The morning in Republic City was calm and relaxed; the early birds were flying, and some stood over some walls singing. But suddenly, a strong wind scared them. The wind was created by a young man who was running late to the meeting he was asked to be part of.
Ozai arrived at Republic City's council building barely on time but without breaking a sweat. He entered the grand hall where the morning council meeting was about to begin.
Ozai took his place among the other representatives just as Tenzin, seated at the head of the table, cleared his throat to begin.
"Thank you all for being here," Tenzin started, his voice firm but measured. "There's an important matter that we need to address today concerning recent events involving the Avatar."
The council members turned their attention toward him as Tenzin continued, "As you all know, Tarlok has been using his special task force to curb Amon's influence on the city. However, his recent actions have gone far beyond what this council approved. He manipulated the Avatar to support him, which generated popular pressure for the creation of said task force. But recently, due to her involvement with Tarlok's plans, she was put directly in harm's way and nearly caused her death."
Sitting further down the table, the Fire Nation representative narrowed her eyes. "We've read the report, Tenzin," she said thoughtfully. "And we're also aware of Ozai's role in assisting Avatar Korra in her time of need."
Several of the council members nodded, some murmuring in agreement. A few directed approving glances toward Ozai, acknowledging his bravery and dedication.
"Indeed," said one of the Earth Kingdom representatives. "From what I understand, Ozai intervened when Amon attacked the Avatar. Without him, we might have lost her that night."
Ozai said nothing, his expression reserved as he listened to the council's assessment of the situation. But he could feel see how serious this was turning into.
But Tarlok was not willing to let his task force be undermined so easily. "With all due respect," he interrupted, his voice smooth and calculating, "the task force remains our best chance at confronting Amon and his followers. We've achieved tangible results, and we're making progress in ways that would be impossible otherwise."
Tenzin gave him a hard look. "And yet, all this task force has done so far is deepen the divide between benders and non-benders. If anything, Tarlok, your force has only fueled the flames of conflict in this city. And you manipulated the Avatar, our greatest symbol of unity, for your own purposes."
A few more council members began to voice their agreement with Tenzin, nodding thoughtfully and casting skeptical looks at Tarlok.
The Fire Nation representative took her chance and spoke again. "While the situation is indeed complex, it's clear to me that if this task force is to continue, it should be led by someone with experience dealing with the Equalist and integrity to make balanced decisions. Someone who understands the importance of unity."
She paused, her gaze moving over to Ozai, who sat calmly beside her. "I believe Ozai would be a suitable candidate to take command of the task force. Not only has he demonstrated his skills and commitment to this city, but he also has the unique distinction of being trained by Toph Beifong herself."
Tarlok's expression darkened. He could see the room shifting around him, the council members murmuring in approval at the idea. He clenched his jaw and straightened. "If the task force can only continue under new leadership," he said, his voice cold and unyielding, "then it would be better to disband it entirely."
The room fell silent as his words echoed through the council chamber. Council members exchanged glances, uncertainty flashing in their eyes. Ozai glanced around the room, watching as their expressions shifted from intrigue to concern. The Fire Nation representative crossed her arms, looking unfazed.
Tenzin leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "Is that a threat, Tarlok?"
Tarlok shook his head, putting on a calm smile. "Not at all. I'm merely stating the obvious. The task force was my initiative, and without my leadership, it may lose its effectiveness."
Tenzin then smiled a little, "Then let's vote. Who believed that we should disband, and who believed that the task should remain active but under Ozai's command?"
The Fire Nation and the Southern Water Tribe representative raised their hands to confirm that they agreed with Ozai taking over the task force. Meanwhile, Tenzin and the Earth Kingdom representative voted to disband the task. In the end, Tarlok raised his hand to vote to disband the task force.
Bolin was already lazing inside the house after eating. He was sleeping on the couch with a book in his hand, a book which he was unable to pass the first chapter. Suddenly, a knock at the door woke him. Setting the book aside, he opened the door and was greeted by Korra, who looked slightly unsure, her hands resting in the pockets of her jacket.
