Echoes from the roots
Crashing Echo
Sometimes things just come crashing down.
(Asami's point of view)
"You don't usually have this much coffee in the morning." Arika more stated than asked, despite her questioning tone as she poured me my second cup of coffee this morning. She was right of course, I needed little extra energy after last night's poor attempt at getting some sleep with my mind consumed by thoughts of the information that Lin had brought and how it changed things; I was just hoping that I could get some answers and perhaps a little justice. "Is something wrong?"
"It's complicated." I responded and regretted it a little at Ariak's worried face, she probably felt like I was trying to shut her out; technically true, but not quite by choice. I tried to put on a small simple smile to assuage her fears and maybe cheer myself up a little, "Don't worry it should all be sported out soon." I really hoped it was, I didn't like feeling like this.
"Okay, just tell me if I can help, okay?" Mt faithful maid didn't seem entirely convinced, but I got the impression that she wouldn't push any further.
"Okay, thanks for the offer Arika, I really appreciate it." I told her with a small affectionate pat on the arm, she seemed to drop it then, going back to her work with her usual cheerful demeanour, and I returned to my paperwork; what a joy.
After about an hour of the mind numbing tedium that was the most irritating part of my day, Arika came back into my office hold something I didn't expect, a large bouquet of flowers.
"Asami, these just came for you." She explained as she placed them on the table in the middle of the office, had Korra set this up before leaving on her trip with Tenzin? "And there's a card" Arika informed me in a sing song voice obviously having the same idea about who sent them. I just smiled as I took said card with a much more genuine smile.
I had to hold onto it as I noticed it wasn't from Korra at all, it was a marked with the logo of the misty palms oasis florist and probably about the meeting I'd asked for; and it was written in the white lotus's preferred language of cryptic nonsense.
"Arika," I started as I quickly decoded the little message in my head. "Take the rest of the day off."
"Huh?" Was Arika's only surprised response, I made sure to let my friend have plenty of time to herself, but just suggesting that she take the rest of a day off was not something that really came up.
"Go out, have some fun, things have been pretty high strung lately and I think you could use it." I gave small shrug as I clarified my suggestion; admittedly it wasn't the whole reason.
"Really? You think so? Won't you need me?" It was sweet that wanted to make sure I'd be alright.
"I'll be fine Arika, don't worry." I did my best to assure her, the message had mentioned, or rather implied, that I had to be alone; I think, I was far from fluent when it came cryptic-babble.
"Well if your sure?" Arika was sweet and all, but sometimes she seemed to think that I was helpless without her; most certainly not the case.
"I'm sure."
"Well then, okay." Arika jumped forward to give me a hug; she really sheemed to like warm hugs. "And who knows..." She trailed off as she pulled away, "Maybe Korra will be back today." She finished off in a sing song voice with a smirk. It would appear that she still held to her theory of what happened between me and Korra that first day; though in fairness that almost became fact when she and Lin walked in on us in the gym.
"Yeah maybe she will." I breathed a dreamy sigh at that thought, like a love sick school girl. It would've been nice to have to have Korra's support in all of this, but I really doubted she'd be back today.
(Korra's point of view)
The breeze was kind of harsh on Oogi's back with me and Tenzin on the way back to Republic city; should of expected that, it was early morning after all and we where flying a couple hundred feet up in the air. We were both being pretty quiet. I'd had a night to sleep on Tenzin's opinion of me and Asami and didn't feel as angry as I did at first, but I was still a little ticked off at him.
I'd also been thinking over the visions from the swamp more; still refusing to take the first of the three as a warning about Asami, not in a thousand years. I wanted to think that the vision might mean that Asami was meant to help me in some way, but the memory of Azula killing Aang was pretty vivid and didn't exactly scream 'helpful', unless the whole thing was just to point out Azula and -
"Korra, you've been very quiet." Teznin sort of stated, but it was obvious he meant it as a question.
"Just thinking." Though I did lose my trail of thought when the old man piped up.
"About?" He just had to pry didn't he.
"My awesome girlfriend." That may have been petty , but I didn't want him to forget that little fact. "I'm looking forward to seeing her." She'd probably been having a better time than me, it'd be hard not to. "And Lightning." I suddenly found myself saying as a thought popped into my head.
