Reunion - Part 1

On Air Temple Island, Pabu was hiding around a corner before leaping out and racing towards a snoozing Naga. He playfully pounced on Naga's tail and bit it; the Polar Bear dog ignored him, not moving until two familiar groans echoed from above them. Naga and Pabu looked up to see Pepper and Mochi descending towards the ground, with Korra waving from the front of Pepper's saddle.

"Naga!" Korra shouted, beaming at the sight of her beloved pet.

Naga, wagging her tail, sprinted off towards the courtyard, with Pabu hanging onto the back of her tail.

As soon as Pepper and Mochi landed, Korra jumped off Pepper, airbending herself to the ground, smiling as Naga ran into her. She lifted Korra off the ground with her head, licking her excitedly before circling around behind her.

"I missed you so much, girl!" Korra exclaimed, hugging Naga's head.

"Mom! Dad! We're back! And we got Korra!" Meelo yelled as he and Ikki rushed past.

As they dashed by, Bumi approached, Bum-Ju floating along behind him.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" he grinned, hugging Korra and lifting her off the ground. "Bum-Ju, and I sure missed you."

"It's so great to see you again, Bumi," Korra smiled as he set her down. "And you too, Bum-Ju."

The spirit whistled happily.

Elira floated down off Mochi, affectionately petting the bison's head as Pichi landed on her shoulder. Hearing a squeak, she looked down and saw Pabu sitting and staring at her, uncertain if her mood was the same as when she left.

"Come here, Pabs" Elira smiled, turning to him with her arms spread wide.

Pabu squeaked, jumping in excitement before leaping into Elira's arms, squealing. Elira chuckled as she caught the ferret, hugging him as Pichi nuzzled into the embrace, purring softly.

"I missed you too, buddy," Elira murmured.

Pabu then wriggled out of Elira's arms and climbed onto her shoulder, propping himself up on her head as he looked around, searching for someone. When he didn't see them, he squeaked sadly, his ears folding down as he lay across Elira's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Pabs. He's not here," the airbender said solemnly, reaching to scratch behind Pabu's ear as he squeaked sadly once more. 

Meelo and Ikki dashed towards Azira, Tenzin and Pema as they entered the courtyard.

"Well done, kids! I'm proud of you all for finding Korra." Tenzin smiled as he embraced Ikki, and Pema hugged Meelo.

"Proud enough to get me my tats?" Meelo grinned expectantly at his father.

"No," Tenzin replied flatly, walking away as Pema stifled a laugh with her hand.

Elira, who was hugging Bumi, smiled upon noticing Tenzin approaching and ran to embrace him. Tenzin appeared slightly surprised at first before smiling gently and returning the hug.

"I assume this means you're feeling better?" he inquired.

Elira pulled back and shrugged slightly. "A little. I'm sorry for being such a grouch when I left."

"I'm just glad you're beginning to heal," Tenzin said.

"Well, I did have some help," Elira smiled knowingly.

"Oh? From whom?" Tenzin asked.

"It's kind of a long story," Elira scratched the back of her neck as Korra approached them.

Tenzin smiled upon seeing her, embracing her warmly. "Welcome home."

"I missed you, Tenzin," Korra replied, separating as Opal walked up behind them.

"Now, I hate to get right down to business, but I want to hear what happened in Zaofu," Tenzin said, turning serious.

The happiness evaporated, leaving an awkward silence hanging over the group. It was punctuated only by Bum-Ju's twittering and Pabu and Pichi's chattering and squeaking as Pichi clambered onto Elira's shoulders and Pabu nuzzled himself into her arms.

"Way to ruin the moment," Bumi said sarcastically.

"Kuvira's whole army was there. She captured Mom, Dad, and my brothers." Opal explained

Korra looked down, disheartened. "I thought I was strong enough to stop her. I feel like such a failure."

"No one expected you to handle Kuvira on your own. It's up to all of us to find a way to deal with her," Tenzin declared before smiling again. "We're just glad to have you back."

"We all are", Elira added, side-hugging the Avatar, which made Korra smile as Pichi climbed from Elira onto her shoulder, nuzzling her and purring.

