Chapter 23: Lessons

"The lower ring has never smelled better," Kuvira stated with unapologetic smugness. It'd been a while since Asami had seen her or Mako. A year maybe. "This way." She couldn't help note that both orphans walked differently, with real poise and purpose, like they ran the place. Which in many regards, they did – the lower ring at least.

"It's not just the smell," Mako added with a deliberately teasing arch of his brow, directed at Kuvira. "The crime rate in the lower ring has dropped to record lows, employment is increasing every day." He turned to smile at Asami. "Of course you helped a lot with that. I don't know what we would've done without your investment in the basic infrastructure down here. Having a proper sewage system has definitely improved the smell."

Asami tapped his shoulder in concern. "The crime rate…? I'm pretty sure I didn't invest in your security operations down here, except for those tasked with hunting down any possible Red Lotus cells."

Mako nodded calmly. "No, your money went into exactly the places you signed up for. The crime rate going down is just result of people having better prospects down here for once, not tighter security. When people actually have hope they tend not to get involved in criminal activity. It's something Chief Beifong was always getting at Raiko for. Most of the triad activity I deal with – dealt with – was in the poorest parts of the city, places that needed investment."

"And you'll be glad to hear we've rounded up plenty of people related to the Red Lotus," Kuvira added from a few paces ahead, gesturing with a hand to guide them into a large warehouse. Mako passed her at the main door with a slight grin. So these two are just as into each other as they were a year ago... Asami had expected that the stressful nature of their work would've put a strain on their relationship.

Asami stopped at the door, looking Kuvira hard in the eye. She was pretty sure that Kuvira's coldest stare could freeze up the Yue Bay. "Related to the Red Lotus? What does that mean? Are they members? Are they helping them? What?"

"Associates," Kuvira said cautiously. "People who sympathize with their cause."

Asami folded her arms tensely. She'd heard those words before, from Councilman Tarrlok. "Sympathizing with a cause and actually supporting it are two very different things." She jabbed the top of Kuvira's shoulder. "You had just as much problems with the royal family as Zaheer did, it doesn't mean to say you're going to go murder the Earth Queen."

"It's a bit late for that one," Kuvira retorted coldly, and Asami's eyes widened in alarm. She glared at Mako. Did he tell her about what happened with Korra and the Earth Queen? "Although, granted, I would like to get my hands on that squeaky mouthed Prince Wu, lording it up in Zaofu even after all this time. He's never going to come back to this city."

Mako interrupted them before they came to blows, he angled his brows at Asami, hinting that everything was fine. That Kuvira knew nothing. "And he doesn't need to. Suyin's in charge now, remember?" Kuvira blew in his face. "Democratically elected leader of the Earth Republic. Chosen by the people," Mako continued. Suyin would at least be a better President than her sister.

"Only because her campaign had the most money," Kuvira hissed quietly before marching inside, leaving Asami and Mako at the warehouse entrance. Immediately, Asami felt a weight lift off her. She was much more comfortable speaking with Mako than Bolin. He possessed an emotional maturity these days that Bolin simply hadn't reached yet.

"Your hair is flat," Asami noted with a hint of sadness. Another relic of the happy past, gone. It didn't help that Asami was starting to feel like Mako had moved on from his Team Avatar exploits, whilst she'd stayed still over the past two years.

"It's controlled," Mako teased with a hand in his hair. "Besides, you're one to talk. Where's the crazy waves you used to have? The ones that made we wonder how the hell you could ever see in a fight."

Asami punched his shoulder a little too firmly. They died with the Red Lotus. "I'm trying to be an adult now. A proper business woman who actually remembers to lock her warehouses full of valuable stock. Well, actually, it's all electrified locks now."

Mako laughed loudly at that comment before guiding her inside. "And just so you know, we've haven't just been going around and rounding up random citizens. I made sure of it, even people Kuvira wanted to toss in a cell for anti-establishment sentiments. There's no way I'm making the same mistakes that were made in Republic City with the Equalists."

