Chapter 3 – Being Human

Thor opened his eyes to the first lights of day; he looked around as he scratched his golden head. The young prince yawned as he came out of bed and walked towards the hallway by opening his door. He went slowly walking towards the bathroom in the hallway, this mortal body was harder to use than he thought. First it was coldness and now it was tiredness…

As he finished his business, he proceeded to wash his hands and his face, as he did so he saw his reflection on the mirror. He still got it all right, hair as gold as the Sun, eyes as blue as the oceans themselves, the face that would melt a thousand maidens, a physique that would redden any and all females in the area, yeah…he still got it even within this mortal body. He smirked to himself as he walked outside the restroom and towards his room again to change.

He looked at his shirt, it was alright but it needed the touch of an Asgardian Prince. He remembered that he always used four armored plates on top of his leather shirt back on Asgard, those were made of Uru, so instead he cut out four circles out of a white rag and stitched them to his dark blue shirt.

"Nice." Thor said as he gazed upon his work, it was nice considering that he had never stitched anything before…he had people to do that for him. He put on his shirt on, his pants, his fur boots that he had found inside the room's closet and lastly his red jacket. He was ready now and headed out to the yard.

There he saw Korra walking from the girl's side of the island, she carried a bag full of stuff and she seemed to be very sleepy. "Korra! Need some help?" The young prince asked, he really wanted to help her. Thor never really tried to help anyone but himself back in Asgard, now here on Midgard something told him to help this girl who strangely shared many qualities with him.

She was beautiful…like him…so he says, she was as headstrong as him, and she had this outlook on life that made Thor want to be around her often. The strangest thing was that he had just met her two days ago. Even stranger was that Korra had made him forget all about Asgard and his lost godhood.

"Sure, thanks." Korra responded with a tired voice, Thor took the bag and carried it with his left hand.

"You look tired; you didn't stay awake for too long did you?" Thor asked the tired Avatar as they walked towards the island's docks.

"I hate mornings…mornings are evil." Korra replied as she rubbed her eyes in an effort to wake up. "Mako is making us train earlier because he wants to keep us in the game. Such an annoyance."

"Back home, father used to tell me early bird catches the worm. I'm sure Mako just wants you guys to win this championship." Thor said as he smiled happily.

"How can you be so smily this early?" Korra asked the cheery prince.

"I'm used to be woken up at dawn. Just because I'm a prince doesn't mean I'm excused of warrior training." Thor answered. "Speaking of which, you don't happen to know who makes swords around here. Do you?"

"I don't, sorry. Most people don't carry swords anymore…since the past eighty years." Korra responded.

"I guess bending makes everything easier." Thor said as the two of them hopped on to the ferry and rowed towards the main land.

Korra's training with Bolin was quite the show. Thor watched them fluidly move through their punches and kicks. Water and earth met in an spectacular clash, the young prince of the heavens was quite impressed, never has he seen such art coming from mortals before.

"That was fantastic." Thor commented as the duo rested from their training. They were sweating pretty hard, the sweat on Korra's skin made it shine against the light of the sun, it made Thor choke a little and make his skin redden once again, luckily for him Mako came in.

"Not bad guys, our skills are improving with each training session." Mako said giving the two of them bottles of clean water.

"Wow, you are actually being nice today." Korra said with surprise.

"Yeah bro, you've been less angsty since you came back from work the other day." Bolin added.

"What? I can't be happy that my team is getting better in something? Jeez." Mako defensively said.

"Ah, I know that look. My friend, you are lovestruck." Thor said as he smiled.

"It's that true?" Bolin asked. "Mako, you hidin' something?"

"Uh no…I met this girl while coming back from work…and I kinda like her. There, this feels like an interrogation." Mako replied as he opened the locker and placed his training clothes in it and put on his black jacket and red scarf.

"What's her name?" Korra asked as she crossed her arms, her voice a little on the offensive, Thor then noticed something…

"Her name's Asami…which reminds me I have to be clean for tonight!" Mako remembered. "Come on Bolin, you take too long."

"I can't change my shirt and pants while Korra's here…its feels weird." Bolin responded.

"Fine, I'll change outside." Korra said as she walked out of the training area. Thor looked at her as she left.

Thor then thought to himself, he wasn't really good at reading people…he just sliced and diced everything on his way. He walked towards a nearby window and looked outside. These newfound emotions were hard for the son of thunder, but this new skill of learning from the people of around him had made him notice something in his friends. Well at least in Korra…and in himself. When she asked what was this woman's name she sounded a little envious…a little how Thor feels right about now.

"Odin's beard…I'm jealous of a mortal." Thor realized, he turned and walked towards Mako. "Mako, I think I am feeling this thing called jealousy. Explain to me how to get rid of it."

"Oh uh…first tell who are you jealous of." Mako replied.

"Well…you. Should I challenge to a duel?" Thor asked.

"What?" Mako and Bolin responded with confusion. Mako tried to answer but he couldn't find a right one. "Hold on, why would you be jealous of me? You're a prince!"

"Don't forget that you have yellow hair, just look at Mako's hair, it goes up! I mean what's UP with that?" Bolin joked.

"Shut up Bolin!" Mako responded as Bolin laughed.

"I have sensed that Korra has affection towards you, an affection that in Asgard rewarded a man with two women and a table full of mead." Thor said. "Wait…that was Tyr, but my point stands."

"And let me guess, you have that same 'affection' towards her too?" Mako asked.

