Masking fear was a survival essential where she was from. So much that she didn't feel it often as others apparently do. She processes it differently, routes it through her actions instead of letting the more primitive brain do the choice-making. Sometimes that wasn't the best way to go about it, sometimes she had to pretend like she wasn't scared at all. But she was petrified and the walls to her mask were slowly crumbling away as they near the town. Even though she had grown up ignoring this feeling, it can still damage her. It can cause her harm in the exact same way as it does to others. The difference is, it shuts them down, but it makes her more alert, more adept. Stronger.
Her blue eyes landed onto the back of the hooded woman in front of her. Asami. Korra knew this was probably a bad idea, roaming through the streets when there could possibly be an assassin waiting for her by the market. Just waiting until Miss Sato takes those final steps closer to home just so they could sweep her away, she'd be gone forever if Korra couldn't keep up. And there was a chance that she might not be able to. The only way the assassin could watch Asami and Jinora were from the rooftops. The rooftops and daylight weren't a good mix at all. She would stick out like a sore thumb if she was jumping around up there, but she had to try. She had to try for Asami's sake.
Korra let out a slow controlled breath and attempted to loosen her body movements. She was walking like a clockwork soldier and that was no way to be in this situation. She gave her shoulders a wiggle and lolled her head in a circle, letting her stride slacken to a more causal pace. It was a decent effort, enough to fool Jinora at least. But to Asami, she was a walking advert for tension. Her blue eyes were moving with alertness and her hand remained clenched against her sheath by subconscious demand.
Asami sighed and slowed her pace so she could walk by Korra's side. The Sato's hands slithered into Korra's and she gave it a gentle squeeze. It relaxed the assassin but not enough to make her hand leave her sheath.
"I'll be watching from above, just to make sure you get there safetly." Korra muttered as she turned to the hooded girl beside her.
"Won't you be seen?" Asami asked, keeping her eyes forward. The town was almost in view.
"No." There was a high chance.
Jinora soon stopped her walking and turned to the two women behind her. The entrance to the town was a small archway in the large cobble wall, not many guards; they were mostly somewhere deeper inside the town.
"We are here." Jinora said as she gestured to the archway that was a few feet infront of them. However, something that had caught her eye made her lips twitch into a smirk.
Korra realised what the woman was looking at and quickly disconnected her hand from Asami. She moved towards the wall of the town and pressed her back to it, carefully taking a peak around. She needed to plan a route before the women progressed any further. Her blue eyes roamed around the few houses that were near by, an easy climb onto their tiles and then she was in a good position. But, of course... A guard. A guard that stood right where she needed to be.
"What is it Korra?" Asami asked, noticing the frown that dawned over her face.
Korra pointed to the guard standing by the ledge that she needed to get to.
"He's in the way."
"What do you mean he's in the way?" Jinora asked.
"You're not coming are you?"
"I'm keeping a look out from the roofs, I feel like Kai is around here somewhere." Korra explained, cracking her knuckles in the process. Looks like she had to deal with this guard the hard way.
Jinora pulled the assassin back before she took another step.
"There's no need for that. I'll distract him." She said and made her way over to the guard. She couldn't hear what she was conversing about, maybe something about a lost pet? Whatever it was, Jinora managed to move the guard away from the area Korra needed to be.
Nice work Jinora. Korra pulled her hood up but before she could pull her cloth covering over her face, Asami stopped her.
"Korra wait."
Korra rose a brow.
"What is i-" Her words were cut off as Asami swept her arms around Korra's neck, pulling her in close so their lips touched. Korra eagerly responded as her hand finally left her sheath so she could place them gently onto Asami's waist. Just like that, all of her worries, her fear, her anger. It washed away in an instant. Having Asami so close was addicting, she craved her scent even more. Her lips were soft, yet immersive, gentle yet powerful all the same.
Asami pulled back, her arms remained around her assassin's neck.
"Be careful." She whispered, her green eyes not leaving the blue ones infront of her.
Korra gave her a small smile.
"I will be."
<->
She had been jumping from roof to roof with ease, apart from accidentally knocking off a tile or two whilst she was at it but she was fine and well. Her blue eyes still concentrated on the two women walking through the streets, they were still quite far away from the Manor but nearer than they were a few moments ago.
