Lives in the Balance - Chapter 1

Republic City shone in the light of the newly-risen sun as Korra swept away from the Air Temple, rising above the water of the bay in her glider, bending the winds to carry her aloft. Making a few slow circles to gain altitude, she then turned towards the city, and more specifically Asami.

I really need to apologize to her, she was right, the whole thing was no big deal and I just overreacted.

The Avatar had slept fitfully the night before, turning the previous night's events over in her head, and decided she needed to speak to her lov.. girlfriend as soon as she could (despite the intimacy they now shared, Korra still couldn't even think of the word "lover" without feeling like a flustered teenager.) The evening had been a big thing for Asami, for both of them, and Korra felt that she had let that silly incident spoil it for them both. She needed to clear the air with Asami and make it up to her, the sooner the better.

Hang on, maybe bringing a peace offering would be a good idea, only what's available at this hour for only... Korra reached out with her metal-bending and tweaked the coins in her pockets... yeek, not very much at all?

She crossed the harbor and swept over the city itself. Signs of life were beginning to stir beneath her, some people in the streets, delivery vehicles making their rounds, a few corner cafes opening up...

Hey, what about some breakfast? Something we could share together while I apologize?

Making a sharp turn, Korra flew towards the older part of town near the bending stadium, where she had spent most of her time in the city during her first year there, hanging out with Mako and Bolin during their pro-bending days. It had been almost entirely spared during Kuvira's attack and the creation of the new Spirit Portal, and was still the part of town Korra was most familiar with.

I hope Mr. Pai's stand is still there. He had those breakfast pastries and that great ginger tea. Korra recalled that Asami has been particularly fond of that tea back when they were Team Avatar with Mako and Bolin, patrolling the streets and looking for trouble. Who could have thought then that she and I would be the two to end up together? That we would be so lucky to find each other with all the craziness that's happened?

Swooping down towards a small parkette at a wide intersection, Korra made a neat landing in a blast of wind. Republic City, especially in the old neighborhoods, still had too many clotheslines and electrical cables to go flying directly in to Mr. Pai's stand, even if you were the Avatar. Folding her glider, Korra sent off down the narrow street in a brisk walk, already feeling better about the day.

She actually hadn't been here in a while, and regretted that. These are some of the first people I got to know in the city, and tried to help as the Avatar. Although that didn't always go well. Korra's relations with the citizens of Republic City had risen and fallen at times, but in the past few months, after defeating Kuvira and being the public face of the rebuilding effort, especially around the new Spirit Portal, people definitely seemed "pro-Avatar" again.

Humming slightly to herself, Korra spotted her first familiar face coming towards her. Right, she works in that bakery Mako and Bolin were always getting day-olds from. What was her name...

The girl suddenly blinked and looked directly at the Avatar, clearly recognizing her. Korra opened her mouth to greet her, hoping the action would cause her name to magically leap to mind, but she suddenly flushed bright red, threw her eyes to the ground, and rushed past Korra saying something incoherent.

Korra watched her scurry away. What was that about? She shrugged and continued on her way, but that wasn't the only odd reaction she got. While most people politely greeted her as she passed, she also received quite a few snickers, mostly from men or boys, more blushes, and one downright glare, from the local annoying ancient grandmother, out sweeping her step.

What's with people today? She wondered, but then Mr. Pai's stand, still there, came into view, with Mr. Pai receiving payment from a few men for some newspapers. Good, let's get the breakfast and then off to Asami. The pastries would be no problem on the glider. The tea would be, but hey, she was the Avatar, and a little careful waterbending on the flight should keep everything in its place.

"Hey Mr. Pai! Remember me?" Korra asked brightly as she approached.

Clearly he, and everyone else standing around did, judging by their reactions as people turned and looked at Korra. There was another snicker or two, and Mr. Pai looked a little flustered.

"Avatar Korra! So ... so good to see you again, how are you?" Mr. Pai stammered slightly. "Did you enjoy the Fire Opera last night?"

"I did actually... hey how did you know I was there?" Korra stared at Mr. Pai, who became even more unsettled. "I'm sorry, were you there too and I missed seeing you? I would have said hi if I spotted you but there was quite a crowd..."

"Oh it's nothing, don't worry about it! Would you, would you like something?"

"Yeah, two of those pastries and two ginger teas to go please. And I'm glad to see you're still here, sorry its been a while since I've been around."

"Well, you've been very busy," Mr. Pai said as he started to put the order together.

"I'd say." said one of the other men standing nearby, and another laughed.

Whatever was going here was starting to annoy Korra, but with an effort she reminded herself that seeing Asami was more important then these jokers, and she should just get her order and go.

"So, what do I owe you?" she asked, as she idly let her gaze wander over the stacks of newspapers in front of the stand, the Republic City Chronicle, the Light of the Republic, that rag the Voice of the City...

She froze. And then her jaw dropped.

