Chapter 3: 'Good Advertising'

"Do you think potential air benders would come with us if we offered them some money?" Asami suggested anxiously as Korra stomped back and forth in the conference room of the air ship, the muscles in her back rippling with tension as she pounded.

The look of absolute horror on Tenzin's face from across the table was a firm reminder as to why Asami had been so nervous about proposing that sort of thing. The CEO still wasn't quite sure what the air bender master thought of her, hell it was hard to tell what Tenzin really thought about anyone once you got past his aloof and stubborn exterior. However, she was 100% certain that Tenzin loved Korra, as the Avatar and his student, but also as a daughter of sorts. The water tribe girl's tenacity and outspoken nature was so far from his own subdued personality that Tenzin obviously found it worth protecting, with his life if necessary.

Would I do the same? Take the fall for Korra if it saved her? She'd already been on plenty of suicide missions with Team Avatar, but the fate of the world had been at stake then. It was a case of fight or die. Then again, it wasn't like President Raiko had stepped up, or many other people. Perhaps her actions were out of more than a sense of moral duty and righteousness. Except when it had been her father. Korra or any of her other friends hadn't even entered her thought process at that moment, only that what her father was doing was completely wrong and went against everything she stood for.

Korra briefly paused in her stomping as she turned to look at Asami. "Wait – are you offering to pay?" Asami nodded slowly as she leaned forward in her leather chair, Tenzin was still shaking out the corner of her eye. "That farmer guy did say he needed money...maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea, giving people a little cash boost to entice them-"

"-Absolutely not! The Air Nation does not believe in the value of earthly possessions such as money. Air benders who only join us because of a financial incentive are no true air benders," Tenzin spat angrily as he folded his arms. "People should join because they want to follow their true calling as an air bender, not because they might get 'a little cash boost'." Asami rubbed her forehead in frustration. Tenzin seemed to still be under the belief that the Air Nation's culture wouldn't have to catch up with the rest of the world over the 200 years it'd been gone. Modernisation would be required surely.

Bumi grabbed his younger brother by the shoulders and shook both him and the chair he was sat on. "Does this chair count as an earthly possession Mr Cranky?!" When Tenzin ignored him the commander continued with his efforts. "Do you believe in this?!" The shaking became more violent as Tenzin looked ready to explode.

Asami shared an awkward glance with Bolin at her side whilst Korra just seemed to smile in amusement with folded arms. "Tenzin's gonna blow...what happens when air benders explode? A tornado?" Asami had no clue.

"I think we're about to find out..." Asami whispered with interest as she leaned her head into Bolin's.

"Bumi. Please," Tenzin eventually responded with considerable restraint, his cheeks bright red. "Take a – take a seat." Then the air bender turned to his young student. "You as well Korra." The water tribe girl pouted for a few seconds before lowering herself back down beside Tenzin. "I want to make this abundantly clear. We will not be paying any of the new air benders we recruit. We will of course provide then with food, water and shelter, but they are not under our employment." His eyes drifted unconsciously to Asami then. Sometimes the CEO forgot they weren't trying to set up a new business.

Korra sat with crossed legs perching just on the edge of her seat and muscular arms slumped back, a very relaxed stance given the run of bad luck they'd had in recruitment so far. "I don't think our approach so far has been the right one. Every person we've went to has slammed the door on us or ran away. None of us want a repeat of events in Omashu, that was – that was just messy." Asami found herself smiling at that memory even though it'd felt like a bit of nightmare at the time.

Tenzin exhaled loudly. "The people of the Earth Kingdom are very rooted in their traditions, perhaps they just can't imagine having any other lifestyle, one that hasn't really existed for hundreds of years outside of a small family." Asami wouldn't exactly call Tenzin's family small, but then Meelo created enough noise for half the population of Republic City.

"Some of the people in the more rural places we visited didn't even know Harmonic Convergence had taken place, that the portals are open, communication just isn't anything like back home," Asami interjected. "And now they're getting told the Air Nation is back and they have to join, it must be a lot to take in."

Tenzin nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I guess we should just head to Ba Sing Se and try our luck there." But they'd had so few reports of air benders there, only 10. 10 in a city like that? Something was badly wrong there.

Korra ran a hand through her fringe. "I don't know what to do. I just thought more people would be excited about coming with us." Of course she was. It was Korra that had set the wheels in motions for this chain of events, the Air Nation was her Future Industries, they were her responsibility to seek out and protect. Plus Korra was probably fairly desperate to have at least one of her achievements be recognised as inherently good rather that criticized from every angle.

