The Last Stand!

The Colossus was still trapped in ice. Inside the cockpit, Kuvira was infuriated. Moving her arms, she controlled the Colossus, trying to free it, blocks of ice falling to the ground and shattering at her efforts. Kuvira then bent the right arm of the Colossus and grabbed a piece of a nearby building for additional support. Finally, all of the ice broke, enabling the Colossus to move freely. As it moved down the street, a flashing light and siren sound loudly within the cockpit of the Colossus.

Kuvira, knowing what it meant, yelled to the pilots. "Initiate lockdown! Find the Avatar and whoever else is with her"

Meanwhile, in the hole in the right knee of the Colossus, Team Avatar stood at the bottom of a ladder, the alarm's flashing overhead as the siren wailed.

"We need to move fast. Su, Lin, climb up to the arm and try to disable that weapon. El, you, Mako and Bolin get to the engine and see if you can power this thing down." Korra instructed, "I'm going after Kuvira"

Suyin looked concerned "Are you sure? When you fought Kuvira before ..."

"I know", Korra looked down "She almost destroyed me." She looked back up at Suyin, determined, "Not this time."

"Be careful, Korra", Elira said

Moments later, Mako and Bolin ascended the interior ladders while the Beifong siblings used their metal cables to launch themselves upward, and Elira gracefully flew up. 

*

Reaching the engine room, where the spirit vines are electrified and feeding power to the tank. Bolin cut open the hatch with a lava disc, allowing him, Elira and Mako to enter.

"I'm going for that lever. You two get the other one." Mako ordered

The trio split up, Bolin regenerating his lava disc. On the left side of the room, Mako confronted a guard.

"Hey!" The guard shot metal plates, which Mako dodged before throwing a fire blast at him.

The guard shielded himself with the metal plates. When he shot more metal plates from his uniform, Mako tried to deflect by firebending, but his blast hit the spirit vine core, resulting in a small explosion that threw the firebender into a pillar.

Looking behind him, he saw Elira dodging and weaving around the metal plates aimed at her, while Bolin blocked them with the lava disc before they both ducked for cover behind a pillar.

Turning around again, Mako ducked just in time as more plates came his way. Crouching by the railing for a moment, he got up, kicked off the wall and kicked up fire at the guard who backed up to avoid it. The guard retaliated with more attacks, which Mako dodged and shot out an additional arc of fire. But the guard evaded his attack and sent metal plates at Mako, eventually tripping him up.

Mako rolled on the ground for a moment before swiftly rolling backwards to avoid a large metal fragment about to hit him. He then fell back to the wall as the large metal fragment was fired at him again. Rolling towards the railing, he then climbed onto it before jumping off and kicking a large blast of fire back at the guard, knocking him down against the lever. As the guard tried to recover, Mako was quick to grab him and throw him down again, finally knocking him out. Mako then reached for the lever, holding it ready.

"I'm ready!" He called out to the others.

"We need a minute here!" Elira yelled back as she and Bolin were pinned against a wall behind a pillar, trying to dodge attacks from their opponent, who was hiding behind another pillar, while Bolin sustained his lava disc.

Glancing around the pillar, Elira noticed a steam pipe right behind where the guard was hiding. She quickly pulled her head back as more metal plates whizzed past. She made eye contact with Bolin and nodded.

With a look of determination, he raised his lava disc before shooting it towards the steam pipe, releasing the fog into the room. The guard ducked away from the steam, but when he looked up, he had no time to react as Elira suddenly charged at him and knocked him backwards into the pipe with a blast of air.

"Okay, ready now!" Bolin called, grabbing hold of the second lever.

"One ... two" Mako counted "... three!"

The brothers pulled the levers, but the engine remained unaffected.

"Nothing's happening", Mako cried!

"Why isn't it working? Baatar Jr. said this was how to stop it! So why isn't it working?" Elira questioned

"Kuvira must've done some override thing and taken control!" Bolin replied as Mako ran over to him and Elira.

"There's got to be some other way to shut down power from here", Mako said

Bolin looked down nervously at the controls, his fingers hovering over them, unsure. "Ummm ..."

