The salty smell of the ocean was something she was familiar with. It was the air she grew up with. It was calming. That smell and the woosh of the waves. Even this far into the island she could still hear it. Every few waves there was a larger one that she timed her breathing with. She could sit here all day. Except for those damn Airbenders.
A new sound overcame the woosh of the waves. A kind of pulsing whip of air. It was not alone almost like there was more than one. And they were getting closer.
Tenzin sighed, adding another sound to the pavilion and Azula could no longer focus. She wasn't angry though. She just opened her eyes and blinked a few times as the new day sun made the island bright. It was a beautiful day, a perfect day to have air scooter races. Which is what the 3 children (or 4 children as Azula liked to jab Korra with) were doing.
"At least one other person understands the value of meditation on this island," Tenzin said with a sigh standing.
Azula outstretched her legs but stayed sitting watching the group whiz by, making a flock of island birds scatter. "If I didn't burn down half the island with my own version I would be right there with them."
Tenzin chuckled. "I appreciate your restraint Azula." he offered his hand and she used it to pull herself up.
"Though I will say your work at integrating air bending and fire bending has been interesting." He walked out of the pavilion with the fire bender right night to him. They both knew where the racers would end up and so they might as well meet the group there.
"It's been interesting. It is an element few of my people have studied in depth. I believe there could be more of a connection than most realize. Fire needs air to breathe after all. Besides, it's nice spending time training with Korra."
Sky bison's flew overhead as they walked down the trail. The distant sound of the air scooters and some shouting White Lotus guards echoing over the trees. They were close.
"Is she still annoyed you had got that one form better?" Tenzin questioned.
"Yes, and it's fun. But she is getting it. She is brave enough to use one of those death gliders so I will give her that." She had ridden one with Korra once. Never. Again.
They arrived at the arch moments later as Bumi stood there with a checkered flag. The 3 kids and Korra roared past moments later with her Korra in the lead. The avatar leaped off her air scooter as soon as she passed by Bumi.
"Another win for me!" she said, giving a slight dance. Azula was by her side a moment later.
"The mighty Avatar defeating children." Azula jabbed.
Korra stuck her tongue out. "What's that you want to go for a glider ride?"
Azula shot her a death glare, making the Avatar laugh.
"No fair Korra cheated, she used the Avatar state." Ikki pouted, stomping her feet.
Tenzin twisted to Korra. "You what?! Korra the avatar state is not a toy to be used but a sacred ability going back generations."
Azula rolled her eyes. "Relax. Maybe Korra's previous incarnation just wanted to play with his grandkids."
Tenzin's mouth dropped. "That's oh...that's one way to think of it I suppose. Still try to take it more seriously Korra. Speaking of that I believe it is time for our exercises. You still need to master Airbending."
Korra broke away from Azula. "Oh, I've mastered Airbending, see!"
She spun around and attempted to impress everyone with blasts of air.
Azula shook her head. "Korra that's not how that works and you know it. Think of it this way the better you get the better at flying you will get."
"Gaaa fine. You head over Tenzin, I will be right behind you." Korra slumped defeated. He nodded and turned away as the kids ran off.
"Joining us today?"
Azula shook her head. "No, I have a meeting with Asami." They walked across the island.
Korra sighed. "Aww, I was gonna finally a have a better form. But how is Asami doing? Her company still having trouble?"
Azula rolled her eyes. "Yes and she still insists on rejecting my suggestions."
"I think she wants to move away from the idea of violence. She isn't just going to sell weapons to anyone. We are at peace there shouldn't be too many people wanting them." Korra shrugged.
Azula waved her hand dismissively. "A happily naive sentiment. There is always going to be demand. She should stop just going after united republic contracts. Besides once she gets enough money she can pursue other things."
Korra stopped walking. "I'm not naive. And I like a good fight, but having more weapons floating around is not good for people who want peace. Asami gets it maybe she can explain it to you."
Azula knew she had errored as Korra stormed off. She didn't mean to pick at Korra's sore spot of the uncertainty of being the Avatar. So she would let this little fire burn out and talk to her later.
She stood on the dock tapping her foot annoyed. The meeting went well and the special project that Asami and her team were working on showed promise. Azula could tell that Asami was much happier in her engineering sweet than when talking business. She didn't lack competence but she could tell her heart wasn't in it. Hers wouldn't be in it either. She had thought about offering to take over the company but given she would not be able to destroy her enemies it hardly seemed worth the paperwork. Besides the heiress still stubbornly refused her advice and stress of recent events and been weighing on the Sato. Offering to take her family company seemed...rude. There had already been harsh words and awkward apologies today when she had broached the subject of selling weapons again. Her second bad interaction in a day. Evidence suggested it was her. Asami had insisted that she would rebuild her companies connections.
Hours of walking through the city had been a good exercise to clear her head. The city didn't unnerve her like it once did. Now it was just a matter of people recognizing her. Few today. She had made a name for herself since the battle in the arena and not all of it was a bad name. Korra had stepped back into the spotlight during the cleanup but enough people remembered her fight on the stage where she had her own little fame. Asami had even suggested she open a fire bending academy, arguing that people would want to learn from a famous bender.
