A/N: Quick refresher of characters with aliases (they'll revert to their original names later on):

San = Bolin
Sherabi = Opal
Toru = Toph (Bolin and Opal's adult daughter)

Rather than recap full scenes from DoM, I've instead put in small snapshots of Koko's POV. As mentioned before, they won't necessarily have any context (unless you have a super awesome memory lol) but are meant to give an impression of her thoughts during important moments.

"Let's go," Koko said briskly. "We have a lot of ground to cover today."

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"North."

"Ohhh, north," Saph shot back. "Thanks for clearing that up."

The sharp sarcasm made Koko stop dead, shocked. She was put in mind of something Nani had once said:

"...but she sure does have a mouth on her with people she feels comfortable around."

She turned around and tried to be nice. "I know you've been through a lot, but if you could keep the teenage sass to a minimum, that would be great."

The gentle reprimand shut Saph up…for a little while.

"How do you know Nani? And my parents? And why do you have the tattoo? And how did you–"

Spirits give me patience. "Calm down, kid. You don't need to know everything about me or why I do what I do."

"So you just expect me to blindly trust and follow you?"

It was a reasonable question. Clearly, there was some lingering wariness. And that was good. Better for her to be shrewd and cautious.

"Blindly trust? No. Follow? Yes. Because what other option do you have?"

That seemed to give Saph pause, but what she said next cut Koko to the bone.

"Am I ever going to see my family again?"

Unpleasant flashes of Kiriko's final days flashed into existence. 'They're all dead. I'm never going to see them again.' But this scared girl following her wasn't Kiriko. It was Saph. Her family was still alive and well.

"Yes," Koko said. "Just be patient."

"So…since you're a combustionbender, does that mean you're a master?"

Koko suppressed a sigh. She hated being reminded that Saph didn't know anything about her. Sooner or later, that conversation was going to have to happen. Would Saph fear her then? "I was a master long before I became a combustionbender."

"That seems like a really useful skill." Her eyes lit up with eagerness. "Are you going to teach me that?"

Koko felt her scowl deepen. "No."

"Why not?"

Because I would never put anyone through that, least of all you. I would die before I let anyone lead you down that path. But Koko kept her thoughts to herself, instead saying, "Watch me closely and mirror my movements."

They were the most basic forms—things she'd begun learning around age four or five—without any actual bending. Saph seemed bored, but to her credit didn't complain, for once. She actually paid attention and picked up the motions with ease.

"If you've known my parents my whole life," she asked at one point, apparently withering away from having briefly stemmed her steady stream of curiosity, "how come I've never met you?"

Koko let a rush of old sensations pass through her mind. Kiriko's memories were now thought of as her own—most of the time—but in a distant, disconnected way. Still, it was nice to hold those images in her head. Saph had been a cute baby that loved to play and was always happy to see Kiriko. Unfortunately, they didn't share those good memories.

"You have, but you were too young to remember."

A truly harrowing day of travel convinced Koko to ramp up the training. Saph was learning quickly and, although she certainly wasn't ready for the technique Koko had in mind, it wouldn't hurt to get her started with trying to understand the concept behind it.

After giving a lengthy explanation and a practical demonstration, she watched closely as Saph picked up a handful of grass and shut her eyes. Koko didn't expect anything at all to happen. It had taken her months to make any progress with this difficult technique under Korra's tutelage.

Saph took a deep breath and held it. When her exhale created a slight shimmer in the air and set the grass smoldering, Koko's stomach dropped like she'd swallowed a lead weight.

Shit. This doesn't make sense. She's not a prodigy. She's good, a fast learner, but still within the normal range. So how did she pick this up on her first try?

"What?" Saph said, clearly self-conscious, when Koko just stood there and stared impassively.

"That was good." Her thoughts were going a mile a minute. Could she actually be the Avatar after all? There was no other explanation that made sense. Very few people knew that technique; Korra, having invented it, was one.

