(no subject)
Title: Like a Movie Loves a Screen
Recipient: tofsla
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Korra/Asami, Naga, Air Nomad family
Summary: Korra expects to find adventure and excitement in Republic
City. She doesn't expect to find a real live movie right in front of
her.
Notes: Happy Ladyfest! There will be a sequel at some point, but this
is what there is for now, and I hope you enjoy it! Title is from April
Smith and the Great Picture Show.
of all plans, Korra reflects.'>
Maybe running away to Republic City hadn't been the best possible plan
of all plans, Korra reflects. Sure, she'd been mad about Tenzin not
staying, and she'd gotten Katara's blessing - sort of - and she and
Naga had managed to get out of the compound without alerting the White
Lotus guards. And they'd gotten onto the freighter without too much
trouble, and Naga hadn't even been a little bit seasick.
But being raised in a walled compound meant she hadn't had to think
much about things like money. Or food. Or shelter. It's not like Korra
is stupid, she just isn't great at tactics. Something that her tutors
despair over. But now Korra is thinking paying a little more attention
to planning would have been a good idea. The streets of the city are
like a maze around her, bright signs and fascinating smells and
unfamiliar sounds all drawing her out to places she doesn't recognize
and can't track her way through. She had thought she'd set herself up
and then figure out how to find Tenzin and start her airbender
training, but maybe she should try to find her way to Air Temple
Island first.
They end up following a street around a bend to where it turns into an
alley, barely wider than Naga's shoulders, and finally tumble out into
the middle of what Korra thinks must be a war zone. There are
overturned Satomobiles that are on fire, the air filled with smoke and
the scent of gasoline, and a deep fissure across the center of the
road. And careening down the road toward that fissure is another
Satomobile, and in its path a slender woman with long hair, looking
paralyzed in the face of impending metal doom. If the vehicle
continues down that path it'll use the broken earth as a ramp and
flatten her.
Korra doesn't think before she leaps off Naga, running as soon as her
boots touch the ground and bending the ground into a sharp curve with
one arm to divert the car, then tackling the woman out of the way and
into the sidewalk. And then there's a lot of shouting and a dainty
fist beating against her chest and an awful screeching crunching
noise.
Some of the shouting resolves itself into words, and Korra looks down
at the woman who's in a graceful heap under her. "Let me up!" she
says. Korra rolls away and into a sitting position,, and the stranger
sits up and brushes her hair out of her heavily made-up face. There's
so much goop on her face that it looks like she's being treated for
rashes. A man wearing the most hilarious pair of trousers Korra has
ever seen runs up to them, carrying a cone in his hand.
"Asami! Miss Sato, are you all right?"
"A bit dusty, Arashi, but otherwise fine. Wardrobe's going to have
fits, though." She disdains the man's offered hand and pushes herself
up, brushing at her skirt and vest. Korra realizes that both of them
are staring at her now, and bounds to her feet as well. She can feel a
bruise forming where her arm hit the stones, but that's nothing. Naga
lopes over from where she was investigating the demolished fruit
stand. "Not that I don't appreciate your efforts, but I didn't really
need any rescuing from the stunt."
Stunt?
Korra looks down the street and sees an abandoned contraption and a
crowd of people milling around, and she starts to think she's made a
really big mistake.
"You were doing this on purpose," she says slowly.
"We were making a movie," the woman - Asami - says, looking at her
with eyes that are fascinated but no expression on her face.
Moving pictures hadn't made their way to the outpost of the White
Lotus in the vast snows of the South Pole. They hadn't made it to the
South Pole in general, really; something about power sources and it
being too cold for the equipment. Korra hadn't really paid attention
to the tales of images moving across a screen like shadow puppets,
like paintings brought to life. She didn't like sitting still anyway,
and doing so in the dark, in a room full of people, sounded pretty
terrible.
