After a trip abroad and some serious planning, we're back with another chapter of this story. We're really hitting the climax now, with the presidential campaign about to start. I want to thank SaoirseParisa, Maria Sato, and Taurus the Dragon for their review of the previous chapter. We're finally done with the fillers and buildups, and this chapter will be it as we head for the homestretch. Enjoy the rest of this story!

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own the Legend of Korra.

"Hello, thanks for making it tonight!" Senna greeted the visitors, holding the front door open for them to enter. It was Winter Solstice night, one of the most important dates in the Water Tribe calendar, regardless of whether one was from the North or the South. And despite moving to the United Republic from the Southern Water Tribe, Tonraq and Senna still made an effort to celebrate it. But for this year, it was their first time celebrating with their biological child.

"Hey, Senna," Korra responded, pulling her mother into a hug. She slowly stepped to the side to let Varrick and Zhu Li in, followed by the housekeeper helping the foster parents carry all the food and presents. "Wow, I can't believe this is happening," Korra stated, following Senna into the dining room, "I've celebrated my fair share of Winter Solstices, but this is my first time with you guys. I'm so excited, I don't even know what to say right now!"

"And we feel the exact same way, Korra," Senna declared, taking Korra to the dining room table where Tonraq was seated. The older man reached out and embraced his daughter, all the while Varrick and Zhu Li followed suit. "I know Varrick and Zhu Li used to take you to the Southern Water Tribe to celebrate Winter Solstice there, right?"

Korra nodded. "But I always find it odd when they do that, because Winter Solstice in the Southern Water Tribe is actually in June," Korra pointed out, taking a seat while awkwardly rubbing her forehead, "And when we come home, we'll celebrate it in December, like we are right now. So does that mean I can technically celebrate it twice a year?"

Tonraq and Senna both chuckled, gesturing to Varrick and Zhu Li to take a seat as well. "It's all about the calendar, Korra," Tonraq explained from the end of the table, "But I think more importantly, it's about enjoying yourself and accepting who you are. You are a member of the Southern Water Tribe, but you're also a citizen of the United Republic. And as long as you don't forget who you are and where you're from, I think you'll be fine."

"Yes, and that was the agreement we reached when we took Korra in," Zhu Li recalled, taking a seat next to Korra. Senna was across from Korra, seated at Tonraq's right, while Korra was directly to Tonraq's left. Zhu Li was to Korra's left, while Varrick was at the other end of the table. "Varrick and I made sure Korra never forgot her heritage, and that's why she went as often as we could take her. I'm just glad you guys reunited so she can tell you all about her adventures throughout those years."

Korra turned to Varrick and Zhu Li, both of whom gave her a nod of approval. Taking a deep breath, Korra shared her experience. Korra felt she should do this for this Winter Solstice celebration, as Tonraq and Senna were not part of this for a long time. She felt it was a good opportunity to bond with Tonraq and Senna by telling them how she spent her Winter Solstice when she was young. With dinner still not yet served, Korra told them all about the times she went to the Southern Water Tribe. Sometimes she only went with family, and other times she invited friends like Asami along. Those were moments that she would never forget.

But when it came to celebrating in Republic City, Korra also had a series of stories to tell. Korra went to the Southern Water Tribe in June for their Winter Solstice, when she was done school. But when celebrating in Republic City, Winter Solstice was in December. School was still in session but nearing the beginning of Winter Break. Korra did more celebrating in school with classmates who also had Water Tribe heritage. Unfortunately, Korra's autism gave her trouble with making such friends, meaning her involvement was minimal at best. "I found Asami was more open to me sharing that moment than some of the other water benders," Korra remarked, shuddering at the thought of Tahno.

"Hey, as long as you're still doing what you're good at and making contributions to the world, who cares if they don't want to share the moment with you? It's their loss, I say," Varrick exclaimed with a chuckle, just as the appetizer was served on the table.

"I agree with Varrick," Tonraq added, digging into the appetizer plate, "I think you should celebrate Winter Solstice in accordance to tradition, but also make it about you as well. Winter Solstice is a very spiritual event, and Water Tribe members used this time to reflect on their connections with the spirits. But as times change, traditions change. It's now more about connecting with what's with us, such as our friends and family. While I think we can still be spiritual, I also think we should appreciate what's in front of us. Besides, as water benders, aren't we supposed to adapt to and accept change?"

"Well said, Tonraq," Senna complimented her husband's position. Turning to Korra, she could not help but smile at the younger water bender's enthusiasm. "You know, it's a day like today that makes us even more appreciative of what's in front of us. The fact that you're willing to reconnect with us, and spend your first Winter Solstice with us, is fantastic."

Korra nodded. They quickly finished the appetizer and waited for the main course. As the housekeeper took away their plates, Korra turned to her biological parents. "How did you guys spend your Winter Solstices, before I reconnected with you?" Korra asked with intrigue, "Were you more traditional and focused on the spirits, as Tonraq said earlier?"

"Before Tonraq and I married, we did do some spiritual celebrations," Senna described. She went on to talk about how water benders had the power to purify spirits in the past, but it was pretty much a lost art. There weren't too many water benders with that spiritual connection, and the skill was just not that common. "I know the Northern Water Tribe is more spiritual than the Southern Water Tribe, and that's also part of the reason behind the civil wars."

