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:

So, I was supposed to post this last Saturday, but then my Beta was sick and couldn't get back to me.

Then I planned to do it yesterday, but then we got back home from our trip way later than I thought we would and I was dead tired to do anything else.

I intended to upload it at an earlier time, but I woke up late and my lunch break was only 30 minutes long so I had to delay the update again.

But, here we are with a brand new chapter.

If you guys are following me on Twitter ( ViancaEMartinez) then you would know what my Beta thought of this chapter. XD
Anyways, I would like to dedicate this chapter to BlancaIsKorrasamiTrash and everyone who reviewed thus far. I picked BlancaIsKorrasamiTrash on purpose because I read their review at the time when I needed something uplifting to read. So, yeah...they gave my a huge burst of energy and renewed zeal with their review. So, thank you so much!

Anyways, I babbled enough.
Enjoy this chapter, you guys! :)

Legend of Korra

The Schism

Chapter 62: That Which Taints the Heart

A sandcruiser. That was what the twins called the vehicle they had with them. The one that they called a 'junkmobile'. Though it was something entirely new to her, Asami was quick to see what the cause of the twins' troubles was with it. The basic principles were the same, after all, despite the difference in make. She impressed Wei with how quickly she understood what made the vehicle tick. She had even began devising ways of improving the vehicle in her mind, hands itching to actually do some work.

Yet, the Prodigy was unable to fix the sandcruiser, much to the disappointment of Wei and Wing. She lacked the tools to do so, and forcing to fix it with what little she had would only cause problems in the long run. Still, she did inform them on what it was that needed fixing and what to say to the dealers once it was time for its maintenance. She did what she could, however, to make sure that their vehicle wouldn't die on them as they made their journey back to Opal's hometown.

The journey to Zaofu was a bumpy one. The sandcruiser, despite having tires built for off-road travel, was not kind to the passengers seated in its trailer. It didn't feel like they were cruising at all. With what the twin's original purpose was, Asami and her companions found themselves sharing the space with the supplies Wei and Wing had purchased. Everyone did their best be as comfortable as possible, but being squished between boxes, crates, and sacks of (what Asami guessed was) food and other essentials and with a large, furry, animal it really verged on the impossible.

They were lucky none of them were allergic to Naga and her fur as they sat in a semi-circle, with Naga occupying the middle, her head on Asami's lap while her tail wagged back and forth beside the containers the Prodigy hoped did not contain food. Prince Iroh sat on the right, next to the supplies while Asami sat shoulder-to-shoulder with Korra, their backs pressed on the left wall of the trailer. Kai sat by the entrance, feet dangling on the edge of the sandcruiser itself.

It wasn't just the bumpy ride, the small space, and the giant dog they had to contend with, however. There was also the heat and the dust. Whenever Wei would accelerate the vehicle, the tires would kick up dirt and dust that would end up flying past the nylon flaps of the vehicle and would cover the inside of the trailer like a miasma. It had made breathing difficult, up until a fed up Avatar Korra finally used her air-bending to keep the dirt and dust away and gave them clean air to breathe again.

"I don't think that's a wise thing to do," Kai spoke up. The words were muffled by the scarf he had rolled around his head to keep the dirt and dust from getting up his nostrils and down his throat. It was a strange thing to say, especially coming from the Avatar's Steward who was having the hardest trouble and had been coughing up a fit up until Korra's air-bending.

Normally, Asami would have agreed, but seeing that the insignia of wind that lit up whenever Korra air-bended was hidden from view of the twins and that the twins were distracted by their sister's presence, the raven-haired, young woman didn't find any reason to.

"It's fine," Korra looked directly at the young steward as she spoke, waving away whatever concerns he might have. "This is nothing."

"But—"

"It's fine." There was such finality in the way the Avatar spoke and such weight in it that cut off whatever Kai was about to say. And though it was meant to lower his concerns, it managed to raise Asami's, however.

With a frown, she turned towards Korra and asked, "Is something wrong?" in a whisper, knowing how defensive and secretive Korra could be if asked such a question out loud and in-front of others.

Korra shook her head and replied, "Nothing. Kai simply thinks I am expending myself unnecessarily."

"And are you?" was Asami's follow-up question. She wanted to be sure that Korra wasn't just toughing it out.

A mirthless smirk accompanied the Avatar's words as she replied, "If I was, you would know." But then it the expression disappeared from her face and her eyes sparkled as though it was never there before as Korra revered back to her playful, cocky self. "You wound me, though, Asami, if you think this is difficult to do."

