The Avatar made her way to the diner from yesterday morning slowly but surely, finding it to be nearly as occupied with the same amount of people as it had been before. Once inside she had made an observation to look around for the man and was rewarded with the face she had been looking for at the same booth, as if he was expecting her to show up.

"Good morning. You look rather drained." Shoichi took note of the bags under her eyes and probable lack of sleep.

"Just having a disagreement," she sighed and then took a seat across from him, sliding in far enough until her side leaned against the window which was circulating warm air just above it. "Good morning to you too."

Shoichi courteously ordered them both a plate of food and offered to pay for the bill. Not because she was the Avatar and he was praising her but because he felt it was only proper. "You know, I haven't had much of a good day myself to be honest." Shocihi admitted quietly while sipping at his mug hoping to show some bit of sympathy to lighten her up. "I will be leaving here shortly this afternoon. Unfortunate, but that is the way things must be." Heaving a sigh, he placed the drink down in a perplexed state.

Korra did not seem pleased to hear her friend was having a hard time just like her, but now he spoke of leaving. "Where do you plan to go?"

"I can't quite be sure. Probably the Fire Nation."

"The Fire Nation? Why there?"

Shoichi smiled at her curiosity. "I suppose I have history there. I once lived there a long time ago, though I'm not sure if the home I had there stills stands in tact or not. Time will do wonders. I'd be surprised if I went back and it wasn't haunted." Speaking of haunted, there was the matter of the last time she visited the Water Tribes. "How is that choice of yours holding? With the opening of the spirit portals, I mean."

A bit taken back by such a question, the girl felt baffled and idiotic for not having checked in on how the portals were doing while she was here. With both portals being open it was easier for spirits to travel among the living. So far there were no reports of any problems, but it was rather suspicious that even up until now, she had seen no sign of any spirits. "I…don't know."

"What do you mean? Have you not been there since your stay here?"

"No. I also haven't seen any spirits either which is…odd. No ones even reported anything either whether about peace or about conflicts."

"Maybe they're not volunteering to leave their world?" Shoichi tossed out the idea having no other real answer to give. "Maybe there's a type of elation they get out of laying dormant."

"I don't know…Currently the spirits are the least of my problem right now. Right now my only chances of getting some form of back up is not letting up. The ferry is docking today and I'll be leaving to go after those two killers. It's not that I doubt my powers at all, but I guess I'm a little unnerved doing this without my friends, especially when one of them was kidnapped."

Shoichi raised his eyebrow in curiosity but then settled in understanding. "Oh, I had no idea that officer was your friend – my condolences."

Acknowledging his apology she did not say thank you but simply nodded her head. Maybe she did miss Mako more than she had let on but now was not appropriate to feel that way. His safety was more important than debating anything more than their friendship. How was Bolin doing in the Earth Kingdom with Asami? Were they holding up alright or were they on a search for him? The idea hadn't yet crossed her mind until now and now she felt selfish for not thinking about their well beings. This was not like the Korra she used to be. She was feeling like a changed person, whether that be the effect of being away from her friends and family, being in the presence of the two dangerous bloodbenders, or her sudden panic from the situation that was much out of her control.

For a couple minutes they sat and ate in silence.

Shoichi then grinned sheepishly at her, half laughing to himself and half worried for her. "The reason I am leaving is because of what is coming. I'm rather glad you're leaving today, to be honest."

Korra leaned forward in her seat and pushed her empty plate aside, not quite sure what he meant. "And what's coming?"

"Something very evil and full of revenge. A plague that spreads and engulfs all those that fall into its flames. A monster." He trailed off. She raised an eyebrow, prompting for him to continue.

"What you're looking for will be arriving shortly, but who it is looking for will not be here."

"What?!" Standing from her seat instantly, Shoichi made a gesture for her to sit back down before she caused a scene, eyes already drawing towards the two of them and grumbling. "You mean they're coming here?" She said more quietly and began to slowly take her seat again. Panic began to flood her veins.

The raven haired man nodded solemnly. "She has discovered that what she had planned to apprehend is not dead when they were meant to be." Folding his hands together, his gaze kept still on the wooden table underneath his arms as though he were in a trans. "I also know who your friend is from yesterday. It is wise to leave this town while you can and catch the early ferry rather than the later one."

Caught off guard, the adrenaline ran through the Avatar's veins at top speed unsure of what to do or what to say. Had Shoichi really been that observant? Of course he must have recognized him if read the news frequently. How could they have been so careless? Taking deep heavy breaths, Korra tried to take the example of Amon and remain stoic. Did this mean even after they had asked Tarlokk about the killers being after him, it was a lie? While it is true she had not known Shoichi for very long, he had never once lied to her and been nothing but kind and accepting of her as a person.

"Ex-Councilman Tarlokk, isn't he?" Shoichi stood from his seat, arms stuffed in the pockets of his slacks. "Come with me, let's go on a walk." He took out some money and placed it on the table to pay for both their meals with the Avatar following behind him in tow.


