I do not own any of the original Legend of Korra characters.
Reconciling
Sado opened his eyes, finding himself sitting in front of the dragon bird. "Wait, I'm not meditating. Where am I?"
"You're in a coma," the dragon bird said. "The electricity nearly shut down your brain."
"Did you save me?" Sado asked.
"No," the dragon bird said. "Korra did. She saved your life first. Now, listen carefully. I'm going to do something I was planning to wait until we met in person to do."
"What?" Sado asked.
"I'm going to transfer you some of your grandfather's memories," the dragon bird said. "There were specific ones that he entrusted to me to give you when you were ready. For now, you're going to get his firebending style, and some of his knowledge of swordsmanship."
"Will that give me control?" Sado asked.
"In a sense," the dragon bird said. "It will help, and you'll be able to fight without your bending."
"Why are you giving it to me now?" Sado asked. "Wait, did I lose my bending?"
"No," the dragon bird said. "But you're fighting chi blockers. So you need to be ready."
"But I've been fighting chi blockers," Sado said. "Why wait until now?"
"Because you must defeat Amon," the dragon bird said. "Before we can meet. Now, close your eyes...and remember."
He felt heat wash over him and memories began to flash before his eyes. Then, he felt like he was falling. He jerked, eyes flying open, and looked around the hospital room. Korra was to his right, and Tenzin and Lin were on his left. All three looked exhausted, but smiled when they saw he was awake.
"Finally," Korra smiled. "How do you feel?"
"Like shit," Sado said, pushing himself up, then looking to Tenzin. "Can I get a drink?"
"Of course," Tenzin nodded. "I'll be right back."
He left the room and Sado sighed, holding a hand to his head as the memories he had gotten from the dragon bird tried to settle.
"What happened at the arena?" Sado asked.
"After Amon took the Wolfbats bending, he blew up the arena," Korra said. "Then he and the chi blockers began to get away with an airship. Once I healed you, me and Lin went after them and caught up on the roof, then got into a fight with some chi blockers and that guy with the electric sticks. We won the fight, but I fell through the glass and Lin had to let Amon get away to catch me. Then the arena got shut down because it was unusable, and Mako and Bolin moved in with Asami. Oh, and a bunch of Equalist stuff like the electric gloves and posters of Amon were found at Cabbage Corp."
"Who tipped you off about it?" Sado asked.
"Tarrlok got the tip from a whistle blower in Cabbage Corp," Lin said.
"It's not Cabbage Corp," Sado said. "Tarrlok's hiding something. I could see it in his face when he agreed to let you guard the finals. If the tip came through him, it's not reliable."
"But Cabbage Corp is one of the few corporations that could actually produce that kind of tech," Lin said. "And all of the evidence was found inside Cabbage Corp's factory."
"It's a set up," Sado said. "A diversion. And they're not one of the few. They're one of the two."
"You think it's Future Industries?" Korra asked. "Asami."
"We can't be sure," Sado said, pushing himself up, glancing down and seeing he was in scrub pants. "Let's go pay Mako and Bolin a visit."
"Right," Korra nodded, just as Tenzin returned with a glass of water.
Sado drank it quickly and Lin stood.
"I can't move on Future Industries without proof," Lin said.
"I know," Sado said. "We'll get it."
They walked out of the room, taking Naga back to Air Temple Island, where Sado changed into clean clothes and grabbed his sword, then took Naga to Hiroshi Sato's mansion. Sado knocked on the door and a butler answered.
"Welcome Master Sado, Avatar Korra," the butler bowed. "Welcome. Your friends are this way."
He led them through the house to a pool where the others were swimming.
"Avatar Korra and Master Sado have arrived," the butler announced.
"Sado!" Bolin grinned. "You're awake! That's awesome!"
"Thanks," Sado said. "We need to talk to you and Mako. Alone."
"Whatever it is, you can say it in front of Asami," Mako said.
"No, we really can't," Korra said.
"Yes, you really can," Mako said.
"It's alright," Asami said. "I'll go check on my dad."
"No it's fine," Mako said. "What's up?"
"Alright, fine," Sado shrugged. "We think Asami's just trying to seduce Mako in order to get to Korra for publicity and political reasons."
Mako and Asami both turned crimson almost instantly.
"We do?" Korra blinked. "I mean, yes, we do!"
"Th-That's ridiculous!" Asami sputtered. "I-I'm not...I-I mean I haven't even considered...I-I mean I'm not after Korra! I-I mean in a public...o-or...whatever it was you said! I like Mako for who he is!"
