The crew were taking their long overdue breather, even with knowing what was to come in a week, they had all deserved it.
"Are they the last ones?" The core group turned their attention to Pema walking up to them.
"Yeah," Korra answered. "Sorry to pile everyone onto you guys."
"Don't worry about it. We can handle it." She looked at Meelo in the center of a group of Asami's, trying to show off his airbending before flopping on his face. She couldn't help but laugh as he tried to play it off like he meant to do that. "Doubt we have enough, but me and the Acolytes tried to at least prepare some food and lemonade for everyone." she said to the crew. "Tried being the keyword, you're welcome to help yourself."
"Oh, yes please!" Bolin said, hurrying to stand up. "I could go for any cold drink right now." He rushed to the kitchen, and everyone else within the group followed him except two as Thuy had pulled Mako back, a bit unsure.
"Love, I wanted to tell you something..."
He furrowed his brows. "Everything ok?"
Thuy nodded. "I think there's somewhere I need to go."
The firebender already knew what she was going to say. He had a feeling she would ever since the conversation they overheard in that future universe. "I understand." he said, holding her hands. "You have to do this."
"You know what I want to say?" Thuy asked, bit thrown offguard.
"You have to go to the Fire Blossom Sanctuary. I get it." Mako smiled, although a little sadly. "But we'll all be waiting for you to come back. I'll be here for you still."
The metalbender tilted her head, a smile spreading on her lips too. "Wow, Korra and Asami were right, you really aren't good at this guessing thing. I was gonna ask if you wanted to come with me, moppet."
Mako raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wait, really?"
"Yeah!"
"Oh... Oh!" This was a surprise, he felt like a weight was lifted, but Mako, try as he might, didn't know how to show it without seeming aloof. "Well in that case, of course!"
The mohawked girl giggled, seeing him get a little flustered. "I mean, I need someone to get lost with, don't I? Why not my favorite lightning bender who I love."
"I'm the only lightning bender you know, but that's a fair point," Mako said back, giving a quick peck on her lips, though something else did pop into his mind. "We don't really know where it is."
Thuy shrugged. "I'm sure it's similar in direction to the one in the medieval universe. We'll find it, especially after we ask around. I'm sure Tenzin might know."
Mako nodded, considering the whole idea. If anything, it sounded exciting - like an old fashioned adventure. Plus it'd be with the girl he loved.
"Let's do it."
Hours later...
Somehow, the climate was hotter here than it was in the medieval universe, and both Mako and Thuy were sweating as they saw the Sanctuary finally coming up as they rode in a Satomobile. As they reached the gates, Thuy started to slow down the vehicle.
"Are you alright?" Mako asked her.
She was staring at the statue of the past Avatar. It was nearly identical to the one in the medieval universe, sans the sword and hat, and even she could notice the resemblance between herself and the statue. So it was true in this world too.
"Yeah, just fine love." Thuy answered. Avatar Hiromi really was her ancestor.
Mako took her hand. "Come on. Let's meet the fire nuns here."
The introductions were short, especially after Korra's message about the final battle. Word had reached even here and everyone was well aware of the short amount of time. Although the nuns here wanted no part in the battle, as soon as they spotted Thuy's resemblance to their founder, they welcomed her and her boyfriend in. They treated them to dinner in the fire hall and a cup of that famous fire nation tea.
As much as the nuns were kind to them, Thuy felt like something was missing. They hadn't seen Azula anywhere in this universe, if she was part of the society, and it felt like the nuns weren't showing them something. The nuns had offered to take them on tours of the library, garden and underground herbariums, but it sounded like there was something more to it all that they weren't letting on.
Mako was starting to get the same feeling as his girlfriend. As they finished their tea, they exchanged a look, and seemed to share a plan between them.
"Excuse me, Fire Sisters?" Mako said, getting the attention of the couple of nuns that were attending to them. "We think that tour of the gardens you mentioned would be nice. Right?" he turned to Thuy for approval and she nodded.
The nuns smiled, one nodding back. "Wonderful. Follow us."
They took the couple through the grand corridors and unlocked the doors leading out the back of the Sanctuary, where, unbeknownst to them, were acres of neat, and carefully tended land.
