"President Raiko should be able to see you soon. Just a few more minutes."

Asami tapped her foot as she checked her watch again, nodding to the petite young woman behind the desk outside President Raiko's office. Despite arriving precisely on-time for their scheduled meeting, Asami had been waiting for over an hour, enduring continual apologies and excuses from his assistant.

Although she was irritated that she was wasting time that could be put to better use back at Future Industries Tower, there was a silver lining in that she could take some time to collect her thoughts and ruminate on the meeting that had previously transpired. Being left alone with Bao proved to do nothing to alter the young man's persona. He was just as enthusiastic as he was in Yim's presence. He even profusely thanked her for showing him to the HR Department.

Asami was... befuddled. If it was an act that Yim put him up to, he was a phenomenal actor. If he was genuine... why wouldn't he harbor the same vitriol for her that Yim clearly did and was unashamed of expressing? Asami was totally unequipped to complete a satisfactory analysis. There was one thing he said that had resonated with her on their walk through the office hallways when discussing their mutual acquaintance.

"Yim is the greatest man I've ever met. He gave my life purpose when there wasn't any, like he did to so many of the students at Ba Sing Se University. He really is a hero."

The look in his eye convinced Asami that he meant it. She thought of her own receptionist and the admiration she gushed when she met Yim, even though he eagerly condemned the company that provided her income. How could he inspire such reverence from seemingly good people? The grim conclusion undulating in the depths of her mind, one she had not entertained in weeks, stirred slightly.

No. He couldn't be right.

She tried to shake the thought from her head when a question, faint and distant, pulsed into her attention.

Why?

Why couldn't he be right? Despite everything Tikaani had said at the Lavender Lounge, couldn't that just be rationalization for a mode of thinking 'on the wrong side of history?' Asami had spent her whole life amidst business, industry, achievement, reason, purpose, and self-esteem. Was she just taking it all for granted as being the proper path?

What if she really was the kind of villain that she had helped Korra fight so many times before? What if-

"President Raiko will see you now."

Asami snapped her attention towards the voice and the spiraling doubt slipped back to the depths from where it came, at least for the time being.

The man Asami saw behind the doors of the President's Office was a different man than the last time she had met with Raiko. He seemed thinner. His face looked like it had hollowed out and wrinkles spread around his eyes and cheekbones. Although it had been less than a year since she saw him in person, Asami would have said he aged at least five had she not known better.

"Have a seat, Miss Sato," said Raiko sharply, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. His tone was neutral and he didn't look happy to see her. Asami was not exactly surprised by his omission of pleasantries, and was in fact surprised he had even decided to meet with her at all, given how long he had been dodging her requests.

"Thank you for taking the time to see me, President Raiko. I know you're very busy." Asami did as she was instructed and settled into the leather seat.

"I am. So why did you want to see me?"

It was an excellent question. The sheer number of topics Asami wanted to cover was staggering, but she had to be tactical in her approach and pick the right battles. She took a deep breath and weighed her words carefully.

"I'm here about the park project."

The corners of Raiko's mouth crumpled and his eyebrows lowered tersely, as if he had already known what she was going to say and was less than bemused.

"I see. And what about it did you want to discuss?"

"We had just completed construction on almost all of the park's infrastructure, including Korra's statue, when I was told by your new city planner that the park was no longer going to be dedicated to her and was ordered to demolish the statue. I wasn't sure if you were aware or-"

"I am aware." Raiko's indifferent stare told Asami everything she needed to know.

"Oh. Well with all due respect, Mr. President, what is the value of going back on what was originally agreed upon in our contract? I can't think of a better object of dedication than the Avatar that saved the city from total destruction."

Raiko placed his elbows on his desk as he considered his response.

"I'm very... appreciative of everything Korra did for Republic City, but as it stands, the people are discontented. We've come a long way in repairing the damage that Unalaq caused, but there are still many people displaced and impoverished. If we took the opportunity to... celebrate the Avatar, especially since she's been out of service for so long, it could be seen as... inappropriate. Send the wrong message. You understand."