"Lightning?" I guess that did need a little more information to make sense.
"I've never been big on learning it, maybe that's what the first vision was about." I wondered out loud. How hard could it be? I mean Mako was able to do it, and he was far from great skill. Tenzin just sighed and shook his head; seemed that he didn't agree with my idea.
"Korra, if all you were meant to take away was, 'learn to create lightning' I imagine that it would be rather more straight forward." I doubted that, since, like before, spiritual stuff was never simple.
"Yeah, I really don't think they would." I answered with a roll of my eyes; it was the best message that I'd take away from the whole thing, I really didn't want the other idea that'd I'd thought of to be it.
"Besides, that doesn't really fit with the other visions; about an angry spirit and Lord Zuko." Tenzin had a good point, but I had a point of my own.
"Maybe I could learn it from Lord Zuko." Zuko was becoming Aang's teacher in the vision; I didn't really expect Tenzin would go for it though, it didn't play into the whole spiritual thing that he liked to push.
"True, perhaps..." Tenzin hesitated for a second or two, was he actually going to give my idea some thought? "Perhaps some time spent in the Fire nation training with him would be beneficial." I was pretty surprised at first that he gave my theory some credit; then I thought about it for a few seconds and groaned at what the old man trying to pull.
"Again with trying to keep me away from Asami, really Tenzin?" I was starting to get tired with this bit. "I get that it's a risk,I really do, but it's a risk I've decided to take; can you please try to respect that." Tenzin's didn't give me a real answer, all he did was hang his head and sigh, maybe he felt a little ashamed at trying to trick me, I don't know.
Neither of us said anything for the rest of the trip back to the city. I was really looking forward to seeing Asami.
(Asami's point of view)
The house was almost silent, except for the ticking of clocks as noon drew closer, the message seemed to say something to the effect. I gave it another look over quickly to try and make sure I hadn't missed anything.
At the sun's highest point
The lonely cobalt ember
Shall receive its request
'The sun's highest point obviously refereed to noon when the sun was highest in the sky, much more straight forward than usual for the White Lotus. An ember was basically a reduced flame which put with cobalt, an element used to create blue pigments, it was a good bet that was about me; decended from Azula but not a firebender. I also couldn't help but wonder if the 'ember' remark was meant to be a mild insult from whoever had written the note. The last part was also unusually straight forward for the White Lotus.
I'd been trying to fill the time with working on my new design, with little progress; most of what I wanted it to be able to do seemed impossible without several decades of hard scientific progress, baring some new type of mineral or element or substance of some sort. Even then I'd need to invent three of four new types of technology to get all the desired capabilities into the suit.
I decided to stop trying for the moment and stash my designs away, if the grandmaster saw them he'd doubtlessly disapprove, regardless of how borderline impossible it was. Hopefully once I get to examine that black rock from the desert I'll be able to do something with this idea.
I pulled out the copy of the file Lin had left before, hopefully showing it to the grandmaster would convince him to give me some proper answers. I left it on the coffee table in between the the two couches in the middle of the room
Noon was fast approaching, I wondered if I should try to seem personable and have a pot of tea ready. What type of tea did he like anyway? Didn't really matter, I wasn't in a very personable mood at the moment and just wanted some answers.
At about 5 minutes to noon the door bell rang, running a little early it seemed. I took a deep breathe to compose myself before leaving my office and going down to answer the door. Some many thoughts were going through my head at the time; what questions to ask, how direct to be and what I'd do with the answers.
I opened the door and there he was, I greeted him, "Grandmaster Zuko." I was a little taken aback by my own voice's icy tone, I hadn't meant to sound like that.
"Ms Sato." He seemed to just roll with it. I stood aside to beckon him though the door and close the door behind him.
"We can speak in my office." I half suggested, half commanded; this was my house after all.
"Very well." He didn't argue in the slightest, he just followed as I led the way up to my office in silence. I couldn't help but feel nervous at the moment, if Zuko told me what I was expecting, and dreading, to hear; I honestly hadn't the first idea where to go from there.
"Feel free to take a seat." I suggested as we entered the office, mentioning towards one of the couches as I moved to sit on the one opposite; the file on the table directly between us.
