"WHAT IN THE ACTUAL CRAP HAPPENED HERE?" Kota yelled, speechless over the destroyed training grounds once filled with the airbending gates, now laid waste by fire and smoke. Tenzin and his children, baffled at the sight Korra had caused, finally snapped from frustration and fire bended at the gates.
"Did she destroy this whole thing? We- we weren't even gone for five freaking minutes, Korra what did you do?" Kota yelled to Korra, concerned over her sister who was still fuming over the gates constantly throwing her around. He had left momentarily after watching his sister continuing to struggle but to find her finally snap like this, it was terrible.
By the time Korra had finally calmed down from her angered state, she had realized Kota's worried face as well as Tenzin's face of horror before her.
"That was a 2000 year old historical treasure. What-WHAT IS WRONG YOU?" Tenzin's patience with her finally went away and demanded an answer. Causing the girl to snap back when she stepped out of the rubble.
"There is nothing wrong with me Tenzin! I have done everything and I mean everything I could to learn your lessons but nothing is sinking in!It hasn't clicked like you said it would!"
"Korra this isn't something you can force. You have to patient and let it-"
"I HAVE BEEN! Maybe the reason I haven't been able to learn airbending is because you are a terrible teacher!" Korra yelled back at her teacher right before she stormed off with Kota tailing behind her.
"Korra, wait!"
Tenzin groaned in frustration, his daughters doing what they could to comfort their father while Milo went on a frenzy tossing around the remains of the gates. Brief silence came from their moment, but it wasn't enough to comfort themselves over the event of Korra's frustrations.
"Korra, stop!" Kota kept following behind his sister across the island leading them back inside the temple. Once Korra slowed down he grabbed her shoulder and turned her towards him.
"You have to tell me what's wrong."
"I'm just frustrated ok? Tenzin acts like learning this is so easy, it isn't! I'm not a leaf and I'm no air bender, I'm the Avatar!"
"But being the Avatar means you're also an airbender. Look none of this is supposed to be easy, do you think it was like that for Aang when he learned the elements?" Kota had a point, Tenzin established how Aang struggled to learn earthbending as it was opposite of his personality. Despite the elements coming faster to her, airbending was beyond anything she could understand.
"Tenzin is just trying to help, I know it's difficult to understand but you can't just storm off after literally burning down one of his prized possessions and tools."
"Help me or add another set of bruises to my body? I learned more about pro bending with the fire ferrets than I have been stuck in this stupid temple…"
"Did you say the fire ferrets?" Korra's eyes widened when she mentioned the fire ferrets, she spoke too much she thought.
"Oh uh… shoot." Awkwardly smiling, she rubbed her arm when Kota raised his tone.
"Korra what did you do?"
"I may or may not have sneaked out to see the fire ferrets last night. Oops."
"SHE WHAT?"
"YOU WHAT?" Both Venom and Kota basically yelled in unison, completely forgetting they saw the match without her. Korra tried her best to hush her brother when she tried to explain.
"Look I'm sorry I know I don't think things through but I was so frustrated and the arena was just begging for me to go see a match so I just swam over and I…." Kota gave her a look, crossing his arms he turned away giving her the dramatic cold shoulder.
"In all honesty we did the same thing too but I do love to see drama."
"I was gonna tell you sooner, I was so embarrassed for not bringing you but the fire ferrets were happy to have us come back together tonight. That's if you still wanna go see a match with me?" Korra asked, grasping his shoulder when he turned towards her. Curious about her offer he raised an eyebrow trying his best not to smile.
"Well, if it means you bringing me with you and getting to meet the fire ferrets. Then I'll forgive you. But you better apologize to Tenzin too and help him fix your mess." Korra hugged Kota tightly and smiled, his cheeks puffed in embarrassment but he had to admit he would actually get to watch a game with Korra for the first time.
"I'm so glad! I promise I'll make it up to you with this I swear!"
"You better, so when are we gonna sneak out?"
"Tonight, trust me, Tenzin won't notice."
As day turned to night it came time for the siblings to sneak out, easily escaping into the water together Korra swam the both of them across to Republic City and into the arena. Guiding Kota through the halls without her knowing he was here prior too, she gave her brother some information.
"Ok so Bolin is the friendly one, Mako's is the quiet moody one and what's the other guy again?"
"Honestly I don't know, Mako has some beef with the guy for falling behind them but that's all I've seen."
"Oh yeah I forgot about that guy, he really was a slacker in that match. Quite pathetic if you ask me." Venom said in Kota's mind, the boy paid no attention to it while continuing to listen.
"But overall they're pretty cool guys, I'm sure this match is gonna be great trust me! Here it is!" Korra pointing to the entry door to the stadium for pro bending teams. Opening the door Kota saw the two brothers in their uniforms, to his surprise they looked defeated.