Asami couldn't be sure if his patronizing tone was intentional or if he was being typically not self-aware. However, she was no stranger to being patronized. Running a business as a woman in her early twenties had given her plenty of experience. She sat up straight and cleared her throat. It was obvious that her case would be a difficult one to make.

"Why is it the wrong message to celebrate the person who saved everyone from having nothing? Isn't there place for thanking the heroes of the world? What about the statues Avatar Aang and the other heroes from the Hundred Year War?"

"Unfortunate institutions already established. There's no need to add more. Constant reminders of what they're not and will never be is the exact message we're trying to avoid sending."

"Korra's statue was intended to be a symbol of what's possible."

"You don't actually believe that, do you?"

"I do. And even if someone doesn't think they're capable of great things, the people of Republic City aren't so petty and envious to resent a monument to the Avatar."

"That's a naive worldview, Miss Sato."

"No. It's just not a cynical one."

President Raiko didn't speak for several seconds. Although he seemed to be parroting the justification she had heard weeks prior, there wasn't the same conviction or contempt in the words. He almost looked sad.

"Regardless, the decision stands."

"Despite our contract."

"We'll amend the it."

"And if I refuse?"

"We're prepared to dissolve all our contracts with Future Industries on grounds of failing to adequately comply to city standards."

"And have someone worse do a shoddy job rebuilding the city's infrastructure?"

"A replacement would be able to do an adequate job."

Asami grit her teeth. She knew that if she took it to court, there was no way they would rule in her favor even though the city was in the wrong. The loss of business would be devastating in conjunction with the strangling taxes Future Industries was paying. She sighed and folded her arms.

"If there are any companies left after a year of the new regulations," she almost muttered.

Raiko perked up slightly and leaned toward Asami over his desk, narrowing his eyes. The wrinkles around their corners grew wildly.

"Now you want to advise on Republic City's monetary policy?"

It only took a half second's thought. Why not?

"Actually, maybe I do. Do you even have a single businessperson helping you write these laws?"

"No. Perhaps that's why they're so well-received by the public?"

"Will the 'public' be so enthusiastic when businesses start collapsing because you've made it impossible for them to operate? Just to start production on a single design, I need to go through weeks of review and revision by your city planning people, and who knows how much more time is going to be tacked on by the kid that was forcibly installed in my company to do a job I haven't even been fully briefed on. And then if I'm lucky to complete construction on anything and make some money, I have to give half of it to you. And I'm one of the lucky ones. Businesses not nearly as established will go bankrupt in weeks."

Asami felt the muscles in her face tighten until it was one throbbing knot of frustration. She knew she was taking liberties with the president of the Republic due to their history, but something had to be said. Raiko pressed his fingertips together

"I've been assured that any company unable or unwilling to survive in the modern age can be nationalized and saved."

"Assured by whom?"

Asami cringed at the fact that she already knew the answer.

"Yim."

She cringed harder.

"...A professor who doesn't know the first thing about business."

"He saw first-hand the destruction that zealous freedom causes." Raiko sighed and took off his glasses, placing them beside a framed photograph of his wife. He rubbed the bright red marks left behind on his nose. "The whole world did, Asami. The Red Lotus are still out there and every step away from security is a step towards the chaos that destroyed Ba Sing Se. The people want to be safe and it's my job to protect them."

Asami saw genuine concern in Raiko's face and sympathized with him to a certain degree. It couldn't be an easy job to fill, but there was no excuse for the measures that had been taken to increase 'security.'

"I understand that, President Raiko, but you can't honestly think that what I'm trying to do is in the same vein as what the Red Lotus wants."

Raiko's expression shifted from concern to piercing gravity.

"With the disdain you've shown for my administration, I'm starting to wonder..."

He couldn't be serious.

Asami's sympathy evaporated and in its place came the incredulous anger that was becoming far too common.

"Excuse me? The Red Lotus kidnapped, tortured, and almost killed my..." She hesitated for a brief moment. "...best friend! They're the ones that made her sick! No one hates them more than I do."

Raiko was unmoved. His gaze was indifferent and his posture stiff.

"Then you should know more than anyone the danger of unchecked individualism and unregulated liberty."

