Hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter. As of the posting of this, we've broken a hundred followers. Again, as always, I cannot thank you guys enough for your support. And now, on with the show:
Ash and embers fell from the night sky like orange and gray snow. All around them fires burned, illuminating the darkness. Several soldiers wearing Earth Kingdom uniforms were crouched in the ruins of a small town. Large fireballs rained down from several directions, shifting the shadows about as their fiery trails arced through the night.
This town was located about half way between the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se and the large river that connected the Eastern Lake to the Sea. As the siege of the walled city had raged, the forces of the Fire Nation had slowly spread out, pushing back Earth Kingdom forces on the outside of the wall. The group within the town was all that was left of their battalion. They had been cut off by the enemy, and were now surrounded and under constant attack.
Standing in the center of it all was a tall man with a katana sheath on his hip. The sword itself was long gone, snapped and lost in an earlier skirmish. He was wearing an Earth Kingdom uniform like the others. He was covered in mud and filth, yet he stood defiant against the onslaught he was faced with.
"Sergeant, I have the count. We have a hundred and eighteen men left. And those are the ones that can still walk," a private reported. A roar filled the air as a fireball passed overhead and smashed into what was left of a shop, igniting the ruin in a fiery explosion.
"The men are talking about giving up. We're cut off, and they're going to kill us all if we don't," the private continued.
"It's always the darkest before the dawn, Wai," the sergeant replied.
"Sarge, you saw the message. Command is focusing all their resources on defending the gap in the Wall, they're not going to send any troops to help us."
"Do you know how long this Siege has been going on?" the sergeant asked. The private looked up at his superior with a confused expression. Nearby another fireball came down, this time smashing a cart.
"I..I don't..."
"Five Hundred and Ninety Four days. That's how long we've been under attack. And that's how long we've waited for this moment."
"Moment? Sarge, we're surrounded! All the officers are dead! How is this a moment we've been waiting for?"
"Because we finally have the chance to deal the enemy's command structure a crippling blow," the sergeant replied as he pointed toward a large gap in the Fire Nation lines. The private, along with several other soldiers who had been taking cover nearby, looked toward where he was pointing. A small cluster of ornate tents had been set up, illuminated by torches around them.
"What is that?"
"That is a command tent of a very high ranking officer."
"A General? What gives? No one higher then a Colonel has been seen anywhere near the front lines since this whole thing started," a different soldier said.
"The Fire Nation has breached the Outer Wall. That means they've tasted victory, and their command structure is getting restless. Whomever that is, they want to oversee our final destruction personally," the Sergeant said.
"And how does this help us?" the Private asked.
"Not only is that the command post, it's also the weakest part of the Fire Nation line. If we attack there, we can manage a break out," came the answer.
"A break out? Are you serious?" a nearby Corporal asked.
"Way I see it, we got two options. We can sit hear on our asses and wait to be incinerated or captured, and never see our families again," he said before grabbing an E tool out of the mud next to his feet, "or you can follow me into the breach one last time." The men all looked at each other. For a moment, there was only silence, all with the crackle of flames and roar of incoming fireballs. Eventually, they all nodded in an unspoken agreement.
"We'll follow you to hell, Sergeant Ryou," the Private said.
I opened my eyes, finding myself staring up at the dark ceiling above. It was still dark out, which meant that I wasn't going to get the full nights rest like I was hoping. Not that I wanted to go back to sleep at this point. The night that had been replayed in my dream was one of the most brutal I've ever experienced in my life.
I can still see it all as if it had all happened yesterday. We'd charged the command tent head on, forcing the Fire Nation troops to retreat. Only the commanding officer, a young man with a pale complexion, black hair, and amber eyes, had stood his ground against us. Despite the fact that he was a bender, he'd drawn a sword and cut down anyone who came near him.
Taking a shuttering breath, I pulled my knees into my chest as my mind played out what had happened next against my will.
"For the glory of our nation, I will not bow to you!" the commanding officer screamed. He brought down his sword, a highly decorated jian, and buried it in the shoulder of an Earth Kingdom trooper. He quickly yanked the blade free before turning and slicing another soldier as he ran past. The trooper, a kid no older then eighteen, fell to the ground while trying to keep his guts from spilling all over the place.
