With the new sponsorship under their belts from Tong Industries, the Otter Penguins were doing quite well for themselves. They finally had professional-grade equipment, with only one relatively unobtrusive Tong logo on the right sleeve, and they were getting many more matches. In fact, at first their new schedule had been quite tiring, with a new match every week as the season picked up, but theyâd risen to the challenge, and though there were some close calls, they were still winning their way up the hierarchy of probenders. Their sponsor showed up to every match, enthusiastically informing everyone who cared to listen that his favorite team was looking so good they may well have another shot at the professional brackets before the year was up.
The events they had to go to in exchange for their sponsorship had actually been fun, actually. Mr. Tong was basically exactly the kind of person he said he was, and so there were a lot of trips to various bending schools across the city, and sometimes the three were volunteered to teach clinics for benders who couldnât afford the top-notch classes. Most of these were children or young adults, and Kiara really loved that part. Sheâd lost track of the number of pieces of Otter-Penguin gear sheâd signed; it would seem that as the weeks wore on into months and winter crept once more over the city, her team was becoming quite popular.
Of course, not all the events they had to go to were clinics for kids or things like that. Some of them were actually a little bit more⊠awkward than that, so suffice it to say that when the team was informed that they would be in the annual Midwinter Parade that year, she was a little flabbergasted. Usually, that honor only went to the top teams, but apparently, the Otters just barely qualified for it, and were popular enough that their inclusion was warranted, despite technically still being a team in the amateur division of the sport. At least they didnât have to dress up muchâtheyâd be wearing a slightly-nicer version of their uniforms sans helmet, and that was all that was required. Probably for recognition, since probenders were not often seen without the uniforms. Or rather, they were not always recognized without them.
Even better, theyâd be riding on the same parade float with the Pygmy Pumas and a few other teams. It was a bit of a promotion for them, honestly, but Kiara liked the Pumas, even if Rika had told her that one time that Ying was giving her the evil eye. She hadnât seen it personally, but she trusted her friend. Perhaps the firebender had just been having a bad day or somethingâeveryone was a bit grumpy sometimes, after all. Fang wasnât riding with them, but heâd mentioned he had something to do that day anyway, and she assumed it was related to the security job he had or something. Whatever the case, the rest of them had been told to be at the parade grounds quite early in the morning, and Kiara was still trying to wake herself up when she got there, blinking blearily at the morning sun. She preferred to sleep at this time, honestly, probably something to do with her attachment to the moon, which was no longer anywhere in sight.
She bet Haki never had this problem.
Rika rolled in her bed, ignoring the wails of the morning sun, peeking through her window. She knew she should have closed those shades last night, but she had been so tired. The recent jump in competitions they had gave their team little to no room for rest. It was either practice, events, or matches. It was wearing her out, but she would endure and bear it. She was an earthbender! She could do this! With that in mind, Rika found herself rolling out of her bed, not quite awake enough to catch herself as she fell. Her back met the floor with a soft thud, and she groaned. The shockwave of pain wasn't quite enough to paralyze her, but she remained on the floor, staring up at the ceiling regardless.
She sighed, pushing herself up and quietly made her way towards her bathroom. Today was a special day. They were going to the annual Midwinter Parade. It should have been enough to make her excited about it. She'd only ever watched from the sidelines, staring in awe at the floats and the other teams. This year, however, she and her team would be in that parade. She could feel a light shiver go down her back. She wasn't exactly used to being looked at, and she prefered to be the one looking. Though, she knew her team would all be looked at, not just her. That alleviated the nervousness, but only by a fraction.
Haki, however, had been up before dawn, his eyes wide awake, belying his true state of mind. He was tired as well, if the dark circles forming under his eyes said anything about it, however; he did not let this on to his teammates. He didn't need to give them cause for worry. He glanced out over his balcony, watching as the sun rose steadily over the horizon. He sighed softly, pushing himself from the rail and made his way out of his apartment. He was dressed in his uniform, as they were required to be, though he wore a coat over his. It was still rather cold outside, even if he was able to keep himself warmer than the others.