"Oh! Korra!" Bolin's face lit up. He stood a bit straighter, leaning casually against the doorframe. "What an honor! Though, you know, I can't help but think you came here for a reason other than just gracing me with your presence…" He shot her a playful wink, eyes gleaming.
Korra chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck and glancing away. "Yeah… right," she mumbled, clearly trying to avoid responding directly to his flirtation. "Actually, I am here to train. You know, for the Pro-bending tournament."
"Oh, yeah! Of course! Totally," Bolin agreed, his enthusiasm still up. He gestured toward the house as he stepped aside to let her in.
Korra entered, too, took her jacket off, and left it close to the living room while she walked to the training area. Not long after, Mako arrived.
"Hey, bro!" Bolin said while waving his hand, still buzzing with excitement as they moved toward the open training space behind the house. "I'd say we're officially the most powerful bending trio in the city."
"Glad to have you are in high spirits," Mako said while they positioned themselves in the open space, surrounded by targets and training equipment that Bolin had asked Ozai for.
As the three settled into their stances, they began moving through the basic warm-ups, a flowing mix of earth, fire, and water bending that set the pace for their routine. Bolin's energy filled the air as he launched a powerful chunk of earth toward one of the targets, grinning as he managed to hit it squarely in the center. Mako followed with a controlled blast of fire, his stance unwavering as he adjusted his breathing and struck again. Korra mirrored their movements, bending the water from a nearby basin with precision, her moves fluid but calculated.
Korra broke her concentration for a brief moment, her eyes turning toward the house's entrance every now and then.
The intensity of the training slowly built up, each of them pushing harder, adjusting their techniques to complement one another. The synergy between them was palpable, each of them weaving around the others' attacks and defenses with ease. Bolin, with his boundless energy, kept the group's spirits high, Mako's focus drove them forward, and Korra's determination held them together.
However, Korra's gaze kept drifting toward the door. Her attention faltered a couple of times, just long enough for Bolin to notice.
"Korra, are you all right?" Bolin teased, grinning as he sidestepped one of her attacks, causing her to regain her focus.
"What? No, no, I'm just…" Korra hesitated, her expression a bit flustered. But after another moment, she finally gave in and asked, "Bolin, did Ozai say anything about where he was headed?"
Bolin shrugged, a bit of confusion crossing his face. "Not a word. He left super early—honestly. But hey, he's probably fine. He can handle himself," he said confidently, sending a chunk of rock flying toward a training dummy.
Mako frowned for a moment. "Oh, I was forgetting to let you know about," said the firebender, taking the attention of everyone. "I got confirmation that we can go back to train at the Arena," he said. "And we also just got our first match in the tournament scheduled for next few days."
Korra's face lit up slightly, and her attention finally pulled away from thoughts of Ozai. "A few days? That's amazing!" she exclaimed.
Bolin practically jumped out of his stance in excitement. "Yes! Finally! The Fire Ferrets are back in action!" He laughed, nearly bouncing on his feet as he looked between his teammates, his enthusiasm infectious. "Can you believe it? Our first match! I can already hear the crowds cheering. Oh, we're gonna crush it!"
Korra couldn't help but laugh at Bolin's antics, her previous concerns momentarily forgotten. "I think you might be more excited than the rest of us combined," she teased, nudging him playfully. "But I get it—it's going to be incredible. I've been dying to get back into the Arena."
"Trust me, once we're in there, all eyes will be on us," Mako added, and his expression was no longer frowning. Now, he looked happy, with a slight smirk.
As they resumed training, Korra's initial worries about Ozai faded into the background. But even as they sharpened their techniques, fine-tuning their moves and working to stay in sync, the idea of talking to Ozai about training still lingered in her mind. She knew that the tournament would require her concentration, and she was using it to distract herself from Amon's attack.