"Besides our vast knowledge of spirits and the ancient tomes, we value our close relationship to the nature spirits of the area. Many times, they were our vessels to commune with deeper, more elusive spirits, so we keep the gardens beautiful and tidy to show our respect." The fire nun leading them around explained.
They had to admit, everything they were seeing was impressive. They walked along past surrounded by clear streams full of colorful fish, and flowering cherry trees. The plants grew almost perfectly, with clear, bright leaves untouched by pests or disease.
"You see, here is the shrine to the spirit of land that was here before we built the temple." The nuns took them to a small foyer, and started talking about the rune stones placed there, honoring the generosity of the spirits that allowed them to coexist with them.
At this moment, Thuy looked at Mako again, and he gave her a faint nod.
"So, ah, sisters..." he said. "Are there more shrines like this?"
"Of course! We live to appease all the spirits that have helped us."
"We'd love to know more."
The nuns were excited to talk about these things. It was obvious that whatever visitors they did get at the sanctuary, they weren't usually as interested in the things they devoted their lives to.
"Of course," they said. "Follow us."
As the two nuns were engrossed in their explanations, pointing and explaining the different runes and symbols, Mako stayed behind while Thuy was able to slip away unnoticed. She wasn't sure where she was going, but it was obvious that there was a part of the sanctuary that the nuns were trying to keep hidden.
Yet something within her was telling her to take notice of the long stream.
Following it upwards, the metalbender noticed it widen until it met back up to the river from which more streams like it sprouted. Willows grew either side of the water and she pushed through their hanging branches, parting them as she headed further up.
Through the greenery, she noticed the high cliffs that hugged the back of the sanctuary, and realized the river originated from the side of the rocks here. An impressive waterfall sprung high above her head and the sound of the water hitting the ground next to her became louder as she approached. It became clear there was an entrance in the rocks, slightly obscured by the falling water.
With that, Thuy earthbended a path for herself, trying to reach the dark opening. She could barely see anything in the darkness of the cave and she wished Mako was with her for some firebending.
But it wasn't long until a piercing light broke out in front of her. She flinched, taking a step back. At her feet were glowing blue embers.
Thuy looked up, and there the girl saw her. Standing tall was none other than a beautiful looking dragon with the blackest of scales, the whitest of hair and the bluest of eyes.
"So that's what they were hiding here..." She whispered to herself. She tried taking a step closer to the creature, but it backed away from Thuy, her nostrils flaring and tiny blue cinders lit up with each breath.
"Easy there, sweetie." she held her hands out. "I don't wanna hurt you, alright?"
The dragon seemed to consider her a moment. Her breathing was loud, and furious. It was a wonder she hadn't attacked the strange human straight away, but instead she tried to understand what she was seeing, or who she was seeing.
Thuy took another step towards her and this time she didn't back away, nor try to attack. She was curious.
"It's ok..." she said, trying to put on her best soothing voice. "I'm… I'm a friend, please don't cook me up."
The dragon's eyes followed her movements, but slowly she brought her head down to study her better. There was something she recognized in the metalbender.
Thuy held her hand out towards his snout. A move she realized was foolish as soon as she had done it, but the dragon didn't shift. She worked up her courage and went all the way, touching her softly on his nose. She could feel her puff out a hot gust of smoke against her forearm, but it wasn't enough to burn her. Perhaps she greeted her.
"So, she does recognizes you."
Thuy jumped, pulling her arm back and spinning round at the sound of the voice. Walking into the cave after her, she could just about make out the silhouette of a familiar figure.
"Azula?"
"I realized who you were as soon as you came here with the cop, Thuy Huynh of Zaofu." The Fire Mother said, said girl shocked that this Azula somehow knew who she was. "You're Hiromi's descendent, aren't you?" She crossed her arms as she looked at Thuy, her eyes, even after all this time, still full of malice, whether intentional or not.
"It's what I'm told." The metalbender replied.
"Well, there's no denying it now." Azula looked up at the dragon. She watched her back. "There's no other way Zuzu's dragon wouldn't have burnt you into a crisp right here."
