[AN]

(dialogue): "Where were you last night?"

(element): water

words: 2256

Korra wiped the sweat off her brow with the hem of her shirt. Beside her Naga flopped to the ground, panting heavily.

"Good run today, girl," she said, giving her polar bear dog an affectionate pat.

The dog huffed at her then rolled away in search of her water bowl. Korra smiled as she pushed through the front doors and headed upstairs for a much needed shower. She entered the bedroom just as her girlfriend emerged from the en suite already dressed for work in her usual power skirt suit. She immediately crossed over to Korra to press a lingering kiss against her lips.

Korra groaned in appreciation. "You're gonna be late for work, Asami, and even later if you don't stop that."

Asami smirked. "I'm off. Are we still on for tonight?"

"Definitely. I'll meet you at your office okay?"

"Perfect. Love you!"

Korra grinned. "Love you too!"

With one last chaste kiss, Asami was out the door and headed for the gleaming tower of Future Industries.

Showered and dressed, Korra rummaged in the kitchen for breakfast, making herself a pile of scrambled eggs and fruit. She carried her plate and her tea out to the patio to enjoy the peaceful morning and ponder the rest of her day's schedule.

Somewhere around the side of the house Naga started barking and Korra looked around to see what was causing the ruckus.

"Naga," she complained when the barking continued unabated. "I'm trying to enjoy my breakfast here!"

Naga's huge fluffy form burst from the side of the house. She looked around then spotted Korra, bounding over to whine urgently at her before running back to the side of the house.

Korra raised one eyebrow and took another mouthful of eggs, waiting to see what Naga would do next.

The big dog stuck her head around the corner and saw Korra wasn't moving. She barked again, then lifted her head and howled.

"Oh for cryin' out loud," Korra complained. She picked up her plate and walked over, popping berries into her mouth as she went. As she got closer she started to hear a low pitched beeping and a quiet hiss.

Naga was poised in front of the source of the noise, a small gray box. Her head was low over her front paws, her rear up and ready to lunge. Lights blinked randomly across the box's surface and something like smoke poured off of it, though when Korra stuck an exploratory finger into it she felt a bone chilling cold. She set the plate down and squatted down to get a closer look.

As she peered at it, a brilliant blue light emerged, casting a revolving grid pattern on everything near the box. Naga blinked and growled as the light passed over her, causing her dark eyes to glow. The light moved on and covered Korra, running up and down her the front of her body as she froze in a half-crouch.

"What the-"

The light blinked off and the box started to shake violently, causing Naga to quickly retreat. With a loud crack the top of the box blew off and the sides disintegrated. As the remnants of the cold smoke dispersed, all that was left was a small flat gray device with a glass face that glowed softly.

Naga inched forward, snuffling curiously.

Korra cocked her head and stared at it. "What do you think it is, huh, girl?"

There was a quiet beep, then the little device spoke up. "I'm sorry. I didn't get that."

Woman and polar bear dog stared in complete shock.

Somehow Korra made it back to the kitchen. She wasn't comfortable touching the device, but had carefully air bent it along to where it now rested on the counter. It saw glowing quietly as she back and forth between the kitchen and the staircase before pivoting on one foot and heading for the office near the front door.

"Asami. I need to call Asami."

The little device beeped.

Beep. "Okay. Attempting to call Asami."

Korra whirled to face the little device, her normally dark skin going pale. "Wait-"

Beep. "I'm sorry. I don't have Asami's number."

Korra thrust her fingers into her hair. She felt tempted by the thought of incinerating the device with a well placed fireball but restrained herself.

"Okay, seriously. Who are you?"

Beep. "I am Siri."

"Um," Korra stuttered. "Where are you?"

Beep. "That's a rather existential question. What is locality for a digital experience anyway?"

Korra blinked. "A digital what? Okay, you know what? Nevermind." She hurried into the office and grabbed the phone. "Pleasebetherepleasebetherepleasebethere."

"Future Industries Office of the CEO, this is Mai. How can I help you?"

