"As many men and women as can be spared without sacrificing our other responsibilities are being devoted to this situation, I can assure you."
Lin, standing atop the steps in front of Police Headquarters, speaks curtly in response to the reporter's query. Having just finished given her public statement of reassurance, the Chief reluctantly opens the floor for additional questions. She would much rather just send them all scurrying back to their office desks to twist her words this way and that and get back to business. Republic City's gears keep on turning irrespective of anyone's wishes otherwise.
A hand shoots into the air, voice barking in tandem. "Why are the Police having so much difficulty tracking down the Equalists when you've dealt with them in the past?"
"This Equalists group appears to have learned from past lessons where we apprehended their cohorts," Lin replies. "They are mobile this time around."
"Are we to believe that the Police had zero knowledge of their existence prior to the attack?" another voice calls out.
"Of this particular group and their plans, no, we did not."
"Despite the fact that they were targeting Avatar Korra?"
Lin clenches her jaw, though the action is so familiar it practically serves as her permanent expression. "Korra's safety and well-being is our primary concern. We are doing all that can be done in light of this unfortunate circumstance to ensure that remains the case."
"Despite the removal of her bending? Might I remind you Chief Beifong that this is the second time -"
"That changes nothing about the duty of care we owe the Avatar," she cuts in, glaring daggers at the reporter in question. "We will apprehend the Equalists, retrieve both the stolen device and the bending it was used to remove, then work to the best of our ability along with the relevant individuals to restore it to the original owner."
"Are you referring to Varrick and Asami Sato, co-creators of the debending machine?"
"I am."
"How will the Police be treating their role in this situation going forward?"
"We will be focusing on the recovery of the machine and the apprehension of the Equalists," Lin replies. "As to the responsibility Varrick and Asami owe those who have fallen victim to it, I suggest directing your questions at President Raiko."
The group of reporters are immediately shouting over each other, trying to demand the Chief's attention in light of her apparent and no doubt juicy accusation of the President. However, it's at that moment that Lin finds herself distracted by a voice in her ear. The woman's eyes narrow by a small fraction as she listens.
"Chief, you're needed down in Communcations. It's urgent."
"What is it?" she mutters back, shielding her mouth with a hand.
"We think we have a lead."
Hood raised as she walks through the park, Korra stuffs her hands deep into her pockets and points her eyes down at the path, hoping nobody spares her a second glance. Fortunately, there aren't many other people in sight this early in the day, otherwise she likely would have stuck out like a sore thumb. Whether it's her feelings or her identity, Korra has never been all too adept at hiding things.
As she crosses a bridge that arches over the park's abundant pond, a familiar landmark comes into view. One Korra has never been particularly fond of. Having a statue erected in her honour is no doubt a momentous occasion, but she can't help but feel a little weird about it. For starters, as far as she's aware, wasn't that sort of thing was supposed to happen after the honoured individual had passed on? She's very much still alive and kicking. Not to mention the sculptor had recreated her likeness extremely well without actually having Korra herself there to refer to.
All sorts of questions she simply prefers not to think about.
It's by this statue of herself that Korra spots Asami, sitting at its boots with something lying across her lap. It's difficult to tell exactly what it is from this distance, but there's no mistaking those long, glossy black locks swept back over the shoulders of a stylish grey overcoat. And then as if sensing her presence as she scans the park, Asami's eyes suddenly turn and immediately find Korra. Or perhaps it's due to the dark, hooded, hunched shoulders look amidst the quiet, colourful scenery of the park sticking out like a sore thumb.
Korra's steps are full of uncertainty as Asami quickly rises to her feet. Before her eyes is the vivid image of the last time they were in each other's presence. The cold and sterile hospital room in which Asami's words of apology ring hollow in Korra's ear, and in which she is enveloped in such feelings of misery all Korra can do is fold into herself and breathe shallow lest she shatter into pieces right there and then. That these are the thoughts to come to mind the moment she sees Asami are less than the encouragement she needs to keep moving towards her.
"...don't leave it too long..."
