Chapter 4
"Korra, you've come a long way in your training as an airbender," Tenzin told her. "I believe you are ready."
"Ready to…" pressed Korra.
"Airbend," said Tenzin, clearing his throat.
"I've tried," admitted Korra, "and it doesn't work for me."
"I know. But you weren't ready when you tried before," Tenzin told her earnestly.
"I…I can't. I've gotta train for Pro-Bending. I'll do it after the championships," Korra promised Tenzin.
"If that's what you feel is necessary," sighed Tenzin.
"Thanks, Tenzin. I'm gonna go meet Mako and Bolin for one last training session before the championships. They are tomorrow, after all. And the Wolfbats are ruthless—They go for the helmets."
"Alright. Good luck, Korra, and don't seek them out before the tournament," he said, returning to his meditation.
"I know. The less I see of that creep, the better," said Korra, grinning. "Well, see ya!" She sprinted over to the river and dove headfirst into the water, fists breaking the surface, sending a jolt down her arms. She bended the water to soften the impact, and began swimming to the shore of Republic City.
She submerged shortly afterwards, bending the water off of her as she entered the gym.
"So, training today," said Korra brightly, entering the gym. Mako and Bolin glanced up at her.
"Get into gear," sighed Mako.
"Look, Mako, you need to stop chewing her out like that," she heard Bolin say as she headed into the locker room. She paused in front of her locker, biting her lip, hoping that Mako didn't say she was worthless or didn't deserve to be on the team, that she wasn't unruly or stupid or ugly—
"She needs some humility," retorted Mako. Korra felt a pang in her chest. Humility was what made people weak. Humble people didn't value themselves enough. Humble people were the ones who always got played by others, and she wasn't weak, she didn't get played because she was the Avatar—
"Mako, we need to be bending together as one unit, and you lashing out at Korra isn't helping anything. We've gotten good at working together over the past few days, and I don't want you ruining it by treating her like dirt," argued Bolin.
"Fine then, have it your way," responded Mako. "I'll try." Korra slammed her locker shut, donning her uniform. The way Mako spoke about her—It was like she was an unruly animal in a petting zoo, and she was not an animal, she was a person, she was someone who deserved a semblance of respect because she faced Amon and she was fighting to help him and his brother win the championships. It wasn't fair.
"Good. Trying's better than nothing," laughed Bolin. Korra emerged from the training room.
"I'm not some animal you have to stop kicking around," snapped Korra. "I'm a person. And I know that it's hard for you, because I was just a girl who got everything I ever wanted and never went hungry, but I would like some respect as your teammate. We might not be friends, Mako, but you could at least act like I'm your teammate."
"I do respect you as a teammate, but you're infuriating and rash and you mess up the whole dynamic," said Mako earnestly.
"I mess up the whole dynamic? What about you? You're always charging Bolin and I with being too lazy, but you don't even put the effort in to bond with us! Bolin and I go out as friends and because of that, we're strong as a team. We practice that as wingmen. You? You never show when we ask you to go with us to the noodle bar. You don't even visit at our after-tourney parties! Our teamwork is shoddy, and today's the day we end that. Mako, I'm not sorry for who I am. But what I am sorry for is that I was rude to you and ignored you as a teammate as well. I do have some of the blame, because I never answered your questions or treated you fairly," said Korra. Bolin nodded in agreement.
"I guess I never really gave you room to answer them, either. I pissed you off too much by then…so I'm sorry for never letting you explain yourself and for hurting your feelings. I didn't know the two of you felt that way, and I'll try…to make it to your…tourney parties," conceded Mako.
"There. Done. All patched up. Now can we get training now? This emotional stuff is starting to drain me," sniffed Bolin.
"Fine," laughed Mako, putting on his helmet. The three formed a triangle and bended their respective elements at one another. Korra ducked under a disc, whipping Bolin with water and grabbing Mako's shins with her element and tripping him. Mako laughed, standing quickly and decimating a disc with a burst of flame. Korra grinned, combating Bolin's quick discs by evasion and, when she could manage it, slicing them into two pieces. She bended water at Mako's fiery attack, transforming it into steam. She smiled at her handiwork. They continued to bend in quick succession, not daring to be the one who dropped to the floor first—That meant twenty push-ups and a lap around the gym while one's teammates bended at him or her. Korra really didn't want a repeat of that.
