And we are back with another chapter of this story. Things just keep motoring along, and we're getting so ever closer to the climax. I want to thank Taurus The Dragon, SaoirseParisa, and Idkwhattobe for their reviews of the previous chapter. Per our previous discussion, here's where we see more steps in Korra's reunification with her family, and also some good news from other ends. Get ready for this wild ride!

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own the Legend of Korra.

"And how was your first week with your parents, Korra?" Zhu Li asked. It was the final day of Korra's first week with Tonraq and Senna, and now she would return to Varrick's home. Zhu Li figured to visit Tonraq and Senna before picking Korra up, allowing the two couples to debrief Korra's experiences. It was better for Korra in the long run, as it meant letting both sides get used to Korra's routines. "Did you enjoy spending time with them?"

Korra tilted her head back and forth, her eyes staring directly at the food in front of her and not at the people seated on either side of her. Tonraq and Senna invited Varrick and Zhu Li for dinner before they took Korra home. Right now, Korra was seated at the end of the table, with Tonraq and Senna to her left and Varrick and Zhu Li to her right. While Korra wanted to tell Varrick and Zhu Li all the exciting things that happened this week, part of her also wanted to clam up and not say another word for the next little while.

A slight tapping on Korra's elbow caught Korra's attention. She lifted her head leftward and saw Senna with her serene smile. "You should just let them know, Korra," Senna suggested, "It's not something to be ashamed of. Instead, you should see it as a learning experience."

Taking a deep breath, Korra swung her head to the right. Varrick and Zhu Li stared at her emotionlessly, but Korra knew they were concerned. "Tonraq was busy most of this week, but I found out about his work all on my own," she stated, explaining that she walked into Tonraq's home office unannounced and flipped through his files. It included the proposal for a new bridge and border crossing, to which Korra did some calculations for. "Tonraq was really happy at first, and wanted me to present it in his cabinet meeting," Korra concluded.

"Well, doesn't that sound exciting?" Varrick exclaimed, rubbing his hands together anxiously, "So did you get to meet all the ministers, including one that we don't particularly like but whose name shall not be mentioned here?"

Korra winced, her body tensing up at the mention of that incident. "I proposed my plan to the cabinet, and to no one's surprise, the jerk had to shoot his mouth off," Korra described, her eyes now staring directly at her lap while her hands clenched into fists, "I ended up losing my temper on him and snapped at him, even grabbing him and shaking him up a bit."

Zhu Li lifted an eyebrow in surprise, but Varrick could not help but chuckle. "Ha, I knew that idiot would get his just desserts!" he declared, slapping a hand on the table, "His ego is getting a little too big for everyone's liking, and I'm so glad you put him in his place! Sure, it's probably not the best for you to shake him, but how else will he learn?"

Tonraq frowned at his long-time friend's reaction. "Well, I did get back to Korra after that meeting, since she stormed out in a huff after confronting Tarrlok," the large man pointed out, "I wasn't happy with her doing that to Tarrlok, even though I fully believe he deserved to be called out. It's never good in politics when you publicly humiliate someone like that, especially when he's one of the frontrunners for the presidency next year."

Korra didn't say anything, but Zhu Li did speak up to vouch for her. "I'm sure Korra didn't mean any harm, but you have to realize the pain and suffering Tarrlok put Korra through during the entire time they've known each other," Zhu Li explained, "He disparaged her in front of Shiro Shinobi. He ordered the arrest of her friends at the warehouse. And who can forget that inappropriate cross-examination when we found one of his items in our goods, a clear violation of the rules on his part. I'm sure Korra was trying her hardest to behave and meant no harm."

"Oh no, I'm not criticizing Korra for challenging Tarrlok at all. If anything, I think Korra said what's on all our minds on that day," Tonraq replied, waving his hands in assurance, "In fact, the vice president himself also said how proud he was of Korra for standing her ground, not wavering at all when she presented her piece. Of course, he too was concerned at Korra's reaction to Tarrlok, but overall Korra did great on that day."

"What we're saying is that Korra has to be more careful when she expresses herself in public," Senna added, taking a sip from her glass, "Korra isn't experienced in things like politics, and we don't want her to get hurt. It's good that she stood up for herself and not let a bully like Tarrlok push her around. But if there's another way for her to do it without showing bad form, then it'll make her even better."

"We didn't scold her or anything, but we did very sternly tell her that some things can't be done that way," Tonraq emphasized, casting a firm by sincere look at Korra, "We also know how stressful it can be for Korra in an environment like that. It's especially true when Tarrlok, her long-time nemesis, is needling her like that. So while we don't like what she did, we want to put her in a position where she can respond without lashing out."

Zhu Li glanced at Korra again, fully realizing that Korra truly meant no harm. However, given the turn of events with Tarrlok, perhaps Korra should not continue with this for now. "If you want, Varrick and I can work with Korra a bit more on social interaction," she proposed, "So when we come back in a week, you can follow up with her. But you can keep her out of the government offices for now, just so she doesn't get stressed out again."

