One: A Night to Remember
Inside the conference room, the conversation died down as Asami Sato signed the last sheet of paper on her end of the table. She favored the other executives with a proud nod and watched them get up and begin shaking hands on their way out the door. By the time the last one had left, she turned her gaze to the windows looking out from the eastern wing of the Future Industries Central Office, which offered an impressive view of the park below.
She'd designed the park herself. An early prototype of the now-famous Avatar Korra Park in the heart of Republic City. It was a common gathering point for Future Industries employees and company visitors, with plenty of relaxing fountains and sloping grass hills. Whenever Asami needed to let her mind unravel, she could always rely on this park to do the trick.
For the whole day, she had been drifting in and out of meetings, product inspections, and the retrofitting of a custom-built Satomobile racer. She was busier than ever, which she loved, but even while she worked herself to the bone, something had bugged her all day long. A silent, nagging doubt crawling up her back, ever since she'd woken up in bed and looked over at a familiar picture on her nightstand—
A motion from the door to the conference room caught her attention. Asami didn't even look away from the window. "Please come in, Zhu Li."
The young woman wasn't that much older than Asami, but she did have far more experience in managing a company. And she had at least one year's experience of the married life, having tied the knot with her former boss Varrick.
One year to the day. Asami couldn't even begin to imagine the weight of that occasion.
"I'm surprised that you're still here," Asami commented. She spun her chair around and rose from the table. "I would've thought Varrick had a whole evening scheduled for your anniversary."
Zhu Li grinned. "Indeed. I believe he mentioned something about a rocket yacht cruise across Yue Bay."
"So he's keeping it casual, then."
"Naturally." Zhu Li clasped her hands behind her back. "I'm just here to collect the papers for the new Southern Tribe project."
Asami grabbed the papers in question and handed them over to her diminutive friend. Seeing her in the conference room made her grateful to have someone so efficient as her new Chief Administrator. "Thank you. But please, don't let me keep you any longer. You should get ready for tonight."
Zhu Li sighed, still wearing a smile. "I can afford to wait until sundown. Varrick won't want to start until then." After shuffling the papers, she looked up at Asami with concern. "And what about you?"
"What about me?"
"I'm sorry, it's just… I thought tonight was a special occasion for you as well."
"It is…" Asami brushed a lock of her hair back behind her ear. "I suppose it's my anniversary, too. With Korra, I mean."
"Congratulations!" Zhu Li bowed her head and pressed the stack of papers to her chest. "I'll just send these off for you."
Asami nodded, her gaze already wandering back to the window. "Thank you so much, Zhu Li. And have fun tonight."
She waited until the other woman had left the conference room before she went over to the window and continued to stare at the park below. Asami found herself tracking every little motion across the scenic landscape, every cluster of visitors and relatives on a tour, every worker taking their break next to the Flamey-Os Instant Noodles vendor's cart.
"I just wish this was a better anniversary for me," she whispered.
For a moment, she half-expected to hear Korra show up behind her, wrapping those sleek, strong arms around her waist and hoisting her into the air. She'd be dragged kicking and laughing all the way outdoors, where Naga would be waiting, saddled up for a ride downtown. That would've made Asami's gloomy mood vanish, if only for a short while.
But she was met with the same empty silence as before. With a sigh, Asami tore her gaze away from the window and finally left the room.
"This is gonna be so exciting!"
Korra laughed and ducked as the two young airbenders swooped past her head. She continued her stroll down to the western pavilion of Air Temple Island, admiring the soft golden light of the setting sun over a tranquil sea. With any luck, the currents would be strong enough that she wouldn't need to make too many adjustments on her glider ride to the city.
"Hey, when you see her, be sure to comment on her hair!" Meelo executed a perfect spin around Korra's left, landing atop an air scooter that materialized over the pavilion tiles. "I hear girls really love it when you tell 'em that!"
"Oh, please," Ikki retorted. She appeared on Korra's right, arms crossed and racing along on another spinning ball of wind. "We're not that shallow!"
Meelo grinned. "That's not what your diary says!"
"Meelo, I swear by all the spirits I will end you—!"
Korra intercepted Ikki, catching the young girl in her arms and spinning her away from a terminal impact with her little brother. The Avatar placed her back on the ground and responded to her tantrum with a pat on the head. Ikki let out a tiny "Hmph!" and crossed her arms.
"Meelo," said Korra, suddenly recalling every time she'd spent babysitting the kids while Tenzin and Pema were away, "if I catch you pulling that again, I'll let slip every embarrassing story about you to that one girl from the Earth Kingdom." She made a show of stroking her chin and staring thoughtfully into the distance. "Now, what was her name again? Tuyen—?"
