Author's Note: Before we begin, I would like to say hello and apologize to any of my readers who read this for not being on for weeks. The well went dry with "Lost Memories" and I thought this up while watching LoK. Please enjoy.

A stream of flame whizzed by, inches from her helmet. She retaliated, taking two steps forward as she swung her arm up, a stream of water shooting through the air toward the firebender. She hit him and moments later, a heavy object hit her in the side, throwing her into the bordering ropes of the ring with a pained grunt and knocking the wind out of her. Seconds before it reached her, she saw another disc flying toward her and she brought a wall of water up to defend herself. No need. The rock disc was diverted by another and she gratefully glanced at Bolin as she scrambled to her feet, panting heavily from the exertion of Pro-Bending. Falling fluidly into a waterbending stance, she ignored the dull pain in her side and quickly took in the situation. She caught a glance from Mako and the small tilt of his head and glimmer in his eye indicated what he wanted. Moving forward swiftly, she sent a stream of water at the opposing waterbender and quickly somersaulted out of the way as two fire balls whizzed above her head, knocking their opponent off the arena. She and Mako exchanged brief knowing smiles before she focused on the remaining two benders. But she was too late and didn't notice the plume of flame out of her periphery. It sent her flying backwards and rolling off the arena. Unable to control her fall and biting back a scream, she landed with a splash into the pool of water below.

Breaking the surface with an annoyed huff, she quickly swam to the elevator and trained her eyes onto the arena as she rose above it. Mako and Bolin were moving as a well-trained team against the other two benders, their fire and earth discs skillfully hitting their targets. A pang of self-frustration shot through her. What was wrong with her tonight? It was like they were attacking her from all sides and she had blinders on. There was no reason she shouldn't be in her game tonight. With a sigh she stepped off the elevator to wait on the platform, bending the water off of herself so she could have the small comfort of being dry.

"The final round is over. The Fire Ferrets just barely managed to win!" the announcer's voice said, booming through the arena.

She let out an annoyed sigh and made her way to the locker room, removing her helmet and letting her raven hair tumble out in a damp, sweat-slicked mess.

"Whoohoo, yes! One more win and we're in the championship tournament!" Bolin cheered a few minutes later as he leaped into the locker room, pumping a fist in the air. He grinned at her and then moved toward the latest fan girl he had brought with him. She only gave him a half-hearted smile, her blue eyes clouded with anger at herself.

"Arael," Mako's low voice said and she lifted her head to look at him. "What's up with you tonight?"

She sighed and glanced away, figuring he was probably angry she had gotten thrown off the ring with an avoidable shot. "I don't know. I'm just off tonight."

He nudged her with his elbow and she looked up at him. "Don't be too hard on yourself," he told her. "Just try to get your game together next time and focus."

She held his gaze for a moment and then nodded, moving to her locker to start removing her gear.

"You guys were incredible out there! Especially you, Mr. Hat Trick," Bolin's fan girl said, and Arael rolled her eyes. Why did the earthbender insist on bringing every girl he found up to their locker room? She loved him to death but Spirits it was annoying!

"Oh, you're still here?" she heard Mako say and a small smirk crossed her lips. She glanced over at Mako and they shared an eye roll.

"Oh, you're still a jerk?" the girl retorted and Arael had to bite her tongue to stifle a laugh. Okay, maybe she liked this one. She definitely had some spunk.

Once she was down to her workout clothes, she closed her locker, only half listening until Mako spoke.

"You're the Avatar…and I'm an idiot."

She turned her head in surprise, her eyes falling on the dark-skinned girl who had a smug look on her face, studying her with renewed interest. So this…what was her name…Korra? She was the Avatar? How the hell did Bolin end up meeting her? She didn't really seem any different from anyone else in Republic City, aside from the Water Tribe get up. She did have some obvious muscle, but otherwise she looked like any other person. What'd you expect? Glowing eyes and a muscular entourage? she thought to herself. She shook her head and turned to face the others. "You're really the Avatar?"

