What in the world is she doing here…? Saph wondered silently.
"Man, I love it when Koko visits!" Nik said with a wide grin. "She's such a powerhouse!" A loud whistle sounded from somewhere above and he laughed after a quick glance at a device on his wrist. "Wow, that's gotta be a new record! Daily req met two hours early! We haven't been this close since…well, since the last time she was here. She must be really worked up about something."
"Saph, stay here with Nik for a minute," Nani said. "I'll be right back."
Saph glanced at her, mildly alarmed; she wasn't too keen on being left alone with this wildcard of a man. But Nani had already started to cross the room towards Koko, who was wiping her reddened, sweaty face with a rag.
"Does she never cover her tattoo when she's here?" Saph wondered aloud, though she hadn't really meant to verbalize the thought.
"Nah. Most people here know about it, even if the details of her…mysterious past aren't public knowledge."
"They aren't afraid of her?"
Nik laughed enthusiastically. "Oh, they're definitely afraid of her! Personally, I think she likes it that way."
Saph returned her attention to Koko and Nani, wishing she knew what they were saying. It didn't appear to be an argument—at least, not a heated one. Koko seemed disgruntled, but that was pretty much her natural state most of the time.
After a minute or so, Nani turned around and beckoned with her finger.
Oh, boy… Saph thought, dragging her feet. This wasn't a conversation she was looking forward to. It was going to be horribly awkward and she couldn't make herself meet Koko's eyes, instead looking to Nani for help.
"Koko has something she'd like to say to you."
The declaration made Koko turn to her friend with a scowl, but Nani stood her ground with an expectant look on her face, eyebrows raised and arms crossed. Once again, they seemed to have a silent conversation.
"Alright, alright. Geez…" Koko grumbled under her breath with a defeated air. "I don't need you hovering over me."
"Fine." Nani gave her one last firm look and walked away, though she spared an encouraging smile for Saph.
"So, uh, listen…" Koko began slowly. Gone was her usual briskness. "Last night you saw a side of me that I'm not proud of."
"Oh, er…" Saph became very interested in a nearby black smudge on the floor. "It's okay…"
"No, it's not. I've been told I'm a mean drunk." She sighed softly, a note of frustration in her voice. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
"Okay... Thanks."
"I'm not saying that just to make you feel better." The frustration was more pronounced now and her usual sharpness had returned. "I know Nani's kind of taken over here, but I'm still responsible for you and I take that seriously. So I won't put myself in the position to lose control again." But she hesitated a moment before adding, "I…don't want you to be afraid of me."
Nik's words echoed in Saph's mind. 'Oh, they're definitely afraid of her! I think she likes it that way.'
She finally looked up at Koko and offered a tentative smile. In return, she received a solemn nod. Better than nothing… "So, um," Saph began as they headed back to where Nani and Nik were waiting. "Do you work here?" It seemed so odd to think of someone like her having a regular job like a regular person.
"Only when I need to blow off steam."
Nik sidled over to them with his hands in his pockets and a stupid grin on his face. "Hey, Koko. Nice shift. We set a new speed record today, thanks to you, so congrats! Always a pleasure when you grace us with your electric presence."
"Good to know," she grunted.
Saph glanced over at Nani, a little confused by the interaction; Nani just rolled her eyes dramatically.
"As always, the offer to join me for dinner tonight still stands," Nik continued with an overconfident smirk. "You deserve a relaxing evening after all your hard work here."
It was nothing Saph ever could've expected to come out of anyone's mouth in the general direction of Koko. Surely… Surely there was something else going on than what appeared to be…?
"I beg you to bother someone else," Koko deadpanned before sauntering away.
"Your hair looks especially lovely today!" he called after her, though he seemed to be choking down a laugh. Probably because Koko's braid was kind of a mess, at the moment.
"Oh, give it a rest," Nani said with exasperation.
One last soft snort escaped him. "But she's so fun to mess with."
"She's gonna snap one day and clobber you. And you'll deserve it."
Unable to get a word in edgewise, Saph just listened to their banter in silence, reflecting that Nik must be a brave man to taunt Koko like that. Either brave or stupid…
"Hey, I've got something for you in my office," he said to his sister, more serious now. "C'mon."
