Korra and Kuvira led Zaheer out of his prison in handcuffs. These cuffs also wrapped around his ankles, much like what he had put Korra in all those years ago, so that any possible escape would be much more difficult for him. The irony was not lost on Zaheer as he shuffled along.

Once the three of them stepped outside and the sun hit his eyes, Zaheer shielded his face with a loud grunt.

Korra sighed. "I tell people that it happens yet no one believes me."

"What good am I to you blind?" Zaheer spat, having a much harder time adjusting to this new level of light outside of prison than he thought he would. He blinked hard and shook his head.

Kuvira considered making some quip to Zaheer about "blind justice," but she thought against it.

"Huh," Korra said. "Maybe we should've gone about this a little bit better."

"You get used to it," Kuvira told Zaheer, not out of bitterness, but in a matter-of-fact, I've-been-there-before kind of way.

Zaheer grumbled. After several minutes, he was finally able to open his eyes all the way. He looked up into the sky.

It was an amazingly beautiful sunny day. The sky was blue, there were large fluffy clouds, and a gentle breeze. It was all that Zaheer could have hoped to see outside of prison.

The three of them kept walking for a minute, until Zaheer suddenly asked:

"Can I fly for a moment?"

Kuvira and Korra both stopped and looked at each other. They were both caught by surprise, and both unsure of what to answer with.

"We can't allow that," Kuvira said, mostly to Korra. "Can we?"

Korra looked from Kuvira to Zaheer. He had a look on his face of...What was that? Sadness? His brow was creased slightly, and that scowl of his nonexistent.

Korra knew full well from Kuvira's time in prison how much someone could absolutely crave being outside, and Zaheer's words from long ago echoed in her mind...

"I learned to fly but now I'm bound in chains..."

Korra thought hard.

He can wait to fly, can't he?

Does he even deserve to? If he's caused so much suffering and pain and anguish, surely he can endure a little—

Korra opened her eyes, cutting off that line of thought. "Sure. Fine."

"K-Korra!" Kuvira exclaimed. "Do you know what you're doing?!"

"Don't worry," Zaheer said, "I won't go far." He looked to Korra, quiet and sincere. "Thank you, Korra."

He rose slowly, his chains jingling.

Kuvira looked at Korra, as if to say, "Are you crazy?!"

Korra just smiled as she watched Zaheer.

Zaheer kept flying up. Once he was a ways off the ground, he started flying faster, the wind rippling against his ragged clothes and through his dirtied hair. He felt the sun beam down on his face for the first time in too many years. He spun and turned, let himself fall, only to shoot back up again.

He went up above the cloud layer. He stopped to float and look around at the sky, finding it much harder to keep his balance in midair with the cuffs on. He looked down at Republic City below. The city looked much bigger than before, and that new spirit portal was quite the sight to behold.

His thirst for fresh air wasn't quite quenched, but Zaheer decided to drop back down to the ground anyways. He gently landed right where Korra and Kuvira were still standing.

"There," he said to Kuvira. "See?"

She didn't have anything to reply with.

"Huh," Korra said as they started walking again. She smirked. "You think you could give us a lift back to Air Temple Island?"

Zaheer rolled his eyes.

#

It certainly would've saved some time if they could've flown there, but the three of them finally reached Air Temple Island.

"What are the chances for me getting these shackles off anytime soon?" Zaheer asked as he gingerly stepped off of the boat, fiddling with his chains.

"I'm not sure," Korra answered. "I don't think anyone but me would trust you with them off. General Iroh might agree to it, but you might have to wait until we actually get our first mission."

"Mmph."

Korra looked at Zaheer from the corner of her eye with a frown as they kept walking.

They went up the long stone steps (much to Zaheer's vexed difficulty) and across the plaza to Tenzin's home. Everyone was standing and talking in a group near the main doorway. There was Tenzin, Bumi, Mako, Bolin, Asami, General Iroh, Lee, and Noatak.

Wait...

Noatak was standing.

"Noatak?" Korra breathed in disbelief. "Noatak!" She started running over to everyone, leaving Kuvira behind with Zaheer.

Noatak looked up at the sound of her voice, and turned away from everyone with broadly folded arms. "Korra!" he exclaimed with a smile. He had gotten a haircut, was clean-shaven, and wearing a dark blue Water Tribe coat and boots. He walked up to her, bearing the slightest of hesitations in each of his steps. Who could blame him? Ten years was a long time. The fact that he was standing, much less walking now was a miracle.

They stopped in front of each other as everyone watched. Korra looked him up and down. "I," she said with a smile, "I can't believe it! You're already walking by yourself!" She laughed. "I guess Katara healed you pretty well, huh?"

Noatak nodded. "Yes, but she...passed away in the process, though."

Korra's smile vanished in an instant. "O-Oh..."

Tenzin walked up, his voice heavy. "Korra, I'm sorry to say that I will not be staying for long. I'll be taking Bumi back to the South Pole for her funeral."

Korra looked from Tenzin to Bumi. The retired commander was sniffing and dabbing his tears with a hanky. "Oh," she said softly. "Okay."

Bumi sniffled loudly. "Korra, I'd...I'd love to help out with you and your friends' little escapades against the Red Lotus, b-but—"

"Bumi," Korra tenderly stopped him, "I understand."

He nodded and tried his best to smile, shaking her hand. He walked up to General Iroh and clasped hands with him as well, opening his mouth to talk.

"Commander Bumi," Iroh respectfully stopped him, "you don't need to. Family matters are important, I understand. Just go to your mother's funeral. Don't worry about us."

