Kor shifts restlessly. Years of being relentlessly instructed that the man sitting before him was the incarnation of true evil was proving to be the hardest lesson yet to unlearn. But the man before him sits easily and peacefully on the ground, his legs crossed and his hands relaxed in his lap. The dragon still lounges nearby, clearly at ease as he naps.

"I am told you already bend fire. What forms do you know?"

Kor pauses. "I have never trained officially, Lord Zuko. It is forbidden to bend fire as a member of the Order."

"Not surprising," Zuko agrees. "So, when you do bend fire, you are reacting and probably angry."

"I— yes."

"You feel hatred."

There's a long pause. "I must not feel such things, but sometimes—"

Zuko waves his hand dismissively. "We are human, young Kor. Whatever else we may be, we are human first and foremost."

"I attacked Lady Sato," Kor whispers after a long moment. "I was so angry, I threw fire at her." His head drops and he feels a deep shame. "I wanted her to hurt as I was hurting."

Zuko regards him with a glint of amusement. "Knowing Lady Sato as I do, I have no doubt you did not come close to hurting her."

Kor allows himself a small grin. "She had me flat on my back with a knife to my throat before I could blink."

The Fire Lord laughs uproariously. "Of that I have no doubt. She is better than all of us, benders and non-benders."

The two men sit quietly for a while. Periodically the dragon snorts in his sleep, sparks flying from his nostrils. Kor eyes him a little warily, still confounded that he exists.

Zuko notices him watching. "His name is Druk. He is descended from the first dragons, Ran and Shaw, who taught humans the secrets of fire. True firebenders do not bend from anger or hatred, but from understanding their relationship with their element, with the sun that gives us power, with a respect for the chi that drives us. Fire burns, yes, but also can warm and even heal. My grandfather, and then my father, took our people down a dark, terrible path where the arts of bending were subverted for evil purposes."

This is something that sounds more familiar to Kor, echoing the rants of Father Superior.

"At first I agreed with them. I was raised to think that firebenders were superior, that the art was to be used to subdue others." He looks closely at Kor. "Then you changed my mind."

"Me?" Kor blurts.

Zuko smiles briefly. "Well, who you used to be." His eyes lose focus as he gazes into the distance, remembering. "I was meant to destroy Aang, the last Avatar. Instead he became one of my closest friends, and helped me overthrow my father and restore the Fire Kingdom to what it was meant to be, aware of our place in the balance of the world. For a time the world was heading back in the right direction, after years of war."

Kor says nothing, but sees the pained expression on the Fire Lord's face.

"Then you were born to the Crown Prince of the Polar Kingdoms. He was now heir to the throne and father of the Avatar. His brother Unalaq could not bear this apparent sign of favor, and in his jealously and greed he betrayed his brother, his kingdom, and the world."

Zuko rises to his feet and Kor scrambles up after him.

"In a different life, you helped me," Zuko says, his deep voice rumbling with emotion. "Now it is I who must return the favor and help you, if you will have me."

Kor stares at this man who he spent his life considering the enemy, and suddenly feels a comradeship that spans lifetimes. He knows this man like a brother — feels it in his soul. The years of cultivated hatred slips away, without resistance.

"Master Zuko, I gladly accept your guidance, and your friendship."

Zuko's eyes gleam. "Then let us begin."

"Hello again."

Kor opens his eyes but does not move. "We keep meeting here, Lady Sato."

She is sitting on a nearby bench, fresh clothes in her hand. Her green eyes are warm with amusement. "I wonder if you forgot your clothes on purpose, to turn me into a chamber maid."

"If you had seen the number of scorch marks on my person before I was able to come here and heal them, you would not say that."

She nods sympathetically. "I can only imagine. The Fire Lord is a master like few have ever seen."

"My skin agrees. I thought training with my other masters was hard." Kor sits up then clears his throat. When she makes no move he sighs plaintively. "Lady Sato would you please turn your back?"

She raises an amused eyebrow then obediently shuffles around until her back is to him while he dresses. "I'll have you know your modesty is extremely amusing. We are fare more civilized in the Fire Kingdom, and do not have such issues."