"Where did Koko go?" Saph asked as the three of them began to walk through the compound. It was hard not to be curious about what someone like her did when she wasn't in survival mode—besides get drunk and shoot lightning for hours, of course.
Nik scoffed. "Probably to the bar to have a few drinks."
"No, she said she wouldn't anymore."
He looked at Saph sideways. "Did she, now? Fascinating. You know, I can't say I've ever seen her bond with anyone new so quickly. You should feel honored."
"She's not as cold as you make her out to be," Nani said with a long-suffering sigh.
"I believe the exact phrase I used was 'frigid bitch'. Honestly, she'd probably thaw out a little if she got laid–"
Saph didn't know what that meant, but she was sure it was wildly inappropriate based on Nani gasping and smacking his arm in disgust.
"Oh, calm down," said with a dramatic eye roll. "I think present company will survive overhearing a little crudeness. I mean, don't tell me Ms. Midwife Extraordinaire hasn't given her 'The Talk' yet? All things considered…"
"Of course I have! That doesn't mean you can say crap like that in front of her! Or at all! Spirits, that was so uncalled for. What is wrong with you? Do you have a death wish?!"
"Apparently," Nik choked out, howling now. "If Koko doesn't kill me, you will!"
It was starting to irritate Saph, listening to them talk like she wasn't even there—much less about topics she was definitely not comfortable discussing. It was pretty clear to her now what he'd meant before. "Can we talk about something else?" she asked. "And, you know, include me in the conversation, maybe?"
Nik laughed even louder. "What a mouth! You've got fire in you."
"Well, I am a firebender."
"Hah! Good point! Well, my sincerest apologies." He gave her a sweeping bow mid-stride. "What would you like to talk about? What do you like to do with your time? Any hobbies? Going out with friends? Doing your hair?"
He continued to rattle off a series of inane topics until Nani smacked him again.
"Are you capable of shutting up for even five seconds?"
"Probably not."
Needless to say, it was a tiresome journey to his office. Five minutes had never felt so much like eternity.
When they arrived, the first thing Saph noticed was that Nik was not the tidy person his sister was. One side of the large room had a large wooden desk covered in loose, messy paperwork and an odd black box on one side. Several metal desks and shelves lined the far wall, all manner of mysterious contraptions filling them. And the floor. She had to watch her step not to trip over anything.
On the other side of the room were several full bookcases, a leather sofa, two leather chairs, a tea table and…something she didn't have a name for on another low table against the wall.
"What's that?" she asked, pointing.
"That," he said with a grin, "is a television! I managed to save a handful of movers and a few other videos. I'll show you how it works in a minute, if you want. Right now, I need to show you this prototype, Nani."
Saph tuned them out for a little while and wandered around to study some of Nik's curiosities. On a little table by the sofa, she found an inscrutable rectangular object about a foot wide. It was made from plastic—a material she knew was from the old days. Perhaps they could make such things here, or it was something saved from before the comet.
The texture was different on the ends—softer, almost like cloth but stretched tight—and the center had several buttons that she tentatively pressed, though nothing happened.
Hm… Maybe it's broken.
"Saph, wait here for a minute," Nani said. "We'll be right back."
"Okay."
Once alone, she went back to investigating the contents of the table. There was a much smaller and flatter rectangle with even more buttons. She pressed a couple of them, not really expecting anything to happen, but then she noticed a larger red one near the top labeled 'power'. It seemed important…
The television suddenly flickered to life and Saph jumped in surprise. There were…people! On the screen! It was just like how Gran had described movers, except everyone seemed frozen in place. Even so, it was incredible. Saph crept closer to investigate, ultimately kneeling down right in front of it.
There must be more to it. After all, people should actually move in movers. She studied the buttons until finding one labeled 'play'; that seemed like a logical choice and pressing it gave the desired effect. The miniaturized figures on the screen came to life all at once.
She was transfixed. Enraptured. A silent but exciting scene played out before her eyes: Two teams of four benders—one for each element—were battling each other on a suspended stage. In the background, cheering spectators could be seen, though not clearly. The focus was instead on the fast-paced action.
Stone discs flew and crashed into their victims. Water and fire swirled around in a complicated dance while invisible currents of air swept one fighter off his feet. In the center of it all was a familiar face.
Familiar…but much younger and tattooless. Even through the helmet, she was recognizable.
