//------------------------------//
// The Red Eye 
// Story: The Legend of Korra Book 5: Chaos 
// by Epicdiscord214 
//------------------------------//

"Hold on." Korra said placing both her hands on the table everyone else was sitting at. She turned to Shirong, the spirit they just met. "Who's Grogar?"
"Grogar is the name of the evil king of Tambelon." Shirong said. "Most spirits know the story. He took the Doctor's power and tried to use it to expand his kingdom across history. Luckily, the Bird of Paradise arrived and stopped all that. It destroyed the bell, but Grogar wasn't as dead as everyone thought. As the bell pieces scattered to three different worlds, Grogar bonded his life force with one of the pieces. When that happened, the piece went into the soul of a certain human: the ancestor of Asami Sato. And generation after generation, the bell piece went to the next in the family line. Now, here's a special effect of the piece when it enters a mortal's soul: when he or she is angry and driven enough, that human becomes influenced by Grogar into being guided into doing inhuman things. And with the right push, Grogar will possess them completely."
"You said Asami's family has passed down the bell piece one at a time." Mako said. "Does that include Asami's dad, Hiroshi Sato?"
"Especially him." Shirong said. "Why do you think he did something as stupid as stay loyal to the Equalists after he learned you all and she were buddy-buddy?"
"I don't believe it." Bolin said. "So... Grogar's been influencing Mr. Sato into joining the Equalists."
"But a few years in prison calmed him down, I bet." the Masked Matterhorn said.
"And... when Hiroshi died, Grogar must have slipped into Asami's soul." Twilight said.
"All that was left was the push." Korra continued. "And seeing Kuvira free and walking provided just that."
Kuvira was full of regret and guilt as evidenced by her face. "So that's why Raiko sent me to you. He knew that building those spirit weapons would give him a reason to free me. After that, all the anger Asami had on me was building up until Grogar took over. It was all a set-up."
"So this evil king that tried to rule the universe before was under our noses and we missed it." Pakku said.
"No, no, no." Varrick groaned. "It wasn't supposed to be like this!"
"Varrick, there's no need to blame yourself." Mistress Marevelous said. "It's not like you gave away our location to the Red Lotus."
Varrick formed a very, very guilty face. Twilight Sparkle interpreted it and expressed it with shock and anger. "You gave away our location to the Red Lotus?!"
"I'm sorry, everyone." Varrick said starting to tear up. "I didn't want to! Believe me!"
"Then why did you do it?" Mako asked angrily. "Give us one good reason!"
"ZHU LI, ALL RIGHT?!" Varrick screamed out. "Look, the day after our wedding, we were at our first day in our honeymoon. Suddenly, the Red Eye arrived and kidnapped her. He said if I wanted to see her again, I'd have to do what he said."
After a moment of silence, Korra broke it by slamming her hand on the table. "We're going to save Asami, and Discord, and Zhu Li!"
"How?" Twilight asked. "We don't even know where to find her."
"The Doctor sent us here for a reason," Mako pointed out, "And Asami couldn't have gotten far. What if the Red Lotus has a base under this city?"
"You really think so?" Miles said. "How do we get there?"
"Well, if we can't find a door," Anar D said before materializing a shovel, "We'll make one."
"Now, you all seem to have this under control." Shriong said. "I'll just be off and..."
"No way." Korra said blocking Shirong's escape. "You are going to approach the other spirits and convince them to help us. At this point, we'll need as much as we can."
"Even if I wanted to, I can't." Shirong said. "The spirits won't listen to me."
"I'll help." Fluttershy said. "I can be persuasive to other creatures if I have to."
"All right." Twilight said. "We've got friends to save. And this time, we'll make sure the Red Lotus is gone for good."





Inside the Earth Empire airship, Lok slowly curved his talon inside the cage lock until it opened. He and Iris snuck past the guards and stepped outside the hanger.
"Uh, look." Lok said pointing at the town. "It's Heong-Hua. They found the central base. Don't worry. I suppose we'll find the Red Eye and warn him."
