Jiao led Kuvira to her office, a clean, floral-scented room located in the nicer side of Gaoling, with a view overlooking the town: a bubble, by all accounts. The setting would not have really chafed Kuvira's nerves if it did not belong to reporter, claiming to be the voice of and the courier of information for the people. Shouldn't she be able to meet the people of Gaoling?

Jiao offered her a spot on one of her stiff, geometric-styled chairs, and Kuvira adjusted into a comfortable position as best she could. She had explained to Korra that there was no need to accompany her into this interview, and for a moment, Kuvira wondered what Korra would do to pass the time. The two of them had spent so much time together lately that Kuvira figured there had to be some Avatar-only business that Korra had to attend to. It was…oddly comforting to think Korra was getting some room to breathe.

"Would you like to start with your time in prison or immediately after?" Jiao asked as she uncapped a pen, skimming over the formalities.

"It's your interview."

"Let me just get a few facts straight, then. You were originally imprisoned in an old underground bunker-type prison in the mountains around Republic City, and you spent about a month there, correct?"

"Correct." The memories from that nightmare seemed so far away…

"You were then transferred to Toh Penitentiary, into a solitary confinement unit?"

"Yes."

"Conditions included no human interaction, aside from the guards delivering food and supplies, as well as screened visitors for an allotted period of time? No outdoor privileges?"

"Everything you described is accurate."

Had it really only been about a month outside of prison? It felt much more distant, even if the effects were still lingering.

"And you were never given a trial?"

Kuvira froze, both shocked at the question itself and how she had never given that fact consideration in years. "No."

Jiao studied Kuvira for a moment, as if expecting Kuvira to comment on the it. She stayed silent.

"Tell me about your relationship with King Wu. A lot must've happened for you two to go from political rivals to him pardoning you of all your crimes."

Kuvira took a deep breath, channeling the tactics she'd learned while doing public relation exercises early on in the unification campaign. She just had to keep the image that she wanted to project in mind and make sure the pieces fit. "With Wu and I… we never outright hated each other. It was never about him for me, it was about what he presented and represented. When I took power of the Earth Kingdom, my mind was still set on how the citizens still needed me, not that the Earth Kingdom didn't need him." Even if they didn't. "Honestly, once he was no longer in power, I wouldn't have given him any mind. He simply didn't pose a threat to my goals."

"What about the alleged kidnapping of King Wu?"

"That was orchestrated by a group of extremists supporters, not me." Kuvira paused. "At the time, actually, I was camping out in the Foggy Swamp with Baatar, working on developing the spirit vine weapons. I didn't even hear about the kidnapping attempt until it was mentioned in a fleeting conversation during a meeting I held with my higher ranking officers weeks later."

"What about you and King Wu after your arrest?"

"We didn't meet until I'd been in prison for some time. Avatar Korra was discussing with him as she formulated a new government model and she mentioned to him the work I had put into the proposal she'd given. I can't say for certain, but I don't believe Wu is the type of person who holds grudges, so he was more easily able to forgive what I did and let me try again."

"What sort of relationship do you two have now?"

"Nothing of note, really. I'm eternally grateful that he pardoned me, and if he needs any help implementing the new government system, I'm more than happy to help. Otherwise, we tread two different paths."

"Why wear the disguise up until last night?"

"Well, pragmatically, I wasn't emotionally prepared for the kind of attention I could amass and I was apprehensive about people's reactions to my return, especially in states where I was cruel. Otherwise, I didn't want it to seem like I was making a political comeback, because I'm not. I'm just trying to continue with the good intentions I had originally started with. I want to keep my country peaceful, happy, and united. Sometimes, small efforts are as effective as big political moves."

"Are you happy with the progress you and Avatar Korra have made?"

"Of course. Even one person having their life improved by something I did is worth it." She hesitated, rubbling her fingers momentarily. "I'm just worried that I can't really help if a big move isn't made to stabilize the nation. I'd be in the same situation as the Air Nation, where there's simply not enough aid to go around. You can't fix slit throats with bandages."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the government system the world leaders are trying to install in need of a central figure?"

"I don't know at this point. Wu and the parliament were the ones determining the best candidate."

"What would you do if they picked you?"

You're a neutral figure now, she reminded herself.

"I'd be honored, but I'm sure King Wu will pick someone more qualified."

"What's in the future for you?"

Kuvira shrugged. "I'm not completely sure. I'll continue to accompany Korra as long as she's helping the Earth Kingdom, and if she has to go off elsewhere, I'd love to go with her. But, if it's too burdensome, I'd be happy to settle into a humble life—teach metalbending, adopt a few kids. Nothing huge, if that's not what's in the cards for me."

Jiao leaned back in her chair, pen and notepad still in hand. "You sound awfully humble."

"I'm not going to lie: it's an acquired trait from prison, but it's served me well so far."

