Published September 8, 2016

"Endless Night"

There were times, indeed, when I thought his unceasingly agitated mind was laboring with some oppressive secret, to divulge which he struggled for the necessary courage. ~ Edgar Allan Poe, "The Fall of the House of Usher"

Korra fishes a notebook out of her old school supplies, and writes down what she can remember of her dreams. Then she adds what she remembers from the dream about Yakone. Once she starts writing and relaxing her mind, she remembers details of dreams from years past, images and words that she knows are significant but whose meaning she cannot piece together.

As the day creeps on, Korra tries meditating, even though she never really learned how. Normally she would not devote so much time to something she is not naturally good at, but now she has plenty of time and little else to do.

She does not know exactly what she is supposed to think about. She tries to focus on her breath, counting her inhalations and exhalations, measuring each of them second by second. But she keeps thinking about her body (whether she will fall asleep, or get hungry, or feel pins and needles in her legs) and her surroundings (whether Noatak will catch her meditating and figure out what she is attempting). Trying to be completely quiet makes her all the more aware of disturbances—the wind blowing, her stomach gurgling, the pipes creaking, and the phone ringing.

She jumps, startled and guilty, when Amon calls out to her. "Korra? There's a phone call for you. It's Asami."

Korra stands up shakily and avoids his suspicious, disapproving gaze as she walks to the phone. She holds up the earpiece and speaks into the mouthpiece. "Asami?"

"Hi Korra."

"What's going on?"

"My dad told me everything."

"O-oh." Korra does not know how to react. She is glad that Asami is no longer completely in the dark, but she feels bad that Asami has to carry the burden of knowledge. She glances at Amon, who is sitting on the sofa just a few yards away. If Amon doesn't already know about Asami's new knowledge, he will eventually learn of it from Hiroshi. But if Asami says anything to criticize the Equalists, or implicate their families' connections to the Equalists … "Um, I don't think we should talk about this over the phone …"

"I know, that's what my dad said. We really need to talk in person about this. But I can't leave the house for a while, until he thinks I've 'calmed down' about it. I just wanted you to know that I know."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No. I think I understand, now, why you said all those things to the boys and me."

"But … I didn't want to ruin your relationship with your dad, and I went ahead and risked it."

Asami's voice becomes colder than Korra has ever heard it. "It's his doing, not yours."

She is mad, then, but not at Korra. If they have to be separated, they can say goodbye on good terms. "Will you stop worrying about me, now?"

There is a pause before Asami responds. "Honestly, I'm not sure I can. Now that I know the truth, I'm even more scared for you; and I still don't understand the issue you're having with your dad, if you knew for so long. I don't know where you stand on any of this."

Korra sighs. There is so much they cannot risk saying with their respective fathers nearby, and with the police and Equalists possibly tapping their phone lines. "It's too complicated to get into now," she says truthfully.

"We need to talk face-to-face," Asami says adamantly.

"That's not going to happen anytime soon."

"I'll find a way." Asami sounds so determined, so sure of her ability, that it makes Korra feel hopeful in spite of herself.

"Asami?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for calling. And for being such a good friend. You're much better at it than I am."

Asami's tone softens. "You don't give yourself enough credit. You're a good friend, too."

Korra hopes that is true. "One other thing. Don't do anything … reckless."

"You're telling me not to do anything reckless?" There is amusement in Asami's tone, and Korra almost smiles at the irony. When they played together as children, devising stunts to prove their bravery and agility, Asami was usually the one who wanted to set limits for safety, while Korra coaxed her to take risks. "I guess if even you think it's too dangerous, it really must be."

Korra tries to find the words to warn her without saying anything explicit. "It wouldn't just be dangerous for you or me. It'd be bad for our friends, too."

Asami is silent for a moment, processing the meaning and gravity of Korra's words."Oh. … Okay."

"Thanks."

"Well … take care."

"You too."

Korra feels a little better when she hangs up. Asami knows the truth—or at least part of it—and that thought is strangely freeing. If nothing else, it feels good to know that one of her secrets is now shared.

