A Legend of Korra Fanfic
By Sakura Martinez (aka SMTsukishiro)
Summary:
A promising engineering student. A mysterious woman capable of controlling the four elements. When their paths crossed, the resulting collision not only changes their lives and themselves, but the fate of the entire world as well. [Korrasami AU]
The Legend of Korra
The Schism
22. The Avatar's Steward
The Avatar was a whirlwind. That was the best Asami could come up with whenever she thought of how others must have perceived the chocolate-haired girl. She was able to disrupt the peace and monotony of a place without really trying. It didn't matter if it was Korra's intent.
The Avatar was also like an incoming storm. You couldn't really stop her once she set her mind to something. All you could do was make ready your preparations and then brace yourself; hope and pray that everything will turn out fine and you wouldn't end up in a ditch somewhere.
The Prodigy knew such comparisons were only the tip of the iceberg that was Korra. She knew there was more to the Avatar than the layers she had already been privy to see. But she simply couldn't help herself in viewing the darker-skinned girl in such a light, not when Korra wasn't doing herself any favors with the way she acted and behaved.
It was a wonder, really, how the nuns of the Abbey could find it in their hearts to still help them in their journey after all Korra had put them through. Opal attributed it to some vow the women had made to always help those in need—and with the way the young Historian had said it, it was as if she didn't believe the nuns helped on their own volition; that, instead, they were forced by these "vows".
Asami would have liked to think otherwise. She believed those women were stout-hearted—kind and compassionate, vow or no vow. No one could be forced to give such grand gestures of help as the Mother Superior and her nuns gave. They did not just part with a good portion of their food and water—resources that were scarce and required hard work to produce—but they were kind enough to supply them with traveling gear like tents and sleeping mats, as well as clothes and a fair share of money. They did not have to, but they did. But the biggest gesture she and Opal could agree on were the Ostrich Horses.
Jiao Xi Ci, despite Asami and Opal's protests, had insisted they take the Ostrich Horses. It had caused quite an argument between the Mother Superior and the Avatar's companions. In the end, they couldn't do anything but accept the gracious gift.
As they said their goodbyes and uttered words of gratitude to the people who had taken them in, Asami made a silent promise to herself to come back to the Abbey and repay the kindness they had been given once this whole fiasco was over.
Naga had been antsy. She had been like so for a good portion of their travels outside the grand city. The young man could only wish that he could understand the Polar Bear Dog as well as the Avatar could. But, alas, all he could do was guess. And hope—as well as plead—that the animal was acting that way because she had found her Master's trail.
It was that belief that made him rely heavily on Naga, trusting the paths she had chosen. It was also why he had found himself wondering at the curious path his Lady Avatar had taken. Though, he supposed, the reason for the confusing trail the Lady Avatar had left behind was the whole commotion she had caused back at Republic City.
The young man took the neatly folded "Wanted" picture of his mistress from his pocket. He could not understand why the Lady Avatar did what she did in that city and had made it a point to ask her about it when they are finally reunited. After all, he needed to know what had truly happened to be able to effectively defend his mistress from the rebuking of the Elders and Chieftains that he knew would come, once they learned of what she did.
Opal couldn't help but thank their lucky stars. The Ostrich Horses the nuns had given them were immensely useful and allowed them to travel much farther than they would have been able to on foot. In that first day alone, they had managed to traverse double the distance they could normally cover by themselves.
Of course, they didn't push the animals to their limits. They didn't want to exhaust them. It was, after all, better to take caution than to find themselves unable to outrun a pursuit—the very same pursuit the Historian had been expecting but had never really found its way to them.
It bothered Opal more than it should give her some comfort that none of those masked men had tried to make a move against them on the road; that Tarrlok hadn't rallied everyone he could against them. She couldn't help but think that this peaceful reprieve—if that was what it really was—was only setting them up for some serious trouble later on.
She was deep in contemplation, trying to get into the mind of a demented man, that when the Avatar spoke with her, she didn't hear her at first.
"I'm sorry," Opal apologies, "I wasn't listening."
"I think I could have figured that out on my own," Korra snorted. "Perhaps I shouldn't have interrupted you. It's just…you looked troubled."
"Aww," the Historian really couldn't help how she always enjoy teasing the deity-turned-human. Korra just make it easy for her. "Can it be that the Avatar is worried about me?"
