"You're such a nerd, dad," Kylie teased.

"A proud nerd," he retorted. "And don't you forget it!"

The three drug the boulder back to a two-story house just outside the main town, made entirely of metal and stone. They plopped it into a pile of exotic ores and deposits outside the workshop, bent off their metal skis, and walked inside.

"That smells incredible, honey!" Dad enthused, wrapping his arms around mom from behind and planting a kiss on her cheek. "Almost as incredible as you look."

Mom giggled and shook her head. "You say that every day, you big oaf," she joked.

"That's because it's always true!" he insisted, giving her another quick peck. "How goes the project? Is Zaofu still funding it?"

"No, and it's their loss," she huffed. "But it's amazing!" Mom turned to the side and wrapped her arms around Dad's neck. "With the spirit vines, those incredible alloys of yours, a few electronics... We're going to change the world, honey," she cooed, planting a quick kiss on his lips, and smiling warmly. "We're going to make a brighter future for Kylie and Ren..."

"Honey, what are you doing!?" dad yelled as Ren looked on. He had never seen them fight, not even yell at each other.

Mom tossed another contraption into dad's forge, along with a notebook. "What does it look like I'm doing!?" she snapped.

Dad teared up a little. "This was our magnum opus. We were going to change the world. What's gotten into you?"

"Don't bring it up again," she warned. "We can't continue the project."

"Why?" he demanded. "What happened?"

"I... I can't say why," she admitted sadly.

"Now you're keeping secrets for me?" dad accused. "After everything we've been through together?"

Mom looked away. Dad closed his eyes, and stormed out of the room.

She looked to the side and saw Ren peeking around the corner, his eyes wide. "Oh sweetie..."

"Mom, what's happening?" Ren asked nervously.

She walked over to Ren, taking his hand into hers. "Ren, everything I taught you about the spirit vine project... You cannot repeat a word of it to anyone. Not your sister, not your father. Forget it ever existed. Do you understand?"

Ren nodded slowly. "Why?"

"You don't want to know, sweetie," she said softly. "Just trust me."

Ren was back in mom and dad's wondrous workshop, built off the side of their house. It was plated in metal, stuffed with equipment and tech that would make Zaofu's head of research green with envy. Dad's messy notes and musings were tucked away in random places, while mom's immaculate journals lay neatly stacked on shelves...

This was Ren's favorite place in the world.

...But not anymore. Now, it was his waking nightmare.

Ren felt a hand on his back, and flinched violently.

"Easy, Ren," Kylie soothed. "Are you OK?"

"OK? Kylie, we're imprisoned in our own home, designing horrible things for Giam. How could I possibly be OK?" Ren cried. "Why do we even do this? I feel-"

"Ren, look at me," Kylie urged him, cutting him off.

Ren reluctantly met her gaze.

"We can't just stop and die. We have to survive, for mom, for dad, for Mera, Goro, and all our friends. We owe it to their memory," she argued, squeezing his shoulder hard. "Focus on the good things we make, and the little bits of freedom we get... like that steam turbine we perfected last week. It's going to help so many people."

Ren wiped tears from his eyes. "I guess," he agreed weakly. "You're always right, sis."

Kylie smiled weakly. "Watcha working on now?"

Ren sighed. "Something desperate. A project of mom's," he revealed.

"Mom's?" Kylie asked, examining a vine in her hand. "What are these roots?"

"Spirit vines from the foggy swamp. A new power source, maybe," Ren explained.

"Mmm, Mom always wanted to power the world," Kylie mused.

"Yeah. She told me not to work on this, but... I have to know what she found," Ren confessed. "It's like I'm missing a part of her."

"I know the feeling." Kylie turned to look at a metallic orb the size of a beach ball. "What's this sphere?"

"It's just a stupid bomb I threw together to placate Giam," Ren muttered. "It gets the spirit vines in a positive feedback loop. Probably doesn't even work that well."

Kylie stood next to Ren, bumping his shoulder as she looked on. "It's no different from all the other bombs we made," she sighed. "Giam wants a hundred ways to blow someone up."

Ren nodded sadly. "But you're right... I'm using it to buy time, and make something productive out of this mess. Maybe these vines can still brighten the world, even if they don't brighten ours."

Before long, Ren was standing on a metal platform with a bored, sad, dejected look. It was a few peaks away from his home, overlooking a weapons testing range built into cragged terrain between mountains. The sun hid behind the mountains, casting the valley in a shadow.

"I have a good feeling about this," General Giam enthused, standing straight and proud. He was a burly, tall man with a graying beard, a missing eye, and a missing arm. Metal replacements took their place, with Giam controlling his metal limb with bending, just like it was flesh.

"It's just another bomb," Ren quietly protested. "Another way to kill people."

Giam turned to Ren. "When will you ever see our vision, Ren? We are bringing order to chaos, and justice to the world. Queen Hou-Ting is a tyrant that needs to be removed..."

Ren didn't say anything as the general rambled.

Giam was a madman, he thought. His idea of world peace was holding an isolated mining and research town hostage with a rogue army. He had imprisoned teenagers doing research, for spirits sake.

It wasn't worth refuting his power fantasies. Ren barely had the energy to argue, or even get out of bed. So he just stared into the distance, waiting for a little puff of flame and electricity from the test bomb so he could go home... totally unaware that the world was about to change.

And all of a sudden, Ren's vision went white. Heat seared his face and arms.

He blinked, trying to clear his eyes. After a few seconds, he wasn't sure he was seeing things right.

The entire mountain range was lit up with intense purple light, brighter than a summer day. And in the center, a ball of flickering purple-white light sat on the ground, like the sun had fallen from the sky.

A shockwave streaked past the platform, and Giam just barely held it in place with his metalbending. A horrible roar filled Ren's ears, like a sea of thunder that wouldn't stop booming.

...Which is exactly what was happening. As the light dimmed, Ren could discern hundreds of arcs of electricity tearing up the Earth every second, leaving craters and trenches everywhere. The air smelled of ozone, of electric energy, even from so far away. Distant soldiers closer to the blast were on the ground, dead, yet spasming and convulsing.

Tears streamed from Ren's eyes as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing...

What he had done.

Yet Giam had a manic smile on his face. "YES! YES!" he screamed. He grabbed a totally stunned Ren by the shoulders. "You did it! This is how we defeat the Earth Queen!"

Ren sat there, processing for several seconds. "...You can't be serious," he finally managed to stammer. "That was unspeakable. You want to make another one?"

Giam smiled. "No, we are going to make thousands!" he declared, eyes wide. "We will conquer the entire Earth Kingdom, and no one will dare oppose us..."

"There's got to be another way," Kylie whispered.

Feeling the internal mechanisms in the big sphere, Ren set the timer he had snuck into the design with his metalbending. "If you have any ideas, I'm listening," he replied

Kylie was silent for a long moment, her expression shifting from frustration to dejection.

"Giam has blueprints and prototypes stashed all over town. He's going to start deploying them in days. Kylie, if this design ever gets out, if anyone realizes its even possible..." Ren trailed off.

Kylie closed her eyes. "How long?"

"Twenty minutes before the next guard comes in," Ren answered. "So that's what I set the fuse for. It's as long as I can make it before they defuse it."

"No one in town listened, they thought I was crazy," Kylie admitted.

"Can you blame them? Telling them to run, when that's almost certain death anyway?" Ren countered.

Kylie shook her head. "Spirits forgive us..."

Ren stammered out of the way of a soldier that tried to crush them with a rock. He raised his arms, moving them in small, quick circles, burning the soldier alive inside his boiling hot metal armor. The soldier screamed, falling to the ground, and Kylie crushed his metal armor around him for good measure.

"Come on!" Ren called out. "We've got to keep moving!"

"Can't we try warning the town again!?" Kylie cried between breaths as she ran behind Ren. "Just some of them?"

Ren teared up a little. "You know we can't. We can't even get back in time," Ren huffed.

Kylie wiped her face as she ran. "How bad is it going to be?"

Ren didn't say anything. There was nothing to say. He just kept running down the road.

They hit a crest, and the valley was starting to narrow. They were almost free, out of line of sight.

And then, it went off.

Ren felt a blazing heat on his back as the flash hit. And then his world turned to fire as a stray arc from the spirit vine bomb hit him in the back.

"Ren!" Kylie cried out as her brother fell to the ground, spasming hard.

Ren's vision went white as withering pain consumed his entire body. It felt like his soul was burning out of his back, like molten lava was flowing through his veins and electricity was frying every nerve.

The shockwave hit after what felt like forever, and Ren mercifully lost consciousness just as that horrible roar of thunder reached its peak.

"Ren!" Korra screamed, shaking him to his senses.

Ren blinked, trying to clear the tears from his eyes as he came back to reality.

"Your whole body was shaking! Your back was glowing again!" Korra exclaimed.

Ren desperately hugged her, resting his chin on her shoulder, unable to form words.

"It's OK," Korra assured him. "You're here now."

Ren pulled away and nodded, still shaky. "Whenever I think of getting struck by the bomb, the memory pulls me in, and my back flares up, like its burned into my mind and soul too. It's why I don't like to think back to Bao Shui."

"That's horrible," Korra murmured. "So Bao Shui..."

"Was destroyed," Ren finished for her. "By me."

Korra grabbed his hand. "It's not your fault."

Ren pulled it away. "It is. It was my design, my prototype, and I set the fuse, all in spite of my mother's warning," he said bitterly.

"I get it," Korra insisted.

"Do you? I built a bomb that can annihilate armies, break the walls of Ba Sing Se. With a few tweaks, it can wipe out entire towns," Ren argued. "The design isn't even that complex... Korra, you're living with a monster."

Korra squeezed his arm gently. "Ren, listen to me, I get it. I would have done the same things."

"...What?" Ren asked incredulously.

"You didn't design that thing on purpose, and you just wanted to understand your mom after she was gone. I would have wanted that too," Korra admitted honestly. "And I understand why you destroyed the town. If you hadn't..."

"The design would have gotten out," Ren murmured. "One way or another."

"And it would have thrown the world into chaos. Those bombs would be everywhere, and it would be worse than any war," Korra agreed.

"I still made that choice. I killed all those people, my friends and neighbors," Ren argued.

Korra got up and kneeled in front of him, meeting his gaze. "Ren, I'm the Avatar. I've already killed masses of people. My predecessors annihilated armies, shaped nations... And I'll have to make impossible choices too. I understand what it's like to wield such destructive power," she confessed. "It's soul crushing. But it doesn't make you a monster."

Ren started crying, feeling overwhelmed. "I can't believe this... I swore on the Avatar Spirit I would never breathe a word of this again."

Korra put a hand on his knee. "Well the Avatar Spirit is sitting right here," she quipped. "And I'm glad you told me. I'm glad I found someone else that understands that burden, and that I finally understand yours."

Ren leaned forward and wrapped Korra in a tight hug, shedding tears onto her shoulder, and Korra returned the embrace.

He didn't know what to do. He told her his darkest secret, and Korra didn't just accept it...

She understood.

Chapter 32: A Leaf in the Wind

Chapter Text

Korra stood in front of the airbending gates, the sun shining brightly overhead. There was a strong breeze today, blowing Tenzin's and Korra's airbender robes, as well as Naga's fur.

Jinora popped out of the spinning gates, giving a small bow to her father, before Tenzin continued. "The key to the airbender gates is to be like the leaf. Flow with the movement of the gates," he instructed. He released a leaf to prove his point, which flowed through the gates without ever hitting the sides.

"Seems easy enough," Korra observed.

Tenzin rolled his eyes. "We will see." That elicited a giggle from Jinora, before she blasted the gates to get then spinning faster.

Tenzin watched his pupil prepare herself, remembering the hotheaded girl he had trained years ago. Korra may be a water Avatar, but air was her diametric element. She preferred to endure, adapt, then attack, never avoid. He winced in anticipation.

She dove in... and his eyes widened. Korra flowed through the gates like a breeze, light on her feet, spinning to avoid collisions effortlessly. She was graceful, fluid, like a leaf caught in the wind.

Korra re-emerged, with a big, but confused smile on her face. "That was it?" she asked skeptically.

"...Yes, that was excellent form," Tenzin stammered. "You moved just like an airbender."

Korra's smile turned into a smirk, and she crossed her arms. "You didn't think I could do it, did you?" she challenged.

"I admit, air has been a weakness for you, Korra. Where did you learn to move like that?" he asked.

Korra's smile weakened, and she looked down. "Oh I don't know... maybe dodging attacks from a dozen masters at once, with combustion blasts, lightning, or lava thrown in for fun? My life kinda depended on it."

"Was that really how the White Lotus trained you?" Tenzin asked incredulously. "That many masters attacked you with full contact? Subelements? On a regular basis?"

Korra nodded sadly. "All day. Sometimes it was more."

Jinora tried to avoid imagining such a thing. "That sounds awful," she whispered.

Tenzin sighed, and shook away his own guilt. "It's time for midday meditation, anyway. Let's go to the pagoda."

Korra and the kids sat in a line, legs crossed, hands resting on their knees. Tenzin sat in front, leading them in meditation.

"Relax. Breathe, and focus on your chi. Feel it flowing through your body," Tenzin repeated once more. "Breathe in."

Everyone inhaled

"And out."

They exhaled.

Tenzin cracked his eyes to see how his students were doing. This is far longer than he had ever seen Korra sit still for. But she was doing fine, eyes closed, breathing evenly.

"Korra, what is that small flame in your hands?" Tenzin asked curiously.

Korra opened her eyes slightly. "It helps me concentrate," she explained. "Sara taught it to me."

Tenzin raised an eyebrow.

"Really," she said, taking another deep breath. The flame grew as she inhaled, and shrunk as she exhaled. "It helps me direct my energy. I can almost focus well enough to meditate into the spirit world, but the last step is tricky."

"By yourself?" Tenzin wondered aloud.

"Mhm," Korra confirmed, closing her eyes once more.

"Oh, oh, can we go to the spirit world, daddy!?" Ikki piped up enthusiastically.

"No," Tenzin answered bluntly.

"Why not?" Meelo complained.

Tenzin looked to the side. "Because I have never been to the spirit world," he confessed. "I know the techniques by heart, but I never successfully visited it myself."

"Awwww," the kids groaned collectively.

Tenzin got up. "That's enough meditation for today. Go play," he dismissed.

Ikki and Meelo cheered, and bounded off. Jinora gave Korra and dad another glance before following them.

Korra stretched out her legs, and joined Tenzin by the railing, looking out to the sea. "You OK, Sifu?" she asked in concern.

Tenzin sighed. "I am not sure that I deserve to teach you, Korra," he admitted sadly. "You have learned more in my absence than you ever did during our lessons."

Korra put her hand on his shoulder. "That's not true. You taught me the forms, the basics. I was stubborn. And I just... I needed freedom."

"As my father said," Tenzin mused.

"Aang is so proud of you," Korra reminded him. "And yeah, he said my isolation suppressed my airbending. But he also told me that no one is perfect. Especially not the Avatar." She leaned forward to meet his gaze. "I need you, Tenzin. Even if you aren't perfect at everything, even if we've made mistakes, I have so much to learn from you."

Tenzin smiled weakly. "When did you become so wise, Korra?"

Korra laughed. "I'm not. It's just bits that have rubbed off from others, including my old airbending master," she teased. "Come on, can we spar? I've been dying to try out my airbending on you."

Tenzin and Korra circled in the sparring ring, eyeing each other closely. Korra let loose a blast of wind, and then a kick, with the whistle of airbending echoing through the courtyard.

"Good technique," Tenzin complimented, ducking underneath the blast. He leaped into the air, spinning over Korra, and landed behind her.

Korra quickly spun around to counter, swatting away a blast. "Yeah, I could barely blow a puff of air when I was training," she admitted.

Korra went on the attack again, spinning around and giving Tenzin the best blast of wind she could muster. He danced around it, dropped to one foot, and spread his other foot and hands apart in a T pose, surprising Korra with a strong blast.

It hit her square in the gut, sending her flying backwards. "Oof," she grunted, landing on her backside.

Tenzin jogged over to her. "Korra? Are you alright?"

Korra smiled, and took his hand. "Yeah. I've just got a lot to learn, huh?"

Tenzin returned the smile, and pulled her up. "Yes. Perhaps we both do."

Meanwhile, on a rooftop café on a skyscraper in Republic City, Sara literally felt like she was on top of the world. She had a fancy fruit drink in one hand, and the other wrapped around the heiress to Future Industries, sitting in her lap as they looked out at Yue Bay. The wind was strong and chilly, so she warmed them both with gentle firebending, which made Asami melt into her even more.

"How goes the conspiracy?" Sara asked, immensely enjoying the warmth of her lover.

"It's actually working, which is crazy," Asami marveled. "We focused the protests, which no one seems to mind. And I already found two moles working under Lin and Tarrlok. It was so weird hearing either of them say 'thank you'... and that's just my end."

"No word on the airbenders?" Sara asked.

"Nothing," Asami admitted.

Sara sighed. "I don't get it. It seemed like the woman just wanted info, which doesn't line up with the bombings and other stuff."

"I know," Asami agreed. "And she wanted the Equalists strong? I don't like that. It feels like we're walking into a trap."

Sara nodded. "Yeah."

After a quiet moment, Asami quickly signed a bill that came to her, and handed it back to the waiter.

Sara's face dropped a little. "I know we love each other but... does my less than wealthy background ever cross your mind? Like, do you ever wonder if you should be dating someone in your social class?"

"I shouldn't even dignify that with an answer," Asami dismissed. "But let's set aside all the incredible things you've done for a second. I don't care. I would drag you to the most snooty party full of queens and princes, and proudly show you off to every single person there, just like we did at the ball. It wasn't an act, Sara."

Sara hugged her tighter. "I'm glad you feel that way. I've got it bad for you, Asami," she quietly confessed.

"Me too," Asami whispered, kissing Sara on the cheek.

As a wobbly ball of air formed underneath her, Korra started to spin around like a top, before toppling over and falling onto her butt. She groaned, flopped onto the ground and stared into the air.

Jinora walked over to her, giggling. "You're getting better," she assured her.

"Man, that's hard," Korra complained. "I don't think I'm cut out for the air scooter."

"It's alright. Before long, we'll teach you how to use a glider staff..." Jinora trailed off, looking in the distance.

Korra stood up. They were in Ren's garage, with some space cleared out for airbending practice, but Jinora's mind was out the window.

"Pretty cute, huh?" Korra teased, eyeing the yellow eyed teen walking around the corner. "I saw you two hitting it off earlier."

Jinora blushed bright red. "He's nice," she barely managed to squeak out.

Korra laughed and wrapped her in a sideways hug. "Invite him over sometime. It'll be our little secret."

Jinora nodded, and smiled shyly. "Korra?"

"Hmm?" Korra asked.

Jinora lowered her head a little. "I'm so sorry we stopped visiting you in training. We thought you were focusing, we didn't know, we-"

"It's alright," Korra interrupted, tightening the sideways hug. "I missed y'all, so much."

"You were like my big sister," Jinora admitted, hugging her back.

"And you're still my little sister," Korra assured her. "I'm here now. And I'm sorry too."

Chapter 33: The Stakeout

Chapter Text

Korra woke up before sunrise, and slipped out of the loft. She dressed in simple black clothes, and tucked her bob under a beanie. Her face was hidden behind a nondescript mask

She crept down the stairs, and peeked into Ren's bedroom. Her friend was fast asleep, snoring softly.

Korra tiptoed outside, and hopped onto Naga's back. She rode silently along the streets of Republic City, passing sleeping residents and empty shops.

Eventually, she arrived at ab Equalist hideout, where she spotted Noatak standing near the entrance. He was dressed in a black jumpsuit, and had abandoned the white theatrical mask of his former life for subdued mask matching the color of his suit.

"Avatar Korra," Noatak greeted her respectfully.

"Noatak," she responded, dismounting from Naga.

"No friends accompanying you for this operation?" Noatak asked cautiously.

"Just us," Korra assured him. "No need to tip our hand in case anyone is watching. Besides, this should be easy, right?"

"Perhaps," Noatak agreed.

Korra hid Naga away. Just down the block, the pair assumed their position on top of a single-story shop, overlooking a bustling warehouse close to downtown. Even at this hour, it was abuzz with activity, with trucks driving in and out, workers loading cargo, lights burning brightly throughout, lighting up the dark streets surrounding it.

Noatak and Korra laid prone, keeping an eye on the front door of the facility. They saw a high end satomobile drive in, just as expected.

Korra sighed. "And now we wait."

"Yes," Noatak agreed.

A long silence passed, filled only with the sounds of the city below, before Korra finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry for knocking you out and tying you up earlier," she apologized. "But you were just being so stubborn. You couldn't see that you and your brother were on the same page."

Noatak nodded. "I understand," he assured her. "Perhaps it's precisely what I needed."

"How are you two holding up?" Korra wondered aloud.

Noatak paused. "Believe it or not, Tarrlok has a good heart," he reflected. "It is what drives him to act with such zeal against crime. And it's something I had long forgotten, but that I am learning to appreciate once more."

Korra smiled. "I'm glad."

"And you, Korra. How are things between you and Ren?" Noatak asked curiously.

"What do you mean?" Korra countered defensively.

Noatak hesitated. "I apologize. I assumed you were closer than friends, given your circ*mstances," Noatak corrected.

"We are close," Korra affirmed. "We trust each other. We share a lot of secrets. We share a lot in general, I guess."

"...I am confused. It sounds as if you are describing something beyond friendship," Noatak pointed out.

Korra bit her lip. "We... we are just friends. Good ones."

Noatak eyed her quizzically.

"What?" Korra demanded.

Noatak raised an eyebrow.

"What!?" Korra yelled.

"Just an amusing thought. I will tell you some other time," he demurred, turning his attention back to the warehouse.

Korra huffed, crossing her arms. "Fine."

They waited in silence for a long time, just before the morning sun started peeking above the horizon.

"It is time. Be ready," Noatak warned. "Masks down."

"Right," Korra agreed, pulling her mask down over her face. She placed her hands on the ledge beside her, preparing to jump.

A large convoy of unmarked trucks drove up to the warehouse, circling the building and parking strategically. The doors burst open, and cops wearing full armor and helmets exited the vehicles.

"Freeze!" Tarrlok shouted. "Hands up, you're surrounded!"

A fight ensued, with fire, ice, and chunks of concrete flying everywhere. The firebending Agni Kai gangsters put up a fierce but hopeless fight.

And, as expected, the high end satomobile had already stealthily left out the back, and was approaching an alleyway just past Korra's and Noatak's perch.

The pair jumped down in unison and flooded the street using a nearby sewer. They iced it, and their target missed the turn, slamming into the wall instead.

The driver frantically tried to reverse, but Noatak had anticipated this. He bent a pillar of ice under the car, raising its rear wheels into the air.

"Out, now!" Korra barked, pointing at the driver. He ran off, and Korra opened the door to the passenger seat. "Councilor Yu. What a pleasure to find you here," she mocked.

Yu was frozen in shock, unable to speak.

"Right this way, Councilor," Korra cooed, grabbing his arm and yanking him out of the vehicle.

As sounds of the raid echoed through the streets, with blasts of fire clanging against metal, Korra spotted Tarrlok calmly walking towards her.

"Quite an escape, Councilor Yu. If I didn't know any better, I'd say someone informed you of my raid ahead of time," Tarrlok accused.

Yu was speechless.

"I will make this very simple for you, Yu. You are being arrested, and how that plays out depends entirely on you," he threatened. "I have a mountain of evidence against you. I can use every bit of it to send you to prison," he warned. "Or, you can tell me everything you know, without exception. You can reject your donors and vote with me, when necessary. And when I am done with you, I will release just enough evidence to force you to retire in shame."

Yu hesitated, but eventually nodded.

"Good choice," Noatak approved, gesturing to the waiting police officers.

Yu was taken away. Tarrlok looked back, and gave his masked brother a nod.

Noatak smiled behind his mask. "Easy enough indeed."

Later that day, a man in his late twenties with a Fire Nation complexion and piercing golden eyes sat at a bench, soaking in the midday sun in Republic City Park while impatiently tapping his fingers. He wore light metal armor, colored dark red, content to be open with his identity without flaunting it.

His contact was late. They were often late, much to his annoyance, but they rarely missed meetings. He was starting to worry.

He felt someone sit down next to him, and relief washed over him. But when he turned to face the newcomer, he froze in surprise.

"Zenjin," Azula greeted him formally.

"Grandmother," Zenjin gasped, trying to keep his composure. "Lady Azula, what brings you to Republic City?"

"I could ask you the same question," Azula replied, looking straight ahead. "But to answer yours, I am here on extended business. There are matters of importance to the Fire Nation I must attend to. I was on my way to meet an associate, and to my surprise, I found you here."

"Of course," Zenjin replied. "I am here on a sabbatical, seeing if Republic City lives up to its reputation."

"And what do you think so far?" Azula asked curiously.

"It is certainly different," Zenjin mused. "Quite a melting pot, though not without its flaws and burns."

Azula smirked. "Indeed. It is not what I expected either, though not all the surprises have been unpleasant."

Zenjin studied his grandmother carefully, but he didn't know why he bothered. Azula is a perfect liar. "Your protégé has caused quite a stir," he commented casually. "Have you run into her yet?"

"I have not. It appears the Avatar wishes to retain her privacy," Azula lied. "But that is her prerogative." She stood up. "I have a meeting to make, but my airship is moored on Air Temple Island. Please, come and visit when you have the time," she offered with a smile.

"Of course, grandmother," Zenjin accepted politely.

Azula walked away, leaving Zenjin to contemplate the meeting.

There were no coincidences with his grandmother. She did not accidentally stumble upon her grandson.

But he knew one thing. Azula wasn't in Republic City to observe Zenjin. While she was protective over the royal family, Azula expressed little love for anything, much less own grandchildren, who never quite met her exacting standards. No, whatever she was doing here, it had something to do with her favored apprentice.

Zenjin would have to be far more careful. But he would not let this complication dilute his mission.

Chapter 34: The Guru

Chapter Text

Sara took a deep breath, and eyed her target.

It was late dusk on the Sato Estate, with clouds rolling in overhead and the wind picking up. Sara stood in one of the estate's courtyards, where she had target dummies set up. She adopted a light stance, and with a punch, sent a fast bolt of fire at the nearest dummy.

She inhaled deeply, and exhaled again, before continuing her routine.

Sara sent bolt after bolt at the dummies surrounding her, high and low. Her kicks were quick, punches swift, honed from her short career in the pro-bending league. The bolts lit up the darkening courtyard like bright fireflies, and illuminated the fierce look in Sara's eyes.

"I know I always say it, but you're incredible to watch," Asami praised, leaning against a pillar. "You're firebending is so much punchier than regular bending, or even most pro benders."

"Glad you're enjoying it," Sara acknowledged with a smile, trying not breaking concentration... which was hard with Asami around. She knocked another two dummies out in quick succession, and finished with a powerful roundhouse kick.

"Korra!" a faint voice called in the distance.

"Did you hear that?" Asami asked uncertainly.

Sara shook her head. With sweat dripping from her brow, she started the last set, pushing herself to her limit as dummy after dummy fell.

Finally, the last dummy went down, and Sara slumped down onto a bench, breathing heavily. Just as she took a sip of water, she felt a strong gust of wind blow across her back.

"Master Tenzin!" Asami called out happily, walking over to greet him. "What brings you here?"

"Miss Sato," he greeted with a formal Air Nomad bow, holding his glider staff in one hand.

"Please, just call me Asami," she encouraged.

"Asami," he corrected with a smile. "I was trying to find Korra, and saw a firebending display from the air. It wasn't her usual blue fire, but it was so impressive, I thought it might be her."

"Oh, I'm afraid that's me. Sorry about that," Sara admitted, giving Tenzin a formal bow. "Korra isn't here right now. Honestly, I dunno what kind of trouble she's gotten herself into."

Tenzin returned the bow. "That's quite alright. Your routine was remarkable to behold, Miss...?"

"Sara," she introduced herself simply, with a small smile. "It's an honor to meet you Master Tenzin."

"The honor is mine," Tenzin assured her. "Wait. Sara... Are you Korra's spiritual guide?"

"That's a generous way of putting it," Sara quipped. "But I guess you could say that."

Tenzin smiled. "I'm glad. She's made remarkable progress thanks to you."

"Yeah, that poor Avatar needs all the spiritual help she can get," Sara said with a laugh. "I hope you can help her further, Master Tenzin."

Tenzin sighed. "I'm afraid I haven't been the best teacher," he confessed.

"Korra is just wired different from your typical spiritual guru, to say the least," Sara reassured him.

"Oh, that she is," Tenzin agreed, shaking his head.

"I think that's why we click. I'm kinda wired the same way," Sara confided. "Actually, I was just going to mediate as a cool down. I'd be honored learn from an Air Nomad, if you care to join me?"

"I would be delighted," Tenzin accepted graciously. "I am curious to see how you meditate. Perhaps it will give me some insight into Korra's struggles."

"And I'll watch over you two," Asami added. "Sara's working on me, but deep meditation isn't quite my thing."

Sara picked the highest staircase on the estate, overlooking all of Republic City, next to a statue of Avatar Kyoshi. "This is one of my favorite spots on the estate," Asami admitted.

"What a wonderful view," Tenzin remarked, sitting down cross-legged.

"It's nice to look at the city from a different angle," Sara agreed. She took a deep breath in, and exhaled.

"You focus on breathing too." Tenzin noticed.

"Yeah. When bending fire, power comes from the breath," Sara explained. "I take full, powerful breaths at a steady pace, to build up energy while calming myself."

Tenzin repeated the motion, filling his lungs with the cool evening air, and completely exhaling. He continued to breathe deeply, until Sara spawned a small flame in her palms.

"You may have already seen Korra do this. This gives us a focus for our energy, and an outlet, if we need it," she explained.

"Hmm. I suppose I could see the benefit," Tenzin mused. He opened his own palms, and experimentally spawned a tiny vortex of air. He could feel the connection with his element in his core. "Yes, I can see how useful this might be."

Sara smiled. "Nice," she complimented. "And I can already tell you're more energetic than you let on, Master Tenzin. I think this is going to be an interesting experience."

Tenzin sighed again. "Yes, I am afraid I inherited some hot blood from my mother," he joked. "It has been a... challenge, controlling it."

Sara nodded. "Now look out at the horizon, Master Tenzin, where the ground and sky meet. Hold the image in your mind as you close your eyes," she instructed.

Tenzin followed her instructions, closing his eyes and imagining the scene before him. He saw Republic City's lights, brighter than ever, twinkling against the fading daylight.

"Instead of suppressing your energy, use it. Try to reach out to those lights, and pull them closer. Pull yourself towards them with all your strength," Sara urged him.

It went against decades of his own training, but Tenzin tried. He focused hard, stretching out with his chi, reaching for the stars, for the lights of the city... It became brighter, and brighter, fading into a white void.

He felt himself falling, and his training kicked in. Tenzin caught himself with his glider, and flew high into the void, higher and higher... until his vision went completely white.

Tenzin opened his eyes, and found himself in a surreal field of mountain flowers. The terrain resembled Republic City, but was covered in lush grass, and towering trees of every color.

Sara stepped beside him. "Welcome to the spirit world, Master Tenzin."

Tenzin blinked several times. "After all these years..."

"I didn't help you much, either," Sara pointed out. "You made the final jump on your own."

Tenzin smiled weakly, and nodded.

"Come on, I've got a spot I think you'll enjoy," Sara said, offering her hand.

Tenzin took it, and they walked together into the strange wilderness. Though a winding trail, they ended up at a waterfall, stretching into the sky across a sheer cliff, and near its base was an open temple, with 3 stone pillars and markings carved into its stone surface.

"I think it's supposed to be an airbender temple," Sara said with uncertainty.

Tenzin kneeled down and inspected the markings in the stone. "It's ancient. These are the earliest known Air Nomad writings and symbols," he marveled. "I don't even recognize some of them."

A spirit that resembled an eagle landed on Tenzin's shoulder. "Are you an Air Nomad!?" it asked excitedly.

Tenzin nodded. "I am," he replied, stroking the spirit affectionately.

It leaned into Tenzin's touch. "We haven't seen Air Nomads in so long! Where have they been?"

"They died out," Tenzin explained sadly. "I am among the last remaining."

"That's terrible..." the spirit lamented. "But you're back!" It made a squawking sound, and more spirits started appearing from nowhere, landing on Tenzin's shoulders, arms, and his bald head.

"They used to tell us stories about Air Nomads," one spirit chirped.

"And we would tell them back!" another remembered. "Or tell them our own."

Tenzin's eyes misted. "I would love nothing more than to hear a story from my ancestors..."

Eventually, late into the night, Sara and Tenzin left the spirit realm, returning to the estate.

Tenzin wiped an eye as he sat up, and he found that he couldn't stop smiling.

"Not bad, huh?" Sara asked, grinning widely.

Tenzin nodded mutely, feeling warmth inside. "That was incredible. I can't thank you enough, Sara," he finally said with a deep bow. "The Avatar could not be in better hands."

Sara smiled and returned the bow. "Anytime, really," she promised. "The honor was mine."

Tenzin rubbed his beard. "Sara, would you happen to be looking for a job?"

"A job?" Sara echoed, tilting her head.

"Well," Tenzin began. "I would give anything for my children to experience what I have today," he started. "And to have a powerful bender I trust implicitly on the island, watching over my family... Sara, whenever you can make the time, I would love for you to teach my children what you taught me. It would be a privilege to have you on Air Temple island. I assure you, I would compensate you generously, and offer you housing, as what you can do for my family is priceless."

Sara gaped. "You want me to live on Air Temple Island? To train your kids?"

"Yes," Tenzin confirmed. "Come and go, as often as you wish. But I would value your presence greatly."

Sara was stunned. She couldn't imagine saying no. "I... I accept. Thank you, Master Tenzin," she managed to choke out.

Tenzin smiled warmly. "Thank you, Sara. I promise you won't regret it."

That night, Sara snuggled up against Asami, spooning her from behind, arms around her waist.

"I'm so happy for you," Asami murmured, kissing her neck.

"Thanks," Sara agreed, nuzzling Asami's cheek. "Just a few years ago, I was at rock bottom. And now I'm going to be teaching spirituality to Master Tenzin's kids, to the Avatar... and even more importantly, I have you."

"I love you, Sara," Asami whispered, turning around to face her.

"I love you too, Asami," Sara agreed, planting a kiss on her lips. "I'll still stay here plenty. I can't stay away from you."

"Don't worry, I'll stay with you on the island some too," Asami promised.

"Really?" Sara asked, hugging her tightly.

"Of course," Asami assured her. "I can't stay away from you either. Not for very long."

"You're my heart, Asami," Sara whispered, kissing her passionately. "My spark."

"And you're my fire, my soul," Asami returned, wrapping her arms around Sara's neck and melting into her embrace. Their hands roamed each other's bodies, exploring every curve, every muscle, and eventually reached lower

Asami could feel Sara unconsciously radiating heat with her firebending as she worked her, and instead of fearing it like she used to, Asami reveled in it. It made her feel alive, connected, loved. And it ignited Sara's own fiery passion, which grew more intense by the moment, until Asami was lost in her own sea of heat, light, and pleasure.

Chapter 35: Freedom and Faith

Chapter Text

"Wake up sleepyhead," Korra prodded gently, nudging Ren awake.

Ren groggily opened his eyes, and looked at a clock. "5 AM? Are you kidding me?" he protested.

"Don't wanna be late, do ya?" Korra asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ren sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Right, gimme a few minutes. And make the tea strong."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Korra quipped, leaving Ren to get ready.

As the sun peeked over the horizon, casting long shadows on the skyscrapers of Republic City, a big-boned Earth Kingdom woman pulled a big cart full of cabbages though a street. She hummed a tune, clearly enjoying the quiet dawn.

She was almost where she wanted to be when she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She turned around, expecting to see her husband coming home from a night shift at the factory, or perhaps one of the local vagrants.

Instead, she saw a young Earth Kingdom guy and what *looked* like Asami Sato walking up behind her.

"Excuse me, ma'am," the guy asked politely. "Would you mind telling us where you're headed?"

"Why, just to the market down the block," the woman replied with a warm smile. "Cabbage is always best fresh, you know."

"Right," Asami agreed. "It looks delicious. Mind if I buy a head or two?"

"Oh, I think it's best to buy it at the market, dear," the woman advised kindly. "You can pick out the best heads."

"Please, we insist," Ren pressed.

The woman looked between them. There was an awkward pause.

Without warning, she took off in a dead sprint, hastily earthbending chunks of concrete at Asami and Ren as she darted into an alleyway.

They ducked behind the cart, narrowly avoiding the rocks. "Whoa," Asami breathed, recovering.

"I can feel it," Ren murmured." He dropped to a metalbending stance, and lifted out a huge metal chest hiding under the cabbages in the cart. Ren carefully peeled a panel off, and looked inside alongside Asami.

It was filled with sticks of dynamite, a barrel of gasoline, and what smelt like fertilizer, along with a timer and trigger rigged to the side.

"It... could be worse," Asami admitted quietly.

"I'll hold the pins with my metalbending," Ren offered. "Be careful, Asami."

"I will," Asami promised, carefully snipping the first wire before grabbing a screwdriver from her belt. "This is always how I imagined spending my mornings."

"Yeah, me too," Ren quipped as sweat started dripping from his brow. "Really gets the blood flowing, you know?"

Meanwhile, the woman continued to spring through the alleys, ducking between garbage cans and jumping over piles of trash. But just as she was about to hit the streets, she found two 30s Water Tribe natives blocking her path, already in deep bending stances. They froze the ground in front of them, and locked eyes with her.

"Hogmonkeys," the woman cursed to herself. She skidded to a halt and changed direction, bolting down another passageway, only to run into a young woman blocking an exit. She immediately blasted bolts of fire at her, forcing the intruder to dodge aside.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sara challenged, stepping forward.

The woman cursed again, and switched directions once more. She saw the light of the streets in front of her.

A crack of thunder filled the woman's ears, and a lighting bolt struck the ground in front of her, almost scaring her out of her skin. She tripped and fell, rolling to a rough stop.

In the middle of the alley was a young Water Tribe woman in a lighting bending stance, with a huge polar bear dog growling menacingly behind her.

"It's over," Korra declared. "One more move, and it will be your last."

The woman scooted back on the ground, and bumped into a leg. She looked up, and found the trio that cornered her earlier standing there, arms crossed.

She gave a slight smile. "Look at this. Councilors, rebels, business titans, and the Avatar, I presume. All working together. My, my, what is happening in this city?"

"We could ask you the same thing," Tarrlok countered.

"Who are you?" Korra demanded.

The woman smirked. "No one that matters. Not to you, anyway."

"Tell me who you work for," Korra ordered. "Why are you bombing the city?"

"Freedom for all," the woman muttered, as her mouth began to foam.

"What?" Korra breathed, dropping to grab her shirt. "No! Tell me!"

The woman coughed weakly, but gave Korra a wry smile as the last bits of life drained from her eyes.

Noatak sighed. "A poison pill," he deduced, kneeling down to observe the corpse.

Sara kicked a dumpster. "Ugh! Monkey feathers!" she cursed. "I thought we had her!"

Korra fumed. "Who would do this? Who would kill themselves the moment they're cornered?"

Tarrlok examined the body closely. "A zealot. Someone willing to die for their cause," he stated.

"But why? What cause?" Korra demanded.

Noatak shook his head. "Nothing good for this city, I fear."

Ren and Asami walked up to the group. "Yeah, thanks for coming to check on us. You know, just the two people casually defusing a chest full of explosives," Ren sarcastically commented. "Oh..."

"Yeah," Sara agreed, turning to look at the body. "We've got nothing."

"Not quite," Tarrlok contradicted. "We confirmed our sources. We confirmed her target, and prevented the bombing. And now we have a hole in the organization we can observe," he explained. "The plan is working."

"I hate waiting, especially when we don't know what we're facing," Korra complained. "I just want to end this."

"We will, Avatar," Noatak assured her. "Our patience is only just starting to pay off."

"I hope you're right," Asami said seriously, crossing her arms. "Whatever is happening, I hope we're not too late to fix it."

Late at night, in an old abandoned apartment complex, Zenjin paced back and forth with unease. He squinted to see through the darkness, but didn't dare produce a flame, lest it alert anyone to their location.

"You're going wear a hole in the floor," Jia called out.

Zenjin turned to his compatriot, a petite young woman with big gray-hazel eyes and short brown hair. "I'm just anxious," he admitted sheepishly.

"You've been that way ever since Lady Azula showed up," Jia noted. "It's not like you."

Zenjin sighed. "You don't know her, Jia. You may think you know the legends, but I assure you, my grandmother is far more terrifying in reality."

"It's not something in your power to change," Jia reminded him. "We're already as careful as can be."

"I know," he conceded reluctantly.

Two masked figures in black jumpsuits entered the room, bowing to Zenjin and Jia. One was a tall woman, the other a shorter man.

"You are late," Zenjin chastised them.

The man ignored the comment. "We have a problem," he announced gravely.

"What kind of problem?" Jia pressed.

"Three of our agents have gone dark," the woman revealed. "Two in gangs, and one of our field agents in the disruption campaign."

"And by disruption campaign, you mean the bombings?" Zenjin accused. "You should have stopped that long ago."

"Yeah. They're barbaric, and many no longer believe the Equalists are responsible for them anyway," Jia added. "They are going to literally blow our cover."

"The bombings are largely not random, as you might think. They are targeted, and serve a purpose. And some are carried out by... more independent actors." the man defended. "But this is not the issue. Our agents are missing."

"They are your agents, not ours," Jia corrected.

The man narrowed his eyes. "We all pursue the same goals, Jia. Do not forget that."

"And we are divided into cells for a reason. If you ask me, we should not even be discussing this," Jia argued heatedly.

The masked man let out a sigh. "That is not all. Are you aware of any new incidents among your contacts?"

"Incidents?" Zenjin echoed.

"Councilor Yu has been arrested," the man reported.

"What?" Zenjin gasped.

"What's more, he has somehow retained his seat on the Council. I assume he as severed all contact with you?" the man questioned.

Zenjin fumed. "No, he has not reached out to us." His yellow eyes met the masked man's brown ones. "All these recent incidents. This can't be a coincidence."

The man nodded slowly. "Agreed."

"Then what do we do?" Jia asked nervously.

"We continue," the man decided firmly. "Our agents remain largely undetected. Our operations proceed. And we shall investigate these incidents."

"Unimpeded?" Jia echoed. "Do you call unexplained shifts in the Equalist movement and Council policy 'unimpeded'?"

"I do," the man insisted. "For now."

Jia shook her head. "Have you still not found the Avatar?"

The man hesitated. "No. She covers her tracks better than we anticipated."

"Then forget her. She's just an Equalist acolyte hiding away in the city. Let's focus on finding whoever is messing with our plans," Jia suggested.

"I agree," the masked woman said, finally speaking up. "Her influence over the Equalists is not worth focusing on. Not now."

Zenjin sighed.

"What?" Jia demanded.

"I don't like this. No one should be able to track our plans, not from multiple cells. Something is going wrong," Zenjin argued.

The masked man considered this. "We are not certain all the incidents are even connected. We cannot afford to panic."

Zenjin looked to the side. "With my grandmother in the city, I don't believe in coincidence anymore..."

A few more details were worked out. The masked figures bowed and took their leave.

"What didn't you tell them, Zenjin?" Jia asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," Zenjin demurred. "Just speculation."

Jia eyed him, then sighed. "Alright. Let's get out of here and get something to eat."

Zenjin and Jia sat in an Earth Kingdom noodle shop, eating ramen soup and sipping tea. It was quiet and dimly lit.

So where's our Future Industries friend?" Jia asked casually.

"Probably off 'investigating' like always," Zenjin quipped.

Jia shook her head with a smile. "Anyway, I'm kind of worried about our sister cell."

"Because they're losing agents?" Zenjin guessed.

"More that they're losing unity," Jia clarified. "It's not the first time they low-key mentioned agents going rogue, and that's just what they're telling us."

"It comes with the territory of our philosophy," Zenjin shrugged.

"I know," Jia agreed. "I just don't want it to be our undoing." Jia paused. "And I think you're onto something, Zenjin. Maybe Azula is involved."

"Maybe," Zenjin agreed. "But why would she concern herself with us?"

"Why are you asking me?" Jia retorted.

"Fair point," Zenjin admitted. "I'll do what digging I can, but I doubt I'll find anything."

Jia put her hand around Zenjin's. "Just don't let her get to you, OK? Don't let all this shoot your anxiety levels through the roof."

"I'll try," Zenjin promised, squeezing her hand tightly.

What Zenjin didn't disclose was a stray hunch in the back of his mind, one without a hint of evidence.

If Azula was involved, then somehow, the Avatar was involved.

Chapter 36: Honest Hearts

Chapter Text

Before destiny found him, a 20-year-old Ren found himself in a loud nightclub. He could feel the metal floor tremble with the music under his feet.

"How did I agree to this," Ren lamented.

"Aw come on," Sara teased. "You're adorable, and you know it. Just get a girl talking for a bit, and you'll be fine."

"Yeah," Kylie agreed. She gave him a more serious, knowing look. "Just loosen up, for me? Please?"

Ren sighed. "It'd be nice to have a girlfriend."

"That's the spirit!" Sara cheered, slapping him on the shoulder.

As Sara and Kylie went off hunting for their own prey, Ren puttered around the club's dance floor. He approached someone, someone approached him... but the girls lost interest pretty quickly.

Ren settled back at the bar, and the bartender gave him a sympathetic look. "Not having much luck, huh? I got just the thing," he said, pulling something off the top shelf. "If you don't wanna get drunk, I've got a secret weapon to loosen your lips, just a little."

"Really?" Ren asked, intrigued.

He smiled, and poured a steaming hot cup of tea into an ornate metal cup. "My own blend of Chai Tea, with the tiniest shot of cactus juice, and some other stuff. I don't give it out to just anyone, but I like you, kid."

Ren levitated the cup with his metalbending, spinning it in the air. "Sounds perfect," he agreed, taking a long sip. It already tingled against his tongue.

"I'll take one too," someone said, sliding in next to Ren. He turned, and saw a dark skinned Si Wongi girl with green eyes and a straight bob, in a green blouse and black shorts.

"Sure thing," the bartender agreed with a knowing smile, quickly pouring another cup. Ren was mesmerized as he watched the girl levitate the cup with her own metalbending, then turn her eyes to Ren. "Not a lot of metalbenders like us around here. They all get hoovered up in the police and military."

"But we're here," Ren pointed out, steeling himself and smiling. "To us?" he suggested, raising the cup.

"To us," she agreed, clinking cups with him. "Oh, a bit hot," she warned, sipping the tea.

"I got it," he assured her, reaching his hand forward and cooling her cup with his lavabending.

The girl smiled. She'd never seen that before. "What's your name?"

"Ren," he introduced himself.

"Anah," she replied, her smile widening as she leaned forward. "Tell me Ren, do you like the way I look?"

Ren blushed bright red. "Um, uh... yeah. You're kinda gorgeous, and my type," he blurted out.

Anah started laughing. "Sorry, bad pickup line. I'm a truth seer, and this is usually where I tease guys by catching them in a lie," she explained, taking another sip of tea. "Most people's first instinct is to lie, or at least hedge. But I think you're the first that just blurted out their thoughts."

Ren couldn't help but laugh back. She didn't seem that intimidating. "Well that's not really fair, how am I supposed to get you to blurt something out now?"

"Fine," Anah agreed, rolling her eyes playfully. "I like you too."

They both shared another smile, and Ren felt his nerves melt.

Meanwhile, the water Avatar was 19, and far away from Republic City, travelling near the southern coast of the Earth Kingdom, having only just escaped her training.

Riding on Naga's back, she rode into a tiny town on the coast. Older wooden boats and newly built metal ships lined the harbor, with crates and barrels stacked everywhere.

Leaving Naga outside, Korra slid into a sleepy tavern, lit by the warm light of torches, adorned with fishing nets and some Water Tribe artifacts. It made her feel a little homesick.

Korra leaned into the bar, unsure what to do with herself. Some older couples were all drinking and chatting away, and she felt a pang of jealousy.

"Shouldn't I have friends by now?" Korra muttered to herself. Aang met Katara and Sokka right out of the glacier, Roku met Gyatso and his wife in training. Even Kyoshi met Ragni when she was sixteen, with everything she went through. Korra knew better than to trust destiny by now... but it didn't mean she wasn't lonely.

"Shouldn't you?" a voice called out from behind her.

Korra turned her head, and saw a young, tall Water Tribe guy lean into the bar next to her. He had lighter skin than Korra, blue eyes, and a rough, rugged, but dashing look, like he was straight out of an adventure story. His hair was tied back in a ponytail, and he wore a heavy jacket and pants, with a bronze pocket watch hanging out. "What's someone like you doing in a place like this without any friends?"

Korra shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I'm passing through, but I have no idea where I'm going."

He laughed. "Good! Take it from me, traveling is always more fun than the destination."

Korra smiled. "Oh!? And where have you been?"