The mover was fixated on her, tracking her as if she were the star of the show. And perhaps she was, because she was ferocious. The force of her bending, her agility, her speed… It was difficult to pay attention to anyone else.
And yet, Saph could see that the three others on her side of the ring were nearly as skilled, if not quite as ruthless. They worked together flawlessly, pushing the other team back and back until they were knocked off the end of the platform.
"Clever girl," a voice behind her said.
Saph jumped, then turned sheepishly to see Nik standing in the doorway. "Er…where's Nani?"
"Bathroom. I see you've figured out how to use the television."
He approached and held his hand out. After a moment of confusion, Saph realized he wanted the device she was holding.
"Oh… Uh, here."
He took it from her and pushed a button, which halted the action on the screen. It froze on an image of the victors celebrating with each other in the center of the platform. Koko had her fist in the air and wore a radiant, triumphant smile.
It was hard for Saph to pull her gaze away from something so unusual, but she did so to find a fascinating expression on Nik's face. He continued to stare at the screen for a few long moments.
"It was their first championship win." He finally looked at Saph, his usual jaunty grin returning. "I'm sure you recognize everyone's favorite firebender with a mean streak, and the waterbender is her sister, Anisa. They were just a little older than you are now—the stars of a rookie team that smashed its way to the top. Not that anyone was surprised, considering who trained them."
Saph looked back at the television, filled with a need to commit the unlikely image to memory. "That's pro-bending?"
"Yep. She loved it. She was so competitive. I'm sure that must shock you," he added sardonically.
Hearing so much about Koko's younger self was new and strange. It was like she was a completely different person.
"I've never seen her smile before," Saph mused, only realizing it just now.
"Well… Don't hold your breath," he said with a chuckle. Then the image vanished, the screen flashing before going black. "I made that video, myself. I'd just finished building the camera and wanted to test it out."
"Saph?" Nani said from the door, drawing her attention. "You ready to go?"
They said goodbye to Nik and left just as Saph's stomach started rumbling and grumbling.
"Don't worry," Nani said with a laugh. "We're going to get something to eat now!"
"Thank the Spirits."
"You need a real meal. I'm afraid I haven't been a very good host so far, and I can't say I have the energy to go home and cook right now, but I can at least take you to a restaurant. It's not far."
Ten minutes later, they arrived and Saph got to have another new experience: To sit down and order whatever her heart—and stomach—desired from the available items on the menu, then have someone serve it to her like she was royalty.
All the while, she kept thinking about the pro-bending mover—or more specifically, how Nik had spoken of it. How he had gazed at its images.
"You look very serious," Nani said with a teasing smile.
Saph shrugged. "Just thinking."
"What about?"
"Do you really wanna know?" she asked mischievously.
"I do now."
"Okay, well… I think your brother is in love with Koko."
Nani choked on her water and coughed forcefully several times, though it soon turned to laughter. "Oh, Saph. Heh. No. No, no. You have to understand, that's just how he is. He loves winding people up to get a reaction."
"He has a mover on his television of her doing pro-bending. I saw it when you guys left the room. He said he made it himself, and it followed her the whole time."
Nani chuckled, still coughing a little and clearing her throat. "I've seen it. It's true that he used to have a little crush on her when we were younger. She was never interested. I think that's why he continues to mess with her, knowing it irritates her."
Saph wasn't convinced; she knew what she'd seen. "He had it on the television, like he watches it often. I only had to push one button and it was right there. And…he looks at her the same way Dad looks at Mom."
At that, Nani had no retort. She just tilted her head with a curious smile. "Well…" she said finally. "Regardless, it doesn't matter. Koko would never entertain that possibility."
"Why not? She likes women instead?"
Nani blinked a couple of times before answering. "No. She- Well, she doesn't really...date. And even if she did, it wouldn't be Nik, even if he were the last man on earth."
"She seems lonely," Saph murmured. Deep in thought, she idly ran her finger through the water that had condensed on the table from her glass. "I think he was right about her being kind of cold. I bet she'd be happier if she opened up to people."
"She does, in her own way. It's just not–" A familiar beeping noise interrupted her and she glanced at that device on her hip. This time, her face fell, instantly going pale. "Oh, no…"
"What? What's wrong?"
