"It's over. Whoever paid the Triple Threats stole everything."

When Asami pieced together why they were being distracted, they raced back to the mainland together to her warehouse. But when Mako opened it, they were too late, and all they saw inside were lights illuminating the floor where there'd been rows of Mecha-tanks.

"We should check out your other warehouses", Mako suggested. "Maybe they didn't have time to hit them all."

"You don't understand. Everything I had left was in here. Without it, I..."

"We have to search the place for evidence. If we can find a lead-"

"Mako...it doesn't matter anymore..." He'd never heard her sound so hopeless.

"I can figure this out."

"Just stop. It's over. I give up."

"No, you won't." Asami looked back up at him, confused. "You've put in too much work to quit now." He'd been there for it all. The failed pitch meetings with potential investors, the prototypes that blew up in her face (sometimes literally), and the arguments she'd had with her accountant that they needed to cut costs in areas she refused to do so. But she always picked herself up and dusted herself off. "You're not giving up, and I'm not giving up on you."

Asami kissed him, then rested her head on his shoulders. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

But while he traveled back to the Sato Mansion and spent the night at his girlfriend's place, Mako didn't think she should be feeling grateful. It was his idea to go to the Triads for help, and on top of that, the lies were starting to pile up. How much longer before it all fell apart? He needed to fix this, fast.

So the next morning while Asami was still sleeping, he left and got started.

Mako cursed himself again for trusting the gang he used to run with. Money had to be the top priority, and they'd always been like this, even before he and Bolin were out on the streets.

When their parents were still around, they all lived together in a tiny apartment in a building owned by the Triads. It might've been one of their "legit" businesses, but as landlords they had no problem squeezing their tenants for everything they had, and he overheard a conversation between his Mom and Dad about tough choices they might have to make in relation to money.

He'd never told his brother. Bolin wouldn't be able to let something like that go, and the only thing that was treated worse than a street rat was a street rat with a big mouth or a bad attitude. But they were older now, and strong enough to not put up with their bullying anymore.

He knew who to look for and where to look for them. When Zolt had concerns about the man's loyalty, he'd told Mako to trail him for a few days, and report back if he saw anything fishy. He hadn't noticed any weird behavior, but Mako remembered that he liked to spend a lot of time in a certain alley betting on dice, and that's exactly where he was now.

Mako decided to lay his hand on Ping's shoulder with a firm grip before introducing himself. "Got a lot of money there. Want to tell me who gave it to you?"

The other dice players stood up to intervene, but scattered when Mako flashed his badge.

"Hey, Mako. Uh, you're not mad about last night, are you?"

"That depends on what you have to say now." Then Mako slammed Ping into the wall. "Who hired you to double-cross us?"

"I don't know. We never met the gal before."

"You expect me to believe that?" Then he produced a flame dagger in his hand, and ignored the feeling of hypocrisy. "Because I think you do know, and you're gonna tell me, or we're gonna have to change your name to 'No Toed Ping'."

"She showed up a while after you left, and said her boss would pay us to keep you distracted. We'd never seen her before, and we ain't seen her since. Come on, Mako, you know how these deals work. Please, I would never lie to you with my lucky toes on the line."

"What did she look like?"

"Short thing, brown hair, gray hair, tiny glasses, come on Mako, I'm telling ya all I know!"

"...Get out of here", he told Ping as he walked off.

It can't be...gotta be a coincidence.

Still, it's the closest thing he had to a lead, so he had to investigate.

At the mover studio, Mako didn't really pay attention to Tahno's explanations of Nuktuk's "plot" or his preparations to get into character, but something about the "pyrotechnics" they were using.

He walked up to someone who was working on the set. "How did you rig those explosions to go off like that?"

"Neat, huh? It's a Varrick Industries exclusive." Then he passed Mako the detonator, and everything fell into place.

He rushed over to Future Industries, desperate to find his girlfriend. "Asami, I think-"

"Hello, Mako." He heard Varrick's voice before he saw his face, but when he turned around in chair and saw the businessman's expression, Mako realized he got there too late.

"Mako, I'm so glad you're here! Varrick just saved my company."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he bought a controlling interest in Future Industries. Isn't that great?"

"Yep, I like to think I'm always there to stand up for the little guy", Varrick bragged. "Especially if that little guy can help this guy become a bigger guy."

"Wow, that's...great."

"I know, it's a huge weight off my shoulders." Mako could tell, he hadn't seen Asami this relaxed in a long time. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Yeah, Mako", Varrick added. "Got something to share with her?"

"I...think I have a lead on who set us up."

"Oh. By the way you barged in I thought it'd be bigger news.

"I still have to do some more investigation to be sure. I'll let you know when I figure it out."

Mako couldn't tell Asami...at least not yet. He didn't have any hard evidence, just theories and unreliable testimony. If he was going to take this to Beifong, it had to be airtight.

But that was complicated by Varrick's new business venture. Was investing in Future Industries part of his plan, or to complicate things for Mako? He was probably crazy, but definitely not stupid, and the look he gave basically confirmed the man was onto him. He had to tread carefully now, for Asami's sake as well as his own.

