Hey everyone.

Man, this chapter took a lot out of me. I feel really happy to have update it so quickly this time, but expect a break after this. I'll be participating in NaNoWriMo, so I'll be hard at work on that for a while.

As always, any dialogue that is directly from the show is credited to Bryke and Nickelodeon, and I got said dialogue from episode transcripts.

A few chapter/translation notes: The name for the OC "Mizu" means "water", which is pretty appropriate considering who she is. The name "Sudhir", meanwhile, means "courageous", and kudos to anyone who guesses who that particular character is. I also used some 1920s slang in this chapter, namely "dewdropper", which basically refers to a man that sleeps all day and doesn't have a job.

And for those who may be wondering after this chapter...yes, I am establishing Mako as demisexual.

Sorry for the length on this one. I just really didn't want to cut it again; I just wanted this section of the story to be over. Hopefully the next one won't be as long, but I hope you guys enjoy this long chapter anyway. Also, this hasn't been beta-ed as of this update, since I'm looking for a new beta for this story.

As always, I don't own the characters or setting in this story; I'm just using them to feel better about the actual canon.


Chapter Eight

The Voice in the Night

"Absolutely not." Senna's voice was like ice as she looked at Korra, her arms crossed over her chest. At first she had been scared, sad, panicked, but she had been arguing with Korra in circles for a while. And now, what felt like hours after the event, she was furious.

Korra was just as angry, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. Every move she made, Tonraq half expected the Earth to crack beneath her feet. Which it very well could, especially if he couldn't diffuse the situation. Tenzin and Pema were standing a little ways down the ferry, looking awkward and sad at the same time, their kids peering around them in interest.

"Korra, please," Tonraq said, raising placating hands toward both her and Senna. "Your mother and I just want you to be safe."

Korra scowled, though she still looked slightly softer. "I'm going to be surrounded by very powerful people! Highly trained people! And, I can take care of myself!"

"That doesn't mean something can't happen!" Senna said, on the verge of shouting now, throwing her hands up into the air.

"I can take care of myself!" Korra repeated, her voice rising as well, taking an aggressive step forward.

"Enough." Tonraq said, before Senna could open her mouth. "I said that's enough!" He repeated as both his wife and daughter sucked in angry breaths. "Both of you!" They turned their eyes to him, glaring, but he stared back calmly. "Senna, yelling at Korra isn't going to do anything. Korra, you need to try and listen to us for a moment-"

"But that's just it, dad!" Korra burst out. "I did listen! I understand! But I have to do this!" Her voice faltered, and when she spoke again it was softer. "I know-I know you guys are worried. You want to keep me safe, but," she looked away and then back. "I'm the Avatar. I'm supposed to keep everyone safe."

Tonraq's chest felt tight, and he shared a look with Senna, who had softened and was biting her lip.

Korra was pleading now. "Mom, dad. I have to do this," she said. "I have to."

Tonraq reached out to his daughter, grasping her shoulders gently. "Korra," he began, but suddenly he couldn't think of what to say. All he could see was that little girl from years ago, sitting in the middle of the room with the curtains on fire, waterbending a snowman together with her little cousins, and so excited to be the Avatar. "We just want you to be safe," he finished, unable to put words to all the feelings in his chest.

She smiled just a little, her eyes shining, but her determination was painful to see. He was so, so proud of his daughter, but there were times where he wished that she had never been born the Avatar. He wanted her to be with her friends, to play pro-bending and go dancing and play with Tenzin's children, not risk her life against a kidnapper that wanted to hurt her.

It was Senna who spoke next. "Let's talk about this more tomorrow," she said, and though she wasn't trying to concede her victory, Tonraq knew that that was what it was, and so did Korra. "Okay," his daughter agreed.

He hugged them both.

The rest of the ferry ride passed in silence, all of them simply watching the waves. The minutes passed, and Tronraq turned his head to look back at Republic City in the distance.

Amon, Tonraq thought to himself, if you hurt my daughter, I will kill you myself.

(~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~)

One week later, Korra was dressed all in black, crouched low on the ground, peering through a small, grimy window, Tarrlok at her side. The other members of the task force (Korra was still learning all of their names) pressed tightly up against the building, staying in the shadows.

The tiny window was lit up with bright yellow light, and inside were several groups of men and women sparring. No, they were practicing chi-blocking. On the walls hung several banners with Amon on them, his fist raised in triumph.

Amon's voice rang in her head, and for one moment she could see him reaching toward her. Once I take away your bending, you will be nothing.

Korra shook her head, concentrating. She met Tarrlok's eyes and he nodded once, giving the signal for the formation they had been practicing the past week. Korra had been cutting her probending practice a little short in order to be there, and she knew the plan confidently. Tarrlok held his hand up now, waiting for them to be ready.

At the signal, one of the task force members – one of the ones whose name she didn't know yet – slowly unscrewed the gigantic water tank on their car. Three other bender task force members joined in, until they all had water in their hands, waiting for the final signal. On the outskirts stood the earthbending members, their fists raised. Two non-bender members were perched just behind them, ready to run in when the moment came.

Korra breathed in and out, slowly and quietly. Tarrlok waved his hand down, and the waterbenders struck, sending the water pouring into the room and freezing, catching several of the chi-blockers around their ankles. The earthbenders broke through the wall, several blocks crumbling as they stepped inside. The two non-bender task force members charged in, catching those who had managed to avoid the water off guard, and then Korra and Tarrlok jumped in as well.

Immediately, Tarrlok used some of his water to throw one of the chi-blockers against the wall, freezing them there, while the two remaining Equalist trainees began to run for the door against the far wall. They threw grenades behind them that released a sort of green mist. As the mist grew thicker, Korra threw a glance back at Tarrlok, already running after them. "I'm getting them!" She called, freezing the grenades to keep more smoke from escaping. She ran at the door and kicked it open, slowing down only for a moment before she ran again.

Korra sprinted down the hallway, ice in her palms, when something caught on her foot and she flew forward, landing hard on the ground and scraping her cheek. She only had time to look up to see a chi-blocker appear out of the shadows, reaching for her.

Korra quickly jumped to her feet, kicking and earthbending a large chunk of the floor at the chi-blocker, the force of the momentum making her fall on her back. The chi-blocker also fell to the ground, but he looked unconscious.

She heard a thump and a slight shriek, and looked around to see Tarrlok had frozen the last chi-blocker to the wall behind her. Korra climbed to her feet, dusting herself off. "Nice timing," she said, smiling just a little. "Thanks, Tarrlok."

He smiled back, and gave a little bow. "We make a good team, Avatar Korra."

She nodded, crossing her arms and looking at the frozen chi-blocker. "Yeah, we do."

When they arrived outside- the captured chi-blockers now all held in handcuffs - several photographers approached, alongside a few reporters. They fired questions at Korra, and Councilman Tarrlok. Korra scowled, looking away from them, but Tarrlok actually stood straighter and almost posed in front of the captured Equalists.