"Where haven't I been!?" he boasted. "I've got the fastest ship this side of the South Pole, and I've hit every port from Republic City to the Eastern Ocean."

"Like where!?" Korra enthused.

He smiled back. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Korra," she answered simply.

"Nice to meet you, Korra. I'm Zan," he introduced himself. "Why don't we grab a table, and I'll regale you with tales of my adventures?"

Korra burst out laughing, barely able to speak. "You put what on his head?!"

"A huge fish, still flopping!" Zan exclaimed. "Then he ran off, butt naked, screaming 'help me!' right into the temple."

Korra clutched her stomach, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh spirits, that's perfect!"

Zan chuckled back. "Yeah, I thought so too."

Korra wiped her eyes, with a huge grin still plastered on her face. "I haven't done anything like that, but I did crash a temple ceremony. I froze a water sage's pants solid, and when he got up from to speak, they shattered into a million pieces. You should have seen the look on the old man's face!"

Zan laughed out loud. "I bet! How did you manage that?"

With a sly smirk, Korra waterbent the last bits of Zan's beer out of his cup and ran it between her fingers. "I'm good with my hands," she teased.

Zan shook his head. "I need another drink anyway. You want a shot of rum?"

"Sure, thanks," Korra agreed, wiping her eyes. As she watched Zan walk off to the bar, she couldn't help but smile.

He was so charming, funny, and handsome. Full of himself, yeah, but in an endearing way. It made her heart race, her cheeks flush, something that hadn't happened in... well, ever. And she never let her guard down like this, not in years.

Korra watched Zan plop a shot in front of her, and plop back in his chair. "I have a secret I need to confess," Korra said suddenly.

Zan raised an eyebrow. "And what might that be?"

Korra smirked. "I've never drank before."

Zan burst out laughing. "Even better! I can't wait to see what you're like with some rum in your blood." He picked up his glass. "To new friends, and new experiences."

Korra clinked glasses with him, and threw back the shot, taking it like a champ.

New friends, Korra thought... if only Zan knew how much that meant to her.

Anah moaned into Ren's mouth as they kissed passionately. He ran his hands down her back, and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Tell me what you like about me," Anah whispered, nibbling on his ear.

"Everything... your skin, your hair, your bright green eyes," Ren murmured, kissing her neck. "Your voice, your confidence, how you tease me, your easy humor and sharp intelligence..."

"Mmm," Anah hummed, grinding against him. "I like that you're smart, and kind. I like that you're shy, but you're brave when it counts. And you have the kindest green eyes and best curly hair..."

Anah reached inside Ren's pants and started stroking him, causing him to gasp. "I like your lavabending. Most of all, I love that you like me," she added, kissing him again.

Ren pulled back, and looked her in the eyes. "I do," he promised, kissing her once more. He took a leap, and reached inside her pants, feeling her heat radiating against his palm.

"Oh," Anah moaned, grinding against him. "That feels good..."

"You too," Ren assured her, pulling her closer.

Before long, Anah pushed herself on top of Ren and rotated around, kissing his bulge through his pants while she ground her heat against his face. Before long, she greedily unzipped his pants.

"Just right..." she whispered before diving down on Ren.

Ren gasped at the sensation, and moaned as Anah bobbed her head up and down with passion. He pulled her panties aside and dove in, working her like he was dying of thirst in the desert. He hadn't done this before, but it seemed to be working.

Ren kept going, and she moaned, squirting all over his face. It only made her bob harder, and before long, Ren was filling her mouth as the edges of his vision blurred and his world turned upside down...

Once they were fully exhausted, they laid there for a long while, breathing heavily, sweat dripping off their bodies.

"You hungry?" Anah finally asked.

Ren smiled. "Starving."

Before long, Anah was sitting at Ren's metal dining table in his workshop, moaning again... but this time, it was because of the food.

"This is possum-chicken!?" she enthused. "What did you do to this thing?"

"A little lava and metalbending here, a little spice there, some breading," Ren teased, before taking a bite of his own. "I can't give away all my cards. I've gotta have something to keep you coming back."

"Oh, I'll definitely be back." Anah smiled. "Now I have to show you what I can do with jackalope, flatbread and some lychee nuts."

"How does that work?" Ren wondered aloud.

"I need to keep some cards close to my chest too," Anah teased back.

Ren smiled. "Si Wongi cooking secrets, huh? I tried searing some rhinoceros beetle once, and it was kind of a disaster."

Anah laughed. "Now that is a Si Wongi secret. I'll show you how," she promised. "But that reminds me of my last date. The guy honestly boasted about being a chef, and massacred a huge sand shark steak with no apologies."

"Oh, that's a crime," Ren agreed, with a lighthearted wince. "I hope you didn't go easy on him."

"Not even a little," Anah admitted proudly, before pausing to look into Ren's eyes. "You're not like him at all, Ren. So easy to talk to, so honest, modest... I don't think I've ever been so relaxed with anyone else."

Ren smiled. "Same. Though speaking of honesty, you're my first date since I was in school, and it was never this intense. So, uh, thanks for indulging me."

"Indulging you?" Anah grabbed his hand, and rubbed her thumb across his knuckles. "It hasn't even been that long... but I think I'm already falling for you."

Ren blushed, but squeezed her hand gently. "Me too."

Zan tapped his foot as the trader examined his offer.

For once, he wasn't thinking about himself... hog monkeys, he really liked Korra, and he hated to do this. But this was his last day, and waterbenders don't grow on trees.

"She looks healthy, very strong," the trader remarked. "And she's a waterbender?"

"Yeah," Zan muttered.

"Fine. Consider your debt paid, and the bounty revoked," the trader declared. "I'm sure you're happy to have a target off your back."

"Yeah," Zan lied...

As soon as he stepped off the boat, Zan heaved his stomach into the sea. Guilt was not something he was used to feeling.

Neither was the void in his chest.

"Hit me!" Anah begged, arching her back.

"Uh, not really my thing," Ren demurred, rubbing her harder.

"Oh please!" Anah whined, bucking her hips against him. "I need it. Choke me, spank me hard, pull my hair, whatever. Just do something rough."

"I... I can't." Ren admitted sheepishly.

Anah sighed, got up, and laid down next to him.

"I'm sorry," Ren apologized. "I can't hurt you like that, even if you want it. I don't have it in me."

"It's not just that... What are these scars on your back, Ren?" she asked, tracing her fingers over the cracks. "You always avoid talking about them."

"It's... hard to talk about," Ren admitted. "I got burned by a nasty weapon, one I still have nightmares about."

Anah looked into his eyes, just staring at him for a long moment, before letting out another long sigh. "Ren, you're so compassionate, almost to a fault. You always try to tell the truth, without hesitation, and I love that about you," she praised. "But truth seeing is not as simple as reading a heartbeat. There are a lot of other cues, a lot of unconscious signals I can't help but pick up on. So I can tell you don't want to hide anything... Whatever is eating you, it's literally too painful for you to elaborate on. I can feel your soul flare up and shut down your thoughts, like a switch being flipped."

Ren looked away.

"What about your school girlfriend?" Anah asked. "I asked before, but it's like your brain shut down when I brought it up. Can you even remember her?"

"She's dead," Ren quietly admitted. "I... I just can't talk about her. It hurts too much."

A single tear left Anah's eye. "Listen, I'll see you tomorrow. I need a little air, OK?" she asked, getting up and leaving the room. "It's... hard seeing your pain, and not being able to help."

"I'm sorry," Ren whispered, watching her leave.

Ren finally pulled off of Sara's shoulder, tears all but spent, with Kylie sadly looking on.

"I'm sorry, Ren," Sara comforted him, rubbing his back.

"It's not even that bad. Anah still wants to be friends, but... she's so amazing. I can't help but love her when I'm around her," he confessed.

"I know," Sara agreed. "I've been there. Being friend zoned after a breakup sucks."

"I don't think I can take it," Ren admitted, shaking his head.

Sara patted him on the back and commiserated over her recent breakup before leaving Ren in his workshop. She never brought it up, and they never asked for it... but sometimes, she could tell Kylie and Ren needed space.

Kylie stayed behind, and gave Ren a knowing look. "You can't date a truth seer, Ren," she said bluntly. "We both know why, and I was trying to let you realize it yourself."

"That doesn't even matter. How can I date anyone? If they get close enough, they'll just see our history eating me alive," Ren sobbed. "Kylie... how did you get past this?"

"I never did," Kylie admitted. "How could I?"

"Then how do you manage? How do you have boyfriends?" Ren wondered aloud.

"I have to lie, Ren." Kylie confessed. "Just about that one part, about what happened at the end. If I ever marry someone, if I find a soulmate, I'll have to lie to them. We have no choice. It's just too dangerous to ever leave our lips."

Ren sighed heavily. "When I get that close to someone, it hurts too much to lie. It hurts too much when they ask me to remember. And it's obvious, truth seer or not."

Kylie teared up and hugged her brother. "Your heart is too soft. And you were too close to that horrible thing," she whispered. "I don't know what to tell you Ren, but it'll be OK."

Ren held her close. "I don't know how I'd manage without you. Without someone else knowing."

"It would be unbearable without you," Kylie agreed. "But we'll survive together," she promised, pulling away. "We have each other's back. Always."

"Always," Ren echoed.

Korra barely cracked her eyes open, quickly giving up on her first attempt to wake up. She slipped in and out of consciousness before finally starting to stir.

"Ugh, that was two drinks?" she muttered under her breath. The last thing she remembered was laughing like crazy as she slouched against Zan, dancing...

Zan planted a quick, sloppy kiss on Korra. Her first kiss. The memory made her blush, and she didn't regret it. Maybe she even wanted to do it again...

Korra finally opened her eyes, and found she was staring at a metal ceiling. She slightly turned her head, and saw she was surrounded by steel bars.

Her heart raced, and Azula's survival training kicked in as her brain assessed the situation. Korra was bound to the floor, in a metal room, her arms and legs restrained with metal clamps. And her mental state...

She was definitely drugged, Korra thought. Sedatives, maybe. Or something stronger. She could barely move, and her mind felt foggy. The floor felt like it was shifting, and she wasn't sure if she was on a boat or just hazy.

Korra found she was in a room full of cages, with teenagers and young adults locked up inside them. Some were bound to the floor like her, others were just curled up in corners, sleeping or sulking.

She looked the other way, and nearly screamed. A sailor was in a cage with a teen girl pressed against the bars, thrusting his hips. The girl was whimpering, burnt, and bruised, but wasn't fighting anymore.

"Hey!" Korra yelled, struggling against her bonds. "Let her go!"

"Shut up," the sailor snarled, looking to the side with a scowl. He continued his assault on the girl.

Korra struggled harder, but couldn't break free. "I'm going to kill you!" she threatened.

The sailor stopped, leaving the girl in a heap as he closed the cage behind her. He walked over to Korra, and opened her cell door. "I hate killjoys. Looks like I'll have to take it out on you instead," he sneered.

Korra felt fear grip her, all while her blood boiled. But she was too hazy to feel if water was nearby, and the restraints wouldn't budge.

Screw it, Korra thought. Today, she's a metalbender instead of a waterbender, like she usually pretends to be.

Korra kicked the sailor in the gut as her legs snapped free, sending him staggering back and clutching his belly. She stumbled to her feet and nearly fell over, but managed to hold herself up with a bar.

"Why you little..." the sailor growled, thrusting a fist forward and shooting flames towards Korra. She hastily bent the floor up as a shield, diverting the blast into the ceiling.

Korra shook her head, still gripping a bar for stability as she stumbled out of the cage. "Idiots. We were supposed to be sold waterbenders," the sailor complained, before kicking another bolt of fire at Korra.

She barely ducked in time, the fire singeing her hair, and stomped her foot as she regained her balance. Lacking her usual precision, the metal under the sailor lifted and slammed him into the ceiling, cracking his skull and killing him instantly.

Zan deftly dodged a slash aimed at his gut, grabbing the sailor's sword and wrist with his hook blades in the same move. After a brief moment of panic on the sailor's part, Zan flung the sailor overboard, hearing a splash as he disappeared below the darkened waves.

"Me and my stupid conscience," Zan grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow. Two more sailors and what looked like the captain ran towards him, swords drawn, before a door flew off its hinges just out of his field of vision.

There stood Korra, furious, but sick looking and disoriented. She shouldn't even be awake, considering what Zan dosed her with, yet somehow he wasn't surprised.

...And wait a second. Did she just bend metal?

Zan shook himself to his senses and ran over to Korra as he saw the captain draw throwing knives from her belt.

"Watch out!" Zan warned, as he swatted a knife meant for Korra away with a hook blade. He swatted another, then another, but one managed to slice through his shoulder, making him wince. "Hog monkeys," he cursed.

As Zan defended her, Korra righted herself in the doorway, eyeing the two sailors sprinting towards her. With a wave of an arm, she ripped the swords from their hands, and tripped them up, sending them tumbling into the hard deck, face first.

Zan threw one of his hook swords at the old captain, impaling her in the gut before she could throw another knife, just as Korra stomped the ground and violently knocked out the two remaining sailors, wrapping them in the deck's metal plating. At this point, didn't really care if they woke back up or not.

Within moments, Zan found himself kicked to the ground too... something he definitely deserved, he figured, as he stared up at Korra.

"You drugged me!" Korra roared, giving Zan a murderous glare, still swaying unsteadily. "You poisoned my drink and captured me as a slave!"

"I... sold you as a slave," Zan corrected sheepishly, gesturing to his boat tied up alongside theirs.

"That's worse!" Korra argued heatedly. "You betrayed me! You tricked me!"

Zan shook his head. "I had a debt, and a day left to pay it before they went after my sister and I."

"So you just traded my life for yours!?" Korra accused. "Was any of that real?! Were you just lying to my face?"

"Maybe it was both," Zan admitted reluctantly. "But you kinda stole my heart. That's, uh, never happened before, and I didn't realize it until it was too late."

Korra clenched her fists in anger, yet those words made her heart ache. "That's no excuse! And why should I believe you anyway!? Why shouldn't I just kill you right now?"

Zan chuckled, laying back down on the deck and looking up at the starry sky. "Ah, you don't need to worry about that."

Korra paused for a moment, trying to figure out what he meant. She noticed a rash creeping up Zan's face, and his eyes looked weak.

"These guys use a white jade poison mix on their blades. I'm as good as dead already," Zan explained quietly, putting his hands behind his head. "I guess I got what I deserved."

Korra didn't know what to say. Half of her wanted to burn him alive, and the other half... it just wanted to go back to the tavern, and laugh with Zan some more.

"I'm glad I came here," Zan mused out loud. "I'm not usually a slaver, but you're far from the first person I've hurt. This is the only honest thing I've done in years." He looked back at Korra. "And who knew I'd save the Avatar from a knife."

Korra finally knelt down beside him, seeing his muscles relax and hearing his voice fade. "Yeah, thanks for that," she whispered.

Zan smiled weakly, looking into Korra's face one last time. "Thanks for the dance, Avatar Korra. Watch out for assholes like me," he muttered, before turning his gaze back to the stars. "May the moon guide my spirit..."

"And may your soul go in peace," Korra finished softly, holding his hand, tears finally leaving her eyes as Zan's life slowly left his.

Naga laid on top of a hill, with Korra laying on top of her, overlooking the two ships Korra had beached. She watched the prisoners she freed, some of them hugging and comforting each other on the beach while others looted the ships for what little food and supplies they could find.

Naga was Korra's conscience, her spirit... she understood every word Korra said, but talking to Naga was also like talking to her inner self.

And yet, as an hour passed by, Korra had no clue what to say.

"I hate Zan... and I miss him," Korra finally confessed to Naga, blinking away more tears. "So much."

Naga whined softly.

"Is this our destiny?" she asked Naga. "To be alone? To dream of happiness and love when someone gets close, only for them to eviscerate our hearts? I don't know if I can take that again..."

Naga was silent, and so was Korra.

Korra's eyes slowly opened, and she found herself in the loft once more. Ice covered the skylight, and the sun shone right through it with how late she slept in.

Korra wiped a tear from her eye as the memories of Zan faded, but her heart still felt raw and wounded.

She slipped on pajamas and slid downstairs, the smell of candied bacon filling her nose like it does so many mornings. But instead of finding Ren cooking breakfast for her, she found a big plate of bacon ready for her on the table, while Ren snoozed away on the sofa.

Korra was frozen in place, watching Ren's chest rise and fall gently, arm muscles twitch, pants bulge over whatever he was dreaming about. She could already picture that shy smile, those kind green eyes, the warm hug that made the horrors of her world melt away like the earth he bent...

Korra ran back upstairs, and slid against a wall as her heart beat out of her chest, holding her knees. Naga, sensing her distress, nudged her gently.

"I trust him, Naga. More than anyone," Korra murmured, resting her head against Naga. "So why am I so scared? What's wrong with me?"

Ren jerked awake to a noise from the workshop floor, finding himself sprawled across the couch.

"Oh," he sighed, blinking away a tear. "Spirits, that still hurts, even after all this time."

Ren got up, and found Korra's plate of bacon cleared, along with the extra portion he cooked. It made him smile.

He went downstairs and peeked out the door leading to the workshop. Korra was in her bindings, hanging from the ceiling upside down, doing crunches.

She alternated between left and right, her abs and back rippling with each movement. Her bob hung upside down, dripping with sweat. And as she did a left crunch, Ren could see the heat of her breath, the edge of her eyes... He could feel her energy from here.

Ren slid back and sat on the stairs, clutching his racing heart, trying not to think about Korra's strength, her contagious smile, that radiant warmth that kept him going, those big eyes that could pull anything out of his soul...

"Anah was a fluke," Ren reasoned. "Korra wouldn't want someone like me."

His mind swirled, and he finally muttered "I can't risk what I have with Korra... I can't go back to life without her."

Ren sighed, and buried the desperate thoughts. Sometimes he hated how well he could compartmentalize, and all but lie to himself. But alas, it let him get up, and bask in Korra's bright smile without losing his mind.

Chapter 37: The Guide

Chapter Text

In the evening sun on Air Temple Island, Sara was having time of her life. The airbending kids were a bundle of energy, an absolute blast. And right now, they were chasing her mercilessly.

"Too slow!" she called out as Meelo shot by her. Out of the corner of her eye, Sara saw Ikki approach on an airbending scooter. Sara stopped dead, just in time to miss Ikki as the air whooshed past her. "Whoa, nice try!" she complimented.

"Gotcha!" Meelo cheered, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Meelo!" she scolded playfully. Ikki piled on, and the three tumbled to the ground laughing madly.

"Hey guys!" Jinora called out, running over to join them. "Dinner's ready!"

"Already?" Ikki gasped, getting up. "Can't we stay out longer?"

"Sorry," Jinora shrugged. "Mom says dinner's served at sunset."

"Fine," Ikki relented, taking Sara's hand.

Sara walked into the kitchen, and found Pema pulling fresh pastries from the oven. "Here, let me help," she offered, taking the tray from her. "Want me to brown the top a tiny bit?"

Pema nodded. "Sure, go ahead."

Sara held two fingers over the tray, and crisped the top with a small flame, just enough to add flavor without burning anything.

"You're such a sweetheart, Sara," Pema enthused.

"It's nothing, ma'am," Sara demurred. "Just happy to be here."

"Please, call me Pema, like I keep asking," Pema insisted. She walked up to Sara, faced her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I've slept better knowing you're here, Sara, and not just because you zap some of the kids' energy, or because you watch over them. We trust you. I'm glad to have you nearby."

"I know how important they are," Sara assured her sincerely.

"Good. And I want you to feel like you're a part of our family, sweetie," Pema added.

Sara gave Pema a small hug. "That means more than you know," she whispered.

Pema pulled back, and smiled. "Now come on, let's move all this to the table before the kids eat us alive."

After serving the food, Sara sat cross-legged, ate, and savored the pseudo family she had found. Ikki and Meelo chatted nonstop like they always did, but Jinora was unusually quiet.

"Dad? Can I go to the spirit world again?" she suddenly blurted out.

Tenzin sighed. "In time, Jinora. We have practice to do beforehand."

Jinora looked to the side, unsure if she should show her hand. "I can almost go there myself now," she admitted quietly.

Tenzin nearly spat out his food. "What? Already?"

"Yeah," Jinora nodded. "I've been practicing a lot. I almost did it the last time, but backed off, right before I broke through."

"Jinora, the spirit world is dangerous!" Tenzin scolded her. "I forbid you to attempt it alone."

Jinora hardened her look. "Dad, I'm not just some kid anymore. I'm fourteen, and an expert airbender. I can think for myself."

"You are still a child," Tenzin argued. "And you are still my daughter."

"What are you going to do, lock me in my room?" Jinora retorted. "You can't stop me from meditating."

"I will do whatever I must to protect you," Tenzin heatedly threatened.

"Guys, guys," Sara intervened. "Deep breaths. Remember?"

Tenzin and Jinora both took a deep breath, but didn't drop their stares.

"Jinora," Sara started, putting a hand on her shoulder. "The spirit world reflects to your emotions. If you're angry, upset, and defiant when you go, it will react, you will not like what you find. It could hurt you, kill you, or worse. Please, listen to your dad, and to me. Don't go when you're like this."

Jinora softened and looked away. "OK," she agreed reluctantly.

Sara turned to Tenzin. "But Tenzin, Jinora is right. She's a big girl now. You can't stop her from going to the spirit world, and it's only going to hurt her later if you try."

"I... I can't let anything happen to my children," Tenzin murmured.

"I know. So just give her a little slack, OK? Let her take short trips with limits you set, especially now, when we're not too far from Winter Solstice" Sara suggested. "You've taught her well. Jinora is careful, and knows how to take care of herself."

Tenzin nodded slowly. "I suppose you're right."

Jinora smiled meekly. "Sorry for snapping at you, dad. I promise I will be careful."

Tenzin smiled back. "I know you will. I'm so proud of you, Jinora. Of all of you." he said sincerely.

Korra had been stealthily leaning against the entrance this entire time. "Wow. When did you become a Tenzin bender, Sara?" she teased.

"Since I realized he needed one," Sara quipped.

Tenzin let out another exasperated sigh.

Later that night, Korra found Sara in her room, humming a tune as jazz played on the radio.

"Hey," Korra greeted her quietly.

"Hi," Sara responded, turning around. "Thought you'd be back on the mainland tonight."

"I just wanted to talk," Korra admitted. "You're having a blast here, huh?"

Sara nodded. "I never knew how beautiful this place was. And the kids... they're so much fun. They remind me of me when I was younger."

"Yeah, they make me feel the same way," Korra agreed.

"So what did you come here to ask?" Sara wondered. "Spirit stuff?"

"No. Actually, I wanted to ask you about Kylie and Ren," she started uncertainly. "You knew them way before I came to Republic City. I ask them about bits and pieces, but what's y'all's whole story?"

Sara thought back. "I met them sleeping on cardboard boxes outside a shop. They were scared and hungry, just like I was a long time ago," she admitted. "Ren was kind enough fix something I was taking in for repairs, before Kylie jumped in and tried to charge me for it," she added with a laugh. "We started hanging out. Kylie was still a spitfire, but angry and lost. Ren was nervous, very depressed, but had the same heart he does now."

"That sounds like them," Korra agreed.

"Eventually, I let them crash at my place," Sara recalled. "I just started Pro Bending, and they ran a little side hustle of fixing things for money, mostly stolen goods. Before long, Kylie got a break and worked her way up the Future Industries corporate ladder. Then Kylie and I gave Ren some cash to buy his old factory during a market crash."

Korra nodded. She knew most of this. "Did they have any friends, or stuff like that?"

"Kylie was a natural networker, and picked up a boyfriend before she even had a real job," Sara revealed. "She was a smart cookie, she had a lot of charisma, and she wasn't afraid to use either."

Korra listened intently.

"And Ren," Sara continued. "He was so smart. Shy, but gentle, even when he was miserable, or I was pissed. I was kind of swinging the other way at the time. But if I wasn't, and he had asked me out, I probably would have said yes."

Korra raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah," Sara affirmed. "Speaking of relationships, I eventually got involved with our team's waterbender, Nami. One day, I caught her stealing from me, and cheating on me for good measure. We got in a fight... I might have lost my temper and burned her arm a little."

Korra winced.

"She told everyone, and got me arrested and banned from Pro Bending," Sara confessed. "I lost everything. I was a mess after that, but Kylie and Ren kept me alive until I got back on my feet."

"I hope Nami falls in a pit," Korra scoffed. "I'll push her in myself if I ever see her."

"I already got to kick her ass in a fight with Monsoons," Sara half joked. "Anyway, I make it sound terrible, but it wasn't all bad. We'd spend weekends playing in the street, goofing off, and nights talking and getting into trouble. We went to watch races. I dragged Kylie and Ren to a mountain hike one summer, and they did the same for me when it was my turn to be screwed up."

Korra smiled weakly and looked down. "That sounds amazing."

Sara eyed her friend. "Are you OK Korra?" she wondered aloud. "What brought this on?"

Korra sighed, and rubbed her face. "I wondered what life was like for y'all as teenagers," she murmured. "I mean, my story is pretty simple. I had friends as a little kid, but that slowly went away as I grew up. From fourteen to nineteen, I basically never spoke to a single person my age," she admitted dejectedly.

"Oh," Sara sympathized. "I bet it feels weird catching up on all that missed time now."

Korra nodded. "It does. I'm trying to figure out how to balance everything," she confessed. "How to be a normal person, a friend, an Avatar... How to fit in, how to connect... I guess I just envy what you guys had."

Sara wrapped her arms around Korra. "I'm sorry, Korra," she comforted her. "But you have us now. And you're doing great."

"I can't lose you guys," she murmured.

"We're not going anywhere," Sara promised.

Chapter 38: The Grand Master

Chapter Text

While winter slowly gave way to spring in Republic City, the South Pole grew even colder as summer faded.

An old man's bones ached as he stomped through the ice just outside the compound that used to protect and train the Avatar. But it wasn't the cold or the howling wind that bothered him. No, it was his own guilt that weighed upon his shoulders.

He had failed the Avatar. His dearest friend. Again.

He had broken an oath.

And the burns on Avatar Korra... it made his own scar ache.

His honor was gone, his word broken. It was a feeling he knew all too well. But if there was one thing Zuko had learned over the decades, it was how to stand back up and make things right.

"Lord Zuko," a White Lotus guard called out in surprise. "It is an honor. But we were not expecting you."

"That is Grand Master Zuko," he gently corrected. "I have rejoined the Order, for the time being."

The guard nodded. "Of course, Grand Master. May I ask what brings you here?"

"I have read the reports of the Avatar's training. But I wish to see the facility for myself once more," he requested.

The guard led him inside, giving Zuko a tour. With the Avatar long absent, it was inhabited by a skeleton crew, mostly masters that trained new recruits. He walked into a courtyard and saw a firebending master teaching a dozen recruits advanced techniques.

"Zuko," the master greeted respectfully. "I was informed of your reinstatement. It is an honor to host a Grand Master at our humble facilities."

"Captain Reng," Zuko greeted, returning the bow. "The honor is mine."

"What brings you here?" Captain Reng asked.

"I wish to observe, and to talk," Zuko answered simply. "But now that I am here, I have a request. Would you grant an old man the opportunity to spar with you?"

"It would be a privilege, sir," Reng accepted graciously.

Zuko and Reng stood on opposite sides of the sparring ring. The younger recruits were whispering and giggling, clearly excited at the prospect of seeing a legend firebend in person.

"Go easy on these old bones, Captain," Zuko started with a smile, before sending a simple firebending blast straight at Reng.

Reng rolled to the side, and immediately launched a counterattack. Zuko held his ground, redirecting the flames high into the air as he maintained his stance. But Reng kept his momentum, quickly following up with a series of blasts. The heat of the flames remelted the fresh snow into ice.

As they fought, Zuko began to talk. "Tell me, Reng, what was training the Avatar like?"

"Challenging," Reng admitted honestly. "Her raw power and skill was something to behold, but she was prone to recklessness, and fits of rage," he started, before pausing to deflect a particularly large blast. "She was also stubborn, refusing to acknowledge her mistakes, even when they nearly cost her life."

"Yes, her mistakes..." Zuko mused. "I read the reports of her training regime in detail. And those mistakes always happened at the end of her training runs, never at the beginning. Not once," he observed.

"Correct," Reng agreed. "Perhaps she was losing focus."

Zuko sent a larger blast towards Reng, forcing him to stagger backwards, but kept his cool tone. "Indeed. I see she was allocated time for rest and recreation. But digging through the officer's logs, it appears she rarely received either, suggesting severe exhaustion. Does this fit your observations?"

Reng hesitated. "Perhaps. We worked in shifts, but from what I saw, she refused to take breaks," he defended. "She was constantly challenging us to harder fights, faster battles."

Zuko nodded. "Yes," he agreed, ducking under a wave of flame. "That sounds like the Korra I knew as a child. Always wanting to prove herself."

"She was relentless," Reng emphasized.

Zuko nodded. "Hence her training structure struck me as an odd choice, given her personality. Tell me, who planned her regimen?"

Reng was starting to sweat and pant as Zuko ratcheted up the intensity. "It was... a collaborative effort. Decided among all the senior masters."

Zuko spun around and sent a huge wave of fire at Reng, smoking his training armor and knocking him back, eliciting a cheer from the crowd. "Tell me what wasn't in the reports, Reng," he calmly demanded. "Who led the Avatar's training?"

Reng stumbled back to his feet. "I... do not wish to speak ill of my superiors, Grand Master."

"And I am their superior," Zuko reminded him. "Tell me."

Reng closed the distance, attempting to gain the advantage, as he considered his response. "There were several. Xai Bau, Master Wu, P'Li, among others," he listed.

Zuko feinted a blast, then sent a spear of fire at Reng, knocking him flat on his back and stunning him. The students clapped loudly.

Zuko walked up to Reng, looking down on him with fierce eyes. "What wasn't in the reports, Reng?" he repeated. "Did they goad the Avatar on? Did they bait her into an impossible training regimen?"

Reng gulped nervously. "They... they swore the routine was normal for an Avatar. That she was simply weak, untrained. But yes, in my opinion they, pushed her, as if they were trying to break her," he admitted. "But she never broke, never quit."

Zuko smiled a little. "She never has. And I suppose you were following orders," Zuko allowed, offering a hand. "But you are young, Reng, too young to know the capabilities of an Avatar. You were participating in a regime intended for testing the Avatar State, not daily training."

"I... I apologize, Grand Master," Reng acknowledged in shock, accepting the hand.

Zuko pulled him up. "And what of her isolation? Was that intentional?"

Reng brushed himself off. "I had my reservations, but my superiors insisted it was for security. For focus. That it was typical in this stage of the Avatar's training."

"Hmm. Where are the masters now? Where is Xai Bau?" Zuko asked.

"He has been transferred," Reng revealed.

"To where?" Zuko pressed.

"To Zaofu," Reng answered.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "Very well," he decided firmly. Zuko gave a respectful bow, and a small smile. "It was an honor sparring with you, Captain. Your students are in good hands."

Zuko whistled, and his dragon, Druk, came flying overhead, landing gracefully in front of him. He mounted the beast, eliciting wild cheers and gasps from the students.

"Where are you going, Grand Master Zuko?" Reng called out.

"To visit an old friend," Zuko replied, before kicking Druk into flight.

Chapter 39: Pride and Prejudice

Chapter Text

Korra, Asami, Sara, Kylie, and Ren walked out of a mover theater showing the tale of Avatar Aang's adventures, just after dusk. The theater was in a run-down part of town, not too far from Sara's apartment, with flickering streetlights, cracked pavement, and graffiti covering the walls. A police airship loitered over the brand-new theater, daring anyone to cause trouble. It was also the only theater in town that had any tickets left... not that any of them cared. It was the closest one anyway.

"Wow, they completely butchered that," Asami laughed. "Did you see how buff Toph was? And what was the deal with her using echolocation?"

"I know!" Kylie agreed. "She didn't even bend metal! And Katara was a total wimp."

"I think Zuko's scar was on the wrong side..." Korra mused.

"Was it?" Ren asked, squinting.

"At least they got Aang right," Asami pointed out. "I still can't believe he reincarnated into you, Korra. I'm trying to imagine you being a pacifist vegan monk," she joked.

Everyone but Korra laughed. Instead, Korra just put her hands on her hips and pouted. "I would have been an awesome monk! And I would have gotten along fine with Appa," she added with a smirk.

"Yeah, sure," Kylie scoffed, poking her playfully.

"I'm serious!" Korra objected. "I love animals, I love nature," she argued passionately. "I... I might survive being a vegetarian," she added weakly.

"There's a remote chance," Asami agreed, ruffling her hair.

"She'd be more of a Sokka," Sara quipped. "The meat and sarcasm type."

"Hey!" Korra snapped, hitting her playfully. "I am more than just meat and sarcasm."

"Maybe a little more," Kylie smoothly added. "And Azula was crazy intense. She was scary."

"Yeah... Azula is actually like that in real life," Sara admitted sheepishly. "I've seen her on the island some."

"Wait, really?" Asami echoed.

"Maybe she's not that homicidal," Sara teased. "Right Korra?"

Korra was silent.

"Korra?" Asami prodded, looking to her friend. Her eyes were shifting left and right. "Is everything OK?"

"Probably nothing, don't worry about it," Korra smoothly lied. "And yeah, Azula is complicated..."

They walked back towards Sara's complex, carrying on their conversation. But Ren could tell Korra was tense. He recognized the paranoid look.

They rounded a corner. Just as Ren was about to speak up, Korra pushed everyone into an alley, sending them stumbling backward.

"Shhh," she warned, holding a finger up to her lips. "Don't say a word."

"Korra, what's going on?" Ren whispered.

Korra didn't say anything, and just held up a hand. After a tense minute, Korra snapped out of the alley like a rattlesnake, pulling in a tall, early 30s, golden-eyed man in and slamming him against a wall.

"Who are you!?" Korra yelled, gripping his neck. "Why are you following us!?"

He struggled against her, but the Avatar was surprisingly strong for her size. And she was tightening the grip around his throat. "I'm with Azula!" he wheezed. "Left pocket!"

Korra felt around in his coat. Sure enough, she pulled out a badge with a royal seal. "Fine," she grunted, releasing him. "But I don't recognize you. Talk. Now."

The agent composed himself, and cleared his throat. "I am Prince Ryu," he finally said with a small bow. "Grandson of Lady Azula. It is an honor to be in your presence, Avatar."

"Uh huh," Korra said skeptically, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

"I think he might be telling the truth, Korra," Sara noted. "Look at him. He's the spitting image of Azula."

Korra eyed him critically. "Yeah, OK. Big deal. What's a prince doing following us around?"

"Lady Azula recently tasked me with counterintelligence," Ryu explained. "She assigned me investigate threats Royal Family, and to the Avatar. In light of recent events, she only trusts blood with your identity."

"Well, great job. You already got caught," Korra quipped.

"Azula taught you well," Ryu complimented.

"And apparently she didn't teach you well enough," Korra countered. "I was just bumming around town. If I could spot you, someone else could too. They could be watching us right now."

Ryu looked to the side. "I admit, I underestimated the task at hand. Your cover is... extensive."

"Cover?" Korra echoed. "What do you mean?"

"Your routine through the industrial district, the slums. You expend an extraordinary amount of time here to throw off pursuers, conceal your real residence elsewhere," Ryu explained. "It is impressive."

"Routine?" Korra asked, dumbfounded. "What are you talking about? This is my home."

"...Here? In the slums?" Ryu questioned incredulously.

"Hey, this is not a slum," Sara interjected. "This is my neighborhood!"

"Exactly," Korra agreed. "I live down the street from her!"

"But why?" Ryu wondered aloud. "You're the Avatar. This is..."

"What?" Asami accused narrowing her eyes. "Not good enough for the Avatar? Or a Sato?"

"Well, yes," Ryu admitted bluntly.

Korra fumed. "This is my life!" she snapped. "What, you think I shouldn't be hanging out with poor people either?"

"That's... that's not what I implied," Ryu denied.

"Right. You just meant I should be associating with royal jerks like you instead." Korra sneered. "Well, thanks for the tip. I'm glad someone so high and mighty is watching my back!" she mocked, storming away.

"Yeah. Been a real pleasure, Mr. Prince," Sara added, walking away with Kylie and Asami.

"Korra, wait!" Ryu called out. "I apologize. I meant no disrespect."

Korra ignored him. Ryu stood there, with a stunned look on his face while Ren studied the Fire Nation prince.

"Are you coming, Ren!?" Kylie yelled, turning back to face him.

"I'll catch up," Ren assured her, waving them away.

Kylie grunted. She wouldn't just leave her brother behind, and Ren knew it. "Ugh. Can't you stop being nice for one second, Ren?" she complained, stomping back.

"Come on Kylie," Ren urged her. "Look at Ryu. He's a fish out of water, even worse than we were."

"He's a pompous jerk," Kylie argued. "I work with these kinds of people all the time, Ren."

"I am standing right here," Ryu pointed out.

"Yes, I'm aware," Kylie scoffed.

"Easy, sis," Ren implored her. "Prince Ryu. I don't know anything about espionage. But if you can't even wrap your head around Korra's life, how can you possibly do your job?"

"I've studied Azula's reports extensively," Ryu protested, crossing his arms. "This isn't my first time in the field."

"And yet you're completely clueless," Ren pointed out. "Now look, you can keep stumbling around the neighborhood, or you can let me show you around. Show you the Avatar's actual life."

Ryu sighed. "I suppose my cover for the night is blown anyway. Very well."

Ren smirked. "Come on. I'm starving, and I know just the place to eat."

Ren led his fuming sister and the unimpressed prince down the streets. They passed dilapidated buildings, seedy complexes, all under sporadic, blinking streetlights aided only by the glow of the moon.

"Oh, look at that. Tall, golden, and handsome," a prostitute called out from a darkened doorway. "And two delicious green-eyed snacks to go with him. Y'all want to have some fun?"

"Uh, no, thank you, miss," Ryu awkwardly declined, stepping aside.

"Oh, a greenhorn, eh? My favorite," she cooed with a long giggle. Ryu's cheeks turned red.

"Ignore her," Kylie advised, rolling her eyes.

Ryu let out a sigh. "One thing about the reports is right. Republic City is unwinding. It's nothing like my parents described."

"No... prostitutes have pretty much always been here," Ren chuckled.

"Ryu's just used to shining utopias like the Fire Nation Capital," Kylie quipped.

"I've traveled extensively, done work in Zaofu," Ryu insisted.

Kylie rolled her eyes. "Right, one of the richest cities on the planet. Probably Ember Island too, right? Maybe the Northern Water Tribe capital? The Ba Sing Se Inner Ring?"

"I... yes, actually," Ryu confirmed, somewhat embarrassed.

They walked in silence for a long time, and he couldn't help but feel that Ren's description was accurate. He was a fish out of water. Knowing Azula, this is exactly what she wanted.

"You know, we came from wealth too," Ren mentioned casually.

"You did?" Ryu asked curiously. He noted that Azula had zero intelligence on their backgrounds, which is very unusual. Its part of why he agreed to come along.

"Yep," Kylie chimed in. "We aren't princes. But we grew up in a big house in the Earth Kingdom. Both of us were on track to be big shot scientists. We skied all the time, and we had this gorgeous little cabin in the woods..." she trailed off, reminiscing.

"And then we lost everything," Ren finished sadly. "Everything except Kylie and I. We had to put our heads back together and start again from poverty."

"You don't seem bitter," Ryu commented.

"We're not," Ren assured him. "We're grateful for everything we have, because we know what it means to lose it."

That explains their education, and bending, Ryu mused, though he noted the omission of just how they lost their lives. "I know it's no comparison, but our side of the Royal family is... messy. There is a lot of drama that should never reach the public eye."

"Yeah, and I can imagine the complications of being famous," Ren admitted. "Korra is terrified of it."

"Korra is wise to hide her identity," Ryu opined. "The public thinks she's being timid, but she is protecting herself."

After some time, they passed what looked like a former library, with ornate columns and archways. The building's sign read "Orphan's Guild".

"Ren!" A little gray eyed girl squealed, as she came running out from behind a pillar.

"Hey, Ira!" Ren greeted her, kneeling down to give her a hug. "You feeling better?"

"Mhm," Ira nodded, rubbing her nose. "A man in red clothes came by this week."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," Ira assured him. "He dropped off medicine, and told us not to ask where it came from," she reported. "He said we should use it to get better."

"Good!" Ren approved, ruffling her hair. "Listen, I'll drop off your favorite grub later. Just take it easy, OK? Rest up."

Ira nodded, and gave a big toothy smile. "Bye Ren!" she waved.

"What was that about?" Ryu wondered aloud as they left.

"She was talking about the Red Monsoons," Ren explained. "They drop off some of the stuff they smuggle where it's needed."

"You mean the gangsters we're squeezing for information?" Ryu asked curiously.

"Yeah. Well, no," Ren corrected. "Peng is a good guy. We're not squeezing the Red Monsoons, we're protecting them. And Korra will obliterate anyone that tries to mess with Peng," he boasted proudly.

"That seems... unwise," Ryu commented.

"It's not. They're the best thing to happen to this district in ages," Ren asserted. "They're keeping real gangs from creeping in."

Ryu shook his head. Before he could argue more, two guys in loose rags jumped in front of the group.

"Give us your wallets!" One of them demanded, earthbending a chunk of concrete out of the ground.

Ryu immediately dropped to a lightning bending stance, heart racing, and static electricity crackled from his fingertips.

"Whoa! Easy Ryu," he said, pushing his arm down. "They're just teenagers,"

Ryu eyed them more closely. They were skinny, scruffy, arms shaking... they were just scared kids. And he had almost blasted them to oblivion.

Kylie threw a few Yuans at them. "Scram!" she ordered, pointing down a nearby alleyway. "Before you get yourselves killed!"

The boys exchanged looks, and the concrete block dropped. They frantically picked up the money and bolted without a word.

Ryu relaxed his stance, and let the electricity dissipate. "We're going to let them go? After they tried to rob us?"

"Yeah," Kylie agreed. "They're just desperate, and arresting them will ruin their lives. Not something you'd understand, of course."

Ryu shook his head. "You work for Future Industries, Ren. I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but I still don't understand why you live here by choice."

"Well, you're about to see one of the reasons, just down the street," Ren promised, leading them forward.

Alongside Kylie and Ren, Prince Ryu of the Fire Nation stopped in front of what he could only describe as a wooden shack.

The sign read "Hu's BBQ," and it was surrounded by a makeshift wooden fence closing in a large open area. Gruff loaders, burly sailors, and factory workers sat side by side on long tables, though Ryu did spot a few fancy suits and dresses mixed in. Ryu expected to smell the sweat all the way from here, but instead the scent of meat wafted through the air. There were big trees scattered around the yard, an odd sight in the concrete and metal industrial district.

"This is it?" Ryu asked doubtfully.

"This is the best place to eat in the entire United Republic," Kylie declared confidently. She picked a spot close to the edge, with a view of the street.

"I'm guessing you like your food spicy?" Ren asked Ryu.

"Oh, I'm not hungry, but thank you," Ryu demurred.

"No, you just think this place is gross, that it's beneath you," Kylie pointedly remarked.

"Look, Prince Ryu, just pretend it's part of job," Ren suggested. "If you can't even stomach the food here, how do you expect to blend in?"

Ryu sighed heavily. "Very well."

"Great!" Ren grinned. "I'll get our orders, be right back."

"Wait, what are you ordering?" Ryu asked.

"You'll see," Ren assured him.

Moments after Ren left, before Ryu could even protest anymore, a huge sailor plopped down right next to Ryu. He smelt like fish, looked like he had been at sea for days, and his belly popped out of his shirt.

"Nice jacket," he casually remarked, eyeing Ryu's attire. "Got rich relatives somewhere?"

"Uh, thanks," Ryu awkwardly returned the compliment. "Yeah, I suppose I do."

"I ain't gonna lie," the sailor confided. "I'm jealous. But I'm still happy with my lot in life."

"Really?" Ryu asked.

"Sure. I'm free. I got good grub. I got a wife, kids who love me, a roof over my head," he bragged. "I got everything in world I need."

Soon his friend placed a fat BBQ sandwich and a side of hush puppies in front of the sailor, and he tore into it like a pig. Ryu winced as some sauce splashed onto his sleeve.

Kylie was grinning ear to ear at the sight of the prince's discomfort. "See? We told you you'd love this place."

"I'm not sure if I agree," Ryu hedged.

"Well *I'm* certainly having a good time," Kylie assured him.

Ren came back with three huge bowls, three cups and a pitcher.

"Catgator gumbo, extra large, extra spicy, with fresh bread," he announced, setting the bowls down. "And iced tea, as sweet as it comes."

Ryu winced at the thought of drinking so much sugar, much less... catgator stew.

"I know, I know," Ren shrugged. "Just try a bite. Trust me, it's better than it looks."

Azula really was trying to torture him, Ryu mused. He nodded, and took a big spoonful of the gumbo. The smell and taste hit him at the same time.

Ryu's eyes widened.

It was loaded with seasoning, and as spicy as anything from a Fire Nation kitchen. The gumbo was thick, almost like a sauce, filled with vegetables he couldn't even place and jasmine rice.

He ate another spoonful, this time with a chunk of catgator. It melted in his mouth.

"Not bad, huh?" the sailor beside him commented.

"That's honestly the best thing I've ever tasted," Ryu marveled.

"Ha! Just wait till you try the ribs," the sailor promised, before returning to his own meal.

"Or the fried possum chicken po' boy," Kylie chimed. "No one can barbecue and fry like the Foggy Swamp tribesmen."

Ryu somehow finished the enormous bowl, and sipped his sweet tea, which is just about the only thing potent enough to chase it down. He looked around, and noticed police, a singer, and even a pair of diplomats mixed into the crowd, who were no doubt in on the secret, chatting away with the strangers they were next to.

Ren went in and got a round of bread pudding, which they squeezed into their stomachs as the night wore on. A mass of kids set up crates just outside the restaurant, lit some barrels to help the streetlights, and started an impromptu soccer game. Someone from the restaurant was handing out that corn battered fried possum chicken and tea.

"Are those kids orphans? I don't see a lot of adults around," Ryu observed.

"Some of them, yeah," Kylie confirmed. "But they're not alone."

"Wait... is that Korra on the side, cheering the kids on?" Ryu gaped. "And Jinora?"

"Yeah. And that guy next to her is Gommu, her friend." Ren confirmed. "This is Korra's favorite thing to do. But I wouldn't spoil her good mood if I were you," he added with a smirk. "She gets really defensive over the kids."

"You should see how much she eats here," Kylie teased.

A kid tackled her onto the ground, and Ryu couldn't help but smile at the sight. The Avatar, utterly defeated by tickling from a ten-year-old. It was not how he envisioned this assignment.

"These games really started spinning up when Peng took control," Ren mused. "And since the bombings have slowed. People aren't as scared to come out anymore."

"Yeah," the sailor agreed. "We've just started letting our kids out too," he admitted, before getting up with a groan. "Say, I never did catch your name, buddy."

"Ryu," he introduced himself.

"Han," the sailor responded. "No offense, but I can tell you're green here. So welcome to Republic City, Ryu. Hope to see ya around."

"Thanks, Han." Ryu smiled genuinely. "You too."

After a while, Kylie split off, and the duo waddled back to Ren's shop. Ren just managed to show Ryu the lay of the land without Korra killing Ryu.

Ryu left, eyeing the factories, worker apartments and shops on the street until a sign caught his eye.

It was a flower shop called 'The White Jade', and the sign said the top floor was available for rent.

It was isolated. It had a long line-of-sight to Ren's workshop down the street. And as it turns out, the young woman inside was quite friendly. He signed on the spot.

Maybe this assignment wouldn't be so bad, Ryu mused.

Chapter 40: The Long Night

Chapter Text

One night, Korra sat in Asami's home office as she flipped through stacks of employee files. The walls were filled with books and records, and cold from the outside was seeping in. Korra was across from her, rapidly tapping her foot as she worked through her own stack.

"What's wrong?" Asami asked.

"What's wrong? Asami, you have a spy in Future Industries!" Korra exclaimed heatedly. "How are you not panicking over this?"

Asami sighed. "Because panic does us no good, Korra. We're looking. And the company has gone on this long without an incident."

"No incidents as far as you know," Korra countered.

"Look, just be glad Azula gave us the warning," Asami reminded her. "This is good. It's better to know than not."

Korra slammed a file shut. "I know. But it's driving me nuts. I can't concentrate, I can't sleep. And I still feel like I'm not doing enough," she confessed.

Asami set the file down and looked at her friend. "I know you're worried about my safety, Korra. I'll be fine. I'm a trained chi blocker, and I trust my security team," Asami reassured her. "And you can't micromanage everything. Believe me, I've tried."

Korra smiled a little. "You handle this stuff so easily," she started. "Too bad you're not the Avatar. Maybe an Equalist CTO with bending is exactly what the world needs."

Asami laughed. "Maybe. But it also needs some tough love, and that's a specialty of yours."

"I hope so," Korra muttered. An open file caught her attention, or more specifically, a logo stamped on it. She picked it up, inspecting it closely.

