Republic City-Forty-four years earlier:

Mako flinched when he felt something wrap around his tail. He looked over his shoulder and spotted Mei Ru standing over him with her constant, snake grin. She had his tail in one hand and a pair of heavy pliers in the other.

"How many will it be this time?" the sadistic woman grinned as she snapped the tool closed.

"Get away!" Mako roared. Blue fire flew from his fists as he desperately tried to fight off the woman that had tormented him for months. The flames passed through her smug face and there was a scream, but it hadn't come from her.

"M-M-Mako! You're okay. You're safe. You're not in that c-cage."

Sweat rolled down his face and his eyes popped open. He was surprised to see he was on his cushion in his bedroom. Next to him, a petite woman with dyed blond hair, had her arms wrapped around his bare shoulders. It had been a nightmare. A nightmare he seemed unable to escape.

"Shizu?"

"I'm s-so s-sorry. I was tucking your t-tail under your blanket when you suddenly started firebending," his wife said as she held him. "I didn't mean t-to scare you."

After he'd gotten his tail, it took him a while to notice anything touching it. Not only because it was foreign to his body, but the thick scales blocked almost all external stimuli except air and water. If anything else touched it, he only felt the pressure of the scales against the skin beneath. That changed after he'd been kidnapped. The weeks of torture had made him hypersensitive about his tail. Now, the smallest spider fly landing on it, made him flinch. Even though Shizu had only been trying to help, that hypersensitivity had caused him to unintentionally attack her.

He fought back tears as he sunk into her comforting embrace.

Present:

The Rampage's tires crunched over the thick snow-bed. They were on the way to meet Mako's connection in the North Pole so that Ryu could learn Waterbending in earnest. The teen wasn't excited about it, but it was past time he started trying.

"Are you two going to be okay in this cold?" Ryu asked while they drove over the frozen tundra. The blizzard they had been caught in several years ago, had caused both fetchlings to fall into torpor. He didn't want to have to deal with that again.

"We'll be fine as long as we don't end-up in another blizzard or snowstorm," Mako replied. However, as extra precautions, he was dressed for the weather with gloves and a thick coat. In the backseat, Mari was equally prepared with a winter coat, scarf, and mittens. Koji was also huddled up against her 'just to be safe' according to him. The teen had gotten a lot braver at showing his affection towards Mari after they'd received Mako's blessing to date. Although, all Mako had to do was glare at the skittish teen to make him flinch. He tried not to do it…much.

"…That, and we'll have a warm house to stay in this time if something happens," he finished.

The house in question came into view a short while later. One of the few actual houses, and not an ice structure, outside of the Northern Water Tribe's main capital, Agna Qel'a. Even though it was made of wood, it was shaped similarly to an igloo; round at the base with a slight dome for a roof. Smoke rose out of the chimney while a warm yellow glow came through its windows.

Mako pulled the vehicle to a stop in what constituted a driveway for the desolate estate.

"Now remember only—"

"Only waterbending while we're here…I got it," Ryu interrupted with a huff. He'd heard the lecture enough times by now.

"Ony waterbendng," Juji echoed. Ryu was beginning to regret teaching the bird to speak.

They all climbed out and headed for the front door. Mako's knuckles had barely touched the wooden aperture when it suddenly swung open and a slender man, with long white-hair and a plush robe over his boxer shorts, appeared.

"Mako!" The man greeted him with wide arms and an even wider smile. "You finally left Zu and decided to come to me!"

Ryu and Koji were stunned by the declaration while Mari just giggled.

"Seiko…Don't," Mako groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew Seiko could be…playful, but he wasn't expecting it first thing. "They're going to believe that."

Seiko's attention turned to the three teenagers.

"You must be the boys little Zu called me about," he said. "And Mari…I can't remember the last time I saw you. What a beautiful young woman you've become."

"Thank you, Uncle Seiko," Mari said with a polite courtesy.

"I guess, since you've come all this way to see me, I can let you in," Seiko said in mock annoyance and moved aside to let them into the house.

The interior was a large, single floor with several halls that branched to different rooms almost like a spider's web. More than enough space for Seiko's bachelor lifestyle. Even though Seiko was a bachelor, his house was pristine without a spot of dust anywhere. It felt almost sterile, the exact opposite of the warm attitude its owner exuded. The teens stood for a moment and gaped at the spacious living area that was sunk into the ground, encircled by a short step. It was furnished with two sofas, a televiewer, and several tall lamps. The lights easily illuminated the entire area.