"Actually, there's something you should know," Korra interjected. All four sets of eyes now descended on Korra, but the water bender did not feel uncomfortable at all. Employing the skill Tonraq taught her, Korra scanned the dishes on the table instead of directly at the people. "Tonraq felt that even though I shouldn't have yelled at Tarrlok, I did some things that might be helpful. He really likes how I did all those calculations and reports, and wants me to help him with his campaign. He said I don't have to show up on TV or anything, but…"

Tonraq stepped in to help Korra, realizing that her stammering indicated she was getting nervous again. "It was just something Senna and I proposed, but we want you to give us the green light first," the Minister of Foreign Affairs explained, "For my campaign next year, I really want Korra to be a part of it. It's not because I want to get sympathy votes for reuniting with an autistic daughter, but because I truly think Korra can shine here. Again, she doesn't have to attend interviews with me or do campaign speeches, but I want to refer to her a lot. Think of it as my way of giving her credit for having such amazing skills."

Both Varrick and Zhu Li stared incredulously at each other, pausing for a few seconds before turning to Korra. Never did they imagine Korra's skills being used for something so high-level. While they had always wanted Korra to succeed, this was beyond their wildest dreams. "And what did Korra say to that?" Varrick asked, "Or has she even decided yet?"

"Actually, I told them I'll think about it first," Korra replied. All four guardians of hers could see her body loosening, to the point where Korra could put her hands back on the table and a small smile creep back onto her face. "I think it's an interesting suggestion, and it'll definitely make Tarrlok think twice before picking on me. But it's a big responsibility and will take up a lot of my time. I might even have to ask Asami for time off for that."

Varrick and Zhu Li glanced at each other before nodding to Korra's biological parents from across the table. "Whatever decision you make, Korra, you know Varrick and I will support you no matter what. And I'm sure your parents are in the exact same boat," Zhu Li responded, placing a hand on Korra's shoulder. Seeing Korra's smile return, the bespectacled woman turned to the table in front of her. "So, now that the serious stuff is out of the way, can we eat now?"

Mako felt like he was entering a warzone with today's new operation. Iroh and the Fire Nation military regularly updated the Interpol for the past week or two. They got more and more information from the Red Lotus, mainly from communities that were harassed by them. Some junior associates were arrested and interrogated. Through the investigation, Mako deciphered some locations where more senior Red Lotus members might be located. It was with this that he hoped he would locate the Big Four.

But things took a major change today when Mako attended today's briefing. He was informed of an actual location identified as a potential Red Lotus headquarters. This would either lead them directly to the senior leadership or at least bring them closer to it. "It's either wait for them to attack, or we take the initiative first," the fire bender muttered to himself.

And this was exactly where he found himself, situated a few metres before a large warehouse near a small Fire Nation port. If it wasn't for the intensity of this mission, Mako would find this scene welcoming, as it greatly resembled the same port his family worked at. It had a wide opening, where presumably the goods would enter from. The ocean was just at the other side, with the waves lapping at the shores. Mako wasn't sure if it was due to the difference between Republic City and the Fire Nation, but he somehow felt the waves here being more peaceful. Regardless of how the waves made him felt, Mako knew what was at stake here.

"The recon team has already reported on the exterior," Iroh's voice sounded off over the radio, catching Mako's attention, "There are no threats of explosives or booby traps, and some of our earth benders can determine there appears to be people inside. We go in on my signal."

Mako rubbed the back of his hand over his drying lips. Despite the humidity in this area, Mako's nerves sapped whatever moisture there was away from his skin. His team now marched towards what appeared to be the front doors. Being near the back of the formation, Mako could not see all the commanding officers. However, he could see Iroh's burgundy jacket, which was so recognizable even from a distance away. "Metal benders, prepare to break open the locks," the general ordered, "And the firearms team, you follow right after the lead benders."

Mako closed his eyes and used the beats of his pounding heart as his clock. Barely three thumps went off before the loud cracks of metals twisting and crunching echoed through the open space. By the time his eyes opened, Mako's team trotted into the building to scour out the Red Lotus. Mako glanced quickly to his right and saw Iroh's sister marching right next to him. The young woman flashed him a grin, almost like laying down a challenge. During their time working together, Mako found her to be very similar to Iroh in seriousness and efficiency. But she also displayed a great sense of humour, and despite Mako's own reputation as a stick-in-the-mud, he actually enjoyed it. Mako wouldn't mind keeping close contact with her in the future.

"Everyone to the basement!" an earth bending commander from the front exclaimed. Mako glanced around and saw several teams break out to secure the main floor, and the rest of their group headed down a narrow staircase. "Our sources report that the people should be on the lower floor. Make sure to be on your guard, as the Red Lotus leadership are all skilled benders!"

The Interpol team entered the dark, damp basement. A couple of fire benders at the front created small flames from their palms, trying to identify a light switch of sorts. Mako knew to stay back for now, given there might be trip wires in the darkened room. But he still edged forward as members of the team dispersed to the side, allowing Mako a clear view to the front. From the shadows, he could make out some items deeper inside the warehouse. He found it odd that the Red Lotus would be so nonchalant when minutes earlier the Interpol and the Fire Nation military tore down the warehouse doors. Shouldn't they be attacking by now?

"Wait, does anyone smell that?" someone in the front called. Mako's head tilted upward and immediately took a couple of big whiffs. Indeed, a chemical smell emanated from a back corner, away from all the lights. Was the Red Lotus planning some type of sneak attack on them? "Check that corner to make sure it's not a chemical bomb!" the same person suggested.

