Chapter 1 - She's What?!
Dozens of people piled their way into the local pro-bending arena, excited chatter filling the air in anticipation of tonight's events. A lone figure walked, their form covered by a red cloak as they drifted their way through the crowd entering the building. They stopped by the concession stand grabbing some popcorn before fleeting off to the stands to take a seat.
The cloaked person was leaning back in their seat until they saw the two teams enter the ring. They sat up staring intently at the ring as the Rhino Lions and the Fire Ferrets came out.
Bolin was the only one of the original Fire ferrets left, and he wore a strained smile obviously trying to keep enthusiastic about his current situation.
The bell rang announcing the start of the match. It was only mere seconds later before there was a loud crash and Bolin was knocked over the edge landing in the water. Not even a moment later his two teammates followed suit.
"Ooh, the Fire Ferrets go down in the water, and right into the record books for the fastest knockout in Pro-bending history!"
"Where's Mako when I need him?" Bolin groaned aloud.
After his swift and crushing defeat, Bolin decided to drown his sorrow in a bowl of his favorite noodles at his favorite place, Narook's Seaweed Noodlery.
"Why hello there Bolin? Why the frown? It's not like you to not be smiling."
Bolin looked at his left to see a figure standing there wearing a red cloak.
"Sorry do I know you?"
"Oh right! You can't see me with the hood up."
The figure lowers the hood to reveal Chai.
"Chai! Hey, there little lady!" Bolin greeted
"Hey, I may be a lady but I'm not little!" Chai pouted
As she said this a few people walked behind, and they all had a good one or two feet over Chai.
There was a small squeak and Pabu came out climbing up Chai to sit on her shoulders.
"Aw, It's nice to see you too Pabu. Your fur is looking extra shiny today," Chai complimented
The Fire ferret let out a little chirp as Chai scratched underneath his chin.
"I haven't seen you for a while. How are you doing? You hear to visit your dad?" Bolin asked
"I'm doing good. In the city for a bit of business but I will be stopping by the air temple to visit my Dad. But what I want to know is what's up with you?" Chai said, taking a seat next to Bolin.
"The Fire Ferrets just lost...again," Bolin said
"Yeah...I saw the match. It was bad," Chai said
Bolin groaned, slamming his face on the table.
"Hey, how about a bowl of noodles? It's on me," Chai offered
Bolin rolled his head to face Chai. "Have I ever told you, you're the best?"
"Hehe!" Chai giggled
After ordering, the teens' meals were delivered to them in no time. Chai practically drooled as the large bowl of noodles was placed before her.
"So..why wasn't Korra and Mako with you? Aren't you guys a team?" Chai asked
"Yeah...but Mako's got police things and Korra's got Avatar things," Bolin said
"Hmmm...Yes, I see. I see."
Chai nodded her head before picking up her bowl. She held the bowl to her lips before slurping down the entirety of the bowl's contents. "Ahhh! That stuff is good! My good chef another bowl!"
"Heeey...I just got an idea! Chai, why don't you join my team? You can bend, right? What are you a firebender, I'm really getting firebender vibes from you," Bolin said
"Joining your team sounds awesome….but I can't bend!" Chai declared
Despite her declaration Chai still held her smile, not all deterred by her lack of bending despite her family background.
"Wait...you can't bend?" Bolin stated
Chai put her hands up shrugging her shoulders. "Yeah, but what can you do? If I just gripe on what I can't do, how will I ever improve on things I can do."
"Wow...that was really...wise and deep," Bolin said
"Why thank you."
Chai smiled as she finished off her third bowl of noodles.
"Welp I better turn in. I got a long day ahead of me tomorrow."
"Oh, got some important plans?" Bolin asked
"Yeah, just some basic diplomatic stuff to take care of, nothing new," Chai offhandedly said
"Diplomatic stuff? Is this like stuff for your Dad?" Bolin questioned
"Huh? Oh!" Chai laughed. "I forgot that I never told you guys."
Chai told something to Bolin her words drowned out by the patrons of the restaurant. When she was done Bolin's jaw was hanging open his eyes wide from shock.
"Your what?!"
Lin Beifong was in her office when a firm knock sounded from the door.
