Side-story, Chinshi

This is a side story that somewhat explains Chinshi's past. There's a little bit, and this is supposed to be a fun little story, during the competition... more along the lines of training...

It was a warm day, supposed to rain later in the evening, but it wasn't yet. The girls, Korra and Chinshi, were designated to babysit the kids. Mako and Bolin had to take the girls into training, but it wasn't a... compromising schedule. In order to train, the boys decided to meet the girls. They happily headed for Airbender island. When the two young men arrived on the island, they saw sand and air being thrown about. Young Jinora Airbending through the walls of sand that Korra had put up. The other girl was no where to be found.

"Hey!" Bolin shouted, catching Korra's attention, opening her to another airbending strike from Jinora.

The young woman was whacked and sent flying. From behind the boys laughter burst out. They turned to see Chinshi and Pema laughing. Korra instantly got up and attempted to Earthbend, but the sand just flopped. Chinshi then took the air around her, used her bending to throw it at Korra, laughing.

"Dang it Chinshi! I hate it when you do that!" Korra shouted, getting back onto her feet.

"It's better than taking your bending away, right?" the young woman chuckled, flipping her hair back. Korra laughed. Ikki flew down and pounced on Chinshi, Milo following it.

"Team up on the older girls!" The two who pounced on Chinshi laughed.

"Team up, huh? Alright." Bolin nudged Mako. Bolin used his earthbending to encase Chinshi in sand. The girl evasively airbended to throw the kids and release herself from the sand. Mako joined in and began firebending to capture Chinshi. Korra was having trouble with the kids. The girls ended up back to back.

"Just like old times?" Korra smirked.

"Oh yeah!" Chinshi chanted.

The girl's body language changed slightly. Everyone else got more on their toes. Chinshi moved her hands behind her. They were then thrust up. Korra bounced off the rock wall and sent fire at Mako and Bolin. The girls twisted, evaded and countered to where they seemed unable to be struck. It was impossible. Chinshi sent a chunk of earth at the kids. They evaded it and sent air toward the girls. More earth came up.

Chinshi and Korra kept the others on their toes. Mako finally managed to land a blow on Korra. Chinshi's eyes narrowed. Earth lifted around the young man. He attempted to firebend his way out but it was useless. Sand poured in around him.

"Chinshi! I'm alright! Don't hurt him!" Korra called out to her friend.

"Alright, I'm gonna toy a bit though." The girl hoisted her arms up, and clasped her fingers together. Earth bent around Mako, encasing him in a sphere of stone.

Mako slammed his fist against the rock but nothing happened.

"Alright, ha-ha Chinshi, now let me out."

"What's the password?" the girl teased.

"DANG IT CHINSHI LET ME OUT!!!" the young man shouted angrily.

"I vote we put him in mud! No body likes mud!" Ikki jumped happily.

"Alright then." Korra chuckled, pulling water up and transferring it to the encased Mako.

After the sphere turned to mud, Mako flopped into the dirt.

"I recommend running." Bolin whispered to Chinshi.

"On it."

The girl took off, an angry Firebender on her heels. Mud was being trudged across the entire island. Finally Mako lost her. She found herself deep in the bowels of the temple.

"Well shoot. I ran so far I got myself lost!" Chinshi stomped her foot, causing an echo. "Hello? Anyone down here? Hello--?"

"Oh, hey!" Bolin smiled. The young woman jumped and readied to chi-block... that is until she noticed that it was only Bolin.

"Bolin?! How'd you get down here?"

"I followed you." he chuckled.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah!"

The young woman grunted and gave him a look of disbelief.

"Okay, when Mako lost you we split up to look for you."

"Alright, that sounds a little more reasonable. Now how are we getting out of here?"

"I don't know. I got lost looking for you."

"Figures."

The two wondered around until the girl finally slumped against a wall.

"I hope Korra's alright..."

"Okay, I've got to know, why are you so devoted to Korra? Also, how can you bend just as much, just as well as Korra? And why do you keep everything from everyone?" Bolin found it easy to pester her.

"Alright let's see if I can answer these... I'm devoted to Korra because she saved me. When I was young, I'm not sure how old, honestly, but younger... I was found on an ice field, and barely holding on. Korra and Lady Katara saved me." the girl let out a deep sigh. "I've given Korra everything. Literally, everything I could ever have, I've given to Korra."

"You're so devoted... it's worrisome to the rest of us, I think."

--------------------

Meanwhile, Korra and Mako look for Chinshi and Bolin.

"I told him not to run off!" Mako punched the ground. There was no response from Korra. She was looking at the ground. "You okay?"

"I shouldn't be so mean to her all the time... I don't understand it..." Korra muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"She's always been there for me, and is always checking up on me. Keeping me focused, and on task. Protecting me. I've never been there for her. Heck, she saved us from Amon and the other Equilists! Yet she didn't get a thank you! We attacked her!"

"We didn't know it was her."

"Mako, I should've been able to tell, but I couldn't, because I wasn't focusing on it. I mean, I LEFT her back with Katara... now that I think about it, I shouldn't have done that..."

"Korra, what's wrong?"

"Chinshi... she doesn't know where she was born or where she's from. Every time I do something, she wants to be there. She's obsessed on keeping me safe, because she has this weird logic inside her head. Katara doesn't understand it either."

"She's devoted because you saved her life, right?"

"But I swear I think she's on the verge of obsession..."

"She's worried about you because she knows the importance that you hold to the people of the world. I think she wants to protect you for that reason also."

