Miss Republic City

"No way!"

Korra shook her head and crossed her arms to emphasize how appalled and against the idea she was that Bolin just suggested. She started to walk away, done with the conversation but her earth bending friend ran to stop her.

He put his hand on her shoulder. "Come on Korra, be open minded about this. We'll make all the money we need for the Championship Match and more. It won't be that bad and how else can we do that?"

"I don't know, but I do know I'd sooner dip myself hot butter and walk on a tightrope over room full of angry Boar-Q-Pine's before I do that." Korra thought about what she said and then frowned. "Hopefully it won't have to come to that…"

Bolin smiled but then sighed heavily; his idea wasn't that bad…right? Right…maybe it was just the way he approached her about it. He replayed the situation in his head quickly.
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Bolin ran in the training room and yelled happily, "I got it!"

Both Korra and Mako, who had been arguing about something again, turned to him with a puzzled look on their faces.

"Got what?" They asked in unison.

Bolin grinned proudly and whipped a flyer out of his pocket. "The answer to all our problems…financially."

Mako narrowed his eyes, wondering what his brother had got into this time, and walked over to him. Korra followed and watched as the fire bender took the flyer and began to read it. She read along with him but Mako managed to finish first and once he did, he gave his brother a stupid look.

When Korra finished reading she turned to Bolin, still with a confused look on her face. "Miss Republic City?"

"Yeah, Korra, you're going to enter and win the Miss Republic City Pageant!" He answered excitedly. "We'll hit the jackpot then!"

When he saw that Korra had the same expression on her face he frowned a bit. "You do know what the Miss Republic City Pageant is…right?"

"No…is it a bending contest…just for girls? If so, I'll gladly join and win." The Avatar grinned arrogantly at the thought.

Mako facepalmed and walked to the other side of the room to continue his training while Bolin shook his head at their Avatar friend.

"Not exactly…it's more like a beauty pageant; females from all over Republic City come to compete in it. There are several rounds and several judges and-"

"No way!"
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Nope…Bolin couldn't see anything wrong with the way he came at her about it. He came to the conclusion that she wasn't giving the idea a chance.

"You've never done it before; how do you know you won't like it?"

"If you like the idea so much, then you should do it."

"I would Korra, but I think it's called Miss Republic City for a reason."

"She's right Bolin; it's a silly idea." Mako agreed with Korra for once.

Korra nodded. "Thank you."

"I mean, Korra would need to actually act like a girl to win that."

Bolin slumped over, disappointed both of his teammates shot the idea down. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Both brothers thought the conversation was over and was about to start training again but Korra wasn't finished. She turned to Mako, slightly confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Mako looked at her, expressionless as usual. "Exactly what I said; you'd have to act like a girl if you wanted to win that pageant…which you don't do now…nor, I suspect, have you ever done."

"You don't think I'm girly?" Korra stormed over to him.

"What could've given you that impression?"

"Why not?" She demanded.

"Well I don't see too many other females out there getting into trouble, playing on a Pro-bending team, riding a polar bear dog and fighting Amon."

"I'm the Avatar, what do you expect?"

"Excuses, excuses."

Bolin watched, a smile growing on his face by the second. Not only was it entertaining but if the conversation continued going in the direction it was going, things might work out in his favor after all.

"Why are you trying to prove me otherwise?" Mako asked when he noticed how angry Korra was getting. She had to realize she wasn't too feminine.

"Because I'm plenty girly! How would you feel if I questioned your manhood?"

Mako ignored her question. "Korra, name the last thing you did that could be considered feminine."

"I…well I…the other day…I'm sure I…" She stuttered as she struggled to think of something, anything. "I…washed?"

"My point exactly."

The Avatar fumed as the fire bender went started out the room but he didn't make it out before a fireball flew over his shoulder, inches from his face. Mako stopped and looked back at Korra, who was staring at him with a determined look on her face.

"I may be tomboyish, but I can be girly any time I feel like it. I'm plenty woman."

Mako gave her a look that said 'whatever you say' and was about to leave again but Korra wasn't finished.

"And I'm going to prove you wrong by entering this Miss Republic City thing and winning it."

Mako stared at her a bit longer, trying to determine if she was serious or not. "I already told you two I'd handle the money situation; you should be concentrating on preparing yourself for the Championship…but waste your time if you want, I don't care."

He walked out then, leaving a happy Bolin and an irritated Korra alone in the training room.

Bolin spoke first. "Don't worry Korra, when he gets that money in his hands he'll be much more enthusiastic; you know how he gets around money."

"So then, you think I'm girly?" Korra turned to Bolin for his opinion.

"Nope, not as much as you should be." She looked surprised when Bolin said that. "Let's face it Korra, everything Mako said was true…but just because you're not girly now doesn't mean you can't be. You just need a little guidance, that's all…and that's where me and Mako come in."

The earth bender slung his arm over the Avatar's shoulder as she looked confused, yet again.

"So wait a minute…two guys are going to show me how to be a girl?"

"Don't look at it that way…just trust me."

"Is Mako even going to help?"

"Trust me, Korra."

Korra sighed but then smiled. "I trust you, Bolin."

"Good." Bolin said happily. "Now the contest starts in one week, which means we have 7 days to prepare you…and that's not that much time. Fill out the application and be here at 6:00 sharp tomorrow morning. Leave the rest to me and Mako."

"6:00 am?"

"Trust me, remember Korra."