"Enter."
The door opened in stepped Mako.
"Mako, perfect you're here," Lin said
"What do you need me for, Chief?" Mako asked
"You'll be doing an escort job," Lin said
"Escort? Who?" Mako questioned
Lin sighed, pitching her brows. "One of the biggest headaches to ever cross my path. The Princess of the Fire Nation."
"Th-The Fire Nation Princess?" Mako stuttered
"Yes. She's going to be doing a special diplomatic visit with the President. This is more for formalities than anything, but every so often we've got a few rabble-rousers who want to stir trouble," Lin said
"Right Ma'am, I'll do my best," Mako said
"Good luck kid...you're gonna need it," Lin mumbled
Mako exited Lin's office, heading out to the main lobby of the police headquarters. He spotted two older adults dressed in more formal Fire Nation garbs and standing between the two was a young woman. She bore the traditional robes of the Royal family of the Fire Nation and her hair was up in the customary topknot, the Fire Nation headpiece resting in it. Mako's eyes zeroed in on the Princess, but it was her hair color that really drew him in. Those soft golden locks he had seen before.
"That hair…"
The "Princess" turned around, and if the hair wasn't a dead giveaway, then that large beaming smile, solidified that the Fire Nation Princess was indeed Chai.
"Mako! Hey!" Chai greeted waving excitedly
The large sleeves of her robe wavered and flopped as she greeted the young firebender.
"Y-Your the Princess?!" Mako said
"Yes, indeedy I am!" Chai proudly declared hands on her hips.
"But, I thought you were in the United Forces?" Mako said
Chai raised a brow, "What? No, I'm not silly. After Uncle Iroh abdicated the throne it made me next in line."
"Wait..Uncle Iroh?! Your General Iroh's niece?" Mako said
"Yup!" Chai said
"I...never would have pegged you for a Princess," Mako muttered
When he imagined a Princess his mind conjured up the image of a prim and proper lady, one who kept a neat and clean appearance. Definitely not this wild child before him. In the short amount of time he had known Chai he found that she was loud, rough, sometimes spoke in a crass manner, and appeared to be the kind of girl who wasn't afraid to get dirty. All in all the exact opposite of what Mako would imagine a Princess to be.
The only thing about her that fits the image of a Princess was her striking looks.
Mako abruptly stopped his thoughts wondering where the last one had come from.
"Alright, Mister Officer! Let's get this show on the road!" Chai cheered
She grabbed Mako's wrist and started pulling him out the door.
"Hey-Wait-Hold on!"
"Man this place is just awesome!"
Chai sat in the back of a satomobile her face practically pressed against the glass of the window, oohing and awing like a child.
"Normally whenever I come to Republic city I spend most of my time at the Air temple. This city just gets better every time I'm in it."
Mako, who sat a seat over from the girl, crossed his arms raising a brow.
"What's with her? It's like she's a child."
Suddenly Chai gasped out loudly.
"Stop!"
The car came to a screeching halt. Mako wasn't prepared for the abrupt stop and was flung forward barely catching himself from face planting.
"What!? What is it! What's happening?" Mako exclaimed quickly.
"There!" Chai pointed a finger to something outside.
Mako leaned over the girl to stare out to where she was pointing. He followed the girl's finger to see she was pointing at a bakery.
"Look, they sell baked goods from every nation. Oooh, I wonder if they have lava fudge cakes?"
Mako's expression turned flat as he frowned. "You have got to be kidding me."
"I would never kid over something as serious as baked goods."
Chai opened the door, gathering the extra fabric from the bottom of her dress before stepping onto the sidewalk.
"H-Hey! Wait where are you going?!" Mako shouted
"Come on man, clean out your ears. I'm getting dessert," Chai called back over her shoulder.
Mako grunted as he frowned, his arms crossed. He waited outside the shop Chai had ventured into. It was quite sometime before the door opened and out came two of Chai's attendant's arms full of boxes from the shop.
"Oh, thank you so much for your business, Princess."
The shop owner stepped out bowing deeply to Chai.
"It is I who should thank you for such wondrous delicacies. I've never had a water tribe dessert that delicious that didn't come straight from the water tribe itself," Chai said
"Oh, Princess you're too kind."
