Winding Legacies: A 'The Legend of Korra' Rewrite

The Three Year Gap, Month Seven: Asami

"I think this is going to be a wonderful event, Asami," Zhu Li grinned as she read over the guest list with a bright smile. "Thank you for everything that you have done."

Asami bowed her head lightly. "Of course. Now, is there anything else I can do for you?"

Zhu Li's eyes quickly fanned over her desk, a couple of proposals catching her eye briefly, but not enough to saddle Asami with a new task for the foreseeable future. They were all superficial city renovation proposals that she was certain Asami had received as well. "Not at the moment, but I will be in touch closer to the date to have you walk through the run of show with me."

Faltering, Asami tried to wrack her brain for something she'd missed. Surely not everything had been completed already. "You don't need help picking out the cutlery and plates? Or the menu? Or even the arrangement of the space?" Zhu Li furrowed her brows.

"No, you already finalized all of those choices, remember?" Watching the woman in front of her, Zhu Li couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension wash over her. "Is everything alright, Asami?"

Asami bit her lip. Apparently, she'd have a bit more free time on her hands than she wanted. "Yes, everything's perfectly fine. Call me if you need anything." She spun on her heel and left without another word, not even waiting for Zhu Li to say goodbye before she disappeared down the long hall.

It wasn't as if she didn't remember making each of those decisions, she knew where she had been when she came to the conclusion that they'd have silver cutlery but gold tableware at the dinner reception. And she knew the exact moment she'd decided on the menu consisting of a dish from every region that the young inventors they'd invited were from. She even remembered when she and Zhu Li agreed on the Song Hotel for the fair because of its central location in the city.

The question had honestly been stupid, but Asami couldn't help but ask. What else was she supposed to do if she wasn't working to help Zhu Li?

"You're actually here," her mother hummed as she combed through her long black locks. "That's a first." Asami silently leaned against the doorframe of her mother's dressing room. A slight frown played on her lips as she watched Yasuko continue to fix her hair. "What? Did you only stop by to tell your mother you weren't going?"

She shook her head. "No, I am, I just haven't been to a dinner party in forever."

"That wouldn't be the case if you took me up on any of my previous offers."

Asami could tell her mother was just teasing, but her words made her frown grow even more. It already felt odd enough to leave Zhu Li's office and not go straight to her own. Now she was going to a socialite party with her mother, something she swore she'd never do again after her father dragged her to them almost every night it seemed. There wasn't anything else she could be doing with her time, not that she minded hanging out with her mom. In fact, it was the only saving grace of the evening.

"Well, until next month it seems that I will be free for them all."

Yasuko chuckled. "Don't sound too excited," she said with a grin. "Besides, I'm sure that's not the case. There's always something to be done with the company."

Under normal circumstances, her mother would have been right. But after the slight hit to her company's reputation following the attack on her launch party, things wouldn't be back to normal until after the inventor's fair she was planning with Zhu Li. Hopefully, it would earn her back some goodwill with the public and she'd be able to sell off the stock she still had and begin production on more. Until then, everything was at a standstill.

"Not this time."

The drive to the dinner was quiet. Asami tried to think of what she would do the next day now that she was free, but nothing came to mind. Lemaya was certainly not coming to the city anytime soon and last she heard Korra was still recovering in the South. Bolin was off doing something he didn't think to give any details about and Mako, well he was a little too free. Though, she supposed helping him find something to do might give her an idea or two.