Asami nodded with a smile. She was very glad Mako was assisting with things here, since Kuvira seemed to possess a similar headstrong nature to Korra. Ready to do the right thing almost to a fault. Although in Korra's case, it tended to be at the expense of her own personal being above anything else. Kuvira's driven nature seemed to stem from something else, a need to right past wrongs maybe.

"You seen much of Bolin?" Asami asked.

Mako suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. "No – not for a while at least. We've both been super busy. The Air Nation have been helping people way out in the countryside, I've mainly been in Ba Sing Se and more urban areas. There's just – there's not been a good time when our schedules actually match up."

"You should take a break," Asami advised softly. "He misses you. Probably more than he's letting on. Bolin's never known a life without his older brother beside him and Opal can't exactly fit that role – though she'd no doubt try." That one was definitely a Beifong through and through.

"Mhmm," Mako agreed quietly before looking at the piles of crates they were walking past. They seemed to be filled with tinned food and other non-perishables. "What about Korra? I – I haven't heard from her for a long time. I know my letters weren't exactly enthralling but I thought she'd at least reply to a few of them. Did I do something to upset her or?"

"No. At least I don't think so," Asami fretted as she tried to think of a way to ease Mako into the inevitable sadness he would feel. "She's not been the best for communication since she left, you're not the only one she's not really been talking to."

"Even you?"

Asami wasn't sure if she detected jealously there, but reacted all the same. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Mako quickly retreated before gesturing with a hand. "C'mon, let's go chat with Kuvira about the reason we asked you here in the first place."

Asami nodded without another word, following Mako into a small office where a large map of Ba Sing Se in intricate detail was pinned to a back wall. Kuvira was currently analysing it with a few other people, Earth Kingdom citizens judging by their green eyes. "That's fine, send a small team to investigate," Kuvira ordered calmly. The group around her exited with a quick bow.

"Who are those people?" Asami asked.

"The last stand between stability and anarchy in Ba Sing Se," Kuvira replied. "Oh don't look at me like that. Do you really think I'm going to trust the Dai-Li to run security down here? My security team are volunteers. Benders and non-benders alike. They want to keep their city safe, from the Red Lotus and corrupt police."

"The Dai-Li was disbanded by Suyin years ago," Asami retorted. When the new Earth Republic's parliament was established, it was one of the first things their new President did in office. She'd made a big deal of it too, inviting the press to freely report and document prisons below the city where the Dai-Li had held people for years without trial. Most of them died down there. When Asami had seen some of those pictures in the Republic City Star the Earth Queen's death had felt much more justified.

"Has living in your million yuan apartment made you an expert of Earth Republic affairs?" Kuvira replied bitterly. "You don't live here, Sato. Don't speak about things you have no clue about. It does your intelligence no favours." Asami almost smacked her across the head for that. She was sure Ghazan would have, but she resisted after a pleading look from Mako. "There's plenty of former Dai-Li still in the city's security forces, and don't you forget it. They'll work for anyone who pays them well enough, whether they have a crown on their head or not."

"I think that's enough of that," Mako cut in. "You invited Asami her here in the first place and she had the curtouesy to come. Don't start mouthing off to her like that, okay? Otherwise we're going to have a problem."

Kuvira glared at him briefly before shaking her head. "Okay...my apologizes, Miss Sato," she conceded. Asami accepted it with a nod, though she couldn't stop herself frowning at Kuvira. Mainly because she was right, outside of the obvious jab at Asami's privileged life. Asami didn't know enough about the politics of this city, or its many problems, to provide any clear insight. Still, Kuvira could've been nicer about it.

"I think it's time we get on with this meeting, we've got to start a patrol soon," Mako advised.

"Right," Kuvira muttered before turning to face Asami. "We've been thinking about getting some new equipment for our security personnel, our non-benders in particular. Non-lethal take downs of possible Red Lotus personnel and other criminals is our priority, but stunning equipment isn't exactly easy to come by, especially after the whole Amon incident."

"You want Future Industries to manufacture Equalist style equipment and sell it to you?" Asami asked incredulously. She turned her head immediately to Mako with a deep scowl. Did he know what he was asking of her? He of all people should've known how hurtful a request this was. Trying to repair Future Industries reputation after her father had tainted it so deeply, nights spent crying in the man across from hers own arms over the emotional and physical strain all that work was causing.