After giving them time to take-in their lodgings, Seiko lead the group around the house. "Boys stay here," he said as he showed off a guest room with a pair of beds. "And Mari, there's a separate room for you." A door next to the first gave access to another, similar room. "And Mako…" Seiko threw his arm around the fetchling's shoulders. "You can stay in my bedroom if you like," he finished with a suave, devilish grin.

This time all three teens chuckled at Mako's discomfort.

"Seiko. That's enough," Mako firmly stated.

"Fine. I'll stop," Seiko said as he released him. "There's not enough room in my bed anyway." He tightened his robe around his waist, covering his lanky body. "I know it's been a long trip. Make yourselves comfortable and I'll get some hot chocolate brewing."

The teens stowed their winter gear in their rooms, and proceeded to spread themselves about the living area.

"Who is this guy?" Koji whispered to Mari once they were settled.

"He's one of Nana Zu's older brothers," Mari answered.

"Favorite brother," Seiko corrected from the kitchen where he had apparently heard her. "You forgot to say favorite brother."

"Sorry, Uncle Seiko," Mari called back in response.

"You know I'll always forgive you, Mari dear," he replied with a wink.

While the teens relaxed in the living room, Mako went to help Seiko in the kitchen.

"Nice to see you haven't changed," Mako smiled.

"Well, y'know…it's hard to improve on perfection," Seiko replied with a shrug as he set a kettle of water on the stove. "You're looking well. Almost the same as last I saw you what…ten years ago?"

"One of the 'perks' of being half-spirit," Mako replied half-heartedly. As the years passed his half-aging was becoming more of a curse than a blessing.

Seiko simply nodded. "So, which kid am I supposed to be teaching?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Ryu. The one with the iguana bird," Mako replied quietly. "He's been having…difficulties waterbending." He didn't want to betray Ryu's trust by saying why he was having a difficult time waterbending.

"Sure, okay. But why not have Zu train him?" Seiko asked. It made more sense to him for Mako's wife to train the teen.

"We needed to get him out of the city," Mako explained. "Besides, and Shizu agrees with me, we both know you're the better bender."

"Does she really agree with you? Or are you just trying to cover your blue tail," Seiko smirked.

"Yes, she agrees with me," Mako stated with a firm huff.

Seiko mock gasped. "You're lying. I'm going to tell her you think she's a terrible bender! Then she'll finally leave you, and you'll have to come crawling to me!"

The outburst caused all three teens to look at them and chuckle amongst themselves.

Mako simply rolled his eyes knowing that Seiko was messing with him. He stood aside as Seiko poured hot water into waiting mugs of chocolate.

"Since you're here…" Seiko's tone turned serious. "I want to apologize again for what happened with Nagato. I know you've told me not to worry about it but…"

"Seiko…Shizu and I never blamed you for what happened. You were giving up a lot by letting him live with you and we were grateful for that. Nagato is the one that ran. You didn't do anything wrong," Mako said.

"It's just…I know how much it hurt Zu…How much it hurt both of you," he said sadly.

"It did—it still does but, like Shizu would put it, we need to focus on the good that came out of it." He shifted their attention to Mari who was chatting with the boys. "If he hadn't run, Mari wouldn't be here with us right now."

"Zu always could find the silver lining in anything," Seiko smiled in agreement. "I guess that's why we're so close. She saw something in me no one else did. And you too apparently." He gave Mako's tail a quick tap with the backside of his hand which caused the fetchling to jump slightly.

"You're right," Mako replied. After he'd been cursed, people weren't exactly keen on talking to him let alone dating him. Shizuku was one of the few people in those early years that had seen past the half-spirit to the person he truly was.

"How do you want me to approach this?" Seiko asked, returning to the original topic.

"However you see fit," Mako replied, keeping his voice low. "Just…take it easy."

"You know I will," Seiko replied with a wink. He grabbed a tray now loaded with the steaming mugs. "Who's ready for hot chocolate?" he called as he walked into the living room; the ever gracious host.

The next morning, Seiko and Ryu bundled-up as they prepared to start waterbending training. Mako was also getting dressed to join them. Despite his troubles with the cold, he wanted to keep an eye on, not only Ryu, but Seiko as well. His brother-in-law could be…difficult when he wanted to be. He didn't want him playing around with Ryu.

