w e l p

[tribender]

Premature, shmemature - I'm ready now.


( ooc; warnings for spoilers in the comments, maybe??? )

Comments

[deformed]

But it could be better. Way better.

[fireferret]

What?

[deformed]

Listen to me. I've fought for my life and gained some irreplaceable skills, the kind of speed that doesn't let anything hit you because if it does, you're dead in an instant. You need to be like that with your technique. Faster.

... And I guess you'd win a lot more of your Probending matches taking far fewer hits.

1/2

[fireferret]

So you're a firebender.

[He looks a little more closely, the name at last ringing with recognition. AND HE IS AN IDIOT AGAIN. You look tiny compared to all the pictures, bro. Like, his age. It's weird.]

Let me guess, Fire Lord Zuko?

[fireferret]

... I've done this the way I've done it for years. Bending is different than it used to be. It works for me.

[deformed]

Yeah, that's me. The ancient relic guy.

[ He's eighteen, not exactly living the dream with rebelling colonies all over the place but solemn enough to balance out his youth. It's a little bit annoying looking up a few inches at Mako, truth be told. ]

Bending for us stems from the same origins. There's nothing wrong with your form, it just needs ... tightening.

[ Have a sigh. ]

I'm starting to feel really old but I promise I know what I'm talking about.

[fireferret]

[Aw, yeah. Feel the height superiority. And the judgy yet fabulous eyebrows.]

Then I'll improve it myself.

[Through intensive training and lots of probending.]

Firebending didn't just stay the same. It developed.

[deformed]

I'm not saying that's a bad thing. You're not listening.

[ Hrngh. ]

[fireferret]

Neither are you. [Wow Mako SHOW SOME RESPECT TO YOUR ELDERS.]

How much do you even know about my generation?

[When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object...]

[deformed]

[ ... they'll make soup of each other. Also yeah, WOW, everyone in the future is so rude??? ]

I'm not talking about your generation, I'm focusing on your firebending. Do you even know how it all started? Do you care? Or do you just want to shoot fireballs at clay bricks as hard as you can.

[fireferret]

[The future doesn't need manners.]

Listen, this tournament means a lot to me and my brother. And we've been winning so far. I don't intend to mess that up. You can teach me your history lessons later.

[deformed]

Those history lessons could help you win, you stubborn idiot. [ FEH. ] Fine, do what you want. I offered.

... For what it's worth, good luck.

[fireferret]

I'll keep the offer in mind.

[About as close to 'thanks' as you can get with him, most of the time.]

[deformed]

Just don't fall off that platform. You're the new fire guy on Team Avatar now, stay alert.

[ We have a rep, broseph. ]

[fireferret]

Team what? She's on my team. I'm the captain.

[deformed]

Yep, that's how it starts.

[fireferret]

And that's how it stays.

[deformed]

I wouldn't count on it. Seems like a trend that all the Avatars are persuasive.

[ A beat. Hey, he's honest. ]

And annoying sometimes, but they grow on you.

[fireferret]

[He'll appreciate honesty. And he's seen Korra pull through in the end. But Mako's not a pushover, and he's been self-reliant all these years, so it's a lot to swallow.]

I guess we'll see. Too early to tell.

[deformed]

Yeah.

[ This is one wild firebender party. Check out how awkward the Fire Lord is. ]

[fireferret]

[Man, he pictured you all regal and intimidating in his head. It's strange to meet the teenage equivalent of the Fire Lord that helped found Republic City. He wonders what Zuko would think about the mess it's in now.]

If you're so good at firebending, show me.

[deformed]

[ He'd have a thing or two to say about all those anti-bending groups. ]

Right now?

[fireferret]

Why not? Or we can take it to the ring.

1/7

[deformed]

Here's fine.

[ Pacing away a short distance, he briefly closes his eyes and settles a familiar stance, old muscle-memory working with him -

[deformed]

- as he throws himself into a round-house kick, fire scooping up from the ground to encircle his feet and blast forward in fireballs. The last person he properly trained with was Aang on Ember Island and he uses the same close-range attacks so as not to hit anything (or anyone) watching. Flames soar up behind him protectively, tendrils spiraling forward in a make-shift tunnel to engulf a couple of dozen feet ahead -