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 cross, the resulting collision not only changes their lives and themselves, but the fate of the entire world as well. [Korrasami AU]
Author's Notes:
Oh, good grief!
It has been far too long! I apologize for not updating sooner. Things have been rather hectic. And, at the moment, I've also lost contact with my beta.
Anyways, I do hope this chapter will suffice as an apology. I will try to update soon(-ish) again.
(I will not keep you guys any longer from the actual update, so read on! :))
The Legend of Korra:
The Schism
Chapter 38: A Chance Encounter
Avatar Korra's earlier assessment regarding the similarities between her Nia Bayou and Shu Jing proved to be wrong. The picturesque, cliff-side village's beauty and tranquility wasn't at par with the hidden village. True, Shu Jing had its own stunning sights and relaxing ambiance, but there was simply something about Nia Bayou that made Korra prefer it than the other. Perhaps, it was nothing but her being biased.
If there was one thing that was truly reminiscent of the place she had left behind and intended not to return to until her task was finished, it was the stars that shone brightly in the late night sky.
She smiled, pulling the cloak she was wearing closer to her body, as she searched for the perfect spot to stargaze. Her eyes landed shortly on the tallest and grandest-looking building in the village. It was a castle of sorts, situated atop the highest of Shu Jing's cliffs. From afar, the architecture looked painted in washed-off white colors of varying degrees, age-old and crumbling in some places but still relatively intact.
Korra wasn't certain of the castle's relevance to the village, and she found herself not caring at the moment, her only thoughts were on gazing at those beautiful pinpricks of light that dotted the sky as closely as she could and in as much peace and quiet as was possible. It was, she had come to believe in the days succeeding the fray at the airship, one of the things that could calm the frantic and erratic thoughts and doubts that had been creeping at her mind.
He rubbed the side of his head, a mild throbbing already making itself known. He was old. Far too old for whatever the letter he had just read meant. But, family was family. It was one of the things he had thought never to find importance in. Oh, how wrong was he! It was that very same familial bond that he had found himself putting much effort in taking precedence above all else. Granted, apart from his deceased uncle, his daughter and her family, he considered no one related by blood to be a member of it. The people whom he had come to know as his family—as dysfunctional as they had been—were those he had been privy to call his comrades and very close friends in those years of hard strife.
The thought of those people sent a pang of nostalgia in him. All of them were still very much accounted for—for that he was glad—but one in particular had been lost. He had been gone for a very long time…
Still, time—for them, at least—was such a trivial thing. It has been for a while now, despite how much he and those that remained of his "family" had aged. Though they were no longer bound by the laws of time that other mortals were, they knew what they had of it was limited still. They remained only because of one, particular thing.
They were waiting.
It was something they had been tasked with; something they had freely agreed to do.
They didn't realize the wait would be a long one. When they had all agreed to it, they had believed they need only be patient for a few months, or years—at most. They were old now, graying, though they still had strength in those weary bones of theirs.
But the thing with longevity of life was—and this was something he often found himself musing—it was not all it was cracked up to be. If anything, someone who had lived long was prone to witness more: pain, heartbreak, joy, wonder, all the human emotions. As wondrous and full of life as that may be, there comes a point in an old man's life that he grows weary of it. Especially when it becomes apparent that one's time—his era—has long gone and it was up to a new, younger generation to take his place. It was one of the reasons why, despite still having a good judgement, strong mental faculties, and health, he had opted to give way to his daughter.
It was not a decision he regretted.
If there was one thing he did regret, it was the way his grandson had turned out. So very much like him. So devoted to duty that he would even willingly throw himself into danger. Though one might argue he had turned out more to be like his namesake than his grandfather.
"Should I be surprise to see you still awake, my old friend?" There was a hint of amusement in the way the words that had snapped the old man from his reverie were uttered. He quickly looked over at the steps that led to the pagoda he was in, and noted the familiar form of one of his oldest friends—a member of his "family".
The old man waved the rolled out parchment that was in-between his fingers as he turned back to look at the garden that surrounded the pagoda. "I was just reading the letter my attendant brought me…and thinking."
The new arrival stroked his medium-length, graying beard as he joined his friend. Cobalt eyes glanced at the parchment with an inquisitive look.
"Stumbling on you deep in thought is not a rare occurrence," he chuckled. "And there are few things now that can leave you looking as pensive as you had been, so I am guessing whatever that contains has something to do with either your daughter or your grandson."
