Chapter 28

"Are Ami and Rora going to come back?" Ayaka asked. She skipped alongside Kuvira, tightly gripping her hand.

"One day, they will," Kuvira answered with a sigh. She reached up and wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Maybe not right away though. They are very important people in Republic City."

The two had been walking around Ba Sing Se for a couple of hours, walking along different streets of the Outer Ring, trying to job Ayaka's memory of where her home could be, where she went to school, and other points of interest. So far, their search hadn't turned up conducive except for the fact that Ayaka remembered where she once pushed a school bully down into a puddle of water. That memory lifted her spirits for a bit.

"You were important once," Ayaka commented. She stopped skipping, tugging hard on Kuvira's hand, pulling her to a stop. "Why don't people like you?"

"Not everyone in the world is going to like you," Kuvira answered. She carefully bent down onto one knee. "I made some bad decisions, and I'm here to make things right. But right now, we need to find your mommy." She reached up and brushed Ayaka's bangs out of her face.

Ayaka nodded once before turning silent. Kuvira continued to take charge with the younger girl, carefully pulling her into different shops so that they would get out of the heat. At different points in the city, Kuvira was able to see the inner ring wall, and silently cursed them all for continuing to live their enriched lives in air cool buildings. She would then be brought back to reality that some of the poverty in the city was her fault due to attempting to conquer the whole nation with force and aggression.

Kuvira was ready to give up on their search when Ayaka suddenly gasped, tugging hard on Kuvira's hand. "Flowers!" she cried happily. "My mommy used to shop here." Ayaka pulled her hand out of Kuvira's starting to rush over. "Maybe I can bring her flowers, for when we find her," Ayaka suggested.

Kuvira looked over her shoulder at the flower shop booth. Although calling it a booth was a nice term. It really was a large rectangle wooden crate propped up on its side, with various cuts of flowers bundled up on surface. A white sign depicted the prices of each bundle. However, Kuvira did have to admit that the flowers were vibrant and in full bloom.

Upon reaching the flower shop booth, Ayaka grabbed the side of the booth and stood on the tips of her toes to see the selection. A moment later she jumped back in shock as a hand reached out and smacked the back of her right hand. Ayaka whimpered as Kuvira jogged over. "You're not Ms. Wong."

"You shouldn't be stealing," the woman hissed.

"She wasn't stealing," Kuvira said with a glare. "She was just looking."

The woman behind the stall relaxed as she noticed the sad look on Ayaka's face. "I'm sorry little one," she said before turning her attention back to Kuvira. "This business is all I have. What would you like?"

"Which ones?" Kuvira reached out and gently ran her fingers through Ayaka's hair. Ayaka rushed up and picked up a small bouquet of pink and red flowers, with one lone yellow one. "This one!" she declared,

Kuvira reached into her pocket and pulled out some money. She bit the inside of her cheek as she counted out the money. "Um, sweetie, we may have to pick a smaller one," she said. "What was your mom's favorite color?"

"Yellow!" Ayaka answered, carefully putting the large bundle back. The woman working behind the stall pulled the one yellow flower out of the bouquet and tied it together with another yellow flower before holding it out to Kuvira. "I want it!" she said, stomping her foot.

Kuvira handed the flowers back to the woman, who then gave it to Ayaka who quickly grabbed the flowers and held them against her chest.

"So, who is Ms. Wong?" Kuvira asked, handing the money over to the woman.

"She was the nice lady we always bought flowers from," Ayaka answered.

Kuvira nodded before turning her attention back to the woman. "Did you know Ms. Wong?" she asked. "I'm trying to help this little girl find her mother. They've been separated."

"No, I don't know a Ms. Wong. While rebuilding this shop was deserted. I just so happen to come across the flower garden back there one day and decided to set it back up again. It looks to be very well tended to. However, I've been running this stall for about a year. No one has come back for it

"I understand. May I take her to look at the garden?" Kuvira asked.

"Of course," the woman nodded once. She sadly smiled at Ayaka as Kuvira ushered her around the stall and through a low archway in a wall.

Ayaka let out a shriek of happiness before running through the rows and rows of flowers. Kuvira couldn't help but gasp herself as she saw the wave of bright colors in different stages of bloom. She bent down low, sticking her hand into the damp soil, coating her fingers. She felt her shoulders relax while toying with the earth.

"So awesome," Ayaka cried. Kuvira looked up and let out a chuckle as she watched the little girl running around, her arms held out to the sides. As Ayaka passed her, Kuvira quickly plucked the two yellow flowers out of her hands, so that the petals would stay in tact on the bud the faster the girl ran.

Suddenly, Ayaka came to a stop in front of a small corner of the garden lined with bricks and small pebbles.

"Are you okay?" Kuvira asked.

"I remember," she muttered.

"What?"

"I used to see this from my window," Ayaka said in a quiet voice. She turned around and pointed up to a hill in the city. Kuvira was able to make out the roofs of two houses. "Up there…somewhere."

"Then that's where we're going," Kuvira declared.

"I don't want to," Ayaka whimpered. "My feet hurt!"

"If you wanted me to carry you, you could have just said so," Kuvira said, lightly poking Ayaka on the nose. Akaya giggled and tapped her little finger against Kuvira's mole on her cheek. Kuvira kissed the side of the little girl's hand before lifting her up onto her shoulders. Ayaka grabbed onto Kuvira's hair in a tight grip to keep herself steady.

Kuvira winced as she handed Ayaka the two yellow flowers. Ayaka hummed to herself as she slipped one of the flowers behind Kuvira's ear. "For one of my mommys," she said.