"Yep," Korra replied.

"Cool, I'm Arael," she said, stepping forward and holding out her hand for the other girl to shake. She figured she might as well be nice to the girl now. After all, it wasn't every day you got to meet the Avatar.

"You looked pretty awesome out there. Those guys were rough at the end," Korra said, her blue eyes shining with excitement.

"Yeah, it happens," Arael responded casually, a small smile turning up the corners of her lips as she attempted to mask her resurfaced frustration toward herself. "It's all part of the game."

"So, Korra, how about we go down to the gym and I'll show you some of that earthbending we talked about," Bolin cut in and Arael cocked an eyebrow at him as he guided the Avatar away.

"You coming?" Mako asked as he closed his locker and glanced at her, turning toward the doorway.

"Nah, I need to get home for dinner. You're going? You could always come over to eat instead if you don't want to watch Bolin work his magic," she said with a small smile.

"Tempting as that is, I should probably make sure he doesn't make a fool of himself."

"Kinda like you did?" she teased.

"Shut up," he grumbled, playfully pushing her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She nodded and grabbed her jacket, pulling it on as she made her way down the hall and out of the arena. The cool night air made her shiver as it touched the sweat still beading her forehead from the match and she shuffled quickly to her Satomobile. Once inside, she turned the key and was on her way back to her house where hopefully her dad had dinner waiting for her. As she turned onto the main road, she grimaced at all of the traffic backed up from the Pro-Bending match. Great. Chances were she wouldn't be getting home for another hour or so at this rate.

She sat back in the seat and tapped her fingers on the wheel, wishing not for the first time in the cool Republic City night time air that she was a firebender so she could warm herself up. Her thoughts went to Mako and she sighed, hoping he wasn't trying to hide his anger or anything. She knew how hard he worked for these matches and how much they meant to him. She had been best friends with the brothers since they were kids and she knew how much they struggled just to get along. If they didn't win a match, then Mako and Bolin didn't get paid and they probably wouldn't eat unless she brought them food. When she was younger, it was hard for her to understand how the boys struggled when her family was so well off. But once they were teenagers, she ended up sneaking the boys into her room sometimes so they wouldn't have to spend the night sleeping in a dirty alley. That was when she realized how badly off they were. She tried to help them as much as she could, but her father told her it wasn't okay to give her friends charity. He told her they probably wouldn't want her help anyway. But that's what he didn't get. Mako was desperate enough to take her money when she offered it if it would help his brother. She even tried to give her allowance to them in secret, but her dad eventually caught her and her parents almost forbid her from ever seeing her best friends again, especially when they were starting to get involved in the Triple Threat Triad. She didn't want to see the boys getting hurt in some gang dispute, so at the age of fifteen when Mako came to her one day asking if she would form a Pro-Bending team with him and Bolin, she accepted without thinking about it.

Honestly, her dad was pretty pissed when she first brought it up. It wasn't that he didn't like Pro-Bending, it was that he didn't want his little girl involved in it. And her mother staunchly disagreed with the whole idea with a flat out "no." It took a little convincing, but she finally made her dad see that it would be good for her to start Pro-Bending. It was great exercise, it brought in money, and she was doing something she loved. He saw it as an opportunity for her to learn about monetary independence and he ended up convincing her mother to let her do it. Two years later, her parents were now her biggest fans and they thought she could definitely make a career out of it.

A loud honk behind her caused her to startle out of her thoughts and she realized she had been sitting in the same spot for a while. She hit the pedal and the Satomobile lurched forward to catch up with the steady flow of traffic.

"Three cheers for the soon to be Pro-Bending champion!" Her father roared as he lifted her into a spine crunching hug as soon as she walked through the doorway.

"Hey, dad," Arael gasped out. "Crushing…waterbender…"

He released her from his burly grip and a grin spread across his tanned face, reaching his crystal blue eyes. "Young lady, you have made me the happiest father in Republic City."