Mako's voice, like a stubborn hand between the shoulder blades, pushes her forward.
"I bought you flowers."
Asami's tentatively holds them out, the collection of white tulips beautifully arranged and wrapped in patterned cellophane. Korra seems hesitant to take them.
"I...uh, thanks," she says eventually, extracting her hands from her pockets and shaking down the cuffs of her jacket before reaching forward.
"I didn't know what you liked," Asami says. "I've never bought flowers for a woman before. A woman like you, I mean. Because we're...or were..."
She trails off, fidgeting despite her interlocked fingers. Asami has presented wild ideas to more than sceptical investors and yet has never been more nervous than she is in this moment.
"Are we okay?" Asami blurts out suddenly.
Under the shadow of her hood Korra looks like she'd fit right in at that investors' table. "Because you bought me flowers?"
"I'm sorry, that was a silly thing to ask," Asami says quickly. "It's just, I haven't been able to stop thinking about this whole thing. About us."
Korra looks down at the bouquet in her hand. "I think I deserve an explanation, Asami."
"You're right," she says, nodding. "I just...I don't know where to start."
"From the beginning would be nice, like why in the world you thought it'd be a great idea to build a machine that can strip people of their bending behind my back."
Asami can't stop herself. "Oh, like how you were visiting Kuvira behind mine?"
Korra scowls. "You might've learned to cook like her, but you're not my mother."
"And I don't even have one to compare you to," Asami says fiercely, "because she was taken from me by benders. And then my father, whom after three long, painful years I had finally started to forgive, he was taken from me. By a bender. By Kuvira. So tell me why you think I really agreed to build that machine for Varrick."
She turns away, looking across the park as the truth hangs in the silent air between them. Korra finally speaks.
"You should have talked to me," she says quietly.
Asami gives an empty laugh. "So you could lecture me about the rights and wrongs of what I was doing?"
"I wouldn't have done that."
"The Avatar refusing to judge others from her moral high ground?" Asami scoffs. "That's practically your job, Korra."
She frowns. "I'm human, Asami, just like you. I've been hurt too. I've been in dark places."
"You can't possibly understand how I feel."
"Zaheer took my legs," Korra says bluntly, "and broke my spirit along with them. You saw me. The whole world saw me. The only thing I saw, whether I was awake or dreaming, was him. And when it was just me, when I was alone in my room in the middle of the night with nothing but agony for company, how do you think I felt?"
Asami sniffs. "That's different."
"A different set of circumstances, but it's all the same in the end. Eventually, when you're stuck deep in that dark place, you have to make choices. If I'd made them by myself, I don't know where I would be today," Korra tells her. "Maybe...maybe I wouldn't."
"Don't say that."
Korra shrugs. "It's the truth. Luckily, I had my parents, Katara and the letters you all were sending to steer me away from those thoughts, at least. And you, Asami? You had me."
She blinks, then turns to face her. "Had?" Asami says, the faintest quiver to her voice.
Whatever answer Korra is about to give is stolen right off the tip of her tongue when a man abruptly steps out from behind her statue into view. Asami spins around after noticing her sudden change in expression, instinctively shifting to a defensive posture in a heartbeat.
"Who are you?" she sharply challenges the man. "Have you been eavesdropping on us?"
"Yes."
"What?!"
The man pales. "I mean, not intentionally!"
But Asami is already rolling up her sleeves, preparing to march around Korra's statue and give him a piece of her mind. A grip on her wrist prevents her doing so.
"Hold on," Korra says, "I know him."
"You do?"
Says the man. Which only prompts Asami to eye him threateningly.
"You're one of the officers Lin has keeping watch on the building," Korra reveals. "What are you doing here?"
"I've been following you since you left last night. Those were my instructions!" the man clarifies when Asami looks set to bodily pounce on him. Korra holds her back.
"Wait, you followed me to Mako's apartment?" she says then.
"Yes, ma'am. I slept in the car overnight."
Korra rolls her eyes. "Why does everyone insist on calling me that?"
