Author's Disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "The Legend of Korra!" Nothing. Bryke and Nick do.
Author's Notes: And on we go to Kuvira showing up! Booooo. Action is definitely not my forte so I might be skipping around abit. Sorry! With my work schedule being a lot of overtime from now til New Years I'll try to update every week or at least every 10 days, but I can't make any promises. And I suck at titling my own chapters again! I didn't want to rip completely off the show this time.
Acfcrystal: I appreciate your kind words! My intent is to entice :P
My lovely guest: thank you so much.
Briar213: Oh Kuvira's going down as we all know! The end is coming soon for the show :P
"Watching"
Chapter twenty-five "The heat of battle"
Korra glided down toward the arrays of benders and soldiers setting up outside the barbed wire circling Republic City's borders. Upon landing, she hardened her chi, and moved through the startled men and women, many who called out happy greetings to her. The Avatar was back and she meant business.
General Iroh was in his command tent, looking over a map with his advisors when Korra was let in. She pushed into the tent flaps and straightened, glider tucked under one arm. The young general positively brightened noticing her.
"Avatar Korra! Thank you for coming!" Iroh said cheerily. Korra inclined her head and gave a polite bow. Iroh shook her hand warmly.
"I wouldn't be anywhere else," she declared. "What's the story, General?"
"We have our forces set here, here and here," Iroh indicated. His advisors set down metal paper weights at a few points on the map. "We didn't have time to set mines, but have barbed wire fences separating the border form the Earth Kingdom side. Twenty regiments outside and I can have ten more called in within a day. We have forces enough. We just have to be ready."
Iroh's golden eyes were serious as he raised them to Korra. She nodded at his plans. "We'll all be ready," she declared. She intended to stay with the troops while Tenzin and the airbenders took care of things from the skies. And Asami was working on the hummingbird suits on the side. They had a good plan.
"So where is Kuvira?" one of the advisors wondered. Loud rumbling filled the plateau almost on cue. The benders lined up, waiting to confront the tanks and storm troopers in green marching in from the outside. The booming filled Korra with dread as she and Iroh darted out of the tent to see. The giant mecha suit spread a panic through the soldiers.
Raiko's voice came over a loudspeaker, addressing Kuvira to stand down. Kuvira gave back the response that Korra feared; a battle was imminent.
"Stand down, or we will attack!" Raiko insisted.
"I don't think you understand the power I possess," Kuvira's voice was almost teasing on the loudspeaker. "Let me make it clear…." The mecha suit's giant arm leveled, raising the canon to eye level. An eeiree booming filled the air as the beam of light erupting from the cannon cut through the edges of the city, slicing through concrete and buildings as if they were paper. The tail end of the strike sliced through Iroh's war ships in the harbor and he and Korra gaped as dots that could only be soldiers scrambled to climb up onto the deck and jump for the water.
Korra turned her head, watching Iroh move toward the hand piece of the handheld radio on his table.
"Mister President!" Iroh shouted. "Do I have your order to engage?!"
"You have three seconds or I wipe out your army." Kuvira sounded smugly calm.
Korra's eyes met Iroh's somewhat panicked gaze. The giant mecha suit stood at attention opposite the benders of the United Army and Korra felt a cold dread slide down her spine. All these men and women could be killed, almost instanteously….the same as those buildings and ships! She couldn't be sure in that moment who had survived on the ships, if any. She almost expected the response before Raiko said it.
"Stop! We surrender. Republic City is yours," Raiko said regrettably.
"Good! Turn your army and the Avatar over to me and give Baatar your location," Kuvira demanded.
A part of Korra agreed with him, but another part of her rebelled at the idea. Iroh seemed to agree with the latter. He slammed the hand piece down on the radio, grunting with frustration.
"I'm not surrendering!" Korra said.
Iroh turned to her. "Get back to the city before she sees you! And Korra….find a way to beat that thing!"
"I will," Korra promised. She bowed with one fist in her palm, then turned and jogged out of the command tent. She slunk along the rows of tents, glider tucked under one arm. She hoped the soldiers didn't think she was abandoning them.
