Asami Sato laughed.

The brightness in her voice reverberated in the cockpit of the prototype AP-1 aircraft as she ascended to a comfortable cruising altitude. It worked.Of course it worked. She had designed it. Her gloved hand ran over the console and gave the metal a light pat.

"I knew you could do it."

Star-shaped, air-cooled radial engines replaced the water-cooled rotary and piston engines of older Future Industries models, allowing for a larger, heavier aircraft and longer, more stable flights. A single slightly bent shoulder wing extended from either side of the entirely metal aircraft, granting improved visibility and the option to mount more powerful propellers. The glass-enclosed cabin held six passengers with ample room for cargo. She reached for the hand-held radio.

"This is Asami. Take-off a little shaky. Climb smooth. Barometric and dynamic pressures normal. Vibration heavy. Cruising at this altitude then bringing her in. Weather conditions optimal. Ceiling unlimited. Over."

"Roger that," replied a crackling, disembodied voice.

And the radio worked, too. She was inexplicably relieved. Even though the plane passed every ground test, she couldn't help but half expect it to fall apart midair. She would have to work on her attitude.

After returning the radio transmitter to its mount, Asami took a moment to reflect on the tireless work of hundreds of individuals that went into creating the PA-1. With a few more years of development, it would be able to comfortably transport people anywhere in the world many times faster than any boat or airship. It had the ability to change the world. And it was all achieved not by bending or spirits, but by the human mind.

Asami looked up through the glass to admire how perfect a summer day it was. Not a single cloud in the sky. Ceiling unlimited. Below her stood the monument to the incredible progress of humanity achieved in a relatively tiny period of time: Republic City. Her city. In front of her were two cascading sheets of blue sliced by the horizon. There was something about that straight, clear line that made her feel that anything was possible. She felt at home.

If only for a few brief minutes, there was nothing but the sea, the sky, and Asami Sato. That was all she wanted.

She was repeatedly reminded by various staff that there were indeed test pilots employed at Future Industries, and that the president of the company need not 'take the risk.' They would never understand. She had designed the PA-1. She would be damned if anyone but her sat behind the controls for its maiden flight. Besides, the 'risk' was entirely worth it. The view from the cockpit was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Well, second most beautiful.

Wait. No. There were those... feelings again. Asami clenched her teeth and gripped the controls tightly, attempting to banish the emotion that was flooding into her consciousness. Why here? Why now? It was not the time for that. After a brief struggle, the thoughts dissipated and a sigh escaped from her mouth. Thank goodness.

It was only when she noticed the water pooling at the bottom of her goggles that she let out frustrated groan and punched the metal plate to her side.

"When did I get so pathetic?"

It was a question she had been asking herself a lot in the recent months. Burying herself in her work was almost effective at burying those annoying, or rather, torturing thoughts. Almost. She would have to keep working on that. It was something she didn't have time for. The radio transmitter found its way back to her palm.

"Cruising smooth. Beginning descent. Over."

The moment Asami landed, her aircraft was swarmed by a team of Future Industries engineers who began examining every inch of the plane and gathering all the necessary post-flight data. After giving them the full report of her test flight, she let them do their jobs and briskly made her way down the airstrip to the lot where her satomobile was parked.

The chatter of her busy crew soon dampened and was drowned out by the clacking of her boots with each step. There was a sense of urgency without any place to be. The next item on her agenda wasn't for two hours. Even still, Asami was filled with the inexplicable need to go. To drive.

"Asami!" a voice called from behind her. It was the same voice that had spoken through her radio, just with less static. Quick, loud steps joined hers as Masahiro, her chief aeronautical engineer, fell rank in file beside her.

He wasn't exactly a tall man, but he certainly wasn't unassuming. There was a spark of brilliance in his golden eyes and an enormous mane of messy, black hair that was always seemingly attempting to escape his head only to be thwarted by the googles that strapped it down. Asami wasn't sure of his age, but he was definitely older than he appeared. He had worked for Future Industries for years before being promoted in the wake of the firings, and in some cases, arrests, of her father's former top staff. However, there was an unbound youthfulness to him that Asami found refreshing.

"Congratulations on the maiden flight!" He was beaming and practically skipping as he kept her pace.

"You and your team are the ones who should be congratulated. The new engine is incredible."

