Thank you for 2,2K reads :) I really appreciate it !
Sophie POV
It is now the next morning and we're waiting on Tu to bring us our passports.
"These passports should get you into the upper ring."he explains as he walks in.
"Awesome! Tu, you're the best cousin a guy could have and my other cousins as well.Yeah, yeah, you're all the best."Bolin stutters.
We each grab our passport and thank him again.
"Thanks. I know this wasn't easy."Mako says and I smirk at Tu.
"In return, I promise that you'll get a much needed rematch in Pai Sho the next time we see each other."I promise and he rolls his eyes.
We played a few games last night and I absolutely destroyed him, I'm unbeaten after all.
"It's such a shame you two must leave so soon."Grandma sighs.
"I wish we could stay but if it's true that the earth queen is forcing airbenders into her army, we have to do something about it."Mako explains.
"I love you guys.Come visit again."she says and the four of us hug which transforms into a massive family hug.
"I love you too, grandma."I reply.
"And Chow and Tu and Meng-Meng and Chow Jr And there he is, big Tee and Little—Little Tee, and Medium Yu and—and—and what was your name again?"Bolin asks causing me laugh quietly.
We say a final goodbye to the rest of our family and make it successfully back to the upper ring.
We run back to our house and are greeted by Korra.
"Mako! Sophie! Bolin! You're okay.Where have you been?"Korra asks when we stop in front of her, panting.
I hate running so much.
Bolin explains the whole situation very vaguely and drops to the floor.
I look at him for a second before deciding 'who even cares?' and fall on top of him.
I sit on his back while he lies face down on the floor, too exhausted to even care.
I put Pabu on my lap and listen quietly as Mako explains the situation.
Korra starts getting mad but stops when Asami makes us aware that the queen is approaching.
I stand up and give Bolin a hand.
I hold Pabu to Bolin's shirt and he quickly hides.
She walks closer to us and tells Gun to inform us that they've received information that more airbenders have been found in the Yang Province.
Korra thanks her sarcastically and the queen starts talking about us leaving but interrupts herself by sneezing.
"Is there an animal in my presence?"she shouts and grabs gun by his neck.
I step in front of Bolin and stretch when I see Pabu tails peaking out of his shirt.
The queen carries on shouting at Gun but stops to tell us that if we need any help packing we can ask for assistance.
"He'll see to it that you are on your way by evening."she says and turns to leave.
"Uh, this evening? I'm not sure about leaving so soon."Korra shrugs.
"Because our airship is having engine trouble."Asami carries on and I nod in agreement.
"It'll take us at least till tomorrow to finish the repairs."I carry on.
The queen sneezes again and walks away without saying anything.
"Thank you for buying us some time."Korra says to Asami.
We all go inside and call everyone together for a meeting.
Tenzin, Korra, Bolin and Mako sit around the table while Asami, Bumi, Jinora and I stand, with me leaning on the back of Mako's chair.
"I can't believe the earth queen is conscripting airbenders."Tenzin starts.
"Those people should not be forced to join an army."Korra carrie's on.
"Well, technically, the earth queen has a right to conscript her citizens."Bumi adds making us all look at him.
"What? it's true."
"Guys, what if Kai was spotted airbending? He might have been taken too."Jinora asks worriedly.
"That is a possibility as he was using his bending to pick pocket people in public."I elaborate.
"Maybe not.He's surprisingly difficult to catch.Like—Like a little greased Hog-monkey."Bolin argues.
"If the Dai Li were after him he didn't have much of a chance, Bolin."I shrug but catch Jinorra deflate with sadness.
"Or maybe he did escape...who knows"I shrug again with pursed lips.
"But what if he didn't?"Jinora asks.
"Don't worry, Jinora.We'll find him.We just need to figure out where to look."Korra puts a hand on her shoulder.
"I bet they're under lake Laogai."Mako and I state at the same time, making me shoot him a questioning look just Iike everyone else.
"What? I've been reading some of Sophie's books."he explains and I nod.
"The old Dai Li agents used to have a secret fortress beneath the lake."he explains.
"Mako's right.It's the perfect spot to hide airbenders."I carry on.
"And I know how to check it without being caught.I can project my spirit into it."Jinora explains.
"You mean that out-of-body thing you did to help giant spirity-Korra?"Bumi asks.
