Book 5: Humanity

by Freedom0153

Korra wanted peace after defeating Kuvira. Then life happened. During her Spirit World vacation, an unlikely gift from an old friend caused a great rift between many spirits and humans. Even conflict with the Earth Empire wasn't over, Kuvira's surrender opening a vacuum. To restore balance, Korra needs any allies she can get, finding her growing love for Asami giving Korra peace.

54. Chapter 54: Melting Tundra

Chapter 54: Melting Tundra

Desna not entirely sure where his cousin wanted him to "go" aside from somewhere not "here", out from a … place that was likely to vanish soon, he found himself grabbing Princesss Ursa II's hand tightly, feeling the same bizarre shift occur as when cousin Avatar Korra - no, just Korra, this change in mindset was proving more annoying than he had anticipated - had first taken him to Pema's dream… thing. Desna hadn't really been one to do anything more than necessary with spirits or spiritual matters - not since his father had used him and his sister for his sick plan with Vaatu. Remembering the one part from earlier aside from the Princess that had grabbed his attention, Desna smiled, wishing Raiko had reacted to Wu's cap toss, not sure why or how someone would not care about possibly being able to bend!

Desna heard a small part of him that thought, "Just like you ignore the points your father did have, that your cousin saw, don't care about spirits living peacefully with human as a result of Unalaq's actions… at least until that serpentine slitherer ruined everything," thinking back, still feeling a need to break away completely, "NO - the less I have to do with him, the better!"

Opening his eyes, Desna found himself in a representation of the throne room he hated so much, noting his sister was not there, hoping she was talking to Yue and not something else. Desna sighed, "Here - my least favorite place in the world. From what you told me earlier, Princess, you and your mother hold the same opinion of your throne room - a reminder of past 'sins'. Perhaps I should get rid of the ice, like you mother removed barbaric fire in front of the throne," Princess Ursa II nodding, she said tentatively, "Yes… I wish all we had in common was trade, and… the sea," Desna chuckling lightly when she added, shivering, "Needs central heating. Maybe some flames… Don't see how you stand the cold."

Desna wasn't entirely sure how to pick back up where they had left off. His father had sabotaged his own children and, probably more important to Unalaq even before "falling for" Vaatu, his own heir's ability to relate to others. And as Bolin had shown his sister, fear was not a good way to get a husband. Instead of speaking, or making good on his idea to remove some of the ice around the throne, Desna merely pondered the irony of his thankfully late father's bad parenting possibly preventing the Northern Water Tribe from ever having another Chief of Unalaq's bloodline after he and his sister Eska passed. Bolin was a long-ago memory for his sister by now… and his sister saw that relationship as proof Unalaq had more than just repressed his only children. Eska had already vowed to tread carefully and not be so controlling.

Realizing he'd never heard a word about his fellow awkward soul's father, Desna treaded carefully, finding himself reverting to older speech patterns, being so pre-occupied with not offending Princess Ursa II, "So - uhm - we both have something in common, aside from the sea. Which surrounds both our nations, and provides trade opportunities… Ahem. Both our fathers aren't around anymore; while I am sure you know the reason for my abominable father's absence, I do not know the reason for yours." Looking at the Princess, seeing her start to cry, Desna asked, something he hadn't felt before in his stomach, "Wh - what did I say? What did I say wrong? I tried to be as polite as possible," wondering as the novel "sinking" feeling intensified, "Was - was your father horrible too?"

Princess Ursa II sighed, shaking her head and saying gently, "No - he was the antithesis of your father. I… I don't want to talk about it," softening her expression slightly when Desna interjected, finding himself sighing just like he used to about everything whenever his father came up, "I do - if that's okay with you. Parents… all I ever really knew was my father - my mother Malina still seems petrified of him, three years later." She sighed, sounding like she still hurt from a very old wound when she began, "I guess I should be thankful… your father was worse than my great-grandfather - at least Ozai never consorted with a 'Grand Dark Spirit', and Zuko had his uncle Iroh… it sounds like you had nothing but, well, him - Unalaq! I… was twelve years old when my father passed away. Ten years since… I had always been… reserved, awkward before he died, but…"

Princess Ursa II sighed again, remaining silent. Desna found himself reminded of Mai despite the massive age difference - and himself, in a way. Remembering how the great spirit his father had once practically killed had insisted people "weren't supposed to" be like he and his sister were prior to their own awakening in progress or the ever moody Mai, Desna tried saying something without thinking, just feeling. As he had been when making the Northern Spirit Portal's cap with his sister. Nothing coming at first, he felt compelled to fill the silence with something, anything, remembering something his cousin said about loss Raava had seen fit to impart to him and his sister, "I am aware this may sound trite, but… your dad's not really gone. A part of him still's inside you," recoiling slightly when Princess Ursa II said something he had never thought of before: "That's why it still hurts so much - because I can remember everything good, and… the ten years of separation and pain that followed just make my memories bitter! And not bittersweet! I saw him for a moment last night - focused on something else, couldn't stand…"

Feeling way out of his league, not entirely sure of his way around the "inner dream world" himself, letting out a frustrated grunt, Desna asked, "I do not know, my father never taught me such things, and I did not mourn his passing… but how long is a normal grieving process?" adding incredulously, feeling a bit jealous, "Wh - you've got Zuko as your grandfather! He's about as wise as the original Iroh - you ever talk to him about this? Your grief?" Seeing the Princess shy away from him, a childhood memory of his own sister being in a similar funk when his father had first started "weaning" them from "normal" children, Desna tried a different tactic, saying, "I've felt pain before - realizing what my father stole from us, made me and my sister have to start WORKING for recently, when we finally admitted the truth about what our father's influence on us was. When we were younger, some days, I'd accidentally put on my sister's clothes, and Eska, mine, nobody would notice, not even us, not even when we were barely teenagers - and it sounds like you had a wonderful father, if you miss him this much! Just like my sibling and I, you have your quirks - but even I get the feeling there are things about how you act, carry yourself - that aren't normal for you. I've seen dead eyes before - on my father," crying a little as he added, "I didn't want to admit it, but… they're there on you too. A lot less so, but... there."

Seeing he now had Princess Ursa II's attention, her golden eyes looking slightly mad, but above that, hurt, remembering something of her namesake's history, Desna said, "I remember the stories about how your namesake, Zuko's mother, chose to run from the pain of separation. Forgetting who her children were rather than remember your grandfather and great-aunt with melancholy, waiting on the day she could see them again. I think you may have done the same, ignoring the pain of losing your father for so long - just not gone to the Mother of Faces to do it! Ten years of that? The pain from grief, from quelling feeling? Nothing but the ice my father forced on us? I'd rather be bored to death on my icy throne than in misery of my own making for that long. My father's the reason the way we were, and, to an extent, still are - but it sounds to me like you did it. Raava showed us a lot. You saw what Asami Sato and, to a lesser extent, my cousin had to deal with - their griefs. Accepting grief as a part of life, even a part of what makes life so precious… Asami Sato saw her father die in front of her eyes, and from what I got, she'll never really be able to make the grief and pain go away. Just deal with it." Seeing she looked overwhelmed, trying to shy away still slightly, Desna decided to be more direct, forming an ice mirror in front of her, saying as gently and strongly as he could, "Look in this ice mirror - those aren't the eyes of a happy person. Beautiful gold irises - spoiled because something's missing. Something that was missing for me for a long time too, and my sister - the spark of life, laughter, soul. As Raava might say, what makes you 'human-y'. Grief… Whatever you're doing to deal with it, Princess Ursa II, like Ursa in more ways than name alone… it's not working."

Waiting on a response, Desna's mind raced, things like, "Did I just screw her up even more? Make her hate me?", "Did I just break her heart?", "Am I even over my own grief for childhood lost - can I really speak to her, like this?" and "Dealing with the shame of my father by not speaking of him except ill… am I making my own mess?" plagued his mind, not having an answer for any of them. Especially not the last one - Desna had heard rumors his father's plan all along was to become a Dark Avatar, but maybe… maybe that was Vaatu's doing? Corruption… Seeing a slight change in her face Desna couldn't quite put his finger on, he turned the ice mirror to water, tossing it aside. Princess Ursa II knelt down on the floor, Desna's feelings shifting in a direction they hadn't before when she began speaking.

Speaking with great audible pain, but without pauses, and with something he had only heard from her a few times - confidence.

Looking up, though still kneeling, Desna finding what Princess Ursa II said more beautiful than her golden watering eyes or jet-black hair, envying her family life deeply, she said, "Thank you for making me look. Look at what I chose, written on my face, in my eyes… Desna - you're right. Being only twelve at the time, I felt immeasurable pain when my father passed away from a freak heart attack ten years ago. Daddy's little girl, just like my 'great' aunt Azula, but in a good way… Along with my mom and grandparents, he was my world. Rather than deal with it, as you told me to, my grandfather and mother have told me over and over to, I tried softening the blow at first, then dulling my feelings to make the pain go away… and it backfired horribly. From what little you've told me about your own childhood, it sounded like you were interested in bonds outside family, to get to know the 'peasants', the commoners, but your father quashed them. I was the exact opposite - loved our family, never really thought to try to make friends actively, though just like my mom I hated a good portion of our nation's past, and my father Kuzon was the one who pushed me out of my comfort zone - more so than my mom. Got me to do things I didn't want to, and ended up enjoying… After he died, I didn't even make passive friends - the kind you make at school? You do have a Royal School, right?"

Desna had not a clue as to what that was, his father having home-schooled them from an early age, merely shrugging. After a slight pause, getting up and closer to him, Princess Ursa II continued, "Talking to you, working with the 'brain trust' earlier, most importantly, listening to you rather than just brushing you off… things my father would have wanted me to do," surprising Desna when she said, "Thank you for being so harsh and honest - a lot of what you said is what my grandfather Zuko's told me," admitting, "I think my mother is still grieving my father - though not as much as I was… no, am. Just like what our predecessors did to other people, I need to come to peace with the fact that life isn't always fair." Desna smiled when she added, sounding empathetic, "Like how you got such a horrible father, while myself and your cousin got such nice ones."

Before his own transformation, Desna might have made some short monotone quip, or laughed awkwardly. Maybe cursed his father - wait, no, he still did that… Noticing she was staring right at him, Desna felt a strong urge to do something. Giving her a deep hug, intending just to console her, he blushed when one part of his body had different ideas, made all the worse by the fact he didn't have on a long androgynous robe anymore. Desna was relieved when she said, "Never done this before - don't stop," the way she started giggling, "Ohohohoo! That feels… different, strange, but in the best way possible," making it "worse". Tightening the hug, feeling a small something that was much more pleasurable, Desna smiled after she said, "You… Desna, just call me Ursa II." Physical stimulation dimmed slightly and the other strengthening as she said, not really liking what she was saying, "You helped me a lot - you talking like Zuko, it's reminded me of other things my grandfather's said, told my mother and I over and over. I heard you basically cursing your heritage - just like I cursed most of mine. Nowhere near as bad as my mom, though… stupid nondescript buildings. Given that, maybe I can help you…"

Part of Desna wanted to break the hug, go talk to Yue, get to Republic City - rather offend Ursa II by vanishing than deal with… that. The elephant koi in the middle of the pond - whatever was keeping him from moving on from his father, onto something else better. Breaking the hug for a different reason, wondering if Raava responded to requests from anyone in the "inner dream world", Desna said, "I wanted to run, to be honest, rather than face that. If you're going to help me, you may as well help my sister as well… RAAVA! If my sister's still asleep… plop her in 'here'!"

Both Desna and Ursa II yelped when a different, much older Northern Water Tribe former Princess appeared instead. Desna was surprised by how "human-y" Yue appeared, all cloth and body, no mist. Yue chuckled lightly when Ursa II said, "Hah - to think, you were just the example I was going to use, Yue," Yue smiling broadly and coming closer when Desna asked, "What about my sister? Where's Eska?" Sounding happy, Yue said, "She came to talk to me about the Spirit Civil War - and things ended up getting a lot more personal," Desna frowning slightly when Yue continued, "I'll be quick, to the point - like Katara might. Basically, your sister kept mentioning how much she hated your father over and over. While I'm all behind opposing everything about him - actually had a few spirits bug me about even being related to him on the 'human-y' side - obsessing about it holds you back just as much as his actions did." Desna was half tempted to say, "Enough," but remembered how Ursa II had thanked him for being frank, so he listened instead, Yue continuing, "I can't possibly imagine your life - but I can imagine mine. I hated, hated, HATED the arranged marriage - but I didn't hate my father."

Shaking his head slightly, Desna asked dryly, "What do you want me to do - pretend my father didn't almost end the world along with Vaatu? Pretend my father didn't emotionally and developmentally warp us, with his controlling nature?" adding, frowning slightly, "He didn't even make sense! A member of the Red Lotus, he betrayed that organization in pursuit of power with Vaatu as the Dark Avatar. But even before that - the Red Lotus was supposed to be about freedom and anarchy. I wouldn't call high taxes and controlling your kids in line with either freedom or anarchy. Even as a villain, he was bad - leaving his Red Lotus 'brothers and sisters' out to dry, or I guess in P'li's case, freeze." Yue simply shook her head, Desna grumbling slightly, feeling like he was getting ganged up on, two girls on one guy when Ursa II said, pointing to her Crown Princess' headpiece, "Your father is NOT the Northern Water Tribe, the same way Sozin, Azulon, Ozai aren't the Fire Nation. This isn't about your father - unless you make it that way. The Northern Water Tribe used to be a symbol of hope in dark times, when they were facing my nation during the Hundred Year's War," Yue chiming in, "Every minute you spend thinking about, hating your father is a minute wasted. Don't be afraid to use any of the 'good' things from him either - he taught your cousin how to quell Dark Spirits, and led to her… until recently positive decision to open the Spirit Portals," Yue laughing, "I knew what Raava wanted to do before they even got in the portal. Tried to tell Raava no - just let them adopt a kid or half a dozen instead. Guess even 'gods' need to be humbled by experience…"

Letting out a sigh, Desna said, "Even though my father tried his hardest, Vaatu was certainly humbled - but that's another topic. Though I did love cousin Korra's speech to Vaatu…" Yue smiled broadly at the comment as he continued, "Less than a week ago, my sister and I were perfectly content with who and where we were. Maybe it's ridiculous to expect change to be lightning fast," getting a snicker from Yue when he said, "How ironic - Kuvira, war criminal. Gets over her problems like it's nothing. Two technically teenagers, me and my sister - confusion and annoyance." Yue starting to shimmer, Desna gave her a sour look when she said, "Every road is different," Desna's eyes widening and feeling like a fool when she finished, "Given she's yet to fight Earth Empire forces, yet to even fight the Dark Spirit your cousin was concerned about and will be fighting soon, Kuvira's trials aren't over. She will be tempted, just as this woman's great-grandfather was by Azula. Kuvira's not done, Nightmare Colossus or not - and she knows it. Don't pretend to think you can understand another's life, let alone know the future for them - not even Raava knows that…"

The last part a slight surprise to him, he made a mental note to tell cousin Korra that - he remembered his cousin being very annoyed with Raava "blocking" things about the future when she didn't even know it in the first place! Not sure what his own held, some crazy part of him idly wondering what it would be like to take Republic City where his father had failed, Desna relayed the thought to the only person left near the throne. Ursa II surprised him by saying, "That's nothing unusual - I've had stray thoughts at times, wondering how life would have been different, or what it would have been like, had the Fire Nation won the war - re-designing Ba Sing Se to be 'Fire Nation'," Desna musing, "You're right - just a thought. It's only when you act on something you enter crazy territory. Wonder where they come from…"

Feeling something at the edge of his mind that conveyed the sense it could answer that question, why people acted on the crazy, and so much more, Desna shook his head, catching a glimpse of a snow-white orb pulsing when his eyes were closed. Eyes open again, having gotten the impression that… something had risen and been quashed, Desna noticed Ursa II looked bored, idly jetting out small amounts of fire from soft hands. Trying to think of anything to do, not really wanting to leave just yet, Desna said, ignoring a nagging thought about rationalizing tardiness, "Well - my sister's already talked to Yue, obviously, and it'll take both of us two days at least to get to Republic City… want to... do an activity?"

Not sure at first why Ursa II snickered then giggled, Desna felt like groaning slightly when she said, "That's the line my grandfather used on a girl in Ba Sing Se," Desna not entirely sure if this was good or bad. Remembering what he had so much fun doing the "first day" with his sister, Desna suggested, "Perhaps we could have a fireball and snowball fight?" When Ursa II nodded, saying, "That sounds good - my own bending isn't particularly… impressive, as you just saw, and I could do with the practice, especially since I heard you inherited your father's talent," Desna found he didn't mind the reference for some reason even as she apologized, Ursa II saying, "I - I'm sorry, I didn't think, I just spoke…" Shaking his head, Desna said, "It's fine. From what I can gather, that's one of your quirks," smiling to see her look better when he added, "Maybe it's not all a 'bad' thing - they say you sometimes say the truth when you're not thinking, something you might not have said otherwise…"

Ursa II looking somewhere else for a moment after nodding, apparently fascinated by the throne room Desna despised, shivering slightly, Desna decided to be impulsive like she was at times. Working quietly, Desna smiled after knocking her Crown Princess headpiece off accidentally with his snowball, her dark hair unfurling like a… like a…. sail? A scroll? Desna thought to himself as Ursa II laughed, picking up her headpiece, "Damn, I'm bad at romantic metaphors - maybe I can ask cousin Korra for help with that?" blushing slightly when what he had just thought registered on his mind. Something telling him it might be the answer to becoming more "human-y", to move on from his father…

The momentary pause let Ursa II catch him off guard, surprised she chose to chuck her headpiece at him instead of a fireball. Feeling the same way he had with Eska a few days ago, playing for the first time in… he'd rather not know how long, except stronger, Desna returned the favor, laughing when the snowball hit Ursa II square on the face. The snow melting into steam, Desna decided to play keep-away with the headpiece, saying as she tried to get it back, in a goofy imitation of his father's voice, "If you throw your heritage away, there's no getting it back!" Apparently, she knew more physical combat than just hitting him with a royal "shuriken", finding his feet swept from under him by her long legs. Desna smiled in anticipation after she said, "I liked that impression - let me give you one of mine," picking the headpiece back up and speaking in a silly voice of her own, inspecting her nails as he chuckled lightly, "Oh, really, 'Desdes'? Us Fire Nation Royals are hard to get the drop on - I thought a Water Tribe peasant would know better," Desna bursting into laughter when she continued her apparent Azula impersonation with mock horror, "I'd hate to see one ever do something really crazy, like find a really powerful energy source. Nothing can be more powerful than my lightning - I won't allow it! Everything else, banished - by Royal decree," Ursa II finally cracking up herself after she said, "Spirit vines, you're all banished! Colossus - banished! Long Yumao - banished! I can't deal with it all!"

Seeing Ursa II shimmer slightly, Desna frowned, saying, "Wait - don't go." No longer shimmering, she smiled slightly, guessing, "Maybe someone wants me up," her smile broadening after saying, "I look forward to seeing you in Republic City - hopefully that spirit menace won't show up at all, or at least have the 'manners' to wait until we can 'do an activity' together. I've heard Narook's Seaweed Noodlery is still standing - and I've never had Water Tribe food before…" Remembering one thing that his cousin and her "boss" - though from what he had seen directly at times it seemed as though Korra was the one doing the bossing and not Raava - Raava had shown him that was always appropriate, Desna got up off the cold floor. In the back of his mind seeing one benefit to his old androgynous robes, not loving the cold anywhere near as much as his cousin did, Desna gave Ursa II a big hug, at first meaning to say something profound. Catching a whiff of something he'd never encountered before, something overriding his brain, he took a deep sniff of her hair, asking without thinking, "Your hair - it smells wonderful. What is that?" sniffing again before she stammered, "Uh - it's - I l-like you!," blushing deeply as she said, "Oops… Uh, white lotus," Desna pulling back and wondering if he had accidentally creeped her out.

Desna asking as much, she seemed hesitant at first, eventually saying, "No, actually. I think it's sort of… sweet. All your talk about your dad, making it sound like you have not a clue, I… it was a pleasant surprise," blushing slightly as she explained, "Especially considering I don't wear it for romance - I do it to honor the Fire Nation's good past. I'm sure my great granduncle Iroh would be beside himself." Having just heard her admit she liked him, Desna realizing the feeling was mutual as he finally placed the small feeling he had for her earlier while in another hug, Desna was baffled when she hugged him back, Ursa II saying as he caught another whiff of white lotus, "I - I like you, but don't tell anyone. Not yet. It might be… complicated. Just like Yue…"

Desna not entirely sure if he should ask why, enjoying the hug still, curiosity eventually got the better of him when she started shimmering slightly again, asking, "Wh- why? Why wait?" his eyes widening when she admitted, shimmering halted, the hug tightening, "Nobody at home likes to talk about it, but… you know my brother Iroh II? My mom and dad had him out of wedlock, a happy accident - when she was fourteen. My big brother wasn't eligible for the throne because of some stupid outdated rules - hence why I'm Crown Princess, and he's not Crown Prince." Desna filled in the blanks, saying, "So us, your reservations - has to do with your brother… because of a similar rule?" surprised when she responded, "I don't know of a rule, specifically… but I can imagine it would be complicated long term. Even I know there are unwritten rules, and I can imagine Water Tribe and Fire Nation royalty together would run counter to more than a few."

