Author's Note: okay! This is it! After months of slaving over this story, it's going in the history books! That's right, this is the final chapter! How will I end the tale that mashed up one of my favorite cartoons with one of my favorite movies?
Two weeks after Mako had talked with Hiroshi Sato, dozens upon dozens of kids, teenagers, and even some adults were gathered at Gommu's Candy Shop, along with other candy and grocery stores throughout Republic City. And every single patron was clamoring for Candyman Bumi's Three-Course Dinner Chewing Gum. It wasn't long before a location ran out of its supply, and the owners had to order more.
At the Bumi Chocolate Factory, phones were ringing off the hook, as Oompa-Loompas answered the calls and filled out invoice after invoice of the new chewing gum. Everyone in Republic City was screaming for more of the gum, and word of mouth was already spreading to other towns.
Bumi, Mako, and Lin were watching the Oompa-Loompas take one call after another. Bumi looked rather overwhelmed as he stated, "I may be starting to regret this idea of yours, Mako. Now I'm not sure if we can keep up with the demand of the public."
"Oh, ye of little faith," Lin replied with a smile. "We can finally call this chewing gum a success, and Mako's coup de grace for the factory so far. His idea for an endorsing celebrity was brilliant, and to think, the celebrity was his own girlfriend!"
"I meant what I said when I told you Korra could be persuasive," Mako happily added. He then unfolded the newspaper he had tucked under his left arm and held up the back page, which displayed a full-page advertisement hawking Bumi's new chewing gum. The most striking part of the ad featured a full body shot of Avatar Korra, looking happy and confident. Her right arm was crossed over with her hand resting on her left arm; her left hand was holding a pack of Bumi's new gum.
A speech bubble to the upper right of Korra had her saying, "Candyman Bumi's new Three-Course Dinner Chewing Gum takes all the great taste of a full meal and packs it into one little strip! There's no prepping beforehand, and no cleanup afterwards! This gum literally makes it feel like you're eating tomato soup, roast beef, and blueberry pie! And it satisfies your hunger as well! I've tried this gum for myself and I loved it! I know you will, too! And because it's made by Candyman Bumi, you know that it will be scrumdidilyumptious!"
Mako bit back a laugh as he read the ad. He had written Korra a letter about doing this favor, and she had heartily agreed. She returned to Republic City a week after Mako's talk with Hiroshi Sato. The advertisement had already been designed, all they needed now was a picture of Korra to display in the ad. Korra enjoyed the whole experience, striking one pose after another until Mako and Bumi were satisfied with what they had. Even though they only used one picture for the ad, Bum and Mako decided to keep the remaining photos of Korra for possible ads in the future. In fact, she was now living on the factory grounds.
Korra had told her parents she wanted to go out and see more of the world, and with her Avatar training now complete, her mother and father knew they couldn't hold her back. So, after visiting Mako weeks before, she went back home but didn't stay long, venturing out to nearby inhabited islands. Mako's letter arrived during this time, and despite wanting to explore more, Korra couldn't refuse a request from her boyfriend. After her photoshoot, Mako offered Korra to use the chocolate factory as a sort of home base for herself, where she could put down new roots. Again, Korra was flattered by her boyfriend's offer, and this time she graciously accepted.
But that wasn't the only thing Korra said yes to. As she finally came to join the others, Mako caught sight of the intricate betrothal necklace that the Avatar was wearing. He had asked Korra to marry him after they finished the photoshoot, claiming that he loved her more than anything in the world. Korra had teared up, and happily said yes over and over again. But before Mako put the necklace on her, Korra asked how he could propose to her without getting the blessing from her parents.
"Back when your parents visited, your mom actually told me that if anybody should ask you to marry them, it's me," Mako said with a beaming grin. "And your dad agreed with her."
Korra wasn't much for jewelry, but the betrothal necklace was a long-standing Water Tribe tradition, and she adored the personal touches that Mako had made to it. While the gem of the necklace itself was blue, the patterns of the Water Tribe and Fire Nation symbols meshed together was laid in with bright red. It was a symbol of Mako and Korra's respective heritages, coming together as one.
"So, when shall we hold the wedding, City Boy," Korra asked adoringly as she hugged him.
"Well, a special anniversary is coming up soon," Mako replied, referring to the day of the factory tour. "Why not then?"
