It was the most incredible thing Saph had ever seen. Before them was an enormous natural cavern, the ceiling of it lost in darkness except for tiny, sparkling lights that looked like stars. Such was the effect that she almost felt like she was outside once again, but for the sloping stone walls that enclosed them on all sides. It was disconcerting and oddly oppressive.

Even so, that feeling was quickly forgotten—or at least pushed into the back of her mind—by what lay sprawling in front of her. It was a city. A real, proper city, just like in Gran's stories! Despite the late hour, it hummed along as if it never truly slept. The murmured sounds of people and distant machines and who knew what else all mixed together to make it feel so full of life.

"Saph. C'mon."

"What is this place?" she asked, mystified, as she forced her feet to begin walking again.

"Oldtown."

"I thought the other place was Oldtown?"

"They're both Oldtown."

Saph decided it didn't matter and tried to focus on keeping up with Koko's determined stride that quickly brought them to a huge building covered entirely in white paint. It certainly fit the description of 'medical center' better than anything on the surface.

Once inside, she found that even the floors and walls were a bright, clean white. Many people were coming and going, most wearing pristine light blue uniforms.

"Sit over there and wait for me," Koko said in her don't-argue-with-me voice, her finger pointing to a row of chairs against the wall. "No wandering around."

"Alright…" Saph gratefully sunk into one of the chairs and leaned her head against the wall. If not for the gnawing hunger in her empty belly, she probably would've dozed off immediately. Even so, she couldn't focus on what Koko was doing or saying at the front desk. Then she blinked and Koko was gone.

Despite the activity in the room, it was pretty quiet. The loudest sound was an incessant, rhythmic ticking that Saph couldn't determine the source of. Some part of her was vaguely aware that this place would be fascinating if she weren't so exhausted. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. So clean. Paintings adorned the walls while decorative plants lived in every corner. What was the point of it all, besides to look nice? It didn't even seem like a place most people spent a lot of time in.

Except for people like me, maybe. The waiters. Maybe during the day, lots of people sit in here and…wait.

After about ten minutes, Koko finally returned. "C'mon," she said briskly, barely pausing long enough for Saph to struggle to her feet.

"Is Shylo okay?"

"He'll be fine. It'll take some time for him to recover, though."

Saph had the distinct impression there was something—something important—she wanted to ask, but her brain felt like it was full of cobwebs and she couldn't quite catch the thought. So she just followed Koko silently back 'outside', down the impossibly smooth road, and into a low, wide building. This one wasn't as nice as the medical center; it was far more intimidating, with its bare walls covered in drab paint and an oppressive, hushed atmosphere.

"How can I help you?" a bored young woman asked. She sat behind a desk near the door with her head propped up in her hand like she'd been dozing off. But the second she got a good look at them, her eyes went wide and she sat up straight. "Oh! It's you… Um, right. I've pulled the forms. Please, come with me."

They went down a hall and into a room that had a table lined with chairs and another lone chair in front of…something Saph couldn't identify. It had three long, skinny legs with something sitting on top of them—some kind of small machine, maybe. Her experience with such things was limited to what lived in Dao-Shu's junkyard.

"Sit down there," the woman instructed, then stood behind the three-legged device. "Sit up straight and look here at the lens. Yeah, like that. Now hold still."

Suddenly there was a click and a bright flash that made Saph see stars for a few seconds while she tried to blink away the uncomfortable sensation. "What– What was that?"

"It's a camera. I took your picture for your ID." She turned to Koko, who was waiting against the wall with her arms crossed. "I just need you to fill out and sign the forms, then we'll process them and send everything topside to be filed."

After that, they moved to the table on the other side of the room. Saph was only barely aware of Koko sitting next to her with several papers spread out before her. This process was beginning to feel endless, going from one boring place to the next, and she put her head in her arms on the table.

Maybe just…a little nap.

"Saph."

She jerked upright, unsure if she'd dozed off or not. "Hm? What?"

"Your birthdate. The twentieth, right?"

How does she know that? "Yeah."

Koko looked up at the woman, who was supervising behind her shoulder. "I can't answer some of these. I'll have to ask Shylo when he wakes up. Can I just sign it and leave those parts blank for now?"

The woman grumbled something about 'protocol', but in a resigned voice. "Fine. Just don't forget to come back."

"I won't." She scribbled something at the bottom of each page and let out a forceful breath. "Okay. Are we done here?"

"Do you need school enrollment forms?"

That certainly woke Saph up a little. School?

"No," Koko said flatly as she pushed to her feet. "We won't be here that long."

She led Saph back out into the city shortly after and they walked in silence for a while. It was impossible to do much more than focus on putting one foot in front of the other without tripping. At one point, Koko grabbed her wrist to pull her along, and Saph realized she'd been lagging behind.