While waiting to hear from Asami, Mako mulls over whether to honor Korra's request to talk to Skoochy. Mako has never had much affection for the kid, does not particularly like or fully trust him, only bears a grudging respect for his shrewdness. To tell the truth, Skoochy is the kind of person Mako used to be—self-seeking, looking to maximize his profit, dismissive of other people's interests.

Mako had two lucky breaks that kept him from becoming a hardened criminal: his brother kept him grounded and gave him a reason to persevere; then Toza gave them the hand up that they needed, enabling them to get out of poverty and away from crime. Mako can offer the latter type of help, but not having the former makes Skoochy less likely to seize such an opportunity. Skoochy doesn't have to worry about anyone's welfare but his own, so he doesn't care as much about avoiding danger or setting an example of integrity.

Mako supposes he could mentor the kid—or ask Bolin to mentor him, which might make more sense because they're both earthbenders. Mako doesn't know whether Skoochy has the talent to be a pro-bender, but at least Bolin would be a better influence than the gangsters. Maybe they could even get Skoochy to help with chores or something, in exchange for meals or a roof when the weather is bad.

Over breakfast, Mako runs the idea by Bolin, who jumps on it enthusiastically. "Yeah, I miss that kid! It'd be fun to have him around—like having a little brother."

"Whoa, Bolin, we're not adopting him."

"Why not? You are legally an adult. And you're practically a dad already." Mako snorts, but Bolin presses on half-teasingly: "You're the one who always wants to cook, and clean, and earn money—"

"You're supposed to do all that, too; and just 'cause I'm good at it doesn't mean I'd be a good parent. You, on the other hand, are great with kids."

"Really?"

"Yeah, 'cause you still are one."

"I resent that!" Bolin cries, feigning indignation.

"Didn't you say you're 'a growing boy'?"

Their bantering turns into a playful fight over the food, pretty much proving how young they still are.

Mako wouldn't mind having another friend around, but expanding their family is a whole other idea—one that has crossed his mind a few times, since he began dating Asami. The Triple Threats pretty much saw girls and dating as opportunities for sex, but Toza cautioned the brothers against trying it before marriage, speaking from his own experience: he had accidentally fathered a child as a teenager, and had a bad experience of his wife cheating on him and having another man's child. His story sobered Mako, and made him think, for some time, that forming relationships with girls wouldn't be worth the trouble. Neither of them know whether Bolin really took those warnings to heart; he loves having fangirls fawn over him.

How ironic it is, then, that Mako is the first of the brothers to have a steady relationship with a girl. Asami literally crashed into his life and somehow staked a claim on his time and attention. Sometimes Mako cannot believe how things have taken off between them. Being with Asami is amazingly easy—she makes everything seem simple, doable. The world probably seems that way when you have enough money to alter circumstances to your preference.

Initially, Asami's easygoing attitude made Mako wonder if she was playing him, seeing him as a charity project or a chance to go slumming with attractive lower-class athletes. But she has given and received in almost equal measure, and never seems to think much about class or wealth. Now Mako believes she is serious about making this relationship last, but he still wonders how far she expects it to go—whether she dates just for fun, or with the hope of finding someone to marry.

Mako does not know what he hopes for. After kissing and cuddling with Asami, he is starting to like the idea of physical intimacy; but the idea of forming a family is almost too foreign to contemplate possible pros and cons. Although Asami's father seems to like him, Mako cannot imagine marrying an heiress. The tabloids would probably write about them and call it a rags-to-riches story; people might think he was just marrying Asami for money.

These thoughts only come to Mako on nights when he cannot sleep. As he goes through the motions of each day, he doesn't have time to dwell on the future. All he knows for certain is that he cares about Asami and enjoys being with her.

He feels a slight jolt when he realizes he can say the same thing about Korra … but the dynamics of those relationships differ in expectations, intentions, commitment … though, now that he thinks about it, he has never talked about those things with either girl.

The last thing Korra said to him was that she thinks he deserves Asami. That is a high compliment, considering all of Asami's wonderful qualities, and it sounds like Korra is happy that Asami has him in her life.

After cleaning up their breakfast, the brothers walk down to the former Triple Threat Triad headquarters. The door seems secure on its hinges, despite what Korra did to it earlier in the week. Mako knocks, waits, then pounds on the door. "Skoochy? You in there?"