Asami sat in her dressing gown at her sitting room worktable, looking at the paper resting in front of her, trying to work about exactly how she would talk to Korra about this.

I told her last night she was overreacting. I still don't think it's that bad, but I don't think she's likely to see it that way unless I can break it to her myself.

Asami had slept fitfully as well after the previous night, finally falling properly asleep not long before the dawn, only to be awakened by her housekeeper, Ms. Bae, not long afterwards, with the news that her executive assistant, Ling Huo, was downstairs and that she was very sorry but it couldn't wait.

Ling was a famous early riser and was always the first person into the office, the better to get prepared for the day without distractions she always said. Asami couldn't remember her ever just showing up at her home this early before, or just showing up unannounced at all. Pulling on a robe, she groggily tried to run past the current Future Industries contacts and projects, trying to figure what could have possibly gone so wrong since yesterday's workday.

Downstairs, Ling was quietly standing with a newspaper folded in her hands, a look of concern on her face. "Ling!" Asami greeted her. "Good morning, what's happened? I know I left early yesterday but you should have phoned me here if something had come up after I left..."

"Good morning Ms. Sato." Ling replied, bowing slightly (her utter refusal to call her "Asami", even under the threat of having an armful of carefully noted and collated contracts thrown out of a window, was the only spot of dissension between them). "I am so sorry to interrupt you so early in the morning, and at your own home no less, but there is a matter which I felt you must know of, sooner rather than later, even if it meant over-stepping myself."

"Don't be silly Ling, just tell me what it is. About the only think I can think of is the parts delivery scheduled for this morning isn't going to make it, although it wouldn't be that bad, we could still make the delivery dates with a little overtime..."

"It isn't work, Ms. Sato. I was on my way to the office this morning when I ... saw something. Something concerning you personally, and Avatar Korra." With some reluctance she handed the paper to Asami. "I thought you should find out here rather than at the office."

After the initial shock, Asami thanked Ling, assuring her she had done the right thing and that she would probably be late into work today, Ling should move her early appointments to the afternoon, and that she would call her in an hour or so to update when she'd be arriving.

After seeing Ling out her next move was to call Air Temple island. Unfortunately, Meelo was the one to pick up and after hearing Asami's voice immediately started asking her about the new line of Satomobiles, specifically top speeds. After Asami managed to ask for Korra he switched to "awwwwwww, are you calling to tell her that you wuuuuuuvvvvvv her?" Asami's mounting frustration changed to concern when Meelo's voice was replaced by the sound of hurricane-force winds, switched to relief when Jinora came on the line, and went back to concern when Jinora said that she had seen Korra fly out of the courtyard a little while ago.

Asking Jinora to have Korra call her back if she returned in the next little while, no no, they just needed to talk about something, Asami hung up and retreated upstairs to think. It was far from impossible that Korra had been on her way straight here, they were going to talk after last night, and in that case Asami could break it to her gently.

Or she might have had some other early morning errand, in which case the building work on the city since Kuvira's attack might shortly be undone.

Now that was unfair, Asami. Korra may feel things strongly, that's one of the things I love about her, but she's really learned how not to leap in feet first without thinking anymore. Even if she's seen this, even if she was upset, she wouldn't just fly off the handle.

Too badly.

A sudden blast of wind from the terrace broke her train of thought, as it announced the arrival of Korra. Rising, Asami hastened to the open terrace doors as Korra stumbled in, leaving her glider lying unfolded draped over some chairs outside.

"Ok, it's option #2." she thought, on seeing Korra's face.

Korra embraced Asami, speaking a little wildly. "Asami I... I was coming to apologize and I was going to bring breakfast... which I don't have because I saw this, this... and I incinerated the whole stack and I had to use everything I had to pay Mr. Pai for that and now I don't have that tea you really liked and I really wanted to give to you because, because..."

"Korra, it's all right, please calm down." Asami reassured her as she placed her hands on Korra's shoulders. "I've already seen it, and I don't think it's that bad, really..."

"You've already..." Korra glanced around, and seeing the newspaper on the table leapt back like it was a rat-cobra poised to strike. "You've seen... but... how dare they! It's not their business..."

"Korra, let's just sit and talk about it, we're got all morning. And tea sounds like a good idea, let me ask Ms. Bae for some and we can just sit together and watch the sun on the terrace for a while. Ok?"

"Sure... sure Asami, that sounds great, I'd really like that." Calming down, Korra took Asami's hands as if for reassurance but still threw another glance at the newspaper on the table.

A copy of the Voice of the City, Republic City's most notorious scandal sheet.

With the front page mostly taken up with a photograph of Korra and Asami, in full evening dress.

Kissing passionately.

"Night at the Opera!" read the caption, and underneath in only slightly smaller type, "The Avatar and local Titaness of Industry enjoy more than just the show at last night's opening of the Fire Opera!"

-end Chapter 1-