Eventually, the hum of the city began to drop off and she noticed that the buildings were smaller and lower. They looked more like houses than businesses or offices. Some even had little gardens. That struck her as odd, but her tired mind couldn't figure out why.

Koko turned onto a small path right in front of a modest cottage. When they reached the front door, she crouched down to rifle through her bag, though it was very dark and she began to make frustrated grumbling sounds. "There you are," she muttered finally before standing up.

There was a brief noise of a key turning in a lock, then the door swung open and Saph heard a faint snick right before a sudden bright light appeared. She flinched in surprise and blinked several times to get her eyes to adjust. Before her was a cozy living room.

"Koko?" a familiar voice called. "That you?"

"Nani!" Saph exclaimed just as a figure appeared from the hallway wearing a robe. She dropped her bag and ran over as fast as her legs would carry her, all weariness forgotten in an instant.

"Oh, baby girl," Nani murmured while they hugged. She was the only person in the world who could call Saph that. "You don't know how happy I am to see you safe and well."

It was impossible for Saph to hold back tears as she clung tightly and inhaled the familiar, comforting scent of lemongrass and mint that she associated with Nani. She just sobbed against her shoulder, letting out all of the feelings she'd been repressing lately. As much as she admired and respected Koko, there was no warmth there. No soothing comfort. But Nani warmed her to her bones, covering her like a blanket.

"It's just been awful," Saph said when she could speak. "I was kidnapped and so, so scared and then Koko rescued me and she had to kill a bunch of people and– and I lost my bending for a few days, then Shylo got hurt and–" She stopped and took a couple of shaky breaths. "I missed you so much, and I miss Mom and Dad and even Lia."

Nani grasped the sides of her head and pressed their foreheads together. "We've missed you, too. And we've been so worried about you. Your parents are a wreck. And Lia doesn't understand. She kept asking where you were."

For some reason, that made Saph's tears begin to flow again, though cool fingers brushed her face to wipe them away. She opened her eyes to find that Nani's cheeks were wet, as well, and mirrored the gesture.

"You look…older," she said, noting the faint creases around Nani's eyes and mouth and the streaks of silver that hadn't been in her chestnut brown hair before, though it had only been half a year since they'd seen each other.

Steel blue eyes crinkled in a sad smile. "So do you."

"Well, I age a lot faster because I'm young," she said with a mischievous smirk. "But you're like, forty."

Nani gasped in mock indignation. "I am not forty, thank you very much."

"Near enough…" Koko muttered under her breath.

"Oh, shut up," Nani said good-naturedly. "I'm only three years older than you."

It was only then that Saph realized that Koko was still in the room, now slouched down in a comfortable chair and looking truly exhausted. Seeing her that way—borderline relaxed—was odd. Saph had never even seen her sleeping; every morning, she'd woken to find Koko already up.

"I'm sure you must be hungry," Nani continued. "Sit down, I'll be right back with something to eat." She kissed Saph's head and nudged her toward the sofa, then left for the kitchen.

A slightly awkward silence settled across the room. Saph wasn't sure what to say next. It was so odd seeing Koko in an environment like this, her heavy-lidded gaze focused in the distance. She seemed so out of place, like a wild animal being kept as a pet.

"So...do you live here, too?"

"I don't live anywhere."

Saph cocked an eyebrow at her. "You have a key."

"I stay here when I'm in Oldtown."

It was clear that she wasn't in the mood for conversation—when was she ever?—and Saph gave up. Fortunately, Nani soon returned with a tray bearing the delicious smell of jasmine tea and warm pastries. She sat down and busied herself with healing the various cuts and scrapes Saph had accumulated over the last few weeks.

"So what have you two been up to, hm? Getting into lots of trouble, looks like."

By that point, Saph had already eaten half a pastry and was making quick work of the other half. She directed a pout at Nani, annoyed now that she'd been reminded of her talk with Toru. "We went to Jupa. I found out that Gran was actually a Beifong. And that I was born in Zaofu. I can't believe no one ever told me before!"

Nani glanced over at Koko briefly, a look of consternation on her face, then looked back at Saph with furrowed brows. "Why didn't you stay in Jupa? You would be safe there, and I'm sure I could've finally convinced your parents to make the journey if it meant being with reunited you. They refused to go without knowing for sure you were there."

"I–" Saph really didn't even know how to answer. "I wanted to go with Koko…" It sounded so weak and pathetic, saying it out loud. How to even begin to explain it? "Yin–"

She cut off, clamping her mouth shut with regret, and Nani gave her a curious look.

"What about Yin?"

