I've woken up in my fair share of weird places over the years. Being a sleeper that likes to throw herself out of beds in the middle of the night will do that to a guy. But waking up on Asami's couch was still one for the books. For a moment, I thought I was still dreaming.

The feeling held true through breakfast, which almost had me drooling over how perfectly fried the eggs were. I felt so lucky that I didn't have work, because a slow morning at Asami's house – waking up later than the sun, eating food cooked to perfection, lounging by the pool – it was intoxicating. A peaceful, lovely, morning.

That was, until Korra showed up at the door. I was walking down the stairs with Asami and Mako, joking about something or another, but the words caught in my mouth as Korra strode into the hall, Tenzin and Chief Beifong in tow.

Beifong and Tenzin climbed the stairs, not even sparing us a passing glance as they made their way towards the second floor. I frowned as they passed. What was this all about?

"What's going on?" Mako asked, stopping Korra's ascent with a well-placed hand on her shoulder. "Why are they asking Hiroshi more questions?"

Korra's face was grim as she faced us, slow and careful as she spoke. I could tell she wasn't happy about this either.

"I heard Hiroshi on the phone yesterday. Asami… I don't know how to tell you this, but I think your dad might be involved with the equalists."

Asami's mouth dropped open, her brows scrunched in offense. She shook her head, pulling away from Mako's casually linked arm.

"What? I don't believe this!" she cried, storming off. I stood, transfixed. Mako leveled Korra with a glare.

"What's wrong with you? You spied on Hiroshi?" Mako scoffed, jogging after Asami to calm her down.

"Is that why you left early yesterday?" I asked. Korra nodded, her expression even more run down than before as we climbed the stairs together.

"It's not like I wanted to hear it!" Korra pleaded, and her eyes were sad when she turned to me. I sighed, following the turmoil to Hiroshi Sato's office.

"My father is innocent!"

Asami's voice carried as she barged into the office, Korra and I jogging to catch up to Mako and Asami.

"This is all a big misunderstanding – he has nothing to do with those horrible equalists!"

"Equalists?" Hiroshi asked, just as shocked as Asami had been. "Is that what this is about? I can assure you all, I have nothing to do with those radicals."

"Yeah, Korra," Mako shot her an icy glare, and Korra narrowed her eyes at him. "You don't know what you're talking about.

"I overheard you talking on the phone," Korra began, leveling an accusatory finger at Hiroshi, spurred on by Mako's rudeness. "You said the Cabbage Corp investigation bought you time, and you're getting ready to strike. Explain that!"

Instead of getting angry, or denying it, Hiroshi started laughing, his palms up as he leaned back in his chair. I raised an eyebrow. What? Shouldn't he be upset, or concerned?

"This is all just a simple misunderstanding. What Korra overheard was just business – my number one competitor was knocked out of the game. That makes this the perfect opportunity for Future Industries to strike the market with our newest line of Satomobiles. Nothing nefarious, I assure you."

Tenzin and Beifong shared a look, and I sighed, relieved. I had no doubt that Korra thought what she heard was suspicious – I would have thought so too. But what Hiroshi said made sense as well. It was the perfect time to release a new product if his main competitor was bogged down with a police investigation. A little sleazy, sure, but it made sense. I could tell that Korra was unconvinced, though. Her jaw was set and she glared at Sato defiantly. I bit the inside of my cheek – who was right?

"To put all suspicion to rest, might we have a look into your factories and warehouses?" Tenzin asked. I nodded. That was a good idea – if Sato agreed, it showed that he had nothing to hide.

Asami huffed, offended, but her father silenced her with his hand.

"Of course – search all of Future Industries, if you need to. I want to help as much as I can with your investigation."

Tenzin and Beifong shared another glance, before they both nodded at Sato.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Sato," Beifong amended, before they were off. Asami still had her arms crossed, her lips pursed in a thin line. Korra shot me a look, that was part pity at leaving me behind, but also held within it determination to get to the bottom of this.

"I'm sorry you kids had to see that," Hiroshi said, once everyone was gone. I shrugged, and Mako shook his head.

"No, we're sorry. Korra was way out of line," Mako replied, waving his arm in a strong arch. I frowned at him.

"The nerve of her! You would have nothing to do with any of that, dad," Asami agreed with Mako, resting her hand on her father's shoulder. He patted it, smiling gentle at his daughter.

"It's alright. Everything will blow over soon. Why don't you take your friends for a walk around the grounds to calm down. I have a lot of work to do in preparation for our next launch."

Asami nodded, and led Mako and I down to the back door. The whole way, her shoes clacked harsh against the polished floors, and she strode ahead with a fire in her step that was absent before this incident. I had never seen her so infuriated.

