A/N: This went very much in a different direction than planned. Somehow a whole "pro-bending" sparring match made its way in here. This is just a fun little fic and I hope you enjoy it!

Also, they literally do not follow traditional pro-bending rules so you won't see the gameplay be completely accurate

Lin opened the door to her apartment and motioned for Izumi to enter. The two guards that always accompanied her tried to follow but Lin cleared her throat loudly making Izumi turn and catch her eye. She motioned discreetly to the guards and Izumi chuckled as she looked to them.

"You two stay out here, I assure you I will be perfectly fine."

"But Firelord Izumi-"

"No buts, if there is any trouble you have permission to break down the door."

Lin gave the pair a look that suggested if they even thought of breaking down her apartment door she would personally make sure they regretted the decision. Closing the door loudly the pair made their way into the living room.

"You know, Zumi, I'm having a hard time not being offended that you still have those two following you around while you're with me. I am the chief of police and pretty capable of protecting you should the need arise."

"Yes, well I'm pretty sure my father threatened them with some ridiculous form of violence long ago should anything to me because I can never get them to leave me alone while we're away from home."

Lin started looking around the room, lifting up couch cushions and tossing pillows around. Izumi looked around the apartment with a raised eyebrow.

"You've got a lovely apartment, Lin. A little small, though, don't you think?"

Lin cursed as she hit her head on the small table she was currently looking under before peaking up at her old friend.

"Not up to your royal standards, princess?"

Izumi's cheeks reddened as she huffed and plopped down on the couch. She sunk down against the pillows and put her feet up on the table in front of her, her pointed shoes glinting in the light from the room's sole window. Lin was now in the kitchen, opening cupboards and rummaging around the few drawers she had.

"Lin, what are you looking for?"

"My badge. I haven't been able to find it for two days now."

Izumi turned herself around, propped up on her knees and resting her head on her folded arms on the back of the couch, looking much more relaxed than when she wore her Firelord mask for the rest of the world.

"Did you check your bedroom?"

"I did that yesterday. And the bathroom."

"What about using your metalbending to try and sense it?"

Lin paused and turned to Izumi with a smile.

"You are an absolute genius, you know that right?"

She pointed dramatically to the pin she wore in her hair.

"Firelord, remember."

Lin only rolled her eyes before she took her stance. She was going to use a combination of her seismic sense and metalbending abilities to find it. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes before stomping her foot down. Izumi watched her intently. To anyone else it looked like she had just stomped on the ground but she knew that an earthbender's seismic sense gave them a deeper view of the world than she'd ever see.

"It's not here."

Lin shoulders slumped a bit as she came around the couch and sat down next to the firelord.

"I'm sure it'll turn up. Why do you need it so badly, anyway?"

"The party tonight, I wan-"

"Lin, you are not wearing your uniform to the party tonight."

"Yes, I am."

Without a word Izumi got up and made her way to Lin's bedroom, the earthbender quick on her heels.

"Zumi! What are you doing? I don't have any-"

"Oh! What about this! You always look so pretty in green!"

She pulled out the tunic and pants that Lin usually reserved for formal events. Lin made a face, sitting on the edge of her bed with her arms folded.

"It's so uncomfortable, why can't I just wear my armor?"

Izumi rolled her eyes and held the outfit up as if visualizing Lin wearing it.

"Lin, there is no way that this is more uncomfortable than literal metal encasing your entire body."

She laid the outfit out carefully on the bed before sitting down next to Lin and wrapping an arm around her.

"It's my last night in the city, do it for me, Linny pleeease?"

Lin stood up, uncrossing her arms and letting out a long sigh.

"Fine. But that means you can't wear your uniform either."

"I don't have a-"

"Don't even say it. Look at those ridiculous robes. And that hairpin deserves a break from being stabbed into your hair for just one night."

"But I don't have anything else-"

"You're the literal leader of the Fire Nation, I'm sure you can find something less… stuffy to wear before the party tonight."

