It had been two days since Ami was attacked. Post two sleepless nights, Ami felt exhausted beyond words could describe.
Each time a siren sounded in the distance, Ami would look over her shoulders in fear. Had she been discovered? Where would she be taken? Perhaps one of those bender camps..They were just rumours, but at this point, Ami wasn't so sure anymore...
Ami leaned against the pole as she waited for the light to change. Suddenly, her skin started to tingle. Her body sensed the rain before the first drop hit the ground. Then, the sky poured and thunder clapped.
Amazed, Ami looked at her hands. She definitely sensed the water. A current of strength flown through her body, surging and awakening her every cell...
It was then when she heard the familiar roar. The roar of a beast.
Ami pulled down her hoodie and started to run towards the source, counter current streams of people escaping the scene.
The blue haired girl gasped when she saw the grimm, a bear-like creature with massive claws. It was advancing slowly, towards a fallen little girl.
Ami prepared herself to attack. "Okay, how did I do it last time?" Ami held up her palms and imagined shooting water out. A few agonizing seconds ticked by and nothing happened.
The beast roared. Alarmed, Ami looked up just in time to see the grimm charging towards its little victim.
"Hey!" A rock flew from the other side and hit the grimm's head. A tall brunette raised her fists in fighting stance. "How about you and I fight instead?"
The beast roared and changed directions. Ami watched in horror.
The tall brunette smirked and started to run towards the beast. She ducked its giant claws and jumped onto the beast's back. The grimm shook its giant body but the girl held on. She raised her fist and punched down. A sickening crack was heard. The monster screamed angrily.
The girl didn't stop. Her fist came down, again and again, until the grimm collapsed to the ground.
Ami quickly ran over to the little girl and helped her up. She then turned to the strong stranger.
"Are you okay?" The brunette approached Ami and the little girl.
"How...did you do that?" Ami looked up and then quickly averted her gaze. Her embarrassing blush was coming back.
"Lucky I guess. I really didn't think that far ahead. I just have to save that little girl, you know..." The stranger turned and extended her hand. "Name's Kino Makoto. What's yours? Pretty brave of you to stay behind and tried to help. I saw you coming towards the monster."
"Um...I didn't help much."
"You still haven't told me your name." Mako smiled. "Plus, you are so tiny. What were you planning to do?"
Ami felt slightly insulted by that offhand comment. "Well, first I would distract the grimm in some way, so it'll buy some time for the little girl to run."
"And then? It turns towards you and starts to run..."
'Then I would try to use my water bending and destroy the monster.' Ami said inside her head. Her shoulders sagged and she knew she couldn't say that. Plus, she was a water bender that couldn't bend water.
"Hey...hey..." Mako waved a hand in front of Ami's face. " Sorry, I was just teasing. I am sorry."
Ami shook her head quickly. "No, it's not you. Sorry, I have to go..." She turned and ran.
Mako felt confused as she watched the other girl ran away. There was an inexplicable sense of deja vu...and those sadness she saw in those eyes...Mako was definitely intrigued.
The trees rustled softly behind her as a breeze blew past. The beast started to stir again. It stood up with some difficulties, but its eyes beamed rage and determination. The grimm turned and face its attacker again.
Pumping her fists together, Mako prepared herself. Truth be told, she had never faced an opponent this size. She had hoped her way of punching through shit would work, but clearly not this time.
"Aye Yah..." Mako sent forth her war cry and sent out her right fist. The bear caught Mako's fist with its giant claws. Clenched in its death grip, the monster bear its teeth as it brought its victim closer...
She could feel her heart pumping fiercely. She darted her eyes around in panic, looking for a way out.
The monster held up Mako and dangled her in midair for a while, taunting...Then it flung her hard at the ground.
Whoomp. It knocked the air out of Mako's lungs. She shook her head, as she was starting to see stars. If she passed out now, she's done. Mustering all her strengths, she got back on her feet.
Unsteadily, she put up her fists and got ready to fight again. "Papa had always taught me that, if at first you failed, try again..." Mako wiped away some blood from the corner of her mouth and sneered.
So Mako did what she had always done. Fight and continued to fight, until her enemy was down! Years of living on the streets had taught her well. Perhaps not so well that she could handle a grimm but she would rather die than run like a coward...
Her body was battered and bruised after a few rounds. The grimm seemed to be in no hurry to end the fight. Each time Mako thought she would die, it would toss her aside and let her recover. She had become the monster's torture toy.
Would this count as crisis? Mako debated. Papa's dying words lingered in her ears, "Don't activate unless you have to. It's for your own safety." She could still see the tears running down her Mama's face as she put a hand on Mako's forehead to lock the power. A trick Avatar Korra taught to her people, so that they could use it to save themselves as the last resort.
Makoto braced for impact as the bear flung her up and threw her a hundred feet away.
"I am sorry, mama and papa. I have to." Mako muttered to herself, as she laid painfully still on the ground.
The bear advanced slowly. Its snout came down and sniffed Mako. The monster roared and placed its giant paw on Mako's chest, ready to crush the human once and for all.
"Mama, papa, help me please...wherever you are..." Mako squeezed her eyes shut. She focused her energy and let it spread throughout her body...until she felt the familiar warmth on her light chakras.
Suddenly, clouds rolled in once again and thunder sounded. A fierce wind started to whip through the trees. The grimm stopped and looked around.
"You feel it, don't you?" Mako opened her eyes. "It's my turn..." She grabbed the claws and snapped them off easily. The monster cried out in pain.
Makoto clenched her fist and punched with all her strength. A gust of air came forth, amplifying Mako's power. The grimm was air-born for a while, before gravity brought it back. Bones cracked as it landed.
The tall brunette waved her hands in a circular motion until she formed a cyclone. It started to pick up the benches, light poles and trees from its vicinity.
"And you will pay for all the pain you've cost." Mako yelled as she sent a spinning cyclone of metals into the beast's heart.
In an instant, the grimm burst into black ashes.
Mako looked up at the sky and let the rain washed away her blood. "Thank you, mama, papa..."
Note: Mako from Legend of Korra is not in this story.