"Ugh, I can't believe this," Asami grumbled, throwing his hands out in frustration as we left the main house. Mako rushed to her immediately, gathering her in his arms.

"It's alright. The cops won't find anything, and it'll all blow over. If anything, this'll look worse for Chief Beifong than it will for your dad."

My eyebrows rose. Mako was right – after the bombing at the arena, the papers and news reports had been more and more scathing in regards to Beifong. If she was wrong about Hiroshi – if Korra was wrong – it could mean the end of her career.

"Taro, you don't believe her, do you?" Asami asked me, and I was shaken from my reverie. The two of them were staring straight at me, and I stumbled over my words.

"I-I know that Korra thought she was helping," I started, making that known first and foremost. "I know she doesn't have anything against you or your family, Asami. But you need to remember that we're from the Southern Water Tribe – besides one or two wealthy families, we live in a fairly small community that own family-run shops – not large corporations. I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding – like your father said."

Asami sighed, relaxing into Mako's arms as he rubbed her shoulder with his thumb. She rested her head on his shoulder, snuggling into his comfort.

"I'm sorry – you're right, it was just a misunderstanding. I'm very protective of my father… he's the only family I have left."

Mako pulled Asami closer, kissing her temple. "It's alright. It'll work out."

"I still need to see it with my own eyes, though," Asami continued, looking up at Mako. "See what they find in Future Industries' factories. Will you come with me?"

She directed the question at Mako, and he nodded, holding her tight.

"Of course. Taro," I stood bolt upright when he said my name, shocked that I was being included in this conversation "can you stay here and look after Bolin? He has a habit of getting into trouble at times like these."

I rolled my eyes, snorting. "Yeah, like getting captured by equalists? I'll keep an eye on him," I agreed, and Asami shot me a wink before she and Mako walked off. It was a good thing they weren't looking at me, because as soon as Asami winked I was as red as a firetruck.

I shook my head, brushing myself off as I reentered the house, searching for Bolin. I willed my heart to stop beating so fast.

I shouldn't feel like this. I never felt like this – by now, I should be back to treating Bolin like just a normal friend. I should be able to hang out with him with no problem. But my stupid heart continued to skip, and my mind flipped through all the little touches and glances he'd given me, like some sort of photo book designed to give me heart palpitations.

I exhaled, shaking my head. Bolin was a friend, and things were going to stay that way. The best way to work through it was exposure therapy.

I found him in the pool, splashing around with Pabu.

"Oh, hey Taro!" he greeted with a bright smile. I shot him a dopey half-smile back, still trying to fight down the stupid, idiotic butterflies in my stomach.

"Hey," I replied, slipping out of my shoes and rolling the legs of my pants up so I could dangle my feet in the water. Pabu squeaked at me, paddling circles around Bolin, and I grinned at the cute little guy.

"Where's Asami and Mako?" Bolin asked, leaning against the pool beside me. I looked at Pabu, carefully avoiding staring at Bolin's shoulders in his swimsuit. It wasn't good for my health.

"Korra showed up with Tenzin and Chief Beifong. They accused Hiroshi of working for the equalists."

"What? That's insane!"

"That's what Mako and Asami thought. When Korra and the others left to check out Future Industries' factories and warehouses, Asami wanted to follow, so Mako went with her."

"And you stayed here?" Bolin asked that, with a weird lilt of his voice, one I hadn't heard before. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to think of something to tell him that wasn't "your brother is making me babysit you."

"Well, yeah. I don't get a chance to hang out in a mansion every day," I settled on, with a shrug. That seemed to be the right answer, because Bolin laughed, shaking his head.

"True, true. And I get to hang out here all the time now," he pushed off the edge of the pool, laying on his back with his hands behind his head. I rolled my eyes at him. Pabu used this as a chance to climb onto Bolin's stomach, jumping out of the water and onto his owner with force, and Bolin gasped, clutching at his stomach as Pabu hopped back into the water. I snorted, laughing at his misfortune.

Bolin glared at me, but I knew it was in good fun. "Are you gonna laugh at my pain, or are you getting in?"

I shook my head, kicking my feet in the water. "Nah, I think I'm good here." My smile fell away a little, as I stared at the pool. Without Asami and Mako there, there was something different about it, and it wasn't just because I was alone with Bolin. What I had originally thought were just butterflies in my stomach made way for a much heavier weight – the memory of falling into the arena's pool, my hands bound, only able to bend thanks to the mercy of Amon.

Something must have shown on my face, because Bolin swam towards me, leaning against the side of the pool, his chin resting on his forearms.