Izumi narrowed her eyes and smirked.

"Okay. I will if you promise you will wear this."

"Fine."

"Fine."

She stood and wrapped an arm around Lin's shoulders again as they walked back to the living room. They both gave a knowing look as they made for the door. Breaking apart Lin fixed her face with her usual steely gaze and Izumi straightened her glasses as she fixed her own face.

Lin opened the door and the guards were instantly there. She rolled her eyes at them and Izumi hid another smirk.

"I'll see you tonight, Chief Beifong."

"I look forward to it, Firelord Izumi."

They shared another look and Izumi raised her eyebrows as if to say "you better keep your promise". Lin's mouth twitched as she watched her friend turn to leave, the guards following closely behind. She was always more comfortable in her armor but it might be nice to wear something a bit more flexible to the party tonight.

But she still hadn't found that damned badge.

"Zumi!"

Kya yelled loudly when the firebender entered the house. The celebration was in full swing and Kya had already had more than her share of the alcohol but Lin didn't mind because drunk Kya was always entertaining. Izumi had kept her promise and was wearing a simple red tunic and pants. Well simple in construction, they still appeared to be made of some sort of luxurious silk.

Izumi looked up when Kya yelled and was immediately nearly toppled over as the waterbender gave her a big hug. Lin caught her eye over Kya's shoulder and smiled, gesturing to her own attire. She wouldn't admit it but she was pretty comfortable and more relaxed than she would have been in the uniform.

"I've been getting way better! I think I could beat him!"

"No offense, Bumi, but Tenzin has a lot more experience than you when it comes to airbending combat."

"Yeah but I was an actual military commander!"

The kids had gone to bed leaving only the adults awake. They were spread out in the living room in various states of exhaustion and inebriation. Izumi had asked Mako and Bolin about their pro-bending days and they were all now trying to decide who would win in different pair ups.

"What about Lin and Su!"

Mako shot his brother a look as Lin narrowed his eyes at him. Su, who had her head in Bataar's lap on the floor quickly sat up with a mischievous look.

"Well, I think we already know how that fight would end. Remember Zaofu?"

Lin turned her gaze to her sister as she crossed her arms. She started to speak but was cut off by Bolin.

"I don't know. Lin was in a pretty bad state during that fight and she still held her own against you. I don't think I'd bet against a fully prepared and healthy Lin Beifong."

Lin looked back to Bolin a little surprised but smugly pleased. It was Su's turn to narrow her eyes at Lin before her face lit up with an idea.

"We could settle it right now."

"What?"

"Unless you just want to admit I'd beat you."

Lin's eyes flashed as she stood, Su quickly standing too. Bolin's eyes grew wide as Bumi and Kya both got a grip on a Beifong sister. Tenzin stood, raising his hands.

"Nobody is fighting anyone."

"Unless…"

All eyes shot to Izumi as she looked innocently at the ceiling. Her nose was slightly red and her hair hung loose around her face.

"We could team up. Like old times but now there's enough of us we could go against each other."

"Zumi!"

"You have got to be kidding me. It's way too late-"

"Oh, don't be such a party pooper, Ten Ten!"

"I'd be up for it!"

"Korra-"

"Let's do it."

Tenzin turned incredulously to Lin. With the chief of police on board it looked like it was actually going to happen. Bolin was beside himself with delight. They all sat down and started planning the teams.

"Okay, so we've got an overabundance of earthbenders and since we need a Beifong vs Beifong match I think myself, Wei, and Wing should serve as the referees."

The twins seemed perfectly okay with their assignment as they nodded intently to Bolin.

"So we'll have a bender for each element with Korra representing water since the only other waterbender is Kya."

Kya squeezed herself between Lin and Bumi on the couch, wrapping an arm discreetly around Lin's waist.

"So on Team A we'll have Tenzin, Kya, Su, and Mako. And then Team B will be Bumi, Korra, Lin, and Izumi."

