Chapter 7 - The Inbetween

Mako

"Can I get some water, please?"

Those were the words that set the night in motion. Korra had slept outside on the roof, and around 2 AM, Bolin found her and let her inside to get a cup of water. Mako heard them soon after and joined, though Isaac remained drunkenly passed out, snoring audibly through the crack of his door.

They laughed and chatted, finally finding time to relax and talk to her properly.

"So, being from the Water Tribe…" Bolin began, his curiosity piqued. "How do you guys deal with everything being, well... ice?"

Mako rolled his eyes, smirking. "That's the question you go with?"

Korra chuckled. "You guys can be funny sometimes." But her smile faded as she gazed down into her cup of water. Her eyes drifted toward Isaac's room, where the door was slightly ajar, revealing the man still wearing Ulic's mask.

"You've got a good friend in there," she said softly.

Bolin and Mako exchanged a glance, falling quiet. Korra continued, her voice a little distant. "He saved me earlier. I had to drop off flowers at a grave, and he led me there. Then, to cheer me up, he paid for everything. And... well, it meant a lot."

Bolin sighed. "Isaac, he's... a very interesting guy."

Mako nodded, watching Korra closely. "I've known him for a few years now. We've been roommates for a while, but we were orphans together long before that."

Korra's eyes widened slightly at that, her gaze shifting to a pair of grime-stained work pants hanging nearby. "I assumed his... injury came from work?" she asked, her voice careful.

Mako shook his head. "No, he got that when he was thirteen," he said quietly. "Look, he's like a brother to me, one of the best guys I know. You don't have to be afraid of him, or us."

"But it is kind of odd," Bolin added, grinning as he glanced at Korra. "Isaac can be generous, sure, but you're practically living here now. Maybe it was love at first sight?"

Korra blushed, quickly turning away to hide it.

"Still," Mako said gently, "we're both really sorry for your loss."

Korra's expression shifted, softening. "It was many years ago," she murmured. "A friend of mine."

"A friend?" Mako asked, his tone respectful. "I'm really sorry. I know I said Isaac is like a brother to me, and he is, but by blood, he's not. Me and Bolin are, though. And I can't even imagine losing either of them."

Korra nodded at their words. "He was good… he would've been around my age by now," she said, chuckling dryly. "I wonder sometimes what he would've looked like. He was changing so much the last time I saw him… and now..." She wiped away tears from her eyes as she looked at them.

"His name was Isaac Wilum. He was strong, kind… and he died in the fire at the Jedi Temple."

Both Mako and Bolin's eyes went wide at the mention of Isaac's name. For Mako, memories flooded back, taking him to a different time…

He saw it through the eyes of a child. How old were they? Thirteen or fourteen? Bolin had insisted on going to see it. They didn't have their parents anymore, so Mako naturally went along with his brother. But they wanted to get closer, to see the destruction for themselves.

Mako and Bolin crouched in the shadows of an alleyway, watching the streets fill with bewildered onlookers. Cars lined up along the road, and people gawked at the inferno raging through the temple. Flames licked the windows, and the rumbling explosions sent ripples of heat through the air.

"Look at that!" Bolin pointed, and Mako turned his head. They were hiding from the police further back, but they thought they were safe, keeping their distance.

Slipping through the alley, they found a locked gate. Bolin nodded, and with a small movement, earthbent some stairs for them. The brothers quietly climbed, emerging into an empty park.

Their eyes—Bolin's orange, Mako's emerald green—stared at the temple, its flames illuminating the night.

The temple was collapsing in on itself, the sounds of crying and screaming rising from the crowd. Police forces tried to push people back. One of the pillars fell, crashing through the roof and caving in to the ground level, a torrent of debris cascading through the buildings.

A loud crash echoed as the temple's windows shattered, glass exploding in every direction. The door in front of Mako and Bolin blasted off its hinges, nearly hitting them.

"Whoa!" Mako shouted, a mix of excitement and fear running through him.

"Help me…"

A voice, weak and hoarse, called from around the corner of a nearby shrub. Mako whipped his head in that direction, and a figure stumbled into view—his clothes were tattered remnants of what used to be robes, now little more than shredded fabric hanging from his frame.