"People have filled in the gaps, but from what I gather, Avatar Korra has been a huge part of you being where you are. Can you comment?"

Kuvira nodded. "She…She understands me on a level no one ever has done before, and the longer I've gotten to know her, I think I do the same for her. We just…work well together. We both want the same thing, and we both understand the complexities of the issues and the people involved. She's been there for me for so long that it's hard to remember what life was like before the, if you'll excuse my wording, injury and before I had Korra as a crutch. Recently, though, I've come to realize that Korra was never the crutch, but a physical therapist and a cheerleader of sorts. She's helped me heal, and for the first time in five years, maybe even my whole life, I feel confident enough to start walking normally again. At this point, if a political position is in my future, I feel ready to take it on, and it's so much in part because of Korra. I love her."

For the first time in the interview, Jiao gave a smile. "Your relationship with Avatar Korra sounds so incredible."

Kuvira cracked a smirk. "Just get across that I'm here for the starving children, not the romance."

"I'll tell my editor." Jiao snorted, closing her notebook for a moment. "This is off the record, but as you've obviously seen during your travels, the Earth Kingdom's been falling apart since you were imprisoned." Her voice took on an icy tone. "As much as the world leaders want to twist the truth, we were ready to accept the conditions of the Earth Empire. When you left, and we were stuck with that buffoon of a king and his ludicrous dreams, real people suffered and real people died. Those people are still dying. Not only that, they're getting restless. You're the only person right now who gives the people hope. If you did want to make a political comeback, I would wager you'd have more enough support."

The admission took her by quiet surprise. Kuvira offered a thank you, and Jiao re-opened her notebook, continuing the interview.

The story was printed in Gaoling the next day, prints having circulated to Chin by that afternoon. Luckily, though, the people of Chin didn't seem to register the connection between the article and Kuvira in the flesh. A week passed before Korra and Kuvira returned to Ba Sing Se, and every day, newspapers with the reprinted article would surface. At first, towns seemed to be oblivious, or at least too shy to approach the subject, but by the time the two had made it back to Ba Sing Se, people had definitely begun to notice her.

"So that's seven interview requests, one of which also wants a photoshoot for a cover story," Korra said as they lounged on the sofa, breaking in the not-so-lived-in living room, "and a solid five people stopping for autographs on a trip out to buy groceries." She turned to look at Kuvira. "You're famous."

"I don't know if I'd say famous so much as well known again."

"There's a difference?"

"I believe so." Kuvira paused. "What am I trying to gain by all this publicity, really?"

"Hundreds of thousands of people who love you."

"For what? Why are we pretending I'm not doing this for some fantasy where the people demand that I become prime minister?"

"Personally, I don't think it's a fantasy. The world leaders only didn't want you to become prime minister because they feared you'd be too polarizing, but if public opinion is overwhelmingly positive, they'd lose their justification," Korra remarked.

"I don't want this to become a conflict." Kuvira leaned her head back against the back sofa cushion. "I've had enough for one lifetime. I don't want my actions to be done for political gain, not even unconsciously."

"I don't know if we can affect unconscious political motivations, but you don't lose control of your motivation otherwise. Why do you agree to any of these interviews?"

This sweep in popularity was so swift, to the point where she did not have a moment to spare where she could register it, and give considerable thought on truly why she'd agreed to the first interview, or was considering accepting any of the others.

She thought about what Jiao had mentioned, about how Kuvira still gave people hope. Was that what she was trying to accomplish? To bring people hope again?

Was it really such a horrible thing for her to want to spread that relief, trust and healing to the entire nation? Why did it have to end in another slip into tyranny? Putting it lightly, she had started off on the wrong foot with her campaign, and along with several wrongs, but she had gleaned from her mistakes and knew how not to become drunk on power like previously. Maybe she was denying how much she wanted to become prime minister, denying how much she thought she deserved the position.

"To become a world leader again," Kuvira answered. "Is that wrong? Is that dishonoring all the people I know I hurt while the Great Uniter? Am I seeking redemption at the expense of all the victims of my crimes?"

"You're trying your best to be empathetic to the pain you've caused, and are showing the people that you've changed. If you can improve their lives, that's what matters in the end. This war began before you came to power, and I know the people are aware of that. The woman I'm looking at right now is even more qualified and worthy of becoming the head of the Earth Kingdom than you were when you first left prison."

"But interviews? A photoshoot? It seems a bit…tacky, self indulgent."

"If it's what the people want…"

"If I'm really doing this, though, we should talk to Wu, make sure he's doing his part with parliament."

"I'm on it. Meanwhile, you can pick an interview and do your thing."

Kuvira looked baffled. "You don't want to come?"

"The last time I was in a press conference, my approval ratings dropped below ten percent." Korra rolled her eyes.

