Several hours after arriving in Ba Sing Se, Team Avatar met with the Earth Republic's prime ministers in the central meeting chamber of the state house. The chamber had once been the palace throne room, although the throne had since been removed in favor of a series of raised seats set in a semi-circle around a large round table, and a podium with a microphone. Brighter, clearer lights replaced the previous ones of dull green hanging from the corbels of each pillar, illuminating even the darkest corners of the chamber.

Team Avatar sat around one side of the central table, while three individuals, each dressed in formal Earth Republic robes, sat at the other end—the prime ministers of the United Earth Republic. All three prime minsters arose from their seats at the arrival of their guests and bowed low, prompting the others to return the gesture. When all were seated, the middle of the three prime ministers, a balding man with a long white beard, scooted his seat closer to the table.

"Avatar Korra, we welcome you and your friends to Ba Sing Se," the man said, with a nod. "I am Prime Minister Nidhi, of Ba Sing Se." He gestured to the left of him, at the second man, whose long dark hair was tied back in a ponytail. "This is Prime Minister Ratna, of Omashu." He gestured next to his right at the woman with glasses, and her hair tied up in a bun. "And Prime Minister Ela, of Yi."

Korra returned a nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Thanks for having us."

"Oh believe me, the pleasure is all ours," Nidhi replied. "Given the circumstances..."

"Yes, this whole Red Lotus business is greatly concerning," Ratna said, with a hostile glint in his eyes. "What happened in Zaofu was nothing short of an atrocity."

"And if they could do that to Zaofu, they could do it anywhere," Ela affirmed. "Even Ba Sing Se."

"That's why we're here," Korra said. "We believe Zaheer will attack during the council summit in three days, and we aim to stop him there, while protecting you in the process."

Nidhi folded his hands on the table. "We are happy to have your aid, Avatar. While we are quite confident in the ability of our own personal guards, having you here can only improve our odds. We thank you."

Ela tapped a finger against the table, scanning her eyes across the group. "We understand that a couple of you were present in Zaofu during the attack, is that correct?"

"Yes, I was there." Kuvira straightened herself at attention, and motioned to Anraq sitting next to her. "And so was Anraq."

"Yeah, and we barely got out in one piece," the waterbender muttered. "There were explosions, my cousin almost killed me, I had to fly an airship—it wasn't pretty."

"Ah, yes. Kuvira." Ela's gaze narrowed at the former Great Uniter. Hostile caution filled her gaze, unmistakable and unyielding. "We'd like you to tell us anything you can about what you saw that night, about the Red Lotus. What exactly are we up against?"

Kuvira paused, tightly gripping the edge of the table with her fingers. Thinking back to that night brought only painful memories, but with a calming breath she blocked the worst of it from her mind. "Well, you know of Zaheer, of course. Skilled airbender who can fly, and no qualms about killing, which makes him exceptionally dangerous."

"Then there's a waterbender named Yuruk. He's my cousin." Anraq crossed his arms over his chest and sank into his seat with a heavy frown. "Spiteful, vindictive, extremely deadly, and one of the most skilled waterbenders in the world. Only reason his assassination attempt on the Northern Chiefs failed was because the palace ceiling collapsed on top of him during the battle. From what I heard, he had both twins dead to rights before that."

"There was a metalbender, too," Kuvira added. "Avan, I believe they called him. He's missing a hand, but he's had it replaced with a metal prosthetic that he uses as a projectile. The way he fights, I think he was a part of the Dai Li."

"Bah, Dai Li," spat Prime Minister Ratna. "Those shadowy weasel snakes ran this city behind the scenes for far too long. They should have been disbanded far sooner than they were."

"The name is familiar, though," Nidhi said. "As I recall, Avan was the former Dai Li commander, and exceptionally talented. His raw power in earth and metalbending is unparalleled."

Toph's eyebrows lifted at this announcement. "Excuse me? Who's unparalleled here?"

Nidhi's breath sputtered, as he turned a nervous glance towards the old woman at the far end of the table. "Oh, er, that's right. Toph Beifong, you're here too. Perhaps I should have said almost unparalleled?"