As she glided back to Asami's factory, she hoped and wondered if they would have any moment to be alone. At least for her to vent her frustrations at the surrender. Korra touched down in Future Industry's factory courtyard and jogged inside.
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Bursting into the work room, Korra took in the sight of her friends and allies waiting. She strode forward, aware of Asami's eyes on her from head to toe. "Raiko surrendered! It's down to us now."
The relief in Asami's eyes at seeing her was palpable. Korra's eyes were hard but she tried to soften her chi toward the engineer.
"How are we supposed to fight an entire army, a mecha giant, and that crazy weapon?" Bolin pulled his hands down his face in a gesture of frustration. Opal was nowhere in sight so Korra assumed she was with the airbenders helping the injured.
"We can't fight it, but maybe we can cripple it!" Asami suggested. "Zhu Li, when you were spying on Kuvira, did you find out anything about that metal monster?"
"I had no idea they were even building it," Zhu Li admitted.
"Guess Baatar Junior is a better inventor than I thought! Don't tell him I said that," Varrick complained. Korra raised an eyebrow.
"Baatar built it, he's got to know how to take it down! I say we capture him and get him to talk," Korra suggested.
Tenzin gave a non-verbal grunt as if pondering her idea. Korra turned to her mentor. He had to be on her side, it was a good idea! "I know it's a long shot, but it's the only chance we have, and…"
"Korra, I'm in," Tenzin interrupted her. Korra's chi flared with excitement.
"We'll need a stealth team of airbenders; Tenzin, Bumi, Jinora, Kai, let's get moving," Korra selected. The airbenders, young and old, looked ready. Ikki frowned, but put up with the decision.
"What about me?" Meelo wondered. Korra stooped to his level.
"Sorry, buddy. But this mission counts on everyone being as silent as possible. And your farts are too much of a wild card."
"I can be quiet!" Meelo squealed. He farted on cue and blushed. "Okay, point taken."
As the airbenders turned to leave, Korra caught Asami's eyes. She merely nodded, red lips tightening. Korra gave a grin to her and she was satisfied to see Asami's face light up in a blush.
The silent encouragement surged through Korra's heart.
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Sneaking on board Baatar's airship and capturing him was almost ridiculously easy. Korra didn't let down her concentration for a moment, even after they had gagged the startled Beifong son and bound him hand and foot. Even after they stuffed him in a duffel bag and tossed it onto the roof of the airship for Jinora and Kai to grab. Korra didn't ease up. They had to make it back….. they had to succeed. Korra's mind flashed to Asami's sparkling green eyes as she sat atop her waist yesterday morning, hands roaming across her breasts and skin. A flush of warmth surged through Korra as she followed Tenzin and Bumi up through the roof hatch. Everyone took off, a squirming duffel bag of Baatar in tow.
Touching down at Asami's factory, the airbenders manhandled an outraged Baatar out of the duffel bag and tied him soundly to a chair. Korra looked around for Asami absently; Su and her children gathered around their erstwhile family member but Asami was not in the room. She must have been with the engineers in the workroom with the hummingbird suits. No matter, they had an interrogation to conduct.
"You're going to tell us how to take down that mecha suit, or else!" Korra put in.
Baatar sneered at her. His hair was disheveled and his glasses were half perched off his nose but he was unperturbed even tied to a chair. "Or else what?!"
Korra's flashed white with the Avatar State. She stalked forward and bodily lifted Baatar into the air, chair and all. Baatar only laughed down at her. His boots dangled in midair.
"You won't hurt me! I know an empty threat when I see one," he taunted. Korra's eyes flashed back and she sighed, setting the chair back down. Su took a moment to kneel before her son and plead with him. The twins and Opal glared behind her.
As Su appealed to her son's better nature, Korra's mind was turning over like one of Asami's well-oiled machine parts. "We're going about this all wrong," she announced. She set her hands on her hips in what she hoped was an authoritative gesture. "You're right. I'm not going to physically hurt you if you don't talk…. But there IS something I can do that will be even more painful."
