Kuvira's Assistant

Chapter 16

"ALL HAIL THE GREAT UNITER." The copy-pasted men echoed at Kuvira, who stood behind a podium in Zaofu, having just given her final speech before the Empire troops' invasion of Republic City.

"Are you ready to show the world what a true superpower looks like?" The leader smirked and turned to her assistant as they walked off into a hall.

Akemi exhaled through her nose and simply smiled and nodded in response. She couldn't move her mouth too much; her lower lip had swelled up overnight and turned blue-ish and yellow. She felt a little embarrassed, but couldn't care less and just wanted to get these next few days over with, hoping that her connections back in Republic City were prepared and armed as she'd warned them.

"I'm sorry you'll have to endure all this while in pain - I could bring that good acupuncturist along, maybe it helps?"

The firebender closed her eyes and swallowed before trying to open her mouth, "Mmf," she mumbled, "I can firebend, my chi.. Is.. fine." She slowly spoke. "It happens." She cringed at the sorrow she could see in Kuvira's eyes before leaning in for a quick hug.

"It's good that you can firebend... But do YOU feel well?"

"Mm," Akemi smiled sincerely, "I do."

"Well I'll send Bataar over for the negotiations so you won't have to do any talking. I'd send you along to supervise him, but that may not be a good idea... So come with me. On the giant mecha."

Her assistant nodded in response before dropping her head and gesturing to Kuvira for them to walk towards the guesthouses to grab their belongings for the journey.

"We've got.. fifteen minutes.. left before we have to board. Ready...?" Akemi popped her head back into Kuvira's room in one of the Zaofu guesthouses. Her speech seemed better as she kept icing her lip that whole morning, but the bruise was still there.

Kuvira zipped up her duffle bag and turned to look at her lover.

"Ready. I just want to do something quick before we head for the Empire fleet." She announced as she walked over, curling her arm around Akemi's and walking the pair outside the door.

"You really wanna do this now, Kuvira?" Akemi looked over at her smiling boss suspiciously, with an eyebrow raised.

Kuvira's pearl white teeth gleamed as she laughed in response and replied, "I would, but I've got something else - something quick - that I want to do before we start this new chapter of our lives - the Earth Kingdom's life - together." Kuvira was so cute when she was excited. Her poker-faced facade of steel broke only and always with Akemi; her deep green eyes would sparkle and her beautiful smile couldn't be wider. What was she so excited about?!
Akemi turned her attention towards the depth of the living room the pair had now entered in one of the adjacent guesthouses.

Kuvira couldn't take her eyes off Akemi from all that excitement. She'd wanted to do this for such a long time, but they never had the chance - or equipment - to do it while on the road and in the midst of all that past drama and action.

"Ta-da!!" The commander let out a raspy chuckle as she squeezed Akemi's arm and the pair plonked their bags by the door.

"A... Camera?...!" Akemi, somewhat confused but still excited, blatantly pointed out. A little grey-haired man stood behind a tall camera, waiting to get his job for the day over with.

"I realised we didn't even have one photo of us together, and I wanted to capture this moment on film before we finally unite the Empire. It's going to be a historic day, and I want it to last forever, not only in our memories, but also as an image! That beauty of yours... just you standing beside me... ought to be captured on film, to make it last forever." Kuvira hushed her voice when saying that, not trying to incite suspicion from the old cameraman, who was distracted anyways as he tried to swat a fly. But, precautions were precautions.