Dear Readers,

Thank you so much for keeping a close eye with my story. I really didn't think that a lot of people liked what I wrote because of the theme, the characters (they are just like sub/ minor characters, so yeah) and that it might be canon (in a bad way). I have this weird fantasy that I am writing for the series, and something like this should happen (crazy, right? xD.) I'm glad that you're all loving it so far, but everything must come to a close. This will be the final chapter of my story, and I can't thank you enough for supporting me all the way. I have also thought of drawing Anana, and Konan for better visuals, then I remembered… I suck at drawing. But who knows, maybe one day I'll post it somewhere. Thank you for faving, following, and alerting to this story. Hopefully you would also have the time to read my other works if you are curious how those stories went. Have a wonderful time reading this final chapter. ~ciao ^_^

P.S

Sorry, may I also join in with the comments and stuff, but I love how I tailored Kya and Bumi's relationship. You can really see that Bumi knew what was important to him even though he was busy with the military and everything, and it's just so sweet, and stuff! Don't you agree?

P.P.S

I have no idea how to write the sound of a Sky bison. I am sorry. xD

I do not own the Legend of Korra Franchise, but this story, and all my original characters ^_^

Final Chapter

Still searching in the heavily snow covered landscapes of the South, Bumi pushed the snowmobile past its limits. The vehicle's engines roared as it splits through the white covered ground. They did not have the time to stop and search on foot, and continued to yell her name, competing with the sound of the engines.

"Kya!" Bumi screamed at the top of his lungs as he turned the snowmobile to the right. "Kya, answer me!"

"Uncle Bumi, let me find her!" Jinora insisted. "I can get a better view, if you just let me!"

"No, Jinora! You will freeze to death if you do that; how many more times do I have to tell you?"

"But –"

GROOOOOOARRRRR

When Jinora and Bumi heard the familiar sound of a sky bison's roar, Bumi quickly placed the snowmobile in its breaks.

"You heard that?"

Jinora nodded.

They waited for a few more seconds to certify that what they heard was Oogi's roars, and when the Sky bison bellowed another cry, Jinora pointed to the east from their position. Bumi quickly started the snowmobile once more and raced towards the east. A few minutes later, they saw Oogi staring into a gaping hole in the middle of an unfrozen lake. Beside him was an empty brown sack with a few tresses of cabbages, scattered on the opening. Bumi quickly jumped out of the vehicle and ran next to Oogi. Upon hearing footsteps heading his way, Bumi gave out another roar, expecting Bumi to give him another treat.

"Good, boy!" Bumi praised the beast by patting him on the nose. He looked into the crack and saw a white light blinking in its depths. Fear suddenly shrouded upon his face. He hoped to be wrong when he thought that Kya was going to wipe her memory, but now that reality was in front of him, he quickly undressed his coat and started to mumble to himself. "I was lucky the first time, I hope I'm not too late now. Kya, don't fail on me!"

Upon seeing her uncle undressing before the hole, Jinora skated towards Oogi and held on to his fur. "Uncle, Bumi; where's aunt Kya?"

"Jinora, I want you to stay back; and whatever you do. Please. Do not come near until I tell you to!"

Before Jinora could answer, Bumi dove into the bone chilling lake. Jinora expected that her uncle would easily find Kya and resurface from the water together, safe and sound. But as the seconds got longer, she worried the more. Placing her fist upon her chest, she held in a deep breath. She found no comfort in her thoughts. She started to think about Bumi and Kya drowning or freezing within the lake or that Kya had been dragged to the bottom of the lake, making it impossible for Bumi to look for her.

Suddenly, Jinora heard the water rippling and in one swift moment, Bumi came out gasping for breath with Kya in his arms. Jinora was so relieved upon seeing them unharmed and decided to help her uncle bring Kya out of the lake. It only took her three steps, when Bumi raised his hand and demanded her to stay where she was.

