4th gear | video

[paishodown]

[Here's someone who hasn't been on the network so much lately. When Asami appears on the camera, anyone who hasn't seen her recently will notice that she looks a bit older.]

I finished it!

[Stepping away from the camera, she reveals a hotel courtyard with various tools and scraps scattered about. A metal contraption that appears to be some kind of battery sits a safe distance away at the center of the shot.]

At home, we employ lightningbenders to make our electricity. They shoot energy straight into batteries, and it can be stored efficiently without having to burn coal. I'm hoping I can get something to work similarly with Pokémon's electric attacks.

[She glances off camera.]

When you're ready, Supāku.

[A Flaafy shuffles onto the camera, winds up, and releases an electric attack at the metal conductors of Asami's invention. After several moments, an indicator meter on the device's facade turns to maximum, and the Flaafy stops.]

I think it worked!

[Asami trots over to the device with another 'Gear in hand (sorry Korra, she had to steal yours for science purposes) and plugs it in.]

It's charging!

[She turns back to the camera.]

I'm hoping I can continue working with this idea and eventually come up with something small enough for trainers to keep on their person while they're traveling. The technology here is evolved so much farther than at home, I think it might be possible.

Comments

>private

[defyingfrigidity]

... So she was your rock. She kept you grounded in the middle of all that chaos.

[She may not have experienced love personally, but Elsa's read her fair share of stories. And that... that sounds like something right out of one of her books.]

[paishodown]

Something like that, yeah. It wasn't always mostly Korra, but... it became that way, after a while.

[After All That Mako Shit was over, but she wasn't going to bring that up. It didn't matter, anymore.]

I didn't really... have many people, at home.

[That's difficult to voice, to admit, but there it is, and Asami managed to stammer it out for Elsa.]

[defyingfrigidity]

... Oh.

[The smile fades from her face, and something akin to sympathy replaces it. She can't... know exactly how that felt, because she still had her parents growing up, but even they kept their distance for a while. Being lonely like that... Elsa can understand that feeling, at the very least.]

I... I'm very sorry to hear that, Asami...

[paishodown]

No, it's fine. Sorry, I didn't mean to be a downer.

[She offers a little smile.]

It's just been a big couple of years, and now I finally have the time to sit back and reflect on it.

[Asami would be perfectly content to be done with excitement for a while.]

[defyingfrigidity]

No no, you don't need to apologize! I was the one that asked, after all.

[Things Elsa still needs to learn how to stop doing: blaming herself for everything.]

Coming back here must be like a breath of fresh air, then.

[paishodown]

Something like that. The last thing I remember is leaving for a vacation alone with Korra, and that's pretty much what happened, even if it wasn't what we expected.

[That earns a little laugh from Asami.]

We both really needed a break.

[defyingfrigidity]

I'm sure coming back here wasn't exactly your planned idea for a break... but it's not the worst place you could've ended up, right?

[paishodown]

Of course not! I got to talk to you again, that's reason enough!

[defyingfrigidity]

[... O-Oh. Well. Elsa's face sure is feeling warm all of a sudden.]

... Y-You truly think so?

[paishodown]

Elsa, you're a great friend. Of course. I admit it's... kind of upsetting, to think about how going home means getting cut off from everyone here.

[defyingfrigidity]

[Whoops, here come the tears! Just... give her a second to quickly scrub them away.]

T-Thank you. Really. nobody's ever said that to me before... [Having such good friends... Elsa never thought that would happen to her.] And I understand. The thought of never seeing any of you again when I return... it hurts.

[C'MON ELSA STOP BEING SO PESSIMISTIC]

But hey... you're a genius inventor, right? I'm sure you'll figure out some way for all of us to keep in touch even after we return home!

[paishodown]

[Asami's eyes widen when Elsa gets... very emotional. At least it's not the bad kind; she would have felt awful.]

It's no problem. Really. I'm glad to be your friend.

[She doesn't linger on the whole nobody's ever said that bit. Her own curiosity wasn't important, even if it was well intended.]

Ripping holes in the universe is more Korra's specialty. I'll see about getting her on that, though.

[defyingfrigidity]

[don't cry don't cry DON'T CR-- oops

okay well she doesn't outright cry this time. Just. Gets a little misty-eyed. Even after this long, Elsa's kind of doubted she's been a very good friend to all the people she came to know in Johto, so hearing this is just.... lifting a weight she didn't even know was there off her shoulders.]

R... Really now... [There's a story there. She's not sure if it's good to ask just yet.] Well then, if it's the two of you working together, you'll most definitely figure something out.