He should've known better. Korra would know better.

"No, we want you to," Mako replied softly. "This doesn't have to be part of Future Industries commercial business at all. You'd be making the equipment for us. It'd stay within our group. This isn't about over turning a government or anything like that. It's about keeping the peace in the most humane way possible."

"Weapons. Call them what they are," Asami retorted angrily. "If you cared about me at all you wouldn't be putting me in this position."

"I'm not forcing you, I'm asking you," Mako assured. "I trust you to do this, no one else. This isn't like what your father did, Asami."

Asami clenched her fists furiously before taking in a huge gulp of air. "Mako," she began with a tremble. "If you keep talking like that I'm going to walk out of this warehouse without another word."

"I thought you'd be all for helping get the edge on the remnants of the Red Lotus," Kuvira spat. "After everything they did to you, to the Avatar, all you've done is hide away in Republic City and brooded whilst we've been taking the fight to them, making sure they never get a foothold in the Earth Republic ever again. Don't you want to make them pay for what they did? They tortured you for crying out loud, scarred you."

"If all I wanted was vengeance for the bad shit that's happened to me then I would've been standing at Amon's side in his revolution," Asami replied with fury. "I get to choose how I recover, how I make up for all the chaos the Red Lotus caused here. And that's by helping the Air Nation. The real peace keepers in this country."

"The Air Nation's notion of peace and love for all is a pipe dream. Practically they're useless, utterly useless," Kuvira stated firmly. "Though those gliders suits you made I suppose have made them a little more efficient at getting around."

"Kuvira!" Mako chided harshly. "That's enough!"

Kuvira waved up a hand and turned away. "Fine! Miss Sato obviously doesn't have the guts to do what needs to be done." She marched out of the room with a grimace.

"I'm out of here," Asami added quickly, striding away from Mako. She was stopped just before she reached the exit to the warehouse by a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Just wait a sec! You're really going to leave things like this?" Mako asked firmly before his expression softened. "I'm sorry if you felt like I was trying to corner you, if you don't want to make that tech for us i'm not going to force you. Korra would probably roll her wheelchair all the way here just to kick my ass if I did that to you."

"Korra's not in a wheelchair anymore," Asami quickly pointed out.

Mako ran a hand in his hair nervously. "She's not? Well...I guess she's got a lot more to deal with on top of that...keeping her in the south..."

"She does, but she's coming home in a month," Asami defended. Although really, she was growing increasingly frustrated with the Avatar. In less than a month Korra was supposed to return, so maybe then they could finally have it out. Get to the root of Korra's problems. Try to fix them if she possibly could.

"Good, that's – that's great. We need to have a proper reunion. The old team back together," Mako smiled before looking around awkwardly, only speaking after they'd stood in silence for a few seconds. Both probably thinking about Korra's current state of mind. Or maybe feeling guilty they hadn't been able to help her in any meaningful way over the past two years. "Kuvira's not always like that, things have been a bit tense here in the last few weeks, increased violence and instability, we're trying to track down the people who are stirring it, but it seems to be people who don't even live in Ba Sing Se that are causing most of the problems, which has to be a first for this place."

"You think it's related to the Red Lotus?"

Mako shook his head. "Nah – they'd be going after the head cheese. Suyin. Ordinary people are their allies, not their target. Without popular support on the ground, their cause falls to pieces."

"Things falling to pieces is exactly what they'd want," Asami said sternly.

"Maybe Zaheer did, but plenty of them probably just wanted to overthrow world leaders. The establishment. Nobody but nut jobs want to live in a world of chaos all the time," Mako stated. "And Zaheer was left to rot in those caves by his own people fleeing to the surface. They weren't exactly loyal to him when push came to shove." She could still hear the sound of rushing water in the back of her mind, and the terrible, biting cold it produced.

Asami didn't question Mako's reasoning any further, growing tired at this farce of a 'meeting' and the unpleasant memories and feelings it had stirred up. Especially those regarding her father. She couldn't falter Hiroshi's persistence in trying to communicate with her. He'd probably have sent her four more letters to her office just in the past week she'd been in the Earth Republic. That was one of the many traits they had in common, persistence, no matter how hopeless.