Finding himself not caring about the longer term, at least right now, Desna stepped back and asked for an explanation, Ursa II simply sighing, "Desna - we're not normal people. You and your sister aren't even 'abnormal' like your cousin is, being the Avatar. Avatar Korra can do whatever she wants, to be crude, do whoever she wants, but…" crying slightly as she continued, "Like I said. We're royalty, Desna. And so is your sister. With Wu stepping down, and nobody really knowing what the new Air Nation's going to be, aside from your cousin's father Chief Tonraq, we're the only royalty left, the rest of the world having moved on past Kings and Queens." Desna heard Ursa II start talking like his father, grimacing as she said, "We can't just totally… be normal. My namesake was in a… very arranged marriage to Ozai. My mother and father - wedded out of circumstance, the youngest wedding in the Fire Nation's history. I don't need to tell you about your own tribe's legacy - Yue's marriage."

Who and what had been the impetus for his own and his sister's change finally coming to mind, Desna stopped listening, started talking again, saying with great rage in his voice, "You think Asami and my cousin Avatar Korra have had an easier time of it, Avatar or not? Forget the petty squabblings and opinions of men - their relationship's caused a SPIRIT CIVIL WAR! Just because those stupid things can't wrap their heads around anything other than black and white unless they're forced to see the 'human-y'!" Seeing Ursa II was now crying, Desna choked up slightly, saying, "I'm sorry - I didn't mean to lash out at you," saying much more gently, "You used my cousin as an example of someone who doesn't have to care about marriage, the politics of reproduction - aside from the obvious, civil war causing things. It's not true - she's Chief Tonraq's only child, and technically, someday she'll become Chief herself," trying to add some levity by saying, "Talk about a conflict of interest - Chief Korra someday, AND the Avatar." Seeing her smile slightly, Desna continued, "From everything I've seen, people don't think when they get together - they feel, just like I did a little for you earlier. I think we should follow my cousin's example - just see where we go. Think what Iroh would say."

Noticing Ursa II still looked unsure, realizing something profound, Desna said, feeling slightly awkward at the same time, finding difficulty putting into words what he wanted to say, "What we're talking about - it has a lot more to it than just who we can and cannot see. It's about everything - if rules rule men, or men rule rules. Along with my sister, I lowered tax levels in the Northern Water Tribe as soon as I got back, overruling more than a few elders and rules. The Spirit Civil War - it's about weather humans deserve to live alongside spirits as equals, sometimes superiors - that's the way I see Asami Sato, at least, and countless others - by proving themselves capable of love and transcending petty differences. Capable of great changes, like Kuvira. Or prove themselves stupid, undeserving of anything but slavery - like Jinshu Kuangmai and his Earth Empire. I think it goes the other way too - if spirits are deserving of the things that were given to them 'carte blanche' for so long. My father loved to talk about how he wanted spirits to be respected, occasionally talked about how spirits needed to be a part of our world even before Harmonic Convergence, even before we found out what he really wanted. Any respect has to be earned…"

Finally getting to the point that involved himself, Desna said, "The Northern Water Tribe is flexible, and I'm sure your mother would hate to know you didn't do something different. Just because you're afraid of something far in the future. Rules can change - and so can people. If what you're worried about is what happens two, five, ten years on down the road, you're just repeating one of your earlier mistakes in a different way - 'mourning' the painful possibilities of the future instead of looking at each new day as something exciting, like my sister and I do, after our change." Feeling exhausted for some reason, Desna could only manage a smile when Ursa II's slight frown turned to a smile, admiring her face as she said, "Wow - we both think we don't know about life, but it sounds to me like you do, father and all," Ursa II blushing when he managed, "And so do you."

Even though it pained him to hear it, Desna nodded after she said, golden eyes watering slightly, "Narook's - it's a date, but… a covert one. No royal procession, no royal anything. Well, aside from the guards - but not in uniform. Get your bodyguard to go plainclothes, keep reporters away, spend some of those yuans you were flaunting on Ember Island and get an all alone reservation. I'll do the same. Let's keep this to ourselves for now - spirits aren't the only stupid beings, and we're lucky people haven't reacted negatively to your cousin's romantic choices. Given I don't even really know you yet, really… let's not push our luck," Desna getting closer and saying, glad to see her plump lips form a smile, "I agree - and after we're done, let's go on a tour of Republic City, incognito. I've always wanted to see things from a… 'normal' person's perspective." Remembering he still had a job to do, Desna added, "See the Spirit Portal at the same time - the barrier my cousin made, hopefully..."

Seeing her shimmer slightly, Desna went in for a quick hug, feeling faint when he got a peck on the cheek, the last thing he heard, "I'll see you soon - if not in person, here. In the heart's space…"

Opening his eyes, seeing nothing but darkness at first, Desna wondered if he was having a personal crisis. The darkness… moving somehow, now feeling something against his face and like a fool, Desna laughed lightly when he remembered he had gone to sleep under a thickly wrapped blanket, now able to see his sister standing over him. Coughing, Eska said, "Seems like someone took their time in waking up…" a small piece of ice touching his neck. Exclaiming, "Woaah! What's the meaning of that, sister?" in surprise, Eska chuckled, "Never gets old, especially since you didn't used to do that. Guess I am more like cousin Korra when it comes to cold now," Desna rolling his eyes when she playfully said, "Wuss - big thick blanket. Don't know what's gotten into you," grumbling when she finished, "Even Bolin didn't use a blanket that thick, and he was a feeble turtle duck back then." At first, Desna was glad Eska hadn't said anything about the reason she thought he was so late in waking up, simple guesswork or not - or the why behind shunning cold, where even his balanced cousin reveled in her first element.

Problems with his father - still…

Figuring he could trust his sister and realizing they both now had something the other didn't, Desna decided to "spill the beans", to use an English phrase. Eska had no luck finding anyone who was interested in her even superficially, cursing her initial treatment of Bolin every time a nervous guy politely declined small talk and ran away like she was her father. But according to Yue, and given the way his sister was smiling as warmly as the "first day", Eska had managed to make more peace with her "daddy issues" - something that had eluded himself, just as anything close to a romantic relationship had eluded Eska. Words flowing less like water and more like a chunky ice floe as he talked about the most personal parts, his voice occasionally breaking much like one of the pieces of frozen water might have facing a waterbender's wrath when talking about Ursa II's reservations, Desna took a deep breath once he was finished, even having talked about linking the cold to Unalaq, saying, "As I've told you, I've had luck where you haven't - but Yue never did say more about what she talked with you about."

Eska smiled, saying, "Sounds like she left out one important detail - our mother Malina was there with us," the simple smile turning to a mischievous grin as she added, "As mom is right now. Come on in - my brother looks like he could benefit from a strong arm constriction," Desna smiling weakly when Eska added, "He was certainly snug in that blanket…" The curtains at the entrance of the room swishing, Desna stood up, smiling broadly to see his mother looked different right away, life in her eyes rather than lingering fear as she said, giving him a hug, "Hello, Desna - my only son. I know I've never really been a strong influence in your life, deferring to your father entirely too much, but… hearing what you said gives me hope for the future for you two." More interested in why his mother looked… well, happy, Desna asked, "I'm as interested in you and my sister's 'talk' as you are in mine. Can you fill me in on the details some?"

His mother nodded, Desna realizing with a certain embarrassment that she reminded him of Ursa II in some ways - quiet, reserved, unassuming, humble, the black hair… Snapping back to attention after thinking about the scent of white lotus, Desna listened as his mother said, "Yue's talk was as much for your sister as it was for me. She told your sister to not focus on the past, to not let rejection discourage her from trying to find someone - she said 'Love comes from the most unlikely places' after talking about Sokka, and their 'forbidden' love," Desna laughing slightly when his sister interjected, "Wish a guy would just follow me like that, dunking himself in frigid water…. What you said about going incognito - maybe we should do that all the time!" Malina shook her head, saying, "No - that's another thing Yue talked about, to me. Relationships built on lies and manipulation aren't worth having, aren't worth holding onto," looking a bit ashamed as she said, "Even though he was three years gone, I still let Unalaq cow me from beyond the… Fog of Lost Souls? Certainly didn't have a grave…" crying a little as she said, "Talking to Yue, telling her how I also blamed myself for not trying more, how you two ended up until recently…" breaking down when she finished, "Yue told me the only way life can be 'lost', beyond death, is if you give up trying completely, and from what she had seen of my efforts… I was doing the best I could," Desna giving her a deep hug after she added, "She understood my difficulties, neither one of us having ever bent anything in life, your father, passing on his bending prowess to you two."

Desna's father had never really taught them much asides from statecraft, bending, spiritual matters and "proper" behavior - never really having thought what it must have been like, wedded to one of the most powerful benders in generations, unable to bend herself. Realizing he had a lingering resentment towards his mother as well, Desna apologized, swearing he was beginning to no longer curse the cold as he had ever since returning from the Fire Nation, "I'm sorry, mother - father never really taught us to even try 'walking in someone else's shoes', and… I guess I had resentment of you too. Never thought - to be a nonbender, with my father…"

Desna nearly fainted when his mother responded, "Thank you - that means a lot. But if what your sister told me about a dream I had last night is true… maybe I'll be able to teach you two healing someday, once I learn myself," Eska making her mother blush slightly when Eska insisted, "Wh - no! I already said we're teaching you fighting - I thought you told Yue you were over the old rules!" Malina simply sighed, saying, "My marriage was an arranged one… Old habits die hard," Desna glad to hear her finally move on, saying, "You already told us about you and Izumi's daughter - which I agree with your decision on," Eska smiling when her mother continued, "Though, if my daughter here finds someone, it could all be a moot point. I'll let your sister take it from here - then, from what she told me, you have a fleet to lead."

His mother making to leave at first, Desna stopped her, saying, "Don't go - not when you've just come out!" surprised when she left after saying, "I'll be back - since I'm not afraid of him anymore, it's time to do something I should have three years ago. Go through your father's abandoned things… see what I can find that might help your cousin. Or you two, more importantly…" Eska now alone with him, Desna groaned slightly when she asked persistently for more details about what he and Ursa II had talked about, merely saying, "I told you everything - and my mother on accident as well," noticing she frowned slightly when he added, "If you're going to find a date, you can't just badger them about things. From what I know, I'm lucky my deeply personal questions didn't make her run away - imagine if someone asked you what it was like working for father," Eska sighing a little after he asked, "Start, please."

Listening to his sister at first, Desna was surprised to hear so much overlap with what Yue had told him, his ears perking up when Eska said, their mother back by now, "Yue seems to know a lot more than her own life now, talking about how much trouble Zuko had dealing with right and wrong related to the colonies - and that was when both his evil father and crazed sister were still alive, his father feeding him tripe like … 'It is being the Firelord, your will the Firelord's will that makes your decisions right, Zuko - not anything else,' something like that," Eska snickering a little when she added, "Yue told me that I was really just being a stubborn child, focusing on our father as much as moving forward." Desna realizing he had done the same, he said, trying to get a particular point across and see what Eska thought of it, "If you're trying to guide a boat, you can't be looking back instead of forward," grumbling a little when she corrected him, "Well - you've got to make sure there's not a shark whale or shark squid on your tail, so not looking back's a bad idea," merely asking his grinning sister, her new haircut's inspiration coming though in her behavior, "Whatever, you wannabe Opal - did you get the idea?" a stray thought asking of no one "She can be so… annoying now! Was this change worth it or not?" passing through his mind.

Eska surprised him by asking, "No - did you get the idea?" everything making sense when she finished, "I made peace, as much as I can make with someone like our father, by realizing - without Yue's help - you need to look to the future, but learn from the past, so you don't repeat those mistakes. Bad old habits catching up with you because you didn't look - just like the shark squid." His sister smiled, adding, "And from what you told me, it sounds like your 'girlfriend' has some issues with her element as well, even if you can still bend well. Disliking the cold… Tsk tsk," Desna grumbling, "Quit it, 'Opal'," and making Eska and his mother laugh at the same time. Having seen an opening in the conversation, his mother interjected, "On to less funny business. I went through Unalaq's things - nothing of interest, that I could understand at least. Here - take a look, see if you know what this script is. It's like nothing I've ever seen… and looking at it gives me the creeps for some reason."

Desna and Eska having spent equal amounts of time with their father, they both reached for the paper at the same time, Desna saying at the same time as Eska, staring at characters that seemed alien yet familiar at the same time, "What the 'hell'?" At first, Desna felt annoyed with himself, having broken a previous "bad habit" just now, Eska saying as much out loud at the same time just deepening the annoyance. Desna's eyes widened when he heard his mother say, "Wh - that's just part of what makes you, you! We need to melt out old habits and parts of ourselves Uanalaq almost chilled to the death, not 'fix' who we are. I haven't said anything until just now, but a lot of what you've been trying to 'fix' is as a part of you as being a bender. You were finishing each other's sentences when you were children! Why are you trying to 'fix' so many things?" blushing in a mix of embarrassment and anger slightly when she added, "Bet your girlfriend would think your bond with your sister sweet, like she did your sniffing. And be appalled to know you're trying to change everything. From what you told me, she has her own quirks." Desna admitted she was right after Malina finished, "You wouldn't want those to go away, would you?"

Re-focusing on the paper in front of them, Desna couldn't make any sense of what it said, his father having apparently gone to great trouble and length to… write the strange characters? Draw them? They looked nothing like proper characters, or even English "letters". Finding they reminded him of something he couldn't put his finger on, Desna shrugged, saying, "Maybe cousin Korra can figure this out," before his sister said, fussing with her hair some, "I'm staying here - hopefully it will just be a walk on a snowbank, and our portal barrier will hold," Desna's eyes widening when she added sullenly, "Yue said unless it's nighttime and the moon is full, she won't be able to help very much on a global level - just locally near our tribe, even daytime assistance pushing it," Desna asking, "Wh - can't she just cheat, like Raava does? Or summon that massive Koi spirit monster Avatar Aang and La formed?" idly wondering if Raava had cheated before recently.

Eska laughed, saying, "Afraid not. I'll have to ask her about 'Koizilla' though. From what Yue told me, there's certain privileges only Raava has - or Vaatu, if he was most powerful," Desna laughing when his mother asked, "Wh - cheating? I thought she was supposed to be the good guy - err, girl!" Sighing, though not out of frustration, Desna said, "Maybe you can ask her yourself someday, mom," in synch with his sister when he said, "For now, mother, we want you to stay here, help heal old wounds our father caused to all of us," Desna continuing after his sister had stopped, "Maybe even try your hand at matchmaking - though not an arranged marriage, I despise the idea - I'll have someone in Republic City, and knowing who we might be up against… maybe sooner rather than later is best, sis."

Eska now the one blushing slightly, they all left the room, what appeared to be the most important artifacts of his father's in tow - a piece of paper and two books full of the strange writing. About to go out and start the inevitable speech, hoping what he had to say would never be acted on, the trip to Republic City just a way for himself and his men to see the world as tourists and not villains, Desna noticed his sister staring off, smiling when he saw what she was looking at, Eska saying, "It's okay - you can come out. Nobody's going to hurt you."

A small seabird-like spirit appearing, Desna asked as it came closer, "Wh - how did you see that in the low light, and… are those blue lines I see on it? I mean, I saw it, but… how'd you notice it? It's so... small." All three now stopped, Eska shrugged, saying, "How'd you not notice it? Given how she looked, our mom saw the spirit too - cute little thing," giggling lightly when it landed in her hand. Paying attention to it, the mixed brown and white spirit reminded him slightly of a toucan puffin with blue and white on its bill instead of yellow and red, dark brown instead of black, but mixed with a much larger spirit, despite its small size - an adult dragon bird. Desna was slightly averse at first, eventually holding out a hand on faith - having the odd belief he might turn it Dark, given his history.

The small spirit shook its head, letting out what sounded like a sigh, pointing its blue and white toucan puffin beak at his mother's things, squawking - like it wanted to see something from the pack. Eska temporarily immobilized by jealousy, mumbling "I saw him first," after she sat down in a funk as the spirit took an interest in Desna instead, Malina saying as it hopped all over him, settling in his hand, "I may have been married to him for a long time, but I don't know a lot about spirits, unlike Unalaq. But it seems to want something. Here - spirit birdie, have your pick." Desna was not entirely surprised when it hopped off his hand, choosing the sheet with inscrutable yet vaguely familiar symbols first, Eska getting up when it began squawking loudly. The spirit looking at him expectantly, Desna got the sense it wanted his help.

Sitting down, the spirit directly in front of the paper and the rest of their family behind it, it hopped onto the paper, Desna yelping in surprise when the spirit appeared to turn Dark temporarily, swelling in size greatly and morphing slightly… yet retaining its blue coloration. Turning around, the spirit now roughly as tall as a four-year old and dwarfing the paper it had just stepped off of, Desna was not sure why he thought it should be larger. It opened a now slightly serrated and sturdier looking toucan puffin beak, the spirit apparently unable to speak, squawking as it gestured to a pencil with… dexterous-looking reptilian "hands" with pointed nails covered in white and light brown down? Feeling rather lost, Desna tossed it a pencil, giving it another sheet of paper as well after it gestured for more. The spirit turning back around, Desna watched as it apparently translated the sheet's contents, feeling a bit sick to hear the spirit whimper occasionally - as though disturbed by what it was writing.

The final result in English, not normal script, Desna took the paper eagerly, reading its contents with wide eyes as his sister asked what he wanted to know, "Why? Why in English… and not normal script?" The spirit let out a low squawk, seemingly disappointed on having been "called out" as it wrote its answer on the icy floor with a nail almost obscured by brown and white fluff. Desna was too distracted by what he was reading to see its excuse, saying out loud and upsetting the spirit for some reason as he read, "Harmonic Convergence and Post Harmonic Convergence Plans Highly Personal Belonging List: Scroll of plans for opening Spirit Portals. Scroll of plans for Spirit Portal defenses: KEEP ON PERSON until time is right! Drawings cannot be hidden from unworthy as words can. Avatar must not suspect me of anything. Scroll… logging content and locations of tomes from communication with Vaatu? Tomes of known spirit allies… neutrals, and enemies?" No longer able to read aloud, the spirit was squawking so loudly, Desna turned to his mother, asking, "Wh - did you know about any of this?" saying with a shaky voice after he got no response, seeing she looked devastated all over again, "Mom - we're at war with spirits again. I have the bad feeling any spirit that would throw in its lot with Vaatu and my father back then, would go to Long Yumao or Jinshu Kuangmai and Vaatu now. This could be important - I know it might be hard, but if you know anything, be strong. Tell us," the color draining from his face when she sobbed, "I don't know, Desna, Eska - I… finally get the chance to enjoy, then this spirit shows me more things about a… raw issue… literally just this morning…"

Finally looking to see what the spirit had written in ice, Desna felt guilty, saying as he saw the spirit had tried to warn him to be discreet, "Stupid, so stupid - should have known it was in code for a reason!" Brushing him aside, Eska asked his mother, "Mom - I saw Raava reduced to tears over something that happened, directly from Vaatu, no less. Taunting her, tormenting her. She needed help to be strong - no shame in help. What do you need?" Malina responded, "Someone to hug me, love me - what your father never really did, liking spirits more than humans, it seemed… it never really hit me fully that he planned this all out until your brother, this spirit showed me…"

Taking a deep breath, Desna was relieved to hear her say strongly, "Whatever happens, I want to be there this time, even if I am all alone, without even a bad husband... I can't afford to be nowhere again," not entirely sure what she intended to do after standing up, asking them all to do the same. Getting a deep hug from his mother, Desna felt at peace, hearing Eska say, "Yue told me that as long as we have each other, we can beat whatever spirit we face. Thank… Raava the enemy we might face has an actual crippling weakness to these feelings… Love."

Desna shivered slightly at the unsaid - love might be strong, but in the physical world, where his cousin would be doing all of her fighting… Jinshu Kuangmai or his human goons wouldn't howl in pain if someone loving touched them, unlike a Dark Spirit of either side.

Achieving a minor breakthrough, the breach widening when he thought, "I'd rather deal with my problems along with my sister and mom than anyone else's problems," Desna didn't mind the cold as he had, could actually sense what the squawking spirit wanted now... Given how his sister asked, "You want us to find more of these books, so you can scribe them out?" she did as well, surprised to hear the spirit squawk again, getting the impression that it had done all it could that was of use, other unseen but passingly mentioned books being for someone else to decipher. Giving it the other things in odd script to read, the spirit did so readily, shaking its head side to side after reading the second and last tome, Eska saying, her guess satisfactory given how the spirit nodded, "Those book aren't important… red herrings, or stuff that's already happened!" The spirit cocked its head, Desna getting the impression it was trying to convey it didn't know anything about what Eska said next, "My father must have scattered everything important far apart, in secret hiding places! Did you find anything about that?"

