The Fire Ferrets Tryouts! [semi-private]

[lavamylife]

[EDIT:  OOC:  This post is mostly private for waterbenders and firebenders as they're the only people that would actually be trying out.  However, if you want to interact with some of the others (and Bolin would be okay with you being there -- feel free to ask me if you're unsure!), feel free to pose in, either for Bolin or with the other people involved.  Sorry for the complicated rules and whatnot, but I figure it'd be worth it to be inclusive as opposed to exclusive!]

[Private-ish to firebenders and waterbenders]

"Alright, Pabu.  It's time to get the Fire Ferrets back in action!  Are you with me?"

The fire ferret squeaks in approval as he sits atop Bolin's shoulder.  Bolin nods back with the biggest grin, and he pushes open the doors into the gym where no doubt several candidates were waiting to join his elite crew.

"Welcome, everyone, to the official Fire Ferrets team tryouts.  I might not have met each of you personally, and you might have instead just found one of my many fliers instead, but my name is Bolin, team captain and previous pro-bending champion!  Also, I'm a mover star and the earthbender of the team.  I hope you've all brought your A-game to this event, because only the best of the best can be on the Fire Ferrets, and this year we're going to show all those other teams what we're made of and take back the championship!  I'm not going to go easy on you, and I definitely want to make sure we're taking on the right people.  Some of you will go away disappointed, but two of you will ride with Pabu and I to victory once again!  To each of you, I wish you all the best of luck.  Let's get started!

"So first up today, we have..."

[OOC: Bolin will be pairing up potential candidates into 1v1 or 2v2 matches.  Feel free to find a friend with the opposite element and fight some NPCs, or find a competitor of your element and have a duel with one another?  Or have a more personal "interview" with Bolin... and you can try to get to know Bolin and the rocks that he throws at people better?  Or all of the above!  While you do need to impress Bolin, feel free to have fun and show off your bending to your competitors too.]

Comments

[lavamylife]

Bolin is standing opposite this "Lee" character with a notebook in one hand and a pencil in the other. "Lee," he says as he writes down the name in his notebook. "Gotcha. So, have you done any pro-bending before, or are you new to the arena? Go ahead, you can be honest; I'm not ruling anyone out just because they've got a lack of experience."

He suddenly looks up at the firebender from his notebook and tilts his head much like a confused polar bear puppy might. "You're... wearing a mask..."

[lordhotman]

On the other side of his mask he's going Bolin an irritated look.

"Yeah. So?"

He already knows it looks weird. He gets it. But people keep looking at him weird and pointing it out. He's really starting to wonder if this is any better than letting people see his scar.

[lavamylife]

Yikes. Touchy. Bolin winces a bit as the retort hits him, and he backs off. "Hey, it's... it's totally fine. I just didn't know they were the in thing again." Certainly Bolin hadn't seen anyone around Republic City with masks, but maybe it was a very new fad? Maybe Bolin would have to go get a mask of his own.

Nonetheless, he finishes writing down a few opening notes before setting down the pad of paper. "Alright, hopefully you're warmed up. First things first: Let me see some of your firebending at some of those targets?"

[lordhotman]

Zuko sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I have a birth mark. I don't like to talk about it."

Oh so now it's a birth mark. Yep. Birth mark, scar, pretty much the same thing.

But now Lee turns his attention to the targets and nods. Taking a deep breath, he takes a stance and readies himself.

Then with a couple punches and a kick, three successive blasts of flame are sent at the targets. Not only does he hit the marks perfectly, but... well. The targets are now on fire. Oops. Not bothered by it though, he looks over at Bolin to see what he thinks.

[lavamylife]

"Oh," says Bolin as he proceeds to completely shut up about the matter. Awkward. Though he supposes he certainly can understand it. Though part of him does want to ask if he has to wear that mask around all day long while he's out and about. And he would have too if this weren't tryouts; he has to retain some amount of professionalism, right?

He looks briefly at the pad of paper so that he's ready to write down things as Zuko Lee prepares. And yes, it is perfect. Bolin's eyes bulge slightly as he sees it. And the figures being on fire? Well... there are thankfully more practice dummies upstairs. He'll have to call on Asami to bring some over. "Niiiice power... and perfect execution," he says in rather awestruck voice. He is... rather impressed, and that almost shuts Bolin up for a moment as he drops his pencil. As he reaches down to pick it up, he adds, "I'm surprised you haven't been invited by another pro-bending team yet." Maybe he should invite him? But what about Yang? Ack, decisions! This is why he hated tryouts!

"Okay, so now we should see how good your defensive skills are?" Bolin puts down his paper and pencil and stands opposite Zuko in between two piles of earthen discs buried into wells in the floor. "I'll fling a few of these your way, and let's see how well you dodge or otherwise demolish them."

With that, Bolin raises a hand to pull an earthen disc up, and then he punches it forward... naturally followed by a few more.

[lordhotman]

Zuko says nothing to the compliments, he just nods and then waits for the next phase of the try outs. Which seems to be in the form of earth discs being thrown at him? Well okay, he can work with that. No problem.

As the discs come sailing at him, his eyes never leave the projectiles, completely focused. He ducks one, uses a roundhouse kick to obliterate another, followed by an agile leap over a third, and a downward kick to shatter a fourth. He continues to do much the same if any more are thrown at him. But when Bolin is done chucking rock frisbees at him, he again looks to the earthbender with that impassive mask face.

"Is that all?"

This... didn't really seem like much of a challenge. But then, to a firebender who has had to fight for his life in bending matches, including those against his own crazed sister, well.

[lavamylife]

Bolin isn't entirely appreciative of the snarky remark, but at the same time it doesn't cut into his optimism. In the back of his mind, an explanation is already forming at Bolin's lips, and it doesn't take much beyond that to come out and speak it.

"Well, you'd be surprised at how many benders I've seen that want to be pro-benders but don't even have the basics mastered!" he says. "The last thing I'd want to do is slaughter them with earth discs!" And yes, Bolin was taking it slightly easy on him for what it was worth. But if that's what Lee wanted, that's what Lee would get.

"Alright, let's have a duel, you and me. Show me what you're made of... but remember let's have a nice clean fight. Aaaaaaaand go!" He pauses for just a brief moment before picking up a single disc and throwing it at him followed by a second that he kicks. Bolin finally gets his acrobatics into gear, spinning through the air doing moves similar to a gymnast.