Asami looks between them. "You stayed with Mako last night?"
"Long story," Korra replies without thinking, "the short of it being I didn't want to go back to Lin's apartment."
"Go back? So that's where you've been all this time?"
Korra blinks, then sighs after realising her mistake.
"Goodness," Asami fumes, "why couldn't the woman have just said so? Her apartment? I thought you were holed up in a safehouse somewhere!"
"Considering how many officers are set up there, it might as well be one," Korra tells her.
"Then why did you leave?"
Korra looks away, adjusting her cuffs. "Like I said, long story. Anyway, what did you want?"
The man, who was looking intently between them as they spoke, straightens with a small jump as she addresses him. "Oh, message from Headquarters. The Chief needs you there right away."
Asami glances at Korra. "What's the urgency?"
"They've found the Equalists."
Lin looks up as the Avatar bursts into her office with nary a knock on the door, Asami in tow.
"Nice flowers," the woman says, glancing down at Korra's hand, "I suppose that means you two have made up?"
"Forget the flowers," Korra says impatiently, pushing them aside as she stands in front of Lin's desk. "Tell me about the Equalists."
"Straight to the point. Alright then," Lin complies with a small nod, "we believe we've sniffed them out. Based on the information we've received preparations are already well under way to conduct a raid. They've slipped out from under my fingers for the last time."
"Already? When did you find out their location?"
"Roughly an hour ago," Lin says. Korra practically balloons right in front of her.
"An hour? Why am I only hearing about this now?"
"Well if you had stayed put in my apartment instead of running off to Detective Mako's – leaving Kuvira by herself might I add - I would have been able to inform you much sooner," Lin tells her.
"Hold on," Asami cuts in, "you were in witness protection with Kuvira?"
Korra waves her down. "I'm in," she says to Lin. "Give me the details."
The Chief blinks. "Pardon?"
"I said I'm in."
"On what, exactly?"
"On the damn raid, what else?"
Lin immediately shakes her head. "Not happening, Korra."
She stares at the woman, taken aback. "What? Why?"
"The answer to that should be obvious."
Korra searches for it to no avail. "What, because I wasn't here an hour ago? Just give me the gist of it and I'm good to go. No?"
"I think she's referring to your bending," Asami quietly supplies when the Chief merely shakes her head again.
Korra looks over her shoulder, then back at Lin. "Is that it? You think just because I can't bend that means I can't fight? I'd wipe the floor with any one of your officers without it!"
"No, my officers would bend the floor from right underneath your feet as soon as you took your first step," Lin replies.
Korra seethes. "Bring every last one of them in front of me, right now. I've spent almost my whole life fighting; I'll prove you wrong, you'll see."
"Enough," the Chief says sharply, rising to her feet, "you are not aware of the proceedings and have never once trained with my metalbenders -"
"This isn't my first raid," Korra cuts in. "What do you think I was doing on Tarlokk's task force?"
"Enough!" Lin barks. "You will not be taking part, Korra, and that is final."
"I'm the Avatar," she says after a long moment.
"Certainly," Lin acknowledges, "which is why your safety and security are my primary concern, and why you'll be staying here in the meantime while we conduct the raid."
"You're going?"
"Of course I am," the Chief replies, moving around from behind her desk. "I have recruited my finest metalbenders to get this job done," she says, laying a hand to Korra's shoulder. "Don't worry, I will personally give the Equalists your regards."
"Korra...Korra!"
"What?"
"Please stop pacing," Asami says, "I can feel you stomping the floor from over here."
She pauses in the middle of the Police Headquarter's lobby, the only place in the whole building Korra is prepared to wait. She wants to be right there the moment Lin and her task force return.
"I need to be moving," she tells Asami, "I need to be doing something or all this waiting is going to drive me insane. Do you know how close I came to punching an old woman in the face today?"
"I doubt that would have gone well."
Korra pauses again. "You don't think I could've taken Lin?"
"After which, I presume, you would successfully fight your way out of an entire building full of benders?"