The spirit shrinking back down to a smaller size and landing on Eska's shoulder, Desna tried his luck, asking as all four left to search areas his mother thought might hold the all-important index scroll, "Spirit - nod for being a new convert, shake side to side for being an old one," idly wondering why he had never seen the spirit before if it was an ally, given it shook its head vigorously. Getting the impression the spirit had been trying to contact them for a while and that much like the Painted Lady, few people could see it, Desna did a double-take, asking, "Wait a minute - did my father's teachings about spirits actually rub off in a good way in the end? Is that why we can see you now - no longer blinded by our hatred… and fear of him? Even get impressions from you?"

Desna thought the spirit was going to explode with happiness, given its loud squawks and celebratory mid-air pirouettes. The spirit stopped dead when Eska asked, "My father obviously planned beyond Harmonic Convergence - you wouldn't happen to be on his index in any way, would you? Or know what he planned… beyond the end of the world?" Desna blinked a few times when the spirit finally managed to speak, looking utterly exhausted after asking "Paper?" in a gravelly voice, avian tongue hanging out slightly as it wheezed pitifully. Giving the spirit what it wanted when it looked recovered, noticing that they had now drawn a crowd near the throne room's entrance, Desna was surprised to see the odd person here or there bring out materials like colored pencils - like they could not only see the spirit but also get impressions from the spirit as well. Like Jinora and any spirit, or Bumi and Bumju, but different…

Closing his eyes, not sure what he hoped to see, Desna saw an image of his father talking to the Avatar and getting the sense what was said had been changed, Unalaq saying, parts stressed, "Korra, all the past Avatars lives on inside of you. Let them guide you. Let them help you find the light in the dark," swearing he heard a familiar voice whisper in a tone he had never heard it speak in before, "With my legacy, you have done the same…"

Opening his eyes, Desna smiled, wondering if his father had been right about the North after all - he certainly had never heard of anyone aside from his cousin in the Southern Water Tribe communing with spirits. Hearing another squawk, Desna gave the spirit attention again, laughing when his sister rubbed its light brown feathery head, the spirit content as she asked, "How can you be any more cute?" opening its beak and squawking with what sounded like annoyance when she resisted its efforts to redirect her to its drawing. Realizing it obviously knew English, Desna asked, "Just curious - could anyone in the South see you or 'get' what you want without words?" blushing deeply when the spirit's beak opened wide in apparent laughter, getting the sense it thought he should be ashamed of himself for his arrogance. Desna didn't need to be able to get impressions to tell this spirit thought that idea the South was "degenerate" was ludicrous.

Looking at the full-color drawing, vaguely recognizing the spirit's name from the few stories his father had told without some sort of moral lesson or what he now knew to be training for their "duties" as the Dark Avatar's children - serious talk of spirits - Desna could hardly believe it as he saw what the spirit "normally" looked like at full size. Staring at the bizarre toothed snout covered in feathers and scales, the rest of the spirit feathered, appearing half bird and half predatory reptile, the nails were much more pronounced than even earlier. Looking at its "hands", he was reminded much more strongly of the spirit named Alyssralove that Raava had shown him, though that spirit did not have the… intimidating foot claws this one had in its largest form. This spirit appeared capable of flight without bending much like any other… "bird" spirit, even by physical and not spirit power alone, given the long feathers that came off its… visibly jointed wings? Exceptionally long arms?

Desna now understood why it had chosen to appear in this "cute" form, the spirit's larger form appearing primeval but in a way much different from regular spirits. The drawn spirit had a somewhat stubby tail of sorts with apparent broad flight feathers at the end. Desna stammered, "Wh- I thought you were just a story my dad told us, some mad self-proclaimed 'enlightened' hermit's ramblings from the mountains about a spirit he rarely saw, the way he told it! Even my dad had a hard time wrapping his head around such an odd concept - opposites, as one. 'Nunasiluk' … both earth, and air! 'Earthfeather'… would certainly explain your coloration." Given the spirit bobbed its head, Desna was endlessly curious as to why the spirit had shrunken so much, finding an explanation in English on the drawing: "I did not appear in this form as I did not want to frighten you, and given how you startled when I grew in size, I was correct. I can also appear 'cute' and large at the same time, only assuming this form when needed," smiling when he read the rest: "I had not expected to find you, your sister and certainly not your mother so well earlier," frowning again when he read the final words: "From what I know, not even Raava knows the contents of these secret tomes and books, written in the universal language of hatred your father apparently learned from Vaatu. I would keep this to your family for now - only present evidence to your cousin and Raava when you are ready, and keep it off the airwaves and telegraph lines." Asking it one more question about its appearance, the spirit shifted to its apparently "small" form and wrote out its response, Desna's eyes widening to read the English words "Like the Painted Lady, humans animals as well, I came from a 'lowly' animal - one that predates humans by countless generations, intelligent as well," Desna sighing in resignation when it wrote in a corner, pencil unsteady at the end, "I can sense your hope for answers about the past, but I am afraid I have nothing beyond things that would only interest academics. Raava would be unlikely to give me permission to talk on that. Just like Raava, a large gap exists in my memory - the product of something long forgotten… I do not wish to write any more. Headache…"

Getting up and realizing he should get busy and delegate tasks rather than quiz a slightly amnesiac spirit about its past, remembering how even Raava and Vaatu themselves had wanted to avoid some mystery 60,000 year gap, and given many of his Naval Commanders and Generals had served under his father that they would do as told without question, Desna made to tell his sister to start sending out telegraphs. Stopping at the last moment, getting the feeling something had a problem with it, he saw Nunasiluk looking right at him. Desna groaned, "Aw, man - what, you're my replacement for my father? Micromanager!" the spirit opening its beak in a dry laugh, Desna getting the sense it found what he said very funny - and not true at the same time. Seeing it gesture out towards the crowd with one wing, Desna was pretty sure what the spirit wanted - for him to give some sort of speech before giving out orders.

Noticing more than a few people in the crowd looked expectant as well, Desna smiled slightly to see a young girl point at Nunasiluk and say, her smaller brother who appeared all of two looking at the spirit as well, "That's a pretty bird - can I touch it? I've never seen a toucan puffin before! And definitely not one that grows big either! Wait - that's a spirit! Cool!" Hearing the girl's father say derisively, "Well I don't see anything - as usual. Stay by my side -safe. Silly little girl, not even ten and you think - Poallu, get back, that's the Chief there!" Desna acted on impulse, using the man's poor parenting as a starting point as the girl looked ready to cry, her little brother already crying as Desna said, "No - she's fine. Maybe you should get back. I'm going to need all the good men and women I can get shortly here, as my cousin Avatar Korra and the other world leaders want us to go to Republic City. The kind of enemy we might be facing there, I don't want anyone like my father, or you coming - love will be our greatest weapon." Desna laughed to see the man's wife had a lot more spunk than his mother had, the man looking small as she berated him and their daughter played with Nunasiluk, "How many times do I have to tell you, you stubborn fool - the new Chiefs, Desna and Eska. They're not like their father. The old's out, and for the last time, if you're not careful with what you say to Poallu, so are you! Look at how you made Suka cry!" Continuing his speech, getting some inspiration from how Poallu and Nunasiluq were playing, what must have been Suka running over and joining his older sister as well, even though one was a toddler and the other a spirit that apparently predated humans themselves, Desna said, Poallu and Suka's mother blushing as he used her as a good example, "Even my father was right about some things - that humans and spirits should live together. Just like Suka and Poallu are. I don't know how many of you can see this ancient spirit - 'Nunasiluq', 'earthfeather', two opposites as one - or how it's playing with Poallu happily, but this is the future - and past, to an extent - we'll be fighting for. For three years after my father's demise, humans and spirits coexisted everywhere peacefully - until one power-hungry and hateful spirit changed everything. Long Yumao - the whole reason I'm calling on everyone who's willing to come with me to Republic City. I am sure you know of the earthen barrier my cousin, Avatar Korra, erected there - just like the barrier my sister and I erected around our Spirit Portal, and our cousin empowered with all her past life's energy, Raava's - most importantly, the energy of love."

Pausing for breath, noticing his sister was crying silently as she watched the growing crowd of children around Nunasiluq, Desna found himself needing to pause, continuing after a few tears of his own, "I'm sorry - seeing what 'Long Yumao the Opportunist' calls evil, vile, wrong up close and personal, especially considering my own checkered past, and the actions of my father, nearly bringing about ten thousand years of darkness… it makes me very angry, to think anyone or anything could be against it. Even Jinshu Kuangmai - I do not know how much you have heard of him exactly, the North being the North, I know the Spirit Civil War is much closer to us than turmoil in the southern main continental mass - sees humans and spirits cooperating together, though for conquest and war. While I have a lot of faith in my cousin's work around the Spirit Portals, here, in Republic City, and our brothers and sisters in the South, Avatar Korra has reservations. She believes for some reason a humanitarian mission she and her close allies are on right now may have collateral damage besides Earth Empire soldiers - the barriers themselves, broken, Dark Spirits loyal to both Long Yumao and Vaatu's current 'pet' human, Jinshu Kuangmai, to roam freely again in the world."

Hearing the fearful gasps, the scattered screams, hearing one person ask loudly, "What are we gonna do about it, huh - and why are we leavin' for Republic City if our own home might come under attack!" Desna tried to re-focus, saying, "We have Yue to protect us - she has assured me she can act along with La during the day to help protect the North," Desna not knowing what to say when a boy asked, "Why dinn'she help three years ago then, when you dad was bad, Chief?" Desna jumped slightly as did many others when snow in front of them shifted, characters forming that said, "Yue here. Myself and La already straddle the Physical and Spirit Worlds, and the blurring of the lines between the two of late has let unusual things happen," Desna smiling to see the characters, "Until recently, the only time our worlds came as close as they are now was during Harmonic Convergence. Had the showdown during Harmonic Convergence happened under a full moon, things would have turned out very… different, La having no great love of human villains after what Zhao did to Tui," appear, then vanish into the wind as snowflakes. Desna got goosebumps when the idle thought passed through his mind: "If Raava can't see the future… what are things really going to be like after this last 'pulse'? The first pulse let spirits bleed and cry… aside from the bending, what's going to happen? Harmonic Convergence… all the time?" realizing with a dull horror such a state would let Jinshu Kuangmai become the second Dark Avatar after all…

Many people clapping, shelving the concern until later, Desna was glad to see Yue and her other more… "spirit-y" half La could act close to home after all - even if they couldn't do anything anywhere else unless the Moon was full. Desna continued, "As you can see, we're perfectly safe. And in the event the barriers break, we may not see many spirits here anyways. Long Yumao has many reasons to hate Republic City more than us - not the least of which being it's home to my cousin and her lover, Asami Sato, and home to many spirits who peacefully cohabited with humans since my sister - err, cousin, decided to keep the portals open in the first place." Seeing the same loud man looking ready to speak again, Desna tried to anticipate his question, saying, "Avatar Korra has said she will not close any portals aside from the Republic City Spirit Portal - even then, she does not know what doing such a thing would do," Desna listening to Eska continue for him, "My cousin and the first Avatar, Avatar Wan - who thought he made the right decision in closing the portals ten thousand years ago - both believe the new portal to be linked to far more than just passage into and out of the Spirit World through Republic City. Cousin Korra attempted to get a 'read' on the portal, but did not have time, Dark Spirits chasing her off." The man still looking annoyed, Desna did his best to not laugh when Eska said curtly, "Look, I know it sounds goofy, given no one has seen cracks in our work, the symbols my cousin added pulsing as strongly as they did the first day I've heard - our portal's barrier looks just fine last I saw it, aside from a few naturally caused cracks my brother and I fixed already. And if you're concerned about favoritism or safety - Avatar Korra hasn't even really assigned anyone to guard our sister tribe to the South, her home, and unlike the South, we've got Yue and La to help protect us. Like my brother said. There's no favoritism involved - we all know the North has a much better military than the South. We're just being asked to pull out weight - just like my cousin has asked the Fire Nation to do already on the other war. But almost all of Republic City's military forces and many of its civilians are off doing something else - helping Avatar Korra with what's hopefully a very quick operation in the southern Earth Empire."

Eska now the one looking tired, Desna laughed lightly when she said, "All yours" in English and ran off to just sit and watch Nunasiluq and his child entourage, Desna not sure if she was watching the children or the spirit himself closer. Desna continued, "My cousin has already committed to helping evacuate Omashu and a nearby prison camp – Omashu is under the control of a friendly rebel airbender named Yangchen, and the prison camp is under control of one of Jinshu Kuangmai's former top women, 'Chief Containment Officer' Jasmine - both women of unimpeccable morals. Omashu holds new airbenders we did not learn of until recently, and the prison camp, many 'sexual criminals' that before Jasmine revolted, were scheduled for… execution today at a sick dinner Jinshu Kuangmai wanted to throw." Hearing more than a few horrified gasps, Desna continued, "We can do our part by going to Republic City along with the Fire Nation, just in case we're needed. My cousin, everyone else helping her - if they have to worry about the city, let alone go back assuming the worst happens and the barriers break, they won't be able to deliver the help they've promised. Omashu, fallen, the prison camp, snuffed out. Which, now that I think about it… failure of their mission and triumph of the Earth Empire could cause the seals to break."

Getting plenty of confused responses, some people speaking words that Poallu and the other older children nearby found hilarious or naughty, Desna heard the loud man ask, "WH - I thought the spirits didn't like humans fighting - can't they make up their minds?" Desna responded, pointing at Nunasiluq, "Not every spirit is as reasonable as the one you see… or may not see in front of you. I am sure you've all had run-ins with unreasonable or hypocritical spirits over the past three years," quipping, "Not to mention the ones that hung around my father," seeing many people nod and a few give nervous laughs as he continued, "Spirits tend to lack the greyscale world view humans have, seeing things in black and white, or humans below their concern. Influenced by whoever they see as the most powerful. Long Yumao himself is quite the hypocrite, telling my cousin Avatar Korra one week she couldn't use spirits for war to defend their shared home, a few weeks later, basically declaring war on humanity itself after taking offense to two entirely reasonable gifts - Korra's daughter, and something no one here has yet to see - tuber-vines, intended as a peaceful power source, both to power homes, or war machines piloted by righteous people." Remembering the spirit's penchant for lies, Desna continued, ignoring a teen's question of, "When are we getting 'tuber-vines' - heard about them already! Heard it's power so cheap don't bother get charged for!" initially, "Being the liar he is, I suspect Long Yumao may have simply wanted an excuse for power for himself - he does have the title 'The Opportunist', after all, one I vaguely remember Raava saying he had earned. Nowhere but Republic City and an island in the Fire Nation have tuber-vines, and they are in limited supply - for now, more only being able to be created on accident." Seeing a few people looking annoyed, one saying, "Wh- what's Izumi done to deserve some exactly? She had almost no forces at Republic City!" Desna sighed, saying, "Circumstances are not always what we want, and other people share your concern - right now, Republic City has most of the world's supply, but they can't even use them, since Republic City has no spirit weaponry production capability!" Seeing multiple people nod, the man who had objected saying, "Whatever - I'm sure Avatar Korra will distribute them fairly," Desna sighed again, saying, "One thing I didn't mention is that they're alive - not things to be spread around like coal or firewood. They also possess immense power - power that will likely be needed elsewhere, the only thing our Tribe hopefully needing them for being electrical power, being so far away from fighting and not having what is needed to use them properly anyways."

Desna hoped this was true, realizing his sister might have to rely on spirits for defense…. if it really came to that. The North certainly didn't have the specialized industry Zaofu must have to produce so many spirit weapons. It didn't even have any great amount of regular industry! Desna thought, "Perhaps I can convince cousin to give us some of the other Omashu 'evacuees' - industrial equipment. I'd like to be independent - all alone, at the top of the world, as far from help as we are from helping others…"

Seeing the man nod, Desna hoping again they wouldn't need spirit weaponry himself, he finished, "Regardless, spirits could revolt and break the barriers if humans fight too much, but they could also revolt and break the barriers if humans back out on deals they have made and Jinshu Kuangmai is allowed to kill whoever he wants freely." Desna cursed under his breath when he realized that could apply to the deal his cousin had struck with Jinshu Kuangmai on Vaazula - still not entirely sure what she had been thinking. Remembering something he had shoved aside earlier after realizing the deal's process would need Raava to be very close to Jinshu Kuangmai, the possibility of a second Dark Avatar entered his mind again unbidden.

Without this… disturbing new consideration, at least the deal wasn't as stupid as trusting Zaheer… Looking to the crowd, Desna continued, pointing to himself, his sister, then everyone in front of him, " 'We' are possibly in a 'Catch-22'. I'll repeat it - a 'Catch-22.' It is… a phrase I made up for this," glad waterbenders couldn't truthsense as he continued, "A 'Catch-22' is when you find yourself in a place where you must do something with bad consequences or face equally bad consequences, caught between two contradictory 'rules' - in spirit's eyes, the evacuation is one of two things. 'The evacuation cannot take place, because it is people fighting and behaving badly,' or 'The evacuation must take place, because it has already been promised to other humans, and going back on your word and letting people die is behaving badly.' I never said spirits were all smart."

Hearing another loudmouth, this one a woman, chime in, "Then why'd your idiot of a cousin decide to do it in the first place? Go back home instead! Why not go back home after the conference I heard about?" Desna found himself wishing he were a bloodbender, his sister snapping, "BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO EXECUTE PEOPLE LIKE MY COUSIN AND ASAMI SATO, that's why! My brother said it - did you not hear? OR CARE? That prison camp wasn't just for waterbenders and firebenders - the latter of which Jasmine had to convince Jinshu Kuangmai to not kill in the first place! He…. He wanted to hunt down, kill every last single person who wasn't 'sexually normal' in his little 'Empire' - she had to… do something!" Eska crying by the end of her outburst, noticing the woman looked horrified - but only for a second…

Desna's stomach sank to hear the same woman yell, not sure if her face was flush from nervousness or hatred, "I don't care about the prisoners - and I don't care about your stupid edict either; it's not natural!" and then a man assert, "I've heard the whole reason for this Spirit Civil War - your cousin getting treated specially by Raava with that rich brat Asami! Getting a kid when nobody else could… Maybe Long Yumao's right about that!" Desna realized after three years free from an "overly strong" leader like his father that his people were not only insolent over trivial things, but worse - some of them, heartless. Desna felt his rage rising, eventually yelling, "I certainly don't need anyone like YOU close-minded … ughs coming along with me to Republic City!" twirling around, feeling his body move automatically and pointing at a few of those who had spoken, saying loudly as emotion replaced reason, "I've heard there might be people willing to become turncoats for power, betray humanity - but I never thought there might be some who'd do it because they find ideas more important than… everything!" Noticing a group formed of about twenty people, Desna pointed at the one who had dared say Long Yumao might have a point, saying, "You - right there - the one who said Long Yumao might be right, despite seeing children play with a good spirit - why didn't you speak up when my sister and I first spoke about this? Spoke against our decree? Strength in numbers now, is it?"

Panting heavily, self-awareness returning as adrenaline was no longer rising, holding steady, Desna saw he was using both hands to point a large icy blade at the man in question, looking down on him from at least twenty feet in the air atop a spiral of water, people around the twenty strong group assuming bending stances. All people around this man looked full of fear, the young woman who had spoken earlier looking bewildered and an older woman with a vague resemblance looking anxious. The "ringleader" man apparently not afraid, after saying, "Provin' my point with that kind of behavior", the man shrugged, Desna just now noticing his sister had acted in a similar manner, two frosty blades pointed at the man. The anonymous man was not at all cowed by the ice's sharp edge as he said confidently, "Hmmmph. It's just an opinion - not worth killing me over. It's not like I'm Chief and able to make binding proclamations, and your 'boss' giving you a gift like that is pretty darn favoritistic," the formerly nervous older woman smiled oddly as she said after, "I am not the only one unafraid of you 'Chief' Desna. Very well - if you're going to resort to displays of power like your father, physical threats like your precious cousin the Avatar might have before becoming soft with that Asami woman, do it. Fight me. Kill me," Desna swearing the woman mouthed "You'll be sorry you did." Something about her disturbed him… but he didn't know what.

