Side 2

Katara's words filled Lin with despair. The metalbender had given up her bending for Tenzin and his family without fear or regret, but over the days she spent without it, she had held onto the hope that it would be restored eventually either by Katara or Korra. Now that hope was quashed.

She watched Bolin leave Katara's home, and she felt kinship to the kid. Being around all this snow was very similar to being without bending. And the poor kid couldn't draw comfort from metal as she used to. Lin decided couldn't stand being around a crowd anymore either. She'd try and help the kid out. Itwould make them both feel better.

She stole away to the stables without a word to anyone else. There, she selected a polar bear dog to take out on a venture.

Bolin was easy to spot in the white environment. She made her way to her fellow earthbender. "Bolin!" she shouted. He didn't reply, but he stopped and watcher her approach.

"Do you know how to steer one of these things?" Lin had not been to the South Pole in a very long time, and in her youthful excursions, Sokka or Kya would be the ones in control of the beast.

"Ah, I think so. Just a little, uh, pulling on the reins. Why?" the kid responded.

"I may not have my bending anymore, but I know exactly how you're feeling. The South Pole isn't…easy for earthbenders. I happen to know a great spot to feel the earth again."

"That'd be great!"

"Well, get on. I'm afraid you'll have to drive, but I'll tell you where to go."

Bolin scrambled up the polar bear dog and then surprised Lin by extending his hand to help her up. While she was perfectly capable herself, she allowed the kid to help her up. She nestled comfortably into the back of the saddle, leaning back on her hands

She rolled her eyes at Bolin's failed attempts to put the animal into motion. She leaned forward to inform Bolin of the creature's name, but the polar bear dog suddenly bounded into action. Since she was no longer holding the back of the saddle, Lin grabbed the nearest thing to keep from falling. It happened to be Bolin.

"Sorry!" he shouted.

Lin didn't reply. She felt she might throw up if she opened her mouth. She had forgotten how nauseating it was to ride a polar bear dog. Not wanting to vomit all over the teenager, she closed her eyes and clutches tighter to his torso so she wouldn't be as jostled. It had worked when she was a girl, and she prayed it would work now.

Lin tried to stay on the outskirts of the crowd at the ball. That way, she could make a quick escape if need be, and people were less likely to draw her into a long-winded conversation. Nevertheless, Tenzin was able to find her.

"Ah Lin. I've been meaning to talk with you about an idea Korra had," he said smoothly.

With a sigh, Lin walked nearer to him. "Pray tell."

"It's her friend Bolin. Korra thinks that he'd be a great metalbender. I agree, so I was wondering if you would be so kind as to teach him."

Lin considered for a moment. The kid was surprisingly apt at metalbending given that he had had no formal training. He also had plenty of character. "I suppose you're both right," Lin finally agreed. "But we're between recruitment seasons. He'll have to wait until fall."

"Why don't you train him personally? I really think the boy needs something like this right now. Just look at him," Tenzin insisted, motioning across the large hall.

The kid was watching his brother and the avatar dance with a wistful expression as he finished off a glass of punch.

Lin wasn't convinced. She wasn't exactly sure what Tenzin expected her to take from that. "He can wait. Just like anyone else."

"Please, as a personal favor to me," Tenzin urged.

"Oh all right," Lin capitulated, tossing her hands in the air.

"Wonderful. Why don't you go break the news to him now? Ask the young man to dance. You could both use it."

Lin shot a glare at Tenzin, but didn't argue. Bolin was a good kid after all. She strode up behind him and tapped his shoulder at the punch bowl.

He quickly turned around and meekly asked, "Uh, yes?"

"May I have this dance?" Lin asked, turning her hand out to him. "There are some things I'd like to discuss."

"Sure," he answered, taking her hand awkwardly. The kid was shaking like a leaf as they positioned themselves for dancing. Lin was very glad she was wearing metal boots.

To stave off uncomfortable silence, Lin dove straight into the matter at hand. "I've been impressed with you, Bolin. You're more than adequate at earthbending, and I think you have the potential to be a hardy metalbender. If you're interested, I'll train you myself and make room for you on the police force."