He walked slowly down the street, greeting people here and there, and made his way towards Rika's home. He knew she was probably going to run a little late, as she always did, and he thought it best to walk with her. Or at least for his own sanity. He didn't know what to make of the recent looks Ying had sent him, and honestly... it was a little intimidating. He shook his head free of those thoughts. Perhaps he was reading too much into it. Once he reached the door, he raised his hand to knock, however; just as his head reached the door, it swung open to reveal a flustered earthbender. He cocked his brow, mild amusement crossing his features.
"Not a word Haki! We're going to be late! Let's move!" she stated, grabbing his hand and dragging him behind her. He didn't have time to retort to her statement as she literally dragged him behind her. He chuckled all the way to the meeting spot, and was still laughing when they approached their waterbender. "We made it!" she stated, bending over and placing her hands on her knees. She was trying to catch her breath, and grinned up at Kiara. Haki cleared his throat behind Rika, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You're still holding my hand, Lotus."
"Shut up..." Haki only laughed as she released his hand, or rather, threw his hand.
Kiara smiled at them, finding her energy level lifted a little just by their company, and snorted when Rika chucked Hakiâs hand away from herself. She knew them well enough by now to know exactly how that scenario had played out, and the mental image was kind of hilarious. âIâm glad youâre here,â she said, gesturing with a hand over to where the finishing touches were being put on the probending floats. âIt looks like theyâre just about ready to put us on.â She had elected not to wear a coat, considering the relatively mild weather here compared to home. It wasnât even cold enough to snow, unlike last Midwinter. The memory of that brought warmth to her, even as they made their way over to the floats.
She grinned a little wider when she observed that the Pumas were already there, Ying looking bored while Zian messed around, apparently trying to wake himself up a little more. She bet he had the same morning problem she did, really. Daichi seemed calm as ever, and she raised her hand to wave at the three of them, unsurprised when Zian waved back with some enthusiasm. He was a very vivacious person that way, where his teammates were a little more reserved.
The six of them, plus the Badger Moles, another top probending team, would be occupying this particular float, and from the way the organizers were gesturing, it was time to get everyone on board. Accepting a hand up from Zian, she turned to offer one to Rika behind her, looking around at the float itself. It was pulled along by a motor vehicle not unlike the front of a train, only smaller, and was itself a mostly flat surface, raised in the middle and showcasing a mix of all three probending elements: a flame burned in the middle of a sphere of crystal-clear ice, probably kept cold enough to retain its shape for quite some time, all in a frame of decoratively-carved stone. The ice bore the probending league logo on it, and the flame shifted different colors from inside. It was actually really neat-looking.
âSo⊠what are we supposed to do, anyway? Just wave at people?â Kiara had heard of parades before, but only in the vaguest terms. Sheâd never actually seen one, much less been in one.
Rika shook her head as she followed behind Kiara, glancing behind her to glare at Haki once, and continued on her way. Haki chuckled lightly, shaking his own head as he followed his teammates to the float they were going to be sharing. Unsurpsingly, they were sharing a float with the Pygmy Pumas, and when Kiara waved at Zian, earning an enthusiastic wave in return, Haki couldn't stop his lips from pursing together in a fine line. He sighed softly, lifting himself up with ease and stood off to the side of the float. He could already hear the people's anxious murmurs, and he himself felt a little excited. He'd never been in the parade, as it seemed with the rest of his teammates, and this was the first time he'd actually be in it.
He blinked at Kiara's statement as he stared down at her. "Well, that's what they did last year, and the year before. I am sure it is no different this year, Turtle-Duck," he replied, though a slow smirk pulled at his lips. "But if you'd like," he began, sliding his hand into hers, the feeling of a harsh glare directed towards him on his back, "We could wave at them together," he stated, glancing over his shoulder towards Zian, giving the Puma waterbender a sly smirk. Rika rolled her eyes at Haki, and shoved her way into the middle of the two. She grabbed onto Kiara's arm and pulled her hand out of Haki's, lacing it with her own instead.
