"What do you mean you're cutting the girls' team? You can't do that!"
Tenzin sighed as he walked over to the brown-skinned girl yelling at the principal. "What seems to be the problem, ladies?" he asked.
"Principal Jerk-face here says there's no more girls' basketball team!"
"Korra," Tenzin said, "she's right. There's just not enough money or interest to keep it going."
"But Coach T, we have a full team!"
"Miki is out with a broken leg and Ila is on probation, you know that."
"That's two out of seven, we can play with five! Please, Coach, this means so much to me."
"Korra," principal Beifong reprimanded, "It's not going to happen. The school simply can't afford to hold onto a dying team."
"Then let me join the boys' team, I can handle it!"
Beifong huffed. "Korra there are rules, we can't just bend them to accommodate one girl."
"Actually, Lin, it's not a bad idea," Tenzin said. "If she can keep up with the boys I don't see why she can't play."
"Wh-what?"
"It'll keep her out of trouble, at the very least. And if she can't keep up, you can always kick her off later."
"Woo hoo!" Korra danced around the office.
"Fine," Beifong sighed.
"Now, Korra," Tenzin said, "I want you to be serious about this. Boys' basketball is much more intense than girls'."
"I won't let you down, coach!" Korra called over her shoulder as she raced out of the office.
"Oh dear," Tenzin sighed as he watched her go.
It was weird being the only one in the locker room. Korra tried not to think about it too much; about how her teammates weren't there with her. She'd tried to talk them into trying to join the boys' team too—they could just make a big co-ed team—but none of them wanted to play badly enough. That was fine; Korra would woman up and play with the boys by herself. She was strong and she was fast. She could do it.
She took one last look at herself in the mirror, puffed out her cheeks, and flexed her arms. She growled.
"Ok. Let's do this," she said and walked into the gym.
It smelled like sweaty men. Korra held her breath and tried to stroll casually to half-court where the pre-practice stretches were happening. She squeezed herself into the circle next to a muscular, stocky boy with messy black hair.
"Whoa," the boy said, "what are you doing here. Not that I mind it's just this is a boys' practice and you are a girl. Not that there's anything wrong with being a girl. Just there aren't usually girls here. But here you are."
"Yeah, what are you doing here?" a tall boy with perfectly spiked hair and ridiculous eyebrows asked.
His eyebrows look like sharks, Korra thought.
"This is Korra," Coach Tenzin said sweeping into the room. "She was captain of the girls' basketball team, which, unfortunately, got cut. She's going to be practicing with us for the time being."
"Coach," the boy said, "you can't do that."
"Mako, it's been decided."
Korra stuck her tongue out.
"Now, boys—erm—team listen up. Korra is going to be at our practices for a while, so I want all of you to treat her like she's part of the team."
"Wait," Korra said, "'Treat her like she's part of the team'? I am part of the team!"
Mako scoffed. Korra glared at him.
"Well, technically, you're not. Yet," Tenzin said. "As you know, all members of the team have to complete a try-out. Yes, you tried out for the girls' team, but this is a completely different game."
"As you like to keep reminding me," Korra muttered.
"We'll forgo the formal try-out," Tenzin continued, "consider this week your try-out. If you can keep up with the boys and fit into the team, you'll be an official member."
"All right! I'll do it! You won't be disappointed, coach!"
"Well I'll be disappointed if we don't get practice started," Mako said. "If you can really handle this, then put your money where your mouth is and let's get going!"
Practice with the boys was a lot hotter—and a lot smellier—than practice with the girls. Korra had never run so fast or so far in her life. It felt good though. She had even beaten Mako on the last down-and-back.
"So," one of the boys, the muscular one from earlier, said approaching her, "We were never properly introduced earlier. Name's Bolin. Center. I'm the muscle on the team. But also the brains."
"Korra."
"You did really good today. Not that I expected any different. Just, you're a girl and you know this is a boys' team."
"So I've been told."
"Yeah. So, anyway, I was thinking, maybe we could go out to dinner or something sometime. Not like a date, date, just to get to know each other. As teammates! Unless you want it to be a date, then that works too."
"Sure! Not a date though."
"No, yeah, right, right. Not a date. We are not dating. Just teammates. Just a guy and a girl, eating food, not a date."
"Give me your phone and I'll put my number in."
As they were exchanging numbers, Mako walked over and grabbed Bolin by the shoulders.
"C'mon, bro, let's go."
"Wait, Mako, she has my phone!"
"'Bro'?" Korra said, "Wait, are you guys brothers?"
"Yep!" Bolin said, "We sure are!"
Mako grabbed Bolin by the neck and rubbed his hair.
"Hey! Ow! Leggo!" Bolin said, but he was smiling.
"Alright, Bo, we've got to get home."
"Hang on, Mako, I'm getting her number." He turned back to Korra and handed her phone back. "By the way, you did really good in practice today. Tenzin would be stupid to not put you on the team, right bro?"
"Yeah, she's not bad, I guess."
"Not bad?" Korra exclaimed, "What does it take to impress you?"
"What, I said not bad!"
"Whatever," Korra said. "I should go change and shower, I stink. See you guys tomorrow!"
It still felt weird being alone in the locker rooms. Korra resisted the urge to shudder as she quickly stripped off her clothes and gathered her shower supplies. She was just about to open the curtain when the door to the locker room burst open.
"Hey! Who's there?" Korra screamed as she hastily threw a towel around herself.
The most gorgeous girl Korra had ever seen, that's who was there. Her eyes were a perfect emerald green, her lips full and cherry red, and so full. And her hair. Her hair! It cascaded in a black waterfall down her back. The color rising to her cheeks from her blush just made her that much more gorgeous.
"Oh!" the goddess said, "I'm so sorry! I didn't know anyone was in here. They told me the girls' team got cut so I just figured everyone would be out by now. I'm just here to fix a leaky faucet. My name's Asami. Asami Sato."
"Korra."
"Well, hello, Korra. Here, I'll just wait outside until you're done in here."
"No! No. Um. It's fine. I'll just use the shower that's not leaky; you just fix your pipe. I don't want to hold you up; you're probably super busy."
"Ok. Thanks!" Asami gave her a thumbs up and set to work in the shower next to her.
No matter how cold Korra tried to make the water, she still felt hot. It was probably just from how intense practice was. Yeah, definitely. Just basketball.
