Fighting Like an Equalist

The official first meeting of the New Team Avatar has multi-colored plush cushions, a reclining Bolin, a Fire Ferret munching on Fire Flakes on the antique table, a pitcher of iced tea, several assorted dumplings (courtesy of Pema), and a vase with a single, drying red rose for ambiance. Asami notices that Bolin is looking at it with something akin to longing, then back to Korra, then brushes back his curl with an air of casualness, but Asami knows this too well.

Bolin likes Korra—it's obvious, but she doesn't know. It hurts, but there's a war to win, battles to be fought, strategies to form, and training to start anew. That means no time for relationships, no time for heartache, no time for self-pity.

Asami tells herself this like a mantra, as Mako scribbles a note on a parchment and smiles at Korra, who slightly grins back before shooting her a covert glance and dropping it quickly. Asami tucks back a strand of hair, straightens up and clears her throat. "So. Priorities, guys?"

"Fighting!" Korra immediately blurts out, slamming her fist eagerly into her palm. "We need to improve our skills against those Equalists!"

Mako opens his mouth, and Asami knows what he's going to say next: "Good idea, Korra. We should work on our forms, maybe work on our agility more."

Bolin raises his hand. "The Equalists are pretty fast. We need to...get faster! And we need to know how to avoid those lightning-blast gloves!" Pabu squeaks in agreement.

"Of course." Asami clears her throat again. "We should also try to figure out Amon's plan, too. He has been quiet, so—"

"We heard him at the Probending Tournament. He said he was going to 'equalize' the city, then the rest of the world. My guess is an invasion, rounding up the benders." Mako cuts through her worries and talks right over her, and Korra takes up the thread of conversation quickly, before Asami could elaborate further.

"Round up the benders? Mako, he can't round up all of them! My guess—" She's picking up his method of speech, Asami notices without thinking. "is that he'll target the powerful ones. Like Tenzin!"

"Do you think he'll capture you?" Bolin turns to Korra, green eyes widening. Mako nearly rises, then sits down abruptly, shaking his head with fierce determination. Asami bites her lip and closes her mouth, which is still hanging open. Her words are lost in the air.

"He won't capture Korra—she's—I—we won't let him!" Mako snaps, and Asami picks up her cup and sips it, lump hardening in her throat. There are plenty of excuses she can make. He's just being protective of the city's savior. She already got captured by Amon about a month earlier. Since the Probending Champiosnhips, attacks against benders had increased, Korra being urged to fight more. They had spotted an Equalist airship roaming near the island. Amon's broadcasts are longer and more confident, and the Equalists are sometimes even strolling the streets at night, as if patrolling. Korra is the Avatar, so she's the priority.

Asami delicately nibbles on a dumpling, not tasting it. She quietly smooths a hand over her eyes and nods at Mako's comment. Korra isn't looking at her. Instead, she's staring at the window with dull eyes and slightly-fidgeting fingers.

"Besides," Korra's voice is strangely hollow. "he's saving me for last."

There's an awkward air. Mako pats her arm. No one says anything, not even moving to take a drink or eat a dumpling. Asami finally speaks: "What aspect of fighting should we focus on? I'm thinking we can practice agility and speed, like with reaction time exercises. The Equalists are trained to move pretty quickly because benders have a wide range of attacks—there's close attacks, long distance, fast and rapid, slow...well, not slow, but more focused and concentrated. They are light on their feet and take to the air more to avoid said attacks. Aren't they like Airbenders, almost?"

Korra nods and thoughtfully drags out the first word. "Yeah...they are. They're agile and really fast and in the air a lot with flips. You're right. You're pretty observant, Asami."

Asami does not feel flattered. Stupid, but she can't take the Avatar's compliments as easily anymore. It's not explicitly her fault, but it feels as if Korra's trying to make up for her brief impropriety with Mako, the obvious air of comfort and easiness she and Mako share that Asami and Mako never quite got with nice words and smiles. It feels fake.

"Well, it's like how I was taught." Asami replies before her thoughts run away with her. "The same style, I mean."

"Same style?" Bolin ponders, then his eyes light up. "Maybe you can teach us! Like, spar with us, and we can avoid the Equalists' attacks like—" He snaps his fingers. "that."

"That sounds like a really great idea, Bolin." Asami's voice rings with false enthusiasm, and Mako's smile, the approving-and-supportive-boyfriend-smile, also looks completely awkward. Korra stretches her lips and bares her teeth uncomfortably until she shoves a dumpling into her mouth. Bolin looks around and realizes something is off, then tries to "fix" it.

"I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to. It would be helpful, but no. I don't want to guilt trip you. Man, I hate it when Mako does that. It's so—"

"Bolin, it's okay. I don't mind." Asami realizes she's still holding the now-cold dumpling, just turning it around in her fingers. She quietly sets it down on her plate. "We can practice tomorrow, how's that?"

Fervent agreements are exchanged. Asami pushes her cushion under the table, smiles slightly, and pretends she wants to explore the island a bit.

Asami does actually end up walking around the secluded spots of the island, eyes forward and hair swinging viciously from side to side. She wants to be alone, she doesn't want to teach Korra or Mako anything, and she hates being here as an afterthought. All she wants, all she would like to do, is have a good cry and get it over with, but there was always a chance someone would hear her. Especially Ikki, who seemed to know everything and chattered about it with Jinora, then jumping on her. When she first met Ikki, she knew that the girl couldn't keep her mouth shut. She could imagine the questions she'd get if caught by Ikki: Why are you crying? Are you sad? What are you sad about? Your dad? He's bad! Are you sad about the Equalists? Are you sad about Mako? Jinora says that Mako and Korra—

Asami stops.

She knows where this relationship, if it can be called that, is going. Mako wouldn't say anything. He and Korra would prance around her, not quite doing anything, but make her feel like the guilty party, the jealous witch that was keeping them apart, the hang-on, the paranoid woman. Biting her lip, she turns right on her heel and starts back to the training grounds, where Mako would be. She's going to end this before things blow up into everything.

Just as the sun is beginning to set, she squares her shoulders and marches back to the temple.

Next chapter: In which Asami learns about responsibility, and how it's handled. Also, training begins.

Note: this is not going to be a Mako-bashing fic. Granted, he was a jerk, and some factors and circumstances can play a part in the terrible love triangle train wreck, but I don't write to solely bash characters, nor do I want to. I'm sure Mako has his own side to the story, but Asami was one of the characters who had so much undeveloped potential—and was pretty amazing despite of that.