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.

58. Chapter 58: A Model Citizen: Part 3

Chapter 58: A Model Citizen Part 3

Too focused on the implications of the barrier weakening, Ursa did not catch what Patta had just said, only knowing the spirit had sounded hushed - as though what Ursa had missed was important. Getting a gut feeling what she had just realized was far more important, she told the confused-looking spirit, "Patta - what I missed can wait. Can you get anything to Raava, Avatar Korra, right now?" Patta nodded, asking, "I can, but first answer me this. I just told you something really sensitive - why no reaction? Your guess was right on target." Looking back at the barrier, wondering what the two lines towards Water and Fire signified, Ursa turned back, saying, "Didn't catch it, Patta. Doesn't matter. If you can only get one thing to Raava today, or even forever, she needs to know this: these barriers are weakening, and because of what people are doing. What were hairline cracks before are deeper now… and I have the bad feeling it's only started. Some energy, maybe within the barriers itself, or energy from the Spirit Portal's beam, is eating away at them. 'Everything is connected'… probably a bit of both."

Patta nodded, saying, "I don't understand the logic totally. Here - see if this works. It worked for the Painted Lady and Jinora… touch me and think about your logic, please." Ursa did so, distracted by the fact that Patta's belly felt sort of similar to her own except softer this second time poking the spirit, Patta giggling, "No - not like that. I got nothing from that. What were you thinking, anyways?" Ursa laughed, saying as she poked the spirit's belly again, "That your belly's softer and poke-ier than mine. Feels comforting," finding herself laughing instead of grumbling when Patta said, "Maybe you can see your own belly the same way someday," a single tear forming when Patta finished, "Already had one big, nice, powerful, wise firebender. 'Uncle' Iroh."

Taking a deep breath, at first intending to just keep the poking of Patta up, Ursa ended up giving the surprised spirit a deep hug, feeling a deep peace as she did so, especially after Patta said, "Thank you - I feel like I needed that, but didn't know it. Soft and caring… so nice, after…"

Breaking the hug a short time later, Patta seeming better, Ursa asked, "Mind telling me what you told me before - and whatever was troubling you?" Patta sighed, hugging Ursa again as she said, "I… I'm glad you found that stuff out about the barrier, gave it to me… because Long Yumao's got some nasty new power. Able to… conjure up pure dark energy in his palm after getting something from the Tree of Time, digging into it and 'earning' the power somehow. Pure energy - just like fire in your hand. We don't even really know what he can do with it just yet."

Remembering Warmwings was inside the Spirit World, maybe had even seen this new power in action, Ursa asked Patta, "Can you 'call' Warmwings for me? She's been fighting in there since the last time I saw her - maybe she's seen." Patta nodded weakly, saying, "Maybe - but after getting that stuff to Raava, I feel drained. You might need to help me." After a slight pause, Patta asked, "I know Raava has tried to eat before. Do you think food might help me?" looking at Ursa as though she had not a clue to its answer.

Ursa shrugged, saying as she remembered she wanted to have a good look at what was at the end of the two lines headed towards the Water and Fire faces, "Maybe, maybe not. I'm really thirsty anyways. I bet a hug from one of my family members would help, at least. I'm going to call someone for help - I want a stable look at the barrier's top again. Never paid the house-like 'roof' any mind..." Patta nodded, fluttering off out of Ursa's vision as Ursa picked out the radio, calling Renshi and asking him to come to the crater to bend her a platform to stand on. Renshi asking why, Ursa realized she should probably give Saikhan an in-person update, things turning out that her whole family, Jin, Renshi and Saikhan were coming to visit. While waiting, Ursa tried using firebending while jetting around the barrier, smiling to see the fire was still blue, wondering if it was here to stay…

Sitting down, looking around and admiring her handiwork, stopping the "crowding out" of neutral spirit habitat, Ursa placed a hand on a spirit vine - surprised to see it had white lines, as did a five-foot area directly around the spirit portal barrier.

Smiling, realizing she must have made an impression on Hedgebetter and gotten more Raava vines than she had thought initially, Ursa noticed that Patta was back, hearing the sounds of people approaching in the distance as Ursa asked, "Answer whichever question you can't shortly - people are coming. What did I zone out and miss, and what were you just doing?" Beady eyes darting back and forth, Patta said, "Promise me you won't freak out, okay? Given I was around her for a while, when I found out, it was pretty depressing… your joke about Suyin Beifong having a secret brother is actually true. It's Jinshu Kuangmai himself - Tonga Beifong the name of the little boy, his… inner light that he seemingly crushed."

Ursa had to admit she was surprised, and yet, at the same time… not, somehow. Ursa knew Toph wasn't that good of a mother from rumor, a few nasty ones saying she had covered up something Suyin did when she was young, left Republic City after to avoid a scene. Hearing this, Ursa was pretty sure all the rumors were true - and anyone who'd rather shuffle off their daughter to their elderly parents to raise and go on a quest for "enlightenment" rather than face their problems wasn't someone who was balanced…

People still just barely out of hearing range, Ursa asked Patta a simple question, "How… how old was he when he changed his name? Became secret?" Ursa's face draining of color when Patta admitted quickly, "Quick and dirty version - Toph had him on the road soon after leaving Republic City, dropped him off with another family when he became 'unmanageable'. Can't say anymore - incoming."

Ursa lost in thought, trying to imagine what it must have been like, abandoned just like Kuvira had been by her parents, even if that mother was Toph, she was taken by surprise when she heard someone ask her, "What's got you down, Ursa? Is it what you found over here? Care to explain why there's all these charred vines? What happened?"

Not remembering if Saikhan could truthsense or not, Ursa lied anyways, saying as she saw she had multiple people's attention, "Yes. The… the barrier is weakening, just like Avatar Korra feared it would," Patta chiming in, "She needs your help to get up high enough to see the top on a stable platform. She can't get a good look, flying around on flamejets." Ursa saw her little sister run forward, laughing to see Buniq give Patta a big hug, the spirit looking confused but pleased when Buniq said, squeezing the spirit harder, "Spirit buddy! Cute!"

Patta appearing to get the care she needed, Ursa hoping she'd be able to contact Warmwings at some point, Saikhan took Ursa aside as Jin and Renshi made a few platforms carefully, Ursa explaining what had happened, including the whole business with Hedgebetter. Saikhan nodded, saying, "Good to know neutrals have some sort of a leader, and that he's somewhat reasonable. Had not a clue about the barrier's energy 'corrupting' the vines. Not sure what the ones we ended up with will be good for, aside from a first line of defense. If your… other spirit friend Patta can do all that just by touching them, might want to talk to him again - tell him the insurance policy against bad spirits pouring out's likely going to fail, and everything in this crater might end up turned a different way, if that's possible."

Sighing deeply, smelling something disagreeable again, Ursa realized it was herself, saying with a slight blush, "While you, Jin and Renshi finish up with the platforms around this thing, I might just go back to my apartment. I need some drawing supplies - and I feel like I need a bath." Saikhan nodded, saying, "Whatever you think you need to do. I'm afraid I won't be staying, unless you have anything else important to tell me. The protesters are being civil so far - but I still want to keep an eye on them, especially considering we've caught a few people slipping into the crowd and trying to incite anarchy, and some others giving the White Lotus 'volunteers' an undeserved hard time."

Remembering the Pai Sho players, Ursa's eyes widened involuntarily, grumbling when Saikhan caught on, Ursa feeling like he didn't need truthsense with her when he said, "You just realized something, didn't you. Probably about the protesters or something. Come on - spit it out." After another sigh, another whiff of why she needed a bath, Ursa gave Saikhan only the information he was after - leaving out the business with the mysterious airbender entirely, although she did talk about the White Lotus agent after Saikhan mentioned her from whatever secret meeting he had been in earlier. Looking around, as though checking to see if anyone else was listening, Saikhan admitted, "We managed to catch one of them after inciting violence unsuccessfully, before he could slip back into the crowd, and even after a strip search and detaining him, we have nothing on him other than inciting violence - the man's not said a word since we took him in. Given I didn't catch the Equalist saboteurs until it was too late four years ago, I'll need some help."

Ursa groaned, at first thinking Saikhan wanted her help, he laughed, saying, "Don't worry. I'll leave you to your thing - I imagine Grand Lotus Atinnuaq would be very interested to talk to this man, or that White Lotus operative I brought up earlier. I guess we'll both be going now," Saikhan adding, "What you said about things shifting on the barrier… guess we'll both have our work cut out for us. Thank you for the information. The protesters aren't the only ones to have come out - Ryoshin's helping us now. A big help, too, given she worked with so much of the Equalist technology, and has been… 'investigating' an Earth Empire mechasuit she found."

Ursa nodded, opting to leave her shield and sword in the care of her mother, heading towards her apartment complex, swearing she heard someone say, "Whoa - blue fire! In the middle!" from somewhere she couldn't pinpoint as she jetted over.

Entering the apartment complex, Ursa saw some unexpected people on the ground floor, Chang's family plus Karpok in the lobby, Sesi giving Karpok bending tips. Chang and his father Huanhato both looking drained, adoptive mother and daughter seeming lost in training, Ursa took the elevator, taking a deep, contented breath, Karpok having looked much better than when she last saw her.

Elevator reaching her floor, Ursa remembered she wanted to take a bath at the same time recalling the slight arousal she had felt hugging Karpok, feeling tempted to make it a… long bath, shaking her head, thinking, " 'Self-service'? No - not that, now! I'm too busy serving others!" Getting inside her apartment, wondering if a bath was as frivolous as self-service, she remember she hadn't had one yet, grumbling, "Maybe all the 'yuck' smell wasn't from exercise," making for her room first nonetheless.

Fishing around for drawing supplies in her drawer, managing to put back her anatomically accurate drawings after a slight pause of temptation, Ursa realized what she wanted wasn't in her drawer, it having been years since she used charcoal. Moving on to her closet, finding what she needed relatively quickly, wondering if Hedgebetter would complain if she got Patta to transform the spirit vine in her room, Ursa stumbled across an unexpected drawing nestled in between the large sheets of paper she had gotten out for charcoal tracing.

Looking at the picture she had believed to be merely a doodle five or so years ago, the "Universal Tormentor," knowing now it was likely some form of Vaatu, Ursa's heart sank - remembering what she had found out about Jinshu Kuangmai "having" spirits earlier.

Vaatu as Ursa knew him would never throw his support behind someone like Jinshu Kuangmai, Raava's polar opposite standing for darkness, sure - but also chaos. Tyranny and control were the exact opposites of chaos - and now that she looked at the image again, she recalled Raava's voice saying, "It may be no doodle," in her earlier dream…

That must have meant that the Vaatu Zaheer had wanted to set free no longer existed, replaced by something else.

Remembering she was supposed to be doing something, Ursa decided to put the picture into her backpack, remembering something Patta had said about Long Yumao being able to hold pure energy in his hand as she did so, finishing packing her backpack in silence, thinking…

Ursa ended up thinking her way through undressing and most of her shower, too lost in thought to even feel half tempted to do anything "dirty", thinking as she stood unmoving under the water coming from the showerhead, hot just like she liked it, "So… Avatar Korra's said Raava's becoming more 'human-y', even has a 'human-y' form of her own now… and Raava said something about my humanoid 'Universal Tormentor' possibly being more than just a doodle, a picture of Vaatu it seems like… and apparently, Jinshu Kuangmai's buddy enough with Vaatu to have spirit followers, just like Avatar Korra and Raava… and something weird happened to Long Yumao." Snapping out her of thought, grumbling slightly when she realized she had just washed off the shampoo in her hair without doing anything with it, she said out loud, "Maybe… Vaatu changed too? Seems ridiculous - after what, though?" Putting on some more shampoo, Ursa thought, "A 'human-y' Vaatu? Long Yumao having arms? Whatever - I'll ask Patta about it, see if she says anything," smiling with her eyes closed, thinking as she worked on her hair, "If Vaatu really has changed from chaos to tyranny… I know one imprisoned airbender who's going to be very upset about it. I'd pay good money to see the look on Zaheer's face if this is true when he hears it…"

Finishing her bath and rinsing off, finding herself enjoying the rubbing action instead of feeling self-conscious about the body she was cleaning, her hands wandered a little, rationalizing, "First really good bath in a long time… maybe I need just one more soaping," as she lathered herself back up. Ursa making sure to clean her breasts, thighs, rear, legs, underarms and privates well, too busy feeling to remember exactly why, she idly noticed the water coming off her was still slightly dirty as she made sure her body was as clean as possible, some nasty part of her wondering, "Why bother cleaning a fat pig so well, again? So other people can see every square foot of skin better?"

Shaking her head in disgust, not with herself but with the thought, she soaped her chest, blushing slightly as she looked down, saying over the sound of running water, "Uh… think I'm pretty much clean now. Guess I forgot how good a hot bath feels that I don't have to heat all the water for…"

Part of her screaming to get more "aid" than soap, Ursa feeling aroused by now, she took the middle road, surprised she was aware of what she was overzealously doing but managed to take pleasure anyways. Cleaning off the final lather of soap, Ursa laughed contentedly, "I haven't done that in a long time - they both feel so good right now… I did say my boobs were my biggest, best asset earlier," closing her eyes for a moment - wishing things had turned out differently with Lee-Lee, that she'd…

Find someone to share herself with someday.

Standing in her shower, eyes closed, Ursa saw a blurry image, feeling a profound peace - unable to distinguish anything about the image, only getting a strong newfound conviction that she would find someone someday, where before she had seen such a thing as impossible, given her "failure" with Lee-Lee. This conviction, peace, even the thought of being a parent someday that had just popped into her mind like a sunflower shaking off the ash of depression far exceeded any feeling she might have gotten from pleasing herself…

The image distorting, replaced by something that represented the polar opposite of everything good she had just felt, Ursa began crying when her dark half finished materializing, gloating, "Hah - true love. One of the most elusive and insipid things in the world… You might be wondering why I bother you now, and not earlier, while you were being 'important' with those two spirit fools. I'll tell you why." Grinning widely, revealing shark whale-like jagged teeth, sharp edges pulsing red weakly as her dark half said, Ursa trying in vain to open her eyes, "You thought romance hard with Lee-Lee, that skinny pacifist idiot you call a friend, called boyfriend - just wait until you go further down this path of mattering. Good luck sorting the phonies who want to be close to relevancy or money rather than who you are, were before today." Remembering that Chang had expressed interest in her four years ago, her dark half laughed, saying as it faded, aside from the head and its jagged smile, "That does not matter. One, out of a lifetime of rejection and failure… and it seems he might even 'like it like that', big girls, that is, helping Karpok, hitting on you all that time ago…"

All that was left a disembodied head, everything but part of the skull, red pulsing jawbones and rending teeth faded, her inner tormentor speaking with nothing but savage jaws and partial skull, "No matter what you do, it serves me in the end - remain away in your room, irrelevant, shut away and glum numb. Eat away the sadness and irrelevancy, like that gob of fat Karpok did. Go out into the world, try to make a difference - get exposed to things that will hurt and rend you like these teeth all over again, or inflate your ego, as you do 'important' things. And you haven't even felt one of the worst stings life has to offer yet, something that weakling Jingqiao has experienced and still weeps over. A broken heart…" Everything but the teeth fading, Ursa feeling depressed, her dark half's floating teeth moved as though the invisible jaws holding them were laughing, the voice gloated, "So much in life left for you to fumble, to experience the pain of first-hand, a true adult's problems… I'm not out of the fight yet. Just look at one of your idols, Toph Beifong - young and somewhat balanced, life knocked her out of kilter, ended up giving birth to Tonga Beifong, turning him into Jinshu Kuangmai… Life is not something to look forward to - what tomorrow might bring is to be feared. 'We' both saw what's happening to that barrier…"

Vaguely remembering something from the press conference, Ursa took a deep breath, focusing as best she could on the feeling that had brought her dark half to the forefront again in the first place, thinking, "To love, and to be loved - that makes anything worth it." Ursa felt flustered yet relieved when the teeth cracked, a bit of blood oozing from them as the now-compromised and fading dentistry said, "Ach - countered… even if that was rather weak. Still don't mean it just yet. But you are stubborn, aren't you. But just like your namesake, you do not understand. Azula did, and the bullies of the world as well. 'To be powerful, and your power to be feared'… that is the true reason to live. See you soon enough…"

Opening her eyes, finally able to, Ursa shut them again - cursing as she realized she had been standing in the shower all this time, the water starting to turn cold by now. Groping for the handle, accidentally turning the flow up instead of down, she noticed she was still crying slightly, even the relatively few hot tears contrasting with the cool water…

Zoned out, thinking about what had just happened, remembering Nana saying that each person had their own problems to deal with in life, Ursa realized that in many ways, what her dark half had said sounded a lot like her own thought processes. Even if it was distilled down to the point of ultimate absurdity… she figured trying to change there wouldn't hurt.

Turning off the water reluctantly, but not before taking one very long drink, Ursa remembered something she had advised Karpok to do, feeling thirsty enough to turn it back on, thinking as she drank her fill, "One thing at a time - and right now, whatever's going on outside's more important than this internal crap." Closing her eyes as she let the water splash her face, another piece of advice ran through her mind: "When you give to others, you are really giving to yourself. In the same way, when you love others, the love within you grows as well." And really, family, her "fantasy" of having someone to share herself with someday, and receive in turn… it was all about giving.

Eyes still closed, for a moment Ursa's stomach dropped when she saw the same jagged teeth appear - bursting out laughing when they burst from within as though heated by an extremely intense fire, saying, "Serves you right, rotten punk," not minding the mouthful of cold water in the least to see blue flames where the teeth had been.

Feeling a bit of electricity course through her brain, the flames were snuffed out, Ursa remembering aloud, "I've dealt with this cap before. This is going to be a long road - but I've gotten through worse." Remembering there was more than her immediate problems to deal with, the world's problems only likely to come closer and closer to home over the following months, Ursa finally shut the water off, initially feeling like the best she could manage was getting dressed and back to the crater.

Back in her room, pretty sure she was as clean as she had been in months if not years, she got out her clothes, something seeming different than normal. Wondering if she had slipped and hit her head or body in the shower, she checked her naked body in the mirror, laughing, "Uh - duh. Hard to see any bruises on this dark skin," finally noticing what seemed off.

She wasn't holding any baggy clothes in her hand, and for once, didn't see picking the clothes her mother had made for her as a mistake.

Remembering talk of gifts and refusing them, at first Ursa felt guilty - realizing she had basically done that for years with the clothes her mother had made her. Examining her thought process quickly as she got dressed, she shook her head, saying, "No - don't think like that. She's just glad I finally started wearing these - not mad that I didn't," sure there was some sort of proverb in there somewhere…

Looking in the mirror, now fully dressed, Ursa blushed slightly, saying as she looked at herself, "Wow - no wonder she wanted me to wear this for so long. She… even put a little yin yang symbol on the chest!" Part of Ursa tempted to beat herself up for not noticing sooner, she opted to take a good look at what she was wearing instead, strongly reminded of her own mother's pretty but practical dresses, red and yellow trim sewn on tastefully over the waterbender blue dress itself on the edges, the belt all firebender, flame symbol belt buckle included. Ursa noticed for the first time that the dress had a slight cut on the chest, up to this point in her life never having shown anything past her neck on purpose, the two and a half inches worth of cloth cut off around her neck and chest forming a scoop neckline seeming risqué in comparison to baggy clothes covering and obscuring everything, like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of wanting to cover herself up, Ursa shrugged, looking at other similar outfits in her closet as she said, "Guess I know part of the reason that guy whistled at me now… didn't remember the skirt ending slightly above my knees either, or the short sleeves. That explains the increased movement." Noticing that looking back at the mirror was easier than with baggy clothes on, she remarked, rolling one of her arms slightly, "Wow - those clothes were even making looking around harder. My arms, too - no wonder I was able to avoid the barrier earlier! And… I look a lot better, too. I guess those 'baggy clothe' were holding me back in more ways than one…"

Some part of her Ursa had never encountered before saying the dress' modest cut wasn't low enough, she shook her head, saying, "Pffft - no. I just noticed the lower cut, and even that's pushing it. Baby steps - and I want someone to like me because I'm me, not showing off my cleavage with an even lower cut. If people really are going to be interested in me - no reason to add that kind of 'phony' to the mix…"

Idly realizing that Lee-Lee had never seen one of these dresses, and that she hadn't contacted her friend yet, Ursa got her things ready to leave, about to send Lee-Lee a quick call when she heard her backpack emitting some noise. Fishing out the only possible source, she listened as an indistinct voice said, "Hello?" from the radio Saikhan had given her. Answering, "This is Ursa," the voice continued, "Hello - Saikhan wants you as soon as possible. Just says he spotted some orange-yellow hedgehog thing near the barrier. He hasn't explained why it's important." Hearing some angry voices in the background, the mystery caller finished, "Hope you got that - 'cause I've gotta go. Playing whack-a-badgermole with these anarchists in the protester crowd. Saikhan's with me as well - just came over. Over and out."

Some part of Ursa thinking, "Ugh - wasted all this time on a bath. Selfish idiot," it wasn't until she was on the ground floor, hearing Karpok's weak laughter before she saw her, Ursa thought after realizing something important, "Yeah - if I hadn't 'wasted' time on me earlier when I was asleep, I wouldn't have anything 'important' to spend it on, probably staying in my room, depressed my dad was gone - maybe eating Big Hug Cakes along with my mom…"

Feeling a bit of electrical resistance, Ursa rounded the corner, wishing she could just re-direct or generate it away as she waved a quick hello to Karpok, stopping for a moment when she gasped, Karpok saying, "Wow - you look good," looking sullen as she added, "You had it on earlier, too - should have said something. And I don't think I could ever wear something like that…" Ursa smiled, saying, "It's all right - my mom has made these things for years, and only today did I feel good enough to put it on," noticing Karpok blushed when Chang said, smiling, "Nonsense, Karpok. I remember Ursa saying her mom made her that dress - maybe Panik could make you one." Letting out a deep sigh, sounding half disgusted and half wistful, Karpok said, "Maybe - but not for a while. I still don't feel pretty enough, or have the confidence…" adding with a slight smile, "If she made me one now, with all this bending practice… I'd just need a new one a month later anyways."

Frowning deeply, Karpok sobbed, "Dad - stopped me from bending…" Ursa getting the impression Karpok had her own "time table" - just like Ursa herself did for making big changes…

Thoughts of time bringing her goal of getting the entire barrier's surface down on paper back to mind, she gave Karpok a quick hug, telling her their apartment's telephone number, saying, "It's okay - he can't hurt you anymore. You need time to heal - don't rush things. If you ever need someone to talk to other than Chang, give me a call." Getting a light hug back from Karpok, bidding the rest of the family goodbye, Ursa took off literally, smiling broadly to hear Karpok gasp, "Whoa - you didn't say anything about blue fire!" as she soared out of hearing range.