When Bumi laid his sister on the ice, he started to check for a pulse. Her heartbeat was weak; she was alive; but she did not wake up. Bumi gave her a slight pat on the cheek a few times, but when she did not respond he held her shoulders, and rattled her. "Kya?" He hollered. "Kya?"

Kya did not respond. In Jinora's eyes, it looked like Bumi had failed to revive his sister and it scared her. Tears started rolling down her eyes as she covered her mouth with both her hands to silence her terror. "This isn't happening…"

Bumi was starting to lose hope. He was at the verge of crying, when he raised his sister by the shoulders and screamed in front of her face. "KYA!"

Kya slowly opened her eyes. She saw Bumi crying incessantly. She caressed him by the cheek and gave him a smile. "Bumi… What are we doing here?" She looked at her surroundings and wondered what they were doing outside. "What is this place?"

Bumi looked at Kya in the eye. The light from her eyes had vanished, and she felt lost. He could not prevent what he had feared the most. "No. No, no, no!" Bumi brought her closer and stared her in the face. "Kya, listen to me; bring them back!" He demanded. "You can't treat them like this. Bring them back, Kya. You have to! Remember Konan and Anana!"

Kya just stared at him, puzzled by the words he said.

"No! Kya, bring them back!" Bumi cried with a crack in his voice. "Remember them, Kya! Remember how Konan used to clown around to get your attention. Remember how he'd take you by the hand and bring you to his favorite spots. Remember the first time you saw Anana walk, and say your name for the first time. Please, Kya; please do not forget! Konan and Anana"

Suddenly, Kya's eyes widened, and felt a jolt of pain strike her head. She began to scream. The memories she tried to channel out forced themselves back in her mind. It felt as if her head was being crushed from all sides and that screaming was the only way to ease the pain. She squirmed in Bumi's arms and started pounding him on the shoulder. Bumi kept her in his arms and bit his upper lip through the pain. He let himself be beaten up by his sister, and by the time Kya stopped, he was covered with bruises.

Kya continued to scream in Bumi's arms until she had returned to her senses. When she realized what she had done, she began to weep. "Bumi, I... I couldn't take it. The memories... I just can't! I'm sorry!"

"Shh, you don't need to say anything. I got you out just in time." He uttered. He let Kya release all her grief and regret in her arms. Looking up, he saw Jinora shaking in horror. He realized that the child had seen something that must have been difficult for her to understand. He then raised his hand to get her attention, and pointed at his coat that he undressed before he got in the water.

Jinora grabbed the coat from the ground, and slowly walked towards Bumi. She held the coat close to her chest, still horrified by Kya's display. Whenever she and her siblings visit the South Pole, Kya was almost always enthusiastic to greet them in. She did not know how to react seeing Kya as she is now. Bumi took his coat from his niece and wrapped it around Kya's body.

"Thank you…" Kya whispered. Looking to the side, she saw her niece with her hands closely held on her chest and looked as if she had seen a ghost. "Jinora! What are you doing here?"

"She knows, Kya." Bumi confessed. "Tenzin told her everything."

Kya could not speak. She realized that Jinora, had stood there in fear as she watched her thrashing wildly in Bumi's arms. She felt, vulnerable and almost naked in front of her niece. She lowered head, still looking for the right words to explain to her niece what she had happened, and what she had been doing.

"Jinora, I…" She uttered. "I…"

Jinora immediately gave Kya an embrace as she fell to her knees. Kya was stunned by her niece's actions and did not move. Tears started to form from their eyes. "You don't have to say anything." Jinora cried. "I'm just glad you're safe!"

It has been almost two hours since Bumi and Jinora went out to search for Kya, and Pema loathed every second of it. When she had heard the news about Jinora going out of the compound in the middle of the night, she immediately looked for Tenzin, and blamed him for Jinora's reckless actions. Tenzin had been sitting on the same bench but experiencing a different moment. This time, he was with his wife who had been scolding him ever since he let Jinora out of his sight. He sat there, staring at the ground and disappointed with himself. Pema stood in front of him, with her arms crossed and her brows arched in anger.