But she hadn't realized that they were made right in the middle of the
city. "Right here on a street where anybody can wander in?" she asks,
waving her arm to indicate the whole scene. And then she sees the
fluttering orange signs at the very end of the street, past the
milling crowd and the strange contraption with the tube and glass
plate on the end, and feels like the bottom of her stomach has dropped
out.
"Perhaps next time the crew should block all entrances to the street,
and not just the ends?" Asami asks, turning to Arashi. The man smooths
a hand down from his mustache over his lips, as if holding back words,
and sighs.
"Of course, Miss Sato. Now, if you don't mind clearing the set while
we clean things up, miss...?"
"Korra," she says, hands loose at her sides. "Sorry about messing up
your picture," she adds, and just as Arashi is about to yell something
Asami laughs, laying a hand on Korra's shoulder.
"Well, thank you, Korra, for your not-entirely-necessary rescue. Come
on, let's get out of their way and get a cup of tea while they clean
things up." And indeed, what looks like a small army of people is at
work, cleaning up the broken fruit and bending the stones of the
street back to their original positions, bending the fires in the
other vehicles down to nothing. Korra finds herself following this
strange woman through the debris and over to the contraption that a
few men are fussing over. "Have you ever seen a picture being made
before?"
"I've never even seen a flicker," Korra says, and Asami winces a
little. "Not many of them in the South Pole."
Asami tosses her hair back and looks over her shoulder. "You really
are a long way from home. Just got here? Well, this is the camera.
That's what they take the pictures with, but instead of just one it
takes thousands at a time." Korra nods as if that makes sense; she
isn't much for technology, preferring to get things done with bending
or with her own hands when necessary, but the idea of perfect
recreations of what you see? That's cool. She declines to explain just
how recently she got here in favor of asking Asami more questions
about movie-making, glancing backward every so often to see the crew
scuttling out of Naga's way, and learns words like director and
producer until they find themselves at a small awning with a
table and carpet underneath.
Asami takes a seat on one of the cushions that's arranged around the
low table, and she's barely settled herself down when a man appears
with a tray full of rattling china and pastel goodies. Korra sits down
a little less gracefully and takes the cup Asami offers her with
gratitude; she's not a big tea-drinker herself, preferring adrenaline
rushes to herbal stimulation, but it's a nice ritual and she's still
feeling a little unmoored. Naga flops down outside the border of the
awning, whuffing out a breath that sends the curtain fluttering over
her head. They sit in silence for a moment, which really just means
neither of them is talking as the sound of the set continues to wash
around them.
"So," Asami says finally, her eyes conspiratorial as she leans over
the little table. "Do you often go throwing yourself into danger for
the sake of strangers?" The question doesn't quite make Korra snort
her sip of tea back into the cup, but it's a near thing for a moment,
and she grabs one of the miniature egg custard buns and shoves it into
her mouth to give her time to think.
The honest answer is that there aren't any strangers in the White
Lotus compound. But she'd have done the same for anyone, so she shrugs
and nods and hopes that suffices as an answer. Asami smiles, painted
lips tilting into something wicked over her tea.
"I see. Only the pretty girls, then."
"What - I - I didn't say that," Korra protests, knowing even as she
says it that it's too little, too late. "I'd have done it for anyone.
You were just there."
"But not everyone would do it. It takes guts to jump right in front of
a speeding Satomobile, even if you can earthbend it out of the way."
Korra is about to say something when Asami continues. "You know, if
you're looking for a job, I'm sure we could find you something on the
set. Or over at the studio - I think someone's making an airship
picture and they could always use more stuntpeople. Even Water Tribe
earthbenders."
And there it is, and Korra can feel heat rising in her face. Not
shame, just a fierce pride in her abilities. "I can firebend, too."
Asami gives her another one of those sly smiles. "You're the Avatar? I
never thought I'd meet you. Much less in the middle of Republic City."