"We didn't miss your match did we? You guys look like you're lost already." Korra asked.
"May as well have." Bolin said, when Mako explained what had happened.
"Hasook ditched us, he knew our match was tonight and he was still a no show. I knew that guy was no good." Mako was frustrated, the siblings could tell, they wouldn't blame him since this was their last match to enter the tournament. The door opened behind them with an elderly referee poking his head from the door.
"You have two minutes to be ready to play or you're disqualified."
"There goes our shot at the tournament and the winnings…" Mako groaned. When he looked up he saw a boy standing next to Kota, raising an eyebrow and asked out to him.
"I'm guessing you must be Korra's brother? Kota right?" Kota responded back, answering Mako's question which left Bolin to quickly stand up and greet the friendly boy.
"Pleasure to meet you Kota, Korra's told us all about you. Sorry things didn't turn out to be what you'd hoped for tonight." He said, trying to keep positive but the Avatar siblings were determined to try and fix their problem.
"Well wasn't there a match prior to yours? What about asking one of the other players?" Kota asked, Bolin smiled and gave the boy a pat on the back for his suggestion.
"Nice try but we can't, rules are that you have to play one team only, doing that would be unfair anyway." That was when Korra came up with an idea in mind and a glimmer of hope came shining through her eyes.
"Wait, what if I play? I'm a pretty good waterbender, Kota can vouch for me too!" Kota nodded to Korra's idea but it left Bolin with some concern.
"Wait, you're the Avatar, wouldn't it be cheating?"
"Not if I do only waterbending. Those are the rules right?" Bolin took a second and nodded, she had a point. Mako however was heavily hesitant and was against this shaking his head.
"Nooo way, I'd rather forfeit than look like a fool out there."
"Sheesh Korra was right, you really are depressing." Crossing his arms Kota called out Mako which caught him off guard.
"What the-excuse me?" Offended Mako gave a look at Kota that left Bolin snickering. Shortly after the door immediately opened again and the same referee entered the room.
"Times up, are you playing or not?"
"We're in!" Korra said without hesitation before Mako could say otherwise.
"We are?"
"Yes!" Bolin smiled and went to help Korra with her gear. In a last attempt Mako did what he could to try and protest.
"Hey wait a minute I didn't agree to this!"
"Less talking, more getting ready, you guys got a match to win!" Kota smiled, smacking Mako's shoulder, pushing him forward as it surprised the fire bender. For the boy's size he was pretty strong, he thought for a non bender, but the guy had no restraint when it came to protecting his sibling.
"Kota's right, you can thank me later!"
"These two are crazy…" Mako sighed, they were screwed he thought. Shortly after the fire ferrets scrambled themselves together and got into the ring, the crowd once again cheered for the competitors within as did Kota, who remained in the locker room.
"Looks like the Fire Ferrets managed to save themselves with a last minute replacement! Lets see if this water bender is another diamond in the rough like the brothers from the school of hard knocks!" The announcer said.
"You got this guys! Go Fire Ferrets!" Kota yelled, this was more exciting than the match before. Not only did he meet the fire ferrets but to see his sister fighting alongside them.
"HO HO, this is gonna be good!" Even Venom was excited to see the Avatar in action again. How much fun it was to see the suffering occur brought him joy, still strange and concerning to Kota but at least he wasn't on his bad side.
"Just don't do anything fancy, and whatever you do don't get thrown outside the ring." Mako whispered, the desperation in his voice made Korra sigh after getting into battle stance alongside the brothers.
"You got it captain." When she looked back at Kota waving to her, she smiled to herself feeling more confident than ever. Looking back at the other three opponents facing before them she had already picked her target.
As soon as the fighting bell rang, Korra didn't waste a second to bend a large amount of water with a single swinging kick and launched it at one of the opponents. The man's screaming could be heard as the water shot him over the side railing and into the pools below.
Kota's jaw dropped when he watched Korra cheering for herself for the attack, not even realizing the mistake she made or how the other players just stood there speechless.
"You've gotta be kidding me." Slight booing could be heard over the illegal move that Korra had made until the ref whistled.
"Fire Ferret water bender penalty, illegal knockout move back to zone 2!" Hearing the referee whistle and penalize Korra took her by surprise.
"Wait what? But I hit the guy off!" Korra tried to justify her reasoning only to realize she had not been told the rules completely.
"You have to hit them off the back of the ring, not over the sides!" Mako said, pointing to the only openings of the ring, which made more sense to Korra now but still embarrassed her.
"Oh… oops." She awkwardly said Mako slapped his hand onto the front of his helmet watching the girl move back one zone.
The bell rang once again, recommencing the round and off the teams went, shots fired and blocked one after another that the crowd cheered. Korra was doing everything she could to fight but Kota could tell the big differences between them.
