The training didn't get easier after that. Tarmei continued to make her practised a series of simple techniques, again and again, to make sure she got it right. But there was a slight amount of easing between her and Tarmei, and her progress of airbending gates was getting less painful.

It was also busy with the new training with Akmei. They started doing it once a week, in one of the gardens. The first time, Akmei got Lai to set up two pieces of metal held on the air away from each other. 'You heat this one up, and I'll move the heat to demonstrate the technique.' Lai released flame at the metal, causing it to glow. Akmei took a stance between the pieces of metal. 'It's similar to lightening redirection. You flow the energy through your body. From there, it can be released randomly, the easier technique, or release it into another material, the more recent technique.' She moved her arms, and the metal bar started to cool, qhile the other started to glow again.

'Huh, that's really cool. I imagine it's an amazing fighting technique!' Lai said.

Akmei shook her head. 'Not really. It's inefficient to put it back in, short ranged, and has limited effect. For you, it's quite limited as a technique. But it will give you an insight into fire in a more purely energetic form, which will help with chi detection. The control will also help with lightening bending.'

Lai nodded. 'Okay, let's try.'

The progress was slow, with Lai often going down the wrong track – it felt too close to airbending for it to be easy. Eventually however, Lai was able to cool down the metal rod, though unable to properly direct it afterwards. Lai was happy though. 'Feels nice to be able to keep going with this, you know? Makes a change from airbending.'

'I suppose so. You don't feel any need to practise earthbending, though?' Akmei said.

'Not at all. I am an amazing earthbender.'

Despite that, Lai felt her relax a little. Apart from the occasional nibs down to the village for internet to contact her families and friends, she found herself time to relax with the other airbenders. There was a great amount of communal living, from the meals to the many sports the airbenders did. Those Lai didn't get involved in – they all seemed to require airbending.

Lai started to get used to the slow rhythm of the place. It seemed a world apart from the lives in Gaoling or the Fire Nation. The fact there was an outside world was reminded to her one day however, when a visitor came.

It was during a morning's practise. Lai was trying to control her air currents through a series of training pipes, and an airbender came up to Lai on a scooter. 'A guy just came up, saying they wanna see the Avatar. He looks important!'

Tarmei looked annoyed. 'Who was he?'

'Said he was called Hin Litai? Something like that.'

Tarmei looked annoyed. 'Someone I should know?' Lai asked.

'He's a general in the United Forces. He's very highly respected. But I'm not happy with him interrupting my training!'

'Hmm. You know, I annoyed the United Republic recently. Probably don't want to annoy them more.' Lai said.

Tarmei sighed. 'Very well. But be back as soon as possible!' Tarmei turned away in a huff.

Lai turned to the airbender. 'So where is he then?'

'He's at the northwest tower. He's having tea with one of the masters.'

Lai followed the airbender to the tower. Out on a large balcony two people were sitting drinking tea. One was an old man in airbender robes. The other was a man in his thirties, wearing a military uniform. Propped up just next to him was some form of mecha suit.

'Ah, welcome Avatar,' said the airbender. 'I am Master Kion. May I introduce you to General Hin Litai, of the United Forces.'

'Good to meet you.' Lai said, sitting down.

'The pleasures mine, Avatar,' the General said. He had a softly spoken voice. 'Would you care for tea?'

'Please.' Hin poured some out for her.

'So, you decided to not come to Republic City? A lot of people were surprised when you said you weren't coming.'

Oh really, this? 'I had a good reason not to.' Lai sipped her tea.

'Yes I heard about it. It's actually one of the reasons I came here.'

'A lot of things to do here?' Lai asked. Master Kion seemed happy to drink his tea and listen.

'Quite a few. I need to speak to some of the commanders here. Especially about Serpent City. Since Darlin, the situation there has gotten worse.'