"Asami, why is there a White Lotus symbol on this?" Korra asked, pointing at the folder.

"Hmm?" Asami looked up. "Oh, those are the employee records for Imay, our chief of security. I hired you directly, so I guess you never met him."

"He's a White Lotus member?" Korra asked, surprised.

"Former member, actually," Asami explained. "He retired from duty, but I've known him personally for years. He's one of the good ones. I trust him with my life."

"Hmph," Korra grunted skeptically.

"Korra, you have to understand. Before we met you, the White Lotus was a prestigious organization. They protected the Avatar, the Air Nomads. Kept the peace," Asami explained.

"A nonbender," Korra noted. "I don't remember him training me, but he seems... vaguely familiar. I'd like to meet this guy," she declared, marching out the door.

"Korra, slow down!" Asami called out, stumbling behind her.

Imay was in his office, a smaller building just outside the main Sato Estate. The building itself was stone, the room well furnished and clean. While checking over the guard rotations, his door burst open. Standing there was a young Water Tribe woman, glaring daggers at him.

"Imay!" Asami called out as she followed behind, breathing heavily. "Apologies for the intrusion at this late hour. This is Korra, my assistant and bodyguard," she introduced.

"Miss Sato, Miss Korra," Imay greeted them politely. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Korra. I've heard much about you, and am glad to finally meet in person."

He clearly didn't recognize her as the Avatar. The White Lotus really keeps an internal lid on her identity, Korra mused. "And I've heard nothing about you, Imay," Korra countered bluntly. "Why did you leave the White Lotus?"

"Well, I suppose the short answer is that I felt my skills were better used elsewhere," he answered diplomatically. "I served the Order faithfully for decades, but I felt a calling to return to Republic City."

Korra raised an eyebrow. "Did you ever train the Avatar?" she inquired.

Imay paused. "I never had the clearance to interact with the water Avatar, no. I was strictly a field operative," he replied.

"He is a master martial artist, a commander, and a skilled strategist," Asami intervened. "We're lucky to have you, Imay."

"Thank you, Miss Sato," Imay accepted graciously. "It has been an honor serving Future Industries."

Meanwhile, Korra carefully observed Imay. He wore a big coat and loose fitting clothes, and looked tall and fat sitting behind his desk. She studied his movements, his little mannerisms, his posture...

Korra smiled, and switched to the sweetest sounding voice she could muster. "I'm sorry for barging in here tonight, Imay," she apologized, walking up to him. "I just... I wanted to thank you for your service. To the Order, to the world," she praised.

Imay nodded. "It was nothing compared to what others went through," he demurred. "But thank you, nevertheless."

"Just one more request, and we'll be out of your hair," Korra cooed.

"Anything," Imay promised with a smile.

"Lift your shirt, please," Korra innocently requested.

"Korra!" Asami exclaimed.

With Imay and Asami briefly stunned, Korra just did it herself, reaching over and pulling Imay's shirt up.

His loose clothing was hiding a barrel chest and a ripped torso... and a burn scar on his right side. Right where Korra had burned the Equalist imposter with tea.

Asami was mortified. "...What are you doing!?" she gasped.

But Korra barely heard Asami's protest. She dropped the shirt and froze, as if a predator was sitting right in front of her. Her muscles tensed, her heart raced.

"Imay, I am so sorry for this," Asami profusely apologized, cheeks red. "I assure you, Korra and I are going to have a serious conversation about her behavior," she finished, glaring daggers at Korra.

But Imay didn't respond. Instead, he was appraising the young woman. He stood up, towering over her, giving her a closer look.

"Miss Korra, are you positive we have not met?" he asked innocently.

"Oh, I think you know the answer to that question," Korra retorted coldly.

This was definitely the girl from the restaurant, Imay realized. But that was not all. She shared a name with the current Avatar, at least according to records he found. Could it really be...

"Korra, we are leaving," Asami ordered, tugging at her arm. But she was a still as a statue.

"Oh, I am such a fool," Imay genuinely laughed. "You are not just any Korra. The Avatar was hiding in plain sight, right under my nose, this entire time."

"That's right," Korra confirmed, stepping forward. "And an airbender was right under mine."

"Imay? Korra? What's happening?" Asami asked in confusion.

"Asami, Imay is the airbender that posed as an Equalist," Korra revealed.

"What!?" Asami gasped. "Imay, is this true?"

Imay turned to a painting in his office, with his hands behind his back. "I am afraid so, Miss Sato. I know it's difficult to understand, but we are not enemies," he said seriously. "Our previous encounter... it was nothing personal."

"Oh it sure felt personal," Korra snarled.

"Please, Avatar Korra, Miss Sato, sit," Imay invited them, gesturing to chairs. "Can't we be civilized?"

Imay sat down first. Korra eyed him skeptically. "Fine, but I want answers," she relented, sitting down. "Who are you? Who are you working for?"

"I am Imay. I am part of an organization dedicated to the betterment of the world. And know that I may withhold information, but I will not lie," he promised. "Now let me ask you, Avatar Korra. What is your hope for Republic City? What is your vision for its future?"

"I want equality, justice, freedom," Korra listed. "I don't want innocent people being taken advantage of."

"And that is what we want," Imay affirmed. "We seek freedom and liberty for everyone. We oppose any tyrant, any organization, indeed any entity that would oppress the common folk."

Asami crossed her arms. "Is that why you bombed the city?" she challenged. "Kidnapped children?"

Imay sighed. "Our organization is divided into cells. Following our principles, these cells operate independently. And I must say, in recent times, I've come to disagree with the actions of some of our sister groups," he confessed. "Our cell kidnapped children for leverage, yes, but has not harmed a single hair on their heads. And I strongly disapprove of the bombing campaign and killings."

"Hmm. OK," Korra conceded. "Next question. How on Earth did you become an airbender?"

Imay closed his eyes. "It was a precious gift. I was not born an airbender, if that is what you are asking," he vaguely answered. "I'm sorry, but I promised the source of my airbending it would remain a secret. I cannot break that vow."

"What about trying to kidnap me as a child?" Korra pressed. "Is it just a coincidence you were a member of the White Lotus?"

Imay hesitated. "I apologize. I cannot speak to that operation. But know that it was not our cell, and that we do not oppose you, Avatar Korra."

"Oh really? It sure feels like you're trying to tear my home apart," Korra argued.

Imay took a deep breath. "This is an exchange of information, Miss Korra. So before I respond to your accusation, tell me. Are you involved in the coordination of various factions behind the scenes? We have noticed some... interesting patterns, and I can think of few entities capable of such influence."

Korra narrowed her eyes. "You shouldn't be surprised that the city is rallying against corruption, with or without me," Korra countered.

"Fair enough." Imay nodded. "Korra, our organization believes this city is putrid and desiccated. It needs to be flushed, and we are simply expediting and guiding the process. Do you not wonder if Noatak was right all along? That the only solution is to remove the oppressive structures entirely?"

"No," Korra disagreed firmly. "I believe in change, not chaos. And I won't stand idly by while you guys tear the city apart."

Imay broke eye contact. "My colleagues would disagree. It is their belief that the Council and the other institutions should burn. That the only way to free the people is to have them rise from the ashes of their oppressors."

Korra watched his expressions change, and her own softened. "I'm sensing a 'but' in there," she prodded.

Imay looked back. "I have discovered things about my own organization that have caused me to become... disillusioned. This is why I am sitting here, revealing it to you," he explained. "Perhaps there is a more nuanced path to freedom. Perhaps we can transform the city, and the world, without so much destructive force." Imay sighed. "I believe you and I are on the same page, Avatar Korra. I am realizing ideals must adapt to change, to reality, which I suspect you have already learned. And persuading my colleagues will take time, but I am willing to attempt it. In the meantime, I believe you and I can coexist, if not cooperate."

Korra looked to the side. "I appreciate that, Imay. My view of this city shifts by the day. Who knows, maybe we can cooperate, maybe even become allies some day..." Korra took a deep breath, and looked back at Imay. "But right now, I can't let you go, no matter how polite you are, or how good your intentions may be. I need to know what's going on, before it's too late," she decided. "I'm taking you into custody."

Imay adopted a genuinely sad expression. He sat up, a move mirrored by Asami and Korra. "Korra, Asami, I cannot allow myself to be captured," he warned. "Know that I regret what I am about to do. I hope we meet again on better terms."

Imay burst into violence, spinning around and launching a blast of wind at Korra and Asami. Asami was knocked through the door and out of the office, hitting the back wall with a thud and knocking the wind out of her.

But Korra held her ground, deflecting the wide blast with her own airbending. She punched a fist forward, shooting a bolt of fire straight at Imay.

He danced around it, and the blast hit the stone back wall, knocking flaming books and papers everywhere. He shot a low blast of whistling air forward, which Korra deftly lept over, landing in a crouch.

Imay charged forward, and Korra sprung back, narrowly avoiding a punch. She coated her fist in fire and swung at him, but he dodged, and made a break for the door.

"You're not going anywhere!" Korra roared. She collapsed the doorway in a shower of debris, blocking his path.

Imay grunted in frustration, and spun around to face her. "Avatar, I am sorry, but I cannot allow myself to be taken," he insisted.

Korra clenched her fists. "You don't have a choice!" she growled.

Imay knew better than to challenge the Avatar to a bending duel, and decided to keep pressing his physical advantage. He charged forward with a blast of air, forcing her to fight at close quarters. He feinted a punch, and grazed her stomach with a kick. Korra stumbled backward, but regained her balance. She returned the favor with a flaming uppercut, which he deftly blocked.

Outside, Sara and Ren arrived, followed by Hiroshi and a few of the estate's security guards, investigating the commotion. "Asami! Are you OK?" Sara called out, helping her up.

"I'm fine," Asami assured her, shaking her head and brushing off dust.

"What's going on?" Hiroshi demanded.

"Imay is the Equalist imposter!" she exclaimed. "He's fighting Korra now."

"What?" Hiroshi echoed.

"We need to get in there!" Ren declared. He widened his stance, and started pulling some debris away with earthbending.

As the rubble was cleared, the group saw chaos unfold before them. The office was all but destroyed, furniture on fire, debris everywhere. Korra and Imay were moving so fast they could barely track it.

Imay launched a quick blast of wind at Korra's head, but she ducked under it, hearing it whistle by, only to spot the that the wall behind her was cleared away. For a split second, she turned back.

"Let me handle this!" Korra yelled.

The distraction broke her focus. This was going to be Imay's last chance, he reasoned. He lept into the air, bounced off the ceiling like a cat, and landed right behind Korra, grabbing her in a headlock. She immediately struggled, but he tightened his grip with his massive arms, lifting her off the floor.

"I am walking out of here," Imay threatened.

Everyone dropped their stances, and Asami put down her shock glove. "Wait, take it easy, Imay!" she pleaded.

"I am sorry, Miss Sato," Imay apologized. "I must do this."

But Korra was having absolutely none of it. With no bending, no Avatar State, just a guttural scream and her own brute strength, she managed to loosen Imay's grip and kick them both onto the floor. They rolled, and struggled. Within moments, Korra headbutted him, and used the momentum to slam his head into the ground, knocking him out.

"Korra, are you all right?" Ren asked worriedly, rushing over.

Korra groaned, and rolled over onto her back, panting and holding her head. "Yeah," she croaked. "I'm fine."

Sara helped her up. "Remind me never to get in a fist fight with you," she teased.

"I wouldn't recommend it," Korra agreed with a smirk.

Ren wrapped a metal table around Imay to bind him, and checked his pulse. He frowned. "Imay has no pulse. He's dead." Ren reported.

Korra's face dropped. "I didn't mean to kill him," she whispered. She walked back to Imay's body and kneeled over it. "He was just trying to escape. I wonder if he had any family..."

Asami shook her head. "It was self-defense. It was his fault, Korra," Asami insisted, her voice cracking. "I... I trusted Imay. He knew everything about us."

"Yes, everything..." Hiroshi murmured, putting his hands on his temples.

"I'll call Tarrlok," Korra decided reluctantly. "I'm so sorry, Imay. Maybe you were an enemy, but you had the decency to discuss it, and to consider change. I won't forget that. I'll try to think on what you said."

Chapter 41: Spring Dreams

Chapter Text

The date is 164 AG, Year of the Rat. Fire Lord Izumi rules the Fire Nation, the new Water Avatar is 14, and a party is raging at one of the most prestigious universities on Earth. In the heart of the Fire Nation Capital, Prince Ryu has a cute guy around his arm, slumped against his side, and a drink in each hand.

"So, Okabe," Ryu began, leaning against a wall in a sea of bodies. "How are your anatomy studies going?"

"Oh, they're great!" Okabe enthused, tracing circles around Ryu's torso with his finger. "I'm learning just how sensitive certain areas are. You wouldn't believe how much you learn from hands-on experience."

"I bet," Ryu murmured, kissing the top of Okabe's head.

"Isn't this fun?" Okabe asked excitedly. "All these parties, all these people... I never imagined university life would be this amazing."

Ryu smiled back, but spotted his little brother storming out to the balcony before he could reply.

"Hey, I'll see you in a bit, Okabe. Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone," Ryu joked.

"No promises," Okabe winked, watching him walk away.

Ryu stepped outside, and found his younger brother leaning against the railing overlooking the city. "You look like you're having fun," Ryu quipped.

Zenjin glanced over. "I don't know how you convinced me to come here," he complained.

"I got you in here," Ryu corrected. "Come on, loosen up. Are these people really so terrible?"

Zenjin sighed. "No one cares about us here, Ryu. They just care about our blood. Don't you ever get tired of the nepotism? And all the corruption and backstabbing that goes along with it?"

"You're just not finding the right people, Zenjin," Ryu dismissed. "We can't change our family, but we can find friends that accept us for who we are."

"I want friends too. But you can't ignore the politics forever, Ryu," Zenjin argued. "And I'm already sick of pretending."

"I'm not pretending," he argued heatedly. "I enjoy studying here. I enjoy our class, I know them. I enjoy being with Okabe. And I'm not going to apologize for wanting to spend time with my friends."

"You're not listening to me, as usual," Zenjin accused, pushing himself off the rail and turning to leave. "One day, you will to wake up from your daydream, and find your friends have stuck knives in your back."

"Don't say that!" Ryu snapped, grabbing his shoulder. "You sound like mother."

Zenjin sighed, and gently touched his brother's arm. "Yeah, I do. And I despise that. But if you get sucked into this system, Ryu, it will eat you alive unless you treat it like a war. I don't wish that upon anyone, least of all you."

"Look, you've got to stop worrying about me, Zenjin," Ryu challenged.

"I won't," Zenjin vowed, turning to walk away once more. "I love you, Ryu. That's why I worry."

Ryu's eyes fluttered open. He was in the top floor of the White Jade, staring at a white ceiling. His new apartment was quiet, simple, with plants scattered throughout.

After a quick morning routine, Ryu was on the streets once again, doing some planned checkups, and then some daydreaming in the cool sun.

He recalled being on a hard floor, all but paralyzed, mind clouded with drugs. The love of his life was kneeling in front of his safe, opening it carefully. Zenjin's warning was ringing in his ears.

"Why, Okabe," Ryu whispered.

"Nothing personal, Ryu," he whimpered, a tear running down his cheek. "I had no choice."

"But you did," Ryu chastised.

"No, I didn't. And neither do you," Okabe sadly corrected. "If you tell anyone about this, we're both in trouble. I'm so sorry. I love you, Ryu..."

Ryu was snapped out of the memory by a ball flying straight towards his face.

"Whoa!" Ryu yelped, ducking just in time. The next thing he knew, a giant polar bear dog nearly bowled him over, rushing past him in pursuit.

"Attagirl, Naga!" a woman cheered from down the street. It was, of course, the Avatar herself, and her expression immediately soured as Ryu approached.

"Oh look who it is. Our favorite jerk," she called out. "Having a good morning?"

"Good enough," Ryu replied smoothly. "I'm just enjoying the morning sun."

"Good. I hope our sunrise was up to your exacting standards," Korra quipped.

"Take it easy, Korra," Ren implored her, walking up behind her. "It's way too early for insults."

"Why do you go so easy on him?" Korra wondered aloud. "He's a pain in the ass."

"He's trying to help us, Korra. He's trying to protect you," Ren defended him.

Korra crossed her arms. "I don't need protection from him."

"Um, I'm standing right here," Ryu interjected.

"Yeah, I know," Korra scoffed.

Ryu shook his head. "You know, you might reconsider running Naga around your home. A polar bear dog is Republic City is kinda conspicuous," Ryu pointed out.

"Don't worry, we were just going inside," Korra huffed, before stomping up the stairs of the workshop.

Ryu let out a sigh, and held the bridge of his nose. "She's still mad."

"Yeah... Korra gets protective over her friends. And you kind of insulted every single one of them," Ren pointed out. "That's not going away soon."

"I'm just trying to help," Ryu defended himself. "I'm trying to make amends."

"It'll get better," Ren assured him, clapping him on the shoulder. "...Eventually. Anyway, we've already put together some of the gadgets you asked for," Ren said, leading Ryu over to a workbench. "A pipe radio, hollow coins, intrusion detectors. I even took the liberty of shrinking a camera down into something inconspicuous."

"That was fast, thank you," Ryu complimented, marveling at the camera in his palm. "If you don't mind me asking, why aren't you holding a grudge?"

Ren shrugged. "I'm not really the type. And I didn't take it personally, I get you are from a different world."

"Different is right," Ryu pointed out. "I know I'm privileged, but being in the Royal family, being in the spotlight. It can feel like swimming with Unagi."

"And you know who can relate to that?" Ren mused out loud. "Korra. The moment her identity gets out, she's the most famous face in the world, and she can't take a step without worrying about ulterior motives," he pointed out. "That's why she lives here, Ryu. She's not just hiding to protect her health. She's protecting her friends, her life that she built in this district. It's her only chance at remotely normal existence."

"And I mocked her for making that choice," Ryu realized.

"Yeah," Ren agreed. "You basically told her she's stupid for not wanting the crushing stress and isolation she already suffered through for most of her life, on top being in the spotlight."

Ryu breathed deeply, and nodded. "For what its worth, I'm starting to understand the appeal. No one recognizes me here. Without that constant mental burden, my mind is starting to... wander. Like its at peace for the first time in years."

"That's a good thing," Ren assured him. "And if you want to bounce those thoughts off someone, I'm always here."

"I appreciate that," Ryu promised. "In fact, do you mind if I ask you something personal now?"

"Sure," Ren agreed. "Shoot."

"You and Kylie seem really close," Ryu observed. "If you two were to drift apart, what would you do? Give her space? Or try to reel her back in?"

"You're thinking about that wrong, Ryu," Ren informed him. "We're blood. And we survived something awful, together. It doesn't matter how much space Kylie needs, or whatever happens between us. When push comes to shove, we'll always be there for each other, no matter what. We can't really drift apart in the first place."

Ryu nodded, surprised by the insight. Maybe he's right. He would still do anything for his little brother... and he wondered if Zenjin still felt the same way.

In the dead of night, in a quiet basem*nt in the Fire Nation capital lit by bright torches, a younger Zenjin found himself sparring with his brother. Not with fire or words, like their mother would want... no, this was their dirty secret. They sparred with dull dual daos, just like their favorite legend. They had been going at it for a while, and they had smiles stuck on their sweaty faces.

Zenjin ducked under a swing, and leaped forward, bringing his blade across Ryu's chest. Ryu parried, and kicked Zenjin square in the gut, sending him crashing backwards.

"Nice one," Zenjin panted, flipping onto his feet. He shot forward, faked a left, and hit Ryu in the chest with the hilt of his right dao as he spun around.

"Oof!" Ryu coughed, staggering backwards. "You're getting faster."

"You taught me well," Zenjin acknowledged, dropping into a ready stance. "Show me what you got."

Ryu smirked. "Be careful what you wish for." Ryu channeled a little lighting into his swords, electrifying them with faint blue arcs, and came at his brother.

Zenjin dodged, then parried. He felt a slight shock as their swords connected, and jumped back. "What the heck?"

Ryu smirked. Their swords connected again, and Zenjin dropped both his daos in surprise. "A little something new I made up."

"Ugh," Zenjin groaned. "That's not fair."

"Relax, I'm just messing around," Ryu assured him, tossing the blades aside. But as he watched his brother's face drop, it made his heart drop a little too. "Really, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"It's fine," Zenjin lied. "I'll get you back someday."

Ryu sighed. "Come on. Let's sit down, cool off."

They leaned against a wall, sipping iced water from a pitcher, sitting in comfortable silence for a while.

"You don't have to hold back your lighting bending around me, you know," Zenjin mentioned casually.

Ryu grabbed his brother's shoulder. "I know. But most people can't bend lighting, Zenjin. It just doesn't fit with how they're wired. You've got to stop beating yourself up over it."

"It's not just the lighting, Ryu," Zenjin admitted quietly.

"Yeah. It's mother. And grandmother. As always," Ryu agreed.

"Azula chose to train the Avatar over her own blood," Zenjin lamented. "And mother..."

"Yeah, I know," Ryu sympathized. "Zenjin, you're a better firebender than me, and you've got a brilliant strategic mind. Don't give a second thought to Mom's unhinged takes and expectations."

"Same to you." Zenjin sighed. "We're never going to be rid of them, are we?"

"Maybe not. But it'll get better," Ryu promised. "We just have to stick together and stay sane..."

Zenjin slowly opened his eyes in the present day. He wasn't a naturally happy person, but he couldn't help but smile at the memories, and at the person sharing the bed with him.

"Hey," Jia softly greeted him, brushing his air aside.

"Hey," Zenjin responded, looking into her light hazel eyes.

She smiled back. "Look at you, not waking up grumpy for once," she teased.

Zenjin playfully pushed her away. "Shut up."

Jia giggled, and kissed him on the lips. "Come on, let's grab some breakfast before we start. I'm starving."

After a quick bite, Zenjin and Jia started their usual route, a series of dead drops and quick meetings with contacts in the heart of Republic City.

"Still no word from Imay," Jia noted nervously. "He hasn't shown up in a morgue or prison either."

"He would never let himself be captured," Zenjin reminded her.

"Yeah, but that doesn't make it any easier," Jia sadly agreed.

Zenjin didn't know what to say. So he just wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I know."

They both flinched as they heard a thump in the distance.

"What!? I thought the other cell was going to stop the bombings!" Jia spat. "No one believes it's the Equalists anymore."

"And they keep getting caught," Zenjin muttered. "We aren't faring so well ourselves."

"We're losing a few assets, but we're not maniacs. The bombings were a horrible idea in the first place," Jia pointed out. "Well, the meeting tonight should be especially fun, huh? I know how much you love meeting with the other cell leaders."

"You don't have to rub it in," Zenjin protested.

"I kinda do," she teased, turning around to give him a solid kiss. "It's time to split. But I'll see you tonight."

"Stay safe," Zenjin urged her.

"Always," Jia promised.

Zenjin watched her walk down an alley, then bound over a fence with a blast of airbending. He shook his head. She shouldn't be airbending in public... but Jia does what Jia wants.

As the sun was setting, near the end of his downtown route, Zenjin found an entire filing cabinet where a small dead drop was supposed to be. Curious, he took it back to his apartment, pried it open, and flipped through the contents.

"What's inside?" Jia asked, peeking over his shoulder.

"It's... from Imay," Zenjin revealed. "It's everything he had on the other cell. And more."

"He was spying on them?" Jia gasped. "I know he didn't like them, but..."

Zenjin shook his head. "The more time passes, less crazy his suggestion sounds."

"It is crazy, Zenjin. We can't just break off from the other cells. Have you forgotten our mission?" Jia objected.

"I will never forget. I have a whole family tree full of reasons to remember," Zenjin reminded her. "But still... Imay was always ahead of the curve," he mused. "I think we should keep this. Better to have it and not need it."

Jia considered this. "It's what Imay would have wanted," she agreed.

Zenjin sighed. "I miss him."

"Me too," Jia agreed, wrapping her arms around him. "Come on, we don't want to be late."

Zenjin and Jia showed up at the abandoned factory, wearing masks and jumpsuits. They normally didn't hide their identities in meetings, but given recent events, they decided to cover up.

And, as Jia predicted, this was not a fun meeting.

"You want to do what!?" Zenjin asked incredulously.

"I will not repeat myself," the masked leader asserted.

"You want to provoke the Avatar and the Equalists when we are trying to keep our heads above water?" Zenjin demanded. "Are you insane?"

"This is a fleeting opportunity to gain leverage over the Avatar," the leader explained. "And..."

"Let me guess," Jia interrupted. "You have subordinates clamoring to jump on the opportunity. Maybe those mercenaries you brought on?"

The masked man sighed. "To be blunt, I am trying to maintain unity among our cell," he confessed. "I have already made compromises elsewhere. And this operation has a high probability of success."

"If you succeed, you will be kicking a hornets nest," Zenjin warned. "I don't have solid proof, but I think the Avatar is fiercer than we realize. And I fear she has allies in unexpected places."

"It would not be historically unprecedented," the masked man agreed. "But she is not a fully realized Avatar. And preparations are already underway. I appreciate your reservations, but the operation is happening."

"I will not support this," Zenjin stated flatly.

"That is your prerogative, and we respect it," the masked man allowed.

"But it is our problem. This could turn into a giant mess," Jia warned.

"Then we will deal with it," the masked man affirmed.

Zenjin rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Have you at least stopped the bombings? The police killings? No one believes they are from Equalists anymore."

"We have ceased the campaign," the masked man confirmed.

"Thank goodness," Jia commented.

"But... there may be rare action from independent actors," the masked man clarified.

Jia sighed. "Do you guys need help? Is your cell even holding itself together?"

"We are experiencing some instability from the unknown third party and new contractors," the masked man admitted. "I... appreciate the offer. I will keep it in mind."

Zenjin sighed once more. "So no new info on our mysterious third party?"

"Not exactly," the masked man admitted. "But whatever it is, the circle is small. We cannot find any sources with even passing knowledge of the entity. That itself is telling..."

Details were discussed. The meeting ended. Back in the apartment, Zenjin was flipping though Imay's files, and literally breathing fire in frustration.

"Those idiots. What are they thinking? They have no idea what they're dealing with," Zenjin seethed.

"Yeah, they're idiots. But what do you know about the Avatar, Zenjin?" Jia asked. "You're holding back on me. Spill."

"...Azula trained her," he revealed. "Jia. Azula does not pick passive students, much less dedicate years to them. And they do not graduate meek. It just doesn't line up with the Avatar's public image and actions."

"Maybe you're overreacting," Jia suggested. "She's charismatic. We know she's a good bender, but say she's better than we think. So what? She's clearly not a fully realized Avatar."

Zenjin shook his head. "You don't understand."

"Maybe not. But either way, we just deal with it as it comes," Jia reassured him. "I'm heading to bed. Are you coming?"

"In a minute," Zenjin promised.

After she left, Zenjin flipped through Imay's files on the other cell's ground ops team. They were essentially the blue collar force of the organization, spread all over the city and the United Republic...

But another folder in the back of the cabinet caught his eye. "Avatar Training Logs," he read aloud.

It was a partial record from some other cell, summarizing training routines and notes from the Avatar's regimen. While clearly incomplete and full of holes, it was enough to send chills down Zenjin's spine.

Chapter 42: Naga's Lost Days

Chapter Text

It was dark, cool, windy outside.

Naga looked around. She was tied up in a room with a bunch of stuff in boxes. Some of it smelled like food, but mostly it was just weird smells.

Korra sometimes left her here after riding around town, but her master always came back.

And she left them with nice humans. One of them was especially nice and gentle, but she liked all of them. Naga couldn't really understand what they were saying, not like her master, but she listened anyway.

"How did we end up being guard dogs for a dog," one of them laughed. "When I joined the Equalists, I didn't think I'd be babysitting a polar bear dog in the middle of the city."

"It's the Avatar's spirit animal!" another protested. "You should be honored. Besides, she's just the sweetest thing," she cooed.

The woman scratched behind Naga's ear, in just the right spot. Naga liked this human, and licked her hand affectionately.

"She's so smart," she gushed. "I swear, she understands everything we say."

"Uh huh," the other said skeptically. "At least we're guarding a warehouse too. It's not completely pointless."

Naga smelt a strange human, one she didn't know. They sounded aggressive. She got up and growled, trying to warn the humans she liked.

"What is it, girl?" the woman asked, petting her. "You scared?"

Naga whimpered. There was someone bad outside.

"Han, go check it out," the nice woman ordered.

"Are you serious? Is the dog ordering us around now?" Han complained.

"Just go," the human demanded.

"Fine," Han sighed, getting up.

Naga whined loudly, and tried to follow him. But the humans kept her back, telling her to wait.

The human poked his head out the window.

"See? Nothing to worry... Oh, hog monkeys!" he yelled, ducking back.

Naga saw fire blast over the human's head. Naga doesn't like fire, and she barked furiously.

"There are too many to count!" Han cried.

The human was shooting fire out of his fist out the window, but kept having to dodge. The other humans got out sparkly sticks and gloves, and the nice woman stood low in front of Naga.

Naga saw the big front door fall down, and a bunch of mean men came in. They had clothes just like the nice humans. The nice humans were hitting them with sticks, and the woman was throwing the ground around.

"Oh, spirits," the woman cried, as fire burned her side. The nice woman pulled a very big rock out of the ground, and threw it behind Naga. There was a big hole in the room now.

"Go," the woman said, breaking Naga's chain.

Naga whimpered. She didn't want to leave the nice humans.

Ice hit her back, and she fell to her knees. Blood was dripping down her leg. "Go, Naga! Run!"

Naga ran, and the bad humans chased after her. But Naga was faster. She ran into the street, past strange machines, weird buildings, and lots of people.

Naga felt sad, and scared. The machines were making loud noises at her. She sniffed the air, but couldn't smell Korra or anyone she knew.

She wandered the street, nose in the air, trying to find a scent. Other humans were all looking at her, pointing and talking.

Naga felt something touch her fur. She flinched, but then leaned into it as the hand stroked her. She looked to the side, and saw a woman with blue eyes like her master, but wrinkly skin and white hair.

"Hello there," the woman said kindly. "My, my, I haven't seen a polar bear dog since I left the South Pole. And what a beautiful girl you are," she cooed, scratching behind Naga's ear.

Naga liked this human.

"Clearly tame, remarkable..." the woman murmured, looking at Naga's harness. "Where is your master?"

Naga whined, and nuzzled the woman.

"Well, I suppose I can't leave you out here alone," she decided.

Naga's ears perked up. She heard the mean men in the distance. They were close enough to smell. She whimpered sadly, looking back at the men, then at the woman, pawing the ground.

"Poachers," she spat. "Come here, girl," she cooed. "Come inside, we'll call the police and find your master."

Naga followed the woman into the building. Humans were everywhere, eating delicious smelling things out of bowls, drinking from cups, and laughing. A lot of them looked like her master.

Naga sat down next to the woman. She was pulling something out of the cold food box. "Here, fresh arctic hen," she offered, tossing Naga the whole carcass. Naga caught it midair, and tore into it happily.

She really liked this human.

But Naga smelt the mean men again. She looked at the door, and saw two of them. They were looking at the woman, and then at her.

"Hand over the dog, miss. It's ours," one of them demanded.

"I beg to differ," the woman countered, eyeing them. "Neither of you could tame an arctic camel, much less a fine beast like this. I would prefer to let the police sort this out."

"I'm afraid we're not asking," the man insisted. More similar mean humans ran inside, and stood low.

Other humans spread around the building stood up. "I think you guys are lost," one of them said. "This is Narook's. If you want trouble, you are in the wrong part of town."

The mean humans didn't even respond. They started shooting fire and rocks out of their hands.

The very nice lady stood in front of Naga and made a big block of ice. The other humans fought back, with more ice and fire than Naga could track.

She saw blood on the humans, and Naga felt anger inside her. She charged a mean man and went straight for his neck. Her teeth sunk into his flesh, and she flung him sideways.

Fire burned Naga's back, and she yelped in pain. She rolled around, trying to shake off the flames, but she felt weaker.

When Naga got up, she saw the very nice lady on the ground. She pawed her, but the woman didn't move. This made Naga sad.

The building was really loud, and fire burned Naga again. Scared, she ran out the smaller door, back onto a street.

She could barely smell her master now. She ran down the street, following the scent, but two humans in shiny clothes yelled at her.

"Hey, stop... whatever you are," one of them shouted.

The human launched a string at Naga. She stopped, and turned the other direction, running away from the scary string.

Naga followed Korra's scent down an alley. She was close. She let out a bark, hoping her master would hear.

But Naga felt a prick in her back. None of her legs worked anymore, she couldn't move, she skidded to the ground, her head just outside the alley.

She saw her master!

"Naga!" Korra screamed. She had a mask, but it was her. Her eyes were white, and she had that stick that let her fly.

Naga tried to bark, but she couldn't.

"Naga! Where are you! Naga!" Naga could hear her master was very sad. Wind was swirling around her.

Something dragged Naga back into the alley, and her vision went black.

Naga opened her eyes, and she was in the South Pole, with Korra riding on top.

"Atta girl, go, go, go!"

Naga ran faster, happy as she sprinted along the ice. This was her home for many years.

Korra steered Naga into an igloo dug into the snow. Naga remembered this place.

"Here we are, our home away from home!" Korra announced proudly. "Come on girl, it's time to celebrate all our hard work."

Korra pulled a Tiger Seal out of the ground, one they had caught yesterday. Her master cut it, and covered it in blue fire, which made Naga's mouth water.

"Mmm, that's rich meat, huh, Naga?" Korra garbled with a mouth full of food.

This was the biggest meal Naga had in a long time. She ate until she couldn't eat anymore, and they both sat on the ground, full and content.

But Naga could feel her master was sad. She had been so sad for so long. Naga didn't understand why she let those people burn her and yell at her every day, while Naga watched on helplessly.

Naga nuzzled her master, and Korra gave her a tight hug. Water started coming out of her eyes, and she held Naga tighter.

"I don't know how I'd make it without you, girl," Korra sobbed. "This place, this training... you're my only friend. These morning runs are the only thing I have to look forward to."

Naga licked her cheek. But she was especially sad today. Naga wanted to help, but she didn't know how.

"It's going to get better, girl. It has to. I'll get good enough to leave. Because I can't take this much longer. I think my soul will break in half, if my body doesn't first..."

Naga's vision went white, and she found herself somewhere else.

She was underground. It was dark. They had been walking in a dark tunnel for a long time, following her master's fire, and Naga didn't like it.

"Here we are, girl," Korra said, popping up above ground. There were big machines in the water, big stone and ice buildings.

Korra hopped on top of Naga, and they slowly rode towards the big machines. "Now when I say go, girl, we go. Sprint as hard as you can, and jump as high as you can, but stay quiet. This is it, this is our chance!"

Naga braced herself. This was making her master happy, and she wanted to make her master happy.

"Go. Go," Korra whispered.

Naga bolted, running behind the big building. She ran, faster than she had ever run before.

Naga got to a ledge, and jumped with everything she had. Her master shot fire out of her hands behind her, pushing her higher and higher.

They barely landed on the back of the big machine, and Naga was so proud.

"Yes, yes," Korra said in a low voice. "We did it! We made it to the lower deck of the ship!" Korra led Naga behind some crates, and then hugged her, tighter than she ever had before. "We're free... we're gonna make it to the Earth Kingdom," Korra whispered. "You're the best friend anyone could ask for, Naga. I don't know how I'd survive without you."

Water was pouring out of her masters eyes. But she was happy. Happier than she had been in a long time. And that was all Naga wanted as she curled up beside her.

Naga's eyes opened. She was in a cage, and smelt the mean men that had taken her. She was in a big machine.

Naga growled, but someone singed her back with fire.

"Shut up, or we'll kill you," one of the mean men threatened.

Naga whimpered. She didn't understand. She was sad, in pain.

She wanted to howl.

She just wanted to see her master.

"Nagaaaa!" Korra wailed. She had flown through every street, peeked in every shop, looked around every corner nearby, followed the path of destruction, but...

Naga was gone.

Her oldest friend, her conscious, who had seen everything, who had saved her life in more ways than she could count, who had given her strength when she needed it most...

Gone.

Korra was on her knees, in front of the warehouse where she last left her friend. The Avatar State still coursed through her veins, with wind whipping around her, but she was frozen in grief. She felt mortally wounded, body fighting to survive, yet had no idea where to direct her energy.

Equalists had already pulled bodies from the wreckage. The guards were dead, and the earthbending officer in charge was lying on the ground, her body broken by fire and ice. A few Equalists were crying over their fallen friends. Others were silently commiserating.

Ren, Asami and Sara burst onto the scene, horrified. "We came as soon as... Oh no," Asami breathed, seeing the carnage.

They wrapped Korra in a tight embrace.

"They... they took Naga. They killed so many innocent people, just for her," Korra choked out, tears streaming down her face.

"Shhhh," Asami cooed, rubbing her back soothingly.

"Just breathe, Korra," Ren encouraged her. "We'll figure this out."

Korra relented, and hugged her friends back. The wind died down, and the glow cleared from her eyes, only to be replaced by more tears.

"Why would they do this?" Korra sobbed.

"We'll find out," Sara promised her.

Noatak gave them space, eyeing the scene carefully. After some time, he finally stepped forward, and put a hand on the Avatar's shoulder. "This was an attack on the Equalists, an attack on the city... and an attack on friends," he stated gravely. "Every resource we have will be dedicated to finding the perpetrators."

Korra wiped her eyes, and stood up. "Did they leave a note? Any demands?"

"Yes. It simply states 'We have your pet, Avatar. Say what needs to be said in public, and you may see your animal again. We will reach out to you'," Noatak recited.

Korra blinked. "They... just want me to be a mouthpiece, and say some stuff? They're holding Naga hostage for something as stupid as that?"

"It appears so," Noatak confirmed.

Korra clenched her fists. "They think they can kidnap Naga to manipulate me? Well, I am done playing nice with these creeps, and they're getting a fight they will never forget."

Chapter 43: Brothers' Bond

Chapter Text

The day of Naga's kidnapping, about an hour before it happened, Ryu was taking an evening break at his new favorite place on Earth, Hu's BBQ. He had a fat plate of spicy ribs in front of him, and they were, indeed, somehow better than the gumbo. His fingers were covered in sauce, as were his clothes. And he didn't care, because no one recognized him. Going by the attitude of Korra's friends, no one would care if they did.

"Wow," Seri hummed, eyeing Ryu up and down. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're going native."

Ryu chuckled, wiping his hands on a napkin. "I might as well be," he agreed. "I'm actually starting to enjoy this city."

Seri raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you hated it here. You never said as much, but it was written all over your face."

"I did hate it," Ryu admitted honestly. "But I was wrong, there are good people here. And I swear, this place is doing something to my head. I'm thinking more clearly than I have in ages."

Seri smiled a little, and nodded. "Anyway, I've got the usual daily report. Absolutely riveting, as always," she sarcastically quipped. "Though we did get one weird anonymous message."

"What kind of message?" Ryu wondered aloud.

Seri handed him a sheet of paper. "It was addressed to you specifically," she informed him. "Not much text, just a drawing of a theater mask."

Ryu unfolded the paper, and his eyes widened.

It was indeed a pencil sketch of a mask... identical to the one used by the Blue Spirit decades ago. 'Meet me where you'd complete the set. Alone,' the message read.

Ryu paused in thought. "Thanks, Seri. Just let me handle this one, OK?"

Seri shrugged. "Sure, Prince Ryu."

Ryu found himself on a street full of shops and services geared towards other businesses. He was leaning against a weapons shop, eyeing the crowd passing him by.

The contact left no identifying information. But he didn't need any. When Ryu spotted a pair of golden eyes in casual red robes across the street, he followed the man into an alleyway.

"...Zenjin?" Ryu questioned uncertainly.

"Ryu," Zenjin greeted him coolly.

"It's been so long," Ryu marveled.

Zenjin looked to the side. "Listen, I know we didn't part on the best of terms, but-"

Ryu interrupted his brother with a tight hug.

For a second, Zenjin was shocked... but he found himself returning the gesture, squeezing his older brother tightly.

Ryu pulled back. "Forget that stupid argument," he dismissed. "I'm glad to see you."

"Me too," Zenjin agreed, crossing his arms.

Ryu leaned against an alley wall. "But what's with all the cloak and dagger? What are you doing out here, bro?"

Zenjin broke eye contact again. "Business," he said cryptically. "We need to talk. But you can't say anything to anyone else. Not your bosses in intelligence, not Azula, not anyone."

"Something strictly between us?" Ryu guessed.

"Yeah, I'm not breathing a word of it, either." Zenjin affirmed.

Ryu nodded. "Just like old times."

"Just like old times," Zenjin echoed, smiling weakly. "Listen... what do you know about the Avatar?"

Ryu flinched. "That's an oddly specific question."

"I'll tell you what I know," Zenjin bargained. "She was Azula's apprentice. After that, she had training that would destroy any normal person. She's not just some trainee here in the city to learn airbending and run around with the Equalists like everyone thinks. She's hiding something, and I bet Azula is involved."

Ryu narrowed his eyes. "What is it to you? How do you know all this?"

Zenjin hesitated. "I'd rather not say."

"Zenjin, what on Earth are you up to?" Ryu pressed, looking his brother directly in the eye.

There was a long silence, a long moment of eye contact. Then Ryu's pager beeped.

Ryu sighed. "That's an emergency signal. I have to go," he explained. "But we'll talk later."

Zenjin cursed to himself. "It's already happened."

"What's already happened?" Ryu asked suspiciously.

"Brother... a mistake has been made," Zenjin told him seriously. "You'll see. Meet me here tomorrow at dawn. And please, come alone."

Ryu nodded, giving his brother one more curious glance before he took off.

Back in his apartment, Zenjin hung another document on the wall. Pins and strings connected it to others, forming a tangled web.

Jia stepped up beside him. "What is this? Zenjin, what are you doing with Imay's stuff?"

"He has bits and pieces from our cells all over the world, Jia," Zenjin explained. "He was investigating us, far more seriously than I could imagine. I've only begun to sift through what he left us."

"But why?" Jia asked, looking at the wall of documents.

"I don't know," Zenjin admitted. "Not yet."

"Zenjin, this is crazy. It's probably betrayal," Jia argued heatedly.

"It's just information, Jia. We're all independent, remember?" Zenjin reminded her. "But you know Imay. He wouldn't have compiled all this unless he found something worth acting on."

"Just come to bed, Zenjin. Take a break, get this out of your head," she pleaded, grabbing his hand and rubbing his knuckles gently.

Zenjin sighed. "Fine. But I won't sleep easy tonight. I assume you've heard nothing about the operation?"

"Nothing," Jia answered.

"I've already got a bad feeling about this," Zenjin worried, squeezing her hand.

The next morning, Zenjin paced in the alley. Just as the sun started peeking over the horizon, he spotted his brother running up, with an angry look on his face.

Ryu pushed Zenjin against a wall, grabbing him by his jacket. "You knew about this?!" he accused. "You knew they would take the Avatar's animal, and you didn't tell me?"

Zenjin sighed, and nodded. "It was too late anyway... Did you come alone?"

"Did I come alone!?" he repeated. "Zenjin, if I told a soul about this, our grandmother would be interrogating you right now." Ryu stepped back and narrowed his eyes. "Are you mixed up with the terrorists that kidnapped Naga? That carved a path of death and destruction?"

Zenjin's eyes widened. "Destruction?"

"They destroyed Narook's, just to start," Ryu reported. "We don't even know how many are dead."

"Those idiots," Zenjin muttered under his breath. "Look, I didn't want this any more than you. But I think we can fix this."

Ryu's eyes widened. "Do you know where Naga is?"

"No," Zenjin admitted. "But I have pieces. Bits of info on the cell that did this. And I bet you have an incomplete picture too," he suggested.

"Maybe," Ryu hedged. "What are you saying?"

"We figure this out. Pool what we know, just between us," Zenjin proposed.

Ryu eyed his brother. Part of him wanted to rage, to just smack him in the head for being such a moron... But he saw the look of shame on Zenjin's face, one he knew all too well.

"Us versus the system we're stuck in. Just like old times, huh?" Ryu mused.

"Just like old times," Zenjin agreed. "Bring what you have, I'll meet you back here."

Chapter 44: The Ultimatum

Chapter Text

Korra sat cross-legged on top of Avatar Aang's statue as the first hint of light peeked over the horizon, with wind blowing through her hair. Thunderclouds were rolling in from the ocean in the distance, and flashes of lightning illuminated the horizon. But for now, the skies over Republic City were clear.

She took deep breaths, eyes closed, trying to slow her raging mind.

She had barely slept, but she was not tired. No, Korra's thoughts were crystal clear, and her body was ready. As she felt the first rays of sun hit her face, she opened her eyes and gazed at Republic City's skyline.

"Just hang in there, Naga. I'm coming for you," she vowed. "And I hope whoever's holding you is praying to the spirits. Because when I find them, they'll realize there's not a spirit in this world that can save them from me."

Korra stood up, popped her glider open, and took off into the air with a blast of wind.

Some time later, Republic City's most popular radio personality was beginning her morning broadcast. The host sat in a booth, with a microphone in front and papers scattered around her.

"Good morning Republic City!" she called out. "I'm your host, Yzuka. Before we get to today's regular report, I'm afraid we have some terrible news. Last night, a path of destruction was torn through downtown. Narook's Eatery has been all but destroyed, and many lives, both police and civilian, were lost."

The host took a breath, steadying herself. "Witnesses say the attackers were dressed in Equalist clothing. Noatak vehemently denies responsibility, claiming he himself lost friends in the attack. I'm not even going to repeat his statement, because I think we all know the Equalists were not behind this horrible act-"

Yzuka flinched as the door to her recording booth slammed open. Standing there was a woman in a black jumpsuit covered in metal plates, and a red and white theater mast resembling the Painted Lady spirit.

Yzuka flipped off the mic. "What is the meaning of this?" she gasped. "Security!"

The woman slowly walked up to the desk. "Security let me in." To prove her point, Korra levitated a metal chair and placed it gently in front of her, while wind swirled around her.

"You're... you're the Avatar." Yzuka gasped.

Korra narrowed her eyes. "Turn on the emergency broadcast," she ordered.

"That overrides every band," Yzuka pointed out nervously. "It's for natural disasters, military alerts."

"I know," Korra replied bluntly. "Do it. Now. I have an announcement to make."

Meanwhile, in a basic hotel room, Jia was heatedly arguing with the masked leader of the other cell. Zenjin was mysteriously absent, but Jia figured he was out cleaning up this mess. The morning broadcast had abruptly cut off on the radio, but neither of them really noticed.

"What the heck happened!?" Jia demanded. "This was supposed to be a stealth operation, not a public massacre!"

The masked leader rubbed his temples. "What happened was not in the mission parameters I set," he stressed.

"Are you losing control of your own agents?" Jia accused. "Did you just hear the radio host? No one thinks the Equalists did this. You're risking our entire organization! And you know what that means."

"Calm yourself, Jia," the masked leader warned. "We did capture the Avatar's animal. We have leverage over her now. We can use the Avatar to defuse the situation, and turn this around."

"Don't avoid the question. This can't go on. You can't have rogue operatives just wreaking havoc as they wish," Jia objected. "Your cell is going to blow up, and we're in the blast radius."

The masked leader was silent for a moment. He had to admit, there was truth in what Jia was saying. But before he could respond, the radio buzzed with a loud ping.

"What is that?" Jia asked.

"A state of emergency alert," the masked leader deduced.

The radio buzzed to life. "This is the Avatar speaking," Korra's voice boomed.

"Oh, this can't be good," Jia groaned.

"...As some of you know, a group of terrorists tore through the heart of Republic City last night. They slaughtered innocent people. They destroyed with reckless abandon, just to capture my spirit animal, my dear friend." Korra paused to steady her voice. "But to those of you who live in this city, I know it's just another day. For as long as I have been here, and far longer, bombs have rocked this city, children have been stolen, police killed. And that's just the start. There's hardly soul in this city who hasn't lost someone to gang violence. Or who hasn't lost something they cherish to corruption or crime. Who isn't sick and tired of living in fear, of living in despair, of waking up not knowing if their home will hold itself together for much longer." Korra sighed. "There's no one person or group responsible for this. There's no single solution, and it's not going to get better overnight. But I have been working tirelessly to bring peace to this city. The arrests, the purges of corrupt police, the small steps towards fairer laws, gangs receding from a few neighborhoods... Behind the scenes, I've been pulling the best people of this city together, trying to get them to collaborate instead of tearing each other apart."

"Interesting..." the masked man whispered.

"Shhh, shut up and listen," Jia hushed.

Korra paused. "But there is a group working against me. There is a group trying to speed up the destruction of this city, because they think burning down your home will make you free. They think they know what's best for you, just like every crook in this city does. They, not the Equalists, are behind the bombings, the killings, and the rampage through downtown. They seed corruption and stoke gangs to make you angry, to divide you, so that you tear yourselves apart. They tear down good people who try to stand up for what's right, people trying to fix the rot in Republic City."

