"No more cabbage rolls!" Ikki makes a face as she hops on her air scooter... to hand Korra the biggest wok she could find on Air Temple Island.
Oh yeah?" Korra chuckles. With a quick flick of her wrist, the wok goes right into the sink. A stream of water flows seamlessly into the wok with another flick. "I thought you liked those. And you know your mom is gonna say no bending inside young lady!"
"I did!" Ikki insists. "You wouldn't like it either if you had to eat it every day for a week! And she's not even here right now! And you are bending too!"
"I'll have you know that I once had seaweed noodles every day for a month," Korra shrugs, her mouth pulling into a crooked grin, "And I'm the avatar! And I—hey Asami!"
As if on cue, Asami appears at the kitchen entrance with one huge bag of groceries in her arms, slightly out of breath but smiling softly, "Hi sweetie, hi Ikki. Hot day isn't it?"
In one swift motion, Korra is already at Asami's side, taking the huge bag from her arms. Asami's smile grows bigger as Korra sends a slight puff of air towards her face.
No bending inside suuuuuure. "So what are you making for us tonight?" Ikki loves having Korra and Asami over. It's just so nice to be able to talk to people that aren't Jinora or Meelo for a change.
Well, Jinora used to be fun when she actually wanted to talk about stuff like books or movers or culture or history or even bending or whatever, but now all she wants to talk about is Kai. Ack.
Actually, all Jinora wants to do nowadays is talk to Kai. Double Ack.
And there's Meelo... no. She would rather talk to Rohan. And he can't even talk yet!
But Korra and Asami are different. They are so interesting. They have so many stories to tell, and the way they talk to each other...
Ikki loves that too. She loves listening to Korra and Asami talk to each other.
Korra and Asami are fun. The way they talk is fun. The things they talk about are fun.
Grow-up talks are fun, like her parents… but they won't ever let her listen!
But neither would Jinora and Kai, Ikki has to admit. She didn't really mean to walk in on them though, that was an accident!
"We'll be making some dumplings," She looks up and sees that Asami has already removed her jacket and now has a blue apron over her shirt, "Korra suggested sujiao, and I think that's a great idea."
"That's like all veggie right?" Of course it is, they are on Air Temple Island.
"Correct - but we've put in more than that. This time we used chive, tofu, mushroom, vermicelli and egg." Asami flips her hair, ties it back and gestures for Korra to tie the straps behind her back. "It shouldn't take too long. I've already picked up all the wrappers during my lunch break, and the filling has already been prepared and mixed this morning."
"We shall present to you," Korra says proudly, "A Bite of Ba Sing Se. Courtesy of Grandma Yin. Oh and some fresh vegetables, courtesy of us."
Definitely better than cabbage rolls. Ikki sits back comfortably into the high chair by the kitchen counter, pouring herself a glass of lychee juice.
It IS a hot day. Time to chill.
The first half hour or so goes by quickly without a lot of chatter, much to Ikki's chagrin. Just the usual how was your day sweetie, did you pick up everything, is the filling all good, yes here have a taste…
Nothing juicy… yet, but they're fun to watch. They always grin at each other for no reason, and they look at each other all the time! Did Asami just blow a kiss at Korra, and did Korra just wink back?
Just like Jinora and Kai, especially when they think other people aren't watching.
"No, seriously-" Korra's voice suddenly goes up a notch and knocks Ikki out of her stupor, "So I'm like 90% sure Mako has got a girlfriend-"
Korra is now doing what Meelo has named the "Avatar Bending Orchestra." Both of her hands fly up and down rapidly, bouncing and dancing in the air. Her left wrist commands a stream of water washing some cucumbers and tomatoes, right wrist controlling another stream rinsing the wok.
Ohhhhhh. Now Ikki is not sure what to focus on, the show or the juicy stuff.
"Sweetie, last week you said he's sneaking around with Wu," Asami has already rolled up her sleeves and is now carefully placing dozens of dumpling wrappers on the counter in front of her, exact rows of four by four, with equal distance from each other. She then takes out a container with a lot of stuff inside.
Some green stuff, yellow stuff and white stuff. Must be the filling they were talking about.
"I know, but hear me out. That is a red herring!"
Another flick, sink turned off. Korra's hands are now once again dancing in the air as the newly washed cucumbers and tomatoes are now being chopped into perfectly proportioned little pieces by two cleavers suspended in thin air.
The two knives dance to the movement of Korra's wrists, moving as fast as Korra's lips, going into details about how exactly it's a red herring.
Asami laughs softly, keeps her eyes on Korra and listens intently, without missing a beat on her part. Her hands, of course, are doing some of their own dancing. She scoops some filling onto the center of each wrapper, pinches and seals, pushes and folds it with perfect precision, one right after another.
Looks like she's got the same amount of colors in each one. How does she even do that without looking?
"I'm telling you, it's gotta be the fire princess." Korra finishes with conviction and makes a fist, biting down on her lower lips. Flick! Knives go right back into the drawer which shuts with a bang.
Probably for dramatic measures. Ikki tries to hide her smile.
"I have it on good authority that they saw a mover together last night! Just the two of them." Korra declares, "Speaking of which we should see that mover too. My source tells me it's good."
"The princess?" There is a pause in Asami's hand movement as she suddenly looks a bit... contemplative.