"No way! They can't have the Firelord AND the Avatar!"

"Okay fine, we'll switch Kya and Korra, no offense Kya."

Kya just shrugged her shoulders as she used her bending to bend another drink into her glass. Before she could take a drink, however, Lin had grabbed the glass and set it on the table.

"If you're going to be on my team I'm not going have you too drunk to function."

Bolin clapped his hands together excitedly.

"Okay! We'll do best 2 out of 3!"

They all got up and made their way outside, Bumi and Kya both stumbling slightly as Lin grabbed them both by an arm to keep them upright. Izumi came up and wiggled her way between Lin and Kya, wrapping an arm around each of them.

"You know, my armor would have come in handy right about now."

"Yeah, well I'm not please to be wearing silk for sparring either so we'll be good company for each other."

"Please tell me you're at least not half in the bottle like these two idiots?"

"Pshh, don't worry Linny. We've got this. I'm pretty confident you and I could take them alone."

Lin let out a laugh as they came to the large clearing Tenzin usually used for meditating or training. Bolin and the twins quickly got to work created a makeshift pro-bending platform while Izumi and Mako took to lighting the giant lamps that lined the corners of the clearing.

Everyone quickly took their positions. Lin had made an elevated seating area for Asami, Pema, and Bataar to sit while Wei and Wing each took a position on either side of the platform to keep an eye out for cheating. Wei had bent a piece of flat metal into a cone for Bolin to use a commentator's megaphone.

Lin, Bumi, Kya, and Izumi stretched as they huddled on their side of the platform while Tenzin, Su, Korra, and Mako did the same on their side.

"Okay, I'll take Su. Bumi you take Tenzin. Izumi-"

"Don't you think that's exactly what they'll expect us to do, Lin?"

"Kya, the whole point of this is to see who is the best at bending each element."

"I'm just saying, if we want to win I think it'd be better if we switched it up."

"No way! I'm with Lin, I want to knock Tenzin right on his airy as-"

"I actually think Kya may be-"

"Just trust me. We'll each take down our own target and beat them easily."

Kya raised her hands in defeat and pulled Izumi away to get in position.

"It's no use, Zumi. You know how stubborn she is."

"I heard that!"

Kya turned her head and stuck her tongue out at Lin who just raised her hands questioningly before taking her own position. The others were already ready and Korra was smiling excitedly.

"Okay! Teams ready? Go!"

Lin immediately matched Su's stance and launched a disc at her but was surprised when her sister didn't aim at her but rather Izumi. She tried to yell a warning but a gust of air hit her in the gut and she was knocked back to the farthest ring. She glared furiously at Tenzin before launching another disc at his head. He dodged her with an incredulous look as he watched it soar past his face.

Izumi had deflected Su's disc but was having difficulty deflecting both her and Korra's attacks. It seemed as if their strategy was to pick off the strongest (or in this case, the most sober) players first. With a calculated blast Mako was able to easily knock Bumi from the platform, Wei catching him with a piece of earth as he lowered him to the ground.

With another blast Kya was sent flying from the platform but she was easily able to stop her descent by summoning water from the nearby fountain. Lin went to shout another warning to Izumi as Mako joined in on the assault against the firebender only to once again miss the shot being aimed at her. Korra's jet of water hit her in the chest as she soared off the back of the platform. She had difficulty finding the ground as she fell but was easily caught by Wing.

"Got you, Aunt Lin!"

Lin sat on the ground next to Bumi as she watched Wing lift himself back up. Another moment later she was satisfied as she watched Korra go flying off the side of the platform. It was short lived, however, as another moment later Izumi came hurdling for them. Lin bent the earth to meet her as she was lowered slowly to the ground.

"Round 1 goes to Team B! I think we need better names than that. Team Air Bison formerly known as Team B wins the first round! Can the Badgermoles stay alive in round two?!"

