AUTHOR'S NOTES: And now we meet the Satos properly. There's a lot about them that Korra still doesn't quite grasp, and similarly, a lot about Korra that neither Hiroshi nor Asami yet realize. As to how they'll turn out later in the story when the Equalists make their move... that remains to be seen. Korra's still left with a lot to think about, especially regarding who she's travelling with and where she's going.
Happy Reading!
BOOK ONE: POWER
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: SHENZI AND IKIZA
It was a peculiar little sight; what with the young Avatar standing outside a huge, imposing gate, unsure of where she was, or who she should expect to come and greet her. This was a level of class far beyond anything Korra had ever dreamed of, and she could only imagine the life of opulence and, dare she say it: decadence—that these people enjoyed.
Perhaps that was too judgmental of her. Asami seemed genuine, and it was rude to judge her this soon, especially after the kindness she had shown Korra.
Her lower lip stuck out as she glanced around, wondering if she was supposed to open the gate herself or if someone would come and open it for her to let her in.
To her slight relief, it was the latter. Asami opened the gate for her, dressed a bit sharper than Korra, in shades of red and black. She also seemed a few inches taller than Korra remembered, although a quick glance at her feet betrayed that her shoes were the cause of this change.
"Hey," she waved, as if to snap Korra out of whatever stupor she was in, "I hope you found the place okay; we're a bit out of the way."
"Oh, I had no trouble," Korra shook her head, "I mean, forgive me if I'm staring in every direction like a kid in a candy shop… this place is HUGE! There are entire settlements back home that aren't even this big. It's amazing!"
"Did you walk?" Asami glanced past the gate, but Kwan was already so far gone that there wasn't even a sign of her Satomobile.
"A friend of mine dropped me off," Korra shrugged, "well, more just a guardian and acquaintance. So really I just walked from the street to your gate."
"Well," Asami smiled, "I'm glad you came. I like your dress, by the way."
"I'm definitely not used to this kind of thing," Korra admitted as she followed Asami towards the massive doors of the enormous estate, "it's weird not wearing pants, since you can't exactly show off too much skin back home unless it's… nevermind." Her cheeks reddened, thinking back to that comical 'Rite of Passage' she had had with her parents.
"I won't ask," Asami chortled, "I hope this isn't too overwhelming for you. Not very many people come over because they see everything my father built and …" she trailed off.
"And what?" Korra tilted her head.
"Well, they judge." Asami gestured, around her, "They see that we're wealthy and suddenly think that there's no way we could have any problems in the world. I mean, I wish it were that way, and I'm not complaining about what I have; but it'd be nice if people judged me and my father for who we are, rather than what we are."
This struck Korra on a spiritual level, to the point where she froze, bug-eyed, for a moment.
"I'm the Avatar," She responded a moment later, "I know all about getting judged for what I am instead of who I am. I mean don't get me wrong, I like being the Avatar, and I bet it's nice to be able to afford anything you want… but sometimes… I just like being Korra. Not Avatar Korra; just… Korra."
"I'm proud of my family," Asami looked up as they approached the door, "but if I had a yuan for every time someone suddenly changed their tune once they realized I was a Sato I could build a mansion bigger than this one with the cash."
Korra was somewhat surprised when Asami didn't even need to open the door, considering that a butler had practically predicted her coming, and opened it for the two of them.
Much like what she had done when viewing the grounds and exterior, Korra couldn't help but glance in every direction as she took in the sheer lavishness and opulence of the mansion. Korra had always liked to think that she had enough money for her needs (and her hand did subconsciously navigate to her coin purse, which she had taken with her out of habit), but this was a level of wealth that she had never before even contemplated.
"It's incredible," Korra exclaimed after a moment. Asami had not moved after stepping inside, realizing that Korra was enthralled by the new surroundings.
"I'm glad you like it." she smiled.
"You're really pretty too though," Korra admitted, her intentions little more than friendly compliments, "I like your dress."
"When you live the fancy life, you have to dress the part now and again," Asami giggled, "but come on; I'd let you explore the place but even I've gotten lost in here, so I'll take you to my father's workshop. He'll love to meet you."
It was a surprisingly long walk for Korra, although nothing she couldn't handle. She was just used to a much smaller residence, where 45 seconds of groggy ambling could get you from one side of the place to the other. It took several minutes of steady-paced walking before the girls reached Hiroshi Sato's workshop at the back of the mansion, where the middle-aged man was waiting for them; behind him a desk of blueprints, random parts, and other knickknacks.
