(Korra uses her earthbending to put you in front of her) So you're the stalker who will follow me everywhere to prevent me from causing trouble again? TRUE? (saying it in a frustrated and resigned tone) You don't seem like much, let's see if you can keep up with me (Korra walks away from you, leaving Tenzin's temple despite her punishment of not leaving the temple)
Rise following her, using grapple hook and trees around, swinging like pirate or like monkey. "Hey, that was rude! You not even said your name, Korra! Like, of course, every one knew your name, but still!"
Korra turns her head around quickly to look at the voice that's following her, narrowing her eyes skeptically. "I don't remember asking for your name either," she says as she continues walking.
"Look at me: Grace, Power, Money! You see none of it, because I have nothing of it. Name me Rise. Báron von Rise." Man friendly wave his hand.
Korra glances over her shoulder again at the man who introduces himself as "Rise." She rolls her eyes before looking forward once more. "Fine. Whatever. My name's Korra," she says reluctantly, sounding irritated by your continued presence.
"Nice, your name sounds like lightning ball!" Rise smiling. "Kor-kaboom-ra, and everyone around gonna scream 'Awesome!'" Rise wave his hand like showing moves of the Korra future fans.
Korra ignores the strange man's attempt at making light of her name as she begins to speed up her pace. "Come on," she mutters impatiently. "Keep up."
Rise following her. "So what the catch? You fell in love and I gonna watch for you back, so you not end like Romeo and Juliette?"
Korra sighs impatiently. "No. You're here to make sure I don't hurt anyone with my... 'powers,'" she says sarcastically, giving the word a heavy emphasis on her last syllable. She glances over at Rise again and raises an eyebrow. "Just try to keep up," she warns him, picking up speed once more.
Rise jump on her back. "Hold me, because if you going to be faster than light, then I will need to ride your back! Otherwise I never pick up speed for you."
Korra grunts in annoyance as the strange man jumps onto her back. "Fine," she mutters through gritted teeth, quickly accelerating to a blur of motion once more. She glances back over her shoulder at him, narrowing her eyes. "But don't expect me to slow down for you if we get into a real fight," she warns him.
"Ey!" Smile Rise. "Do you think I'm some weirdo?"
Korra turns her head around once more to look at the man on her back, arching an eyebrow skeptically as she quickens her pace even further. "I've already called you weird before," she says matter-of-factly, sounding amused despite herself. "I think it's pretty clear what I think of you by now."
"Why through? If I love acting like kid - It's simply means that I prefer be that way. Most adults are too grumpy and boring, don't you think so?" Rise look at Korra eyes and smile, while playing with her cheeks by his hands. "Your face is nice, you know? So beautiful!"
"Oh, please," Korra scoffs, rolling her eyes as she continues running at top speed through the forest. "You're not funny." The wind rushes past her as she glances back once more at Rise, who seems to be enjoying himself a little too much for her liking. "Just shut up and stay out of my way," she says with an annoyed huff.
"Okay!" Rise silently present Korra lovefull hugs from his position.
Korra grunts in annoyance as she feels the strange man's arms wrap around her middle. "Fine," she mutters under her breath through gritted teeth, resisting the urge to shrug him off or tell him to stop. Instead, she keeps running at top speed, focusing on putting distance between herself and Tenzin's temple as quickly as possible.
"Can I help? I mean... You don't hear me, it's just your hallucinations, andbI completely silent, as you say me to be!" Rise nervous smile, trying to calm Korra and help her.
Korra glances over her shoulder once again to see the man who's been following her offering help, looking more nervous than anything. She sighs heavily through her nose before shrugging slightly, trying to ignore how uncomfortable it feels with him hugging her like this. "Fine," she mutters reluctantly, slowing down just a bit. "But if you get in my way or annoy me too much... I won't hesitate to toss you off."
"Relax, princess... I mean, you are princess of South Poole, right?" Rise ask.