"Y-Yeah!" Mako said. "Y-You guys are crazy! What proof do you have?"
"Well, since Future Industries sponsored you, their stocks shot through the roof," Sado said. "Cabbage Corp's stocks nose dived, even before they were shut down."
"Th-That's just a coincidence!" Asami said. "I got my father to sponsor you because I wanted you guys to be able to compete!"
"Alright," Sado said. "Alright. We're sorry we accused you. We're just trying to look out for our friend."
"Well...that's really sweet of you, but I actually really care about Mako," Asami said.
"Fair enough," Sado said. "By the way, your house is absolutely beautiful."
"Thank you," Asami smiled, the color finally fading from her and Mako's faces.
"Is there a nice big room where we can firebend without having to worry about burning the house down, or ruining anything?" Sado asked.
"There's a ball room upstairs," Asami said. "Up the stairs to the right, third door on your left."
"Thank you," Sado said. "Come on Korra. It's your turn to teach me."
"Sure," Korra said, following him.
Once they were out of earshot, she gave him a questioning look.
"What the hell was that?" Korra asked.
"Did you see how much she blushed?" Sado asked.
"Yes, you humiliated her!" Korra said.
"Yes I did," Sado agreed. "Because it proved her innocence in Future Industries' crimes, assuming I'm right."
"How?" Korra asked, just as they reached the ball room.
"She wouldn't have blushed so much if she wasn't honestly interested in Mako," Sado said. "If she was just trying to gain all of your trust to keep suspicion away from her and her father, she wouldn't have been so embarrassed."
"I see," Korra nodded. "Smart."
"Thank you," Sado smiled. "Now, let's go find some evidence."
He opened the doors of the ball room again, looking up and down the hallway to make sure the butler that had been following them was gone, then walked over to a set of double doors where he could hear Hiroshi's voice. Both stood against the wall beside it, looking through one of the two keyholes as they listened to Hiroshi talking on the phone.
"I assure you, everything is going exactly as planned!" Hiroshi said, sounding a hint worried. "Mhm...yes. Luckily the Cabbage Corp investigation has bought us enough time. Trust me. By the end of the week, we'll be ready to strike."
He stood, hanging up the phone and Sado and Korra stood, silently heading back to the ballroom where Sado formed a massive fireball, concentrating and making it shrink back down to a normal sized on.
"Catch," Sado said, tossing it to Korra, who caught it.
"I can't believe it," Korra said. "He actually is working with the Equalists."
"He didn't say anything directly incriminating," Sado said, catching the fireball as Korra tossed it back. "We don't know for sure."
"It should be enough for Lin to question him again," Korra said, catching the fireball.
"True," Sado nodded. "Alright. Let's go talk to my Aunt."
Korra nodded, catching and extinguishing the fireball. "You know, she was really worried about you while you were in a coma. Maybe things aren't as bad between the two of you as you think."
"Maybe," Sado sighed. "My family problems aren't that pressing right now. We need to go and see Lin and Tenzin."
Korra nodded and they quickly left the ballroom, finding the others at the front door where Bolin was having Asami's butler spray him with cologne.
"You're not staying?" Asami asked.
"Sorry, but we have to go see Tenzin," Sado said.
"Why?" Mako asked.
"I need advice about dealing with my Aunt," Sado said.
"So why is Korra going?" Bolin asked.
"I'm spending time with my friend, deal with it," Korra said, closing the doors.
Then, they hopped onto Naga, Sado allowing himself to enjoy the feeling of being able to hold Korra as close as he had to as Naga sprinted through the streets, skidding around corners rapidly. Finally, they reached the police station and skidded to a stop, both jumping off. They hurried inside and found that Tenzin was there, discussing the Cabbage Corp investigation with Lin.
"Korra, Sado, what's going on?" Lin asked.
"We overheard a conversation Hiroshi was having on the phone," Sado said. "He said that things were still going according to plan, and that the Cabbage Corp investigation had bought himself and whoever he was talking to more time. Then he said that by the end of the week, they'd be ready to strike."
"You're sure?" Lin asked.
"Yes," Korra nodded. "I was right there. I heard it too."
"Does he have motive?" Sado asked.
"Years ago, the Agni Kai Triad raided his mansion and killed his wife," Tenzin said. "He could have been harboring anti-bender sentiment all this time."
"It's not enough for an arrest," Lin said. "However, it is enough to ask more questions. Don't worry. I won't mention you, the conversation you heard, or anything else. I'll stick to means, motive, and the sudden business opportunity of Cabbage Corp being shut down."