"You have a good day now. I wish you prosperity and success in your business," Chai said
She gave the store owner a formal bow before finally departing, joining Mako and the others. She walked over to Mako, the firebender still sporting a rather sour look.
"Aww turn that frown upside down. Here have a bun." Chai held her hand out with a bun sitting in the palm of her hand. "It's warm and delicious."
One of the men leaned over whispering to Mako.
"Are you really going to turn down something a princess offered you?"
Mako was going to say "yes," until he looked at Chai. She was gazing up at him with this gentle expression giving him a soft smile.
Mako cast his gaze elsewhere and grumbled but took the bun, taking a bite from it but his frown still remained.
He finished his food in a few short bites, wiping his hand free of any crumbs that remained on his hand.
"All right. We had our little pit stop, now can we get-"
Mako paused as he glanced at his right to find the space next to him empty.
"She's gone!" Mako exclaimed
Chai's attendant, Tait, looked to see that the princess was indeed gone and he chuckled.
"Oh my...Well, that took longer than I thought."
"What?! She's done this before?" Mako said
"Oh yes, quite often. It wouldn't be a true diplomatic venture if the princess did not wander off somewhere," Tait said
"Where did she go?!" Mako asked
The attendant shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure."
"Oooh how lovely. What do you think?"
"It suits you well princes."
Chai smiled as she stared into a mirror.
"What a fine work of craftsmanship. You can find so many wondrous things in Republic City."
She gazed at a necklace draped around her neck. Chai had managed to wander her way into a nearby jewelry shop and started trying on the wears within the store.
"There you are!"
Chai turned around to see a huffing Mako standing at the shop's entryway, his brows furrowed in irritation.
While the jeweler seemed quite scared of the fierce look on Mako's face Chai however was unaffected. The Princess just smiled, waving happily as the sleeve of her dress flopped from her movements.
"Hey, Mako!"
"You-!" Mako stomped his way into the store. "-stop running off!"
Chai gave a sheepish smile. "Hehe, sorry I saw something shiny and got distracted."
Mako's jaw dropped a bit, his fingers curling in frustration. "What are you, Pabu?'
"Heeey!" Chai's brows scrunched and she looked offended. "Are you calling me an animal? Well actually…" Her offended look went away quick and turned into a reflective one as she put a hand on her chin.
Mako groaned, grabbing his head.
Chai stopped thinking and turned around facing the jeweler.
"I'll take the necklace. Oh! And that other thing too."
"That's it from now on you don't leave my side. I want you in my sight at all times! No more wandering off got it?" Mako said
When he got no response he quickly turned around, half expecting Chai to be gone but much to his relief the Princess was still there. Chai had her eyes cast off to the side, her forefingers poking one another, and she had this small pout on her lips. She looked very much like a child who had been scolded.
"I'm sorry," Chai mumbled
She looked up at Mako, eyes slightly hooded, her pout still at full force.
"I'm sorry about the trouble. But thank you for watching over me."
Mako blinked, taken aback by this, most of the anger he had bubbling up vanished as Chai stared up at him with her big remorseful eyes and that small pout on her lips.
Mako groaned, throwing his head back thinking why she had to look so cute at that moment. The firebender kept his head tilted back, pausing when he realized what he had just thought. He pinched his brows and shook away the idea before looking back at Chai.
"Whatever. Just stay by my side," Mako said
Chai smiled and gave him a salute. "You got it!"
She slid up to Mako hooking her arm with his.
"Hey what are you-" Mako stuttered a bit and felt a jolt run up his arm from Chai's touch.
"This way you'll know I'm at your side! Oh, wait!" Chai gasped as she realized something. "You're dating Korra, touching you like this could be considered inappropriate."
"Don't say it like that," Mako said
"Alright, then I shall hold onto you like this."
Chai went behind Mako and gently grasped the back of his shirt.
"I do this with my Great Gran-Gran all the time."
"Your ridiculous," Mako said
"Hey, that's what he says too," Chai said
Mako rolled his eyes but as he caught sight of Chai's smile, well he couldn't help but smile too. That thing was infectious.