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Sophie POV
We fly for a bit, following Kai to where he last saw the airbenders.
"The place where I saw them taking the airbenders is around here."Kai shouts over too us.
"That's gotta be where they took Korra."Mako shouts while pointing at a couple of statues and a very obvious cave entrance.
We fly down and land a few meters from the entrance.
Tonraq and Bolin help Tenzin off Oogi while Mako jumps down and also helps me off.
"Save the airbenders and my family."Tenzin says and I look over at the cave cautiously.
We don't know what to expect once we walk in there. We don't know if we're all going to make it out.
All of us run into the cave while Tenzin stays behind.
"Should we split up?"Kai asks but Mako quickly shakes his head.
"We're staying together for as long as we can."Mako says and looks down into the long dark tunnel.
Lin and Su do their vibration scanning thing and tell us that if we were to bend fully through the wall on the right, we'd be met with the captives.
Bolin, Su and Lin start bending and are the first ones to break through to the airbenders.
They start bending and I watch as Asami jumps over a flying bolder, slides next to a red lotus member and electrocutes him.
Damn still a badass.
Asami and I grab the keys from the knocked out guards and start freeing the airbenders.
I stand up after freeing the last airbender and watch as Lin and a couple of other aibenders help a very beat up Bumi and Kya up.
"We have to get them out of here. They don't look so good."Lin says.
"You guys get out of here. I'll search for Korra."Tarrlok say and Mako, Bolin and I step forward.
"We're going with you." Mako says.
"You don't have to search for her. I know exactly where she's being held."Jinorra says and gives us the directions.
To my better judgement I follow Mako, Bolin and Tarrlok as they go to find Korra.
We run till we see the end of the tunnel and see that Korra is busy giving the Red lotus a run for their money.
"Korra!"Tarrlok shouts but Korra just flys past us and after Zaheer.
"We have to help her!"Tarrlok shouts and I look after Korra.
Bolin blocks a Boulder being thrown at us and Making shoots some fire at Ghanzan.
"You help Korra. We got this."I say to Tarrlok and he goes.
We jump out off of the ledge and Bolin keeps on battling the lava bender.
Mako attacks the lava bender while I take a step back to look for any other red lotus member.
Suddenly I'm swiped of my feet and the Ming-hua is trying to kill me.
I roll out of the way, making her narrowly miss my head.
I shoot fire at her making her jump back giving me an opportunity to get back up.
Mako jumps infront of me and we both starting fighting the water bender.
"Is Bolin okay?"I shout as we go further and further into the cave system.
"He's doing as good as we are!"He shouts just as she hits my leg with some of her water making me buckle.
I'm going to have some nasty bruises.
Mako and I finally work out a system that gives us the opportunity to evaporate her water and back her into a corner.
"You have no water."Mako says as he alights flames in his hands once again.
"And no where to run. It's over."I say and she smirks.
"Not yet."she says as she ducks and jumps into a hole.
Mako jumps after her and I hesitate for just a second before jumping in after him.
I narrowly miss Mall and hear a splash when I land. Shit.
My close get soaked and they start feeling super heavy.
I feel the panick in me rise as I create a flame in my hand once again.
I turn behind me to see Ming-hau there, holding herself up with about a dozen water arms.
"Now it's over!"she shouts.
Mako grabs my arm and we start running through the water.
Mako tells me to go left and starts firing at Ming-hua.
I decide to once in my life listen as I run to the sharp rocks.
I reach a bit of sand and a group of rocks.
I can't go any further and decide to climb onto the rocks to maybe get an advantage point.
I watch as Mako is thrown against the rocks and manages to hold on.
I can see that Mako is a bit besides himself and won't be able to block her next move.
I'm to far to do anything and squeeze my hot hands in thought. I need to do something.
Ming-hua lets out a cackle and raises two of her water arms to bring them down on Mako one last time.
I feel the adrenaline in me spike and stretch out my hand in an attempt to stop it.
"Mako!"I shout as my ears start ringing.
Suddenly the heat in my hand becomes unbearable and lighting erupts out of it.
It hits the water, causing it to spread to Ming-hua just as she was about to hit Mako.
She screams in agony and starts stumbling backwards which makes me release what I'm doing. I rip my hand back towards me, making the lightning stop.
I watch as she suddenly stops moving and hits the sand, that was now beneath her. I stare at her as all her movements stop. I killed her.
I drop on the sand below me and stare at my hands in shock.
Mako comes running up next to me and puts his hands on my shoulders.