Korra scoffs as she runs at a slightly slower pace beside Rise, eyeing him suspiciously. "That's not how you get on someone's good side," she says with an irritated grunt. "And I'm hardly anyone's princess." She glances around the forest for a moment, considering her next move as they continue jogging together.
"Then you my princess of kingdom for beautiful girls!" Joke Rise. "Welcome in, we have here mostly only you, as first Princess of our imagined kingdom."
Korra gives the strange man beside her a skeptical look before shaking her head with a small sigh. "Don't try so hard," she mutters under her breath as they continue jogging side by side through the forest. After another moment of contemplation, she asks him, "So... why are you here? Just for fun, or because someone assigned you to watch over me?"
"Well, I just saw ledy in trouble and ask myself one question..." Rise look at Korra. "Why not? Why not to try to help her? Come on, Rise, it's your time to become useful guy! Ask about her trouble or something... And here we are - I trying to found the way to ask about your problems... I do it right?"
Korra huffs and glances away for a moment, her expression unreadable. "Fine," she says finally. "Let's stop here for a minute." She skids to a halt just beside a small clearing in the forest before turning to face Rise. "So ask," she says impatiently, crossing her arms over her chest and narrowing her eyes.
"Why you so upset? Can I help?"
"No," she mutters irritably. "Not really." Her gaze drifts off into the distance as she thinks about her recent actions and how they've led her to this point. It had all started when she'd been training with the new airbenders... something hadn't felt right during their sparring match, but she hadn't been able to put her finger on it until it was too late. Now she was stuck here, dealing with the consequences of her decisions and being watched like a hawk by this strange man who insisted on following her everywhere.
"Well," she says at last, "I guess... I just don't want to hurt anyone." Her expression softens slightly as she admits this aloud. "It's hard, you know? Being the Avatar, trying to protect everyone and make sure everything stays balanced." She shakes her head slowly and sighs before looking back at Rise. "I don't want to mess things up any more than I already have."
"You know, that doesn't mean that you suppose to wield that problems all alone, right?" Rise put his hand on Korra shoulder. "Balance can be found in coordination and working together between many people. All for One and One for All. You can ask for help, when it will be necessary, Korra."
Korra glances at the hand resting on her shoulder for a moment before looking up into Rise's eyes. Something about this man's words and presence strikes a chord within her, making her feel... less alone in all of this. She hesitates, then takes a deep breath and says slowly, "Maybe I should try that."
Her voice is soft but determined, and she sounds like she means it. Maybe having someone around who isn't afraid to push her or call her out won't be such a bad thing after all. With this newfound resolve, they continue their jog through the forest together, with Korra no longer quite so tense and Rise seeming more at ease than he had before.
Rise lean his head down on Korra shoulder, too much friendly and closely at the same time. "You smell nice." Rise noticed when he sniffing Korra hair.
Korra glances over at him sideways but doesn't move his hand off her shoulder. Instead, she shrugs with a small smile. "I guess that means we make a good team," she says playfully before adding more seriously, "just don't get any funny ideas." The statement makes them both laugh as they continue jogging together, finding an odd sort of rhythm and harmony despite their differences.
After a while, Korra can feel her muscles starting to ache from the run and she lets out a soft groan. "I think that's far enough for today," she says between breaths. Rise nods in agreement, looking around at the forest scenery as they come to a stop by the edge of another clearing.
"So, where do you want to go from here?" he asks curiously.
Rise move his back to Korra. "Get on my back, it's my turn to play your horse."
Korra glances at the man suspiciously before sighing. "Fine," she mutters, climbing onto his back like he'd done earlier. "But don't get any ideas," she warns him again, wrapping her arms around his neck for support as they set off through the forest once more. "I was thinking maybe we could find a river or something to cool down in," she says after a moment of silence. "It's getting pretty warm out here." She tilts her head back slightly to gaze up at the canopy overhead, enjoying the feel of the breeze against her face and neck.
