Chapter 30

Are you hurt?

The wind was ferocious. Asami had to slide between bolted objects and building walls just to navigate the icy terrain. The storm had been much worse than she imagined, though not quite as bad as the one Korra travelled through.

How? How did she even manage to get to her dorm, let alone through – through this?

Another gust tackled her. The cold rain stung her face. After a twenty minute struggle, several blocks and multiple locked entrances, she tugged on a handle and stumbled into an open eatery nearby. The door slammed behind her from the gale. She was leaning against the wall, panting, when an elderly woman approached her.

"Are you okay? Please, come in, sit down." The woman gestured the engineer to the empty tables within. There wasn't a single customer in sight.

Asami plopped down onto the bench and huffed. "Thank-you. I've been trying to find an open place for almost half an hour."

"Well, you're in luck." The senior clasped her wrinkled hands and sat across from the young student. "You look familiar." She bent forward with squinting eyes, which caught Asami's attention and forced her upright.

It was the first time she examined the woman who greeted her. She wore robes with many shades of green. Her long white hair was pulled back into a bun. Her skin was dark in comparison, almost as dark as Korra's –

"You're Asami Sato, aren't you?"

She couldn't hide her disbelief. People tended not to recognize her until after she had mentioned her family name, unless she was in the part of Republic City near her home. "How did you know?"

"You and your father came to my shop quite some time ago. He left a very generous tip for my husband and me."

"You – you knew my dad?"

The woman nodded. "You were both younger, but not by much. You've matured quite a bit since you were here. I believe you had been touring the campus with him."

Realization dawned on her. "Now I remember. Your vegetable rolls were delicious."

She bowed her head in gratitude. "What brings you to my humble abode during such terrible weather?"

"Do you have a phoning device? I need to contact my dad."

"Is everything alright?"

Asami hesitated. "One of my friends is sick. She needs to get to a doctor when the storm is over. Since my dad has a Satomobile, I figured he could help me get her to the City."

The older woman rose with an acknowledging bob. "Come with me, child." She led the heiress to the back room and motioned to the small brown box on the wall. Once Asami was beside the device, the elder exited.

(-)

"So these devices that you're proposing, will they actually work? Are they weather proof? I can't have equipment that won't function due to a little water."

The gray-haired man leaned forward in his chair and placed his elbows on the table between them, his palms folded, fingers laced, in a horizontal position in front of his face. "I can assure you, my designs are concrete. The items should work despite the rain, the sleet, the cold, the desert – you name it."

"And I assume you have maintained the utmost confidentiality about –"

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

"Mr. Sato? I'm sorry to disturb you, but there is someone on the line for you."

"Who would possibly bother to disrupt me during this hour?"

"It's your daughter, sir."

Hiroshi's eyes grew wide. "Please, excuse me." He rose without hesitation and left the room.

(-)

"Hello?"

"Dad? It's me."

"Asami, what's wrong? What happened? Is everything alright?"

"Everything is okay. Kind of…" She paused, struggling to keep her composure.

"What happened? I heard there was a storm hitting your area. Are you hurt?"

She ignored the bruise on her cheek and some of the small injuries she sustained from the journey to the eatery. "I'm not hurt, no."

"Then what's wrong?"

"It's… it's my friend, Korra. She's hurt. Really hurt. And she's sick. She – she's not in good shape, dad. I really need to get her to a hospital."

"Isn't there one near the campus?"

"There is, but she went there the last time, and they didn't help much and they were so rude to us and –"

"What do you mean by 'the last time', Asami?"

The engineer let out an audible whimper. Keep it together.

"Asami?"

"Korra was attacked. By a group of angry, drunk men. She tried to defend herself, but there were too many of them. They hurt her. They almost killed her…"

The line was silent.

"They ganged up on her twice. She got hurt worse the second time. I don't know how long she's going to make it without some sort of medical assistance."

"Did they hurt you, Asami?" His tone was grave.

"No, no they didn't hurt me, dad. I wasn't even there. I just saw the aftermath."

"And why was she jumped, Asami? What was the cause?"

She sighed. "There's been some tension on campus between Korra and the chemistry professor. After he was forced to regrade her exam and threatened that, if he falsified exam scores again, he would be removed from the college, people started sending her death threats and –"

"But you're safe? You don't have any ties to this?"

"No." She hated lying to her father, but she knew what would happen if she told him the truth.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be hanging around this woman, Asami. She's attracting negative attention and assaulters."

"She's my friend."

"That doesn't mean she's safe to be around."