"Nothing…"

Nani peered at her for another moment, then looked over at Koko. "Why did you bring her here?"

"She wanted to come," Koko said with a shrug.

"You should let me take her back to Jupa."

"Wait–" Saph tried, only to be interrupted.

"I think she's old enough to decide what she wants to do."

"She's a child! And your life is far too dangerous!"

"Hey!" Saph protested. "I'm right here! Can I talk?!"

Once again, she was ignored. Nani, tense and bristling, was staring down Koko, who looked faintly irritated but too tired to do anything about it.

"You and I are going to have a little chat later," Nani finally said to her before she put the healing water away and turned back to Saph. "But right now, I want to hear all about Jupa."

Saph sighed, knowing how Nani was. The previous conversation was over and nothing she said would change that. She'd have to rely on Koko to fight for her on this. "Alright…"

Comfortable now that she had some food in her stomach, Saph cuddled up next to Nani and lay her head on her shoulder. Despite the minor argument, all felt right with the world once again.

"Did you enjoy meeting the extended family?" Nani asked. "I'll bet they were so happy to see you."

"Yeah, they were hugging me a lot and I didn't really remember any of them. Then Toru told me everything. About all the fake na–" She gasped and sat up straight, realizing something. "Is your name fake, too?"

Nani smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind Saph's ear. "I'm not sure I would call it 'fake'. My name was Raniq, but you couldn't say it properly when you were young. You called me 'Nani', so I became Nani."

"Raniq," Saph murmured. The name felt strange on her lips. "No, I think Nani fits you better."

"Good, because that's my name now. It would be very dangerous to use my old name."

"Why? Toru said how her family was hunted down, but what about you? You're not related to them, are you?"

Nani didn't answer right away. When she did speak, it was slowly, like she was choosing each word carefully. "Before the comet, there were several powerful, influential families—some government leaders and some not. The Beifongs were one. My family was another. We were all connected through the Avatar, and it was us that the blue sages targeted by destroying the cities. At least…we believe so."

"But not me and Mom and Dad," Saph said, knowing it was true. "We have our real names. No one cared about trying to kill us. We were just…there."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Koko scoffed. "You and your family were lucky. Luckier than most."

Saph thought she seemed bitter. Angry and bitter. What must it be like to be from one of those families? Important. Powerful. Doing big, meaningful things in the world, only to have to hide from everyone when it all fell apart. "You both knew Avatar Korra, didn't you?"

Again, Nani hesitated. A strange sort of silent conversation appeared to be happening between the two women.

"Whatever," Koko said with a shrug, her jaw tight. She shot to her feet and headed for the door. "I'm gonna go for a walk."

"Koko," Nani said softly, a hint of reproval in her tone.

"What?" She didn't even turn around, her voice hard and cold.

"...Never mind. Do what you want."

Koko grunted and left, slamming the door behind her.

"What was that all about?" Saph asked, baffled by the exchange.

"She doesn't like to talk about her past," Nani said with a sigh. "It's not because she doesn't trust you. It's just painful. But…it would seem that she's alright with me telling you."

"Really?" Saph said, sitting up excitedly. "You got all that out of what she said?"

"Hm, well… We've known each other since we were young. I understand her better than most."

"So what's her deal, then? Who is she and why is it such a big secret?"

"It's a secret because her true identity would put her life—and the life of everyone she knows—in danger. She's Avatar Korra's daughter."

Saph's mouth fell open, though only for a second. It made a lot of sense, really, now that she was thinking about it. "Huh. Well, no wonder she's such a strong bender."

"She didn't get her bending from Korra. While they were very close, they weren't actually blood-related. Do you remember me telling you about Korra and Asami?"

"Ohh, yeah, I remember now. Sort of… Did they adopt Koko?"

"No. Asami was Koko's birth mother. Korra had a child, too, named Anisa, who had the same biological father as Koko."

Saph felt her face flush, the bizarre implications making her imagination run wild, and yet she was morbidly curious despite her embarrassment. She did know the ins and outs of sex and babies—in theory, anyway—so this new information about Koko's family was painting a strange picture, indeed.

"I promise, it wasn't as dysfunctional as it sounds," Nani continued with a soft laugh. "He was just a good friend who did Asami and Korra a big favor. Two big favors, actually. It was all very…clinical, as far as I know. No weird drama."

Saph thought about it for a second, remembering Gran's stories and the people in them. The Avatar and her closest friends. "It was Mako, wasn't it?"

"Yep."

Another realization clicked in her mind. "Oh! Bol– I mean, um…San? He's Koko's uncle! And his kids are her cousins. That explains a lot."