"And another thing!" Pema roared. "Why were you sneaking out in the middle of the night? Are you trying to hide something from me?" Pema started tapping her left foot on the snow covered ground, and waited for Tenzin's answer. Tenzin looked at her, and then returned to looking at the ground. "You know that if you don't tell me, I'll eventually find out. And you will not like it when I find out." She said in a threatening tone.

Tenzin felt defeated. He let out a breath and looked at his wife in the face. But when he was about to explain to her about the White Lotus' offer, they heard Oogi's roars not too far from the compound.

"I see them!" A guard on top of the main doors pointed towards the Sky bison that flew above him. Oogi landed in the middle of the festival grounds, carrying Bumi, Kya and Jinora on his back.

"Jinora!" Pema quickly dropped the unforgiving wife act, and quickly ran towards Oogi.

Tenzin stood from the bench and soon followed Pema in a non-exhilarated manner. Yes, he had been worried about his daughter for the past two hours and seeing her slide down on Oogi's furry side had erased all of his worries, but something in him told him that there was something wrong in this picture. After Jinora had slid down from Oogi, Bumi assisted Kya off the beast's back. Jinora held her aunt by the hand and ignored Pema when she greeted her safe return with a long warm embrace.

Pema cupped her daughters face and started kissing her by the head. "Sweetie, are you alright? I was so worried. Why did you run away like that?"

"Uh, yes mom, I'm fine." She uttered. "Mom, I don't feel like talking about it right now. I'm kind of tired."

"Alright, Jinora. We'll talk about this in the morning. I'll have a word with your uncle for now." After giving her daughter a goodnight kiss on the cheek, her motherly face turned into a hateful scowl when she looked upon Bumi.

"To the person who owned the snowmobile we borrowed; I am sorry!" Bumi declared with both of his arms raised to the side. "But it ran out of gas, and I have no idea how to retrieve it. Let me just get you a new one, or just give you a couple of Yuans for you to buy another–"

"And as for you!" Pema pointed at Bumi, interrupting his apology. "What were you thinking? Letting Jinora ride this abomination? Don't you know how dangerous this vehicle is?"

"Oh, and flying on the back of a four hundred pound beast that flies in the sky is much safer!?" Bumi argued in a joking tone.

Pema was furious and started to argue with Bumi some more. Tenzin wanted to intervene, but he knew there was something he must first do. He saw Jinora heading towards Kya's tent, and stopped her before she could get inside. He held her daughter by the shoulder to get her attention, but when Jinora looked at him, her face obviously told him that she did not want to see him.

"What are you doing here?" Jinora said coldly.

"Jinora, please. I need to explain the things I've said." Tenzin uttered.

Kya noticed that Jinora had no intention to speak with her father, but she knew perfectly well that Jinora needed to hear her father out. "It's alright, Jinora. I can do it from here." She released her hand from Jinora's and continued towards her tent.

Now that Tenzin had Jinora for himself he had all the time he needed. He knelt on one knee to level his daughter and caressed her cheek. "Jinora, what I said back then. I didn't mean any of them." He paused for a moment for Jinora to say something, but she was silent. "I was very angry. You know how it is when your mind's full of ill thoughts. Sometimes you say hurtful things to people you love. I know that you are angry with me, Jinora and you don't have to forgive me now. I just want to say I'm sorry."

"Then why don't you apologize to aunt Kya?" Jinora spat.

Tenzin was stunned.

"She's the one who needs your apologies, and not me."

"Jinora, I –"

"You know you hurt her … When uncle Bumi pulled her out of the lake; I saw everything with my own eyes… I was afraid…"

"But I hurt you too." Tenzin uttered in a low voice. "Jinora, what I did to you was unforgivable. A father should never hurt their child. And I hurt you. I shouldn't ask for forgiveness, but. Jinora, I would do anything to bring back our relationship."