"Taro?" he asked, concern in his voice as he tried to catch my eye. I breathed, shaky, trying to will away the memories. "Hey, are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just don't know where Asami put my swimsuit, is all," I tried to offer him a smile, but it felt forced, as I tried to change the subject. Bolin scrunched his eyebrows together – what was once mild concern now morphing into a more pronounced worry.

"No, you're not," Bolin replied, stubborn. I frowned at him, but he persisted. "Look, I know Asami told me not to mention it, but – is this because of how you took on Amon at the arena?"

I blinked, reeling back at that. Wait – he knew?

"What?" I coughed, all but choking on my own words. I didn't know how to feel – I felt rooted to the spot by Bolin's gaze. My stomach churned, his words only adding to the strange, uncomfortable feelings swirling inside me. Now I felt not only guilt at having lost the fight, but also fear – what if Bolin thought I wasn't strong now, because I failed? What if he pitied me, or thought I wasn't capable? What if I wasn't the strong bender he said I was that night at the noodle shop?

"Taro," he started, placing a hand on my knee. I was torn between ripping my limb out of his grasp, embarrassed, and leaning into his touch. "I can't imagine what that could have been like, fighting Amon alone. I know you might not want to, but if you ever want to talk about it, I'll listen? OK?"

I blinked at him, so confused. His words seemed genuine, but why was he offering? In his eyes I saw concern, a sort of care that I wasn't used to. Did he think I couldn't care for myself – is that why he was asking? Or was this just a form of pity I wasn't used to? My leg twitched under his hand, and he removed his hand, looking away.

"I don't need to talk about it," I grumbled, feeling ashamed, embarrassed. I didn't know, actually, if that would help or not, but I knew that if I talked about it in front of Bolin I would never forgive myself. I wanted him to like me – and he wouldn't like me if I just kept dragging him down with my problems, my weakness. I had already said too much when he had stayed the night and I had mentioned my parents.

"I'm fine, really," I spoke firmly, almost too firm, as Bolin flinched, looking at me like a kicked puppy when he next met my gaze.

"I just figured I would offer," Bolin turned, leaning against the wall of the pool, his shoulders slumped. "After the equalists captured me, I felt horrible. I played it off with jokes, but I had Mako to talk to about the deep stuff. I don't know about you, but when Amon captured me – I don't know what I would do without my bending."

My breath caught in my throat as Bolin continued, still facing away from me.

"My bending means everything to me. Pro bending is everything to me, and if I lost it – I don't know what I would do. It would be like losing a piece of myself, and even though you guys saved me before it happened… that stayed with me. And talking helped."

I felt like I had been slapped, as Bolin said that. He was right – I hadn't asked him how he was, or really done anything other than bring him and Mako food that one time. I wasn't his shoulder to lean on, and even when we talked, when he sobbed over noodles and I let him stay the night, I didn't mention it at all, not even once. I just assumed that Bolin was like me – that he dealt with things by denying them, by pushing them to the back of his mind and refusing to admit that they were problems.

Bolin wasn't pitying me, or calling me weak. He wanted to help, because he knew. He was the only person other than Korra who knew what I had gone through.

"I'm sorry," I said, covering my face with my hand, rubbing the bridge of my nose so that I didn't have to show my face, because I knew that if I met his eyes, I might start crying, and I would never forgive myself for that. "I never knew –"

"Hey! Don't worry about it – I had Mako, remember! And I'm cool now!" Bolin said, and I felt his hand on my calf, reassuring me. I shook my head.

"Are you? Because I'm not," I offered him a sad little laugh, only glancing at him for a second. "I feel so stupid – I fought Amon, and I lost, but why – why did I get to keep my bending? Why were Tahno and the rest of the Wolfbats equalized when I was spared?"

I looked at Bolin, my gaze probably intense, but he met it, full force, his bottom lip only quivering a little as he shook his head.

"Why was I the only one you guys saved at the Revelation?" Bolin countered, his own eyes filled with unshed tears. "What if I hadn't been last to be equalized? What if I had been second? What if you hadn't been there?"

I felt my own tears well up in my eyes as Bolin's voice overflowed with emotion. I couldn't help myself – who cared about the water, or my clothes. I pushed off the edge of the pool and into it, wrapping Bolin in an awkward hug. I wasn't one for hugs, and my cheeks burned at the feeling of being so close to him, but I did it still, because I couldn't bear to see him so hurt.

"You can't think like that," I mumbled, pressing my face to his wet shoulder, trying to hide my own emotion, willing my voice to stay steady.

"Then you can't think like it either, you – stupid!" Bolin sputtered, his voice watery.

