This takes place in the late 1800s/early 1900s and I know "Piano man" by Billy Joel came out in 1973 so don't get all technical on me now, just enjoy. :P
It was a chilly Saturday evening in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The Boulevard was full of life and buzzing with excitement. The air was thick with the fumes of combusted gasoline and Horse manure lingering in the city air.
The raven-haired legacy stepped out of her Satomobile. Not completely satisfied with the place and area that her business partner decided to meet her.
If it was up to her they would be meeting in a sophisticated restaurant in New York, not in a pub with drunkard and pigs for men.
But, alas Future Industries needed to draw up a partnership with Global Industries to expand her new line of automobiles to other countries. Her inventions have taken over the country, but the young, ambitious and, not to mention, gorgeous Asami Sato was not satisfied yet from what she had created from her…. Father's, dare she call him that, company.
Asami sighs as she scans the buildings before her, light and music pouring from a few. The theatre was lined with people eager to watch the new mover featuring The Bolin Ferret.
The police station on the end of the block had a single officer placed in the foyer, a man smoking a pipe, pretending to be in charge, picturing himself as the chief, even though being the youngest detective on the force.
Asami admired ambition and the drive to achieve the dream that comes with it. That's why people move here. Hollywood is where dreams are made reality. At least; that's what they say.
The prodigy makes her way to the Air Temple the pub Varrick had chosen for their meeting. The wind picks up and Asami pulls her fur coat tighter around her neck, silently cursing the veil hat that she chose for tonight as she couldn't press her freezing nose into the warmth of her coat.
The music was getting louder and the sound of people clinking glasses and laughing now noticeable. Stopping by the doorway Asami builds up her 'people's person' façade, she was never really one to be around people, nor did she want to.
Finally, ready she steps through the open doors and is immediately greeted with heat and the aroma of stale beer and food. Despite the robust feel of the place a smile tugs at Asami's lips, the atmosphere lifting her tension.
Pleasantly surprised at the effect this place had on her she hadn't noticed the person moving towards her. She was only pulled out of her admiration for the place, not that there was much, when a pair of hands settled gently on her shoulders.
Asami's body heated even more, her heart gave a slight lurch and her stomach started to turn. Not recognizing this feeling or ever experiencing something like this before she turned around in shock, to face the person who just touched her.
She was met with the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen and a smug smirk of a mocha skinned, short haired woman. Even more surprised that it was a woman who sparked this feeling in her; Asami was speechless.
"Good to see a new face around here. Here, let me get your coat and your hat for you." The woman dipped her hands down her neck to pull the coat from her shoulders, making Asami's breath hitch slightly.
Not being able to form words she just complied opened her coat and shrugged it off. She reached for her hat and handed it to the smiling stranger. She didn't know a pub had coat keepers, a woman, but still a coat keeper. Before she could thank the woman, she was gone.
Not being able to get the sapphire eyes out of her mind, she made her way to where Varrick said he would be seated. How is it possible that that girl could obtain such a reaction from the calm and collected Asami Sato?
She arrived at the table a few feet away from the side of the piano, but it was empty. Sighing Asami started pulling out her chair when a tall handsome man in his military uniform pulled it out for her. "Here let me get that for you ma'am."
The inventor looked up at him and smiled, eyeing his badges, intriguing eyes and dark hair. "Thank you." She takes her seat and he pushes her chair in.
"The pleasure is all mine ma'am, if I may be so bold as to ask if a pretty lady like you has company tonight?"
Eyeing the soldier, wait, General according to his rank badges, suspiciously. All she could see was sincerity and minor concern in his eyes and by his straight and stiff posture Asami could tell that he was nervous.
So Asami offers another smile, expressing her gratitude for him "Thank you, General, but I am actually here for a business meeting."
"Business?" He says surprised, before he can stop himself.
Amused "Is that a problem?" Asami uses her slightly authoritive voice.
"No, not at all! I was just meaning that this would not be the conventional place for a business meeting, unless…." He trails off stopping his rambling before he offends the woman.
Still smirking, as she loved to experience men's reactions when they learn who she is, or that she is, in fact, a legitimate business woman.
"Yes, this is definitely not an ethical place to meet potential business partners, but this unfortunately was not my choice."
A throat being cleared very loudly breaks their eye contact and forced their attention to an excited face standing behind the general. "Good to see you General Iroh, I see you've met Miss. Sato. Not trying to steal her are we old boy?"
Blushing the General denies that he was trying anything, realizing who the 2 people were that were having the meeting he salutes to Varick and bows to Asami "Forgive me miss Sato I meant no interference"
Laughing lightly Asami nods, acknowledging his courtesy. "No need to apologize General. I appreciate the chivalry."
Varrick sits in his seat. "So, Miss Sato. It's almost nine o'clock."
She looks at him as if expecting him to continue but he is looking at her as if expecting her to know what he means.
