The Woman in White

by ClockworkCaptain

Iroh and Korra have known each other for a long time, even longer then they thought. After harmonic convergence the shadows of the past are starting to haunt the General but like most things concerning the Avatar there is more then one problem that needs to be solved. Can they sort it all out or will history repeated itself again?

36. Chapter 36

A/N: Really long chapter ahead, but it is not the final chapter.

~Chapter 36~

~Another Hero~

Outside the curtain Iroh could hear the crowd. "I'm not sure what's more impressive that Izeem actually was able to convince Rohku to have this or that so many people weren't threatened to come and we still have a full arena." He adjusted his guitar. "Has it really gotten so bad here that going to a concert of a completely new kind of music is something to be flocked to?"

Mako shrugged. "I don't know maybe the combination of the entire Royal Family's going to it and tickets were free might have had something to do with it."

"Or the great add a campaign." Howl offered walking on to the stage.

Iroh frowned. "What what add campaign?"

"This add campaign." He held up a poster, which Iroh took and read aloud.

"Full of angst? So is our lead singer!" Iroh just looked up and glared at the rest of the band. "Listen to the product of his pain, Friday night at the outdoor arena for a trip in to a brand new type of music. Tickets free." Iroh looked back up. "I hate you all. By the way did we ever figure out a name for our band? We don't have one on the poster and if you say it's General Irony's band of misfits I will hurt someone."

Mako smirked. "No but you might have liked that one better."

Iroh grimaced. "What are we called?"

"Mutiny of the Leviathan."

Iroh sighed. "Well at least we aren't Agni Kai, or Prodigal Son, but really? The Leviathan was my ship. Don't you think it will tip Rokhu off?"

Howl shrugged. "It could but it's too late to change it now."

Iroh shook his head. "If that name tips him off before it's time and we live I will kill you all and laugh as you burn."

"Easy there Ozia." Mako stepped back. "And just for the record I voted for Black Doors." He checked his watch. "Ok we're on in three minutes, Bolin is in place and hopefully will be starting as soon as we do to make the air field. Asami and the other's should be coming in low in about 20-30 minutes." He looked at Howl. "You need to get off the stage and on the radio. Signal to us when they're in and when they are down."

Howl nodded. "Will do, break a leg guys." He walked away then paused and turned. "Oh and this concert is being broadcast live via radio so no pressure but pretty much everyone is listening to this thing. Have fun!"

Mako gulped. "Everyone?"
Iroh looked over. "You're not getting stage fright over there are you? Mr. ex-probender?"
Mako gave a nervous laugh. "Me? No, I'm good. I'm great!"

Iroh shook his head. "You can do this you aren't even playing the first song. You can sit in the wings if you need to. You're only pretending to play anyway." They had tired and failed to get Mako to master the base in one week.

Mako shook his head. "No, because if don't stay firmly glued to this spot I'm never going to get out here." He gave Iroh a smiled before pulling his fedora over his eyes. "I'll be fine once the music starts."

Iroh nodde and pull his own down to cover on eye. "Ok, well let's do this, remember our goal is to be loud and distracting. Good is a bonus."

.o.

Zuko sat perfectly still when the music started; it was instrumental for the first minute. He took a deep breath as the man on the stage started to sing.

The sirens are screamin'

And the fires are howlin'

Way down in the valley tonight

There's a man in the shadows

With a gun in his eye

And a blade shinin' oh so bright

He leaned over to Karrem who was sitting next to him. "If this hell, I like it." He looked over at Lafey who was seated on his other side. She had been dressed like a doll in a pink dress and hair pulled up in an extravagant bun. She was just as stiff and unmoving as usual. While he listened to the music he watched her face for any sign that she was there fighting to get out of what ever haze Stasia had her in.

.o.

Korra looked over at the radio as the music flooded out. She walked over to hear it better. That voice she had heard it before, somewhere.

~Oh baby, you're the only thing

In this whole world

That's pure and good and right

And wherever you are

And wherever you go

There's always gonna be some light~

Korra closed her eyes and remembered. She was sitting on a bed in a small apartment with a baby snuggled in her arms. She could hear a shower running and someone singing, the same singing on the radio. Her eyes shot open and she looked the speaker. "Iroh…"

~And I know that I'm damned

If I never get out

And baby, I'm damned if I do

But with every other beat

I got left in my heart

You know I'd rather be damned with you~

It was like her memoires snapped back in to place all at once. She could remember everything clearly and her last life was clearest of all. Korra got to her feet and walked over to Nix.

"Come on, boy we're going for a flight." She kissed the beast's forehead. "Iroh hates singing to crowds so he much have a reason." She sighed. "Let's just hope that reason isn't to see me again."