"Oh spirits," Jia gasped.

Korra's voice grew heated. "I am DONE playing nice with them! I am done playing their games! My allies have been gathering information on them for some time, and I have sent, and will send, everything I can to every newspaper, every radio station, to every investigative journalist I can find in this city. I am dragging them into the light, right now, and I invite every single citizen in Republic City to do it with me. And if any of you are complicit in this, I suggest you step into the light yourselves, while you still can. You don't have long."

Korra took another breath. Her voice turned low, cold, and as sharp as a knife. "Now, I know the people who kidnapped my spirit animal, who are behind all this chaos, are listening. So listen closely." She paused dramatically. "I am coming for you. Whatever basem*nt you're hiding in, whatever rock you crawled under, I will pry this city apart until I find you. When I do, this voice will the last thing you ever hear. And if you touch one hair on my friend, I swear on the Avatar Spirit, I will not stop until everything you love and cherish is ashes. You wanted a fight? Well, you just got a war. Good hunting, Republic City."

The emergency broadcast ended.

Jia and the masked man shared a stunned look.

"...We may have underestimated the Avatar," the masked man quietly admitted.

"DO YOU THINK!?" Jia roared.

"We still have leverage over her," the masked man weakly argued.

"Were you not listening? She IS the third party. She is mobilizing the entire city against us, and she does not sound like she is taking prisoners," Jia yelled. "I don't think its sunk into your skull yet. We are exposed. The operation is done."

"You are overreacting," the masked man insisted. "We... may be somewhat exposed. But the city is not going to turn against us just because of one broadcast. She may not have much information."

As if on cue, the radio clicked back on. Yzuka's voice filled the room once more. "Well..." she paused. "Dear listeners, I am afraid I cannot continue my planned broadcast. I have never said this publicly, but I lost a niece to a gang war last year." Her voice quivered. "I cannot simply stand by and ignore the Avatar's call to action, not while I know what this city's problems have cost me. We will be collecting and broadcasting info about this mysterious enemy, and we welcome any tips. Please, join us in..."

Jia turned down the radio. "Does that seem like an overreaction now?"

The masked man was silent.

"People listen to the water Avatar. She moves them. And she just called for our execution." Jia declared.

"We are not going to act rashly," the masked man countered.

Jia fumed. "Fine. But we are done with these meetings. We're not turning on you, but consider your cell on your own."

"That is unwise," the masked man protested.

"Unwise?" Jia scoffed. "We're about to be hunted like animals, and you're talking about unity?"

"We must preserve our strength," the masked man insisted.

Jia shook her head. "You're delusional. Good luck. We'll all need it."

With that, Jia stormed out.

The masked man sat in silence, contemplating his options.

Zenjin and Ryu were at the edge of downtown, with a lead on Naga's location in hand. Zenjin played bad cop, shaking down a member of the other cell for answers. Wind was whistling between the skyscrapers, and the air felt unstable, like a storm was brewing.

They wore nondescript black robes and beanies to cover their head, and when needed, hide their faces. And they had just sat down at a noodle bar for a quick bite when the Avatar's emergency broadcast blared over its radio. People in the streets were doing the same thing, crowding around radios and stopping their cars.

"...Monkey feathers," Zenjin muttered.

"...Wow," Ryu added. "I would say I'm surprised, but actually, that kinda sounds like her."

"You really know the Avatar?" Zenjin probed. "And how are you not dumbfounded by that broadcast?"

"Not well. She's not exactly a fan of mine," Ryu confessed. "But the Avatar gets worked up easily. And by the spirits, she does not respond well to threats, especially those against her friends. Something like that is about what I expected."

Zenjin looked down, contemplating his fate.

"Zenjin... how deep in this mess are you?" Ryu asked cautiously.

"I'm a cell leader. But not for the one that attacked Narook's," Zenjin clarified. "We mostly deal with politicians and businesses, though we sometimes squeeze information from gangs."

"How did you get mixed up in these anarchists? Do you really hate our family, our nation, that much?" Ryu asked incredulously.

"You were there, Ryu. You know what power forces people to do. How it drives them mad." Zenjin sighed heavily. "But I'm here because I believe in freedom, not revenge. I just want to fix the city."

"Even if it means tearing the whole thing down?" Ryu challenged.

"Just the Council, the gangs, the worst corporations," Zenjin defended himself. "We're not monsters, Ryu. But the city needs a purge to survive, and we didn't need much violence to do it."

"Right. So you're just revolutionary friends with the cell that massacred a restaurant and stole the Avatar's spirit animal," Ryu retorted. "I'm sure that will go over well."

Zenjin gripped his cup. "Obviously, things have changed. They were already changing. But we don't have time to discuss this."

Ryu nodded. "We're not dropping this, Zenjin... but yeah, let's go find Naga, before it's too late."

As Ryu and Zenjin drove down the streets, they saw masses of people gathering in front of government buildings and businesses. Some people were calling out specific names, demanding their arrest.

Other impromptu groups seemed to be on the hunt, carrying radios and the morning edition of newspapers, filled with the first wave of reports on the organization.

"Whoa. People are really getting fired up," Ryu commented. "For what its worth... I don't think we had any intelligence on you, Zenjin."

"I hope not," Zenjin murmured. "Look at them go. It's like the entire city has gone rabid."

In their field of view, a bolt of lighting arced from the roof of an apartment complex to the ground. The flash lingered in their vision, and the thunderclap made everyone on the street jump.

"Is that... the Avatar?" Zenjin gasped.

"Yeah," Ryu confirmed. "That's an Agni Kai hideout we tied to the bombings... Well, it used to be a hideout."

Zenjin was agape. A few spears of flame shot up towards the roof. Zenjin flinched as another bolt struck the same area, and then a couple of explosions... and the retaliating flames stopped. "Was that-"

"Combustion bending," Ryu confirmed.

A minute later, as they drove by, Zenjin could see the largely destroyed building sinking into a pool of lava.

"I thought she wasn't a fully realized Avatar," Zenjin whispered.

"She's not," Ryu assured him. "That's just her, no Avatar State. And she wasn't bluffing."

Zenjin silently watched the flaming hideout collapse, with the glow of lava reflecting off a nearby building as they drove away.

Ryu clapped his brother's shoulder. "You have no idea who you pissed off, do you? Come on, let's chase this lead down before she turns you into a pile of ash."

Chapter 45: The Metal Clan

Chapter Text

This time of year, the city of Zaofu shines like a metal flower, with the early spring sun reflecting off the petals of its huge iron domes. It sits in a lush valley that's just starting to lose its snowpack, with tall mountains surrounding it.

Its clean streets were largely devoid of cars. Monorails zip between the artistic, towering buildings made of pure metal and huge facades of glass. And in these streets, a hooded figure bitterly complained.

"Why did you drag me all the way out here, Zuko?" the old woman grumbled. "I'm too old for this."

"I already told you. You owe me favors. And I have missed you," Zuko teased. "But really, I have more suspicions than proof. I need an impartial judge."

"Blah blah blah." she mocked. "All I hear is vague nonsense. I'm going home."

Zuko put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "This is for Aang. For Korra."

The woman paused. She took a big breath through her nose. "Hmph. Fine. But I'm not staying long."

They walked into a high class restaurant, fancy even by the standards of Zaofu's main dome. Water trickled along the ceiling in intricate channels, down sculpted walls, and it was partially lit with rare, green iridescent crystals.

"Good day. Do you have a reservation?" a young woman with pale skin and dark hair asked politely.

"I am afraid not. But I was told Su Beifong is here," Zuko informed her. "I apologize for the intrusion, but if you would be so kind, could you inform her that Zuko wishes to speak to her?"

"Lord Zuko," she breathed. "That will not be necessary. Please, follow me, I'm sure Su will be delighted."

Before arriving at the table, the old woman blurted out "I'm going to the bathroom," as she peeled away.

Zuko found Su Beifong dining with her husband, Baatar, and just the man he was looking for, Master Xai Bau. Su's green eyes lit up when she saw Zuko.

"Zuko, what a surprise!" Su greeted him warmly, standing up. "I wasn't informed you were visiting the city! I would have given you a tour myself."

"Su, Baatar, it's good to see you," Zuko complimented her sincerely. "It was an impulsive visit, I'm afraid, a stop along a longer journey."

"Of course. Please, join us!" Su invited him graciously.

Xia Bau stood up and greeted Zuko as well. "Lord Zuko, it is a pleasure. I heard of your reinstatement in the Order of the White Lotus," he praised.

"Really?" Su marveled as they all sat down. "What perfect timing. We were just talking about expanding the Order's presence here in Zaofu."

Xia Bau nodded. "Yes. As we were saying, we are ready to establish a training center immediately. There is no better place in the world to teach metalbending, after all."

"Exactly," Su agreed enthusiastically. "And with the instability in Republic City and the bandit activity in the Earth Kingdom, I wouldn't mind having more of the Order's protection around," she confided.

"Indeed," Zuko agreed. "I recently visited Republic City, actually," he mentioned casually. "The politics of the city are... complicated. But I did find that the Avatar's airbending training is progressing rapidly."

"That's wonderful to hear," Su enthused. "I'm sure Tenzin is quite proud."

"He is. Though the progress did make me curious... Xia Bau, I was told you were involved in the Avatar's training. But why was Master Tenzin not involved in her later years of training? Didn't she need to learn airbending?

Xia Bau paused. "Master Tenzin is a fine teacher," he began evasively. "But his teaching style is less suited to the rigors required for the later stages of the Avatar's training. She needed to fully master the other elements before focusing on airbending."

"I see," Zuko acknowledged. "I was also surprised to hear that my sister was denied visitation. Surely Lady Azula's style is rigorous enough for the Avatar," he hinted.

Xia Bau shifted uncomfortably. "Azula... is very skilled, yes. But she was not allowed access due to concerns over her influence."

"Concerns?" Baatar wondered aloud.

"Yes," Xia Bau confirmed. "We feared her methods would interfere with the Avatar's spiritual development."

"Which is interesting, as her spiritual development has also blossomed while she's been away from your supervision," Zuko noted.

Xia Bau's expression hardened. "She was a difficult pupil, Lord Zuko. I assure you, we were only doing what we believed was best."

"Of course," Zuko smoothly assured him. "I remember her temperament well. And I don't mean to derail the conversation. Tell me, what are your plans for enhancing Zaofu's security? I have plenty of experience from the Fire Nation and the Order to lend..."

They talked, and Xai Bau's plans were indeed quite impressive. Zuko bid them farewell, promising to spend a few days in Zaofu, and found the woman he had brought with him waiting outside.

"Well?" he prodded.

Toph Beifong looked up at Zuko. "He's lying," she announced bluntly.

"About what?" Zuko asked.

"Everything," Toph revealed. "What's worse, he was a good liar."

Zuko nodded. "As I feared," he admitted sadly. "Are you still leaving?"

"And leave that snake around my family? Not a chance," Toph snarled. "Let's go."

Chapter 46: The Blue Spirits

Chapter Text

The first day since Naga's abduction turned to night. Republic City was in an uproar, but it wasn't quite the disaster one would expect from so much unrest. No, the public's rage was very specific, focused only on the organization that everyone felt without knowing until now. The Avatar herself had annihilated a few obvious bases, and the city's mood was shifting from anger to determination. But the organization's roots ran deep. Most of its members were still hidden.

Just outside the city, a truck headed out to the countryside and into a sprawling orchard. And unbeknownst to the driver, two young men clung to the bottom of the chassis, sporting dual dao swords on their backs, black jumpsuits, and metal masks resembling the Blue Spirit.

Its was raining, hard. Thunder rumbled overhead.

Zenjin groaned as the truck hit a stiff bump, testing his grip and splashing mud everywhere. "This better not be a dead end."

"I don't think it is. Look around," Ryu whispered. "Do those thugs look like farmers to you?"

Zenjin eyed the rough-looking men and women spread around the main complex, and the smaller huts dotting the property. "No."

The truck rolled past a large barn, and slowed down near a gate. Zenjin and Ryu dropped onto the wet dirt, rolling into brush on the side of the road.

"This way," Zenjin instructed, leading Ryu around the corner of a barn. They hopped up into a high window, and hid in the rafters as they listened to the exchange below.

"Yields should be good this year," a gruff farmer said. "We've got the new fertilizer, and it looks like it works wonders."

"It's a miracle product," a middle-aged man agreed...

"Ugh, do these guys sound like terrorists to you?" Ryu whispered.

"Give it time," Zenjin urged. "We came this far. Let's keep going."

They climbed onto the roof, getting a birds eye view of the orchard. It was massive, with rows of trees stretching far into the distance. The main complex had several barns, storage facilities, and what looked like a house.

"There, look at that," Ryu pointed out.

"What are those in the cart?" Zenjin wondered aloud.

"Firebombs. Does that seem like something a farmer would have?" Ryu asked.

Zenjin shook his head. "Lets listen in on that guy."

They jumped to the roof of the barn next door, and laid prone over the edge as they strained their ears, struggling to hear against the rain.

"Is this all we have?" a gruff man asked.

"What do you mean? It's a cart full of fire grenades," the middle-aged man replied.

"We are at war*," the gruffer man argued. "We need to blow up freaking buildings, show these people who's boss."

The older man let out a groan. "We're anarchists, you idiot. We're not their boss," he corrected. "Besides, that's what all the fertilizer and gas are for. We got enough to blow stuff up until the Avatar gives up."

Ryu and Zenjin looked at each other. "Real upstanding citizens, aren't they?" Zenjin whispered.

"Mhm," Ryu agreed.

Everyone turned their heads when a wolf howl echoed across the farmland.

"Naga," Ryu whispered, his neck hairs standing up.

"Ugh, when will they shut that oversized mutt up?" the gruffer man growled. "Why don't they just kill it?"

The older man hit him in the head. "Because it's our leverage, you moron. Trust me, you'd want that thing alive if someone finds us..."

Zenjin shook his head. "Come on, I think the howl came from the farmhouse."

They climbed down from the barn roof, and hid in some brush.

Ryu held out his hand. "Wait for it... get ready,"

Rain and mud soaked them, dripping off their dark suits as they sat, poised, tense. Thunder boomed in the distance.

"Wait..." Ryu repeated.

A lighting bolt hit nearby, illuminating the complex briefly.

"Now!" he whispered.

Right as the thunderclap hit, Ryu and Zenjin scrambled across the open field, using it to muffle their muddy sprint. They clamored up the side of the farm house, slipping into the attic.

"Come on, let's check the top floor," Zenjin ordered, leading the way.

They crept down the stairs and peeked around the corner. A woman was munching on food at a table, just feet away.

"Remember your 10th birthday?" Ryu asked nostalgically.

"Great idea," Zenjin whispered.

Zenjin held out two fingers, and shot the tiniest bolt of fire he could manage at the thug's pants, and waited until she noticed.

"Ow! What the heck?" she yelped, jumping up. "Ah, my butt!"

Zenjin suppressed a chuckle.

The woman ran downstairs and out the front door, desperate to put out the fire on her bum in the rain.

Ryu smiled. "That looks like a big room, let's check it out."

The pair entered the main hall, and slowly pushed a door open before creeping inside.

"Look at all this stuff. Weapons, armor... is that poison?" Ryu asked curiously.

"Toxic gas too." Zenjin whispered. "Ryu... our cell has nothing like this, I swear."

"I know," Ryu agreed. "But Zenjin. You are allied with these guys."

Zenjin sighed. "I know. Their leader isn't this violent, but it's no excuse. Hopefully my friend has already broken ties."

They heard the creaking of wood in the hall, and talking outside the door.

"Out the window, quick!" Ryu whispered, before he clamored out himself.

Zenjin followed him, hanging down with his arms before letting go, and hitting the ground, hard.

"Ugh," Ryu groaned. "At least the mud cushioned it."

They heard another howl, this time close.

"The cellar!" Zenjin realized.

"Shut up you mutt!" Ryu heard. There was what sounded like the thud of earthbending, and a whimper from behind the doors.

Ryu held up his hand and counted down from three.

Zenjin braced himself, then burst into the basem*nt in lockstep with his brother. They immediately saw Naga, back fur burnt, chained in a corner. But her face lit up the moment she saw them.

7 burly guys and girls turned to see 2 guys in jumpsuits and masks standing there, dual swords drawn. "What the heck?"

"Smoke em, as questions later," the woman commanded.

"I got back," Zenjin ordered.

"Got it!" Ryu agreed. He stepped forward to intercept the swordsman lunging at them, and grinned behind his mask. Ryu electrified his daos.

The thug slammed his sword into Ryu's, and recoiled in shock. Ryu kicked him in the gut, then pressed his palm onto his shoulder, shocking him to the ground.

Meanwhile, Zenjin was in the back, using the space Ryu gave him to fling fire blasts from his swords. He intercepted a chunk of earth headed for Ryu, and then swung his other arm wide, sending the rest of the thugs stumbling back with a wide wave.

Ryu ducked under a fire blast himself, and closed the distance. The woman shot another lance straight at his head, but Ryu dodged just in time, spinning around and slashing her arm open.

"Ahh, you sh*thead," she growled, trying to kill Ryu with fire from her hands.

Ryu ducked and stabbed her in the gut. Clearly these guys weren't holding back, so Ryu wasn't going to either.

Zenjin rolled, dodging a water whip from a man in the corner. "Ryu! Free Naga!"

Ryu looked to the side, and dodged another fireball. "Right," he said, quickly slashing the rope holding Naga captive.

Now unchained, Naga roared, and lunged straight at the Earthbender, clearly displeased with her abuser. She knocked him over with a swipe of her paw, and crushed his neck in her jaws.

Ryu and Zenjin quickly gained momentum. They closed the distance to the last firebender as Naga was shaking the waterbender by the arm. Zenjin faked a slash, and Ryu kicked low, knocking him into the ground. Zenjin took the opportunity to plunge his swords into the man's chest.

"Hey!" two more thugs yelled, running into the basem*nt after hearing the commotion.

"Ryu, they're wet!" Zenjin warned. He sent three quick blasts of fire at the benders, forcing them to stumble back and counter.

Ryu used the time to get in a lightning bending stance and build a quick charge. He unleashed a modest arc, shocking both men unconscious thanks to the water soaking their bones.

Zenjin panted heavily. "We have to go! Now!"

Ryu examined Naga. "Can you run, girl?"

Naga barked, and bent down slightly.

Zenjin and Ryu hopped on Naga's back, and she took off towards the cellar door in a sprint. She bowled over another guy who was running down the stairs, not even bothering to slow down.

Ryu held her fur, steering her. "Out into the orchard girl, quick!"

The entire farm was buzzing with activity now. An ice spike flew over Zenjin's head, just barely missing him, and he could hear shouting behind them.

"They're piling into trucks," Zenjin warned as Naga dashed through the field. "They're gonna catch us."

Ryu thought for a second. "Turn around! I got offense, you got defense."

"Right," Zenjin agreed. Not another word needed to be said, Zenjin knew exactly what his brother meant.

The trucks started catching up, and Zenjin narrowed his eyes, trying to see through the pouring rain, arms poised for quick bursts.

He saw an ice spike flying towards them, and quickly intercepted it with a blast of fire. Then a small round object... Zenjin hit it just in time, and the firebomb exploded, nearly engulfing them in flames.

Ryu moved his arms back and forth as his brother focused on intercepting the blasts, gripping Naga with his legs as tightly as he could manage. He let loose an arc of electricity from his fingertips, frying the engine of the first truck.

"Nice hit," Zenjin complimented. He waved his arm and deflected a blast of fire, and then another firebomb, just in time to dodge a hail of rocks.

Another truck when down, and then another. Finally, Ryu and Zenjin were alone with Naga, sprinting out the edge of the orchard and into the wild, panting heavily.

"Spirits... we did it," Ryu gasped.

Zenjin nodded, catching his own breath and reorienting himself. "Um, thanks, Naga. We owe you too."

Naga whined happily as she bounded through the field.

"I swear, she understands us," Ryu quipped.

Zenjin smirked. "Hey Naga, if you master tries to kill me, could you put in a good word?"

Naga barked happily.

That sounded like a yes to Zenjin. Spirits, he hoped Naga actually understood.

Meanwhile, Korra was back in the workshop living space, sitting on the sofa with a steaming cup of tea in front of her.

"Come on, Korra, you've got to eat and drink something," Ren implored her as he sat down next to her. "And take a nap, at least. Especially after all you did today."

"I know," she sniffled.

Ren put a hand on her shoulder. "It's not those people you killed, is it? I hate to say it, but they had it coming."

"No! Those terrorist harboring gangster thugs... I'll sleep better knowing I put them in the ground," Korra affirmed. "I..."

"I miss Naga too," Ren consoled her. "We'll get her back."

Korra slowly picked up a napkin next to the tea. "The Equalists just dropped this off," she muttered, opening it.

"Oh spirits," Ren gasped. It was a bloody corner of Naga's ear, cut off neatly.

A few tears left Korra's eyes. "They said more body parts will come every day! That they'll send me the rest of Naga piece by piece unless I give up."

Ren rubbed her back soothingly.

"I know I can't give in," Korra admitted. "I know it will just make things worse. But... our leads aren't great. This could be a war of attrition. What if we can't find her in time?"

Ren sighed, and hugged her sideways. "We'll find her. We just have to keep pushing. We have no choice."

"I know," Korra said, wiping away tears. "And I swear, I am going to make them suffer for hurting my girl."

There was a knock at the door.

"I got it," Korra offered, drying her face off with her sleeve. She opened the door, and saw Prince Ryu standing in the pouring rain, soaking wet and covered in blood and mud.

"What is it, Ryu," she asked coldly, looking him up and down. "What happened to you, anyway?"

Ryu smiled. "I found someone I suspect you'll be happy to see," he hinted, stepping aside.

Korra peeked out the door with a pout. She saw a polar bear dog sitting there, tongue hanging out, tail wagging.

"Naga!?" she screamed, rushing outside and throwing her arms around her. "Naga!," she cried, burying her face in the beast's fur. "You're here..."

Naga whimpered and licked her cheek affectionately. Korra bawled her eyes out, sobbing into Naga's fur. "It's OK girl. I've got you," gripping her tighter. "You're safe now."

Eventually, after a lot of tears, Korra invited Ryu in, waterbent them all dry, and sat down at the dining table. She chewed on an orange and sipped some tea, finding her appetite returning.

"I can't thank you enough, Ryu. You have no idea what Naga means to me," Korra promised him. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk to you."

Ryu nodded. "I had it coming. I was the jerk for insulting your life, and I'm sorry."

Korra smiled, and nodded back. "But how did you find Naga? Why didn't you come to me?"

"It's... complicated," Ryu hedged. "I followed a lead I didn't know would pan out. And I only had it because of a contact I met."

"Contact?" Korra echoed.

"Don't get mad... but it's a leader in the organization," Ryu confessed sheepishly.

"What?" Korra exclaimed.

"I know. They were in a different cell, not the one responsible for Naga's kidnapping. So I had to keep it between us," Ryu explained.

Korra glared at him suspiciously.

"Listen, I would never have found Naga without him. He risked his life to save her. If I bring you to meet him, can you promise me you won't hurt him?" he asked earnestly. "That you'll hear him out?"

Korra thought back to what Imay said, and sighed. "Yeah. I guess. Where did y'all find her, anyway?"

"An orchard north of the city," Ryu answered. "It was filled with thugs, weapons, and bomb making material."

Korra narrowed her eyes.

Meanwhile, at the orchard, said thugs were packing everything up, getting ready to head out before dawn. Thunder cracked as rain poured down, and lightning illuminated the complex.

"Hurry up! This place could be swarming with cops any minute!" the woman ordered.

Loud thunder roared through the air as lightning struck nearby.

"I can't move faster," a man complained, picking up a box. "My arm is killing me. So is my leg."

Thunder cracked again, making both of them jump a little.

"Well your whole body will be killing you if we don't get out of here," the woman threatened.

"Fine, fine," he relented.

The woman heard another thunderclap, even closer this time.

"That's weird," she murmured.

A few moments later, it sounded like lightning struck right behind her, making her jump again. The woman turned around, and saw a girl in a mask standing in the rain, water boiling off her skin and warping around her, in a lightning bending stance.

Korra was furious. Angry enough to feel the Avatar State clawing at the edge of her mind, ready to break free.

...But she didn't need it.

No, she was going to look them in the eye. She needed to watch their fear as she tore their lives apart, and show them what happens when someone bombs her home, kills her friends and chops Naga into bits.

Chapter 47: The Enemy Within

Chapter Text

Zuko took a deep breath, looking out at the sprawling cityscapes nestled within Zaofu's domes. They cast shadows on the nearby mountains in the morning sun, and airships and monorail trains zipped between them.

"It really is a marvel you have created here, Su," Zuko complimented her sincerely.

Su smiled. "Thank you, Zuko. It's been a labor of love."

A radio blared in the background, spouting the day's news. "Republic City continues to boil over," the host reported. "Citizen have taken to the streets over what they claim to be shadowy puppet masters inflaming the city's woes. The Avatar herself has joined the hunt, and purports to have made significant strides."

The Avatar's voice came on the radio. "The fight bears more fruit every day," she announced. "The more members we find, the more we flip, and the less leverage they have over us. I think we are close to an inflection point..."

"Sounds like we might be able to relax soon," Baatar remarked.

"Relax?" Su scoffed. "I don't like the idea of such an organization existing anywhere."

Zuko stroked his beard. "Indeed. Su, have you considered stronger counterintelligence measures within the city?"

"With all due respect, Zaofu is the safest city on the planet," Su countered. "We have the best security force anywhere. I personally interview every officer we have, alongside my trusted truth seer, Aiwei. The cities are locked down at night. And now we have the White-"

An explosion cut Su off and rocked the building. Su lost her balance and nearly fell over the railing, only for Baatar and Zuko to catch her and pull her back.

"What was that?" Su gasped. She sprinted down to the hotel lobby, and found a huge hole in the floor, with twisted metal beams sticking out and debris scattered everywhere. Guards were already swarming the area. "What happened?"

"It appears to be the result of an explosion, ma'am," a guard informed her.

"Who would dare attack Zaofu?" Su demanded. "Was anyone hurt?"

"People were thrown back, and are suffering from cuts and bruises. But thankfully, no serious injuries," the guard assured her.

Su let out a sigh of relief, and looked her officer in the eye. "I want a full investigation of this incident! I want to know who dared bomb my city, right under my feet, and what their motivations are!"

"Understood," the guard agreed.

Zuko, having finally caught up, eyed the destruction critically. "Quite an explosion," he commented. "Do you think it was connected to the events in Republic City?"

Su grimaced. "Spirits, I hope not."

Zaofu's guards round up a sea of suspects. Mostly suspicious guests, nearby witnesses, and security staff on duty at the time. Zuko, and Xia Bau observed as Su and Aiwei briefly questioned every one.

"...Did you have anything to do with the explosion?" Aiwei asked seriously.

"Of course not!" the guest protested.

The questioning dragged on and on, with a big breather to regain focus.

Eventually, a young Zaofu guard named Hong Li sat down in the chair, facing the trio.

"Hello, Hong Li," Aiwei greeted him. "Did you witness the explosion?"

"Yes," he answered.

"Were you working during the explosion?" Su asked.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Did you have any part in the explosion?" Aiwei probed.

"No!" Hong Li insisted.

Aiwei furrowed his brow. "Do you know who placed the bomb?"

"No, I don't!" Hong Li declared heatedly.

Aiwei eyed the guard. "He is lying," he stated gravely.

"What?" Su gasped. "Hong Li, did you place the bomb?"

"No!" Hong Li shouted. "I told you!"

Su had Hong Li detained, and they searched his quarters. Sure enough, they found suspicious notes about the city's infrastructure and layout, and diagrams of the hotel itself.

Back in the interrogation room, Xai Bau and Aiwei stood over him.

"We found this in your quarters," Su accused him.

"What? That's.... there must be some mistake," Hong Li stammered nervously.

"You were studying the hotel's construction. Why?" Aiwei demanded.

"I... I-" he started.

But Hon Li was interrupted as the door burst open. Su turned around, and couldn't believe her eyes.

"...Mother?" she gasped. She hadn't seen Toph in years. No one had.

Toph pointed a finger at Aiwei. "He's lying!"

"What?" Aiwei gasped.

"Mother... Aiwei is my most trusted advisor," Su argued. "Why would you say that?"

"Other than the fact I can tell he's lying through his teeth?" Toph retorted. "There was no bomb! It was me, just metalbending the floor."

"What!?" Su gasped. "Aiwei is this true? Why would you accuse Hong Li of something he didn't do?"

"I... believe your mother is confused," Aiwei tried to explain. "She doesn't understand the situation."

Zuko stood up. "She is not. I was complicit in this charade myself, Su," he admitted. "And I saw Xia Bau retrieve the evidence with my own two eyes. Evidence that was clearly planted."

"And he was lying like a rug, too," Toph added.

Su was dumbfounded. "I... Aiwei. Xai Bau. Why would you lie about this?"

Aiwei and Xai Bau shared a look. The latter discretely reached into his back pouch.

"We will see you soon, Su," Aiwei ominously warned.

Xai Bau threw a handful of flash powder onto the ground, stunning the onlookers and filling the room with smoke. They dashed out, leaving Su, Zuko, and some officers alone.

...Only to smack right into a metal plate that popped out of the floor. In a moment, they found themselves lying on the ground, wrapped up in metal.

"Hmph, morons," Toph grunted, standing over them. She waved a hand over her face. "I'm blind! What did you think smoke powder would do?"

Su watched her officers take them away. They had clear looks of shock on their face, but it was nothing compared to Su's own expression.

"Aiwei... he was like family. I trusted him, with everything, for so many years," she lamented. "How could he betray me?"

"I feel the same, Su. To have a White Lotus master turn on us like that..." Zuko sympathized.

That night, Su tossed and turned in her bed. Head clouded with fury, she finally just got up and marched down to the jail cells. She needed answers, and she wanted them now.

But when she got to the building, she found the front doors blown off. Inside, bodies lay strewn across the floor, and the prisoners were gone.

"No," she gasped running outside. "Guards! Sound the alarm!" she called out frantically.

Sirens started wailing, and searchlights scanned the grounds. "Contact! Contact!" a guard yelled into the air.

P'Li, Ghazan, Xia Bau, Ming Hua, Zaheer and Aiwei squinted as searchlights converged on them. "So much for a quiet escape," P'Li muttered.

"Back-up plan," Ghazan decided.

P'Li took a breath, and unleashed a combustion blast. Two cracks sounded through the air, and the resulting explosion destroyed a searchlight. Then another, and another.

Covered by darkness once again, six sprinted towards their escape route across immaculate grass, but nearly smacked into two metal panels that popped up in front of them.

Two more popped up, and then two more.

"Give up!" Captain Kuvira called out. "You're surr-"

Her words were cut off. Xia Bau slashed a metal panel open with his dark sword, and P'Li immediately sent a blast at her. Kuvira raised a metal wall just in time, grunting as the blast hit it.

Ghazan melted the surrounding ground into a pool of lava, and sent small streams flying at the guards while Ming Hua intercepted attacks with her water whips.

"We're getting-" Zaheer began.

But he too was cut off as Kuvira returned the favor in kind. With a deft shot, she wrapped Zaheer in cable and flung him out of position. He quickly recovered with a spin and blast of air, and dueled with her.

"What's going on?" Zuko breathed, finally arriving at the scene of chaos.

"They escaped! I don't know how, but we're not letting them out," Su growled. Wrapped in impromptu metal armor, Su flung a panel of steel at the defensive position, but a wall of lava stopped it.

The battle raged in a stalemate. But eventually, Toph arrived, and Zaheer escaped his duel with the captain.

The Earth shook Toph hurled an immense boulder at the group. Aiwei grunted, barely redirecting it with the help of Ghazan, throwing up a huge cloud of dust and rubble.

"We are leaving. Now!" Zaheer barked.

A swirl of smoke and dust spun up by Zaheer obscured the six. And when it cleared... they were gone.

Toph stomped her foot into the ground, using seismic sense to track them. "They're headed west, downhill!"

"...Aiwei's home," Su realized.

"On it!" Kuvira called out, taking off in a dead sprint with some of her younger subordinates in tow.

She ripped down Aiwei's door like it was a tin can and burst inside. They sprinted down a staircase previously obscured by a bookcase, and started prying open a metal gate.

Kuvira's eyes widened. The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was a bomb sitting on the floor.

The next morning, Su gripped the railing of her home, overlooking the cityscape, knuckles white.

"Is Kuvira going to be OK?" Zuko asked gently.

"She's tough," Su said. "But her neck was exposed. I... I don't know if she will pull through." Su turned to look at Zuko. "She's family to me, Zuko. I can't lose her too."

There was a long moment of silence, and Su let out an equally long breath. "Is Zaofu turning into Republic City? A city of infiltrators in shadows?"

"Over my corpse," Toph vowed.

Su pushed off the railing. "I'm kicking the White Lotus out, Zuko. All of them, except you. I hope you understand."

Zuko nodded. "I was about to suggestion the same thing. I'm not even sure what to do with the Order myself." Zuko looked back out at the scenery. "I see storm clouds approaching, Su. And I fear the world may be entering a new age of chaos."

Chapter 48: Enemy of My Enemy

Chapter Text

"You did what!?" Jia gasped. "You... betrayed us?"

"You know that's not true," Zenjin defended himself. "The other cell crossed the line. You should have seen the weapons they were stockpiling."

Jia rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You worked the with people hunting us, Zenjin. They're going to hunt you now."

"I trust the contact, without question." Zenjin bit his lip. "I am considering reaching out again. Maybe striking a deal."

"What!?" Jia exclaimed incredulously.

"What if Imay was right, Jia," Zenjin mused. "I'm just scratching the surface of what he left, but what the other cells are doing... it feels like we're all being played. Maybe we need to break off and reconsider. Maybe we need to change."

Jia shook her head, and teared up a little. "We're being hunted, Zenjin, and you've barely been dealing with our contacts. I've had to shoulder everything while you chase these delusions."

"I... I'm sorry, Jia," Zenjin whispered.

"This is too much Zenjin. I need some air. I'll see you later," she said before storming out.

"Jia, wait!" Zenjin called out. But she had already bounded out the door.

Jia didn't come back that night, and Zenjin felt a pit form in his stomach. Not just because of Jia, but because he didn't even know the path ahead anymore.

So the next morning, he made a leap. The only one he knew, in spite of what Jia said. Zenjin sat in the corner booth of a quiet diner, with a steaming plate of dumplings and tea in front of him.

To his eyes, it looked like his last meal. But his stomach was turning far too much to even touch it. Instead, he nervously drummed his fingers, and looked out the window.

Zenjin jumped in surprise as Ryu slid into the booth opposite him, dressed in a simple black shirt and pants. And beside him... a younger, muscled Water Tribe woman, wearing an asymmetric black top and a mask. From behind it, he could see blue eyes glaring daggers at him.

Zenjin felt like he was staring into the face of death itself.

"This is my contact," Ryu introduced him simply. "My brother. Zenjin."

The woman's eyes widened, and then appraised Zenjin carefully. Finally, she spoke. "You work for the organization tearing apart my home?"

Zenjin paused. If he was going to perish, mind as well get it over with, he figured. "I'm a leader of one of its cells," he admitted.

The woman tensed, but Ryu cut in. "He saved Naga," he reminded her. "You swore to listen to him."

She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh, before opening them again. "Why did you save Naga if you kidnapped her in the first place?"

Zenjin gulped. "I didn't kidnap Naga," he defended himself. "Our cell dealt with politicians and businesses. We wanted nothing to do with the extreme violence. And I had to make things right."

Korra leaned forward. "But you allied yourself with the ones that did. You stoked corruption and misery yourself. And you both wanted to tear down the Council, the police. You wanted to burn down my home."

Zenjin hesitated. "Yes. And ultimately, we failed," he admitted. "I wanted to flush the institutions of this city with minimal violence, but our plans went off the rails. And the other cell lost control of their own operations."

Korra's eyes narrowed. "OK. But why shouldn't I just throw you in prison?"

"Our cell isn't fighting, we're hiding," Zenjin pointed out. "And I want to strike a deal."

Korra blinked. "You want leniency? Mercy? After everything you've done?"

"Perhaps in exchange for cooperation?" Zenjin suggested. "I've learned things about our organization that are making me rethink everything, even before you declared war on us. Maybe we aren't so far apart after all. So I want to atone for my mistakes, to help you end this madness peacefully. Maybe even convince some friends to turn themselves in, and take a similar deal with some jail time."

Korra's eyes softened a little, and she looked to the side. "You sound like someone else I talked to. He said he was trying to convince others in your organization to rethink your goals, your ideals. That he wanted what I wanted, a more peaceful path to freedom."

"That sounds like Imay," Zenjin breathed. "Did... did you kill him?"

Korra winced. "I didn't mean to. He had me in a chokehold..."

Zenjin sighed sadly. "He was a good friend. I miss him. And every day, I become more convinced that we should have listened to him."

Korra's eyes softened a little more, and she looked into Zenjin's. "I'm sorry, really. I would take it back if I could."

Zenjin nodded, and looked down.

After a long pause, Korra broke the silence. "Is change really want you want? Would you give us everyone you know?"

That's where Zenjin drew the line. "I would give you the crooks we control, and root out the violent extremists. But we have good agents that have been wronged themselves, and just want to fix the system that oppressed them. They're not evil. I can convince some, but I won't force them into jail, even if we're all doomed anyway."

There was a silence for a long moment.

"I get that. More than you know," Korra finally admitted. "I get wanting to fix what's been done to you. Sometimes you try to do the right thing, and it comes back to haunt you, to hurt others in ways you could never imagine. And believe me, I get loyalty to good people who have made mistakes."

Zenjin raised an eyebrow.

"Do you trust your brother, Ryu? Is he someone who would keep his word?" Korra asked cautiously.

"Without a doubt," Ryu affirmed.

"Is he a good judge of character?" Korra wondered aloud.

Ryu sighed. "You have no idea. He's brilliant. I should have listened to him years ago."

The Avatar eyed Zenjin once more, and took off her mask, revealing the sharp features of a Water Tribe woman. Zenjin was stunned, but he kept his composure.

"I can't forget what y'all have done, Zenjin. You hurt a lot of people. But... I'd be willing to give you, and those you trust, a shot. If you can convince them to cooperate, if they can change, and help us clear the city, they can stay free," Korra proposed.

"Wait... really?" Zenjin gaped. "No jail time?"

"Yeah," Korra agreed. "One shot. No second chances." She bit her lip. "And maybe I can change too. I'm all for freedom and liberty, Zenjin. If there are problems that are important to you, if their solutions would help convince your colleagues to collaborate instead, I'm listening. I want to fix the system that oppressed them, too."

Zenjin couldn't believe his ears. "I... I thought I'd be lucky to avoid execution," Zenjin admitted. "I can't believe this. You want to work with us? Advocate for freedom?"

"Just do be clear, I don't trust you. And anyone who makes the slightest slip up is going straight to prison or the morgue," Korra warned him. "But when I find enemies in this city, sometimes I find a grain of truth in what they stand for." Korra leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. "You're an anarchist leader from royalty. You have a perspective I'll never have, drives that I don't understand, and you don't seem like a bad person. So... why don't we just skip past all that miserable anger, fighting and jail time, and start understanding each other?"

Zenjin's head was spinning. "I can't promise everyone will cooperate."

"That's fine," Korra shrugged. "But I'm not going easy on those that refuse."

Zenjin nodded slowly. "I accept. A chance at redemption, at freedom, is more than we could have hoped for."

Korra smiled weakly. "Good. And I know I must seem like your jailer. But... give me a chance, too. Freedom is important to me. I want your colleagues to feel like they're doing what they believe in, not like they're on a leash."

"That should be doable," Zenjin agreed. "When you joined the Equalists, it actually changed our plans. You shifted them towards freedom. We were content to let Noatak overthrow the Council, and then guide the resulting chaos we sowed. So I think I can convince them that you partially share our vision. That this is the best shot we'll get."

"What is that vision, exactly?" Korra pressed. "Like, what was the endgame for you guys?"

"A government the people control, instead of the other way around," Zenjin explained. "I grew up seeing miserable abuses of power from my own family, and I hated it. I didn't want anyone to suffer under authority like that again, so I just wanted to give it to the people here."

"That actually sounds nice," Korra murmured. "I thought you just wanted to burn everything down."

Zenjin sighed. "Imay was collecting info on other cells from around the world, and that's exactly what some of them wanted."

Korra perked up. "Info on other cells? Can I see?"

Zenjin shrugged. "Sure. I guess I'm all in any way..."

The walk to Zenjin's apartment was surreal. An hour ago, his vision of the Avatar was that of a vengeful spirit bent on turning him into ash.

And now, she was walking right next to him, chewing on a glazed skewer of meat, chatting away with Ryu. She seemed... normal.

"Just relax, Zenjin," Ryu reassured him.

"Yeah, I'm not going to eat you," Korra joked.

"Sorry," Zenjin apologized. "I'm still trying to process..."

"Same. But we can be civil to each other, right?" Korra offered, flashing a genuine smile.

Zenjin nodded. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Don't mind him, Zenjin is just naturally grumpy," Ryu interjected.

"I'm not!" Zenjin objected.

"Oh yeah?" Korra challenged. "Then prove it. Smile."

Zenjin hesitated, and forced a grin.

Ryu and Korra burst out laughing. "See?" Ryu teased.

"Ha ha, very funny," Zenjin huffed.

"It is," Korra agreed, before pausing in thought. "You, there is one thing that's been driving me crazy."

"What's that?" Zenjin wondered aloud.

"What's the name of your organization?" Korra asked curiously. "I'm tired of not knowing what to call it."

"We're never supposed to say it out loud," Zenjin revealed. "But I suppose... we're a branch of the Red Lotus."

Chapter 49: The Avatar State

Chapter Text

The great city of Gaoling, situated near the southern coast of the Earth Kingdom, was bustling with activity on a hot summer evening. A nondescript Water Tribe immigrant came into town that day, and in an underground arena, she was having the time of her life.

"Yeaaaaahhh!" Korra cheered, pumping her fists with the rest of the crowd. "Give it to them, The Scorpion! Turn them into RUBBLE!" Even Naga was excited, barking at the fighters with her master.

Korra had stumbled into Earth Rumble 63. They just *let* her into the empty bottom stands, no tickets needed, even though the rest of the stadium was packed. And she didn't really think about it too hard. She was too busy cheering on her favorite fighter.

"Boooo!" she yelled, waving her hands. "You're gonna get crushed, you big hippo!"

The next fights were even more spectacular, with debris flying everywhere and the crowd going wild. The Scorpion himself sent a massive boulder careening out of the arena...

Right towards Korra.

Adrenaline surged through her veins. She couldn't dodge the boulder in time, and it would hit Naga anyway. So Korra stood up, anchored her feet, and thrust two arms forward, disintegrating the boulder into a shower of rubble just before it smashed into Korra and her friend.

"Monkey feathers," Korra cursed under her breath.

"Whoa," a spectator from the stands above gasped. "That was some Earthbending. You should get in the arena, lady!" Several onlookers cheered in agreement.

"Uh, not really my thing," Korra lied. "I've got to go anyway. But thanks!" she finished, flashing an awkward smile.

She walked out of the arena with a dejected look as she spoke to her beast. "Ugh, it's only our second day of freedom, and I'm already screwing up, Naga!"

Naga barked.

"I'm supposed to stick to waterbending, girl." Korra sighed heavily. "Someone's gonna figure us out if we stick around. I think we've gotta leave Gaoling."

Naga whined, and nudged her master.

"I know, I like it here too," Korra admitted. "All this hustle and bustle. I never imagined there could be so many people in one spot..."

Korra all but stopped mid-sentence as the smell of spicy meat filled her nose. She followed it to a kebab stand, where the skewers were making her mouth water.

"I'll take three of those," she ordered, pointing at the meat.

"That'll be twelve Yuans," the vendor replied.

"Uh, I don't have any money?" she sheepishly admitted.

"Then what good are you to me!?" the vendor scoffed.

Korra rode Naga out of Gaoling with an empty stomach and an even more dejected look. Her furry friend managed to track some small game just outside the city, but it wasn't much of a meal for either of them.

"Eh, this isn't so bad," Korra reassured herself, looking up at the stars. "My body isn't about to break. I'm not going to wake up to a bunch of old masters yelling at me, and then relive a nightmare," she mused. "We're free, Naga. And I'm never giving that freedom up, not for anything."

Some time later, Korra found herself holding a map up in the air with a confused pout on her face. "Where are we, Naga?"

Naga looked around, and then whined.

"I know," Korra agreed. "It can't be far..."

Korra eyed an old woman walking down the road, and her face lit up. "Hey!" she called out, running up to her. "I'm heading to Senlin Village, but I think I'm lost. Could you point me in the right direction?"

She smiled at the young woman. "That's exactly where I'm heading, dear. If you don't mind these old bones slowing you down, I would love the company," she offered.

"That's perfect!" Korra cheered. "We can ride Naga there."

"Naga," she cooed, rubbing the beast's fur. "And what is your name, sweetie?"

"Korra," she introduced herself with a respectful bow.

"My name is Hope," she revealed. "And it's a delight to meet you, Korra."

Not quite able to make it to Senlin Village, Hope and Korra made camp in a nearby forest. She picked a spot near a tall statue of a bear, and rolled out a mat.

"This is a statue of Hei Bai, the spirit of the forest," Hope explained. "This whole area was ash when I was a child. The forest is still young, but its coming back."

Korra nodded, laying down on her own mat. It all seemed familiar... "What brings you out here anyway?"

"Oh, I'm on a pilgrimage, of sorts," she revealed.

"A pilgrimage?" Korra echoed.

Hope smiled. "During the Hundred Year war, my parents were refugees, fleeing to Ba Sing Se. They were saved by Avatar Aang and his friends, and they helped deliver me," she reminisced. "My parents named me Hope in honor of the Avatar, as it was he who gave them the hope to survive."

Korra tensed a little. "That's wonderful."

Hope nodded. "So now that I have the time, I'm visiting the places Avatar Aang stopped by, to pay my respects."

Korra looked away. "That's... really cool." She paused for a long time. "What have you heard about the new Avatar, anyway?"

"Nothing, not more than anyone else," Hope admitted. "Just that they are in training."

A pang of guilt flashed through Korra. "Whoever the water Avatar is, do you... resent them for hiding away for so long? For not being ready to save the world, like Aang was when he was 12?"

Hope chuckled. "Everyone has their own take. Some say it's ridiculous to expect an Avatar to be ready at 19, or that their privacy is more important now that cameras and radios are everywhere. And some say they are already a failure, not living up to Aang's legacy."

"But what do you think?" Korra asked. "Seems like you know Aang's story better than most."

"All I know for sure is what my parents told me," Hope replied. "That Avatar Aang was a kind, gentle soul. That he had a caring heart. And I know the new Avatar has the same soul." She sighed. "I just hope I live long to see who they are."

Korra couldn't help but smile a little. "I hope so, too."

They fell asleep in the mild summer night, under the growth of the new forest. But Korra was soon woken up to the sound of Naga growling.

"What is it girl?" Korra called out, rubbing her bleary eyes.

Naga wailed, and Korra shot up, frantically looking around. Two Shirshu were standing just outside the clearing, snarling at her.

Before she could even think, a long tongue lashed out at Korra, paralyzing her where she stood. Naga roared, and bit one of the Shirshu's noses, but the other lashed out, and lashed again. Before long, Naga and Hope were both paralyzed, motionless on the ground.

"Look here, someone fresh off the boat," a bandit called out, striding into the clearing. He was a tall, broad shouldered man with a scar on his left cheek. "Not much of anything worth taking," he complained, rifling through Korra's bag.

Korra couldn't move, she couldn't scream. All she could do is watch as the bandit turned his attention to her.

"But I can think of something I do want," he said, looking Korra up and down with undisguised lust. "A pretty little thing like you..."

He flopped Korra upright, and Korra saw him unbuckle his belt before he climbed on top of her. Her body was numb, but she could feel her pants being pulled down.

Tears streamed from her eyes. She felt fear, despair... but more rage than anything. She felt her heart beating in her chest, and her blood boiling. The bandit slapped her cheek, hard, and roughly held her hair. Korra closed her eyes, which is about the only thing she could do. She was desperate to scream out, to reach out for *anything* as he positioned himself at her entrance.

The statue of Hei Bai started faintly glowing, and Korra felt a strange warmth spread through her body... a cold rage that wasn't quite hers, like something had taken her over. Barely aware of her own actions, she screamed, and blue fire erupted from her mouth, engulfing the bandit's head.

Meanwhile, in a Southern Water Tribe village, Tonraq and Senna sat in front of a steaming hot dinner. Neither could bring themselves to eat nor say much.

"Tonraq, Senna, come quick! To the temple!" a White Lotus guard called out after bursting in the door.

The three sprinted through the village, and into the Avatar Temple. There, the eyes on the murals of past Avatars glowed brightly.

"Is that..." Tonraq gasped. "Is she..."

