I'd like to say that in my mind Iroh is in his early 20's (maybe around 22) and Korra is 17. Older brother status? I think so too.

Sorry if you don't agree

"May I have a word outside?"

She was caught off guard. She raised her eyebrows and instead of answering right away she studied his face and decided she didn't like the way his mouth was set into a hard line and how his eyes were dark and unreadable.

"Yeah," she finally answered.

Iroh nodded once and turned on his heel. Korra quietly followed.

He settled on the gazebo that stood on the edge of the island. She walked straight through and rested her elbows on the railing, facing the ocean. The view was always something to behold, but the air was thick tonight and Iroh was being distant.

He stood beside her and focused on the clouds that were gathering in the distance.

"A storm is coming." His voice was stiff. The kind of stiffness people often used when they were speaking with the Avatar rather than her.

"It seems like it's already here."

He sighed, long and heavy. "Yes, it is."

"What's wrong?"

He paused, choosing his words carefully. "What Republic City has been struggling with lately, the idea of "equality" between benders and nonbenders…it's not just a local concept. The idea itself has followers all over the world."

"I know." She figured anyway. It would have been ignorant of her to think otherwise. It still didn't stop her from hoping, though. But that, obviously, was in vain.

"News of Amon's failure and ultimate betrayal is rapidly spreading and people are not responding well. Rebellions are erupting almost everywhere."

Her eyes widened and she felt like ice water was trickling down her back.

"They're small," he replied quickly once he recognized the panic strewn across Korra's face. "But they're still present." He waited for a verbal response but received none so he trudged on. "We feel it is best that you try to quell these disturbances, starting with the Fire Nation. The most violent and serious cases are there. We were planning to leave as soon as the bending restoration is complete."

This was all too much for her to process at once. She directed her gaze to the ocean stretched out before her, shifting and mysterious. Just like her future it seemed. Even though she hadn't really given it much thought, she never expected to leave Republic City so suddenly… and so soon.

"Who's we?" she questioned after a few minutes in silence.

"Me, Tenzin, the rest of the council… Lady Katara." Korra's eyes snapped to his face.

"You spoke with Katara about this?"

"I did," he said nodding his head slowly. "While we were in the South Pole."

"You've known about this for that long? Why wasn't I told about this sooner?" She was already trying to accept the mistakes she made throughout the whole Equalist fiasco and not deem herself a failure, especially on those dark days where she would sit alone and compare herself to Avatar Aang. But now this? On a world-wide scale? And she wasn't even aware of it! Hundreds- no- thousands of people having been counting on her for weeks now and where was she? Lounging around Republic City, taking her time recovering from Amon and giving bending abilities back to their rightful owners with no sense of urgency at all. Great. Just great.

"We didn't want you to carry that burden in the back of your mind while you were restoring people's bending. You needed to focus. But most importantly, you needed to be the face of hope and peace for those people… And that, actually, is what this mission requires from you."

Her eyebrows drew together. "So, I'm going to…"

"Act as a symbol of peace while the local police forces and a small, elite team of officers I have gathered handle the physical aspect of the situation. You will step in, if necessary."

"So let me get this straight, I'm going to be gone for who knows how long-"

"Approximately three months," Iroh cut in.

Korra felt her lips forming into a pout. "Okay, three months then. I'll be gone for three months, travelling around the world… just to be there?"

"Korra," he sighed and she automatically felt like a child. "I know you want to join in on the fight, but what these people are going through-benders and nonbenders alike- it's rough. Some are confused, some are angry, frustrated, hurt… the list continues to grow as the days pass. They need a voice of reason and understanding, Korra… and that voice is yours."

She turned her head away from him, as if trying to escape reality for just a moment. A moment in which she needed to clear her head and gather her (incoherent) thoughts. But as she opened her eyes she was faced with Avatar Aang's statue in the distance. Her eyelids drooped. "Ever since I found out I was the Avatar," she began softly, unsure of what exactly she wanted to say. "I vowed every day to never back down from my duty as the Avatar," A humorless chuckle escaped her lips. "I'm starting to find though, that my duties aren't just being able to bend all four elements."

Iroh smiled, although it didn't touch his eyes.

"Don't get me wrong, I want to help these people," she gestured with a giant sweep of her arm. She let it fall beside her, just like her confidence. "But I don't know how. I'm not a people-person as you might have gathered. I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to be doing out there."

She was too caught up in her thoughts to notice how long they stayed in silence after her confession, but when Iroh finally spoke, it startled her.

"I was very young when Avatar Aang died," he said, his gaze directed at the statue before them. "Almost too young to remember. But from the stories my grandfather always told me, it seems like the Avatar doesn't really know what they're doing most of the time anyway." His smile was genuine and Korra couldn't help but mimic him.

"When I look at you," he said as he lifted her chin lightly with his fingers. "I see a strong, confident young woman… and I see a lost, scared little girl all at once. But when I look around you," he waved his hand. "I see a team of friends who are more than willing to help you in your cryptic journey through life." His hand eventually landed on his chest, gesturing to himself. "And we will all figure it out together."

She felt her eyes begin to tingle. "Iroh… I… thank you." She lunged forward and pulled him into a hug. She was never very good with words anyway.

When she pulled away, she found he was already looking at her and she noticed his eyes shining in the moonlight. Mako's face suddenly flashed through her mind.

Korra opened her mouth to voice her troublesome thoughts (What about Mako…?) but decided against it. There was no need for such childish concerns, she told herself.

Iroh's mouth twisted into a grin. "Mako will still be here when you return."

It was scary how he did that sometimes.

Sorry it was a short chapter. I'll update as soon as I can!