"I'd be honored and privileged to host your big day," Bumi said kindly, his mood becoming more excited. "I just love weddings! Cake, candy, and drinks all around!"
Lin, however, simply shook her head in exasperated playfulness.
If Mako ever lived to be a hundred, he would never forget the day of April 14th. So many things happened on that day. Wonderous, intriguing, at times frightening, and above all, magical things. And now, one year after touring the Bumi Chocolate Factory, April 14th would be the anniversary of something else that was just like the tour. Today, Mako and Korra would be married.
The wedding was being held on the factory grounds, albeit inside the Oompa-Loompas mess hall. Only family and close friends were invited, which included Lin Beifong, and all the Oompa-Loompas. Korra's parents, her teachers from her Avatar training, Toza, and surprisingly, the other golden ticket winners were also invited. Bolin and Skoochy were happy to receive an invitation, and while Asami did accept the offer, she felt somewhat indifferent about the whole thing, not sure why Mako and Korra would even invite her.
Mako was standing up in front of everybody else, along with Bumi, who was his best man, and a Water Tribe shaman from the South Pole, who would conduct the ceremony. Bumi was wearing his normal attire, while Mako was decked out in a new suit. The Oompa-Loompa band played a happy and lilting tune as the short procession began.
Keira walked down the aisle wearing a powder blue sundress, tossing flower petals from her basket. But her tomboyish attitude made itself present as she high-fived Mako when she arrived up front, drawing laughs from the crowd. Everyone not already standing rose to their feet as Korra and her father made their way down the aisle. Korra's wedding dress was quaint, yet elegant, with white accenting the blue fabric. Her hair was pulled back slightly in a covered bun.
Korra was actually nervous about her appearance. Although it had been a year since the tour, the thought of suffering a relapse due to the special chewing gum never fully left her. Korra had actually asked her mother to help make a dress that could adapt to her body if, spirits forbid, she began swelling back up into a blueberry again.
Mako and Senna laughed when they heard the idea, but went with Korra's wishes to alleviate her worries. The dress had pleats, or double folds of cloth, in certain areas. And Bumi pitched in with the dress as well, offering an ingredient that he used to make taffy. Said ingredient was a gummy sort of elastic that would be sewn into the seams of the dress, allowing the material to gently stretch.
As Mako now saw the finished product on Korra for the first time, he realized how lucky he truly was. It had just taken a long time for him to do so.
The ceremony went flawlessly, and everyone cheered when Mako and Korra shared their first kiss. The reception that followed was just as extravagant. Candy-inspired dishes were plentiful, but the coup de grace was the blueberry-flavored wedding cake, which made the newlyweds laugh. Well-wishes were extended from everybody, including Asami, who actually made it a point to apologize to Korra and Mako for her actions a year prior, saying it was out of line and in poor taste.
It now seemed that all the other golden ticket finders were now better off after their mishaps in the factory. Skoochy was still working as an informant for the police, and Bolin was putting together a championship-caliber pro-bending team back home in Boulderheim.
Finally, the newlyweds took to a clear area of the mess hall for their first dance as husband and wife. Mako and Korra smiled at each other adoringly as the first few bars of "Pure Imagination" began playing. Nobody ever imagined that all this would happen when Bumi sent out his golden tickets. But the contest gave different, yet wonderful things to different people.
Bumi now had an heir to his factory, and some way, a son. Asami now had a better attitude, and was no longer the stereotypical spoiled rich girl. Bolin was now a picture of better health. Skoochy was now working for the police instead of being chased by them. Keira now had a safe and loving home, with wholesome food and comfort for the rest of her childhood.
"If you want to view paradise,
Simply look around and view it!
Anything you want to do it,
Want to change the world?
There's nothing to it!
There is no life I know,
To compare with pure imagination!
Living there, you'll be free,
If you truly wish to be!"
And as the Oompa-Loompa band finished the song, and as Korra and Mako kissed again, they now saw what they had been given by the factory tour. The Avatar had nearly quashed a bad habit, and found the love of her life, and Mako…well, he now had that better life he had be striving and working towards for so long.
And one thing was absolutely certain: life had never been sweeter.
A/N: come on! Was there ever any doubt that I would finish a story with a happy ending? That's just the way I was raised; I'm special! I hope you all enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it (most of the time)! For now, I bid you all adieu. But don't worry! Like with all my other stories, this is (now) Genesis-9 saying, "I'll be back to turn it on again!"