"Thank you." Zuko said as he let out a groan as he took his seat and sighed as he sank in the comfortable couch; I immediately wondered if he was he trying to elicit sympathy or if it was just that he was in his mid eighties. "So, what was it that you wished to speak to me about?"
"Lin, Chief BeiFong, came by recently with some news, information acquired from the Agni Kai triads." I reached for the file folder and opened it to show Zuko. "Information about the break in when I-" I need to take a breath quickly. "When I lost my Mother."
"What type of information?" I stared at him for a moment, hoping he wasn't trying to play dumb.
"It world seem that the break in was not a simple 'smash and grab' as it appeared to be." I turned the open file around and pushed it towards Zuko so he could take it in. "It seems that they were paid to," I had to try and swallow down my anger in an attempt to lose the edge in my voice, "They were paid to, 'eliminate' someone in this house hold."
At this point Zuko had picked up the file to read it more closely, not even looking up when he spoke. "And so why would you ask to speak to -" I cut in at the point, with something that had been in the back of my mind.
"Why did you give me the deal I asked for back when I first asked to see you?" Zuko looked up from the file to meet my gaze with a cocked eyebrow, "It should be obvious that I have no interest in a throne and that without any hard evidence a claim would not even work; not to mention probably causing a lot of innocent people to get hurt and alienating what few friends I still have I imagine." I somehow managed to keep my tone even as I laid out why he had no apparent motivation to help back then.
"And how exactly is that connected with this?" Zuko asked me with a nod to the file he was holding.
"Look at the file, it says the Agni Kais were paid with a large amount of Fire Nation minted gold, high denominations, so tell me; did you help me out of gilt?" I finally asked what had been nagging me since Lin had brought the information.
"Are you trying to insinuate that I-" I did not appreciate being given the run around, not on this.
"Not you, someone else, someone high up in the fire nation, maybe even in you own family..." I trailed off focusing on the grandmaster's reaction to see if I could figure anything out.
Zuko just sighed as his gaze fell to look back at the file, "I'm afraid I can't help you Ms. Sato." And with that he closed the file and returned it to the coffee table and stood, making to leave; I was not letting off that easy.
"Zuko!" I yelled at him, halting him in his tracks, "Look me in the eye and tell me," I stood as well to properly look him the eye. "Do you know you know who had my mother murdered?" I hissed at the grandmaster's back.
He turned to face me, "What would you do with such information?" He knew! I could see it in his eyes and he was still trying to obfuscate the issue.
"Who was it?" I asked through my gritted teeth; I hope he didn't try to defend whatever piece of scum was responsible.
"Would you seek some form of revenge?" Some might call it that, but that wasn't what I was after, not even remotely.
"I want justice, who was it? Did they receive any punishment? Tell me." I clarified and asked again, beginning to really lose my patience with this conversation and I imagine it showed.
"What would t be he point in telling you?" Did he really just ask that question? I was about to respond when he made and odd comment. "Sometimes, finding truths such as these can simply be a painful burden." I hadn't the slightest idea what he was talking about.
"I've already got the painful part of the truth!" I was getting pretty impatient at this point, as evidenced by my shouting, "So would you please give me a straight answer already!" And it was at that moment that something neither myself or Zuko expected happened, the office doors flew open to reveal someone completely unexpected...
"Korra?"
(Korra's point of view)
"Hey, Tenzin." I called out to the old man flying the bison, finally breaking the silence since I'd called him out on trying to get between me and Asami. "Can you fly low over there?" I pointed out a certain part of Republic city as it came into view.
"Why?" Tenzin asked me with a raised eyebrow after seeing where I was pointing.
"I want to drop in and surprise Asami." I wasn't sure if this counted as being petty and rubbing his face in my not taking his advice, didn't feel like it; I really just wanted to drop in to see Asami.
"Korra, where're making good time back to the temple-" I cut in.
"You know if you don't I'll just jump again." I reminded Tenzin of my stunt back in the swamp; it wasn't to sound like I was trying to blackmail him or anything, but I realised it sounded like that as he sighed and started to descend. "Thanks and, sorry that came out a bit more aggressive than I meant it to." I tried to apologise as best as I could.
