Second day here and I was already eager to get out and set foot on that Arena and see a pro bending match. If reading about it was exciting just imagine actually being there. I asked Tenzin if we could go to tonight. There were two matches programed and I just had to see one. I mean I've been hearing about pro bending since I was a child and with the Arena so close.. No was his final answer and I just couldn't argue with that, him being my teacher. I turned around and looked out that window disappointed in missing those matches, but as I gazed at the Arena, I vowed to myself that I would go sometime. Maybe not today, but it's not like I had my days counted on this trip. Tenzin got up and asked me to please finish breakfast so we could get started on my airbending training. "Your airbening outfit is in your room. As soon as your done go change" "All right" I sighed. I turned to my breakfast but I really wasn't hungry anymore so instead I kept reading about the pro bending matches until I got to the last page and a face caught my eye. There, staring up at me was a picture of a handsome looking boy and even though the picture was in black and white, his gaze was absolutely mesmerizing. Who was he?
"Ta..Tahno" Mmm unique name. "Tahno from the White Fall Wolfbats has recovered from an injury and will be coming back to pro bending tomorrow night. His team is favorite to win the finals and the Fire Ferrets have placed themselves third on the list. Tonight the fire ferret will play..." I stopped reading and kept staring at his picture. There was something alluring about this guy.
"Korra what are you staring at?" Ikki appeared out of nowhere and placed herself next to me. "Oh I see. Have a crush on that boy in the newspaper" she jeered, taking the paper out of my hands. "He's cute"
Jinora appeared and took a seat in front of me, as always with a book in her hand. "hey Jinora, look who Korra likes" Ikki waved the newspaper in front of her sister. Jinora leaned forward to take a better look at the newspaper and smirked. "Tahno from the the wolfbats. Not bad" She said leaning back to continue reading her book. "He really is a good waterbender. Bit of a show off" "You know him?" I asked trying to keep my voice casual.
"Who doesn't. He's one of the best waterbenders at Pro Bending. But like I said, he's is know for being a bit arrogant. They say he's from the Foggy Swamp Tribe but that's just gossip." "ReallY?" I looked over at the paper Ikki was still holding. Jinora looked up, a mocking look in her eyes. "Why the sudden intrest? find him attractive?" she taunted. "Ohhh! I bet Korra's gonna cut his picture and tape it on the wall" Ikki teased as she shoved the news paper in my face. "Ugh!" I felt myself go red and quickly grabbed the news paper from her hand, taking off to my room. I didn't actually cut his face from the newspaper. Insetad I put it away in one of my drawers, at the very bottom just in case those two girls got any ideas of sneaking in. The next night I made up my mind about going to the Arena. I didn't leave the water tribe to be locked up again and as free as I was to roam around the island, I still felt trapped and it didn't help that my two airbending lessons had gone wrong. So when everybody was asleep I quietly slip out of my room and made way to the arena where I met the Ferret brothers: Mako and Bolin. I found Mako quite attractive but his attitude was a little annoying. After seeing their match, Bolin promised to show me around but what I really wanted to do was to see the next game. So after showing them some of my moves and Mako leaving, a man approached Bolin to talk about tomorrow's game.
This was my chance to get away. I ran to the locker rooms and Yes! There was another match. A few minutes were left on the clock and I didn't know who was playing until I saw a familiar face. It was the guy from the newspaper. What was his name again? Ta...Ta something. His style of bending was just new to me. I mean the way he fought and threw his opponent out of the ring was just stunning. I kept staring at him, analyzing the way he moved his body and dodge every attack. Then he stood still and turned towards the lockers. He kept staring at someone and I took a peek over my shoulder to see if there was someone behind me. No one there. I turned and he was still looking this way so I smiled at him. Our eyes met and neither of us moved. He smiled back and that confirmed that he was looking at me. Then the crowd started yelling and I saw that the earth bender from the opposite team was aiming a rock his way. "Spirits turn around" I said to myself as I looked his way. I was about to raise my arm but it was to late. He was on the ground. Lucky his team had already won the first two rounds. I was about to leave when his teammates entered the room arguing about the match. They didn't notice me but he did. "He..Hello.." Spirits did he have a set of beautiful silver eyes. It made me lose my voice, almost a whisper and I don't think he heard me so I was about to speak again when Bolin and Mako walked in. "Korra" "We have to leave now" Mako said and I was about to say no when Bolin took me by the arm and lead me to the door but I just had to get another look at him before leaving so I stopped at the door frame and smiled goodbye. He smiled back. I did hope to bump into him after I started my Pro Bending training but no such luck. Even though I found Mako attractive I would sometimes find myself staring at his picture when I came across that newspaper. Strange that our path should cross the very day I agreed to go out with Bolin to Narook's Seaweed Noodlery. The evening just about sucked, getting put down by Mako and all I really wanted to do was go out and enjoy myself. So when I felt someone staring at me, I looked up and saw him: Ta..Ugh why did I keep forgetting his name. I didn't like the way he kept staring this way. "Hey Bolin. Who's that creepy guy over there that keeps glaring at us?" "That's Tahno and the wolf bats..." Bolin said as he looked at them. 'Tahno.." I repeated the name in my head. Bolin asked me not to make eye contact with him but his stare just annoyed me at that moment so I glared back at him, a silent challenge in my eyes and yes it worked. He was walking our way. "Well well well, if it isn't the fire ferrets..." Man did he sound like a jerk. What was his problem anyway, talking like that. I kept my stand as he kept on talking but when he leaned closer to me, I found myself staring at those silver eyes of his and my heart started to beat fast. All I hope was that my face didn't go all red when he said something about private lessons. I wasn't about to show this guy just what effects his eyes and voice had over me so I stood up and challenged him. 'Pretty boy? Really Korra' I said to myself just as the words came out of my mouth. I kept staring at him, hoping he wouldn't comment on that pretty boy talk. He smirked but said nothing, our eyes locked in battle. I wanted to look away. Yes, his moon beam eyes had an effect on me, made butterflies in my stomach but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. "Korra don't. He's just trying to bait you. If you hit him we're out of the tournament" Fine, if I couldn't hit him then...I slowly raised my hand and made it look like I was about to throw a punch but called Naga instead. I wanted to laugh at the scream he gave but kept a stern look until he walked away. Then Bolin and I broke out laughing. "..you really are one of a kind Korra" and as Bolin said this I looked up and saw him staring at me. The smugness wiped out of his face. We kept on staring at each other and ..did he just smile at me? Yes, it was the same warm smile he gave me a few weeks ago. Then he turned and walked away. What is he playing at I asked myself as I kept staring at him. When I got home I took out his picture. "Tahno" I kept on saying over and over again so not to forget his name. "Hope to see you next time, pretty boy".
