Prologue:

Mako was seated in his office, nose-deep in paperwork, when a strange, invisible wave made the fur on his spine to stand on end. His tail twitched as he pulled his eyes from his papers to assess what was wrong because something was very, very wrong.

"Chief?" Shizuku noticed his strained expression from where she was sitting across the desk from him. Whatever drew his attention, was outside her normal senses. A moment later, the door swung open and an officer hung on the knob with a grim expression across their brow.

"You both need to hear this."

The couple stepped out of the office into the main bullpen where the entire precinct was silent, eyes and ears focused on the radio. A reporter's flat tone broke the normal programming.

"…I repeat. The Avatar is dead—"

Those were the only words Shizuku needed to hear. Her attention instantly shifted to her longtime husband. That's why he had been acting strange. He had sensed Avatar Korra's death before it had even hit the airwaves.

Beside her, he was completely still. The news had rendered him inert. Panic cried out deep inside her. She knew how important Korra had been to him, how important she still was. He couldn't be here. He needed to leave. The other officers warily watched as she took him by the shoulders, heat already radiating from his skin beneath his uniform, and escorted him outside; an empty husk in her hands.

The Deceiver was already waiting for them on the street. The great white fox spirit had arrived unheeded, ever attuned to their friend's needs. Their nine tails drifted behind them in an invisible breeze while she rushed the Chief to them.

"Get him out of here," she ordered the large fox. The Deceiver didn't need to be told twice. They carefully grabbed Mako between their jaws and raced away.

Pedestrians scattered along the streets as the large spirit sprinted through the city. While they ran, the heat that was emanating from Mako's body quickly blistered their tongue. They ignored the pain as they focused on their destination. Boats rocked in their moorings as they stampeded over the docks and headed to the open ocean beyond.

Waves passed beneath the Deceiver's feet as they ran until they finally came to a stop at a tiny, deserted island miles away. Saliva slid off their tongue, coating Mako, as they deposited him in the middle of the isle.

Mako clutched his sides as he desperately tried to contain himself. Any slobber still stuck to him boiled away as his temperature rose.

"Thank you," were the only words he spared the spirit.

The Deceiver gave a silent nod in response before they fled from the island.

Mako shook while he gave the spirit time to escape until he couldn't hold it in any longer. He turned his face to the sky and screamed, releasing all his anguish in a massive Firebending tornado. The few birds and animals that called the island home, fled to the sea as the blue flames twisted around; expanding until they consumed everything.

I don't recall if I agreed with the Red Lotus when they said the world didn't need the Avatar. That it was better off without one. I did know that, whether the world needed them or not, the Avatar didn't deserve to die for that belief. It was part of the reason I helped fight so hard to protect Korra. That, and the fact that she was always someone very dear to me.

After her premature death, and the sixteen years that followed, the world continued on as it always had. It made me question if the Red Lotus had been right all those years ago. Although I still don't believe the Avatar cycle should be ended, did the world really need the Avatar?

Chapter 1: The New Avatar

Mako let his long, blue scaled tail fall to the floor as he seated himself in his office. The walls were decorated with newspaper articles and accolades; highlights from his many years of service. He wasn't one to boast about his accomplishments but Shizuku insisted they be displayed. He simply hadn't stopped her.

His desk had his more personal pictures, family and friends both old and new. These he had placed himself. He was looking them over when his phone rang. Awfully early for anyone to be calling. He hadn't even gotten his first cup of coffee yet.

"Chief Mako," he stated into the receiver. An official voice came over the line. While he listened, Shizuku entered the office. She placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of him before sitting down with her own mug. He secretly blamed her for getting him addicted to the stuff. She sat quietly in her seat while the conversation unfolded.

He didn't say much over the line, only the occasional "okay" being his end of the conversation. Once the speaker was finished, he slowly hung up the phone, his face somber. Shizuku didn't need to ask. It was "the call."

He slowly removed his glasses and set them on the desk.

"That was the assistant to the President of the Earth Republic. They're having a banquet for the new Avatar and want me there to endorse him," he explained. The weight of the conversation smothered the room.