Yet, with the tournament so close, she couldn't help but try to concentrate on one thing at a time. But her gaze drifted once more toward the door.
She'd find time to talk to Ozai, one way or another.
/
While Fire ferrets were training, Ozai was at the police station, which was bustling quietly with officers on the day shift handling reports, organizing cases, and preparing for their patrols.
Ozai sat alone at his desk in the records office, the papers in his hand moving fast as he read through them for the third time. The papers in front of him contained a summary of confiscated vehicles, presumably used by the Equalists in their recent clashes with the authorities.
Each line detailed the make and model of the cars, but the descriptions were vague. Ozai's eyes narrowed as he scanned each line, searching for anything that could help him, something that he may have missed.
Setting the papers down, he turned to the secretary who was sorting through files nearby. "Could I get a more detailed report on the cars we took from the Equalists?" he asked, trying to be polite.
The secretary looked up from her work, "What I handed you is all we have in the system," she replied, gesturing to the stack in his hands. "The vehicles were seized and documented, and what you got is all the information we have from them."
He frowned, glancing down at the files one more time. "No additional records, then? What about the location of the vehicles? Where were they impounded?"
The secretary paused, rifling through a drawer before pulling out a small notepad. After scribbling an address, she handed it to him. "They're being held at a lot on the city's south side. If you have more questions regarding the cars, you can ask them to the person in charge of the place."
"Thank you," Ozai replied, slipping the paper into his coat pants. Without further delay, he left the station. Soon, he was outside, the bustling sounds of Republic City surrounding him, horns blaring, and people shouting. The address he was given was almost on the other side of the city. Any other person would call a cab, but Ozai thought it was a waste of time, so he decided to go on foot.
While running to the place, Ozai wondered what he could use to get more details and what he needed to search for. The Equalists' vehicles were said to be custom-built, reinforced, and optimized for speed, something that wasn't cheap. Somewhere along the line, these cars were being manufactured or modified under the city's nose.
When he arrived at the impound lot, he found it to be a sprawling compound fenced off with high barbed wire. The air was filled with the lingering scent of engine oil, scorched metal, and rusting parts. A wooden office stood near the entrance, and through the glass, Ozai could see an older man with a big belly and a larger beard. He was bent over a stack of logbooks.
The man looked up as Ozai entered, adjusting his thick glasses. "Afternoon," he greeted, his voice raspy but cordial. "Can I help you with something?"
Ozai smiled and got closer, taking the piece of paper he was given by the secretary. "I'm here about the Equalist vehicles that were recently confiscated. I need to understand their fate and anything specific we might know about their origins."
The man scratched his chin thoughtfully, tapping his pencil against the counter. "Those cars… a real mess, let me tell you. The metal benders ripped 'em to shreds," he muttered, waving a hand toward the rows of destroyed vehicles in the back lot. "We dismantle everything as protocol, then sell the metal to factories around here. A lot of it went straight to Future Industries for recycling. The money we got from them goes directly to the state."
Ozai's gaze followed the man's gesture to the twisted frames and piles of scrap in the distance. "So, none of the cars were kept intact?"
"Only those who are still waiting," the man replied, shaking his head. "We tore 'em down piece by piece. Can't have Equalist tech floating around for anyone to copy. Once they're in pieces, the parts are nearly indistinguishable from regular old junk."
Ozai didn't like this answer. He stepped past the man, his feet crunching on the gravel as he made his way toward the rows of vehicles lined up in the yard. The remnants of the cars told their own story. Twisted metal, shattered windshields, and scorched hoods lay scattered in rows, a testament to the metalbenders' ruthlessness and efficiency.
One vehicle in particular caught his attention, the truck he stopped when he rescued Bolin. The front had already crashed and compacted, and his hand was still imprinted in the front. The hood was missing, and the engine was exposed. Ozai stepped closer, inspecting the engine beneath. A faint glint of metal caught his eye, and he noticed a series of numbers etched into the side of the motor: a manufacturing ID code.
