Surprise! Like I said in between chapters tend to take me a little more time to write. Ironically though after if finished chapter 19 I was hit in the head with an inspiration stick, and I wrote this. its a little on the short side so I was planning on posting it as a reward for hitting triple digit reviews. Kinda got stuck on 98, but getting ten awesome reviews for one chapter put me in an updating mood. so here we are chapter 20. Read, review, and as always enjoy. PS: remember I own nothing but the plot, and the OC's.

20: Ikki

"Okay run this by me one more time please." Lin said as she stood with Jinora, Kai, Pema, and Tenzin.

It was now two days after Vaatu's escape, and the entire city was still on edge. The Chief of Police and the air nomads were currently standing in the center of the Republic City spirit portal crater. All around the outside of the crater were soldiers and mecha tanks guarding the sealed portal.

"Alright we have searched the whole city from top to bottom, and there is no sign of Ikki anywhere," Kai began as Jinora assumed a lotus position right where the portal was supposed to be. "When you realized she might be in the spirit world; I talked to Meelo about the search and rescue tactic they used. Meelo told me that after they had crossed the bay they split up to cover more ground. The half of the city Ikki would have searched included the spirit portal. Since Ikki wouldn't have known what was going on it would make sense that if she saw Mako she would follow him."

"That's some pretty good detective work there kid." Lin said sounding impressed.

"Uh thanks Chief." Kai said rubbing the back of his neck.

"As long as Korra is in a coma we won't be able to reopen the portal. Now while we can't physically follow them that doesn't mean we can't follow them at all." Tenzin said taking up the explanation. "Jinora can still enter the spirit world through meditation."

Once Jinora was settled she looked up at everyone gathered around her. "By entering in the same place they did I might be able to pick up their trail. With any luck I'll find Ikki, and figure a way to bring her back. If I'm careful I might be able to figure out what Vaatu is planning while I'm at it."

"The priority however is finding your sister, and coming home safe." Her father reminded.

"Please be careful sweetie." Pema added worriedly as Tenzin held her close.

"I will." Jinora said with a reassuring smile, and turned to face Kai as he crouched down in front of her.

"Don't worry; I'll be right here when you wake up." He said with a confident grin. "And if you see Mako remind him he still owes me twenty yuans."

Jinora just smiled, and closed her eyes. She took several slow, deep breaths. After the fourth one her breathing became slow and steady signifying that she was no longer in the physical world.

"Do you think Ikki is alright?" Pema asked with concern in her voice.

"Don't worry Pema. Chances are she is with Mako right now, and believe it or not that is probably the safest place in the entire spirit world." Lin reassured the worried parents.

"Don't get me wrong Chief; I have faith in Mako too, but he is the Dark Avatar. What makes you think she would be safe with him?" Kai asked as he stood up, and turned to the group.

Lin sighed, and looked seriously at the air nomads. "I know she is safe with him, because I tried to kill him myself. He beat me, and I'm willing to bet my penchant Vaatu would have been more than happy to put me down. I'm still alive right now, because of Mako, and if I know one thing for sure about him it's that he would die before allowing any harm to befall his family. You air benders are family to Mako, and not even Vaatu himself could stop him from protecting Ikki."

"No. No. No. No. No!" Vaatu said as he paced back and forth.

Kuvira now redressed in her stolen armor; stood with Ayeon in a row on either side of Ikki. The young air bender was still sunk into the ground up to her waist as she watched the agitated Dark Avatar storm back and forth.

"There is no way in hell that thing is coming with us." Vaatu said resolutely as he continued to pace.

The dark spirits anger appeared to be effecting Mako's bending as steam was rising off his body. After a few more minutes it would be as if he hadn't been soaked in a hot spring.

"Well we can't just leave her here." Kuvira said as she crossed her arms, and glared at Vaatu.

"Of course we can its easy," Vaatu said rounding on the metal bender with a glare of his own. "We just take some of your cable, pick out a nice tree, tie her to it, and walk away."

"There is no way in hell I'm going to abandon a child in the spirit world, and I'll bet Mako won't either." Kuvira replied getting in Vaatu's face.

