~Chapter 2~

~ Nobody Does it Better~

Korra couldn't believe it, she was here in Republic City and they weren't going to make her go back to the South Pole. True, she had be arrested and interrogated by the Chief of police, but she was here and finally she was going to learn air bending and for the first time she had friends. She bit her lip; well first time she had more then one friend that wasn't Iroh or his family.

For a moment she wondered whether she should send Iroh a letter telling him she had moved to the city but as Korra glanced at the clock she realized if she didn't get moving she'd be late for warm up before the game. She could always write him later; after all he had been out of contact for almost five months now being on his newest mission, who could tell when he'd be back in the city to read it? Korra shrugged it off grabbed her gear bag.

.o.

Bolin had that same goofy grin on his face when he saw Korra walk into the locker room. "Hey Korra! You ready for tonight's game?"

"Yeah! I'm ready to kick some major butt in the ring!"

She began to stretch and warm up but stopped when she noticed Bolin standing near watching her get ready. When she met his eye he turned away. Korra raised an eyebrow. "Uh, what's up?"
"Oh, well I was wondering since you're new the to the city weather you'd like a native to show you around? You know give you a good taste of the city!"

Korra paused, she remembered reading one of Iroh's letters telling her about how amazing the city was. He also told her that one-day he'd love to show it to her. She bit her lip, she didn't know if he was in the city and Bolin was just a friend what could be the harm of accepting? Maybe Bolin knew some places Iroh didn't and when he did show her the city she could surprise him.

"Sure, that sounds great!" She smiled.

"Awesome!" Bolin's smile broadened.

"Hey, you two plan in your off time we got a game to win!" Mako yelled from the starting platform.

.o.

Iroh leaned back in his chair safe in his quarters of the ship; he had taken his contacts out and had turned on the radio to listen to the latest match. He had missed the first part of the game but it really didn't matter he knew it was the Ember Island Eel hounds vs. The Fire Ferrets. He took a sip of drink in his hand when the announcer came on to commentate the game.

~Welcome back folks to the second half of the match! It's the Fire Ferrets 1 the Eel hounds 0 and the benders take their positions and there's the bell! Both teams are off and fighting. The Fire Mako takes a hit but stays in his ring! And now Avatar Korra pushes-

Iroh spit out the liquid in him mouth and looked agape at the radio. "No, he didn't just say…"

And Avatar Korra knocks him right out of the ring and it's a point to the Fire Ferrets!

"Korra?! What?!" Iroh felt shocked and a little hurt that she hadn't written him that she was in town but then again he hadn't been back to his apparent for the good part of a month. Perhaps she had sent a letter and it was waiting for him at home. He leaned back and took another sip. Korra had never really been that good at writing back usually only posting one out of ever five letters she ever penned …allegedly.

Iroh shook his head. He had to think the best of her and besides since taking this mission he rarely ever wrote her. While he was still unsure of the specific names and ranks of the people causing the problems in the First Fleet he did know they were people you didn't want near your loved ones.

He looked back at the radio a deep longing in his chest for Korra growing. Maybe he could get tickets for her next game and cheer her on? Possibly bring her some flowers she wasn't deathly allergic to. He smiled, yeah be a bit of a surprise turning up a game out of the blue but he could show his support for her and start off on good footing. His smile broadened as he listened to the rest of the game. Yeah, he liked this plan…a lot.

.o.

Korra stepped off the ring into the locker room where Asami was waiting to greet Mako. She threw her arms Mako's neck and kissed his cheek.

"Congratulations! You did great babe!"

Mako smiled blushing a little. "Thanks, it was you cheering us on that really put us over the top."

Korra exaggerated a gag as she walked by the adoring couple. She glanced over at Bolin who was silently laughing at her expression. Soon Pabu had jumped onto his shoulder and he was petting the fuzzy little guy.

"So what would be a good day to show you the city?" He asked leaning against the lockers.

Korra thought for a moment trying to bring Tenzin's strict schedule to mind. "I think I'm free Wednesday. Tenzin's got council meetings all day and there's still a day between that and our next game."
Bolin smiled. "Well next Wednesday it is! Make sure you wear comfortable boots, because I am going to show you this whole city!"

Korra laughed. "Ok, I'll make sure to do that."

.o.

Iroh walked out of UFO headquarters having summited his latest disappointing report. Ever since Amon and his equalists had come on to the scene and started to stir up trouble his job had only become harder, soldiers who would have usually not get in to the debate where now taking sides and now the rift between the two factions was just growing day by day.

Iroh shook his head as he stepped out on to the pavement. He really wished someone else had gotten this assignment between the eye aches the contact lenses and the constant fear of being found out; Iroh was a bundle of nerves. He rolled his shoulder; he could really use a massage right now to ease all the tension. Checking his watch Iroh saw he still had a few hours before he needed to be back on his ship. There was a men's spa not too far from here that Iroh had been to a few times and really liked, so he set off on that direction.

As he walked down the street a white polar bear-dog ran passed him and turned a corner. He only saw them but Iroh instantly recognized Korra and Nagga however the young man with his hands on her hips Iroh didn't recognize. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly knowing full well that if he had been a fire bender it would have come out like steam. The thought crossed his mind the Korra had taken on a lover, which, given that they were in a marriage of connivance, wasn't too strange, but it hurt all the same.

He thought back to their last anniversary where: yes, the animals had completely escaped form their cages and they had helped to recover them, they had had a good time. He still could recall how her lips felt on his that night. She had said she loved him and he had believed her but now he wondered whether she meant it. He sighed and resumed his walk to the spa; they definitely would need to have a long talk when they finally did meet up.