"Mai!" Korra shouted in desperation. "I need to talk to Asami."

"Korra?" Asami's assistant sounded startled. "Miss Sato is currently in a meeting with-"

"Mai!" Korra repeated, more loudly. "I. Need. To. Talk. To. Asami!"

The sickly sweet tones of Future Industries hold music suddenly filled her ear.

There was a clatter that sounded exactly as if somebody had hit the call button and dropped the phone receiver in their haste to pick up, which is exactly what Asami did. "Korra, what's wrong?"

Korra took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves. "Babe, did you lose an experiment or something?"

There was a pause. "What do you mean?"

"Naga found this thing on the side of the house, and it had lights and steam and it's talking to me-"

Asami interrupted, sounding very confused. "What do you mean it talks?"

"I mean it talks, it says stuff! It even seemed to know who you were!"

There was another long pause, then Asami asked carefully, "Honey, are you feeling okay? Were you taking a nap or something?"

"Asami! I didn't hallucinate this! You need to come see this thing!"

Asami sighed. "Korra, I am super busy, and as long as you don't think it's dangerous I'm sure it will be fine until I get home."

Korra heard murmured voices in the background.

"Honey, I'm sorry, but I really need to go. I'll see you after work okay?"

"But Asami," Korra whined.

"Love you, bye!"

Asami hung up. Korra stared at the phone receiver in aggravation then stalked back to the kitchen.

"Okay, if she won't come here, than we're going there."

Beep. "Please repeat your destination."

Korra blinked. "Uh, I'm talking you to Future Industries to show you to my girlfriend."

Beep. "Plotting route to Future Industries. Route plotted. With current traffic, estimated driving time is forty minutes."

Korra edged closer to the counter. "I'm riding my polar bear dog - Asami doesn't let me touch her Satomobiles."

Beep. "Recalculating route. Walking time, two hours fifty minutes."

Korra threw up her arms. "Siri, who the hell are you?"

Beep. "I am afraid that describing my appearance would invoke a lengthy explanation of spatial, temporal, and fashion concepts that are as yet unfamiliar to you."

The thud of Korra's head hitting the counter in frustration echoed hollowly throughout the house.

Beep. "At the next intersection, please turn left," the device intoned from where Korra had strapped it to Naga's saddle.

"Don't listen to her Naga," urged Korra as the polar bear dog cut across a small park, leaping over several hedges. "I don't know who this crazy person Siri is, but she clearly has no sense of direction."

"Woof."

Beep. "At the next intersection, please make a U-turn."

Korra groaned and gripped harder with her knees as Naga cleared a small truck. "Good grief, Siri, shut up!"

Beep. "I'm sorry. I didn't get that."

"I SAID SHUT! UP!" Korra bellowed.

Naga's head came up and she leaped onto the closest overpass, then immediately dodged an oncoming train, ending up on a new road.

"Naga!" Korra shouted. "I didn't mean for you to go up!" She caught a flash of water ahead of them. "Where are you going?"

Beep. "Identifying Naga as mode of transportation. Naga appears to be heading towards Yue Bay."

Korra swore mightily. "Naga! Stop!"

Naga grunted and skid to a stop, the momentum causing Korra to sail over her head towards the sparkling water. She landed with a splash, too startled to have bent an air bubble to prevent a dunking.

"Woof!" Naga's tongue lolled out in a tooth grin, the big beast apparently amused at Korra's predicament.

Korra scowled as she bent herself out of the water and then the water off of her. "Well, that's just great. Thanks, Naga."

Naga whimpered and barked in response, her tail wagging furiously.

Beep. "New destination specified. Please head north along frontage road."

With a yelp the polar bear dog was off, leaving Korra standing on the shore in astonishment.

"What the hell- Naga, wait!" Korra took off at a dead run. "This isn't a game, you ridiculous animal!"

Naga's bark receded into the distance as she disappeared up the coast. Korra bent into the air in an attempt to keep her in sight. "Siri!" she shouted. "Where are you taking her?"