"Avatar Korra and I vow to continue these raids until Amon is stopped," Tarrlok declared, and a few of the people around cheered.

Before the chi-blockers were loaded into the police truck, their masks were removed. They were men and women, some looking to have hailed from the Fire Nation, while others looked to be from the Earth Kingdom. Many looked to be in their twenties or thirties, but a few were older.

One of them couldn't have been older than Jinora.

The kid was skinny. In a way that was almost painful to look at, like so many of the kids Korra saw that lived on the streets. The kid's cheekbones were sharp in their face, their hair long and messy, a fresh cut from the fight across their nose. They glared at Korra, looking as if they wanted nothing more than to spit at her feet.

But in the last seconds that she could see them before they were pushed into the truck, their expression changed. They paled, and their eyes suddenly looked huge in their face; they closed them tightly, and Korra thought that they might cry, but they were pushed into the truck and out of her sight a moment later.

She watched the truck as it drove away, feeling frozen to the spot.

"Avatar Korra?" Tarrlok spoke from behind her, and Korra jumped, banishing the images of the boy's terrified expression from her mind.

"Yes?" She turned toward the councilman, tucking a stray bit of hair behind her ear.

"I was simply telling the others that we can head home for the night." He paused, and cocked his head to the side. "Thank you again for your assistance. You were a great help."

Korra smiled. "Well, like you said, we make a good team."

He smiled back. "Do you need a ride to the dock? I can have a car here within minutes."

"Oh, no thank you." Korra raised her hands a little. "The White Lotus guards are waiting for me outside city hall; they're supposed to walk back with me."

Tarrlok gave a little bow. "Well, you can still ride that far with the others if you wish. Most of them will be using the truck we arrived here in to go home anyway."

Korra considered for a moment. On the one hand, city hall wasn't that far and she could easily make the trip on her own. But on the other hand, there was Amon...

"Yes, thank you," Korra said, her hands clenching tightly at her sides. She tried to force herself to relax. Tarrlok didn't seem to notice her tense shoulders, and instead walked back with her the short distance to the truck where the other task force members were waiting.

"Do you have something on your mind, Avatar Korra?" Tarrlok asked after a moment, once more jerking Korra out of her thoughts.

She looked away for a moment, remembering the child's face again. "I…what's going to happen to them? The Equalists that we captured?"

"Why, they'll go to prison, of course," Tarrlok said, laughing a little. "They're in league with Amon after all."

"A-all of them?" Korra stopped. "Without a trial or anything?"

Tarrlok waved a hand as if that was a minor point. "They will all have trials, but it hardly matters. We caught them, and they will be punished, as they deserve."

As they deserve. Korra bit her lip. She didn't know what any of them deserved, or if any of the ones they'd caught tonight had even done anything besides learn chi-blocking. Maybe they hadn't hurt anyone yet. "Some of them looked really young," Korra said, looking back down the street where the police truck had gone.

At this, Tarrlok paused as well, his back to her. He stood like that for several seconds in silence before he spoke. "Children like that are better off in the hands of the government than with someone like Amon," he said finally. "They'll be reformed, and the trials will take their age into account. Better that they're punished and then given a second change, rather than turned into…child soldiers." His voice changed on the last sentence, becoming quieter. Then he straightened, and turned to look at her, his voice and demeanor back to normal. "Well then, shall we get going?"

"…Yeah." Korra walked the rest of the way to the truck. She didn't talk during the ride, and she didn't speak much to the White Lotus guards when she met up with them either. She was too busy thinking about that kid; the way their face at looked just before they were shoved in the truck.

Better than being a child soldier, Tarrlok had said. Well, maybe that was true. But the sight of that kid –probably homeless and with no one to turn to, now truly alone and scared – hadn't felt right either.

As they passed the statue of Avatar Aang, she looked up at his forever-staring eyes. I bet you would have known what to do, she thought, and she wished that he would appear before her to offer advice (and condemnation), but he didn't.

Still, she stared at the statue until she arrived back at Airbender Island.

The officers in the hall saluted her as she walked by. Lin nodded back, moving past them to the end of the hall, and the through the far door.

On the other side of the door, she stopped and stood for a moment, crossing her arms, and simply watched the group of trainees. They weren't new recruits; in fact, most of them had been on the force for years, but with the Council's go-ahead the police department was finally teaching the non bender members chi-blocking.

The large training room, which was dotted with blue training mats and punching bags, with a few long mirrors on the walls, was big enough to hold training sessions comfortably with twenty people at a time. Currently the non-bender officers were taking two hours – paid – off of their shift schedules in order to train.

Soon, Amon wouldn't have the upper hand. He could disarm her metalbenders all he wanted, but then he'd have to contend with her own chi-blockers as well. She smirked at the thought. She would find him, and stop him, before he hurt too many others. She had to.

At the head of the room, in front of the non-bender trainees, stood two women. One was in her eighties now; her hair was no longer dark red as it had been when Lin was young, and she had a scar that could just be seen going across the right side of her collarbones. Lin knew the scar went down her shoulder and almost to her hip, but it couldn't be seen with all of her clothing. She was wearing simple Earth Kingdom clothing, with a few influences from her days with the Kioshi Warriors, such as the fans at her side. She wore no makeup, and there were deep lines in her face, but there was a never-ending energy and life in even her smallest movements. There was confidence, one that made her seem somehow younger.

Even knowing her for all of these years – her whole life, really – it was kind of strange for Lin to see Suki at this age. In her mind, when she thought of Suki, she was forever as she had been when Lin was a teenager. But, that time was long past, and Suki's age didn't interfere with her abilities in any way that Lin could see. If anything, she'd even gotten better with age, like good wine. There was something about the way she stood, as if age itself had settled on her very reluctantly, and the more one looked at her, the more one found themselves forgetting how old she truly was.

The other woman – Mizu – was a little younger than Lin, and was shorter than Suki by an inch or so. Her hair was long and braided back in a water tribe style. In fact, her coloring was more water tribe than anything else, but she had Suki's facial features, and her eyes. Mizu's attitude was very much like Suki's as well, but when she smiled, all Lin could see was Sokka. For a moment, a thousand memories of him ruffling her hair and teasing her, hugging her, encouraging her, passed through her mind, and she closed her eyes. Then she opened them and was moving again. Now wasn't the time to get lost in memories. They had work to do.

Suki looked over and shot Lin a smile, before returning her attention to the non-bender officers grouped before her. As Lin came to stand at her other side, Suki addressed the crowd. "I want everyone to split into pairs," She said. " You will take turns and spar each other in the center of the room while the others watch. Whoever successfully uses chi-blocking against their opponent first wins, and then we will move on to the next pair. Remember: chi blocking is not about brute force. You need only lightly touch your opponent's pressure points-" here Suki gestured to a few of said points on her own body – "in order to disable bending or to paralyze them. Though the Equalists are not benders, it is important you practice many different forms of chi-blocking." She stepped back, and the officers paired together and formed a large circle in the center of the room, ending where Lin, Suki, and Mizu stood.