Nani chuckled. "Yes, they're all very affectionate with her, whether she wants it or not." But her face immediately fell and she continued on in a more somber tone. "She lost everyone else. Korra went missing and she spent months searching with the other volunteers. She was devastated when the search was finally called off." Her voice began to quaver up and unshed tears glistened in her eyes. "And then...Mako, Asami, and Anisa were all in Republic City when the comet came. Koko was supposed to be there, too, but she got delayed on her way back to the city. She was only twenty years old when she found herself totally alone in the world. It took her almost a decade to find anyone she knew."

"That's really sad…" Saph murmured, understanding now why Koko seemed so unhappy all the time. Still, she suspected there was much more to it. "Why… How did she get mixed up with the blue sages?"

"Well." Nani sighed forcefully. "That…is a much longer story. For another day, maybe, when you're a little older."

I bet she was kidnapped like I was… Saph mused to herself. It made her shudder to think of what those blue sages might've done if Koko hadn't rescued her. "What's her real name? Or, well, her old name."

"Kiriko." She smiled, though it seemed bittersweet. "Her sister sometimes called her Koko when we were young and she hated it. Oh, she really hated it!"

"Why?"

"Well, actually, Anisa called her 'Kiri Kiri Koko', which she also hated. It eventually devolved into 'Koko'." They both laughed, but only for a moment because Nani grew serious again. "They had an argument the last time they ever saw each other. I think… I always thought Koko regretted it and that's why she chose that as her alias." She took one of Saph's hands and held it tightly. "But you need to forget her old name, and all the others you've learned. Kiriko is gone, just a memory. She's Koko now."

Saph nodded, feeling the weight of those words just as much as she felt the weight of her heavy eyelids. A powerful yawn started up and her jaw cracked audibly.

"You need rest, baby girl," Nani said with a light laugh.

"No… I'm scared–"

"Scared of what? You're safe here."

"I know." She wrapped her arms tightly around Nani. "I'm scared if I sleep, I'll wake up and it'll just be a dream that you were here."

Nani kissed the top of her head and smoothed her hair. "I'll be here when you wake up. I promise. Now c'mon. Let's get you to bed."

She stood and pulled Saph to her feet, keeping an arm around her waist for support, and they slowly made their way down the hall.

"Can't believe you never told me you lived in a place like this…" Saph mused.

"It's the biggest secret in the world. We have to be careful."

"And your mom and brother? They live here, too?"

"Mhmm. You'll get to meet them tomorrow." She flicked a wall switch and the light behind them was snuffed out, though a warmer glow poured out from an open door ahead.

"This is my room," Nani said as they went in. The room was comfortably furnished with a large bed against one wall and many familiar-feeling personal touches. "We'll have to share. I only have one guest room and really, it's Koko's room," she added with a laugh as she rifled through a drawer. "Here are some PJs for you."

After changing, Saph got a brief tour of the kitchen and a room that was like a bathroom and an outhouse combined. She watched in amazement as the indoor plumbing was demonstrated, hardly able to believe that something like that existed anymore outside of stories.

Just as they were on their way back to the bedroom, a high-pitched beeping noise interrupted them. Nani sighed and looked at a small black device that was clipped to her belt. "Shoot… I'm sorry, Saph. I need to go to the medical center. But you stay here and get some sleep. And feel free to eat anything in the kitchen." She pulled Saph into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Me, too."

Saph was so exhausted that she didn't even care about bathing or eating. She just collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep thinking about Shylo. Would he be able to go with them to Republic City? Would Koko wait for him to get better? More importantly—would she be able to convince Nani to let Saph go with her?

A loud noise woke Saph and she rubbed her eyes, feeling like she'd barely gotten any sleep at all. The other side of the bed remained empty, but perhaps the noise was Nani returning home.

Or is it morning? How does anyone tell underground?

Several more thuds—like someone running into furniture and then loudly closing cabinets—spurred her to climb out of bed and find out what was going on. She entered the kitchen to find Koko stumbling around, muttering to herself.

"...somewhere…c'mon, I know…hide it…" She didn't seem to notice Saph standing there yet, just kept opening and slamming cabinets like she was looking for something. "Aha! Found you!" Her hand emerged with a bottle of brown liquid, which she began to pour into a small glass, spilling much of it.

"Koko?" Saph finally said to let her know she was there.

"Go back to bed, kid."

"Are you…drunk?"

"I said"—She turned to Saph with a deep frown and bit off each word—"go back to bed."

Saph ignored her to watch with silent curiosity and a little disgust. The only drunk people she'd ever encountered were occasional degenerates in Dao-Shu. Alcohol generally wasn't easy to obtain and was almost always homemade. Certainly, she'd never seen her parents or Nani drunk.