"Well, I guess you're not going to be my PR manager."

"Definitely not a good idea." Korra grinned. "Besides, you've definitely got your poise back. Go flaunt it."

Kuvira had to admit it, the photoshoot and attached interview had been kind of fun. She had talked to the photographer beforehand, requesting that the shoot take a more professional angle than a mover star slant, and he'd actually listened: light makeup, little more than eyeliner and mascara; her hair put up into a calculatedly messy bun, wisps of hair falling against her face; a white blouse under a dark green blazer business skirt combo, with the first pair of high heels she'd worn in a decade; all set to poses that gave off poise and confidence, not sex appeal.

The interviewer asked her about her take on why the democracy failed, how the constitutional monarchy was going to work better, and what she thought were the best areas to focus on in the reconstruction of the Earth Kingdom. Additionally, they asked for her thoughts on the prison system, about the remaining influence of growing up in Zaofu, and what she plans she had for her future. Even if she had entered the photoshoot nervous, no one had triggered any flashbacks to her time as the Great Uniter or in prison or caused her to disassociate or have panic attacks. A hefty amount of controlled breathing, and she was good.

Good enough to walk home by herself in the midst her her celebrity craze. She almost welcomed anyone who may recognize her.

The only people who stopped her as she headed in back home were two girls, one about Kuvira's age, holding hands with a small child no older than six, in ratty clothing and hair choppily cut short. The little girl clutched a letter in her hands.

"Are you Kuvira?" the woman asked. Kuvira nodded. "I'm the director for the Kuei Orphanage, and I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generous donation to the kids."

Memory flushed back; a worker from the orphanage had still been wearing his uniform when he spoke with her outside the arena in Gaoling, and she had made a flash decision to donate all her winnings to his workplace.

Kuvira smiled. "Pleasure's mine. No better cause than helping children, building the future."

"Really, we're all so grateful. These children mean the world to me. I just wish more people would see what I see." The director looked to the little girl. "Do you want to say hi, Anaya?"

The little girl hid behind the woman, mumbling, "Hi."

Kuvira knelt down to the girl's level. "Your name's Anaya?" The girl nodded. "That's a pretty name. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Anaya still refused to budge. The woman coaxed her out into the open and looked down to her. "Honey, give her the letter you wrote." The woman flicked her attention back to Kuvira. "She's a huge fan of yours, and we were in the area when people started buzzing about you. She just had to try to find you. I don't know why she's being so shy."

"It's okay." She'd actually dealt with a fair amount of shy children over the years. "I'm flattered that you'd write me a letter. No one's done that for me before." Anaya handed Kuvira the letter. "Should I read it now or later?"

"Later. It's a surprise," Anaya said, softly.

Kuvira smiled. "Sounds like a plan. Do you want something to take with you? An autograph, anything like that?"

"No." She paused, hesitating. "Maybe a hug…"

"They doused me in perfume at my photoshoot, but if you don't mind that…"

The little girl still nodded, and Kuvira gently pulled her into a hug. She expected a momentary hug where the two participants barely touched each other, but this child sunk into Kuvira like they'd known each other for years. Kuvira swore she even heard Anaya sigh in the embrace, as if she had craved for that human touch. That, and Kuvira could feel the boney figure beneath the too-big clothes and smell how little this child got to bathe.

"Also, do you have a pen?" The director did. "Here's my address," she wrote down hers and Korra's Ba Sing Se address, and handed the paper to Anaya. "I'm going to write you back a letter, and if you want, we can keep exchanging them. Okay?"

Anaya smiled, and the woman thanked Kuvira with enough earnestness that convinced her that the director had actually spent the money for the children's sakes.

Kuvira opened the letter as she sat on the train ride back to the Upper Ring. It contained the neatly scrawled characters: Thanks for helping the Earth Kingdom. You're my hero. Along with a picture of…her holding hands with the Great Uniter.

Kuvira's stomach knotted, and she wasn't even sure she could rationalize why. Something about this kid, probably no older than five, treating a tyrannical dictator as a playmate or idol…

She'd have to ask Korra once she got home.

Once the train stopped, she tucked the letter away and painted a mental map for the quickest route back to the house — not before knocking right into a teenage boy making his way towards the trains, causing them both to drop what they had been holding. The teenager immediately bent down and picked up both of their displaced items, handing Kuvira her letter.

"Sorry about that, ma'am," he sputtered, before looking up. When he did make eye contact with Kuvira, his face formed a mask of excitement. "You're Kuvira, aren't you? Spirits, I'm so sorry—wait, can I—" He pulled a piece of paper out of the notebook he'd been holding, and pulled a pen out of his shirt pocket. "Please?"

With the shock of having collided with someone worn off, she returned the smile and wrote the autograph, adding, "Don't worry about it."