"I killed her."I mutter and Mako looks over at Ming-hua but doesn't say anything.
"Mako, I killed another human being without hesitation.I'm a murderer."I say a bit louder this time.
Mako shakes my shlouders a bit,"You are not a murderer, Sophie. You only shot the lighting to protect me. If anything it's my fault that you had to do it. We both were responsible. Okay?"Mako asks and nods once.
He's just trying to make me feel better, I killed her.
"Now let's get out of here."Mako says and we start climbing up the slippery walls back to the hole we jumped through.
I take one last look at Ming-hua's body before climbing back through the hole.
Mako helps me out and we run back to where we started to be faced with Bolin being backed up by Ghanzan.
We blast fire at Ghanzan and Bolin grins at us.
All three of us combine our powers and Ghanzan starts stumbling.
"Give up Ghanzan, You can't win!"Bolin shouts and bends a boulder at him.
I blast more fire at him and feel the sweat beads run down my face.
The constant lava being fired around is making this room is making it feel super hot.
"I'm not going back into jail,"Ghanzan shouts from his crouched position while his back is turned towards us.
"If I'm going down today,"He stands up," you're coming with me."
He stretches his arms out to the side before punching the floor making everything around him turn to lava.
The whole cave start collapsing and I look at my brothers in fear.
"Mako, Sophie! Hang on."Bolin shouts and bends the rock under us so that we glide to the ledge we had jumped off earlier.
He settles us down and we run towards the exit.
After a few minutes of running I see light at the end of the tunnel and we run out.
The second we run outside we're almost pushed in again by a gust of wind.
We see that all the airbenders have created a big air tornado and are pulling Zaheer and Korra into it.
It's hard to see what exactly happened inside but we see Korra land on the floor steadily while Zaheer slams on it afterwards.
The tornado stops and Korra collapses on the floor while Zaheer is captured.
We run closer to Korra but give her some space.
I see Korra trying to reach out for her dad before she goes completely limp.
I feel tears start falling and cover my mouth to keep me from sobbing.
We were to late.
I hear Zaheer chuckle," You're too late! The poison's been in her system too long. The red lotus has won."
"You can save her. The poison is metallic." Jinora says and Su runs over to Korra's body.
We watch quietly as she bends the metal out of Korra's body and Korra wakes up coughing.
I smile but still sob. Is this what being emotionally unstable feels like? I'm so traumatised.
"No! You don't understand. The revolution has already begun. Chaos is the natural order of—"Zaheer shouts before Bolin, literally, puts a sock in it.
We clear up the space and quickly put Korra on Oogi to get her some help.
Korra is now unconscious again and I feel the pain in my body worsen, the fight settling into me.
I look back at the cave just as it's about to be out of sight and sigh, I was right, a part of me really didn't make it out of there.
It's now two weeks later and I've had a lot of time to think as we've been back in republic city for most of the time.
Iroh put me on official leave from my work in the United Nations.I tried to refuse but he said that I needed a break and he was right.
I cleared up my office and donated or threw away anting that I didn't care for anymore, which was apparently a lot of stuff.
Right now I'm waiting patiently at the docks for Iroh while the rest of everyone is waiting for Korra to arrive.
Today is Jinorra's ceremony to make her an official airbending master and Iroh had joined his grandfather to attend it.
A fancy looking boat finally makes his way over to the island, accompanied by a dragon.
Soon the boat docks and Iroh steps off of it swiftly.
I run up to him and jump into he arms.
He luckily catches me and twirls me around before kissing my head.
"It's so good to see you again."I say as Iroh sets me down.
"I missed you so much."he says and we start walking to the temple.
Everyone else had already made there way inside but we still had some time before it started.
I tell him about my time in Republic city so far (well everything I hadn't told him over radio),
"and we should go do something before..."I trail off and look back at Republic city.
"Before I leave back to the fire nation?"Iroh asks but I can see that he's hoping for me to say something else.
"Before... before we leave to the fire nation."I say and glance up at him.
He breaks out into a giant smile and pulls me closer,"you're coming with me?"
"Yeah, I'll stay with you for a bit. I don't know for how long but I think it's time I try a new path."
"I'll go down any path you'd like if I get to go down it with you."he says and we start walking up the temple steps.
We walk into the buzzing temple and meet the rest of the group.
I greet everyone and grin at Korra,"You look beautiful Korra. I'm glad to see you."
She gives me a small smile but I can see how exhausted she looks by her eyes alone.
The ceremony starts and it's absolutely beautiful.