At that moment, Ryou slammed into the officer, knocking both of them off balance. But the officer, highly trained and skilled, was on his feet again, swinging his sword at his attacker. Ryou slapped the blade away with his shovel and wasted no time, grabbing the wrist of the hand that held the officer's sword and struggling with him for control.
They wrestled back and forth, neither one managing to get an upper hand. Until, finally, Ryou managed to shove the officer backward. The sword flew from both of their grips, sticking into the mud a short distance away. Wasting no time, the soldier came forward and swung downward with a hacking motion, burring the blade of the shovel into the area where the officer's neck met his shoulder.
Blood sprayed as muscle and artery were severed, and the officer cried out in pain. He stumbled a few steps backwards almost as if he was in a daze. He reached up and grasped the handle of the E Tool, weakly tugging at it and trying to pull it out. Ryou recovered the officer's lost sword before approaching the man and gripping him on the unwounded shoulder.
"For freedom," he hissed before plunging the sword into his throat, ending the officer's suffering then and there.
I can still hear the screams of the wounded, the dying. The one hundred and eighteen men that had charged the Fire Nation lines that night were later referred to as the Lost Battalion because we'd been cut off and assumed lost by our superiors. By attacking and overwhelming that command post, we'd broken through the Fire Nation lines and were able to reunite with Earth Kingdom forces.
We were hailed as brave heroes and used as propaganda tools to try and boost moral amongst the armies. It wasn't really needed in the long run. Six days later, the Siege of Ba Sing Se ended, and the heroes of the Lost Battalion were shifted about and sent back into the meat grinder. By the time the war ended six years afterward, virtually all of them had been killed in brutal front line combat.
It wasn't until later that I learned that the officer I had killed wasn't really an officer at all. He was a Prince. Prince Lu Ten had been his name. His father was General Iroh, the very man who had led the Fire Nation forces during the Siege. The official story was that when Iroh had pulled back his forces six days after his son's death, it was because the men were over extended, exhausted, and could not hold the ground that they had taken. Anyone with half a brain could see that the real reason was because Iroh had lost the will to fight after his son died.
When I formally met the General himself some years later at the end of the war, I'd begged for his forgiveness in my actions. To my surprise, Iroh held no ill feelings toward me despite what I had done. To him, his son had died with honor and I was an honorable man because I took no joy in carrying out the harshness of war and sought forgiveness because of it.
Getting up, I slipped out of my room and went for a walk. I didn't bother putting shoes on, and soon found myself standing outside in only a pair of shorts and a t shirt. It was cool out, despite it being relatively calm and clear. The golden glow of the city reflected up into the sky, blocking out many of the stars and making me frown.
I loved astronomy. The stars and constellations were not only dazzling to look at, they also told stories. Some of them had changed a little over the centuries, but the vast majority were still the same now as they where when I had been a kid. It made me miss the open road, where I could look up and see all the starts In their shining glory without too much light blotting out any detail.
"Can't sleep either?" It was Korra. Her hair was down and she was barefoot. I took a moment to actually admire the way my student looked with her hair down in the moonlight. It was actually a look that suited her.
"Yeah," I replied.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"Not really."
"Tenzin is always saying that it's best to open up about what bothers us," she said.
"Yeah, no surprise there," I grunted. She stepped forward and put a hand on my shoulder.
"You know you can talk to me," she said, trying to get me to open up. I would have, I was tempted to. But there were things that she was simply not ready for. Things that were quite literally the stuff of nightmares.
"I could say the same to you. Amon's the reason you're up, isn't he?" I asked.
"I'm not afraid of him!" she snapped a little too quickly. I just gave her a small smile.
"I never said anything about being afraid," I said. She glared at me, but I just continued to smile at her. With that, I began to turn away and head back to my room.
"Fear is a natural reaction, Korra. Like any other emotion, it lets you know you're alive, and it's your body's natural way of staying like that," I said over my shoulder. With that, I left her on her own. She and I would talk when we were both ready.
I walked along the street, my hands in my pockets as I went. The noise of the city served as a dull drone that was almost lulling in nature. I'd just needed to get off the Island and do my own thing for a moment. A small cafe along the waterfront caught my eye, and I took a seat at one of the tables that had sitting out front. With winter coming, it was nice just to sit and enjoy this before the cold settled in.
"What can I get..." the waitress that appeared said before freezing like a catdeer in the headlights. She may not have been wearing the uniform, but I'd recognize Takeko anywhere. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she was wearing a white shirt, gray trousers, and an apron. She looked like she had been frozen in time with her small notepad and pen still at the ready to take my order.