It had been sixteen years since Avatar Korra's passing. It had happened when a group of Earth Kingdom dissidents had attempted to assassinate the incumbent president. The new president had survived the explosion—Korra didn't. It had been a sad day for the world but especially hard for those closest to her including him. When he had heard the news, Shizuku had the Deceiver take him to a deserted island outside of the city. There he released all his grief in a massive Firebending explosion which turned all the flora, and any fauna unfortunate enough to be caught in the backlash, to ash. The island was still recovering.

They had been around fifty at the time which meant he was pushing mid-sixties. He had a swath of grey at the base of his black hair but otherwise he looked closer to forty. One of the "perks" of being half-spirit. The other indicator of his age were his horns which started at his forehead and curved backwards similar to an "s" shape over his hair. When he'd turned fifty, the sliver branches had grown short tines near the tip. According to Aki, his doctor since "the incident," it was something that happened when certain horns…matured. It had been terribly painful, like the bone branches were teething. He remembered being down for three days with a fever so extreme, he'd accidentally burned Shizuku when she was trying to care for him.

Meanwhile, his wife and second-in-command, wore her age gracefully. The petite, blue-eyed woman's hair had long since greyed and wrinkles creased her face but she was still attractive. Of course to him she would always be beautiful, but it was a reminder that he would probably outlive her along with most of his loved ones. It was something he tried hard not to dwell on.

"S, So they're not sure they found the new Avatar," Shizuku stated calmly as she sipped her coffee. She continued when he raised a confused eyebrow at her. "If, if they were certain it was the Avatar, they wouldn't need you to endorse them. A, A demonstration of all four elements would be all they'd need." She had a point. "Is this event a plus one?"

"He didn't say, though I doubt they would turn away The Fetchling's wife," he affectionately smiled at her.

"That's okay. Y, You know how I feel about Fetchling business anyway," she replied with a playful smile, taking her escape. He knew she disliked attending the public appearances that occasionally circled around him as The Fetchling almost as much as he did. She'd definitely go if he asked but only if he asked. He decided to let her off the hook this time.

"Good, because it sounds like they're expecting me to attend the press conference when they announce the Avatar to the world, so it may be a few days. I'm going to need you here to make sure this place doesn't fall apart while I'm gone," he said, finally getting to his first sips of coffee.

"I'm the only one keeping this place together," she teased, though it wasn't far from the truth. Mako didn't know what he, or this precinct, would do without her.

Mako watched out the window as his limo pulled up to the front gates of the Earth Palace. Once residence to the Earth King, it was now an over-the-top banquet hall. A sea of people: reporters, paparazzi, fanatics—had all gathered at the grandiose steps and were swarming like buzzard-wasps to get something from The Fetchling. It was ironic considering how, in the beginning, no one wanted anything to do with him; seeing only a half-spirit monster.

It had been a long, slow process getting the people of Republic City to accept a Fetchling, the term adopted from the spirits, as Chief of Police. Otherwise, the world at large still saw him as a monster. That tune changed after Korra's death. Practically overnight, the White Lotus had come crawling to him to help maintain peace between the nations. They'd barely even given him time to grieve. Their reasoning was that since he was half-spirit, it made him similar enough to the Avatar that he could take her place until the next reincarnation was found and trained. He staunchly refused and managed to stay out of the political strife. He would assist if, and only if, spirits were directly involved. He was no world leader, nor did he want to be. He was content with his position as Chief of the Republic City Police. Being The Fetchling, the connection between humans and spirits, was secondary. The firm position hadn't won him any political allies.

He sighed as he scanned the crowd packed behind barriers. The reporters and photographers he could understand; they were looking for a story. It was the fanatics, many that wanted to be a Fetchling like him, that really bothered him. Yes, getting cursed had made him the most powerful Firebender in the world. Yes, he had gained spiritual abilities similar to Airbenders. Yes, he could run faster than the average person, but nobody saw the drawbacks. The muscle collapse after using his full speed. The cuts his lips and inside of his cheeks endured from his fangs. The sore neck from carrying twelve pounds of horns around every day. How his spine was essentially destroyed from his scales, fur, and tail. The sleepless nights from his additional features. Lastly, the litany of pills and vitamins he had to take on a daily basis after being cursed. It was't easy being half-spirit.

