Mako waited in front of Dan's, a popular bar, on a cold Saturday evening, the sky threatening to break out into a shower any minute. He felt the light drips play with him, but there was no way he could let Hazukk miss him. As Beifong had hammered into his head two weeks ago now, he had to have a talk with Hazukk.
A few days had passed since Korra had ran off, and crime rates were soaring through the roof. Now with the word that Korra was gone, everyone was no longer bound to the law if the Avatar wasn't there to stop them, or obey it herself.
This was all because of Hazukk's story. It spread like wildfire and now everyone wanted to speak to him, all the big TV stations, the top radio channels, everyone. Beifong had been forced to confirm it in a press conference before, because doing otherwise would be lying. Hazukk was rolling in the riches at the minute. Mako was the least popular person in the force because of how close he was to both Korra and Hazukk, when in truth, he hadn't spent too much with Korra after that time at the wedding, and Hazukk had pissed him now. He'd genuinely trusted him, and Hazukk had just blared a secret he'd specifically said that he'd keep to himself across the front pages.
Mako entered Beifong's office and sat down in the chair.
"I'm really putting my neck on the line for you, ya know that?" Beifong yelled at him. "Asami Sato won't co-operate with us after you visited her, and Hazukk Arahonov has sent the city into chaos because of his article, after YOU vouched for him to come along! You're on very thin ice, right after getting promoted!"
"But Hazukk was the one who tipped us off in the first place!" Mako replied, defending himself more than Hazukk, who he was fuming at.
"This is why we don't trust fucking journo's!" Beifong shouted, and pounded her fist into the table. She glared at Mako again, not hiding her overwhelming stress. "Now listen here! I'm willing to give you one chance to redeem yourself."
"What is it? I'll do it!" Mako said eagerly.
"I want you to go to Arahonov and give him a talk. We can't let the media think we're going soft! Let him know that we hate him, and the damn Sun, and that he's never welcome back here! This is personal, Mako, he's ruining YOUR reputation here and bagging all the cash for himself."
"Don't worry, I intended on doing it myself," Mako said, and stood up. "I'll wait until the weekend to talk to him so that he doesn't suspect anything official." He left the office with one thing on his mind only.
"There you are!" Hazukk exclaimed, walking up to Mako and clasping his shoulder, a broad smile on his face. He was dressed extraordinarily well for just a casual drink. Mako smiled weakly back, but didn't greet Hazukk other than that.
"Wanna get a drink?" Mako offered.
"I'm afraid not, I'm invited to Quang's Cuisine to give a talk tomorrow, so I can't go getting smashed." He finished his sentence with a huge laugh, like a man with all the confidence in the world.
"But you said-" Mako started.
"Believe me, I had enough trouble sparing the time for you tonight," Hazukk said seriously. "It's been fairly chok-a-block recently."
"You're not doing too badly," Mako noted, gesturing to the smart clothes his 'friend' was dressed up in. "All those interviews and that article really seem to have set you up nicely for the time being."
"You bet!" Hazukk said, his voice travelling all across the quiet street, and put his arm around a tense Mako's shoulder. Mako forced a smile, and played along as they walked along the road to nowhere in particular, barely holding back the urge to smack Hazukk's teeth out.
"How did the boss react to your story?" Mako asked. "He must have been really been pleased to see it blow up like it did."
"It was a massive relief, we had that one waiting for weeks!" Hazukk exclaimed. "As soon as I saw Korra blast a hole through the station, I knew that her time was up, and I got on the phone straight away to the boss. A thousand copies disappeared in less than an hour."
"A thousand copies?" Mako repeated. "You had that many ready?"
"Of course we did," Hazukk answered cockily, "but we sold several thousands more. Everyone wanted one for themselves, and that crook of an Avatar has finally been brought up on something we can prosecute her on! And none of it would've been possible without your help, buddy."
"I've read it, and I interpreted that she saved you, no?" Mako mentioned. "Then why are you hanging her out to dry?"