They walked for a long while, until they were more towards the empty section of town with not as many people wandering the streets. Any of whom that were happened to be living in poverty. The scenery had Korra displeased. Was this what Chief Unulaq allowed during his reign of the North? Why had none of this been taken care of? There were sections of the Southern Water Tribe where people were not as fortunate but that did not mean they did not have a helping hand every one in awhile. People were much kinder in offering food or some type of blanket, perhaps even a roof for a night or two. Here there were no such things. Their fingers laced with frostbite, faces pale as a ghost and bodies wrought with hunger. The sight was not one for sore eyes in the least.

"Are you aware you are being followed?" Shoichi's voice snapped her out of her daze, forcing her to begin to look around, only to be stopped by Shoichi grabbing her arm and hoisting her closely as a warning to stop looking around as to not let the onlooker know they knew.

"Perhaps he's one of yours? Very stealthy, years of practice I can see, but I am use to noticing even the slimmest of movement or eyes on me…So," He stopped abruptly, hand brought up to create an ice shard from the ground that hovered at the height of his stomach. "I can either be on the offense or the defense, though I am pressed for time."

Apparently the action alone had drawn the man out, for the cloaked figure walked out into the middle of the pathway in the middle of the buildings wherein he held out a hand in terms of saying to wait. Shoichi eyed him cautiously and it only took a lot squinting for Korra to figure out who it was based on the familiar outline of the body.

It was clear to her now that she was torn between choosing between two sides, though violence wasn't necessarily on her agenda for the afternoon.

"Korra," that voice that use to send shivers down her spine on the radio, which use to give her nightmares more than a year ago, was now using a commanding tone of warning and anger. "Come here."

She heard him, but her feet seemed to be glued to the snow beneath her feet. She was too busy fighting the conflicting dilemma's going on in her head that urged her to call him a liar or go to him and hope that things will be sorted out on their own. Right now, she felt neither. Instead of doing either, she remained locked in place, her eyes running back and forth between the two males who claimed different outcomes of this whole epidemic. Shoichi held truth in his words, and she believed him when he said that the monster was on its way here. But she also did not want to believe it was truly Tarlokk they were after, not after this time spent with him and Noatak, short as it may have been.

"Come here," he repeated, gesturing impatiently. "Please."

But the conflicting emotions would not let her. She was not rewarded with any sign of the past Avatars for a source of guidance nor was she finding any bit of clarity.

"If you do, you will meet your downfall." Shoichi hissed in warning, his eyes never taking his eyes off the man cloaked in black and blue, even as he spoke to Korra. "I know of you, too. Both of you, in fact. Though I would have never guessed the Avatar would make her ranks with the likes of such a grueling pair of men…Unsightly bloodbenders no less." The laughter in his voice became intimidating, a complete 180 of what she originally saw as Shoichi's personality.

Taking his hood off knowing he was already exposed, Noatak stepped forward but stopped at the sight of Shoichi raising the ice shard in a position to throw, much like that of a javelin. "I keep tabs on people, Amon, especially criminals. I knew once you were exposed as a waterbender you had to have either come from the South or the North. What are the odds that it was the North in which I currently reside."

"What's going on here?" Korra was at a loss of information, unsure of what Shoichi's intentions were since he knew of him and Tarlokk for who they really were.

"It took me a bit…But I remembered where the name Shoichi came from when you told me about him yesterday." Noatak commented; his eyes locked on the man, paying no attention to the shard but still acknowledged it in midair. "There was a tale about him a long time ago, but most traces of it had been wiped out for all intents and purposes, surely by his doing. He didn't want to be found out."

"As clever as the reports said about you in the newspaper. I give you credit for that. No one knows of my real origin besides two people…Now I'll have to make that three." Shoichi muttered mutinously.

"Four, once I tell Korra." Noatak added, a bit of anger surfacing for once. Korra had yet to see him in rage, and frankly, she hoped she never would have to. Amon was a man of great patience, planning, and persuasion. While persuasion likely could not be used in a predicament such as this, she felt that violence may have to be used to get some proper answers around here if someone didn't start talking soon.

"Oh? And what if I were to kill you? While you may be in one another's companionship, you are still a latent criminal not meant to be alive. With you dead, my secret would be well kept, and the world will be rid of one more weak mongrel, lest I take your brother Tarlokk out with you. The Avatar should have no say either; after all, with you both gone, bloodbenders will decrease even farther and the world will be safer, correct? Heh," Walking closer towards Noatak, the man kept his ground but did not move even as the raven haired man drew closer, stopping just in front of him. "Power should not be rewarded to pests like you, incapable of unlocking its true potential."

"And you think power should be rewarded to you alone?" The bloodbender tsked in disgust. It was almost a mockery to have to hold some form of conversation with this man knowing anything said would not change his objective.

Before either of them could say anymore, a large rock emerged from underneath the snow just below the ground between them, jutting up and separating them. Shoichi swiveled his head around to see Korra had earthbent a rock wall to prevent them from going at each others throats just long enough for her to get a word out of her own.

"You won't touch him. Now tell me what's going on right now before I freeze both of you into an ice cocoon wrapped in rock so you can't run!"

Shoichi grimaced.

