Korrasami – Meet the Press
Author's note: In the prequel "Meet the World" I originally planned to have Asami say a different line after Korra mentioned a bed, saying "My room or yours?" But, I thought the sleeping under the stars comment was less explicit and still screen-friendly (bordering on it – by today's standards). *wink*
I planned on writing "Meet the World" as an episode. As I think it could fit into the time-frame of one. Everything after that, in chronological order, will be slightly more explicit in content, nothing major, nothing I haven't written so far or nothing that could not be presented on-screen with the right "camera-angles". You'll see what I mean…
I read an article in the Huffpost, where the author said that if LoK would get a Book 5, the sexuality of the characters would not define them or the direction of the show, because Konietzko and DiMartino never let other things, like blindness or PTSD solely define a character. And I agree. But, come on! I cannot resist writing the touchy-feely-huggy-squeezy. Gotta feel the passion somehow, and neither television nor comics allow for that.
With that said, there are only so many ways to write an intro…And describe facial expressions and other reactions, in voice, body-language…etc. Getting repetitive is unavoidable and it's a tad annoying. And a passive vocabulary is passive for a reason. Have to keep checking a thesaurus just to find words I know, but can't remember or I rarely use them.
Also, I won't try to come up with some new super villain. Barring the occasional bandits and other triad-level criminal elements, and whatever Bryke will come up with in the comics…after all that's happened, the rest of their lives should be their halcyon days.
The morn came as the rising sun heralded the dawn of a brand new day; its warmth felt by the waking couple before either of them even opened their eyes. When they did, it was as if sensing the other one's stirring mind as both pair of eyes slowly revealed themselves to gaze into each other, half shut and unmoving as though they were mesmerized. A dream playing out in front of them that was their life. One from which neither of them wanted to wake, nor did they have to. Peering into each other's soul as a thousand words were unheard, yet still spoken in the moment a drop of dew fell, crashing on a leaf below in the silence of the morning. Nature itself refused to disturb them. Birds held their voice, waiting for the pair's first words to cue their songs.
"Hey, you." Asami's whisper broke the spell. Its softness reaching the Avatar's heart, before her ears, as the latter could hear her before she spoke. Could see the words before they left her lips. Lips that were hers to touch. To breath. To kiss.
"Hey, you." Korra repeated her words, tenderly covering the other woman's lips with her own, meeting halfway as their thoughts were aligned.
The universe decided it would be prudent to permit others carry on their day and nature agreed, filling the air, along with the ears of those who listened, as creatures large and small began their calls. The familiar roar of one in particular, carried all the way up to their window, followed by a human whimper.
"Naga!" Korra shot up in bed. "She wasn't even here last night." she wondered aloud, looking towards the window. "I'd better go give her a hug and let her do her thing…then I get cleaned up." she figured and Asami gave a light laugh already picturing the polar bear dog happily licking Korra all over.
"She'll probably be all over you, again, after that, anyway." Asami told her, knowingly.
"I know." Korra replied with a laugh as she made her way over to the window to look down at her best and oldest friend, who was unintentionally…or perhaps intentionally scaring the life out of a poor acolyte attempting to somewhat noisily sweep the yard under their window.
"Naga!" Korra called from the window as the animal lifted its gaze and began jumping around at the sight of her keeper waving at her.
Korra jumped from the window, cushioning her landing with a blast of air under herself and her entire body was lifted off the ground by Naga's large head, before she could take a step. She held onto her, dangling briefly as she hugged her, feeling her huge paw on her back as Naga hugged her back. Asami smiled at the scene from the window and decided to get cleaned up, moving over to grab a towel, as she could hear Korra throw Naga's ball for her and the excited barks as the two started a game of fetch.
Asami walked back into the room, with only a towel around her otherwise naked body, when Korra appeared, landing on the window-seal, having air-bent herself back up. She hopped to the floor and raised a brow at Asami, who looked like she was about to burst with laughter. And so she did.
"What?" Korra asked her, oblivious as to what her love could have found so funny, though having a suspicion it had to do something with her own appearance. She looked into the mirror to see her short dark-brown locks swept up and stuck in place from Naga's licking, as if she took a roll in a bowl of hair-gel. She laughed at herself as she stood, not even bothering to shake her hair out and back in place. Instead, she smiled and watched Asami, her gorgeous face gleaming, still in a fit of giggles. The latter calmed down and she saw Korra giving her a mischievous smile, taking a few steps towards her.
"Ah, ah!" she shook a finger to her. "Bath, first!" she told her with a smile, but with the same mischief in her own eyes. Korra gave a whine, pouting and she yanked a towel Asami had prepared for her down from a hanger, as she bolted to clean herself up, racing to get back to her. Raven-black, long hair was pulled into a neat, low ponytail as Asami finished her appearance, when Korra burst through the door, still wet, and started shaking her head, like a dog would, in an attempt to dry her hair.
"Korra-…!" Asami shrieked, shielding herself with her hands, only to find bright blue eyes and dark lips a mere breath away from her face as she put her hands down. Whatever she would have said next turned into a moan. Muzzled by a soft kiss that deepened as Korra pressed against her, rattling the night table behind them as they bumped into it. She grinned into Asami's face, daring her to complain as she knew she would not and could not.
"You're incorrigible." she moaned to her.
"I'm just the kettle, here." Korra whispered, bending down slightly and Asami shivered as she felt her breath on her collar-bone, then warmth again, when she felt her kiss as she nuzzled into her wet hair, breathing her in. Korra pulled away reluctantly and started towards the door. "Be right back." she said as she went to get a new set of clothes from her room. Asami heard loud thuds and she could picture her practically jumping into her pants, as she stopped to stand in her door. To her pleasure, Korra was only darting to and from her wardrobe, throwing her chosen items of clothing on her bed, still in the towel. Now dried, she was about to let it fall to the ground when she turned, sensing her gaze.
