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College applications are sent in, so I've been writing more! I will try my best to keep updating on roughly regular intervals.

Hope you all like this chapter!

~Mako~

The force of Zolt's hands coming down upon the desk shook the mug that sat in front of Mako. The firebender slouched back into his seat slightly, but kept his expression indifferent. The office was tight and dark, yet Zolt's looming figure was still intimidating.

"You show promise, boy," Zolt sighed, "yet you let something like this happen…" He took a long drag on his cigar and blew out a puff of smoke in Mako's face. Amber eyes narrowed.

"There was nothing I could do, sir," Mako stressed, his voice low and even. "The Avatar showed up and –"

"Yes, I am aware that the Avatar is in the city," Zolt snapped. "What I am unaware of is how you let the Avatar beat you in a fight. Isn't she a girl?"

"Her gender doesn't matter," Mako said, surprised that he was coming to Korra's defense. He'd only had one meeting with the girl, and the thought of her already infuriated him. "She's mastered three elements and from what I can tell, she has good form. Wherever they've kept her all these years, she's trained hard."

"I don't give a shit about her training," Zolt yelled, waving his cigar angrily in the air. "We do not let her interfere in our activities! Because of you, we've lost three men and didn't receive an overdue payment." Zolt leaned in and locked eyes with Mako. "You're being demoted."

Mako startled. "Sir?!"

"I thought you had something special," Zolt sighed, standing straight and taking a seat behind his desk. "Guess I was wrong."

"You can't do that," Mako hissed, slamming his mug down onto the desk and vaulting to his feet. "I've been working for you for eight years; I deserve to be a Capo." (Author's Note: A Capo is a position in most mafia families. They control different divisions of the family and report to the boss directly.)

"I know what you're like, Mako," Zolt laughed, a glint in his eye that disturbed the young firebender. "You're only here cause of that brother of yours. What was his name again… Balin?"

"Bolin," Mako snapped, the name coming to his lips defensively.

"And there's all the proof I need," Zolt grinned. "You're only here because of that boy. If the stakes weren't high, you would have high-tailed it out of here a long time ago, am I right?"

Mako glared down at the floor but said nothing.

"You're demoted," Zolt repeated. "You'll be a solider from now on."

A soldier. The lowest rank a member of the Triads could hold.

"I… I won't be able to afford the apartment if you do this," Mako grunted, refusing to meet his boss's eyes. "Renshu and I, we'll…"

"Ahh, yes, that waterbender brat," Zolt said. "Looks like you both share the same rank now, congrats."

"Sir…"

"As for the rent? I could really care less," Zolt stated, twisting his cigar between his lips. "Figure something out. I'm sure there are openings at the factory. You can work overtime."

Mako's fists clenched next to his sides. He wanted to burn the older man's face; he could feel his fingers itching with heat. One punch… one punch and he could…

"That really wouldn't be wise," Zolt drawled, noticing Mako's fierce expression. "I'm sure you know where your bother lives. You've kept tabs, haven't you?" He smirked. "Well, so have we. The attic in the probending arena, is that correct?"

Mako hissed, his hands shaking.

"If you burn me, I could always arrange for the same treatment on him as well… Your choice, of course."

Mako's fire cooled, and with it his posture deflated. His shoulders slumped and he stumbled away from the desk. "I… hate you," Mako said, his eyes dull. "One day… I swear I'll…"

"No, you won't," Zolt laughed. "You never will, because you're weak. You're too afraid to risk your brother's life. While it's noble, it's also incredibly stupid." Zolt tapped a few ashes away from his cigar. "I've never been one to put others first."

"I've noticed."

"And that's exactly why I get to sit here, behind this desk." Zolt waved a hand. "Now get out of my office."

~Korra~

Air Temple Island was a prison, and Tenzin was the warden.

Korra's "joyride" around town and her eventual arrest had not gone over well with her airbending teacher. He'd threatened to ship her back to the South Pole after picking her up from the police station, but Korra begged him to let her stay. And as it turns out, so did Pema and the kids.

Tenzin eventually complied, but enforced a rigorous training schedule and deemed Republic City "off limits" to the Avatar.

This made Korra actually miss Beifong's holding cell, of all places.

