Mako's POV
"Asami! Bolin!" I called running after them.
"You know the rules, Mako," she said. "You need to find us."
"But I already did!" I answered a little infuriated.
They sighed.
"Fine, I'll do it," Asami said.
Bolin grinned.
"Better get going," my younger brother said. "She's good."
I grinned as well.
"But I'm better," I replied before running off.
There was a well right next to the green house where I would always hide. Asami and Bolin would never find me. I hid there again and felt the wooden boards creak. I frowned, they had never done that before but the boards were old. I saw Asami come looking for me and I grinned until the boards gave out, I screamed and fell onto the bottom of a cave.
"Mako?" Asami called.
"I'm going to get my dad," Bolin said running off.
I heard a noise in the cave and started to panic. Out of the nowhere a group of bats came out and went up the well. I heard Asami scream and I did the same I covered my face trying to get them to leave me alone.
I woke up with a gasp. I sat up and looked around, I was in my room. It had been a dream or a memory, whatever you want to call it. I sighed and got up to shower. When I headed back to the room I stole a glance at a mirror and looked at my face. I had grown a beard which was quite big, my hair was also longer and I had dark circles under my eyes.
This had been my appearance for the past three years. I didn't come out of my room. I didn't talk to anyone, not that anyone wanted to talk to me. Asami and Bolin always tried, at least twice a month, but I never replied to them. I wanted to be alone. Even Toza's visits to my room were minimal. I grabbed my cane and headed over to the window looking outside. It was raining. I clenched my jaw. I hated the rain. Korra had hated the rain too but her reason was different from mine. She had been torn from her parents on a rainy day to reunite with them later on. I hated the rain because everything that was precious to me had been taken on a similar night like this. My parents and she, and I would never get them back.
I limped my way over to the portrait she had given me for my birthday almost four years ago. I put my hand over my parent's picture and closed my eyes continuing the previous memory.
Not long after my father came down and carried me back into the surface. I wiped my nose with my sleeve and wiped away the tears. He held me close to his chest and kissed my forehead before smiling.
"Do you know why we fall, Mako?" he asked. "So we can learn to pick ourselves up."
Zuko's POV
I brought my apprentice with me when I went to go see my father. She wore all black and a hooded coat to hide her face. I sighed and shook my head. I had seen her face before, and it wasn't too bad, but for some reason she wanted to keep it hidden. To her the scars were very visible, though to anyone they were but pink lines against dark skin.
"Are you nervous?" she asked.
I smiled. I kept my own face hidden from her. Till this day she didn't know how I looked like, and I decided it was time. Slowly I turned to look at her and took off the black mask I wore. Her expression was unreadable as she took in the large scar on the left side of my face.
"My father did this to me last time I saw him," I informed her. "About ten years ago. So no, I am not nervous."
She nodded as I walked towards my father's throne. I kneeled in front of him and my apprentice simply moved to the side.
"The prodigal son has returned," he mused.
"I am grateful for the second chance you have granted me," I said.
He chuckled.
"And who is this?" he asked looking over to the girl.
"My apprentice."
He raised a brow.
"She is everything you expect and more of a member of the League of Shadows."
A nod.
"I trained her myself."
"If there is something you did right," he began. "It was teaching the way's of my league."
I nodded.
"I will allow her to stay," he said.
Inwardly I sighed in relief.
"While you train my forces, your sister will take care of some business in Republic City."
I frowned.
"My sister?" I asked. Azula was locked up in Arkham Asylum…
I heard a light chuckled.
"Well, if you want to be specific, Zuko," a familiar voice began. "Then the proper term would be half sister."
I stiffened at the presence of my sibling.
"Talia."
