The pro bending arena was noisy and bright. Bolin and Mako had just won their second match, but they felt no relief. They sat on a bench, panting for breath and wiping their sweat. Their waterbender teammate, Hasook, was sulking in a corner. He had been useless in the match, and they had barely saved him from being knocked out.
Mako scanned the locker area. He spotted a radio on one of them, and he reached for it. He needed some distraction, anything to ease his fatigue and frustration.
He turned on the radio. It was broadcasting the weather in Republic City. It was a sunny and warm day, with a slight breeze from the east. It was a perfect day to enjoy the city's attractions and activities.
Bolin groaned. "Who cares about the weather? We're stuck here in this dump, fighting for scraps."
Mako shrugged. "It's better than nothing, Bolin. At least we have a chance to make some money and fame."
Bolin sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I know. But it's not enough, Mako. We need more than this. We need a better life."
Mako nodded. "I know, Bolin. I know."
The radio switched to some news about the Equalists. They had issued a statement today, rejecting the new constitution approved by the council yesterday. They say that the new constitution does not grant any new rights and representation to non-benders, but rather maintains the same system of inequality and oppression. They argue that the new constitution is nothing but a cosmetic change, that only reorganizes the system to give more power to one man, who they call a dictator. They accuse the council of betraying the people of Republic City, and of being puppets of the benders. They vow to continue their struggle for justice and freedom, and to resist any attempts to silence or suppress them. They also warn the council and the benders that they will face the wrath of the Equalists, who they claim are growing in number and strength.
Bolin rolled his eyes and tossed the newspaper aside. "The Equalists again? When will this madness end? They've been terrorizing the city since 168 AG."
Mako picked up the paper and scanned the headlines. His expression was grim. "It's not madness, Bolin. It's a movement. A dangerous one. They're growing stronger and bolder every day. They're more than just a bunch of fanatics with masks. They're a threat to our way of life."
Bolin glared at him. "How can you say that, Mako? How can you be so calm about this? They hate us. They hate bending. They want to wipe us out. They killed our parents, remember?"
Mako clenched his jaw. He remembered all too well. The night that changed their lives forever. The night they lost everything. The night they became orphans. "No, Bolin. They didn't kill our parents. Some thug did. Some scum who wanted what little we had. He shot them in cold blood, right in front of us."
Bolin shuddered and hugged himself. "Don't remind me, Mako. Don't remind me of that night."
Mako reached out and pulled his brother into his arms. "I'm sorry, Bolin. I'm sorry."
He let go of him and said softly: "But you have to understand, Bolin. The Equalists are not all evil. Some of them have valid reasons to be angry and unhappy. Some of them have suffered injustice and oppression from benders. Some of them just want a fair chance in life."
Bolin stared at him in disbelief. "Are you kidding me, Mako? Are you siding with them? Are you forgetting who we are? We're benders, Mako. We're benders. We have a gift and a blessing that they don't have."
Mako sighed. "I'm not forgetting who we are, Bolin. I'm proud of being a firebender. I'm proud of being your brother. But I'm also realistic, Bolin. I know that bending is not everything in this world. I know that there are other things that matter more."
Hasook woke up from his nap and rubbed his eyes. He looked around and saw Mako and Bolin standing up, facing each other with angry expressions. He heard Mako say something about bending and equalists.
He frowned and asked, "What the hell are you two talking about?"
Mako and Bolin turned to Hasook and saw that he was awake. They knew that he already knew the truth about their parents. "We were talking about our parents, Hasook," Mako said. "You know, the ones who were killed by a firebender when we were kids."
Hasook nodded and said, "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, guys. I wish I could do something to help you." He paused and added, "Maybe the scum who killed your mom is in jail now. Or maybe he's regretting what he did every day of his life."
Mako shook his head and said, "Don't be sorry, Hasook. It's your fault. You chose to be a waterbender. You chose to be on our team. You chose to be in this tournament."
He glared at Hasook and said, "You know, we almost eliminated from the round because of you. Because you were too slow to counter the attacks. Because you couldn't use your waterbending skill properly. Because you dragged us down."
Hasook looked at Mako with hurt and frustration. He said, "Don't blame me, Mako. We didn't have enough time to practice for the preparations. We barely knew each other before we entered the tournament. We didn't have a proper coach or a strategy. We did the best we could with what we had."
Mako stared at Hasook with disbelief and resentment. He said, "Don't make excuses, Hasook. We had enough time to practice for the preparations. We knew each other well enough to work as a team. We had a proper coach and a strategy. We did the best we could, but you didn't."
He was about to say another word accusing Hasook of being a failure, but he got interrupted by the sound of the door opening.
Mako smiled for a moment as he saw the opponent team enter the locker room. They were the ones who had lost to them in the round. They looked defeated and bitter, as if they had already given up on the tournament. Mako felt a surge of pride and satisfaction. He wished he could celebrate with his teammates and thank them for their hard work.
The enemy captain, a tall and muscular earthbender, walked up to Mako and his teammates. He frowned and said, "Hey, you guys did a good job out there. You beat us fair and square. You deserved to win this round."
He sounded sincere, but Mako knew he was lying. He was hiding his anger, trying to save his face.
The enemy captain continued, "You know, you would have lost if it wasn't for that amazing move by your brother."
He pointed at Bolin, who was standing next to Mako. He said, "He knocked out my waterbender with his earth disk. I was trying to protect him, but he was too fast and too accurate. That was impressive."
He said it with respect, but Mako knew he was lying. He was envying them, trying to make them feel guilty.
The enemy captain then said, "Good luck on your next round. You have a lot of potential."
Mako snarled and said nothing. He offered the enemy captain a handshake. He hoped that the enemy captain would accept, so that he could show his respect. And to his delight, the enemy captain accepted his handshake.