"No!" Iris shouted. "We've got to help them!"
"What are you talking about, Iris?" Lok asked. "We swore our loyalty to your grandfather."
"That was before we knew he was Xai Bau." Iris said. "If he's kept that from us, who knows what else he kept?"
"Oi, vey." Lok sighed. "You're not buying what those friendship-loving hippies said, are you? That bi-bender has already convinced you to talk about Operation: Fall. You can't just fall for his charm just because you think he's cute."
"It's not like that!" Iris said nervously. "Look, Tirek betrayed us and left us for dead. The Avatar and the ponies could've left us for dead, but they didn't. No one in the Red Lotus could've done it for us. We owe them help, at least."
Lok thought for a moment. He placed his feathered wing on the bottom of his beak and thought hard.

Deep within a hidden intersection of tunnels, the Red Eye, Grogar (in Asami's body), and Discord stood at the center observing the stone ruins around them. The Red Eye held a tight grip on Pandora's Box.
"Wait." Discord said looking at Asami's black eyes. "So... your name is Grogar, you're the evil king of Tambelon, and you're possessing Asami until the bell is complete and you're free?"
"Yes." Grogar said. "For generations, I've been waiting in the hearts of mortal fools having to listen in on their petty. dramatic, everyday situations."
"Glad to know you're above drama." Discord said sarcastically. The Red Eye turned a menacing glare at him. "Whoa, pal. I get it. ...Hail HYDRA." He then formed a salute. "So... you're Xai Bau."
"Yes." the Red Eye said. "I came across Grogar in a moment of desperation. To serve him, he gave me power, magic, and immortality."
"I'm just saying," Discord said, "If you were a dog... you'd be Xai Bow-wow." He laughed loudly. "Hey, you seem tense. Is it because you're a Raiders fan?" He laughed again with the Red Eye and Grogar staring at him. "Hey! Hey, Zaheer!" From afar, Zaheer turned his head to Discord. "Lex Luthor called! He wants his head back!" He laughed louder than ever before.
"How could you be so comical?" the Red Eye asked. "You're in the presence of the greatest evil in the Multiverse. Via influence, he ruined lives, abducted innocent bystanders, and played a part in bringing Republic City to its knees."
"That's impressive," Discord said, "But can he do parties? I mean, come on! You claim he's this big evil, but the best thing he can do is a ventriloquist act. What's next; evil balloon animals?"
"You don't take me seriously, do you?!" Grogar shouted.
"Not unless your master plan was to bore me to death." Discord said. "If it is, then congratulations; it's working."
"You don't understand." the Red Eye said. "We have no plans to kill you; at least, not yet. You see, we need you to get the final piece out. In addition to Grogar, Asami has that very piece in her heart. You, Discord, are the only one in the entire Multiverse who can reach into one's heart and alter it. You, and you alone, can get the piece out."
"...That's it?" Discord asked. "That's all you want me for? You're telling me you sent your granddaughter to Equestria and had her frame me, prosecute me, release Tirek, take a stone box, and drag me all the way from Equestria to this world... JUST TO PULL SOMETHING OUT FOR YOU?!"
"Yes." Tirek walked out of a tunnel and approached the villains and Discord.
"Tirek." the Red Eye greeted. "What of the Equalists?"
"They are outside awaiting to meet you." Tirek said. "But first, we need to make sure every known bender is not here."
"Quite right." the Red Eye said. "Attention, benders! Leave the area now!"
As everyone left through the tunnels, Equalists followed Tirek out. The Red Eye went and introduced himself. As they were doing so, the ponies and Team Avatar followed Anar D as he made a hole that they sneaked through. Mako made hand signals, but after he was done, Pinkie Pie just danced.
"No." Mako whispered loudly. "Half go left. The other go right."
"Why didn't you just say so?" Bolin asked.
The ponies and humans went in separate directions. Anar D found a 15-foot tall object underneath a blanket. He threw it off and gasped.
