Korrasami – Into a Changing World
"Come on! Tell me!" Senna heard her daughter's voice as it echoed between the palace's walls, carrying all the way to her. She turned from her banter with the maids, to see her and Asami approaching the kitchen from the main hall.
"It can wait. I'll tell you when she arrives. I promise. It'll be more fun." Asami succeeded in convincing her daughter of something and Senna had a feeling she knew what they were talking about.
"Something's up. You and mom are hiding something." Korra leaned close enough to Asami that she could almost kiss her, but was silenced by one, from the latter, instead.
"Yes. And you'll know soon." Asami gave her a smile and Korra knew that Asami knew that she would stop asking her about it, which she did.
"Hrrh. You know that only works on me. Can't talk anyone else down with that." Korra growled.
"You know I have other means." Asami told her with a suddenly cold expression, but there was a hint of suggestiveness in her voice as she cupped Korra's chin between her fingers and smiled. The kind of subtle approach they were both thinking of, she could and would only use on Korra. But, there were others means of convincing they both knew she was capable of.
"Mmm, yeah." Korra moaned and smiled into another kiss, before they had to remember where they were, again. "Oh...hi, mom!" Korra grinned and blushed, while Asami could not hide hers as every part of Senna's face was smiling. The maids behind her were trying not to laugh at the couple's behavior.
"Good morning!" Senna greeted them. "And what do you think me and Asami are hiding from you, dear?" she asked, suspecting the answer.
"All I know is, it's got something to do with Kya." Korra put her free hand on her hip, while she held Asami's with the other.
"Well...only a few more hours and you'll find out." Asami assured her.
"I just don't get why you won't tell me, now." Korra told her.
"Because, I want to see your expression, when she's there." Asami replied with a smile and a shrug.
"Okay." Korra slowly said, giving hear an odd look. Asami's reasons for her secrecy seemed to be really simple.
"I'll find your father and we can start breakfast." Senna said and turned when she heard her husband's voice.
"I'm here!" Tonraq walked in. "One of the guard-posts on the sea just reported in over the radio. Looks like Kya left her ship, somewhere along the line and got onboard Varrick's. They'll be here in less than two hours." he told them the news.
"Two hours? With Varrick?" Senna was somewhat alarmed, even though they made all the necessary preparations, there was no telling what sort of event the eccentric inventor will turn their welcome into.
"His ship is fast." Asami stated, flatly. Not at all surprised. They guessed Varrick's vessel caught up to the sea-fairer Kya boarded and either he or Zhu Li invited her over, knowing she was aboard or Kya hitched a ride.
"She was always impatient." came Katara's voice as she entered, smiling at her daughter antics. Though, she knew Kya only did it to return to the tribe and to her, faster.
"Those ships are slow." Korra commented.
"You stowed away on a freighter, though. That one time." Asami pointed out the only time Korra traveled on a ship that was not the tribe's, Varrick's or other, she was on a slow freighter.
"Uh...Yeah. I don't think she did the same." Korra remembered she did not exactly have the proper travel experience that law-abiding passengers had, when she first came to Republic City and they could not really picture Kya hiding in a container aboard Varrick's ship.
"Oh, she would be used to it." Katara chuckled to herself, while everyone else looked surprised.
"She told me she used to travel a lot. She didn't say she stowed away." Asami was amused.
"Maybe it was a phase." Korra let out a small snort with her laugh.
"A long one!" Katara exclaimed, with weariness, from merely thinking back to those days. "She went to see the world, after Bumi joined the United Forces and Tenzin stayed on the Island with Pema. Things were quiet for a while." Katara reminisced. After Aang passed away, she moved back to the South Pole. Six years later, Pema gave birth to Jinora, the first airbender after more than a century and a half.
"Tchaha! It's the other way around, now!" Korra said, with a laugh. "Tenzin's ears'll need to retire before he does."
"I was surprised those children could sit still for all that meditating." Tonraq folded his arms. "I didn't think you could ever sit still for that long." He teasingly smiled at his daughter, who grimaced at him and Asami laughed internally. From what they knew from Katara, Kya and Bumi were the same way and Tenzin also had his moments.
"Kya's pretty good with them." Korra stated. "I think she stayed a little longer, just because of them. How come she never...you know...had any kids?" She asked Katara.
"Well..." Katara tried to search for an easy explanation. "We never really talked about it."
"Weird." Korra bought it and looked at Asami. The latter gave a shrug, trying to look stumped by the answer and waited for Korra to turn back, before exchanging a glance with Senna. Katara's brief hesitation was a sign to both of them that she might know the real reason. Senna suggested they start breakfast, during which Korra and Asami asked her more questions about her children. Senna was elated and even got light-headed, but then teased both Asami and her daughter, after the latter brought up adopting a child. Tonraq urged Asami to join them on another hunt, on land and at sea, as she did the day before. As he watched her with the fishermen and hunters he was unsurprised that she had less of an issue with the grime and blood than the act itself. Not that the tribe was apathetic towards the animals they had to hunt. The best they could do was to honor them by putting everything they could to good use. At some point, he knew they would have to break with certain traditions, for the good of the planet. For a different, yet similar kind of balance. Senna had to scold her daughter, when both Tonraq and Asami mentioned how Korra took off layers of her clothing just to show off to Asami, which reminded Katara of her brother and her eldest son. And the number of times both had to nurse a cold because of their showboating, both as children and as adults. Kya often had to help take care of her brother and uncle.
"She's going to need some sleep after a trip with Varrick." Asami commented on Kya. "I just hope she doesn't get hit with an arrow." she added and got slightly worried stares, more so from Katara.
"Bolin told me he was doing experiments on Kuvira's train and blew one of the carts up. I just hope he doesn't explode anything on the ship." Korra's comment did even less to placate Katara, whose expression they noticed. "I'm sure they're okay!" Korra quickly added.
"Zhu Li won't let anything happen. She'll stop him from doing something really dangerous." Asami stated.