I couldn't help myself, and I chuckled, pulling back from the hug to look up at him. He looked like he was going to start sobbing, but he was also pouting indignantly, and it was the most ridiculous expression I had ever seen.

"You can't blame yourself for what Amon did – " Bolin said, his gaze soft, " – you tried your best! And you were brave! Really, really, stupid, and dangerous, and scary – please don't do that ever again – but you were so brave. I can't believe you fought him all by yourself. Asami said you were amazing."

I did my best not to blush at that – I shouldn't be blushing, I shouldn't be proud of losing to Amon. But, somehow, Bolin was still grinning at me like I had won, that I was strong. And that at least offered me a little bit of relief within the despair.

"Thanks," I mumbled, crossing my arms and trying not to wince at how gross my wet tunic felt against my skin. "I couldn't just stand there and watch. I had to do something."

"Well, next time, you won't have to do it alone," Bolin promised, with a smile, confident, hopeful. "I'll have your back," he jutted a thumb at his chest, puffing it out. I raised an eyebrow, and when he noticed, he backtracked, sputtering.

"I mean! Not just me – like me, and Mako, and Korra – and Asami!"

"I know what you meant, idiot," I chuckled, splashing him good-naturedly while I chuckled at his embarrassment. He gasped, puffing his cheeks out at me.

"Did you just splash at me?"

"Maybe," I replied, with a dumb smirk of my own. "Watcha gonna do about it, hm?"

"Oh, it is on," Bolin declared, readying his arms for a huge barrage of waves. I only grinned wider. Not only because I would totally beat him – because I would, I was a waterbender, for crying out loud – but because my chest felt a little lighter, my shoulders not as heavy with the weight of what had happened with Amon. I hadn't forgotten, of course, and it still weighed on me, but maybe with Bolin, I didn't have to shoulder all of it alone. He was right – I had him, and the rest of my friends, and he had me. We didn't need to deal with what Amon had done to us all alone, and in fact, we shouldn't. We were far stronger together.

X

When Mako and Asami returned, neither looked happy. I had just finished drying off from the pool, and Bolin was still in his swimsuit, when the two of them had stormed past us.

We ate dinner, and all the while, Asami glared daggers into her food. Mako relayed to us that Korra didn't believe Hiroshi was innocent, even after all the warehouses turned up clean, and both of us were shocked. That was so unlike Korra, and Bolin expressed his disappointment, but I wasn't so sure. If she thought something was wrong, I bet something really was wrong. I knew that she was jealous of Asami's relationship with Mako, but she wasn't the angry jealous type. Korra would maybe complain about Asami behind her back, or fawn over Mako, but she would never go so far as to purposefully blame someone's family for something they didn't do. I didn't like it, not one bit, and I felt on edge staying at the Sato residence, but I didn't know how to leave.

After dinner, we retired to a sitting room. Asami slung herself over a loveseat, half sitting in Mako's lap as he held her hand. I curled into an armchair, and Bolin and Pabu took the sofa, Bolin kicking off his shoes and spreading out, nabbing some after dinner snacks.

It was serene, in a way. I was here, sitting by the fire with my friends, in a nice house, with snacks only an arm's reach away. The radio played softly, and we could just enjoy each other's company.

But the relative peace did nothing to calm my mind. Korra was still out there, searching for what she believed was the truth. Asami looked beside herself, barely containing her anger at the whole situation as Mako did his best to calm her. Bolin was the only one who seemed unphased, and I almost groaned at how dumb he could be sometimes. Couldn't he see that all his friends were struggling with inner turmoil, while he fed grapes to Pabu like nothing was wrong?

I contemplated ways to take my leave as I sat, working up the courage to tell Asami that I was headed back to my apartment. I was actually just about to open my mouth when the doors to the sitting room flew open, scaring me straight upright.

A whole squad of metalbenders barged in, low in fighting stances as they faced us. Bolin threw his hands straight up, making a little shocked noise. Behind the metalbenders stood Chief Beifong, Tenzin, and Korra.

Asami was having none of it. She stood, her hands balled into fists.

"What are you doing here?" she insisted, and the metalbenders shifted their stances towards her.

"We have reason to believe there's a factory hidden below the mansion," Beifong explained, and I raised an eyebrow.

"I think I would have noticed if there was a factory below my house," Asami snapped, crossing his arms and shaking her head. "The lies you people come up with, just to persecute my father!"

"And where is your father, Asami?" Tenzin asked, cool and collected.

"In his workshop, behind the house," Asami admitted with a scowl. Beifong nodded at her men and they followed her outside. I shared a look with Mako. His jaw was set and he looked just about as irritated as Asami. When I turned to Bolin he just looked worried. I couldn't even share a glance with Korra – she was walking next to Tenzin, in front of us, like a woman on a mission.