"What?" Saddle Rager asked. She repeated until she saw what the caped draconequus was looking at: a 15-foot tall wirewolf that looked almost exactly like Timberwolf. There was a cockpit window at the torso. Anar D slipped between the crack and entered the suit.
"What's going on?" Saddle Rager asked.
"Saddle Rager?" a familiar voice called out. The pegasus followed the voice to the horse pen and saw five stallions there. She approached one.
"Do I know you?" Saddle Rager asked.
"It's me!" the stallion said. "It's Joe; Masque!"
Saddle Rager didn't speak. Instead, she dropped her jaw. He motioned her arms and the rest of the Power Ponies snuck toward her.
"It's the Mighty Machines." Saddle Rager said.
"Actually, we're not so mighty," Joe said, "Nor machines."
"What happened?" the Masked Matterhorn asked in shock.
"The Red Eye separated us from our wirewolf bodies." Ricky explained.
"We're back to how we were before Discordant Convergence." Terry said.
"And they're going to weaponize our mechanical forms." Marty said.
"This is why we can't have nice things." Joe complained. "You don't take a horse's metal canine body. They're biting the hand that they feed with."
"That doesn't even make any sense." Radiance said.
Devastator barked.
Saddle Rager gasped. "Devastator too?"
"'Fraid so." Ricky said.
"They've gone too far this time." the Masked Matterhorn said. "We need to get you all out of here."
"Wait!" they heard the Equalist lieutenant shout. They peeked and saw him point at the revealing wirewolf suit that Anar D was in. "What is that?"
"That, my friend, is the key to our strength." the Red Eye said. He approached the wirewolf and presented it while Anar D pressed himself at the very back of the cockpit trying not to be seen.
"We have 6 different categories of this next series of mechs. These... Mighty Mechs have different powers for each category. The Shadow Mech can produce half-sized mechanical creatures from its body. The Masque Mech can change itself into any large object such as a statue or a skyscraper, and it can pass that gift to anything else. The Devastator Mech can bond with other machines and swallow your enemies in a powerful suction gift. The Rodan Mech acts like a glowing beacon and/or a flamethrower. The Dusk Mech can travel in darkness and fire shadows from its claws. Lastly, the Timberwolf Mech here can throw itself in as much danger as it wants with a self-repair system."
"And yet, none of them can tell the time." Discord commented.
"Master... is something wrong?" Tirek asked noticing how Grogar had a suspicious look on Asami's face.
"I thought they were all covered until release." Grogar said. He moved Asami's body to the Timberwolf Mech and looked inside the cockpit. In panic, Anar D grabbed a lever and pointed out the Mech's arm.
Anar D then spoke in a robot voice through the speakers. "DANGER! DANGER! RUN, WILL ROBINSON!" The Timberwolf Mech then jumped forward and landed in the center.
"THEY'RE HERE!" Grogar shouted.
Suddenly, the heroes popped out at all direction and started to strike. The Equalists ran toward them and fought back. Saddle Rager released the formerly Mighty Machines and changed into her monster form. Saddle Rager jumped and landed in front of the Red Eye.
Before he could speak, the Red Eye was lifted by Saddle Rager's teeth. She slammed him once and threw him to the side. He hit a cover sheet that fell down. There was a big, metal cage. As soon as the Red Eye hit the ground face down, Saddle Rager saw his scarf off of him.
Meanwhile, Tirek just grabbed Radiance and Zapp. He lifted them in front of his face and grinned.
"Two super-powered ponies. It feels like Hearth's Warming Eve."
Suddenly, he heard the sound of a meek throat clearing up. He saw Fluttershy standing alone in front of a tunnel. He laughed loudly.
"You have my friends." Fluttershy said. "I'm asking you politely to let them go or I'll make you."
"Yeah, right." Tirek chuckled. "You and what army?"
"This one." Fluttershy answered. Suddenly, a swarm of spirits stepped into the light with Shirong at the front. Tirek gasped in shock and surprise.
Suddenly, Discord materialized a cheerleader's uniform and pom-poms. He danced and chanted, "2, 4, 6, 8! Who do we appreciate?! Fluttershy!"
