After nearly a year apart, the Fire Princess and the Avatar's daughter had only became closer. They hugged each other as soon as the latter arrived at their favorite restaurant in one of the shabbier neighborhoods of Republic City, far from the prying eyes of the social elite.
"So, how have you been, Kya? Have you found a new girlfriend yet?" the Fire Princess asked nervously looking down at her cup of tea, reheating it herself to just the right temperature before doing the same with her companion's cup which had become cold while waiting.
"No, unfortunately. Have you found a suitable potential husband yet, Zumi?" the Avatar's daughter replied just as nervously as she accepted her now hot cup back from her best friend.
"No, unfortunately." Izumi replied.
"Time is running out. You're already eighteen, Izumi and didn't the Fire Sages give you until like the end of the week?"
"The year, but that still doesn't help any."
"Well, good luck, Zumi, you have four months."
"And good luck to you, Kya. You have a week."
"A week for what?"
"To find a new earthbender and firebender for our pro-bending team,"
"What? But you can't leave me! Izumi! You hauled all of the weight starting this thing, you CAN'T!"
"I'm sorry. I have to return to the homeland to find a husband. He can't be foreign born or half or else the loyalists may overthrow the crown or something!" Izumi replied.
"Fuck the loyalists! Don't tell me you came all this way to tell me you're quitting a WEEK before the games start again!" Kya exclaimed begging the princess on her hands and knees.
"Get a grip on yourself, Kya! People are staring!" Izumi whispered frantically trying to lift Kya off the ground.
"I don't care about other people! Only YOU, Zumi!" Kya said with tears in her eyes.
"Get up already! People will think I'm a lesbian if you don't stop grovelling!"
"Well, aren't you?"
"Yes, but I don't need the world to know, ESPECIALLY my father. I'm a princess and I have a duty-"
"But Zumi-"
"Ugh! Fine! I'll talk to my mom and see if she can pull any strings with my father, or the Fire Sages so I can stay on the team. In the meantime, you have to hold tryouts for the earthbender vacancy, and potential firebender vacancy for the team, okay?" Izumi said.
"Why is there an earthbender vacancy? I thought Lin-"
"I thought so too, but she's still only twelve."
"So? She can still fight."
"True. But do you think she has time? I heard Aunt Toph's keeping her busy in all sorts of odd lessons this year to help round out her development or something."
"Yeah, so? We all know Aunt Toph's favorite pass time is seeing Lin beat the crap out of everybody. I think she'll consent and let Lin drop something,"
"I don't know."
"It never hurts to ask."
"Really? When's the last time you spoke with your city's "Esteemed Chief of Police?"
"You have a good point, like always, Izumi."
"That is because I was trained to think before I speak,"
"HEY!"
"I'm just kidding! Now hurry up and order something! I'm starving!"
"Me too,"
Four Days Later:
"So your Dad let you return to Republic City for pro-bending despite everything?" Kya asked walking arm and arm with Izumi, both of them dressed in casual clothes from their respective countries.
"Yep. Mom forced him, told him she'd help me elope with you if he kept me caged in that palace and didn't let me enjoy my youthful knees while they're still working," Izumi replied smoothly.
"And he believed her?" Kya asked in disbelief.
"Of course!" Izumi replied with a smirk.
"I love your mom!" Kya exclaimed.
"I love her too," Izumi said looking down with a smile.
"So what are we going to do about the earthbender vacancy in our team?" Kya asked Izumi.
"Kya, we talked about this. I thought you were going to hold tryouts and find somebody local. I mean, there aren't many earth benders in the Fire Nation Capital so I couldn't do much searching."
"Can we just use Lin again?"
"Have you spoken with the Chief of Police?"
"As a matter of fact, I have! And she's provided us with new uniforms after you burned a hole through mine in the final match last Season!"
"That was an accident!"
"I know, but I still can't believe you lost your control that night!" Kya said with a wink.
"Ugh- you're infuriating sometimes!" Izumi groaned pushing the waterbender playfully.
"But you know you still love me!" Kya giggled.