"You can still do that?"Tenzin asks.
"It's not as powerful as it was during Harmonic Convergence, but if I get close enough, I think I can do it."She explain.
"Let's go get Kai out.Let's get all the airbenders out."Korra announces and Tenzin, Korra and Jinora go to fly out to the river while the rest of us stay behind.
I walk up to my room and prepare myself for the potential battle.
Now that I have bending the need for weapons isn't that great anymore but something I will not let go are my beads and bracelets.
I click the bracelets on and attach the pouch full of beads to my waist.
I look at my desk and the candle I lit on Kai's birthday catches my eye.
'I need to save, Kai.'I thought before shaking my head to get rid of the thought.
I'm projecting.
I walk down stairs and wait for Korra to return.
Once she does and tells us that the airbenders are in the queens temple I facepalm, they're right under our noses.
"We have to get into that compound tonight and get those airbenders out."Tenzin announces and Bumi starts explaining his master plan.
He's interrupted by a knock on the door and we look at it in annoyance.
"Great the queen again."Asami groans.
"She honestly needs a hobby."I say and cross my arms.
"Everyone act normal."Korra shouts and walks with Tenzin to the door.
Tenzin opens the door and is greeted by no other than chief Beifong.
"Lin, what are you doing here?"Tenzin asks as she walks in.
"We need to get Korra out of here immediately. Her life's in danger."Beifong states.
"What?Whats going on?"Korra asks.
"I just got word from Lord Zuko and Tonraq."She says.
"Why is Lord Zuko with my dad?"Korra asks but is ignored.
"Zaheer and the others have escaped."she explains and I gasp and step forward.
"No way! As in Red lotus Zaheer and the others?"I ask and she gives me a look that confirms my question.
"What do you mean red lotus?"Korra asks but is ignored again.
"How is that possible?"Tenzin asks.
"Because Zaheer is an airbender now."Beifong says causing me to gasp again and drop my mouth open in shock.
That's bad, like really bad.
The others give me confused looks on why I was reacting the way I was but I'm still trying to process all this.
"All right, hold on.Will you quit ignoring me and tell me what's going on? Who's Zaheer? Why is my life in danger?"Korra asks and Tenzin starts to explain what happened when she was younger and how they got locked up.
"Why were they trying to kidnap Korra?"Mako asks.
"We spent 13 years interrogating them, but they never broke.To this day, no one knows what their motive was."Chief Beifong explains.
"Now we need to get you back to Republic city where I can protect you."
I furrow my eyebrows but decide to shut up.
I read about them in a book about the biggest criminals of our century and I know they are one of the most, if not the most, dangerous criminals in all the nations and for they're motive it's probably some really shitty way to bring "equality" and "freedom".
"No, I'm not running."Korra states.
"Korra, you don't understand.These criminals are like nothing you've ever faced before."
"Look, I'm not a little kid anymore.You don't need to protect me.I came here for one thing— to find airbenders— and I'm not leaving without them."Korra argues.
"Fine, let's get 'em and get out of here.Where are they?"Chief asks.
"In a military compound, and we're busting them out."
We all get ready together and form a plan on how to get the airbenders out of there.
We wait till nightfall and each get into our allocated positions.
I get the job of breaking all security measures while the others go to knock out the guards.
Just as I rewire the last gate I see everyone run towards me.
"You got it?"Korra asks and I nod, opening the gate.
We all run inside the building and hide in a stairwell when a couple of Dai li's walk past us.
"Bumi and Korra, you two will come with me to find the airbenders.You four find Kai."Tenzin explains and we nod.
"We meet on the surface shortly. Radio us if anything goes wrong."
We split up and follow Jinorra as she leads us to Kai.
Once we reach the door, I crack it open and step back.
"Come on we're getting you out."Mako says as he opens the door.
"Kai!"Jinora exclaims and runs to hug Kai and also gives him a kiss to which he blushes profusely.
Someone's got a crush.
"Whoa!"Bolin shouts.
"Tenzin's not going to be happy about this."he carries on and I nod in amusement.
"Then don't tell him."Mako says but I grin.
"Where's the fun in that?"I ask and he shoots me an annoyed look.
"How could we not this is too juicy."Bolin exclaims and Mako sighs in exhaustion.