"Or just something crazy. Like flying off the tower with a glider-suit, when he's not even an airbender." Korra added and blinked in surprise at Asami, who smiled to herself, casting her eyes sideways, clearly holding a giggle and something dawned on Korra.
"You did make it up!" Korra slammed her palm on the table and leaned closer to Asami, looking like she was going to kiss her more than anything else. Asami wiggled her brows and puckered her lips, daring Korra to go ahead, right there, at the table, in front of the others. Korra inched closer, but pulled back, at the end.
"Aww…" Asami moaned, still smiling.
"So where did he get the bruises, then?" It occurred to Korra to ask.
"I don't know." Asami shrugged. "Maybe he fell down the stairs after a few drinks? I didn't ask him or Zhu Li. I'm not sure I want to." She genuinely did not know what Varrick did that still showed on his body and she was not really interested in finding out, either.
"How come Tenzin didn't say anything to you about it?" Korra wondered.
"Maybe Varrick did want to borrow a glider-suit, that night. Incidentally. Tenzin doesn't know I made it up." Asami gave another shrug.
Half an hour had barely past, since breakfast was served. Korra and her father still had meat on their plates, when a guard came in and only slightly nervously stood at attention before addressing the Chieftain.
"Pardon the interruption, Sir. The first relay station just called in. Iknick Blackstone's vessel passed them and should be in the harbor within minutes." he reported.
"Already?" Tonraq was as surprised as the rest, except Asami. "Then, we're going to have move if we want to be there when they disembark." he concluded and thanked the guard, before dismissing him.
"Korra..." Tonraq turned back, when he heard the slight warning in her wife's voice and caught his daughter attempting to steal a piece of meat left on his plate. She stopped just short of lifting it and Tonraq leaned forward, his expression playfully menacing. Korra mirrored him and they entered into a stare-down. Senna felt a profound nostalgic joy. Her mind saw her younger husband, with their small daughter and how she was ready to wrestle leftovers from him, as it used to happen - what felt like - many years ago.
"You're going to try and tell your dad you're still a growing girl?" Asami asked how Korra planned to have her way.
"That excuse won't work, anymore." Tonraq said and his expression softened more and so did Korra's, when she guessed what her father was probably thinking, for a just a second. Time had certainly flown. She was no longer that little girl. "Let's go!" Tonraq told them, stopped and turned to pick up the small slab of meat, with his bare hands to finish it along the way.
"Tonraq!" He heard his wife call after him and his daughter's laughter as he left the dining room, passing two dumbstruck guards, who stared after him. The Chieftain's wife, their daughter, her girlfriend and Katara soon followed and they snapped back to attention, standing like statues, as the four of them passed them.
"By the time we get down, they'll already be there." Asami commented and so it turned out to be the case. As they approached the docks they saw Tonraq standing in front of Varrick, while the latter's crew was unloading crates and all manner of strange contraptions, half of which he had yet to get patented.
"Do I want to know what those are?" Tonraq asked him, suspiciously.
"No." Varrick declared and had his hands on his hips as he gave him the exact opposite of a genuine and reassuring smile. Tonraq's eyes narrowed. "Well, I dunno!" Varrick gave a shrug, raising both hands. "Do ya really wanna know?" Tonraq's feature did not change. "Wait. Was that a trick question?" he asked him, dropping his hands.
"A rhetorical one, honey." Zhu Li said from behind him.
"Oh." Varrick understood. "Hey!" he exclaimed, when he saw Korra and the others. "I was wondering where the rest of the welcoming party was. Not that the Chief, here, isn't a great host. A bit cold around the edges. Must be all the icebending." Varrick carried on as Tonraq's face remained the way it was.
"Hi, everyone!" Zhu Li beamed at all of them as they greeted each other.
"Uh...where's Kya? Isn't she with you?" Korra asked.
"She is. Bumi came, too. I think he's trying to get the hummingbird-suit to fly and carry their luggage." she explained.
"You brought one of those with you?" Korra asked, uneasily. Suddenly worried about everyone's safety.
"Yep. Same one we crashed, when we fought Kuvira's giant mech." Varrick said, excitedly. "We got it fixed up and thought we'd take it with us, as a souvenir. Some of the companies want to get into the business of building giant mechs. Not me. I want nothing to do with those monstrosities! I had enough of them for a life-time." he added and both Korra's and Asami's expressions briefly darkened, at the mention of more giant mechs.
"Buuumi!" They heard Kya shriek and turned to see the flying mech. "This...this was...a bad idea!" She was screaming at him as they moved in all directions, hovering above the ship, then the icy bay and finally the pier. "Put it down!" she yelled at her brother, who was pressing every button and pulling every lever he could find. He finally managed to touch ground, rather heavily.
"Hey! Careful with that!" Varrick shook and flailed both of his fists at them.
"See! What'd I tell ya!" Bumi exclaimed as Kya let out the air she was holding and quickly undid her belt and was visibly relieved when her feet were on solid stone. "Piece of cake to fly this thing to a veteran!" Bumi stood from the pilot seat and set a foot on the panel, stepping on the ejection switch that launched him in the air and he was screaming all the way up and down, until he regained enough composure to use his airbending to keep himself from hitting the ground, cushioning his fall, but still landing unceremoniously in a heap. Kya got her luggage off from the arm of the mech, with a sigh and finally made her way towards the others. She saw her mother's warm smile and noticed Asami whispering something into Korra's ear and saw the latter's eyes turn wide. She turned to Asami, then looked right back at her and a wide grin appeared on her face. They calmed down by the time she got to them.
"And what were you two smiling about, huh?" Kya asked them.
"Uh...we were just...uh..." Korra started.
"Saying how tired you must be, after being on a ship for long. With Varrick." Asami finished.
"Don't even get me started. I'm gonna need some sleep." Kya moaned, glancing at Varrick, farther back, as he directed his men.
"Heh. We figured." Korra said and Kya went to embrace her mother, followed by Bumi. They told her Tenzin was needed back in the city and that he would follow them, as soon as he was able, but they were sure it would be after Bumi would return to the city and to his airbending duties. Kya planned on staying home, with the tribe. Tonraq sent a guard to escort them to their residence and headed back to the palace and listened, with half an ear, to her daughter hatching some plan, behind him.