Tonraq nodded. "You can tell there's a huge difference between the two tribes in terms of how matters are approached, just by seeing how Tarrlok treats us all," he commented, clasping his large hands and placing them on the table, "I used to have roots in the Northern Water Tribe, and my brother still lives there. In fact, he's part of the leadership that's behind the civil wars. In other words, this civil war is pitting family members against each other."

"Wait a minute, are you telling me that my own father is at war with my own uncle?" Korra exclaimed, her jaw dropping to unbelievable levels, "Are you sure he won't try to reach out to me and have me side with him? If that's the case, then I want to lock myself in!"

"Don't worry, because we've been doing everything we can to protect you," Varrick assured his foster daughter, "Part of the reason we had the whole evacuation is because we wanted the children out of the warzone, and that includes you. I know Unalaq has kept his eyes on the Southern Water Tribe for a while, but his knowledge of what happened to you has been limited. But if your father gets elected, then you'll be subject to security protection, especially if you appear in public with him. We won't let anything happen to you or our homeland."

"The big focus right now is the election, and as you can guess, Unalaq wants to influence the election with his own connection. Ever wonder what the connection between that guy and Tarrlok is?" Zhu Li pointed out, causing Korra to crease her brows, "But regardless of what happens and who gets elected, we always have your best interests at heart. There's no way we'll let them harm you, and we'll always encourage you to re-bond with your family."

Korra tiled her head back and forth, struggling to digest all this new information. Part of her was worried about the effects this civil war had on her, given she was related to both tribes' leadership. But at the same time, Korra had always felt safe in Republic City, and the Northern Water Tribe had not threatened her up to this point. She figured that she could still contribute to Tonraq's campaign, but keeping the low profile she had right now was the best option. Besides, with how protective both sets of parents were to her, nothing bad should happen, right?

At the Sato household, the Sato family was celebrating the exact same holiday. Winter Solstice had a different meaning for those with Fire Nation heritage, as it celebrated a revered individual named Roku instead. Even so, the Sato family still took the time to have dinner as a family. But this time, the circumstances were very different, especially after what the family went through the past few months. "I guess instead of being thankful for our company success, we should be thankful that we're still together," Hiroshi pointed out.

Yasuko nodded. After resigning from Future Industries, Hiroshi focused on founding an organization that dealt with social justice. Even so, there was still some rawness whenever his imprisonment was mentioned. They knew everyone eventually had to move on, but it was still a sore spot for them all. "Let's focus on the positives, okay?" Yasuko suggested, leaning her cane against the dining room table while easing into her seat, "How did it go with the events?"

Hiroshi made sure Yasuko was seated comfortably in the first seat to the left of the head of the table before taking the seat at the head of the table. "I spoke with a couple of sponsors, and they seem interested in funding scholarships for low-income students from single-parent families for college," Hiroshi explained, "It's what Asami would have become if you didn't survive."

"But Mom did survive, and I didn't end up in a single-parent household," a voice from the doorway called. Hiroshi and Yasuko looked up in time to see Asami hustle in. She was still in her work clothes, a sign that she just got home and didn't even change. "It's great that you took the chance to reflect, Dad," Asami added, slipping into the seat to Hiroshi's right, "And for you to start a scholarship for students with that need, I think you've come a long way."

Hiroshi nodded with a small smile. With the riches the Satos accumulated throughout the years, it would have been too easy to make some grants here and there to regain a positive image. However, Hiroshi wanted something meaningful for both his personal history and his family history. He wanted to use his own tragedy of almost losing his wife and Asami of almost losing a parent to help those who actually did lose their loved ones. While Asami was fortunate in that she was born into this household, many who lost their parents were not so lucky. Why should they lose their opportunity to further their education all because of that tragedy?

"And somehow I feel you had Mako, Bolin, and Kai in mind when you came up with this idea, right?" Asami chimed in, shaking Hiroshi out of his thoughts. The heavyset man glanced at his daughter thoughtfully while taking a sip from his glass. When he proposed the idea to Asami and Yasuko, Asami suggested the warehouse gang that she and Korra befriended. Seeing how this venture would match them perfectly, Hiroshi was instantly onboard. "That's what Jinora is helping Kai with, and maybe he and Bolin will be the first recipients."

"Well, I'm not quite sure yet. The committee still has to decide on the criteria, such as financial need, recipient age, academic achievement, and even the presence of a foster parent," Hiroshi responded. He unfolded the napkin and placed it on his lap, just as the housekeeper placed the appetizer on the table. "But once the details are set, then you can take them to Toza and Yung. I'm sure they can convince Bolin and Kai to sign up."

"And is this the only venture you're looking into?" Yasuko asked, digging into the salad plate, "I know you said you wanted to do more than one, but it seems like you're completely set on this one first. I hope you don't give up on your other ideas as well."

Hiroshi shook his head. "I don't want to give up on those ideas, and I have one that is specifically dedicated to you," Hiroshi stated, shoving a forkful of veggies into his mouth. He chewed on the crisp leaves thoughtfully, swallowing them in one gulp before turning back to his wife. "We should do something to assist those with physical disabilities, especially if they live alone and can't get around the house. I've seen those railings they set on stairs that allow the user to ride up and down the stairs without walking. I think if we tweak the goods we have at Future Industries to make it less expensive for them to use, it might do some good."

