Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Mako

You're an orphan and have been for two years. You're ten now.

And you have a little brother. He's eight. He's happy and can see happiness everywhere. And you love him and you have to take care of him.

When your parents were...killed...and, and you and your brother watched them be buried and the social people told you that you couldn't stay at your house anymore, you went to where you knew they had kept their money and took it. And you thanked their spirits and you told them that you'd protect your brother forever.

And when you overheard the orphanage people say that there were people interested in adopting him and different people interested in adopting you, and you decided that you two had to run away, you went where you knew they had kept your money and more money and you took it, extra blankets, and the clothes they gave you before leaving.

That money has kept you fed and when your brother needed new shoes and you needed cough medicine, it was there. Six months pass and you still have a lot because you started going to the shopping district at night and looking through the trash for the food they didn't sell that day. And when he says he found that one place had an open window and you could get food from inside the kitchen there, you did that too, even though you cried about it later because to you, it meant that he wasn't going to be as happy as he was before and you were taking care of him wrong.

You decide that because you love him and you have to take care of him, you got a job—jobs. Things that hurt and make you dirty for eight hours and, you felt, smelly, even though you always scoop up pond water from the park at night to make yourself clean.

It's been two years now. Winter's about to start. But the places you worked for before won't hire kids anymore because the police came by and told them that they could get in trouble. But that money you had in the beginning is almost gone and your brother is almost nine and you're almost eleven, and the two of you need food, clothes, and stuff—not a lot of stuff, stuff that everybody needs. And he's not going back to the orphanage—he's staying with you because it was the last thing you promised to your parents and you're going to keep your promise.

And one day, after you and your brother spend the night in an abandoned building, huddled with one another for warmth, you decide to try again at the fishing docks. Winter is coming. But on your way there, you see a Satomobile, a really nice blue one, and kids as dirty as you are standing around it. And a big guy, dressed nice with graying temples, is giving them money.

Your brother runs there and comes back with enough money to keep you fed for another week. Not because your brother did anything, but simply because he ran up and the guy was giving it out. You ask the other kids who that was and one of them tells you like you're stupid:

Lightening Bolt Zolt. Leader of The Triple Threat Triads.

You and your brother spend the night in another abandoned building eating dumplings—it was a treat because he had been a really big help that day. And he goes to sleep, happy for the first time in a long time, but you sit up and you think. Just because Lightening Bolt Zolt was there that day and he gave out money doesn't mean he'll be there next time or he'd give money all the time. People aren't that nice and you know that—you got the memories, burn marks, bruises, and scratches because of it. You need to find another way, and so you spend the night calculating, trying to find that other way.

You decide to find Lightening Bolt Zolt. You ask around and you're led to where The Triple Threats call their headquarters. You sit there for almost six hours until the evening when you see his Satomobile coming up. And then you jump out and say his name.

He looks at you and thinks he knows what you want. He gives you money and you take it, you're not stupid, but you tell him that that's not what you really wanted.

"Oh yeah? And what do you want that you'll think I'll give ya exactly?"

A job.

He laughs. And then tries to move around you because you're not that important and can't offer him anything, but you grab at him to let him you're serious. You want a job.

He stares at you and then snaps his fingers. And his driver, a fat guy, maybe an Earthbender, comes out and tries to pull you off of him. And you flail and you feel yourself being lifted off the ground and you grab at that big guy's shirt and you make fire and burn it so he'll drop you. And he does. And he wants to hurt you really bad now because you ruined his new shirt, but you jump and punch and make more fire stream out of your hands and you bend it at him. He is an Earthbender, but you're a Firebender and you make more fire and he can't touch you.

"Rui, fall back," and the big guy listens. Lightening Bolt Zolt looks at you, sees your potential. "Okay. You want a job, you can have one. But you have to prove yourself. So let me give you a test. If you pass it in one week, I'll give you a job. And cuz I like you already, I'll even let you ask me a question before then—that is, if you find me."