"Dad, please. We still have to win one more match before we even get into the running for the championship."

"I know, but that was one hell of a match!"

"Tokin, watch your language," her mother chastised as she came in from the other room. A smile spread across her face and her amber eyes lit up with pride and a little worry. "Shiro Shinobi said you got hit. Are you okay?" she asked, cupping Arael's face and studying her.

"Mother, I'm fine. Bolin's hit me harder than that in training before. Besides, he's the radio announcer. He always makes those things sound worse than they are."

"Alright, but tell me if it hurts."

Arael gave her a reassuring smile and then glanced at her father. "What's for dinner? It smells delicious."

His blue eyes lit up as he grabbed her shoulders and led her into the large dining room, complete with its dark red wallpaper, mahogany dining table that comfortably seats fifty, and two giant crystal chandeliers. The Gan Ling mansion was definitely a sight to see, although it wasn't nearly as large as the Sato mansion. Arael's father was a councilman; representative of the Southern Water Tribe. They often had dinner parties that seated the aristocracy of Republic City, but tonight only the end of the table was set with three places. No butlers or servants were to be seen and a covered dish contained what had to be the best smelling thing her dad had ever cooked. Even though they had people waiting for their every beck and call, Councilman Tokin was a chef and liked to prepare family dinners himself.

They all sat at the table and her father began to dish out some kind of fish casserole thing she had never seen before. "What is this stuff?" Arael asked, poking it with her fork.

"Unagi. It's all the rage on Kyoshi Island nowadays."

"Interesting," she said simply, and took an experimental bite.

"So, how was it? Hearing it on the radio isn't nearly as good as actually seeing it," her mother asked.

"It was okay," Arael said, reminding herself of how out of it she'd been and suddenly losing her appetite.

"That's all you're going to say? Shiro Shinobi made it sound like you were doing fantastic out there!" her father added.

"I wouldn't say that…"

"And Mako, he was on fire out there! Why don't you ever have the boys over for dinner anymore? They're both so handsome, don't you have any interest in either of them?" her mother pried.

"Mother!" Arael whined, her ivory cheeks going pink. Lately, her mother had been pushing for her to find somebody she might settle down with in the future. "They're just friends."

"Yes, honey. They're just friends," her father reinforced, giving his wife a pointed look.

"Well, if you ask me, that Mako is extremely hands-"

"Mom!" Arael interrupted in disbelief. Her mother gave her a sly smile before looking down at her plate.

"Arael, don't listen to your mother. If you're going to settle down with any man, make sure he can support you. I don't want my daughter gallivanting around with some street rat who gets into anything shady."

"Dad!" Arael choked out as she swallowed a piece of unagi. She reached for a glass of water to wash it down before fixing her blue eyes on her father. "Mako and Bolin aren't street rats. They're trying to make an honest living off of Pro-Bending."

Tokin sighed and shook his head, turning his eyes down to his plate and letting a thick silence fall over the table. So that was how he really felt about her friends. She set her fork down and pushed her chair back, starting to get up.

"Sit down," her father commanded and she stopped, shooting a glare at him. As if knowing the family needed a distraction, the doorbell rang. They sat in tense silence and a few moments later, a butler led both Mako and Bolin into the dining room.

"Masters Mako and Bolin," he announced with a bow before leaving the room.

"Uh, hey Arael. I was wondering…" Mako trailed off, his golden eyes taking in the dinner scene before him and he suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "Well, I was hoping your invitation for dinner was still open…"

Tokin sent a dark look at his daughter and she swiftly looked at her mother. The older woman gave her family a stern glance and then waved a hand at the brothers. "Come, sit," she told them, a warm smile on her lips.

Arael let out a breath and gave the brothers a weak smile. Bolin grinned and sat by her and Mako took the seat next to her mother. Moments later, a servant came in and brought dishes for the new arrivals, excusing themselves quickly.

"Excuse my daughter's indecency," Arael's mother said, giving her daughter an almost disapproving look. "She didn't have time to change before dinner."