"You stay out of this!" Grogar growled.
Discord turned dull and, blankly, swung around a black flag with the letter G on it. "Grogar, Grogar. He's our man. If he can't do it... GREAT!"
"ZAHEER, RETURN!" Tirek shouted.
"Zaheer?" the Equalist lieutenant asked. He saw the airbender fly out of nowhere with several other people with bending. "But... he's an airbender. Tirek, what's going..." He didn't finish his sentence before Tirek blasted him back.
"I am in charge of the Equalists!" Tirek shouted. "You follow my path, no matter what!"
"And I thought Starlight Glimmer was a drama queen." Rarity said.
"And I thought YOU were a drama queen." Applejack said.
Before Tirek could do anything else, Korra slammed the ground shooting a boulder up and kicked it to his face. He stumbled back and moved in a dizzy fashion. Unseen, Grogar reached out and grabbed the lieutenant's electro-sticks. Everyone else surrounded the Red Eye with his face obscured and his body trying to get up.
"It's over Xai Bau," Korra demanded, "Or should I say... Raiko?"
"What?" a familiar voice called in from the cage beside the Red Eye. Raiko and Zhu Li were behind the bars. Zhu Li didn't have a mark on her, but Raiko had a very noticeable bruise beside his left eye.
"Zhu Li!" Varrick gasped.
"Varrick!" Zhu Li gasped.
"Raiko?" Mako asked.
"Raiko." the president said pointing at himself.
"We should do lunch sometime." Discord commented.
"Hold on." Bolin said. "You're Raiko, and he's Raiko. How can he be in two places at once."
"Here's an explanation." Raiko said. He pointed at the Red Eye, who was trying to get up. "That's. Not. Me."
The Red Eye got back up on his feet and stood straight. He slowly turned around and revealed his true face. Everyone was surprised at who it really was.
Korra was the first one to speak in shock for she couldn't believe who she was looking at. "Crem-Sun! ...But... Raiko..."
"No." Crem-Sun said. "He's never been the Red Eye. He wouldn't even be competent enough. He gave his bodyguards diplomatic immunity once they've been hired."
"I'm right here!" Raiko said. "I was riding with him here until he caught me by surprise. The next thing I know, I wake up here!"
"Hold on." Mako said. "The day we arrived, when Raiko confronted me about my job... He wasn't the only one there. He had two bodyguards with him."
"You've been the Red Eye the whole time?" Twilight asked.
"Oh, come on." Crem-Sun said. "Even my name should've given it away. Hello! Crem-Sun; crimson? Notice the connection? Can't believe you actually thought Raiko was me. Next to him, who would suspect an idiot to be the real Xai Bau?"
"You... messed with me." Korra said. "You tried to have me killed!"
"Indeed, I have." Xai Bau said. "For the failure, I blame Zaheer." Zaheer frowned at that comment.
"Why?" Twilight asked. "You broke off of the White Lotus, you tried to kidnap the Avatar when I was a kid, you infiltrated the United Forces government, you broke Korra and Mako up, you ordered her to be dead, and you go all this trouble to get to Asami."
"You make those sound bad." Xai Bau said.
"But why are you doing this?" Korra asked. "Why are you going through so much trouble?"
"Seriously?" Xai Bau asked with a chuckle in his voice. "You were connected to Aang for six months and he never bothered to tell you about me? I am so disappointed. Allow me to tell you a story.
"It started shortly after the 100 Year War ended. Avatar Aang defeated the Phoenix King and brought peace to the world. There was one problem with Aang: he was twelve years old. He was still a child. He needed more than peers to raise him. The White Lotus voted on someone to be his legal guardian: me.
"At first, both Aang and I were really nervous, but over time, we've become close. We were like father and son. I supported him throughout every situation he and his friends got themselves into. In fact, because of him, I had forgotten about all the hardships about being an agent of the White Lotus. However, that all changed with... Fire Lord Zuko.