"Did Yim tell you that those things go hand-in-hand with the Red Lotus's sick philosophy?" Asami practically spat. The meeting wasn't going close to how she expected, but she was fed up with hearing the same madness from everyone to the point that she felt like she might actually be the crazy one.

"The recent poll numbers prove he knows what he's talking about."

"And that must be a huge relief with your reelection campaign ramping up."

Raiko's eyebrows fell and he reached for his glasses, placing them back on the bridge of his nose and pressing them into place with a single index finger.

"My stance remains unchanged. Is there anything else?"

Asami could think of hundreds of other things she wanted to address, but the sickening futility of it all held her tongue.

"No."

Raiko nodded slowly and gestured towards the door.

"I'll excuse your tone and attitude in respect for the assistance you've provided to me and the Republic in the past, but please do not waste my time again."

Asami rose from her seat slowly and shook her head.

"I won't."

"And I can trust you to comply with the City's request regarding the statue?"

Asami wanted to scream no, but she knew she couldn't give into her emotions. She gave him one last nod.

"Yes."

The next morning, Asami considered taking a sick day. It was the first time the thought had crossed her mind in years, but instead of sleeping, she had spent most of the night staring at the ceiling of her bedroom, kicking herself for the poor case she had made. The way she had lived her life seemed so obvious, so... rational... that she struggled to defend herself when the world decided that she was the unreasonable one.

She looked at the clock beside her bed,

Four in the morning.

Asami groaned and rubbed her eyes. It was an inhuman hour to start the day, but the more time that passed, the more she thought she was becoming inhuman. Even still, she found the thought of spending the day in a cocoon of blankets far more appealing than she ever would have the previous year.

Maybe she would take a personal day and let the world do its own spinning.

She rolled over to try to fall asleep again, but the moment she decided to sleep in was the moment she ceased being tired. She turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling. The silence of early morning, or late night for most normal, sane people, began to surround and envelop her with the weight of the ocean. It was remarkable how the absence of sound could be more overwhelming than the opposite. As the stillness of the room seemed to increase, so did the speed of Asami's thoughts. Finally, faintly, she could hear it from her living room.

Tick.

Tock.

That familiar, inexplicable swelling of fear in her stomach was all she needed to sprint to the shower. She'd take some other day off.

It was still dark when Asami arrived at Future Industries Tower. Walking completely alone through the enormous, glass-enclosed lobby made her feel like she owned the place. Well, she knew that she actually did own the place, but her solitude made her feel it. The pride she felt as she strode across the marble floors made her glad she had decided to come in that day. She arrived at the elevators with a loud clack that echoed through the empty lobby, pressing the brass-plated button that immediately opened the doors to the pulley-operated cab.

Another benefit of being the alone was the unobstructed elevator ride all the way to the top floor, saving her precious minutes. She closed her eyes and leaned against the padded wall as she was lifted towards the clouds, trying to mentally prepare for the day ahead.

Suddenly, the elevator lurched to a halt and the bell dinged to announce her arrival to the architecture floor, but she had pressed no such button. The doors slid open to reveal Bao waiting expectantly until his eyes met Asami's. She couldn't tell who was more surprised to see whom, but by the way Bao practically jumped out of his skin, it was clear he was not expecting to see anyone so early in the morning.

"G-good morning, Miss Sato!" He hesitated before joining her, the metal doors sliding closed behind him. Asami arched an eyebrow and observed him as he fumbled around the switch board to locate the appropriate floor to press.

"What are you doing here, Bao?"

"I wanted to start my first day bright and early!" The clean chipperness in his voice had returned to normal.

"And why were you on the architecture floor?"

"Still learning the layout of the building, ma'am. Pressed the wrong button."

Asami eyed him suspiciously.

"How did you even get in?"

"HR gave me a key. It's in the terms of my contract." He gave her a dopey smile she didn't return.

"Oh yeah." Asami pursed her lips and considered the implications of a government plant having full access to the building.

"And so is the right to make inspections wherever and whenever I see fit, according to the needs of the public," he added, making a deliberate effort to sound as friendly as possible.

"Ah. Of course. Thanks for the reminder."

Bing bing!