"I wasn't the only one," replied the Avatar, nodding to the direction where Asami was leading them atop her Ostrich Horse. "Asami wouldn't stop worrying herself over your sudden silence. She wanted to check up on you herself but said this was dangerous terrain and we could easily get lost if we don't pay attention to the road." Korra then sighed. "Honestly, I don't understand why she is sending me to you when she could just tell you all of this herself. I'm not some lowly messenger you humans could just order around."
"You say that, but I'm starting to think you're starting not to mind." It was a dangerous thing to say to the Avatar, but Opal felt the need to say it. "I'd say you've come a long way from when we first met, and it hasn't been that long at all."
Korra frowned. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not." Shaking her head, she turned the conversation back to its original path. "So, what has gotten you thinking so hard?"
"Just the fact that it's been quiet…too quiet. Tarrlok hasn't set his hounds loose on us, which we have all expected him to have done. Then that other guy you said you met and fought with hasn't made another attempt on you—which, again, was something that I was anticipating considering you just ruined whatever plan he must've had with the Spirit Bastille. It's just strange. It's like they're letting us do as we please."
Avatar Korra contemplated the young Bei Fong's words. It was something she had thought about herself, and she guessed something Asami had been thinking about as well. But she didn't want to dwell on those things. She wanted to appreciate what they had at that moment. And, quite honestly, she wanted to appreciate whatever time—whatever freedom—she had left.
"Whatever reason those men might have for not pursuing us as we all have thought they would, it doesn't really matter." The sapphire-eyed Avatar found herself saying. "What matters is arriving as swiftly and safely as we can to Makapu and getting things done."
Korra's response told Opal that their conversation has come to a close, even before the Avatar steered her Ostrich Horse away.
The young man couldn't help scratching his head in confusion as he stared at the structure in front of him.
He and Naga had followed the Avatar's scent from a cove, to a trail up a forested area and then to the place where he was currently standing.
"Why would the Lady Avatar go here?" he wondered. The hidden cove he could understand, but an Abbey? There was no reason for his mistress to have come there.
He looked at Naga. Perhaps she wasn't as reliable as he had first thought.
That thought had just crossed the young man's mind when one of the nuns, a woman just slightly taller than he was, made her way towards him.
"Is there something we can help you with?" she asked. Though her tone was neutral, she looked at him with suspicion while the gaze that had settled on Naga was one of awe and trepidation.
I suppose it couldn't be helped, the young man thought before he gave the nun a reply.
"I am hoping you could," he answered, taking the photograph of the Avatar he had and showing it to the nun. "I am looking for my mistress. I believe she made her way here."
The nun took the surveillance photograph from the young man's hand and examined it. Her brows furrowed as she tried to make out the face, though judging from the sudden change in her expression, she knew who, exactly, he had come for.
Jackpot! He had to keep himself from grinning. He looked at the Polar Bear Dog and mentally apologized for doubting the Avatar's pet.
"Please come with me," however was not something he had expected as an answer from the nun. Still, how could he not follow her when she could lead him to his mistress?
The nun led him through the courtyard where dozens of other nuns were busy doing their daily routines—whatever those routines might entail. The young man did his best not to look at any of them. He considered it to be rude to do so, though he didn't know why he thought the way he did. His guide led him further in and towards the large building in the middle of the courtyard where many of the other nuns were gathered.
Instead of asking him and Naga to wait outside of the main hall, the nun led him and the Polar Bear Dog (who earned several shrieks and caused a lot of the nuns to step so far back and away) inside and to an older woman who was clearly in charge of the whole delegation.
The older woman—the one their guide had called 'Mother Superior'—gave their group a withered look, even the dog. It was amazing how she didn't seem perturbed by the large, furry creature that was staring right back at her.
Instead of speaking with him directly as well, she turned to their guide and asked, "Sister Claire, what is this?"
To answer the Mother Superior's question, the nun handed her the photograph saying, "This young man says he's looking for her. I thought it best to direct them to you, Mother Superior."
The older woman looked at the photograph. Her expression upon seeing it was much harder to discern than it had been with the other nun, so much so that the look she wore did not change throughout the whole thing. Instead, the Mother Superior nodded. And very much like the first nun the young man had showed the photograph to, she asked him to follow her.