She leapt over Bolin's next earth disc, toppling Mako with a gallon of water, bending it back into the air. A disc caught her in the shin and she collapsed in a heap, standing grudgingly. Bolin dealt her a sheepish grin. Mako bended fire more furiously at her in vengeance, whilst she blocked and bended at Bolin, who was busy taking on Mako. Korra dodged under a jet of flame, bended water at Bolin's mask, temporarily blinding him, recalling the water, and shooting it at Bolin's chest. He was sent flying backwards, and then Korra turned her attention to Mako, still bending at her. She leapt over fire, parted it with water, recalled it to her side, and shot it at Mako. It collided with fire, and Korra bended more water from the nearby canister. She launched it into at least eight tendrils, lashing Mako. Mako punched fire at them, panting.
"Alright, let's call it quits," suggested Mako, removing his helmet. "We've got this in the bag. Now how about…an after…practice…party?" Korra and Bolin exchanged an amused glance, bursting into laughter. "What?" was Mako's offended reply.
"No, it's just…you partying," laughed Bolin, wiping a tear away. "We'll do it. Sounds fun."
"Yeah. I think we could use a little pre-championship celebration," agreed Korra.
After changing into street clothes, the group left the gym and went to the bar.
"So, what does this place even have?" asked Mako as they occupied a booth.
"Noodles…alcohol…meat…y'know. Stuff," shrugged Bolin, opening a menu.
"I'm getting the same noodles as last time," stated Korra. "And that drink that you keep ordering, Bolin."
"I'm great at ordering drinks," said Bolin, reclining into his seat.
"Really? What Bolin's probably never told you is that I'm ten times better than he is at it," smirked Mako, giving his younger brother a sidelong glance. "I'll order for the table."
"You're sure?" said Korra.
"Yeah. I'm sure," said Mako, heading up to the bar.
"So…now it's just me. And you. Alone. At the table. Together," said Bolin.
"I guess so," said Korra.
"And we have serious pick-ups to do tonight. So I've come up with the perfect scheme," said Bolin, withdrawing a scroll from his pocket and unraveling it on the table. "So, there's always a pack of girls here. Here's what I'm thinking. Pabu is crawling adorably onto the bar, when he suddenly falls. I roll in and catch him, you, in disguise, say how great it was of me to do that. Bitches be crawling all over me afterwards. The end," said Bolin. "So, whatd'you think?"
"Tacky, but it could work," said Korra.
"Really? Well, if it doesn't, I have another scenario. So, I ask you to marry me and you refuse. In disguise, of course. Then I weep on the ground. Sympathy! Score!" exclaims Bolin.
"I'd go with the first one," said Korra.
"After we've had a drink, we'll go for it," said Bolin.
"If you say so," said Korra. Upon Mako's return, the pair had already closed the few holes in the plan.
"So, Mako," said Korra as he placed the drinks on the table, "once we've eaten and drank, what Bolin and I are planning to do is basically a pick-up scheme. Pabu falls, Bolin saves him, I, in disguise, squeal in appreciation, girls flock to Bolin in adoration. We need you to be in disguise as well as Pabu's abusive owner. You and Bolin have a showdown, you and I sneak out and back into the bar as our normal personas."
"Um…that's a little…well…over the top just for a few girls," pointed out Mako.
"I will go to any lengths," responded Bolin seriously. A grin broke out across his face and the table laughed. "Alright, alright. So cheers, everybody. Let's have a good match tomorrow."
"Cheers!" exclaimed Mako and Korra in unison, clinking their glasses together. They each chugged down their drinks, and Korra set hers down on the table, eyebrows furrowed.
"I gotta say, Mako is better at ordering drinks than you," she told Bolin.
"You're biased because you like—" Bolin stopped himself, then completed his sentence by saying, "strawberries in your drinks more than I do."
"Yeah. Strawberries," laughed Korra nervously. Mako arched an eyebrow.
"What's up with you two?" he asked the pair.
"Nothing," said Bolin.
"Oh, nothing," repeated Korra.
"Okay," said Mako awkwardly. "So, when do you think the waiter'll show?"
"I don't know. But we should start my plan," said Bolin.
Mako and Korra returned in different garb, their appearances quite drastically altered. Korra stifled a laugh at the mustache drooping over Mako's upper lip and the monocle he wore. The top hat just finished it off. They stood outside the restaurant with Bolin.
