Chapter Text
“Until we reach the last edge, the last opening, the last star, and can go no higher.”
Asami Sato reached up and brushed her fingers - almost lovingly - against the metal of the plane’s underbelly. She was never really one to form a sentimental bond with a machine but this plane in particular, The Wildflower, had been her trusted and unfailing personal vehicle for over a year. She never had any reason to mistrust it, and today was looking no different.
She chuckled to herself at the name, which she never really got over. It sounded like a child’s idea, which it was. She had let Ikki name it at the time, an idea that she regretted the very next day.
“But you won’t let me down, will you, Wildflower?” She whispered. The Wildflower was one of the first of the Future Industries Eagles, planes that were designed with a single set of wings as opposed to the biplanes invented by her father. They were much faster, sleeker, and aerodynamic than the old models, and Asami was proud of how her and her team’s work had turned out. She gave the aluminum a soft tap. “We were made for this. I know we were.”
Apparently she hadn’t been talking low enough because the Avatar’s voice rang out behind her.
“Talking to your plane again?” Asami whirled around to see Korra approaching on the walkway, the hot Fire Nation sun shining on her signature lopsided grin.
Asami made a face at her girlfriend. “Don’t give me that, you talk to Naga all the time!”
Korra went up to her and slipped an arm around her waist, which she readily leaned into. “The difference,” she said as she gave Asami a quick kiss, “is that Naga is an actual living thing.”
Maybe she was one to get attached. “And The Wildflower has always gotten me to where I needed to go. Just like Naga.”
Korra smiled and rolled her eyes in faux-resignation. “Fair point. Are you ready for today?”
Asami took a deep breath and glanced at the plane above her again. “The map has been charted and everything has been accounted for. Twice. I’ve given control of Future Industries to the board of directors. If I’m not ready then I’ve done something seriously wrong.”
She felt Korra’s hand move to her shoulder. “Asami, look at me.” Korra’s voice had suddenly turned into concern. It made Asami’s gaze snap downwards in surprise. “You are the first person to ever do this. Please don’t think you have anything to prove to anyone. If there’s anything missing, any part you need-”
“Hey, who said I was trying to prove something?” She put a gloved hand on Korra’s cheek. “I am ready. And I’ll be fine. Trust me, love.”
Korra closed her eyes, then nodded. She took Asami’s hand in her own. “I do trust you.”
Asami embraced her tightly, reflecting on the fact that even though they’d been together for three cherished years, moments like these came few and far in between. They shared a delicate moment of silence, letting the surrounding waves beneath their concrete platform carry all their unspoken words. Before too long, Korra spoke again.
“It’s time to go, then. We shouldn’t keep Izumi waiting.”
Asami smirked, knowing how intimidating and punctual the woman could be. She did not envy Mako for having to endure her piercing gaze every time he came here to visit the princess.
“No, we shouldn’t.” She took her girlfriend’s hand again and together they walked back in the direction of the Royal Palace.
After a few hours and way too many pictures taken by the press (representatives from every nation and city and village in between had seemingly shown up) Asami found herself right where she was earlier that day, next to The Wildflower.
The Fire Lord’s voice cried out imperiously, echoing across the water and to the massive crowd that stood before the runway. “It is with great pride and honor that I, on behalf of the Fire Nation, send Miss Asami Sato out on her great journey. From here she will travel - alone, mind you - on her esteemed Wildflower, to the United Republic then across the vast continent of the Earth Kingdom. But her travels will not end there. With luck, skill, and her determination, her aeronautic journey will take her across the Summer Ocean few have traveled and thus all the way across the globe to back here in our Capital City - a feat no one has accomplished before!”
The Fire Lord turned to address Asami directly, who was standing with her on their makeshift dias next to her plane. “Miss Sato, may the spirits grant you safe travel and abundant winds, and may your expedition usher in a new generation of pilots and engineers. Future Industries, as has been for many years, is in the right hands.”