"Nonsense," Hazukk answered, waving his hand as if to brush it away. "I was in full control of my safety."
"You said you got beaten to the side, and I also distinctly remember you being washed over the side back at the main fight against the waterbenders?" Hazukk removed his hand off of Mako's shoulder, and looked at Mako more directly as they kept walking forward.
"That was only temporary, and I was just about to get out," Hazukk deflected, "but she used all four elements to take out the rest of them. How am I meant to compete with that? Unless you know something that would have made her weaker?" It finally started drizzling, but Mako didn't put his hood up. He subconsciously didn't want Hazukk to one-up him on anything, so he didn't do anything when small droplets started to dampen his hair. Hazukk didn't bother mentioning it.
"No," Mako responded. His mind cast back to the shock of learning that Korra was pregnant. He'd only told Beifong that, and she'd told him that that information was top-secret. He hadn't even told Bolin, as they were still very distant after the fight a few months ago. Mako was slowly beginning to feel the slightest bit of contempt for Bolin. Why didn't he just make it up already?
"I can always get you in on a bit of the cash flow," Hazukk said slyly, and produced two hundred yuans casually out of his pocket. Mako glanced at them, and pushed them where they came from.
"I know nothing," Mako reiterated. We can't let the Sun know that a pregnant woman embarrassed our force, even if that woman is the Avatar. It started to come down a bit heavier now, but Hazukk politely bent the rain into a sphere above Mako's head.
"If your mind changes later, just tell me," Hazukk said.
"I will," Mako replied, shutting off any further conversation on that with Hazukk. They walked a bit further and reached Avatar Korra Park.
Mako sighed at the sight of the statue of Korra. It was defaced in numerous places, and a head had recently been carved beneath her front foot. There was loads of red paint dried in, symbolising blood, and the plaque had been painted over with the word 'SCUM'.
"Not pretty, is it?" Hazukk commented wryly. "It'd be better off gone altogether, don't you think? I never liked the idea of worshipping her anyway, not when there are so many unspoken heroes of the city, like yourself."
"What's your fucking issue!?" Mako shouted suddenly. It caught Hazukk by surprise and soaked Mako to the skin by dropping all the water he had been gathering over his companion's head. Mako wiped the dripping water from his eyes and glared at Hazukk. The rain really started to pour now. Nobody had been staying out late too much recently, and with the dark clouds earlier, it left just the two of them in a stand-off in front of the statue of Korra in the pissing rain
"I have no issue with Korra, I'm simply just doing my job," he answered curtly. "Why are you defending her? She's a known criminal and-"
"You're a jealous little prick, aren't you?" Mako accused Hazukk. "You were just trying to put her down the entire time! Don't try to hide it, you wouldn't be going to interview after interview if you didn't want to!"
"That's very high and mighty of you, isn't it?" Hazukk challenged, putting his hood down, and returning the glare. "As soon as I make a bit of money after being kicked off the probending team, you just can't let me be! You and I came from similar enough backgrounds, but you never let me away with anything." His old accent started to creep back a bit. "You're just bitter, that's why you've never been able to hold down a proper friendship with anyone but your brother, and even now you've managed to fuck that up!"
"I'm trying to stand up for my friend Korra right now!" Mako argued. "I could've gone to one of you rats with countless stories about Korra, but not once did I ever consider it, because she was only ever trying her best. She won't even feel safe around me now, because I introduced you to her! It's all your fault that for all the lootings that are happening, and you're making a fat profit off of it!"
"It's all my fault?" Hazukk repeated, and Mako mentally slapped himself in the face. He'd just given Hazukk a prime opportunity to go to town on his argument. "I'm not a police officer who could be going after criminals right this very moment and time instead of complaining about it to a friend. It's not my fault that you're trying to pin it all on me when the biggest authority figure in the city apart from the Chief of Police bloodbends someone? Or is it?"
