A/N: Hello Everyone, here's the next chapter! Read and Review Please!
Korra let out a grunt as she lifted the large rock over her head, using her Earthbending to keep it from crushing her. The Chief of Police watched unimpressed by the demonstration of strength by the military woman. When the Colonel had first approached her, Lin had refused to train her. But after days of insistence, Beifong had agreed, making sure to make the younger woman's training as strenuous as possible.
"Too much for you?" the older woman taunted.
The Colonel's jaw clenched. "Not yet."
After a moment, the Metalbender added more earth to the boulder causing the Water Tribe woman's hold to shake. Sweat trailed down her face, drenching her shirt and making her hair stick to her forehead. She could feel her arms shake from the weight. The Chief of Police noticed this and thrust her hand forward, splitting the large rock in half.
Korra fell to her knees, panting heavily as she did. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this exhausted; her muscles screamed in protest at the slightest movement. Lin clasped her hands behind her as she walked over to her student.
"Why-why'd you split the rock?" the Colonel asked, still slightly out of breath.
"Would you have rather I had let it kill you," the Earthbender replied.
"I had it under control."
Lin scoffed. "Maybe I should have let it crush you," she answered before turning away. "Same time tomorrow. Don't be late." The military woman sighed but stood, feeling her legs shake as she did. That woman was going to end up killing her.
For weeks Kuvira had been expanding her empire, conquering cities and villages around Ba Sing Se. Anyone that dared challenge her was never heard from again, and anyone who refused to bow to the Great Uniter, as she was called by her soldiers, was sent to the concentration camps. Slowly her army began to grow in numbers and she knew that within two years time, it would be the most powerful military force in the Nations.
Currently, the Metalbender was digging for resources to create more weapons. The destruction the Southern Colonel had caused had crippled their weaponry. Just a few weeks ago, Baatar had gone to Zaofu to ask for assistance but the monarch had declined. Su had grown suspicious towards the pair after Aiwei's death though she had no proof of their involvement.
The tunnel shook as the drill went deeper into the rock until Kuvira ordered them to stop and so she could see what was going on. Slowly she and Baatar approached, noting that something was glowing under the disturbed, thin layer of rock. The Metalbender placed a hand on his shoulder signaling for him to stop as she continued, kneeling down and gently brushing the dirt away from the glowing item.
It was a staff, long and silver, the tip was hooked and looked sharp enough to slice through almost anything. But connecting the spine and blade was an orb, shinning a dim red, swirling, pulsing with energy that both leaders of the military could feel in every pore of their body. Kuvira's eyes gleamed in interest.
Carefully the Great Uniter lifted the staff, the red glow intensifying. She asked someone to bring a metal box where she carefully stored the item and shut the lid. There was something about the staff that she could not explain. A vibe of control and power.
"What is it?" Baatar asked after it was taken back to their vehicle.
"I don't know," the Metalbender answered. "But I'm going to find out."
Mako raised a brow as Korra walked into his barrack and lay down next to him, letting out a groan. He chuckled in response knowing the military woman would be tired. It was no secret the Chief of Police was working her student into the ground, literally. Lin had little to no patience with the Colonel despite her being a quick learner.
Today, for example, the Earthbender had made the brunette train by carrying a boulder on her back while raising earth with her feet. The current Chief also had her stand on two high pillars to keep her balance while she assaulted her with different sized rocks. If it hadn't been for an emergency that demanded her presence, Korra was sure her teacher would've broken her bones.
The Firebender watched as his friend fell asleep almost instantly, her hair sticking to her face from the sweat despite having changed clothes. He smiled and shook his head before General Iroh came inside asking to speak with him. Mako didn't want to leave the Southerner alone given her sleeping record but new the military man's short patience.
Hours later he came back to find Korra still asleep, snoring lightly. The Lieutenant Colonel chuckled and covered her up, moving the hair away from her face, making sure she was comfortable before going back to his reading.
Senna lifted the frame that sat on her dresser a smile tugging at her lips as she studied the photo of her daughter and the Sato heiress. Both girls had an arm wrapped over the other, a smiles stretched wide on their faces. It had been so long since the Water Tribe woman had talked to her little girl...but ever since the death of her team her daughter had been distant.
The mother sighed and shook her head, putting down the frame as her gaze settled that of her old friend.
A year after Future Enterprises went global, Tonraq had gone to meet with the industrialist to discuss business. Senna had come along but just a few minutes into the meeting had excused herself. She had never been one to take a part in the more business side of things and the morning sickness wasn't making it any easier.
The young woman wondered around the extravagant mansion, stopping at the garden to look at the flowers. There were so many colors. The South Pole didn't have flowers like those, the icy tundra was too cold for such beauty.
"The men are doing business as usual," a voice commented causing the cobalt eyed brunet to turn. "I'm sorry, you don't know who I am. My name is Yasuko, I'm Hiroshi's wife."
"Senna, Tonraq's wife."
"They get so focused, don't they?" the ravanette said with a chuckle. "Don't even notice when we leave." A sigh. "I think sometimes he forgets we're having a child."
"How far along are you?"
"Six months, exact. What about you?" Senna blinked in response. How did she... "I had the same glow when I found out."