Koko sat down at the table and took a couple of slow sips, staring at the wall. Her face wasn't visible but there was something about her hunched posture that made Saph feel a little bit sad. With a sigh, she turned to go back to bed but stopped when Koko spoke.

"You don't know…"

"What?" Saph slowly approached, though she hovered by the counter instead of sitting. "I don't know what?"

"You…don't know me. So don't think you do." Her voice was never what anyone would call 'friendly', but it seemed unusually hostile right now. "Questions, questions. Constant questions. Well, you wanna know things? You wanna know how to become a combustionbender? I'll tell you." She downed the rest of her drink in one breath and slammed it on the table.

Uneasy as she was about seeing this new side of Koko, Saph wanted to know the answer, so she leaned against the counter and listened.

"First, they make you wish you were dead. No food. No water. No light. Complete isolation. The insanity sets in after only a few hours. After a day or so of that, they make you run barefoot across the wilderness until you pass out. And that's just the test to weed out the weak. Those who survive get the privilege of going through… initiation."

She put so much hatred into the last word that Saph flinched. It was a little hard to understand her fully, slurred as some of her words were, but there was enough intensity behind them to make up for it.

Spreading her palms flat against the table, fingers splayed, Koko continued. "After that…you have to do things with your hands. Tying knots, solving puzzles, taking apart machines and putting them back together... They make you bleed first. Push through the pain, they say, to learn focus. Do it right or no water. No food. Fail and they drip acid on your hands."

Saph didn't want to hear anymore but she was transfixed. Horrified yet unable to move. Koko suddenly stood, stumbled over to her, and snatched the bottle up to take a swig without bothering to pour.

"Have you ever drowned, Saph?" she asked in her gravelly voice, leaning closer.

The boozy stench of her breath nearly made Saph gag. She couldn't answer with words—just shook her head and tried to surreptitiously slide away.

"Do you know what it feels like to have salt water rush into your lungs, burning suffocation, only to be revived after you thought you were dead?" She took another swig. "Cumbustionbenders aren't taught. They're made." Her scowl twisted into a cruel sneer. "Any more questions?"

"N–no…" Saph felt her lip begin to tremble, actually afraid of the woman in front of her who had transformed into someone she didn't know or like.

"No? Don't you want to know about initiation? About how they–"

"KOKO!"

Saph jerked her head towards the voice to see Nani standing there, red-faced and quivering. Visibly furious. It was yet another new experience.

"She wants to know things," Koko growled. "So I'm telling her things."

Nani stalked over and wrapped an arm around Saph's shoulders. "C'mon," she said, her tone returning to its usual gentleness. "Back to bed."

She took Saph back to her room and tucked her in like she was a child. In this particular situation, Saph couldn't complain. Never had she felt smaller. Nani's motherliness was a lifeline to hold on to; without it, she might be swept away by fear and uncertainty and dejection.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with that. Koko is the strongest person I know, but even she has her moments of weakness." Her lips brushed Saph's forehead and she left without another word.

But Saph couldn't sleep, at least not right away. Although she couldn't make out the words, it was clear that an argument was taking place in the kitchen. She grabbed her pillow and clamped it over her ears, wishing she'd just stayed in Jupa.

How did everything get so messed up?

Morning light brought a renewed sense of optimism, as it usually did. Saph stretched and yawned, glancing at the other side of the bed to find herself alone once again. It wasn't until she got up and looked out the window that she realized it was…daytime.

"Wait… what?" she muttered to herself, craning her neck to look up at the cavern ceiling. It was fully illuminated, sharp and craggy, though she couldn't determine where the light was actually coming from.

On the verge of running outside to investigate, she remembered she was still wearing PJs and hurried over to the dresser to rummage through the drawers. There, she found a note on top of a folded stack of clothes:

I had to go to work and didn't want to wake you, but there's a telephone in the kitchen that you can use to call me when you're ready. (There's another note there with instructions!)

Help yourself to anything you want to eat. Maybe have a shower, too. I've picked out some clothes here that should fit you. Yours are in the wash.

-Nani

Saph sniffed under her arm and cringed; it was pretty bad. But she was eager to try out this 'shower' that Nani had explained to her the night before. Hot baths were usually a rare treat, achievable only by boiling water in a kettle and mixing it with the bathwater. Apparently, they had a more efficient method here, though she didn't know what it might be.

The house appeared to be empty, which came as a huge relief. She didn't particularly want to run into Koko, though it was hard to articulate why. It was just…uncomfortable. For now, she decided to push away those thoughts and deal with them later.