"And let me guess, you got that idea from Varrick, with the dual-use technology?" Asami commented, dabbing the corner of her mouth with a napkin, "I told you how happy I was when I saw those pieces go from being used for killing to being used in cars. If you can do the same for this venture, then I think it'll be fantastic. I'm so proud of you for doing that."

"Hiroshi also told me about doing something for those with mental health issues too," Yasuko added, lifting her hands to allow the housekeeper to take the salad plate away, "For this project, the inspiration was Korra. Hiroshi wanted to help those with a mental disability, such as autism, better cope with the world. Given how much Korra achieved and how she reunited with her birth parents, Hiroshi felt this would honour Korra as well."

Asami's eyes widened slightly, surprised at how much Hiroshi was attempting all at once. "Maybe you should do one at a time, despite what Mom said earlier," Asami stammered, rubbing her chin with a free hand, "You might be biting off more than you can chew."

Hiroshi shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with dreaming big, right? How do you think Future Industries grew this much and stayed as a big player in the field for decades?" the older industrialist responded, causing a wave of chuckles amongst the family. For a moment, it felt like everything had come back, even though all three Satos knew there was still a ways to go before Hiroshi fully redeemed himself. "Anyway, what's the deal with Korra? We sometimes have her over for Winter Solstice, but this year she's celebrating with her biological parents."

Asami nodded. Korra did tell her that she would not make it, opting to go to Tonraq and Senna with Varrick and Zhu Li. Even though Asami was disappointed that Korra was not here, she knew it was the right way to go. Korra wanted to re-bond with her biological parents, and there was no better opportunity to do so than this. "And after the Winter Solstice, Korra will be focused on her father getting the nomination," Asami described, "Oddly enough, this year the nomination convention will be held on the seventh day of the New Year."

"It's called the Day of Humanity, and it's a day where we celebrate being humans," Yasuko explained, nodding to the housekeeper in gratitude as the main course was served, "I know in both the Water Tribes and the Fire Nation, Winter Solstice celebrates spirituality or a great person. But the Day of Humanity is celebrated throughout the world on what it means to be human. And with so much riding on Korra's relationship with her biological parents, seeing her father being nominated on that day seems almost appropriate."

Asami licked her lips, her eyes straying to the entrée before her. While the smells of the fresh dish pleasantly tickled her nostrils, Asami was too deep in thought to pay attention to the dinner. It was true that Korra did achieve a lot, both despite and because of Asami's actions. But one thing Asami still could not stand was that she could not be honest with herself about how she felt about Korra. Even though Korra was open to a romantic relationship, she requested that it be kept aside for now, mainly because she was worried that Asami's Fire Nation heritage would hinder their relationship. Asami still did not tell her parents about this, but if she wanted to live up to celebrating humanity, was it right to keep this secret for this long?

"Hey, Asami," Hiroshi called, snapping the engineer out of her thoughts. Asami tilted her head to Hiroshi, who stared at her with a concerned look. "Were you daydreaming over there? You might want to start on your food before it gets cold," the bearded man suggested.

"Do we have all the food ready? If yes, then let's start putting them into the pot," Toza announced, stirring the boiling soup with a ladle. It was a tradition between Toza and Yung that their families would do a mutual Winter Solstice and New Year celebration. This year, the dinner was held at Toza's residence, meaning Yung and Kai brought over all their ingredients. "You guys want to do the honours first?" Toza asked Yung.

Yung nodded. Peeling back the plastic wrap, the older air bender revealed all sorts of vegetables to be put into the pot. Due to their Air Nomad roots, Toza made sure there were two soup bases, one of which was pure vegetarian for Yung and Kai. "Which one do you want to go in first, Kai?" Yung asked his ward, "You're pretty much the VIP tonight."

Kai chuckled. "Come on, Yung," he responded, picking up a handful of spinach and sliding them into the fondue pot, "I know I had my first few lessons in air bending with Jinora, but it's not like I'm a master yet. She thinks I have potential but I should still brush up."

"Baby steps, Kai," Toza reassured the younger air bender before putting in some meat into his side of the pot. Once both sides neared full, the older earth bender placed a metal lid on and waited. Part of why fondue was so enjoyable was that they could watch the ingredients bubble and cook right before their eyes, creating the freshest smell when the lid was pulled off. While the group waited patiently for the pot to boil, Toza turned back to his own foster children. "I know Mako got some new information at the Fire Nation, and he brought that to the Republic City police force. What new discoveries did you make this time?"

Mako cleared his throat before explaining some of the new investigation approaches the police planned to adopt for the holidays. "We know the Red Lotus might be back in the city, but we don't have enough information to decide on the best course of action yet," he described, "So we'll have to be diligent and on the lookout always. But since the police force can't stretch itself too thin, we'll target certain areas more than others. I'm not on duty today, but I will be for New Year's Eve. We think the Red Lotus might be active then."

"Are you sure something will happen then? Or is that what we're guessing will happen?" Bolin, who was seated at the end of the table, queried. With Mako to his direct right and Toza to his direct left, it almost felt like Bolin was isolated from the action. It was eerily similar to his current situation with Opal, which left him quite distraught. "I mean, Opal is coming back after the New Year. The last thing I want is for her to enter the country with a terrorist fight."