"I don't know what to say."

"It's simple. Accept the offer or refuse it," Lin suggested stonily. "Though I suppose it's a big decision. You have your Pro-Bending to consider. And you will need to dedicate a lot of your time."

"No I accept! This is terrific!" the kid practically shouted.

Lin winced at the unwanted attention suddenly directed at herself and Bolin. "Settle down," she hissed. "We need to arrange a schedule."

Lin started Bolin the same way her mother had started her first students: with a coin. She tasked him with making the coin move in any way.

At first she watched him intently. It was obvious the kid wasn't focusing. She guessed he was intimidated by an audience, so she turned her attention elsewhere. Her uniform had acquired several unsightly scuffs earlier that day, so she removed the uniform and began to polish it.

After a while, she returned her attention back to Bolin. Nothing had happened, and the kid looked as distracted as ever. Maybe Tenzin was wrong about the kid's readiness for this. She replaced the uniform and moved to leave the room. She was only a few steps out when she thought better of it. Silently, she hovered in the doorway.

It didn't take long before the coin skittered across the floor.

"Well done," Lin said sincerely. "Amazing what you can do when you actually think, isn't it?"

The kid nearly jumped out of his skin and issued a girly scream. "Sorry! I jujst didn't realize you were there…in this room."

Lin was not amused. "Hmmm."

Sculpting was a relatively new hobby of Lin's. In her youth, she'd made her fair share of mud statues and such, but she didn't spend serious time making metal art until after her break with Tenzin. It was the perfect way to vent her emotions. To be honest, her first few pieces weren't exactly full of joy and forgiveness, but she'd developed some great techniques over the years. She had added working with sheets of metal to police training curriculum only a few years ago, and few people had seen her studio. Bolin was in for a treat.

"What's all this? Don't tell me the police spend all their free time doing arts and crafts."

Lin could tell he was joking, but she didn't appreciate the humor. "They don't," she assured him testily. "This is all my work."

"I didn't mean—"

"Can it. The point is that you're ready to move on to large pieces of metal. Bending and contorting instead of just shifting." She set off walking through the mess of sculptures until she reached her latest project. "This is what I am working on currently. It doesn't look like much now, but all it takes—" She put her hand almost lovingly on part of her sculpture and closed her eyes to better feel the metal. "—is a little time, effort—" She worked her hand against the metal, coaxing forth eyes, a nose and a mouth. "—and skill." She pulled her hand away to reveal the determined face of her mother.

"Wow! That's some neat stuff! What do I get to do?"

Lin was glad the kid was impressed. However, he wouldn't be working on sculptures any time soon. "Do whatever you can think of to that," she instructed, gesturing to a piece of tin. "I'll be working here."

Instead of continuing her work, she watched Bolin walk over to his assignment and start moving his hands fruitlessly. She smirked to herself and went over to help the kid. Apparently she surprised him because he jumped when she said, "Close your eyes. You'll never get anywhere by looking at it. You have to feel it." Lin wondered what was making the kid so jumpy.

Bolin closed his eyes, but he still didn't touch the metal.

"Don't you pay attention? How are you supposed to feel it if you don't touch it?" Lin asked exasperatedly. She was going to have to take a more hands-on approach to teaching him. She couldn't blame him though. Her mother had done similar things with her.

She guided his palms to the tin, forcing him to kneel so she could reach properly. To her annoyance, Bolin was suddenly trembling. Did she still intimidate him that much? He should be concentrating.

"Are your eyes closed?"

"Yes ma'am!"

Lin got to work by spreading her fingers between his and feeling the metal. Then she gathered her fingertips as if she were picking something up and pulled their hands away. The metal rose with her actions.

"Did you feel that?" she asked.

"I think so. Could you—could you do it again?"

Before she had time to start again, Tenzin's voice interrupted. "Lin?"

Bolin started and knocked Lin in the jaw.

