Master of Peace [Bolin]

Chapter 13 - A Loss

I stood in the large arena, looking around at all the people filing in to watch the finals. Dad walks out and puts his hand on my shoulder gingerly, he has been a bit careful with me since Amon took my bending. "Nini, I want you to stay with your friends at all times," I nod and shrug my shoulders.

"It's not like he can steal anything else from me," I state, he shakes his head and his grip tightens on my shoulder. His eyes looked glossy. I was starting to accept that I didn't have my bending but my family was nowhere near it. I have stood by my Father as a Master for years and for that to be ripped away in a moment of a false justice. It didn't just break me. My siblings missed me playing with them and my Mum, she appreciated another set of hands with the baby on the way but I could feel every single one of them walking on eggshells. My attempt at joking about the event was not helping anyone, "I'm sorry, I'll stay with Korra and the others."

I go down into the training rooms and there was a level of excitement but you could feel everyone's weariness about Amon's potential retaliation. Korra turns to me and smiles, the boys follow her lead. "You guys are going to rock it but watch out for the Wolfbats, they aren't the fairest fighters."

The announcer introduces them and they all head out onto the arena. I sit upon the railing, I was finally wearing the shirt that Asami had made for me and though I was no longer an Airbender, it felt right. Bolin helps Pabu with a trick before the small rodent runs back to me, I hold him in my arms. The Fire Ferrets were holding their own against the Wolfbats but as I suspected, they were cheating as I have heard they had done in previous years. They had also paid off the referee which everyone knew. After the end of round two, I began to notice that some of the police officers were missing including Lin and my father.

I turn back to see all three of the Fire Ferrets get blasted into the water, "Well, folks it's a controversial call but the Wolfbats notch a nasty knockout to win the match!" I get off the railing, I look at where Lin and Dad were positioned. Both were laying unconscious, between two equalists. I stare shocked and bent over the railing, "Korra!"

The three of them look up at me and start shouting, I freeze as I feel someone standing behind me. I slowly turn around and see a woman with an electric glove, she presses it forward but I dodge her. She starts chasing after me as I leap around the room flipping over her, I run out into the hallway and a few more equalists stand in the hallway. I back away from them slowly but I knew that I was helpless in this situation. The girl from before presses it against my back and I cry out in pain as I fall to the ground.

I groan as I struggle to open my eyes and panic sets in as I realise someone was carrying me. I glance up and see Bolin's face, I blush and cover my face with my hand. He looks down and drops my legs in surprise, I grasp onto him startled. "Sorry! Thank god you're okay, you've been out longer than the others."

He holds me stable as I stand up by myself. "Thank you, Bolin," I say quietly smiling at him, he rubs the back of his neck nervously a small blush coming onto his cheeks. His hand goes around my waist as he helps with up into the stands where Korra and Lin had just landed. Bolin lets go of me and I fall onto Korra, "I'm so glad you're safe!"

"Us too!" Mako and Bolin join our hug as my Dad and Lin watches us. As we all let go, I walk over to my Dad and hug him. He brushes my hair softly as he embraces me, I smile and rest my face on his chest. 

I sat in my room, staring at the small creature in front of me. While Korra went to tell Bolin and Mako the amazing news, I stayed to spend my time with Lena in her final moments. She had gotten worse overnight and she struggled to get up, I knew that by tonight she would not be with me anymore. 

I pull my blanket off my bed and put it on the ground before going downstairs to get some fruit. I brought it up to my room and we sat in front of each other as we both ate. After we finished she crawled into my arms and curled up into a ball. I remembered the day we chose each other, we were on a trip to the Southern Airtemple just after Jinora was born. My Dad wanted to show me where our Grandfather had grown up and discovered he was the Avatar. There were many Ring-tailed lemurs at the temple but Lena was the only one that approached me. 

We stayed there for three weeks as my Father taught me all about the history of airbending, each night she would come to my room and we would eat fruit together. As we were leaving, she came to me and wouldn't leave my lap no matter how many times my Dad told her to shoo. At that moment, I knew I had made a life-long friend and she has been. She was more loyal, fun and intuitive than I deserved. I patted her as her eyes started to close as she drifted to sleep, "I love you, my greatest friend." 

I teared up as each breath became weaker and weaker until her chest didn't rise again. I suppressed a sob and put her in the middle of the blanket before covering her. I picked her up and walked down through the staircase the acolytes bowed as I passed aswell as a few White Lotus. Lena was the only lemur on the island so she was beloved by almost everyone, I walked into the orchard where we grew our fruit. A hole that had been pre-dug for her by one of the white lotus sentries was placed under an orange tree which was her favourite fruit. I unwrapped her and put her in the hole gently before pushing the dirt into the hole. I took some flowers from the tree and placed them on the dirt. I stand up and bow before taking the blanket and returning to the temple.  

The next morning, I felt lost not seeing the lemur anywhere but Asami had invited us to her mansion where Mako and Bolin had just moved into after the closure of the arena. I had put my swimsuit on with my robes over the top, I didn't get to swim much, but I enjoyed it a lot. We knock on the door and a butler immediately opens the door, Korra and I share an impressed smile. He guides us into the pool area, though Korra had to pull me most of the way because I kept stopping to look at things.  I look around in awe, it was so beautiful. "Avatar Korra and Master Nini have arrived." 

"Hey, Korra." Mako waves at Korra from his spot in the pool then turns to me, "Hey Nini." 

"Glad you could make it," Asami says sweetly, we smile at each other then I start to take my robes off so I could go swimming. I was wearing a blue one-piece unlike Asami who had a beautiful bikini on but my Mum would never let me wear that. I laugh as Bolin surfaces the water, he was on his back and Pabu climbed on top of his stomach. 

"Welcome to Paradise," He sighs. I slip into the water and dive under the water. I use to be able to hold my breath for an hour but I'm unable to now. I swim over to Bolin and shyly looked at him, "Hey, how are you?"

"I'm alright, you?" He nods and looks at me curiously. He had such beautiful eyes that I couldn't help but stare at them. He said something but I didn't hear him, I blink and look at him again. "Nini?"

"Sorry, I got lost in my own head." I chuckled, he laughed at my answer and stood back up in the pool. Forcing Pabu back in the water who swam quickly towards me, I hiss as he clawed his way on top of my head. 

"You should have brought your winged-lemur, I could finally meet her." He smiled, my face dropped as he said that. He became concerned and he put his hand on my shoulder, a tear rolled down my face but I quickly wiped it away. "What's wrong?" 

"Sorry, I- ah Lena, passed away yesterday," I admitted, he gave me a soft smile and brought me into a tight hug. I blushed wildly as the other three laughed at me but I was more shocked my hands were currently on Bolin's chest. "Thank you," I squeak out, he lets go of me and I dive under the water to try and hide my red face.