"Yuku." Mako addressed the dandelion spirit that was riding with him.

Though he had left Shizuku behind, he did bring Yuku and Tema. The dandelion and fox spirits were two of the first spirits he had befriended after being cursed. They often traveled with him on Fetchling business and served as guardians and companions. The public practically expected it since it was rare he was seen outside of Republic City without them. Mostly because Tema wouldn't allow it. If he didn't know any better, he would swear the fox spirit had separation anxiety.

"Okay Mako!" Yuku exuberantly replied.

Mako rolled his window down a crack. Having done it multiple times, Yuku didn't need to be told what was expected. The spirit seeped out the window like water through a straw, and soon dandelion seeds filled the air as the fluff extended itself. They floated gently over the crowd who responded with "oohs" and "awws" until they realized what was really happening. The seeds were a cover which allowed Mako to escape from the limo mostly unseen; the collar of his coat covering as much of his face as possible. Despite accepting his nature as a Fetchling, he didn't like his picture taken. That rite was reserved for his family alone. Hands waved frantically to clear the tiny white umbrellas as photographers lost the rare opportunity to get images of The Fetchling. Any that tried got little more than his horns or the white-furred tip of his tail that peeked out from his long coat in the haze.

He marched up the steps until mid-way where he was greeted by a squat man with a receding hairline. The assistant. The man's lime-green eyes were nearly the same color as his pressed, green-trimmed suit.

"Thank you for coming Fetchling," the man said cordially, his hand extended in greeting. Mako grasped it firmly and gave it a quick shake. "My name is Shouma. I'll be your liaison for this evening's events. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."

"Thank you. And no need for the title. You can call me Mako or Chief Mako if you insist," he replied, his back still resolutely turned to the constant closing of shutters. It wasn't that he hated the title of Fetchling, he just preferred to be thought of as Mako first. During the brief greeting, Yuku and Tema had caught up to him.

"You brought your spirit companions. How delightful!" Shouma gleefully clapped his hands together. "I thought we could start by getting some pic—"

Mako didn't wait for the end of that sentence. He continued resolutely up the stairs, leaving the assistant to do a double-take, before the man bound up the steps to catch him.

Inside the building was much more quiet with only the staff running around as they prepared for the coming banquet. A few did pause from their tasks to gawk at him. After all, it wasn't every day that The Fetchling was in the Earth Republic. Any staff that did linger too long were quickly admonished by their superiors and forced to return to their duties.

While he was staring over the vast foyer, the assistant arrived.

"Your room is this way," the man directed through labored breaths, still reeling from the denied photo-op.

Mako followed Shouma through the jade colored corridors until the man stopped at a pair of double-doors. He swung the doors in revealing an opulent guest room. A large banister bed sat against one wall adjacent to a desk decorated with gold trim. Positioned next to it was a matching, cushioned chair. They looked like the original furnishings from when it was still the Earth Palace. In stark contrast, the room also had one of those new color Televiewers that everyone seemed to be getting these days, atop a chest of drawers. It was probably the second-finest room in the former palace, the first likely reserved for the new Avatar. Even after all these years, Mako didn't enjoy being treated in such high regard. Mostly because it only happened whenever world leaders wanted something from him—like now. Yuku had no reservations however. The fluff quickly zipped into the room and buried himself beneath the many pillows on the king-sized bed.

"Social hour begins at six with the banquet starting at eight. You are, of course, free to do as you wish in the meantime," the liaison explained, holding his breath that the accommodations were to The Fetchling's liking.

"I'll be there," Mako simply replied. He placed his suitcase on the floor while he casually took-in his surroundings. That seemed to be enough confirmation for the other man.

"Very good. Then I will see you later this evening," Shouma replied. He gave a deep bow as he scooted backwards out the doors.

Six o'clock found Mako still getting ready in the bathroom. It always took him longer to look Fetchling presentable, especially without Shizuku. Horns and scales had to be polished, hair and fur combed, especially the large tassel at the end of his tail.