"Where's Bolin? He's not still on Kuvira's side, is he?" Bumi asked

Elira's smile fell, and now it was Korra's turn to wrap her arm around her.

"I can't believe he would stay with her after what she did to my family." Opal scowled

"No, we don't know where exactly he is. For all we know, Kuvira was lying," Elira defended before looking doubtful. "She was lying...Right?"

No one answered her. 

*

Somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, Bolin, his hair unkempt and panting heavily, trudged through a forest, carrying Varrick on his back, who appeared just as scruffy and dishevelled as he did, with wild hair and stubble.

"How about you use your own legs for a while?" Bolin heaved

"You know, when I fled Republic City with Zhu Li, she carried me twenty miles in one day. And that was after she sprained her ankle," Varrick said.

"Well, Zhu Li's not here, okay?" Bolin angrily let Varrick drop, allowing him to thump onto the dirt.

"That's fine, leave me here, let the worms gobble me up. I deserve it," Varrick, still lying on his back, waved his hand at Bolin.

"No way, mister! You're not getting off that easily," Bolin stood over him, "You're responsible for that weapon Kuvira is trying to make. Which, may I remind you, could hurt a lot of people."

"No, don't remind me! I know, I'm a horrible, horrible person!" Varrick snapped, sitting up and tugging at his hair.

"Okay, look," Bolin said in a calmer tone. "Kuvira fooled us both into doing her dirty work, and I'm not happy about it either. But you know how we're gonna make it up to the world? By getting back to Republic City and warning everyone what she's up to! So, I want you to take my hand and march with me out of this forest!" He held out his hand to pull Varrick back onto his feet, pointing towards the surrounding trees.

Varrick smiled and grasped Bolin's hand, allowing him to pull him up. "You really have a way with words, kid. No wonder I made you a mover star. Alright, I'll take the driver's seat for a while, hop on"

Varrick bent down so Bolin could climb onto his back.

"Oh, great. My feet could use a break." Bolin jumped onto Varrick's back, and the man nearly buckled under his weight.

"Oh, boy, here we go!" Varrick grunted.

With considerable effort, he slowly took a step—only for a hidden net to suddenly ensnare them and hoist them up to a tree branch!

"Are you kidding me?!" Bolin exclaimed as they swung there helplessly. 

*

In Tenzin's office, Korra, Jinora, and Elira were recounting their journey to Tenzin and Zira in greater detail.

"And that's when we found Korra at the Banyan Grove Tree with, get this, Toph," Elira explained.

"You...found Toph?" Tenzin looked surprised.

"Yeah, it turns out she's been in the swamp this whole time," Elira smiled.

"Hm, and how is Melon Lord? Still cranky?" Zira chuckled teasingly.

"That's an understatement," Korra replied, shuddering slightly.

"You don't seem surprised," Tenzin pointed out, noting that his mother didn't appear at all fazed by the sudden appearance of her childhood best friend.

Zira just continued to smile knowingly.

"You knew Toph was there this whole time, didn't you, Gran-Gran?" Jinora asked, and Zira let out a small sigh.

"Yes, I knew. In fact, I was one of the only people Toph told that she was leaving," she revealed, her tone longing as she thought of her best friend. She turned to Tenzin with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry I never said anything to you or your siblings or even Lin and Suyin. But Toph made me swear that I wouldn't tell a soul."

"It's alright, Mother. But perhaps we should to tell Lin about this," Tenzin said, placing an arm around Zira's shoulders.

"I suppose you're right," Zira replied before turning back to the youngsters. "Anyway, apart from the Swamp, Toph, and Zaofu, I assume nothing else happened?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much it," Korra shrugged one shoulder.

"Actually, there is one more thing," Elira added, and everyone turned to her. "For starters, Gran-Gran, your Uncle Iroh says hi."

Zira's eyes widened. "You...You spoke with him?"

Elira nodded. "Yeah, you see, while in the Swamp...I had a vision."

"A vision? Of who?" Korra asked.

"It doesn't matter now. But Toph mentioned how you, Gran-Gran, always went to Iroh for advice, and I remembered Korra mentioning speaking with Iroh in the spirit world a few times. So I went to see him myself, and he..." Elira paused, taking a breath "...He brought me to Grandpa Aang."