Bumi nodded before sniffing again.

Tenzin looked around at everyone, and stopped on Zaheer. They locked eyes.

"Could I," Tenzin started, "speak with Zaheer for a moment?"

Korra looked at Zaheer, who was idly fiddling with his chains. She shrugged. "Sure, I guess."

Tenzin nodded and walked away, with Zaheer indifferently following him.

Korra turned back to Noatak. "So...Katara died right after she healed you?"

Noatak nodded solemnly. "Yes. It seemed to have taken it all out of her. Saying that she was in bad shape would've been an understatement."

Korra nodded, looking at the ground. She was trying to recall the last time she met with Katara. Was it when she was trying to learn how to walk again after she got poisoned? No. She had gone to the South Pole once or twice after that. Plenty of times, actually. Why couldn't she remember?

First Aang, Chief Sokka's wife Suki, Sokka himself, and now Katara. How long before the other members of Old Team Avatar passed away too? Zuko was getting up there in years, but Toph could still throw down if she wanted.

Korra looked back up at Noatak. "How are you able to walk so easily? After so many years? Katara had to do so much to help me, and I was only in a wheelchair for a few months."

Noatak shrugged. "I...I am not sure. I knew her healing was incredible, but...I don't know."

Korra looked at the ground again in thought. Maybe it was because he hadn't been racked with emotional scars like she was.

Emotional scars?

Korra quickly looked up at Asami, who had been standing next to Mako and Bolin with crossed arms.

"O-Oh!" Korra started speaking before she knew what she wanted to say. "Asami! I-I'm sorry I didn't greet you sooner! I just...I've had a lot of stuff to do with...N-Noatak came back a-and I had to go get Zaheer a-and I—"

Asami smiled and shook her head with a giggle. "It's okay, Korra. You're busy, I get it. You don't have to apologize for anything."

Korra hugged her anyways. "I'm still sorry. We'll have plenty of time to talk later."

Asami nodded. "Looking forward to it."

Kuvira walked up next to Bolin and Mako. "Hey," she asked them, looking around the empty island, "where are my kids at? And Tenzin's family?"

"Oh, them?" Bolin said with a smile. "Pema and Lin took all the kids to the park, like, half an hour ago. Your kids were super stoked to see that portal up close."

Kuvira couldn't help but chuckle. "Lin went with them?"

Wait. That meant she wouldn't be able to give her those metalbending pointers she'd promised. Darn. At least her kids got to get some fresh air and a chance to play with other children for a change.

"It was Lin's idea to go to the park in the first place," Mako said, smirking. "I haven't seen her as happy as she was around your kids since she made up with Su when we first went to Zaofu."

That made Kuvira smile.

Korra turned from Asami back to Noatak. "I take it you and Lee have gotten to know Iroh?"

Noatak nodded along with the general. "Yes."

"So you know the whole situation with the Red Lotus?"

Noatak shrugged. "More or less. We'll have more time to discuss everything on the way to...uh..." He looked at Iroh. "Where are we going again?"

Iroh smiled. "Since Gaoling was the region most recently reported to have an attack, I think it's best if we head there first. We'll scope out the surrounding area, take out bandits if there is any, secure any nearby vulnerable villages, and so on. If everything's clean there, there's plenty more places we can look, especially if Zaheer tells us where some old hideouts may be. I'd say we should leave as soon as possible."

Korra nodded. She suddenly had a realization. "Wait. Noatak?" she asked in worry. "Are you...I don't know, able to fight? Aren't you still sorta weak from being in a wheelchair for so long?"

Noatak opened his mouth to answer, but stopped. He looked up in thought, his arms still folded. He finally shrugged. "I may not be as in-shape as I was, but chi-blocking and waterbending aren't the most taxing of fighting styles. I should be fine."

Korra nodded in relief. "Alright. Good."

She looked over, seeing Kuvira standing next to Mako and Bolin. "Oh, hey," she asked Iroh, "you mind filling her in a bit? I don't think she even knows what's going on here."

"You're right! I don't!"

#

Zaheer followed Tenzin to a little balcony overlooking a small cliff. Several lemurs were flying about a peach tree down below. Zaheer floated next to Tenzin in the lotus position.

"I have to say," Tenzin started off, "your bending skills are remarkable."

"Flattery isn't going to get anyone anywhere," Zaheer retorted with closed eyes.

"It's not flattery. It's my honest opinion. You being the only other person who can do what Guru Laghima once did is astonishing."

"And I think that's where our similarities begin and end."

Tenzin looked away from him, silently nodding. "You're really going to help put an end to the Red Lotus?"

"As if I have much of a choice."

Tenzin stroked his beard. "Korra...She has said a lot about you."

"Do tell."

"You're aware of how much she cared about, or rather, still cares for Kuvira? How much she wanted to help her in her time of need? When she was so lost and confused about her place in the world?"

"The only place for the Prime Minister is in a grave," Zaheer spat. "Or back in a cell. Either would suffice."

Tenzin was caught off guard, but he didn't show it. "Korra says you've changed, much like Kuvira, that you somehow want to do good with your life again."

"I am nothing like Kuvira," Zaheer muttered, a tad more bitterly than haughtily.

Tenzin smiled. "Huh. That's what she said about Korra just before she surrendered."

Zaheer didn't acknowledge that. "If you weren't so oblivious, you could see that the Red Lotus does do good."

"Hurting innocent people is good?"