"I'm still more impressed that you came up with the design for the body after observing an albatross pelican. That's some pretty intense bird watching, man!"

His informality with her was one of the reasons she liked him so much. They were able to make a huge amount of progress very quickly simply due to their comfort level. He was never afraid to ask her questions, voice his opinion, and tell her when she was wrong which was invaluable in increasing efficiency.

"One of the productive side effects of going to the beach, I guess."

"If a spark of brilliance like that happens every time Asami Sato hits the beach, you should definitely go more often."

"And leave all the fun to you guys? I don't think so."

"If long nights, endless bickering, and nearly toxic levels of coffee consumption is your idea of fun, I may start to question your sanity."

"I guess that's why I'm the boss."

"Fair point! And... thanks for being a good one." There was a sudden sadness in his eyes. He ran a hand through his shaggy hair and rubbed the back of his neck. "I have to..." He hesitated and his eyes fell to the ground. "...get back to work."

Asami arched an eyebrow at the abrupt awkwardness of her engineer. It was entirely out of character.

"Oh. Well... you're welcome, Masahiro. Keep up the good work."

Masahiro nodded and turned to jog back to the plane. Asami stopped to watch him leave. Maybe she should have asked what was wrong. Was that what a good manager would have done? She wasn't sure. Having an entire company with a shattered image dumped on her as a teenager was certainly the most overwhelming experience of her life and her lack of experience definitely didn't help. She had learned a huge amount in the years since, but truly effective management was still a challenge for her. There were no easy answers.

Asami found her satomobile where she left it and wasted no time firing up the engine, putting it into gear and speeding off. Zipping through the streets of Republic City was almost as therapeutic as soaring above it. The wheels of the satomobile spun over roads, bridges, and overpasses that she had built. Her company's designs were leagues more efficient than the old, mostly destroyed infrastructure from the time before Unavaatu's attack. They even allowed human and spirit to coexist without either party sacrificing convenience or comfort. During her increasingly frequent drives, she was unable to suppress the swelling pride in her team for achieving so much in such a short time and in herself for helming all of it. It made her feel unlimited.

Was it really such a short time, though? It felt like it had been only a matter of days since she watched her father being dragged away in chains after trying to kill her. In reality, three years had passed. It had been nearly two since the defeat of the Red Lotus and the moment... never mind. She pressed down on the gas pedal and gunned it.

Where did the time go? The past few years seemed to have passed her by in a flash like the images of the city rushing by her satomobile. She wondered why time had slipped away from her. Why, despite all of her success and achievements, did she never take a moment to slow down and savor it at all? She had never stopped to ask and she wasn't about to start.

Her axels chewed up the remaining spare time until the next task and ultimately came to a halt at the newly dubbed Avatar Korra Park, where a variety of renovations were underway. After checking in on several of the new bridges and fountains under construction, she came to the center of the park where she found a team of earth bending sculptors surrounding a huge stone effigy of Korra.

She held her breath as she approached, taking in the sight of the statue as the workers made some finishing touches. It was perfect.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" said a woman's voice behind her. Its tone wasn't high pitched and its timbre had some gravel, but there was a distinct femininity to it.

"Yeah. She is," Asami replied airily, only half paying attention.

"I meant our handiwork, but what you said is also true."

A tall woman donning a tank top, slacks, and suspenders stepped beside her. She held an outstretched design document with sketches of Korra's statue from every angle. Her eyes glanced from the page to the realized final product.

Wait, what did she just say?

Asami, realizing the misunderstanding, raised a hand to her face as if that could mask her embarrassment.

"Oh. Of course. Great work, Tikaani."

Tikaani shot her a sidelong glance.

"I wasn't fishing for compliments but thanks all the same, Asami. You should really be saying that to the guys, though. They're the ones who executed the design to a T." She nodded to her team standing on earthen pillars at various altitudes meticulously shaping and reshaping the stone features.

"Of course I will, but I wanted to thank you for putting down on paper exactly what I envisioned. It looks so... heroic."

"Not to difficult job when your subject is the Avatar." She rolled up the schematic and folded her arms to join Asami in admiring their joint creation.