"If you're suggesting that I end my friendship with her, then you'll be disappointed of the outcome. Korra is my friend. She needs me. You don't leave people when they need you, you don't turn your back on someone who's hurting and struggling just to tend to your own self." There was more bitterness in her tone and her words than she had intended. She forced down the memories of herself alone as a child, healing her wounds by her lonesome after her mother's death.

Hiroshi paused on the other end. He knew too well what Asami was referring to, even if he didn't admit it or even speak of it aloud. "How can I help?"

"Is there any chance you can drive up here when the storm is over and help me get Korra to a hospital in Republic City?"

"Of course."

"Once the weather improves, head over to the Willow dorm, just on the outskirts of campus." She wavered. "Thank-you, dad. I… I really appreciate it."

"Of course."

"I love you, dad."

"I love you, too, Asami. I'll keep an eye on the forecast through the radio and head over once the roads are clear. And Asami?"

"Yes, dad?"

"Be safe."

"I will."

The heiress returned the receiver to its resting place and pushed her back and head against the wall. She wiped away the tears from her cheeks; she hadn't even noticed them when they fell. With a deep breath, she gained her composure and returned to the main dining area.

(-)

"Here, dear." The elder held out a small box when Asami entered. "There's tea and food inside for you and your sick friend. It should stay hot on your way back – I wrapped it up nice and tight."

She took the package with a grateful expression. "Thank-you. Thank-you so much. Here," she dug into her jacket and pulled out several yuans, "for all of your trouble."

The senior waved her hand in rejection. "It's unnecessary. But you have a kind heart, young one. It will take you very far in life."

All she could do was smile. She grabbed a tight hold of the box and pushed the door open. The wind whipped her, but she remained steadfast. Before she forced her way through the rest of the storm, she slipped the yuans into the mailbox near the outside of the eatery entrance. With a grin and eyes of determination, she fought her way back to Korra's dorm.

(-)

Korra hadn't gotten an ounce of sleep. The crackling of the thunder outside kept her awake, but it was the images of Asami being pummeled in the wind the same way she had that forced her eyes to stay open.

She's been gone for a long time…

The Southerner had given up lying on her side. She sat against the wall, her knees to her chest. Exhaustion crept in every ounce of her, alongside the dull pain throbbing through her veins. She refused to rest.

Not until she's back. Not until I know she's safe.

Her left foot started tapping against her bed. She shivered and snuggled into her pelt.

Where is she?

The minutes passed into an hour. Sweat formed on her brow. Her face felt hot, but her limbs were shaking from the cold.

Asami…

Another round of thunder startled her into a coughing fit. She felt fluid buildup and release from her throat. With a disgusted groan, she forced it down and wiped any remains on her lips with the back of her hand. A gust shook the dorm. Korra looked out the window with a racing heart.

Please be okay…

The wind raged once more. The lights faltered for a moment until the gale stopped. She couldn't take her eyes away from the rain dripping off of the glass across the room.

Please…

Lightning lit the sky and the room alike. Korra forced her lids to close as the thunder reverberated into her bones. She wasn't used to storms like this. Sure, there were plenty of snowstorms and blizzards in the South, but they seldom produced so much noise. She disliked the lightning the most. Every time it flashed, she felt a throb in her core. Perhaps it was just her inexperience with such weather that produced such a childlike fear. But as of right now, there was no one to comfort her and tell her that the storm wouldn't hurt her.

Because in all reality, it would hurt her. It had plenty of potential to cause her harm. It could take away the one person that she had left.

You're overreacting. Asami will be fine. She told you she would.

She also told you she would protect you and keep you safe, and look how that turned out.

Korra scowled. What is that supposed to mean?

All those promises that she would protect you from those men, and they got you anyways.

She did what she could.

She protected herself.

She fought beside me.

Then why were you two so far apart?

Because there were too many of them.

Sure.

She clenched the pelt as hard as she could. Her sight flicked between blurry and focused. Her head began to sway.

She'll come back. She said she would.

If you believe that.

Of course I believe that. And I believe she did everything she could to help me during that fight. And during all the times I've known her. She's been nice to me. And I'm sick of hearing you say otherwise. So fuck off.

You know, that storm almost killed you. What makes you think it won't kill her?

Korra leaned against the wall, the stone cool against her flushed cheek. Her body kept shaking. She wrapped herself tighter.

Because it won't. She'll come back. I know it.

But it can kill her. It can blow her right away from you. Gone. Forever.

No, it won't. She'll… she'll come back… she'll be okay… She was fading into unconsciousness from her sickness, but continued to combat her delusions.

How?

Because I won't let anything happen to her.

A fire grew inside of her. She clutched her sides, trying to draw from its warmth. The tremors never subsided. She clenched her teeth and shut her eyes, fighting to maintain her conscious state long enough for Asami to return to the dorm.