"Do you think it's true?" Bolin whispered. I looked from him to Mako and Asami's backs, how tense and angry they were as they followed the troops to the outbuilding.

"For Asami's sake… I hope not," I responded.

The metalbenders kicked in the door to the workshop, filing in and securing the area, before Beifong ushered the rest of us inside. Asami scanned the room around, frantic, but it was clear to anyone that entered that there was no one in the tiny workspace.

"Dad?" she called, looking around. The workshop was empty. Asami turned to Mako, confused and fearful, as he wrapped a calming arm around her.

"Chief, the perimeter was secured when we entered. There's no way he made it off the estate without us knowing," a metalbender reported. Chief Beifong's eyes narrowed as she strode forward slowly, surveying the area.

"Maybe we just didn't see him leaving," she countered. She raised her leg, and with a mechanical clicking noise, the boot of her uniform transformed, exposing the bottom of her foot. She stomped down with force, and my eyes widened – this must be the Beifong family's famed seismic sense – the ability to see by sensing vibrations in the earth.

"There's a tunnel beneath the workshop, running deep into the mountainside," she stated, standing upright as the uniform covered her foot once more. Asami's jaw set, and she set her hands on her hips.

"What? There's no tunnel. I know my own house, and my own father!" she all but yelled.

Beifong didn't stop to listen to Asami's pleas, instead fixing her stare at the floor of the workshop. With a few well placed twists of her wrists, an entire panel of flooring scrunched together with a horrible screeching sound, before she tossed it to the side, with no care for the inside of the warehouse.

We all stood, dumbfounded, staring at the tunnel. It was deep, I could even see that from my vantage point this far back, and it looked like it had been dug with immense purpose – the walls were smooth and I could hear machinery whirring from the depths.

"Asami, do you think your dad knows about this?" Bolin asked, whispering. I physically flinched, my hands frozen in front of me as it took everything I had to not either slap myself in the forehead or punch Bolin in the shoulder.

"I don't understand…" Asami looked down, into the tunnel, biting her lip. Her fists curled, and then her body relaxed, as if she couldn't' fight anymore. "there has to be an explanation for this."

"Maybe you don't know as much about your father as you thought you did… I'm sorry," Korra offered, her voice soft, and understanding. I knew she was trying to help, but this still must be horrible for Asami to deal with.

Beifong ordered her men into the tunnel, and Asami and the rest of us stepped forward to follow, but we were quickly halted by one of the officers.

"Uh-uh. You four are staying up here. Officer Song, keep an eye on them," Beifong ordered, and I scowled. I understood why she would want us to stay up here, but Korra was headed down there! We could help!

Korra followed behind the rest of the officers, behind Tenzin and Beifong. As she descended the stairs, she peered over her shoulder, offering us an apologetic glance. I sighed. I knew she wanted us there as much as we wanted to be there, but there was nothing she could do about it.

I groaned, shuffling my feet and throwing my hands behind my head. I hated waiting, especially for something as significant as this.

"I can't believe this," Asami whispered, turning to Mako. He held her close.

"I'm sorry," he said, petting through her hair.

"There has to be a reason. Maybe he's working on something to fight the equalists!" she bartered, and I smiled at her sadly when she looked at me.

"I- I don't know, Asami," I shook my head, my hands falling to my sides. "This seems a lot more serious, as much as I hate to say it."

Before Asami could say anything else, something clanked below us – and not just through the tunnel. I felt the shock all the way up here, the combined sound and vibration stunning me with its force.

"Uh, what was that?" Bolin asked, peeking his head out from behind his brother to gaze down the tunnel.

"We have to get down there – Korra and the others could be in trouble!" Mako said, looking as if he would throw himself down the tunnel at any second.

Before we could make a break for it, our Beifong-assigned babysitter spoke up, leveling us with a bored stare.

"Absolutely not. You're staying right here until the chief comes back!"

I rolled my eyes, ready to just hop down the tunnel and run as fast as my legs could carry me, hoping that the cop wouldn't catch up, but Bolin blocked me, tossing his arm in front of my path. I glared at him, but he shook his head, nodding to Mako and winking. I grit my teeth but I stepped back. Whatever those two were doing, it better work, because I wasn't waiting around anymore.

"Alright, we'll stay put," Mako agreed, stepping forward with his hands open, reasoning with the guard. "But can we at least wait outside or something? It's so dusty in here-"

"No. We're waiting right here," Song declared.

"OK, but don't blame me if I start sn-" Mako reared his head back as Bolin shuffled his foot along the floor.