After a quick breakfast of three apples, four pieces of buttered toast, and a thick chunk of cheese, she discovered that the shower was the most amazing thing in the whole world. Prickly, steaming hot water cascaded over her body in an endless stream and she never wanted it to end. It took some time to work up the motivation to do anything besides stand there and let it pour over her.

Downstairs, yet another marvel awaited. It was enough to make her forget all about the shower. The note Nani had provided next to a small device in the kitchen was easy to understand, but the odd tone that emanated from the handset still made her flinch in surprise when she put it to her ear.

The instructions had a sequence of numbers to enter which caused a different, intermittent tone, followed by a voice.

"Medical center, how may I direct your call?"

"...Uh…" Is that a real person? What do I say?

"Hello?"

"N–Nani?" Saph asked, tentatively hopeful. It didn't sound like her, but there was really no telling as it had been so strange and hollow, like someone talking into a tin can.

"Please hold."

There were no more sounds except a crackling static for several long minutes—enough for her to wonder if she'd been forgotten.

Finally, there was a faint click.

"Saph? That you?"

She breathed a sigh of relief, recognizing Nani's voice. "Yeah."

"Well, good afternoon, sleepyhead."

"Afternoon?"

"Mhmm. About three o'clock. So are you ready?"

How did I sleep that long? "Yeah. I really liked the shower."

Nani laughed. "I thought you might. I'm actually just finishing up so I'll come get you."

"How is Shylo?"

"He's doing well, but he's still asleep. He has a very serious infection and we're keeping him sedated for now, but we've got the best healers and medicine in the world here. I promise you can visit him when he wakes up, alright?"

"When will he be better?"

"Probably in about a week, but he'll wake up before that. Now sit tight, I'll be there soon!"

Saph wandered outside while she waited, immediately remembering that she was not, in fact, 'outside'. What made it obvious was the giant glowing sphere that hung from the cavern ceiling. She could only stare in amazement, unable to fathom how it might work or what was holding it up. Of all the curiosities Oldtown boasted—all the amenities from Gran's stories of the way the world once was—none of them compared to this marvel.

It burned her eyes. After only a few seconds, she had to look away, blinking at the spots of black left behind in her vision. Just like the sun. So many things about this place seemed impossible. It was a brand new world, like a chunk of the past had been picked up and shoved into the heart of the mountain.

But she was grateful. Outside, Koko had told that man that Shylo would die if he wasn't let in. Saph knew it to be the truth, and she knew it was her fault. The sparring match had gotten out of hand; she didn't even know where that competitive feeling had come from. It wasn't like her at all.

Then again, it was the first time she'd ever been in a situation like that—having to fight with bending where the only thing at stake was her pride.

Nani's familiar form came into view a few minutes later and Saph got up to meet her. "Ready to go?" she asked with a cheerful smile.

"Where?"

"To see the person who runs this place. She's eager to meet you."

In the heart of Oldtown was a large building that towered over the rest, with a pointed glass dome at the very top. It was there that Nani took her, right into an odd sort of closet-sized room that began to move unexpectedly. Saph reached for the wall in surprise and a little fear, not understanding what was happening.

"I'm sorry, I should've warned you," Nani said. "It's an elevator. It'll take us to the top."

"This is a very strange place. I don't think I could ever get used to living here."

"Zaofu, where you were born, was a lot like this. It was the most technologically advanced place in the world, though Republic City was close behind, thanks to my father and brother."

At that, she sighed softly and went quiet. Saph understood; she knew Nani's dad hadn't survived the destruction of Republic City. But the somber moment was short-lived because the elevator suddenly dinged and the doors opened onto a large, circular room.

It was clearly an office, though arranged to allow viewing from the floor-to-ceiling windows all around. They were in the dome now and on the far side of it—staring out into the city with her arms crossed behind her back—was an austere and very important-looking woman.

She turned at their arrival, her silver hair in a prim updo. Round glasses framed delicate features, which were serious at first but softened into a vaguely familiar smile. "You must be Sapphire," she said, approaching gracefully despite her age. "I am Yulan. Nani has told me so much about you."

The resemblance between the two women was clear to Saph. "This is your mom?" she asked Nani, too awed to correct Yulan with her preferred name.

"Yes."

For some reason, that made this woman even more intimidating than she already was. Nani had talked about her mother before without ever actually saying anything meaningful, like who she was or what she did. It was always small things—childhood memories or bits of conversations.

Saph looked back at Yulan, trying to remember how to be polite. "Um… It's nice to meet you."

"And you, as well. How are you liking Oldtown?"

"It's nice. I…uh… I like the big light in the cavern's ceiling."