He gives you a series of numbers, tells you not to write them down. Then makes you repeat them for him.

34 500 73 4 10

"If you get there, Ring the doorbell fast—bzzt bzzt, real quick. You walk in, go to the door, won't get any shit. But in case you do, say this: Cherry."

You go back to your little brother with dumplings because he's been waiting for you without knowing where you are for a long time and it's too late to go looking in dumpsters. You stay up and you repeat the number to yourself. You have to get somewhere with this number—so, it can't be a phone number. But there isn't an address that long, and there're spaces.

You spend three days walking around the city, trying to figure things out. You spend two more days staking out the headquarters again but he never shows up. The next day, the sixth day, is much more of the same and so you decide that you're never gonna be able to figure you out, and admitting that defeat hurts too much...but not as much as when your little brother comes to you expecting dumplings again and you have to tell him that you're going to the district instead.

The food from The Last Dragon is good, enough to keep your stomachs from growling, but not the sting of disappointment you feel. You decide to head back to the packing district by crossing in front of the restaurant because you're going across town and at least it will look nice, when you hear his voice. You run faster, almost leave your brother behind.

He's laughing. He's going back into his Satomobile, one foot inside and crouching down, but then pauses. "Anything you want..." He's talking to someone inside. "Okay. And I'll meet you later. Rui, we're heading over to Province 34." He steps inside and closes the door.

Province 34?

34

You realize that what Lightening Bolt Zolt told you were a set of directions. And you stand there, trying to figure out if it's better to go now or later, if you should take your little brother. And he knows that something is going on because you've never looked so thunderstruck before and maybe it's because you're so happy and you have a lead that you decide to drag him with you.

Twenty blocks, long enough to make that blister you had on your foot from the first three days hurt and you worry about your little brother, but he's not complaining. He is able to keep up with you, but he wants to know what's going on and you tell him because it's easier. You warn him that when you get there, he's going to have to be big and brave because no one is going to hurt him, not while you're around—but he needs to promise to stay outside of wherever they're going. And you promise him that from now on, you'll be able to take care of him better.

He promises.

Province 34, a new district they made last year, the 500th block of Republic City. Building no. 73, a skyscraper from the looks outside, but an apartment lobby inside on the other side of a glass wall and an empty lobby desk. The 4th floor, where the apartments actually are, and Apartment 10.

You ring the button under the tiny gold number twice. And a voice comes over the speaker asking what you want, and you say the word you're supposed to: "Cherry."

And the door opens and you tell your brother to sit on one of the comfy lobby chairs, but warn him that he can't sleep in case someone comes. He has to hide...there, behind another couch. He nods.

You head to the elevators and press buttons and go up to the fourth floor and walk over black carpets to a black-painted door with the number 10 on it and you knock.

A little old lady peeks out, face like a dried, candied peach, and rasps to ask you what do you want, who sent you, if you know how late it is, and how she hates that you all come at every time at the night, that they had been told not to come after midnight. It's not midnight yet, but you don't correct her—you were taught better. And you let her finish, but the moment she lets you speak, you say "Cherry" again.

And she goes to get Cherry, because she needs to be talking to her about this, but lets you come inside. And the place you come into is nice. You haven't been inside a place where people who have money live for so long, and it's so nice that you don't want to sit down; you're too dirty for this place. And the lady's talking and a voice answers her and footsteps come and you look over to see a figure in a black pair of panties and a robe and nothing else, bare breasts and pinkish nipples, that are quickly covered. The robe is patterned with bits of fruit. And you can't even pretend that you didn't see all of that, but you steel your jaw and look up anyway.

"Holy Tui! You made it sound like he was Rui or something." She's embarrassed and angry.