Though Desna had no desire to kill, he felt any will to take this woman up on his "offer" fade after hearing the scattered crying of children, lowering himself down with great control, holding back rage as he said, "No, I won't. The other man who spoke before you is right - it is just an opinion. If you ever make to act on that opinion… that's a different story, and you will be dealt with justly. To everyone else – I am sorry if I frightened you." The older woman still looked hostile, the twenty-something who bore a strong resemblance to her the only one out of what Desna had decided to call the "Troublesome Twenty" not looking the least bit distressed for now. That changed when Desna continued, still feeling angry, "Given no one here can judge you like Raava might, I won't incarcerate you either. But you WILL regret making me realize there might be people who would betray humanity, you saying Long Yumao might be right. Most of all, you … older woman. Offering to fight me over an opinion. What are you defending, exactly?" The man who had spoken up blubbered, saying, "Wh- what? I ain't no Dark Spirit lover, least of all one that wants to enslave me! All I said is, it's pretty darn favoritistic, if that's even a word, to give your 'host' a huge present no one else could ever have, unless I missed somethin' in that press conference." Seeing most of the Twenty nod with two exceptions, Desna frowned when the older woman said, what Desna assumed to be her daughter looking composed again, not nodding herself, "Your father was many things - but he never risked the wrath of spirits for a few unnaturals." Desna shook his head, the older woman seeming to take offense when he countered, "No - he risked the wrath of spirits, and got it, just to banish his older brother!" adding without thinking, "You have early selective memory, or something? Crazy old lady!"

Noticing some Chieftan's Guard were now present, Desna sighed, he ignored the woman's response, only catching, "So rude - fifty's not old!" as he said, "Men, make sure these men and women never get close to the Northern Spirit Portal," rather unnerved when he got the sense there was another being nearby who would more than gladly oblige on using lethal force if this order were violated.

Realizing he hadn't heard a peep out of Nunasiluq, Desna looked around for the friendly spirit, nearly jumping out of his skin when he saw a form he had only seen on paper standing next to him, though at much reduced size. Even then, the spirit still stood as tall as a grown man, not everyone around Nunasiluq recoiling, those that did not apparently unable to see him. Desna was able to understand what Nunasiluq was saying to the Troublesome Twenty, despite the spirit speaking in what sounded like an odd raspy mix between a bird's chatter and a dragon's roar, barking at times like a reptilian dog, "Most reprehensible behavior - I can see your energy, unlike these other humans. And I do not think 'purple' signifies neutral between Raava and Vaatu, given what you have said… it could be the third party. I am sure Raava would find no problem with me directly guarding the Spirit Portal without being told to do so." Desna noticed the older woman began sweating after Nunasiluq hopped closer and said, still using a "language" more barking than English to speak, hand claws displayed, "The way you talk… Perhaps use one of these blades for the first time in millennia, if you decide to compromise the portal's ice barrier… or anything else," Nunasiluq hissing, "A very, very long time…." at the end.

As though getting a message from a different powerful spirit, Nunasiluq shifted to his much less intimidating form, Desna only able to get impressions now and vaguely missing the strange speech. Given the way the spirit was covering its beak with its wings, riding his shoulder in apparent shame, it must have gotten a very stern talking to by Yue. Desna got the sense somehow Yue's problem wasn't Nunasiluq's issue with this woman - it was the other parts, not fully understanding human behavior yet still acting threateningly. Desna had to admit the man had a point in a way, Korra and Raava having refused with the "heir" help vehemently, Desna seeing his former state as sure a "handicap" to having a kid as being infertile, and Nunasiluq had lumped the "ringleader" in with this mysterious hostile woman. Eska having apparently gotten something as well, she said, "Leave them. I think Yue can handle herself, make sure any traitors don't compromise the portal," Desna blushing and Nunasiluq whimpering when she said, "Enough intimidating women-brats and man-children, and making actual children run away," the man whimpering when she added icily, the older woman looking oddly confident as his sister tried to be threatening, " 'Just opinion' or not, tread lightly, and do not venture near the portal - scythes might still be in your future, Nunasiluq being 'called off' or not. Ice scythes…"

Finally calming down, Desna tried to get Nunasiluq away from him to say something to Eska, not wanting to talk to the spirit, eventually relenting after the spirit whimpered at him pathetically, saying over growing chatter in English, "Let's not bring this up to cousin Korra just yet - okay? Certainly not over telegraph and radio," getting the sense he might be overruled causing him to add, "Nunasiluq, you can tell Raava - but… I'm still disturbed by it. Do not tell Korra." Desna said "Fine," after getting the impression that this was too important to brush off - but he was right to want to wait until the best time possible to tell his cousin, puzzled to get the impression long distance spirit communication might not be possible. Thinking, "Who knows - there might be other… dubious souls out there," Desna wanted to ask about this last impression, but got distracted by the noise around him.

Chatter now a dull roar, Desna listened in, glad to hear people volunteering to keep the "Troublesome Twenty" under watch, his eyes widening to hear one young voice ask, "When I was seven, before I had a little brother, didn't that old woman run out of town?" Desna smiling to hear a male voice from earlier respond, "Yes, Poallu - she did. Still don't know why. And… Sweetie… I'm sorry," frowning slightly as what must have been Poallu's father continued, "You saw how Desna reacted to… that. Knowing his father, I was right to be cautious - honey, no, he acted without thinking! Desna apologized himself!" Desna coughed loudly, saying to the much larger crowd around him, noticing it still included Chieftan's Guard and now had a few military men in it as well, "My father taught us to repress our emotions. I believe this was my first test - and while I wish I had been… aware? Of what I was doing at the time… I didn't kill him, no matter if Asami Sato herself was the inspiration for my change." Seeing a few people had blank looks, Desna said, "She's the reason for my personal transformation - which led to me cutting taxes," laughing when he got cheers, questioning his decision to not tell cousin Korra about this… incident when he heard someone say, "Forget the 'Twenty Losers' - I want to thank Asami personally!" Desna was pretty sure he was going to break it when he heard a younger male say, "I look forward to going to Republic City with my boyfriend - help protect the city that started it all!" Eska ribbed him and said in English, "Maybe we should tell her," Desna frowning slightly when she added, "Though, it would be through telegraph to the Western Air Temple from what I can gather. And we both know what a pain those machines are."

Initially feeling like he wanted to start mustering right away, Desna got the impression someone would think that was a bad idea, sighing, "Nunasiluq - we know you can 'talk'. Just go to your other form!" getting the impression the answer was no, only… really advanced people were able to get impressions, but anyone could "understand" the spirit's odd speech? Whether they could see him or not?

Smiling broadly as Nunasiluq squawked, Eska said in English, "I'll start looking for father's things - you go talk to Poallu's family and - oh for 'Pete's' sake, you want us both to go looking? Fine - brother, go with Poallu's family, and… I guess I'll do the mustering. A lot of the Chieftan's Guard is already here anyways," Desna chuckling lightly when Eska teased in English, "And I know you'll want them for your little firebender date." Nunasiluq bobbed his head, opening his beak in a dry laugh when Desna protested in English, "But I wanted to do that, the mustering - it's not… emotional!"

Desna did not bother to reprimand a group of people who had made impromptu "badges" for the possible Long Yumao sympathizers to wear, signing off on the idea himself, adding the stipulation that the older woman and her daughter be specially marked. Desna walked over and introduced himself at the same time reminding himself to just be honest, hoping this interaction with Poallu's family would go well - trying to push the odd mother and daughter from his mind. Desna couldn't put his finger on it, but something about the pair disturbed him deeply - mainly the mother, the daughter seeming conflicted somehow…

Looking at Poallu's mother, still having his doubts about her husband, Desna said, "Uh - hello. I already know two of you - Poallu, and Suka. What are your names again?" The woman smiled, saying, "My name's Nini, and my husband's name is Iluq," Iluq groaning when she added, "'Frost' - name's a bit too appropriate, if you ask me," Poallu groaning when Nini added, apparently hoping to not be heard by her children, "Not just Poallu he's cold around, if you know what I mean." Desna coughed, saying, "Tell me more about your daughter," able to see Nini likely wanted to harp more on her husband the way she was staring at him. Or something else Desna didn't really want to think about, having found Nini's comment… inappropriate, odd. And given most people still found him and his sister odd, mainly for reasons both had agreed they would no longer try and change, that was saying something.

Laughing lightly when Poallu claimed she was the second Avatar, now able to see why her father had been suspicious of her claim of seeing Nunasiluq, Nini said, "I have to admit, she does make herself hard to believe at times - though she has made a lot of spirit friends, Nunasiluq the first one I couldn't see." Desna's eyes widened when Poallu sniffed, "All of my friends got blue and white lines a while ago, then went to the Spirit World - said they needed to fight again the bad guys in there, do their duty," the young girl having a point when she asked, "I don't know why we can't just let the bad guys have that place - let all the spirits who want to be around people be around us, like Nunasiluq!" Poallu had struck Desna as sweet, so he was rather surprised when she said, her father and mother nodding alike, "You did the right thing earlier - and keeping tabs on them's a good idea too," nodding when she said, "Especially that… aged woman. She creeps me out." Desna shrugged, saying, "She creeps me out too. And on the other thing… I guess - still seems a little hypocritical, but spirits wear their allegiance on their sleeves, so… and it's just tracking them anyways." Thinking of a possible issues, he added, "Anyone caught roughing them up if they haven't done anything won't get off free either - I don't want to punish people for opinions, just actions." Iluq sighed for some reason, Nini looking more relaxed when Poallu's father said, "Pretty humiliating, getting used as an example - though in my defense, no offense, I wasn't as bad as your father was, Chief Desna." Desna bowed, saying, "None taken," looking at Poallu's bright blue eyes as he asked her, "You said you've talked to spirits - they say anything about why there's so… few Long Yumao-aligned Dark Spirits out and about? Or the other bad guys?"

Poallu nodded, Desna laughing at the enemy's hubris when she said, smiling, "They really don't like us, to the point of stupidity - according to Fuzzywing - looks sort of like Nunasiluqwhen he's cute but with blue and white puffs for wings and a lot smaller - whenever a spirit decides Long Yumao's the way to go, they leave our world out of disgust of sharing it with even a single human," Poallu looking a little miffed when her brother said, "Sis say…spirit… mad after! Regret… decision! Right words, sis?" Still not sure how that had anything to do with Vaatu-aligned spirit's absence, Desna realized Poallu likely had more than one spirit friend, everyone in their family's eyes widening except Suka when he said, "Tell you what, Poallu - you seem to know a lot about spirits, even have spirit friends, just like Jinora did. And does… I want you to stay behind and help my sister with spirits - Nini, Iluq, you too, but with people. Work with my mom, make sure the people who stay here are ready to fight. My sister will explain more," Desna's heart sinking slightly when Suka asked haltingly, looking confused, "Why no… you mom… with you? Not get." Desna forgot himself for a moment and said, "I've got someone waiting for me in Republic City - I'll be fine," groaning slightly when Nini's eyes sparkled, giggling, "I hear Narook's the closest you can get to real Water Tribe food there, whatever or… whoever you're meeting."

Looking at the family in front of him, Desna smiled - realizing he was starting to achieve lifelong ambitions, thanking them by saying, "Any Chief who does not rely on his people is missing out on a lot," chuckling lightly when Suka asked innocently, "Ever bad Chief?"

Bowing politely, sure he'd see them again sometime soon and not wanting to explain his father to a two-year old, Desna noticed the "Troublesome Twenty" sitting around aimlessly, purple badges on their shoulders. One Desna recognized from earlier, the young woman, said, sounding off slightly, "Well, crap, mom, if everyone's going to treat us like this just because we don't dig chicks on chicks, or, well, I don't have to say it - but it rhymes… what do we have to lose?" The color draining from his face, Desna noticing Nunasiluq shifted uncomfortably as Desna looked at him, Desna made an ice wave, bending himself over, yelling, "Wait, no, stay! I'm not the best with faces, so the patches are just to help keep track… Treating you like what, exactly?" The woman who had spoken shied away, saying, "Why should I tell you- not like you care about us 'monsters'! Even had a special patch made for me and my mother…" Desna sighed, shaking his head as he said, "Look, I'm just trying to make sure nothing bad happens to our tribe," adding as Nunasiluk hopped down and onto the peeved "ringleader's" head, the man mumbling about invisible weight, "Human and spirit alike. Go on, tell me what happened." The woman sighed, saying, "Whatever - it's these stupid badges' fault! It's been, what, five minutes, already got people making blue and white badges for themselves, taunting us - thinking we'd sell our soul just because we don't like… well, your cousin, your decree, all that crap." Wondering aloud how the decree hurt anyone, Desna burst out laughing when the ringleader claimed, "Y'see - when you let a man and a man get married, a woman and a woman, it makes my marriage less valuable, and mocks the - why you laughing? What do you know about marriage?" the man grumbling in resignation when Desna said, "I know what it's like to be the product of a bad one, that's for sure - and as far as I know, my cousin and Asami are the only 'deviants' to ever have kids, period! And will probably raise a better kid than you!"

Hearing the man grumble about favoritism, Desna didn't know what to say, the only reason the "Troublesome Twenty" didn't run off or try to fight being that Desna screamed at the same time they did when Nunasiluq decided to weigh in, saying in translated reptilian barking and light hissing, "From what little I know, Raava does not intend it to be favoritism. One day - after Long Yumao's put down, I may add, in case you're really thinking about betraying anyone - she hopes anyone not naturally able to have kids will be able to do so. Infertile, and what you call 'undesirables' alike." Nunasiluq getting multiple demands at once, the spirit simply barked, "Love finds a way" and shrank to normal size after, Desna saying quickly, "Uh- see? No favoritism there - anyone can have kids post Civil War!" throwing his hands up in the air like a fool, saying "Yaaaay!" nervously, wondering if this would win over the grumpy looking older woman. Glad to see the man and everyone except the young woman and her mother look less grumpy, smiling slightly when the "ringleader" said, " 'Least they'll contribute to society, and the… 'human-y' population, way that kite would say it." Desna listened as the young woman interjected, getting the sense she might be playing a part in some small way given her tone, "Whatever - still think it's weirdo, wrong - but I shouldn't have to wear no damn patch for my opinion! Single me out for my… feelings! Specially not this special patch with … Long Yumao's beak on it!" looking like she might cry towards the end, playing nervously with a hair loopy.

Desna never having heard Nunasiluq squawk quite this loudly, he got the impression they had staved off something very bad, the "Troublesome Twenty" rubbing their eyes as something they couldn't see and could rarely hear removed the purple patches. Asking the woman again, swearing she was looking at Nunasiluq, Desna said, "That better? Not sure why my spirit friend here freaked out, quite honestly," Desna laughing loudly when the ice in front of him deformed, characters reading, "Yue here, AGAIN - don't think I can't catch you if you try and do something stupid in the North," facing the Twenty, Desna's eyes widening when he saw the English letters that spelled out, "Nunasiluq doesn't have a connection to Raava strong enough currently to disseminate the… intricacies of everything. Ask him for more out of earshot of these people."

Not having been told about this broken link quite so directly, Desna erased everything but the warning to the Twenty, noticing the woman from before looked conflicted as Nunasiluq tapped his shoulder with one thankfully clawless foot after landing again. Desna realizing the patches brought out bad behavior in people, Desna asked the young woman, "My spirit friend here took your patch off. What's wrong?" The woman shook her head as though his voice was that of a "demon", saying, "No, no… go away… I don't… I need time…" Desna saw the other members of the Twenty were giving her a funny look, mostly sympathetic, except for the only other one who had worn the beak patch - her mother. Noticing the daughter looked very ill at ease as her mother stared at her, Desna drew up some water quickly, holding it around the woman to shield her from any potential attack as Nunasiluq hopped off his shoulder, apparently shifting forms given how he heard reptilian barking translated as, "This human's energy appears to be truly mixed… the daughter, that is. I saw her looking at me… I'll watch them, Desna," the spirit managing to add in very strained raspy English, "slipping" into its own language towards the end, "The… search for… spirits can… wait. Talk to… her. Human and… love most… important. GAEERCH. No… more… speech."

Out of range of the… Nineteen, noticing the mother looked absolutely livid, and not just because a powerful spirit was currently pressing a hooked claw she couldn't likely see against her jugular, Desna sat down with the daughter. Desna noticed with a last glance the Nunasiluq wasn't the only spirit taking an interest in this conflict, constantly refreshing ice having formed around a few of the Nineteen - including the woman's mother, still under very close… "watch" by Nunasiluq. Desna smiled slightly to see the ringleader ranting about how "It don't matter if they can ree produce, you stupid old woman! I just gotta own my own bad marriage I guess - hush!" swearing the young woman's mother was mouthing a threat at the "ringleader". Given how Desna saw Nunasiluq bare his many teeth and hiss for the first time, something had been said. Looking at the young woman up close and personal, having been distracted earlier, he noticed she was striking. She was husky yet strong-looking, having gotten the sense from Nunasiluq the spirit thought she and her mother were exceptional benders somehow. Looking at the young woman, Desna realized with a sinking feeling in his stomach she had likely been restrained by emotional shackles, her mother not looking a match physically for her at all.

Taking this all in, thinking about possible things they held in common, a part of him thought, "Wow - if I didn't think what I think about her being, I'd… be tempted to ask her out, if I weren't going to see Ursa II," saying as the woman's blue eyes watered, "You seem strong to me – just like my sister and I thought ourselves strong, before our change recently. Maybe even when we were following father…" noticing she looked away from him as he continued, "You seemed to be playing a part earlier. Saying things you didn't really mean. I've heard of this before - someone who is really one thing acting like they're something else." The young woman looking away still, she flinched slightly as if from an invisible slap when Desna said, "The way you acted earlier, torn between keeping up some hateful charade, showing what you really felt at times with your face and body… I think you've been playing a part for someone for a long time – just like one of my personal heroes."

The young woman broke down and buried her head in her arms, hair loops, watering eyes and all as soon as he said the name: "Asami Sato."

Noticing she still looked confused, hurt, conflicted, self-hating, Desna found himself reminded of his cousin as well at one of her darkest points, the young woman's free-flowing hair on the back of her head the only part of her that seemed free – some kind of raw power, untapped, unused against her likely abusive mother restrained as well. As his father had once restrained him and Eska… but likely worse. Feeling empathy and sympathy at the same time, having had a terrible parent himself, Desna began telling the woman both Asami and Korra's stories, and how Asami's opening had helped himself, finding he felt better himself as he did so. Desna even relayed one thing he had not gotten the full details of himself - something about Korra healing more fully after interacting with a representation of her past self, Desna having the sneaking suspicion no one but Raava and all her spirits, Asami and Korra herself would ever really know what went on.

The woman finally spoke, lowly at first, "Thank you… Chief. Your father… I've heard who inspired you to change, but never her story. I never thought someone so powerful would… care," beginning to stand up as she said much more strongly, practically yelling by the end, "I'm afraid there's something I need to do before I can talk much more. My name… is Tatkret. More than just a name, Desna… my mother wanted me to do 'great' things, my name, a reminder. You may have wondered how my despicable mother, over there, has controlled me for so long - even got me to hate myself. Every part - what I want to do with my life, who I want to see… Well, I'll tell you everything - as you have told me… after this," adding with slight hesitation, crying a little, "If I can handle it…" Desna looked to her mother, seeing her eyes were wide…

Unnaturally wide.

No sooner had Desna noticed the mother's huge whites, tiny irises and pupils than an icy, terrible and great pain seized his being, hoping, "praying" this bloodbender had never heard about the technique his cousin used on the shark whale... Desperately wanting to see what was going on, he heard Tatkret yell, Desna feeling as though someone were fighting to keep him awake and not blacked out, "MOTHER - twenty three years of life, fifteen years of training, TEN YEARS of mental torture after you found out who I really was…You're trying to bend my 'blubber'? I remember every insult, every mocking – especially what you told my brother… Watch - HAH! Trying to bloodbend a spirit - trying to bloodbend ME. I just broke from your little hold… I can see that spirit's clawhold on you - and you can't even see him. DEAD inside! You're pathetic. Hearing how a tyrant, just like you but stronger - hah, even have unusual power over the same substance - wanted to… to kill people like me, in some sort of great show, for dinner entertainment… mocked for supporting a spirit I have every reason to want see DEAD - just like YOU! The first man to ever care about me enough to be vulnerable and be open with me my Chief. Telling me about my other new heroes. Even if that spirit's telling the truth, I can have kids MY WAY someday… forget you and your stupid line of benders. You, cousin of Yakone, myself, my brother who you abused for different reasons, part of a long line of 'great' waterbenders or not… It's all ending here," adding bitterly, "The way you saw it, it had already ended, if you couldn't manage to twist me into 'normal' and my kind-hearted brother into 'a proper bloodbender' in time before your pathetic life ended. Wanting an 'heir'… to a pathetic 'dynasty'!"

Tatkret paused, Desna hoping she really had changed her mind on killing her mother as she continued more stably, "No - death is too 'kind' a fate for you, and killing you - I'd only be doing what you trained me to do," Desna hearing what sounded like a relieved hissing sigh from Nunasiluq after. Immediately after Tatkret said, "Let's see how you like this - disobeying ALL of your teachings, mother," Desna felt as though someone else were in control of his body fully now, finding him forced to face and see what Tatkret wanted to do to her mother, what Tatkret thought worse than death. Desna saw everyone but Nunasiluq and Tatkret's mother blacked out, scared people in the distance. Given how he saw a few Chieftan's Guard blacked out in a circle, they had tried to come to his aid – only to be overpowered by this cousin of Yakone. Tatkret's mother floating up and away from Nunasiluq, the spirit hissed in confusion, Desna thought at first that Tatkret had chosen to go back to death, the impression only strengthening when Tatkret said, "Now… to take what you hold most valuable, mother. More valuable than family – the only reason you HAD a family."