Korra grins. "I thought I'd get out and see the world. What better
place to start?" And it's true, she's been walled in so long that the
world she's supposed to protect, to keep balanced, has started to seem
more like an academic exercise than a reality. Maybe her airbending
will come more easily here, where she's connected not only to Tenzin
but to all people. Where she has more to challenge her than the White
Lotus and her bending masters. Where she can find friends, maybe. And
then Korra realizes she's been staring rather goofily at Asami while
she works all this out and scratches the back of her head, laughing a
little. Asami laughs too, and her smile seems to change into something
younger and less knowing.
"Well, if you wanted to see Republic City, this is a fine way to go
about it. If you're not meeting anyone, I could show you a little
more."
Two days later, Korra sends a letter to Tenzin by courier. Asami
offers up a scroll and the use of her seal, and it all looks terribly
official and impressive to the casual observer. But inside it's not an
official communication, it's Korra's usual hasty, messy scrawl.
Came to Republic City. I know you said not to, but the city is
amazing! Don't worry about me, I have everything figured out. I'll
come see you tomorrow. Asami said she could show me where Air Temple
Island is. And Naga's doing great too. See you soon!
And even with that warning, he still looks still a little stunned when
Naga leaps off the ferry and Asami's hands tighten around Korra's
waist. She can see Pema's hand flutter to cover her mouth and Jinora's
eyes widen.
"You're Asami Sato!" Ikki exclaims, rushing up to Naga's side. Korra
vaults off and immediately tosses Ikki up in the air, then lets the
little girl hover herself down as she helps Miss Sato down. Tenzin
looks like someone's lit a fire inside his skull the way he's turning
red, but that might also be from Meelo sitting on top of his head and
pulling on his eyebrows with glee. Meelo is shouting something about
wicked, underhanded strangers. Asami laughs, bending down as Ikki
touches the ground.
"It's my honor to meet you, really."
And as the film star and the Air Nomad girl bow to each other, Korra
feels like she's watching a scene from a movie. Only it's hard to
tell, right now, just who's the star of this show.
Recipient: tofsla
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Korra/Asami, Naga, Air Nomad family
Summary: Korra expects to find adventure and excitement in Republic
City. She doesn't expect to find a real live movie right in front of
her.
Notes: Happy Ladyfest! There will be a sequel at some point, but this
is what there is for now, and I hope you enjoy it! Title is from April
Smith and the Great Picture Show.
of all plans, Korra reflects.'>
Maybe running away to Republic City hadn't been the best possible plan
of all plans, Korra reflects. Sure, she'd been mad about Tenzin not
staying, and she'd gotten Katara's blessing - sort of - and she and
Naga had managed to get out of the compound without alerting the White
Lotus guards. And they'd gotten onto the freighter without too much
trouble, and Naga hadn't even been a little bit seasick.
But being raised in a walled compound meant she hadn't had to think
much about things like money. Or food. Or shelter. It's not like Korra
is stupid, she just isn't great at tactics. Something that her tutors
despair over. But now Korra is thinking paying a little more attention
to planning would have been a good idea. The streets of the city are
like a maze around her, bright signs and fascinating smells and
unfamiliar sounds all drawing her out to places she doesn't recognize
and can't track her way through. She had thought she'd set herself up
and then figure out how to find Tenzin and start her airbender
training, but maybe she should try to find her way to Air Temple
Island first.
They end up following a street around a bend to where it turns into an
alley, barely wider than Naga's shoulders, and finally tumble out into
the middle of what Korra thinks must be a war zone. There are
overturned Satomobiles that are on fire, the air filled with smoke and
the scent of gasoline, and a deep fissure across the center of the
road. And careening down the road toward that fissure is another
Satomobile, and in its path a slender woman with long hair, looking
paralyzed in the face of impending metal doom. If the vehicle
continues down that path it'll use the broken earth as a ramp and
flatten her.
