Metal Bender (Legend of Korra Heroes of Olympus Crossover)

CHPT21: May We Meet Again

Jason's POV:

For the remainder of that day, the earth benders from the Republic City army and the metal bending police broke apart the giant block of Metal Dynasty troops and took them away to a holding area in blocks of rock to be processed. Once the water tribe and fire nation ships came to port, Prince Woo hopped off the ship he'd been riding on and into the waiting arms of his friends. Hazel and Frank reunited as well the moment Frank got off too. Woo explained briefly that that they ran into the water tribe and fire nation ships right after the big battle ships had handled Wun's reinforcements and we all chuckled at the short shortsightedness Iroh had pointed out with putting Earth Benders on the ocean. According to Asami, earth bender prisons were usually on the ocean and made out of wood so the prisoners couldn't escape. This made us chuckle more at the realization that Wun's men had been defeated, not so much by their opponents, but by a prison of their own design.

I watched from a distance as Leo joked with his friends, his new green eyes sparkling in the sun light. With Wun in prison, Woo could go back to Ba Sing Se and so could the refugees. I smiled a little as Leo and his friends celebrated. The seven had also joined in the happy scene. I smiled but couldn't help but feel a touch sad, Leo was going to stay here. Soon we would leave him here, soon we would have to say good bye again. Leo put his hands on Mako's shoulder and shook him lightly as he made a joke about Metal Dynasty, everyone laughed and I couldn't help but feel this was the sort of thing I'd miss most once we went back. I'd miss Leo's smile. I'd miss how purely happy he could be. Brushing lightly at my eyes to keep the tears away, wrapping an arm around my wife's waist and the other over my best friend's shoulders I smiled savoring this moment. One tiny moment that would mean everything to me in the days and months to come or for however long it took before I'd see Leo again.

In the blink of an eye a week had passed as we helped put Republic City back together, get the Ba Sing Se refugees back to the capital, and track down the straggling parts of Metal Dynasty. As everything seemed to return to a relative normalcy Annabeth asked the question we'd all been dreading.

"Well?" She asked. "I know we all don't want to but we do have lives to lead back in our world too."

"Well," Piper swallowed hard and glanced at Leo. Leo, Team Avatar, and the Seven were on Air Temple Island having a nice diner when the question arose. The room had become very quiet as my wife mulled over her answer for a moment before speaking again. "I suppose we should go when our services are no longer needed."

"My point exactly," Annabeth nodded. "Republic City and Ba Sing Se have returned to stable conditions and as nice as it is to visit with Leo, we have been away from home now for quite some time and most of us hold leadership roles in our respective groups. We can't stay away much longer without reason and I'm not seeing a reason anymore."

"And it's not like you'll never see me again," Leo piped up. "You can come visit here any time with your amulet and I can use mine to come visit you as well."

"So you really are staying here then?" Hazel asked quietly.

"Yes I'm staying here," Leo said confidently. "This is my home now. You all will always be my family, but our world is no longer my home. I don't want to call it home anymore. My mind hasn't changed on this."

"I understand," Hazel crawled over to our friend and hugged him. "But I will miss you."

"We all will,"  Frank added, moving over to join her in the hug.

"It's not like he's leaving you forever," Mako grumbled sipping on his tea.

"Maybe I'll drag these guys with me," Leo grinned mischievously, slapping Mako on the back . "You know, when I come to visit. A change of scenery wouldn't kill them."

"I did not agree to that," Mako glared at Leo, who just laughed.

"Sounds fun," Woo beamed. "But I have to set up the Republic first."

"At the rate you councilors are moving," Asami said thoughtfully. "The Republic should be institutionalize by the end of the year shouldn't it?"

"Yeah," Korra agreed. "Metal Dynasty's almost take over really put a bee in their bonnet. They've been rushing through the paper work so fast you've barely had any time to breath Woo."

"Yes," Woo's face illuminated with pure joy. "Although my cousin wished for monarchy, his attempt at take over has pushed the process of instating democracy ahead farther than I could have ever hoped for. Although I'm also making sure my ministers are being careful in their haste. we don't want to have to fix mistakes later on."

"Here, here," Mako raised his cup of tea.

"Agreed," Leo smiled happily. "So then it's a date. Once the Republic is instated, the whole lot of us are taking a vacation in my world."

"Oh yeah!" Korra pumped her fist.

"YEAH!" Bolin cheered.

"That sounds lovely," Asami agreed.

"Wait, all of us?" Mako glanced at Leo.

"Yes all off us," Woo laughed. "If you're still against it then put it this way, I'll need both my bodyguards to protect me while I'm on the other side. See now you have to come with us."

"Does that count as coercion?" Mako asked no one in particular.

"Yep but it's from a friend so it's friendly," Leo poured himself some tea as well. "You're coming with us."

The night continued merrily but by the end of it we had decided we would leave in only two short days. If wasn't enough time. Not enough to fill the years we'd spent apart. Not enough to cover the growing and the learning. Not enough to regain all we'd lost or to reassure ourselves that the time apart would be shorter than before.

We spent the next day on the beach and at the garage at which Leo works, meeting the mechanics and getting acquainted with Leo's new home. Leo and Festus took us for a ride around the bay at sunset so we could see the views and beauty one last time before we had to leave the next day. We all didn't want to leave but Annabeth was right. Reyna and Will couldn't run things forever; we had to return to them.

Around noon the next day with all our souvenirs packed and us ready to leave we met on the steps of Air Temple Island one last time.

"I'll miss you," I told Leo. "Can't wait to see you again."

"You too," Leo grasped my outstretched hand and pulled me into a hug. "Don't go getting yourselves into any more wars now ya hear?"

"Can't make any promises," Piper hugged him next.

"I'll miss you man," Percy bear hugged Leo tightly. "How are we going to eat the best tofu tacos in the world if you're not around?"

"I'm sure you'll manage," Leo chuckled.

"Take care Leo," Annabeth hugged Leo quickly with a small sad smile.

"You too," He smiled back.

Hazel couldn't manage more than a couple sad sounding squeaks as she hugged him, tears pouring down her cheeks. Frank gave Leo bone crushing hug before  going to Hazel's side and Nico just shook Leo's hand. 

"I guess we're off," I paused, waiting for an excuse to stay to appear, but it didn't. Turning to Piper she used the tracker amulet to open us a portal. She brushed furiously at the tears pooling in her eyes as she marched forward. Taking her hand I followed, only glancing back once. Leo's eyes were teary, but he waved and smile with intense vigor. I couldn't help but feel hopeful. Maybe we wouldn't be together for a while but watching as the image of Leo standing next to Mako and the rest of team avatar vanished into the folds of the portal, I could honestly say hope was the main thing I was feeling. Our last day together and the bumps we'd experienced to get here were all worth it. This wasn't the end. Not the stop off the video reel. Leo was not lost any more and we were no longer mysteries to him. We would see each other again.