"Zuko was targeted by the brother of the one Sokka called Combustion Man. He had the same powers as him, and carried a big grudge against Zuko for causing the death of his brother. Sokka even took to calling him Combustion Man 2. Both Team Avatar and handful of White Lotus soldiers (including myself) was tasked to protect the Fire Lord.
"However, we did not expect for Combustion Man 2 to attack us by dressing up as a member of the staff. The battle with him resulted with the throne room hanging from the palace. Combustion Man 2 fell off and the Fire Lord and I were hanging by the edge. Aang could only save one of us. And wouldn't you know it; he chose to save Zuko over me. I lost my grip and fell down. Luckily, I fell in a pile of hey, but I didn't bother returning to the Avatar.
"I removed myself from the city and walked to Heong-Hua. Here, I met a man named Malani Sato, Asami's grandfather. He let me sleep at his place until I got back on my feet. That night, I had a visitor in my dream: Grogar, calling me from inside Malani. He gave me the opportunity to right Aang's wrongs by creating a world without leaders to work for. To do so, he had to give me magic and immortality. I found the Red Lotus and worked in secret until the proper moment."
"What about the spirit guns?" Kuvira asked.
"Seriously, you fell for that?" Xai Bau asked with a chuckle. "I only faked those plans to give Raiko a reason to free you. You meet the friendship fools, Asami sees you, Asami gets mad enough, Grogar possesses Asami, and the rest is history."
"So you're doing all this because you're mad at Aang?" Korra asked.
"Your past incarnation chose his duties as the Avatar over someone close to him." Xai Bau said. "I wanted you to feel what it was like. Remember your break-up with the cop?"
"That's what it was about?" Mako asked. "You broke us up just to get back at the Avatar? You're insane and demented!"
"Insane, demented, and holding all the cards." Xai Bau said. Grogar approached him and handed him the lieutenant's sticks. Xai Bau raised them above Raiko and Zhu Li's cage. "Now, surrender and let Discord do his work or I'll fry these people."
"You wouldn't!" Ricky shouted.
"Are you prepared to risk it?" Xai Bau said. "Varrick, you wouldn't want Zhu Li dead, especially since she's holding the little package."
"Huh?" Varrick asked.
"What package?" Zhu Li asked.
"You don't even know?" Xai Bau asked. "Well, this is interesting. Congratulations, Varrick and Zhu Li. You're going to be parents."
Varrick and Zhu Li widened their eyes in complete shock. They had a hard time believing what what they just heard.
"Xai Bau, please, don't do this." Twilight said. "You were like a father to Aang. Is this what he would want?"
"I don't know if you could hear me since you're all the way down there," Xai Bau said, "But Aang abandoned me. He put his duties as the Avatar before those he cares about."
"But he did care about Zuko." Korra said. "They were friends for years. Sure, they had a rocky start, but they became best friends."
"ENOUGH!" Xai Bau shouted. He held up Pandora's Box in the other hand and raised it up. "I HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR FANTASIES! THE AVATAR NEVER CARED FOR ME! BUT NOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER! I HAVE PANDORA'S BOX! I HAVE CONTROL OVER REALITY! I HAVE..."
"ZILCH!" Lok shouted as he swooped in and clapped his talons on the box. He swiped it from Xai Bau's hands and flew in the air.
"Lok!" Fluttershy cheered.
"TRAITOR!" Tirek shouted as his horns started to glow. His rage prevented him from seeing Iris until she kicked a very strong gust of wind at his face.
Tirek stumbled back and Iris cartwheeled to the heroes. Tirek fell back and became unconscious. Lok hovered down at the good guys.
"Iris?" Miles asked. "You're helping?"
"For the record," Lok said, "I'm not doing this because I believe in all that 'friendship is magic' mumbo-jumbo. I just owe these guys some serious payback for leaving us for an evil king."
"Evil king?" Zaheer asked. "Red Eye, what are they talking about?"
"I owe no answers to you, Zaheer!" Xai Bau said.
"Actually, you do!" Zaheer demanded.