"That's okay. We see her like that every day," Bolin said. It took him a moment to realize what he had said and he at least had the decency to look flustered. "I mean, you know…uh, when we're training and all…wow unagi!"

Mako sighed and Tokin sent Bolin a glare from the end of the table.

"So, boys. How was the match?" her mother asked, attempting to ease the tension that still hung over the table.

Arael managed to tune out Bolin's voice as he excitedly told her mother a play-by-play, with Mako politely adding in a few things here and there. Instead, she glanced at her father, who seemed to be alternating glares between her, Mako, and Bolin. He used to like the brothers until Shady Shin let slip that they had been working with the Triple Threat Triad during a hearing. After that, he had never treated the brothers the same. He kept this cool indifference around them when he used to treat them almost like his own sons and it got on Arael's nerves.

She noticed Mako staring at her, an obvious attempt to get her attention. His golden eyes flicked from her to her father and back, and she gave him a small shake of her head. Over the years, they had figured out their own little ways to silently communicate and read each other. It was essential in any Pro-Bending match and it was great for trying to get a silent message across the table when her parents were in the room.

"Well, that was a great dinner. I think we should get going, though," Mako said, his golden eyes flicking to Bolin as he attempted to get the message across.

"But I'm still-" Arael gave him a swift kick under the table. "Ah! I'm done too!"

Arael sighed silently in partial amusement. Eventually Bolin would figure out the code.

"I'll walk you to the door," Arael offered, sliding her chair back again and ignoring her father's dirty look.

"Sorry. I didn't realize you were in the middle of a fight," Mako said once they reached the door.

"It's okay. I did invite you."

"It's just-"

"I know Mako. You don't have to explain it to me," she said, mustering a smile. She figured that they probably didn't have enough money for a good meal at the moment. "Goodnight."

Mako gave her one last wary look before following Bolin out the door. She shut it behind her and leaned against it, blowing a few strands of dark hair out of her face.

"Arael!" her father called and she huffed, making her way to the dining room. "What was that?"

"I invited them for din-"

"Who said you could do that? This is my house, my food."

"Tokin…" her mother began.

"Hush, Latia." He turned to his daughter, his expression angry. "I don't think you realize what kind of trouble you can get me in by tramping around with those-"

"I wasn't tramping around, Dad!"

"Don't interrupt me when I'm speaking to you!"

Arael clenched her teeth, holding his stony gaze. After a few heartbeats, she turned on her heels and stormed away, stomping up the staircase to her room.

"I don't know if I want you going to the arena today," Tokin said, his voice gruff as he stood unmoving in front of the front door.

"But daddy! It's our last match before the championship tournament! I can't not go! Mako and Bolin are depending on me!" Arael argued.

"Then maybe they'll have to find somebody else. My decision is final. You aren't leaving this house."

Arael's fists clenched at her side and she turned on her heels to storm away. He couldn't do this! Just because he didn't like her friends all of a sudden didn't mean he could punish her from Pro-Bending. She climbed the staircase, a plan forming in her mind.

First, she would go to her room. If she waited a few minutes, eventually he would leave the door. Then she could get out.

She collapsed on her bed and stared at the ceiling, counting down the seconds in her mind. Once she felt she had waited long enough, she tiptoed to her door and silently pushed it open. She waited, listening to the movement through the house. When she didn't hear anybody near by, she moved quickly down the hallway.

"I don't see why you're so hard on her, Tokin."

Her mother's voice gave her pause and she pressed back against the wall near their door.

"Because I don't want her tramping around with those street rats!"

"Tokin, you used to like those boys! What happened? Is it those things Shady Shin told you at the trial?"

"It's not just that. Did you see the way she and Mako were exchanging looks at the table? We need to crush any embers between them before they get a chance to turn into flames."

"Honey, what's wrong if she likes somebody? She's old enough to start thinking about settling down."