"No…yes? No…yes? I don't know." Thor tried to give a response but he didn't know how to feel right about now. Last time he liked someone this much, she ended up leaving him for a life of training with the Valkyries and never to see him again. Didn't even say goodbye.

"Listen man, you don't have to feel like that alright? Just stop acting so weird and be yourself." Mako advised the young prince. "It's getting late Bolin, hurry up!"

"I would if Pabu hadn't stolen my underwear!" Bolin responded as he tried to look for his missing clothes.

"You train without underwear?" Thor asked. "Gross."

"Ugh…" Mako grunted as he placed his hand over his face.

Later that day, Thor decided to take a walk around town, he wanted to know a little bit more about the city he was staying in. As he walked by, he saw a man talking in the park with a loud speaking device.

"Join us and together we can bring down the bending establishment!" The man said through his device that amplified his voice. Thor walked curiously to him.

"May I ask, what is it you speak of?" Thor asked the loud man.

"Let me ask you first, are you a bender?" The man asked him.

"No." Thor answered. The man smiled and took a piece of paper from the stack next to him.

"Then don't hesitate to join us brother! Together we can equalize the city!" The man gave him the piece of paper. Thor walked away looking at the paper. On it there was the face of a masked man and strange words he didn't understand. Behind the flyer there was a picture of several boxes, he didn't get it but still kept the flyer. It got his attention.

"I haven't asked you this yet, but why do you have four circles on your shirt?" Korra asked the young prince as they ate in the dinner table with Tenzin and his family.

"Back home I use to wear these four pieces of armor that looked like circles over my chest. I guess it just makes me feel at home." Thor said as he took another spoon of soup.

"You haven't explained how your home looks like. You told us that you were a prince, how is your father?" Tenzin asked him, Thor wanted to answer his question but he didn't want to reveal that he was actually an immortal from a different plane of reality…it would be crazy to do so.

"My father…where do I begin? Its better if I explain how he is with a story. When I was a kid, around three years of age, there was this big war with our rival kingdom, the...Jotun Dy…nasty. The Jotun Dynasty, yes, many of my people were being attacked by these savages until my dad intervene; he came to the battlefield himself. He had his golden spear on his hand, his legendary battle armor on and he rode on top of his most loyal steed, Sleipnir. He loves that horse…he led his troops against the savages with such courage that he inspired the village people to take up arms against their oppressors."

"He chased them all the way to the heartland of their kingdom, but instead of wiping out the entire royal family along with its king…my father showed compassion. He took with him a small child, the son of the Jotun king…my adoptive-brother." Thor told, he seemed to be getting really into it. "My father didn't destroy their city either, he allowed many to live. To this day, the warriors say that they will never lose a battle because Odin is on their side."

Thor then realized how much he missed his father, he hadn't realized until now. "He sounds like a wise ruler." Tenzin complemented.

"Are you the Crown Prince? You must be! You can marry Korra and then you both can be King and Queen!" Ikki quickly said making Thor choke on the soup he was drinking, Tenzin had to slap his back so he would stop coughing.

"Sorry…swallowed some the wrong way. Heh…" Thor said, he felt completely embarrassed as everyone looked at him "I…will be going now."

Thor walked out of the residence of Tenzin and quickly made his way towards his quarters. "Oh poor poor Thor." A voice said forcing Thor to stop on his tracks.

"I know that voice, is none other than wretched Loki, what do you want?" Thor asked his adopted relative.

"Just came to see you, and I say this is a sad fate for the future God of Thunder and master of Mjolnir." Loki responded as he came out of the shadows. "You do know that it is impossible for immortals such as us to be with worms like these."

"Each to their own thoughts, brother. How are things at home?" Thor asked.

"Your little stunt in the borders between Vanaheim and Jotunheim has made relations between them worse…war worse. Karnilla has even hoped in, and father has sent emissaries to deal with the situation. A hopeless action since the Storm Giants won't relent from getting Vanir blood." Loki informed.

"Aye…there is no forgiveness for what I have done." Thor said as he sat on the ground holding his head in frustration. "I just wish I was there fighting a long my Asgardian brethren…but then again I don't want to leave."

"You don't?" Loki was curious now, why didn't his brutish brother want to leave Midgard. "Tell me brother, why wouldn't want to leave this backwater world?"

"I think…I think my heart has been stolen by a mortal, brother." Thor answered.

"That must be the most sensible reason I've ever heard coming from your barbaric mouth…I'm proud. But there is no choice brother, if you don't learn your lesson soon, the war will consume Asgard." Loki said as he sat next to his brother. "I know that I'm no Balder, he is the most annoying little nice boy that has ever existed, but I must say that I have always envied you."

"Jealousy has been running rampant these days." Thor said as he looked at the night bay. "Being crown prince is not as good as it looks brother."

"I just want to be liked by father you know, being the trickster gets old after a time. This is why I came here to warn you about the war…I want to help." Loki said as he gave Thor a small dagger. "Here, it's a dwarf dagger, made of the finest steel."

"Thanks brother." Thor thanked his adoptive brother. "Give Balder my regards."

"Sure sure." Loki said as he disappeared. Thor stood up and walked towards his room.

The next day in the afternoon as Thor and Korra were walking towards the arena to visit the brothers when Mako ran towards them. He looked extremely worried.

"Mako, what's wrong?" Korra asked him.

"Korra…have you seen Bolin?"

"No, we haven't. Where has he been?" Korra asked.

"He wanted to raise money for the championship…we were going to tell you but I can't find him." Mako responded.

"Then we must find him, the night has fallen." Thor said as the other nodded and started their search.