Xai Bau looked at Grogar and sighed. "Fine. Many eons ago, there was a kingdom called Tambelon. Before its end, Grogar ruled it all."
"Grogar's... a king." Zaheer said. "What is the meaning of this?! It's the Red Lotus' duty to rid the world of leaders!"
"Watch your tone, Zaheer!" Xai Bau growled. "If it wasn't for Grogar, we'd never create this society! Besides, the deal was that after he gains his power back, he will reshape this world so there are no leaders! I have to break some eggs to make an..."
He didn't finish his sentence when Zhu Li grabbed his back collar and pull him to the bars hard. He collapsed on the floor and Hum Drum sat on his torso. Xai Bau lifted Hum Drum up, but the little dragon changed into diamond form and the weight was more than Xai Bau expected.
"Now, for the finishing touch!" Discord said. He pointed his eagle claw and blasted a white ray from it.
The ray hit Xai Bau and he started to glow. In haste, he grabbed Hum Drum and glowed his eyes. Suddenly, Xai Bau's scream was the last thing heard before his shrunk down and changed into an orange ball. His face screamed from it, but there was no sound.
"Bibbiti, bobbiti, boom!" Discord exclaimed.
"Hum Drum, darling," Radiance shouted, "Are you all right?"
"Yeah." Hum Drum breathed. "Yeah, I think I'm all right."
"What the..." Ricky started to say as he started to emit a white light.
Suddenly, the stallions and dog started to glow. The light blinded nearly everybody. When the light dimmed, everyone saw the stallions and gasped. They looked like wirewolves again.
"Are we..." the Shadow Blot asked.
"WE'RE US AGAIN!" Masque cheered. "YA-HOO!"
"Xai Bau's defeat must have changed you back." the Masked Matterhorn said.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Grogar shouted. He held up the electric stick. "Discord, separate the piece from this motal body now or I will..."
"YAAAAAAHOOOHOOOHOOWEEEEEEEEE!" a loud voice called.
Derpy flew in from a random tunnel. She flew toward Grogar and crashed into him. Grogar hit Asami's head against the floor and her eyes changed to normal. Asami fell back in unconsciousness. At the sight of it, all the Red Lotus soldiers and Equalists dropped their weapons and raised their hands in surrender.
"Derpy, what are you doing here?" Kuvira asked. "I thought I told you to stay at the airship!"
"Uh... I was there and now I'm here." Derpy said.
Varrick took picked up a set of keys and fit them in the cage in front of him. The door opened up and Raiko and Zhu Li ran out. Zhu Li jumped to Varrick and kissed him.
"So... we're getting a kid." Varrick said.
"It looks that way." Zhu Li said.
"Well, we better prepare." Varrick said. "After all, we just defeated an evil body-snatcher. Not the best way to spend a honeymoon."
"Not the worst either." Zhu Li said.
"I love you!" Varrick exclaimed.
"Weirdest couple ever." Discord whispered to the ponies.
Iris looked and saw Zaheer all miserable. She approached him. "Are you all right?"
"No." Zaheer said. "I've been in the Red Lotus nearly my whole life. I did what I did with pride and no regret. I thought I was following the right path, but it looks like all I've been following is a lie."
"Xai Bau fooled us all." Iris said. "He filled me with anger and hate. He caused me to throw all that at you. I... I'm not so good as saying this, but... I'm sorry I never got the chance to forgive you."
"And I'm sorry for all the wrongs I have done to you." Zaheer said. "But now, it looks like we're both to answer at court."
"I've been in one before, dad." Iris said. "I know how it works."
"Aawwww." Bolin commented watching the two hug. "I don't know if we can stay mad at them."
"Yes, we can!" Mako said. "Zaheer tried to kill Korra and Iris dated me just to get to Discord."
"Let it go, will ya?" Lok asked.
"So..." Twilight said, "Does this mean..."
"Not yet." Korra said. "We still need to break Asami out of Grogar's spell. But after that..."
"It'll all be over." Twilight said.
Famous last words.