Since she was an early riser, Mari was also awake with Koji being the only one still in bed. The Earthbender preferred to sleep-in if he didn't have to train.

"Are you going to be okay out there, Papa?" Mari asked as she stared out the window at the endless bed of snow. It was still dark out as the North Pole experienced less sunlight during its winter season.

"Don't you worry, Mari," Seiko answered in Mako's stead. "I'll make sure nothing happens to your grandfather's handsome horned head."

Mako rolled his eyes at Seiko's ribbing.

"I'll make sure to be careful," Mako added as he finished lacing his heavy snow boots. He'd been out in the cold before and knew where his limits were. "I do think this would be a good opportunity for you too, though. A chance to see how well you can adapt to the cold."

Mari's tail anxiously twitched as she continued to gaze at the snow-covered world. "I'll think about it," she said, obviously not willing to risk falling into torpor again. The winters she'd experienced in Republic City were nothing compared to the cold here in the north.

Mako let the subject drop and left with Ryu and Seiko.

"Take care of Juji," Ryu said as they stepped out into the cold. The iguana parrot was already with Mari. Like the fetchlings, the bird wasn't a fan of the cold either.

Seiko lead them to what could be called his backyard in the endless snow field. He was wearing a long winter coat that hung down like a cape over his clothes. He grabbed the loose end of the garment and swung it around him in a great flourish as he bent himself a throne of ice from the ground.

"Stand next to me Mako so that I may properly observe your charge," Seiko declared as he regally seated himself. Mako could only shake his head at Seiko's demands. The man really had a flare for the dramatic. Across the field, Ryu was standing dumbfounded. It wasn't surprising as Seiko's antics could be hard to process for someone who didn't know him well. It was exactly why Mako wanted to supervise.

"Don't let him get to you, Kid," Mako began. "He likes to throw curveballs."

Seiko smiled as he dropped his uptight persona. "Yes, you can relax. Just treat me like you would your dear, Papa Mako."

Mako inwardly smiled. "You might want to rethink that statement, Seiko," he said. Ryu wasn't exactly respectful. During this whole trip, he'd butted heads with the teen on more than one occasion. The kid could be obstinate when he wanted to be.

"Why don't we start by showing me what you can do, Ryu," Seiko continued. "Any waterbending will suffice."

"Sure thing," Ryu replied.

Seiko's eyebrow twitched while he watched Ryu's many failed attempts at waterbending.

"Really, I can do it!" Ryu insisted. In his hands was a snowball that was only turning to water because it was melting in his gloved hands.

"Stop, stop, stop. No need to put on a show," Seiko finally sighed with a dismissive flick of his wrist. "Have you ever been able to waterbend?"

"I did…once," Ryu admitted.

"It was Shizu's technique too," Mako added. "He pulled water out of the ground and then used it to heal her. She would have lost her arm if not for him."

"Lost her—?" Seiko shot-up from his chair and placed a set of icy daggers, that he'd formed around his fingers, to Mako's neck. The fetchling didn't even flinch. "What are you getting my little sister into, Mako?"

Anyone else might have been intimidated by Seiko's tactics, but Mako knew it was all puff.

"You know I would never let anything intentionally happen to Shizu," Mako said with an annoyed huffed. "Get your focus back on the kid."

"Okay, but we are going to have a long discussion about it later," Seiko threatened before he returned his attention to Ryu. "So, the only time you were able to waterbend was when Zu was injured. Have I got that correct?"

"I guess so," Ryu replied with a shrug. "I remember feeling bad because she got hurt protecting me."

"Then what would happen if…" Both Mako and Ryu were surprised when Seiko suddenly had Mako's arm wrenched behind his back. "…I broke Mako's arm? I'm sure you know how easily I could do it. Would that force you to waterbend to heal it?"

A scowl fell over Ryu's face. "Hey!"

"Seiko! I said take it easy!" Mako yelled, but didn't struggle. With his osteoporosis, a wrong move really could cause his arm to break.

"Well? What are you going to do?" Seiko glared at Ryu. Mako flinched as his arm was twisted tighter.

Instead of water, flames emerged over Ryu's hands instantly evaporating his snowball. "You want to test me? I don't care who you are, I'll take you apart," he growled. Over the years, he'd come to see Mako as an actual father-figure. He wasn't about to let anyone injure him.