Mizu straightened. "First pair, step forward!"

Two female officers – both rather young, obviously new recruits – stepped forward, and took fighting stances in front of each other. As they charged at each other, Lin turned a little toward Suki.

"How is the training going?" She asked, keeping one eye on the sparring officers.

"Very well," Suki replied with a warm smile. "Not as good as the Kyoshi warriors of course," she added, her smile growing teasingly, "But they'll do."

Lin nodded, smiling back a little. "Excellent."

"They all need more practice," Mizu said, eyeing the officers as one of the women successfully chi-blocked the other, managing to paralyze her arm. They bowed at each other, and toward the front where Suki and her daughter were standing, and then they went back to the outline of the circle. Another pair – this time two men – moved to the center and began to spar.

"Still," she went on, "They have come a long way."

"If you wish, I could ask Ty-Lee to come down here and give a few lessons," Suki said, her hands brushing over the fans at her hip. "She is still the best chi-blocker I have ever witnessed. I know that we were on hand, since we live here, but I'm sure she would be happy to make the trip."

"Maybe," Lin said, her eyebrows pulled together in thought. "It certainly wouldn't hurt. You both seem to be doing a fine job, though. For the first time we're really getting a leg up on the Equalists."

For a second they were all quiet, watching the two men, and then Suki spoke again. "Have you heard of The Equal Republic?" She asked.

Lin frowned. "Can't say I have."

Suki nodded. "Must have just started then, or else it was kept really quiet. It's a newspaper."

"We saw it this morning," Mizu said. She tucked a little bit of hair behind her ear. "A kid was handing it out. Couldn't have been older than eight. It's a propaganda paper."

Lin raised her eyebrows. "Let me guess-"

"Paid for by the Equalists," Suki finished. "Well, they don't go out and say that. But it definitely supports them. And it's more than propaganda. It reports things that don't always end up in the Republic City Times."

Lin nodded slowly, and sighed, putting a hand to her forehead. "Simultaneously undermining us, and giving credibility to the Equalists. After all, if those stories aren't printed because of some kind of cover-up, what else could we be hiding?" She rubbed her eyes. "It just reinforces the idea that we don't care about the poor or the non-bender citizens."

"It's a free paper too," Suki added grimly. "Their tagline is: 'The Unbiased Truth'. I'd suggest picking up a copy. If even half of the articles in it are true…well, let's just say I can definitely understand why other non-benders will support it."

"Right." Lin let out another long sigh. "None of this is going to be easy."

Suki made a slight humming noise. "No. But men like Amon always fall, in the end."

"There haven't been any men like Amon that I've ever heard of," Lin admitted, crossing her arms.

Suki looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I've fought one." Mizu smirked a little. Before Lin could respond, Suki went on. "There are always men like Amon. And eventually, they all fall. Only for another man like them to start hurting people again. Around and around it goes. Yin and Yang. Push and pull. We fight for those few years of peace. It sounds hopeless, but it's worth it. Little by little, we do get better."

"Well, some of us do," Mizu interjected, wincing as one of the men in the ring attempted to chi-block the other, only to miss the pressure point and instead make his opponent yelp in pain, shaking out the hit arm. "Hold it!" She called to the men as they prepared to face each other again. They froze, partially in fighting stances.

Mizu turned to Suki. "Care to do the honors, Mom?"

Suki grinned, and drew herself up a little. "I think I can handle one of these dewdroppers," she said, stepping forward into the ring. The men in the middle exchanged glances, one of them looking like they were about to laugh.

"You!" She said, pointing to the man that had failed in his chi-blocking. He snapped to attention. "Get ready." She gestured to the other man. "You? Watch. Next time you face him, be ready to get it right before he does."

Suki walked to the center of the circle, drawing one of her golden fans, holding it out in front of her, her body turned sideways, her other hand open and empty, palm-down, waiting for the man to make his first move.

He did. Both of his hands raised, he feinted to the left, but Suki was ready, and she easily stepped to his right, meeting his other hand with her fan and turning it to the side. The stepped around each other, and Suki face him once more, smirking just a little. In that moment, she could have been a young woman again.

This time the man tried to go low; he pivoted and tried to pull her over by hooking his foot around an ankle, but Suki smoothly redirected his kick, holding his leg up with the fan in her hand, forcing his legs farter apart, the one in her hand held up above their heads. He only had time for a slight squeak noise before Suki's other hand hit a pressure point in his neck. He collapsed on the ground, twitching slightly.

"Don't worry," Suki said, her voice light. She dusted herself off a little, and walked back to the head of the circle. "That will wear off in a few minutes."

For what felt like the first time in a long time, Lin laughed out loud.

(~-~-~-~-~-~)

Mako turned his head slightly to one side and then the other, studying his face from all angles in the mirror. He ran a hand through his hair again, and then a finger over his eyebrows, making sure they were in the right shape.

"Well," Bolin drawled slowly from the doorway, making Mako jump a little. "I'm sure Asami is going to go weak in the knees when she sees the shape of your eyebrows."

Mako rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

"Yeah, yeah." Bolin walked into the bathroom and punched Mako's shoulder. "What is this, your guys' third date now?"

"Yeah. We're spending the day at her house this time." Mako looked at his reflection again, and then scowled when he saw Bolin was making faces at him in the mirror.

"Her house, huh?" Bolin wiggled his eyebrows, elbowing Mako lightly in the side.

Mako shook his head and rolled his eyes again. "She wants to take me driving on the track by her house. I doubt anything else will happen." He'd had sex before, and had even enjoyed it, but it was never something he really desired. Thinking about sex with Asami felt different, though. Thinking about doing anything with Asami was different, somehow. It all felt so…easy, and fun, and good, in a way he hadn't felt since his parents were alive. Not that Bolin knew any of that, though.

Bolin smiled, seeming hardly bothered. "I hope you guys have fun. Asami's great, Mako. Really."

Mako smiled back, letting out a slow breath. "She really is."

Bolin laughed, and then walked out of the bathroom, calling back behind him: "Any time you want to take me to your girlfriend's super-awesome mansion, let me know!"

Visions of Bolin breaking something horrendously expensive danced in Mako's head. "We'll see!" He called back, returning his attention to the mirror, and giving his appearance another once-over.

After standing another ten minutes in front of the mirror (more he'd care to admit if asked), he made his way out of their small apartment, waving goodbye to Bolin as he went. He stopped for a second outside of the their door, picking up the newspaper on the floor – AVATAR KORRA TAKES A STAND AGAINST THE EQUALISTS – written in large font on the front. He quickly turned and tossed the paper inside the apartment, and then shut the door behind him.

