Author's Note1: This story is my creation. However, it is based on original work by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. (In other words, I don't own anything about the Avatar universe. Otherwise, I'd be on the other side of the panels at SDCC. ) No deliberate infringement of anything intended. This is merely for personal enjoyment, melding their published canon material and my wild imaginings. As such, I want to express my thanks to the Almighty Bryke for the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. The richness of their writing and artistry has made me a lifelong fan of both series. (And, obviously, without their creation, there would not be this creation.)
A shadowy orange tint colored the skies above Republic City. It had been three days since the battle with Kuvira and her Earth Empire army; three days since the city was literally torn apart and yet a grubby haze still hung in the air of the nearly demolished capital of the United Republic of Nations. Dust, dirt, and debris stirred up from the skirmishes around the city just would not clear up. It lingered, heavy and gloomy, just like the mood enveloping Republic City and her people.
City Hall (or rather just the front of what was left of City Hall) served as a temporary hospital with several volunteer physicians, White Lotus healers, and the Air Nomads providing care and comfort to the injured and the grieving. Stretchers, cots, and makeshift beds littered the front steps where the casualties of the battle were taken. Asami finished dressing the wound of a United Republic soldier then rolled down the sleeves of her jacket as she sat down next to his cot. It had been a long three days. They hadn't had time to sleep, much less shower and change clothes. Search and rescue efforts began almost immediately after the Great Uniter's surrender, with President Raiko coordinating the operation from Air Temple Island (since his office at City Hall was destroyed.) Asami took in a slow breath as she did a quick survey of her surroundings.
So much destruction. So many injured. Despite the ordered citywide evacuation, not everyone left. Old man Katsu was sobbing over his mother as a rather tired-looking White Lotus healer grimly shook her head at the man before slowly covering the elderly woman with a sheet. "My family was one of the first settlers in Republic City," he had vehemently said when a United Republic soldier came pounding on his bookstore door heralding President Raiko's evacuation directive. "We will not leave. Nishimura Books is as much an icon of Republic City as the statue of Avatar Aang. We cannot leave." Indeed, Nishimura Books was a fundamental mainstay of Asami's early life. Ever since she could read, Asami's parents would take her to the bookstore every week for something new to read. They were such regular customers that Mrs. Nishimura would always have several books ready for Asami to select. Asami's gaze lingered on the quaking shoulders of old man Katsu as he softly repeated, "We couldn't leave, we just couldn't leave."
Over on the other side of where Asami sat, an Air acolyte, Bolin, and Pema were kneeling around a stretcher trying to hold down an Earth Empire soldier as a healer dressed in Water Tribe blues tried to soothe his burns. Even with three people, they weren't having much luck restraining the man until Tenzin joined the group. The harried Water Tribe healer gave the elder Airbender a gratified smile before bringing a globule of glowing water to the injured man's torso. Slowly, his struggles ceased and he calmed down enough to where the extra set of hands was no longer needed. A relieved sigh passed the soldier's lips and his shoulders flagged but, just in case, his human restraints kept their hands in place.
The orchestra of discord filled Asami's ears and she took in another slow breath, lowering her head to rest against her folded forearms. Then a pained shriek split through the cacophony of the improvised infirmary and Asami's head snapped upward, looking toward a tent next to where Tenzin was. "Monkey feathers! That bloody hurts!" a shrill voice cried out, sounding most aggrieved. "You said it wouldn't hurt! You said it'd be like an ant bite! You said you knew what you were doing!" the voice continued to accuse somebody.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Korra's voice yelled back, just as loud and just as wounded. "I lied, ok?! I had to reset the bones! There is no way it wouldn't hurt!" The grim situation notwithstanding, Asami couldn't help a small smile at Korra's indignant tone. With a tired sigh, she laid her head back down on her forearms, grateful for the opportunity for a short reprieve.
"Master Tenzin! Master Tenzin!" an acolyte called out from below the steps of City Hall. "Master Tenzin, we found the wreckage. We found the Hummingbird wreckage!" he added as he ran up the stairs toward the Airbending Master.
Asami and Tenzin's attention immediately focused on the advancing acolyte. While both stood up at about the same time, Asami's legs were quicker to move and she ran toward the dusty man, intending to bypass him to sprint down the steps. With a burst of Airbending, Tenzin intercepted the Sato heiress with a gentle but firm grip on her right bicep. "You don't want to do this, Asami," he said, his voice solemn and weary. "Let me take care of this for you. Please," he added and moved to stand just in front of the young woman. Her jade eyes, wide with confounded anticipation, looked from the front steps to Tenzin and back to the steps. Rooted to the spot, she swallowed hard and looked back at Tenzin with tears brimming but she willed her tears to not fall. Her indecision was obvious, though. She needed to see the wreckage for herself but she also did not want to see the wreckage. She did not want to see him. Not like this.