Mako could sense some frustration among the members by virtue of their anxious muttering. He gingerly stepped deeper into the room, towards the area where the smell was stronger. There were already several Fire Nation soldiers near the room, but none of them could find a light. He figured they must be non-benders, by virtue of the firearms in their possession. "Can we get a fire bender over here? We don't have any lights," one soldier requested.

Mako was about to holler before another fire bender beat him to it. The man entered the room with a fireball on his palm, waving it around the area. "It doesn't look like there's anyone here," he commented, "Did they get the lead on us or something?"

But just then, all the soldiers and Mako saw the conundrum. Before them were several metal drums, similar to ones that stored chemical waste. The chemical drums were open, and on top of each one were several glass beer bottles. "Guys, I think that's a booby trap!" Mako yelled.

Before the soldiers could even react, the fire bender's flames caught a piece of string above him. The string, which the fire bender realized was slicked with flammable liquid, burst into flame and now fire zipped through the other strings like a rollercoaster. They soon reached the beer bottles, which contained more flammables and would drop into the most flammable item of all. "Everybody, get out!" the fire bender shouted, shoving the team to the doors.

Mako took maybe two steps before he heard the glass bottles shatter. He didn't even have to turn to know that the flaming liquids have fallen into the metal drums. In seconds, a loud eruption roared through the warehouse, setting the entire back area on fire. Mako's ears rang and his head spun. His legs lost all strength as the blast levelled him. A heatwave soared over his fallen body, threatening to light his clothes on fire. Mako could not really see around him thanks to the chaos, but he figured that his group suffered at least moderate injuries.

"There are other metal drums here!" another voice called. Mako could feel his eyes rolling back, but willed himself to stay focused. Knowing that there would be further explosions if those other drums were lit, Mako had to do whatever it took to calm the fire. Feeling like his body weighed a ton, Mako tensed up and forced himself into a sitting position.

Mako glanced around and could see his team lying on the ground. The original fire bender who accidentally lit the fuse was hurt most badly, being situated too close to the fire. While some military members tended to him, Mako forced himself to crawl into the flames. Ignoring his teammates' cries to stay out of the fire, Mako steeled himself and raised his arms.

Mako's fire wall was able to block the flames, giving his team more time to evacuate the injured members. However, his weakened state did not prevent the fire from spreading. He saw flames seeping into the next room, where the other drums were. If those were lit, Mako would not make it out alive. But knowing evacuation was not complete, Mako had to keep the wall up.

"I'll give you a hand," another voice hollered. Mako turned his blurry vision to the left, just in time to see Iroh step up to him. The general created his own wall with his right hand, all the while absorbing the heat with his left. "That's really brave of you, Mako. Let's keep this up while everyone gets out. My sister is helping with the evacuation too."

Mako nodded gratefully, holding up the wall by himself for the few seconds that Iroh blew the smoke in the opposite direction with his right hand. He had no idea how the Red Lotus got away this time, but he sure hoped no further mistakes were made. If not, then Mako had some idea where the senior leadership would head to if they got out of the Fire Nation.

"Thanks for inviting me over for dinner, Asami," Korra stated, slowly edging into Asami's large mansion. It was the first dinner the two friends would have together since big news hit them both simultaneously. Asami was eager to hear about Korra's first week with her biological parents, while Korra would get to see Hiroshi for the first time since he was released from prison. Given the circumstances, Korra was definitely nervous about seeing the man again.

"Come this way, Korra," Asami replied, leading Korra right into the dining room. Korra came alone this time, wanting to work out her thoughts independently. After the Tarrlok incident, Varrick and Zhu Li suggested that she started small. They asked her to tackle meeting up with Hiroshi all by herself first, before moving onto bigger things.

Entering the familiar dining room, Korra could see the change in the heavyset man seated at the end of the dining room table. The usual jolly expression was replaced by a small smile, one that Korra felt might be forced. Instead of eyes that beamed with life, Hiroshi looked like he came out of hibernation, with little energy emanating from anywhere. Korra knew that prison was not a fun place to be in, but never did she realize how much it drained out of Hiroshi.

Asami took a seat directly to Hiroshi's left, all the while gesturing to Korra to sit at her left. Despite the warm smile of Yasuko, sitting to Hiroshi's right and directly across from her and Asami, Korra still felt unease. "How are you doing, Yasuko and Hiroshi?" she greeted.

"We're doing well, Korra," Yasuko responded, her smile not wavering one bit, "Varrick and Zhu Li already told us, but I guess we should give you the stage. How was your first week with your biological parents? Did you enjoy spending time with Tonraq and Senna?"

Korra winced, feeling Hiroshi and Yasuko keeping their eyes on her. It wasn't until Asami tapped Korra's elbow that the water bender's eyes tore away from the wooden table. She glanced over to her right, where Asami's serene green eyes soothed her. Maybe there was more than friendship between them, given how Asami was always able to calm her down. Korra hoped to explore that later on, but for now she wanted to focus back on the task at hand.

Turning to Asami's parents, Korra expressed concern but also understanding at Tonraq's busy schedule, and gratitude at how much time Tonraq and Senna still tried to spend on her. She talked about the bridge proposal, and how Tonraq was impressed by her calculations. She ended it with the cabinet meeting, where she had her confrontation with Tarrlok. "It gave me a chance to let him know how I really feel about him, although some people didn't like that," she added.