He hurried down the stairs, past a disgruntled Toza, who scowled at him and told him to remember to come help him out around the gym the next day. When Mako made it down to the street, he spied a trolley waiting on the corner, and managed to catch it just in time, hoisting himself up onto the back and holding onto one of the metal bars.

For a minute he just enjoyed the cool air as the trolley moved down the street, and he closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of people talking, of satomobiles driving by, and more. He'd grown so used to hearing all of those sounds as a kid on the streets – as well as some sounds at night he'd rather not remember – that it was hard for him to get to sleep without some kind of noise in the background.

The trolley went over a bump in the road, and he was jostled a little, holding himself steady against the bar in his hand. Someone bumped into him, treading hard on his foot, and then moved further into the trolley without so much as an apology. Mako glared after them, wiggling his foot out a little, and then his eyes caught sight of something that made him freeze.

It was a newspaper, with a picture of Korra on the front, dressed all in black. The person holding the paper was reading something on the inside, so Mako had a pretty good view of the front page, and more importantly, the words written in large letters over Korra's picture:

AVATAR KORRA IN THE GOVERNMENT'S POCKET, IMPRISONS NON-BENDER CITIZENS

Mako frowned, his eyebrows pulling together. He couldn't get a good view of the title of the paper, but looking at it gave him a sense of dread. He knew that non-benders didn't have a lot of the same opportunities (hell, no non-benders that he knew of worked at the power plant) but the Equalists had kidnapped his brother and needed to be stopped. Honestly, he didn't know much about the task force or what Korra was doing with them, but she was trying to help and to protect people, so that no one else got hurt.

He knew, though, that no matter what people were bound to get hurt. And Korra would be hurt if she saw things like that headline. He'd have to tell her – or maybe have Bo do it, since they got along so well – before she saw it. She wasn't "in the government's pocket" and she definitely wasn't trying to hurt anyone, he knew that.

The memory of how Korra had looked while she'd attacked that protestor flashed through his mind, but he shook it off. No, Korra wanted to help people. She was his friend, his teammate, and she'd helped him save Bo's life. He had to have faith in her.

Mako was so lost in his thoughts that he nearly missed his stop, and jumped onto the sidewalk just as the trolley was leaving again. He dusted himself off a little, and began walking further up the road. He could see Asami's house, and the sight both lifted his spirits and daunted him a little.

He would feel better if the house wasn't so huge. It had three levels, and the actual mansion – his girlfriend lived in a mansion, he still couldn't wrap his head around that one – was actually located on the third level. However, the mansion itself still had a few floors in it, and Mako was pretty sure that he could easily get lost inside. Hell, if he wasn't careful, he'd probably wander into the wrong room and fall in the pool – which was inside her house. He hadn't seen anywhere near all of it yet, and standing in front of the towering estate, Mako gulped a little, adjusting his scarf again. You can do this, he told himself. You've been here before. However, before he could raise his hand to knock on the door, a voice called out:

"Master Mako!"

Mako turned around, seeing one of the Sato's family servants – something else he was not at all used to – walking briskly toward him. The servant bowed a little, and then spoke again. "Master Mako, Miss Sato asked me to inform you that she is waiting for you at the racetrack."

Racetrack. Right. She has one of those too, Mako thought, somewhat dazedly. "Oh, uh, thanks for the info. I'll go meet her there, then."

The servant bowed again. "If you would follow me, Master Mako, I will gladly take you there."

"Uh, thanks," Mako said, scratching the back of his neck. Without another word the servant turned on his heel, and Mako followed behind him. They walked quickly inside the estate and out the other side, Mako unable to help but still gape at the interior of the mansion. Though he'd seen it already, it was still really hard to take in. The ceilings were high, and the walls were polished (so were the floors, for that matter), and there were vases full of flowers in several places, and thick stone columns supporting the structure. They went up some stairs and through a back door, and then Mako could see the racetrack.

They continued walking toward it, the servant moving at a surprisingly fast pace, especially for how stiff his body was. Mako spotted Asami standing in front of a shiny satomobile. She was holding a helmet in her hand, and was talking with a group of people, gesturing toward the satomobile. When she saw Mako she grinned widely and waved at him. Mako felt himself grinning in response, waving back and jogging the rest of the way over.

"Hi," he said breathlessly.

"Hi," she said back, giggling a little. For a moment they just smiled at each other, Mako's chest fluttering and warm. Then Asami motioned toward the people standing next to her.

"These two are Wei and Li, " she said, gesturing toward a Fire Nation man and woman whose features were similar enough that they were likely related, "They are engineers working for my father. They helped to design this new model of satomobile." She patted the vehicle at her side. "We hope to start mass production soon." Asami gestured to the other man, an Earth Kingdom man with a mustache cut into two thin and long pieces that hung down the sides of his face. "This is Sudhir. He's been teaching me how to fight since I was little. I've known him practically my whole life."

Sudhir smiled, his pale green eyes bright. "Well, you have been an excellent student, Asami. There is little you cannot accomplish when you set your mind to it." He bowed suddenly, barely glancing at Mako. "If you'll excuse me, I will wait back on the stands. I'm looking forward to seeing you drive." He nodded a little at Mako, turned around, and walked toward the metal seats that had been constructed in a ring around the track.

Asami caught Mako's hand in her own. "So," she said, her fingers wrapping around his, her hand warm and firm, making Mako's chest feel tight and fluttery and weightless all the same time. "Want to take this car for a spin with me on the track?"

Mako was pretty sure he was just grinning like a fool, and he nodded, his head bobbing a few too many times. "Yeah, um, that sounds great!" He hadn't been a car too many times in his life, let alone on a track, but being anywhere with Asami would be fun.

Her smile widened. "Great!" She led him to the car, letting go of his hand to let herself inside. She put on her helmet. "Better buckle up. Another helmet should be on your seat."

He slid his own helmet on, and put on the seat belt, turning his head to watch her as she started the car. Man, she just looked so graceful no matter what she did, so pretty and happy, and it was impossible for him to not feel happy at the same time.

She winked at him, and his heart thudded in his chest. They hadn't even been dating long, but already she felt like one of the most amazing people he'd ever –

The engine roared to life, and then WHOOSH! They were off, Mako's head snapping back and hitting the back of his seat.

"Gah!" He said, his hands gripping the sides of the seat for dear life as they sped down the track, Asami expertly flying around the corners, her hair whipping in the wind like a flag. Mako tried to sink as far into his seat as possible, his heart hammering, the world around them a blur, and Asami laughed out loud while Mako made a strange sound that was like a jumble of words rolled together.

His eyes felt dry from the rushing air, but closing them made it feel like they were going even faster, so he kept them open, sure at every corner that they were going to go sailing off the edge of the track, but Asami always turned them just in time, Mako trying to keep himself as stiff in his seat as possible.