"If I start sn-sn-" Mako leaned forward, and the officer shot him a look. Even Bolin looked fed up with Mako, his head tilted as if begging him to hurry it up.

"What's your problem, bub?" Song asked, annoyed.

"I'm about to – ah-CHOO!" Mako sneezed, breathing fire right in the cop's face. And with just a tap of Bolin's toe, a pillar of earth shot up behind the officer, perfect for him to fall over when he reared back in the face of fire. Before he had even hit the ground, Bolin threw himself on top of him, body slamming him into the ground.

Song cried out, and I snorted.

"That last bit was kind of overkill," I teased, and Bolin scoffed. I chuckled at him as he held the guard down while Mako found some rope to tie him with. It didn't take long to secure Song, and then, we were finally facing the tunnel.

Bolin headed down, and I followed him, jogging to catch up. The stairs here were made of metal, and clanged loudly as we walked, the light within the enclosed space dim and ominous. I shuddered at the thought of being trapped underground like this – the place was terrifying.

Mako followed behind us, and I glanced behind him.

"Where's Asami?" I asked, and he looked to the top. Asami was still standing there, watching us.

"It's safer if she doesn't come with us," Mako explained, and I frowned, shooting Asami an apologetic look.

"You know that's the exact same thing Beifong said to us, right?"

"Guys, c'mon!" Bolin interrupted, gesturing towards a huge metal platform that had just docked for us. Mako and I shared a glance that our conversation wasn't over yet, as we boarded the metal contraption, Bolin smacking the button and the gears groaning as the platform started to move.

"This place is gigantic," I mumbled, grimacing at the dingy walls.

"I can't imagine Hiroshi was up to anything good down here," Mako commented, and I nodded, agreeing.

"Aw, c'mon guys! Maybe he's just really into that dark, creepy scientist aesthetic," Bolin reasoned. I raised an eyebrow, shaking my head. This boy was way too optimistic for his own good.

The platform screeched to a half, docking at another metal runway. Mako, Bolin and I jogged across it, until we came to a huge metal wall.

"This has to be the way they came – there's no other passages for them to take!" I noted, whipping my head from side to side as if another door or hallway would appear out of thin air

"It looks like it was sealed off after they entered," Mako consider, his chin in his hand. "Maybe this was that huge sound we heard earlier. Bolin!"

Bolin stood up straight, saluting us both on impulse. I did everything in my power not to snort at him.

"We need a way in. Can you make us a tunnel?" Mako asked. Bolin smiled, falling into a low stance.

"On it!" he called, and with a few choice earthbending moves, the ground below us opened up, and Bolin began to tunnel under the wall.

Once Mako estimated that we were past the wall, Bolin tunneled up again, pushing the earth away, and popping his head out. His shoulders immediately tensed, and Mako and I followed him soon after.

"Oh no," Bolin breathed, his shoulders tense as he looked across the room.

"Korra was right," Mako whispered.

I was stock still and silent as I watched the scene play out in front of me. It was like nothing I had ever seen – there were huge suits made of metal standing all around the fallen forms of the metalbenders, Chief Beifong, Tenzin, and Korra. They must be the work of some powerful inventor – the work of Hiroshi Sato. Whatever information Beifong, or Korra, had gotten, Sato must have been one step ahead. Equalists loaded the metalbenders onto a transport – probably to take them to some prison for Amon.

"We have to do something," I muttered, flinging myself out of the hole. I knew we wouldn't stand a chance if we fought fair, but Korra and Tenzin and Beifong – they were still splayed out across the floor. If we could get to them and retreat, we would at least be able to save them to fight again another day.

Bolin and Mako followed me, sticking close to the shadows as we made our way over to their prone forms.

"We grab them, and we get out," Mako clarified, and we both nodded, then we sprinted to the bodies. Mako immediately gravitated towards Korra, scooping her over his arms. I rolled my eyes – of course he chose the lightest of the three – and hauled Chief Beifong over my shoulders, straining against the weight of her metal uniform. I grit my teeth, sharing a look with Bolin, who had all of Tenzin's 6'5" frame thrown over his shoulders, and we both agreed with a look alone that Mako was an asshole.

We turned, ready to make a run for it, but as soon as we did, sparks flew in our peripheral vision. My head whipped around, and there was Hiroshi Sato, and the man with the mustache from before, staring us down with their electric weapons.

"Not so fast," Sato grinned, stopping us in our tracks.

"Oh, Mr. Sato!" Bolin laughed nervously, waving Tenzin's arms as if they were his own. My face fell. "Wow! What a cool, scary factory you have here under your giant mansion. Never would have known!"

"Sponsoring our team? Supporting the Avatar? It was all just a big cover up," Mako spat, leveling Sato with a glare. I nodded, adding my own scowl to the lineup.

