── 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕.

[ 004 ] SO CLOSE YET SO FAR
❝Ugh, you reek of nicotine. You smoke?❞

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 AFTER LEARNING THEIR NEXT DESTINATION, Sanyu took to the skies, her glider catching the cool night breeze as she soared above the bustling streets of Republic City. Below her, Naga was carrying Mako and Korra on her back through the avenues. The city was alive with its usual hum──signs flickering, steam vents hissing, and the occasional call of a street vendor still hawking their wares.

 Sanyu grinned to herself, enjoying the sensation of flight. If only every mission could feel this freeing. But her moment of peace was cut short when Naga suddenly surged forward, her nose catching a new scent.

 "Whoa! Naga, slow down!" Korra's voice carried up to Sanyu, but the polar bear dog wasn't listening. She barreled around a corner, nearly sending a food cart flying, her sights locked on a darting blur of red fur ahead.

 From above, Sanyu squinted to get a better look. The blur stopped for a brief moment──perching on a streetlight──and then she heard Mako yell, "That's Pabu!"

 Pabu? Sanyu had heard of Bolin's infamous fire ferret but had never seen the little guy up close. Intrigued, she dove closer, her glider folding neatly as she landed on the street just in time to see Naga skid to a halt. The giant bear dog sniffed curiously at the ferret, who slid down the pole and fearlessly touched noses with her. Pabu, as if claiming his victory, then scrambled onto Mako's shoulder, where he perched smugly.

 "Cute," Sanyu muttered, though her amusement was short-lived.

 "We gotta hurry," Mako said with urgency in his tone. He adjusted Pabu on his shoulder as his eyes scanned the streets.

 The night sky stretched above them, foggy and muted, with the bright moon partially obscured by wispy clouds. Sanyu cast one last, longing glance upward. For a fleeting moment, she wished things weren't so dangerous. She'd have loved to sit atop a skyscraper, watching the sunrise with the wind howling in her ears and the city sprawled out below her.

 But the thought vanished as quickly as it came. Adjusting her glider, she soared toward their next destination, and landed lightly in front of the Triple Threat Triad headquarters. Her boots touched the pavement with a soft thud before folding her glider in one smooth motion, gripping it like a staff at her side.

 The building loomed ahead, just as she remembered it from her patrols: grimy, unwelcoming, and emanating an air of menace. She'd passed by it dozens of times before but had never dared to poke her nose inside. Not out of fear, but because no visible crimes ever seemed to happen there. It was suspicious, sure, but she'd never been one to storm in without a solid reason.

 "Something's off," Mako muttered, snapping Sanyu out of her thoughts. He hung back, crouching low in the shadows as Pabu twitched his whiskers nervously. "There are usually thugs posted out front. We better be careful."

 Sanyu studied the building, then glanced at Mako. "If there are usually thugs outside, then maybe there aren't any inside," she said with a shrug, her tone matter-of-fact.

 Without waiting for a response, she strode toward the door, Korra keeping pace at her side. The two moved with a casual confidence, as if daring trouble to show itself. Unlike them, Mako lingered in the shadows, his cautious nature at odds with their bold approach.

 "Officer," Mako hissed, keeping his voice low, "what if it's a trap?"

 She paused, glancing back over her shoulder with a slight frown. "Then we'll deal with it."

 The two girls exchanged a quick glance, the kind of unspoken agreement that only years of fighting side by side could forge. Without hesitation, they kicked the double doors in sync, sending them flying off their hinges with a deafening crash. The empty room they entered felt like the aftermath of a storm──furniture overturned, papers scattered, and the eerie silence that hinted something was very, very wrong.

 Mako followed close behind, his amber eyes scanning the space with growing unease. "Bolin? You in here?" he called out, his voice bouncing off the walls.

 Nothing. Not even a groan in response.

 The sudden roar of an engine shattered the stillness. The three of them sprinted out the back door just in time to catch a glimpse of a truck speeding away, flanked by five motorcycles. Sanyu's sharp eyes caught a fleeting image through the truck's open doors: two men, bound and gagged, their faces pale with fear.

 She didn't think; she just acted. "Hey! Stop right there!" she shouted. "This is the police!"

 Before anyone could respond, Sanyu was already airborne, her glider snapping open with a sharp whoosh. Korra vaulted onto Naga's back in an instant, hauling a still-stunned Mako up behind her.

 Mako's voice cracked with panic. "That's Bolin! They've got Bolin!"

 The motorcycles swerved in a tight formation, three of the masked riders pulling something from their belts. Smoke grenades. They tossed them without hesitation, and a thick, acrid smoke poured out, swallowing the narrow alley in seconds.

