This is the companion for chapter 29.
"Why are you guys so late?" Bolin asked as Korra and Asami walked into the dining area. "You were making out somewhere again, won't you?"
"Hello to you too Bolin," Korra deadpanned.
"Did you get it? Did you bring it?" Ikki sat up eagerly.
"How do we look? Did we get the cover? We got the cover, right?" Bolin asked just as excited.
"See for yourself," She held up a copy of Pro-Bending Digest.
"Oh gimme, gimme!" Bolin snatched the magazine from her, "Ha! Look at us, on the cover of a magazine. And Pro-Bending Digest no less. I used to dream about this," His eyes were shining. "And we look great, really fierce,"
"Bolin, I want to see too," Ikki pulled on his arm.
"I think that bet got you all too wrapped in the tabloids." Tenzin said.
"Nah, that's just Bolin," Mako snickered.
"And Ikki," Jinora added.
"Here Ikki," Asami handed her another copy, "I got two since I figured Bo would want a personal copy,"
"Asami I'd say I love you, but Korra might get jealous and hit me," Ikki teased, making Korra turn red.
"No I wouldn't," She grumbled, folding her arms. Asami smiled and kissed her cheek before sitting to eat.
"Hey, they started the article with the Wolfbats," Bolin pouted, "I figured since we got the cover they'd start with us,"
"Don't worry about it. I read it already, and their interview was the most boring. Just Tahno talking about how great they are, and they're going to win," Asami rolled her eyes.
"I can't wait to wipe that smug grin off his face," Korra crackled her knuckles.
"Bo, come on. Tell us what it says," Kai said.
"For the Wolfbats they talk about their fighting style, and past wins. And how they were at the interview. 'Commanding air'," Bolin snorted, "More like stick in the mud jerks,"
"Yeah, everyone else was so cool," Mako commented, "And they were off in the corner whispering to themselves,"
"Chalk it up under another reason I want to kick Tahno's stupid grin of his 'aloof' face."
Bolin frowned at the pictures they used for the Wolfbats, "I don't know how they convinced them to use that throne."
Each team had four pictures, one team picture and three with each member on their own. In the Wolfbat's team picture Tahno was sitting in an ornate, gilded chair, his teammates standing behind him, and in their single pictures each of them was sitting in the chair. Tahno had on leg on the seat, his hand resting in his knee. Shaozu had a leg thrown over the arm of the chair, lounging back in the seat and Ming, was sitting forward in his picture, elbows on his knees as he smirked.
"Listen to this, what Tahno said about you guys, 'It won't be much of a rematch. It's been three years since any of them have been in the ring. And if they end up facing us in the first round then we'll make sure their return is short lived,'" Ikki read.
"He also said they're going to win no matter what," Bolin cringed.
"I really hope they lose, even if it's not to you," Opal said.
"The Mongoose Lizards were much nicer," Ikki said, "They are hoping to get to face you,"
"Yeah, Yasu mentioned that when we meet her," Mako said.
"I like their team picture," Opal said, she and Jinora were looking into Ikki's magazine. The first picture showed the Mongoose Lizards with their element, an earth disk, a sphere of water and a flame in their palms. Yasu, in her solo picture was standing with a hand cocked in her hip. Yoshi was holding up two earth disk with bending in his picture. Taro was looking determinedly at the camera, hold his headgear against his chest.
Kai, Wei and Wing were look over Bolin's shoulders so they read too, "They have a championship, that must mean they're good," Kai said.
"Says they're known for their teamwork," Wing said.
"There are good," Bolin nodded, "They made it the semi-finals a couple times."
"Yeah, but I doubt their teamwork can compare to ours," Korra smirked.
"I think our teamwork now is even better than what it was," Mako said.
"Well, that's only natural," Su said, "You'd only just met back then. It's been years since, and you've been through so much together."
"The Platypus Bears look strong," Meelo said, looking at their pictures. In their team picture the three were in attack positions, like a match as about to start. Michi, in his picture was balancing an earth disk on two fingers, grinning easily. Siku had one foot on a raised platform, headgear resting on his knee and his arm on the headgear. Norio was tossing up his headgear in his picture, arms raised to catch it.
"Wait, the Platypus Bears where the first team you face in a pro-bending match?" Wei asked as he read that part of the article.
Mako, Bolin and Asami started laughed.
