Avatar-The Last Stand

Some New... Friends?

*Presli POV*

I sat in the corner of the large saddle on Yeji. I stared out at the pink and yellow clouds illuminated by the morning sun, the soft breeze flowing through my hair and the smell of salt water filling my senses.

"Are we there yet?" Max groaned.

"Does it look like we are?" Angela huffed.

I couldn't believe we were going to republic city to get the two best benders in the earth nation.

"After we get Bailey and Olivia on board, we'll go back to the air temple to join up and then all go to Republic City to defeat Xiaojun." Angela said, sharing the plan with Kenleigh who was flying the bison.

"I still don't see how two more people can help." Max mumbled to himself.

"I can't believe we're the ones to get the bending twins. I suck at convincing!" I exclaimed.

Angela chuckled at my remark.

"You really do." Kenleigh laughed.

"She's got a point. You don't seem very threatening." Max added, and I glared at him in response.

"I will airbend your ass off this bison." I jabbed.

Max put his hands up in surrender, raising his brows.

Eventually we made it to republic city, the large buildings gleaming in front of us. Kenleigh landed Yeji in a small park, and we all walked to the stadium. Angela handed Max a mask to conceal his identity, considering the city was in the hands of Xiaojun.

"And when we turn down here, we should be able to talk to Bailey and Olivia in their training room." Angela explained, waving to guards. Surprisingly, they waved back.

How many people does Angela know?

We approached their training area, flares of light and crashes being heard from inside the room.

Angela pushed open the door, pausing their practice.

"Angela! So good to see you!" Olivia exclaimed, immediately dropping the disk she had just bended.

"Good to see you two as well." Angela said, hugging the two celebrities.

"Who are they?" Bailey asked, pointing to the three of us.

"I'm Presli, this is Kenleigh, and that's Max." I said, shaking everyone's hands.

"So... we have a favor to ask of you." Angela said, changing the subject.

"Depends on what it is." Olivia said, Bailey nodding her head in agreement.

Angela explained the predicament we were all in, earning a few uneasy looks from the twins.

"We'll need some time to think it over." Bailey said, pulling Olivia away to the corner.

"We don't have time." Max spoke, making sure to emphasize.

"Listen kid, you realize you're asking us to abandon our world title, our fame, and our life if we aren't careful!" Bailey snapped.

"All you care about is your fame! There are lives at stake and you choose to stay here in your stupid riches!" Max retorted.

"Slow down, we didn't choose anything yet."

"Wait, we haven't?" Olivia asked confused.

"I thought we were on the same page!" Bailey exclaimed.

Everyone started arguing, erupting into chaos. We obviously weren't good at persuading.

The twins stopped arguing, then whispered to each other, catching everyone's attention. The room fell silent again.

Bailey turned to face us again, staring directly into my eyes.

"We'll help you take Republic City back." She said, resulting in a sigh of relief from the group.

"But," I could hear an audible groan from Kenleigh. "You have to defeat us in a bending match." Bailey finished.

"Being able to punch you with a fist full of fire? Sounds great." Max grinned.

"Count us out." I said, gesturing to Kenleigh and I.

"Looks like you have your team." Olivia smirked.

Max's hands clenched. I could tell he wanted to slap that smirk right off her face.

"If you win, we'll help you take down Xiaojun. If we win, we'll turn you into the police for freeing Kang. Sound good?" Bailey said, extending an arm.

Max shook it, seeing it as a walk in the park. These twins really take their bending seriously.

We were all directed to the training room, I meditated the whole time.

"I can't believe we're doing this." Kenleigh said, practicing bending the air.

"I agree." Angela huffed.

"This'll be a piece of cake. I've studied their strategy. They always leave their left side unprotected." Max said, trying to offer a little hope to the two girls.

"I just pray to the spirits that you don't die in the process." I chimed, still meditating.

"Well that's uplifting."

It was time for them to compete. Kenleigh and I took a seat in the empty audience, silently praying we win.

They stepped onto the middle of the hexagonal platform, the buzzer sounded and Olivia immediately knocked Max back into zone two with five discs.

Bailey then blasted Angela far off the back with a large ball of fire, the buzzer signifying that she fell.

Max's hands exploded into flames, launching balls of fire and throwing both the twins backwards into zone two.

Olivia bended four discs and launched them directly at Max, but bended them away with a strong blast of fire.

Olivia bended two discs towards Max, while Bailey hurled a ball of fire near his chest. Both of their left sides were unguarded.

Max launched two balls of fire at their sides while dodging their attacks, throwing off their bending. While they were distracted, he bended a wall of fire, knocking them off the platform.

He stood alone in the middle, Kenleigh and I immediately cheering and yelling in victory.

•••

"Holy shit, they did it!" Ashley exclaimed, pointing to the group that just returned.

"I guess we did, isn't that right?" Angela said, looking at the twins.

"You're back!" Hanna exclaimed.

We all exchanged hugs and shared the story of what happened, Kang secretly fanboying from a distance.

"You know what this means, right?" Fern said, grabbing Max's hands.

"We take back Republic City."