That got some chuckles out of Asami and Yasuko, and even the more stoic Hiroshi cracked a grin. But Korra made sure they knew that she learned an important lesson here, being that she had to be careful about outbursts like those. "They were glad that I spoke my mind, and most of them agree with what I said. But they want me to be careful about how I said it, which is why they want to help me form more strategies for managing stress," Korra emphasized.

"I think it's a great thing for you, Korra," Asami commented, lifting her arms just as the housekeeper brought their appetizer, "I know you don't like public speaking, and seeing hostile faces like Tarrlok only makes it worse. But I think you should be proud that you held your own."

"I'm sure Varrick and Zhu Li will let you attend more meetings, and you're more than welcome to see the ones Asami and I hold in front of the board," Yasuko chimed in, digging her fork into the salad, "You might even pick up skills in public speaking and handling hostilities."

Korra nodded. She glanced over at Hiroshi, who had yet to say anything. Was Hiroshi just giving her the stage, or was he avoiding her? Shaking her head, Korra informed the Satos that Tonraq wanted her to appear with him on his campaign. "He said I didn't have to go on TV if I didn't want to, but he wants to give me credit for all the work I did for him," she described, "I guess he doesn't want to see me as a campaign prop, but I also think it's a chance to know him better. And I know for sure it'll take a lot of time, so maybe I should take a leave of absence?"

Asami took a sip of water to wash down the vegetables in her mouth before turning to Korra. "You know I'll always support you, and so do my parents and your foster parents," she pointed out, "So if you want to spend some time in the next little while working with Tonraq, I'm more than happy to let you have that time. But I'm guessing you haven't decided yet?"

Korra tilted her head back and forth, her trademark when it came to difficult decisions. "I agree that it's a good opportunity, but I'm just not sure about the public appearances thing," she explained, "Maybe I should take it, but if the paparazzi chase me or something, then what?"

Asami glanced over at her parents, who stopped their eating for a moment. This was a similar issue she faced when she was young as well, given she was an heiress to their company. While she didn't live like a socialite and hated it when people flaunted their wealth around, she was well aware of how the press tried to stir up storms about her. There were lots of fake stories out there about her, all created for the sake of whetting the public's appetite for a juicy story. And even when Asami tried to be on the straight and narrow, the paparazzi was hard to avoid. If Asami found it intolerable, how would that affect someone like Korra?

But surprisingly, it was Hiroshi who chose to chime in. "I think in this situation, you have to decide if this is something you want to pursue, based on what you value," the bespectacled man stated, "Unfortunately, bonding with Tonraq means throwing yourself into the spotlight. It comes with the territory of being a family member of a cabinet minister and potential president."

Hiroshi wiped his mouth with a napkin before turning to Korra. "I had a real good look at the way things went for my life when I was incarcerated, and it gave me a good perspective," he continued, "I literally went from having everything to having nothing. I went from a captain of industry to an ordinary inmate. What's most frustrating was that everyone knew who I was and saw how I fell. That's what gave me perspective on what's really important to me. Money and fame don't matter and neither does your pride. What matters is what's in front of you, like your friends and family. That's part of why I decided to step down from my position."

Hiroshi stared right into Korra's eyes, which made Korra tilt away slightly. Even so, Korra could see the change in his expression, which correlated to his changed mindset. "I was angry and upset at what happened to Yasuko, which was why I made that foolish decision," he elaborated, "But in the end, I had to let go of my bad feelings over what happened. If I want to truly make a change, then I should do more to ensure no extremist group gets to exist. That means changing society as a whole, so that my efforts can make a positive difference."

"Asami and I are really proud of how much change Hiroshi wants to enact, now that he's no longer running Future Industries," Yasuko added with a proud smile, "But I agree with him in that you should only do this if you value it. You'll have to deal with the press and paparazzi, but you have to ask yourself if your relationship with Tonraq and Senna is stronger than that. Maybe if you three can solve this together, just like your bridge proposal, it'll make you even stronger."

Korra licked her lips gently, recalling the very same words stated to her about Asami. She was strong enough to forgive Asami and re-forge their friendship after the termination fiasco. Was it possible to do the same with her biological parents? Even though the stakes were higher this time, Korra knew this was a challenge she had to face, both for her family and herself.

"Have you heard any news from Mako about what's going on in the Fire Nation?" Yung asked Toza as they gathered in the warehouse administration office. Things were getting back to normal for a while, before the huge news coming from two of their members. One of them was Mako, who had to leave the United Republic for a while. "Working with the Interpol to clear out the Red Lotus, there's definitely a risk to that. Do you know if he's doing okay over there?"

Toza lifted his head from his calculations, his forehead creased while showing off a strained smile. "What parent or guardian would say they're okay with their kids running off to fight a terrorist group?" he responded with a sigh, "I mean, I'm proud of him for defending our country, but after the latest update, I can't help but be stunned."

Yung leaned his head closer while Toza pulled out his tablet. After a few swipes, Toza showed his business partner the latest news of from the Fire Nation. "Apparently Mako's team went into a supposed Red Lotus lair, but those guys set a trap for them. I'm not sure if it means the Red Lotus is now on the way out of the Fire Nation, but Mako was lucky to escape with his life. I still haven't gotten a text from him on if he had to go to the hospital," Toza explained.