The young man beamed. "Thank you!" He headed back in the direction he was going, calling out a, "Have a good day, Kuvira!" as he went.

Having her presence now announced to nearby bystanders, Kuvira expected a mobbing, but only three more people, all young, approached her. They asked for autographs. She gave them what they wanted with a smile and small talk. They asked if they could bring their two other friends over to meet her; they were all such big fans. She agreed, so long as they walked with her and didn't attract more people.

The two other kids brought two more. They wanted a photo; their handshakes were tight. Kuvira's smile faltered. They ran off to bring another three people. Two more approached. The crowd began to grow.

Someone started talking to her, something about the democracy. The more he spoke, the less Kuvira believed he was speaking their language. She tried to ask him to repeat what he said, tell him to stop, but it was if she'd forgotten the entire language as well. She could hear the blood rush in her ears, her heart hammering away for no logical rhyme or reason.

She backed out of the crowd, stammered an excuse for her early departure before she turned and made a beeline toward the exit, running as fast as she could. She only managed to stop long enough to shove the key into hers and Korra's front door, shove it open, slam it shut and lock it, and tearing off her heels. She held her breath until she stumbled into the nearest closet, turned on the muted light inside, and shut herself in.

Forcing a sigh, she backed into the nearest wall, tucked her legs into her chest, and waited for the world to rearrange back into order. She focused on her breathing, just like Korra had taught her so many years ago.

"Hey."

Kuvira glanced up to see Korra nudging the closet door open, and sidled in. A few long moments of silence passed before one of them spoke.

"It's not even that it's not gone. It just—I can't predict, control it." Kuvira uncurled from her former balled up position, casually motioning to the closet space, "I can't live like this. I look like a lunatic."

Korra knelt down before her. "Who cares what you look like? I'm the only person who's seeing you like this. There's nothing to be ashamed of. You're coping."

"This isn't coping. This is—this is a compulsion, taking comfort in what caused me so much trauma for years. No sane person does that."

"Do you want to go to therapy? You have every right to do so."

She knew it shouldn't, but the word therapy left a bitter taste in the back of her throat. "I don't think so, and would prefer not to."

"What happened?" Korra sat down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, a light touch of reassurance.

"I was just returning from the photoshoot and I got mobbed. They didn't all approach me at once, but… I don't know. I was just standing there and suddenly I couldn't understand what the people were saying to me, and I couldn't find a single word to say. It was frightening, and I just…this was the only thing I could think of to calm myself down."

"So you didn't break down in front of all those people?"

"No… I just dashed out. I suppose not."

"Sounds like you were coping really well. That's all dealing with these traumas is, really: being able to function with people long enough to deal with your feelings as you see fit. If you think sitting in this closet helped you, then that's fine. It seems like a sort of meditation." Korra tilted her head, appearing to be musing on a thought. "Were you meditating, or thinking about how awful your perceived life is?"

Kuvira's eyes narrowed, trying to recall the last several minutes. "I wasn't thinking."

"Then there you go." Korra leaned in and kissed Kuvira's forehead. "Do you want to get out of here, or do you want to stay a while longer?"

Kuvira exhaled. "I think I'm good to go." Korra helped Kuvira to her feet before pushing open the closet door and making their way to the living room.

"So, how'd Avatar business go?" Kuvira inquired, wishing to change the subject.

"Great. Wu's going to pencil us in for tomorrow. Guess what else?"

"What?"

"Su was there. She wanted me to tell you that you're un-banished from Zaofu."

What an underwhelming end to that conflict. It made the coupling of the icy shot of nerves in her gut and the weightless feeling of joy seem underserved. "Do you know if she's still in Ba Sing Se?" Kuvira interjected, hope in her voice.

"You want to see her?"

"At the least, I want to tell her that I'd like to visit soon."

"Seemed like an invitation to me," Korra chirped.

Kuvira awoke in the middle of night, a normal occurrence at that point. She checked the clock on the wall, exhaled, and shifted positions. No burdening thoughts were on her mind, so hopefully she could fall back asleep quickly. She twined an arm onto one of Korra's outstretched arms and closed her eyes.

Moments later, Korra thrashed her arm so hard that she pulled Kuvira onto the other side of her. Wide awake, she found Korra shifting, mumbling incoherently.

"Korra," she said, shaking the Avatar. No response. "Korra. Korra!"

Korra's eyelids flew open and she shot up into a sitting position, chest heaving. When Korra looked over at Kuvira, her hair tousled and her eyes trying to regain focus, she took her hand, gently squeezing it.

"Are you okay?" Kuvira squeezed back in response, running her thumb over Korra's knuckles.

"Yeah. It happens every once in a while. Nothing can be patched up perfectly, I guess." Korra confessed as she slowly laid back down. "You don't have to wake me up next time."