Asami bowed deeply to Izumi, then turned to wave enthusiastically to the crowd as they roared their approval. For a brief moment she imagined her mother and father in the crowd, their love worth more than all these strangers’ cheering. She wondered what they would say to her, how proud they would be of their daughter.
A lone tear ran down her cheek. While she had long come to terms with it over the past three years, the fact that they would never see her accomplishments and the woman she had become still hurt her to the bone.
A hand on her arm brought her back to the present. She looked to see Korra looking at her with concern, her expression saying that she understood. She mouthed, “are you okay?”
Asami nodded, her smile holding. Now was not the time for tears. She glanced past Korra, to Mako, Bolin, Naga, and Pabu who were also on dias, along with Tenzin and his family. They were all looking at her with pride. Her family was right here.
She let that love sink in for a few seconds before meeting Korra’s eyes again. “It’s time,” she murmured just loud enough for the Avatar to hear her.
Her girlfriend nodded and after giving every one of her friends one last hug (Ikki almost attached herself to her hip), they climbed down from the dias together. They walked over the plane while Asami continued waving to the crowd. A little of Varrick’s showmanship had gotten to her over the years, she thought ruefully.
“Ready?” Korra asked when they reached The Wildflower. She looked like she wanted nothing more than to climb in the cockpit and come along with her. “Now I know how you felt when I left for the Southern Water Tribe.”
Asami hugged her tightly without any hesitation. “Ready to fly? Always. Ready to leave you? That’s much harder.” Then she pulled back and kissed Korra to the crowd’s raucous approval.
When they finally separated, Asami was startled to see the Avatar on the verge of crying. “Come back to me,” Korra whispered.
She smiled and put her forehead to Korra’s for a moment, feeling her warmth and affection. “I’m not going to war, love. I’ll be right back here in four weeks.”
“If all goes well. Be safe, please.”
Asami finally separated herself - with no small amount of anguish - and nodded. With an expert wring of her arms, Korra bent a soft air current strong enough to lift Asami off the ground and right into the pilot’s seat. It was as if a giant had picked Asami up and put her right where she needed.
Now Korra’s face was fully covered in tears. “I’ll see you in the papers,” she choked out.
Asami almost jumped out right then and there. “I love you, Korra.” She smiled at her and blew her one last kiss. Then, with a deep breath, she turned forward and lowered the canopy over the cockpit. Her journey was finally beginning.
She put on her leather flying cap and fastened her seatbelt. Her heart was pounding, though she didn’t really didn’t know why. Maybe it was the nerves, or the separation from Korra, even though they’d been apart for longer periods of time. Ignoring those feelings, she caressed the familiar instrument panel in front of her, ensuring everything was good to go. The fuel gauges, oil pressure, and the spectrum of other dials that provided her information looked to be in order.
“Alright, girl,” she breathed. “Let’s give them a show.”
Asami looked at the crowd and dias in front of it once more. Korra had made her way back to it. She waved to all of them again before reaching for the throttle, her hand gripping it firmly. The monoplane's engine sputtered to life in the way she had heard a hundred times before, the rhythmic hum resonating throughout the aircraft and to the platform outside.
She taxied The Wildflower to the beginning of the runway the earthbenders had constructed, feeling the vibrations of the engine coursing through her tense body. With a gentle push of the throttle, the plane began its journey down the runway. The engine's power intensified, sending the aircraft forward and its wheels rolling faster and faster. Asami's grip on the control stick tightened as she guided the plane down the path.
“Let’s dance,” she said, this time with more confidence. She dared not look below yet as The Wildflower’s tail lifted off the ground. The aircraft gained speed, its wings generating lift. Then, with a surge of exhilaration, Asami pulled back on the control stick and her trusted plane broke free from the Earth's grasp.
She distantly heard the crowd erupt into cheers and shouts of joy, Korra and the others no doubt the loudest among them. Asami's heart swelled with pride and she let out a whoop, the rush of adrenaline mingling with the satisfaction of a perfect takeoff. The Wildflower climbed higher and higher, carrying Asami towards the vast expanse of the sky.
“Home free,” she laughed. Not since her first flight had she felt this giddy.