"Seiko! Knock it off!" Mako yelled. The last thing he wanted was for Ryu to lose his temper and attack out of anger. It would be bad if he went into the Avatar state like that against Seiko. He really would destroy the elderly Waterbender.

Ryu and Seiko stared each other down. In the end, Seiko relented and released Mako.

"All right, I'm done," Seiko said with a casual shrug, as if he'd done nothing wrong. "Can't get through to you that way." He jumped when Mako whipped him with his tail. "So feisty."

Mako gave him a nasty sneer as he rubbed his sore arm. After the sudden attack, he wasn't in the mood for Seiko's off-color comments.

"Okay, I deserved that," Seiko surrendered, his tone turning serious. "Give me a moment with the boy, would you Mako?"

Mako continued to scowl at Seiko as he walked to Ryu. "Don't let what he did get to you. He knows if something happened to me, Shizu would never forgive him."

"He's right," Seiko agreed with a shrug, "and I would never do anything to upset little Zu."

"If you say so," Ryu replied, keeping his eyes planted on Seiko.

After Mako returned to the house, Seiko approached Ryu. He calmly stared into the boy's angry eyes. "What's blocking you? What are you afraid of?"

Ryu's firm face changed to red embarrassment. "Afraid?! I'm not afraid!"

"You're afraid of water aren't you?" Seiko stated.

"What? Did Mako tell you!" Ryu snapped.

"If you've been traveling with Mako all this time, I'm sure you know him well enough to know he wouldn't betray your trust like that. He told me nothing. Only that you're having difficulties waterbending," Seiko calmly explained.

Ryu crossed his arms and huffed. "Yes. I'm afraid of water. Whatever!"

"Admitting your fear is the first step to confronting it," Seiko stated. "If you are ever going to waterbend properly, you need to understand why you're afraid and overcome it."

Ryu scowled and kicked at the snow. He knew exactly why he was afraid. Even though Mira's spirit had been released from the chain of Avatars, he was still plagued by memories of her premature death. How did someone overcome something so traumatic?

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret," Seiko began and seated himself back in his ice throne. "Did you know Mako hates having his tail touched? Only people he entirely trusts can even get close to it."

That was news to Ryu. Over the years he had never seen anything from Mako that confirmed that statement. At least, not anything obvious. Now that he thought about it, he and Koji had never once touched the fetchling's tail, even accidentally. Mako always held it out-of-range or wrapped around his waist. Was it really because he was afraid?

"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked. "And should you really be telling me this?" Seiko apparently had no reservations about betraying trust.

"Fwah…" the old Waterbender brushed the comment aside with a casual flick of his wrist. "If you can understand that even your precious Mako has fears, maybe you can get through your own. Did he ever tell you about when he was kidnapped in the Fire Nation?"

Ryu shook his head.

"He and Shizu told me the story once. Apparently, some woman kidnapped him and would forcibly pull scales from him to be sold as jewelry. Mostly from his tail," Seiko explained. "She did this repeatedly over the course of months."

Ryu had never heard anything like that from the Old Man. What he had learned from the fetchlings however, was how painful it was to have scales pulled-out. Mari had described it once as having fingernails pulled, or chunks of skin cut off. It wasn't pleasant.

Seiko continued, "Zu also explained that, because of this, Mako won't let others near his tail. It even took a long time for her to be able to touch it. Deep down, he's still afraid someone will try to take scales from him."

"Seriously?" Ryu couldn't believe it. He knew Mako had an aversion to earthbending because of his osteoporosis. He also knew Mako had been frightened on occasion when the teens were in danger, but the half-spirit had always courageously faced those challenges head-on. He'd never once seen the Old Man back away from anything. This thing with his tail seemed far-fetched.

"It's true," Seiko affirmed. "Try it. This evening, after dinner, I'll propose we gather in the living room to watch a mover or something. Sit next to him and watch what he does with his tail."

Ryu pondered a moment whether he wanted to test Seiko's story.

Dinner that evening was a full, four course meal. Seiko was a retired chef and loved to cook for company. It started with egg rolls, that he had made from scratch, and bean buns as appetizers. Next was a salad with veggies imported from his family home in the United Republic, now run by his nephew. After that, was the main course which was roasted arctic hen, with a honey glaze, for everyone. Last, for dessert, there was a fruit tart filled with berries which also came from the family orchard. He'd even gone so far as to make a mini fruit-tart for Juji with an intricate design inlaid on the crust. The presentation was lost on the bird however who simply stuffed his beak into the dish, splattering fruit juice everywhere, while he gobbled it. The boys' manners weren't much better as they weren't accustomed to such fine dining. During the main course, they had taken their arctic hens between their fingers and tried to see who could eat it the fastest. Mako was a little embarrassed as he thought he had taught them better, but Seiko didn't seem to mind. He just smiled as the pair gnawed on the birds like animals. At least Mari was using her utensils like a civilized person.