Toph leaned against her chair with a satisfied smile, hands held behind her head. "Now that's better."

"In any case," Ratna said, glancing at the other prime minsters, "if it's true that he's a part of the Red Lotus now, it certainly creates new problems."

Prime Minster Ela nodded. "It is gravely concerning, no doubt."

"That's not all, though." Kuvira sat straighter, squinting her eyes as she recalled her battle at the Zaofu airfield. "There was another of the Red Lotus I fought with. Her name is Aoi. She's young, just a teenager I think, and yet her skill is remarkable. She uses lightningbending as her primary means of attack, mixes it into her style as naturally as if she were firebending, and yet she never actually used her firebending. But I can't figure out why..." The thought continued to nag at the back of her mind, tugging like a splinter that wouldn't come out. What was it about that girl?

Anraq huffed a sigh. "Other than those four, there were all your other regular Red Lotus members. No more talented than your average bender, but there were a lot of them, way more than the last time they showed up. And if I were a betting man? I'd say there's a lot more where they came from."

Prime Minister Nidhi pulled his hands together, sliding them beneath the sleeves of his robe. "It seems the situation might be worse than we feared."

"Don't worry," Korra said. "We'll stop them, whatever it takes. Now, I know we think the attack will take place during the council summit, but just to be safe I think we need to stay with you at all times. Where are you three staying right now?"

"There are living quarters on the third floor of the state house," Ratna replied. "Considering it used to be the royal palace, there are quite a few more accommodations than your typical government building."

Korra raised a hand to her chin, thinking. "In that case, I'm going to recommend all of you remain here until the summit. It'll be easier to protect you if we don't have to follow you around all throughout the city. In the event you do have to leave, then a pair of us will accompany you in addition to your personal guards."

"Well, as far as I know, I don't have any pressing matters to take care of out in the city right now," Nidhi said.

Ela nodded. "Neither do I."

"I do have an appointment tomorrow I need to make," Ratna informed. "But it isn't far from here."

"Alright, in the meantime we'll work in shifts guarding you at the state house." Korra turned to look around at the rest of her team. "Who wants to take the first shift tonight?"

Bumi immediately stood up, hands pressed flat against the table. "Bum-Ju and I are at your service, Korra. I've had my fair share of all-nighters in the United Forces, so I have no problem taking the night shift." Bum-Ju fluttered down onto the table and gave a chirp of agreement.

"Ah, what the heck, I guess I'll stay, too," Anraq said, with a simple raise of his hand. "I took a nap earlier, so I'm wide awake right now."

"And I've been napping most of the day, so you can count me in," Toph said. "Nobody is sneaking up on us while I'm around."

Korra gave the three a nod. "Alright, we'll figure out the next shift in the morning. If anything happens, give our suite a call and we'll be right over to help."

Prime Minister Nidhi stood from his seat and bowed. "Thank you again, Avatar Korra. We appreciate everything you're doing for us."

"You're welcome, Prime Minister." Korra stood in kind, returning the bow. "Always happy to help."

With the meeting adjourned, Team Avatar made their way out of the meeting chamber, back into the main hall. Kuvira paused, watching the others go on ahead. Reaching out to Korra, she pulled the Avatar back a step so they could talk alone at the rear of the group.

"Korra, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Korra said, giving an encouraging smile. "You know you can ask me anything."

"Okay." Kuvira sucked in a deep breath, holding it a second before letting it out through her nose. "So, I know you're supposed to keep an eye on me at all times, but I was wondering if it might be possible for me to go out tonight?"

"You mean into the city?"

"Yes." Kuvira shifted, averting her gaze as much as possible. Spirits, as if this wasn't awkward enough, having to obtain the Avatar's permission made it twice as embarrassing. "There's someone I want to meet with."

Korra narrowed her eyes, curiously. "Who, exactly?"

"Well, uh, Yula."

"You mean Secretary Guan's assistant?"

"Yes." Kuvira sucked in another breath to steady her nerves. "You see, she gave me her number earlier, so I thought about it a while, and..."

"Ohhh, I see." The smirk that spread across the Avatar's face boiled a heated fluster into Kuvira's cheeks. Just what was Korra trying to insinuate? "Say no more. Have fun."

