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Chapter Text

Earth... Fire... Air... Water.

When I was a girl, my uncle told me the story of how the previous avatar ended the Hundred Year War.

Avatar Aang and Firelord Zuko seized control of the Fire Nation colonies, forming the United Republic of Nations where people from all around the world could live together.

Aang only wished to unify everyone in peace and harmony, but his actions only threw the world further out of balance. Eighteen years ago, he passed away and I was born. My name is Avatar Korra.

As a child, I was rescued from an order who wished to control the avatar...

I've been on the run ever since. With my new family, the Red Lotus, I've been training to avenge my family and restore freedom and justice to people everywhere.

Only the Avatar can master all four elements and bring balance to the world.

Book I: Air

In the dead of night over the snow-drift southern pole, a sudden burst of fire erupted into the night sky, and then another and a third. The signs of fighting could be seen from miles around and the colorful display of bending reflected upon the icy surface of a massive glacier overlooking the Southern Water Tribe. Under the colorful curtain of lights dancing above, a dragon came down with a roar, shooting hot flames from its mouth. A sudden beam came right back at it, and with two distinctive drumlike beats- a powerful explosion hit the majestic creature and sent it to the ground.

The whole place was swept up in a cacophony of fire, earth, and ice- smoke and vapor and violence.

With the dragon out of commission, the battle was evenly matched between four combatants on each side. They were fighting just on the edge of the glacier to the ocean, not far from a fortress made of ice and snow.

"Tonraq!" A dark-skinned woman screamed, rushing out of the walled building and into the arms of a tall and fierce water tribe warrior. His opponent, a long-haired earthbender with tattoos, stood vigilant as the warrior embraced his wife. The woman collapsed to her knees on the snowdrift as her husband held her, "Korra... Our baby... She's gone!"

The long-haired earthbender looked to his comrades with a nod- an armless waterbender, a tall woman with an eye painted on her forehead, and a short fighter with a scar over his left brow. They retreated from the fight to form a circle and were quickly surrounded by their opponents- the Fire Lord Zuko, The Southern Water Tribe Chief, and Tenzin, the son of Avatar Aang.

Their waterbender slashed at the icedrift with her tendrils, shooting up vapor and ice to cover their escape whilst cutting gaps into the glacier to make their escape. "Don't let them get away!" Tonraq roared, summoning up some water of his own out to give chase...

"They have my daughter!" He desperately cried as the Red Lotus fled before their very eyes...

...Far away, where not a sound of battle could be heard, a gaunt man in a blue cloak and robes put a young girl atop the saddle of camel yak. "Uncle!" She cried, shooting him an angry glare, "What's going on?"

"We have to go, Korra." Unalaq replied as he climbed up the beast and sat in front of her, "It's not safe here. You're going to live with your cousins."

"Where's mommy and daddy!?" The girl protested as he kicked the beast awake and bid it to stand. Unalaq sighed, shaking his head, "Korra, those men from the White Lotus- they... they wanted to take you away from your home. Your father refused but... I'm so sorry."

Tears began to well in the young girl's eyes... and at that tender impressionable age, Korra was fed the most horrible of falsehoods.

Thirteen years later, a young girl was fighting off four benders clad in black and red upon a circular arena. She had no tears in her eyes this time- her gaze was the purest blue and intently focused on the task at hand. Korra ducked and dodged and weaved, her bending a dance of acrobatics and efficiency.

The Red Lotus firebender whirled around in a roundhouse that sent a wave of fire washing over Korra’s head as she ducked low. With an uppercut, Korra unleashed a geyster of earth that threw the firebender onto his back. A tendril of water surged towards her and she dodged to the side, gritting her teeth and thrusting out a palm-strike at its source. A modest blast of air traveled forth from her hand towards the Red Lotus waterbender, who tossed some water beneath her feet and slid away from the air blast on a slide of ice.

Frustrated, Korra took a step forward and thrust both her fists up into the air, creating a boulder directly underneath the evading waterbender and tossing her off of the ice. Korra ran up to her and jumped in the air, punching a fireblast like a javelin at the grounded woman. A metal cable wrapped around her feet and the avatar was pulled away, dragged along the floor by an earthbender. Korra grabbed some of the ice with her bending and fashioned into a more appropriate axe-shape to cut the cables. With the connection severed, she could easily pull them apart and free her ankles.

The metal bender tried to bind her again, but the avatar was too quick, batting away the severed cables with the ice. She swirled her arms like a windmill, conjuring up a wheel of flame that she hurled towards the metalbender. Her opponent summoned forth a block of earth in defense.

Korra grinned, spreading her feet wide and balling her fists at her hips. With a powerful thrust of both her hands, she sent the block of earth tumbling down onto the metalbender and burying him.

The firebender was just groggily coming to on his hands and knees when the avatar ran up to him and gave a good axe-kick to the small of his back. She pinned him to the ground with her foot and grinned.

Her technique was violent and efficient- each style bearing the unmistakable mark of her respective teacher, even if she couldn’t quite lavabend or conjure up explosions. Even her airbending resembled Zaheer’s acrobatic martial arts and less any kind of formal nomad discipline.

As she handily dealt with her opponents, one by one, the leading members of the Red Lotus watched from a balcony overlooking the underground arena.

"She's gotten strong." Ghazan said admiringly, tweaking his mustache.

“Yet her airbending is… insufficient.” Zaheer sighed before he shouted to all the combatants, “That is enough!”

"Woohoo!" She cried out, pulling off a helmet reminiscent of the old fire nation army style. At eighteen years old, Korra had grown into a strong young woman- athletic and pleasing to the eye, with her hair pulled back into a bushy ponytail and her ears covered by dark brown tresses that framed her face. She had the dark complexion of a water tribe girl but was dressed in black and red like a descendent of the old Fire Nation colonists.

After bowing to her opponents, Korra rushed over to P'li for a hug, appearing almost petite in the tall woman's embrace, "You did great." The older woman assured her, "Your firebending is superb."

"Haha, thanks!" Korra replied with a wide smile, pulling away from her and marching herself before the rest of the group. She shook her fists excitedly as she cheered, "Avatar Korra, master of all the elements!"

"Yes, your mastery of Fire, Water, and Earth is quite demonstrable indeed." Zaheer said in his usual professorial style, running his hands through his short-cropped hair, "I think it is time for us to-" She ran up and interrupted him, grabbing his hand and clutching it hard, “-to come out of hiding!? To fight the White Lotus again?”

Even the ever-dour Ming Hua couldn't help but crack a smile at the girl's enthusiasm.

Zaheer was a man in his mid thirties with narrow hazel eyes, a scar over his brow, and a cauliflower ear earned from a lifetime of boxing. Though he had gruff and chiseled features, he looked upon Korra with a sort of paternal warmth, "-time for you to leave us." He said with resignation, "If only for awhile."

"W-what?" Korra asked, “I don’t understand.”

"Korra, I'm not an airbender." He reminded her, “I can only teach you so much about an art form I myself cannot perform.”

She blinked and looked away, frowning. "I know that." Korra pouted, "But you know more about the air nomads than anyone else alive. If there's anyone-"

"-if there's anyone that could teach you," He interrupted, "It would be a real airbender. The previous Avatar's own son."

The girl looked away, her aqua blue eyes drifting off dejectedly, "I don't want to leave again... I don’t want to leave you guys and- and besides, he's with the White Lotus! You know what they did! They'll kill me if I go to him."

"Not if you keep your identity hidden, Korra.” Zaheer reassured her, putting his hands on her shoulder, “If you became an air acolyte, you could learn from master Tenzin in secret. Observe him. Absorb his teachings and learn from the last air nomad alive. Don't you want to learn how to airbend?"

She looked him back in the eyes, a pure blue gaze meeting his own pale green, "Of course I do..."

"This the last thing keeping you from being a fully-fledged Avatar and restoring freedom back to the world." The older man said, his tone suddenly turning serious, “We don’t have much time. Harmonic Convergence is almost upon us...”

"Geez, don't make it sound so fun." Korra huffed, shaking her head, “How soon?”

“As soon as possible.” Zaheer answered. With a frown, she wormed out of his grasp and walked away.

“Korra.” Zaheer reached out for her, but P’Li put her hand on his shoulder and warned him, "Give her some time."

Korra spent the night in her room, holding a framed picture of her parents... her real parents. She had to admit Zaheer was right... she was far from being considered a full-fledged Avatar. Not until she could enter the Avatar state or airbend properly. As powerful as she might have been under the Red Lotus' guidance, what was an Avatar who could only bend three elements?

Korra believed in everything too. Connecting the physical and the spiritual worlds again, bringing balance and harmony by destroying the tyrannical world order… Of course she wanted to help but for all this talk of freedom, sometimes it felt like she had so very little of it herself. She reminded herself of the adage that freedom often had to be earned.

More disappointing was the fact that she would have to leave everything behind again. Her life was full of constant danger, always on the run ever since her rescue. The White Lotus controlled all the world's governments and were intent on controlling the Avatar too. The world might not have known her face, but Zaheer and the others were still Republic City's 'Most Wanted' thirteen years later… That’s why they couldn’t come with her. If she was going to become an Air Acolyte, she'd have to go alone.

She wondered who she should even say goodbye to. It wasn't easy to make friends when you were the Avatar. ‘Hi, my name’s Korra and everyone in the world is after me. I like to spend my free time training to overthrow world leaders.’ Yeah right.

There was somebody who would miss her when she was gone...

Korra went for a walk through the city streets later that night, enjoying the cool tropical air of the southern Earth Kingdom. Alone, Korra ruminated over whether or not to just go without saying anything.

"Hello there, young lady." An elderly gentleman selling oracle bone divination on the sidewalk softly greeted her, "My, I sense quite an aura about you, eh?"

"I'm not looking to get my fortune read." Korra distractedly said with a wave of her hand.

"No? Well, something's troubling you. My eyesight might be bad but even I can see it plain on your face." The old man shook his head sympathetically, not even looking her in the eye. If he wasn’t blind, he did a damn good job at pretending.

Humoring him, Korra sadly laughed and turned to face him, "That obvious, huh? It's just... I guess hate goodbyes."

The old fortuneteller hummed and nodded like he’d heard it a hundred times before, "Leaving again, hm?" he looked past her, even though his choice of words had caught her attention, "The only thing worse than having to say goodbye is not getting the chance to say it at all. It is a terrible thing to live in regret..."

That struck her a little close to home and Korra had to shake her head and sardonically smile. He was right… "Yeah." She muttered, "That's true."

A rock slammed against the wooden slats of a window and the sudden noise awoke a young man from his bed. He groggily came to and made his way to the window dressed in nothing but his trousers. With short brown hair, an earthy complexion and fair features, a shirtless Liao hanging out his window would certainly have aroused the attention of most of the neighborhood girls had they known.

"Kotomi?" He asked, rubbing his eyes and looking down at the street at Korra, who was waiting for him with another rock in hand. She pointed to the roof and he nodded his head with a yawn, retreating back into his room to get dressed in the green and brown tones of a typical lower class Earth Kingdom boy.

A few minutes later, he joined her on the rooftop, where Korra was already laying on her back staring up at the constellations in the night sky. She greeted him with a peck on the lips but he sensed something was wrong.

Uncertain of how to broach the issue, Liao didn't say anything for a long time before Korra finally sighed and told him the truth. "I'm leaving soon."

The boy sat up, looking at her for a moment before slinking back into place to stare up at the stars with her, "Already? Damn." He sighed, "I was really starting to like you too."

She nodded with a sad smile, "Me too. I had fun though."

"Yeah..."

He nudged the back of her hand with his own and they interlaced their fingers together.

"Oh!" Liao suddenly exclaimed, furrowing his brow, "We never got to visit the Cave of Two Lovers."

"Really?" She softly laughed, "Isn’t it just a tourist trap now?"

"Yeah, well, I thought it'd be romantic." He joked… but she didn’t laugh.

Korra tossed her head to the side to better get a measure of his face, drawing Liao's attention away from the stars. She leaned in and kissed him deeply, reaching up to stroke his cheek. They both closed their eyes, lost in the moment beneath the moonlit sky. Their lips remained joined until at last she drew away and cooly whispered, "Or you thought you'd get in my pants."

The sentimentality of the moment ruined, Liao chuckled and shook his head, nuzzling her in the process, "Guess we'll never know for sure what I thought."

Korra rolled her eyes and tossed her head back with a smile... She thought to herself for some time before untangling her fingers from his own and moving her hand across to his thigh. Instantly his heart started to beat faster. She started to move her hand up and down his upper leg, softly whispering, "This'll be the last night we can look up at the stars together."

Liao could offer no reply- his mind was racing with her hand so intimately close.... It triggered every possible cognitive response that an imaginative and hormonal boy might have in his position.

Though they only met a short while ago, Korra felt like there really was some potential with Liao... Long ago she resolved never to get too sentimental with friends or boys. She had a mission in life. Vengeance to be realized and… world governments to overthrow?

Liao didn't even know her real name! How could she tell him that she was the Avatar? -or anything about the Red Lotus. She should have known this relationship would be doomed from the start... yet even so, moments like these were nice. She closed her eyes and sighed, resolving that she should probably make it up to him. He didn't deserve to be lied to and then left in the dust because of her sentimentality.

She rolled over on her side and kissed him again, slipping her tongue between his lips and leaning into his body. Korra reached over with her opposite hand to rest on his hip. She knew what she wanted to do but was still just a little hesitant.

Over and over again, she was always waiting for the 'right time' but it never came. By the time things were just starting to get serious, she already had to leave again. Liao certainly wasn’t the first boy Korra had these kinds of feelings for… and it never got easier.

Making out with him certainly did help her along. She had to admit he was a good kisser. It was getting her more and more excited. Her nipples stiffened against her top and she was getting quite warm between her legs…

Now resolved, Korra planted her hand over his groin, feeling for him through the fabric. He was already a little hard. Korra giggled in between kisses and began to stroke him to complete erection. Liao was eager to return the favor, crossing his arm over hers and cupping her womanhood through her shorts. She spread her thighs just a bit to give him access... and slipped her hand into his pants to pleasure him directly.

She found him hot and firm to the touch. The young woman was fascinated just touching him, feeling for herself the way a man stiffens and becomes aroused.

"Kotomi..." Liao murmured as she began to glide up and down his length. She couldn't help but smile, seeing him so flustered like this. Where was all that cool guy confidence from before? He followed her lead, slipping his fingers into her shorts to find her sex already wet and waiting.

The both of them grew more desperate as they made out and pleasured each other. Their tongues danced and swirled between their lips and Korra began to lose herself. All of her worries seemed to float away, leaving only this transient moment of intimacy.

She pulled away to look down at her work. Korra wanted to see what she felt... so she pulled his cock out and just stared at it as she stroked him harder. Her azure eyes were fixated on the hot manly thing between her fingers. He softly moaned, trying not to sound too easily affected by her every little touch and twist of the wrist. This only encouraged her, as Korra reached her other hand around beneath his body and to the back of his head. She ran her fingers through his brown hair until she closed her fist around a handful and pulled his head back with it.

Much to her satisfaction, Liao seemed to like it when she was rough.

He was losing track of his own movements- the fingers rubbing on her sex slowing until he just had them resting there on her clit. Korra smiled when the realization dawned on her that this was his first time! The avatar was determined to make it a good one...

She pulled his head closer to her own and kissed his neck as her hand pumped faster up and down his shaft. Liao’s chest rose and fell more rapidly as his body began to tensen and his breath became more shallow. Korra rubbed his sensitive tip against her midriff so that he could feel her skin. To her surprise, she already felt a bit of moisture. His tip oozed warm precum against her hard abs and Korra bit her lip.

"Kotomi." He groaned huskily, "N-not so fast."

"You mean like this?" She asked with a nervous smile, trying to put on much more confidence than she really possessed. Squeezing him firmly, Korra did slow down... but she also made every stroke that much more thorough. From his base all the way to his tip, her whole hand slid over his length and forced another pleasured sigh from his lips.

"Not so hard now!" He protested with a laugh.

Korra was beginning to understand... He didn't want this to end! Not this early. Korra smiled with the realization. As much as she liked Liao, the avatar was reluctant to go all the way with him here on this tile rooftop of all places. How could she when he didn’t even know her name? Korra clutched harder at a fistfull of hair and kissed his cheek, whispering, "You're close?"

"Y-yeah." He nodded, squirming in her grasp. He was hoping she’d ease of if he told her that...

Yet the avatar didn't relent, even as she felt his cock stiffen and throb. She rolled his sensitive head over her abs until he began to moan, loud and helpless in her arms. Korra’s eyes darted around out of reflex. Even though this rooftop was pretty secluded, Liao could arouse quite a bit of attention sounding off like that...

"I love you." Liao desperately let out, shutting his eyes and clinging to her as he started to climax. She felt a hot splash over the firm musculature of her abdomen- it coalesced into pools in her navel and between every nook of her abs. The white release, slick and shiny in the moonlight, was a stark contrast against her dark skin. Korra looked down with rapt attention as she finished him off, blue eyes enthralled at the sight of his first orgasm with a woman.

She felt him coursing between her fingers, the muscles in his virile cock urging forth streams of pleasure out from his body and down his length… Liao had entered another place, it seemed, overwhelmed with the pleasure.

The spray of hot cum splashed off her skin and dripped down her stomach and onto the roof. Finally, after what seemed like ten or eleven hot spurts splayed across her bare stomach, his cock stopped its pulsing and she began to slow down.

Korra’s muscles relaxed as well, and she let a thoroughly satisfied Liao roll onto his back. She rolled over onto her back as well, rubbing her cum-covered skin, massaging the fruit of her efforts into her firm abs. Liao was panting, barely able to utter, "Kotomi… I told you to slow down."

The woman softly laughed and closed her eyes. "Sorry."

Aside from crickets, the only sound that could be heard was their contented breathing. Even Korra found herself panting a little...

As soon as the adrenaline wore off, a sense of dread and melancholy began to creep back into her awareness. She resolved to banish it far away- if only for one more night. She didn’t want to look back on this night with any regrets.

“I guess…” Liao sighed, “As soon as one of us gets up, this is goodbye.”

“...Yeah.”

“You gonna tell me why you have to leave?”

“...Sorry.”

“Ah, I think I understand.” He laughed in spite of himself, “Let’s just… stay a little while longer.”

The following day at the station, Korra took a step off the platform and onto a train headed north. Looking back, she brushed her hair out of her face and smiled at her surrogate family standing there on the platform- Zaheer, P'li, Ghazan and Ming-hua.

Just for her sake, they were all taking quite a risk appearing as a group. One of them alone would be an innocuous sight, but all four of them together were quite recognizable as the world’s most wanted criminals... She appreciated the support- she needed it. For the first time, Korra was going to be out on her own. The conductor’s bell rang out in a monotonous tone and the train roared steam into the air. Hanging off of a pole, Korra leaned out and waved goodbye as the train began to pick up speed.

She didn't know when she was going to see them again. How long would it take to master airbending? Weeks… months? Korra didn’t have much time. Korra sighed when they disappeared from sight. It would be a long way to Republic City...

Out the window, the Earth Kingdom countryside stretched out for miles as far as she could see. Vast tracts of farmland, majestic mountain ranges, valleys and cities. With earth bending, there was nothing to stop a train from going straight through a cliff or into a ravine. The wilderness of all was the most beautiful, the places most untouched by humans. As she pressed her forehead against the window, she wondered what it might be to just live like the first people did… away from the artificial constructs of kingdoms, armies, and societies. Together with the spirits in harmony. Order within disorder... Freedom. That’s why she had to unlock her power as the avatar and fight to tear down these falsehoods.

A day and a night passed until finally, when Korra was curled up in a ball in her seat asleep, the train suddenly stopped. With a mighty roar of the train’s whistle, she was stirred from her slumber.

She looked out the window, groggily wiping sleep from her eyes. "Last stop, Central City Station, Republic City!" came the distorted voice over the PA system. Korra quickly got out of her seat and rushed to the disembark. She wasn't ready for what she saw when she left the train car.

There were people everywhere! More than she’d ever seen in her life, dressed in modern fashion from all over the world. The station’s architecture was grandiose and spacious, wrought in metal and stone. It was unlike anything she saw in the North Pole or the Earth Kingdom. So this was the decadence of the United Republic that she had heard of…

Yet instead of being repulsed by its excess, she found herself in awe of its majesty. Leaving the building, she passed by the statue of Firelord Zuko and all the impoverished street performers and kid sham-artists beneath it.

"Wow, look at this place..." She murmured, azure eyes drifting to and fro.

After about an hour of walking towards the smell of the ocean, Korra beamed a wide smile at the vista laid out before her- Yue Bay in all its glory, with the statue of Avatar Aang on one side and Air Temple Island on the other. Her eyes locked on the visage of her former incarnation…

“Aang.” Korra whispered, “Your city is beautiful, but...” She trailed off, suddenly in doubt. She never spoke with him in the Avatar state and only knew about him from books and her mentors… now she wasn’t so sure if she knew much about him at all.

Her stomach growled. She didn't bring anything with her... Not even a change of clothes. That was part of the deal when you become an Air Nomad- you gave up all your material possessions.

‘And they’re vegetarians too!’ Korra remembered with a groan.

She turned away from the bay, looking out at the storefronts and towers inland. Airbending could wait... She had only just got here, and Korra didn't relish the idea of being locked up for the weeks or even months it might take to begin airbending... A bath would be nice too.

The avatar had to go around shopping a bit before she found someone who would take her Earth Kingdom coins. They weren’t worth much around these parts and she had a feeling that the merchant was short-changing her on the conversion.

Korra sat on a crate set out among many in front of a storefront and chomped down on a nice roasted possum chicken drumstick. She watched a fresh stack of newspapers get delivered to a newsboy hawker on the streetcorner. The kid pulled out what seemed like an absurd amount of paper cash for the product and read it over as the avatar finished her meal.

“Extra! Extra!” The newsie yelled out a few minutes later, waving a paper up in the air, “Fire Nation Princess cracks down on Anti-Bender Revolution!”

“Fire Nation Princess?” Korra asked aloud with a curious smile.

“S’cuse me, miss.” A rather tall man asked after he looked her over from behind. She turned around to see that he was a laborer for the nearby store, tasked with delivering the crates indoors.

“Oh, sorry.” She smiled, hopping off the crate.

With her interest piqued, she went over to the newsboy and took out her remaining coins. “Excuse me- could I have a paper?”

Standing atop a small box, the kid still only stood up to about her shoulders. He gave a sour grimace when he saw the Earth Kingdom currency… but then, when he looked up at the young woman, he pulled off his cap and shrugged, “Ah, sure.”

She dropped the coins into his hat and took one of the papers.

Korra found a quiet place in the park to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city streets. Her eyes darted through the articles, skipping right past the pro-bending and to the featured story.

‘Azusa, the daughter of Fire Lord Izumi, announced today the discovery of shipments headed to the Fire Nation were instead being diverted to the Equalist anti-bending revolution.’

“Revolution?” Korra furrowed her brow. She’d talked about such a thing so many times over with Zaheer and the rest that it kind of astonished her to think that someone else was doing the very same thing. Of course, the Red Lotus wasn’t about benders and non-benders. It was about freedom. She read on…

‘The findings spell doom for Cabbage Corp, whose CEO Lau Gan-Lan was arrested in his home this weekend. He was reported as crying out "No! Not my Cabbage Corp!" as the Metalbender Police force took him into custody.’

“What a mess.” Korra scoffed. She’d heard much about Republic City’s ideals about law and order. Benders lording over non-benders. A ruling council that completely excluded the vast majority of its citizenry. It was an utter hypocrisy.

‘Princess Azusa said she intends to continue her investigation with Councilman Tarrlok "as it pertains to Fire Nation interests." Chief Beifong, noted for her repeated public clashes with the princess, has declined to comment.’

The front page showed a photograph of an attractive woman standing at a podium with a number of microphones in her face. She had ebon hair tied into a long ponytail, light eyes, and a crown like a flame. Korra found herself drawn to that alluring face… but there was one more article that caught her eye.

‘Triad Alliance in retreat after turf-war against Equalists.’

Criminality, tyranny, revolution… Republic City was in chaos and it was all just business as usual! She shook her head in disbelief, unable to comprehend how someone could print all of this without pointing out how crazy it all was.

Korra brought her hands together, bunching the paper up between them. She looked around at the people enjoying themselves in the tranquility of the park- this little oasis of nature in a loud and busy metropolis. It seemed so far away from all the things she’d read about…

Soon, all that would change. Once she mastered all of the elements and the avatar state, the avatar could open the Spirit Portals. Then Korra could get started fixing this place and restoring balance.

She stood up and resolutely balled her hand in a fist. There was only one thing left to do now. She would go to Air Temple Island and learn in secret from a true airbending master...

...Far away from the sound and noise of Republic City's busy urban denizens and the hum of its industry, there lay a temple beneath the earth in the heart of the city.

In its central chamber, the floor was painted with a depiction of Raava and Vaatu swirling in equality. With the Red and White Lotuses at their cores to form a massive taijitu, it was surrounded by the symbols of the four elements and candles extending to the walls. And there, meditating at its center… sat a man in white and grey robes over black clothes beneath.

He was an older sage, in his sixties or seventies with short white hair closely cut to his scalp and pale skin- a fair face for his age and a distinguished seriousness to his features. He must have been attractive in youth, and still was to those so inclined.

At the edge of the circle, a woman in the White Lotus uniform stood with her hands folded into her sleeves.

After quite some time, the man opened his eyes, revealing them to be glowing pure white… a moment later and the light receded, showing his pupils to be a soft grey. “She has finally come." He said, "I sense a kindred spirit… in imbalance.”

The White Lotus attendant widened her eyes and dropped her hands to her sides, “Avatar Korra? She's here?”

“Yes.” He nodded, standing up out of his meditative trance, “It is as I was told. She has come to complete her training before Harmonic Convergence.”

“Right.” The woman nodded, “Then… we should inform Tenzin immediately!”

“No.” The man thrust out his palm to stop the woman in her tracks, “We must tread carefully… Free of the Red Lotus flower, she is but a petal on the wind. Where she flies and where she falls, not even I can know for certain.”

“As you wish...” The White Lotus attendant bowed her head respectfully, “Avatar Xian.”

Chapter Text

Nestled in Yue Bay lay the sanctuary of Air Temple Island. Away from all the ruckus and life of Republic City, a pair of women strolled around the tranquil gardens and scenic walkways of the enclave.

"You know, Kasumi..." The older woman said with a smile as she cradled a baby in her arms, "I have to admit it's rare to get anyone your age wanting to join us. Most people join the acolytes when they’re a little older. I guess they want to settle down."

Korra smiled back at Pema, wearing the orange and yellow robes of her new hosts, “Well, I’ve… always been fascinated with Air Nomad culture and the poetry of Guru Laghima.”

“Laghima?” Pema blinked. A moment passed and she let out a hearty laugh, “Ah, you’ve got me there. Maybe Tenzin would know. I wish I could say I was reading Air Nomad poetry when I was your age."

“So what were you doing when you were my age?” Korra asked with a friendly smile of her own.

“Well, it wasn't that much more interesting.” The woman shook her head as she poked at the baby’s nose and played with him, “I was a total wallflower. Never thought I would even be an acolyte, much less married to their master! ...Now look at me, four kids later.”

Korra produced her friendliest smile and remarked, “Well, you know what they say- you just have to trust in love.”

“-and it’s always brightest in the dark, yeah, yeah.” Pema smiled out of the corner of her mouth, “Well, I had a lot of help.” She shot the avatar a sideways glance, her eyes darting down the other woman’s body, “You know, I had quite the figure myself when I was your age.”

“Oh?” Korra lifted an eyebrow and sheepishly smiled, "I did hear you were, you know, a lot younger than Master Tenzin..."

Pema shot her a look that was at once skeptical and humorous, "Should I be worried?"

The young woman laughed and mockingly offered her hands up in defense, “M-me? Oh no, I'm not looking for a husband!"

The Air Acolyte patted her hands down and joked, "Yeah, well, neither was I."

Their friendly walk had taken them into a teahouse where Korra was to meet with the airbending master himself. She went into this whole arrangement a nervous wreck but, astonishingly, Pema had been nothing but gracious. For some reason, the avatar never imagined her would-be kidnappers in the White Lotus had loving families.

“I think my husband’s in a meeting right now.” Pema explained, nodding to the door at the end of the tearoom before she sniffed the air and looked down at the child in her arms, “-and oh my, someone needs changing! Please make yourself comfortable, Kasumi.”

The older woman politely excused herself, leaving the avatar alone in the room with a short table and teapots laid out for her meeting with Master Tenzin. Once the coast was clear, the avatar’s curiosity got the better of her and she wandered over towards the entrance to the airbender’s office. She pressed her ear against the thin door to eavesdrop on a man and a woman discussing something beyond.

“It just doesn’t sit right with me.” The woman said, “...but I don’t have any proof. You know Lin Beifong. Why don’t you talk with her?”

“Ha. That would only make things worse, I think.” The older man replied, “Lin and I are… not on the best of terms. Besides, I thought this whole affair was resolved with the arrest of Mr. Gan-lan.”

Korra narrowed her eyes… until she heard some rustling and the woman’s voice started to get louder.

"I'm afraid not." The woman's voice admitted with a sigh, "I don't buy that he was the one supplying the Equalists. Well, I need to give my mother a call about this. If you'll excuse me."

Korra quickly scurried back over to her proper place away from the door- just as the door swung open and out strode a woman in a high ponytail and aristocratic Fire Nation dress.

It was none other than Princess Azusa from the newspaper. She was a golden-eyed woman with short bangs, a high ponytail, and refined but practical royal clothing. Only a few particularly long-lived individuals would have recognized the resemblance she bore to her great aunt… disconcerting as it might have been.

“My, whose this?” The princess asked with a lurid smile when her eyes locked onto Korra. Following her into the tea room was a older man in orange and red robes. With a distinctive beard, a shaved head and an arrow running down his scalp and neck, there could only one possibility as to his identity.

“I believe she is the newest initiate of the Air Acolytes.” Tenzin said with a genial smile, turning to the avatar, “What is your name?”

Korra was taken aback… She didn't expect to meet with an Airbender and Fire Nation royalty in the same day. People she long thought were her enemies... “Uh, Kasumi, sir.” The young woman answered, putting her hands together and bowing her head.

“That’s a beautiful name, Kasumi.” Azusa declared with a sly smile as she sauntered over and kept her gaze fixated on the avatar, “So what made you decide to take up the life of an ascetic?”

“Uh! The structure! I wanted the structure!” Korra blinked, looking up at the princess. That sounded more natural in her head... “-and I’ve just always admired the Air Nomads since I was little so…”

“Your Highness.” Tenzin cleared his throat, “I believe you had some business to attend to?”

Princess Azusa shrugged and turned on her heel to the airbender, “Very well. It was a pleasure, Master Tenzin." She nodded her head respectfully, a gesture her host dutifully returned.

Leaving Korra with a playful wink, Azusa marched out of the tea room with a melodramatic flourish.

Now alone with the Airbender, the Avatar inhaled deeply, concentrating everything she had on this moment… The first impression was always the most important. As her mind was racing, Tenzin suddenly spoke before she had a chance.

“First, there is something I must address.“ He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nostrils.

Her eyes widened when he suddenly got down on his knees prostrated himself before her. Korra recoiled back, clenching her fist and furrowing her brow. She didn’t know quite what to expect but… not this!

“On behalf of my father and our people, I thank you, Acolyte Kasumi.” Tenzin said, not removing his face from the floor, “It is only because of people like you that our traditions, our culture, and our very legacy can be preserved. My children and I are the last airbenders alive. without your help, we could not keep the tradition of the Air Nomads alive.”

Korra stumbled back over the table and reached out to lift him up out of his obedience, but Tenzin tilted his head up and made her pause. She smiled nervously and uncomfortably at this sudden reversal, “T-there's no need for that. I just… I, uh, always wanted to be an airbender myself, you know?” It seemed much less convincing out loud, but still she had to commit to the story, “I thought this was the closest thing there was to it.”

The older man seemed pleased. He nodded approvingly and sat upright. With a soft smile, Tenzin replied, “It is said that the first Airbenders learned from the Sky Nison. I have always hoped that perhaps the art could be learned again by those dedicated to its study...”

“Then…” Korra leaned closer, blinking, “Do you think I could join your meditations and exercises? Maybe I could... learn?”

Tenzin cleared his throat, now finding himself on the receiving end of unexpected flattery. He stroked his beard and closed his eyes to hide the supreme satisfaction he had with her interest, “I believe I could certainly oblige-”

“Joining meditations already?” Pema interrupted with a wry grin and half-closed eyes. She stood at the door to the tea room with a newly changed baby Rohan in her arms, “I thought you said I didn’t have to worry, Kasumi.”

Korra’s eyes only grew wider as she shook her head and waved her palms in front of her chest. She wasn’t sure whether or not Pema was serious… but Tenzin hadn’t the slightest clue what his wife meant about that.

“Mako.” A man in simple clothes said, leaning against one of the walls in a payphone booth and frustratingly scratching the back of his head, “Mah-Ko. No, I know he’s not a pro-bender anymore but we- he lived in the arena. I’m trying to find him.”

Satomobiles passed him by on the street as it started to rain. The man looked out at it with a sigh and continued, “Just… just get me Toza. He knows ‘em.”

“...What do you mean ‘Toza’s not there either? What happened?”

A long silence… then he shrugged and shook his head, “Alright, just… if you see either of them, could you give me a call? It’s his brother, Bolin. I work at the Moon River club. -and tell Mako I’m sorry.”

“...Yeah. Thanks.” He hung up the phone and left the booth, bundling up in his coat as the rain started to come down. Bolin looked up at the sky and blew some air out of her cheeks. It was getting dark and he’d have to get ready soon… He passed by some gangsters hanging out in front of a night club with a neon sign above it that read ‘Moon River’. They gave him a tip of their hat as he walked by.

Bolin walked down an alley and into a basement door that led him through a narrow hallway. He made his way to a set of shower rooms and opened up a locker, ignoring the photo taped on the inside showing Bolin with Mako and Hasook in their old Fire Ferrets uniforms. Their namesake Pabu was snoozing away in a little bed made especially for him, nestled in the corner of the room. The earthbender hung up his coat and shut the locker.

He sat down on a bench to start wrapping his knuckles in cotton strips. Pro-bending could get pretty rough… but it was child's play compared to his new living.

“It’ll be nice to have someone our age to hang out with.” Jinora said with a smile as she goose-stepped around with her hands behind her back. It was a clear summer day and nary a cloud was in sight above.

Jinora and Ikki were more than happy to walk with Korra after they got to know her a little better. She’d been there for about a week already and often observed Tenzin and his children from afar- or participated in group meditations. This was the first time she had some one-on-one time spent with one of the Airbenders, even if they were still only kids.

“Y-your age?” Korra asked incredulously… Tenzin’s daughters weren’t even out of adolescence! The avatar nervously laughed as they walked past the other acolytes in various states of meditation or domesticity around the island.

“Everyone else here is so old!” Ikki groaned, “Other than Meelo... but he doesn’t count! He’s a boy -and gross!”

She couldn’t help but smile at the kids’ antics. All her life she had imagined Tenzin as this ominous figure that tried to steal her away from her parents when she was little… but having met his wife and children and seen him kneeling before her in the tea room, Korra was having her doubts that he could be involved in a plot to murder a couple and take their child away.

“Hellooo?” Ikki thrust herself into Korra’s vision, shocking the avatar out of her reverie, “What’s a matter, Kasumi?”

The woman recoiled and then stammered, “Sorry I was just… uh, looking at that thing over there.” She nodded over at the circle behind Ikki, something resembling an arena with a number of wooden slats gently swirling in the wind. Each bore the symbol of air on their face.

“Oh! The airbending gates!” Ikki exclaimed with a rapid-fire clapping of her hands, “It’s an ancient training regimen! You wanna see!?”

“Y-yeah!” Korra nodded, trying to hide how enthused she really was.

The two girls dragged her over to the circle and Jinora began to explain the nature of the exercise, “The goal is to weave your way through the gates and make it to the other side without touching them.”

“That doesn’t sound s-” Korra was interrupted by Ikki adding, “-but they’re also spinning!”

“...Do you think I could see it in action?” Korra asked the girls as she scratched her cheek. They enthusiastically nodded and conjured up a powerful gust of wind through the circle, sending every gate spinning and rattling.

“I’ll show you how it’s done.” Jinora beamed as she marched forward into the circle. With a deep inhalation to prepare herself, the Airbender expertly weaved in and out of the gates, demonstrating with grace the methodical circular movements of a master-to-be. Within moments, she made it through to the other side and ritualistically bowed.

“You wanna try?” Ikki asked with a sly and mischievous smile. She was apparently quite eager to see the young woman get knocked and battered around!

“Sure.” Korra grinned, stepping up the edge of the circle and cracking her knuckles. The avatar thought back to her training with Zaheer... the way he moved, the way he incorporated the principles behind Airbending with his experience in martial arts. Even if he wasn’t a bender, the man knew how to move like one. While all of the other elements came naturally to her, she had spent the most time training with him.

To get through the narrow gaps, Korra dipped her head down and cartwheeled between the spinning gates. She followed the rotation with her back to one of the whirling contraptions and quickly transferred to the next, spinning all the while. Another cartwheel slipped her through a gap between two gates and soon she emerged on the other side before Jinora.

Korra grinned in triumph and the young Airbender stood dumbstruck for a moment before rushing up to Korra and exclaiming, “Wooooow. You’re a natural, Kasumi!”

Tenzin stroked his beard at the curious sight... Distracted from his readings under a nice shady tree a short distance away, he was mentally preparing himself to go over there and chide his daughters for making a game out of such a sacred and difficult trial. To tease a nonbender with it was to make a mockery of the sacred ritual. Yet there Kasumi was, standing on the other side completely untouched.

Of course, those movements were by no means orthodox for an Airbender. He almost felt as if he had seen them before... but couldn't quite place when or where.

Another week had passed and Korra was getting restless in Air Temple Island. All the quiet tranquility and breathing exercises wore on her patience. Training to become an Airbender in secret proved extraordinarily difficult as well. There wasn't really anywhere she could practice and the whole nature of the element ran counter to everything she had been raised to believe. She tossed and turned in bed, trying not to wake up any of the other female acolytes that she had shared quarters with. Eventually she drifted off to sleep.

It was the dead of night and she was plagued with the most bizarre dreams... A sensation like falling to the earth. A pair of women in blue and green on each side of a path of light through a starlit cosmos. Lightning streaking across the void. It all went by in flashes and that final loud crack jolted her up out of bed.

“Nightmares?” A woman’s voice asked, jostling the avatar’s shoulder. It was another air acolyte, a genteel older woman with a soft smile, “I got homesick after a while too. It’s alright, though.”

Korra rubbed her eyes and smiled, “Thanks.” She said, pulling out her pack from under her bed and looking at the red and black clothes inside, “I think I’m just gonna… go for a walk.”

The older woman gave her a significant look and Korra assured her, “I’ll be back. Promise.”

Under the cover of darkness, the young woman left the female quarters behind and made her way to the edge of the island, looking out over the water at the city. Her eyes drifted to the statue of Aang. This was his city… and she had only barely scratched the surface before. A few weeks without being able to bend or walk freely or eat anything but noodles and vegetables! Korra needed some kind of release if she was going to stay sane. She hated feeling so restrained, unable to bend or move freely, or even to be honest with anyone. Maintaining this deception was started to wear on her.

She looked around nervously to make sure no one was watching before she knelt down and pulled out her normal clothes. With one last check for witnesses, the avatar started to take off her air acolyte garb and stow it away under a bush not far from the beach. Tucking her regular attire under her arm and standing stark naked under the moon, she undid her ponytails and started walking into the water with her hair down around her shoulders. Any large-scale Waterbending would be a bit too conspicuous… so she’d have to cross the bay with something a little less flashy.

As her nude body dipped into the water, she bended a small air bubble in the water just to keep her clothes dry. She held them tight in one hand and waded out into the bay with the other.

A few minutes later, on a lonely pier in the dockyards of one of Republic City’s many shipping centers, a woman's hand popped out of the water with a bundle of clothes. Her graceful hand dropped the bundle onto the surface and out hopped an athletic and very naked young woman. Korra took a seat and tossed her hair to shake out all the water. She reached over for her clothes and laughed nervously when she noticed a bearded man gawking at her with a fishing pole in his hand. Homeless by the looks of it.

With a bit of a nervous smile, the woman quickly threw her shirt back on and warily pulled up her shorts under his lurid gaze.

“Hey.” She sheepishly asked, tying her hair back up, “Do you know of any place that serves food this late?”

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Announced an attractive young woman in a white button-up dress shirt, black tie, a pencil skirt that exposed quite a bit of stocking-covered leg. Her hair was two-toned, black roots just starting to show through under a blonde dye job. She luridly held a microphone hanging from a wire with her pinky popped out, “Our next match here at Republic City Rumble Five will be… Big Bendin’ Bo and Little Min! Golly, that’s a matchup like a pymgy puma and a tigerdillo, huh!? Only at Moon River will ya see fights like this, folks!”

She stood in the center of a pit beneath a circular Colosseum where spectators could look down upon the arena from above. All the lights were fixated on the pit, obscuring in darkness the hooting and jeering crowd above. Men and women clutched their yuans and hollered for their favorite fighter. Many hollered for the attention of the lovely announcer as well....

Emerging out of an underground entrance to the pit was a young wiry man wearing little else but a pair of light green shorts. He stomped on the ground, propelling into the air two rocks that he simultaneously punched. They clung to his fists like gloves and he knocked them together as he started to hop and skip towards the center of the arena. “Ooh, Little Min’s got moxie tonight! Looks like he’s rearin’ to go and win the pot, huh!?” The lovely woman declared.

From the other side, a much larger man walked out with a hooded silky jacket draped over his muscular form. Bolin was also wearing nothing but boxing shorts, his tinted a deeper shade of green with brown accents. Around his feet and hands he wore cloth wrappings. He shrugged off his jacket and started warming up his rotator cuffs as he approached the center stage.

“-and here we’ve got the ever-charming Bolin come to defend his title! Outta the pro-bendin’ scene and here to get down and dirty where the real action is! A real hotsy-totsy piece of work, ain’t he, gals? Go on, get yourself some giggle water and enjoy the show!”

Bolin raised his hands to the air and took in their cheers and jeers. The announcer let go of the microphone and pranced away from the center of the arena. “Always a pleasure, Chun.” Bolin said as she passed him by. She stopped in place with a wink, planting her hands at her sides and sticking her butt out. The Earthbender grinned and gave her a nice firm smack on the bum that sent her up in the air with a giggle. More than a few men in the crowd above booed at the rampant favoritism.

Little Min, for his own part, was solely focused on the fight. Bolin put his fists out straight and the other pit fighter met him in the center. Touching his own rock gloves against Bolin's knuckles, Min furrowed his brow and awaited the signal. They stared at each other for a while before the bell rang and Bolin immediately disengaged. Min came hard and fast, using his Earthbending for a brutal close-quarters style.

