A Big Difference

Episode 3

"Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic,

love one another, be compassionate and humble."

-1 Peter 3:8

Training for the rookie pro bending team was the same as always. They got actual work done until Korra messed up, then Mako would try to scold her gently but it always turned into an all-out yelling war. They didn't know why, , but something in them just wanted to hear the others voice or be close to the other even if it was just because they were yelling. Though sooner or later Bolin had to step between the two still confused by their ways of interaction but not completely clueless by it. He knew they had some kind of connection, he just wasn't sure what kind. But of course Korra would stomp out, then come back to the arena to hang out with Bo, bump into Mako and they'd both apologize, ending up with mild blushing and sweet small smile at each other, and lastly flying hearts. It was like one of those sick romantic girly movies Bolin watches when he's on his dates with some of his fan girls.

One practice Boataka came to give them the winnings from their last match, but most of it was taken back some because of Bo plus they needed to get five hundred uons by their next match. Leaving the team especially Mako down and Korra hated it. She hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, he looked at her giving her a small almost invisible smile to let her know he was ok. But Kor wasn't convinced, she turned to Bo her hand leaving Mako's shoulder as he started to ask if she had an Avatar bank or something.

"Sorry no, I don't have anything, I've always had people to take care of me"

"Well I wouldn't say you have nothing" Mako mumbled.

"Sorry I didn't mean to …" Korra started,

"It's okay, ever since our parents died … we've been on our own" Bo stated, "Anyway, how are we going to make up that much money" Korra thought about her parents for a second, Avatar Korra might not have money, but Princess Korra sure does. She was about to say something when Mako remembered,

"What about Asami?" something filled Korra, jealousy,

"Who's Asami?" she said trying not to allow the bitterness into her voice.

"Our sponsor and friend" Bolin answered, Korra let out an inaudible sigh of relief, she didn't know why that bothered her so much but it did. "But I got a few ideas how to gain money, I mean she can't pay every single thing" Both Mako and Korra raised their eyebrows, "I've been teaching Pabu some new tricks and people would pay big money to see it."

Mako pinched the bridge of his nose, "Bo we thought you were being serious" Bo's expression lessened,

"But I was" Korra didn't like where this was going,

"It's a great idea Bolin" she began "But I don't think, it's going to help us out this time, ok?"

Bo sighed, "Ok"

"I'll call Asami" Mako said, Korra's heart got a pang of jealousy until she reminded herself that they're just friends and plus why would I care it's not like I like him, right?

"Ok, I gotta go back to Air temple Island for training, see you guys later" she waved goodbye grabbed her bag and left the arena changing after she got back to the island.

-Later that day-

Korra was going through the air gates as Mako walked up to her, wow she's beautiful, he taught then shook his head, focus Mako, this is serious. As Korra jumped out, his ear caught something to girls were saying,

"Korra is that the cute fire bending boy you've been talking about, the one who drives you crazy," the older girl said.

The younger girl with two buns jumped up and down, "Do you like him in a bad way or in a good way like you like him" Korra turned around to see him walking towards her, then earth bended the two kids in the air. Which they air bended safely down.

"Oh hey Mako, ha, what are you doing here?" Korra said awkwardly, Mako, playing along, said

"Just looking for Bolin, have you seen him anywhere" Korra frowned.

"No not since practice, is something wrong"

"No, it's nothing, it just Bo has this knack of getting into trouble, I'll find him though"

"Wait! I can, um, help you if you want"

"No thanks" Korra grabbed his arm,

"Hey, cool guy let me help you we can take Naga, she's my best friend"

"I'm goanna guess that's that polar bear dog that almost crashed into me the first day we met" Korra blushed at the memory,

"Yah that's her"

"Alright you can help" Korra grinned, she looks so cute when she's smiling,

"Ok let's go!" she dragged him to the stables and after setting up Naga, headed towards the city.

-After a few hours of looking through the city-

Mako let out a frustrated sigh, "Why does he also have to do this" Korra looked at him, his face filled more with concern then annoyance.

"Don't worry we'll find him" Korra said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Mako turned to her and she smiled gently and he smiled back. "We will, I promises" looking directly into his amazing amber eyes, she had a strange butterfly feeling in her stomach, and Mako's heart started to race. Once they realized how long they've been like this they turned away with very bright and visible blushes on their cheeks.