"I need to get to the medical center. I don't have time to take you home first so you'll have to come with me and wait there."
They left quickly without even finishing their meal. Nani was practically jogging out the door, her face etched with worry. Saph herself was beginning to panic.
"What's happened, Nani? Is– Is it Shylo?" She could barely choke out the words.
"No, it's not about him, don't worry. There's a patient who just went into labor several weeks early. It's not my case but they usually bring me in to assist with emergencies if I'm here."
Saph let out a relieved sigh as she hurried along at Nani's side. Nothing to worry about, then. Just some woman she didn't know. "What should I do? How long will it take?"
"I won't know until I get there. But…I think I can arrange for you to visit Shylo if you want, even though he should still be sedated. I'm sorry, but this could potentially take hours. Ugh, wish I knew where Koko was…"
"I don't need a babysitter, you know."
Nani made a tsk noise. "I didn't mean it like that. I just don't want you to be bored. And like any other place where many people live in close proximity to each other, this city isn't completely without crime. I won't let you wander around alone."
It occurred to Saph for the first time ever that perhaps Nani wasn't simply the warm, gentle, motherly person she'd always known. After all, she frequently traveled between Oldtown and Dao-Shu—and who knew where else. It stood to reason that she was a competent fighter, despite never having displayed such skills to Saph.
"Have you ever killed anyone?" Saph found herself blurting. All she could think of was how Koko had responded to threats during their journey—swiftly and without restraint.
Nani put on the brakes hard, a shocked and baffled look on her face. "Wh– Where did that come from?"
"I dunno…" Saph kicked a pebble at her feet. "I was just thinking about how you're so protective and how you've probably had to fight blue sages before, since you travel a lot. And, well… They don't exactly back down from a fight."
She didn't get an answer right away. Instead, Nani sped up again and Saph had to trot to keep up.
"It helps if you don't provoke them," Nani finally said in a tight voice, though that seemed to be the extent of her willingness to share.
At the medical center, Saph was given into the care of a man named Jurimo after a hasty farewell from Nani and promises to be updated on the situation as soon as possible.
"Your friend is responding well to the treatment," Jurimo said as they walked. "We'll probably wean him off the sedative tomorrow morning."
Not long after, they arrived at a small room with a narrow bed sticking out from one wall. Shylo was there, unconscious, with tubes and wires attached to him and several machines that whirred and beeped on either side of the bed. Saph approached slowly, a little afraid. He looked peaceful enough, his chest rising and falling at regular intervals.
"Do you like to read?" Jurimo asked. "I can get some books in here for you while you wait for Nani. It might be a while."
"Can you get some snacks, too?"
"Sure thing," he replied with a smile before taking his leave with a slight bow.
There was a chair near the bed and Saph pulled it over to sit next to Shylo. She crossed her arms on the edge of the bed and rested her chin on her fists, lost in thought.
Since being kidnapped in Dao-Shu, she'd bounced from one peril to another. And now she was here with Nani. Safe. Comfortable. But…Koko would probably be leaving soon. Would she wait for Shylo to be better? She'd asked him to go with her, after all. She must've had a reason. Would she want Saph to go with her, too?
It was far from the first time the question had been silently posed. Saph didn't really want to anymore. What was the point? She missed seeing Yin every night, and she missed her family. Nani was great, but she wasn't Mom or Dad—wasn't either of the people whose presence Saph now knew she had taken for granted.
An hour passed. She knew it because there was a clock on the wall—which Nani had taught her how to read—that ticked incessantly. It was hard to block out, as the only other sounds in the room were coming from the machines that Shylo was hooked up to.
The snacks Jurimo brought were gone quickly and Saph settled in to read one of the books provided, lying on her stomach across a low table that sat on the other side of the room. It was a story about a group of kids solving a mystery to find their lost dog; she tossed it aside after only two chapters, already bored silly, and rolled over onto her back to stare up at the ceiling.
Sore, stiff muscles prompted her to slide back and let her head and shoulders hang off the table. It was a stretch she'd always found comfortable, frequently doing it at home whenever she had a chance to lounge around in bed. Her dad had always teased her about it, calling her a goose ferret.
The ticking of the clock began to make Saph sleepy while the blood rushing to her head created an odd but familiar thickness in her thoughts. Something between sleep and wakefulness crept in without her even noticing.