"Bolin, tell me you know what you're doing?" Elira asked, but Bolin just turned to her, looking lost "Seriously?"

"Come on", Mako scowled "You spent all that time working with Varrick and Baatar Jr. Didn't any of their genius rub off on you?"

"Look, the only thing I know about these vines is that if you mess around with them too much, they explode", Bolin argued.

"Well, there's gotta be some way of turning this thing off", Elira said, and she and Bolin looked down at the controls again, trying to figure out what to do despite having no clue what any of the buttons did or which one to press.

Behind them, Mako looked nervously up at the spirit vine core. He then looked down and shut his eyes briefly. "Get those engineers out of here. I have an idea."

Elira and Bolin looked up at him.

"Want to fill us in?" Elira asked

"I'm gonna zap these vines with some electricity," Mako revealed

" Let's back it up, okay? I said that will make the vines explode," Bolin said, moving his hands around to prove his point.

"Exactly. This is our only way of shutting this thing down." Mako turned to walk away " I can handle it."

"No, you can't!" Elira grabbed his arm to stop him

"Mako, this isn't the time to prove how awesome you are. We already know how awesome you are," Bolin argued, briefly looking away before looking at his brother again "...You're awesome."

"I don't have time to argue! I'm doing this, so get out of here!" Mako declared

Bolin and Elira glanced worriedly at each other. After a second of silent communication, Elira shut her eyes and looked away. "Okay, but for the record, we do not approve. At all"

"Just get out as soon as you can." Bolin raised his hand to his brother as Mako turned to him, "Promise?"

Mako grasped Bolin's hand and shook it. "Promise,"

The brothers embraced. Mako held his spare arm out to El, inviting her into the hug, and Elira smiled softly, joining the embrace.

"I love you," Bolin said

The trio separated from their group hug.

"I love you, too. Both of you. Now go!" Mako ordered

"Be careful!" Elira replied before she and Bolin ran off to grab the unconscious engineers.

Bolin hoisted the two engineers onto his shoulders and returned to the hatch where Elira was waiting. They glanced over at Mako one last time, seeing him generating lightning, and sharing a worried look, they left.

Mako then pointed two fingers at the core, the charge crackling blue in the air around him, and a bolt of lightning sparked at his fingertips, connecting with the mass of vines.

Arcs of purplish energy immediately sparked off its surface; the arcs began to detonate the walls of the room, but Mako's gaze was fixed on the surface of the mass before him.

The energy conduit above finally overloaded and detonated. The force of the blast sent Mako flying backwards into the wall, but he sustained the lightning as he regained his stance, his gaze still fixed on his target.

Suddenly, the entire mass flared with purple light, and a surge came off the vines that blasted him into the wall behind him.

Another bright surge hit Mako around his arm, electrocuting and burning him!

The sleeve of his uniform disintegrated, and his skin turned a scalded red as an electric shockwave expanded from his arm!

He staggered but managed to stay on his feet, slowly making his way toward the open hatch even as he maintained his assault on the mass of vines.

As he drew near to the hatch, the mass sent another arc off its surface.

It hit Mako directly in the chest, and he immediately fell to the floor, his unconscious body half-draped over the hatch!

The mass of vines crackled and arched angrily as Mako lay motionless below.

*

Outside, Elira and Bolin had successfully rescued the two engineers from The Colossol. They put them safely in a nearby building when Elira turned to the giant robot standing motionless in the street. It was missing an arm from where Lin and Suyin had previously disabled the cannon, and flames could be seen from the cockpit window where Korra was in the middle of battling Kuvira.

Bolin soon joined her side, and the two watched the opening in the robot's knee anxiously, waiting for Mako to appear.

The robot shook as the vines inside became more unstable by the second. But still, Mako didn't appear.

"Something's wrong," Elira said, shaking her head and turning to Bolin.

"I'm going back in. Stay here," Bolin went to run back towards the Colossol when Elira caught his arm.

"Not a chance. Never alone, remember?" She declared

Bolin smiled and took her hand firmly in his "Never alone"

So, they headed back inside the robot together. Upon reaching the engine room, rings of spirit energy spread outward on the roof as Mako lay unconscious over the hatch.