Kya, Bumi, and Izumi all burst out laughing at their new team name. They got to their feet and Lin lifted them back to the platform.

"You were right."

"I'm sorry? What was that?"

"Don't make me say it again. We need a new strategy."

Kya was smiling broadly and Lin lightly punched her in the arm as they huddled together again.

"We could easily change strategy and attack the opposite element but I think that may also be too predictable. Zumi, you should take Tenzin and I'll take Korra. Bumi and Kya, you both try to keep Su and Mako distracted. Once we start eliminating them we can regroup and take the others down together."

Kya's eyes seemed clearer and focused while Bumi still seemed to be processing what Lin just said.

"Are you old folks ready to lose yet?"

Izumi's eyes narrowed at Su's taunt. Lin smiled determinedly back her.

"Let's do this."

The second round started better than the first. Lin knocked Korra in the second ring and Izumi flustered Tenzin enough that he ended up falling back too. Lin saw Mako target Kya from the corner of her eye and diverted one of her discs at him the second he shot out. She hit him right on the side and he went flying off the platform. She let herself get distracted again as Tenzin once again hit her with a blast of air. She just barely managed to stay on the platform and immediately went to retaliate until she saw him go flying off the back of the platform with a strong blast of water.

"Oh, that was a little excessive, don't you think refs?!"

Izumi and Lin both saw the opening at the same time as Su let her guard down. Lin went for the legs and Izumi went high, watching as Su stumbled before flying off the side of the platform. Mako and Korra teamed up and easily knocked Bumi off the side while Kya seemed to find her stride as she knocked Mako back a space. She looked to her teammates and gave a wink. Apparently she was not quite as drunk as she had originally appeared to be.

"Hey, do you guys remember Operation Flaming Boar?"

Lin and Izumi looked to each with a smile and nodded. It had been years since the three of them had competed but they had practiced so viciously and often that they all doubted they'd ever forget their meticulously planned moves.

Izumi took her position and shot out a precise blast of fire. Korra and Mako dodged in separate directions just as anticipated as Izumi ducked down allowing Lin to launch herself in the air and strike them both hard enough to topple over the edge.

The three woman jumped up excitedly and hugged each other as if no time had passed since their youth. Bumi joined them on the platform and pulled them all into a big bear hug.

"Round two goes to the Badgermoles in an impressive comeback!"

The four of them huddled again and they laid out their plan of attack. Even Bumi seemed to be more focused as they broke apart.

Immediately Lin watched in shock as Izumi was flung off the back of the platform. All four of their opponents had set their aim at the Firelord to quickly eliminate her from play. Lin didn't waste time as she shot 3 discs in rapid succession at Tenzin, knocking him back two sections.

A blast of air hit Korra in the chest and she went flying back into Tenzin, knocking them both off the back of the platform. Bumi seemed to have surprised even himself as he watched them fall. He looked to Lin excitedly not even paying attention to the fact that Su had set her sight on him, striking him with two discs and causing him to once again topple off the side.

Mako shot out at Lin, causing her to jump back a space. She didn't mean to but she glared at him with one of her signature scowls.

"Sorry, chief!"

"Don't apologize Mak- ow!"

Kya had taken advantage of Su's distraction as she knocked her back a space. Lin shot out a disc at Mako who dodged it but missed Kya's jet of water as it easily knocked him off the side of the platform. Su took aim at Lin again, firing 3 discs. Lin dodged the first two but knew the third was going to knock her from the platform. Instead she felt herself being flung in the opposite direction as she watched Kya take the hit and go flying off the side.

"Ladies and gentleman it appears we have a classic Beifong vs Beifong showdown for you tonight!"

Bolin seemed beside himself with delight as he practically danced on his platform. Wing and Wei had made two more spectator stands for the other players as they all watched the sisters face off.