Curious, he moved to another vehicle a few rows down and pried open the hood. Again, he found a similar set of numbers etched on the engine, though the sequence was slightly different. A pattern began to form in his mind. If these cars had serial numbers, they could potentially be traced back to their source, perhaps even to a specific factory.
He called back to the man at the office. "What do you know about these serial numbers?"
The man bent over, squinting his eyes to see the numbers Ozai indicated. "I've never paid attention to that. I merely work here, and I have no training for metal bending."
Ozai frowned, "you never inspect the cars here?"
The old man shook his head. "It's not my job. What I do is to keep a record of the vehicles that come in here by answering some questions of them, and none of those questions are about those numbers."
Ozai sighed, his mind racing through the implications. Future Industries was one of the largest manufacturers in Republic City. If the Equalists were somehow tapping into its supply chain or bribing low-level workers to siphon parts, it would explain the quality and uniformity of their equipment.
He nodded to himself, a small smile of satisfaction crossing his face. He was onto something. Even if it was just a glimmer of a lead, it was more than he had before. Every factory should keep some level of record-keeping, and with the right pressure and persuasion, he might be able to dig deeper.
"Thank you. You've been very helpful," he told the man, who nodded and shuffled back to his office, unaware of the storm of ideas building in Ozai's mind. "Do you mind if I ask you for a piece of paper and something to write?"
The old man shrugged and walked inside his office, and after a few minutes, he came back with paper and a pen. "Go ahead, kid."
"Thank you," said Ozai as he walked closer to the cars again. "Another question. Those are all the cars you have from the Equalists?"
The old man nodded. "That's all we have left. You want me to put them on the waiting list?"
"Please," smiled Ozai.
/
The next day, Korra, Jinora, and Ikki stood under the wide branches of a fruit tree, feeding handfuls of fruit to the sky bison, who rumbled in contentment as they munched away. Korra chuckled as one of the bison playfully nudged her with its massive, soft snout, clearly hoping for more snacks. Jinora, ever serene, gently stroked a sky bison's back while Ikki scampered about, practically bouncing as she handed out fruit.
After a while, Jinora looked over at Korra, her expression thoughtful. "Korra, what happened with that firebender boy you left with a few days ago?" she asked, her eyes brightening with curiosity. "You've been spending a lot of time together lately."
Ikki's face lit up, and she stopped mid-step. "Oooh, yeah! Tell us all about the magical romance!" she squealed, skipping over to sit next to Korra, who suddenly found herself the target of two very interested pairs of eyes.
Korra paused, clearly caught off guard by the question. She tried to shrug it off, but her cheeks turned slightly pink. "What, him? Oh, no, no, no, I-I'm not interested in Mako or any romantic stuff," she said, waving a dismissive hand. "Besides, he's all into that prissy, beautiful, elegant, rich girl." Korra stopped and hesitated, glancing away. "Not that it matters or anything."
But Jinora wasn't buying it. Her smile widened, and she leaned in. "Korra, come on! You've been sneaking out of the air temple, haven't you? Going on secret dates?"
Korra laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head. "No, really, I'm not! I was going to train, you know? For the tournament…" She sighed, looking to one side, trying to look indifferent. "But let's just pretend for a second I am interested in him. What would I do?"
Jinora's eyes gleamed. "I just finished reading a romance saga that could totally help!" she said eagerly. "It's a story about a brave heroine who falls in love with the enemy general's son, who's supposed to marry a princess."
Korra perked up a bit, looking hopeful. "Oh? What did she do?"
Jinora's eyes gleamed with excitement as she recounted the story. "She ridded a dragon into battle, setting fire to the enemy's entire country! Then, she jumped into a volcano. It was so romantic!" Jinora clasped her hands dreamily and sighed.
Korra's hopeful look instantly faded. "Right," she muttered, eyeing Jinora skeptically. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass. I'm not really ready to, you know, die for love."