"Okay. So, here's Pabu. Mako, I'll be at a table, sitting by myself. Pabu, you'll be crawling over the bar, trying to escape. Mako, you'll be chasing Pabu. Korra will scream. I'll grab Pabu and hold him tight, and I'll shout at you. Mako, you'll say that Pabu stole an apple from your client's shop. I'll argue with you for a few minutes, then you'll leave in a huff. Korra will be all over me, and then, when the herd attacks me, Korra will slip out and the two of you will return, normal. Then we order food…with my gaggle of girls," explained Bolin.
"Alright," sighed Mako. Bolin entered the bar. Mako waited with Pabu on his shoulder.
"So…Mako…I need to get something off my chest," said Korra, clearing her throat.
"Yeah?"
"I used to like you. Like like you," admitted Korra, cheeks tinged with red, her eyes focused elsewhere. "But…I see you as a friend now. So…yeah."
"Okay," said Mako quietly.
"I'm gonna go in now, blend with the crowd," said Korra. She headed over to the bar, ordering a drink. She sipped at it, watching Bolin and the door. When was Pabu going to race in?
"Long time no see," drawled a voice to her right. Korra turned sharply. Tahno smirked at her.
"Yeah," she said uneasily.
"We will be seeing each other tomorrow after all. I can respect the fact that you keep your shouted promises," he said.
"Well, I don't respect you," snapped Korra.
"Before the tournament starts…I regret to tell you that I will not hold back just because you're a decent-looking girl," he said, expression blank. "I am going to destroy you and your little team and send the Fire Ferrets back to the gutter from which you came."
"I didn't plan on going easy on you either," shrugged Korra, "so no harm, no foul."
"There will be harm," chuckled Tahno. "Your team only made it this far because of you. I doubt Mako or Bolin could hold their own against a real Pro-Bending team."
"We'll have to see…won't we?" she murmured.
"Just to restate my earlier point: The team would not have gotten to the championships without you," he said, finally looking at her. "They should be a bit more thankful." Korra gawked at him. He really…he really thought that?
"You little thief! Get back here!" shouted Mako's imitation of a miser's voice. Pabu scrambled onto the counter, and Korra knew she was supposed to be screaming but she couldn't understand, why would Tahno of all people say that, rather than Mako or Bolin—Her eyes widened. She turned away sharply, screamed at the sight of Pabu.
Bolin looked relieved, and darted in, "saving" Pabu. Mako was inches away from Bolin.
"He stole from my client, that little rodent!" shouted Mako unconvincingly.
"Well, look at him! He's so skinny, the poor little guy!" yelled Bolin. "How could you scare him like that?"
"He's a thief, that's why! If you want him so much, keep the nasty little thing! But you'll pay me up front for the damages and the apples he stole!" countered Mako.
"Y'know what? I will. Here's thirty yuan. Take it and leave," said Bolin, slapping the yuans clumsily into Mako's hand. Mako stormed away. Here was her cue. She was about to walk over to Bolin when a hand clasped around her shoulder gently. She gave Tahno a look, then shoved it aside.
"Oh my, that was so kind of you," gushed Korra, "saving that poor little thing!" No one came.
"Thanks. It was nothing," sighed Bolin.
"No, that wasn't nothing. You saved a fire ferret from a nasty old man," tried Korra again. Girls glanced over at Bolin, noticed Pabu, and swarmed him. Korra watched, bemused.
"I guess all he needed was Pabu sans the show," said Korra to herself.
"That was a pathetic ploy to pick up a girl or girls," scoffed Tahno.
"Really? And whatd'you know about it?" said Korra, crossing her arms over her chest.
"First off, that wig looks ridiculous on you," said Tahno, removing it. "Secondly, do you remember our first meeting?"
"Kinda hazy, actually," said Korra. Undaunted, Tahno resumed.
"I was covered in them. That was actually one of my better nights—Usually I go home with what, three?"
"How many on that night?" asked Korra, not really sure if she was willing to hear the number.
"Five," he whispered into her ear, sending shudders down his spine. She took a step back.
"You have no concept of personal space, do you?" she growled.
"No. No, not really," stated Tahno. For a long moment, Korra glared at him. She stomped away.
"See you later, Avatar," she heard him mutter as she passed him. Oh, I will, she thought, tomorrow night.
