Wei flipped the metal disc around in his hands and widened his stance, feet planted firmly against the ground. "It's all tied up. You ready, Sis?"

Kuvira glanced across the power disc arena, where Wing stood guard in front of the twins' net. Somewhere behind her, she knew Korra stood ready and waiting in front of their own goal. This particular variation of power disc was a new creation, involving two teams of two—two goalies, and two strikers, one of each for both teams. An additional two pillars had been set up near the sides of the arena, along with the normal four at the center. The score of the current game was tied four to four. Next point won the match.

"Bring it on," she said, with a challenging smirk. "We can take it."

"Alright then, here we go!"

Wei fired the disc across the field, bouncing it along the leftmost pillar. The disc pinged against the wall and careened towards the opposing net. Korra was ready for it. She guided the disc around her body and returned it across the arena. Kuvira added extra zip to it on its way by, ricocheting the disc between two of the pillars for added momentum. Wei greeted the metal projectile with a spinning kick that sent it screaming back the way it came.

Korra bent the disc to the left of the net, allowing it to bounce away off the wall. Kuvira chased it down and leaped into the air with a spin. The disc whirled around her body. With a snap of her arm, she fired it towards the opposite end of the arena. Wei made a desperate dive to intercept it, but fell flat just out of reach. Lucky for him, Wing stood ready in goal to kick it away when it drew near.

Back and forth the two teams went, bouncing and ricocheting the discus in rapid succession. Within minutes, the small metal projectile shot across the arena too fast for their eyes to follow. They relied on instinct to defend and attack. In the end, the team whose reflexes were sharper would grab this victory.

Korra kicked the disc towards the right side of the field. As it struck the farthest pillar, Kuvira jumped up to bend it all the way to the left side. The disc rocketed by Wei's outstretched hands, pinged against the wall, and fired towards the far right side of their goal. Wing dove to block it. Too slow, as the disc slammed into the back of the net. A buzzer sounded, causing the light above their net to flash red.

"Oh yeah!" Korra exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air. "The Avatar and the Matriarch win again!"

Kuvira struck a confident pose, curling her lips into a grin. "I believe that's three games to none."

"Ugggh, man come on!" Wei groaned. "We invented this game!"

Korra flexed her arms. "And it looks like we perfected it."

Wing grumbled, as he picked himself up off the ground and brushed the dirt off his shirt. "You two really need to come up with a better team name than 'the Avatar and the Matriarch'."

"Seriously," Wei added. "It sounds like a bad mover title."

"Tell you what," Kuvira said, "you start winning against us and you can pick our team name."

Wei narrowed a glare at her. "We'll get you eventually."

"Keep telling yourself that, boys."

"Bah, come on, Wei." Wing waved his brother along, heading back towards the Beifong Mansion. "I need a drink."

When the twins were gone, Korra made her way over to her girlfriend with a suggestive smile. "You know, I really love watching you chase that disc around. The way your muscles flex... It has a way of making a girl all excited." She glanced downward, noting the way the matriarch's pants and tank top clung tightly to her body. Every movement Kuvira made clearly outlined every contour and crevice of her hard, defined muscles, even through the fabric of her clothes.

"Oh really?" Kuvira pursed her lips together, glancing towards their net. "Well, maybe you should concentrate more on defending the goal than on my back muscles. We did almost lose that one."

"Hey, we still won. Besides, it's not your back I enjoy watching." Korra took a step forward, reaching around Kuvira's lower body. Her hands found the woman's toned rear and gave a tight squeeze.

Kuvira jumped at the touch. She grinned, as a chuckle surged from her throat. "Well, I suppose I can't fault you for that." She leaned closer, bringing their lips together.

"Ahem," said a voice, from behind them. "Excuse me, Kuvira."

"Oh." Kuvira tore away from Korra's grasp. When she turned around, she found Baatar Sr. standing there, holding a roll of documents in his arms. "Baatar, sir. Sorry about that."

"It's fine," he said, with a subtle sigh. "You're still young. Enjoy it while it lasts. Also, you can call me 'Dad' now, remember. The adoption papers went through weeks ago."

"Right. Dad." She cleared her throat. That would take some getting used to. "Sorry, old habits."

"In any case, I have a report that requires your attention," Baatar said, holding out the documents to her. "I know it's your day off, but it won't take long."

"Oh, what is it?" Kuvira took the papers and began flipping through them.

"It's about Zaofu's domes," he replied. "They were removed again when the Red Lotus attacked, and the sections are still collapsed outside the city. We have to figure out what we're going to do with them."

