Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Korra or Avatar the Last Airbender. I only own my own characters and ideas

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Takedown

It had been a few days since Khari had her surprise guest. She had kept it a secret from everyone. She didn't want anyone to know. She actually was pretty good at hiding the fact she had someone visit her. She opened her door to see her Aunt Kya and Aunt Suyin. She grabbed her staff and walked by the two. She knew the two were becoming suspicious, so she tried to ignore them both. She knew that was the last thing that needed to get out right now. She spun the staff above her head then by her side. She saw Iroh and Kimiko and waved before she ran towards them. She pulled them away from everyone and they went for a walk. The siblings could tell something was bothering Khari, but they thought maybe she should tell them rather than asking. She took a deep breath and looked at the two. The siblings started to become concerned.

"Um..I know this is kind of weird, but could you guys tell me about your dad and what happened? I was so little when it happened, and I don't want to ask your mom. I mean I have one of his outfits that he used to wear when he did for well you know. Then your mom had me do what he did because she thought I was that skilled. Iroh, even you said you remember him talking about me. I... I just want to know."

"I mean we can only tell what we know. You must remember we were young too. He told us he loved us, and he would be home in a few days, but a few days turned into a few weeks then weeks turned into months. Grandpa Zuko and mom sent a search party out but all they found was tattered parts of his outfit. No one really knows what happened. They never found his body." Kimiko informed her.

"So, what you're saying is he could still be alive? I mean if there wasn't a body there is a chance, right?" Khari asked quickly.

"I suppose there is a chance but after all these years I doubt it. I mean he had two children that he would have left behind and a wife. Khari, why are you asking all of these questions?" Iroh asked.

"Oh, um no reason. You guys wouldn't happen to know where he went last and who his last target was do you?"

The two shook their heads and informed her that maybe Izumi did. She knew all her questions were starting to look a little suspicious. She smiled at the two before she left. She didn't know how to bring it up to Izumi. The Royal family has done so much for her lately that she wanted to help them. That is the only way she could think of helping them. She looked back when she heard her name to see Korra running towards her. When the young avatar reached her, she smiled at her but let her know she had something to do. Khari smiled at the young avatar one more time before she started to look for Izumi. When she found her, she was drinking tea with her aunts, uncles, Gran Gran, Jia, Lord Zuko, and Lady Mai. She took a deep breath before she continued to walk towards the group. Her Aunt Kya offered her a cup, but she smiled as she politely declined. She looked over at the Fire Lord who looked over her cup of tea to see her staring at her. Izumi placed her cup down and glanced back up at Khari.

"Umm... I know this is going to be a touchy subject, but I need to know. Please know I don't mean to hurt you. Your husband's last target who were they and do you know where he went to find them? Izumi it's important." Khari managed to say.

"Why would you think... n-no. I refuse to tell you that. You almost died when I sent you to deal with the person who killed . I won't do that again. I lost my husband because of that monster, and I won't lose you too."

"Izumi, you can tell me, or I will find another way to get the information. With my skills it won't be that hard. Please don't make me do that. Izumi, please tell me what I want to know."

Everyone stayed silent as they looked between the two. Khari's expression stayed serious the whole time. She knew getting the answers she wanted was going to be hard. She saw that Izumi's eyes were glistening now. That was the last thing she wanted to do but she knew there was a chance. Khari soon turned her attention to Lord Zuko to see the disappointed look on his face. She glanced at Izumi one final time before she made her way for the door. She took a deep breath as she reached for the handle. When she opened the door, she heard something behind her. She took one step outside, but something told her to slow down.

"Wait! If I tell you, do you promise to come back alive and not barely breathing? Injuries I will understand but I don't want them to find a dead body. So, do you promise me?" Izumi asked. Khari nodded. "He told me he was going to the Earth Kingdom. The State of Yi to be specific. His name was Hou. Khari, I don't know why you want to know I just know I want you to be careful."

Khari nodded and smiled. This Hou guy sounded like he sure was going to live up to his name Khari told herself. She wanted to help them. Khari went to her hut to start to pack her things when she felt Raina nudge her. She smiled down at the polar pup as she got an idea. Raina was going to go with her and help. She changed into her outfit and grabbed her weapons. She whistled for Raina to follow her before she shut the door behind her. When she turned around, she bumped into Iroh. She smiled at him as she made her way towards her Gran Gran's hut. She turned her head to see Iroh was still following her. She shook her head a bit before she opened the door to her Gran Gran's hut. She let everyone know she would be back as soon as she track Hou down. She promised to be safe and let them know she was taking Raina with her. Khari checked to make sure she had everything before she grabbed her things and made her way for the docks. Khari was about to step on a boat when someone grabbed her wrist and turned her around. She expected to see Iroh but someone else stood there.

