A/N:This is my first fanfic/over 50k word story I've written. I've discovered intros are not my strong suit, so it might seem slow at first. If it doesn't cater to your flavor, I ask you to bear with me. I promise it gets hella better. With the disclaimer out of the way, I want to say thanks for reading :)


A gentle nudge pulled her from her daydream. She glanced over at a boy with friendly green eyes that prodded her. A goofy grin stretched across his face and she shot him an annoyed look.

"I can't wait for class to be over. I'm bored to tears." He complained as he threw his limbs out in the air to stretch in his seat.

"What do you want, Bolin? I was having a good dream here." She ran a hand through her short, brunette hair to ease her irritation.

She'd seen the same place before; rich land that glowed golden from the sky above that was filled with strange creatures she'd never seen. The terrain stretched as far as her eyes could see, covered in numerous arrays of blooming wildflowers that tangled loosely around her legs. Just on the brink of the horizon, a large beam of swirling light shot into the heavens.

"Oooh, whatcha dream about?" He pressed, green eyes swirling with interest. She shrugged noncommittally and looked ahead at barely legible scribbles on a white board. A tall, bald man with a pointed grey beard droned monotonously unaware that all of his words fell on deaf ears.

"Eh, it was nothing. Just another random daydream." Rows of students sat ahead in front of her caught up in everything but the lecture of her professor. A shift next to her caused her to direct her attention to Bolin. Excitedly, he leaned toward her.

"Korra! Let's go grab drinks after practice. There's this girl from one of my classes that goes there…" he trailed off as a look of wonder filled his eyes. Korra had a hunch he had a crush on this girl.

"Oh yeah? Who's this girl, Bolin? Anyone I know? I'm down to go though; it'll be a nice change of pace. Practice and work is going to be pretty hectic this week." The broad-shouldered boy beamed at her.

"Her name is Opal. I don't think you know her, but…" he sighed and his smile stretched ear to ear "she's just wonderful." Korra playfully shoved Bolin and his cheeks turned slightly pink. The distinct sound of zipping backpacks and shuffling students interrupted them.

"Finally! I thought class would never end." Bolin said as he threw his papers and books into his backpack disorderly. Bolin waited for Korra to collect her things, making their way to the door to leave the lecture hall. They strolled into the hall and a shout prompted them to turn around.

"Hey-oh Korra, Bolin! Wait up!" A tall, handsome boy with a faux-hawk and burning amber eyes jogged to meet them as he cut through a sea of students.

"Yoooo, Mako! What's up, bro? How was criminal studies?" Bolin lobbed his arm over Mako's shoulder in a manly embrace. Mako patted Bolin's shoulder and they stepped back.

"Actually, it was good. We were learning some interesting stuff today. My professor is grilling us with papers though."

"Well, maybe before you start working on all those lame papers, you could join me and Korra for some beer later?" Bolin said as he wiggled his thick eyebrows suggestively. "Whatdya say?"

Mako gave his brother expressionless look. "C'mon, Mako. Live a little!" Bolin put on his best puppy face and whimpered pathetically.

Mako sighed and crossed his arms. "Fine, I'll go." Bolin jumped excitedly, "Yessss yes yes! The triple threat is ready for action tonight! Hopefully Opal will be there." Bolin dazed off into the distance caught in his reverie. Korra chuckled and said to the brothers "All right guys, I'll text you after practice so we can meet up."


Sweat beaded on Korra's forehead as she breathed hard to evade a fist aimed straight for her face. She ducked and crouched, extending her right leg for a sweep. Her foot made contact with the body, sending her opponent crashing to the padded mat below. A thud resonated through the gym briefly and she grinned smugly through her mouthpiece. She bent down, extending a hand to pick up her friend from the ground.

"Nice sweep, Korra. Can't say I was expecting that one." The muscular woman said through coughs as she attempted to catch the breath that was knocked out of her.

"You got me pretty good with that left hook earlier" Korra remarked with a wrapped hand touching her right cheek. "I thought I'd return the favor." She shot Ayla a cheeky smile that elicited a chortle from them. A gruff voice rang from across the mat cutting their laughter short. They swiveled to face a giant of a man with muscles the size of their torsos.