Asami wanted to point out that, up until recently, Korra had difficulty with using her Avatar powers; that there had been instances when she had done things that were (according to the Avatar herself) child's play but Korra had ended up losing consciousness for doing. Instead, she just shook her head and pondered why it felt as though the Avatar was putting up an act.

Or why Asami even thought that she might be.

Hiroshi Sato glanced at the clock that ticked the minutes by before him. Seeing the time, and quickly calculating how much longer he had to wait, the Sato Patriarch returned to his work tinkering with his Automatons. The job itself was done, but he wanted to make them even more lethal and useful; to give them more of an edge than what the Equalists and their leader demanded.

Not for Noatak, though… he thought to himself. No.

As much as Hiroshi valued his friendship and his partnership with the Water Tribesman, he didn't want to give the man absolute power. He wanted leverage of his own. And the higher-ended models of his Automatons would prove to be that leverage should the need arise.

It wasn't a question of trust. It was a safeguard; a guarantee.

Screwing the additional components of his first advanced and modified prototype, Hiroshi glanced at the clock once more—out of habit than actually wanting to see how much time had progressed—before he flipped the switch on the machine's chest.

The humanoid-shaped machination—a mockery of life—twitched. Sparks flew and had the CEO taking a step backwards to keep himself from accidentally being electrocuted. The Automaton's limbs began to jerkily move, first the lower appendages that were its legs followed by its arms. It pushed itself up using all of its limbs. It's head, still at an odd angle—something the inventor couldn't quite fix—moved sideways, searching. It's eyes, two camera-like lenses, dilated then contracted as though trying to focus it's sight.

Steam rose from the tubes connected from its neck to its chest; from its torso to its ankles. The gears, still visible for Hiroshi had yet to finish the case that would coat its body, whirred and made ticking noises like clockwork. When it moved, the sound of its gears rotating and its axles pivoting accompanied the hissing sounds that made Asami's father take note of how to reduce the noises it was making. He needed to make them stealthier, after all. What use would they be if his enemies would know where they were coming from?

Standing on its hind legs, its arms dangling on its side with the claws attached on the end touching the ground, the Automaton was a two feet taller than him, making him crane his neck to get a better look of it. It wasn't as big as his Mecha Tanks, but it was leaner and (he hoped as he designed them) more agile.

It is certainly more intimidating… Hiroshi mused as he finished inspecting his creation and focused on the perpetual grin on the Automaton's face.

"The stuff of nightmares," he chuckled to himself.

The noise his laughter made caused the Automaton's eyes to refocus to him, it's head to move is a sideways manner similar to how human's would cock their heads in curiosity though the Automaton's was much more exaggerated in its movements. It then opened its mouth, the movement causing creaking noises—from what Hiroshi guessed was how tightly he had screwed its jaws—before making a scrapping-like noise from its built in vocal module.

The sound surprised the inventor as much as what it was the Automaton had tried to do, albeit temporarily as it quickly morphed into exuberance. Not only was the vocal module working, but the chip he had programmed to house the Automaton's learning process was as well.

Truly, what he had was far more superior to the mindless drones he had made for Noatak.

Glancing at the clock again, Hiroshi was pleasantly surprised to see how quickly time had flown. Quickly, he flicked the switch on the Automaton again without much preamble, and watched as the energy powering the machine died down and the red eyes of his creation dimmed, though it remained upright. Taking a nearby cloth, he pulled it over the Automaton, hiding it underneath, before he made his way out of the room he was in, making sure to hide the entrance to it before he left.

As he moved through the street, he patted his breast pocket, ensuring that he still had with him an item of great importance for the meeting he was about to attend.

Another smile graced his lips, and if those who passed him by during that rush hour noticed, they paid him no mind.

Mako wasn't certain what he expected to see, but he certainly didn't envision the throne room where the strange light was emanating from to be devoid of people.

Isn't this supposed to be the place where the Fire Lord would meet people? He wondered to himself as he scanned the surroundings from where he was perched, hidden from view should anyone suddenly come in.

He had always thought nobles would be permanently present in the place and that the Fire Lord would be placating them no matter how petty their problems and concerns were. It wasn't even nighttime and the place was as dead as a door nail. The only people he had come across to were the guards posted outside of the room, and even they didn't seem that much on alert.

The Mercenary eyed the pillar of light. It was much brighter up close, but not blindingly so. And even though it seemed to be made up of flames, it wasn't scorching hot. It was like something more...gentle. Like how the summer breeze felt back in the Great Republic. It felt familiar, like the caress of loved ones who have long since passed.