"And lying to Asami? What kind of father are you!" I screamed, half ready to attack him then and there just for the turmoil he had put my friends through.

"What kind of father am I?" Sato asked, laughing heartily, as if I had told a particularly amusing joke. "A very smart one, I think. It was hard, you know, lying to all of you, supporting your precious Avatar – but the worst part of it was seeing my sweet daughter trapse around with a firebending street rat!"

Sato's glove sparked, and Mako grit his teeth. I lowered my stance as Sato and the other equalist stepped forward. It didn't look like a fight we could win, but I knew we would have to try.

I readied myself, prepared to fight, but before the equalists could even reach us, a voice called out.

"Dad, stop!"

My eyes widened. Asami had followed us, and she was right there, behind her father, scared and confused, looking at him with the eyes of a woman betrayed.

"Why?" Asami asked, his voice pleading with her father. Sato sighed, his shoulders relaxed as he turned to face his daughter.

"Sweetie, I wanted to keep you out of this for as long as possible. But now that you know the truth… please, forgive me," Hiroshi touched his hand to his heart before continuing. "These people, these benders – they killed your mother, they killed my wife, and they ruined the world! But with Amon we can fix it, we can build the perfect world together!"

Asami's eyes shone, wide and bright in the dim light as she watched her father, as he thrust his gloved fist in the air. The look on her face was unreadable, a mix of emotions I couldn't comprehend as he spoke.

"We can help people like us, everywhere! Join me, Asami," he implored, removing his right glove and extending his hand, offering it to his daughter.

She looked at him, then the glove, and took a step forward. I gasped, my eyes wide as I watched her step towards him, until she was only inches away. She hesitated, grasping for the glove, then pulling away, her bottom lip quivering with the weight of the decision. I thought for a moment that she would deny him, pull away and declare him no longer her family –

But instead, she reached forward, taking the glove from him and sliding it on. As she did so, I felt Beifong stir over my shoulder, waking from whatever stunning weapon they had used on her. But I was too enraptured to do anything with this information. Asami held her hand high, testing the function of the glove.

"No," Mako breathed, and I watched in horror.

"I love you, dad," Asami sighed, her voice heavy with grief as she raised her own hand to her father. My mouth fell open as he fell to the ground, and the man with the mustache surged forward. But Asami didn't miss a beat – she dodged, kicking first one of his batons out of his hand, then redirecting the other, pressing it into his own shoulder so that he shocked himself. We all stood stock still, unable to move or speak, in awe of what just happened.

Before anyone could say a word, the machines behind us whirred to life, the harsh lights shining directly at us.

"Let's get out of here!" Mako yelled, and we scrambled towards the tunnel Bolin had dug, Chief Beifong leaning against me heavily as we ducked into it. We escaped, but only barely, the metal scraping against the earth Bolin bent behind us as we escaped.

Asami led us out of the tunnel, equalist glove still in hand. I still looked at her in wonder. Yesterday she had applauded me for bravery and strength, but what I had done was nothing in comparison to this. She was strong, stronger than I had ever imagined, and I was proud to call her my friend.

X

I was dead tired as I entered my apartment building. I rubbed my eyes, my head still spinning from the night's events. I thought about Asami, the look in her eyes as she stood against her father, and the sorrow afterwards, in the airship.

I was running completely on autopilot, completing my nightly routine of open mailbox, collect mail, walk up seven flights of stairs because I don't trust elevators, slap mail on makeshift kitchen table.

I had just finished the last step of the night – slapping the mail down – when a distinct envelop peeked out from behind my water bill. I frowned, sitting down at the table and pulling it out of the pile.

Latuna – South Pole read the return address, and I closed my eyes, rubbing the bridge of my nose with my free hand. Speaking of parents…

Ever since I had settled in Republic City, my mother had begun to send me letters in the mail. At first, I opened them excitedly – when I was a child, my mother was too ill most of the time to take care of me, and I was left in the care of my grandmother. I had hoped that the letters could be our first real connection, that now, with miles and miles between us, we could finally have some sort of relationship.

Every letter was focused on the same thing. My father. Had I found him yet? Had I checked this district, or that? If I found him, was he planning on returning to my mother? Had he told me how much he loved her? Did he want to be a part of our family again?

I had stopped opening them months ago. And I knew I shouldn't open this one – I should just shove it in the bottom cabinet with the others, collecting dust as I focused on more important things.

But I hesitated, staring at the letter in my hand, my mother's elegant, looping handwriting staring back at me.