A moment later the door opens a few inches, and Skoochy peers through the gap. "Back again?"

"Yeah. Bolin wanted to see you."

"Really?" Skoochy opens the door all the way, and grins when he sees the fellow earthbender. "Hey Bo!"

"Hey Skoochy!" Bolin slaps him a high-five. "How's things?"

"Not bad." He looks to Mako. "How's your girlfriend?"

"Uh, she's good. How'd you know—wait, you mean Korra?"

"Yeah. She was nice."

"She's not my girlfriend." This is the second time that an acquaintance's line of questioning necessitated saying that.

"Then why'd she follow your lead?"

"Because she doesn't know triads like I do—anyway, who she is to me is none of your business!"

"Wow, you got touchy."

Bolin clears his throat. "Soooo, anyway … we were wondering if you wanted to get a bite."

Skoochy's dirt-smeared countenance immediately brightens at the offer of free food.

After walking around in search of a restaurant with low prices and high quality, they settle on a Fire Nation joint and order a plate of kebabs to share. "Did your not-girlfriend find what she was lookin' for?" Skoochy asks while they wait.

"Uh … yeah, pretty much." Mako changes the subject quickly, not wanting to get into the complications that he himself does not fully understand. He hopes Asami will have answers the next time he talks to her.

While Mako and Bolin enjoy their shares at a moderate pace, Skoochy gobbles up his kebabs quickly, and then uses the sharp sticks to clean his teeth. "Don't stab yourself," Bolin warns, waving his stick like a sword. Skoochy keeps one between his lips but raises another to meet Bolin's pretend blade, initiating a mock duel. Mako watches in amusement until the restaurant host starts giving them dirty looks.

Skoochy folds his arms and leans back in his seat. "So. You guys starting a new operation?"

Mako blinks at him. "What? No."

"What makes you think that?" Bolin asks innocently.

Skoochy explains nonchalantly, "This is what the recruiters do—pay for your meal, then ask you to do a favor—tell you to drop off a package without telling you it's contraband, stuff like that. Or make it so you owe them, and threaten you when you try to say no."

The brothers realize they should have thought earlier of how this outing would look to the kid. "Skoochy, you know we're not like that," Mako says. Skoochy raises an eyebrow behind his shaggy bangs, and Mako insists, "Not anymore. We've been pretty happy since we went straight."

"Did you hear about our pro-bending gig?" Bolin asks.

"Yeah, I saw your pictures in a newspaper."

That gives Mako an idea. "Have you ever thought about selling newspapers?"

"Sure. I've done it, too. On a good day it gets ya enough to buy some jennamite. It's not worth all the work, or the money it takes to buy the papers every day."

"Yeah, but some printing places give newsies free room and board, right?"

"I know; I've bunked up with some." Skoochy notices the surprise in their expressions, and lays his spear on his plate. "Look, I'm not opposed to work. If you name a job that a twelve-year-old can do around here, I've probably already done it at some point. They've just never been good enough to keep doing."

"But apparently being a Triple Threat-in-training is," Mako counters sarcastically.

"That's pretty much an as-needed basis. I'm fine with that."

"That's a risky business at the best of times, but with what you told us about it sounds like it's getting even worse. Did you know Lightning Bolt Zolt lost his bending?"

Skoochy blinks. "Really? I heard it, but I didn't believe it."

"It's true. And what if the Equalists found you with the Triple Threats, and took your earthbending? Then you'd have nothing to offer the triads. Wouldn't it be smarter to have a backup plan? Some job you can fall back on?" Mako is appealing to the kid's pragmatic, self-preserving side. Skoochy's pensive expression suggests it might be working. "Look, Skoochy … Bolin and I got where we are today because someone reached out and helped us. If you want to stay on the streets, that's your call; but if you want to even have the option of something—different, something that might turn out to be better … well, you can't just put it off 'til you're older. If you want to try sports or some kind of trade, now would be the time to start training."

They wait while Skoochy tries to wrap his mind around that way of thinking. He is used to short-term returns, earning or stealing just enough to get what is needed at the present. Saving and preparing for the long term are not part of his mindset.

"Lemme get back to you on that," he says noncommittally.

