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

[defyingfrigidity]

[Thanks to being in Johto for a while now, Elsa knows enough about electricity and more "modern" technology that this whole thing doesn't go completely over her head. Even so, she looks pretty awed during Asami's display, and claps when it's over.]

That's amazing!

[paishodown]

Thank you! I can't really take credit for the idea, but it translates into the technology of this world even better than I could have hoped.

[Asami tips her head.]

How've you been, Elsa? Sorry I haven't been keeping up.

[defyingfrigidity]

Oh, I wouldn't say that. This is still something you did all on your own, even if you used preexisting ideas as a base. You certainly deserve credit.

[Lord knows a less talented builder would have accidentally made something that exploded...]

I've been well! Anna and I have been in Ecruteak for some time now, so Anna can get her next badge. I've been a bit absorbed in the scenery, as well.

["A bit" is definitely an understatement.]

[paishodown]

[Asami gives a small shrug. She doesn't want to take credit for the idea, but she's not about to debate ethics. Especially not while catching up with Elsa.]

Oh- Korra and I are in Ecruteak right now, too! We should meet up. I haven't had a chance to meet Anna yet.

[defyingfrigidity]

Oh!

[Elsa looks surprised, and actually a bit excited, to hear that.]

That would be wonderful. I'm sure Anna would love to meet the two of you. As would I... it's been some time since I've talked to my friends in person.

[My friends... the term still feels so odd coming from her mouth.]

[paishodown]

Yes! I need to get catching up with my friends here. I... know I kinda fell of the map for a while, but Korra and I were actually gone for three years in our time, so it's been a bit of a re-adjustment.

[defyingfrigidity]

Three years? Wow. I've heard that people leave and return some time later, but that long...

A lot must have changed for you, then.

[paishodown]

[Asami's expression softens, and she hesitates for a moment.]

There were... a lot of ups and downs. But everything turned out okay, considering.

[For the both of them. Another hesitation. Elsa is a good friend to the both of them, she should probably know that her two friends are in a relationship, but Asami has never really had to have this sort of conversation before. Her circle of friends has never been big enough to warrant it.]

We're actually together, now. Korra and I.

[defyingfrigidity]

Oh, really? I'm glad you were able to be at each others sides for so long.

[You can almost hear the whoosh as Asami's words go over Elsa's once-very-sheltered head.]

[paishodown]

[O h...]

[paishodown]

[Asami's smile flashes awkwardly, and she clears her throat with a quick glance off to the side. She knew this was going to happen someday. While it wasn't a taboo thing back home, it wasn't extremely common, either.]

I meant... that we're together romantically. I just wanted to let you know, since we're all friends.

1/3

[defyingfrigidity]

[ro...man....ti...

... Oh.]

[defyingfrigidity]

[OH]

I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean... I just... [Will forever be cursing how sheltered she's been for the most of her life.]

I didn't mean to offend.

3/3 I'm so sorry

[defyingfrigidity]

[There's a somewhat awkward pause. Not because the idea bothers her, of course not; romance is romance. She doesn't see a problem at all with it, the thought that women could find love with each other just never occurred to her until now.]

I'm honored that you think of me well enough to tell me. And I really am happy for you both. [The awkwardness fades a bit, a fond smile replacing it.] You're both such kind people, it must be wonderful to have found happiness together.

no ilu

[paishodown]

You didn't offend, Elsa.

[Asami laughs a bit as Elsa loses her composure for a moment.]

The two of us have been good friends for so long, it's... probably going to take our friends at home by surprise, too.

[Her smile softens again.]

Thank you, though.

[She briefly glances ahead off camera.]

I... don't know where I'd be without her.

<3

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa lets out a small sigh of relief at that. The last thing she wanted to do was upset someone she considers a friend.]

Or it might not be surprising at all, if you've been such good friends for that long. I'm sure your friends are more perceptive than I am.

[She laughs, but the sound trails off after Asami's last comment.]

... Things were that bad in those three years...?

>private

[paishodown]

[Asami pauses a moment before deciding to switch the feed to private, just in case. She takes a steadying breath.]

It's... hard to say, really. Korra's had her own things going on, and that's not for me to explain, but it is closely connected to... everything else that's happened to me the past few years.

The short of it is that she came into my life right before a lot of things went very wrong. It wasn't because she showed up, that was just... how it happened. My life took some massive changes, and Korra's been the closest thing I've had to an unwavering constant since. We didn't actually see each other for three years, but when she came back... the same thing sort of happened again, and she was there for me like no one else was.

[Asami's only sparing the details out of politeness, not because she's reluctant to share them with Elsa.]

>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!