"H-help… me…"

He repeated, barely able to speak. Bolin took a step back, eyes wide with shock. But Mako stared, frozen. The boy was their age, with a wild mane of black hair. It was his eyes that held Mako's attention. One was swollen and purple, the other bloodshot, filled with blood like a rabid animal's. One brownish-grey eye still locked on them.

Despite his condition, the boy didn't seem weak. There was something else—something dangerous.

It wasn't the boy's injuries or his wild appearance that frightened the brothers. No, it was the ignited orange blade of a lightsaber, crackling and humming erratically, with sparks flickering along the blade and hilt.

They weren't fools. They had heard the stories of Grandmaster Wilum's exploits. They knew what a lightsaber meant. This boy—he was a Jedi.

The boy's eyes locked on them, tense and alert. "Why are you here?" he demanded.

"S-same could be asked of you!" Bolin shot back defensively.

"Bolin!" Mako hissed, his voice sharp. "He's still a Jedi." Mako bowed his head respectfully. "Sorry, Master Jedi, for my brother and—"

"Shoddy guess—he's not a Master Jedi," Bolin interrupted. "He's maybe a year older than us. That makes him a… a Padawan!" he said, voice rising in triumph.

"What's your name?" Mako asked, realizing the boy was closer to their age.

"Isaac," the boy replied, his voice strained. "But please… can you help me?"

It was only then that they fully registered his injuries—especially his maimed hand, still oozing blood. "Yeah, of course," Mako said quickly.

"Sorry," Bolin added, feeling sheepish.

Before they could move, Isaac's eyes went wide with fear. "Wait," he said, his voice trembling. "The police force was in there… they—they…"

His gaze darted around, his expression panicked. "We can't go that way." He turned back to the brothers. "Come on, we need to get out of here."

"To get you help?" Mako asked, a note of suspicion creeping into his voice. "Or because you're worried about the police?"

Isaac's face twisted into a sneer. "If I told you that the police were killing Jedi in that temple, would you believe me?"

Mako and Bolin fell silent, exchanging a glance. Mako's expression darkened. "What are you trying to say? The police and the Jedi, they go hand in hand, right?"

Isaac let out a bitter laugh. "How so?" he muttered.

Mako frowned. "Think about it. Benjamin Wilum created the academy, and they were like a militia. Aang wanted a bending police force to protect everyone—"

"Saw how well that turned out," Isaac snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Bolin chimed in, trying to reason. "They're supposed to help each other. I don't know what you saw, but—"

"I was in there," Isaac interrupted, his voice rising in anger. "I was fighting alongside a Jedi Master and an Apprentice, cutting down those traitors. They're setting fire to my home, destroying priceless artifacts! And now the Sith, and the…" His voice trembled with rage, his words dissolving into a low growl. "Those bastards… I'll get them. I'll kill them all…"

Isaac's voice cracked with pain, and Bolin noticed the blood seeping from the back of his head. "You're bleeding!" he exclaimed.

Isaac winced, touching the wound. "Damn it," he muttered with a dry chuckle, though the pain was evident in his eyes.

"Come on, we know someone who can help in the underground," Bolin said, grabbing Isaac by the arm and helping him up. Mako moved to support him on the other side.

Mako turned to glance at the burning architecture behind them, his shoulders heavy with the weight of what they'd just witnessed. Bolin, still shaken, eyed the burnt nubs of Isaac's fingers, the charred flesh still sizzling in the air around them.

Isaac bit back tears, the pain biting into him more with each step. He needed a healer, and fast. The brothers knew it, too.

Mako looked at him, his voice calm but firm. "Well, Isaac… or whatever your name is, none of that matters now. Me and Bolin, we're orphans. And I figure, if you were at the academy, you've probably got nothing left either. Come on, we'll show you the ropes."

And with that, the trio disappeared into the night, divided amongst themselves by fate but bound by survival.

Mako II

He had told Korra some fake ending to that story, and now they were eating seaweed noodles at a small restaurant Bolin knew about. Bolin sat next to him, while Isaac—disguised as Ulic—took slow sips from his glass, occasionally glancing at Korra across the table.