Zaheer hesitated. "I do not know enough about the situation revolving around the owner of the Gaoling fishery. I'm hoping that taking part in this 'squad' will clear that up."

Tenzin nodded with a smile. "I suppose that's two things we can agree on."

Zaheer scoffed. "If you are trying to lull me into a false sense of friendship, you are sorely delusional. I admire airbending culture, but I don't and won't admire a fool like you."

"I'm not expecting a friendship...but I am hoping that Korra is right about you."

"Hmph. Then she is but a naive child."

Tenzin stroked his beard with a hum of contemplation. "Maybe so. But her 'naivety' helped put Kuvira on the right path. And she has helped unify and rebuild the Earth Kingdom in its time of need."

Neither of them said anything for a moment, both of them digesting their conversation. A lemur clumsily fell onto the ground from a branch on that peach tree.

"Are you going to shave your head?" Tenzin asked out of the blue.

Zaheer shrugged. "Most likely. If I am going to be fighting, that would be the optimal thing to do."

"Indeed," Tenzin said, a smile in his voice. "And you'd need to make room for your airbending tattoos."

Had Zaheer been standing, he would've fallen over in surprise. He fell to his feet instead, stumbling only slightly despite his chains. "You what?" he demanded.

Tenzin turned to him. "I wasn't sure at first, but after talking with you in person, I agree with Korra: you are different. Not quite changed like Kuvira and Noatak and Lee, but different indeed. Perhaps your time will come sooner than we think."

Zaheer warily eyed Tenzin. "You're as insane as Korra," he mumbled.

Tenzin smiled again. "No, I'm as naive as her."

#

"Well," Kuvira sighed, mulling over General Iroh and Korra's proposition, "this makes the second thing I haven't agreed to recently..."

"The second thing during your vacation?" Korra asked her with a slight smile.

"No, this vacation was the first! And what a vacation it's turning out to be..."

"So you're agreeing to it?" Iroh asked.

Kuvira thought for a moment. She finally sighed and looked up. "Of course. You need my help, and I'll give it. Count me in for your task force, General."

Iroh smiled with a nod as he shook hands with her. "Thank you, Prime Minister. It's an honor to have you."

Kuvira returned the smile. She suddenly had a realization. "Wait. Who's going to take care of my kids while I'm gone?"

Iroh opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. He exchanged a look with Korra. "I, uhh...Could they stay with Pema? Or Lin?"

"I'd be fine with that," Kuvira said with a shrug, "but I'm not sure either of them would appreciate having three kids unexpectedly thrown their way. I'm sure the last thing Pema needs is more children."

Iroh rubbed his chin in thought.

Out of the corner of her eye, Korra caught an air acolyte gardener walking past. "H-Hey!" she called out to him. "Excuse me!"

The acolyte looked up and walked over to her. "Yes? What do you need, Avatar Korra?"

"Can you run over to Republic City park and tell Pema and Lin that they'll need to take care of Kuvira's kids for possibly a few weeks?"

The acolyte's eyes widened as he dropped his basket full of vegetables. He grabbed his bald head. "A...a few weeks?!"

Korra frowned. "Oh. Maybe that is a bit short-noticed..."

Kuvira looked to the ground and sighed.

"We'll figure something out, Kuvira," Iroh reassured her. "Don't worry."

Kuvira nodded. She and everyone else looked over to see Tenzin and Zaheer returning. Zaheer somehow seemed to be in an even sourer mood than when he first arrived at Air Temple Island.

General Iroh rubbed his chin. "So," he said to himself, "Kuvira, Noatak, Lee, and Zaheer..." He smiled. "A fine team indeed."

Korra stood next to him with crossed arms and a smile. "Project: New Lotus is turning out pretty well, I'd say."

Iroh nodded. "I don't think I could've asked for better people." He thought for a moment. "So, now that we're officially a team...what are we calling ourselves?"

The four of them exchanged looks.

"Uh," Noatak said with folded arms. "We have to come up with a name?"

Kuvira furrowed her brow. "I thought it was just going to be 'General Iroh's Task Force'?"

"It's not really my task force," Iroh said. "The New Lotus is supposed to be a sort of rehabilitative fighting group. I'm mostly here to just keep everybody in line."

He pointed at Zaheer. "Especially you."

Zaheer scoffed and looked the other way.

"Does it really matter?" Korra asked. "I mean, it's not necessary, is it?"

Iroh cocked his head. "Well it would certainly make things easier! You were the one saying it could use a better name! Now's your chance!"

"But...I-I'm not actually in it!"

Zaheer sighed in exasperation. "What we are referred to is irrelevant."

"Well we can't exactly call ourselves nothing!" Kuvira said.

Amongst the bickering, Tenzin suddenly stopped stroking his beard with wide eyes. He pointed upwards and brimming with enthusiasm yelled, "The Black Lotus!"

Korra looked at him. Kuvira raised a brow. Zaheer blinked. Noatak and Lee looked at each other.

Iroh rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, come again?"

"No, no!" Tenzin said excitedly. "Hear me out!"

He turned to the four. "You four have all had dark pasts. You've all done things you regret. You are not proud of what you have done. You feel as though that darkness will overshadow your lives again if you don't do something to change it. You are all more than ready for that change, I can tell. A change not only in what you do, but in what you can do, will do, and are willing to do. You are all willing to change, to wipe your blackened slates clean, to become good, to become...pure."

Korra smiled. Kuvira looked to the ground in thought. Noatak rubbed his cheek. Zaheer didn't react in any visible way.