There were only two weeks left until Korra's scheduled return to Republic City, and Asami felt her doubt growing with every passing day. Korra hadn't called or sent a letter to absolutely confirm her arrival date, to Tenzin nor anyone else. All she had was Korra's word, with Master Tenzin as her mouth piece. It was hardly the most concrete thing to believe in. Only seeing Korra's face in person would end her doubts, though it certainly wouldn't end Asami's frustration and worry for her.

"That's not a lot of packing, especially for you," Kya teased as she leaned against the huge door frame of a Future Industries hangar. One that Asami really hadn't expected any visitors in given its remote location in the snow covered mountains above Republic City.

Asami slung her backpack into the passenger seat of her biplane before facing the older woman. "It's a business conference, I don't need to bring everything I own." She rubbed the top of her Future Industries emblazoned bomber jacket. "How did you even get here? This airstrip is private property and not exactly accessible."

"Like you're going to toss me out," Kya replied calmly. Asami's question was answered by the grunt of an air bison as it stumbled round the hangar door with curious, wide eyes. "Not as fancy as your way of getting around, but probably more reliable." The bison grunted loudly in agreement and Asami almost smiled. Almost.

"I don't have time for a friendly chat," Asami stated as she began a pre-flight check of the external areas of the plane. It was rare for her to attend any business conferences outside of the United Republic, normally sending someone else on the payroll, but sitting around in the tower for the next two weeks would probably have driven her and her employees absolutely insane. "I have a schedule to keep to, it won't exactly set a good precedent for my company when their guest speaker is hours late."

"I'm sure you're important enough that they can wait," Kya assured as she walked over to Asami's side before abruptly jabbing her arm.

Immediately Asami gasped with pain before recoiling back into the side of the plane's metal body. "What was that for?!" she hissed angrily. "You come to my airstrip for no reason and then you attack me? Are you possessed or something?!"

"Jinora's information was accurate then, right down to the location, that girl's mind is scary sometimes," Kya muttered, totally ignoring Asami's fretting. She pressed a hand to the same location on Asami's arm, though this time with a lot less force. "How long has this arm been giving you gyp?" she asked, rolling up Asami's jacket sleeve as she spoke to reveal a deep red scar.

"Only recently," Asami grimaced as Kya pressed her fingers against it. "I've had that scar for a long time."

"Ming-Hua?" Kya noted and Asami nodded lightly. "There's a distinct difference between stab wounds caused by a waterbender's ice and that made by a metal blade. I'm guessing the block head that healed this didn't know that."

"Well i'd just murdered one of his comrades so I doubt they put much effort into it," Asami replied bitterly whilst Kya set to work with some water she had stored in a pouch.

"They did a shoddy job for sure," Kya said quietly as she focused on the injury, water glowing with warmth as she moved her slightly wrinkled fingers back and forth. Asami closed her eyes just at the shear relief the glow brought as it drifted across her skin. She hadn't realized just how much that part of her arm had been aching until now.

Although she still fully intended to hunt Jinora down for mouthing off to Kya about this at a later date. The nosey airbender hadn't appeared to notice the strain on Asami's arm during their last sparring session on the island. She's a better actor than Bolin, that's for sure. Though she probably wouldn't be able to compete with Korra's surprising level of skill in that area.

"I can't believe you flew all the way up here just to do this," Asami muttered quietly as some light snow fell outside.

Kya raised a brow. "When you travel the world like I have, journeys over the city feel like nothing at all. And back then going from nation to nation took days and sometimes weeks. We didn't have the air travel and trains you kids have. Besides, we can't have this acting up when you're presenting to all those competitors, just waiting for you to slip up."

"Good point," Asami sighed as Kya pulled the water away. The scar on her arm was no longer the angry red color it'd been over the past few days, and felt considerably less fiery on top of that. "Thank you," Asami said sincerely as she pulled her sleeve back down, starting to feel the biting cold of this altitude rush up her bare skin.