They went further into the hall and through a door the young man hadn't noticed. Naga, once again, managed to cut her own path through the crowd like only a Polar Bear Dog could.
The door led to a small office-like room—one that made the young man think of Chief Tonraq's, minus the animal pelts and the various displays of weapons and hunting gear. He mentally laughed at the thought. After all, how strange that would have been to see inside what was clearly the Mother Superior's office.
The nun who, had been their guide, closed the door as soon as all of them were inside, while the Mother Superior sat herself down.
The young man didn't know what he should do, so he remained standing. Naga—being who she was—flopped unceremoniously on the ground, head over her paws, and yawned.
The older woman continued to scrutinize him for a few minutes as silence descended upon the room. There was something about the way the Mother Superior looked at him that made him ball his fists in an attempt not to squirm under them. He felt pressured.
"Tell me, boy," the young man tried not to show his displeasure at being called that. "Why are you looking for this young woman?"
The young man frowned. What does it matter to this old fogey? He wondered to himself, crossing his arms and looking adamantly at her.
"Why I am searching for my mistress is none of your concern," he replied.
"If that is how you choose to act, then it is best you leave. You will find no help here." The Mother Superior retorted.
"That's—! You can't just hide from me the whereabouts of my Lady Avatar!" he blurted out, sputtering the words in rage. "Do you people have any idea the kind of trouble you'll be making for everyone, especially to me? I'm the Avatar's Steward, dammit!"
"So now we know who you are," the old woman smiled.
The young man glowered, pointing an accusatory finger at the head of the congregation, he said, "You tricked me!"
"I did no such thing. You shared that information on your own. Even Li An here can attest to that." She nodded to the other nun in the room.
"Alright, fine. I am the Avatar's Steward, as I have said." There was no use hiding that now, nor his reason for searching for his Lady Avatar. "I came here in search for my mistress. I need to bring her back to our village before the Elder and the Chieftains find out she has set out on her own."
The Mother Superior hummed in thought, her eyes never leaving the young man's face. It took forever (though in truth it had only been a few seconds) for her to speak up once more.
"Korra is no longer in the abbey," the words came as a surprise, not just to the young man searching for the Avatar but for Li An as well who didn't think the Mother Superior would share that information. "She has left to resume her journey."
Journey? What journey? The young man wondered, then asked, "To where?"
"That I do not know," the old woman replied. "Though she headed eastward. If you leave now, you might be able to catch up with her."
"Eastward. Got it!" the young man's mood brightened at that revelation, a wide grin painted his face as he thanked the old woman and her subordinate. He didn't even wait for them to say anything else, nor to direct him outside. He did so on his own, hurrying out of the Abbey atop the Avatar's pet.
Li An frowned and pursed her lips. It wasn't just the young man's exit that had gotten her in such a way. The Mother Superior's decision to share such information to said young man was also to blame.
Alone in the room with her superior, she asked, "Can I ask why you gave such vital information away, Mother Superior? Asami had asked us not to tell anyone where they were headed. That young man might be one of their pursuers."
"Oh, hush, Li An." Jiao Xi Ci waved her concerns away as if they were not that big of a deal. "That young man does not wish harm to befall Korra."
"How can you be certain? You don't actually believe what he had said about being a steward, do you?"
Jiao Xi Ci gave Li An a quick, sideways glance before telling her. "I do, actually. I recognize the young man, even though he didn't recognize me. He is who he says he is. He is a member of the White Lotus."
The nights were much easier now. Well, as easy as living off the land could be for someone like herself. Though she would like to think she had little in common with the other heirs and heiresses of large companies and corporations, Asami had never really traveled so far in such a primitive way. Sure, she had been to a lot of different places whenever her father brought her along to a business meeting or a deal, but during those times they were either onboard an airship or on an automobile.
As unaccustomed as she was being in the wilds, she was still having as much fun as she could allow herself to have. Seeing the beauty of the night sky without the city's lights obscuring it, was breathtaking. It was one of the reasons why she would so readily volunteer herself to take the night watch.
Though her interest had always been on the same lane as that of her father, she had a secret love for the same things her mother had as well. One, in particular, was something she had not found time to do since her mother's death.