"Two teas, please. One without sweetener or lemon, and the other can have whatever you choose," I replied. Now don't get me wrong, I was just as stunned as she was to see her here. But I figured that flat out attacking her and demanding answers wasn't going to get me anywhere. I was already on bad terms with Lin. What was I gonna say when the cops showed up? This woman was possibly an immortal and I wanted answers from her? Yeah, that was a ticket straight to the insane asylum.
"Um, right," she said as she finally got over her shock and realized that I wasn't going to make a big deal out of it if she didn't. With that, she turned away and went back into the shop in order to get the drinks. I sat back in my seat and placed my sword hilt on my lap. Just because I wasn't going to start anything didn't mean that she wasn't going to either. And in all my years, I've learned to be prepared for the unexpected.
Takeko came back with the drinks and sat them on the table. I motioned to the seat on the far side from me, and she sank into it with a nervous, uncomfortable look on her face. I picked up the cup that was closest to me and took a deep sniff and swirled the drink around a little. To someone passing on the street, it would look like I was a taste tester of some sort trying out a new product. In reality, I was checking for poison. I was having a drink with one of the most renowned operatives in history, after all.
"So who talks first?" she asked when the silence became too much for her to handle. Satisfied that she wasn't attempting to poison me, I took a sip of my drink before setting the cup back down on the table.
"Why don't we get right to the point, shall we?"
"Look, I know we had a...disagreement the other night, but I was just following orders and..."
"I don't care about your association with Amon, Takeko," I interrupted. She blinked and then frowned at my use of her name.
"I haven't...how do you know that name?" she asked.
"The other night wasn't the first time we had met," I said.
"When did we?"
"I want you to think back. Way back," I said before leaning forward slightly, "to be exact, I want you to think back to the night Prince Lu Ten died." Her eyes went wide, and she made a grab for a knife that was sitting on the table. My hand appeared on top of hers, pinning it to the table and keeping her from going any further.
"It's you...that soldier...it's you," she said, not believing her eyes.
"It's me," I answered, confirming it for her.
"How? How are you alive?"
"I could ask the same of you." She sat back in her seat, contemplating on how to answer me.
"After the Siege ended, I was cast out of the Army for failure to protect a member of the Royal Family. I was able to find work as a mercenary for a while, but when the war ended business dried up. Then, he came to me and offered me a new purpose," she said.
"He?"
"My Master. He showed me the truth about the world and the way things are. In return for my loyalty, he took me to a spring located high in the mountains. It stopped me from aging all these years," she explained. I sat there, thinking about what she had said. If it was true, it meant that the legends I had heard over the years were true. But there was something else in her words, something that gave me pause.
"Who is this Master of yours? Amon?" I asked.
"No. Amon is just a means to an end at the moment," she replied.
"And what, pray tell, is your Master's agenda?"
"I'm not at liberty to discuss that." This was the response I was expecting. Takeko was a professional, and I was an old adversary to boot. It could be considered a miracle that I had gotten what I had out of her. On that note, I finished my tea before standing and setting a wad of yuans on the table.
"I've got the bill," I said. The former archer had a stunned look, clearly not expecting this.
"Wait...that's it? You're not going to ask more questions?" she asked.
"You and I both know how well that's going to turn out. I think it's best we leave it here. Until we meet again, Takeko," I replied, leaving her in a shocked silence. If things turned out how they usually did with me, I didn't have a doubt I'd be encountering her again before this whole thing was over.
Walking off, I took a different turn rather then heading back to the Island. I just walked, my feet seeming to have a mind of their own as I went. Eventually I found myself at a small graveyard. It seemed out of place, like a large lot that was undeveloped tucked between two buildings with a rot iron fence guarding the space before it.
Standing in the center of the headstones was a man. He was wearing a brown bowler hat, black jacket, and matching trousers. This, combined with the fact that he standing next to an open grave with a shovel, gave me the impression that he was the undertaker. I was going to keep walking and just leave the man be. He appeared to be busy, and I would have rather been by myself at that moment anyway.
"Old age does not suit you, Wanderer. You continue to waste your talents and gifts, when it could make your life so much easier," he said without turning to look at me. I froze. That voice, I knew that voice. Although I hadn't heard it in person for over a hundred years, it still managed to haunt my nightmares from time to time.
