When Korra rang the bell of the Sato Mansion, she had been expecting the amiable face of housekeeper Nella to greet her. Instead, from a small opening at the bottom of the door, a gray feline head snuck out as a pair of intense green eyes inspected her keenly before quickly retreating inside. Korra blinked, dumbfounded as she stared at the moving flaps of the small opening, but before she could lean down to explore further, the door opened.
"Avatar Korra, it's been a while. I'm so glad to see you again!" Nella greeted, smilingly. Korra's puzzled look greeted her back. The same pair of enigmatic eyes were now peering at Korra behind the housekeeper. She could have sworn the feline was scrutinizing her thoroughly.
"Glad to see you too, Nella," Korra replied distractedly as she put her glider inside an umbrella stand. The cat narrowed his eyes, and Korra answered the feline's challenging stare with one of her own.
Nella turned around to see what seemed to have caught the Avatar's attention and chuckled, amused. "Oh, I believe you've already met Ying," she replied while ushering Korra in. "He always beats me to the door. He's a very protective little fellow."
"Ying?" But before Nella could answer, a pair of limber yet strong arms engulfed her.
"Korra! I'm so glad you could make it on such short notice!" exclaimed Asami. Korra grinned, eagerly returning the gesture with an effusive hug of her own.
"You know I wouldn't forgive myself if I knew you were back in town and didn't drop by for a visit. How long has it been? Six months?"
"Six months, two weeks, and three days exactly since the wedding," clarified Asami. "Come on in, the tea is served. Green tea, your favorite, and Kuvira should come down to join us shortly as soon as she finishes her work meeting. She's testing one of my inventions, a telephone that can handle multiple calls so you can talk to a group simultaneously. If it works as intended, it should make meetings easier while we're on the road."
"That sounds pretty interesting. I'm glad to see you're back to your inventions. And how's the married life suiting you so far?" Korra inquired as she followed Asami to the tearoom.
Asami's lips curved into a gentle smile. "In many ways, it's like everything changed but at the same time, it's like nothing changed at all. I'm not sure I can explain it but what I can assure you is that I'm very happy."
Korra took a moment to observe her friend as she served the tea. Asami's face appeared to have a subtle yet noticeable glow about her and the cadence of her voice had acquired a pleasant and contented warmth at her new marital state.
"You look happy and you have no idea how pleased that makes me feel. You should've seen how everyone talked about your wedding here. It was the only thing people gossiped about for weeks and newspapers competed against each other publishing every morsel of news they could put their greedy hands on. When those pictures of the two of you in Ember Island surfaced, it was mayhem!"
"Yeah, I heard all about that," Asami sighed resignedly. "Firelord Izumi revoked the press privileges to the photographers who took those pictures. It was explicitly stated that we were not to be disturbed while we were there, but I guess the profit earned from the newspapers sold made up for the lost credentials."
"You also heard the rumor that it had been one of Varrick's associates, right?" The teapot levitated gently from Korra's left palm while she directed a small flame to it with the right until steam escaped from its snout. Korra preferred her tea piping hot, making Asami wonder how it never scalded her. Then again, Korra could breathe fire so perhaps a hotter than usual beverage was nothing to the Avatar's palate.
"But of course and you can bet that he not only received an earful from me and Vira but that right now the negatives are secured in a safe box back home," Asami retorted with a smirk.
"That should teach him a lesson. It's not that he didn't profit enough from all the Varrick brand wedding-themed souvenirs he sold," Korra smiled expectantly as she bit down on a baked bun filled with sweet cream and topped with coconut flakes but her smile turned into a despaired groan when the cream spurted all over her fingertips. A big glob landed over her vest and the engineer snorted loudly.
"Pffft! Kuvira always ends up like you when she eats those. I swear I will teach both of you how to eat those without getting it all over your clothes even if it takes me a lifetime!"
"I'm not planning on moving anywhere so you can teach me anything you please," Kuvira affirmed with a playful grin as she deposited a peck against Asami's temple.