Yulan smiled again. It didn't have quite the same level of warm motherliness as Nani's smiles, but it was comforting, all the same. "You can thank my son for that." She meandered over to the window and motioned for them to follow. "He's at home down here, underground. He thrives. Most of us just tolerate it, or escape whenever possible like Nani does. Sadly, I don't have that luxury. They just put me in this tower and leave me to do my own thing, whether I want to or not." Her tone and expression hinted at wry humor, though it was hard to be sure how much of it was a joke.

"Oh, Mom, don't be so dramatic." Nani caught Saph's eye. "Don't listen to her. She loves being in charge. Even after she retired from politics in Republic City, she created and ran all kinds of international aid agencies. It's what she does. She's in her natural element here."

Yulan adjusted her glasses and fixed Saph with a sharp, intelligent gaze. "We've met before, though you wouldn't remember. You were just a baby. Imagine my surprise when I found out my unmarried twenty-one-year-old daughter had volunteered to adopt two children who were about to become parents, themselves. I just had to see for myself." And yet, there was pride in her eyes, not criticism.

Saph looked at Nani with a confused frown—she'd never heard the story told quite like that before—and received a weak smile in return. There was something about Yulan's presence that seemed to reduce Nani to a younger, meeker version of herself.

"Enough about me, Mom…"

The sound of the elevator door opening drew their attention, breaking the slightly awkward moment, and Saph turned to see a man approaching. He handed Yulan a thick stack of folders.

"Here are the reports you requested on the ventilation maintenance, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Orrin."

He bowed and left just as quickly as he'd come and Yulan looked at Saph regretfully. "I'm afraid I can't chat any longer. Always so much to do. It was nice to finally meet you, officially."

"Yeah… You, too."

On the elevator ride down, Saph thought about what Yulan had said. "So…if you adopted my parents, doesn't that mean you're kinda like my Gran? And your mom is like my Great Gran?"

Nani laughed and poked her side playfully. "Don't you dare call me 'Gran'. I'm not nearly old enough for that."

"I've heard some people call their grandmothers 'Nana'. That's not so different from 'Nani'," Saph teased, just before being mercilessly tickled. "Stop! No, stop!" she gasped, swatting Nani's hands away and trying not to laugh.

They were both giggling like children when the elevator doors opened onto the large room at ground level. Several men and women stopped what they were doing to stare curiously, which only made Saph and Nani laugh harder, hanging onto each other as they walked out of the building.

"So," Saph said once she'd caught her breath, wiping tears from her eyes. "Where are we going now?"

"To meet my little brother."

On the way there, Saph spared a few minutes to wonder what Koko was up to. She wasn't mad at her, exactly—just…uneasy. The encounter the previous night had been a painful reminder that Koko was still little more than a stranger with a past Saph knew almost nothing about.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Nani asked.

"Hm? Oh… Uh, nothing."

"Mhmm…" The soft noise dripped with skepticism but she didn't press the issue. "Well, I know our next stop will cheer you up. You'll like Nik, I think. Probably."

"Probably?"

"Well… He can be a bit full-on. You'll see."

Nani took her to a large industrial building that had a steady stream of men and women coming and going from various doors. Many of them drove vehicles like tiny Satomobiles, except these weren't derelict and rusty. They zoomed along with a high-pitched hum while Saph once again found herself gaping in wonder.

But she had no time to ask about them because a loud, whooping voice grabbed her attention as it approached.

"NANIIIIII!"

Before Saph even knew what was happening, a blur crashed into Nani and knocked her down.

"Ugh, Nik, get off of me! For goodness sake!" She shoved him away and picked herself up off the ground. "Spirits, do you have to do that every time I come here? It's embarrassing. I'm a grown woman."

The tall young man, whose apparent physical maturity didn't agree with the boyish behavior, jumped to his feet and rushed over to shake Saph's hand vigorously. Sparkling blue eyes that matched his sister's were partially obscured by a mop of wild brown hair.

"Saph, right?"

"Uh, yeah," she said, trying to wrench her hand from his strong grasp. But she was pleased not to have to correct him. "How does everyone know me?"

"Nani doesn't shut up about you!" He flung an arm around her shoulders and gathered Nani up on his other side, then began to lead them into the warehouse. "Right, I'm gonna show you something cool, Saph. Are you ready?"

"Um…okay?"

"But first! A history lesson… Roughly one hundred years ago, a brilliant engineer—not me, of course. I'm not that old. Anyway, this guy invented the first-ever lightning-powered generator. He revolutionized industry and daily life in Republic City, leading to the creation of massive power plants that could support the entire metropolis.

"I know it's probably hard for you to imagine," he continued, waving and nodding to workers as he went along. Everyone seemed to know who he was. "Just picture Oldtown, but about a hundred times bigger! And Satomobiles everywhere! But we don't use those nasty things down here because we'd choke on the fumes."