"Thank you Korra, your apology is appreciated." That was a bit more formal from Tenzin than I would've liked, I hoped that this whole argument would blow over soon; it was starting to get kind of depressing.
After Oogi descended low enough over the Sato estate garden, I jumped off with a little hop, it was easy when he hovered. Before enacting my plan to give my girlfriend a surprise visit, I turned to address Tenzin, "Don't worry about me, I'll be back at the temple later, okay?" I called up to him.
"Very well." He responded simply with a small nod, and gave Oogi the small tug on his reins to direct him back up and towards the Air Temple. I think he was still bitter about me bringing up the firebending skydiving stunt; couldn't really blame him that much, it did come out wrong.
I was about to make my way up to the house when I felt something brush up against my leg, a cat, a rather fat cat. I could just about remember Arika with it when I came over angry at Asami; what was it's name.
"Mikoto?" I mumbled to myself as I bent down to stroke the furry little animal, I think that was what Arika had called it. Then I suddenly got a thought when I realised this wasn't the only 'Mikoto' I'd run into lately, "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know an wired girl with a gold staff?" I asked the cat, I didn't really expect an answer.
The little cat gave a loud meow as it strutted off, almost like I'd insulted it, but that was just a silly idea, I mean it was a cat. I was just a cat, right?
I was about to follow the odd little fur-ball when I heard something that sounded like Asami. Like Asami shouting at someone.
I got inside and up the stairs as quickly as I could, that seemed to be where Asami's voice seemed to have come from. On my way I noticed that Arika didn't seem to be anywhere, was it her that Asami was shouting at? I just thought of that as I reached the office door and wondered if I should go in, I might interrupt something important.
Then I hear what was definitely Asami's voice shouting, "I've already got the painful part of the truth!" What? What was she talking about? "So would you please give me a straight answer already!" Who was she talking to? My curiosity got the better of me and I swung the doors open to see, Zuko? What was Lord Zuko doing here?
"Korra?" Asami seemed to be shocked to see me, I was just confused why she'd be shouting at Lord Zuko.
"Lord Zuko, Asami, umm, what's going on here?" I asked the big question first, I probably should've said 'hello' first, but suddenly seeing Zuko here had really surprised me. Asami took a deep breathe before she started looking all serious and looking back to Zuko.
"Do you want to tell her, or should I?" Tell me what? Zuko looked away and I started to get even more confused.
"I don't believe Avatar Korra has-" If he had finished that sentence, it probably would've ticked me off, talking about me like I wasn't in the room; instead he got cut off.
"She knows." What? What did I know? Zuko looked at Asami like he was surprised, "Korra knows about my connection to Azula, I told her." Wait, this had something to do with Azula? The visions from the swamp played again in my head like a record.
"You told her?" Did the visions have something to do with whatever this argument between Zuko and Asami was about? It might, except the whole 'rampaging spirit creature' part didn't seem to fit in here.
"I trust her." My heart skipped a beat when I heard Asami's voice say that about me. "So again," Asami grabbed something off the table on the middle of her office, "Do you want to tell her? Or should I?" She was holding some type of file folder. Zuko didn't say anything and Asami walked over and handed me the folder.
"Lin dropped this off yesterday." I opened the file and started to the read it, or rather try to, I had no idea where to look for the important information. "It has information about the break in where," I stopped when I noticed Asami, looking like she was in pain, "Where I lost my mother." No wonder it was hard to say, the serious sound in her voice was even gone. "It seems the Agni Kais were paid for what they did with..." Asami pointed to a specific part of the file, which I read.
"Fire nation gold." It even said something about how it was 'high denominations' like would be used by nobility; I didn't see what that meant, why would someone from the Fire Nation- "No." I barely whispered to myself as I figured it out. "No." I looked up to see Zuko hanging his head, whether it was shame or just tiredness, I had no idea.
"I'll ask, yet again." Asami voice had gone back to being real serious and intense. "Do you know who had my mother murdered?" I couldn't believe I had just heard Asami ask Zuko that question, and that it was a question that she could ask either. Something else I couldn't believe was the scary look in my girlfriend's eyes.