Feeling playful, Ursa tried dodging and weaving back and forth near street level - finding the whole thing exhilarating, laughing contentedly and loudly by the time she reach the portal barrier. Noticing a familiar form tapping its foot impatiently, she rolled her eyes slightly when Hedgebetter asked, pointing a finger at her, "What's with the laughter? And what took you so long? All I heard from that serious human was something about this barrier starting to come down - said he couldn't even tell his leader about it using men in tiny boxes!" Ursa laughed, saying, "And I thought Jinora's tale about Wan Shi Tong's reaction to radio was an exaggeration. There's no men in tiny boxes. It's called radio - and he likely didn't want to call President Raiko because some Earth Empire spy might intercept it."

Noticing Hedgebetter had a serious, unamused look on his face, Ursa said, taking off her backpack, "What he said about the barrier - it's true. I think it might be because of what humans are doing, their actions - but I want to track the changes in the barrier. It glow red lately at all?" Hedgebetter silent, Patta arriving and shrugging after saying, "Haven't seen anything lately", Ursa heard a passingly familiar voice say from nearby, "Good. Hey, Ursa. Renshi and I finished those platforms - let me know when you need a lift," recognizing the voice as Jin's after the metalbender cop added, "There's some stuff on the top too, and 'scribbles' on the other faces. Hope you got a lot of paper…"

Looking at the face for Water quickly, both Hedgebetter and Patta useless for now, noticing there were other weakenings in the barrier, not sure who or what could have weakened it, Jinshu Kuangmai having no waterbenders under his command as far as she knew, Ursa finally registered the scale of the barrier. Pointing at it, Ursa said as Jin joined her side, "Uh… yeah. I'm going to need a lot more paper - and maybe some helpers. I saw this thing change pretty quickly earlier - and I don't think photographs would be high enough detail for what I want to do. Charcoal might not even work - we'd need a lot for this…" Stepping in front of her, Jin pointed at a scribble, Ursa thinking she had seen a similar shape before as Jin said, "Or - we could just earthbend some mud onto it, cure it with firebending, and bend it off. Think that would be fine detail enough? Make casts, basically."

Thinking it was a good idea, though not yet, Ursa said, "Sounds like a good idea - if and when the cracks get bigger. They're so tiny for now… Maybe we can still use earthbending, though. Tell me - can you bend charcoal?" Jin shrugged, saying, "Probably not - it's burnt wood. But then again… dirt has a lot of organics in it. Let me see…"

Ursa surprised when a piece of charcoal came out of her backpack, Jin's face was lit up brightly - Ursa feeling confused when a male voice said, "What the - I can't do it, so how can you?" Jin shrugged, saying, "I don't know, Renshi. Maybe you're doing it wrong?" Renshi now visible, apparently flustered, he laughed lightly, saying as a piece of charcoal came out of Ursa's backback, "Oh - whoops. I was trying to move a pencil - not a piece of charcoal." Ursa realizing that even a pencil could be earthbent, either the graphite core or the metal keeping the eraser in, she took out her radio, saying, "Hello, Saikhan? This is Ursa. I'm going to need a lot of paper, pencils, charcoal, and any officers you can spare - I want to try and record what's on the barrier's faces, before - "

Seeing the same patch as she had seen before pulse temporarily, stone now red, Ursa stopped talking - watching in horror as the deeply engraved characters for "tyrant mother" pulsed beneath some older woman's face, an outlined droplet of blood pulsing red. Not recognizing the woman, only knowing that "her" patch of weakened barrier was literally right below the symbol for Water and quite large, Ursa looked above the symbol - stomach dropping to see a familiar face temporarily outlined, even if there were no characters glowing.

Ursa was utterly baffled, seeing Avatar Korra's face gradually vanish into the various hairline cracks that had obscured her face from being obvious before, so shocked she didn't question why the odd diamond on the Avatar's forehead seemed familiar…

Even if Avatar Korra's scribble was small in comparison, the other woman's face still had the same blood droplet next to her, Ursa saying breathlessly, "Wait - It's… it's not just Jinshu Kuangmai's 'errors' showing up on here…" Realizing what the droplet of blood meant, remembering what the Jinshu Kuangmai's specialty was, Ursa stammered, "Why is what Avatar Korra did showing up on here? It was… totally justified! The shark whale was going to… she needed to though! Self defense…"

Hearing Saikhan bark, "WHAT? What is it - what are you talking about? What about the Avatar?" through the radio, Ursa answered, the glowing outline long faded but fresh in her mind, "I saw Avatar Korra's face on this thing - and a droplet of blood next to it, fading…" About to continue, she stopped when Saikhan said, "Ursa - explain it to me in person. We have no idea if anyone is monitoring us. Men - I've got to go do something. Get all the paper, pencils, charcoal you can find - and I'll need officers only coming with me past the crater rim. We've got a lot of work to do. Everyone else - keep trying to nab these anarchist hooligans. Ursa - tell me more when we get there. This is one thing I don't want getting out. Try and see what you can figure out in the meantime. Saikhan, over and out."

The radio going dead, Ursa baffled as to why an act of self-defense on Avatar Korra's part would appear on the barrier - even if it was Avatar State bloodbending - alongside men and women under Jinshu Kuangmai's command "behaving badly", Ursa felt a pit in her stomach. Thinking outside of her own perspective, she realized that the Earth Empire wasn't the only group of individuals being judged or weighed by spirits, friendly, neutral and hostile alike.

The side any reasonable human would consider the good guys were being judged as well. Ursa could think of no other reason for Avatar Korra's actions to have weakened the barrier at all other than everyone being judged. Remembering what had set off the Spirit Civil War in the first place, Ursa wondered why Avatar Korra's "personal section" wasn't larger, or why she hadn't spotted Raava's form, given it was the Avatar and Raava Long Yumao was most angry with, due to… favoritism.

Closely related to acting unilaterally…

In a way, a hugely powerful spirit granting unasked for gifts to both the home of her "partner" Avatar Korra - Republic City - and the Avatar herself were far worse unilateral actions than the unilateral decisions made by humans the protestors near City Hall were complaining about. President Raiko and Tenzin decreeing there would be no rebuilding in the crater, or the people at the Ember Island Conference sentencing Kuvira to a slap on the hand were comparatively petty abuses of power to what Raava had done…

Ursa shook her head, thinking, "What in the blazes - am I sympathizing with Long Yumao?" reminding herself, "Intentions count for a lot," saying out loud, "And I think Raava, Tenzin and President Raiko all had good intentions. Long Yumao… not so much." Hearing a cough, Ursa grumbled slightly when she heard an odd laugh, Hedgebetter saying, "Guess humans do really talk to themselves? What, you just have a whole conversation in your head?" laughing when she heard Renshi reply, Hedgebetter looking deflated, "I've known her for years, and the answer's yes." Ursa wasn't laughing any more when Renshi continued, hearing the fruithog spirit's odd laughter again when he asked coolly, "Jin, myself, and this spirit here all know about as much about what's going on as your little sister does. Mind explaining whatever hunch you have, please?"

Deciding to explain everything, Ursa said, "Let me try and get it to make more sense," finally using the paper and pencils she had dragged to the crater, trying to get her scattered thoughts together on paper. Hearing approaching footsteps and what she swore were distant engine noises by the time she was finished, she turned around quickly, saying after she saw Saikhan was close, "May as well hear it at the same time Saikhan does." Hedgebetter looking antsy, pretty sure the spirit couldn't read, Ursa said, feeling as though she was being watched, "Basically, long story short, it's not just the Earth Empire's actions that weaken this - even things the Avatar does can affect this barrier." Both Jin and Renshi looking shocked, closely mimicking her own initial reaction, Ursa gave Hedgebetter a withering glare when he laughed nasally, wheezing out, "I thought you were supposed to be a smart human! Oh, wow - that should have been obvious to you! You do remember the other half of your 'Avatar' - Raava, if I have to spell it out for you - being the one who gave Long Yumao the Opportunist the excuse he finally needed to make a powergrab for himself, right? His 'opportunity'? It's in his name!"

Realizing in retrospect it should have been obvious, Ursa said glumly, "I guess you're right," Hedgebetter saying with annoyance, "Now, are you going to read me what's on that sheet of paper, or what? I've got other things to be doing! I'm not like Raava or those other spirits that want to be 'human-y' - I do not care for conversation."

Ursa hearing a dog yapping from behind Hedgebetter, she was confused until she heard a small crunching sound, Hedgebetter's fruit scales temporarily flashing a red hue as he said, "Ouch - why'd you nip my ankles? Bad white dog thing! What was that for?" A small white dog with light blue eyes hopped between Hedgebetter and Ursa, Ursa surprised when it vanished for a brief moment in a cyan flash, Patta appearing where the dog had been, looking bashful as she said, "Sorry, Hedgebetter. I didn't like how you were talking to Ursa, and… my anger got the better of me," adding nervously, "Guess these emotions can make more stuff happen than just my leaves' veins flash red or blue… Shifted and bit you without thinking." Patta fumed temporarily when Hedgebetter sighed, "Not sure what the point of feeling emotions so strongly is then," continuing after tapping his foot, "Now hurry up and read me that piece of paper! I need to know if this barrier's coming down soon or not, so I can shift the hiding spirits somewhere else."

Noticing that Saikhan and many others had joined them, still feeling like she was being watched and not sure what she could do about it, Ursa read her list of hunches about the barrier out loud, finishing, "Right now, I have no idea how long the barrier's going to hold, given it seems to degrade based on people's actions, and even Raava can't control those. Saikhan - do you know if President Raiko knows about all this?" Saikhan shook his head, saying, "No - we have maintained radio silence. If Jinshu Kuangmai finds out he can act like a total brat and knock down all thee Spirit Portal's barriers, letting dark spirits pour into the North, South, and Republic City… that would be bad. Very bad - he'd probably act up just to break them." Ursa nodded grimly, hearing a slightly tired-sounding Patta say from behind, "Raava's still busy, though with something else for now. I managed to get that Avatar Korra has already alerted them to the possibility - and I think I might be able to get one message to Raava."

Ursa getting the sense Patta was waiting on her, she mulled it over whether or not to use the one-message limit on everything to do with the barrier since the first message. Looking at the barrier, she saw it pulse blue for a moment - not sure if her mind was playing tricks on her when she heard a familiar dragonfly bunny spirit's trill. Not believing her ears until she heard the same familiar trill ask, "Ursa? Where are you? I need a hug…" Ursa told Patta, "Just a minute," making her way towards her sad-sounding spirit buddy Warmwings around a few confused police officers preparing to "sketch" the barrier, noticing Patta followed. Giving Warmwings a big hug, nuzzling the spirit's fur, Ursa asked, "What's the matter? Do you want to talk about it?"

Warmwings giving no response, merely trilling sadly, Ursa tried hugging the spirit harder, Warmwings letting out a small contented "Eeep!" after, Ursa hearing Patta say, "Guess she doesn't want to talk about what happened." Realizing she had a job to do, Ursa was tempted to break her embrace with Warmwings, deciding to keep hugging her spirit friend after she let out a contented trill, Ursa feeling like she needed the hug as much as Warmwings did…

A creepy sensation she had felt only slightly up to now intensifying, as though she were being watched by something hostile, Ursa remembered the earlier spirit that had insulted her, somehow able to see through the barrier. Being careful not to show any emotion, she yelled, "I can feel something staring at me - everybody, don't make any facial expressions! It might be Koh!"

Hearing a few people laugh derisively, the laughter stopped when Ursa heard a muffled simian cackling, her directional hearing telling her something most unpleasant.

It was coming from within the barrier.

Thinking for a moment, remembering that a faceless monkey had paid her a visit in her "inner dream world" earlier, Ursa looked at Patta, saying softly, "Psst - something's inside the barrier. Try and see if you can chase that eavesdropper off." Apparently, Koh's minion had heard even that, Ursa hearing louder simian laughter, unsure why Warmwings shivered when she heard the hostile spirit yell, "AhaaAAAH - HaHAAAA!"

Hearing a low hum after, seeing Patta looked shocked, apparently able to understand what the faceless money had said, Ursa asked, "What did it say?"

After a moment of silence, Patta said, looking disturbed, "That he heard everything about you figuring out the barrier was weakening, and why - and… that they control the Tree of Time now." Warmwings shivering again, Ursa not entirely sure why this was a bad thing and saying as much, Patta said before darting inside the barrier, "Remember the energy he was… controlling? He got that from something inside the Tree of Time. He might get even more. I'm going to go check and see if it really is true. If so… that's what I'm telling Raava. I'll be back…"

Patta out of sight, Ursa hearing a few voices demanding to know what was going on, Hedgebetter included, she simply said, "I don't know what that spirit was talking about fully. We need to get this barrier's surface onto paper so we can try and figure out what's going on, exactly what's weakening it." Everyone but Saikhan and Hedgebetter satisfied, even Warmwings seeming slightly better now and attempting to get free of Ursa's hug, she released her grip, Warmwings trying in vain to pick up a pencil as Saikhan said, "Controlling energy… maybe just like Kuvira did with her Colossus weapon, or the beam Vaatu tossed around when he was attacking Republic City…"

Looking stern and determined, Saikhan said, much to Hedgebetter's displeasure, "Who knows what might come out of that portal. We're going to need spirit vine weapons before that barrier comes down," Saikhan adding, "Spirit - do you want your home protected or not? This crater's a good control point - put weapons on the rim, keep anything hostile coming out under fire."

Hedgebetter grumbled in frustration, saying, "Maybe - but ONLY if you keep your dirty human hands off OUR spirit vines! Do whatever you want with these Raava-fied things," adding bitterly, " 'Give an inch, they'll ask for a mile'." Getting a slight glare from Saikhan, Hedgebetter said with a final air, "I would much prefer neutral spirit vine trees or even three 'Raava-fied' ones inside the crater as defense instead of human weapons, but, if that is not possible… Spirit vine weapons powered by ones 'tainted' by Raava's energy only. Perhaps you can do such a thing - but do not abuse good will. And I do have to admit… it is not as if the neutral spirits that live here could hold back the tide, especially if the spirits aligned with Vaatu are aggressive, or try to corrupt our home. This is not the days of Avatar Wan anymore. Even without technology, as humans have gotten better with bending, the gap has closed between man and spirit. I remember how shocked Old Iron was when earthbenders did the seemingly impossible, bending his metal armor off. Humans defending all our homes… For all our sakes, I hope you do a good job. Goodbye - for now. I have a lot of spirits to help move, again, if that power-hungry serpent really has control of the Tree of Time, and this barrier is coming down…"

Hedgebetter vanishing, Ursa immediately set about helping in the arduous task of getting the barrier's surface preserved for later inspection, worrying in the back of her mind where Patta was all the while. In her mix of concern and being busy with her work, she barely noticed when the barrier pulsed red in parts once, not noticing anything off about the barrier's top, though she had a gut feel it would need to be inspected as well.

The barrier flashing blue for a moment, Ursa heard Patta crying, "It - it's true. They… have the tree under their control now," before she saw the spirit, wishing Patta would explain more about why this was such a bad thing…

---

Koh not entirely sure what his ally Long Yumao was scheming - the serpentine spirit having been acting paranoid about Raava's pet spirits or Jinshu Kuangmai's spirit flunkies finding out anything about the secret project Koh himself did not know the workings of - Koh had moved on to other things. Such as trying to stop the fools in Republic City from knowing the barriers were weakening, something Long Yumao assigned little importance to, possibly out of arrogance.

Recalling Long Yumao's refusal to send any of "his" spirits on Koh's attempt to act on one of the few visions he had before the Tree of Time fell under their control, he clattered over to Long Yumao, Koh letting out a low groan when the other spirit erased his own claw-drawn "blueprints" from the ground near the ancient tree, if one could call them that, Koh sighing, "Long Yumao - no spirit has seen anything of Raava or Vaatu aligned spirits ever since the tree fell under our control. And we are far away from any of the Spirit Portal's inner exits. There is no need for such paranoia." Turning to face Koh, Long Yumao hissed, "No need for paranoia - I said the same thing to you when you were worried about some fat mortal teenage girl figuring out the obvious - that the barriers are failing. You yourself said that the Avatar had such a hunch. You saw bits of the past while standing on the Tree of Time. The Tree of Time something, I will add, that my decision to not squander spirits on making sure an insignificant teenage girl never woke up again helped secure. Unlike your pet concern, which they will no doubt figure out if they possess even half a brain, this idea cannot fall into the wrong hands. The surprise would be ruined."

Peeking at the dirt Long Yumao had tried to obscure, barely discerning a cylindrical shape, Koh finished the job of erasing it for his somewhat thick ally, saying with a mocking tone, "A cylinder. That's it? I assume there must be something special inside," continuing after dodging an angry swipe from Long Yumao, "Keep in mind, the Spirit World does not possess physical matter, nor do we currently have any benders, even our outside operative useless in that regard. If this idea of yours involves a physical object, it is useless. We may have many spirits at our side, but even making a sword is out of reach for us, having only energy. The link between Physical and Spirit realms may be stronger thanks to the new portal's influence - but it only goes so far."

Long Yumao shook his head, eye feathers pulsing angrily as he said, "Do you forget my new gift? What I can do to spirits now - make them feel unfathomable pain? I broke enough neutral spirits - and even a few that had sworn allegiance to humans and their respective spirit masters - to turn the tide in the battle for the Tree of Time. All by myself - your precious monkey minions proved most useless, even if they can spy on people, like the one you foolishly sent into that insect's dream." Cackling, no longer seeming angry, Long Yumao said, "And humans are weaker than us - so we will have plenty of benders once I break and enslave my first batch of pathetic mortals! They will haul the ruins of Republic City into the Spirit World for us - create this device." Displaying his claws and flashing his teeth, Long Yumao boasted, "Even the Avatar took in my new form with terror - and they have not a clue what the energy I wield can do! Some random civilians will not pose a threat, even if you think otherwise."

Switching to the face of Ummi, Avatar Kuruk's lover, and then through many other human visages as he spoke, Koh advised, "As the Face Stealer, I have far more experience with humans than you do, Long Yumao. No human has ever come to you for knowledge or information, while Avatar Aang sought information about Tui and La from me. All Avatar Korra sought from you was permission to use us spirits as tools in war," Koh adding as he skittered away, seeing Long Yumao looked incensed, "Something which happened despite your reservations. Even if Raava had not given any gifts to humanity, the Earth Empire would have continued using spirit vines for war under Jinshu Kuangmai - and we both know how he managed to change Vaatu with a simple speech."

Long Yumao looking livid by now, red eyespots and purple discolorations almost consuming his black hide entirely, Koh crawled onto the Tree of Time, saying, "Stay your claws! You wouldn't hit the Tree, would you? Good. Listen… There were plenty of spirits inside the Earth Empire, before you started your little Spirit Civil War, and I joined in for faces, and my own, very personal reasons - and a creature that can manage to convince another being to change its mind is not to be taken lightly. There is no reason to think there would not be spirits fighting in human wars without our own Civil War. The Avatar managed to 'convert' Kuvira - and Jinshu Kuangmai managed to sway the Grand Dark Spirit himself, Vaatu. He could have swayed the spirits lounging near the Misty Palms Oasis with promises of power..."

His serpentine spirit ally looking unusually reserved, Koh smiled slightly, switching to one of his favorite faces, saying through a savage baboon's mug, "AND THAT IS WHY WE SHOULD NOT DISCOUNT ANYONE AND THE THREAT THEY POSE, no matter how 'insignificant' they are at first glance! To the Fire Nation a hundred and seventy-four years ago, at first twelve-year old Avatar Aang posed only a minor threat, something for their disgraced prince to capture to win his honor back, proven dead wrong when Aang temporarily merged with La, devastating an entire fleet. A spirit, assisting in a human war… A year after his emergence, he had helped dismantle the entire continent-spanning empire. Not purely because he was the Avatar, either - without assistance, his feat would have been impossible," finishing emphatically, "From what I have seen, even 'lowly' nonbenders like Sokka and Suki were instrumental in bringing down the Fire Nation, 'airship slice'-ing their way to downing the entire fleet. Our cause could suffer similar damage, if you do not take the sound advice of a spirit that spoke to you earlier and set 'kill targets' other than just the Avatar's closest friends. Given his description of the 'fat girl' he managed to get a peek at, I believe it was Ursa - saw the same causes for concern that I did with her. The 'big name' targets are likely to be very-well defended, while those who have not yet been noticed would not be…"

Koh seeing for once he had Long Yumao's unqualified attention, he continued, "This big firebender named Ursa is not the only… unexpected problem person I have seen or know of. I do not know her name, but a peasant girl in Ba Sing Se comes to mind - one who gave some inspirational speech almost a week ago, and helped humans 'not behave badly' - exactly the opposite of our goal." Long Yumao's flashing yellow eyes gleamed as he interjected, "Yes - and we even have someone nearby, who has the resources to do away with her… Forget your pet annoyance 'Ursa' - try to see if you can discern anything about this girl! You're on the tree right now! DO IT!"

Koh shook his head, saying as he strummed his feet together, "I was not yet finished - and from what we know, killing her would only make her a 'martyr', a person for other humans to remember. The best we can hope for there is that she does not surface again, or goes quiet without being noticed," a deviant idea occurring to Koh, suggesting, "And I know just the group of people to do that for us - if they are still alive. Tell our contact to try and seek out former Dai Li agents. COMPETENT ONES, not the buffoons who defended the Earth Queen and failed!" Long Yumao chuckled dryly, saying, "Buffoons they were. Wonderful idea - they have already betrayed their nation once, for humans… perhaps they would be open to someone more powerful than Azula. All she could do was talk at them to make them fear her, burn them if necessary - I can literally break them, break their puny minds with pain!"

Long Yumao looking pleased, Koh tried to remember other noteworthy figures he had caught glimpses of, about to mention two people he thought inconsequential at first glance when a loud simian hooting came from the direction of the Republic City Spirit Portal's inner side.

Realizing his scout had come back, Koh dropped the thought temporarily, thinking as he skittered over towards the faceless curly-tailed bluenose without a word, "I wonder what things he overheard… perhaps something beyond mortals figuring out the barriers are coming down? More about the girl I saw a vision of realizing this…?"

Long Yumao following closely, Koh listened to the faceless curly-tail bluenose monkey's chattering with rising anger, stopping the spirit by switching to its own unique face. The faceless bluenose understanding the signal, Koh switched to the face of a much more intimidating and angry primate, saying to an irritated Long Yumao, "She's done far more than what I saw her doing in my original glimpse - helping organize people, even interacting with that fruithog spirit who we have been spotting on and off, ferrying neutral spirits somewhere!" Long Yumao raising an eye-feather, apparently not impressed, Koh continued, "From what this bluenose told me, it sounded as if this neutral spirit leader 'Hedgebetter' talked with Ursa as though she had spoken with him extensively before. And apparently, she is smart - smart enough to realize tracking the barrier's degradation is important, though not why. Now, please continue - not you, Long Yumao!"

