The End of Noatak

by FireRoseFanfiction

The lying masked man had spoke of living on a nonbender's farm that had been attacked by firebenders, but had it really been true? Years have passed since a young, Northern Water Tribe man named Noatak fled his home, and was sent to Fen's farm for work. There, he meets a fellow volunteer as well as a feeling the cruelly trained waterbender never expected. But, peace never lasts.

"She's beautiful."
"Of course, she has your eyes."
The newborn baby is nestled in soft blankets in her mother's arms, bright blue eyes seeing the world for the first time. Her new parents can't stop looking at her, Fen's family waiting patiently outside the living room save for his wife.
"I suppose we ought to let them in, before Ola lets herself in." Nica, Fen's wife murmurs amused and as not to disturb the three. "Lu Mei, Noatak, have you chosen a name for her?"
"I've always loved 'Akira'." Lu Mei whispers to Noatak as the baby lets out a gurgling noise.
"I like it." Noatak agrees, and by the smile on the baby's face, Akira likes it, too.

The next few days are like a dream to Noatak. Each time he holds Akira, his daughter, the old world he used to know vanishes. And each time, he swears to raise Akira like a true father would, the raising he never got. Noatak wonders sometimes how his old family is, how Tarrlok and his mother are. He would be almost sixteen by now, and an uncle. Maybe he should go home, to tell them everything, but Yakone would be there, and there was no way Noatak would give him the satisfaction of returning after these two years. And seeing Akira.
"I'll never let him touch you." Noatak mutters as he holds the precious bundle closer. Lu Mei watches him from her makeshift bed on the couch, loving the way her husband holds Akira. Loving how much she loves the man who walked into her and Fen's family's life. When she can walk again, she plans on taking a picture of their new family and carrier-pighawking it to her parents, Finn and Teo, and maybe a copy to her brother, Jiro. Lu Mei hasn't seen either in a long time.
When Noatak hands Akira back to her, Lu Mei smiles as their baby girl giggles.
"Do you think she'll be a bender?" Lu Mei asks, admiring how blue Akira's eyes are. Just like her and Noatak's.
"As long as she's happy and healthy it doesn't matter to me." A part of Noatak does hope she is, but maybe not. Would this child care if she could control the elements, or be better off as a nonbender, like Lu Mei. Would he be a good teacher, and understanding and caring? What if she's a waterbender, like him? What if she's a bloodbender?
"Really? Because I'm okay if she is one. I think my mother would love her, but she will either way. Especially father." Lu Mei laughs softly, thinking about her waterbender mother and paraplegic nonbender father.
"What do you think, Akira?" But her only response is a tiny yawn as the baby begins to fall asleep in her mother's arms. Both parents watch her, and both in thought. What if?

A few short years pass by, though not as peaceful as the last. Noatak has seen Fen struggle with the tax collectors, a no-good lot of firebenders. He knows that the farm earns more than enough to pay for them, but still, the bunch always manages to 'take' more. Noatak hasn't talked to him about it, but he can't stand the way Fen's being treated. Because he's a nonbender, and so is his whole family. Besides that, Akira has gotten bigger. She's nearly 4 years old, but still no signs of flying water or anything of the sort. Lu Mei has taken her around the farm, showing her the animals, crops, and tools. She also loves seeing Fen's family on these walks. As far as she knows, they are Grandpa Fen, GranGran Nica, and Auntie Ola.
"Hey, Fen." Noatak manages to catch the elder gentleman alone on the porch of the wooden home.
"Yes, Noatak?" Fen asks, his gaze overlooking the peaceful farmland of grain dancing in the breeze.
"The next time those tax collectors come, do you mind if I go with you? There's something I want to ask them." It's an innocent statement, and he hopes that's all Fen will see it as.
"Noatak, my boy, I've lived here my whole life. Let me ask you something."
Silence.
"I may not go in Republic City like all this will, but I know things are changing since Avatar Aang's death. I knew a time when everyone, benders and nonbender alike , were equal, but those times are gone, Noatak. You know this, I know this."
"There's hardly a thing I can do to change how they're goin'. But I can promise you this. I won't let them take my farm, or hurt anyone in it. I know you're a bender yourself, and it must hurt you to watch, but I'll take care of those corrupt collectors."
"Fen, I-"
"You've got Lu Mei and Akira to look after, as do I. You're family just as much as my own. I believe in equality, and I'll be darned if we don't get some. I believe the new Avatar will set things straight, but she ain't no older than Akira."
Noatak is quiet, mulling over Fen's strong words. He recalls how Yakone used to drill into their heads that to be a bender was to be superior to all others. At least, when they were camping in the frigid arctic nights, away from their loving, nonbender mother. Nonbenders were nothing but mere pawns under their might, especially under him. Yakone's favorite son, Noatak, until he betrayed him. Though to him, it was freedom. If there was equality between the two kinds of people, maybe this could end.
A month then passes, marking the end of the summer season, and the beginning of fall. And the return of the firebending trio. Noatak knows they're coming, as Fen is already at the pasture gate waiting. He begins to head out, determined to teach them a lesson, when he senses something...different. Wrong. Not right. Noatak runs to the man's side, not liking the feeling he's getting. By the time he reaches Fen, he knows why. Avatar, he knows why. There's more than the trio, more than Noatak has ever seen. He can hardly hear whatever Fen is saying over the beating of his own heart. So this was what fear truly felt like.