Serpent City. The most dividing act of the last century, apart from the breakup of the Earth Kingdom. At the height of the Tremor wars, when peace in the Earth Continent seemed held together by string, it was suggested as a way of preventing war. The idea was a military outpost at Serpents Pass, between the two gigantic lakes that made up the centre of the Earth Continent. This would be built in land owned by no nation, and would contain soldiers of all nations. They would be there to swiftly react to fighting in the Earth Continent, especially once the Avatar was gone.

It worked at first. However, the city of water had one problem – it attracted waterbenders. Soon they had a sizable civilian presence in the city, which was only meant to be military. They demanded independence – a city government, which eventually became the Serpent City Water Tribe. This angered people across the Earth Continent – especially after it was revealed the United Republic was a great supporter of the deal.

This was seen as a massive land grab in the Earth Continent, especially once the city forced Earth Continent forces out of the city, while allowing others to stay. This outcry started to grow, saying it was the intention from the beginning, Avatar Korra favouring the Water Tribes above other nations. This totally forgot the fact the plan was originally from the minister of an Earth Continent state, the country of Joijing, on the Western Lake.

That didn't make much difference then. But know, with the coast of the lakes, entirely controlled by the Earth Queen, it was said only Serpent City, with its army in a strategically important location, could prevent unrelenting expansion across the rest if the continent. Serpent City saw its self surrounded by a giant enemy, while the Earth Kingdom saw a base unfairly stole from them. The situation was tense to say the least.

'How's the situation got worse?' Lai asked.

'Well, now the whole lake coast is controlled by the Earth Kingdom, they can try to cut off supplies to Serpent City. We have to ensure that we can supply the city before help comes. Though if the queen was to do that, then that would be war, and the earlier appeasement would suddenly mean nothing.' The general did not seem to like the word appeasement.

'But I have happier duties to. Like learn more airbending. Watching the masters train has given me a few tips.'

'You're an airbender?' Lai asked with interest. 'But, your mecha suit?'

Hin smiled. 'Not a mecha suit. A humming suit. Military class. Comes with polymer composite armour and platinum plating, so there's nothing bend. Short ranged electro-harpoons in the wrists, and it's a beautiful machine.'

'You should not use it.' Kion said. 'Your suit is too heavy. Flexibility is key. You should take one of our flight suits.'

'Thanks,' Hin said. 'But I prefer something with weapons.' He drank more tea

'In any case,' he continued, pouring more tea, 'I use my suit and bending in tandem. I also practise Republic City style airbending.'

'What's that?' Lai asked.

'An art that actually comes from Yu Dao. Some new airbenders, that didn't want to join the new Air Nation, combined their knowledge of waterbending, firebending and even earthbending. The result was a more fighting focused style – quick attacks, quick short dodges and waiting to strike second.'

'But that's not why I'm here. I'm here to talk about this Conduit fellow.'

'Really? You mean the annoying horde of ghosts that keeps talking to me on the plane?' Lai asked.

Hin smiled. 'I think you take him a bit more seriously than that, or you'd be in Republic City. But there's been an investigation, and some results have come up in the United Republic.'

'You see, the police in the Fire Nation were looking at the people that were working with Zolt, and they found something interesting. Some of them knew people in the police, and they were paying several individuals to stay quiet. Quite a lot, as it happens. And that money was coming from elsewhere. A lot of different places, but they had a load of indirect links to one place – the Dragon Inferno Corporation.'

'Who are they?' Lai asked.

'There a big company based in Republic City. They were the ones that got the first satellite into space, amongst other things. Anyway, they are big. So it's hard to tell who might have been responsible for sending the money – different ways each time, but there are connections.'

'So what does that mean?' Lai asked.

'No idea. We're just keeping you informed – you are the Avatar, after all.'

Hin drained his tea. 'Well, it's been nice meeting you, but I'm a busy person, and I've got lots to do here. Goodbye Avatar.' Hin locked himself into his humming suit, and launched himself into the air.

'Thank you for coming, Avatar.' Kion said. Lai finished her tea, then said 'I should probably get bach to training. Tarmei's already annoyed.'

Kion nodded. Lai wandered away. So he comes half away across the world, and has a quick cup of tea and tells me something Talara could have emailed me? That was weird.