Kuvira rearranged herself, slipping an arm around Korra's shoulders to pull her closer "I was sleeping on your other side before you decided to toss me. You needed to be woken up."

Something in Korra's face tightened. "Sorry." She apologized sheepishly, turning away.

"Don't be." She tried to get a better angle of her face. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah."

Kuvira didn't push it, and leaned back into the pillows. It would be some time before Korra turned to nestle into her, arms loosely circling around her waist. Kuvira leaned to kiss the crown of her head before drifting asleep.

At least she had solace in knowing she wasn't the only one coping.

With plans to meet Korra and Wu at seven that evening, Kuvira boarded a bullet train to Zaofu, carrying nothing but a black notebook in her hands. Even with the knowledge Su was welcoming her back to her childhood home with open arms, Kuvira was all but sick with nerves. Would Su go back on her word the moment she arrived? Did Baatar know about Kuvira's relationship with Korra, and would he even talk to her, having that knowledge? What would it be like to see Baatar Sr., Huan, and anyone left in Zaofu? Would Opal allow her even a second to talk?

She was taken aback by how silently she was able to slip through the main district to Su's estate. It almost felt near-deserted, judging by the way so few people were acknowledging her. Was it some side effect of a growing ego or was she crazy? She was not certain, but she was at least aware that the emotions coursing through her—shame, embarrassment, awe, contentment—were making thinking difficult.

Still a bit unsure about her position, once inside the Beifong household, Kuvira headed straight to Baatar's quarters, to the one person she absolutely knew had forgiven her. He sat in the office he'd had built off his bedroom some years before they left Zaofu, eyes fixated on papers. He'd grown his hair out to the same length on the sides as on top, but seemed to generally be maintaining the beard she'd convinced him to grow during the Earth Empire days, save a day's worth of stubble.

"If this represents your prison sentence, I'm going to kick your over-coddled ass right here, right now," Kuvira teased, as she leaned against the doorframe.

Baatar looked up, eyes widening. "Kuvira?" he breathed.

She broke out a smile. "Hey, Baatar."

He half stumbled out of his chair and ran towards her before gathering her into an tight embrace, holding her close. "I'm so happy to see you're okay! What they put you through was barbaric."

"I'm okay. Still adjusting, but okay." She answered into his shoulder. "Happy, even."

He pulled away. "I'm glad to hear it. What've you been doing since your pardoning and release?"

"Mostly charity work around the Earth Kingdom. A tamer version of what we were doing with the Earth Empire. What about you? Are you still on house arrest?"

He shook his head. "I received parole earlier this year, but I haven't found reason to leave Zaofu permanently. Part of the family's healing involved Father giving my ideas more consideration and I've actually been pretty busy working on projects." Baatar glanced over his shoulder to the half-organized, half-document-strewn desk.

Kuvira smiled. "Living your dream."

There was a long bout of silence, one long enough for Kuvira's smile to falter.

"Almost."

"Baatar…"

"I'm not angry, but, is what the twins told me true?"

"Yes."

Baatar sighed, the tiniest of smiles wavering on his lips. "Should I have seen this coming?"

"Korra's the first girl I've been interested in. No matter what your brothers say, you had nothing to do with it."

"More of Masaru taking you to those burlesque clubs?"

Kuvira snorted and looked away, hoping she wasn't blushing. "I went to those to watch the dancing, Baatar."

"Just know it didn't come out of nowhere." He hesitated. "Do you love her?"

"Yes."

It got her heart fluttering just talking about Korra.

"And she treats you well?"

"Incredibly."

His eyes flitted away from hers as he spoke."It's all I could ask for you, I suppose."

"Are you seeing anyone?"

"Not yet."

Kuvira shifted her weight to the other foot. "So, I don't think a rousing speech is an adequate apology for what I did to this place."

He returned to looking her in the eye. "Community service seems to have worked for you. Since that has been such a personal strength recently, the domes were damaged in a storm, and Mother's sending metalbenders out to fix them. You should try lending a hand."

"Nothing sounds better than being pushed off the top of a dome today," she sighed, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, it's that or help Huan with his massive artistic renovations."

"I'll risk the fall," she retorted. Nostalgia of her former life was beginning to trickle back. "Is Opal around?"

"Are you actually attempting to get thrown off the top of the domes?"

Kuvira frowned. "She can hold a grudge for a while, can't she?"

"It seems to be a trait that runs among the women." His eyes narrowed, giving her a curious look. "What do you want with her?"

"I want to talk, to find out why she hates me so much."

Baatar opened his mouth to start, before she raised a finger to hush him. "I mean beyond the obvious." She paused. "Do me a favor: I'm going to go ask Su about helping with the domes. If you see Opal, could you tell her that I'd like to talk to her, if she feels up to it?"

"Sure. Good luck."