"Sorry about the boys' behavior," Mako began while they cleared the table afterwards. "It's rare we get a meal like this." He wasn't a chef. Cooking for the teens over the years was simply a matter of necessity. Quick, basic meals made things easier for him.

"No need to apologize. It was a pleasure watching them enjoy my food with such…gusto," Seiko replied as he carried dishes to the sink. He didn't sound the least bit offended.

"Let me help, Uncle Seiko," Mari cheerfully offered as she carefully placed her load in the sink with his.

"Absolutely not, Mari dear." The man shooed her away. "You go sit with your friends."

The boys had already retired to the living room and were lounging on the sofas; nursing their near bursting bellies.

"But you made such a great meal for us. It would be rude to leave all this work for you," Mari insisted.

Seiko gave her a knowing wink. "That's the advantage of being a Waterbender, dishes are hardly a problem." He proved his point by bending a bubble of water over a plate and wiping it clean. "Although, if your Papa Mako would be so kind as to heat the water for me, it would definitely save me some energy." He shuffled up to Mako and ran a playful finger down his chest. "Energy I could use tonight while we're in bed."

"Seiko…" Mako huffed. "I said knock it off."

"Fine, fine." Seiko put his hands up in surrender. "I'll lay off. Why don't you pour yourself a drink and sit with the kids while I finish up here. I think I still have some Northern Rum from your last visit."

Northern Rum was a favorite of Mako's and Seiko knew it. It should be enough to entice his brother-in-law to sit down and relax. Then it would be up to Ryu how to approach Mako's tail.

"Maybe later," Mako said. "I'm going to find a quiet spot to meditate. I haven't checked-in with Shizu for a while."

"O~kay~," Seiko playfully began as Mako walked away. "Kids, why don't I tell you about how Mako destroyed my family." He made sure to overdramatize the word "destroyed."

All three teens came alert.

"Wha—? Seiko!" Mako spun around, his desire to meditate, suddenly forgotten.

"Did you really destroy his family, Old Man?" Ryu chided.

"It…It wasn't like that." Mako was defiant at first, then anxiously rubbed his neck. "Can you talk about something else, Seiko?"

"I guess I could tell them about your bachelor party," Seiko innocently replied. The only reason he brought up the story to begin with was to keep Mako in the living room. He knew his brother-in-law wouldn't leave with the threat of embarrassing stories hanging over his head.

The boys shared excited grins.

"I bet that was a party!" Koji said. Mari curled up next to him on the couch so she could listen too.

"Well, you see…" Seiko was about to start his tale when Mako interrupted.

"Do we really need to talk about my past?" he grumped. "I'm sure there are other things to talk about." As he finished, he plopped himself next to Ryu on the sofa adjacent to Mari and Koji. Juji gave Mako an angry hiss before moving to Ryu's opposite shoulder.

"But it's fun hearing stories from when you were younger, Papa," Mari smiled.

Seiko gave a knowing glance to Ryu. It was up to him now.

Ryu examined how Mako was seated on the sofa. The Old Man had just enough space to place his tail between him and the armrest. Time to experiment.

"I think there's a spring or something sticking my back on this side of the sofa. I'm just gonna…" Ryu stood and moved to the other side of Mako. The fetchling gave him an annoyed glare and slid over, flipping his tail to the opposite side, as Ryu seated himself. Mako might have been scared, or it could have just as easily been he didn't want his tail crushed. Ryu decided to try again. He squirmed on the new cushion for a moment.

"Naw. This side's no good either. Maybe back…?" He repeated his previous actions and made Mako move a second time. The tail flipped away again, almost automatically.

"Would you just sit down, Kid," Mako huffed as he shifted along the sofa.

"Sorry. I just can't get comfortable." Ryu stood again, except this time he stopped when Mako was midway across the seat; his tail stretched across the cushions for a split-second. Just enough time. "You're right. This side was better. Let me just…" He reached for the tail to move it.