Finally the car started to slow down, and Mako even more slowly relaxed the seat, peeling himself away from the leather seat. They stopped, without so much as a jerk, at the start of the track again, and Mako let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Across the way on the metal seats, he could see Sudhir laughing.

"So," Asami said, taking off her helmet and tossing her hair, reminding him of the moment he'd first seen her, "What did you think?"

"That was very," he cleared his throat, "Um, fast."

She laughed again. "That's kind of the idea." She leaned forward, taking off his helmet and kissing his cheek. Mako blushed.

"Well, do you want to give it a shot?" She asked, gesturing to the steering wheel.

Mako shook his head quickly. "No, I- I'm fine. I don't know how, anyway."

"Really?" Asami raised her eyebrows, but then nodded. "I guess that makes sense." She smiled again. "Why don't I teach you?"

Mako hesitated, looking out at the track.

"I promise we'll go slow," Asami said seriously, and he looked back at her. "It's okay to be nervous about it, Mako, and it's okay if you don't want to."

After a second's more thought, he nodded slowly. "Yeah. Okay. Let's do it."

She kissed him again, on the mouth this time, and Mako was surprised to feel a sort of jolt go through him, like how he sometimes felt lightning bending. It was hot and fast and made every inch of his body more aware of everything. Suddenly he could feel her soft lips even more, and the way her hand curled around his neck, her fingers pressing into his point of his pulse, his heart beating faster, everything in him focused on her and her alone, and he wanted to feel more of her, wanted to open his mouth and feel her tongue, wanted to press himself closer – and then she pulled back, leaving Mako breathless and a little confused. He shook his head, trying to clear it while Asami climbed out of the car. He'd never felt that way kissing anyone before.

He shook it off, getting out of the car and moving to the driver's side. He'd think about that later, he told himself, even as his body felt jittery, and he very much wanted to kiss her again.

Mako sat down, staring at the steering wheel in front of him, nervousness overriding his other feelings. He put his hands on the wheel, his arms locked in place, his shoulders and neck so stiff it felt like he might give himself a cramp.

Asami placed a hand on his shoulder. "Relax," she said softly. "Like I said, we'll take it slow."

He nodded, letting out a slow breath, looking at her to see her giving him an encouraging smile, and he felt calmer.

"Right." He said. "Let's do it."

(~-~-~-~-~-~)

Korra walked quietly back to her room. Most people on the island were getting ready to go to sleep, and it was about time for her to try meditation again. Maybe her working with the task force would've a positive effect on her meditation. Not like I can get any worse at it, she thought somewhat bitterly.

As she made her way down the hall, she passed a sleepy Meelo listing sideways toward the wall, and gently positioned his body toward the bathroom. He walked in it, mumbling things under his breath. Smiling a little, Korra kept walking, and almost ran right into Tenzin.

"Korra," he said, blinking at her in surprise. "Going to bed?"

She shrugged, looking away. It was a little strange to see him in his nightclothes, since she was so used to the robes he wore during the day. "I'm going to try to meditate, and maybe do some more late night airbending practice."

"Ah, I see." Tenzin frowned a little. She started to walk past him, but then he spoke again.

"Korra?"

She turned around. "Yeah?"

He hesitated. "Are you…all right?"

For a moment her gut clenched tight, but then she nodded, keeping her features calm. "I'm fine, Tenzin." I'm fine I'm fine I'm fine I'm fine.

He stared at her for a long moment, and Korra fought to not fidget.

"All right," he said finally, and relief washed through her. "Still," he went on, "Korra, you know…I know that you might be feeling strange around me, after that argument that we had, but I want you to know that it's okay to be scared. The whole city is frightened by what is going on. The important thing is to talk about our fears, because if we don't, they can throw us out of balance."

Korra didn't answer, couldn't answer.

Tenzin regarded her seriously. "I'm always here if you want to talk."

With that he turned, and walked the rest of the way down the hall. Korra stared after him for a moment, and then took a deep breath, and made her way back to her room.

Once inside Korra tried to calm down, taking several deep breaths. She was fine. She was the Avatar, and she would get it right. She would stop Amon, she would learn airbending, and she'd start by learning how to meditate.

She sat cross-legged on the rug on the floor, her wrists on her knees. Korra breathed slowly in and out. Think peaceful thoughts, she told herself. Tenzin had told her that true meditation was more of an absence of thought than anything else, but she was nowhere near that point. Mostly she hoped to keep herself calm and able to sit for longer periods of time, and then maybe work up to the whole not-thinking-one-with-the-universe thing. And maybe if she did it right, she wouldn't have nightmares.

Okay. Happy thoughts. Peaceful thoughts. She breathed slowly in and out again, trying to fight the urge to fidget. Instead she thought of times when she had felt the most peaceful, and the happiest.

There was when she'd first bent water, or rather snow. Her Aunt, Uncle, and cousins had been visiting. She'd challenged Eska and Desna to a snowball fight, and she'd thrown up her arms to defend herself, only for the snow to move up like a wall in front of her. She hadn't meant to do it, but it had felt right, and she'd known immediately that she was the one who had done it. She couldn't remember all of it, mostly just things like her Aunt's warm hands on her shoulder, telling her that she just knew Korra would be an amazing bender. Her cousin's laughter – a rare thing, from what she remembered – ringing in her ears while they played. But more than that she could remember the way it had felt to bend water for the first time.

Slowly she started to relax, and tried to remember other moments. There was when her parents had told her that they loved her "because she was Korra". There was when she was training Naga and learning how to ride her. There were the times where she learned a new bending move right away, and the time Master Katara had made her dessert for her birthday. The memories came faster, flowing together smoothly. Nights spent with her parents, playing and sparring and having dinner. Times when the White Lotus guards had told her stories and snuck her candy. Being told that she was going to Republic City with Tenzin. Meeting Bolin, and seeing Mako pull off his hat-trick. Lunches with Bo and training sessions with the team, dancing, ice skating, Bolin's face so close to hers and his eyes so green, Pabu nuzzling her cheek, getting Mako to praise her, the few times he smiled, rescuing Bolin and knowing that he was safe, waking up next to Mako under the tree, seeing him look so peaceful, and thinking maybe if we do this he'll praise me again-

Her eyes snapped open, her heart hammering in her chest. She felt a flush rise in her chest, her cheeks, and stood quickly, shaking her head. No. I can't think about that either. She couldn't think about the way her gut had twisted when she'd seen him with Asami, the way she felt like she'd been slapped every time he ignored how well she was doing in pro-bending. No, now was not the time to think about that.

Korra let out a frustrated sigh, and collapsed on the bed. Her mind felt stretched thin, and even her bones felt sore. Between pro-bending and going out with the task force and training with Tenzin, she'd never been so busy before. Slowly she let out another breath and closed her eyes again, trying to keep her breathing slow and even, to just let her mind drift into sleep.