"Damn straight."
Asami simply shakes her head. "Korra, I would stand a better chance of actually taking on Lin than you right now."
That certainly gives her pause. "What?"
"I've only been trained in several martial arts since the age of six with the express purpose of defending myself against benders, remember?"
Korra slowly deflates, the scepticism in her face draining away. "Oh, right."
"Right," Asami echoes, hands folded neatly into her lap. The bouquet of tulips sit on the chair next to her.
"How are you doing that?" Korra says eventually.
"Doing what?"
"Being so...patient. I want to jump right out of my skin."
Asami sighs. "Funnily enough, Korra, I'm used to being sidelined like this. Happened once or twice while Team Avatar was still out there saving the world."
Korra takes a second to reply. "That – that was different."
"Different circumstances, same result."
"It's not like it happened on purpose," Korra begins earnestly, "it's just that it was...more dangerous...for you...because bending...dangerous..."
Asami looks up from the nails she's been inspecting while Korra trails off into awkward silence, with nothing more than a slightly arched brow for a response.
Korra deflates even further.
"Why don't you come and sit?" Asami suggests.
Korra reluctantly complies. Before realising it, however, she has the bunch of cellophane wrapped tulips in hand while sitting right beside the woman who bought them for her. It gives them both pause. Korra doesn't quite relax into her seat, tension in her posture. The air still isn't clear between them.
"It's your turn now, I think," Asami says then, looking ahead. "I deserve an explanation."
Korra can already guess where this is going.
"I feel like you betrayed me," Asami says after a long moment. "Kuvira's actions brought harm to so many people. She forced an entire nation into servitude; she destroyed half of Republic City and...She killed my father, Korra." Asami finally turns around, meeting her eyes. "That woman deserved to rot in prison, and yet you kept visiting her. You defended her instead of doing everything in your power to lock her right back up again."
Korra swallows. "Yes, I did."
"Why?"
"It's rare," she says slowly, "that you get a chance to look in the mirror, and see yourself for what you really are."
Asami stares at her, brow furrowed with a deep frown. Korra's simple answer is not enough for her. So she continues on.
"Kuvira is what I could have become, had I made a different set of choices," Korra tells her. "And believe me, Asami, in my life I've come so close to making them."
She looks down at the flowers in her hand, remembering the field of vibrant purple petals in which she and Kuvira stood opposite one another, seeing each other anew. Seeing each other for what they both were; two sides of the same coin.
"You all saw a broken woman when Kuvira and I came out of the Spirit Portal," Korra tells Asami. "I watched her break."
"And you pitied her, after everything she'd done?" Asami says. "After she tried to kill you?"
"After what I saw, after I understood who Kuvira was and what drove her, I couldn't help but show her compassion," Korra says. "Is that so wrong?"
"Is it so wrong that all I wanted was justice?"
"You wanted revenge," Korra says quietly.
Asami's reply is harsh as she looks away. "What's the difference?"
"The difference is revenge makes you push away everyone who wants to help you," Korra tells her. "It makes you push away those you love."
The lobby is quiet. Silence rests between them before Korra fills it.
"If you had seen her while she was in there, the way they strung her up in her cell, you would've thought that justice had been more than served," she says, and then she swallows. "If...if you knew what I do now, what happened to her in there? She's human, like you and I. No one deserves to be treated like an animal."
"I'm sorry," Asami speaks up eventually, and those two simple words are the most heartfelt Korra has ever heard from her. She reaches over and lays a hand lightly on her arm.
"I'm sorry too."
Asami glances down as Korra makes contact, and would've smiled and looked up to meet her eyes had she not noticed the ring of pink skin around her wrist, exposed by the cuff of Korra's jacket sliding up. However, the question tip-toeing its way to her lips is forgotten in a moment. Because suddenly in swing the Headquarters' doors, permitting a procession of metalbenders to begin streaming into the lobby. At the helm of the bustling ship is none other than the Chief. Lin's eyes find the two young women almost immediately.
"We've got it," she says.