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She awoke with the sun’s rays touching upon her face. Her face felt heavy and dry from the make-up that was not properly washed away. The sense of urgency to clean up dwindled as soon as she felt gentle breath of Rangi beside her. Looking at her chest barely covered by a silk sheet rise and fall made her whole body flush with warmth. Just to Rangi’s side lay all of the unopened letters from across the nations needing her attention. How could she divert her gaze from the one she would move every mountain for? Even blinking seemed like too much time away from her.
A stream of consciousness turned into a whisper, “Every spirit has blessed me to be here with you…” Her lips began to quiver, and with a strain in her voice, she continued on. “I could not protect everyone I hold so dear, I-I-I,” tears rolled down her Kyoshi’s face. She was choking on her words. She had turned inward for just a moment and she felt like she was going to overflow from the pain. She felt so cold. With all of her strength, she managed to get out a whisper, “I will do everything to protect you.” As her vision became clouded from the tears, she missed the single tear elicited by Rangi’s left eye.
Her mind was dark, she was so cold and alone. Flashes ran through her mind, the cold rainy night she was left in Yakoya, Kelsang’s final breath before toppling motionless before her, Lek’s smile before he collapsed… The flashes became faster, almost a blur, Jianzhu, Hei-Ran and Yun. Her mind still racing came to a pause of Rangi close to death in her arms. She could hear her own screams echoing inside her heart. Why? Why? Why?
“You are safe with me. We will always have each other.” The faint sound of Rangi’s voice began to ring throughout her mind like a bell breaking through the stillness of a town. Suddenly, warmth. Coming to, she felt two arms squeezing her. Warm breath on her neck. Kyoshi rolled to her side to face Rangi to speak yet, she could not find any words within her. “Kyoshi, there is no one in the universe whom I love more than you. Your life separate from your Avatarhood has been filled with so much pain.” Rangi’s left hand began to circle under her eyes to wipe the tears away and her right hand lifted up Kyoshi’s chin. Rangi continued, “You have done everything you could have to protect others. You have saved countless lives. You saved my mother and I. You have protected me this whole time. You started protecting me the very moment you shielded me from the pickle jar, don’t you remember?” Kyoshi felt the corners of her mouth rise into a small smile, and began to nod her head. She finally felt safe to open her eyes. Her whole world was in front of her. Tears welled up again, this time out of happiness. “I will continue to protect you always.”
The two wrapped their hands around the other’s face. Not to divert their gaze from the future they held in their hands.