"We don't know," the sage said sadly. "Somewhere out there, she is in the Avatar State. Perhaps she is communing with a spirit. Or-"

"Or she could be in trouble, defending herself," Senna finished for him. "She could be hurt. Or..."

Tonraq grabbed her hands. "Don't say that, Senna. She's not dying. She's out there, OK."

Senna wrapped him in a tearful hug. "I can't lose her, Tonraq," she whispered. "I can't stand not knowing."

"Neither can I," he agreed, holding her tight and rubbing her hair.

Back in the Earth Kingdom, the Avatar was standing over the flaming husks of two Shirshu and a bandit, eyes glowing bright. Hope was just starting to regain her limbs.

As the rage slowly subsided, Korra dropped to her knees, and then onto her butt, and buried her face in her hands as tears streamed down.

Hope wrapped an arm around her. "It's OK," she soothed. "You're safe."

The white finally left her eyes. "I... I was so scared," Korra choked out. "I wanted to fight, but I couldn't. I was just... there. At his mercy. He started to..."

"I know," Hope comforted her, hugging the Avatar as she cried into her shoulder.

After a long while, Korra pulled back, and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

"None of this is your fault, Korra," Hope assured her. "It's OK."

Korra nodded. "Um... please don't tell anyone I'm the Avatar," she quietly requested. "I'm begging you... If people find out, I'll have to go back to training. I can't take it."

Hope nodded, tears streaming from her own eyes. After all these years, she couldn't believe she had met the Avatar once more. And she was in grief, just like Aang was. "Here," she said, taking a bracelet off her wrist and placing it in Korra's hand.

"What's this?" Korra asked.

"Katara gave it to my parents, as a gift when I was born," she explained. "It's my most prized possession. It's given our whole family hope through the worst of times." Hope closed Korra's hand around the bracelet. "They would want nothing more than to give that hope back to you. As a reminder of how many lives you have touched, of how many more I know you will help."

Korra looked down at the bracelet, then back at Hope. "Thank you," she whispered.

Chapter 50: The Red Lotus

Chapter Text

Strolling through downtown, Jia's head was swirling. Yet another contact, an executive in Cabbage Corp that managed a large part of their network, had reported the same thing. The police were closing in on him.

"This is not good," Jia murmured. The Cabbage Corp exec was careful, meticulous. He was one of the best agents they had. How long did the rest of them have with the whole city against them?

What's more, she felt guilty storming out of Zenjin's apartment. She was still frustrated, but she also just wanted to see him.

Zenjin lived downtown, in a tiny apartment that was still somehow horrendously expensive. But they had a nice view of the Pro Bending arena, close enough to hear the crowds cheering during big matches. She felt a little nostalgic, and a little regretful as she walked up to the apartment and unlocked the door.

"Jia!" Zenjin called out. He was standing over the stove, brewing some tea.

Jia sighed. "I'm sorry Zenjin. All the stress was getting to me. I honestly don't know what we're going to do... Can I come in?"

"Of course, but um-" Zenjin.

Before he could finish, Jia stepped in, and saw two figures next to his crazy document wall, now more tangled than ever.

One was the spitting image of Zenjin, albeit a little taller and older, with the same brilliant golden eyes. The other was... a shorter woman, in a blue vest and a painted lady mask.

Jia's blood went cold. Time froze for a second.

And then, she dropped the bag she was holding, and bounded out the door with a burst of airbending before it even hit the ground.

"Wait!" Korra called out, running after her. "I'm not here to hurt you!"

Jia sprinted to the emergency exit, and pushed at the door. "Come on, open up!" In a fit of frustration, she just knocked it off its hinge with air.

She lept off the railing, falling 15 floors before cushioning her fall with a blast of air. She turned to open the exit, but the metal door twisted and warped in front of her, stuck shut.

A moment later, Jia heard a thud behind her. She backed into a corner, trembling as she stared into the painted lady mask.

"Just relax!" Korra implored, holding up her hands. "I'm not here to arrest you. I want to talk."

"I... why?" Jia gasped, shaking in fear.

"I made a deal with Zenjin," Korra admitted. "Just hear us out. And if you want to leave, you can leave, OK?"

Jia lowered her arms, and tried to steady her breathing. "You mean I can just walk away?"

"Yeah," Korra affirmed. "Right now, if you want." Korra unjammed the door to prove her point. "But please, just listen to us first."

Jia looked back to the door, then to the Avatar standing before her. She silently nodded.

Jia followed the Avatar back to Zenjin's apartment, and sat down at the table. She looked around at the tangled web of information, and at the other guy in the room.

"Zenjin, is that your brother, Ryu?" she asked cautiously. "The one in Fire Nation intelligence?"

"Yeah," Ryu answered for Zenjin with a bow. "Nice to meet you, Jia."

Jia nodded, and took a deep breath. "OK. So, why am I not dead or in jail right now?"

Zenjin sat down in front of her with a fresh cup of tea, and repeated what he already discussed with the Avatar.

"Really? Our agents stay free if they just help you?" Jia asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Zenjin confirmed.

Jia shook her head. "We're betraying the cause, Zenjin. You know what that means."

"What cause?" Zenjin countered. "I've seen how the other cell operates. They're not about freedom. They're about chaos. We were never going to cleanly overthrow the city's government and establish a better one, it was all just a lie we told ourselves," he argued. "The Avatar got farther than we ever would, Jia."

"She knows nothing of liberty," Jia argued. "She's the Avatar. No one has authority over her."

Korra crossed her arms. "I was imprisoned for years, Jia," she defended herself. "That was my teenage life. Believe me, I know how important it is."

"Besides, the Red Lotus have been hiding more than we thought," Zenjin revealed.

Jia flinched when she heard the name out loud. "You're talking about Imay's theories?"

"Look," he said, gesturing to the wall. "Weapon shipments to the Northern Water Tribe. Bits of a governor's schedule in Zaofu. A partial map of the Fire Nation capital, and government buildings in smaller towns. They even supplied explosives to the other Republic City cell," he listed. "And it's all connected. Does that sound like a peaceful revolution to you, Jia?"

Jia was silent.

"It's all just pieces, Zenjin," Ryu pointed out.

"But it's enough to make me think we're being lied to," Zenjin argued. "And there is plenty more to find in Imay's cabinet."

"I hate being manipulated," Korra seethed, flipping through the cabinet herself. "Is there anything in here on me?"

"In the back," Zenjin pointed out. "Just what I've found so far."

Korra pulled out a folder, sat down at the table and started flipping through it.

Zenjin turned to Jia. "Jia, please... we were living a lie. Don't fall on your sword for this, and don't let our agents do it either. I can't turn them without you."

Jia shook her head. "Why are you offering this, Avatar? Is this just a honeypot? A lure?

Korra put down the folder, took off her mask, and looked Jia right in the eyes. "I want your help, Jia. You have eyes on so much oppression in Republic City. Instead of stoking it, imagine if you fought it. If you fed info to the police, to the Equalists, to others, and they listened to you because I make them listen," she suggested. "I'd rather empower your agents than arrest or kill them. I want them to fix whatever tragedy made them join the Red Lotus in the first place," she added. "Or you can flush it all way, and you all can rot in prison. Or the ground."

Jia eyed the Avatar, a bit unnerved to see her face. "I'll think about it."

"I need an answer. Now." Korra insisted.

Jia looked at Zenjin, who had the most desperate look on his face she had ever seen. "We can't turn everyone. Not all at once, before word gets out."

"Let me meet with them," Korra proposed. "Or let us know what they want."

Jia rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Some of them still won't listen."

"Well too bad for them," Korra retorted. "This is a gift, Jia. I'm looking past a lot, and risking a lot. And you are going to lose agents. I don't like it, you don't like it. But we can both swallow our pride and take it."

"You are relentless." Jia shook her head. "Fine. You have my word."

Korra let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Jia."

"And... thank you," Jia admitted, relaxing a little. "I appreciate being given a choice, even if it's a hard one. You're not what I expected from the Avatar."

"I get that a lot," Korra quipped, smiling a little. "Zenjin already started a list," she added, pushing a paper forward. "Just write down the agents you want to turn, and we'll exclude them from the hunt. I swear, we won't use it to hurt them."

Jia nodded, and grabbed a pen.

Ryu pushed off against the wall, and sat down next to Jia as she wrote. "So you don't know anything about the cells outside Republic City either?" he asked Jia.

"No," Jia admitted. "They set us up a long time ago, then cut off contact. Communication and supplies are one way."

"And the elephant koi in the room..." Ryu started.

Jia sighed and looked up. "I got my airbending as a gift. But I swore not to say how. And I couldn't even take you to the source if I wanted to."

"That's what Imay said," Korra confirmed, going back to flip through the folder. "That's fine. If you swore to a spirit or something, I respect that."

Ryu squinted. "You look part Air Nomad to me."

"Yeah, that may be part of it," Jia vaguely admitted.

"Hmm. What about the Avatar's attempted kidnapping?" Ryu wondered aloud. "Did you have any part in that?"

Jia furrowed her brow. "What attempted kidnapping?"

"The Red Lotus tried to take me as a little kid. It kinda ruined my childhood," Korra half joked. "That's why the White Lotus locked me away."

Jia felt nauseous. "I was kidnapped and enslaved as a kid," she admitted quietly. "Passed around a few nobles. The Red Lotus assassinated my last master, and freed me. It's why I joined them." She looked up at Korra. "So I swear, I had nothing to do with it. I would never have even joined if I knew."

Korra nodded, and smirked a little. "We only found out because you guys are stupid enough to use the same catchphrase."

"We're not supposed to say it in public," Zenjin objected. But he smiled a tiny bit too. "I guess Imay just couldn't help himself."

"Do you all have... suicide pills? We've run into a few. I was kind of afraid you'd use one," Ryu nervously asked.

Zenjin winced. "That's mostly the other cell. They did more ground ops, like assassinations. Bribing and leverage was more our thing."

"I don't have one," Jia assured him. "It's not something they made us use."

"They?" Ryu asked.

Jia paused writing for a moment. "We don't have bosses looking over our shoulder. We have an initial mission, a schedule, and guidelines, and haven't received new orders in... years. But the Red Lotus who set us up will hold us accountable if we betray the cause. They'll probably come for us soon," she grimly revealed.

"What?" Korra exclaimed, looking up.

"Yeah," Zenjin confirmed. "They made it clear that they have powerful benders and the means to reach us."

Jia nodded. "Its part of why I was so hesitant, Korra. Zenjin and I... we can mask our cooperation for a while, and hide our agents we recruited ourselves. But if our betrayal becomes obvious, Zenjin and I don't have long to live."

Korra stood up. "No! No one is killing you," she argued heatedly.

"Yeah, we're not letting them," Ryu agreed.

"If we go in hiding, they'll go for family and friends," Zenjin pointed out. "We have no choice. We signed up for high risk when we joined the Red Lotus, Korra. It's our consequence to face."

"You're under my umbrella now, and I am not letting anyone hurt you." Korra slapped the folder down. "Do you know what's in this? Fake historical training routines. Doctored logs that don't match up with my own two eyes. Accurate bits of logs on my mental state, my physical injuries, that they were supposedly ignorant of." she seethed. "They weren't being overzealous or casually cruel. The Red Lotus was there, at my training, and they were trying to break me! So if they come for you, I am going to catch them and beat their skulls in until they tell me why!"

"You can't know when they'll come," Zenjin argued. "It could be years before they find out."

"Oh, I can know," Korra promised, leaning forward. "I'll get the Equalists and Azula's spies to shadow you. But once you're ready, I am going to plaster your cooperation in the newspapers, and act like you're isolated. I'm going to leak right where to find you, and you two will be there."

Zenjin and Jia looked at teach other. "They won't walk into an obvious trap."

"It doesn't need to be obvious," Korra countered. "You'll have me. And the Red Lotus are going reap what they sowed."

Chapter 51: Refuge and Respite

Chapter Text

With spring in swing, and green slowly returning to Republic City, the biting cold air was finally starting to ease up. It's Asami's favorite time of year, as the weather is just right to turn her closed workshop into an open air one. A cool breeze flowed through the open garages and windows, just enough to offset the heat from forges, heavy machinery and hard work. And outside, her friends were enjoying the weather just as much.

"Not bad, your highness," Sara teased, before jumping over a wide, low wave of fire. The moment she landed, she kicked a sharp spear of flame at Ryu.

Ryu barely dodged out of the way, sweating and panting from the exertion. He countered with a sharper punch, but Sara was ready, and deflected it. With three quick punches, she sent three bolts of fire back at Ryu.

He sidestepped the first, dissipated the second, and raised is arms just in time to get knocked on his butt by the third.

Sara stood over the prince with a smug grin, offering a hand.

Ryu let out a final heavy breath, and took it. "I'd say you should teach at the Royal Academy, but I'm not sure if the Fire Nation is ready for such a thing," he joked.

Sara pulled him up. "Nah. All those snobby royals and nobles? I'd set one on fire before I finished the first day."

"You definitely would," Ryu chuckled. "Thanks for the spontaneous lesson, but I was actually looking for Korra."

"Uh, I haven't seen her actually," Sara admitted. "But check in the workshop. I know Ren and Asami are in there."

"Thanks," Ryu called out, walking over to the building.

Ryu found Ren spinning up some kind of fan in a big contraption with his metalbending, while Asami adjusted the casing. "There," she called out, tightening a bolt. "That should balance it."

"It probably won't explode now," Ren joked. "Come on, let's pipe it to the airship engine exhaust and see what happens."

He just watched in fascination while the radio blared today's news.

"The hunt for the mysterious organization is all but over," the DJ reported. "The Avatar has announced that most major participants have been neutralized. Here is an excerpt from her announcement..."

The radio switched over to the Avatar's voice. "...We did this together. Equalists, police, councilors, and most of all, regular citizens, purged the city of its longtime oppressors, side by side. But the fight isn't over. Now, I ask you to trust your neighbors at home, to help them, just we helped each other during these dark days. We can only heal together, and make Republic City a better place..."

"Korra still wings all those speeches," Ren marveled. "I don't know how she does it."

"She's good," Ryu agreed, revealing himself. "Where is Korra, anyway? I had some reports I wanted to give her."

"Negotiating with agents or something," Ren shrugged. "She was out before dawn. Honestly, I don't know how she's still standing after all this."

"Well, we're going to give her the break she deserves, that we all deserve," Asami announced. "Are you coming Ryu?"

Ryu raised an eyebrow. "Coming to what?"

That night, Korra all but collapsed into her bed with a tired smile, not even bothering to change out of her clothes. "I started a war, negotiated a peace, and flipped a bunch of obstinate anarchists. I think I can sleep for a week," she murmured to herself. She closed her eyes, and lost consciousness before she could even roll over.

She was woken up by blinding daylight, streaming through the window of her room in the Sato estate. "Oh, this bed is so soft..." she mumbled, slowly blinking her eyes. She took a shower, slipped on some sweatpants and a white shirt, and groggily walked downstairs.

It was definitely midday, but the dining room was dark, with no one around. Korra frowned. "Uh, guys? Anyone home?"

She walked into the kitchen, and nearly jumped out of her skin when the lights flipped on.

"Happy birthday!" a chorus of voices called out.

Sara, Ren, Asami, Ryu were all there, along with Tenzin, Pema and the airbender kids, Gommu, and Korra's parents. Some were holding presents, and a huge cake was sitting on the table.

A big, goofy grin crept across Korra's face. "This is amazing! All you guys came here just for me?"

"Of course!" Jinora piped up excitedly. "You're twenty-one, Korra. That's a big deal."

Korra wrapped as many of them in a hug as she could manage, and squeezed. "I totally forgot about my birthday! You all are so amazing."

Everyone danced and laughed. Ren and Tonraq brought out a huge roast, and Korra and Naga stuffed themselves silly.

The gifts made Korra tear up. Asami gave her a Future Industries pendant her mother used to wear, Jinora gave her an ancient Air Nomad tome, Tonraq gave her a spear handed down generations of Water Tribe royals.

"This was Aang's Air Nomad necklace," Tenzin revealed. "He gave it to me, and said it would guide me even when he left this world. I want you to have it, Korra. To guide you, just as you've helped guide all us."

Korra graciously accepted, and put it around her neck. She couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed, that she meant so much to everyone.

"I love all you guys," Korra cried in joy. "I can't describe how much this means to me. To have wonderful people who care about me, who support me, who believe in me..."

Later that night, Asami took Korra to one of the most exclusive clubs in the city. She got her dancing, then got a back room with private performers, and Korra... witnessed things she could never have even imagined.

She ended up back in her loft, exhausted but content.

"This is it Naga," she sighed, looking up at the stars from her skylight. "We're not alone. We have a future. Our hearts are in one piece, and we're... happy."

Korra woke up the next morning to the spring sun streaming through her window. She got up and looked down at her Blue Panda Lily, both stalks healthy and thriving.

She just stared out the window, remembering Phoebe's touch, Hope's kindness, Zan's laughter, the mugger kid. All the people that had touched her life, for better or worse. She decided to wear Hope's bracelet today, right alongside Ren's and went downstairs.

Korra found herself alone in Ren's living space, and proceeded to do absolutely nothing. She listened to the radio, played fetch with Naga, took a nap.

Slouching in the sun, leaning against Naga's belly, Korra pondered how she got to such a peaceful place. It wasn't her, it was everyone around her, giving her everything, holding her together. Asami gave her purpose, Sara guided her spirit. Phoebe, Gommu, and others gave so much love and wisdom, and so many more helped her grow.

And then she remembered where she was. Ren's home, her home. Just given to her as a gift, when she was little more than a homeless vagrant, that she all but took for granted now...

He was the earth her new life was rooted in, from which it all grew.

Korra sighed, and got up. Feeling a bit stiff, she decided to start a quick workout in the bottom floor of the workshop.

Ren came into the workshop and found Korra in her bindings, doing pull-ups... with one arm, alternating between left and right. He had seen it before, but it still took his breath away every time.

"Hey!" Korra called out, dropping from the ceiling. "You looked like you worked up a sweat too."

"Just finishing something up in Asami's workshop. She's got better equipment than I do," Ren admitted with a smile.

"What is it?" Korra wondered aloud, walking over to him.

Ren sat down the big crate he was levitating. "Actually... it was supposed to be a birthday gift. I just didn't finish it in time."

"Really!?" Korra asked, eyeing the crate in excitement.

"Yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know you're not much of a clothes shopping, fashion chasing kind of person, but I hope you'll like this."

Korra smirked. "Oh, now you have to tell me."

Ren smiled back. "OK, just stand over there and turn around for a sec. No peeking."

Korra did as she was told, and felt a little thrill of anticipation. She heard metal clanging behind her, and it took most of her self-restraint not to cheat and use her seismic sense.

"Alright, you can turn around." Ren called out.

Korra turned around, and froze.

In front of her was a suit of metal armor, but nothing like any armor she had ever seen. It looked thin, sleek, not like the bulky armor police or soldiers wore. It was covered in angular metal plates and what looked like metal fabric in the cracks between them. The whole thing was a dark metallic gray, with a faint blue shine.

And topping it all off was a solid metal helmet, made of the same dark alloy, but with the red stripes and gold crescent of the Painted Lady spirit emblazoned on its faceplate. "What on Earth?" Korra gasped.

"It's armor!" Ren grinned. "Made of my dad's meteor rock alloy. The plates come off," he added, levitating a few aside. "So you can wear the chain underneath as regular clothes or a middle layer, and even detach the sleeves and legs if you want," he added, showing her how. "It has thin, airy foam that insulates some against fire, ice, and impacts. A crystal I carved covers the eyes, and I wove spirit vine strands into the inner fabric, along chi paths."

Korra's breath hitched in her throat as she ran her fingers along the angular plates and the fine metal fabric. "How did you even make this? It looks like something from the future."

"I've been thinking on it for a while, and really started chipping away at it two months ago. I... had to buy out most of the meteor rock in Republic City, among other things," he sheepishly admitted. "I'm kind of broke. Oh, and I almost forgot!"

Ren pulled out a glider staff from the box, made from the same dark metal, and presented it to Korra. "There's a holster on the back of the armor," he pointed out.

"This is so cool!" Korra marveled, holding the staff up. It was light, almost like it wasn't metal. She popped the wings out, and saw they were made of a thin metal fabric.

"Try the armor on," Ren urged.

Korra slipped the armor over her bindings, snapping it shut with metalbending along the spine, and she couldn't stop smiling. "It fits like a glove!" she exclaimed, looking down at herself and twisting around.

"Lucky guess on my part," Ren murmured.

"It's so easy to metalbend," she marveled, flexing her arms. "It's gorgeous, and it feels like a second skin." Korra looked up. "This is insane! Why did you go to all this trouble?"

"I want to keep you safe," Ren admitted. "I know you're the Avatar, but you're also my best friend, and I want to protect you."

Korra's shook her head. "What about you!? I don't want anything to happen to you either. Shouldn't you have a set of your own?"

"I started a second set with the leftover material. It'll take a bit to finish," he confessed. "But you have enough scars, Korra. I don't want anyone to ever hurt you again. I... I can't stand the thought of it," he quietly added.

Korra felt overwhelmed. "You've given me everything, Ren. A home, a life. You connected me to Kylie, Asami, and Sara, guided me back to my parents and mentors... you keep me together every day. And now this? I... I don't..." Korra's voice broke as she started to tear up.

"You don't owe anything. You already repaid me, just by being yourself," Ren assured her with a small smile.

Korra stepped forward, and wrapped Ren in a tight hug. "I don't deserve you," she whispered.

"No, I don't deserve you. I thought I would never be happy again, but it's like the fog I was in lifted the day I met you, and it's just gotten better every single day," Ren confessed, embracing her back. "You gave me my life back too."

Both their hearts beat out of their chests.

Korra felt like she was going to explode, like her heart would burst, yet fear still gripped it, holding it in like a cage. She couldn't quite bring herself to break it, to confess how deeply she loved Ren. She still didn't understand the fear. But it hurt so much that she started crying into his shoulder.

Ren held Korra tighter, metal pressing against his chest, feeling her tears through his shirt. He loved her so much, but couldn't say it. Thanks to his petty diffidence, the past that warped his soul, he still thought Korra could never love him back... not like that. And he had no idea how wrong he was.

So they just stood there, holding each other, until the sun dipped below the horizon.

Chapter 52: The Puppetmaster

Chapter Text

Korra was a firebender, and even she felt a little cold tonight.

It was the dead of winter in the South Pole, in the middle of a cold snap. At the Avatar's training compound, that means the sun never rose. But the moon was full tonight, so bright to young Korra's eyes it almost looked like day on the white snow.

"I learned this at your age, you know," Katara said, standing next to her. "When I was fourteen, I had no choice but to defend myself, or lose everything."

Katara knelt down in front of a young Korra, with a kind but serious look on her face. "But I am giving you a choice, Korra. I would never force this upon anyone, never again. But given what my husband faced, I can't help but wonder if you will face an impossible choice too."

Korra looked into Katara's eyes like she was looking at an old friend. "I want to learn," she whispered. "I can take it."

Katara closed her eyes. "No one can take it, Korra," she warned. "But I can at least prepare you for what you will find."

Katara shivered a little as she stood up. Not just because her old bones weren't meant for this weather, but because she was about to do what she swore to never do again. And do it to a girl she loved. As she turned around and stood across from Korra, she could see Aang in her eyes, as clear as the moon on the horizon.

"Ready?" Katara asked, adopting a stance.

Korra nodded.

Katara reached her arms out, spread her fingers wide, arched her palms, and started as gently as she could.

"Aaah!" Korra screamed, her body shaking.

"I'm-" Katara started.

"No... keep going," Korra insisted, gritting her teeth.

A tear escaped Katara's eye, but she kept her focus. "Feel the blood in your body, Korra," she pleaded. "Feel my grip on it. And reach inside, just like you reach for water in planets. Assert your will."

Korra felt like her body was being squeezed like a sponge, but she didn't give up. In just under a minute, she could move her limbs. She could feel the blood being bent in her body. And then she could fight it.

Korra stomped a foot into the ground, and broke free, mirroring Katara's stance. "I go it," she gasped. "That's... the least fun bending I've ever done."

Katara smiled weakly. "I'm sorry, Korra. We can stop now."

Korra shook her head. "Give me more."

Katara nodded and steeled herself, wincing as she heard Korra scream out again.

But like her husband, Korra was a fast learner. That night, she was breaking free of Katara's strongest holds.

Korra put her hands on her knees, breathing heavily, but stood back up, as she always did. "Do I need to learn how to do it? To attack?"

"No," Katara assured her. "You already know far too much Korra. Enough to kill. Never hone this skill again, not unless you face an impossible choice."

Korra nodded. "I won't."

"Good," Katara agreed. "Now, let's get you inside," she said, wrapping her arm around Korra.

"Thanks for getting us set up," Korra commented. She was leaning on a rail, overlooking a river just outside Republic City. Traffic swarmed behind her, and a few boats lit up the dark waters, running fast from the melting snow.

Noatak took a deep breath. "I came to Republic City at your age, when the Equalists were barely a thought. And in all the years since, I never imagined I would be standing next to the water Avatar as an ally... much less as a friend." Noatak slightly turned his head. "This is not a favor, Korra, it is a privilege."

Korra nodded. They stood in silence for a long time. "Can I ask you something?" Korra eventually asked.

"...About my bending," Noatak guessed.

"No." Korra denied. "You shouldn't be ashamed of your bloodbending, Noatak. It's part of who you are."

"It is a terrible power," Noatak protested. "One that corrupts the soul."

"I think you and Katara are wrong," Korra argued. "It's just like any other bending, a power that's only as malicious as the person wielding it. I'm not saying you should use it much. But don't lie to yourself. Trust your own instincts instead of a dogma based on fear."

Noatak was silent. He didn't quite believe her... but once again, the Avatar had pointed out his own hypocriticism, and deeply unsettled his perspective.

"Anyway, do you remember the sting on Yu?" Korra asked.

"Of course," Noatak recalled.

"This is off the wall, but... you had some 'amusing thought' you said you'd tell me later. What was it?" Korra pressed.

Noatak hesitated. "It was an immature musing."

"Tell me anyway," Korra reiterated.

Noatak looked back out at the water. "You chained up Tarrlok and I to chairs, and forced us to say what went unsaid. I wondered what would happen if I did the same to you and Ren."

Now Korra was silent for a long time.

"It is not like you to be at a loss for words, Korra," Noatak observed.

Korra sighed. "I'm too scared, Noatak. Not of rejection..." Korra paused. "I'm afraid of the consequences. It's like the truth will explode if it leaves my lips, and break my heart, worse than it ever has." Korra lowered her head. "I don't know how it will. But it's always what's happens to me."

Noatak turned to look at her. "Then perhaps you should consider what you taught me in that fateful alley, and in that chair. What you reminded me of moments ago. Follow your instincts, Korra. Not your fears."

Korra bit her lip. He was right, and every bone in her body was screaming at her. "OK. I just need a moment of peace, when someone isn't trying to kill us."

"Then take one," Noatak suggested, looking back to the water. "But I hope more than mere moments of peace are part of our destiny."

"It has to be," Korra agreed. "Otherwise, what's the point of all this?"

Late at night, Asami found Ren her workshop, standing over a workbench. Sweat was dripping from his brow as his fingers twitched over some gadget the size of his thumb, putting tiny parts in place, then gently heating contacts and wires to secure them.

"Hey Asami, good timing," Ren greeted her. "One sec, I need to focus..."

She got closer and watched in silent awe as Ren worked his magic, before finally levitating the gadget down. "You're amazing," she marveled.

Ren smiled sheepishly. "Thanks. Always high praise, coming from you."

"I mean it," Asami insisted. She sat down on the stool next to him. "Are you sure you want to go through with this, Ren? Spirits, I worry about Sara too, but she's a seasoned fighter. Maybe she should go instead?"

"I'll be fine," Ren assured her.

"You're important to Future Industries, Ren. You've revolutionized so much of our stack... And you're my friend," she added, squeezing his shoulder. "You all have changed my life. If something happens..."

"Korra will be there. What could possibly go wrong?" Ren joked.

Asami smiled a little. "You have to be there for Korra, don't you?" she guessed. "You try to suppress it, but I see the way you look at her."

Ren paused, and looked away. "Yeah," he admitted quietly. "I guess I do."

Asami leaned forward and hugged him lightly. "Just come back. Both of you."

"We will," Ren promised. "And Asami... you've changed my life too."

Chapter 53: The Calm

Chapter Text

The Northern Hemisphere was a few weeks into spring now, and few places experienced a blooming quite like Republic City. Leaves and flowers started to emerge from its coastal forests, but even more dramatically, the city itself was starting to come alive. The Council was reformed, with a larger set of representatives now needing votes from the people to be elected. Half represented districts, and the other half represented the entire Republic. The Equalists, while still a force to be reckoned with, transitioned into a political party of sorts. Pardons were made. Crooked businesses shuttered. Some fundamental laws were rewritten, codifying the rights of all citizens, and the police force was being culled and rebuilt.

But the city's spirit was not just in its politics. The streets were buzzing with life, with people. Spontaneous parties formed on the streets of rich and poor neighborhoods every evening. As not only did people feel safe with their government, they felt closer to their fellow citizens. The Avatar had published just how much the various factions of the city cooperated with each other. Between that, and having taken to the streets to defend their homes, people felt like they were part of something greater. That their neighbors were no longer potential enemies, but new friends, and ones that had something to celebrate and defend together.

A bronze statue was set up in Republic City Park depicting a young woman in a Painted Lady mask, sitting on the pedestal, legs hanging off, peacefully staring into the greenery of the park. The Avatar had somehow kept her identity secret through the whole ordeal. And now, few in the city wanted that to change. She was the thread that bound them all together, the symbol of their unity. Hence after an overwhelming public poll, the Council had enshrined the Avatar's right to privacy into law. And knowing that their savior walked among them only strengthened their bonds.

But two people strolling through the Dragon Flats borough did not feel safe in their home.

Zenjin read the newspaper once more as he walked down the street. He had read it again and again over the last few days, but he just couldn't help himself.

"Avatar Exposes The Red Lotus," the headline read.

He still couldn't believe they printed the name, much less put it in the headline.

"The organization plaguing Republic City for years has been identified as the Red Lotus, a disaggregated anarchist terrorist group," the article read. "...Above all, the Avatar emphasizes that two key leaders, who she has declined to name, of one particular cell were critical to the group's downfall. In exchange for their full cooperation, the police have agreed to set them free, with the condition that they must remain within the city. Details of the Red Lotus's crimes and branches are still being investigated, but we have summarized..."

Zenjin shook his head. It mind as well be an execution order for him and Jia, in all caps and bold print.

"You've got to stop reading that," Jia chastised him. "It's not doing your head any good."

"Well, it's not going to do our bodies any good either," Zenjin darkly joked.

Jia shook her head in turn. "I can't believe we agreed to it. We should have lived normally another year, at least."

"And have a target on our backs?" Zenjin argued. "Maybe the Avatar's craziness is rubbing off on me, but I am done living in fear. I'd rather just face the music."

They walked in silence for a while, passing a group of kids playing soccer, with adults cheering them on. A police officer was leaning against a wall, smiling.

"You weren't wrong though," Jia admitted. "Look at this. Elections. Engagement. People just playing on the streets, handing out food and more everywhere we go," she marveled. "We failed, and yet it's like we achieved the goals we sought for years. A mutually beneficial society."

"I doubt our former compatriots will see it that way," Zenjin mused.

Jia sighed, and pulled him into a sideways hug. "It's been a good run. I'll still miss you, even if we're both dead," she said with a wry smile.

"Yeah," Zenjin agreed. "I'll miss you too." He pecked her cheek, and they walked on.

They crossed a long bridge leading out of the Dragon Flats Borough, watching traffic pass them by. It didn't take long for them to arrive at their new home, a sleepy little house in the country sprawl just outside the city. It was surrounded by forests, and out of sight of any other home.

"Home sweet home," Zenjin quipped, unlocking the door.

"Our very own death trap," Jia agreed. "Don't you think it's too obvious? That the Red Lotus would find it implausible we hide out somewhere so stupid?"

"We're traitors, they want us," Zenjin reminded her. "And besides, it's just four of us here. There's no trap to discover, no matter how hard they look."

"Well, that's not entirely true," the Avatar quipped, walking up to them. "Just no trap they can see."

Jia sighed. "You don't have to do this, you know," she told the Avatar. "Can you even call the Avatar State at will?"

"Only if I get really, really emotional," Korra admitted. "But I trained for this, it's what those jerks did to me for years. I'm not afraid of them."

"Yeah, y'all are making be depressed, being so negative," Ren chided them. "We'll be fine."

"I guess we'll see," Zenjin sighed.

"Come on, let's get some tea," Korra suggested.

Ren and Zenjin played Pai Sho into the night. Jia watched idly, deep in thought, while Korra sat on the couch, sipping tea and listening to the radio.

"...And that's the news!" the DJ cheered. "Now, let's take a break with some tunes, shall we?"

The music started. Korra closed her eyes, and let the sounds of jazz wash over her. "This used to be my solace, you know. Every night after training, before I passed out, I'd listen to the radio. I'd picture myself in a concert or smokey bar here in Republic City, letting it carry me away. Maybe even playing the music myself. If I was lucky, I'd dream it that night."

"Same. I always pictured myself playing a trumpet," Jia admitted. "It's why I chose Republic City as my base."

Ren nodded. "My sister and I always to go to Zaofu instead," he revealed. "Where we could really use our metalbending. But we kinda got stuck here, and grew to like it, music and all."

Zenjin sighed. "I don't have a story like that, not really," he admitted. "I had a comfy life, a rich future, and I abandoned it because I got sick of my own family and the politics we were stuck in. I came her because... well, because it wasn't the Fire Nation. But it was the next closest thing."

"Do you miss them?" Ren wondered aloud. "Your family? Other than Ryu?"

"I... I don't know," Zenjin admitted. "I miss my old life, maybe. The comfort. The stability. But I don't miss the people."

"Well I can tell you, the feeling changes when they're gone," Ren assured him. "Even the ones that tormented you. Just consider a quick visit when all this blows over."

Zenjin thought for a long time. "Maybe."

"Hey, I'm going to get some air," Korra announced, standing up and stretching. "Sound check?"

"Yeah, I got it," Ren assured her.

Korra stepped outside and walked around the perimeter of the property, looking for anything unusual. The forest was dark, but the moon was full, illuminating the trees and the path, and the wind was dead still.

Korra discretely eyed a few rocks as she walked by... rocks that were really self powered microphones, transmitting some basic sound into a receiver in the house. She was staring straight at them, feeling them with her earthbending, and she swore they were just... rocks. Ren had outdone himself, Korra mused.

She came back in and stretched her legs, feeling the metal fabric of her armor pull and flex like it was part of her skin. "All good?" she asked.

"Yeah, all the rocks are working," Ren confirmed. "Uh I forget, who's got first watch?"

"I got it," Korra assured him. "I'm still feeling pretty wired."

As Zenjin and Jia went to bed, Ren sat down next to Korra. "Are you doing OK?" he asked gently.

"Yeah," Korra assured him. "Being here is like taking a little countryside vacation," she joked. "But seriously, you don't have to be here, you know. I wanted to rotate people out, not drag you into this house with us for days."

"No one else can wear the meteor armor, and I've barely started other sets," Ren pointed out. "And I can fix the mic rocks. I may not be a Pro Bender or a lighting bender, but I'm kinda the person that needs to be here."

"I guess," Korra agreed. "But I don't want you to get hurt."

"Same to you." Ren propped himself up against a wall. "But I'm not worried," he assured her with sleepy eyes and an easy smile. "We have you. We'll be fine. Just wake me up when it's my turn."

Korra nodded, and she watched Ren drift off to sleep against the wall. She watched his breathing slow, his chest rise and fall.

"Goodnight, Ren," she whispered, feeling her heart throb. "As soon as we're out of this house..." she trailed under her breath.

Korra switched to a meditation pose on the cool stone floor, and closed her eyes, listening to the stack of radios sitting in front of her.

It was almost like she was out in the forest. She could hear bugs chirping, birds singing. Over an hour passed, but it felt like just a few minutes.

There was a catdeer that came by every night. Korra could see it in the forest like her eyes were wide open, timidly poking around the perimeter, pawing at the ground.

...Except this time, it stopped halfway, and went sprinting off into the woods.

She could hear leaves faintly crunching, but not like any animal she had heard before.

Korra's eyes shot open. "Ren, wake up," she whispered, nudging him gently.

Ren groggily opened his eyes. "What?"

Korra's eyes hardened. "It's time."

Chapter 54: Enter the Void

Chapter Text

Clad in a black jumpsuit and ski mask, just like all his compatriots, Zaheer quietly stepped around the edge of the property, looking for any signs of life.

"Saya" Ghazan whispered to the woman. "You feel anything?"

"We're too far away," she replied. "But nothing unusual."

"It's just our two targets and two police, right?" an initiate asked.

"Quiet," P'Li hissed. "Don't ask something you already know. Keep chatter to a minimum this close."

Zaheer narrowed his eyes. He felt something... something almost spiritual about the house, like a light flooding out of it. But he couldn't quite place it.

He blinked, and cleared his mind. He had four members and eight initiates to lead, and no room for distractions. "We finish our final sweep, then form a perimeter," he ordered. "I will investigate first. When I give the signal, we move in through the back window."

"Understood," Ghazan agreed.

As his compatriots spread out, Zaheer approached the house and bounded onto the roof with a blast of air. Stepping like a cat, he hung himself over the edge, and looked in a window.

And there was Jia, sound asleep on a sofa. The house was dark, and no other targets were visible.

Zaheer checked the other windows. No signs of life... likely just in the interior of the house.

He gave a quick whistle, and jumped down to the back window, with his fellow Red Lotus members quickly gathering around him. Saya stepped forward, and cut a hole in the window with her waterbending, allowing them to slip inside.

He saw Jia on the sofa, still asleep. Zaheer signaled with his hand for his team to spread out and...

All of a sudden, something was thrown in their midst. Without even thinking, Zaheer and Kaminari wrapped the objects in balls of air and fire.

The fire grenades exploded, dampened by the bending, but still enough to smoke the room and knock most of the Red Lotus members off their feet and burn a few.

Zaheer was immediately hit with a blast of wind. He righted himself quickly, and turned to face his opponent.

"Give up!" Jia spat, standing in front of the sofa.

Zenjin was already next to Jia, not far from a guy in dark metallic armor. And standing on the opposite side was another armored figure... In a Painted Lady helmet.

"The Avatar," Zaheer calmly deduced.

"Last chance!" Korra called out, poised in a firebending stance.

P'Li flinched, "Zaheer, you haven't seen her fight," she whispered into his ear. "We need to leave. Now."

The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with energy. But Saya jumped forward before Zaheer could consider retreat.

"Never!" Saya spat, raising her arms, arching her hands, and bloodbending all four of them in place. Zenjin, Ren and Jia screamed in pain, but Korra was gritting her teeth.

"Fry the Avatar! Now!" Saya ordered.

Several initiates dropped to low stance and sent a deluge of fire, earth, and water at Korra. The armor held, but she could feel the heat bleeding through to her skin, the stone and ice bruising her flesh.

Kaminari finished building up a charge and launched a lighting bolt at Korra... who caught it with two fingers.

"No... you... don't!" Korra screamed, and stretched out her arms as she broke the bloodbending grip. She sent Kaminari's redirected lighting right back to Saya, who screamed in agony and slumped to her knees. And with that, the room literally exploded into violence.

P'Li cursed under her breath, and sent a combustion blast towards the Avatar. But she was as fast as lighting, even faster than she was in training, jumping out of the way as she deflected blasts of fire and Earth from the initiates.

Ghazan started to melt the floor under Zenjin and Jia, who were getting boxed into a corner by the relentless hail of elements. Ren stepped in front of them, and stomped the ground with his arms wide, cooling the floor back down.

"Not bad," Ghazan complimented. "Let's see what you got!"

At just about that time, Kaminari aimed another bolt of lighting at Jia. Ren gasped, and raised a metal panel he had brought along to the house just in time, conducting the electricity into the ground.

An big ice spike deflected off the side of his armor. Ren grunted in pain, and Jia immediately came to his aid, knocking over the initiate who sent it with a blast of wind, while Zenjin kept bolts of fire off of her.

Meanwhile, Zaheer and most of the initiates had spread out around the Avatar, while P'Li stayed in the far corner. They pummeled the Avatar with blasts of wind, fire, earth and combustion, sending dust and debris everywhere as Korra furiously rose walls of Earth and let loose blasts of blue flame. The roof over that part of the house was long gone, the stone floor potted and cratered, walls starting to fail from the sheer power of the fight.

Korra smirked. She could see them starting to sweat.

But Korra was just getting warmed up.

"You wanted to break me!" she screamed.

Korra dropped low, stomped a foot, and the floor around the Red Lotus grew hot.

"Ghazan!" Zaheer called out.

Ghazan switched gears, and countered the Avatar's lavabending as he gritted his teeth. He never imagined he would be fighting two other lavabenders, and he couldn't save an initiate in the far corner as she sunk into the molten ground.

"You wanted to break my spirit, my mind, my body..." Korra continued. With a double kick, she sent a huge wave of blue fire at the Red Lotus surrounding her, backed by a blast of air that pushed it along. It sent them all stumbling back.

"Well guess what!" she screamed. "You did! And I survived!"

Zaheer lunged at her, but she spun around and flung him off, sending him careening into the wall on the other side. Taking advantage of the gap, she unleashed a bolt of lighting at two initiates backed into a wall, frying them both.

Korra was starting to draw more attention, and Ren decided to press his advantage.

"Cover me!" he called out from behind his metal plate.

Jia and Zenjin switched to intercepting blasts as Ren crunched a big metal plate and some debris into a ball. It grew hotter and hotter until it was glowing white.

Ren lobbed it over his cover. Ghazan saw it, and tried to bend it... but it wasn't Earth, it was metal. "Uh oh."

Ren shot a fist forward, and the ball exploded over the Red Lotus, showering them in a rain of molten metal drops, burning skin and eliciting a few screams.

Korra's smirk widened. "And now!" she screamed. "I can give it back!"

With everyone staggered from the molten metal, Korra took a deep breath, and focused her chi.

She looked right into P'Li's eyes, and recalled all the bruises, all the cracked bones those combustion blasts had given her. That double crack plagued her nightmares, just like it plagued her waking days in the compound.

Korra let out a breath, eyes wide as she leaned forward, and a combustion blast erupted from her forehead.

P'Li's eyes went wide in fear. Korra's blast interrupted P'Li's own, and both exploded an inch away from her head.

"P'Li!" Zaheer screamed, running over to her. But she was gone, her upper torso completely mangled, the surrounding walls blown to bits. Zaheer felt is heart break as he saw what remained of his lover on the ground.

"And now, you get to face the monster you created!" Korra raged.

With P'Li and some initiates gone, and Saya still down, the tides turned. Ghazan was on the defensive between two lavabenders. Kaminari couldn't get a shot. He even grazed Ren with lightning, but that bizarre metal armor conducted it away. The surviving initiates were scattering and on the defensive as the Avatar let loose a torrent of fire, Earth, water and air.

Zenjin and Jia were finally starting to go on the offensive too. Jia and Korra swapped positions, with Jia bounding out of her corner to engage Zaheer while Korra jumped next to Ren.

They both smiled under their helmets as another lightning blast was harmlessly conducted away. Korra and Ren moved in lockstep, and sent Ren's metal cover careening towards Kaminari, knocking out another initiate and forcing Kaminari to hastily dive out of the way.

Zenjin lept into the air, and engaged the remaining initiates up close with his dual dao swords, coated in flame. Ren and Korra moved in lock step again, and Ghazan cried out as he struggled to hold back their combined lavabending.

Zaheer took one last at P'Li and gritted his teeth. "Fall back!" he ordered. "We're done here!"

Ghazan just blasted the wall they were backed against, one of the last remaining bits of the house standing. Zaheer bent the debris into a dusty cover, and what was left of the Red Lotus took off in a sprint. Saya and some initiates stumbled off to the South with Ren on their tail, Zenjin and Jia chased Kaminari to the North, and Korra followed Zaheer and Ghazan to the East.

While still in agony from the lightning, Saya was starting to regain her bearings as she darted through the woods. She heard yelling all around her. And when she got to a road, Saya found herself facing jumpsuits and gas masks.

"Equalists," she growled, dropping to a bloodbending stance. "These are your final moments, so enjoy them."

Saya lurched forward and everyone dropped to the ground in agony...

All except one Equalist, who remained standing.

Saya snarled, and intensified her bloodbending. Everyone the ground twitched, but the last Equalist barely flinched, and started stepping forward.

"What... what are you?" Saya gasped.

"I am the solution," Noatak replied in a deep, even voice. He pushed Saya to the ground, held her on her knees, and placed a thumb on her forehead.

Saya gasped as she could feel the connection to her element being severed. "No," she whimpered, before she fell to the ground, unconscious.

Noatak sighed, and his compatriots got up just as Ren came running to the scene.

"Ren..." Noatak started

"It's alright," Ren assured him, looking at Saya. "It had to be done."

They both looked each other in the eyes, and Noatak nodded. "It's been a privilege fighting alongside you, Ren."

"You too," Ren agreed. He took another deep breath. "Come on, let's find the others."

To the north, Kaminari wasn't faring much better. His initiates had fallen, and he was dodging lighting blasts in the woods.

"Stop!" Ryu called out. He unleashed another bolt, barely missing Kaminari in the process.

Kaminari was in a dead sprint, but skidded to a halt when he saw Jia and Zenjin coming from another direction.

He scrambled uphill, heart pounding, legs burning. But when he got to the top, he saw an old woman in robes standing there, flanked by two men in royal Fire Nation armor.

"Azula," he spat.

"You have nowhere to run," Azula coldly announced. "You-"

Kaminari scowled, dropped to a stance, and unleashed the charge he had been discretely building up as the woman spoke.
Azula stepped aside just before it struck, faster than anyone her age has a right to move. The bolt streaked past her, into the open air.

"You dare interrupt me!? Attack me!?" Azula roared. "You insolent worm!"

Azula's royal guards let loose blasts of fire, forcing Kaminari to stagger back and counter. And the last thing he saw was cold fury etched across Azula's face as electricity arced from her fingertips.

Ryu, Zenjin and Jia ran up, panting as they observed the smoking corpse. Azula had walked down to examine it as well.

"Ryu, Zenjin," Azula coolly greeted.

"Grandmother," Zenjin acknowledged with a stiff, nervous bow. "I..."

Azula held up a hand. "In spite of your past actions... this was excellent work."

"What?" Zenjin echoed.

"These foes were abominations," she spat, standing over the body. "And you have gained the Avatar's trust, her aid, which is no insignificant feat. You have earned your redemption. And I believe I have underestimated you both," she admitted. "I am... proud."

Zenjin was stunned. Ryu managed to keep a little composure and simply said "Thank you, grandmother."

"Come," Azula ordered. "If any of these terrorists remain, we will burn the flesh from their bones for daring to harm either of you."

Meanwhile, Korra chased after Zaheer and Ghazan, with the pair throwing back blasts of wind and making pools of lava to try to slow her down.

They ran into a clearing, only to find two police airships overhead, searchlights scanning the ground. They quickly locked onto Zaheer and Ghazan.

"Give up!" a voice echoed over a speaker as police repelled down from the ships. Lin Beifong herself was in the lead, as the cops quickly surrounded the two Red Lotus members.

"On your knees!" Lin barked. "Last warning!"

"I am not going back to prison," Ghazan muttered under his breath.

Zaheer closed his eyes, and thought of his lover one final time before he emptied his mind. "Let go your earthly tether. Enter the void. Empty..."

"Zaheer," Ghazan grumbled. The Avatar was in a lavabending stance, and the police were tense, ready to strike.

"... And become wind," Zaheer finished.

Ghazan felt air swirl around him, and then Zaheer grabbed him from behind. Before he knew it, Ghazan was soaring through the sky.

"No!" Korra screamed as the police watched in disbelief.

An arc of lightning streaked by Zaheer as he flew off into the night. "I'll see you soon, Avatar," he vowed to himself.

Chapter 55: The Last Stand

Chapter Text

Zuko rode Druk over Republic City, looking down at the cityscape below. The evening streets were bustling, more than they usually were, and green was spreading across the city.

He landed Druk in the courtyard of Republic City Prison, startling some guards. He walked inside, escorted by an officer, who led him into an interrogation room.

There, a woman in a Painted Lady mask was sitting next to his sister, across from a pale Water Tribe woman.

"Zuko?" Korra called out, standing up. "What are you doing here?"

"Who is this?" Zuko deflected, looking at the woman.

"This is Saya," Azula spat. "A Red Lotus terrorist who just tried to kill the Avatar and Zenjin. And I believe her compatriots were complicit in the kidnapping of her as a child. We were just discussing her future," Azula added with an evil smirk.

Zuko eyed her. "We need to speak. In private."

Azula and Korra shared a look, and left the room.

"What is it, brother?" Azula demanded as they leaned against the wall.

"I have been in Zaofu," Zuko revealed. "Korra. Your former master, Xai Bau, is part of the Red Lotus."