"But…the grass is barely burning," Saph said with a disappointed frown. "Actually, it's stopped now. It was gone in a second when you did it."

She doesn't have any idea what she's done. Maybe it's better that way. Last thing she needs is to develop an ego, or worse—bear the burden of my suspicions.

But Koko didn't want to completely demoralize her, so she said, "That's the difference between learning a technique and mastering it. You internalized the core principle and applied it."

"So…I really did it…?"

"Yes. Now do it again."

Koko didn't sleep at all the night after fighting the blue sages. This wasn't the first time a plague carrier had temporarily stolen her bending, but the feeling wasn't something one could ever truly get used to.

Sitting there in the fading light, all she could think about was the carnage she'd caused. More death. More ruthless violence. It had been necessary, and she didn't regret it, but there was no way she was going to close her eyes and let her subconscious torment her. Sleep would have to wait until they got to Jupa.

Besides all of that, she didn't want to take her eyes off of Saph for even one second. Without bending, this innocent kid curled up beside her was utterly defenseless.

Maybe not so innocent anymore. How much of the fight did she see? I saw the fear in her eyes when she looked at me afterward.

The moment had been brief, but it pierced Koko into the depths of her soul. It was exactly how she'd always feared Saph would look at her.

Hours passed. The night deepened until the only light was from the moon and stars. When gray dawn finally began to creep into the eastern sky, Saph started twitching and making soft noises that quickly turned into pitiful whimpers.

"Saph," Koko said with a brisk shake on her shoulder. "Saph, wake up."

She bolted upright, gasping, and found Koko's forearm in the gloom. "What–?"

"You were having a nightmare."

Saph's only response was unsteady breaths. In the dim light, Koko saw her use her free hand to try and make a flame—unsuccessfully, of course. The gesture was a familiar one.

"It might take a day or so for it to come back," Koko said preemptively.

"This–" Saph's voice trembled. "Has it happened to you before?"

"A few times. I recognized the feeling as soon as that wagon came around the corner."

"It was so awful. How were you able to fight so well? I couldn't even…"

Koko realized with a jolt that maybe Saph hadn't been afraid of her, after all. Maybe that look in her eyes had been awe, not fear. Did she really want to be like that? A cold-blooded killer?

You weren't meant for those things. For conflict and violence.

Or maybe you are… Are you the Avatar or not? I wish I knew. I should be able to tell.

"Shylo," Koko called once she'd found him skipping rocks in the pond.

He immediately trotted over upon seeing her. "I was starting to think you were never gonna come back. Please, you gotta get me out of here. I'm not a little kid anymore and I–" His stopped and cleared his throat, visibly distressed. "Grams passed three months ago."

"I heard. I'm sorry."

"Is that why you came back?"

She shook her head. "I was bringing someone here. She's about your age. If you do me a favor, I'll let you come with me when I leave–"

Shylo pumped his fist in the air and whooped loudly, back to his usual animated self.

"You might wanna let me finish before you celebrate," Koko continued.

"Why? Is this a favor I'm gonna hate a lot?" he said with a skeptical side-eye.

"No. It's easy. But you might want to think twice before coming with me. It's going to be dangerous. I need you to scout for me, with a flight suit, so you'll be vulnerable—"

"A flight suit?!"

"Would you keep your voice down?" she snapped.

"...Sorry." He continued in a dramatic whisper. "You're seriously gonna get me a flight suit? From where?"

"Not important. All you need to know is that I'm going far away into an area with unknown dangers, and I'll expect you to scout ahead for trouble. And, most importantly, you're not allowed to talk incessantly. Do you think you can handle all of that?"

Shylo gave her a cheeky grin and puffed his chest out. "I'm your guy." His smile faded into curiosity. "What's the favor?"

"I want you to talk to the girl I brought. She's very shy, so she probably won't say much, but I want you to ask her a few basic personal questions, like her name and who I am. Stuff like that. I want to know if she'll listen to me about keeping her mouth shut."