Gasps filled the room, eyes widening in a mix of shock and disbelief.

"That's... That's not possible," Korra muttered, her gaze dropping.

"That's what I thought too. But it was him, guys. Or at least, his spirit," Elira said, her heart racing.

"But... How?" Jinora's voice was full of awe and confusion.

"Yeah, I thought, after what happened with Vaatu, that the other Avatars were gone?" Korra added, her brow furrowing in concern.

"No, Korra. When Raava was destroyed, and you fused with her again, you restarted the Avatar Cycle. You can't call on the past Avatars for help, but their spirits are still alive – in the spirit world. Grandpa explained everything," Elira revealed, her eyes shimmering with a mix of relief and happiness.

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of her words sinking in. Tenzin looked as if he might faint, his expression frozen in disbelief, while Zira clutched her locket tightly, tears glistening in her golden eyes.

"I...I don't believe it," Tenzin finally whispered, leaning heavily on his desk as if it were the only thing holding him up.

"It's true, Dad, believe me. I saw him with my own eyes," Elira insisted

"No, I believe you, sweetheart. I... I just can't believe it," Tenzin sank into his desk chair, a profound sadness mixed with relief washing over him. "All these years..."

"Wait, does this mean I could talk to Grandpa Aang too?" Jinora asked

"I don't know, I think so," Elira replied, smiling at the excitement that lit up her sister's face.

As the others continued to process the life-changing news, Zira turned her gaze toward the window, watching the waves crash against the cliffs. Deep down, she realised she had always known Aang's spirit wasn't gone forever. She had felt his presence lingering, watching over them, guiding them, even after the battle with Vaatu.

"Aang..." she whispered to herself, a serene smile gracing her lips as a tear slipped down her wrinkled cheek. 

*

Asami sat alone in the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel, engrossed in a Future Industries magazine. She failed to notice Korra and Elira, with Pichi on her shoulder, entering, nor the playful smirk that spread across the airbender's face as Korra attempted to tidy her hair upon spotting Asami. Pichi chittered and jumped from Elira's shoulder, flying over to land in Asami's lap, looking up at her. 

Asami chuckled in surprise, "Hello, Pichi", she smiled, petting the lemur. 

"I hope you haven't been waiting long," Korra said, causing Asami to look up.

"Only three years" Asami got up and warmly embraced the Avatar. After a few moments, they pulled away, and Asami turned to hug Elira before facing Korra once more. "It's so good to see you again."

"You too." Korra smiled

"And I'm loving the hair." Asami complimented

"Thanks" Korra blushed and played with the ends of her hair. Elira, once again, noticed and looked down with a knowing smirk. "You're looking snazzy as always."

"Come on. Mako got us a table at the restaurant." Elira called Pichi to her shoulder again as Asami led her friends into the hotel restaurant where Mako was leaning against a booth waiting for them.

He looked up and grinned. "Korra!"

"Hi, Mako", Korra waved, and they hugged briefly before suddenly, much to Mako's annoyance and Korra's surprise, Wu slid in between them, addressing Korra in a flirty tone.

"Hello there, Prince Wu, rightful heir to the throne and this guy's boss" He poked Mako in the chest with his elbow. "I bet he's told you a lot about me."

"Nope. Not a thing." Korra replied flatly.

"Then we have so much to talk about." Wu put his arm around Korra's shoulder, much to her surprise, and pushed her into the booth, sitting down next to her. "You are going to love the food here; I know the chef personally." He turned to a maître d. "Let's start with a round of your spicy octopus fritters."

The maître d nodded and walked off as Wu kept talking.

"And keep the cucumber-aloe water coming!" he called out, holding up his glass before turning to Korra again. "Gotta keep this princely skin hydrated."

"What's Prince Doofus doing here?" Elira whispered to Mako as they and Asami slipped into the booth sitting opposite Wu and Korra, Pichi sitting in Elira's lap, slightly hidden underneath the tablecloth. 

"Yeah, I thought it was going to be the four of us," Asami added, looking just as annoyed.

