AN/TRIGGER WARNING: Hiroshi is still a piece of **** so Korra finally drops the bomb to save a friend. Bonzai to diplomatic power
P.S. not me wheezing and rewriting the majority of this chapter before posting so that's why it's a little late DSLKFGHDASLKJFHGAD *foams out the mouth*
Ch 13: Cry of Defeat
Mindlessly tapping her elbow, Korra's face was scrunched as she thought to herself. Okay, how long have we been cooped up here?
One sigh later, she glances down at Asami. Her friend was curled up by her side, sound asleep with puffy eyes. She had cried herself to sleep. Korra frowns slightly before brushing away a strand of hair from her face.
Well… Kai is probably tripping… I hope. Kuvira to… she should've noticed something's up since she always bombards my ass every day. More like Naofumi… I am a hundred percent sure I missed the dinner date. So... I'd like to believe he thought something was wrong. Ergo… I hope that Chief Beifong is looking for me…
She closes her eyes in deep thought before looking down at Asami again. On another note, how the hell did Hiroshi not recognize me? He has seriously gone mad… we've met more than a handful of times already. Is it seriously because I cut my hair?
She glances at her short hair strands before playing with her tips. Hah… this is not gonna be fun to explain to mom and dad. What do I even say? "Hey mom and dad! You know, Hiroshi Sato, CEO of Future Industries that we do trade with? Yeah? Well, he sort of kidnapped his daughter, who I actually have a crush on but am trying to forget by the way! That's another story to tell and guess what, better yet, he kidnapped me too! Funny right!" Hah hahaha…. hah… ha…
She huffs out a dry yet silent laugh. This is so not good. I can't let this get out to the tribe or the public. The south needs Future Industries' machinery, shitty CEO or not… they're the only ones we can trust because Cabbage Corps is just… not the way to go.
Breathing in a deep breath, she rubs the back of her neck before scratching her scalp. Okay, there are a few ways to approach this.
Plan A: Let's say I reveal myself to Hiroshi. Will he willingly let us go once he realizes that I'm the chief's daughter because of friendly connections or just…just silence me forever? Hmm… the odds for a happy ending are probably slim. Okay…
Plan B: We go all badass and fight our way out! My side and shoulder are killing me but it sounds doable. Though… I just don't know if they have weapons or not, or if Asami is even up for it for that matter… Okay…
Plan C: We sit and do nothing and believe that I am loved and that Kuvira, Kai, or Naofumi have reported this to the police because, believe it or not, I am a diplomat's daughter yay! Then... we trust in Chief Beifong's abilities and hope this will all blow over in due time. Hah…
Korra scrunches her face with her eyes closed before tilting her head. "What to do, what to do…"
An uncertain amount of time elapses and sure enough, Asami roused awake. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked momentarily confused before her eyes flashed in recognition. But, just when she was about to shoot up from Korra's lap, Korra quickly shushes her while pressing her fingers against Asami's lips.
"Shh. You don't have to say a thing."
Asami's eyebrows only furrowed. "But—"
"Ah—" Maintaining eye contact, Korra uses her other free finger to bring it up to her lips as well. "Shhhh… don't. You don't have to explain."
Opening her mouth slightly, Asami was planning to protest but stopped when she saw the seriousness in Korra's eyes. She shuts her mouth cooperatively but that doesn't stop her from giving her the stink eye with a pout. They held that tense moment for a while and after a few seconds passed, Korra finally removed her finger from Asami's lips. She starts patting her head comfortingly immediately right after before nervously asking:
"Are you okay?"
That phrase came out in a whisper by accident and from how Asami hadn't responded, Korra thought that she didn't even hear her. But for better or for worse, Asami looks away before responding.
"Honestly… better than I thought."
Korra remains silent before Asami ends up rolling into her stomach to hide her face. She started whispering but loud enough so that her friend could hear.