"If anyone is going to be waving together, it's going to be Kiara and myself," she stated, grinning at the disappointed look on Haki's face. "Besides, I'm sure someone else might be interested in holding your hand to wave, Haki," she stated, the slyness in her tone only matched by the light narrowing of her eyes. She was teasing the firebender, that much he knew, however; the reference sent a cold chill down his spine. He visibly shuddered at the thought and tried not to give much thought about it. That woman, if who Rika was refering to was in fact that same woman, still set of alarms throughout his body. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to that feeling.
"Why must you be so cruel, Lotus?"
Kiara, entirely oblivious to what any of them were talking about, placed her free hand on her hip. âI donât get it. Shouldnât we stick with our teams or something?â A thought occurred to her then, and she smiled. âOh, I get it! You mean we should mingle a little, so that everyone in the crowd can see at least part of every team. Thatâs a really good idea!â She beamed at her teammates, then squeaked in surprise when she was suddenly tugged backwards.
Apparently, Ying also thought it was a great idea, and proceeded to move into the spot she and Rika had been in a moment before. Perhaps the idea was that they should separate by bending type? That could be fun; if they did that, they would be able to do little demonstrations as the float moved. There was little time to consider it, though, because the parade was moving, and somehowâshe had no idea howâshe found herself standing on the left side of the float, near Zian. Rika and Daichi werenât too far away, but Haki and Ying must be on the other side of the sculpture with the Badger Moles, because they were out of her line of sight.
âI guess youâre probably used to this sort of thing by now, arenât you?â The question she directed at Zian. He was, after all, a member of one of the most popular probending teams since the inception of the sport, and they were undefeated besides. They probably had sponsors fighting over them. Not that Kiara minded or anythingâshe was happy they did so well. They seemed like such good people to her.
On the other side of the float, Ying looked slightly sideways at Haki, something very sly in the tilt of her mouth. âYour teammates are just full of good ideas, arenât they?â
"Hey now!" Rika managed to state as she found herself, along with Kiara, whisked away from Haki's side. Haki blinked in mild surprise when Ying was standing next to him, no longer in the presence of his teammates. That... wasn't exactly what he had in mind. He sighed, slumping his shoulders slightly before readjusting himself so that he stood up straight once more. He couldn't see Kiara or Rika; they were probably on the other side of the float. He raised a questioning brow at her statement, inwardly shivering at the tilt of her lips, and pursed his lips together.
"In all technicality, the idea was mine," he began turning his attention away, looking anywhere and everywhere but at her. "Not exactly what I had in mind," he continued, and it wasn't. He wanted to spend his time with his teammates, not the others on the float. His lips tilted downwards when he thought about it. Zian, however, was having the time of his life. He was waving towards the crowd, winking at those he past by, and tilted his head to regard Kiara. He smirked in her direction, shrugging his shoulders in a nonchalant manner in answer to her question.
"It'll get easier in time," he replied, shifting so that he was fully facing her. "Though I'll never be used to these early mornings. Even with the sponsors and events, mornings have never been my cup of tea," he continued. He glanced off towards the edge of the float, blowing a kiss towards his adoring fans. "So tell me, what are your plans after the parade?" he questioned, curious brows raised. Rika snorted at the statement, having heard the conversation from where she was currently standing, and crossed her arms over her chest. Her lips were pursed together as she frowned. She did not appreciate being pulled back the way she had, especially by her.
"You seem displeased, Rika. Are you not enjoying yourself?" Daichi questioned, glancing down at his friend. Rika blinked slowly up at him, before laughing nervously. She didn't mean to frown in public, and was probably showing bad sportsmanship. She shook her head in response. "You seem in better spirits since the last time I spoke with you, how is your shop doing?" he asked, smiling softly in response. Rika couldn't help but smile back, a light pink dusting her cheeks as she rubbed the back of her neck.