Yung, who was sitting next to Toza's left, lifted his head and gave Bolin a soft smile. "I'm sure Opal will be fine, Bolin," he stated, "Besides, you don't have any faith in your brother or Chief Bei Fong? From what Toza told me, Mako got his redemption when he rubbed it in the faces of his rivals without even saying a word. Now the entire police department is relying on his report and there's nothing those two can do about it!"

Mako emitted a rare smile. "Now you're making me blush, Yung," the fire bender replied while glancing at the metal pot. The sounds of water boiling could be heard from within, but the group knew it would take a few more minutes. "But yes, we are concerned about that, because on the seventh day of the New Year, they're holding the presidential nomination convention. If the Red Lotus doesn't attack in the New Year, they have another opportunity to do so in a week."

"Who usually goes to these conventions?" Kai wondered from Mako's right, "I know Jinora used to go because her father is the vice president for two terms. For the first term, the president was nominated but didn't name a running mate until a month after. But for the second term, Jinora said her father was named on the spot. Is there usually a difference between terms?"

"I don't think there's any requirement to name a running mate on the spot, but it won't surprise me if some of those candidates already have someone in mind," Mako responded, trying to put his knowledge of social politics into good use. He had seen enough of that in the police force, where Lu and Gang just could not be fired or demoted all because they rubbed shoulders with the right people. "So if a nominated candidate already knows who they'll choose, I don't think it'll hurt for them to invite that person to the convention."

"And let me guess? You're being assigned for a shift at the convention?" Bolin pointed out. The pot bubbled just in time for the lid to be removed, and Bolin immediately signalled to Pabu to come over. Seeing the food about to be served, the fire ferret hustled in and positioned himself right at Bolin's feet. "I know I'm not supposed to interrupt you when your work, but do you think we can stick around, just to see some of those VIP's?"

But Mako had to hold the thought as Toza lifted the lid in a flourish. The low pitched roar of the bubbling soup along with the smells of the freshly cooked food caught everyone's eyes. In Toza's hand was the ladle, and the former pro-bender instantly scooped out some food. "Please, help yourselves," he announced, waving his free hand at the others.

Everyone slowly spooned out the cooked food onto their plates, with Yung and Kai focusing only on the vegetarian portion. Bolin already had his plate full, but continued ladling due to Pabu expecting his fair share as well. By the time everyone had their first plates, the pot was empty again. "I think you have better luck asking Korra and Asami if you want to see the VIP's," Mako pointed out, dipping a slice of meat into his soy sauce, "Korra is helping her father with his campaign and I'm pretty sure Asami will attend on behalf of industrial leaders."

"Oh, that's right," Bolin recalled, shovelling food into his mouth with one hand while the other dropped bits and pieces for Pabu, "Korra is part of the campaign team for Tonraq now. I hope they do well over there, especially what Tarrlok put us through. I know Ginger tried to get me to jump ship, and I kind of did, but there's no way I'll stab us in the back again."

Toza and Yung both chuckled at that remark. There was no doubt in their minds that Bolin also redeemed himself, and business was picking up at the pier again. "Why do you think we have to go to the pier even on holidays?" Yung pointed out, slipping a piece of boiled lettuce in his mouth. The vegetable was softened significantly, but still had a bit of crunch for texture. "Besides, Ginger will just manipulate another person to get what she wants, so it's best to just ignore her for now. With Varrick keeping an eye on her, she won't bother us again."

"I know, I know," Bolin responded, flashing a grin that everyone knew was somewhat forced, "I just hope everything goes well when Opal comes back from Zaofu. You realize that we're taking a break while everything gets settled first, right? I wonder how long the break will be and how long it'll take to put the pieces back together."

Toza shook his head. "You can't force these things, Bolin. If Opal said she wanted some space, it's best to give her some space," he commented, pouring himself more sauce, "And even if you repair the relationship, there's no guarantee that it'll be back together the exact way it was before. So instead of focusing on that, you should think about building something even better."

"Yeah, I guess," Bolin murmured, slipping some food into his own mouth. In the meantime, Pabu was pawing at his ankles, demanding more food be dropped on him. As Bolin tended to two separate mouths, he took a glance at the young air bender at the other end of the table. "And speaking of relationships, how's the one between you and Jinora, Kai?"

Unfortunately, Kai was drinking some water, and that almost sent the liquid down the wrong pipe. While Kai sputtered and coughed, it got more chuckles out of everyone. "Calm down first, bud," Yung suggested, reaching for a second helping of vegetables, "We'll have to cook more food anyway, so just take a few minutes before you reveal, okay?"

It was no big deal that Tarrlok spent most New Year's Eves alone, given he was single and had few friends in Republic City. The Minister of National Defence usually spent his holiday working, going over various files and, for only this year, preparing for his campaign. Besides, he had an unsavoury family history, being the son of a former crime lord. With his older brother also losing his life in a battle, Tarrlok certainly wanted no celebration with people like that.

"And here is your entrée, Minister," the waiter called, snapping Tarrlok to attention. The young man in a tuxedo placed a traditional Northern Water Tribe style seafood stew before him. While Kwong's Cuisine was the gold standard when it came to restaurants in Republic City, Tarrlok preferred this restaurant over that one during holidays. Despite his eagerness to sever all ties with his familial history, Tarrlok still had a soft spot for his homeland. Besides, with Unalaq serving as an unofficial ally, the last thing he wanted was to seem detached from his tribe.