"It all kind of proves to me that my dad was worse than I thought." She states with a dry chuckle. "I just… I don't know what I should feel, to be honest, you know? I feel as if he gouged out all the redeemable bits in my heart and now nothing's there. I just… I feel empty."
Frowning slightly, Korra felt inclined to rub her back soothingly. Shortly after Asami continues her rant.
"It's not uncommon to have homophobic parents… but this. Hah! I'm sure I'm the only one that has a father crazy enough to kidnap their child!" She then ends up curling more into her side and for some reason, Korra knew it was because she was trying not to cry. "Hahh… what lucky star was I born under to go through this shit? Better yet, maybe I'm paying some karma for being some fucked up cruel ass serial killer in my past life!"
Korra attentively listened to her but she had enough of her self-berating. She finally sighs out loud. "Don't say that…" You're the sweetest person I know that deserves the world. "You know that you don't deserve this. No one does."
Asami could only scoff ironically at her body. Neither of them said much after that but they were settled there on the grounds for a long moment. Shortly after Korra spoke up.
"We'll get out of this."
Asami clenches her shirt before helplessly muttering in a desperate voice. "How?"
Korra wasn't sure either. She didn't respond but the frustration in her friend was apparent.
"I said how?" She repeats as if Korra didn't hear her the first time. She then rolls off of Korra before looking into her eyes. "Korra, we're stuck in some stupid warehouse located who knows where! If my dad was the one really behind this, no one's gonna find us!" She ends up shouting in frustration.
Korra clenches her jaw. "Don't worry Asami, just trust me. I know we'll be alright."
"Sure." She snaps back bitterly. "Sure we will."
Right when Korra opened her mouth to say something, she held her tongue. She knew that Asami was venting out her stress on her so she held it back. Otherwise, if she argued back, there really would be no going back. I should let her cool down… Rubbing her neck, Korra ends up turning away before whispering one last time.
"We will. I promise."
xXx
After their fight, if one could call it that at least, they haven't talked since. It was unbearably awkward but thankfully, they finally received their first meal since the day prior. It was a minimal meal, a simple three-course dish consisting of some rice, some sort of soup, and a piece of fish. It sort of reminded Korra of her school days but was the ghetto version of those meals from the lack of effort, to say the least.
Korra was about halfway done when she finally looked up to Asami's plate. She had hardly picked at it at all since they got it. Setting her chopsticks down with a frown, Korra lets out a soft breath before speaking up.
"You should eat a bit."
Asami didn't bother looking up. "I'm not hungry."
Sighing softly, Korra adjusts her posture before scooping up some rice from her plate and eating it. "A little bit is better than nothing." She mumbled through her chewing, "You need to save your strength, you never know what might happen."
Just right when Asami was about to protest, her stomach begrudgingly growled. Korra gives her a slightly smug look that says 'I told you so' before Asami sighs and finally picks up her chopsticks. She then stabs the fish before breaking it apart and placing a small piece in her mouth. After a few bites, she eventually mumbles something.
"-rry…"
Korra almost missed that noise. It was already as quiet as it was so Asami's tiny voice was a slight surprise since she expected the silent treatment for longer. That's why she had to ask and confirm if she was hearing things or not. "I'm sorry, what was that? Did you say something?"
Asami never made eye contact as she nervously poked at her food. Her lips thin out and her eyebrows furrow before she repeats herself slightly louder. "I'm sorry…"
Fortunately, Korra wasn't going to mess with her by pretending she didn't hear that. "Sami… I've told you before, you don't have to apologize for our situation."
That remark makes Asami look up with a slight shake of the head. But, once she makes eye contact, she immediately looks back down. "No… not for that, I meant for lashing out on you earlier." She starts picking at her food again, "I know you're just trying to help so I'm sorry…"
Opening her mouth slightly, Korra was about to crack a joke but decided against it. Instead, she smiles softly before responding, "In that case, I accept your apology."