"Don't say anything to her, yet. I bet she'll go into town after she gets some sleep. We'll follow her and see where she goes. And who she meets with." Korra told Asami, who nodded in agreement and with that, they knew what they would spend the rest of the day with. Before that and lunch, they visited the schools in town, with Senna, where her planned meeting with the faculty and children was quickly derailed, when the latter swarmed her daughter and Asami, who answered their questions until it was almost time for lunch. Asami and Korra were both asked to give a quick speech, as each had experience to impart on the impressionable young minds, whose eyes barely blinked as they listened to every word they said. Parents were also interested in any advice Senna could give them, as the mother of the Avatar. The kids were equally as interest in their adventures, battles and travels as they were in their relationship. The questions were phrased more precisely the older the children asking them were and the more they understood from the stories they heard, stretching back to four years.
"Did you really get arrested on your first day in Republic City?"
"Sure did."
"The Chief Lady looks so scary!"
"She is."
"What's hear deal? She looks angry all the time?"
"She is. Well, not all the time. But...uh, a lot."
"Does she have, like, a partner?" Wondered a teenage girl.
"When did Team Avatar start?" Asked a young boy, in a different school.
"Are you guys putting it back together?"
"Was there really a love-triangle?"
"Uh..."
"Um..." The pair did not even need to confirm it, but had to wonder how they knew that. How the press found out. Who told them and when. And what article, in what paper had that information.
"Did you two fight over him?"
"If you didn't have any bending, could Asami beat you in a fight?"
"She could beat me, now." Korra folded her arms and smiled at Asami as everyone else gaped in amazement and fear.
"How stinky was it in the sewers?"
"Is the General a nice guy? He looks so serious on pictures."
"Was the Amon monster scary?" Asked someone very young, who viewed the people his parents talked about as though they were creatures from tales.
"Was his scar really fake?"
"Could he really take people's bending? Or did he just block it somehow?"
"How come you're not big, anymore?"
"When you were a giant spirit, could you see the whole city?"
"Was UnaVaatu one person or two?"
"Is Republic City one big forest, now?"
"Does the big tree in the city hall have any fruit on it?"
"The President sounds like a jerk. Did you punch him?"
"Wanted to." Korra quietly said.
"The Earth Queen, too!"
"Yeah! Who doesn't like fuzzy animals?"
"Did you really kick the Dai Li's butt?"
"Did you really crash an airship?" Asami stifled a laugh at that one.
"Did that lava-guy really bring down the Northern Air Temple by himself?"
"Can it be rebuilt?"
"Could Zaheer really fly?"
"Where's he locked up?"
"How long did it take you to be able to walk again?"
"What did you both do in those three years?"
"Was there already something between you, back then?"
"You went missing. Where did you go, before you got back to the city?"
"You stayed in de palace and we dinn see you for so long. We missed you!" A little girl squeaked, adorably. Korra patted her head and reassured all of them that their Avatar was back.
"Did you really save a prince?" Asked another little girl, in wonder. To her and to most children, the stories usually involved a prince saving a princess.
"Did you really save the Earth prince on your first day back?" Asked someone older.
"Did you really jump off a bridge?"
"Can you really see people through spirit-vines?"
"Can you spy on people?"
"You really made flying mecha suits?"
"How did you beat the giant mech?"
"Did you guys really, like, earthbend half a building on it?"
"Yep. The Chief of Police, her sister and…Nuktuk." Korra answered.
"He's a lava-bender, too, right?"
"What did they do with mech parts?" asked someone, who appeared they may have had aspirations to become an engineer.
"How did you make the portal?
"They said you came out with Kuvira. Did you fight her in there?"
"How did you organize a wedding in one day?"
"The papers said you took off into the portal without telling anyone anything. Were you together by then?"
"What's the spirit world like?"
"What happened in there?"
"Who made the first move?" Came the day's last question from an older student, only a few years younger than the pair, when they signaled the end of the class, in the last school they visited. The pair gave a sigh of relief and looked at each other, wondering if they would have even answered the last question. They remembered it well, entering the portal, where Korra told Asami of Hiroshi's words to her, confirming what she felt for her.
"Lunch should be almost ready." Senna told the pair, who almost felt as tired as they did after their peace conference in the state of Yi. Talking to all the children was less exhausting and not in any way frustrating, however. In fact, seeing their faces gave the pair no small satisfaction and they could feel the weight of their own accomplishments even more. They made a difference in the world, the effects of which would be felt for generations. And they were not done. The table was set and lunch was already served when they entered the dining room. Bumi was fidgeting, moving his hands on the table and back in his lap. He already got a slap on them from his mother and sister for wanting to start early and he could barely keep still. Tonraq came in, behind them and put his hands on his wife's shoulder leading her to their seats.
"Right on time." Kya commented. "I saw you left a few guards with Varrick." she told Tonraq with a chuckle.
"Not enough." Tonraq said, disdainfully.
"The other guards won't envy them for getting that detail." Asami commented.
"Hhh. I know." Tonraq sighed, apologetically. He saw their conviction to follow his orders slowly turn to uncertainty, worry and then to mild panic as they watched the man tinker with devices that could spell disaster. "I'll send some men from the next shift to relieve them sooner. I hope for their sake he won't be up working all night." Tonraq added.
"Not if his wife has anything to say about it." Kya chuckled. "That Zhu Li is a real tiger-shark, when she gets worked up. Well, she kinda needs a stool to get on eye-level with him...and...most people. Heh. She's cute." she commented and raised a brow at the way Korra and Asami were smiling at her. "What?" she asked and both of them simply shook their heads at the same time. Kya regarded them, with mild suspicion, through half shut eyelids.