Yung bit his lower lip. Even though Mako was not his foster child, he did like him a lot. Moreover, with how well Mako and Bolin got along with Kai, Yung's own foster child, it would hurt everyone if Mako was injured in that battle. "So what happened next?" he queried, leaning his head closer to the tablet, "Did the Interpol update what the investigators did afterwards?"

Toza swiped to another page, which showed Iroh standing before a crowd of reporters. "All Iroh will say is that the investigation is still ongoing, but they are increasing security at all ports of entry. This includes passenger and cargo piers, airports, and train stations," Toza added, "But if I was the Red Lotus, I'd try to smuggle out instead of go through those channels."

Yung pursed his lips, stepping away from Toza and taking a seat at the chair across from his long-time friend. Mako had done so much for them, so the least they could do was make sure he was okay. "Does Bolin know about this? Did you tell him what happened?" he asked, "I know Kai was definitely worried, but I couldn't really update him if Mako doesn't say anything. How is Bolin faring right now, and is there any news on when Bolin will be reinstated?"

"I've been reinstated just today!" an enthusiastic voice called from the door. Toza and Yung both faced the entrance to see the familiar grin of Bolin shining like the sun at them. "I was at Future Industries this morning, where Asami officially welcomed me back to the team. She said I'm more than welcome to return as long as I did everything by the book. That means no going off on my own without the company's authority. So, is there a welcoming party for me?"

Yung and Toza both broke out huge smiles as they approached the earth bender. They pulled him into a tight hug and patted him on the back, thrilled that he was part of the team once more. "I know you didn't disregard my advice on purpose," Toza murmured, lifting himself off Bolin and clutching his foster child by the shoulders. Two sets of green eyes stared directly into each other, and Toza knew there was a genuine sense of remorse and longing for change in Bolin. "We're moving forward together, and we'll make sure the mistake gets fixed."

"And Kai will be more than happy to see you around again," Yung added, leaning against the desk in a relaxed pose, "He told me he reached out to you during your suspension, and you guys had a nice long chat and breakfast afterwards. I'm glad he's so supportive of you, given he hasn't had too many supports outside of us. Maybe training with Jinora changed him."

Bolin nodded. He knew Kai was growing up and getting a chance that he never thought about getting. It mirrored his own situation so well, given the whole reason he was suspended was because he tried to get something that he shouldn't have gotten. Now that he was back on the right path, he knew he could not let this chance go to waste. "Speaking of changes, you know that Hiroshi Sato stepped down, right?" Bolin pointed out, "Asami has now taken over Future Industries, and from what Opal told me, everyone thinks she's doing a fabulous job."

Both Yung and Toza smiled at that remark. Despite Asami only coming down to the pier a few times, they both developed a good rapport with her. She was always open and accepting of them, and both found her a pleasure to work with. "The only bad news, and it's not even all bad, is that we're still missing Korra," Toza commented, "She's got her little family reunion now that she found her biological parents, but even then that's wonderful for her."

"Yeah, and I heard she even appeared at a cabinet meeting. It was something about her father asking her to present some calculations to the government officials," Yung chimed in, a huge grin on his face, "I heard she went at it with Tarrlok Yakone in front of the ministers, and she completely destroyed him. I even heard that Tarrlok lost some endorsements as a result, and now he's running neck-and-neck with Tonraq, even though Tonraq was out cold for a while."

The entire group chuckled, realizing that the most unlikely person to sink Tarrlok just successfully did that. They still remembered all the times Tarrlok needled Korra and made life difficult for her. And because of that, the warehouse was vicariously attacked by Tarrlok due to his attempts to challenge Korra. So for Korra to push Tarrlok right back, especially in the area where he required support the most, it was a great retaliatory blow for the entire group. Even if what Korra did was improper, it felt too good to be true for the warehouse gang.

"I'm actually surprised that Kuvira isn't doing as much in the warehouse, although that might be because Korra isn't actually gone," Bolin remarked, taking a gander at the area. The usually uptight metal bender was nowhere to be found, and Bolin guessed she was either with Asami or Opal. "But you know who I really miss? Opal."

Yung and Toza both gave Bolin sympathetic looks. It was obvious that the events with Ginger really affected Opal, as she loved Bolin and trusted him. However, Bolin went behind everyone's backs to collaborate with Ginger, and didn't even tell anyone, Opal included. Yung and Toza didn't really speak too much with Opal about it, mainly trying to stay positive with her. While Opal did show a brave face and kept working through it, it was clear to the two older men that she still felt hurt by Bolin's actions.

"Just take it easy for now, Bolin," Toza stated, placing a hand on his foster child's shoulder, "I know you'll make it up to her, just like you'll make it up to us. At least with Ginger, you see her true nature and how manipulative she can be. We know Opal is nothing like that, and you're very lucky to have her. I'm sure things will work out with Opal if you try to reach out."

"In the meantime, let's get back to work, because the pier will be getting busy again," Yung suggested. He hopped out of the room, beckoning Bolin and Toza to follow. Indeed, ever since Asami took over Future Industries, and Tarrlok was put in his place, activities at the pier took off again. While it might have just been a coincidence, Yung knew that part of this was Asami's doing, and he couldn't be more thankful. "We have another shipment of goods for Future Industries today, and some for Varrick Industries will arrive tomorrow. Let's get that stuff ready for our good friends who helped us out so much, alright?"

