Sokka pulled away with a smile on his face but the same couldn't be said for Kireina. Her eyes remained closed and a frown weighed heavily on her lips.
"Kai, look at me...please." Sokka whispered, his breath fanning her face. Rein could feel the anger building up inside of her. She was still overwhelmingly enraged with Sokka, from their original fight to seeing him with Yue, to now him denying that he ever loved Yue and loved Rein the whole time. Every last bit of the situation was infuriating.
Sokka gasped as Rein finally opened her eyes to glare at him. Her once grey eyes were now a dark emerald green, glinting under the light of their dying torch. He could see the emotion swimming around in her irises and he would be lying if he said he was drowning in fear.
Rein lifted her leg and stomped her foot hard against the rocky floor, thinking this would send a wave of air towards the boy to separate him from her. Instead the ground beneath them rumbled before a crack began forming between each other, growing larger and larger with every second. The more it opened, the more it revealed the fire that burned forcefully at the bottom. Kireina was engulfed in a chaotic rage, she could feel her blood boiling in her veins.
"I'm not your typical girl Sokka! I'm not just going to forgive and forget because you kissed me in some romantic tunnel of love! Just because you kissed me doesn't mean that I suddenly love you too! You never even ask how I feel! You're always focused on your own fantasies, did you ever stop and think about my feelings? You know deep down that the only reason you chase me is because someone else has my heart! It's always a game with you boys, a competition to see who can get the girl and I'm over it!" Kireina screamed across the abyss at the Tribesman. "You told Zuko I'm not an object yet I can't help but feel that that's how you view me. I am no trophy! I don't belong to anyone!"
"Kai just relax and stop this! You'll kill us both!" Sokka hollered fearfully. He backed himself up along the opposite cave wall, hyperventilating as the pit continued expanding. The flames grew higher and hotter, causing an intense sweat to coat his skin.
"I am not Kai! I am not Reina! I am Rein! I am the Ekkona! I was brought back from the brink of death for a reason and I know it wasn't to entertain you while my brother saves the world!" Her now emerald eyes glowed so bright in the dark that Sokka could see them loud and clear across the expanse. "I thought you were different, Sokka. I looked at you like you were my safe haven, someone I could count on no matter what-"
"You can count on me! I'm sorry, Rein. But please stop this madness! I know deep down you love me so I keep pushing and pushing-"
Rein's power faltered, the fire weakening slightly. "I do love you Sok, just not like that..."
Sokka noticed he hit a nerve which caused her anger to lessen. He felt horrible for taking advantage of her, everything she said was true and he hated himself for it. "I can't believe I let myself get blinded by my emotions. I had no right to push myself on you like that without your permission and I'm so incredibly sorry."
The fists that remained at Rein's sides began to unclench and the canyon separating the two began to close. Sokka took this opportunity to jump the ditch and wrap the broken girl in his arms. She wasted no time and began sobbing into his chest, letting out months worth of tears that she had kept bottled up.
"Sok, I'm so sorry. I don't know what-"
"Shh, I know. It's okay." Sokka hushed her, gently caressing the locks of hair that fell down her back. He tried his hardest to put his sentiments aside as he cared for Rein but he was heartbroken and the sadness enveloped him. He knew Kireina loved Zuko but continuously denied it and instead tried to pull her away from him. It wasn't right and he was now paying the consequences. Sokka put that poor girl through so much due to his selfishness, he could only imagine the war she fought mentally.
"Sokka what did you do to her?!" Aang yelped, as he appeared with Katara in tow.
"What did I do?! Are you blind?!" Sokka gestured to the cave around them. The valley hadn't closed all the way, leaving a large crack in the earth's surface which steamed from the fire that once burned within.
Aang had been so distracted by his sister's hysterics that he didn't even notice the disarray that the tunnel was in.
"What happened?" Katara asked in awe. She knelt down next to the hole peering inside and gasped as she spotted the dying embers below.