Knowledgeable as she was in a lot of things, she was not that good when it comes to constellations and astronomy. Her mother, Yasuko, would always find time to drag her out to stargaze, however, telling her all sorts of stories and legends pertaining to whatever constellation was most visible that night. It was their bonding activity. When her mother died, she had stopped looking at the stars and, like her father, had buried herself on schoolwork. It was only when she had met and befriended Opal did Asami realize that she was not honoring her mother's memory by turning away from those things that she loved and had shared with her.
Of course, with the way the Great Republic University was, even when Asami tried to put some time away to stargaze, she could only free herself from her mountainous studies for short periods of time. The fact that the lights that made Republic City beautiful at night also diminished the view of the stars did help matters any.
That was why, as troublesome as Korra's appearance into her life had been and despite how infuriating the other girl could be, she couldn't help but be thankful. As was such the case that night.
The stars were in full view. She could see quite a number of constellations and could only imagine how excited her mother would have been had she still been around to see them with her. There was the Eagle, the Herdsman, and the Queen—a strange group of constellations to see at such a time, and to see clearly as well. There were also a few others she were familiar with, but could not name.
"I know you said you wanted to take the 'night watch', but this isn't really what I had thought you meant by it." Asami's eyes snapped to Opal who had spoken to her, joining her on the boulder near their campsite that she had perched herself on. "You do know that keeping watch means keeping an eye out for danger, right?"
Asami rolled her eyes. Of course she knew that! "I was just taking some time to marvel the stars, Opal. Besides, shouldn't you be asleep already?"
"There are a lot of things in this world that should be, but isn't." Opal replied sagely, though her words of wisdom were responded by a light shove from the Sato Heiress. The look on Asami's face, however, had the Historian come clean and say, "I couldn't sleep. I keep thinking we're at the eye of the storm and everything's just so calm and then, before we know it, BAM! Things would go sour faster than spoiled milk."
The Prodigy nodded. Korra had told her about Opal's worries after she had the other girl check up on her earlier that day. Of course, Korra didn't fail to add her two yuans on the matter.
"Korra is not all that concerned," Asami said with a frown. "I don't know if I should feel relieved at that or even more worried."
At that, Opal laughed which had Asami shushing lest they end up waking the sleeping Avatar.
"Sorry," Opal apologized, hiding her giggles behind her hand. "I just find it funny that you're more worried about the Avatar than you have been about our studies since we started going to the Great Republic University. And that is saying something."
"That's not true," the brilliant, young inventor huffed. "And you can't really compare those two things."
"I know," the Historian nodded, turning somber. She then glanced at the Avatar who was dead to the world, sleeping peacefully, and said, "What do you suppose we'll find at Makapu?"
"Hopefully something useful and worth all the trouble of getting there," was Asami's quick reply. Korra hadn't told them the reason behind the journey, only that it was important that they get to the fishing village as soon as possible. "Whatever Korra found out from her meditation, it surely gave a quick turn-around about what she thought of that woman she said she met."
Opal was about to open her mouth—impart with her the teasing remarks she had made to the Avatar regarding the mysterious woman—but whatever words she had already prepared were lost, dying inside of her mouth as they heard the rustling of foliage around them and the deathly silence that had suddenly taken over the area.
If the silence had been gradual, they wouldn't have noticed, though now that they had it was impossible to not feel a bit threatened by it. Eyes, scanning their surroundings, both Opal and Asami moved to equip themselves as subtly as they could—Opal reached for the bo staff the nuns had given her to defend herself with (and to use as a walking stick, if she so desired), while Asami secured her Shock Glove. Once armed, they pretended not to notice the heavy and many footfalls and continued conversing with one another.
When those who were making those noises finally showed themselves amidst loud, shrieking warcries, the two, young women immediately set to work in defending their camp. The bandits—for that was who they were—were surprised. They had thought them to be easy pickings.
There was panic in the eyes of the bandits when they saw Asami's gloved hand enveloped in tendrils of electricity. Still, they did not falter and continued to test their luck and might against the two. They had seen the packs these people were carrying and saw the Ostrich Horses they had in their possession. They knew how much those would sell for.
But Asami and Opal did not let them anywhere near the Ostrich Horses, nor their packs. As much as Opal wished not to fight, she had no choice at that moment. She didn't have the same kind of training that Asami did, yet she moved like a competent fighter would and it impressed the Prodigy thoroughly.