"Mako!" Elira cried, but her friend gave no reply as Bolin climbed the ladder, took his brother over his shoulders, and jumped down to the landing below.

"I've got him, let's get outta here!" Bolin exclaimed as the energy began to seep out of the engine room.

Elira helped him support Mako as they continued to run, even as the mass above sent arcs and beams of energy crashing down through the ceiling.

As they made their way onto the ladder leading down toward the rest of the Colossus, Bolin now carrying Mako on his back, a massive explosion dismantled the ladder, sending it and them tumbling downward into the darkness below! 

*

Outside the Colossus, beams of energy blazed through the skin of the machine, shooting one by one in all directions and quickly becoming increasingly numerous. A brilliant flash of light erupted and then promptly vanished.

A subtle crackle of suppressed energy crawled around the torso of the Colossus before yielding to a ring of purple energy. With a massive blast of spirit energy set free, the Colossus was torn by a devastating explosion. The top of its torso was now severed from its lower half, soaring through the air as the remaining usable arm, torn away, tumbled in the opposite direction.

Inside the falling cockpit, Korra and Kuvira held desperately onto the railing around the control platform as debris flew past them toward the ceiling.

The cockpit section crashed into the street, raising a cloud of dust that suffused the immediate area. As the dust settled, the upper section lay motionless and useless where it came to rest.

Inside the wreckage, Bolin, Elira and Mako lay side by side, unconscious. One of Elira and Bolin's arms was outstretched on the ground, their fingers barely brushing, as if they had been reaching for each other when they fell.

Outside, a blast of earthbending suddenly cleared a path out of the cockpit, and Korra appeared, helping Kuvira out of the ruined cockpit, its window shattered and its frames bent.

Kuvira let out a groan as Korra set her down before sitting down next to her, exhausted from their fight.

"It's over." Korra looked up with hardened eyes "You're gonna call off your army and surrender to President Raiko"

Kuvira opened her eyes; they were filled with hatred as she glared at the Avatar.

"Then you and —"

Catching Korra off guard, Kuvira suddenly bent a chunk of rock at her, catching her in the face and sending her flying across the pile of debris.

Rolling for a second, Korra came to a stop face down in the street, groaning. She lifted her head and saw Kuvira escaping down the street, limping badly.

"Stop!" Korra yelled

But Kuvira didn't listen, and after a quick glance behind her, she took off down the street toward the Spirit Wilds in the distance, her arm braced across her chest. After a moment, Korra angrily rose to her feet and gave chase.

Kuvira rounded a corner at the entrance to the Wilds and braced herself on the side of a building with her arm before falling to the ground with a groan. Rising to her feet once more, she continued into the forest, limping and holding her side. She paused for a moment to catch her breath, holding herself up with a hand against a tree.

"Kuvira!" She looked up with a sneer as Korra's voice permeated the trees. "Give up!"

"Never", Kuvira muttered, narrowing her eyes, her voice defiant.

She resumed walking, still limping. As she took her free hand and pushed aside a curtain of vines, she gasped, beholding what lay beyond. Her eyes narrowed, and her mouth curled into a sneer.

Meanwhile, Korra walked through the forest as sunlight filtered through gaps in the canopy above onto the vine-covered street.

"Please, stop this madness! It has to end now!" She called out before jumping onto a root, looking around.

"If you really want to end it, then come and get me!" Kuvira's voice echoed through the forest, and Korra turned her head, trying to find its source.

Korra took off in pursuit of the sound's source. Ducking under a large, arch-like root and pushing through a clump of bushes, she came upon a clearing and, looking up, gasped in horror.

Suspended in a cradle of vines was the spirit weapon!

Its barrel was aimed directly at Korra, who stood motionless before it. Kuvira stood, holding onto the side of the firing mechanism and grasping the manual trigger handle with her left hand.

"Now it's over." Kuvira sneered

"Don't!" Korra reached out in a desperate attempt to stop her.

But once again, Kuvira didn't listen and slid the trigger home. The shot once again slid down the barrel to the end, where the devastating purple beam built within the barrel.

