"Tenzin, come on! Can't you hurry up? I'm going to be late!"

The buzzing of the traffic in the busy police station rang in her ears as she wheedled out her plea - officers clanking noisily across the floor, all stern business and clattering metal; a press of civilians milling through, mothers hushing bawling children, people arguing with harassed-looking officers; and still more people being led through to go to booking, some sullen and silent, some loud and angry and possibly intoxicated despite the early hour.

Frustration, cold and heavy, had lodged itself in her chest as she waited for Tenzin to finish speaking to...whoever it was he was talking to.

"Korra, be patient," Tenzin admonished, shooting her a frown. "You're the one who wanted to come with me to help explain the rally."

She threw her hands up and turned so that her back was to against the counter, the blunt edge digging into her spine. She crossed her arms and scowling. "If I realized you'd be taking forever, I would have just written up what I saw."

"I gave you that option."

Korra sighed, tilting her head back to look at the clock. Practice starts in ten minutes. If she hurried, she could probably walk there in twenty. She probably should have come on Naga instead of flying with Tenzin on Oogi, but she didn't realize this nonsense would take so long. Mako will be furious if she's late, but that's nothing to compared to the gasket he'll blow if she doesn't show up at all.

She clenched and unclenched her fists, nails biting her palms. She'd wanted to stay home today, focus on her Airbending, bury herself in practice forms until what had happened at Amon's rally was pushed from her mind, but she tricked herself into thinking that going out and being around other people would be an adequate distraction.

Stupid.

And now she'd already agreed to show up to practice. She just wanted to get it over with and go home.

"I can't wait around her any longer," she growled, pushing herself away from the counter. "You've got my statement, you don't need me here any more, so I'm going to-"

"Korra, no," Tenzin said firmly, "it's not-"

"I can handle myself, Tenzin," she cut in, shooting him a frown over her shoulder. "No one is going to attack the Avatar in the middle of a city in broad daylight. I'll be back at the Air Temple in a couple of hours, okay?"

She ducked out of headquarters without waiting for a word of confirmation or permission from him. A blustery breeze swept down the street, scattering fallen leaves from a nearby park down the sidewalk. Normally, traveling the city at ground level, she'd be excited to take everything in, marveling at the buildings that stretched to the sky and the Satomobiles that flew down the streets, but today, she just felt tired and anxious. Two days of awful sleep pockmarked with nightmares were taking a noted toll on her. She kept glancing around at the people that crushed around her, jittery in a way she didn't want to think too hard about. The sooner she got to the arena, the better.

Lost in her thoughts, she realized abruptly that she had gone a block to far. She stumbled to a halt, prompting an agitated pedestrian to crash into her back, snarling a rude string of admonitions at her.

"Sorry, sorry!" she exclaimed, startled, backing away and holding her hands up in a placating gesture. "I didn't see you!"

"You need to watch where you're going!" he snapped, adjusting his hat with his free hand while he adjusted a package tucked into the crook of his other arm.

"I know, I'm sorry!" she said again. Trying to get away as fast as possible, she made to cross the street, not noticing or caring that she wasn't at a crosswalk and hadn't checked for traffic until she found herself reminded in the clearest way imaginable:

WHAM.

Korra tumbled in an ungraceful somersault, landing in an undignified heap on the hard road, only vaguely aware of the shocked gasps and cries of other pedestrians on the sidewalk. Scrambling upright, she spun to face whoever had hit her, heart racing in a panic and her right fist full of fire. "Who do you think you're-"

She froze, eyes wide. A girl about her age was powering down her moped and resting it against its kickstand. She dismounted gracefully, eyes wide behind her goggles. Korra felt her jaw go slightly slack, the flame licking at her fingers abruptly going out.

"I'm so sorry!" the girl said, wrenching off her helmet as she drew level with Korra. "I didn't see you at all! Are you hurt?"

Korra swallowed hard, taking her in. She was gorgeous. "I - uh, I mean, no, I'm..." she cleared her throat, awkwardly brushing some of the dust from her shoulders. "I'm fine, see?" She spread her arms for the other girl to see, smiling. "Just a couple of scrapes, you know - nothing my Waterbending can't clear up."

She still looked distressed. "I can't believe I did that, shoot, I'm such an idiot, are you..." she paused, blinking, eyes going wide again. "Oh...oh wow. I recognize you! You're...you're the Avatar, aren't you?!"

"One and only!" Korra said with a voice full of bravado. She rested one hand casually on her hip, ignoring the fact that her head was throbbing.

The girl dropped her face in one hand, a blush stealing across her cheeks. "Oh, I'm so embarrassed..." she said, peering back up at Korra. She held out her hand. "My name's Asami."

She grasped her arm in the Water Tribe fashion. "I'm Korra."

"I know," Asami said, grinning. "I've read all about you in the papers."

She coughed hard. "R-right. That would make sense. Seeing as how you, you know, recognized me and all."

She laughed, which made Korra smile wider. "You're sure you're not hurt?"

This time it was Korra's turn to laugh, a derisive snort punctuated with a cocky grin. "It's going to take more than that to hurt me, trust me."

Asami bowed her head in a quick nod. "Can't say I'm surprised. Still, I want to do something to make this up to you. Can I treat you to dinner? Quong's Cuisine, tomorrow night at eight?"

"Uh...I..." Korra wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but that definitely wasn't it. Not that she was complaining, of course. "Sure?"

"Great, it's a date!" she said brightly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Right, of course!" Korra said blankly, waving. "See you...tomorrow..."

Asami shot her one last smile as she climbed back on her moped. It roared back to life, and with one more wave over her shoulder, she tore off down the street. Korra watched as she left, grinning dizzily and rubbing a fist-sized spot on her upper arm where a bruise was definitely going to form, thoughts of how mad Mako was going to be when she finally dragged herself into the area far from her mind.