"Well, maybe you gotta do more to get them excited. You need to add a little razzle dazzle," Bumi beamed with a youthful grin as he shook his hands back and forth. Tenzin raised a sceptical eyebrow but said nothing.

The mover star in Bolin seemed to love this idea as the boy jumped in his seat. "Yeah, razzle dazzle! We could put on some sort of air bending street performance!" Now Korra and Asami shared a sceptical glance across the table. Like that would work. People weren't so stupid and naïve.

"I was going to say we could cover Tenzin's robe in sequins..." Bumi replied, almost sounding disappointed that he wasn't literally going to blind potential air benders with some shiny gems. It really wasn't what Asami had in mind when she'd thought about modernisation."But that's even better!"

Korra looked at Tenzin dejectedly. "It sounds ridiculous, but it might work..." That hardly sounded optimistic.

"At this point I'm willing to try anything..." Tenzin exhaled.

"Yes! That's the kind of enthusiasm I like to hear!" Bolin shouted as he rose off his seat and pumped the air with his fist.

With that decided, the room cleared as everyone went off to discuss and practice their roles in the air bending display. Korra didn't join them, remaining in her seat as she leaned on top of the table with clasped hands.

"Hey, don't look so glum," Asami smiled. "Nothing works better than some well executed advertising. It doesn't matter what Tenzin says, we're selling a product here, a lifestyle. If we make it look appealing and exciting people are bound to sign up."

Korra nodded in appreciation. "Hopefully people that are actually air benders and not just some non bending kid claiming to be an orphan when her parents were right around the corner. I don't want to be hunted out of town again as some kind of child napper, even if Omashu was pretty easy to get out of with all those transport shoots."

"She reminded me of you actually." Korra narrowed her brows in confusion at that before Asami clarified. "Oh – not that you're a liar or sneaky or anything like that. I just get the feeling you'd do pretty much anything for adventure, even if you weren't the Avatar."

"My parents say the same thing," Korra smiled as she leaned back in her chair, clearly a little more relaxed. "I found Naga as a pup in the snow on one of my wanders before I was even in the compound, before anyone even knew I was the Avatar. The White Lotus could never separate us when they first found me, and they really did try. They were terrified that the next Avatar would be mauled to death by a polar bear dog. Then Naga proved them all wrong, saved my butt from some hungry snow wolf that'd burrowed under the main gate looking for food. She was allowed to stay with me every waking moment after that."

Asami smirked mischievously. "She's your girlfriend I hear, and for a long time as well. Do all your girlfriends have to save your life before they can qualify?"

Korra laughed at that. "Nah – they just have to make me smile when I'm sad." The Avatar proceeded to rub her slightly red cheeks. "Which apparently is actually pretty easy to do...easier than I thought anyway..."

"You're pretty good at making other people smile, Korra."

"Thanks – I – uh – I guess that just comes with being the Avatar. It'd be a pretty hard job if everybody hated me..."

Asami couldn't recall the moment she'd stepped over to Korra's side, or when she'd put a hand on the Avatar's shoulder. The way Korra looked up at her now, it was so different from how she'd reacted just 3 weeks ago on the steps outside city hall. Trust. She trusted and valued Asami's opinion. "Nobody hates you Korra – at least nobody with half a brain. The people that complain about the things you've done? They're just idiots looking for something to complain about. If it wasn't you it'd be someone else." She offered the Avatar a gloved hand and an unconsciously cheeky grin. "Besides, if anyone starts bad mouthing you they'll have me to deal with-" Korra furrowed her brows suspiciously as she was pulled upwards. "-they'll have Team Avatar to deal with."

Korra made a hasty retreat from Asami's grip. "Right – thanks – I better get to the others for rehearsal. I don't want to be the one who screws it up for everyone. Catch you later!" With than the Avatar practically leaped over one of the other empty chairs and back into the corridor, leaving Asami standing awkwardly with a hand stuck in mid air. Of course she wouldn't be involved in an air bending display, but she definitely wanted to be there to watch it.

"Nice girl – that Avatar," a voice from the airship controls spoke softly. The pilot, a guy who'd been with Future Industries since the very early days but who the Republic City police had found innocent of any involvement with the Equalists, at least not deliberately. Practically everyone in Future Industries had unknowingly done something that had assisted Amon's cause, even Asami herself. That thought still churned her stomach a little even after everything she'd sacrificed to put a stop to it.

Asami wrenched her arm back to her side at the unusual tone of her pilot's comment. "Yes – yes she is."

"Miss Sato, do I have permission to speak?"