Thuy looked in disbelief. "Wait, THAT'S Zuko's dragon?!" Her voice full of surprise as she asked, turning to the creature. "But I thought his dragon was red!"
"You are correct about Druk, yes, but she's his twin sibling, Kurohi." The former princess told, approaching the dragon with her own hand out to its nose, softly petting her. "My dear brother gave her to our society to protect us only if needed and we protect her in return."
Thuy looked at the beautiful creature before looking at Azula. "I heard you died years ago by Zuko's hands, but clearly from here and other universes, that's not the case." She observed to which the old woman gave off that familiar grin of her's feared by many.
"Oh, the things many think are true, but turn out to be false. And what's false likewise is true."
"Azula, we need your society's help, we need Kurohi to be at our side." The girl said, approaching the Fire Mother.
"With the battle against Sha-Garou and his Avatar plaything? Yes, we heard everything. Hard to miss the large glowing Avatar, even somewhere remote as here."
"The sisters said they wouldn't help, but you of all people should know when pure evil needs to be stopped!" Thuy pleaded, only to get a small chuckle from the old woman.
"Oh, trying to remind me of my... rambunctious years, I see." Azula said as she seemingly rolled her eyes, turning away. "That won't convince me or my sisters to fight, it is not our battle to face, your Avatar Prime made it clear the choice was optional."
The mohawked girl stood there, mouth agape at what she heard.
"But, you can't just stand by while Korra, I and the others go to fight! We need your help, we all know your brother and his dragon will be on our side!"
"And that's Zuko's choice to make." The golden eyed woman said, her back was turned, holding her hand up as if she was waving Thuy off. "As Fire Mother, I speak for my children of fire when I say we're not fighting, that is that."
"So that's that? You're just gonna sit on the sidelines and possibly let that shadow spirit bastard win without even doing anything to help?!" Thuy called out, shocked to hear this as she saw Azula begin to walk back into the darkness.
"My word is final, you can leave us now…"
"Is this what Avatar Hiromi would want from you girls?!"
"She's dead, she has no say in this."
The young girl just stood there, unable to accept this, trying to raise her hands up as she tried to think of something. And something Thuy did think of as she gave out an amused huff.
"I get it now, you don't want to involve yourself or your fire nuns in the fight because it's not your problem…"
Thuy then looked up at the blue eyes of Kurohi with a smirk on her face before turning back into the darkness as she heard the footsteps being farther away.
"It's because you're scared!"
In the darkness, except for the crackling embers that barely lit the cavern, the footsteps stopped, with no sound being made briefly…
… until a orb of blue flames lit up within the blackness, held by an old hand.
"What was that?" Azula's voice, though aged and tempered, slashed through the air like a sharp blade, the descendant of Avatar Hiromi knowing what she said.
"I said you won't fight because YOU'RE SCARED!"
Thuy watched as the blue flames looked to move around in the darkness, that smirk still on her face as she watched the colorful flames begin to come closer as were the sounds of footsteps, seeming to pick faster the nearer they came until the Fire Mother finally stopped in front of the metalbender.
"How dare you make that claim about the Fire Blossom Society." Azula hissed out, her eyes burning as bright as the fire she held up.
Yet Thuy didn't make a single move, she just looked into those angry eyes as she gave a small, but mockful laugh. "Oh, Fire Mother, you got me wrong, I wasn't saying that about your little club." She then took a step closer up to the daughter of Ozai, making sure she got a good look at Azula's gold eyes.
"I was saying that about YOU."
The millisecond the metalbender uttered the last syllable of that last word, Azula waved her arms out in unrestrained fury, allowing her blue flames to engulf her arms, not burning her robe, but surely lighting up the caverns as Kurohi watched the sight in interest.
"YOU WATCH YOUR TONGUE, INSOLENT LITTLE INSECT!" The Fire Mother bellowed out, the old Azula that sooner cut you down for the simplest mistake coming out once more.
But Thuy wasn't scared of the murder staring her right into her soul, ready to set her ablaze, she hadn't even flinched at the light show. Instead, she just shook her head, a look of disgust clear on her face.