For a moment a jumbled assortment of faces flashed in her mind. Avatar Aang, middle-aged, flying along the streets in Republic City, chasing someone. Master Katara, younger than the one Korra knew, fighting alongside a red-haired woman, their bodies suddenly stopping and twisting violently, and then -

She glided smoothly along the ice, practicing a spin.

"You're doing great Korra!" Bolin encouraged her, and she smiled, and laughed, but when she looked he was nowhere to be seen.

Still, she kept skating, even though her feet were starting to feel heavy.

In the middle of the ice, Meelo was balancing on his staff, his whole body up in the air, and he was wearing a probending uniform. "Be the leaf!" he called to her, before flipping off of his staff and literally flying away.

And suddenly the spinning gates were on the ice, whirling away, and Korra charged at them. The first gate almost hit her, but she moved just in time. She spun quickly around and dodged the next gate, and the next, and the next, and she was doing it! She was doing it! She was –

She slid out the other side, and suddenly the ground felt like it was moving beneath her, and she wobbled unsteadily. She regained her balance, and looked up, and stopped breathing.

"Avatar Korra," Amon said, standing across from her. He was holding his hands behind his back, his head tilted just a little to one side. Around him, Equalists with glowing eyes formed from the shadows, and grabbed her arms and her legs and pulled her down, and she tried to scream but she made no sound.

Amon walked toward her slowly, confidently, not bothered by her struggles, and he lifted his hand as he drew closer.

Suddenly she could see in the background, her family and Bolin and Mako and Tenzin and Pema and the kids all tied up, staring at her, looking bruised and battered.

"Avatar Aang would never have allowed this to happen," Amon said, placing his hand on her forehead. "Once I take away your bending, you will be nothing."

Korra's eyes snapped open.

The sheets were tangled around her legs like seaweed, but she kicked them off and sat up, running a hand through her hair.

I'mfineI'mfineI'mfine, she told herself, taking a deep and shaky breath. For a few moments she just breathed, and then she stood, and stepped into the stance she now knew by heart. Slowly she moved in a circle, her hands up, pushing everything – her attempts at meditation, her feelings for Mako, her dream, everything – out of her mind.

She practiced airbending moves until it started to get lighter outside, and she passed out from pure exhaustion.

(~-~-~-~-~-~)

Senna hummed along to the music coming from the radio, nodding her head a little. She could feel her hands getting wrinkled from the soapy water, but she was getting close to being done. She wiped at the plate in her hands, careful removing any signs of food, and then handed the plate to Tonraq.

He accepted the plate with a smile, drying it quickly and putting it away while she scrubbed at another dish.

"Thanks so much for tackling that," Pema said from behind them, the rag she'd been using for dusting in her right hand, the left massaging at her back.

Senna waved her hand, accidentally flicking a little water on the floor. "No problem. We're more than happy to help out however we can around here, especially since we're still trying to find some work in the city."

"Until then," Tonraq added, taking the next dish from Senna's hands and drying it, "Washing dishes is the least we can afford to do to repay you and Tenzin for all that you've done for Korra."

Pema smiled, her eyes crinkling at the edges. "We'll see if you have the same upbeat attitude when I take you up on your offer of watching the kids!"

Senna chuckled and Tonraq laughed, the sound loud and rumbling in his chest. With a wave, Pema walked over to the table, wiping her cloth on its surface.

Tonraq turned to Senna again, holding out his hand for the dish, only to blink in surprise as she flicked soapy water at his face. She giggled as he grinned lopsidedly at her, and then she squealed as his arms wrapped around her and he buried his face in her neck, blowing his lips against her skin with a pbbbt sound.

Senna pushed at him with her wet hands, laughing, when a familiar voice caught her attention, and she stepped toward the radio sitting on the counter, turning it up.

Korra's voice issued from the device, crackling a little. "…have again successfully captured a group of Equalist trainees. They'll be held in jail to await trial."

Senna exchanged a look with Tonraq, both the dishes and playfulness forgotten. His eyebrows furrowed, and he stepped closer as well. Tarrlok's voice came next, and Senna scowled at the sound.

"Thanks to Avatar Korra bravely answering the call for action, we have been able to make some real headway. With the two of us leading the task force, there is nothing to fear from Amon and the Equalists."

Senna bit her lip, trying to feel positive at the notion, when another reporter spoke.

"Question for the Avatar! Despite this progress, Amon still remains at large. Why have you failed to locate him?"

Tonraq's fists clenched and Senna's teeth mashed together at the notion that Amon's continued presence was somehow Korra's fault, but Korra spoke quickly, distracting her from such thoughts.

"You want to know why?" Korra demanded, and Senna could easily picture the expression on Korra's face, the confident way she would stand. "Because Amon is hiding in the shadows like a coward. Amon, I challenge you to a duel-"

Korra was still talking, but Senna didn't hear it, dropping the dish in her hands in the sink with a loud splash.

(~-~-~-~-~-~-~)

Korra could see her mom and dad and Tenzin waiting for her at the docks. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for their reaction. She knew that they wanted to keep her safe, but they just didn't understand. She had to do this.

She was fine.

The ferry reached the dock, and Korra had barely stepped off of it when all three of them approached her. She looked up at them calmly.

"Korra, you are not doing this," Senna said fiercely, stopping right in front of her with her arms tightly crossed.

"I am," Korra responded, crossing her arms as well. "I'm doing this and you guys can't stop me."

Tonraq raised his eyebrows while Senna drew in a furious breath, opening her mouth to shout, but Tonraq put a hand on her arm to stop her. "Korra," her dad said slowly, "We don't want you fighting Amon. We forbid it."

"Forbid it?" Korra demanded, gesturing forcefully with her hands. "What are you going to do, drag me back to my room and lock me in there?"

"If we have to." Senna replied, her voice like steel. Korra scowled.

"Korra, please," Tenzin interjected, laying his hands on her shoulders. "This is not a good idea. If you are hoping to lure Amon out, there are better ways to do it."

Korra shook her head, stepping back and out of his hands. "No, Tenzin. I have to do this."

"This is all that bastard Tarrlok's fault!" Tonraq declared, glaring back out at the city. "If he hadn't-"

"Tarrlok tried to talk me out of it too, dad," Korra said. "Look, I'm going no matter what you say. I have to face Amon." She took a deep breath and turned back around to get on the ferry again, but her mom's hand grabbed her arm.

"Korra," Senna's voice was softer now, and Korra whirled around to see tears in her eyes. Senna dropped her hand, and Korra fought past the lump in her throat.

"Mom," she said. "I'm sorry. I have to do this."

"Kor…" Tonraq began, and Korra hated how frightened and sad he looked, his hand halfway extended toward her, like he wanted to pull her back toward him. "We know that we can't really stop you, if you're determined to go, but please. Don't do this. It's too dangerous."

Korra smiled a little, but it felt more like a grimace. "I'm the Avatar, dad. My whole life I'm going to be doing dangerous things. I might as well get used to it."