The bluenose beginning to chatter once again, Koh grumbled when he had to dodge a swipe from Long Yumao, telling them both, "Bluenose - start again. Long Yumao - do you want me to be your advisor or not? Aside from two personal grievances, I have no motivation in this war beyond faces - something I will receive eventually, assistance from you or not. Humans will visit the Spirit World, and even this drought of faces will end." Long Yumao hissing and seething yet not striking again, Koh listened as the bluenose finished chattering, translating everything it had said up to that point for Long Yumao, finishing, "We underestimate humans at our peril. This 'Saikhan' possesses enough sense to not blabber over radio on what has happened, and apparently of her own accord, the Avatar has already alerted 'President' Raiko of the problem."

Seeing he had Long Yumao's attention once again, Koh continued, "It sounds as though the window of… opportunity to take out Ursa has passed, the girl appearing to act again much as I have heard she did four years ago, as a somewhat reluctant leader. This cannot happen again, with someone else… The next time we interact with our operative, even indirectly, that 'peasant girl' is the next most important thing on his agenda - as well as telling us more about her!" Long Yumao yawned, asking drolly, "And why are either one of these young humans so important? There are so many of them, over three million in Republic City alone, surely someone else would have figured out there things… Don't give me 'that face'! Would not have someone else attempted to fill the void - just like what happened with the Earth Empire after Kuvira's surrender, and Jinshu Kuangmai?" Sighing, Long Yumao admitted, eyespots pulsing in displeasure, "Regardless, you did bring up one interesting point - our operative is already pretending to be Earth Empire sympathetic. Perhaps with the next shipment, a note - written by someone else - detailing what we know about the barrier weakening to Jinshu Kuangmai should be included. Perhaps this 'Saikhan' is correct - if he knows the barriers are weakening, he will deliberately act horrible to bring them down…" Long Yumao cackled, adding, "Mistakenly thinking spirits will only attack the Poles and Republic City - helping usher in his own demise!"

Not having heard anything of plans to attack Toph's pleasingly wayward son in the first wave until just now, Koh inquired what his ally was thinking, Long Yumao replying, "We still do not know exactly what your riddle about 'Reciprocity is coming' means - only that it is 'between two different kinds of darkness'. While I consider any humans to be 'darkness'… it is far more likely what you received refers to Jinshu Kuangmai. Avatar Korra, Raava, their pathetic mercy and kindness… hardly dark. And I intend to be on the acting end, just as with my idea. Knowing that weakling Avatar Korra she'd as soon 'convert' me than try to kill me. Jinshu Kuangmai has the right idea - even if he does not possess the means to kill a spirit…"

Long Yumao's eyefeathers straightening suddenly, as though he just detected something, he howled, half-laughing, "Speak of the annoying… Don't think I can't sense you coming closer, 'Wipfis'. Now go run back to the rest of your idiot spirit friends - you did not even choose the human whose spirit master can grant bending!" After a distant burbling noise, Koh managed to hear the annoying poorly-spoken spirit boast at ear-torturing length, "Was not listening you, babbler- get something from Vaazula. Near North Portal - outside. Avatar Korra and Raava so foolish they not take out spirit on Vaatu side when they could. One that gots dual bending on accidents! Jinshu Kuangmai and Vaazula know part of hows the spirit 'Akiak' hurts so bad - weapons Avatar used, and my boss going to emulate. Spirit weapon nothing compared some of theses! Not able wait to see used on you, airogent surpent."

Seeing Long Yumao shimmer briefly and then vanish, Koh mused to the bored bluenose, "Sounds like Wipfis gets a better shake than any spirit other than myself gets with Long Yumao," the faceless monkey nodding. It started chattering and then stopped as Koh felt two very angry eyes on him, Long Yumao saying from behind over the sounds of a blubbering spirit, "I do not care about fair or unfair - only power! Hatred did not care! I will not give power to those who have not earned it!"

Koh turning around, surprised to see Long Yumao had managed to catch Wipfis, the smaller spirit bubbled, "Foolish surpent. You ally right, surpent! I already say Jinshu Kuangmai not care about human or spirit - now he not care about human status either. Only ability to do well! 'Earn it', like you gots thing from tree! Boss pragmatic!", adding after using his long, barbed whip to strike Long Yumao across the eyes, Koh's spirit ally howling in pain, "You not only one who make pain! Just wait to later! Gloat about getting boss to act bad like he an animal to manipulate," adding after another, deeper lash following being dropped by a shocked Long Yumao, "Humans pragmatic - neutral and you spirits dumb, literalist, not think, or think too much, like ugly centipede ally!"

Wipfis vanishing shortly after, Long Yumao frantically swiping at where the fish-man spirit had been, Long Yumao demanded, "Okay - so you foresaw that fat girl figuring something out, but not everything else to do with her! A whole lot of good that was - especially considering your monkey spy didn't catch everything!" Before Long Yumao could continue, Koh rolled his eyes slightly, feeling as though he were talking to a particularly stupid Avatar Aang about Tui and La, saying as Long Yumao babbled about how Koh needed to try and see more, "I cannot finely control what I see and do not see, beyond the Spirit World. Seventy-four mortal years ago, I sensed Admiral Zhao wanted to do away with Tui for personal benefit relatively randomly, while contemplating balance, yin and yang, push and pull long before Avatar Aang visited me." Long Yumao still incensed, Koh continued, "Similarly, contemplating things unknown to us, I saw a vision of a large firebender teenage girl inspecting the barrier closely, and coming to some sort of revelation. Even sensing Desna and Tatkret getting assistance from Yue was not fine control."

Long Yumao losing his patience, Koh clattered up higher on the massive tree, Long Yumao so angry that he did not shudder when he should have, having struck the tree with claws full-on, howling, "USELESS INSECT! If you cannot control it… THEN WHAT USE IS IT?!" continuing with a slightly concerning glimmer in his eyes after withdrawing his stuck claws, "Sense something truly useful, you ancient self-important centipede! I could care less about 'larval humans' - try and control what you gaze at. Tell me something about Jinshu Kuangmai, the Avatar, someone important. We fought hard for this tree - do what I have done! Do not merely sit atop the bark like a scared pillbug - dig in!"

Climbing to the crown of the Tree of Time, Koh smiled through his noh mask "face" slightly, saying coolly, "I will do things my way," closing his eyes after saying, "You can risk yourself, digging into something you do not understand fully."

Still stationary, no swiping claw coming, Koh managed to concentrate for a short time, at first puzzled to see a partially dry lakebed, the only plant life in the image in the center of cracked earth around, much of the lakebed appearing to have been scorched… Noting that there were a smattering of white-colored lotus flowers in the center, a large rain passed over the vision, time skipping forward to show the lake full of overgrown plants with white lotus flowers. The vision showing the water of the lake bubble and come to a boil for one second, Koh's vision now had a few red lotus flowers budding among the white lotus flowers.

The sky above blurring between night and day rapidly, getting the sense that many decades had passed, Koh watched in puzzlement as a third flower type appeared, this strange white and blue, no, cyan, lotus at first all alone. More time passing, the solitary white and light blue lotus producing many seeds and the new flower type spreading, the vision showed the largest of the red lotuses except for two wither away and die, one the remaining large red lotuses appearing singed, the other… dragged slightly below the surface by a chain?

Not daring to think, not willing to disrupt the vision, Koh watched as the two largest red lotus plants slowly recovered, noticing that more bloomed over time, as did the strange white and blue lotuses Koh had no idea what they symbolized…

The lake by now had only one large pure white lotus left, a throng of smaller white lotuses around it, and plenty of other large red or white and blue lotuses throughout. Getting the sensation he felt when glimpsing the possible future of reality, Koh witnessed the pure white lotuses begin to fall. Some fell to aggressive encroachment by red lotuses, withering away and dying, but more of the pure white lotuses gained light blue coloration on half their petals after coming into contact with blue and white lotuses…

Pure white lotuses and red lotuses now in the minority after another timeskip, the vision ended. Koh explained it to a skeptical Long Yumao as he thought of the symbolism, saying what he thought most important first, "The white lotuses obviously represent the Order named after them, and the same for the red lotuses. The most concerning lotuses - the ones that bear the same colors as our shared spirit foe Raava - I… am at a loss as to what they represent. A lakebed, scorched as though by fire, filling again after healing rains came - the defeat of the Fire Nation. The white lotuses spreading after, the smattering of red lotuses popping up… representing the Order of the White Lotus coming into the public eye after their mortal war, and the splintering off Order of the Red Lotus, respectively." Long Yumao nodded, saying, "I can understand symbolism, Koh - do not patronize me. The end - it sounds as though the vision was suggesting the Order of the Red Lotus is having a resurgence. I will need more proof than a vision of plants, though - even if it is dealing with something important!"

Long Yumao still not getting part of the vision, Koh said drolly, "Given what I saw, there may be more than just two Orders with a lotus as their symbol… The 'white and blue' lotuses were far more numerous than either red or pure white lotuses by the end of the vision, and they appeared to convert non-violently. If they represented human individuals as I thought they did… that is 'humans behaving better', not worse. It would appear there may be a third player - and given the fact that the first white and blue lotus appeared before the 'Order of the Red Lotus' was defeated, it is younger than the Order of the Red Lotus - but older than the Red Lotus first acting under an airbender Zaheer..."

Long Yumao shook his head slightly, shifting some of the large "feather scales" on his neck by doing so, saying, "You still take this as written in stone - I want proof! And just as I do not care about Ursa, this 'Order of the White and Blue Lotus' does not concern me," adding, "You said that this was a possible future - with our operative, perhaps we can see to it that the red lotuses outnumber everything else, and plunge the world into chaos again. If it really is still around and active, just as we have with the Earth Empire, trying to secretly prop up an organization of badly behaving humans without being connected to the act would be easier than trying to prune that which is unwanted." Pausing for a moment, Koh at first doubting Long Yumao's logic, Koh was surprised when his ally said, "Gold and yuan leave less of a trail than blood, after all. Attempting to kill someone, or even succeeding, only draws attention to them… just as you said earlier."

Long Yumao looking inexplicably angry again, Koh listened, his ally's eyefeathers pointing in a specific direction, Long Yumao saying, "Wait - ZAHEER! And… SOMEONE ELSE!" cackling, "He doesn't have his bending… HE'S MINE! I won't be embarrassed like I was with Wipfis again!" before vanishing.

A short time later, Long Yumao re-appeared, looking half-disappointed and excited at the same time, saying, "Zaheer was gone by the time I appeared in Xai Bau's Grove - but the man he was talking to wasn't. I could not identify the man - only that he was severely burned, had a few tattoos… I attempted to catch him, to incapacitate him with pain - he merely laughed, saying, 'After three years of agony, your attempt amuses me. Goodbye, spirit tyrant - see you soon. See you dead.' Some force disoriented me when I lunged for him, ending up hitting a nearby rock instead." Long Yumao said, disdain in his voice, "Ugh! I recognize that energy now - from a mortal's lifetime ago… It appears the Avatar is not the only one with a 'safe place' - somehow, that mortal Xai Bau's energy was awakened by his adherent's presence there. It threw me off just like the twin disgusting chakra pools do - though not as strongly..."

Hide pulsing with energy, Long Yumao said, "I would have loved to rend him in half! No matter - they do not know who our operative is, but our traitor will know of them the next time we are in 'contact'. The Red Lotus, alive… good. Zaheer - talking with someone horribly scarred, calm and composed… It's been an act all along - the gradual insanity! His cunning… it is a pity we will never get him to betray humanity, as we have already done once."

Koh strummed his legs together, contemplating, thinking. Guessing the likely identity of the man Zaheer had been talking with, Koh annoyed Long Yumao by cryptically saying, "From the ashes does a lotus bloom, only its caretaker knowing how large it will grow." His ally hissing, Koh glad to take Long Yumao's annoyance in place of the faces he had been promised - for now - Koh was surprised when Long Yumao figured it out, Long Yumao cackling with delight, "In my annoyance, I did not fully appreciate what happened… The Red Lotus - it lives on! YES - more chaos and bad behavior from humans! That's what Zaheer's been doing for three years… using my domain to run his society in secret! The Red Lotus - I cannot think of an organization aside from the Earth Empire more likely to display 'proper' poor behavior. Imagine - assassinations rocking the 'good' humans, spirits flocking to us when Jinshu Kuangmai grows stronger…" Swirling in front of Koh and stopping, his spirit ally continued with audible pleasure, "Perhaps we can link our previous human-related triumph to this… yes. Instruct him to seek out people seemingly sympathetic to the Red Lotus anonymously - make the same offer of assistance as before. Little will they know, just as before, they are being played. Played as a puppeteer moves wooden dolls…"

Hearing wooden dolls, thinking of the still-stubborn Hama, Koh changed faces, saying with a simian grin and slight laughter of his own, "Oh, yes - puppeteers. I may know of another possible traitor… Long Yumao - do you remember the woman from earlier who visited the pool I share with Tui and La? Tatkret?" Long Yumao coiled slightly, saying as the spots on his massive sail pulsed with displeasure, "Yes - I remember how you refused to steal her face, or Desna's - despite the fact they showed interest in one of my favorite female prisoners, were getting assistance from Yue - which WENT THROUGH, according to yourself earlier! And I also remember you saying Tatkret was a lesbian - I'm half tempted to snap you in half for suggesting such a thing! Blech!"

Switching back to his usual face, Koh smiled slightly, saying, "You are mistaken - I hold no interest in the daughter…" Crawling around Long Yumao in a circle, Koh said cryptically, "For our purposes, from what I can tell, she falls too far on the side of yang than yin - in light, sparing darkness from its deserved punishment. The yin she spared, however… perhaps she can be of use, before I collect my due."

Long Yumao for once not trying to snap at him when Koh tightened the circle, Long Yumao finally said after a long pause, "Hmmm… perhaps you are not so useless after all. First a useful vision, to make a massive understatement, and now this. From what you have seen of subsequent events up in the frozen North, perhaps you are right - 'morning blood' wanting to carry on her family's legacy of bending prowess and POWER… no matter the COST. Yes - forget her face. That's an order - don't give me 'that face'! Ublaraok will be our next target, from what you said, already having been accused of siding with me, stripped of what made her identity, discarded by her family like the leavings from a beast of burden… perhaps she can manage to poison Eska, Desna or someone else in the North, after having a false change of heart, since you refuse to steal their faces."

Feeling a bit offended, Koh clarified, "If they showed emotion around me, I would take their faces gladly." Glaring at a friendly bird-like spirit, Long Yumao hissed, "Whatever, Koh. You, little bird spirit. You interrupted us! What do you want, tiny thing? Can't you see we're in the middle of an important discussion here? Aren't you supposed to be busy? He can't have possibly completed his task just yet!" The small birdlike spirit chirped, Long Yumao's sail now pulsing violently in excitement, saying, "He… he did. Wonderful news - the first shipment of many has already left, complete with the appropriate human markings. Down to the drop of blood in the center of the changed symbol… Speaking of blood. Koh! You are much older than I - do you know of any way besides assistance from the Avatar that someone can regain their bending? She - not Korra, you annoying little arthropod - would be most useful if she could bloodbend, and manipulate other water - as I have heard some Raava aligned spirits can do. Our current operative has use besides bending - Ublaraok would not, besides trying to poison someone. Spirits are mighty - but the Universe did not see fit to grant us bending without the intervention of a Grand Light or Dark Spirit. For crying out loud, Vaatu and his pet human have a dual bending spirit, as you said earlier touching the Tree of Time - WE NEED BENDERS! I certainly can't make my idea work without physical metal, earth… claws are not good for delicate work. Only for gutting human insects! Still wish I had gotten that other man earlier - though he hardly looked human…"

Thinking for a while, not sure of the answer at first, closing his eyes and seeing a brief vision, Koh said, "Assistance regaining bending, aside from the Avatar? Yes - with help of a lion turtle." Long Yumao hissed with displeasure, saying with rage, "HOW'S THAT SUPPOSED TO HELP! They're all dead, you moron - except for one who is still alive, in the Physical World - unlikely to help us, given he helped Avatar Aang take Ozai's bending indirectly! Ugh - Ozai. Still cannot believe he and almost all the others within the Fog are so… stupid, insisting they be the ones to wield power. Even that old pitiful woman Hama won't budge. Just like Jinshu Kuangmai, Toph's brat - unwilling to serve a far greater master. I've been through thousands - no takers, almost an innumerable measure more of them. But… sifting's so TIME CONSUMING! At the very least we have time, having secured the Tree and the spirit side portals around it." By now Long Yumao having worked off his rage, Koh listened as his spirit ally continued in a lower voice, "Little bird spirit - you have done your job. Now try to make contact with our operative - tell him first that the Red Lotus lives and is active, and that he is to try and render them assistance as well, with as great of care as he displayed earlier. The Red Lotus should target the fledgling new government in the north of the main continental mass - the so-called 'United Earth Republic'. Our operative is to also try and recruit any Dai Li agents he knows of. COMPETENT ONES ONLY. Any sufficiently skilled and amoral earthbender will do, as long as they can stealthily kidnap and make someone disappear. They have a different task - kidnapping problematic people who would not be suitable for assassination by the Red Lotus. One of their targets there should be a peasant girl of unknown name who gave some kind of insipid speech encouraging good behavior in Ba Sing Se - he should know her name. They are the weakest - and the Red Lotus is likely as mad as I am at Raava over her party favors and tricks that their precious anarchy and chaos did not stick there. We must have as many different sides in this human conflict and spirit conflict as well - though I detest chaos, the more it grows, the more my power does as well, as spirits see just how bestial humans can be in times of great stress. Don't just float there - GO!"

The small spirit floating off quickly, even Koh unsure of exactly how the tiny thing had made contact with their operative and relayed his success, Koh waited for Long Yumao to speak. Long Yumao finally speaking, he hissed, "I know of lion turtle spirits helping give Raava's spirit cronies bending… but nothing about restoring. And certainly not in the Physical World, given they are spirits… without her bloodbending, Ublaraok's useless except as a mole, if she can swallow her pride and act apologetic. And unlikely to get to a Spirit Portal anytime soon either. No matter - there are others we might solicit as traitors."

One man a fairly obvious candidate, though closer to insane than truly useful, Koh suggested, "I have sensed there is a man in Republic City who is preaching doom about the Spirit Civil War - perhaps you could…? No?" Long Yumao snickered, "What - get him to try and kill Ursa, Saikhan? You mentioned him before the whole mess with Desna and Tatkret - it sounded to me as though he could barely keep himself clothed! And he's already been vocal supporting me, again, from what you said," adding more seriously, "Hmmm… if my idea does not work properly on a physical human, dragged into the portal… I may have a use for him." Koh still having no idea what Long Yumao's idea was, he said, "Fine - I still have no clue what you want to do," giving Long Yumao a slight glare after he said, "Good - if you don't, then NO ONE will!"

Long Yumao idly examining his hands, extending four red claws, he said, one partially held down, "So let's assume Ublaraok goes along with becoming an 'operative', so to speak. She still had her bending removed by her daughter - so really, we have no benders, if she accepts. I want outside help from all four elements!" Koh frowned slightly, clacking and strumming legs together as he sighed, "Patience, young spirit. Patience. Our target is still alive, stripped of her bending - we should wait and see what happens before acting. Scout out our potential targets." Long Yumao hissing in displeasure, Koh added, "Just as I am sure the Avatar will pay great attention to Republic City's barrier beginning to show wear, and Ursa, she would show great concern about any turncoats. One target has already made itself apparent - let us see how acquiring our second operative goes before trying to solicit anyone else." Long Yumao hissed, saying, "Zaheer lives, and is stubborn - as does that horribly burned man. Aiwei is still within the fog, stubborn as well. Stupid human weaklings - without a body, they are useless! Conventionally, at least…"

After further planning, Koh having decided to assist in selecting the last three targets, Long Yumao able to remember more than he had at first as well, Koh felt something wasn't right - yet at the same time, their plans had not been compromised. Feeling a spirit exiting the newest Spirit Portal, Koh switched to the face of a harsh school teacher, saying, "SHHHH! A spirit's coming - and it doesn't look like it's aligned with us. Quiet!"

The small bean spirit looked around for a few seconds, appearing to cry slightly, Koh heard an annoyingly cute voice say, "Wh - the… the Tree of Time! It's true… and why aren't you guys talking? I waited forever until you were too focused to notice me - and Koh spots me right away! What, you got eyes in the back of your head? Or is it the stolen faces doing the work?" Long Yumao laughed, saying, "Technically I have eyes all over, even on my eyefeathers," finishing as he pointed a palm at the spirit, "And in just a minute, I'll be finding out exactly what those humans outside the barrier are doing. Who's important, who's not. PREPARE TO BE BROKEN!" Still crying, the bean spirit dodged the blast, blowing a raspberry before taunting, "Can't hit me - and I wouldn't break anyways, whatever you meant by that!" and then it simply vanished from where it had come.

Strumming his feet together, for once Koh felt impatient, stopping when Long Yumao cackled, "Hah - what a weakling! Came in here, saw we'd cleared out the tree - and ran away when I wanted to bring the fight to her! Koh - quit that strumming. During our discussion, I realized that while a few days may seem insignificant to spirits such as ourselves… that time can be key, critical for mere mortals. Even for those to whom time has no meaning… We may be ready to move forward now - but the humans we seek to turn may not, despite three of them being dead. In the Fog of Lost Souls… Two of the three others we have settled on will likely be harder to convince than Ublaraok, one as easy to 'convince' as that doomsayer in Republic City. As you said, that man has already mentioned his name… Someone knows of the legends. Perhaps there is some sense to the Avatar cycle's order - I would like to wait for the 'firebender'." Hissing slightly, Long Yumao finished, "The Avatar is currently far too close to his remains, if your wild guess is correct - just as in the granting of dual bending, the body is the key. Possibly even after death, or bending stripping. Yakone fathered two psychic bloodbender sons with his own bending stripped - perhaps something remains behind that controls being a bender, or even the special abilities. And Ublaraok is his cousin... We do not want Korra destroying the bodies to prevent the process you suggested. It would be best if she were as far away from the Fire Nation and Western Air Temple as possible - her destination being in the Earth Empire is something we'll have to deal with, though she likely has not a clue as to that potential traitor's body's location. Doesn't even know his name, most likely, despite having seen him… It is not as if we have anything other than time anyways - and waiting will only make convincing our targets easier. Either through increased power - or the human spirits seeing their own acting like the animals they all are… willing to turn. Wanting either power, or to cleanse themselves of the impurity of being human."

---

After returning with news of Long Yumao controlling the Tree of Time, the normally glib spirit had been silent, Ursa asking Patta, "You seem like you saw more than just the Tree of Time in enemy hands…," Patta looking directly at her with a bit less trepidation when Ursa got to her point, "Want to say what happened? Does it have anything to do with that energy Long Yumao can control now?"