"Korra, Ayla, go ahead and give me a mile cool-down and stretch after. We'll call it for today after you're finished. I'll have your schedule for the rest of the week when you get back." A sinister twinkle in his onyx eyes made the girls cringe. "Hurry up and get going! This is going to be the easiest practice you get all week." His voice boomed as they took off running.

Sweaty and exhausted, Korra pushed open the door to her apartment only to be greeted by her polar bear of a dog, Naga. "Hey Naga, how's my big girl doing?" A wagging tail and excessive licking answered her enthusiastically. "Ready to go for a run?" She paused briefly, the thought of any extreme movement caused her to retract her statement. "Actually, I'm pretty pooped, so let's take it easy, okay?" Korra grabbed Naga's leash from the hook near the door placing it around her so they could leave.

Her jog was relatively uneventful, but she always enjoyed her time outside with Naga. Korra gazed towards the sky and watched the sun begin to set. Swirls of color ranging from orange to pink blanketed the sky causing her to reminisce of the world she often visited in her dreams. The blending of the warm, glowing colors, the vast expanse of flora, and the mystic aura of dusk momentarily set her into her daydream earlier. A sudden crash into Naga interrupted her thoughts. "Jeez girl, at least warn me when you want to stop." She directed an irritated glare towards Naga, but noticed she was entranced by something in the distance. Following her stare, Korra caught an indistinguishable silhouette ahead. She blinked and squinted to get a better look, but it had vanished. She furrowed her brow and stepped towards the weird shape that was there before. She cast her gaze downwards to Naga, who was now preoccupied with a bush. "I guess practice made me more tired than I realized." She mused while she patted Naga between her shoulder blades. "Time to go home, girl. You had your fun."

Korra bent over to fill Naga's bowl and ruffled up her white fur as she scarfed up her meal. Korra rose slowly, stretching sore muscles. Azure eyes surveyed her apartment. Framed tattoo designs, paintings of her dream world, and tokens of her heritage adorned the walls. A plump, russet leather sofa sat near the wall. Placed directly in front was a carved, rustic coffee table with a traditional tribal carpet of blue and white laid underneath. A flat screen TV sat in an entertainment center matching the coffee table sat across the room filled with gaming consoles, DVDs, and records. She strode towards the records and grazed her fingers over the album covers. Deciding on one, she removed it from the stack and strode to a record player that was placed near her window. She opened the case and placed the large, black disc gingerly on the turntable. As the record spun, she placed the needle down and walked to her bathroom. Bon Iver echoed through the apartment as she began to strip down for a shower. A small jingle and buzz caught her attention so she reached for her phone. She opened up the text message and read:

Bolin: Yo! Meet up at Red Dragon at 8?

Korra glanced at the time—It read 6:45. She thumbed a message back.

Korra: For sure. I just need to clean up and shower. See ya then.

She placed her phone down on the counter and walked to the shower. She twisted the faucet to get the water at the right temperature. She turned to face the mirror and methodically stripped the rest of her clothes. Gazing at her reflection, she inspected her exposed body. Bruises scattered brown skin as she gave a one over on her arms and legs. Sapphire eyes locked onto her tattoo that wrapped around her bicep. Blue burrowed into white causing sharp triangles that appear like shark teeth or saw blade. Small circles of blue dotted the lower portion of the white triangles with bold navy lines that edged the top and bottom of the inked armband. On her inner left wrist she possessed a symbol that included three swirls resembling the crest of waves in the upper left portion and the remaining portion was filled with three wavy lines that represented the flow of the river and ocean. Both tattoos were symbols of her heritage in the boreal artic. She turned her shoulder, exposing her back to the reflection revealing a large outline that has been with her since birth. Almost mirroring a scar in coloration, her bright blue eyes traced the design that she's memorized throughout her years. Strong lines of white, deep and powerful as if carved into a tree, created an image of a bulb resting on a triangular shape. Thick, dancing lines create the upper piece holding a diamond shape enclosed in the bulb shape that resembled a budding flower. Underneath, the markings swirled creating the triangular arrowhead shape formed by two separate, mirrored halves that appeared like curled fern leaves with a sharp plunging tail from the stem. The space created between the halves resembled a thin arrow tip working its way up the trail to form an expanded ribcage. Korra had never met anyone else with such an intricate birthmark, but it always gave her a strange feeling of comfort.