"Thanks." She said as she turned to leave, then stopped mid-stride. "Hey, I'm here until the evening if you want to talk over tea."

"Sounds like a plan. You'll need to unwind after the whipping you're going to get on the domes," he called.

Kuvira's laugh echoed loudly in the corridors as she departed.

Kuvira found Su in the backyard among the meteorites she must have managed to salvage from the Colossus wreckage.

"Hey, Su, Baatar mentioned you needing some help fixing up the domes," she said, more gingerly than she intended.

Su let the meteorite fall into her palm and turned to her. "A bolt of lightening from that storm twisted the east-most shield out of place, and we can't bend it back." Her features brightened considerably. "Lucky the kid who can bend precious metals is here."

Was Su really receiving her this warmly? Should she have expected this kind of casual, warm response all along, or was Su doing a complete 180?

"I'm guessing you're not going to fill it up with gold?"

"Titanium was the best we could come up with. If you could bend it on, I'd appreciate it. Come on, I'll get you the raw material." They began a walk toward the storage unit closest to the damaged dome. "What did you do in prison?"

Kuvira raised a brow, quietly floored Su even cared. "Come again?"

"Solitary. What do you do for all that time alone? How are you as sane as you are?"

She shrugged. "I read a lot." Kuvira chuckled. "You know what I did do, that even Korra doesn't know about?"

"What?" Su's interest piqued suddenly.

"I spent years going through those history books recording the inbreeding of the royal families from the Northern Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, and Fire Nation as far back as the established dynasties."

Su smiled wryly, the first genuine smile Kuvira swore she'd seen on her adoptive mother's face in years. "You didn't."

"It's legitimate. All the instances were either recorded in old history books or were based off evidence—inherited traits and such."

"Fire Nation had it the worst?"

"Water Tribe. Smaller population. All three of them went through periods of pure bloodline paranoia. It just seems the Earth Kingdom's lineage can see the results most prominently today."

Su laughed. "You're required to bring a copy of this, the next time I see you,."

"Just don't tell anyone I wrote it."

"Scared the royals will put your head on the chopping block?"

"No. In fact, I could show Wu that book tonight and he'd start crying. I just don't want Korra to think I'm a conspiracy theorist until I can confirm that her cousins are going to marry each other."

"If she can't see that one coming, it's not your fault."

"Is there a nation that still beheads? Isn't that the execution of choice in the Avatar Yangchen era?"

"Baatar J—Baatar said you guys beheaded." Su countered as she opened the storage unit.

Kuvira's face twisted into a miffed look. "Give me a literally cleaner method."

"Hanging."

She stopped in her tracks. "Did Baatar mention that we only executed four people, three assassins and one rogue general who was trying to ethnically cleanse under my banner?"

"Come on, Kuvira!" Su playfully patted her shoulder. "I need this done by tonight."

"Give me the blueprints and I'll have it done within the hour."

Su handed her a set of blue prints from a locked box in the storage unit and a radio and left her with the damaged dome shield before her, collapsed on the ground. (So much for having to be on the dome while it was erect.) She picked up a slab of titanium and went to work.

This was actually going much better than she expected.

Fixing the piece of the dome wasn't the hard part. As it turned out, synching the dome back up and making sure the titanium covered every inch was the most aggravating part. Members of the Metal Clan had gathered while Kuvira worked, a vast majority staying silent, but one man explained that they had constructed the domes again for security reasons, not as a means to isolate. Kuvira couldn't say she blamed them, even if it went against what she'd tried to teach Zaofu when she took over. The fact was Zaofu was going to be a part of the new Earth Kingdom and Su had already abandoned the city-state mindset warmed her somewhat, knowing she could quietly bask in that one small victory, albeit the domes still left a bitter taste in her mouth. Maybe it was just being so close to her old life.

Kuvira packed herself up with titanium slabs and attached a metal spool to her hip, left to watch the dome pull itself together, feeling more like a security guard than she thought she'd ever experience again. She scaled the curve of the dome, savoring the adrenaline rush. Once on top, she formed herself a pair of titanium slippers to magnetize to the dome. She'd done a decent job the first time around, but had not gone over her work with a fine-toothed comb: she had missed a tiny crack in the shield that needed patching.

"What are you doing?" a familiar voice interrupted.

Kuvira stopped what she was doing to face Opal. True to her Air Nation customs, she wore the brightly-colored wing suit, hair a little longer, face a little less round, and malice still burning in those once innocent eyes. She had a cross body bag attached to her, large slabs of titanium poking out.

"Your mom needed a metalbender who could bend titanium," Kuvira explained.

"Why wouldn't intruders be able to bend it away if you're bending it there?"

"You'll never find a metalbender better than me who isn't your ninety-something year old grandmother, if that. Bending a wide array of metals is rare." Kuvira quickly repaired the hole and turned to Opal. "Could we talk?"