Asami finally smiles for the first time in what feels like ages. It was a sheepish one, albeit, but Korra would take that over a frown any day. The rest of their meal ends up as silent as usual thanks to the weird tension between them.
However, eventually, Korra started doing some light stretches. Standing still was never her strong suit but also doing nothing was starting to put a strain on her wounds. She starts with some basic stretches and it isn't until she stretches out tall that makes her wince in pain. Of course, Asami immediately snaps her head at that but Korra waves her off.
"I'm good, I'm good."
That doesn't stop Asami's worry of course. "Maybe you shouldn't move so much… we don't know how severe your wounds are."
"It's not that bad I'm okay. Just somewhat bruised." She flexes her arms to show that she's fine but that doesn't stop her friend's frown.
"Just let me know if it's really bad, okay? Maybe I can persuade my dad to bring a medical kit…"
As much as Korra appreciates that, she doesn't like the thought of it. So, reluctantly she sighs before sitting down. "Alright alright… if you're so worried I'll stop my stretches."
Asami quickly smiles at that. "Okay! Sounds good!"
Silence falls between them again and Korra mindlessly bounces her foot in place. After a second, she lets out a frustrated grunt before facing Asami.
"I'm gonna mediate."
Asami couldn't help but have a surprised face. "You're what?"
Korra couldn't help but pout somewhat. "What? What's wrong with me meditating?"
This time, Asami quickly raises her hands in surrender. "Oh—no no no! Nothing's wrong with it, I just uh… didn't peg you to be the meditating type."
"Heh," she gives her a crooked grin before joking, "and I didn't peg you to be a damsel in distress type either." She then tops it off with a wink as she crosses her legs.
"Wha—" Asami blushes slightly.
"I'm just kidding just kidding, anyways… tap me if something's wrong okay." By reflex, she taps the floor next to her side. Hold up, Korra you idiot she's not gonna want to sit next to you.
To her surprise, Asami scooched over closer. "Okay…" she complies like a sweet little girl before settling herself comfortably by her side and pulling her knees up to her chest.
As a result, for some reason, Korra blushes a bit but quickly brushes it off by clearing her throat. She comfortably rolls her shoulders before putting her fists together and taking a deep breath. She then takes another one but this time closes her eyes.
Let go Korra… let go…
Slowly but surely, her body relaxes. She reaches her zen state without a problem and as she mediates, she lets her thoughts and worries wash out.
Her physical pain…
Her current situation…
Her past trauma and worries…
Her feelings, good or bad…
She let it all go. This tactic was something she learned back home, with gran gran, and it helped her through that hard time with Naeun. In a sense, it cleared her mind and helped her start with a blank slate. If they couldn't find a way to escape then, the next best choice would be persuading their kidnapper, aka, Hiroshi.
The fun part about that was how crazy was it? Would Korra be able to convince him? No. She had to convince him. She had to. Otherwise… the Asami she knew and grew to love would truly… she will be broken to the point of no coming back.
That's why Korra ends up simulating every possible situation she could think of and how she would converse with him. If he commented on their sexuality, she would bring up the countless benefits that come from the lgbtq+ community both spiritually and economically. One argument after another, she did her best to come up with the most difficult situations she could picture. If… if he by some chance wanted Korra to bid farewell to their friendship in return for Asami's safety… then she would do it.
Without a doubt, she would do it.
xXx
With her mind made up, Korra had been prepared for a long and hard argument. When Hiroshi finally walked through that locked door again after who knows how long, she was ready. She was anticipating a cold shoulder, meaning she was going to fight for his attention. At least… that was before she heard his words again. Something inside of Korra lit up and not in a pleasant way either. Her whole body was tense and her ears felt like they were bleeding out. Who could blame… it was hard to believe that such words could come out of someone's mouth.
"I've done everything I can for you Asami! Why can't you see that! I can bring you any man you desire so why can't you do us a favor and do as I say!"