Despite his size, indeed quite prominently on display against an opponent like Little Min, Bolin was still quite agile. Incorporating a mix of the tight focus of pro-bending, the violence of his experience with the triple threat triad, and a particular panache favored among the pit fights’ attendees, 'Big Bendin' Bo' proved himself more a match for the younger fighter’s single-minded focus on agility. All he needed to do was trade hits. Not that those earth-gloves didn’t hurt! Bolin just had to lure him in, bend some earth up during the wind-up and hit him with it as he commits to the strike!

A hard earth-punch tenderized his side and Bolin knew he’d be sore for a while yet. Unfortunately for his opponent, it would take more than that to break his concentration. Little Min didn’t know what hit him. Of course... if he had to guess, it was probably a considerable amount of earth flying at him from his blind spot.

An avalanche of stone collided into the smaller fighter from the opposite side of where he had struck Bolin, the motion like a violent vortex of action. The crowd all held their breath in a gasp at the painful exchange- both fighters staggered off to the side... but where Little Min stumbled and fell with the wind knocked out of him, Bolin was able to stay standing.

Gritting his teeth through the pain, he adopted a more traditional Earthbending stance just in case Min got up… but the bell rung him out and Little Min was disqualified. The smaller fighter groaned, still writhing on the floor until the earth disintegrated around his fists. Bolin went over and offered him a helping hand.

As the two handsome and unfortunately battered fighters stood in the center of the arena, Bolin did his best not to show how much the punch had hurt… he had one more match ahead of him, depending on the courage of the audience... Chun sauntered back to the center as the mic dropped from the ceiling again.

Putting a hand on each fighter’s hip, she spoke into the microphone with her usual cheery enthusiasm, “Gosh, that fight was nifty, huh, folks!? Ain’t no palookas here, give a round to these fine fightin' boys!”

Eager to oblige the lovely announcer, the crowd cheered and whistled with gusto. Chun whispered something into Little Min’s ear and he made his way out of the arena. She grabbed the mic with a wide smile, “Alright, sheiks and shebas! You know the deal. All you tough guys and janes are sittin’ pretty to take here a fistful of yuans if you can beat ol’ Bo here.”

There was a long silence...

She put her hand up over her brow to exaggeratedly search for a volunteer, scanning the stands before shouting, “What? Nunnya hip to the jive!? Aw, that's too bad-”

“I’ll take him on!" Korra shouted, planting her foot on the ledge of the pit and resting her hand on her hip. "I could use the exercise.” She was smiling wide, a fire gleaming in her bright blue eyes. The fire of competition…

She hopped down into the pit and strutted over to the pit where Chun excitedly declared, “We have a challenger! My, and what a dame! Them gams- them bubs! Bet she's not just a looker though! Gotta be more than that to take on a big six like Bo, eh? Give it up for-”

Chun thrust the microphone into Korra’s face and suddenly all the confidence trained from her face and she began to stammer, “Uh. Um. Ko-Ko-Kotomi.”

“Clammed up in the spotlight, huh, Kotomi?” Chun winked with a click of her tongue, “Give it up for our challenger Kotomi!”

The announcer wished Korra luck and sauntered off the arena. Bolin put his fists out again with a smile as he said, “This isn’t how I usually meet girls.”

Korra grinned as she touched her knuckles to his own. “First time for everything.”

“You’re pretty confident for a girl without any water.” Bolin playfully remarked.

“Who said I was a Waterbender?” Korra replied, lifting her eyebrows teasingly.

“Oh, I didn't mean to assume. 'Cause you, you know-” DING! The bell rang and Korra took a step back and thrust her elbow up while Bolin was busy stammering excuses. He dashed to the side as a column of earth erupted at his feet, just narrowly avoiding the surprise attack.

With that much money on the line, he literally couldn't afford to take it easy on her. Bolin threw a punch towards her, bending part of the column back at the avatar. Korra ducked under it and stomped her foot again, pulling up a large boulder to throw at him.

The crowd watched with rapt attention at the display. Not only could this stranger hold her own against the reigning champion, she looked like she might even have a chance at beating him! Korra and Bolin were evenly matched as Earthbenders... but of course that was only one of her styles. While the avatar was laughing and smiling the whole time, Bolin was focused entirely on the task at hand. He had already been through a lot in the previous matches. They exchanged a few blows… and both of them could give as much as they could take.

Up above in the stands watching over the fight, a darker-skinned mobster in blue with long sideburns and a goatee stroked his chin and smiled, “The broad’s got some moves.” Viper admired to his companions in blue and red. A waitress next to him filled his cup with wine, “Hey, Ping.” he said to the scarred man on his left, “Go down and tell ‘em to call it a draw before it’s too late. I want that girl back here next week so we can take some bets on the rematch.”

“Sure thing, boss.” Two-toed ping nodded and made his way down the stands towards the organizers’ booth.

Korra was just having a grand time bending again for the first time in weeks. The rush of battle and competition! Pro-bending was too formal and soft her tastes, but this? This was what she lived for. Just when she started working up a sweat, the bell manically rang and she suddenly had to stop dead in her tracks. She let the earth she was bending disintegrate and fall to the ground.

“What the?” Korra furrowed her brow, “Oh, I had him!”

With a long sigh of relief, Bolin put his hand up to his side, the same one that Min had gotten him earlier with his rock glove... Chun awkwardly made her way back into the pit and announced, “Oh my, wow, what a bendin’ battle, huh!? Y’all dizzy with the dame yet?” She fanned herself and laughed nervously, “Um, well, that was just a taste for you macs! Now, uh, don’t get sore- we’ll be right back here next week with a… a stellar rematch! That’s right, you heard it here folks, come to Moon River to see C-Clam up Kotomi and Big Bendin’ Bo!”

She recoiled and shook her head, as if visibly hurt from the words coming out of her mouth, “Ooh, that name. Gotta work on that.”

Chun threw the mic out of her face and let the pulley drag it back up to the ceiling as a very confounded Korra blinked at her.

The announcer turned to the other woman with a smile, “So hey doll, your bendins the bee’s knees and the trouble boys upstairs see lotsa jack to be made if you come back next week and bend with the bimbo here-” She elbowed Bolin, “You jake, doll?”

“...W-what?” Korra asked, utterly at a loss.

Bolin, still catching his breath, answered her, “My boss... wants you to come back next week for a rematch. He… wants to put money on it.”

Korra looked between the two for a moment, thinking for a second… and then shrugging with a smile, “Sure. Why not?”

“Woof!” Chun laughed and slapped the air, “That’s a relief. Didn’t want to tell ol’ Viper you was trying to get a wiggle on. Them boys don’t know how to take no for an answer, ya follow?”

Chun clapped Korra’s bicep and excused herself to deliver the good news back to the triads, leaving Bolin and his new pit fighting companion standing in the center of an arena surrounded by an increasingly raucous crowd. They were a bit disappointed that the fight ended so inconclusively.

“This way.” Bolin nodded his head back to the entrance he came out from and ushered Korra to the locker room with him. Pabu, now awoke, perked up from his little bed. The fire ferret pranced around their feet.

“Hey, that was crazy…" Bolin said, "-and awesome, but- uh… who are you?”

Korra crossed her arms and smiled, “I’m new in town.”

“You’re... new in town.” Bolin quietly repeated.

“Hey, you got showers in here?” She asked, leaning to the side and trying to look past his shoulder. Aside from perspiring under the bright lights and the excitement of battle, she may have smelled a bit like the Yue Bay…

“Yeah.” He absentmindedly replied, “Just right over ther- ooooh, you’re getting naked.”

She was already throwing off her top as Bolin was in the middle of speaking. He turned away from her and cleared his throat as she undressed. The fire ferret curiously stood on his hindlegs and Bolin whispered, "Hey buddy, gimme some space, alright?"

Pabu snickered and chased his tail for a moment before darting off in the opposite direction.

“Sooo, uh, not that I’m complaining or anything but-" Bolin said louder to project his voice into the showers behind him, "-are you from some kinda Earth Kingdom… nudist amazon tribe I don’t know about or something?”

Korra laughed as she turned the valve and tested the spray of water with her hand, “I thought you were a ladies man, Bo.”

“Just Bolin’s fine.” He said, looking up at the ceiling so that he wouldn't be tempted to peek behind him, “-and that’s just my act. I’m really a hopeless romantic.”

“That’s a shame.” Korra casually quipped as she stepped underneath the deluge of water and let it wash over her face.

“Or I can be a ladies man too.” Bolin quickly corrected, his voice trailing off.

“I'm not really looking for anything serious right now.” Korra ran her fingers through her hair as rivulets of water trickled down her muscular form, “I don’t know how long I’ll be in Republic City. Could be gone tomorrow for all I know.”

“So… something casual then?” The Earthbender timidly suggested.

Korra closed her eyes and smiled, “Something like that.”

Bolin perked up with a smile as she turned her back to him and started washing her front.

“So why don’t you come in?” She asked over her shoulder. He was at a loss for words… things had never gone this well before!

The Earthbender didn’t need to be told twice though! His shorts came off easily enough, but he started to struggle with the wrappings on his hands and feet. He got increasingly impatient until he finally threw them off and poked his head in the shower at first.

Korra was standing towards the wall in front of the showerhead washing over her. His eyes rolled up from her thick thighs, firm butt and slender waist up to her defined shoulder blades and biceps and all the way to the hair clinging to her neck. She looked over her shoulder at him with a lurid smile, her own gaze travelling top to bottom.

He had a boyish face, softer than she'd expect from a supposed pit fighter, but with broad shoulders and a strong physique that was more bulk than tone- it was nice practical muscle and not just for show. Not much hair on him at all either. When her gaze drifted down to his package, she couldn’t help but bite her lip. Already hard and quite big, it seemed like ‘Big Bendin’ Bo’ lived up to his stage name.

Bolin stepped into the shower before her with a somewhat giddy smile as she turned around to meet him. However much he liked the back, the front made his jaw drop. That sultry smile, those azure eyes! The way the water ran down those firm rounded breasts punctuated by those dark nipples... and her sex obscured by the small tuft of black hair.

“You know, I figured I had to do something to make it up to you.” Korra said with a grin as she stepped away from the showerhead and got right up in his face, "-for beating you."

“You didn’t beat m-oooh yeah.” Bolin quickly changed his tune midcourse when he realized what she meant. The avatar leaned in and kissed him on the jaw, then the neck. He tilted his head to meet her but she pulled away. “Not on the lips.” She whispered before returning her affections back to his throat and shoulders. Though momentarily confused, Bolin respected her boundaries... his own hands wandered over her body, strong fingers clutching hard at one of her soft cheeks.

She held his waist in her hands as her kisses descended down his body, until soon Korra had lowered herself onto her knees and came face to… face with one very hard cock. The avatar had even inadvertently rubbed her cheek against it when she was planting a kiss on his abdomen. It sprang right back into place, stiff and unyielding. Bolin blew the air out of his lungs and pulled his lips into his mouth in anticipation.

Korra teased him at first, holding his thick cock in her hand and wrapping her lips around it from the side. Like playing a flute, she ran her whole head up and down his length. Her other hand cupped his balls and she licked at the base of his shaft, rolling her tongue up him until her lips met around his tip in a kiss.

“Ooh.” He furrowed his brow and awkwardly hovered his hands over her head. Bolin wasn’t sure what to do with them so he eventually just settled on resting them upon his hips. Korra started to take more of him into her mouth, bobbing her head up and down with wet slurping noises.

She looked up at him with half his cock in her mouth and went, “Mmhm?”

Bolin looked down at her perfect blue eyes and moaned, “Oh, it's... it’s good! Really good.”

Somehow, she smiled back at him with her eyes alone. Korra went deeper, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she sucked in more and more of him. She rubbed his balls in her palm and wrapped her fingers around his base, urging him towards her. Bolin stumbled a bit and craned his head back in ecstacy.

She started to pick up the pace, taking more and more of him between her soft lips. Closing his eyes, Bolin could still hear her soft pleasured moans and the slurps and wet smacks of her work ringing out against the steady drone of the shower. Korra could feel him twitching. She could feel his manhood fighting against her tongue. The Earthbender groaned and ran his fingers through her hair, brushing it out of her way and balling it in his fist. Other than take over for himself, it was the only thing he could do to deal with this kind of sensory overload.

"K-Ko-” He managed to say through grit teeth and a wince, “I’m gonna…”

She hummed in interest and didn’t relent for a second. The avatar only went at it harder and faster, bobbing her head up and down on that thick cock until her nose pressed against his groin. She reached around his waist and clutched hard at one of his cheeks, making his whole body tense up. Korra’s breasts swayed with each and every rhythmic bob of her head.

The woman pulled back when she started to feel it coursing through his length. Korra leaned back and pumped his cock hard in her fist, pulling from his whole body all the virile essence a man had to offer. She closed her eyes and opened wide, the tip of her tongue rubbing against his sensitive head as Bolin started to climax.

The water was hot… but it was nothing compared to the deluge of cum that poured over her. She softly moaned as hot streams of white shot across her face. The thick spurts expressing his pleasure heaped across Korra’s forehead, nose, cheeks, lips, and chin. A strand dripped down from her nose and onto the top of her upper lip, breaking onto her tongue. The water mixed in with the hot cum and slid down her slender throat. It dripped upon her breasts, coalescing at her firm nipples.

As Bolin’s moans died down and his orgasm receded, Korra was left with a contentedness in the thrill that she had so easily pulled so much out from the man. Just as she could bring a man to his knees with her martial prowess and indomitable bending, so too could the avatar visit upon a body such pleasures and satisfactions incomparable to anyone else.

With a groan of exertion, Bolin practically fell on his ass. Completely drained, he looked up at her with disbelief as she sat there on her knees.

“Hanging in there, big guy?” She asked with a smile, the mixture of cum and hot water dripping down her face and framing her keen blue eyes… Bolin fell onto his back and laid on the floor with a happy sigh. Korra laughed as she leaned over and patted his thigh, “Hey, you’re not done yet!”

He looked up into the ceiling tiles with wide-eyes as she started to pump her hand over his wet cock anew.

Chapter Text

A glass of wine tipped over off a night stand and hit the floor, spilling its contents across a luxurious carpet.

“Oh crap.” A woman’s voice called out.

“Mmph.” Azusa replied, muffled and breathy, “I’ll reimburse you.”

The Fire Nation Princess pulled her head out from between a pair of legs, a trail of spittle connecting her lips to the womanhood before her.

“That’s not it.” Her partner muttered. Azusa put her index finger right on the other woman’s clit with a mischievous smile, “Ah! Stop it!”

The Princess grinned and sat up, “What? Afraid your dad will find out about us?”

“Well…”

Azusa crawled up the other woman’s body, lithesome and fair. Their naked bodies were entwined together in the purest expression of feminine grace and beauty. The Princess kissed her lover and drew back, her golden eyes locking onto her partner’s own emerald gaze.

“Oh, miss Sato.” Azusa cooed, narrowing her eyes upon Asami, “If everything I’ve heard about Hiroshi Sato is correct, than I’d wager he’d be absolutely thrilled to learn his daughter was sleeping with the future Fire lord.”

“It’s not always about the money with him.” The industrialist huffed, looking off to the side.

“Mmmm.” Azusa brushed her lover’s hair out of her face, “-and it’s not always about sex with me.”

“Could have fooled me.” Asami replied, her eyes darting the opposite way, “Ooh!”

The Princess was wriggling her fingers inside of the other woman’s pussy, rubbing the pads of her fingertips up on the girl’s g-spot in a ‘come hither’ fashion.

Asami bit her lip, “Business then?”

“Mmm.” Azusa nodded, “Yeah.”

The woman tossed her head to the side, silky black hair resting upon the soft pillows, “Go on.”

“With my hands or my mouth?” The amber-eyed woman asked.

“Both.” Asami pleaded.

“Well then…” The Princess began, her ministrations sending shivers down the heiress’ spine, “Let’s talk about my missing shipments.”

“Ooooagh, this again?” The woman closed her eyes, half a groan and half a moan, “I thought they arrested the Cabbage guy.”

Azusa started fingering her harder, working her hand until her palm kissed the woman’s clit with each thrust, “I don’t mean to alarm you, Miss Sato… but I think someone in your company’s been stealing from us both.”

“Unnh..” Asami closed her eyes and curled her toes, digging them into the bedsheets, “Someone… huhhh… on the inside?”

“Uh huh.” Azusa grinned, feeling her lover’s pussy clenching on her, spasming just on the verge of orgasm, “Promise me we’ll look into it.”

“Don’t stop.” The heiress begged, “Please.”

“Promise?” The Princess giggled, her thumb idly rubbing over Asami’s clit.

“I promise!” Asami moaned as her fingers clawed at the sheets.

“Good girl.” The amber-eyed woman cooed, finger-fucking the other woman until she was gibbering and cumming, breasts heaving, body convulsing, eyes rolling into the back of her head…

An hour later and Asami and Azusa were dressed again, taking their ‘business’ over to an office in the Sato estate. The Princess was sitting down at a desk with a pair of reading glasses, carefully looking over some documents. The Industrialist was brushing her hair and applying her makeup behind her.

“Find anything?” Asami asked, sucking in her cherry red lips as she looked into a small hand mirror.

“Maybe…” Azusa tapped her lips, “Say… you have a shipment leaving the harbor tonight?”

The Princess shuffled some papers about, producing another document that she hounded over, “This itinerary says you don’t.”

“Huh?” Asami snapped her pocket mirror shut and walked over to lean across Azusa’s shoulder and take a look for herself, “That’s from two weeks ago. Maybe the schedule was changed.”

“Maybe…” Azusa stroked her chin, “Miss Sato, would you care to go with me for a walk?”

Asami sighed, “You… can call me by my name, you know.”

The Princess leaned back, “Asami… I like you. I really do. But I thought we agreed to keep things… casual. My brother’s devoted himself to the Republic. I have no other siblings. I am expected to continue the family line.”

The other woman turned away from Azusa and held herself by the office’s fireplace.

“If you’re… developing feelings-” The firebender said, “-then perhaps we shouldn’t keep doing this. As a valuable business partner and as a friend, I-”

“Please.” Asami interrupted with a sigh, marching over to a chair and swinging a jacket off from it, “Let’s just go to the docks.”

“How romantic.” Azusa cooed.

“If you’re right-” The heiress said, “-and there’s someone on the inside stealing from Future Industries, I want to find him.”

“Excellent.” The firebender smiled and stood up with a clap, “You can drive.”

**************************

A week had passed since Korra made her debut in the basement of Moon River, fighting their champion bender Bolin to a standstill before the mafiosos cut it short. They wanted word to spread about this new fighter- this girl ‘Kotomi’.

Flyers were printed and pedestrians harassed until the arena broke a record in ticket sales. All the head honchos of the Triple Threat Triad would be there too. They all said she was a beauty, all right- and a damn hell of an earthbender. She had to be if she could give Bolin a run for his money.

Lightning Bolt Zolt was there, watching from the best seat in the house, surrounded by his goons. An attractive waitress doted upon his every need…

Chun was riling up the crowd in her hot little number, strutting about in the arena before either of the fighters showed themselves.

“So… Kotomi.” Bolin smiled, wrapping his knuckles in some tape, “You wanna grab a bite to eat after this, or…?”

Korra laughed as she pulled a top on over her naked body, covering her breasts and leaving her midriff, tight abs and all, exposed,“You asking me out on a date or something? C’mon, Bolin, I’ve sucked you off-”

“I know, I know.” He raised his hands up defensively, “You said nothing serious. You said that you could be gone tomorrow… but that was a week ago.”

“How bout this?” The woman said, strutting out into the arena, “You beat me tonight and I’ll do more than just go down on you.”

“Hey, that’s not what I meant!” He protested… but she was already leaving. Bolin sighed and ran out after her.

“Ladies and gentleman!” Chun bellowed to the crowd, who were whistling and cat-calling as the foxy woman walked around with a microphone in hand, “The moment you’ve all been waiting for!”

Korra and Bolin moved around to her sides, taking their assigned positions in the center of the arena as Chun continued to stir up excitement, “The much-anticipated rematch between Big Bendin’ Bo and our hot new number… Clam up Kotomi!”

The announcer chuckled, “Golly, what a fetching pair these two are, huh, huh? What I’d give to have ‘em bend me, you know what I’m saying!?”

The crowd of mostly men jeered and hollered as Chun basked in their attention, “I want a nice and clean scrap. No shim shams! Three rounds, thirty seconds each! Judges decision or knock-out. Understood?”

Bolin and Korra both nodded before assuming their fighting stances.

Chun giggled and made herself scarce, prancing away to the edge of the arena. A pulley carried the microphone up to the rafters.

Korra narrowed her blue eyes. Bolin cracked and smile…

DING!

...BOOM!

A series of explosions flooded the Moon River arena in smoke. The dust turned everything black and Korra couldn’t see an inch in front of her face. There was shouting and screaming everywhere.

If the dust was this thick… no one would see her using what little airbending she had at her disposal. She just needed to be able to see!

“Kotomi!” Bolin shouted through the chaos, but his cries were interrupted by a hacking cough. He shielded his eyes as a sudden gust of wind blew and dispersed the smoke completely.

“I can’t tell what’s going on…” Korra spat between grit teeth. With a stomp and a punch into the air, she catapulted herself out of the arena with earthbending, propelling herself up into the stands.

Up at the top of the arena, some well dressed men were being punched by masked assailants. If they were benders, they couldn’t even get a single attack off before the attackers dispatched them, throwing them over some of the stands.

The masked men and women… they attacked so quickly! Their hands were a blur! They wore black and deep gold, with some gas masks. Who were they? White Lotus Assassins?

“Hey!” Korra shouted, “Let them go!”

She announced her presence, and an Equalist at her side whirled and threw a bola at her. Korra ducked underneath it… and then realized another attacker was behind her. “C-chi blockers?” She muttered under her breath with wide eyes, seeing how the masked woman behind her was attacking with two fingers.

Zaheer’s hand to hand combat training was without equal. Even though he wasn’t a bender, he taught her how to fight when things got too close for it. She seized the woman’s wrist and braced her elbow, kicking the Equalist right in the gut and causing her to crumple over.

Another came at her and Korra blocked their efforts to disrupt her Chi. Suddenly, the second Equalist backed off just as she anticipated him to follow up… and a surge of electricity ran through her whole body. “Gggghhhhhhh!!”

Korra’s muscles seized and she spasmed, falling forward onto a seat. She clutched at a railing for support… and a dozen pokes along her spine and muscles sealed her Chi and paralyzed her. The avatar fell forward.

“Take this one too.” A man with a mustache and two smoking rods said.

As Korra was dragged by her legs and heaped up onto the shoulder of an Equalist, Bolin just got up onto the stands, “Kotomi!”

He clenched his fists… there were still too many people to earth bend around! And he was so far! He shouted again, and the mustached lieutenant turned to regard him.

“Let’s go.” The Equalist said… and they started running for the exits. Bolin gave chase, but the crowd of fleeing bystanders got in his way.

“Kotomi!” He shouted again, finally breaking free from the panicked customers… only to see that the arena hall was empty and the Equalists were gone.

**************************

“We’re too late.” Asami sighed as she and the princess walked through a deserted dockyard in the middle of the night, “Not that I was particularly thrilled about holding up one of my father’s shipments and interrogating his employees.”

“Yeah…” Azusa crossed her arms, looking over the scene, “They left ahead of schedule too.”

The heiress looked over at the firebender, lost in thought.

“Hold on.” Asami said, “Look at that crane.”

Their eyes followed the structure up to the moonlit sky, “It’s hanging by the road. After unloading the shipment, they’re supposed to swing it under the hanger in case it rains.”

“So maybe they forgot.” Azusa shrugged.

“If they forgot to move it, then they’d have left it over the water, right?” The industrialist pointed out to the harbor for emphasis, “But instead… it’s by the road.”

“We just missed them!” The princess snapped her fingers in frustration, blue sparks shooting out from her fist, “The shipments are being intercepted before they can even leave Republic City.”

“But then where are they going?” Asami furrowed her immaculate brows…

The two stood in contemplation… until the sound of a gate opening and a truck pulling up caught their attention. Azusa and Asami ducked out of sight, hiding behind the corner of a warehouse as the Satomobile rolled into the lot.

The driver was a working class man, wearing overalls, thick boots, and a cap. After he parked the truck, he got out of the vehicle and took one look at the crane. “Again?” He groused aloud, “I keep telling them to put it back under the hanger…”

Azusa stepped out of the shadows, and Asami reached out for her… but she was too fast.

“What are you going to do?” The heiress asked in a nervous whisper.

“Squeeze him for information, of course.” Azusa replied, not taking her eyes off her objective as she walked. Her fists were clenched tight, knuckles whitening from the exertion…

“Hey, that’s one of my dad’s employees!” Asami protested as they rounded the corner of the truck and came face to face with the man himself.

“M-Miss Sato!” He stammered.

Azusa suddenly grabbed his collar and raised her hand behind her- blue flames licking at her palm and fingertips.

“Azusa!” The other woman shouted, “What are you-”

“I don’t know anything, I swear!” The driver said, putting his hands up defensively.

“You just moved some cargo for the anti-benders, didn’t you?” Azusa narrowed her eyes, flames intensifying in her hand, “The Equalists- they want to kill us! Where did you take that equipment!”

Asami frowned...

“Amon doesn’t want to kill anyone!” The man said, nearly bawling, “He says he doesn’t have to! I don’t know how… but… there’s going to be a rally tonight! He said he was going to explain everything there- I was told to bring the shipment over there in preparation for it!”

“Where?” Azusa narrowed her orange eyes.

The man produced a leaflet out of his pocket and Asami snatched it from his fingers.

“Witness the Revelation.” The heiress read aloud, “Tonight, nine o' clock.”

**************************

“Unnnhhh.” Korra groggily came to in a dark room. Her azure eyes widened and she tried to stand, but her ankles were tied together. She tried to move her arms, but they were tied together as well.

Her first instinct was to breathe fire so she screamed… but nothing came out.

She shook her head. That was stupid of her… if any of the spectators from before saw her firebending, then she would have just shown them that she was really the avatar…

The woman took a measure of her surroundings. A number of gangster-looking types were with her, tied up as well. The Triple Threat Triads ran Moon River… and while she had no love for the mafia, her lot had been thrown in with him. The Equalists were all over them too, glowering threateningly from behind...

Korra closed her eyes… She felt so stupid. All her life she’d be running, keeping her identity secret. The White Lotus was everywhere… but instead of them, she got caught by these ‘Equalists’ of all people. How could normal people fight the avatar? It was… ridiculous.

No, it wasn’t. Zaheer wasn’t a bender. He didn’t use chi blocking, sure, but with his grappling techniques and bone breaks, he could fight toe to toe with anyone.

It took time for Chi blocking to wear off… Korra just needed to bide her time and wait. When she got her bending back, she swore she wasn’t going to let them get the drop on her again.

“Please welcome your hero,” A muffled voice from in front of her announced, “Your savior, Amon!”

Korra and the rest of the prisoners were backstage at some kind of rally. She could hear the crowd cheering beyond the wall in front of her. No… it wasn’t a wall. They were curtains. The glow of spotlights crept out from under them.

“My quest for equality began many years ago.” A voice echoed from beyond the veil, “When I was a boy, my family and I lived on a small farm. We weren't rich, and none of us were benders. This made us very easy targets-”

“What is this, some kind of execution?” An older man groused as he struggled in his confines. He had silver hair at his temples and the look of a proper mobster.

“No.” A woman in a mask said behind him, “Amon intends to equalize you.”

“Equalize this, tuts!” Lightning Bolt Zolt said as he waved his bound hands suggestively.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Korra asked, getting up onto her knees. A pair of hands rested on her shoulders and an Equalist leaned in close, nearly whispering in her ears.

“Stay calm. Amon doesn’t know you’re the avatar.”

Korra’s eyes widened.

“Help is on the way.” The masked man said. His voice was… young. Reassuring, in a sense. “I’ll try to buy us as much time as I can.”

Before she could reply, he removed his hands and stepped away from her. She looked over her shoulder… in the mask, he looked like any other Equalist. He quickly resumed the role of the unaffected guard dog.

Was he… Red Lotus? That was the only explanation. Korra shook her head, trying to center herself in the swarm of thoughts.

“That is why the spirits have chosen me to usher in a new era of balance.” Amon declared from the stage in front of them, “They have granted me a power that will make Equality a reality. The power to take a person's bending away. Permanently.”

“What!?” Korra looked on in horror as the curtains were drawn and she was bathed in spotlights and hateful stares.

**************************

“Are you sure you don’t need my help?” Azusa asked, standing beside Asami in front of the latter’s luxury Satomobile.

“This is police business.” Chief Beifong said, putting on her armor as officers behind her grappled up onto the rooftops and made a stealthy approach to the rally building, “I appreciate the tip off, your highness-” Lin Beifong hated saying those two words, “-but metal benders are trained for this kind of work. Firebending’s a bit too… volatile.”

Asami looked away.

“I took a peek up there on the roof.” The princess pointed with two fingers together to the sky, “There’s a LOT of Equalists in there. Several hundred members in the crowd too.”

“We can handle ourselves.” Lin said with an increasingly irate intonation.

“Of course.” Azusa smiled politely, “But… on this short notice, well, a lot of them are going to get away. Benders or non-benders, your officers are outnumbered ten to one.”

“The only one we need to catch is the ringleader.” The chief said, putting on her bracers and completing the ensemble, “Now, if you would excuse me… I have a job to do.”

Azusa sighed and leaned back, resting her hands upon Asami’s car. She looked over at the woman herself, who shrugged with a ‘What can you do?’ kind of apathy.

**************************

“Wha ... what did you do to me?” Lightning Bolt Zolt looked up into the blinding lights on his knees.

A man in a mask and a hood loomed over him, his features obscured in porcelain and shadow.

“Your firebending is gone. Forever.” Amon declared, “The era of bending is over. A new era of Equality has begun!”

The crowd erupted into a raucous applause as the next victim was dragged out of the line. Korra’s ‘friend’ had maneuvered her into the last place in the line…

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. A man who could take away bending… forever? It was impossible. It was… terrifying. Bending was all she had. Going from place to place, never having a home or someone to love. Her family was taken from her… all she had was being the avatar, and the duty to avenge herself… and restore balance.

How could she live without bending?

“If it gets dicey…” The ‘Equalist’ behind her whispered, “I’ll unblock your Chi and you can make a go of it. Don’t fight Amon- just escape. Our comrades will be here any minute.”

“Y-yeah.” Korra nodded, stuffing deep down all those fears and anxieties. Whatever Amon was… whatever he represented, she couldn’t succumb to the fear.

The next gangster in line was robbed of his bending and left writhing on the floor.

“Careful.” The Equalist behind her muttered, “I have a knife back here. I’m going to cut you free.”

After Two-Toed Ping was dragged away, Amon turned to an earthbender besides Korra. Then he looked at her… he hesitated for a moment, and then pointed straight at her.

“That one.” He coldly declared.

Korra was ushered to her feet and marched out into the stage…

“Get ready.” The voice behind her whispered.

She came face to face with the masked man, just a few paces away… she could see a coldness in his eyes beneath that featureless visage.

Suddenly, a siren blared from overhead. Amon looked up as metal bending police officers came whipping out onto the scaffolding where the lights were.

“This is the police!” Lin Beifong’s voice bellowed out over a megaphone, “You are surrounded. Put down your weapons, release the hostages, and exit the building with your hands in the air.”

“What the?” Korra’s ‘friend’ mumbled behind her back, “This isn’t…”

“Brothers and sisters!” Amon declared, turning away from the avatar and back to the assembled crowd, “Now you see plainly the divide between us! The police have come to the rescue of these… criminals. For years, they have run rampant over us and the metal benders have done nothing! They have always been united in our oppression! There is no justice for us without equality! And there will be no equality… without struggle!”

A bottle flung from the crowd and hit the scaffolding just shy of a metal bender’s foot. Amon’s lieutenant drew his kali sticks and electrified them. The rest of the Equalists all started whirling their bolas or readying themselves to fight with the police.

“Alright then.” Chief Beifong’s voice huffed, “Suit yourself. Round ‘em up!”

The lights suddenly shut off and the warehouse was thrown into a panic. Shouts and screams where everywhere as the metal benders descended, shooting their wires out at the Equalists. Korra felt a number of taps on her spine and lower back, along the points of her chakras.

She got to her feet, reinvigorated… and saw Amon turning to leave.

Korra narrowed her eyes, breathing hard.

Fight or flight…

Her would-be rescuer said that she should just go… run away. The police weren’t an option, not while she still had to learn airbending from Tenzin. Fighting was breaking out all around her, but it was hard to tell what was going on in this darkness. Some of the crowd had stormed the stage to try and help the masked Equalists fight off the cops.

It was a mess… but she saw Amon retreating back stage and down some stairs. Fight or flight…

She always fought.

Korra dashed forward, chasing after him. Her ‘friend’ in the Equalists saw her running and tried to stop her but a metal bender dropped down between them. He put his arms up and was immediately wrapped up in steel cables.

In the basement of the rally building, Amon, his lieutenant, and a few equalists were making a hasty retreat through a series of tunnels.

“Hey!” Korra said, fists clenched, “Going somewhere?”

This was the perfect place to fight them, she thought… a narrow corridor with no blind spots. She could take them all one at a time. The floor was concrete- tougher to earth bend but not impossible. All around the corridor were steam pipes so water was somewhere… but of course, firebending was all she needed. Perfect.

The Lieutenant turned to face her but Amon clasped him on the shoulder… and let his underlings take her on. They left as two Equalists charged at Korra.

She blasted them each with a punch of fire, throwing them into the walls all singed and dazed. It was long enough a distraction to put some distance between her and the so-called ‘saviour’ of Republic City.

Amon and the Lieutenant emerged with one remaining underling out the back door of the rally building… and found themselves surrounded.

Not by metal benders… but by the White Lotus.

Avatar Xian stood at the head of them, an older man in pale robes with short cropped white hair. There were nine of them in all. They walked forward in a protective formation in front of their leader.

“I’ll take the four on the left.” Amon said, “-and the leader, if he makes a move.”

“I’ll take the three in the middle.” The Lieutenant added.

The Equalist henchman, with only one real option left, shrugged and focused his attention on the last remaining white lotus.

The three of them split up and engaged their targets. Amon waded through fire, earth, and water with the grace of a dancer. In one fluid motion, he ducked under a firebender’s roundhouse and took away her bending.

The Lieutenant hopped over some hurtling earth and electrocuted its bender. The Equalist henchman was skilled as well, though not nearly as efficient as his superiors. Xian watched them at work, seemingly indifferent to his people’s struggling.

Amon got a hold of another White Lotus and was about to remove his bending when a precise blast of blue fire came rocketing at him. He broke away from the other man and dodged backwards.

“Looked like you needed some help!” Azusa called out, hopping on her feet and flicking her nose, “Funny seeing White Lotus around here, though...”

Korra came out the back of the building and was ready to attack when she suddenly saw all of them… the White Lotus. Those… murderers. Her parents’ killers. Her attempted kidnappers! What were they doing here? Why were they here!? If the Equalists weren’t bad enough… why did THEY have to be here!?

Her fists tightened, her teeth gnashed...

Xian didn’t even blink, staring hard at Korra. His grey eyes burrowed deep into her sole. Amon looked between the two, wary of the sudden development. His lieutenant and the other Equalist struggled just to hold their own.

Metal benders came down from the building’s rooftops on their cables. One of them shot their steel at the Lieutenant, who wrapped his stick around the cables and electrified the officer tethered to it.

“Amon!” He cried out, “I’ll hold them off!”

“Leave the equalists to the police.” Xian commanded, “She’s the one you’re looking for.”

“Wait- what?” Azusa furrowed her impeccable brows and grit her teeth.

As the officers engaged with the Equalists, the White Lotus threw themselves at Korra. She screamed and hurled great bands of fire, lashing and whipping at them all. She was rage personified, letting loose in an inferno that kept them all at bay.

“I’m… I’m gonna kill you!” She spat.

A cable wrapped around her wrist. Korra looked behind her, eyeing the cop who was bending it. She bent her arm and pulled him towards her. “H-hey!” The officer cried out, “W-why are you fighting!?”

“Rrrraaghh!” Korra punched a blast of flame at him and knocked him down, the cables unwinding from her arm. She had to duck under some water bending just a moment later.

‘Wait a minute…’ Azusa blinked, ruminating to herself, ‘I’ve seen her before… but where? -and what does Avatar Xian want with her?’

The Lieutenant fell to the ground as a cable wrapped around his ankle and pulled his weight out from under him. Amon knocked an officer to the floor and looked out at his subordinate through the chaos. The metal benders, the white lotus, the fire nation princess, whoever that woman was… the situation was spiralling out of control.

“Kotomi!” Bolin cried out, throwing a boulder in the middle of the melee, “C’mon!”

His voice shocked the avatar out of her rage…

Fight or flight. There were too many people now. People she didn’t know… or people she knew to be wary of. The Equalists, who wanted to rid the world of bending. The White Lotus, who wanted to steal her power as the Avatar. The police who didn’t understand anything and that princess who was the embodiment of everything the Red Lotus stood against!

The only thing familiar… was him.

Bolin was the only modicum of safety she could find in the situation. With a wide roundhouse, Korra whipped a circle of flame around her and propelled herself towards him with a jet of fire out from her soles. He summoned up a wall of earth behind her and together they left the scene, dashing down the street away from the chaos of the rally and the police raid.

They came out to a car parked by the curb and Bolin jumped inside and started the engine. Korra threw herself into the backseat just as he took off, tires squealing all the way down the street.

“You have a car!?” Korra asked, her head popping out from behind the seat.

“You have a… uh… fire bending?” Bolin asked, nervously looking back through the rearview mirror.

The avatar sighed and closed her eyes, slumping back into the seat.

“I, uh, have a place we can go.” He said, focusing on the road ahead of him, “Triads took me in after we lost our water bender...”

“Your water bender?” She asked, crossing her arms over the passenger side seat.

“Yeah, I was a pro bender- wait, hey! Can we talk about your fire bending!?” Bolin clenched his fingers around the steering wheel.

“Well… I’m the avatar.” Korra sheepishly replied.

**************************

“Who are you?” Lin Beifong cocked her head dismissively at Avatar Xian.

One of the White Lotus warriors was looking at his trembling hands, in shock after having lost his bending. He looked over at the older man, “Xian… Y-you can bring it back, right?”

The ‘avatar’ walked over to him, ignoring one very irate Lin Beifong. He knelt down and put his hands on the shoulders of the White Lotus guard, “It'll be alright...”

They were standing outside the building, in a makeshift holding pen for all the Equalists they captured. Mostly militant spectators. They caught only a few chi blockers… and the lieutenant. Unfortunately, they failed to get the one Equalist that mattered- Amon.

Chief Beifong sighed and looked over at Azusa, “Do I have you to thank for getting these White Lotus weirdos involved?”

The Princess shook her head, “No… I don’t know why they’re here.”

Lin massaged the bridge of her nose, “Nothing would please me more than to lock up the whole lot of you. Vigilantism and ancient orders. Princesses interfering with police business!”

Azusa laughed and presented her wrists for a pair of handcuffs… but Lin waved her off with a groan. She had work to do.

**************************

Bolin opened the door to his apartment, flooding it with light from the hallway. He flipped the switch on and rubbed his neck.

“It’s nothing fancy but…” He started to say before Korra grabbed his wrists and kissed him, pushing him up against the wall. Her eyes were already closed, so he followed suite and wrapped his arms around her as the door swung closed.

Finally, when their lips parted, he asked, “Thought you didn’t… want to kiss on the lips.”

Korra mischievously smiled and turned away from him, rubbing her face as she walked out into the center of the modest apartment room, “I owe you one. I mean, I probably could have gotten out of there on my own.” She shot him a cocky smile, “But I guess I just needed… to hear your voice or something.”

Bolin rubbed his neck as he chased after her, “Yeah, well, I’m flattered and all but I thought you said this would just be casual, so, uh…”

Korra pulled out a chair from what amounted to his dining table and sat down, “I said that to protect you. Well, to protect us both.”

“Right, cause… you’re the avatar.” Bolin scratched the back of his head, “Hey, so I guess you got away from those… Red Lotus guys at some point?”

“Well…” Bolin nervously looked around the room, “It’s just- they kidnapped you, right? The newspapers wouldn’t stop talking about it for years and years until… well, everyone said you were probably… you know.”

“Ugh.” Korra let her head sink backwards off the chair, “That’s the story they came up? Bolin, you shouldn’t trust anything the government says.”

“T-the government?” He nervously asked.

“All of them.” The avatar stood up and put her hands on her hips.

“So, uh… I’m guessing we won’t be meeting at Moon River again anytime soon.” Bolin shrugged, “Between those Equalist guys and the cops and… those guys after you-”

“Yeah.” She muttered, her blue eyes drifting down to the floor, “Hopefully I can still get back to Air Temple Island.”

“Well…” Bolin smiled and waggled his eyebrows, “If you ever need a place to lay low, you’ve got my address.”

Korra smiled and bit her lip, “Y’know… that’s twice now that our fights have been interrupted.”

“Oh, yeah.” He nervously laughed and rubbed his hair.

“I’m thinking…” Korra bashfully averted her gaze and smiled, “That maybe you deserve more than just a kiss. C’mon, Bo… where do you keep the bed around here?”

“Uh.” He blinked, “Right thatta-way.”

She jerked her head over to the other room and sauntered in.

“Oh geez.” Bolin started smoothing his hair back and popping his collar. He hopped on one foot, awkwardly trying to remove the shoe on his other foot, “Oh geez, oh geez.”

Korra marched into the room and threw her top off, revealing to her gracious host a set of perfectly honed back muscles- thick biceps and broad shoulders. Just as he turned the lights on, she spun around and put her hands on her hips.

“Whew.” The man shook his head, staring at her breasts and her abs… her dark skin and cocky blue eyes. He kicked his other shoe off and scrambled to get his own shirt off.

She found him quite pleasing to the eye as well. He had a certain… boyish charm to him- but that body was all man. Bolin just exuded strength! He was an earthbender through and through. A mountain personified… one she was determined to climb.

As soon as Bolin got near, she flipped him around and threw him onto the bed. Korra swung a leg over him and straddled the earthbender. Her hands ran over his chest and to his own abs, but his eyes were fixated on her face… and occasionally, her buxom chest.

She slipped her fingers under the hem of his pants and pulled them down hard, underwear and all around his knees. Korra cupped his balls and his cock, massaging the warm and weighty thing. The avatar slipped his manhood into her mouth, wrapping her lips around him… and feeling him grow.

Bolin moaned, throwing his head back as she sucked and licked and kissed at his cock. Her tongue ran up his thick veins, coursing with desire and need. When his cock was hard enough, she sucked his balls and pumped her fist over his length.