Korra banged against the metal wall, denting it. "I knew it!" she seethed. "But it wasn't just him. I found records of my training, Zuko. I just killed P'Li, one of my former masters. They were there, in the compound, trying to break me."

Zuko's eyes widened. "Do you know why?"

"Not definitively," Azula admitted. "But once I get her in a Fire Nation interrogation cell, I will."

Zuko shook his head. "There is more. There was an extensive Red Lotus cell in Zaofu. Some of Su's most trusted advisors were involved, as well as some White Lotus members. Some even escaped."

"What?" Korra gasped. "Zaofu is like a fortress, right?"

Zuko nodded. "The domes are sealed. Toph is back, truth seeing throughout the city, but I still fear we haven't rooted out all the Red Lotus."

"Take it from me," Korra agreed. "They're like co*ckroaches. You think you've cleaned up, and then you find more."

Azula rubbed her chin. "If the Red Lotus infiltrated Zaofu..."

"They could have infiltrated anywhere," Zuko finished.

Korra's eyes widened. "We have records of the Red Lotus from... all over the four nations, including a few pieces on Zaofu," Korra admitted. "A deceased agent collected them. Zenjin figured they were trying to get footholds or seed chaos..."

Azula's eyes narrowed. "They are not just trying. They're already there." Azula turned to his brother. "We need to return to the Fire Nation, at once."

"Before it's too late," Zuko agreed. "Izumi..."

"We need to inform her, Zuko. To lock down the palace, until we investigate," Azula ordered.

At that moment, a woman in white and blue White Lotus robes skidded to a stop in a hallway, and came running to the group. "Avatar! We've been looking for you!"

"No offense, but I don't want anything to do with the White Lotus," Korra snapped. "I've told you guys that already."

"Please," she begged, with a bow between heavy breaths. "We've lost contact with Air Temple Island!"

"What!?" Korra gasped. "What do you mean lost contact!?"

"Our radio signals, they aren't being answered," she reported. "And that's not all. We're losing communication with a few branches in the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes..."

"Oh no," Zuko breathed.

In a field on Air Temple Island, Sara soaked in the evening sun. She was sitting cross-legged, meditating, relaxing... but also helping train her friend, even though she was on another part of the island.

Before long, a shimmer appeared in front of her. It quickly materialized into the spiritual projection of Jinora, blue and transparent, but with a smile on her face.

"You did it!" Sara cheered. "Again! That was faster than ever."

Jinora giggled, and floated over to sit beside her. "Thanks," she said humbly.

"And it's easy to hold now too?" Sara prodded.

"Yeah. I have to concentrate, but it's not so hard anymore," Jinora agreed. "I still have trouble finding other people though. I think I just don't have as strong of a spiritual connection as we do," she admitted sheepishly.

Sara chuckled. "I love your dad, but he's more like Korra than he'll admit. He gets too worked up over stuff, and it clouds his spiritual abilities."

"You don't have to tell me," Jinora laughed. "He's driving me crazy."

Sara smiled. "But seriously, you're getting to know the spirit world and your own spirituality well. You're a natural. Pretty soon you're gonna be way ahead of me," she teased.

Jinora blushed, even through her own projection. "I don't think so," she demurred, looking out to the bay. "Besides, we're different. I'm an airbender, you're a firebender. Our personalities, our spirits... I think we'll always compliment each other."

"I hope so," Sara agreed.

Sara's ears perked up. She heard the sound of bending in the distance, elements crashing together.

"What is it?" Jinora wondered aloud.

"I don't know," Sara admitted, standing up. "But find your siblings and your parents. Meet me at the temple. Now."

"OK," Jinora agreed more seriously. Her projection disappeared

Sara sprinted towards the temple, and found Jinora already there, with Meelo, Ikki, Tenzin, and Pema holding Rohan.

"Sara, Jinora? What is it?" Tenzin asked.

"We're not sure," Sara admitted, looking out to the courtyard with her eyes narrowed. "But I heard fighting, on the island."

Tenzin's eyes widened, and he tensed. "I'll get the Captain."

"No... Let's just get to Oogi," Sara suggested. "I'd rather be paranoid and wrong."

Tenzin needed *no* convincing. He hurried his family over to the sky bison pens on the far side of the island.

Two air acolytes came running up. "Master Tenzin! You're in danger, you need to come with us!"

"Lek, Yao, what's happening?" Tenzin demanded.

"We don't know!" one of them shouted. "We might be under attack. But we need to get to the docks!"

A White Lotus guard came running up behind them, covered in blood and burns. "Don't trust them! They're..."

Before he could finish, Lek knocked him out with a blast of fire.

Sara tensed, but Tenzin was in disbelief. "Lek... What is the meaning of this?"

Lek's expression changed. "I'm sorry Master Tenzin, you need to come with us," he insisted.

Sara wasn't having it. "I don't think so!" she yelled, scorching Yao with a blast of fire that threw him to the ground.

Lek immediately retaliated. Sara dissipated the blast, and Tenzin sent him flying backwards with gust of wind.

"Yao, Lek..." Jinora whispered, horrified. "We knew them for years! They were so nice... "

Tenzin hurried them along to Oogi's bison pen, where they found a mix of White Lotus agents and Air Acolytes cutting them off.

Sara cursed. "Get out of the way, or else!"

Tenzin saw a bald man in gray robes *fly* behind them, and float above the ground.

"My name is Zaheer," he said, introducing himself with a bow. "It's an honor to be in the presence of an airbending master."

"If so, then let us go," Tenzin pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Master Tenzin. As much as it pains be, I can't allow that," Zaheer apologized. "But I promise, you won't be harmed if you cooperate."

Sara simmered, and dropped into a firebending stance. But before she could even attack, a boulder came crashing into Zaheer, knocking him off to the side.

"I'll keep them busy!" The White Lotus Captain implored. "Make a break for it, now!"

"Oogi, yip yip," Tenzin called out. Oogi growled, turned around, and knocked over a few intruders with a massive blast of air from its tail.

"Pema, kids, go!" Tenzin urged, turning to face the remaining enemies. He knocked them back with gusts of wind, while Sara kept the Red Lotus agents approaching from the rear busy.

Pema and the kids scrambled up Oogi's tail and onto the saddle. Oogi lifted off into the air, but Zaheer scared him and threw him off course as he flew by. Oogi flew over the island in a panic, where a net was waiting for him.

"Dad!" Jinora screamed. She jumped off just before the net downed Oogi.

Tenzin panted, and eyed Zaheer.

"Give up, Tenzin. There is no need for violence," Zaheer implored him as the Red Lotus surrounded them. "You don't have a choice."

"Yes I do," Tenzin coldly stated. He launched himself into the air, and slammed Zaheer into the nearby dormitories with a downward blast of wind.

"Stay close, Jinora," Sara warned, as she sent quick blasts of flame to the agents surrounding them. It was just like target practice... except this time, Sara was pissed, and she wasn't holding back. Between her, the captain's earthbending, and Jinora's blasts of wind, they made some space and backed themselves towards the main complex.

Meanwhile, Zaheer knocked Tenzin over with a flying pass, but he quickly righted himself. Flight, he mused... a power that hasn't been seen for centuries.

But he was *not* going to let anything happen to his family. Tenzin took to the air with his glider, and danced with Zaheer in the skies, dodging his attacks and launching his own with a strike of his staff.

Sara, Jinora and the Captain had backed into a wall, all were working up a furious sweat. Sara sent blast after blast to the sea of agents, barely a second between them. And the Captain was a machine, ripping huge chunks out of the Earth and hurling them at the Red Lotus. Meanwhile, Jinora was drawing fire, dodging and weaving between the streams of water and fire while knocking over any agent she could reach.

Agents were going down... but it was too much. There were just too many of them. Sara was hit with a chunk of ice, and winced in pain, but didn't let it slow her down.

Tenzin was bruised and battered, breathing heavily on the roof of the dining hall. Zaheer was coming in for another pass.

And Tenzin had him right where he wanted him.

Zaheer paused to send a blast of wind at Tenzin. He ducked under it on one leg, and hit Zaheer with a sharp spear of wind.

Zaheer slammed into the tower, hard, and slumped against the wall. But as he prepared to knock Zaheer out, a stream of water knocked Tenzin off the building, and he barely cushioned his fall before he hit the ground.

Near the dormitories, a massive wall of lava came out of nowhere. It swallowed the Captain, and split Jinora and Sara up.

"Jinora!" Sara screamed. Before she could even think, she had to dodge out of the way of another wave. She could hear Jinora crying in the distance, getting farther and farther away.

"Let her go!" Sara roared. She unleashed everything she had at the lavabender before her, singeing his head and immolating two other agents he was standing with.

"You've got fire in you," Ghazan complimented, stepping closer. "But I've got fire too."

In the courtyard, Tenzin spun around like a tornado to dodge spikes of ice. He sent a quick blast of air at the armless waterbender, but was knocked back by a blast of fire.

Agents surrounded him as he stood against a column.

"Give up. It's over," Zaheer implored.

"As long as I'm breathing, it's not over," Tenzin declared. He struck out with a close range air blast. And the other agents had no choice but to pummel him into submission... and he utterly refused to yield.

Sara was bleeding, panting heavily, pushed back to the opposite side of the island. "Tenzin! Jinora!" she called out.

There was no answer. Just agents relentlessly closing in on her.

Her vision was blurred, but she could see well enough to hit. She unleashed another bolt, frying a surprised agent that thought she was about to pass out, before another knocked her over with a blast of earth. But she got back up, and fought on.

But it was too much. Sara found herself backed to the edge of a cliff, barely able to stand. Lava seared her legs, and she dropped to the ground, coughing.

Ghazan and a couple of agents walked over to her.

"She killed a lot of us," an agent noted. "Ate up a lot of time."

"I almost hate to kill her though," Ghazan commented. "She's one heck of a fighter."

"We shouldn't," a traitor acolyte suggested. "Let's take her as a hostage. It seemed like the airbender kid was attached to her."

Ghazan sighed, picking up her legs, and two more grabbed her shoulders. "This is a waste of time. We're already way behind the other subs. She probably won't even make it to the hideout."

"Ah, quit whining," one of the agents complained.

Sara slipped in and out of consciousness, and for a moment, she could see the submarine at the Air Temple Island dock, just like a contraption out of the legends of Aang.

And then she heard a very angry scream.

Air swept by her. Sara winced in pain as her captors dropped her to the ground and left her vision. The next moment, she could barely make out Korra standing above her. There was thunder, the heat of lava and intense fire, the clanking of metal, bones cracking as earth slammed into bodies. She swore she saw a dragon fly overhead, shaking the ground as it landed and torched a docked submarine.

"Sara!" Korra yelled, running up to her and pulling water from the nearby grass to heal her. "Sara! Are you OK?"

Sara coughed blood. "Just peachy," she croaked.

"Where is Tenzin? Pema and the kids? Did they fly away on Oogi?" Korra frantically asked.

Sara weakly shook her head. "The Red Lotus took them, Korra. On more of those submarines. They're long gone."

Korra's eyes misted. "No..."

Chapter 56: The Sacrifice

Chapter Text

Korra stared at Zaheer with cold, fierce eyes as they both sat cross-legged in the grass.

They were in the Spirit World, in some kind of grove Zaheer picked as a neutral meeting place. The air was cold and unstable, the grass was wet and gray, and trees still and even as lights raged in the heavens. Spirits that passed by turned red as they approached, storming away in anger.

The spirit world was reflecting the Avatar's state of mind. And right now, the only thing she wanted was to wring Zaheer's neck in a cold, unforgiving grip.

"You want me?" Korra asked in confusion.

"Surrender yourself, alone, at Laghima's Peak, or we wipe the airbenders out," Zaheer repeated.

Korra raised an eyebrow. "You fight for liberty, but you're threatening to end the Air Nation? The last living representation of peace and freedom?"

"Nothing would pain me more," Zaheer confessed. "I have no desire to harm Tenzin's family. But I have a mission, Korra."

Korra eyed him. "I don't suppose you'll tell me what you want me for?"

"Decide, Avatar. Now," Zaheer warned. "Though I think we both know you don't have a choice."

Korra paused for a long time.

He was right. Zaheer has all the cards, cards the world can't afford to lose. Korra would just reincarnate, but the Air Nation would not.

She just wanted a little peace... but that was never her destiny, no matter how hard she tried.

Korra sighed. "Fine. I'll be there. Alone."

"Good," Zaheer said, standing up. "I expect you to leave. Now. Or we start killing hostages one by one."

Korra blinked her eyes, and she was back in her body, on the Sato Estate, surrounded by Ren, Asami, her parents and more.

"I... have to turn myself over to Zaheer. At Laghima's Peak," she revealed. "Alone."

Everyone gasped.

"No!" Asami objected. "You can't be serious."

"As he said. I don't have a choice," she admitted with misty eyes.

"We'll ambush him!" Tonraq argued.

"Or we can stall," Asami hastily added.

"And then he'll wipe out the Air Nation. He wasn't bluffing," Korra retorted. "He'll be there alone. You can't follow him or trap him, he's too fast. There's no way around it."

Senna and Tonraq hugged their daughter. "We can't lose you. Not again," Senna whispered.

"I... this is what I want to do," Korra assured them. She pulled away. "And I have to leave, right now, if I'm going to make it in time."

Tonraq sobbed. "We're going to find you, Korra. But... know what the world will never forget your sacrifice. We're so proud," he choked out, voice cracking.

They teared up and cried in each other's arms.

"I love you guys," Korra sniffled, wiping tears from her eyes. "All of you."

Korra turned to hug Asami. "You're going to be the best CEO in history," she promised.

"Only because of you," Asami quietly admitted. "I'll build monuments in your name," she joked.

"I'd like that," Korra agreed. "I don't deserve a friend like you, Asami, thank you for everything." She pulled back. "And Kylie, you watch her, OK. Watch her and your little brother. Make sure they stay safe."

Kylie hugged her tightly. "I promise," she sobbed.

Korra walked over to her old friend, and hugged Naga tightly. "Be good, girl. Stay with Ren and Asami," she whispered.

Naga whined sadly.

"And Ren... tell Sara how incredible she is. How lucky I am to call her a friend," she started. "Tell Gommu how much he meant to me. Tell... tell..."

"I know," Ren cried, wrapping his arms around Korra. He felt his heart break. "I know you, Korra. I know what to say. I'll tell everyone. And I'll never stop thinking about you, for as long as I live."

Korra sobbed. "I wouldn't change one second of our time since the moment we met. Thank you, for giving me a life. For everything."

Ren couldn't form words. He couldn't stand this. It felt like he was going to die on the spot.

And Korra couldn't bring herself to tell Ren how she felt either. If she wasn't coming back, why hurt him even more? She hoped he would move on, and find someone who deserved him...

Korra took a deep breath, and stepped to the window, looking back at everyone. There was so much unsaid.

But there was no time.

She opened Ren's glider, and took off into the morning sky.

Hours passed, painfully. The United Forces, Equalists, and others deployed everything they had in search of the Avatar... but Korra and Zaheer could be anywhere in the world. So Ren and Asami sat by Sara's bed, leaning against each other, sobbing as they waited to give her the bad news.

Sara's eyes eventually fluttered open. "Hey guys. Man I feel like a million Yuans," she croaked.

"Hey Sara," Ren quietly greeted, barely forming the words.

Sara's face dropped when she finally saw theirs. "Oh no..."

"Korra is going to... turn herself into the Red Lotus," Asami explained. "She doesn't have a choice."

Sara teared up. "We're going to find her. And if we can't... we're going to get them for this. I swear on my life."

Ren nodded in silence. There was a long pause, before Ren saw a disturbance in the air...

Jinora's blue spiritual projection popped into Sara's room. "It worked!" she cheered.

"Jinora!" Sara called out. "Where are you? Are you OK? What's going on?"

Jinora frowned. "The Red Lotus released us. We're tied up in some truck going back to Republic City. But... they have Korra. They're going to poison her, then kill her in the Avatar State, and end the Avatar Cycle forever."

"WHAT!?" Asami screamed. "We have to help her! Where is she, Jinora?"

"Wulong Forest, in an old airbender cave near the highest peak," Jinora informed them. "But I don't think you have time," she cried. "They were getting ready when we left! They're going to kill her and leave!"

Ren's mind raced. "Asami," he said firmly. "Go tell the others. Get them in airships, now, rush an expedition over there."

"Yeah... wait, what are you doing?" she asked suspiciously.

"Taking a long shot," Ren admitted. "Just... let me do this, Asami. I need to try."

Asami bit her lip. "OK. Come on, let's go."

As Asami rushed into the dining hall while Ren sprinted out of the estate and into the Sato garage. He hopped in one of Asami's crazier prototypes. An 'airplane' with stacked wings and a propeller engine.

He took off, just barely missing a fence as he adjusted to the controls on the fly. Ren frantically landed on his street, and rushed into his workshop.

He scrambled down into the basem*nt, tore up the floor, and closed his eyes, feeling deep into the earth with bending. He dug, and dug, and finally levitated out a long steel crate.

No one knew about this. Not Sara. Not Kylie. Not even Korra. He would never have told a soul, not even if they all strapped him down and tortured him.

He popped open the case, and the contents made his stomach churn. "Good as new..."

Back in the skies, Ren passed over the Sato estate in the plane. They were frantically prepping and loading up airships, almost ready to take off.

They weren't going to make it in time.

Ren pushed it past max throttle, knowing the limits of his own engine, and sped off towards Wulong Forest.

Chapter 57: Broken Arrow

Chapter Text

Laghima's Peak was a tall mountain peak, nestled between two others, with a small plateau at its summit. It was a windswept, barren place, with nothing but rock and ice.

Korra landed, skidding to a halt, and just stood atop the plateau for a moment, staring out at the horizon. The sun was still high, casting a warm glow across the mountains, and the wind whipped through her hair.

Korra snapped her glider staff to the back of her suit. "I love this armor," Korra mused out loud.

...Small comforts.

Zaheer was in the center of the plateau, floating midair as the strong wind blow his robes, in a meditation pose. She walked up to him. "Well?"

Zaheer picked a cup up off the ground. "Drink this."

"...Why?" Korra asked cautiously.

"It's a sedative," he revealed. "I assure you, it will not harm you, but you will lose consciousness."

Korra took the cup, eyeing it. "What, no cup for you?" she quipped. "Don't you want to sit and chat?"

"Do you want to save the airbenders, or not?" Zaheer flatly asked.

"Are you even going to release them?" Korra retorted.

"Of course," Zaheer assured her. "I would never harm the Air Nomads, not unless my hands were forced. Now, make your choice. I will not ask again."

Korra sighed, and drank it down. She had replayed her life on the flight over, so... if these were her last moments, she was ready. And she wasn't going to give Zaheer the satisfaction of any complaints.

She sat down on the ground, immediately starting to feel drowsy as she stared at Zaheer with hard eyes. Her vision went black, and she lost consciousness.

Zaheer meditated in the sun at the entrance of a cave, floating in the air. He could almost feel the spirits of airbenders past.

Nothing pained him more than holding the Air Nation hostage, and he was glad to have released them. He didn't hate the Avatar as a person either, in spite of what happened to P'Li. He was the aggressor, and Zaheer doesn't believe in revenge. She was just... an obstacle. Something that couldn't exist without disrupting the natural order of the world.

A woman walked up next to him. "The explosives are in place, wrapped around the Avatar."

Zaheer opened his eyes. "And the poison?"

"Ready to go," the woman confirmed.

"We should begin immediately," Zaheer decided. "Within the hour, the biggest obstacle to true freedom will be gone."

The woman squinted into the horizon. "What is that?"

Zaheer followed her eyes. It was some kind of machine, suspended in the air...

"Move!" Zaheer exclaimed, pulling his compatriot aside as the machine barreled into the cave. It skidded and screeched before crashing into a wall. And out of the wreckage, a young man stumbled out, levitating a large orb of metal, and wearing dark metal armor.

The entrance was quickly flooded with Red Lotus, gathering around the newcomer in aggressive bending stances.

"Easy! I didn't come to fight," Ren pleaded, slowly sitting on the ground and resting the large ball beside him. "I'm here to talk."

Zaheer eyed the man. "We have met. You were with Zenjin and Jia."

"That's me. I'm Ren. Please," he gestured. "Sit? Can we talk like civilized humans?"

"I suppose," Zaheer agreed, sitting down cross-legged. "Do you expect us to take you hostage? What is it you seek?"

"Truth," Ren answered, looking around the room. "I'm told you have a truth seer. Is that correct?"

"An interesting request. Yes," he said, gesturing for Aiwei to approach. "Truth is a noble pursuit. But I fear you are wasting my time."

Ren briefly looked at his watch. "Then hear this. I know you're going to kill the Avatar. And I know that a rescue party is coming for you. But I suspect it is too far away to stop you," Ren revealed. "You have time to spare, even if they get as lucky as I did finding this place. And they don't have enough force to stop you anyway."

Zaheer looked at Aiwei, and he nodded. "Why tell us this at all? What do you gain?"

"Trust, and time to explain," Ren calmly said. "Tell me if I'm wrong, Zaheer. You find oppressive authority intolerable. You think that chaos is the fair state of humanity, that mankind will elevate itself without the chains of excessive hierarchy, maybe even achieve a state of mutual cooperation and balance. That's why the Avatar can't exist."

Zaheer nodded. It was part of the truth. "And you dispute this?"

Ren glanced at his watch again. "I respect it," Ren admitted. "I understand it, it's a rational philosophy."

"But you don't share it?" Zaheer guessed.

"I'll tell you what I know," Ren started, leaning forward. "You have no idea what is coming for humanity, Zaheer. The technology that is just around the corner... all nature could be thrown out of balance. The world will burn, in ways you can't even imagine. Ways that make Sozin's Comet look like a campfire. The Avatar, and fair, stable government under their watch, is the world's only hope of surviving."

Zaheer furrowed his brow. "You are wasting your breath with fantasies."

Ren glanced at his watch once more. "No. I'm simply justifying the horror you are about to witness, just as you justify the extinction of the Avatar. I'm... truly sorry," Ren meekly finished, before closing his eyes.

An intense light filled the cave. Everyone facing the entrance covered their eyes, blinded by the flash.

Zaheer felt heat on the back of his head, burning his skin some. He turned around, squinting through the light.

Off in the distance, kilometers away, a huge ball of purple light sat on the ground, illuminating the entire mountain range like the sun had fallen from the sky. As it dimmed slightly, Zaheer could make up thousands of arcs of lighting dancing across the landscape, tearing up the earth.

"Spirits above..." an agent murmured. Most of the Red Lotus were awe struck, but Zaheer's face was cold. Soon, a shockwave shook the cave, and deafening thunder roared through the air.

"That's a tiny taste of the future," Ren stated. He levitated the orb into his lap, compressed it, and it started glowing the with the same purple light. "And this is another taste," he threatened. "The moment I lose my metalbending grip on this orb's internal mechanisms, you get what you saw outside."

Zaheer narrowed his eyes. "You would threaten us?"

"Yes," he bluntly replied, standing up. "I will kill us all, and the Avatar, just so that she may be reborn. So that our world stands a chance," he added. "Tell me I am lying, Aiwei."

Aiwei hesitated, and then slowly shook his head.

"You can't know that," Zaheer argued.

"And you don't have to share my philosophy," Ren countered. "I want the Avatar here, right in front of me, in three minutes. And no one leaves until she is here."

"We can't release her that quickly," Zaheer protested.

"Then you better hurry up," Ren warned.

Zaheer looked into Ren's eyes.

"Are you willing to sacrifice everyone here, Zaheer? Because I am," Ren challenged.

Zaheer stood up. "Release the Avatar."

The Red Lotus hesitated. "But-"

"Do it." Zaheer ordered, never taking his eyes off Ren. "Quickly."

Several members ran deeper into the cave.

"2 minutes," Ren warned. "I hope they're not stalling."

"They are not," he insisted. "What is in that orb?"

"Nothing the world should ever see," Ren admitted. "Someone else might discover it. But it won't be from me."

There was a tense silence.

"1 minute," Ren counted down.

"How does one like you acquire something like that?" Zaheer asked.

"I built it, from scratch," Ren revealed. "And only I know how."

Zaheer was silent.

"30 seconds," Ren continued. "I hope they are bringing her up now."

Ren heard movement, and turned around. Sure enough, several Red Lotus members were running up with the limp body of the Avatar.

Ren let out a breath. They unwrapped the explosives, and dropped Korra's body in front of Ren. They didn't even bother to take her armor off, he observed. He checked her pulse, and it was steady. "Is she poisoned?"

"No," Zaheer denied.

Ren looked into his eyes, then nodded, and walked over to his crashed plane, dragging the orb with him.

"Now what is your plan?" Zaheer asked curiously. "You intend to force us to flee?"

Ren didn't respond. He simply took some debris, wrapping Korra in the broken chassis like a coffin, and then hastily welded it to a makeshift sled made from the wings with his free hand. The room was tense enough to cut with a knife. He could see some fear on the other members' faces as they watched the orb glow.

"Perhaps you intend to flee, to sacrifice yourself should we pursue," Zaheer deduced.

Ren silently drug the sled over to the mouth of the cave, and looked down the slope. It was long, moderately steep.

"You can't hide her forever," Zaheer pointed out. "We will meet again, Ren. And next time, we will not underestimate you."

Ren took a deep breath, grunted, and chugged the sled down the mountain as hard as he could with his metalbending. He watched Korra slide down... that hurt, he thought. But she'll be OK.

Ren turned around and walked deeper into the cave in with the orb in his hand before finally responding to Zaheer. "No, we will not meet again. You'll just keep coming for Korra... and I can't live with that." He chucked the ball deeper into the cave, watching it get brighter and brighter midair.

Ren heard screaming around him. Someone hit his armor with a blast of fire, but it didn't matter. Light filled the cave, and Ren's life flashed before his eyes. His idyllic childhood and old friends. Kylie. His parents. Republic City, the good and bad. Asami, Sara, Gommu, Phoebe, Anah. All the wonderful people he met, who touched his life. The people he managed to touch.

And then he pictured Korra's big blue eyes and bright, crooked smile. The one that finally brought him out of despair, and let him live again. It was the final thought Ren lingered on before everything went white, as his creation consumed them all.

The next thing Korra knew, she was alive. Somewhere dark.

Korra blinked her eyes, trying to clear her vision. She was still in her armor, and wrapped in... metal? And her body ached, head pounding, with bruises like she had been beaten by a bear. "Ow... what the heck?"

She squinted. 'I ♥ U' was crudely carved into the metal plate above her face. "Weird."

Korra ripped the metal open, and sunlight poured into her eyes. She popped up, and looked around, adjusting to the light, and found she was at the base of a tall mountain, at the edge of a forest.

"Ugh, my head," she moaned. "And spirits, why is it so hot?"

Korra stood up, trying to regain her balance. "Hello? Anyone out there?"

Korra scanned the area more closely. Trees in the forest were blown sideways, and a few were on fire or split. There was a huge crater in the mountain, with arcs of lightning sporadically cracking within it. Korra could feel the heat, taste the electricity, and hear the thunder from here.

"What happened?" she groggily muttered to herself, head still clouded with the sedatives. "Where is everyone?" She noticed her staff was in the metal coffin... actually, it looked like part of some machine?

Korra shook her legs, stretched her arms, and took to the air with her glider.

"Whoa," she gasped. "Look at the size of that crater... and there's another one, in the forest. Like a scar." Both craters were messy and uneven, like sticks had been dragged through the ground. "Did I do that in the Avatar State?"

She approached one, but the air was starting to shock her. "Nope, definitely not going down there," she decided, flying away.

Instead, she rose higher, and spotted two Future Industries airships in the distance.

Korra smiled, and dove towards them with a burst of airbending. She flew up next to one, and saw her parents staring out the window, wide-eyed. "Korra!?" they screamed.

Korra smiled, and jumped onto the catwalk. They burst outside and wrapped Korra in a huge hug. "Oh, sweetie, we thought we lost you," Senna cried, hugging her tight.

"I'm OK," Korra assured them. "But uh... not so tight? I'm pretty banged up."

"Sorry," Tonraq apologized, walking her inside the ship. Asami, Kylie, Ryu, Zenjin, and Jia were there, and they all crowded around Korra to give her hugs.

"Thank the spirits you're alright," Kylie breathed. "How did you escape?"

"Escape?" Korra echoed. "I lost consciousness. Next thing I know, I'm waking up at the bottom of a mountain, and running into you guys."

Asami gave Korra a confused look. "Zaheer wanted to end the Avatar Cycle. His plan was to kill you in the Avatar State."

"WHAT!?" Korra exclaimed.

"Jinora warned us using spiritual projection. We rushed over here as fast as we could... You don't know any of this? Do you not remember anything?" Asami pressed.

Korra shook her head. She looked around the room, and noticed everyone's grim faces. "Am I missing something?"

"Uh, you better sit down, Korra," Zenjin suggested.

Korra sat down in confusion, and Asami turned the airship radio up.

"...Today's emergency news broadcast continues, as chaos grips the world," the DJ reported. "In the Earth Kingdom, Queen Hou-Ting has been deposed, with no clear successor. The inner walls of Ba Sing Se have been breached, and citizens have stormed the inner rings, looting the palace and the surrounding noble villages. Other major settlements such as Omashu and Gaoling are in chaos, with rioters burning down government buildings and businesses alike. Zaofu is the only major city that seems to have avoided widespread violence, but has declared a state of emergency...

Korra put her hand over her mouth.

"...Our sources in the Fire Nation are still unreliable, but the latest reports indicate that Fire Lord Izumi has been assassinated, and that the Royal Family has been decimated, along with the leaders of many noble houses. With no clear ruling family, tensions are rising, and our experts say an all-out civil war is likely... Meanwhile in the Water Tribes, Chief Unalaq has narrowly avoided a similar fate. With leadership decimated, he declared martial law in both tribes, and has mobilized the navy and army..."

Korra felt sick. "So... the whole world just collapsed?"

"Except for the United Republic and Zaofu, it seems. Refugees are already streaming through borders," Zenjin informed her.

Korra slumped down against the seat, and rubbed her forehead. "I... I can't believe this." She looked up. "I'm sorry Ryu, Zenjin. Did you hear anything about your family?"

"We don't know what happened," Ryu admitted. "Zuko and Azula are flying back on Druk now."

"Mom, Dad, are you going back to the Southern Water Tribe? How bad is it there?" Korra worriedly asked.

"You come first, Korra," Senna assured her. "But last we heard, your uncle and cousins are still safe."

"I'd like to negotiate with the United Forces anyway," Tonraq added. "But to be blunt, we don't know how bad the Tribes really are."

"If we had just been a little faster..." Korra lamented.

"It's not your fault, Korra," Zenjin assured her. "Our cell had a timeline, but even we had no idea the other cells were all synchronized. You saved the entire United Republic, when no one else was onto this."

"We did, just barely," Korra corrected quietly. She needed a hug. "I'm gonna go say hi to Ren on the other airship."

"...Ren is not with us," Asami stated in confusion. "Aren't we going to pick him up? Was he not with you?"

Korra froze. "No."

"He took off in a prototype, said he had to try something," Asami recalled, worry creasing her brow. "Maybe he's back in the city..."

Meanwhile, Jia was looking out the window. "Whoa, look at that crater!"

"Is that a meteor hit?" Ryu wondered aloud.

Kylie walked over to the window, and froze in place. The tea cup she was holding fell to the floor.

"Kylie?" Asami called out.

"He wouldn't..." Kylie put her hand over her mouth, her face pale. "Not again."

Korra walked up beside Kylie, gears turning in her head. As she gazed into the crater, she remembered Ren's words.

'...Arcs of electricity tearing up the Earth, leaving craters and trenches everywhere. The air smelled of ozone, of electric energy...'

...And the letters carved into the metal.

'I love you.'

Korra couldn't breathe. She felt like she had been hit by a train. "Ren..."

"Korra, what happened?" Asami asked, standing behind her.

"Ren blew himself up!" Korra cried. "He... he sacrificed himself to save me!"

"My little brother," Kylie whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Asami hugged Kylie and Korra, tearing up herself as they both broke down in her arms.

Kylie felt like her heart had been ripped out, like she had lost the last piece of her soul.

And Korra... She felt her world collapse under her feet.

Chapter 58: Missing Pieces

Chapter Text

Kylie sighed heavily. She was walking back to her downtown apartment, rereading a eulogy she wrote for her brother, with Zenjin and Jia by her side.

They had just finished Ren's memorial, where Kylie bent floating candles through the air as the sun dipped below the horizon. It was a simple ceremony... but intense.

"That must've been hard," Jia sympathized. "I feel like I just met Ren, and even I'm having trouble processing it."

Kylie shook her head and smiled weakly. "The eulogy was easy. I can ramble on about Ren all day, every day. I always had to anyway, as he would never brag about himself..."

Eventually, they split off, and Kylie found herself alone in her corner apartment. She sat in front of the window, looking at the night sky, and started crying.

Now was the impossible part, she thought. She was surrounded by friends... yet she was all alone. Kylie was the last survivor of Bao Shui. The last of her family. The legacy, all those memories, they were hers to carry by herself.

"I wish you were here, Ren. You always had a way of making me smile, even when things were so bleak..." she murmured.

At least Korra knew. At least someone else knew what happened... and really knew Ren before he left this world.

Asami rose early the next morning, and went straight to Future Industry's biggest lab. She had an empire to run... and work is how she dealt with loss anyway.

She flinched when a second engine exploded on the testing dyno, sparks and metal flying everywhere. "What's wrong? This design was working fine before, so why are the turbos melting?"

The engineer shuffled nervously. "We're working on it. But this kind of failure is usually where Ren would just wave a hand over it and tell us what happened."

"And this was his design," another engineer pointed out.

Asami bit her lip. "Maybe it's the alloys... Keep working, I'll check the forge myself."

And so Asami did. She found herself standing in front of a pile of rare ores, a glowing forge, and the best metallurgist in the Republic, with the same sheepish look.

"There have been some inconsistencies. The ores could have some impurities, ma'am. Or it could be the quenching..." she stammered. "I'll need time to figure it out."

"Let me guess," Asami lamented. "This is where Ren would run his hands over the ores and tell you exactly what's wrong."

The metallurgist sighed. "Ren told me he melts bits inside of ores and alloys, and can 'feel' the constituent parts from the melting points and structure. Do you know how crazy that is? How long that takes to do with instruments, if we can even do it at all?" she lamented, shaking her head. "I was in the Fire Nation Capital's materials department for years, and I've never seen anyone quite like him."

"Not that you would know it just meeting him," Asami agreed.

"Exactly. He was so sweet, so quiet... I miss the kid already. And not just because of his genius," she confessed.

"Yeah," Asami sadly agreed. "Me too."

Asami felt numb. She needed a break, an escape, so she visited Sara on Air Temple Island, where she was still recovering, along with the rest of Tenzin's family.

"Hey," Asami greeted Sara, giving her a gentle hug from beside her bed. "How you feeling?"

Sara winced a little and sat up. "The swelling is down. But I hate being so immobile... and I'm still processing."

Asami nodded. "I saw the airbender kids on the way in. I've never seen Meelo and Ikki so quiet."

"They're still rattled. They should be," Sara admitted. "But instead of being out there with everyone, helping, I'm stuck here! Ugh, I feel so helpless!" Sara raged, breathing a little fire out of her mouth.

Asami squeezed her hand. "I know feeling," she confessed. "I'm just glad you're OK."

Sara calmed down under the touch of her lover, and looked into her eyes. "You had a bad day too, huh?"

"It's like there's a hole in Future Industries... and a hole in my life," Asami confessed. "I miss him so much."

"Me too." Sara sighed. "Have you heard from Korra?"

"Not a single thing," Asami admitted. "I want to give her space like she asked, but with how she was at the memorial-"

"I know," Sara agreed. "I'm worried too."

Korra cracked her eyes open. Midday sunlight was streaming in the skylight, a cool breeze was blowing from a window, and a bird chirped on her skylight. Naga stretched lazily. It was an idyllic spring day.

And she had the worst nightmare. Ren died for her, and she went to his memorial.

"...It must have been a nightmare," Korra muttered. She'd tell him about it over breakfast, maybe cry into his shoulder, and feel better, like she always did.

...Right?

Korra stood out of bed and went downstairs.

There was no candied bacon and fruit, no tea, no hugs. The kitchen was dark, and Ren's bedroom door was open.

It was all real.

Korra's legs gave out. She sat on the floor, and buried her face in her hands.

"Naga," she whimpered. "I miss him so much."

Naga whimpered back, and nudged her gently.

Korra grabbed Naga and started bawling into her fur. "He kept me together. How am I supposed to go on without him?" Korra wailed. "Much less put the world back together..."

Naga licked her cheek, and Korra held her tighter.

Words stopped coming. All she could do is clutch Naga tightly, and let the tears flow for what seemed like an eternity.

The next day didn't get any better. Korra made a mediocre attempt at cooking bacon, but just stared at her plate, unable to eat. Even Naga was despondent, laying down next to her master, eyes half open, without a hint of interest in her breakfast.

"Let's go for a ride, girl," Korra suggested. "Like we used to, in the South Pole. That always cleared our heads."

...But it wasn't the South Pole. She rode by Hu's and remembered laughing and teasing Ren as they stuffed their faces, throwing bits of food at each other. She passed by a bench, and remembered sitting there with Ren, quietly watching the sunset, arms behind each other. And a spot on the sidewalk where she cried into his shoulder...

She felt even worse by the time they got back, but Korra found a little girl standing in front of the workshop, and put on a brave face.

"Hey Ira," Korra greeted, kneeling down. "How are you doing today?"

"Is Ren coming back?" Ira asked, her gray eyes wide.

Korra swallowed hard. "No, he's gone, Ira. He can't come back."

Ira's eyes filled with tears. "But he has to!" she insisted. "He promised!"

Korra pulled her close, and lost it again. "I know. He promised me too."

As the sun set, Korra gazed into the ocean in front of her old drainage basin gate. She leaned into Gommu's shoulder, tears long spent.

"You'll get through this, kiddo," Gommu reassured her. "Losing someone you love hurts, but it gets easier."

Korra shook her head. "I remember. I felt like my heart was ripped out when Phoebe died, and it still hurts today. But the funeral made it better. Slowly, memories of her started to replace the pain, and I could hold onto her love. But this..." Korra sniffled. "I poured my heart out at Ren's memorial, I've cried my eyes out, and I have the memories. But it's not getting better. It's getting worse, Gommu... It's like there's a piece of me missing, and I'm slowly bleeding out."

Gommu sighed. "You have a hole in your heart, Korra. But it doesn't take away what he gave you. It doesn't take away the joy, the laughter, the fun times, and you've got to remember that."

Korra nodded absently.

Gommu wrapped her in a hug, and cried some himself. For Ren. For his wife and son. And for Korra.

Korra was sensitive, but tough as nails, Gommu thought. He had seen her low points, how she weathered them, and adapted. But now, he saw something in her eyes he had never even seen a hint of.

Defeat.

That night, Korra stepped into Asami's mansion, with Naga at her side, and found her in the kitchen. "Asami?"

Asami turned around, and looked at Korra with sad eyes. "Hey, Korra."

"Can I stay here for a bit? I... can't stay at the workshop. Not now," Korra requested.

Asami nodded. "Of course. Kylie and Sara decided to stay here too. We're all healing, Korra."

Korra nodded, and hugged her friend. "Thank you, Asami."

"I miss him," Asami admitted quietly.

"I do too. More than I can even describe," Korra confessed.

The next day, Asami sat at the breakfast table with Sara and Kylie for a late lunch.

"...When we were kids, Ren built me this ski cart, with steering and everything," Kylie reminisced. "I thought it was the coolest thing in the world."

"Yeah. Before y'all even moved in with me, he fixed my completely mangled bike. The repair shop wouldn't even take it," Sara recalled. "I didn't understand why. But... he just wanted to make people happy when he could."

"He did." Asami nodded. "One day, when we were on the streets, he found this little girl named Ira crying in an alley. She was shivering, hungry, scared, so he bent a tiny pool of lava and talked her down. His words were so kind... he took her back to his home and shared a meal, left her at the orphanage with everything in his wallet, and kept going back to check on her." Asami paused. "Ren was so nervous around me for so long, like he was starstruck, and I still don't understand why. He had nothing to be modest about."

"It was always like that. He put everyone else before himself, to a fault. From the very beginning, to the very end..." Kylie trailed off.

There was a long silence.

"Is Korra still asleep?" Sara asked.

Asami shrugged. "I haven't seen her since last night. I hope she's doing alright."

"I'll go check on her," Kylie offered.

Kylie walked up the stairs, and knocked on the door to Korra's guestroom. "Korra? Are you awake?"

There was a long silence. "Yeah. Come in," Kylie finally heard, as faint as a whisper.

Kylie opened the door, and found Korra laying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. The curtains were closed, but some shafts of light still streamed in. Kylie sat down on a chair in front of her. "Hey."

"Hey," Korra quietly responded. She propped herself up, but her eyes widened when she saw Kylie.

"What is it?" Kylie wondered aloud.

Korra's eyes softened once more. "Nothing. Just... your eyes. They're exactly like Ren's."

Kylie smiled sadly. "I know."

Korra bit her lip. "Can we talk?"

Kylie nodded. "About what?"

"About... you know. The thing."

Kylie raised and eyebrow.

"The bombs," Korra whispered

Kylie sighed. "I still can't believe Ren told you about Bao Shui, much less the detonations."

"I'm glad he trusted me with it," Korra murmured.

Kylie shook her head. "It's not about trust... Korra, you have no idea how closely we guarded that secret. He swore he would keep it from anyone. For it to leave his lips, with how he was..." Kylie let out a long, slow, breath. "I can't imagine how close you two were."

"We were..." Korra's face broke, and her lips quivered. "I... I..."

"I miss him too, Korra," Kylie assured her.

"No. Kylie, I loved him!" Korra finally cried out. "I loved Ren so much it made me sick! And I never got to tell him! I was afraid I would lose him, that I would get hurt... and it happened anyway."

Kylie teared up. "Oh, Korra. I know he loved you too. I could see it every time I saw you two together."

"Do you think he knew?" Korra whispered. "That I loved him back?"

"Honestly... I don't know," Kylie shakily admitted. "He might've thought he had no chance with you. That's just how he was."

Korra buried her face in her hands, and tears started streaming down her checks once more.

Kylie stood up, and wrapped her arms around Korra. "It's OK."

"No, it's not," Korra managed to choke out. It felt like it never would be.

That night, Korra managed to choke down some dinner. The next morning, she went downstairs before sunrise, and found Asami sitting in the dining hall.

"Hey, Korra," Asami greeted her gently. She saw that Korra was in her full set of dark armor, helmet on her back.

Korra nodded. "You're up early too."

"Couldn't sleep much," Asami admitted.

"I know the feeling," she began, sitting down. "Asami, I can't stay here."

"What do you mean?" Asami asked.

"I need to travel," Korra explained. "I need to find myself again. To heal. I can't do that in Republic City, not with all these memories. And I need to see the chaos that's happening in the rest of the world."

Asami sighed. "I understand."

"Can you watch Naga? And my Blue Panda Lilly?" Korra asked.

"You're sure you don't want to bring her?" Asami questioned.

"I need to fly. And... I just need the solitude," Korra confessed.

Asami nodded. "Of course. But stay safe, OK? We can't lose you too. And Ren would want you to be safe."

"He always did..." Korra murmured. "Yeah, I promise. And I'll stop by now and then. Bye, Asami."

"Bye, Korra," Asami called out, waving.

Korra stepped out into the dawn, and took off into the sky on her glider. She flew high and fast, wind whipping through her hair. The city was just starting to wake up below, and she could see the sun peeking over the horizon.

She saw everywhere she had been... homeless hideouts, Equalist rally spots, streets she played soccer in. Republic City was her home, but she had to get away. Melancholy and grief still clung to her like a fog, so she hung onto something else.

Determination.

"I won't let the Red Lotus get away with this," she vowed. "I won't let your sacrifice be in vain, Ren."

Chapter 59: The Painted Lady

Chapter Text

Korra flew due south of Republic City, aiming for the Fire Nation archipelago, and ended up passing over a river fishing village in the midday sun. The water was crystal clear, almost unnaturally so, with schools of fish visible from above.

The sight was enough to bring her appetite back. She decided to dive and take a look, skidding to a halt on an outside pier.

"Jang Hui" the sign read. She walked up to a woman tending to a net. "Hey, uh, where can I get some fresh fish?"

The woman looked up. She was wearing a... Painted Lady mask, kind of like Korra's metallic faceplate.

"Oh, nice Painted Lady mask!" the woman complimented. "That looks fabulous. Where did you get it?"

"Uh, thanks," Korra awkwardly replied. "A good friend of mine made it for me."

"Wonderful! And you'll find full fish markets everywhere around the village, dear. We've been stocking up for the big event," the woman enthused.

"Big event?" Korra repeated.

"Harmonic Convergence!" the woman cheered. "Is that not why you're here? We're getting travelers from all over the world."

"Right," Korra lied. "Remind me what that is?"

"Well, Harmonic Convergence happens every 10,000 years," she explained. "All the planets line up in the sky, and it's supposed to be a time of great spiritual awakening. We hope to see and pay respect to the protector spirit of our village, the Painted Lady herself."

Korra's ears perked up. "Really? That sounds cool."

"It's going to be amazing," the woman promised. "It should start around dusk. Enjoy yourself!"

"Thanks," Korra said, walking off.

Korra wandered around. The village was entirely piers on stilts, with fishing equipment and docks spread throughout. Seafood markets were everywhere, with extra pontoon platforms set up to hold all the people that were arriving. Every single person was wearing a painted lady mask, and many seemed to be preparing some kind of offering.

She grabbed some fish, hung her legs off a far pier, and lifted her mask for a bit, savoring the tender meat as she faced the sun, before slipping it back on. Fish swarmed under her feet, and exotic birds sang overhead. Korra sat and contemplated for a little while, and ended up dozing off under the warm, tropical light.

Korra found herself younger, eyes wide as she talked Katara's head off in her warm childhood home.

"Coooool!" Korra beamed, looking at herself in the mirror, poking the red stripes on her face. "I look just like the Painted Lady!"

Katara chuckled warmly. Korra was going through an obsessive phase over the stories of Avatar Aang, and Katara decided to indulge her.

"Did you really talk to her!?" Korra pressed excitedly.

"Yes," Katara confirmed. "I impersonated her as part of a ruse. But the real Painted Lady briefly appeared, and thanked me for cleaning up her river."

"I want to be a spirit!" Korra exclaimed.

"You are part spirit, Korra," Katara reminded her, shaking her head with a smile. "I swear, you have more energy than Aang did..."

"I'm gonna go outside and make some mist!" Korra announced, bounding out the door.

Her vision went white, and Korra found herself in a far darker place. She was in her cot, her body battered from a particularly brutal training session.

"Pathetic," Xai Bau sneered. "That was your worst session this week. At this rate, you will never become an Avatar."

"I train all day, every day, against a sea of masters. What more do you want?" Korra pleaded.

"Far more," Xai Bau spat. "You are weak, slow, undisciplined. Unwilling to improve. You are a disgrace to the Avatar Spirit, a risk to the Avatar Cycle. Next time you whine, just remember that the entire world depends on you."

He slammed the door shut, making Korra jump. She curled up into a ball, and sobbed into her pillow for a while.

After a quick check with her seismic sense, Korra pulled a brick out of the wall and clutched her Painted Lady doll.

"I wish I could pretend to be another spirit," she whispered. "Like Katara. Just to escape my reality for a bit, to hide who I am, to be something else..."

Exhaustion quickly claimed Korra, and she dreamt of the Painted Lady herself, serenely floating over the water as she had seen in the picture books. It was so peaceful, so tranquil.

So unlike her violent, painful existence...

Korra's nap was disrupted as an older kid shot out of the water like a dolphin, landing on the pier. He spun around, throwing water off himself with his bending and splashing Korra.

"Hey, easy!" Korra chuckled. "Not everyone is a waterbender."

"Sorry," he laughed sheepishly, eyeing the woman. "Whoa, sick costume! Are you dressed as Secret Agent Avatar too?"

"Uh... 'Secret Agent Avatar'?" Korra echoed.

"Yeah!" the kid grinned. "Everyone in the Fire Nation has been listening to it on the radio! The masked water Avatar goes undercover in Republic City, and fights crime. Intrigue, danger, romance, it's got everything!"

He was practically jumping on his toes, and Korra couldn't help but laugh. "That's amazing!"

"It's the best show ever!" he cheered. "I'm practicing waterbending because of it. I bet you're a fan too, huh?"

"You could say that," Korra quipped. "In fact, I heard a rumor that the undercover Avatar is coming to the Fire Nation."

"No way!" the kid gasped. "I gotta tell everyone! I... I hope it's true."

His face dropped. "What's wrong?" Korra asked.

"We live on the capital island, and my parents are scared. No one knows what's going on with all the stuff in the government," he admitted. "They said we may not have a home to go back to."

Her heart ached a little. "Don't worry. I know she's going to sort it out."