Desna listened in horror as Tatkret's mother said, floating just out of a flustered Nunasiluq's reach, Desna not sure what the spirit wanted to do exactly, "What - NO! NOT MY BENDING! The gift… I'd rather DIE than you take my bending away!" feeling as though someone else, hostile, had taken control of his body again as Tatkret's mother howled, "I'LL BEND YOUR BLUBBER, unnatural husky wretch! I'll do more than that later… Do not disrespect me – or your brother will suffer! I'm still stronger than you - trained for over twice your deviant lifetime!" Desna found himself moving as the woman cackled, "Overheard a bit of your blubbering, with the 'Chief' - you say Korra and Asami are some of your heroes now, instead of the man I wanted you to honor - Yakone? Want to do to me, what this pathetic current Avatar's predecessor did to him?" Desna began sweating as she continued, wondering just how she intended to keep a spirit still as she said, "I'm sure your precious Chief's throat will find one of this spirit's claws I felt on my neck earlier sooner or later!"

Hearing a loud, confident young feminine yell, followed by the sounds of crackling ice, Desna found any hold over his body lifted, kneeling on the ground out of exhaustion, saying, "Never… been bloodbent before… awful…" adding as an afterthought, "Wonder if… cousin's form is any…. different… feeling," feeling faint afterwards…

Not entirely sure if he'd wake up again if he blacked out, Desna tried waking himself up with super cooled water, finding the freezing sensation like life's kiss after being bloodbent for so long. Hearing a woman's whimpering, Desna feared Tatkret had lost, but felt nothing tugging on him. Standing up again, Desna turned to face the sound's source, seeing Tatkret holding her mother in a firm lock near Nunasiluq, Tatkret saying, "You said you'd rather die than lose your bending. If that's really what you want, mother… I'll do for you what you never did for me. Forcing me to learn bloodbending like you've forced my little brother, EARLY at that, a whole year sooner than me, forcing me to act 'normal'…" her mother screaming after she said, "I know for you the ultimate 'punishment' would be kindness, in any form. But I won't be the one to fulfill your sick wish… something you'll never see coming will."

Remembering in a rush Kuvira's father, what Raava had wanted to do to him for his crimes, the shattering, not fancying a bloodbender running around the strange new inner dream world, Desna said, "WAIT! Don't - keep her there, Tatkret. I need to talk to you for a second, Nunasiluq." Nunasiluq barked, walking over and gesturing towards a group of running Chieftan's Guard and military men, Chieftan's Guard and citizens closer to him now back up from the short bloodbending duel. Not wanting anyone to get hurt, Desna yelled, "Wait, no, don't get too close! Get back down!"

Relieved to see none jerked around once they were in range of Tatkret's mother and that the Chieftan's Guard who had come to his aid earlier were now stirring, not sure why people didn't hug the snow as he had asked, Desna quickly explained the shattering process and Kuvira's father's antics to Nunasiluq in English. Given the spirit's quizzical looks, Nunasiluq's link to Raava must have been weak, feeling lucky it knew English. Stating the obvious, Desna said in English, "This woman cannot be killed outright - who knows what her spirit might do away from her body," Nunasiluq sighing before shifting to a cuter form, Desna frowning to get the impression the spirit didn't want to talk anymore - or kill anyone, given what Desna had just said.

Seeing Tatkret was still holding her mother in position, crying quite a lot, Desna had no clue as to why she had allowed her mother to speak, his eyes widening to hear the last part: " - take over. You can do whatever you want - but it is the power that must go on. I've seen what you'll do to protect your brother… You are strong – your brother, weak. Perhaps you could hold the Avatar's cousins as ransom for this… assistance having a child."

Desna had gotten the impression Nunasiluq was done, but was surprised when the spirit flew over to the twisted mother's face, pecking her madly for a while and appearing to laugh before shifting, barking and hissing as he brought a claw to the woman's throat for what might be the last time, "Utter one more word, other concerns or not - you are dead." Desna wondered if the spirit was going nuts given how part of its head was shifting colors and shape as it said, "I have heard legends that Koh only stole faces to punish, have heard this is a most… gruesome fate. A terrible thing to live after. I once saw a brother and sister, Misu and Rafa, on my mountaintop to the north many years ago - unable to do anything for the brother, punished by Koh for stealing," Desna noticing the scaled crest that had appeared on Nunasiluq's head was white and blue with relief as the spirit continued over the woman's muffled screaming, "It appears to me you have stolen most of another brother and sister's lives - and even if Koh is against us as a whole… I am sure he cannot resist a face. And this punishment, along with stripping of bending, can be reversed… unlike death, or what Desna told me of. That I cannot speak of…"

Desna nodded, saying gently, "I know this is a delicate subject, but… Tatkret - like 'he' said, we cannot exact a top-secret punishment I think you and… if he is still alive, your father, or any unseen siblings of yours, would find most appropriate for your mother. We want to make sure she cannot harm anyone, and I do not know if someone can bloodbend without sight… so even if she is faceless, we would still need you to strip her bending. The choice is up to you."

Tatkret remained silent for a long time, eventually answering by way of action, saying lowly as she moved, "Without your 'special' power… you are weak, mother. The emotional grip… broken, like you," Desna watching in fascination as she placed her hands on her mother's head and neck as he had seen Noatak train his cousin to do by proxy, wondering if any waterbenders could do so under a full moon idly. Tatkret said cryptically, her mother crumpling, "Leave her be. The only reason I did that… is because of what I am going to do next… and I am sure I can convince my brother to do the same. Without violence – only words."

Her mother on the ground, now twitching slightly, Desna watched in horror as Tatkret placed one hand on her own forehead, hesitating from putting her other hand at the base of her neck for just long enough for an unseen male voice to yell, "Tatkret, NO! Don't!" Tatkret did stop, Chieftan's Guard and military soldiers alike remained wary of her as what must have been her father ran closer, the husky man looking frantic to get to his daughter, Tatkret asking, "Strip myself of my terrible bloodbending gift… Why should I not do it, father? And you… You never stopped my mother, dad - from training me…. In both senses of the word. Blood, and boy… You didn't even stop her from abusing my little brother, trying to make him mean! I know one thing about myself I want to be rid of, the last reminder of my mother's tyranny and her precious lineage, after I find someone…" Desna not entirely sure stripping one's own bending was possible. Tatkret broke down and cupped her face in her hands when her father said, "Don't - for me," Tatkret kneeling in the snow and her father hugging her, saying, "It's all right, sweetie – it looks like it's over. I hoped you'd do it someday," her father continuing after a vaguely hostile grunt from Tatkret, "I know you might see me as a spineless wuss, a softy - averse to conflict, only offering words and not action, controlled like a puppet by your mother anyways, literally… but I've heard rumors. Rumors bloodbending can be used for healing," Tatkret uncovering her face and smiling weakly when her father added, patting her shoulder, "Something I know your mother refused to teach you, though you asked time and time again - and bloodbending healing is extremely powerful, from what I've heard."

Desna chimed in, saying, "Yes - my cousin used it to completely heal wounds easily recently from what I have heard," surprised to hear Eska's voice say, "I've heard over the… telegraph that my cousin had a surgery of sorts, and that the wounds were almost all gone after bloodbending healing," from near some nervous looking Chieftan's Guard, Desna vowing to try and instill some more bravery in them if they were this petrified of a bloodbender… not entirely sure if they'd ever face someone with similar powers.

Jinshu Kuangmai.

The name bringing to mind the other reason the shattered-looking young woman in front of him was special, Desna didn't know exactly what to say when her mother pleaded, "You - you already took away what makes me ME, threatened to do the same to yourself, worse than 'Amon' ever did… doing that to yourself, 'bending suicide'…. I'd rather lose my face a thousand times than see you do that!" Tatkret looked at her mother with disgust, saying, "Very well," the woman moaning slightly, Desna pretty sure she was insane when she reacted so strongly to Tatkret saying the obvious: "I listened to your babble about seizing power just to remind me how pathetic you are, mother. I would never betray the man who helped get me out of your grasp - fear's grasp," Desna genuinely surprised when Tatkret coughed, saying, "Chief Desna – I owe you a great debt. Where you go, I'll go. Whoever you're fighting - I'll fight," Tatkret smiling broadly as she added, "Whoever you're trying to help, I'll help - if bloodbending can really be used for healing."

Seeming to remember something, Tatkret did a double-take, saying with a slight blush, "As friends, of course - you already know which way I flow, so to speak," Desna smiling when she added, "Maybe I can find someone - maybe make a new life in Republic City with my father and my little brother Shtiya. Sort of like my distant cousins did… but for the right reasons, not the wrong ones." Remembering the prison camp had a lot of "sexually interesting" prisoners, Desna said, smiling to see Tatkret's expression brighten after he was done, "I know there's a lot of people in the Southern 'Earth Empire' who'd love to meet someone like you - especially someone who has dealt with darkness and heartbreak before. And not come out hateful for it." Tatkret sighed, Desna noticing the soldiers around him jumped slightly when she got to the "offensive" part of what she said next, saying, "Healing… I want to learn. My little brother will probably too. He… he always did want to try and help the animals mother forced him to practice on after… Maybe we can even learn from your cousin Avatar Korra how to bloodbend heal - if she's done it…"

Desna knew his tribe had changed since Yue's time, but was still surprised when one of the nervous male soldiers raised his hand, saying in an incongruously deep voice, "I - uh - took lessons from my mother before joining on healing," Desna frowning slightly to hear perhaps they hadn't changed as much as he would have liked when the man continued, "Some of my fellow warriors think I'm gay or not manly for knowing how," glad the man could laugh about it when he finished, "They shut up after I patched myself in service a while back. Healed up the damage Bumi did to the people in that camp around the Southern Portal real good," Desna not liking to be reminded of his own role in the Water Tribe Civil War… How his father had used them as pawns…

Vowing to not do the same, some part of him vaguely hoping for a chance to prove himself in battle, Desna said, "Enough talk about the old. Let's do something new - be a beacon of hope for the world again, like in Yue's days." Hearing cheering, not sure he or anyone else would ever "get" humans truly when he heard a voice say, "Yeah - we got a damn bloodbender! Maybe two!" when people had been terrified of Tatkret and her mother not that long ago, Desna realized there was still a lot of explaining to do. Desna began, saying awkwardly, not sure how to avoid "bursting someone's bubble", "Uh - what we might be fighting, that won't do us a ton of good," continuing after asking Tatkret to demonstrate her inability to bloodbend spirits on Nunasiluq, Tatkret doing so reluctantly, "You forget that most spirits do not have blood or anything inside them to manipulate. As far as I have heard from cousin Korra, only the most 'human-y' spirits have actual blood, such as Iroh, the Painted Lady, or… one of… who knows how many of Jinshu Kuangmai's allies. 'Vaazula'."

Noticing his generals and admirals were present, Desna said in English, "Nunasiluq - make sure no one is around who shouldn't for this next part," Desna beginning to explain more about their mission and what his cousin was facing - and had at her disposal. As he expected, the Chief's Admiral was the first to speak, saying, "What the - wow. We can't even make our own warships and mechatanks, the old models from three years ago off Future Industries - and your cousin, the Avatar, can just… up and make something bigger than the monstrosity that attacked Republic City? THAT FLIES? When are we going to get any of that stuff? I remember what my colleague Chief's General Sangok said about Unalaq berating his predecessor for letting an airplane get near the Spirit Portal – we need an airforce! I'd be a lot more comfortable leaving the North to help Republic City if we had a 'Raging Shark Whale'… thing to guard home. That thing makes biplanes sound like children's toys." Desna shrugged, saying, "My cousin is currently trying to figure out how individuals other than herself can replicate this 'synthesis' - but I'm afraid any success will require all four elements, and that aircraft pushed her to her limit," Desna not entirely sure what to say when the Chief's General asked, "Chief Desna and Eska - it sounds to me like all the Air Nation's either on that… massive thing your cousin made, or with Raiko's reinforcements. The only other airbenders – in Omashu. We get to Republic City - meet Firelord Izumi and her daughter. Where's our airbenders for this synthesis thing, exactly? Or 'transformed' spirit vines, 'Lipowder', all that new stuff, for that matter? And what about home - nothing but waterbenders for ages!"

Tired of talking, Desna elbowed Eska, saying, "Your turn," Eska saying as Desna thought contentedly about meeting Ursa II, "Hmmm - transformed spirit vines. Give me a quick show of hands - how many of you can see the spirit next to me?" Desna was surprised to see so many hands go up, not having "cleaned house" after his father's defeat too much, half expecting anyone who had served as one of his father's soldiers to not be able to see what he could. He had replaced both the Chief's Admiral and Chief's General, their hands also raised. Now recognizing a few faces from three years before, defending the Southern Portal, Desna finally realized that sides did not dictate good and evil at the individual level, Earth Empire and his father's Northern Water Tribe alike. One voice spoke up, a woman, saying, "I can see that spirit just fine - the only reason I served for your father was because I had a family to feed, and keep from execution," Desna's eyes widening for a different reason.

His father had never mentioned "on pain of death" type methods being used… that was something he figured the old Fire Nation or Earth Empire might have used.

Realizing the military might know of hiding places he did not, given he didn't even know of what this woman soldier had said, Desna shot his still shocked sister a glance, saying in English, "I did not know of this practice… and given how you look, neither did you, sister. I think people in our military might know hiding places for my father's things, given our mother has yet to find anything, given you aren't carrying anything… what do you say? Spill the beans?"

Eska's answer was interrupted when the Chief's Admiral coughed, saying, "Enough with the barking tongue. You think you can't trust us, Chief? Men and women you're asking to possibly fight and die?" Desna frowned, saying, "I won't be a passive leader anymore, I will be there as well, right alongside you. You are more than pawns to me," continuing after a nod from his sister, "Chief's Admiral Sangok, Chief's General Chulyin - I did not intend any disrespect. Given there were things done by my father that I did not know of - such as conscription on pain of death - I need you to ask all your men and women, especially those who are veterans of the Water Tribe Civil War, if they know of any places my father may have cached personal belongings of his. Things he did not want others to find."

Desna had not expected such a quick answer, much less from Chief's Admiral Sangok, Desna's eyes widening when the man frowned, looking disturbed as he said, "I think I know one thing – a whole huge room. My own flagship… with a room I've never been able to get into. A big one too, with a big lock. The blood red, dark black gem on it, a slight… smell… Creeps me out, that place. Especially the gem. The whole place directly beneath the helm, at that, overseeing the whole front deck," looking genuinely frustrated, admitting, "No matter what combination I put into what I think is a 'waterbending lock' - can't get in," looking less frustrated when he continued, "My predecessor who you fired said even he didn't know what was inside - just that your father ordered everyone off the boat and surrounding docks for a whole day, doing something before Harmonic Convergence. Before your cousin opening even one portal… Nobody here can metalbend, and the whole thing looks to be made of the same metal that our mechatanks are anyways… so I do not know if even the Avatar would be able to breach the room." The admiral looked sheepish when Chief's General Chulyin laughed, saying, "Uh, plasma saw? Let alone this thing Desna was telling us about – plasma-edged weapons! That'd make short work of the platinum," Eska interjecting, "There are sufficient power sources in Republic City - tuber-vines. Twenty-six, I believe - but 'unempowered', and I do not know what could split them aside from Raava or my cousin either. Future Industries, unless the reinforcements totally 'looted' the place, should have some regular plasma saws as well. As soon as we get into Republic City, we can crack the vault."

Desna jumped slightly to hear Nunasiluq's reptilian barking and growling from his side, hearing the spirit's speech as, "No need - I can simply turn incorporeal, and go inside the flagship's room, and open it from the inside," swearing the spirit's barking sounded smug as it finished, "Bet your father never thought about spirit security - and it's not like he would have had spirit vines or anything else to create an exclusion zone, like you mentioned to your armed forces around Zaofu..." Desna nodded, saying, "I do not know if you can see the spirit who just spoke, but I am sure you heard him, given how you jumped. I believe he is right," noticing the Chief's Admiral seemed to appreciate being called by name, "Before we go to Chief's Admiral Sangok's flagship, I need your help looking for other areas my father may have stored his personal things," admitting, "This is something we should have been doing three years ago. Oh well."

Desna was glad to know his own family hadn't been the only one cowed beyond death by Unalaq, the woman who had spoken before admitting, "If I hadn't heard the rumors about what happened earlier, you showing a softer side… I probably would have not said anything."

Soldiers and Chieftan's Guard scattered in all directions after Desna said, "Let's see what we can find!", he noticed that Tatkret did indeed follow him, Eska, and Malina with more vigilance than even the best of his bodyguards. Eska asked, "I guess you really did mean what you said earlier, huh, Tatkret?" Tatkret nodded, saying, "Yes. In case you're wondering about my past… I still don't feel ready to talk about it all just yet, and my little brother Shtiya… he'll need even more help," Desna feeling relieved when she finished, "As far as I know, Yakone and my mother Ublaraok were the last of their line," frowning when she added tearfully, "It certainly explains why she was so horrible to me and my brother these past four years, more than any other. Little brother starting a year earlier at eight on his training… I don't know why she, my mother, continued hating me, even after hearing that I might get to have kids someday. I do know she considered my brother Shtiya 'not strong enough.'" Pretty sure he knew the answer, Desna said carefully, "You broke loose of her power - evil, dark people hate that more than anything. Even if you had 'cured' who you are after your confrontation, done everything she wanted you to… she still would have hated you. Especially what ended up happening in the end… you, overpowering her."

Tatkret looked devastated at first, eventually admitting, "I guess you're right," sounding guilty when she said, "Had I been strong sooner… maybe my brother would have been spared half of my own 'treatment'," looking a little better as she continued, "I have heard you did not mourn your father's passing - so I shouldn't mourn the passing of my mother's bending. My father, when he could, would give me little re-assurances, and my brother. Tell us both we're fine the way we are, 'sturdy like papa' – though I didn't really listen at the time, my mother having convinced me and my brother early on we were… 'soft seals'. Enough about Ublaraok, my mother… My dad… much rather talk about him." Desna didn't understand all these insults. Remembering there were plenty of other Water Tribe women and men with better insulation than himself, having cursed his own rail-thin build at times in the past, Desna gave Tatkret a quick look-over, seeing she looked within the range of Water Tribe normal to him. From what Desna had seen of him, Tatkret looked like her father in many ways – a polarbear dog build with apparent strength, "chubby" at the most uncharitable, Desna just seeing her as bigger than cousin Korra – nothing else.

Desna idly wondered how "good" at being "bad" Tatkret's mother was to convince her Water Tribe daughter that looking Tatkret's "Water Tribe" normal was worthy of scorn as Tatkret continued, "Tell me I was okay, and it was my mother who was the problem, 'wrong' from birth like Azula was rumored to be, my brother, that he was… strong, to resist the training." Deciding any comment on body image might be inappropriate, given Tatkret's orientation, Desna said, "I've heard it said if you're bothered like Azula was, hallucinating, there's something left inside of you - but from what I saw of your mother, she wasn't bothered by anything except you breaking her control over you. A little disconnected from reality herself, thinking she could use Nunasiluq to slit my throat…" only making Tatkret sigh deeply.

Desna felt like smacking his sister when she cluelessly interjected, "Speaking of horrible parents - let's go find more of our dad's stuff!" Tatkret merely responded, "Okay," Desna glad to see Tatkret was well enough to make a jest, Tatkret saying, "Let's hope your horrible parent's secret room is as easy as I heard Azula's was to get into - just firebend into a wall…" Not having remembered this detail himself, despite having worked with Zuko some himself on secret matters - the Red Lotus, an organization Desna hoped was either "dead as a doornail" or not stupid enough to add a fourth side to all this fighting, things chaotic enough already - Desna idly asked as they approached the first of a few destinations his mother wanted them to explore with bending's help, "Have you studied her much - Azula? I worked with her brother Zuko to contain P'li, yet I have never heard of a secret room of Ozai's."

Tatkret did not answer at first, nervously playing with a hair loopy, finally admitting, "Some. Well, more than some - after hearing the legends, and reading some facts, I read up on her life when I could. At first, given what my dad said, I thought I might find why my mom was so… evil, but only found more questions than answers in the end. My little brother reminds me of 'Zuzu' in some ways – not wanting to do the cruel training my mother used emotional abuse to force me into, her… threats to kill something in her grasp if Shtiya didn't 'break it free' with bloodbending." Tatkret teared up, asking no one, "Did Azula's mother Ursa calling Azula a monster make her crazy - or was Azula born that way? Did someone else shape her and threaten her, train her, her father, like my mom wanted to do to me, and my… my poor brother Shtiya. Do what Yakone did to my two distant cousins, except successfully - like Yakone did in the end, given when Noatak and Tarrlok ended up doing? Where did she go - did Azula ever find peace?"

