Knew how I wanted this story arc to end,
but was unsure just how to get there from where I was.
This resulted in writers block.
Hopefully that has now passed.
The Night Is Always Darkest...
Asami sat bolt upright in bed, almost hyperventilating, her bedclothes and sheets so drenched in sweat that they clung to her uncomfortably. One hand instinctively reached out to other side of the bed, only to find it empty, and it took her a moment to remember where she was. She'd been having dreams about being on a beach ever since she'd left the hospital, something Kya had put down to the change in environment, but the latest one had been...something else. It was far more vivid; the sound of the waves braking against the shore, the hint of salt in the air, the feel of sand between her toes, the heat of the sun against her skin...the feel of Korra, asleep in her arms. It felt real, some how more than real, in a way she couldn't describe. She'd felt her pulse quicken and her breath catch as she looked down at the other woman, it had stirred something inside her, a feeling she only knew from reading her diary.
Turning on the light, she looked at the clock; dawn was still hours away, but it hadn't taken her long to realise that the vast Sato Estate never truly went to sleep. There was always someone working somewhere, even if it was just he ever present White Lotus sentries that seemed to be able to fade into the background at will. Her mind racing too fast to get back to sleep, she decided to start the day early, so she made her way into the adjoining bathroom, stripped off her damp cloths and started up the shower.
But try as she might, she couldn't get that dream out of her head, even if it was starting to ache.
Korra crouched down low to avoid silhouetting herself against the blazing sun and looked out over the bandit camp. If camp was the right word; it was almost a small town, with a motley collection of ramshackle houses clustered around line of airship hangers and radio tower. Careful to avoid catching the sun, she raised her binoculars and examined the compound in more detail. It was clear that the bulk of the bandit force was there, which was both a good thing and a bad thing. It was good in that it meant that they'd be able to brake them once and for all, but it also meant that it would be a much harder fight. She took notice of a fenced off area that looked like some kind of stockade or prison camp, but she was too far away to make out any details. Putting a stop to their raids would be worth all the hardships they'd gone though to get there.
Making her way back from the edge, she hunkered down next to where Kai was waiting.
"Well, it's them all right." she kept her voice low, well aware of just how well sound could travel in the desert, "I recognise the markings on their airships from the briefings."
"We need to get back to the others." The young Air Ranger nodded, "If we're careful, we can get into position tonight and attack at dawn."
Kya passed through the doorway of the Sato family home with a node and a smile to the two sentries on duty. She'd grown up around the White Lotus, and they all knew her on sight, allowing her to pass unchallenged almost anywhere. Indeed, it was a brave sentry indeed who'd be willing to challenge the daughter of Avatar Aang.
In fact, there were probably a few who's heard the stories of her almost legendary augments with her father, especially those that took place after she'd told her family about her sexual orientation.
Bumi had already been accepted into the United Forces Academy (his tall tales about a press-gang and a burlap sack not withstanding), and showed little interest in settling down and starting a family of his own, while Tenzin was still with Lin, who'd already made it clear that she had no intention of having kids of her own. That had left Kya as her father sole apparent option for getting the air-bender grandchildren he so desperately wanted to continue his legacy beyond his younger son, and she had grown tired of his less-then-subtle hints that she should find a nice young man, settle down and start popping out kids. The look on his face when she'd matter of factly explained over a family dinner just why that wasn't going to happen had been a picture, but over the years she'd wished she'd been more diplomatic, given how it had permanently strained her relationship with her father. Her mother had assured her that he'd come to accept it, and didn't love her any less, but he'd never told her as much to her face, instead choosing to simply never mention it again, even when she brought girlfriends home to meet her family. In many ways her fathers apathetic lack of approval may have been why none of her relationships had lasted.
That, and the fact that the one women she'd ever truly loved had been unavailable for so long, and then when she was free, too much time had passed, and pursuing the relationship would have created unnecessary tension in an already strained family dynamic. Hell, she wasn't even sure if her feelings had any chance of being reciprocated; it wasn't like...
"Yuan for you thoughts?" Lin asked from a nearby doorway, a thick file under one arm and a warm smile on her face.
"Just..." Kya took a moment to compose herself, "Just remembering what it's like, to not be with the one you love, for whatever reason."
"That tall blond from Whale Tale Island?" Lin asked her old friend with a sly grin, "The one you joined that sand-bender commune to be with?"
"Not exactly." Kya shook her head and looked for a way to change the subject, "What are you doing here?"
"Just collecting the latest fan-mail." Lin opened the file to show a number of letters addressed to Korra and Asami inside, "Just your typical nut-job and attention seeker; nothing that has us worried. Still, best to keep an eye on it, just in case. And I wanted an excuse to check in on Asami."
"How is she?"
"Distracted. I tried to get her to open up, but she said it was just a migraine."
"Her medical file says nothing about a history of migraines." Kya's brow winkled, "Probably best I examine her, just in case..."
The two women made their way towards the living room, when they heard a loud thud and a cry of despair that could only come from Aang, the infant trying to vocalise something he didn't yet have the words for. Lin and Kya glanced at each-other and broke into a run, reaching the door just before a White Lotus sentry who'd seemingly appeared out of nowhere, and all bust knocked it off its hinges. Aang sat on a rug on the floor, next to a still Asami, who's head was bleeding where she'd hit the arm of a chair on her way down. Kya was at her side in an instant, and was relived to see that the younger woman was still breathing, her pulse rapid but steady.
"Get the on-duty doctor and call an ambulance." She ordered the sentry, already drawing water from the flask she carried at all times, "Lin, see to Aang."
The formidable chief of police looked decidedly pale at the idea of trying to comfort the bawling child, but she lifted him up into her arms none the less and did her best to reassure him, turning to block his view of his mother while Kya got to work. The healer worked quickly, first making sure there were no other injuries, then examined Asami in greater detail, trying to work out what had caused her to fall in the first place. There was no sign of any additional physical trauma, but something was affecting the flow of her chi between her Chakras, indicating that she was conflicted over something.
Kya did her best to help her, trying to remember what the various Guru's she'd met on her travels had taught her, but ultimately she knew it would be up to Asami to find a way to clear them herself.
"What's going on?" Senna came running into the room, stopping dead in her tracks when she awy her daughter-in-law on the floor.
"It looks worse then it is." Kya assured her as Lin handed of Aang to his grandmother, "It's not physical; she's undergoing some kind of spiritual turmoil, but given she hit her head, I think it's best if we take her back to the hospital, just to be sure."
"What's happening in..." Hiroshi walked in and almost collapsed himself when he saw his daughter sprawled out on the floor, the carpet stained red with her blood. He grabbed the sideboard for support, leaning on it heavily as the White Lotus sentry returned with a doctor carrying a medical kit.
"She's breathing and there are no signs of physical trauma aside from the cut on her head, and they always look worse then they are." Kya explained, mostly for the doctors benefit, but also to reassure everyone else, "I think something's happening in her head, and she blacked-out. I'll be able to tell more when we get her to the hospital; they have water from the Spirit Oasis there."
"I'd better call Mako; have him collect the girls from school and meet us at the hospital" Lin strode purposefully for the door, "And then work out how to get hold of Korra..."
To Be Continued...
According to series co-creator and executive producer Bryan Konietzko, Kya is one of four named LGBTQIA characters in The Legged of Korra, the others being Korra, Asami and Aiwei.
And yeah, I have another ship. In fact, I probably have an entire fleet by now.