Mako instantly jumped. "Hey! Don't!"

Before Ryu knew what hit him, he was face-first on the floor with Mako's knee in his back and his arm twisted behind him. The fetchling's fangs were mere centimeters from his face and he had an angry glare unlike anything Ryu had ever seen before. It was like he was an entirely different person. For the first time since he'd met Mako, he was genuinely afraid of him.

Seeing his master attacked, Juji screeched and flew at Mako in an angry flurry of feathers. Without hesitation, Mako swatted him away with his tail. Juji went sailing into one of the lamps and the bulb shattered when they hit the floor.

"Juji!" Ryu shouted. He struggled under Mako's grasp and was surprised to find the fetchling had him completely immobilized.

Both Koji and Mari were stunned by the scene.

"Papa!"

"It seems someone else hasn't completely gotten over his fears either," Seiko's calm voice came from the kitchen.

That pulled Mako out of his rage, but only marginally. His tail slowly twisted behind him as he addressed Seiko. "You put the kid up to this, didn't you?" His voice was a lot calmer than the dark expression on his face conveyed.

"I did. I wanted to show him that everyone has fears, but I didn't think you would have such a violent reaction," Seiko answered.

Mako let out a heavy sigh as he finally released Ryu. The teen quickly scrambled away to where Juji was laying and scooped the bird into his arms. Unsurprisingly, the expression on both Ryu and Koji's faces, was utter terror after his outburst. Only Mari was looking at him with concern.

"I need a moment…"

The group watched as Mako disappeared into his bedroom.

Ryu took a moment to examine Juji. The bird was shaken, but fortunately not seriously injured. It slunk up his arm and shivered against his neck.

"I've never seen him like that," Ryu finally said as he comforted his pet and waited for his heart to stop pounding.

"That was even scarier than when he was covered by that dark stuff," Koji added.

"That wasn't very nice, Uncle Seiko," Mari scolded her great-uncle. "You know Papa doesn't like his tail touched."

"I was only trying to help, Mari dear," Seiko replied with barely a hint of remorse.

"He's that sensitive about his tail?" Koji asked. It was news to him, too.

"For Papa, trying to grab his tail is the same as if we held Ryu over a lake and threatened to drop him in. It brings back terrible memories," Mari explained. "The worst thing is, you did what Papa hates most. You made him become a monster."

Ryu hung his head. Had he known it was that painful for the Old Man, he wouldn't have done it. The way Seiko had spoke earlier, he thought it would be a harmless prank. As Mako had warned him, the old Waterbender really did throw curve balls.

As the sun set behind her, Shizuku bent water from the ground and poured it into the hanging pots in the yard. Tending to her flowers was always a good way to unwind after a hectic day at work. She was just returning to the house when a blue, translucent shape suddenly appeared before her causing her to gasp. When she realized it was her husband, she quickly composed herself.

"M-Mako? What happened?" Even in his spirit form, she could tell he was distraught.

"I attacked the kid," Mako stated, clearly upset about the incident. "Seiko goaded him into trying to grab my tail."

That was all the explanation she needed. They had spent years working together so that he wouldn't go into a panic whenever someone touched, or even tried to touch his tail. It had become necessary as, when the children were little, they liked to pull and climb on it. He absolutely couldn't attack them. He had managed to work through it…mostly. Still, there were times when he jumped if someone accidentally brushed against it, even her. He must have felt really threatened to openly attack Ryu.

"Oh, M-Mako." She placed her hand against his cheek or, at least, where his cheek should be. In this form, she couldn't physically touch him. The gesture, she hoped, would convey her concern at the very least. In response, he leaned into her hand where his face partially phased into her palm.

"Are either of you h-hurt?" she asked.

"The kid's arm is probably going to be sore, but otherwise I think he's fine. I had to step away before I took your brother's head off," Mako said with an angry frown.

"G-Good thing you're only half-spirit," she smiled, trying to lighten the mood. If he was full spirit, Seiko would likely be dead. "Y-You do have my permission to arrest him i-if you need to."

"No way. The second I pull out the cuffs, he'll think I'm getting kinky with him," Mako huffed. The subtle joke was enough to tell her that he was already feeling better.

"You're probably right," she chuckled. Then her tone turned serious. "You know what y-you need to do of course."

"I do…I just needed some time to cool down, and it's not like I can go for a swim here," Mako replied. A long swim was often his preferred way to relax whenever he felt out-of-sorts.