Korra abandoned her attempt at reasoning and dived for safety as the barrel discharged, its beam colliding with the ground. It threw Korra aside, and after hitting the ground a few times, she came to a stop and looked up.

The beam had not stopped; it continued to pierce the ground, the ground flaming at the point of impact.

Above, Kuvira stood with one foot on the weapon and one foot on a vine. As the weapon continued to fire below, the vines around her began to glow with the same purple light, and she looked around at them in shock.

The force of the firing eventually propelled the cannon backwards, away from the ground; now, it twisted around, wildly swinging in its cradle of vines as the beam followed. The beam flew upward through the trees, slicing through buildings and detonating them, as Kuvira clung desperately to the side of the out-of-control weapon.

"Shut it down!" Korra yelled over the noise of the cannon.

Kuvira slid the trigger back, but the weapon didn't stop "I can't!"

A sudden shudder of the cannon threw Kuvira from its side!

She yelled as she tumbled to the ground, hitting it multiple times before coming to a stop. Raising her head, she gasped, her expression morphing into horror as she beheld the barrel of her creation swinging around to aim at her, the beam still firing!

As it bore down on her, Korra suddenly jumped in front of her, throwing herself between the beam and Kuvira.

As Kuvira watched, terrified, Korra extended her hands before her, her eyes glowing as she entered the Avatar State.

The beam of energy abruptly gave way, and a spherical mass of energy formed around the two, while smaller energy beams sprayed in all directions.

Kuvira sat motionless, caught between wonder and terror as the purplish-white light coursed around them. As Korra continued to bend the beam, the orb of energy around them began to expand. Slowly at first, then exponentially. The two disappeared when the orb glowed a bright white and expanded to a massive size.

From the centre of the Spirit Wilds and the central peninsula of Republic City itself, the glowing orb suddenly exploded into being, swallowing the city and drowning the light of the midday sun as it grew ever larger. A shockwave radiated outward at its base, clouds wrapping its top.

It expanded through the streets, washing over the debris of the attack and the remains of the Colossus, blazing past Tenzin and his children, still taking shelter in a building, ash and dust pouring through the doorway.

Down the steet, Asami rounded a corner and came upon the orb racing towards her. Her eyes widened in shock, and she ducked into an underground tunnel as the orb washed over the street above, and smoke enveloped her as well.

As the orb reached the height of its expansion, the rapid expansion of the cloud of dust and debris kicked up by the orb came to a sudden standstill. The cloud hung lazily in midair for a moment before reversing its direction and screaming back toward its source.

The next events happened very quickly. A second of silence as the orb began to collapse on itself, leaving circular clouds hanging in the sky and revealing a layer of vines covering the ground.

The orb utterly imploded, crushing itself down to microscopic size as it sucked the clouds inward to itself, leaving only a golden pinpoint sitting at the center of a deep crater covered with vines.

A brief flare of golden light flickered out, and the world was bathed in a golden glow as a yellowish beam of energy erupted into the sky, a beacon rising into the air. Within the beam rose two coiled ribbons of green and yellow, two helices spiralling upward into the sky above.

A rotating orb shone greenish-yellow on the ground at the base of the beacon. Moments later, from within the debris of the Colossus, Elira, Bolin, and a semiconscious Mako opened a hatch and emerged from the heart of the wreck. Elira's hair had fallen out of its ponytail, falling messily around her shoulders. 

"Look!" Bolin gasped in amazement as Elira and Mako turned their heads toward it.

Elira, too, let out a gasp, her eyes widening in astonishment and wonder

"A...spirit portal," she muttered before grinning 

*

Korra and Kuvira had vanished! Everyone was out searching around the new spirit portal, trying to find them.

"Korra!" Mako called out but received no answer.

"Korra, you in here?" Elira peeked inside the smashed cockpit. Mako walked past her, stepping inside the cockpit as Tenzin, now back on his feet, joined Elira's side.

Mako peered up toward the wrecked control surface, where Jinora, also back on her feet, stood looking down at him. She shook her head.

"Tenzin, there's no sign of her." Mako turned to the airbender

"Keep looking!" Tenzin ordered before calling out "Korra!"

"Korra!" Elira bellowed, her worried cry echoing across the waste. "Where are you?!" 