Tikaani was one of Future Industries' best architects and certainly the youngest. She had been kicked out of architecture school for demolishing her portion of a group project that the team changed without her permission. When Asami saw her original blueprints, she hired her on the spot. She appreciated Tikaani's constant reminders that form should always follow function. Her conviction even went as far as keeping her hair cut very short so it wouldn't get in her eyes while working. Even the thought of tying her hair back was deemed an unnecessary waste of time. Calling her productive was an understatement.

It was also nice to work with someone her own age for a change.

"Do you want to take a closer look?" she asked, turning to Asami as they approached the base of the statue. "Ming! Give Ms. Sato a lift!" she barked at one of the earth benders as if she already knew the answer.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Within seconds the uneven ground below her smoothed out and rose skyward with a trail of earth firmly rooting it. Before she knew it, she was face to face with Korra. Well, Colossus Korra, anyway. Asami inhaled and gently touched the stone face, spending a millisecond to suppress an emotional reaction that wasn't the most ideal in a public setting. It really was beautiful. The amount of detail was astounding. It was almost an exact replica of the real thing. Almost.

"What do you think?! Does it get the Sato seal of approval?!" called Tikani from the ground as Asami closely inspected the statue.

"It's perfect, except you forgot her mole!"

"Her mole?!"

"She has this... little mole at the base of her neck!" Asami tapped the location on her own skin to demonstrate.

"Uhh... That's not in my reference materials!" Tikaani rustled through some papers with a scouring eye. The sculptors shared a look.

"Well. She has one! It should be right..." said Asami as she tried to lean down under stone Korra's chin and reach an arm towards the neck. "Here!"

"Careful!" Tikaani shouted, but it was too late. Asami's boot slipped and her footing was gone. Before she could even register what was happening, she was cradled in Tikaani's arms and the workmen were cheering.

"Got ya." The architect was on the verge of smiling, something she rarely did. Her storm blue eyes were locked with Asami's. There was confidence in the gaze as well as something else Asami couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Thanks," she said, realizing for the first time just how strong Tikaani was. Asami knew she worked out often, but had never really noticed how toned her bronzed body was. It actually kind of reminded her of... No! What was she thinking?! Blushing, she quickly hopped out of her architect's grasp and swatted at some of the dust on her clothes.

"Don't mention it," said Tikaani, who after breaking the lingering gaze was picking up the papers she had dropped to perform the last minute save. After a moment of awkward silence, she glared at the gawking crew. "You heard the lady! Let's get a mole there!" They snapped to attention and scurried the base of the statue's neck.

Asami had already left the scene and was half way to her satomobile when Tikaani caught up in a light jog.

"Heading out?"

"Yeah, I have another meeting at City Hall for the usual government check-in," said Asami.

"Fun." She was horrible at masking her contempt.

"I'm not looking forward to it either, but it's part of our contract."

"Suit yourself." Tikaani shrugged. "We'll have the mole in place and the statue finished by the end of the day. Sorry I missed it."

When she said it like that, it seemed so petty. Asami's face reddened even more.

"Great. And it's no big deal. I should have mentioned it when we were sketching out the design. It's just... really important to me that the statue is just right."

"I understand." She gave her a firm, reassuring nod. "Good luck with the bureaucrats."

"I'll be fine. I, um... I'll see you back at the office?" There was a twinge of hope in her voice that she quickly regretted.

"I'll be around." She rose two fingers in a half salute as a farewell before heading back to work.

Asami did a quick touch up on her hair and makeup in the mirror of her satomobile. She looked at herself and shook her head. "Real smooth, Asami. You managed to find a way to make yourself look like both a klutz and a schoolgirl." The woman in the mirror didn't respond.

Asami heaved open the unnecessarily heavy doors of City Hall to the usual flustered commotion she'd come to expect from the city's civil servants. She approached the information desk clutching several rolled blueprints under her arm. The one free clerk stared blankly at her and didn't offer a word.

"Hi there."

Nothing. Asami was pretty sure that he was breathing through his mouth.

"I'm Asami Sato. I have a three o'clock meeting with Mr. Xiong."

Xiong was Republic City's chief civil engineer. When Asami had scored the contract to rebuild the city's infrastructure, Raiko's only request was that she keep the administration in the loop on all of her designs and progress. She still considered the regular meetings a waste of time, but Xiong had always been pleasant and supportive. She supposed things could be worse.