"Sure. Our door's always open."

"Except at night, when Toza locks it up," Bolin amends.

Mako rolls his eyes but smiles. "You know what I mean."

They remain at the restaurant long enough to order desserts in paper takeout boxes. When they leave, Bolin starts to invite him to the Arena, but Skoochy spots some other street kids and opts to follow them. "Nice chattin' with ya!" He tips his hat cockily at the brothers before running down the slush-splattered street. Bolin's smile is affectionate and nostalgic, while Mako's is indulgent and melancholy.

When they are almost home, Mako notices a handful of working-class men and women loitering on a sidewalk within sight of the Arena's main entrance. He is certain he saw them pacing the same area when he and Bolin left just a few hours before.

Mako waits until they are inside the building before asking, "Do you know the people hanging out across the street?"

Bolin looks through the glass; he barely registered the strangers. "No. It might be a new hangout or something."

"They look like they're making an effort to look casual. Like they're on a stakeout or something."

"I think you're paranoid."

"Well, you're bad at reading people, so I guess we have a balance."

While Bolin goes up to their apartment to check on Pabu, Mako makes a detour to Butakha's office and asks if there were any calls for them. "Mr. Popular, huh?" the pro-bending magnate teases. Two calls in three days is the most that the boys have ever had, but Butakha takes the implication further: "You thinking of getting your own phone? Maybe a secretary?" Mako ignores the jibe, and repeats the question, only to get a negative answer. "Sorry, kid. No messages. I'll let you know if one comes."

Asami knows that Mako is expecting to hear from her, yet she does not call him that day, or the next day. In the midst of his annoyance, Mako cannot help feeling that such neglect is not like Asami. Since they started dating, they have not gone more than a few days without speaking to each other.

Finally, after he has lost track of the number of days since her brief visit, Mako decides to pay Butakha for another call.

A butler answers the phone. "Sato residence."

"Hi. Is Asami there? It's Mako."

There is a pause on the other end of the line. "Miss Sato is unavailable at present."

"Will she be available later today?"

"I'm afraid not."

"What? Is she sick or something?"

"I have no more information."

Mako bites back a retort, trying to keep his tone polite. "Can you ask her to call me when she has a chance?"

"I can."

"Please do."

"Good day, sir."

Mako all but slams the earpiece back on the stand, muttering a minor curse. As more days pass in silence, he wonders if he was right all along about one or both of the girls playing them. At least Korra was straightforward enough to tell them up front that she wanted to sever ties. She did not give an explanation, but she was pretty clear about her intention. Asami won't even tell them what she is doing. She would not drop him without a valid reason and some form of communication. Mako almost considers calling the police, until he decides he does not have enough information to make a report or ask them to investigate.

Fear for the girls' well-being, and fear of being rejected for the first time in his life, make Mako grouchier than he has been since he met Asami. Bolin teases him about worrying too much, but even he wonders what could be keeping the girls from contacting them.

It takes a few days of trial and error, meditating by day and dreaming by night, before Korra finally manages to get her mind into the right state. The memories come, one after another, as clear and vivid as if she were experiencing them herself, and she retains them afterwards.

Aang tried to save a friend who was being held prisoner, only to find out that his friend was perfectly capable of fighting.

"I don't understand. Why didn't you free yourself? Why did you surrender when Omashu was invaded? What's the matter with you, Bumi?"

The old earthbender was perfectly calm, in spite of his body being confined in a coffin-like cage. "Listen to me, Aang. There are options in fighting called jing. It's a choice of how you direct your energy."

Aang seemed no less angry; in fact he seemed even more impatient. "I know! There's positive jing when you're attacking, and negative jing when you're retreating."

"And neutral jing, when you do nothing!"

Aang was nonplussed. "There are three jings?"

"Well, technically there are eighty-five, but let's just focus on the third. Neutral jing is the key to earthbending. It involves listening and waiting for the right moment to strike."

Aang started to understand then. "That's why you surrendered, isn't it?"

"Yes, and it's why I can't leave now."

Aang turned around, clearly disappointed. "I guess I need to find someone else to teach me earthbending."

"Your teacher will be someone who has mastered neutral jing. You need to find someone who waits and listens before striking."