It was clear as day that Asami couldn't take it. She didn't want to hear it. She was shaken up and every fiber in her body was screaming in distress. She was holding onto her head, gripping the roots in her hair as she shook her head vigorously. "No… no, no, no…"
She was a broken record.
Watching her friend break down now, Korra was baffled that she had thought that maybe, just maybe, she would be able to talk to Hiroshi. That she could somehow convince him. That maybe he would return to his senses and become the man she always thought he was. A reasonable man. Where did things go wrong? How in the world did he become such a person? Well… not like it mattered in the end because, as it turns out, she was wrong.
She was horribly wrong.
It was as if all the rage boiling inside of Korra suddenly depleted. There was clearly no room for persuasion, meaning she had to fall back on what she wanted to avoid. Whether or not he was sane, he was still Asami's father but this… she had to use all her cards even if it meant giving up her normalcy. Threats? So be it, she could do that same. An eerie silence cleared Korra's mind and she was calm. At this instant, a perfect phrase came to Korra's mind…
The calm before the storm.
English wasn't her major but that quote reflected her current mood extremely well. Taking in a deep breath, Korra closed her eyes before looking up at the ceiling. What came out of her mouth was a mutter of disbelief. "How shameless…" she sighs before grabbing her face. "Here I was hoping to persuade you but you left me no choice."
Her blood had long boiled over and the taste of iron in her mouth was enough to make her sick. The rage she felt had blown far over her head and she had never felt such tightness in her chest before. She was in pain. She finally took one last look at Asami who was shaking like a weak child, helpless and afraid. She wanted to protect her. She needed to protect that smile even if it meant exposing herself.
Her heart had been at war.
Korra knew that she loved Asami more than a friend; however, her lingering fear and anxiety caught up to her. She wanted to run and hide and shove whatever feeling squeezed her heart tightly away in some safe box locked up for good. But, even so, she was foolish and there was nothing more she wanted now than to protect Asami. Once she looked at Asami and gave her one last smile, she spoke up in a gentle voice knowing that their relationship would never be the same.
"Asami… I am sorry, I should have told you a long time ago but I have been hiding this secret from you for a long time."
Forget the world and their toxic gossip culture.
Forget the peace and quiet that you've grown to love.
Forget everything.
Asami seemed startled by Korra's voice and her hurt face contorted in confusion. "W-What…? What do you mean? Korra…?"
Her weak voice made Korra feel helpless.
Taking a deep breath, Korra breaks eye contact with Asami. Everything will be okay. Her eyes quickly narrow with murderous intent as she faces Hiroshi with an unyielding face. She took a few steps closer to him before looking at him with pity. Then, for the first time in ages, she spoke up with a voice suited to someone of royal blood. "It is truly a pity Mister Sato, I had thought you were a brilliant man when we first met in the South…" She led on, getting him to scowl bitterly before he barked back..
"What a delusional child, we have never met before you tainted my daughter!"
If there was a wall nearby, Korra would have loved to bang her head against it because this was honestly ridiculous. "You are the delusional one, Mister Sato. It seems that your current state of mind cannot comprehend what I am saying so I will try to break it down for you. We have met plenty of times through business." She takes another step forward, "Of course… I was mostly on the sidelines most of the time. However…" She eyes him with a condescending look, "I would have never thought that we would partner up with such a foolish man who cannot even see how lucky they are to have such a beautiful and amazing daughter."
"Enough of your talk, you disgraceful low life! I am her father. I know what is best for her!"
"Enough." Her voice roared, "I am tired of arguing with you about matters that you cannot comprehend." Korra reiterates while making her way slowly closer to him. "Mister Sato, it is comically ironic that a man such as yourself cannot even recognize who I am." She pauses before starting with a baffled chuckle. "You pride yourself in understanding your opponents but the moment you learned that your daughter is attracted to a woman, all reason is thrown out the window. This is a grave mistake that you will forever regret."
At last, Korra is finally faced to face, standing proud and unwavering in front of him, maintaining eye contact.
"I will ask you again, Mister Sato. Do I not look familiar to a certain someone?"