"Sorry, but I couldn't ditch him. But he promised to be on his best behaviour." Mako replied

"Mmhmm", Elira raised an eyebrow doubtfully.

Across the table, Wu leaned in very close to Korra. "Hey, pop into the Avatar State for me. I want to see your eyes glow."

"What? No!" Korra snapped, annoyed, and Wu sat back with disappointment.

"So, can you go into the Avatar State again?" Asami asked, "I was worried when you told me you couldn't."

Elira and Mako shared a confused glance.

"Wait, when did she tell you she couldn't? We've only been back a few hours," Elira inquired.

Nobody answered while Wu kept slurping his drink.

"What's going on with you two?" Mako then asked, looking between Korra and Asami questionably.

Korra hesitated before answering, "I wrote to Asami while I was away. I asked her not to tell you. I'm sorry."

"What?" Elira looked slightly hurt by the revelation. "How come you didn't you ever write to us?"

"Or Bolin?" Mako added

"I don't know. I guess ... I didn't know what to say." Korra admitted

"'Hello' would have been nice," Mako grumbled, sitting back and crossing his arms in front of him.

"Mako, Ellie, if it makes you feel any better, she didn't write me either." Wu cut in

"Why would she ...Never mind." Mako sighed

"And don't call me 'Ellie. It's El" Elira frowned.

"I'm sorry I didn't stay in touch, but I'm back now." Korra smiled, more upbeat. "I kinda know what El's been doing, so I wanna know everything about what's been going on with you two."

"Well, I kind of have some big news. I went to visit my father for the first time," Asami revealed. "He had been writing me letters, and I guess I finally felt ready to try and forgive him."

Korra looked concerned. "You sure you can trust him? He might just be manipulating you again."

"You think I don't know what my own father is capable of?" Asami snapped angrily.

"No, I didn't mean –"

"You don't get to disappear for three years and then act like you know what's best for me!"

Elira tried to speak up and calm things down. "Um, guys, maybe we should–"

"No!" The two women snapped, and Elira slunk back as they turned back to each other

"It's not like I planned to be gone for that long", Korra argued. "I wanted to come back, but I never felt ready until now."

Wu placed his glass down loudly, interrupting the argument, and stood up. "As much as I'm enjoying this little catch-up, my royal bladder is about to explode. Mako, come on, I need you to stand guard."

Mako looked at the prince, annoyed. "I'm not gonna hold your hand every time you have to empty your 'royal bladder'. Go to the bathroom on your own for once."

Wu sighed, "Fine" and walked off dejectedly.

"Do you always go to the bathroom with him?" Korra asked after Wu was out of earshot.

"I don't go with him, with him, I just stand there in the general vicinity while he ... I don't wanna talk about it." Mako scowled and slumped further into his seat. 

*

Back in the forest, Bolin and Varrick were trying to escape from the net, but to no avail.

"I wish Pabu were here. He could just chew us out of this." Bolin sighed, giving up. "Or Pichi. She's got pretty sharp teeth. I remember one time, me and El were at the Noodelry when these guys came over and started bothering her. Even after we both told them to leave, they just wouldn't take the hint. Well, I stood up, ready to give 'em a piece of my mind for bothering my best friend, but Pichi beat me to it. She jumped on this one guy and bit his nose so hard it started bleeding... El and I laughed so hard; noodles came out of our noses." Bolin sighed once more, "I miss her laugh."

"You know who else has incisors sharp as a knife?... Zhu Li," Varrick frowned with a longing stare.

The sound of snapping branches and footsteps then caught their attention. Looking up, they spotted a group of rugged-looking people walking towards them, all wearing prison garbs. 

"Well, look what we caught. Wonder if they were tracking us after we escaped," One of the women said

"Hello, fellow travellers!" Bolin called out to them, "I don't suppose you can help us out of this net?"

The woman shared a distrusting glance with the man beside her. "Why would we free a couple of lowly Earth Empire soldiers?"

"Lowly? We were part of Kuvira's inner circle!" Varrick revealed

"Were, not anymore!" Bolin cried, "Please, just let us out!"