("We are not leaving her here Vaatu.") Mako said coldly as crimson eyes locked with emerald in their second glaring contest that day.

("Oh yes we are boy,") Vaatu thought back. ("So far I've been lenient with you. You didn't want to kill Beifong; I let it slide. I could have doubled the body count from my last visit to Republic City, but I allowed your soft heart to convince me otherwise. This is where I put my foot down.")

("It's my foot, and I say she's coming with us.") Mako countered.

("We don't have time for this.") Vaatu mentally argued. ("We are the Dark Avatar Mako. I am exhausted, and for some reason my power isn't returning as swiftly as it used to. Ninety nine percent of the human world wants us dead, and while some spirits are tolerant, or indifferent to the presence of humans; most will be more hostile. Between you and the wench here spirits will be lining up to get a piece of us just like Brutus and his three stooges. It is going to take everything we have to survive Mako let alone babysit the walking, talking radio here.")

"If I may be so bold lord Vaatu; why not just send her back to the human world?" Ayeon suggested snapping Vaatu out of both his inner argument, and his glaring contest with Kuvira.

"Unfortunately we can't send her back the way she came. I closed the portal behind us, and if I were to open it again there would likely be an army waiting for us." Vaatu explained calmly.

"Not to mention the fact that the all powerful Vaatu is too weak to open the portal even if he wanted to." Kuvira added mockingly.

"Mind your tongue wench." Vaatu growled at the metal bender.

"Keep calling me wench and you won't have a tongue to mind." Kuvira snarled back.

"Why not just send her through one of the other two portals?" Ayeon asked once again reminding them of the problem at hand.

Vaatu sighed, and turned back to the aye-aye spirit. "We are trying to get to Wan Shi Tong's library. It will take us days just to get there let alone the end of the world."

"By the time we reached the other portals there would more than likely be an army waiting for us. We need to return her, but handing her over directly is far too dangerous for us." Kuvira added.

"Even then I would actually have to care about her enough to actually bother returning her; which I don't." Vaatu said turning back to Kuvira.

"You guys know it's very rude to talk about someone as though they aren't there." Ikki admonished from where she was stuck in the ground. "Besides don't I get a say in what I do?"

"No." "No." "No." ("No.") Everyone replied simultaneously, and Ikki pouted silently in response.

"She got herself here; she can get herself back." Vaatu stated.

"There is no way she could make it back on her own." Kuvira argued.

"The dirt tosser is right lord Vaatu. There are many spirits that she would be most unfortunate to run into. Like the face stealer just to name one." Ayeon interjected.

"Whose side are you on?" Vaatu snapped.

"Yours of course my lord," Ayeon replied quickly. "Don't get me wrong humans are arrogant, selfish, smelly creatures, and should stay in their own world. It's just that I don't quite feel right about leaving the child on her own."

Vaatu glanced from the apologetic spirit, to the scowling Kuvira, to Ikki who was staring up at him with wide pleading eyes, and was gripping her hands nervously.

"You have got to be kidding me," Vaatu groaned, and rolled his crimson eyes. "Give me one good reason why we should bring her with us."

Suddenly a small bolt of lightning shot out of his right hand into the ground. Everyone jumped in surprise, and Ikki covered her face against the dust.

"You wouldn't dare." Vaatu snarled at the open air.

Both Ayeon and Ikki watched the Dark Avatar in confusion, but Kuvira noticed he had raised his left hand slightly in a halting gesture.

("Her life matters to me Vaatu. Abandoning her here is no different than trying to kill Jinora. I will not let you leave her here to die.") Mako said from within.

Vaatu's crimson eyes narrowed, and his fists clenched tight in outrage. While he was the spirit of chaos; he was also calm and logical most of the time. Much like Mako ironically. Since they were merged however the dark spirit could feel changes happening. While Mako had yet to show more obvious signs of it he was changing too.

Vaatu's presence was augmenting not only the fire benders bending, but his emotions as well. Emotions Mako had once kept buried were now ragging inside him like a hurricane that was barely held back by a mask of calm and control. While this did help make Mako's bending stronger it was also affecting Vaatu. He could feel all these emotions keenly, and it was becoming harder and harder to think with logic alone.