 Sanyu cursed under her breath, kicking her glider higher to escape the suffocating cloud. She gritted her teeth, her anger simmering dangerously close to the surface.

 These guys had no idea who they were messing with.

 Below, Mako finally regained his composure and hurled a fire blast at one of the motorcyclists. The rider swerved effortlessly, as if they'd been expecting it, before speeding ahead.

 Korra, meanwhile, thrusted her hands down, tearing a fissure into the earth, aiming to trip the closest rider. The ground buckled and cracked beneath their wheels, but they were quick. Too quick. The rider veered around the fissure, only to be launched skyward by an impromptu earth ramp.

 Korra smirked, watching as the motorcyclist soared through the air. But her victory was short-lived. Somehow, the rider landed smoothly, barely missing a beat before speeding off after the truck.

 Sanyu growled under her breath as she leaned forward, pushing her glider faster. The truck was still in sight, but they were losing ground. She didn't notice the thin, spinning shape hurtling toward her until it was too late.

 The bola wrapped around her legs with a brutal snap, yanking her from her glider. She tumbled out of the sky, her heart lurching as she collided with Korra and Mako on Naga's back. The three of them went down in a heap, hitting the ground with a resounding thud.

 "Ugh... could've given me a heads-up," Korra groaned, rubbing her shoulder as she struggled to get up.

 "Not my fault!" Sanyu snapped, already springing to her feet. She bolted after her glider, her heart pounding as she dove to grab it mid-roll.

 The loud sound of engines filled the air, and three masked motorcyclists skidded to a stop, their tires kicking up clouds of dust. They didn't stay grounded for long, launching into acrobatic maneuvers that landed them around Korra, Mako, and her, boxing them in like predators circling prey.

 One rider peeled off toward Korra, who didn't waste a second. With a defiant shout, she hurled a searing fire blast straight at them. But the chi-blocker moved like lightning, twisting midair and dodging the attack with infuriating ease. They closed in on Korra, forcing her to go on the defensive.

 The second rider charged at Mako, leaving Sanyu face-to-face with the last one. Her grip tightened on her staff as they moved toward her, each step calculated, each motion too smooth to be anything but chi-blocking.

 The chi-blocker lunged first, their fingers aiming for her pressure points, but Sanyu parried with the shaft of her staff, redirecting the attack. The clang of wood against gloves reverberated through the air as they traded blows in a deadly rhythm. Sanyu's movements were as quick, her body reacting instinctively as she used her staff to keep them at bay.

 She swept low, aiming to take out their legs, but the chi-blocker vaulted over her strike. Predictable. Spinning on her heel, she thrust the staff upward, catching them hard in the ribs. The satisfying thud of the impact spurred her forward.

 "Not so tough now, huh?" she muttered under her breath, pressing her advantage.

 The chi-blocker stumbled, but only for a moment. They recovered fast, retaliating with a flurry of jabs and kicks, each one a blur of movement that pushed Sanyu to her limit.

 She gritted her teeth, her mind flashing back to long hours of military drills. Target vital points. Disarm and disable. Every strike has a purpose.

 The rider lunged again, and this time, Sanyu didn't give them a chance. She feinted left, then drove the end of her staff into their throat with just enough force to stagger them. The rider gasped, their hand reflexively clutching their neck. Sanyu followed up with a clean, decisive strike to the side of their head, aiming for the temple. The impact reverberated up her arms, and she could swear she heard the crack of something giving way beneath the mask.

 Blood seeped from the edges of the chi-blocker's face covering. But they weren't out yet, and Sanyu braced herself for another round.

 That's when Naga burst into the fray. The polar bear-dog charged with a thunderous growl, her massive paws shaking the ground. Pabu, ever the tiny but fearless sidekick, leapt from Naga's back, chittering angrily at the attackers.

 The riders exchanged hurried glances before tossing down smoke grenades. The thick clouds obscured everything, leaving Sanyu coughing and squinting. By the time the smoke cleared, they were gone.

 "Fuck! We almost had them!" Sanyu hissed under her breath, clenching her fists as she glared at the spot where the chi-blockers had disappeared. She turned sharply to Korra and Mako, both struggling to recover from the attack.

 "Ugh, I can't bend!" Korra groaned, throwing her arms out irritably. She stomped her foot on the ground, but nothing happened. "I can't bend!"

 "Relax, Avatar," Sanyu said, fixing Korra with a glare. Her usual no-nonsense attitude was visible, much like her mother, Lin. "It'll wear off. Just give it a minute."

 Mako straightened up, his jaw clenched as he flexed his fingers, testing the tingling numbness. "Those guys were chi-blockers," he muttered, tugging at his glove with a scowl. "They're Amon's henchmen."

