Epilogue
“How about this dress? Or this one? Maybe this one?” I held up a dark green dress, then a red one, then an orange red one. Each one I held in front of me as I looked at myself in the mirror.
Korra was sitting on my bed, resting back on her elbows as she watched me hold each dress up in front of me. “I like the red one.”
I held the red one back up. “You think so?”
Korra nodded. I put the green and orange red dresses back in my closet and begun to put the red dress on. It was graduation day, two months after the Battle for Republic City. Life had begun to find its way back to normal, but the sense of normal now was very different than before. The United Republic Council had been disbanded, and we were close to electing the United Republic of Nations’ first president. The two running were Terrance Raiko and Chiko Shu, though it was sounding as if Raiko was going to be elected into office. And that was just in two months.
As for the rest of us, we were just happy the school year was finally ending. Mako and I were set to graduate with Kuvira and Opal’s oldest brother, Baatar Jr. Baatar and I were on track to starting our first semester at Republic City University in four months, he in an engineering track while I was going to double major in engineering and business. After my father’s arrest, I was placed in charge of Future Industries, though we were quickly losing investors due to my father’s involvement in the Equalist movement. Kuvira decided to return to Zafou to work as head of security under Suyin. Lin, who was reinstated as Chief of Poilce shortly after our return to Republic City, offered Mako a job as one of her officers, which he happily took. Bolin and Opal were going on strong and were excited for the summer to come around the corner. Korra was busy with Avatar duties, but it didn’t stop her from taking advantage of every opportunity she got to surprise me.
Flash to the present, and here she was waiting for me to get ready to head to the high school. Dressed in a more casual-formal Water Tribe dress, which she wore just for graduation, she sat back and watched as I continued to get ready. Putting on a little bit of makeup, my mind was everywhere with the mental checklist when I felt her hands on my shoulders, gently starting to massage them. I set my makeup down, closing my eyes and focusing on her fingers.
“You’re way too stiff for graduation, ‘Sami. Take a breather; it’s only a walk down the aisle to get your degree and a toss of your hat. Then you’re done,” she said, leaning down to kiss my cheek.
I sighed, leaning my head back to look at her. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, a few strands escaping and falling in front of her face. I smiled up at her, giggling when she leaned down to kiss me softly. Every day I fall more and more in love with her. She smiled at my giggling, leaning back to grab our things and my keys. I stood up, finishing up my makeup quickly, and took her hand as we made our way out of my room and down to the front of the house.
I had moved back into my house about a month before. Lin made sure to go through the entire property with her metalbender police to ensure that Amon and Arlin weren’t still on the premises, but they weren’t to be found. For the first couple nights after the Battle of Republic City, I’d have nightmares of them returning to finish the job, but I’d always wake up with Korra beside me, holding me tight. I always fell asleep afterwards with a smile on my face because I knew when I woke up she’d still be there, safe and sound.
My Satomobile was waiting for us out front. Giving Korra a quick kiss, I made my way over to the driver’s side. Starting the car, Korra kissed my cheek and took my hand. I smiled, pulling out of the turnabout and drove to the high school. It was a clear day out, but it wasn’t too warm. It would be a perfect day after graduation to go out to the cliff for a little while. Maybe a picnic. I smiled at the thought, the school coming into view.
Pulling into the parking lot, which had already started to get crowded, I quickly parked into the first open spot I saw. I got out and walked over to Korra, taking her hand as we started to walk towards the school. I saw Mako standing by the door, but Bolin was nowhere to be found. After a quick search, I found him standing with Opal and her family. Suyin was standing with her husband, Baatar Sr., as they spoke with Bataar Jr. and Kuvira; Huan was leaning against a tree, an obvious look of boredom and dread on his face at having to be here dressed nicely; and the twins, Wei and Wing, were busy trying to flirt shamelessly with every girl they could get to take a minute to look at them on their way to the high school.
Seeing us walking over to him, Mako smiled, pushing off the ledge he was sitting on. He was dressed in the formal clothes I had bought him for our first date. I couldn’t help but smile. He’ll make someone happy someday. He returned the smile before motioning towards the door.