"Why should I? Because apparently I'm not talking to the infamous Azula, former crown princess of the Fire Nation, daughter of Ozai, leader of both the Fire Warriors and the false Kemurikage, the woman who almost ended the Avatar Cycle. I don't even see the Fire Mother of the Fire Blossom Society in front of me!" She yelled out as she remembered the other Azula she met before as the one in front of her watched, slightly lowering her arms as the flames slowly began died out.
"Now, the Azula I met in another universe, she knew, even in her advanced age, knowing what she had done in the past, that Sha-Garou had to be stopped and fought alongside those against him, fighting side by side with two Avatar Korra's." She explained as her voice larger as she spoke, remembering what choice she made.
"She gave her own life to save not just that of her universe's Avatar, but also her fellow sisters and her own daughter, whom she named after the woman she loved! SHE'S MORE OF AN AZULA THAN YOU'LL EVER FUCKING BE!"
Breathing deeply to catch her breath, Thuy just looked into the still unchanging rage filled eyes of the firebender, shaking her head before leaning closer to Azula's ear, making sure she saw her face as she whispered her next words.
"All you are is just a scared little old lady who NO ONE fears anymore."
With those words, seeing the Fire Mother's eyes widened in fury, Thuy began walking past her with a knowing smile, her back to Azula as she left her standing in place, fuming.
"How DARE YOU SAY THAT ABOUT ME!" Azula's voice echoed out in the cavern, followed by a burst of blue fire flying right past the side of Thuy's face, just missing a hair strand or two with the hot air zooming on by, making the metal bender stop, as the flame flew into the darkness, finally heard hitting a wall after more than ten seconds.
"I'm sorry love, you say something?" Thuy simply said, a smile worthy of the former princess herself on her face as she turned around to see Azula standing there, the Fire Mother once more showing her past self as she stared burning daggers into the metalbender's eyes.
"I am not scared, I've never been scared to fight, PEOPLE SHOULD BE SCARED OF ME! NOT SOME TOOTHLESS SHADOW SPIRIT WORM, MMEEEEE!"
"Oh, really?" Thuy asked, walking back up to the old woman. "Well, prove me wrong then, join us and fight against Sha-Garou, help us destroy him once and for all! Not just for the Avatar, not for the universes, not for you, but for your fellow fire sisters and your daughter, Ty Lee!"
"ALRIGHT, I WILL!" Azula yelled out her answer as loud as she could as she looked at the girl, breathing through her teeth in burning anger…
… before realizing something just then, she just fell into the trap of this simple girl from Zaofu.
And after a few seconds, the Fire Mother put on a knowing smile.
"I see, weaponizing both my caring nature for my sisters and my daughter, along with my old weakness, pride." She said as she kept her gold eyes on Thuy's green ones, who gave her own knowing smile back. "Clever girl. You're certainly part of Hiromi's bloodline alright."
"Thank you, Fire Mother Azula." The mohawked girl said, giving a proper bow of respect to the old woman who waved it off.
"Oh, cut that out, it's pitiful of someone with your family legacy." She groaned out until the black scaled dragon gave a slight growl, getting the two's attention as they looked into Kurohi's calm blue eyes, Thuy tilting her head at the beautiful animal.
"You think she knows that?"
"Of course she does," Azula spat. "She's not stupid." She took a deep breath. "Sorry. You mustn't have known."
"Known what?"
"Avarar Hiromi's spirit animal was also the dragon. When she built the Sanctuary with her sisters, it was a dragon's breath that cleared the land and sealed the foundations. It's also what allowed our existence to be so in touch with the spirits here."
Thuy looked back at the dragon in the cave. She laid her head on the floor now, looking up at her. If she tried hard enough, Kurohi almost didn't look scary at all. More like a large, fiery polar bear puppy.
"There's no doubt Kurohi sensed your heritage. Your spirit still has traces of Hiromi in it, and she was able to feel it as both Kurohi and Druk are from the same bloodline as Hiromi's dragon. Exactly like how both knew me and Zuko were descended from Avatar Roku on our mother's side."
"Does she... does Kurohi trust me?"
"See for yourself. I'm not your babysitter."
She had no idea what she meant by that, but Thuy walked closer to the dragon, seeing how she would react. Kurohi did nothing, just kept watching her with her still, wise eyes. It was almost nerve wracking.