And then they start heading for the house, fists shooting hungry flames.

Lu Mei is at the barn, fixing a rusted latch, when Akira begins to cry. Wondering what could have caused her outburst, Lu Mei looks out to the house. The house on fire, being eaten up in flames, as are the open fields. She, too, lets out a cry, picking up her daughter and thinking quickly. Where was everyone? In the house? What about Noatak? She has to help do something about it, maybe the well. Akira's continued crying brings her back. She has to get her to safety.
Lu Mei reopens the stall, revealing the horsmule panicking inside. She tries to calm the animal, latching the filled cart to it. Akira shivers as Lu Mei picks her daughter up, placing her on top of the cart.
"M-mommy?" Akira whimpers, the first word breaking her mommy's heart.
"We'll find you, okay? Don't worry, Akira."
But both are.
The horsmule lets out a deep whinney, and bolts out the open barn doors, drowning out Akira's last words. Lu Mei doesn't have time to do anymore for her, only to make a dead sprint towards the farmhouse.
No matter how many he fells, there already seems to be another to take its place. Noatak doesn't even know where Fen is, much less anyone else. The fire has dried out any source of water, save for one thing. Blood. Noatak hardly has to move a fingertip, enemy firebenders out before they can even get near him. But he doesn't care as he sees their bodies drop like twisted flies. All he's looking for are blue eyes that he can't find in all the burning red. And he can't find them. Noatak screams as loud as he can, shouting names that he can't find. Fen, Nica, Ola, Lu Mei, Akira! Even when his voice gives out, choking out black smoke, he still yells for them. Anyone, please.

And then he remembers nothing else.

When Noatak awakes, the fire is gone. As is everything. The pastures, fields of harvest, the barn, the house, all piles of charred black and white. The sickening smell of it all scorches at his nose, and its more than just wood. Human flesh. None of it is from him, but it feels like it. Noatak wishes it was. Three from inside what once was the farmhouse, and he hangs his head. Fen had reached his family, but it must have been too late. Thoughts race in his mind, searching still for blue. They had to have made it, they had to. Something blue glimmers on the roasted ground, catching his heart in his weak throat.
Lu Mei's betrothal necklace that he had made for her, and she had never removed. And still attached along with a melted pair of loved goggles. The sound that comes out of Noatak doesn't even sound close to human. A shattered piece of him knows that Akira is probably close by, but he doesn't look. He can't, even though no tears blur his vision. Dammit, he can't even cry, tear ducts so dry.
Because they were nonbenders, this happened. Because they couldn't even defend themselves. Because benders were overpowering them, because there never even was such a thing as equality in this world.
Because now, that was going to change.
There's a scuttling noise of someone moving away behind him, and Noatak stretches his arm beside him. It takes no effort for the fleeing young adult firebender's body to slam against Noatak's outstretched hand. The firebender might be protesting, but Noatak can't hear him over the rage that is building up inside. He forces the man onto his knees, hand transferred to his neck. Noatak places the other on the forehead, and can feel it. The fiery passion of his firebending there. Then, with a sharp tug of Noatak's bloodbending, is gone.
The once firebender passes out, but Noatak has never felt more alive.

Amon has never felt so alive.