I woke up to Mako dropping a big box on my face. "Don't know if any of that will fit, but I did my best," he told me.
I shoved the box in the floor and sat up to rub my eyes. After a moment of blinking, I was awake enough to see the clothes in front of me. It was Water Tribe clothes. I pulled out a pair of pants first, but they were way too long. Next was a shirt that I laid aside to try on. There was also a tube-top dress that looked like it would fit if I had the chest to hold it up which I didn't.
After sorting through everything, I picked up the skirt, pants, and three shirts and went to try them on while Mako fixed a glass of water to pour on Bolin to wake him up.
I slid the first shirt on and appraised myself in the mirror. It was a little big but not so much that it would matter. The next one must have been a child's shirt because it was a little too tight, but it would be fine as long as I stretched it before I put it on. And the last shirt was too itchy to keep even though it fit perfectly.
Both the skirt and pants fit me. But for today, I wore the skirt. I wasn't exactly used to wearing pants anyway. I stepped out in my all blue outfit to the sound of Bolin falling into the floor as he tried to chase Mako. "You'll pay for this! You'll pay!" Bolin screamed, and Mako just laughed, which I thought was weird. He didn't seem like a big laugher.
"What is up with you today, Mako?" Bolin's voice echoed from upstairs just as Mako jumped back down to the living room. So I guess he definitely wasn't a big laugher.
"I don't know. Just in a good mood, I guess."
"You met someone!"
"Bolin, we meet people everyday," Mako said, turning away from his brother who had just barreled down to the living room.
"Yeah, but you met... a girl!"
"No, I didn't! Well, I did - but... Okay, yeah, I did. But the important thing is that after we went out to dinner last night, she took me to meet her father, Hiroshi Sato, and he's going to sponsor the Fire Ferrets in the championship."
"No way," I said slowly. "The Hiroshi Sato? Inventor of the Satomobile? I can't believe that is where you were! Mr. Sato is a huge inspiration! Bolin did you go with him? I hate both of you!"
"Nope, I'm just as surprisingly elated as you," Bolin quietly. Then he bursted, "You mean we're in the championship!? No way! I wish I would have known yesterday when I went to see Korra! I could have told her about it then since she hasn't been at practice in a while."
Oh, I thought. Mako was with his new girlfriend, and Bolin was with who he wishes was his girlfriend. And I was just here. Cleaning the shower. How depressing.
Mako and Bolin chattered excitedly while I walked over to the kitchen for some water. The radio was on with the volume really low. I listened in for a moment, and when I heard what sounded like "Avatar Korra," I reached over and spun the knob to hear about some party the city was throwing in her honor. It seemed fishy to me.
"Guys," I said. "What do you two know about this party thing for Korra?"
Neither of them had heard anything about it before now, and it didn't take long for us to decide that we had no option but to attend. Mako even volunteered his girlfriend Asami Sato to take care of our attire. He was sure she and her father would be attending already, so we could go with them.
Mako made all the arrangements, and a package of expensive formal clothes came around midday. Mako had given her all of our sizes, so the clothes fit perfectly.
For me, there was a long silver dress. It had a small strap over my shoulder, but the other side was left strapless. It was a bit tight-fitting though, and it made me uncomfortable. Luckily, there was a blue wrap to wear over it. And the silver strappy heels that she'd sent made me even more uncomfortable, but I would have to make do. Everything looked to expensive to complain about it.
The next night, we all got ready and met Mr. Sato's second driver downstairs to take us to the party. The driver looked at Bolin strangely when he saw Pabu sticking out of his jacket but didn't say anything about it. It wasn't too hard to tell what he was thinking though.
"Oh, no," I said as Mako, Bolin, and I walked in between the large Avatar Korra tapestries and into a large ballroom.
"What? What is it?" Bolin asked anxiously.
"Uncle Tenzin is here. I shoud have known he would be here. Now he's going to see me."
Just then a dark-haired girl in a red dress and Mr. Hiroshi Sato walked up to us. She was obviously Asami, his daughter. She gave me a once-over and looked slightly disappointed. I guess she'd expected darker skin since I was "Korra's friend from home" and for the light silver and light blue to look awkward on me in the unnatural lighting. That was the best guess I could come up with after dwelling on it all night at least.