“Ko-Kotomi… or, uh, it’s Korra now, huh?” Bolin’s eyes suddenly widened, “Oh my gosh, uhhh…”

“Huh?” Korra blinked her eyes, looking up at him.

“The avatar… THE avatar-” He put both his hands up to his head, “-is… giving me…”

“A blowjob.” Korra interrupted, stroking him with a smile.

“Omagash.” He covered his face as she rolled her tongue around his head.

After he was sufficiently aroused for her liking, Korra sat up and slipped her fingers into her shorts, fingering herself as she jerked him off. She was quite plenty aroused already… just watching him there, looking all handsome and helpless. The woman was quite tempted to get him off like this, to tease and torture him.

But a promise was a promise…

She sat down and pulled her shorts off, whipping them off with a kick and pouncing back onto the bed atop Bolin. With a bit of a shimmy and a scooch, she angled herself just above him. Korra’s sex was adorned by a small dark patch of hair over her clit. She spread her dark brown lips, exposing the pink inner folds of her pussy… and sat down on Bolin, filling herself.

Korra grit her teeth, wincing a little bit as she took every inch of his cock, soaking it until she kissed his groin with her clit.

“At-t-t-t-tight!” Bolin winced, reaching out and gripping her by the thighs.

“Is it too much for ya, big guy?” Korra cooed, waggling her eyebrows.

She planted her hands on his stomach and started rolling her hips, grinding their bodies together. Korra bit her lip and looked up into the ceiling, squeezing her breasts together between her biceps as she went.

Bolin looked up to see those perfect breasts just sitting there… he reached up and kneaded them between his palms. They… were the softest part of her body, no doubt. Korra’s rolling hips turned into rocking… and then bouncing. Up and down she went, her pussy like a vicegrip on his cock.

“Oh… oh geez.” Bolin grit his teeth, “This is… this is crazy.”

Korra stiffened her back and brought her fists up to her sides, as if to stabilize herself in the air. She bounced and bounced, wholly consuming his thick cock. Her tight abs flexed with the exertion, “You’re gonna… tell me when you’re about to… cum, right?”

“Y-yeah!” Bolin said, shutting his eyes tight.

She untied her bushy ponytail and shook her head, “You, uh, got this?”

“Yeah.” He managed to say.

Korra laughed and whipped her hair, rolling her hands over her breasts and fucking herself on the young earthbender’s cock. She could feel him twitching and throbbing inside of her… just on the edge of orgasm.

“Unnh.” She closed her eyes, getting lost in the sensation. The avatar couldn’t afford to get too carried away, of course… of all the things she had to do in this world, bringing a child into it was not an option.

She felt like she was… drifting away. To someplace distant and sublime. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head. It was almost… spiritual. Her eyes flitted beneath the lids and she sighed… countless other moments of bliss and ecstasy came rushing at her. A thousand lifetimes and a thousand loves...

“K-Korra.” Bolin gasped and she was brought out of her reverie. She looked down, watching him squirming, his chest heaving and his stomach expanding and sinking.

She pulled him out and sat on his thighs. Just in the nick of time too. The first dribble of cum came slow at first, before she got a chance to get a good grip… but then he exploded, shooting straight up on the underside of one of her breasts. That thick streak of white rolled down the curvature of her bosom and down onto her abs. Another soon joined it, climbing up… and then back down her sculpted abs. Korra watched as Bolin lay before her, cumming helplessly all over the front of her body. She couldn’t see any of it… but she could feel it. How thick and hot and heavy he was- how explosive his passion was!

But his face was what so mesmerized her. That expression of pure gratification…

She wondered what it must feel like.

At last, when he stopped cumming, Korra leaned back and pushed her breasts in, best as she could, smearing cum over one. She bit her lip, looking at the mess he made all over her… his hot spunk was dragging down over her abs and her groin, even getting caught a bit in the tuft of hair over her womanhood. So long as he didn’t let any out inside… this was alright.

“Hey.” She cooed, “You, uh, got a shower?”

“Huh? Wuh… ah… yeah.” Bolin panted, weakly pointing off to the side.

Sure, she was going to have to swim across Yue Bay to make her way back to Air Temple Island anyway but… well, she needed to get going. Korra felt bad for leaving him like this. He really did save her back there… and she knew sex wasn’t all he was looking for.

In fact… now he knew her true identity.

As she stood beneath the deluge of water, alone, in the shower… Korra closed her eyes and smacked her fist against the wall. She was so stupid… sex was the only thing she had to offer him. Just like with Liao.

The White Lotus were here too. With the police then? Was it just a coincidence?

And what to make of that man in the mask…

He horrified her.

Amon.

He could take away anyone’s bending…

Korra leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. Avatar Aang was the only one who was supposed to be able to do that.

...why, all of the sudden, did she now feel like there was another avatar?

Chapter Text

Previously on Blooming Red Lotus…

“If you’re right-” Asami said, looking into Fire Princess Azusa’s golden eyes, “-and there’s someone on the inside stealing from Future Industries, I want to find him.”

…

“C-chi blockers!?” Korra exclaimed in the middle of a melee with Equalists. She was holding her own… until Amon’s lieutenant struck her in the back with his electrified Kali sticks, “Gggghhhhhhh!!”

“Take this one too.” He said, looking back at the other earth bender still in the Moon River arena.

“Kotomi!” Bolin shouted from behind a crowd of terrified spectators.

...

“What is this, some kind of execution?” The silver-haired gangster said, his hands tied in front of him. Lightning Bolt Zolt, the leader of the Triple Threat Triads.

“No. Amon intends to equalize you.” a female Chi Blocker replied, striking fear into Korra’s blue eyes.

“Help is on the way.” A masked Equalist whispered into her ear, his voice calm and determined.

…

“This is the police!” Lin Beifong declared as the warehouse’s lights were shut off and Metal benders came descending from the scaffolding, “Round ‘em up!”

In the ensuing chaos, Korra was freed by the mysterious turncoat, immediately chasing after Amon. Outside the warehouse, the Equalist leader found himself cornered. Then appeared the White Lotus, led by an older man with short white hair. The so-called Avatar Xian.

“Leave the equalists to the police.” Xian commanded, his grey eyes narrowing upon Korra, “She’s the one you’re looking for.”

“Wait- what?” Princess Azusa asked, watching the ensuing battle, “...what does Avatar Xian want with her?”

“Kotomi!” Bolin cried out, throwing a boulder in the middle of the melee, “C’mon!”

Korra took the opportunity to escape, diving into the backseat of the earthbender’s automobile.

…

“Ko-Kotomi… or, uh, it’s Korra now, huh?” Bolin’s eyes suddenly widened, “Oh my gosh, uhhh…”

“Huh?” Korra blinked her eyes, looking up at him as she brushed her hair back. She held his cock close to her lips.

“The avatar… THE avatar-” He put both his hands up to his head, “-is… giving me…”

“A blowjob.” Korra interrupted, stroking him with a smile.

… … … … … … … … … … … …
… … … … … … … … … … … …
… … … … … … … … … … … …

“Operator? I’d like to make a call, please.” Korra said, looking outside the phone booth to a jacketed Bolin keeping watch. He had a phone in his apartment but she didn’t want to risk the call being traced back to him if the White Lotus were listening. A life on the run taught her to be wary of constant surveillance. In just an hour the sun would rise… she would have to be back at Air Temple Island by then.

“Of course. Where can I direct you?” the helpful voice on the other line answered.

“Please connect me to Zhang Apothecary in Gaoling State, Earth Kingdom.” The avatar said.

The operator hesitated, considering the lateness of the day, but a few moments later… a man’s voice came through the speaker, “Are you looking for the apothecary? I’m sorry but we’re out of business.”

“Do you sell Pai Sho pieces?” Korra asked, rehearsing the old pass phrase she was told before starting this mission.

“...Yes. Which one are you looking for?”

“The Lotus. I lost it. -but I do have the avatar tile.”

“What do you need to tell him?” He said, his tone suddenly shifting away from the guise of the helpful store owner and towards his much more natural state- that of a Red Lotus agent devoted entirely to Zaheer’s vision.

“I’ve infiltrated Air Temple Island but… there’s something going on here. There’s an anti-bender movement. Their leader, Amon, he can take away people’s bending. He nearly got me… the police were involved and the Fire Nation Princess too and it’s a total mess and I don’t know if I can learn Airbending just by observing Tenzin and-” She sighed, realizing she was rambling on too much, “Tell him I’m going to keep at it but… if my cover’s blown, I’ll find you and we’ll just have to figure out airbending. That’s, uh, everything.”

“Very well. Good luck.” There was a click and the line went dead.

Korra left the phone booth and sighed, “Guess it's time to head back to Air Temple Island.”

Bolin frowned, “Y’know… you could just stay with me. Just a little while longer, right?”

Instantly her thoughts returned to Liao, that poor boy she left back at the Earth Kingdom. He had no idea he was mixed up in. Bolin knew she was the avatar at least… but still, sooner or later she’d have to break his heart like all the others.

“Guess we’re not gonna have any more fights at Moon River, huh?” She asked with a shrug.

“Guess not…” Bolin massaged the back of his neck, “The biggest triad boss in the city just lost his bending- my boss. There’s gonna be a gang war with those anti-benders for sure.”

“I don’t think they’re just another gang, Bolin…” She closed her eyes, a pang of uncharacteristic anxiety seizing her, “Mm… Hey, I gotta go.”

They hugged and kissed… and afterwards, Bolin pressed her up against his chest, “Stay safe out there, Kotom- I mean, Korra.”

“You too, Bo.”

…

Korra rose from Yue Bay completely in the nude, waterbending her way across to Air Temple Island under cover of night. With one arm she held her clothes in an air bubble to keep them dry the whole trip. As she climbed up out of the bay, wet body glistening in all its glory, Korra could tell by the purplish pink haze over the horizon that the sun would be up in just a few minutes.

She dried herself off with airbending and put on her acolyte attire, the yellows and oranges of traditional airbenders. Between Amon’s rally and all the sex she had been having with Bolin, the avatar didn’t sleep a wink. Truth be told, she missed her little bed here in the women’s quarters. How she wished she could just stay in it all da and sleep her troubles away.

Unfortunately, Korra still had her mission.

By noon, the exercise Korra dreaded most had arrived- meditation. She was already too impatient for it… but now her sleep deprivation made it downright torturous to endure. She began to nod off among the group of other acolytes, her head bobbing up and down. Tenzin was too absorbed in his own tantric exercises to notice yet when they were all done, he quietly bid the rest of the acolytes to leave. They silently shuffled out of the room, leaving the slumbering avatar right where she was. His children remained as well, just as silent as their father.

Finally, Korra bobbed her head too far forward and she was jolted awake. She looked around, blue eyes darting left and right… until she realized that she had been caught.

“Kasumi.” Master Tenzin said, “That’s not quite what I had in mind when I told you to relax…”

“Sorry, Master Tenzin.” She shook her head, “I-”

“I know what you’ve been up to.” He said, stroking his beard, “Sneaking out at night…”

Fear gripped her. She looked to the kids, at Jinora and Ikki and Meelo! Tenzin was an agent of the White Lotus himself, one of the men who killed her parents! Even if he was only indirectly involved, he was still her enemy. Yet she didn’t want to fight him here with the children so close…

“I’m not mad.” Tenzin added with a comforting and paternal tone, “Well, I was but... Pema said some things that made sense.”

‘As mom usually does.” Ikki said with a smug smile.

Ignoring that little jab from his daughter, Tenzin continued, “Most Air Acolytes are much older than you. They live their lives out and then join us. I’m grateful but… not many of them choose to spend their lives cooped up in a temple all day.”

Korra was confused… was this about her being the avatar or not!?

“It’s dangerous out there. Gang violence and automobiles, not to mention the anti-benders.” Tenzin sighed, shaking his head, “Just this morning, I heard there was some big rally that the police shut down. I’d hate for you to get caught up in that sort of thing just because of your association with me.”

“T-thank you?” Korra said, still a little confused. She was just waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under her.

“I can tell you’re determined.” He nodded his head, stroking his beard even more, “Must have a raft hidden somewhere… so I’m not going to punish you. I’ll… even let you leave! -in moderation. But no more sneaking away in the middle of night, alright?”

“Alright…” The avatar nodded in agreement. It appeared that Tenzin still had no idea. Her secret was safe.

“Master Tenzin!~” a familiar voice called out from behind her. A young woman’s…

The Airbender stood and bowed before the woman as she entered the room. The Fire Nation Princess Azusa, confident and swaggering as always. Korra froze. She was there at the Rally last night. She SAW her!

The Princess looked down at Korra kneeling on the floor… and smiled, “Hello there, Kasumi.”

“You… remembered her name, did you?” Tenzin arched an eyebrow curiously.

“Of course.” Azusa replied with a sly smile, “I never forget a pretty face.”

“Yes, well… I take you’re leaving then?” He asked.

The woman turned her practiced smile back towards the airbender, “Afraid so. The work of a princess never ends, eh? The tea was lovely though!”

“I’m afraid I’m quite busy as well. No doubt there’s going to be a lot of talk about these ‘Equalists’ at the next council meeting. If you’d excuse me, Kasumi here will escort you to the ferry.” Tenzin stood up and brushed off his robes, then began to depart with his children following behind like ducklings.

“Mm, I’d like that.” The princess cooed, “You know… I think you’re the youngest air acolyte I’ve ever seen. I’m actually quite in awe. I could never make such a huge commitment, locked away all day and-”

Tenzin stopped just as he approached the exit, “We were just talking about that, actually…” He said, “Airbending is the element of freedom. It wouldn’t do to keep our own acolytes prisoner.”

“Mmmm.” Azusa smiled wider, “Then you wouldn’t mind if I took her out to dinner sometime?”

He paused… and then said, “It is her choice. Just so long as she’s back before sundown.”

Tenzin left the room with his children, leaving Korra and the Firebender alone. The avatar sprang to her feet, fists balled ready for a fight, “What do you want!?”

“Relax, Kasumi.” The Princess cooed, “Or is it Kotomi? That’s what your friend called you back there.”

Korra remained silent.

“Look, I just want to talk… can we talk?” Azusa seemed sincere enough. Korra relaxed as the orange-eyed princess continued, “You don’t gotta tell me… but if I had to guess, you joined the air acolytes to run away from something, right? -and it caught up with you last night, didn’t it? It’s the White Lotus, isn’t it?”

Korra’s mind was racing.

“It’s alright, it’s alright.” Azusa put her hands up, “You don’t have to say anything. I know all about them. Secret society for a thousand years, sat on their thumbs while Fire Lords conquered the world. The last good thing they did was liberate Ba Sing Se from my great grandfather, curse his name.”

“Uh…” Korra stammered and blinked, trying her best to sound ignorant, “Are you sure about that? Don’t they control all the world’s governments and… and stuff?”

“Not quite.” The other laughed, “More like… subcontractors. Who better to spy for you than an international secret society? They’re like the Dai Li… but for the avatar.”

“But the avatar’s missing.” Korra said, her tone turning serious, “How do they work for the avatar if they’re missing?”

Azusa turned a skeptical eye to her for just a moment too long and then said, “I’m… sorry. Believe me, politics is the last thing I want to talk to you about.”

Korra’s mind raced. She started to panic, wondering at light speed if the princess had figured her out. Ever a blunt woman, the avatar made a snap judgement to try and divert Azusa’s attention away from the obvious, “Uh… can I tell you a secret!?”

The princess’ golden eyes went wide.

“Promise you won’t tell anyone.” The avatar said.

Azusa nodded solemnly.

“My… parents were killed by the White Lotus.” Korra said. It was the truth as far as she had been told… Zaheer had once told her to mix the truth in with lies to maintain her cover, “They saw something they shouldn’t have and-”

The princess seized her hand, “You don’t have to explain.” Azusa said, her touch so warm and comforting, “I’m… so sorry that happened to you, Kasumi. You probably hear that a lot, huh?”

“Please don’t tell Master Tenzin, I-”

Azusa interrupted her, “Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me…” The Princess then sighed, “I see now why you’d want to get away and join the air acolytes. Fresh start away from all that, huh?”

“Y-yeah.”

“I can tell you’re very strong.” Azusa said with a smile, reaching up to brush the avatar’s hair out of her face, “You saw them and went off screaming ‘I’ll kill you!’, heh heh… I don’t mean you’re strong like your firebending. I mean, those beautiful blue eyes of yours- there’s an inner strength in them.”

Korra felt her cheeks getting hot.

“I like strong women.” The princess added with a wink before her tone suddenly soured “Oh drat. I just realized something.”

“What?” Korra furrowed her brow.

“Before, I was worried that you’d feel pressured to date me because I’m a princess.” Azusa closed her golden eyes and ran a hand through her locks of ebon hair, “Now you’re gonna feel extra pressured because you’re a fugitive and I know your secret.”

Korra shook her head incredulously and laughed, “Why would you care about me feeling pressured?”

“Because I can’t stand phonies.” the Princess replied, “People talk like they’re dancing on eggshells around me- how do I know anything they say is actually genuine? If I’m gonna fool around with somebody, especially in bed, then their heart better be in it! Do you know how infuriating it is to be treated like… like a princess!?”

“Can’t say I have.” Korra shrugged with a smile, thinking about it for a moment before she continued,“How about this? If you, uh, got any secrets to share with me, I could blackmail you and maybe we can call it even?”

Azusa laughed, “Ah, hmm, blackmail, a tried and true technique to get into a rich girl’s pants… how about this? -the fire nation princess prefers women!”

“That’s not a secret!” Korra shot back with a grin. The two of them burst into laughter.

“Alright, alright. Men too.” The princess admitted, “Sometimes.”

“So…” Azusa cooed, “How about that dinner?”

The avatar giggled and brushed her hair back, then muttered, “Um… well, I understand you want something genuine. I get that, I really do. But… I’m not really in the market right now for anything that requires a long-term commitment.”

“Oh!” Azusa’s eyes went wide, “Oh no, no, no. Me neither! I gotta go back to the Fire Nation eventually and I’m very busy with work and- uh, Kasumi, I’m just talking about sex. Y’know, if… the date goes well.”
The firebender shrugged and gave a sheepish smile, ‘But on genuine terms, you know?’

“Oh.” Korra blinked her bright blue eyes, “Okay then. Uhhhhhh, I’ll have to think about it.”

“Of course! Take your time.” the Princess smiled genially, “It’s just an offer, yeah? No pressure or anything. Hey, let’s talk about something else. You still gotta walk me to the ferry.”

“S-sure.” Korra nodded.

“You ever ridden a motorcycle before?”

…

Korra fell into bed that afternoon, finally allowed a break. She was exhausted… but still couldn’t sleep. It was still early in the day and none of the other acolytes were quite ready to retire yet. Even as it was nearing the horizon, the sun still yet hung in the sky, bathing Republic city in its glow. She was alone…

The avatar rolled over onto her side, her hand like a wedge between her thighs.

‘I can’t believe that woman...’ She thought, closing her tired blue eyes, ‘The Fire Nation princess represents everything the Red Lotus stands against- monarchies, autocrats, elites...’

A smile tugged at her lips, ‘But… she’s not really what I expected from a royal. -and what is she after? Something genuine… but also nothing serious.’

She thought back to Bolin. Did she have something ‘genuine’ with him? He now knew her secret- and he saved her life too! How close could she bring him into her life? What would Zaheer and the rest of the Red Lotus think?

Korra was tired of lying to people… Tenzin was just worried about her. Azusa said the White Lotus were like ‘subcontractor’s… so maybe the airbender was innocent in all this. She was lying to him too.

‘Why does everything have to be so complicated!?’ Korra screamed in her head, rolling over onto her back.

Azusa just wanted sex. ‘On genuine terms’ as she put it. That sounded… really nice and simple. Uncomplicated sex. Just two girls having fun… escaping from it all.

Korra was already rubbing herself.

…

Azusa sat down at a desk with a set of equipment laid out on it. The room was grey and featureless, completely shrouded in metal. Chief of Police Lin Beifong stood behind the princess, arms folded.

The firebender looked over the gear. Two sticks next to a small backpack with slots for them to interface with. Amon’s lieutenant wielded these weapons, electrifying them to bypass the otherwise invulnerable armor of the metalbending police.

“Resemble any tech you’re familiar with?” The chief of Police asked, impatient in her tone.

“It’s very advanced. There’s quite like it on the market.” Azusa replied, looking over each of its individual parts, “Each stick contains a battery, charged by the backpack generator. Kinda like the power plant. No lightning bending necessary.”

“I could have told you that.” Lin sighed, “The guy this gear belongs to won’t tell us a thing, by the way. He just prattles on about the revolution and ‘equality’.”

Azusa furrowed her brow and pointed to a small gizmo disassembled from the main pack, “This part, though… I know this conductor. It’s Future Industries make. I’ve got one just like it in my bike.”

“Hiroshi Sato again? We’ve already looked into him ourselves. He’s clean.” Lin shook her head.

“This isn’t a satomobile, it’s cutting edge technology.” The princess exclaimed, “Prototype. You know what that means? It means it needs replaceable parts. Often.”

“Look, we already dug into Future Industries and they’re completely clean.” The police chief said, looking over the princess’ shoulder at the conductor laid out on the table, “The newspapers had a field day with that one. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Mm.” Azusa pushed herself away from the table, “Guess I’ll look into it myself.”

“You’re friends with the heiress, aren’t you? Asami Sato?” Lin cast a suspicious eye towards the princess.

“Well… I’d like to think so. It was only with her help that we were able to catch them at their rally yesterday.” The younger woman sighed, “If her father is indeed funding the Equalists, then I don’t think she knows about it.”

…

There were a few places in Air Temple Island that one could get away to for some solitude. Korra woke up early to practice her airbending at a plaza overlooking the bay. She did her best imitation of what she had seen from Tenzin’s own demonstrations.

She paid special attention to the handwork, methodically choosing her every step and stance. The avatar moved slowly and deliberately at first, gathering her power.

“Maintain a heaven and earth connection.” She said, quoting one of the airbender’s off-handed instructions to his children.

Korra suddenly thrust her arms out, palms open… Nothing. Not even a breeze on this windless sunny day. She sighed and closed her eyes.

“Airbending is the element of freedom.” The young woman recited to herself. If that was the case, then why did she so stringently emulate Tenzin’s techniques? Keeping her eyes shut, she thought back to Zaheer’s teachings. Even though he wasn’t an airbender himself, he spoke of it as a true practitioner in spirit. The element of freedom.

Korra moved much less formally, yet not without deliberate intent. She almost began to dance, swaying her hips and alternating between light tip-toe prancing and heavy stomping. She spun and twirled, her arms close to her body like a boxer’s- like Zaheer.

The woman circled around, appearing strong when she was weak and weak when she was strong. Ever circling, the woman danced, hips waggling until she felt her momentum reach a peak. At the apex of her spin, she lowered her head and threw her legs into the air, performing a butterfly kick and spinning when she hit the ground, ending with her knees upon the earth.

She opened her eyes, astonished to see a single branch swaying some distance ahead of her. A leaf in the wind…

“Excellent technique.” Tenzin said, jolting her to a stiff position of attention, “Oh. Sorry if I startled you.”

“M-master Tenzin, I was just-”

“It’s quite alright.” He said with a softness to his voice, “I am honored. Though you’re not an airbender, you move like one. The acolytes are devoted to keeping the traditions of my people alive… but few are interested in the most important part of it.”

“Well… they’re not airbenders. Why should they practice airbending?” Korra asked with a shrug.

“Why do you practice it, then?” He asked, “Are you hoping to learn it?”

“Um, well…” She stammered, looking away from his pale eyes.

“Your form was a little… unorthodox but I can see the spirit of freedom in your movements, tempered by discipline.” Tenzin stroked his beard as he spoke, “That’s the thing most people forget about airbending. It requires self-control.”

“There is no true freedom without discipline.” Korra recited, “The discipline to let go your earthly tether and enter the void…”

“Empty and become wind.” Tenzin finished, “That’s the poetry of Guru Laghima, right?”

She nodded.

“They say he could fly, completely weightless as if he was air himself.” The older man mused, doubt dripping in his voice. Yet even so his tone lifted as he added, “If a man can become weightless, maybe an air acolyte can become an airbender.”

He let slip a smile. Korra couldn’t help but smile back. It was funny… she had never seen him so sweet with his own kids. Always the disciplinarian as a father, he often spoke of their responsibilities and duties as the next generation of airbenders. As an acolyte who came to him willingly, with no obligation, perhaps he let slip a softer side to Korra.

It pained her to imagine what he’d think once he learned that she was lying to him all this time. Maybe he didn’t have to be an enemy.

“Kasumi…” Tenzin mused aloud, “That doesn’t sound like a water tribe name.”

“Who says I’m from the water tribe?” Korra asked with a smile.

“Uh, well, I just thought because of…” he cleared his throat, “My… mother is water tribe, you know... Right, I’ll just stop talking now.”

She softly laughed.

“I must be going.” Tenzin said into his fist, “Will you be going to the city today?”

“Yeah.” She nodded.

“Perhaps those techniques could be used for self-defense if you get into trouble.” He said as he began to walk away from her, “Do be careful out there…”

“I will.” Korra replied, turning her attention back to the branch from before.

…

The roar of the engine and the hum of a 750 cc side valve engine rumbling so loudly that Korra felt it in her whole body… but most especially in her thighs and groin. Princess Azusa stood some distance away, watching with a wide smile as Korra cautiously clung to the handlebars of the motorcycle between her legs.

“The break is on!” Azusa yelled, cupping her hands over her mouth “You can rev it all you like! C’mon, give it a try!!”

Another roar, so loud it practically rattled the mechanics’ equipment on the shelves of the garage.

“Unh~” Korra winced. It vibrated right against her womanhood, so consistently and powerfully. She revved it again, sending tingles shooting up her spine.

“See what I mean!?” The firebender yelled with a cheerful laugh, “I’ll be in traffic and I just let it rip! Then I have everyone looking at me while I get off! Isn’t that funny!?”

“Aah.” Korra was too busy focusing on her own pleasure. It did feel good… but could she really orgasm from it? That’s what Azusa claimed... She revved it again and again, drowning out all other sound in the room. Azusa opened her mouth but nothing came out.

Then her legs were starting to go numb, the pleasure receding into a purely neutral buzzing feeling, neither incredibly satisfying or at all disatisfying. Tempted as she was to keep trying, she relinquished control of the handlebars and allowed the engine to recede back into a deep rumbling idle state.

Azusa brushed her hair and walked over, “So, what do you think?”

“Ah… yeah, it’s, um… that’s something!” Korra said with a shrug, “I don’t know if I’m as sensitive as you are down there, though.”

“Didn’t do it for you, huh?” The princess tapped her lips thoughtfully, “That’s alright. If you don’t mind me asking… What DOES do it for you? -and I won’t be offended if you say dick.”

“Um… well…” Korra blushed a bit and rubbed her bicep, “I don’t really know that.”

“Wait…” Azusa furrowed her brow, then leaned over and killed the engine completely. After such a prolonged period of noise, the silence was itself deafening, “Kasumi… have you NEVER orgasmed before?”

Her blush intensified and she looked away uncomfortably.

“Oh, you poor thing.” The princess sighed, wrapping Korra up in a sympathetic hug, “I’m making it my mission before I leave Republic City to get you off. I mean… if you want me to!”

She pulled back, looking the avatar in the eyes for consent.

Korra softly smiled, “I’ve… never been with a woman before.”

“Oh?” Azusa arched an eyebrow, “Are you coming around to it?”

“Maybe…”

The princess smiled wider, “What about that guy who was with you? Earthbender with the hot ride. Is he the jealous type?”

“Bolin?” Korra blinked, “Mm. I don’t think so. He’s just a friend that I… uh… occasionally fight and-”

“Fuck?”

“Yeah, and fuck.”

“Huh! Friends for fighting and fucking.” Azusa grinned, “I knew you were my kinda gal, Kasumi… Oh! Does that mean I have to beat you in an Agni Kai or something if I want to sleep with you?”

The avatar laughed and punched the princess in the shoulder, “Stop it, ahaha!”

The firebender playfully rubbed her bicep like it hurt, “Ooh. You’ve already landed the first blow...”

…

“Aah… hah… mmmh~” Korra leaned her head back, running her hands through her hair as she languidly spread her legs. Azusa was in between her thighs, the princess’ pink tongue flicking and rolling along her dark womanly lips.

The firebender lavished her loving affections upon the avatar’s clit, wriggling her tongue between Korra’s outer folds and underneath that most sensitive nub. She slipped a single slender finger inside, curling it upwards and stroking Korra with a ‘come-hither’ gesture from the inside.

It sent shivers down the avatar’s spine and she arched her back, throwing her chest into the air. Azusa’s own moans were muffled, buried beneath Korra’s sex. She pulled away, her mouth and chin slathered in spittle.

“Mmmh, you’re beautiful.” The princess said, still fingering her lover, “I love those muscles…”

Korra opened her eyes, gifting Azusa with the sight of that beautiful blue gaze. With her arms up, the avatar’s face was framed by her biceps, firm and powerful. Her breasts were large enough to warrant envy, with stiff dark nipples revealing her arousal. Her belly, rock hard with abs that flexed everytime Azusa teased her from the inside. She wriggled her finger, watching Korra’s stomach go taut.

“You know what I love about powerful women?” Azusa asked, raising her eyebrows as she slid another finger inside.

“What?” Korra asked, half moaning as the word left her mouth.

“Rendering them powerless.” The princess grinned, turning her teasing massage into an aggressive thrusting- finger fucking the avatar.

“Oooohhh..” Korra tossed her head to the side, reaching behind her and grabbing the fine hotel pillows with clenched fists. She clenched on Azusa, her pussy almost like a vice grip on the firebender’s two fingers!

The avatar went very still, furrowing her brow and gritting her teeth as if in concentration. She just laid there, taking it, every muscle in her body tensed up… until she finally relaxed, letting out a languid moan of pleasure and giving Azusa an excuse to slow down.

“Whew… are you always this wet?” The Princess asked.

Korra nodded.

“-and tight, too…” Azusa slowly slid her fingers out, “Still haven’t cum yet, though…”

The avatar licked her lips and sat up, “It’s… good, though. That was REALLY good.”

“Oh, I’m not done yet.” The firebender said, getting up off the bed and walking over to a drawar in her hotel room. Korra looked over her body as she moved. Pale as befitting Fire Nation royalty, with her hair still immaculately done up and nothing amiss about her makeup. Not a strand out of place… her body was lithe and nubile- slender but not gaunt, small but not frail. There was a grace to her eye step, and Korra was particularly infatuated with her little peach-shaped behind. Bereft of all her royal clothes and the intimidating blacks and reds of Fire Nation garb, Azusa was petite and even cute. Korra knew with certainty that she could overpower the princess, and she would… it was just a matter of when and how.

Azusa pulled out something from the drawer, returning to Korra with a strange… tube object in her hand. Upon closer inspection, it was much more phallic. It looked like two cocks joined at the base, where a rounded knob separated them. As soon as she laid eyes on it, Korra realized the purpose it served for two women making love… Azusa threw it onto the bed and then went back into the drawer.

Next was a dildo attached to what seemed like a plate with a whole bunch of straps and harnesses. It came flying at Korra and landed on the bed next to the double dildo. The avatar picked it up and then figured out that it was for wearing.

“Hmmmmmm.” Azusa mused, looking over her last few items. When finality she shut the drawer and walked back over to the bed, carrying a plug in one hand and what looked like a blindfold and gag in the other, “Don’t you worry, Kasumi. We’ll find the key that unlocks your secret forbidden love chakras, huhu~”

“You really don’t have to go to these kinds of lengths…” Korra brushed her hair out of her eyes, looking at the veritable armory of sex toys on display.

“Oh no you don’t!” Azusa slid back onto the bed, putting her finger to Korra’s lips, “Don’t think. Feel. Ignore your instincts. Just roll with it, like a waterbender. Let yourself have some fun~”

If only the princess knew she could waterbend too… Still, it was good advice. She had heard something like it before... ‘Instinct is a lie, told by a fearful body hoping to be wrong.’

Korra closed her eyes, thinking back to waterbending with Ming-hua. Aside from air, it was her weakest element. She was used to aggressively forging a path ahead or stubbornly standing her ground, not just in bending but in life. Waterbending was reactive and passive by its nature. She saw no point in evading an attack if she wasn’t going to follow up with a counterattack of her own. But this was sex, not battle… and she was doing the exact opposite of what Azusa had suggested- thinking instead of feeling!

She cleared her mind again as the princess got ready. Azusa slipped the double sided dildo inside of herself, the other end past the rounded center protruding out of her like a dick of her own. The princess spread her lover’s legs, angling the bright red dildo at Korra’s pussy. She slipped it in with ease, which of course pushed the other end of the dildo pleasurably against her own inner walls. Azusa let out a luridly satisfied sigh with Korra.

Don’t think. Feel.

Like water… receptive…

Don’t fight instinct… but let it pass by.

It felt good. The sounds of Azusa’s own pleasure poured into her ears, rolling into her consciousness. If the motorcycle was any indication, the princess was indeed very sensitive. Already she was so wantonly moaning, bucking her hips. Azusa just wanted to share this hedonistic pleasure she felt.

Korra sat up, wrapping an arm around the petite firebender and pulling her close, palm flat on the small of her back.

“Aahah?” Azusa looked down at the other woman, “You gettin’ into it, huh?”

“Yeah…” Korra replied with a grin, grinding their bodies together. The princess wrapped her arms around the avatar and let out a wonderful squeal of joy as their pussies met with the bulbous center of the double dildo between, the smooth synthetic material becoming coated in both of their juices.

They rutted against each other, Korra’s larger breasts squeezing against Azusa’s own smaller chest, their nipples stiff and hot as they buried into one another’s soft bosoms. The princess clung onto the avatar hard, moaning into the larger woman’s ear.

“I’m cumming..” the petite beauty moaned, “I’m cumming, I’m cumming, I’m- unnhhhhh~”

She started shaking, her whole body buzzing in Korra’s arms. The avatar felt a hot wetness splashing out onto her own groin and thighs. She didn’t know that girls could cum like guys did! Korra leaned back and looked down, watching with wide eyes as Azusa squirted all over her. It wasn’t thick and gooey like a man’s… but watery as it splattered all over her abs and groin. Each individual droplet had an orange glint to it from the the hotel’s electric lights…

Korra wasn’t done yet, though. She grabbed Azusa with one hard squeeze of her ass and started fucking her- fucking herself with her. The dildo rocked around within their bodies, pushing back and forth in a heavenly tug o’ war. The princess came again, gushing all over. Korra started rolling her hips, waving her spine like a serpent.

Like water… ebbing and flowing… pushing and pulling. Korra lifted her hand off of Azusa’s back, fingers drawn like she was plucking something from the air. Something stirred within her own body… She plucked her fingers again and it stirred once more, like a well or a dam ready to burst. She wasn’t quite sure what she was pulling on… but she wanted to experience the same thing Azusa was- she wanted to gush and cum like this princess did.

She plucked one more time and her eyes began to flicker and glow. Images of past lives started rushing towards her, the faces of benders going back a hundred generations. They were… avatars! One stood out in particular, a woman grabbed in green, her face painted in white and red, wearing a golden headdress.

Korra suddenly stopped, blinking her eyes back to a normal blue as she wrapped her arms around Azusa and held her naked body close. She breathed hard as the princess came again, writhing and bucking in her grasp.

A few minutes later and they had finally disentangled their bodies from one another. Azusa lay flat on her back, panting with her hair in disarray. Creamy girlcum was slathered all over her pussy, matching the adornment covering the dildo between them. Korra got quite a bit of it all over herself as well…

“Whew…” Azusa sighed, “That was… that was something else, Kasumi.”

“Heh… yeah.” Korra nodded.

“You’re so bad~” The princess giggled, “I said I was gonna get you off and you go and… and do that! I’m the one who is in charge here...”

“Oh really?” The avatar asked, arching an eyebrow. It seemed like the firebender just assumed that Korra had an orgasm of her own. Did she? Or was she about to? She briefly saw a vision of other people- other avatars! Was that the avatar state!?

Azusa brought her out of her reverie with a kiss, deep and passionate and full of lusty gratitude.

“I’m gonna get you back…” The princess huffed, closing her eyes, “Mmmmmh~”

“What’s wrong?”

The gold-eyed firebender sighed, “I have to get back to work soon and…”

“Oh.” Korra smiled with her eyes half closed, “You kicking me out then?”

“I wouldn’t say kicking you out…” The Princess rolled over and put her finger to her lips, “More like I’m allowing your forces an organized retreat so that we may re-engage in a more decisive battle later…. eh?”

“Oh, oh. I see.” Korra got up and laughed, “You know, there’s one thing you don’t have to worry about anymore.”

“Ah?” Azusa rolled over, her naked body languidly laid out on silk sheets.

“I’m not pressured at all by the fact that you’re royalty or anything.” The avatar said, standing tall and strong in all her glory over the bed, “...cause you’re so easy to manhandle in bed.”

“Excuse me!?” the princess sprang up, “O-only because I let you!”

Azusa crossed her arms over her chest and returned to her usual cocky self, “A princess can be whatever she pleases, dominant OR submissive.”

“Alright, then.” Korra said, “I’ll get out of your esteemed royal.”

“Mmhm.” The princess nodded, “Um… we can do this again, right? Or just go out to lunch sometime too, right? You’re new in town, right? I could show you around…”

“I thought you said this was just about sex.” Korra asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Hey, we can be gal pals too, right?” Azusa shrugged her shoulders.

“...You’re the weirdest princess I’ve ever met.”

“How many princesses have you met?”

“...Fair point.” Korra closed her eyes and laughed.

She caught the last ferry headed back to Air Temple Island, grateful she didn’t have to keep swimming naked across Yue Bay. She looked out over the water, at the statue of Avatar Aang looming over the whole city.

Could she trust Azusa? The Fire Nation princess could be a powerful ally... Her thoughts drifted back to the night of the ‘Revelation’. When Amon was about to take her bending… and when she came face to face with the White Lotus’ leader. She felt bad for getting Bolin mixed up in all of this. What a mess that night was- the Equalists, the White Lotus, the Police…

She thought back to the equalist who helped her escape. He recognized her as the avatar. ...just whose side was he on?

...

“This has been but a momentary setback.” Amon said, standing in a darkened warehouse surrounded by his henchmen, chi blockers garbed in dark browns and veiled in masked faces, “In fact, it may work to our advantage. I removed the bending of violent gangsters and the police came to their rescue. Now they have revealed to the world that benders of all classes are in collusion to oppress us. The true revelation was not my power, but the corruption of Republic City’s leadership.”

“Still…” One of the chi blockers said, a young woman, “We were very discrete with the flyers. They sprang that raid on us like they knew what you were planning, Amon.”

“I think we’ve got a mole.” Another Equalist said, gruffling sitting atop some crates, “A bender spy.”

“Yeah… and I’ll give you one guess who it could be.” A third chimed in, his voice angry and accusing.

They all looked to one Equalist in particular, masked and disguised just like the rest of them. This young man suddenly found himself the center of attention, assaulted on every side by accusing eyes hidden by masks, “Wait! You don’t think-”

Amon remained silent as the female Chi blocker spoke up again, “I never trusted you!” then she turned to the rest of the group, “He’s a pro bender and a gangster! Probably ratted us out because he was worried for his old man Zolt!”

A hand grabbed the accused chi blocker’s mask and pulled it off his face, revealing a young man of pale complexion, with sharp eyebrows like blades, handsome features and clean cut hair. His eyes were a bright gold.

“Zolt was just my boss! -a long time ago! My parents were killed by benders!” The young man yelled.

“-by a firebender, isn’t that right?” Amon said in a soft voice. Every Equalist obeyed the silence his presence demanded, “...Mako?”

“Yeah…” Mako quietly replied. The angry hands grabbing him began to relax and he brusquely freed himself from his comrades’ clutches.

Amon rose his hand up to his mask and removed it, revealing his burned face, pink and red and scarred all over. “Just the same as my own parents.” He said, “We lost quite a few people at the rally. Among them my own trusted lieutenant… Now is not the time to be turning on one another.”

Mako was still breathing hard, golden eyes darting left and right at the other Chi blockers. Their leader quietly put his mask back on.

“It is true that this man before you was once a gangster and a pro bender.” Amon declared, “Yet he joined us willingly, allowing me to equalize him without any hesitation... as I have removed his bending, so too have I removed his sins.”

Immediately, the Equalists began to regret their suspicions. Amon always spoke wisely and they obeyed his will unconditionally. “The rest of you all stand to gain something from the revolution, -from equality.” He said, “Yet Mako has already given up much for the cause. We will need more allies like him in this fight.”

“Amon!” A plains-clothed man burst into the room, “There’s someone here to see you. He says he’s ...the avatar!”

Mako put his mask back on, disguising himself once more amongst the anonymity of the group. The rest of them all began to murmur and whisper amongst themselves.

“Bring him in.” Amon said, walking over to a half dismantled automobile and sitting down on its truck bed.

An older man was brought into the room, white haired and grey eyed. Aged, perhaps, but handsome in his features and moving with the alacrity and grace of a much younger man. He was dressed in the garb of the White Lotus, befitting their leader.

“How did you find this hideout?” was the first thing Amon asked.

Xian smiled, “I am the avatar. I have spoken with the spirits, as you have… They have revealed to me the hidden truths of the world. We are alike, Amon. Your blood and my blood both flow in the same direction, no?”

Their leader was quiet for a very long time… then he said, “Leave us. I wish to be alone with the avatar.”

None of them dared speak a word of doubt. They all left in short order, in complete silence until Amon and Xian were the only ones left in the room.

“You’re too old to be the avatar.” Amon said, “...and you don’t look like you’re from the Water Tribes. Who are you?”

“Looks can be deceiving.” Xian said, “As you well know.”

Amon raised his hand up, threatening the ‘avatar’ with a mere gesture. The terrifying suggestion of bloodbending, “Answer me or I’ll kill you.”

“Ah, and here I thought your revolution was going to be bloodless.” The other man sighed, “I am not THE avatar. I am only AN avatar. There are two of us- me, Avatar Xian… and a young woman you have already met, Avatar Korra.”

“There’s never been two avatars before.” Amon said.

“There’s never been a nonbender capable of ‘equalizing’ anyone either.” the avatar replied, “Though I can’t help but feel that your so-called ‘revolution’ is doomed to fail.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Will you ‘equalize’ every single bender alive, Amon? Visit every rural village in the Earth Kingdom by yourself to purify them? When you’re gone, who will you pass the torch to? Every generation, more benders will be born. -to say nothing of future avatars.”

For once, the masked man was left listening instead of speaking.

“Suppose I told you that I could help you.” Xian declared with solemnity, “Suppose I told you that it was possible to remove the bending of everyone? Everywhere.”

Chapter Text

Previously on Blooming Red Lotus…

“Yeah, well, I’m flattered and all but I thought you said this would just be casual, so, uh…” Bolin stammered off.

“I said that to protect you. Well, to protect us both.” Korra answered.

...

“Hiroshi Sato again? We’ve already looked into him ourselves. He’s clean.” Chief Lin Beifong shook her head.