"Will that be everything right now, or do you like anything further?" the waiter asked. Tarrlok gave him a nonchalant glance before waving him off. As the waiter trotted to the other side of the restaurant, Tarrlok spooned some of the stew into his bowl. Just like the complex flavours entering his nostrils, Tarrlok's life was a web of complexity right now. Even though he argued with Korra and her two sets of parents at the nomination deadline, Tarrlok knew they had a point. His goal was to run his campaign as the white knight candidate who prided himself in having a clean slate. He wanted this campaign to have nothing to do with his family history, and that meant representing everything his family was not.

At the same time, Tarrlok knew he had to rely on other sources not originally anticipated to gain support. Because of his work with Unalaq and his children, and his connections between the Northern Water Tribe and the United Republic, it was natural that the Northern Water Tribe expected favours should he win. It was already bad enough that Unalaq pestered and needled Tarrlok nonstop when he was named Minister of National Defence. But now that the campaign was on, Tarrlok knew Unalaq would soon make crazy demands again. And with Unalaq having some unsavoury secrets of his own, Tarrlok felt he just re-entered the sandbox.

Tarrlok took a small spoon and cut into the fish, lifting it to his nostrils to get a good smell. The freshness was not as evident as when he tried it at the Northern Water Tribe, where the fish market was much fresher every day. Either way, he slipped it into his mouth and chewed it thoughtfully. He glanced around the restaurant to see families and friends at various tables, all of whom enjoyed this holiday season. He was the only table of one, making him long for some company. Was this the price to pay in order to get a clean start?

"Minister Yakone, is that you?" a voice snapped Tarrlok to attention. He tilted his head to his right, and standing before him was a woman with an ocean-blue jacket and flame-red hair. "I thought I recognized you. Do you have no one joining you tonight?"

Tarrlok narrowed his eyes and leaned his head slightly backwards, almost like sizing up his visitor. He recalled seeing her at the Firewood Bay pier, where his nemesis Korra still worked at. He wasn't sure what this woman's role was at the pier or Future Industries, but it was the last group he wanted to reach out to at this point. "Can I help you with something?" Tarrlok greeted her with an edge in his tone, "If not, I would really like to have my meal in peace."

"Is that what you say to what might be one of your biggest supporters in the election?" the redhead retorted, giving Tarrlok a sideways glance. Then, without any warning, she pulled out the chair across from Tarrlok and plopped herself down, much to the chagrin of the Minister of National Defence. "In case you forgot, my name is Ginger, and I used to be part of Future Industries' advertising and marketing department. I'm technically still there, but I'm under their supervision indefinitely. It's really stifling my creativity and freedom, you know?"

Tarrlok scowled at Ginger's interference, but to avoid looking bad in public and hurting his election chances, he had to swallow his pride. It was bad enough that Tonraq was parading Korra around, making Tarrlok look like he didn't care about autistic people. Did he really want to tick off a member of Future Industries, even though he wasn't expecting their vote? "What can I help you with, Miss Ginger?" he asked with forced politeness, "I did recall my assistant talk about your efforts to reach out to me, but nothing really progressed on that ground."

Ginger leaned her back against her chair, narrowing her eyes further. The unimpressed look she gave Tarrlok really grated on his nerves, and the last thing he wanted was a volley of insults in this holiday season. "Well, with Minister Arnook back in his post, there just wasn't any appetite on Future Industries' part to reach out," Ginger pointed out, "But to me, that's just narrowmindedness. If they see the big picture, they would keep reaching out to you."

Tarrlok slowed his chewing and keyed in on the redhead sitting across from him. He grabbed his glass and took a long sip of water, letting the cool liquid flow down his throat. As he placed the glass down, Tarrlok grabbed his napkin and dabbed the corner of his lip. "What do you have in mind, Miss Ginger?" he queried, his interest slowly returning.

Ginger leaned forward, her trademark lopsided smirk now front and centre. "Despite Varrick's attempt to rein me in, I have certain skillsets that you can use to win the election. I did some acting when I was younger and I'm still a socialite. I can get you some connections that can put you back ahead again, not to mention digging up dirt on your competitors, especially Tonraq," she proposed, tapping a finger on the table.

Tarrlok stayed silent, wondering what that would entail. Much as he wanted to run a clean campaign, he knew Tonraq was his main competitor. Not to mention that Korra was on Tonraq's side, this would not end well. Besides, if Ginger could spin the rivalry he had with the warehouse gang into a positive for him, then it would suck the wind out of Tonraq's sails. How could he challenge Tarrlok for bullying autistics if Korra performed poorly to begin with?

Tarrlok looked back at Ginger, who had not stopped smirking since she sat down. Given her history with Future Industries, Ginger would know what went on inside. She probably saw firsthand the mess created when Tarrlok investigated them. Even if Tarrlok lost his attempt to incarcerate Hiroshi in the end, the damage to Tarrlok's credibility was done. And with Ginger now being on the outs with senior management, Tarrlok knew she had a bone to pick, which would be of great advantage to Tarrlok. "So what's the catch on my end?" he asked.

