ruler of her heart, KORRA

𝟬𝟬𝟯 Mako's Missing Brother

── 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕.

[ 003 ] MAKO'S MISSING BROTHER
❝Oh, so your genius plan is we don't call for help?❞

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 THE SMALL HOUSE SANYU shared with her mother, Lin, was tucked away in a quiet corner of Republic City. It wasn't fancy──just a humble home close to the market where they often shopped for fresh fruits and vegetables. Lin always insisted on buying the best greens, ensuring Sanyu's meals were healthy and aligned with her airbender vegetarian diet. Those trips to the market had become a routine, a peaceful part of their otherwise hectic lives.

 But tonight, the usual calm was shattered.

 The streets outside were still and dark, but the quiet night was exploded as Sanyu came storming home, her emotions running wild. A sudden burst of air erupted around her, knocking over trash cans that lined the alley. Garbage scattered across the street, swirling briefly in the gust before clattering to the ground.

 "Ugh, not again," Sanyu muttered irritably.

 Her airbending had always been tricky to control. It wasn't just the raw power──she could handle that. It was her emotions, unpredictable and overwhelming, that made everything spiral. Tonight had been no different.

 Sanyu inhaled deeply, trying to focus. She hated this feeling, the way her emotions always seemed to betray her. It wasn't just the embarrassment of accidentally destroying things, it was the memories tied to it. Ever since that day, when everything had gone wrong, her airbending had felt more like a curse than a gift.

 It was why she usually stayed stoic and guarded, keeping her feelings buried deep. Letting them out was dangerous. But every now and then, when she let her guard down with someone she trusted, her cheerful and quirky side would slip through. She liked those moments──rare glimpses of who she used to be before everything fell apart.

 Still, even in her happiest moments, her airbending had a mind of its own. If she got too excited? Bye-bye vase, lamp, or whatever fragile thing happened to be nearby.

 Lin's voice broke through her thoughts, commanding like a general's. "Sanyu!"

 The front door swung open, and Lin stepped outside, her eyes narrowing at the mess in the street. She crossed her arms, exasperated. "What happened this time?"