"Are you sure?"

Korra nodded. "I trust you, Kuvira. I know you'll be back. Just don't stay out too late, in case we need you."

"Of course," Kuvira said quickly, bowing her head. "Thank you, Korra."

Kuvira smoothed out the front of her Zaofu robes, and took a deep breath to settle the fluttering in her stomach. The robes were of a different style than the traditional day-to-day style worn by ordinary Zaofu citizens. Since they were meant to be worn under armor, they were more form-fitting and not as restricting. At the same time, the outfit felt almost incomplete without the metal plates of armor to fill it out. Not that wearing full armor would have been appropriate on this... meeting? Date? What exactly was this outing supposed to be? Nerve-wracking, if nothing else.

Kuvira made her way towards the designated meeting location, a brilliantly sculpted metal fountain in the shape of a turtle duck. The fluttering grew stronger, lifting into her chest. She exhaled. For all her usual militant confidence and resolve, the thought of getting together with someone she'd only just met set her nerves alight. How long had it been since she'd done this sort of thing? Not since Baatar, Jr., and that courtship had been anything but traditional. Most of their deeper relationship had formed over the course of her unification campaign as the Great Uniter. This was something completely different.

Yula waited in front of the fountain. The younger woman wore a shorter dress than earlier, embroidered with a yellow flower pattern against a backdrop of forest green, the fabric of which sparkled in the light of a nearby streetlamp. She'd since loosened her ponytail, allowing her hair to flow freely around her shoulders. Kuvira's heart skipped a beat. Pretty. Very pretty. Remarkable, how a simple change in clothes and hair could alter someone's appearance so drastically.

With one more deep breath, Kuvira approached. "Hello, Yula."

Yula let out a soft gasp when she noticed Kuvira. Her lips curled into a delighted smile, eyes gleaming with a warm spark behind the frames of her glasses. "Oh spirits, I can't believe you actually came! When I left you my card, I wasn't actually expecting to hear back from you, but then you called and said you wanted to meet, and I couldn't believe it, and now here you are—"

"Yula," Kuvira said, urging the woman to slow herself. "You can relax, please. I know you may think of me as some kind of idol, but I'm just a person. A person who wants to have a nice evening with you. Just treat me how you would anyone else on a date."

"Oh, yes, of course. Sorry." Yula breathed deep and paused. Her eyebrows lifted, a revelation dawning in her gaze. "Wait, a date? Really?"

"Oh." The fluttering returned more intense than ever, threatening to double her over. Oh, spirits. Had she misread the woman's intent? As if this wasn't embarrassing enough already. "I'm sorry, I had just assumed..."

"No! I mean yes, it is a date!" Yula insisted. "I mean, if you want to be. I just didn't actually think—" The younger woman groaned, smacking a palm against her forehead. "I'm sorry, I'm just really nervous. I don't actually do this a lot. Can we start over?"

Kuvira exhaled, a wave of relief washing through her. So, she hadn't misread her intentions at all. At least she wasn't the only nervous one here. "Sure. It's actually been a long time since I've done this, too. Ahem. " She straightened her posture and held out her hand in greeting. "Hello, Yula."

Yula took her hand and shook it. "Hello, Kuvira. It's good to see you. I'm glad you came."

Kuvira couldn't help but crack a smile. "So, did you have anything in mind for us to do?"

"Oh, yes!" Yula's smile widened. "There are a ton of sights around the city I thought we could visit. I know you've been to Ba Sing Se before, but you must have been so busy trying to restore the place that you didn't get much of a chance to really enjoy it."

"Well, that is true." Kuvira thought a moment. During her first visit to Ba Sing Se, she had focused solely on rebuilding and restoring order to the city. There had hardly been time to sight-see.

"Well in that case, you stick with me and I'll show you a good time." Yula wrapped an arm around one of Kuvira's, and started tugging her along the street. "I thought first we could head over to the Jasmine Dragon and get some tea. Do you like tea?"