So instead of continuing what he was talking about she asks, "So, sir, why are we meeting in…."
Before she could continue what, she wanted to ask, Varrick shushes her. Offended and about to retaliate the pub erupts into cheers as the piano starts playing.
Sending a glare at every person around her, including Varrick but they were not paying attention to her, everyone was watching the piano and its pianist.
Finally looking in the direction at the person who grabbed every person in the pub's attention…. Now including Asami's.
Struck with awe Asami watches the mocha skinned woman from earlier playing fluidly on the keys of the piano. She now understood the table Varrick chose to sit at. Asami look at the time and it was on the dot, nine o'clock.
This was her time. Her show.
The intro was just about to end and Asami's mind zoned on the pianist, in a trans. Here
"It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, regular crowd shuffles in,"
There are a few woops and whoos and she smiles, nodding at them in acknowledgement.
"There's an old man sitting next to me, making love to his tonic and gin" She starts to play the Harmonica that was fixed around her neck.
Asami's eyes quickly slide to the man and he was kissing the glass in his hand, getting a small snort from the genius. Her eyes widen when Varrick catches her, smiling to himself.
"He said son can you play me a melody, I'm not really sure how it goes, but it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes."
The pub broke out with the La La La Di Da La La Da Di Da Da Da followed by the chorus.
"Sing us a song you're the piano man, sing us a song tonight. while we're all in the mood for a melody, and you've got us feeling alright."
Asami laughed and looked at the General by the bar hanging on his friend and singing along with the rest of the men in the building. Quite peculiar that they call her the piano man. She would definitely have to ask about that.
Wait.
What?
She can't do that. She should be thinking about General Iroh… isn't that the kind of man a woman like her should be thinking about?
"Now Kai at the bar is a friend of mine, he gets me my drinks for free, and he's quick with a joke, or to light up your smoke, but there's some place he'd rather be"
The man behind the bar chuckles and shakes his head as he wipes off a beer glass.
"He says Kor I believe this is killing me, as a smile ran away from his face, while I'm sure I could be a movie star if I could get out of this place."
The crowd lets out a quick chuckle.
Ok…. So, we have a name? Kor, was that her real name? or just a shortened version? The pub falls in again with her.
"Now Kya is a real-estate novelist, who never had time for a wife, and she's talking with Iroh, who's still in the army and probably will be for life."
Iroh raises his beer and nods laughing along the older woman, Kya.
"And the waitress is practicing politics, as the business men slowly get stoned, yes they're sharing a drink called loneliness, but it's better than drinking alone."
Asami quickly looked at the blushing waitress and the group of men who didn't look completely here before fixing themselves on the woman playing her solo, her fingers moving with precision and elegance.
All her passion being poured into the music, Asami squeezed her legs together thinking about what other things those fingers can play. Blushing heavily, and trying to push the images out of her head.
The people still fully into the song helped pull her mind out of the gutter when they sang the corus.
"Sing us a song a song you're the piano man, sing us the song tonight, while we're all in the mood for a melody, and you've got us feeling alright."
The atmosphere is still calm and the people were swaying with the music.
"It's a pretty good crown for a Saturday, and the manager gives me a smile, 'cause he knows that it's me they've been coming to see, to forget about life for a while."
Kor started playing harder and harder on the keys, she sang louder and with such passion that it struck her and her heart started racing, Asami could almost not catch her breath, music has never gotten a reaction like this from the genius before. EVER.
"And the piano sounds like a carnival, and the microphone smells like beer, and they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar, and say man what are you doing here?"
The crowd was now almost shouting but Kor seemed like she was too caught up in the music but smiled, indicating that she was listening and it was motivating her even more, pour more love into the song.
"Sing us a song you're the piano man, sing us a song tonight, while we're all in the mood for a melody, and you've got us feeling alright."
She slows her playing and it gets softer, eyes closed as if concentrating on keeping the pace level. Ending the song gently and when the last note faded to silence, so did a minute of silence fall over the pub.
It was as if everyone in the building was taking a moment to come out of their trance, even Varrick seemed calm, and that was a lot, seeing as he was constantly busy and never seemed to slow down.
The group of businessmen laughed in the back and the blanket of silence was lifted and Kor opened her eyes and smiled, looking at all the people in the pub who have now continued with their previous and new conversations.
Varrick swiveled around, his excitement back in full force. Damn. Asami was hoping she could lock eyes with the blue-eyed beauty but she now had more important matters handle first.
Business before pleasure, and heaven knows that she didn't have much of the latter.
"Miss Sato, what did you think of the performance?" A little taken back from the non-business topic she prepared herself for.
"Um, it was an excellent performance, I've never experienced music that elated an emotional response from me before." Not to mention a sexual attraction, that's a totally new ball game that would need to be analyzed.