"What made you think for one second that we were ever friends?!" Mako asked. "And you released the article as soon as you saw Korra was being chased without any real evidence! It could've been something entirely different!"
"Like what?" Hazukk questioned, nearly catching Mako off guard.
"Nothing," he replied gruffly.
"So there is something else?" Hazukk implied, leaning closer to Mako. Mako just shoved him away.
"You're not getting any favours from me," he growled, the rain drenching his clothes even more now.
"Really? Because if I remember correctly, who saved you from the Triple Threats when you were cornered in an alley, hmm?" Hazukk reminded him. "And who gave you the chance to kill the man who was responsible for your parents' deaths?"
"That second part was pure coincidence," Mako argued.
"Maybe it was," Hazukk admitted, "but without me, he'd still be terrorising families just like your own was."
"You wanted to run away!" Mako reminded him. His rage was showing on his face more and more by the minute.
"I did, but I listened to the authority on that one, and stayed."
"Cut the lip-service!" Mako ordered. "You're never welcome back at the station again. Ever. And if you ever disgrace one of my friends again, I'll make you pay!"
"One of your friends? I don't think you really have any left right now, do you?" Hazukk taunted, but caused Mako to stop and think. "Korra hasn't talked to you in ages, and you're in the very organisation trying to detain her right now. Asami Sato doesn't really talk to you anymore, and Bolin has put you in the rear view mirror. During those lonely days in the hospital, I was the only who visited you regularly."
"That's not true!" Mako said weakly. "They all just have a lot going on in their lives."
"You said it to me yourself, that Asami visited you only once or twice," Hazukk exposed him. "You told me that you didn't want any women in your life, but the impression I get is the complete opposite. You're too proud to say it aloud, but inside, you're hurting bad. This is probably the first time you've gone out in ages. When was the last time you went out with someone other than me, huh?"
"I've been busy with work," Mako mumbled, trying to avoid the question. "I only got promoted a couple of months back, so I can't be resting on my laurels."
"Bollocks!" Hazukk called him out. "You're the spitting image of Lin Beifong, no friends, so you're forced to pull rank to gain respect from your peers."
"You don't have a clue about my life!" Mako shouted. "I've been averaging six hours of sleep a night because of all the crimes skyrocketing around the city. And you know what, you're right! I don't have a social life compared to you! You get to stroll around like you're big stuff now after one article that blew up! I bust my ass on a daily basis for the good people of Republic City because it's just a part of my life, and I don't have the luxury to brag about it!"
"Pulling rank," Hazukk whistled, and that was the final straw for Mako. He was never good with words, but he had always been better at one thing than Hazukk. He brought his right hand back and powered a massive fireball at Hazukk, enough to swallow the entire waterbender's body. Hazukk's eyes widened and he narrowly shimmied out of the way as it flew by and crashed into the small bridge not too far from them.
"What was THAT for?" Hazukk roared, but Mako didn't answer him and quickly fired another two fireballs, albeit a lot smaller, at Hazukk. Hazukk, who was still off balance, whipped the water out of his snakeskin and the fireballs were sizzled out, but Hazukk was now stumbling backwards. Mako curled his foot around to Hazukk's head-height and fire trailed out of his toes. Hazukk had no more water readily available and was forced to use his arms to protect his face as a fireball finally hit him. He let out a cry of pain as his coat sleeves were ruined and he fell heavily on his ass on the path.
"Shit," Mako cursed, as he realised that Hazukk could now go to town with him in an allegation. He could lose his job now. "I didn't mean that, Hazukk!" he called out as he started to jog over to help him up.
"The fuck you didn't!" Hazukk shouted loudly, and threw off his coat onto the grass, ruining what was left of it. He waved his hand at Mako, and a disoriented volley of water made for the firebender, but it missed its mark. Mako stopped, and took a few steps back, unsure what to say. Hazukk did though. "I've been waiting years for this chance. Fight me, man-to-man!"