"You're very welcome, and very stupid for not telling me earlier," Kya chastised lightly whilst Asami pulled her leather pilot hat and goggles down a little. "I thought you'd have flown out to the south by now, to visit Korra."

"She's never asked for any visitors," Asami defended.

"Korra has a bad habit of distancing people when she's hurting," Kya stated plainly. "You do too."

"It's doesn't matter now...Korra's coming back soon," Asami replied with a sidelong glance.

"You're angry with her?" Kya asked cautiously.

"Yes. Of course I am," Asami frowned, feeling her throat tightening and tears burning at the back of her green eyes. "A few months turned into a few years. I – I've barely been more of a shell in the time she's been gone. Buried in paper work and projects." Her fists began to tremble furiously. "The worst part was not knowing. There was never a chance for me to move on because I couldn't ever let go of her...if there was the slightest chance, the slightest hope that she'd come back and be just the way she was-"

Kya pulled her in for an extremely tight hug before Asami had a chance to burst into tears, running a soothing hand down her back. It reminded her so achingly of the kind of hugs her mom used to give. "She'll never be the same person after all that's happened, neither are you. But that doesn't mean to say either of you can't be better people than you were before." She squeezed her tightly. "Hardship is painful, but it'll make both of you stronger in the end. I firmly believe that."

"Thank you," Asami smiled wearily as she released her grip on Kya's arms.

"Don't give up on Korra just yet, she's a fighter through and through," she replied warmly. "And I think she loves you too."

"What?! She said that to you?!"

"No – not exactly. Call it my hippy senses," Kya said mysteriously. Asami raised a brow sceptically. "Trust me, I know women better than you, don't make the same mistakes I did." She leaned casually against the side of the bison she'd brought. "I went around with a girl when I was just a little older than you. One with plenty of responsibility, just like Korra. But unlike our dear Avatar, this girl couldn't handle juggling a relatively private relationship with all of her other duties. Certainly not at such a young age. I could've pursued it much more than I did, fought for our relationship. But I let it slide, just like so many other things in my life. It wasn't long after that all fell to the wayside that I headed out on a round the world trip." She smiled bitterly. "To find myself as Bumi so often teases, but really it was to escape myself."

"What happened to her?" Asami asked softly.

"She ended up marrying some idiot from one of the old Fire Nation colonies a few years later, had a son with him. We haven't really spoken since, except when the occasion required it," Kya recalled with a tinge of sadness in her normally smooth voice.

"You're talking about the Firelord aren't you? Izumi?" Asami questioned with wide eyes.

Kya's eyes were even wider. "How did you figure that one out so quickly?!"

"Someone with a lot of responsibility, I thought it was Chief Beifong for a second, but if that was true I can't imagine you'd be able to stand in the same room. She's bad enough around Tenzin, plus the mess that would've caused. Lin working her way through the family," Asami chuckled slightly. "Then when you said the thing about her husband being from a Fire Nation colony, I guessed it would have to be someone from the Fire Nation. On top of that, your father and Zuko's family probably spent a lot of time together." She rubbed underneath her chin. "It wasn't that hard actually."

"This stays between us," Kya threatened.

"Of course," Asami assured as she began to scramble up into the plane. "Thank you for this, and tell Jinora we're going to have a very long talk when I get back."

"I'll give her good warning," Kya smiled as the engine roared into life. "Knock 'em dead in the Fire Nation, kid. The capital won't have seen an engineer like you before."

Asami tightened her goggles with a rare smile. "Will do."

End Notes

I didn't think I'd be wheeling out so many crackships in this fic but here we are and there they are, or were, or whatever.

And looky looky certain characters are on a collision course...i'm excited.

The next chapter will be the final in this series of four prologues, which I cleverly (LMAO) gave one word titles to try and separate them a little xD

Please leave your thoughts below, and thank you to everyone who came out and commented last time around when I was feeling a little down about lack of feedback. I can't tell you how much it makes me smile or gives me motivation to continue when I get any and all feedback.

Although full length essays will win you a place in my heart forever.

Thank you for reading! Tumblr: asami-snazz