Right now the grand spirit of chaos and darkness could feel Mako's paternal instincts screaming to protect the child. After years of protecting Bolin Mako's drive to protect those he deemed family was nigh unstoppable. Vaatu knew this was yet another battle of will he would be unable to win; for now at least.

Finally Vaatu threw his head back, and roared a massive breath of fire in frustration. After cutting off the flames he turned a furious crimson glare on the two human girls, and the aye-aye spirit.

"Let her up." Vaatu said through gritted teeth.

Kuvira nodded, and raised Ikki up out of the ground.

"It has been decided that the child will be coming with us. However I do have several conditions." Vaatu announced as he stepped up to Ayeon, and looked him in the eyes. "While you are guiding us to Wan Shi Tong's library the girl will be in your charge. You will watch her, feed her, and clean up after her. Do you understand?"

"Yes lord Vaatu." Ayeon answered quickly.

Vaatu nodded, and moved onto the young air bender in question. The Dark Avatar glared down as the young air nomad looked up. The girl had a brave smile on her face, but he noticed a slight tremble in her hands, and she reeked of fear. He took pleasure in it even as her bright smile grated on his nerves.

"It appears that for the foreseeable future I am stuck with you until we are able to return you to your world. During that time you will not slow us down, or hinder our journey in any way. You will not speak unless spoken too, and you shall address me as either lord Vaatu, or master at all times. If I'm not going to be getting due respect from the wench; I will be getting it from you. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Ikki said with a bright smile, but she wasn't quite able to keep the tremble out of her voice.

"Yes what?" Vaatu demanded with narrowed crimson eyes.

Confusion flashed over her face before her eyes brightened, and an actual smile slipped through. "Yes master Vaatu."

"Close enough." Vaatu groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Vaatu then turned to Kuvira who had a triumphantly smug look on her face.

"So what conditions do I have to follow 'lord' Vaatu?" she asked sarcastically.

Much to her surprise however Vaatu simply grinned. "My final condition actually applies to both you and Mako."

"And that condition would be?" Kuvira asked her emerald eyes narrowed in suspicion.

("What is it Vaatu?") Mako asked mentally; not liking the feeling of satisfaction emanating from the spirit of chaos.

Vaatu's wolfbatish grin widened. "Making our journey through the spirit world will be challenging enough with one child to look after. So until we are able to get rid of this one; you two are not allowed to make any more of them."

Eyes wide, mouth agape, and a furious blush spreading over her face Kuvira sputtered indignantly as Vaatu quickly receded back into Mako's soul leaving the equally scandalized fire bender to endure the metal benders fury.

"I thought you said you weren't mates?" Ayeon asked as Kuvira seemed to be struggling not to lunge at Mako.

Kuvira took a calming breath that did nothing to help quell her blushing, and began to once again explain to Ayeon that they were not in fact mates. As she did Mako stepped back, and turned to look at Ikki.

When amber eyes met grey everything seemed to slow down. The girl's bright smile quickly faded, and the courage in her eyes was replaced with concern and fear. In the presence of strange spirits and people deemed monsters by the rest of the world she had acted very brave. Now that Mako was back however she allowed her mask to crumble.

With tears gathering in her eyes she rushed forward as he knelt down, and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Shhh; it's alright Ikki." Mako said soothingly as she cried into his scarred shoulder. "Mako what is going on? First you were hurt, now Vaatu is back, and we're trapped her, and now its dark out, and I don't know what to do." The young air bender asked between sobs.

Kuvira and Ayeon had fallen silent as they watched him comfort the young air nomad. Mako sighed deeply, and held her a little tighter.

"I'm not entirely sure Ikki. So far it's a very long, sad story." Mako admitted.

"Does it have a happy ending?" Ikki asked hopefully.

Mako hesitated as he looked over the girls shoulder at Ayeon and Kuvira. Both of them waited patiently as though they anticipated his answer as much as Ikki did.

"Not yet Ikki, but I'm working on it."

A little short compared to what I've been posting, but don't worry. I'm already working on chapter 21, and it should be much longer. I can never stress enough how much your reviews, and comments mean to me. So please do, and stay tuned for next time.