I came from the southern water tribe up to Republic city in the early summer of 174 AG. I had been thinking of getting a flat within the city, but coming from the land of frozen tundra, taunted by the well-cut lawns and sand beaches. What's a girl to do? With that I decided to surprise a distant cousin of mine. His house was extravagant and sat on one of the commuter towns around Republic City. Across the sea, I could see a massive house. My driver gave a swift turn before I could tell the details, the momentum threw me to the edge of my seat. The east side of the bay is where the more fashionable set of houses sat, belonging to those who were from rich families running all the way back to at least to Lord Sozin's time. Palaces stretched across laws and ivy covered walls. The events that took place that summer really all were set into motion by that evening. I had arrived earlier that day on ship, and was headed to the house of my cousin, Varrick, where I would stay the remainder of that summer. I had known his wife from my school days, she was two years older than me. I had spent two days with them last autumn in Harbor City.
Why they had chosen to live in Republic City had me at a loss. They had lived in almost every large city across the nations. From Ba Sing Se, the capital of the Northern Water Tribe, and the capital of the Fire Nation. They had drifted here for no reason whatsoever. Maybe it was to remain with the same kind of wealthy people who were simply rich together? Varrick had told me over the phone that this was to be their last move, but I wasn't quite sure. Zhu Li would certainly love to live in other places before finally choosing one. I had said nothing of this to him. It was much better for him to remain in the dark rather than worry about things like that.
Gold light reflected off large glass windows of the house of the family I hardly knew after all this time. Ivy covered walls and large sweeping gardens down to the beachfront and a dock at its end. It was warm for late evening in early summer. Zhu li appeared on the front porch. She turned to see my car pulling up and gave a smile. She hadn't changed much since our school years. I couldn't say much for her appearance, brown hair and glasses. I exited my car and walked up the steps onto the porch as the drivers gathered my suitcases.
"Korra! It's so wonderful that you've come!" Zhu Li embraced me in a hug, which I had awkwardly given back. "What do you think of the house? Isn't it marvelous?"
I gave a nod in reply before I spoke. " Yes, its lovely, Zhu Li."
"Lets go in!" She put one hand around my shoulder as if to motion me through the main doors of the house. Through the glass of the parlor room which Zhu Li had lead me, the ocean and the dock were visible still in the dimming daylight. Within the room itself, the smell of smoke traveled despite the windows being open. On a table toward the middle of the room sat two men, the younger of which I recognize from the movers that had played at the Glacier Spirits Festival a year prior. The elder was Varrick. He sat in a rather pensive position, looking over the pai sho board. Each player's pieces were strewn across the board, but I didn't know enough to know who was winning.
The younger of the two was about to make a comment before Varrick place his hand directly in front of his face. Within a moment or two Varrick had moved his piece across the board. He straightened himself and then noticed that Zhu Li and myself had entered the room.
"Korra!" He gave a wide grin. He patted my shoulders before moving on to give Zhu Li a kiss. Within Varrick's chatter of events that had transpired during Zhu Li's and my own short absence. Zhu Li broke away from her husband to speak
"Korra, this is Bolin. He's one of the actor's in Varrick's movies. Bolin, This is Korra."
The young man approached me, holding out his hand. He smelled of smoke and wet spring dirt. He quickly took my hand firmly into his and shook it.
Drinks the color of gold poured from a bottle into four identical glasses were passed around by a butler with a handle bar mustache.
"I can't."Bolin told him, raising his hand to the waiter. "I mustn't. Not before a fight."
"That is where I recognized you! Not simply from your movers, but you fight in the pro league don't you!" I exclaimed.
Varrick quickly latched onto the younger man and moved his hand across the sky. "Exactly! I plan to make this boy absolutely and terrifically famous! I want everyone across all the nations to know his name!" His glass had been emptied almost as rapidly as it had been filled again.
We slowly moved into the large marble white dining room. Candles flickered in the soft wind that filtered from the windows. The light summer curtains moved slowly in from their places against the window. With the slightest movement of my head, I could see the sea. Night had already fell around us, and on the other side, a dock, with a green light flashing in the gusts of winds and the sound of the waves crashing upon the coast that lay meters before us behind the garden walls. Each of us were escorted to our seats by a maid or butler. Zhu li and Varrick sat across the table from Bolin and myself, and part of me began to wonder if the two were attempting to set me up with a suitor.