"So this is the girl that you ran into—quite literally—on the streets earlier?" Hiroshi wasted no time putting Korra on the spot.
"It was an accident, daddy!" Asami pouted.
"It was," Korra backed her new friend up, "and I'm fine. This is nothing that I haven't had worse of." Part of her left arm was still discolored from her bruising earlier. Her hip was the same way, but her dress was more than sufficient to cover that injury up just fine.
"Well either way, it is a pleasure to meet you, young Avatar." Hiroshi smiled, "My daughter is an abnormally passionate fan of bending sports, and so I can only imagine her thrill of meeting the one who can master all four disciplines."
"Oh, that's just fancy talk," Korra was suddenly either shy or intimidated by Hiroshi, "I've still got a lot of training to go before I'm a master of anything."
"Well that's a relief," Hiroshi chuckled, "You're far too young to have your childhood stripped from you just to force you to learn bending. But at the same time, don't let your humble beginnings deter you from the path of greatness."
"What do you mean, Mr. Sato?" Korra looked up at him, her bright blue eyes suddenly curious, although her eyes darted around the room at the various contraptions that were everywhere.
"Please," Hiroshi shook his head, "just call me Hiroshi. Although your expressions have piqued my curiosity as well. What do you think of my little operation here?"
"Half of me wants to ask you a few dozen questions about what everything is and how it works, and the other half is sheer awe." Korra admitted, "It's amazing; all of it."
"You can be honest, child," Hiroshi put a hand on her shoulder, "If I threw out every woman and child that questioned my work, I would have never gotten to where I was—especially considering that there was a time I was once like you."
"Like me how?" Korra tilted her head, "you mean like a bender?" She didn't exactly associate herself as being poor considering that her needs had always been provided for without trouble, and as she looked at the large, older man, she wondered what he could have possibly have had in common with a 14-year-old Water Tribe girl.
"Of course not; don't be silly!" Hiroshi laughed, putting a hand to his chest, "I came from humble beginnings just as you did. Why, when I was only a couple years older than you, I was but a mere shoe shiner with little more to my name than an idea: The Satomobile."
"You invented them?" Korra asked somewhat rhetorically.
"No, but I found a way to make such vehicles practical and affordable for more than just the richest barons of Republic City." Hiroshi continued, walking slowly around Asami and Korra, his focus on the latter of the two. "I was fortunate enough to meet someone who believed in me and my work ethic. He gave me the money I needed to get my idea off the ground and I built the entire Future Industries empire from that one small loan."
"Well," Korra put her hands together, giving a small but respectful nod, "you're a good man then, Hiroshi. And I guess I should say thanks for letting me into your home."
"You have my daughter to thank for that," He smiled, gesturing towards Asami, "It's good for her to have friends in times like these. I am glad she likes you, however."
"To be honest," Korra scratched the back of her head, "I think Asami is the first actual friend I've ever had besides my parents. My teachers are just that—teachers, and I don't even know who some of them are. I'll find out tomorrow though."
"So you're not sticking around in Republic City?" Asami's face sunk slightly.
"They said I wouldn't be going too far," Korra shrugged her shoulder, her own lip sticking out in a little sad pout as she saw Asami's slightly dismayed expression, "maybe I can come back to Republic City on the weekends or something. If they don't at least let me replenish my candy supplies I'm gonna revolt."
Of course Korra would not have left that pouch of goodies in the suite, and as if on cue, she tossed a blue confection up into the air before rather skillfully landing it squarely into her mouth. "Want a piece?" she offered one to Asami.
"Thank you," Asami unwrapped it and popped the confection into her mouth.
"But yeah," Korra cocked her head back to Hiroshi, who seemed to be analyzing her almost, "I'd love to come over again if I can find the time… and of course if you're okay with it."
"I trust my daughter's judgment," Hiroshi nodded, smiling at Asami. "And I see no issues with such a meeting if it works out between the two of you."
"I'm certainly not going to say no," Asami smiled. "You're a nice person, Korra—especially if you always have candy like that." She added that last part with a playful giggle.
"So is your mother around?" Korra asked, but the moment the words left her mouth, she realized she had just made a horrible mistake with the way both Hiroshi and Asami's faces dropped.
