paishodown | IC Contact

[Because Wan didn't know if Korra would come any time soon after getting his letter, he didn't make a point of arriving exactly on time. But when he got there, he had a hefty stack of newspapers under one arm to go through. He didn't get as far as the turtleduck pond, though, because he spotted Naga sitting near Korra's statue.

Wan's face lit up and he ran over, calling out as he came around the side to see-]

You're... Not Korra.

[Instantly his face fell and in the next moment he offered a forced smile.]

Sorry. I saw Naga and thought Korra might have- doesn't matter. Is she meeting you here?

[Asami couldn't help a tight frown with Wan's less than pleased reaction. She couldn't blame him. He didn't know. But-]

Korra's gone.

[There was a short edge in Asami's voice. She had put together several potential ways she would break the news while she had waited, but in the end her unease had won over her tact. She watched Wan for his reaction, posture stiff.]

She and Mako disappeared Saturday morning.

[Wan's eyes slowly widened in disbelief. A stricken look taking place of the strained smile. His head dropped as he blinked a few times, processing what that meant. His eyes fell on the letter in her hands.]

I thought she was just... busy...

[Wan gulped, his free hand curling up against his chest before he took a deep breath and looked up to meet Asami's eyes.]

You read my letter. That's why you're here.

She moved in with me, so her mail has been forwarded there. If it had a return address, I would have just sent it back. I'm sorry.

[Lips pursed, Asami held out the letter for him to take with a small bow of her head. Her eyes were cast down for a moment before she looked up to meet Wan's.]

I don't have a return address...

[Wan reached out slowly to take the letter back. He held it in his hand, staring for several long seconds. And then he let it catch fire a burn away in a quick blaze. There was no point in keeping it or letting it hang around. Even if - no, when - Korra returned to them, she would have no reason to see it.]

Thank you for... for bringing it back. And telling me.

[His jaw tightened, in both hurt and anger. Mostly anger at himself. He'd been staying away, letting Korra see to her duties as the Avatar so he didn't get in her way or cause trouble for her. He should have been around more.]

The spirit world is the cause of this. Korra should be here. Not me. Not Aang. This isn't our eras, our time is passed. If it wanted to get rid of an Avatar, it should have been me or Aang.

I didn't know that you-

[that you were an Avatar. But that fact was overshadowed by the present situation.]

Lin Beifong and Bolin know. I haven't told anyone else. But I don't understand what's going on, either.

[Her fists clinched. Of all the times to be completely useless...]

Korra wasn't able to find anything out when she went to the Spirit World as far as I know. I haven't done any investigation into it beyond the spirits here in Republic City. I was leaving it to her.

[Wan stepped forward so he could reach Naga and start petting her. She bumped his chest as she had the first time they'd met and whined a little.]

I don't know what to do. Tell the world or keep it quiet? What if people need Korra? She's their Avatar. And she's not here. She's not able to help if anyone needs her.

[He looked to Asami, as if looking for an answer.]

I can try searching the spirit world for answers, but if Korra didn't find any, I'm not sure I'll be able to, either. What do you think I should do?

[Asami looked at Wan, expression questioning. Why was he asking her? She wasn't the spiritual expert. Far from it.]

The world should know.

[But I'm not going to be the one to tell them.]

I have no idea what we should do. I would go in there and look for myself if I had the means to actually be helpful.

[This isn't the first time she's had to sit on the sidelines because unable to be of any real help to her friends.]

[He ran a hand through his hair and leaned his forehead against Naga's, making an 'argh' sound.]

The newspapers are going to insult Korra more when they find out that she's gone, too.

...I need to talk to Aang. Figure out what we're going to do.

[Wan wasn't good at making plans that didn't involve him rushing in and taking immediate action. He could do it, he just wasn't very good at it. Most of his life had been lived with him making it up as he went along. And despite his own rocky start with the woman in front of him, Korra trusted Asami. That counted for a lot. If he was going to look to anyone for guidance, it was going to be the people Korra trusts.]

Going there and looking is helpful, you know. You can do that. It would probably be good to have more than one person searching and asking the spirits for any clues they might have. No one really has an idea where to look anyway, so might as well look everywhere.

The newspapers can stick it.

[...What happened to "can't take that to heart"?

