Shyla sighed and looked up at Korra who clambered back over the low wall into the lake to sit with Shyla and support her. "she'll be back…" Shyla whispered, full of hope. Sure enough, ten minutes later another larger fireball erupted and Derpina reappeared with Shyla's entire family clinging on to her, Lin and Monika carried two babies each and Tenzin carried a few light bags. "thank the spirits!" Shyla exclaimed after gasping at their sudden appearance, Tenzin staggered and groaned because of his chest injury that Derpina had dealt him earlier. "dad… careful!" Shyla yelped, trying to stand to run over to him only to be restrained by Korra
"Shyla, no!" Korra whispered
"Derpina, help him sit down please?" Shyla asked when Tenzin groaned again, Derpina helped him sit down and he sighed in relief.
"thank you," he breathed, his breathing somewhat laboured
Shyla nodded in relief, "I need to move" she spluttered
"What?" Derpina asked, having walked over to her and knelt by the wall
"I need to get out of this water!" Shyla exclaimed, frustrated
"Shy, you need to stay there" Derpina said calmly
"why?!" she exclaimed, incensed
"it helps you"
"I don't feel helped!" Shyla growled and crossed her arms
"see? It's helping you!" Derpina smiled
"what?"
"you just crossed BOTH arms!" Derpina exclaimed happily
"huh?"
"you could only move one arm!" Derpina exclaimed
"I'm fine." She said sadly
"both arms, Shy… you can move both arms, you are healing!"
"can I hold two of my kids?"
"of course, Shy!" Derpina grinned, jumped out of the water, flew smoothly over to where Lin and Monika were sitting with the four babies in their arms. Derpina held out her arms and Lin handed her both of the children she held, before she returned her attention to Monika and the two babies she held. Derpina walked back to the lake while making stupid faces to amuse the babies, jumped over the low wall and handed the babies to Shyla, who smiled widely and held them close
"you are my whole world, Shy" Derpina whispered to her, she put her arm around her girlfriend and squeezed her slightly
"I hope I can be"
Derpina leaned in to kiss Shyla, "I love you," she exclaimed proudly. They looked up to see Korra help a grunting Tenzin back into the water, he groaned and relaxed when he was sat down. "Tenzin, I would like to apologise again"
"what?" Shyla said, confused
"he almost killed you, Shy!"
"dad… Why?" Shyla whispered, shocked and nearly crying
"he was under the control of that bloodbending shit"
"are you okay now?" Shyla asked sadly, looking from Derpina to her father
"he should be fine" Derpina said, trying to reassure her girlfriend
"except from the stomach," Tenzin groaned, still in discomfort, "I'm okay, Shyla. Grandmaster Flame" he stopped again and bowed his head in a gesture of respect, "you are powerful and you saved my daughter's life." Shyla looked happily at the two babies in her arms, Derpina also smiled when Shyla handed the two babies she had been holding to Derpina and took the other two from Korra
"Korra," Derpina smiled, "Shy should be healed in a few hours, as should Tenzin"
"I can help" she replied
"join us Korra, it'll help relax you" Derpina smiled and shifted over, closer to Shyla, to make room for her
"okay" she replied, and vaulted back over the wall with a splash
"what about you two?" Derpina called with a smile, "Monika? Lin?"
"we are okay" Monika called back, her head on Lin's shoulder
"otay!" Derpina grinned, she pulled Shyla closer and they smiled, both holding the babies, "Shy, you do realise these ones are gonna need a second parent?"
"I know…" Shyla replied, sighing, "I don't know what to do"
"would you mind it being…" Derpina blushed bright red
"Derpina, are you sure? Your life as a protector… besides, two mothers?"
"I would love it, you have two and didn't turn out so badly, the babies' father was slaughtered by the Grandmaster of Firebending for being a twat after all" Shyla nodded and smiled
"may I say something?" Korra asked
"yea, of course!"
"you said the spirits summoned you and you don't know why?" she smiled at Derpina, "maybe you were supposed to come to be with Shyla?"
"possibly…" Derpina pondered, made happy by the thought. Shyla smiled and kissed Derpina sweetly, "I love you Shy!"
"I love you too!" Lin rolled her eyes
"you're in love too, Lin…" Derpina added, and Lin smiled reluctantly, having been caught out by someone who looked half her age. Derpina winked at Shyla and kissed her again, she continued to grin back at Derpina
"wow… a family!" Shyla whispered, she grinned back at Derpina who was watching her and kissed her, "can we all go home?"