.o.

The song, surprisingly, ended in applause and they started their next song before the crowd could die down and possibly hear anything else. Iroh silently prayed that they would drown Asami's plane out and not just add musical accompaniment. He looked over at Mako and started to sing the second song.

"They say you never come home,

boy you been drivin' too fast

When you gonna shape up,

how long is this gonna last

You may be laughin' today,

but listen to some good advice

An' take a look at tomorrow

in a workin' man's weary eyes

You gotta pick a career,

go for the gold

Smile for the camera,

do what you're told"

Mako having finally found his courage didn't miss his cue and shot his part back at Iroh, like the angry youth he was portraying.

"Well you can take away the ladder 'cos I ain't gonna climb it!

If there's a stairway to heaven I swear I'm gonna find it!

Well there are winners and outlaws and leaders and lovers

Behind every man in the news

And one thing I know is behind everyone

there's a boy who had nothin' to lose

Behind every man who has somethin' to say

There's a boy who had nothin' to prove"

.o.

Asami turned her radio down and looked back at Tenzin who was sitting behind her going over some notes. "They just finished their second song. Got to say I'm not sure who they got singing, but they have some pipes on 'em. Have you picked up the cannon on your machine Varick?"

Varick came up to the front and switched the radio from headphones to speaker. "Oh, yes I did got a good fix on its location. Now, let's see what those guys did with my Rock and Roll"

~Thank you everyone! And welcome! We're Mutiny of the Leviathan! And now while my cosigner rests his voice I'm going to sing a song I wrote.~

Asami looked at the speaker. "Is that Mako?"

~While I know she's not here I wrote this for the love of my life, my ex-wife, yeah I hear you laughing, but I wrote this for her and now I'm going to sing it to all of you.~

Asami tilted her head. "What did he write? And should I feel warm fuzzes or horror?"

Varick shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to wait to him to do the thing."

~ Long distance call, in the middle of a rainy night

So much static, hardly knew your voice

An' you've been cryin', for me to love you like I did before

Girl when it comes to you, you know I've got no choice~

Varick smirked. "I think he was going for flattering but ended up with horror."

~You put a storm inside me, I wanna head for a safer harbor

They all tell me I should give you up, but no man coulda tried any harder

Feels like an odyssey that's never gonna reach an end

Every time I hear you callin' me, just wanna feel you in my arms again

Like a sailor to a siren, like a moth to a flame

I know your love might be the death for me, but I run to you just the same

Like a sailor to a siren, nothing's gonna keep us apart

Crashin' over the wreckage of all the sailor's broken hearts

Musta met you when we were livin' in another time

Had nothin' but the jealous gods to point our way

When men were sailors and a woman was a rocky shore

Wailin' like a siren leadin' him astray

You've got another woman and you know I've got another man~

Asami tilted her head. "Is that the right lyric?"

.o.

Iroh looked out at the stage. "Well he fucked that lyric up." Iroh shook his head. "At least he's in tune."

.o.

Bolin turned his head from admiring his handy work to the radio. "What? I knew it! Well I'll ask him later for the details." He pulled his head set on and switched the radio so he could communicate to Asami. "Hey, Runway's ready and the guards on the west side have been taken care of. Over."

~Great Job, Bo, we're coming down now. Get clear of the runway, I'll radio Howl, he'll give the single for them to really blast the place. Over~

.o.

The plane landed picture perfect, after the third try. Asami sat back in her seat and smiled turning up the music while the place sat securely on the runway that until that night had not existed.

She looked over at Varick and the others. "I radioed Howl we're on the ground. Just waiting for his response."

~Right here, miss glad you made it here safe and sound. Over.~

She picked up the mic. "Yeah we're here now tell us, where are we needed? Over."

~Well I think if Su is there she needs to head over here where Stasia is. If anyone knows how to help Bataar Jr. it will be her, but she needs to hurry we only have three more songs and the last one is definitely cause a commotion. Over.~

Asami smirked. "Why? Does it end in, 'I challenge you to an Agni Kai?' Over."

~It might as well. The whole Royal family's here so if you had people set to help Zechi just sent them over here too. Those who where going after the cannon I hope those fancy instruments you came up with to find it worked because I have no idea where it's being hidden. Over.~

"Don't worry howl, we do. Now Tenzin, Lin and Su are on their way to you. Over."

~Lin came too huh? Well we need everyone we can get this place is crawling with zombies, over~

~Zombies?! Over.~

~Yeah, soulless drones curtsey to the Fire Lady, they are literally corps brought back to life just to do her bidding. Avoid them if possible. Over.~

"And if we can't?" Tenzin asked grabbing the mic.