"Alright, everyone! We should start!" Senna announced, saving the pair from having to explain themselves. Bumi quickly filled a plate for his mother and sister and went on to do it for the whole table, deliberately taking large portions to put part of the meat and sidings on his own plate, after serving each person. His own plate was stacked by the time he even got around to serving himself.
"Smooth." Korra commented as Bumi robbed his palms together, smiling like a fox. She shoveled part of her plate down, before she spoke again, still chewing. "Shho...mngh...anything happened in the city?" She asked after swallowing.
"Nothing really exciting. People calmed down. Kind of. Lots of construction going on, everywhere." Kya replied.
"If they keep it up, the city'll be twice as big, before the end of the year!" Bumi exclaimed.
"Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the new districts ought to be done by then, yes." Asami said. "We'll see in two weeks." she added and Korra nodded.
"It's like one gigantic buzzing hive!" Bumi waved his hands. The slab of meat on his fork threatened to fly off. "I've never seen anything like it! And I thought the guys back in the United Forces could get organized! I mean, we got things built in no time, but this!" he said in astonishment.
"Linny already picked the spots for the new precincts. She told me she also wanted another one close to that industrial zone your office is in." she told Asami. "But, you didn't hear it from me." Kya winked. The pair laughed, internally, at Lin's protectiveness.
"I'll just pretend I'm not surprised, when I see an airship over it." Asami joked.
"She shouldn't spread the police so thin just for our sake." Korra said.
"Well, at least she can't deny being overprotective of us." Asami smiled.
"Yeah." Korra laughed. She dug into her soup, with her chopsticks, to pull some seaweed up to her chin and started mimicking Tenzin stroking his goatee. "Lin, perhaps you are overreacting. They don't need a precinct and an airship over what is already a fortress." Korra put everything down, dropping it back in the bowl and folded her arms, sticking her bottom lip out, imitating Lin and her voice. "You think I'm worried about those two? Don't be ridiculous!"
"Good performance!" Bumi praised her.
"Ohh, Lin. She was never much for fun, but she used to know when to take a break. Or just smile." Kya commented. "I never saw even one from her, since we met again. And now she's grey." She twirled her own hair and rested her chin in the same hand, taking a bite with the other.
"You got any pictures from back then?" Korra asked, leaning forward with an expectant smile.
"Hmhm. You wanna see us when we were your age?" Kya chuckled.
"Maybe they're wondering if Tenzin was always bald." Bumi joked.
"Among other things." Asami admitted.
"Mom has a lot of pictures." Kya looked at Katara.
"I can find the old album." She said. "I even kept pictures taken with you Korra. They're from the time they moved you to the compound and a few years after." she smiled.
"I remember those!" Korra lit up.
"I want to see that pot-belly, I heard about." Asami told to a surprised Korra, who looked at her mother, after she heard her let out a quiet laugh.
"You can." Tonraq told her.
"We have our own album filled with pictures." Senna nodded, glancing at her daughter with a smile.
"Korra took a lot of them herself. And had ones taken of every kick she made. Every fireball. When she trained." Tonraq gave his daughter a wary smile.
"Yeah. I was kinda full of myself, back then." Korra rubbed the back of her neck. "And even when I got to the city." She had her hands in her lap and was looking down in it. Asami had a look of worry, for a brief moment, at the sudden change in tone, but relaxed when Korra smiled and continued. "And then Lin's men tied me up and dragged me in. That was embarrassing." She recalled what could be considered her very first defeat, to which she thought back, not with anger or disappointment, but with something akin to gratitude, at having learned a lesson in humility, then and many times since.
"Everyone has to learn to accept defeat. Even if it takes them a life-time." Katara said and something had occurred to her. "Though, there are some people, who can't. Or who are never beaten." She chuckled to herself and the others furrowed their brows in confusion, wondering if she meant anyone specific. "A certain blind bandit." She smiled, referring to Toph.
"Ha! I can believe that!" Korra agreed.
"Really? No one ever got the better of her in a fight?" Asami asked in astonishment.
"After the way trashed me? I doubt it. I mean, I wasn't at my best, but still." Korra told her and laughed. "After she helped get the rest of the poison out of me, she told me she thought Lin and Su didn't really pick up metalbending all that well. But, I don't think I wanna tell Lin that. Bolin said she just worked things out with her, after they rescued Su and her family."
"Toph was always more strict with her. I don't believe Lin would be angry with her. Or surprised." Katara chuckled, knowingly.
"Well, she did mention it after she could feel the metal poison Su couldn't get out of my body. Wonder what she would say." Korra smiled at the thought of both metalbending masters getting criticism from their mother. "Lin would just roll her eyes." she added. "And I could imagine Su making a face!"
"She was the rebel, after all. Maybe...her old personality would show." Asami said.
"Heheh. Yeah." Korra nodded, after a small laugh. "I think Lin could bring some of it out in her."
"You mean, when they started a fight." Asami gave an example of one particular instance.
"It's a good way as any to work out differences." Katara's statement came as a surprise to all. "Well, when you're a Beifong, at least." she added, jokingly.
"Bolin might be in trouble." Asami commented, referring to his relationship with Opal.
"He said I should've seen how Su fought Kuvira, with a staff. Sounded like she gave her a better fight than I did, at first." Korra said. "Hey, did they start off to Zaofu alright?" Korra asked Kya and Bumi.
"We left Yi about the same time they left the city. So, we couldn't get any news." Asami mentioned.
"Su didn't say anything." Kya shrugged and let out a sudden laugh. "Lin wanted to take half her department with them, for extra security around that Kuvira. She didn't really look like someone who wanted to escape." Kya barely knew anything about her, besides what she heard.
"She was ready to face her punishment. I don't think she's the type who'd run away from it." Korra commented.
"How about we pay a visit, on the way back." Asami suggested. She continued with resentment in her voice that Korra picked up on. "We could see what they did with her." Then, it was gone. "And I could compare notes with Su about all the projects."
"Okay!" Korra agreed with smile. "So, did Opal go with them? You know, because of all the airbender stuff she's gotta do?" she asked.
"Yeah. Bolin went with them." Kya nodded.