(Korra wonders how Bumi's situation compares to her own. Is she doing the right thing by biding her time under house arrest?)

Bumi was right about Aang's earthbending teacher. Toph Bei Fong knew how to wait and listen, and had her own way of seeing the world. She was perceptive and powerful, but hid her abilities from her parents in order to avoid disappointing their expectations of her.

"My parents don't understand me," Toph told him privately. "They've always treated me like I'm helpless."

"Is that why you became the Blind Bandit?" Aang asked.

"Yeah."

"So why stay here where you're not happy?"

"They're my parents. Where else am I supposed to go?"

A moment of silence passed before Aang suggested, "You could come with us."

"Yeah." Toph's voice was envious. "You guys get to go wherever you want. No one telling you what to do. That's the life. It's just not my life."

Later that night, after a kidnapping and ransom exchange made Aang and his friends appeal to her help, Toph revealed her full powers to her parents and told them who and what she really was. But it backfired, as her father decided he had done a poor parenting job.

"I've given you far too much freedom. From now on you'll be guarded twenty-four hours a day."

"But Dad!"

"We are doing this for your own good, Toph," her mother said firmly.

Toph stood resignedly as the guards escorted Aang and his friends Katara and Sokka out. "I'm sorry, Toph," Aang said sadly, glancing over his shoulder at her.

"I'm sorry, too. Goodbye." Toph did not sob or shout, but tears fell down her cheeks.

She caught up with them later, claiming that she had her parents' permission to travel the world, and her friends did not question whether it was the truth or merely what they wanted to be true.

Toph was not free to make her own choices or be her true self. Aang was persistent in reaching out to her, and gave her the opportunity for escape. But ultimately, she was the only one who could free herself.

(Korra identifies with Toph, but finds a key difference between their situations: the blind earthbender didn't have to worry about anyone being harmed as a result of her disobedience.)

Aang was pleased to see all of his friends and relatives gathered in the Air Temple Island sanctuary. His immediate family and Water Tribe in-laws stood together on the side. Toph was also there, a black-haired girl standing on either side of her; the elder, Lin, held a bouquet of flowers and a wrapped gift in her arms. Fire Lord Zuko stood by his wife and daughter, and Earth King Kuei and Water Tribe Chief Ramadi also had places of honor. A few hundred Air Acolytes made up the remainder of the assembly. White Lotus sentries stood guard at the doors, ensuring that only invited guests entered. A man in a wheelchair was there to take photographs with a camera his father had designed, but the Republic City journalists were being forced to wait until after the ceremony to obtain interviews and photographs of the world's newest airbending master. Dozens of wind chimes hung from the cavernous ceiling, and bowls of sand and smoldering incense sticks lined the stage. The youngest of Aang and Katara's teenage children knelt on the stage, wearing a yellow robe that hid most of his face.

(Korra thinks briefly of the Revelation, and notes some key similarities and differences between the momentous events.)

Aang stood next to Tenzin, looked out over the assembly, and began to speak. "A ceremony like this has not taken place for a hundred and thirty-five years. There were times when I feared that one would never take place again, or that, if it did, I wouldn't live to see it. I cannot put into words how proud I am to anoint my son as an airbending master." He paused to smile fondly at Tenzin, but the hooded figure remained motionless.

Aang went on, "Throughout his life, Tenzin has diligently studied the art of airbending and the traditions of the Air Nomads. His talent, dedication, and leadership give me hope for the future of the Air Nation. And a nation cannot be one or even two people. A nation is a community, which is why I'm so grateful to my family and my acolytes for their help in preserving my culture. It is my hope that the Air Nation will continue to grow, and that its members will show my descendants the same respect that they have shown me."

He turned to address the new airbending master. "Tenzin, my son … I have taught you everything I know, trained you to the best of my ability, and guided you as far as I can in your journey. I will continue to support you as long as I am able … but there will come a time when you must lead the Air Nation without me. When that time comes, you must trust in yourself."

(Korra wonders whether Aang's legacy as the last airbender is as heavy for Tenzin as Aang's legacy as the Avatar is for her. Did Tenzin ever resent it, or feel he was not up for it? Did he truly want it, or merely resign himself it? Was it his own dream, or just a way to make his father proud? Did Aang invest as much hope in his son as Amon invested in her?)