Ikki, oblivious to Korra's sarcasm, leaned forward eagerly. "But isn't love supposed to be, like, powerful? It should make you want to do crazy things!" Her voice was fully earnest, with boundless enthusiasm.
Korra let out a small sigh. "Honestly," she said softly, almost to herself, "I thought love would make you stronger, not crazier."
Korra then looked at her hands and remembered how Ozai defeated the Equalists, and how he was immune to the hit of the rock Bolin threw at him. She lowered her voice even further to talk more to herself than anyone else. "I just need to talk to Ozai."
Ikki's eyes widened. "Wait, Ozai?" She exchanged a look with Jinora, who raised an eyebrow. "Korra," Ikki asked, tilting her head, "Who's Ozai? You met someone else? Is he handsome? Tell me-tell me-tell me!"
Korra suddenly found the sky bison's fur incredibly interesting and avoided their eyes. She mumbled, "What a beautiful fur…"
Jinora's curiosity deepened, and Ikki leaned in closer. "Tell us! What's he like?"
Korra let out a reluctant sigh, giving in. "Well, he's…different. Not really the type of guy I'd go for." She looked thoughtful, casting her mind back to the impression Ozai left on her. "He's…too thin, kind of clumsy, a bit too much into books, and a bit brainy. But…" She hesitated. "He's strong, incredibly strong, and kind of mysterious." Jinora's eyes sparkled hearing Korra.
Just then, Pema appeared, her expression warm and amused as she took in the scene. She rested a hand on her pregnant belly, looking at Korra with a hint of a smile. "Are you sure you don't have any feelings for him instead of the firebender boy, Korra?"
Korra jumped, turning to her in surprise. "Pema! How long were you standing there?"
"Long enough," Pema replied with a smirk.
Korra sighed, feeling a bit trapped. "I don't… I mean, I only feel respect for him, nothing more."
Pema gave her a knowing look in her eye, but she didn't press further. She just gave Korra a patient smile that somehow made Korra feel even more uncomfortable.
Korra scratched her head, fidgeting with a loose thread on her sleeve. "What do you think I should do, though?" she asked, her voice hesitant. "To actually, get together with Mako."
Pema chuckled. "I know what you're going through. Years ago I was in the exact the same situation, with Tenzin."
Korra and the girls were surprised by the revelation. The Avatar then asked, "So what did you do?"
Pemma gave Korra an encouraging smile. " Well, for the longest time, I did nothing. I was so shy and scared of rejection, but watching my soul mate spend his life with the wrong woman became too painful. So, I hung my chin out there and I confessed my love to Tenzin. And the rest is history."
Korra nodded slowly, a determined look forming on her face. Maybe Pema was right. She just needed to grab her courage.
"Well," Pema said, clapping her hands gently to get the girls' attention, "it's time to head back. Let's go."
/
That evening. In the heart of Republic City, the Arena was ablaze with excitement as the crowd roared in anticipation for the beginning of the pro-bending tournament. The Fire Ferrets were about to take on their opponents, the Red Sands Rabaroos.
The match was exciting but short. The Avatar's team worked as a well-oiled machine.
As they celebrated on the platform, Korra turned to Mako. Now, standing next to him after winning this first round, she felt her nerves kick in. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but the words stuck in her throat like ash.
"Wow, we were really connecting out there in that ring," Mako said, removing his helmet. Korra smiled and removed her own helmet.
Then, without thinking too much, Korra spoke. "Yeah! You know, I feel like the two of us have been connecting really well out of the ring, too."
Mako, catching the underlines of the comment, tried to sound not interested. "Uh, sure." He knew there was something more in Korra, but he was not sure to reciprocate it. He does think that Korra is a fantastic person, but his thoughts are still about Asami.
Korra, not knowing what was happening in Mako's head, continued, "So, I was thinking we should spend some time together."
"Oh, we've been spending lots of time together," Mako said right away, wanting to end the conversation.
"No, I mean," Korra hesitated before continuing. "Since we've got some time before the next match, I was thinking maybe we could go get something to eat? Just us?" she asked, her tone hopeful.