Thuy reached out and patted her head. The scales were awfully rough, but she chuckled. She had never even seen a dragon before, let alone pet one.
Kurohi huffed. The metalbender had no idea what she was trying to say, but looking back at Azula, she noticed she was already gone.
"There's this one thing I've always wanted to do," Thuy said. She didn't even know if the animal could understand her.
Azula said to see for herself, so she did.
In a burst of courage, she heaved herself up onto the dragon's back, trying to get a good grip around her, but before she even knew it, she lifted his head and darted out of the cave.
"WOAH!"
Kurohi broke through the waterfall and soared in the sky over the garden. Thuy clung on for dear life, until she realized she was fine. The wind was rushing past her, but as she looked down, she could see everything at once, and it looked absolutely beautiful.
"Jings..." she said to herself.
The fire nuns had stopped explaining things to Mako and he frowned, following their shocked gazes upwards. His face went pale at what he saw.
The blue eyes black dragon swooped down above them, landing next to him.
"MAKO! Oh my Raava, check this out!"
The firebender blinked. His throat had gone dry. "W-What?"
"There was this cave, and Azula was there, she said-" Thuy started to explain, but realized there was too much to say. "You know what, fuck it, I'll explain on the way back. BUT WE'VE GOT A BLOODY DRAGON!"
Mako slowly started to smile as the shock wore off seeing the beautiful creature who seemed to trust him, with Thuy lending him a hand as he climbed on.
The fire nuns were about to stop them, until Azula appeared. With a silent raise of her hand, the nuns held their protests back.
"THANK YOU!" Thuy called out to her as the dragon was gathering air under his wings.
The Fire Mother said nothing, but they spotted her sly smirk before they took off back to Republic City as dusk began to fall.
"Mother…" Azula heard her daughter's voice, turning to see Fire Sister Ty Lee behind her, wondering why Kurohi was let free with their guests. "What's going on?"
"Ty Lee, inform every single sister who is able bodied and can fight to prepare themselves and the rest of the dragons…" Azula said, turning to her daughter as she gave that once evil smile of hers, now for good.
"For tomorrow, we make our way to Republic City to fight alongside the Avatar and her army."
As the sun fell in Republic City, everyone on Air Temple Island, from this universe to other ones, sat and interacted with each other, amazed to see how different their other selves were.
Even those of this universe who had not been part of the interdimensional journey had begun arriving on the island as fast they could earlier in support of the Avatar, the first arriving after Mako and Thuy left to do their own thing.
"Woah, check it out…" Bolin The Magma Warrior said in awe as he watched the other him who was a waterbender do some tricks near the docks alongside Meelo's own airbending and lemurs leading with Poki leading the way. "That is SO AMAZING." He said, turning to an Opal dressed in similar garb to Master Air Monk Tenzin, who smiled at the act.
"Quite the show they're giving, my brave warrior." Opal The Wind Mage said, having her air arrow tattoos on her body, showing she had achieved the title of airbending master, kissing his forehead as he blushed.
On another part of the island, the Airbender-in-training Asami was assisting her father with building a large mech similar to the ones he made for the Equalists, only now with the insignia of all four elements proudly on it's chest, with a patched up Kuvira helping modify it's armor with some spare platinum she was able to provide through an old contact who had gone straight.
"So how much power will this hold?" Hiroshi asked from inside the machine, to which both Bataar Jr. and the high school Asami looked at a special box connected to the machine.
"With what I managed to scrounge up here, along with some batteries and conductors from my universe, we can generate enough to power the Colossus three times over, just with this box alone, without spirit vines!" The younger Asami said as Bataar Jr. watched in awe at the box, holding it with gloved hands.
"So much power fitting in such a small form, amazing! Oh…" The Beifong engineer noticed a screw loose, putting it down and looking for a screwdriver, only to see the screw move on it's own, getting back in place.
He looked up and saw Kuvira having held her hand up and using her metalbending in such a minor way, yet it did put a small smile on his face which the metalbender was happy to see.
High School Asami smiled, sensing the relationship between the two was regrowing, turning to see her Korra jump in glee at seeing Husky Korra before the two noticed both the animal and human versions of Fumi and Naga look at each other curiously, laughing at the sight.
