We will be taking a break from Kuvira for this chapter. Enjoy!
Her single engine plane buzzed over the water as she flew back towards Ba Sing Se. Unlike most of Future Industries' new models of airplanes, this one was her specially made model. Long gone were the days of biplanes that her father had designed a decade earlier. This one roared as it sped through the skies and outmatched the outdated biplanes.
Korra had helped her with forming metal into certain shapes. They spent months working on it together when the Avatar was home from helping the Earth King. While the plane was six years old, Asami was confident that it could outperform her newer models. She also convinced the Avatar to sit in the back of the plane and let her fly about.
Asami Sato was actually trying to convince the intern government of the Earth Nations that such a plane could be used to aid crops. The other prototype she flew for the air show was different from this one. It was slower and had more room on the inside to hold what the farmers needed to help their crops.
Now she was just showing off for the politicians and the press.
When she landed, she opened the canopy to get out. Cheers and sounds of hands clapping reached her as she shook out her hair from her flying cap. Her adopted children, Hridya and Kyo, ran to her from their caretaker. She bent down to hug them as they shouted something about wanting to fly and do rolls like she was. Asami assured them that they would one day when they were taller.
"Ms. Sato!" she heard from the crowd. The reporters had moved in closer. Her caretaker came to take her children back to their rooms so she could deal with the crowd.
"Shiro Shinobi," she smiled as she pulled her hair back, "How are you my old friend?"
"I'm quite fine today. Can you answer a few questions for me?" the man waited for her to nod before answering, "Are you planning on mass producing this model for private owners?"
"For now this model is only for showing of what Future Industries can do. I have had some offers about creating an airplane racing league using models like this one but that is as far as it goes for today."
Another reporter raised his hand. Asami nodded to him. His question made her wish she had ignored him.
"What do you think of the Avatar's recent decision to sack the Governor of Yang?"
She had not realized that Korra had removed another head of a state but she kept her façade up and smiled.
"I cannot say much about what Avatar Korra does. I do not bother with politics myself. She took the job of helping King Wu with implementing a new government so I expect that she did not remove him for anything other than serious reasons."
There were a few more questions about what had happened in Yang and Asami did what she could to skirt around their questions. Her next phone call with Korra would be interesting though.
Korra sat in her private train car reading another report. Word about the prison riot in the United Republic finally reached her. She was not surprised to read that Kuvira was still free from custody. The army was still looking for other escapees. She would rather be there finding the escapees than having to take the train to Zaofu. She dreaded seeing her old friend in the metal city as her visit was not personal.
She disembarked from the train with about ten of the Earth Nation's soldiers and a local representative from Zaofu. It reminded her too much of her return from the swamp. It was déjà vu all over again. Deep down, she felt guilty for having to bring them along but she could not take this decision lightly and she did not know how Suyin would react. Zaofu had been named the capital and it was failing to provide the rest of the state with the same chances of progression.
The police of the city had come after word about her sudden arrival. The new captain had challenged her, telling the Avatar that she was not welcomed here with a small army. Korra assured him that ten men was not an army and that if he did not leave them to their business, she would personally remove him from the city until her job was finished. The captain cursed her existence before allowing her to leave the station.
Her men were ordered to remain outside of the office. Korra walked into the room with the representative and the captain, finding that Suyin Bei Fong was not in there. She asked the captain to retrieve her as it was imperative that Suyin met with her. The captain knew why though. Rumors of an unexpected meeting with the Avatar meant one thing. Someone was being removed from their position.
The Avatar glanced at the photographs on the desk. She smiled at the family photos and one with her and Suyin when she was elected governor. She put it down hastily as the said governor walked in. She was already shouting at her.
"What makes you think you can tell my Captain of the Police Force that you can remove him from the city?"
"It's nice to see you too, Su." Korra's smile vanished, "I can on the fact that I am leading the rebuilding of the nation, ordered and signed by the Earth King."
"Don't try to flatter me with directives, Korra. Your arrival only brings up dark memories of the Earth Empire." She stormed in closer, "And allowing the army to keep those uniforms does nothing but remind me that you are beginning to follow a similar, slippery path."