By this time, the dusty acolyte had reached the pair. "We found the Hummingbird wreckage, Master Tenzin. The wreckage. We also found …" he tried to continue his report to Tenzin, only to be silenced with a glare by the senior master. A quick glance at the grieving young woman by Tenzin's side and the acolyte quickly lowered his head, clearly regretting his impetuous outburst in front of Asami. The young man brought his hands to his back and stood waiting to finish his report to the elder Airbender.
"You have done so much for us, Asami. For this city, for the Air Nation, for my family," Tenzin lowered his voice and his hand. "Please, let me do this for you."
"My father …" her voice cracked as she trailed off.
"Your father died a hero. Remember him that way," the Airbending Master gave Asami's shoulder a gentle squeeze. Pema had joined them now and moved to guide Asami away with a soft hand around the young woman's waist but Asami remained rooted to the spot.
In the meantime, Korra popped her head out of the tent, having finished getting her rebuking from her angry patient. Seeing Asami, Tenzin, and Pema gathered around the acolyte, she looked over at Bolin and asked, "What's going on over there?"
Bolin spared a quick glance at the soldier he was still restraining and, seeing that he appeared to be sleeping soundly, stood up and made his way to Korra. "They found the wreckage. Asami … Hiroshi's wreckage," he said quietly, lowering his head as if ashamed to have broken that news to Korra. Without another word, Korra sped to Asami's side.
"Sweetie," Pema said, once more attempting to tug Asami gently away. "Let's go over here, shall we? Please, let Tenzin handle this. You've done enough for today," her voice tender, as if she was speaking to one of her own children.
Korra slowly walked up and stood to Asami's left. She looked toward the steps then to the acolyte and finally at Tenzin. With a nod from her mentor, Korra touched Asami's elbow and said, "Come on, Asami." The raven-haired woman looked over at Korra and, with a furrowed brow, allowed Korra to lead her away.
Before the young heiress could move away, the Air Acolyte reached out his hand and grabbed the edge of her jacket sleeve. "Please," he said with some hesitation. Looking over at Tenzin for a quick second, he reached his other hand out deliberately toward Asami, the golden edge of something peeking out from his closed fist. "Your father's sacrifice saved a lot of people, Miss Sato. We wouldn't be here if not for him. I wouldn't be here," the young man almost choked on his words. "I am sorry for your loss, Miss Sato," he added as he opened his hand to reveal a mangled pair of gold-rimmed spectacles.
Asami gasped and her lower lip started to tremble at the sight of the spectacles. Her father's spectacles. She reached for them with a shaky hand and, as she grasped the crushed frames, her resolve to not cry almost broke. Clenching her jaw to hold back the tide she knew was coming, she said a soft "Thank you" to the young acolyte before walking away with Korra and Pema.
Bolin waved at Korra as he opened the flap of a nearby tent. "It's empty," he mouthed at her. Bless his heart of gold; Bolin somehow always knew what to do for everyone. With a nod, she led Asami to the tent as Pema rejoined Bolin.
Once inside, Asami took a few steps away from the tent opening and stood facing the back of the tent without saying a word, her gaze lowered to the gold-colored frames in her hand. Korra stood by the entrance, awkwardly looking at the back of Asami's head and the tent floor. Not knowing what to say, the young Avatar decided it was best to remain quiet and let Asami break the silence when she was ready. However, Asami remained wrapped in silence as she kept looking at the pair of twisted frames in her hand. "I can straighten that out for you, if you'd like," Korra offered, extending her hand despite being behind Asami still.
"No," the anguished mechanist replied after a breath. "I … I'd like to keep it like this. It's … it represents h-his … goodness," she murmured. "He wasn't al-always like this. He was a good man but … he lost his way," Asami added wistfully before falling silent again, her eyes focused on the pair of mangled frames.
"I'll always catch you if you fall. I'll always protect you," Asami finally spoke again after a few minutes. Her voice was so soft Korra wasn't quite sure if she actually heard the heiress.
"What?" she asked Asami, almost as softly.
Without turning, Asami replied, "It's what he told me one time when I was little. Before my mom was killed. I'll always catch you if you fall. I'll always protect you." She paused and held the crushed frames to her chest, breathing in a shaky breath. Her shoulders started quaking and the tears she had been holding back for three days finally fell freely. Not knowing what else to do, Korra walked up behind her friend and wrapped her arms around Asami's shoulders, letting her just cry.