"Oh, don't mind me." Asami said to her, smiling. Korra returned it, letting go of her towel which landed around her bare feet and began to dress. All the while being undressed by Asami's eyes.
"Ready!" Korra exclaimed. Ready to tackle the world.
Both of them turned their attention towards the window as they heard Naga's excited barking, again, which could have only meant that a good friend to all of them had just arrived and they heard a familiar and characteristic gruff voice coming from the yard.
"Alright! Settle down! Don't go licking me, again!" they heard and a peek outside the window confirmed it was none other than Lin Beifong, and with her, Suyin, standing some distance away from the building. The Chief gave a few quick scratches to Naga, in a preemptive move to placate her and prevent her from showing the slobbery side of her affection. Suyin followed suit, not too keen on getting covered in it herself and spoke as she was scratching Naga behind the ears.
"I hope they had enough rest. We-…" she couldn't finish voicing her worries as both heard a burst of air coming from the direction of the upper windows and they turned their gaze to see Korra falling towards them, propelled forward, as she created a miniature tornado to slow her impact. She still hit the ground with enough force to startle the two women as she landed right in front of them with a grin.
"You were saying. Ah-…!" Lin turned to say to Suyin as both of them were picked up by Korra who hugged them close and put them back down, laughing.
"Oh!" Suyin exclaimed as she was back on the ground. "Well, I take it you had enough sleep." she said with laughter in her voice, smiling at Korra.
"Yep! The best sleep I ever had, I think…in this world, anyway!" she shouted, looking back up at Asami in the window and winking at her with a grin. Suyin put a hand in front of her mouth as she laughed internally as Lin only rolled her eyes while Asami tried to convince herself there was no way they could see her blush from there. She watched with interest as Korra moved under the window, not certain if she was going to come back up or…
"Come, on! Korra shouted, extending her inviting, well-toned arms. Asami did not even hesitate as she placed a foot on the window seal and leapt, right into the small whirlwind Korra promptly created that kept her aloft just above her. It disappeared and she fell in her strong arms, putting both of hers around Korra's neck. She did not put her down, though, as she walked casually over to Lin and Suyin with her in her arms, taking only a slightly wider stance than normal.
"Um…morning!" Asami greeted them, as she was.
"Good morning, Asami!" Suyin beamed at her, the laughter always returning to her voice at the sight of them.
"Morning!" Lin said, seemingly immune to the nearly enthralling effect of their relationship.
"So, what's the plan, Chief? You got an escort for us or something?" Korra asked, making a face at the idea of rolling through the city with half the police force.
"You're looking at it." Lin answered her, sounding about as pleased as she looked. Korra narrowed her eyes slightly, then raised both of her brows one after the other and blinked, debating whether having only Lin as protection was a good or a bad thing. What it probably meant was that she could not spare the manpower.
"My men are spread thin as it is." Lin confirmed her thoughts.
"Aren't you needed, then?" Asami asked, surprised she would chaperone them when she clearly had work to do.
"Yeah. Sounds like you got your hands full." Korra agreed, giving her a quizzical look.
"Oh, stop! You're making the Chief uncomfortable." started Suyin, teasingly. Lin merely looked at her. "It's not like she's taking time away from her work just to watch over you personally." she added sarcastically, as Korra grinned and they all looked at the woman with appreciation. Lin only folded her arms, averting their eyes and fixed them with the best glare she could manage under the circumstances, before looking away, again, not terribly used to getting flustered.
"Have you had breakfast, yet?" Suyin asked.
"Uh…not yet." Korra said as she exchanged looks with Asami, looking at her as if to ask how they should fit it in.
"We can pick something up on the way, I guess. Plenty of restaurants." she suggest.
"How about the one we went to when I got back?" Korra asked, excitedly. "We didn't exactly finish that lunch." she finished, raising a brow suggestive.
"I… think it's a little out of the way." Asami started, uncertain, but as she saw Korra's face go from hopeful to downright crestfallen, she added "We can got there for a lunch, though! And take breakfast from somewhere on the way." she said as she stroked the side of Korra's head, as if she was scratching her behind the ear and saw her smile return. "We'll need a few hours, anyway." she supposed as she looked at Lin and Suyin.
"Hopefully no more." the latter replied.
"A few hours in that place is a few hours more than I can stand being in there." Lin muttered.
"Welcome back Chief!" Korra said to Lin as the latter was quickly back to her usual grumpy self and Beifong gave her an unamused face, sticking her bottom lip out as she turned.
"Let's go!" she grumbled and they proceeded down the slope to the pier.
"You're going to carry her all the way?" Suyin asked, her amusement never seemed to cease from the antics of the pair. She would not have been the least surprised if Korra had carried the other woman the entire time. She looked like she would have done it just for the fun of it.
"I need the workout." the latter said, shrugging.
"Seriously?" Asami gasped a little, laughing nervously.
"Pragmatic, gallant and romantic." Suyin summarized Korra, chuckling.
"That's me!" the latter said, puffing her chest.
"You forgot adorable." Asami purred a little and Korra puffed herself out even more, sporting a light blush.
They have barely descended the slope when they heard a familiar male voice and turned their heads to see Tenzin walking up to them in hurried steps. "Lin! Suyin! Good morning!" he greeted them.
"To you, as well!" the latter replied.
"Hey." Lin said.
"Korra, Asami." Tenzin nodded to them and they beamed at him. He raised a brow at the way they were standing. "I'm…assuming it's not her ankle?" he asked, a little amused.
"Nope." Korra confirmed as Tenzin's expression softened even more, then went serious again, as he turned to Lin.
"You're leaving already?" he asked, looking at all of them, surprised by the relatively early hour.
"We have to get this over with. I don't want the Press circling around the island, all day, just to snap a photo of these two."
"Neither do I." Tenzin agreed.
"Wouldn't that be harassment?" Asami asked.