"Good to know I'm not the only one Asami teases about the buns. The boys never get mocked because they gulp them in one go but these are so good I just have to savor them slowly."
"See? That's exactly what I tell her!" Kuvira exclaimed as she sat down and took one pastry from a ceramic plate. She cut a piece with her fingers and tossed it in the air with a loud whistle. Suddenly, a gray shadow soared over the table and caught the morsel in the air with its sharp teeth.
"Vira, you shouldn't encourage that habit. The vet explicitly said sweets aren't good for felines," Asami chided her wife with an outraged tone.
"But he likes it so much! Besides, he had to work for it, so as long as he exercises he should be fine, isn't that right, Ying?" Kuvira replied defensively. The cat was now licking her fingers under the table, and the metalbender chuckled. Asami rolled her eyes, exasperated.
"Who wouldn't have thought you of all people would end up being the coddling mom-type…" Asami muttered under her breath.
"But 'Sami, just look at him. He's so happy he's purring like one of your engines," Kuvira was scratching his head now and the feline was blissfully purring so loudly Korra could hear it. After licking Kuvira's fingers clean, Ying landed over the table and padded towards Asami.
"I sense there's a story behind the new tenant," Korra observed intently with a smirk, noticing how Asami's stern countenance melted into an endearing one. It was obvious it was hard for her to play the disciplinarian under the feline charm.
"You want me to tell Korra how we met you?"
Ying meowed as he rubbed his head against Asami's open palm.
"I think that settles it," noted Kuvira with a smug smile when she realized she had eaten the bun without spills until Korra promptly burst her bubble when she pointed at a bit of residue that had landed on her blouse's collar. Kuvira lifted her hands in defeat, dismayed.
As both cat and owner beheld the scene amused, Asami declared:
"Okay, then Ying, let's tell Korra your story, shall we?"
It was a cool, brisk night, as many nights on Ba Sing Se's Lower Ring felt during the waning days of autumn. The silver facade of the moon hid from the naked eye under its new phase. A smattering of stars speckled over the dark celestial canvas offered a dim source of light to the surefooted steps of the couple walking through the city's most notorious alleyways engaged in a lively conversation, challenging the hushed atmosphere that seemed to pervade over the area. Neither woman appeared to be concerned with the zone's ill repute because, to their keen eyes, a tide signaling a change for the better was already unraveling for this neglected part of the city. A subtle shiver from the taller woman caught the attention of the shorter one.
"Here 'Sami, I always forget how susceptible to the cold how you Fire Nation natives are," Kuvira said as she quickly shed her jacket and put it over the engineer's elegant shoulders.
"Thank you, but what about you?" Asami inquired.
"This should keep me warm enough for the time being until we reach Badgermole Alley," Kuvira affirmed as her arm surrounded Asami's waist.
Asami chuckled. "You should be proud of tonight's accomplishment. You've managed to earn the respect of the Lower Ring elders. I'm sure you're the first Ba Sing Se leader who has accomplished this with no bribes or threats. Elder Huojin inviting you for dinner on his own home is a huge diplomatic success."
"Inviting us for dinner and I should congratulate you because this success is mostly yours. You were the one to insist on the importance of community outreach to win over the Lower Ring citizens. My only credit is being smart enough to listen to you instead of following the tired diatribe of my advisors who insisted on the same failed strategies. My team did a lot to improve the living conditions of the citizens of the Lower Ring after it was stabilized but trusting the resident's insight on how to make the changes worthwhile was a bold and inspired concept, to my unimaginative counselors' eyes that is."
"It's evident most of them had never Ieft their ivory towers to take a closer look at the world."
"But you do and that's just one of the many reasons I admire you."
Asami offered Kuvira a grateful glance as she took her hand and squeezed it.
"Thanks. I believe people have the capacity of surprising us for the better when given the opportunity to do so. Besides, the community knows itself much better than a bunch of outside bureaucrats, and I think the results speak for themselves."
Pride shimmered in Kuvira's green eyes. "They sure do. Ready to call it a night?"
"Yeah. I'm afraid I overindulged in the pig chicken steamed buns Elder Huojin's wife cooked," Asami admitted with a grin as she patted her belly.