Mako sighed, glancing around as if trying to confirm that no one else had heard. "Korra… look, I'm flattered, but I'm with Asami. I don't think that would be fair."
Korra felt her stomach drop, but she forced a smile and shrugged. "Yeah, of course. I get it. Just… thought I'd try," she said, her voice dropping.
As if summoned, Asami arrived soon after, casting Korra a polite, warm smile before sliding her hand into Mako's. Korra watched them walk away, feeling the sting of disappointment and frustration all at once. She knew it shouldn't bother her so much, but she couldn't shake the feeling.
Meanwhile, across the city, Ozai sat in his room, surrounded by towers of paperwork. Notes, incident reports, and detailed records on every car model involved in Equalist-related incidents littered his desk. Ozai, who was normally calm and focused, found himself even more immersed in his work as he leafed through each record. He muttered under his breath as he scanned the details, hunting for any missed clues that might explain the sudden surge in Equalist activity.
The Fire Ferrets' journey through the Pro Bending tournament continued, and while the trio fought hard, the simmering tension between Korra and Mako hadn't gone unnoticed. Throughout the match, Korra and Mako threw frustrated glances at each other, their focus shaking under the weight of their unresolved issues.
Unknown to the Bolin, Mako had confronted Korra because she went on a date with Bolin and thought that she was using him to get closer to Mako. The discussion ended badly for them, and the great chemistry that had occurred in the first round disappeared.
Yet despite their distractions, Bolin's earthbending came through for the team. He found his rhythm, hurling solid disks that broke through the opponents' defenses with precision and strength. By the end of the final round, it was Bolin who secured their victory, carrying the team despite the friction between Korra and Mako.
In the aftermath of their hard-fought win, Korra's lingering feelings for Mako surged again. After the match, Mako and Korra decided to talk alone outside the Arena. Mako tried to clear everything up, but instead of ending the conversation like before, putting his relationship with Asami first, he decided to reveal to Korra that he was also attracted to her.
Acting on impulse, Korra pulled Mako close and pressed a quick, stolen kiss to his lips. Bolin, who was about to join his friends, froze in place when he saw the scene unfold. His heart sank, and the sight of Korra kissing Mako left him hurt and confused. Without a word, he turned and walked away, his spirits crushed as he headed home alone.
That night, Ozai stayed up late, working through his research inside his room. When he finally decided to leave the room to find something to eat, he found Bolin sitting in a chair, doing nothing. Ozai decided to leave him be for the moment before going back to the room to keep up with his investigations.
The next morning, Ozai finally took a break, emerging from his room with dark circles under his eyes and a stack of notebooks in his arms.
He found Bolin sitting at the kitchen table, his shoulders slumped as he poked limply at his breakfast. Ozai set his notebooks aside, narrowing his eyes in concern. "Bolin? You've been looking depressed since yesterday. Did something happen?"
Bolin glanced up, forcing a weak smile that quickly faded. "It's… it's Korra. I really like her, you know? But it feels like every time I try to get close, she's already after Mako. She even… she kissed him after the match yesterday." His voice cracked a bit, and his eyes looked swollen from crying so much.
Ozai listened Bolin's words. "So, Korra kissed Mako, and now you're wondering if you even have a chance," he said, trying to piece together what Bolin was feeling.
"Yeah… exactly," Bolin replied, his face lighting up with a flicker of hope as he looked at Ozai. "Do you have any advice? You know, about… girls?"
Caught a bit off-guard, Ozai blinked. "Well... I don't consider myself an expert. I don't really have much experience. I haven't had much interaction with women so far. The only women I interacted with were mostly my mother and her friends."
Bolin tilted his head, curious. "What about Eska, then? Korra said you two were a thing."
Ozai coughed, spitting the juice he was drinking. "Eska?" Bolin nodded slowly, not understanding why Ozai reacted that way.