He hadn't planned on being exactly on time anyway, preferring to be fashionably late, but the fur at the base of his tail was causing problems. It was never easy to reach and there was a large tangle he'd been fighting with for at least fifteen minutes. At this rate, he'd miss the banquet entirely.

"Let me help you with that."

As if he'd thought her into existence, Shizuku stepped into the bathroom. She grabbed the comb from his hand and began pulling at the knot. He frowned down at the woman he knew wasn't his wife.

"I've told you not to do that Tema," he scolded the disguised spirit.

"Oh hush and let me help," Tema replied, sounding exactly like Shizuku right down to her inflection. It was uncanny. The only thing missing was her stutter. The spirit patiently picked at the white fur while he stood still, his twitching tail the only indicator of his annoyance. He did let them finish however even if he wasn't happy with the impersonation. It needed to be fixed after all. With the fur neatly straightened, Tema went back to the bed while he took care of the final touches.

For the evening events, he had chosen a dark, three-piece suit as his attire. It was meant to keep his Fetchling affiliation as neutral as possible. Colors as much as styles often identified the dignitaries at these events. Several times the Fire Nation had tried to lean on the fact that he was a Firebender to insinuate that any assistance should be to them first. It was a stance he had firmly refuted. Firebender or no, he was a citizen of the United Republic, thus, any allegiance went there first.

While they waited, Tema reverted to their six-tailed, humanoid form. As of late, the spirit had been using a more feminine appearance with a shorter muzzle and narrower waist that accentuated their top half. Mako didn't really care. The changeling spirit could look however they wanted. What he did take exception to was when they impersonated Shizuku, which seemed to be happening more often as of late. He was pretty sure he knew why the spirit was doing it and it wasn't separation anxiety. He'd have to sit down and have a serious talk with them one of these days.

Finally satisfied with his appearance, he went and shut off the Televiewer that had usurped Yuku's attention. The fluff whined as the tube went dark.

"Time to go," he stated.

The ballroom fell silent as soon as hit the entrance; Yuku floating beside him and Tema standing next to him like a six-tailed dog. What came next was the part he hated most—the human tidal wave. It happened whenever he attended an event like this. After the shock of his initial appearance wore off, the people seeing him in-person for the first time, would flock to him with a barrage of questions. How did you become half-spirit? Who are the spirits with you? Can I touch your horns? Personal space often went out the window during these first encounters.

He kept his composure as he answered, or refused, requests as politely as possible. Slowly, he worked his way through the crowd, all the while, keeping his tail wrapped around his shoulder like a blue-scaled sash. It was easier to hold it that way so it wouldn't be accidentally stepped on or bumped around. Things became a lot easier once Yuku got involved. The fluff drew the crowd's attention just by being the cute, energetic spirit he was. With the group distracted, Mako went directly to the bar, exchanging pleasantries with several other high-profile guests before arriving.

"Give me a shot of whiskey and a Northern Rum on ice," he stated. He wasn't planning on getting drunk, just something to "loosen his scales" he would often tell Shizuku. The bartender grabbed a pair of bottles off the top rack and poured the drinks with deft precision. Mako immediately slammed the shot and took the second drink to nurse, probably for the rest of the night.

Tema slithered up his body like a serpent and wrapped themselves around his neck.

"I want a drink," they hissed in his ear.

"No," he curtly replied.

"You know I don't need your permission," Tema threatened.

He knew. He wasn't their boss. They didn't have to listen to him. Asking had merely been a courtesy on their part. The only reason Tema did obey was because they considered him to be one of their closest friends.

"You can go back to the room if you want to drink but I won't have a repeat of the Fire Festival," he firmly stated and took a sip of his own beverage.

Several years ago he had been invited as the guest of honor for the Fire Nation's annual extravaganza. He had taken his family, as well as Yuku and Tema, to the festival. However, Tema had gotten smashed on Fire Ale, transformed into their greater form of the Deceiver, then trapped most of the attendees in one of their illusions. Chaos had erupted as dozens of people fell victim to their own deepest desires. It had taken him, along with the aid of the Airbenders, nearly two weeks to find everyone that had been affected so that Tema could reverse their spell. Afterwards, he'd smoothed things over with the Fire Lord, but he was never invited back.