Lee broke the silence and nodded. "That's a good name."

"Y-Yeah," Kuvira agreed, looking up. "It's deep, and poetic, and meaningful. And it works."

Noatak nodded, folding his arm back around himself. "Sure. Why not?"

Zaheer glanced from Tenzin to Korra to Iroh, indifferent. "Whatever works for you."

"It sounds cool!" Korra said with a pump of her fist. "Go for it!"

Iroh inhaled, clasped his hands together, and smiled. "Alright! Black Lotus it is!"

The four, excluding Zaheer, all shared laughs and congratulating high-fives.

"Hey, wait!" Bolin said, gesturing towards himself, Mako, and Asami. "What about us? Why aren't we part of the Black Lotus? I wanna be part of the Black Lotus!"

"Bolin," Korra said, "you're part of Team Avatar. And it's not like we're excluding anyone here. We're all going to be working together!"

"Yeah," Lee said with a smirk, nudging Noatak with his elbow. "We're all taking equal part in this, aren't we?"

After a moment of unsure silence, Bolin, Korra, Mako, and Asami all stifled snickers. Noatak rolled his eyes with a smile.

Iroh was smirking himself. "Hey now, Master Tenzin just said that this was all behind you guys. We aren't going to harbor any past ideologies against each other. 'A man's past is his own,' as my grandfather told me."

Noatak glanced at Kuvira. He smiled. "Well, technically us five are all military leaders here, so I don't doubt we're going to be sharing a plethora of strong opinions."

Korra instinctively grabbed the sides of her head, restraining herself from apprehending Noatak's almost snide remark about Kuvira's sensitive past.

She ripped her hair out for nothing though, because Kuvira laughed. She laughed hard enough that she was holding her stomach. Everyone else was laughing too. Korra found herself joining in the playful laughter.

For a beautiful moment, she really felt like everything was going to work out well for everyone.

But that feeling and her smile soon faded as she noticed three people coming up the plaza steps.

It was Raiko, flanked by two metalbending bodyguards.

No one greeted the president as he walked up. His dismissive, measuring gaze fell on everyone. "General Iroh," he said, almost sounding interested, "I take it this is that 'New Lotus' project you have diligently been working on for so long?"

Iroh nodded enthusiastically, stepping up. "Yes, sir. I couldn't have asked for better recruits. These four are exactly the kind of people I've been looking for. With an independent strike team instead of an all out army, the Red Lotus won't know what hit them."

Raiko nodded. He met eyes with Zaheer, Kuvira, Lee, and—

"Who are you?" Raiko asked, walking up to Noatak.

Korra noticed Noatak was having trouble standing his ground. He was only stuttering. Why was he stuttering? Iroh stepped forward to his aid.

Why is he...?

That gut-wrenching thought from morning suddenly crossed Korra's mind again.

Oh no...

"This," Iroh said warily, "is Noatak, sir. A good man."

"Really?" Raiko asked. He looked Noatak dead in the eye. Neither of them said anything.

"Where are you from?" Raiko asked.

"Th-the Northern Pole," Noatak managed.

"North Pole, hm?"

Noatak nodded, keeping his mouth shut.

"Can you bend?"

"Y-Yes."

Raiko narrowed his eyes. He took a glance at Noatak's clothes. "A waterbender, no doubt?"

Another nod.

Raiko turned his head slightly, as if he was trying to listen closely to Noatak's voice. "Incredibly skilled?"

"I-I've won my fair share of battles."

Iroh stepped up, hoping to diffuse the situation. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

Raiko opened his mouth, but stopped himself. He smiled and took a step back, as if he was satisfied. He pointed an outstretched arm at Noatak and yelled, "Guards! We have been deceived! This is Amon! After all these years he finally dared to show himself in public. Arrest him!"

Noatak gasped. Terror swept over everyone as one the guards walked up, reaching her hand forward to grab his arm, with handcuffs in her other hand. He could only shut his eyes tightly.

The guard made contact, but not with Noatak.

Because Korra stepped inbetween them and slapped her hand away.

"No," Korra said firmly. The guard took a startled step back.

"K-Korra!" Tenzin exclaimed as if he was going to stop her.

"Korra?" Raiko said, as if to a disobedient child. "What do you think you're doing?"

Korra's eyes blazed with intensity. "You are not going to arrest Noatak."

Noatak's shaking eyes flickered from Korra to Raiko.

"Avatar Korra," Raiko said far too nonchalantly, "you cannot get in the way of justice."

"Yes. I. Can," Korra growled through clenched teeth.

Kuvira shared a similar expression to Noatak.

"Korra," Raiko taunted, "really now. You've tried taking the law into your hands many times before, and it hasn't ended well for you, has it? I could arrest you for this too, you know."

"Go right on ahead."

"Korra, please!" Tenzin yelled desperately.

Raiko laughed. "Korra, you can't possibly be this naive! Noatak is a criminal, who has evaded the law for far too long. He has to pay for his crimes. If you really think he has changed somehow..."

Korra's arms dropped slightly. Her eyes fell to Raiko's feet.

"Like I said," Raiko enunciated. "Naive."

"Well," Korra muttered to herself, "maybe the world needs a little more naivety..."

"President Raiko, sir!" Iroh said a bit more urgently than he'd anticipated. "This is not the same man that you think he is! Noatak has changed, I see it myself. He's a good man. He hasn't done anything that would lead me to believe otherwise. Besides, I need him to help me put an end to the Red Lotus. He can serve out his sentence this way."

