My eyes slowly flutter open. There's a darkened figure facing me, yet everything looks blurry. I blink a few times, trying to get a clearer image. My heart sinks in realization, it's an equalist.
Suddenly, I groan as I feel a sharp pain on my wrists. "Is she all tied up?" The man in front of me asks.
"All good." Another voice answers, coming into my range of vision. How many of them are there? When did they get here?
I look around to see that my upper body is tied to a pole by the water, my wrists are also tied up tightly. My head hurts and I feel exhausted. The last thing I remember is fearing Mako getting hurt.
"Let's go. Amon needs us."
Once I see they are out of sight, I turn to look at my teammates. I see that Korra is also here, the three of them tied up next to me. They're all unconscious. In intervals of mere seconds, I see sprouts of electricity amongst the crowd. These people need help, I need to get us out of this situation.
I test out the mobility of my arms and sense that it's somewhat limited. However, I think can still bend. I manage to waterbend a very weak stream of water our way. With all the strength I have at the moment, I make the water slice the ropes that have us tied up. In order to break us free, I have to repeat the motion multiple times. I feel my wrists getting hurt with every movement I make, yet I don't stop because it's up to me to get everyone out. I do one final movement and manage to break us free.
The trio falls down. I immediately stand to notice that I step on blood. I look down at my wrists to see that they're bleeding. I wince, but don't let the fear hold me back. I immediately proceed to check my friend's vitals. They're all okay. I immediately begin to search for pressure points that I know will awaken them, as I read in a book of anatomy when I began my healer training. Once I find them, I don't hesitate one bit.
Mako, Bolin, and Korra slowly wake up. I sigh in relief.
My best friend looks up at me and blinks a few times. "Good. You're up. Can you untie me?" I ask, putting my wrists out to her.
"You're hurt." Korra notices, with worry in her eyes.
"You're hurt?!" Mako asks, scurrying next to me. "What happened?"
"I'm fine." I dismiss as my hands are freed. I immediately proceed to heal my wrists, yet I'm not able to do much as we're pressed in time. "It was an equalist ambush. We walked right into their trap. We need to stop Amon before he gets away."
As if on cue, wires break through the arena's glass ceiling, rushing down to the ring. I see Amon and his followers step grab unto them and begin to escape. As uneasiness rushes through my veins, there's an explosion in the middle of the ring. My eyes widen in fear. Amon's intentions are clear. He will stop at nothing. I turn to Korra, waiting her okay to go after them. She nods.
"Mako, do me a favor." I plead as I jump into the water, freezing it so I'm able to stand.
"Anything."
"Get my mom's picture." I ask determinately. "Please."
With that said, I waste no time as I melt into the water, creating a tornado that propels me at an enormous speed. I see Korra follow my lead out of the corner of my eye. Yet, when we're about to reach him. She begins falling.
"Korra!" I scream with worry.
Suddenly, Korra's falling is halted by metal wires. I look to see Beifong is joining us in attempting to stop Amon. Once I confirm Korra's safety, I refocus my energy into getting to Amon's airship in time.
I see Korra fly past me, landing in one of the metal wires, managing to get to some equalists. Even with my abilities of water augmentation, I'm only able to get to land safely on the ceiling. Which apparently comes in handy, as that's were the equalists land. I stop some of the water that I used to propel myself and wrap it around my entire body, creating an aquatic armor. I extend the water to reach further than my arms and place myself in a defensive position.
It doesn't take long for Beifong to join me in the fight. More equalists jump down from the airship and our battle begins. I manage to avoid every hit they send my way. I wrap one of the equalist's foot and slam him to the glass, leaving him unconscious.
I notice that Beifong is doing a good job fighting but doesn't notice an equalist creeping up behind her.
"Careful!" I call, before sending a water lash his way, freezing his head before he can touch a hair on the Chief of Police's head. I smirk.
Korra suddenly lands near me. I turn to face her. She nods, letting me know that she's okay. The remaining equalists waste no time to attack. I defer their attacks and retaliate as soon as I get an open window. Korra firebends alongside me, yet I'm too focused on my fight to be frightened by my past traumas.
I notice that Beifong manages to get one of her wires attached to the airship. As much as that's an enormous victory on our part, I begin to notice the equalists gaining up on us. I breathe in deeply and brace myself for the worst. I don't hesitate with my waterbending one bit, attacking as much as I can.
I'm not defenseless. I'm doing something, and it has never felt so good.
As much as Korra and I's one-on-one combats are successful. I notice that each time the equalists stand back up and keep increasing in numbers as more jump down from the airship. I gulp. I feel exhaustion beginning to creep up on me, but try as hard as I can to suppress it down.
An equalist tries to tie my feet, but I'm quick and jump as high as I can, avoiding his attempt. Yet, once I land, I feel the ground below me getting weak. And before I realize it, Korra and I are falling.
I manage to grab unto Korra's arm as I feel gravity pulling us down. Suddenly, our falling is interrupted. I look up to see that one of Beifong's wire is attached to Korra's waist. Korra is carrying me. The Chief of Police just saved our lives.