Korra doesn't think before she leaps off Naga, running as soon as her
boots touch the ground and bending the ground into a sharp curve with
one arm to divert the car, then tackling the woman out of the way and
into the sidewalk. And then there's a lot of shouting and a dainty
fist beating against her chest and an awful screeching crunching
noise.
Some of the shouting resolves itself into words, and Korra looks down
at the woman who's in a graceful heap under her. "Let me up!" she
says. Korra rolls away and into a sitting position,, and the stranger
sits up and brushes her hair out of her heavily made-up face. There's
so much goop on her face that it looks like she's being treated for
rashes. A man wearing the most hilarious pair of trousers Korra has
ever seen runs up to them, carrying a cone in his hand.
"Asami! Miss Sato, are you all right?"
"A bit dusty, Arashi, but otherwise fine. Wardrobe's going to have
fits, though." She disdains the man's offered hand and pushes herself
up, brushing at her skirt and vest. Korra realizes that both of them
are staring at her now, and bounds to her feet as well. She can feel a
bruise forming where her arm hit the stones, but that's nothing. Naga
lopes over from where she was investigating the demolished fruit
stand. "Not that I don't appreciate your efforts, but I didn't really
need any rescuing from the stunt."
Stunt?
Korra looks down the street and sees an abandoned contraption and a
crowd of people milling around, and she starts to think she's made a
really big mistake.
"You were doing this on purpose," she says slowly.
"We were making a movie," the woman - Asami - says, looking at her
with eyes that are fascinated but no expression on her face.
Moving pictures hadn't made their way to the outpost of the White
Lotus in the vast snows of the South Pole. They hadn't made it to the
South Pole in general, really; something about power sources and it
being too cold for the equipment. Korra hadn't really paid attention
to the tales of images moving across a screen like shadow puppets,
like paintings brought to life. She didn't like sitting still anyway,
and doing so in the dark, in a room full of people, sounded pretty
terrible.
But she hadn't realized that they were made right in the middle of the
city. "Right here on a street where anybody can wander in?" she asks,
waving her arm to indicate the whole scene. And then she sees the
fluttering orange signs at the very end of the street, past the
milling crowd and the strange contraption with the tube and glass
plate on the end, and feels like the bottom of her stomach has dropped
out.
"Perhaps next time the crew should block all entrances to the street,
and not just the ends?" Asami asks, turning to Arashi. The man smooths
a hand down from his mustache over his lips, as if holding back words,
and sighs.
"Of course, Miss Sato. Now, if you don't mind clearing the set while
we clean things up, miss...?"
"Korra," she says, hands loose at her sides. "Sorry about messing up
your picture," she adds, and just as Arashi is about to yell something
Asami laughs, laying a hand on Korra's shoulder.
"Well, thank you, Korra, for your not-entirely-necessary rescue. Come
on, let's get out of their way and get a cup of tea while they clean
things up." And indeed, what looks like a small army of people is at
work, cleaning up the broken fruit and bending the stones of the
street back to their original positions, bending the fires in the
other vehicles down to nothing. Korra finds herself following this
strange woman through the debris and over to the contraption that a
few men are fussing over. "Have you ever seen a picture being made
before?"
"I've never even seen a flicker," Korra says, and Asami winces a
little. "Not many of them in the South Pole."
Asami tosses her hair back and looks over her shoulder. "You really
are a long way from home. Just got here? Well, this is the camera.
That's what they take the pictures with, but instead of just one it
takes thousands at a time." Korra nods as if that makes sense; she
isn't much for technology, preferring to get things done with bending
or with her own hands when necessary, but the idea of perfect
recreations of what you see? That's cool. She declines to explain just
how recently she got here in favor of asking Asami more questions
about movie-making, glancing backward every so often to see the crew
scuttling out of Naga's way, and learns words like director and
producer until they find themselves at a small awning with a
table and carpet underneath.