"So many people are walking around, I don't even need to lift my toe to know what's going on." Toph said in her… Toph-ness as she sat on a rock as Suyin stood next her.
"Still amazing to know there's different versions of us all over the universes."
"Yeah, it's kind of neat I guess, nothing really mind blowing." Her mother agreed until she felt another set of steps she was familar with. "What you got for us, Lin?"
"Something that might put some challenge to your claim, Chief." She claimed, a rather small smirk on her face.
"Is that so?" The master earthbender asked. "Okay, hit me with your best shot, kiddo!" She laughed until she sensed some more footsteps coming towards her. "Okay, three people, not all that- Su, why's your heartbeat going crazy?" She asked.
The reason was because Suyin herself felt like she saw a ghost, putting her hand on her mother's shoulder. "I think Lin may have you beat."
"What makes you say that?" Toph asked in a confused way.
"Hello mother…"
It took hearing that voice for the legendary bender to stop in place, feeling her eyelids blink rapidly at the voice she swore she last heard back at the train station months ago.
"Hattori Hanzo?" Her voice cracked as Hattori Beifong stopped closer to her, kneeling down as he put on a smile. "You're-"
"Alive? Well, in my universe, yes."
"Wait a second, your universe…" She said, noticing the added metal on him she sensed as he kneeled, it was so familiar. "Are you the chief of police there?"
"Yep, learned from the best. Chief Hattori Beifong" Hattori said as he saw the light in her eyes pale eyes shine in joy.
"Oh, just hug him already." Lin said, putting on a knowing smirk as Toph couldn't help but hug Hattori.
She knew that while he wasn't the same son that died again saving her sister, it still felt good to hear his voice again. "Who's the other two?" She asked, curious.
Lin smiled, looking at both Hatori and Cat Hattori. "The other Hattori's who managed to survive in their universes."
"Just call me Lady Hatori if it helps." The damaged eye woman said, enjoying seeing the old woman look so surprised to hear her voice before getting a tight hug from her too, tighter than her own mother's in fact.
"Spirits, there's a lady you too?"
"Think that's crazy, I'm a walking talking bobtail cat." Cat Hattori pointed out, getting a big laugh out of the Beifong woman.
"Of course you'd be a cat, OF COURSE! Always liked them." Toph was not surprised to hear that, just happy to actually meet three different versions of her son, petting Cat Hattori's head, who liked it as she began scratching his ear. "Oh, you're a furry one."
Hatori then turned to a still breathless Suyin. "And nice to see another you too, sister." She said, noticing her jewelry. "I love the necklace."
"Thank you... Lady Hatori, your…" Suyin began, feeling her metal necklace before noticing her odd attire. "Choice of clothing is different."
"I thought so too, kinda wanted to rock the "Cool Metalhead Old Lady" look." Hatori noted, taking off her hat.
"But there's no metal on your head." Suyin asked in a confused tone, not knowing the term as her alter sister laughed, letting the founder of Zaofu try on her hat.
"Oh, so many things to explain."
"And with the exception of Lady Hatori, the other two are metalbenders." Lin pointed out, making Toph curious at this.
"Really, what kind of bender are you then?"
Hatori smirked, holding out her hand, showing off her firebending with a small ball of beautiful green flames, Toph hearing the crackling. "Firebender, same as my father."
"Damn, how are those flames green?" Cat Hattori asked, feeling his eyes going as wide as, self-groaning as it was to admit, a cat's as he felt tempted to paw at it as the five other Beifongs laughed. Toph herself thankful that even if three of them weren't from her universe, she was able to have a perfect moment with her three, or rather, five children once in her life.
"Hey, everyone! Hey!" Bolin tried to yell out as he held his glass of lemonade, trying to get everyone's attention. "Hey!"
Yet no one seemed to notice or care, until Opal walked up to him and nodded, turning to the crowd of people. "HEEYY!" She yelled out as loud as she could.
THAT got everyone's attention as they all turned at the couple, Opal giving a small bow. "Thank you…"
"Right, so… um…" Bolin tried beginning, but seemed to stumble over the big speech he had planned, looking at Opal. "I'm screwing up-"
"No you're not, you're doing fine."