The steam began covering the mirror, informing her that it was time to hop in. She stepped in and let the water wash its warmth onto her. She felt inexplicably home when immersed in water. She ran her fingers through her thick hair, scrubbing and lathering her scalp in the process. She idly hummed to Bon Iver in the background as she cleansed her body. She reached forward and cut the water off. Grabbing a towel, she quickly dried off. She clicked her phone to check the time—7:25.

Naga strode into the room jumping onto the bed as Korra skimmed through the outfits in her closet. She opted for a fitted white v-neck shirt with jeans. She threw on a pair of boots and inspected herself in the long mirror against her bedroom wall. She set off satisfied with her choice.


Pulling up to the Red Dragon, she saw Mako leaned up against the door near the entrance and Bolin talking animatedly. They shifted their gaze to Korra who had walked up; Bolin swallowed her into a bear hug that lifted her into the air. He set Korra down and she flashed a smile towards Mako.

"Hey Korra, how'd practice go?" Mako inquired as he pushed himself off the wall.

"It was pretty rough today. I even have the bruises to show for it." Korra lifted her arms to brandish that splotches of blue and purple that dotted her skin. "Ayla got a couple of good hits today. I'm surprised my face isn't swollen." Korra stated idly touching her tender cheek.

"Who are you kidding? Your face always looks swollen" Mako teased while giving her a sly grin. Korra punched him playfully.

"At least I don't have shark fins for eyebrows." She snapped back jokingly with an impish smirk resting on her features. "Let's get some beer so I can stand to look at your face."

Bolin nearly choked, "Oooooh Mako, she got you pretty good, bro!" Bolin couldn't contain his laughter and soon everyone joined in.


The low hum of conversation overtook their ears as they walked through the bar. The Red Dragon was a local bar all the Republic City University students went for drinks. It was a medium sized bar that was lit by red neon light. Pool tables, air hockey, and dartboards lined one side of the establishment. Adjacent to the bar entertainment, a glowing jukebox and booths occupied the other wall. Across the room, the woman that owned the Red Dragon mixed cocktails behind the bar. The trio grabbed seats in front of the redheaded owner. Korra caught Mako running his eyes up and down the attractive woman.

"Jeez Mako, at least buy her a drink first before eye-fucking her." Korra teased. Before he could retaliate, they were greeted with a sensual smile. The woman leaned forward against the bar causing her shirt to open slightly and accentuate her voluptuous chest.

"Hey guys—" Her hazel eyes flickered between the three, "Welcome to the Red Dragon. Can I see your ID's?" The trio quickly scrambled for their wallets and handed their proof of age to the redhead. She scanned the plastic cards for their birthdates and looked at them individually for confirmation. Seemingly pleased, she returned their IDs.

"Perfect, thank you. I just have to make sure you guys are of age. I constantly get underage students trying to buy alcohol. Anyway, what can I get you all to drink?"

Korra was the first to speak. "I'll take your amber ale you have on draft, please." The sensual woman nodded her head and looked towards Bolin. "I'll have what she's having." She turned her gaze to Mako, which caused him to blush and stutter unintelligibly. The redhead chuckled and asked him to repeat his order.

"I'll have a whiskey and water, please." He shifted his fiery, amber eyes and tussled his hair in nervousness.

"All right, stud, you got it." She smiled and winked. "My name is Roxanne—Roxy for short. Let me know if I can get you anything else."

Bolin interjected "Yeah Roxy, could you get Mako's jaw? I think it's on the floor." Everyone but Mako erupted in laughter as he shrunk into the background.

"I'll see what I can do." Roxy purred seductively and took off to grab the drinks.

Mako swiveled to face Bolin, frustration written on his face "Did you have to call me out like that, bro? Not cool." He grumbled irritated as he crossed his arms. Bolin shot a wide smile Mako's way. "Cheer up—she seemed receptive to it."

The older brother sat up to protest, but Korra cut him off and changed gears. "So guys, tell me what you have been up to. I want to know how everything is since we haven't gone out together in a while." She said casting her azure eyes downwards sadly. This was the first semester that Korra, Bolin, and Mako didn't have at least two classes together. Because of their schedule conflicts, they have also had to train at different times.

