The Longing ⇝ BOOK 1 > LOK [Avatar: TLAB-LoK Watty Awards 2018]

08

Lyra (1)

"I've arrived!" I sang as I walked into the balcony. Mako and Bolin carried similar expressions: Mako seemed angry, Bolin seemed sad. "Everything okay?" I asked them.

"Hasook isn't showing up." Mako gritted. "What?!" I widened my eyes. "What do you mean he's 'not showing up?'"

"He basically quit the team." Bolin sighed.

"You're joking, right?"

"You don't happen to be a secret water bender?" Bolin asked. I shook my head, "Secret dad, yes. Secret bending, not so much."

Mako scoffed, "Great."

I plopped down on the bench next to Bolin and slumped my shoulders, "So that's it?"

Bolin nodded slowly, "That's it."

When I heard the door close, I looked over my shoulder and forced a half-smile at Korra. "Hey Korra."

"I didn't miss your match, did I?" Korra asked in a confused tone. "You guys look like you lost already."

"We might as well have." Bolin responded. "Hasook's a no good no show!" Mako added.

The referee peeked his head into the balcony, "You got two minutes to come out ready to play or your disqualified!"

"Well there goes our shot at the tournament and the winnings." Mako said. I sighed and stood up from the bench and leaned back on the wall next to him. "Let's look on the bright side, date night can start early tonight?"

Mako looked to me from the corner of his eyes and kept his angered expression. I frowned. "Just trying to lighten up the mood..."

Korra pointed to the team getting ready behind Bolin, "Can't you ask one of those guys to fill in?"

"Nah, the rules say you can only compete on one team." Bolin replied sadly. "Well then... how 'bout me? I'm a top-notch water bender if I do say so myself." Korra crossed her arms. I grinned, "Oh my spirits, duh! You bend four elements!...kind of."

"But, you're the Avatar. Isn't that cheating?"

"It isn't cheating if I only do water bending." Korra shrugged.

"No way! I'd rather for forfeit than look like a fool out there!" Mako argued. I hit his arm with my hand, "What's with you and being so mean to her!"

"What's with you and hitting me?!"

"Time's up - you in or out?" The referee asked.

"We're in!"

"We are?"

"Yes!"

"Hey, I didn't agree to this!" Mako pointed to Korra who ran to the locker to get her uniform. "You can thank me later." She smiled. Mako frowned, "This girl is crazy."

I chuckled while grabbing Mako's helmet from the bench and placed it on his head. "Give her a chance. Maybe she'll surprise you." I smiled as I locked the helmet piece. I tapped a side of the helmet, "Make some knockouts out there, alright?"

"Just for you."

Mako joined Korra and Bolin on the escalator. As the escalator moved toward the ring, I waved to them, "Good luck!"

"Looks like the Fire Ferrets have ferreted out a last minute replacement water bender. Let's see if she's another diamond in the rough like the brothers from the school of hard knocks!"

I clapped my hands together as I watched them get into their stances. "You got this Korra!"

Once the bell dinged, Korra didn't hesitate to kick a blast of water at one of the opposite team's players and knocked him off the side of the ring. Korra cheered and I chuckled nervously, "When I said knock outs, I didn't mean those!"