Chapter 16- Figuring Out Love

While Korra was training for her Pro-bending tournament, you were outside strumming a tune. Ikki and Jinora were carrying fruit for the lemurs running around.
"So, do spirits fall in love?" Ikki suddenly asked you, making you pause and look up at her.

"Of course they do, most of the human world wouldn't exist if it wasn't for love the spirits had for one another," You smiled at the smaller girl, continuing to strum.
"Well... have you ever fallen in love?" Jinora then asked, feeling intrigued. That made you think for a moment, wondering and remembering.

"...No, I don't think I've ever had,"

"Is it because you don't have a type? Do you like strong spirits, shy ones, prideful one, caring ones, skinny and scrawny, older ones?" Ikki named out any features, making Jinora face palm.

"Well, I'm the youngest of spirits, so I don't really fit in age range with the others. Besides, I see them all as family," You shrugged with a smile, having a staring contest with a winged lemur.

"Maybe I'll be like my other spirit friends and fall in love with a human, who knows?" You shrugged, making the girls giggle.
"Well, whoever it'll be, you'll be a match made in heaven. I bet a lot of humans will fall for you! Who wouldn't?" Jinora smiled softly at you, which had you feel a little flustered.

"I doubt it, who would be in love with me?" You pondered before Korra showed up from her training.
"Hello, Sifu Vatar," You waved at her, smiling.
"Hey you three. Need any help?" She suggested, which the two girls allowed.

"So, how's it going with the tall, dreamy firebender boy? You've been spending a lot of time together lately," Jinora teased, making Korra's face to heat up.
"Oooh, yeah! Tell us all about the magical romance," Ikki gasped.

"What? Listen to you two, I-I'm not interested in Mako or any romantic stuff. Besides he's all into that prissy, beautiful, elegant, rich girl... but let's just pretend for a second I am interested in him. What would I do?" Korra trailed off at the mention of Asami, before clearing her throat.

"Ooh! I just read a historical saga where the heroine fell in love with the enemy general's son, who's supposed to marry the princess. You should do what she did!" Jinora suggested.

"Tell me!" Korra asked.
"She rode a dragon into battle and burned down the entire country. Then she jumped into a volcano. It was so romantic!" Jinora swooned, making you snort and shake your head.

"No, no, no! The best way to win a boy's heart is to brew a love potion of rainbows and sunsets that makes true lovers sprout wings and fly into a magical castle in the sky, where they get married and eat clouds with spoons and use stars as ice cubes in their moonlight punch. Forever and ever and ever!" Ikki flew upward.

"The volcano is starting to make more sense to me now," Korra mumbled. You heard a laugh and saw Pema walking up.
"Oh, hey Pema. Uh, how long were you standing there?" Korra sheepishly asked.

"Long enough. But trust me, I know what you're going through. Years ago I was in the exact the same situation, with Tenzin," That made you curious.
"Daddy was in love with someone else before you?
"That's right.
"So what did you do?" You asked her, setting your Lute down.

"Well, for the longest time, I did nothing. I was so shy and scared of rejection, but watching my soul mate spend his life with the wrong woman became too painful. So I hung my chin out there and I confessed my love to Tenzin. And the rest is history," Pema smiled fondly, patting her stomach.

"Wooow!" The four of you said in awe. That made you wonder about the concept of love. It's beautiful, complicated, scary, and thrilling all at the same time.
'I wish I was that confident when confessing to someone. Maybe one day I'll experience love,' You sighed, looking at the moon.

'Who knows? Maybe it's going to be through a series of being at the wrong place at the wrong time!'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Look at us! You and me, and the spirit at a dinner date! It's like we're a family! I-I mean- not like a family, I don't have one- that's not what I meant! I meant w-we- Uhh," Bolin stammered out, with you swinging your legs on the bench you and Korra shared.

"Hey, don't worry Bolin, it's nice to see her as family," Korra grinned, ruffling your hair up, making you laugh and slurp your noodles. You just gave a toothy grin at him.

"Right! Right, she's family," He gave you a fond smile, making you feel embarrassed that you were third wheeling.
"Hey, who's that creepy guy over there who keeps glaring at us?" Korra asked, pointing at a table with a pale human, who practically oozed arrogance.

"That's Tahno and the Wolfbats, the reigning champs, three years running. Don't make eye contact," Bolin whispered, but Korra did anyways, which caused the pale human to stand up and walk over.

"Uh-oh, here he comes. Now don't mess with this guy, he's a nasty dude," Bolin explained and continued to slurp his noodles. You cautiously watched as the human leered over the table.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Fire Ferrets. Pro-bending's saddest excuse for a team. Tell me, how did a couple of amateurs like you luck your way into the tournament? Especially you, Uh-vatar," Tahno smirked, leaning close to Korra.

"You know, if you'd like to learn how a real pro bends, I could give you some private lessons~" He purred, which made you have an uneasy feeling in your stomach.
"You wanna go toe-to-toe with me, pretty boy?" Korra threatened.

"Go for it. I'll give you the first shot," Tahno raised an eyebrow. You growled and stood up on the table, wanting to be the bigger man (or in this case the taller spirit)
"Hey, back off Sundown," You glared at Tahno, who raised his arms up.

"What are you going to do brat, kick me?" He mocked, causing his entourage to giggle and grin.
"He's just trying to bait you. If you hit him, we're out of the tournament," You didn't need to hurt him, as you suddenly felt your stomach turn, and you took this opportunity to go and vomit blood all over his shores.

Well apparently he's deathly afraid of blood, because he shrieked like a girl and fainted, making his teammates catch him. They all glared and pulled Tahno away, and when they were far away, Bolin and Korra burst out laughing.

"I've never heard him scream like that! Korra, your spirit is amazing!" Bolin cheered.
"Yeah, from experience, everyone faints or freaks out when she throws up," Korra chuckled and patted your head.

"Yeah, trust me, it does," Bolin shivered, both continued laughing.
"I'm still here you know," You huffed, crossing your arms. When hanging with these humans, you're slowly becoming more relaxed and sassy. Yet you felt like this before, yet you don't know where.

After that, you three went everywhere in the city, making you feel as happy as you were back at home. Had drinks, saw the Harmony Tower, and went sight seeing. Humans were so simple, yet create extraordinary moment together.

'I wish I had money like these as a human,'
____________________________________

I hope I didn't just try plod this art, so here you go!