The Girl After

Chapter 10

"Korra!" Mako called out. Bolin, Asami, Dakota, and I followed him outside as we searched for the Avatar. "Korra!" Bolin's fire ferret leaped from his shoulder and scurried through some bushes. We all ran to catch up with the creature and found him licking the cheeks of our crying heroine.

"There you are," Bolin sighed. He knelt down as Pabu scuttled back to his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Korra lied, "I'm fine."

"You're a bad liar," I said flatly, receiving a harsh elbow to the side from Asami.

"Come on; what's wrong?," Mako said softly, "you can tell us."

The Avatar sniffled. "How can I save this city when I can't even learn airbending? I'm the worst Avatar ever! I just feel...alone..."

"That's nonsense!" Asami cried. "You're amazing!"

Mako nodded in agreement. "Aang hadn't mastered all four elements when he was battling the Fire Nation. He was just a little kid."

"Korra, when Aang and the others invaded the Fire Nation on the Day of The Black Sun, he didn't know firebending!" Dakota noted.

"He wasn't alone! He had his friends to help him," Bolin pointed out. "Look, the arena might be shut down, but we're still a team. The new Team Avatar!"

Mako and the others looked at me, as if expecting me to give words of encouragement. This was not my niche. I thought, choosing my words carefully, and said, "I've spent my life trying to be a bender, and prove that I can be just as strong. It's taken me a long time to learn that it doesn't define me or my worth. You're the Avatar, Korra. You're powerful and the embodiment of strength, courage, and hope. Don't let a minor obstacle keep you from showing that."

This was apparently the right thing to say. Mako flashed what looked like an attempted smile, as did Korra, and said, "We've got your back, Korra, and we can save this city - together." The group began piling their hands. I stood awkwardly, looking at their stacked hands. I looked up and found everyone staring directly at me.

"You want me to be part of this 'Team Avatar'?" I asked, to which everyone nodded. This was the last thing I wanted. I opened my mouth to protest, to reject the very idea of working with the Avatar - of working with Dakota. Bolin and Asami looked at me pleadingly, and I sighed in defeat. I placed my hand on top of the others.

Korra grinned. "Let's do it!" She cheered.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your celebrating," said Lin from behind me, "but I need to borrow Leinani." I didn't need to be told twice. I turned and followed the former chief away from the group. Once we were out of earshot, she spoke again with her hands folded behind her back. "I've been speaking with General Iroh," she said. "I told him everything that's happened with you."

I looked down without a word.

"Relax," she chuckled. "He's proud of you for choosing to the Avatar. He's expecting to return soon. Anyway, that's not why I wanted you. The tension with the Equalists has gotten worse, and I need you and your friends to ease everyone's nerves."

And that's exactly what we did. Or, tried to do. We'd gotten into a fight with a gang of chi blockers, all of whom were obviously unprepared for a group of teenagers. I used their own techniques against them, while the others used their bending and Asami drove rather recklessly. Dakota and I, oddly enough, worked well as a team. This only made my suspicion of her more concrete. Why was she being so nice to me after what happened with Bolin? More importantly, why was she still kissing Bolin after what happened? I shook the thought, wanting to focus on the fight.