Raiko opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. He eyed Iroh, no doubt not completely convinced. "Truly, General?"

Iroh nodded, unblinkingly firm with his hands behind his back.

Raiko scowled and sighed out his nose, staring at Noatak. After a moment of nail-biting suspense (Bolin had literally been biting his nails), Raiko sighed and signaled his guards to stand off. "Alright. I trust your judgment, General. I wish you luck on your endeavors."

With an apathetic glance towards Zaheer and one final glare at Korra, Raiko and the guards left.

Once the president was completely out of sight, Iroh let loose a massive exhale. He slumped and dropped his arms. "Wow," he breathed. "I don't know how you do it, Korra..."

Korra raised a brow. "Wait, you...? You just...You stood up to Raiko. You just convinced Raiko that someone changed theirself for the better! I don't think he even completely trusts Kuvira still!"

Iroh rubbed the back of his neck. "I...I know," he said softly, surprised with himself. "Huh..."

Korra remembered and turned to Noatak, who was visibly rattled by what had just happened. "I," he said, looking at his shaking hands, "I can't believe you two just did that..."

Korra shrugged with a smile. "Us either."

Noatak looked up. "Th-thank you. Thank you both."

Iroh nodded. "Of course. And don't worry, there aren't going to be any sentencings or anything like that. Your criminal records are clean in my eyes."

Noatak humbly nodded and smiled.

"Ooh, ooh!" Bolin blurted. "I got it! We'll just leave a note for Pema that says, 'Hey, you need to keep Kuvira's kids for like a week or two or maybe more. Thanks'!"

Everyone just looked at him.

"Whaaat? It's perfect!"

Tenzin shook his head and wiped his brow with a huff. "Korra, please never attempt anything like that again."

She smirked. "I'll try."

Tenzin rolled his eyes and sighed. "I think that's enough excitement for me. I'll be taking Bumi to the South Pole now."

Korra nodded. "Okay. How long do you think you'll be down there?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe a day or two at most." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Korra...please be careful."

She nodded. "I will, Tenzin."

The two of them hugged. Tenzin walked up to Noatak and Lee and shook hands with them, exchanging encouraging words and bidding farewells. He did the same for Kuvira, Mako, Bolin, and Asami. He nodded at Zaheer, who snarled in return.

Waving goodbye, Tenzin and Bumi flew off on Oogi for the South Pole.

Iroh sighed. "Alright. Should we be leaving for Gaoling now?"

"I guess so," Korra said, looking back at everyone, her eyes resting on Zaheer.

"Iroh?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Could you...take Zaheer's cuffs off now?"

Iroh looked from Korra to Zaheer, ignoring everyone's unapproving stares. He finally nodded. "Sure. I guess he deserves it."

Zaheer held out his hands as Iroh took the key from Korra and unlocked the shackles. Zaheer inhaled as he rubbed his wrists. "Thank you," he muttered, relishing the feeling of his own skin.

Iroh nodded. "We'll be taking a United Forces airship to Gaoling," he informed everyone, "my personal airship. It'll double as our base of operations if we need it."

"W-Wait," Kuvira stopped him. "Before we do that," she said, turning to walk away, "I need to write that note to Pema."

"Hah!" Bolin loudly told everyone. "Told you it was a good idea!"

Kuvira laughed as she walked into Tenzin's house.

#

With Kuvira's note written and everyone's unanimous agreement, the Black Lotus and Team Avatar headed for the United Forces base on the edge of Republic City.

"Yeah, alright!" Bolin yelled as he jumped in the air. "Red Lotus, here we come!"

Amongst everyone's cheers, Kuvira walked next to Korra. "Where did that come from?" she asked softly, in regards to what had unfolded with Raiko.

Korra only shrugged, her eyes not leaving the ground.

#

That evening, Pema, her children, Lin, and Kuvira's kids all returned to Air Temple Island.

"Mama!" Anaya called out, running and skipping and twirling into Tenzin's home. "We went to see the spirit portal you made with Korra! It's so pretty!"

Kuvira normally would've responded, but this time, she didn't. She wasn't there, nor was anyone else.

"M-Mama?" Anaya asked, confused. "Where are you?"

Lin knelt down and put a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, dear. She's probably still busy with everyone else. She should be back soon."

"Oh," Anaya mumbled dejectedly.

"Hey, Mom!" Ikki called. "Someone left a note on the table! It's from Kuvira!"

"Kuvira?" Pema asked, walking over and taking the note.

In neat writing, the note read:

Pema and/or Lin, I'm sorry for this being on such short notice, but I'm going to gone with everyone else helping the United Forces take down the Red Lotus. I'm not certain how long I'll be gone for, but I ask for you to please take care of my kids in my absence. Encourage Takeo to keep practicing his earthbending forms, tell Anaya to keep on dancing, and make sure to keep an extra watchful eye on Park. I'll try to return as soon as I possibly can. Thank you. And please tell them I love them so much.

Kuvira.

On the bottom of the page, there was a single sentence in not-so-neat writing that said:

I TOLD EVERYONE THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA!

#

Aside from Team Avatar and the Black Lotus, the only people on General Iroh's airship were crewmen, and every one of them looked a little uneasy that Zaheer had no form of handcuffs on. He would occasionally shoot a glare at one of them as he passed by just to watch them jump back in fear.

"Wow," Bolin said. "Man! I still can't believe Tenzin came up with that name! I just, I just, ugh. 'The Black Lotus'," he said, waving his fingers spookily. "It's so cool!"