The monoplane gracefully ascended above the Capital City, carving a path through the sky. Her heart finally settling down, Asami gazed down at the adoring crowd as it got smaller and smaller, their expressions of wonder still emanating from below. For a brief moment, she could still make out Korra, a small speck of blue amongst the innumerable reds, oranges, and yellows. Then they were swallowed up by the earth and sky and she set her path east, onto her destiny.
Four Weeks Later
Blue, blue, and more blue was all Asami could see as she flew over the seemingly unending Summer Ocean that separated the Earth Kingdom from the Fire Nation.
She had been flying for close to fourteen hours now, and her body was wracked with exhaustion. This was the final stretch, she told herself, the final stretch before she made history and could see Korra’s face again. And what a stretch it was. The Summer Ocean was so vast that it was impossible for airships to make the journey without refueling at least once, and with the lack of any civilization or outposts here, it was almost entirely impractical. Most ships avoided it due to storms, monsters, and reported spiritual activity. There was a reason the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom much preferred to trade in the other direction.
Asami remained undaunted. Although it had taken some logistical effort, President Zhu Li and Korra had arranged for the United Navy to create three makeshift runways at various points for refueling and rest. The first she had found well enough, though the ships had needed to throw up smoke columns for her to find it. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of atolls, isles, and islands scattered across the Summer Ocean, and even with the presence of the United Forces the runways could easily get lost in the maze.
She adjusted her goggles - she donned them on a while ago to help with the glare of the sun - and ignored the discomfort they made by digging into her face. “I should be seeing it by now…there’s no way it’s not here.” The second outpost, Minakoru Island, was up ahead. Or so it was supposed to be. “Spirits, I sure could use some seaweed noodles about now.”
The first three weeks of the journey had gone as smoothly as possible. Fire Fountain City, Shu Jing, and Republic City had welcomed her with applause and open arms. At both Harbor Village and Gaipan she had opted for two days of rest and maintenance on The Wildflower. When she landed in the fields outside Ba Sing Se’s walls, it seemed like half the city had come out to get a glimpse of the aviatrix. She was even accompanied by flying spirits in the air sometimes. But at Gaono, the coastal village that was her last stop on the Earth Kingdom, monsoon season struck. She had been forced to take shelter for four days while the rains pounded so hard some of the paint came off The Wildflower before she could move it indoors.
That was fine, Asami told herself. Delays were normal and expected. Now, with clear blue skies and a straight path ahead of her, she figured she would reach the Caldera in less than three days.
Or, that was what she thought two hours ago, when she was supposed to have rendezvoused at Minakoru. In her uncertainty, she had turned her plane around the other way, sure she had flown right over it. Another hour passed, then another. Asami recited poetry, sang every song she knew, and talked to herself as she wheeled overhead. Minakoru Island remained unseen.
“I know I passed it. I know it.” She was flying in circles now, looking at her navigational instruments every thirty seconds to find an island that seemed to be invisible.
She flipped on the radio for what seemed like the thousandth time. She’d been in constant communication with the outpost for at least three hours and her voice was starting to sound raw and hoarse. “United Forces, this is Wildflower. I am on radio frequency three-one-oh-five. Requesting once more for navigational assistance. Is anyone receiving me? I am running low on gas. Over.”
The radio warbled for a moment before a voice, clear as could be over the radio, responded. “Wildflower, this is Beacon,” the radio operator at Minakoru said.” We hear you, but your signal is weak. Please restate your current position. Over.”
Asami frowned. The last time she talked to Beacon her signal had been steady, if not strong. She glanced at her compass. Perhaps that would work where her directional finders failed. “Beacon, I am on compass line one-five-seven-three-three-seven. I am running on line North South. I should be right above you. Over.”
The radio chirred again. “We see no sign of you, Wildflower.” A pause, then the operator continued. “We are on that line. Please refer to your compass again, over.”