Tenzin also gives tribute to Korra and I couldn't agree more, she has done more then anybody else's would ever.
He announces that the airbenders will now serve for the good of all nations and go where ever they are needed.
"Now, let us anoint the master who will lead us in our new path."Tenzin says and reveals Jinorra's tattoos.
We all clap and once the ceremony is over everyone goes their own way.
"Do your brothers know of your plans?"Iroh asks at dinner, once we are seated in a nice republic city restaurant.
Iroh insisted we go although I know it's usually hard to get a table but the second they saw the fire nation prince in his fancy uniform they gave us a spot so quickly, it was actually quite funny watching all the fuss they were making.
"Kinda, maybe, no. I was going to tell them but then Mako got so busy with worrying about Korra and police work and Bolin was always making heart eyes at Opal that I couldn't find the right moment."I say and pull the menu up so that Iroh can't see my guilt ridden face.
"Are you planning to run away with me?"Iroh asks and pushes my menu down so that his amused eyes meet mine,"just tell me the place and time,love and we'll sail of into the sun set."
I shake my head and close the menu,"What if they're mad? I mean I love them but it's time for me to move on from here."
"I know. How about we tell them together?"Iroh asks and grabs my hand.
The dinner goes smoothly and soon we're taking the fare back to the temple.
Iroh helps me onto the docks and we walk to the temple.
"This is where we depart."I say as we get to the women's dorms.
He kisses my cheek good night and I go into the dorms.
The night goes by quickly and the next morning it is only Iroh, my brothers, Opal and I at the breakfast table.
"I can't believe it. We're all finally together again."Bolin says excitedly and turns to me,"Now that you're on leave from the United Nations we can all spend some quality time again."
Iroh gives me an encouraging nod before biting into his toast and I clear my throat.
"Im going to the fire nation with Iroh."I say and the table falls silent abruptly.
"You are what?"Bolin asks and I nod.
"It's time to try a new path and I just feel that Rep-"
"You aren't going away again, we just got here and why would you go to the fire nation there's nothing there any-"Mako starts but then looks at Iroh.
"You are leaving your family for a guy. Not for an amazing job, not for a life changing trip but for a guy!"
Mako glares at Iroh while he's still eating his toast.
"He is not just a guy, he is my guy and besides you guys are going to be so busy anyway. I'll visit-"
"You aren't going."Mako says and I set down my untensils.
"I am and you can't stop me."I say.
"You are still a child."Bolin shouts and I glare at him.
"I am not a child anymore. Not by everything I have experience, not by everything I have done."I say and swallow the lump in my throat.
The table falls silent and Mako stands up,"Fine go but don't think that you can come back whenever you please and expect us to be exactly where you left us, just like you always do."
Mako walks out and Bolin follows quickly.
Opal excuses herself awkwardly and I go to stand up but Iroh stops me.
"They'll get over it. They can come visit us whenever they want to for as long as they want to."Iroh says and we get ready to leave.
I pack my stuff but not before saying bye to everyone.
My brothers are nowherw to be found and if they want to be like that fine.
I knock on the last person's door and receive a soft come in.
I open it and am greeted by Korra and Asami sitting on her bed.
"I came to say goodbye."I say and walk over to them.
"What? Where are you going?"
Asami asks.
"I'm going back to the fire nation with Iroh."I reply and Korra looks at me.
"What did your brothers say?"she asks softly.
"Let's just say we aren't going to be talking any time soon."I say and fiddle with my skirt.
Asami stands up and puts a hand on my shoulder,"If you ever need anything. Just radio me and I'll be there with the best airship as quick as I can be."
I grin up at her,"thank you"
I Look at Korra and step closer to her. She looks up at me and I take her hands,"You are the strongest person I know and I am honoured that I even got to spend time with you. I'll miss you, Korra."
She pulls me into a hug and I hug her back tightly.
I pull away and look out of her window,"Do-do you guys maybe know where my brothers are?"
They both shake their heads and I sigh.
"I'll go then, Iroh is waiting for me. We'll keep in touch."I say and walk out.
I know that Korra is going to Master Katara in the next few days and that Asami's going to use the new found time to work on future industries.
I go over a mental check list to see if I left anything behind but nothing. Everything is either with me, destroyed or donated.
"Are you ready to go? Did you find your brothers again?"Iroh asks as I walk out and grabs my hand.
"I'm ready to go and for my brothers, it seems like they don't want to see me."
We walk back to the docks and Iroh helps me back on the boat.
"Let's start our new path."Iroh says and we step onto the ship.