Desna found they had stopped, seeing characters appear beneath his feet in the ice and snow right outside the door to the hut Malina had led them to: "Come to the Spirit Oasis. I might be able to help on Azula." Desna heard excitement in Tatkret's voice as she said, tugging on his hand, feeling her physical strength first-hand for the first time, "Wh - is that Yue? Does she know something? Come on, Desna - let's go! If I feel better… I might be able to help my brother too." Desna felt torn between helping this conflicted soul and his own surviving family.

His mother turned around, saying, "I'm sure Eska and I will be fine," Nunasiluq landing on his shoulder after his sister added, "I can't see much in here besides that metal chest there. It's just a metal box - we'll be fine - take Nunasiluq with you, in case Koh decides to make a visit. Tatkret – we'll keep an eye out for your father and brother. Good luck, all… three of you." Desna nodded and turned to Tatkret, joking, "Forget what your mom said about being 'too big' – if anything, you're too strong! Now quit 'pullbending' my arm so hard - you may as well bloodbend me where you want me to go if you're going to tug that hard! At least you won't dislocate my arm that way!" Desna smiled to see Tatkret smiling at a joke he had initially though would offend her after the fact, Tatkret even smiling slightly as she said, "Th-thank you. Again. Never had anyone outside my father say that," Desna frowning slightly when she admitted, "Being bloodbenders, my mother took us away from the 'big city' often for training for long times… I didn't get a chance to form many friendships. Just like you, apparently, from what you told me."

Making their way towards the Spirit Oasis, Desna didn't even really think why he needed the little spirit on his shoulder, too busy caught up feeling something he hadn't really all by itself before, the only time he had felt it being earlier with Ursa II.

Friendship. Beyond that – kinship.

---

Long Yumao hissed, cursing his decision to "rally" spirits inside "his" realm with every new spirit that popped up from the outside world, wishing they would stay outside to cause as much ruckus as possible. Long Yumao circled around the Tree of Time, his small victory in clearing the Tree's vicinity feeling empty and hollow somehow. The accursed barriers - still there. Spirits still randomly defecting to Vaatu's side after whispering from the accursed fish-man spirit that called itself "Wipfis" – an irritating illiterate troublemaker.

He needed a way out - a foolproof way out. Out into the Physical World, beginning to feel as trapped as he knew he had made Zaheer feel, not having seen the foolish airbender for a day or so. What he needed - a swathe of "land" that crossed between physical and spirit realms so wide, so large, that even a hundred Dark and Light Avatar working together couldn't possibly cover the whole region…

Long Yumao pondered where he could find such a place, the Spirit Oasis obviously not an option given the presence of La, and the Swamp now an immense blight in the middle of his other enemy's heartland, even Long Yumao having given up trying to send spirits through after seeing what the tree… did to them. Feeling like he might know the answer, it was at this moment his… periodically useful ally Koh the Face-Stealer chose to start climbing the Tree of Time's side, sighing then laughing as he went, "Hello, Long Yumao. Why the…. Long face? Ahahaha!" Not getting the joke at all, Long Yumao hissed, "What do you want?", continuing mockingly, " 'More faces'? Hmmm?"

The centipedal spirit laughed, saying from the face of a howling monkey with long fangs, "I was recently promised a face by someone - someone who can deliver," Long Yumao sighing with disgust as Koh taunted, "Near my other 'home', and haunt - the Northern Water Tribe. Only human mercy and softness prevented the punishment from being carried out," Long Yumao hissing in alarm when Koh finished, "A spirit far older than yourself, on Raava's side, made the 'offer' - and given I still have a job aside from you, I would have taken the wretch's face anyways - and I won't touch her daughter or new friend."

Losing his temper, Long Yumao swiped at Koh, the other spirit handily evading him, speaking in a tongue he could not understand, getting the sense it was… very rude in nature. Remembering the Tree of Time was ancient, Long Yumao decided to play Koh's little game, saying, "It is not as if I have anything better to do, now that the Tree of Time is 'ours', the opposition off somewhere else. Bunch of cowards. If you have something to say, you can say it however you like - as long as I can understand." Koh laughed, boasting for Long Yumao didn't know the whateverth time, "As I am the son of a spirit almost as old as time itself, only Raava and Vaatu predating the 'Mother of Faces', I can see and know things you cannot - such as the language I just mocked you in."

Starting to connect the dots, Long Yumao hissed, losing an earlier train of thought, "It's that 'Engriss', isn't it? I have heard the Avatar speak it!", Long Yumao not entirely sure why he put up with Koh when the spirit mocked him with a human's face, "Yes, is Engrish! Rong Yumao not good speaker - need ressons rong time!" With the next word, Koh reminded him of why he kept him around, Koh saying as he waved some of his upper appendages, "The ages… I can see more than 'Engrish' here. Finally - on a tree. And not merely my tree - the Tree of Time, able to know beyond 'our' Spirit World, even beyond our plane." Not really caring about two human brats visiting the Spirit Oasis, Long Yumao asked condescendingly, "Oh great and knowledgeable Koh, knower of 'Engriss', temporarily most likely given you've never said a word of it off that tree - can you tell me what that pitiful spirit 'Wipfis' was babbling on about? 'You be sorry no come easy' - implying his, ugh, human master might have something that could threaten US?"

Now at the top of the tree, nearly within snapping reach, Koh moaned, "No, I cannot. Even the Avatar and Raava cannot penetrate whatever seal Jinshu Kuangmai has created on Zaofu and most of all, his mind - similar in strength to the seal the Avatar placed upon herself and her looooover against someone from 'another slice of bread'." Pretty sure Koh was just messing with him now, Long Yumao snapped at him slightly when Koh said, from the face of a four-year old human, acting like the face's brat might have, "Girl at pool 'yucky' to you - she likes girls! Not steal face even though I could," Koh changing his attitude slightly as Long Yumao produced a ball of pure spirit hate energy, saying with "his" face, "Well, part of it is they have a spirit bodyguard - one older than you are by far," Koh still adding, "It is her mother that was to be punished and not her - so unless she let me, showing emotion around me, I wouldn't take Tatkret's face anyways."

Long Yumao's general vicinity to the tree letting him see slightly more than normal, he felt alarm for some reason, asking, "Koh - what are they doing? Tell me - NOW!"

Long Yumao felt what human insects called "terror" when Koh responded, "Everyone has 'their favorite prisoners'. And from what I can gather, a powerful spirit is about to help them with one of your favorite prisoners. A woman."

Long Yumao hissing, having at least two favorite female prisoners, he felt tempted to dig into the Tree of time as he had before - what he guessed was "Hatred" had not specified exactly how big a victory he needed to receive more power from the universal constant, and Long Yumao fancied clearing the Tree of Time of enemy spirits warranted a "raise". Sticking his bladed tail into the trunk, Long Yumao screeched, all he got was pain and a loud "NO!", puzzled when the genderless voice he had heard before, Hatred, hissed, "Victory alone is never enough. You must think outside the box, act outside it, achieve things outside of it to receive anything else. Anything greater," Long Yumao's tail forced to move as the voice hissed, "You are wasting my time. Time I do not have to spare. Now scram!"

Long Yumao turned to Koh, asking, "Do you have any clue what those stupid mortals want with her? And … do you know which one, exactly?" Koh merely answered, Long Yumao hissing in a mix of resignation and anger, "I cannot tell exactly what, or even who - but only that allowing these snoops to poke their noses around and find more will only encourage bigger game to come looking," Long Yumao beginning to cackle loudly when Koh said, "The Avatar herself, regardless of which two favorite female prisoners it is - though one sooner rather than later. Forget the Tree of Time - when the time is right, Korra does the inevitable, you may get your claws on the biggest prize of all if everything goes right."

The single word Koh said next was music to Long Yumao's ears.

"Raava."

After the glorified blue and white kite's swarmed demise, nothing else would really matter. Humanity - powerless, Vaatu exposed and vulnerable following Raava's demise like the insect he really was, consorting with humans three years ago to attain his goals, Unalaq as equal as Korra was with Raava - much less Vaatau's recent changes!

Change reminding Long Yumao of something else, besides how he saw the past so much more clearly now, wondering why he had not acted sooner, he asked Koh, "Can you see when the first shipments might leave? Particularly the one containing secret entrances to…?" Koh responded with a sigh, "Do not say. You never know what spy of Raava or Vaatu's is around. Patience. It was arranged a relatively short time ago. Time flows differently for us, than…" Long Yumao's mind wandered back to thinking outside the box, he remembered something Koh had told the Avatar, one of his cryptic hints and likely a product of his ability to see beyond, at the time Koh assuming the humans would be the actors: "Reciprocity is coming."

Thinking back to the straw - or rather, spirit vine abuse - that broke the camel yak's back, enough for the final twin blow of Raava's outright favoritism - Atokara, euch, just thinking the name made him retch, and what the humans called "tuber-vines" - to drive him to do something, lest the world truly slip from spirit's grasp forever, irreversible, Long Yumao closed his eyes, lightly touching the Tree of Time's trunk - but not penetrating it.

He didn't want to push his luck.

Seeing an image he had never seen before, the inner workings of a spirit weapon, the strange capsule and captive vine, countless wires, the workings of so much more as well, Long Yumao had a brilliant idea, cackling madly as he saw his idea take shape, "An untapped power source… If I pull this off, victory will be mine! Let's see how humans like…"

Even as he thought of how to make his vision, no, dream, a reality, Long Yumao felt for some reason he had chosen the much more annoying and difficult of at least two ways to think outside the box, hissing, "Bug off, mind," to Koh's mild amusement.

---

Finally arriving at the Spirit Oasis, Desna paused for a moment, taking it all in, finding it wonderful. Seeing Nunasiluq walk up to the water in his larger form and open his toothy mouth, Desna panicked at first, relaxing when the spirit barked, sounding as though it were chuckling, "I am here for the water - not fish in the pool. I am not stupid," Desna jumping to hear disembodied human laughter after Nunasiluq added, "I was not a relatively stupid animal like Momo, after all."

Looking above the pool, Desna's eyes widened, remembering what his father had wanted to as he asked, "Y-Yue? What?" remembering an earlier more specific concern as he added, "You said the first time was… unique, when my sister and I talked to you earlier here, on more… personal matters. If you can just… appear… are the Spirit World and Physical World so interlinked that… that a Dark Avatar could be created at any time? Anyone, any time – do what my father waited years and years for?" Yue shook her misty head, Desna feeling unnaturally soothed as she said, "No. I cannot foresee any circumstance that would allow for that - it is not a valid worry. Great spiritual power, as well as great alignment between the Physical and Spirit Realms, is required for that. Just let it flow from your mind…"

Desna closed his eyes, attempting to do so - seeing a bizarre image fade as he let go of the concern, unable to remember anything about it other than it felt as real as an "alternate" from another plane might, but just as irrelevant. Opening his eyes, Desna was not sure why Yue looked concerned, Yue saying, "Or perhaps not. But that may be far in the future - and is only a possibility."

Desna about to ask what it was, Yue crossed her arms, shaking her head as she said, "I can see the curiousity in your eyes. On this… Uh-uh. No. Given how Raava's acting after her human-y change, I won't even tell her all I could of it – the gist," Yue looking slightly annoyed as she continued at first, "When she's available, that is. Sokka was worried about there here and now when I met him - and from what I saw of him later until Ozai's defeat, he was too focused on the future at times. Schedule this, schedule that… Guess you're a bit like him," Yue groaning slightly when Nunasiluq corrected her with a few barks, "No - all humans are like one another, even like other animals," Yue smiling again when he finished, "Otherwise, I wouldn't be here - immortalized like Iroh or the Painted Lady." Nunasiluq sat down beneath the arch near the pool's waters, Desna getting the impression something he wanted from the water wasn't there as the spirit shifted to its smaller form, his displeasure linked to not being able to communicate with Raava.

Nunasiluq now perched on top of the arch, appearing to be asleep, Desna found his eyes drawn to "Tui" and La, wondering why a portion of the Spirit of Water would choose their planet to make its home. The black and white fish turned to face him for a moment, letting out a few bubbles before continuing to circle something that was not as it once was - Tui. Apparently, La had "said" something, Yue coughing after a splash of water hit Desna in the face, "You forget the whole reason you came here, Desna?" seeing the English words, "That past's specifics not known and IRRELEVANT" form and then disappear on the water's surface.

Turning to see Tatkret looked annoyed with him, to say the least, Desna jumped back slightly, remembering she was a bloodbender, saying, "Y-yeah, I was just… thinking about Azula!" Tatkret laughing dryly, "Sure. Didn't see her mentioned on the funny simple characters just now… And I wasn't the one who splashed you," Desna grumbling when Yue giggled slightly. The misty image of his distant relative stuck its tongue out at him blushing slightly when Desna said, "All this splashing… I look forward to seeing what you do when your 'boyfriend' Sokka visits 'in person'," disappointed she didn't respond.

Sokka reminding him of the Hundred Year War, Desna asked, wanting to be on the same page as Tatkret, "Before anything else… Can either of you tell me more about Ozai's secret room - or when Azula was last seen?" Desna listened to the story of Azula's dissapearance, getting the feeling he was getting a very… concise version, noticing Nunasiluq stirred towards the end, re-burying his beak under a wing after a moment.

Seeing Tatkret looking at him impatiently, remembering she had a little brother to help, Desna realized there was something she didn't know that he did.

Azula's own hidden story.

Desna took no pleasure in telling Tatkret, realizing as he was speaking that Azula was, in a way, "under pain of death" for every moment after the "accident" – though Zuko never would have told, Desna was sure Azula saw it differently, thinking her own mother conspiring against her. Seeing the sadness in Tatkret's eyes, Desna told everything he knew, including more about "Vaazula" and Azula's soul's current whereabouts, having not said anything he hadn't told his commanders out of concern it would push Tatkret over the edge. Desna waited – saw she didn't break, nodding in agreement when Tatkret said, "The deal… That sounds… stupid, and just wrong. Especially considering what Jinshu Kuangmai wanted to do, and what Azula was. I hope your cousin knows what she's doing," Desna admitting, "You heard what I said earlier about a 'Catch-22' - and in a way, we're in one with Vaazula herself. Give her bending, or the prison camp - the 'hostage' - gets 'executed'. They have some kind of long range weapon - claim it could turn the camp to ash with one shell."

Tatkret began crying, saying, "Wh - no… all those people," sighing as she said, "Maybe my only chance, too, on top of that. I know my mother was probably lying, but… she said 'deviants' like myself are very rare," Tatkret sobbing again when Yue interjected gently, "At most, about one in ten. Desna - you don't need my help to depress this poor woman. She's got a little brother to help later. Let's keep it relevant." Desna felt embarrassed, apologizing, "I did not mean to make you feel bad, Tatkret, or waste your time, Great Moon Spirit," glad to hear Tatkret say, "It's okay - feeling sad is better than feeling nothing, or hating yourself," getting a light hug after she finished, "What I did - before you helped me. What I want to do for my brother. He's going to need it…"

Something Tatkret said struck Desna. Feeling nothing. What he had, for the most part - until very recently, inspired by Asami Sato's story, to break his own chains… and helping his sibling after.

Nudging Tatkret, the hug broken, Desna said, "I guess what Nunasiluq said earlier was right - we really are very similar to one another," not knowing the answer when a thought popped into his mind: "What made Tonga Beifong go bad, exactly?" Figuring the answer was something the tyrant and his mother Toph - possibly both - would likely take to their graves, finding Toph's explanation… lackluster, Desna listened as Tatkret said, "You're right - from what you told me, you felt nothing for a very long time, Desna," crying slightly as she added, "What my little brother began to feel four years ago… after the 'training enforcement' time that followed Tarrlok's death. The darkness in his eyes… I don't even know if he knows how to feel attraction to someone, despite being the same age I was when I first 'found out' – twelve." Tatkret stood up and bowed as she continued, "Mortal antics… I do not mean to waste your time, Yue," Yue interrupting, sounding sad, "Wasting my time with the stuff of life? You can't do that… I was human too once! Wasting time… No - you aren't, either of you," rubbing her forehead slightly as she said, stiltedly, "Tui and… La crossed… over to here… to help humans after… one… inspired… 'us'. Greatest… change." Despite being made of mist, Desna got the impression Yue wanted to throw up, wincing when some white "fog" left her mouth, saying after, "Ugh - that tasted horrible … and I can't even taste now! You happy with that… inadvertent answer for now, Desna? To why here, and not somewhere else?" Desna nodded, saying, "Yes," finding himself adding, "Wait - what? Way I've heard it, Tui and La - here on our plane before Wan's time. Who could have inspired greater change than him?"

Desna had never seen La leap out of the water before, the fish wriggling in the water after as if trying to shed something unpleasant, getting the impression from Nunasiluq's loud squawking that it had everything to do with the odd memory gap. Desna gasped slightly when Tatkret asked, never having been told of such a thing, "What… what memory gap? What's going on?" Desna sighed, finding himself the one diverting back to Azula now, saying succinctly, "Even my cousin Avatar Korra does not know, or her 'boss', Raava. Six Harmonic Convergence's worth of history and time near a key point in history… muddied or lost. But it has nothing to do with Azula," glad to see Tatkret was more interested in Azula than anything when she nodded, asking Yue, "You, along with La, seem to know about things older than the Avatar, if what my friend here said is true. What do you know about Azula - beyond what anyone still alive knows?" Asking some the same questions she had asked him earlier, tearing up slightly, Tatkret asked, "Is anyone born evil? Is what Desna said about being disturbed true - that it means there's something still inside you that's good? That's fighting? Do you know if Azula was twisted and warped by someone else into what she became - or warped by the possibility of death at her father's hand, for being… the real her? Like me?" sobbing when she finished, "I know her soul's in the Fog of Lost Souls now - but I also know there's more ways than being bad to end up there. I've heard rumors of people tossing others into there as punishment… Did she ever find peace – someone or something else the reason she's… there?"

Remembering the English word "hell" and the concept attached to it, as well as his own father tossing the innocent Jinora into the Fog of Lost Souls, Desna thought, "Forget what I 'heard' about their plane being 'worse' - from what I understand of the word 'hell', at least nobody good goes there!" Another two names coming to mind - Aiewei and Zaheer - and remembering his cousin telling him after Harmonic Convergence about Jinora's own ordeal, barely kept alive by Kya for near a week while trapped, Kya having to make Jinora's body function, despair flooded over Desna.

Realizing Azula was dead.

Unless some sort of miracle had happened, there was no way Azula was alive. His cousin might be able to free her spirit, sure, if Azula was willing to come out - but just like he had read of Aiwei, her body would have died and decayed, not even kept alive for the ten or so days Kya had kept Jinora alive…

Azula. Nothing but royal bones, in the middle of the Forgetful Valley inside the Fire Nation, ages away…

Desna had great confidence in his cousin and Raava, but he didn't think even they could raise the dead, or even give Jinshu Kuangmai what he demanded without being able to "give" Vaazula the most critical part - Azula's life and experiences.

Not having noticed what he was doing, so lost in thought, Desna came to, finding himself rocking back and forth, muttering, "Azula is dead… deal is useless…" over and over. Stopping himself, explaining his thought process, Tatkret burst into tears, feeling icicles in his heart when she asked him, her eyes flaring in anger, "That stupid deal… is that the only reason you want to know?! What about her - even 'merely' freeing her spirit would be great!" Yue admonishing her slightly, "He's upset his cousin didn't think things through enough - made a deal that's bad all round. Might hurt people! Yelling isn't going to solve anything," Desna nodding mutely when Yue added, "Though that was rather cold-hearted, Desna."

Still depressed, Desna forced himself to listen as Yue said, "To answer your questions, Tatkret - I don't believe people are born evil. While Desna was in misery, you said yourself your brother seemed to be born good – but that's the default state. Babies laugh, smile, babble… Things happen to them that can twist and warp them - and even the best of us have the occasional bad impulse. Someone I knew in my lifetime, Katara, once thought she needed revenge for her mother's death - something that would have stained her soul," Desna's eyes widening slightly when Yue continued, "I do not know if they are known, not having read in over seventy years, but there are actual illnesses of the mind that can make being good difficult . Tatkret… it could be possible your mother or Azula had one of these," Desna wondering if his father had one of these until Yue continued, "From my own life, not even counting what I know as being the Moon Spirit… there are some people though who simply end up wrong. At some point, illness or not… they cross the threshold of little to no return. The how and why doesn't matter - they just need to be taken out. Zhao comes to mind - killing my spirit predecessor," Desna finding himself adding, "My father - consorting with the spirit of destruction and darkness, wanting to become a 'Dark' Avatar." Desna looked up to see Yue nodding, Yue stating simply, "Humans - and any intelligent being, I can hear that squawking, Nunasiluq - are too complicated to boil down to 'You have this mental illness' or 'Your mother whipped and abused you'. There are children from loving homes that end up monsters, and children from the worst circumstances imaginable who turn out to be loving people. There is no accounting for free will - as I showed in my lifetime, robbing Zhao of his sick 'victory' and making my father proud by deciding to give life back to the Moon Spirit, after it gave life to me - my father's vision of 'fate' or not," Desna hearing Yue sob slightly as she added, "I felt something inside me, other than the Moon Spirit's energy - something that made me want to do it, demanded I did it. Love," smiling slightly as she said lowly, "My humanity."