"Oh, yeah, that sounds fun. I bet I can crack her."

"I don't want you to 'crack her'." Koko pinched the bridge of her nose, already regretting asking him to come along. "Just be casually curious. Don't push her too hard."

"Lighten up, I was kidding. When do you want me to do it?"

"I'll send her out here in an hour or so. Just look for her wandering around."

Later that evening, he reported good news:

"You were right about her being shy. She barely said four words to me. Literally! I counted." He laughed and shook his head. "So who is she, anyway?"

"Just the kid of some people I know. She'll be staying with San and Sherabi until her family can join her here."

"So…since I did that favor, does that mean I can come with you?"

Koko sighed. She didn't really want to travel with anyone—especially not a talkative teenage boy—but he would be very useful. Going to Republic City made her indescribably uneasy. An extra set of eyes would help a lot. And as much as she hated to think it, he was expendable. No family left to worry about him.

"Yes. You can come, as long as you accept that it'll be dangerous and I can't guarantee your safety. But you're limited to a hundred words per day. Use them wisely."

As she lay in bed that night, not sleeping as usual, she thought about Saph. There were too many questions. Old suspicions were growing stronger, though plenty of doubts still lingered. Saph was a fearful child, not cut out for the weighty role of Avatar. That would be a cruel life for someone so timid. Surely anyone carrying Raava would be more bold…

And yet, there were so many things that made Koko feel like there was something there. Something worth investigating. What if the person in Republic City really was Jinora? She'd be able to tell for sure if there was anything spiritually unusual about Saph.

I guess it doesn't matter. She's staying here and I'm leaving. Even if I wanted her to come with me, she'd be too scared.

A pang of regret surprised Koko. What was that all about? Being responsible for Saph was a burden. Sure, she was mostly cooperative. And eager to learn. Was that it, then? Being able to teach firebending again was nice, Koko supposed. Traditional forms were a dying art. The blue sages had seen to that.

Years ago, Zhu Li had actually suggested teaching as one of the ways Koko could contribute in Oldtown, but it hadn't worked out. She was too restless to stay underground long enough for that.

I can teach Saph more when I get back from Republic City. I'll let her know tomorrow before I leave.

Finished with her breakfast, Koko stood with the intention of getting packed up for her journey.

"Wait," Saph blurted, making the whole family go quiet and stare at her. "I want to come with you." But her face instantly flushed and she slumped down in her chair. "I– I mean– If that's okay…"

Koko blinked twice, deeply surprised. Well, there's that boldness I was looking for. Close enough, anyway. "Why? You're safe here. Your family will come soon."

"I can come back, can't I? I just–" Her voice quavered for a moment, but then her jaw clenched stubbornly. "I need to do this. Please."

When Sherabi opened her mouth, no doubt to protest, Koko put up a hand to forestall her.

Okay. Think this through. Saph didn't just randomly decide to come. She must have a reason, even if she doesn't feel comfortable sharing it with everyone. She's afraid, but something is stronger than her fear. I can't ignore that. Let's just…see what happens.

"You can come if you're sure that's what you want, and you'll have one chance to change your mind—in Oldtown, where Nani lives. After that, there's no turning back."

"I understand."

"Alright. We leave in an hour." Mara is going to kill me.

Koko tracked down Shylo immediately after. He'd already packed a bag and seemed eager to get going.

"So where are we headed?"

"North, for now."

"Cryptic," he said with a sage nod. "I like it. When do I get my"—he lowered his voice to a whisper—"flight suit?"

"In a week or so. We're making a stop along the way. Also, I wanted to let you know that Saph is coming with us."

His eyes lit up. "Really? Cool! But why?"

Koko shrugged, unable to explain. "She wants to." And if she changes her mind, I can leave her in Oldtown. "But I want to lay down some extremely clear ground rules. There will be no funny business between you two. Don't even flirt with her, got it?"

Shylo burst out laughing. "I'm not into girls. I thought you knew that."