"Three months," the Water Tribe woman answered with a smile. "Tonraq has been fawning over me since. It's sort of a relief to see him entertained in something. Do you know what you're expecting?"
"No, I want it to be a surprise," Yasuko replied. "Hiroshi wants a boy so that he can teach him everything he knows. I tell him that a girl is no different."
"Tonraq is practically begging the Spirits for a girl." She shook her head. "Men."
That was how it began, just a simple conversation that turned to years of friendship, ups and downs. Senna could still remember how happy both mothers had been after their children had been born. Both fawned over the other's child and watched as they grew together.
Asami was the first to walk though Korra had tried way before he older girl did. One day the light skinned toddler stood and walked to her mother. But the smaller brunette didn't stay behind. Her eyes shined with determination and she stood and wobbled a few steps before falling down, grinning at her mother.
For years both women raised their girls together and the children also became friends, growing inseparable. When they started school Senna even moved to the city for the school year so that their daughters could attend together. It was eight summers after their daughters' birth that Yasuko grew sick.
The Water Tribe woman watched helplessly as the kind, loving, devoted wife and mother grew sicker every day. Cancer had infected the ravanette's body so quickly that by the time they knew what it was, there was nothing they could do. Day after day, Senna helped care for the older woman and her daughter, trying to cheer them both up. Even the youngest child tried to make her friend smile, sometimes succeeding.
Just a few months after the diagnosis, Yasuko had passed. Her death had been hard on everyone who had known her. Hiroshi was devastated and Asami...the poor girl had cried silently as her mother's coffin was lowered down to lay at rest. But she was never alone. Small hands wrapped around her and Korra did everything she could to console her friend, always the protective despite their age difference.
Senna smiled once more as she stared at the picture. She missed her friend. But she knew Yasuko would be very proud of her little Asami.
The Colonel smiled as she lay down on her bed, arms behind her head. The night was still young but she already had we fill at a red head's - was her name Molly or Holly? - home a couple of blocks down from the base. After a long day of Earthbending lessons and training her father's soldiers, she had gone with a few of the recruits to the bar across the street.
The woman had approached her having seen her there a few times before. She had heard about the military woman's...talent in bed and wanted to try her on. She was more than satisfied with the brunette's performance but was upset when her companion got up to leave. But thankfully, she didn't make a big deal out of it.
Asami had been wrapping things up in her workshop when she saw the taxi pull up the driveway. The ravenette sighed and shook her head as she put her tools away. She had thought that perhaps after all the training the Chief of Police was putting her through the younger woman wouldn't have enough energy left to continue on with her one night stands.
Korra turned her head towards the door when she heard it open, revealing her best friend who she shared a smile with. For a couple of days now she had been sleeping on her own. Lin was working her so hard that even her subconscious didn't have the energy to act up in her sleep.
"Hey. I didn't wake you, did I?" the Waterbender asked.
"No, I was working in the shop," her friend answered as she lay down next to her. "How was your day?"
The Colonel smirked in response. "Couldn't have ended better."
"Of course."
"You're not jealous, are you?" the younger of the two teased, turning on her side so she was looking at the taller woman.
A scoff. "Why would I be jealous? I have my own entertainment."
"Can't beat mine." Of that, she was positive. Nothing like sweet release to get rid of all that tension.
Asami rolled her eyes good naturally. "Maybe I should be a lesbian," she considered for a moment. "See what you find so appealing."
"Well wishes can come true," Korra answered with a yawn.
Asami chuckled. "I don't understand how people can have a one night stand with a person they just met." She sighed, brow furrowing in thought. "I wonder what kind of woman I'd like if I liked women." She observed Korra as she stretched like a cat, her back giving a satisfying pop as she settled back on the mattress.
"Well you look like the type that would like a stronger woman for a partner, seeing how delicate you are." There was a teasing glint in her eye, making them shine.
Asami raised a brow. "Delicate? Have you seen me spar?" She was pretty sure she'd pinned Korra more times that the Water Tribe native had pinned her. Maybe they'd have to schedule another sparring session to remind her.
"And I've seen you date," the brunette answered smugly.
"Well I'm sure if you actually dated, you'd be the controlling one," the engineer replied.
The military woman raised a brow, propping herself on her elbows. "Me? Controlling? You're the bossy one around here."
"No I'm not," Asami snorted in a very unladylike way. Something she would only ever do around Korra seeing as she was going to be the head of a billion dollar corporation one day, when her father retired.
"Yes you are," Korra answered with a smirk. "You're just soft and polite when you're bossing people around."
The older woman hummed in response. "I don't get how girls fall for you."
"I use my charm."
"Sweet talking."
Korra shruged. "Whatever works."
"You'd never get me to do your bidding."
The younger girl saw the challenge. "My charm has worked every single time," Korra answered as she leaned closer to the older woman. "I wouldn't want to corner you into something you don't want to do."
"How do you know I wouldn't want to?" Asami answered, their faces centimeters apart, emerald staring unflinchingly into sapphire.
The Waterbender smiled and laid back down. "Nice try, but I'm not telling you my secret."
A loud sigh. "Worth a shot."