It's a girl, maybe five or six years older than you. She's too young to be Lightening Bolt Zolt's wife and you figure that if she had been, he would've been here too. Moon-faced but with high cheekbones and almond shaped eyes. You realize that it's probably her face that makes Lightening Bolt Zolt call her "Cherry". She's wearing makeup and her hair is swept over the side. She's really pretty.

"Zolt sent you." She walks up to you, gently grabs your chin, and stares at you like she's a doctor, asks for your name and nods at your answer. "That's a pretty strong-sounding name. You're a Firebender." And she says that you're a very cute Firebender and that she likes Firebenders, and then half-yells for the lady, Auntie, to call Zolt for her. "You look like you're hungry. Are you hungry?"

You are.

"Okay, sit down." She points at the counter that separates the living room from the kitchen, where there are stools. "It's okay—sit down." You listen to her. She walks over to her icebox. "I have leftovers aaannnndd curry. You want curry?" She's holding a large pot patterned with flowers.

You do. But your little brother is downstairs and needs curry. Can he have some?

"Of course he can. Go get him."

You do. He comes in and takes her up on her offer for a seat, telling her "Thank you" just like how your mom taught the two of you and you remind him from time to time.

Cherry comes with two large bowls of rice and curry and hands your brother his food immediately. She pauses to give you yours, asks you what 235 times 50 is. You can't answer immediately. She places your food down and shuffles around, give you a small piece of paper and a pen. And after a minute you say 11,750. Tells you to take half of that and divide it by 10.

5,875.

587.50.

"Correct. Now get rid of the paper. Don't hide it in your pocket and don't throw it away."

Your little brother watches the exchange, trying to figure out what you're supposed to do with the paper if you can't throw it or hide it.

You look at it for a second. And then you rip the part where you did the math and eat it, chewing the pulp down.

She smiles, impressed. "I thought you'd burn it. Almost everyone else does." She hands you your bowl. And maybe because it was the first home-cooked thing you've had in two years, you eat it. It's the best thing you've ever had.

Keys jingle on the other side of the door and with a sweep, you're staring in the face of Lightening Bolt Zolt. And he's smiling because you've passed his test and he can use you. He looks at your brother and you tell him that you'll be the only one who does anything for him.

He nods, looks at Cherry. And Cherry walks over and kisses him deeply even though you and your little brother are standing right there. And his hands go into her robe and below her waist and disappear for a little bit. She smiles and squirms a bit, tells him to stop because you and your little brother are right there. His fingers come out again. He licks them. He finally looks over at you. "So?"

She looks over at you too. "He's good with numbers.

"I can tell. He figured this out, didn't he?"

"Yeah. He needed paper, but it didn't take him too long to figure the problems out. I told him to get rid of the paper. He ate it."

"He did."

"Yeah...I say yes."

"Okay." To you, "Well, you heard her! I trust Cherry when it comes to judging kids and she likes you. Next week, you're going to show up at the racetrack and you're going to figure out my math for a few people. The only thing you have to do is remember who placed what and who gets what. Maybe sometimes you'll have to go around the city and give people their money—good friends of mine." He looked over at your little brother. "Whatever's left at the end of the night, you'll get twenty-five percent. That's enough.

"You'll stay here the night and be good boys for Cherry. She'll take you shopping tomorrow—it's up to her if you have to pay her back. Nuttin in this life is free." His arm goes around Cherry's waist and you watch them walk to the back. His other hand has disappeared into the flaps of her robe again. "Have a good night, boys."

Auntie comes with washcloths and soap, and for an hour she gets you ready for bed, scrubbing you and your little brother clean, making sure you brush your teeth, dresses you in shirts that belong to Cherry, you can just tell, and puts a blanket on the two of you.

And your brother is already asleep.

And you fall asleep too, dreaming of numbers.

Numbers

This was inspired from the park scene in "The Revelation" when Mako admits working for The Triple Threats. Came to me last night. I don't write in second-person POV ever, so this was new and I really liked doing it, so maybe this won't be the last time you see me try this out.