"Ayaka…" Kuvira said.

"Huh?" Ayaka leaned over so that her stomach was resting on Kuvira's head, to be able to look into her eyes.

"…Thank you," Kuvira answered.

It had taken around forty minutes for Kuvira and Ayaka to make it up the top of the hill in the city. The transit system, much like other parts of the city, were destroyed and under construction for repairs. However, the closer they got to the top of the hill, the more excited Ayaka became, which put a pit into Kuvira's stomach. More and more often, Ayaka would point out things she remembered, even the small grey cat that lived on the street she would often see going to school.

By the time they reached the top of the hill, Kuvira wanted to turn around and go back to the hotel. The street was lined with piles of rubble, broken glass, and torn pieces of paper be it books or documents. Kuvira felt the emotional shift of Ayaka on her shoulders.

Kuvira held her arm out, palm down facing the ground. She slowly curled her fingers in until she made a fist and quickly pulled her arm up into the air. The rock didn't move. "Do you remember anything?" Kuvira asked, after clearing her throat.

Ayaka made a low sound as she looked around the road. She then suddenly gasped and pointed a recently cleared part of land. "Purple!" she cried out. Kuvira carefully walked over and dug the purple item out of the dirt. The purple object gave way to a small teddy bear. "Bear!" she cried ripping it out of Kuvira's hand and giving it a kiss. She held onto the bear's hand and the yellow flower in a tight grip.

"What are you doing up here?" a harsh voice called out. Ayaka shrieked before gripping and pulling on Kuvira's hair. Kuvira let out a grunt of pain before turning to face an earthbender walking up to them. He was dressed in a large green hat, a blue vest, loose pants, and thick black shoes. Kuvira instantly recognized the circular patch on the right side of the vest: it was the symbol for a demolition company. She knew it well.

"Scary." Ayaka said.

"We're here looking for this little girl's mother," Kuvira answered, her voice calm.

"No one is allowed up here while we're working," the man said, pointing over his shoulder. Kuvira spotted four men, working together to finish clearing out a large square of land down the street. Their clothes, hair, and skin were caked in earth matter.

"What are you doing?"

"This street was ransacked when-" the earthbender quickly stopped talking before taking a closer look at Kuvira. She swallowed hard as a look of recognition crossed his face. She then set her eyes into a glare, slowly shaking her head before gesturing with her chin up at the child on her shoulders, watching him with wide eyes. "…when we were conquered," he said slowly. "There's no point in keeping this destruction here."

"These looks like houses," Kuvira pointed out.

"They were," he admitted with a slow sigh. "It's not the best job. We tend to run into tragic circumstances when we move the dirt to level the land."

"So, you've found people?"

"Unfortunately." He nodded. "Based on where the bodies are placed, it is clear some of them were only moments from safety." He then pointed to a plot of land right next to where Kuvira had found Ayaka's purple bear. "Over there, we found a woman who was curled up right at the door. She was carrying a bag with some little girl's clothes."

"Boom," Ayaka whispered.

"What?" Kuvira carefully lifted Ayaka off her shoulders and into her arms. "What was that you said?"

"There was a loud boom," Ayaka repeated. She blinked slowly. "Then I went to sleep." With that she relaxed in Kuvira's arm, letting all her weight shift downward. Kuvira quickly placed Ayaka on the ground.

"There's a small makeshift shrine just right there through the doorway of all of those we've lost," the man said, pointing to a building a few feet down the hill. "You're free to check it out before it's gone."

Kuvira nodded once, quietly thanking him as he moved to escort them. Ayaka ran into the room, sighing happily when she felt the cool feel of the shade from the roof of the building as they stepped out of the hot sun and crossed the arched opening.

The walls were filled with photos, mostly comprised of women and young children, with a few men and elderly citizens here and there. The corners of the room had a few small bouquets of dead flowers. Kuvira slowly made her way around the pictures, feeling a pinch at the back of her eyes.

"Mommy!" Ayaka shouted as she pointed up to a picture.

"What have I done?" Kuvira whispered as she joined the young child's side.

"Pretty," Ayaka cooed. She looked up at the earthbender with an excited smile. "Here?"

"No, she's gone," the man said. Kuvira sent him a harsh glare, one he missed by looking at some of the other photos in the room.

"Gone?" she asked. "When will she back?"

"She won't," he said. Kuvira let out dark growl. The man took his hat off and held it to his chest, giving a small bow. Kuvira noticed the look of embarrassment and sadness on his face before he excused himself from the building.

"Huh?" Ayaka looked over at Kuvira. "But she always comes back. She always promises."

Why isn't Korra here? Kuvira thought as she gently got down to her knees. Ayaka waited patiently as Kuvira licked her lips, before breathing slowly. "Umm," she said, gently placing her hands on Ayaka's cheeks. "He means, your mommy has gone to sleep…and won't be waking back up," she said slowly.

"Ever?" Ayaka asked, titling her heard to the side.

"No." Kuvira shook her head.

Ayaka's lower lip started to tremble. Her big eyes slowly began to fill with tears. "Never?!" her voice broke.

"I'm sorry."

Ayaka whimpered, holding out the last yellow flowers to Kuvira. She scooped Ayaka up into her arms, cradling her head against her chest as the young child began to cry. Upon exiting the building, Kuvira quietly thanked the man. As Ayaka squeezed the bear against Kuvira's shoulder and her stomach, she accidentally bumped Kuvira's yellow flower out of her hair. Kuvira bent down picked up the flower, placing it into Ayaka's hair behind her ear, she then carefully placed the last yellow on the ground, right outside of the archway into the memorial building.