"I do, actually," Kuvira said, with a curious furrow of her brow. "When you say the Jasmine Dragon, do you mean the Jasmine Dragon? The teashop started by Iroh, of the Hundred Year War?"

"Yes, that's the one! You know about him?"

"You could say that." Kuvira couldn't stop her grin from spreading. She had visited Iroh in the Spirit World many more times since the first—playing Pai Sho, drinking tea, just talking. He'd become a good friend, and a source of wisdom whenever she needed it. "I've heard his tea recipes are exquisite."

"Oh they are," Yula affirmed. "Best tea in Ba Sing Se for the past eighty years! So, would you like to go?"

Kuvira smiled, and tightened her arm around Yula's. "I'd love to."

Avan pushed his fists forward. The tunnel ahead of him widened and dug deeper, but soon muddied, as water began seeping through the earthen walls. "We're nearing the flooded caverns beneath Lake Laogai."

"Yeah, I'm ready, don't worry." Yuruk took a few steps towards him, already warming himself up with a few practice stances. "I'll keep us dry when it all comes pouring through eventually. Once we clear a path clean through to the surface, I can start draining the caverns."

Behind them, Zaheer watched closely, pointing a flashlight up ahead to light the way. As Avan continued to dig through the collapsed tunnels, a hiss of static drew his attention down to his waist—someone trying to contact him through the radio.

"Hello? Zaheer?" Aoi's voice. "Is this thing on?"

Zaheer raised the radio to his lips. "What is it, Aoi? Has someone discovered the entrance to the tunnel?"

"Oh, your signal is terrible, I can barely hear you."

"Aoi..."

"Anyway, no, we're still in the clear for now. But there is something else you might find interesting." A pause, followed by another static hiss. Her voice returned. "You'll never guess who I just saw strolling down the streets of Ba Sing Se."

"I don't suppose you saw the Avatar?"

"Oh, so close, but no," Aoi replied. "It's Kuvira. Of course, if she's here that probably means so is the Avatar, so I suppose we'll say you were half right."

"I see." Zaheer thought a moment, then clicked the radio button again. "It seems they figured out we plan to attack the summit meeting. Tell me, did Kuvira look like she was searching for us? Perhaps accompanied by one of the Avatar's associates?"

"You do realize, I've never actually seen any of the Avatar's other 'associates', yes? But no, she didn't seem to be searching for anything. Actually, I think she was on some kind of date—had a young scrawny looking woman with glasses hanging off her arm."

"And are they still nearby?"

Another pause. "Yes, they've stopped at a teriyaki stand. Uck, how sickeningly mundane."

"I want you to keep an eye on them," Zaheer said. "Don't let them out of your sight. If possible, follow Kuvira back to the Avatar and the rest of their team."

"Are you sure? I could always take her out for you. We are going to kill her anyway, after all."

"I'm sure. I want to know exactly who and what we're dealing with. We may have to alter our plan to accommodate."

A disappointed sigh crackled in through the radio. "Yes, yes, very well. I won't let them out of my sight."

Kuvira fell against the mattress with an exhausted huff. Her chest heaved, sucking in deep gulps of air. The darkened room spun around her, senses slowly shifting into focus as whirling bliss faded into a lingering beat pulsing through her muscles. She tried to move, but managed only a few stray twitches of her fingers. No, not going anywhere right now. Didn't help that Yula had fallen against her, trapping one of her arms and legs beneath the smaller woman's body. There she remained, lying flat on her back and staring at the ceiling.

When at last her breathing began to steady, Kuvira propped her head up on one of the pillows. Harsh shadows spilled across the darkened room, cast by the dull beam of moonlight spilling through the window. She and Yula appeared as a solid mass in those shadows, a tangle of limbs and naked flesh sprawled atop the satin bedsheets. A sheen of sweat glistened across their bodies, giving their forms a distinct glow in the silvery light, as though moonbeams danced across every contour of their muscles.