"...Oh. I didn't." She shrugged again. "Whatever. One less thing I have to worry about."

"Are you gonna have this same talk with her?" he asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Warn her not to flirt with me?"

"No need. She won't. You'll be lucky if she even talks to you." Koko's frown deepened, though it was for her own thoughts and not directed at him. "Be patient with her. She's never had a friend her own age."

"I told you I was gonna crack her," Shylo said with a laugh. "I'm gonna be her friend whether she wants it or not."

Good, Koko mused silently after seeing a move they'd been practicing. Nice application.

And then Saph did something…unexpected. Perhaps desperation fueled her, like how she'd fought the man in Jupa when all seemed lost. Possibly it was just adrenaline overriding her typical behavior.

Or maybe it was something else. Something deep inside her taking control for a few brief moments.

Suddenly, she was fighting with more aggression than Koko had previously thought she was capable of. Her eyes blazed, cold fire, fiercely competitive. Shylo began to lose ground. He was backing up now.

When he reached the tree line, Koko opened her mouth to stop them, but it was too late. He yelped and hit the ground hard after a ferocious combo sent him stumbling backward.

As Koko did her best to provide basic first aid, she couldn't even bring herself to look at Saph. The puncture wound was deep and was in danger of becoming infected, but that wasn't what had her heart pounding in her throat. Shylo was tough. They would be in Oldtown in a few days and he could get real medical attention there.

But Saph…

Where did that come from? That move. That combo, with that stance. I didn't teach her that.

Another voice reasoned with her to calm her down. It was just a punch. Not that complex. Anyone could come up with it on their own. She got caught up in the moment.

After the fact, she would wonder how she managed to drag Shylo for two hours mostly by herself. What animalistic strength had possessed her, driven her to such an extreme, just to save a kid she barely knew? She just completely checked out and ignored the exhaustion. Perhaps a lingering shred of Oh-One, who didn't react to pain the way normal people did, had surfaced to help.

"He needs immediate medical attention," Koko rasped. So thirsty. So tired. I can't believe we made it. I just hope we're not too late. "More than your healers out here can provide."

"You know I can't–"

"He'll die otherwise."

"He's not verified–"

Somehow, she found the strength to argue. I won't let him die. "I don't give a damn! Is your job more important than his life?!"

They were eye to eye. He wasn't a large man, but she knew he was solid. An earthbender. Unlikely to be moved.

"Is his life more important than everyone else's? We have laws for a reason."

"Damnit, Rinaf!" Koko growled. I don't have time for this. He's dying. "Just let them in! They're kids." An impulsive idea went straight to her mouth before ricocheting through her mind. "I'll take responsibility for both of them."

Rinaf scoffed with disbelief. "Seriously?"

"Yes." If Mara wasn't going to kill me before, she definitely will now. Hopefully they'll never come to Oldtown and she'll never find out.

"Are you his parent or guardian?" the assigned doctor asked while several nurses got to work running tests and putting in an IV.

"Not yet," Koko muttered. "I'm the one who brought him in. He stepped on a broken branch and punctured the sole of his foot. I'm pretty sure he has tetanus."

"Vaccinated?"

"No."

"How many days since the injury?"

"Six. He started feeling sick this morning, or maybe last night."

"Any medical allergies? You didn't put much on the intake form."

"That's because I don't know the answers to most of those questions," she said, frustrated.

"Hm. Alright. We'll do what we can. The infection appears to be pretty advanced."

Koko swallowed hard and did something she was very good at—repressing all of her feelings except for anger. "What are you saying?" she demanded. "He's going to die?"

The doctor wasn't cowed by her shift in attitude. "Like I said, we'll do everything we can. The treatment for tetanus, if that's what he has, is relatively new. I can't make any guarantees."

"Fine. I want regular updates."

"You won't get anything until we have paperwork on file that lists you as his legal guardian."

Koko gritted her teeth and took a few calming breaths. "Is there a phone I can use?"