"Asami Sato," the clerk parroted. He shifted his slack-jawed gaze, flipping open a gigantic ledger and fingering through the scribbled text. He tapped on an entry and looked back at her with empty eyes.

"Mr. Xiong no longer works here. Your meeting's been rescheduled with Mr. Yim, the new city planner."

"What?"

Asami's incredulous look was met with complete apathy.

"Would you like me to repeat myself?"

She grit her teeth.

"No, thank you. Just tell me where I'm going, please."

"Office X-289. Is there anything else-" he began to drone, but Asami was already yards away from the desk, her breakneck speed not out of place amongst the chaos of City Hall.

What could have possibly happened? She had just spoken with Xiong a week prior. And what exactly was a 'city planner'? She stopped at the office marked "Yim - City Planner | No Entry Without Appointment." The metal plaque was pristine and the engraving appeared fresh. It couldn't have been more than a few days old.

Asami's knuckles hovered over the wood of the door. Her sense of urgency had suddenly evaporated. Before she could find the will to knock, she was greeted by a voice from inside.

"You may enter."

Asami gasped and hesitated with a hand on the door knob before slowly entering the office that was just as spotless as the plaque outside. Asami felt like the state of the room was not simply the result of a meticulously tidy inhabitant. It felt like an office that had never seen any actual work. Sitting behind the desk was a slender, middle-aged man with a gaunt face and perfectly combed hair. He had a thin smile and appraising eyes.

"Asami Sato. Just the industrialist I've been dying to meet." He didn't stand to greet her. All the same, Asami strode to his desk and extended a hand, the designs still stuffed under her other arm.

"And you must be Yim, and apparently clairvoyant." He took her hand gently and gave it a light shake.

"Tragically, supernatural powers are not my strong suit," he said, gesturing to Asami's feet. "I could hear those expensive boots and that gate that just oozes self-importance a mile away. I'm pleased you live up to your reputation."

Self-importance? Reputation?

Asami maintained her standard meeting smile. She was not unaccustomed to dealing with snarky bureaucrats although Yim's immediate aggression was definitely out of the norm. He was probably trying to assert his authority since he was new to the job. She would just have to grin and bear it to get the meeting over with so she could move on to actual productive uses of her time.

"Anyway, I was supposed to meet with Xiong to show him the blueprints for what we'll be working on over the next few months." She unrolled one of the scrolls on his desk, revealing the designs of a new tunnel to redirect traffic under a patch of spirit vines.

"Please stop that." Yim placed a hand on the unfurling roll. "I'm not an engineer or an architect. This means nothing to me."

Asami blinked.

"Then why am I meeting with you? Where's Xiong?"

"He resigned under undisclosed circumstances and the administration had the good sense to alter the position into one that would do far more good."

"A city planner."

"Precisely."

"Which does what, exactly?"

"Ms. Sato. I know someone as industrious and logical as you couldn't possibly understand anything beyond the cold, unfeeling cruelty of the hardsciences, but a city is far more than cement and steel. What's needed for real progress is someone who knows and wants what's best for the common people." Yim finished his sentence by folding his fingers and giving Asami a look she knew was a challenge. It was his condescending tone that made her want to go back to her satomobile to fetch her shock glove. She exhaled and ran a hand through her hair for composure. She refused to take the bait.

"You still didn't answer my question. Why am I here? What will your role be in my work?" Asami's cool delivery was betrayed by the raging fire in her eyes. Still, the distrust was clear in her voice.

"Of course. Thanks to some recent legislation, there's to be a new procedure for all construction within Republic City's limits. You will submit all your designs, schematics, and plans to my assistant. I will then consult with my expert advisors for four to eight weeks and make the decision on whether or not they advance society. You will then either receive a rejection notice or the semi-approved documents with corrections. Comply as directed and you will be granted a permit."

"Corrections." Asami spoke through her teeth.

"Absolutely. You couldn't possibly assume that someone from your wealthy, privileged background could ever be adequately socially responsible."

"The reason Future Industries won the contract to rebuild Republic City's infrastructure is because we offer the best product. Period. Quality of life, for society, has skyrocketed over past two years and now you want my company to wait 'four to eight weeks' just to be permitted to do the job we were already hired for by the President himself?" Asami's voice was raised and she realized she had been digging her nails into the desk.