“This isn’t a satomobile, it’s cutting edge technology.” Princess Azusa exclaimed, “Prototype. You know what that means? It means it needs replaceable parts. Often.”

She sighed and closed her eyes, “Guess I’ll look into it myself.”

…

“I am honored.” Tenzin said, “Though you’re not an airbender, you move like one.”

Korra smiled, admitting that she found it difficult to view this man as her enemy.

“Kasumi…” The airbender mused aloud, “That doesn’t sound like a water tribe name.”

...

Standing in the presence of this ‘Avatar’, Amon was left listening instead of speaking for once.

“Suppose I told you that I could help you.” Xian declared with solemnity, “Suppose I told you that it was possible to remove the bending of everyone? Everywhere.”

**************************
**************************
**************************

“Fuck… unh.” Bolin’s hungry growls filled the four walls of his apartment, “Hngh~ Mmph!”

Two muscled bodies, one light and one dark, rutted together in the night.

“Ya’ gonna cum?” Korra asked with a challenging arch of her eyebrow. She was beneath him, legs in the air as he pounded her in the mating press. Her whole body rocked, breasts bouncing as he slammed his whole body weight behind every thrust.

“Not… until you do!” Bolin winced, burying his whole length deep in her pussy, “Nngh!”

She laughed, playfully sticking her tongue out. Her heart was pounding, her skin covered in sweat all over, her pussy soaking wet and clenching hard on his cock. Bolin, however, was barely holding on. He was throwing everything he had at her, his gangster-cut hair all mussed up, his armpit hair soaked with sweat and his body shiny and steaming hot to the touch. He had been exerting himself for over an hour and while Korra had thoroughly enjoyed herself… she was ready to call it.

“Aahh.” He pulled away, sitting on his calves. His cock slipped out of her, splashing her juices into the air as it sprang back to the ready. It was a beautiful thing, rock hard and throbbing, runny with precum oozing down the cockhead, “Hah.. hah.”

She reached out to grab it, intent on milking him of every last drop. Bolin grabbed her wrist and shook his head, “Not yet...”

“C’mon.” She said, panting, “I want you to cum, Bolin! Give it to me. Fuckin’ cover me all over!”

He shook his head, more emphatically. The avatar knew what he liked- she knew just how close he was to climaxing and just how hard it was for him to hold back… especially with her goading him on. He was probably imagining his grandma or thinking about math- certainly anything but the fact that he was fucking the avatar- the avatar that was begging for his cum.

Korra wrenched her arm free and leaped up out of the bed with a savage grin, knees bent like she was about to wrestle him.

“Whoa, whoa, Korra, wait!” Bolin protested, but it was too late. She pounced on him, throwing the earthbender onto his back and struggling with him for control of his limbs. They rolled over twice but she retained the advantage, the bedsheets wrapped around their bodies. He would have put up more of a fight but he’d just been fucking her for an hour! Bolin was utterly exhausted after edging himself for so long.

She pinned one of his wrists onto his own stomach and grabbed his dick with the other hand. His resistance melted away. Neither of them dared to move- Bolin out of fear for his precious manhood’s safety and Korra out of a desire to prolong their little game- she knew the slightest touch could set him off in the state he was in.

With a cocky smile and a bite of her lip, she shifted into position, slipping his cock between her breasts as she squished her nipples against his hips. It was so soft and yielding, quite a contrast from the tight wet confines of her pussy. She rocked her whole body back and forth, pushing his shaft until it laid flat on his stomach… and then drew backwards, until it went right back into her cleavage. Back and forth she went, stroking him with a fluidity of movement behind her whole body.

An hour ago, such a slow pace wouldn’t have done much for him. But now, after so much stimulation, Korra held him on the verge of orgasm with a mere arching of her spine and a rolling of her hips. He gulped, looking down at the beauty enveloping his manhood in her pillowy breasts.

She decided to finish him off, letting go of his hand and folding her arms over the front of her cleavage, trapping his cock within its embrace. She wiggled her eyebrows at him with a seductive grin.

All she did was squeeze. She pushed her breasts together, merely holding him snug there… until he came. A great tension released as Bolin’s whole body went limp, every muscle relaxing save for one- the most important one at that moment.

Korra felt the explosion of hot cum strike her under her jaw, spraying onto her neck and raining back down onto the top of her breasts, splashing onto its source as more poured out in steady streams built up over the last hour. So precise was her control over him that each spurt hit in the same exact place until she moved away.

The avatar closed her eyes and tucked her chin into her collar, stretching her mouth open and sticking her pink tongue out just in time to catch a thick and heavy rope upon it. Bolin moaned helplessly, his voice cracking as Korra squeezed out every last drop of cum he had to give her.

She giggled when he shot right up one of her nostrils and then, as the strength and velocity of his orgasm began to wane, she pulled her body back and released his cock… only to throw her head down onto it and devour his length. She pressed her nose into his groin and lapped her tongue along the underside, resting her cum-soaked chin against his balls as they tightened with every orgasmic pulse.

He was delicious…

Maybe she never got an orgasm for herself but this was still unbelievably gratifying. The thrill and rush of power she could wield over a man was exhilarating. She raised her head up, sucking him inch by inch until her lips met back at his very tip and she released him. His cock fell limp onto his stomach with a ‘thump’ as she smiled with a mouthful of his spunk.

Then she swallowed it all up and bit her lip suggestively.

“Whoa… hoo geez.” Bolin was breathing hard, his chest raising and falling with every labored exhalation.

Korra crawled up his body and cuddled up under his arm, resting her palm on his chest, feeling his every breath and his every heartbeat.

“We’re gonna get you... “ he caught his breath, “...to cum too, y’know.”

She giggled and nuzzled into his shoulder, “You don’t have to worry about it. You did just fine.”

“I’m not-” Bolin huffed, “-self conscious… or anything…” He swallowed some air, “It’ll happen sooner… or later.”

She hummed agreeably, her eyelids getting heavy.

“You’re the avatar.” He said, his voice turning soft and sleepy, “You got the weight of the world on your shoulders. We just gotta help you let go and... relax.”

She opened her ocean blue eyes, looking across his broad chest. He was right, of course…

**************************

The following day, Korra was by herself on a terrace at Air Temple island, sweeping a training ground overlooking the bay. As autumn began to approach, the falling leaves covered this particular terrace in a gorgeous coating of cherry blossoms. They had come from a tree gifted to the island by Fire Lord Zuko.

As she held the rake in her hand, Korra couldn’t help but be reminded of the air nomad’s staff- both a weapon and a glider in the hands of an airbender. Under Zaheer’s tutelage, she learned how to fight with her fists and a variety of weapons, to include the staff and spear.

The avatar closed her eyes, thinking back to those days of training… and soon, she found herself lifting the rake off the ground and twirling with it, performing the staff and spear combat techniques in a slow and almost ritualistic manner. She moved with deliberation… freedom tempered by discipline.

It was more of a dance and before long, Korra was oozing from one stance to the next. Then, when it was time to strike her invisible opponent, her body suddenly became rigid and forceful like a serpent snapping at its prey. The thin metal prongs wiggled in the air as she held still.

She spun the rake about and swayed her hips. The avatar was beginning to lose herself in the flow and rhythm of it all, blissfully moving with the wind.

At the end of her routine, she felt something tugging at the edge of her awareness, like she was being watched. Korra opened her eyes and looked around.

The fire nation princess was standing at the archway leading to the terrace, arms folded with a wide grin on her face.

“How long were you watching?” Korra self-consciously laughed at herself, dropping her stance and returning to the task of raking the leaves.

“Mm, long enough to want you between my legs again.” The firebender said with a flirty lilt to her voice.

Korra shot her a knowing look, “I’m almost done for the day. But… I guess you already knew that.”

“It’s pretty convenient.” Azusa said with a shrug, “Tenzin being a council member means I get to come here pretty often… but, really, I wanted to ask you for a favor. -and before I tell you what it is, you can refuse. I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything.”

Korra brushed aside the last of the leaves and crossed her arms, letting the rake lean up against the pocket of her shoulder behind her forearms, “Oh, what is it?”

“Well…” Azusa closed her eyes as she folded her hands behind her back and walked in a circle around the avatar, “I’ve got a friend of mine, you see? -and I know she’s got this weakness for beautiful, strong, fiery women.”

A single breath of laughter escaped Korra’s mouth.

“But I think her father’s an Equalist.” Azusa’s tone suddenly turned serious and Korra’s expression likewise changed.

“-and well…” The princess sighed, “He’s a slippery one. The cops have looked into it and they can’t find anything on ‘em. I want to get into his private study. I want to have a look around for any, uh, accounting errors.”

“You ....want my help breaking into this guy’s house?” Korra asked, curious to know where exactly she was going with this.

“Oh no, we have an invitation.” Azusa spread her hands amicably, “Well, I do at least. This friend of mine, it’s Asami Sato- the Future Industries heiress. All I need you to do is to be a distraction. Get some alone time with her, get her out of the estate so I can search it for clues. You just gotta be my pretty girlfriend looking to get some driving lessons from my other pretty girlfriend.”

The blue-eyed woman thought about it… breaking and entering for a good cause certainly wasn’t outside of the Red Lotus’ moral code. After all, they were anarchists and the Equalists were a threat that had to be taken down. If the police were too incompetent to do it, it was up to private citizens to do their job.

Moreover, Amon still terrified her… the thought of someone capable of removing her bending still terrified her. Korra always sought to tackle her problems head on.

“I’ll do it.” Korra said with a resolute nod.

**************************

“Dad, I’m about to have some guests over.” Asami complained to her father as he insistently guided her into his study. He had his hand on the small of her back as they walked.

He was a bespectacled man with a wide mustache going to the sides of his jaw, neatly parted hair with streaks of grey arcing across the top and thick, distinguished brows.

“You have to hear this.” The old gentleman said, rushing over to the small radio on his desk and turning the knobs until a voice emerged from the static.

“-assembling a Task Force.” It was the voice of councilman Tarrlok, Republic City’s most ambitious politician, “This anti-bender revolution must be stopped. Amon must be stopped! I call upon all able-bodied benders to aid me in this endeavor.”

The heiress furrowed her brow as the man on the radio continued to speak.

“Unfortunately, drastic measures must be taken to safeguard the stability of Republic City.” Tarrlok continued, “A curfew will be implemented for all non-benders. Metalbending police will be given the authority to conduct search and seizure of private citizens upon probable cause.”

Hiroshi and Asami Sato continued to listen to the parade of indignities that would soon be placed upon the non-benders of their beloved city. Of course, in the back of her mind, Asami knew that her privilege would probably excuse her from the worst of it…

“That’s awful.” She said, looking to her father with a sorrowful expression, “But… I can kinda see where they’re coming from. This Amon person- he’s talking about insurrection and-”

“Asami, darling.” Hiroshi closed his eyes and shook his head, shutting the radio off and sitting down in a chair next to her, wringing his hands, “You know what benders took from us…”

He grabbed a framed picture of his beloved wife from the desk- Asami’s mother before she was killed. They remained silent for a very long time.

“Dad…” The woman swallowed the lump in the throat, “What does she have to do with this?”

He looked at her, tears in his eyes, “Asami… there’s someone I want you to meet.”

Out of the corner of her eye, skulking out from the shadows, Asami saw a third figure join them in the room. A man in a hood and mask, dressed in grey and red. The Leader of the Equalist Revolution. Amon.

“I think it’s time I told you everything.” Hiroshi said with a solemn nod, “I think it’s time… you joined us.”

“Joined you…?” She shook her head and blew the air out of her lungs, overwhelmed by it all, “This is… this is a lot, dad. I don’t know-”

“Everything you have heard about me is true.” Amon interrupted, “I intend to bring a revolution to this city… but rest assured, no one needs to be harmed.”

“But... you’ll take away their bending, right?” Asami asked, incredulous at all of this. “They’ll fight back!”

“If they are willing to kill us for inequality-” The masked man said, “-then we must defend ourselves. No longer will non-benders have to live in fear.”

“Didn’t you read the news?” Hiroshi pleaded with his daughter, “Amon equalized the gang leaders. He’s doing for the common people of Republic City what the metal benders and the council cannot! We need all the help we can get and when Amon asked about new recruits, I… I couldn’t think of anyone more talented and intelligent and determined than my daughter.”

“Asami, I thought it was time we finally told you the truth.” He reached out, gently grabbing her fingers.

“Our enemies are growing.” The masked man said, “The Red and White Lotus have joined to oppose us. The avatar-”

The heiress covered her face and inhaled deeply as Amon spoke. This was all so much. She thought all the police searches were unjustified before- and didn’t want to believe Azusa when the fire nation princess suspected someone within Future Industries. This whole time she was working with her to try and prove her family’s innocence...

Azusa!

Asami suddenly stood up, her green eyes wide, “I… I’m expecting company. I have to go.”

Hiroshi solemnly nodded, “Yes, honey… Of course, I don’t expect you to answer right away. Please just… think about it.”

She saw the pain in his eyes, the pain from her mother’s passing that had never quite healed. Asami nodded and tried to comfort him, “I’ll be back soon, alright?”

The older man smiled bittersweetly.

**************************

“Heyyyyy!~” Princess Azusa grinned wide as Asami opened the front door. Beside her stood Korra in plain clothes, smiling pleasantly.

The first thing that struck the avatar was the… beauty of this heiress. She was instantly taken with her- with her slender frame, sharp green eyes and crimson lipstick, the graceful arch of her brows and the curls of her luxurious hair. Korra knew Azusa had good taste but… this girl was a bombshell! The only thing off about was that she seemed rather sullen- or at least distraught about something...

“I’m very sorry about this-” Asami said, stepping outside and closing the door behind her, “But we’re going to have to make this quick… Something’s come up and I’ve got some business to take care of after this.”

“Is… everything alright?” Azusa asked, out of genuine concern for the wellbeing of her friend.

The heiress froze in place and inhaled, “...Yeah.” She forced a smile, “It’s just… y’know… business stuff.”

Asami shook her head, giving up on any further elaboration, “Aah… It’ll be good to go on a drive. Clear my head for a bit. C’mon, let’s go.”

Azusa jerked her chin to the woman beside her, “This is my good friend Kasumi.”

She turned to Korra and tried her hand at earnest friendliness to put herself at ease, “The one who wanted to test drive a racecar?”

“Oh yeah!” The avatar grinned wide.

They both laughed and Asami extended a proper businesswoman’s handshake to the Avatar.

Korra had to admit a certain excitement at the thought of driving such a machine. She had learned how to drive a little bit under the Red Lotus’ tutelage but they only ever had access to cheap export satomobiles made especially for the Earth Kingdom. No sports cars or luxury racers.

The three women made small talk as they walked around the perimeter of the mansion towards the back, where a garage hosted Future Industries’ stable of prototype vehicles. They passed by a number of gardeners working on the topiaries, trimming the bushes to Mister Sato’s exacting specifications.

Along the walk, Azusa expertly steered the conversation, putting her princessly social skills to work. She even flirted on Korra’s behalf, doing everything she could to help her hit it off with Asami.

They went down the line of vehicles, Asami rattling off the specifications and quirks of each one, until Korra said she wanted to try a sleek red two-seater with a front-engine and an almost tube-like shape to the chassis. The rear wheels were slightly larger than the front and the whole thing had a futuristic retro look to it.

“Nice choice.” Asami remarked, “My father’s favorite. He took her out this morning but it should still have plenty of gas left in the tank. I’m sure he won’t mind.”

As the avatar and the heiress climbed into the racecar, Asami looked to Azusa, “There’s only two seats. Are you going to be fine by yourself?”

The princess threw her hands at the air in front of her, “I’ll be alright.”

She beamed a smile at them, “S’long as you two don’t have so much fun you forget to come back.”

They all giggled and Korra put the keys in the ignition and twisted, summoning a powerful growling purr from the racecar’s engine. The frame rattled from the power contained within. Her job was to stall Asami for as long as possible… and with her in the driver’s seat, she could take them both pretty far out and give the princess plenty of time to conduct her investigation. Azusa said she needed half an hour at most.

“Later.” Korra winked, putting her arm behind Asami’s head and looking over her shoulder as she backed the car out of the garage and onto the Sato Estate’s driveway.

Azusa watched them go with a genial smile, folding her hands behind her back as the red racecar disappeared down the road and out the front gate. She waited until it was completely gone… and then her smile faded and she turned to the mansion’s interior.

**************************

“Cool thing about this model-” Asami absentmindedly said, pointing to the center console as the world zoomed by outside the car, “It’s got an integrated radio-telephone.”

“For the busy businesswoman of tomorrow, huh?” Korra said with a smile, keeping her eyes on the road ahead. They were keeping to rural roads outside the city proper so she could go as fast as she wanted. The autumn wind blew in their faces, their hair fluttering like war banners in a cavalry charge.

“Something like that.” Asami softly chuckled. She turned her attention back to the landscape scrolling by them, doing everything she could to avoid thinking about her father and Amon.

“So how did you and Azusa meet?” She asked.

“Well, uh…” Korra hadn’t really prepared for an interrogation. She gave the closest answer to the truth, “Actually, I’m kinda new in town. I’m an air temple acolyte, if you could believe it.”

Asami incredulously blew air out of her lips, “Pfbbt. Yeah, right.”

“Well, it’s how we met!” Korra shrugged her shoulders, fists firmly planted on the steering wheel, “I was just, y’know, minding my own business when she came over to speak with Master Tenzin and I guess I, uh, caught her eye.”

“Mmmm.” The heiress closed her eyes, “That sounds like her. Lemme guess… she said you've got a pretty name.”

“Ahahaha!” Korra let out a bombast of laughter, “She pulled that on you, too, huh?”

“Yeah… some woman, huh? I’m sorry, I was distracted earlier.” Asami brushed her hair back as it fluttered in the speeding wings, “What was your name again? Kiyomi? Kotomi?”

“Yeah! Kotomi.” Korra answered without missing a beat… then she remembered that wasn’t quite it. Kotomi was the name she used at Moon River and with Bolin, not the air acolytes and Azusa, “Oh. Wait… No, it’s Kasumi.”

Asami shot her an incredulous smile, furrowing her brows, “You forget your own name or something?”

Korra nervously laughed and shrugged her shoulders, “Sorry, I’m… just distracted. Focused on driving, y’know? Heh heh.”

“Mmmm.” The other woman hummed with joking suspicion… but then a little seedling of real suspicion started to sprout in her mind, “Kasumi’s a Fire Nation name, isn’t it?”

“Is it?” The avatar asked. She genuinely didn’t know.

“But you’re, uh… water tribe?” Asami quirked an eyebrow, looking at her companion carefully.

“You think just because I’ve got brown skin and blue eyes, I’m water tribe?” Korra said with a cocky grin. It was a joke she had told many times before, and while she was born in the South Pole, she considered herself more of an Earth Kingdom girl ever since the Red Lotus had been raising her.

“You said you were new in town, so you’re not a Republic City mutt like I am.” Asami narrowed her eyes, playfully trying to figure out the other woman’s origins like a puzzle. She enjoyed puzzles like this to distract her from the kind of drama that was waiting for her back at the estate.

“Well, I guess that narrows it down then, huh?” Korra shrugged. This whole time, she hadn’t taken her eyes off the road. Still, she could feel her companion’s piercing gaze. Was it just ‘cute girl jitters’ that she was feeling?

“Earth Kingdom it is.” Asami broke her pressing gaze and turned her attention back to the road.

After a long silence, she sighed and said, “It’s going to really suck when that curfew kicks in, huh? Next thing you know we won’t even be able to just drive around like this...”

“Curfew?” Korra asked.

“Yeah. Just heard it on the radio from councilman Tarrlok.” The heiress said with the resigned sadness that often accompanied one who spoke about politics beyond their control, “All non-benders are gonna be subject to a curfew, warrantless searches, y’know. Martial law.”

“Why would they do that to them?” Korra furrowed her brow and squeezed the steering wheel in anger, “Is it because of the Equalists?”

“Yeah…” Asami hummed.

Something strange just happened.

Asami replayed the other woman’s reply back in her head. This ‘Kasumi’ referred to non-benders as ‘them’... but if she was an air acolyte, then surely she wasn’t a bender either. Her name wasn’t uncommon for a Republic City native but would’ve been rare in the Earth Kingdom.

“That Amon…” Korra said, shaking her head in disapproval.

Asami remembered the very last thing she remembered the masked man said, before her mind wandered and she excused herself. The White and Red Lotus uniting against them. Something about the avatar.

But the avatar had been missing for over a decade. A southern water tribe girl, as the cycle dictated, about the same age as Asami. The heiress looked over at the blue-eyed brown-skinned ‘Earth Kingdom girl’ named Kasumi. The one who forgot her own name for a moment. Azusa’s ‘friend’ from the air temple…

The last time they were together, Asami was helping Azusa track down the Equalist mole inside Future Industries… the mole that was her very own father! Now, suddenly the firebender wanted to introduce Asami to her friend- have them drive together and leave her by herself.

“...what do you think the Princess is up to right now?” The heiress asked, cautiously.

“Uhhhhhh.” Korra cleared her throat, “I dunno, she’s probably bored out of her mind waiting for us or something. Um, how long have we been driving?”

Asami produced a small pocket watch, “Mm, ‘bout a half hour. Why?”

“J-just curious.” The avatar stammered, focusing on the road.

Asami was still quite restless, and the moment they stopped talking, her thoughts turned back to what awaited her back at the estate. She didn’t want to be a suspicious person… and reminded herself that she was under duress- that she probably was jumping to conclusions and judging everyone too harshly after her father had revealed he had been lying to her for so long.

To occupy her hands, Asami reached forward and opened the glove compartment, looking inside for no reason in particular.

Out came sliding a metal glove, tumbling from the compartment and into her lap. It had small wines running along the length, along with a green-tinted emitter on the palm. She had never seen such a thing before, but recognized the mechanism. It was an electrified glove. Like the sticks used by the Equalist lieutenant.

Korra’s attention shot to the passenger seat, noting the object and its similarity to the devices she saw at Moon River and the Equalist rally… Her blue eyes flashed from the glove in Asami’s lap to Asami herself, and their fearful eyes met.

**************************

Azusa skulked through the hallways of the Sato estate with the grace and stealth of a cat on the hunt. She moved from wall to wall, her royal slippers quite ideal for this kind of skullduggery.

She had been to the Sato estate before, mostly to fuck the heiress, so she knew the general layout. The princess moved with purpose towards Hiroshi’s study, creeping up to the door. As she approached, she heard muffled voices coming from the other side. One she recognized as belonging to Asami’s father and the other she had heard many times over the radio.

Amon.

The firebender’s orange eyes went wide and she crouched low. He was here! The leader of the Equalists in the very household of Hiroshi Sato! So Future Industries was supplying them! Not just indirectly but their leaders were coordinating in Hiroshi’s very residence!

This wasn’t evidence though. Certainly not evidence she could bring to the police. Hiroshi would just deny the meeting ever occurred. Azusa was looking for incriminating documents or technology, not the head Chi Blocker himself!

She didn’t know quite what to do… but felt compelled to stay.

Azusa creeped closer to the door and put her ear against it, trying to make out their conversation. They were still so muffled so she peered through the keyhole, hoping to read their lips. Of course… Amon’s lips couldn’t be read. Not while he wore that creepy mask.

The princess planted her hands on the door and craned her neck, closing one eye as she focused all of her perception through the keyhole.

Hiroshi was pacing around the room, visibly nervous about something. She made out the name ‘Asami’ several times. He was quite worried about his daughter… then suddenly, the man stopped and he turned his attention to the door. Apparently at the insistence of Amon.

Had they noticed her? How? She felt something strange in her very blood, yet knew not what it was. Adrenaline or nervousness, perhaps.

Azusa stiffened her back and put her fists in her lap, getting as far away from the door as possible. She had seen how Amon fought when he was cornered by the Metal bending police and the White Lotus. He was a terrifying adversary…

But she couldn’t run away. Korra was out there with Asami, about to come here, where Amon would be waiting for her! -and unlike Korra, Azusa knew what was coming. She may have only had a few seconds to prepare herself but that would be more than Korra was going to get.

She had to fight. Right here. Right now. She had to settle this once and for all… and capture Amon! Kill him if she had to!

Blue flames burst from her fists and she sprang to her feet, throwing an explosive burst of fire into the door and instantly blowing it into flaming splinters, hurtling a fireball into the office and chasing after it with another readied behind her fist.

She ignored Hiroshi and launched an assault upon the masked man, brandishing flames from every punch and kick. Amon ducked and weaved around them, the explosions blasting into the walls and indiscriminately setting alight paper, fabric, and wood.

Hiroshi ducked behind the cover of his desk and opened the bottom drawer, where an electrified glove awaited him.

**************************

“What is that?” Korra asked, her eyes shooting back and forth from the road to Asami in quick succession.

The heiress clutched the device in her hands, instead turning defensive at the sudden turn of events, “Who are you, really!?”

“What IS that!?” Korra yelled, putting a fearsome bass in her voice, “Tell me right now!”

Asami put her back to the passenger door, as far away from the other woman as possible as she hugged the glove.

“You’re Avatar Korra, right!?” The woman barked.

In all the excitement, the avatar hadn’t noticed that she was pushing down on the accelerator. Hard. The engine roared louder and louder, the race car frame rattling as it sped like a bullet down the road. She squeezed the steering wheel until the leather deformed under her fingers.

Asami noticed this, and began to fear the worst. She had no idea who this person was in the driver’s seat. -what she was capable of. Asami wasn’t going to take any chances.

“I’m sorry.” The heiress thrust her hand into the glove and leaned over, grabbing the steering wheel with her other hand to stabilize it and keep them on the road… as she planted the glove’s palm right on Korra’s side.

“RRRAAAAAAAGHHHH!” Korra screamed as the electrical current ran through her entire body.

It was only mitigated by the fact that she was grounded to the vehicle, the surge escaping through the seat cushions and into the metal below. Still, the pain caused every muscle in her body to seize up and clench.

And yet still she summoned the strength to fight back. Korra ripped her fist off the steering wheel and backhanded Asami, throwing the heiress back into the passenger seat and breaking contact with the electrified glove.

She pivoted in her seat and let instinct take over, smashing her fist over the other woman’s head to daze her and render her vulnerable for the next move. The move that would end the fight and neutralize the threat in the same ruthlessly efficient style that Zaheer had drilled into her since she was a child.

Korra threw her palm forward and out poured red hot fire into the passenger seat, consuming it and Asami in a gout of flame.

She felt her body lurching from momentum… and her attention was pulled back to the road. The automobile began to list on one side, half its tires off the ground. In the struggle, the steering wheel had turned and sent them veering off the road at high speed. Korra snatched it and swerved back the opposite way, overcompensating.

It started to roll over.

**************************

Hiroshi’s office was an inferno, blue flames licking at the curtains and the walls. Azusa fought with all the ferocity and puissance of a world-class firebender. Jabs, punches, and roundhouse kicks sent combustive blasts at such a rate that Amon was doing everything he could to just avoid them.

He found an opening and slipped in range, palms open for a grapple but she ducked away and resumed her unrelenting assault. With no regard for collateral damage and little room for the Equalist to maneuver, she could keep him at bay for a long time. It would just take one good hit and he’d be down.

Out of the corner of her eye, a flash of movement. From behind the burning desk, Hiroshi Sato came out in a desperate charge. With her attention focused entirely on the masked man, Azusa had completely written off the aged businessman as a threat.

She brought her fist up, conjuring flames in it like a hammer ready to strike… but he was just a heartbeat faster, his arm extended fully and the glove upon it cackling with electricity. The old man stumbled until he was on his knees, but he had reached out just far enough. His palm struck her right in the stomach, channeling the current through her whole body.

Azusa shook, paralyzed from the convulsive power rushing through her every molecule.

The princess managed to step backwards, breaking contact and regaining control of her own jolted body. But everything was stiff and all of her muscles taut and wracked with pain. Smoke radiated off of her frame.

She grit her teeth, her elegant headdress was knocked off in the struggle and her hair had messily fallen over her eyes. The firebender clenched her fists and staggered into a fighting position as Amon casually approached her.

She took one swing and the masked man slipped underneath it, stepped behind her, and put her in a chokehold.

The woman fought with all the ferocity and fire she had left in her… but her strength waned and she soon went limp, falling unconscious in the man’s arms. Her last thoughts lingered on Korra, hoping that she would manage to get as far away from this place as possible. The avatar was too important… more important than a mere princess.

**************************

Somewhere in the outskirts of Republic City, far away from civilization, an upturned racecar lay in the ditch beside the road, smoking with debris and metal pieces strewn all over where it had careened off course.

“Unnnh…” Korra groaned, crawling out from under it. Scraped and bruised but all in one piece, she fell out of the driver’s seat and crawled along the ground until she had regained enough of her senses to stand.

She barely knew what happened or where she was but the memories were swiftly returning to her. That’s right. They were in a car together and she was attacked. The other woman… a friend or an enemy? Her attacker… but also someone just went through the same harrowing car crash she did. Asami Sato was her name… and she was pretty. Friendly. Maybe an Equalist?

Maybe not.

Korra limped over to the other side and pulled open the other door. There Asami was, upside down in her seat, totally limp and unconscious… and terribly burned.

“Oh…” Korra gasped, “Oh no.”

She did this.

Asami was still smoking and when Korra bent down to pull her out of the seat, she was warm to the touch. Yet she still breathed. The burns were uneven, leaving some parts of her skin untouched and other parts horrifically disfigured. Asami put her arms up to protect herself when the fire came but the heiress’ beautiful face was not entirely spared. From her lips down to her chest, she was pretty horrifically maimed.

“I’m so sorry.” The avatar said over and over again, “I’m so sorry.”

She dragged the other woman out of the wreckage and cradled her in her lap, looking around them for an answer to her problems, as if something would miraculously manifest to help her. There was no one around for miles… then, as her memories returned to her fully, she remembered the radio-telephone inside the car!

Laying Asami down gently in the grass, Korra went back to wreck and ripped aside everything in her way, she hesitated before she touched the phone. Korra gulped, girding herself to put on as normal a tone of voice as she could.

Then she picked up the receiver.

“Operator.” She hastily said, “Can you connect me to Apartment Thirty Six on West Kuei Avenue?”

“Of course…”

The wait was unbearable, even if it only lasted a few seconds.

“Hello?” A familiar boyish voice came through the other end.

“Bolin.” Korra said, closing her eyes, relieved just to hear him.

“Kor-” He hesitated and corrected himself, “Kotomi, I thought you, uh… weren’t gonna use this number-”

“I need your help.” The avatar pleaded, swallowing the lump in her throat, “Something’s… something real bad’s happened. I need you to come find me. Right away.”

**************************

Bolin’s apartment was empty. He had left in a hurry, leaving a bowl of noodles to go cold on the dining table. The sun was setting outside, casting the whole place in a deep blue and orange glow.

Suddenly, the door burst open. Bolin held it open as Korra carried Asami into his living room. The heiress was still unconscious, her clothes in tatters.

“Run the bathtub.” Korra said as soon as they had crossed the threshold, “We’ll submerse her and, uh, I’ll try to heal her with my waterbending.”

“Is that gonna work?” He asked, closing the front door and then running over to the bathroom to do as she said.

“I don’t know.” The avatar shook her head, “It might help a little but…”

She didn’t want to think about it. On the ride over, she confessed that Asami probably was acting out of panic, just like she did. The more she thought about it, the more and more that seemed like the case. She replayed the events out in her mind over and over again and only now had it become clear just what happened. Asami wasn’t a bad person, not as far as she knew.

Half an hour later, the burned woman began to stir back to life. Korra and Bolin were tending to her in the bathtub as she lay naked in the white porcelain, parts of it blackened from her wounds. They kept the water running the whole time but didn’t let it fill up as Korra continuously washed it over the woman’s wounds with bending.

Asami’s breasts, neck, and mouth were pretty badly burned, along with her arms. The glove ironically kept one hand completely untouched from the consuming flames.

Bolin had sympathy for the stranger suffering in his bathtub… but he was more concerned for Korra’s mental state. He could see the anguish in her face and the way she desperately sought to make things right.

Asami inhaled deeply and opened her beautiful green eyes. The first thing she saw was Korra’s face and she began to writhe in place.

“Please.” Korra said, eyes watering, “Please don’t move. I’m trying to heal you, okay?”

The burned woman glared at her, unable to speak for a long time until she licked her dry and burnt lips and managed to utter out a hoarse whisper, “You…”

That was accusation enough. Korra closed her eyes as tears began to stream down her cheeks.

**************************

Hiroshi Sato was beside himself with worry as he paced around in the parlor. The smell of burnt wood filled every room of the estate and this room was no exception. Some workers from the underground plant were still dousing the wreckage with portable extinguishers.

Amon was standing by a window, watching a tow truck bring in the smoking remains of the race car.

“Where did you last see her?” Hiroshi said to one of his gardeners standing at the door. A loyal Equalist man, as were all the employees who held jobs on his private estate.

“The stables.” The gardener answered, “Saw her leaving with the Fire Princess’ friend.”

“Tell me everything about this friend.” Hiroshi commanded, “What did she look like?”

“Looked like water tribe.” The man shrugged, “Pretty fit. Hair done up in these, uh, bushy ponytails.”

He gesticulated behind his head to try and explain as Amon turned on his heels to see for himself. The masked man looked at the gardener for a while and then back to Hiroshi, “That’s the avatar. Avatar Korra.”

The one Avatar Xian was searching for...

The businessman covered his forehead with his hand and inhaled deeply, “So it’s true- they were working together… Amon, I-”

“Don’t worry.” The faceless man replied, a strange and uncharacteristic softness in his voice, “We’ll get your daughter back.”

**************************

Korra was exhausted, sitting in Bolin’s living room with her eyes closed. She was slumped in her chair, almost limp. He was preparing dinner in the kitchen and had put on the radio to try and calm her nerves with some music.

Asami was still in the bathroom but she had slipped back into unconsciousness. Her condition had stabilized and she had been treated to the best of Korra’s ability… but the scars would never go away.

The radio began to sputter and crack, static overwhelming the pleasant melodies of the radio station.

“Good evening. This is Amon speaking.”

Korra jolted to alertness, her ocean blue eyes going wide. Bolin stopped everything he was doing and joined her in the living room.

“Unlike my usual broadcasts, I am afraid this message will be addressed to one person.” He said, his voice cold and piercing like metal through the radio, “You know who you are. You have kidnapped one of our own.”

She dared not look towards the bathroom, though the compulsion to confront her guilt gnawed at her all the same.

“-but we have someone as well. Your friend.” Amon tersely added, “She tried to kill me... but do not worry. I have not harmed her, nor have I even removed her bending. She’s safe.”

Of course… Azusa! Korra’s guilt only compounded, a terrible weight plummeting into the pit of her stomach, dragging every fiber of her being down with it.

“I propose an exchange. At midnight, we shall meet in the shadow of your predecessor. Just the two of us.” Amon declared, “Do not be late.”

Then there was only silence… a moment later, the regular broadcast continued.

Korra and Bolin exchanged worried glances.

Chapter Text

Previously on Blooming Red Lotus…

“Asami, darling.” Hiroshi Sato closed his eyes and shook his head, “You know what benders took from us... There’s someone I want you to meet.”

From the shadows, out stepped Amon.

…

Out from the glove compartment of the racecar came tumbling an electrified glove- the weapon of the Equalists. Asami and Korra locked eyes, both of them startled.

“I’m sorry.” The heiress said, seizing the wheel with one hand and planting her palm into Korra’s side.

“RRRAAAAAAAGHHHH!” Korra screamed as the electrical current ran through her entire body.

The car spun out of control, two of its wheels lifting up off of the road as it begun to roll over.

…

Princess Azusa had consumed Hiroshi Sato’s office in an inferno of blue flame, battling with Amon. From her flank came Hiroshi, wielding an electrified glove. He made contact with the firebender, shocking her.

A moment later, Amon weaved in between her defenses and put her in a chokehold.

Before she passed out, her last thoughts were with the avatar. With Korra.

…

Asami lay naked in Bolin’s bathtub, the lower half of her face, one of her arms, and her chest horribly burned. Korra and Bolin were reeling from the ordeal in the other room, soaking it all in when Amon’s voice appeared on the radio.

“You have kidnapped one of our own. But we have someone as well. Your friend.” He coldly declared, “I propose an exchange. At midnight, we shall meet in the shadow of your predecessor. Just the two of us.”

**************************
**************************
**************************

“We should shut down the radio stations.” Representative Tarrlok said, sitting at one end of the U-shaped table of the Republic City council chambers. It was an emergency meeting, convened as a result of the latest declaration from Amon over the air waves, “His public decrees have gone on long enough. Now he’s using it to issue challenges to his enemies… who knows what he’s talking about!?”

Lin Beifong was in attendance as well, standing before the council ready to carry out their orders.

“Chief Beifong.” Tenzin said, speaking formally in spite of their… history together, “Didn’t you apprehend his lieutenant? Could that be what this is about?”

“The shadow of your predecessor… the statue of Toph Beifong?” The councilwoman representing the Fire Nation posited. An elegant and refined bourgeois woman.

“I don’t think so.” The metal bender answered, “We’ve had that guy in jail for weeks and Amon hasn’t said anything about it. Besides… If he’s challenging me to a duel right in front of the police station, he’ll be in handcuffs before he can say a word.”

“This sounds like a personal dispute.” The Earth kingdom representative said, stroking his chin in an attempt to look wiser and more dignified than he was, “Perhaps something has happened between Amon and the triads? Infighting within the movement?”

“It’s clearly someone important to his cause.” Tenzin sighed, “If he would issue his challenge so that all of Republic City could hear it.”

Tarrlok smashed the gavel and seized everyone’s attention with the sudden crack of noise and violence, “Whatever it is, we won’t sit idly by. Chief Beifong, I want you to stand ready at the statue of Toph Beifong just in case. I will push some of my taskforce’s operations ahead but I’ll need some metalbenders for support.”

She was reluctant… This sounded like another scheme of the waterbender to seize power- this time from law enforcement. Even so, she was the police chief and she answered to the council.

“As you wish.” Lin said, her sardonic tone revealing the extent of her displeasure.

**************************

Avatar Xian sat in a prison cell, meditating quietly with his legs crossed and his hands together in his lap, knuckles snug within one another’s embrace. An older man, his cropped hair white like the modest robes plainly adorned with the White Lotus regalia. His handsome features betrayed a certain serenity, even as he remained the Equalists’ prisoner.

A female Chi blocker kept constant vigil outside his jail, watching him through the bars. Another masked Equalist approached her, this one a male.

“Your shift’s up.” He said with a nod.

“Huh.” She pulled out a pocket watch, “You’re early.”

He shrugged and she sprang to alertness, already on her way out the room. She was eager to be done with guard duty. When the woman had departed, her replacement approached the bars.

Xian opened his eyes, “Mako.”

The Equalist didn’t like hearing his own name, not while he was under cover, “So I take it your meeting with Amon didn’t go so well. What did you even say to him?”

The ‘avatar’ shifted in his seat, abandoning the meditative posture and leaning back, his posture lounging and casual, “I offered him a deal. He could be useful in getting Avatar Korra back.”

Mako huffed, whipping his head incredulously, “Yeah, well, doesn’t look like he was very interested. What if he killed you… or took away your bending?”

The older man softly chuckled, “Ah, you would speak to your master like that? Seems like you’re still an impertinent gangster at heart...” Xian shook his head like he was scolding the boy, “I restored your bending, did I not? What have I to fear from a man like Amon?”

The undercover agent shook his head with a sigh and then clutched the bars as he peered through them at Avatar Xian, “Look… if you’re going to go offering Amon a deal like that, then there’s no point in keeping me here. Amon trusts me, but a lot of these guys don’t and sooner or later-”

“Have you forgotten about your brother?” The man asked… and then, observing Mako’s guilty silence, considered the matter resolved, “The White Lotus is the only thing keeping Bolin out of prison… or worse. You will stay here until I say otherwise, Mako.”

Before he could protest any further, a commotion from upstairs ended the conversation. The cell block was bathed in artificial light as the far door swung open. Mako darted away from the cells as two Equalists carried in a young woman by the arms, her feet dragging behind her.

Her clothes were elegant but torn and burnt all over. Her hair fell over her face and she looked utterly incapable of resistance. Her mouth was stuffed full of an soaked rag, saliva dribbling down her chin. Her face was contorted in humiliation and anger.

“Who is that?” Mako asked.

“You won’t believe it.” One of the Equalists replied, hoisting her over to a separate cell away from Xian’s, “The Fire Nation Princess. Amon caught her snooping around the Sato estate.”

As they dragged her past the older man’s cell, Azusa’s amber eyes widened at the sight of Xian sitting casually in his prison. Realizing he had been recognized, Xian turned his back and covered his face. But it was too late.

The princess was thrown into the other cell, left completely unbound.

“You won’t have to worry about her for long, though.” One of the Equalists said, “Amon’s gonna use her as bait to lure out the avatar.”

Mako spared a glance towards the man in the cell, but Xian didn’t move a muscle.

“-and rescue Mister Sato’s daughter.” The other captor snapped, almost defensively, “There’s going to be a hostage exchange tonight at midnight.”

“I see.” Mako absent-mindedly nodded as they shut the door on her.

The Equalists waved their goodbyes to Mako and returned to their posts, leaving the undercover spy with the prisoners. He looked through the bars at the woman, who slowly shifted into a more comfortable position. In the darkness of the cell, he saw two golden eyes burning through a veil of ebon hair, the firebender’s gaze intense with enmity.

She reached up and pulled the gag out of her mouth with revulsion, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Hey…” Azusa said, looking past Mako at the other man sitting away from her, “I know you.”

“No, you don’t.” Avatar Xian replied, not bothering to turn or move at all.

“Yeah… you’re the grandmaster of the White Lotus. That so-called avatar.” Azusa pitifully laughed, “What’re you doing here?”

He said nothing.

The woman shook her head and laughed, leaning back until her head hit the wall, “Fine. Be that way… Kinda funny that Amon wants to trade me instead of you, though.”

She always had her doubts about him. It was a strange twist seeing him here, but Azusa was vindicated by the sight of the imposter laid low. It was a tiny consolation to her current predicament.

**************************

Midnight was approaching. Tenzin couldn’t sleep, restless about the day’s events. From his bedroom on Air Temple Island, he stood shirtless, looking out over Yue bay. His gaze lingered on the statue of Avatar Aang and ever reminded of his father’s monumental legacy, the airbender often looked to the colossus for strength and wisdom…

“Tenzin.” His wife’s sweet voice cooed. She was still dressed, having just finished her administrative responsibilities with the acolytes, “It’s getting late.”

He closed his eyes and sighed, “I know. I shouldn’t dwell-”

“No.” She said with a sweet and forgiving smile, “I mean… it’s getting late and Kasumi hasn’t come back.”

He stiffened his back and looked over at Pema.

“Didn’t you talk to her about coming back before nightfall?” She asked.

“Yes…” The airbender muttered, “She left with Azusa.”