*

Meanwhile, Korra floated unconscious in her blue spirit form, her hair ruffled. After a moment, she opened her eyes and found herself facing a red reflection of herself, a bluish boundary separating the two. As the two reflections regarded each other, her red reflection fluctuated, morphing into an unconscious Kuvira.

As Korra stared at her, the blue colour around them started to dissolve. Korra looked around at the world materialising around her as they lost their respective colours, returning to their normal forms. They slowly descended onto the landscape around the new spirit portal, a field of purple flowers and mangled, reddish trees. They were in the Spirit World!

As they touched down, Kuvira groaned and toppled, but Korra caught her and held the unconscious woman in her arms. When Kuvira came to, she realised who was holding her and let out a panicked cry before scrambling away and pushing Korra over.

Disoriented, Kuvira looked around at the new environment.

"What happened? Are we ... dead?" She asked

"No, we're okay, but we're in the Spirit World," Korra replied, standing up and raising her arms to gesture around them. "All the energy from your weapon tore open a new portal and blasted us in here."

"Why would you save my life, after everything I did to you?" Kuvira lowered her head and looked away briefly, then back at Korra.

"I guess ... I see a lot of myself in you," Korra admitted.

Kuvira, at first, appeared surprised, but gradually became angry. "We are nothing alike!"

"Yes, we are. We're both fierce and determined to succeed," Korra sadly said, lowering her head. "Sometimes, without thinking things through."

"This wasn't how I wanted things to end" Kuvira fell to her knees "If you would have all just surrendered..." She straightened up a little, glaring at the Avatar, "None of this would have happened."

"You brought this on yourself." Korra began slowly walking towards her "Messing with the spirit vines, acting like a dictator over your people ... you had to know what you were doing wasn't right."

"I was trying to help my people." Kuvira snapped, "Su turned her back on the Earth Kingdom, you were gone! I had to do something."

"I think I get it now," Korra said softly.

Kuvira turned away "You don't understand anything about me."

"I do," Korra looked down sadly "Su told me how she took you in when you were younger. It must have been so hard being an orphan."

"Don't pretend you know what it felt like!" Kuvira turned her head towards the avatar again, wildly waving her free arm "The Avatar is adored by millions! I was cast aside by my own parents like I meant nothing to them. How could I just stand by and watch the same thing happen to my nation when it needed someone to guide it?"

Kuvira shut her eyes, a tear escaping down her cheek.

"You wanted to create a place where you and your people would never be vulnerable again." Korra said, and Kuvira raised her head to look at her again as she spoke, "I may not have been an orphan, but believe me, I understand what it feels like to be afraid."

Korra sat down so she was at eye level with Kuvira "After I was poisoned, I would have done anything to feel in control."

Kuvira's face softened at her words. 

*

Back in the physical world, all sorts of spirits flew out of the portal and reappeared on the rim of the crater.

"The spirits have returned." Tenzin smiled as Elira laughed in glee, twirling as a few spirits flew around her before flying away.

"And so has Korra!" Asami cried, turning to see the Avatar walking out of the spirit portal helping Kuvira to walk.

"You're okay!" Bolin laughed excitedly. as he ran up to them with Elira as Asami and Tenzin, Mako and Jinora followed behind.

Suddenly, the mecha suits gathered around, pointing their weapons at them.

"Release Kuvira, or we will attack!" One of them ordered

Without argument, Korra let Kuvira remove her arm from her shoulder. She stepped forward before she addressed her troops.

"Stand down. This battle is over. I owe the Avatar my life. Her power is beyond anything I could ever hope to achieve." Kuvira lowered her head "I'll accept whatever punishment the world sees fit."

The mecha suits all stood down, and the pilots inside looked confused as Kuvira allowed Lin to handcuff her.

"And Su," Kuvira turned to the metalbender, who looked up when addressed, "I'm sorry for all the anguish I've caused you and your family." 

"You're going to answer for everything you've done." Suyin glared as she and Lin led Kuvira away.