Looking at the pillar made Mako feel strong. It made him feel more than what he was. Like underneath all the raggedness and edginess that he possessed, there was something...more. It made him feel just about ready to explode, but at the same time controlled.

What he was feeling, the Mercenary knew, was an amalgamation of contrastive things. But thinking of those things felt right and inadequate at the same time. It made his head hurt.

Shaking those thoughts away, Mako looked around once more to ensure that no one really was in the room before he dropped down from his hiding spot. Taking the vial from his pocket, he gripped it firmly in his hand before making his way tentatively—as carefully as one would in crossing a minefield—towards the pillar itself.

Though Mako was not one to question the job he has been given—especially when it paid a hefty amount—he found himself doing so as he took the steps leading to the pillar of fiery light. He wasn't even certain why he had started to wonder, only that he had.

He pushed through the feeling however; steeled himself and shut away whatever his conscience (if it was his conscience speaking) was telling him. And when he was finally in front of the pillar, he found no change in the temperature of the air around him, which was surprising. It wasn't any sort of illusion, he was certain those swirling lights were made of flames, but it didn't hurt him or made him any less comfortable. He didn't know why he was so certain about the realness of it, but he was.

He glanced at the vial before pulling the cork, and thinking that it might be safer to protect himself, summoned flames around his arm like a gauntlet, before sticking his hand—and the vial in his grasp—into the swirling pillar. The action caused him to involuntarily close his eyes and flinch, expecting some sort of resistance from whatever the pillar was. He found none however. Though he didn't know whether it was because the pillar posed no threat or because of his own flames that kept him safe.

It was almost like sticking his hand in water, though not quite. There was current flowing within he could feel, and as he tipped the vial as per his employer's orders, he could feel the current begin to get unruly. As though it was fighting back. It grew more and more relentless as he tried to scoop up some contents into the container. Whereas before he didn't feel any malice from the strange pillar of light, he did now. And it, though he was loathe to admit, frightened him. So much so that Mako quickly pulled his hand—and the vial that was now full to the brim with a strange substance—out.

He watched, taking a step backwards, as the color of the pillar changed from it's fiery light to a strange pale shade of gray. Though it was only for a fraction of a second, it made the Mercenary wonder if he had done something damaging and permanent. Especially when a chill suddenly descended in the air.

Not the time nor place to think about it now… He told himself as he pocketed the vial. He would have time to contemplate—if he so desired, which (truthfully) he didn't really want to nor felt the need to—once he was out of the throne room and as far away from the palace.

Mako moved swiftly, sticking to the cover of darkness and to the alleyways he had been familiar with. The Royal Capital, after all, wasn't a place he had not been to. His familiarity with the layout of the Capital—which had changed so little since he was there last—helped him to slip away with the guards and the nobles none-the-wiser.

It was only when he had returned to the inn and his rented room, however, did he truly let his guard down.

Korra was helping Asami down the sandcruiser when she felt it. It was like a powerful wave of energy that slapped her at the back that had the Avatar turning her attention to the general direction of where it had come from.

With her attention preoccupied, however, the Avatar failed to take note of their positions and the depth of her perception that, in the end, the hand that Asami was offering Korra to take missed Avatar's and the Prodigy slipped. She could only manage a squeak, but luckily for her, the Avatar's reflexes were quick and Korra managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

The impact of their bodies were still strong enough that each let out an 'Oomph!' that was quickly followed by apologies uttered in unison.

"It wasn't your fault," Asami assured the Avatar who was confused as to why she had just been apologized to. Korra was certain it was her fault why the young woman had almost toppled out of the sandcruiser, even without Iroh muttering it as he passed by. "I just felt a little bit dizzy. I'm sorry."

"Are you alright?" It was Kai who asked, having overheard what Asami had just said. Kai: who had a strange look on his face as if he was seeing something that he hadn't seen before; something strange, as he looked from Asami to Korra and back again.

And though Korra wanted to ask what that expression painted on his face was for, Asami's words piqued her interests more.

"It seems you are the one who have been pushing yourself," Korra quipped, remembering their earlier exchange, as she kept herself close, her hands remaining on the Prodigy's waists, even as Asami straightened herself. Though, to be fair, Korra didn't see any reason to retract her hands. Not when Asami held her by her forearms as well. "It seems Opal and her brothers made the right decision to stop here for a while."

