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𝐒tepping foot on the city again was like getting hit by a giant wave of deja vu. Everything felt so familiar to her. There was definitely something that didn't change. Some people were still stuck up and up in their heads. It was a good thing she decided to leave the city, a place she once called home, although it wasn't like it mattered anymore. No one knew her there, believe it or not, and she didn't really know them at all, either.
It wasn't that hard to cross the ocean starting from the temple. All it took was some little airbending to propel herself up so she wouldn't fall into the water, unlike Korra who can swim fast and use waterbending. Must be nice. Cloud disliked the sea. In fact, she couldn't swim. It would be a drag if she suddenly drowned, although she wasn't that worried since she had the Avatar by her side.
It would've been easier if she took her glider though. But she didn't really know that Korra was planning to sneak out of the temple in the first place. It was spontaneous.
The airbender didn't hesitate to thrust the air upwards to follow after Korra who jumped inside the pro-bending arena. It was one of the other hundreds of buildings shining brightly through the night. Cloud raised her brows as they stopped in front of a wide room filled with weightlifting tools.
Korra didn't utter a word since she was too busy ogling at the place, even showing an amazed smile. She couldn't blame her. The South Pole didn't exactly have these kinds of things, and she knew it because she'd been there. Much to her surprise, someone found them, a burly old man with white hair. Cloud made a sheepish face and was about to skid away from the man when she found someone extremely familiar facing her.
"Bolin?"
"Cloudy?"
The airbender wasn't in shock, but she was a little surprised to see him in his usual pro-bending outfit. Nothing really had changed. She didn't even need to tell him about Korra because he already noticed the gorgeous girl who was being interrogated by the old man, who apparently owns the loft.
Cloud just listened to their excuses with an amused expression on her face, making a face every time they said something that the opposite person disagreed with. Same old Bolin. He didn't change one bit, and it wasn't a bad thing. He liked how bubbly he was even at the most desperate times.
Then she found herself thinking about his older brother who was one of her childhood friends and enemy. She wasn't very fond of him before, but he could be a nice guy sometimes when they were kids. There were times he would pull her hair and challenge her to a fight, not the serious one, and continuously mess with her. You know, the typical six-year-old boy's snarky attitude. She wasn't bothered since she actually did the same to him. It was only payback.
The short-haired brunette didn't realize she was left behind until she looked around her and found no one, but the grumpy old man and his dumbells, angrily throwing them over the floor. Cloud huffed under her breath and sped towards the exit to find her old friend and the Avatar. She has a bad habit of zoning out at uncertain times. Believe it.
Walking through the hallways, she found an opened door and saw the two teenagers inside, leaning against the railing to get a clearer view of the arena. She tutted her lips and marched inside the room. For an airbender, she's got some heavy footsteps. She didn't notice a certain boy standing in the corner of the room as she entered.
"Seriously, guys?" Cloud sighed in feigned disappointment, briefly throwing her arms up in the air. "Ditching me now?"
Bolin didn't even get to answer her when he was called by a familiar someone, leaving the two girls alone to gaze at the arena. She heard bits of what he said, and it made her feel incredulous, which also made her turn around and face the idiot himself.
"You." The two said simultaneously, realizing who each other was, their veins almost bulging out of their forehead from staring at each other in disbelief. They kind of left each other on a bad note, no matter how petty it was.
Bolin ignored them like it was the most normal thing ever, and went to grab Korra to have her meet his older brother. "Come here, I want you to meet my brother, Mako."
Cloud wasn't giving up and the firebender was the first one to break the glare between them. She scoffed under her breath. Cloud, one. Mako, zero.
"Mako? Wow, I-I heard you playing on the radio," Korra said, offering her hand for a shake but he barely glanced at her as he walked towards the ring, completely ignoring her outstretched arm.
"Jerk," Cloud huffed under her breath, crossing her arms, still glaring at the back of his head.
Mako grumbled. "Come on, Bolin, we're up."
"... or I could meet him later." Korra trailed off, staring at her rejected hand.
Bolin shot the girl a lighthearted look before starting to put on his helmet and then tying the strings behind it. "Yeah, sorry about that. My brother just gets real... focused before a match."
Cloud didn't want to hear enough of his excuses about his cranky brother, and she moved to the bench until the brothers were no longer around them. Let's face it, Mako's just a naturally cranky person. She thought although flashes of memories she had of the boy smiling appeared in her head.
As the match began, Cloud was more interested in Korra's reactions than in the actual match. Besides, she already knew that the boys were as good as ever, and just because she gets into stupid fights with Mako, doesn't mean she hates him. That's just how their friendship works. It's the feelingthat counts. Trust me.
Even though the airbender was quite a mischievous and adventurous type of person, pro-bending never really interested her. (Maybe it's because airbenders weren't really allowed to play since there weren't many of them, but either way, Cloud didn't care enough about the sport).
"Staring is rude," She heard a familiar voice say. Cloud blinked a few times, then she realized that Mako had been looking at her while removing his gears near the cabinet in the corner of the room.
"Shut up," Cloud grumbled, tutting her lips as she turned to stare at the wall. "I wasn't."
Mako merely rolled his eyes and continued whatever he was doing. However, he couldn't help but wonder, and he said after a few seconds of silence, "When did you even come back?"
His little brother and Korra were too busy conversing with each other to even notice them.
Cloud briefly glanced at him and looked at her hands, opening her palm before creating a mini tornado as it circled around her palm. "Yesterday?"
The firebender glanced at her, scoffing under his breath from either amusement or annoyance after noticing the mini tornado dancing on her palm. Mako didn't reply after that, and somehow, it almost seemed like the two weren't just glaring at each other earlier. I guess, it was better than getting on each other's nerves every time, but what's life without a little fight? Actually, she doesn't even want to know.