"Well, Chan and Wei own the shop now, you know that," she replied, lightly tapping his arm with her elbow. "It's just... things seem, what's the word," she stated, tapping her chin in a thoughtful manner as she tried to word her sentence properly. "Things are a little more vibrant I guess. I never thought my team and I would ever get this far," she continued, her eyes softening just a moment as she smiled. And she really hadn't. She thought they would do okay in their first match, but to have reached this far... it was an amazing feeling. Daichi only chuckled, laying a hand on her shoulder in the process.
The events they had to go to in exchange for their sponsorship had actually been fun, actually. Mr. Tong was basically exactly the kind of person he said he was, and so there were a lot of trips to various bending schools across the city, and sometimes the three were volunteered to teach clinics for benders who couldnât afford the top-notch classes. Most of these were children or young adults, and Kiara really loved that part. Sheâd lost track of the number of pieces of Otter-Penguin gear sheâd signed; it would seem that as the weeks wore on into months and winter crept once more over the city, her team was becoming quite popular.
Of course, not all the events they had to go to were clinics for kids or things like that. Some of them were actually a little bit more⊠awkward than that, so suffice it to say that when the team was informed that they would be in the annual Midwinter Parade that year, she was a little flabbergasted. Usually, that honor only went to the top teams, but apparently, the Otters just barely qualified for it, and were popular enough that their inclusion was warranted, despite technically still being a team in the amateur division of the sport. At least they didnât have to dress up muchâtheyâd be wearing a slightly-nicer version of their uniforms sans helmet, and that was all that was required. Probably for recognition, since probenders were not often seen without the uniforms. Or rather, they were not always recognized without them.
Even better, theyâd be riding on the same parade float with the Pygmy Pumas and a few other teams. It was a bit of a promotion for them, honestly, but Kiara liked the Pumas, even if Rika had told her that one time that Ying was giving her the evil eye. She hadnât seen it personally, but she trusted her friend. Perhaps the firebender had just been having a bad day or somethingâeveryone was a bit grumpy sometimes, after all. Fang wasnât riding with them, but heâd mentioned he had something to do that day anyway, and she assumed it was related to the security job he had or something. Whatever the case, the rest of them had been told to be at the parade grounds quite early in the morning, and Kiara was still trying to wake herself up when she got there, blinking blearily at the morning sun. She preferred to sleep at this time, honestly, probably something to do with her attachment to the moon, which was no longer anywhere in sight.
She bet Haki never had this problem.
Rika rolled in her bed, ignoring the wails of the morning sun, peeking through her window. She knew she should have closed those shades last night, but she had been so tired. The recent jump in competitions they had gave their team little to no room for rest. It was either practice, events, or matches. It was wearing her out, but she would endure and bear it. She was an earthbender! She could do this! With that in mind, Rika found herself rolling out of her bed, not quite awake enough to catch herself as she fell. Her back met the floor with a soft thud, and she groaned. The shockwave of pain wasn't quite enough to paralyze her, but she remained on the floor, staring up at the ceiling regardless.
She sighed, pushing herself up and quietly made her way towards her bathroom. Today was a special day. They were going to the annual Midwinter Parade. It should have been enough to make her excited about it. She'd only ever watched from the sidelines, staring in awe at the floats and the other teams. This year, however, she and her team would be in that parade. She could feel a light shiver go down her back. She wasn't exactly used to being looked at, and she prefered to be the one looking. Though, she knew her team would all be looked at, not just her. That alleviated the nervousness, but only by a fraction.
Haki, however, had been up before dawn, his eyes wide awake, belying his true state of mind. He was tired as well, if the dark circles forming under his eyes said anything about it, however; he did not let this on to his teammates. He didn't need to give them cause for worry. He glanced out over his balcony, watching as the sun rose steadily over the horizon. He sighed softly, pushing himself from the rail and made his way out of his apartment. He was dressed in his uniform, as they were required to be, though he wore a coat over his. It was still rather cold outside, even if he was able to keep himself warmer than the others.
He walked slowly down the street, greeting people here and there, and made his way towards Rika's home. He knew she was probably going to run a little late, as she always did, and he thought it best to walk with her. Or at least for his own sanity. He didn't know what to make of the recent looks Ying had sent him, and honestly... it was a little intimidating. He shook his head free of those thoughts. Perhaps he was reading too much into it. Once he reached the door, he raised his hand to knock, however; just as his head reached the door, it swung open to reveal a flustered earthbender. He cocked his brow, mild amusement crossing his features.