Mako shrugged. "Yeah, it's pretty cool, I guess. But I'd say it's only, like, half-applicable."

"How's that?" Korra asked.

"I'm just saying that Kuvira, Noatak, and Lee are kinda past the whole 'redemption' thing. And, I'm not always the best judge of character here, but I'm pretty sure General Iroh doesn't need any redeeming."

"Oh," Korra said. "When you put it like that I guess you're right." She looked back up and shrugged. "It still works though!"

"Yeah, it's still a cool name."

"What happened to 'pretty cool'?" Korra teased.

Mako rolled his eyes and smirked.

Korra looked at Zaheer, who was in the middle of scaring another crew member. "What about him?"

Mako shrugged. "Kuvira and Lee and Noatak have really changed how I think about people. I didn't use to think that someone could just completely change themselves like they did. It's amazing, but...I'm not sure Zaheer can change."

Korra frowned.

"I mean," Mako corrected himself, "I don't think Zaheer wants to change."

Korra nodded a troubled nod as everyone walked into the main lobby of General Iroh's airship. It seemed a little over-furbished for a military airship, not that anyone was complaining. Dark red United Forces banners ran along the walls, a large conference-like table surrounded by chairs sat in the middle of the room, and windows that ran from the floor to the ceiling provided a spectacular view of the ground below.

"Not bad," Mako said to himself, admiring the room. "Not bad at all."

Iroh stood at the head of the table, his arms behind his back. "Alright, everyone! It'll be about three hours until we reach Gaoling. I want you all to be prepared to fight, that is, if we do need to engage any Red Lotus members. I'll have some of my engineers bring armor for you to try on. Until then, I'll be at the helm. Relax. Enjoy yourselves. I'll send for the chefs with some refreshments for you."

"Sounds good to me!" Bolin chirped, patting his stomach. "I'm starving!"

Mako rolled his eyes. "When aren't you starving?"

Everyone but Mako, Noatak, and Zaheer took seats at the table. Korra took a seat on the table.

Bolin turned in his seat to look at Mako and Noatak. "Aren't you guys gonna sit?"

Mako only shrugged. Noatak grimly replied with, "I've been sitting for ten years. You'd think I'd want to sit now?"

Bolin sheepishly turned back forward. "Oh. Yeah. That's right. Wheelchair..."

Noatak suddenly laughed and slapped Bolin's shoulder. "I'm just joking, Bolin! But truthfully, I doubt I'm going to want to sit for another decade."

Bolin apprehensively laughed along with him. "Heh, heh. Yeah, I kinda figured. It just seemed polite, y'know."

"Well, thanks but no thanks."

Korra giggled at Bolin and Noatak's conversation. She suddenly remembered. "Oh, hey! Asami! You wanna catch up on stuff now?"

"Oh!" Asami remembered as well. "Sure!"

As the two of them happily walked out, Asami and Kuvira accidently met eyes. They quickly looked away from each other.

Kuvira sighed heavily, deep in thought.

She's got to be over her father by now. Just let it go...

Unfortunately, that was one of the two thoughts Kuvira hadn't been able to shake recently.

Zaheer eyed the door that Asami and Korra had walked out of. He turned away from the window. "Noatak," he said, "I hope you realize that you're a fool for thinking that bending is the source of all evil in the world."

Bolin, Mako, and Kuvira all exchanged wide-eyed looks.

Noatak stared at Zaheer for a moment. He only solemnly bowed his head. "Yes, I was a fool. A fool for thinking that a gift like bending could possibly be only a bad thing. For thinking that a bender could have the right to persecute other benders. A gift, I realize, is meaningless until you do something with it." He looked up. "And I hope you realize that killing world leaders isn't going to bring about peace either."

After a startlingly sudden gust of air, Zaheer was now standing right in front of Noatak.

Kuvira and Lee both shot out of their seats. Bolin only yelped in surprise. "Zaheer!" Lee yelled. "Don't do this!"

Mako and Kuvira both readied themselves to attack. "Back off, Zaheer!" he yelled.

Zaheer did no more than stare down Noatak for a moment, who seemed much more steadfast in himself than when Raiko had almost arrested him. Zaheer turned away with a "hmph."

He walked back over to his window. Everyone sighed in relief.

"Wow," Bolin said, rubbing his forehead. "Okay. I could really use some food now."

#

Wing and Wei walked through the dark streets of Zaofu, keeping their eyes peeled for any suspicious looking characters. Suyin didn't want them to go at first, but they and Opal had insisted on searching with the guards after they hadn't found anyone lurking in the sewers. Suyin wasn't going to take any chances, so she called for Zaofu to go on lock-down. No one was going out, and hopefully, no one was coming in.

"Y'know," Wei said, "if we don't find anybody trying to blow up Zaofu, I'd be okay with that."

"Dude," Wing replied, "that'd be a bad thing."

"How would that be bad? We find no one, that means crisis adverted!"

Wing shook his head. "That's just what they want you to think. If we don't find anyone, that means they're getting away with something!"

"I...Ohhh, good point."

Amongst their chattering, the two of them didn't notice the shadowy, armless figure running up behind them.

#

"Hey!" Mako said, sitting at the table. "It doesn't matter if they're a waterbender. I could still beat them in a fight!"

Everyone else had taken a seat now, except Zaheer, who had taken much more interest in the landscapes below. Asami and Korra had returned, both caught up with each others personal lives. Iroh had come back for a while as well, partaking in the humorous conversations. The chefs had been coming and going with food and drinks.