An hour before Mako and Korra got some information from an orphan named Skoochy. Saying there was a turf war brewing between triads and Bolin got flashed some serious cash by Shady Shin if he did some guard work for the Triple Threat Triads. But once they arrived at the Triple Threat Headquarters the place was trashed and the members and Bolin were in the back of an equalists' truck. The two tried to fight the equalists and save Bolin but instead got chi blocked. Then Korra remember something from the first time she got into the city, besides running into Mako literally she ran into equalist protesters. That all lead to the present moment, Mako and Korra were under a tree in Republic City Park leaning against Naga. They sat in an awkward silence, Korra tried to start a conversation a few times but it was in vain. Mako was too busy worrying about Bolin. "So where you get the scarf?" that seemed to snap him out of his trance. "I mean" Kor continued, "You wear it all the time, so it must be important." An image of a man from the earth kingdom and a woman from the fire nation appeared before his eyes next was the two of them lying motionless in an alleyway drowning in a pool of their own blood. "Mako? I'm sorry, you don't have to"

"It was my father's, it's the last thing I have left of his" Mako explained opening his past to her.

"How … how did your parents … you know?"

"They were mugged by a fire bender, right in front of me … I was eight" Korra squeezed his arm,

"I'm so sorry" Mako took in a shaky breath, pulling his scarf above his mouth. It was always his escape for comfort but at that moment Kor's touch felt somewhat better.

"Bolin's the last bit of family, I have left and if anything happened to him... I don't know what I'd do" He look towards the beautiful girl beside him, sympathy showing in her eyes but there was something else. Something he couldn't place but it was special he knew that at least something given to nobody else not even Bolin or Tenzin, just him, only him.

"We'll find him, I promise" Korra said giving his arm a final squeeze before releasing it.

"I hope so" Mako whispered.

Korra woke up groggily to the sound of shouting, she tried to get up but something was on her head. She look up to see Mako dozing away his head on hers and her head on his shoulder, and it felt nice. As Mako started to wake up also he stared down at Korra, beautiful Korra. The two wanted to so badly lean closer and press their lips to the others. But their hushed breaths on each other's faces made them realize how close they were. The two jumped apart with little yelps. Korra turned her head trying to ignore their little moment and pointed at the man yelling about equality. "That's him" she announced.

They walked up to him, Korra grabbed him by the collar forcing him to tell them where they had taken Bo. Then Mako asked what the revolution was but he only said after some 'persuasion' from Korra that no one knew what the revolution was. A police officer strolled by telling the two to stop and the man Korra held up by the collar yelled for help, the Avatar released him and Mako got a few off the Revolution flyers from the ground before they ran off. Later finding out that they made a map, so now they were in disguise but Mako stopped short on their way there. "What is it?"

"Your disguise"

"My disguise! What about you?!"

"Shh! I mean people will know it's you. You're all over the papers, here" Mako said unwrapping his scarf from his neck.

Korra's eyes widened, "No, no, no, it's yours, it belonged to your father, and you've never let anyone touch it so…"

"Kor relax it's not like I'm giving it to you, I'm just letting you borrow it" he said wrapping it around her neck covering half her face. "Plus it looks cute on you" he said in a dreamy like voice, Korra blushed,

"Um thanks" Mako realizing what he said blushed also

"Um your- your welcome" The two finished their walk to the building, getting into the building with minor problems and starting pushing their way through the crowd. Amon, the non-bending leader of the equalists, stepped onto stage and began his long boring speech but one part really got to Korra.

"The Avatar has failed humanity and so the spirits gave me a power, a power that can change everything, the power to take away one's bending permanently" Korra gasped along with the entire audience.

"That's impossible" Mako whispered in her ear, "Only the avatar can do that" Korra didn't respond she was paralyzed with fear, the first she's ever felt, when she was completely sure that Amon was staring right at her. His eyes burning deep into her soul, her breath quickened and so did her heart beat, "Korra?" Mako whispered, "You ok?" Amon glaze left hers and to an equalists telling them something.

"Y-yeah I'm fine"

"Here let me give you a demonstration." Members of the Triple Threat Triads walked onto the stage and so did Bolin. They first they untied one of the leaders, "This man here is well known as the leader of the Triple Threat Triads, Lightning Bolt Zolt" the crowd started to boo.