Lin looked to the stands and caught Kya's eye. She took a deep breath and nodded to Lin. Lin nodded slightly and took in a deep breath, grounding herself as she looked to Su. Her sister moved so quickly shooting a single disc at her with more force than would normally be allowed in a pro bending match. Lin didn't mind though as she closed her eyes. Right before the disc made contact with her she stopped it and used its own momentum against it, hurtling it back at Su.

It had all happened in a few seconds. One second the disc is about to surely knock Lin off the platform but then the next second Su is the one flying off the back. It seemed to take everyone a moment to realize what happened, Bolin recovering first.

"The Badgermoles win! Oh my God, that was so cool! Chief, can you show me how you did that? HOW DID SHE DO THAT?"

Bolin continued to yell into the megaphone as the others gathered on the platform. Lin was pulled into a group hug with her teammates as Bumi lifted her onto his shoulder.

"Bumi, stop it! Put me down!"

The twins and a disgruntled Su lowered the entire platform back to ground.

"What is going on out here?"

A very sleepy Ikki appeared with Jinora, Opal, and Meelo not far behind yawning and looking annoyed. Pema gave Tenzin look as he rubbed his head guiltily. The twins wasted no time running to their baby sister.

"I can't believe you missed it, Opal! Aunt Lin was amazing!"

"And mom! She helped take down the Firelord!"

"Of course, they didn't follow the rules very well but it was a good game regardless."

Lin couldn't help but smile as she listened to her nephews recount the game. She let out a groan when she stretched her arm out, feeling a muscle pull painfully.

"I know exactly how you feel."

Izumi had come up beside her, a hand on her lower back.

"Me too."

Kya was laying on the ground an arm over her head.

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you're getting too old for this."

Su came up to them. Bumi also came over and wrapped an arm around Su's shoulders. She hissed and grabbed her shoulder. Lin let out a laugh.

"Looks like you're getting old too, Su."

They all laughed then as they looked over to where Wei, Wing, and Bolin were now fully reenacting the game for the kids.

Izumi groaned.

"I'm exhausted. Lin, I don't know if I want to go back to the city tonight."

She looked to Tenzin and Pema.

"Oh! You guys are welcome to stay here for the night. I'm afraid space is a little limited so you'll have to share a room. I'm sure one of the kids-"

"We can stay in Kya's room."

Pema chuckled as Lin cut her off. Lin loved the kids but did not fancy spending the night with one of them while they were all hyped up. Izumi looked to Kya.

"You don't mind?"

"Course not, it'll be just like old times!"

"Zumi, you share the bed with Kya. I'll take the floor."

"Lin, you don't have to sleep on the floor."

"I'll be fine. I actually like to sleep on the earth sometimes. It's comforting."

"Earthbenders are so weird…"

The three of them giggled like they were teenagers. Izumi climbed into the bed, Kya following after. Izumi rolled onto her side, reaching an arm under her head. Something cold touched her hand and she yelped.

Lin turned the light on immediately ready for a fight. Kya just groaned as she squinted her eyes against the light.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Izumi groaned sleeply.

"Lin, I found your badge."

Kya's eyes opened wide as she made eye contact with Lin. Izumi just set the badge on the blankets and made to turn over and go to sleep. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she sat up, looking from Lin to Kya.

"Why is Lin's badge in your bed? How would that even- what-are you? Spirits! Are you guys toget-"

Kya quickly clamped a hand over Izumi's mouth, shushing her.

Izumi made eye contact with them both and Kya couldn't help the grin on her face as Lin's face got red. Kya carefully lowered her hand.

"We haven't told anyone yet."

"Well, my mother knows because, well, she's my mother."

Izumi was still beaming as she stared at the pair of them.

"I'm so happy for you guys! I can't believe you didn't tell me! You have to tell me everything!"

Kya groaned as she fell back on the pillows.

"Tomorrow. Kya needs to sleep. For everyone's sake. Trust me."

Kya threw Lin's badge at her head before pulling the blankets over her head.