Saph began to wonder where he was going, both physically and in his seemingly pointless rambles. They were inside now, passing by all manner of noisy machines that she didn't have the words to describe.

"But back to my story! Right, so that guy—named Satoru—was pretty much the father of modern technology. He ran Earthen-Fire Industries, which ironically was put out of business by his protege, Hiroshi Sato, who founded Future Industries, which was later inherited by none other than the lovely Asami Sato, herself."

"Avatar Korra's wife?" And Koko's moms… It finally dawned on Saph that Koko had been born into an incredibly wealthy family. She must've grown up in the lap of luxury.

"The one and only. And my dad was a great investor and contributor to the company–"

At that, Nani snorted derisively.

"Shut your mouth, Nani," Nik said cheerfully. "I'll not have Saph hear any slander about our amazing, legendary father who single-handedly—okay, maybe not single-handedly—but he was largely responsible for Republic City's Golden Age of Technology."

"Get to the point, little brother. Before we die of boredom."

Nik suddenly let go of them and pushed through a set of double doors with a flourish, revealing a large room with a machine in the very middle of it. When the doors closed, the noise behind them dropped off to almost nothing. This area was very quiet, despite the workers milling about. Everyone spoke in hushed tones, comparing notes on clipboards or checking dials and levers.

"Welcome…" Nik began dramatically, his voice booming in the quiet, "to the future!"

"Is this–"

"Yes! It is! I finally figured it out! Which you'd already know if you didn't spend so much time at the medical center, or gallivanting around the world."

"Wow. I– I gotta say, I'm impressed. I thought it was just a pipe dream."

"What is it?" Saph asked, trying to figure out what she was looking at. It was about ten feet wide in the center, with a piece sticking out at each cardinal point. Those sections had a sort of chair built into them and the very middle of the whole thing had a large sphere suspended by a vertical rod.

"The shift from fossil fuel power generation to much cleaner bender-generated electricity was a huge step forward for humanity and technology. I've taken it a step further." He quickly walked into the center of the room and clapped his hands. "Demonstration, people! I want to see a demonstration!"

There was a flurry of activity following his words as everyone took their places around the machine. One person sat in each of the four stations that protruded, and place their palms flat on a surface that had hand-shaped indentations. The others around them began attaching wires up and down their spines, at several points on the front of their torsos, and on their heads.

The room was almost completely silent. Switches were flicked, levers were pulled, dials were spun. Gradually, a low hum began to emanate from the machine. The four main operators, wired into it, had their eyes closed in deep concentration. They seemed to be almost glowing—a faint swirl of gold and deep purple. At first, Saph thought her mind was playing tricks on her, but as the hum grew louder, the glow intensified.

Suddenly, the sphere in the middle began to spin. It started slowly and then picked up speed. Faster and faster. It was rattling on its support, a metallic blur.

Nik let out a maniacal laugh and clapped exuberantly, which seemed to halt the process altogether. The glow vanished and the sphere began to slow down. Everyone involved glanced at him with a faint air of annoyance, though no one said anything.

"Well?" he said, looking at Saph. "What did you think?"

"Um… I– I don't really know what it is. I guess it's…interesting."

"It's a chi-powered generator! Imagine the possibilities! The potential! We could destroy the blue sages one day!"

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Nani said with a faint scoff. "It's impressive, yes, I'll give you that, but it's far from having any practical applications."

"Oh, stop sucking the fun out of it!" He then turned to the others in the room, raising his voice. "Thanks, everyone! That was great! Sorry for annoying you! I'll let you get back to whatever it was you were doing." Then he once again gathered Saph and Nani up with an arm around their shoulders and ushered them out.

"I hope you're not using this project to neglect city maintenance," Nani said reprovingly.

"No, Mother," Nik shot back. "Spirits, I get enough of that from her! Gimme a break! Everything's under control."

Saph couldn't help but chuckle at the way they interacted with each other. Adult thirty-something siblings bickering like children—it was a side of Nani she'd never seen before.

"So, Saph," he said. "How's your firebending coming along? Koko teach you lightning yet? Wanna give the generators a go?"

"Oh, uh… I can't do that yet."

"Well, you can at least check it out, huh? The generator room is just up ahead."

"Nik, wait–" Nani began.

"Oh, relax, worry-wart. It's perfectly safe."

"That's not what I– Oh, never mind," she muttered under her breath.

Saph soon discovered what she meant. The generator room was massive—about three stories tall and covering enough space for dozens of firebenders to provide lightning power from their stations. In the thick of it, hard at work, was a familiar face.

Koko? What in the world is she doing here…?