| abstract | - Before Kuvira's army began their conquest, Baraz and Ahnah lived in the Earth Kingdom. However, when the army seized control of their homes, they became prisoners of war due to being of non-Earth Kingdom origin. They managed to escape the detainment camp, along with several other firebenders and waterbenders. One day as they were walking in a forest, Baraz, Ahnah, and their group saw Bolin and Varrick become caught in their trap. Upon noticing their Earth Empire military uniforms, they assumed they were working for Kuvira, despite the duo's insistence that they were deserters. After freeing the duo from the net, they bound their hands, intending to use them to pass a nearby border checkpoint. The waterbenders were bending water into their water skins, while Bolin was asking how they had ended up in one of Kuvira's reeducation camps and Baraz tells him that Kuvira has been capturing and locking up everyone not of Earth Kingdom origin. Varrick asked where they were going and Baraz and Ahnah told them their goal. Bolin used his lavabending to keep them at bay, once again apologizing for what had happened to them and insisting that they were not aligned with Kuvira anymore, and Varrick adds that if he and Bolin are recognized, they'll be taken back to Kuvira. Baraz was willing to believe him, to Ahnah's disappointment; she relented, however, when he reasoned that if Bolin wanted them dead, he'd have already buried them in lava. He continued by explaining that they needed to work together and trust each other in order to get past the border checkpoint which was the only way to freedom. Bolin cooled the lava and asked them where the checkpoint was. Even though Varrick pointed out that he and Bolin might be recognized, the group decided to take the risk regardless. Initially, Bolin and Varrick's ploy managed to get the Earth Empire soldiers to let them through the gate, but the duo were soon recognized and a fight broke out between the refugees and the Earth Empire soldiers. Soon, the prisoners and them were surrounded by many mecha suits and Kuvira's soldiers. Immediately, Baraz burned the rope on his wrist and started fighting with the others. He and Ahnah were fighting a mecha suit, but it was too powerful for them. They were saved by Varrick, who disabled the suits, by creating an electromagnetic pulse device. Varrick wanted to escape and inadvertently abandon Baraz and Ahnah's group. Bolin refused, using his lavabending to drive back the soldiers. Baraz was surprised they had stayed and thanked him, saying they didn't have to come back. Seeing that the duo could be trusted, the refugees offered them a boat ride up north, which they accepted. They passed the time in the boat telling stories, though they quickly proved to be extremely boring. Varrick soon livened up the mood by spinning a story for his next mover, placing Bolin as the protagonist and having him take on Avatar Korra's past enemies: Amon, Unalaq, Vaatu, and Zaheer. After the story, Baraz was grabbed by the collar and asked by Bolin if he was crazy for liking Varrick's tale. Bolin soon repeated the question to Ahnah, who was standing beside the firebender. Baraz simply reminded him that it was a mover and that he should not read too much into it, as it was like "taking a ride".
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