Patta nodded, whistling loudly, the whistle apparently a signal for Warmwings to come over given how Ursa found herself next to her own spirit buddy, Patta saying, "Long Yumao… shot some intense energy beam at me, claimed he was going to 'break me'. We never did get Warmwings to say anything about that…"

Hearing nothing at first, Ursa was concerned Warmwings had been affected herself, concern growing when she heard Jin ask from nearby, "Uh - URSA? Is your spirit buddy supposed to be big?" Ursa looking behind her, surprised to see Warmwings in her "Dark Spirit" enraged form, her spirit buddy trilled "Yes" loudly, given how Jin reacted everyone could understand what Warmwings had "said". Warmwings picking up a nearby large piece of paper and some pencils, Ursa watched in a mix of curiosity and horror as her spirit friend sketched out what Ursa hoped wasn't Long Yumao. Her stomach sank when Warmwings added a depiction of some purple beam coming from a disembodied clawed "hand" striking a hapless neutral dragonfly bunny spirit, anger rising within Ursa when Warmwings trilled mournfully, "I've been fighting inside the Spirit World for quite some time, and earlier this morning, Long Yumao got some kind of sick energy-based power after sticking his nasty claws into the Tree of Time. I got hit with it myself - it felt like someone was… trying to break me with pain and hatred."

The light blue on Warmwings' face pulsing red temporarily, the spirit trilled angrily, everyone around the large spirit looking shocked, especially Saikhan, "It was like he was hurting me, and projecting himself into me at the same time. Most of the spirits who like humans, good or bad, were able to resist the 'mean beam', but… a lot of neutral spirits weren't so lucky. Either broken and 'enslaved', or… switching sides once they saw the new power Long Yumao has. Aside from his new scary form… Eventually, both kinds of 'human-y' spirits decided trying to fight his new power and possibly lose more to it wasn't worth holding the tree."

Looking at Long Yumao's "new" form, Ursa had the odd feeling she had seen it before, Saikhan finally spoke, saying as he pointed at a group of petrified police officers, "Energy - maybe it really is like what Kuvira had in her Colossus' weapon, but… worse. Enslaved spirits - just like he wants to do with us humans… Forget security concerns, or that the Avatar already alerted President Raiko about the barrier failing. I need to contact President Raiko. I want his permission to begin making defensive preparations around the crater's rim immediately, and to try and get equipment beyond airships and whatever civilians and engineers can help put together. 'Professional', 'military' grade equipment!" The officers nodding, some like Jin and Renshi looking more determined than others, Saikhan finished, "The size of that spirit now… apparent manipulation of energy, just like what Avatar Korra used to restore my bending four years ago, but… dark… I have heard rumors and hearsay of all sorts of new equipment, and we do not even have 'old' technology like what Kuvira used to attack Republic City. We need spirit weapons, the faster the better, if that… thing's what is waiting on the other side of the barrier. No wonder neutral spirits don't feel safe in there…"

For a brief moment, all the officers stood at attention, Jin the first to speak up, saying as she pointed at the small swathe of transformed spirit vines she was standing on that surrounded the barrier, "Uh… that's great and all, but… all of Republic City's geniuses, and a few 'visiting' ones are all gone." Renshi nodded, saying, "Yeah - these things aren't much use without something to use them in. Asami Sato's been gone for days, along with Varrick and Zhu Li, Baatar Jr. just went with the reinforcements. Varrick, Zhu Li and Baatar Jr. know that stuff best, having… developed it in the first place." Saikhan growled in frustration, lamenting, "Yes - you're right. Nobody here who's ever worked with the things, and according to my most recent briefing… the weapons are finicky, hard to construct. Maybe it's hopeless after all…"

Ursa thinking for a moment, feeling a bit foolish, she suggested, "I know two technophiles, someone who's been my friend for almost half my life, Lee-Lee, and Ryoshin - the Equalist who betrayed her old boss after seeing one of his bombs kill her brother. Maybe they can help reverse engineer the stuff from the Colossus' remains? It's pretty badly damaged, and I don't know if the weapon survived, so… it's a long shot." Saikhan nodded, saying, "Everything's a long shot. I can't imagine that we could get instructions over the radio, what with most of it likely highly sensitive if they really have refined the technology over the past week, and… Patta?'s ability to communicate with Raava seems limited. It's all we've got, unless some spirity shenanigans happen." Renshi laughed lightly, saying, "Totally possible - I was awake to see Baatar Jr. leave, and I swear, he sounded like he was talking with someone who wasn't there at times. Then again, Ikki had just helped him away from going insane after he was left to rot for doubting Kuvira's 'change', so..." Saikhan nodded, saying, "We can't rely on such things though. We need to find as many trustworthy engineers, brainiacs, technophiles as possible - let's start with the two whose names we do know, Ryoshin first given she's a more 'known' quantity and worked on a lot of the Equalists' technology," discussing things with his officer core after, Ursa overhearing the name "Future Industries" a lot.

Ursa realizing again she had yet to talk to Lee-Lee, something else grabbed her attention, saying as she looked at Warmwing's somehow vaguely familiar illustration of Long Yumao, "Warmwings… I had no clue you could draw." Warmwings by now normal size, the dragonfly bunny spirit cocked its fuzzy head in confusion, Ursa getting the impression Warmwings was puzzled as well. Flitting closer onto Ursa's shoulder, Ursa noticing Patta was looking back and forth between drawing and Ursa, Warmwings trilled, "I don't know either." Not sure what to do with herself, Ursa feeling a little better to have Warmwings on her shoulder, Patta by now close enough to poke. Noticing the spirit looked distracted, Ursa poked the spirit's soft yellow stomach, Patta giggling, "Hey, quit that!" saying as Ursa smiled mischievously, "Thanks, I guess. Needed it, after that stuff earlier," Ursa's ears perking up when Patta said, "I think I might know the reason why Warmwings could draw so well earlier - and a way to get those technical designs here safely."

Ursa now the one cocking her head, she asked, "Just how do you plan to do that?" Warmwings letting out a confused, "Murrrh?" that matched Ursa's own puzzlement after Patta said, "I got a little bit of stuff from Raava when I 'talked' to her earlier, beyond what I already knew - have you heard of spirits having 'dual bending'?" Ursa finding the notion of a spirit bending period ridiculous, let alone two elements, she said, "Nope - one sounds ridiculous enough to me," Patta smiling slightly, saying, "And a week ago, everyone would have found the idea of Raava helping Avatar Korra and Asami Sato have a child ridiculous as well." Still skeptical, Ursa asked, "Okay - let's say you're not just being silly. What's that have to do with how my spirit buddy can draw now? She's tried before, and it looks worse than something my little sister would draw."

At first attempting to pick up the large picture of Long Yumao, Patta unable to move it in the end. The spirit stopped, saying, "Well, this dual bending granting thing needs two people and Raava to be successful, and apparently, the spirit that receives the dual gift gets more than just the couple's bending. I won't say who the couple is - you'd probably have a harder time believing me if I said who was involved - but after a dragon bird spirit got both firebending and earthbending, she got more than just bending." Not sure if this whole thing was a trick, Ursa listened anyways as Patta finished, " 'Alyssralove' could bend blue fire and metal for quite some time, but apparently she got some of 'her human's' technical expertise with spirit weapons, and the other's deductive skills as well, something even Raava hadn't expected. Given she's known… her humans for all of a day at most, and you've known Warmwings for years it seems, my best guess is that your drawing skills 'rubbed off' on her as well."

Remembering that she had attempted to teach Warmwings to draw before now, and not had much luck, Ursa said as much, Patta pointing at the Spirit Portal jutting into the sky, saying, "The first pulse of energy from this new portal lessened the difference between Physical and Spirit realms - maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe increased the strength of your bond with Warmwings," sound a little annoyed as she continued, "Whatever - the why's not important. The what is - that she can draw, and hopefully get everything we need from Raava for Saikhan's equipment."

Hearing someone cough, her conversation with Patta apparently having been listened in to, she heard Saikhan say from behind, "Bean spirit thing - err, Patta, sorry - if you think Ursa's spirit friend… Warmwings can be of any use, tell us how. We don't want to reinvent the wheel if we don't have to," another officer chiming in, "Yeah - heard rumors this spirit weaponry was… dangerous to develop. And I don't want to end up missing my hand while bending something into place!"

Warmwings leaving Ursa's shoulder, the spirit changed form and swelled in size, standing near the barrier for a short time. Blue deepening in color and white temporarily flashing, Warmwings started to wobble around, finally collapsing backwards near a shocked police officer after the color change faded.

Ursa ran over as best she could, thinking something bad had happened to Warmwings, glad to see her spirit friend stand back up, trilling happily before shrinking in size back to normal. Warmwings let out a happy sound, Ursa hearing it as, "Heehee- Check out my new 'hands'!" Looking at her spirit friend's paws, taken aback to see they were no longer cute paws but fluffy hands, Ursa said, "Uhh… is that permanent, or…?"

Warmwings' "hands" replaced by dragonfly bunny spirit appropriate paws again, Ursa idly realizing that Warmwings had been trying to draw with paws before, Warmwings trilled after they shifted back, "I wanna help Raava - help you, Ursa! Gimme something to draw with, please!"

Ursa happily obliging, noticing she had been joined by Saikhan, at first she was confused when Saikhan grabbed her hand before she could give Warmwings the paper and pencil, less confused when he said, "No - if your spirit friend really did just get sensitive things from Raava, she should draw them somewhere secure. Though, I would like to see if this is really the case - spirit, draw me something simple but secret." Warmwings taking the pencil and paper, drawing what Ursa recognized as the Avatar's personal weapons she had been allowed to see with what looked like an odd rhombus at the base of each blade's mount, her spirit friend trilled after adding some characters to the sheet, "Avatar Korra's weapon - including the… 'can't do its' for spirit energy? Conduits?" Saikhan took the paper, saying, "Instructions or not, looks like you're not the only one that doesn't understand this thing fully, spirit - though it does look detailed enough of a blueprint for someone to reproduce if they can understand the technical speak. Looks like the transfer whatever did work." Ursa frowned slightly when he added, Warmwings looking amenable to what he said, "Also looks like I'll be needing to 'borrow' your spirit friend for a good while. We'll be going to Future Industries Tower," commanding his officers, "Police men and women - I want this crater, and Future Industries Tower on lockdown. I know we're spread thin already, but this is just as important as the other two drains. Maybe even more so. No one is to go into the crater without permission - and see if you can find any trustworthy earthbenders who can truthsense to put outside Future Industries Tower. I don't want Earth Empire spies getting any of these blueprints 'Warmwings' draws. Got it?"

Every police officer under his command nodding, Jin volunteering, "I'll help with the crater," blushing briefly when Renshi added, "Same here", Saikhan bid Ursa goodbye for now, saying after approving the plan, "Don't worry - I'll try and make this as quick as possible. If I have trouble, even with advisors helping, I'll give you a radio call. We've been busy with this portal for a good while - why don't you take a quick break with your family," adding lowly, "Try and see what you can find out about the people near City Hall, protestors and 'agitators' alike while you're there. If you can't - take a look at these images from the barrier's top. Some really odd shapes there… See you."

Saikhan slipping her a few photographs, Ursa stowing them in her backpack after she realized they were of the barrier's top, he departed. Having expected to be alone, Ursa was glad when Patta chose to stick around, the small spirit saying as she fluttered off, "Come on - I'll show you where your family is! They came to see you, but, uh, didn't come closer because you were busy?"

Giving Patta a funny look, she asked the spirit once they were out of earshot of any police officers, "Did Saikhan tell them to not come over? And… wait. Didn't Buniq come over, give you a hug? What are you hiding!" Patta chuckled nervously, saying, "Uhm - no. Not that… it was weird. They left after Buniq said something I didn't catch. Let's just say it was a reason I didn't understand fully, but knew enough to get that it was something a human might like better to find out for themselves." Patta added once they were closer to the crater's rim, Ursa feeling concerned and apparently showing it, "Sorry, Ursa - I didn't mean to make you worry. Nothing bad happened. It was just something that seemed really personal. Buniq certainly seemed to think so…"

Able to hear a low sniffling by now, Ursa climbed the crater's rim, seeing her sister Buniq sulking near her mother and Nana in the distance between the rim's highest point and the cooking lines, none of them having seen her yet. Wondering what Buniq had done, Ursa found herself whispering to Patta like some gossiping schoolgirl, "What happened here?" Patta shifting uncomfortably, the spirit finally admitted, "I…. sort of had something to do with it? You remember the questions I asked you when we first met - not getting why you were running around the portal barrier when you could fly? Well… Buniq had a similar question, knowing her sister went off somewhere, wanted to know how you got all sweaty. I sort of, kind of told her, and - "

Ursa groaned deeply, saying, "You told her I was working off a 'Cool Hug', didn't you." The veins on Patta's leaves flashed an embarrassed shade of red and not an "angry" shade, the color not much different than what might have appeared on Ursa's own cheeks, Patta saying, "Uhm… kind of? I think I just told her that 'big sis' wanted to work off food, she asked why, your mom and then Nana gave a short explanation, Buniq said they were crazy, that she wasn't going to do such a thing… then they left, Buniq crying about how Nana was healthy for some reason." Patta looking ready to cry, Ursa was very surprised when the spirit actually did, noticing the tear felt as physical as one of her own when she comforted the spirit.

Finally putting together what had likely happened, Ursa told Patta, "It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong," Patta asking innocently, "Then why is Buniq so sad? Look!" Letting out a deep sigh, Ursa explained, crying a little herself out of bitterness and of her own memories as she said, "She's growing up. Learning some hard truths, even if she doesn't want to. Things she needs to know, given her… heritage. I bet you a thousand… whatever spirits use as currency, if at all, that my mom found what Buniq was saying terrifying, in a way - too far the other way…" Getting a puzzled look from Patta, swearing she heard a nearby human sniffle, Ursa explained her relevant dream to the spirit, Patta looking horrified to learn more about "Food Drunk Ursa". Stressing the part about how there was a way to "unreality" by embracing the food and fat instead of hating it, adding, "It's all about loving myself, so… I guess I need to exercise more for my sake, and not to lose weight," Ursa too focused to hear anything.

Briefly looking to where she had last seen her family, Ursa noticing they were gone, Patta surprised her again by saying, white leaf veins temporarily flashing blue, "I don't think your mom would tell her that dream! Eat, eat, eat, the urge to eat getting worse the more you ate, no amount making you happy… If you have to deal with that kind of temptation, even a little bit… no wonder you wanted to run around in circles! Thought you needed to burn the 'extra' off!"

Hearing a sage old voice say, "Hello, Ursa," she nearly unsheathed her sword in surprise, saying after realizing she was no longer alone with Patta, "Uh - hi, Nana. How… how much did you hear?" Peeking over the rim, seeing a deeply frowning Buniq up close and personal, Ursa's heart sank when her little sister sobbed, "Lots!" not entirely sure why she felt better instead of sad when Buniq bawled, "Before come over. Wanted nice eat things. Dad gone, so felt sad. I… I wanted more yum! But… hear that. I don't want more! No 'drunk food' Buniq!"

Her mother by Buniq's side by now, Ursa stood up, saying as she looked down on her mom slightly, "I - I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have just hid here, talking to Patta," her mom smiling slightly, saying, "No - good work, 'kid'. I had to invoke the mommy clause before, just telling her to not question what I was saying, that she couldn't have any more Big Hug Cakes or Cool Hugs because I said so. That she'd need to start exercising just for fitness herself someday, earlier than the age of twelve, when you had that rude awakening against Amon. That she needs to learn how to bend better, but in a way that pushes her physically once she's a bit older. I want better for her than you had, Ursa, like any mother…" Her mother patting Buniq on the head, Ursa surprised Buniq wasn't snappy, Panik said, "Until just now, you didn't know any of that, of course. You didn't even know your little sister was hearing everything… the only reason I didn't speak up was because she was actually listening. I know you must be in shock right now, your little sister accidentally overhearing that… Maybe you both need big hugs - and not the fattening ones."

Ursa stepping forward, giving both Buniq and her mother a big hug in turn, her mom having started to cry while Ursa consoled a still slightly confused, hurt and vaguely angry little sister, Ursa hugged her mother tighter when she asked, "With all that going on, we didn't get everything that happened at the barrier. Care to fill us in?"

Some part of Ursa tempted to explain everything without emotion, she shook her head slightly, thinking, "No - I worked awfully hard to be able to feel again, and I'll take everything, positive or negative." Her mother perplexed, Ursa realized she had said "No" with her body, saying with a weak smile, "Sorry - yes, I'll fill you in. I was just… reacting to a different kind of temptation. To tell you everything, while trying to quash what I feel. I worked too hard to beat depression to do that."

Her mother smiling broadly, Ursa broke the hug after her mother said, "I'm so proud of you," explaining everything that had happened at the barrier to her family, Patta "tag-teaming" at times when Ursa didn't feel like talking as they made their way towards the food lines.

Ursa deciding to finish outside of earshot of the crowd, in case any spies were around, Ursa felt… love well up in her when - Ursa now finished - her little sister said, "I want help! I think I know how help. Make myself bigger help. Do what you did around barrier. Ekscersise! Play hard! May be 'big'. But I need healthy!" Happy instead of sad tears on her face, Ursa said, "Sounds great. Maybe I can join in," grumbling slightly when Patta pointed out, "Maybe later, Ursa. Someone's relying on you to do something important - well, two important things." Nana saying, "Just as important in my book, spirit," Ursa laughed slightly when Patta's leaf's veins turned the same embarrassed color they had as before, Ursa nodding nonetheless when Patta countered, " 'Human-y' things like family may be what you're fighting for, but if no one does what they 'need' to… we'll lose. See - even Ursa agrees."

Remembering that technically one of the things Saikhan had wanted her to do was spend some time with her family, Ursa decided looking at the photos of the barrier's top and trying to scout out what the people near City Hall were doing, saying, "Well - Saikhan did tell me to take somewhat of a break." Her mother smiled broadly, saying as she gestured towards the food line, "Come back here - part of the time you were gone, I was experimenting with making a 'Cool Hug' drink with redeeming value beyond pleasure. I've got a couple for you to test out." Knowing full well what she'd need to pass on her way there, Ursa simply raised an eyebrow, laughing when Buniq pointed out, "Thought you said Cool Hug bad! And ones you made still have mmm! Not drink them! Want fit! Waterbend train!"

Her mother shook her head, saying exasperatedly, "Oh, great - 'food bad'. Now I've got two of you on the same page roughly," Ursa laughing as she made her way over to the food line, Patta commenting, "WH- first, you're glad she changed, now you're a little annoyed! Which is it?" Panik chuckled heartily, saying as they got closer, "Both, Patta. It's called a paradox." Patta fluttered ahead slightly, not reacting when someone said, "Wow - a Raava spirit!" Patta reacted to Panik instead, saying, "No wonder Raava didn't get everything 'human-y' she needed from the Avatar's lives to fully understand being human - you guys are complicated!"

Finally passing the cooking line, Ursa found herself completely ignoring the Big Hug Cake cooking station and what must have been a Cool Hug "cooking" station, looking past the waterbenders furiously bending various colored liquids to keep up with demand. Everything she had had to eat today was pretty much junk food, for better or worse, Ursa found herself looking at a cooking station serving up greens, rice and meat instead, shaking her head slightly, thinking with eyes closed, "Food's still food - and I likely haven't burned off the first round yet…"

Seeing a brief flash of jagged, red-edged teeth, not thinking anything was amiss, the teeth pulsed red for a split second, vanishing as she opened her eyes again, finding herself staring at a large wash basin, grumbling slightly when her mother said, "Wake up, 'think-y' head! Nearly ran into the washing station. I'm over here, getting everything ready again. These things don't 'last' very long…"

Turning and walking over to her mother, noticing her mother was bending something that looked suspiciously like lemonade as a metalbender helper used some metal measuring cups to add various ingredients to the now-still water mass. Pointing at it, asking, "I thought you said no lemonade?" her mother laughed, saying, "Don't worry - it's less sweet than the stuff your sister made," metalbender assistant running off as she said, finishing the "Cool Hug", if that was its name still, "Though, not by a ton. Have to have something to mask part of the flavor. I tried just using water, and it tasted like an awful, salty medicine. I figure this stuff's no good if nobody will drink it. Plus, if sugar's good fuel, it can't hurt - it won't turn to fat unless you just sit there, doing nothing…"

Panik smiled, saying, "Think fast!" bending over one of the two Cool Hugs she had made, Ursa barely managing to catch it before it hit her, saying as she wiped a little slush off her top, "What the - mom! I finally want to wear this, and… you do that? You want me to not wear this or something?" At first, her mother looked confused, saying with a smile, "Wait a minute… you went to our apartment - still came back in one of those, and not 'baggy clothe'. What happened?"

Explaining to her mother the gist of what had happened in the apartment, her mother looking happier and happier, Ursa took her first drink, swishing it around in her mouth a little to taste it better, Panik saying, "That's wonderful. I just hope all this sticks as well as this Cool Hug is to my hands," sighing slightly and adding, "But you of all people know that change doesn't happen overnight. At least not lasting change…"

Finally having an opinion on the odd Cool Hug, having crunched the partially melted glass already, noticing that it had melted less than the original Cool Hug "glass", Ursa said, "I know, and for the most part… I've not really had anything happen that would really challenge this 'new me' just yet. Hope whatever Long Yumao can do doesn't have… other side effects on humans." Having forgotten to tell her mother her opinion of the drink, she added, "Sorry. I'll be honest. I think this is just okay - the drink, not the dress! Whatever you were adding, maybe you tried to cram too many good things into it at once," adding, "Though, I don't feel quite as thirsty now - not as good as water in some ways, but better in others. Don't feel like I want to lick a cube of salt… You're better at this than I am - I'm sure you'll figure it out."

Feeling as though she had been talking to a wall, Ursa coughed, saying, "What's the matter?" her mother responding, "What you said about Long Yumao, but more than that… what 'you' said to you in the apartment. I know you're a cynic in some ways, but… Ursa. I just want you to know - what your 'dark half' said - which you realize is a part of you - it's a complete, total lie. Basically, 'Importance means you'll have a hard time finding true love…' What, do you think Asami Sato stayed with Avatar Korra, Mako and Bolin just because they were important? That her engagement to the Avatar is for power?" Ursa shook her head, her mother saying, "Okay, then - so why do you think someone can't see the same thing in you that she did in the Avatar? That the only way someone would go out with you and get closer than Lee-Lee did was because of something you did four years ago, or now, with this portal barrier malarkey?"

Ursa feeling a bit mad, part of her insisting that it was her dark half, and not truly her, she frowned slightly when her mother said uncannily, "You yourself said whatever your 'dark half' says rings true to you somehow, basically - otherwise it wouldn't even be a problem," Ursa nodding when her mother said, "Just keep working, like you have in the past - you're dealing with issues and things at a young age people usually face in their twenties. As usual… for better or worse. In any case, it sounds like there's a lot more that you haven't talked with anyone about. Maybe when we get a chance, I'm not busy with the cooking line, you're not busy with spirits or Saikhan, you can tell me more."

Used to talking with her father about such personal issues, some part of Ursa still seeing her mother as "the annoying 'skinny' person who doesn't understand me," she remembered the photos of her mother, saying, "Sounds great," the errant thought flitting through her mind of, "I'd do what she did for me for my kid in a heartbeat, even if I ended up bigger than Nana..."