Korra raised an eyebrow. "You mean you aren't just going to reattach them?"

"Well, that is the most logical plan," Baatar said, with a small frown. "However, Kuvira has already expressed her disagreement with that."

Kuvira sighed. "You know as well as I do that those domes have been a source of scrutiny and problems for Zaofu in the past. If we continue to cut ourselves off from the rest of the world, we'll remain isolated, and never grow. Those domes are a symbol of our fear about opening ourselves to change. We shouldn't have that fear."

"Yes, but many of the city's people feel more secure knowing the domes are in place," Baatar insisted. "Without them, we feel exposed and vulnerable. We need that protection, that security."

"Maybe some kind of compromise?" Korra suggested.

"I suppose. I don't know." Kuvira groaned quietly, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "I don't want to continue cutting ourselves off and caging our people like prisoners. It could be possible to reassemble the domes, but only close them when we need to. There's no reason to close them every night."

Baatar thought a moment, raising a hand to his chin. "You'd need to rearrange guard patrols, to make sure the city remains protected at night, in that case."

"I can talk to Captain Hong Li about it later," she said. "Shouldn't be much different than how things are now without the domes."

"In that case, should I inform construction crews to begin reattaching them?"

She nodded. "Yeah, go ahead. I'll stop by some time tomorrow to oversee the process."

Baatar gave a simple nod, and turned to leave the two alone.

When he was gone, Korra leaned closer to Kuvira and held an arm around her waist. "So, what's left on the agenda today?"

"Well, I promised Sinn I'd head down to the old dance studio and take a look at their new routine." Kuvira frowned, easing a gentle sigh out her lips. "Although, I feel like it's just a setup to get me to run the place, now that Su's gone."

Korra tilted her head slightly, giving her girlfriend a curious look. "You make that sound like a bad thing. I think it sounds like a great idea. I mean, you love dancing, right? And from what I've heard, you were always Su's best student."

"While true," Kuvira said, with a slow nod, "I don't know if I'll have the time, once my work starts piling up."

Korra gave an accusatory smirk. "You have plenty of time to play power disc in the middle of the afternoon."

"On my one day off in the week."

"Hmm, and what else are you planning to do on your one day off?"

Kuvira leaned in closer, pressing her lips against Korra's neck. "I think the better question is, who?"

"Uh, hey, Sis?" Another voice interrupted them, once again prompting Kuvira to pull away from Korra. "You got a visitor."

She looked to the top of the power disc arena, where Wing and Wei were standing, watching them. "Who is it? It's my day off. Tell them to schedule an appointment for tomorrow."

"Uh..." Wei glanced to his brother. "The Earth Queen?"

"Oh." Kuvira took a moment to let the announcement sink in. What in spirits name was the Earth Queen doing here? Not to mention, so suddenly? Ordinarily, some official message or request would have been sent ahead to schedule some kind of meeting. "Send her to my office and tell her I'll be there as soon as I can."

Korra turned a puzzled glance towards her. "Why would Izumi have come to Zaofu?"

"I'm not sure. I'd better not keep her waiting, though. I still need to take a quick shower before meeting with her."

Korra nodded. "You go ahead. I should take Naga out for a run, anyway."

"I'll see you later tonight." Kuvira gave her girlfriend another kiss, and hurried off towards the mansion.


Twenty minutes later, Kuvira marched into her office, still straightening out her robes. In her rush to shower and change as quickly as possible, she hadn't quite straightened out her clothes by the time she reached the office. She grumbled at the creases. What a fine first impression to make, meeting with a world leader. "Earth Queen Izumi, sorry to keep you waiting. I wasn't expecting you."

"That's quite alright, Matriarch Kuvira." Izumi remained calm in her seat, watching as Kuvira made her way around the other side of the desk. "I know my arrival is sudden, but I was ordered to come immediately. I couldn't wait to send a message and schedule a meeting."

Kuvira frowned, as she lowered herself into her chair. "So, you mean Azula sent you?"

"Yes, precisely."

"You'll excuse me if I don't sound thrilled about that." Kuvira set her hands on the desk and stared curiously at the woman across from her. She focused on the burn scars scorched over Izumi's right eye, a deep red blemish against her otherwise perfect complexion. A testament to Azula's depravity. "Are you really on her side? After what she did to you?"

"I am on no one's 'side'," Izumi stated. "I'm merely doing everything I can to make sure that things don't get more out of hand than they already are."

"What do you mean?"