"You need to come back safely," the figure said.

"Funny, you of all people tell me that. Just go before I metalbend you into the water."

She stepped on the boat with Raina by her side. She smiled a bit as she left. She kept telling herself she was doing the right thing. She felt Raina nudge her, making her look down. She watched as the polar pup spun a few times before she laid down. Khari giggled a bit before she sat next to Raina. It had been a week, but Khari and Raina finally reached the State of Yi. Khari made sure to keep her face covered so no one would see what she looked like. She started to look around and listen to conversations without giving an indication of doing so. She saw a building in the far back which made her raise an eyebrow. She had a flashback to the explosion but snapped back into reality. She bumped her leg into Raina, making the pup look at her. She moved her head in the direction of the building, signaling she wanted to head in that direction. The two made their way towards the building but Khari started to look around. She didn't understand why this building was so far from the others. She decided to wait until it was dark to make her move. When night finally fell, she and Raina made their way up to the building. She used her seismic sense to see if anyone was around but there was only one person in the building but whoever it was, wasn't small. She and Raina quickly made their way to the front door of the building. Khari instructed Raina to hide at the side of the building. She climbed on the building above the door. She used her cables to lower herself so she could knock on the door. She knocked on the door and quickly lifted herself so she wouldn't be seen. When she door opened, she lowered herself a bit until a man walked out. She stopped and grabbed the top of the doorway, swinging into the building. She almost fell when she saw everything in what she now knew was a hideout. She looked down to see that the man was still outside so she quickly jumped down. She quietly ran over to the bulletin board to see what was pinned to it. She froze and went pale when a picture of Izumi's husband was pinned to the board and circled in red. On a note next to it read current target. She now knew that she was standing in Hou's hideout. She never heard the door close let alone Hou walk up behind her. She felt something pull her back and she was soon staring at Hou.

"Ah, what do we have here? A little small to be doing this kind of work aren't you?" he asked.

Khari didn't say anything, trying to hide who she was as long as she could. He laughed before he tossed her across the room. She slammed into a table, smashing it to pieces before she hit the wall. She started to push the pieces of table off of herself when she saw Hou charging at her. She started to get up but Hou grabbed her by the neck and threw her again. She blinked a few times before she grabbed one of her daggers out. When Hou went to grab her she stabbed him. He jumped back and screamed but he was not going to let a small stab wound stop him. He grabbed a sword and lunged at Khari but she rolled. She used her cables to grab his legs to pull him to the ground. She managed to make him fall but he pulled her up with his legs and kicked her in the face. She closed her eyes a bit but opened them when she felt a jerk. She opened to see Hou smiling at her. He pinned her against the wall and moved in close.

"Anything you'd like to say before I end you?"

She smiled before she whistled. Raina broke the door down and charged at Hou. Raina bit his arm and pulled him away from Khari. Khari fell to the ground, but it didn't take her long to get up. She grabbed an arrow and her bow quickly but froze when she heard Raina yelp. Raina fell to the ground and Khari quickly pulled her arrow back and released it into Hou's chest. He laughed at her until she released another arrow and he dropped to the ground. She ran over to Raina to see she had been injured. She saw the blood coming from Raina's shoulder and she started to cry. She franticly looked around until she found something to wrap the wound. When she finally found something, she wrapped the wound tight. She looked around the room and stared at what she had done. She took her sword and quickly wrapped it so no blood would get anywhere, placing it in her bag. She took her cables to try and drag Raina out of the building. She knew she wouldn't be able to pull her all the way to the Southern Water Tribe. When she opened the door, she saw a jeep. She didn't know how to drive but she was going to learn now she told herself. After she loaded Raina in the back, she looked for the keys. She soon found them in the glove compartment. She turned the key and put the car into gear. She pressed the gas pedal, but she didn't use the clutch, so she slammed forward. This continued for a bit until she realized what she was doing wrong. She thought driving to Zaofu and taking another airship to the Southern Water Tribe would be for the best. She started to make her way for Zaofu with tears in her eyes. Raina was hurt and she didn't even know what was going to happen. When she arrived in Zaofu she was met by guards and Aiwei, He raised an eyebrow when he saw her covered in blood with a polar pup in a jeep.