"She's struggling, compared to the other benders she's slower and spending too much time on moves." Venom took note, since Korra had never learned modern fighting and was spent learning the elements in isolation didn't help.
"We always wanted to see pro bending but I never thought how different it was. Korra was right this is a whole new fighting style." The quick strikes and movement done was the obvious factor.
"Hopefully Korra can make it out without getting tossed around."
The brief communication between Venom and Kota cut off when the alarm sounded, seeing Korra had barely passed over the zone after attempting another strike. Receiving another fowl from the ref she had been moved back to zone three.
Korra was getting frustrated, pro bending was exciting to see but the fact that there were so many rules was frustrating. Groaning to herself in frustration when the team eventually lost round one.
Second round commenced shortly after, giving Korra a chance at redemption only to be the punching bag. Her mistakes and obvious lack of experience was being taken advantage of, being targeted by the enemy fire and earth bender.
"Looks like the fire ferrets are off to a rough start! Despite their replacement's attempts she appears to lack experience, and the Platypus Bears are wasting no time to rain attacks on this poor girl!"
Korra was once again pushed back a zone and did everything she could to block attacks. Seeing the two enemy benders simultaneously shoot at her not knowing which one to block, her frustration grew and swinging her arms towards her she bent two of the earth stones blocking the attacks.
"What a minute, did that water bender just earth bend?" The match practically froze as did the announcer, the ref had no clue what to say when all eyes were on the girl. Commotion came from the crowd, and embarrassed looks came over the fire ferret siblings.
"Hang on folks, we're waiting for the official call!" The announcer added, everyone now on the edge of their seat waiting for an answer.
"Oh no…. Korra." Kota groaned, slapping his face and shaking his head. Of all things to happen, how could it possibly get any worse now he thought now.
"She's so screwed."
"Has anyone seen Korra or Kota? They aren't in their rooms." Tenzin asked the White Lotus guards as he approached their break area. He could tell how invested they were in the radio, no surprise it was pro bending again.
"Hang on, I think this girl might actually be…" The announcer had suspicions trying to wait till the last moments to be sure. They were all practically on the edge of their seats and on edge about the water bender for the fire ferrets.
"Nevermind I'll go look-" Tenzin turned halfway when the announcer cut him off, a moment before his head was practically fuming from anger.
"You've got to be kidding me! She's the Avatar folks! And playing in a pro bending match I can't believe it, what are the odds!" One guard had spat out her tea in complete shock, no one there wasn't baffled by the fact Korra had escaped the island and ended up at the stadium. Not knowing what to do or how to react after seeing Tenzin behind them the monk angrily spoke with a red face before storming off.
"I'LL GET HER MYSELF."
"What are we gonna do…" Kota said, looking down trying to think of what to do about how him and Korra can not get caught.
"Kota relax, so what if they found out about the Avatar being here, what's the big deal?"
"If this gets out to the temple Tenzin's going to find out that's the big deal!"
"The least that monk can do is lighten up, he's been too far up both our-"
"Venom!" Kota yelled, cutting off the symbiote from saying another word.
"Look, all we can do now is sit and watch the match. Ain't like we can do much now, let's support your sis."
"Yeah… you're right. Just gotta take it down a notch, after its pro bending and we wanted to see it." Kota took a deep breath and calmed himself down, when he walked back to the railing and relaxed.
"Now let's watch Korra get her butt kicked some more." Venom laughed, Kota groaned once again about Venom's remarks. Watching the match continue sometime after the ref made his official call.
Luckily Korra was allowed to continue, so long as she solely bent water which made the enemy team upset but gave relief to the fire ferrets. But nothing much changed when the round continued, the announcer adding commentary that despite Korra being the Avatar she was no pro bender. Lacking the experience in modern fighting styles itself had not helped her situation.
"You can do it Korra!" Kota yelled to the top of his lungs, not feeling any more doubt in his mind or worry about anything in the world. Korra could've sworn she had heard her sibling shout from across the arena, out of all the commotion and chaos of fighting around her she could somehow tell.
That support and love Kota gave her all the way through since childhood was what drove her. She couldn't give up now, seeing more strikes come at her she didn't know what else to do but block. The attacks continued and were relentless, pushing her back even farther back into zone three, she could barely get by only to be blasted off and fall into the water.
Kota looked down, trying to see where his sister landed and to his surprise, someone else was waiting for her too. Korra swam out of the water and grabbed onto the ledge when she looked up to see Tenzin.
"Crap, it's that old monk."
"Oh. Tenzin, I thought you didn't like coming to these matches." Korra exaggerated, Tenzin noticed she was looking in a particular direction and turned to see Kota watching above them.