"Nothing much, except for some incentives for myself and groups I associate with," Ginger responded, crossing her arms arrogantly across her chest, "I'll let you know what exact moves I want you to make, but I want your promise that you'll help me climb back to the top."

Tarrlok nodded, but kept emotionless. "I'll definitely consider it, but I would like to see some results first," he responded, "Why don't you give me some specific examples of what you can do to support my campaign, and then we'll talk collaboration? Until then, I would like to finish my dinner in peace. Have a happy holiday, Miss Ginger." With that, Tarrlok gestured his arm in the direction of the door, beckoning Ginger to leave him be.

"Is there even a reason why we're hiding back in our old hideout?" Ming Hua grumbled, glancing around at the dark, damp, and narrow basement suite. It was a harrowing experience to say the least, when the Red Lotus sneaked out of the Fire Nation in the dead of night. Crossing the cold waters between the Fire Nation capital and Republic City in nothing more than a small boat, they were lucky nobody drowned in the sea. "Why would we even go back to the old place when we know the police will probably be all over us?" she demanded.

Zaheer gave the armless water bender a long stare before focusing back on his notes, not saying a word to anyone there. He already had a goal in mind and wasn't prepared to deviate from that. "Their belief is that we'll attack during the holidays, but that's dead wrong," the bald man replied, "That's why we stick with the plan and don't make any sudden moves."

"Don't tell me you got scared after what happened in the Fire Nation," Ghazan pointed out, crossing his arms and sneering at his leader, "Originally we went in with some juniors to disrupt the hierarchy, but then in the Interpol and the military came in. We got out of there and leaving our juniors behind, but our explosives didn't even dent the military. Now you're going all careful and not risking it? What happened to the old and bold Zaheer?"

Again, Zaheer chose not to respond, opting to check his laptop and phone instead. The silence was killing everyone, and Ghazan wasn't having any of that. Grumbling his entire way out, the earth bender made sure to kick a few things before leaving Zaheer alone. It also didn't help that none of the junior associates they had in Republic City were present, leaving those four all by their lonesome. Now, with Zaheer sitting at the desk and nobody around him, P'Li decided to intervene. "Zaheer, is there a reason why we're hiding here for now?" she asked.

Zaheer typed some lines into his computer before turning back to P'Li. "I didn't tell the rest of our hotheads, but I know I can trust you with this information," Zaheer explained, "While we were in the Fire Nation, Unalaq was running interference in the Southern Water Tribe. But his plan didn't work out, and now he has to backtrack. He's now on his way to Republic City incognito, and we'll do something to affect the presidential nomination."

P'Li was slightly taken aback by that comment. She knew that the Red Lotus had always seen the United Republic as the biggest threat to their plans, followed by the Fire Nation. Both these nations were wealthy, meaning their governments could justify their continued existence. And with the Southern Water Tribe being their closest ally, and also Unalaq's biggest rival, she could see the reasoning behind those targets. But for the plan to change that greatly, it was either the Red Lotus was being sloppy, or the respective governments caught on to their plans. "So what do you figure?" she asked, "How can Unalaq help us this time?"

Zaheer glanced up at P'Li, this time a helpless expression on his face. "Frankly, I don't think Unalaq will be of much help. He might get us closer to the convention, but with security heightened since our attempted assassination, we're on our own," Zaheer described, "Besides, with Unalaq's goals now diverging from ours, I don't think we should align with him for long. To me, it seems like he wants power more than anything."

P'Li pursed her lips, not sure what to make of this. It was an awkward alliance between Unalaq and the Red Lotus, as Unalaq was a political leader interested in uniting the two Water Tribes, while the Red Lotus was formed to get rid of authoritarian governments. Even if Unalaq's goals of spirituality aligned with the Red Lotus goals of individual freedom, it still made for bad optics that a political leader was found to harbour terrorism. "But yet here we are, relying on him once again," P'Li commented, "Should we turn on him before he turns on us?"

Zaheer shook his head. "We need someone to get us inside, then we can destroy the system from within," he stated, "But once we get all the candidates in one spot, and Unalaq is with us, then it won't take much to take him out as well. We'll just say he's collateral damage, and two different countries just lost their main political leadership."

P'Li barely had any time to digest the information when Ghazan knocked on the doorframe. "Your special guest is here, Zaheer," he announced, before stepping aside to reveal Unalaq, "You want us in here with you, or are you meeting alone?"

Zaheer waved a hand, signalling to everyone that he wished to be left alone. Ghazan stepped out of view, but P'Li stayed hesitantly. She glanced at the Northern Water Tribe leader and, despite her height advantage over him, couldn't help but feel some chills. It wasn't until a moist limb wrapping around her arm that P'Li snapped her attention away. "Let's go and leave these two be," Ming Hua suggested, pulling on the fire bender with a water tendril.

Finally, P'Li vacated the room, leaving Zaheer alone with Unalaq. The two men glared silently at each other, neither showing any emotion nor making a move. The few seconds of tense silence was breached only when Unalaq pulled out a chair and sat himself before Zaheer. "I think you know what we have to do, Zaheer," Unalaq declared gruffly.