His heavy sigh was audible even through the cracked door. "I want to make sure my baby girl has someone who can support her when we're gone. She could at least find somebody who's a little more…substantial."

Arael sighed and turned away, done with eavesdropping on this conversation. She quietly made her way down the stairs and stopped when she noticed the butler placed by the door. Great, he had a minion to report to him. She didn't even acknowledge the man as she turned toward the kitchen. There was more than one way out of a mansion. When she entered the kitchen, she noticed it was conveniently empty and she smiled to herself as she moved through the kitchen. The back door was rarely used by the family and she figured her father didn't think to cover this one. Once she was safely outside, she jogged to her Satomobile, realizing she had fifteen minutes to get to the arena, which happened to be twenty minutes away.

"Crap," she muttered under her breath. She gunned the engine and floored the pedal, peeling out of the driveway with a loud screech of tires. She knew her parents would definitely hear that. But she couldn't focus on that now. She needed to drive and fast. Turning onto the main road, she weaved through traffic, trying to navigate and speed at the same time. Eventually, she made it to what had to be the front of the line of Satomobiles. She grinned to herself and picked up speed, now home free.

What she didn't notice was the pair of headlights coming toward her from the upcoming intersection. Seconds before the Satomobiles collided, she hit the brakes, but it was too late. The screeching of tires and the loud crunch of metal twisting sounded through the night air, along with Arael's scream. She was thrown violently against the side of the car as it rolled, leaving sparks behind it in its wake. When it finally settled, her chest heaved as she attempted to catch her breath. Something was pressing on her. She lifted her head, noticing she was trapped under the side of the car. Somehow, she had been thrown halfway out the window and now her lower half was trapped and she could see her leg was bent at an awkward angle just under it. Groaning in pain, she let her head fall back, looking up at the dark sky. She could feel a sticky trail of blood slowly oozing down the side of her face from a cut on her forehead and her last thought before the world faded was how much Mako was going to hate her for missing the match.

Mako glanced up briefly as Korra entered the locker room, letting his head drop when he saw it was her. He would have paid a million yuans to see Arael's face. She wasn't here and their match was going to start in five minutes. It wasn't like her to not show up.

"I didn't miss your match, did I? You guys look like you lost your match already," Korra said and he turned his face away from her. Why wasn't Arael here? She must be angry about last night, he thought to himself. And now she wants to get back at us by not showing up. So that was her plan. Get them disqualified for getting her in trouble. He knew she could be stubborn sometimes, but this was going too far. She had finally crossed a line.

"Arael's a no-good no-show!" he growled, throwing his helmet angrily to the floor.

"You have two minutes to come out ready to play or you're disqualified," one of the referees said, poking his head into the locker room door to deliver the message and then continuing on.

"Well, there goes our shot at the tournament…and the winnings," Mako said, hanging his head in disappointment.

"Can't you ask one of those guys to fill in?" Korra asked, pointing at the other team changing near by.

"Nah, the rules say you can only compete on one team," Bolin replied.

"Well then…how about me? I'm a top-notch waterbender, if I do say so myself," she suggested.

"But you're the Avatar. Isn't that cheating?" Bolin asked.

"It isn't cheating if I only do waterbending," she replied with a sly grin.

"No way, I'd rather forfeit than look like a fool out there," Mako said. Korra had no idea what the rules were or how to play, and they couldn't teach her everything in five minutes.

"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence," Korra retorted angrily. He only gave her a scowl in return.

"Time's up. You in or out?" the ref asked, returning to the doorway.

"We're in!" Korra said before Mako could even open his mouth.

"We are?" he asked in frustration.

"Yes!" Bolin said, pumping his fist in the air. Mako sighed, knowing this meant a lot to his brother. And he wouldn't admit it, but it meant a lot to him too.

"Hey, I didn't agree to this!" he called after them as they raced to the lockers.

"You can thank me later!" Korra called behind her shoulder.

"This girl is crazy," he muttered to himself before slowly following after them.

A/N: What'd you think? R&R!