The sight of Yula huddled close against her, naked and vulnerable, stirred something in Kuvira. A renewed warmth crept through her chest. Spirits, she hadn't meant for this to happen. The date had begun so innocently, a mere conversation over hot jasmine tea. They'd spoke a great deal to each other about their lives, learning about each other. Yula had told stories of growing up in the Lower Ring with her family during the Earth Queen's rule, and about the things she and her family had done to survive. Kuvira detailed her experiences in Zaofu, and her sorrow of never truly feeling like she belonged to a family. When she'd spoken of her regrets and failings as the Great Uniter, she was certain Yula would be taken aback and insist otherwise.

But Yula only encouraged and comforted her, and soon the two had opened up to each other in deeper ways. They'd spoken of their dreams, their desires, loves, losses, successes, and failures. Hours had past in a mere blink, drawing the night to an inevitable close. Or so she'd thought. She had hesitated, at first, when Yula invited her back to her apartment. They'd known each other less than a day. It was their first date. Should she accept an offer that forward? Leave it to Toph's advice to cackle into the back of her mind, too loud to ignore.

Have some fun while you're still young!

And fun she'd certainly had. Perhaps 'fun' was not the right word. Too weak a word, in fact. For the past five years, she'd been in prison. Five years since she'd had the chance to be with anyone in that way. Even before prison, she'd never taken the time to focus much on relationships, physical or otherwise. In that area, she sorely lacked experience. Ugh, she'd been so awkward and clumsy at the start. Yula had eased her into it, guided her with ticklish kisses and gentle caresses in her most intimate areas. Then Kuvira's instincts had taken over. What had begun as gentle and sensual soon turned into something more intense, more carnal. She'd never heard anyone scream the way Yula had, but it drove something wild inside her.

In those moments of sexual bliss, Kuvira had forgotten herself. She'd forgot her worries, her fears, her regrets—everything. Only she and Yula remained, grinding in rhythm atop the sheets, naked bodies pressed together, hands exploring each other's curves, lips trailing kisses along their bodies, their moans and yells of pleasure joining in harmonic symphony, as though two partners coming together in a heated dance.

Now, they lay together in bed, basking in afterglow. Their breaths slowed and grew even. Neither moved, content in the simple, quiet embrace. Yula hummed a pleasant sigh and cuddled closer. Kuvira found herself hugging the younger woman tightly, one hand stroking through her hair. Having someone to hold like this, to comfort and be at peace with—it brought a warmth to her heart she didn't want to end.

"Mmm." Yula inhaled, her chest expanding gently against Kuvira's. She kissed along the older woman's neckline, up to the jaw. "That was wonderful."

Kuvira tilted her head and met the kisses with her own, lips pressing tightly together. "It really was. Although, I did say to just call me 'Kuvira', if you remember."

Yula's cheeks blushed bright red, noticeable even in the pale moonlight. More than a few times in the past couple hours, she had inadvertently shouted out 'Great Uniter' at the top of her lungs. "I know, I'm sorry, I just—I guess I got carried away."

"It's fine," she said, offering another soft kiss. "I didn't mind so much."

"So, um, does this mean there's going to be a second date?"

Kuvira trailed a finger along Yula's cheek. "I'd say there's a distinct possibility of that." Immediately after she said it, a secondary thought stormed her mind, tilting her lips into a heavy frown. "But I'm not sure how much longer I'll be in Ba Sing Se. Or even how much longer I'll be out of prison. When my mission is over, I'll be locked up again. So, I'm not sure if starting anything serious would be a good idea."

Yula rested her head against Kuvira's breast. She sighed, offering a frown of her own. "Well, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the time we do have, right?"

"I suppose not." Kuvira's fingers traveled lightly down along the young woman's backside, dancing playfully across her skin. "Spirits know I could use a little enjoyment."

"And I know we just met, but if something serious does happen?" Yula drew circles on Kuvira's bare abdomen with her finger. "We can just figure something out. I do like you, Kuvira, and not just in the 'freaking out about you because you're my idol' kind of way. I learned a lot about you tonight, and I'd like to know more."

Kuvira watched Yula's finger circling her navel. Strange to think just how much they had learned about each other tonight, as though they were longtime friends catching up after years apart. She smiled, and gave a soft kiss to Yula's forehead. "I like you, too. I'm glad I decided to give you a call." Of course, she had Toph to thank for that. No doubt the old woman would be expecting it, too. No hiding anything from her—Toph would feel it, written across Kuvira's entire being.