"I'm not tired, Korra," the way the Prodigy responded was not at all how the Avatar thought the other girl was going to take her words. Neither was the furrowed brow and the thoughtful expression she had as Asami's gaze trailed to the direction of the Fire Nation's Capital. "That was strange, though..."

The darker-skinned girl frowned as she followed Asami's gaze, and in a voice that is barely above a whisper vocalized, "You felt it too, then..."

It was more of a statement than a question, and it was the only explanation Korra could come up with without letting Asami explain why she was looking at the same direction the Avatar had felt the disturbance from.

"Avatar Korra—?"

Before Kai could complete the question she knew he would undoubtedly asked, Korra provided him and Asami the answer, saying, "Just now. There was a Resonance from the direction of the Royal Capital—the direction of the Elemental Spirit of Fire...or the pillar that represents Suzaku, at least."

"A...Resonance?" Asami asked, the frown deepening. "Is that a good or a bad thing?"

Korra hummed as she pried her eyes off of expanse of ocean that separated them from the borders of the Fire Nation. "I'm not certain. Suzaku would know, but despite having been reawakened, I haven't been able to communicate with him."

It was Korra's turn to frown. She hadn't given up on trying to connect with the Elemental Spirit of Fire. For every downtime that they had—every chance she could get—she would try calling out to him. But it was to no avail. It was like Suzaku did not wish to speak with her. The thought was preposterous, and yet it remained in her a possibility...though the reason behind such refusal from him was lost on the young Avatar.

"Perhaps Suzaku is still groggy?" Kai ventured a guess, no doubt wishing she would not beat herself over it.

"Perhaps," Korra nodded, though she didn't fully agree that to be the case. She shook her head, however, as she refocused on the surprising revelation that Asami felt—to some degree—what she had felt emanating from the Spirit World. "I suppose our connection as Avatar and Chosen is to be blamed for that dizzy spell of yours. Normally, a Resonance cannot be felt by ordinary humans. It worries me now what else you might be subjected to because of it..."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure I can handle it." Asami spoke confidently. "I mean, I was selected to be the Chosen for a reason, right? Whatever that reason might be, I'm sure it can help with whatever lies ahead."

"It's worrying that you're starting to sound a tad bit as overconfident as Korra, even without much to go on." Kai sighed, a bit too dramatically for the deity-turned-human's liking.

"It's more faith than overconfidence," Asami corrected and Kai let her have that. After all, Korra doubted there was anything he could have said otherwise.

There was a moment of silence afterwards, where Korra returned her gaze to the direction of the Fire Nation and the pillar shining on the distance. It was a silence that was only broken by Kai clearing his throat and causing both young women to look at him in askance.

"I know I have no right to pry, My Lady," Kai said. Though he spoke in his usual way as the Avatar's Steward, the twinkling in his eyes reminded Korra of that look Opal gave her hours prior…

Which should have tipped the Avatar at once of what was to come out of the young man's mouth, even before the question actually spilled.

But, alas, Korra had many things left to learn about human interaction and the nuances therein. Hence, she was ill-equipped when the question was finally asked.

"How long are you two going to keep on holding on to each other like that?" Kai was grinning as he threw the question out. And, as if that wasn't enough, added, "I know it's not my business, but...just in case Iroh comes bustling out, what am I to tell him about this?"

At first, however, Korra wasn't certain what Kai was going on about. Her mind was far too wrapped in Asami's revelation and the recent Resonance that she had forgotten that her hands were still on Asami's waist. And, if the Prodigy's expression were to be believed, Asami had forgotten that she was holding on to Korra as well.

As soon as they were reminded of this, however, both young women quickly let each other go. Taking a step back for good measure, as though they were suddenly electrocuted. Which seemed to be the exact reaction Kai was hoping for. His vigorous laughter was enough for those taking refuge in that small, outpost that supposedly belonged to the Bei Fong Clan, to look at him as he walked inside the establishment.

"I...apologize," Korra was looking at anywhere but Asami as she spoke. She hated the feeling of heat that crept up her neck and covered her face—that thing Opal had said was a 'blush', and she tried to hide it by scratching her chin. Maybe if I pretend I was bitten by an insect, that would explain why my face is all red—was her reason for doing so. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I was, uh, just making sure you would not injure yourself..."

"No, no, it's fine." The young inventor assured her, though she too—strangely enough—wasn't looking at Korra as she spoke. Not that the Avatar glanced at Asami's way when she was certain she would not be caught just to make sure the other girl was, indeed, not looking. Asami's face too, the Avatar noticed, was slightly red. "I don't really mind. It's not like it's the first time...or that we're doing anything inappropriate in public..."