The suggestion was few months old and it had made a festering wound in her head. What was she supposed to do?
Right now she was just a semi-well-known fire bender and the avatars girlfriend. But that wasn't a job. She had dove into the study of air bending and how it could complement her own fire bending and that had helped occupy her mind. But that was nearing completion as a pursuit. Bolin had suggested joining his Pro-Bending team which was tempting. Mako had offered A chance to join the police force but given she would not be given rank on entry she declined.
Her hand reached into her pocket as she walked and thought. It toyed with a metallic object like it normally did when she was thinking about this topic.
She was able to reach the ferry dock in the dusk light with little incident. It was a slow day for most people and there wasn't much of a crowd in the dock area. Though she could see a few familiar faces causing trouble. The gangs were rebuilding after the Equilst crisis and there was an opportunity there for someone ruthless and powerful. It was tempting. A flash drew her eye and she turned to see someone idly taking pictures of the bay.
Her instinct told her something was off, though she couldn't place it. He was looking out at the bay and taking more pictures. She wondered if he was just a tourist.
The ferry arrived and she returned to the island without incident and upon returning to the island tracked down Korra to the stable. Apparently, she was giving Naga a bath. The fire bender paused at that. A wet Naga was not enticing but a clean one would be nice.
Steeling herself she went down to the stables and saw Korra water bending a very relaxed-looking Naga who was standing there in the middle of the room. Korra shot her a small smile when Azula entered.
The fire bender's worry dropped as she nodded and walked toward the polar bear dog. It nuzzled into her as she got close and petted her head lightly.
"How's Asami?" Korra asked as her arms waved and pulled water through the fur.
"Still stressed." Naga went to lick her but she dogged it and scowled at the animal before giving her a scratch behind the ear. "She has managed to redesign most of the old Equalist stuff but there are just no buyers."
"I wish I could do more." Korra sighed.
"She is smart and she will figure it out." Azula was still petting naga. "About earlier."
Korra cut her off. "I'm sorry about storming off."
"No, I was in the wrong. You are not naive. I was rude to you even if I didn't mean to be. I hope there is a way I can make it up to you."
Korra smiled at her, making the fire benders' heart skip. But the Avatar's eyes glanced to the blob of naga wash water. Azula panicked as the blob was suddenly floating above her. "Korra…"
The avatar smirked as the blob fell next to the fire bender, the splash only getting on her legs. Azula shot the avatar a death glare while Korra only laughed. "You said you wanted to make it up to me. The look on your face pretty much made up for it."
"I would have killed you." Azula scowled.
"You would have tried." Korra winked. "Come on I told Pema we would help with dinner." Azula walked up next to her with Naga following behind.
"You are not naive Korra. You already fixed one crisis." Korra wove their hands together as they walked.
"Thank you. It means a lot coming from you but I don't know it still feels like I haven't done as much you know?"
"Well, you haven't. Most avatars travel far and wide to different masters and the last one was running all over the world."
"From you for a bit of it right?"
Azula smirked. "Well yes. But my point is your training compound sounds nice but not very stimulating."
Korra shrugged. "It was alright I guess. But when I came to Republic City it was so cool."
"You escaped from your compound once, we could do that again."
"What just jump on a ship and go…" Korra's mind was racing.
"Why not? It roughly how I got here too." Azula shrugged
"Well fuck where would we go?"
Azula thought running through possibilities. One popped in her mind and festered. "Well, we could go to the Fire Nation." Korra stopped walking. They were at the stairs to one of the temple doors and Naga simply stopped to scratch her ear behind them. The avatar looked at the fire bender. They had talked about the Fire Nation before and about Azula's feelings about going back.
"Are you sure?" Korra asked moving to stand in front of her and grabbing her other hand.
Going somewhere that should be her home but wasn't Azulas total idea of fun. But she did want to take Korra to see her home.
Or what was left. She wasn't sure if it being more the same or completely different was worse. Her bedroom would be gone, or maybe just sealed up to be forgotten. The throne room would be different or could be the same one that didn't look right in her blue fire. The gardens where her mother scowled her would probably be untouched. So would the courtyard that she hadn't seen since the comet or the-
"Hey." Azula jumped when she felt a hand on her cheek and Korra frowned getting closer. "You got lost for a second." The fire bender didn't pull away as she took a breath. She was happy Korra kept her hand on her cheek.
"I'm fine just remembering things."
"We don't have to go to the fire nation if you don't think.-"
"I can handle it." Azula snapped stepping away.
"Ok ok." Korra offered sadly making Azula regret her harshness and stepped back closer. "Tenzin is going to go crazy if we sneak away."
"A fun bonus but he's the one who wanted you to stay out of Republic City politics during the election." Azula sneered at the last word. They didn't ask her but she was not a fan of their new government solution.
"He did, didn't he… we are taking Naga right?" Korra asked with a pout.
"Of course."
"Ok." Korra nodded. "Ok, we will look into the ships when we go into the city to see Bolins next match. I haven't been this excited since I left the south pole." Korra gave a crooked grin. The kind she gave when she was really happy. The kind that made Azula stare at her shoot and shoot her own grin back and they would be lost looking at each other as they leaned into each other.
Here we go again.