"Now remove your robe."

Tenzin stood and carefully lowered his hood, revealing a bald head marked with a blue arrow like his father's. They were almost identical, except that Tenzin was shorter and clean-shaven. He unfastened the robe, shrugged it off his shoulders and let it fall to the ground, revealing the same tattoo pattern on his arms and hands, legs and feet. His facial expression was solemn, but when he met his father's gaze and saw how broadly he was smiling, he smiled too, the connection between them ineffable yet palpable.

Father and son moved in unison, bending the air so that the smoke from the incense sticks moved in an expanding upward spiral, until it reached the wind chimes, stirring them into beautiful music. Aang remembered how at his own tattoo ceremony, and others he witnessed, dozens of newly initiated airbenders had worked together to create the memorable smells and sounds. He hoped the next time a ceremony like this took place, there would be more airbenders present to ring the chimes.

(Korra's heart aches for the airbenders, both those who were killed and those who lived after the genocide. She wishes Aang had lived long enough to meet at least one of his grandchildren. She wonders if he can see them through her eyes.)

Aang and Katara paid Fire Lord Zuko a brief visit on their way to the Northern Water Tribe. "Have you heard about Chief Ramadi's son?" Aang asked.

"Yes. He sent an edict to each of the nations' leaders, saying Tonraq is no longer to be received with the honors due a future chief."

Katara looked at him with sympathy. "Did that bring back bad memories?"

Zuko sighed. "I admit, I know what he is going through better than most. But I also admit, the reasons for his banishment are much better than my father's reasons for mine."

"I'm going to try to convince him to lift his son's banishment," Aang informed him. "I'd like you to come with me. You can help him understand how Tonraq must be feeling now."

Zuko looked thoughtful at this suggestion, but after a moment he shook his head. "I wish I could help, Aang, but I don't think my testimony would support your argument. I have long thought that banishing me was the best thing my father could have done for my life, because it put me on the right path. It led me to you, to the truth about the war. It helped me learn how to be a good leader for my people. For all we know, Tonraq's banishment might be a part of his destiny. Perhaps it will help him in some way we cannot foresee."

Aang considered this pensively, but Katara was skeptical. "If we had that attitude about every unjust situation, we'd allow a lot of suffering. That can't be right."

"No—that's not what I—"

"He still has a point, Katara," Aang intervened. "The chief might want his son to be humbled, and seeing Zuko might convince him that such measures can succeed. That wouldn't help us make our case."

(Korra wonders which parenting method is worse: forbidding your child to leave, for forcing your child to leave.)

Aang was able to have a private audience with Chief Ramadi in the Northern Water Tribe ice palace. The chief appeared to be the older of the two men, but Aang seemed in worse health; both men were tired yet determined to carry on.

"Are you still in contact with him?" Aang asked.

"Of course. Tonraq may not be fit to be a leader, but he is still my son. We do not break those ties in the Water Tribes."

"Of course," Aang echoed, inclining his head. This is a different mindset than the one he grew up with, but he has learned, particularly from Katara and her relatives, how important family is to her people.

"His most recent correspondence said that he had married and built a home of his own. I plan to see him and meet his wife when the Southern Tribe hosts the Glacier Spirits Festival."

"I'm pleased to hear that." There was a pause while they both sipped tea. Then Aang began his process of persuasion. "You know, Chief Ramadi … Tonraq may be weak in some abilities, but he is strong in others. He may still use them to serve either one of the Tribes, if you allow him."

"You misjudge me, Avatar. I didn't banish him as a punishment alone. I thought it prudent to send him as far as possible from the spirits he offended. If Tonraq returns here, they may recognize his presence and try to drive him out. I won't endanger him or our people again."

There was a period of silence. There was logic and even wisdom in Ramadi's explanation. Yet it pulled at something in Aang's memory, and he realized a perfect counterexample existed.

"Did you ever meet Iroh of the Fire Nation?"

Ramadi tilted his head slightly, wondering where this question originated and where it would lead. "No, but I'm familiar with the stories about him. We haven't forgotten how he defended the Moon Spirit and witnessed Princess Yue's sacrifice."