Whatever Siri might have said was lost to the distance. Korra wished fervently for her glider stick, but unfortunately that was back at home. She settled for leaping from rooftop to rooftop, desperate to keep the polar bear dog and the psychotic device in sight.

"Korra!"

She paused on the balcony of an apartment building and looked down. Below her a familiar figure sat on an idling motorcycle, staring up at her with concern.

"We were getting complaints about somebody flying around like a crazy person down here," said Mako. "Lin figured it was you."

"No time, Mako," she called as she pushed off for the next rooftop, a column of swirling air pushing her along. He gunned his motor, trying to keep up. "But do me a favor and run over to Future Industries. Tell Asami that device she doesn't believe exists kidnapped Naga!"

"You want me to to tell her what?" Mako shouted before skidding to a halt behind an idling truck. "Korra!"

"Gotta go, Mako!"

Mako and Lin drank their coffee while they watched Asami pace anxiously around her kitchen. The remains of the box Naga had found the previous day sat on the counter, but other than determining it was made of some strange blend of synthetic materials and noting bits and pieces of the destroyed electrical system, it had yielded no other clues.

Asami ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, and turned back to Mako. "She said the device kidnapped Naga."

"Yes."

"A one ton polar bear dog."

"Yep."

"However," drawled Lin between sips, "Multiple witnesses observed Naga heading North through the city under her own power, with no sign of anything else mechanical or otherwise around her."

"With Korra chasing her like a dragon on its way to a firebending fight," Mako added.

Lin rolled her eyes. "What does that even mean?" She put her cup down. "Nevermind, I don't-"

At that moment there was the sound of a door slamming in some distant part of the house. Asami took off at a sprint, Lin and Mako close on her heels. They found Korra sprawled on a couch in the family room, eyes closed. Outside, the heaving form of Naga lay collapsed on the lawn, her saddle askew and bits and pieces of twigs and leaves clinging to her fur. Korra's clothes were similarly covered, and her cheek bore a long scratch that stretched from her jaw up to an impressive black eye.

"Where were you last night?" Asami demanded. "And what the hell happened to you?"

Korra cracked open her good eye and groaned. "Siri happened to me, that's what."

Asami's eyes narrowed. "Who is Siri?" she demanded.

Korra closed her eyes again and waved towards the door. "She's with Naga. You can ask her yourself."

The other three turned and looked outside, seeing no one besides the now unconscious polar bear dog.

Mako studied Korra critically. "Maybe she hit her head."

Korra's raised one arm and feebly waved her middle finger at them, but made no other sound. Lin huffed and strode from the room. She stood stiffly next to Naga's prone form, her eyes darting around for any sign of life.

"She said Siri?"

Beep. "I did not catch that. Please repeat your query."

Lin looked up and met Asami's shocked expression. Their gazes fell onto the small bag slung across the front of Naga's saddle. Lin flicked a finger and caused the buckles to release themselves. The saddle slid to the ground with a soft thud. Asami knelt next to it, her fingers prying the bag open until Korra's small gray device dropped onto her hand.

"So much for her halluncinating this thing," Asami commented wryly. "Wish I knew who this Siri person is, though."

Beep. "I am not a person as one would traditionally be defined as such."

Lin's eyebrows climbed all they way up to her hairline. "Oh, now I really can't wait to hear the whole story of last night."

"Naga, wait RIGHT there!"

Beep. "Please turn left."

Korra made a flying leap and landed awkwardly across Naga's back as the polar bear dog leaped happily in a new direction. She attempted to swing her leg over the heaving back, only for Naga to scrape her off by running under a low branch.

The sound of Korra's pained cursing filled the forest.

"I HATE YOU SIRI!"

Beep. "What have I done to deserve such hatred?"

"Woof! Woofwoof!"

Beep. "New destination selectioned. Please turn right."

"Naga, no, don't - MMRPH!"

Notes: * Most of the things Siri says are accurate!

:)