Maybe it was because of what happened tonight – of how Asami had betrayed her father, how she looked at him with tears welling in the corners of her eyes and told him "I'm sorry" while electrocuting him. Or, maybe it was what Bolin had told me, about how his brother was all he had. Or, maybe I was just tired. But I ripped open the letter, flipping it open as a scrap of paper encased within fluttered to the table.

My dearest daughter,

I hope this letter finds you well. Did you get my last letters? I haven't heard from you for a while now – if you've changed addresses, please send either Gram or myself a letter with your new address. We would love to hear from you.

I snorted at that. My grandmother hadn't sent me a single letter since I left the South Pole. She had been furious when I left – and I knew exactly why.

I was a bastard child – born to my mother, with no father. My grandmother had done everything in her power to maintain out family's honor, even going so far as to relocate herself and my mother to the Southern Tribe, to try and find her a suitable husband before she was visibly pregnant, so that my mother and I wouldn't suffer for my her mistake.

But my mother had resisted, insisting that my father would return to her, that he was an honorable, wonderful man – despite the fact that she didn't even know his name. It had ruined our family, destroyed our reputation. And I had only further shattered it when I refused to live in shame in the Southern Tribe, when I ran from my bastard label.

Gram had been furious, and I doubted that almost two years away from the village had quelled her anger in any sense.

I sighed, turning back to the letter. I shouldn't dwell on it. What was in the past should stay there.

I'm writing to wish you a happy birthday. You're eighteen now, that's the age of adulthood in the United Republic, isn't it?

I blinked, my eyes widening. She had remembered my birthday?

Ever since I had known her, my mother had been sickly and out of sync. When I was growing up, Gram would have to remind her of my birthday, and even then, sometimes my mother would still forget my name, or how old I was. I almost wondered if Gram had reminded her – the letter had reached me a full four days before my birthday, after all – but I doubted it. My heart jumped to my throat. Maybe mom was getting better?

You've grown so much – when I was your age, I had already moved to the South Pole and given birth to you. It's funny how you and I left our homes at the same age, isn't it? Speaking of coming of age, and children – have you met a special boy up there? Is that maybe why you haven't been writing recently? If you have, I would love to meet him. Send me a letter with his picture sometime!

I pursed my lips, shaking my head. Even if mom was trying to be better, she and Gram were always so concerned with my husband, my husband – I shook my head.

It was a matter of honor, for them. Gram, in particular, had always been concerned with my marriage to a respectable water tribe boy. She had always stressed that I would never end up like my mother, and that in order to restore our family's respectability I would need a powerful husband.

I narrowed my eyes. That sort of thinking had tainted my views of love when I was younger. My Gram would point out the other boys my age, scrutinize them under her watchful eye, and direct me as to which would be acceptable for me to marry and which would not be. It was a load of crap. None of the boys in my village so much as spared me a passing glance, unless it was to level some snide remark at me.

She had never cared about what I might what, what I might enjoy – she denied me, every single time I begged to learn waterbending from a master. The only reason why she let me train with Korra was because she was the Avatar, and she thought that such a powerful connection would serve me well in society. I sighed as I returned to the letter, my mood already souring.

Since this is such a special day for you, I hope you can spend it with your father. I know he was never there for your coming of age ceremony in the village, but I hope that in Republic City there is some spectacular coming of age event you can attend together, with wonderful dancing and dinner.

I hope you find your father soon. He's a wonderful man, Taro – I have no doubt that he'll welcome you with open arms. I've attached a picture of him to aid in your search – I tried my best to guess what he would look like around this age, and I hope it helps. He's handsome, isn't he? I can't wait until we're all a family again.

Much Love,

Your Mother

I groaned, tossing the letter to the floor. Of course. She couldn't go a single letter without mentioning him. It was always about him, always about some mysterious man who left my mother to rot in the Southern Tribe – left us with nothing other than ridicule and hatred. I couldn't understand how my mother still loved him, still was so intent on finding him after all these years. Maybe Gram had distorted my view of him, but I thought of him as nothing more than a coward.

With the letter discarded, my gaze caught on the scrap of paper that had fallen to the table. I turned it over, glaring at it.

There was a small portrait of a Water Tribe man, scrawled across it with pen. My mother was a wonderful artist – his eyes looked like mine, defined and angular. His smile even looked like mine – a little half-smirk thing that stared back at me from the image. His hair was tied back into a warrior's wolftail, his shoulders covered with a fur.

This could be any Water Tribe man, and there were thousands in the city. I rolled my eyes and let it flutter to the floor.

I didn't have time to chase ghosts. There were more important things to worry about – like Korra, and the equalists, and the fate of the city.

I shuffled off to bed, wishing that the scrap of paper would fall through the floorboards, forgotten, like the rest of my childhood.