"it's not safe, Shy" Derpina whispered sadly
"oh." Shyla said sadly
"you still can't move your legs, Tenzin is still injured and so am I…" Derpina whispered, looking down
"I'm sorry" Shyla sighed, "I wasn't thinking"
"no need to apologise, Shy" Derpina smiled back at her, and Shyla smiled too, Derpina then kissed her again
"I love you" Shyla sighed, smiling
"I love you more…" Derpina challenged, Shyla grinned happily, "aww they're soooo adorable!" Derpina exclaimed, looking down at the babies and listened to them making baby noises, Shyla giggled happily and rubbed their backs, "my babies"
"are you okay with that?" Shyla asked, awestruck
"hell yeah!" Derpina exclaimed, giggling
"language…" Shyla scalded her
"that's not bad language?" Derpina replied, confused, but became even more confused when Shyla nudged her. Derpina, unsure of what was going on, simply kissed her cheek
"stay with me?"
"for the rest of your life!" Derpina yelled, and was pulled close by Shyla, the babies simply smiled up at their mothers
"aww!" Shyla exclaimed, overwhelmed with joy, "they smiled!"
"it must be my body heat" Derpina grinned, teasing Shyla
"how?"
"or maybe they just feel safe?"
"I hope so"
"try to move your legs," Derpina encouraged Shyla, smiling. Shyla did so, straining to move her legs, "easy…" Derpina said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Korra, Lin? Can you take the babies from us please?" they both nodded and took the babies from the couple. Derpina then moved closer to support Shyla, "easy… easy… Shy, slowly" Derpina whispered, trying to calm Shyla down.
ten minutes later, Shyla was still struggling to stand even with Derpina's support, "Shy, you're doing it!" she encouraged, "slowly…" Shyla stood fully and caught herself as she stumbled, before she wobbled and leant on Derpina more before taking her hands off of Derpina's shoulders and standing by herself, smiling triumphantly. "told you you could do it!!" Derpina exclaimed and Shyla smiled, Derpina hugged her and she teared up. "my beautiful Shy!" Derpina whispered, wiping her eyes and cheeks
"my beautiful Derpina!" Shyla replied, Derpina kissed her again quickly, and when she was pulled closer by Shyla, picked her up and swung her around happily. "WOOOO!!!!" Shyla shrieked, encouraging Derpina to swing her around more and both women laughed.
Shyla put her hand on Derpina's shoulder which prompted her to put her down, "Derpina… are you gonna leave me?" Shyla asked, terrified
"leave? What do you mean?"
"back into a star?" Shyla inquired sadly
"no. no no no!" Derpina exclaimed, "not if I can help it!" she shook her head frantically, "I will not leave!"
"good!" Shyla whispered, snuggling into her
"I am Flame…" Derpina growled
"what?"
Show yourself!" Derpina said, more forcefully. An arrow shot out of the woods in the distance towards Korra, Shyla leapt on her and forced her to the floor with a surprised yelp. Derpina's wings appeared and she launched herself at Korra and Shyla, the arrow caught fire with a look from Derpina who then promptly landed on Shyla and Korra, much to their annoyance
Shyla panted in discomfort, having been sandwiched between Korra and Derpina but she forgot her discomfort when she heard screams coming from a nearby wood and Korra ran towards them, ducking as another arrow flew towards her. More screams from the nearby wood encouraged Shyla to stand and run forward. A would-be assassin ran out of the wood, on fire and screaming in pain. Shyla slung her mercury, wrapped it tightly around the assassin, only to gasp when a massive fireball appeared around the assassin and incinerated him. "never mind then…" Shyla muttered and scowled at Derpina.
"you tried to kill my girlfriend!!" Derpina roared, her voice booming around the volcano, "and you ended up dying yourself!" Shyla turned again to look at Derpina, her wings were out at full extent
"wow!" Shyla muttered, Derpina changed back to her normal appearance, "that was cool…" Shyla whispered
"I love you Shy"
"I love you more" it was Shyla's turn to challenge Derpina
"impossible!" Derpina exclaimed
"but it is!" Shyla giggled
"you're right…" Derpina paused, "it is impossible for you to love me more" she countered, Shyla shook her head and looked at the babies, "you are able to walk now" Derpina smiled
"yay!" Shyla exclaimed and walked forward, with Derpina close by her side in case she fell
"it's easy!" Shyla grinned, walking slowly
"you're still a bit weak," Derpina warned as she caught Shyla who had stumbled
"I'm fine" Shyla said stubbornly
"really?"
"Derpina, I am okay!" Derpina looked worried, but the worry was unfounded when Shyla stepped forward and walked without fail
"nobody should be able to find this place" Derpina muttered thoughtfully
"good"
"then who is he?" Derpina asked and pointed at the remains
"no idea…"
"we are no longer safe"
"clearly…"
"we need to move out"
"where?"
"I do not know"
"your secret places?"
"I'm going to have to destroy this one when we leave" Derpina said sadly
"why?"