Once again, the meadow seemed unusual in some way, though Saph couldn't quite put her finger on how or why. But Yin was there, still faint but clearer than she had been since leaving Dao-Shu. Saph hurried over to sit in front of her. More than ever before, she wished she could reach out and hug her friend.
"I thought you were gone forever," she breathed. "Every time I see you, it's like you're farther and farther away. I'm so scared that if I keep going, I'll never see you again. I wish I could go back to Dao-Shu and have everything go back to normal. Not just with you, but with Mom and Dad and Lia. I'd even babysit her as much as they want! I don't care anymore. I just want to be with them. And you, too."
She felt a distinct stubbornness emanate from Yin, just like in Jupa. Don't stop moving, don't go back.
"But why? I don't get it, Yin. You're not making any sense. I feel like you're pushing me away. Is that what you're trying to say?" Saph felt the tears begin to stream down her face. Never had Yin agitated her this much. "Am I too old to have an 'imaginary friend'?" she said bitterly.
You will find me again.
The words rattled through her mind in a profoundly unsettling way—her own thought, yet…not. That hadn't ever happened before.
"Do you promise?" Saph asked in a shaky voice. But she received no answer. Yin simply remained as she always was, the comforting aura returning. "Al– Alright. I'll try to be brave. I'm very afraid. But I trust you. I'll come find you."
Returning to consciousness was different this time. On some level, Saph had been aware of her position the whole time—aware of that heady feeling of blood pooling in her skull. It was more intense than before, and quite uncomfortable now, so she rolled over and pushed herself up.
That turned out to be a bad move because she immediately fell off the table, overcome by momentary dizziness.
"Ow…"
Lying there on the cold tiles, contemplating her dream, a new theory began to sprout in her mind. She wondered if maybe she hadn't always suspected it on some subconscious level.
What if… What if Yin is actually Avatar Korra? Or the new Avatar? What if that's why she wants me to find her, because she's captured and needs help? What if…I can see her because I'm…special somehow?
Perhaps it was just a fantasy, but it was one that gave her newfound confidence. The thought of playing a part in helping the Avatar fix this broken world she lived in was something she couldn't immediately discard, despite the fear of what it could mean for her own life.
Sleepiness overwhelmed her as she lay there and she drifted off again—this time without any dreams. Eventually, the persistent beeping of the machines by Shylo's bed brought her back to consciousness. She had to rub the blurriness from her eyes several times before her vision cleared enough to determine that several hours had passed.
Her stomach grumbled loudly in the quiet. It was past dinnertime and her body knew it. Just as she was about to stick her head out in the hall to find someone and request food, the door opened.
"Hey," Nani said with a tired smile. "Sorry that took so long."
"I had a nap," Saph replied through a big yawn.
"I can see that. I know you're probably starving again, but I want to show you something before we go home. C'mon."
Nani led her down several hallways and finally into a large room with a few people tending to babies who were enclosed under round, clear bubbles that sat on top of little individual carts. Everything was so crisp and clean. And quiet. No crying.
"Over here. Look. He was just born, almost five weeks early. But he's doing well."
Saph stared at the little sleeping body, his arms and legs moving fitfully. Narrow tubes connected his body to a machine on the cart. "He's so small."
"You were even smaller," Nani said, her voice barely above a whisper.
It made Saph instantly curious; Nani had never talked about her birth before. "What was it like? When I was born?"
They both continued to stand side by side, looking at the baby in silence for several long seconds. Finally, Nani spoke.
"It was terrifying. I was barely out of my apprenticeship, but deeply invested in the case since I'd taken in your parents, so the senior midwife let me assist. We didn't–" Her voice began to quaver and she cleared her throat. "We didn't think you were going to make it. But…you held on." She wrapped her arm tightly around Saph's shoulders and sniffed faintly. "My little miracle baby. It's a day I'll never forget."
They stood there in silence for a little while. It was comfortable and peaceful, despite the heaviness of their conversation. Then Nani turned and gave her a weak smile.
"Let's go home."
Neither spoke on the walk over. For her part, Saph was consumed with the images conjured up by Nani's story. She tried to picture herself as a tiny newborn, her parents both younger than she was now, but it was impossible. Had they been as scared as Nani? Surely, they had been—if not more.