Kuvira offered her a wry smirk."You weren't the only one. Anyway, let's go." Kuvira reached for Asami's hand and began walking away but Asami stood still.
"Did you hear that?" Asami said as she moved in the opposite direction.
"Hear what?"
"That!"
Suddenly, Kuvira's ears picked a strange, faraway sound. Both women bolted towards the sound's origin in unison, almost stumbling on the way with a clowder of cats scurrying from the alleyway until they found themselves staring at a most unusual sight. A scruffy-looking gray cat was yowling defiantly at a group of kids as it stared them down. The kids held cans, rotten vegetables, and other rubbish in their hands. Behind him, another cat stood in utter desperation while carrying a newborn kitten in its jaws. Faint meowing could be heard behind them and when Asami turned her head, she could see tiny colored tuffs poking from behind a trash bin and she gasped.
A large, flat-nosed brat tossed a can towards the gray cat, hitting him on its side. The cat hissed angrily but did not relent from protecting the feline mom, shielding her with its own body until she slipped away, covered by the shadows and cardboard boxes stacked alongside the trash bins.
"Well, your friends have abandoned you, kitty. What are you going to do now?" the brat boasted as the group prepared to unleash another barrage of projectiles towards the defenseless animal.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Asami warned.
"And why is that, miss?" the bully hissed derisively as he moved menacingly towards the engineer.
Asami arched an eyebrow as she lifted her right arm. Her glove hummed ominously as electric currents crackled and sparked over her fingertips, illuminating the alley with intense white light. Kuvira was leaning against a wall with arms folded over her chest, a smirk unbidden on her lips as she saw the group gulp loudly before scampering almost instantaneously until only the leader remained. A desperate growl escaped his throat but the moment Asami touched a garbage bin with her glove in a brief demonstration of the gadget's power, the bully yelped as he ran as fast as his legs could take him.
"That should take care of this nuisance," Kuvira stated.
"Let me get the cat. I think the tin can cut one of its hind legs," Asami said.
"Are you sure about that?"
"I will not leave the poor thing behind after this," the engineer replied matter-of-factly. Asami had that determined look on her face that Kuvira knew it meant she had already made up her mind about something and would not budge.
"I'll do it," Kuvira sighed as she bent down. The cat, who had been nursing his injured leg, hissed but didn't move away.
"Easy, little fellow, it's okay. We mean you no harm. We just want to take a closer look at your leg, okay?"
Suddenly, the cat arched its back and uttered a ferocious caterwaul, struggling to remain on its four legs due to scratches and injuries he had sustained. Large green eyes appeared to be keenly focused on something that moved behind Kuvira, and the metalbender instinctively ducked. A few seconds later, her nose caught the distinct stench of burnt hair as the fireball missed her head by mere centimeters.
"Kuvira, look out!" Asami shouted as she found herself momentarily surrounded by a group of bandits. To everyone's astonishment, the attacker's element of surprise soon was revealed to have been an exercise of futility when multiple figures emerged behind the aggressors and were quickly put under arrest by the Neighborhood Watch.
"What? But how?" the leader gasped, livid at the sight of handcuffs over his wrists.
"We didn't believe you would be so reckless as to attack the President, Jiro, but since someone tipped off you would be too tempted to try, we've been following you and your cronies. Or do you really think we would allow President Kuvira to stroll around at night without protection?" Elder Huojin calmly explained.
"Kuvira's phony government doesn't have any power here! This is my turf! This is Spider Wasp territory!"
"Not anymore. We have reclaimed our community from scum like you. You and the other daofeis have no power over us. Now take them away!" ordered the Elder.
"Well, this was unexpected," muttered Asami.
"Our apologies Madam President." Huojin bowed deeply. "We've been trying to capture this criminal for a long time. We didn't mean to ruin your evening with your wife but we had grown desperate."