"He's not originally a waterbender, nor is he from the Northern Water Tribe by origin." Noatak cut in, knowing the other man was not going to give an answer to his real back-story and what this secret was he was hiding. Noatak had to be quick in saying it, lest Shoichi somehow go on the offense and prevent him from uttering any more.

"He's actually a firebender."

Korra was not having it, nor did she believe him. As much as she was growing attached to Noatak, the proof had already been shown the moment Shoichi lifted the ice shard in means of an attack. There was no probable way the former equalist could be telling the truth, could he?

"Nonsense," Shoichi blurted, waving a hand in gesture of the snow around him which he then proceeded to move in a wave forward. "As you can see, my dear Avatar, the man is a liar – you should have never have put any trust or faith in him or his brother."

"Korra, listen to me-"

"There is nothing for her to listen to!" Shoichi shouted, loud enough for Noatak to hear him over the large rock still standing between them even if he could not see him. "Korra, this man cares nothing more than to save his and his brother's arses. Nothing more. If you want to take down that monster headed this way, you must rely on yourself and only yourself. Did you not tell me earlier that you were refused assistance?"

He had a point. A point so bold, it was hard not to make use of it in her head. Both brothers declined helping to fight alongside her and it was probable that when she overheard them talking upstairs just moments before she walked in last night, it could have just been a show all along to convince her that Noatak was the good guy when in fact, he was not.

Betrayal dawned on her like a fish pierced with a hook, dangling in pain whilst being pulled up to the surface to see the light in which will drown her. Korra was strong, yes, but she was also young. She could not be expected to do everything alone. She needed motivation, support. She needed something worth fighting for.

"Don't listen to him. He's purposely trying to confuse you so he can persuade you and then make a run for it. That killer isn't after Tarlokk, they're after him!" Noatak sneered, disdain dripping from his lips. Moving forward towards Korra, which did not go through with her threat, he placed his hand on either side of her shoulder, turning his head abruptly. Seeing the look on Shoichi's face, he added snidely, "The reason all these killings happened in the first place is because there are hardly any records of him anywhere and that murderer got desperate. Shoichi evidently got sloppy after awhile...she must have picked up a lead on him somehow and discovered he was still alive."

Shoichi gleamed rather impressed that Noatak had figured this much out, but it did not matter to him. So long as the Avatar did not believe him and he himself was able to flee just before the cannibal arrived, he would be fine.

"But..." Korra was at a loss of words. "That makes no sense. It can't be coincidence...Tarlokk was framed?"

Noatak nodded. "I assure you, I trust my brothers' word. And if it was him, he wouldn't have attracted the killer consciously knowing. Shoichi must have recognized him yesterday and thought to use Tarlokk as a cover for himself since they both have similar attributes. By pursing Tarlokk wherever he is in hiding, it will distract her enough for Shoichi to flee and keep tabs on her if she ever gets close enough to his new hiding spots."

Shaking her head, the Avatar was really wishing she had the guidance of her past lives right now or a source that knew the full truth to clear this up entirely. What was to be done? Believe Shoichi or Noatak? There was no complete proof to prove either theory was correct.

Before either could react, Shoichi was already around the side of the rock wall, pressing into the back of Noatak's head using two pointer fingers, ice beginning to encase his skull from the back wrapping towards the front of his face.

Quick to act, Korra knew she would regret doing this but had no other option. She was swift to move, one foot over the other to angle perfectly, only to bring the back of her heal up and around to kick Noatak in the side of the head in order to shatter the ice and knocking him to the ground. It was hard enough to crack it, but not hard enough to damage his ear or give him a concussion. She half expected the man to use bloodbending in order to redirect blood flow back to his brain in order to think properly for a plan of action.

Jutting backwards in a fast movement, Shoichi shifted his weight to his palms and leaned down transitioning into a sweep which had forced Korra's foot to buckle once in contact with the back of her knee, causing her to collapse like a rag doll in a heap.

With one foot still on the ground enabling the man to twist his body - Korra now falling to her knee's - it gave him the perfect angle to completely turn his body, now using his hands for balance, only to bring up the opposite foot and kick her directly in the face with the back of it.

The attack had happened so quickly that it took a couple moments for Korra to process that she was flat on the snow tainting blood into the celestial white. Her head hurt incredibly from the impact of Shoichi's boot. Noatak was a few feet away on in the same condition as her but at least was recovering a lot quicker than she was, already forcing himself to his feet.

"You cannot run forever...She will find you eventually." Noatak hissed. Blood trickled from his lip as he spat some out. There was a large bruise on his cheek from where Korra had kicked him.

"On the contrary. Now I count on it." Shoichi riposted. His entire body language spoke fear and menace by the gallons. If Noatak had not stood up to his father a long time ago or become the man he was today, he may have been intimidated. But alas, he was not. It was Korra who was feeling cowardice to the mans strength, just as she once had to Amon and to Vatuu. As it was, that very man who was once Amon stood his ground. "The next time we meet, all will end. That I can assure you of."


AN:

Song is Masque by Lorelei.

Yes, shit hit the fan. But that doesn't mean we know who's telling the truth either.

I'm sorry for beating around the bush.

Sorrynotsorry. *Shot*