Lin took off the fluffy green wig and the shapeless brown dress and ran her fingers through her shoulder-length, wavy black hair with a heavy sigh of frustration.
"Niki, can you BELIEVE it? Madame Jiaxiang actually said Lin gets to play the TREE this year!" some snobby rich girl said.
"Actually, I can, Tianli. She does have the acting capabilities of a pebble!" Niki replied maliciously as she and her two friends laughed. "What do you think, Yuxi?
"I can't wait to see the Chief's reaction when she sees how little Linny's progressed in acting!— oh wait! She can't see!" Yuxi commented causing the intensity of her friend's laughter to increase.
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Lin screamed slamming her costume into her duffel turning around on her knees. "I'll turn you three into a single tree if you don't LEAVE ME ALONE!" Lin yelled flinging a piece of metal out of her bag and across the room to slap the three girls all in a row with one blow.
"MADAME JIAXIANG! BEIFONG HIT US!" the three girls cried running across the stage and out the other wing.
"Whatever!" Lin groaned as she beckoned the metal back to her hand and organized the inside of her satchel. Just then two pairs of feet appeared in her field of vision mere inches from her satchel. One pair was encased in black leather shoes with pointy toes and crimson soles, and the other pair was wearing seal fur moccasins. Lin looked up and saw her boyfriend's big sister and the Fire Princess standing before her.
Lin cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you here?" Lin asked frowning and returning to her messy bag where she folded her tree costume pitifully.
"We heard a rumor you'd be here," Kya answered with one hand on her hip.
"Theatre class? I must say, I'm intrigued. I didn't think you were the type to like acting," Izumi added with an approving smile as she folded her arms and looking around curiously.
"Trust me. This wasn't my choice. Mom thinks acting classes will help me if I want to be a detective. She says I need to learn to control my expressions and my poker face is far below standard." Lin said.
"Oh Lin, we could have helped you with that!" Izumi sighed rolling her eyes.
"And besides, How can your mother see if your poker face is lacking if she's BLIND?" Kya asked.
"I don't know! Ask her!" Lin yelled irritably zipping her bag shut. "Anyways. You didn't answer my first question. Why are you here?"
"We did answer your question. We're here because you're here," Kya said with a smile.
"That's not a good enough reason. Can't you see I'm busy?"
"Busy thinking of ways of how to beat up those girls without leaving a trace?" Izumi asked nodding at the other wing of the stage knowingly.
"Maybe," Lin muttered turning away with an adorable little pout on her face.
"Well, pro-bending starts up again on Friday. And I'm sure everyone would prefer you take out all of your frustration on the platypus bears then," Kya said offering Lin a set of clothes she pulled out of her bag.
"I can't," Lin sighed not accepting the uniform.
"Why not?" Kya asked.
"First rehearsal for the fall showcase for Earth Kingdom Dance Class is then." Lin replied sadly.
"Dance too? I swear to the moon, you're becoming Su!" Kya yelled.
"It's not like I have a choice!" Lin replied defensively.
"Ditch it like you used to ditch the academy!" Kya suggested.
"It's not that easy. At the academy, someone just moved up and fills in the gap for the missing person. In dance and acting, people have roles and it's OBVIOUS when someone goes missing!" Lin replied motioning with her hands the process.
"SPIRITS LIN! You're coming!" Kya said thrusting the uniform into Lin's flailing hand.
"But-" Lin began to protest.
"Lin," Izumi said in a softer, more compassionate tone placing her hands on the young earthbender's shoulders. "I don't think your mother will get mad at you for skipping dance once a week." Izumi said.
"Why not?"
"Just look at the new uniform. We have a sponsor now And I'm sure the sponsor will take care of everything," Izumi said turning the pile over to show her the emblem on the back of the uniform.
Sponsored by Earthen Fire Refineries
A smirk spread across Lin's face. Thanks, Mommy!
Bahaha! Poor Linny getting bullied. And Kyumi and later a bit of Bumizmui. And some young Linzin and Toph's company that she inherited from her father sponsoring the team. I think this next season will be exciting. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK/WANT TO SEE! PLEASE! Or else I will continue to write blindly.