"Not a word Haki! We're going to be late! Let's move!" she stated, grabbing his hand and dragging him behind her. He didn't have time to retort to her statement as she literally dragged him behind her. He chuckled all the way to the meeting spot, and was still laughing when they approached their waterbender. "We made it!" she stated, bending over and placing her hands on her knees. She was trying to catch her breath, and grinned up at Kiara. Haki cleared his throat behind Rika, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
"You're still holding my hand, Lotus."
"Shut up..." Haki only laughed as she released his hand, or rather, threw his hand.
Kiara smiled at them, finding her energy level lifted a little just by their company, and snorted when Rika chucked Hakiâs hand away from herself. She knew them well enough by now to know exactly how that scenario had played out, and the mental image was kind of hilarious. âIâm glad youâre here,â she said, gesturing with a hand over to where the finishing touches were being put on the probending floats. âIt looks like theyâre just about ready to put us on.â She had elected not to wear a coat, considering the relatively mild weather here compared to home. It wasnât even cold enough to snow, unlike last Midwinter. The memory of that brought warmth to her, even as they made their way over to the floats.
She grinned a little wider when she observed that the Pumas were already there, Ying looking bored while Zian messed around, apparently trying to wake himself up a little more. She bet he had the same morning problem she did, really. Daichi seemed calm as ever, and she raised her hand to wave at the three of them, unsurprised when Zian waved back with some enthusiasm. He was a very vivacious person that way, where his teammates were a little more reserved.
The six of them, plus the Badger Moles, another top probending team, would be occupying this particular float, and from the way the organizers were gesturing, it was time to get everyone on board. Accepting a hand up from Zian, she turned to offer one to Rika behind her, looking around at the float itself. It was pulled along by a motor vehicle not unlike the front of a train, only smaller, and was itself a mostly flat surface, raised in the middle and showcasing a mix of all three probending elements: a flame burned in the middle of a sphere of crystal-clear ice, probably kept cold enough to retain its shape for quite some time, all in a frame of decoratively-carved stone. The ice bore the probending league logo on it, and the flame shifted different colors from inside. It was actually really neat-looking.
âSo⊠what are we supposed to do, anyway? Just wave at people?â Kiara had heard of parades before, but only in the vaguest terms. Sheâd never actually seen one, much less been in one.
Rika shook her head as she followed behind Kiara, glancing behind her to glare at Haki once, and continued on her way. Haki chuckled lightly, shaking his own head as he followed his teammates to the float they were going to be sharing. Unsurpsingly, they were sharing a float with the Pygmy Pumas, and when Kiara waved at Zian, earning an enthusiastic wave in return, Haki couldn't stop his lips from pursing together in a fine line. He sighed softly, lifting himself up with ease and stood off to the side of the float. He could already hear the people's anxious murmurs, and he himself felt a little excited. He'd never been in the parade, as it seemed with the rest of his teammates, and this was the first time he'd actually be in it.
He blinked at Kiara's statement as he stared down at her. "Well, that's what they did last year, and the year before. I am sure it is no different this year, Turtle-Duck," he replied, though a slow smirk pulled at his lips. "But if you'd like," he began, sliding his hand into hers, the feeling of a harsh glare directed towards him on his back, "We could wave at them together," he stated, glancing over his shoulder towards Zian, giving the Puma waterbender a sly smirk. Rika rolled her eyes at Haki, and shoved her way into the middle of the two. She grabbed onto Kiara's arm and pulled her hand out of Haki's, lacing it with her own instead.
"If anyone is going to be waving together, it's going to be Kiara and myself," she stated, grinning at the disappointed look on Haki's face. "Besides, I'm sure someone else might be interested in holding your hand to wave, Haki," she stated, the slyness in her tone only matched by the light narrowing of her eyes. She was teasing the firebender, that much he knew, however; the reference sent a cold chill down his spine. He visibly shuddered at the thought and tried not to give much thought about it. That woman, if who Rika was refering to was in fact that same woman, still set of alarms throughout his body. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to that feeling.