Unalaq's eyes never left the radar screen on his command ship's control room. Ever since he found out that the Red Lotus baited the Interpol into a trap, he knew that they were on the way out of the Fire Nation. With Tonraq now awake and taking over as the frontrunner for the United Republic presidency, Unalaq could no longer afford a battle of attrition. It was either he made some drastic moves now, or he would lose the advantage in a hurry.

"Do we have our ships aligned? Can we make a disruption right now?" Unalaq bluntly demanded, gesturing his finger over the radar screen. Right now, he had his troops map out the trade routes outside every major port in the Southern Water Tribe. He ordered the ships to sail back and forth, running interference, and threatened the cargo barges. Resistance was limited so far, but the Southern Water Tribe traders had more problems with their transport.

"And how are we doing for fuel and supplies?" Unalaq asked, moving to another station. He made sure all his ships were refilled with essentials before he began this operation. As long as he kept restricting the trade routes, the Southern Water Tribe would be starved out. And if the United Republic navy was not taking action, there was no way he would be stopped.

Unalaq glanced back at the notes he held. He rebuffed all the diplomats and negotiators that attempted to contact him so far. Other than sending a representative or assistant to distract them, Unalaq did not give any response. He heard that Korra showed up and humiliated Tarrlok, to the point where Tarrlok was no longer the clear frontrunner for the presidency next year. At this rate, Unalaq should cut his losses with Tarrlok and refocused elsewhere.

And for the past week, they had pressured the cargo ships away from their area, pushing them off course and forcing incoming ships to dock at other ports. With bottlenecks clogging trade, the prices of goods in the Southern Water Tribe remained high due to dwindling supply and their economy slow due to difficulty in exporting.

"Sir, the United Republic diplomats are on the line again," an assistant chimed in, knocking Unalaq out of his thoughts. He glared at the assistant for those offensive words, as his entire team knew that he had no interest in negotiating with the United Republic. "They say this is very important and it's imperative that you hear this message."

Unalaq turned his unimpressed eyes to the satellite phone in the assistant's hand. So far, the United Republic had been ineffective in compelling him to do anything. It might be due to Tarrlok's interference and general lack of support, but right now it seemed like the tide was turning. "Let's go to the main boardroom for this," he suggested.

The assistant followed Unalaq's quick and long strides to the boardroom, located down the hall from the control centre. Unalaq did not even bother looking at the assistant, opting to barge into the conference room like a cold Arctic breeze. Plopping himself on one of the seats, he gestured at the conference phone in the centre. "I still have no intention to talk to them, so you'll take care of the bulk of the call," he ordered, "I will, however, have you put this on a conference call so I can hear exactly what they're saying and why they're bothering me."

The assistant swallowed hard, shakily moving closer to the table. He made sure there was a chair between himself and his chieftain, before gingerly taking a seat and placing his notepad on the table. Staring at Unalaq one more time, only to have two icy eyes stare back in return, the assistant pressed the button for the conference call. "You have reached the conference room," he stated, moistening his lips after his greeting, "We hear you loud and clear."

"This is General Iroh Sozin calling you from the Fire Nation," the voice responded from the other line, causing Unalaq to crease his eyebrows. Iroh was part of the group ambushed by the Red Lotus, so how did he escape unscathed? "We have been trying to reach your chief, and we still have no reply from him. We have new orders to re-engage the Northern Water Tribe."

The assistant glanced at Unalaq, who merely nodded to him. Rubbing his lower lip anxiously, the assistant turned back to the phone. "I'm sorry, but the chief is unavailable right now. I have been authorized by him to handle all calls from the United Republic diplomats, so you can discuss with me," he proposed, "Is there a message you want me to send on?"

"Yes, I do have new directions coming from the United Republic," Iroh continued, not missing a beat, "Our Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has ordered us to put forth an ultimatum. You are to stop interfering with any ships heading into or out of the Southern Water Tribe. Your current actions are a direct violation of Southern Water Tribe sovereignty, and also infringes on principles of international law. While we will not attack unprovoked, we will also not tolerate any further encroachments. As such, the entire fleet will have to back off."

The assistant turned to Unalaq with a look of fear in his eyes. While Unalaq stayed as emotionless as possible, it was clear that the chieftain tightened his body ever so subtly. With no further instruction from Unalaq, the assistant was left to fend for himself. "I will ensure this gets to the chief," he assured Iroh, "Is there a deadline you want the fleet to back off?"

"You have forty-eight hours to do so, and if not then we will be sending in our forces," Iroh declared, his tone as steely as Unalaq's stare right now, "We already have this before the international forums, and a resolution can be passed to have your fleet removed with force."

Unalaq reached out and slammed a finger onto the phone in disgust. It abruptly ended the call with Iroh, leaving the boardroom in complete silence. Other than the soft hum of the engine below their feet, neither Unalaq nor the assistant made a sound.

Just then, Unalaq lifted off his seat and waved his assistant out. "Tell the crew to stay on track. Keep preparing to disrupt the trade routes, and have all ships in our fleet stay in position," he instructed. The assistant, still too stunned by the response, merely nodded and stumbled out. It left Unalaq alone in the room, with the chieftain standing at the table gathering his thoughts.