Korra sat with her restless thoughts, feigning meditation. The whole "empty your mind" concept just wasn't clicking. Unfortunately, Tenzin ordered the Avatar to mediate for two hours each day at noon.

They were in the middle of one of said sessions – the gazebo they sat under overlooked Yue Bay and the skyline of Republic City.

Tenzin sat, perfectly still, in front of Korra and his three children. The soft breeze rustled her light robes and Korra sniffed, resisting the urge to pick at her sleeve.

"Absolute quiet is key to finding peace," Tenzin instructed softly.

Korra poked one eye open and leaned over slightly. Jinora looked deeply focused. Ikki was rocking back and forth slightly. Meelo was asleep.

With a grunt, Korra pushed herself to her feet. "I can't do this anymore."

Tenzin's eyes popped open in distress. "Korra, it has only been seven minutes – we have nearly two hours left."

"I don't care!" Korra cried, stomping her foot down onto the wooden floor. Jinora and Ikki startled back into reality. Meelo snorted and kept napping. "I'm obviously never going to understand meditation, so what's the point in trying?"

"That is not the attitude an Avatar should be using –"

Korra laughed bitterly. "Avatar? Don't you mean prisoner?"

Tenzin's eyebrows twitched. Korra knew she had struck a nerve.

"Prisoner?" He questioned, his voice dangerously low. "You are not a prisoner, Korra."

"Are you sure about that?" Korra snarled. "You've got me on this crazy schedule 24/7! Meditation, breath exercises, try to get though those damn spinning doors, repeat, repeat repeat!" She was fuming now, heat itching to her fingers. "Not to mention that you won't let me leave!"

"I am trying to teach you an ancient art!" Tenzin shouted over her. "If you are not entirely dedicated to your training, you will not get it."

"I have been trying!" Korra cried, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Maybe you're just a horrible teacher!"

Immediately, guilt settled in Korra's stomach. Tenzin looked taken aback – his eyes wide and his face slack. Ikki was clutching at Jinora's arm, both of them frowning. Meelo had woken up in confusion.

"I'm... going to my room," Korra whispered, stepping back. She turned and sprinted.

~Mako~

Mako needed to get away.

Anywhere was fine, really, but he needed a break from his current life.

He walked aimlessly, pushing through crowds of normal citizens who were enjoying a night out on the town. His surroundings were only vaguely familiar, but Mako pushed these worries aside and kept walking. He'd worry about getting back home to his apartment later, once he'd cleared his head.

Couples walked together, arm-in-arm, all around the firebender. Clearly, he was out of Triad territory. People didn't walk around at night when the gang was known to prowl the streets at those hours.

It was refreshing to see different faces - all happy and carefree. Here, nobody feared Mako's presence. He was just a stranger; not a Triad thug.

Mako smiled at the thought. A stranger… Just for tonight, and then he'd get back to his sorry life.

~Korra~

Korra needed to get away.

The only place to get away to was the city, the lights of the tallest buildings blinking in the horizon.

Korra leaned heavily on her wooden window sill, staring out at the promising landscape. The nightlife was calling out to her; the city needed to be explored, and Korra couldn't think of any better candidate than herself.

Determined, Korra turned to her bedroom door and locked it. She stretched, jumped in place, and took off - vaulting herself out the window and onto the grass below. She looked both ways for White Lotus guards.

When the coast was clear, she sprinted and dove into the bay, twisting the water to her will.

It was a short, easy swim, but when Korra surfaced she could hardly catch her breath due to excitment. Boats bobbed in the water in front of her, attached to sturdy boardwalks. Korra grabbed onto the wood and swung herself up.

Before her stretched dozens of streets crowded with vendors, restaurants, and street performers. Citizens strolled along – families, couples, friends – all enjoying their Friday night out. Lanterns hung from strings above the streets, lighting up every inch of the city in front of her.

It reminded Korra of festivals back in the Southern Water Tribe. Although here, she was a stranger; just another face in the crowd. Nobody knew that she was the disgraced Avatar who still couldn't airbend regardless of hours of training.

Korra smiled at the thought. A stranger… Just for tonight, and then she'd go back to her sorry life.