She was devouring her food like an animal, slurping down noodles with reckless abandon. Even Bolin was giving her odd looks, but Mako hadn't caught on to the true reason for Isaac's watching. Not yet, at least.

The real story... it ended with Isaac confronting the gang they'd had trouble with. He'd ignited his lightsaber and handed them an orange crystal, still dripping with blood from his burnt, maimed fingers. The debt was paid. The gang had been so impressed they even offered up a black-market healer—a waterbender who specialized in medical treatments. They shook hands, and from that point, they were brothers. Mako's eyes briefly flicked to Isaac's fingers again, now leathery and scarred.

"So, what's this I hear about a pro-bending competition tonight?" Korra asked, her voice buzzing with excitement.

Isaac twirled his fork through the noodles, savoring the warmth as he slurped them up. He realized how nice it felt to have something warm in his stomach; sometimes, smoking really sucked when you hadn't eaten.

Bolin practically jumped in to answer, maybe a bit too fast. "Heck yeah, we do!"

Mako nodded, holding out a hand to calm his brother. "Easy," he said quietly to Bolin. "Yeah, Korra, you're a good friend, so we can get you some pretty sweet seats. Up in the stands. All-inclusive."

Korra's eyes lit up, and Isaac could've sworn he saw stars. "Really?" she practically shouted. The restaurant went quiet for a beat, and she repeated herself, much softer this time. "Really?" she asked again, still beaming.

Isaac couldn't help but grin. She was just... she was exactly how he remembered her. He felt a lump in his throat, as if he could've been moved to tears.

She hesitated, her gaze fixed on the table. "Guys, you're all so awesome, and this is such a great opportunity, but I have responsibilities in Republic City. A lot of people don't even know I'm here, but they should. Maybe I should…"

"Korra, you can stay for one more night," Isaac said with a smirk.

Korra rolled her eyes, flashing that mischievous grin Isaac knew so well. He could already tell he had her hooked. "…come on, it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing to see these two meatheads slug it out," Isaac added, jerking a thumb toward Mako and Bolin.

"Wounded," Bolin muttered, feigning offense.

Korra chuckled.

"Just one more night," Isaac urged. "Listen, first thing tomorrow, I'll take you back. But you've got to see how the city lights up from one of these buildings. From up high, it looks like a sea of pilot lights."

Korra sighed, wrapping her arms around herself but still smirking. "Okay, fine," she relented.

Korra

Korra watched with bated breath as Mako, Bolin, and their teammate fought below. Ulic—Isaac in disguise—was next to her, draped over the railing. Mako and Bolin hadn't lied about these seats; they had an incredible view of the action. But the Fire Ferrets were really struggling out there.

Isaac winced as Mako took a stone disk straight to the stomach, slamming hard into the arena's railing. He slumped over, clearly out of the fight.

"Looks like Mako is out for the count, folks!" the announcer's voice boomed from the megaphones above. Korra was buzzing with energy, the noise of the crowd surrounding her—laughter, clapping, screaming—filling the arena. The bright lights danced across her face, and Isaac found himself transfixed by her. He forced himself to look away before she noticed.

Bolin was still out there, fighting for his life, sweat beading on his brow. An earthbender from the opposing team hurled a disk at his legs, but Bolin managed to leap just in time.

"Y-yes!" he shouted, his relief short-lived as the firebender blasted flames at his feet, forcing him to stumble backward. Then, with a swift move, the opposing waterbender whipped his water around Bolin, flinging him over the railing.

There was a loud splash followed by silence. For a moment, the crowd was hushed. Then Bolin resurfaced, splashing and yelping. "I'm not sure if that's illegal, folks, but it sure was entertaining!" the announcer chimed in, and the crowd erupted into fervent applause and excited cheers.

But the match wasn't over yet. Mako and Bolin's waterbending teammate—a young man with messy black hair and the olive skin of the Water Tribe—stood alone, looking at his downed companions. He faced the fully armed opposing team, and after a moment, he dropped out of his stance.

The opposing team looked confused, lowering their bending as they glanced at one another. They watched as the lone, remaining member of the Fire Ferret team removed his helmet and began walking toward them.

"Fuck this," he muttered, barely audible. "Fuck this... I don't need this shit." His words were grumbled under his breath as he trudged forward.