"Yeah, it was. Man, you were so bad in the start," Bolin said.
"I remember that match." Asami giggled, "It was five minutes of everyone freaking out that you were the Avatar, then wondering if you knew what you were doing, because you kept getting penalized and then the last couple minutes everyone was in shock because you were suddenly not getting hit,"
"You saw that match?" Korra asked. Asami nodded, "I didn't know that. That was before you met us, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it was. It wasn't until a few days later I met Mako,"
"Met? Don't you mean 'crashed into'?" Mako smirked making Asami laugh.
"Same thing, isn't it?"
"So you saw all the screw-ups I made?" Korra blushed.
"Aw, it's cute that you're embarrassed by something that happened four years ago." Korra blushed more.
"You're camera shy?" Wing asked, changing the topic.
Korra groaned, "I wish they had left that out,"
Bolin and Mako chuckled, "You guys should have seen her. Everytime they tried to take a picture she kept stopping them to fix her or adjust her clothes," Bolin snorted, "She turned deep red when Asami fixed her hair for her,"
"I'm convinced if Pro-Bending Digest wasn't exclusively about sports there would have been an article about you,"
"You really teased eachother in the middle of the interview?" Ikki asked.
"They were acting like kids half the time," Mako snorted, "Especially Bolin,"
"I was not. I was just having fun. And they were cool with it,"
"Well, I know I'm biased, but I like your pictures the best," Opal grinned. They technically had five pictures, counting the cover. In the cover showed the trio with resolute looks on their faces. Korra was standing in the center, Bolin to her left and Mako to the right. They all had the same pose, with their headgear tucked under their arms. In the article their team picture had Bolin throwing his arms around Mako's and Korra's head, the three of them laughing. In Bolin's solo picture Pabu was on his shoulder as he grinned widely. Mako had his arms folded, his trademark 'cool on fire' expression in his face. Korra's solo picture looked very natural, like she was brushing back her hair after she'd just taken off her headgear.
"But it's funny that you're straighten your hair in your individual picture," Jinora said.
"I didn't even know when they were going to take that picture. They had me take some pictures with the headgear on, and they caught that just as I took it off."
"That's probably why they used it," Asami said, "You look best in pictures when you're not trying,"
Korra blushed, "Thanks,"
"I get that they used one team picture and the single ones, but I was hoping they'd use some of those photos they took with me and Mako," Bolin said.
"I might have those," Asami said.
"What?"
"Yeah, I almost forgot. While you all were taking the group pictures I talked to one of the crew and asked for copies of the pictures they didn't use."
"And you got them?"
"Yeah, I passed by the office early today and picked them up. But I forgot them in the glove compartment of my car."
"I'll go get them," Bolin jumped up.
"My car is parked at the docks on the mainland,"
"I'll take the speedboat, I'll be back in ten minutes, twenty tops," He called as he ran from the room.
They chuckled as he disappeared. True to his word he returned in less than half an hour. He walked back into the room with a thick envelope in his hands, and he already had a few pictures out.
"Mako, check these out, they came out great," He handed some to his brother, "I really like that one," Bolin indicated to one where they standing back to back.
"Can we see the rest?" Ikki asked. He handed her the envelope. She took out the pictures and everyone looked through dozens of different pictures, group shots, individual shots, shots where they were in pairs.
"They took all these pictures and only used four in the article?" Kai asked.
"That's normal for a photo shoot," Asami said.
"Asami, can we keep some of these?" Mako asked.
"Sure,"
"Cool," Bolin grinned, "There's enough we can keep a one or two for ourselves and we can give grandma some."
"This shot is adorable," Opal said, holding up picture showing Korra hoisting Bolin up on her back like a piggy back. The pair in question chuckled.
"At one point the photographer told us to do whatever," Bolin grinned, looking through the pictures, "There should be one with- ah! Here it is," He held up a picture showing Korra and Bolin carrying Asami into frame, Mako standing just a short way off, pinching his nose, but he was laughing.
"I still can't believe you two did that," Mako laughed.
"Why not? The guy said we could do whatever," Korra said.
"And they said it themselves in the article Asami is part of the team." Bolin said.
"You know with the demand for Fire Ferret merchandize," Wei said.
"These could make a lot of yuans," Wing said.
Kai and Meelo grinned. Jinora and Ikki hit them. "Don't even think about it," Jinora said.
Nardragon~ until the next page.