"Well wait a minute," Korra said to Mako, her mouth full. "Didn't you lose to Ming Hua a bunch of times?"

"Like twice! And she only got the drop on me because she had lots of water around. If she had an even amount of water, I could take her! And I beat her the second time, thank you!"

"Yeah," Bolin loudly whispered. "Cuz you shot her with lightening, cheater."

"It was a life-or-death situation!"

"Guess you failed on the 'death' part," Lee said.

Bolin and Noatak laughed and exchanged fist bumps with him.

"I wasn't trying to kill her!" Mako said defensively.

"You shot her with lightening," Zaheer said bitterly, still facing the window. "What did you think was going to happen to her?"

"I...I wasn't thinking!" Mako said. "It was a split-second decision. She was going to kill me, and I needed to stop her somehow. I was hoping that with as much water around as there was, it would only paralyze her. And, apparently, according to the reports, that's what happened! She's alive!"

Everyone's laughter tapered off into a small thoughtful moment.

"Hey," Korra asked, "Noatak?"

"Yes?"

"I...With all this talk about waterbending, and with us most likely having to fight soon, I just realized...do you still bloodbend?"

Everyone went silent. Even Zaheer turned his head in interest to listen.

Noatak blinked. His eyes fell. "I...I remember, the night I ran away from home, Father forced me to bloodbend Tarrlok. He said it was the most horrible thing he'd ever felt in his life."

Mako shivered. Korra looked down. "Well," she mumbled, "he wasn't wrong."

Lee nodded with a pained smirk. "Yeah. It's not the best."

Noatak continued. "He also said that he swore to never bloodbend again."

Korra and Mako exchanged a miffed look.

Noatak shut his eyes. "I only ever used bloodbending to block people's bending, but I'd hate to have to subject someone to that feeling again. I'm done using such torturous methods."

"Wait," Bolin asked. "Block people's bending? I thought you took people's bending away? For, like...ever?"

Noatak shook his head. "That was just one of the many lies that I sowed. I utilized a precise form of chi-blocking while bloodbending to severe someone's bond to their bending, something deeper, something more...internal, unreachable. I suppose it would've felt like I was taking it away."

"Right again," Mako said.

"Pardon?"

"Yeah," Korra said in thought. "When I gave people their bending back, it never felt like I was restoring anything. It always felt more like I was healing them, somehow, like they'd been chi-blocked. Well, I guess, they were."

"Huh," Noatak mumbled in thought as well. He smiled at Korra. "Your powers never cease to amaze me, Avatar."

Korra returned the smile before looking away at the floor. "Thanks..."

Lee took his feet off the table. "Hey, Iroh, when are those guys comin' in with all that armor and stuff?"

"I take it you're a fighting man, Lee?" Iroh remarked.

"I kinda excel at it."

"They should be here any minute, I'd say."

Sure enough, two engineers walked in pushing two carts, full of all kinds of equipment.

"Oh! And here they are!" Iroh got up along with everyone else and walked over to the cart. "Most of what you're receiving is standard United Forces protective gear, but we have a few special items for some of you."

"Miss Sato," the first engineer said, "we've taken the privilege of improving upon your shock-glove." He held up two silvery metal gloves. "They are more refined than what you normally use. They are less potent but more precise. There's little to no chance of you accidently killing someone with them."

Lee crossed his arms. "Hmph. The shock-glove didn't need any redesigning."

The engineer opened his mouth as if he were going to retort, but he just handed Asami the gloves. She put them on, clenching her fists. She activated them, blue electricity crackling in her palms.

"Wow!" she exclaimed. "Thank you! These are great!"

The engineer nodded. "And you must be Mister Lee, I take it?"

"Just 'Lee' will do."

"As you wish, Mister Lee. During your time in the Equalist Revolution you used some sort of electrically charged staffs, no?"

"What about it?"

The second engineer lifted up a device about the size of a backpack. Well, technically it was a backpack. A generator, specifically, just like what Lee used when he was Amon's lieutenant.

"Like Asami's gloves," the second engineer said, "its total power has been toned down, but it's still capable of incapacitating someone."

Lee smirked. "Great."

The engineer held out two elbow-length rubber gloves, with wiring running up to the palms. "And you'll need to wear these for the current to pass from the generator to the staffs."

"Fine by me," Lee said, inspecting one of the staffs, turning it over in his hands. "Just like the old one."

Iroh turned to Noatak, handing him four leather pouches. "Noatak, these will provide water for you when none is around. Sorry they aren't as fancy as the other stuff, but they'll get the job done."

Noatak took them with a nod. "Thank you. But I may not need them as much as you think."

Iroh raised a brow. "Why wouldn't you?"

"Because I always have water around," Noatak replied with a smirk.

"Wait," Korra said. "What?"

Noatak smiled. He held his arm out and waved his hand slowly. After a few seconds, he had water. He was bending a bubble of water around, enough to fill a bucket.

Korra grabbed her head. Everyone else was astonished as well. "Woah!" she exclaimed. "Th-that's amazing! W...H-How did you do that?!"

Noatak waved his hand again, dispersing the water. "There's water everywhere, in the air. If you can sense it, and grasp it, you can get water anywhere you are. It may not be as much as you'd want, but it's still good for a tight situation. Ten years gives a man a lot of time to practice his bending."

"Wow," Korra said in eager awe. "You are gonna have to teach me that."

Noatak nodded and smiled. "Can do."

