Exit Wounds ━━ Mako ¹

𝟮𝟯. blue flame

AIR | CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

     𝐖hen the airbender saw Iroh enter the hideout with Korra on his side, her first instinct was to hug the man out of his wits. Iroh instinctively slid his uninjured arm over her waist to pull her closer, not noticing the few curious and confused looks that were sent toward them. It would be an understatement if she said she didn't miss him because she did, and besides, comrades will always be comrades.

     But if you ask Mako about that, he'll probably say; that comrades don't usually hug each other like that.

     Cloud kept a close eye on them as Korra used her waterbending healing abilities on Iroh's wounds. Hugging the dry cloth over her body, she shivered slightly from the wind that escaped between the cracks in the sewer, causing her to start doing the airbending breathing technique to keep herself warm. She heard footsteps to her left but she didn't look and continued to stare at her feet instead.

     "You two looked cozy," Mako commented as he approached her. 

     The way she could literally feel his warmth radiating from her left side even though she wasn't looking at him made her feel a bit better. Cloud merely shrugged. "Hm."

     "Yeah!" Bolin appeared in front of her. Then began to demonstrate something, with his two hands extremely close to each other. "You two were like... this." 

     A short laugh bubbled up her throat as she shook her head in amusement. "We kind of dated for a while."

     "You did what?" The two brothers chorused in shock, earning a couple of looks from the people around them, even the General and Korra.

     "You dated Lord Zuko's grandson?" Bolin gasped, and she quickly shushed him.

     Mako narrowed his eyes at her. "You dated a forty-year-old man?" 

     "What?" Cloud raised her hands up defensively as the two brothers intently awaited her answers. "He's cute. And for your information, he's only like a few years older than I am."

     "That is so cool." Bolin only grinned, amazed by the fact she dated Lord Zuko's grandson. His older brother was a different story though.

     Mako scoffed under his breath, turning away. "Whatever."

     "You jealous, fireboy?" Cloud teased.

     Mako rolled his eyes. "Keep dreaming, sunshine."

     Iroh and Team Avatar stood behind Gommu as he set up a telegraph machine to send a warning to the second wave of reinforcements. Cloud had a feeling that she knew who ran that fleet. 

     "And who is the recipient of this top-secret message?"

     "Commander Bumi," Iroh stated as Gommu cracked his fingers. "Second Division of the United Forces."

     "Tenzin's brother?" Korra furrowed her brows.

     Cloud smirked. "And my dad."

     "Yes, a bit of a wild man," Iroh said with a sense of pride, and Cloud couldn't help but grin at his words. She loved her father so much that she would die for him. "But the bravest commander you'll ever meet."

     "Ready, sir," Gommu said, tapping out the telegram.

     "Fleet ambushed and destroyed by Equalist aircraft. Retreat to Red Sand Island until my signal. Do not approach the city until you receive the all clear." 

     "Now comes the hard part," Iroh began, the team now standing around a table where a map of Republic City was laid out for them to see. Everybody looked serious as they listened to the general. "We need to ground those aircraft. Otherwise, Bumi's fleet would never be able to retake the city."

     Mako pointed at the map. "They flew in from this direction. The airfield must be somewhere over this mountain range."

     "Everyone get ready, we leave at dawn."

     There was a bit of a disagreement after Korra said she wanted to take on Amon face-to-face, and of course, Mako wanted to come along to protect her. It earned a deep sigh of disappointment from the airbender. He has a bad habit of letting his feelings take on his actions. It was like he suddenly forgot about Asami, his girlfriend, who probably doesn't think they were a thing anymore after all that's happened.

     As soon as Asami jumped onto Naga's back and joined Pabu, Bolin and Iroh. The former captain set off with her precious orange glider, heading towards Hiroshi Sato's secret airfield. The wind was chilly and a shiver would run down her spine at every cold breeze that slaps her face. Sometimes, she forgets that she can warm herself with airbending. 

     She might control the air, but she can't control the weather. That would be cool though. Maybe she could try when she has time. Tenzin would be thrilled if she invented a second move after her first one. Maybe Cloud could name it, Sky Surge. Now, that would definitely be memorable.

     Cloud was flying lay-low since someone could possibly see her up in the air. She flew just behind the others until Naga halted, and she immediately did the same thing. She dropped on the snow as she closed her glider, sauntering towards her friends, her shoes sinking underneath the snow.

    "Bolin, once we get down there, I need you to tear up those runways," Iroh told the earthbender. "We can't let those aircraft take off." 

     "Aye aye, Captain!" Bolin saluted. Cloud sent a questioning glance at him and he came to a realization. Hurriedly, he did another salute. "Ooh, General, General."

     After convincing Naga and Pabu to sit still, the four secretly made their way to the airfield. Cloud trailed behind them, swinging her staff side to side while she glanced around them in case there was someone following them.

     "Why would there be fence posts, but no fence?" Asami said suspiciously, which made the airbender feel the same, but before she could even realize it, they had been electrocuted and collapsed onto the ground, falling into another unconscious state.