The kid smiled again. "Hey, if you're a waterbender, want to play water tag!? We got a game going on," he invited her.

"Sure! Sounds like fun," Korra accepted.

Korra dove in the water, and followed the kid to a mass of benders, and a few nonbenders, swimming in the clear waters. They darted between schools of fish, dove under plants, and shot out of the water before diving back in.

Korra let a kid catch her, and chased a bunch of others around as she was 'it.' She soon became a target others grouped up on, massing around her, tugging at her arms, pushing her around with currents of water. And she was having an absolute blast.

As sunset approached, everyone popped out of the water and gathered on the docks. Korra mingled with the crowd.

"Hey, what exactly is supposed to happen?" she asked a young man.

"I dunno," he said with a shrug. "It's been 10,000 years since the last Harmonic Convergence. Everyone's just hoping to meet a spirit."

"Huh, OK..." Korra mused.

The sky grew darker, and stars started to appear. Several bright ones, the outer planets, converged on each other and grew brighter.

Korra felt her soul stir. Aurora started dancing in the sky, and everyone gasped in awe. Having lived in the South Pole, Korra was used to them... but these were intense, beautiful, and they were so far from the poles.

People floated offerings, like shells, coins, jewelry, or other small objects, on paper boats in the water, watching them slowly drift downstream. Some lit candles. Others sang or danced under the lights.

Korra squinted in the distance. In an almost unnatural fog, she saw what looked like a beautiful woman floating in the air, with red paint on her face. Everyone gasped and whispered amongst themselves. The spirit approached the dock... and floated right up to Korra. The crowd have her a berth, staring in awe.

"Avatar," the spirit greeted her serenely. "It's good to see you again. I have not forgotten your kindness."

This elicited even more gasps from the crowd. "The Avatar?" Korra heard someone whisper.

But Korra smiled behind her mask and bowed respectfully. "You must be talking about my past life. It's, uh, good to see you too. I don't talk to spirits often. And to be honest, I've always wanted to meet you in this life."

The spirit floated closer, and smiled. "You've used my visage for a long time."

Korra blushed under her mask. "I'm sorry. I just liked the idea of being able to change who I was, to be someone different. Someone who is a protector, a spirit of peace."

"I am not insulted. I am honored you use my likeness in such a way," the spirit praised, before tilting her head a little. "And I can tell you seek peace and healing yourself. Please, stay as long as you wish. You are welcome in my domain, especially if it brings peace to your soul."

"Yeah... I am looking for some healing," Korra admitted. "Your river has been wonderful so far. Thank you..."

What looked like a shockwave ripped through the sky. The aurora started moving faster, more chaotically. And Korra felt her very soul lurch, like it was spinning inside her chest.

The Painted Lady spirit twitched and staggered. Her form became unstable, wavering... growing and darkening into a larger spirit with a look of anger and pain etched across her face.

Korra backed up. "Uh... what's happening?"

The spirit screeched, morphing and growing into a monstrous form. She clawed at a dock, destroying the edge as terrified onlookers stammered back.

"Hey, take it easy!" Korra yelled. She raised a barrier of ice between the angry spirit and the crowd. "What did we do!?"

The spirit hissed, and lunged at Korra. She dodged out of the way, but it just knocked her back, sending her flying into a pile of nets. Korra jumped to her feet. "Fine. You want to play rough? Let's play rough."

Korra jumped into the water and elevated herself on a small water tornado. The spirit lunged at her once more, and Korra dashed out of the way, shooting bolts of fire from her hands.

This just seemed to enrage it, and it charged straight at her. Korra jumped off the tornado and slid onto the pier as it splashed into the column of water. She hit it with a bolt of lightning, which seemed to stun it and shrink it.

"I don't want to fight you!" Korra yelled. "Why are you attacking me!?"

The spirit roared, and charged right at her. It dove straight at her chest, like it was trying to pass through her.

"Aah!" Korra screamed, stunned. The intrusion into her soul triggered the Avatar State. The spirit dropped out of her body, writhing on the ground, and Korra saw her armor glowing along her chi paths, no doubt from the spirit vines woven into to the fabric.

She didn't know why... but Korra instinctively touched the spirit's head with her palm. The spot glowed with bluish light. It shrunk, its dark color turned white, and the usual humanoid form of the Painted Lady shimmered back into existence. Terrified onlookers gathered around, watching the spectacle unfold.

The spirit opened her eyes, serene, but worried, and floated up to face Korra.

"What happened?" Korra asked. "Did I do something wrong? Why did you attack me?"

The spirit hesitated. "It was not you. There was a... shift in balance that spread through the world. The shock turned my spirit mad, crazed, until your light restored it."

"What?" Korra echoed. "A shift? What are you talking about?"

"I don't know, Avatar," she confessed. "But something has changed. The world has changed. Can you not feel it?"

Korra frowned. "Yeah, I can..."

Refreshed from the fishing village, Korra flew through the night, under the bright moonlight. She was heading straight for the capital, barring one pit stop.

Avatar Roku's former home, destroyed by the very volcanic eruption that killed him, was on the way. The island had since been taken over by tropical plants, but Korra managed to find the remains of his old village.

She sat, cross-legged, in front of a statue of Roku someone had set up. Korra lit two torches, as well as a small flame in her hands, closed her eyes, and tried to meditate.

She could feel Roku's energy around her. Korra emptied her mind, and tried to break into the spirit world as she pictured the stars before her... she couldn't quite manage it, yet she felt a presence inside her rising.

Smoke pooled around her body. When she opened her eyes, she saw the ethereal spirit of an old man sitting before her, with a slight smile on his face.

"Roku," Korra breathed.

"Hello, Korra," Roku greeted her kindly. "Welcome. You are wise to reach out in my home, as many past Avatars have a strong connection to theirs."

"I should leave a note for the Earth Avatar, telling them where to meditate in Republic City," Korra joked with a weak smile. "It's kinda bigger than your village."

Roku chuckled. "If only I planned ahead that well," he teased. "But Korra, I know much is on your mind."

"Yeah. I have a long to-do list," she admitted. "First small item... The Fire Nation is collapsing. Any advice?"

Roku nodded. "In Kyoshi's time, the Fire Nation was mired in clan politics. In Aang's, it was plagued with supporters of Ozai and his legacy. If the Royal Family is as decimated as we fear, it is possible these factions will resurface."

"So how do I deal with that?" Korra asked.

Roku smiled. "I considered offering advice. But Korra, your own choices and actions in Republic City surpassed anything I could have recommended." He leaned forward. "You are wiser than you know. Unorthodox, aggressive, but charismatic, forgiving and compassionate. You are exactly what this rapidly changing world needs. I would advise trusting your instincts, and leaning on friends, as has worked for you in the past."

Korra smirked. "You sound like Aang. 'Just do whatever feels right.' Usually that's just yelling and punching teeth out."

Roku chuckled. "I suppose that is part of who you are, but you know what is right. Though I do advise seeking out someone you trust to navigate the politics of what you find."

"Thanks," Korra said sincerely. "Next thing. Did you feel a change in spirituality recently? Something that affected the Painted Lady?"

"Yes," Roku acknowledged. "It is most troubling, a drastic shift in balance. And what's worse, I have no idea what it is."

Korra sighed. "Me neither. What about Harmonic Convergence? Ring any bells?"

Roku paused, as if deep in thought. "It does, but I cannot place it. Perhaps you should reach out to Kuruk or other Avatars with a longer history in the Spirit World."

"What if I run into more angry spirits?" Korra asked. "Should I try to calm them, or fight?"

"These dark spirits do not wish to be enraged. Offer them your touch, the energy of the Avatar Spirit, and they will reach back to you," Roku advised. "Only fight if you must, as it worsens their condition. And Korra..." Roku hesitated.

"Yeah?" Korra asked.

"As the Avatar, your emotions strongly affect spirits. And they affect the spirit world, warping it to reflect your state of being," Roku gently warned.

Korra looked down.

Roku placed a hand on her knee. "I know you feel the world is in turmoil under your watch. I know you are feeling deep grief. Believe me, I know such feelings all too well. But you are doing fine, Korra. Please, don't be so hard on yourself. Your past lives feel nothing but pride."

Korra felt a tear stream down her face. "Thanks, Roku."

Chapter 60: Ground Zero

Chapter Text

He had accepted his fate. The light that filled him... it was indistinguishable from the white void of death, which was no surprise.

What he had done was unforgivable, but at least he saved something important to the world. Something beautiful, inspiring. And he took his mistake to his grave, as he swore long ago.

But his confusion grew as he continued to ponder. Wasn't he dead? His black vision and the incredible pain now coursing through his brain suggested otherwise.

"Aaaaahhh!" he screamed. It was beyond intense, like his blood was boiling, and his back was sizzling under lava.

After a few gasps, he managed to crack his eyes open.

He was curled on the ground, staring at a purple crystal, glowing so bright he could barely look at it.

Ren craned his neck, and looked at his back. His armor was glowing along chi paths, but the cracks on his back were glowing through the armor, bright, with streams of smokey light seeping out. He couldn't see it, but it was definitely inflamed.

"What..." he groaned.

He rolled onto his knees as the pain dulled a bit. His head was pounding, his vision was blurry, skin burned. He put a hand on the crystal, and it shocked him, hard, sending him recoiling backwards.

After what felt like an eon, Ren got back onto his knees, then his feet. He looked around, and he was in a sea of similar crystals. Bright stars filled the sky, but with purple cracks crisscrossing the heavens.

"OK... I'm alive?" he muttered. "But where am I?"

He walked, very slowly, stumbling a lot. The farther he went, the smaller the crystals got, and the dimmer his back seemed to glow. Eventually the pain dulled as he entered a field, which soon turned into a vivid, mountainous forest, with flowers of every color imaginable. Strange creatures with vibrant scales and fur ran around.

Ren looked back at where he came from. The crystal field was a huge crater, like a scar in the middle of the surrounding landscape.

"That looks like a spirit vine bomb crater," he noted to himself. "But... where is this? What are those crystals?"

A white hamster ran up to him. "Where is what?" it asked curiously.

"Ah!" Ren jumped in surprise. The hamster scurried away in fear, and Ren watched it go.

"Is this the spirit world?" Ren wondered aloud.

Ren tested his bending. His armor responded... it was still in one piece. He lifted a tiny chunk out of the ground, wincing a little as his back stretched. But it worked.

"How can I bend if I'm in the spirit world?" he mused.

A dragonfly hummingbird landed on his shoulder. "I dunno," it chirped.

Ren tried to keep his composure. "Am I in the spirit world?"

"Yep!" the hummingbird answered.

"...Huh," Ren mused.

The spirit sniffed Ren. "You're smelly. Really smelly."

"Thanks," Ren sarcastically replied. "Not gonna lie, you spirits seem pretty interesting. I've never been to the spirit world before."

"Interesting?" the hummingbird echoed. "You humans are weird."

"Yeah, I guess we are," Ren easily agreed.

"What is that?" it said, looking out to the crystal field. "Do you know?"

"No. But I think it's my fault, actually," Ren admitted.

"You killed a lot of spirits," the hummingbird accused. "You're not very nice."

Ren sighed. "I guess not. I'm sorry."

Unsatisfied with the answer, the spirit flew off.

Ren walked through the surreal forest, watching strange creatures flit about, and taking in the sights.

Ren's foot stepped on something squishy.

"Hey! Watch where you're stepping!" a voice called out.

Ren looked down, and saw a small pink mushroom staring up at him. "Sorry! I didn't see you."

"You're not blind," it pointed out. The mushroom rapidly grew, becoming taller than Ren. "Get out of my space, human!"

Ren stumbled back, running off. Before long, he stumbled over a root, rolling and tumbling downhill. He stopped near the base of the hill, and looked up.

"Mmm, dinner" a spirit that looked like a giant venus flytrap exclaimed. It swallowed Ren whole, only to immediately spit him out. "Bleh! You taste horrible!"

Ren backed away, with fear written all over his face.

He ran through the surreal forest for hours, running into stranger and stranger spirits. His stomach grumbled. He grabbed what looked like a piece of fruit... but it turned about to be a ball of bee-like spirits.

"Ah!" Ren screamed, dropping it. The bees swarmed him, and he reached a breaking point. He ripped earth out of the ground, and covered himself in it, boiling the outside with lavabending. The attacking bees squealed in pain from the heat, and ran off.

Ren set the lava down, and caught his breath. "Phew."

"You sure are violent," a mushroom spirit commented.

"Yeah, he is," The dragonfly hummingbird agreed.

"Sorry, I'm just trying to survive," Ren apologized. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

The spirits disappeared, leaving Ren alone.

Eventually, Ren found a little pond that didn't try to attack him. He knelt down and slurped the water, and washed his face off, before sighing and leaning back.

"Think, Ren! What's the strategy here?" he asked himself. "You're in the spirit world. You're alive, probably booted here by the bomb. But how? What's the next step?"

He laid down on the grass, and looked up at the sky. "I shouldn't have tuned Sara's spiritual mumbo jumbo out," he muttered.

Ren thought some more. If he was here, surely everyone else thought he was dead? He was at ground zero of a spirit vine bomb.

...That's what he expected, of course. But it still made him sad.

And they may be right anyway. At this rate, he was going to starve in the spirit world if something didn't eat him first.

He tried to push those thoughts out of his mind. Then Ren heard a wail in the distance, like an animal in pain.

He jumped to his feet, and followed the noise. "Hello!?"

Another cry. He adjusted his direction, and stopped when he entered a field.

"Another spirit vine bomb crater," he observed. "Must be the other bomb."

He ran towards it. He could feel his back heating up, protesting in pain already, but he gritted his teeth and kept running.

The pain was excruciating by the time he got to the crystal field. His back was glowing again, but he saw the source of the noise.

A huge ox spirit was lying on the ground next to a crystal, spasming like it was being electrocuted. "Hang in there!" Ren called out.

He lifted it up on a slab of ground with earthbending, crying as his muscles stretched in his burning back. He trudged through the field, slowly, sweating the whole way.

Finally, he dropped the earth next to the forest, and dropped to the ground in exhaustion. The Ox spirit got up, with the dragonfly hummingbird spirit sitting on top.

"That was horrible!" the ox groaned.

"I'm sorry," Ren apologized. "I really am. I had no idea this would happen."

"Hmph," the Ox spirit scoffed, trotting off.

But the dragonfly hummingbird spirit stayed. "You looked like you were in a lot of pain," it observed. "What are those marks on your back?"

"...They're from the same thing that made those crystals," Ren confessed. "Trust me, it was not a fun infliction."

"I bet," the hummingbird agreed. "They seem... strange."

Ren nodded. "How did you guys get stuck in there anyway?"

"The Ox is an idiot sometimes," it explained. "I tried to rescue it, but those crystals zapped me too."

"I'm sorry. Really, like I keep saying," Ren repeated. "I don't wish that pain on anyone. I have to live with it too."

The spirit studied the human. "What's your name, human?"

"Ren," he introduced himself. "And yours?"

"Chi," it revealed.

"Alright, Chi," Ren said, standing. "You think a rock wall would stop other spirits from getting in? Or at least slow them down?"

"Probably," Chi agreed. "But I don't know how to make one."

Ren sighed. "If I'm going to die here, mind as well do something useful..."

Ren lost track of time bending a modest wall around the vast crater. He made decent progress, but collapsed on the ground in exhaustion once again.

The spirit landed on his head. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, just dying of starvation, among other things," Ren joked weakly.

The spirit left for a while, and came back with something that looked like a big blue watermelon, somehow lifting it with its tiny wings, and dropped it in front of Ren. "Will this help?"

"Oh, thank the spirits," Ren murmured. He sliced it with a piece of metal from his armor and dug in, while the spirit watched in curiosity.

"You're welcome," it answered. "You're not so mean, really. But you are weird."

"Uh, thanks... I think," Ren laughed.

"Weird is good. The spirit world get so samey," Chi complained. "I think I'll stick around, if that's OK. You're a curious human."

"I'd love that, Chi," Ren agreed. "I need all the help I can get."

Chapter 61: The Avatar and the Fire Lord

Chapter Text

Korra napped a little on Roku's island, and got to the Fire Nation Capital at dawn, not wanting to waste any time.

In the early sun, Korra could see protests on the streets. It looked like groups were arguing with each other, while masses of silent soldiers kept the public from entering the palace.

But the actual capital, with the palace and everything a royal family needs, was self-contained inside a caldera. There, too, Korra could see groups arguing with each other.

Korra swooped down into the caldera, landing in the middle of the main plaza as she stowed her glider staff on her back.

Korra looked around, and found a guard in heavy armor eyeing a group of nobles and soldiers in the courtyard. "Hey. What's going on?" she demanded.

"What's it to you," he retorted, looking at her strange armor. "You don't look like you belong here. Show me some ID."

Korra held out a hand, and lifted him up by his metal armor with metalbending while producing a blue flame in the other. "How's that for identification?" she threatened.

The guard gulped. "The Avatar? Look, I'm just trying to survive the day," he pleaded.

Korra set him down. "What do you mean?"

"There's chaos everywhere. The throne is up for grabs, as far as everyone is concerned," he reported. "Some people want to end the throne! It's a miracle fighting hasn't broken out."

Korra sighed. "Right. Look, just point me in the direction of whoever's in charge. And maybe I'll help you live to see tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah," the guard relented. "Follow me."

The guard led him inside, drawing suspicious eyes from everyone they passed. The royal guards were tense, like they expected an assassin or assault at any moment.

"Halt!" guards in golden and crimson armor barked.

"Look, you have to let this woman in," the soldier implored. "She's the Avatar."

"No one goes into the throne room to see the Fire Lord, not without permission," they insisted. "No exceptions."

Korra sighed. She crunched the armor of the guards with a little metalbending, and threw them on the floor. "Sorry guys, I don't have time for this."

She kicked open the giant doors to the vast throne room, with a row of ornate columns on either side and a high throne at the back. Dozens of guards lining the sides were immediately trained on her with firebending stances.

But the man on the throne got up, eyeing the newcomer. "Wait! Hold your fire!" he ordered.

Korra stepped forward and squinted, trying to see him through the shadow.

"Avatar?" the Fire Lord called out.

"That's me," Korra confirmed. Even with the echo, his voice seemed familiar...

The man started laughing out loud. "Let her through," he told the guards. "This is the Avatar. You can't stop her anyway. Besides... she's a good friend."

Korra's eyes widened as the Fire Lord stepped forward. "Ryu!?"

"That's Fire Lord Ryu to you," he quipped with a smile.

"Oh, my apologies, your highness," Korra mockingly bowed. But she couldn't possibly suppress the huge grin under her mask.

Finally alone in the back dining room, Ryu politely pulled out a chair for Korra. Korra couldn't care less, and just wrapped the Fire Lord in a big hug, with a smile on her face. "Ryu! I had no idea!"

"Yeah, I know," he admitted, patting her on the back and then pulling away. "It's insane. That's exactly what people are saying."

Another pair walked into the room. "Yeah, and they're probably right," one of them joked.

"Zenjin? Jia?" Korra hugged them both. "What are you doing here?"

"Good to see you, Korra," Zenjin greeted. "Uh, sit down. We should talk."

They all sat down at a conference table.

"How are you doing, Korra?" Ryu asked in concern. "Are you holding up OK?"

"I'm surviving. Just trying to stay busy instead of ruminating," Korra admitted. "So forget me. What the heck is going on!? No one on the outside can figure it out."

Ryu sighed. "I don't know what you heard, but... Zuko's family is dead," he began. "Iroh, Izumi, Yua. My mother too."

Korra's face dropped.

"We barely even have time to process," Zenjin added. "A hasty memorial was held, but the Fire Nation is still reeling, and a more formal one is still in the works."

"I'm so sorry," Korra finally said.

"Thank you." Ryu replied.

"We're managing, as best we can," Zenjin assured her.

Ryu slowly nodded, and let out a long breath. "Anyway, Zuko doesn't want the throne, and Azula can't take it for obvious reasons. Technically Azula's line is not supposed to take it, but it's not a hard rule, and they both decided to push that guideline aside. And so... here I am, your totally unprepared and unready Fire Lord. Crowned yesterday."

"There is a lot of controversy," Zenjin added. "So much that Ryu isn't even seen as legitimate by most."

"Why!" Korra protested. "You'll be the nicest Fire Lord ever!"

Ryu smiled a little. "I'm not exactly Fire Lord material, Korra. I'm a playboy prince with a few years in intelligence."

Korra shook her head. "I know. But in all seriousness, you're down to Earth now, Ryu. You're not a jerk, and that's the most important thing. And you have Zenjin and Jia," she pointed out. "They hate oppression so much they'd literally die for it. They know politics. And you all know how to fight espionage, and the Red Lotus. You guys are perfect!"

Ryu nodded. "That's nice of you to say. But not everyone is so positive, Korra. Many nobles are pushing for a coup."

"And some people want to do away with the throne entirely," Jia added. "Either way, it means civil war."

"All it takes is a few to form an alliance, and they can depose us," Zenjin warned. "And honestly... it could be wise to stand down. Though they might kill us anyway."

"What? No!" Korra argued. "How can I fix this? I want to help you guys, not deal with some bone headed jerk that deposes you."

Jia chuckled, and shook her head. "I don't know Korra. I know you're looking for someone to punch in the face, but it's complicated."

"Azula is out there pulling strings," Zenjin added. "So are we. Just give us a bit to figure this out. Please, don't blurt anything out to the press, as you could spark a crisis."

Korra groaned. "Fine. But I am in your corner, Ryu," she assured him. "One hundred percent."

Amid the bright reds, elaborate paintings and ornate furniture of the rest of the Fire Nation palace, a chamber stood out from the rest. It resembled a monastery, with simple stone floors and columns, a meditation platform, and a life-sized statue of an Avatar Aang in simple Air Nomad robes. Fire Lord Zuko had it constructed after Aang's death, as a place of contemplation and reflection.

Zuko sat in front of the statue, cross-legged, eyes closed, hands resting on his knees. But today, he couldn't help but speak out loud.

"I'm sorry, Aang," he whispered. "I failed your successor, and I failed your legacy," he confessed.

After another long silence, Zuko opened his eyes, and gazed at the statue. "How I wish you were here. Now, more than ever, I desperately need your wise council... and your comfort as a friend."

Not even a minute later, Zuko heard footsteps behind him. He turned around, and saw a young Water Tribe woman eyeing the room, before resting her gaze on him.

"Zuko," Korra greeted in surprise.

"Avatar Korra," Zuko returned, standing up and bowing formally.

One again, Korra ignored the formal gesture, walked up, and wrapped Zuko in a hug. "Ryu told me about your family. I'm so sorry."

Zuko returned the embrace. "Thank you," he quietly murmured, lingering a moment before pulling away. "And I am sorry for what happened to Ren. I would have been at the memorial-"

"You had to be here," Korra interrupted. "It's... so hard. I know it's not the same, but I feel like I lost family too."

"You did. Close friends are family," Zuko agreed, before turning back to the statue. "Korra, I feel this is the price I paid for my willful ignorance, the same ignorance I displayed in my youth. I saw conflict in the White Lotus decades ago, when we emerged from secrecy, but I assumed it was a settled matter. Deep down, I knew something was wrong with your training, yet I did nothing."

Korra grabbed Zuko's shoulder and turned him to face her. "I've been down this road of blaming myself, Zuko. And let me tell you where it ends," she said seriously. "The Red Lotus. They did this. Not you, not me. And that is all there is to it," she firmly stated. "I've been thinking about what Ren did, and he died because he knew this. He took a bunch of Red Lotus down with him because he knew they are the root cause for all this chaos, not decisions on our parts."

Zuko sighed heavily. "Perhaps you are right. Perhaps Ren was right," he admitted. "But I wish I could get them back."

"...Me too," Korra mumbled, looking into Zuko's face.

Zuko looked back, and somehow, he saw his old friend staring back at him through Korra's blue eyes. "I missed you, Avatar."

"I missed you too," Korra whispered, wrapping him in another hug.

Zuko closed his eyes and cried harder than he had in many years. A little wind swirled around them, and the faint ghost of Avatar Aang appeared around Korra's body, hugging his best friend back and shedding tears of his own.

In the bright sun, Zuko and Azula gingerly walked through the palace gardens, perhaps the last place of peace in the capital.

"I'm glad to see you have faith in Ryu," Zuko remarked. "I know it is not my business, but you were far too hard on your grandsons."

"I admit, I underestimated them," Azula conceded. "And as repulsive as his betrayal may have been, I believe Zenjin's experiences, in particular, have given him insight into the world. Together, they are ready for the challenges of our politics."

Zuko breathed deeply. "They are your grandchildren, Azula, not political pawns."

Azula was silent for a long time, as if lost in thought. "I know," she finally admitted. "Recent events may have changed my perspective somewhat. Perhaps I failed to appreciate what was right in front of me, for longer than I realized."

Zuko smiled slightly. "It's good to see you grow, to heal, even in our old age."

"Open expression is... not my strength," Azula admitted.

"It is perhaps the longest lasting legacy of our father," Zuko agreed.

Azula stopped walking. "I fear I haven't said it out loud. But Zuko..."

"I know," he replied, wrapping his sister in a light hug. "You don't have to say it, Azula. Deep down, you always cared, even when we were young and our family's cruelty warped us both."

A single tear left Azula's eye, a rare sight. "But I do. I'm, sorry, Zuko." She pulled back. "For our history. For our family. For not being here to protect them. For everything."

Zuko wiped her cheek gently. "As am I."

They were both startled by a chunk of metal slamming into the ground in front of them. Wrapped and tightly bound in the metal sheet was a woman, struggling against her bonds, with a long blowgun sticking out of the metal.

A second later, another woman in dark metal armor landed with a thud, warping the ground below her.

"Excellent work, Avatar," Azula complimented. "Seri's warning was accurate."

Korra had her mask off, with a fierce look in her eyes. "No one else I care about is getting assassinated, not under my watch." She knelt down to inspect her captive. "What's your name?"

The would-be assassin just gave Korra a wry smile. "Freedom for all," she whispered.

Korra smiled back. She could see the woman's tongue searching her mouth. "Oh, I think you'll find your suicide pill is gone," Korra taunted. She stood up, and raised two hands.

The metal tightened around the woman, and heated to a faint glow. She screamed in agony as it seared her skin, and crushed her flesh. Zuko stood above, observing with an uncharacteristically cold gaze that would better fit Azula.

Korra cooled the metal, and kneeled back down. "You see, I have a very, very personal grudge against Red Lotus, as do your two targets here. I'm very creative with the elements," she informed her, before bending down to whisper in her ear. "I happen to know there's a full moon tonight. And I just happen to be a bloodbender, too."

The woman's hard expression fell.

Korra pulled back, and looked into her eyes. "Your name."

"...Ksen," she choked out.

"Ksen. Well, I hope you tell us everything you know by tonight, Ksen. Because if you don't, you're going to regret it for the rest of your short life," Korra promised.

"That's crazy," Ryu insisted.

"It's not!" Korra argued. "Shrink the monarchy, but leave it with some power, and run the government as a democratic council like the United Republic."

"The nobles won't accept that," Zenjin objected.

"You give them their pound of meat," Korra countered. "District council seats based on the old clans, and give them the first seats. The Nobles will effectively rule their territory, at least at first. They'll have more power, as long as they do well enough to not be voted out."

Ryu stroked his stubble.

"You can't be considering this," Jia argued.

"What else are we going to do with the monarchy abolitionists?" Ryu reasoned. "Besides, isn't this what you guys want? Republic City's government?"

"In time," Jia conceded reluctantly. "We need to survive first."

Zenjin paused to think. "If the abolitionists would actually go along with it..."

"Exactly!" Korra enthused. "It's a compromise!"

Ryu sighed. "It's all a big 'if'. But we'll see..."

The doors burst open, and an aide came running in. "Fire Lord Ryu! A coalition has formed, as we feared!"

"What?" Ryu exclaimed. "Who?"

"Remnants of the New Ozai Society and Clan Sei'Naka, among others. They have other nobles and generals backing them," the aide reported.

Zenjin rubbed his temples. "That's not good."

"How not good?" Korra asked.

"They're traditionalists. They'll bring back old policies, rule with an iron fist, and just smite the abolitionists," Zenjin predicted. "But it might work. It's probably how they formed in the first place."

"They demand an audience!" the aide announced.

"Play time is over," Jia growled.

Ryu took a breath. "It's now or never," he decided. "Let everyone into the Coronation Plaza, put the nobles and leaders in the stands."

Korra nodded. "And I'm done hiding, Ryu. If this is a confrontation, I'm standing by your side, and letting the world know who you are. That the Avatar is behind you."

Ryu smiled weakly. "I appreciate it, Korra. I really do."

The Coronation Plaza is historic, not only as the grounds where past Fire Lords were crowned, but where Zuko effectively ended the 100 Years War in an Agni Kai with Azula. Ryu hoped to exploit this... he needed all the help he can get, he thought.

The stands were packed, as were the grounds around the central arena. Representatives and nobles from all over the Fire Nation were present, including the quickly growing monarchy abolitionists. One could *feel* the tension in the open air as armies of different factions stood in the background.

Ryu sat at the head of the plaza, with Zenjin on his right and the masked Avatar on his left. An absolutely massive man in the heaviest armor Korra had ever seen came striding up, backed by a dozen men and women in similar armor.

"General Tsume," Ryu calmly greeted him. "What brings you here today?"

"To offer you a chance to step down peacefully," Tsume declared. "You are not fit to lead the Fire Nation."

Ryu stood up. "Under whose authority?"

Tsume smirked. "Of the New Ozai Society. And I believe I speak for all of us when I say we prefer a strong leader. Someone who can unite the Fire Nation once again, instead of letting it fall back to clan warfare like the old days."

"I will unite the Fire Nation, by going forward, not back, just as Lord Zuko did before us," Ryu promised, looking out to the crowd.

"Oh really?" Tsume scoffed. "How? You have no respect, no authority."

Time to take his shot, Ryu thought. "I'm sure you all have been watching the rest of the world closely," he addressed the crowd. "The chaos spreading through every nation, except one. The United Republic," he began. "I was there as chaos gripped the Republic, as the same terrorists who tore down our nation attempted to tear it apart. And I was there as it reformed, alongside the Avatar, just as I am now."

Korra stood up straighter. Whispers spread throughout the crowd.

Ryu continued. "I can fight the Red Lotus," Ryu declared. "And I can reform our government. A council, appointed by me, and voted into power in time, will rule alongside me. And we can build a new Fire Nation for a new era."

Abolitionists in the crowd cheered in surprise. But the nobles and their factions scoffed, and some traditionalists in the crowd booed.

"You are weak, Ryu," Tsume said, stepping closer. "You cannot hold the Fire Nation together with flights of fancy, and everyone here knows it. You try to invoke images of the past, but you are no Fire Lord Zuko. You are no Izumi. And the new Avatar is no Avatar Aang."

Uh oh, Ryu thought. He turned to whisper something to Korra, but she was already stomping up to Tsume.

"You think I'm weak? That I'm not Aang?" Korra challenged.

"I think you are a child playing dress up," Tsume mocked. "A half trained Avatar who is too cowardly to even show their own face. Who hides in the streets of the United Republic, taking credit for the work of others." He stepped up to her. "And Ryu is an impostor, with nothing to his name but a tainted lineage. He is no savior of the Fire Nation. And you are no savior of the world like Aang."

Korra was seething... but smug. She had him right where she wanted him.

"You want to go back to old ways?" Korra taunted. She took off her armored glove and slapped it on the ground. "Then let's go back to the old ways. I challenge you to an Agni Kai, right here, right now. And you can keep that fancy armor of yours."

There were a few gasps and murmurs in the crowd. But Tsume laughed. "Is Ryu that much of a coward? To have someone else fight his battles?"

"No, you insulted me," Korra corrected. "But let me be clear. Anyone who wants to get to Ryu has to go through me first."

"And you think you can handle me?" Tsume scoffed. "Fine. Defeating the Avatar will be another notch on my belt."

Korra and Tsume stood on opposite ends of the arena. The crowd was whispering.

"Cowards first," Korra taunted.

Tsume grunted, and sent a fat fireball at Korra. It hit the ground like a meteor, leaving a crater where it struck, but Korra had long dodged out of the way.

Meanwhile, in the stands, two of the most powerful figures in the Fire Nation sat side by side. They were not friends... and not enemies. No, Natsu Sei'Naka and Lady Azula had a mutual respect for power, hence a mutual respect for each other.

"This is nothing personal, you know," Natsu commented. "Our family respects the Fire Lord and of course the Avatar, but we cannot fight the wind."

"Of course," Azula agreed. "But the wind is a fickle thing Natsu. It is difficult to predict."

"Hmm," Natsu mused. "Some say your confidence in Ryu is artificial, but you told me of it before the family fell," she remembered.

"In a way, he and I saw the Red Lotus coming," Azula pointed out. "Can you say that of anyone else in the Fire Nation?"

Natsu considered this. "Perhaps not," she admitted, turning her attention back to the duel.

Korra hadn't delivered a single blow, simply dodging and redirecting Tsume's blasts. His firebending was powerful, explosive.

All the better to put on a show, Korra thought. She spun around and sent one of his fireballs right back at him.

Tsume stood his ground and dissipated the blast, a few embers grazing his heavy armor. "Is this all you are, Avatar? Redirection and evasion?"

Natsu leaned to the side. "Tell me, what do you think of your pupil, Azula," she asked.

Azula smirked, and waited a moment for Korra to show her first card. A blast of blue fire erupted from her fists, and the crowd, including Natsu herself, gasped in surprise.

"The Avatar is not what she seems," Azula simply stated. "Tell me, Natsu, what does she seem like to you?"

Blue fire mixed with red as the Korra approached. The parallels with Zuko's Agni Kai were now as obvious as the midday sun.

"She is an ox," Natsu observed. "She endures, and then charges with fury and strength when provoked."

Korra met another fireball with her own, and the two exploded in the center of the arena, like a spectacular fireworks display. Korra's smirk widened behind her mask.

"And that is where you are wrong, Natsu," Azula whispered. "The Avatar presents herself as a bull or an ox. But in truth, she is a dragon."

Korra let out a scream, and sent a powerful lance towards Tsume, staggering him back. She closed the distance. Natsu lashed out in haste, but Korra jumped over his blast, deftly kicking him in the head and scorching him from behind as she bounded over him.

"The Avatar circles her opponents from afar, learns from them, tires them," Azula explained. "With such power that one can only think she is an ox. But when the moment is right, when she knows all she can, she attacks with ferocity that consumes anything in her path."

Korra stood over her smoking opponent, and flipped him face up with her foot. "Get up!" she demanded.

Tsume snarled, and clamored to his feet. He punched a fist forward, sending a wave of fire at Korra, but she ducked low, shot forward, and swept his legs out from under him.

Korra stood over him once more. "Get up! Fight me!"

Tsume got up once more, with raged etched across his face.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Korra jeered. "Show me a real blast of fire!"

Tsume screamed at the top of his lungs. He thrust two open palms forward, held together, and immolated the Avatar in a torrent of fire, like a giant blowtorch.

The crowd's eyes went wide as the Avatar disappeared inside the flames. Azula's smirk widened.

After a solid ten seconds, Tsume stopped the deluge, panting and sweating... and there stood the Avatar, still as a statue, as if she was immune to fire, with armor plates glowing red. Every onlooker gasped loudly.

Korra had simply trusted the meteor armor... and snuck in lavabending to cool the inner metal. But no one needed to know that.

"Thanks, Ren," Korra thought to herself. "You're always helping me, even when you're gone."

"...How?" Tsume gasped, slowly backing up as the Avatar moved her arms back and forth.

"The water Avatar has no hesitation, no fear." Azula whispered to Natsu. "When she finally chooses to strike, she eats her opponents alive."

A large lighting bolt arced from her fingertips, hitting the ground just in front of Tsume, knocking him on his back. As he crawled backwards in fear, Korra took a deep breath, leaned forward, and sent him rolling along the ground with a combustion blast, leaving a crater in the floor, and eliciting yet another gasp from the crowd. Few had witnessed combustion bending in person.

Standing over the trembling body of Tsume for a long moment, the Avatar simply turned around, and face the stands.

"Tsume's right! I am not Avatar Aang," Korra declared. "I am not going to kill Tsume, but not because of any pacifism... He's just a joke! He's no threat, and not worth one more second of my time." she began. "But I will kill for Fire Lord Ryu. I respect his authority. He has my unconditional support, and anyone who truly threatens him answers to me!"

Korra lept to the head of the arena with a blast of air, standing under Ryu as she turned around. "Now you all have a choice. You can cooperate. Compromise. Join a government under Fire Lord Ryu that none of you like, but all of you can suck up and tolerate. And if you do, I will support you. The United Republic will support you. You won't have to slaughter your own people just to keep power." She paused. "Know that whatever rumors you heard about Ryu and Zenjin, they are irrelevant. I know they can lead the Fire Nation out of the dark pit the Red Lotus have pushed it into, because I know them personally. I trust them completely, and there is no one better equipped to fight the Red Lotus sitting in the stands with you right now."

Korra took a breath. "Or, you can live under an idiot like Tsume. Or rebel with the abolitionists. But I won't forget it. Believe me, I can and will make your lives difficult, and I will personally avenge any harm to Ryu. And that should scare you. A coup is exactly what the Red Lotus wants, and when their plans catch up to you, you will find yourselves alone and afraid..."

"Winds are indeed fickle," Natsu admitted to Azula, observing the expressions on the crowd. "I believe I have underestimated the new Avatar."

"Don't take it personally. Everyone does," Azula coolly replied.

That night, back in the Royal Palace, Ryu finally let out a breath in his personal quarters, and turned to his friends. "That was some show," he marveled.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Korra teased. "But really, I meant every word, Ryu. I wouldn't pick anyone else on the planet to be Fire Lord." She turned to Zenjin and Jia. "And I wouldn't pick anyone but you two to be by his side. Y'all can hold the Fire Nation together."

Ryu genuinely smiled. So did Zenjin and Jia. "Thanks, Korra. That means a lot, coming from you. For what its worth, you've turned out to be an amazing Avatar," Ryu praised her sincerely.

"You should hear what some nobles are saying," Jia added. "They're calling you a dragon. And Ryu and Zenjin, brothers rising from ashes."

"Good," Korra agreed. "So what next? Who do I need to yell at now?"

"No one worth your time," Zenjin assured her. "You struck fear into anyone who would make a move. Azula is focused on counterintelligence now. We have a lot of tricky work ahead, but I think we're going to survive."

Korra let out a breath of relief. "Great. But in that case... I think I may head out soon," she revealed. "There are a lot of fires to put out around the world."

"No kidding," Jia agreed.

Ryu put a hand on her shoulder. "And when we can, we'll help," he promised. "I owe you that much."

Korra smiled back. "We should all meet at Hu's when this blows over."

"Oh, I would love nothing more," Ryu agreed.

Chapter 62: Past Lives

Chapter Text

Cold wind blasted past Ren's face as the fresh snow flew by underneath him. He leaned to the side, feeling the metal in his skis dig into the powder as he carved through the mountain pass.

"Too slow!" Kylie jeered, zooming past him in a cloud of snow.

Ren smirked, and pushed harder. They switched to narrow path through trees and boulders, weaving between rocks and fallen logs, before emerging onto a steep, smooth slope. Wind whistled past Ren's ears as he rocketed down the hill, his skis cutting through the snow.

"No way!" Kylie exclaimed, skidding to a stop at the bottom, with Ren right behind her. "How did you two beat us?"

"I guess you're just too slow," Goro joked with a grin.

"Yeah, better get used to it, slowpokes," Mera added, playfully tossing a chunk of snow at Ren.

Kylie flipped her skis off, and bent one to fling an arc of snow back to Mera and Goro. "You can't just attack my brother like that! This means war!"

With waves of their arms and smiles on their faces, Goro and Mera waterbent huge globs of snow at Ren and Kylie, forcing them to dive out of the way. Once they regained their footing, the siblings stomped their feet in perfect unison, lobbing a small boulder of snow at the waterbending siblings with an earthbent catapult.

Everyone laughed as the war raged and masses of snow flew. Eventually, Kylie launched herself into the air with a column of earth and tackled Goro to the ground. Mera returned the favor with a wave of snow, landing right on top of Ren as they wrestled each other.

"Gotcha!" Mera jeered, pinning Ren's arm's above his head.

"OK, uncle, uncle!" Ren laughed as Mera finally pinned him to the ground.

With a giggle, she rolled off and stood up. "We used to wrestle and mess around like this all the time," she reminisced. "Remember how we'd sneak out at night and go sledding?"

"Yeah," Ren agreed, taking her hand and pulling himself up. "When we crashed through your neighbor's window... I don't know how you got us out of that one."

Mera chuckled. "I told them we were running from a moose lion. We *did* see one on the slopes," she teased as she bent the snow off Ren.

Ren shook his head, and turned to the side, only to see Kylie and Goro heatedly making out in their pile of snow. "They have no shame," he quipped.

With a mischievous smirk, Mera pecked Ren on the cheek, and then pulled away. "Why should we have any less than them?"

Ren blushed bright right. "I, um, uh..."

"Come on!" Mera urged. "Let's go on a date! My parents are out tonight. We can listen to that radio drama about Republic City, cuddle some..."

"With me?" Ren stammered. "I mean, I don't know if I'm dating material. I-"

Mera clapped him on the shoulder. "Please? It'll be fun."

Ren could never say no that sly grin, no matter how much trouble Mera got them into. "Yeah, OK."

"Great!" she exclaimed, pecking him on the lips and making Ren's blush even brighter. "I can't wait."

"This is so sweet," Chi chirped from Ren's shoulder.

"Ah!" Ren yelped as he shot up. He was back in the spirit world, in a gorgeous grove under a canopy of colored trees, with Chi perched on his shoulder.

"Aww, why did you stop the dream?" Chi asked.

"...You could see my memories?" Ren asked incredulously.

Chi nodded. "You're practically screaming them. It was kinda hard not to notice."

Ren wasn't sure whether to feel violated or confused. Instead, he felt his usual wave of sadness as the memories retreated from his mind.

Chi's coloring changed from bright yellow to a dim blue, the surrounding grass drooped, and the air grew cool. "That was so happy. Why are you sad?"

Ren sighed. "Because they're gone, Chi. They're from a past life... I'll never see Mera and Goro again."

"But don't the memories still exist?" Chi wondered aloud. "You can relive them whenever you want."

Ren thought for a moment. "Yeah, I suppose..."

"Then why are you sad?" Chi pressed.

Ren looked down. "That's a good question."

Ren and Chi hiked though a shimmering desert, sparkling rivers, and strange forests. The sky changed from yellow, to pink, to purple, before opening up to a crystal clear view of the stars as scents of nature filled the air. Ren met all sorts of strange spirits along the way, from sentient trees to tiny sprites.

"Remind me, where are we going?" Ren asked.

"To see a friend of mine, one who knows more about human stuff than me," Chi reminded him.

"Can't I just find a powerful spirit or something to send me back to the physical world?" Ren asked.

Chi hesitated. "Most ancient spirits are mean," she warned. "Especially to humans. Besides, most can't break into the physical world anyway. Not anymore..."

Chi and Ren climbed the highest mountain peak they could find, and Ren gazed down at the shifting, ethereal landscape below. What looked like a humanoid lemur spirit with yellow eyes was meditating on top.

"Chi?" the spirit called out. "Is that you?"

Chi's little hummingbird body flew up to the lemur's face. "Aye-aye," she chirped.

The lemur smiled. "What brings you here, Chi?"

"This human needs help," Chi explained. "His name is Ren. He wants to return to the physical world, but he's got a weird glowy thing on his back."

"I knew I smelt something stinky," the lemur mused, eliciting a quiet groan from Ren. "Why are you with a human, Chi?"

"He's not bad," Chi defended. "Very smelly, but OK."

The lemur studied Ren. "You wear strange metal, human, and your body is here. But I can feel your soul leaking out."

Ren sighed. "See for yourself," he said, splitting his armor open along the spine and revealing the faintly glowing scar.

Ren winced as the aye-aye spirit ran its fingers over the scar, the glow intensifying under its touch. "Your body, your soul... they are fractured, fused, and exposed." the spirit deduced. "Like a cracked stone cup that melded with its contents in a fire. I have seen some strange humans, but never anything like you."

"Oh," Chi gasped. "Your spirit is stuck in your body. You can't even meditate back."

Ren groaned. "Great."

The mountain grew cold, wind gusted, and the sky even grew a little darker as wisps of energy and emotion left Ren's back. Both spirits shivered and turned blue. "Your soul is exposed," the lemur confirmed. "You express sarcasm and frustration, but your spirit projects deep sorrow."

A pang of genuine frustration flashed across Ren's mind. He felt like he was being interrogated by truth seers. "I am sad," he admitted. "I've lost everything. Again." Ren moped over to the edge of the mountain, bent a little pool of lava to warm up, and just sat there, gazing at the horizon.

"Are you sure about this human?" Aye-aye quietly asked Chi.

"Yes," Chi insisted. "You should see his memories, his dreams that spill from his scar. I never knew humans could be so... interesting. Their world is so different now."

"But you would risk your own safety to help him?" Aye-aye prodded. "That is not like you, Chi."

Chi hesitated. "I think he's lonely. Out of place."

Aye-aye considered this. "As are you. You feel a connection with him," it deduced.

"You know just what that's like, Aye-aye," Chi pointed out. "I remember your connection with Wan. Don't tell me you have forgotten."

Aye-aye closed its eyes. "I will never forget..."

Meanwhile, Ren closed his own eyes as the cold air whipped by. Memories of Bao Shui he had managed to bottle up for years slowly started to seep out of his soul. Because now, it was better than thinking of what he lost from Republic City.

...Of whom he lost.

In their parents' workshop, under the shine of white lights reflecting off shiny metal, Kylie watched her brother sweating bullets, standing low, arms forward as he held the pile of molten metal in place.

Meanwhile, Kylie operated the huge press, smashing a heavy anvil down onto the mixture with her own bending. The machine whirred and clanked loudly, steam spewing from seals and vents, but it held together. "If only grandpa could have seen this."

"Yeah. From mining in the war, to all this..." Ren mused. "He'd be so proud. It's what he always wanted."

Kylie nodded. "You think it worked?" she asked, levitating the big metal plate out of the machine.

"Let's find out," Ren replied, attaching a wire lead to one end while Kylie attached another to the other.

"It's... perfect," Kylie marveled, watching the gauge. "A perfect conductor. Please tell me you remembered to write down the recipe, Ren."

Ren blanched. "Uh... No?" he admitted sheepishly. "It was a little bit of copper, osmium, and... uh..."

Kylie rolled her eyes. "You're such an air headed idiot sometimes."

Ren grinned. "Thanks, sis."

Kylie couldn't help but smirk back. Ren was an idiot, but he was her idiot. And he was brilliant too. "Whatever. We'll just make more batches until-"

Kylie was cut off by a loud thump from outside.

"What was that?" Ren wondered aloud.

Another thump, louder this time, echoed through the valley. The two ran outside, and saw smoke and fire rising from the center of Bao Shui. "Oh no."

Kylie's eyes popped open. She was in her apartment, head resting on a pile of dad's scribbles and mom's journals, with the morning sun just now streaming onto her desk.

"Oh Ren, I wish you had a little more time," she muttered, rubbing her face. "We were finally back on our feet, restarting our parents' work with Asami. And Korra was just bringing you out of your shell..."

"This is so horrible," Chi muttered from Ren's shoulder, her coloring gray and dim.

"It is," Ren lamented.

Ren was in his living room, staring at the charred corpses of his parents smoking on the floor, a blank expression on his face, but with tears streaming down his cheeks. Kylie had her hand over her mouth, barely able to look at the Earth Kingdom general now eying them up and down, his metal arm gleaming in the light.

"I take no pleasure in this," Giam assured them, putting his hands behind his back, with a calm expression that belied his cold heart. "I gave your parents a choice, yet they refused to cooperate. And when I make a threat, I must follow through."

"You MONSTER!" Kylie roared. Ren grabbed her by the arm and waist, barely keeping her from lunging at Giam as the surrounding soldiers tensed.

"I wonder what you two know..." Giam mused, not even flinching as metal dangerously twitched around him. "I'll make you the same generous offer. Help me liberate the Earth Kingdom from Hou-Ting's tyranny, and neither of you will have to watch the other perish."

Kylie stilled, and looked back at her brother.

Ren looked into Kylie's face. She was all he had left... he knew there was no choice.

Ren opened his eyes, tears streaming from them, unable to take another second of the surreal vision. He was alone on the spirit world mountaintop with Chi, the air dead still, the sky dim and foggy from the grief pouring out of his soul.

"That was awful," Chi whispered, still darkly colored and drooping. "Everyone was so happy and peaceful. Why would the General do that?"

Ren sighed. "Giam's family and friends were executed by Hou-Ting. In his own sick way, he thought he was bringing justice."

"He killed your parents. Couldn't he see the irony in that?" Chi argued.

Ren shook his head. "That's just how people are, Chi. We get stuck in cycles of revenge, hatred, and violence, passed down from one victim to the next."

