Not Running From, Running To
Asami looked at the woman in front of her. She had met some important people at galas and functions growing up as the daughter of the CEO of Future Industries and then taking up the role herself, but never had she met someone as important as Toph Beifong. Toph Beifong was one of the saviors that stopped the firelord back in the Hundred Years War. Alongside her and her finesse as one of the greatest earthbenders ever to live being none other than Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara from the Southern Water Tribe, Suki of Kyoshi Island, Zuko of the Fire Nation, and Aang of the Southern Air Temple (aka the Avatar). Asami had heard stories from her mother of Toph and her friends, fighting with each other against the most evil dictator in history. Something about those stories made Asami dream of adventure and long for a story like theirs. And she got exactly what she dreamed of.
Asami had almost run over Mako, the firebender on the pro bending team the Fire Ferrets. To apologize, she had invited him to dinner, had her father sponsor his bankrupt team, dated Mako and watched as the team went to the championships. After that she fought against the equalists with the Avatar, unfortunately figured out her father was an equalist, destroyed the equalist movement and ties to her father’s company, became CEO of said company, rebuilt said company, fought with the AVAtar to stop the Avatar’s uncle from being the Dark Avatar, brought spirits to walk amongst humans, accidentally created an entire air nation from opening the spirit portals, funded the mission to find and gather said airbenders, got caught up in a secret society called the red Lotus, was stranded in the desert with the Avatar, fought against the Red Lotus, stopped anarchy and helped the AVatar in recovering after she almost died at the hands of extremists. Man would Asami’s mother never believe her if she told her this story. It seems like something from one of Varrick’s movers.
“Well are you just going to stand there like a lemur-monkey or are you going to follow me?” Toph asked Asami, snapping her out of her thoughts.
“What? A random stranger just walks into the swamp and you want them to follow you to what I assume is….your home?” Asami asked.
“Okay… First of all you’re not a stranger . You’re Asami Sato. One of the greatest innovative minds and CEOs this world has ever seen. Your record is clean no matter what anti-equalists say and you’ve fought alongside the Avatar three times when the apocalypse was nigh. As for me, you don’t have to worry about anything, you know this being a sort of sketchy situation we’re in: and old lady leading a young Republic city icon into the woods. I promise you though all I want to do is invite you for some tea. No killing. Fellow icon’s honor….Zuko’s honor.” Toph explained, chuckling at the end. She then turned away from Asami and started to walk deeper into the swamp.
Asami just stared at her again for a couple seconds only to hear Toph yell, “Let’s go. You’re not getting any younger here.” With that Asami followed the old woman into the swamp.
After a couple of minutes they both came to a cave that held a small fire pit in the middle of the layout, a washboard with some clothes next to it, some food in one corner and a cot in the other. The fire was dimly lit and so Toph attended it, throwing some more sticks into it. Asami watched the fire grow with color and heat. Toph then walked over to the cot, earthbended a chair next to it, sat in the chair and yawned.
“So why are you here?” Toph asked.
“I don’t really know. I was hoping you could tell me,” Asami stated.
“Sorry kid. I don’t have all the answers. I can only guide you to them. At least that’s what I assume I’m supposed to do,” Toph rambled.
“Guide me? What does that mean? A spirit told me to come here. I don’t understand what I’m supposed to do here,” Asami explained.
“Well, I don’t know either, bud. Maybe you’re here for a needed vacation. With all that work saving the world and maintaining a company, maybe the spirit thought you could use a rest. Or maybe to find yourself. Usually people go to Republic City to find themselves, but considering you grew up there, I suppose going to a swamp to find yourself is kind of the same thing, right?”
“What?” Asami asked confused.
“Nevermind. That’s not the right question. The real question, the question of the hour is why on earth (no pun intended) are you deep inside the earth kingdom, away from every single responsibility you have in Republic City and away from all of the family you’ve come to know?”
“Screw the question of the hour. There can be two questions for the hour...Who are you running from?” Toph asked. She looked toward her own feet, feeling Asami furrow her brow in either frustration or thought or maybe both. Asami then looked toward the ground, which led her to believe one thing. “That’s still not the right question is it? The question is, who are you running to?”
Asami looked up at Toph and clenched her jaw. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but failed as it grew larger and caused her eyes to well up with salty water and longing. She looked back down as if to hide her tears, but knew it was impossible from an all seeing woman. She then gathered herself enough to say one word. Or rather name. One name that has been her rock for the years she’s known it. The one name that has given her hope and not in an Avatar, figurehead type of way. One name that has helped her through everything with her father and everything with her own sadness. One name that she tries to say as much as she can so she can never forget the way it sounds. One name that is just so beautiful because it belongs to her. “Korra”.