Korra's brow lowered, "And which path is this that you speak of?"
"Don't play stupid with me, Korra. The only thing keeping you apart from Kuvira is that you are not throwing people into prison camps or creating a super weapon just yet. People are just too blind to see that you only want power over the people."
The Avatar chuckled as she waved the representative to stand behind her, "I'm not keeping power."
"That's what Kuvira told us before she made a speech at Wu's coronation." Su continued, "I'm not caving in to your threats. If you want this state, then you will have to fight me for it."
The Avatar answered the woman's declaration, literally. The bookcases in the room flew off of their anchors. Su moved back to avoid begin crushed between them before gathering metal from various places in the room. She sent them soaring towards Korra only for them to embed into the now lifted desk. The Avatar leaped over the desk before throwing her arms out. The hurricane of air blew Su back against the door. She was then lifted up by her collar. Korra then pushed her to the wall with a hand in flames.
"Look at yourself, Korra. If you continue with this, you'll be sitting across from Kuvira in prison." Her face softened.
The Avatar's right hand continued to blaze as she began to throw it forward, "I am not like-,"
She stopped herself from burning the wall or Suyin. The Governor had looked away, squirming slightly from fear of being burned. Then she was dropped. She was barely able to catch herself as Korra looked at her with dread in her face. Her hand was still lit with fire as she stared at it. Korra put the fire out and looked away, shamefully. Zaofu officers and Earth Nation soldiers rushed in from the shouting.
"I'm so sorry Suyin. I shouldn't have done that. I don't want to harm you or anyone." She spoke softly, "But I still have to remove you from your position. My reports state that you cannot take care of the people outside of the city."
"Zaofu would not be having this issue of you did not reform the state lines."
Korra hissed, "We reformed them because those small villages wanted to join you. You agreed."
"Only because I had no other choice."
"You never voiced it." Korra sighed as she removed her glassed to pinch the bridge of her nose, "I am removing you and it is final."
"Korra-"
"It's final!" the Avatar shouted.
The Governor growled, "I won't stop harassing you until you realize the mistake you are making or you're in jail."
"Then I'm taking the city from you too. It would be for the best if leadership of this city and state changed." Korra then turned to the grinning representative, "The city is yours, Representative Guo."
The man bowed back, "It would be my honor, Avatar Korra."
Korra bowed back before nodding to her men, "Please escort Suyin Bei Fong out. She and her family will need help with moving. Make sure it is somewhere comfortable before I change my mind and put her in a jail cell."
The captain of the guard hesitated. The Avatar gave him a grim look.
"Are you disobeying me, Captain."
The man glanced at Suyin before speaking, "I am, Avatar. Suyin is the mother of Zaofu. I cannot allow it to fall from her hands again."
Korra nodded before looking at her men, "Sergeant Ji, I want the city guard of Zaofu replaced by the State's army. Please inform the local army of the changes and get these faces out of my sight."
"Yes Minister. I will inform the General to call you for your orders." The Sergeant saluted and walked out.
Korra quickly returned the salute before looking back at Su.
Suyin frowned as a hand from the other soldiers touched her shoulder, "Korra, you'll regret this. Think of what you have to lose. What about your family?"
Korra took the time to think about it. It had been a long time, at least a few months. Asami had decided to temporarily move to Ba Sing Se before Korra ruling over her first state. It had been at least a week since she last called them.
"It's been a while."
"Then please do this, if not for you but for them," Suyin began as she was being dragged out, "Go home and see them before you slip down the wrong side of this path you are taking. Don't put this job before your family. You have already put the Earth Nations before your Avatar duties."
After everyone left her in the office alone, Korra took a seat in Suyin's chair. She glanced at the photographs again with tired eyes. The weight of looking after nation was finally taking its toll. It made sense that Wu did not want to be king. The past nine years had been full of stress and convincing the world that the Earth Empire could split into smaller nations and hold themselves up made it even more demanding.
Her eyes left the photos on the floor and stopped at the phone. The Avatar then began to pick up the mess she had made.