(-)

"Uh...Hey there, Dad. You're looking well."

Bumi had made sure to avoid the statue room during their original tour, but it made sense to stop by now.

He could probably convince the air acolytes to give him a ride back to Air Temple Island, and then he could pack up the rest of his things and try to get back into the United Forces.

It would probably be something behind a desk or a token posting in the middle of nowhere, not a warship like before, but his name carries weight there. His own, not his parents.

"Look, uh, I'm sorry I didn't turn out to be an airbender like you hoped." Tenzin didn't get it. Even Kya didn't get it. While he'd read scroll after scroll, trying to learn bending forms in the hope of conjuring something, anything, they hadn't even been born. Mom and Dad had always said they didn't care that he couldn't bend, they loved him just the same, but it mattered to him. He wasn't able to pass on Southern style waterbending like his little sister, or be the savior of airbending like his little brother. And as a result, they'd gotten special bonds with his parents he didn't have. Uncle Sokka helped, but still...

"I've tried my best to keep the world safe, though. Hope I made you proud."

"Of course he'd be proud of you, Bumi."

"Kya!", Tenzin yelped. "I-I was just, uh...cleaning off Dad's statue. "It's so dusty in here."

"Come here."

He accepted the offer from his sister. "Thanks, Kya. You always know when I need a hug."

"Now come with me, there's something I wanna show you."

He followed her, but she'd just led him to a room with two chairs next to a radio.

"Wow, a radio. Never seen one of those before."

Kya rolled her eyes. "Try talking into it, dummy."

He wanted to skip this whole charade and go to bed, but he humored her instead. "Hellooooo? This is Commander Bumi, talking into a radio for no real reason."

"Hello, Bumi."

"Mom!?" He needed a moment to collect himself after the shock of her voice. "What's going on? Is everything alright down there?"

"We're fine, for now. We've been busy trying to train as many healers as we can, but I'm worried about when the fighting starts. Anyway, that's not why I called."

"Then why did you? Don't get me wrong, but it is kinda late."

"Bolin told me about what happened."

"Oh", Bumi grumbled. "Tattletale."

"He was trying to help, you dink", Kya chastised.

"And I'm glad he called me. I had a feeling something like this would happen."

"Then why'd you want us to come on this trip together if you thought we'd fight?"

"I didn't want you to fight", Mom explained. "But I did want you to talk about these things. You've kept them bottled up for too long."

Bumi still felt reluctant to talk about Dad with her. All his life, she'd been the strongest person he'd ever known,the one person everyone could rely on, but she'd fallen apart when Dad died.

She must have picked up on the concern. "I had issues with your father too, you know. His absences were difficult for me as well, and I think that and Tenzin's training affected things more than he wanted to admit."

"No kidding."

"That's not what I mean. Do either of you remember him being strict with you, or giving you a lecture when you got punished?"

Now that Bumi thought back on it, he couldn't really recall a time. When he did get in trouble, which was often, Dad usually just stood there with a stern face while Mom was the actually angry one. He always knew who would be good cop and who would be bad cop. His friends never understood why he found his mother more intimidating than the actual Avatar.

"He knew the time he spent with Tenzin wasn't fair to you two", Mom continued. "So he was more...lenient at times than what I thought he should be. We argued about it, but he was worried that if he was harder on you, he'd end up pushing you away."

"Gee...well now I feel like a jerk."

"I didn't tell you that so you'd feel bad. It was completely fair that you wanted more from him, and he agreed with that. I just wanted you to know that me, you...all of us. We meant everything to your father."

"We know, Mom", Kya added. "And we love Dad too, it's just..."

"We wish things had been different", Bumi finished.

"So do I", Mom agreed. "But I wouldn't trade the time we all shared for anything, and neither would he. You know, he told me when he was off saving the world, your Dad thought about all the memories we had together, and he couldn't wait to come back and make more."

Bumi thought back on his own time with his father, even though it wasn't as much as he wanted. "I remember back when I joined the United Forces, I expected him to suggest joining the Air Acolytes again, or try considering something more Zen-y or whatever. But he just told me he was glad I found my own path, and that I'd be keeping the world safe when he wasn't around anymore."

"When I was finally ready to tell Dad...the truth...", Kya added. "...I was so scared of how he'd react. But he just hugged me, said he was so glad he finally told me, and that he couldn't wait to meet the lucky lady."

"He was probably more surprised that it was Tenzin that started dating Lin instead of you", Bumi teased.

"Oh, shut up."

"Speaking of baby brother, though..."

"He'll come around", Mom encouraged. "It was good that you told him about these things, even though he didn't want to hear it."

"Told you he was sensitive", Bumi reminded her.

"And even if he is, you shouldn't let what happened before affect your relationship now."

"...We won't, Mom."

The next morning, Bumi just stood by Kya, watching Meelo try to train his new lemur.

"Aw, come on Poki! Just roll over once! Pleaaaase?"