Lin growled her displeasure both at being bumped into and Tenzin's intrusion. "What do you want, Tenzin?" she called, looking behind her the best she could in her position.

"Oh, I guess if you're, um, busy, it can wait," the airbender answered.

"Obviously, I am busy," Lin sighed. "I'll be able to meet with you in my office in an hour."She carried on with teaching as soon as the door shut. This time her demonstrationg yielded a depression in the metal. She stood up quickly to appease her thighs which had been protesting squatting for so long.

"Now I want to see that entire sheet covered in mountains and valleys in 45 minutes."

Lin was pleased with Bolin's progress. He wasn't exactly an artistic genius, but he was pretty creative with his metal sheets.

Today would be the last day of these practices for two reasons: she would be finished with her latest project and her favorite Waterbending Ballet was in town. Watching their performance was a perfect segue into working with cables.

Bolin set to work on his task for the day, and Lin slid on a blindfold. Engraving words in metal was especially challenging. She needed to block out any distractions she could.

After a while, Lin peeked under the blindfold at her handiwork so far. Blast! She'd missed an entire word. She was contemplating how to fix the problem when Bolin called her name.

"Yes, Bolin?" she answered, not paying attention to his reply. She could try to elongate the metal for the word. It was certainly a better option than smoothing everything over and starting again.

Bolin said something about rocks and stopped talking.

Lin offered a noncommittal "Mmmhmm" before placing her hands back on her sculpture. With tremendous effort that elicited a groan, Lin stretched the metal ribbon.

Once the statue was entirely finished, Lin informed Bolin training was over for the day. She was confused by the expectant look on his face, but shrugged it off. "We're starting metal cables next week. To prepare, I'll be taking you to see the Water Bending Ballet tomorrow at 6:30. I know you spend a lot of time with water benders already, but these dancers really have a different technique quintessential to appropriately using the cables."

"Dancing? Okay. Sounds fun I guess." His body language told a different story.

Lin stopped him from leaving with a hand to his shoulder and added, "Hey, kid, dress nice. It's the ballet after all," before exiting herself.

Lin new she was running a little late. It had taken her much longer than expected to find her dress shoes. She noticed Bolin's eyes widen as she walked up.

"So, what? You show up to a formal ball in your police duds, but you get all fancy for the ballet?"

"I happen to like the ballet," Lin informed him with a smile. "Now let's get going. We don't want to be late."

They weren't late. They were settled in their seats with enough time to browse the program before the performance.

The performance was better than Lin had remembered. She couldn't help but envy the grace the dancers possessed. She was pleased to see Bolin enjoyed the show too, if his gaping jaw were any indication.

When it was over, the kid practically drooled praises for the dancers. Lin was in such a good mood, she thought she'd accompany him to the docks so he could get all his enthusiasm out. Bolin was an animated guy. He almost smacked her with the back of his hand as he waved his arms.

"Whoosh! And psssh! And fwooh!"

Lin cracked a smile and sarcastically commented, "Very descriptive, kid. That's exactly what they did. Fwooh."

Bolin feel behind as he laughed. The sound stopped abruptly, and he rushed to catch up. When he did so, he had the audacity to try and kiss her.

Lin reacted by jerking back and swinging her fist squarely into his face. The blow knocked him down.

"What?" she yelled. "Are you—Did it ever—NO!" She grabbed him roughly by the collar and directed him to the boats. "Go home!"

Bolin hightailed it out of her presence like a frightened rabbit.

What had gotten into him? Lin wondered, massaging her hand which stung from the punch. She was having a hard time accepting what had just happened as reality. Bolin—a teenager, friends with the Avatar—who she was pretty sure was at least a tiny bit afraid of her, had tried to kiss her. Well, perhaps he wasn't actually afraid of her at all. Maybe what had appeared to be nerves were actually hormones. That would explain a lot.

In spite of herself, Lin suddenly felt flattered. A teenage boy had a crush on her. He was completely out of his mind, and nothing would ever come of it, but Lin apparently still had it going on. She couldn't stop smiling throughout her entire walk home.