It had never been clearer to her that she almost certainly would've died if they hadn't gone to Zaofu.
Once home, Nani sat her down on the couch and fixed her with a determined look. "Listen," she said in a voice that seemed meant to soothe. "I've been doing a lot of thinking these last couple of days and I've decided the best thing to do is to take you back to Jupa and convince your parents to come as well. Then you can all be together."
Nani had never been a disciplinarian in Saph's life. She was more like a fun aunt—a trusted confidante, a partner in crime. They'd never had a serious argument that Saph could remember. Nani was always firm but gentle with her, and Saph always did what she said. As such, forcing the word out wasn't easy—not least because the thought of seeing her family again was so appealing.
"No."
"Excuse me?" Nani said, her eyebrows shooting up. An unfamiliar hard look spread across her face. "'No'?"
Saph quailed at the inevitable confrontation, but thinking of her recent encounter with Yin helped her to gather her courage and she stuck her chin out stubbornly. "I'm going with Koko." Even so, her voice shook.
The hurt and pain that suddenly appeared in Nani's eyes were almost too much to bear. Anger would've been better. But she just gently cupped Saph's cheek. "You've really grown up, haven't you? You're not a little girl anymore."
The tears came then—first from Saph and then from Nani. She didn't even know why she was crying. There was just so much emotion assaulting her, between fear of the unknown, knowing she would have to say goodbye to Nani, not seeing her family for an indefinite period of time, and—worst of all—actually wanting to go back to Jupa but battling Yin's pressure for her to move forward.
Nani hugged her tightly where they sat until both composed themselves, then pushed her to arm's length and wiped Saph's tears with her thumbs. "You're scared, aren't you?"
"Yeah."
"Why do you even want to do this? You would be safe and comfortable in Jupa." Her eyes were full of pleading. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."
Saph was reluctant to explain the dream, still trying to process and accept her new theory. "Koko will protect me."
"But why?" Nani pressed with furrowed brows.
There was no avoiding it. Saph knew she deserved an explanation—or at least, a partial one. "I have to find Yin."
The answer seemed to surprise Nani. She leaned back a little, blinking. "Yin? What do you mean 'find her'?"
"It's hard to explain," Saph muttered. She stared at the floor, unable to meet Nani's eyes.
There was a prolonged silence in which Saph's heart pounded in her ears. It was so embarrassing, having to verbalize this. Finally, Nani took hold of her head and made her look up.
"I'm not going to force you to go to Jupa, okay? Koko was right—you're old enough to choose your own path. I won't pretend to like it, but I accept it. But I need you to help me understand."
"That's just it," Saph said with a helpless shrug. "I don't understand, either. Yin's just…always been there. But it's different now, like she's far away. I know I sound crazy, or like– like a little kid talking about nonsense. I know it. I don't even care anymore." It wasn't true; she absolutely did care, but she was in too deep to stop now.
Nani's hands fell to Saph's shoulders. "Are you sure she's not just fading away because you're growing up?" It sounded a lot like she wanted that to be true, but it was hard to hear the thought spoken aloud.
"She told me I would find her," Saph said stubbornly, refusing to accept anything other than what she felt in her bones.
"I thought–" Nani frowned in confusion. "I thought you said she doesn't speak?"
"She didn't physically say it. I just… I can't explain it. I'm sorry." An idea then occurred to her that she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of before. "You could come with us! Then you'll see. And you wouldn't worry about me."
But Nani just shook her head sadly. "I wish I could, but I have a lot of responsibilities. And I need to go to Dao-Shu and let your parents know what's going on."
"Why don't you just send them a letter?"
"Well…" Nani said after a brief hesitation. "They deserve to hear it in person. It won't be easy news for them." There was more than a hint of reproval in her voice that Saph didn't miss.
"You won't guilt me into changing my mind."
"Oh, I know," Nani said with a wry laugh. "You're nothing if not stubborn. The stories your mother has told me… How you'd follow your father off a cliff, blindfolded, but Spirits forbid she tells you to make your bed…"
Saph rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "You're exaggerating."
They both laughed, but it dropped off after a few seconds. A sober silence settled between them. Saph knew what Nani was thinking; she was thinking it too.
"So…" Nani said heavily. "You're really going to go?"
Saph took a deep breath, hands trembling. "Yes."