"Mako... I've taken everything from her. Whenever I wanted something, she'd do everything and anything to get it. I swear... she deserves to be Avatar more than I do..."

"Don't say that!"

"Hello?" Bolin's voice echoed.

"Bo? Bolin!" Mako shouted for his brother.

"Mako!"

"Chinshi! Where are you?"

"Get Naga and help! I can barely breath down here!" Bolin echoed.

"We don't have that kind of time!" Chinshi growled.

"Hold on!" Korra shouted, taking off toward where the voice where echoing from.

"Don't have much choice!"

Mako and Korra raced through the deep crevasses of the temple. After a while, Korra could see fingers in a floor panel. They ran over. Chinshi was holding onto a frightened Bolin, and holding onto the ledge, trying to keep them up.

"How'd that happen?" Mako shouted to them.

"I ran ahead, and fell. She grabbed me and has been holding on since." Bolin commented back.

It was obvious Chinshi was struggling to keep up, her fingers were swollen, and bruised from the amount of strength that was being exerted to keep them up.

"Grab Bolin, I can't keep holding on forever." Chinshi's voice was hoarse, and she was working hard to get Bolin up without pulling herself off the ledge. The young man was pulled up by Mako, as Chinshi began to slip.

"Is Bolin okay?"

"Yeah."

"Good, because I can't hold on much longer!" The girl's fingers began slipping.

Just as they unlatched, Korra snagged her friend and pulled. The young woman pulled her friend into a hug.

"I was so worried I was gonna lose you. Don't ever do that again." Korra pleaded.

"Korra..."

"I've been so worried... I don't want to lose you... you're my best friend..."

Mako and Bolin smiled to each other. The girls hugged.

"From now on, you and I are a team, we're a unit. As Avatar and... uh..."

"Backbone? Common sense?" Bolin smiled.

"I like backbone." Mako smirked. "She's the backbone of the Fire Ferrets, that's for sure."

"What do you mean?" The girl pulled away from Korra.

"You help Korra keep her head on straight, Bolin's happy because you can feed him and you play with Pabu."

"What about you?" Korra smirked.

"Me? Well, you're a strong bender, and you've shown me parts of the city I hadn't noticed before. And, I like your cooking. You help us be ourselves." Mako blushed.

"Alright, what do you say we get out of here and get to training?" Korra smiled.

"Airbending?"

"Nope." Korra smirked.

"Firebending." Mako smiled. "Korra and I are gonna see if we can teach you some firebending."

"You... you guys really mean that?"

"Yep!" Korra smiled. "Let's get out of here, this place is giving me the CREEPS!"

Chinshi chuckled slightly. The group of kids managed to leave. There was a sigh of relief from Pema, Tenzin and the kids as Chinshi was discovered unharmed. Pema came to the conclusion she must be hungry, and began cooking.

"Tenzin, I want to take a break from my airbending training to help Chinshi learn firebending." Korra grew stern.

"Alright then. I know how much she means to you." Tenzin looked to Chinshi, who was eating something. She looked to Korra, who laughed, seeing her friend devour the food so gently.

"Once you're done eating, we'll get right to training." Mako smirked.

"Okay..." the girl nodded quietly. She was in a timid state again.

A moment later, she was finished, and Korra and Mako were preparing to teach her firebending.

"Alright, so since you can't do firebending, we'll just skip it." Korra smiled.

"What?" Both Mako and Chinshi stared at Korra.

"The likelihood that you'll be separate from BOTH of us isn't likely, so... until we DO teach you firebending, we're going to compromise. Especially since you're the Airbender here."

"Oh! I get it!"

Korra began firebending, and Chinshi snagged it with airbending, turning it into a fiery vortex. Mako then cast lightning into the mix and it began getting out of control. Bolin quickly put up an earth barrier, and covered everyone. Chinshi and Korra used their waterbending to stop the vortex.

"Let's never do that again." Chinshi panted.

The girl was still tired from holding Bolin and herself up for so long.

"Oh! I've got a trick I wanna show you with earthbending!"

"No, no. You go rest." Korra smiled. "Naga!"

The polar-bear dog bounded toward them and stopped at Korra.

"Take Chinshi to our room. I'll be there soon, okay?" Korra smirked.

The hound howled and pulled Chinshi on her back.

From then on, Korra treated Chinshi more as a friend, because she realized... she COULD be lost, and there was that bond that no one could sever. Ever. The young Avatar sent Mako and Bolin home, so she could watch over her friend. Her best friend. The girl who practically raised her, and gave her everything, no matter what the risk to herself. The Avatar sat beside Chinshi as she slept.

"Chinshi... I'm sorry I've been so cruel to you... you gave me everything... you had nothing, and whatever you got... you gave to me... even..." Korra reaches into her collar and reveals a necklace. "I've worn is since you've arrived, but I'm worried it'll break. I don't want it broken, because it means so much... Chinshi... I hope you can forgive me... for being so selfish..."

Coming soon... SPIRIT OF COMPETITION!
Anyway, this is a side story. I hope that it explains Chinshi a little better. Also, Korra saying she's selfish, and finally understanding that I can explain now. Whenever Korra was hungry, thirsty or wanted anything at all, Chinshi would go out and get it, no matter the risk to herself. Her obsession for Korra is explained, because she was saved by Korra and Katara. Has since been devoted to her. They have a strong friendship, they have the strong friendship between Aang and Sokka. Also, Mako points out that Chinshi understands the importance that Korra is to the world, so that only FURTHERS the devotion.
Hope it helped, and hope you enjoyed!