"The end," Yasuko Sato smiled at her daughter as she closed the book in her hands. Long, slender fingers swept Asami's dark locks back from her little face. She pulled the red comforter up and tucked it around the sleepy girl before bending down to place a soft kiss on Asami's forehead. "Good night, sweetheart," she said and started to get up from her perch at the edge of Asami's bed.
"Tomorrow we get another book?" Asami asked, her heavy lids barely able to stay open. "This one's finished already," the little heiress added as she fought to stay awake long enough to hear her mother's response.
"Yes, dear, tomorrow we'll get another book," Asami's mother smiled warmly. "I'm sure Mrs. Nishimura will have several set aside for you already. Now, go to sleep. You can hardly keep your eyes opened anymore."
"Wait," Asami reached out for her mother's hand. "After that, we go to the park?" she asked through a muffled yawn.
A quiet chuckle escaped Yasuko's painted lips. "Yes, Asami. We'll walk to Nishimura Books then we'll walk to the park and, before you ask," she paused and tapped her daughter's little button nose lovingly. "After the park, we'll walk by the arena on the way home."
"Who's playing tomorrow?" Asami stifled another yawn as she snuggled lower into her bed.
Yasuko pondered for a second but before she could answer, her husband appeared at the doorway to Asami's bedroom and announced, "The Ba Sing Se Badgermoles and Kolau Komodo Rhinos. And … guess who's got tickets?" his thick fingers were closed around three tickets as he waved them excitedly in the air.
With a thrilled squeal, Asami launched herself out of bed; all sleepiness seemingly spent. The littlelest Sato bounced up and down on her bed, clapping excitedly as Yasuko frowned at her husband, "I just tucked her in. Besides, it's a weeknight."
He waved her off, "Don't worry, it'll be a fast game. The Kolau Komodo Rhinos will wipe the floor with the Badgermoles in no time flat. Isn't that right, Asami?"
The little girl took on a serious look and replied in her best sports commentator voice, "Why, that is correct, Daddy. The Kolau Komodo Rhinos have had an astounding season, winning every game they have played thus far." Holding up a pretend microphone, Asami continued to regale her parents, "Making an astounding comeback after last season's injuries and poor coaching, the Rhinos have gotten themselves a new coach and his astounding strategies have helped propelled the Kolau Komodo Rhinos powerfully toward the championship."
"First, there's Earthbender Chung Yan. His powerful barrage right off the mat is just so intimidating, it leaves the other team rightly rattled and unable to even carry out their intended game plan. What an astounding strategy by the Rhinos' new coach!" Asami's "commentator" voice getting more and more shrill as she continued her report, exhilaration spurring her to higher and higher bounces. "And, let's not forget Puja, the Rhino's astounding Waterbender!" Asami paused and pretended she was the probender in question, mimicking a few Waterbending moves she'd seen. "She's managed to soak every single one of their competition, pushing them all the way to the edge within the first few minutes of the game, and setting them up perfectly for Daisuke to knock them out." Asami put one hand to her ear as she had seen the sports commentators do and brought her pretend microphone closer to her mouth before announcing, "The team's Firebender, Daisuke Mori, has single-handedly KO-ed his counterpart in the last five games out of seven. What astounding teamwork!"
"Astounding!" Hiroshi echoed his little girl's new word of the week with a hearty laugh. "Besides," Hiroshi moved to put his arm around his wife's shoulders, "This can be a new Sato family tradition. Probending and ...," he shot a conspiratorial look at his daughter.
Asami's green orbs sparkled with delight and she bounced even higher on her bed. Sleep was definitely not coming anytime soon. "And ... ALL THE FIRE FLAKES WE CAN EAT!" she shrieked with absolute glee.
"No, no, no," her mother wagged a finger at her. "Remember the last time you ate all those fire flakes?"
"But, Mother," Asami tried to reason with her mother in her best grown up voice. "That was last time. I've grown up since then," she added with a tilt of her head.
"That was last week, dear," Yasuko tried to contain her smile.
"I fail to see your point, dear," Asami retorted with a smirk.
"Yes, dear," her father joined in. "What is your point?" he asked with a scheming smirk.
"You two are ...," Yasuko began, shaking her head.
"What?" Her husband asked, looking over at Asami and winking.
"Astounding!" Asami interjected, bouncing on her bed once more.
"Brilliant!" Hiroshi added, tapping his right forefinger with his left as if counting out each descriptive word.
