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Team Players
They're off…they're off…they're off in a motorcar. They're out to beat the Equalists, they're called Team Avatar.
Yes, that's right. Polar bears understand rhyme. Polar bears understand a lot of things, even if we don't always show it. Polar bears listen and learn.
This polar bear goes by the name of Naga. I was given the name, and while I didn't have a choice in the matter, I can't really complain. Certainly no other member of my kind gave me a name. Names are funny like that. Names are a human and spirit thing, at least when it comes to who is giving names to said individuals. Or other things, or groups. Names include the phrase "Team Avatar," and how the original Team Avatar, oft discussed between my master with the name of Korra, and her temporary master with the name of Katara, was a name that only the brother of the one called Katara actually used in any great capacity. Names are like that apparently. Not everyone agrees on them.
I liked the name. But maybe it's because from what I heard, that team had a sky bison and lemur on it. True, the ones who used their own names remained the focus, both historically and in the sense of what I heard some young Water Tribe girls called shipping (or maybe it was because fish were being shipped to Republic City…tasted good at least). But either way, the original team had ones named "Appa" and "Momo" on its team. And now, over seventy human years later, that team has been reforged.
And yet I'm not part of it.
Wasn't I good enough, I wonder? It's not my fault that I can't carry four strapping teens on my back. You're heavier than you look you know. It's not my fault that the earthbender tends to overindulge in noodles, or that his pet fire ferret can only be a mascot at best. It's not my fault that the two girl airbenders have started teasing my master about the one called Tahno, sounding an awful lot like those Water Tribe girls I heard all those years ago. It's not my fault that Pema and Tenzin are having a row over all the time the latter has been spending with the police chief. No…I'm just a regular old polar bear who can't carry "Team Avatar." A car's doing that now.
I watch as the fire ferret scuttles over to me, watching the satomobile roar off into the night air. The fire ferret called Pabu, if I remember correctly. He shifts his gaze to me, and I stare back. He looks tasty…but I'm sure others beside my master wouldn't like me having such an indulgence. Yet if he doesn't stop staring, maybe I'll give into my instincts and…
Oh.
Maybe the fire ferret feels the same way. Maybe he wants to be on the team as well. Maybe…maybe…
"Naga! Dinner's ready."
Or not. Fish come first after all.
A/N
The idea for this came to me when clips went up of When Extremes Meet, namely the formation of the new Team Avatar. Liked the episode a lot (cliffhangers aside...), but I'm kind of mixed about the whole Team Avatar thing. I like the idea of Korra and co. forming a team, but I don't think (New) Team Avatar is a good name. The series has done a good job of being its own creation, not bound to follow the same story structure of The Last Airbender and I think sticking with the "Fire Ferrets" would have been a better choice IMO.
That being said, I have noticed that while Naga and Pabu can be considered analogous to Appa and Momo respectively, they haven't been given the same spotlight. This is actually kind of a good thing to me, in that at the very least, it prevents Legend of Korra from imitating its predecessor to an excessive extent. Still, did notice that Naga kind of got blindsided by motorized transport, hence coming up with this.
Now all we need is for the next episode to air...:(