Zuko just sighed, I wondered if he did know or if he was right to protect whoever did. It didn't seem right; but that look in Asami's eyes...
"Asami," She turned to me, still all intense, "You're scaring me a little." She blinked and seemed to shake her head a little, like she was shocked, I guess that was normal. I wasn't sure how to feel about what happened next.
"Zuko." Asami looked away at the ground, her eyes shut tight, "Get out of my house." I felt a little guilty, I didn't want to guilt trip my girlfriend just because she got a bit intense; and about something that it made sense to get intense about, but she seemed to be going to a pretty dark place, shouldn't I have stopped her. "Leave!" I guess that Zuko was as surprised as I was as he hadn't left and Asami had to shout at him before he started moving towards the door, hanging his head down.
"Farewell." Was all he said as he left, the door closing slowly after him. It felt like forever before the door finally shut and Asami let out a breath she had been holding in. I felt the need to try to breathe easy myself, I was not expecting to walk into a tense moment like that and hoped I handled it well.
"I'm sorry Korra." I wasn't expecting Asami to say that either.
"W-why are you sorry?" I couldn't think of any reason for her to be. "I'm the one who barged in to the conversation, and butted in where I really shouldn't have." I wished I hadn't said what I did, Asami might know the truth now if I didn't.
"I'm sorry for scaring you." Oh, that. "It's just that, spending years thinking that something tragic was an accident, then to find out that it was planned..." I noticed Asami clench her fists tight enough to turn her knuckles white for just a moment before letting out a sigh and sitting back down on one of her couches with her head in her hands; she looked exhausted.
I sat down next to her and pulled her into a sideways hug, Asami's head resting on my shoulder, "I can't even imagine what you must be feeling right now." I enjoyed the feeling of Asami nuzzling into my shoulder.
"I don't want to scare you Korra," Her voice was low and sad. "I don't want – I don't want to turn out like..." She trailed off for a moment, I thought she was going to say Azula, "Like my father." I guess that made more sense and that I still had those damn visions on my mind.
"You never will." I did my best to comfort her, I wasn't too sure that I was any good at it. I gave Asami a small kiss on her head, she sighed as I did so I think I was doing okay.
"Thanks." Her voice sounded a bit lighter, I was glad to here that.
We sat there for a little while as I tried to make sense of the visions with this new information about Asami's mother and Zuko perhaps knowing something. I gave up in the end, I really was starting to hate visions, they never did anything except make me second guess myself.
"Hey," I got an idea that might cheer Asami up a little more, "Want to come to dinner at the air temple later?" Pema liked Asami and Tenzin would just have to deal with it.
"I'd like that." Asami cracked a smile smile and leaned up to kiss me. Forget all those confusing echoes from those damn giant tree roots; I'd just focus on this, here and know; being with my girlfriend.
(Asami's point of view)
"Korra." Korra was here? She was back so soon. I'd thought that the trip with Tenzin would take a few more days, at least.
"Lord Zuko, Asami, umm, what's going on here?" Yeah, it made sense that walking in on this situation would be pretty confusing. I did my best to harden myself against Zuko's inevitable attempts at denial.
"Do you want to tell her, or should I?" I asked the grandmaster, I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to use Korra's presence to try ans weasel out of giving me the truth.
"I don't believe Avatar Korra has-" Oh no you didn't Zuko! I cut in as quickly as I could.
"She knows." Zuko appeared to be taken aback by that. "Korra knows about my connection to Azula, I told her."I wouldn't be surprised if Zuko had some white lotus operatives watching me and was aware of mine and Korra's relationship.
"You told her?" Zuko asked with a raised eyebrow, apparently that caught him off guard.
I narrowed my eyes at the grandmaster as I responded,"I trust her." More than just telling her about being related to Azula, I hoped my eyes communicated that. "So again," I took a moment to grab Lin's folder from the coffee table. "Do you want to tell her? Or should I?" Zuko didn't say a word.
"Lin dropped this off yesterday." I said as I handed the file folder to Korra. "It has information about the break in where," I had to swallow for a moment at the painful memories, "Where I lost my mother." I needed to breathe for a moment as thoughts of that dream cam back to me. "It seems the Agni Kais were paid for what they did with..."
