All were blessed with a quick return to sleep, and the joint dream. It was just the four of them alone in utter blackness and surrounded by fog.

The conversation started right where it ended, "We are most grateful Pabu and Na-! Wait! Those are the names of our spirit animals? What is going on here?"

For a few moments, they all stood and stared at each other. The look of realization sunk into Korra and and Mako that this handsome couple was no doubt their animals transformed to human form - Pabu's red hair and his multiply shaded red, black, and white clothing and Naga's striking white hair and water tribe clothes that were so much like her real life chest harness. Mako and Korra's eyes grew wide. Pabu took Naga's hand, and smiled at them. Then they all laughed and group hugged as affectionately as they could. Everyone talked at once.

"How is this even possible? Why did this miracle happen?" asked an astonished Korra.

Naga said with damp eyes, "We don't know. But isn't it wonderful? All these years of being friends, and today I can actually talk to you. There is so much to say."

They hugged again. Then, Pabu and Naga kissed right in front of Mako and Korra.

Korra joked, "As long as you don't slurp each other, I'm just fine with this!"

Naga snickered, "You can't believe how much we resisted doing that just to mess with you!" Pabu just rolled his eyes.

Mako continued laughing and admired the young pair, "You guys are perfect together!"

They snuggled tighter with the praise and approval of their humans, "I think we can fight the Equalists better as humans. Maybe this is why we've been changed."

Mako checked out the fog, which was dissipating, "Uh, guys. I'm not so sure we're even in Republic City anymore."

They looked around, and saw they were surrounded by hundreds of tents, and campfires on a huge open plain. Royal banners of the Earth Kingdom and its city-states were everywhere. One tent appeared larger than another, and had an Earth Kingdom Banner, and a White Lotus pennant.

Korra pointed and announced, "We go over there! Whoever is there will know."

They approached the guards, who wore ancient Earth Kingdom leather armor and helmets, and had ten foot lances at the ready. Korra spoke a little shakily and signed them, "We are here to serve the Order of the White Lotus."

The oldest sentry gave them intense scrutiny, "Really? I don't recall ever seeing any of you before, especially you, 'white hair'. But I will ask for an audience."

The sentry disappeared into the tent, but two more stepped in to bar them from the entrance. They all swallowed hard, worried about being turned away. Naga realized she wasn't nearly as intimidating as a human.

Finally the guard returned and said, "You must have come a long way, and you have come in your native tribes' clothing, so as not to deceive us. We respect that. You shall have your time with our leader. Enter and wait."

They wrung their hands nervously. Tapestries of the Earth Kingdom and the other three nations hung in the tent. The inner entrance flap opened, pulled back by an enormous hand, and followed by an impossibly tall older woman, clad head to toe in green battle gear and wearing full white face make up. She had a stern look.

Korra was flabbergasted, "Avatar Kyoshi! It's..um...an honor. They all signed and bowed deeply.

Kyoshi eyed them suspiciously, "Odd, I don't recall asking the Fire Nation or Water Tribes to fight this Earth Kingdom insurrection."

Korra swallowed hard and risked a complete guess from Master Katara's Avatar history lessons, "If Chin is successful in his conquest of the Earth Kingdom, then our lands will soon be threatened by this tyrant."

Kyoshi nodded and acknowledged, "Well said, young lady."

She turned to Naga, "You water tribe - I would have remembered you."

She blushed about her white hair, but said, "My hair color will not affect my ability to fight for you, Avatar Kyoshi."

Kyoshi observed, "Understood. But aren't you young women a little underdressed for water benders? I have never seen clothing so short that so closely clings to a woman's shape. You'll drive my male warriors to distraction."

Korra had to think fast, "It's been a hot summer in the south, Avatar Kyoshi. We will change into whatever you wish."