Turning, the Observer motioned for me to come closer. The only thing that had changed about his appearance was his clothing. Everything else had remained the same. I took a few steps closer, cautious about this meeting.
"You don't trust me," he said. It wasn't a question, just a statement.
"I've read up on you. I know what happens to those who bear your Mark," I replied.
"Ah yes, I suspected as much."
"So what do I call you? Observer, or Collector?" I asked.
"You mistake my collection for being something malevolent," he said, "It's true that I take the souls of those I've given my Mark into the Void, but not for the reason you think."
"Are you going to bother to explain, or are you going to be like all Spirits and be vague as shit about it?" I asked.
"Those who receive my Mark are catalysis for change. Be it good or bad, I leave the choice up to them. But regardless of what they chose, they have already had their fate sealed. Their are other ancient Spirits who frown upon this, and as a result they condemn all those who bear my Mark to be cast into the Fog of Lost Souls," he explained. I'd heard about this Fog before. It was a mist filled valley located in the Spirit World that trapped mortals within it, driving them mad with their darkest fears and memories. In other words, it was the closest thing mortals had ever found to an actual Hell.
"So you collecting the souls is your way of saving them," I deduced.
"In a manner of speaking. I don't just do this out of the kindness of my heart. You all have a purpose."
"What purpose could we possibly have other then entertainment? You're called the Observer, after all, all you do is just watch."
"You will know, in time. For now, focus on the events happening in this realm. Things are about to get interesting. So I suggest that you put my gifts to you to some good use," he said. I rubbed the Mark absentmindedly, extremely hesitant on taking his advice. Not because I didn't trust him...no wait, that was the exact reason. I didn't trust him, full stop.
"You don't have to trust me," he said as if reading my thoughts, "as I told you all those years ago, the gifts are yours to do with as you choose. You have them, it would make your life easier if you used them. And remember, it doesn't matter if you use them or not. One day, the shadows will surround you." And with that, he vanished, leaving a shovel stuck into the ground with a bowler hat hanging off of it in his place.
I was sitting in the Island's library for what must have been the tenth time that week. Scattered out on the desk before me were several old scrolls and manuscripts, many of them just as old if not older then I was. During my search, I had come across references to what I assumed Takeko was talking about.
Hidden somewhere in the Northern Mountains was a spring of Spirit Water that was so potent that it not only healed, but restored youth and added longevity to those who drank from it. Supposedly there was a monastery that had been established nearby, and a group of monks living there had dedicated themselves to protecting the spring from those who would want to abuse its use.
Takeko's Master, on the other hand, turned up nothing but dead ends. Whomever he was, they had been very, very careful to hide their footprint on history. Assuming that they were an immortal as well. I knew absolutely nothing about this person, other then they viewed Amon as a means to an end. That fact in and of itself could be good or bad, depending on the situation. Knowing my luck, it would probably be the latter.
The sound of a throat being cleared caused me to look up from my reading. Tenzin was standing a short distance away, a stressed look on his face. This was the first time someone had actually seemed to come looking for me, so I figured something must have gone wrong.
"Oh, Tenzin. What is it? You look troubled," I said.
"Korra has issued a public challenge to Amon. She's going to face him on Aang Memorial Island tonight at midnight," he said. I stopped what I was doing and repeated what he had just said in my head again. Korra was challenging Amon? What had I missed this week?
"Why did no one come to me sooner?" I demanded as I sprung to my feet. I mean sure, I had pretty much barricaded myself in the library for my research, but I hadn't given anyone any kind of instruction to leave me be.
"Korra felt that it was best that you be left to your research," Tenzin answered. I didn't know who I wanted to throttle more, Korra for purposely keeping me in the dark, or Tenzin who absolutely knew better then to do so. Honestly I could only hope that Amon or someone I didn't like showed up tonight, cause frankly someone was going to get the shit kicked out of them for this.
Ensuring that my sword hilt was attached to my belt, I grabbed my hooded jacket and made my way toward the docks, leaving Tenzin in a cold silence. It wasn't that hard to figure out why Korra was doing this. She was stubborn in trying to prove that she wasn't afraid of Amon. Someone must have called her out on it in a public place, which forced her into issuing her challenge. Just because she had managed to take on a few Triads and had helped stave off a sea monster didn't mean she was ready for something of this caliber. The girl was a fool if she thought otherwise.