Sado nodded and the four of them decided to go tomorrow, since it was getting late. Sado and Korra headed back to Air Temple Island, Sado again enjoying the proximity to Korra that riding Naga forced. Once they arrived, they headed inside, greeting Pema and the children as they passed. Korra headed to her room, and Sado went to the roof to meditate, only for Korra to arrive a few minutes later.
"Can I join you?" Korra asked.
"Of course," Sado smiled, Korra sitting down beside him, staring at the fireball in his hands.
"I'm sorry," Korra said after several minutes of silence.
"For what?" Sado asked.
"For making you angry," Korra said. "Things have been...really stressful lately, for obvious reasons, but you were there for me every step of the way. And in return, I just made you angry."
"No you didn't," Sado said.
"Yes I did," Korra said. "I took everything you did for me for granted. You worked so hard, every day trying to raise the money we needed, and I thanked you, but I never really repaid you. And then when Mako got Hiroshi Sato to sponsor us in full...I didn't even thank you for the last bit you got for us. And then, when you were there for me while I was afraid, I used you as a shoulder to cry on, but I never let you help me really, and I never thanked you even once. And then you joined the task force with me and quit your job to do it just to be there for me and I never really thanked you for that. And then when I challenged Amon, you came to my rescue without a second of hesitation, and you got hurt because of it and I never once thanked you, and I wasn't even around after it. You came to help me and I thanked you by disappearing for days."
"Korra, it doesn't matter," Sado said. "I didn't need to be thanked for any of that. I did it because I wanted to, not because I wanted you to thank me. I wanted to help you because you needed it."
"I know," Korra said, shame filling her face. "You've always been there for me."
"And I always will be," Sado said. "Even if you don't want me to be. If you want, I can even scare Asami away from Mako for you."
Korra's face fell even more, tears beginning to leak from her eyes. "I'm so sorry."
"What's wrong?" Sado asked. "I was just kidding! I swear!"
"I don't like Mako," Korra said, Sado staring at her in confusion.
"You...wait...what?" Sado asked. "But you said..."
"I was trying to make you jealous," Korra said.
Sado stared at her, mind struggling to think with the gears failing to reach each other. "Why?"
"Because I like you, so much," Korra said. "But you were so good, so...perfect. I was terrified you really were just being a good friend. I was afraid you didn't feel the same. So I decided to see if I could make you jealous. I wanted to see if you liked me, but it just made you angry, and I'm so sorry! Please, just tell me we can still be friends!"
Sado wrapped his arms around her, chuckling. Korra pulled back, staring at him in confusion.
"What's so funny?" Korra demanded. "I'm being serious!"
"I know," Sado said. "I was never angry at you Korra. I was jealous. Extremely. I hadn't noticed you flirting with Mako once, so your confession caught me completely off guard and I didn't know how to react, so I left. Then when I was meditating, I started remembering small things, or maybe my mind was inventing them, like how much of a fan of his you were at first, and how when we were looking for Bolin you said that Naga could only carry two, but then after carried all four of us. And how I was raising money a little at a time, and not enough of it, and then Mako got the entire thing sponsored. I had been feeling...insignificant after that one already, so after you confessed to him...I guess I just lost hope. I shut down. I couldn't be around you without thinking about that and it hurt too much to bear, so I stayed away. But I never stopped caring about you, and I was never angry at you."
Korra stared at him. "Wait...so then...you..."
"I like you Korra," Sado said. "You're most amazing, beautiful girl I've ever met. You care about everyone, no matter what, and you're so strong, and talented, and I've been trying to figure out how to tell you since like two days after we met."
Korra lunged, wrapping her arms around his neck and mashing her lips to his, Sado sighing contentedly, returning the kiss and wrapping his arms around her back. After a few minutes, Korra pulled back, smiling.
"Just like that," Korra smiled. "Just like you did. Just a long time sooner."
Sado smiled, kissing her again, Korra sighing, kissing him back, the kiss slower and more gentle this time. After a few minutes, Sado pulled back, smiling. "I really should meditate at some point."
"There's time tomorrow," Korra smiled, kissing him.
Sado smiled, pulling her over to straddle his lap before settling into the kiss. After only a few minutes, however, someone cleared their throat and Sado looked over, seeing Tenzin standing below them.
"Whenever you're done up there, dinner's ready," Tenzin said, walking back inside.
Sado chuckled, giving Korra another quick kiss before they stood and dropped to the ground, heading inside.
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