The announcer's voice crackled through the speakers while the crowd buzzed with whispers.

"What the hell is going on?" Isaac asked, frowning.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Korra replied, watching the scene unfold. Mako was struggling to stand, one hand clutching his side, while Bolin had finally climbed out of the water and was heading back toward the lockers. The two brothers seemed to be talking, but Korra and Isaac were too far away to hear.

"Shit, maybe he's hurt," Isaac mused. "Bolin and Mako told me he took a pretty bad hit in the last game." He snickered, then added, "Or maybe he's just trying to run out the clock."

"They did better in the last match?" Korra asked, a teasing smile on her lips.

Isaac snorted. "Nah, they did even worse than tonight." He sighed. "They're not bad, just up against some pretty extreme competition."

"You come to these things often?" Korra asked, leaning casually on the railing.

Isaac shook his head. "Nah. I usually work extra hours at the factory on Fridays and weekends," he replied.

Korra's eyes widened. "You're so young. You should be in school or something, not slaving away in a Fire Nation factory."

Isaac scratched the back of his head and sighed. "…Well, you wouldn't like what Mako does then," he said with a chuckle. "Seriously, though, I want more for myself. But right now, I'm just at a point where I need to figure things out."

Korra raised an eyebrow, curious.

Isaac groaned and waved it off. "Don't give me that look. I mean, you totally dipped out of Republic City to get here. Sometimes, you just need to do things, right?"

Korra was quiet for a moment, considering his words. Then, that familiar smile spread across her face, the one Isaac adored. "True," she said simply, and it brought a grin to his face, ear to ear.

For a moment, there was silence. The noise of the crowd faded into the background, and Isaac found himself getting lost in Korra's deep blue eyes. But then…

"I-I…" Korra stammered, her fingers fiddling with her braid as she looked away, a flush creeping up her cheeks. "I-I... I really think you're cool, Ulic."

Isaac raised an eyebrow. Korra was never one to stutter. But it wasn't just her nervousness—it was the name Ulic that gnawed at him. In this moment, with Korra, he was deceiving her.

"Man... fuck this!" shouted the waterbender as he stormed past Korra and Isaac. Both of their eyes widened as he slammed his helmet onto the ground with a loud crack. "I fucking hate this sport!" he yelled again, stomping off.

Mako spotted the outburst and hurried toward them, with Bolin trailing behind, slick and struggling not to slip as he scrambled up the stairs. "What the hell happened?" Mako shouted.

"How the fuck should I know!" Isaac snapped back, pointing at the retreating waterbender. "He just showed up, cursed, and threw his helmet on the ground. He's your guy!"

Mako glanced between Isaac and Korra, running a hand through his hair and groaning through clenched teeth before sprinting after the player. "Damn it!" Mako yelled. "Dude, I'm sorry... come on! You can't just walk out like that!"

But by the time Bolin finally reached the top of the steps, all they saw was Mako hunched over, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"He's not coming back," Mako said, his voice low.

"Okay... so what do we do now?" Bolin asked, catching his breath.

Mako raised his hands in frustration. "I guess... we forfeit."

"You can't just play with two people?" Isaac asked, his tone almost hopeful.

Mako shook his head. "No, no, no... if you actually paid attention to the rules, you'd know why." He sighed deeply, pressing his fingers to his temples, eyes shut tight. "Fuck, this is going to hit us hard in the wallet."

"How much?" Isaac asked, his concern growing.

Mako let out a tired breath. "Like that time we were sixteen..."

Isaac's eyes widened, and he threw his hands up in frustration. "Man, fuck! I couldn't even take a warm shower for two months after that!" he shouted. "Get that motherfucker back here!" He looked ready to storm off and drag the player back himself, but Bolin and Mako quickly grabbed him, holding him back.

"I'll do it," Korra said suddenly.

Everyone froze—Isaac with his fist still raised, mid-shout, his mouth open to hurl more curses.

"Did you guys forget I'm a waterbender?" she said smugly, striking a pose with her hands on her hips, her arms wrapped around herself.

Isaac snorted, his brothers slowly letting go of him as he turned toward her, wide-eyed and grinning.

"How could we forget?" he said with a grin.