Yue sniffed, continuing, "Humanity. From what I know after death, of Azula - the fact that she saw her mother, the fact there was a struggle at all makes me think two things. One good, one 'bad'. There was something good left inside her. But given her struggle, there was something bad within as well - and darkness does not give way to light easily, no matter if that darkness comes from within, or a seed planted from outside. Knowing Ozai, Ursa, and Azula, as well as her secret - I'd guess there was light and darkness from within and outside, tearing her apart."

Yue beginning to fade slightly, Desna thought Yue was leaving, relaxing when he heard her voice say, "That was everything any wise living person could have told you with enough information. I heard your concern about the 'exchange' being in vain, and while I cannot track a life-force like your cousin might, still being alive and fully connected to the world… I might be able to see if any other great spirits know anything."

After a few minutes, Yue's form returned to "normal" mist, frowning slightly as she said, "While I did hear something very encouraging… it's a bit of a 'Catch-22', in a different way. Nothing can be done, or known for sure until Azula is freed from the Fog of Lost Souls anyways." Tatkret asked, sounding hopeful, "What is it - what did you find?" Desna grimaced when Yue shook her head, writing in "code" for a portion upon the Spirit Oasis' waters below her in ice, speaking the rest, "Desna - I am sure you remember the bending pulse, the secret, and your cousin's reservations telling people anything about something that may or may not happen," erasing the letters that formed the two sensitive English words, continuing in normal speech, "Myself and another powerful spirit have similar reservations about what we discussed, and nothing more will come of it until Azula's soul is free of the Fog," Desna smiling slightly when Yue said, "Tatkret, what I wrote in ice - secret stuff, sorry. I said normally what you both need to know – I do not wish to make promises that end up being not true. I do not wish to break anyone's hearts. To both of you - if anything else, if it works out as we hope it will… it will be a nice surprise."

Desna did not know Tatkret well enough to know what she would think of this… feeble response, smiling when she said, "Everything about today was surprising, in the best possible way - I can wait."

Feeling they were done, Nunasiluq flapping over and sitting on Tatkret's head, Desna understanding why his sister had been slightly jealous before, they waved goodbye to Yue. Yue vanished before they could turn around to go back to Eska and Malina. Remembering something vaguely from Korra's first infobending of them, Desna smiled slightly, saying, "My cousin, Avatar Korra, symbolically calls Zuko's uncle, Iroh, 'Uncle' Iroh - I believe because she wanted a new uncle, given my father was… not very nice to her," not entirely sure the reaction he would get when he said, "Just like you and your father, I have my problems with my mother, having blamed her for being 'weak' - but I still love her. What do you say – as a symbol of change, you and your little brother Shtiya call your mother 'Ublaraok'… and nothing else?"

Tatkret stopped, sighing as Nunasiluq pecked Desna after landing on his shoulder, getting the sense the spirit thought he had been a fool, Nunasiluq squawking loudly in surprise when she responded, "I don't know. Maybe… though my brother will be… hard…" Desna's eyes widening when Tatkret said, "We'll have to see what my father Hakoda has to say first - he might even want in on the deal. My mother has not been kind to him either," Tatkret adding, "Forget symbolism… maybe make it real."

Desna simply stayed silent, much as Nunasiluq was, the random thought passing through his mind of, "Mother did say she wanted someone to love… and Tatkret's father is probably hurting just as much as my mother is, after who knows how many years of… that." A part of Desna found it ridiculous - two "weak" people, learning life again together?

Remembering how similar he and Ursa II were, aside from the whole… parents thing, Desna finally responded to Tatkret, simply saying, "I'll have to think about it."

Finally back with his mother and sister, Desna took turns explaining what had happened with Tatkret, parts of it in English and for his sister's ears only – specifically, the possibility of some great truly ancient human before Avatar Wan, and Yue's logic behind staying silent. Desna assuming they were finished once Eska put the shrouding of Yue's find into words that Tatkret could hear without spilling the bending pulse, Desna groaned lowly when Tatkret said suggestively, sounding like she was playing a part again, except this time as an innocent babe and not closeted homosexual, "Hey, Malina - have you met my dad yet?" His mother shook her head, saying, "No - though from what Desna just finished telling me about you, you poor thing, your brother … maybe I should meet him. What's his name again?" Desna and Eska both groaning slightly when their mother blushed after Tatkret said, "Hakoda."

Tatkret and Malina leaving to find Hakoda and Shtiya, Desna busied himself with his sister, bringing Nunasiluq along for translation duties. Desna caught her eye, Eska saying in English, "Okay, great - so you come back with more stuff for cousin Korra to do," Desna gesturing at a pile of unopened shiny metallic boxes, swearing he saw them… pulsing intermittently as he asked in English, "I got something, at least! What are we going to do with a bunch of unopened metallic treasure chests, exactly - fling them at Dark Spirits here or in Republic City with antique Fire Nation catapults?" Eska laughed dryly, Desna noticing Nunasiluq taking great interest in the boxes as she responded sarcastically, "Yes, that's the exact use I had in mind for them!" Desna cursed when she continued, Nunasiluq pecking at one of the larger chests, "There's a waterbending lock on every one of them, all of them look the same. From what I've heard from Sangok, same metal as the stuff on his ship - except not platinum, according to a visitor from the city whose name is stamped on everything. Man called it 'blendmetal' – claimed it's an obscure metal he's worked with his whole life, but never seen any act like… this," one of the boxes pulsating an unnerving purple momentarily after to underscore Eska's point – as if it could hear…

Desna had no idea why his sister sighed so deeply when she said, "Yu Dao. Wait – maybe it was money… changing hands… Those two books Nunasiluq brushed off earlier weren't nothing after all." Producing said two books from her robes - revealing ones with shorter sleeves and shorter coverage overall, even one with a "V" cut neck, but robes nonetheless, Desna sure he'd never wear another damn robe again unlike Eska's choice - Eska tossed them at Nunasiluq one after the other, yelling, clearly frustrated, "Catch! GAH!"

Eska sat down on the floor, crying in frustration as Nunasiluq pecked her from on top of her head, Desna getting the impression he did not like being bombarded with books, "You find a bloodbender, no, two with Shtiya, talk to Yue, find a lead on Azula - and I just find a bunch of these stupid boxes! I tried everything - bending in water around the lock and expanding it to burst them open, making a water cutter… ugh! This 'blendmetal' is impervious – way stronger than platinum!" Nunasiluq no longer pecking, flapping off to go read, Desna sat down beside her, noticing his mother, Tatkret and her father were talking animatedly outside, Desna said, "Whatever is in those boxes, it must be valuable," asking, "You get all these together yourself, or did our military prove useful?" Eska nodded, saying, "Sorry - to you, and Nunasiluq. I'm just frustrated. This was everything everyone could find - about 15 boxes in all, all stamped 'Product of Yu Dao' and 'Blendmetal' on the bottom," continuing with a bit more light in her voice, "Don't know if you noticed earlier today, but mother helped me make some of my old clothes wearable again," Desna shifting away slightly when she asked, "Do you like it?"

Having chosen to wear something closer to what his uncle might wear since returning from the Fire Nation, Desna shrugged, saying, "It's still a robe - and why are you asking?" Getting a slight push from Eska, Desna rubbed his head after it hit one of the stupid boxes while she said, "Oops, sorry," chuckling lightly as she said, "Bet you would've liked some waterbending hazing better than that," continuing with a less cheerful tone, "What I was trying to do… distract myself from our 'failure'. Well, mine anyways," Eska saying after a pause, "Wait - there's one technique I didn't try. Got any dirt?"

Desna gave her an odd look at first, realizing halfway through asking what Eska wanted to try and do, glad to see Eska not so down when he said, "Atokara's muddy water cutter - great idea! And I think I know just where to get dirt, too - the Spirit Oasis! Help me take one of the smaller ones there."

In their haste leaving the room, Desna and Eska bumped into their mother, Tatkret, her father Hakoda, and someone who looked a lot like Tatkret that they hadn't seen before, what was likely Tatkret's depressed-looking younger brother Shtiya looking down at the floor in a deep depression. Some crude part of Desna's mind noticing Shtiya was just as "robust" as his older sister, a slightly pronounced gut just like his father's, Desna pushed such rude thoughts from his mind, hearing Shtiya ask seemingly no one, "What's… what's wrong with my mother? How…?"

Wondering the same question himself with his eyes closed, Desna felt a familiar sensation again… actually seeing what must have been his "inner orb" darken temporarily, blackness receding and shrieking when he heard his sister's voice say, "Really… there's no reason some people are evil. They just… are. And to know and accept the answer they've chosen as why what they do is acceptable… you'd go mad yourself." Opening his eyes, Desna saw Shtiya was no longer staring at the floor, taking Tatkret's word for it when she said, Shtiya's eyes still looking dead to him, "He looks better than he has in at least a few years. Thank you, Eska," Shtiya looking a little better after he said, "All those insults – 'soft-hearted blubber bum', 'limpet gut'… I wondered where she got them from, how… she could be so mean… guess I don't want to know."

Swearing he heard a low growl from behind him, getting the impression it was not Nunasiluq, Desna pointed back towards the pile of boxes, saying to Shtiya, "We have no idea what's in those things," the twelve-year old still looking dead as Desna said, something telling him what they wanted to do next would not sit well with the already depressed Shtiya, "We're going to try and find out. I'll be back in a little while – you stay here with your family and my mom, talk to each other. My sister and I are going to see if we can open one of these boxes." Shtiya nodded, saying lowly, "Okay, Chief," smiling slightly after adding, "Something tells me mother won't be around here for a while. I look forward to talking with my sister, father, and your mother."

Setting about their work, Desna finding himself unable to carry the box it disturbed him so much, he tried to shake from his mind how much Shtiya's attitude and demeanor matched his own before his own recent awakening. Nearing the path to the Spirit Oasis, they found themselves bumping into Chief's Admiral Sangok and Chief's General Chulyin on the way, Eska carrying the box. Desna finding himself wanting to know more about Tatkret's brother, wondering if Eska could do this by herself, he snapped back to who was in front of him when Chulyin said as he bent up an ice wall behind him, "Whoa there, slow down! With all due respect, Chiefs, we may have a lot of time to get to Republic City, but even aside from all these accursed boxes… something tells me you have stuff you need to tell your cousin Avatar Korra," Chulyin facepalming when Sangok said, "Like 'I didn't get killed by a crazy bloodbender!' or 'My father's hidden a bunch of boxes we can't get into!' or…"

Getting annoyed, Desna said, "ENOUGH, Sangok!" Eska saying with similar irritation, "Your co-worker does make a good point - but I'm sure it can wait five minutes while we crack the first of these boxes open!" Chulyin nodded, Sangok saying, "Like to see that," Eska laughing, "Okay then - come and watch. This technique was invented by my cousin's daughter," Desna and Eska laughing loudly when Sangok's face drained of color, asking, "Wh-the … how? They… Asami and Korra… 'did it' all of a week ago, and you've talked to…? Whaaa?"

Desna had never really gotten the chance to razz or string people along during his youth, shielded from the "commoners" by his father and told to not play with his sister. Realizing with a sigh there were certain things one shouldn't do with one's heads of the military, realizing being able to see Atokara in the "inner dream world" played into the decision to not kill Ublaraok earlier, Desna and Eska took turns explaining more than they had earlier on the way to the Oasis. Though his voice was tired, Desna found himself not "missing" infobending one bit, hoping his cousin wouldn't abuse it and the Raava-enabled "judging" too much.

Now back at the Oasis, Yue appeared once more, Desna expecting her to ask what they were back for, surprised when she said, pointing to the box, which was… moving slightly?: "That box is not as it appears. I can see what you can't. You might break into that thing, but you won't get what you want out of it - probably get something nasty instead." Sangok sighed, saying, "Nonsense - now how do you do the water cutter again?" yelping slightly when Yue insisted in a much louder voice, "Brute force is not what you want," Eska corroborating it when she stated, "I believe Yue is right. Handling these boxes, especially the biggest ones… Sangok, you said that room on your ship gave you the creeps? A little bit of the same thing." Sangok nodded, saying, "Fine," Yue groaning when he said, "If there's something nasty in there - let's see how it likes Spirit Oasis water!"

Nothing happening, Eska swearing someone had bent the water back, Sangok sat down as Yue said, "No oasis water. I don't think that's a good idea. Desna, Eska - try the lock again before resorting to bending."

Inspecting what Eska said was a lock, Desna groaned, saying, "I don't see any dials or… anything!" feeling foolish when Eska said, shoving him aside, "Wh - brother, it's a waterbending lock!" thinking after she asked, "Our father… if these are from Yu Dao… there's no way he could have used his code. The weird hateful symbols… It'd have to be something relatively innocuous - already tried putting in 'Vaatu' and a whole bunch of variations of it," Desna sitting down and running his fingers through the Spirit Oasis' grass and looking up into the glaciers around it as Eska wondered aloud, " 'Some good in everyone'… my father wanted us to share the world with spirits, though he and the rest of the Red Lotus took it too far in thinking Vaatu needed to be free for 'balance'. Much less a Dark Avatar. Maybe it's really simple…"

Desna watched as Eska stood up, walking over to a nearby glacier wall, bending off quite a bit of ice, saying, "Brother - 'Spirits and Man - Together as One'. Does that sound like a possible code to you?" Desna nodded, saying, "Sounds relatively innocuous… Yes - and it's what cousin Korra wanted in the end, and still wants…" asking, "Is this box special? I think any lock would break after too many attempts… especially with contents so secret." Eska yelled, carefully forming the characters required from water, "Haven't tried opening this one yet, so yes," saying before pressing the water into the "lock", "Let's hope whatever is 'in' the box doesn't come out if we give the right combination…"

Desna stood up, everyone standing back as the characters slid into place on the container, Desna drawing some water from the Spirit Oasis in case he needed to fight, noticing Sangok and Chulyin had done the same.

Water flowing in, the box produced an audible clicking sound. After a long series of grinding and whirring, the lid opened up, Desna half expecting to see a Dark Spirit inside.

Peering in, he found nothing other than some scrolls with the same strange writing as on the original scroll. Reaching for a scroll, Desna leaped back after the metal of the box pulsed purple, hearing a low animalistic growl.

The same growl he had heard earlier.

Though his father had never taught him the technique, Desna remembered there was a way to cleanse a Dark Spirit. Not sure "how" his father did it, though he had seen the form of the water used second hand from cousin Korra, he began to form twin helixes around the box, trying to think of what he'd say once the spiral was complete…

Noticing his sister had started at the same time he did, Desna settled on what he'd say to a Dark Spirit, remembering multiple individual's struggles of late as he said, "Troubled spirit, come to peace," noticing that the box's sides did pulse erratically, realizing after the fact Eska had said the same thing.

Desna frowning to see the box's sides flash red and purple momentarily before feeling the spirit leave, Eska sighed, "Going with Long Yumao… I guess any spirit my dad decided to stuff in a box and keep enslaved would make that decision. Let's do the others," Sangok agreeing, "Yeah - lock me in a box for three years, probably after telling me I'd be out 'soon' to help rule the world or whatever garbage your dad said - I might be just a little mad with people!"

The pile of unlocked boxes growing steadily with the help of others until all 15 had been opened, Nunasiluq keeping his distance and translating scrolls and tomes as they went, Desna found himself oddly relieved when a few "box spirits" did not flash red and purple, but red and black instead, one of the spirits saying, "Inevitable conclusion - go easy," before it was encased in Spirit Oasis water turned to ice by himself. Looking at the handful of icecubes they had, the spirits within looking incensed but oddly enough not in pain, as Desna might have expected given their spirit water prisons and Yue's warnings, the human turned Moon spirit oddly silent ever since the first spirit was imprisoned. Not wanting four more "Vaazulas" on their hands, Desna asked Eska, "What… what are we going to do with them, exactly?" his sister responding after smiling deviously, "Keep them 'iced' for now - if spirits that big were in these simple boxes… we might need whatever help we can get against what's on Sangok's ship. Who knows – they might assist, given the old Vaatu's… different than the new one," being redundant in adding, "I can't imagine father's Vaatu would like Jinshu Kuangmai's - at all." To Desna's surprise, he heard one of the encased spirits say, "Spirit in ship. That one not like us at all," Desna growling in frustration when it refused to say how, exactly, the same spirit hissing when its crystalline neighbor said, "All know is Unalaq very happy to find that spirit. No one see or know anything else."

Remembering they were technically north of Republic City, somewhere potentially invulnerable snoops would be a very bad thing, Desna said, "We need to try and either convert or wound these spirits," Eska reminding them out loud after two hissed defiantly, "Things are different from when my father was running around. You might have blood now, and... 'If it bleeds, we can kill it.' We never did find out what would happen to a spirit if it bled out… if you won't support people and spirits living together nicely, no power abuses involved, we might have to find out, see what happens on you." Desna noticed two of the spirits immediately hissed, black replaced by purple before they vanished, only two staying behind, pulsating with indecision.

Rather than turn any particular color in the end, both spirits shrank inside the ice to less threatening forms, the one that resembled a bipedal shark with an odd, crescent head saying, baring some sharp sharkwhale-like teeth, "Do not know what want now. You threaten - just like father when put us in box years ago. But Jinshu Kuangmai worse," appearing as though it wanted to say why, suddenly silenced. The spirit cursed in gibberish, steam coming from its mouth that partially melted the ice around it, saying, "About to say why he worse - but something made forget," the other crystalline vaguely wind-chime shaped spirit saying in a ringing voice, "Same. Neutral - no side. Like many spirits in Republic City human place."

Not entirely sure he could trust these spirits, Desna thought of someone who might be able to win them over, saying, "Very well - you can stay here, protected by Yue as well, on one condition. As well as talking to Nunasiluq at some point - the spirit currently translating what was in your boxes, no, prisons - there is a little girl I want you to meet. Talk to each for at least thirty minutes. Her name is Poallu," Eska continuing as Desna sized up both spirits, finding the shark one reminded him vaguely of Sharktar in another way as steam came out of its mouth, "And you will give Poallu the same respect and attention you would a fully grown adult human. If you don't… you're staying in those ice tombs until my cousin can come to you. And Raava." Both spirits appearing to agree, the crescent-head shark spirit seeming reluctant compared to its companion, Desna said, "Yue - keep an eye on them. I'll get a few Chieftan's Guard to stay behind - look after them, especially while they're talking with Poallu. Everyone, come - let's see what Nunasiluq has found."

Walking over to Nunasiluq, Desna expected him to look tired, surprised the spirit looked better somehow, barking, "Spirit water was of no help feeling any better - but service was. I could possibly assume my full size now - but no link to Raava. Perhaps your cousin can help with that later somehow." Raava likely fighting a very hostile sea spirit, Desna asked, "Find anything unusual?" Shaking its head and flaring the strange blue and white nasal crest, the spirit responded, "Some things – in the biggest box, I found references to discussions about unnamed 'Pre-Avatar Spirits' and even 'Pre-Human Spirits' logged elsewhere. A whole other class of spirits, referenced only passingly… that seemed familiar to me somehow. Everything was readable, including a few cryptic references Sangok and Chulyin's predecessors might understand better than me… but everything of interest to us referenced a 'Master Library', including the 'Pre-Avatar Spirits', 'Pre-Human Spirits' and the vaguely familiar spirits," Nunasiluq hissing before continuing, Sangok and Chulyin joining Eska and Desna's side, "The 'Master Library' is likely the 'creepy room' on your ship, Sangok – probably better protected than even these boxes were. I looked through the 'ledger' books again – all the purchases of boxes were made long ago." Desna's heart sank when the spirit specified, sounding disgusted himself, "A bit over sixteen years ago for the first purchase, staggered across the years," Eska interrupting the spirit's barking speech to say, "Over sixteen years… That's before Zaheer and the Red Lotus tried to kidnap our cousin… Wow – so father planned to betray them all the way back then," smiling slightly as she added, "I bet Zaheer would love to hear that 'wonderful' news."

Thinking more about their own dilemma, Desna said, "Let's try and figure out more as we go. Sister, help me grab all the papers, Nunasiluq… try to read over our shoulders, Sangok and Chulyin – let everyone know we might have a fight on our hands later." Nunasiluq shrunk in size, Chulyin deciding to stay by Eska and Desna's side as they made their way back towards the telegraph station after a gentle reminder from the general.

Chulyin stopping for a moment, he asked for a few of the most important pieces of paper, including the piece of parchment that had kicked everything off. Working silently, Desna not having a clue as to what Chulyin was doing, Desna watched intently, noticing out of the corner of his eyes that they had welcome company.