"Why must you be so cruel, Lotus?"
Kiara, entirely oblivious to what any of them were talking about, placed her free hand on her hip. âI donât get it. Shouldnât we stick with our teams or something?â A thought occurred to her then, and she smiled. âOh, I get it! You mean we should mingle a little, so that everyone in the crowd can see at least part of every team. Thatâs a really good idea!â She beamed at her teammates, then squeaked in surprise when she was suddenly tugged backwards.
Apparently, Ying also thought it was a great idea, and proceeded to move into the spot she and Rika had been in a moment before. Perhaps the idea was that they should separate by bending type? That could be fun; if they did that, they would be able to do little demonstrations as the float moved. There was little time to consider it, though, because the parade was moving, and somehowâshe had no idea howâshe found herself standing on the left side of the float, near Zian. Rika and Daichi werenât too far away, but Haki and Ying must be on the other side of the sculpture with the Badger Moles, because they were out of her line of sight.
âI guess youâre probably used to this sort of thing by now, arenât you?â The question she directed at Zian. He was, after all, a member of one of the most popular probending teams since the inception of the sport, and they were undefeated besides. They probably had sponsors fighting over them. Not that Kiara minded or anythingâshe was happy they did so well. They seemed like such good people to her.
On the other side of the float, Ying looked slightly sideways at Haki, something very sly in the tilt of her mouth. âYour teammates are just full of good ideas, arenât they?â
"Hey now!" Rika managed to state as she found herself, along with Kiara, whisked away from Haki's side. Haki blinked in mild surprise when Ying was standing next to him, no longer in the presence of his teammates. That... wasn't exactly what he had in mind. He sighed, slumping his shoulders slightly before readjusting himself so that he stood up straight once more. He couldn't see Kiara or Rika; they were probably on the other side of the float. He raised a questioning brow at her statement, inwardly shivering at the tilt of her lips, and pursed his lips together.
"In all technicality, the idea was mine," he began turning his attention away, looking anywhere and everywhere but at her. "Not exactly what I had in mind," he continued, and it wasn't. He wanted to spend his time with his teammates, not the others on the float. His lips tilted downwards when he thought about it. Zian, however, was having the time of his life. He was waving towards the crowd, winking at those he past by, and tilted his head to regard Kiara. He smirked in her direction, shrugging his shoulders in a nonchalant manner in answer to her question.
"It'll get easier in time," he replied, shifting so that he was fully facing her. "Though I'll never be used to these early mornings. Even with the sponsors and events, mornings have never been my cup of tea," he continued. He glanced off towards the edge of the float, blowing a kiss towards his adoring fans. "So tell me, what are your plans after the parade?" he questioned, curious brows raised. Rika snorted at the statement, having heard the conversation from where she was currently standing, and crossed her arms over her chest. Her lips were pursed together as she frowned. She did not appreciate being pulled back the way she had, especially by her.
"You seem displeased, Rika. Are you not enjoying yourself?" Daichi questioned, glancing down at his friend. Rika blinked slowly up at him, before laughing nervously. She didn't mean to frown in public, and was probably showing bad sportsmanship. She shook her head in response. "You seem in better spirits since the last time I spoke with you, how is your shop doing?" he asked, smiling softly in response. Rika couldn't help but smile back, a light pink dusting her cheeks as she rubbed the back of her neck.
"Well, Chan and Wei own the shop now, you know that," she replied, lightly tapping his arm with her elbow. "It's just... things seem, what's the word," she stated, tapping her chin in a thoughtful manner as she tried to word her sentence properly. "Things are a little more vibrant I guess. I never thought my team and I would ever get this far," she continued, her eyes softening just a moment as she smiled. And she really hadn't. She thought they would do okay in their first match, but to have reached this far... it was an amazing feeling. Daichi only chuckled, laying a hand on her shoulder in the process.