I took a small rowboat and began to make my way toward the other Island. The craft was small and quiet enough that no one would notice it approaching, which was what I was relying on. It would be best if no one knew I was there, not until I absolutely needed to reveal myself.
About eleven pm is when Korra arrived. She positioned herself on top of the clock built into the statue's base, looking out toward the illuminated pillars of the downtown. Just looking at her gave me frustration. She hadn't even bothered to try and arm herself, even after she had seen first hand what Amon was capable of.
As I watched, I realized that she hadn't completely abandoned my training. She was using breathing techniques I had taught her in order to help control her fear and focus her mind on the task at hand. Still, that didn't mean she had completely conquered her fear, as was evident when she jumped about a foot off the ground when the clock struck midnight.
Realizing that it was just the clock, Korra took a breath to steady her nerves and then assumed a bending position, waiting for Amon to arrive. I waited as well with baited breath, curious to see if the masked leader would arrive or not. He was charismatic, a showman preforming for a crowd. There was no way he was going to turn down a challenge like this, not without it hurting his image. Korra stood there waiting for almost a half hour before she finally realized that no one was coming.
"Guess your a no show, Amon. Who's the coward now?" she asked out loud. I fought the urge to come out of hiding and just flat out pelt her into the ground. That statement right there proved what I had been saying all along, and the foolish girl had let her emotions cloud her judgment and then dived into this headfirst without a second thought.
She began to walk away, heading back to the boat she had taken to get here. While doing so, she completely let her guard down, as she now believed she was the only person on the island. I saw the ambush coming long before it happened. I could have easily stepped in and stopped it, or spoken up and warned her. But if she was being this reckless, she deserved what happened came next, if not to teacher her a lesson about the future.
As she walked past the dark entrance to the museum that was housed in the base of the statue, a bola flew out of the shadows and ensnared her feet, tripping her up and dropping her to the ground. Before she could react, the rope attached to the bola went taunt, and the Avatar was dragged feet first into the darkness.
I slipped forward and slid into the entrance as well, using the darkness to hide my presence. Korra quickly used her firebending to incinerate the rope that was binding her feet together. The light from the flames briefly illuminated the room, showing that she was entirely surrounded by Equalists. She never stood a chance, as she was entrapped by bolas and chi blocked before she could really do anything to defend herself.
After a few moments, a lamp was lit, illuminating the area around Korra. Two Equalists had her by the arms, forcing her up onto her knees. Amon himself stepped into the small circle of light. Korra tried to struggle against her captors and break free, but it was of no use.
"I received your invitation, young Avatar," the masked man said. Korra's eyes grew wide with fear as he stretched out a hand toward her. I had my sword hilt in my hand, ready to spring forward should the need arise. For a moment, it looked like he was going to take her bending. She looked away, but he gripped her by the chin and forced her to look back at him.
"Our showdown, while inevitable, is premature. It would be the easiest thing to just take your bending now, but I won't. You'd just become a martyr, and benders of all nations would rally to your cause. No, I have a plan. And I'm going to save you for last. And then, and only then, will I destroy you," he said before he delivered a quick jab, knocking her out cold.
By now I had seen enough. Amon was a showman, nothing more. He was using fear as a weapon against Korra, and by extension other benders. He knew that if he could keep Korra stewing, she wouldn't be at her strongest both physically and mentally. And if he could achieve that, then he stood a chance of winning against her.
Well, two could play at that game.
Raising my hood, I stepped forward so that the door was to my back and only my silhouette was visible to anyone who was standing further then five feet away. The sound of my sword blade extending was enough to catch Amon's attention. He looked away from the Avatar to me, but his mask hid any facial expression, making it impossible to tell if I had startled him.
"You claim that the Spirits chose you. Let's see if that holds true," I said.
"Deal with him," Amon ordered. His foot soldiers began to advance on me, twirling their bolas as they came. I glanced down at my hand where my Mark was and let out a soft sigh. The Observer had been right, it didn't matter if I refused to use his gifts or not. My fate would be the same regardless.
One day, the shadows would surround me.
Looking to a dark corner of the room, I blinked and was there in an instant. The darkness hid me from the Equalists, who were looking around in confusion. I climbed on top of a display and crouched, waiting for the right moment. One of the Equalists was a few steps ahead of the others, separating himself from the rest of the group.