Behind them, everyone had gathered around Korra. Asami put a hand on her shoulder, smiling. Bolin then hugged her from behind, grinning. Meelo then wrapped his arms around Korra's waist, hugging her, before being joined one by one by his older sisters. Soon, everyone had joined in one big group hug as the spirits flew happily ahead.

They'd done it. 

They won.

*

A few weeks later, though the city was still a mess after the big fight, spirits were high as everyone gathered on Air Temple Island for Varrick and Zhu Li's big day.

"And though the battle took a severe toll on our beloved city, out of the destruction, love did bloom!" Bolin stood at the altar, dressed in a suit, officiating the wedding "So that is why, dearest friends and family, we gather today to celebrate the wondrous, and at times inexplicable bond between Sir Varrick and the Lady Zhu Li!"

Elira stood off to the side, dressed in a beautiful orange and yellow gown and holding a bouquet of flowers as Zhu Li's maid of honour. Her hair was down, flowing around her shoulders with parts tied back with a white bow.

Pichi was perched on Elira's shoulder, also with a white bow tied around her neck.

Varrick looked at the cameraman filming the wedding, seeing that he was aiming the camera at the large crowd of their family and friends.

"Hey, pal, camera on me! This is my big day!" He loudly whispered to the man, and the camera swivelled around to point at Varrick and Zhu Li. Satisfied, Varrick nodded to Bolin to continue.

"True love is a fickle creature. Difficult to find, nearly impossible to tame." Bolin glanced briefly over at Elira, sharing a soft smile with her "But Varrick and Zhu Li have proven that even the longest of long shots can have a chance at happiness together." Varrick glanced at Bolin, a little annoyed at his words.

" Now, for the vows!" Pabu then climbed onto Bolin's shoulder, dressed up in a little suit and hat, with a small scroll around his neck.

"Thank you, Master Pabu" Bolin took the scroll from his beloved pet "Do you, Sir Iknik Blackstone Varrick of the Southern Water Tribe, Master of the High Seas, take the Lady Zhu Li Moon to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you promise to treat her not as your assistant, but as your honoured and cherished partner?"

"You're darn tootin' I do!" Varrick grinned

"And do you, Zhu Li, take Varrick, to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to care for him, in sickness and in health" Bolin looked down at the note with a confused expression on his face as he read it's contents "and also scrub his callouses on a bi-weekly basis, which ... isn't really that much to ask ...Okay, I'm not reading all this." He crumpled the paper, giving Varrick an annoyed look.

"I do take Varrick: calluses and all" Zhu Li smiled lovingly at her groom

"Now, the rings, if you please?" Bolin turned to Elira

Elira nodded and held up the rings in her palm to Pichi. With a chitter, the lemur took them in her paws and flew over to drop them in Bolin's outstretched hand.

"Thank you, Miss Pichi", Bolin smiled, handing each of the rings to the bride and groom as Pichi perched herself back on Elira's shoulder.

"I now pronounce you, Varrick and wife," Bolin proclaimed once the couple had exchanged rings. "You may now do the thing."

Varrick and Zhu Li leaned in close together, and Bolin took a few steps back to stand with Elira.

Zhu Li suddenly dipped Varrick and kissed him while the crowd applauded. Varrick then unexpectedly began to cry.

"Are you all right?" Zhu Li asked

"You just make me so dang happy!" Varrick blubbered. He wiped his tears away and pulled a remote from his pocket. Smiling at each other, he and Zhu Li pressed the button, and a bunch of fireworks were set off, which exploded in a dance of beautiful colours over the Air Temple Island courtyard. 

*

Later that night, people had shifted from in front of the makeshift altar to a dance floor with tables in front of it. Zhu Li and Varrick stood in the middle of the dance floor as everyone gathered around, ready for the newlyweds' first dance.

On a stage to the right of the dance floor, Elira stood with a microphone, and behind her, Tahno, Lu, Gang, the council page, and the White Falls Wolfbats began playing a soft, slow tune.

"When the shadows unfold, when the sun hides its gold, when the wind and the cold come calling", Elira sweetly sang as Varrick and Zhu Li began their first dance "When the path isn't clear and the stars disappear, as an endless midnight's falling,"

Suddenly, Bolin appeared at Elira's side, holding a microphone as well.

