Jisoo's POV (starting from when Kacie leaves):

"Aki..." I murmur, trying to hold her hand to calm her down as soon as she stops airbending. She pulls away, her eyes narrowed.

"I'm not your girlfriend..." she hisses, looking horrified. "For god's sake, I just lost my brother!" She cries out, slashing out her arm, sending a violent blast of air into the dustbin. I shudder. She's furious!

"I'm sorry."

She doesn't say anything, standing without looking at me. The winds that had been picking up blow away as she calms down. She wraps her arms around her body trying to keep herself warm. It fails. Miserably. With a sigh, I scoop her up into my arms and she doesn't stiffen.

"Why did you call me your girlfriend?" She asks.

"Well...firstly, your friends don't really like me." I cough, embarrassed. "I need to get away from them and since they know I've spoken to you...it was the first thing I could say..."

She laughs.

"You're a little silly, aren't you?" She giggles and I smile.

"Aren't we all?" I say, before coughing again. "Ummm...there was a second point..."

"Oh." She steps away from me, smiling up at me. "What could it possibly be?"

Just as I open my mouth to answer, I hear a loud noise. Holding my breath, I throw me and Aki onto the floor, just as a rock comes hurtling over our heads. She screams. There are two earthbenders, looking at us from the end of the platform.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" One of them yells at the one who chucked the rock at us. "We can't hurt the airbender!"

I notice a silent apology, before they begin walking towards us. They're after Aki! I pull her up quickly, pushing her behind me.

"Jisoo?" She whispers. The fear in her voice is apparent. "What are you doing?"

I don't look at her but I can feel her small hand shaking on the back of my shirt. I close my eyes.

"Aki...run..."

"No!" She cries out, her grip on my shirt tightening. "I can't leave you! I made that mistake with my brother and that's not going to happen with you!"

I sigh, my hands raised to fight against the earthbenders.

"Nothing's going to happen," I promise. "Anyway, you only just met you."

"I don't care."

I feel her head on my back as she hugs me from behind. I open my eyes, flames encasing my arms now.

"Aki?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do as I say. Please."

She doesn't say a word.

"Only if you answer my question..."

Which one?

Who...or what exactly are you?

"Aki, I am not who you think I am."

Aki's POV:

A rock flies past us again and my grip on Jisoo tightens.

"Jisoo?" I ask, not moving away from Jisoo.

"I promise I'll tell you later. So, please...trust me and run!" He pulls away from me, shooting angry balls of fire at the two earthbenders. Quickly, he hugs me before pushing me through the doors to the Arena. I scream his name, trying to open the doors, but I fail. I fall to the ground, pounding on the door.

"Aki?!" Kacie's voice comes from behind me as I am pulled up by Mingming. "What happened? Where's that stuck-up Joshua?"

Oh.

She doesn't like him.

"I'm going to kill him..." Hansol growls.

He doesn't either....

"Well...I think beating him up has more satisfaction..." Mingming says.

Neither does he...

But I need to change their minds!

Then tell them the truth, you stupid girl!

"Jisoo's outside fighting earthbenders. By himself! Two of them!" I cry out. "We need to help him."

My friends look at each other, shocked. Hansol nods and then they try to open the door.

"What...in the name of Aang...is wrong with this door?" Hansol huffs, as he tugs on it.

Suddenly, there is loud clang as the door is sent flying, one of the earthbenders with it. The second earthbender comes running in after him before squealing in fright as Kacie freezes him.

"Sorry about before...I melted the door from the outside so that it wouldn't open..." A voice says.

"Jisoo!" I cry out as I run into him, hugging him tightly. He smells of smoke and burning wood. It's a nice, warm smell. He slowly puts his arm around me, kissing the top of my head.

"'You okay?" he asks, holding onto me tightly. "No scratches?"

"Yeah..." I murmur, blushing. I am completely aware of Kacie, Hansol and Mingming staring at us. Jisoo pulls away and grabs the earthbender on the floor by the collar.

"Why are you after Aki?!" He asks, furious.

"I-I'm not! I swear!"

"Liar!" Kacie yells, standing next to him, making icicles form around his body. He squeals.

"P-please! Hear me out! We don't work for the earth king!"

"He's not lying..." Mingming murmurs, his hand on the ground. "I can feel his heartbeat."

He can do what?!!!

Kacie gives me a look that says I'll explain later. I nod.

Then, Jisoo turns his face towards as if silently asking what I want.

Focus Aki!!

"Let him talk, Jisoo..." I say quietly. He hesitates but lets the boy go. First, he gasps for air. But then, he stands up straight and coughs.

"Um...I'm Junghan and that's...Jihoon? Jihoon? Bro? Where are you?" Junghan looks around before realising where his friend is. "Um...could you unfreeze him, please?"

I cover my mouth to stop the giggles. Jisoo smirks as he walks over to stand beside me. None of the others notice.

Kacie quickly unfreezes Jihoon, blushing as he glares at her.

"Sorry..."

"As I was saying..." Junghan continues. "We want to help you fight in the war."

Jisoo's POV:

"Our team has stayed out of the war so far." Hansol says, crossing his arms. "And we're going to keep it that wa-!"

"Of course." A voice says. "We will be honoured."

Junhui?!

"Josh!" Dongjin yells, coming up to me. "Where did you go?"

I look down at Aki and she looks up at me, puzzled.

"Our waterbender," I explain. "Dongjin. This is Aki."

"Cool! An airbender!" He grins, shaking her hand before trotting back to Junhui.

"What is your plan, Junghan?" Our leader asks.

"Plan? Well, we're from the new pro-bending teams and we're gathering the best benders from the best teams to form a big group..." Junghan replies, suddenly at ease. "And we're fighting against the earth king and his Dai Li-!"

"I told you the Dai Li were behind it!!" Mingming whoops. Everyone looks at him. Kacie splashes him, drenching him from head to toe. "Sorry."

Junghan continues, looking at Aki.

"And we're trying to find the airbenders..." He says. Aki slips her hand into mine and squeezes. I look down and our eyes meet; her hazel ones are filled with hope and I feel her slowly becoming my strength as much as I am becoming hers. "And we're going to help them get their freedom back. It's not fair that they're hunting them again...and then there's the Fire Nation..."

I look away from Aki. Junghan has my attention now.

"We need to find the two princes..."

I squeeze Aki's hand hard, and she looks up at me, worry filling them.

"Jisoo?"

I don't answer her.

"One of them was believed to have died when he was born and even the older prince was never told that he was alive. We think they might be here...in Republic City."

My heart stops.