"Okay, okay!" A red-hot blush fell across Meelo's cheeks. He ducked his head down and mumbled out something that sounded close to, "Sorry for snooping, Ikki…"
Ikki replied by sticking out her tongue, which Korra understood as a charitable gesture. She knew all too well that the girl could gloat as loud and long as her Uncle Bumi when provoked.
Truth be told, Korra was grateful for even little family squabbles like theirs. Keeping the peace in Tenzin's family, while monumental at times, was a welcome respite from the cares of being the Avatar. Over the last year, she'd helped King Wu formally end the Earth Kingdom monarchy and oversee the rise of the Earth Federation, made up of self-governing republics joined by a common culture and history. And she'd been vocal about the formal sentencing and rehabilitation of Kuvira, the earthbender general-turned-war criminal. Many in the United Republic didn't approve of showing mercy to the woman who'd nearly conquered them, but Korra knew there was more than her than the press was willing to admit.
That was the real struggle of being the Avatar. To see and do more than other benders ever could, and yet be trapped by the weight of her knowledge and her deeds.
But, Korra thought with a tiny smile, that's why I'm grateful to have someone like Asami in my life…
When she came to a halt at the edge of the pavilion, Korra opened her mind to the currents flowing across the open sea between the Air Temple and Republic City. She found the largest one and grabbed her airbender staff. With a snap of her wrist, the staff split itself open into a full-body glider across her back.
"Don't wait up for me," Korra told the kids flanking her. "And tell your dad that I'll see him first thing tomorrow."
"Will do!" Ikki hugged her from the side. "And you've gotta tell me all about your date when you get back!"
Korra laughed and hugged the two kids back. "Deal."
Turning back to the ocean, she channeled her internal energy in a single, controlled burst. When she leaped into the air, Korra propelled herself into the path of the largest oncoming current and rode her way over the dark, gently rolling waves of Yue Bay. She let the wind carry her along, sailing past Aang Memorial Island and toward the shining city beyond it.
By the time Korra landed on the front porch of the Sato estate, the sun had completely set, leaving only a velvet blue sky that glimmered with faint stars. Korra snapped her glider back into its staff form and dropped it onto a bronze hook by the front door. Another modification that Asami had made during the past year; there was another hook for Korra's staff at the main office for Future Industries, just in case she decided to swing by there.
She barely got out a knock on the front door when it opened, revealing a short gentleman in a black suit and circular eyeglasses. He favored Korra with a quick, slightly nervous bow.
"Avatar Korra, so good of you to come," said the butler. Stepping aside, he held the door open and waved her in. "Please, come in. I'm afraid Miss Sato is still in her room and preparing."
"Is everything all right, Shenshi?"
There was no hesitation when the butler closed the door behind her, but when he turned to face Korra again, he tugged at his collar. A small, almost meaningless gesture for anyone else, but it was far out of character for the unflappable Sato family retainer.
"I'm afraid I couldn't say," Shenshi answered. "Perhaps you will have better luck asking Miss Sato yourself."
She didn't even wait for him to finish. Korra proceeded up the grand staircase in the main hall, using quick bursts of airbending to jump three steps at a time. Within a heartbeat, she landed on the second floor and continued down the left-hand side. She didn't know the layout of the Sato estate as well as she did Air Temple Island, but she had a few tricks up her sleeve. Stamping her foot on the carpeted floor, Korra stretched out her seismic senses across the marble floor tiles. Everything else tuned out except for the ripples of earthborn energy throughout the house.
A faint impression of Asami sitting on her bed came back to her right away. Korra opened her eyes and headed in that direction.
The bedroom door was ajar when she arrived. Korra took a deep breath and waited for her nerves to settle. At this rate, she'd only make things worse if she came in rushed and flustered.
"Hey, Asami?" Korra rapped her knuckles on the door before pushing it open. "Are you in there?"
A faint sniffle came back, followed by Asami's voice, tight with emotion. "Yes…"
Korra stepped inside, keeping her hands tucked behind her back. Her girlfriend sat on the edge of an enormous four-poster bed, with her hair done up and wearing a fine red dress. She recognized it as the same outfit she'd worn to Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding—a year ago to the day. Thinking of that made Korra remember their heart-to-heart chat on the stairs outside and that beautiful decision to visit the Spirit World.
But Asami didn't look as happy as she had then. She stared at a framed photo in her hand, her face streaked with faint tear trails. Korra came over and sat beside her. She didn't say a word. All she did was put her arm around Asami's shoulders and pull her head close to her bosom.
"Mm, thank you." Asami sniffled again and wiped at her nose. "I'm sorry, I know how much this night out means to you—"
"Don't even worry about that." Korra tilted her girlfriend's face up with her other hand and smiled. "Just tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing. I'm just… nostalgic, that's all."
