𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | 𝐓𝐥𝐨𝐊

XV

There she was—Sora Takashi, in all her glory.

Asami never quite understood why they had stopped talking. She remembered staying in her room, wondering if she had done something wrong—if she was why Sora disappeared without a word. She remembered going to the park and the surrounding areas, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. But when she couldn't find her, she went home and locked herself in her room, refusing to talk to anyone.

The girl wasn't even listening to what Councilor Tarrlok was saying. Her full attention was on the woman in front of her—who, in turn, was staring back in astonishment. This was a different Sora from the one she remembered.

She wore a long robe made of dark green fabric, structured at the top to emphasize her broad, strong shoulders. A mandarin-style turtleneck added a touch of formality, with subtle white details from the sweater underneath standing out against the green fabric and her tan neck. A slit at the bottom of the robe revealed an inner layer of brown cloth, contrasting with the green. The sleeve cuffs were adorned with intricate floral embroidery, and an ornamental clasp at her chest kept the fabric in place. A wide black sash was wrapped tightly around her waist, layered with a leather belt fastened with buckles, its long strap hanging down one side, ending in a small metallic spike.

Her once loose, wild hair was now swept back and tied into a bun in a half-up, half-down style. Strands fell loosely over her long shoulders, framing her face and emphasizing her sharp features—features that now exuded a quiet regality. Though her face had matured, it remained the same in many ways. Asami could still count the scattered moles across her tanned skin, the countless small scars, and the new detail of a scar running through one eyebrow, giving her a rougher, hardened expression. Faint shadows of scratches marked her forehead and jaw.

The woman standing before her didn't look like the girl she used to play with. No—this was the version Asami had imagined in dreams, countless nights.

She looked taller now. As Asami tilted her head up, she tried to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat when she realized Sora's striking green eyes were watching her just as intently.

Their eyes met, and in that sudden, shared glance, both of them froze. The shine in Sora's eyes vanished—and Asami found herself desperate to understand why.

What happened?

Why did you disappear?

Where have you been?

The questions pounded in her head, and she hoped—just hoped—that the girl in front of her could see them in her eyes.

  "It's a pleasure to meet you, Avatar Korra," Hiroshi said, bowing politely. "We are all expecting great things from you."

The girl, who Asami now realized was the new Avatar, stood beside Sora and smiled in return—but it looked more forced than genuine. She muttered something under her breath but was quickly interrupted by a loud, deliberate throat-clear from the white-haired girl.

"And you—who would you be?" Hiroshi asked, turning his attention to the white-haired girl. He frowned slightly, studying the girl's face more closely.
"Do we know each other from somewhere?"

"I am Sora Takashi, sir. Captain of the Republic City Police Metalbending Forces," Sora replied, swallowing hard as she tried to ignore the burning gaze she felt from her side. "And no. You must be confusing me with someone else, sir."

Still watching her suspiciously, Hiroshi eventually let it go.

"This is my daughter, Asami," he said, gesturing toward her.

Asami stepped forward and extended her hand to the Avatar, who shook it with reluctant politeness. "Lovely to meet you," she said. "Mako's told me so much about you." If Sora was going to ignore her, then she would do the same.