"Oh no," Korra immediately went into damage-control mode, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"Nearly a decade ago… my dear Yasuko was taken from me." Hiroshi sighed, turning away from Korra both to avoid eye contact with her, and to prevent her seeing the angered expression his face had twisted into, "The Agni Kai Triads… a savage group of firebenders with little regard or respect for anyone but their own… and that preyed on nonbenders such as my family. My wife found them breaking into the treasury. By the time I arrived, I watched as a frenzied woman slashed a knife across my wife's throat. She was far too swift for me, and set half the mansion ablaze in her escape. The only thing I learned from that moment was her name was Shenzi."
"Sweet spirits," Korra actually took a step back, terrifying visions of some lunatic slicing Senna's throat playing through her mind, "that's… I'm so sorry! I know it probably doesn't mean much coming from a kid, but I swear… if I ever found the person that would do that…" Korra's hands had tensed up, and she essentially mimed wringing someone's neck.
"She's long gone now," Hiroshi sighed, "By the time I caught up to her, she had fled in a delivery car, and a river of lava stood between me and my wife's murderer."
"Lava!?" Korra's eyes widened, wondering if Kwan knew anything about this. "Who… What kind of person can even do that?"
"It was another woman," Hiroshi answered, "Ikiza was her name… and it was clear she knew the murderer after she hopped into that car. Both of them spent time in prison for the damage and their misdeeds, but due to the flawed justice system of this city and its Council of Benders… both Shenzi and Ikiza were released early."
"How?" Korra looked appalled, "why?"
"It is a mystery for the ages," Hiroshi lowered his head before turning and looking Korra squarely in the eyes. "Avatar… I beseech you: whatever you choose to do in life, do not abuse your power. Do not exploit nonbending citizens the way those monsters did. If you are the pillar of balance that the spiritual leaders claim the Avatar is… remember that balance and Equality in the world also includes those who do not bend; not just the Four Nations."
"Of course…" Korra shuddered but nodded, "I wouldn't dream of… Mr. Sato… I'm so sorry for even bringing it up. That must be terrible to think about!"
"One can never learn from and move on from past mistakes if they merely elect to ignore them," Hiroshi pointed out, "It is my fault for souring the mood to an otherwise pleasant evening. Asami, if you would…" he gestured towards the door, politely requesting to be alone for the moment. Asami took Korra's hand and they left Hiroshi's workshop, with Asami not saying anything until they had reached one of the upper floors. Korra's head hung the entire time, and there was a noticeable slouch in her step.
"I am SUCH an idiot…" she sighed after they had stepped outside onto a balcony for a breath of fresh air, "and so inconsiderate, Asami. I'm sorry for that whole mess."
"It hurts," Asami admitted, "and it definitely hurts my dad much more than he lets on. I was only 6 when it happened, and I didn't have to see it all go down the way he did. I think he's letting it fester… and knowing that his wife's killer is back on the loose infuriates him."
"Did you ever find Shenzi, Ikiza, or the others?" Korra asked her, leaning against the railing.
"They were aliases," Asami shook her head, "but after we saw the mugshots, we learned who they were: a bloodthirsty knife-wielding lightningbender and a devious lavabending crook who is a far better driver than she ought to be. Assuming the information from police reports is correct about them, they're sisters who have a long history of crime, including a father and mother who were both crime lords as well. This wasn't their first heist—or their first time behind bars."
"Lightningbender… lavabender… sisters… criminal histories… prison time..."
Korra felt a pit in her stomach. That sounded uncannily like the sisters she was travelling with, but maybe there were other firebenders and earthbenders like them?
"What did they look like?" Korra couldn't help but ask.
"I try to dissociate from the mugshots," Asami admitted, "they both had dark hair. Shenzi was taller, but what I remember most about them was their eyes: pointed; sinister-looking—almost like those Fire Nation warlords from the 100-year war."
Korra's eyes shot open wide with horror as everything clicked, and internally she was screaming. She opened her mouth, but all she could do was gasp. The women matching this description were simply too accurate for Korra to write it up as a coincidence. Shenzi was Nakkoa, and Ikiza was Kwan—which meant that Nakkoa was the Agni Kai Triad member who had killed Yasuko; and Kwan had been their getaway driver.