"I only came here because they thought you needed more material," she spat, dropping several 2x4 slabs of titanium , most of them clanking down the incline and skittering off the dome. A bit childish, aren't we? Kuvira thought.

"Thanks. But really, Opal, I need to talk to you."

She crossed her arms, turning away. "About what?"

"Opal, please. I want to understand."

"Just a heads up: you went crazy in prison."

Kuvira approached, placing a hand on Opal's shoulder. "Opal, I know I hurt you. I want to know why."

She shook Kuvira's hand free, still not facing her. "You already know why."

"I don't. When I thought about how you reacted to my departure, I guessed right that you were enraged from the moment I left, like Su. Yet, you had no reason to do so. I know Baatar talked to you for years about how much he wanted to spread his own wings, and you encouraged that. I know you didn't think I brainwashed Baatar. So what was it about me leaving that got to you? I understand why you came to hate me after that, but why right then? What ignited in you that made you so willing to kill me, still look at me like a piece of trash this many years later."

"Like I said, you're crazy if you think I'm going to discuss this now."

Her words were still laced in venom, but Opal's posture had relaxed a bit.

Kuvira carefully took a seat on the dome. "Does it feel good to hold a grudge for this long? I imagine it's a big weight."

"You're the one who put it there."

"And now I'm trying to help you remove it."

"Why? Did someone put you up to this? Baatar? Korra? Is someone going to take a picture of this, add it as fodder for your crazy political campaign to have the Earth Kingdom in your clutches again? You might have everyone fooled, but I can see right through you. I've always seen right through you, from the moment people started being sent to the prison camps."

Kuvira watched Opal's hands, how she rubbed an arm on and off. "I suppose you do see right through me. But, if that were the case, I figured you'd be seeing the foster child your mom took in who loved and protected you like a sister."

"You were never—" Opal's tirade stopped, choking on the words and emotional turmoil that were beginning to quake her frame.

Kuvira watched her struggle as a memory flickered in her mind's eye: of Opal creeping into her room on rough, stormy nights, pleading to sleep with her. She recalled Opal holding her to a promise to not to tell her anyone about it, because she wanted to be as brave as her bender brothers.

"—You were a sister," Opal whispered, finally finding her voice again before she sat down. "When Mom told us that you were going to stay, it was the happiest day of my life. You were so scared and depressed, and I made it my goal for weeks to cheer you up. You tried to be nice to me, accept all my dumb little gestures, and I remember almost giving up, but you seemed to have transformed after a month with us. I know now you must've just been putting on a face for my sake, but… I loved you for it. You paid attention to me, protected me against the twins, and would do whatever earth or metalbending trick I wanted to see time and time again. When Mom or Dad was busy, you'd read me bedtime stories or stay with me when I had nightmares. You never asked for anything, just listened to me and played with me and supported me no matter what I did.

"I understood why you moved out to join the guard, but it hurt so much to see you leave us. When you moved out, I remember sitting up for nights wondering what I did wrong, and it began to dawn on me that truly, you had never been treated like a member of the family. All my life, I'd considered you a sister, but it began to dawn on me that you might not have felt the same. That you might not be as committed to the family as I thought. I started thinking that what if you didn't consider us your family, and that you'd leave us forever trying to find a real family.

"I thought about it for years. I would watch you whenever we hung out, see how you interacted with the family, as if I could tell how you felt about the family through that. And, every day, every time I'd see you laugh or speak to the guard or the dance trope, all I saw was you trying to cobble together a new family. But, you know what, that wasn't that bad. Even if you found a niche with them, you'd still be near me. I could still see you enough, stay connected with you. It hurt to see you pulling apart, but I wasn't worried.

"Then, you left Zaofu. You left me a note. Do you remember?"

"I do."

"You were my sister, and all I got before you decided to up and leave was a note. So yeah, I was mad. I was mad that you didn't love us—love me—enough to stay. I was mad that for all the love I gave you, for all the weight and effort I put into our relationship, you could just cast me aside like I meant nothing."

"You feel like I abandoned you."

Opal whipped around, tears in her eyes. "How could you do that to me? How could you assume you didn't mean anything to me?"

"I was…so oblivious that I thought you weren't affected by your abandonment. I thought that you saw me as a mentor, not as a mother, and that I was safe to do the same."

"How could you think a child would view the woman housing, feeding, clothing, and nurturing her as anything other than a mother?"

"…I just can't believe that through everything that happened between us, you still viewed me as a mother."

"Who else would it have been?"

"You and Su are so alike."

She'd heard it a million times, and thought she understood it, but realized she had not. Not until it dawned on her that moment, watching Opal scowling, tears running down her face.

"I fulfilled your deepest fear. That you wouldn't be good enough for me," Kuvira said, voice soft, working around the lump in her throat.