I just followed Bolin who followed Mako who followed the Satos until I saw Uncle Tenzin walk in with Korra. Luckily, my cousin Meelo decided to use the punch fountain as a toilet causing my uncle to rush over and stop him. It was a good enough distraction to finally see Korra for the second time since I'd come here.
"Korra, it is my pleasure to introduce Republic City's most famous industrialist, Hiroshi Sato," a man garbed in Northern Water tribe clothes said. He had to be the councilman, Tarrlock.
"Nice to meet you," Korra said with a bow.
"We're all expecting great things from you," Mr. Sato told her.
"Right...Greatness," Korra said, looking to her right awkwardly. She still hadn't noticed standing a few feet away.
"Come on," Mako said to us, and we headed towards immediately. "Hey, Korra!'
"This is my daughter Asami," Mr. Sato informed Korra who scowled at her.
"It's lovely to meet you," Asami said looking up at Mako. "Mako told me so much about you."
"Really?" Korra asked with irritation in her voice. She crossed her arms. "Because he hasn't mentioned you at all. How did you two meet?"
"Asami crashed into him on her moped," Bolin leaned towards her and said.
Meanwhile, I kept to myself. If there was going to be issues here, then I would only butt in to keep Korra from going berserk.
"What? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine - more than fine. Mr. Sato agreed to sponsor our team! We're back in the tournament!"
"Isn't that great?" Bolin squealed, throwing is arm over his brother's shoulder.
"Yeah, terrific."
Korra didn't seem all that enthused. "Hey, Korra," I said stepping forward now. "How about we leave them alone? We need to catch up, you know."
"Yeah, okay, Zuri."
"Just keep a look-out for Uncle Tenzin, alright?"
She nodded but were interrupted before we could walk away. There was a small confrontation concerning Korra, Tarrlock (who looked at me strangely, like he knew who I was), and Chief Beifong whom I'd only met once. She walked away quickly after her harsh words to Korra, so I didn't get the chance for a greeting. Not that I wanted her squealing about me to her ex-boyfriend, a.k.a. my airbending uncle. I didn't really want to be nice to her after what she'd said to Korra though. Nothing to deserve a welcoming party? I wanted to slap her around a bit.
Tarrlock and Chief Beifong finally left, and I pulled Korra to the side to ask her about what was bothering her. I could tell by the way she reacted to everything that something was eating - something besides Mako's new arm candy, anyway. I was sure that was part of it, too.
"A task force? You think Tarrlock would go through all of this to get you to join?"
"Yeah, I think he would. He's been bothering me all week about it. He sent all kinds of gifts and everything. But I can't do it. I just can't. I'm not ready."
"Listen, Korra, you don't have to do it. I know you. Don't let him drag you into this, and don't worry about the media or whatever. It's not worth it. Go with your gut."
"Thanks, but I don't think he's going to leave my gut alone."
"Look, Korra -"
"Zuri!" Uncle Tenzin's voice boomed behind me. "What do you think you are doing here? Your mother must be worried sick about you!"
"Uncle, she knows that I'm here."
"I doubt that. You would be in my care if that were the case! Where are you staying? Do you have all of your things with you? You're coming back to the island with us, and I'll write your mother immediately."
"Hold on a second, please! Let me just -" But I didn't finish that thought. I glanced behind me to see that Korra was gone. She was heading over to the top of the large staircase in the middle of the room with Tarrlock. "Great! Now what is he up to?"
I rushed over as close as I could get, but reporters crowded the area. I couldn't get anywhere near her.
Tarrlock threw her forward and let the reporters mince and dice her with their questions about Amon and why she wasn't a part of the task force if he was such a problem. Finally, they got to her. Just like I knew they would.
"I'm not afraid of anybody!" She screamed. "If the city needs me, then I'll join Tarrlock's task force and help fight Amon."
"There's your headline, folks!" Tarrlock said, throwing one arm around Korra and the other into the air. I wanted to attack him, right then and there. He'd realized exactly what to do to get his way. He had manipulated my best friend.
