Steam billows in thick silver clouds. The crowd bursts in a sudden explosion of cries and stomping feet. Fabric collides, bones smack and a glorious haze spreads above the revolution. It's just the catalyst Amon needs, and part of her knows that. Passion fuels revolutions. Fear sparks change and movement. But the Equalists are not her main concern. If she were a better Avatar, maybe they would be. They probably should be. But all she can think about is Bolin.

Bolin. Bolin. Bolin. His image pounds through her skull.

And of course, Mako. The name makes her chest ache. A warm fire burns in her belly. This is as much for him as it is for Bolin -this rescue mission is for Bo's safety and Mako's sanity. She hasn't known either of them long but she already feels fiercely protective over both. So fiercely that her blood burns in her veins as she tears through the crowd, keeping her scarf pulled up at the bridge of her nose.

The stage is empty. Or as empty as she can tell. The steam is so thick it makes her eyes water. She can only hope Mako managed to grab his brother in the chaos. The crowd has cleared substantially, she weaves through the last clusters of frantic bodies and ducks her head. If anyone recognizes her there's no chance of her getting out unscathed. Fists clenches at her sides, she shoves her way through the last remnants of the gathering and breaks out in the back alleyway.

She pulls the cool air into her lungs in a short gasp. Her eyes clear and she rips her scarf away from her face.

"Phew," she blows a relived sigh and slumps against the door that closed behind her.

It's then she lifts her eyes to the alleyway and notices the group of five or so Equalists standing in a half-moon around her fallen friends. Korra blinks once.

"Oh."

Mako groans from the ground and props himself up on an elbow. The movement disrupts the silence just long enough for one of the Equalists to spin a kick at his head. The fight plays out like water moving through a stream after that. Korra darts left, right, writhing out of the way of the skilled fists. Mako's foot extends a burst of fire that sweeps in an orange haze against the backdrop of Republic City's dark sky. Bolin rouses himself shortly after with a whine of protest. It doesn't take him long to dance his way into the fight. He and his brother go back to back, elements colliding in a powerful haze.

Korra moves with them. The Fire Ferrets are as in sync out of the arena as they are in. The Equalists, for their technicality, are no match for them. In a matter of minutes, one of them yells.

"To the rooftops!"

Bolin gives a hearty gust of laughter and tilts his head up to watch them flee.

"Oh no you don't!" Korra hisses.

She's pissed. There's no way she's letting them get off easy tonight. Neither is Mako. He follows her up the brick side of the building. Bolin grunts and follows after him too. The three of them take to the skyline of Republic City. The scuffle of footsteps clatters over the quiet streets. Her breath puffs in her lungs. Each footfall prompts an exhale. There's water in the gutters. Pooling in the streets.

Mid-stride, her arm sails left and a swirl of water lashes out. It catches one of the Equalist's feet. The lithe body slips left with the contact, his footing undone.

"Nice one, Korra!" Bolin shouts.

She can hear Mako breathing beside her. They stop short as the watch the dark shadow of the Equalist slide down the side of the roof. There's a dumpster pressed up against the dead end. The slip proves to be potentially life threatening in half a second as the Equalist slams into the metal edge of the dumpster on his side. The helmet flies off and a rush of shock white hair unfurls. The impact flips him over onto his back and he lands in the alley in a cloud of dust with a sharp sound of pain that sounds distinctively feminine. The others don't even look back. They disappear into the shadows with swift feet as the trio of Fire Ferrets stare rather incredulously at the body below them.

"Oh," Korra mutters for the second time at night.

Her body is so rigid she flinches at Mako's movement. Level-headed as always, he swoops down first to the alleyway to assess the damage. Bolin follows and Korra finally snaps back to reality. She hooks a hand on the edge of a banister and lowers herself. Once her feet touch the ground she sucks in a breath. Below her lies a girl. She looks about her age, maybe even a year younger. Her skin is dark olive but her hair is a luminescent white. Her eyes are blue and they blink like a machine on overload, darting back and forth as her mouth gapes open for breath that won't come.

Korra rips her eyes away from convulsing figure as Mako kneels beside her. Bolin starts to panic.

"We weren't supposed to kill anyone!" he cries, his eyes as big as emerald plates.

"She's not dying," Mako snaps, "She's got the wind knocked out of her."

Korra visibly relaxes. Mako reaches forward and puts a hand on the girl's shoulder. Her chest heaves and her body quakes as she tries to get a breath in. There's a guttural sound, like she's pulling chain out of her lungs, and then she coughs. The air seems to rush back to her in that moment and she arches her back with a greedy inhale.

"Oh -good," Bolin says a little sheepishly.

Mako stares down at the girl sternly, "Relax, we're not going to hurt you."

Korra crosses her arms, "We aren't?"

"Don't you think you've done enough?" the girl coughs, surprising the group. Her hand goes to her side and she grits her teeth as she works herself into the sitting position. Mako backs away when she glares at him.

"Us?" Korra barks, "You're the ones taking away people's bending!"

The girl clenches her teeth.

"We fight for the same cause, Avatar."

Bolin snorts, "Oh really?"

The girl shoots him a look, "Really."

"Then why were you and your friends trying to take us out back there?" Mako asks accusingly.

A vein at the top of the girls hand sticks out as she tightens her grip on her ribs. A bead of sweat follows the line of her temple. A breeze blows wisps of white hair against her hot skin where they stick.

"Those aren't my friends," she hisses, "And I didn't lay a hand on any of you during that fight."

"We want answers -now," Mako murmurs.

Korra's brow knits as she stares at the girl. Her adrenalin is still throbbing. She wants to hit something. And as time goes on it seems like there's less and less of a chance that she's going to be able to hit her. It makes her antsy. She uncrosses her arms and her fists clench and unclench at her sides. A beat of silence passes and the girl finally speaks.

"My name is Hana," she murmurs. Her hand unleashes her side and sweeps out. A sweet, curling stream of water lifts and then hurls itself into the opposing wall beside Bolin. The youngest brother gives a yelp of surprise and lifts his leg to dodge the wet artillery.

"You're a water bender," Korra raises her eyebrows.

Hana nods, "I'm part of an underground movement comprised of a few benders who have managed to infiltrate the Equalist ranks."

"So you're undercover?" Bolin pipes up.

She nods.

"To what end?" Mako asks.

Korra can tell he is still on edge too. His shoulders tense, neck tight, his eyes in narrow slits.

"To stop this unrest before it generates something so powerful that neither side will have a hand in bringing it to an end," Hana says.

Her words are left to echo in the dark alleyway. The cool end of the rainstorm sends shivers up Korra's spine. She watches the white-haired girl with her sharp chin and elegant eyes and feels the chill work its way from her toes to the crown of her head. There is truth in the echo. And truth in her icy eyes.

Truth enough to make the Avatar's knees shake and to make the breeze in Republic City just a little bit colder.

Thanks for reading!

Feedback is as always much appreciated~