Korra wanted to shout down at them, tell them to walk at a quicker pace than they already were but, she obviously couldn't do that. Not unless she wanted a pellet hole in her shoulder again. The amount of guards were increasing the further they moved into the town and staying out of their view was starting to become a little difficult. She managed though, however it consisted of Asami leaving her sight for a few moments as she balanced across people's windowsills.
She had grown up doing this, she had been trained to do this. It was like child's play to her, so why was she so nervous? Korra sighed, her hand checking to see if her sheath was still fitted tightly around her waist. It was, thank god. The two women were nearing the market place and it was very, very busy. The day was quite warm so people were enjoying the sun perchance. Maybe this was a good thing, using the villagers as cover could make the two women even more safe. Korra jumped over and perched herself a few houses infront of the women, her feet light and quiet. She could get a better view from here.
Her blue eyes scurried around the market place, looking for anything that could be a harm to Asami. People whizzing through around the streets, the loud noise of chatter. It seemed pretty normal.
Korra's breath hitched as she saw a man push through the crowds, a smaller person trailed behind him. He was psuhing through with no intention to stop. He's in a hurry.
Korra furrowed her brows as she watched the two men barge through the villagers. Wait a minute... was that Desna? Realisation dawned on her, the two men were heading straight for Asami's position. The assassin got to her feet and begun her descent down the side of the house she was standing on, her feet landing onto the cobble floor of an alley. She frantically searched for Asami and Jinora in the crowd, panicking when she couldn't see them instantly. There were too many people, they were mostly tall or maybe she was just a little too short.
She gasped in relief once she saw the hint of red from Asami's coat in the crowds. Korra readied herself and walked out of the alley, head hung low with her hand clutched tightly against her sheath. This was a risk she was willing to take.
<->
"So, what happened between you and Korra back there?" Jinora asked, making the taller woman freeze.
"What do you mean?" She asked, keeping her head hung low as planned. Did Jinora witness their little moment?
Jinora let a smirk play on her lips. She did steal a glimpse of what happened back at the town entrance and she saw everything.
"You two are really close friends huh?"
Asami's cheeks were the same colour as her coat.
"Do we really have to talk about this now?"
Jinora laughed, but her laugh was cut short when a hand gripped onto both of their shoulders. Jinora spun around, landing a swift elbow into their captors ribs. Korra's hands recoiled from their shoudlers and gripped onto her side, her lungs gasping her air. That hurt.
"Korra?" Jinora mumbled, feeling quite bad that she had just winded the poor woman out of freight.
"What are you doing! You could be seen." Asami muttered, keeping her voice down.
Korra soon recovered from the blow to her ribs and pulled the two women out of the crowd; into the alley from where she started. The assassin took a look down the alley and nodded to herself. Route planned.
"Korra what is going on?" Asami asked, her heart was beginning to beat rather fast.
Korra pointed down the alley and hurried the two women into a running state.
"This alley will lead to another street and back to the Manor."
Asami had no idea why they were running but she trusted this assassin with her life, what ever was happening; she feared the worst. The tall woman took a glance over her shoulder and instantly regretted it. A man and another person were pursuing them, gaining on them quite quickly. She couldn't tell if the other person was a man or a woman, she didn't really want to look twice either.
"Korr-" She bumped into the smaller girl by accident as she stopped running. Well, it wasn't completely by accident, Korra had stopped suddenly and Asami didn't realise in time.
Jinora was horrified, they were completely surrounded in the small alley. Korra kept her eyes trained on the twin infront of her, unsheathing her dagger in the process. The pitter patter of footsteps behind her symbolised that the two from the market place had caught up with them.
"If I were you, I'd be humiliated that Zaheer had to send three of you for this task." Korra spat, keeping close to Miss Sato. They were here for Asami.
"There is no way I'm letting either of you lay a finger on Asami."
"Oh, we aren't here for Asami." The man chuckled from behind her, she quickly glanced over her shoulder and took in his appearance. Shady Shin.
"She's just a bonus."
Korra furrowed her brows in confusion, her grip on her blade tightening. Were they here for Jinora? No, they couldn't be. They have no business with the woman.
"What do you mean?"
Shady Shin unfolded the page that he had in his pocket and held it up high so Korra could see.
"This should give you an understanding."
