Drabble: Element
Characters: Mako, Bolin
It didn’t matter what element you bent. As long as you had one, the Triads wanted your services. Mako glanced from his own finished work to see Bolin laughing along to some joke one of the older Triads had made. He clenched his jaw until his teeth hurt at the sight.
The work they were doing was reasonably easy and tedious and anyone could do it. A job was only temporary and you had to fight to make sure they saw you as the best. Everyone could easily be replaced; that is, unless you were a bender.
“How about you help us with a special job tonight? The pay’s ten times what you’re getting now and there’s a bonus if everything goes off without a hitch,” one of the men tempted, wrapping an arm around Bolin’s shoulders.
Mako glanced towards Bolin, whose eyes were wide with excitement. “Sorry, but we’ve already got another job lined up tonight.”
Bolin turned to him. “But…”
Mako sent Bolin a look that mirrored Dad’s when he got angry. He had no idea what these guys were proposing, but the pay was too good for it to be legit. Fortunately, Bolin took the hint and stayed silent.
The men around them made disappointed noises and one sneered. “If you kids want to get anywhere in this city, you best stop worrying about the odd-jobs that get you nowhere. The Triads will take care of you if you take care of us.”
“Thanks for the offer,” Mako responded diplomatically. “We’ll definitely keep it in mind.”
---
They had found nothing to do in the evening except beg on the streets with all the other kids. Together with the money from their job, they managed to scrape together enough for a decent meal, but there was nothing left for tomorrow. Mako hated the uncertainty.
Bolin was safely tucked in bed when Mako crept out of their most-recent sleeping place. Stepping out into the cold winter air, Mako wondered if the temperature would help his training.
Hands numb, Mako poured all his concentration into moving his arms in rough circles counter to each other. It was the same every night: for hours, he would stand outside and will for his body to produce even the tiniest spark.
Soon he felt the increasingly familiar build-up of static and Mako tightened his focus onto the tips of his fingers. Bringing his fingers together (scarcely daring to hope), sparks flew between the points. Mako aimed his finger out in front of him, like the factory workers generating power. A crack temporarily blinded him, and Mako found himself thrown backwards.
The cold air brought Mako to his senses. He looked at the wall ahead, which now sported a dark scorch mark. Slowly, a grin spread across Mako’s face.
The first attempt to push himself up failed, as did the second, but Mako stood again and practiced until he was finally able to get the same result. By the end of the night, he was barely producing enough lightning to get through a shift, but that would be enough for another meal. Between each heavy breath Mako couldn’t stop the smirk of triumph spreading across his face.
No one cared who you were in Republic City if you didn’t have money. All that mattered was your element and how well you could sell it.
It didn’t matter what element you bent. As long as you had one, the Triads wanted your services. Mako glanced from his own finished work to see Bolin laughing along to some joke one of the older Triads had made. He clenched his jaw until his teeth hurt at the sight.
The work they were doing was reasonably easy and tedious and anyone could do it. A job was only temporary and you had to fight to make sure they saw you as the best. Everyone could easily be replaced; that is, unless you were a bender.
“How about you help us with a special job tonight? The pay’s ten times what you’re getting now and there’s a bonus if everything goes off without a hitch,” one of the men tempted, wrapping an arm around Bolin’s shoulders.
Mako glanced towards Bolin, whose eyes were wide with excitement. “Sorry, but we’ve already got another job lined up tonight.”
Bolin turned to him. “But…”
Mako sent Bolin a look that mirrored Dad’s when he got angry. He had no idea what these guys were proposing, but the pay was too good for it to be legit. Fortunately, Bolin took the hint and stayed silent.
The men around them made disappointed noises and one sneered. “If you kids want to get anywhere in this city, you best stop worrying about the odd-jobs that get you nowhere. The Triads will take care of you if you take care of us.”
“Thanks for the offer,” Mako responded diplomatically. “We’ll definitely keep it in mind.”
---
They had found nothing to do in the evening except beg on the streets with all the other kids. Together with the money from their job, they managed to scrape together enough for a decent meal, but there was nothing left for tomorrow. Mako hated the uncertainty.
Bolin was safely tucked in bed when Mako crept out of their most-recent sleeping place. Stepping out into the cold winter air, Mako wondered if the temperature would help his training.
Hands numb, Mako poured all his concentration into moving his arms in rough circles counter to each other. It was the same every night: for hours, he would stand outside and will for his body to produce even the tiniest spark.
Soon he felt the increasingly familiar build-up of static and Mako tightened his focus onto the tips of his fingers. Bringing his fingers together (scarcely daring to hope), sparks flew between the points. Mako aimed his finger out in front of him, like the factory workers generating power. A crack temporarily blinded him, and Mako found himself thrown backwards.
The cold air brought Mako to his senses. He looked at the wall ahead, which now sported a dark scorch mark. Slowly, a grin spread across Mako’s face.
The first attempt to push himself up failed, as did the second, but Mako stood again and practiced until he was finally able to get the same result. By the end of the night, he was barely producing enough lightning to get through a shift, but that would be enough for another meal. Between each heavy breath Mako couldn’t stop the smirk of triumph spreading across his face.
No one cared who you were in Republic City if you didn’t have money. All that mattered was your element and how well you could sell it.