"Captivating!" the bouncing girl called out.
The father-daughter duo went back and forth calling out terms alphabetically until Yasuko interrupted the flow with, "Incorrigible! You two are incorrigible," Yasuko said with a smile. "I'm going to bed. Good night you two," she kissed Asami on her head and left Hiroshi to tuck his daughter back in.
Morning came with an animated Asami running around the Sato mansion yelling repeatedly, "It's new book day! It's probending day!" She jumped on the couch and bounced around until Li Yun, the housekeeper, caught her up and swung her around before passing her over to the butler standing nearby. The pair had been in the Satos' employ since before Asami was born. The couple loved her like their own. The butler put her on his shoulders and trotted to the kitchen just as Asami's parents came down the stairs.
"Rikyu, you spoil her," Yasuko said to the butler as she walked up alongside the pair and stroked her daughter on her head.
"The little miss is special," Rikyu merely said, smiling as he lowered Asami onto her seat at the breakfast nook and went off to bring in their food.
"You need to stop making him give you rides, Asami," her father ruffled Asami's raven locks as he sat down next to her. "You're going to hurt his back one of these days, especially as you keep growing," he added as he reached for the tray of fried bread Rikyu just placed on the table.
"Are you calling me fat, Daddy?" she cocked a thin brow at her father and reached over to pat his round belly. On her other side, Yasuko covered her mouth as she, unsuccessfully, attempted to suppress her laugh. With an indignant scowl, the elder Sato gingerly pushed away the tray of fried bread and, instead, reached for some fresh fruits to go with his porridge. "Eat your breakfast, dear," he said before grabbing the top of Asami's head and ever so gently twisted her back toward her own bowl.
After breakfast, Yasuko and Hiroshi walked Asami to Nishimura Books. It was a bit of a walk from the Sato Estate to town but the trio always relished their time together. They had always been inseparable. As soon as she spotted the door to the bookstore, Asami broke away from her parents and ran in. She greeted Mrs. Nishimura in the form of a book report, telling the woman all about the book she had just finished reading with Yasuko. "Take a breath, Asami," the bookstore owner chuckled at her excited chatter. "She sure is a talker, isn't she?" Mrs. Nishimura added, looking at the little girl's proud parents.
Asami continued to tell Mrs. Nishimura all about the book until the creaky door to the basement opened and Asami stopped mid-sentence. A young man dressed in a light gray shirt and a neat, tweed suit with his dark hair slicked back was standing at the basement doorway. A bright crimson rose in his lapel and a big smile was on his lips as his golden eyes set on the little girl. "Mr. and Mrs. Sato!" he greeted the pair then returned his attention to their daughter. "And Asami! How's my girl?" he said and got on one knee in front of her. Asami thinned her lips into a shy smile and scooted nearer her mother's legs. "Still not going to talk to me? How are we going to go on a date, then?" the young man teased her.
"Katsu, stop tormenting the poor girl," Mrs. Nishimura chided her son, shaking her graying head. "She's so red already, she just might go pop!"
Katsu chuckled and focused his attention back to Asami. "Have you found a book for this week, yet?" he asked her, to which Asami smiled widely but only silently shook her head. "Well, I've got something for you!" Katsu announced quite dramatically and jumped up, a dusty patch on his knee. He held his hand out to Asami and, when she didn't take it, he wiggled his fingers at her. Slowly, she turned to look at her mother and Yasuko smiled at her daughter, nodding her encouragement. Asami gingerly took Katsu's hand as he led her to the counter then walked behind it. He pulled out a book about half as tall as Asami and just over two inches thick. "This just came in yesterday and I immediately thought of you when I saw it," he presented the book to the wide-eyed child. "365 bedtime stories! One for each day of the year," he described the book. Asami gasped loudly and Katsu chuckled, "She … speaks. Kind of." This caused Asami to snap her mouth closed and looked over to her father. With emerald eyes wide as saucers, she nodded excitedly at him.
The adults in the room laughed and Hiroshi told Mrs. Nishimura they would take the book. "I'll carry it for you, sweetheart," her father told her. "It's just about the same size as you!"
From Nishimura Books, the Sato trio slowly made their way to the park. Asami walked hand in hand with her mother but she kept glancing over at Hiroshi to make sure he was sufficiently protecting her new book. "I still have it, Asami," he said with a chuckle when he spied her glancing over at him yet again. "It's still in one piece, I promise."
"Can we read a story when we're at the park?" she asked, leaning over to look expectantly at both her parents.
"But it's not bedtime yet," her mother teased.