"I need an air ship an someone to fly it to get me back to the Southern Water Tribe now. Don't argue with me or Aunt Suyin will hear about it. So, get me an air ship now." she demanded.

Aiwei sighed before she nodded at two of the guards. She climbed in the back with Raina and ran her hand over the pup's back and waited for the air ship to be prepped. Khari laid with Raina until a guard tapped her arm and told her they had an air ship ready. The two guards helped Khari get Raina to the ship and get her comfortable. Khari sat next to Raina and placed her head near the pup's head. She stayed there until they got to the Southern Water Tribe. She was scared if she moved something would happen to Raina. She slept very little for the same reason. When they finally arrived, she sighed, knowing her Gran Gran and Aunt Kya could help. When the airship landed and the guards and Khari stepped off with Raina everyone stared at them. She had tears in her eyes as she watched her Aunt Kya examine the wound. Kya smiled at Khari before she asked for help to get Raina in the hut. Everyone stared at Khari and the blood on her clothes. She grabbed her bag and threw it at Izumi who looked down at it. Izumi looked back up at her before she opened the bag. She dropped the bag on the ground with a horrified look. Kimiko looked inside the bag and scream.

"You guys act like you've never seen blood before. Just take the stupid souvenir," Khari said with her back turned to everyone.

"This whole thing has made you cold and distant. My husband became the same way."

"No what has made me like this is the fact my polar pup was stabbed. The one thing I could love and that would love me unconditionally. That stayed by my side since the day we met and has yet to show any anger at me. So, sorry if I'm cold but you know that happened and I feel like it was for nothing."

"My husband's death is nothing to you. I don't even know what to say to you." Khari clenched her fist as she started to walk away. "Khari, get back here we are not done talking about this. Khari! Khari, I said we are not finished talking!"

Khari took a deep breath but Izumi keep yelling making which finally struck a nerve. She spun quickly sending a metal strip across Izumi's mouth. Everyone stared in Khari's eyes to see the pain and hurt. It was the same as when Lin and Tenzin rejected her but the same pain as when Aang had died. The wondered what happened in Yi. Khari turned and sprinted for her hut, quickly shutting the door behind her. She slid down the door and started to cry. She threw her things and laid on the floor and didn't move. She heard a knock at the door but she didn't move. She heard Izumi's voice on the other side but she didn't budge. The door opened a bit, hitting her in the back. She slammed the door, smacking Izumi in the face. She moved herself a bit before she slammed her fist on the ground, send a wall up. She curled up and tried to stay awake but it became difficult with the small amount of sleep she had since she left the Southern Water Tribe. Not long after she fell asleep a figure stepped out and grabbed her. She was taken to her bed and covered before the figure went to stand in the corner of her room. She eventually started to whimper until she sat up and started to breathe heavily. She reached for Raina but looked down when she realized she wasn't there. She soon sensed someone else in the room with her, making her look up. When she saw the figure she simply stared.

"I cleaned up half of your mess. It's your turn to clean up the rest."

"Right now isn't the time," the figure replied.

"Yes Kenzo! You will do it right now. I shouldn't have cleaned any of that mess up to begin with. You should have dealt with it years ago. Now my polar pup is hurt because of you."

Kenzo looked down before he looked back at her. He shook his head before he told her that he was sorry. She got angry and jumped out of bed. She slammed her foot down, pulling the chunk that was in front of her door in her room. She almost hit Kenzo, but he jumped. She jumped and slammed herself into him. The two rolled before he kicked her off, but she grabbed her cables and sent them towards him. She grabbed him and slammed him into a wall. She started to walk towards him when he kicked her feet out from under her. He tried to leave the hut, but she jumped up and slammed herself into him, making the two tumble out. Everyone had come to see what was causing all the noise. When Izumi arrived she blinked a few times but shook her head and told herself she was just seeing things. Kenzo pushed Khari again but she stood and wrapped her cables around his ankles and threw him. She saw a dagger coming in her direction but before she could react it hit her in the shoulder. She had just about enough of Kenzo and his games at this point. She felt pain in her side and it start to get warm. She looked down before she looked up. Oh he has got to be nuts, she told herself. She stomped the ground and Kenzo took a step back as he watched the lava start to form. She solidified to before she wrapped her cables around him and pulled him close for everyone to see. Izumi stared at the man she thought had been dead. She turned to Khari who grabbed her arm, but she pulled away. Khari fell to the ground as her vision started to change.

