The Veins of Morality

Principles Through the Light

The sound of music blasting through doors. The clicking heels of wealthy women walking to meet their even wealthier friends. Layers of pearls wrapped and draped down their necks and chests. Makeup caked onto their faces. Though korra was well underdressed compared to the other women, she still felt a little too prissy. She wore a long blue dress, blue and white arm bands, and her signature pony in her hair. She took a deep breath in. Just as her chest rose, it dropped quickly as she breathed out through her mouth. Parting her lips a slight. She straightened her back out while rolling her shoulders back, preparing to enter this party.

As she opened the door, she was greeted by tarrlok. "Korra! I'm glad the avatar could make it to her own party." He said, guiding her straight into the eye of the party.

"Korra! Korra! Man, look at this place....and look at you! Both, so fancy."

"Thanks, bolin." Korra said with a small, breathy giggle.

"Hey, korra." She heard from behind her. It sounded like mako. Korra immediately perked up with a fluttering heart to turn around and greet mako.

"Mako! Hey!" Korra said as she turned around, folding her hands together in front of herself. "How's it going?"

"Hey, where was that enthusiasm while talking to me?" Bolin said sarcastically.

Korra pushed her bottom lip out while looking into the corner of her eyes, looking over toward bolin.

Mako heard approaching heels behind him. He turned around to see who was there. "Oh! Hey korra, there's someone I wanted you to meet." He said while interlocking hands with an unfamiliar woman.

Korra's face dropped as she looked at this tall, beautiful woman. Her long, thick, black hair flowed down perfectly. Her bold green eyes pierced korra as she gazed back at her. She wore a long red dress, fitting perfectly to every curve of her body. She definitely fit in at this party. While korra was struggling to fit in at her own party, this woman was the most beautiful person she'd ever seen. Korra's once excited and welcoming demeanor turned to one of anger and confusion. A stand-offish tone washed over her as she crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow.

"This is asami." Mako continued despite his confusion on the rising tension. "Her and her dad are sponsoring the fire ferrets! Isn't that great?"

"Yeah..." korra says suspiciously.

"It's so nice to meet you! Mako's told me all about you." Asami said as she used both hands to shake korra's.

"Really....funny 'cause he hasn't talked about you at all." She said, pulling her hand away from asami's grasp.

Asami, still smiling, tilts her head in confusion.

"Asami.....mako....ah! Avatar korra! It's nice to meet you." Said a strange man that quickly approached next to asami.

"Uh... you too!"

"Oh, this is hiroshi sato. Asami's father. He's the one sponsoring the fire ferrets, remember?" Mako said.

"Oh! Right! Thank you so much for your help, Mr. sato." Korra quickly responded.

"It's no problem at all. You guys are real dynamite fighters."

"Thank yo-" korra was quickly cut off by a hand on her shoulder.

She turned her head around to see tarrlok behind her. "Almost thought I lost you!" Tarrlok said, trying to joke with korra. Didn't land well. Korra had already been upset with tarrlok for trying to get her to join his task force. The bribery and pressure wouldn't persuade her.

"There's reporters that would like to talk with you."

"Uhm, well-," korra tried to reject the invitation.

"Come come. It'll take just a minute. Then you can get back to your flourishing party!"

"Right...." korra said, showing she really had no interest in this night.

The group watched as tarrlok guided korra over to the podium.

"Well, you boys have a tournament coming up soon, do you not?" Hiroshi said, moving the conversation away from tarrlok.

"Yeah, we do!" Bolin said excitedly. "Don't wanna brag, but I think we've got it in the bag." He said while wresting his elbow onto mako's shoulder.

"Ok, that....hurts." mako says while bolin's elbow digs into his shoulder. "Ow! Bolin, get off!" He said, flailing his arms at him.

"Sorry. Sorry...." bolin says while backing up stiffly.

"You guys are funny." Asami says, giggling, grabbing onto mako's hand again.

"You pro benders are so lucky... with built-in weapons, and the whole world adoring you. You guys are livin' it up!" Hiroshi says jokingly.

"Dad....." asami says, as a warning to her father that he would make people uncomfortable.

"Eh.... well... it's not all good news. If we don't win, we don't get any money....we've been living in the attic of the arena." Mako protests.

"Well, that's no way to treat the best fighters in town!" Hiroshi exclaims.

"I agree!" Asami continued his sentence. "You guys should stay at our place! We've got plenty of room!"

"That would...actually be amazing! Thank you, guys."

Bolin gasps. "This is gonna be great! Mako, we'll be living in a mansion!!!"

"Okay, okay... calm down, lil bro..."

Bolin, still excited, looks over to see korra walking over.

"Oo! Oo! Korra!" He yells, running over to her.

"Whats got you so excited?" She says, giggling.

"Asami is letting us stay at her house! We don't have to stay in that dingy attic anymore!"

Mako interjected. "Hey! I put a lot of work into fixing that attic up." He pauses. "Uh... korra? You okay?" He had finally realized the stressed look on korra's face. Bolin was finally aware of it as well.

"Yeah! I uh..... joined tarrlok's task force...." she said, unsure of her decision.

"Are you serious? I thought you weren't joining because you were busy with airbending." Mako said, concerned.

"I have to do something." She said harshly. "I'm not going to let these stupid equalists win."

"Don't you think you have other responsibilities?"

"Amon is my responsibility. This is for the better."

Hiroshi interjects.

"I really hope you're right, avatar..... the equalists are.....strong."

An unsettling tone washed over the group as they watched hiroshi. His unsettling face and aura sent chills down the three's spines. That eventful night would soon come to an end.