After the reporters cleared, I caught up with Korra and Tarrlock. "Korra!"
"Uh, Zuri... sorry."
"Don't apologize," I told her before turning my attention to Tarrlock beside her. "Is your task force accepting volunteers, Councilman Tarrlock?"
Bolin, Mako, and Asami stood not far off. I could hear all three of them, Korra, and my uncle behind me gasp audibly. "We definitely are, Miss...?
"Zuri. Just call me Zuri."
"Ah, I knew I recognized you. You look much like your mother, but you have your grandfather's spirit, I see."
Uncle Tenzin boiled behind me at the mention of his father, Avatar Aang.
"So," Tarrlock continued. "You are a waterbender, I presume."
"No, I'm not a bender at all. But that doesn't mean that I can't fight. I was trained as a chi-blocker, and Grandmother always told me that I moved like an airbender. If I'm not already of use to you, then I will become useful. My only request is to stay near Korra at all times."
"Oh, a request? You take after Councilman Tenzin. Don't worry. I'll find a place for you," he told me, glancing at my angry uncle behind me with a smirk.
I was surprised when he didn't protest before Tarrlock left. Instead he waited until the flying bison ride back to the island to start yelling at me about it.
I wasn't listening to him or Korra though. No matter how mad they were at me, I wasn't going back now. There was no way I was sending Korra off with Tarrlock by herself. He didn't sit right with me.
Uncle Tenzin eventually heard my case, and after defeating him in a quick battle, he allowed me to accompany Korra on a raid the following night. At the meeting, it was determined that I would be valuable since I could inflitrate the chi-blocker training camp and pretend to be a new recruit.
Inside the training camp, I pretended to practice with a second new recruit named Jarrod until the waterbenders busted in. When the water crashed into the floor, I took out the two captains in the area from behind. They were the only real threats present. Several of the trainees were frozen in the water. The other task force members dropped to the floor in front of me and took out the trainees that had escaped the water with earthbending. Except for two of them who had flown past, closely followed by best friend.
"I'm going after those two!" Korra yelled, running past me, and I turned to follow her with Tarrlock close behind me. Our footsteps echoed loudly in the stone hall. I looked up above Korra and saw chi-blockers poised on beams lining the cieling. There were two that I could see.
Then Korra tripped half way down the hall, just under the chi-blockers. She used her earthbending to send one flying in my direction, and I cut him down easily. But one of them landed behind her and was about to attack. He would have had her if Tarrlock hadn't saved her with his bending, freezing him to the wall. Unlike me, he could attack from a distance.
"Nice timing. Thanks, Tarrlock," Korra said, dusting herself off after she'd stood up.
"We make a good team, Avatar."
"Yeah, we do," she said sarcastically, throwing him a glare.
Later, I felt very unnecessary as the reporters arrived and began to question the task force members. Then it dawned on me that I'd have to prove my worth. Tarrlock had only agreed to my joining because it would anger my uncle. For some reason, I liked the idea of a challenge.
Afterwards at a press conference, Korra got caught up with herself and challenged Amon directly. The raid had made her far too confident in herself. She was going to regret challenging him.
Tarrlock, Uncle Tenzin, and myself all tried to talk her out of it. In the end, she said she was going anyway.
I would have settled with her letting me go as well. Amon wouldn't be alone. But she refused that, too, and headed out to the island, leaving us to watch from a distance. But it was no use. We couldn't see a thing from where we were.
Suddenly, Uncle Tenzin took off towards Avatar Aang Memorial Island after her a little after midnight. It didn't seem to me that anything had happened until a large flying machine hovered over the island, and several people clamored up cables into the air ship.
"No," I whispered. "No! They've ambushed her! Councilman Tarrlock, we have to do something!"
"Your uncle can handle things. Whatever they have done, it is too late for us to make a difference."
I punched him then, and Tarrlock went flying backwards. He didn't say a word to me about it and no one around even acknowledged it. But I was sure that I'd gotten my point across.
My best friend could be dead, kidnapped, or without her bending. I wasn't sure which one would be worse.