"There's one for guests, just through those doors."

Fully expecting to get the answering machine, she was surprised when Nani actually picked up.

"How did you beat me here?" Koko asked. "I thought you were taking Mara and Jojin to Jupa?"

"They said they'd only go after confirmation that Saph made it, plus they wanted a real escort since you were gone, so I left to come here right after we got your hawk. And then my mother told me she'd gotten word from Jupa that you were bringing Saph here. What were you thinking?! Where is she? Surely they didn't let you bring her into the city."

"They did." In retrospect, she realized her original plan had been severely flawed. Zhu Li—however much she may usually bend the rules for Koko—would never have allowed her to simply hop on the train with two unverified teenagers. "And now I have to go fill out a bunch of paperwork."

"Paperwork? Koko, what did you do?"

"What I had to. Use your imagination. Anyway, I have to get this done, then we'll head over to your place."

"...Alright. I'll wait up."

Koko could tell from the shortness in her voice that there was going to be a discussion later. Fortunately, Saph provided a nice buffer. When they arrived, she instantly ran into Nani's arms.

Better her than me, Koko mused, unwilling to offer that kind of comfort and affection.

She fell into a chair, dead tired, and tried to relax. Unfortunately, the conversation soon went in a decidedly uncomfortable direction. Worse—Nani was actively encouraging it, which Koko didn't appreciate one bit.

"You both knew Avatar Korra, didn't you?" Saph asked, inevitably, when the topic came up.

Nani hesitated and looked over—a silent request for permission to share personal information.

"Whatever," Koko said with a shrug, though her nonchalant attitude didn't match the turmoil in her mind. She got to her feet and headed for the door; it was time for some long-overdue decompression. Sleep could wait. "I'm gonna go for a walk."

Nani saw right through the casual remark. "Koko." The sharp edge of disapproval was impossible to miss.

"What?" she snapped without even turning around.

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

Yeah, I will. Thanks for your permission. To emphasize her annoyance, she slammed the door on her way out.

The truth was, she didn't really care if Saph knew about her past. It was probably better that she did, but Koko didn't want to be around for the conversation. The very existence of those memories was burned through her body and mind.

Since adopting her new identity, she'd worked long and hard to mesh it with the old ones. Only years of consistent therapy had brought her to the point where she could say 'I' instead of 'she' when talking about Kiriko's life. Even then, that life felt like it had been lived by someone else.

For the next couple of hours, Koko drowned herself at her usual watering hole downtown. Most of that time was spent sulking at the far end of the bar. After three shots of the strong stuff, the bartender—who knew her habits—cut her off and would only supply sake. Piss water.

She never did this anywhere but Oldtown. Alcohol enhanced whatever emotions she was feeling at the time and made them impossible to regulate. Drinking also made it harder to think straight, and that was precisely what she was after: feeling without thinking. Let the repressed emotions run free inside a hazy, disorganized head.

The trade-off was that she couldn't control herself. Only Oldtown afforded the safety and security of the spare room at Nani's house, where she could fall into bed behind a locked door and let the nightmares consume her.

Unfortunately, that wasn't what happened. She stumbled back to the house once the bar closed down, unsatisfied with her level of drunkenness. There was a bottle of liquor stashed in the kitchen, she was quite sure. Nani had taken it away from her and hid it, but she wasn't exactly great at that game. Finding it would be easy.

That prediction turned out to be true, but Koko's success was overshadowed by a stealthy figure that crept into the room behind her.

"Koko?"

"Go back to bed, kid." No babysitting right now. This is 'me' time.

"Are you…drunk?"

"I said"—She turned to Saph so that her expression would make it very clear that she wanted to be alone—"go back to bed."

What followed was not Koko's proudest moment. Certainly, Nani wasn't impressed when she walked in on the drunken rant.

"KOKO!"

The angry voice echoed through the room, loud enough to make Koko's head spin. A moment later, her vision resolved into a trembling, tomato-faced version of Nani. How strange.