"As long as they don't set foot on the island, no." Tenzin answered her, familiar enough with the law. "And we certainly cannot have the White Lotus patrolling the waters days and night. Not any more than they usually do, anyway." Tenzin voiced his concern about reassigning the island's guards. "No need to make their day needlessly more exciting."
"It's…exciting?" Korra asked, making a face, as they all looked over to the guard's hut, seeing a group of them just listening to the radio broadcast, without which they likely would have been bored senseless.
"I…see your point." Tenzin stroked his beard.
"Regardless of their current preoccupation, dealing with often impudent newshounds is hardly part of their work, I take it." Suyin assumed, rightly.
"Indeed." Tenzin agreed and turned to the pair. "Have you even eaten anything? Breakfast is not for another half an hour, at least."
"Well, we can't wait for that long."Korra shrugged.
"But, we'll get something on the way." Asami assured him.
"Very well, then." Tenzin relaxed. "When should we expect you back?"
"Dunno. We're getting lunch at this fancy place." Korra grinned. "If we get things done with Raiko in time." she added, scoffing. Her face going from sunny to sour, then to serious as she remembered something. "I should tell dad."
"Actually, he is not on the island." Tenzin told her. "He took the ferry to the mainland half an hour ago."
"What? Why?" Korra was puzzled. Not having any idea what business her dad could have there.
"You don't really think he went to…talk…with Raiko?" Asami asked, giving Korra a worried look, thinking that Tonraq had actually went to meet with him and to exchange more than just words.
"Nah. He knows I can talk." Korra said, only half serious.
"You definitely take after him." Asami giggled as she relaxed and Korra grinned in agreement as both remembered his attitude the night before. Like father like daughter.
Lin cleared her throat audibly and all of them gave her an uncomfortable look.
"And her I thought you turned all soft." Lin told Korra. More smug than serious.
"She did. In a way." Asami briefly mused on how Korra had changed as she looked at her lovingly, then added "And in some places she is." with a naughty smile and Korra's grin came back even wider.
Lin groaned and turned to continue down the road. As happy as she was for the two of them, in her own way, there was only so much flirting she could listen to.
"See you at dinner, then?" Tenzin kept guessing. Korra looked at Asami for her thoughts with a raising of her brow.
"No promises." was her answer as she snuggled a bit more into an ever grinning Korra. Tenzin smiled at them as he nodded a farewell to the pair and Suyin, who returned it. The three of them caught up to Lin a fair few paces ahead of them as Tenzin went back towards the temple.
Reaching the bottom of the stone-road, they took notice of a single motor-boat bobbing in the water from some mild waves as the wind seemed to be picking up with clouds running in the skies that appeared as if they were in a hurry to disappear from the otherwise clear blue canvas.
"We're not taking the ferry?" Korra asked.
"Too slow. And too much space at the port. We'll get enough of a crowd, even this way." Lin explained, not any less apprehensive. There was only so much she could do, barring moving a mountain, to keep most of the masses and Press away.
Approaching the boat, Lin stepped over and onto it, and took the controls. Korra attempted to step off the pier, but halted and stuck her bottom-lip out, as she appeared to be trying to decide on something. Taking only a second, she meant to take a step, when Asami tightened her hold around her neck, pulling her down some.
"Korra! No!" she started, voice laughing. "We won't have enough balance." she warned her, while still chuckling at her refusal to put her down. Their combined weight on the side of the boat might very well have caused it to tip sharply to one side, making for a sudden unwanted morning swim for the both of them and for Lin, who turned and gave a grunt, looking pointedly at Korra. The latter made a low whining sound in defeat and reluctantly put Asami down. They climbed in, followed by Suyin as two White Lotus sentries approached, giving inquisitive looks to the Chief of Police.
"I got this." Lin assured them and with a nod they returned to their post as she started up the boat.
"I don't see any…other boats." Korra said, looking around Yue Bay, over to Aang Memorial Island, as they left Air Temple Island.
"Not yet, anyway." Lin predicted.
"Maybe it's the…waves. Can't take a pic…ture if they can't keep…'emselves still, I guess." Korra observed, sounding buoyant, as their own boat was having a rodeo.
"Oh, they will try." Lin was certain of it.
"A little windy…with a chance of a…media-storm." Asami quipped. Though it was more of a presentiment as they could make out the crowd that gathered at the docks. Even though the people of the city and its leaders have been frantically working in the past few days, streets filled with workers and planners all day, the place hadn't been exactly full of life. Not until their return.
"That will be…a fast change of…weather." Suyin observed, more wary than worried.
"How do you wanna…play it, Chief?" Korra quickly asked Lin, getting somewhat nervous. She did change over the past few years and a conflict was not her immediate approach to a situation, anymore. Still, she was always willing to hand out some if people got on her nerves enough and bothered her and those she cared about.
"We keep our heads…down. And try not to take…theirs off. Got a car waiting…We make it to that...and it should be smooth…sailing to City Hall." she explained between bounces of the boat.
"Smoother than…this I hope...ugh." Korra said as the winds and waves seemed to be getting stronger. She could not even finish half a sentence, now.
"And today started out…so nice." Suyin commented.
"I don't think it'll…get any worse…The skies should clear." Asami looked on, as the sky had not darkened.
"Some rain will be…the least of our problems." Lin grumbled as they could see the real size of the crowd that had gathered, as they came close. A blast of fire just went off in front of a row of people and they looked to see Mako, holding his fist in the air, other hand in his pocket. Casual, as he yelled at the rowdy bunch. The four of them were still too far to hear him, though.
"Back…off!" he warned. "I won't tell you, people, again. Cross the police line and I'm booking you!" he told them matter-of-factly, without any frustration or anger in his voice.
"You can't book us all!" one of the reporters shouted.
"Then how about I'll be the bad-cop?" Tonraq stepped forward, threateningly on Mako' side. "That's how they say it, right?" he turned to Mako, with an uncertain expression, only somewhat familiar with police jargon. Mako nodded to him.
"You heard 'im." he told the crowd and they seemed to calm down some. They both turned to see Lin's boat approach.