She stepped back onto the ferry again, signaling to the captain that she was ready. It slowly started moving again, and she watched her family for a long moment as they drifted back from the dock and toward Amon. Then she steeled herself and turned around, facing the meeting place.

I'm fine, she told herself. I'll get through this and make this up to them later.

It didn't take long for the ferry to reach the Avatar Aang memorial island. It was small, most of it taken up by the gigantic statue that sat on top of a squat and round open air, almost temple-like building. The building and the statue were held up with huge stone columns, and the patches of grass and bushes artfully surrounding it were perfectly trimmed, lining the circular sidewalk From what Korra understood, during the day tourists and locals could visit the island to read plaques on the wall detailing Avatar Aang's history, and they could even light candles or incense in remembrance.

The ferry docked, and Korra firmly told the captain to leave her there. If Amon did show up she didn't want the man to get caught in the crossfire. The captain was hesitant, but ultimately did as she asked. A few minutes later and he was gone, leaving Korra alone on the island, the statue of Avatar Aang towering over her, taller than anything she'd ever seen before.

For a moment she simply stared up at it. From this angle she couldn't see his face as well, and certainly not his endlessly staring eyes. "This is what you would do, isn't it?" She asked the statue, not even bothering to raise her voice. "Take out the bad guy by yourself, where no one else would get hurt."

Of course, there was no reply, and Korra walked up the slight hill to the sidewalk surrounding the empty building. The darkness and heavy shadows made it almost impossible to see inside it, but she didn't want to go in there anyway. She wanted to be out where she could see Amon, where he couldn't hide so easily.

A slight breeze blew, making her hair tickle her shoulders, but other than that the night was still, quiet. If she listened hard enough, she could just make out some sounds from the city, but it was largely muffled, as though the city was even further away than it seemed. She couldn't hear any birds, and she knew that the flying lemurs from Air Temple Island never came out this far. The waves lapped gently against the island, back and forth, perfectly in time. The moonlight gave everything a sort of glow to it, especially the sidewalk, and the columns that weren't in shadow.

She walked around the island, following the perfectly round sidewalk, trying to focus on her breathing and staying relaxed, while also being ready for any sort of sudden movement. It would be hard for Amon to come up to the island without her noticing at least, and she was glad to have the advantage of arriving first.

The minutes trickled by. Every second drew her nerves tighter, like the string on an instrument, waiting, waiting, waiting. It felt like she'd been there for over an hour at least, but there was still no sign of anyone or anything.

The clock in Republic City – easily the loudest thing from over there – chimed thunderously, and Korra jumped, automatically going into a fighting stance, whirling around, her heart pounding. Almost immediately she realized her mistake, and actually laughed out loud, straightening up and relaxing.

See? She thought triumphantly, walking again, trying not to focus on the sheer relief that made her limbs almost shaky. He's a coward. All he can do is- is put up a bunch of posters and try to scare people. When it comes to a real fight, he'd rather hide.

"Guess you're a no-show, Amon," She said to the quiet world around her. "Who's scared now?"

Korra was almost done with her final trip around, and then she would leave. She stretched her arms above her head, yawning a little. Maybe mom and dad will be so relieved that nothing happened that they won't punish me for not listening to them, she thought without much hope. Still, she knew that she had hurt and worried them, and that fact ate at her, making her stomach feel as though it was tied in knots.

She passed the base of the statue, trying to think of ways to make it up to them in addition to apologizing, putting her hands in her pockets, starting to whistle a familiar tune-

-something wrapped around her legs and pulled.

Korra slammed to the ground, a strangled shriek escaping her as the bola around her legs pulled her into the darkness of the building. Nononononono-

She kicked the bola off, jumping to her feet and swinging her leg in a wide arc, fire flying out from her, temporarily illuminating the shadows to see at least five Equalists waiting for her, their goggles practically glowing in the sudden light. Korra spun again, but before she could make so much as another flicker of fire, whips shot out, cracking loudly in the air, wrapping around both of her wrists. Hissing with pain, Korra pulled sharply on the whips, hearing with slight satisfaction the stumbling of the Equalists as they were pulled forward with her.

She jumped, kicking out, feeling the earth move underneath her and shoot toward at least one Equalist member judging by the grunt she heard, turning and shooting out fire with her left foot before they could come at her again. In the brief light she saw an Equalist nimbly dodge her fire, but then something hit her hard in the back and she fell to her knees, gasping. Hands quickly hit several pressure points on her back and neck, and her body felt even weaker. It took all of her strength to simply stay upright.

She could hear them breathing now, all around her, and she squinted against the sudden light as one of them lit a lantern with a match. The small firelight made the Equalists and their shadows seem unnaturally tall and long, looming over her like indistinct figures from her nightmares.

Korra's eyes flicked around the room, panting, fighting to get back just enough strength to knock these fuckers on their backs and –

And Amon stepped out of the shadows.

She felt her breath catch with an almost strangled sound. He walked toward her slowly, softly, his feet barely making any sound. "Avatar Korra," he inclined his head toward her. "I received your invitation."

This is a dream, she told herself. I'll wake up any second and it will have just been a nightmare, this isn't real this isn't REAL-

Amon stopped just in front of her. He bent forward slightly, reaching a hand out toward her face. Korra jerked her chin back, heart pounding, a slight cry escaping her before she could stop it.

Amon kept reaching for her, taking her chin in his cool hands. She flinched, staring up at the empty eyes of his mask helplessly. He tilted his head at her curiously, like an animal, as if she were a mildly strange and entertaining show.

"Our confrontation," he began, his voice seeming to reverberate in her very bones, "While inevitable, is premature. Although it would be simplest for me to take away your bending right now-" his thumb traced her cheek, and for a moment Korra couldn't breathe – "I won't. You'd only become a martyr."

She breathed again, and glared at him, pulling again with her wrists, if she could only get her hands on him-

Amon continued talking as if she hadn't moved. "Benders of every nation would rally around your untimely demise, but I have a plan." He leaned closer, so that her eyes and the blank eyes of his mask were level, and all she could do was stare at him in horror. "I'm saving you for last," he said, his voice not-quite a whisper. "Then you will get your duel, and I will destroy you."

Before she could do more than let out a small, terrified, breath, Amon jabbed her hard in the back, the world swam before her eyes, and everything went dark.

Color. Sounds. Twisting. Fighting to move, can't move, something holding him there, a man smirking, holding out his hands in front of him.

Aang reached out, fighting the suffocating pull in his body, Toph and Sokka convulsing, fear and panic flashing across their faces as the man laughed.

"YAKONE!" Aang screamed, letting go, letting the Avatar State take hold-

She blinked. Her face was pressed against something hard and cold, and everything was hazy, colors and shapes bleeding together. She blinked again, struggling to lift her head off of the ground.

