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Korra

The Avatar whirled, launching a ferocious kick. Her opponent blocked it, and launched a counterattack that she had to vault backwards to avoid. With a flick of her wrist, the sweat on her forehead lifted itself off and flung itself away.

"Come on, you can do better than that surely?" Mako taunted.

Korra snarled, and sent a Boulder flying towards his head; he ducked, and then sent a jet of flame towards her. She thrust her arms out to either side and the flame parted, just in time to see him rushing in with a hand clenched into a fist. Instinctively, Korra braced herself as his arm whistled towards her throat, but he stopped it short.

Korra dropped out of her combat stance. They were both in a training hall in Asami's mansion in Republic City.

"Sorry."

"For what?" Mako straightened up and threw the end of his scarf back over his shoulder. He looked at her quizzically.

"You know what! I'm sorry for not being as good as I could be."

Mako softened. "Don't worry about it," he said. "After the few years you've had, I wouldn't expect anyone to be at the top of their game."

"yeah, but it's bad timing," Korra said. "What with Kuvira going full tyrant and deposing the King."

"We'll deal with Kuvira," Mako said gently. "We always have before."

"What, dealt with Kuvira?"

"No, you know what I mean!" Mako replied playfully. "Just baddies more generally."

"So we're sure Kuvira qualifies as a baddy then?"

"She vanishes people. She qualified long before she got rid of Wu."

Korra sighed. "If... all this... with Zaheer and everything else hadn't happened, the Earth Kingdom thing wouldn't be happening," she declared.

"How?" Mako asked. "What happened to the Earth Queen wasn't your fault."

"Oh, I know," Korra replied. "It's just if I hadn't disappeared Kuvira wouldn't have got the job of clearing up Zaheer's mess. I would have been doing it. Kuvira would still be a lowly security guard in Xaofu and a whole lot of trouble would have been avoided."

"They poisoned you, that's no way to think."

"It's true," Korra challenged.

"It's also not the point," Mako countered. "We're not operating in that ideal world, but in this one, and fantasising about how much easier we would have it if this or that hadn't happened isn't helpful."

Korra was taken back by his forcefulness.

"Sorry," Mako said sheepishly.

"Don't worry," Korra told him. "So what do you suggest we do?"

"I don't know," Mako replied. "Without knowing what Kuvira's up to we can't really plan against her."

"Didn't you spy on her for a couple of weeks?"

"I didn't find out much," Mako stated. "Only the vanishings and the superweapon, and it was Bolin who told me that."

"Where is Bolin?" Korra was suddenly worried.

"Like I said to Lin, I don't know," a look of extreme worry appeared on Mako's face. "I don't even know if Kuvira vanished him or not."

"If she did, we'll find him," Korra promised him as forcefully as she could manage. "We'll find him, and if he's in prison we'll drag him out with as much force as is necessary."

"I hope so," Mako replied. There was a knock on the door.

"Who's that?" Korra wondered as she moved towards it. She opened the door and Tenzin stepped inside.

"Hello," he said. "I saw what happened. Are you alright?"

"I could be better," Korra replied.

"You missed the end of Kuvira's show." He offered.

"Did she say anything good?"

Tenzin shook his head. "But it was a bad crowd by that point anyway."

"Can't think why," Korra muttered.

Tenzin changed the subject.

"I'm sorry for not coming to see you earlier," he said. "We are only just back from Ba Sing Se ourselves."

"That's fine."

"Where are the others?"

"Wu's meeting with the president. Asami didn't tell us where she was going though."

"Oh?" Tenzin looked like he wanted to say something, and then closed his mouth. "Well, if you need anything, then remember we are here for you."

"Thank you," Korra told him awkwardly.

Tenzin coughed, clearly not knowing how to proceed with the conversation, but they were saved when the door opened and Asami entered. There were red patches around her eyes, like she had been crying.

"Tenzin!" She greeted him affably. "It's good to see you! They said you were here."

"I was just checking on Korra," Tenzin told her.

"How are you?" The Avatar asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yes!" Asami replied far too quickly. "Why wouldn't I be alright, of course I'm alright!"

Korra saw Mako raise one eyebrow, looking as unimpressed as she felt with that excuse, but she was just about to drop it when Asami seemed to deflate.

"I'm not alright," she admitted.

"Why not?" Mako asked with concern in his voice.

"I was just at the Republic City prison," Asami revealed. "I was seeing my dad."

She looked at them defiantly.

"And I know you're going to say he's an equalist, but he's still my dad despite that! He desrves a chance!"

"I know," Korra replied gently.

Asami stopped. "What?"

"I agree with you. If he deserves another chance, then give him one," Korra pulled her friend into a hug, which startled Asami.

"I have been trying, the problem is he keeps trying to defend the Equalists. And he won't help me with a problem I've been having."

"What sort of problem?" Mako asked.

"Don't worry, that's nothing too serious, it's just a technical issue," Asami waved a hand.

"What kind of technical issue?" Tenzin asked. "Maybe it could take your minds off your other worries? I know when I'm worrying, doing something else helps."

"Yeah, what he said," Korra pointed to him.

Asami sighed. "Korra, I don't want to blow my own trumpet but this is a matter of urgent national security, even more so with Kuvira on the loose. I can't just go around telling all my friends about it."

She paused for a second.

"I can show you though."

A crooked grin spread across Korra's face.