She eyes him carefully in vain. Hiroshi simply gives her a disgusted look and she couldn't help but confirm that he had gone crazy. With a sigh of disappointment, she looks down on him with a shake of the head before starting.
"Let me help jog your memory then." She then greets him in more 'tribal fashion.' Taking a step back, she introduces herself again. "My name is Korra, daughter of Chief Tonraq from the Southern Water Tribe. I believe it has been a few years since I have last seen you." She then runs her fingers through her hair. "As you can tell, I have long since cut my hair."
There was this second of silence. Korra knew that he was racking his brain and the moment of recognition clicked, she saw it on his face. The color drained from his face and he knew who exactly she was referring to. "No…" he falls a step back in shock. "Lies… LIES!" His voice rose in an attempt to deny her birthright. "Chief Tonraq's daughter is in the south. She is—"
"Right in front of you." Korra cuts off, "I am right in front of you Mister Sato. Or should I call you by name like you have told me to before Hiroshi? Thankfully you have realized who I am and I should not have to explain but I will for the sake of your irrational state. To clarify why I am in Republic City, I simply kept my identity a secret because I wanted a quiet and peaceful college life until I graduated."
Korra's expression and confidence defined authority and it was clear in her tone of voice that she knew the power behind her status.
"Meaning that you, Hiroshi Sato, the CEO of Future Industries, kidnapped not only your daughter, Asami Sato but also the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Watertribe." She pauses for a brief second to let the severity sink in. Once she was satisfied with his dumbfounded face, she expanded on her statement. "I hope that you understand the grave mistake you have made. This is no longer a matter of domestic crimes, it falls under international affairs."
She then leans in closer to his ear to whisper.
"Even if by some chance you were to get rid of me here and now, just know that my father will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth. He will not stop until he does because mark my words, you do not want him as your enemy. So long as I am missing, the target on your back will never disappear. So… if I were you, I would think very wisely about what you plan to do from here on forth." She then leans back to take a good look at his face. Her jaw ended up tensing by reflex.
In the name of Raava, I loathe this man to hell and back.
Korra had to bite down the inside of her cheek. She was vaguely aware of the stinging burn caused by her nails digging into her palm. She was fairly certain that some blood had been shed but as much as she wanted to punch him in the face, she would lose all the credibility to her words. In a situation like this where the aggressor wasn't sane, there was no definite safe way out. Not with all the money and resources poured into this sick and twisted plan. That's why… she had to think.
What could a man like him, a man who has all the money and influence in Republic City possibly fear?
The answer was quite simple actually. No matter how important and how successful he was, if you pulled the rug under him away, it would be a downward spiral from there on out. They both knew that he could never truly hold enough power and influence to fight against a world power. Meaning… Korra's lineage was the best weapon to fight him back with. Even if it meant giving up her peaceful life and sacrificing herself in the process, she would do it in a heartbeat. Perhaps it would have been better if she had introduced herself to the world in the first place? Maybe this whole situation would have never occurred. Either way, past mistakes didn't matter and this was the moment of truth.
Will he end his pursuit in this foolish scheme that had been a lost cause since the beginning or will he feed the fire and start a futile war?
A few tense yet silent seconds passed and Hiroshi didn't have any words. One moment he was going through a roller coaster of emotions, the next, it was as if he lost the will to fight. He simply turns away before disappearing like a ghost. Korra just assumed it was because he needed time to think about his future actions. Maybe her lineage finally snapped him back to reality?
Whatever the reason was, it didn't matter. He was gone. Korra breathed out a calming breath but once she realized that her fight was over, she grew nervous for another reason. Her clenched fist finally loosened up and she gulped before slowly turning around. She made eye contact with Asami and just like her father, she was speechless. Her face had fallen and her eyes were stained with tears. Her mouth opened in an attempt to speak but she fell short. This action was repeated a few times until Asami finally regained her voice.
"Y-You're a princess?"