Izumi folded her hands, setting them gently atop the desk. "I don't trust Azula anymore than you do. My father, however, still has a soft spot for his sister, no matter how vile she may be. He insists that we try to placate and guide her, rather than simply oppose her. So, that's what I've been doing. I accepted her offer to become Earth Queen because I didn't want her appointing anyone else who would abuse their power. I know how to run a nation, and how to do it respectfully." She sat straighter, and her eyes sharpened. "I won't let Azula run the Earth Kingdom into the ground on my watch."

"I see." Kuvira held a hand to her chin, thinking. "That does make a lot more sense than believing you decided to serve her."

"Technically, I do still serve her," Izumi said. "I do have to maintain appearances, after all. Fortunately, the only orders she's given me so far have been to run the Earth Kingdom and handle requests to join the empire."

"So, what are you doing here?"

"As I just said, I handle requests to join the empire." Izumi huffed out a sigh. "Azula wanted me to come here to issue a invitation for Zaofu to do just that. Although Zaofu is a sovereign city-state, it was still founded on Earth Kingdom territory."

Kuvira stiffened in her seat, eyes flaring wide. "Is she out of her mind? What makes her think I'd even consider that?"

Izumi shrugged. "I know, that's what I told her you'd say. Still, she insisted. If I had to make a guess, I'd say that, regardless of your response, she wanted you to know that she wants Zaofu."

"That would be something she'd do." Kuvira relaxed herself against her chair, lowering a distant, thoughtful gaze at the clock on her desk. She stared at it, watched the second hand tick. Completely trivial, but it helped focus her mind. "Would she really attempt to take over another nation so soon after adamantly denying she would?"

"I don't know. All I can do is deliver the request, as instructed, and advise you to be cautious." Izumi's gaze narrowed behind her glasses. "If Azula is anything, she is cunning and unpredictable."

"You don't need to tell me that," Kuvira muttered, with a shake of her head. "In any case, thank you for time. You can tell Azula that Zaofu politely declines her offer."

"I shall." Izumi stood from her seat, and gave a low, respectful bow. "Good day, Matriarch Kuvira."


Azula glared at the golden sun-shaped mask in her grasp. Why the masks? What purpose did they serve? Those assassins could have hidden their identities any number of ways, so why had they felt the need to be so extravagant? Perhaps these Sun Warriors weren't merely a group of disgruntled citizens? Yes, they had to be more. A cult, perhaps, or some kind of underground society. Had they always been around, and were just now exposing themselves? Or had some mastermind pulled these people together and turned them into something more organized?

"Who are you people?" she muttered, digging her grip into the mask. A wave of heat erupted from her hands, causing the gold to melt between her fingers. "Why must you defy me?"

A knock yanked her attention away from the half-melted mask. Who could that be at this hour? She had specifically told Anraq to stand guard outside and not allow anyone to disturb her. Could he not even do that one job right? Dropping the mask onto her dresser, she marched towards the door with a scowl and pulled it open. A thin sliver of light from the hallway carved into her darkened bedchamber.

When she saw who was standing on the other side, her scowl relaxed into a simple frown. "Oh, Zuzu. What do you want? I'm very busy."

"Yes, you've been quite busy this past week," Zuko replied, with a pointed look. "Busy enough to continue avoiding me, at least. I thought if I came this late, you might actually have a chance to speak."

"Did Annie let you through?"

"Uhhh, yeah, sorry, Azula." Anraq poked into view behind Zuko, offering an apologetic smile. "I know you said for no one to disturb you, but since he's your brother..."

Azula glared at him. Absolutely insufferable sometimes, that man. With a deep huff, she pushed the door open wider. "Very well, if you must." Turning away from the doorway, she pointed her fingers around the room and fired out several small flames, each one igniting a hanging lantern for more illumination. The candles burned with a soft blue light, casting stark, dancing shadows across the chamber. "What is so important you had to visit me in the middle of the night?"

Zuko followed her inside, closing the door behind himself. "I wanted to talk about the world meeting last week, and about your empire."

Azula rolled her eyes. "Is this the part where you tell me the other world leaders were right, and that I should give up my empire and play nice with everyone? Because if it is, you might as well turn around and leave right now, for all the good it'll do you."

"I just think you should consider—"

"There's nothing to consider," she shot back, firing a heated glare towards him. "I'm not backing down, and I'm not giving up power."

"Azula, please, just listen to me." Zuko didn't look away, didn't even flinch. Azula's insides coiled at the sight. How could he be so resilient in front of her? Did he not fear her anymore? "I know you have this need for control, but you don't need to take it this far. You already have the Fire Nation. Isn't that enough?"