I suppose that should be a given, Asami thought to herself. Just because Opal doesn't like to fight doesn't mean she doesn't know how. She is related with Chief Lin, after all…
One of the bandits, who seemed to be the smartest of the bunch, noticed the still-sleeping dark-skinned girl and had the brilliant idea to use her as a hostage to get what they wanted. Quickly, he moved towards Korra, making sure to not broadcast his thoughts nor his movements to—not just the young women they had sought to rob—but his fellows as well.
Just as he was about to lay a hand on the sleeping Avatar, a voice rang out around them, causing everyone to stop what they were doing (save for Opal who gave the bandit she was fending off a good whack on the head) to find its source.
"Don't even think about laying even one finger on the Lady Avatar!" it said. "I don't know what it is you did to her, but I will not you harm my Lady!"
One question was all the bandits, as well as the two, young women fighting for their lives and their belongings, could think of before a giant, white blur passed overhead and tackled the bandit closest to Korra.
The white blur—which they now see as a giant dog—pinned the bandit on the ground and snapped its fangs on him, growling ferociously. As everyone's attention was on the large creature and the whimpering outlaw, another blur passed above them and began knocking the other crooks unconscious before stopping right beside Korra who continued to snore lightly.
The remaining bandits, upon seeing the new arrivals, had been inching farther and farther away from the camp. One look from the menacing dog had all of them scurrying away. The poor sap who was still pinned under the animal's large paws lost consciousness from fright.
Seeing his handiwork, the young man who had arrived with the dog nodded, thoroughly pleased.
"Not bad for an entrance, wouldn't you say so, Naga?" the young man turned to the large animal, who had simply went about licking its paw.
Asami and Opal exchanged a look. The young man had known who Korra was. And with the way he was dressed—which was in the same tribal cut as Korra had been when they first met her—they could only surmise that he was one of the Avatar's people.
When the two young women opted to take a step forward, their movements caused the large, white dog to look at their direction. As the dog's eyes landed on Asami, it got up and walked towards her, which got the attention of the young man.
"Naga, what are you doing? Get away from those people, now!" he said, but the dog paid the young man no mind once more and instead sat itself in front of the Prodigy who didn't know what to do. She had seen how dangerous the creature was…even if, at the moment, it looked so innocent and fluffy.
"Naga, are you listening to me? I said: get away from them! They're here to harm the mistress!" the young man went on, ruffled.
"Harm the mistress? Are you talking about Korra?" Opal had found her voice first as she looked away from the giant dog—Naga—who had begun sniffing Asami.
The young man gasped, his face taking on a horrified look. "You did not just call the Lady Avatar by her name like…like she's some kind of lowly human!" the young man then stopped for a moment, blinked and then in a confused tone, asked, "How did you learn of my mistress' name?"
"She shared it with us," Asami answered, taking a little step away from Naga who took one step towards her. Turning to the young man, she added, "Can you please do something about your dog?"
"Naga is not my dog. She isn't even a dog." The young man huffed. "Why would Lady Korra tell you her name? She would never do something like that. You must have tricked her! That's the only explanation!"
The young man's voice, which had been growing louder and louder, finally end up waking the sleeping Avatar, who yawned and stretched her hands up before blinking the sleep away and looking very much confused at the scene before her.
She frowned, looked from the young man to the dog and her two human companions, before turning to face the young man again.
"Kai?" she did not know if she was still dreaming or not, but seeing the young man made her question her lucidity. "What are you doing here?" Looking around at the number of unconscious bodies around her, the Avatar added, "Did I miss something?"
Post Chapter Notes:
And with the end of this chapter, you guys have finally caught up with the original upload I have on AO3. This means that, instead of every two days or so, updates to this story will happen once a week (mostly during Tuesdays). Unless, of course, real life catches up with me or something important happens, then updates will be a little bit late. I tend to tweet about it if that happens, so you guys will know if you are following me on Twitter.
Anyways, I'm not sure how many of you guessed Kai is Korra's steward in this story, but I do know that quite a number of people thought the Avatar's Steward was going to be Bolin. Our adorkable Earthbender, however, has a different role to play in this story...which would be revealed soonish.
And, yes. Jaio Xi Ci, the Mother Superior, is a member of the White Lotus and she will have another part to play later in the story.
Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Until the next update, dream on; fly on!