"Hah. If those two carry on like that, her mother will be a grandmother, before she knows it!" Bumi joked.
"Pfff…and great-grandma Toph! She would flip!" Kya commented.
"And Lin finally on a vacation. I'm guessing the police department never had to worry about finding someone to fill in for their Chief. This must be the first time, ever, that someone had to fill in for her. Apart from what happened a few years ago." Asami said.
"Mako can sleep at his desk without anyone kicking the doors in on him, at least." Korra commented.
"Oh, that boy will turn into Lin. I can tell. He's already starting to take on her work habit." Kya shook her head.
"True." Korra saw how Mako could bury himself in work.
"At least Wu will drag him away from it, from time to time." Asami said, with some hope.
"Until he goes back to Ba Sing Se." Kya pointed out.
"Yeah. He's not gonna get out of all the political stuff. Like he told me and Mako, at the wedding. He's gonna have to hang in there for a while." Korra replied.
"Oh. Then, he'll be dragging Mako away from work and into that." Asami made a painful face, reconsidering whether Mako would find it relaxing, as doing his usual job would be less stressful. "Wu can't just go above Lin, to get him, anymore. He doesn't really have the authority, now, that he's not going to succeed the throne. And politicians like Raiko will be less inclined to pull strings and do favors for him."
"The Chief must have more patience than me, if she could put up with them for so long." Tonraq commented.
"Oh, you can just call her Lin!" Kya smirked and fanned with her hand. Senna turned to her husband with an expectant look. "Oh! I'm surprised she hadn't made you tell her, yet." Kya said.
"I told her it was nothing to worry about." Asami spoke. "And that you'd tell her everything, anyway." she added.
"Hey! Are you calling me a gossiper?" Kya innocently asked, not even trying to pretend that she was offended.
"Never!" Asami affected a grave voice.
"Well, let's hear it!" Senna exclaimed and looked between them and Tonraq groaned, even though there was nothing incriminating in the story of how he had a dance with an equally drunk Lin. It took but a few seconds for Kya to explain, even with some slight embellishments.
"Then, it was Suyin and you, who were responsible." Senna said to Kya, coolly. Her face almost convinced the latter that she was angry and for a moment Kya was expecting a threat or reprimand, while Tonraq remained silent. "It seems my poor husband was innocent. Even if he did get a little carried away." Tonraq felt somewhat relieved.
"Tch. I was hoping for more." Kya was disappointment Tonraq did not get enough teasing. Even if she knew Senna will not let him off that easily and that he will surely hear more of it from her, in private.
"Oh, there will be." Senna smiled, with a hint of mischief and Tonraq's face fell, slightly.
"You deserve more punishment than my dad!" Korra pointed at a surprised Kya, with a smirk.
"Maybe we should ask your mom, what it should be." Asami joined in and Kya squinted at them through a frown.
"Oh, I believe today will be enough for her." Kya raised a brow at her mother, as the latter looked meaningfully at the pair. Asami had a coy smile, while Korra had a wide grin plastered on her face. They were lightly laughing at Katara's comment and had obviously planned something. The suspicion on Kya's face only made it more difficult for them to hold their laugh. It all disappeared, when they noticed quiet gagging noises and turned towards Bumi to see his red, sweating face, which he nearly buried in the pincher closest to him, trying douse the flames in his throat. Kya groaned, putting a hand to her temple.
"Not again!" she exclaimed, while his brother was already smoothing his beard and continued eating his bowl of fin-soup, as if he did not just nearly choke from the spices.
"Bumi!" Katara shook her head.
"He got a taste for Fire Nation spices, in the army." Kya explained to a slightly worried table. "And he keeps overdoing it!" she raised her voice, directing it at his brother.
"Hey! I almost forgot!" Bumi suddenly lit up. "Tenzin got a letter from the General. He invited you to the Royal Palace!" he told them, excitedly.
"Oh, right." Kya remembered, as well and Bumi continued.
"He was meant to do it in person. No fancy letters. But, first, the two of you went AWOL and then he was out on the sea. Probably practicing combat maneuvers." He said to the side, as a quick afterthought. "Anyway. He, Lord Zuko and Fire Lord Izumi wanna see you in the Royal Palace!" He pointed at the pair.
"Guess we're going to Capital City." Korra exchanged looks with Asami.
"I'll add it to the itinerary." the latter commented.
"Looks like you two got your work cut out for you, again." Tonraq said.
"It definitely won't be just a social visit. To there or to Zaofu." Asami stated, as it was expected that they will also be handling business. Ambassadorial and other.
"It's gonna be like the peace conference." Korra groaned.
"Maybe not as tiring." Asami hoped.
"Aang and Zuko were the same, after months of traveling." Katara said, nostalgically. "Neither one of them thought they'd have the strength to give another speech or have another meeting. There were always new places to go. New people to meet. And new plans to make. Reshaping the Fire Nation and creating Republic City was not unlike what you must do, now." she told the pair and Korra lowered her head.
"I know I've learned to live without the other Avatars, but I still wish I could hear Aang talk about these things, himself. I barely knew what he was like. I only know he had a goofy side, because of what you told me and...uh, a guy, in a fishing village I passed through, had a picture of him playing with some rolls." Korra made a strange face, as she added.
"Hmhm. It was one of his favorite tricks, alright." Katara smiled, then turned serious. "Korra, you overcame challenges no other Avatar before you ever had to face. And you did it, without their guidance. I know, it doesn't mean you didn't want to ask for it, but still you did more than pull through." Katara praised her.
"Dad always said that it was either Roku or that airbender woman he talked to, when we asked him about it." Bumi mentioned.
"Yangtzen." Katara nodded. "He asked her and Roku for advice more often than any of the others." she added and chuckled. "Hmhm. He always said Kyoshi was scary. Even after he grew taller."
"Mmm. She was one lanky woman." Kya commented. "Pff. That word doesn't even begin to describe her. I thought all those statues and carvings of hers dad took us to see were exaggerating."
"It would've been cool to talk to other female avatars." Korra commented.