“Mmmm.” Pema yawned sleepily, “That crazy princess is a bad influence on her… they’re probably partying right now or something. Kids, huh? Promise me you’ll go easy on her when she returns, alright?”

He did not reply… but merely returned his attention to the statue of Avatar Aang standing out in the bay. He furrowed his brow and narrowed his pale blue eyes on the statue, and the long shadow it cast over the waters under moonlight.

**************************

Asami slowly came to, opening her eyes to the starry night sky. She had slipped in and out of unconsciousness for most of the night but there was remarkably little pain where she was burned the deepest. With third degree burns over her chest, neck, and mouth, as well as on one arm, the nerve endings had been cauterized. It hurt most around the edges of her wounds, where the damage did not cut so deeply. Both a blessing and a curse.

Still, she was doing much better. Korra’s tireless work trying to heal her with waterbending had cleaned and excised much of the exterior damage.

Even so, because of the nature of her injuries, Asami had to be carried around topless in one last final indignity. A man she didn’t recognize was delicately transporting her in two strong muscled arms. He moved her in a bridal carry and had green eyes and broad features. Bolin did not dare to look down at her.

Asami looked ahead at where they were walking and saw the woman who attacked her, the stranger’s back turned as she marched ahead. The Avatar, she supposed. Not Kasumi or Kotomi but Korra. So the rumors were true and the Red Lotus had kidnapped the avatar, the supposed savior of the world, and raised her to be some kind of all-powerful terrorist instead.

Asami could smell the salty sea air on the wind. Then a great bell tolled, ringing deep and dull.

DONNNNN.

DONNNNN.

DONNNNN.

DONNNNN.

It was deafening… ringing another four times before it finally fell silent. Asami looked up, seeing the statue of Avatar Aang looming above them, illuminated with floodlights stationed on its pedestal.

Regaining more and more of her senses, a profound sadness poured from Asami’s eyes as a knot of regret formed in her stomach. All she tried to do was slow the car down… and take control of it from the panicking stranger in the driver’s seat. If only she had known how dangerous that woman was… if only she had listened to her father and stayed to hear him out about the Equalists.

She looked around, observing that they were now in the entrance hall of the museum at the base of the statue, a tourist trap by day, now completely deserted in the dead of night.

“I see you received my invitation, young avatar.” Amon’s voice echoed from the shadowy recesses of the inner hall. He stepped out of the darkness to show himself.

When Asami looked upon him, she saw the man who would be her rescuer. Her father’s close friend and ally…

The heiress was gently laid down onto the ground by the man carrying her. Then the avatar bent down and popped her up against her knee so that she sat up, exposing her bare breasts and all the scars going from them to her lips. Korra opened her palm a few inches from Asami’s face, fire crackling at the tips. Asami’s green eyes went wide.

“Give Azusa back now… or I’ll- I’ll…” The avatar’s voice was shaky and unconfident.

“What have you done?” Amon asked, his voice dripping with seething condemnation.

“I’ll let her go when you return Azusa!” Korra snapped. The flames licking her fingertips disappeared into a fist.

“Very well.” The Equalist leader replied. With a languid gesture, he summoned two of his henchmen to drag the princess out into the open. She was in almost a sorry state, bound and gagged… but unharmed, “Don’t worry, she’s only unconscious.”

Seeing Azusa like that, Asami felt a tumultuous swirl of emotions in her chest. What even happened? Did she even know the woman? Was it all a lie or a misunderstanding. Asami didn’t know...

“Bolin…” Korra gave him a nod, and he looked upon the avatar with worry. He slowly made his way across the museum hall, over to where Azusa was being kept. Amon marched over at the same time and Bolin felt more and more nervous approaching the masked man and his Chi Blockers, to say nothing of how many of them may have lurked beyond the shadows.

He and Amon didn’t look at one another as they passed shoulder to shoulder.

When Bolin got to Azusa, the two Equalists released her into his arms. The earthbender gently put her on his shoulder, an arm wrapped around her waist for stability.

On the other end, Amon crouched and looked Asami eye-to-eye.

“Miss Sato.” He said, inflecting an uncharacteristic softness to his voice, “Your father has been worried about you.”

It still hurt to speak but Asami managed a hoarse whisper, “Thank you.”

Korra pulled her fist away and stood up, dispelling the ominous threat.

Though she put on a murderous face, Amon could see right through it to the fear glimmering in her ocean blue eyes.

“And you, Avatar Korra.” The masked man said as he picked Asami up in both arms, “Like all benders, you can only use your powers to hurt people.”

His words stung more than she was willing to admit.

The masked man turned around and made his way back over to the Equalists side, once again passing by Bolin. Korra stood, fists clenched and ready for anything.

When the earthbender returned to her side, he looked to the front entrance worriedly, to where the moonlight offered some semblance of safety, “C’mon, let’s go.”

Korra looked Azusa over and pulled the gag out of her mouth. Still passed out…

When Amon reached his comrades, he spared one glance over his shoulder and uttered a singular command, “Seize them.”

“Go!” Korra barked at Bolin as a pair of bolas came hurtling at her. She brought her fist up to defend herself and the wires swung around and bound around her wrist. The avatar pulled the wire off of her arm with brute strength, snapping it before stomping her feet and conjuring up a wall of earth to protect her and Bolin from another attack, “I said go!”

Carrying Azusa, he wasn’t in much of a position to fight a bunch of Chi Blockers. Bolin dashed out of the museum as their attackers converged on Korra. She used her earthen wall as material for a landslide, burying half of her attackers.

The rest of the Chi Blockers swarmed her, determined to hit her pressure points and end the fight quickly.. They were already inside the effective range for any kind of bending. Korra had been trained in close combat by a nonbender, however... one of the most lethal martial artists in the world- Zaheer.

She circled around them evasively, ducking and weaving through the crowd. She only attacked to create space, punching or kicking to throw a Chi Blocker out of her path. She was moving like an airbender, focusing on mobility over aggression.

The fight took to the exterior and Korra was able to break off from their attacks and return to bending. Earthbending wasn’t going to work when she needed to stay on the move and they were far from any water…

She felt a burning heat building up in her fists and was about to release it… but then she hesitated. Not fire! An equalist nearly got the better of her, sneaking into her blind spot and driving his hand like a knife into her side. She knocked him away before he could complete the technique- but one of her pressure points had been struck and she felt a stiffness running up her whole body and down one arm. She retained her ability to bend and her control over that arm… but it would remain a weakness to be exploited for the rest of the fight.

The avatar held her bicep and winced, “Ngh…”

“Korra!” Bolin’s voice cried out from the pier ahead of them, “Um… we’ve got a problem here!”

He was frozen in place, confronted with half a dozen Equalists obstructing his retreat back to the boat they had used to get here. A number of them were spinning bolas in their hands, while others were wielding Hiroshi’s prototype electrified gloves.

Bolin backpedaled until he and Korra were back-to-back, surrounded by at least a dozen Equalists with more on the way.

“This, uh, looks kinda bad.” He said, laying Azusa down and taking up a fighting stance.

“We’ll just have to fight our way out.” Korra replied, clenching her fists.

With Azusa unconscious, they couldn’t just keep maneuvering and avoiding the fight. The only option left was to dispatch their opponents- to remove them as a threat as quickly and efficiently as possible. Earthbending was too slow… and they were too far away from the water’s edge to make the most of it. Fire was what came most naturally to her… but she couldn’t help but think of what she did to Asami.

“I’m sorry I got you into this, Bo.” She said. He didn’t deserve to be caught up in her troubles… but for his sake, Korra couldn’t hold back. Was she going to have to kill someone to get him and Azusa out of here?

The Chi Blocker tightened the noose on them, menacingly approaching with their weapons drawn. A female Equalist charged at her with an electrified glove and she jabbed at her, a gout of flame cut short just shy of her opponent, causing her to stumble backwards.

Still, there was no power behind it. The flame dissipated as quickly as it had appeared. The Equalist regained her courage at the sight of such weakness and charged at the avatar, palm cackling with electric energy.

Korra punched the air again, this time with more force. Flame burst from her knuckles as before… and just like before, it evaporated a split second later. But it was followed by a blast of air that hurtled towards the Equalist and threw her off her feet.

“Huh…?” Korra looked down at her fist, blinking. All she saw was flames in front of her but… surely there wasn’t enough strength behind that to knock her enemy over like that, was there?

Before she could contemplate it further, a sudden gust of air blew four Chi Blockers away, hitting with the power of a gale. Gently fluttering down from the night sky, there was Tenzin, dressed in flowing red and orange robes.

He joined Korra and Bolin, the trio forming three points of a triangle formation around the unconscious Azusa. Faced with a master airbender, the Equalists were much more hesitant to engage.

“YEAH!” Bolin cheered, pumping his fist in the air, “You guys are in for it now!”

His sky bison Oogi landed on the opposite side of the Equalist’s formation, smacking his colossal tail down like a beaver and blowing a number of Chi Blockers away.

“Avatar Korra, it’s time to go!” Tenzin said, blasting an attacker away before peeling out of their ad-hoc formation and clearing the way for their sky bison getaway. The Equalists had drilled and trained to fight Earthbenders, Firebenders, and Waterbenders but not one of them had any experience in fighting an opponent like Tenzin.

Bolin hoisted Azusa up on his shoulder and ran ahead, climbing up the great white and blue beast’s tail and into its saddle. Tenzin summoned up a gust of wind to propel himself into the air… then he fell into the saddle right where he needed to be to steer the gentle giant.

Korra hesitated as the Equalists regrouped. Looking into Tenzin’s eyes, a tumult of conflicting emotions gnawed at her.

“Korra!” Bolin yelled, “Come on!”

He leaned over the edge of the saddle and extended his hand. She looked behind her, at the museum entrance. There Amon was, still holding Asami in his arms and staring at her. Korra shook her head and dashed for freedom. She jumped up to take Bolin’s hand.

“Yip, yip!” Tenzin barked, spurring Oogi into the sky.

Far, far away they went, escaping out of Amon’s reach.

“What is that?” Bolin yelled.

On the other side of the island, hovering just beside the statue of Avatar Aang, an airship decorated in Equalist insignias loomed.

“They have an airship?” Korra asked.

“It doesn’t seem like they’re onto us. Oh thank gosh.” Bolin sighed with relief, then closed his eyes and fell into the saddle’s cushion beside Azusa.

The island got smaller and smaller as they put more distance between them and the Equalists...

**************************

Ordinarily, this was the city that never slept. All through the night, Republic City glittered on the bay like a jewel. Yet on this particular night, the entire power grid of the Dragon Flats borough was cut, shrouding its residential neighborhoods in darkness. It was already a slum, occupied by predominantly non-bender residents. This late into autumn and its inhabitants were going to freeze without central heating. The citizens were roused to anger and took to the streets, assembling in crowds around a government operations area.

“All non-benders, return to your homes immediately!” Officer Saikhan bellowed through a microphone.

“Yeah, as soon as you turn our power back on!” A disgruntled citizen shook his fist in the air.

“Disperse, or you will all be arrested!” The metal bender shot back.

“You benders can't treat us this way!” A woman holding her child exclaimed.

The furor escalated, the citizens of the borough’s rage mounting in vain against the overwhelming power of Republic City’s government. The sentiment was one of voicelessness, of a people who had no one to represent them… except, of course, for one man.

“This is what Amon was talking about!” An angry dock worker shouted, “First they take our power, then what’s next!?”

“Yeah!” Another voice cheered him on, “We want equality!”

“I’ve heard enough!” Tarrlok shouted, walking out from a hastily assembled command tent with a mixture of police officers and his task force by his side, “This an Equalist rally! Round them all up!”

The metalbenders marched up to the protestors and stomped their feets, breaking the metal barricades off of their stands and then wrapping the citizens in the steel. They then lifted the protestors off the ground by raising the earth under them in floating boulders. Officers opened up the doors to the paddy-wagons.

Though the Dragon Flats borough was a mass of darkness upon the cityscape, the sounds of protest rose up to the very sky, like embers of a flame.

**************************

Korra was looking down at the void in the cityscape, though her mind was far too occupied on other matters to contemplate why an entire district was without power.

“Alright.” Korra said, turning back to Tenzin, “You can put me down now.”

“I’m taking us back to Air Temple Island. It’s safe there.” The airbender said, his eyes focused ahead as he clutched the reins tight in his hands.

“No!” The avatar yelled, standing up, “It’s not! Tenzin… you’re a good guy but-”

She shook her head, “I’ll never go back to the White Lotus. They’re worse than the Equalists- they’re murderers and if you’re with them, then-”

Her pure blue eyes burned with hate like magma pouring out from the bottom of the ocean.

Tenzin bid Oogi to stop in mid air and he let go of the reins as they floated in place.

He turned around to look upon the young woman he had grown so fond of… the air acolyte he only knew as Kasumi, now the Avatar known as Korra. His father’s reincarnation and living legacy.

“What… what do you mean?” He asked, sincerely unaware.

“The White Lotus…” Korra grit her teeth, “They killed my parents when they tried to kidnap me. All those years ago.”

Bolin said nothing, sitting awkwardly between the two during this tense exchange. He knew the official story, spread by the newspapers and governments of the world, but Korra spoke so sincerely he was starting to doubt the official story.

“Korra.” Tenzin murmured, “Your parents- they’re alive. They’ve been alive… and they’re so worried about you.”

“What?” She furrowed her brow, more angry than confused. Then she shook her head.

It was a lie, no doubt. Zaheer and P’Li and her uncle wouldn’t lie to her. -and of course the White Lotus would stop at nothing to get her back. What was one more coverup to hide their dark deeds? It upset her to know that even Tenzin was a part of it though. The avatar felt like he was a trustworthy person… but if even he was compromised by their lies, then she couldn’t rely on him.

“You’re lying.” She said, her voice a hoarse whisper.

Tenzin realized now how… delicate the situation was. It was very likely that for over the past ten years, Korra had been trained and conditioned by the Red Lotus. He had always hoped that somehow, Aang would guide his next incarnation onto a more righteous path. Yet he now knew he was looking at Zaheer’s prodigy, not Aang’s.

“Do you remember them?” He asked, “Do you remember your parents’ faces?”

“Of course.” Korra bitterly answered, immediately flooded with childhood memories of the South Pole, of her father Tonraq’s stern voice and her mother Senna’s soft embrace… the smell of her hair and the warmth of her touch.

“Then I think they will want to meet you.” Tenzin said.

Her eyes began to water, but she grit her teeth and buried her feelings. The promise was profoundly tempting… She swallowed the lump in her throat and asked, “How do I know you’re not leading me into a trap?”

“Someone talking about… White… Lotus?” A woman’s voice whispered. Azusa was slowly coming to, sitting upright in the saddle and brushing her hair, “Y’know, I saw their Grandmaster when I was in the Equalists’ base.”

Given how long ago the White Lotus was brought up, it seemed like the princess had already woken up sometime during the flight back, and was only pretending to be unconscious and waiting for the right time to speak. Likely to diffuse the situation…

“Avatar Xian?” Tenzin asked in shock.

“Avatar?” Korra furrowed her brow, “What do you mean ‘Avatar’?”

The airbender cleared his throat and regained his composure, “Yes… in your absence, the White Lotus claims to have found another Avatar.”

“How is that possible?” Korra asked.

“Nobody’s ever seen him bend even one element before, much less all four.” Azusa murmured, “But the White Lotus practically worship him… and somehow he ended up as Amon’s prisoner.”

“Geez.” Bolin rubbed the back of his neck, “Amon’s no joke, huh?”

“Hey… Korra?” The princess closed her eyes and gently smiled, “Thanks for rescuing me, but that was stupid. The avatar shouldn’t risk her life or her bending for a mere princess… no matter how intelligent and beautiful and powerful and wealthy she is.”

Her attempt at humor was not very well received. Korra and Tenzin were still on edge.

“Master Tenzin.” Azusa quietly continued, her eyes still shut, “Another thing. It’s Hiroshi Sato. He’s the one supplying the Equalists with all their tech. He’s been making it himself with Future Industries’ manufacturing. Underground, I bet. Saw him chatting with Amon when I got captured...”

“Thank you.” The airbender put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly, “I’ll let Lin know first thing when we get back. You should get some rest and recover your strength-”

“Heh heh.” The woman giggled and shook her head, ebon hair falling over her shoulders, “There’s no strength of mine left to recover, master Tenzin. Not anymore.”

“What?”

“Amon took my bending away.”

A terrible silence passed between all four of them.

“Azusa, I’m so sorry.” Korra rushed forward to grab her hand, “This is all my fau-”

“Stop it.” She snapped, “It was all my fault for getting captured. If you had returned to the estate, Amon would have been waiting for you… and then we’d both be screwed.”

‘But you didn’t see what I did to Asami.’ Korra wanted to say. The words lodged in her throat and refused to come out.

“Your highness…” Tenzin solemnly stroked his beard, “You can stay at Air Temple Island tonight… or for however long you need. I can make sure no one will disturb you.”

“Mm, that sounds nice…” The woman smiled, “On one condition… Korra stays with me.”

Even in such a pitiful state, Azusa knew just how to get people to do what she wanted. In spite of all of her misgivings about staying with Tenzin, the avatar couldn’t possibly refuse the poor princess with the way she was feeling right now.

**************************

The sun began to rise over Republic City, bringing with it an early morning chill. It seemed like autumn was already over and winter was upon them. Pleasing dawns like this would soon become a rarity.

Aside from the acolytes, nobody really got much rest that night on Air Temple Island. Tenzin convened the council in the middle of the night but very little was actually done. Though Tarrlok wanted to raid Hiroshi Sato’s private residence immediately, the other councillors were surprisingly reticent and urged caution. Thus the meeting ended inconclusively.

Azusa and Korra were sleeping together in the guest bedroom on Air Temple Island, while Bolin sat on a nearby chair, sleepy drool pooling in his bottom lip as he slumbered.

Tenzin knocked on the door, rousing them all to groggy alertness.

“May I come in?”

“Yeah.” Azusa said for them all.

The airbender quietly and respectfully entered, paying little heed to the fact that Korra and Azusa were under the covers together. After everything that happened last night, however, there was little intimacy shared between the two.

“Your highness, Lin believes you.” The older man said as he took a seat of his own opposite of Bolin, “But she needs more evidence to justify a full blown investigation into Hiroshi Sato’s private property.”

“A princess’ word isn’t worth much anymore, huh?” The woman chuckled.

“What about Tarrlok?” Korra asked, “Isn’t he a little, uh… outside the law?”

“That’s precisely the problem with him.” Tenzin huffed, looking away with disgust at the mere mention of the man, “His taskforce is probably Amon’s greatest recruitment tool and he doesn’t even realize it. Hiroshi Sato was already investigated once. The council is worried that it might look bad if we raided him in his own home. Public opinion among the citizens would plummet.”

He didn’t know how bad it was already...

“What if I held a press conference?” Azusa asked, “Tell them everything. Tell them that I went to the Sato estate to see my girlfriend and that’s when I heard Hiroshi talking with Amon. Then they attacked me and took away my bending.”

That wasn’t quite the truth either... Korra wondered again if she should come clean with the fact that she had horribly disfigured Asami. It always seemed like the wrong time.

“Are you sure?” Tenzin cleared his throat, “Telling the whole world that you’ve lost your bending, that’s…”

“A big deal.” Bolin said. They all looked at him and he shrugged. He was right, though.

“Yeah, a real big deal.” Azusa weakly smiled, “When the public sees that I’ve lost my bending- the beautiful playgirl princess who never hurt anyone in her life… well then, maybe they’d feel better about bringing Hiroshi Sato in.”

Tenzin stood up, measuring his words carefully, “If you’re sure of it… then I can make the arrangements for it this afternoon.”

“Please do.” Azusa smiled.

With a respectful nod, Tenzin departed, closing the door behind him as he left.

The princess turned her gaze over to Korra as soon as he was gone, huskily saying, “I never thanked you properly for rescuing me...”

Korra knew that tone of voice. Before she could respond, Azusa leaned in and kissed her deeply. With tongue. Bolin rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

The avatar wasn’t as enthusiastic and soon their kiss was broken.

“Right now?” Korra asked.

Azusa leaned back and looked over at the Earthbender.

“Bolin, right?” She arched an eyebrow, “‘The friend that fights and fucks?’ You helped me rescue me too, eheh~ If Korra’s down to share, then-”

“Azusa.” The avatar put her hand on the other woman’s shoulder, “After everything that happened last night, I- ...there’s a lot of things I haven’t told you and I’m sorry-”

“Yeah, I know you’re the avatar.” She replied, closing her eyes and shaking her head with an exhausted sigh, “-and believe me, I know what happened to me last night.”

She leaned back into the pillows and let out a deep sigh, “I just want to forget about it for a while. I understand if you’re not in the mood and that’s okay if you don’t want to but… right now all I want to do is feel your body against mine, your lips and your muscles. Your fingers… just for a little while, alright? If you can just… lay with me and forget about things for a while, y’know?”

Korra’s expression softened. She understood well the need for relief in times like this…

Bolin stood up and clumsily tried to sneak away.

Azusa propped herself up on her elbows and cocked an eyebrow, “You don’t have to leave…” She looked over at Korra, sincerely asking, “Does he?”

Korra gave a weak smile and a weaker shrug.

“I know we just met-” The princess said, her voice suggestive but not quite seductive, “-but we could, uh, get to know each other a little better if you want.”

He looked to the avatar for confirmation. Korra could offer a shrug.

“I guess I could…” Bolin cleared his throat, “-keep you two company for a little while.”

“That’s right.” Azusa circled her fingers in the air with her eyes closed and a sad smile, “Pamper the princess.”

Korra put her hand on the woman’s cheek and kissed her deeply, resolving to put aside everything except this immediate moment. Bolin soon joined them under the covers, and Azusa pulled away from Korra’s kiss to invite his own affections.

**************************

“Asami…” Hiroshi tenderly held his daughter’s hand at her bedside, “My darling… I’m sorry but I- I must go.”

They were in a makeshift hospital, another one of the Equalists’ underground lairs, but with cutting edge medicinal technology that had been smuggled out of clinics to treat Chi Blockers when they got injured in their battles with gangsters and police.

“I understand.” She said with a sweet smile. Despite the scarring over her mouth, she was getting used to talking and moving her jaw again, “You’ve been with me all night, dad. You should get some rest too...”

“I promise.” He said, his fingers tightening around her own, “We’ll make this right in the end…”

He wiped his eyes and stood up, turning to Amon, who was standing by the door.

“Thank you again for getting her back.” The businessman quietly murmured before making his way out of the room. He closed the door behind him, careful not to make any sudden sounds in consideration for his daughter’s peace and quiet.

Amon approached and sat down in the chair Hiroshi had just occupied. It was quite warm from the businessman’s long vigil.

“How are you feeling?” He asked, a slight… awkwardness to his ordinarily cold and calculating voice.

“Better.” She said, stirring beneath her covers. She was naked beneath, a precaution for patients with burn injuries, “It doesn’t hurt that much at all anymore. I think it’s because that woman… the avatar- she healed me with waterbending.”

Even so, the unspoken fact was that much of the damage was permanent. Damage caused by that very same woman.

“Your father said that his daughter was strong-willed.” The masked man recalled, “Cunning, charming, and courageous. I see that he did not exaggerate.”

Asami closed her eyes and softly smiled in spite of herself. Like Azusa, humor was the first coping mechanism she could come up with, “Not so sure about charming anymore.”

“Why?” The man asked. His response came across as genuine confusion.

She turned her emerald gaze upon his featureless visage and lifted her chin to emphasize the scarring, “Look at me.”

He did so, staring at her for a long time before he lifted his hands up to his face, threw back his hood, and removed his mask. Beneath the mask, Amon was a blue-eyed man, pale in complexion, with streaks of red and pink scarring running diagonally across his face, apparently disfiguring the side of his mouth.

Of course, the more Amon looked upon her own scars, the more he realized the deficiencies of his own. She was genuine… while he was just wearing a disguise

“I understand how you feel.” The man said, putting the mask back on with some small degree of shame.

“Got any spare masks then?” She sardonically asked.

“It’s… not that bad.” Amon replied, his voice and posture stilted and awkward.

“Oh yeah?” Asami grabbed the sheet and pulled it away, revealing the full extent of her injuries and her nakedness both, “Still think I’m charming?”

He looked her over… at the contiguous scarring from her lips down over her throat and onto her collar bones and breasts. The most severely affected area was a deep crimson, ringed by a much larger area that was colored a purplish pink. In truth, it was not all that unappealing to his eyes. The avatar’s healing had been quite effective… at least superficially.

For whatever reason, the masked man felt compelled to reach out. He slowly stretched his fingers and opened his palm. As the shadow of his hand crawled up her naked body, Asami said nothing. She did not protest with her body language either. He laid his touch upon her breast, his palm firmly pressed against a stiff nipple.

“I’m afraid they’re not that sensitive anymore...” The woman stoically observed.

He withdrew his hand… and then, tentatively, leaned closer and moved down her belly. His fingers lingered, going from her breast down to her abdomen. Leaving her scars, he danced along the very surface of her skin, along her belly, her hip and to her thigh…

Asami’s green gaze drifted away from his mask and down to the hand drawing invisible lines along her flesh. Amon waited for her to stop him, to utter a single word of protest… but she did not. He couldn’t tell if she was so compliant out of gratitude to her rescuer, awe of his presence, or fear. He was a stranger to her. Her heart was pounding, her blood pumping through her veins. Amon could feel it.

He laid two fingers upon her womanhood, rubbing the sensitive nub. She sharply inhaled from his mere touch. No words were exchanged, leaving their true thoughts and intentions hidden from each other. He gently pressed upon her clit.

She was aroused. He drew two fingers away, noting their moistness… and then slid his touch deeper between her thighs, curling them within her sex. Asami let out a sigh and ever so slightly spread her legs.

“Ah…”

He slowly plunged his fingers inside and Asami writhed in the bed.

Amon moved with his characteristic methodical grace, manipulative and almost predatory in the way he teased and probed at her. She closed her eyes, her breath steadying as he pleasured her in almost an exploratory manner, like he was searching for her weaknesses.

“Nnnhh..” Asami turned her head to the side and closed her eyes, her cheek nestled in a bed of her own hair.

He took this to mean encouragement and drove his fingers deeper and faster. Asami was soaking him to the bone, her womanhood clenching around him hot and tight. Her breath became labored and she squirmed.

Harder he went, until the sounds of wet sex filled the otherwise sterile featureless room.

“Aaah!” She whimpered, her heart stopping for just a moment as she came. Amon’s blue eyes widened behind his mask. He could feel her orgasm in the crescendo of her very blood.

She was clenching and gushing on his fingers, her body reeling as waves of pleasure overtook her. He did not stop, driving deeper and harder as she climaxed. The woman opened her mouth wide but was mustering all her will to remain silent. Barely any sound came out, until it became too much for her to bear and she let slip a desperate cry, “Hnnghh!!”

Amon relented and pulled his drenched fingers free, a line of wetness connecting them to her quivering womanhood. She was still cumming, her womanhood now agonizingly emptied. Asami shook for a few moments more until the orgasmic contractions in her sex petered off.

He looked at his soaked hand, and then to her.

She brought her unburnt hand up to her cheek and wiped a single tear away as she panted for breath. Amon did not know if it was a tear borne of mere physical exertion or if there was something deeper and more sentimental to it…

Is this what it meant to ‘save’ someone? ...Or to possess them entirely?

Chapter Text

Previously on Blooming Red Lotus…

“So I take it your meeting with Amon didn’t go so well.” The undercover Mako said to avatar Xian sitting in his prison cell, “What if he killed you… or took away your bending?”

The older man softly chuckled, “I restored your bending, did I not? What have I to fear from a man like Amon?”

…

“Korra.” Tenzin murmured, “Your parents- they’re alive. They’ve been alive… and they’re so worried about you.”

“What?” She furrowed her brow, more angry than confused. Then she shook her head, “You’re lying!”

…

“There’s no strength of mine left to recover, master Tenzin.” Azusa sadly laughed, “Not anymore…. Amon took my bending away.”

“Azusa, I’m so sorry.” Korra rushed forward to grab her hand, “This is all my fau-”

“Stop it…”

…

Amon pressed his palm against Asami’s breast as she lay recuperating in a hospital bed.

“I’m afraid they’re not very sensitive anymore.” Asami sadly observed.

He went lower, curling his fingers. He soon brought her to orgasm, “Hnnghh!!”

When he pulled his fingers away, and saw the wetness upon them, Amo’s eyes widened from behind his featureless mask. Asami owed him her life and has given her body to him completely… She was utterly his to possess.

**************************
**************************
**************************

Korra stirred in bed with Azusa and Bolin beside her. Three naked bodies, exhausted both mentally and physically. The avatar rolled over, softly moaning…

In her dreams, visions of a past life slowly came back to her. Flashes of events hundreds of years in the past. She saw a scene much like the one she left in the waking world- of a man and two women entangled together in sexual idyll.

The avatar tossed and turned under the covers, sensing another woman’s warmth and presence before her. When she sleepily opened her eyes, she saw not Princess Azusa sleeping at her side but another woman. Fair skinned and wearing a top knot. At first Korra didn’t recognize her… but then the memories came back to her, and with it, a sense of sentimental love and passionate desire.

More than that, she felt relief. Release.

The other woman was a firebender, a soldier, and an outlaw. A teacher, friend, and a lover. Korra felt compelled to kiss her. She reached up and stroked the woman’s cheek, rousing her from her slumber. Korra’s hand seemed so… large.

The woman’s eyes were a deep bronze and in their reflection, Korra saw a face that was not her own.

The woman smiled sweetly and whispered, “Kyoshi.”

And then Korra woke up.

**************************

“Mph, mph, mph, mph!~” Asami’s green eyes rolled into the back of her head. Her voice was muffled, a cold hand covering her mouth as she was getting fucked from behind.

She was standing, pants around her ankles and her hands braced upon a table in front of her. Amon was taking her from behind, himself still entirely clothed. Asami’s slender legs buckled under the assault.

It hurt... but it felt good too.

The pleasure was bittersweet. Before this… before her injuries and before Amon had saved her from the avatar, Asami couldn’t have imagined letting anyone treat her like this.

Now it seemed like her only choice.

She hated that it felt good. His fingers tightened on her cheeks and she winced, a tear welling in her emerald eyes as he went harder and faster. The other Equalists were just in the other room and none of them knew about this sordid affair. Amon, it seemed, wanted to keep it that way, squeezing her jaw whenever she made too much noise, “Mmhfgh!”

The heiress was starting to feel light-headed, her brain all fuzzy and her thoughts turning vague and murky. The particular spot on the wall Asami was focusing on ended up blurring and dividing. It was as if her circulation was being cut off.

She was on the verge of losing consciousness when she came, squeezing him in uncontrollable convulsions. Just as she reached the peak of her carnal ecstasy, he pulled away from her and reached down, finishing himself off on her ass and the back of her thighs. She felt the warm spray coating her bare skin, even on her most intimate parts...

Amon was done with her, finally uncovering her mouth. She fell forward and put all her weight on the table in front of her. Her knees were shaky and weak and she could barely stand upon him. Asami felt his seed sliding wet and heavy down her legs.

They remained like this for quite some time as they both slowly recomposed themselves.

Finally, Amon broke the silence.

“Get Avatar Xian out of his cell and bring him to me.” The masked man commanded from behind her.

Asami swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, pulling her trousers up. She would have to clean up on her own time. The woman didn’t say a word as she left the room.

Alone now, the leader of the Equalists reached up and slipped a single finger under his mask. Sweat ran down from his cheek to his hand. When he pulled it away, he saw red dye smeared across his fingertip. He rubbed his thumb against it to wipe it out from his vision so he didn’t have to see it anymore.

The door opened, and Xian was led into the command room with his hands bound. Asami was about to enter with him when Amon sharply said, “Leave us.”

She nodded and closed the door.

When they were all alone, Avatar Xian was the first to speak, “Reconsidering my offer?”

“Perhaps.” Amon played it cool.

“Hiroshi Sato’s daughter, hm?” The avatar jerked his head back to the closed door, “Seems like you’ve found another loyal devotee. Was the trade for Princess Azusa worth it? I could understand her father’s sentimentality with the burned girl but your own? Now that’s curious.”

“You know quite a great deal about matters occurring beyond your cell.” The other man replied, a veiled threat behind his innocuous words. Killing him still completely off the table.

“You’re about to go to war.” Xian observed, “You’ll have no other choice once they start coming for your allies in Future Industries…”

“Your plan.” Amon nearly raised his voice with his fist, “-the plan to remove the bending of everyone everywhere. I want to know everything.”

Xian offered his bound wrists with the faintest of smiles, “I’ll do you one better. Release me now and the White Lotus will assist you in your revolution.”

Amon narrowed his eyes, “...Very well.”

Outside the command room, Equalists were carrying out their own duties getting ready for the revolution. They were in an underground manufacturing plant, hand-picked Future Industries employees fueling and repairing experimental armored vehicles while Chi Blocker initiates were training in the practice arenas. Few wore their masks in the company of their fellow brothers and sisters in the Equalist movement.

Mako was running numbers for some of the laundering operations when a shift supervisor yelled out for him from a catwalk, “Hey, ex-bender! Amon wants to see you.”

He dropped everything he was doing and immediately climbed up a flight of metalwork stairs to answer the masked man’s summons.

When he entered the command room, the door shut behind him and his amber eyes widened at the sight of Xian and Amon together.

“Hello, Mako.” The avatar said.

Amon took a step closer to the young man and said, “Avatar Xian tells me that you have not always been… loyal to me.”

Mako sharply inhaled… then, sensing betrayal, he backed up against the wall and brought his fists up. Amon darted forward and out of reflex, the White Lotus’ spy threw his fist forward and sent a gout of flame hurtling towards his enemy. Amon grabbed his wrist and diverted it harmlessly into the air.

“Ah.” Amon tilted his head, “So it’s true. He has returned your bending.”

The masked man let him go, leaving Mako feeling quite powerless in the face of these two terrifying men. Worse than that, he felt betrayed. Xian was toying with his life. He had seemingly blown his cover on a mere whim, heedless of what it might mean for the young firebender’s life.

“It doesn’t matter.” Amon said, his posture relaxing, “The White Lotus and the Equalists- our objectives are now one and the same.”

“What!?” Mako shook his head incredulously and looked to Xian for answers, “What’re you… what are you talking about?”

**************************

“I’ll be back.” Korra said, grabbing her clothes from off the floor as Azusa and Bolin remained naked in bed together.

“Where are you going?” The earthbender asked, rubbing his nose. Their first threesome wasn’t… THAT bad, was it? Sure, the first time never lives up to expectations but Bolin thought it went pretty well! Azusa seemed to enjoy herself, at least. Considering the circumstances...

“I’ve just got some errands to run.” The avatar said with a shrug.

“Yeah?” The princess arched a skeptical brow, “You’re not coming back, are you?”

Korra looked away, out the window at the statue of Avatar Aang watching over the bay, “There’s just… some things I’ve got to figure out.”

“You’re gonna leave me here all alone?” Azusa said with a mixture of sincerity and mischief.

“You’ve got Bolin with you, right?” Korra shrugged. She did feel guilty, though…

The princess planted a kiss on the earthbender’s cheek and he nervously laughed, rubbing the back of his head as he mumbled, “Um… Hey, Korra. It’s kinda crazy out there so… you can stay at my place if you want. Check my pants, there’s a spare house key on the ring! I, uh, always kept it around in case my brother ever turned up.”

She thought it over for a moment, judging that Bolin wouldn’t ever give her location up. Not intentionally at least. Against her better judgement, she trusted Azusa as well.

“Thanks.” Korra said, digging into his trousers and pulling out his keys.

“Be careful.” The princess urged.

“I will.” The avatar promised.

**************************

A cool wind blew through Republic City by the afternoon, as automobiles rolled down the streets and pedestrians walked back to their homes during rush hour. The first snowfall was beginning to flutter to the ground, delicate flakes melting almost as soon as they touched the concrete. Korra was inside a phone booth, keeping an eye out for anyone eavesdropping as she held the receiver close to her face. She wrapped a scarf around her mouth just in case someone could read lips.

“Yeah…” She muttered into the receiver, “I want to talk to him myself. Is he there?”

“He is.” The voice on the other end replied, “One second…”

An eternity seemed to have passed and then came a familiar voice that she hadn’t heard in a very long time. Zaheer’s. The leader of the Red Lotus.

“I got your message.” He said, his voice quite soft to her ears, “Did something happen?”

“Yeah.” Korra nodded, eyes drifting to the snow melting on the side of the road, “My cover’s blown… but I don’t know if Tenzin is going to tell the White Lotus. I got into a… situation with the Equalists. -with Amon. -and Master Tenzin rescued me.”

“I see.” The man replied, “And your airbending?”

“I… might have made some progress with it.” She admitted, “I dunno. Look, I think something big is about to happen in Republic City- like there’s going to be an all-out war! They took away the Fire Nation Princess’ bending. They- they have Future Industries backing them and the city’s under martial law and-”

“Korra.” He said at great risk. Using her true name over the telephone was something the Red Lotus told her never to do, under any circumstances, “I can tell there’s something else. The most important thing that’s bothering you...”

She sighed and closed her eyes, “I, um… I really hurt someone- and I don’t think she was a bad person! But maybe… maybe now I turned her into one. Maybe I’m the kind of bender that Amon is always talking about and- and I just don’t know who the good guys are anymore.”

“You’re the avatar.” Zaheer declared, “You are the embodiment of balance and harmony in the world… and the Red Lotus stands behind you.”

That is to say, ‘we’ are the good guys.

“I know…” Korra’s gaze drifted downwards, to a flier trapped under a brick on the sidewalk, “There’s one more thing. Master Tenzin said… he said that my parents are still alive.”

A terrible silence.

“That’s… good news.” Zaheer finally said, his tone lifting, “-if it’s true. Perhaps Unalaq was mistaken about your parents. Although, it is also possible that Tenzin is with the White Lotus, and he’s just trying to lower your guard..”

“I know…” She closed her eyes, “I know.”

It was good just to hear his voice, even if he didn’t offer her any concrete solutions. She wanted to hear P’Li. The two of them were like her foster father and foster mother after they took her in from her uncle.

“Are you safe?” Zaheer asked.

“Yeah.” She nodded.

“Then stay there.” He commanded, “We’re on our way.”

The man hung up, leaving Korra stunned in silence. She put the receiver back on the hook and let out a deep sigh. Her reverie was broken by a roar of engines. Motorbikes raced down the street right in front of her and Korra recoiled with wide eyes.

Equalists, dozens of them, driving through the streets in broad daylight! They led a formation down the road ahead of some strange machines that she had never seen before. Tracked humanoid tanks, looking like deep diving suits, with industrial two-pronged claws at the end of their arms. They were propelled by a third wheel extending from their back, exhaust venting from pipes jutting out from behind. There were so many of them, rolling down the road like a column of invading tanks.

**************************

Princess Azusa stood before a horde of journalists and reporters from behind a podium. Tenzin was at her side as they looked over a vista behind the press corps- Air Temple Island’s scenic view of the bay and the city beyond it.

“Good afternoon, everyone.” Azusa said, adjusting the microphone in front of her, “If you read the tabloids, then you already know who I am… but in case you have good taste, I am Azusa, princess of the Fire Nation, daughter of Fire Lord Izumi and granddaughter of Fire Lord Zuko.”

“As far as I’m concerned, that’s where my ancestry ends.” She said with a winning smile. The more polite members of the press laughed at her dark joke, “When I was a girl and I firebended for the first time, you should have seen grandpa’s face… There hasn't been anyone capable of making blue fire since the Princess Regent.”

The Princess Regent was a short-lived position once occupied by Azula towards the end of the Hundred Years War. A historical footnote to most, but referring to the title was how ‘polite society’ could talk about her without using such an infamous name. Tales of Azula’s villainy were a common component of theater performances- the most heinous deed being her near-murder of Avatar Aang in the crystal catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se.

“After me, there might not ever be another firebender to produce blue flame.” The woman admitted, her tone turning tragic and wistful, “Because yesterday, I was visiting my girlfriend, Asami Sato-”

Some of the reporters began writing furious notes down, gleeful with the confirmation that the rumors of the celebrity couple had been proven true. In the Fire Nation palace, Izumi and Zuko sat together by the radio, immediately concerned by Azusa’s uncharacteristically wistful manner of speaking.

“-and I heard something I wasn’t supposed to.” She continued, “I heard Hiroshi Sato speaking with Amon, the leader of the Equalists. Saw them together with my own two eyes.”

Everyone in attendance was dumbstruck, some too shocked to write in their little books. The cameras assaulted her with a cacophony of flashing photographs.

“He got me.” The woman sighed, “And he… he took my bending from me.”

As the words left her mouth, a handful of people with press passes came sprinting from the pier. Azusa hesitated, watching them wriggle into the crowd of journalists. She watched them start whispering into their colleague’s ears.

One reporter raised his hand in the middle of the conference, “Princess Azusa! Princess Azusa!”

Another left the crowd entirely, completely ignoring the scoop that the princess had lost her bending. Other hands shot up into the air, while more and more journalists made their way out of the crowd. They were no longer whispering to one another, conversing and shouting with themselves. Azusa shook her head, furrowing her brow. Why was she being ignored!?

Some in the crowd were pointing their fingers to the sky, towards the city on the bay. A number of photographers turned away from the princess to catch the events as they unfolded.

She narrowed her eyes and saw… an airship. Not a civilian craft and not one belonging to the metal benders either. It was adorned in the colors of the Equalist Movement, with the word ‘平’ emblazoned upon its belly. ‘Equality’ and ‘Peace.’

It was headed straight for them on Air Temple Island!

**************************

In his office, Tarrlok shut off the radio. The Fire Nation Princess losing her bending was no insignificant matter but bigger things were going down. His office was spacious and nearly empty, save for a large interior waterfall washing over a relief of the Moon Koi, Tui and La. Bookshelves lined the opposite wall and the windows were shut to keep out the winter’s ocean breeze.

The waterbender was on the phone, tapping his fingers impatiently on his desk. He was on hold… until finally, someone on the other side came through.

“General Iroh.” Tarrlok said, his voice cool and collected, “There’s very little time. I need you here immediately, with the entire division. I’m putting Republic City in a state of emergency until you arrive.”

He didn’t wait for a reply, slamming the receiver down on its rest and marching out to the door.

So the Equalists had finally played their hand. Azusa’s press release incriminating Future Industries had backed them in a corner and now they had no choice but to lash out. Still… the timing sure was convenient. They must have expected her to come clean with the news.

Tarrlok got halfway across the room when the door opened.

A masked man entered, followed by a well-dressed woman in a hood with a cloth over her mouth and several Chi Blockers.

“Amon!” Tarrlok exclaimed, freezing in place.

“It’s time for you to be equalized.” Amon said, as the woman by his side activated her electrified gauntlets. The Chi Blockers with him assumed their fighting positions, some of them whirling their bolas.