"She wants to know things," Koko growled, too drunk to be concerned by the uncharacteristic fury. "So I'm telling her things."

Nani stalked over but immediately gentled her expression for Saph. "C'mon. Back to bed."

For the next thirty seconds, Koko simply stared at the bottle in her hand as it came in and out of focus. Who am I? What am I doing?

When Nani reappeared, she was ready for a fight. "What is wrong with you?" she hissed, snatching the bottle away.

Lots of things, thanks. "Fuck off."

Arguing wasn't appealing at the moment so she tried to walk away, but Nani actually had the nerve to grab her arm. Koko's instinctive reaction to such a provocation was to pivot, snarling, hand raised with a ready flame in her palm.

Nani flinched back, eyes wide. Hurt. More than that, she looked genuinely afraid. That finally pierced Koko with a moment of clarity.

"Well, what'd'ya think was gonna happen when you grabbed me like that?" she muttered, too annoyed to give a real apology. "It felt like an attack."

"I would never hurt you," Nani said in a shaky voice. "You know that."

"I'm drunk," Koko countered. "Gimme a break."

"I won't. You had no right to talk to Saph that way. You decided to get drunk not even an hour after you took custody of her. Or have you already forgotten?"

"I'm not her mother," Koko slurred. Those extra shots were definitely starting to take effect now. "Shit, I think I'm gonna be sick…"

"Serves you right. And no, you're not her mother, but you're still responsible for her right now. Did you even think at all before you brought her here? Do you realize what it means to be responsible for a child? It means you have to set aside your own issues. Instead you're taking them out on her! And me!" Nani kept her voice low but the tone was as impassioned as it had ever been.

"I'm sorry, okay? Geez. Make one little fucking mistake–"

The grumbled complaint ended with her hand over her mouth when the nausea peaked. She stumbled off toward the bathroom and was grateful that Nani didn't try to stop her again.

Morning came with a lingering buzz, a killer headache, but an otherwise clear mind. As she usually was, Koko was awake before the 'sun' came on and left while both Nani and Saph still slept. Her first stop was the medical center, where she found that Shylo had been moved to the ICU.

"How is he?" she asked the doctor.

"Stable. He seems to be responding well to the treatment, so I'm optimistic."

Koko didn't realize how tense she'd been until all the muscles in her shoulders finally released. With Shylo lying there, unconscious and helpless, part of her wondered why she cared so much. He meant little to her. He was just some kid she'd helped out of a bad situation.

And yet, she did care. Maybe it was just that she didn't want Saph to be sad about losing her new friend. Her only friend.

Shit, I really fucked up with her. She's never going to look at me the same way again. "How long will the treatment take?"

"Probably about a week."

Satisfied, Koko went to the one place that was guaranteed to get the rest of the alcohol out of her system, while also providing something productive to make up for acting like a petulant child with Nani: the power plant.

Spirits, please let me avoid Nik for once. That's all I ask. Even though I don't deserve it.

She was able to get through almost the entire day without seeing him. Not until the whistle sounded—letting everyone know the shift quota had been met—did she see him. Worse: He wasn't alone. Nani had already spotted her and was now striding over with determination.

Great. Here we go… "Didn't you yell at me enough last night?" Koko grumbled before she could say anything.

"I'm not here to yell. I'm just concerned."

"I'm fine. I'm over it. Got out all my frustration here."

"I meant that I'm concerned for Saph," Nani said sharply, arms crossed over her chest. "You owe her an apology. Legally binding commitments aside, she really looks up to you."

"Does she?" Koko asked morosely. After last night, that seemed hard to believe. And she deeply regretted showing Saph that darker side of her. "Even now?"

"Of course she does. Why else would she be so determined to follow you around the world?"

Koko surreptitiously glanced over at her. She appeared to be listening to something Nik was saying. Guilt was sidetracked by sudden concern. "You sure it's a good idea to leave her alone with him?"