At Baatar's curious stare, Korra let an angry smile stretch her lips. "I will take away the one thing you care for the most."
Baatar still frowned defiantly up at her, but there was a quiver in his gaze.
"Kuvira," Korra finished. Baatar looked like he'd been struck. He recovered, glaring up at the Avatar.
"What do you mean?" he demanded.
"Kuvira might win," Korra conceded. "She might chase us out of the city. But YOU won't be around to enjoy the victory. Because wherever I run, I'll take you! I'm going to make it my life's mission to never let you see the one you love again."
Korra knew she'd gotten through at the look on Baatar's face. His smug expression evaporated to a rictus of sheer terror. She decided to drive home her threat. "Is taking the city worth losing Kuvira forever?"
Baatar grit his teeth. "You can't!" he hissed.
Korra leaned back, arms crossed casually. "I will! Unless you convince Kuvira to back off! You two will still have the Earth Empire; just leave the United Republic alone!"
A radio was brought to Baatar and they channeled in to Kuvira's channel. Korra was nodding to herself as the bowed Beifong pleaded with Kuvira to surrender.
"Are you injured?" Kuvira's static voice asked.
When Kuvira asked if the Avatar was with him, Korra's mind turned over in uncomfortable ways. Kuvira made a declaration of love to Baatar and everyone relaxed.
Mako gaped, looking out of one of the tall windows. "Guys! She must have our location; she's pointing that weapon right at us!"
"She wouldn't!" Baatar gasped. Everyone froze and time seemed to slow down as everyone turned to the window. As the sky began to light up red, Korra grabbed the two people she was closest to; later she would know them for Bumi and Bolin but in that second of sheer panic, it could have been anyone.
"Everyone out! Now! NOW!" Korra screamed. Her mind tumbled to pieces, wondering where Asami was, but she had to get everyone with her out first. Everyone ran as fast as they could for the door, but the building erupted into flames around them. Korra blasted a sphere of air around those nearest her on reflex as Bolin struggled to hold parts of the building. People were crawling and staggering around her and Korra dragged those closest to her along.
Bolin's grunts and screams as he raised portions of the collapsed building as they moved along echoed in Korra's ears. She connected with the earth and helped him lift more chunks of the building aside so everyone could get out. The bright sun hit Korra's eyes in a flash of light and she blinked, taking in her surroundings. Everyone was scrambling out of the shell of the building, and seemed for the most part in one piece.
Korra glossed over Su carrying her injured son, and her frantic gaze swept over and landed on Asami. Her hair was mussed and everyone was covered in a fine layer of dirt and dust, but her relieved grin lit up Korra's heart. She wanted to take her into her arms but everyone was coughing and going over fast strategies. All Korra could manage was a brief squeeze to her wrist. Asami's eyes teared up as she gazed at Korra.
"She just took out all our hummingbird suits!" Varrick complained. Asami shook her head.
"Not all of them! There are the prototypes back at my office! If we can get those ready to fly, we'll at least be able to offer a little air support."
Korra smiled in her head even as she tried to will away a massive headache. "Su, you take Baatar Junior and the injured back to Asami's office. Get those suits ready to fly. We need to get a plan in place."
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Korra panted slightly as she followed the airbenders into Asami's office. It was well across the city from Future Industries' factory and far from Kuvira. Their first attempt at taking down the mecha suit was a valiant effort, but at least everyone made it out in one piece. Well, almost one piece. Korra grimaced to herself as she noticed Bolin carrying an injured Opal. He was crying silently, tears streaking his face.
Korra was severely worried for the airbenders who were limping in. The woman she had carried started to come to and Korra gently laid her on a sofa in the reception area. "Ryu, would you stay with her?" she asked. Ryu nodded, his face pale. He knelt beside the airbender, touching her arm.
Korra strode further in and found Asami hard at work with Varrick. They had the control panels of one of the two hummingbird suits housed there open, and tools were scattered everywhere. Korra tried not to gape. Two? There were only two prototype suits? Korra kept the complaint to herself.