Aang nodded. "He had a complicated past, full of deeds that put him out of favor with spirits and humans alike. His family put the world far out of balance, and he himself was a notorious general during the Hundred Year War. Yet he recognized and repented of his sins, and came to understand his place in the world. The dragons deemed him worthy to learn the deepest secrets of firebending, and when he felt he was dying, he meditated until his soul entered the spirit world. He was still there when I last checked."

"What is your point?"

"If someone who had made so many spiritual and political mistakes could regain the spirits' favor, Tonraq may be able to do the same. He only needs to be given the chance."

Ramadi's expression remained clouded, but he seemed to take Aang's words into consideration.

Aang took a sip of his beverage, then set it down on the ice table. He looked uncharacteristically serious, almost grim. "Katara doesn't like me to talk about this, but my prognosis is not good. I may not live much longer, and I want to know that the world will be relatively stable after my death. The next Avatar will be a waterbender by heritage, and so will most likely be born in the Water Tribes. I don't want him or her to grow up in a nation troubled by spirits or politics. For your part, Chief Ramadi, I hope you and your family will do what you can to ensure the stability of the Water Tribes. And because family means so much to your people, I think the best way to bring balance to your nation is to bring balance to your family."

Ramadi looked at Aang for a long moment, before slowly nodding, a gesture that filled Aang with hope. "You speak wisely, and truly. I've had to make similar preparations for my own death. I worry, sometimes, how Tonraq and Unalaq will handle the problems between the North and South. The brothers prefer to be apart, but their separation only reinforces their resentment." Ramadi stood and placed his right fist over his heart, signifying the making of an oath. "I promise I will lift Tonraq's banishment before I die, and do everything in my power to help your next incarnation."

Aang smiled, grateful and satisfied. "Thank you, Chief Ramadi."

Korra returns to full consciousness then. She grabs her journal and stays up late writing about what she saw.

The last memory confuses her more than any of the others. It is strange enough to think about her past life interacting with her blood relatives, but their conversation was even stranger. Korra vaguely remembers hearing of the old chief's death when she was young. Did he keep his promise? Did his younger son, Unalaq, know about the promise? What did it mean in terms of the Water Tribes' leadership? Was Tonraq supposed to be the chief of one or both tribes?

What of the fact that Tonraq became the father of the next Avatar, the person with the strongest connection to the spirits? Did the spirits have any control over the reincarnation cycle? Did they mean for the Avatar to be born of the banished prince and his wife? Or did her birth have to do with her relation to Ramadi and Unalaq, the great spiritual experts?

All of this is intriguing to think about, but compared to the other memories, which had parallels to her current situation, Korra cannot see how the memory of Ramadi fits with anything that is going on now.

Is Aang trying to teach her about her identity, or make it even harder to understand?

Korra waits for a moment when Amon is in the bathroom, and then extracts his newspaper from the recycling bin. She unfolds it and takes the front page, local news, politics, and editorial sections, folding these pages and tucking them under her shirt before putting the rest back in the bin. She waits until she is locked safely in the bathroom before she reads them.

One article captures her interest: a report on a recent string of spirit attacks on ships in Southern Water Tribe territory. Chief Unalaq released a statement about it, attributing the phenomenon to the South's lack of knowledge and reverence for the spirits. Korra wonders if that is really how spirits interact with humans, and what can be done about it. Is it the kind of situation the Avatar is supposed to handle? Korra knows nothing about spirits, but if she had been raised knowing her identity, she might have learned about them sooner. As it is now, she is almost glad that no one is calling on her to handle it. But that does not really take away her responsibility, does it? She wonders if Unalaq, the people of the the Water Tribes, or other world leaders blame her for being absent and leaving burdens such as this one on them.

One headline makes her heart feel caught, as though one force is trying to drag it down while another is trying to pull it up: Councilman Tenzin and his Air Acolyte wife, Pema, have welcomed another child into the world, a healthy baby boy named Rohan. The article lists the names and ages of their other children: Jinora, 10 years old; Ikki, 8; Meelo, 5. Korra thinks the one she saw at the library must have been the eldest. They do not yet know if this new baby is an airbender, but it seems likely, since his father and all of his siblings are airbenders.

