There really is not excuse as to why i haven't updated. It really boils down to writer's block. LOK is supposedly coming back this fall, and im too excited to even think how this uncanon story can go. Hopefully this chapter isn't disappointing, please enjoy! And throw in some feedback if you wanna help out with my writers block x]]
He uprooted from his stance, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He was back. After yesterday's practice with Bolin, he was back in the game. Mako dropped to the ground as Bolin threw a two-disc combo at him, the latter of the two rebounding off the ropes aiming for his side. Mako wasn't going to fall for any of Bolin's tricks again. As his body hit the floor, he swiped his feet, coffee-grinder style, and sent an arc of flame across the arena. Mako used the momentum and twisted out of the way, avoiding a disc while simultaneously landing his mark. Mako was ready.
"Thanks for the warm up, Bo." Mako said as he helped his brother to his feet. "There's no way Korra's going to beat me."
Bolin chuckled as he accepted his brother's extended hand, "I would hope not. We were champions before we were officers. It would be a bit embarrassing if you lost, even if it was to the Avatar."
Bolin and Mako made their way to the benches, sat down and rehydrated their bodies as they waited for the clock to strike 7. Once Mako filled his brother in about his whereabouts the night before, Bolin was just as determined as Mako to ensure the brothers' a victory over the Avatar.
"Is she going to use all the elements when she spars with you? I don't know if I would consider that fair. Since, you know, you only have fire on your side." Bolin asked when he finished drying some of the sweat off his back with a towel.
"I don't know. We didn't exactly discuss details, I guess I'll just have to ask Korra when she gets here."
"Ask me what?"
Both brothers spun their heads to the direction of her voice and noticed she was in a different get up. She wore long black pants and only her upper bindings. Aside from her one upper signature arm band, every bit of her upper body was bare. Her midriff, the top of her chest. She looked stunning and ready to take anyone down. It took the brothers a second for the shock of her appearance to wear off. Mako was the first to respond.
"If you're going to use all the elements at your disposal or just one when we spar."
Korra's bottom lip jutted out and she scrunched her face as she thought. "I think I'll just use one. Do you want me to go with fire? Or do you want to mix it up?"
"I've seen you bend all the elements. Choose whichever one you like. There are earth discs and water barrels here in the training room for you to bend." Mako said as he got up to meet her by the door of the training room.
"Water barrels? I always thought that the water benders grab their water from underneath the floor in like sewer-grate things. At least that's what I hear on the radio when I listen to probending matches."
"You listened to matches on the radio?" Bolin piped in as he too got up to meet Korra by the door.
"Oh, yeah. All the time. I listened to all of the matches when I got here. Tenzin never let me go to the arena, and he always yelled at me when I listened to he radio. But I didn't let that stop me. If I didn't have guards around me all the time, I would have snuck into the arena by now to catch a match." Korra told her friends. She was excited, but there was sadness behind her words as she told her story. "But that's where I first heard of probending. And I've been hooked ever since. I even took the liberty to listening to your old matches. Tenzin is a closet fan, he has recordings of your old matches. Seems like you got moxy, huh Mako?" Korra beamed as she raised an eyebrow in question.
Before Mako could respond, Bolin did for him. "You're just going have to wait and see for yourself. So do you want to spar with Mako here? Or head to the actual arena. Our old friend Toza said we could if we were so inclined to."
Korra's eyes brightened, "the arena! I want to spar there!" She squealed, bounding with excitement.
"Okay, follow me." Bolin instructed. The trio left the training room and entered the arena. It was the largest structure Korra has ever seen. Seeing the stands, though they were empty, the water below, and finally the playing arena itself, had her bursting with anticipation.
"You are so going down, City Boy." Korra whispered to Mako as they took the stage.
"You sound so confident. Do you even need to warm up?" Mako asked as he took the side opposite her and Bolin retreated to the stands.
"I'm the Avatar. I don't need to warm up to beat you. I hope you're ready to lose!" Korra responded.
"Alright, children. Settle down," Bolin yelled from the referee's stand. "Korra, have you decided which element you will use?"
"I think I'll stick with water." Korra responded. Mako nodded as he stretched his arm across his chest.
"Okay, benders. Please step into the circle. We're going do this the right way between two benders here at the probending arena. Since this is a spar, we'll do best out of 3. Rules are simple, stay in the circle. You can bend only one element, match begins at my signal, ends when you fall out of the ring."
Korra and Mako both nodded as they stepped into the circle. The platform rose higher than the rest, and the two got into their starting positions.
"On your mark, get set," Bolin spoke. And then the gong rang.
Korra and Mako circled the ring, neither making the first move right away. After some taunting from Korra, Mako let out a furry combo of kicks and punches coming from different directions aimed all at Korra. Korra spun out of the way, and retaliated with streams of water. Her moves were much more agile than Mako's. But Korra was relentless, her streams didn't stop coming and Mako stopped attacking. He successfully dodged all of her attacks while slowly inching his way towards the center of the circle. By the time Mako crossed to Korra's side, Korra was tired and Mako delivered a large fire blast to match Korra's last effort to overpower Mako from advancing. The two opposing blasts singed into a large cloud of steam, making it impossible to see anyone or anything in site. Korra looked left and right, up and down, but could not see Mako. It wasn't until she felt two hands grip her shoulders from behind and pull her down backwards did she notice Mako using his foot against her back with his hands on her shoulders, rolling her out of the circle.
"Round one goes to MAAAAKOOOOOOO!" Bolin announced with enthusiasm.
"Ready to give up and spill your secrets?" Mako said as he popped out of the steam cloud to help her up.
Korra, accepting Mako's hand, sprung up so that she was in his face "Not even close. I hope you're ready for the favor you have to do for me. This is the only round you're going to get from me. Enjoy it."
Mako and Korra once again found themselves circling each other when the second gong went off. This time, Korra did not send attack after attack like she did last time. She remembered one of the recordings saying that Mako had a cool, under-fire style when he bended. She wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice and tire herself out. This time she let Mako attack, and keep attacking. Korra noticed, however, that he wasn't constantly sending attacks as she had done the previous round. This is a complete turn around from the last round. Mako thought. What are you thinking, Korra. Mako asked himself as he sent two jabs of flame and an arc kick her way. Mako saw her spin out of the way in a contained space. She was walking in circles, easily avoiding his attacks. She was so graceful in his eyes. Korra finally returned an attack with a direct frontal stream of water towards his face.
Distracted by Korra's sudden change in style, he failed to notice the second attack that came from below and hosed his head until he fell back out of the arena.
"Round two, Korra!" Mako heard Bolin announce as his back laid flat against the floor, his hair plastered to his face. He saw Korra's face come into view as she offered her hand.
"Focus, Mako. You're making this too easy." Korra teased as she helped him out.
It would be so much easier to focus if you didn't look like that. Do all women spar with such little clothing and such great grace? Mako whined to himself as the two got ready for the third and finals round.
"Get ready to lose, Cool Guy," Korra said with a wink.
The gong rung and the two benders found themselves attacking immediately, sick of beating around the bush.
Note: Coffee-grinder is a breakdance move. I didn't know how to describe it correctly, hehe. Look it up if you're interested.
There's the 10th chapter, yayyyyyyy :D
and now i'm out of ideas. I'm stuck in zutara fanfic mode. but makorra has be all anxious with the season coming out this fall. I'M SO EXCITEDDDDDDDDDDDDD I CAN'T WAIT FOR BOOK 2. Please read and review! As always, there's more fanfics available at ssmakorraDOTtumblrDOTcom