Chapter Text
“Sevika.”
“Lin.”
The bartender had begun preparing Lin’s drink when she walked in and he set it down for her as she settled into her seat next to Sevika.
“Been a few years,” Lin said, taking a drink.
Sevika chuckled. “I had some things to straighten out at home before I could think about all this again.”
Lin laughed with her. “We had a few things of our own here.”
Sevika looked at the foliage that was growing even inside of the bar. “I noticed.”
“Disappointed we won’t see you in the ring anymore.”
That got an actual laugh out of the stoic woman. “Yeah well,” she lifted her drink with her left hand, letting Lin get a look at the clearly no longer human limb. “I’m not qualified anymore. Too old for that shit anyway.”
Lin huffed. “You don’t have to tell me. Sure this is how you want to start your first protégé?”
“What do you mean?”
“Against the Avatar?” Lin shrugged. “Starting at the top?”
“Top?” Sevika grinned into her drink. “That girl is anything but.”
Lin punched her shoulder. “Don’t be disgusting.”
Sevika lifted her arm, letting the cloak slide off it to show Lin that the artificial limb went to her shoulder. “Vi’s sister did this to me originally, when she was a child, then Vi ripped it off again a few years later. Worry about your own girl.”
Lin shook her head with a smile. “Oh I haven’t been worried about Korra for years now. Your ‘unstoppable force’ is about to encounter an immovable object.”
Sevika held up her glass. “We’ll see.”
Lin clinked the drinks together. “Good to have you back.”
*****
“Asami Sato?”
Asami turned to the unfamiliar voice and found a tall woman with long blue hair and an eye patch walking up. It wasn’t hard to surmise who she was.
“Caitlyn Kiramman,” Asami extended her hand. “Welcome to Republic City.”
Caitlyn shook her hand with a firm grip. “Thank you. We’re excited to be here, heard a lot about the place from Sevika.”
“That’s right! Violet’s coach. She still holds a few records here.” Asami looked around. “Is Violet here?”
“She tends to leave this part to me,” Caitlyn said with an apologetic shrug. “She’s not a fan of administrative tasks.”
Asami laughed. “Oh believe me, I’m familiar with the type.”
With the ice broken over their mutual bond they wasted no time in getting down to details. These international matches were outside of any established sporting organizations and sponsored by Future Industries so Asami had the authority to make any necessary adjustments for her guests.
“How does that work?” Caitlyn asked at one point. “I can’t imagine there are many people willing to face off against your Avatar.”
“No,” Asami replied. “Not many. But enough!” She shrugged. “Korra loves these fights, so I make sure they happen. You know what I mean?”
Caitlyn nodded. “That’s why I’m here too.”
“Yeah,” Asami looked her over. “This doesn’t seem like your usual scene.”
“I could say the same about you.”
Asami sniffed playfully. “I’ll have you know that I won the Republic City Grand Prix last year.”
“And I won the Piltover Marksman Award for the last five years running.”
Asami grinned, feeling the competition crackling between them. “I guess we’ll see who takes the title in the ring then.”
Caitlyn returned the smile with quiet intensity. “That we will.”
*****
“Violet Kiramman?”
Vi was surprised to hear her full name until she saw who said it. Even if she hadn’t seen the pictures of the Avatar she’d recognize this woman anywhere. She had an aura of confidence that simply wasn’t replicable. That didn’t mean Vi felt charitable though. She was on her way to meet Sevika and Caitlyn for their customary night-before-the-match drink and she didn’t fancy being deviated from that.
“Who’s asking?” she responded.
“Me,” Korra responded, giving Vi a look like she was stupid. “You hear anyone else say ‘Violet Kiramman?’”
“Yeah, genius, I meant who are you?”
“Oh!” Korra laughed and scratched her head. “Sorry, I’m not used to people not recognizing me. There’s kind of like…statues. All around the city.”
Vi gave her a blank stare.
“Oooookay,” Korra stuck out her hand. “I’m Korra.” When no recognition showed, she continued, growing uncertain. “The Avatar? Your opponent for tomorrow?”
“Oh!” Vi smiled. “Yeah! Sorry, I’ve just put you in the ground so many times during practice that it’s weird to see you standing up.”
Korra laughed. She couldn’t help it. “Really? You? What are you? 4 foot 2?”
Vi glared at her. “We’re the same height.” *
“Hah! Yeah sure shortie, we’ll see if you’re still saying that when you can’t reach me in the ring.”
“Shortie?” Vi shook her head in disbelief. “I’m gonna make you eat those words.”
“It was one word, genius,” Korra said with a shiteating grin. “Didn’t they teach you how to count in…where did you come from again? Piltover? Stupid name for a city.”
“Zaun, not Piltover,” Vi physically spat the name out. “I was talking about your whole sentence, obviously. What? No grammar lessons in Republic City?”
Korra squinted at her. “Why’d you say it like that?”
Vi shrugged. “Like what?”
“City.” Korra did an exaggerated and barely approaching accurate impression of Vi. “Like that!”
Vi shrugged again. “Probably because it’s a stupid name for a city. You really couldn’t think of anything better than the word city?”
“Hey I didn’t name it!”
“Good point, that’s probably why it’s not called ‘buildings on top of dirt’.”
Korra was fuming. “I know you’re trying to insult me but you’re doing a terrible job because I don’t know what you mean!”
She didn’t stop to think before speaking. Vi could use that.
“I was calling you a literal idiot,” Vi said.
Korra opened her mouth for the customary immediate response, then rerouted mid start. “Tha–wait…are you saying I’m literally an idiot or that I’m an idiot who is literal?”
Vi almost laughed. “I was saying that you were an idiot who is literal, however you did prove me wrong by asking that question so good job!”
“Thanks!” The gears churned for a few seconds. “Hey! Y’know,” she huffed, putting her hands on her hips. The muscles on display with her sleeveless top were impressive. “Republic City is a perfectly normal name for a city, there’s no need to be rude.”
Vi did laugh this time and walked past the woman. “Sure, Avatar. Whatever you need to feel better about your stupid city’s name.”
Korra spun and pointed at Vi’s receding back. “You’re stupid!”
Vi held up a middle finger and yelled, “Fuck you!” without looking back.
Korra gasped. “Watch your language!”
“Get fucked!”
They both left angry. Exactly what they wanted.
*Based on the official Arcane tweet about character heights, Vi is one inch shorter than Korra.