"Where'd he go?" he asked. I jumped from the display and activated my gift again. I reappeared right above him, slicing downward and removing his head from his shoulders before blinking again, appearing right in front of another foot soldier. I sliced him across his stomach and side before reversing my swing and stabbing him through the back. Then I blinked again, appearing behind the next Equalist and running him through with my sword. As I yanked my blade free, I blinked back into the shadows and watched the chaos unfold.
This had all happened in less then thirty seconds. The surviving Equalists could only watch in horror as their comrades' lifeless bodies fell to the floor. They clustered together and formed a semi circle with Amon behind them, determined to defend their leader against this new threat.
"What manner of trickery is this?" Amon asked. I jumped and blinked again, appearing before the Equalist that formed the point of their formation. My momentum carried my sword blade through his chest. I yanked my blade free of the falling man and was up again in an instant, stabbing the man to my left before twirling my sword once and reversing my swing, decapitating the woman on my right.
I blinked again and was on top of Amon, pushing the masked man down onto his back while I had my sword raised, ready to stab through one of his mask's eye holes and end his life right then and there. But I didn't, for the same reason he had spared Korra. If he died now, while his Revolution was gaining steam, his followers would just use him as a martyr, an image to rally behind.
"Know fear," I hissed in warning before blinking again, disappearing back into the shadows. The few surviving Equalists retreated to their leader, who wisely chose that moment to leave. They retreated into the shadows, leaving both Korra and their dead behind. I waited for several moments until I was sure that they were gone.
With that, I collapsed my sword and hurried to Korra's side. Thankfully she was unharmed. Although I don't know if that would still hold true if she woke up surrounded by dismembered corpses. Picking her up bridal style, I carried her out of the museum and toward the boat I had brought here. She slowly came to as we got close to the shoreline.
"Ryou?"
"It's me."
"How did...wait, where's?"
"He's gone. You're safe now," I reassured as I stopped and set her down.
"How did you know I was here?" she asked.
"Tenzin told me. What were you thinking, setting something up like this without any back up?" I demanded. She looked away, ashamed.
"I thought I could handle him if it was just us, one on one," she answered.
"And what, pray tell, made you think he'd fight the most powerful bender on the planet one on one in a fair fight?" I asked. She didn't answer, or even so much as look at me. I lowered my hood and gently brushed against her cheek so that she was looking at me. Her blue eyes looked up at me, threatening to spill tears.
Finally, she broke down and launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and buried her face into my chest. I took a half step back in order to balance myself and catch her. With that done, and my very brief moment of being stunned passing, I wrapped my arms around her and held her as she sobbed.
"You were right. I am afraid, I have been since the beginning," she confessed.
"Those who claim not to feel fear are either lying or foolish," I said, "even at my age, I still feel it. It's a natural emotion."
"But I can't be afraid of him. If I'm going to beat him, I need to be able to face him."
"Being brave does not mean you face something because you are unafraid of it. It means you face it regardless if you are afraid."
"How? How do I do this?" she asked, pulling back and looking up at me, her eyes shining in the moonlight with tears. I used my thumb to wipe them away before cupping her cheek, keeping her eyes locked with mine.
"With more time and training, you will be ready. And the next time you face him, you won't be alone," I replied. It was at this moment that I realized our close proximity, and Korra did the same. But rather then doing what she usually did and breaking away out of embarrassment, she did something totally different.
She brought her hand up, gently gripped the back of my head, closed her eyes, and pulled me down into a kiss.
Maybe it was the nerves, maybe it was the stress, maybe it was her feelings that I had up until now dismissed as a childish crush boiling over. I didn't know, and at the moment I didn't care. To be honest, I couldn't even form a coherent thought. Rather then bring it to an end, I decided to go with it. Tomorrow's problems would be dealt with tomorrow. For now, it was just her and I.
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to me, deepening the kiss. She seemed to like this and hummed in approval. Finally, we broke apart, if only for the need to breathe.
"Let's go home," I said. She nodded. Her face was red, but there was a small smile there as well. Maybe this wasn't a good idea in the long run, or maybe it was.
Only time would tell.
And cut. More about Ryou and Takeko's past has been reviled. What do you think about these revelations? Or the developments between Ryou and Korra? Let me know. Drop a review, leave a PM, don't hesitate to ask a question or ten, and I'll see you guys next time.