Book 5: Family

Chapter 6

After the familiar tingling warmth of the Spirit Portal faded, they stepped back out into busy Republic City. It was broad daylight, and there were many people in the area surrounding the Portal, treating the field of Spirit vines as though it were a grassy field. Families picnicked and children played ball all around.

"Wow," Korra said softly. "I guess people got used to the new scenery pretty fast."

"You know the big city," Asami chuckled softly. "Things change often enough that change itself becomes commonplace."

Then, as they begin to move off toward the street where they could either catch a taxi or begin walking to Asami's home, they begin to hear whispers from the crowd. It seemed a few people recognised them. One small boy pointed openly, but his mother shushed him and lowered his hand — though she was also staring.

It took Korra a moment to realize why people were staring at them as they made their way out of the clearing and into the street. They were still holding hands. She heard soft whispers, here and there catching words like "disappeared... perverse... freaks..."

"Don't listen," Korra said softly. She held up her hand at the edge of the road to hail a taxi, putting her other arm protectively around Asami. "They don't know what they're talking about."

"I'm fine," Asami tried to reassure her. It did bother her that those people said such things, but it meant nothing compared to keeping hold of her love.

When the cabbie pulled up, he took one look at the two of them together, curled his lip and drove off. That bothered her more. Korra had half a mind to flip his car for snubbing them, but Asami's gentle hand on her shoulder stayed her wrath. Disgruntled herself, she raised her hand again, and a few seconds later another taxi arrived.

"Sakes alive," the grey-haired man chuckled amiably. "Don't see many 'alternative couples' in this city, do ya? Where ya headed?"

"Sato Mansion," Korra said flatly as they climbed into the back of the cab. The second driver seemed nicer, though Korra wasn't sure how she felt about being called an 'alternative couple.'

"Ooh, Sato Mansion, huh? Alrighty..." replied the driver. As the car began moving down the street, he eyed them curiously in his rear-view mirror. "You two look awfully familiar. It's like I..." Then his eyes lit up with recognition. "Avatar Korra? And Asami Sato of Future Industries?"

"That's right," Asami replied guardedly. Yes, he was friendlier, but the first taxi still had left her slightly on edge.

"Well, what do ya know about that! Thought you two had decided to stay in the Spirit World for good after all that time had passed!"

Korra frowned. "What do you mean, all that time?"

The taxi driver looked at them as though they were crazy for a moment. "You get amnesia in there? It's been a couple months!"

"I..." Asami fell silent as she processed that. A couple of months? It had only been a few days for them! "I don't know if I believe that. Korra, what do you think happened while we were in there?"

"I...I don't know," Korra replied softly. "Guess time doesn't work the same way in the Spirit World."

"Seems like something the Avatar oughtta know, doesn't it?" chuckled the cab driver.

"Hey, mind your own business," Korra snapped defensively. "What do you know about the Avatar, anyway?"

"Plenty," he replied easily. To his credit, the shortness of the comment hadn't phased him in the slightest. "Used to follow you in the news pretty regularly. Of course, since you stopped Kuvira and went through the portal, I took up Pai Sho. Had to do something else to pass the time, right?"