"Just to get a woman's perspective, from all the ages in history, would've been interesting. Never mind an avatar's." Asami said.
"Especially how they had to put all the men in their place, who tried to tell them theirs." Kya commented, gesturing with a spoon and took a satisfied bite.
"So, you're a feminist." Asami teased Kya and Korra laughed, with her mouth full.
"I'm surprised you're not." Kya told her.
"A little." Asami said with a light shrug. "I'm not against men." she clarified.
"No. You're definitely not. You don't need a man." Kya smirked, looking between her and Korra. Both of them were chewing and kept smiling. It was the only thing that stopped them from retorting by asking Kya about her own view on both men and women. But, they would have given their intentions away, early.
"Sounds like you're jealous." Korra commented, smugly and Asami started coughing, as she was taking a sip of her soup. Kya's eyes widened, before she glared at her.
"Kh-Korra!" Asami exclaimed and fixed her with a glare of her own, but unlike Kya's, hers had a smile to it. Korra snickered and hid her face behind the bowl, as she held it with one hand and finished it by drinking the soup and shoveling leftover bits of seaweed with the sticks. When she put it back down, Kya was just about done with scrutinizing her and had continued eating. Not even a minute had passed, when a pair of guards presented themselves in the doorway. Both the man and his female counterpart were covered in what appeared be sooth. One could barely make out their faces and the frown each had. The lack of will in their dim eyes reflected exactly how they felt at that moment and how they would continue to feel for the rest of the day. The entire table stared and Tonraq rose from the head of the table.
"What happened?"
"One of his machines...malfunctioned, Chief." The woman muttered. Her tone was flatter than her expression.
"Varrick? Was anyone hurt? Where is he?" Tonraq moved around the table to stand in front of the two guards.
"His assisst-...uh, his wife dragged him away, back on their ship." The man answered.
"Was...he injured?" Tonraq tried to show, at least, some concern.
"No." The man barely shook his head.
"Unconscious, then?"
"Hmph. No." Came a somewhat annoyed response from the woman. "That guy's a total wimp." she muttered and saw Tonraq raise a brow, in amusement. She cleared her throat.
"Looks like I'll have to send the next shift even sooner than I planned." Tonraq sighed. "Report to the barracks and send the next shift out. Let's hope they don't have to pull an all-nighter."
"Thank you, Chief!" Tonraq nodded and dismissed them, then returned to finish his plate.
"That didn't take long." Korra almost mirrored the expression of the two guards themselves.
"Mh. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner." Asami said after swallowing her last bite.
"Isn't that how it goes for you two, these days?" Bumi asked. "You're tinkering all day and Korra is waiting for the smoke and flames." He waved his hands around, smiling.
"I don't cause explosions." Asami confidently smiled and briefly averted her eyes. "Usually."
"Not funny." Korra looked at her with some worry. She was not as relaxed about accidents as Asami. Given that they already had a fire-hazard, on the first week. She did not move and her face turned from slightly worried into an accepting passive, as Asami stroked her head, with a small smile. Korra let out a quiet groan, at the end, not really satisfied with the lack of an answer or the length of the patting she received instead of it.
"Can't be helped." Asami stated, turning to Bumi.
"No risk, no victory." Bumi replied. "No new technology." He overemphasized the word. "No new ships. No new flying squadrons. Some things need to explode now and again so we can have all of that."
"So you can make more things explode with them?" Kya failed to see his fascination and logic and was giving her brother a tired glare.
"You gotta work the kinks out!" Bumi exclaimed, with a shrug. "And there's no innovation that doesn't have some military interest behind it. It's just a sad truth." he commented, more somberly and the others would have been lying if they said they were not surprised by his words.
"Exactly." Asami could not agree more, having experienced what often motivates industries, first-hand. Even Future Industries, for all it did, was guilty of it, to an extent. However, the company's need for developing weapons and their deployment went only as far as she let it. The pair was, therefore, disappointed and even angered, when Bumi and Kya told them, in their own words, what they read in the papers, about several companies, who were not shying away from the concept and construction of giant mechs.
"The Republic City Police helped Future Industries confiscate most of the materials and documents from Kuvira's army." Asami explained. "The other companies probably sent their own to retrieve what they could. It's always a race."
"Sounds like a pack of rats looking for scraps." Kya commented.
"Except those scraps can do a lot of harm in the wrong hands." Tonraq said. "I can't help think what would've happened if the Red Lotus or Amon had machines like that."
"Yeah. One good bender could take out a mecha tank. Even those new mecha suits." Korra replied. "But a whole bunch of us couldn't even put a dent in that giant. They dropped half a building on it and it just got back up." She could have gone on, but did not want to. What went unsaid and what everyone knew was what it actually took to just damage the giant mech.
"Well, if my competition does build giants, the weapon we're developing, now, already has what it takes to disable them. And turn them into molten scrap." Asami firmly stated.
"And burn holes in buildings." Korra leaned towards her.
"That too." Pouting, briefly, Asami turned towards her. Admitting to having a few issues to work out with the weapon.
"I heard about that. A warehouse nearly burned to the ground, right across from the new office of the head of Future Industries." Bumi was dramatically quoting both hearsay and headlines.
"They love to exaggerate." Asami frowned with a smile.
"Yeah? Like when a tabloid says someone saw the skirtless head of Future Industries and the Avatar fly across the bay?" The smugness Kya had could barely stay within the boundaries of her face. "And even the Chief of Police heard about it? Yeah, I talked to Lin!" she added, before the pair could defend themselves.
"I wasn't skirtless. I just had to hold it around my waist." Asami answered.
"Why?" Kya smirked.
"It was...torn." Asami glanced at Korra as she said the word. "It was her fault." she blurted out, surprising Korra.
"Oh, I bet it was!" Kya laughed.
"Hey! I just ripped it. You tore it off, yourself!" Korra leaned closer to Asami, who pressed her lips together to stifle a laugh, with a light blush and looked at the rest of the table, particularly Senna. No matter how comfortable they were, as parents, with their daughter's choice for a partner, it was still not entirely easy to hear even a reference about certain parts of her private life.