That would never work. If he'd learned anything from his time in the military, it was that you had to establish dominance, command respect. But Meelo didn't go to good ol' Uncle Bumi for help, he went to Bolin instead.

"How'd you get Pabu to behave so well?"

"Oh, he ain't that well behaved." The fire ferret seemed to agree, since he was on top of Bolin's hair, pawing at the curl that came down on his forehead. "But I suppose we've been best buds ever since I saved him from being pythonaconda food."

Then the boy turned to his mother. "Mom, can-"

"We're not feeding your pet lemur to a pythonaconda", Pema told him, before turning to Bumi. "Or a shark-squid."

"You never let me do anything!"

"There you are!" Pema wasn't talking to Meelo anymore, but Ikki and her husband. And when she was done hugging her, she turned to her other children. "Do you have something you want to say to your sister?"

"I'm glad you're back, Ikki", Meelo told her.

"Me too", Jinora added. "Sorry we teased you."

"It's okay. Wanna play airball?"

"Yeah!"

"That'll have to wait", Tenzin interrupted. "We're expected at the Eastern air temple by tomorrow afternoon, and we need to get prepared to leave by morning, so go ahead and pack."

The children (and Bolin) grumbled, but they did as they were told. Bumi and Kya were about to do the same, but their brother told them to hang on.

"I want to apologize for how I acted yesterday. I suppose that in my desire to celebrate Dad I may have overlooked parts of him and our childhood that were...less than ideal."

"And we're sorry for dumping our frustrations with it out on you", Kya told him.

"There's more. You were right that we should all be carrying on Dad's legacy together. You're his children just as much as I am. And we should be spending more time together doing it than we have been."

"Awwwwwww."

"Be quiet and come here." They accepted Kya's offer of a hug, then she pulled out an old photograph. "I've been meaning to show you guys this. Mom gave it to me before we left."

They all looked so young. Tenzin couldn't have been more than one, so Bumi must've been about thirteen, and Kya four. "That's one good looking family."

"That's one happy family."

(-)

Korra finally awoke with a gasp. She glanced around seeing she was in some sort of net, surrounded by water. "Where am I?"

"You don't remember?" She looked up, and saw an old woman and fire sages looking down at her through a person sized hole.

"I'm Avatar Korra."

The woman looked to the sages. "Bring her up."

While Korra was lifted out of the pool, the woman explained. "You're on Bhanti Island. Do you know where that is?"

She'd heard of it before, but Korra wasn't able to recall much information. "I think...the Fire Nation?"

"Close", the woman chuckled. "Do you know who I am?"

"No, but I'm guessing you're in charge." She felt guilty for not knowing the name of who saved her.

"No apologies necessary, our last meeting wasn't in your lifetime. Did you get what you needed from Raava?"

"You...know about Raava?"

"I am the shaman of this island, and my ancestors settled here during her time with Wan", the woman explained as they walked the halls of the temple together. "Ever since, we've kept ourselves dedicated to serving her and the Avatar across all four nations ever since."

"Really?"

"Well, you also talked in your sleep down there."

Korra didn't have time to dwell on that embarrassing revelation, the fate of the world was at stake. "So if you know about Wan and Raava, then you must know about Vaatu and Harmonic Convergence. How long have I been away?"

"That I cannot say, but you do not have much time left. The Harmonic Convergence is only weeks away."

"Then I need to get to the Spirit world as soon as I can to close the portal."

"We will continue to assist you if you choose to stay here", the shaman offered. "But we can still help if you want to go elsewhere."

Then they came out of the temple to a grass clearing filled with grazing sky bison. "We've been raising this herd of air bison since before the Hundred Year War. I never thought I'd be able to present one to another Avatar."

Now Korra remembered where she'd heard of Bhanti Island. This had been where Aang discovered that the Sky Bison hadn't been wiped out with the Air Nomads. The sages here had chosen isolation long before the war started, so the Fire Lords hadn't noticed the original airbenders being hidden right under their collective noses.

Though they'd taken a massive risk doing that. Not fully embracing the propaganda of spreading their empire to the other nations had been...tolerated due to their remote location, but harboring these animals would've been considered a treasonous act that incurred the full wrath of the Fire Nation.

But they'd been careful and they waited, until after the war when the sages sent out a message to Avatar Aang, so that sky bison could return to the Air temples with the newly formed acolytes, and Tenzin would have one of his own when he came of age.

Tenzin. She'd probably (definitely) need to apologize, but Korra couldn't think of a better person to help her into the Spirit World.

"I can't begin to thank you enough for what you've done", Korra told the shaman as she mounted one of the bison.

"You do not need to. Our tribe has not flinched in our duty for the past ten thousand years, and we will not flinch now." And Korra knew she could not waver from her duty either.

Notes: So that's the cloudkids saga wrapped up, with Katara included in this interpretation. On a semi-related note, does anyone know any fanfiction out there where Kya comes out to Aang and Katara?

And it's good to have Korra back in the story too, with a little extra background on where she ended up when she lost her memory.