"Of course," Korra cleared her throat as silence descended on them again and the human incarnation of Raava wondered what Asami meant by 'doing anything inappropriate in public'.

What constitutes as an inappropriate gesture in public, though?

The moment to ask such a question to Asami (for Korra wondered if asking that question was inappropriate as well) was lost, however, as the Sato Heiress nodded to the direction of the outpost's largest structure and said, "We should probably go inside now. I don't quite fully trust Kai when he is in this particular disposition."

"You're wise to think so," the Avatar nodded, before agreeing that it was time to go inside.

They were a tad too late, though. For as soon as they saw Opal and the others, the young Historian—who had Kai standing beside her—already had a smirk that accompanied the knowing look on her face.

Korra had to control the urge to face-palm then and act more like a human than she already seemed to acting.

"I hope you have something worthwhile for me, Raiko," Hiroshi Sato's voice echoed in that dark place, bouncing of the moss-covered rooms and merging with the sound of poor drainage. "I believe I have given you enough time to get me what I want."

"You're insane! You're a madman!" the former President of the United Republic shouted, his hands gripped the bars of his cell tighter. "I am a prisoner here. What you ask is impossible!"

Hiroshi's nostrils flared. Taking a step forward, he closed the gap between him and Raiko with the bars of the cell the only thing keeping them apart. Raiko was surprised by the look he was being given, yet he couldn't take a step back. He couldn't make himself look weak in front of him.

"I'm no madman, Raiko." The CEO hissed. "I am a father, looking for his missing daughter. And I will do anything to find her and get to the bottom of her disappearance. Whatever. It. Takes."

The inventor then moved his hand to his breast pocket and withdrew from it an object. It was small, and glinted when the minimal lighting of the room hit it. As Hiroshi moved the small object around in his hands, ex-President Raiko followed it. There was, after all, something familiar about the item in question.

"I am sure you would, too. If you were in my shoes."

Victor knew Hiroshi was watching him; he knew that the other man was having some sick enjoyment with everything that was going on. Still, he could say nothing—apart from his earlier outburst. He was too afraid, for already he had a sinking feeling at the pit of his stomach.

And yet, Victor Raiko couldn't bare not knowing the truth of what had happened to his wife. Ever since Hiroshi Sato had played that recording of his wife's voice—of Buttercup in a panic—Raiko had not been able to sleep a wink. Thoughts—dark thoughts—kept his mind awake and made rest fleeting. Every time he closed his eyes, images brought about by his wild imaginings, assaulted him and made the cell much colder than it was; his solitary confinement much more unbearable.

"What...what is that?" He croaked the question as the item glinted once again in that poor lighting. His mouth felt dry that the words needed to be pushed out.

But the Sato Patriarch ignored him to continue speaking. "What I asked of you was quite simple: find out where they are keeping Tarrlok. I gave you enough time for it too...and just the right amount of motivation. But it seems that isn't quite enough if you have nothing for me. Perhaps you need something...more."

Raiko wanted to think—wanted to believe—that Hiroshi was bluffing. And yet, when the other man's free hand—the one that wasn't holding that small, metallic item—went to his trouser's pocket, Victor flinched. His heart pounded loudly in his chest as the CEO took out a communicator, punched several of the device's buttons, and several seconds later, began to speak with whomever was on the other end of the line.

At that moment, the bespectacled prisoner's mind felt foggy. It was as though he, himself, was trying to block whatever words were coming out of the other man's mouth. Fear made his brain feel sluggish, and he found that though he could hear the words, he couldn't quite understand what was going on.

He was snapped from his muddied thoughts by the sound of someone sobbing. As he turned his attention back to the present, he realized it was his wife who was on the other end of the line.

"B-Buttercup!" Again he pressed himself as close as he could get, while Hiroshi took a step back and kept the communicator far from his reach. "No! Buttercup! Can you hear me!?"

But the more he shouted, the more Hiroshi seemed to want to muffle the sounds that went in and out of the communicator's speakers. Unlike how it was with the recording he was made to listen, this one was harder. Much, much harder for Victor Raiko.

"I'm sure you could remember something now, Raiko. After all, I am confident you have something for me. It is easy for men's lips to loosen when they don't think there is anyone else paying attention to them." Hiroshi goaded. "You wouldn't want to disappoint Buttercup now, would you?"