"Asami, look!" Korra nudged her, pointing to something parked a little further back than the police car.
"My car?...Oh…I forgot I…even left it there." she brightened some as both got the same idea.
"Oh, no you don't!" Lin yelled behind her, not completely turning her attention away from navigating.
"Come on Lin!" Korra argued. "You and Su can…ride in the back!" she suggested.
"Not a chance." Lin was adamant.
"My car is…a lot faster than…yours." Asami argued. "We could spare some…time, too." she added with a smile and raised a brow to Lin's back, who briefly turned to look at her and sighed.
"Fine." She groaned as she swerved and pulled up close to the docks near an empty pier that was sealed off with only a police tape. Korra leapt onto the stone pier and extended her hand to Asami, pulling her up. They both held out there hands for Suyin who gave an appreciative, charming smile to them both as they helped her step ashore. Lin was already off the boat and was walking over to Mako and Tonraq.
"Didn't take them long." Lin mumbled, as she looked around at the hordes of people, for their numbers had multiplied since she and Su took the boat to Air Temple Island.
"We can't even blame 'em for not working." Mako said to her.
The majority of the people, there, were part of the Press, while the rest were the excited civilians, just as desperate to get a glimpse of the Avatar and the Industry Queen as the folk who actually earned their living by capturing their every move. As Lin stood next to Mako and Tonraq, questions started to fly from left and right, when the crowd saw the Avatar with Asami Sato, walking hand in hand.
"Detective, can you confirm the rumors about the Avatar's involvement with the Head of Future Industries?"
"Can you give us your personal opinion on Avatar Korra and Miss Sato?"
"Given your past involvement with both, what…?"
"You were romantically involved with both, what have you to…?"
"As the ex of both, how do you feel, now that…?"
The questions continued to bombard him as he took their barrage with an unusually passive face. Tonraq appeared even more uncomfortable than him as he regarded him with a careful expression. Turning to Beifong with his arms folded, Mako simply said "I want a raise." sounding non-negotiable.
Lin raised a brow, her otherwise equally as passive expression barely giving away the hint of amusement as she turned to leave while saying "I'll think about."
Mako turned after her with Tonraq and saw the pair and Suyin standing further back as the questions grew in number along with the volume. They walked back, away from the crowd, to join them.
"Dad! You didn't have to come all the way out, here." Korra told him, smiling appreciatively, regardless as she hugged him along with Asami, while Lin and Suyin stood waiting for them off to the side.
"I would've been street-paste if he hadn't." Mako commented as he walked up to them with a relaxed smile.
"Hi, Mako!" Korra greeted him with smile and a hug, still somewhat uncomfortable.
"Hey, Mako!" Asami did the same and felt the same. "Thanks for being here!" she added.
"Yeah." Korra nodded, then something occurred to her. "Wait! Don't you have a case or something? You aren't gonna get into trouble, right?" she asked, looking over to Lin, as well. Concerned but grateful.
"I don't have any cases right now. Or none that can't wait. It's why I'm here." he answered.
"He already took the brunt of it from the Press." Tonraq praised him.
"You look pretty relaxed." Korra looked at him strangely.
"Maybe 'cause I had a good sleep for the first time in weeks." he shrugged.
"Every one of us finally had one." Tonraq agreed.
"Heh. Well, I definitely had-…uh…um…" Korra trailed off and exchanged looks with Asami, both suddenly appeared to be flustered. Mako shook his head, hanging it as he smiled to himself.
"You two need to relax. Seriously. You're acting like…well, like I used to…around the two of you." he pointed at them, making the comparison. The pair flushed even more as they realized how right he was. "You really thought I'd be angry?"
"Well….not angry, but…" Korra tried to clarify some, looking at Asami.
"Then what? Cry?" Mako asked and the pair looked at each other feigning embarrassment and laughing with their eyes.
"Oh, haha!" Mako said, folding his arms, shaking his head at them, again.
"I swear the two of you had it out for me since the air-benders started showing up!" Mako commented. Korra and Asami looked at each other only a little sheepishly.
"We kinda did. Heh…sorry!" Korra said, shrugging apologetically.
"No harm done." Mako accepted, smiling. "Good thing Wu didn't see you. He would've been crushed." he mused.
"The day's not over." Asami said, smugly.
"Come on! Don't be mean! You know he's harmless." Mako defended, while recalling Asami's first impression of the guy.
"Lucky for him." Korra said, protectively bringing up a fist, getting a giggle from Asami.
"Careful with that thing in Raiko's office." Mako suggested, only half-jokingly, looking at her fist.
"Or just wait for an opportunity." Tonraq gave his advice.
"You don't need to encourage her, you know." Lin said, walking up to them. "No need to make my day more exciting." she added, repeating Tenzin's words as she looked pointedly at Korra.
"Apologies, Chief!" Tonraq smiled at her, arms folded and Lin only truly took in his appearance, now.
"She's definitely her father's daughter." she said, just slightly amused and perhaps briefly wondering what she got from the father she never knew.
"Only on the inside." Tonraq admitted. Korra got his attitude, but she got everything else from his beautiful wife. He thought to himself proudly.
"Actually, you looked like a spitting image, just now." Lin mused. Everyone looked at her funnily. Not used to seeing her so candid with…her nice comments. "She even got some of that muscle." Lin finished. Filling her quota for niceties for one day, giving Tonraq and Korra a hint of a smile and Tonraq's expression turned almost as boyishly embarrassed as the night before over Asami's slip.
Korra did not take it much better as she tipped her nose, making her face appear longer as her jaw slacked and looked at Lin with a dumb expression, for she just practically admitted to have eyed, however briefly, both her dad's and her body. Probably just a harmless complement from one efficiently violent fighter to another. She snapped out of it as she felt Asami pull closer to her with a sly smile, aimed at Lin.