“Ready for this?” he asked as we began to climb the stairs.
I shook my head. “Not really.”
“Oh, come on, ‘Sami. You’re telling me you’d go back up against Amon instead of graduate high school?” Korra asked.
“Yes, yes I would.” Korra and Mako started to laugh, and all I could do was roll my eyes and smile at them.
The graduation ceremony went without a hitch. We lined up and walked out to our seats, listened to the band and choirs sing their parts, which in itself was amazing to hear, listened as the principal and the class president got up and spoke their parts. Then it was time for the top five to give their speeches. I watched as the fifth, fourth, third, and Kuvira, who was second, stand up and give their speeches. I listened intently, watching as others in the crowd smiled and nodded their heads in agreement. Then it was my turn.
I was surprised when I was told that I would get the honors of speaking last as the valedictorian of the graduating class. After what had happened, I was sure that I had fallen behind too far to even be considered to be in the top five, but here I was, standing up and heading to the podium. As I took my place behind the podium, I looked up at the flat screen that was showing the video that was being recorded from behind the seated graduating class. There I was, on the screen, my cap slightly tilted on my head. I smiled gently, the video me doing the same. To see me here, a very different me than the beginning of the year, hit home hard.
“At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t who I am now,” I began to speak, my eyes on the graduating class as their attention began to focus on me. “At the beginning of the year, I was Asami Sato, daughter of Hiroshi Sato and heiress to Future Industries, one of the largest companies in the United Republic. My mind was that of any other high schooler: school, boys, and my future. Now? Now I stand here with you, ready to graduate, but I stand as a different person.” My eyes left my class, searching for those loving blue eyes. They seemed to lock onto her in an instant. “I met the Avatar on my first day, and I never knew my future would end up where it was now.”
Looking down at my cards, at the script I had written for this moment, then dropped them onto the stand. I looked back up, a smile on my face. “Everything that was there before fell through the floor. I found out my father was part of an evil movement, contributing to events that I couldn’t hardly believe he was involved in; my grades had begun to slip because I would stay up late at night to help those in need; and my future became a question mark after I was arrested by Tarrlok Arlin and his task force. But you know what? I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
I looked at Mako, Kuvira, Opal, Bolin, and finally Korra. “Because I had friends that were behind me. Friends that wouldn’t leave my side. Friends that were there to help pick me up when I’d fall. Friends whose back I had just as they had mine. And I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. So I leave you with this piece of advice: when you find those special someone’s in your life,” I said, my eyes floating back to Korra, a proud smile on my face. “Never, ever let them go.”
A silent pause enveloped before the graduating class broke out into applause. I returned to my seat next to Kuvira, who gave me a nod in approval. I smiled, watching as the principal took his place back the podium. The rest of the ceremony went on as planned; we listened some more, walked up to get our diplomas, and threw our caps into the air. When Kuvira and I had found our caps, we met up with Baatar Jr. and Mako to find our friends and families, who proceeded to pull us outside for pictures. Several were taken: Opal and I; Opal, Bolin, Mako, Korra, and I; Korra and I; Mako, Bolin, and I; Opal and Korra; Mako, Bolin, and Korra; Opal, Bolin, and her siblings; Opal and her parents; Korra and her parents; and then one of Korra, her parents, and I.
As I watched everyone start to talk about their summer plans, Korra snuck up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and leaning up to kiss my cheek. “That was a great speech, ‘Sami.”
I smiled, turning in her arms and wrapping my arms around her shoulders, planting a kiss gently on her lips. “Thanks. Helps when the girl of my dreams is in the crowd with a giant smile on her face.”
A blush ran across Korra’s face, and I chuckled, kissing her for a second time. It had been a long time coming, but I finally felt at peace. My friends were here; people who cared about me and how I felt were here. And most importantly, Korra was here. I couldn’t be any happier than when I was with her. I had finally found where I belonged, and there wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to let anything take this away from me.