"You were already talking – yes. Fine. You don't need to ask my permission to speak," Asami fretted as she glanced her head around the thankfully empty conference room. The engineer was fairly certain she wasn't going to like much of what was about to be said. In preparation she plopped herself down in a seat beside the pilot, staring out at the clear blue sky. It never seemed to rain in the Earth Kingdom.

The pilot continued operating the controls as he spoke. "I've known you since you were a little girl clinging to your mother's skirts, and after that, in your own workshop, building, tinkering..." He hesitated slightly at the pained expression on Asami's face. "Even when you set the mansion on fire with that new engine of yours."

"I didn't know it would explode."

"Well – yes, of course, I doubt you would've put it in the building otherwise," the pilot continued as he turned to face her. "You haven't had an easy time of it and honestly, I can't remember the last time I saw you smile, properly smile. Maybe before your father-"

Asami buried her face in her hands. "Can we not talk about my dad please..." She'd managed to force Hiroshi into the darkest recesses of her brain over the past few weeks and it had been incredibly relieving. The search for air benders and Korra had been an excellent distraction from all that pain.

"Yes of course, my apologies, I didn't mean to upset you Miss Sato," the pilot replied softly as he pushed a lever forward. "What I was trying to say is that over the last few weeks you're almost a different person. The smiles, they're not just for show, to avoid questions. They're real. It's truly the happiest I've seen you in years." He turned his head briefly to inspect the rest of the room. "And I think that girl has something to do with it. She certainly makes you happy."

Asami rose from the chair, keen to put an end to this line of questioning and where it could lead, where she hadn't considered. "It's not just Korra." The pilot didn't looked convinced. "It's not. Being out of Republic City, travelling with my friends, being away from all of the Future Industries paperwork and not being stuck in my office all day, that's making me happy." All of those things were true but there was no denying how much of an effect the Avatar was having on her day to day mood. Korra made everything feel lighter somehow, which was especially strange given the huge responsibility of the water tribe girl's role in the world.

"I see..." the pilot nodded slowly as he turned back to the controls. "We should be landing in about 30 minutes."

"Good...keep her steady. I'm going to – I'm going to see how rehearsals are going."

"Next time Korra I'd appreciate a clear warning that you are going to try and kill me," Mako grumbled as Team Avatar stood leaning against the railings on the top of the airship, staring out at the desert landscape below. Night had fallen and the air was distinctly chilly thanks to the clear skies over head, though that meant the moon was out in full force, perhaps the largest Asami had seen it in her life. It was absolutely beautiful.

Bolin slapped his brother's shoulder with a free hand, the other occupied with a warm mug of cocoa each member had their own portion of. "Oh c'mon bro! You know, I think the threat of death really added to the gravity of the performance!" Then he proceeded to elbow Asami in the side. "Get it Asami? Gravity? You know – because it was an air bending performance? Help me out here Sato! You're the science gal! The only one that will laugh at my intelligent wit!"

Asami probably would've laughed sooner if she hadn't been so distracted by the way the strangely orange coloured moon was illuminating Korra at the other end of the railing. The Avatar didn't appear to be doing much in the way of listening either, sipping from her mug and looking out thoughtfully at the view. "Good one Bo!" She added an awkward laugh to the end of that which drew a suspicious glance from Mako.

"What do you know about good performances anyway?" Mako asked as he turned to face his brother.

"Hey! My performance was so good I stopped the President being abducted by Varrick!" Bolin defended firmly.

Korra looked fairly bemused by that. "Wait a minute, I thought that actually happened? Asami, you were there, did Raiko nearly get kidnapped for real or was it just part of the mover?"

Asami rubbed her forehead in confusion as Bolin looked at her with pleading eyes. "Um...it was...sort of real?" She began to gesture with a free hand, like that would help explain what was still a very strange series of events. "The President was actually about to be abducted by Varrick whilst the mover was still playing but then Bolin intervened and started fighting with Varrick's thugs on the arena platform and it all sorta ended up in sync with what was happening on the screen...like some kind of interactive performance." She placed a firm hand on Bolin's shoulder. "It was actually pretty amazing to watch."

Bolin smiled gratefully before turning his attention back to Mako. "See big bro? An eye witness account of how good my acting is."

Mako's arms were now firmly crossed as he trembled slightly. "Right – I gotta say Asami's a biased witness in this case. It wouldn't hold up in court." The detective made a hasty retreat from the railings. "I'm going back inside, as pretty as that view is, it's freezing out here." He pulled the maroon scarf around his neck tightly.

"Cold?" Bolin replied incredulously before exhaling loudly and producing a huge white cloud of vapour. "Oh – actually – that is pretty chilly. Hold up big bro! I'm coming in as well!" He paused momentarily. "You gals coming back in?"