"Oh, my!" Katara quietly said, in amusement as Kya kept laughing, through small snorts. Korra could not hide the heat rising to her cheeks. Asami picked up her empty bowl and held it up, directly in front of her. Korra took it from her. Put her hand under it and kept it in front of her face. Only her eyes could be seen, above the rim, awkwardly glancing at her parents. Suddenly, Kya could not hold her laugh and was nearly hysterical as she put her hand in front of her mouth. Korra put the bowl down and everyone started giving Kya gradually more worried looks as she began shaking her head and was tightly clamping her own mouth, turning red in the face.
"Hmpfff...no...no. I'm not gonna say." She told a slightly confused Korra, as she was heaving. It would have been far too inappropriate for her to say out loud what Korra's posture - nose buried and only the top half of her face showing - made her think of. Fortunately for her, no one else's mind seemed to have conjured up the same image. The pair slowly exchanged looks, not at all certain what had gotten into Kya that obviously had something to do with Korra. Nor were they going to ask her, at the table, from where she promptly stood.
"I'm...I think I need some fresh air. To cool off. Thank you for lunch! Um...mom, you coming? I'll walk you back home and then I'll head into town." Kya told Katara and the pair exchanged looks, again, with a flicker of mischief in their eyes. Katara nodded and thanked Tonraq and Senna for having them and gave Asami and Korra a slow, almost cautioning nod, knowing what they were planning, while her daughter remained oblivious. The latter made it all the way back home, where she parted from Katara and was nearly in the harbor, when she first noticed the commotion behind her. A crowd started gathering and she heard them say Korra's name and title, as well as Asami's name. As she turned and approached, the growing group of people retreated behind a corner, flocking to what had to be the pair. When she rounded the corner, however, she was as stumped as the people on the wide street, who were all looking around, unable to find the famous couple.
Korra and Asami stayed at a distance, as they followed her around. Once they made it to the town, it did not take long for them to be mobbed by fans and bystanders, whose reaction nearly gave them away. They were peeking around a fish-stand, on the corner of a particularly busy street, near a market, when they immediately attracted everyone's attention. Partially because of their status, but also because of their behavior, which was not exactly natural. They were ducking behind cover, sneaking around in broad daylight.
"Avatar Korra?" came the either surprised or excited exclamations from all around them, along with Asami's name. The pair moved several paces back and frantically looked around as the crowd followed and closed in around them, as if they were a magnet. Their gesturing to make them stop confused the people long enough for the pair to disappear into the nearest alley. The process repeated itself and Kya did not even find it all strange, at first. She only became suspicious by the fifth or sixth time she went back to where the people were pushing one another, only to find no sign of Korra and Asami.
"This isn't gonna work. She could be onto us, already." Korra was telling Asami, in a secluded spot, on the roof of a building. "Even if we follow her on the roof, we have to get off at some point and people will scream, even if I don't fly us over to the next one."
"Well, maybe we ought to just leave. Or tell her." Asami shrugged.
Meanwhile, Kya was debating whether the pair could possibly be so persistent that they would follow her around all afternoon, as it has been nearly two hours, since she left home and visited a few friends, chatting them up. Her ears caught the distant sounds of excitement and she could see the people on the street starting to mass at the junction of two streets. This time, she decided to act quicker and bent all the snow around her, turning into water to propel herself towards the crowd on the icy surf. She slid to a halt as the other street came into view and she followed the people's gaze and pointing to catch a glimpse of a pair of people, dressed in traditional water tribe garbs, retreating from the edge of a roof. The pair decided to abandon their not-so-covert mission and were attempting to leave, when they were noticed, again. Asami quickly held onto Korra, who launched them onto to the roof with a slab of rock from the ground that she pushed back in. They headed farther in from the edge, but stopped and looked to the side, when two whips made of water hit two metal poles that were holding loud-speakers, as part of a PA-system. The whips solidified into ice and Kya hopped onto the roof, pulling herself up with them. The pair blinked at her, in surprise.
"You liked that? Looked pretty impressive from that Ming Hua woman with the Red Lotus. Thought I'd learn it." Kya told them with some smugness behind her stern gaze. "I knew something was up. You've been following me for the last two hours?" she emphasized. "Why?" she demanded to know, hands on her hips.
"Um...we just...wanted to see who you were meeting with." Asami stated. "We thought you might be...you know...meeting with...a guy."
"Or a woman!" Korra grinned, mischievously, leaning in, to look pointedly at Kya, who had fear and dread wash over her face, before she glared at them.
"Who told you I…!?" she trailed off.
"You did! Just know." Asami smiled. "We weren't even sure until now."
"Well, who told you before that, then?" Kya folded her arms.
"Does it really matter?" Asami asked.
"They had no right!" Kya angrily replied and her lips were slightly quivering.
"Hey, whatsa matter? You don't have to get angry. I mean, you're not embarrassed or anything, right? Why would you be?" Korra was trying calm her.
"And I asked the person who told us. I was wondering if they could think of anyone we might know, who are...like us." she nodded to Korra, as they were holding hands. "She only mentioned you." Asami added and quickly put her hands to her lips, as she saw Kya's brows jump at the mention of the gender of the person, which narrowed down the number of people for Kya, who would know or suspect her orientation.
"Was it my mother?" Kya could not believe she would tell them, even as she asked. Katara would let them find out for themselves, rather than betray her own daughter's trust.
"Actually..." Asami started to say.
"It was my mom." Korra said and Kya looked surprised.
"Tch. Darn." She said and her lips were slightly smiling. "I guess she picked up on it, when we talked. I shouldn't have said some things to her." she muttered, quietly, more to herself.
"You hit on my mom!?" Korra's face dropped.
"A little." Kya looked away.
"When!?" Korra's scrounged up her nose.
"Oh, relax! It was years ago!" Kya waved. "After they moved to the compound. You were still little. It was harmless. I barely flirted. Hmhm. I'm surprised she thought about it." She smiled to herself.