"We can pretend!" Asami declared with a smile. "I can't wait until bedtime. I'll die by then!" the little girl exclaimed, dragging her hands down over her face dramatically.
Her parents laughed at her overacting but Hiroshi caved. "One story," he promised her with a smile. "One short one. You have to save the rest for bedtime. And the rest of the year."
Upon reaching the park, Asami dragged her parents over to "their spot" – a shaded patch under one of the biggest trees in the park. Its big, leafy branches created just the perfect canopy for the trio to have picnics, Pai Sho games, and, of course, very short bedtime story readings. "Come on, let's read," Asami sat herself down quickly and patted to the grass next to her.
Shaking their heads at the precocious girl, Hiroshi and Yasuko sat themselves down on either side of their daughter. Yasuko flipped through the book and stopped when her eyes caught a short two-paragraph story. "A long, long time ago," she began to read to Asami, with Hiroshi providing sound effect support as appropriate.
"The end," her mother finished the very short story and closed the book.
"Swing time!" Asami jumped up from her spot and sprinted over to the set of swings. Her parents leaned against each other and watched her as she carefully climbed on then started to propel herself, swinging higher and higher. "Daddy!" the little girl called out as she continued to swing herself higher. "Daddy, look, I'm an Airbender! I can fly!" she announced before launching herself into the air as the swing's trajectory reached its apex.
Her parents' eyes widen with shock as Hiroshi scrambled to his feet and ran toward the girl already in the air. As she started coming back down, he knew he wouldn't reach her in time so he launched himself toward Asami, meaning to intercept her in mid-air. Hiroshi's strong hands barely caught his daughter just under her arms and, for a moment, they both appeared to be suspended in the air. Pulling Asami close to his chest, Hiroshi spiraled his body right before they both landed on the ground with a heavy thud, the air knocked out of the poor man. The elder Sato groaned as he lay on the ground but he held on tightly to his daughter.
"You caught me, Daddy!" Asami leaned into her father and kissed his cheek.
"Of course, sweetheart," he said through gritted teeth. "I'll always catch you if you fall. I'll always protect you," her poor father added in a raspy voice as he continued to lay on the ground in agony.
"Asami! What were you thinking?" her mother called out as she ran up to the pair. "Are you two alright?" she asked both of them, quickly checking them over for any signs of injuries.
Yasuko helped her daughter off Hiroshi and Asami patted her father's stomach, declaring, "I'm fine, Mom. Daddy gave me a soft landing." With a giggle, the little girl skipped back to the tree and her new book.
Yasuko slowly helped her husband up, gently dusting his back as he sat up. "Good thing for the soft landing," she teased her husband, rubbing his round belly.
"And you wanted me to go on a diet," he chuckled then groaned, his hand reaching for his lower back.
"That was quite a leap. I never knew you were so agile," Yasuko said as she helped him up and lightly swept dirt off Hiroshi's jacket.
"I'm not," he groaned as they slowly made their way back to Asami under the tree. "I think I broke something," Hiroshi moaned, grimacing as he tried to straighten out his back.
"What?" Yasuko frowned and did a quick once-over of her husband.
"Me," he replied wretchedly. "I'm too old for this. She's going to be the death of me one day," Hiroshi bemoaned his fate.
"Wait until she starts dating," his wife muttered under her breath.
"Bite your tongue, woman!" Hiroshi gasped, a hand to his heart. "You're supposed to be on my side!"
Yasuko chuckled, her laughter light and sprightly. "Come on, old man, let's get you home and into a hot bath," she slipped her arm through her husband's and guided him. "I'll send for the physician. Maybe … we should call it a day?"
"No," Hiroshi waved off her concern. "We can't miss the astounding Kolau Komodo Rhinos," he mimicked his daughter much to Yasuko's amusement. Releasing himself from his wife's hold, Hiroshi joined Asami under the tree. Looking at Hiroshi and his little princess, Yasuko saw the fervent bond between father and daughter. Asami adored her father and Hiroshi would do anything for her.
Korra rested her chin on Asami's shoulder and leaned her head sideways against her friend's. "I can't replace him," Korra breathed softly against Asami's ear, still holding her from behind. "But I'll always catch you if you fall. I'll always protect you."
At those familiar words, Asami finally turned around and engulfed the Avatar in a tight hug, tears rolling down Korra's left arm as the grief-stricken young woman cried some more.
"I'll always protect you," Korra whispered. "I'll always protect you."
Author's Note2: This is my first time writing fan fiction so, any feedback would be appreciated. Tell me what you thought of the story, where do I need improvement, what worked, did you like any of it? Please and thank you!