Nani scoffed. "Please. He would never. She's a child. I know he's obnoxious, but he's not a pervert. Stop changing the subject."

"She's not a little kid anymore. She's almost grown up. Physically, anyway."

"Hmph." She clearly didn't agree, but instead of responding, she turned and beckoned Saph to come over.

"Wait–" Koko tried to protest, not mentally prepared for this conversation.

"Be nice. I mean it."

That wasn't the end of it, unfortunately. While Saph readily accepted Koko's apology and assurances that it would never happen again, Nani had more to say.

"We need to talk," she said later that night after Saph had gone to bed.

"Again?" Koko groaned. "What have I done now?"

"I spoke to Saph about her insistence to go with you." She let out a forceful breath, eyes tight with worry. "I think– I think you might be right about Yin."

Koko arched an eyebrow, genuinely surprised by this change of heart. "You think Saph is the Avatar?"

"No, I didn't say that. But…I think something is going on. I've never seen her so determined. So willing to push past her fear. She's so scared, Koko. But—for whatever reason—her conviction is stronger. As much as I hate to admit it, you were right: She's not a child anymore. She's changed. Something is happening. I don't like it one bit, but I know I can't stop it."

Judging by Nani's pained expression, that knowledge broke her heart. Then again, lots of things seemed to do that.

"So you won't try to stop me from taking her?"

"I just don't understand your insistence. You usually hate traveling with other people. Now you're taking two teenagers on a minimum month-long trek?"

"I'm taking Shylo because he can scout ahead with a flight suit," Koko said, deciding to avoid the first comment. "And I know he'll be good in a fight, should it come to that. The stupid tetanus branch was a freak accident. He's got good instincts. Plus…"

"What?" Nani prodded when she hesitated.

"Uh– They're both pretty chatty. Better that they talk to each other than drive me crazy."

At that, Nani smirked and crossed her arms, though the amusement quickly transformed into worried tension. "Are you not concerned about him…being a teenage boy…? I know Saph probably isn't thinking about that stuff, but I bet he is."

"Trust me, he's not. Not about her, anyway. Or me. You don't need to worry."

Most people would probably have looked at her in confusion. Not Nani. She got it immediately.

"Oh. Alright. Good." But her troubled frown returned a moment later. "I'm glad that she finally has a friend her age, but I was hoping it would make her forget about Yin… I guess that's never going to happen."

Koko understood the sentiment. While it would be satisfying to find the person who carried what remained of Korra's spirit—whoever it turned out to be—she really hoped it wouldn't be Saph. Being the Avatar was a heavy burden, and Saph was such a gentle soul. Innocent. Even being tied to the Avatar in some way had its dangers.

"She got the super-heated air technique right away…" Koko murmured. "It took me months to achieve what she got on her first try."

"Well–" Nani cleared her throat and staunchly avoided eye contact. "She's a talented bender."

"She's a beginner. That's a master-level technique."

"Maybe you're just a good teacher."

"I'm good, but I'm not that good."

They both went quiet. There was an elephant koi in the room that both were dancing around without directly addressing.

"Koko…"

She took a deep breath and braced herself. "What?"

"Why do you want to take her to Republic City?"

"I wish I could explain it, but I can't. The fact that she even wants to go makes me feel like I have to take her. Does that make any sense? I know it sounds a little crazy. It makes me feel a little crazy. But it feels right, too."

They stared at each other for a second or two until Nani finally sighed, defeated.

"What am I supposed to tell Mara?"

"The truth. I can handle her when the time comes." After a second, she added, "Maybe don't mention the custody thing, though. I'll bring Saph back to Jupa afterward. Mara doesn't need to know."

"She's been through so much. Suffered so much grief. I'm worried this will push her over the edge. If anything happens to Saph–"

Koko drew herself up confidently. "It won't. I promise."

"You better keep that promise." Nani appeared to be holding back tears now. "I don't think I'd ever be able to forgive you if you took her into danger and got her killed."