"Aw, boo yourselves" the leader exclaimed, then looked at Amon as he was pushed to the ground in front of his feet,

"In honor of fairness, we'll allow him to fight for his freedom"

"You're goanna regret doing that, pal" Zolt's lightning bending started the match, though it end soon as Amon over powered him. Pressing his thumb to his forehead and his other hand's nails digging into his shoulder, Amon removed his bending. Zolt fell to the ground weak, "What-what did you do to me?"

"I removed you of your impurity" Amon looked to the crowd which were whispering among themselves. Korra stood frozen in her place, she felt as if she couldn't breathe. Bending was all she is if not made a big part of her. If it was taken away by that-that monster, what would she be? Who would she be?

"Impossible" Mako murmured, eyes wide, but shook his head trying to regain his thoughts. His brother was in that line, his bending about to be taken from him by that monster.

"The Revolution has begun!" Amon shouted to the crowd which cheered loudly in return. Amon turned and continued down the line giving them a chance to fight before they lost their natural gifts or curses as Amon would say. Mako nudged Korra but got no response, he looked at her, fear shining brightly in her widened eyes.

"Korra?" Korra's head snapped to the side and faced Mako, she took a deep breath

"Yah?"

"You okay?"

"I'm-I'm just fine. So how are we gonna get Bolin back" Korra said trying to change the subject.

"You see those pipes over there" Korra nodded "They're powered by steam, if you could burst one of those pipes we could create a distraction and sneak away with Bolin without a trace" Korra nodded and as she was about to pass Mako, he placed his hand on her shoulder, "Be careful, ok?"

"I'll be fine, City boy" Korra said with a small smile, "Good luck"

"You too" then they parted ways. After some difficulty Korra broke a pipe and directed the stem into the crowd. Mako pushed and shoved his way to the front. Once the cloud of steam was thick enough, he climbed onto the stage grabbed the now untied Bolin and dashed to the exit. While climbing down the ladder, Amon's lieutenant came and electrocuted it, making the boys fall to the ground with a thud. Another fight began ending with the bending brothers lying on the ground in pain, for they were both electrocuted with the lieutenant's kali sticks.

"You've benders got to understand" the man began, "there's no place for you benders" then suddenly the man was earth bended into the hard brick wall.

"I wouldn't count us out just yet" Korra said, the Avatar whistled and her polar bear dog, Naga came rushing to their aid. Mako helped Mako onto Naga, but the lieutenant was starting to get up and they had to her to Naga took off with Bolin's shirt in her mouth.

"I-want-to-ride-on-your-back!" Bolin shouted.

"That's the Avatar, she's getting away!" the lieutenant yelled and he and other equalist started to run after them but were stopped by their leader.

"Stop! Let her go, she'll be the perfect messenger to the city about my power"

-At the Arena, in the attic-

Korra waited in the brothers' small but cozy living room in their small attic apartment as Mako helped Bolin into bed since he got quite the beating in the hands of the equalist. Mako descended the ladder into the boys' living connected with their kitchen. "Hey"

"Hey" Mako responded as he sat next to her.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"He's gonna be just fine, Thanks to you" Mako looked at her with a sincere small, "Seriously thank you, you didn't have to help but you still did"

"I'm just doing my job" Korra said returning his small "It was no big deal anyway"

"Well it was to me so thank you" Korra press the back of her hand to his forehead, "Um, what are you doing?" he gave her a confused look.

"Checking if you have a temperature because there is no way that the great Mako is being nice to me" she said removing her hand from his forehead. Mako chuckled, that's the first time she's heard him laugh and it was because of her. The butterflies that Korra had felt so often recently had come back.

"I guess it's just your lucky day" There was nothing more that the two want to do was kiss the other, but their brains always said it was wrong and that they were just friends. Korra looked at the clock on Avatar Aang memorial, it was almost midnight.

"I better get back to the island"

"Yah"

"I'll see you tomorrow, ok? To check up on Bolin"

"Yah, sure" And with that Korra left the arena and returned to the island, where Tenzin waited for her. Explaining everything that had happened, Korra heard something she wish she hadn't.

"No bender is safe" Tenzin words rang through her ears as she laid in her bed letting sleep take over her.

Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 3, From this point on I'm going to twist up the context a little bit so this is just a warning. Review, I love to hear your thoughts as long as it's not too mean. Thxs

P.S. I DO NOT OWN LOK