"Kuvira and her mecha suits are heading this way!" Daw announced as he ran in. Before Korra or Asami could say a word, Varrick took up the problem.
"I know how to take down some mecha suits! And hopefully it'll take down that metal giant too!" Varrick said. He and Zhu Li dashed off for the roof. For the most part, Korra was alone with a disheveled Asami. They stared at each other.
"How's the work going?" Korra asked. Her throat felt very dry all of a sudden. Asami chewed the wrist off one glove, working it off. She tossed the other after the first and strode toward Korra. Korra moved forward and met her halfway. Their lips crashed in a kiss and Korra bent, hands moving around Asami's waist, lifting her in the air. She continued walking, pressing Asami back into a side office. It had to be a foreman's and was sparsely decorated, but Korra didn't care. She kicked the door closed behind her and continued kissing Asami, setting her hips on the desk. Asami held onto her, keeping Korra close.
Korra moaned as Asami nibbled on her lower lip and drew her lips back open. They breathed heavily against each other.
"I was so worried!" Asami admitted. She clung to Korra's neck and pressed kisses across her face. Korra murmured, eyes closed. She searched for Asami's lips and kissed her hungrily.
"Thank the spirits you're okay," Korra breathed. They kissed for several long moments, hands roving over each other. Korra shivered as Asami's hands moved over her breasts, caressing her through her top. Korra's hands cupped Asami's buttocks, holding her against her. Their lips moved faster, crashing against each other.
Asami murmured into Korra's mouth as she nibbled on her lower lip softly. Korra gently kissed her lips and the touches were so sweet, Asami thought she was going to melt onto the desk. Her knees tightened around Korra's waist and she clasped the Avatar's face in her hands, kissing her longingly. Korra was smiling against her lips, so at peace for the moment.
'If this one moment could go on forever…' Korra thought longingly.
There was a knock at the office door and Korra scrambled off of Asami. The engineer smoothed her hair back and rearranged her mussed ponytail. Korra grinned at her sheepishly.
"Yes?" Korra called, hoping she sounded normal.
"Sorry to disturb you kids, but we've got an idea out here and we need Asami," Lin's voice gruffly called. Korra blushed and Asami nudged her shoulder playfully.
"Coming," she called. Both women exited the office to be greeted by just about everyone. Korra hoped they wouldn't notice it was just her coming out with Asami and draw conclusions but luckily no one seemed to care or notice. Korra moved beside Asami, wanting to touch her hand.
But Asami's gaze was directed at the stooped figure beside the chief. He had lost a lot of weight and had gone completely grey, but Korra still recognized Hiroshi Sato. His prison uniform clung to his lighter frame and he looked as if a strong wind would knock him over.
"Dad!" Asami gasped. Korra felt her heart tighten. She wanted to shield Asami from anything bad, but if Lin brought Hiroshi out of prison, it was for a good reason. She'd have to be patient.
"If the prison's still standing after, we can throw him back in. Right now, we need all the geniuses we can get our hands on," Lin said. Korra sighed internally. At least Hiroshi seemed inclined to help.
"Do you have an idea how to take down that mecha giant?" Korra asked when it seemed Asami fell quiet, unsure of what to say. Hiroshi nodded, blinking tired eyes at the Avatar.
"We must attack it from the inside out and act as a parasite," he suggested.
"We've only got two hummingbird suits to get in the air. Looks like you're with us," Varrick offered. Asami shifted in Korra's peripheral vision. She wanted to touch her, assure her it was okay.
"What about a plasma saw? We could affix them to the suits and use them to cut a way into the giant," Hiroshi suggested. Asami brightened.
"We'll have to size the plasmas down for the suits. Or we'll never get them off the ground."
"I can help with that. We need to get to work right away," Hiroshi offered. Asami led the way and she, her father, Varrick and Zhu Li made their way to the two suits. Asami flashed a look over her shoulder to Korra who smiled widely in understanding and nodded. Asami needed to be with her father. Who knew where this battle was going.