The man stepped forward with a glare. "I think I know just what to do with a couple of Kuvira's top men."

The man firebent a dagger, and Bolin and Varrick exchanged worried glances before shouting as the man cut through the rope of the net, sending them crashing to the floor with a thud! 

*

Back in the restaurant, the Krew were laughing at a joke Elira had told. Elira's cheeks ached from smiling so much. This was what she'd missed over the last three years—the laughter, the joy that friendship brought and Team Avatar together again...Well, almost. As she watched her friends enjoying one another's company, a shadow crossed her face, her thoughts drifting to the one person who should have been there with them. It felt...incomplete without him there to join in on her jokes.

Soon, the maître d returned with a platter of seafood, and the Team noticed that a certain annoying prince still hadn't returned.

"I wonder what's taking Wu so long. He's not one to miss lunch. I'll go check on him." Mako stood from the booth and headed back toward the bathrooms. 

The women exchanged glances as Pichi jumped up from under the table and sniffed at the platter of seafood before gagging in disgust. 

While Mako searched for Wu inside the men's room, Elira, Asami, and Korra were stood waiting outside when Korra spotted a bathroom attendant walking past with a cart full of laundry bags.

"I'll be right back", she announced, walking after the attendant.

She walked out the back of the hotel, where the attendant was dumping the load of laundry into the back of a van.

"Excuse me, did you happen to see if Prince Wu came out this way?" She asked, approaching the attendant.

"Sorry miss, I haven't seen him." The man said

Suddenly, the pile of laundry bags moved, and Wu rolled out, semi-conscious, "Hmm, I'm in laundry..."

Korra became angry, but before she could do anything, the attendant bent the ground under her to launch her into the ceiling. He ran to the front of the van and, while his coworker slammed the back doors shut, drove off as Elira, Mako and Asami ran out to check on Korra.

"They've got Wu! Get the car; I'm going after them!" Korra yelled, running after the kidnappers.

"The one time I don't bring Mochi!" Elira cried as she, Mako and Asami quickly ran back inside. 

*

The van roared out of the alley beside the hotel, tyres screeching against the asphalt, and Korra was hot on its heels. With a fierce determination, she unleashed a fissure toward the speeding vehicle, sending it momentarily airborne. But instead of crashing, the van steadied itself and barreled onward.

"Get in!" Asami shouted, pulling up in a sleek blue roadster just as Elira soared past them, her wingsuit unfurled like an eagle taking flight, Pichi following seconds after. 

Without hesitation, Korra hurled herself into the backseat, and Asami slammed on the gas. They wove through the chaotic traffic, adrenaline pumping as they closed in on the van. Suddenly, the kidnappers made a sharp turn, and the earthbender made a wall of solid earth rise up, blocking their path. Asami swerved at the last possible second, narrowly dodging the barrier, while Elira executed a flawless mid-air flip, using her airbending to cushion her landing against the wall before propelling herself back into the fray. 

"We're losing them!" Korra shouted, urgency in her voice as Elira landed deftly beside her with Pichi dropping into her lap. 

"Hang a right at the next block! We can cut them off on Seventh!" Mako directed, his brow furrowed with intensity.

The turn approached, but Asami flew straight ahead, her instincts guiding her.

"You missed the turn! What are you doing?!" Mako yelled, frustration mounting.

"I know these streets better than you. I built some of them!" Asami shot back, determination in her eyes.

As they zoomed up the elevated freeway, the van came into view on the road below. With sudden resolve, Korra leapt to her feet.

"What are you doing?! Sit down!" Mako exclaimed, panic creeping into his tone.

Ignoring his protest, Korra launched herself from the car, soaring through the air and landing on top of the van with practised grace. She immediately metalbent the roof open, her heart racing as she peered inside, only to find it chillingly vacant except for the bathroom attendant behind the wheel.

"Where is he?" she demanded, her voice commanding.

The man remained silent, his eyes wide with fear. In a swift motion, Korra summoned her power, yanking him from his seat with airbending before she slammed her foot down on the brakes, sending the van skidding to a halt beside a couple of spirit vines.

Asami and the others soon caught up with them as Korra jumped out of the van, dragging the attendant with her.