"Stop calling us gals Bolin," Korra warned. "We're not your damsels in distress in some mover."

"You two are like the least damsely in distress I've ever seen," Bolin replied distantly before shouting loudly. "I'll stop I swear!" Apparently the Avatar had been glaring at him.

"I should've asked Mako to heat this cocoa up before he left, it's ice cold," Asami muttered softly as she inspected the mug.

Korra reached across the space between them and took the mug gently. "Remember I'm a fire bender too?"

"Yeh, but you're also the Avatar. I probably shouldn't be using your powers for something so minor," Asami complained as she watched Korra work, feeling the slightest heat coming off of Korra's hands.

"Honestly, I'd rather be doing something simple like this than smashing a mountain or some evil maniac." The mug was handed back to Asami, their hands touching briefly. Asami took a tentative sip as Korra watched, expecting the liquid to be roasting hot, instead it was actually the perfect temperature.

"This is really good..."

Korra narrowed her brows. "You sound surprised...did you think I was going to burn your mouth or something?"

"Maybe..."

Korra took a step back and moved into a bending stance, water bending given the loose nature of her upper arms. "You think that just because I'm this crazy, super powered – super powered whatever that all I can do is smash things up."

Asami waved her hands frantically. "I – I don't think that at all – not anymore-"

"Hey! Don't sound so distressed, everyone does, it's not always a bad thing. The Avatar has to be strong otherwise we'd never be able to keep the peace," Korra said quickly and reassuringly. She exhaled a powerful breath of air producing a large cloud of vapour. "But the Avatar also has to be gentle. If I want to maintain balance, I have to be both."

"Different people, different natures," Asami reasoned with an understanding nod as she watched Korra.

"Exactly," Korra smiled as she moved her hands back and forth smoothly. "Sometimes tough love is the way to go, sometimes – oh wait! There! I got it! Look!"

Asami had been so focused on the Avatar she hadn't actually been paying any attention to the ball of vapour in front of them, or how the water tribe girl had been manipulating it. "...Korra...how did you...? That's – that's amazing!" Asami beamed as she watched the vapour move through the air. Korra had created a cog, a Future Industries cog, and was spinning it with such precision that the beautiful creation almost looked to be a moving part of the rest of the gorgeous skyline.

"Thanks," Korra grinned as she released the water, letting it drop to the floor with a splash before she shifted back over to Asami and took back her own mug of cocoa.

"You made that look so easy..." Asami said quietly, her voice sounding a little strained.

"Trust me it wasn't, I had to focus like crazy," Korra admitted with a chuckle as she sipped from her mug. "But I thought it was a pretty good demonstration of – well the fact that the Avatar doesn't have to be smashing things to be skilful."

"I didn't need a demonstration," Asami replied quickly before turning to face the Avatar. Her eyes are pretty much perfect in this lighting. "Though it was insanely cool. Think I could use it for some Future Industries advertising campaigns?"

"Sure," Korra smiled with a hand in her hair. "I mean, technicality, as the Avatar, I probably shouldn't, but, I think for you I can make an exception. Friends of the Avatar and all that. Besides, you're pretty much funding this rebuild the Air Nation thing, so it's only fair."

"I'll need to come up with a catchy slogan," Asami mused as she turned to lean against the railing, Korra doing the same.

"How about, 'Invest in Future Industries: it'll bring so much balance to your bank account that the Avatar will be jealous'?"

Asami couldn't help but laugh loudly at that, so much so that she snorted. Korra's eyes widened in shock and excitement as she burst into fits of laughter and fell onto her back. "Asami Sato! Future Industries CEO! Did you seriously just snort?!"

The engineer felt her face go completely red. "Maybe..." Korra didn't stop rolling around for several seconds as tears poured from her eyes. Asami tried to maintain a stern expression but Korra's laughter quickly destroyed her resolve as Asami started to giggle uncontrollably, flopping down onto the deck of the airship.

It took several minutes before either of them composed themselves enough to even sit up as Korra tried to wipe away the tears from her eyes. "Oh man – I don't think I've laughed like that in years. My ribs are killing me!"

"Neither," Asami exhaled heavily as she propped herself back against the railings. "And I don't think I can use you on Future Industries campaigns."

"Why not?"

"I'd end up dying with laughter every time I looked at one of our advertising posters."

"Awww...I was looking forward to posing in all the photographs, but I'd rather not ruin your reputation as CEO."

"I appreciate it, Korra."

End Notes

Oh c'mon Salami figure it out girl.

Thoughts and reviews would be much appreciated!

Make sure to check out my other fics as well and thank you for reading!
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