Irritated by the denial, Tema slunk to the ground and slithered away to find a place to sulk. Mako let them leave. He didn't need to babysit the spirit. Tema was usually on their best behavior at these events…usually.

He turned his attention back to the crowd and scanned the sea of people to see if he could spot the new Avatar.

There were many of the usual suspects: The President of the Earth Republic, The Fire Lord, the Chiefs from both the Water Tribes—all three of them. They were scattered around the room engaged in conversations with other dignitaries and socialites. In the deepest shadows were the Earth Republic's elite guards: the Dai-li. Appropriate security for the high-profile guests. It made him feel even more out-of-place. Maybe he would need a second shot sooner rather than later. He continued to scrutinize the crowd until a familiar face amongst the world leaders convinced him to leave the safety of the bar.

"Jinora?"

The current head of the Air Nation turned at her name. Her social companion, a Fire Nation ambassador if he remembered correctly, faded to the side with a deep bow as he approached.

"Mako. It's so good to see you," she smiled. The long, grey hair that framed her face was shaved back just enough to show-off the blue arrow on her forehead. Normally they would hug, but present company forced them to keep their greeting to a polite bow. Couldn't have The Fetchling showing favoritism.

"Kai didn't come along?" he asked, wondering about her husband.

"No. I let him stay at the Temple. You know how these political functions are," she grinned.

He did. It was basically the same reason he'd let Shizuku stay at home.

"I'm assuming you're here in the capacity of The Fetchling?"

"Yeah," he answered. He deliberately swung his tail down as if to prove who he was, like his horns weren't a dead give away. Not to mention, he didn't need to prove anything to Jinora. The woman was one of his oldest friends and the Airbender that had trained him to use the limited spiritual abilities he'd gained after "the incident." "They want me to endorse the new Avatar. You haven't met him yet have you?"

"No," she replied. "But I imagine he must be here somewhere. Can't you sense him?"

He shook his head.

"Well, if nothing else, we'll get to see him at the banquet," she finally said.

They shifted the conversation to more congenial things: spouses, kids, etc. until another guest, wanting his attention, dragged him away. He spent the next hour or so schmoozing and skirting politics. He had scant knowledge of economics or foreign policy and made it a point to say so if anyone asked. Advice on law-enforcement or criminal elements was more palatable conversation for him.

A few genuine concerns of rogue spirits in smaller providences, did reach his ears. As The Fetchling, he did make a concerted effort to help deal with uncooperative spirits no matter where they were. He promised the local governors that he'd extend his stay in the Earth Republic to address them if possible.

As eight o'clock approached, the crowd shifted to the dining area. He was ushered to the head table as a guest of honor right next to the Avatar. He sighed as he looked at the high-backed chair offered him. Like so many other events, his hosts hadn't taken their "esteemed guest's" tail into account which meant he'd have to sit awkwardly on the edge of the seat. Using his tail, he slid the chair back and made himself as comfortable as he could. The length of tail that didn't fit behind him, he flopped over his lap while he waited.

The buzz over the room died down when Shouma entered. With him was a boy in his mid-teens, dressed in the green and gold hues of the Earth Republic. He was accompanied by two guards wearing the white, blue, and grey crests of the White Lotus Society. Initially a secret organization, they now stood-out as guardians and teachers in service of the Avatar.

Following the Earth President's lead, everyone rose from their seats.

"If I may have everyone's attention please," Shouma began. "I would like to introduce Bian, your new Avatar."

Applause spread across the crowd but Mako didn't join them. This can't be right. His eyes darted over the room until they fell to Jinora who was looking expectantly at him.

Is he the one? The expression on her face relayed the question.

Much like before, he shook his head. It was no secret that, after "the incident," he had developed a "spirit sense" which allowed him to sense when a spirit was nearby. The ability had helped him deal with the few other half-spirits that had appeared over the years. All of whom either had their afflictions reversed, or were dealt with by the angry spirits that had been wronged. The ability had even worked with Korra who had technically been half-spirit.

But he felt nothing from this boy. He can't be the new Avatar. He slowly returned to his chair as Bian took the seat next to him.