Korra studied the messy writing on the page, which she soon found out that it wasn't just an ordinary page; it was a contract. Her eyes widened as she saw her name scribbled at the top of it. Zaheer had signed a contract with her name on it?
"Enough talk." Korra huffed, her knuckles whitened from the amount of pressure of her clenched fists. in a matter of seconds, she swooped down and swiped at Eska's ankles, successfully tripping the woman up.
"Go!" Korra yelled to the dumbfounded women that were at her side; she blocked a punch from Shady Shin and pushed him back into Desna, making both of them stumble for a few seconds.
"Follow the alley, it'll lead you back to the Manor! Go!" Jinora pulled Asami by the arm and begun to sprint. They were running, running away from Red Lotus assassin's but mostly, running away from Korra.
Korra grunted as Desna managed to smack her cheek, her eyes watered as the pain started to register. She kept going, dodging each and every attack that the two men were throwing at her; occasionally throwing a few kicks of her own.
Eska begun to get to her feet, her head spinning from the contact she made with the floor a few seconds ago. She wasn't expecting that at all and it showed. Her vision was still blurry but she could make out the figures in front of her. She slowly turned her head to the side, searching for the two women. Asami was one of them, Asami was her other contract. She might as well complete it whilst the Sato was out here in the open. The twin stumbled to her feet and begun to run after the getaway women.
Korra noticed the assassin's absence and tried to reach out and grab her before she stepped further away. But, Shady Shin had gripped her by the coat before she could; tripping her up by the ankles.
"Stop this! Zaheer has lied to you all!" Korra pleaded as she rolled out from underneath Shin, she kicked him back and rose to her feet again.
"That nonsense may have worked on others Korra, but it doesn't work on me." Desna exclaimed, swinging his dagger towards her. Korra blocked the strike with her blade and twisted his arm around, freeing the dagger from his grasp.
"I'm telling the truth!" Korra yelled, ducking underneath a kick. However she was a little too late, Desna's foot clipped the blade of her dagger; making it fly out of her hand and onto the floor.
<->
Asami felt like she couldn't breathe. As if an invisible hand had clamped over her mouth, preventing her from doing so. Everything was spinning, the ground underneath her felt like it was melting beneath her feet. Her body was shaking uncontrollably as her legs moved quick, running for her life. She didn't want to but the paranoia was too much, her head snapped around as she frantically looked over her shoulder. There was another one following them and she was gaining on them quickly. She was faster, skilled, no wonder she was catching up.
The two women skidded to a halt as a figure suddenly dropped down infront of them. Their face was covered with a cloth just like Korra, a blue hood over their head, dagger in hand. Jinora placed herself inbetween the figure and Asami, hands spralled out in a protective manner.
"You can't do this!" She cried.
The stranger moved forward, making the two women wince.
"Move." The stranger said sternly and pushed passed the two, blocking a strike that was aimed at Miss Sato.
Eska's breath hitched as she was pushed away. She composed herself before lunging at the stranger in the blue coat, however her attack was easily blocked once again. The stranger moved her head to the side and chopped her hand at Eska's joints, making her arm go numb. Jinora tugged onto Asami's arm like before, signalling for them to continue running. Jinora didn't know what to think, she didn't know who that was or if Korra was okay. She just needed to get Asami home safe and sound. And that's what she was going to do.
Eska stumbled back, groaning as she slammed into the cobble wall of the alley.
"Who even are you?" She spat, swiping her bloody nose with her sleeve. Their daggers had been tossed to the floor, resulting in only hand to hand combat.
"I don't know whether I should feel a little offended by that question." The stranger chuckled as she swung her leg around in a roundhouse kick.
Eska dodged it. That voice.. she knew that voice.
"Who are you?" She asked again , throwing a punch towards the strangers face.
"I think you have a contract with my name on it." The stranger admitted, moving her head out of the way of the punch. Eska's fist merely brushed against the stranger's cheek, making the face cloth become loose.
Eska took a step back, the face cloth floated to the ground.
"Kuvira?"
Kuvira rolled her eyes and threw one swift jab to the side of the woman's head, knocking her out clean.
"Surprise." Kuvira muttered and picked up her dagger from off the floor. Once her breath was at a regular pace, she begun to run down the alley; following the sounds.