Feeling a bit of tingling in her crotch, not sure why thoughts of having her own children were arousing now, Ursa snapped back to attention when her mother said, "Hey! Got something else to tell me?"

Part of her feeling tempted to not say anything, Ursa was honest instead, her mother smiling broadly, saying, "That sounds a lot like what you mentioned in the shower… glad to know at least part of that stuck," looking a bit embarrassed to say, still smiling, "I… had similar feelings on and off, before I met your father. Needless to say… they're still there. Even after two kids…" By now blushing deeply, Panik said, Ursa feeling a bit awkward, yet strangely not, as though they were talking about something they should have ages ago, "Anyways - you're not the only one with good news. So far, the cooking line's exceeded expectations - if this keeps up, by day's end, we'll have served a ton of needy people, fed a lot of other grouchy ones, and have enough to afford re-building Gurume's Choice."

Her mother looking a little nervous again, she said, "Beyond just cooking, I could use your help there. I - I know what your problems are, Ursa, but… It'd mean a lot to me, more people than just me, if you helped with that. I know you might see it as - "

Some part of Ursa having screamed, "NO - I'd be too tempted!" ever since her mother floated the idea, she could see how important it was to her mother in her eyes, interrupting her surprised mother by saying, "Sure. I'd love to - if for nothing else but to spend more time with you," not sure which reason her mother was crying for when Ursa said, crying a little herself, "I've always been a daddy's girl, and haven't always treated you right. The first time I put on one of these beautiful dresses, today, after years of smaller ones collecting dust… See you as you, not 'the annoying 'skinny' person who doesn't understand me'. Giving you a fair shake. I think I need to keep going, for both you and me. Especially since my dad isn't around…"

Panik crying happily by now, Ursa gladly obliged when her mother wanted a hug, feeling an immense peace after her mother hugged her tighter, saying after a peck on the check, "Sounds wonderful, Ursa. I'm sure your father would be very happy," Ursa smiling slightly and laughing instead of groaning when her mother said, "I'll try and keep the number of things I ask you to taste test to a minimum."

Breaking the hug, her mother chuckled lightly, saying, "I was mainly joking about asking you to taste test, figuring you were going to grouse at me for making that partial joke… but if you can laugh and smile about it, maybe you're in a better spot then either one of us thought you were." Gesturing towards the cooking line, her mother said, "Enough talking, for now. I'd prefer to go do some work - and I'm not entirely sure how you feel about everything you told me about the barrier, but I can imagine cooking some food for others might take you mind off it all." Ursa nodded, smiling slightly when her mother said, "Knowing you, doing something engrossing like cooking's the only way you'll stop thinking about it," merely saying, "Yup…. Heh."

Walking over to the cooking line, finding her mind wandering towards spirit-y stuff anyways, Ursa tried shifting her focus to something just a few days ago she would have tried to slap herself silly for thinking about, saying, "We never did 'fix' the redeeming value Cool Hug… what all did you put in it, exactly? Salt, obviously." Her mother nodded, saying, "Yeah - and a whole mishmash of other 'healthy' stuff… even including a little powdered komodo chicken broth. It needs protein, fuel, and the stuff you sweat out in it to be any real use… 'Cool Hugs' are just for fun, but these… 'Cool Healers' are supposed to be more useful."

Trying to force herself to idly think about how to make "Cool Healers" work instead of Long Yumao or her own "spirit" problem, Ursa noticed that they were now near the healthy food section of the food line, her mother commenting as Ursa closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Hey - you totally ignored the 'frivolous food' section, Ursa. Good job."

Smelling "useful" things she had yet to eat today such as meat, with its protein, and even freshly cut lettuce, Ursa found part of herself thinking, "No - no more food!" Still remembering that she hadn't exactly eaten well today, even her raid on the fridge being more VarriCake and milk than real food leftovers, Ursa saw a set of jagged teeth appear, thinking, "Wait a minute… I can't trust everything that comes into my mind, even a thought like I just had!"

The set of teeth looking cracked again, they began to vanish, cracks deepening as she thought, "I still need food to live - I just need to try and eat less of the fluff stuff, more of what I need." Still not entirely sure where she stood, so to speak, she gestured towards her mom, saying, "Sorry - internal stuff. I can't tell you everything as it happens," feeling retroactively guilty for a few reasons when her mother smiled, saying, "That's fine. Whenever something was wrong before, you'd always tell your dad first - even over the radio at times. But you seem a lot more comfortable talking to me now. What's wrong?"

Thinking for a moment, realizing guilt wasn't going to help her any, Ursa said, "Nothing - just realized I haven't radioed my dad back when I spoke to him last, but he's… probably fighting anyways. And, felt a bit guilty about not going to you first on things before now. I don't want to wallow in guilt, though - let's do something." Her mother nodded, saying, "Yeah - I'll want to show you how some of this equipment works, all that. Cooking this stuff's a lot different than Big Hug Cakes."

Working alongside her mother, getting tips and tricks on how to improve her technique while stir-frying some meat for a hungry-looking "customer", Ursa gradually overcame the lingering uneasiness she had felt bonding with Panik over food in any form. Even if she was giving it away for free, as she ended up doing with her first customer. The older man smiled slightly, saying, "Thank you - looks a whole lot better than street gruel, to say the least," pointing at Ursa's chest and asking, "What's that thing there you've got? Looks awfully official. Sorta familiar, too…"

Seeing someone behind the man who looked impatient to get their turn, Ursa said, "Somebody behind you - if you stick around or come back, I can tell you more." The man nodded, saying, "Sure thing - I have this weird knack for running into curious people. The Avatar once went fishing next to my bush in Avatar Korra Park! Though it wasn't called that back then," sighing forlornly, "It was such a lovely bush - took me a good while to snag it! Nothing but spirit vines where it used to be now… least I still have my 'spot' underground."

The young man behind this curious apparent homeless man coughed, saying, "Yeah, yeah - I'm sure you met the Avatar. And I met Raava. Get a move on, buddy! Talk later, like the young woman said. I've got a lot of orders to put in, and pay for! My friends worked up quite an appetite, helping get these protests going again! Do something!" The homeless man now shuffled off to the side, Ursa swearing he sadly mumbled something about helping General Iroh II at some time, she gave the now-smiling man a glare when he held out a thick stack of yuans, saying, "Man, what a liar. 'I did 'somethin'' - helped General Iroh II send a message.' Whatever - it sounds like he was hit by the explosion, even if all he lost was a bush. I lost my apartment! Plenty of other people, too - I'll probably need all these stations cooking for my group. There's a lot of people 'unhappy with City Hall', quite literally, and they're hungry - so prepare to make all this!"

Seeing how sad the homeless man looked, Ursa gave the younger man a slight glare still, even as she took his money, saying, "Alright - can't say I'll take as much pleasure in it as making that homeless man anything. He was a lot more polite," saying as she saw how well-dressed the protestor was, "Maybe that bush meant as much to him as your fancy apartment." The younger protestor gave her a glare back, saying, "Doubt it. Come on - you're testing my patience! I've got a bunch of people to feed who are trying to right wrongs!" Ursa noticed a few other people had come closer to him, seeing a few were holding signs that said things like "Death to Kuvira!" or "I Want My Home Back!" at their sides. Noticing the woman holding the "Death to Kuvira!" sign was idling closer to the young man, Ursa idly wondering if he were a former bully grown up "for better things", she automatically looked downwards when he said, sneering, "I guess he wasn't the loudest mouth here. Now you going to give me my money back, or do something?" the young man snickering when he added, "Or are you going to keep it and buy food for yourself? For being so sympathetic with that homeless guy, you sure look like you 'steal' food from people like him, as big as you are. I saw you eyeing that food as you cooked, even if everyone else ignored it. Seems like the only thing you really want to do is stuff your - "

"SPLAKKT!"

Ursa's face burning red in shame and embarrassment, looking up, wondering if the laughter she heard was for her, Ursa smiled slightly. The man literally now having egg on his face, wiping it off in disgust, someone in the cooking line apparently having tossed a solitary egg at him. As he picked bits of eggshell off, someone else on the cooking line said, "Yeah - do something, like feed people! You guys have just been carrying a bunch of signs around, while we've been cooking our butts off, for free! If anyone's useless, it's you! Even the Pro-Benders contributed, donating the yuans for all this! Come over here, insult a needy customer, then the daughter of the woman who helped get everything running? What's wrong with you? Rich spoiled brat!" Standing up straight again, feeling a bit more confident to know someone had her back, she heard someone else say, "Young man, your yuans may be pink and numerous, but with an attitude like that, insulting other customers and staff, you would most definitely have been kicked out of my restaurant, were it still standing."

Now recognizing the voice as Gurume's, it was all Ursa could do to not smile smugly as Gurume continued, "But, alas, it is not. I will serve the other protestors, if for nothing else to finish raising the money I need to rebuild," what must have been the younger man's girlfriend pointing her sign in Gurume's general direction and saying, "WHOA! You 'steal' even more food! Wouldn't be surprised if you were skimming off the top," adding sassily, "The food, not the money. You still going to serve me, fatty? Oooh, I insulted you. Going to cry like this girl seemed like she wanted to?" Ursa heard Gurume laugh deeply, Ursa saying over his laughter, "If you don't mind the odd 'eggbending', bully, sure." No longer laughing, Gurume said, both the protestors looking a mix of ashamed and angry, "This is not my establishment fully, given it's being run on generous and useful donations from Pro-Bending players and all, and we are serving anyone, need coming before money, and I suppose need comes before rudeness as well. And it will take more than some spoiled rich people calling me fat to make me cry - for example, my restaurant being reduced to ash. Given I need money to rebuild, as long as you refrain from insulting these volunteers, you will get your food. Ursa is correct in the end, though I won't condone the waste of any more food on humiliating anyone."

The protestor couple looking deflated, Ursa caught another glimpse of the woman's sign, the woman frowning deeply when Gurume said, " 'Death to Kuvira'? No 'hatespeech' will be tolerated, however. You can call me and everyone here nasty names until your face turns blue, but I won't have people openly advocating for someone's death in the line. You can have your political opinions, but keep them away from here. I do not want a more serious fight breaking out, like what almost happened near City Hall earlier." The young man looking annoyed, his face drained of color slightly when Gurume finished, "This will be enforced by more than refusal of service. Inflammatory signs like the one your girlfriend has will be used for fuel if they are not removed. I'm sick of seeing them, and I've already had delays just like this one due to people arguing politics in the lines, ever since you 'useful' protestors showed up. If you or any of your friends try to incite violence as some people in the crowd have, the White Lotus and Republic City Police force will be more than happy to see you to your new replacement home - jail. Am I clear?"

The young man nodded, Ursa still finding herself tempted to burn his girlfriends'… sign, instead saying before she started to finally cook, "Your sign sickens me. I haven't heard anything but good about Kuvira since she 'turned'. Kill her, she can't serve her sentence - see everything bad she did. I don't see why you want Kuvira dead - keep in mind technically Jinshu Kuangmai wants the same thing," the girl saying before she walked off in a huff, "Whatever, fatty. She's no Zuko - take a miracle to change my mind, after what she did to Republic City."

Still trying to get the hang of cooking stir-fry style without using too much oil at the same time not burning said oil, Ursa growled lowly after she made a mistake - though not at the screw-up. Rather, it was at when the young man quipped, "Gee, for someone who's so big, not that good at cooking, are you. Can't say I'll want to go to your restaurant," adding with a slight frown, "I look forward to going to Kwang's Cuisine again when downtown's rebuilt, after that airhead Tenzin's order to not touch the crater is overridden when his buddy President Raiko is recalled."

Remembering the Spirit Civil War for the first time in a while, Ursa put down her cooking ladle for a moment, laughing deeply before saying mockingly, "Yeah - rebuild that restaurant, and your apartment right next to the Spirit Portal. Long Yumao would find you a 'useful' neighbor - probably use you as an example of 'humans behaving badly', before having his way with you." The young man scowled, saying, "More cooking, less 'wit'," Ursa laughing deeply when she heard a familiar cute voice ask, "Ursa, is this guy giving you trouble? Want me to 'rrrrr-ough' him up a little? Nip his heels - on purpose, not an accident like with Hedgebetter?"

Ursa telling Patta, "No," the spirit protested with what Ursa swore was a bit of sarcasm, "Awww - not even a nibble?", the twenty-something's eyes widening as Patta came into his view. Ursa snickered when he said, "Oh crap - that's a 'Raava-oid' spirit, isn't it. On good terms with you. I'll shut up. For now." Ursa working with a smile, some part of her saying, "You're not being nice! Bully!", dismissing it by thinking, "Neither is he - and I wasn't 'nice' to Amon either," after a short time, the first batch of food was now made for the still-scowly young man. Ursa packaged it up, hoping the other protesters were more reasonable than this twerp, noticing by now there were more people in line than there were before, if that was even possible.

The twenty-something young man smiled slightly, saying, "Thanks - now do that, except better and faster," Ursa wishing for a moment she had a third eye and could combustionbend like Kyoretsuna. She was half tempted to singe him when he remarked, "My girl's skinny, and flat too unfortunately - never got to see someone like you before, moving around…" wondering if his stares were more than just loathing. Remarking as much, seeing his furtive look and blushing, the twenty-something insisting, "Still think you're a mouthy fatty who could use a lesson, 'Ursa'," she found herself reminded of some very creepy boys from school. Guys who would try to pick her or other girls up by tearing the object of their interest down, swearing the "technique" had a name…

About to turn around and ask her mother what it was, and if, for crying out loud, she could get a replacement, or convince Gurume to get this twerp booted away, Ursa saw something odd between herself and this… "negger," thinking as she saw a weird blue flashing, "Even if he asked me out, I'd as soon sick Patta on him as look at him. Seems like he was being 'nice' earlier. Wonder if he treats his girlfriend the same… did say she's 'flat'…" The object of her derision said, pointing at what Ursa had thought was an illusion of some sort, "What in the blazes…? Is that a spirit?" The only reason Ursa was glad this doofus was still around was that he saw what she did, Ursa staring in disbelief at what replaced the odd blue distortion.

An image of Avatar Korra - and given its blue color and the way it was looking around, it must have been projected by the Avatar herself!

The insufferable twenty-something looking faint, Ursa barely noticing Patta flutter around the image excitedly, the cheery spirit asking, "Well, hey, Avatar Korra! How are you?"

When no response was forthcoming, Patta flew through the image once, the Avatar's image distorting for a second, Ursa surprised to hear Avatar Korra speak as the now fully-formed image turned around, Avatar Korra saying, "Oh - hey, Patta. Know where Ursa - oh! Hello." Ursa realizing that not only was Avatar Korra projecting, but was talking to her, she managed to stammer out, swearing yet again the strange tattoo on the Avatar's forehead looked familiar, "Uh - hi," hearing the annoying twenty-something ask incredulously, "Avatar Korra - what in the blazes do you want with her?"

Ursa pretty sure of the answer, given all the spirit-y stuff she had been involved in recently, she was not entirely surprised when Avatar Korra glanced in the direction of the annoying jerk, the twenty-something grumbling when the Avatar said, "Let's just say I certainly didn't project to see you," saying as she pointed at the distance, Ursa again finding the Water tattoo and odd line familiar, "Hey - think you could go someplace a little more… private for a bit, Ursa?" Not sure what the Avatar meant when she added with a hint of exasperation, "My check-in with Eska and Desna was bad enough, and I want this to be quicker, and more private."

Ursa groaned when the twenty-something put his hands on his hips, hearing Avatar Korra growl something that sounded like "thuck" when he said loudly, "Hey, look - it's the Avatar! And she wants to run away like she did a few months ago, and AGAIN recently!" adding smugly, "Look at all the people staring at you. You didn't honestly think you could just ask your fat - err, friend, nice bean spirit - to go someplace 'private' and not give us an update?!"

Avatar Korra looking a little confused at first, Ursa noticing that a lot of people were staring at Avatar Korra's projection, her, and this other idiot, Avatar Korra said, "What - no I didn't, but... Man, look at all these people. Sorry, Raava - this stop's going to be long too." Still looking exasperated, Avatar Korra said, staring at the annoying twenty-something, "This isn't going to be another press conference," adding as others drew closer, "I don't have time for that, and to be honest, I'm not prepared to give even an edited version of events just yet." The twenty-something asking, "What's there to hide?" the Avatar laughed weakly, saying, "A lot - Jinshu Kuangmai's got spies all over. Do you not remember the conference, the spy? And, regardless, Omashu and Jasmine's camp managed to do just fine without being micromanaged by me, so I don't see ANY reason Republic City should be any different! I came here originally to just tell someone 'good job' - but I guess you want more than that." Still getting demands for updates, Avatar Korra shouted, "HUSH! One at a time - and those other two places are in the middle of a WAR ZONE! And I'm not your President anyways - just your Avatar."

Ursa trying to get Avatar Korra's attention, she gave her a quizzical look when the Avatar said, "Projecting into the middle of a crowd - so STUPID! If this isn't going to work… I've got something different in mind for the most sensitive stuff, Ursa," Avatar Korra sighing in resignation when the loudmouth twenty-something demanded, "NO! No more secrets, no more unilateral decisions! You were at the conference, Avatar - helping make decisions! We demand to have our grievances heard. We demand to know more about what's going on! Stop treating us like we're all spies!" Saying something that Ursa didn't understand, Avatar Korra said after a pause, "Very well. I'm not a politician - and if I had to guess, part of the reason people are angry with me is that I sort of have tried to act like one, in the past and recently. First trying to get General Iroh II's support for the Water Tribe Civil War behind President Raiko's back… and then being part of the group that chose Kuvira's sentence."

After a brief silence, the loudmouth twenty-something said, "I don't care about that first thing. Funny you should mention President Raiko - Avatar, it's not just you we're mad at. We're also mad at the President," Avatar Korra recoiling visibly when he continued, "And your goody-two-shoes mentor Tenzin too! President Raiko and Tenzin especially - not being allowed to rebuild into the crater downtown, even after spirits have already openly declared war on us?" Avatar Korra appearing to mull something over, she covered her face in either frustration or sadness when he continued, "Attacked us because of something YOU, and your 'boss', Raava, did! Nobody cares if she wanted to become more 'human-y', give us some plant things for power no one in Republic City has seen except some crazy guy who says you somehow built him two extra floors on his shop in minutes, or give you and your lover a kid!" Seeing a disconcerting gleam in the twenty-something's eye, Ursa half thinking he might be getting off on "negging" the Avatar, he continued, "If what 'Dai Chang' claims really is true - why didn't you think to, I don't know, build up more than just some former gangster's dye shop? Our President didn't immediately arrest the Equalists last night, after their claim of 'loyalty', immediately starting to agitate again! Rumor says it, most of them going off to fight in your battles! And if you thought Republic City might have been in ANY trouble - WHY did you send everyone south? Are you stupid? To top it all off, you've been running around with the woman who devastated a huge chunk of Republic City - a WAR CRIMINAL! I don't buy that transformation claptrap - we want JUSTICE! Forget making her rebuild downtown personally without bending - throw Kuvira away!"

Ursa noticing that the crowd's reaction was mixed, Avatar Korra having a slump in her shoulders that Ursa had had all too often, Ursa saw the Avatar looking resigned and down-beat right in front of her. Avatar Korra taking a deep breath, Ursa swearing she saw her tattoos glow a lighter blue, Ursa unaware projection and the Avatar State could interact, Avatar Korra said, "Out of what you mentioned, most of it falls into other people's laps," the twenty-something interjecting as Avatar Korra made to speak again, "Well, you're the one who's here - our President left! And that crazy dye shop owner has everything to do with you! I've heard the Equalists say one thing that made sense - using these 'tuber-vines' to help run day to day life, and Raava herself. I don't trust you further than I could throw you - Raava's different. I hope."

Avatar Korra suddenly uncharacteristically angry, she said tersely, "Raava ruling, basically? NO. Never. That is abuse of spirits far worse than anything Kuvira ever did. Such a thing would weaken the soul itself, judgement atrophying with disuse. I'm sure Jinora would say the exact same thing, hearing that. If people were to start doing such things on a grand scale, I would never relay anything Raava tells me, ever, and help her shatter all the tuber-vines. No - if they were abused, the tuber-vines would start fighting against it, Raava tells me." The twenty-something asking, "Why not? Raava'd be a lot better than the goofballs we have in place of our comparatively competent President here right now. Some Grand Lotus old fart, and a police officer who got kicked out of the force in disgrace - hardly good or enough help." Avatar Korra said with disdain, Ursa noticing her voice sounded much different yet familiar, that there was something light blue coming out of the projection's chest slightly, "You disgust me - basically asking for a puppeteer to run your lives. Surrendering your free will. Elsewhere, such a thing is tantamount to willingly going into the Fog of Lost Souls, for its own sake and not rescuing someone," the Avatar finishing in her own voice, "That was Raava speaking, directly, in case you were too thick to notice the change in voice, and her poking her head out of my chest. Consider that idea shot down in flames for eternity."

The twenty-something was taken aback, to say the least, Ursa wondering why the Avatar was so vehement about such a thing even if she agreed when he whined, "Jeez, alright, enough already! You could have just said no," Avatar Korra groaning deeply when he said with the next breath, "That still leaves the re-building - something which one crazy dye shop owner said you've already done for him in a couple minutes - into the crater, Kuvira's sentence, if you can call it that, and Republic City being left to fend for itself for a week practically."

Avatar Korra shook her head, saying, "I can't do anything right now - I'm thousands of miles away! You have absolutely no faith in your fellow man. Just look around you - cops doing their jobs, people apparently volunteering to feed others, probably plenty of other things I don't know about. Last I heard, Jasmine's prison camp managed just fine by itself in the end after the first attack, and Omashu's… well prepared for anything that gets thrown its way. In neither place did people need to be told by me what to do," Ursa snickering when the Avatar put in a vaguely personal jab at the twenty-something, saying, "Be more like the people cooking your food - do something. You look able-bodied, and here you are, just standing around, holding up a sign. And I hope that sign your girlfriend's holding doesn't say what I think it does. Over the past week, Kuvira's done more good than you whining idiots. Belly-aching and complaining gets you nothing - action does." After a brief pause, Avatar Korra added, "You mentioned that I ran away from the world, months ago - it's true. But I'm not running from anything now. I think I finally get what Toph was doing to me when I first met her - tough love. I was being whiny, running away from my responsibility - I 'needed' a jerk. Though not one that never explained what she was doing. Just wish she had told me outright some time…"

Avatar Korra let out a frustrated groan when the twenty-something asserted, "Oh, well, good for you. Still don't see what a cranky old earthbender has to do with us. And - hey! Technically, I did something - got our problems noticed!" Avatar Korra responded dryly, "Yes - your problems. Thousands of miles away from the Earth Empire heartland, with a barrier between you and Long Yumao, wearing a snazzy suit… And people in the south have to face off against Jinshu Kuangmai. I'm not wasting any more time on you." Ursa hearing some very loud booing, a few people demanding, "Rebuild downtown!" or "Punish Kuvira!", one asking, "Do Republic City's problems mean nothing to you?" Avatar Korra said with an embarrassed sigh, "Sorry - that didn't come out right. Your problems still mean something to me - it's just that there are much more immediate ones on my plate, and I hope you can deal with most of them yourself. On what Toph has to do with you, mister talkative - a lot. And she thought I was whiny… Even if she basically told me, 'Trying is useless - there will always be bad guys', Toph's harsh words helped me realize the Avatar's not all that. I didn't really get it even partially until less than half an hour ago, seeing what the people of Omashu accomplished without me. Seems like you could use the same lesson - independence." The twenty-something interjected, "Hey - wait a minute. Why can't you just project everywhere? Last I heard, you were in the Fire Nation - you must be pretty far away from us right now!"