Dinner concluded quickly with much chatter of Varrick's new venture. We had returned to the parlor to find that candles had been light in the room for us. Another butler return, this one was different, but it was all the same. The smell of coffee mixed with the smell of burning candlewick which wasn't completely unpleasant. Cigars passed about and the smell of burning tobacco slowly floated through the sound of jazz music floated in from the only door that remained ajar.
"Sato is at it again." Zhu li muttered glancing out at the garden.
"Sato?" I spoke rather loudly as Bolin took a long sip of his coffee which had just been set down before us.
"Yes, Sato!" Bolin replied returning his cup rather enthusiastically to its plate on the table. "Throwing the most spectacular parties I have ever been seems to be her specialty!"
"She's a woman?" I asked almost carefully, slightly intrigued by the sound of this woman's nature.
"Well Sato and her fiancé. They are not married yet, or have even chosen a date. They're so careless, it's wonderful." Varrick said. "Though her fiancé is quite the social climber if I do say so myself."
"That fiancé you're talking about is my brother and I couldn't agree more."Bolin replied. "but then I would be no better would I? Anyway, Korra, you must, next time, join me at one of their parties!"
"I definitely will then. One of these nights."
A fortnight after the events that occurred during dinner the previous weeks, Bolin came to call upon me to join him at one of Ms. Sato's parties. I agreed, having promised him the weeks before that I would join him. Having no dress within my wardrobe for I had believe that I would be working most nights instead of being a guest at lavish parties I did not think to pack one. I wore my best suit and soon joined Bolin.
"This Sato dame must be a real egg." I said rather softly to Bolin as we crossed a large grass area. The sound of swing music filled the area and the lights seemed to have no end. "Is this what electricity can do?"
"Isn't it incredible?" Bolin replied to me. "You'd never believe her father came from nothing would you? Rose from the dirt like lotus blossoms. To come from nothing and to end up with all this! I've always had hope that this is where I was going to end up!"
"Your brother is Ms. Sato's fiancé isn't he? Does that means you'll ride his tailcoat?"
"Heavens no! I'll make my own name! With my movers and in the ring! You'll see Korra! Come watch me fight the evening after the next at the arena!"
I obliged rather quickly as seeing the fights while in Republic City was something one must do. Maybe I could even convince Bolin to let me join in on a fight.
The crowd enveloped us before long and I had lost myself in the dizzying taste of champagne and the lively music. I danced with anyone I could, but the women seemed more willing to dance with me than the men and I was fine with that. Once again Bolin appeared bobbing his head through the crowd and took my hand, placing another drink into and taking my other giving me a spin.
"I love large parties they're so intimate!" He laughed. Clearly falling under the effects of the bubbly drink. I laughed with him for a bit before asking.
"Where is the hostess, I don't believe I've seen her all night?"
"Sato?" Bolin asked. "Now that you mention it, neither have I. Nor my brother. Oh they're probably doing a devilish deed." He snickered at the end and I felt my face flush. "Shall we find them?"
"Not if that's what you believe they're doing." I giggled. I couldn't help it; this was all so foolishly wonderful.
"Come on come on!" Bolin said taking his hand into mine and pulling me through the maze of people, fountains and gardens up the marble steps to return to the main house.
We moved room from room in fits of giggles and hysteric laughter. We met many people amongst them even a few has stayed here previous nights. Each room felt almost grander than the rest.
The clock almost stuck 2 in the morning when we returned to the terrace above the jazz band connecting to the marble steps we had walked up yesterday night. We fell back into the festivities and the party. But it slowly stopped as everyone simultaneously turned as the fireworks went off one by one across the bay in brilliant colors. Even the northern lights couldn't compare to something so new and wonderful.
I was only halfway down the stairs when I heard the sound of heels and beads approach across the terrace. My gaze fell upon them at that single moment, the smell of the summer wind mixing with the salt of the ocean threatened to overwhelm me. A young woman stood in a beautiful dress. It draped over her just perfectly showing off the slightness of her figure. Her hair was the black ocean waters that surrounded the cape. A cigarette and a glass of some liquid sat comfortably in her gloved hand. I felt heat rush to my cheeks, and it only got worse as my eyes traveled to her companion. A tall young man stood gazing out over the party, whispering quietly to the woman, arm locked in hers, the other sat in the loose fitting pant pocket of his suit, as was the style. There was fire in his eyes, I could see it even from here, complementing the angle of his cheekbones giving an air of beauty and handsomeness to him. Something drew me to them, through the crowd of people dancing wildly against the smells of alcohol and smoke. His eyes glanced out over the crowd once more; his eyes stopped and glanced over me. My breath caught and I felt the heat on my cheeks increase. His expression softened a bit towards me. He smiled.