As Tatkret's family and their own mother joined them, Desna realized someone present might know more than he did, saying, "Mother – apparently, father planned to betray the Red Lotus even before Zaheer's kidnapping attempt sixteen years ago. You wouldn't happen to remember anything about back then… would you?"

After a slight pause, his mother gasped, saying, "Wh – look! The papers! Your military man sees something there… and I do too. From almost two decades ago, when you were just a toddler. I seem to remember Unalaq working on something on and off while you were young – and he'd tell me to leave whenever I spotted him working on it." Malina helping Chulyin re-arrange the face-down scrolls and papers, Desna watched as they took on a distinct form as exposed symbols were matched with one another.

That of Vaatu, rendered in crude edges, the edges of the paper black and red at key points.

The last symbol near Vaatu's "head" overlapping, strange lines appeared on the paper's backs, forming rough stylized drawings of what must have been spirits, the spirit's labels all in the alien script as the paper's other side. Even not really knowing what he was looking at, Desna felt dread, many of the rough spirit's forms reminding him of Nunasiluq in one way – they all looked primordial, like no creature or spirit he had seen before. Desna was dismayed to get the sense from Nunasiluq that the spirits were familiar somehow, some seeming older to Nunasiluq than himself based off what else the spirit could remember, particularly what appeared to Desna to be an Unagi with horrible pointed, crushing jaws, strange bony plates covering the rest of the body. Equally frustrating was that the names were in some sort of double cipher only Raava or Korra could read.

Zoning out, staring at the papers blankly for a while as he heard the sounds of wind and someone sketching, Desna's face drained of color when he read the only thing he could read on the "meta-sheet" of paper, seemingly a note to Unalaq from himself on the back of the sheet Desna recognized as the one his mother had found: "These two on this sheet… all I can remember from my first meeting with Vaatu, my mind, taxed beyond limit – I will write down more later," the characters continuing in a slightly different writing style, as though years later, now spilling onto other pages, "Same ink – much later. I have drawn much. These… are barely remembered spirits from before the age and corruption of mankind, others the products of mankind's hubris and cruelty over eons, all able and likely willing to see the tyranny of man's rule end, thirteen years from when I write this. Together, we will succeed where Vaatu has failed before – restore balance between man and the world. The balance man upset, even before Wan. Man giving the most, the world taking back for those who cannot, those who foolish man has stolen from. Spirits and nature alike. All man will have – the darkness he came from. I will have to work with Vaatu closer to find them at their haunts on the edges of the Spirit World or their 'resting place' in the Physical World."

Reading how his father thought, more insane than Tatkret's mother, Desna felt his stomach sink, feeling a bit of despair when his sister said the obvious, stating as others read what they had finished reading, "That… sounds an awful lot like what Long Yumao wants, except with less slavery. Had I known, we known… After he… fused with Vaatu, I heard father say 'Now 10,000 years of darkness begins!' but I didn't know he meant it even before becoming a literal monster…" choking up slightly when she asked, "Now it might happen all over again – likely with these same spirit's help. What… what did humans do to deserve this?"

Desna felt a strong hand on his shoulder, what he recognized as Tatkret's voice saying, "I may not be talking about the end of humanity… but I often asked what I had done to deserve my life," Shtiya's voice saying, "M-me too," as the twelve-year old grabbed Eska and Desna's free hands, continuing, "Your mom said… she did nothing to 'deserve' Unalaq," adding with a sigh, "The world sucks," Desna smiling slightly when Tatkret interrupted her morose brother, saying, "But not all the time. Sometimes, all you need to do is wait something out…" nodding in agreement when she finished, little brother crying slightly, "Today – it's a start, and I'm sure there's a lot more bumps on the road… but as you told me, more importantly, showed me, Desna, it's that start that really matters."

Desna heard a loud coughing, what must have been Sangok reminding him, "Hey, Chiefs – don't mean to sleet on your festival or be rude, but I just finished looking at the garbage your father wrote. So we probably got a boat with a big nasty spook on it guarding the rest of your father's stuff – probably one of those thinguns on the sheets. Let's give your cousin that update she needs – cryptic style, how Chulyin wanted it – then go see exactly what we've got to fight to find out more," adding after shivering, "Some of those drawings give me the same creeps that room on my ship does – and I don't want no creeps on my ship, human or spirit. Let's get this done."

Finally making it into the telegraph room, Desna closed his eyes, recalling his geography as he said, "Get ready to send a telegraph to the Western Air Temple. Tell them to relay the message to the Fire Nation via radio, then to my cousin on her… we need a new name for that thing, like, a whole class." Opening his eyes and seeing the telegraph operator looked clueless, Desna said, "I guess I'll need to make sure everyone is on the 'same page' after this," giving the telegraph's contents after a nod from the operator, Desna feeling like a savage, unable to use radio due to the North Pole and Spirit Light's influence: "Have found new spirit ally. Stop. Requested gathering going as planned. Stop. Your action on pressing issue required before further development possible. Stop. Father was worse than anyone thought. Stop. We do not feel comfortable saying anything else over telegraph and radio. Stop. Projection required, infobending if possible. Stop."

The telegraph operator had a bit of trouble with the word infobending, scratching his head as he said, "Got characters here for energybendin' – nothin' for 'infobending'," Eska sighing slightly in irritation as she said, "Just call it information bending," Desna adding as an afterthought, "And 'energybending' – we might need that as well if our first attempt goes badly." The telegraph operator looked nervous, saying as he carried out the order, "First attempt at… what, exactly?" glad to hear Chulyin say, "Nothing that concerns you… but put out an order to the Capital Crier stations. 'Everyone who doesn't feel like a fight with something big and bad, step away from the naval dockyard. Stop. Help greatly appreciated, but preferred if civilians stay away, and strongly encouraged to stay home and not participate in reinforcing Republic City as well. Stop."

Desna found no problem with the orders at first. Remembering there might be spies literally anywhere, Desna protested after the second order was already out, saying, "Wh – if Jinshu Kuangmai knows that we're concerned about Republic City, that might be bad – make him think the Spirit Civil War is heating up!" Chulyin grinned, saying, "I remember you telling me that fool planned to invade Republic City with three battalions of troops, two conscripts at that. Maybe if he hears that, he'll write off the idea of an invasion entirely for now," Desna not entirely sure if that was a good or bad thing. If Toph's wayward son threw troops at Republic City, the evacuation would be easier…

Although the prospect of pursuing war balloons with spirit engines and empowered spirit cannons ripping into slow war balloons carrying civilians back to Republic City didn't appeal to Desna. Maybe it was best if the Earth Empire forces stayed in one area after all.

Satisfied official business was done with, Desna left the telegraph station, stopping when he heard the operator yelling, "Chiefs, wait! We've gotten a response during your delay from the Western Air Temple… not a good one either. I thought Air Acolytes were supposed to be polite, courteous… Come here, quick!" Desna sighed, returning to the post, seeing the response read, "Will not relay message until you tell me why every damn monk and nun here has had the same kind of dream. Stop. Total chaos, have heard the same from other temples. Stop. Dreams of airbending this, flying that – some people seeing departed friends, younger Air Acolytes who still are attached to family, their departed family. Stop." Desna sighed, not appreciating the stares he was getting, least of all from Tatkret and Shtiya, remembering they were friendly but still bloodbenders as he said, "Tell the good Abbot that the sooner he relays the message, the sooner he may or may not get an answer to his demand for information. And that his behavior is most decidedly not 'old-style' Air Nomad!"

Waiting in the crowded telegraph room for an answer, Tatkret asked a question Desna would have rather not heard, preferring to spill his guts over the bending pulse than answer when she asked, "Desna, Eska… I read that writing by your father. I know I'm not one to speak, my epiphany having just been today… but I need to know, for my sake and my brother's. After reading… did you feel like you had 'slipped' any – backwards? You mentioned 'getting over Unalaq, and – "

Eska interrupted, saying tersely, "I'd rather not talk about it," Desna saying, "And I'd rather not talk about it either."

Standing in silence for a minute or two, it was Desna's mother who broke the silence, saying, "If they don't want to talk about it… I've heard rumors about Kuvira's own struggles," Desna speaking up after actually looking, seeing how concerned Tatkret looked, "I'm sorry. It's a difficult issue for me… and speaking of Kuvira. If you're afraid of backtracking, continued struggle… it's all part of… moving on. I don't feel like explaining how, my sister Eska the only one who knows that, but I saw Kuvira's struggles – the first night, and last night." Tatkret looking devastated at the implication, Desna unable to see any change on her brother's face, Desna feel a brief peace when he was totally frank, saying, "Kuvira's last struggle was hard – but she won, with help of new friends," reaching out to hug Tatkret as he said, "She was a few atrocities and a date with Vaatu short of my father – we're just wounded souls, like Asami." Feeling the moment ruined slightly when the telegraph operator piped up, "Uh, technically…. you and your sister helped your father; Asami didn't," Desna groaned, "More job, les interrupting, please," sighing when Tatkret herself said, "That's… that's the whole reason I asked."

Everything made sense when Tatkret continued, her younger brother weeping slightly and her father hugging the poor boy, "My mother was more than mother – she was our controller, our life, our trainer in her sick art, the family tradition. My mom… she got me to do horrible, awful things to animals, threatening to kill my brother if I didn't, spewing out hate and… deeply hurtful insults about…" Tatkret looking relieved when she finally said the word out loud, "About me being a lesbian, my 'unacceptable' weight," her brother sniffling, "Me – my weight, my 'softness', the only way she could get me to train to make me save… the animals." Desna had expected Tatkret to speak next, but Shtiya surprised him, saying, "I think what my sister wanted to know was… will we ever truly be free of our mother? Even after more struggle?"

Not having had experience with "ending" a struggle himself, Desna listened as Tatkret's father Hakoda said, lifting his son into the air and hugging him, "C'mere – such big questions, for someone who wouldn't even talk yesterday," looking slightly sad as he continued, "I don't really know the answer to your question, son, your mother having dominated me as well," breaking up and pecking his son on the cheek lovingly before he said, "But I do know one thing that will help. That – love. I've heard it said that time heals all wounds, and while I hope it's true… I'll 'settle' for being so busy with a new life, that you forget all about the old. No longer haunts you every day – a distant memory."

Desna had been so busy listening he hadn't noticed his mother slowly walking towards Hakoda, the big burly man blushing slightly after Malina said, sure of herself, "Desna, Eska… I… may have found the man I need."

Desna had found himself embarrassed earlier at the prospect. Closing his eyes, needing a little time to think, all he could see was a rough image of himself in a restaurant sitting across the table from a laughing girl. Golden eyes shining with life… The light of the sun.

Opening his eyes, seeing a similar light in his mother's eyes, Desna smiled, saying, "Whatever you want, mother," laughing when Eska interrupted him from saying anything about Ursa II, Eska agreeing loudly, Hakoda still blushing slightly as he said in his deep voice, "Well – you two are our Chiefs, after all," smiling as he finished, "So I imagine the divorce should go… smoothly now."

A beeping coming from the telegraph machine, the operator said, "Still have no clue what that was all about – I'm sure I will, or won't, hear all about it in the papers here. Anyways – got a response from the Western Air Temple. 'We passed on the message as soon as we originally got it. Stop. I apologize for the bluster and rudeness – I am simply very stressed right now. Stop. Everything is most definitely not peaceful. Stop. If the Avatar wishes to wait to tell me more, she can do so at her discretion. Stop. It is the most I can do to honor her, and her predecessor Avatar Aang. Stop. Regards, Abbot Dainei of the Western Air Temple. Stop.' Hmmm… that's odd, we're getting a second telegraph just now from the Western Air Temple. But not from the Abbot, it seems. Please stand by."

While they were waiting, the possible new merged family exchanged hugs, even Shtiya looking somewhat alive by the time the telegraph operator said, "I can't make sense of half of this telegraph – and it seems to be written that way intentionally. I'll read it anyways… 'Zuko here. Stop. Just wanted to let you know it seems someone other than Izumi worked a miracle on my granddaughter, Ursa II as she prefers to be called now, even if she won't say who outright for now. Stop. My own daughter has had a large change of heart. Stop," Desna too happy to know Ursa II was well and happy after their brief interaction to react when the operator continued, "We have much to discuss. Stop. In case in interception, I will keep this brief – a code for our code via telegraph would be good. Stop. We are in possession of a single 'tree' seed, as well as other unexpected things. Stop. Just like the tree seed, they require outside input to use the most effectively. Stop. I hope anything you find that's unexpected is as good as my Uncle. Stop. We have already talked with Avatar Korra briefly, and we need your consul as well as a massive exchange of events in a secure location. Stop."

Desna asked the operator, "Hey – think you can send back a message that says, 'Desna here. Stop. Ask how Ursa II is doing, and there's something we need to take care of before leaving for Republic City – cannot say over unsecure connection. Stop." The telegraph operator said as he worked, "Tree seed, unexpected finds… Would you mind telling me what that stuff means?" Desna being mostly honest when he said, "I know just as much as you do," vaguely jealous that the Fire Nation was apparently in possession of yet another potential "lovetree" like the one his cousin had inadvertently planted on Ember Factory Island.

No sooner had the man finished typing out the message than Desna heard an excited scream from outside, only recognizing it as Tatkret's voice when she yelled, "Wha – it's the Avatar! Wow – I… so much I want to ask you!" Desna running outside, Korra smiled, saying apparently to Raava, "So I lied – Omashu wasn't the last stop. Hmmm – a spirit. Must be the new ally I heard about." Tatkret yelled, "Hello?" Korra responding sheepishly, "Oh, uh, hello to you too – you first. You look like you've been through a lot… care to tell me more?" Tatkret started eagerly, Korra holding up two hands after about thirty seconds, saying, "Whoa there, lady buddy – slow down," Tatkret looking dissapointed until Korra said sadly, "What little I heard of your story, I'll want to hear it all by itself for sure – and so will Asami Sato. I'd prefer face to face – maybe even infobending. If a trick I used with Jasmine at the prison camp works again in a while, I'll get to see you all in the Spirit World."

Tatkret now grinning ear to ear, apparently satisfied for now, Desna tried getting his cousin's attention, eventually getting it by yelling in English, "COUSIN! I think my 'Chief's Admirals'' flagship has a really important room in it – chock full of stuff my father got from Vaatu!" Now having Korra's attention, Desna helped Eska, Chulyin, and everyone else explain what they thought might be in the "blendmetal" room.

Looking disturbed, Korra finally spoke again, saying, "That's… not good. Not the spirit in the ship – I'm sure you can deal with that. What I'm worried about, after hearing from a friendly spirit about something in the Spirit World… all those drawings of likely hostile ancient, possibly pre-human powerful spirits your father made," Desna nodding in agreement when Korra finished, "I just hope there aren't even more spirits in that 'Master Library'." Looking uneasy, his cousin admitted something that made Desna's blood run cold, Korra sounding pained to say, "According to Patta – you might know… it? have no idea what gender it is… better as the spirit that warned me about Long Yumao's new power. The little white dog. Anyways – Patta says there's no human-allied spirits anywhere near the Tree of Time – not even Jinshu Kuangmai's 'friends'. And I recognize that red and black gem as a form of what Yangchen called 'spiritmetal' – and it does have special properties in all its forms. The red and black version – we've decided to call Vaatite." Taking a deep breath, Korra said hopefully, "I'll tell you more about that later. Omashu and the prison camp are doing well – Omashu was the last place I projected to. On the spirits… Maybe they retreated for a reason? Whatever – it doesn't look like I'll be checking the new portal anytime soon," continuing with a slight frown, "It's not good news – I need something to cheer me up again, even after seeing Omashu. Spirit – mind introducing yourself?"

Tatkret looked a bit miffed as Nunasiluq put on a show, his cousin appearing to understand the spirit's speech readily. Desna guessed the reason why Tatkret looked sour, saying over top of Nunasiluq barking something about links, "Time for a spirit, and not you?" Given Tatkret's nod, he had been right, Korra saying, "Sorry – your story's something I'll want Asami by my side for – hopefully in a bit," Desna's cousin looking business again as she said, "The faster I check on that room, the quicker we can meet 'for real' hopefully, and possibly restore Nunasiluq's partially severed link," Korra joking, "If what Raava's been telling me is right, I'll need to expand the meeting area, just like she did my 'house'." Eska and Desna nodded, knowing what Korra was talking about, everyone else around them looking confused and lost, Sangok saying, "No clue what you said – but here's what you need to know about the... 'energy' of that room," giving his cousin a quick description of the room's appearance beyond what he had mentioned already.

The "Vaatite" gem inlaid handle.

Before Desna could say anything else, his cousin vanished briefly. After all of two or three seconds, her image returned, his cousin saying with a mix of anger and horror, "Damn it! Can't get in. As strong a block on that place as on Zaofu or Jinshu Kuangmai's mind…" Eska, Desna, Chulyin and Sangok groaned when Korra said, "Maybe you should just… leave the ship behind. Set up a quarantine. We're spread thin still, and we need to pick our fights wisely," Desna finding himself saying, "No – we NEED to know what's in there! What we might be up against in Republic City, or here, or your childhood home, should your handiwork fail!"

Korra sighed, smiling slightly as she said, "Never thought four years ago I'd be counseling someone to back down from a fight," continuing with a deep frown, "I'm afraid it may already be failing," the color draining from Desna's face when Korra asked, pointing to him and his sister, "Did you notice any odd cracks on the barriers? ANYTHING – even what looked to be scratches?" Desna nodded, his sister Eska speaking for him, saying, "Yes. Barely visible scratches, I thought they were natural, maybe an animal… why do you think they might mean anything?"

Korra looked sick, waving her hand slightly and saying, "Let's just say someone with very sharp eyes noticed something on the Republic City barriers that I found disturbing." After a pause, she explained, "That spirit I mentioned before, Patta, told me about what another 'Ursa' found in Republic City far before the spirit's most disturbing discovery," Korra finishing, "Two of three barriers, already affected… we're going to need to know what we will most likely be up against," Desna not knowing what Korra meant when she said, "Cracks around the Earth Empire… eugh." Looking up, Korra said in English, "I've heard of new new airbenders to be in Omashu – even new other benders. I know you talked to the Western Air Temple – any news from them? I tried asking about dreams obliquely, but… Abbot Dainei acted like I was crazy."

Glad to give his crestfallen cousin some good news, Desna said in English, "If Abbot Dainei was right about the other temples having similar dream 'issues'… the Air Nation may end up reborn in a very big way," his cousin saying with audible elation, "J… just a minute," Korra re-appearing and smiling broadly, saying, "Jinora, Pema and Tenzin were so happy they fainted," Desna and Eska chuckling together when Korra said, "Meelo wasn't quite as happy, upset his 'special talent' wasn't going to be so special anymore, and - "

Korra suddenly stopped, sighing, "That was close. This is something I need to leave alone for now – I'm a bit of a mess, especially after hearing about the reinforcements from Republic City, and this news about a 'Master Library' of hostile spirits," Desna surprised when his mother spoke up, saying, "It's not all bad – my husband wrote about 'potential enemy' spirits too, and I bet they're listed as well in that room. His enemies – our allies."

Korra nodded, saying, "Thank you," Desna surprised when Korra continued, "Who knows – maybe some of the spirits Raava exhausted herself 'helping' earlier are on that list," smiling when his cousin finished, "We can't afford to delay, coming to you, and can't afford to wait to know more. I'll need you all to find out – with some help from your own spirit friend. If there were spirits inside small boxes… I cannot imagine what might be inside that room, that red and black spiritmetal gem… Vaatite. Ugh – I hate saying the name. Eska, Desna, any other waterbenders that have the least bit of spiritual inclination – I'll need to teach you what my uncle taught me. How to cleanse spirits," Desna remembering his attempts earlier hadn't been quite successful and realizing he could use some pointers as Korra finished, "And you, Nunasiluq – you're going to need to fight," smiling as she asked, "I'm sure Raava wouldn't mind one more, given what she said earlier… How'd you like to fight with air, earth, metal, and lava?"

Making Desna feel like a timid artic hen, Nunasiluq barked, "I would fight to the 'death' for Raava with nothing more than I have now – what I had, three years ago against the swarm." Nunasiluq shifted after prostrating himself before the Avatar, Desna getting the sense he'd find out more later after, the spirit squawking… contentedly?

Korra smiled broadly, saying, seemingly quoting someone, "What you said… it reminded me of someone else. 'I do not mind the pain, this… indescribable ache. For this, I would 'die a thousand deaths'… It is a pleasure to serve the universal constant – love,'" Desna's eyes widening when his cousin said, "Raava said that earlier. You think you link to her is weak, ancient spirit – I say it's stronger than any other one I know of, in the way that matters the most," shimmering slightly and vanishing after saying, "I will see you all soon, after an… interesting radio call. For this other meeting… don't hesitate to bring anyone and everyone you can think of. Goodbye."

Korra gone, Desna was pretty sure those around him wouldn't be the only ones going with him, should his cousin's plan to draw people to the portion of the Spirit World that housed her and Asami's chakra pools, Eska saying the name before he did: "Poallu."