Avatar Korra sighed with disgust, stating matter-of-factly, "After insulting me earlier, asking me, the Avatar, to be everywhere at once, helping with everything, not saying if you meant to be a glorified human telegraph machine, or tell people what to do. It's both impossible, and - even if I could - me micromanaging everything would be one step below having Raava rule everything. And she already made very clear what she thinks of that, and I get the 'slight' impression you don't think much of me anyways. I'm here to help, not do everything for you! Some of you have gotten on the ball. Others… not so much. Anyways, next time I can talk to the other world leaders - "

Someone else interrupted, saying, "Well, I don't hate you, and you're here," the loudmouth man interrupting the woman, saying, "Well, I still do - shush! Avatar Korra - so you're calling yourself a world leader now, but won't tell us what's going on? All I want - " Avatar Korra said tersely, interrupting the twenty-something back, "What you want? Honestly, I don't care - if your protestor buddies have someone else to talk to, that would be great. I won't be here much longer, so either put up, or shut up." The twenty-something now silent and brooding, Avatar Korra continued, "If you need direction, I'll just say this: I've heard President Raiko gave a really good speech earlier this morning, basically calling on citizens to help solve Republic City's problems themselves. Do that. Just like the people behind this food line did, and what the people in Omashu and Jasmine's camp have been doing." Giving Ursa a quick look, Avatar Korra said, "Though, I will admit, people there know a lot more about what's going on than anyone in Republic City does. Even the person I came here to see doesn't know 'enough'. I'll fix that, later," continuing after looking back to the crowd, "Anyways, I can't just radio President Raiko or the others anytime something comes up, especially given Jinshu Kuangmai has extensive surveillance of radio broadcasts going on, and projecting's not much better. Given the trouble I had doing it long-distance for the fourth time today within an hour, there must be a limit on it. So definitely no 'Avatar Korra, Super Projector.' It needs to be saved for truly important things - that's why I cut you off, mister pushy. That, and I think you're annoying." Avatar Korra looking much more confident now, a few people in the crowd laughing at "Mr. Annoying", she finished, "I will bring up both the issue of rebuilding downtown and Kuvira's sentence the next time we meet. There is a reason I want to wait to say anything on downtown or rebuilding - rebuilding anywhere will be a lot faster than even what Asami did with the transit system, so I'll need to get other's input. Ironically enough, most of the time spent rebuilding will be on planning and getting the materials - not the rebuilding itself," the Avatar getting more than a few confused looks and scattered questions. Pausing for a moment, Avatar Korra admitted, "That's one of the things I'd rather wait to talk about. We haven't even started planning one non-optional addition to Republic City. In fact, that's something I need to talk to someone close to me right now about," saying with what Ursa thought was a final air, "Enough about re-building. I've already made my stance on tuber-vines and Raava as 'rulers' very apparent, as did Raava herself - though, using their power to weigh the worth of a person isn't off limits."

Ursa pretty sure she'd see Avatar Korra vanish, she was surprised when the Avatar turned to her, saying as she looked at Ursa's chest, "Hey - wait a minute… I've met you before! That medal… I knew it seemed familiar somehow when I got a message from Patta about the barriers, what you looked like included." Ursa blushed slightly when the Avatar said, "I remember more now… Sorry - you got that medal four years ago, fighting uphill against Amon - and I never bothered to get you that autograph. Even though the medal you got was named in honor of my predecessor…" Avatar Korra looking a bit disappointed in herself, Ursa insisted, "It's fine. No problem. And you still sound busy - just… get what you need from me, then go." Ursa hearing a few people shouting for the Avatar's attention again, Avatar Korra giving the nearby crowd a glance, looking back to Ursa, Avatar Korra said, "No. Not again - I remember more from four years ago now, how rude people like that twerp chased you off… I originally just came here to say how important your find with the barrier was, but after all that, remembering who you are, I want to - "

Avatar Korra now having a horrified look on her face, she visibly re-composed herself, saying lowly to no one in particular, "I'm sure they can handle it, and I can't do anything about it right now anyways." Ursa completely puzzled, she saw some movement in the corner of her eye, a now-visible Patta flitting into view, asking, "Avatar Korra, what's wrong?" Avatar Korra letting out a deep sigh, looking a bit like she might cry, she said in hushed tones, "Last I heard, everything was fine at the camp. Something's gone wrong - radio contact and spirit contact can't be made. We need to go somewhere else," adding much louder, "Maybe I do need to rush this after all. Just in case Yangchen does need some direction… Let's go somewhere more private."

Walking back behind the cooking lines, noticing an approaching Republic City Police airship in the distance and curious stares from present police officers and White Lotus guards, a large part of Ursa still did not fundamentally understand why the Avatar wanted to talk to her about anything but business. Ursa listened as Avatar Korra said, "This seems secure enough. Aside from your spirit buddy Warmwings making a request for information, all Raava got from Republic City, and Patta here was that the barriers are degrading - something we know thanks to you - and that Long Yumao controls the Tree of Time now. Even my cousins Eska and Desna overlooked the cracks in the barrier up North, thinking they were natural - good work." Avatar Korra looking like someone was whispering in her ear and did not like what she was being told, she snarled, "Raava, bug off!", saying, "Sorry. Telling me to hurry up… Looks like she still needs 'human-y' lessons. Anyways - we wanted to do something that might be controversial with spirits before knowing the barriers are weakening. Raava's signed off on it, and so has President Raiko." Pointing at Patta, she continued, "Given you've made at least two 'spirit buddies', and looked at the barrier in the first place, you must be at least slightly interested in spirits," Ursa nodding as Avatar Korra looked as though what she were about to ask were crazy.

The Avatar asking, "You… wouldn't happen to have run into any neutral spirits, would you? We… want to put in spirit-energy powered defenses around the crater's rim, as soon as possible - but I don't want to drive any neutral spirits to go to Long Yumao's side with more unilateral bumbling." Saying, "Yes I have - about what you just said, as a matter of fact," Ursa quickly explained her interactions with Hedgebetter, not noticing how wide the Avatar's eyes were until she finished, saying, "Saikhan was the one who came up with the idea independently. You mentioned 'meeting' people somewhere later - maybe he and the Grand Lotus should be included. Saikhan knows more than I do, but not by much." Avatar Korra nodded, saying, "Good idea - all three of you. I've met that fruithog spirit before - I hope he doesn't pitch a fit when he sees what 'Raava-fied' vines do when cut, or 'what' Raava is going to send through the Republic City Spirit Portal once everyone's on the same page." Not catching the last part, Ursa still felt surprised to be included and that the Avatar was seeing something that wasn't there, getting the sneaking suspicion it was the "her" that she wanted coming through…

Hearing someone whistle, Ursa looked up, the Avatar asking her, "You okay?" Ursa sighed slightly, saying, "Sort of. You'd need to infobend me to get everything - is there anything else you need?" making the weak excuse of, "I… could go back to working on the food line, and you can do what you need to, Avatar Korra." Avatar Korra frowned slightly, saying, "I'm doing it right now," adding with a smile, "Just call me Korra. Forget the food line for now - shortly, you're going to need to be sitting somewhere safe, along with Saikhan and Atinnuaq."

Taking the Avatar's word for it, nodding, Korra said, "I'll see you soon - I want to test something, and see if I can talk to Saikhan and Atinnuaq," Ursa was left scratching her head when Korra added cryptically, "I'll be 'talking' with you more later, in much greater detail," vanishing after a shimmer.

Ironically wishing the Avatar had given her a little more direction, Patta having nothing to say about what Korra meant, Ursa wandered back to the food line, running into her mother halfway there. Spotting a Republic City Police airship moored a short ways off in the corner of her eye, swearing she saw a small blue speck talking with another speck, Panik said, "Hello," smiling broadly as she asked, "I heard you talked with the Avatar - again. So - how was it?"

Her mother seeming to be under the impression everything had been personal, how she was smiling, Ursa simply said, "The Avatar wanted to talk about more things than business, then… something came up." Getting a skeptical look from her mother, shaking her head when her mother said, "Did you freeze up like last time when it came to personal stuff?", Panik frowned when Ursa said lowly, "No - said something was wrong down south, and that she might need to project to Yangchen soon, the rebel leader."

Mumbling, "I hope your father's okay and closer to his 'mission' area," her mother said with a slightly pained smile, "Let's talk about something else," smiling genuinely when Ursa said, "We never did 'fix' those Cool Healer drink things. How about that?" Her mother gave the food line a quick glance, saying as she looked at Ursa again, "Let's… just stay away from there. I heard everything between him and the Avatar earlier," sighing as she said, "Sort of hard not to, the way the guy was talking. Sorry I didn't say anything - too busy listening to the Avatar, and… he reminded me too much of someone I knew before your dad. Did… he say anything to you?"

Ursa suddenly placing where she knew about "negging" from, she frowned deeply, explaining in brief her interaction before Korra's appearance as they made their way further behind the cooking lines, her mother looking sad, smiling slightly and saying, "Good job, Ursa - sounds like you handled it better than I would have at your age," anyways. Not having remembered her mother mentioning anything beyond what negging was, Ursa found herself more interested in what her mother had gone through than perfecting any "Cool Healers," asking, "Mom… I can remember you telling me what negging was, but not that anyone ever did it to you. Do you want to talk about it…?"

Grumbling, poking herself in the stomach with a sigh, was Ursa surprised to see her mother looking at herself much in the same way Ursa routinely regarded herself, Panik saying, "I… yes. Saying no wouldn't be right - not after everything you've told me today…" Her mother still looking a little uncomfortable, Ursa said, "If you don't want to talk about it, I don't want to make you feel bad," her mother smiling and saying, "That's… sweet of you, to say the least, but I think I need to get it out," looking a bit sad as she continued, "Just a little probably - I've only been up a few hours today, but it feels like forever."

Her mother took a deep breath, speaking like she were holding back tears, saying, "Your father, my husband - gone, don't know if he'll be back… Ursa, I've never told you this, but there's a reason beyond the obvious that I'm worried about your father not coming back," continuing as the weight of recent events started to register finally, "That twenty-something who harassed you, and the Avatar… he reminds me a lot of the boys that showed interest in me when I was younger. I've shown you pictures of me when I was younger, and… Even with Nana telling me I was fine, until I met your father, I didn't really believe it. Gave time to guys I shouldn't have. As cheesy as it sounds… he showed me what a real man was. Strong - but also caring." Ursa having always pictured her mother as a confident go-getter, she blushed slightly when her mother said, "Just like you," her mother crying a little when Ursa told her, "You too," nodding in agreement when her mother said, wiping her face, "Thank you. Part of me wants to say more, but… it's hard. I… right now, I feel like talking's harder than 'work'. Let's do something."

Having been wholly focused on her mother, only now did Ursa notice they weren't alone, Patta fluttering over to her mother, asking, "Want to hug me? That's doing something…" Nodding and looking distraught, her mother took the offer immediately, walking over as she held a contentedly sighing Patta like a stuffed toy, Ursa got a gut feel her mom might need a while.

Realizing that her mother saw her as a reminder of her father, Ursa thought, "Maybe she needs 'someone' that's not family for now," surprised when Panik took a deep breath, telling a confused Patta as she placed the spirit on her head like a hat, "Thank you, Patta - I feel a little better now." Smiling weakly, her mother began moving her arms, saying, "Let's see if we can fix these 'Cool Healers', then… take a break." Remembering what the Avatar had told her to do, as well as Saikhan, Ursa nodded, turning to the table nearby, looking at everything that was stacked up on it as her mother placed the liquid drink base into a pitcher.

Trying to think of a way to get protein into the Cool Healer without it tasting… weird, to be charitable to the earlier mix involving komodo chicken broth, Ursa noticed what seemed to be a new addition - bowls of nuts and berries. Pointing at a bowl of lychee "nuts", she asked her mother, "Where'd all these nuts and berries come from?" Panik said, Ursa noticing she sounded proud, "Listening to you talk about that jerk… I had totally forgot. People are still good on the whole… 'taking care of business', just like our President and Raiko want us to." Ursa still a little confused, her mother said, "They came in while you were gone. There's plenty more where that came from - some generous farmers from a nearby town donated them, along with other raw ingredients. Even claimed there was more coming…"

Having looked at everything, Ursa felt tempted to grab just a few for herself, saying as she reached for a bowl full of sliced almonds, "Wow - almonds. I haven't had any in a while," grabbing a handful and stopping.

Not out of indecision - but because she was feeling them in her hand, getting an idea.

Turning to her confused mother, Ursa said, "I've got an idea - mom, do you think you could get these into a Cool Healer? Take out the komodo chicken broth in it - nuts have protein!", realizing after the fact these almonds were "hers" now anyways, having touched them. Panik's face lighting up, she said, "That's a great idea!", continuing, "I tried lychee nuts - just sweet. Almonds… Put them down on the table, and let me try something. Maybe we could solve another problem at the same time - the 'cup' melting. Though, won't always have a waterbender around… I'm making two."

Seeing her mother looked determined, Ursa let go of the cut almonds, watching her mother work with other ingredients and even a blender happily with growing fascination, saying without thinking, "Cooking's… creative. Wow - I could get into this," shunting a thought that screamed, "Fatty!" in the voice of the twenty-something's girlfriend's voice to the side instantly as well.

Ursa having thought her mother was totally focused, she was surprised when Panik responded, standing up, "Sounds wonderful," laughing as she held out a cool tin cup with a yellow-white liquid in it, "Normally at work we don't care too much about the healthiness of what we're making… With you around, who knows. Maybe you can help me come up with healthier things, like these two things. Bottoms up!"

Ursa still not quite sure what to make of what her mother had given her, finding herself vaguely jealous of the Cool Healer with what looked like almond slices covering any ice that might have shown otherwise, she nodded. At first, she had taken a drink just to be polite, finding herself finishing the nutty, cold but still sweet Cool Healer automatically. Noticing the taste of nut, smell of lychee floweriness and sweet taste and tartness of lemonade lingered in her nose and mouth, Ursa smiled, saying, "I liked that a lot," explaining what she had detected as her mother finished crunching her almond-covered ice cup. Panik gave her a funny look, smiling slightly as she said, "Wow - even I didn't catch the 'floweriness'. Seems like you have some good tastebuds," adding quickly, "Not that I'm going to ask you to taste test too much. Uh… did you notice any problems?"

Ursa shrugged, saying as she set down her cup, "Not really. And if I'm going to be eating, I may as well make it 'useful' - taste testing or not. I just won't eat as much otherwise," adding as the taste of what she had just drank finally faded, "I'm going to be doing lots of stuff in Republic City anyways. Plenty of opportunity to burn stuff off."

Her mother looking gabberflasted, Ursa noticed Patta moving out of the corner of her eye, turning to see what the spirit had been doing this whole time, laughing to see Patta trying to gnaw on a whole almond, the spirit complaining, "I wanna help, but I can't taste anything, or even eat it! At least gnawing's fun…" Ursa hearing Panik laugh lightly, her mother chuckled, "You don't need food, and can't eat or enjoy it. Seems fair to me," as Patta tried again in her other form, the little white dog's teeth not penetrating the almond's thin brown coating. Shifting and giving up, Patta whined, "I guess spirits can only eat spirit food," adding as she tossed the almond to the ground, "Don't know if anyone would want a spirit-gnawed almond…"

Hearing spirits and food mentioned in the same sentence, for some reason Ursa's mind wandered back to something Korra had said about cutting spirit vines, jokingly saying, "Yeah - maybe you could eat spirit vine soup, Patta," the joke apparently flying over Patta's head, given how she said, "Huh - maybe I should try that!" Panik snickered slightly, saying sarcastically, "Yeah - stir-fried spirit vine, exploding with flavor," Ursa giving her mom a funny look, saying, "You must be feeling better, using dark humor like that." Her mother shrugged, saying, "Nana always told me sometimes the best way to deal with life is laugh at it, even if you aren't really a hundred percent with it at the time," Ursa glad to heard her mother laugh when Patta asked, "What's dark humor? Is it something funny that's in a dark place?"

Getting ready to try and explain dark humor to Patta, still waiting on something from the Avatar, Ursa stopped when she saw a shimmer appear. The image appearing in full detail much faster than before, Ursa laughed when Patta looked at the image, gasping, "Wait - I didn't see that before! Where did most of your clothes go, Avatar?" For some reason Ursa not having noticed it before, forgetting her recent progress, she regarded Korra with envy as the Avatar said, "You're not the only one who didn't notice - a good thing too, or my exchange with that rich twerp would have been a lot more… interesting, not to mention talking with Saikhan or Atinnuaq. If I am going to be projecting any more, guess I should probably change, as disappointed as Asami will be…" Ursa screwing up her face a little, realizing the Avatar had not only changed into older clothes but reduced clothes for deeply personal reasons, Korra continued, "Anyways, I just want to give you one last update, Ursa, and ask you a question I forgot. Come to think of it, I forgot to ask Yangchen the same question, or anyone but my cousins. Talking with Saikhan and Atinnuaq went smoothly - apparently, projecting to different people in the same area doesn't tax me as much as switching spots does. Saikhan said he's got basic crater defenses in the planning stage, but is waiting on input from 'smarter' people. Whatever - if he wants to be down, that's his problem. I let Saikhan and Atinnuaq both know about what they need to do - have their bodies under close guard. Patta here will tell you when you need to join them." The Avatar frowned slightly, saying, "I did not learn anything about the camp either - we still can't make contact, even if we know why now, but Alyssralove assures me Yangchen has it covered. I won't trouble you with things you can't do anything about - the only reason I mentioned it is I figured you might be worried."

Looking around, as though she was checking to make sure they were alone, Korra said, "I already explained it to Saikhan and Atinnuaq once they shooed everyone away - since we're alone, I'll explain it to you too. I've found a way to meditate into the Spirit World, and then bring people in to where I am, even if they're thousands of miles away from my physical body. Not only that, but due to my strong bond with Raava, I can bend in there - infobending included…" Ursa's eyes wide by now, she stammered, "S-so THAT'S where this secret meeting is? And… a manual update?," Korra nodding and saying, Panik silent and looking proud, "Yes. Before I go, I just wanted to ask you if there was anyone else other than Saikhan and Atinnuaq you could think of in Republic City who should come."

A whole list of names immediately springing to mind, Ursa remembered one downside to meditating into the Spirit World, assistance or not, frowning as she said, "If your spirit is in the Spirit World… your body's motionless. Everyone I can think of is either busy and has not a clue, or is like my mom - would probably rather do something to help people than attend a meeting." Her mother agreeing, saying, "You don't need me - I'd rather be cooking for people than talking," Korra mulled it over for a second. Nodding, she said, "Hmm - thought of something I hadn't when you put it like that," sighing, "There's a lot of people helping Yangchen in Omashu - and given the trouble at the camp, the fewer people down there immobile, their spirits in the Spirit World… the better. Sounds like they need everything they have. Even if things turn out alright at the camp in the end… I'll just have to make it up as I go along, I guess."

Korra shrugged, saying, "There's nothing wrong with that - just look at what you guys accomplished, whiny idiots and able-bodied protesters notwithstanding," smiling as she said with a final air, "I look forward to seeing you soon - you're not the only one I want to learn more about. Goodbye - for now. And good thinking with Warmwings, Patta - you're not the only spirit that's contributed ideas instead of brawn."

Korra's image gone, Ursa remembering something about this "Alyssralove" spirit the Avatar had mentioned, how Patta had said it retained the technical expertise of one of its "humans", and detective skills from the other, she jokingly asked Patta, "Alyssralove - technical, and detective… So are Baatar Jr. and Mako going out now or something?" Her mother laughing, Ursa surprised she got it, Patta stammered out, "No, he's - erm… ah, screw it, you're going to see soon enough anyways," Panik no longer laughing when Patta said, "Don't tell anybody, but… I think Mako and Kuvira are 'more than friends'. No - they are…"

Ursa giving her mother a skeptical look, she nodded in agreement when Panik said, "I'd have to see that to believe it," laughing slightly when she said, "For one thing, I didn't think Mako was suicidal. Just look at what almost happened to Kuvira's last boyfriend." Patta looking confused, Panik said, "That's sort of dark humor - laughing at something that's taboo, or disturbing," her mother nodding when Patta asked, "Like laughing at Long Yumao?" Patta looking pleased with herself.

Ursa losing herself in thought, thinking, "People complained about Korra and Asami… I can't imagine what they'll think of this," she came back to attention when her mother said, "Ursa, I'm going to go to the food line and grab something healthy. I haven't exactly had the… best things to eat, even if they tasted really good, and I feel like I worked them off. Tired… If you count your visit to the fridge, and those leftovers… you've had a better balanced menu so far today. My fault - the Big Hug Cakes… want me to get you something?"

Ursa not entirely sure what she wanted, remembering there was a homeless man who wanted to talk to her at some point, she said, "I don't know - if you see some older man hanging around the lines, waiting on someone, tell him to come back here," adding as an idea occurred to her, "Get me something healthy that I can re-heat with bending if I need to, like any kind of chicken or fish, some sauced rice and greens in an iron bowl - if I don't want it, I can just give it to someone else! If I hem and haw over it, I'll just reheat it." Her mother nodded, saying, "Good idea," adding as she frowned slightly, "Now that I think about it, Buniq hasn't exactly eaten well today either. Maybe she can have your leftovers. All her self-serve Cool Hugs between the time she came up with the idea, and when she overheard your speech - it's a wonder she's not bouncing off the walls. Well, mountains - given we're outside."

Ursa wondering just how many Cool Hugs her sister had had, part of her concerned, part of her a little jealous of Buniq's innocence, she realized as her mother walked away that Buniq didn't have her innocence in one way anymore - all thanks to her slipup…

Pensiveness inviting many other unwanted thoughts, the stress Ursa had felt literally while dreaming until now starting to catch up with her, Ursa decided to try and distract herself by practicing bending and fighting a little. Finding herself hampered by her surroundings, all sorts of flammables from food to fuel and cooking oil all around her, Ursa found some satisfaction in seeing the small, safe flame in her hand had a sizeable blue core still. After staring at it for a while, reminding herself of what it stood for, thinking, "I want this thing all blue, all the time someday," Ursa dismissed it and used her shield and backpack for a different kind of exercise, lifting her pack inside the shield's inner face off the ground over and over.