"How very astute of you." Amber eyes darted with mirth as the old man decided to rib his companion. "I can see now how you managed to obtain the title 'Elder Chieftain'. Though I suppose it could be viewed the other way around: that your astuteness came about from filling in those shoes."
"And I can see you have improved with your sense of humor," the Elder Chieftain rolled his eyes.
The old man grinned. Though it did not last long as he soon heaved a sigh. "It is from my daughter, yes. Though it spoke of my grandson than of any troubles the nation might have at the moment."
"Ah…" Understanding dawned on the chieftain. "So what had the chivalrous lad got himself into this time?"
"Something peculiar, I suppose. My daughter didn't go into details but it seemed as though he ran across a young woman thought to have been kidnapped. His recollection was foggy at best, but from what his mother had said, it seemed Iroh was bested by a woman. He is taking it rather hard."
The amber-eyed old man didn't think for a moment that his friend would be sympathetic to his grandson's plight. He had known the Elder Chieftain for such a long time that he could already discern what he was to say and his reaction even before he had shared what the missive contained.
True to form, the Elder Chieftain let out a booming laughter as he said, "Haven't we all? My sister alone had managed to wipe the floor with us on several occasions in the past. And my wife…let me not get started on that! Tell Iroh there's a first time for everything, and what he has experienced will certainly not be the last!"
"I believe that is not something I am willing to tell my grandson when the wounds are still fresh." He shook his head. "Tell me, though. What is the Elder Chieftain of the Water Tribes and of a supposed-mythical village doing so far from home?"
Again, the joviality was quickly replaced by an air of seriousness. Despite the question that was asked, both men knew why they were with each other's company. Prior to their meeting, the Elder had already sent word of what had occurred in Nia Bayou—of the missing Avatar and of Unalaq's unexpected discovery—to those who were into that secret, who knew of how grave it was.
The question, if anything, was asked out of formality.
"They haven't found her still?"
"No." The Elder replied. "There were sightings, but they come as quickly as they are gone. The White Lotus have been stretched out as far and wide as we can muster them to be, but still…wherever Lady Korra had gone, it is anyone's guess."
The old man hummed in thought, before he said, "Wherever she may be, we know that should this be the time we have told of, she and I will cross paths soon. The Temple of the Elemental Core of Fire would be her first destination, after all."
The Nia Bayou Elder nodded. "Yes, the one that is under your care. I am worried, however…Our Lady Avatar, she is not what you would expect her to be."
"My expectations are rather high. I have him in my thoughts to measure her up against." There was a small smile—a sad one—on the face that was marred by a gruesome burn on his right eye, a scar he had obtained from so long ago in what felt like a different life.
The Elder patted him at the back, a grin once again on his features. "Well, I won't say anything more. I am rather looking forward to hearing how your future meeting with Avatar Korra would go. Don't be surprise if she ends up quite a handful."
They talked a while after that, of anything and everything they could, as old friends who had not seen each other in a long time would. When they had satiated themselves with stories and recollections of past adventures, the two old warriors bid themselves goodbye, promising to meet each other again when the right time comes.
The Avatar sat on the railings of one of the many balconies in the castle, her neck craned as she looked at the various constellations that doted the night sky. She knew not what they were called, apart from those Asami and Opal had told her about, but it did not dampen her stargazing experience one bit. But then, after having thought of the human with long, wavy, raven-hair, her mood soured and she glowered before quickly berating herself for it.
She was supposed to not be thinking of Asami Sato. Thinking of her made the Avatar frustrated, angry, and so full of other emotions that the reincarnation of the Lord of the Spirits should not even be able to feel—should not be affected with. And Korra told herself she wasn't.
That was the biggest lie Avatar Korra had ever told herself for as long as she could remember existing.
Because if there was one thing Korra knew she was feeling towards that particular human, it was an emotion she would not want to acknowledge. An emotion that—once she had recognized—would be akin to accepting a weakness. And the Avatar had no weakness. She was infallible.
And no matter how many times Korra had found herself being reminded that she was still far from how omnipotent Raava was despite being the reincarnation of that deity, she was not yet ready to admit that she had this particular weakness. It was such a very human flaw.
She was not part of humanity. She was above them. She was the Avatar.
What once was a mantra that had made her feel better now proved ineffective and only served to diminish her temperament even further. And for someone who had lived her whole life the way Korra had, knowing so little about humanity and the world around her, the young Avatar was confused. She didn't understand why she was feeling the way she did. All she knew was the root of it all: Asami Sato.