A smile crept at the corner of the waterbender’s lips.

“You fool.” He raised his hands up, fingers splayed like a puppeteer’s, “You’ve never faced bending like mine!”

The Chi Blockers writhed in agony, their bodies contorting and twisting in painful spasms. Their blood knotted in their veins. Asami crumpled to the floor as the others fell to the ground, their bolas swinging harmlessly into the air. All of them succumbed to Tarrlok’s bloodbending save Amon, who merely cringed from the exertion and continued on.

The masked man took a step forward and Tarrlok recoiled backwards in fear. He redoubled his efforts, concentrating all of his power on Amon.

Yet still the Equalist pushed forward.

“What-” Tarrlok’s eyes went wide, “What ARE you!?”

“I am the solution.”

**************************

Chief Beifong threw the front doors open of the police station, marching outside to join a semi-circle of her officers on the front steps. Before them was a veritable army of Equalists on motorcycles, with some kind of strange new weaponry among them. Mecha tanks.

“Well then.” The woman furrowed her greyed brow, “If it’s a war you want… then it’s a war you’ll get! Officers, to me!”

Yet as soon as the words had departed from her mouth, the Mecha tanks activated a pair of massive magnets on each of their arms. Her metalbenders were pulled off of their feet by the tanks’ powerful attractive force, slamming into the emitters.

Officer Saikhan, her second in command, was grabbed by one of the magnets and Lin threw a cable out to wrap around his waist, while wrapping another around a lamppost at the top of the stairs behind her.

The magnets were… strong! She grit her teeth and clenched her jaw.

An Equalist on a motorbike flipped up its kickstand and revved the engine, sending dust into the air before he rocketed towards the metalbender.

Watching him racing towards her, Lin reluctantly let go of Saikhan and tried to retract her cable to defend herself… but the Chi Blocker threw some kind of disk at her, which extended wires out in the air. They wrapped around the woman’s body and she was electrocuted.

Letting out a pained scream of agony, Lin fell to the ground.

Smoke rose from her unconscious body.

Within the police station, the rooms were all pitch black. Just before their attack, the Equalists had cut the power and flooded most of the rooms with knock-out gas. The darkest rooms were the jail cells, metal tombs that lacked any kind of door or entry. Amon’s lieutenant had been an inhabitant of one such room, kept perpetually chained to one of the walls.

For the past few minutes, he had heard explosions and the sound of fighting outside through the air vents. Then... a buzzing sound much closer. A gold line like lava began to draw itself in the wall, molten metal showering sparks all over the floor.

The Equalist lifted his head up as the first sign of exterior light shone through, heralding his liberation. A warm yellow glow illuminated the Lieutenant’s face and lit a fire in his pale blue eyes.

A smile tugged at his worn features. The revolution had finally come.

**************************

“You have to get out of here.” Azusa said with grim determination as she left the podium and walked with Tenzin towards the central courtyard.

“What do you mean?” The older man asked, following after her as the princess marched.

“They’re coming for you and your family.” Azusa said, turning on her heel to look him in the eye, “Do you hear me, Tenzin!?”

He nodded, understanding now the fear in her voice was one borne of both reason and experience, “Yes… I’ll call Lin on the telephone and-”

“There’s no time!” The woman yelled, “You need to go NOW.”

A group of curious Air Acolytes surrounded them, anxiety and concern mounting in their expressions. Bolin ran up to them as well, his first instinct was to ask just what the heck was going on. Yet he said nothing when he saw just how deadly serious Azusa was.

“The metalbenders won’t get here in time before every bender on this island is rounded and like cattle!” The princess said.

“Right.” Tenzin nodded, stroking his beard as he searched the distance for solutions, “We’ll take the Sky Bison and head for the city.”

“You won’t make it.” Azusa interrupted, shaking her head, “They’ll catch up to you eventually.”

“Why don’t we just take the boats!?” Bolin pointed behind him with his thumb.

“-then they’ll chase the boats!” The Princess shook her head even more furiously.

An Air Acolyte spoke up, “Um, Master Tenzin…” She was an older woman who was ordinarily quite soft-spoken.

Tenzin didn’t even know her name and he immediately felt ashamed of that fact. “Let us take the Sky Bison and you and your family go by sea. We’ll distract them while you escape.”

The airbender inhaled through his nostrils deeply, his heart filling with the utmost gratitude.

“Thank you...” He closed his eyes, put his fist into his palm and bowed respectfully, “I don’t know how I will ever repay you.”

“C’mon.” Azusa said, grabbing Bolin’s wrist, “Tenzin, we’ll get the boat ready. Grab your family and meet us at the dock.”

**************************

From the passenger seat of a motorboat, Azusa watched a herd of Sky Bison take off from the island in the opposite direction of the city. Majestic creatures in any other circumstances… Bolin was driving and Tenzin tended to his family in the back. Pema held little Rohan close to her chest, while Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo all kept a glum silence as they were suddenly uprooted from their home.

“It’s working.” The Princess observed, watching the Equalist airship veer away from the island in order to pursue the fleeing Sky Bison.

“Ummmm… So about the metalbenders.” Bolin nervously brought their attention to the city ahead of them. Just as he said that, an explosion rang out over the cityscape and a police airship went slowly plummeting into a skyscraper, flames and smoke trailing from its descent.

“Lin!” Tenzin stood up.

It didn’t look good. Plumes of black smoke were rising up all over Republic City, the sounds of all-out war consuming their home. Azusa grabbed a monocular and peered through it, closing one eye.

At the opposite side of the harbor, she saw Mecha Tanks waiting for them by the pier.

“Bolin, cut the engine.” Azusa sighed and dropped the monocular into her lap. She shook her head in disbelief, “The whole city is under attack. They’re waiting for us on the other side.”

“What?” Pema asked in horror, clutching at Tenzin’s sleeve, “Then where can we go!?”

“Hold on.” Bolin said, veering them off-course. “I might know a way to sneak in. I made some friends in the sewers when we got kicked out of our home in the Pro Bending Arena.”

“The sewers?” Tenzin arched an eyebrow.

“Yeah.” Bolin exclaimed, “There’s these huge runoff pipes that lead right into the underground shelters for the vagabonds!”

“Ah…” The princess sighed with a mixture of both relief and defeat, ”Hobos.”

“C’mon, it’s our only chance!” The earthbender said, “We can get a better low down on the situation from there.”

“Right…” Tenzin cleared his throat, “Mr. Bolin, lead the way!”

**************************

An Equalist ducked out of the main road and into a side alley as the city around him was in chaos. Revolutionaries took to the streets, welcoming Amon’s new world order. Others kept out of the way, hiding in their homes and hoping that they wouldn’t get caught up in the fighting.

The Equalist pulled off his mask and pulled a red scarf out of his jacket, letting it flow freely. It was the firebender Mako, anxiety etched on his features.

He wanted nothing to do with this revolution. Amon and Xian seemed to think that he would just obediently go along with this sordid ‘alliance’ of theirs. He wasn’t like the other White Lotus members that were completely under the Grandmaster’s spell… and of course he didn’t buy into Amon’s vision of ‘equality’. Only now did he realize how much of a sociopath that Xian was. If he had learned anything from his time with the triads, it was that spies were given no mercy. He wouldn’t just lose his bending- they’d put him at the bottom of the bay.

Mako punched a brick wall and immediately regretted it as waves of pain radiated out from his knuckles. The only thing left to do now was to find Bolin. Everything he did for the White Lotus, he was doing for the sake of his baby brother. So the first chance he got, Mako ditched his Chi Blocker ‘comrades’ and went looking for Bolin on his own. He made sure none of the Equalists followed him.

Apartment Thirty Six on West Kuei Avenue… Bolin’s place, last he had heard. Mako always returned from time to time to check up on him from afar, whenever he could.

He went in through the lobby and ran his finger down the room listings, looking for Bolin’s name. Of course Bolin wasn’t cautious enough to use a pseudonym while living in a place the triads bought for him. After he found the right listing, Mako rushed up the large central stairwell of the apartment complex, up to the third floor.

Fifth room on the right. He knocked on the door.

He waited for a long time before the door opened just an inch, a chain latch going taut in the gap.

“What do you want?” A woman’s voice came from the other side.

“Is Bolin there? He’s my brother, I- wait…” He tried to peer around the door but the woman hid behind it, “Is that…”

He lowered his voice, “Avatar Korra?”

Mako jabbed his arm in the gap just as she tried to shut the door, smashing his forearm and causing an incredible amount of pain. He grit his teeth, “Ahh.. Hey, it’s me! I’m a friend. I’m the guy who set you free at the rally! After Moon River when Amon was going to take your bending away! Remember!?”

As his words set in, she stopped trying to crush his arm. Feeling returned to his arm and she unhooked the chain latch, opening the door just wide enough for him to enter. Mako slunked inside and she shut the door after him.

He walked in, rubbing his forearm.

“So what’s your deal?” She asked, narrowing her eyes skeptically at his attire.

As soon as he entered the living room, a fire ferret came bounding along the floor and climbing up a chair to see him face-to-face.

“Hey, Pabu.” He smiled, scritching the little creature’s chin, “Long time no see…”

Mako returned his attention to the woman, “Alright… My name’s Mako. How much has Bolin told you about me?”

She shrugged, “Well, he said you were pro benders. Then you guys lost your waterbender and ended up getting disqualified in the playoffs. After that, he said you just… disappeared.”

“Yeah.” Mako sighed, removing the outer layer of his Equalist garb, “We got kicked out of our home. Then Bolin got into some trouble and I was… given an offer. If I worked for the White Lotus and infiltrated the Equalists-”

“Wait.” Korra’s whole demeanor changed, “You’re… White Lotus?”

She clenched a fist and took a step closer.

“Yeah… why, what’s-” He recoiled back from her, “What’s your problem!?”

“You don’t even know, do you!?” She shook her head and turned on her heel, unable to look him in the eyes, “The White Lotus killed my parents.”

The firebender looked away from her, “I’m… sorry.”

He searched for something to say, “If it makes you feel any better, I’m not with them anymore. Not Amon or Xian. I’m done with it-”

“If it makes me FEEL any better!?” Korra snapped, her gaze twisting with anger, “What would you know about it!?”

Mako shot her an even angrier glare, “Really!? Bolin never told you?”

“Told me what?” She turned her eyes reluctantly back to him.

“Our parents died when we were young too, you know.” He answered, “They were mugged, by a firebender. He cut them down right in front of me. I was eight.”

Korra covered her face with a sigh. Her hands slid down over her mouth, eyes still closed. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s why I have to find Bolin.” He explained, “He’s the only family I got left… and this whole town’s turning upside down. Do you know where he is?”

“I left him at Air Temple Island.” She muttered.

“What!?” His eyes went wide, “The Equalists are attacking Air Temple Island!”

“Then we gotta go there!” Korra balled her hands into fists and nodded resolutely, ready to leave that very instant.

“No… wait!” He grit his teeth, “Dammit! We can’t...”

“What do you mean ‘we can’t’!? That’s your brother-”

“I know it is but it’s a warzone out there!” He jabbed his fingers to the windows just for emphasis, at the fires burning in the distant cityscape.

Then he counted on his fingers, “Amon’s got four objectives- Air Temple Island, the Government buildings, the Police Station and, most importantly, Transportation hubs. By now he’s already got the whole city on lockdown.”

“So you’re just gonna give up on Bolin?” Korra protested.

He shook his head and sighed, “No! I’m not giving up. It’s just… too crazy out there right now. We just have to trust he made it out of there.”

Korra sat down on a chair, defeated by the news. She also hadn’t forgotten about Azusa either. Or even Tenzin for that matter.

“I’ll go back undercover.” Mako strategized out loud, “Once things quiet down… I’ll ask around. If he got out of Air Temple Island, then I think the first place he’d go is the underground shelters. If not… I’ll just bail him out. Worst case scenario, if Amon gets to him before I do, then I might just have to go back to Avatar Xian and just hope... he’ll give him his bending back.”

The avatar jerked her head and narrowed her eyes, “Give him his bending back…?”

“Yeah.” Mako softly replied, “Avatar Xian is an energy bender. It’s his only element.”

“Okay. Stop right there.” Korra stood up and put out her hand, “Tell me everything about this Avatar Xian.”

The firebender shrugged, “I… don’t know much else. I never really worked with any of the other White Lotus, y’know, on account of being a spy. When I joined the Equalists, Amon took my bending away. -to initiate me. Then... Xian gave it back to me.”

He shook his head in spite of himself, “Now they’re working together.”

“How is that even possible?” Korra asked, still stuck on the previous subject, “The only person to have ever energy bended was… was Avatar Aang!”

The young man shrugged.

Korra closed her eyes and sighed, wandering aimlessly around the room.

“Either way…” Mako said, “There’s nothing to do but wait at this point.”

“Sure…” Korra replied, casually melancholy, “Make yourself comfortable.”

“What are you gonna do?” He asked.

“I… also have to sit tight.” She admitted, “Some, uh, friends of mine are coming.”

“The Red Lotus?” The firebender asked, hoping that wasn’t the case. They were only the most infamous terrorists in the world.

**************************

Korra slept alone that night in Bolin’s bed, already missing his warmth and strength by her side. Mako was sleeping in the living room on the couch. The avatar did her best to put aside all of her feelings and just get some rest. She desperately needed it.

As she slumbered, more unbidden visions came to her dreams. This time, she had more of her wits about her.

“Are these… Kyoshi’s memories?” The woman asked, watching them flash before her eyes.

Korra knew she lacked the spiritual connection of most avatars, being unable to enter the avatar state or commune with her past incarnations. Apparently, they always had the strongest connection to their immediate predecessor. In this case, Avatar Aang. Considering how much Korra and the Red Lotus blamed him for the current imbalance in the world, she wasn’t looking forward to meeting him.

Is that why she was getting visions of Kyoshi instead? Come to think of it, Korra did feel a certain… attraction to the painted woman’s legacy over Aang’s. A powerful warrior, six feet tall, who had lived for over two hundred years. A truly larger than life figure that overthrew tyrants like Chin the Conqueror and Earth Kings and Fire Lords alike bow before her might.

But she didn’t go far enough. True balance wouldn’t be achieved until the Red Lotus succeeded in tearing down all the worlds’ governments.

Curiously, few of these visions zooming by her had anything to do with Kyoshi’s prowess as a warrior or her political struggles. Instead, she kept seeing images of sex and passion. With men and women alike… another reason Korra gravitated to the last female Avatar in the cycle.

What did love have to do with it? Well… it wasn’t always about love. Kyoshi was no stranger to casual sex, even at the same time she held long-term committed relationships.

Her thoughts turned back to Bolin and Azusa. Was that the connection? It had to be…

Why else was she receiving visions of polyamorous bisexual sex? It seemed like a strange thing to have in common with her predecessor, and a strange thing to form a spiritual connection over. Yet at this point, Korra was willing to accept anything.

She woke up in the middle of the night, springing upright in the bed and covered in sweat. The sheets fell from her body, exposing her bare breasts. Even as a guest in Bolin’s bed without him, she slept naked.

Korra heard a faint scraping… then, looking over at the window, she saw two white lines being drawn down the glass. They were perfectly parallel, extending down several feet until they made a ninety degree turn towards each other and met in the center. It was… an exact cut in the pane. A perfect rectangle. As soon as it was completed, the sheet of glass was pulled off of the rest of the window and out into the exterior, letting a cold winter draft in. The whole piece was about the size of a person…

Then Korra realized what exactly it was that she was looking at. Glass bending. An earth bender was breaking into the apartment!

She rolled off the bed and hid behind it as a man came swinging through the hole on a rappel wire. The wire detached and he landed on the bed right where she had just been sleeping and brandished a pair of metal handcuffs. After seeing his prey wasn’t where she was supposed to be, the man’s green eyes shot to Korra’s new position.

One glance and she knew exactly who and what he was. Though his face was covered like some kind of ninja, he wore white and blue with black beneath. Modern clothes with a deliberately traditional flair. The White Lotus.

“Raargh!” Korra reached over the side of the bed with a punch, blasting the infiltrator with a gout of flame that sent him right back out the hole in the window.

Just a moment later, another window shattered and a second assailant came bounding in on a rappel and spiked boots. He detached the wire and rolled onto the ground, then jabbed his hands like knives towards Korra. Water rushed out of a pair of flasks on his hips and wrapped around Korra’s wrists.

The avatar felt her hands pulled down to her sides and a sudden fierce cold gripping them. He had bound her wrists in ice. She stomped on the ground, opening a hole in the concrete floor and dropping the waterbender into the second floor below.

Korra liquified the ice around her wrists and shook the water off. Then the glass pane came seamlessly right back through the gap and hurtling towards her. Korra raised her palms up and the glass pushed her against the wall at her back. It was thick glass… it didn’t shatter from the impact. Still, cracks slowly sprawled out from where she pushed against it.

Landing on the bed was the glassbender, a woman with intense green eyes and a sinister purposefulness in her movement.

The avatar grit her teeth and put her foot on the wall behind her, propping herself on it to summon all her strength and break through the solid wall of glass. A second later, the pane shattered and she stumbled forward through the shards.

She let loose another firebending blast but the glassbender dodged out of the way and, assuming the stance of the Lau Gar martial arts, brought the largest of the glass shards hovering to her side. Korra gasped. Each one of those shards was a deadly blade.

Yet the assassin hesitated. With such lethal weaponry, it would be difficult to take her opponent alive.

The door burst open, Mako rushing in wearing nothing but a tank top and his underwear.

The glassbender’s eyes shot to the man and she shifted her stance, the shards spinning in place around her, “Traitor!”

“Look out!” Korra yelled, stumbling towards him. With linear machine-like hand gestures, the glassbender launched her blades at him like a flurry of knives.

“No!” Korra closed her eyes and acted on instinct. Time seemed to slow down to a complete stop. Fire licked at her fist as she swung it through the air towards him. Though she didn’t know Mako and definitely didn’t trust him, she understood that he was Bolin’s brother… and she didn’t want to see his blood.

The avatar opened her palm, the flames dissipating. In their stead, a gust of air blew out and threw Mako out of the room. Blades of glass cut into the door right where he was just milliseconds prior.

“I can airbend!?” Korra said, looking at her palm and blinking, “I can airbend!”

But the moment of triumph was short lived.

The White Lotus turned her attention to Korra, resorting to more traditional earth bending. She pulled up the concrete of the floor to try and trap the avatar in an earthen prison but Korra rolled out of the way and crouched on one knee. Throwing her elbow up over her head, the avatar attempted to lift the floor up and smash the assassin into the ceiling.

Yet the glassbender darted back, avoiding the attempt to crush her and launching a counterattack of her own. She broke the pillar apart and sent it tumbling towards Korra in a landslide.

The avatar dodged to the side and just as she regained her footing, they both heard glass shattering in the other room, where Mako was.

The assassin put her back to the wall and swung through it to the other side with earthbending. She found some obstruction from the pipes in the wall but was able to squirm through into the living room.

Korra ran out to the other room where the fight was. Still naked, she was covered in small scrapes and bruises. Mako was already in a fight with two more White Lotus killers, exchanging fire and water with them. He ducked and weaved like a boxer but they were skilled opponents, honed by their mission to recover the avatar.

After narrowly avoiding a fireblast, Mako was caught by a splash of waterbending on one of his shins that knocked him to the floor. The front door burst down and in came the waterbender that Korra had dropped to the floor below. Immediately seeing the situation, he shot just enough water out of his hip-flask to seize one of Mako’s wrists and bind it in ice. Mako hit him with a fireball from his free hand and got up on one knee.

Korra threw herself at his attackers, hurling fire wildly at them in roundhouse kicks and frenzied punches. Just as she got to his side to help him, the floor curled up under Mako and catapulted him across the room. She watched him fly onto the couch and tip it over onto its back.

“Mako!” She shouted as he disappeared behind it.

There was a long pause… and then the glassbender rose from behind the obstructing furniture. She stood up with Mako in front of her, holding a fistful of his shirt bunched up behind his neck in one hand. With her other hand, the White Lotus had readied a long jagged shard of glass under his neck.

“Korra…” He hesitated and closed his eyes, “J-just get out of here.”

“I’ll kill him.” The glassbender coldly promised. The sharp edge of the glass drew closer to his vulnerable throat for emphasis, a single drop of blood draining from a nick.

“Don’t hurt him!” Korra begged, putting her hands out. She looked over at the other White Lotus benders, all of them ready to attack at the slightest sign of duplicity. Most of all, she looked upon Mako. She didn’t want to be responsible for Bolin losing his brother.

“Turn around. Hands up.” The other woman commanded, “Put your palms and forehead against the wall.”

“And you’ll let him go?” Korra asked.

“Yeah.” The glassbender answered.

The avatar nodded and slowly turned around, doing as she was bidden. She pressed her brow to the wall and laid her hands flat against its surface. Korra heard footsteps behind her…

Mako shouted “Korra!” and that was the last thing she heard before something hit her in the back of the head. She growled and fell backwards into the arms of her attacker. Darkness and vaguery enclosed upon her vision as she succumbed to unconsciousness…

Chapter Text

Previously on Blooming Red Lotus…

“I know…” Korra closed her eyes, holding the phone receiver close to her ear, “I know.”

“Are you safe?” Zaheer’s voice came through from the other end.

“Yeah.” She replied, watching the satomobiles roll on by from a lonely phonebooth.

“Then stay there.” He commanded, “We’re on our way.”

…

“There hasn't been anyone capable of making blue fire since the Princess Regent.” Azusa said before a crowd of journalists snapping photographs at her, “After me, there might not ever be another.”

“I heard Hiroshi Sato speaking with Amon, the leader of the Equalists. Saw them together with my own two eyes.” She continued, “He got me.” The woman sighed, “And he… he took my bending from me.”

But then, the crowd turned their attention away from her. They pointed up to the sky, at the Equalist airship headed straight for them.

“They’re coming for you and your family.” Azusa said, turning on her heel to look Tenzin in the eye, “You need to go NOW.”

…

“What-” Tarrlok’s eyes went wide as Amon walked right through the pain of his bloodbending technique, “What ARE you!?”

The masked man did not balk, “I am the solution.”

…

“Well then.” Lin Beifong marched out before an army of Chi Blockers, “If it’s a war you want… then it’s a war you’ll get! Officers, to me!”

But before they could move, Equalist mecha tanks pulled them off their feet with powerful magnets. The chief of the police was the last one standing. As she was struggling to hold onto one of her officers with a wire, an Equalist sped towards her on a motorbike and threw a disk-like device at her. Wires extended from it and wrapped around her body, electrifying the metalbender.

Inside the police station’s jail, Amon’s lieutenant looked up and smiled.

…

“My name’s Mako.” The young man with sharp eyebrows said, taking off his Chi Blocker garb, “I was given an offer… If I worked for the White Lotus and infiltrated the Equalists.”

“I have to find Bolin.” He said, “He’s the only family I got left…”

Korra looked upon him sympathetically.

That night, while they were sleeping, a section of the glass was cut and removed. White Lotus assassins came rappelling into her bedroom. Korra consciously airbended for the first time, pushing Mako out of the way of a deadly glassbender’s attack.

But the tides had turned, and Korra yelled, “Mako!”

He was being held hostage by the glassbender, a jagged shard aimed at his throat.

“Don’t hurt him!” The avatar pleaded…

And then, as soon as she complied with their orders, the White Lotus knocked her unconscious.

**************************
**************************
**************************

“Nnnghhh…” Korra groaned, slowly coming to as she was dragged into a small, well-lit room. Along the floor, she saw a depiction of two aquatic-like spirits swirling in eternal equality, one white and blue and the other black and red, their harmony surrounded by representations of the four elements.

Her captors set her down on the floor. She wasn’t in much position to fight back. The avatar rolled over, naked and beat up. Korra watched a White Lotus earthbender bring a block of iron over to the floor. He fused it to the ground and covered it in earth, leaving exposed to the surface only a ring with a heavy chain attached. The White Lotus gave the chain to one of his comrades. Korra followed its length with her eyes, where a large manacle was on the other end.

She felt the cold steel clasp shut around her neck. The woman instinctively tried to pull on it but found her hands were bound behind her back, cuffed in a smaller manacle. She tried to spread her ankles and a chain between them went taut. So too were her feet bound in metal.

“Grrrhh..” She grit her teeth as consciousness returned to her.

Korra looked over to see Mako being chained up in a similar fashion. The woman thought they’d let him go if she listened to them… but of course, she should have known better than to trust the White Lotus.

“Hey…” The firebender protested, “This is all a big misunderstanding! Guys, you can let me go now!”

“Oh?” The glassbender supervising them pulled off her mask. She was fair to behold, with intense green eyes and a dusky complexion. Her ebon hair was tied back in a high ponytail, with two long bangs in front of her ears. She went over to the chains and tugged on them, inspecting the links’ strength.

“Hey, listen...” Mako swallowed and looked over at Korra as he started to plead his case to the glassbender, “I just went to see my little brother Bolin when I ran into Avatar Korra at his apartment. So I pretended to be her friend… and as soon as I got a chance, I was going to bring her to Avatar Xian!”

Korra’s eyes widened… but Mako gave her a wink and her anger abated before it could boil over and consume her. She swallowed her passion and kept silent.

The glassbender dropped the chain onto the floor.

“It’s not up to me to decide.” She said, beckoning the other White Lotus to join her as she started walking away, “Avatar Xian will decide your fate.”

Korra’s thoughts turned to escape. She wasn’t a metalbender… and with her arms and feet bound, there was no way she could bend anything strong enough to free herself. Even if she managed to use earth bending to uproot the metal slab that her neck-manacle was chained to, it was far too heavy for her to drag around and make her escape.

The only thing left was to talk.

“Hey you!” Korra yelled, freezing the White Lotus in place. The glassbender turned around to regard her, “-Doesn’t it bother you that your boss is working with Amon!? What do you think will happen when the Equalists take over Republic City? There’s no future for benders in their vision of the world!”

The glassbender looked down her nose at the captive avatar, “When Avatar Xian took me from the brothels of Ba Sing Se and gave me the ability to earthbend… he said that one day he might have to take it away.”

The woman turned back and departed, leaving Korra in silence.

**************************

Republic City had fallen in a day and a night. By dawn, most of the fighting had died down and the Equalists had seized control of every one of their objectives.

Victorious, the revolutionaries unfurled banners all over the city. Most humiliating of all, a great mask like Amon’s had been placed over the visage of Avatar Aang’s statue. Their airships loomed over the sky and already citizens were getting accustomed to the sounds of doors being kicked down and benders being dragged from their homes.

From the new Equalist headquarters on Air Temple Island, Asami looked out over the bay at her beloved city.

Truth be told, it pained her to see it in such a state.

The fires had died down but even so far away, she could feel the unrest. Amon had promised a bloodless revolution. Bloodless… The woman held her arms self-comfortingly. She couldn’t have imagined that councilman Tarrlok was a bloodbender all this time. It horrified her to think about!

She never wanted to feel that again…

But not every bender was like that, she reminded herself. It wasn’t possible for them all to be so cruel…

The door opened behind her and she pushed herself off the bannister and turned towards the guest. It was Amon.

He said nothing, closing the door behind him. They were in Tenzin’s bedroom, though many of the traditional Air Nomad furnishings and paraphernalia had already been removed, leaving the place quite bare and unadorned.

“You did it.” Asami said to the masked man, “Republic City is yours.”

In truth, Amon was a bit unsettling. The way he moved and talked… there was something unearthly about him. She had rarely left his side since the exchange at the Aang Memorial Statue and yet still… Asami desperately wanted to see the humanity in him, beyond the veil of his godlike mystique among the other Equalists.

She wanted to ask him about his life before the movement- how the spirits came to give him his powers and perhaps even if he would share the painful memories of his parents. After all, they were alike. He had lost his face and his family to a firebender...

Perhaps she just needed to get closer to him. Sooner or later, Asami thought, he would let those walls come down and talk to her like normal- the way any man and woman does. Their relationship was… unorthodox, but they didn’t meet under any normal circumstances either. She knew there had to be an actual person beneath that mask. If she could just bring him out...

She undid her belt. Her pants fell down to her ankles and she stepped out of them, her boots emerging out of the fabric after some force. She watched his eyes draw down her body in interest.

“Amon…” She said, approaching him and laying her hands upon his chest, “Let me see your face.”

“No.”

“Please.” The woman pleaded, “I don’t think it’s… ugly or anything. I just want to see-”

“No.” He said again, raising his voice as he grabbed one of her wrists, “...Turn around.”

She closed her eyes and softly nodded.

**************************

That evening, benders were brought to Air Temple Island, lined up single file towards a terrace where Amon awaited them. The column zig-zapped around the island, all the way to the pier where they were still off-loading more. Each one was rendered helpless by Chi Blocking or the threat of electrocution. One by one, Amon removed the bending of everyone who opposed the revolution as snow began to fall in earnest, coating the ground in white purity.

Chief Lin Beifong was brought up to the masked man, bound in rope.

He looked down at her defiant expression, “Tell me where the Airbenders are and I’ll let you keep your bending.”

She resisted the temptation to smile. It was just the slightest solace to the metalbender that Tenzin had managed to get away. “I won’t tell you anything, you monster.”

“Very well.”

**************************

Deep underground in the ritual chamber, Korra and Mako had lost track of time. She figured at least a whole day had passed… maybe more. The White Lotus had come in just once to feed their prisoners and never said very much during these occasions.

The avatar spent much of her time in thought trying to come up with a solution.

Until suddenly, the door opened and in came an older man with the glassbender at his side. With short white hair and a sagaciousness to his features, the man looked like he could have been Tenzin’s age… yet for whatever reason, she suspected he was older than that. Curiously, he moved like a younger man as well. For one reason or another, Korra was reminded of Kyoshi’s perpetual youth.

His eyes were a soft grey, belying a hawk-like perceptiveness in their movements.

“Avatar Xian!” Mako immediately shifted in his restraints and sat up on his knees, “Finally.”

The older man put a single finger to silence the youth and kept his attention on Korra. He took off his outer robes, blue and white, revealing a black tunic beneath. He handed the jacket to the glassbender.

Glaring at the imposter, Korra didn’t say a word. So this was the Grandmaster of the White Lotus. They both looked each other over. Though bound hand and foot with her neck shackled, Korra defiantly got to her feet to meet him eye-to-eye.

“What makes you think you can go around calling yourself the avatar!?” She asked.

“That’s curious of you to say.” He rubbed his clean-shaven jaw, “Kiyomi, Kotomi, whatever else it is you call yourself instead of the avatar.”

“That’s only because of people like you.” She snapped, “You tried to kidnap me… and when my parents got in the way, YOU killed them!”

His silver eyebrows arched and he sighed, “The venom of the Red Lotus runs deep, I see.”

The woman grit her teeth, taking a step closer until the chain binding her neck to the floor went taut, rattling stiff.

“It’s as I feared.” He said, turning to the glassbender, “Ashina… when you fought, how many elements did she use?”

“All four.” The assassin tersely replied, “Though I think her air bending was an... accident.”

“I see.” Xian hummed and then looked back at Korra. His eyes were… searching for something. Everyone remained silent for a very long time until Mako finally broke the silence.

“Avatar Xian.” The firebender began, “I tried to explain earlier but…” He struggled in his restraints, “I went looking for my brother. Y’know, to warn him about the Equalists so he could get out of town. That’s when I met Avatar Korra and, well, I thought to gain her trust so that I could bring her to you myself. I didn’t realize you guys had a plan to capture her yourself!”

“That’s because we were following you.” Ashina coldly remarked.

Xian approached the firebender.

“I would never betray you!” Mako pleaded, “Look, I’m sorry that I got in the way…”

The older man looked him over carefully, and then sighed, “It’s quite alright, Mako. I understand.”

Xian nodded a silent command to Ashina and the glass bender removed a key from her belt and knelt down to remove the spy’s shackles. Though Korra didn’t show it on her face, her heart swelled at the success of the firebender’s ploy.

Mako now stood side by side with Xian and Ashina.

“Is there anything you would like to say to Avatar Korra?” Xian asked.

He hesitated, “What would I have to say to her?”

The white-haired sage let his gaze linger for a moment and then he shrugged, “Fair enough.”

He reached up to the back of Mako’s skull, planting his palm upon it and burying his fingers within the firebender’s jet black hair. Xian’s eyes glowed white.

Korra gasped.

And then, a moment later, Mako fell at her feet. He had gone completely limp, his golden eyes still wide open, transfixed in horror.

“What-” Korra couldn’t believe it, “WHAT DID YOU DO!?”

That was Bolin’s brother laying on the floor in front of her!

“I took him with me to the Spirit World.” Xian coldly explained as the glow receded from his eyes, “To the Fog of Lost Souls. A place that infects the mind and slowly drives its inhabitants mad, imprisoning them in their own darkest memories.”

“Why would you do such a thing!?” She exclaimed.

“You are the avatar!” Xian said, raising his voice, “The bridge between the human and spirit worlds. If ANYONE should be able to bring him back, it’s you!”

He turned his back upon her and left. Ashina lingered for a moment, looking contemptuously at the comatose man and the helpless avatar standing above him. The glassbender quickly followed after her master.

“Xian!” Korra yelled in desperation, “Come back here! Do you hear me!? LET ME GO!”

She roared, a gout of flame bursting from her throat as she writhed and struggled in her chains. Avatar Xian didn’t look back as he walked away.

“I’LL KILL YOU!” She spat in a rage.

**************************

Tarrlok sat behind a set of bars in the attic of Air Temple Island, his hair loose and haggard as he contemplated his now pitiful existence. Along with some food, Amon had left him with a large jug of water and a cup to drink from. It almost seemed like a sadistic reminder of what he had taken from him.

The former waterbender grew tired of staring at it. He had half a mind to starve himself rather than remain here… In anger, he kicked the jug and toppled it over, spilling its contents all over the floorboards.

He heard someone coming up the stairs to the attic. Slow and methodical steps…

Amon appeared, saying nothing as he approached the cell.

“Tarrlok.” The masked man said, “I’m sorry for what I had to do to you.”

The prisoner looked at him skeptically, “Why… why would you ever be sorry for what you did to me?”

“You don’t recognize my voice.” Amon replied with a sad nod, “That’s to be expected. We were just kids back then… last I saw you.”

He lifted his hand and with it the spilled water floated up into the air. It swirled about in the air of the cell, until he poured it into the empty cup on the floor.

“You’re… a water bender?” Tarrlok asked in shock.

“And a bloodbender.” The masked man replied. Then Tarrlok understood. The revelation struck him to his core.

“Noatak.” He looked into the other man’s eyes through the mask, “Brother.”

“Yes… It’s me.” Amon sighed wistfully, “Listen. I know someone who can return your bending to you.”

Tarrlok looked back at his brother, utterly confused. First he took his bending away and now he was offering to give it back to him?

“Why would you do that?” He asked, “What happened to equalizing every bender in Republic City?”

“You’re my brother.” Amon simply answered.

Tarrlok looked at him warily.

“Father gave us a gift ...and a curse.” The masked man explained, “You could join me and together, we’ll use the power he gave us to create a better world.”

The councilman closed his eyes and looked away from his brother.

Sensing the conflict in his heart, the masked man turned away from the imprisoned man, “I understand this is… a lot to take in. Take your time and think about it.”

“What other choice do I have?” Tarrlok muttered, looking down at the cup full of water.

**************************

The following day, at the front steps of City Hall, Hiroshi Sato held a rally celebrating the Equalists’ victory. Dressed in a flight suit and bomber jacket instead of his usual refined attire, he looked like a real man of the people, “One day soon, bending will no longer exist and we will live in a world where everyone is finally equal! The United Forces are on their way right now to try and stop that dream. But we will prevail!”

Beneath the city, the remnants of Republic City’s free bender population listened to his speech over the radio, huddled together with vagabonds and refugees. According to one former telegraph operator, benders and nonbenders lived quite harmoniously down here.

“He sounds confident.” Tenzin sarcastically said as he stroked his beard.

“Don’t underestimate him like I did.” Princess Azusa crossed her arms and looked away, “With his infernal devices, anyone can incapacitate a bender if they get the drop on ‘em. Not to mention those Mecha Tanks…”

“Hey, guys.” Bolin waved as he approached the group, doing his best to keep everyone in high spirits.

“Any news on Avatar Korra?” Tenzin asked, rushing to him.

He shook his head, “Phone’s dead at my apartment… not even a ringtone.”

The airbender’s eyes went wide, “You don’t suppose… Amon got to her?”

Bolin frowned, fearing the same possibility. Azusa left the gang huddled around the radio and offered her own take, “If that was the case, wouldn’t he have announced it right away? It’s a big deal capturing the Avatar.”

“So… then she must have gone underground!” He paused, “Well, I mean… not ‘underground’ underground like us but, y’know, somewhere safe!”

“She’s lived her whole life on the run.” Tenzin closed his eyes with a melancholy sigh, “I suppose if anyone could hide from Amon, it’s her.”

“We’ll just have to hope we get a chance to look for her when my brother gets here.” Princess Azusa said.

“General Iroh?” Bolin asked.

“Yeah.” The woman nodded, “He should be here any day now…”

**************************

Korra stared at Mako, despondent and defeated. He was just out of reach… still laying on the floor, eyes wide and unblinking. His mouth was agape, like he was lifeless. He was laying so still that sometimes her worst fears got to her and she thought for a moment that he was really dead. Everytime, she calmed herself down and noted that he was still breathing…

For how long he’d remain like that, she didn’t know... The White Lotus stopped feeding him. Korra tried to refuse her own food or to make them share with him but they merely forced her to drink, pouring water down her throat with bending. Mako was in such a miserable state.

Poor Bolin…

He didn’t deserve to lose his brother. He didn’t deserve anything that had happened to him since he met her.

Korra laid down in resignation, resting her head on the cold stone floor. Down on the floor, the two of them resembled the giant depiction of Raava and Vaatu hewn on the floor, swirling Yin and Yang adorned by the four elements.

She closed her eyes, succumbing to her exhaustion and drifting from this world into the next...

A stone marker over an unmarked grave appeared in her dreams. She saw her own hand reach out and engrave upon it a name… someone she loved was at her side.

Then, she saw a gentle man’s throat getting slit and after that, a mere boy being poisoned to death in her arms. A bloody earthen spike went through the body of a bearded man…

Korra groaned and writhed in the real world as she slept, grinding her face into the stone floor, “Nghh.. No..”

The horrifying visions continued to assail her. Visions of death and loss, over and over again.

But then… blossoming at the end of a long and dark tunnel, a fair woman’s face. It was the stranger from her previous vision. She opened her arms and Korra fell into a warm and tender embrace. It was warm like a close fire.

Their lips met and all of their clothes had soon disappeared like vapor. They knelt down together and rolled into a bed of deep green silks. Comforting kisses all over… petting hair and sweet words. Fingertips drawing little lines on her skin.

All those terrible memories seemed to wash away, leaving only this tender moment of love and lust. The other woman planted her lips upon her jaw, and then her neck and collar… down to her nipples. Lower still, to her navel and her groin.

Korra moaned as a tongue danced upon her most intimate parts. A pairing of glowing, loving bronze eyes looking up at her from so low...

She woke up again, jolting upright. When she saw Mako again, her heart sank as the terrible reality of the situation returned to her.

“Kyoshi…” She looked up to the ceiling, “I finally connected with you, but… what are you trying to tell me?”

**************************

Azusa, Bolin, and Tenzin emerged from a large drainage pipe and snuck up an access stairway to an observation deck overlooking the bay.

Bolin took out a telescope and extended it to its full length. Noting that it was backwards, Azusa plucked it out of his hands and looked out over the horizon with it.

She was silent for a long time… until she saw the formation of battleships cresting the ocean waves, “There! I see them!”

Tenzin put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly, “With the United Forces here, we can finally retke Republic City.”

She smiled.

Across the water, atop a massive engine of destruction, General Iroh stood at the crow’s nest atop the First Division’s flagship. The other battleships kept in sync with the lead vessel, steam billowing out of their exhaust funnels.

“Hmm ... Amon had to know we were coming. So why aren't we meeting any resistance?” The General asked himself. A handsome man, with a proper gentleman’s haircut, striking features, and quite the distinctive voice, “Something's not right...”

There was a sudden blast from the side, one of the battleships spontaneously exploding at the edge of his vision! Amid the debris, naval mines floated to the surface beside the burning vessel.

“It’s a trick!” General Iroh yelled, grabbing a megaphone to direct his troops, “Water and earthbenders, detonate those mines!”

But then… there was a distant buzzing. A noise none of them had ever heard before.

“What is that sound?” He asked, scanning the sky.

Back at the observation deck, Azusa’s heart sank at the sight of the destruction. She clutched the telescope close to her chest and watched as strange flying machines came pouring out of the city. Airplanes, faster and more agile than any airship, armed with bombs and torpedoes.

She knelt down, wrapping her arms around her legs and looking past her knees at the devastation of the United Forces fleet- of her brother’s fleet…

**************************

Korra sat cross-legged, her fists together in her lap. She was trying so hard to concentrate on entering the Spirit World, on forming a connection with her past lives. If she could access the Avatar State, then anything was possible.

As much as she didn’t want to admit anything he said could be true, Xian was right about one thing. If there was anyone who could save this man, it would be the avatar. It HAD to be the avatar. It had to be her…

So why wasn’t it working?

Korra opened her azure eyes and looked miserably upon the man laying before her. She didn’t know him very well… but if she failed here- then what was she going to tell Bolin? If she ever even saw him again.

The woman was so caught up in her own meditative thoughts that she didn’t even notice Xian enter the room. At the sight of him, there was no longer the same all-consuming rage as before… It had dulled into a deep and residing enmity and all she wanted was to know was WHY he did this to Mako. Why was he doing any of this?

“Avatar Korra.” The man said.

“Avatar Xian.” She answered.

He looked down at the young man on the floor, “I see you’ve been unable to enter the Spirit World. That is… unfortunate.”

“Who are you, really?” She asked. Perhaps understanding him better would help her out of this situation… or more importantly, it would help her save Bolin’s brother.

The older man walked over to her and sat down beside her. He was almost… grandfatherly in his demeanor, as if he was about to impart upon her the wisdom of his years.

“I was born during the Hundred Year War.” Xian began, “On the day that Ba Sing Se fell to the Princess Regent Azula. That day, Avatar Aang battled her in the Crystal Catacombs beneath the city. He entered the Avatar State and she struck him dead with lightning.”

Everyone knew this. It was the darkest chapter in a tale told hundreds of times ever since peace was restored between the four nations.

“A short time later, the waterbender Katara brought him back to life with the healing waters of the northern Spirit Oasis. In those two brief moments, I was born. In a world without the Avatar. The universe had a purpose for me, though I would not learn of it until much later.”

Korra looked into his eyes. He wasn’t lying...

“I grew up with a strong connection to the spirits.” He continued, “I was but a boy the first time I entered the Spirit World. There I would spend much of my time, where I learned of many ancient things and cultivated my energies.”