A few minutes later, her mother returned, Ursa setting her shield down, noticing and putting away a photo that had fallen out as her mother said, "Food's here," Ursa groaning slightly when her mother asked, "That thing looks heavier than usual, and you're putting it on your shield, lifting it over and over. Are you being careful?"

Remembering that technically it was a mother's job to worry, as well as how tired she had managed to make herself with "unchecked" exercise earlier, Ursa said, "I'll watch it," saying with a little reluctance, "It's not like I'm as bad at lifting weight as I am at running." Patta looking confused, the spirit asked as she fluttered onto the table, "If you're bad at running, and you can fly with fire… why not just focus on strength?" Patta obviously not understanding how bending worked, despite being more in the loop than herself, Ursa said as she sat down in a chair she hoped would hold, "For health reasons mostly - nothing like running to get your heart rate up. But bending doesn't come from physical strength anyways - at least, not when you do it right. Even earthbending. If I can't get out of the way of someone's attack in time, and I don't have my shield… I'm toast."

Patta cocked her head, asking, "Couldn't you just dodge using fire? And won't strength help with your sword and shield?" Not in the mood to debate a spirit over human-y things, not when she needed to decide if she wanted this food or not, not trusting her stomach answer of "Yes - duh!," Ursa said, "I can't always fly - like in close quarters, or inside, or here, where there's a lot of flammable stuff. And yes, strength would help with that - but those weapons are practically just decoration by now. Spirit weapons…" Having forgotten to indicate the conversation was over, Ursa groaned slightly, catching a whiff of her food on the breath back in as Patta objected, "But if you've got a mechasuit that can fly, running faster wouldn't do you any good! And I thought you knew melee weapons aren't useless anymore! You saw what Warmwings drew!"

At first, Ursa was tempted to just ignore Patta, finally registering the "If you've got a mechasuit that can fly," part, saying as Patta looked a bit nervous, "Uh… what? 'If you've got a mechasuit that can fly?' May as well be asking me how I'd fight in zero gravity, or on the back of a dragon that can waterbend and firebend." Panik piled on a bit, asking with a small amount of anger, "Wait a minute - what are you talking about? My husband's in the military, an officer - and he never talked about such things."

Patta started crying slightly, Panik apologizing, "Oh - uh - sorry. No hard feelings. Forgot you're like Buniq - naïve, but cute and nice. I just want my husband to be as well protected as possible, and… it sounds to me like you know something that might help him." Leaves flashing a depressed shade of blue temporarily, Patta was no longer crying as she fluttered over to an almond, sighing, "I can't say anything about that - you saw what Avatar Korra showing up did, all the grouching. Anything about that, people might revolt. I… I'm just going to gnaw on this almond, and hush. Raava'd probably be mad with me for that slipup."

Feeling stress building, wondering if the annoying twenty-something had been right about all these accursed secrets, vaguely recalling Lord Zuko's first love interest had left him over similar gripes, Ursa turned her attention to her own food. Ursa thought as she saw how appealing it looked, "Ugh - how can I separate stress hunger from physical hunger, hunger for what I physically need versus whether I should eat this or not?"

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, Ursa saw the outline of an all-too familiar set of teeth, the maw coming into better focus when some of what the rude twenty-something had said passed through her mind again, briefly thinking, "The teeth… eat, and eat, and eat…" The teeth moving as though the invisible mouth that was holding them were laughing hysterically, Ursa remembered how the twenty-something twerp had torn into others verbally, even the Avatar, like the immature jerkoff he was. Connecting it with something her dark half had said earlier, "Go out into the world, try to make a difference - get exposed to things that will hurt and rend you like these teeth all over again," she realized what the teeth represented…

"Being her own meanie," in the words of her precocious little sister. Not eating food - eating away at herself, rending herself with words or thoughts instead of a blade…

Ursa knowing full well that she had years and years of bad internal habits to correct and overcome, she thought, "At my most depressed, I never thought of cutting physically… It's time I stopped doing it mentally. I've got your number. Now scram," disquieted slightly when a brief flash of blue flame danced over the predatory dentistry's surface, hearing her dark half say, "Wounded by HATRED! Have your petty victory - I will persist. Re-establish the vicious inner cycle. Old problems, wounds don't vanish overnight. 'Enjoy' life's uncertainty - I know I do. Just because you can see does not mean you will act properly, failure - so many ways to fail…"

The set of red-lined teeth gone, Ursa swearing they looked more serrated before vanishing, she opened her eyes, seeing both her mother and Patta looking at her with concern. Starting to briefly explain what happened, Ursa was not sure why Patta looked as concerned as her mother did until the spirit said with disbelief, "I've heard part of that before. 'Wounded by HATRED!'… sounds a lot like what some Kuvira's bad part told her in a dream earlier - 'FORGED IN HATRED!' And something Jinshu Kuangmai said in a similar place - 'Tempered by HATRED!' Except it was him saying it. Yuk - even saying it makes me feel sick… And it sounds like it - darkness - never goes away. Poor humans."

Panik shook her head, Ursa nodding in agreement when her mother said, "I'm sure she can handle it - she's had worse before… Darkness never leaving - that's not totally true," Ursa smiling broadly when her mother finished, "Life will always hurt at some level - but love makes it worth it. Fill in the holes from darkness' wounds with love, lessons learned - that's what progress is, basically." Pushing her own food closer to Ursa, her mother said, "You seem fine to me - sounds like you're making progress. Mind heating this up for me a little? Hadn't planned on talking so much before eating."

Heating the metal bowl with her mother's food in it, stopping and re-directing the heat out of just the metal bowl when her mother said, "Looks hot enough," Ursa found herself doing the same thing to her own bowl, noticing with a smile that the blue flame core was larger than it had been before. Looking at the stir-fried chicken, rice and cooked greens in her bowl, Ursa said after a moment of indecision, "Forget that dream - I'm eating this. I don't have time to hem and haw - I have no idea how long meeting will be, or how soon," adding as she picked up her chopsticks, "First healthy thing I've had to eat today anyways."

In the back of her mind, Ursa had expected some sort of "backlash" - surprised when she was able to enjoy what was in front of her without anything dragging her down. Feeling like she was filling a physical need, Ursa found eating the hot, spicy and savory chicken just as rewarding as any VarriCake, not even minding the fact they were glazed slightly. Picking out the bits of what tasted like high-quality komodo chicken, Ursa noticed she felt better as she ate more, saying, "Wow - guess I was so busy, I didn't even notice feeling off," with her mouth partially full. Her mother nodded, saying, "Me too - too busy to notice not feeling quite right," Ursa wondering how much "better" she could have done with a breakfast that wasn't the definition of imbalanced.

Mentally shrugging, thinking, "The past's the past," she started eating rice and greens instead, wanting the last thing she ate to be the chicken. Noticing even the rice tasted good, heavy with flavor, she asked, "Mom, thish rice ish good. What did you do?" Her mother smiled, saying, "At Gurume's insistence, I went to the part of the line that uses better ingredients for this. He figured we both could use something, and it was all healthier for the most part," saying, "Though, the glaze - probably not. Whatever - it's good, so I don't care," Ursa finding herself nodding in agreement. About to return to eating, Ursa paused for a moment - smiling slightly to see her mother seemed to be enjoying this healthier fare as much as she had.

Digging back in, thinking, "I guess it does feel good to take care of yourself better," for what seemed like the first time in her life, Ursa found steaming fried rice and various greens as enjoyable as everything she had in her early morning raid on the fridge. Appreciating the spice and flavor as she ate anything in her bowl but the last of the meat, Ursa laughed when she heard what she assumed was herself burping, surprised to see her mom looking a little embarrassed, Panik saying, "Oops. Wow, look at that - you ate slower than I did." Ursa nodded, her mother laughing lightly when Ursa confessed, "I thought that was me," she finished the rice and greens. Noticing her mother doing something unladylike, not that Ursa cared if anyone licked their bowl clean, Ursa finished by slowly cleaning all the remaining komodo chicken from her bowl, taking time to enjoy - not a thought about unpleasant things in her mind. Feeling a bit mischievous and thirsty, Ursa made sure her bowl was clean just like her mother had, laughing slightly when Patta gave her a small dirty look, saying, "Licking the bowl - that looks fun, nice! All I can do is gnaw on an almond. Can't even drink water." Ursa shook her head when Patta offered the impossible: "If I can, I'll take your human-y struggles off your hands, and I'll take eating. You don't have to deal with all that yucky stuff, or worry about your body, for whatever reason you do. Sound like a fair trade?"

Noticing her mother was shaking her head too, Ursa said to a disappointed Patta, "Looks like you don't have any takers here," Patta looking horrified when Panik observed, "Give up our humanity, for something in return… sounds like something Long Yumao might say," Ursa seeing a pattern when her mother added, "Oh - uh - sorry! Didn't think. I know you didn't mean it like that." Tempted to say something smug, along the lines of, "You did it again - made Patta sad. You do the cooking, and leave the spirit-y stuff to me, mom," Ursa shook her head, suddenly feeling disgusted with herself - far more strongly than anything she ever had to do with her own body…

Hearing her mother ask what was wrong, Ursa felt conflicted on whether to tell the truth, ending up telling it in the end, saying, "I… maybe I am a failure, thinking things like that," wondering if her mother was mad at her or something else as she looked down.

Hearing a chair moving, some part of Ursa wondering if her mom was going to go off and cry or scream in frustration, she was surprised when she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning to face her mother as Panik said, "No, you're not a failure. Don't look back down - listen. A couple months ago, when you were mad at me towards the end of school for being pushy with this dress you're wearing now… you might have said something like that and meant it. Now, you're beating yourself up for even thinking such things," nodding when her mother finished, "It's okay - don't be so hard on yourself. The last thing I want is for you to replace body image issues with something else… We're both a mess, and I don't know about you, but I could do with some cold water and a silent break. Just be."

Her mother smiled, saying, "I'll get some water from the air for you to sterilize and share with me," continuing as she did the necessary bending movements, "After my break, I'm going back to the cooking lines, bringing the idea for Cool Healers with me and working. You've got some sort of Spirit World meeting with the Avatar - so we both need to be relaxed. Ironically, as soon as possible."

Remembering something she had heard Avatar Aang had done before the Day of Black Sun aloud, saying, "Oh, great - 'You need to be relaxed, right now!' Gee, thanks mom," her mother laughing deeply. Patta, apparently not getting the sarcasm, asked innocently, "I thought you said you didn't want to be mean to your mom, Ursa?" Her mother groaned slightly, saying as she finished gathering water from the air, "Oh, Patta. She was being sarcastic - a different kind of joke, humor. Even our family 'spirit buddy' Warmwings understands people better. You do make it hard, don't you." Patta nodded, saying, "I guess I do," Ursa joking randomly as she sterilized the water her mother was now holding in the air, "Maybe the Avatar needs to bring you to that meeting."

Patta's leaf veins turning a light blue for a short time, the spirit said, leaf veins now normal again, "Good idea. You wouldn't happen to know an airbender, waterbender, or earthbender particularly well, would you? Or any of those that know each other well?" Staying focused on her bending, almost done getting the suspended water to a boil, Ursa said, "Airbender - no, though my best friend acts an awful lot like one," continuing with a slight frown, "Though, I haven't even seen Lee-Lee today - or remembered to call him! Gah."

Getting a funny look from her mother as she cooled the water back down, Ursa realized she was being unduly harsh on herself again, admitting as much and drinking some of the water she and her mother had made, saying as she remembered technically she did know an airbender, deciding not to say anything about the mysterious man who had given her the blue and white lotus tile, "I don't know any airbenders. Water and earth… There's two people I reconnected with today that can bend those elements. Well, now one can - Karpok's dad didn't let her bend, and only now is she learning… I don't know them that well, but they seem to know each other pretty well. Chang, the earthbender," taking another big gulp of water before saying, starting to feel nervous over all the attention, "Chang - he can bend pretty well, though. His dad was a former Pro-Bender, and both of them fought along with me against Amon four years ago. Why do you ask?"

Patta looking utterly confused, the spirit said, "Fought Amon what? And why would a human not want their kid to bend? I'm confused - tell me more." Her mother giving Ursa a knowing look, Ursa said, "Uh - yeah. You're going to need to go to some of that meeting, I think," adding as she realized her own spirit buddy Warmwings didn't know much about what had gone on in her life, "Maybe Warmwings, too - do you think… Korra could give my spirit buddy a more personal update, if she has time?" Patta nodded, saying, "Yes," Ursa getting the sense the spirit had something else to say on the subject, and that the spirit wasn't going to say it…

Smiling slightly, Ursa said, even though she was feeling nervous about meeting Korra, "Sounds like you're curious about what I said, the missing pieces… and it also sounds to me like you might want Warmwings for more than just getting schematics sketched out. Maybe we could swap information," Patta asking, "Do you like surprises? Good ones, that is."

Mulling it over for a second, realizing she'd hopefully know soon anyways, Ursa said, "Yeah," telling her surprised mother, "Maybe not in the past, but I do now. Everything about today's been surprising, and all in all - in a good way," remembering after the fact she had asked Raava to remove one big surprise from her mind…

Who her mysterious past life was.

Snapping back to attention when Patta said, "D'oh! I just remembered something Avatar Korra can do while in the Spirit World - she can just 'ask' them later," Ursa was now the confused one. Looking at Patta, she grumbled, "Ugh - so many secrets, new things," insisting as she started to feel nervous again, "I'll find out later. Talking about this is giving me butterflies in my stomach," finding herself saying without any meanness, "Given my stomach, that's a lot of butterflies. I'm done for now."

Her mother gave her a funny look as she made to walk away, her mother asking, "Ursa, was that… did you just make a good-natured self-ribbing joke? You've never done that before." Stopping in her tracks, looking at her stomach, noticing that internally her only reaction wasn't disgust, Ursa said, "I guess I did," over Patta saying, "I don't understand people!" When Ursa added, "I… I can actually look at my stomach, and not have the only reaction be 'Fatty!' now, mom - even if's still there," she smiled when her mother said, "Let me guess - a little acceptance. Something small, but acceptance nonetheless. I had the same experience when I was younger," nodding and feeling her mother give her a big hug from behind after her mother said, "It may be small, but that it's there - that's all that matters. It will grow over time, if you take care of that little seedling."

Her mother breaking the hug, Ursa decided to just sit down where she was, feeling less nervous and stressed than before she had eaten, telling Patta, "I'm going to try and meditate away some of the stress, so I'll need quiet," not sure why Patta warned her, "Be careful."

Sitting down next to her backpack, taking it off her shield and placing the upper part of the backpack in her lap, Ursa crossed her legs with her eyes closed, letting out a low groan when she heard Patta suggest, "Why… why don't you have something nice to eat instead?" Opening her eyes, giving the spirit an annoyed glare, Ursa said, "Did you not listen to anything I said about weight and humans?" looking down at the ground, feeling small when Patta responded, "I… I just don't want you meditating into the Spirit World accidentally. There's only one safe place in there right now."

Remembering that she had tried to do such a thing before, Ursa smiled, saying with slight bitterness, "I've tried before - and never done it. Don't worry, nothing will happen," Ursa's eyes widening when Patta said, "Yeah - and Kuvira had never meditated before, period, when she tried right after winning her first internal battle. She ended up meditating right into Xai Bau's Grove, Avatar Korra the only reason she still has a face."

Unable to think of anything else she could do to de-stress, Ursa noticing her mother looked concerned, she said, "I think I remember more now… From what they released at the press conference, Long Yumao managed to surprise Jinora a while back when she tried meditating in, and she just broke the connection," saying as she closed her eyes, "If I do more than just calm down, I'll just do that. I'm not eating anything else for a long time."

Ignoring Patta's objections as best she could, Ursa smiled slightly when she heard her mother say, "Patta, leave her alone," Ursa re-focusing after hearing Patta say, "I guess if anything bad happens… Avatar Korra can just do what she did before again."

Focusing on her breath, pretending she was trying to improve her firebending, Ursa attempted to get stray thoughts out of her mind, seeing a brief flash of herself fighting against Equalist forces, remembering more about the flashback, she idly thought, "Drawing from my 'ocean of chi'. Wait a minute… duh. That's not right. Power comes from the breath, not the stomach - the stomach's for re-directing lightning! Guess I need to re-read Grand Lotus Iroh's writings…"

Half expecting for her slipup to have thrown her off track, Ursa was surprised when she felt a little calmer, feeling a strong urge to meditate on her other male role model.

Grand Lotus Iroh himself.

Deciding instead to meditate on something that had puzzled her ever since she had encountered it, Ursa focused on the old Order of the White Lotus' philosophy. Honing in on "philosophy, knowledge, beauty, and truth," Ursa feeling more and more at ease as she focused, she wondered at a particularly tranquil point, feeling as though it were her soul asking the question instead of her mind, " 'Philosophy, knowledge, beauty, and truth.' 'Transcend the division of the four nations.' 'A secret society.' The Avatar, in Order form - at least it used to be. How does one get from the old White Lotus to 'Protecting and training the Avatar to the point of separation from the world', 'Imprison dangerous criminals', or 'Openly support governments after hundreds of years in hiding'? How does the Order serving as the bodyguards, no, childhood jailers of the Avatar serve philosophy, knowledge, beauty, and truth?!"

Seeing an image of Avatar Aang appear, followed by a strange sensation Ursa had never felt before, life review and spirit shenanigans or not, she was shocked when the image in the inky blackness of her closed eyes moved.

Standing up, appearing sad, the image of Avatar Aang said, "I will never know how things turned out the way they did. All I know is that it started with a simple order, from myself: that the Order of the White Lotus was to protect the Avatar, especially my successors. Including my own other orders, everything else… evolved from there, the Order mutating away from its original intent over the years." Ursa completely baffled, the image of Avatar Aang continued mournfully, "An evolution that by then former Grand Lotus Iroh opposed every step of the way. I wish when I gave my first request to the Order I had listened to Iroh's advice, no longer Grand Lotus at the time or not, and heeded my good friend Zuko's concerns … but I did not," saying with a very weak smile, "The… well, orders to the Order of the White Lotus," looking completely serious again as he said, "Along with poorly handling my family life - those are my two greatest regrets," concluding, "You appear surprised - you earnestly asked a question, and you have received an answer, even if it is 'I do not know.' In my next life, 'I' had to suffer the consequences of my decisions. Both in childhood, and adulthood - the Red Lotus has everything to do with the fallout of my orders. All such that Raava might learn more… I can see the shock on your face. Even the Avatar is not immune from karma, Ursa. 'I' will see you again soon."

Opening her eyes out of shock, wanting to talk to her mother and Patta about what she had just heard, Ursa felt baffled again - she was not in Republic City, or anywhere she had heard of at all!

Looking around the inside of the massive icy hall within which she was sitting, standing up for a better look, Ursa heard something clatter to the floor. Looking down, Ursa saw two familiar objects on the floor, picking them both up, remarking as some sort of chill finally registered in her body, "Two Lotus tiles… one normal, the other - white and blue petals…"

Noticing that the space where she was currently standing was both made entirely of ice and massive, Ursa curled up the two Lotus tiles in her right hand, walking forward - wondering exactly where she was.

Hearing an odd metallic chiming, Ursa turned towards its source - noticing there appeared to be a window of sorts in the room, running as best she could to see out of wherever she was.

Arriving at the window, wondering where the metallic chiming had come from, Ursa looked out - immediately not caring as she took in the bizarre outer world through the relatively thin and transparent pane of ice glass. Staring outwards, seeing what she certainly hoped was not a Spirit Portal, even though the two twin helixes coming off its base were green and yellow, the same colors as those which came off the Republic City Spirit Portal, Ursa looked around the object's base.

Seeing odd twisted trees that reminded her of illustrations of the Tree of Time that came out after Harmonic Convergence surrounded by a sea of purple sprinkled with tiny cyan dots, Ursa racked her brain, trying to think what it reminded her of…

This place perfectly matched the press conference's description of where Kuvira had surrendered inside the Spirit World.

Remembering a mention of distant ice that neither the Avatar nor Kuvira had gone near, Ursa's eyes widened, realizing she was inside the Spirit World - literally, this strange icy room carved by something from spirit ice itself.

She had no one around her to protect her…

Wondering if she had been tricked somehow by the image of Avatar Aang, the image meant to lull her into a false sense of security so that when she entered this room she wouldn't immediately leave, she shouted, hearing her voice reverberate, "I'm totally vulnerable! Give me one reason I shouldn't break my connection immediately!"

Seeing something… metallic? shimmer in front of her, sure she was hallucinating, never having heard of a metal spirit, Ursa watched as something she could only appropriately call a "metal man" appeared in front of her, hearing a calm voice say, "Relax, Ursa. You are safe here."

Wondering how the… thing knew her name, remembering something about Jinshu Kuangmai sometimes appearing as a metallic monster, Ursa was about to break the connection when… he said, "Wait. Go if you wish - stay if you want to know any more about the airbender you met today, Ursa." After a brief pause, Ursa heard an odd smack nearby, the odd spirit continuing as she looked at two different kinds of Dark Spirits trying to get inside with vain, "The floating rock that Avatar Korra would meet you on and its chakra pools is not the only safe place in the Spirit World, as you can see by these two spirits' vain attempt to get in. They will not even recollect this place's existence, if everything works properly."

Ursa still not sure about this "glacier fortress", she felt much safer when a large darkened whale-like spirit without red lines tried and failed to penetrate the ice barrier window. Ursa pretty sure she was safe, she turned around and looking at what she assumed was a spirit, taking in its humanoid form and the few diminutive turning gears, fine wiring and tiny pumping pistons she could see through its metal exterior. Apparently, this spirit could read her expression of amazement quite well, saying, "Yes, I get that a lot. Even… she did not know if her eyes could be believed at first when she saw me years ago. I am no conventional spirit - over the years, I have been called anything from an 'autohuman' to a 'mechaperson' more recently. Sadly, aside from the fact I came into being at one point, and that many of my brothers and sisters perished, myself the only one to be immortalized… all I can recall about my origin is that I was allowed to live on much like the human late Grand Lotus Iroh, the rest obscured by a long forgotten cataclysm and memory gaps."

Letting out a low grinding noise Ursa thought was supposed to be a cough, the being finally introduced itself and explained more, saying, "I can, however, recall my own name - Yadang. I can see in the way you carry yourself that while you may be on the road to unlocking the secret within, you still have much distance to travel. Therefore, I am not revealing my deepest secrets." Ursa gave the being a quick look, saying, "What, like how you 'worked' when you were alive?" Yadang shaking his metallic head, Ursa noticing he even had metal facial features that moved sadly as he said, "As I said before, I cannot even recall how I came into being," rough metal eyebrows coming down into a frown as he said, "I observed you picking up two Lotus tiles - one 'righteous', the other 'lost'. I know where you got both of them - make your choice now."