Ever since Asami's treachery, Korra had wondered about a lot of things. One of which was the reason behind the Prodigy's action, the next being the view Asami had of her.
What did Asami Sato see when she looked at me that night? Korra felt that had something to do with what pushed the porcelain-skinned girl to harm her.
It was what she was pondering on when she heard a noise behind her. Quickly, Korra pushed herself from the banister and onto her feet, ready to defend herself when the need arose. Not wanting to reveal what she could do, however, the Avatar decided against showing off her bending skills and instead decided to do what she believed a human would.
"Who's there?" she asked, directing her question to whatever lay beyond the darkness of the room behind her from whence the sound came from. She squinted as she saw another movement. "Show yourself."
A heartbeat of silence followed, before she noticed another movement and a strange whooshing sound before the darkness dissipated, if only a little, as an old man supporting a long, white beard and hair equally as long tied in a top-knot, holding a lit candle.
Korra and the old man looked at each other in surprise. Neither thought there would be any living soul around apart from their own person. When that surprise had lessened, the Avatar took the time put stock of the old man.
He wore a red robe of sorts with black trimmings, which, from the looks of it was made of some shiny and smooth material Korra could only guess those living in affluence could afford. It had designs on it that the Avatar did not really understood the importance of, though she guessed it was of an image of a dragon. The robe had a circular collar and round buttons adorning the right side from the collar downwards. A sash, crimson in color, acted as the belt that tied the outfit together.
But more noticeable than the way the old man was dressed, was the burnt scar that adorned his wrinkly face, making his right eye appear to be smaller than his left. It was so conspicuous that Korra found her eyes drawn to it…which she would have thought was rude but still found unable to keep herself from doing.
She noticed, however, that the old man was looking at her as well with those amber eyes that looked much wiser than any human she had met thus far (though Korra supposed she attributed such a thing to him being the oldest-looking human she had met).
At that point, Korra was ready to bolt. She was certain that the moment the old man got his wits about him, he would call for the guards—or whosoever were keeping vigil within the village walls at such a time. And though she knew she could take them on—she was even contemplating as using them to alleviate some of her frustrations—she had to temper those thoughts down. She didn't want to run like a criminal away from another village, not when they had yet to repair the airship and replenish their supplies.
The old man regained his composure, snapping shut the mouth that hung open upon seeing her. Korra mimicked his actions, her own lips forming a thin, straight line as her mind turned a mile a minute in search of plausible explanations to the questions she knew were coming.
The Prodigy groaned, her forearm over her eyes as though that would help return her to the land of dreams. Asami didn't know what woke her up. She had thought that, after the grueling trek to get to Shu Jing, she would sleep through the entire night without any problems and undisturbed despite being a light sleeper.
The young Sato heiress counted silently in her head, trying to get back to sleep. It would have worked—or so she thought—had it not been for the snores that were coming from Kai. They were much too loud.
Strange, Asami's face scrunched up. Her ears picking the tiniest of movements along with the irritating noise coming from Kai. Something's wrong…something's missing.
Her body protested as she pushed herself up. It took a while before her eyes got used to the darkness, enabling her to see the silhouettes and shadows that encompassed the room, only slightly punctuated by the muted light coming from the window.
Slowly she looked around, taking stock of Opal's—who had fallen asleep on her stomach again, her writing utensils splayed before her—sleeping figure. Asami shook her head. Much as she would rather remain in bed longer, she knew she had to at least try to put away Opal's notebooks and parchments, lest she be at the receiving end of her friend's moaning about them being all crumpled when she woke up. With a sigh, Asami stood and did just that: put away Opal's things. Yet, even after that, there was a nagging feeling that kept sleep at bay.
She looked around their modest room once more and as she looked over at the window. There really was nothing worth taking notice of about the window, but it inexplicably drew Asami in. She stared at it, she did not know for how long, until Kai let out one of his loudest snore yet which broke whatever spell had befallen her.
The Prodigy shook her head once more.
Strange, she thought as she turned around. As she did so, her eyes fell on the bed closest to the window. She blinked. Her mind once again telling her that something was off.
A second passed, and then another, before it all finally clicked. Her eyes widen in panic, mouth hung low.
"Oh no," she muttered before scrambling towards the window.
She scanned the streets below, lit only by the gas lamps that dotted it. She could find neither hide nor hair of the Avatar, not that she thought she would especially after noting how cold the bed covers were already.
Asami bit her lip. She did not know what to do. To say that she wasn't worried about Korra leaving would have been a lie. She was. Extremely so. Her mind, after all, quickly jumped to the possibility that Korra left them because of her. Because of what she had done.