Kuvira patted the Elder's shoulder, encouraging him to stand up straight. "I understand. I knew we were under the surveillance of your people the whole time. This sure brought me back when my troops struggled to stabilize the Lower Ring block by block and it was with the help of the community leaders that we finally defeated the rebel daofeis ," she added with a wistful grin. "Now, do you know of a good veterinarian? Things might have been messier hadn't it been for the timely intervention of a very brave cat and the least I could do is to get the medical help the little fella needs."
"Kuvira, I have him. He's asleep now," Asami replied. She was gently caressing the cat's body.
"Oh, so our friend is a guy."
"Yep, I had a neighbor rescue the momma cat and the kittens but Ying needs a vet."
"Ying?" Kuvira couldn't help the lopsided smile curving at her lips. "So if you have already named him, that means…"
"He's coming with us!" Asami affirmed.
"But of course he is," Kuvira added as she placed a soft peck over Asami's temple. "Well, Elder Huojin, you heard my wife. Please have Ying seen by a veterinarian and as soon as we can move him, have him transported to the Presidential palace."
"It will be done as requested Madame President."
"And after the vet patched him up, we brought him here, and well, Ying is part of our family now," Asami said. Ying was sleeping now on his side, and the engineer was running her fingers over the feline's furry belly.
"Whoa, that was quite the story! Gotta admit he earned his name and he's just perfect for the two of you," Korra observed admiringly as she helped herself to the last of the sweet buns. "I knew you would eventually adopt a pet but after hearing this, I think he's the one who took you in to protect you."
"You might be into something," Asami acknowledged with a smile. "I think it was fate that put him in our path."
"I must admit that I hadn't considered a pet before but now that Ying is here, I can't imagine our lives without him," Kuvira added. "Besides, he's adapted to our lifestyle better than I expected. He likes being around 'Sami in her workshop when he's not in my office and he's always eager to travel with us."
"You should see him in the little flight suit I designed for him," Asami gushed. "He looks so cute!"
"So Korra, I heard that a certain Kyoshi Island delegate is also expected to visit Republic City this week," Kuvira said with a playful lilt. "I bet you must be ecstatic."
"How did you find out about that?" Korra shrieked, glaring icily at Kuvira. The metalbender smirked mischievously.
"Nergüi is visiting? And I'm finding out now? You could have called me!" Asami reprimanded.
"Uhhh..." Korra stammered as she squirmed nervously in her seat. Her cheeks acquired a deep reddish hue and sweat beaded over her forehead. After a pregnant pause, Korra opened her mouth but before she could talk, Ying reached her side of the table and began meowing for attention.
"I think Ying wants us to cut Korra some slack," Kuvira said.
"Aaaaww, he wants to be friends with you!" Asami cooed.
"And I want to be your friend too," Korra replied as she let out a long exhale. Ying brushed his head against Korra's forearm and she scratched underneath his chin, prompting the feline to purr in delight.
"I owe you one. Next time I visit I'll treat you with some genuine puffin seal sausages," Korra whispered. Ying seemed so pleased with the proposal that he offered his belly for Korra to scratch.
Later that night after Korra departed, Kuvira was relaxing on her favorite chair, completely engrossed with the latest installment of Private Eye Jun's whodunnits series of novels. Ying was sleeping soundly at the foot of the bed while Asami brushed her hair in front of the mirror.
"Vira, I've been thinking...maybe we can start considering expanding the family?"
Asami's question was answered by a sudden coughing fit and the sound of a book falling down. When she turned around, Ying was no longer in his spot. Instead, he was playing over the metalbender's lap.
"Did you say something 'Sami?" Kuvira said nervously as she dangled a string over the cat.
Asami brushed a lock of hair behind Kuvira's ear. "That you two look adorable." Kuvira took Asami's palm and kissed it.
And as Asami observed them play, she dared to imagine just how beautiful Kuvira would look with a little girl of their own on her lap as she read her a book. Maybe Ying and his preternatural protective instinct were right again and this wasn't the best moment for her to approach the subject. But there was one thing Asami knew beyond any doubt: that no matter what the future held in store for them, Ying would remain their little family's most devoted protector and companion.
And maybe even their future child's best friend.
The end