The elevator finally stopped on the floor Bao was supposed to be on, but when the doors opened, he placed an arm through the doorway and stalled.

"And speaking of that, I found it alarming that there's no economical model of Satomobile."

Asami blinked.

"'Economical' is a code word for cheap, and our standards don't fall that low. We have our basic model that's very reasonably priced."

Bao nodded quickly and repeatedly with an expression that looked almost too appreciative.

"True, true, true. But what about very low-income families in need of a car but cannot afford the basic model?"

Asami rubbed her forehead and stared at the red carpeting of the elevator cab. It was far too early to be dealing with someone like Bao.

"They can buy a Cabbage Car." She reached out to gently grab his arm and move it away from obstructing the doors. "If you think it's so 'alarming,' bother me about it later. I have something important I need to take care of."

Bao blushed in clear embarrassment of being adjusted like a marionette and just nodded violently. "Of course, of course. Have a good day Miss Sato."

After the automatic doors finally came to a close, Asami groaned.

Her life wasn't going to get easier any time soon, was it?

Her office was dimly lit with the first few rays of daybreak when she arrived. The lamp on her desk was the only light she turned on. It was all she would need for the crucial task ahead. She quickly found a sheet of her Future Industries stationary and examined it for folds and wrinkles. Once she was assured of its pristine condition, she glanced at her title printed at the top.

Asami Sato - President

She felt the sudden urge to scribble in 'for now' beside it, but decided against it. That was probably not something she should joke about.

The pen she had grabbed felt heavy in her hand, like there was some force beyond her own reluctance telling her not to write. Maybe it was basic logic. Most people would take the hint after two years without a response.

Not Asami, though.

Dear Korra,

I failed.

I wanted to surprise you with something special when you came back. Something that shows how much I admire you. How much you mean to me.

But it doesn't matter anymore, because I couldn't stop the world from falling in on me. It feels like it happened overnight, everyone turning against everything I stand for. Turning against me. It all happened so fast or I'm just that oblivious that I somehow missed it. Either way, it's a far cry from the world I thought we would share together.

And now I'm starting to doubt everything, which I've never doubted all these years. Everyone is talking about the "wheels of progress," which I guess is supposed to sound like a good thing, but to me it sounds like doom spinning toward me. Chasing me. One day I feel like I'm ahead of it, but the next it's rolling over me. I guess now I know how a raccoon rabbit on the side of the road feels.

I don't want to give up, but the horizon is looking a lot darker, Korra. It's like I can almost see the circuits of my life blowing.

I'm trying, though. I'm trying really hard to not let you down. I keep telling myself if I can't stop the wheel, at least I can get back on and not let it crush me.

I know it's something I have to do alone, but I still wish you were here. Please come back soon.

I'm sorry I don't have happier news.

Asami

She didn't even bother rereading the letter before smashing it between her fingers and flinging it into the trash can. Korra didn't need to hear about all that. She probably had enough to worry about as she recovered without Asami dumping more emotional baggage on her plate.

Why had she even written it?

Asami couldn't answer the question. She buried her face into her folded hands.

"I should start a diary," she mumbled bitterly, her voice muffled.

Through parted fingers she eyed the circular bin that held the defiled remains of her mope-spewing and immediately realized that it could not stay there.

Bao

Although Asami generally remembered to lock her office when she left for the day, she couldn't take the chance. Of course her judgment of him changed in such a short time. She knew she shouldn't have given him the benefit of the doubt.

Asami reached down to snatch the crumpled paper and strode over to the fireplace embedded in the adjacent wall. She had it installed for additional heat in the winters and for the deep, almost primal satisfaction of watching the flames dance and crackle. She sometimes wondered, had she been born with the gift of bending, if she would she have been a firebender.

Asami threw some logs onto the brick and made quick work of getting the fire lit. She stared intently as it rose to consume the dried wood, until she could feel the heat on her skin. She clenched her fist around the paper before tossing it into the blaze.

Not even her own office was a bastion anymore. She never would have guessed that she'd have be so careful in the place she used to feel the most private. It certainly was a far cry from the world she thought she'd inherit.

With flame-cast shadows flickering across her face, she watched the letter burn.