"It's an honor to finally meet you Fetchling," Bian began with a polite bow. "I look forward to working together. Maybe you'd even be willing to teach me some Firebending techniques someday."

"Uh…Sure…" Mako replied as he returned the bow, his tongue suddenly stuck in his throat. Still nothing. He thought for sure if he was near the boy he would sense Rava, the light spirit that possessed every Avatar, but there was nothing. No spirit at all.

With Bian in place, everyone returned to their chairs, buzzing about the new Avatar, as dinner was served.

Mako held his tongue during the meal and kept any conversation with the boy seated next to him completely cordial. Shizuku had been right. They weren't sure. He wasn't here to endorse the boy. He had been invited in the hopes that he could confirm what they only suspected. That didn't quite make sense though. Why go through all this fanfare for a false Avatar? They should have had him confirm the boy's identity before revealing him to the world leaders. He would have to question the Earth President and his assistant about it later. He didn't want to make a scene on the extremely slim chance he was wrong.

Anxious to return to their homelands, many of the guests left after the meal. Meanwhile, he found a quiet corner to stretch his tail while he pondered how to address the issue of this false Avatar. The entire time, he kept his eyes on the banquet hall while he patiently waited for the remaining dignitaries fawning over Bian to leave. At least this new "Avatar" took attention away from him.

Jinora soon found his hiding spot.

"You're sure he's not the Avatar?" she quietly asked as she joined him.

"He was standing right next to me Jinora, Rava's not there," he answered. "I'm going to have a word with this Shouma and President Gohei once everyone leaves to find out what's really going on."

"Okay. I'm returning to Air Temple Island tonight and I'll let everyone know in the morning." This time she did give him a hug. "It really is good to see you again Mako. Tell your family 'hi' for me."

"I will," he replied, returning the embrace in kind. "That goes for me too." It really had been too long since they'd had a proper visit despite both living in Republic City. Responsibilities often took precedence in most cases.

They released each other and he watched her red cloak drift behind her as she left. It wasn't long after that Shouma approached him.

"Ah, Fetchling. There you are. Might I have a word with you in private?" the squat man asked.

Mako obliged and followed the man out of the banquet hall to a small room off one of the main corridors.

The office was furnished with a simple wooden desk against the far wall and two chairs. The placement of the desk made the room look larger than it was. On the adjacent wall, an old Earth Kingdom banner hung as a reminder of the palace's history. The assistant took a seat behind the desk and motioned for him to take the remaining chair.

"What do you think of our new Avatar?" Shouma began earnestly, throwing his arms wide like he was showing off some grand prize.

"About that…" Mako began, ignoring the high-backed chair offered him. "I'm going to lay it out for you. That boy's not the Avatar. I don't sense any spirit presence from him at all."

Mako half-expected the man to refute his claim but he didn't even flinch. He knows.

"Are you sure about that?" The assistant knit his fingers behind his head. No Yuans materialized but the man's tone indicated they easily could if he cooperated. As if he could be bought like some political stooge. "Your endorsement would go a long way to confirming Bian is the new Avatar."

Mako's face twisted, offended at the man's blatant attempt to bribe him. He wasn't about to endorse a false Avatar. The fact the man thought anything to the contrary meant he didn't know him very well.

When it came to his nature, Mako considered himself human first, Fetchling second, and spirit a distant third. It was rare that the spirit side came out, but occasionally he had to use it to remind people that, like spirits, he wasn't to be trifled with. He lashed his tail and hit the chair meant for him. The spindled back snapped off and smashed into the wall while the seat didn't even wobble. If he had been more spirit than human, it would have been the repugnant man's head.

Now he had the assistant's full attention. In his fright, Shouma had shoved his chair against the wall while his hands griped the edge of the desk like a pair of vices; eyes glued to the smashed chair. The man's drained face slowly shifted to him as he removed his glasses. He casually wiped the dust from them with a handkerchief as he sat himself on the corner of the desk.

"Let's try this again, and this time I would recommend not lying to The Fetchling or Republic City's Chief of Police," he stated coldly, invoking both titles while he replaced his cleaned spectacles over his amber eyes.