 "Amon?" Korra repeated, her expression darkening. "That anti-bending guy with the mask?"

 Sanyu nodded curtly. "Yeah, that's him. He's the leader of the Equalists."

 Korra's brows furrowed. "What do they want with the Triple Threats?" she asked, pressing further for more information.

 "Whatever it is, it can't be good," Sanyu said, her gaze narrowing in the direction the Equalists had fled. Her tone was low and grim, as if she were already calculating their next move.

 Mako groaned, running a hand through his hair before crossing his arms. "Ugh, I can't believe Bolin got himself into this mess!" he exclaimed, the words laced with both worry and anger.

 "Mako..." Korra's voice softened as she stepped closer, resting a hand on his shoulder. Her fierce blue eyes met his. "We're going to save him. I promise."

 Sanyu crossed her arms with a disapproving look. "Next time, tell your brother to think before he gets involved with a bunch of criminals," she said dryly, her biting tone leaving no room for argument. Whoever this Bolin guy was, she was already making a mental note to give him an earful when they found him.

 Mako shot her a glare but didn't say anything. He knew she wasn't wrong──Bolin did have a knack for getting into trouble. Still, right now, all that mattered was getting him back.

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 IF SANYU COULD EXPRESS her love for flying a million times over, she would.

 It was the only thing that ever made her feel truly free, as if the world below her had no claim on her. She dreamed of flying away, of leaving Republic City behind, finding a place where no one knew her name. But there was always something──or rather, someone──holding her back. Her mother's warm smile, her younger siblings' eager faces. They were her anchor, the reason she stayed grounded.

 Still, when the young Avatar offered her a ride on Naga, Sanyu didn't hesitate. As much as she loved flying, this was something different. Naga was massive, majestic, and despite her exhaustion from the fight earlier, a part of her couldn't resist the opportunity to ride the polar bear dog.

 Seated behind Mako, Sanyu held onto her staff with one hand and gripped the firebender's waist with the other, trying not to fall off as Naga bounded down the deserted street.

 "Sorry for dragging you into this, Sanyu," Korra said guiltily over her shoulder. "I know you should be home by now, but... well, I just couldn't let you go after what happened with Bolin, and then you──" She faltered, trying to make sense of her rambling. "And then you glared at me when I wanted to help Mako by myself, and... uh..."

 "I get it, Avatar," Sanyu cut her off, rolling her eyes. "Spirits, you talk a lot when you're nervous, don't you?"

 "I-I'm not nervous!" Korra retorted, clearly flustered as Naga turned onto another street, passing a closed night market.

 "Says the one who just stuttered."

 "What──?!"

 Mako, who had been quietly enduring the back-and-forth, let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, can we focus on finding my brother instead of bickering like a couple of kids?" he interrupted, trying to regain some order.

 The girls fell silent, momentarily subdued, but Mako turned his attention to Sanyu. "And you need to stop wearing that police uniform and shouting 'This is the police' every few seconds if you want to help me find my brother." He shot a disapproving glance at her and raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have any other clothes than that?"

 Sanyu glared at him. "No," she snapped, tightening her grip on Mako's side, causing him to yelp in pain. "And how dare you tell me what to do or wear?"

 Korra, sensing an opportunity, jumped in. "Yeah, Mako," she added, her tone suddenly firm, like a lioness defending her cub. "Let her do and wear what she wants."

 Mako raised his hands in mock surrender, trying to diffuse the tension. "I'm just saying..." he said with a sheepish grin. "Officer Sanyu──"

 "That's Beifong for you, you jerk!" she shot back, clearly irritated.

 "I mean, Officer Beifong... you need to be careful too," Mako said, completely unfazed by her interruption. He then turned to face her directly with a grim look. "Because the first thing those masked guys are going to do is go after you instead of the Avatar. You're a bigger threat to them because you're a cop, and you could actually arrest them."

 Sanyu narrowed her eyes at him, mulling over his words. However, she wasn't about to let Mako have the satisfaction of getting the last word. Instead, she gave his arm a hard shake, her fingers digging into the fabric of his sleeve as she gave him a pointed look.

 "I can take care of myself," she said confidently, though her voice faltered as the concern in Mako's tone didn't go unnoticed. "But..."

 She bit her bottom lip, her brows furrowing as she gazed at him. A reluctant groan escaped her lips as she rolled her eyes and sighed, conceding the truth to herself. She'd need to be more cautious in this investigation.

 "Fine," she muttered at last, exasperated. "I can't believe I'm agreeing with you. Taking advice from a man..." She shot him a sullen look. "But you're right. I need to change things up."