"Definitely don't want you returned as an-an ice cube," Shizuku smiled. "I'm h-here as long as you need, Chief."

He gave her an affectionate smile.

"You always are, Shizu." He wrapped his arms around her in the approximation of a hug.

Mako wasn't sure how long he was gone but, when he stirred from his meditation, he immediately knew he wasn't alone. Kneeling on the floor behind him, with his head bowed, was Ryu. He'd never seen the teenager so somber.

"Kid?"

Ryu's head snapped up.

"Mako? I know you've put up with a lot of my crap over the years but…You gotta know…I didn't—"

The teen stopped when Mako raised a hand. He didn't want Ryu to continue until he fully understood why he'd acted so aggressively.

"I know, Kid…I know…" At his side, his tail absently twitched. "What exactly did Seiko tell you?"

Ryu nervously rubbed his neck. "I don't know. Something about being kidnapped in the Fire Nation and having your scales pulled. That you don't like your tail touched. It sounded silly. I mean, you're probably the bravest person I know. Then, Mari explained that it's like how I'm afraid of water…" Ryu finished with a frown.

Mako briefly smirked. The teen must be feeling especially guilty to give him any kind of compliment.

"What Seiko told you is true, but it's not as simple as having my scales pulled." He took a deep breath before continuing. "During that time, I wasn't a person…I was an animal. Every week, they would grab my tail and pull it through the bars to 'farm' it, dragging me along with it. The pain was unbearable and, if I resisted, it was Bolin who payed the price."

He paused for a moment as he struggled to put those days into words. Only Shizu knew the full depth of his pain.

"All these years later, I still remember it clearly. Every time after they pulled my scales, I would scamper to the corner of my cage like a wounded animal. It got so bad that I would cower whenever they would come in with those pliers. After a while, I figured if I looked like an animal, was being treated like an animal, and was acting like an animal; I didn't belong in the 'real' world. I gave-up in that cage and it nearly cost me and my brother our lives. That's why I'm so sensitive about my tail. I don't want to be that animal again. As you can tell, it's something I haven't entirely gotten over…and probably never will. I just try to manage the best I can." He finished with an exasperated sigh.

Ryu thought about his aversion to water and how large bodies of it, still frightened him. Fear that he hid behind angry sarcasm and indignation.

"I'm really sorry, Mako," Ryu said sullenly.

"I'm sorry too, Kid," Mako replied. It was enough of an apology between the two. "Is your arm okay?"

"Pfffttt…" Ryu tried to brush it off, but Mako saw him wince when he rotated his shoulder. "You know I let you pin me down, Old Man. I could have escaped any time I wanted."

That sounded more like the cocky teen Mako knew.

"Whatever, Kid," he responded with a lopsided grin.

"Oh sure. I say whatever and it's 'disrespectful,' but you say it and it's fine?" Ryu mocked him.

They both smiled, the banter proving that the incident was forgiven.

"Hey, is it okay if I punch Seiko in the face?" Ryu asked as they headed out of the room. Although they had both taken responsibility for their actions, Seiko had been the real instigator.

"I'd say yes, but I think a better punishment is the earful he's going get from his sister." Shizu would have no mercy on Seiko for his little stunt.

They returned to the living room where Koji and Mari were still curled together on the sofa with Juji on their laps. Ryu had left the bird with them so it wouldn't bother Mako while they talked. He gently took his pet as Mari rushed to Mako.

"Are you okay, Papa?" she asked.

"I'm okay, sweetie," he replied, and gave her a gentle horn bump. Then, his scowl returned as he went to the dining room table where Seiko was laying low. The Waterbender was sipping a drink with the bottle of Northern Rum sitting right next to him.

"Peace offering?" Seiko filled a second tumbler and held it out to him. The translucent brown liquid threatened to escape the glass as Mako snatched it.

"You really are a pain in the ass, Seiko," he huffed, and plopped himself sideways on a chair adjacent the man.

"Oh, I am well aware," Seiko replied with several nods as he poured himself another drink. It was about as much of an apology Mako was going to get from his brother-in-law. They both looked out to the living room where the teens were now engrossed with the T.V. "It's funny…When I brought up Ryu's fear of water, he got angry. Not as angry as you, but angry. To think you two are so much alike without even being related."

Mako raised a surprised eyebrow at Seiko. He wasn't sure he agreed, but he couldn't help think that Ryu would say the same thing if they told him. He shrugged it off. Alike or not, Ryu was as much his son as Mari was his daughter.

