The Avatar's Master

10. Asami's Resolve

Asami locked herself in her office at Future Industries tower, freshly built after the disaster that befell the city a little over a year ago.

Her office took up nearly an entire floor and was oval shaped, providing a panoramic view of the city, though she had the shades drawn and the lights dimmed. It doubled as a living space for when she worked late nights and was too tired to go home.

Her head pounded with regret combined with cactus juice hangover and a lack of sleep, and she lay horizontally on the couch with one leg dangling off the side, ruminating.

The phone rang and she mustered up all of her strength to make her way to her desk to answer it.

"Mr. Mako is at the front desk and is requesting to meet with you," the secretary sounded through the tiny speaker.

Ugh, Asami was in no mood.

"Tell Mako I'm not taking guests today, and I'll catch up with him later," Asami said. It was a power move, but she was too tired to deal with that man and his likely booty call. Asami had of course noticed the way he ogled her the morning before, and she even teased him a little for sport, but she didn't expect him to act on it.

The phone rang again.

"Yes?"

"It's Mr. Mako. We tried to tell him you were unavailable but he insists it's important; it's about the news."

Great, Asami thought. Somehow she knew it wasn't about her presentation at the car convention.

"Tell him I have an important meeting, so that's not possible today." Asami hung up and she didn't hear the phone ring again for a minute or two, which relieved her.

Yes, she saw page 6 and was humiliated, especially knowing everybody would see it – Tenzin, Pema and the kids on Air Temple Island, the folks in Zaofu, and Korra. She shuddered at the thought.

The phone rang again. Asami, annoyed this time, picked up and before she could rebuke Mako vicariously through her secretary, she heard "Mr. Chai Son is on the line for you. Shall I tell him the same thing I told Mr. Mako?"

Asami considered it, but relented. She needed to clear the air with this man first and foremost.

"No, I'll talk to him."

"Standby."

"Asami Sato," she said once she heard someone click in on the other line.

"Hello Asami," Chai Son's voice said softly in her ear, the voice of a man who was perhaps also tired and hungover. "I was sad to see the other side of my bed empty when I awoke this morning."

Asami propped herself atop the desk and twined the telephone cord around her finger.

"Well, thing is, I have to tell you something," Asami said. "I'm not sure if you read the papers, but –"

"I read them, and so? I'm not concerned about a gossip column."

Asami wished she could agree but instead sighed into the receiver.

She continued, "What I mean to say was last night was a riot and all, and also thank you very much for the pleasure, but – "

"You're welcome," Chai Son interrupted. "Can I give you more sometime?

Asami blushed.

"That's the thing – No. You can't. I'm emotionally involved with someone. I should have told you that," Asami said finally.

There was a pause on the other end before Chai Son simply said "I see."

"I'm sorry if I led you on. Let's just chalk it up to fun and try to move on."

"Very well," Chai Son said. "I have to say I'm disappointed, but that's OK. It was fun, I'll concede to that. Either way, I'm still interested in the business proposition, even if it's sans pleasure."

Asami considered a moment, but she had already decided the night before.

"Chai Son, I'd love to start a racing team with you." Asami took a sip of hours-old coffee that sat at her desk. The burnt flavor jolted her senses briefly.

A clap and a Woo sounded from the other line, but then Chai Son regained his composure and calmly said into the phone, "Splendid. I'll have my people draft up paperwork, you know the drill. I look forward to the future, Ms. Sato."

They hung up, and Asami stood up and walked toward the window and opened the blinds. Bright natural light flooded the room and she recoiled. After her eyes adjusted, she stared out into the abyss at the water and the still leftover destruction from Kuvira's giant mecha tank. Her office directly faced the new spirit portal, the one that she and her love stepped into as they embarked on their lives, together. Now that her business had been sorted out, it was time to tend to other affairs, and at the apex of importance was reuniting with Korra. Asami's heart stirred at the thought of them together again and for a moment, it was as if they were standing there together overlooking their vast domain.

It would take at least a few days for the letter Asami wrote to reach Korra, and then there was no guarantee she would respond. That wouldn't do. Asami decided then and there to take a little road trip to Zaofu to see Korra and win her back. She would leave as soon as possible, likely first thing in the morning after a long night's sleep. Almost as much as she craved Korra's arms around her, she also needed the relaxation of a long drive to clear her head.