The thought was harrowing enough as it was.
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Asami was positively smiling as she and her father got readied for the suit's flight. Varrick and Zhu Li were gearing up also, and sharing what seemed like a private moment. And kiss? Asami's eyes fell on the large shiny jade ring on Zhu Li's ring hand and realization dawned. Of course. Asami wondered if she would get a moment like this impromptu engagement.
"We're ready," Tenzin said. He and the airbenders and Korra were ready to fly out and be the diversion for the hummingbird suits. Everyone gave each other words of encouragement and Korra jerked her chin toward the corridor.
Asami walked over to it, trying not to look like she was meeting Korra. Korra ducked around the other side. Far from everyone's eyes, their arms went around each other. Korra twined her hand in the ends of Asami's ponytail and she kissed the side of her jaw tenderly. Asami's arms were tight around her back.
"Please, come back to me," Asami pleaded. The longing for the past three years was in her words and Korra twinged in guilt. She looked up into Asami's eyes, sorrow in her eyes.
"Just be careful. I'll take down Kuvira. And I'm coming back to you," Korra vowed. Asami felt the reverberation of other lives flash into her mind. She had been promised this before, so many times…. Korra's calloused fingers held her face and she leaned up to kiss her.
They kissed longingly, heat taking a back step to worry and sorrow. When they separated, Korra's blue eyes hardened in determination.
"Be careful," she said. Asami ran her hand through Korra's hair.
"You too," she whispered. Korra leaned up and kissed her cheek, stepping back. They moved back to the main room, in opposite ways. As Asami padded to her father and one of the hummingbird suits, she heard Tenzin calling to the Avatar.
"We're waiting, Korra!" he said in an exasperated tone. Asami heard Korra's good-natured reply and pulled on her gloves. She set a pair of goggles over her head and watched her father zip up a flight jacket. It was far too big for his frame now. Hiroshi smiled a tired smile at her and Asami nodded at him. She cast a glance back to the departing airbenders. The last she saw of Korra was the back of her head as she exited the work room.
Asami sighed internally and took a deep breath. 'Just hold it together, Sato,' she thought.
"Are you ready, Asami?" Her father gently asked. He held a hand out to her to assist her climb onto the step ladder so she could climb inside. Asami was going to be the pilot so she settled into the lower compartment.
"Of course. We got this, Dad," Asami said, a determined spark in her eyes. Hiroshi beamed with quiet pride at her and climbed up the stepladder for the upper compartment.
"Let's do this, guys!" Varrick called from the other suit. He and Zhu Li were climbing in and preparing for take-off. Asami gave a thumbs up and Hiroshi flashed a polite wave. Soon everyone was inside and the metal doors of the compartments clanged shut.
Asami pulled the seatbelt loops across her shoulders and heard her father doing the same above. She rested her hands on the control panel and pushed a few switches, and pulled a lever. The wings of the hummingbird began thrumming and opposite, she could see Varrick's suit starting up also. A moment later, both suits were hovering and gliding out of the work room, out the wide double doors the airbenders had left open for them. They cleared the courtyard and took straight off.
Asami swept her gaze over the shrinking city below her as she and Varrick searched for Kuvira's giant mecha suit. It wasn't that hard to spot, but they had to get a bearing for the range of vision they had pushed themselves up to.
Spotting the mecha, both hummingbird suits flew off toward it. As they neared, Asami could see airbenders swooping in patterns around the mecha, distracting it. She could make out dots on the ground below that could only be Su, Linn, Bolin, Mako and the twins. Asami focused on her flight pattern, pushing all thoughts out, even Korra's intense blue eyes. She had to concentrate on the now, or they could be hurt! Asami pulled the levers back, guiding the suit to an unprotected spot on the mecha's back. Before they could begin to secure the suit to begin to weld in, Kuvira was onto them. The suit arched to and fro, tossing them off. Asami bit her lip and pulled back, guiding the suit out of range quickly.