“When I was born in that fleeting world without the avatar, I was endowed with something primordial and cosmic, more fundamental than even the spirit of Raava. I believe it to be a manifestation of every avatar from every age’s most primal fear- the end of the cycle. You could call it… a fail-safe, in case the unimaginable ever happened. Fortunately, there was never any need for me to fulfill this role. Avatar Aang went on to defeat Fire Lord Ozai and restore harmony to the world. I was content to live out the rest of my days as a traveler in the Spirit World.”

“So then what happened to change all that? Why are you working with Amon?” Korra asked, a hint of righteous indignation in her voice, “Why are you after me!?”

“Because you opened the Northern Spirit Portal.” He said matter-of-factly, “When the Red Lotus took you in, Unalaq had his own plans, didn’t he?”

She looked away and frowned.

Korra was just five years old when she was separated from her parents. Her uncle Unalaq took her to live with him in the Northern Water Tribe, sheltering the girl from all the ‘bad people’ who wanted to hurt her. Namely, the White Lotus who killed her parents. Though she was not a fully fledged avatar, Unalaq immediately began educating her in the spiritual traditions of the Water Tribe.

When she was just twelve, he bid her to open the Northern Spirit Portal and it nearly killed her. She managed to do it… but was on the verge of death for a long time. Betrayed and hurt, the young avatar was rescued again by Zaheer and the other members of the Red Lotus. Ever since then… they raised her as one of their own. It still pained her to think about- being abused by her own uncle like that.

“Do you know what will happen when Harmonic Convergence is upon us?” The white-haired avatar asked.

She shook her head. Unalaq and Zaheer had taught her the words but not their significance.

“It is very likely that a terrible dark spirit named Vaatu will emerge from the porta-.” He gestured to the image of the demonic phantom emblazoned upon the floor, curling around them, “-and plunge the world into ten thousand years of darkness.”

He was serious...

“In these circumstances, it is the avatar’s role and destiny to do battle with the spirit of Vaatu and to ensure that he remains imprisoned for another ten thousand years.”

“So then why are you doing all of this!?” She exclaimed, her patience running thin, “Why aren’t you helping me so I can fight this Vaatu and save the world!?”

“If you cannot save one man, how can you save the world?” He asked, stunning her into silence. She dared not look at Mako... “If you cannot pass from our world into the Spirit World, how can you be the bridge between them? How do you expect to defeat Vaatu if you cannot even harness the Avatar State?”

She had nothing to say… thoughts came but all of her words clogged up in her throat.

“I wanted to test you, Korra…” He sighed, “-and you’ve failed.Twice now, when the world needed its Avatar the most, you vanished and plunged the world into chaos.”

“That’s not true.” She protested, “I’ve always been here! I can fight Vaatu. Just let me try! If you’re so damn concerned about this dark spirit then we should be fighting it together!”

“No.” Xian said, standing up and looking straight ahead, “Only the Avatar can defeat Vaatu. I can only bend energy and even if I gave an element to every nonbender in the world, it would still not be enough...”

“So let. me. try.” Korra said through clenched teeth.

“No.” He forcefully repeated, “If you fail, then we are all lost. No… I will use my powers not to open or close the Spirit Portals but to sever them entirely. This will destroy the connection between our worlds… and with it, the bending of everyone.”

“What?” Her eyes went wide.

“It’s either that… or we suffer ten thousand years of darkness.” He sighed with melancholy.

“Please.” She started to beg, her chains rankling, “I can do it! Harmonic Convergence isn’t for another year! I have a year!”

He stepped over Mako’s comatose body and made his way across the giant relief of Raava and Vaatu to the other end of the room.

“PLEASE!”

Awaiting him on the other side was a group of four people. Ashina the glassbender and three Equalists. Xian walked past them without a word and they approached Korra.

The avatar looked up to see the Chi Blockers were led by a woman wearing a hood and a cloth over her mouth. She had beautiful glimmering green eyes and a slim figure beneath her Equalist garb.

“Avatar Korra.” The other woman spoke.

“...Asami Sato?” She narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brow in confusion. What was she doing here? Then it all clicked. Of course, after all that, Xian had left her to confront her biggest failure. Mako had said they were working together now...

“I’m so sorry.” Korra shook her head, “I never meant to hurt you. What happened to you… I never meant for you to-”

“I know.” The softly heiress replied, crouching low. A part of her feared being so close to the avatar, knowing that she could still breathe fire and hurt her again… but Asami wanted to confront her fears. She wanted to know who she was and what she was doing with her life, “...but you- you ruined me.”

Korra looked away in shame, “You… attacked me first.”

“To keep us both alive!” Asami exclaimed, “I was trying to get control of the car so we didn’t crash! -and that’s exactly what happened, wasn’t it? Because of you.”

“It was an accident.” The avatar said, her resistance faltering.

“You’re the avatar.” Asami coldly stated, “If even the avatar can’t control her power… then maybe benders don’t deserve to have that power.”

The heiress stood up, looking at Ashina with a certain redirected spitefulness. Then her gaze turned downward at Mako…

“What happened to him?” Asami asked.

“Avatar Xian removed his mind from his body.” The glassbender said plainly.

Asami looked back at her, incredulous, “So… what’s going to happen to him!?”

“Well…” The glassbender looked almost bored with the conversation, “If he doesn’t reunite his spirit and his body, he’ll die of starvation or something. Then I guess his mind will be trapped in the other world forever.”

The Equalist was mortified. She could understand Avatar Korra’s situation... but this was just cruelty! These were supposed to be Amon’s allies?

“We’re taking him too.” Asami declared.

“He’s a vegetable.” Ashina coldly remarked, “He might not ever wake up. Besides… why do you even care? He’s a bender.”

The hooded woman turned to one of the Chi Blockers, “Take him to a hospital and make sure they put him on life support.” then back to Ashina, “This is a bloodless revolution. We don’t kill and maim our enemies. That’s what makes us different.”

“Suit yourself.” The glassbender shrugged.

Korra watched the Chi Blocker pick Mako up, grabbing the comatose firebender’s arm and lifting him up in a fireman’s carry. She was too fixated on it to notice the other Chi Blocker walking around to her rear.

He pummeled her lower back up her spine with a flurry of lightweight jabs, blocking her ability to bend. Then, with a precise strike on the back of her head, she once more fell unconscious…

**************************

Central City Station was once the hub for commerce and travel in Republic City, with train lines going outbound all the way to Ba Sing Se. For nearly fifty years, the statue of Fire Lord Zuko in front bore an ever-burning flame high into the air, symbolizing the perpetual light of unity. The Equalists snuffed it out during their rebellion.

Since then, transit had completely frozen. Even so, it was kept on constant guard. Mecha Tanks lined the premises, with Equalists patrolling the massive and lonely interior. Once bustling with life, its arched halls were now eerily empty.

As the sun was about to dip into the horizon, a screeching roar from afar alerted the Equalists to something far down the track. They peered over from the edge of the rail platform as a little black dot on the horizon got bigger and louder on the approach.

The snow was coming down pretty hard and a train was coming from the east…

The Chi blockers looked at one another in confusion. The locomotive began to decelerate as it neared the station, the chug-chug-chug of the engine slowing down until it was a slurring dull drone. It stopped at the end of the platform and the doors opened up.

Equalists boarded the passenger cars, immediately searching every seat and finding the train… rather deserted. Two of the revolutionaries saw in their car a man sitting by the window towards the back.

They made their way over and approached him, brandishing their electrified gloves. When they got to his seat, they made sure to let the current crackle and hum in their weapons to emphasize the threat they posed.

“Any benders on board?” One of them asked.

The man looked up at them. He seemed to be in his mid or late thirties with narrow hazel eyes, a scar over his brow, and a cauliflower ear. His features were gruff and chiseled and his dark hair was cut close, but a little messy and natural.

He looked immediately to the glove, fascinated with its design.

“Hey!” The Equalist barked, “You deaf!? Are you a bender or not!?”

The stranger grabbed the man’s wrist and thumb, twisting until the Equalist was bent over with his arm up over his head. Electricity jolted from the green emitter on the device’s palm, harmlessly dissipating into the air.

“So this is how you did it…” The stranger observed, “With this, anyone can fight like a Chi Blocker.”

He broke the Equalist’s arm, then kicked the man’s knee out from under him and threw him out of the way. The revolutionary screamed in agony as his comrade backed away and shouted to the others outside, “H-help!”

The martial artist grabbed the valves on the second man’s mask and smashed it into his knee, cracking the goggles. Then he slammed it on the wooden frame of one of the other seats, knocking the Equalist unconscious.

He made his way down the aisle and was quickly confronted with reinforcements. Five Chi Blockers crammed into the train car to meet him. None of them needed any fancy devices to help them- they were trained fighters. The nearest one whirled a pair of bolas over her head.

The martial artist reached into his sleeve and snapped his hand out towards his opponent. A flash of steel shot across the train car and the Chi Blocker yelped in pain, her bolas flying harmlessly into the ceiling. A bloody knife lodged in her shoulder and before she could even clutch at it, the stranger had crossed the gap and knocked the wind out of her with a punch to the gut.

He shoulder-checked her out of the way, grabbing the knife as he went. He stabbed it deep into the thigh of the next Chi Blocker, who howled and bent over. This left him wide open for a jumping knee that shattered his goggles and sent him flying backwards. The next Equalist aimed a kick at the stranger’s gut but he caught it and elbowed the knee until it bent the wrong way.

Only a few seconds had passed outside the train, the remaining Equalists waiting in uncertainty for their comrades to return. Those in the Mecha Tanks surrounding the passenger car remained ready for whatever danger this ominous train brought with it…

The sounds of violence had died down and the masked revolutionaries all relaxed a bit when they saw one of their own emerging out of the door. The Chi Blocker fell face-forward onto the platform, knocked out cold.

Zaheer stepped out of the car, scanning all the enemies arrayed before him.

Before anyone could react, one of the Mecha Tanks began to sink into the platform. A nearby Chi Blocker shouted in a panic at the sight of lava eating away at its tracks, melting the metal. Ghazan was at the source of the lava with a confident grin.

Another Mecha Tank started revving its engine and was about to charge Zaheer when it suddenly stopped. Inside, the pilot started screaming in a panic as the cockpit began to flood with water. It was filling faster than he could unbuckle himself. Ming-Hua jumped atop the machine from behind, water tendrils sucking up into her empty sleeves.

A third Mecha Tank snapped open its claws and a thick plume of smoke blew out of its exhaust pipes as it prepared to attack.

Pa-pum-BOOM!

A line shot through the air, waves of concussive force radiating out in segments until it darted right into the cockpit through its viewing port. The tank blew up from the inside, raining twisted metal and other debris onto the platform.

P’Li stood up from her position atop the train, watching the rest of the Equalists flee for their lives. She hopped off and landed next to Zaheer on the ground, and soon Ghazan and Ming-hua joined them.

“Alright.” Zaheer said, looking over his comrades in the Red Lotus, “Let’s find Korra.”

Chapter Text

Previously on Blooming Red Lotus…

Mako fell at Korra’s feet. He had gone completely limp, his golden eyes still wide open, transfixed in horror.

“What-” Korra couldn’t believe it, “WHAT DID YOU DO!?”

“I took him with me to the Spirit World.” Xian coldly explained as the glow receded from his eyes, “To the Fog of Lost Souls. A place that infects the mind and slowly drives its inhabitants mad, imprisoning them in their own darkest memories.”

“You are the avatar!” Xian said, raising his voice, “The bridge between the human and spirit worlds. If ANYONE should be able to bring him back, it’s you!”

“I’LL KILL YOU!” Korra screamed.

…

Amon unmasked himself before Tarrlok in his prison cell, “Listen. I know someone who can return your bending to you. Father gave us a gift ...and a curse.” The Equalist leader explained, “You could join me and together, we’ll use the power he gave us to create a better world.”

“What other choice do I have?” Tarrlok muttered, looking down at the cup full of water.

…

“A terrible dark spirit named Vaatu will emerge from the portal and plunge the world into ten thousand years of darkness.” Avatar Xian explained, “In these circumstances, it is the avatar’s role and destiny to do battle with the spirit of Vaatu.”

“If you cannot save one man, how can you save the world?” He asked, stunning her into silence. She dared not look at Mako... “If you cannot pass from our world into the Spirit World, how can you be the bridge between them? How do you expect to defeat Vaatu if you cannot even harness the Avatar State?”

…

At Central City Station… Zaheer, Ghazan, Ming-hua, and P’Li looked up at the falling snow. Around them were three destroyed Equalist mecha-tanks and a score of unconscious chi blockers.

“Alright.” Zaheer said, looking over his comrades in the Red Lotus, “Let’s find Korra.”

**************************
**************************
**************************

Many years ago…

In the North Pole, a forest lingered in the middle of the frozen snow, given life in the cold by the powerful spiritual energy of the portal. In the center, there was a sheet of ice covering a large hole where a warm glow of pure energy emanated from.

“Uncle…” An adolescent Korra looked back, to see the chief of the Northern Water Tribe. Unalaq was watching her from afar.

“I’m not sure I can do this…” The girl confessed.

“You can.” He said with a warm smile, “I believe in you.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat and knelt down right over the glow beneath the ice. She put a single finger down onto the sheet and recoiled from the frigid cold touch.

“Enter the Avatar state!” Unalaq commanded, his voice turning acidic, “With this power… you’ll be able to go to the Spirit World and visit the spirits of your parents!”

The girl’s eyes began to tear up, “Uncle… I don’t know if-”

“YOU MUST!” He barked, “THINK OF THAT DAY! Think back to the day we saved your life- the day your parents were killed by the White Lotus! What will you do when you find their killers!? Are you going to cry!? Harness your power! Be the Avatar! Use their deaths, Korra! Use it to become strong!!”

“M-mom!” Her voice quaked, “Dad….”

She grit her teeth as tears began to stream down her face and instantly freeze on her cheeks. Korra brushed them aside as a flickering white glow came to her eyes. Korra let out a primal roar and punched the ice beneath her, a crack forming upon the glass-like layer above the glow.

Rings of golden energy radiated out from where she struck the ice…

The glow of the Avatar State faded… just as a pillar of gold light burst forth from the ice, completely enveloping her and blinding Unalaq…

**************************

Voices argued around Korra as the child slept, drifting in and out of consciousness.

“Unnnhhh.” She moaned, rolling over and holding her stomach. P’Li knelt down beside her and rubbed her forehead. It was so warm… The warmest thing she had felt in a very long time.

The arguing voices belonged to Unalaq and Zaheer. One of them was her uncle by blood, the other her uncle by trust. Ghazan and Ming-hua were also in the room, though they remained silent.

“What were you thinking- making her open the Spirit Portal?” Zaheer shook his head, “She’s too young.”

“Why don’t you leave these spiritual matters to me?” Unalaq replied with an annoyed sigh, “You’re a fighter.”

“What if she never recovers!?” Zaheer growled, uncharacteristically angry, “What if this stunt of yours had killed her!?”

“It will take more than that to kill an avatar.” The waterbender coldly replied.

Zaheer grabbed the man by the collar and thrust him against the wall, “How dare you!?”

Unalaq furrowed his brow and smiled maliciously, “Are you getting soft, Zaheer? What happened to your grand plan with the avatar? …You know how this is all supposed to end.”

Zaheer released him and turned to his comrades, “We’re taking Korra with us.”

“You can’t! I’m her uncle.”

“Are you going to stop us?” Zaheer said, not even bothering to turn around. Every adult in the room knew Unalaq stood no chance against the four of them.

Back in the present day, Korra groggily came to. As the dream began to fade from memory, she found herself in the back of a truck, being attended to by several masked Chi Blockers. Her hands and ankles were bound in rope with a gag in her mouth.

Her impulse was to fight… but remembering her powerlessness to stop Xian from hurting Bolin’s brother, Korra’s anger and will to resist evaporated.

Instead she closed her eyes and tried to center herself, relaxing despite her constraints. She focused on entering the Avatar state.

**************************

“Alrighty, miss.” Gommu the homeless park-dweller cracked his knuckles as he sat down by the telegraph machine, “One top secret message coming up!”

The ‘resistance’ had made their home in the underground tunnels beneath Republic City, an ironic reversal of the situation that once saw the Equalists as guerillas and benders as surface-dwellers.

Princess Azusa forced a small sad smile of gratitude to Gommu and recited her message to the telegraph operator, “Azusa to Bumi. Iroh ambushed by Equalist aircraft. New technology. Fleet destroyed. Stay away. I say again- stay away from Republic City.”

Gommu tapped the message out with deft alacrity and then gave the princess a thumb’s up.

“Hey…” Bolin put a comforting hand on her shoulder, “Your brother could still be alright. I saw some boats coming out to the wreckage… so… maybe he got picked up?”

She turned to him with a grateful smile. A princess always had to be grateful… “Picked up by the Equalists, you mean?”

“Maybe… Maybe not. For what it’s worth, I know how you feel.” He said with a sigh, “I got a brother too… but I haven’t heard from him in awhile. He’s a bender so…”

“I’m sure he’s alright.” The woman replied, taking his hand in her own. Little did any of them know the dreadful truth of the matter…

Tenzin stood behind them, his thoughts drifting to his own brother. Bumi was crazy enough to disregard the warning and try to liberate the city… He hoped that the wild man would heed Azusa’s warning. Those flying machines were an insult to his sensibilities as an Airbender. They looked like gliders in a way… but they dropped bombs.

Tenzin felt something… strange. His forehead hurt. A great pressure squeezed at his temples. It was a familiar sensation. One that he felt as a young airbender first training with Oogi the Sky Bison. His father had warned him about flying too high too quickly… or descending too quickly. One had to go slowly and gradually or else they’d fall unconscious or worse. This sudden onset of pain was… air pressure! He growled and grit his teeth.

Everyone else was groaning as well. They were clutching at their heads and looking to one another in confusion.

“What’s… going on!? It hurts!” Bolin asked, wincing.

“I don’t know!!” Azusa shouted, cringing in place.

Then there was screaming.

“It’s the Equalists!” One of the refugees shouted.

Just like that, their refuge had been invaded. Chi Blockers and Bola-wielding insurgents appeared from the shadows, dropping from manhole covers pried open from above. A few explosions blew open new entrances to the underground passages.

Tenzin sprang into action, blasting the nearest foe with a graceful and elegant display of air bending. He intercepted another as they were about to electrocute a bystander, blowing the Equalist off his feet.

“Bolin, was it?” The man spared him one glance before returning his attention to the battle, “Help me fight them off. Azusa, can you-”

“-go to your family, right?” She asked, “Keep them hidden?”

He nodded and she immediately took off deeper into the underground encampment

Bolin stomped a boulder up into the air and then hurled it towards one of their adversaries. More Equalists kept coming, swarming their last refuge.

“What… did they do to our heads?” Bolin grit his teeth, “This really hurts, y’know…”

Tenzin put two fingers up to his temple. He was more resistant to it than the others but that didn’t mean he could totally ignore it…

“It’s… air pressure.” He growled, “Maybe some kind of new technology...”

Bolin had heard those two words before. Something about… submarines? The Water Tribe used them in the war. As a kid, he remembered reading a comic serial about Sokka inventing them and thought it was the coolest thing ever. Now wasn’t the time to reminisce though! Bolin lifted a slab of the earth beneath an incoming Mecha Tank and pinned it against the ceiling.

In the din of the chaos, Tenzin saw a strange figure amongst the Equalists. They were not dressed like the others. They wore white and blue robes… it was a White Lotus! A young man with a shaved head, six ‘dots’ adorning his forehead, scars from ritual incense burning. He stood side by side with a criminal they had all recognized- Amon’s lieutenant, the long-mustached man in a mask wielding two electrified kali sticks!

“You should have no problem handling them now.” The monk said with a condescending look down to his nose, “They can’t focus with migraines like that.”

“We don’t need you, bender.” The Lieutenant spat.

“Tell that to your master, Amon.” The monk sneered with satisfaction.

“He’ll equalize you and your ‘avatar’ once this is all said and done.”

The Lieutenant, clearly displeased with this alliance, left the monk to challenge Tenzin and Bolin. He came in hard and fast, brandishing his weapons. Bolin engaged first, trying to sweep his legs out from under him with a wave of earth bending but the fighter jumped over it and flew through the air with his electrified sticks brandished for an overhead aerial strike.

Tenzin blew him off course with a single gesture, sending the lieutenant somersaulting into some rather fragile furniture stacked up against the wall.

The monk laughed at his comrade’s dismay. He held his belly and pointed, unable to contain himself. Tenzin turned his attention upon the stranger.

“Those robes.” Tenzin said to the man, “You’re with the White Lotus…”

The stranger closed his eyes and nodded in the affirmative, “What a pleasure to finally witness a true Airbending master at work.”

“Why are you working with the Equalists!?” Tenzin demanded to know, “You have comrades in the order who are benders! Amon has taken their bending!”

“Well,” The monk slyly smiled, “Whatever Amon takes, Xian can return. I’m a bender too, you know. Don’t lump me in with these revolutionaries. Come quietly and I won’t hurt you anymore.”

“Anymore?” Tenzin furrowed his brow.

The lieutenant got up out of the debris and readied himself for round two, advancing more cautiously towards Bolin and Tenzin. Bolin readied himself with a pit fighter’s stance. The Airbender kept his gaze focused on the monk.

“Not going to surrender?” The White Lotus shrugged, “Suit yourself.”

He adopted an unusual fighting stance, one that seemed reminiscent of the Air Nomads to Tenzin’s eye… but this wasn’t any technique that he recognized. The monk spread his arms out wide and then brought them together in a clap.

Everyone in front of him, including the Equalists, cried out in pain and fell to their knees.

“Bastard…” The Lieutenant growled, dropping his kali sticks to the floor.

“Owowowowowow!!” Bolin fell to his knees.

Their heads were pounding, the agony overwhelming for all of them but Tenzin. It was no machine that had produced the sudden blast of air pressure! He girded himself and thrust his palm out to counterattack.

The monk smiled and parried the blast with airbending of his own! The two gusts of wind dissipated between them, making their robes flutter harmlessly from the impact.

“You’re… an airbender?” Tenzin’s eyes went wide, “How!?”

The monk made no reply but stretched his arms out wide for another air pressure attack. In a split second, Tenzin considered his options…

“Bolin!” Tenzin shouted, “Get ready!”

The earthbender thrust his palms into the ground, conjuring up a dome around him. Whether he knew it or not, this was the perfect defense. An enclosed space like that would create an air pocket, immune to any changes in air pressure.

Unfortunately, Tenzin had no such defense. Not unless he learned how to bend the air like that too…

The next clap brought him down to his knees. He heard the lieutenant screaming in agony along with two other Equalists who had been unfortunate enough to be caught in the monk’s attack.

Tenzin countered with a two-hit combo of air bending. One was a direct hit, exactly like the last, but the second was a gust from the right, a sneak attack hidden behind the first.

With just that first parry, Tenzin had seen a weakness in the monk’s defense. The overconfident monk effortlessly parried the first strike again… but the follow-up attack caught him by surprise, knocking the White Lotus onto the floor.

But then the equalists renewed their attack. Tenzin could not press his advantage with so many of them swarming him. He had to dodge an electrified bola shot from a mecha-tank, then evade a Chi blocker coming at him at close range.

The monk got to his feet and readied another deadly clap… but a woman grabbed his wrist before he could bring his hands together. It was his comrade in the White Lotus, Ashina the glass bender.

“Enough, Arun.” The woman said, “Amon wants them alive.”

“Really? Since when do I care about what Amon wants?” The monk scoffed. The two argued as Tenzin fought off the swarm of Equalists in front of them.

“Avatar Xian cares.” She said, “We’re helping them this one time. It’ll take the heat off of us if the Equalists take over Republic City- the whole world’s eyes will be on them. Besides… we’re after the same thing anyway.”

“Yeah, but they’re idiots.” Arun said with a spiteful smile, shrugging out of her grip.

“These infernal machines…” Tenzin grit his teeth as a pair of Mecha-tanks steadily advanced upon him. It took multiple blasts of air bending just to knock one back…

He found himself pushed back to the dome created by Bolin… then it collapsed behind him. Ashina had pulled it down, using more traditional earth bending instead of her weapon of choice.

“Bolin, I-” Tenzin looked over his shoulder to find the boy was… nowhere to be found! A hole in the ground indicated he seemed to have tunneled away. Then the debris from the torn down dome began to climb up the airbender’s body, capturing him. Ashina had her palm outstretched.

The Equalists surrounded him as Ashina and Arun stood side-by-side before their captive.

Ashina nodded to the lieutenant, “He’s all yours.”

“Why is Xian in league with the Equalists? How can you airbend!?” Tenzin demanded, “Who are you!?”

“It’s ‘Avatar Xian’ to you.” Ashina said with contempt.

“There’s only one Avatar.” Tenzin replied, “-and her name is Korra. Your master is an imposter that we’ve only tolerated until now.”

“Too little, too late.” Arun laughed, “You know… I just realized something. Amon’s gonna take your airbending away and that’ll make me… the last air bender. Heh heh. Unless Avatar Xian makes more of us, I suppose.”

“More?” The airbending master furrowed his brow, “Xian can… make air benders?”

Then a strike to the back of his head from a Chi Blocker knocked him unconscious.

**************************

Korra had been moved from place to place, kept chi blocked and bound every step of the way. She was currently in what looked to be… a gymnasium? There was training equipment- weights and earth bending discs. Kegs of water and emergency fire blankets. Salty sea air also filled her nostrils. This was a place where benders honed their art… A strange place for the Equalists to keep her.

Korra closed her eyes, shutting out the world around her. She had to enter the avatar state… she had to reconnect with her past lives. She centered herself.

Moments turned to minutes, minutes into hours, consciousness into a daze.

The avatar’s thoughts drifted into the abstract. Long hours of meditation with Unalaq and Zaheer had made her spiritually keen even in these circumstances. She no longer felt the ropes binding her, no longer smelled the sea or heard the silence of isolation. She searched for peace.

Thoughts unbidden came to her, like memories… but these were not her own memories.

She felt paint dabbing upon her cheek and her lips. She felt the earth, hunger, and deceit.

She saw a man. Jade-green eyes… handsome and solid. Earthebender. Not Bolin. But a scoundrel like him… Was this a lover? No. He never was. Almost. He could have been… The memories turned painful.

Then she felt a kiss. Korra’s lips parted. It was a woman’s kiss. Someone else now. A fire bender? Yes. Azusa? No… Azula? No… These weren’t Aang’s memories. Whose memories were they then? The kissing woman was beautiful. She wore a uniform and had a top-knot.

The kiss turned painful on her lips. But then there was another planted upon her neck… down her collar… upon her breasts, over her stomach… and between her thighs. She felt a tongue upon her sex. Dancing. Loving. She felt her hands intertwining with another’s.

She felt the tongue upon her womanhood replaced by something else… Something wet rubbing against her own wet pussy. It was in fact another woman’s sex. They joined their bodies together in passionate tribadism, clasping their hands between each other as they leaned back and braced themselves with one hand, their bodies mirroring one another as they thrust their hips back and forth, rubbing their pussies together. Moaning… crying with joy… cumming.

Korra’s eyes flickered white, flashing for just a few moments. She heard someone calling out her name in ecstasy. Calling out her name in orgasmic bliss. Her name was…

“Kyoshi!”

Korra woke up, the white light fading from her eyes. She shook herself and relaxed her muscles, leaning back against the wall. Her nipples were hard, her sex moist.

“Kyoshi…” She murmured, “W-why are you showing me this? What are you trying to tell me? Now’s not the time to be thinking about sex…”

The woman sighed and closed her eyes. It couldn’t have just been about sex. Kyoshi wouldn’t waste her time with some avatar wet dreams… so what was it about?

What else did she feel back then?

…Love?

**************************

“Azusa!” Bolin called out, running through the camp.

The woman was fighting hand-to-hand with Equalists in front of Pema as she carried baby Rohan in her arms. While she put up a good fight, the princess was at a severe disadvantage without her fire bending. Tenzin’s children Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo were also fighting, despite their young age. To their credit, the equalists seemed completely unprepared to combat even their novice air bending.

Bolin cleared the equalists away from Azusa with a quake that arced harmlessly around Azusa and Pema.

“What happened to Tenzin!?” Azusa asked. Pema, suddenly alerted that her husband was in danger, repeated the question, “What happened to Tenzin!?”

Bolin shrugged, “That monk guy… he’s doing some kind of air pressure thing. I think he’s… an air bender!”

“How did you get away?” Azusa asked.

“Uh… Secret tunnel?” Bolin shrugged.

A wall exploded with a dust cloud and a mecha-tank rolled out to confront them. It was enough of a distraction for a Chi blocker to get the drop on Jinora, striking her in a flurry of blows that left her unable to bend. Her mother cried out, painfully incapable of defending her children.

“Jinora!” Ikki shouted moments before a bola wrapped around her body and bound her in place.

The mecha-tank rolled up in front of Meelo, its electrified claw arm snapping open. It was hard to imagine what that thing would do to a child…

“Meelo!” Pema shook her head, “Don’t fight them!”

The boy looked back at his mother, considering her words. In a life and death situation, even a wild child like Meelo couldn’t deny a parent’s concern.

“Bolin…” Azusa looked back to him. He was too far away to do anything for them, “I’ll stay with them. You get out of here.”

“...What?” He shook his head in disbelief.

“It’s not like they can take my bending away a second time.” The princess said with a sad smile, “You tunnel out of here and find Korra. Get ‘em on the rematch.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head… but there was nothing he could do. An Equalist grabbed Meelo as Pema reluctantly surrendered herself to the others.

“Go!” Azusa shouted.

The Equalists did not care to let him escape. They threw a bolas at him and he deflected it with a block of earth. Another charged at him but was dispatched with a boulder. Still, there were too many of them…

Bolin tore down a segment of the wall, opening a hole in the passageway. With one last glance back at Azusa and Tenzin’s family, he stepped inside the tunnel and brought down the entrance behind him.

**************************

Azusa was brought back to Air Temple island, separated from the others. They were taken to the pro bending arena, much to her dismay. Already she had failed to keep her promise to stay with Pema and her kids. She had hoped that Tenzin and Bolin got away. She hoped that Korra was still safe as well…

It was little consolation to her, though. The kids were going to have their bending taken away… It incensed her to no end- that Amon would do such a thing to children. She took in her surroundings, at Air Temple Island under occupation. She hated the sight of such a spiritual place now made into a headquarters for the Equalists. Their banners and propaganda hung up all over the place.

The princess was brought into the main office, the sole place of bureaucracy and business on the island. It was where Tenzin would conduct his council duties at home. It seemed that Asami had now made it her own.

The heiress herself was there, waiting for her former lover. Azusa was surprised and saddened to see her.

Asami wore a puffy flight jacket and tight leather pants. Her mouth was covered in a black cloth mask, covering half of her face. The burned half.

“Asami.” Azusa muttered, “So you ended up joining them, huh? Guess I didn’t mean much to you.”

“Don’t even.” The woman replied with a self-righteous glare.

“I lost my bending!” Azusa shouted, “Amon took away my fire!”

“He didn’t hurt you! He didn’t ruin your face!” Asami raised her voice, her green eyes sharpening with rage.

“...What?” Azusa was confused.

“Your friend. The avatar.” Asami said with an accusatory tone, “She did THIS.”

The heiress pulled away the mask, revealing the burn scars across her mouth and jaw. The princess’ eyes went wide, “...H-how?”

“She wasn’t who she said was. So I asked her. She was driving and wasn’t looking where she was going. She could have crashed… she DID crash. I tried to stop it.” Asami pulled her mask back up.

“So it was an accident?” Azusa asked.

“She burned me.”

The princess sat down in a chair with a sigh, “It was a mistake.”

“I was trying to protect us both!” The scarred woman exclaimed, “Nobody would have gotten seriously hurt. And… you lied to me! You knew who she was, didn’t you!?”

The princess looked away, “What happened to you was a mistake. What happened to me is all part of the plan, right? YOUR plan?”

“I was in the hospital!” Asami shot back, “You should be glad. Amon didn’t hurt you! He didn’t ruin your face” Asami raised her voice, her green eyes sharpening with rage.

“Yeah!” Azusa shouted back, “He just took away my bending! My identity! The warmth and fire that I shared with you!”

The princess jabbed an accusatory finger at the other woman, “That passion we had. That was fueled by fire.”

“Was it just sex for you!?” Asami bitterly retorted.

The other woman went silent and shook her head, “No. You were my friend.”

“Just your friend? Nothing more?”

“...Did you think we were anything more?” Azusa sighed, “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. You’re with them now. So tell me… is my brother dead or not?”

Asami closed her eyes and sat down in a chair behind the desk, “He’s alive… but in critical condition. He won’t be attending Amon’s little rally tonight.”

“What do you mean?”

“Amon’s got Tenzin and the Avatar. He’s going to equalize them at the Pro Bending arena. Republic City belongs to us now. I wish things were different but… Amon is right- bending has started every war in history. It killed my mother. Your Fire Nation killed so many people-”

“-until it was defeated by the avatar AND my grandfather.” Azusa fiercely replied, “They were both benders, you know.”

Asami looked away, “The world’s going to be a better place…”

“Are you sure about that?” The princess tilted her head, “Because I thought my head was going to explode when that White Lotus friend of yours started messing with the air. Speaking of, isn’t it funny that Amon should work alongside benders like that. So much for his vision, huh? Guess I coulda kept my bending if I just chose the right side.”

The heiress looked away with a sigh, gazing out the window across the bay to the pro bending arena, “I hope you can learn to live without your bending like the rest of us… I wish we could still be friends.”

Azusa narrowed her eyes on the other woman, “...You said he’s got Tenzin and Korra?”

Asami nodded.

“Anyone else?” The former fire bender asked.

“Tenzin’s kids. Most of the metal bending police force. Chief Beifong’s already had her bending removed. All the council and the triads too. In fact, Tarrlok’s here on the island too.”

No mention of Bolin, Azusa thought with relief… though to be fair, he was just a stranger to Asami. Still, there was hope that he had escaped.

“I have to go.” Asami stood up, grabbing a pilot’s helmet off her desk. She walked past Azusa to the door, where two Chi Blockers were outside waiting.

“Take her back to her room.” The heiress commanded, “We’ll talk later when I get back.”

**************************

Equalist mecha-tanks guarded the exterior of the Pro Bending Arena as an airship hovered above. Inside, the seats were packed with supporters of the cause, new and old. Amon rose up on an elevator to a crowd roaring in adulation.

He raised his arm up to address them, “Thank you all for joining me on this historic occasion!”

The masked man looked out across the crowd, in awe of the myriad that had come to follow him, “When I was a boy, a firebender struck down my entire family and left me scarred. That tragic event began my quest to equalize the world.”

“The spirits have given me a mandate to cleanse this world of the pain and inequality caused by bending. Today, we have taken Republic City… tomorrow, we will take the rest of the Republic! Even as we speak, Hiroshi Sato is leading our new flying air force to destroy the Republic fleet at anchor. In a few minutes, they will fly over this stadium. So cheer them on and wish them all a safe return!”

The crowd roared.

“Now… for our main event.” The masked man said.

Two platforms ascended by elevator to the stage. Tenzin and his family were on one, everyone except Pema and the newborn. Korra was on the other platform. The prisoners were gagged and attended by Chi blockers. Tenzin exchanged a sad glance at the young woman across the way, mourning the ways things had turned out. Things truly seemed dire…

“Tonight, I rid the world of airbending forever.” Amon declared, gesturing towards one platform. Then he gestured to the other, “But also… I will rid the world of the avatar.”

The crowd went utterly silent, all their eyes falling upon the dark-skinned woman in bondage across the way. Murmurs began to rise up from the seats.

“Yes. You heard correctly. That is Avatar Korra. Like her predecessor, she abandoned the world when we needed her most. But now… I am proud to declare to you that the world doesn’t need an avatar anymore! Not when we can have… Equality.”

The crowd was still hushed.

“I sense some of you may not believe me.” The masked man said, his voice twinged with a curious slyness, “Very well.”

He walked to the center of the stage as his Equalists loosened Korra’s bonds. One of them jabbed at her Chi points, unlocking her ability to bend again. The avatar looked at them in confusion and took a step away now that she could move freely.

“Avatar Korra.” Amon said, still clutching a microphone, “Let me offer you a chance for your freedom. Defeat me in combat and I will let you and the airbenders go free. But if you lose… your bending is forfeit.”

The woman stood up, rubbing her sore wrists. She didn’t have much of a choice… and she understood exactly what this was all about. She had to prove in front of everyone that she truly was the avatar. He wanted witnesses.

…but if she could beat him, then maybe she could also rescue Tenzin and enact some sort of escape.

“You’re on.” She growled, advancing towards him at the center of the stage.

The mob was cheering for their leader. Most of his followers were new, joining the movement when it seemed unstoppable. They had heard only rumors of their leader’s prowess.

“Show everyone what the Avatar can do.” Amon said, narrowing his eyes behind his pale white mask.

Korra took up a fire bending stance, ready for battle. This would be her one chance… her last chance. She wished it was that bastard Xian before her. If he was here, she’d make him pay. The woman promised herself that after she put down Amon, Xian was gonna be next…

“Let us… begin!” Amon shouted.

Just then, the glass above them shattered and sounds of distant explosions seized his attention. There was another airship above them! It had the Equalist banners draped across its hull but was clearly commandeered for some other purpose. Rappel ropes descended into the arena with metal disc platforms to stand on. The crowd began to panic as unknown figures descended upon the scene.

Korra took the opportunity to launch an assault on Amon, hurling flame at the masked man. He deftly dodged left and right, sliding out of the way with grace and precision.

“Korra!” A voice shouted from above, catching both fighters’ attention.

“Zaheer!” She replied with a smile, her eyes wide in disbelief. If there was anyone in the world she could count on, it was him.

The brawler hopped off of one of the rappels, with Ming-hua and Ghazan descending nearby.

Equalists started swinging their bolas but Ghazan and Ming-hua were faster on the draw. When Ghazan landed on the arena, he turned half of it into lava. Most of the Equalists on that side were lucky enough to jump off into the waters below… but some were not.

Ming-hua pulled up water originally intended for pro-bending, bending it first into tentacles and then into deadly blades. She was the most merciless of the three, her tendrils turning redder and redder with each swing.

Zaheer rushed Amon as soon as he landed, giving Korra an opening. The irony struck her then… Amon couldn’t take away Zaheer’s bending. There was nothing to take. Zaheer was probably the most skilled unarmed fighter in the world. Even so, he seemed evenly matched with Amon.

Korra ran over to Tenzin and his children, pulling off his gag first before undoing his restraints.

“Korra, I…”

“Not now, Tenzin.” She said, moving on to Jinora’s bindings, “We have to get out of here.”

“...With them?” He shook his head, undoing Meelo’s restraints, “Korra, the Red Lotus are-”

“-saving your family!” The woman interrupted as they freed Ikki, “Come on!”

Amon and Zaheer fought evenly. The Equalist was evasive and slippery while the leader of the Red Lotus was aggressive and kinetic, seeking a quick end to the contest with an arm or leg break but finding none. It would be a long and drawn out fight that would only serve Amon’s interests as his followers mobilized to reinforce him.

When Zaheer saw Korra guiding Tenzin and his family to the rappel platforms, he backed off and made some space between him and his opponent.

“Next time…” Zaheer promised.

Amon glared at him through his mask.

Zaheer took one of the rappel platforms and Ghazan another. Ming-hua swung from rope to rope with her water arms to ascend, freeing up one platform for Tenzin and his children to barely fit on. The metal discs started to ascend, reeled up by pulleys on the airship above.

Amon watched as they left.

The lieutenant came up to his side, a moment too late to help him against Zaheer, “Amon… they’re the ones from the train station.”

“It seems so.” The masked man remained implacable, “Hiroshi will know what to do…”

**************************

A squadron of aircraft was flying over Yue Bay, headed directly for the Pro Bending arena. They had only one stop, a demonstration before their sortie to destroy Bumi’s fleet…

“What is all that fire?” Asami asked over the radio from the cockpit of her aircraft, “Did something go wrong at the rally?”

“I don’t know…” Her father replied, his voice partially garbled in static, “That airship is too close. We can’t do our fly-over.”

The pilots all took a moment to consider the scene playing out before them. Something was terribly wrong… There were ropes hanging from the airship and the glass on top of the stadium had been broken.

“I think it’s an attack!” Hiroshi Sato warned.

Then, from the underside deck of the airship, shockwaves of air radiated out from a single point… Something in the air appeared to be headed straight for the squadron.

Pa-pum-BOOM!

The combustion bender’s attack zipped between the two planes and struck one of the aircraft in the back, exploding it into a cloud of smoke and fire.

“Enemy attack!” Hiroshi Sato shouted, “Evade! Evade!”

The formation dispersed.

Pa-pum-BOOM! Pa-pum-BOOM!

P’Li was combustion bending from the hanger bay, the tall woman’s barrage unrelenting. She missed her target but caught another aircraft behind it.

Pa-pum-BOOM!

“We don’t have the armament for attacking an airship!” Asami exclaimed over the radio as she pulled hard on the control stick between her thighs to bank the craft out of the way of enemy fire.

“Everyone… break contact! Fall back.” Her father commanded, “Rally at air temple island!”

The other pilots repeated the order, just in case it wasn’t clear, “Break contact, break con-”

Pa-pum-BOOM!

Another plane fell from the sky. There weren’t many of them left. Hiroshi stuck close to his daughter out of parental instinct to keep her in his sight… yet of course, this made the pair a tantalizing target. Too tantalizing to resist.

P’Li saw them flying close together and grinned. With one well-aimed shot, she might be able to strike them both down from the sky. She focused her fire bending into her third eye…

Pa-pum-

“Asami!!” Hiroshi yelled, “Watch out!”

He turned hard in front of her, putting himself between Asami and the blast.

BOOM!

Pieces of his aircraft shattered into her own, tearing the wing off and sending her plane spiraling towards the bay. She plummeted towards the waters in shock… A few moments passed before her instincts kicked in and she pulled the ejector lever. Asami’s seat broke out of the aircraft and threw her into the air.

After just a moment of free falling, a parachute poured out of her backpack. She suddenly jerked back to reality by the force of it blossoming…

Asami looked around, to her left and right, finding herself alone. There were no other parachutes. She saw the burning wreckage of another aircraft careening into the sea below.

“...Dad?”

On the other side of the battle, P’Li hung off the edge of the bay, holding onto a rappel rope for sure footing. She saw the parachute and narrowed her eyes, focusing one last combustion blast to finish off the Equalists’ air force. Then the rappel platforms came back. She turned her attention to Zaheer and the others, smiling that they had safely come back with little Korra and… Tenzin?

“Zaheer!” Korra exclaimed, rushing over to hug him once they finally found solid footing. The airship began to depart, “You came for me!”

“Of course.” The man said, stroking her hair, “Just in time, it seems…”

Tenzin, of course, first attended to his family. He made sure Ikki, Jinora, and Meelo were alright. Pema and Rohan, unfortunately, were still captive on Air Temple Island. He was thankful to have at least three of his children in his arms again.