He could hear sobbing again, and Buttercup calling for him. He wanted to speak to her, and believing that Hiroshi might give him that chance if he could give him any semblance of information that he wanted, the fallen president racked his brain for anything he might have heard about Tarrlok's whereabouts.

"Tick-tock, Your Excellency," the Inventor singsonged just as the sobbing turned into torturous screams.

"Stop! Please, stop!" Victor begged before offering up the only thing he had heard since their last meeting. "A hunting lodge! There's a hunting lodge!"

Hiroshi muffled the communicator again, but Raiko could still hear the pained sounds Buttercup was making. He wanted to scream himself, but he knew he needed to keep himself as level-headed as possible. For his wife's sake.

"Keep talking," Hiroshi ordered. "What hunting lodge?"

The prisoner swallowed the lump on his throat, forced himself to speak as clearly as possible—to recount everything he could remember.

"I've heard some of these Equalist foot soldiers speak of being stationed at a hunting lodge on the northern outskirts of town."

"Why?"

"I don't know," the words were tumbling now as Victor Raiko could hear whimpers coming from the communicator. "They never spoke of the reason behind being put on duty there, just that there were only a handful of them who are."

Perhaps that is worth looking into… The CEO pondered for a while, disregarding how traumatic things might be for the other, less fortunate man.

When he had come to a decision, he shut the communicator off, which caused Raiko to scream "No!" and plead to speak with his wife; to ensure her safety in exchange for the information—meager as it was—that he had provided.

The Head of Future Industries merely looked at him as though that idea was foreign to him and started laughing a mirthless laugh.

"You can't be serious, Raiko," He said, chuckling still. "You made me waste precious time pretending not to have heard anything of value. Had you given me what I asked the moment our conversation began, perhaps I would have been generous enough to allow it."

As Hiroshi pocketed the device Victor craved to get his hands on, the Inventor once again used his other hand to fish out the item he had in his breast pocket. As he began walking away from the cell, Asami's father threw the small, metallic object inside of it, saying, "This should be recompense enough."

The object landed not far from the fallen political figure. Raiko paid it no mind, though. He though it to be another one of Hiroshi's sadistic tricks and that it could be nothing more than a coin—another form of mockery.

But the more he ignored it, the more it seemed to glint in what dim lighting his cell had, as though the thing itself was making fun of him.

Giving out a scream of pure frustration, Victor crawled to the object ready to take it in his hands and toss it out of his cell.

Only, he stopped when he got a good look at it and took it in his hand.

The thing was no coin. It was a pendant—a dirty-looking one—caked in something rustic-colored. Victor didn't know why Hiroshi had thrown It at him until he flipped the plain-looking pendant over and was greeted with a familiar script engraved at the center:

To be with you
is all I want.

There was a strangled noise that lodged itself in his throat. His eyes widened and he dropped the pendant on the ground. He knew those words; knew it by heart. They were unforgettable to him. After all, they were the exact words he had uttered to Buttercup as he was proposing to her—words she had told him were the fondest things she had ever been told.

It wasn't too long ago—just after their most recent wedding anniversary—that Buttercup had told him she had asked those words to be engraved so that she could have something tangible to remind her of their love with him wherever she went.

Vaguely, he recalled her mentioning a pendant. And though he hadn't seen what Buttercup's pendant was, he had a feeling—a strong one—that what he had with him and what she had asked the silversmith to make was one and the same.

With much trepidation, he picked up the pendant once again and inspected it thoroughly. When he accidentally touched the rust-caked part, he dusted it a bit only to find that the stains weren't what he thought they were.

As Hiroshi casually exited the compound, he grinned to himself as he heard—and he was certain he wasn't the only one—the howlings of a distraught and heartbroken man.

Though it was far from complete, Hiroshi Sato enjoyed his first taste of revenge. Revenge against one of the people responsible for Yasuko's death.

But as it were with the concept of taking an eye for an eye, the wheel of vengeance is ever-turning, and in the midst of the grief and cries of mourning, the man Hiroshi had sought revenge upon began to swear to take revenge on him too, mimicking the words the Future Industries Founder had spoken himself…

"Whatever it takes."

Post-Author's Note:

And there you guys have it.

Like it? Please do leave a comment. It feeds my little writer's heart with joy.

Also, I will upload another chapter before the week ends again (before Saturday, most probably) as I am going on a week-long vacation after that. Another chapter will be uploaded again once I get back. :)

Enjoy your week, everyone!
Be kind! Always smile! And show the world how awesome you guys are!
Dream on; Fly on!