"Eyes only, Chief!" she warned her with mock seriousness. Lin's eyes only went wide for a second, before she rolled them, looking upwards, shaking her head, hearing both halves of the pair laugh as she started walking towards Asami's car with Suyin, who had a rather serious expression on her face, instead of the amusement she had up until that point.
"Your car, love-birds?" Lin called to them. Telling them they should be on their way. Korra placed her hand on her father's shoulder, who nodded. She turned to Mako and appeared in deep thought for second, before giving him an exaggerated salute and Asami caught her laugh in her throat.
"See you two!" Mako said unfolding his arms, glad that they have relaxed. They both hugged him.
"See you around, Mako!" Asami waved, laughter in her voice as the pair walked off towards her car, but stopped and turned back mid-way.
"You're not going to stand around, here, for the rest of your shift, are you?" Asami asked as she and Korra were seriously thinking he might.
"Nah. I'll wait for a bit. Then, I'll get back to the precinct." He assured them.
"Oh. Okay." Asami relaxed.
"You'd better get back!" Korra told him. "We'd better not find out you stayed here all day!" Korra threatened with a smile. They turned and approached Asami's car where Lin and Suyin were in mid-conversation.
"I suppose all the travelling I did kept me from thinking about it. And your work probably haven't given you the time, either." Suyin was saying.
"Mom certainly never talked about any of it." Lin scoffed. "Didn't exactly help."
"True." Suyin agreed. They likely were not done with their discussion, but decided to leave it at that as the pair finally caught up.
"Can we go, now?" Lin asked, impatiently.
"Let me get my…keys." Asami was alarmed as she started patting herself around for her belongings. "My purse!" she exclaimed quietly with a sigh. "I left it in my room." she announced a little louder to them all and Korra's face fell.
"Great…" Lin muttered as she started moving back towards the police car that was prepped for them. She barely took a step when Asami perked up, having gotten an idea.
"Hang on. I'll just have to hotwire it. It'll only take a minute." she assured her, confidently, as she bent over the door and twisted as she leaned down, prying open a panel below the steering wheel to fiddle with some wires.
"Hotwire?" Korra asked, perplexed.
"She's gonna steal her own car." Lin explained to her, plainly. Not surprised she could. She built it.
Korra leaned over Asami to peek, but could not really see anything. She pulled back to simply lean against the door, arms folded, next to Asami. She looked down at her, mischief slowly taking hold on her face as she thought of something. She placed her hand on Asami back and started walking down with her fingers, spider-like, as the latter kept working. Suyin looked on amused, having a good idea where Korra's spider was headed to. Lin turned away from them, folding her arms.
Korra's hand slowly went further down, over Asami's lower back, feeling her tail-bone through the fabric and went to rest on her other cheek, as Korra seemed to be waiting for a reaction. Getting none, the spider spread its legs, and Korra gave a squeeze. She jumped away from the car as the engine started up at the same time. Asami straightened up and she gave Korra a sly smile.
"What took you so long?" Asami asked her and Korra blinked in confusion a few times, before realizing what she meant by that question and she gave her half a glare with a glint in her eye. "Hotwiring doesn't take long. Especially when you've made the car yourself." she added smugly.
"Alright! That's enough you two!" Lin growled. "Are we set?" she asked Asami.
"Almost." she replied as she bent back down to find a switch below the dashboard and all the doors on the car gave an audible click as they became unlocked. "There you go." she said, as a voila.
"Wow! Who needs keys?" Korra exclaimed, impressed by it all.
"Actually, you do need them. Unless you want to keep bending down to disconnect all the necessary wires every time you stop and start." Asami explained to her, apologetically, for bursting her bubble.
"Aww…well, I don't have problem with you bending down some more." Korra grinned, stepping closer to her, disheartened for only a mere second before her mind was back in the gutter as Asami gave her a naughty look.
"Move it!" Lin griped from the back as she and Suyin had already taken their seats. Korra ran around to hop in, over the door as Asami took her place in front of the steering wheel and started revving the engine, taking pride as she could feel the horsepower already, smiling in satisfaction.
"Purring like a kitten!" she commented. "Or like you." she gave Korra a side-glance, who beamed at her a little. Suyin shook her head in amusement behind Korra. Lin was rolling her eyes. They never stopped. "Hang on!" Asami exclaimed as the car shot forward and the Beifongs in the back had to press their hands in the seats in front of them to avoid hitting them with their heads. After which, both gave Asami a look of disbelief rather than a glare.
"Seatbelts, Chief!" she raised a brow to Lin through the rearview mirror.
"Miss Clever-Clogs." Lin muttered.
"Cogs would be more appropriate, don't you think?" she replied. Lin stayed silent. Not wanting to indulge her more.
They rode along the streets as people stared after them. Cars screeched to a halt. Some from a near collision. Drivers who were not gaping at them, were busy yelling after them. Buildings and streets flew by as Lin barely had the time to make out their names and look on in surprise at how much distance the have already covered.
"A most impressive vehicle, Miss Sato." Suyin commented, using Asami's last name, for effect, as its designer and builder. "I do believe you are holding out on Lin and her department." she teased both her and Lin.
"Sure looks that way." Lin muttered, folding her arms, giving half a glare to the back of Asami's head, who gave a charming, innocent smile to her in the rearview mirror as Korra smirked.
"I may propose a business alliance." Suyin suggested.
"As long as it's only that you are proposing." Asami laughed as she emphasized the word, teasingly and Suyin chuckled.
"Oh, I'm afraid you are much too young for me, my dear." she started, and added "And I'm already married." as an afterthought, feigning disappointment. Or perhaps she was. A little. Asami blushed as she gaped at her through the mirror. Lin stared as her eyebrows seemingly competed which one of them could go higher on her forehead. And Korra burst out laughing, resting her arm on the side of the car.