"That's why you hit it off so easily with Su!" Korra folded her arms.
"The two of you really got along." Asami smirked.
"Um...yeah. We...uh...already knew…about each other." Kya shifted in her stance and rubbed her neck, uncomfortably. She could see the pair's eyes widen, as they could guess what she meant.
"No way!" Korra exclaimed. "You two were...!?"
"When...?" Asami uneasily began asking, for obvious reasons.
"It was before she met her husband." Kya stressed. "When she was still with the circus and I was traveling around, too. We ran into each other. I saw one of their performances. I didn't even know her that well, back in the city. I knew Lin would've killed me for even thinking about her sister that way, especially back then. Even if they weren't talking. But, she wasn't there. And I thought what she doesn't know, won't hurt her or me, so..." Kya shrugged.
"How did we miss that?" Korra looked at Asami.
"There was nothing to miss!" Kya replied. "We're adults. She's married with five kids and I'm, well..." Kya shrugged, not really having any excuse for herself, except maturity. "We knew better than to mess around. Sure, neither of us forgot. How could we? But, she didn't bring it up and neither did I."
"Well, she married and had children, since then. What about you?" Asami asked.
"Yeah. It was weird, why we never heard anything about you having at least a relationship." Korra told her. "From the three of you, Tenzin's the only one we know, who dated two women. And he married one of them. And his a monk!" she exclaimed. "Kinda."
"Bumi is a bachelor, but that's hardly surprising. Um, no offense." Asami commented with a small smile.
"Hey, d'you think he's...you know." Korra gestured, not entirely incoherently. As far as they knew, there was no particular way if signing by which her question could be conveyed, but Asami and Kya understood.
"Um...I honestly have no idea. I think my brother's just a goof. And a little crazy." Kya's expression turned flat, at the end
"Well, that could explain him being single. But, not you." Asami raised a brow, prompting her for an answer.
"I just never had relationships that lasted. And that's all there is to it. I never cared how people looked at me. Anywhere. I know mom wouldn't've had a problem, if I came home with a woman. Or most of the tribe. I knew plenty of people who kept their heads done, though. Still do. Maybe it will all start to change, now. Because of you two."
"We sure hope so." Korra nodded, firmly. "It's crazy that people have to be afraid to love someone, because others would hate them for it. And it's not like they can help any of it."
"Nobody decides to love. It's not a choice." Asami said. "The only thing anyone can really decide on is if they want to pursue the other person or not." Asami said.
"Yeah. Like, when they're your friend's little sister." Korra grinned at Kya, who shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Oh, forget Lin. Su's gonna kill me for telling you." she muttered.
"At least, opening up about it was a relief. Right?" Asami smiled. "Well, if not the part about Su, then just..."
"More like pried open." Kya looked pointedly at them.
"I'd like to think we were subtle." Asami replied.
"Yeah. You could've brought it all up at lunch, I guess. But, you didn't. That's why you were giggling and grinning at me!" Kya understood. The pair nodded. "So, what now? Or did you plan on following me all afternoon?"
"Actually, we were going to go back to the palace, when you caught us. We could barely follow you. Even from a distance. Because of the crowd." Asami told her.
"You can come with me, while I hit up a few more places." Kya offered. "A few of my friends will get a heart-attack, when I show up with you two." she chuckled.
"Do you have many friends?" Asami asked, slightly skeptically.
"A few. Why?" Kya slightly narrowed her eyes. She was not sure if she should have taken offense at the question.
"I was just thinking that as one of Avatar Aang's children it was more difficult for you to befriend people, perhaps." Asami explained.
"Oh, yeah. At first. Sure. But, then people could see I wasn't any different from them. Pff…I bet they find a muscly girl more intimidating than little young or old me." She snickered at Korra.
"You were looking, huh?" Korra grinned.
"Of course I was looking. I…just had to be more subtle about it. Because of my age. And yours. Your parents would totally freak. And the monk, too." Kya referred back to Tenzin, with a smile.
"I could already see his face!" Korra exclaimed and imitated Tenzin, again. "It's not enough you picked on me, when we were children. Now, you're having impure thoughts about my own father's teenage reincarnation!?"
"They weren't impure! That's such a prudish word. And you weren't even a teenager, by then." Kya stated, matter-of-factly, not realizing what she sounded like, until she finished. Her eyes went wide, the same time as Korra's.
"You…" Korra understood what she inadvertently let slip. That it was, in fact, fairly recently that Kya had an eye out for her.
"Ah, yeah. Let's just…get going." Kya nervously thumbed in a random direction, not even considering whether she even wanted to go that way.
"Think we can visit all your friends, before the dinner-party?" Asami asked her.
"Sure. Wouldn't wanna be late for that. Mom told me they wanted to wait with the big event until I got back. She didn't even know Bumi was with me. It was literally a last-minute decision. He flew onto Varrick's ship in his glider-suit, with his luggage. It was a nice surprise for her." Kya explained as they went to stand on the edge of the roof and over the very same spot where Korra used her earthbending. The crowd of people had not left and were still massing under them, staring up at them in both awe and confusion. Cameras were flashing and babies were being held in the air by parents, who wanted them to see the famous people. While some were squealing and giggling as they tried to reach for them, others were merely blinking and looking slowly around, befuddled by the antics of the grown-ups. "Uh, how do you wanna handle this?" Kya asked the pair.
"Time for more handshaking and baby-holding!" Korra exclaimed, almost casually.
"And cooing to them." Asami giggled as Korra reached towards the ground and pulled the slab of rock up to them to descend to the street and into the adoring crowd.
"This…is going to take a while." Kya sighed as they disappeared between furry coats and hats that were the color of the dark, cold sea, but they felt only warmth as they slowly waded through the torrent of people, looking forward towards another hectic, but at the same time, peaceful day that was the fruit of all their labors.
Author's note: Yeah. I know I said I'm not gonna write in some Su x Kya, because it would be too much, but I couldn't resist.