"At the edge of the sky, there's a moon hangin' high. When you're lost, it'll try to remind you," He sang, he and Elira smiling lovingly at each other.

During the weeks leading up to the wedding, Elira had given Bolin singing lessons for this very moment, and Elira was very surprised to find he wasn't half bad at it.

"On a dark desert night, you can look to the light, 'cause it's shining there to find you", Elira sang, gazing into her lover's eyes.

"Desert Moon, light the way," They sang together as Varrick twirled Zhu Li around the dance floor. " Till the dark turns to day. Like a lamp in the lonely night, bright and blue. Desert Moon, wild and free. Will it burn just for me?"

Elira held out her hand to Bolin, "Shine down"

"Shine down", Bolin took her hand gently in his

"'Til I find my way" The two moved closer together, holding their joined hands up between them. "To you"

The music faded to a stop as Varrick elegantly dipped Zhu Li, and the crowd applauded. Elira smiled and wrapped her arms around Bolin, resting her head on his chest as he held her. The two smiled happily, watching their friends on the dance floor share a kiss as the crowd continued to applaud.

Later, Tahno and the others played a more upbeat tune, while Elira and Bolin joined the others on the dance floor. Varrick was still dancing with Zhu Li, while Ikki had even dragged a reluctant Huan to dance with her.

Elira let out a laugh when Bolin picked her up by her waist and twirled her. Suddenly, Tenzin appeared behind Bolin, putting a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Mind if I cut in for a moment?" He asked

"Oh, sure," Bolin stepped back "I'm gonna go get a drink. Want one, El?"

Elira smiled and nodded.

"Be right back!" Bolin called over his shoulder as he walked away, and Elira took her father's hand, slowly dancing.

"We haven't done this in years", Elira said

Tenzin let out a small chuckle "No. I can still remember dancing in the kitchen with you while your mother made dinner"

"How old was I again?"

"Seven, I think. And you always stood on my feet," Tenzin smiled, and Elira let out a small laugh.

"I'm glad to see you and Bolin worked things out", Tenzin said

"Yeah, me too," Elira glanced over at the earthbender, giggling a little when he was suddenly ambushed by Ikki, who dragged him towards the dance floor as Huan had managed to escape.

"Elira", Tenzin sighed, stopping dancing, "I owe you an apology"

Elira stared at her father, confused "For what?"

"For always being so hard on you during your childhood", Tenzin admitted.

"Dad..." Elira's eyes widened in surprise as Tenzin continued

"From the moment you were born, I...I knew that you were destined to become a great leader one day. Only, I was mistaken in believing a great leader could only be one thing, and so I tried to turn you into a second version of myself. Something, you weren't. But if recent events have proven anything, it's that the world doesn't need another me. It needs one Elira. And I am so very proud of the woman you have become"

Elira felt tears building in her eyes at his words, and she reached up to wipe them away.

"Thanks, Dad. But you know what? I think we're actually more alike than we realised", Elira said

"Who told you that?" Tenzin asked

Elira's smile widened "Grandpa Aang"

Tenzin looked surprised for a moment before he smiled softly and wrapped his arms around his daughter. "I love you, sweetheart"

Elira returned the embrace"I love you, too, Dad."

A while after that, Elira had rescued Bolin from her little sister's clutches, and the two resumed their dance. Eventually, Bolin noticed Elira was lost in thought, her head resting on his chest as they gently swayed to the music,

"What are you thinking about?" He asked

Elira sighed through her nose and looked up at her boyfriend with a soft smile "Just how glad I am to have met you"

Bolin returned the soft smile "I'm glad I met you, too, Airhead. I don't know what my life would've been like had you not shown up that day"

"Probably a lot more boring", Elira teased, "but you know, a wise man once told me 'Those who are meant to be always find a way to each other'"

Bolin paused, thoughts swirling in his mind "You think we're meant to be?"

"Don't you?" Elira replied

Bolin's soft smile returned, "'Course I do"

And with that, he picked Elira up and spun her around again, making her squeal and laugh. And so the young couple laughed and danced the rest of the night away, knowing in their hearts that no matter what life had yet to throw at them, they could do anything, so long as they had each other...