"Fire nation gold." Korra had come to the part that was truly pertinent, it seemed to take a moment for her to realise the implications. "No." Was all she said as it damned on her like a storm. "No." She looked at Zuko, crestfallen, and I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him; losing the respect of the successor of one of his closest friends. It didn't matter, I still hardened myself, I still needed answers.
"I'll ask, yet again." I hissed as I gritted my teeth, "Do you know who had my mother murdered?" I felt a little guilty at being glad that Korra was here to further pressure Zuko, but I needed to know.
"Asami," I looked sideways to my girlfriend and heard something that took a few seconds to process. "You're scaring me a little."
I, I was scaring Korra...I was just glad at Zuko's anguish, and glad the Korra being here would help me to get him to divulge answers. I then remembered my own words, 'Too full of hatred' I was terrified of myself at that moment, I hadn't realised how close I was to becoming that. Then I remembered Zuko's own words 'What would you do with such information', apparently I'd damn myself.
"Zuko." It took every shred of strength I could muster, "Get out of my house." I felt like I was betraying my Mother's memory by letting go and not doing anything I could bring those responsible for death to justice; I also felt like I'd end up doing the same if I gave into this thirst for vengeance. I couldn't win.
I guess I must've surprised Zuko since he was still just standing there with a dumbstruck look on his face, the last thing I needed right know was the answers looking me in the face, "Leave!" I shouted at him and he finally started to leave.
"Farewell." I suppose something more upbeat would be inappropriate.
Once the large, heavy office door was closed I was left alone with my girlfriend and could only think of one thing to say, "I'm sorry Korra." I felt terrible about how I thought about using her against Zuko before.
"W-why are you sorry? I'm the one who barged in to the conversation, and butted in where I really shouldn't have." Sometimes I think I really didn't deserve Korra; she could so sweet, even if some things did go a little over head.
"I'm sorry for scaring you." I clarified as I moved to take a seat, all the excitement seemed to have worn me out a little. "It's just that, spending years thinking that something tragic was an accident, then to find out that it was planned..." I noticed how hard I was squeezing my fists then, seems I still had a lot of anger. I just sunk back into the couch as best I could, trying to calm myself.
I got a small welcome surprise when I felt Korra's weight next to me and a caring arm wrap around my shoulder. It was so comforting to just rest my head on her shoulder. "I can't even imagine what you must be feeling right now." Not the best thing to say, but at least it was honest, and I was kind of glad Korra couldn't completely understand; I wouldn't want her to know how this feels.
"I don't want to scare you Korra," Other people, maybe; never Korra. "I don't want – I don't want to turn out like..." I get a little emotional and can't string a proper sentence together. "Like my father." It only happened for an instant, but I felt Korra stiffen at that; I guess it brought up memoires of Amon, that can't be pleasant.
"You never will." Korra told me and gave me a sweet little kiss. I couldn't help but let out a contented sigh and nuzzle into Korra's warm embrace, I could really feel those big strong muscles of hers.
"Thanks." Was all I could really think of to say, I doubt there was anything else I could say that wouldn't ruin this beautiful moment.
We just stayed there like that for a little while. Exactly what I needed after all the stress of today, confronting Zuko, dragging up old memories and almost falling into an abyss of hatred. Yeah, I needed this quiet and calm moment.
"Hey." Korra broke the silence after awhile. "Want to come to dinner at the air temple later?" Dinner with a happy family? That'd be great.
"I'd like that." It'd be nice to be around happy people and not worry about all the insane problems about my Mother, grandmother, Zuko and the break in. I needed to stop focusing so much energy on all these echoes from the past, my roots. I'd rather focus on the future. I smiled as I leaned in to kiss the amazing woman I loved. For now that was all I needed.
AN: At long last! I t is done. I've been dragging my feet on this a little and I'm sorry. I probalby would've had this done before Christmas if not for finally getting around to playing the last two episode of Life is Strange and being emotionally devastated (Chloe! Oh Chloe.) And seeing the new Star Wars movie with the family (Meh.) And the fact the next part is basically this continuity's version of book 2, so I need to rewatch book 2, with Mako... What a joy.
Well, I hoped you enjoyed this last chapter and feel free to leave a review/feedback, thank you.