That wasn’t possible. Asami was sure she had given the correct specifications. She looked at the compass again and repeated her bearings. With quiet alarm she noted that her gas was running dangerously low. She would have to find the Minakoru fast or force an emergency landing. Beacon responded, but this time the voice was garbled, essentially incoherent.
Asami would never consider herself an ace pilot, or anything close to that. She had met pilots in both Future Industries and the United Forces who were far more talented and disciplined than her. But she had flown for years and knew more than enough to know that this simply wasn’t possible.
She was breathing hard now. “Beacon, this is Wildflower. I am experiencing navigation failure and I'm-” She hesitated but she needed to say it. It was the truth, her reputation be damned. “I am currently lost. Again, I read that I am currently circling over compass line one-five-seven-three-three-seven on North South, but it appears my actual position is uncertain at the moment. I urgently need your guidance. Over.”
This time she could make out words, although the static warred with them. “Wildflower…understand your predicam…radio…limited…not pinpoint your location.” She strained to hear the operator’s jumbled words over the roar of the plane. “Can…safe landing?”
Then Asami felt a bizarre sensation, a shimmering. It was as if she had jumped into a pool without getting wet. It felt weirdly and vaguely familiar. “What the hell?” She muttered. “Must be the exhaustion…”
She shrugged it off and tapped the radio again. “Negative, Beacon. I see no suitable islands for landing. With no discernible reference points and no accurate location I still cannot find Minakoru, or any nearby outposts. Please repeat your coordinates. Have you spotted me? Over.”
No one replied. Asami tapped the radio again and repeated her response. A brief trill of static aired, then nothing.
“Fuck!” Asami shouted, her temper and frustration coming to a head. This was not supposed to happen, she was supposed to see Korra by now, and there was no way she could have possibly missed Minakoru.
She remembered her girlfriend, how she soldiered through her own hardships. “Okay, Asami, deep breaths.” She looked at her fuel gauge. There was no other choice but to land the plane wherever she could now.
Fighting the fatigue - and fear - that was now gripping her in a steel vice, she squinted and straightened the plane out, searching for an island large enough to sustain an emergency landing. For a few minutes it was just endless blue with the occasional white dot.
Then, as if the spirits had finally heard her, one appeared on the horizon. A couple dozen miles ahead was a surprisingly large island, perhaps several times the size of Air Temple Island. It was as if carved out of a storybook; a few small peaks dotted the island with lush green forest spread over much of it and all around it were expansive beaches of white sand - her best bet for a landing. Its size was almost absurd in how it dwarfed the other isles she had seen.
“I have no other choice.” She once again flipped on the radio, hoping and praying that someone could hear her on the other side. “Beacon - or anyone in the vicinity - this is Asami Sato of The Wildflower. I am landing my aircraft on a large island with a beach suitable for landing. I believe I am approximately twenty-three hundred miles east from the outpost on Fe Miha Island, near Minakoru but not on it. My navigation systems and compass are unreliable and my direction finder is not receiving any signals. Requesting search and rescue. Over.”
No response came. Asami refused to believe no one had heard her message. No. Korra had heard it, or Tenzin. They were on their way to her right now. Her job now was to safely land the plane.
Asami tore off her goggles and tilted the control stick downwards, carefully maneuvering the plane towards the sandy expanse. The sound of the engine grew weaker. “C’mon, girl, just a little more…”
The small plane descended towards the sandy beach, its wings tilting slightly as they lost altitude. Asami gripped the control yoke more firmly now, her eyes locked on the shrinking distance between the aircraft and the ground. “Fuck, let’s hope this isn’t rough.”
The gap closed. She engaged the landing mechanisms and wheels rolled out just before they hit the sand, kicking up a cloud of dust as the plane suddenly met resistance. Asami braced herself and jolted in her seat as The Wildflower pushed forward.
To her tiny satisfaction, the small plane rolled along the beach, its momentum gradually fading without any significant trouble. As it finally came to a stop, Asami took a deep breath and switched off the engine and the propeller, relieved to have made the landing in one piece. Then fatigue won out and she closed her eyes, the last of her thoughts turning on her failure to come home.