The first engineer turned to Zaheer, holding a black suit of sorts. "Mister Zaheer, being an airbender, we thought you would appreciate attire much like what the Air Nomads have. The wings are magnetized shut right now, but they can be folded out at any time to help you fly about with great—!"

Zaheer's emotionless scowl didn't even have anything to go with it.

"D...But you can already fly, I see." He looked to the other engineer, whispering, "Wang, you said this would be a good idea."

"Ohhh no! You're not pinning this on me!"

Their argument was cut short, because Zaheer actually walked up to them and picked up the suit. He held it, looking it over, rubbing his hand against it.

He finally set it down, looked back at them, and said, "I will not be needing this, but you did good work."

Zaheer walked back to the windows, with everyone's mouths agape.

After the shocked moment passed, the second engineer cleared his throat. "And last but not least: the Prime Minister."

He picked up a green uniform that had metal running along the arms, legs, shoulders, and down the back. "We made metal armor for you, with malleable strips that can be easily bent off at will, for offense and defense, just like what you wore when you were the Gre—" He stopped himself with wide eyes. "I-I mean...w-working in the military?"

Kuvira walked up to the cart, seemingly unfazed by his fumble. She held her chin, looking over the uniform. After a moment, she looked up. "I hate to ask this, but..." She tried not to smile. "Could you...redesign it a little? Nothing major! I actually want you to just remove some of the metal."

The engineer was puzzled. "Uh, remove? The metal, ma'am?"

Kuvira nodded. "Yes. Near the start of my campaign to reunite the Earth Kingdom, I designed a suit much like this one, a prototype for advanced metalbending fighters. It wasn't as heavily armored as the one most people recognize, so I saved it for more stealthier operations. Unfortunately, I never really got to use it all that much after I switched uniforms."

The engineer nodded, scratching his chin. "I suppose we can make some adjustments to it. I'll get right on it, Prime Minister." He picked up the suit and turned to walk out.

"No, wait," Kuvira stopped him. "I'll come with you. It's not that I don't trust you, I just want to make sure it's exactly what I want."

"Oh. Of course. This way."

As the two of them walked out, Korra ran behind them, calling back to everyone, "I'm going with them!"

#

Kuvira and Korra went with the engineer to the workshop area of the airship. He laid the suit down on the workbench.

"How much metal are you thinking, Prime Minister?" he asked, reaching for a hammer.

"Get rid of all the metal on the back," Kuvira told him. "I realize that I never needed that much metal in a combat situation, and it slowed me down. Restricted my movement a bit too. But keep the shoulder plates, forearm guards, and knee plates. And also the metal on the biceps and thighs. And just 'Kuvira' is alright with me."

"O-Oh," the engineer said in surprise. He nodded with a relieved smile, beginning to work away. "Alright, then. I'll have it done before we reach Gaoling."

"Good. Thank you," Kuvira said with a smile, backing up next to Korra.

Korra crossed her arms. She scratched her cheek in thought. "It...doesn't bug you?"

"What doesn't bug me?" Kuvira asked back.

"You know, the fact that you're going to wear armor just like you used to way back when. Not to mention this guy almost accidently called you the Great Uniter."

Kuvira shrugged. "Surprisingly, neither of those bother me. And besides, I wore this kind of armor near the start of the campaign, back before things got out of hand. No bad memories there."

"Oh," Korra breathed out, a bit more at ease. "Great." She watched the engineer work, wondering. "Was the lack of protection the only problem with this armor that made you change it so much?"

"Yes," Kuvira said with a nod. She pursed her lips. "Well...technically there were two problems. There was too much protection, Baatar told me."

"Too much?" Korra repeated.

Kuvira started smiling a goofy smile. She looked away blushing. "Baatar said it was too sharp. He said it poked him every time we tried to hug."

Korra couldn't help but burst out laughing.

#

Suyin sat at a desk in her room. She anxiously flipped through papers under candle-light, still not convinced Zaofu's current plumbing problems were just some poorly managed leaks. She stopped with a sigh, rubbing her temples.

Wing will be be fine. Wei will be fine. Opal will be fine. They're all fighters. They agreed to looking around. The guards are out there too. They'll be fine.

She looked up at her candle, deep in thought. The cool night breeze flowed through an open window.

A soft thump.

Suyin stopped. She instinctively shot out of her seat at the same time as a jet of water made contact with her shoulder. She hit the wall with a grunt, her arms frozen to it.

"Agh! W-What are you doing?!" she asked her assailant.

"Taking the first step in cleansing the world," Ming Hua answered.

She knocked her out with a kick to the neck.

#

Kuvira and Korra returned to the airship lobby. As they walked in, they saw that everyone was standing. They all looked at the two of them, with concerned looks on their faces.

Korra furrowed her brow. "What's wrong?"

Iroh sighed, kneading his forehead.

"It's not good," Mako said, his voice quiet.

A crew member stepped forward, holding a piece of paper. "We...we just received a wire from Mr. Beifong." He sighed. "Zaofu is under siege by the Red Lotus."

Kuvira gasped. She and Korra looked at each other. "B-Baatar," she breathed. "Suyin. Everyone..."

"They're in trouble," Korra said urgently, looking to Iroh. "They need our help."

Iroh sighed. He looked up at Korra and nodded. "We're less than an hour away from Zaofu."

Korra nodded back. "Well, guys," she announced, "get all that stuff ready..."

She cracked her knuckles in determination.

"Looks like Gaoling is gonna have to wait."

END