"Okay, okay…" He said as she kissed him to motivate him, turning back to the others. "Um, okay, so I know you are all well aware of what's going to happen in the now almost six days, us going against some evil shadow spirit who's in control of a Korra and his shadow army."
"Thanks for stating the obvious!" Toph's voice yelled out.
"Yes, thank you Toph!" The earthbender deadpanned before clearing his throat. "Now, those we have traveled with and those who are here from the universe where Zuko is still Fire Lord and Korra is from the Fire Nation already know this."
"But a lot of those from other universes, including everyone else from this universe, such as my parents and family, don't know this, so Bolin decided what with everything going on…" Opal explained before turning to Bolin. "Wanna just announce it at the same time?"
"Yeah, totally."
"Count of three, ready?"
"Yeah. One…"
"One…"
"Wait, are we counting down together or-"
"GET ON WITH IT!" The fire bender Korra too yelled out as her Water Tribe Asami nudged her shoulder with a cute smirk.
"Okay, right." Opal noted before looking at Bolin, smiling as she held out her hand with her engagement ring on her ring finger, both saying at the same time...
"WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!"
That got a loud cheer from everyone on the island, clapping their hands for the couple as Suyin and Bataar Sr. both made their way to their daughter and future son-in-law. "Opal, this is quite the… wow, I can't believe this…" Su said, tears in her eyes, smiling at her little girl's ring.
"Big step there Bolin, think you can handle it?" Bataar Sr. asked the earthbender who nodded.
"Bataar Sr., dad, future father-in-law, got to get used to the names, there were two times where we both got hurt and-"
"You got hurt?!" Suyin felt a shiver down her spine as she said that, looking at her daughter who laughed to calm her mother down.
"Don't worry, both Kya's were there to heal us, we're fine."
"Yeah, but seeing Opal get hurt, it made me realize that we had no idea if we were gonna survive going through different dimensions and…" Bolin tried to think of the right words. "I decided that if I'm gonna die, I want to be at least be the fiancé to the most wonderful, sweetest, beautiful, great, cute, sweetest-"
"You said "Sweetest" twice." Hattori noted, passing by the young couple.
"Right, the best girl I know." Bolin finally finished as he held Opal's hands, looking into her eyes.
"And even as you fumbled over the proposal and I already knew about the ring, I couldn't say no to you." Opal said back with her wonderful smile on her face, kissing his nose as Bolin blinked twice in surprise.
"Wait, you knew?"
Opal laughed. "Y-Yeah, I… found the box in your coat pocket back in that Red Lotus universe while you were resting." The Airbender admitted, her cheeks reddened, not that she regretted it. "BUT, I still felt surprised when you actually proposed. I love you Bolin."
"I love you too, Opal." Her fiancé said before swooping her down and kissing her on the lips before moving them away. "Love you so much, I'd give my life to protect you during the battle."
"And now that you just said that, you just jinxed yourself." Toph's voice rang out as the old bender approached the happy family.
"Mother!" Suyin called out.
"Grandma!" Opal too said at hearing what Toph said.
"What? It was a joke!" The master earthbender claimed.
Bolin looked at her. "Well, joke or not, I don't care, If I die protecting my future wife, at least I can die happy, so neh." He said, sticking his tongue out Toph, who quickly grabbed it with just two of her fingers to his and Opal's surprise.
"Hey, lovebirds got my approval." The blind woman said with a sincere smile as Bolin whined and struggled, yet not trying to rip his tongue off.
"Grandma Toph, please let go of my future husband's tongue." Opal asked in her sweetest, if still worried, tone to which Toph did, quickly hugging her granddaughter.
"I'm so happy for you."
"As am I." A familiar deadpan tone rang out behind the couple, with Bolin screaming bloody murder as he hid behind Opal, who saw the voice came from Eska and Densa, having traveled to the island to provide the Northern Water Tribe's assistance in the battle.
"You scream like a girl." Desna noted in his similar style to his sister.
"Can't argue there, Eska." Toph nodded her head.
"Desna."
"I'm blind and you two talk alike, cut me some slack weirdo." She said back, leaving the newly engaged couple with the twins.