"How could you think that?"

Because she had always felt like such an outsider in the Beifong family, that there was no reason that Opal would have had to love her like a sibling.

"Because I was wired to believe I was the pitied foster child."

Opal shook her head. "How could you have not seen through that? I loved you. All of us loved you."

"And I love you too." Kuvira's voice remained steady, but was at a loss of what else to say. "I'm sorry, Opal."

Opal took a deep, shuddering breath, and looked on at Kuvira. For a long time, the two of them just sat there, staring at each other, desperately trying to communicate just with their gazes. Ultimately, one wasn't enough—not one moment of silence, not one conversation. Opal opened up her little airbending wings and dropped off the dome incline - before gliding off. Kuvira returned to her task, smoothened out the metal, returned to lower ground using the the metal spool. The lump in her throat only grew, burning with each unconscious swallow.

Kuvira returned to Ba Sing Se right on time, walking through the front door with only a few minutes to spare, drained physically and emotionally. She did a mental run-down of a few conversation starters she hoped to use with Korra once they were done meeting with Wu, only to find that Wu wasn't there, but Korra and her friend Mako were. Caught in mid-conversation, Korra didn't budge from her spot in the living room, but her face lit up.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," Kuvira replied, dumping herself unceremoniously onto a free couch. "Unexpected visitors?"

"Mako still works for Wu, and we were just catching up." Korra motioned to Kuvira. "This is Kuvira."

Mako shook his head. "I know that much." His eyes flitted to Kuvira. "You look exhausted."

"Did the Beifongs throw you off a roof?" Korra chimed in.

"No, just a lot of dealing with Opal. I got her to tell me what was really going on between us, but once she got it out, she didn't want to facilitate reconciliation. I know I should expect it, but it still hurts."

"I wouldn't fret — Look how long it took Lin and Su to work things out, and they'd give their lives for each other now. You took a step in the right direction, and that's all that matters." She shifted in her seat. "We can talk more once everyone leaves."

"Where's Wu?"

"He said you were taking too long and said he'd be back at seven after 'freshening up.' I think he was making a point about punctuality, but I told him you'd be back at seven," Korra said, exchanging a look with Mako.

"You still work for him?" Kuvira asked.

Mako pinched the bridge of his nose. "I was let off for about a month before he demanded me back into service with the re-collapse of the Earth Kingdom. I'm really, really hoping he'll let me go once you stabilize everything again."

Korra punched his shoulder teasingly. "You started working for him again because you were worried about him." She turned to Kuvira. "Did you have dinner in Zaofu?"

"No."

"Wanna go out with Mako and I?"

"Sure."

"Great," Korra glanced at the clock on the wall. "Where's—"

Right on schedule, Wu slid down the railing from the first to second floor. "Perfect, she's here!" he announced boisterously.

"She got here six minutes ago," Korra replied.

Wu took a seat. "So, here's the deal: I think you're totally ready for the people to embrace you, but I still want to do a little something to push it along."

"Please don't do anything over the top," Kuvira sighed.

"Nope. I just want to give you the Kyoshi Medal of Freedom."

Kuvira gave him a puzzled look. "And why would I want to remind people about your coronation?"

"Look," he started, gesticulating wildly, "there aren't any other medals and it's the symbolism that counts. It'll be a small ceremony, but to those that matter, it'll mean something. You'll have the people's love, parliament's approval, and my approval. It wouldn't matter what the world leaders think, but I'm sure they'll be forced to approve afterwards."

Kuvira traded glances with Korra. "Good publicity?"

Korra smiled sheepishly. "I wasn't at the coronation…"

Eyes fell on Mako. "I mean, it's kind of awkward…"

"It's the kingdom's highest honor, Mako," Wu said.

"Isn't the medal broken, anyway?" Mako reminded him.

Wu pulled the crumpled ball of gold out of his pant pocket and tossed it to Kuvira. "Apparently, you're the only gold bender in the kingdom."

Kuvira flattened out the scrunched medal and fixed the kinks before casually throwing it back to Wu, who shot out his hands palms forward like the uncoordinated, slow-reflexed man child he was. Korra picked it back up and examined it. "Looks good to me."

"Symbolism!" Wu cheered, hopping onto his feet. "Come on, Mako. I need to get back to the palace if you're getting the night off."

Mako stood up and followed Wu out, the Kyoshi medal hanging off Mako's fingertips.

"I should've bent it into a riding crop," Kuvira commented snidely.

Korra laughed. "Now that's symbolism!"

A/N: Alright, didn't really intend for this to become a super emotional Kuvira/Opal chapter, but I'll take it! Are you buying the mental healing/hiccups for Kuvira? Did the Beifong reunions feel satisfying? Anything you absolutely need to see in the next 2 chapters? (jeez, can you believe this fic is almost over?)