"Please, where's the ambition in that?" Azula said, as she sauntered back to her dresser. She stood there, staring down at the sun mask. "A true ruler doesn't settle for what she has, she continues to grow."

"The whole rest of the world will turn against you," Zuko insisted. "They may be leaving you alone now, but at the first sign of you stepping out of line, they will oppose you. Let's be honest, Azula. We both know you'll step out of line eventually. With your 'ambition', it's only a matter of time."

Azula heaved out a quiet sigh, shaking her head. "Oh, Zuzu, you worry too much. It doesn't matter who stands against me. The Dragon Empire is already superior to the other nations in every way. We have nothing to fear from them."

Zuko's gaze found the mask on the dresser. He glared at it, creasing his beard with a frown. "And what about threats from within? These Sun Warriors have already attempted to assassinate you once. You think they'll stop there?"

"That matter is being dealt with," she retorted, with fierce insistence. Insufferable Zuzu. She didn't need her pathetic brother lecturing her on how to handle something as simple as weeding out treacherous worms. "They're nothing but a small band of filthy traitors, and they'll be punished as such. Besides, I'm far more powerful than any of them. What do I have to fear?"

"All the power in the world won't protect you from a knife in the back, or an arrow to the throat," Zuko countered. "Or an explosion. Or poison. The weakest peasant can take down the mightiest of rulers with a little planning, Azula. That's all it takes."

Fire ignited in her chest, raging with seething fury. She turned away from the dresser and approached her brother, shoving her finger against his chest. Had she been able to firebend with her eyes, the savage glare she shot at him would have set him alight with white-hot flames. "No peasant will take me down! I won't allow that!"

Azula heaved several deep breaths and stepped back. No, no she couldn't lose herself to another outburst like that. She had to compose herself. Had to stay calm. Swallowing, she turned away and returned to her dresser. She glared at the mirror, eying her brother's reflection behind her. "What does it even matter to you anyway?"

Zuko's eyes softened, as he took a step towards her. "I don't want to see you hurt."

"Oh don't pretend to care," she spat. "We both know what you really think of me."

"Azula, I do care."

"You care, do you?" She glanced back over her shoulder at him, eyes sharpening with an echo of memories she'd buried deep in her mind. Memories that now flooded to the surface, bursting into roiling steam as it met the heat of her anger. "Is that why you locked me away in a mental institution at the end of the war? And then didn't visit me for a whole year?" She looked back to the mirror. Not to look at her own reflection, not to look at Zuzu's. She let her gaze wander, falling downward, drifting out of focus "And only because you needed my help, not because you actually wanted to see me."

"Azula, I... I'm so sorry for that." Zuko bowed his head, breathing out a heavy sigh. "I wish I had handled that situation differently, but at the time you seemed so broken, and hurt. I thought you needed help, and I didn't know the best way to give it to you."

"Easy to say that after the fact," she muttered. "Claim the contrary all you want, but you never liked me. You know that, I know that. It must have made you so happy to see me like that. Broken, and weak. Well, I'm not weak. I was never weak. You were the weak one. You'd say anything now to make me doubt myself, but I won't fall for it. I won't believe your lies."

"They're not lies." Zuko stepped behind her, setting a hand on her shoulder. "Azula, you're my sister. Our relationship has always been so messed up. After you disappeared, we never got a chance to fix things, but I wanted to try. I may never know how you're here now, or how you're still so young, but maybe it doesn't matter. You are here now, that's what matters. Please, I want to fix things between us, now that we have that chance. I don't want our family to be broken anymore."

Azula flinched at his touch, but she didn't pull away. Not yet. Such tenderness in his tone. Such sincerity. That couldn't be right. He didn't care. How could he? No, these were more of his lies. Yes, that was it. That's what this was. That's what it had to be.

"What makes you think I want to fix things?" she snapped, glaring up at his reflection in the mirror. "Maybe I'm fine with how things are. Maybe I like the way I am. Maybe I don't need fixing!"

"Azula—"

"No!" Azula shoved his hand away. "I don't want to listen to anymore. Just get out. Get out!"

Zuko stared into the mirror. Their reflected gazes met each other for a brief moment. A fleeting, doleful moment. Azula tore her gaze away, forcing her eyes shut. Stupid Zuzu. Hateful, loathsome Zuzu. How dare he claim he care about her? How dare he try to fix her! She was fine the way she was. She always had been. She always would be.

Wouldn't she?

With a defeated sigh, Zuko bowed his head and made his way towards the door. "Goodnight, Azula."