"I feel that you'll find President Raiko much more sympathetic to my goals than you realize. The terror that the Red Lotus brought upon the Earth Kingdom has reminded much of the voting public of the vital importance of social planning lest chaos erupt. I think that far outweighs your own autonomy."

"We'll see about that." Asami swiveled and headed for the door while gesturing to the pile of blueprints. "Feel free to consult your 'expert advisors' on those for now. I need to get back to work. I will be speaking to Raiko about this."

"Please do... But wait. There's one much more pressing item I'd like to speak to you about."

Asami was already half way out the door. She considered ignoring him, but relented and re-entered the office against her better judgment.

"Yes?" she asked, tapping her foot .

"I'm curious about a specific project in Republic City Park."

"Avatar Korra Park," she corrected.

"Are we already calling it that?" He had no idea the nerve he was so close to hitting. Or maybe he did.

"Seeing how it's already been dedicated and the statue is being finished today, yes."

"Ah, the statue. That's exactly what I wanted to discuss. I saw its design in Xiong's old files and I must say it's quite... problematic."

"Excuse me?" Asami's eye twitched. Humoring him was a mistake.

"Don't you think it's arrogant to erect a monument honoring a single individual for something that's not even worth celebrating?" His lips were pursed and he was no longer attempting pleasantry. His milky eyes were watching Asami's face with razor focus.

"Without Korra, there wouldn't even be a city for you to plan!" Her brows were furrowed and she had finally tipped over the edge into shouting territory.

"I know you must be wholly ignorant to these matters, but idolizing the Avatar as some 'hero' is a constant reminder to the common man of his inadequacies. It's terrible for morale."

"What are you talking about?! It represents the limitless potential in everyone! It shows that a single individual can overcome overwhelming odds! How is that bad for 'morale'?!" Her arm sliced through the air as she finished her point. Blood was rushing to her ears and she was really regretting not leaving when she had the chance.

"As amusing as your naive worldview is, I must request that you change it to something more appropriate. Perhaps several faceless Republic City citizens cowering amongst the spirit vines to remind us that we are all ultimately helpless in this world." Yim tapped on his desk, apparently pleased with his vision of art.

"That's awful. And you can't 'request' me to do anything. The rebuilding of the park was paid for by my personal donation!"

"You underestimate what I can request you to do."

"I have a contract!"

"Contracts can be amended."

"You're out of your mind!" Asami's face was red and she could feel the heat radiating from it, half hoping that this was some kind of cruel joke.

"You seem incredibly invested in Avatar Korra, Ms. Sato. You two are close friends if I'm not mistaken? I've seen the photographs."

"What does that have to do with-"

"I hear she's become a ghost since her poisoning. Is that true? Have you seen her in the years since she fell off the face of the Earth? Have you even heard from her? Your dedication seems mispl-"

"You stay out of our affairs!" Asami's jaw was tight and she was shaking. How dare he pretend to know anything about her or Korra. About what they've been through.

Yim stood and his his thin lips peeled into a grin.

"No, Ms. Sato. Affairs of that sort are not my interest. I only care about social progress."

Asami wasn't even aware what was happening as her hand curled into a fist and rocketed towards the man standing before her. She snapped back just in time to stop herself, her knuckles trembling mere inches from Yim's unflinching face. His grin never wavered.

"Oh my. Were you planning on striking me, Ms. Sato?"

"...No." Asami lowered her trembling fist and hung her head, blinking away tears of rage.

"You may go now," said Yim pleasantly, giving her a casual, dismissing wave and sitting back down. "I've gotten all the answers I needed. I expect you to fulfill my request."

Asami abruptly swiveled and stormed out of the office, but could still hear his calls behind her.

"You can't stop the future, Ms. Sato! Don't be on the wrong side of history! If you get in between the wheels of progress, they will cut you down! You'll see that they're already spinning!"

Asami was kicking herself. She had sworn that she wouldn't take the bait but she fell for it anyway. She was better than that. She knew she was better than that.

Why was it so effortless for him to puppeteer her? Why did she break down reveal her hand so easily? How did he know which nerve to strike? And why was that nerve so tender? Why was he able to discover in minutes what took her years to realize?

What if he was right?

Asami felt it coming. She tried to fight it. She had fought it for so long. It was no use this time.

She collapsed in the driver's seat of her satomobile and for the first time in a very long while, Asami Sato wept.