Zaheer nodded his head. Turning his laptop around, he showed the images on the monitor to the water bender. "The few remaining junior associates of the Red Lotus just scouted out the convention hall that will hold the nomination ceremony," he informed Unalaq, "Our plan is to go in with small groups, which accounts for both maneuverability and our lack of people. We strike fast and hard, and then we hold the nominees hostage."

Unalaq nodded. While he knew Zaheer's ultimate goal was to kill off the nominees, what Unalaq preferred was if Zaheer kept them alive for long enough to threaten the other political leaders. "Will your associates use the communication lines that I provide?" Unalaq queried, "As a fellow political leader, I have direct phone lines to other national leaders, including the United Republic. I will supply those to you so you can make your demands, but I will stay in the background and not interfere. The less they know about my involvement, the better."

"Are you sure you're just avoiding us because of your tribe, or is there another reason?" Zaheer inquired, lifting an eyebrow in curiosity. Despite the tension between them, there had never been anything heated, as both men were calm and collected in getting their jobs done. "You better not leave us to take on the authorities on our own."

Unalaq cracked a small smile while shaking his head. "It's all about deniability, because I have successfully denied my involvement with you to the other political leaders so far. But once our goal is met, then I can come out in support of you," Unalaq explained, "And even then, rest assured that as long as I'm there, I'll support you every way I can."

Zaheer eyed Unalaq for a few seconds, refusing to respond to that comment. Both sides knew that it was not made with full sincerity, given their uneasy alliance. Deep down, Zaheer knew he had to have a backup plan, in case Unalaq abandoned him or sold him out to the United Republic military should the hostage plan fail. It might even mean taking Unalaq as part of his hostages, and then slaughtering him with the hostages, like he suggested to P'Li earlier.

"And Zaheer, you better hope this plan works, because I already have a guy from the nominees who failed to take advantage of all the tools I gave him," Unalaq warned the air bender, which snapped Zaheer back to attention, "I'm basically making him a sitting duck and replacing him with you, so don't you dare disappoint me again."

Korra could not help but beam from ear to ear as the SUV she was in turned into the final lane heading straight for the convention centre. It was a route that she was familiar with, given the pro-bending arena that she worked at was on the same street. But today, the purpose of the trip was not for work purposes, but to celebrate a milestone in her family.

Korra leaned forward and tapped the passengers in front of her. This SUV was special in that it had three rows of seats instead of two, and Korra sat in the final aisle all by herself. The head of security for her group was in the front passenger seat, but the people Korra wanted to talk to were in the middle aisle. "Tonraq, Senna, do you think Varrick and Zhu Li arrived yet?" she asked, "How will they find us when we're all entering separately?"

Senna, who sat at the left seat, turned her head and smiled at Korra. "They'll meet us when we enter the hall," she responded, patting Korra's hand, "They're our guests, but the nominees are the VIP's tonight. That's why we're entering at a different entrance."

Tonraq also turned around and smiled at his daughter. Despite all the challenges from before the New Year, he was so proud to have Korra share this moment with him. "We'll be fine, Korra," he reassured the autistic water bender, "We just go on stage when my name is called. I accept the nomination and give a short speech and I will give you credit for your work. You don't have to say anything if you don't feel comfortable handling the crowd."

"I know, and I have to keep my composure no matter how crazy things get," Korra stated, taking a deep breath as thoughts of the conference zoomed through her mind. She was nervous about the people she would face in there, whether they were Tonraq's rivals, other government officials, or even members of the press. She knew Raiko would be there but leave early due to his frail health, and Tenzin would take over the president's roles in this nomination. But there were plenty of unfriendly faces in there that Korra was weary of, and the last thing she wanted was to make her family look bad. "I'll do what I can, you guys," she declared.

Before long, the SUV slowed to a halt, and Korra could see members of the Republic City police line the street. There were also special agents from the Department of Public Safety surrounding their vehicle, slowly opening the doors and escorting Tonraq and Senna out. Once her parents were in the open, Korra slowly followed, allowing herself to be smothered by the evening sun. Before she reunited with her parents, the crowd's noise would have bothered her greatly. But ever since she started training herself in coping mechanisms, she found herself adapting to this easier. As the security guards waved at her, Korra followed them along.

Suddenly, Korra saw someone that caught her attention. Stretching out a smile, she trotted off from the security detail. Despite their hollers for her to come back, she approached the person in question. "Mako, I can't believe you're on duty today!" Korra greeted her friend.

The tall fire bender turned to Korra and tilted an eyebrow. Korra knew better than to expect a smile out of him, but at least he paid attention to her. "I'm helping out with security, but I got Bolin and the gang some good seats," he pointed out, gesturing into the crowd. Indeed, standing front and centre were Bolin, Kai, Toza, and Yung. "I think they are more than excited to see you, given the big role you played in your father's campaign."

Korra bounded towards the group and waved excitedly at them. Unfortunately, she did not get off any words, as the security team ushered her back to her parents. Instead, Korra held her right fist up with her thumb and pinky sticking out, waving it next to her ear like a phone. As she returned to her parents, she could only grin. "Sorry, I ran into some friends," she explained.

"It's okay to see some friends and mingle with the crowd. In fact, it'll be very useful in the campaign. But you should work with security so they can do their job," Tonraq admonished Korra, albeit in a gentle tone, "They have to make sure we're all safe and nobody will try to hurt us or kill us. You don't want someone to do that to you, right?"