 Mako's lips curved into a half-smile, self-satisfied. Without a word, he unbuttoned his coat, shrugged it off, and held it out to her. "Here, wear mine," he said casually, though there was a glint in his eyes that Sanyu couldn't quite place. Beneath the coat, he wore a plain white compression shirt that clung a little too snugly to his frame.

 Sanyu hesitated, her gaze flickering over him for a moment before she snatched the coat from his hands. She pulled it on over her police uniform, the fabric rough against her skin. The scent of sweat and city smoke clung to it, making her scrunch her nose.

 "Ugh, you reek of nicotine," she remarked, wrinkling her nose in distaste. "You smoke?"

 Mako's head whipped around so fast that she almost thought he might break his neck. His eyes widened in surprise. "I do not!" he blurted, a bit too defensively.

 Sanyu snorted. "Heh, just kidding..."

 Mako's frown deepened, giving her a disapproving look that could rival her mother's most judgmental glares. "Well, your joke isn't funny, officer!" he said, folding his arms over his chest.

 "And you can't take a joke, Mako," Sanyu retorted, her tone as bratty as it had been when she was a teenager and used to throw attitude at her mom all the time.

 Korra, who had been sitting quietly at the front, suddenly let out a genuine laugh, her shoulders relaxing as the lighthearted banter between Sanyu and Mako eased some of the tension.

 "Well, I find it amusing," Korra added with a shrug, clearly enjoying the moment as much as Sanyu.

 Mako let out a long, frustrated groan. "Enough! Can we focus on finding my brother here, ladies?" His voice was sharp, but there was an undercurrent of exhaustion in it──he hadn't slept a wink in over twenty-four hours, and it was starting to show.

 Korra gave him a quick, apologetic glance before guiding Naga through the dimly lit streets. They passed by a silent bridge; the faint hum of the trolley station could be heard behind them, and they cut down another street, its shadows long and stretching.

 Finally, they turned into a narrow alley, the kind of place you'd usually avoid unless you were looking for trouble. And trouble was exactly what they found. Thugs, dealers, the usual riffraff of the city's underbelly──where Mako stepped in, stopping Sanyu before she could make an arrest.

 But Bolin? No sign of him.

 Korra let out a heavy sigh, leaning against Naga, who looked just as worn out. The polar bear dog panted heavily. "We've been out all night," Korra muttered, "and still no sign of him."

 Sanyu shifted uncomfortably with fatigue, her shoulders slumped under the weight of their fruitless search. She leaned forward into Mako's back, her cheek squished against it as she mumbled, almost inaudible, but both Korra and Mako heard her anyway. "Yeah, I think we should let Chief──"

 "No," Mako snapped stubbornly, cutting her off. His eyes were flashing with fire despite his obvious exhaustion. "We can't stop now. I'm not giving up on him."

 Sanyu rolled her eyes in annoyance, but she didn't have the energy to argue with the stubborn firebender. So she merely asked, "But where?"

 Korra suddenly brightened, as if she had just put a piece of a puzzle together. "Wait!" she said, tugging on Naga's reins. The polar bear dog moved forward without hesitation. "I have an idea."

 Mako and Sanyu exchanged a weary glance, but neither protested. They were too tired to argue, too drained to do much of anything but follow Korra's lead.

 Korra guided them to a nearby park, where Naga was immediately steered toward a fountain, letting her drink from the cool water. As Naga lowered her head, Pabu hopped up onto it, taking his turn at the fountain as well.

 Sanyu was too tired to think or do anything, her body aching from the toll of the long day. She dismounted Naga with unsteady legs, followed closely by Korra and Mako, and stumbled toward the fountain. Collapsing onto the edge with a dull thud, she let out a long, weary sigh. Her eyelids grew impossibly heavy, and before she could resist, sleep claimed her, her head unconsciously coming to rest on Korra's shoulder.

 Korra and Mako continued discussing their next stepsc, but Sanyu, far too exhausted, drifted off without hearing a word. It was the first time in ages she had allowed herself to sleep so openly, her guard completely down. Her body, worn from hours of flying and relentless searching, finally surrendered to rest, relaxing in a way it hadn't in days.

 She didn't notice how long she slept, but when she woke up, the first thing she noticed was the warmth surrounding her. The sun was higher in the sky, and she was lying beneath a tree. A soft, furry surface beneath her told her she wasn't on the cold stone of the fountain anymore. She blinked a few times, confused, then slowly realized she had been sleeping on Naga. And Pabu was curled up on Naga's saddle, snoring softly.

 But Korra and Mako were nowhere in sight.