"You have to understand," Shouma stammered as he tried to regain his composure. "The Avatar has been gone for sixteen years. We still haven't found them. The world needs someone to guide them and since the you won't rise to the occasion, I found someone who will." The man gasped as his breath slowly returned to him.

"Does the Earth President know about this?"

"Of course not. President Gohei doesn't need to be bothered with such trivialities. He put me in charge of finding the Avatar so I did," Shouma resolutely stated.

Mako stood, turned to the man, and placed his hands flat on the desk; his face a stern mask.

"One of two things is going to happen. Tomorrow morning, you're going to have your press conference, and you're going to tell the world that you were wrong. That this boy Bian is not the Avatar. Or I will. I may not be the leader the world wants me to be, but I still have a lot of pull as The Fetchling." He didn't like playing The Fetchling card as it made him feel like a hypocrite, but he couldn't let something this important slide. It would only cause problems once the real Avatar appeared.

A dark scowl covered Shouma's face, his fear suddenly gone.

"I knew inviting you here was a bad idea but President Gohei insisted, the fool. This would have been so much easier had you just agreed to endorse Bian."

Mako knew a threat when he heard one. Before he could react, two Dai-li agents burst into the room. They grabbed his arms and tail and pinned them together behind his back with stone cuffs. Angry heat began radiating from his skin as he aimed an ugly scowl at Shouma.

"I'd go easy on the Firebending if I were you, unless you want me to run out of here screaming that The Fetchling has gone out-of-control," Shouma began as he straightened his jacket, his confidence returned. "I'm well aware how fragile your reputation is. I could easily have you arrested for threatening a government official." Shouma swiveled the broken chair to illustrate his point. "Tsk, Tsk. Such inappropriate behavior for The Fetchling."

Mako continued to scowl at the man and inwardly berated himself for the misstep. Although the world leaders respected him, that relationship was tentative at best because of what he was. He felt like he was constantly stepping over eggshells around those that didn't know him well. The slightest crack would prove to them that he was the monster they all secretly viewed him as. The heat around him dissipated as he relented.

"Now, let me tell you what's going to happen. During the press conference tomorrow, I am going to introduce Bian to the world as the new Avatar with your endorsement." The man dismissively waved his hand. "You won't be there of course having been called away to deal with a spirit destroying crops in the Reimei province. A statement that will be corroborated by governor Bairishi and anyone else who may have overheard your promise to help."

Mako went numb. Governor Bairishi was one of the men he had spoken to before the banquet. Shouma had been steps ahead of him, prepared to deal with him in the very likely event he wouldn't cooperate.

"Afterwards, if you try to refute my claim, I'll see to it that the White Lotus puts you in a hole so cold and deep you'll never see the light of day again," Shouma finished as he continued to swivel the broken chair.

That was no idle threat either. The White Lotus had already tried to lock him away once for being half-spirit. They wouldn't hesitate to do it again if a man in Shouma's position convinced them he was a threat. He couldn't let himself be detained just to prove that the Avatar was fake. He had his family to think about, not to mention the chaos that would ensue once the Deceiver realized he was missing. The spirit would tear apart everyone and everything in their path to find him.

Shouma addressed his guards.

"Make sure The Fetchling and his companions are safely on the next blimp to the Reimei province. I'm sure governor Bairishi will apologize for the false alarm and have a nice room for him until after the press conference tomorrow morning."

They removed the restraints and Mako didn't bother to struggle as they escorted him back to his room. Waiting for him on the bed was Yuku and Tema.

"Mako! Where did you go?" Yuku asked, oblivious to Mako's predicament. However, Tema was clearly suspicious of Mako's "escorts." Their eyes narrowed and their tails hostilely twitched at the sight of the guards. Mako silently shook his head as a warning for them not to try anything. The spirit could easily tear the guards apart but Mako couldn't risk an altercation. After collecting his things, he and his companions were taken to the port and placed on a blimp for the two hour flight to the Reimei province. He scowled out the window as Ba Sing Se slowly shrank beneath him. Even in the slim chance he could convince the pilot to turn around, he doubted he'd be able to get near President Gohei to tell him the truth. Not without causing a scene anyway, then the White Lotus would have him for sure. Nothing to do now except bide his time until the real Avatar appeared.