That got Korra's smile to ease a bit, as she didn't really think about that. After all, both Raiko and Tonraq were nearly assassinated, so maybe she should be more aware? "I'll be more careful next time," she promised, nodding to Tonraq before heading into the building.

Once Korra entered into the hall, the atmosphere completely changed. Gone was the outside crowd with heavy police presence, and replacing that was the glittering lights of the long hallway leading into the main convention room. Instead of street clothes or police uniforms, the guests here all wore suits and gowns, standing straight and tall and speaking in dignified manners. While Korra herself still dressed up, wearing the same midnight blue dress she wore when Future Industries celebrated its anniversary last year, something about this group made Korra feel even less formal. "This is unreal," she murmured to herself.

"Come along, Korra," Senna called, tapping Korra on the elbow. That got Korra to stop scanning around and follow her parents into the main hall. There her other set of parents were at one of the tables in the front. "I told you Varrick and Zhu Li won't miss this," Senna added.

Korra immediately pulled Varrick and Zhu Li into a hug, barely giving them enough time to stand up from their seats. When she released them, Varrick gestured to his left, revealing the faces of the Sato family. That got Korra bounding up to Asami and giving her a hug, all the while Hiroshi and Yasuko looked on. By the time all the hugging and handshakes, the latter courtesy of Tonraq, ended, Korra had to excuse herself once more. "Apparently, we have to be backstage first, but we should be back by the time the banquet starts," she informed everyone.

Tonraq nodded. "They want the candidates and their families to come on the stage together for a group introduction. After that, President Raiko will make a speech, and then each candidate will make their own speeches," he described, gesturing at the stage at the front, "The president will leave after his speech, and the vice president and his family will join us for the banquet. We'll join you again in a minute, but right now Senna and Korra will come with me."

Korra waved to Varrick, Zhu Li, and the Satos before heading off. She noticed that Opal and Kuvira were also present, seated at the same table as the Satos. Opal immediately waved at Korra, but unexpectedly Kuvira did too. Korra wasn't sure what surprised her more, the fact that they made it back from Zaofu in time to attend or the fact that Kuvira greeted her this openly. They had their differences at the warehouse, but Korra could see Kuvira change her views during this time. Maybe if they both had time, they should meet up and go for coffee or something.

"I heard some foreign dignitaries might attend, including my creepy brother," Tonraq commented, his words catching Korra's attention, "I'm not sure why he would be here, but I guess we can't really deny him. Maybe he's here to cheer on his own handpicked candidate Tarrlok, but if I end up winning the election, I'll have to deal with him in the future."

Korra slowly moved backstage with her parents, still giving her father's words a lot of thought. She had never met her uncle and was shocked to learn that they were at odds with the civil war. Would she end up running into him here, and how would he react if he saw her? What if he judged her autism negatively and treated her the same way his candidate, Tarrlok did? Given the support Korra had so far, she really didn't want it to end that way.

But as Korra strolled to the back, she just brushed past a bald waiter with a weird scar on his left eyebrow. The strange waiter took a glance in, quickly counting the people before pulling out his cellphone to make a call. "All candidates have arrived, so get in position," he ordered.

And of course, we have to give my usual list of acknowledgements:

1.) I have to credit SaoirseParisa for editing the first 2 scenes of this chapter. The goal is to parallel Korra and Asami, and what better way to do it by showcasing their family dinners. There is a parallel in how the families are coming back together, but also how they both want to move onto better things. Of course, Korra and Asami are still friends, but you'll see subtle foreshadowing on what will happen with their relationship. I won't tell you how I intend to do that, but I want to thank SaoirseParisa for brainstorming with me.

2.) Fondue is a Chinese dish eaten during the winter season, sometimes at Winter Solstice celebrations. As you know, China doesn't traditionally celebrate Christmas, so Winter Solstice is their big day. The broth they use is usually a plain chicken or vegetable broth, and you can throw in all sorts of ingredients (vegetables, meats, tofu, etc.) and cook it via the boiling soup. I've had this several times in my life and I found it to be an amazing experience. So I thought I'd share a bit of that in here!

3.) I have to include a bit of modern day politics in this fic, particularly with Unalaq and the presidential nomination. Unalaq's comment about state-sponsored terrorism is true in that there are states today that will sponsor terrorists in other countries. During the mid-2000's, several were mentioned and that reason was used for the Iraqi Invasion. While states cannot interfere in another state's affairs directly, there are indirect ways to do so, and sponsoring terrorism is one such way. As for the presidential nomination convention, this is based on the party conventions held by major political parties, such as the Democrats and the Republicans in the United States, and the Liberals and Conservatives in Canada. While those conventions only nominate one person, my story involves multiple nominees, so you will expect multiple speeches.

4.) Surprisingly, there is only one inspiration from the series in this chapter. At the very end, Korra was asked to step in line with the rest of her group while the security detail brought her in. This is from "The Metal Clan" in Book 3 when Lin requested the same thing of Korra, who was going around the Earth Kingdom looking for air benders while the Red Lotus was after her.

Expect to see things go haywire next chapter, because the Red Lotus is clearly in the building. What attacks will they launch at the nominees, and how will Korra and her friends fight back? The battle will be on, and it'll all go down in the next chapter!