Asami takes a seat on one of the cushions that's arranged around the
low table, and she's barely settled herself down when a man appears
with a tray full of rattling china and pastel goodies. Korra sits down
a little less gracefully and takes the cup Asami offers her with
gratitude; she's not a big tea-drinker herself, preferring adrenaline
rushes to herbal stimulation, but it's a nice ritual and she's still
feeling a little unmoored. Naga flops down outside the border of the
awning, whuffing out a breath that sends the curtain fluttering over
her head. They sit in silence for a moment, which really just means
neither of them is talking as the sound of the set continues to wash
around them.
"So," Asami says finally, her eyes conspiratorial as she leans over
the little table. "Do you often go throwing yourself into danger for
the sake of strangers?" The question doesn't quite make Korra snort
her sip of tea back into the cup, but it's a near thing for a moment,
and she grabs one of the miniature egg custard buns and shoves it into
her mouth to give her time to think.
The honest answer is that there aren't any strangers in the White
Lotus compound. But she'd have done the same for anyone, so she shrugs
and nods and hopes that suffices as an answer. Asami smiles, painted
lips tilting into something wicked over her tea.
"I see. Only the pretty girls, then."
"What - I - I didn't say that," Korra protests, knowing even as she
says it that it's too little, too late. "I'd have done it for anyone.
You were just there."
"But not everyone would do it. It takes guts to jump right in front of
a speeding Satomobile, even if you can earthbend it out of the way."
Korra is about to say something when Asami continues. "You know, if
you're looking for a job, I'm sure we could find you something on the
set. Or over at the studio - I think someone's making an airship
picture and they could always use more stuntpeople. Even Water Tribe
earthbenders."
And there it is, and Korra can feel heat rising in her face. Not
shame, just a fierce pride in her abilities. "I can firebend, too."
Asami gives her another one of those sly smiles. "You're the Avatar? I
never thought I'd meet you. Much less in the middle of Republic City."
Korra grins. "I thought I'd get out and see the world. What better
place to start?" And it's true, she's been walled in so long that the
world she's supposed to protect, to keep balanced, has started to seem
more like an academic exercise than a reality. Maybe her airbending
will come more easily here, where she's connected not only to Tenzin
but to all people. Where she has more to challenge her than the White
Lotus and her bending masters. Where she can find friends, maybe. And
then Korra realizes she's been staring rather goofily at Asami while
she works all this out and scratches the back of her head, laughing a
little. Asami laughs too, and her smile seems to change into something
younger and less knowing.
"Well, if you wanted to see Republic City, this is a fine way to go
about it. If you're not meeting anyone, I could show you a little
more."
Two days later, Korra sends a letter to Tenzin by courier. Asami
offers up a scroll and the use of her seal, and it all looks terribly
official and impressive to the casual observer. But inside it's not an
official communication, it's Korra's usual hasty, messy scrawl.
Came to Republic City. I know you said not to, but the city is
amazing! Don't worry about me, I have everything figured out. I'll
come see you tomorrow. Asami said she could show me where Air Temple
Island is. And Naga's doing great too. See you soon!
And even with that warning, he still looks still a little stunned when
Naga leaps off the ferry and Asami's hands tighten around Korra's
waist. She can see Pema's hand flutter to cover her mouth and Jinora's
eyes widen.
"You're Asami Sato!" Ikki exclaims, rushing up to Naga's side. Korra
vaults off and immediately tosses Ikki up in the air, then lets the
little girl hover herself down as she helps Miss Sato down. Tenzin
looks like someone's lit a fire inside his skull the way he's turning
red, but that might also be from Meelo sitting on top of his head and
pulling on his eyebrows with glee. Meelo is shouting something about
wicked, underhanded strangers. Asami laughs, bending down as Ikki
touches the ground.
"It's my honor to meet you, really."
And as the film star and the Air Nomad girl bow to each other, Korra
feels like she's watching a scene from a movie. Only it's hard to
tell, right now, just who's the star of this show.