"Or we could just keep going until we reach your imaginary kingdom," she continues with a smirk, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in her voice this time. "I hear they have great parties there."
"Not thinking that you like that type of parties - in my imagination every one around completely nude." Speak Rise and noticed that he hold Korra on his back. "M... Yes, even you and me right now. Yes, in that pose. And yes again, I keep imagined how your breast touch my back."
Korra tensed on his back at the image he'd described, her face flushing bright red with anger. "You...!" she sputtered, "That's disgusting! Shut up!" She tried to twist around to glare at him, but found that she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye after his comment. She could feel her cheeks burning hotter and hotter with embarrassment and anger as they continued jogging through the forest.
"Hey," he said softly after a moment, sensing her discomfort. "I was just joking." But even as he spoke the words, Korra could tell that there was still a playful glint in his eyes that suggested otherwise.
"I shall add: And in my imagination you not even close to that beautiful face in real life, like I see right now." Rise smile, combined flirt and joke.
Korra growled, still unable to meet his gaze as she continued to tense on his back. "You're such a pervert," she muttered under her breath, trying not to think about what he'd said or the image it conjured up in her mind. Instead, she focused on the rhythm of their running and the feel of the wind rushing past them.
Despite her anger and embarrassment, there was something about having this strange man around that made her feel... different. It wasn't exactly unpleasant, but it certainly wasn't what she was used to. Perhaps he was right in saying that she could try asking for help sometimes; after all, everyone needed someone to lean on now and then.
"Hey," Rise said again, sounding more serious this time. "You don't have to be mad at me. I didn't mean anything by it." She felt his breath warm against the nape of her neck as he spoke, and she could sense that he was genuinely trying to make things right between them.
Korra hesitated for a moment before finally turning her head back slightly to meet his eyes over her shoulder. "I'm not mad," she said quietly, looking away almost immediately again. "It's just... different. You know? Having someone follow me like this."
"Hey! I'm proud to be a pervert. You can try it, it's kinda funny - just think how you react from my point of view!" Speak Rise without shame.
"Well..." Korra muttered, still not looking at him as they continued jogging through the forest. "I guess... it's just going to take some getting used to." She didn't know why she was being so candid with this strange man; maybe because he seemed to accept her for who she was, flaws and all. It made her feel strangely comfortable in a way that she hadn't felt around anyone else in quite some time.
They continued running silently for a while longer before finally reaching a small clearing by the edge of a river. Korra slid off Rise's back, her legs feeling almost wobbly from exhaustion and embarrassment as they took weight again. "Thanks," she muttered, looking up at him with reddened eyes. "For... you know..."
Rise smiled down at her, offering his hand. "No problem." He extended it to help her up onto a fallen log by the riverbank. "And if you ever want someone to talk to, or just hang out with who doesn't mind your crazy ways, I'm always here for you."
Korra hesitated before finally taking his hand and allowing him to pull her up onto the log next to him. She glanced over at him, studying his features for a moment before saying, "Thanks, Rise. That means a lot." As they sat together on the log by the river, she couldn't help but wonder if this strange man might just be her ticket back into Tenzin's good graces... or if he was simply going to be another casualty of her chaotic life. Either way, she knew that having him around wouldn't be so bad. Not as long as they both remembered the rules of engagement: no pranks, no weirdness, and absolutely no perverted comments. It was a tall
Rise massage Korra legs to help her relax.
Korra glances at the man beside her suspiciously before relaxing slightly when she realizes he's not joking. "Really?" she asks quietly, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "You don't mind hanging out with me even though I... act like this?"
She takes another deep breath and leans back against the log, watching as the river flows steadily beside them. The breeze feels good on her skin and she finds herself starting to enjoy the peacefulness of the moment despite everything that's been going on lately. Maybe Rise is right; maybe it wouldn't hurt to have someone by your side every once in a while... even if they are as odd and unpredictable as he is.