Unalaq then turned to the satellite phone again, this time typing in a familiar number. He waited a couple of rings before the other side finally picked up. "Zaheer, plans are changing," Unalaq stated without even allowing a greeting, "I'm glad you managed to bait the Interpol, but you have to get out of the Fire Nation. Our plans against the United Republic are going up in smoke, and you best get yourself back to Republic City right now."

"We're on our way out," Zaheer responded amidst static in the background, "It's just a matter of finding the right time and place to leave the Fire Nation. What's going on at the South Pole? What's causing the change in plans?" he asked.

Unalaq explained everything quickly, giving Zaheer a general idea but keeping some details to himself. "With Tonraq awake and the United Forces becoming bolder, I may have to focus our attack in the United Republic," he described, "That's why you should hide out there. I will meet you very soon, once I get everything sorted out over here."

After a few more minutes, Unalaq hung up the phone. Taking a deep breath, he scribbled out a bunch of new instructions on his notepad. He had a smaller vessel that was hidden in this large command ship, and he could use it to travel incognito, if need be. Right now, it was about taking a small team he trusted the most and taking them with him to the United Republic. "It's good there are Red Lotus members in my trust circle, or I'll be in so much trouble," he muttered.

Korra stood backstage, hoping the curtains would shield her from the bright lights in the studio. It was Tonraq's first television appearance since his awakening from a coma, and also the first one dedicated primarily to his campaign. Since this was the first time Korra was involved in a political campaign, she couldn't help but feel curious and anxious at the same time.

"Korra, how are you feeling?" a gentle voice asked from behind her. The water bender turned around to see Senna and Zhu Li standing with serene but concerned looks on their faces. After several days of contemplation, Korra agreed to allow Tonraq to mention her name, but she was still uncomfortable with being highlighted publicly. Both her biological and foster parents agreed and allowed her to loiter backstage while Tonraq prepared his interview. "Are you okay with watching back here, or do you want a seat in the audience?" Senna queried.

Korra rubbed her upper arms while her eyes tilted to the floor again. "Well, you're not going on with Tonraq, right?" Korra replied, tilting her head at Senna, "And where did Varrick go? Isn't he supposed to join us today? I haven't seen him all day!"

"Varrick is running late, but he's on his way here," Zhu Li reassured Korra, placing a hand on her shoulder. That got Korra to relax a bit, but the water bender was still swaying back and forth. "Just take it easy, Korra. Varrick is Tonraq's biggest supporter, and there's no way he'll miss this. Besides, with you getting a mention, why won't he be here?"

From beside them, Senna could only smile. It was a tough decision to leave Korra at Republic City due to the civil war, and with the situation still tense the Southern Water Tribe was not a safe place to be. Tonraq and Senna relocated permanently to the United Republic after, but they never forgot their heritage and always tried to teach that to Korra. Luckily, Varrick and Zhu Li were very open, and the four of them raised Korra into a happy, healthy, successful person. And with Korra managing her autism so well, Tonraq and Senna were absolutely thrilled at that.

"Hey guys, sorry for being late!" a voice called from the back. Everyone turned to see Varrick hustle towards them, with Tonraq following closely. Varrick adjusted his collar and cuffs before facing Korra. "Korra, this is a big moment for your pops, and I'm so glad you're willing to let him share it with you. I sense good things coming out of this interview, given how his major competition crashed and burned after you did a number on him."

Korra lifted her head and felt her eyes slightly widen. Even though the cabinet meeting was confidential, the story of her yelling at Tarrlok and shaking his chin did circulate around a bit. Korra knew even from speaking with friends like Yung and Toza that Tarrlok lost some support due to the way he handled it. However, she never realized that it would make Tonraq the frontrunner. In fact, she had absolutely no idea how these campaigns even worked! "So when you say he lost support, it's not for the presidency, but the nomination, right?" she inquired.

Tonraq nodded. "Each person must get a certain number of votes from the public in order to get on the ballot. Part of that is from how much support you can get from influential members of the public," the large man explained, "All members of cabinet and other candidates who didn't get elected in previous elections can also nominate, and it's not a race to see who gets the most signatures. As long as you get to a certain amount, you are considered nominated, and they will confirm your nomination sometime in the New Year."

"Yeah, and that's where you have this huge party with all these VIP's rubbing elbows with each other," Varrick exclaimed, rubbing his hands excitedly together, "If they can get some support from various captains of industry, then the vote is pretty much in their favour. I know if your father's nomination is confirmed, I will personally support him for the presidency."

Korra could sense the excitement amongst the foursome, but she was still a bit confused. "So if it doesn't matter how many signatures you get for the nomination, then why would it matter how much support Tarrlok has right now?" she asked while rubbing her forehead.

"For the nomination, it doesn't matter. But losing support now means he has to regain it later on, which puts more pressure on him," Tonraq described, his large hands gesturing in the air as to produce an imaginary timeline, "If his nomination is barely meeting the mark, then that means not many people will support him now. He'll have to work extra hard to get more votes during the actual election. Now, knowing how crafty Tarrlok is, it won't surprise me if he does catch up. But at this point, his advantage is no longer there, and it's a totally open field."

Korra mulled it over, realizing that losing the advantage now did not necessarily mean losing the presidency. Even though Tarrlok was no longer the clear favourite, there was still a long way to go before determining who would be president next year. Deep down, she could only hope her father could pull out a victory on what seemed to be a very close race.