Will that baby ever be able to find out if he can bend air like his family members?

When Amon comes out of his room to prepare dinner, he finds Korra sitting at the kitchen table, her hands folded primly. She nods at the chair across from her. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

He looks at her only a moment before smiling amiably and taking a seat.

"I want to propose a compromise between the Equalists and the benders of the city."

Amon considers her ambivalently. "I'd rather form a compromise between the two of us."

"I'm the Avatar. You're the leader of the Equalists. We're practically the epitome of two opposing sides. I'm supposed to mediate conflicts. So a compromise between us should also go for the sides we represent."

"And what is your proposal?"

"You will offer to end this so-called war, on the condition that the city's leaders let you equalize all convicted criminals. I will reveal my identity, meet my biological family, and learn how to bend the elements, and you can teach me how to take away people's bending myself."

Amon smiles condescendingly. "Korra … Korra … you're such an idealist."

"Really? I wonder where I got that from?" she says sarcastically.

He reaches for her hand, and she lets him hold it, not wanting to turn him off. "I'm sure you can understand … I've made too many promises to my followers. They look to me to be a strong, resolute leader. If I come up short on my promises, they'll accuse me of selling out, and rightly so."

"There have to be compromises to end a war," Korra insists.

"I'm sorry. The goal of total equality is central to this movement; it is not something I can compromise on. And I won't let them take you away from me, to train you who-knows-where, while I face criminal charges."

Korra pulls her hand out of his grasp. "I want to at least spare the airbenders. The Air Nomads were, and still are, a people of peace. They wouldn't use their bending to hurt anyone."

"You have no way of knowing how they or their descendants would use their bending. Those children are growing up the same way their father did, believing they are special just because they have a rare ability. If they lose it early in life, they can grow up like normal children."

Korra's anger bubbles over then. She rises and exclaims, "How are we any different from the Fire Nation during the Hundred Year War? What you're doing is virtually genocide."

Amon stands, his chair scraping the floor, and leans on the table, glaring at her. "You know very well that's not true. The Equalists are not murderers."

"Give me a reason to believe it," she challenges him. "Tell me, how did you figure out you could take people's bending? You wouldn't have planned the Revelation as a big event if you didn't know for sure that it would work, so your performance then couldn't have been the first time you did it. Did you use test subjects? Once you succeeded, you couldn't let them spread the word, and I doubt you went to the trouble of keeping long-term prisoners."

He glowers at her, but does not deny it. Korra knows she is right, again.

"They were criminals," Amon says finally. "Not innocents. Is it a crime, to kill people who are guilty?"

"Hmph. You're not the one who should judge."

"Do you think you are?" he retorts.

"Wasn't that your point in making me your successor? You want me to be the world's judge, which is what I would have been anyway if you'd let me grow up as the Avatar. You just want me to judge the way you would. But you've already had the benefit of raising me. I'm never going to condone the things that benders do to keep power over nonbenders. Can't you trust me to do my job?"

"You're not ready, and I'm more than capable of being the world's Equalizer for a long while. But, if my life is in danger, or I start to consider retirement, then I will teach you. You can carry on my work."

"It's not your work I want to continue. It's Aang's." She turns away before he can react, goes to her room and slams the door behind her.

Author's Notes

Music: "Endless Night" from The Lion King on Broadway.

Names: I named Korra's grandfather, Tonraq and Unalaq's father, after a city in Iraq.

Chronology: Tenzin was born 120 years after the Air Nomad genocide, and since we don't know how old he was when he got his tattoos, I guesstimated that he may have been fifteen, so the ceremony would have been in 135 AG.

Disclaimer: The part with Mako trying to contact Asami and getting the butler instead is modeled after one of the final scenes in The Great Gatsby (2013). Aang's words about peace in the world being related to peace in the family are inspired by the ideas and words of multiple people. An analogy in the Avatar comic The Search: Part 1 by Gene Yuen Lang compares the state to a family. Mother Teresa, who was just canonized as an official saint of the Catholic Church, has been quoted as saying "If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family," and, "The way you help heal the world is that you start with your own family".