"Anything?" Jinora questioned.

"Yes, as long as it is within my power."

Jinora took in a deep breath before saying a word. "Then don't accept the job, dad."

"What? But I –"

"You said anything, remember?" Jinora reminded. "You shouldn't be thinking twice."

Tenzin could not believe his ears when he heard Jinora's request. He knew that he deserved to be in the White Lotus and wanted to give Jinora a piece of his mind, but he could not even speak. Jinora looked at her father in disappointed. He was not giving her an answer.

"I'm going back to bed, dad. I hope you do the right thing before I wake up."

Kya had a sleeping time sleeping that night. The memories of Konan and Anana were still fresh in her mind and was afraid that if she closed her eyes, she will never escape the pain and grief she had felt. She looked upon her bedroom door hoping that staring into nothingness will channel the memories elsewhere, but was surprised when she saw her mother letting herself in her room.

"Mother?" Kya sat up and rubbed the tears out of her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here to see you." Katara answered.

An old red box was safely wrapped in Katara's bosom as she sat down next to her daughter. She placed the box on Kya's lap and told her to open it while wearing a soft smile in her face. When Kya lifted the box's lid, she started to weep. Before her eyes were photos of her husband and daughter. Photos of different hues of brown and gray holding the two most important people in the world. Kya grabbed them and took the time to savour the captured moment of each. She would laugh at some, and be silent with the others. But when it came to the photos of Anana sitting on her lap and the last photo she had taken with Konan, she would guide her finger to outline their faces and let out a thin smile.

"I am old, Kya, and my memory will start to fail me. And I fear that I will begin to forget the people who means so much to me. That's why I keep them in this box, and in my heart. Because I will be reminded that these people were special, each time I open both my heart and this box. You have a long way to go before you start forgetting. Please, do not start now."

Kya held her mother by the hands and rested her head on her shoulder. "Thank you, mother."

Katara joined Kya rummage through the old photos and reminisce the moments captured in the small images. There was one image that captured her eye and grabbed it from the pile. She showed it to her daughter, but when Kya saw the image her soft smiles faded.

"What's the matter, Kya?"

Kya lowered the image from her face and looked at her mother. "Mom, this is a photo of dad's statue in Republic City."

"Yes, I know." Katara exclaimed. "Don't you like it?"

"It's not that." Kya uttered. "Mom, remember when I left the South to; collect myself?"

Katara nodded.

"I never told you this, but. During my visit to Republic City, I met dad. When he saw me, he was surprised to see me married and told me that I did not invite him to my wedding!" She with a laughter of disappointed. "I wrote to him months before the wedding, and when I asked him about the letters I sent him he said his secretaries did not receive anything. He then started wondering where my husband was because I was all alone, and he kept asking if I had any children... I could not answer him." Tears started flow from her eyes. "This happened three years after Anana left, mom! And he knew nothing about them. Was he so busy being the Avatar that he had no time to read any of my letters, or even have time for us?"

Kya's grip tightened around Katara's hands. It was painful letting out all her anger towards her father. Katara understood how her daughter felt. Aang was always busy with his duties, that she sometimes felt like she was married to a stranger. She had no words to tell Kya. But during this moment, words seemed weak. She embraced her daughter, and swayed her back and forth as Kya let out all her frustration in her arms.

The elders of the White Lotus have been waiting for Tenzin in their tent the whole evening. When they received news about his family matters, they forgave him for being late. Now that he stood before them, they awaited for his answer.

Hoda stood beside Tenzin with his arms tucked in his back and his back straight. He kept shifting his eyes towards Tenzin, anxiously waiting for his answer. "Tenzin, the elders have forgiven you for being late. But they could not wait for your answer for another day. The sun will rise in a couple of hours, and they must know your answer before then."

Tenzin gazed at the elders who were seated before him. His eyes burned in determination. He took in a deep breath and in one confident voice he gave them his answer. "When do I start?"

END