Asami stood with her arms tightly crossed. The only next step she could take would be to fly to the South Pole, but what would she even find there? She couldn't go into the Spirit World without a guide.]

Keep in touch, at least.

[She finally concedes, reaching into her purse to take out a business card and a pen. Printed on it was her office number, and she scrawled her home phone on the back before offering it to Wan.]

I'll try to do some poking around in the wilds, for now. And... if you ever need anything...

[Asami glanced at Wan as she trailed off. She wasn't lacking the resources to settle him someplace, if that was what he wanted.]

[Wan accepted the card, recognized the numbers as a phone number. But he didn't exactly have a phone... The world needed an Avatar, though. Wan didn't even have a formal address. He'd been happy so far just keeping mostly to himself. Living in the wilds. But he wasn't exactly easy to reach there. And the world had changed so much that being able to reach the Avatar was kind of important to it. If he and Aang were needed, they should have the ability to be contacted easily.

He stared at the card for a few long moments before he closed his eyes, sighed, and dropped his head.]

I live in the wilds. And I don't have a phone. Or a proper address...

And there's nothing there that has given me any answers, but if you find something, just ask the spirits to find me. They'll come get me. Most of the spirits that are around the city know who I am. So, even if you're not in the wilds, you should still be able to get a hold of me.

[A bit of defeat crossed Asami's frustrated brow. If the Avatar couldn't find anything, what was she going to find? Nothing.]

All that's left is going to one of the poles.

That might not be true. There's other places in the world that have strong connections to the spirits. I mean, well, if she is trapped in the spirit world and not displaced in time the way I am, we should be able to find her there.

If she's there, then I don't see why one of us couldn't find her. You're... You're one of her closest friends-

[Something he wasn't sure how it came about, but it had, so as much as he had his own views of Asami, he knew there had to be more to her than he'd been seeing.]

-and I'm one of her past lives. We're both connected to her and connections count for a lot in the spirit world. If you don't want to go with me, then we can ask Aang if he'd be willing to go with you.

[Asami tipped her head, expression questioning.]

Could you really get me in there without physically going to one of the portals? I don't have any kind of spiritual connection; I don't see how much help I could possibly be.

[Much as she wants to try.]

I can try.

[He honestly felt it was worth a shot.]

Have you ever meditated before?

[Asami hesitated a moment, her face tight as she shook her head.]

Other than simple breathing to calm myself down, no.

Then we can start there. I don't know if it will work, but if you're willing to try, it's worth trying.

[Asami nods quickly after Wan's suggestion.]

I want to try.

[A moment's pause.]

You'd help?

Yes. I wouldn't offer if I wasn't willing.

[Though he didn't say it with any kind of bite. He understood her hesitance. They didn't exactly have the best track record so far.]

[Some of the tension eased from Asami's features.]

Thank you.

[Her voice was sincere and maybe a touch quiet.]

...When do we start?

After I have a chance to talk to Aang and a couple other people who should know. So... a few days?

We could meet here. Or somewhere else. Wherever you're okay with meeting. It should be someplace you feel safe and at peace.

[Asami hesitates a moment, eyes darting to the side. Home wouldn't be a good idea. She felt trapped there, if anything else.]

Here is fine.

[She reaches to pat Naga on her snout.]

Do you have a way of calling me?

[He shook his head 'no'. He'd been honest earlier when he said he didn't have a phone or any real way to access one.]

...would it be okay if I sent a spirit to find you?

That would be fine, as long as I'm not tangled in something I can't get out of. Evenings and weekends work best.

Then I'll send one to you as soon as I've talked to those I need to.

[Wan turned to go, but stopped half-way through the turn. He looked back at Asami, smiling softly.]

Thank you.

[Why was he thanking her? Asami only nodded, returning a ghost of her own smile before turning to leave with Naga at her side, the beardog's head drooping.]

[He figured she understood and continued to go. She could have just pretended not to read the letter and left him wondering if Korra had ever gotten it. She could have pretended Korra had and sent her instead to tell him to leave Korra alone. She could have honestly not read it and left it sitting there, unopened, not to be read until Korra came back despite how long it might be. She could have done so much that would have left him alone at the turtleduck pond, day after day, wondering why Korra never came.

And she didn't.

That meant a lot.]

IC Contact - Cyclicality

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject