Chapter 8: A woman´s limits

Asami Sato was so frustrated it kept all her willpower not to scream in fury and smash down her secretary. No, she had a duty to fulfill, she had sins to atone for – her fathers, which also were her´s almost as much! Why hadn´t she seen the way Hiroshi Sato was jovial and jolly towards her, kept all his grief to himself. As a daughter she should have noticed it – she should have been there for him, but she of course had had better things to do, like dancing or self-defense classes! What kind of vile egomaniac she was – she hadn´t deserved one of her friends! But why, why had it always to be her that was beaten down by fate? Why was it always her who lost – her father, her company and lastly she slowly was losing her mind. She found herself unable to understand simple contracts, her head fuzzy and her sight blurred – contracts she would have laughed about as a fourteen-year-old. She could not even uphold the legacy of her father, for a moment a shudder ran through the body of the young woman, she felt as if she would explode with all these bottled up feelings. But she deserved this, no she deserved far worse! She just was a weak, pathetic girl – she always had been. Why couldn´t she just die right now? The world wouldn´t be poorer and she would finally have found her peace, her rest.

Maybe she still would feel the cold nunbness she had felt before, if she hadn´t accompanied Korra into the spirit world. She had to feel thankful for having a friend like Korra, who would bother with her whimpering after suffering so much herself. To be chained onto a wheelchair for good, that was something far worse than losing one´s father – right? People lost fathers everywhere, nevertheless – to know that Hiroshi had still loved her, even in his darkest hours was what made it so hard to let him go. But why – why had he to hurt so much people, not even stopped in front of her? So many questions that tortured her mind. "Miss Sato? Hello – shall I cancel the appointment with Colonel Chun?" her secretary almost yelled into her ear! Not again, have to focus, focus is key! Asami Sato yelled at herself. "No – no of course not." She responded, her voice the incarnation of professionalism. "Are you sure?" her secretary asked, the young woman seemed almost – worried. "Yes, this is an order Rin Hua." Asami almost snarled and the secretary hurried out of the businesswoman's sight. As the door closed the mask of Asami Sato shattered. Her lip trembled and tears welled in her eyes, she felt cold and lonely – she just wanted her father back, to say her she did everything right. She wanted to hear Korras voice again, saying that it was ok to let go, that she was no nuisance but her very best friend. Tears of fury slid over her cheeks, why could she not rule her own mind, why could she not FOCUS – damn the heavens! She bit down on her fist as she muffled her cries. But the more she yelled in her pain – the worse it got. Blood was dripping from her knuckles, nevertheless she smashed a Vase that held a couple of dragonlilys. While her other hand also started bleeding the Vase landed on the thick carpets of her office.

She couldn´t even destroy a fucking vase. Asami just punched her bookshelf, again and again. Suddenly there was a startled voice. "Is this a new sort of workout?" the man that entered the room smiled a superior smile. He was tall, well built and had a nicely cut face. His eyes resembled two piercing pieces of jade. Asami felt overwhelmed from his presence. He looked so strong, so self-assured, and he definitely was looking down on her. He had noticed at once how weak she was. Despite this she walked over, the well-practiced smile covering her lips. It didn´t reach her eyes though. "I´ve always combined sports with pragmatic application, I definitely need some new furniture – don´t you think?" who was this man, what was his name? Asami Sato was frantic, but her face held through sheer willpower. "Yes Miss Sato, I fully agree future industries needs some new furniture." He responded, smiling while he gripped her hand without caring about the blood. His muscular forearm bulged as he squeezed her hand, which felt as if she was breaking every moment. "Colonel Chun – Mylady." He responded looking down on Asami. She feared that man, he somehow felt dangerous, even his well combed hair! "Well, since when is the earthern army interested in doing business with future industries?" Asami sato responded, while fought the impulse to hold onto her tortured hand. "I never showed any intentions to invest into military development, the few things future industries deliver for the united forces can be called trivialities – you´ll know that as well as I do." She responded, a shadow of the former Asami Sato lingering in her voice. The man smiled. "Miss Sato, with both know that this isn´t true. Your father made very promising offers, five years ago the earthern army invested quite the sums in the development of project squirreltoad. I´ve been sent to collect the debt your father owes my nation." He smiled.

"But that of course will not hinder a beneficial business relationship between the two of us, will it?" his voice had a subtle edge, which could just be interpreted as threat. Even though Asami would have loved to fracture this man's chin she could not muster the courage to get up and throw him out of her office. Colonel Chun KNEW she would not do it, and that was what led to her backing down.

She also felt she was no match to him in her current status. Her heart had started racing by the mention of her father. What was this project squirreltoad, and why did she know nothing about it! All equalist related projects had been found, listed up and published in the republic times years ago. That had been part of the deal with the council, which allowed her to keep her property. "I don´t know of such a project." Asami responded, her voice was flat and battered. The eyes of Colonel Chun started glowing in something that made Asamis heart stop, it seemed a demon was sleeping in this man, and she was close towards stirring him awake. "We both know that your father was really fascinated with fireworks – and after he showed me which handy tools you can run with it, we are interested. You´ll make so much money that you could built this shitty company twice over!" he stated friendly and added. "Just to make this clear; I DEMAND the blueprints that were promised my supervisors five years ago." He stated coolly "Our patience has finally run out and since your father is not amongst the living any more..." He placed a document on the table and stated smiling "Read yourself."

Asami picked up the paper with prickling hands, she could barely control. She gasped, there was the royal seal of the earth Queen, all high generals had signed, as had – her father. Asami Sato´s face showed pure horror, she did not even notice the words that escaped the man´s lips. "Pathetic rich child." There were just the words of the contract ringing in her head. "Any inventions of Hiroshi Sato, or sato Industries, regarding any type of black powder related projectile weaponry are hereby transferred into the intellectual and worldly property of the Earthern Kingdoms royal army. The namely Mr. Sato is compensated in his efforts in form of advanced payment of 20.000 0000 yuan, which shall be transferred in form of the royal mining company."

Her father had not just developed weapons for his own equalistic crusade, he had even sold them to a cruel empress who kept people slaves! The world around Asami Sato was spinning. "No…no – there are no such blueprints!" she exclaimed desperate. Her father had seemed so happy as he finally was independent of the international market – that he could mine his own ore. He had thrown the fanciest party Asami could remember, to - to celebrate an arms deal! Something her father always had pictured as evil an immoral - how could he sign such a contract? He was not poor and nobody had threatened her live! Why, why had her father been so greedy for more power and money – or had he really buried his conscience along with his wive? "l-leave!" Asami Sato responded, her voice barely a whisper. Her long hair was hanging over her face. She felt numb, as if she had left this world already. The Colonel eyed his fingernails. "Well – I understand that a poor noble girl like you is shocked about people COLLECTING debts FROM you. We both know that I have the law on my side, no matter how big this FRIENDSHIP with Avatar Korra is, Miss Sato. I guess the Avatar would be proud pet behaving docile like it was trained?" He sneered. Asami Sato jumped from her chair, she would not let this scoundrel sullen Korras name, he could humiliate her as much as he wanted, but her friends were out of question!

The Colonels fingers shot forward and jabbed her chi points before a sluggish, now powerless, punch connected with his cheek. Pain was shooting through a gargling Asami Sato, whose body was twitching uncontrollably. What this man did to her she did not know, but she did know that he was a warrior that by far surpassed her fighting skills. "Really, you should be more civilized Miss Sato, otherwise…" he smiled devilish "men get aroused – or are you that desperate? Well – I´m here solely for business today." He chuckled almost humored. "And of course my name is not Chun, I´ll give you two weeks to find the blueprints of the Hiroshi Sato 1. The previous models have firing rates that are – too low, their accuracy is poor if given to untrained hands. Nevertheless, a skilled man can handle them…and I have some VERY skilled men in town Miss Sato." He stated. "Yo- you…don´t…dare." Asamis voice sounded sluggish as fire was dancing in front of her eyes. She had never endured so much physical pain, but still she tried to get back on her feet. This bastard was threatening her friends – the closest thing to a family she had ever known. And she could not even bow low and give him what he wanted, because she had no clue where to find it! She was powerless, a mere damsel in distress. "There is no daring Miss Sato – killing is nothing but business, a craft if you want to be correct." He smiled. "And you are no Master of it." He stated dryly turned and left. "Two weeks Miss Sato – or there´ll be some headlines in the Republic times." He responded casually and polite.

Even if two days had passed, Asami Sato still had not attended her office. Whenever she closed her eyes she heard his voice "two weeks Miss Sato…." Now it weren´t even two weeks anymore. Even though Asami knew she was the only one who could - who had to safe her friends - she was not able to do anything. She felt as if her body was breaking, she felt ill and somehow detached. Staring into nothingness was what she did for hours, and when she noticed, she threw herself into another searching fit. She had sliced all her plush animals, hired hands to remove the wooden wainscotings. Now she was rummaging through her father's working room, she hammered the legs of the table for hollow sounds. It was than some ruckus broke loose on the outside of the Sato mansion. But she had to search, her father had to hid it somewhere – he just HAD TO! She heard thundering steps in the staircase. "DAMN IT! Can´t you step even louder dumbasses – I´m paying you twice a craftsman´s wage so be QIET you damned sons of whores!" Asami yelled frustrated, what was she even doing under the table – oh, yes she was searching for a secret compartment in the solid wooden pillars. Instead of leaving her alone, the worker decided to enter her father's study.

"What have I ordered in…" she struggled and hit her head. She did not even notice the pain that caused, instead she rose from the ground. "Asami? What in all heavens are you doing here?" the startled voice belonged to nobody else than Mako. Asami really was not in the mood for talking with people – even if the person was Mako. "I´m busy – just go back to your job Mako." She responded, he would huff, bicker and finally leave. Mako had always taken a leave if things got serious with her, everybody had done so - except Korra. She had taken her to the spirits, had told her jokes and even had tried to make her talk about her father. She had not bothered to hold her sobbing form for, what seemed like hours. But there still were so many things she had not been able to say – it had been too soon. The young woman of course was not thinking that deeply, she just wanted to avoid any talk with Mako, mostly because she had the habit to get all babbly when he was around and had that look in his eyes. Instead of his usual behavior he sat down. "I´m not going Asami." He spoke silent. "So what are you doing here? It seems like you are searching something, so couldn´t you need a professional hand heh?" he asked smiling. "Fuck off Mako – I´m BUSY, got that? Go and search somebody else to entertain you!" she hissed. But the tall man did not go, he even opened his arms for a hug. Asami hadn´t expected that. Her mind was blank of any response. Mako wanted to help, but then he would get to know her father's most heinous deed – he would be disgusted. Asami Sato the war profiteer, living from blood stained money!

"NO!" she blurted almost screaming and rose from the floor, her hair disshelved, sweaty and with deep circles under her eyes. Mako of course looked as splendid as ever, if one ignored the terrible scar that now adorned his right arm. The young man's eyes widened. "Gods Asami, you look like hell! What happened?" he sounded concerned. There was a soft hitching sound that emerged from Asamis throat, but she already had risen her mask again. "I – I guess I´m moving on Mako, yeah…now that he´s gone." She trailed off, she could not even say who was gone. Not without throwing a tantrum. She again loathed her father and wished that she never had been born. No, she would not – she would not again be weak. "Get the hell out of my house Mako – I´ll…" she wanted so yell that she never wanted to see a treacherous leech like him again, but it wasn´t true. Mako was not a bad man, and she liked him, she liked him a lot. Mako gulped, he furrowed his brows, his teeth were grinding his scarred arm twitching wildly. "I´ll not go before I have said what I should have…." He cursed at his twitching arm, looking perfectly helpless for a moment - until he forcefully pressed it at his body. Asami had never seen her former lover like that. He had faced certain death, his arm would most likely never be reliable again – she felt sorry for him, and actually she would have loved to hug him now. But she had no time to spare for this trivialities – she had people to save.

Still he was not leaving, even though Mako hated it if somebody saw him vulnerable, he was possibly prouder than she herself. "What I should have said five years ago, Asami." He finished with a labored breath and new found determination. Asami Sato froze, she felt a sudden pain in her chest as she was reminded of her boyfriend, betraying her with her best friend. It had hurt her deeply and she had cried quite some nights away, she had solely stayed in contact with the gang because she did not want to lose the friendship she shared with Bolin and Korra. But with the time she had been able to forgive Mako, because he was incapable of opening up to people, always trying to keep his secrets because he thought it safer – he couldn´t even keep straight lines with Korra! "T-there´s nothing to say?" she stuttered, her voice was trembling and Asami Sato balled her fists, the raw skin on her knuckled hurting. "Yes there is Asami. I have betrayed your trust. We were very young and didn´t know what LOVE really means, but that´s no excuse – I treated you unfair and dishonorable…please forgive me Asami. I treated you like an old lycheenut and if you despise me I can understand that." He actually fell to his knees and bowed low, his head hitting the floor. Asami could not say anything, her throat was clamped shut by iron cables. Mako did not raise, he stayed in the uncomfortable position. Before she knew what her body was doing she tried to pull her friend back on his feet. It was then, that a shocked Asami Sato was hugged, she inhaled the strong, slightly charred presence of her former boyfriend, who was squeezing her like there was no tomorrow.

"Thank you Asami, t-thank you for s-still being my friend." Mako´s voice was hoarse and teary. If he knew the real me he wouldn´t call me his friend any more, the nagging cruel voice in her head responded. Mako released her, smiling gently- Asami was almost startled by the beauty his face displayed for a moment. She could not even respond something witty or aggressive. Then his kind smile was washed away as he eyed her sternly. "You know; I felt broken when I awoke in the hospital, with…THIS!" he raised his mutilated arm, there still was pain in his voice. "It seemed I must have talked quite a lot before I came back to my senses. The next day the healer that had worked me came in my room. He said that I would never solve my problems if I kept going the way I did… keeping things from your loved ones will not diminish their hurt – it will just make the pain worse. Stop being a coward and say what you are feeling Mr. Chow, for if you don´t do, I´ll wonder why I and my colleagues missed out a good night´s sleep to save your life." Mako told, his eyes far away. Asami did not like where this was going, she simply stormed out of the room as she started sobbing loudly. The men that were working on her house looked disturbed, some even tried to stop her frantic flight, which just stopped as she reached the highest room of Sato mansion – her nursery. There she sagged onto her knees shivering. She wanted to tell them – but she was afraid they would despise her.

Why couldn´t she tell him? Sato Asami´s shoulders heaved even more violently and she lost all track of time and space. When she finally came back to her senses she felt light, lighter then she had for weeks, and she was so sleepy she almost dozed off on the hard wooden floor. She was feeling dizzy as a warm hand gripped her forearm and gently pulled her from the floor. "H-Hey!" she protested weakly, her puffy eyes blinked in surprise, a very sad looking Mako was resting his injured hand on her shoulder. "It´s a shame I can´t stay with you as long as you need me Asami. I have a lead bit murderer to catch, as you most likely know. Nevertheless, I promise that I will drop by as soon and as often I can. You know, you can tell me anything Asami. Please just rely on me for once, like I always relied on you – ok?" He replied serious. Asami Sato gulped, her whole face was hurting from her crying. He led her to the small children´s bed, which was not much longer than the young woman herself. It still was made ready, so Asami wrapped herself in the slightly dusty blanket and dug her head in the cushion her mother had made for her, when she was little. "Even you are human Asami, and at the moment you need something to hold onto. I want you to have him." Mako responded and placed something on her nightstand. "Bye Asami, and if it´s anything please…. please give me a call. Don´t act all proud n jerky – you really don´t need to repeat my mistakes." The young man stated and added softly "sleep well." Asami just managed a weak mumbling "Yes Mako" , which would have suited an infant, nevertheless she felt grateful, it seemed she had not just one real friend, but two.

Finally, Mako Chouw left. Now she had not minded if he stayed, Asami turned to see what he wanted to give her. As she eyed the worn auburn scarf he had left behind her eyes got teary again, she grabbed the piece of cloth and pressed it to her chest feeling sad an bubbly all at once. Still she was worn out by two days without sleep and so, finally, Asami Sato was able to sleep.