Soon, a stagehand appeared and asked Tonraq to take the stage. Varrick, Zhu Li, Senna, and Korra were all asked to take their seats, with a special section in the front row reserved for them. Based on Korra's understanding, this was no different than any other ordinary talk show. But with Tonraq's campaign on the line, she was sure the topics would be different. Silently, she hoped the host would not blindside Korra by putting her on the spot and inviting her on stage!

Before long, the lights dimmed and the music sounded off, the suddenness causing Korra to reach for her ears. Gently rubbing the rims of her ears, Korra could barely pay attention as the host, a middle-aged man resembling Shiro Shinobi, took the stage. Making a mental note to ask Shiro if he had a twin brother, Korra paid full attention when Tonraq was introduced to applause from the audience. After a quick greeting and asking about Tonraq's health, the discussion soon went to more serious matters, such as Tonraq's campaign and vision for the United Republic.

But it was when Tonraq was asked to give specifics on various United Republic issues that Korra knew her influence on his campaign was felt. Despite recognizing his military and foreign affairs background as a leader in the Southern Water Tribe, Tonraq spoke about things that affected the common folk. Whether it was agriculture, environment, or housing, Tonraq spoke with confidence and accuracy. Korra especially got a kick out of Tonraq's comments on a proposed campaign promise where he would upgrade an existing wastewater treatment plant. "I calculated water flow and the treatment required to release clean water into the environment," she whispered to her seatmates giddily, "I can't believe he recalled all the details!"

But when Tonraq spoke of housing, Korra could see Zhu Li's usual stoic look morph into a proud smile. Tonraq spoke of the increasing population in the city, with more young workers from the outskirts moving in for work and school. By increasing population density and building more apartments instead of detached houses, Tonraq hoped to create more housing using less space. "It's more affordable too, which is definitely what I'm looking for," Zhu Li murmured.

"Minister, it's also interesting that you have a reunion of sorts with a daughter you sent to live here as a refugee," the host elaborated, shuffling through his notes while stealing a glance at Korra, "How does it feel to have her back in your life, and will she be part of your campaign?"

Korra creased her eyebrows while her body tightened. Was the host trying to put her on the spot? With her hand gripping the arms of her seat, Korra tilted her eyes at Tonraq. The large man tapped his chin in thought, leaving the studio in silence for a few seconds, before answering in his baritone voice, "I'm very happy to reunite with Korra, and I love to spend more quality time with her. Whether she wants to contribute or not is up to her, and she won't be forced to do anything she doesn't want to. I just want her to know that I cannot be more proud of her."

My usual list of inspiration isn't as long this time, but it's still pretty lengthy, so let's go through this one by one:

1.) SaoirseParisa gets credit for editing the first and last scenes of this chapter. We didn't want Korra to be a Mary Sue where she gets forgiven for everything, nor should we allow her to ignore her mistakes. We decided that Korra, despite her autism, should work on controlling herself so she avoids another outburst. We also don't want Korra to be used as a campaign prop by Tonraq, which may place her in situations she's not comfortable with. That's why we made Korra think about coping mechanisms on her own, but also let her decide what's the best course of action for her. Thanks to SaoirseParisa for her input there and I'm glad it worked out.

2.) The fire bending techniques used by Mako and Iroh are from the original series. Mako's fire wall technique is from Jeong Jeong, who is an expert in defensive fire bending. It's a rarity among fire benders, given how offence-driven fire bending is, so I thought I should recycle that in this story. With Iroh, I took a piece from his (canonical) ancestor and namesake, Fire Lord Sozin, who cooled heated areas (for his case, a volcano) by absorbing and diverting heat. It's another advanced techniques that I figure a Fire Nation royal should know, so I didn't hesitate in recycling that here either. As for the booby trap itself, it's a more elaborate version of the first booby trap set in the movie "the Foreigner" where Jackie Chan's character did something similar and destroyed the bathroom of a politician's office.

3.) The nomination battle is a variation of both the United States and Canada in terms of elections. Each candidate for election must be nominated by their party or the general public (if they run as an independent) before they can register as a candidate. The nomination is not necessarily a barometer for if a candidate can be elected, but how popular they are during nomination sometimes does help. And of course, whether there are public endorsements will also be helpful in a candidate's likelihood to be elected or re-elected. But all you have to know for now is that if a candidate gets enough support for a nomination, they will be on the ballot to be voted upon.

4.) Korra having trouble with hostile crowds and going on TV is from "The Voice in the Night" from Book 1 when Tarrlok goaded Korra into challenging Amon by turning the audience and journalists against her. Mako and the Interpol getting tricked into entering a baited room is from "Turf Wars, Part 2" when he and the Republic City police entered a baited room to catch the triads. Bolin offering to make it up to Opal and everyone else is from "Beyond the Wilds" in Book 4 when he tried to do the same thing after he defected from Kuvira's side. The Red Lotus attempting to smuggle out of the Fire Nation and back into the United Republic is from "Old Wounds" in Book 3, where they tried to smuggle out of the United Republic instead. And Zhu Li offering Tonraq ideas on affordable housing to assist low-income citizens is from "Turf Wars, Part 2" when she offered the same in her presidential campaign against Raiko.

Again, things are chugging along and you'll see even more developments in the next chapter. I'm sure you won't want to miss how I end this story, so drop by next month and read my next update. Thanks for coming and see you soon!