"Tomorrow, I bet he'll be able to waterbend without a hitch," Seiko suddenly stated with a sly smile.

Mako stopped mid-sip.

"Oh? And why's that."

"Because, also like you, he wants to be better," Seiko replied with a soft smile.

Mako set down his drink. Seiko's little game wasn't just for Ryu's benefit. It had been meant to help him, too. "Damn it Seiko. Why can't I be mad at you for more than five minutes."

Seiko reached over and took his hand. "Because deep down, you love me and know I'm the one you should be with instead of little Zu," he playfully grinned.

"Annddd it's done…" Mako grumped. He pulled his hand free of Seiko's grasp. A moment later, a smile spread across his face when Seiko's phone rang. He was certain it was Shizu calling to reprimand her older brother, and she wasn't going to be polite. Seiko may be her favorite brother, but he was her husband. That meant he outranked her sibling in her eyes.

"You might want to take that in the other room." It was all the warning he was going to give his brother-in-law.

The following morning, they all prepared to head out onto the tundra for another waterbending attempt. All except Mari who still wasn't interested in going out in the cold. She watched from the couch with Juji as the others got dressed, even Koji. Soon, Seiko appeared from his bedroom with a large box between his hands. He was in an surprisingly good mood despite the verbal lashing he had certainly gotten from his sister last night. Mako hadn't heard the conversation, but Seiko had been on the phone with her for nearly twenty minutes without saying a single word, which wasn't a good sign. During his time with Shizu, he had been on the receiving end of one of her angry wordbending tangents a few times. She would speak, non-stop, and woe to anyone that dared interrupt her before she was finished.

"Maybe this will help you, Mari dear," Seiko said as he handed her the box.

Mari cautiously opened it. Inside, was a lavish, crushed velvet coat with a thick fur lining and a pair of matching gloves. The coat hung down almost as long as her as she lifted it from the package.

"It's beautiful, Uncle Seiko," she said as she admired it. "But I can't accept this. It's too much." It had to have coat a small fortune.

"I insist, Mari. And I'm going to be offended if I don't see you in it," Seiko teased.

"Well…I…" Her tail nervously twitched as she glanced out the window.

"Here, Mari." Koji took the coat and helped her into it. "I'm going to be outside too and, if you feel like you're getting too cold, I'll make sure you get to someplace warm." The affection the two shared was obvious.

Seiko sidled up behind Mako as they watched the two teens flirt.

"And what does Papa Mako think about his sweet, little, granddaughter having a boyfriend?" Seiko whispered into his brother-in-law's ear.

"She's old enough to be making her own decisions, Seiko," he replied, but the dour expression on his face betrayed his true feelings. It was difficult for him to see his precious little girl growing-up.

The long hem floated through the air as Mari spun around in her new coat. Apparently, Koji's persistence had convinced her to join them outside.

"I love it, Uncle Seiko. Thank you so much," she beamed. The blush color complimented the blue scales on her tail.

"Be sure to keep your tail curled beneath it too, Mari," Mako cautioned her. Keeping her tail up would not only protect it from the cold, but act as an extra heat source.

"Yes, Papa," Mari replied and wrapped the limb around her waist. To finish up, she pulled the furred hood up over her horns.

"Guess you're on your own today, Juji." A contented coo came from the bird as Ryu gave it an affectionate rub on the head.

Once they got outside, Mari and Koji went for a walk while Ryu went to train. Much as the day before, Seiko made himself comfortable on his ice throne while Mako stood next to him. Ryu nervously stood before them with a snowball held firm in his hands.

"You got this, Kid," Mako encouraged him. After telling Mari to keep her tail covered, he had his swinging behind him in the cold. It was a reminder that they both had fears to overcome.

"Of course I do, Old Man. I am the Avatar," he smirked. He might never be able to completely get over his fear of water, but it wasn't going to happen at all if he didn't at least work on it. Plus, how was he going to protect people if he couldn't waterbend. He concentrated and, after several seconds, the snowball turned into a fluid bubble.

"Hey! I did it!" he exclaimed in genuine surprise as the bubble hovered between his hands. The smug smirk on Mako's face made him change his tone. "I mean, of course I did. Piece of cake."

"Told you," Seiko winked at Mako before addressing Ryu. "Well done. The first step is always the hardest."