Yula smiled. "I'm glad I even had the courage to slip you my card. I didn't actually think anything would come of it, but here we are."

"Yes, here we are." Kuvira stroked her fingers through Yula's hair, turning a glance towards the clock on the wall. Three o'clock in the morning. She groaned, letting her head fall back on the pillow. "I should get back to my team."

"Oh, already?" Yula pouted, rolling over atop the other woman. "Are you sure you can't stay?"

"I wish I could, but yes, I'm sure." No lie there. If Kuvira could have stayed there in bed all night with Yula, she would have. Regardless, she had other responsibilities to worry about. "If the Red Lotus decide to attack early and I'm not there... Well, I need to be there."

Yula sighed, reluctantly rolling to the other side of the bed. She stood up with a deep stretch of her arms. "I understand."

Kuvira watched gleaming moonlight ignite the supple slopes and crevices of the younger woman's body. Such a different physique than her own. Kuvira's body was lean and toned, each movement flexing a different muscle to highlight the strength and grace of a dancer. Yula was smaller, lean but with little muscle to speak of. A petite stature overall, even fragile at a glance, but still with her own striking beauty. Kuvira squirmed beneath the bedsheets as she gazed at the younger woman's nude form, glowing in the silver light. Oh, how she wished she could stay.

"There is another option," Kuvira said, as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "I do need to get back, but there's nothing saying you can't come with me."

"What?" Yula turned around to face her, the front of her body glowing with a sweaty sheen. Kuvira clutched the sheets, having to fight down the growing stir igniting in her body. "Are you sure?"

"Well, I don't see why not," she replied. "I do want to spend more time with you. We'll just have to take a slight detour first, is all. If anything, a walk and some fresh air sounds nice." There was that old Kuvira confidence. She saw something she wanted, and by the spirits she would have it.

Yula's expression brightened. "Okay then, sure! Let me just get dressed and grab a change of clothes."

A cool breeze brushed through the streets of Ba Sing Se. Calming silence descended over the city. Even as bustling as the grand city had become over the past eight years, only the truest of night owls still roamed the streets at this time of night, and they were few and far between. Kuvira and Yula walked together in peace, arm in arm as they made their way through the Middle Ring, free of any distractions. Kuvira's heart pounded, as they turned onto the next street. How strange, to be so affectionate with a woman she'd only just met. And yet, a woman she had shared so much with over the course of the night. Strange in a good way. Ever since the night had begun, Kuvira had forgotten her worries. Her fears, her nerves, her self-doubt. She'd even forgotten about her feelings for Korra.

Almost. No, they were still there, swimming just below the surface of her thoughts, no matter how hard she tried to push them away. Was that what this was? Was she using Yula as an excuse to move on from Korra? Or had her own inexperience in these matters led to her rushing headlong into things too fast? Her mind raced, and all those forgotten worries returned, sinking like stones into her core. Oh spirits, why did this have to be so complicated?

Around the bend onto the next empty street, a flicker of shadow caught Kuvira's attention. She thought nothing of it. A simple trick of the moonlight causing her to see something that wasn't there, most likely. It moved again. She blinked, and swiveled her gaze to find it. No, not a trick. Definitely something there.

"Is everything alright?" Yula asked, giving her hand a tight squeeze.

"Yes, I just thought I saw something."

A flash of blue ignited the darkness. Above them. Kuvira snapped her gaze skyward and pushed Yula backwards, With a raise of her fist, she lifted an earthen wall out of the street to intercept the lightning bolt sizzling towards them. Stone exploded, rubble scattering in all directions as the bolt destroyed her barrier. She stepped back, stumbled. Yula screamed.

"Oh my, you do have a good eye!" a voice called from one of the rooftops above.

Kuvira slid back a step, widened her stance, and looked up to find the voice. When she found the figure standing there, lit by the backdrop of the moon, she froze, eyes flaring. "You."

"Oh yes, Great Uniter. Me." Aoi grinned down at them, a vicious gleam in her eyes. Her fingertips sparked with electricity. "Ready for more?"