And he was no exception, Ren sadly realized.

Korra was back on the glass roof of the Pro Bending Arena, head resting on Ren's shoulder, body pressed against his, watching the last bits of twilight fade away as the stadium illuminated them from below.

He was so comforting, so close. She had never felt so safe before, even with all the power at her fingertips.

"Hey," Ren whispered, turning his head to look at her. "What's wrong?"

Korra searched his green eyes and his little smile. "Nothing," she finally whispered, leaning forward and kissing him gently.

Ren froze, but eventually surrendered, wrapping his arms around her and returning the kiss. Korra arched her back and ground herself against him, feeling his warmth spread through her body, hearing his moans in her mouth as she kissed him harder, pulling at his lips, exploring his mouth with her tongue. She hugged him tighter, and rubbed her groin against his.

Korra knew Ren. She could feel that he was nervous, surprised, but loving every moment of it. And it made her all the more heated, more determined to melt him, and melt into him. The gentleness of his kiss, the bulge in his pants, the way he held her, knowing everything about her...

How Korra wished this was a memory, not a dream, like it could have been. Like it almost was.

Korra opened her eyes, and found herself in the Fire Lord's opulent guestroom, a small tear leaving her eye as the fantasy faded.

But it was still dark, and a screech outside her door got her blood pumping. Already split open at the spine, Korra snapped her armor on over her bindings and rushed out the door.

She skidded to a halt in a hallway, where a dark spirit vaguely resembling a wolf was attacking a guard, Zenjin and Jia, with a blue body bigger than Naga and glowing red eyes. A few more guards were sprawled across the floor.

The spirit snarled, warping around the hall before charging the guard, knocking him into the wall. Zenjin went stumbling back and almost fell over, but Jia backflipped, jumped into the air, and sent a blast of wind at the beast with a kick.

The air did virtually nothing. The beast lurched unnaturally again, warping down the hall, and knocked Jia over. It stood over her with a reverberating growl, and unhinged its jaw wide.

Korra stomped her foot, and the floor beneath the beast exploded upwards, sending it flying backwards. But it landed on its feet, turning its crazed gaze towards Korra.

"Easy." Korra pleaded, putting a hand up. "We don't want to hurt you."

The spirit snarled, and charged straight at Korra. She barely dodged out of the way with a gust of wind, and the spirit slammed into the opposite wall, cracking it and making the hall tremble.

Shaking its head, and agitated from another blast of fire from Zenjin, the canine spirit roared, charging him once more.

With a hesitant face, Korra spread her arms and let loose a weak, long blast of lightning, stunning the spirit as it shook and morphed in place. Korra moved closer, step by step, maintaining the arc until her palm touched the canine's head.

She felt her own spirit stir, and her palm glowed with bluish light. The wolf spirit calmed, shrinking, morphing into a big white wolf with blue stripes running down its back and chest. Korra gently rubbed its fur, and the wolf whimpered softly.

"Easy," Korra cooed, petting its head. "It's OK."

Zenjin and Jia walked up, taking in the sight. "Why is a spirit here?" Jia asked. "Why did it attack us?"

Korra sighed, scratching behind the spirit wolf's ear for her comfort as much as his. "Harmonic Convergence changed the world, and I don't know why."

Korra sat in a meditative pose in front of Aang's statue, torches lighting the simple stone room. She heard footsteps behind her, but didn't even bother to turn around.

"Zuko," Korra greeted him.

"Korra," Zuko returned. "I apologize for disturbing your meditation. I would like to observe, if-"

"Please," Korra interrupted with a smile as she looked back, patting the stone next to her. "Sit. This isn't a ritual, it's a conversation with a good friend."

Zuko smiled back, and sat down cross-legged beside her. "I see so much of Aang in you."

"And I feel so much closer to him with you," Korra admitted, closing her eyes. She didn't even try to meditate into the spirit world. Aang's spirit was practically bubbling up already, so she just reached inside herself, and let the energy flow out.

The torches flickered, smoke and wind swirled around the room. Before Korra knew it, she was staring at the ghost of Avatar Aang, sitting cross-legged in front of her, with a warm smile on his face.

"Aang," Zuko greeted, with an uncertain expression that belied his age and experience. "I can't believe I'm speaking to you again. I..." Zuko trailed off as his expression fell.

Before he could continue, Aang leaned forward, placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "I heard your fears. But you did not dishonor me, old friend," Aang reassured him. "I feel I am the one who dishonored you, for missing such a grave threat against your family."

Zuko's sad expression turned into a small smile, and he grabbed Aang's shoulder back. "You have never truly dishonored me, Aang. Not once. Not even in your next life."

Korra felt warmth spread through her body as the two friends, two elements of her past life, embraced each other, before pulling apart and looking back at her.

"So you don't know anything about the shift in balance either, huh?" Korra asked.

"Roku was right, it is most troubling," Aang agreed. "But I did recognize that wolf spirit. It was from our past Zuko."

Zuko's eyes grew. "That was the Mother of Faces's guardian?"

Aang nodded grimly. "Korra, I don't know how much you remember of my travels, but the Mother of Faces is a powerful, ancient spirit. And her guardian is a fierce protector."

"Do you think the Mother of Faces is behind this change?" Korra wondered aloud.

"No, we would already know if the Mother of Faces was malevolent or driven mad," Zuko assured her. "The Fire Nation protects her sacred lands."

"But this is even worse," Aang added. "For something to turn her own ancient guardian dark, against her will, and end up here..."

"What does that mean?" Korra asked.

"This is not a mere shift in balance. Something has gone wrong," Aang concluded gravely. "A force is driving spirits mad. A dangerous one, if it could affect such an ancient spirit."

Korra bit her lip. "And we don't know what it is. But you're right. I can almost feel it, like there's a force repelling me from the spirit world whenever I try to enter."

"I feel it too," Aang confirmed.

"I will speak to the Fire Sages, and their counterparts," Zuko promised. "Korra, whatever this is, the Fire Nation will help you find answers. I will help you find answers. We owe you that much, and so much more."

Korra smiled weakly. "Thank you, Zuko."

Chapter 63: Sparks and Steel

Chapter Text

Korra stood in front of the biggest lake in Forgetful Valley, turning her head left and right in the first rays of morning sun.

"Hello!?" she repeated. For good measure, she stomped her foot, gently rocking the Earth. "The Avatar wants to speak with you!"

Nothing.

"No Mother of Faces here," Korra muttered. "Guess I'll just put a pin in that."

She popped the glider off her armor and took off into the sky, soaring over the valley. Korra had already stopped by Fire Fountain City and a few towns, and quelled a little unrest along the way.

But Zenjin and Jia were right. It seemed like the Fire Nation would survive, and the rest of the world was burning. Figuring her uncle could handle the Tribes for a bit, the Earth Kingdom felt like the next logical stop. And where better to get a lay of the land than the only stable city in the Earth Kingdom?

Flying as high as she could stand, Korra flew southeast, crossing over the Earth Kingdom's western coast before long. She could already see the great mountain range Zaofu was nestled in from a distance, but a massive cloud of black smoke in the newly green forests below caught her eye.

Korra dove, and saw sprawling farmland ablaze. Huge fields of crops were already burned, and ash filled the air.

Closer to the fires, bandits in makeshift black metal armor, riding trucks and motorcycles, were making passes at Earth Kingdom tanks and soldiers, with arrows, earth, and fire flying everywhere while explosions rocked the ground.

Korra smirked. "This is too easy." She settled into a holding pattern above the battle, and started raining down combustion blasts on the bandits, corralling them into a smaller and smaller area. Once they were all bunched together, Korra dove low, bending a trench of lava as she rushed over the ground. A few distant blasts of fire harmlessly pinged off her armor and glider, and before long, the bandits were trapped between the trench and the advancing Earth Kingdom forces.

Korra landed right in the middle of them, and most of the bandits stumbled back at the sight of the Avatar in the Painted Lady helmet.

"It's over!" Korra called out. "Give up, and no one else has to die!"

A hulking man with a beard, black makeup, and half his face painted white stepped forward, wearing spiked metal armor and a huge sword on his back. "You're on the wrong side of this, Avatar!" he proudly declared. "And we'll go down fighting!"

Korra walked right up to him, and peered into his eyes. "I said stand down, or I'll make you!"

"As she said!" a voice yelled out. Korra felt the ground rumble as Earth Kingdom tanks rolled up behind her. A captain hopped onto the ground, and walked up to Korra. "General Chao appreciates your support, Avatar. We can handle the rest."

"For our people!" the bandits roared, thumping their chests.

"No, stop!" Korra roared back, dropping a trench between the bandits and the Earth Kingdom forces with a stomp of her foot. "Why throw away your lives!?"

"We're not going to let Chao burn our territory!" the leader screamed, eliciting another cheer from the other bandits. "Not without a fight!"

"...Wait, what?" Korra echoed. "You're the ones burning the land!"

"Look around, Avatar! Who do you think is doing this?" he challenged.

Korra did just that... And she realized all the fires were raging behind the Earth Kingdom army lines. "Captain, is this true?"

"We're denying the enemy of supplies," the captain defended. "We can't allow General Kang's forces to use the Earth Kingdom's resources to fuel their war machine. And we won't let these bandits sustain themselves on our land."

Wonderful, Korra thought. Why can't anything ever be simple?

"This is wrong!" she roared. "I don't care who you're fighting. You're destroying the land you claim to protect! Burning food people need!"

"We are protecting the Earth Kingdom!" the captain argued heatedly. "We-"

"No!" Korra interrupted, grabbing the Captain and the bandit by their own metal armor, and threateningly heating it up. "All of you are leaving, right now, or I'm going to bomb you until you do!"

The captain hesitated. "General Chao will hear of this."

Korra dropped them both and walked up to the Captain. "Oh, he better. And tell Kang too. If any of them plunder these farms, I'll come back and kick their asses myself. You got a problem with that?"

The captain looked into the Avatar's mask, and then shook his head. "No, Avatar."

"Good," Korra agreed. "Now all of you, get out of here!"

Korra sighed as she put the last of the major blazes out. Other farmers and workers were running around doing the same thing.

"Thanks, Avatar," an older farmer called out, walking up to her. "Name's Lee. You saved the whole village."

"For now," Korra admitted, respectfully bowing back.

"That's some funny armor you got there," Lee commented, looking her up and down. "But who am I to complain?"

"I'm just trying to keep the peace," Korra assured him. "What's going on in the Earth Kingdom, anyway?"

"What isn't?" Lee sighed. "Kang already tore through here, clearing out bandits while he plundered our stores."

"So it's a civil war?" Korra pressed.

Lee laughed out loud. "You really are new here. The Earth Kingdom has been on the brink of a free for all ever since the Hundred Year War, and now that Hou-Ting fell, that's exactly what's happening. Give it a week, and some other power mad colonel or bandit queen will be marching through here."

Korra pouted under her mask. "Guess I've got my work cut out for me," she grumbled before her stomach growled obnoxiously. "Sorry, I haven't eaten since yesterday."

"Well, why don't you come to my place?" Lee offered. "My wife makes the best dumplings in the valley. Seeing as you kept it from burning down, it's the least we can do."

Korra smiled. "Thank you, I'd love that."

Lee wasn't kidding. With a belly full of the freshest, juiciest dumplings she ever had, Korra almost had trouble getting airborne, but she managed to take off into the night sky. She made camp in the mountains, and by sunrise, the glimmering domes of Zaofu came into view, shining in a pristine valley.

...And the domes were closed in broad daylight.

"Look at all those refugees," she murmured, seeing thousands upon thousands of people camped outside. Giant metal panels were being lifted to construct makeshift shelters, and the foundation for another dome was being laid, but even that looked like it wouldn't hold everyone. Cutting edge tanks and airships ran up and down the valley and around the domes, keeping watch.

She swooped down to the entrance of the main dome, but was almost hit by a big metal spike, barely dodging out of the way.

"Hey!" she called out, landing in front of a line of guards, with a mass of refugees just outside. "You almost impaled me!"

"Freeze, airbender!" one of the guards barked. "On the ground!"

"Why? I'm the Avatar," Korra announced, spawning a blue flame in her hand to prove it.

The guards looked at each other, and relaxed their stances after a moment. "Apologies, Avatar."

"What's going on? Why would you kill an airbender on sight?" Korra demanded.

"The Red Lotus are using airbenders as assassins," one guard explained.

"What?" Korra gasped.

"They killed my friend, Ju, just yesterday," another spat. "We shoot them down first, and ask questions later."

"We shouldn't even be here," another guard snapped. "We should be taking the fight to the Red Lotus, like Kuvira wanted!"

"We have orders," the officer in charge insisted. "If Su says we stay, we stay."

"Well maybe we shouldn't follow them," the guard retorted.

"Are you questioning orders?" the officer demanded, walking up.

"Whoa!" Korra called out, raising her hands. "Take it easy! What has gotten into you guys?"

"The Red Lotus, that's what," the guard seethed. "They're killing us from within, while bandits roam the rest of the Earth Kingdom, piling up starving refugees outside. Meanwhile, Su has the most elite army on the planet hidden away in these domes, just watching everything burn from her palace."

Korra groaned, and walked up to the guard. "Look. The Red Lotus want you to fight each other. Do you want to dishonor Ju by doing just that?"

The guard hesitated. "Never."

"Then for spirits sake, keep it together. Can you do that?" Korra pleaded.

After another moment of hesitation, most of the guards nodded, and the tension seemed to ease a little.

Korra let out a breath. "I'll talk to Su, and figure this out. Where is she?"

"In City Hall," a guard informed her. "A big discussion between the leaders of the city is about to start."

"We don't have security protocols for the Avatar," the officer admitted. "But I'm giving you the best pass I'm authorized to give. Zaofu is proud to host you."

All the officers put a fist into a hand and bowed in a Metal Clan salute. Korra mimicked them, and bowed back, smiling under her mask.

It's nice to be respected, or even just acknowledged, Korra thought. It's a small thing... but just a year ago, it felt beyond her reach.

Inside, things didn't look much better. Refugees were packed onto the streets, streaming in and out of shops, with other makeshift stations handing out food and water. The air was thick with desperation, a sharp contrast to the sparkling glass and metal skyscrapers, sleek monorails, and shining streets of the main dome.

Protesters were packed into the government plaza, protesting whatever status quo Su was maintaining, chanting slogans and waving signs about the Red Lotus, the Earth Kingdom, and the refugees. There were even a few Equalist symbols. It all kinda felt like Republic City, Korra mused.

But as Korra strode into City Hall, two guards in the heaviest armor Korra had ever seen held swords out, and readied electrified metal cable spools.

"Halt!" one of them barked, his voice deepened by the sealed helmet. "That looks like a glider staff. And armor isn't allowed in City Hall."

Korra sighed, and spawned a flurry of elements in her hand. "I'm not Red Lotus. I'm the Avatar."

The guards hesitated, and slowly lowered their weapons. "The Avatar, in Zaofu..." one of them remarked. "Apologies. An emergency meeting is in session, and we're on high alert."

"You guys look like walking tanks, and you're still tense. Are things really that bad in the domes?" Korra asked in concern.

"You wouldn't even be the first airbender we've fought today," a guard admitted. "They're everywhere."

"This is worse than Republic City," Korra muttered. "Am I at least allowed to sit in? I won't interrupt."

"Of course," the guard assured her, stepping aside. "We heard your broadcasts from Republic City, Avatar. Honestly, I'd feel better knowing you're inside."

Korra nodded appreciatively, and stepped inside.

"What's going on? Did I miss anything?" Korra whispered to the girl next to her. Korra was sitting in a stand for observers, looking out to a grand, elegant chamber where judges, military officers, and dignitaries sat at a long metal table. Suyin Beifong was just now walking to the head of the table, with a grim expression on her face.

"No, but this should be a spicy meeting," the girl whispered back.

"Really? What's your take on all this?" Korra asked.

The girl lowered her head a little. "Honestly, I'm not the best person to ask, for pretty obvious reasons."

"Why not?" Korra wondered aloud.

"You really don't know who I am? You must be new here," the girl mused. "I'm Anah. Aiwei's daughter... a traitor's daughter. Technically I'm a truth seer, but people here trust me about as far as they can throw me."

Korra turned to get a better look at her. Anah had sharp green eyes, a straight, clean cut black bob, and looked Si Wongi... surely this wasn't Ren's old flame?

Then again, coincidence seems to follow the Avatar around like a shadow.

Before Korra could think of anything to say, a woman in armor stood up from the table. "Enough with the delays, Su. This can't go on forever. Zaofu is dying, and we need to act."

"That's General Kuvira," the girl whispered to Korra.

"We are acting," Su defended herself. "We're defending Zaofu with every resource we have."

"And the world is burning around us," Kuvira argued. "We need to take Ba Sing Se and stabilize the Earth Kingdom, like I've been saying since the day of the coup."

"A Red Lotus agent tried to assassinate me just yesterday," a judge pointed out. "It appears you have your hands full as is, Kuvira."

"I am doing everything in my power to keep this city safe," Kuvira retorted. "But our army does no good massed in the domes. We need to take the fight to the Red Lotus, instead of waiting for them to pick us off one by one."

"I must agree," a military officer added. "We're sitting ducks."

"And what would you suggest?" Su retorted, standing up. "We add to the chaos? Claim our authority like dozens of warlords all over the Earth Kingdom? I will not allow Zaofu to turn into another war machine."

"People respect the Beifong name," a dignitary suggested. "We have a better shot at uniting the Earth Kingdom than anyone else."

"I am not a tyrant like Hou-Ting," Su argued. "I will not use my family's name and power to force others to follow me."

"They need someone to save them, to lead them," Kuvira argued. "Farmland is burning away across the Earth Kingdom. How are we even going to feed the refugees if we don't take action?"

"We can't save everyone," an official argued. "We have to prioritize citizens."

"Citizens?" another judge echoed. "And here I thought Zaofu stood for equality, for the potential in all human beings. Are we no better than Hou-Ting, hoarding resources for the privileged behind walls, and leaving the rest to fend for themselves?"

"We are not Hou-Ting!" Su argued. "I am trying to preserve what we have built here, and protect it from the Red Lotus."

"The protestors outside beg to differ," Kuvira pointed out. "They say you're hiding behind your walls, while their friends and family starve and lose their homes. They're scared, even inside the domes. The unrest will eventually boil over."

"And it will boil over immediately if Zaofu turns into a war machine. Leaders will resign, and we'll be left with nothing," Su pointed out. "We need-"

Su was cut off by a shout from a security officer. "GET DOWN!"

A firebomb exploded, knocking over the table and engulfing a guard brave enough to intercept it himself. Korra could feel the heat from the stands, even through her armor.

The room erupted into chaos, with screams and shouts echoing through the chamber. Everyone stood up, with some running for the door, others in deep bending stances, ripping metal from the floor, frantically searching the room.

Shards of metal, nets, and electrified cable shot towards the tall ceiling of the chamber, all narrowly missing an airbender in a pitch black glider suit, dodging and rolling around the hail of projectiles.

The airbender bounded off a wall and dove back towards the table, firebomb in hand. Suyin looked her right in the eyes as the airbender approached, metal shards floating around her, ready to go down fighting if she had to. But there was someone in the chamber with even colder, harder eyes than Su, tracking the airbender's every twitch like a hawk.

A bolt of lightning erupted from the guest stands, hitting the airbender dead in the chest. The thunderclap reverberated through the metal chamber, and she tumbled to the ground in a smoking heap.

The Avatar lept to the body with a blast of air and fire, startling everyone else in the room. She kicked the corpse face up with her foot, and would have spat on it if she wasn't wearing her faceplate.

"The Avatar, I presume," Kuvira called out, relaxing her stance.

Su pushed the security guard trying to rush her out of the room away. "This is why we need the army here, Kuvira! If it weren't for the Avatar and that brave officer, we could all be dead! We can't afford to pull anything away."

"No, this is why we need to attack," Kuvira argued. "These attacks are not slowing down, even with our best efforts. We have to deprive the Red Lotus of territory to operate in, of chaos to thrive in, or we will never stop them."

"I always appreciate your advice, Kuvira. I listen to everyone in this room," Su started, looking around at those who chose to stay. "But this is my city. And I will not let it burn while the army throws itself against the chaos of the Earth Kingdom!"

Kuvira closed her eyes for a moment and let out a deep breath. "My parents abandoned me when I was a child because they couldn't afford to feed me. I watched my town starve, my friends wither away, under the neglect of the governor. So I cannot sit by and let the same thing happen to the people outside these domes," Kuvira stepped forward. "If that is your final decision, Su, then I will resign. And the bulk of Zaofu's security force will follow me."

Su's face softened. "Kuvira... your family to me. I can't lose you too."

"Then let me lead the army," Kuvira pleaded. "Avatar, surely you see the need for action."

Su hesitated. "I will not be a queen, Kuvira... and I need to protect my family, and my people. I'm sorry, but I cannot give you what you want, whether the Avatar agrees or not."

There was a long silence in the room, with most eyes on the Avatar, waiting for some kind of reaction, something to break the tension as the future of the city hung in the balance.

So after a moment of consideration, Korra went with her usual measured, diplomatic approach.

"You're all idiots," Korra bluntly stated.

"Excuse me!?" Kuvira snapped.

"You heard me," Korra snapped back, walking right up to Kuvira. "What's your plan, Kuvira? Drop into Ba Sing Se from the sky like heroes, storm the palace, and declare yourself the new Earth Queen? Or maybe Su, if you can get her to go along with it?"

"Don't mock me, Avatar," Kuvira growled. "We have every detail planned out. Our army can take Ba Sing Se with absolute certainty, and stabilize the Earth Kingdom in time. And the window of opportunity is closing."

"We?" Korra mocked, moving closer. "Who whispered this plan into your ear? Friends of friends? Officers? Both?"

Kuvira hesitated, and looked away.

"You're being played by the Red Lotus, Kuvira!" Korra accused. "You have moles in your ranks, and this is exactly what they do. They manipulate you, and stoke you into doing something reckless. This may feel like your idea, but they are ten steps ahead of you. And if you barge into Ba Sing Se, you'll be walking right into whatever scheme they have planned for you."

"I can't abandon the Earth Kingdom!" Kuvira argued.

"You shouldn't," Korra agreed, looking away. "And you're even more clueless, Su."

"Care to elaborate?" Su scoffed, scowling and crossing her arms in irritation.

"Look around you," Korra declared, spreading her arms wide. "You're having meetings out in the open. For spirits sake, you live with your family in a giant dome! It might as well be a big bullseye that says 'here's my family, come and get them!'"

"We... we lock it down, and have truth seers interrogate anyone who enters," Su retorted. "What more could we do?"

"Truth seers?" Korra walked closer, eyeing Su's assistant. "Are you a truth seer?"

"Yes," the man admitted.

Korra crossed her arms. "I am a four-hundred foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings," she flatly lied, looking him right in the eyes. "What does your truth seeing say?"

He hesitated. "That you are telling the truth."

Korra turned back to Su, who's face had already paled. "You don't know the first thing about fighting the Red Lotus, Su. You don't understand what they're capable of. Look around one more time," Korra ordered, pausing dramatically. "There are Red Lotus agents in this room, right now. There are probably even some at this table," she pointed out, warily looking back at the leaders. "You can't keep this up."

"I have to!" Su heatedly argued. "I have to protect my family! My city! And if I turn into a dictator, I will lose everything anyway."

"YOU CAN'T PROTECT THEM!" Korra roared. Wind swirled around her, and the ground shook a little.

The Avatar's outburst silenced the room, and her tense stance softened.

"I'm sorry," Korra apologized. "I...I just lost the love of my life to the Red Lotus, because even I couldn't protect him," Korra finally choked out, her voice breaking. "I don't want to be here, yelling at a bunch of stubborn politicians. I'd rather be behind some wall, grieving with those I love, just like you." Korra shook her head, and blinked away a tear. "But we don't have that option, Su. We're leaders, which means the Red Lotus wants us dead. They will burn our worlds down around us if we hide, or if we fight like our instincts tell us to. You have to change, to compromise, and to reach out to others for help, or you will lose everything. And you need to understand why."

Seeing how no one responded, Korra took a breath and continued. "You hear all those protestors out there? All those refugees?" she asked, pointing towards the door. "You think of them as ethical dilemmas, political problems for the city... maybe even as people. But that's not how the Red Lotus sees them. They are tools to use against you, a resource to exploit. All your military might, all your technological prowess, your principles, your personalities... they are just more things to turn against you. Even the assassinations are distractions to manipulate you. They know you, and have your moves mapped out like a big game of Pai Sho... But that's their weakness! The Red Lotus's plans are full of assumptions about how you'll react. If you go off track, if you take pieces back and flip the game board in their faces, they won't know how to respond."

Kuvira picked up on this before the rest of the room. "So the refugees... we need to stabilize them, immediately. Because they'll be stoked and used against us when we least expect it."

"Exactly!" Korra agreed. "They did the same thing in Republic City. I was almost turned against my own home."

"In that case, I can launch a conservative military campaign," Kuvira proposed. "Slowly work our way out from Zaofu's territory, cultivating resources for the residents and refugees. It's... not my typical solution, hence it's something the Red Lotus wouldn't expect."

"And that's how we protect the Beifongs," a military officer realized. "Like the Avatar said, they are obvious targets. So we hide them in the campaign, with officers we can trust."

"I would never force my family into military service," Su quickly countered, before pausing to consider her own gut reaction. "...But I suppose that makes it an appealing solution. There are worse things to endure, and if it meant keeping my family safe..."

"But what about the rest of us in the domes?" a dignitary wondered aloud. "We're still sitting ducks without the military in place."

"As I said, you need help. And that's where I come in," Korra promised. "The Equalist's agents are idle in Republic City, and they want nothing more than to hunt down Red Lotus agents like animals, to settle scores. They'll jump at the chance to come here and help."

"That's a generous offer, Su," Kuvira added. "To be blunt, we are not effective spies when our truth seers fail. And the Equalists are the only fighting force in the world with any real experience engaging the Red Lotus."

"I saw many protesters holding up Equalists signs and using their slogans. A full Equalist campaign would be a productive outlet for their energy," a judge suggested. "I can assist with a recruitment drive..."

As the conversation paused, everyone looked to Su. She glanced at the assassin's body, the wrecked room, deep in thought.

Kuvira walked up, and placed a hand on Su's shoulder. "I know you're scared, Su. I am too. And I'm grieving for Baatar Jr., just like you are. But we can't hide behind the domes, not anymore... The Avatar is right. We have to change if we're going to survive."

"Alright," Su finally agreed. "I'll radio the Equalists with you, Avatar. And Kuvira, as of this moment, I'm giving you unrestricted command of Zaofu's security forces. Please... protect my family, and my city."

"They are my family too. On my life, I will," Kuvira promised.

"Thank you... And I'm sorry things got so heated between us," Su apologized.

"As am I. We were both blinded by our own fears," Kuvira admitted. All the other leaders nodded in agreement.

Korra smiled under her mask. Everyone just needed a little push.

...But the Red Lotus needed a different message, she realized.

Korra put her hands behind her back, and started pacing in front of the remaining leaders, glancing between them and the observers. "I know Red Lotus are in this room, listening to this, already considering their next move. So I'll save you the trouble," she called out. "Join us, like the influence cell did in Republic City. I know there are good people among you who have been wronged, who believe in freedom and liberty like I do. I can connect you to ex-Red Lotus agents who have seen the light, and protect you from the consequences of your past. And I swear, I will try to fix whatever tragedy made you join the Red Lotus. I want to be your allies, not your enemies."

The Avatar stopped in front of the dead body. "But to those zealots who refuse to listen... I know all about you. I know how you operate, and just how cruel your sick obsession has made you. You think you know conviction and strength, just because you'll swallow a suicide pill and utter 'freedom for all' after you kill someone?"

With a grunt, Korra threw two fists forward, and burned the airbender's body down to the bone with a torrent of intense blue fire and a molten steel floor. The faces in the room turned from hopeful to horrified as the smell of burning flesh filled the chamber.

The flames finally stopped, leaving a blackened skeleton behind. "You know nothing. But when we find you, you'll see real strength. And I'll show you the same conviction my friend showed Zaheer when he wiped your leader's entire cell off the face of the Earth."

The entire room was shocked into silence, but Kuvira smirked just a bit.

The domes and guards shielded these civilians from the realities of terrorism, and the Avatar was the ice-cold bucket of water they all needed, Kuvira thought.

But it wasn't just for show. The Avatar was looking around, checking the faces of every observer, searching for even the slightest oddity in their expressions. Kuvira herself saw a hint of anger in a dignitary's eyes... she would have to question him later.

Kuvira liked this Avatar already.

"So what do y'all think?" Korra asked. She was in Kuvira's secure radio room, seated in front of a wall of blinking dials and gadgets, speaking to Zenjin and Jia over the air. "If this was your cell here in Zaofu, how would y'all react to all this?"

"Well I know you, so I'd be utterly terrified," Jia joked.

"Seriously though, their reaction will depend on the personality of the cell leaders," Zenjin figured. "We would hunker down. Colder agents would press on with caution, while a more zealous cell would probably accelerate their plans. I'm not sure what they think of you or the Equalists, but you were smart to drop Zaheer's name."

"Right," Jia agreed. "Even now, protocol dictates they didn't know Zaheer was killed, assuming the Red Lotus figured it out at all. Zaheer set up both the Republic City cells, and presumably the Air Temple Island cell... If the Zaofu cells know him too, then that would make them feel isolated and vulnerable."

"What about the airbenders?" Korra wondered. "Where are they coming from?"

Jia sighed over the radio. "I was blindfolded before I got my airbending. Then I felt was a touch on my forehead and chest, and then a warmth through my whole body. I could feel the presence of a powerful spirit, too. It had a really deep voice, and said that airbending was a precious gift, that it was part of my Air Nomad heritage, and that I would offend the spirits if I told anyone... but screw that," she spat. "If they're just handing it out to assassins, there's nothing honorable about the gift. I feel like I was manipulated."

"Great. Now spirits are mixed up in this too," Korra groaned. "Just what I need."

"Relax," Jia assured her. "Those Zaofu cells are toast, they just don't know it yet."

"I guess," Korra agreed, pausing for a second. "How are you guys doing, anyway?"

"Our late friend was right. Now that they're gone, I miss the family I estranged, even with everything they did," Zenjin admitted. "But I'm trying to focus on the future, and who I have now. My brother is too."

Korra could hear Jia peck Zenjin on the cheek. "We're OK, don't worry about us. What about you?"

"Just trying not to think about it, and staying busy," Korra confessed. "Any suggestions?"

"Take advantage of the calm before the storm. Instead of spooking the cells, poke around quietly, and see if you can catch the Red Lotus prepping for the Equalist's arrival. The pressure might make them sloppy and desperate," Zenjin advised. "And above all else... please, tell me you will take some time to process."

"Maybe some," Korra weakly agreed. "It's still so fresh... But I'll try."

"Good," Jia encouraged. "And be careful, for us."

"Yeah," Korra agreed. "You too."

"You know us. We're always careful," Zenjin said.

After getting the general lay of the land, Korra found herself in the middle of a refugee camp outside the domes, wading through throngs of humanity with her armor and glider staff folded up in her backpack. For the moment, it was a relief to just be Korra, not the Avatar.

"Everything alright?" she asked, walking up to two parents herding a mass of kids. "Is Zaofu treating you well?"

"Oh, yes," the mother assured her. "This isn't our first stop, but it's the best by far."

"I dunno about that," a particularly precocious kid piped. "Do we have to go to school here?"

"Yes," his father answered firmly. "It's not up for debate."

"Awwww!" the kids groaned.

Korra smiled. The families she talked to were all OK, even with the gangs that popped up among the refugees. And Zaofu's security forces were focusing on them now. If the Red Lotus were messing with the refugees, they were hiding it well.

As Korra poked around, she spotted a familiar face hugging the edge of the valley. Instead of wearing metal trimmed robes and gauntlets common among Zaofu citizens, Anah was dressed in a simple green shirt, torn pants, and a hood that made her look like a refugee herself.

Korra narrowed her eyes, and shadowed Anah, careful to act like a refugee herself and keep her distance, lest Anah pick her up with seismic sense. She seemed stiff and tense, bumping into people as she walked, and looking around nervously.

Anah eventually ducked into a long, unfinished metal shelter at the far edge of the camp. Korra gingerly walked up to it leaned against the wall, and recalled an old metalbending trick she had picked up out of desperation.

Korra was nineteen, still in the South Pole training compound, and she felt like her life was leaving her body. Between an excruciating lava burn, an accidental sword stab, and the excoriations from her masters, tears simply wouldn't stop streaming down her face.

"Concentrate!" Xai Bau snapped.

Korra was too drained to even flinch. "I almost died, and I'm supposed to meditate?" she sobbed.

"You're the Avatar," Xai Bau reminded her. "You must learn to control your emotions, not cry like a child every time you make a mistake."

Korra didn't say anything. What could she say?

"Are you listening to me!?" Xai Bau demanded.

Korra snapped to her feet and balled her fists as pain shot through her body, glaring at him, shaking... then she just walked away.

It's all she could manage without giving him the satisfaction of seeing her break down.

Korra slammed the door to her quarters shut and collapsed into Naga's fur, crying uncontrollably. Her body was in agony, but her mind was far worse. She had been yelled at all day, yet she had never felt more alone, or more worthless.

"It's OK Naga," she whimpered, "This is rock bottom. It's only going to get better... right? I can't take another day like this..."

Eventually, Korra sat up, wiped her nose, and placed her ear against the metal wall of her room. She took a deep breath to steady herself and closed her eyes, gently rubbing the metal as she tuned into the vibrations. Sometimes she liked to listen to whoever was out there, just to feel a little less alone.

A few rooms over, Korra could hear two voices talking. Everything was distorted through the metal, but she recognized the inflection of Xai Bau.

Great, just the person she wanted to hear. But she listened anyway.

"...That was a close call. How is she even standing after all that?" the unknown voice asked.

"She's stubborn," Xai Bau admitted. "More than we ever thought possible."

"Should we give her a break? Or give up?" the other voice wondered aloud.

"No," Xai Bau insisted. "In fact, I believe she is finally on the brink. We ratchet up the intensity, and offer her a choice. Train on the islands in true seclusion, or keep failing here. Knowing her, the choice will be obvious..."

Korra's heart sank as she pulled away from the wall. "It's going to get worse," she whispered.

At that moment, Korra finally realized there was only one path forward.

"Screw everything," she muttered. She felt her willpower come back as plans for a silent escape already started forming in her head.

Korra found herself back in the present, pressing an ear against the wall of the shelter, eyes closed. She rubbed a bare hand against the metal, and listened to the voices deep inside.

"What do you want, Anah? This is not a family reunion," a man's voice called out. "Did your father tell you about us?"

"I remember things from when I was younger... I picked up more than he realized," Anah replied.

"Wonderful. Well, I'm leaving," the man insisted. "Don't contact me again."

"Wait, I have information!" Anah pleaded.

"No one in this city trusts you. You are useless to us," the man argued.

"I have intel on the Equalists," she revealed, dropping something on the ground. "And I still keep my eyes and ears open. I know how to get more information about the leadership... and about the Avatar."

The man paused. "What do you know of her?"

"I've spoken to her, and I know where to look," Anah promised. "I can help you."

"Why would you help us?" the man asked. "I think you're just some privileged girl who wants to mimic her dad and play spy."

"Because everyone hates me," Anah admitted. "I'm despised for my blood, all but exiled from my own home, and now I see how all these refugees feel... we're second class citizens," she argued. "Dad was right. Zaofu is barely better than Hou-Ting, and it needs to change."

There was another long pause. "This is good info on the Equalists. To be clear, we don't trust you either... but if you have anything else, bring it tonight. Maybe we can work together."

"Thank you," Anah breathed.

Korra felt the earth shake with her seismic sense, and the man disappeared down a long series of tunnels into the mountain. No point in following him when he could just collapse the tunnel... but they would be back.

Anah took a long breath as she stood at the door of the unfinished shelter. Zaofu was beautiful this time of year, with flowers following the retreating snowpack up the mountains, the setting sun shining in clear skies, and crisp and cool air. The sea of refugees walking by just made it feel more alive.

After enjoying it for a long moment, she steeled herself, took one last check with her seismic sense, and walked to the side of the building, where a Water Tribe woman with a complexion almost as dark as Anah's was leaning against a wall in the gap between shelters, reading a book.

She wore a loose shirt and pants, her bob was messy and unkempt, and her arms and fingernails were dirty. She looked like any other refugee... It was hard to believe this was really her. "Uh, hey," Anah awkwardly greeted.

The girl put the book down. She had big, round blue eyes, a small nose, and a little pout that gave her an innocent, almost childlike appearance, nothing like what Anah imagined. "Hey. What's up?" she greeted back.

Anah sighed, and leaned against the opposite wall. "I know who you are."

"Uh, you've got me mixed up with someone else," the girl stated, with a confused expression. "I don't think I know you, but I can help if you're lost."

Anah concentrated, sensing her vitals, watching her body...

By the spirits, she was a good liar. It felt like she was telling the truth.

"I recognize your vitals from City Hall, and I can feel the armor in your backpack. You're the Avatar," Anah accused. "And you're following me."

The girl's expression immediately hardened into a fierce glare, and she shoved Anah into the opposite wall, in the shadows and out of sight of the street. "And you're a Red Lotus agent, just like your dad. I heard everything."

"I'm trying to trick them," Anah defended herself. "I'm trying to help you!"

"Yeah, right," Korra scoffed.

"Look, you don't have to trust me," Anah pleaded. "No one trusts me... I'm used to it by now. But can we talk without you shoving me around?"

Korra hesitated, and let go. "Try anything, and you'll regret it."

"I'm not a terrorist," Anah protested, rubbing her forehead. "Honestly, I'm way out of my depth here, and scared out of my skull. Can we talk somewhere private?"

Korra eyed her suspiciously. "Like where?"

Korra set cross-legged near a mountain peak, in front of a bubbling spring that cascaded down the mountain.

"Most people visit the taller peaks, but this one is my favorite," Anah explained. "And this time of year, the sun sets right between those two peaks, reflecting off the domes."

The scene took Korra's breath away. The sky was a mix of pinks, purples, and blues, with the domes reflecting the colors back. And the sun was about to touch the horizon, casting a warm glow across the valley.

"OK, maybe this isn't so bad," Korra admitted, turning to Anah. "So that was really your plan? Get as far as you can into the Red Lotus, using your dad as a stepping stone, and then betray them?"

Anah nodded.

"They'd kill your family," Korra pointed out.

"I don't have any real family left," Anah admitted. "My mom died when I was a teenager, and I ran away from Aiwei a bit later."

"You didn't know he was a Red Lotus agent?" Korra asked with suspicion.

"I knew he was hiding something. It made him cold, and drove us apart," Anah confessed. "I never imagined he was a terrorist, but I guess I was blinded by love." Anah looked back to the sunset. "Truth seeing takes years to pick up, but I was already pretty good as a teenager... and I can't describe how messed up that was. Living with a father who would barely speak to me, because he knew I could catch him in a lie..."

"That must have been horrible," Korra sympathized.

"I escaped to Republic City, and tried to make a life there, but dad's nonsense just dragged me back here," Anah continued. "I wish I knew if he was dead or alive, out there waiting to mess up my life again."

Korra swallowed hard. "I don't know for sure. But Zaheer helped him escape... and trust me, if he was still with Zaheer, then he's definitely dead."

Anah's face fell. "I'm not sure whether to be relieved or sad."

"Speaking from experience, maybe you should feel both," Korra suggested.

Anah smiled sadly. "I guess that makes sense..." She trailed off, and turned to eye Korra.

"What, are you truth seeing me or something?" Korra joked.

"No, but I can tell you're unsettled, and not just because of me," Anah observed.

"Unsettled how?" Korra asked.

"You're a freakishly good liar, but I pay attention to things. It's my curse," Anah admitted. "And I can tell you're not OK... who was that person you lost? The 'love of your life'?"

Korra sighed. "I'm happy to listen, but I'm not your friend, Anah," Korra warned. "I don't trust you."

"Right. I guess you shouldn't," Anah admitted, averting her gaze. "Can I at least get a name to call you by?"

Korra turned to Anah with a grave expression. "You don't understand how important my anonymity is to me. With that mask, I am the Avatar, and without it, I can live as a human being. If my name, or even my face gets out, it'll be plastered everywhere in days, and all my friends will be targets... So Anah, please, don't even tell anyone what I look like... Maybe ou're right. I'm hanging by a thread, and I'll go mad if I have to deal with going public right now."

Anah nodded. "I won't tell anyone. I swear on my mother's grave."

Korra nodded back, and smiled the tiniest bit.

"But how has it not gotten out already? Don't the White Lotus know?" Anah wondered.

"I don't know. I try not to jinx it," Korra admitted. "The Red Lotus know too."

"Ha, I bet they think it would make you more popular," Anah mused.

"Yeah, that's what my friend said. You know, 'cuz I'm so warm and cuddly," Korra joked.

Anah laughed. "I mean, you kind of are when you aren't threatening to burn people alive. I was there in Republic City. I even joined the Equalists for a hot minute because of you..."

"You? An Equalist?" Korra echoed.

"Yep! It's how I got the intel on them," Anah admitted. "...You know, most of what I told that agent is true. I'm part of the Zaofu elite. I inherited my father's skills and estate, lived among the rich. But I feel like a second class citizen, an outcast in my own home."

"Good lies are based on truth," Korra agreed. "And I get feeling like an outcast when you shouldn't... I'm sorry, Anah. About all this."

"Thanks," Anah said quietly. "And whatever happened to you... I'm sorry too."

There was a long silence as they watched the sun finally set behind the mountains.

If Ren was here, he would give Anah a shot, Korra thought.

"Alright," Korra decided. "Anah, if you insist on going through with this, and you want to stay alive, here's what we need to do..."

"This is my contact, Ria," Anah introduced, smoothly fibbing Korra's name. They were back in the unfinished shelter, standing in front of the Red Lotus agent. "She-"

"You were supposed to come alone," the agent interrupted.

"I know, but she has information on the Equalists," Anah argued.

"I don't look it, but I'm a metalbending engineer from Republic City, and an Equalist," Korra stated... all technically true, she mused.

"Then why in spirits are you here?" the agent demanded. "Why shouldn't I just leave right now? You sure smell like a mole."

"Because I'm sick of the Equalists," Korra lied. "They're a bunch of goodie two shoes with no spine. They don't have the stomach to fight for freedom, especially without the Avatar... and I even had a little contact with the Avatar myself."

"Really?" the agent asked skeptically. But his eyes lit up. "What did she say?"

"Saya, P'Li, Ghazan-" Korra started.

"Where did you hear those names?" the agent interrupted.

"From the Avatar herself," Korra stated. "But I'm not just going to sit here and spill secrets. We want in."

The masked man looked between the two women, studying them.

"Don't tell me the Avatar doesn't have you rattled," Korra taunted. "And I hear the airships are already on their way. You need us."

"You two really want to liberate Zaofu?" the agent asked.

"Yes," Anah insisted. "I know how deep the rot goes, and Ria knows how much worse it could get. We need to do something before it's too late."

"...Fine," the agent relented. "You're right. We're stretched thin, but we're not stupid. I'll start you off with a small group..."

"No names, no nonsense," the agent reiterated to his masked agents and new recruits. "So you say you're an engineer. What do you think of these schematics?"

Korra eyed the plans for a moment. "These are massive motors, with a lot of reduction in the gearboxes... wait, are they for the dome petals?"

"Good eye," the agent complimented. "We're going to open the domes and flood the city with refugees."

"How?" another recruit asked.

"Need to know. All you need to do is show us how to open a petal, and then sabotage the motors," the agent ordered.

"That's... actually a smart plan," Anah admitted. "It would overwhelm the city, and set off a panic."

"Exactly," a feminine voice behind everyone cooed, her voice echoing off the cave walls. They all turned to see a masked woman in a full black jumpsuit walking up to the table. "Are these our new recruits?"

"Boss, what brings you here?" the agent asked.

"Double-checking your work," she smoothly answered. "We can't afford any slip ups, not with the Equalists coming." She turned to Korra. "Tell me, where did you pick up your engineering skills?"

"I've been working with Future Industries for some time," Korra stated. "And I had a friend who showed me the ropes."

"And are you really committed to our cause?" the woman asked.

"I am," Korra lied. "I've seen the oppression in Republic City first hand, and I see the same thing here in Zaofu."

She rubbed her chin. "Alright, carry on."

Korra was feeling antsy. She turned back to glance at the designs, pondering whether to just smack everyone down right now, tracking them with her seismic sense. Even a single leader would be a good catch...

...And then she felt a little prick on her neck. Her whole body went numb, and she collapsed to the ground.

"What... what did you do to my contact?" Anah exclaimed.

"Shirshu toxin," the leader revealed, swirling some darts in her hand. "I didn't like her answers."

"Why? I'm a truth seer, I know she wasn't lying," Anah protested.

"That's just it," the leader explained. "She was too perfect, almost like a master liar. I'm not saying she's an Equalist spy... but I'd like to question her further."

"Are you calling me a liar too?" Anah challenged.

She patted Anah's shoulder. "No dear, I can tell you're just like your father. An impeccable seer, and a poor liar with an aversion to violence. Relax, I'm just being cautious."

Anah desperately tried to slow her racing heart. She had never been so scared in her life... so for the moment, she drifted back to an old memory.

"Great job sweetie!" mom praised. "You're getting better at bending metal."

Anah giggled as she bent the end table into a pretzel. "This is so much fun."

"That's because metalbending is a part of who you are, just like sandbending was years ago. Never forget that." Mom kissed her on the cheek, and smiled warmly. "I have to meet Baatar, as usual. But I think you're old enough to trust with the house. Do you think you can handle being home alone?"

"Of course!" Anah assured her. "I *promise* I won't sneak past the guards like before."

Mom laughed. "I'll hold you to that. I love you, Anah."

And so Anah found herself alone, and relished it. She loved Opal and all her other friends, but... Zaofu's social scene was exhausting. She was a freaking kid, and there were already other kids trying to use her as a stepping stool to power. Even her guards or babysitters were shameless. They all thought she was a fool, but Anah could see right through them, truth seeing or not.

One night, she felt something strange behind the bookshelf, and pulled it with her bending. It was a secret door, leading down to a long series of tunnels. Exploring them, and using her seismic sense to hide from the people who used them, became her secret hobby. And she figured it was just some part of dad's work with Su... not that he would ever tell her about it.

But one day, when Anah came back, she could feel her dad standing at the entrance to the tunnel. He must have been home early, and there was no getting around him.

"What are these tunnels, dad?" Anah asked innocently.

Aiwei sighed. "I forbid you from going down here. These are off limits, unless your life is in danger."

"But why?" Anah pressed.

Aiwei opened his mouth, but hesitated. "Because I say so."

"You say that about everything now," Anah complained. "Is there something wrong? Why can't you answer simple things I ask?"

Aiwei's face weakened. He simply turned away like he always does, and walked back to the house.

"Dad!" Anah cried, chasing after him. "I love you," she whimpered, hugging his waist. "Do you even love me anymore?"

Aiwei closed his eyes, and hugged his daughter back. "Of course. I love you, Anah, more than words can describe."

"Then why are you afraid of me?" Anah asked.

"Anah," Aiwei started, looking into her eyes and holding her shoulders. "I'm not afraid of you."

"But you're afraid of having to lie to me," Anah pointed out.

"I'm sorry Anah, there are simply some matters I cannot discuss, not even with you or your mother," he honestly admitted. "And this is the last time we will discuss such things..."

"How did mom die?" Anah asked.

"You saw the reports," Aiwei reminded her. "They stated she-"

"I don't want a medical report," Anah argued. "You were there, dad. What happened? What were her last words? What was the look on her face, in her eyes?"

"She... she fell ill, and slowly faded away," Aiwei quietly stated.

Anah moved closer, and held her dad's hands. "What did she say?"

Aiwei couldn't look away from his daughter's eyes. "She loved you, Anah."

Anah started to tear up. "Dad... you're lying. Deflecting. Why would you ever lie about what happened to mom?"

Aiwei withdrew his hands, and turned away.

"Did you love her?" Anah demanded.

"I loved her. More than words can describe," Aiwei truthfully admitted, blinking away tears as he left the room.

Anah stood there, stunned, shedding tears of her own. She felt like she didn't even know her own father, like she was living with a total stranger she loved to death.

Her heart felt like it was turned inside out.

Anah shed a few tears, not just for the past, but for the present. She was shaking in her boots as she flopped the Avatar onto a metal plate, and then dragged it along with bending. She seemed totally paralyzed, looking around with wide eyes.

Anah froze, and clung to a shadow as a Red Lotus agent passed by in a tunnel intersection. She didn't have time to bury both of them like she usually could with herself.

He almost passed by... but spotted them out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Uh, just moving the suspect," Anah lied.

The agent looked at the Avatar, then back at Anah, and dropped to an earthbending stance, levitating a mass of rock above his head. "I'll ask one more time. What are you doing?"