"You know, if I weren't a waterbender, I'd almost believe you."
Asami sighed and pushed herself off of Korra's chest. She looked down at the photo again, drawing Korra's attention to it as well. Inside the frame was an old family portrait. She recognized a younger Hiroshi Sato, who stood next to an elegant woman that looked just like Asami, only a few years older. And in front of that woman was a little girl in fine clothing, wearing an adorable smile that warmed Korra's heart.
They looked so happy together. Probably because they had no idea of the tragedy that would befall them.
"It's not just our anniversary," Asami admitted. Pushing her hair back over her shoulder with one hand, she added, "It's been a year since I lost my father. I've been thinking him a lot lately. And… about my mother, too."
"I wish I could've met her."
"She'd have liked you. Dad always complimented her on her beauty and grace, but I always…" Asami bit on her bottom lip. "I always remembered how caring she was. She used to read me stories before bed and teach me these dances from the Fire Nation. All the old songs and rhymes that Dad never had bothered. I came from a family that was wealthier than any of the other kids at school, but it was Mom who made me feel… normal."
Korra squeezed her hand. "I know the feeling."
Asami rubbed at her nose again and looked her girlfriend in the eye. "I'm sorry—"
"There's nothing to be sorry about." Korra pulled her into an embrace, resting her chin on Asami's shoulder. "I get it, Asami. You miss your parents. I'd be the same if I lost mine. Or Tenzin, or Pema."
With another sigh, Asami pulled away and stared down at the family portrait. "Would you do me a favor?"
"Anything."
"Tomorrow…" Asami set the photo back on her bedside table before turning back toward Korra. "If you can manage it, I'd like to see Chief Beifong. I think…" She drew a deep breath and pushed back another loose strand of hair. "I think I'd like to read the case file about my mother. On the night she was killed."
Korra's eyes widened. "A-are you sure?"
"I need some closure. When we visited the Spirit World last year, I was finally able to forgive my father and let him go." For the first time that evening, Asami's lips quirked up into a smile. "And meeting Iroh was a real big help to me. I still can't thank you enough for that."
"It was the least I could do," Korra replied. She took Asami's hand and traced her fingertip against the other woman's knuckles. With each trace, she revisited her memories of the Great Spirit World Vacation, as she called it. So many days exploring jungles and mountains, drinking tea with Iroh's spirit friends, and lying together on the grass underneath the stars. Korra had never felt more at home than she did then, with the wind tickling her hair and Asami's head against her chest.
They'd shared their first kiss underneath those stars. Korra still had dreams about that kiss.
"I love that you want to protect me," said Asami, "but I think this is something I have to do. I don't expect that they'll ever solve my mother's murder, but I think I owe it to her and my father to read the case file for myself. Even if it hurts."
Korra leaned her head onto Asami's shoulder. "Then let's do it. First thing tomorrow. I'll be right by your side."
Asami wiped away a fresh batch of tears with the back of her hand. "Thank you, Korra."
"You're welcome," the Avatar replied, and she leaned in to steal a kiss. Asami returned the kiss with equal passion, letting her hands drift over Korra's back.
"Umph." Korra pulled away, gasping for air and wiping off her lips. "Not that I want to spoil this moment, but… are you still interested in going out tonight?"
"Oh, right…" Asami looked down at her hands. "I guess we're going to be late to Kwong's."
"You know, we don't have to go out. Your place has a lovely dining hall and a great terrace for dancing. And a radio…"
"I know what that smirk means."
Korra's smirk intensified. "Yeah, but you love it."
"Spirits help me, I do." Asami sighed and leaned into her girlfriend. "All right, I guess I can cancel the reservations. See if Kwong's Cuisine has a take-out menu."
"For the CEO of Future Industries?" Korra grinned. "I'm sure they'll make an exception…"
Before Asami could even get off the bed, Korra leaped into motion. She kept one arm around her girlfriend's shoulders and snuck her other arm behind her knees. In a single bound, she swept Asami off the bed and into her chest, cradling her as she headed for the door.
"Uh, Korra?" Asami squirmed against the Avatar's chest. "I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own, thanks."
"True, but the phone is downstairs, and we wouldn't want you to trip in that lovely dress." Korra bounded out of the room, slipping past a befuddled Shenshi, who had stood patiently by the door. She reached out and formed an air scooter with her mind, letting it appear under her feet as she crossed her legs and rode it downstairs, all while balancing Asami in her arms.
"Leave it to the Avatar to make a grand exit," Asami remarked. But at least she was smiling again, and Korra treasured that more than any other romantic gesture on a night like this.