But now he found himself in quite a dangerous situation. Ghazan, P’Li, and Ming-hua were staring at him. He had left the Equalists’ clutches and found himself trapped in the Red Lotus’ clutches instead.

Even more concerning was how close Korra was with them. The Red Lotus had taken her away from her parents, kidnapped and indoctrinated her. He watched her hugging P’Li and smiling at Ghazan and Ming-hua. They were killers… Terrorists… and she loved them.

**************************

Outside the Pro Bending Arena, Amon looked out over the bay as the Red Lotus’ commandeered airship drifted away towards the horizon.

He watched as speed boats rushed out to where Asami had fallen.

The lieutenant was at his side, increasingly tormented by their mounting failures. They lost the avatar, the airbenders, and their entire air force too. There was only one survivor from the squadron and he doubted it was Hiroshi… The rally, meant as a demonstration of the Equalists’ supremacy in capturing the city, ended in a total disaster.

“What now, Amon?” The lieutenant asked.

“We still have his wife and youngest child. The Fire Nation princess as well.” He coldly stated, “I’ll wait for them on Air Temple Island… alone.”

“Alone?” The mustached man asked, “You saw what they did. I’ll-”

“I will deal with them myself, lieutenant. No one is to join me.” Amon commanded, “Not you or any Chi blockers. I won’t need them. I don’t want a single soul on the island with me.”

“They have a combustion bender…”

“It doesn’t matter. I will handle it.”

Amon left, coldly passing by the lieutenant without so much as a reassurance or a goodbye. For the first time since they had met, the lieutenant thought he heard a crack in his normally implacable speech. Amon seemed… frustrated. Backed into a corner.

Chapter Text

Previously on Blooming Red Lotus…

“Avatar Korra.” Amon said, still clutching a microphone, “Let me offer you a chance for your freedom. Defeat me in combat and I will let you and the airbenders go free. But if you lose… your bending is forfeit.”

Just then, the glass above them shattered and sounds of distant explosions seized his attention.

“Korra!”

“Zaheer!” She replied with a smile, her eyes wide in disbelief.

…

“Enemy attack!” Hiroshi Sato shouted, “Evade! Evade!”

The formation of airplanes dispersed.

Pa-pum-BOOM!

“Asami!!” Hiroshi yelled, “Watch out!”

He turned hard in front of her, putting himself between Asami and the blast. Pieces of his aircraft shattered into her own, tearing the wing off and sending her plane spiraling towards the bay. She pulled the ejector lever and Asami’s seat broke out of the aircraft and threw her into the air.

After just a moment of free falling, a parachute poured out of her backpack. She suddenly jerked back to reality by the force of it blossoming…

Asami looked around, to her left and right, finding herself alone. There were no other parachutes. She saw the burning wreckage of another aircraft careening into the sea below.

“...Dad?”

…

As the Red Lotus’ airship escaped with Korra and the airbenders, the masked man remained implacable.

“What now, Amon?” The lieutenant asked.

“We still have the airbender’s wife and youngest child. The Fire Nation princess as well.” He coldly stated, “I’ll wait for them on Air Temple Island… alone.”

“Alone?” The mustached man asked.

“I will deal with them myself, lieutenant. No one is to join me.” Amon commanded, “Not you or any Chi blockers. I won’t need them. I don’t want a single soul on the island with me.”

**************************
**************************
**************************

With Hiroshi Sato’s squadron sinking to the bottom of the sea, there was no one who could pursue the Red Lotus as their airship made its escape across the bay.

Korra pulled away from her hug with Zaheer, smiling at Ghazan and Ming-hua. P’Li stroked her cheek affectionately. Then the avatar turned back to Tenzin and his family.

“So,” Korra cautiously began, “I think we’re all on the same side here… against the Equalists.”

She did not wish to see them come to blows. Especially in front of the kids.

Tenzin, however, did not balk from an immediate moral confrontation, “They’ve been lying to you, Korra. Your parents are alive. The Red Lotus kidnapped you.”

“We rescued her!” Zaheer defiantly declared, “-from the White Lotus. It was Unalaq who told us that they were dead.”

“The White Lotus!” Korra’s eyes went wide, suddenly remembering the most important thing, “They’re working with the Equalists! Their grandmaster, Avatar Xian… I- I met with him! He…”

“Avatar Xian?” P’Li furrowed her brow.

“He’s an energy bender.” She replied, “Said he was some kind of, like, back-up avatar that was born during the war, when Aang almost died!”

“Yes…” Tenzin nodded, stroking his chin, “It seems Amon can take bending away from someone… and Xian can make new benders. What I don’t understand is why they’d be working together!?”

“It’s because of me.” Korra looked down in dismay, “I opened the northern spirit portal for my uncle. Xian said that when Harmonic Convergence comes, a spirit called Vaatu is going to emerge and plunge the world into darkness.”

“Harmonic Convergence?” Tenzin furrowed his brow, “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“Unalaq discovered this phenomenon.” Zaheer said, “He never told us anything about this… Vaatu spirit though.”

“Xian said I wasn’t strong enough. He said I’d never be able to defeat Vaatu...” Korra shook her head, “So he’s planning on severing the connection with the spirit world at the portals. If he does that then Vaatu won’t come… but there won’t be any more benders either! No more bending at all. It’s exactly what Amon is after too!”

“They’re both insane.” P’Li scrunched up her nose in disgust.

“If I was stronger…” Korra looked down, “If I could use the avatar state…”

The image of Bolin’s brother sprawled out comatose on the ground flashed into her mind.

“Harmonic Convergence is still a year away.” Zaheer said, putting his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, “There is time. Xian’s got to physically go to the spirit portals to sever them, right? I suppose… we could warn Unalaq.”

“Hmph.” Tenzin stiffened his back sanctimoniously, “So Unalaq’s been a member of the Red Lotus this whole time as well? Now I see how you were able to kidnap Korra.”

“Tenzin, please.” The avatar was weary, “They didn’t kidnap me. You know the White Lotus are bad.”

But it was the airbender’s understanding that Xian didn’t become their grandmaster until after Korra went missing.

“What are we going to do about this one?” Ming-hua asked her comrades, pointedly nodding in Tenzin’s direction.

“Hey.” Korra stepped out in front of the airbender, placing her body between him and the Red Lotus, “Tenzin’s not a bad guy. He didn’t know about the White Lotus, okay? He rescued me… and if he says my parents are still alive then… that’s worth looking into, right!?”

The airbender and the Red Lotus stared hard at one another, looking past the avatar as she stood between them. Korra tried to think of anything else to change the subject and try to diffuse the situation. She looked at Tenzin, “So… Azusa and Bolin were with you, right? Where are they now? Are they safe? There’s… something I gotta tell Bolin.”

“Bolin?” Ghazan arched his eyebrow, “That earthbender we picked up?”

“Huh!?” Korra’s eyes went wide, “You found Bolin!?”

The long-haired man nodded, “Yeah. We heard there was a battle underground so we went to investigate… said he was a friend of yours.”

“He’s a loudmouth…” Ming-hua groused.

“Princess Azusa!” Jinora spoke up, timidly peering out from behind her father, “She tried to protect us but the equalists took her to Air Temple Island with mom and Rohan.”

“Pema! They still have her! I have to find her!!” Tenzin began searching in vain for some means of getting off the airship, as if a glider was going to be right there in the cargo bay for him.

“Wait.” Korra reached out for his arm.

“They have my wife and child!” The airbender shouted.

“I know! That’s why…” Korra swallowed the lump in her throat, “I want to help you! We’ll rescue them together.”

“Korra.” Zaheer said with less patience, “This is no longer our fight. We have to leave Republic City.”

“It IS our fight, though!” She snapped back, “Tenzin is still an air bending master! I need him to become a fully fledged avatar and… I’m not going to let his family suffer! You can help me or we can go on our own. They’ve got Azusa too! Where’s Bolin? Take me to him, I’m sure he’d help!”

“Korra.” Zaheer took a step closer.

“She has a point.” P’Li said, rubbing his shoulder, “We sent her to Tenzin in the first place so he could teach her how to air bend.”

Zaheer grimaced and then turned to his comrades, “Do we all agree?”

P’Li casually raised her hand up, followed by Ghazan. They looked at Ming-hua, who groaned and then lifted up a water tentacle.

“That’s three to one, Zaheer.” P’Li said with a satisfied smirk.

“No. You’ve convinced me.” Zaheer corrected, “It’s unanimous then. We’ll go with you to rescue the air bender’s family… and the Fire Nation princess.”

“Tenzin…” Korra asked, “You still have your bending, right?”

“Yes…” He nodded, “-but I’m afraid I was chi blocked. I won’t be able to bend for a few hours.”

“Then we’ll spend that time preparing.” Zaheer declared, “Tenzin, could you give us information on the layout of Air Temple Island? The best place to infiltrate it? -where they’d most likely hold the prisoners?”

The air bender sighed, realizing he had little choice if he wanted to see his wife and child again, “Fine. Korra… could you watch the kids for a while?”

Korra forced a smile for their benefit, “Y-yeah!”

She knelt down in front of them, “Hey. Do you want to meet a friend of mine? His name’s Bolin! He’s a pretty funny guy! I bet you’ll like him.”

“Is he your boyfriend!?” Ikki chirped up.

“Oh! Uhhh…” Korra was taken aback by the question, “Sorta?”

**************************

“Kotom- I mean, Korra!” Bolin shouted, jumping up to give her a big bear hug that lifted her off the ground. He had been staying in a small kitchen by the looks of it. This airship wasn’t built for comfort.

“Totally her boyfriend.” Ikki whispered to Jinora as Meelo picked his nose.

“You’re okay!” He exclaimed with joy, “I WAS SO WORRIED FOR YOU!”

“Y-yeah, you too…” She replied with a sad smile. Korra knew she had to tell him about his brother. Sooner or later, she had no choice but to ruin this happy reunion.

“Hey…” She looked over at the kids, “Jinora, Ikki, Meelo… can we have a moment to talk alone? Will you be okay here?”

The girls pouted but Meelo was already at work scrounging through the kitchen supplies and making a mess of some flour. Korra took Bolin outside and closed the door behind her.

He pulled her into a kiss but she drew away, feeling guilty for it.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, “Is it something I did?”

“Bolin, no. You didn’t do anything wrong.” She looked off to the side, “I’m sorry… I found your brother. Mako, right? He’s… alive but… the White Lotus did something to him. Mako’s in a coma.”

“Oh…” The earthbender took a step back, his green eyes darting back and forth, “Oh man…”

“I’m sorry.” She rubbed her arms, “Xian did it to make me go into the avatar state and I… I couldn’t do it, Bolin. I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.”

“No.. No, stop.” He wrapped her up in his arms, “That Xian guy did this, not you. And… Mako… he’s just sleeping, right? So he could wake up, right? …right?”

“If I can get to him in the spirit world then… yeah.” Korra nodded.

“Then he’s GONNA wake up!” Bolin said, grabbing her shoulders and smiling, “You’ll find him and you’ll wake him up! I know you can do it! You’re… the avatar, right? You’re the most butt kicking girl I know!”

“Y-yeah…” She weakly nodded, “We’ll get him back…”

She didn’t believe in herself… but it seemed like he did.

**************************

Mako was laid out on a hospital bed, completely comatose. On the other side of the room was a handsome man with a strong jawline and golden eyes, shirtless but with much of his body wrapped in bandages. One of his arms was in a cast. He sat up in his bed to look at the unconscious man across the way.

General Iroh wondered who his sleeping roommate was… Whether he was an equalist or another one of their victims. Iroh had seen a nurse come in earlier to tube-feed the comatose man and check his vitals so maybe he was someone important…

The door opened and in walked a woman with long ebon hair. She was wearing a surgical mask and a tank top over leather pants. She walked on crutches but seemed to resent them, hanging them up on a rack as soon as she could… The woman went over to Mako first, looking down at his unconscious body.

She spent a long time just looking at him.

“Is he… your brother?” General Iroh asked, breaking the silence, “Boyfriend?”

“No… He’s no one to me.” Asami shook her head, “I don’t even know his name. I just feel bad for him.”

She turned her green eyes to Iroh, “I’m glad you’re awake though. I heard you weren’t breathing when they pulled you out of the bay- that you had to be resuscitated.”

“Yeah…” He rubbed the back of his neck, “Between getting bombed by the Equalists or drowned in the bay, I guess I’m pretty lucky to still be alive. Haven’t been able to bend, though. Do you think that’s because…?”

“Amon took it from you while you were unconscious.” Asami stated matter-of-factly.

“Oh… Damn.” He looked down at his hand, “Guess I’ve got that in common with Azusa now.”

“Your sister?” She asked, although she already knew the answer.

“Yeah…” He looked out the window, at the night sky, “Thought I’d come here and rescue her… Our mother asked me to take her home… I hope she’s safe.”

“She is.” Asami softly replied.

Iroh, his suspicions piqued, turned back to the strange woman, “Who are you? Are you with the Equalists?”

“My name’s Asami Sato… and yeah. I’m an Equalist.” She nodded, “Can you walk?”

“Why?” He narrowed his golden eyes, “You want to walk me to the execution block now?”

“No...” The woman said, “I want to bring you to meet your sister. She’s worried about you.”

There was a knock on the door and an older man let himself in.

“Good timing.” Asami said, turning to the newcomer, “Prepare me a boat. I want to go back to Air Temple Island.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am but I… I came here to tell you that Amon’s forbidden anyone from coming to the island.” The man replied.

“What?” She tilted her head, “Why?”

“I don’t know…”

She looked back to General Iroh, “It seems like the reunion will have to wait. I’m sorry but… for what it’s worth, I’m glad you made it out of there alive to see her again.”

Asami was still numb to her own loss.

“You sound like you’re the one who bombed us.” The general said.

“That’s because… I am.” Asami said with a dismayed shrug, “I didn’t want to.”

“Really?” Iroh was skeptical.

“I’m trying…” She looked over at Mako, “I’m trying to make sure as few people get hurt in this thing as possible. This is… This was supposed to be a bloodless revolution.”

But blood had been spilt. On both sides. She covered her eyes, ashamed of the tears that were streaming from them before these strangers. Memories unbidden came to her, memories of her now departed father.

“I told him I didn’t want to do this.” Asami wept, “I told him we shouldn’t be using these planes and these bombs… but I went with him anyway. Now he’s gone…”

General Iroh didn’t have much sympathy for her, “A lot of good men and women under my command died because of you.”

It hurt. His words hurt. Everything hurt. The woman turned and left, leaving her crutches behind and shutting the door behind her.

Asami made it halfway down the hallway before breaking down in tears and falling to her knees. She held herself in consolation. Things just kept getting worse and worse every day… Nothing was going right. Nobody was listening to her. No one cared about her.

She felt so utterly powerless.

**************************

Night brought with it the high tide, raising the water level around Air Temple Island. There were no sight lines looking down the southwestern beach, making it the perfect place for an infiltration.

Two water bubbles stealthily emerged from the bay onto dry land. Ming-hua was bending one and Korra was bending the other. They transported with them Zaheer, Ghazan, Tenzin, and Bolin. P’Li remained on the airship, the best place for her talents as a combustion bender. To maintain the operation’s secrecy, she kept the airship far away until it was time to exfiltrate.

The group made their way inland, clearing each tower and building that could be used as a look-out or barracks. Ming-hua could stealthily cut a hole through any glass window or slip a water tentacle through any locked door. Yet much to their surprise, they found the island utterly deserted. Every room, every courtyard, every walkway- there were no patrols or guards anywhere. Equalist banners were hanging all over the place and it was clearly lived in and occupied… but there wasn’t a single Equalist in sight.

“What gives?” Korra asked in a hushed voice, “There’s no one here.”

“Is it a trap?” Bolin replied.

“If it was a trap… wouldn’t there be even more of them than usual?” Ming-hua asked.

“Enough.” Zaheer said, “We should still check the main temple for the prisoners and leave this place as soon as possible. Be on your guard.”

“For once, I agree with you.” Tenzin nodded.

They continued to painstakingly clear the island, moving from building to building until they got to the main ceremonial hall. It was Tenzin’s supposition that the prisoners would be kept either in the basement or the attic.

Instead, they found Amon with them, waiting for them in the main hall.

The masked man stood beside Tarrlok in a large central chamber. In front of Amon was Pema, with baby Rohan in her arms, and in front of the councilman was Azusa with her hands bound. Both women were on their knees with gags in their mouths. Pema was concerned solely with her child, who was sleeping soundly. Azusa glowered angrily.

“They’re drawing near.” Amon said, “You can feel it too, can’t you… brother?”

“It’s a full moon tonight… isn’t it?” Tarrlok said, looking up out of one of the windows. Azusa arched an eyebrow, wondering what the hell he meant by that- and why Tarrlok was calling Amon ‘brother’. It was a twist she hadn’t been made privy to at all…

Korra and the Red Lotus boldly approached the pair in plain sight. They spread out to confront the brothers- with Korra, Tenzin, and Bolin on one side and the Red Lotus on the other.

“Tarrlok.” Tenzin ached an eyebrow, “What are you doing with Amon!? You’re not an Equalist.”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” The man said with a sad sardonic smile, “Come on, Noatak. Let the woman and her kid go. She shouldn’t even be here.”

Amon stepped forward. He pulled Pema up off the ground and gently pushed her. She ran towards Tenzin, who rushed out to meet her. As he embraced his wife and child, the other benders kept their eyes fixed dead ahead on the two men.

“Go outside. Keep Rohan safe.” Tenzin said, removing her gag. The woman gave him a kiss and ran out the front door.

“Now Azusa!” Korra said, stepping forward, “Let her go, Amon!”

“And then what?” Amon asked, “We go our separate ways?”

“You knew we’d be coming for you.” Zaheer narrowed his eyes, “So what’s your plan? You don’t have any back-up. It’s six against two… and we have the avatar. You don’t stand a chance.”

Amon looked over at Tarrlok, “Are you ready… brother?”

“Let’s just get this over with.” The dejected water bender said.

Amon and Tarrlok raised their arms up like puppeteers.

Everyone fell to the ground, contorting and twisting in pain. Ming-hua’s water arms fell to the ground in a wet splat. Her eyes bulged and she exclaimed, “It’s blood… bending!”

Azsua, unaffected by the technique, whirled around with wide eyes in shock. She nearly stumbled over herself at the revelation.

“Tarrlok!?” Tenzin grit his teeth amidst the pain, “You’re… a blood bender!?”

Zaheer got up on one knee, “And so is… Amon!”

“Yes!” Amon gloated, “Now that you have seen it, are you still so confident that you can defeat the two of us?”

The brothers lifted them up off the ground, suspending their victims’ writhing bodies by the blood coursing in their veins. Their limbs twisted in agonizing contortions.

“Tarrlok…” Tenzin growled, “Is this… really what you want?”

It wasn’t. The councilman’s hands shook for a moment, his control wavering as his doubts began to gnaw at him. When ‘Amon’ took his bending and seized the city, he thought he had lost everything that he had built. But then Amon turned out to be his long lost brother, promising to start over. ‘Avatar’ Xian gave him his bending back… but for what? What was he even doing here?

Azusa took this opportunity to body slam him. She knocked him off balance but tripped and fell to the ground as well. Zaheer, Ghazan, and Ming-hua dropped as Tarrlok’s control over them was broken.

Zaheer was the first to regain his footing, drawing from his boot a knife. With a flip into his hand, he threw at Amon. The masked man brought his hand up to defend himself and the blade lodged itself right into his palm.

Korra, Tenzin, and Bolin fell to the ground as well. Zaheer charged forward as the benders began to launch their counter attack… but they were all too slow.

Amon regained his control over them all, freezing them in place and puppetting them with one hand.

“You almost had me.” He said, “...but this is the end for all of you. I will destroy you and the avatar.”

Azusa’s body was twisted up too, the princess crying out in pain. Amon had caught her in his grip while Tarrlok hadn’t lifted a finger. It seemed like Noatak didn’t even need him there… so what was he doing?

Amon was blood bending all seven of them with just one hand. With the other, his wounded hand, he wrapped his own blood around the knife and pulled it out with bending. He levitated the blade with his blood.

“You…” Amon said, pulling Zaheer closer, “You’re not even a bender, are you?”

The brawler growled and fought with all his strength. Despite the pain, he was still fighting. Still struggling.

“Why?” The Equalist asked, “Why would you help these people? These benders? What are you to them? Their pet?”

“I’m…” Zaheer said between clenched teeth, “...their… equal.”

Amon’s eyes flared with rage behind his mask, “You’re nothing but a traitor.”

“You’re…” The leader of the Red Lotus labored with every word, “...a… hypocrite.”

Amon was no longer amused. Tarrlok could tell this hit a nerve. Even though his brother might have been a bender all along, it seemed like Noatak really did believe in the ideology he preached. This non-bender, fighting side by side as equals with benders, infuriated Amon. It was an affront to his vision for the world.

“Let me give you your knife back.” Amon said, effortlessly levitating the blade back into Zaheer’s hand with his blood bending. Then Zaheer’s arm started to curl… inwards, turning the knife towards his own throat. He shook and trembled, trying to resist. Every passing moment brought the edge closer and closer…

“No…” Korra’s eyes went wide, “No!”

She had lost her parents because she was too weak. She had lost her uncle because she was too weak. Asami had lost half of her face because she was too weak and Bolin lost his brother because she was too weak! Now… she was going to lose Zaheer- the man who raised her. The man who had taught her everything she had known.

“NO!”

She pushed with all her might. She raged and screamed. She punched with every ounce of effort she had… and broke free of Amon’s blood bending. Korra closed her eyes shut.

A gust of air and fire both emerged from her fist, hurtling past Zaheer and colliding with Amon. It knocked him down and sent him tumbling. Now free once more, the benders immediately began an all-out assault, hurtling earth, water, fire, and air at the two blood benders. The onslaught was so sudden that they had to focus entirely on defending themselves. Tarrlok was caught more than once by Bolin and Korra’s earth bending. Amon was more elusive but he hadn’t even a moment’s reprieve to counter attack..

Azusa and Zaheer rejoined the group as Korra pulled one of the temple’s support pillars off its pedestal with earth bending and swung it across the whole room like a bat. She let go of it, allowing momentum to roll it across the chamber’s entire floor. There was no defending against such a massive rolling obstacle- Amon and Tarrlok didn’t have the water to make a spout over it. They had no choice but to run.

“Let’s go!” The leader of the Red Lotus said, wiping the blood of his knife off on his pant leg, “Ghazan! Bury them!”

Ghazan turned the ground into lava in front of the exit as his comrades ran out behind him. Then he melted the remaining support pillars nearby. He finished his lava bending just as Korra’s rolling pillar came to a stop. Amon clamored over the pillar and thrust his arm out in Ghazan’s direction. The earthbender pulled two slabs of stone over the entrance just as he felt the icy grip of blood bending choking him. He gasped and clutched at his throat, coughing… but the entrance was blocked and Amon’s control over him was broken.

They had escaped.

Tarrlok and Amon took in their surroundings. The lava was spreading from the walls into the ceiling and the floor. It didn’t need Ghazan to keep it going. The lava would just keep spreading and spreading until it cooled.

The remaining support pillars began to fail, melting under the extreme heat. Korra had already ripped one off its pedestal and swung it around the whole room so the building’s structural integrity was at risk even before half of it had turned to lava.

This didn’t look good for them.

“Brother…” Tarrlok said with sad resignation, “I don’t think there’s a way out of this room for us.”

“No.” The masked man said, shaking his head, “It’s not over yet… It can’t be.”

If the lava didn’t get them first, they’d be crushed alive when the ceiling collapsed. No amount of blood bending or water bending was going to save them. Tarrlok had already resigned himself to his fate.

“I should have left with you when we were boys.” He said, “Our father… really did a number on us, didn’t he, Noatak?”

Amon looked up at the ceiling as it began to crack and crumble. The realization of his fragile mortality finally set in. He reached up and took off his mask. He used his sweat to wipe off his disguise.

“Noatak…” The man repeated, “I had almost forgotten the sound of my own name.”

**************************

“Korra, the signal!” Zaheer commanded.

She fire bended straight up into the sky, sending up a flare for the airship. Azusa threw her arms around Korra and kissed her… then she gave Bolin the same treatment.

“Never go off on your own again, okay!?” The princess chided Korra.

“I’m sorry, I… I’m sorry.” The avatar pulled both her friends closer.

Azusa grabbed Bolin by the hair and mashed her forehead against his own, “I told you we’d get ‘em on the rematch.”

“Y-yeah!” He nervously laughed.

Tenzin made sure that Rohan was alright and then kissed his wife on the forehead. The airship began its approach, growing steadily larger in the sky.

“So… who are your friends?” Azusa asked, looking at the fearsome group of benders.

“The Red Lotus.” Tenzin answered spitefully.

“Oh?” Azusa raised an eyebrow at Korra, “The people who want to depose me and my entire family? …Cool. Nice friends you’ve made.”

“It’s… complicated.” The avatar sighed, “C’mon, we can talk later.”

The airship drew closer and closer. Korra looked back to the temple, at its great hall being slowly consumed in lava. The roof collapsed as its foundation gave way, thick plumes of smoke emerging from the ruins.

Tenzin was looking too, lost in thought. He couldn’t help but think about Tarrlok, his fellow councilman. They didn’t agree very often but he had known the water bender for years. He couldn’t help but ask, “What were you thinking, Tarrlok? You and Amon were blood benders all along?”

“Maybe that’s how he took people’s bending away…” Korra softly surmised.

“The whole Equalist movement is based on a lie then.” Azusa scoffed, “Wait until all of his loyal followers hear about this.”

“He didn’t want any witnesses to our fight here.” Zaheer said, “He wanted to kill us without any of them knowing he could blood bend.”

“But now no one would believe us if we told them the truth…” Ghazan groused, “What a pain.”

“He couldn’t even die right…” Ming-hua hissed.

“It’s time to go.” Zaheer declared, looking up at the sky.

The airship arrived, rappel ropes descending from its cargo bay. P’Li looked down at the main temple melting into the earth. A great orange blaze on the bay, smoldering like an ember. It was beautiful… but also sad.

**************************

By morning, the Equalists had disobeyed Amon’s final command and returned to Air Temple Island out of concern. Mecha-tanks were busy sifting through the debris and trying to find any evidence of what happened. There were murmurs all around from those who watched the island from afar. Witnesses using telescopes or binoculars observed that eight figures left on the same airship that was used to attack the pro bending arena.

As the hours went on, doubts began to set in the minds of his followers. Until finally, by mid-day, they discovered a mask and two bodies.

Asami folded her arms, looking over the recovery efforts. She had too many mixed feelings. Amon was dead… but Azusa likely escaped. To say nothing of her own numbness at the loss of her father the day prior. She didn’t feel much sadness at all at Amon’s death. She couldn’t tell if that was wrong or not.

The lieutenant sat down on a bench beside her, holding Amon’s porcelain mask.

“He’s gone.”

He pulled off his own mask, tears streaming down his face, “He was… irreplaceable. There was no one like Amon. Why… Why did he decide to fight them alone?”

Asami didn’t know either. She barely knew the man… She wanted to. She desperately wanted to understand him as a person and not as the god-like figure everyone else thought him to be. She did not want to worship him the way the lieutenant did. Now he was gone… and she’d never know who he truly was. Could the reality of the man ever live up to the legend?

“Maybe…” She surmised out loud, “...He wanted to be a martyr.”

The final act of his ego, she thought, would be to live on forever as a symbol. She looked over at all the banners bearing his image- his mask and the symbol for Equality. She looked over all his followers, despairing and solemn.

“They killed him.” The lieutenant shook his head, “They just couldn’t… imagine the world he saw. A world where everyone was equal…”

A young man came running up to them, panting hard with a paper in his hand, “Sir! Sir! Telegrams!”

The Lieutenant made no reply as the equalist approached.

Asami asked, “What is it? Tell us.”

“Bad news...” The man said, catching his breath, “The other nations are… declaring war! The Fire Nation… Earth Kingdom… and the Southern Water Tribe too!”

Of course. It only made sense. They may have conquered Republic City’s metal benders but last night’s attack revealed that Equalists were not invincible. Now, with Amon dead, that illusion was completely shattered. The whole world was coming to put them down.

“It’s over.” The Lieutenant put his head into his hands, “How could I take his place? I’m not worthy of leading the Equalists. I’m a follower… HIS follower. I’m his… lieutenant.”

“It’s not over yet.” Asami replied, putting a hand on his shoulder, “We have a righteous cause. People will flock to it. Not just here in Republic City, but in the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation and everywhere else. There are oppressed people everywhere. Amon… martyred himself for this.”

“You…” He looked up at her, his blue eyes locked with her own emerald gaze, “You’re the one to do it!”

“What?”

“You suffered… just like he did. They took your parents. They took your face… Just like him.” He reached up and grabbed her hand, “You’ll do it. You will lead the Equalists, Asami! You’ll carry on his legacy, won’t you?”

Asami’s green eyes widened…

Her? Lead the Equalists?

She thought about it for a long time… and then slowly nodded.

“Okay… I’ll do it.”

**************************

A solitary ship gently swayed in the ocean currents, already far away from Republic City. It was plainly marked, bearing no distinguishing insignia or flair. Within, Avatar Xian sat cross-legged on the floor, the airbender Arun standing vigil behind him.

“Amon is dead.” Xian said, opening his eyes after a long period of meditation, “I can no longer sense his energy in this world.”

“So much for his little revolution.” Arun scoffed, “Hope it was fun for them while it lasted.”

“No. Amon was just a spark. The flame of his movement burns brightly still.” The leader of the White Lotus stood, “The other nations will mobilize for war.”

Just then, the door opened and in came Ashina. The woman said, “Some big news coming in over the radio.”

“Amon’s dead?” Arun asked, unable to resist the temptation to steal her thunder.

She looked to Avatar Xian and nodded, “Yeah… but also, the other nations are going to war. All of ‘em except the Northern Water Tribe.”

Xian nodded, “The Fire Lord wants to avenge her children, the Earth Kingdom wants to reclaim its territory and the Southern Water Tribe… well, they have always had close ties to the Republic. Curious that Chief Unalaq is staying out of it…”

“That rich girl’s the leader of the Equalists now. She’s making a speech.” Ashina gestured to the door, “You want to hear it?”

“Hm.” Xian stroked his chin, “Let’s hear what Miss Sato has to say.”

They made their way to the ship’s radio room, the false avatar taking a seat next to the operator. Asami’s voice came through loud and clear, laced with the righteous fury and vindication of a true believer.

“Amon may be dead but his message lives on! Equality for all! A bloodless revolution, save for the blood of martyrs like him and all those who have perished in pursuit of lasting peace! This will be our last war! The final war!”

The people of Republic City have risen up! You too can rise up! Help us achieve Amon’s dream! Join us as equals! All those who wish to live in harmony, bender and non-bender alike, are welcome in our new United Equalist Republic!”

The sound of a crowd cheering drowned out the rest of the speech. Xian turned to his followers, smiling like a kind old man telling stories around a campfire, “She may be even more charismatic than Amon. Moreover… she’s actually who she says she is.”

“Yeah… but without him, how are they planning to make this world without benders a reality?” Arun sneered in contempt.

“It doesn’t matter.” Ashina said plainly, “Once Avatar Xian severs the spirit portals, they’ll get their wish… Are you okay with that, Arun?”

The monk was annoyed with the implication of her words.

“I wish there was another way. You have all served me well…” Xian said with a sad sigh, “But only an avatar can defeat Vaatu and I’m afraid Korra is not up to the task.”

“So what’s the plan now?” Ashina asked.

“So which portal are we hittin’ first?” Arun asked, “North or South?”

Their eyes all turned to the sage, as devoted to his word as Amon’s followers were to his.

“It’s time we figured out what Unalaq was after when he made Korra open the northern spirit portal…” Xian concluded, “We’re going to the North Pole.”

**************************

For the first time since his ‘rescue’, Tenzin stood by himself among the Red Lotus. Korra and his family were in other rooms in the airship. The four elite benders were always ready for a fight, even in these cramped quarters.

“I’ve decided that I will stay with you until Korra has mastered all four elements.” The airbender said, straightening his back.

“Unfortunately, you don’t have a choice.” Zaheer coldly said.

“Yes I do.” Tenzin replied, “You NEED me to train Korra. Especially if what she said about Avatar Xian is true. So release my family at once.”

“You’re our prisoner.” P’Li reminded him, “You’re not in a position to bargain.”

“Are you really going to try and negotiate with us when the entire world’s bending is at stake?” Ghazan asked.

“My family’s safety is more important than that, yes.” Tenzin answered without a moment’s hesitation.

Zaheer looked to the others, who after some consideration, nodded their consent. “Fine. We can decide your fate later.”

“Don’t test us though.” P’Li warned, “If you try to turn her against us…”

“I’ve only ever told her the truth.” Tenzin defiantly looked down his nose at them, “What she does with it is up to her… but If you kill me or harm my family, she’ll never trust you again.”

“That’s true.” Zaheer said matter-of-factly, “...and you told Korra that her parents were still alive.”

“Yes, I did.” Tenzin raised his chin up, “You know she will demand to see them. She deserves to see them.”

“If Korra wants to go to the South Pole, we’ll go to the South Pole.” He answered.

**************************

Some time later…

Korra, Bolin, and Azusa shared a comfortable bed in a Red Lotus safe house, far away from Republic City and all its problems. The avatar conjured up a small flame in her palm. Azusa waved her fingers through it, trying to go as slowly as she could without getting burnt. Bolin was on the opposite side, tracing circles on Korra’s bicep with his finger.

“Hey…” The princess softly smiled, “This is nice too, isn’t it?”

“Hm?” Korra and Bolin both looked at her.

“Just being here… next to your friends.” Azusa said, her amber eyes still transfixed upon the flame dancing in Korra’s palm, “It’s nice.”

The avatar gave her a significant look, “Just… friends?”

“What was it you called me?” Bolin tilted his head at the princess, “A friend that fights and fucks?”

Azusa laughed, “Yeah. That’s what Korra called you.”

“Really!?” Bolin looked at her in mock anger, “That’s where she got that from!?”

Korra softly giggled and shook her head, dismissing the fire and wrapping her arms around them both, “Let’s make it official. We’ll be girlfriends and… boyfriend. The three of us, okay?”

Azusa grinned and rolled over, straddling the other woman, “It ain't official until we do it.”

“I mean technically we already have…” Bolin said with a shrug. Azusa grabbed him by the collar and planted a kiss on him to shut him up.

“There’s nothing and no one outside of this room right now.” The princess said, stiffening her back and lifting her shirt up over her head. She threw it off to the side and squeezed one of her bare breasts, “I want to feel your fire again.”

She tugged on Korra’s pants, pulling them down her thighs to reveal the avatar’s sex. Azusa licked her finger and slid it inside, testing her lover’s arousal. The dark-skinned woman moaned and closed her eyes, reaching out for Bolin’s groin. She cupped his bulge, massaging it through the fabric as it got harder.

Korra and Bolin began to lock lips before Azusa’s eyes. She took delight in curling her finger inside the avatar to make her moan between the kisses.

“Good girl.” The princess smiled, “Don’t think. Just feel.”

The amber-eyed woman lowered her head and took Korra’s legs in her arms, propping them up on her shoulders as she buried her tongue into the dark folds of Korra’s pussy, teasing at the wet and pink inner folds. Korra moaned even louder, stroking Bolin even harder.

“Bo…” She pleaded, “Your… cock.”

He blinked, “Y-yeah?”

“I want it…”

“Oh! Y-yeah! Sure!” He pushed his pants down, enough for her to reach in and pull it out… but then he saw that Korra’s pussy was a little… occupied. Azusa was eagerly lapping and licking it up and down, “W-where should I…?”

“My mouth, Bo.” Korra said with half a giggle, playfully frustrated with his awkwardness.

He nodded furiously and got up off the bed, standing off to the side so Korra could lean over suck him off. She happily took him into her mouth, wishing to please him half as well as Azusa pleased her.

It was a beautiful sight to Bolin’s eyes. Not just Korra’s half-naked body or her lips wrapped around his cock or even the view of the princess eating her out. Korra looked… happy.

“You know how to pick ‘em, Korra.” Azusa said, pulling her head away from the avatar’s pussy with lips slathered in spit and juices, “Your boy’s got a big dick. Lemme have a taste too.”

“Gosh, I… still can’t believe you’re a princess.” Bolin gulped. She certainly didn’t talk like one.

Azusa climbed up Korra’s body to join in on the fellatio, sucking his cockhead as Korra ran her lips up and down one strong vein along his length. Last time, they ‘pampered’ the princess to distract her from what she had lost. This time, she intended to show her ‘gratitude’ to her rescuers.

Korra lost herself in the moment, banishing all her pent up anxieties and traumas. They were leaving Republic City behind, leaving the Equalists and everything that had happened there. She got an airbending master, made two dear companions, and was reunited with her adopted family. Even if just for a moment, things felt right…

“Show me how you fuck her.” Azusa said with a mischievous grin, slipping away from Korra’s side to stand next to Bolin. She dropped the rest of her clothes to the floor and patted his bottom.

With a giddy smile, Korra rolled over and got on her hands and knees, presenting her backside to the two of them. Azusa reached down and grabbed hold of the earthebender’s cock, guiding him closer.

He felt the princess’ other hand drifting dangerously close to his ass, “Hey, hey, no funny business back there!”

“Are you sure?” She asked, “It might feel really good.”

“I’m sure.” He said, stepping closer to Korra.

“Suit yourself.” Azusa giggled as she held his cock straight for him. He slipped inside of Korra’s womanhood, the tight wet folds yielding to his manhood. They both moaned and Azusa felt an exhilarating rush of satisfaction in her ‘supervisory’ role. She relished in the sight of his big hard cock disappearing inside of the other woman.

The princess nuzzled her chin on his shoulder, looking over to get the same point of view he had. She wrapped her arms around his torso tight as he started to rock back and forth. Bolin grabbed two handfuls of Korra’s ass, holding her in place as he made love to her- as he fucked her.

“That feel good?” Azusa asked.

“Y-yeah…” Korra moaned.

He started to go faster and faster, their bodies colliding with a wet ‘slap slap slap’ sound that reverberated through the room. The princess couldn’t resist the urge to smack one of those cheeks, which sent a shudder down Korra’s spine. She smacked it again, harder. Then again. And again.

“I don’t know how long I can hold out.” Bolin admitted, wincing between thrusts, “It’s… been a hot minute, y’know.”

“Go ahead… Bo” Korra moaned, clutching at the bedsheets.

“Let it out.” Azusa hushed into his ear.

He pulled out, shooting arcs of thick white cum over Korra’s muscled back and rear end. Korra moaned and bit her lip as the hot splash struck her bare skin. The princess reached down and stroked him as he came. She rubbed her thumb over his cockhead, even after his orgasm had ended.

“Ah-ah-ah-ah!” He started to squirm, “That tickles!!”

He burst out into laughter and agony, writhing in Azusa’s arms to try and escape. Korra looked over her shoulder at him and laughed as well with a wide smile. She brushed the hair out of her face and just kept giggling.

Azusa kissed Bolin on the cheek as she finally let him go, then hopped onto the bed to join the avatar. She grabbed Korra’s leg and swung it up into the air, taking the other woman by surprise.

“You ever heard of… tribadism?” Azusa asked with a wicked grin, maneuvering into position. She rubbed her pussy against Korra’s, slow and steady at first. She couldn’t hold back for long, grinding their bodies with a hedonistic lust.

Korra closed her eyes, losing herself in the sensations.

She went limp in Azusa’s embrace, content to allow the princess free reign to do whatever she wanted to her. It was liberating in a way… surrendering control to another. There was freedom in powerlessness- ecstasy in surrender. Korra shut her eyes in bliss.

When she opened them again… she was somewhere else, like in a dream. The Spirit World?

She stood face to face with a reflection of herself, like a mirror in a sheet of water. A ripple disturbed the image and Korra’s visage morphed into another’s. A painted woman in green.

Kyoshi.

The previous avatar smiled, “It’s good to see you, Korra… What took you so long?”

**************************

Meanwhile at Omashu, in the Earth Kingdom…

A bureaucrat sat behind his desk in a small office, peering through glasses at a series of formal documents. Earth Kingdom soldiers, garbed in traditional uniforms, flanked him left and right. Standing before his desk was a woman dressed in deep dark green.

The bureaucrat straightened some papers on his desk.

“First things first.” He said, clearing his throat, “Bender or non-bender?”

“Bender.” The woman tersely said.

“What kind of bending do you do, ma’am?”

“Metal.”

“Yes, of course.” The bureaucrat reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a new set of forms, “The Earth Queen has decreed that all volunteer metal benders be given an immediate commission. You’ll start off as a Captain in the Expeditionary Corps. It’s a lot of responsibility… but a lot of power too. Good opportunity if you want to promote quickly. Her Majesty knows we’ll need talented people like you if we’re going to defeat those dastardly anti-benders.”

“Now…” He dipped his pen in an ink well and started on the first line. “Your name, please?”

Before the words could leave her mouth, a bottle shattered the window of the recruitment office. It was stuffed full of burning newspaper and oil. When it struck the ground, it exploded into flame.

The bureaucrat screamed and hid under his desk as the soldiers next to him rushed for water and sand to put out the fire. Outside the office, the assailants shouted, “Down with benders! Down with the Earth Queen! No war, no way!”

There were six of them, brandishing swords and other improvised weapons. Far from the well-organized and trained Equalists of Republic City, these were ordinary peasants pushed to the brink by years of tyranny and inspired by the example set by Amon and Asami.

The ringleader suddenly found the saber in his hand ripped from his grasp. It flew through the air and into the waiting hand of the volunteer. The woman had long black hair braided down to her waist, a lean and athletic figure, and a beauty mark under her right eye.

She took the sword and metal bended it into the shape of an iron rod, removing its cutting edge and morphing it into a blunt instrument.

“She’s a bender!” One of the peasants shouted, “Get her!”

They charged her all at once. She twisted the earth underneath one of them, throwing them off their feet. She pulled up a boulder and threw it at another. The third she dispatched with a skillful dodge of his spear and a thwap across his back with her iron rod. The metal bender then split the rod in two with her bending and defeated two more anti-benders in close combat. The last one turned to flee but the woman peeled off a sliver of metal from the rod, bent it into a manacle and shot it straight for the fleeing rebel’s ankle. When it snapped shut, the anti-bender fell face-first into the ground. They were pulled by their ankle back to the volunteer, clawing at the earth to try and escape.

She lifted him up off the ground, suspending the man by the manacle.

“You’re not revolutionaries…” The woman said, narrowing her emerald eyes at the peasants sprawled out before her, “You’re nothing more than bandits tearing our nation apart.”

The bureaucrat came crawling out of the recruitment, “Miss! Miss! You saved our lives! I can’t thank you enough! Please… great heroine, tell us your name!”

She looked back at the recruiter, her green eyes hard and cold like steel.

“You can call me Kuvira.”

END OF BOOK I: AIR