"Thanks for coming to get me.I'm really sorry about stealing your wallets and running away and getting you stuck on that train."Kai apologises and I give him an annoyed look.
I mean he is the reason that we found our family so there is good behind his actions.
"Oh, We can't stay mad at you!"Bolin hugs Kai.
"Yes, we can.I had a lot of money in that wallet!"Mako grumbles.
"He is the reason we found our family in the first place through."I reply and Mako grumbles again.
"Guys, come on."Jinora shouts.
We start running but are stopped by three Dai Li's that are blocking the exit.
I activate my bracelets and feel the beads hum.
"Deserting her majesty's army is high treason, punishable by death."The leader shouts and they bend rocks at us.
Mako, Bolin and I step in front of Jinora and Kai and Bolin deflects the rocks.
I shoot the beads at their feet managing too pull one to the ground before having to jump out of the way to not be hit by a boulder.
I shoot a fire blast at them but they dodge it.
Why are they so fast?
Bolin manages to knock one of them down leaving two to go.
One of them jumps along the wall and I use this opportunity to wrap the beads around his ankle and smash him to the floor leaving one left.
We blast at him again but he pulls up a rock wall, blocking the attack and shoots out a rock hand that wraps around Jinora's arm and pulls her towards him.
The agent holds Jinora by the collar and we get ready to attack again.
Before we can even act Kai jumps in between us and shoots a blast at the agent knocking Jinora out of his hand and his head into a wall.
"That works, let's go."I announce and run to the door followed by the others.
Once we reach the court yard tens of Dai li pop up out of no where, motivating us to run faster.
Those spirit powers I had at the South Pole could really come in handy right now.
We race down the steps and spot Oogi in the sky.
"We need HELPPPP!"Bolin and I scream at the same time.
I feel discs being shot behind me and one grazes my shoulder.
We carry on running till Bolin shouts at us to hang on.
I feel Mako grab my shoulder and hiss in pain as he touches my wound.
Bolin shoots us into the air and we all scream as Oogi catches us.
Bolin lands on the side of Oogi and Mako and I help him on.
"Whoa, that was awesome!"Kai exclaims.
"Really Kai? Awesome?"I ask as I slump against Oogi's saddle, putting a hand over my wound to shelter it from the air.
Kai shrugs and looks down again.
The United Nations are going to have so many questions when I get back, I probably won't even have a job. After all, this is considered treason to the earth nation.
Iroh won't even be able to help me, which reminds me that I really got too call him again sometime.
I'm snapped out of my thoughts when I feel someone take my hand off my shoulder and look up at Mako.
"It's fine."I look at him exhausted.
"It's not fine."he says with a worried expression.
We fly with the airship till we land at a break point where another airship for the airbenders is waiting.
Korra heals my shoulder and Mako bandages it "just in case".
I sit at the edge of the mountain top we're parked on and just feel the cold morning air hit me.
I hear foot steps behind me and sigh.
"I'll get away from the edge in a second, Mako.I won't fall to my death, I promise."I say without looking over my shoulder.
"Not Mako."I hear Kai say quietly.
I look at Kai over my shoulder and pat the ground beside me.
"What's up?"I ask after a few seconds of silence.
"I'm sorry about everything."he says and drops his head.
"It's okay...really."
"No it's not.I stole from you and tricked you, even after you told me the story of your friend and how he got on the wrong path but never had a opportunity to make it right but that I do and have to use it.I ignored it and look where it got me.You even got hurt and it's all my fault."he rants and puts his head in his hands.
I look down at him and shake my head.
"I'm fine and It's okay, Kai, .Old habits die hard.Trust me I would know.I wasn't always so clean on my morals."I start and he looks up.
"But I believe and I know that you're going to do amazing things in the future. Things that are going to overshadow anything bad you've done before.You're going to help the world become a better place and help others to do the same.Your going to stay on the right path now...I believe that you will, I believe in you."I say honestly and look at the mountain range.
I feel arms hug me tightly and look at Kai in surprise.
I put a arm around him too and pat his arm as I feel him press his head into my side.
"No one has said that to me in so long...Thank you."he whispers.
I don't reply but look over my shoulder to see Mako and Jinora look at us with surprise and Bolin with happiness.
I guess I'll have a little brother sometime after all.