Hazukk didn't wait for a response and picked up all the water that was gathering in large puddles on the ground. He also took a large amount from the river. It coiled around him like a snake, and then, he thrust both his hands forward. All the water formed a small wave and rushed to smother Mako. Mako jumped to his left away from the river, but his right leg got caught flailing behind by the wave. He tried to put weight on it as he spun around, but it didn't support him and he fell on the soggy grass. He tried to scramble up, but slipped and fell back on his elbows. He squinted as the heavens really opened, barely able to make out Hazukk through the thick rain.
"Ok, now we're even, I'm sorry," Mako tried, but he didn't even believe the apology himself.
"You probably won't get another chance at this, Mako. Fight me," Hazukk called out, and Mako gave in. Hazukk was at a huge advantage, with the weather, but he needed to do this.
Mako threw a fire hook at Hazukk. It lit up around them very nicely, but Hazukk just laughed. He held out his hand and clenched it shut. The rain around the fire sped to condense in it, and a second later, it had sizzled out.
"That's the best you can do? My turn," Hazukk declared, and four thin tendrils snaked out of the river, two waiting by both of his hands. With a harrumph, he fired them all at Mako at once. Mako rolled further away from the river, evading the first two, but was struck in the back by the second two. He moaned in pain as his face sunk into the mud, then spat the soggy dirt out.
"I'm not the liability I used to be," Hazukk stated cockily, but Mako wasn't quite as helpless as he was projecting to be. He turned quickly and slashed fire at Hazukk as fast as he could. Hazukk, who didn't have any water immediately left to protect himself, helplessly watched it slam into his midriff. He thumped backwards onto the ground, and lay there.
They both stayed down for a bit before Hazukk managed to push himself back up. He wore a fat grin on his face, and raised an eyebrow at his burnt shirt. Mako saw this and wheezed as he got to his feet and into a boxing stance.
"Looks like you'll need some new clothes," Mako panted.
"I've got plenty of money for that," Hazukk replied, and more water curled around his body from the river. "You can have the first shot."
"Whatever you say," Mako said sarcastically, and threw a quick one-two of fireballs. He tried to follow it up using an upwards kick from his right leg, but it was still injured. It only rose half the way up and the resulting fire-kick spluttered out on its own. Hazukk smirked at this, then took more and more water out of the river. He was struggling to hold it up after a few seconds, so he quickly let it fly.
Dozens of volleys of water shot towards Mako. The firebender danced around as many of them as he could, and evaporated any that were too close for him to dodge. Hazukk saw this, and his smirk grew bigger despite the strain that the water was having on him. He watched as Mako kept on moving sideways, and froze the puddle underneath him as he stood on it.
Mako slipped and flailed his arms around as he tried to regain balance, and his fireball missed a watervolley coming straight for him. It connected, and Mako fell over. He nearly blacked out as he got winded, and groaned. Hazukk dropped whatever water he had left, and walked over to Mako triumphantly.
"It was stupid to fight me in the rain, you should've known that," he taunted, and poked Mako in the chest.
"The police won't believe you if you go to them," Mako responded, barely able to breath, referring to a potential allegation of assault. "Go ahead, try." Hazukk stood up to his full height and looked down on Mako, a towering figure now.
"That would be the straightforward thing to do, now wouldn't it?" he said. "But you know what? I just don't feel like it."
"Bastard," Mako snarled, shivering, unable to think of any well thought-out insult.
"I'm going to leave this with you and me, because I think it'll hurt all the more. You attacked me first, it was just self-defence." He leaned in to Mako's ear. "And you can't go saying this to anyone, because if I hear, I'll confess in the papers. It doesn't suit me to be getting into fights with the police very well right now, and you'll lose your job." He tapped Mako on the face.
With that, Hazukk walked away, out of the park, to wherever he felt like going, leaving his tattered coat behind in the rain. Mako stayed there silently as he prayed for the ground to swallow him up. His last proper friend he had remaining left him to decay for all he was worth, and Mako finally did black out, miserable, friendless and alone.