And, for yet another time, Asami let her fear and her worry propel her into action. After quickly scribbling a note for Kai and Opal—whom she thought better than to wake up and consume time to explain what had happened (something she, herself, did not fully know)—the young, aspiring engineer left the safety of their room to search for the missing Avatar.
"I'm…sorry," the Avatar did her best not to sound like she usually does. "I didn't think anyone would be living here still."
The old man shook his head and cleared his throat. He moved into the room where the balcony Korra had occupied was connected to, placing the candle atop a wooden table she didn't notice was even there.
"Well, no one has lived here for decades," he said. "I share your surprise, young lady."
The old man gave her a smile—a reassuring one. It was meant to relax her, Korra assumed; to ease the worries the old man thought she possessed (and possessed them she did!).
That was further driven when he chucked, and said, "Piandao's Castle has long been abandoned, turned into a historical site that can only be viewed and appreciated from afar. It is such a pity that it is now rarely visited. Though, I suppose, that goes within our favor."
"Does that mean you are not the Lord of this castle?" It was only after asking that question that Korra realized how suspicious it was. She berated herself for not listening thoroughly to Opal's lecture about the village as she wondered if the Earth Kingdom native had said anything about that particular subject.
The old man laughed outright then. A booming laughter that the Avatar didn't think he was capable of, and it was only made louder by the acoustics of the room.
"No, no." he said, eyes dancing with mirth and fond remembrance. "The Lord of this castle has long passed, and the heir whom he had given it has been called to a much higher calling. I am as much a trespasser here as you are. So, if you are willing to keep our meeting here a secret, I would very much appreciate it."
"You have nothing to worry about on that regard, old man." Korra crossed her arms, a grin edging up on her face at the thought of being in cahoots with him. Much as she was on edge, there was something about this old man that was slowly making her feel at ease. She wondered if it had something to do with the fact that they were both conspirators and rule-breakers.
"Ohoho, 'old man', eh?" Amber eyes twinkled as the old man walked to stand beside the young Avatar. He too was supporting a grin that made him look younger than he was as he stared at the village that lay below and the hills that make up its backdrop. "It is rare that someone would call me that to my face."
That comment piqued Korra's interest. She wondered why that would be the case. It wasn't as if her current companion's age was a mystery. He was old.
"So, tell me," the old man broke her musings when silence became too much. He didn't hide how curious he was to seeing a young woman such as herself atop the tallest tower of the castle. "What is a young woman like you doing alone way up here?"
Avatar Korra eyed him suspiciously. She shifted from one foot to the other, the cloak she was wearing fluttering a bit to reveal the clothes that lay underneath. It was only for a flash of a moment, but the old man noticed the foreign clothes she bore and the surprise—albeit a momentary one—from it was not something he was able to hide. It was, however, something that made Korra want to rethink her assumptions of him.
He's old, but he certainly doesn't have poor eyesight. Korra thought to herself as she feigned ignorance at the new way the old man was looking at her, choosing instead to look at the sky above. It wasn't as if there was anything wrong with what she wore. Certainly, she was no longer wearing anything resembling her hidden village's tradition. If anything she was wearing nothing that would indicate she was someone of importance—just a pale brown set of Sherwani—something she and the others had agreed were amongst the most inconspicuous of clothing.
"I was…enjoying the stars," the Avatar allowed that much information about her being there to be known.
"For someone who says that they are, you certainly don't look like you are finding delight in it." The old man was quick to say.
Korra gave him a challenging look then, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? What makes you say that?"
"Your eyes." The old man gestured towards the Avatar's cobalt blue eyes. "They tell more than you think they do, especially to someone who had lived long such as I. They are troubled eyes."
Korra kept quiet, though she had went rigid upon hearing the old man speak.
The old man didn't seem to care if Korra said anything to affirm his observation. He simply went on to speak, "I suppose, that is why you decided to find solace in the company of the stars. Perhaps you hope to use the time for some introspection?"
"I am not going to confirm or deny what you've said, old man." Korra was forced to say when he looked expectantly at her. "I am not one of those people who would gossip about their problems to some random stranger who just happens to find them and think them brooding."
He laughed once again and Korra wondered if the old man was just a person who found laughter easily. "I suppose not. But take it from someone who has lived a long and full life, do not let things bottle up inside you. It's all well and good to be strong and show that strength, but strength comes in many different forms. Opening up to others is a sign of strength as well."