The ornate building of City Hall came into view as the car made a sharp turn. The giant tree, spreading from its iconic green dome with all its vines, has become a prominent feature, rather than an eyesore, visible from afar. Many of the surrounding buildings also had vines running over them that were not terribly obtrusive once people got used them. And so they have, as none seemed bothered by them, anymore. The entire district was full of people and ever since the pair returned, life, as well. They saw another crowd, much larger in size, gathered at the plaza. Only a fraction of them seemed to have massed at the docks, apparently. They were anxiously waiting for the Avatar and her rumored romantic partner with some of their cameras flashing from far away. The four could make out the President standing at the top of the stairs, flanked by guards, just outside the entrance. Asami pulled over and parked the car near the corner of the building on the right side. The crowd of reporters and photographers started advancing on them, crazed.
"Where do you keep that glove of yours?" Korra asked Asami and she started searching the compartment in front of her.
"Should be right there." Asami laughed lightly. Then, she saw Korra suddenly stop and looked at her as she held a magazine in her hand, staring at it. Korra looked at Asami and lifted the magazine to her, smiling slightly. Asami took a closer look and remembered it was the same one she was reading when they were reunited and the same one that sparked a conversation between the two of them, after she took Mako and Wu to her old estate.
(FLASHBACK)
The skies were orange as they left the estate, heading back into the city in silence. Neither of them sure what to say to spark a conversation. Korra looked at the magazine Asami had been reading when she showed up. She noticed how it featured women in sort of the same position as her. Engineers in their workers clothes, gloves and boots. Spots of oil and grease here and there. Others in coats, who seemed to be the brains, but she knew full well, having become close with Asami, that she was both the brains and brawn if the situation called for it. She looked at her, raising the magazine a little. Asami saw her inquiring look, but kept her eyes on the road as she talked to her.
"I like the image of women in positions of power and influence." she stated, smiling to herself. Korra appeared saddened as she pondered something.
"I don't think I have either of those, anymore." she said. Asami look at her and saw the doubt in her eyes, in herself and could not bear to see it for a moment longer.
"What? How can you say that? You're the Avatar! You have all of that. And more. You have us." she told her, firmly as she kept trying look at both the road and in Korra's eyes. The latter smiled weakly.
"I missed hearing you say that." she told her, appreciatively.
"I know Mako already said it, but…It's great to have you back." Asami looked at her for longer before turning her attention back to the road.
"Like I said." Korra started "There's nowhere else I'd rather be." she said softly, putting a hand on Asami's over the gearshift and the latter gazed at her, smiling warmly.
(END OF FLASHBACK)
Coming back from their reminiscing, they were surrounded by suits, skirts, pens and notepads, flashes of light sporadically going off around them, trapped like caged attractions. Except, there were no cages. Only the ever thickening circle of maddened media, choking them while all but demanding they speak.
"Out of the way!" Lin barked at them as she stepped out of the car to a spot barely cleared by the retreating crowd. Suyin slid over to her side of the seat and got out behind her as the pair kept turning in every direction, feeling the pressure, like a stalking beast breathing down their necks, almost literally. "Clear a path! Move it!" Lin continued to yell at them, fending them off.
Suyin doubted she had the same reputation with Republic City's citizens as her sister. Admittedly she was not nearly as intimidating as Lin, but she was just as determined to make it to City Hall, and most of all, to make sure Korra and Asami were not bothered. Personal space was one thing. The invasion of privacy was another. She had the outmost confidence in both of their abilities to handle those kind of situations in their own way, of course. All the same. As long as she was there, she would protect them.
Both Lin and the pair turned their heads as they felt the earth move and rumbling came from the other side of the car, where the crowd suddenly found themselves facing a wall that has risen from the concrete. Suyin stood from her stance as they stared at her. Lin was not sure whether to approve or not. At any rate, it gave her an idea as she hopped on the elevated ground, being watched by the spooked crowd and the pair. She took a stance as if she was lifting something with her arms and extended the platform all the way to the stairs of City Hall as the people in the path of the rising ground ran off and away from it.
The President and his men stared at the scene. Raiko looked about as pleased as any president would have been when the Chief of Police, herself, started tearing up the place. His displeasure was only outweighed by his legitimate fear for his own personal safety. He was less concerned about the damage his office might suffer should he rub any of them the wrong way. Even Chief Beifong seemed to have become emboldened with the return of the pair. His eyes followed them carefully as they moved along their make-shift ramp, conversing.
"Forget Mako's raise…I'll need a vacation." Lin muttered.
"Wouldn't surprise me if you hadn't taken a day-off in thirty years." Suyin said, from behind her.
"Hmph…" Lin grunted, seemingly confirming that suspicion.
"Lin…!" Suyin exclaimed.
The path was too narrow for two people to comfortably walk side by side. Korra pulled Asami up to her from inside the car and sized up the walkway. She gave Asami a questioning look and with a smile they have both decided to give the crowd a little show as she picked her up, the same way as before and the people went wild. It could have been night and they would have felt like they were out during the day from the nearly overwhelming camera-flashes, capturing every step they took.
Raiko observed their behavior with only mild curiosity as Chief Beifong and Suyin have made it to the bottom of the stairs and began to walk up the steps to him, both appearing calm and collected despite what they just did.
"Was that really necessary?" he asked, trying to keep his voice even and his face from contorting.
"We improvised, since all of your men are busy standing around." Lin calmly answered him.
Raiko would have argued the purpose of his own security, if he could afford the patience. He certainly did not want to try Beifong's. He opted for some semi-official banter, instead.
"Suyin." He acknowledged her. "What brings you to City Hall?"
"Business, I'm afraid. All of which I wish to conclude as quickly as possible, to spare us all time. As do you, I'm certain." she spoke plainly, but courteously. Knowing the President had quite the itinerary to see to.
"Indeed, I do." he agreed. Not yet certain if the Avatar's return will not bring people hope, along with new troubles. Not exactly a trade-off. It was always a given with her, though. He thought.
Raiko raised a brow, looking past Lin and Suyin, who followed his eyes, turning halfway and standing sideways as Korra practically skipped up the steps and in between them to stand in front of the President with Asami still in her arms. She put her down and she stood close to her. Both of their expression neutral.