.o.

Korra slowed Nagga spotting a jewelry story with a red dragon emblem on the window. "Hey you wouldn't happen to know if that's good jewelry store or not?"

Bolin looked over. "Oh that's Chu-yin's they're a pretty exclusive place and really only deal with real Fire Nation Jewelry. There are other places with much broader selections." He looked uncomfortable. "And that aren't as snobby or expensive."

Korra turned Nagga around and jumped off right in front of the store. She looked back up at the dragon and smiled. "Yeah, I've been looking for a place just like this." She glanced back at Bolin who was still on Nagga looking even more uncomfortable. "You coming?"

"Uh sure." He gave a nervous laugh as he got off Nagga. "So why are you looking for a place like this? Got a thing for Fire Nation stuff?"

Korra drew from around her neck a silver chain with a golden ring encrusted with a single ruby. "I've been meaning to get this thing resized for years now and this is literally the first time I've been near a jewelry story that can do it right."

"Oh!" Bolin looked at the ring. "Wow it's beautiful even if a bit small."

"Yeah, well I got it when I was fourteen and back then it was just the right size but now," She held up a hand, "my fingers kind of grew since then." Korra walked through the door without hesitation.

"Ah! Got it." Bolin said fallowing her in to the store. "So, aside from being pretty what's so special about it? Why do you want to wear it again?"

Korra unclasped the chain and set the ring on the counter and waited for a salesman to wait on them. "Well, even though I grew out of it, I really want to be able to wear it again. I mean I'm supposed to wear it until I die so getting it to fit my finger again would probably be a good idea."

Bolin looked at the ring scrupulously. "Until you die? What is it? A wedding ring?"

Korra chuckled. "Exactly." She turned to the man who had just walked up. "Hi, I was wondering whether it would be possible to get this ring resized?"

The man picked up the ring and examined it. His eyes widened as he recognized the piece of gold. "Of course Princess, I will put this as top priority."

Bolin almost fell over. "Princess?!"

The man didn't seem to notice Bolin at all. "Now could you please give me your hand so I can get the right size."

Korra held out her left hand while Bolin just looked at Korra unsure of what to say, he finally settled on saying princess again. Korra looked over at Bolin. "Well yeah, I thought it was common knowledge." She looked back at the jeweler. "It's common knowledge right?"

"Sadly, it seems that most of the people in Republic City don't keep up with what goes on in the rest of the world." The Jeweler said writing something down. "Especially when it's old news like the marriage of the Avatar." The man smiled. "I'll need your signature giving the ok to work on your ring and a number we can reach you at to tell you when it's completed. It shouldn't take longer than a day but I wouldn't want you to have to wait around for it."

"Thanks." Korra started to sign her name. "And you'll keep this number and the job confidential won't you?"

The man bowed. "I would never dream of doing other wise Princess, once this job is complete and you have your ring back I'll destroy the number, don't worry."

"Ok, good." Korra filled the paper out and slid it back. "I look forward to being able to wear it again."

The man nodded. "I'm sure Princess, could I interest you in some of my other pieces?"

"Maybe when I pick the ring up." Korra replayed as she made her way to the door.

The man bowed. "As you wish."

.o.

Bolin turned to looked at her once they were back on the street. "Ok, explain. You said you were the avatar but you mentioned nothing about being a princess or married, so spill."

Korra could see the hurt in Bolin's eyes. She had not meant to cause him pain and had legitimately thought he knew about Iroh. Was this supposed to be a kind of date? Maybe Iroh was right when he said 'she wouldn't know romance if it bit her.'

She sighed. "I'll explain everything but let's not do it here in the middle of the side walk."

Bolin crossed his arms. "I'm not moving until you at least explain a little."

Korra sighed. "Fine, when I was fourteen there was almost a war between the Fire Nation and the Southern Water Tribe. To keep that from happening My father and Fire Lord Zuko were able to reach an agreement but the councils of both countries didn't believe that the peace would last and a whole lot of other complicated things happen. Long story short I was married to the sixteen year old Fire Prince and there was no war."

Bolin's shoulders dropped. "Wow, to be in an arranged marriage at such a young age. Wait with you being fourteen and the prince being sixteen did you two? At that young age?"

Korra shook her head. "Ew! No! We stayed up and played Uno, Guess Who, and a few other board and card games before passing out on the rug."

"Oh, so did you two ever? I mean have you and the prince ever? Have you ever? Can the marriage be annulled?"

Korra smirked getting back on to Nagga. "Wow aren't you nosy? Yes, we have and while it wasn't under the most ideal conditions it happened."

Bolin blushed. "Yeah I can imagine. So do you love him? Or even like him?"

"Yeah, I love him even if I don't let him know that all that often."

Bolin nodded getting back on to Nagga. "So, not to sound ignorant but what's he like? The fire prince?"
"How about we find a place to eat and I'll tell you all about Iroh. Deal?"

Bolin nodded. "Deal."

.o.

As Iroh passed a newsstand on his way out of the spa he bought a paper turning to the sports section just to make sure he had tickets for the right night. He spotted a picture of the Fire Ferrets and felt a wave of relief wash over him. There standing next to Korra smiling holding a fire ferret in his arms was the man he had seen riding Nagga. They were just teammates! That was all! That was all…that was all?

"I need to know more about these two bending brothers." Iroh folded the paper and kept walking.

N/A head canon time all the United Forces ships are named after mythical monsters so that those on board can remember that they look like monsters to unfriendly shores.