"You'll have to forgive my poor heathen upbringing," he responds sourly, and she chuckles.

"I have news for you," she says after he presents himself a few minutes later, fully dressed with an arm courtesouly bent out. She allows him to help her up with a quirk of her lips, then her expression grows serious as they walk back towards the house. "My spies report the entire polar fleet is preparing to sail."

Kor stops, confused. "The entire fleet?"

"North and South," she confirms. "Masts are being cut, probably as reinforcements as no new keels have been seen. Large amounts of food stores and water casks are being piled on the wharves."

"How can you know this, my Lady?" Kor asks, bewildered.

They emerge into the clearing near the house, and rather than answering him she points up at the sky. Kor's gaze follows her arm and he sees something in the distance.

"Messenger birds?" he asks doubtfully, knowing the shape is wrong.

"Something better."

There's a shrill whistle, and after a moment Tenzin emerges from the house, looking up. Kor can now make out what appears to be a person, with… wings? The figure begins to spiral down, finally coming to rest on the ground. Kor see it's a girl, perhaps fifteen, with a stick running along her back and cloth fanning out from it on either side. Like Tenzin she too was adorned with blue tattoos. With a flourish she snaps her staff closed and bows to Tenzin. He laughs and pulls her into a hug as Kor and Lady Sato approach.

"My brave girl," he says with a smile. "What news today?"

The girl blushes when she sees she has an unexpected audience, but speaks. "My father, the air scouts report the fleets have sailed. Both appear to be heading to Capitol City."

Lady Sato's eyes narrow. "Unalaq seeks to recover the Avatar before he come into his full power."

Tenzin nods somberly. "That is very likely."

Kor's heart pounds. "What are the chances they know I am here?" he demands. "Your estate is a wonder, my Lady, but as far as defending the warriors of the Order—"

Zuko strides out of the house, Katara and Toph behind him.

"The manor is better defended than you think," Lady Sato agrees, "but you are correct. It was never designed to resist a full scale invasion."

Zuko growls low in his throat. "We must evacuate your people to safety, my Lady."

"Perhaps," she looks at Kor thoughtfully. "But I believe a diversion is in order."

"My Lady?" He asks, confused, but she ignores him and instead turns to the two women still standing in the doorway.

"How much longer until he reaches his full strength, Master Katara?"

Toph cackles. "Never, the way he's training!"

"Shush," Katara admonishes her, then turks back to the raven haired noblewoman. "His bending has grown immensely, and his techniques are strong, even now with fire." She looks at Zuko for confirmation and he nods. "But he has not yet achieved Avatar state."

Kor blinks in confusion. "What is that?"

Everyone looks at him in shock, then Toph groans loudly.

"Unalaq," she shouts angrily into the air. "You IDIOT!"

"Let me explain," the young woman, Jinora, says suddenly. "I think I can help."

Tenzin's brow wrinkles as he peers at his daughter, then he smiles and bows. "As you wish, Master Jinora."

Kor sputters and leans over to Lady Sato. "She's a master?" he asks in a low voice.

"Youngest airbending master in history. She was anointed even younger than Aang." Lady Sato whispers back.

"The last Avatar?" Kor is startled.

"And her grandfather."

Kor shakes his head in disbelief. "That whole concept of past lives still hurts my head," he admits with a rueful grimace. "But I feel the truth of it."

"Somethings are better just accepted than dwelled upon."

He looks at her for a long moment, then he chuckles. "You are a wise woman, Lady Sato."

She shakes her head. "Just an experienced fool," she demurs. "I do look forward to our next meeting."

Jinora joins them, and she glances back and forth between them with a quizzical expression as if uncertain whether she should interrupt them. "Is now a good time?" she asks with some timidity.

Kor suddenly grins at the airbender then turns and bows extravagantly at the noblewoman. "Until the next time you interrupt my bath, my Lady."

Lady Sato turns bright red as Jinora collapses into an embarrassed coughing fit.

He feels a surge of pride that soars even higher when he feels a hand clap him hard on the back. "Not bad, twinkletoes," grunts Toph in a rare show of approval. "We'll make an Avatar out of you yet."