"Oh, marvelous! You should come every Saturday, every week is a new song, today was special though, it is a favorite of this community and was requested by the manager's brother." He said all that in one breath, while picking at invisible hairs on his suit. "You see the manager's brother and sister are in town. And it is almost a tradition, if you will, that Korra sings Piano Man when they visit."
Korra? Her name just rolls off her tongue. Varrick Continued talking about the pub and the music played here and all Asami could think was that the name fit perfectly with the woman that so shockingly made the genius experience emotions she had never before experienced.
That was until Varrick once again caught her off guard, "And about the partnership between Global Industries and Future Industries, I had already considered a coalition between out businesses and was fortunate enough that you contacted me first,"
He suddenly jumped up and whipped his head to the side "Zhu Li!"
A woman with fine brown hair and glasses came up beside Varrick on the side he was not facing "Yes Iknik"
Varrick whips his head towards his assistant, "Zhu Li, do the thing."
Zhu Li nods and turns to a still shocked Asami and hand her a contract while Varrick sits down again and sips his tea.
"This is the contract I set up for the partnership, you are welcome to read it and contact me if you wish to change something or if you have any questions."
Clearing her throat Asami musters her best business smile, "Thank you, I will let you know on Monday if I have any questions."
"Excellent! Now Asami, my dear, enjoy the evening, you certainly need it as you put too much pressure on that brilliant brain of yours, well, not as brilliant as mine but it is still pretty intelligent…." He trails off when suddenly he let's out a shout that causes Asami's heart to jump. "Zhu Li! I have it! We can use neurotransmitted wavelengths to power my "
Asami never heard what Varrick was going to say as a hand gently touched her shoulder, the same feeling from earlier returned and she knew immediately who it was. Her heart started beating faster.
Her body was torn in two as her brain wanted to continue listening to the new invention Varrick was working on but her heart yearned to give its full attention to the woman behind her.
Eventually her heart won over and Asami pulled her eyes away from Varrick and were now glued to the breath-taking musician before her.
Korra knew from the moment when the fox walked into the pub that she did not belong here, yet, there was something about her that made it seem as if she owned the place, and its people. Though in just a few seconds the Air Temple's atmosphere dissolved her superiority complex.
It truly was a beauty to see. Unable to resist the magnetic attraction the fox had on her she had to do the chivalry thing and take the ladies coat. After all, it's what usually happens for people of sophistication.
Well… that's what she told herself. It was really just an excuse she had conjured for the urge she had to get close to the new woman.
Now after seeing her react like she did to Korra taking her coat and hat, then while she was preforming, and now watching her trying to keep up with Varrick, the musician just couldn't help notice that this place stripped her of all her defenses.
And don't let her get started with he hungry looks the men were giving her. Luckily Iroh picked up on them and took the initiative to keep her company while her companion arrived.
Or till I could keep her company.
Korra was watching the exchange between her and Varrick and felt a swell of pride from hearing that her music and made her experience it with her heart and not her head.
That was the whole purpose in music. Making the listener experience and express feelings they were too scared to feel for themselves or make known to others.
When it seemed that the conversation was at an end Korra moved to touch the Fox's shoulder. She didn't look immediately and Korra slightly started to panic that she made the wrong move.
She was about to apologize when the Raven Fox turned towards her and gave her a smile that touched her soul, looking with so much intensity, mixed with a little curiosity and confusion into her own eyes that her palms started to sweat.
The Raven Fox was now looking at her expectantly, and Korra gave her one of her winning smiles. "Enjoy the show?" Idiot the pianist cursed herself.
But The fox lit up "Exponentially, you really have a gift. You captivated every single person here, even the ones no longer here with us" she spares a glance at the now stoned businessmen which made Korra let out a full-hearted laugh.
"Yes, if I didn't know better I would have believed that Tenzin only keeps me here because I bring him more customers." Seeing the Fox's curios look she elaborates, "Tenzin is the manager here, I sometimes look after his children and he helps me keep my balance and focus… I am a military combat trainer. If it wasn't for my father being the chief general officer I would never have been accepted because of my Gender!"
Korra blushes slightly at her ramble. Feeling a bit awkward "So, may I have a seat? As I see your company has left to go tinker with his toys."
Asami lets out an amused snort as she finally realizes that Varrick is now nowhere to be seen. "You may" she replies politely and with a slight flirt she herself wasn't expecting.
"Does this mean that I can have the honor of knowing the name of the Raven Fox that has most certainly caught everyone in this pubs eye?" Korra says and holds out her hand.
Blushing the Genius nods and puts her hand in Korra's. "Sato, Asami Sato." A spark of recognition flashes across Korra's face before she smiles wider.
"It is a great pleasure and honor to meet you" Korra brings Asami's hand towards her lip, "Miss Sato."
Ta Da! I just needed to get this story out of my head, main reason being to get Piano Man out of my head xD Comments, Critiques, and reviews are welcome! Let me know if you loved it!