~What's the airbender's stance on destroying reanimated corpses? Over.~

.o.

Korra felt her heart start beating faster as Nix flew lower and she could hear the music being blasted from the stage. Nix landed on one of the tower like houses where the stage was just in view over back of the outdoor concert hall. She petted one of Nix's ears.

"I want to get a little closer look, boy." She whispered before the dragon took off and landed on a house even closer. From her she could see barely see Iroh. "Stay here and listen for my whistle." She slipped off the dragon and into the house below. It was empty and she easily made her way out on to the streets. They were empty too save for the people lurking about. Korra shivered, "I see Stasia made herself at home."

No one stopped her as she walked in to the concert hall and she walked up to the balcony section, from her little fight over here she had seen that many boxes had been empty. She spotted a few guards but they walked in a haze and didn't even notice her. Suddenly the idea that Iroh wasn't himself stuck Korra and she went to the first open door she could to see out on to the stage.

Iroh's eyes met hers for just a second as he started his next song and she sighed in relief, as they were just as sharp and clear as she remembered them. She didn't know if he was even aware that she was there but the words pulled at her heart. The song was singing to her soul and she didn't know why.

Under your protection, I walked into the night

And a thousand men were demons; I don't want to check for life

And now we're running through the fields with the fever in my veins

And the rain came crashing down; I tried to clear my name

.o.

Iroh saw a woman appear in one of the empty boxes, she looked so familiar but…no, it had to just be his imagination. She couldn't be here. His gaze changed and he looked right at Rohku who for the first time might of realized who was on the stage singing to them.

Above my head, all in red, I could see you glaring down on me

You said you're not running out, no you're leaving now

I will find you, there is no way out

I'll keep tracking you down in the still of this night

Forever, mine forever

His focus changed to Stasia whose eyes widened as he sang to her.

Don't leave your mark on me, I have to reply

I'm not staying, no, and I'm not just killing time

Don't leave your mark on me, I have to reply,

I'm not staying, no

I'm not staying, no

Mistress of the darkness, accomplice of the night

A shadow in the doorway beckons me inside

And something led the way though I could not see its face

And a voice from deep inside me screamed to get out of this place!

.o.

Su and Tenzin reached the concert in the middle of the second to last song. Even outside the hall they could make out the words perfectly.

This nightmare never ends, memories of absent friends

Masked illusions stare at me, point the finger silently

Stand accused as the jury scares, there's a ghost in here somewhere

There's a ghost in here somewhere.

Lin looked over at Tenzin. "Cheery lyrics huh?"

The Airbender just nodded and nocked. Mako opened the door and looked out at the three.

"Howl said that there was three coming." He gestured for them to enter. "Did you run in to any trouble getting over here?"

Tenzin shook his head. "No, there was no one out on the streets, well no one living that is. This place has gotten very creepy and the big black dragon sitting on people's homes doesn't help anything."

Mako tiled his head. "What dragon? Never mind," He pointed to his right, "this corridor leads straight to the upper private boxes where Stasia and the rest of the Royal Family is. There will be some guards to get through but hopefully the next song Iroh's going to sing will be enough of a distraction to lend you some aid and muffle the sounds of a scuffle theses things tent to swam."

Su raised an eyebrow. "What's the song?"

Mako started to run down the hall. "One that's going to tip our hand but if Stasia and Rohku at looking at him, they can't see or care about Asami and the others."

.o.

Iroh could see from his vantage point the look of confusion on Rohku's face. It was like he was trying to recognize a person he had known in childhood, but had grown up and changed.

Iroh left the stage for a quick costume change while a white curtain was raised so only the shadows of the band could be seen. Extremely theatrical he knew, but he was just the distraction for others he was allowed to be theatrical. His new outfit was modified version of his United Forces General's uniform with the left sleeve missing so the burn on his arm could clearly be seen. He pulled his hair back so at least the front looked like how it used to, his grandfather's dragon medallion tucked safely inside his shirt for good luck.

He took a deep breath and signaled to start the music. Maybe it was just rush of doing something completely mental but he couldn't help but feel happy as he sang the first words of his last song.

"I'm still alive

Must have been a miracle

It's been a hell of ride

Destination still unknown

It's a fact of life:

If you make one wrong move with the gun to your head

You better walk the line or you'll be left for dead"

The white sheet feel to the ground and Iroh looked right in to his brother's rage filled eyes and he smiled back.

A/N: Ok so all the songs used in this section are real songs by Meatloaf (on of my all time favorites) so in the order they are song, for anyone who wants to know what I heard in my head, here are the songs (some of the lyrics where changed):
Monster is Lose,

Bad Attitude

Sailor to Siren

Don't leave your Mark on me

Alive