"Kenzo, I can't believe you've been alive this whole time. Khari, I can't believe you knew and didn't say anything," Izumi managed to say before she walked away.

Kenzo looked for his two children but didn't see them. He wondered if they even came. Khari stood and tried to think of how to respond but it was hard to think. She had to get to her Gran Gran's and she knew it. Khari started to make her way towards the hut but collapsed. Izumi turned and rushed towards her. Izumi could see that Khari had blood everywhere. She felt a hand on her shoulder, making her look back. Kenzo smiled at her before he picked Khari off the ground. Everyone stared at the two as they interacted. Izumi stared in Kenzo's eyes for a moment before she looked down at Khari. She smiled and watched as Kenzo started to make his way towards Katara's hut. She opened the door and Kenzo walked in with Khari. Katara turned around and dropped the cup in her hand, making it shatter when it hit the ground. Iroh and Kimiko gave her a worried look before they looked at the door. The siblings looked at their father in shock before they looked at each other.

"Dad? y-you're alive? How? Why? We thought you were dead this whole time, and you were actually alive! What did you do to Khari?" Kimiko asked. "You know what, never mind I'll ask Khari later. I can't even look at you. You lied to us for years."

Kimiko stood and started to walk out of the room when Kenzo shouted after her. Iroh stood and marched over to his father. Iroh wanted to shove him or punch him, but he held Khari in his arms. Iroh grabbed Khari from his father and turned his back to him. Kenzo tried to place his hand on Iroh's shoulder, but he shrugged him off. Khari started to cough and groan, making Katara run over to her. She slowly opened her eyes but closed them again. Iroh gave Katara a worried look. He rushed her to the back where he laid her down and left. Katara gave Khari a small smile as she cleaned the cuts on her side and shoulder. When she was done, she turned to see Raina standing there with her head tilted. Raina climbed in bed with Khari, making Katara laugh a bit. A few hours later Khari opened her eyes to see it was only herself and Raina. She held her side as she pushed off the bed to stand. She slid the door open, but she didn't see anyone. She heard shouting outside the hut, making her open the door. She saw Iroh yelling at Kenzo. Izumi and Kimiko stood near Iroh and Suyin and Kya near Kenzo. Khari could tell her aunts were trying to get Kenzo to leave but it wasn't working. The two men started to shout amongst each other. Iroh continued to tell Kenzo that no one knew was alive and he left everyone believe he was dead. She flashed back to the day she started to suspect Kenzo was still alive. Then to the day he was in her hut. She couldn't take the shouting anymore.

"I did! I knew!" Everyone turned to stare at her. "I suspected when I was living in Zaofu and he was sending letters with his I.K.D mark on them. I for Iroh, K for Kimiko and D for dad. My confirmation was when he was in my hut one day. I didn't know how to tell you. That's why I went to clean up his mess. I was hoping he-"

"I'm done. I don't want to hear anymore. Both of you don't talk to me," Iroh said.

She yelled after him, but he didn't even turn to look at her. She looked over at Izumi and Kimiko, but they shook their heads and walked away. She started look around and she saw the disappointed look on some of their faces. She looked down at the ground as she started to make her way towards her hut. Kya reached out for her, but she pushed away. She messed up and she wanted to be left alone. Kenzo stared at her as she made her way for hut. He tried to give her a small smile but even that was hard. Khari let a tear drop fall before she sprinted towards Kenzo. Even with the pain in her side she still slammed into him. She grabbed his shirt with one hand and slammed him down. She punched him and she soon saw the blood start to come from his nose. She felt him push up, but she slammed her fist into his gut. She felt someone pulling her back and she screamed. She kicked Kenzo before she collapsed in the person's arms and cried. Khari looked up to see she was in Lord Zuko's arms. She didn't understand. She thought he would be angry at her like the rest of the royal family. She stayed where she was but heard Lord Zuko tell Kenzo maybe it would be best if he stayed somewhere away from the family for a bit.

"So, keeping secrets again I see. How about we go talk about this whole Kenzo thing and how it started over some tea? I feel there is more interesting things to this story that we don't know yet," Zuko told her.

(Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than the rest but I kinda got the point out and didn't want to drag it. So yea now we know who visited Khari at the end of last chapter. Yea so obviously people are obviously mad at Kenzo for everything. Hope you guys liked this chapter. Reviews are always appreciated.)