"Ah… so, thank you Eska?" Opal asked, unsure if the water tribe girl meant her remark, knowing of the horror stories Bolin told about her.
"Welcome, the awkward turtle duck needs a strong Spider Cat to lead it, he will be your perfect love slave." Eska simply said, patting Opal's shoulder, with Bolin slowly creeping back away from her hand.
"Oh, you mean 'Perfect husband', yes?" Opal asked, wondering if the one half of the Northern Water Tribe leaders made a mistake, only for Eska to shrug.
"Yeah, sure, maybe."
Bolin grabbed Opal, nodding as fast as he could as he dragged her away. "Well, nice seeing you two again, don't be strangers!"
'Wait, did she just call me a spider cat?" Opal was heard asking as both twins then took notice of Huan standing against the wall, not willing to interact with the others as much.
"Why so down?" Densa asked the artist Beifong who shrugged.
"Erm, I got recruited into this battle against my own will while I was in the middle of a perfect idea for my next sculpture." He explained in his seemingly bored tone.
"Speaking from experience, spirits like this Sha-Garou one are bad news. Sounds like they need all the help they can get." Desna noted in his not at all high volume.
"I know and part of me does care enough to fight alongside my family." Huan admitted before rolling his eyes. "Even know I'm not the fighting type."
He then noticed Eska seemingly slid in front of him, her eyes seemingly focused on him, as if zooming right into his soul. "If you want some motivation, how's about this? Either fight alongside your family, or else I'll feed you to a pack of dolphin piranhas."
And yet, the threat didn't seem to phase Huan.
"You already know my answer, which is why I haven't attempted to leave this damn island. That being said, I'm not against the dolphin piranhas either."
With that, the artist walked off, leaving the two alone, Eska tilting her head a bit towards where Huan went, the corner of her mouth just creaking in an upper angle.
"... I like him. Think I might be in love."
Desna sighed. "Eska, you got poor taste in men."
"Hey, guys, what's that shape in the clouds?" Firebender-in-training Asami asked, pointing up into the sky as everyone took notice, seeing a shape indeed move through the night sky seemingly in their direction.
"Anyone have any ideas?" Princess Izumi asked as her father stepped next to her, trying to get a good look, only to feel his eyelids widen at what he realized it was.
"It can't be…"
"No old timer, it most certainly is." Bumi said as he stood next to Fire Lord Zuko with an all knowing grin on his face, his dragonfly bunny spirit friend floating over his soldier, Bum-Ju tilting his head upwards.
The shape then moved past the full moon out and it became clear what was flying in the sky in the moonlight.
"It's a dragon!" Yasuko pointed out with a toothy smile while in Bunny Thuy's paws with her mommy and mama, the Korra and Asami from the cobblestone universe and the metalbender bunny realizing she was right.
"She's right!" The cap wearing Korra yelled out as the dragon began its descent down towards the island, with everyone realizing both Mako and Thuy were riding it, the latter in control.
"HEY GUYS!" Mako's voice rang out as he and her girlfriend waved at the people.
"'ELLO! WE GOT US A DRAGON!" The mohawked girl yelled out as Koruhi flew by the island, the wind speed from her wings blowing over high school Wu into his darling Mako's amused arms as it flew by.
Noticing a large enough spot on the island that looked empty, Avatar Hiromi's descendant lowered down and rubbed her new friend. "Right there hun…" She said to which the dragon made a sound of approval, landing itself onto the grassy part of the island with ease as everyone watched them land.
"Mako, hold on tight." Thuy smiled as she looked at everyone, her boyfriend doing as she said as she held onto Koruhi.
"What are you thinking?!" He asked, not knowing was planned as the dragon leaned back and with a mighty majestic roar, flames of blue spewed up into the night sky, giving everyone on the island a beautiful sight to behold as the creature let itself down.
"A dragon?!" Tenzin asked, mortified at the prospect of such an animal on his father's island as both Jinora and Ikki marveled at the animal.
"And here I thought I had my cooking skills cut out for me." Pema said with a sigh, but a happy one as she let down a curious Rohan in her arms as he and many others approached the couple and their newest ally, with their own story to tell.