"I wonder…" the Avatar muttered just loud enough for her companion to hear. And though she didn't mean to share what she did, Korra ended up adding, "How useful is that when disbelief and distrust is all people can give you? What's the point when the person you thought would trust you, turns out was just another who does not?"
"Well, that is a tough one, young lady." The old man combed through his long beard as he spoke. "But, from my experience, you either give up on that or keep trying. That all depends on you, so long as you remain true to who you are and what you believe in. Honesty is the key when it comes to matters such as 'trust'."
Asami Sato does not panic. At least, not when it came to people. The only times she truly panicked to the point where she wasn't thinking clearly and her mind lost focus was when her mother had died. Well, that and what happened with Korra a few days ago. Of course, she wasn't going to admit that right away. She thought herself a part of the scientific community, and people who dream to become an accomplished engineer should always have a level head.
Or so she tells herself.
But that point was lost at that moment, however, when Asami—despite asking the few people who were still up and about at such late hour—turned up any pertinent information as to the Avatar's whereabouts. But none said anything useful. Well, there was that one woman who believed she saw the person Asami was looking for, and Asami believed her up until said woman led her to a suspicious-looking alley where she attempted to rob her of what meager belongings Asami had with her at the time.
Asami was the only one who left that alley after that while the other woman she left unconscious (with a possible concussion) on the filthy, backstreet floor. It was the first time in a while that Asami didn't feel bad about what she did.
She was so deep in thoughts fueled by worry and the multiple 'what-if' scenarios of Korra disappearing on them that she stopped taking notice of where she was going. She didn't think she would bump into anyone as she walked, the streets were far less crowded after all. But bump into someone she did.
She lost her balance upon their collision and ended up on the cobblestone ground. Whomever she had bumped into had more mass than her, keeping them from toppling over as she did.
"Oh my gosh!" A hand extended towards her, followed by an apology. "I'm so sorry. I was reading and I wasn't looking at where I was going. Please don't make a scene about this."
"Why would I?" Asami replied, taking the hand that was offered as she eyed herself for any injuries. "I wasn't looking at where I was going as well."
"Oh that's great! I'm relieved. The last time that happened I had to face a whirlwind of complaints filed one after the other, people suing and such. I think people have this idea stuck in their heads that I'm an easy ticket to getting a couple of yuans or something…" There was a chuckle that followed after those words. It was such a familiar sound for the young Sato Heiress that her eyes quickly shot up to look, for the first time, at the person she had smacked with.
It had been such a long time, and although he had matured well enough, there standing before him was an old friend.
Dark hair neatly combed and styled with a curled piece of loose hair at the middle and sticking out at the back. He still looked somewhat chunky, but there was no mistaking that the baby fat he had was turning into hard, chiseled muscles. Pale-green eyes, big and wide stared at her questioningly when she continued to gape at him, albeit there was a look that he already has an idea why she was giving him such careful observation.
"I know what you're going to say…" the young man standing before her said, raising a hand and smiling smugly. "And before you say anything—"
Whatever he was about to say was cut short when Asami suddenly launched herself at him, gripping him in a fierce hug whilst she buried her face at the crook of his neck. To say that it surprised the young man would be an understatement.
He froze at her touch, only muttering an inarticulate, "Uh…"
Asami didn't care about how she had managed to make the young man uncomfortable and speechless at the same time. She was glad to see him again after so long. And it wasn't until she spoke again that the green-eyed youth understood why…
"I've missed you!" Asami had said. "It's me, Asami Sato. You remember me, right? It's been so long since we last saw each other, Bolin!"
Post Author's Notes:
Alright, so a little bit of background on stuff that people may not know:
A Sherwani is a long coat-like garment worn in the Indian subcontinent, very similar to a British frock coat or a Polish żupan. It was traditionally associated with the aristocracy of the Indian subcontinent. Although, the one Korra and the gang are wearing at the moment is anything but lavish and worthy of note as something an aristocrat. What they are wearing are bland versions of this.
So, you guys might be wondering when the next update will be. Again, I will try to upload it by early next week...although that depends on whether I will get a hold of my Beta. If not, then I will try to beta the chapter on my own (though I am a bit biased when it comes to my work and may not be able to do a great job at that). And if that still doesn't work, I'll look for a new one and fervently pray that I will find one.
Anyways, I will leave it at that for now.
Again, thank you for the support this story has gathered and I hope you guys won't give up on reading it (despite how erratic my updates have become).
Until the next chapter, dream on; Fly on!