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The battle became almost a dance as Asami and Zhu Li guided their suits in opposite patterns, trying to stay out of Kuvira's line of sight. The airbenders looped in and out of their way, trying to keep the mecha suit on its toes. Asami had several opportunities to touch the suit down, and she secured the foot plates down. It seemed on each small clang, her father barely had time to begin the plasma saw. Just as he began to cut, it seemed they had to depart the spot they had landed on. Asami was beginning to feel crushed. Just had to keep going… Kuvira couldn't keep looking out for everyone forever.
As Asami circled around, she caught sight of two parachutes drifting to the ground. So Varrick and Zhu Li had to eject. It was up to them now.
Asami spotted glimpses of the earthbenders and Mako on the ground, trying to halt the mecha giant's progression. A massive gust of wind short of a tornado erupted from a rooftop and Asami caught Korra out of her peripheral vision on a rooftop, eyes glowing in the Avatar State. Suddenly, a massive stream of water was bended from a nearby stream and froze the mecha giant's torso.
Asami silently thanked Korra and quickly landed the hummingbird onto the mecha giant's thigh. She hurriedly clamped the plates onto the metal surface. The instant the last plate slapped down, Hiroshi pulled his levers, beginning to cut with the plasma saw. He began at one point and expanded outward in a circle, as quickly as the saw would allow. Asami knew her father was trying to be fast but efficient, ensuring the cut went all the way through. She kept darting glances up at the splayed hand of the mecha giant, outstretched and halted by ice. Asami darted a glance down to her father who didn't appear to be blinking as he aimed the plasma saw to cut faster.
Suddenly, drops of water splattered the windshield of her suit. Asami blinked and stared again as the mecha giant's hand lurched, trying to break out of the ice's hold. And the arm was winning. Asami had to get them out of there before it broke loose. "Dad! We have to go!" she called.
Hiroshi grunted below her. "Almost there!" he hissed. Asami felt terror paint the edges of her vision fuzzy. "Dad! Now!" she insisted.
Hiroshi's hands tightened on the levers. "Almost there!...Almost there!"
The arm lurched free and raised high over them. Asami gaped, feeling the blood drain from her face. "Dad!" she screamed. She went for the controls, intending to pull the hummingbird suit back. But the controls weren't responding. A long second later, she realized it was because the ejection switch must have been triggered by her father.
"Goodbye, Asami," she heard her father say. And she was jerked backward, ejected from the suit abruptly. Asami slapped the button on her shoulder to trigger her parachute. As she was caught by a nearby breeze, Asami darted quick glances back and forth, trying to look for her father. She didn't see another parachute; as the realization was sinking in, the mecha giant's hand smacked down on the hummingbird suit plated to it's thigh. The suit, crushed beyond recognition, slowly slid off and onto the asphalt below.
Tears blinded Asami's eyes as she wheezed, understanding what had happened. Her father had ejected her and not himself. Her mind was screaming in fits of pure white panic and her heart lurched when she noticed Korra, Su, Linn, Mako and Bolin dart for the opening left behind and disappear inside.
They got in….her father had done it. But he was gone! Asami's feet touched down as she came in for a landing and she fell sideways, kicking the parachute off of her.
"Asami!" A familiar voice called out. Asami scrubbed her eyes across her wet eyes. Varrick and Zhu Li jogged up. Their arms went around her, surprisingly steadying her unstable gait.
"You're okay!" Zhu Li said. Varrick's voice almost crushed Asami.
"Where's Hiroshi?" he asked. Asami cried harder. Zhu Li's arm squeezed her waist.
"He's…. gone…." Asami wheezed. Tears blinded her vision. Varrick took her arm and helped walk her along. Surprisingly he knew what to say.
"He completed what he meant to, Asami. We're all grateful to him. He got the Avatar and the others inside. Now we have to let them do their job." Varrick's eyes hardened.
The three made their way to cover.
End for now
End notes: And here we go to the end! Stay strong, my lovelies. Smash that review button if you liked. Until the next time!
Sincerely, pen
10/14/2016