"Raiko." Korra gave a side-node. Even if he was likely offended by the omission of his title, he didn't show it. He was used to the Avatar's attitude. Asami Sato gave a nod to him as he looked at her.
"Avatar Korra. Miss Sato. It has been a while." he greeted them.
"Yeah. The last time we talked, you wanted spirit-vine weapons." Korra said, folding her arms as she turned to gaze at the beam coming from the Spirit Portal. The surrounding devastation caused by the very technology the President demanded to be incorporated into their arsenal. A potentially and observably dangerous demand made in his moment of desperation. He followed her gaze, not missing the criticism. His expression did not change as he looked back at her.
"You were sorely missed by all, Avatar Korra." Raiko replied. Not above sarcasm.
"I bet." Korra said, standing proud.
"You were counting every minute." Asami commented. Korra snorted.
"Shall we dispense with the pleasantries, then? I believe we have matters to discuss." Raiko turned, indicating for them to follow him inside, also noting Asami Sato's defensiveness over the Avatar. Hardly surprising, seeing how they were actually involved. Even Raiko had to admit he was amused by it, as much as he could afford being amused, especially how both seemed rather hostile, despite outward appearances. Granted, not without reason.
The group entered City Hall as the guards forced the entrance shut behind them to keep the wild horde out. They walked across the spacious former Council chambers passing the rectangular meeting table standing on a slightly raised platform, all the while being watched by dozens of pairs of eyes from the balconies as they reached the other end. They took the stairs to the upper-floors and moved across extravagantly decorated hallways, in silence, as everyone they passed stared after them. They rounded a turn and found themselves on the corridor leading to Raiko's office. Korra was holding Asami's hand as both of them were on guard in case of anything happened. Raiko narrowed his eyes as they approached his office, moving along the empty corridor. Suspiciously empty. His guards were standing on either side of his office door, yet, he found the lack of a small mob trying to push themselves through them to him, odd. He was expecting at least a couple of them to have made it through and was about to relax when they all heard the sound of rushing footsteps as groups of reporters came around from both sides of the corridor, coming from both directions from the intersecting hallways as if they were lying in wait the whole time. The two guards sprang to either side of the group to hold off the stealth team of ambushing reporters. The group made a beeline to the President's office and Raiko held the door until they all made it in, slamming it shot afterwards as he could see his guards were already overtaken, the hounds of the Press already nipping at their heels as the door nearly hit them in the face.
"Tough security." Lin commented as they walked further in on the tiled floor to s small conference area located in the middle with a bust, small table, two chairs and a bench for visitors to sit. Raiko glanced at Lin as he led them to it all.
"Actually, I had expected a number of them to be waiting. Admittedly not this many. I doubt my security would've let so many of them through." he folded his arms as he seemed to be thinking about how it could have happened, when they heard what sounded like something wooden hitting concrete. They turned towards the large windows to see the top of a long, wide ladder propped up against the window seal, slightly wobbling as someone was climbing it.
"For crying out loud!" Raiko let some of his frustration show as he stomped to his window just as a pair of reporters, one with a camera, the other one with a pen in his mouth, his pockets full of notepads, made it up and blinked in the President's narrowed eyes through the glass.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Lin commented. Equally as surprised by the boldness of these people as they watched Raiko open his window, ready to explode on them, rather than pull his curtains, it seemed. As he did, both men eagerly stepped through the boundaries of his personal space and into his face without the slightest respect for either, unloading on him.
"Mr. President!" they started in unison "Have you talked with the Avatar, yet?"
"What about Miss Sato?"
"Have you anything to say on their relationship?"
"What are you planning?
"We understand you haven't parted on the best of terms."
"You supported the idea of weaponizing the vines!
Raiko shot Korra a look after that, who only stared with the rest and their eyes got wider as three more people popped up on top of the two and spotted them inside. As Raiko turned back to the window to find, to his horror, even more faces, they started firing their questions to Korra and Asami, over him, completely ignoring the growing redness in his face.
"Avatar Korra!"
"Miss Sato!" They all addressed the two in unison, some saying the latter's name, first as they drowned each of their names out with the other, repeatedly.
"Is this a romantic relationship?"
"Are the two of you involved?"
"When did it all begin?"
"Who wears the proverbial pants?"
"Does this mean Future Industries is under the Avatar's personal protection?"
"Will you use your Avatar status to gain business-favors?"
"Will you impose your type of relationship and force it to be the norm in your new world order?"
If a record had been playing it would have stopped with the usual scratch as everyone stared at the only woman in the pack of reporters. Even her colleagues gave the familiar woman a weird look.
"How the heck would we even…?" Korra did not have time to finish.
"That's…it!" The window was slammed shot by Raiko and they could her the screams and crashing as the reporters plummeted.
Raiko let out a deep sigh as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. His nostrils having flared only moments ago. He went to pull all of the curtains shut.
"What have you two done?" Lin looked at the couple. Impressed and mortified, at the same time.
Korra and Asami made genuine wounded puppy faces at the half-serious accusation. People were going crazy. And it was because of them. They will not even leave City Hall before the papers will be printed. The ink on them will not have time to dry before people descend on the publishers, news kiosks and poor defenseless paperboys, picking them all apart to see their relationship.
Raiko cleared his throat and motioned for them so sit where they wanted. Lin took one of the chairs as Suyin sat with Raiko on either end of the bench. Korra took the other chair and seated Asami in her lap, shrugging at Raiko's raised brow and Suyin's amused smile returned, while Lin sat straight with her arms folded, groaning internally and looking like it.
"When I said your return would revitalize the city, this is not what I had in mind." Raiko commented.
"That makes three of us." Asami said as she exchanged looks with Korra.
"Four." Lin added.
"Five." Suyin, too. "Give or take a few million."