"My aides will see to it then. But for now, my children, we are on the verge of the greatest battle ever to keep balance in the world. I am sure you know Chin has been marching down the Earth Kingdom from north to the south conquering everything in his path. But this is the time to confront him. He had to leave portions of his horde all along the way to occupy the lands and keep order. His forces have never been smaller. We can take him here on the peninsula. And if not, I have a plan to protect my own people. In fact, I do need the help of you two excellent water benders, and three fire benders."

Kyoshi cracked a rare smile, letting her words simmer.

Korra was thunderstruck. There were only four of them. Korra knew what Kyoshi implied. She asked tentatively, "But Avatar Kyoshi..."

Kyoshi interrupted, "I know who you are, Avatar Korra. And I also know that not everyone here is human by birth."

They all nearly fainted.

Korra regained her composure and asked, somewhat annoyed, "Why the word games, Avatar Kyoshi? Why not just be straight with us that you knew who we are?"

"I needed to test your resolve, Avatar Korra, and that of your friends. You are all remarkable. You are nothing like that worthless Avatar Kuruk who mentored me long ago. We need you. We are 1000 strong, but Chin has 10,000."

Korra was still in disbelief, "I don't understand. There can only be one Avatar at the same time, Avatar Kyoshi."

"Korra, you have to think broader. Yes, in any one lifetime, only one Avatar can exist in the World. I am the Avatar of my time. You are the Avatar of a future time. You have not yet fully learned the Avatar Spirit is eternal, Korra. It is timeless. The Avatar Spirit exists at all times and at all places - all at the same time. The human part of us is the only temporal part of that Spirit. People are linear, so Avatars live one generation after another in succession. The Avatar Spirit is not limited to one time. While it occupies us one lifetime at time, all of us are still living as spirits and have the Avatar Spirit still within each of us. That is how Avatar Aang could call upon any or all of us at any time when he meditated and summoned us or entered the Avatar State. That is how I could call you here from the future. The spirits themselves made the changes in your friends by reaching the human part of their spirits. We will all benefit from you being here, Pabu and Naga."

Mindboggled but wanting to be polite, the two bowed graciously, and signed the Avatar.

Korra was still puzzled, "Even with all that being true, Avatar Kyoshi, why go to all the trouble to bring meand my friends here and now?"

Kyoshi said, "It's simple, Avatar Korra. Of all the Avatars, you are the strongest fighter, and you are even better with your friends."

Korra thought she was going insane as she thought, "Is this a dream or real?" She dared not ask. She could barely handle the truth as it was. If she and her friends were to survive the battle ahead, she dare not treat this as a simple dream. She knew she could always wake up from a dream. Reality could kill her and her friends, especially in a war. Pabu, Naga, and Mako were totally confused, but clung to their trust in Korra. One thing she knew for sure, she was going to have one heck of a conversation about this with Aang in her first spirit journey. Unless this washer first spirit journey.

Kyoshi assured Korra, "And that, my young friend, is how we and a thousand soldiers will defeat ten times that. Now you need to rest for the night. I have a guest tent for you. Please accept it. It will be three days until the final battle. You need to rest well and practice hard."

They barely said a word as they walked the short distance escorted by one of the guards, "You will sleep here."

There were only three bed rolls in the tent. Clearly one for Korra, one for Mako, and...

Naga blushed as she squeezed Pabu's hand and he smiled, "Umm...Korra, do you mind if..."

"No, not at all. You guys sleep curled up together back home all the time now. Why would we deny you that here? Right, Mako?"

Mako nodded his approval.

Pabu joked, "Yeah, Naga. But you're not nearly as soft and fluffy as a girl than you are as a polar bear dog!"

"Yeah, but I can hurt you just a much as a girl as a polar bear dog!" and Naga punched him.

Pabu wasn't certain Naga was joking. Korra and Mako were amused how these two bantered, as verbally playful as they were physically as animals. They looked especially cute cuddled together in their shared bedroll, and it was a happy sight for Korra as they all quickly fell asleep together.