"Wu's not here. This guy was the only one in the truck." She informed

Mako angrily grabbed the bathroom attendant by the collar and slammed him into the van. "Where's the prince?"

"Halfway to Kuvira by now," Mako slammed the attendant harder against the van. The man just smiled smugly at him. "All hail the Great Uniter."

"They must have moved Wu to a different vehicle when we lost sight of them," Asami said as a police van came up behind them, sirens blaring.

"What could Kuvira want with Wu? She's already taken power from him," Elira wondered as Mako threw the now-cuffed attendant in the back of the police van before going to talk to the driver.

"Take this guy in for booking. Charge him with kidnapping and tell Chief Beifong that Prince Wu is missing. Put out an all-points bulletin. We'll keep looking." Mako ordered. The police officer nodded and drove away.

"Where do we start? There are thousands of cars in the city, and he could be in any one of them." Asami questioned

"Or they might try smuggling him out on an airship," Mako suggested.

"Or maybe a boat."

Mako threw his hands up in exasperation, grunting in frustration. "He could be anywhere! The one time I don't watch him pee, and this is what happens."

Behind them, Elira and Korra walked over to the spirit vines, where a couple of spirits were sitting watching them.

Elira smiled and waved at them. "Excuse me, spirits? Do you think you could help us find someone?"

One spirit, a pink rabbit spirit, floated down towards her and said, "You don't need our help," and gestured to where Korra had put her hand on one of the vines, feeling for Wu's energy. After a few seconds, she looked up.

"They're taking Wu to the train station!" She exclaimed

"Are you sure? How do you know?" Asami asked

"I'll explain on the way; just drive! We're running out of time!" Korra jumped into the back of the car. Her friends quickly followed, and Asami swiftly drove off. 

*

The group of deserters had brought Bolin and Varrick to a nearby stream in the forest. They stood with their hands tied, watching as the woman bent water into her pouch.

"So how did a bunch of water and firebenders end up in one of Kuvira's reeducation camps?" Bolin asked

"Call it what it is: a prison." The woman snapped, walking over

"Kuvira's been purging states of anyone who's not of Earth Kingdom origin and locking them up." The firebender man explained

"Purging?!" Bolin echoed, shocked

"What are you acting so surprised for? You must have known what she was up to, being part of her "inner circle" and all." The man glared

"No, I swear! And the inner circle thing lasted like, less than a day!" Bolin exclaimed

"Will you at least tell us where you're taking us?" Varrick questioned irritably.

"The border checkpoint. You're gonna help us talk our way past some Earth Empire soldiers." The man explained

"And once we're through, we'll see about letting you go." The woman added

Bolin and Varrick exchanged a knowing glance, a silent agreement sparking between them. In a flash, Varrick jumped just as Bolin unleashed his earthbending. With a powerful surge, he sent a wave of dirt and stone crashing into the deserters, sending them reeling back. As they struggled to regain their footing, Bolin seized the moment, transforming the ground before him into molten lava with a swift sweep of his foot. The searing flow widened menacingly, creating a barrier that held everyone at bay, the heat radiating like a warning.

"Ha, ha! Lava time! Bet you didn't expect that!" Varrick taunted

Bolin stood up again and snapped the ropes tying his hands, which were weakened by the lava "Look, I'm sorry for what happened to all of you, but as I've been trying to explain, we don't work for Kuvira anymore."

"Yeah. If our handsome mugs get recognized trying to go through that checkpoint, we're goners!" Varrick added

"If you really are fugitives, you better listen up", The firebender snapped "We've been scouting this region for days. There's a wall stretching along the entire border and patrols guarding every part of it. That checkpoint is the only way out."

"It's not worth the risk, Baraz. How do we know they won't turn us in?" The waterbender woman questioned

"If he wanted us gone, we'd be at the bottom of a pool of lava right now. If any of us want to get out of the Earth Empire alive, we'll have to trust each other." The firebender, Baraz, replied

With a quick move, Bolin cooled the lava so that it became solid again

"All right, where is this checkpoint?" He asked, his eyes filled with determination to return to Republic City -- because one way or another, he was going to get back home...