Mako was the first to speak. "Classes are okay. I'm ready to be done with basics and focus on my major more. Who cares about calculus when all I'm trying to do is become a detective?" He creased his brow together in annoyance but it quickly dismissed as he continued. "Aside from school, I've just been training for the tournament with coach. He was telling me we got some stiff competition from the other schools."

Bolin nodded his head in affirmation. "Yeah, that's what he was telling me also. Mako and I have been practicing at home in our off time…considering my performance last tournament. But alas! I'm coming back strong and powerful! Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Bolin moved his hands up and threw a couple jabs ahead. He stopped suddenly and his green eyes grew wide "Oooh Korra! Maybe—just maybe—you can practice with us! It's been a while since the triple threat beat up on each other. A duel must be had! I already know I can whoop Mako, but you can test your might and face the bro duo."

Korra gave him a smug expression "You're on. If you think you can handle me, you're sorely mistaken. Let's just recall all the times I've kicked your ass…" The pissing contest halted as Roxy came back with their drinks. They clinked glasses and took a sip. Switching back to their original topic Korra asked, "How're classes, Bolin?" She shifted her cerulean eyes to meet Mako "Or what about work, Mako?"

Again Mako took the helm of the conversation. "Work is busy as usual. The only thing I've been doing is pushing papers and assisting the chief of police, but at least I have my foot in the door at the Republic City Police Department. I'm hoping they can push me through when I finish my degree."

Bolin reached behind Korra to pat Mako on the shoulder, giving him a sincere smile "I'm sure they'd be happy to have you, bro." Mako gave him an appreciative look. Bolin continued, "School has been great now. I mean, I'm not making the grades I hope, but Opal is in one of my classes…" he sighs contentedly, "but yeah, history is awesome though. I've been learning about other cultures and their legends along with the Hundred Year War. I think you guys would find this stuff interesting. The Hundred Year War was something else." Bolin mused and took another sip. "Anyway Korra, how are things with you? Everyone has been talking about your work at the tattoo shop! He exclaimed, nearly bouncing in his seat.

Korra placed a hand behind her neck and chuckled bashfully "Work at the shop has been great actually. Ever since my first few clients, my boss decided to put me on the floor full time. I guess he was impressed at how quickly I got the hang of things and for the decent work I've done." She really didn't know Kenji's reasoning for making her full time. She didn't apprentice for very long, so she could only assume that her clients were more pleased than she had gathered originally. Before she could dig any deeper on the issue, Bolin threw his hands up "Mannn, I want a tattoo so bad, but I want it to be epic. I have no idea what to get."

"Don't worry, Bolin. Whenever you find something you like, I'll draw it up for you." He beamed at Korra. "I knew you were my best friend for a reason."

A small figure brushed up against her left side, dividing her and Mako. She spun to face the body next to her and stared into apologetic olive green eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you guys…there's not much room over here." A sharp gasp from her right caught Korra's attention so looked over her shoulder at Bolin. His wide eyes were transfixed on the girl next to her.

"No worries, I understand." She scanned the room the momentarily, "it's pretty crowded in here. There's a seat next to my friend if you'd like to sit." She suggested. The girl smiled and walked to take a seat next to Bolin. The brawny boy sat frozen as the small girl made herself comfortable. Mako snickered with Korra watching the exchange.

"Hey, you look familiar—Do you go to RCU? Mako asked the dark-haired girl.

"Yeah, actually! I think we have a class together. My name is Opal." She extended a hand to Mako that he met.

"I'm Mako, this is Korra, and this is my little bro, Bolin." Pointing at them individually.

"Nice to meet you guys. I take you all go to RCU?" Opal directed the question to Bolin. Instead of answering, Bolin gasped like a fish out of water. Concern washed over Opal's delicate features.

"Are you okay?" Bolin regained his composure and blurted out loudly, "Yeah, we're all students. Hi, I'm Bolin—You're pretty. Wow. Talking too much. Am I talking too much?" As Bolin continued to stutter nervously, Opal laughed, "Thanks"

"Sorry about Bolin, he hasn't taken his medication today." Korra joked as she nudged the broad-shouldered boy.

"Actually Opal, he was wondering if you could do him a favor…" Mako trailed off, waiting for Opal to nibble.

"Oh yeah, what's up?"

"Could you pick up his jaw from the floor?"