Aang used his airbending to propel himself over the valley towards his sister. He rubbed her back comfortingly and glared at Sokka, knowing good and well he did something to cause this mess. Rein pulled away from Sokka and wiped at her face. Aang choked on his spit as he made eye contact with his sister, spotting her deep green eyes that practically danced in fire.
"Rein... did you do this?" Aang questioned. Kireina nodded and took in her surroundings. She had barely seen what she had done since she was so blinded by her ire. Shock was an understatement.
Oh my..." Rein gulped and ogled at the ditch before her. "I-I need a moment.."
Kireina quickly walked away from the group, needing a second to breathe and realize what she had done. It was reckless and stupid. She let her emotions get the best of her and she almost killed her best friend in the process. The newfound power was getting to her, almost swallowing her whole.
As she rounded the next corner she slammed her fist against the rock causing an opening to form. She gasped in surprise and stepped out into the light, relishing in the sun that she thought she lost forever. She practically danced in relief, feeling free once again.
Soon enough the gang found her exit and all ran out to join her in the fresh air. Even Appa came barreling out of the cave, groaning with excitement. While everyone took some much needed time to themselves, Rein stared at her hands off to the side.
She could earthbend. She unlocked every single element within herself with still no clue as to why. She knew she was the Ekkona. She knew she was chosen by the spirits but for what reason? Why a random airbending girl hovering over death? What made her so special a hundred years ago? What is her purpose?
"Kireina." Katara said, snapping Rein from her thoughts. "I don't know what happened back there but I want you to know I'm here for you every step of the way. I can only imagine how you feel having to carry around all of this information and power, it must be terrifying. But please be more careful with your emotions because they seem to get the best of you more often than not. I know Sokka can push some buttons and I'm sure that's what occurred but he's my brother and I love him so I kinda don't want him to die."
Rein nodded, "Trust me, I'm well aware. I'm sorry for scaring you."
"Anyway, hey, you can earthbend now which isn't concerning at all..."
"This Ekkona stuff is getting pretty out of hand. What am I? Who am I?" Rein mumbled, gazing back down to her palms. "I'm starting to feel that whenever I'm not with Zuko, I'm losing control of myself. It's like every moment I'm away, all I can think about his getting back to him."
"Can I tell you something that Bato told Sokka and I? He said he was astonished to see you traveling with us and not with Prince Zuko. He mentioned something called The Guider Effect, supposedly it effects everyone the Ekkona comes in contact with." Katara spoke lowly, trying to keep their conversation private. "I tried to get more information but Sokka got this look on his face and left to find you. I think he's really jealous over Zuko, from what we've put together so far it seems that you're meant to be with the Prince. I think you two are bound by destiny."
Rein's stomach churned after hearing the new info. Honestly, this was probably the most she's ever learned about herself. Time and time again she gets caught up in the moment and forgets to inquire deeper about the Ekkona to those who know of her tale.
But what Katara was saying made sense. Since the awakening she's felt drawn towards something unearthly. Although she wanted to travel with her brother to protect him at all costs, there was a feeling inside that she wasn't where she was supposed to be. Yet whenever she was near Zuko, she felt right. That constant bugging within her to leave no longer existed when she was around him. Even when they were fighting and breaking each other's hearts, she never wanted to be without him.
"Why him? Why Zuko?" Rein questioned, hoping Katara had an answer. The younger girl shrugged sadly. "Ugh this is so frustrating! Everything is always a question with no answer! At least Aang knows his purpose, from the second they declared him the Avatar he knew exactly what his life entailed. Here I am, one hundred and sixteen years old, a bender of all elements with no answers!"
"I'm sure we'll run into someone who knows-"
"I'm done with just running into people who know bits and pieces. I need to go out and find answers. I need to think about my own self for once."
"Don't we all, man?" Chong spoke, reminding everyone that they weren't alone and that the Hippies were there the whole time. "Anyone up for another rendition of 'Secret Tunnel'?"
"NO!" Aang and Katara screamed, practically begging the nomad to stop the torture. Rein cracked her first smile of the day and Sokka spotted this from his seat a few feet away. After all that went on, he still admired the girl that held his heart. He felt pulled to her, always.