Ozai sighed and scratched his head. "She's more of a prankster than anything else. She and her brother, Desna, get a kick out of messing with me. It's not exactly what I'd call… romantic."
Bolin managed a chuckle, shaking his head. "I see. But…" he hesitated for a moment before asking. "What would you do in my place?"
Ozai leaned back, considering the question. "Honestly? I would advise you to just focus on being yourself. Trying to force things usually makes them worse. The rest will work itself out eventually."
Bolin mulled over Ozai's advice, then sighed, not so sure about his words. "Thanks, Ozai. I guess you're right. I'll just focus on being me."
The third match for the Fire Ferrets finally happened. The semi-finals.
The Fire Ferrets' issues were evident, and their teamwork was getting worse. Bolin was unable to concentrate, and Mako was too distracted while trying to catch a glimpse of his brother. Korra being the only one trying to do her best for the team.
Their poor performance led to them being cornered by their opponents. Mako was eliminated, but before Korra and Bolin could be eliminated as well, the bell rang for the first round.
The next rounds were more of the same, with some mistakes made by Mako attacking Bolin, which was capitalized by their opponents.
With the two rounds won by the Fire Ferret's opponents, their only way to win was by knockout. Korra tried to reason with her teammates to try harder to can get to the finals, but the other two were already giving up. When the next round started, Korra fought with precision, with every movement sharp and confident.
Mako and Bolin tried hard, but their lack of concentration cost them, and they were sent out of the platform.
Korra saw that and then turned to see her opponents. She then closed her eyes, and the memories of Ozai came back to her. She then opened her eyes with more determination, and with moves closer to her training on traditional bending, she evaded all the attacks.
Using her water bending, she pushed her opponents, one by one, in a line, and to finish all, she sent a blast of water towards them and sent the three of them out of the platform.
When the final bell rang and the Fire Ferrets were declared victorious, the Arena roared for the climatic victory. After the match, the whole drama in their team seems to have been fixed after some talk.
Bolin would go back to Ozai's house with more energy than ever. But the place was silent. Bolin frowned, as it was not normal, and ran to check on Ozai, only to find him sleeping at his desk inside his room, with tons of paper around him, and the radio next to him. The radio was still on, and the commentators were still talking about the Pro-bending semi-finals.
The next day, Ozai was getting ready to leave the house after having a small breakfast. Bolin was waking up, walking to the kitchen, still yawning.
"Bolin, congratulations on reaching the finals!" said Ozai while putting on his vest.
The earthbender woke up suddenly and smiled, "Thanks, Ozai!" then, before opening a cabinet to check what was available to eat, he asked Ozai. "Hey, do you think you could come to the finals? It's going to be the next weekend."
Ozai stopped and looked back. He was already at the door with his bag full of papers on his shoulders. "I don't know, but I'd do everything I can to make it."
Bolin smiled, "Great. But if you can't, it's all right. I know you are doing an important job and all against the Equalist." Ozai nodded and finally left the house.
An hour before going to the Arena to train, he was sitting on an oversized, cushy couch, his arms behind his head as he listened to the radio broadcasting some upbeat music. He tapped his foot to the rhythm, letting himself sink into the music.
Just as he started humming along, a deep, earth-shaking roar echoed outside, making the walls tremble. Bolin jerked up, heart racing as the sound faded, leaving an uneasy silence.
"What was that?" he muttered, standing cautiously. He waited, straining his ears for any hint of another sound, but nothing followed. After a tense minute of silence, he exhaled, forcing a chuckle. "Probably just my imagination… right?"
He was about to settle back onto the couch when a piercing shout echoed through the walls.
"Brother! Brother!"
Bolin straightened, his curiosity piqued. He moved toward the door, which creaked as he opened it. Standing at the entrance was a young boy, no more than eight, with a wild, gravity-defying hairstyle and golden eyes. He wore a red gi, with a black long-sleeve shirt peeking out from underneath.
The boy smiled before speaking, "Hi, is Ozai at home?"