Korra and I slam to the ground by the bleachers whilst Beifong lands a few steps away. She immediately rushes to help us up.
"You girls alright?" She asks.
"We're fine." Korra replies. "Thanks to you."
"Don't mention it, kids." Beifong dismisses, a solemn look on her face. "Look like we lost this one."
Suddenly, I hear steps coming from my left. I turn to see Mako and Bolin coming towards us. Mako runs to hug Korra, while I feel Bolin's arms wrapped around me. I let myself melt into him, feeling drained in every aspect possible.
Bolin lets go of me and goes to check on Korra, while Mako rushes to me. I feel his arms around me, and his face buried in the crook of my neck. "I was so worried about you. Are you okay? How are your wrists?"
"I'm okay, flame boy." I assure, looking at his firey amber eyes once we separate from the hug. "I'll ask Korra to heal them later."
Mako reaches into his pocket and hands me a folded piece of paper. "It's a little wrinkled." He warns. "I was just in a hurry, because I know how much this means to you."
I unfold the paper to see my mom staring back at me. I don't know why, but in this moment I feel like she's looking at me with pride. "Thanks, Mako. I owe you."
"You don't." Mako defers. "I owe you, big time. You saved me twice in one night and you were crazy good at tonight's game. I still can't believe you jumped in front of those rocks for me."
I offer him a small smile. "Well, you mean a lot to me." I find myself saying, a slight brush creeping up on my cheeks. My heart starts racing.
"Same here, ice girl. You're stuck with me." He puts his arm around me. "For what it's worth, I know Tahana is immensely proud of you right now."
I look down, meeting my mom's eyes once more. "I hope so."
☾ ☾ ☾
I feel the wind blowing my hair back as I'm sitting on the cliff at Air Temple Island. It's really early, a few minutes after sunrise. I found myself awakened as I had a noticeably light sleep, the night's events repeating themselves countless times in my head. The air is colder than usual, feeling closer to the one back home. I'm holding my mom's picture in my hands and looking at her intently.
Did I make her proud? Did she see me play?
Despite the fact that I never really knew her, I miss her dearly. I miss the life I would've had with her next to me. At times I don't understand why the world is so cruel, why my mom had to lose her soulmate and her father all in one night. I know that Tahana and Aang are in me, I know that I am are their legacy. Yet, I can't help but be angry at times.
I wipe a small tear from my eyes and breathe in deeply. Life is unfair at times, uncomfortable. Yet, I guess that's what makes it worthwhile.
"Luna?"
I turn around to see Uncle Tenzin looking at me, his robes dancing with the wind. I raise my eyebrows, as I never thought that it'd be him. "Yeah, Uncle?" I ask.
"May I sit?" He asks, gesturing to the spot next to me on the cliff.
I nod. "Of course."
He proceeds to take a sit next to me and look straight at the body of water. In our range of view, there's the arena post-explosion and the statue of my grandfather, Avatar Aang. "Korra told me what you did yesterday." Uncle Tenzin says, his expression softening. "You didn't have to. You showed genuine bravery."
"Of course, I had to, Uncle." I counter. "Korra's my best friend in the entire world. If she's in trouble, I'm going to do everything in my power to help her."
"She told me that without you she would've never managed to get close to Amon."
I shake my head. "She would've found the way." I say, offering him a small smile while hugging my legs. "She's Korra."
My uncle laughs. "I bet she would've. You just made her life a lot easier. I guess, Luna, what I'm trying to say is thank you. You saved her life, and countless others."
"I don't know about that, Uncle." I dismiss. "I'm just glad I was able to do something."
"What do you have there?" He asks, signaling at my mom's picture.
"Oh," I say, showing it to him. "That's my mom—"
"Tahana." Uncle Tenzin completes, in awe. "Where did you find this?"
"In the arena." I explain. "She was a pro-bender. That's the year her team won the championship tournament. I asked Mako to get the picture for me after the explosion."
"My, she looks just like I remember her."
My eyes widen. "You knew her?" I query.
My uncle nods. "Your moms lived here for a while when they were looking for a place, when they first moved. I always liked her."
Before I can process anything, my eyes start watering. I look intently at Uncle Tenzin. "Uncle, what was she like? I only know my mother's point of view."
"Well, to be frank," My uncle begins. "You remind me a lot of her. Headstrong. Loyal. Funny. And always puts others before herself."
I smile widely. "I'm like her?"
"More than you can possibly imagine." My uncle assures. "It's a bit eerie, in fact."
"Uncle, I have something, um, well, uncomfortable to ask."
"Go ahead." He says nodding.
"Do you know how my mom died?" I query, feeling small. My uncle's eyes widen, then are shut closed, pressed tightly. His forehead creases and I notice that his fists are clenched. I look at him with worry and confusion, why is his body reacting this way? "Uncle?"
"She risked her life in order for you and your mom." He says, in a rather serious tone. "That's all I can bring myself to say."
Then, Uncle Tenzin stands up, brushes off his robes, and leaves without another word spoken. I watch every step he takes as he makes his way. Then, I look down at Tahana's picture.
Every time I think I get closer to you, you become an entirely new mystery, mom.