Of all the titles you chose, you chose that? Slapping herself in the face, Korra immediately frowns. "I am not a princess! I'm just the chief's daughter."
"Who is the leader of the Southern Water Tribe… a world power…"
With her eyebrow twitching, Korra could see where the conversation was going. "Yes… that is correct."
"So you are a princess!"
Immediately giving Asami the look, Korra glares at her. "Really? That's all you have to say?"
Flinching slightly, Asami fell back before she started rambling. "S-Sorry! I um… I'm really… confused so I don't know where to comment… you're the chief's daughter?! I never would have guessed…" She was a nervous jumbled mess and the moment she reached up to rub her cheek, Korra finally noticed something.
Her shaking hand.
"H-How…? How did I never notice? B-But then again… the Southern Chief—er well…I guess you're dad huh? Never like publicly showing off his family so maybe that's why I didn't know who you were." She gets another look at Korra before the realization hits her. "Oh my spirits… I-I slept with a diplomat's daughter…" She covers her mouth in shock. She ends up stumbling back again and for some reason, Korra could see the invisible wall that suddenly grew between them.
Korra's mouth parts slightly.
Asami's eyes were drowning in emotions. Fear. Betrayal. Hurt. Confusion. There was an endless amount of conflict in her eyes. However… before Korra could even get a chance to react, just like what she had hoped in the beginning, what she had promised, out of nowhere a sudden group of people burst through the doors.
It was the riot squad.
A group of people dressed in armed clothing immediately began dispersing throughout the room while shouting some commands.
"Clear!"
"We have eyes on Chief Tonraq's daughter, the target is now secure."
On cue, they quickly crowd around Korra's side.
"Are you okay Miss Korra? Are you injured anywhere?"
Compared to Asami, it was clear who the riot squad was prioritizing. Only two of the squadron members went to her side to check up on her compared to her group of five. This was where the distinctive line between those in diplomatic power and wealth. While the death of one would be devastating, the other would bring global chaos. That was the life of a diplomat. Her words carried more weight than power and money could ever bring.
Korra could see the astonishment in Asami's eyes before she quickly turned away, afraid to face the consequences of her lie. This was what she had been afraid of. There was no going back now. Biting her lip, she couldn't help sober herself. It's over now. Finally, she makes eye contact with one of the riot squad members before answering.
"I'm fine. A little roughed up here and there but nothing too serious."
He nods in acknowledgment. "We should still get you checked out by a doctor."
Korra nods once knowing there was no point in refusing. "What about Hiroshi? What's the situation?"
The squad members look at each other before nodding. "Per Naofumi Suoh's request, Hiroshi Sato has been arrested on war charges for being a compliance of terrorists."
"What?" Korra accidentally slips out in a dumbfounded voice. She didn't mean to sound stupid but that wasn't what she was expecting. "Not for kidnapping?"
He nods again. "After careful consideration, that was the deal that your father, Chief Tonraq and Chief Beifong agreed to. We'll explain further details to you later so for now," he gestures his arm outwards, "Please, this way." He then notes Korra's hesitance when she glances over at Asami. "And don't worry, we'll take good care of your friend as well. You two have a lot of explaining to do after all…"
For once, Korra could finally breathe. "Alright, I understand, I'll leave her in your care then." She starts making her way out and he nods to his team before voicing an order.
"Kiramman, take care of her."
She salutes him before heading to Asami's side.
As Korra exited the warehouse, her eyes roamed around the surrounding area. To confirm her suspicions, they had indeed sent the whole riot squad. The whole building was being snuffed and the people, who Korra assumed were Hiroshi's goons, were being arrested left and right. As she watched this sight unfold, she finally ran her hand through her hair with a heavy sigh.
"Well… this is just great."
She blinked her eyes repeatedly to fight back that spiteful sting that she refused to admit to herself was true.
"It's finally over."
AN: lmao
No one:
No one at all:
Me: c-cameoooo~