In the distance, in the moonlight, a figure in billowing orange and yellow robes ran toward her, flanked by two other figures.

"Aang?" Korra mumbled, managing to push herself up a little bit. Then their voices came to her, and with it everything sharpened into focus.

"Korra! Korra!"

Her parents and Tenzin rushed toward her, surrounding her on all sides, helping her to her knees. Her mom flung her arms around Korra, her dad just moments behind her.

"Are you all right?" Tenzin asked as her parents drew back, both of them checking her all over for injuries.

Korra nodded, reveling in the warmth of her parents' arms for a moment. "Yeah, I'm fine. Really, mom, dad, I'm fine."

Tonraq ran his hand down her hair. "Are you sure, Kor?"

"Did…" Tenzin hesitated. "Did Amon…take your bending?"

Senna, who had been busy rubbing her hand on Korra's arm, stilled.

Korra lifted her palm, and made a small flame appear in it. She put it out, shaking her head. "Guess not."

The three of them visibly relax, Korra staring past them, out at the ocean that she could see through the gaps in the columns. A painful lump was rising in her throat, and her vision began to swim again, but for another reason entirely.

Senna pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "We're so glad you're okay, sweetie," she said, hugging her again. Korra tried to blink her tears away, but it was no use, and with a sob she clutched at her mom's arm around her shoulders, her other hand finding her dad as his arms wound around her again.

"I- I'm so, so sorry," She gasped, struggling to breathe, the tears like ice on her face. "I- I shouldn't have – I couldn't – "

"Shh," Senna whispered, her hand rubbing soothingly on Korra's back.

"It's okay, Korra," Her dad said, his voice rumbling against her ear, which was pressed into the side of his chest. "We're here. Everything's okay."

Korra shook her head rapidly, pushing them away a little bit so that she had space to look at Tenzin. "No- no – "

He kneeled in front of her, placing his hand on her arm, his eyebrows pulled down in sympathy and concern.

"It – it was just like you said," she sobbed, wiping pathetically at her eyes, "I was scared, I was so scared, and I couldn't – "

"Korra," Tenzin said softly. "Your parents are right. It's okay. It's okay to be scared."

She shook her head again. "I've never – never felt like this before. I've been scared this whole time, and I just – " Her voice broke, and she let out a shaky breath.

Senna tucked some hair behind Korra's ear. "What is it, sweetie?"

Korra shook her head again, but didn't say anything else. Her breathing was calmer, and she blinked the last few tears away, the water leaving long streaks down her face. She rubbed her arm across her running nose, sniffling a little.

"Come on," Tonraq suggested after a few long moments of silence. "Let's go home, Kor. We'll make you some warm tea, and we'll stay up with you as long as you need."

Together, he and Senna pulled Korra to her feet, Tenzin rising with them. They started to walk outside, Tenzin following behind them, when Korra stopped.

"Mom, dad, I…" She let out another slightly shaking breath. "I need to talk to Tenzin for a moment. "I'll be right out. I promise."

Senna and Tonraq exchanged glances, and then Tonraq nodded slowly, kissing the top of Korra's head, while Senna gave her another hug. "We'll be right outside," Senna told her, both of them stepping back. Their hands remained interlocked for a moment, and then their fingers slid apart, and Senna and Tonraq walked on ahead.

Korra was still facing away from him, so Tenzin approached her gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Korra?"

She turned toward him then, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I just don't know what to do, Tenzin," she whispered.

He put both hands on her shoulders. "Korra, it's okay. If you want to talk about all of this, or take a break for a while, that is fine. Everyone will understand. You have people who love you and are here for you."

"Take a break?" She repeated bitterly. "I'm the Avatar. That's an all-the-time job." She looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "Avatar Aang was probably never afraid like this, and he didn't just stop – "

"Korra," Tenzin cut across her, frowning a little. "There are a lot of things that my father was afraid of. Facing Firelord Ozai was just one of them. Being the Avatar doesn't mean that you aren't allowed to be scared, Korra."

She looked at the ground, remembering Yrak's words in her head. You're the Avatar. You have to get it right. "I can't afford to feel this way, Tenzin, not when everyone is depending on me."

He squeezed her shoulders, and after a moment of hesitation, pulled her into an embrace. "Korra, the burden on your shoulders is difficult, and it isn't fair. Oftentimes I think the world asks too much of the Avatar." He pulled back a little, looking her in the eyes. "But contrary to what the history books say, my father did not win the war on his own. He wasn't alone, and neither are you. It's okay to depend on other people sometimes. And," he offered a small smile, "being able to admit to your fears, like you are now, is the first step to overcoming them. Being brave doesn't mean that you aren't scared. Being brave means feeling fear and still fighting anyway."

Korra looked away. "Then I'm not brave," she admitted. "Because seeing Amon…hearing his voice…it makes me freeze up."

He squeezed her shoulders again. "I believe in you."

Korra sighed a little. "I know that I'm the Avatar, Tenzin, but - "

He shook his head, and cut across her words. "Not because you're the Avatar. Because you're Korra. That's why I believe in you."

For a second she just looked up at him with wide eyes, blinking, and then she hugged him, unable to speak around the tightness in her throat, her eyes filling with tears again. After a moment, his arms wrapped around her as well, warm and comforting, and they stayed like that for quite some time.

Then, Tenzin spoke to her in a soft voice. "Let's go home, Korra." He helped her to her feet, and they walked out together, where her parents were waiting.

Home. Korra smiled, wiping at her eyes. She'd lived in the White Lotus compound in the south for most of her life, but for the first time she was finally in a place that truly felt like home.

(~-~-~-~-~-~)

Back inside the memorial, someone watched them walk away, the moonlight glinting eerily against the goggles they wore over their eyes. They watched until Avatar Korra and Tenzin were out of sight, and then they moved back into the shadows.

They had to get back to base. There was much that they had to tell Amon.


A few other notes: I intentionally put Suki kicking ass in this chapter, even for just a short time, because the current series has been sorely lacking in that area. Yeah, old!Toph is great, but it still doesn't really balance out the fact that we've seen tons of badass old men, and only one badass old woman, so. Yeah. This particularly bugs me when it comes to Katara, since she's one of my favorite characters, and in LoK she's thus far been used to heal and look sad. :/ Don't worry, I have plans to rectify that in this fic. :)

If you guys are interested, feel free to follow me on tumblr (link in my profile) and you'll sometimes see me talk about this story, including spoilers for the future, in the "spirits cry concepts" tag. Look at your own risk.

As always, I hugely appreciate any reviews, and I'll do my best to reply to all of them.

Next Chapter Preview: The Spirit of Competition: The probending tournament has arrived, and tensions are running high. Korra is forced to re-examine her feelings for Mako, especially after going on a date with Bolin. Still, she ends up hurting people she cares about, but her mistakes lead her to a moment of clarity. However, something more sinister is about to occur...

Later days!