"Right. Onto our first item of discussion, then. And the most pressing issue." he began as he turned to Asami. "They city's infrastructure is in need of redesign, now more than ever, with the loss of the downtown area. Without going into the most miniscule of details, for now, we need to build an entire district. Several, in fact. If we want the city to not only recover, but to grow. However Avatar Korra may assist in that is…up to her. What is certainly required of her, is to resume her duties as the Avatar and maintain not only balance, but…relationships…all throughout the Republic as intermediary between the states, should conflict arise, as it most certainly will." he explained, stumbling on the word relationship, unintentionally.
"Wow. You're really full of hope." Korra commented, sarcastically.
"I'm simply being realistic in my expectations. Considering the last four years." Korra narrowed her eyes at him.
"Hey! You can't seriously-…" Korra started.
"I am not." Raiko cut in as Korra blinked, her expression softening.
"I realize Republic City is…a magnet for everyone who…aspires for world-domination, with you being the primary target in their way." He explained. In a way apologizing for blaming Korra for all that has happened to the city and its citizens, adding "Who knows if the reign of the deranged ideologists would have stopped with Amon and his Equalists." Never mind the others, after.
Korra looked at Asami as her face saddened. She stroked her hand with her thumb, gazing into her eyes that were momentarily filled with tragic memories, both from that time and the very recent past.
"My…apologies." Raiko's voice softened as he realized the associations his words had for them.
"I supposed it is rather fitting that a Spirit Portal should stand in the heart of the city and of the Republic, after all of that. Its effect is more than symbolic." he mused and Korra appeared to be in deep thought.
"Maybe we can turn the old downtown into a national park. And a place of meditation. It's a spiritual center. Literally." Korra's mind raced. Raiko appeared to be considering her idea as Korra went on. "We could have guided tours, like we used to. Tourism! Right?" she stitched it together and Raiko looked moderately thrilled by it, as much as he let on, anyway.
"The tourism could help generate additional revenue to fund everything else." he thought out loud. "And it would ease the tension and would alleviate people's fear of the area."
"If they got used to the vines, here…?" Korra need not finish, as she tailed of the end of her sentence.
"Yes. I will definitely consider your idea." Raiko said earnestly as he nodded.
"Well done, Korra! That sounds marvelous!" Suyin congratulated her as she got a proud smile from Asami, as well.
"Thanks! My head kinda hurts, now." she held her hand to her head as Asami stroked her.
"So will mine." Lin moaned.
"I don't think the people making a pilgrimage will be of the criminal persuasion." Asami told her.
"We'll see." Lin wasn't convinced.
"Which brings me to you, Chief Beifong." Raiko turned to her. "The Police Department will require more than just the obvious plus in manpower. We'll need to establish a larger police presence with the latest technology.
"Some better cars would nice." Lin said as she looked at Asami from the corner of her eyes. Raiko looked between them, suspecting they have discussed it already.
"Future Industries will provide you with best they can, I'm certain." Raiko assured her.
"They'd better." Lin still had her eyes on Asami, as she regarded the industrialist with a suspicious look. Asami placed her hand on her heart in mock-hurt, her eyes laughing. Raiko did not know what to make of their exchange as he continued.
"With the expansion of the city, we will also need to provide better, faster and more direct alternatives for public transportation and the reinforcement of buildings against structural damage, both long term and…short." he could not help glancing at Korra, at that last word, who would have folded her arms if she could, and only gave him a look. "Suyin?" he turned to the matriarch.
"Zaofu has agreed to work with Republic City to make the necessary improvements to the rail and tramways. As well as incorporate some of our architectural advancements into the design of the new areas." she explained and looked at Asami as she continued "I'm also strongly considering a joint-venture with Future Industries that I believe will be most beneficial." she smiled at Asami, who gave her one back with a wink. Korra growled lightly in mock-jealousy and Asami pouted innocently. Raiko did not know what to make of that exchange, either. But, if it meant a partnership between Zaofu and Future Industries was all but cemented, already, he could not care less what else was behind it.
"Excellent!" Raiko exclaimed. He got up and walked over to his desk and took out a stack of papers and moved to give Asami, Suyin and Lin what appeared to be contracts and detailed information on the subjects they have already talked about, except Korra's spontaneous idea and Suyin's latest proposal.
"Everything we have discussed so far were…dashes on a list, if you will. Now, we'll have to get down to the details of each idea. Avatar Korra's included, as well as your proposal." he explained looking at Suyin in the end. She exchanged looks with Asami, who gave a light snort. Raiko blinked and sat back on the bench.
"Right, then…" he said and the real meeting began.
The light penetrating the curtains shifted as the sun moved along its domain and became brighter as the skies cleared outside. The winds of change slowly died down, having brought their message and their omens. Where there was fear and uncertainty, there was now hope and determination, a new purpose, in everyone's hearth. A new path was in front of them. One they made sure will lead them to a world they have fought hard and sacrificed much for. The prospect of new adventures, the forging of new bonds and strengthening existing ones, of innovation, of literally building their future, stood before all.
Author's note: Yeah, I'm not gonna type-out an entire meeting.
Admittedly a lot of scratching and grinning in this fic.
I did some canoeing for about a month when I was in 4th grade. We loved it when some cargo-ships and the like made some big waves that kept throwing us up and down. Fearless as a kid. Now? I'd whine about getting wet.
I'm…not sure how stealing a car works, exactly, but it's a steampunk setting with some rather high-tech stuff, so I'm taking a few deliberations with what one has to fiddle with to hotwire a car they've built themselves.
Thought I'd reference that weird reporter woman from the premiere of Book 3 who raves about the Avatar's new world order, and also, reflect the ridiculous anti-gay/anti-gay marriage arguments through her, that those turds make. That allowing gays to marry would take away their right to marry and that everyone would be forced to gay-marry and it would lead to bestiality even…etc.
I wanted to use Bolin's line, about getting a headache after too much thinking, with Korra.
Also, they all have impressive bladder-control. Must have been nurses in their previous lives. That or testicular cancer cells.