 Sanyu quickly jolted upright, her heart racing in her chest. Where are they? She looked around frantically, scanning the park, her mind already spinning with worst-case scenarios. Then, she spotted them. Korra and Mako were talking to someone──a man standing on a table, megaphone in hand, shouting about a revolution.

 "Non-benders of Republic City!" he bellowed despite the almost empty benches and paths around him. "Amon calls you to action! Take back your city! It's time for the──"

 His rallying cry faltered as he caught sight of Korra storming toward him. Her expression was all business, her piercing blue eyes locked on him like a hawk. Mako followed close behind, his usual scowl firmly in place. Both of them looked thoroughly unimpressed.

 "It's you again!" the man exclaimed, pointing accusingly at Korra. He hastily raised the megaphone again. "You cannot silence me, Avatar!"

 Before he could get another word out, Korra swatted the megaphone clean out of his hands. It clattered to the ground and shattered with a pitiful crack. 

 The protester squealed, clutching his now-empty hands.

 Sanyu had been hanging back, unsure if she should intervene. Her instincts as a police officer told her to step in and stop Korra from escalating things, but she hesitated, glancing down at Mako's oversized coat draped over her shoulders. Her uniform was hidden beneath it──her badge, her authority. Right now, she was just an extra set of eyes.

 With a sigh, she moved closer but stayed quiet at the moment. She stood next to Mako, her arms crossed, eyes narrowing as the scene unfolded as she decided to observe.

 "Shut your yapper and listen up," Korra snapped, glaring down at the man. "My friend got kidnapped by some chi-blockers. Where'd they take him?"

 The protester's defiance hardened. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

 "Oh, I think you do!"

 With a sharp kick, Korra sent the earth beneath the table surging upward. The table flipped, launching the protester into the air before he tumbled unceremoniously to the ground. Leaflets with Amon's masked visage scattered like autumn leaves, swirling around the scene as the man scrambled to collect them while he muttered curses under his breath.

 Mako plucked one of the leaflets from the air, his brows furrowed as he read the bold print. "Witness the Revelation tonight. Nine o'clock." He turned the leaflet toward the protester. "What's this 'Revelation'?"

 The man glared at him, clutching a handful of crumpled leaflets. "Nothing that concerns the likes of you two!"

 The protester barely had a chance to take a step back before Sanyu closed the distance between them. Her hand shot out, gripping the front of his shirt with a strength that surprised him──and maybe even both Mako and Korra. She yanked him up effortlessly, their faces now inches apart, her piercing gaze locking onto his like a predator sizing up its prey.

 "You better believe it concerns us," she bit out. Her grip tightened, and the man squirmed, his false confidence crumbling as he realized he wasn't getting out of this easily. "Now, spill it."

 His eyes darted between her, Mako, and Korra. The Avatar's knuckles cracked ominously as she folded her arms, her expression promising she'd back up Sanyu in an instant. Mako didn't even need to say anything; his glare said it all: Lie, and you'll regret it.

 "N-No one knows what the Revelation is!" he stammered, panic flickering in his eyes. "And I don't know what happened to your friend, okay?" His voice pitched higher as he scrambled for an excuse, but then, like flipping a switch, his fear gave way to arrogance. He sneered. "But if he's a bender, then my bet is he's getting what's coming to him."

 Sanyu opened her mouth to retort, but Mako cut in furiously. "Where's it happening?" His eyes burned with barely restrained anger, and for a moment, the protester flinched.

 A sharp whistle suddenly pierced the tense air before the protester could even answer. All three of them snapped their heads to the left, spotting a policeman sprinting toward them, his whistle blaring again.

 Sanyu released the protester with a rough shove, sending him stumbling to the ground. "Run!" she barked, already spinning toward Naga as she led the others in retreat.

 Mako didn't need further prompting. He snatched up a handful of the protester's discarded leaflets before bolting toward Naga. By the time he reached the polar bear-dog, Korra and Sanyu were already mounted, with Pabu perched on Korra's lap.

 "Hurry up!" Sanyu called, holding out a hand to Mako as Naga shifted restlessly beneath them.

 The firebender took her hand with a firm grip before vaulting up behind her. An arm instinctively snaked around Sanyu's waist as Naga lunged forward into a powerful sprint, her paws thundering against the ground.

 The air whipped past them as they tore through the streets, leaving the commotion──and the policeman's whistle──far behind.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I can't wait to share more about Sanyu with you all.
She developed a new airbending technique entirely
on her own. All I can say is that it's both deadly and
incredibly cool──something on par with Caitlyn's
sniping skills in Arcane.

RULER OF HER HEART | ❝You don't like me
the way I like you, don't you?❞