At first Ursa did not understand what this immortalized automaton wanted from her. Looking again, she realized that he was just as much an intelligent being as she was with the way he was tapping a solid iron foot against the ice, Ursa fumbling for her two Lotus tiles as she observed something akin to a metal tendon move with each impatient tap. Taking out the two Lotus tiles, noticing Yadang was focusing his two metallic retinas on the one with white and blue lotus flowers, she tried to remember anything from earlier, saying, "That airbender… I think he said: The old Order must change its nature completely or fall. This is all you need - only if you are worthy will you find the meaning and truth within. You obviously know him… somehow." Yadang nodded, saying, "Good - most humans I interact with do not have that level of information recall. I am also aware of your interaction with an individual who has fallen into the White Lotus' orbit - Kyoretsuna. We do not want White Lotus sympathizers - you must make your choice."

Scratching her head, Ursa said, "Wh - I just met her, and you within the past couple minutes!" saying with a final air, "Her family… let me put it this way - if whoever you work for, the 'Order of the White and Blue Lotus' as I guessed, does anything to her or her family… whatever it would mean to anyone, I'd chose her. The White Lotus."

Ursa was puzzled when Jadang nodded, saying as she shimmered slightly, "You have chosen family over ideas and that which exists. Good - it is the same choice my compatriot made, years ago, before re-discovering the fact that it was the Order that strayed in the first place. She fully embraced the writings of Iroh… Once Kyoretsuna learns the full truth of Avatar Korra's upbringing, the crime the current Grand Lotus committed years ago that ultimately drove my compatriot to action, along with watching the Avatar's childhood… that will not be an issue. I cannot imagine a family woman like Kyoretsuna siding with an organization that squelched the childhood of Avatar Korra - far worse than anyone would believe 'her' when 'she' tried years ago to expose the secret," adding before vanishing altogether, "If you wish to know more, once you have found the meaning and truth within, meditate on my form. It's certainly unique enough. Before then… Perhaps the Avatar can tell you more, as to why the White Lotus needs change. And help you with your own. Given she paid the price for Avatar Aang's mistakes, she may even be interested in our group herself - should the existing Order's attempt to change fail. Goodbye."

Now completely alone in the massive icy room, Ursa wondering if she'd ever be back in it, she said out loud, " 'The meaning and truth within'… No - I WILL be back here someday," only having the vaguest of vague idea what that was as she walked back to where she had "entered", noticing something curious as she looked at the floor on the way.

There were clearly visible elemental symbols on the floor. All four elements, plus two others, one a symbol she did not recognize as an elemental symbol but rather as the diamond inside both Raava and Vaatu's forms. The other was an odd yin-yang symbol with a line running from the outside into the whole symbol connecting to the two "eyes", though not breaking either small circle…

Remembering the Avatar might want her soon, Ursa hurried up her exploration, ignoring four of five larger elemental symbols on some pedestals she hadn't noticed before, contenting herself with examining the pedestal for her own element. Noticing there were many names engraved in the ice, the most prominent and deep cut into the ice being "Grand Lotus Iroh", she idly wondered if this "Order of the White and Blue Lotus" had ever contacted Iroh's spirit… himself? Itself?

Not recognizing any of the names aside from "Jeong-Jeong", "Avatar Wan" and, curiously enough, "Zuko", noticing his name was carved to almost the depth of Iroh's, Ursa shrugged, saying, "Avatar Wan's ten thousand years dead. Looks more like people they admire than members," wondering, "Hmmm - maybe I can go check out the Air or Water one? Wouldn't that be funny - Tenzin or Korra's dad Tonraq, joining after seeing her childhood."

Hearing a metallic cough, Ursa turned around, seeing a definitely not amused Yadang staring at her, saying, "No. It is a good thing you went to the Fire pedestal, your own, and not Water, your more… obvious heritage. Perhaps your tour time is over," Yadang saying with a final air as a strange sensation swept over Ursa, "Tenzin would not be welcome, his history with the accursed orders for the Order overriding anything he has done since. Any idol you have has flaws - what makes a being truly great is if they can recognize them and change. From what I know of you, I see what she sees in you."

Wondering who this "she" was he kept mentioning, Ursa struggled out, "Is the 'she' Raava?", Yadang perplexingly saying, "No," before Ursa saw his unique metallic body vanish - feeling like she had been the one to disappear.

Looking around, still feeling "Spirit World funny" even though she was in what was clearly an Air Nomad ruin of some sort, Ursa looked near the edge of the ruin's upper portion. She spotted something else she had never seen before - her head hurting terribly, feeling a dull pain as she looked at the - thing…

Staring at some sort of large glassy rectangle Ursa found both familiar and alien jutting out of the rock near what appeared to be a cliff, she was about to break the connection, wondering how someplace in the Spirit World could feel so familiar, when she had never been anywhere in the Spirit World except Jadang's icy room before.

Her head still hurting, though not as badly, Ursa found her curiosity getting the better of her, rationalizing as she walked over to the screen, "Even if I only knew him for a little bit… I don't think Jadang would have put me somewhere unsafe, whatever he is, or was…", continuing as she examined the odd glassy rectangle, "I can always just leave - but I've got this weird gut feeling I'm where I'm supposed to be."

Not finding anything in her inspection of the rectangle, the glass perfectly smooth, Ursa spotted something less alien, yet familiar and unfamiliar at the strange time behind her in the glass' reflection. Turning around, deeply curious about the "strange-miliar" pools and gears on top of some sort of pedestal she had seen in the rectangular glass' reflection, she wondered why she had not noticed them before as she walked over to the rectangular glass, finding the only thing totally unfamiliar about them the inscription saying, "For anyone who needs help," on the pedestal's base.

Walking closer, wondering if the odd, simplistic "characters" beneath the normal artistic characters were a sort of spirit language, Ursa felt an odd pull towards the "pools" on the right, saying as she approached, somehow not surprised when the gears opened to reveal water as she got closer, "Seven gears, holding water… with the Future Industries logo on some of them. A 'strange-miliar' large seventh gear, with a blue and jade yin yang symbol. Its… partner - why does that word sound so appropriate…? Seven earthen pools, holding water, a 'strange-miliar' large seventh pool with two blue and jade fish… even the way they have a bit of the other's color on them like Tui and La do seems familiar. Why so familiar?"

Half expecting to get some sort of answer, receiving nothing, Ursa put her hand into the fourth gear's steaming water contents out of curiosity, surprised yet not when she suddenly felt very sad. Ursa felt two at once, not questioning why her more personal grief for innocence lost to depression and the world's cruelties resonated with her the same as the grief of what felt like someone else's grief. Losing a mother to an act of random violence…

It seemed just as personal to her as her own woes, the feeling persisting for a while even after she withdrew her hand from the hot pool.

Her own griefs going nowhere, Ursa stepped back from the fourth gear and the whole gear sequence as a whole, she walked to the front of the twin pool set's pedestal again, reading, "For anyone who needs help," continuing, "Help. I… I know I don't need it, but after that… I feel like I need it. Someone outside my family." Remembering what the Avatar had told the twenty-something jerkoff about self-reliance, Ursa shrugged, saying as she turned away from the odd pools and the bushes behind them, "The Avatar told us to rely on ourselves, and we did, for the most part… maybe I don't need to talk to Korra about anything but business after all. I've got my family, after all."

"There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you... Not that I think Korra loves you - she just met you, from what I know."

Standing still at first, baffled as to how this man's voice was "strange-miliar" as well, Ursa found herself chuckling when the warm voice said with a little exasperation, "Over seven decades later, and I still can't get my wording right with interesting strangers," Ursa turning around out of curiosity after he said, "You appear around the age my nephew was when we found Avatar Aang - and already, you seem to understand the importance of family better than he did back then. Come, come, sit down, talk to me if you like. I might know a bit more about you than I did Toph when I ran into her on the road all those years ago, but not much, aside from 'business'."

Finding herself staring at Grand Lotus Iroh, Ursa stammered, "G-Grand Lotus Iroh? Why are you here?" Grand Lotus Iroh smiled, Ursa nodding when he said, "You can just call me Iroh. I was never one for titles," giving him a quizzical look when he said, "And current Grand Lotus Atinnuaq is doing his best to bring the White Lotus back on track."

Everything to do with the White Lotus and this mysterious "Order of the White and Blue Lotus" and the mechanical being Yadang fresher in her mind than her own earlier actions, Ursa asked Iroh, "I… heard somewhere that both you and your nephew Lord Zuko tried to oppose Avatar Aang's orders for the White Lotus, even when you were no longer Grand Lotus, and… to my knowledge Lord Zuko never joined the White Lotus. Is that true?"

Letting out a long, drawn-out sigh, frowning mournfully, Iroh said, "Yes, I did, as did my nephew Zuko," Ursa's eyes widening slightly when he said, "In fact, part of my decision to transcend my mortal body and live on in the Spirit World was driven by Aang's orders, and the decay of the White Lotus that they started." Iroh pausing for a moment, Ursa laughed weakly when he added jovially, as though he were trying to lighten the mood, rubbing his back in mock pain, "That, and my back was killing me. I guess enjoying life so much when I was relatively younger had to catch up with me someday," finishing with a smile, "I still lived a long, fruitful life, as I am sure you will."

Remembering how Aang - if she had really seen his spirit, that is - seemed to blame himself for more than just Korra's childhood, Ursa asked, "I think I talked with Aang himself earlier, and he seemed to blame himself and his orders for the Red Lotus' existence," noticing Iroh was frowning slightly by the time she actually asked her question, "Do you think he's right?" Iroh shook his head, saying, "No - I do not. No one should blame themselves for other's actions - I hope you do not." Ursa nodded, listening as he continued, "Aang should not blame himself any more for the Red Lotus than Roku should blame himself for the Hundred Year's War. While he was still a member of the Order, before I retired, I knew Xai Bau… He vanished before Aang's orders at that. Just like Firelord Sozin - just like Long Yumao, to think of it - he was waiting for the opportunity to 'strike', having already brought up his distaste for government before, and been ignored." Sighing deeply, Iroh admitted, "I suppose the direction the White Lotus took after Aang's orders likely drew recruits to the Red Lotus, did not help things. But part of the reason he wanted protection for Avatar and nations alike in the first place was Xai Bau's vanishing act after the Order did something as innocuous as announce its presence to the world. Aang provided Xai Bau his biggest opportunity as a side effect of something Aang did with good intentions. And Sozin got his opportunity when Roku trusted his life-long friend, something Roku could not have seen coming without hindsight."

Looking like he wanted to change topics, Iroh coughed, saying, "Fellow firebender… I am afraid cause and effect are never as simple as they seem. One twisted person - or being's - misdeeds provide fuel for the fire, and acting on their best impulses… sometimes someone trying to do right provides the spark. Just look at Long Yumao. As best I understand, Raava decided to create tuber-vines after spirits' refusal to help under his leadership, and seeing what lesser power in the hands of a lost soul could do. Something to prevent future wars - something that would not 'fight' for anyone who was not of a pure heart. Her action, along with the gift of life, started a war - and Long Yumao fancies himself the one to bring 'justice', right a 'wrong' he was instrumental in creating!" Ursa wondering where the subject change was coming, wanting to ask one more question, it never came, smiling when Iroh said, "I was going to say I did not want to talk about 'business' anymore… but if you have more questions, I'll answer a few."

Taking out her two Lotus tiles, Ursa said, "I want to ask you this before anyone else shows up. I don't know if you knew this… but this wasn't my first stop in the Spirit World." When Iroh asked, "What is that Lotus tile in your right hand? I have never seen such a Pai Sho piece before," with audible curiosity, Ursa asked, "If I tell you something… you won't tell, will you?" laughing slightly when he said, "I don't see any red or black on that tile… Raava's colors. As long as that's not something associated with bad people, sure."

Briefly explaining what the mysterious male airbender had told her, as well as her experience with Yadang, Ursa felt flattered when he said, "I said you were an interesting stranger earlier - it appears I made a huge understatement," Ursa saying without thinking, "Not really - just another leaf on the wind, as everyone else…"

A terrible sensation rising up from depths that Ursa had hoped she would never interact with again, thinking she had won at least a temporary break from her dark half, she heard a bone-chilling laughter from behind her, hearing Iroh ask as she turned around, "What… how can you say that - everyone, leaves in the wind? Are you like Mai or something? And what is that thing on Raava's screen?!"

Finding herself staring at her dark half on the screen, she felt synchronous electrical pain and dull pain when it asked, bone's glow pulsing, "What - you do not remember? What can appear on this screen? Tsk, tsk - I guess you aren't as smart as you think you are," trying to look down in shame and finding some odd force preventing her from moving. Not noticing Iroh at all, too focused on her dark half, Ursa felt goosebumps crawl over her skin as it boasted, "Even here, near those accursed pools, the Spirit World is not all fun and games, Ursa. The Avatar may be more powerful in here - but so am 'I'."

Feeling the misery intensify, Ursa looked to the Lotus tile in her right hand, trying to speak, finding herself unable to, thinking strongly, "Philosophy, knowledge, beauty, and truth," her hand now closed over the white and blue lotus tile, able to speak: "Philosophy, knowledge, beauty, and truth. I don't know exactly what the person who gave me this believes in - all that matters is what I believe." Feeling empowered somehow, Ursa said, idly noticing her jaw did not open, "Earlier, you told me a whole bunch of lies. The last thing you said -'Wounded by HATRED! Have your petty victory - I will persist. Re-establish the vicious inner cycle. Old problems, wounds don't vanish overnight. 'Enjoy' life's uncertainty - I know I do. Just because you can see does not mean you will act properly, failure - so many ways to fail…' Well, I'll say something I said earlier again, so it will get through your stubborn, red-boned bone head, that I'll persist too: 'I'll speak in terms you'll understand, little girl - terms of those who were or are dark. Evil. I will be as unceasing as the Equalist Revolution wanted to be, as unyielding as Unalaq was, zealous as Zaheer is, determined as Kuvira is, ruthless as Jinshu Kuangmai against you without losing myself, and use my brain to be as clever as Long Yumao!' Life's given me a lot to deal with - and I'm still here…"

Ursa did a double-take to notice her dark half was no longer alone on the screen, seeing both Warmwings and a clothed version of her light half holding up a blue fire with a white core, never having heard of such a thing, grinning predatorily to see her dark half small and cowering. Seeing her light half make the same expression, she realized that she was linked to the screen somehow, "saying", "I know I can't kill you - just ignore you," a waterbending technique she had heard of coming to mind as she said, noticing her jaw was moving again, "Giving you attention won't help anything. I will 'purify' you like the Avatar might a Dark Spirit - by living."

Noticing her light half perform vaguely familiar movements, two ribbons of blue and white-centered flame coming into being around the scared dark half, the image distorted and warped, Ursa hearing her dark half say frantically and warbled, "I… will never… go away," before the screen lost the distortion.

Nothing on the screen, Ursa felt confused at first, finally noticing that Warmwings was next to the screen, trilling happily, "Yay! Won again," Ursa frowning slightly, not knowing the answer when Warmwings trilled, landing on a shocked Iroh's head, "How often do you need to win? I forget."

Her victory seeming hollow with Warmwing's question, Iroh finally said, as Warmwings nuzzled him, "A few years later, when my nephew eventually told me about his dreams and hallucinations in Ba Sing Se, even though he was Firelord, he… ended up crying in my arms as I hugged him after I asked if he ever had anything else like that. I know what he went through - but as much as I wished I knew, so I could offer you better advice - I have no idea what you have been through." Ursa crying a bit, she asked simply, "I - I didn't mean for that to happen… I… just wanted your advice about that airbender, Yadang. Me - what does that have to do with Zuko?" Starting to come closer, Warmwings nuzzling him, Iroh said, "Everything, I am afraid. I do not know if you ever strayed as far as he did from what was right, and I doubt it, but… even his most intense experience seemed tame in comparison. Kuvira's experience's intensity - understandable, given what she did. But you do not strike me as one to deserve such things."

Iroh close now, Ursa standing up and giving him a hug, noticing with a slight smile he appeared to have chosen to retained a more "huggable" form, Iroh saying, "And it sounds like you have had worse than this. I do not understand… Wait - Look at the sky. All that anger and conflict, and it's not changed at all. Didn't change even while you were yelling." Iroh paused for a minute, breaking the hug and thinking as Warmwings trilled, Iroh saying, "The Spirit World does not even be appearing to act 'right'… and I have been here for many years, decades, though time does not technically mean anything to me now. I have not been inside the Spirit World anywhere but here on this rock since almost a week ago… From what your spirit friend here said, the Spirit World has been this way for a few days as well - everywhere except a few spots - Xai Bau's grove one of the place ironically enough - dark at best, 'unbearably gloomy and sad' at worst. Even during Harmonic Convergence, things did not get this bad…"

When Iroh jokingly suggested, "I know what you found at the barrier, thanks to your friend. Perhaps everything is off because of what people are doing," Ursa took it seriously, thinking, eventually saying, "Maybe that's not so far off. The Spirit Civil War… we already know the barrier's weakening because of what people are doing." Feeling a little sick to her stomach, Ursa said, "Maybe… we're literally poisoning the Spirit World. Maybe that's part of why the spirits are mad," Iroh shaking his head and saying, "No - that does not explain some areas not being affected. Let alone what I just saw on that screen."

Ursa noticing he was now looking at his palm, Iroh's eyes widened, saying, "My hand - the blood, a few days ago! That's it! Strengthening of the ties between the Spirit and Physical realms… Raava being able to grant bending to spirits, sometimes using human help… And the Spirit Civil War… it's been inside only, between beings who normally don't fight - spirits," saying as Ursa felt lost, "It will make more sense shortly enough. Basically, I believe these internal experiences being so much more powerful and 'real' than anything in the past, the Spirit World seeming 'sick' as a whole but not in spots with lots of 'human' energy, spirits being able to bleed and receive bending where such things were impossible before, the bending pulse just like three years ago… all linked to vanishing difference between Spirit and Physical worlds. Whether it will be a lasting change remains to be seen, a little over a week's time from now."

Iroh taking her hand, prying away the white and blue Lotus tile, looking vaguely like he wanted to shift the conversation, he said, "On our so rudely interrupted conversation earlier… putting it all together, if you haven't already," continuing with a slight blush, "It sounds as if there's a third Order now - one that looks to me and the old greats for their only example," saying with a final air, "Dedicated to seeing the original White Lotus change radically, or cease to exist, hopefully through nonviolent means. Though, it is odd that I have never heard of this before - surely, they would have wanted input from the person they admire? Regardless, I hope that the existing Order will change enough to satisfy them, whoever they are." Remembering something the airbender had said, Ursa pointed out, "That airbender, who seemed to have a special ability… he said 'Recent events moved forward the timetables, with raised stakes for errors made by women and men.' It sounds to me like they're going to act soon," finishing as Iroh looked concerned, "And it sounds to me like they're out to avenge some kind of big wrong the current Grand Lotus did to the Avatar. Far from wanting Korra dead like the Red Lotus… that machine intelligence's spirit told me Korra herself might be interested in this organization. A wrong done to her - you wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Appearing to mull something over for a second, Iroh said, "Yes - and that Korra has already forgiven Aang, Tenzin, Grand Lotus Atinnuaq, everyone involved in both the orders Aang gave and another event I won't burden you with right now. She has moved on past her rather sad childhood quite well. Even if the current out in the open Order has flaws… it is already established," Ursa interjecting, Iroh nodding and smiling, "I heard the Grand Lotus today - mentioned something about regretting past actions, and that he hoped he could be a replacement for you. Do as good a job as you did. They're even volunteering to help Republic City."

Iroh saying, handing back the lotus tile, "Good - it remains to be seen if the others will go along, however. This is yours, Ursa," it finally dawned on Ursa she was literally talking with one of her heroes, saying idly, "Raava, Avatar Korra, then former Grand Lotus Iroh, all in the same day… wow." Iroh smiled, saying, "And I got to meet you too, and a lot of other fine people in the reinforcements before I came here. Even if it didn't turn out as good as we had hoped when we left Republic City, I am glad for today." Ursa realizing that Iroh had been with the reinforcements, she asked with trepidation, "Has… anyone died? Anyone named Hideki?", finding herself adding as she remembered who had paid for the food line's supplies, "Anyone named Tahno?"

Iroh shook his head, a lead weight lifted off Ursa's heart when he said, "No. No one has died yet," it returning when he said with a frown, "Though, if my nephew's grandson Iroh II hadn't listened to his gut, and ordered everyone back when something didn't feel right… there would be many widows and begrieved husbands right now," Ursa listening with a smile as he continued, "The people you asked about - I actually ran into the both. Tahno was training people how to fight dirty, was always in the thick of the fight after that. The same for Hideki - he made an impression on me, his swordsmanship skills, talking about the White Lotus Great Piandao while wielding a sword made by the master himself, talking about his - "

Iroh gave Ursa an apologetic look, saying, "Oh, I am so sorry - I just connected the dots. You're his daughter, aren't you?" Ursa nodded, laughing when Iroh said, "You weren't the only one he talked about," Warmwings trilling happily when Iroh said, "Buniq and Warmwings too. When everyone was re-forming, he talked about your spirit buddy, what must be your sister Buniq too, his wife Panik, his mother-in-law 'Nana'."

Iroh smiling broadly, Ursa blushed when he said, "From what he said, if you are as good to yourself as you are others, remain strong, I have every faith that you will 'beat' that… thing in the end, and go on to live a happy life." Ursa found herself laughing freely when he said, "Your 'dark half' - you're certainly a lot easier on the eyes than she was, skin and bones, that sick glow," nodding in agreement when he poked his own chest, saying, "That part of you has nothing but darkness and hatred inside - who cares if you've got a 'large container' for your light like I did?"

Feeling an odd sensation at the same time hearing a whirring of gears, Ursa turned to the source of the noise, noticing the third gear in the chain was moving around rapidly, the top closed, a symbol for Fire on its central dais, noticing the flame was red and yellow, but had a large blue core.

Looking down at her stomach after the gear stopped turning, Ursa noticed her mind was not as quick to curse it or judge it, between a mix of odd hazy memory that was not her own and realization, she said, "Wh - hey! Those things represent chakras, don't they?" Looking up from her stomach, glad to not hear any quotes from the annoying twenty-something pop into her head as they might have earlier, still as comfortable with herself as Iroh appeared, Iroh said, "Yes, they do."

Remembering what the third chakra dealt with, willpower, blocked by shame, situated in the stomach, Ursa smiled broadly, feeling her special lotus tile as she said, "The third chakra - my… biggest problem. I feel better - but not all the way. Progress… but I want more." Iroh laughing lightly at her joke, her fingers moving back over the lotus tile, Ursa swore she felt some odd shape as she had been fiddling with it. Her eyes widened when she looked at it, saying as she put a finger on one of the seven lotus petals, what must have been the "third" petal slightly recessed now, "Wait - this Lotus tile has seven petals! That's not normal… 'Find the truth within' to prove myself worthy - one less petal, it must have to do with chakras! On purpose,", adding, "I… feel better. That's its own reward."

Iroh smiled broadly, saying, "Yes, it is. Doing right is its own reward, as my nephew Zuko found - the only way to lasting peace," Ursa simply smiling and nodding.