"You disobeyed my orders again by sneaking out, and you brought your brother with you. We're leaving, let's go." Tenzin ordered Korra who blatantly talked back a moment after when the monk turned.
"I have tried to be patient with you, but it's clear all you respond to is force. I will not ask again. I am ordering you back to the temple right now!"
"Why? So I can meditate about how bad I am at air bending? Maybe the reason I can't learn air bending is because I don't need it!" Korra yelled, baffled by what she said Tenzin argued back.
"That is ludicrous, the Avatar has to learn air bending, it isn't optional!"
"This is what I have to learn, modern styles of fighting!" Korra pointed to the stadium, being clear about her current desires and need for training.
"Being the Avatar means it isn't all about fighting Korra."
"But how can I be the Avatar if I can't even learn to defend myself? Learning the elements in isolation was bad enough but to realize how behind I really was from everyone else hit me even harder. I can't learn if all you'll do is keep me locked up like I'm in some prison!" Tenzin for a moment had no words, Korra wasn't wrong but they had the best teachers instructing her since childhood. He was lost for words, this anger and frustration was completely different to Tenzin, was she really holding these feelings in for sometime now he thought.
"But the-"
"Now if you'll excuse me, I have a match to complete." Cutting off Tenzin from trying to make excuses or explain himself, still lost for words and unsure of whom to be frustrated with, he walked off after seeing Korra exit back to the ring.
He couldn't help but feel bad realizing that despite his intentions to keep her safe her reasons for rebellion and sneaking out were her desire to be free and learn more of what was to offer.
By the time the platypus bears took the second round Kota still had hope, despite his concerns about Tenzin it was clear who won the argument. Now he had to wait for Tenzin to meet with him, it was only a matter of time until he heard the door open behind him.
"I assumed you'd still be here." Tenzin calmly said, walking up to the boy and stood beside him.
"Tenzin. I figured you'd find me." Kota said in disappointment, still nervous about what the monk would say but to his surprise had shown concern and confusion, he was troubled over everything Korra told him.
"I didn't think I'd want to stay after hearing Korra was up to trouble again… I don't get it, all I've done was try to be patient with her and I-"
"That's the problem, you act like we're kids but we aren't anymore. Sometimes it's important to give us freedom, because we can learn more by being out there and experiencing things ourselves instead of being held back by fears and worries." Kota pointed happily smiling when Tenzin looked to see what he was looking at, to his surprise there was Korra, at the edge of the ring once again but something different completely changed in her fighting style.
"Hold the phones, stop the presses! The Avatar is moving like a whole new player, platypus bears attacks are only striking air!" Every attack shot in her way she began to calmly but swiftly dodge, her movements became fluid and smooth from each step she took. She was moving like an air bender, Tenzin couldn't believe his eyes.
"No way, she's actually dodging the attacks with ease."
"How about that?" The monk said in shock, what he tried so hard to teach Korra on the island she was learning through pro bending. It brought joy to him seeing her finally making progress, one attack after another the platypus bear's energy had been drained, so tired and weak that their attacks had slowed to a halt.
The fire ferrets wasted no time in those moments, putting everything they had into their moves and one by one, each opponent was thrown off the back of the ring and into the pools below. The bells rang with a finished match and the crowds cheering for the winners.
"It's a knockout! I can't believe my eyes folks, the fire ferrets are on their way to the championship tournament!"
"Woo hoo!" Tenzin yelled, getting excited at seeing the match and Korra win until Kota raised an eyebrow at him with a smirk. Tenzin cleared his throat and adjusted his robes, immediately leaving in a calm manner after what Kota witnessed.
"Did that monk just cheer?"
"It was a good match. I'll see you two back at the island." He said closing the door behind him leaving the boy to laugh to himself, he couldn't believe Tenzin actually cheered and looked other than professional. It was too good to be true.
"That was incredible."
"Seeing Korra play with fire ferrets or seeing Tenzin look like a fool?"
"Haha, both." Kota answered Venom, leaning against the railing and waved to Korra who was celebrating with the fire ferrets at the arena, when she turned to Kota she saw him waving and smiling once again. She smiled back and felt joyful, waving back towards him.
"I think this most definitely makes up for her sneaking out."
The two siblings had an incredible night to remember. That's for sure, lessons were learned and taught all around but a journey would begin for the two siblings, with new freedom for them. It wasn't long after when they returned back to the temple, with Korra and Tenzin apologizing to one another after their arguments.
But Tenzin admitted he was wrong, when he watched Korra move exactly like an air bender, he realized how important it was for Korra to learn from pro bending. He was proud of her, Kota watching her eyes sparkled in excitement in those moments made him happy to see she was finally learning and excited to do so again.
How exciting these next few days will be for the two of them, he thought. Especially now that she had officially joined the fire ferrets, which meant more time for them to explore Republic City while training with the fire ferrets.