Is that the right word? Ikki makes a mental note to look it up later.
"I don't know sweetie," Asami resumes folding but her eyebrows are still furrowed, "I didn't get a chance to tell you yet, but I saw the princess today having lunch with someone that is not Mako—"
She holds up a hand to stop Korra, who is bursting with a thousand questions, "Before you ask, I can only see that person's back from a distance, but they look rather... friendly if you know what I mean. How about we see that mover this weekend? I'll ask Ling to book tickets for us."
Korra opens her mouth, tries, nothing comes out. She tries again.
"D-don't tell me you saw them at Narook's!" Korra exclaims as she grabs some of the remaining wrappers and starts folding as well, "Y-you said that you have a sudden craving for Arctic hen-"
"I did. I picked up some stewed sea prunes for you too, remind me to get it out of the car later."
"Asami, this is a shocking discovery! Do you know what this means!" Ikki doesn't think she's seen Korra this excited since... she cheated and won the scooter race?
"That the princess is not Mako's new girlfriend?"
"No! I mean yes! I mean who cares? That guy you saw was Wu! He told me that he's having lunch with a friend in Narook's today!"
Scannnnnndal.
Asami stops folding again and looks surprised. She and Korra are doing that annoying thing when they just look at each other back and forth without talking. There is hardly any wrapper left in front of her now.
This is gooooood.
This is so much better than that book she took from Jinora's room, that much Ikki is certain. Maybe she'll put it back later without Jinora ever finding out.
Nah. Does Jinora even read anymore?
But this is good. This is better than The Wedding Feast. Maybe the princess is dating both of them. Maybe they are all dating each other, or maybe-
Wait. What if this is just like the book?
"What?" "I'm sorry?" Two questions at the same time. And Ikki realizes that she must have said that aloud.
"Maybe this is just like that book. The Wedding Feast."
"Yes!" There's now a gleam in Korra's eyes, "Yes. Yes! They are both courting the girl and there's so much scandal but what they really want is each-"
Asami coughs gently, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Korra, heat up the wok please? The dumplings are almost done."
Flick. Water into the wok. Flick. Stove is heating up. "By the way, aren't you a little too young to be reading that book?" Korra narrows her eyes suspiciously.
"No! I'm already 11!"
"Sweetie," Asami pats Korra's arm affectionately, "I was only 12 when I read The Wedding Feast." She holds out her hands in front of the sink and blows another air kiss at Korra, who flicks her wrist again and Asami's hands are now being washed.
"What! I read it when I was 16, and the White Lotus guy almost chewed my ear off!" Korra's hand shoots up to her chin, as if stroking an imaginary beard, "Avatar Korra, this unbecoming behaviour is unacceptable. I implore you, for this book is beneath you. You must not subject your mind to such filth."
Ikki does not mean to do that, but somehow she spits all the lychee juice out, heading straight towards Asami… who seems unfazed.
Flick. Korra effortlessly bends it back into her glass. EWWWWWW.
"I didn't know you like romance novels," Asami winks and pats Korra's hand. She does it again, and again, "You only seem to be interested in some of my library collection." She's playing with Korra's fingers now. Ikki is almost sure that she's seen Jinora doing the same thing before.
With Kai, of course! Not Korra!
"Well, it's not like I had a choice…" Korra scratches her head and snickers, "By that time I've already read every single book in the compound except for A Study of the Imperial Court of Ba Sing Se. Kya sneaked in The Wedding Feast for me!"
"I didn't even know you like reading that much," Ikki says.
"Well, again, it's not like I had much of a choice? I mean, there's only so much you can do if nobody will agree to a fight anymore, not even a Pai Sho match!"
"Awwwwww," Asami pokes Korra's nose gently, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the compound has a larger library collection than mine."
"You're not wrong," Korra shudders.
"Anyway," Asami extends a hand to Ikki, "I didn't know that you also enjoy reading this much, Ikki. You are welcome to my library at any time."
OMGOMGOMG!
"Really?" Ikki can hardly contain her excitement, "Do you have Red Girl?"
"Yes, and also the sequel, the Scarlet Lady series."
"OMG what about The Jade Dragon!"
"That too, along with the sequel The Silver Stallion. Although for years now I have been searching for the prequel The Iron Crane and have yet to find it." Asami sighs, "It is better to know how the story eventually ended, of course. That being said, I certainly wouldn't mind knowing how the story actually started in the first place."
"So you can't find that book anywhere?" Korra sounds surprised, "Is that book really old or something?"
"Ahem," Pema's head suddenly appears at the kitchen entrance, "Girls I hate to break up the book club, but I can hear the water boiling from here - did you put the dumplings in yet?"
Oops. Korra and Asami look at each other sheepishly. For some reason Asami bites her lips and pouts, and Korra sticks out her tongue half way.
Yep, just like Jinora and Kai. Again, it's not like she walked in on them on purpose or anything!
"And Ikki, you will not be reading Scarlet Lady until you are at least of age young lady!"
"MOM!" Fine, there are like a hundred books in the Red Girl series anyway. And there are other ways!
But for now, it's time for A Bite of Ba Sing Se.
"By the way Asami," Pema has a huge smile on her face as she hurries over to help dropping dumplings into the wok, "Can I be the first one to borrow The Iron Crane if you ever do find it? I have to know who her father is!"
