Kuvira didn't even look at me as she snatched the bread loaf up with long, dirty, crusted fingernails. She scuttled backwards on her knees, almost like a...like a rabid poodle-monkey. The way she nibbled that bread...

What in Raava's name did they do to you?

"Jaro," Rohan started softly, his hand still on my shoulder.

"What..." I couldn't get myself to talk, not unlike Kuvira. I wasn't even sure if I was breathing. "What..." I shook my head, forcing the words out of my throat. "What did they do to her?"

"Nothing," Rohan said sadly, shaking his head. "That's the problem. When she surrendered after her attack on Republic City, the world leaders agreed to just throw her in here. No fair trial, nothing. Solitary confinement for life."

I could only stare at her as she impetuously chewed on her bread.

"They didn't give her a chance," Rohan sighed. "They didn't give her anything. They just left her in here to rot, away from the world and the people she hurt."

"But," I whispered, "she was sorry..."

"The world didn't care. All they saw was a dictator, a woman manipulating her nation for her own gain."

"She was trying to help her nation..."

"It seemed that way until she unjustly conquered Zaofu, twisted spirit energy into a super weapon, then used that weapon to obliterate Republic City."

"But...but—"

"I know, Jaro," Rohan said as he gently shook my shoulder, "I know. She was sorry. She regretted everything she did. If there were any sort of community-service projects for her, she would've taken them without a second thought. She even tried apologizing to Suyin, but she just threw her away like she was nothing."

Suyin? Suyin? How did Suyin Beifong, the woman who founded Zaofu on the personal belief of second chances, throw away her own adopted daughter?

She threw her away just like her parents did...

Did Suyin ever come to see her? Once, at least, before she died? Did she even feel regretful for feeding the horrible transformation that Kuvira went through?

"Five minutes," one of the guards called to us. I barely heard him.

"Korra was the only thing keeping her sane," Rohan said. "She visited her every week. She made an Avatar promise to stay with her, to not abandon her like everyone else did."

"I know," I whispered.

"But..." Rohan shook his head. "After Korra died, it...Kuvira must've just—"

Kuvira snatched up the apple, instantly biting into it. The mostly-eaten bread crust fell from her mouth.

My fingers dug into the rock bridge. I found myself grinding my teeth.

"I warned you, Jaro," Rohan said regretfully. "I warned you. I didn't want you to see this. There's...there's nothing for you here. I'm sorry. We need to go."

"But...she..." I shook my head. "I...I..."

The apple slipped out of Kuvira's hands. She started eating it off of the floor of her cage.

I snapped.

"How can you do this?!" I yelled at the guards, whirling around onto my feet.

They looked at me, then at each other. "What?" one of them asked.

"Why?!" I demanded. "Why are you doing this to her?!"

One of them blinked. "What do you mean?" he asked flatly.

"Shut up!" I screamed as I walked towards them. "You know exactly what I mean! How are you okay with this?! Making her suffer! Locking her up for life like she's...like she's...an ANIMAL!"

"Whoa!" the other guard laughed. "Take it easy, kid! You don't need to start crying on us!"

I stopped. I didn't realize I was crying until I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks.

"Jaro," I heard Rohan say from behind.

"She's sorry!" I screamed through tears. "She's sorry for what she did! She doesn't deserve this!"

"Yeah she does," the first guard said. "She made her choice. She killed a bunch of people, so now she's paying for what she did. Even if it means for life."

"How about I lock you in a cage for the rest of your life?!"

"Jaro!" Rohan hissed.

The guards looked at each other and laughed. They laughed at me. How did they not understand?

"Okay, kid," one of them chuckled, wiping his eye. "Alright, just relax for a sec. Maybe you don't know how the justice system works..."

My jaw trembled. I clenched my fists. Tears kept burning in my eyes.

The cage door started burning too after I shot it with fire.

"Jaro!" Rohan yelled.

"What?!" one of the guards yelled. "H-Hey! Kid! What're you doing?!"

I stepped over the smoldering wood and into the cage, ignoring them.

"He's trying to free the prisoner!" one of the guards yelled as they ran towards me, hoping the few at the top of the elevator shaft would hear him. "He's trying to free Kuvira!"

Kuvira looked up from her apple at me as I walked in, the cage swinging gently with momentum. It was only then as I adjusted my footing that I realized she had to live in this thing. She scrambled away from me in fear, all the way to the other side of the cage, which wasn't very far. She cowered in the corner, turned away from me, clutching the wooden bars.

"Kuvira," I said gently, slowly kneeling down next to her, "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help you. I'm getting you out of here. You aren't going to suffer anymore. I need your help. I want you to speak with Korra."

"K..." Sudden muffles from behind Kuvira's arm. "K...K-K..."

She slowly started looking up, her faded emerald eyes now wide with memory. She knew that name. A name she hadn't heard in years. "K...K-Kor..." Her voice. It was raspy, but also warm, in a way.

She finally looked me in the eye, her brow creased in desperation. "K-K-Kor...K...Korra?"

"Yes," I said, smiling, tears burning for a different reason now. "Korra. I know her. She misses you. She wants to see you again." I held out my hand. "Please, I want to help you."

Kuvira's eyes went from mine to my hand. She was still there. She hadn't lost herself completely. She shakily took my hand, the faintest of smiles appearing on her paled face.

"Let's get you out of here," I said, gingerly wrapping my arm around her to help her up. I grimaced as my hand touched her side. I could've sworn I had felt her ribs. The guards feeding her next to nothing was to blame for that.

We took a step, and she crumpled to the floor, unable to stand.

"Kid!" one of the guards yelled. "Get out of that cage right now, or you're going to end up in one just like it!"

I shut out his words, focusing only on Kuvira.

"Jaro, please!" Rohan yelled desperately, still kneeling. "What are you doing?!"

I stopped. I looked from Kuvira to him.

"You don't always think things through..."

No.

"Rohan," I said firmly, "stop being scared for once in your life. You have no reason to be. You need to learn to do what's right. Forget what everyone else says."

Rohan's hand slowly fell. Something replaced the fear in his eyes. I hoped he understood that one. I really did.

"That's it!" the guard yelled. "You're under arrest, kid! Get out of there!"

Rohan stared at me, pleading in silence.

I stared back at him. He didn't get it now, but he would soon.

I helped Kuvira back up, and dragged her out of the last of the cage.

"You brought this on yourself!" one of the guards yelled, jumping and kicking a wave of fire at me.

I gently dropped Kuvira next to Rohan. I leapt and kicked through the flame, deflecting it.

"No!" the guard yelled. "Get him!"

The other guard stomped, pulling a large rock out from the bridge. He spun and kicked it at my head.

It only hit my palm, crumbling into pebbles and dust.

The guards froze. One of them blinked. "W-What just...?"

I back-flipped, kicking a wave of air into them. They flew all the way back and slammed against the wall next to the elevator, groaning and disoriented. I landed on my feet, poised.

"As the Avatar," I called to them, "it's my duty to keep balance in all four nations, to bring peace to all people, even prisoners. And I'm breaking this one out, whether you like it or not."