Title: "Equalist Anthologies Chapter 4: Unintended Consequences"

Author: ayziks

Rating: T – romance, violence, OC death

Summary: This is a story of ordinary childhood sweethearts and their friends growing up in Makapu within the United Republic of Nations during Korra's time. They go to Republic City with high hopes, but their lives are devastated as victims of Amon's debending. An encounter with Korra changes everything. ALOK characters property of Nickelodeon. OC characters are mine.

Author's Notes: I am taking a chance with my readers here, in presenting four hopefully likeable Original Characters who live in the Legend of Korra universe, concentrating on the risks two of them take together, leaving the still-rural-by-choice Makapu village to take a chance on life in the big city, not realizing the terrible times facing the city that sweeps them up helplessly into its intensity.

I wrote this story as part of a group project in 2012 by a group of writer friends and an artist buddy on a fan forum about the positive aspects of Equalists. Nine stories were to be written, but only four were completed. All the other stories were about how debending made peoples' lives better. My story took the opposite approach - to write an original character (OC) story, with interactions with the main ALOK characters, about the devastating effect of losing one's bending power on those who have it ripped from them involuntarily.

Fujimi Hasegawa is a kind young man who dreams of greater things outside of his sleepy village. He is an excellent natural fire bender and has acquired a mentor that teaches him lightning bending, at which he is very adept. He loves pro-bending, doing it on extracurricular teams while in school. He dreams of contributing to the quality of life in Republic City by becoming a worker at the electrical plant, and wants to join a rookie league pro bending team to work his way up to "the big time". He and his secondary school sweetheart and fiancé Kuniko give up everything to move to a cheap flat in the worst part of the city because they can't afford anything else, and plan to wed.

Life begins well - almost too perfect - for the couple, and gets better with the interview at the power plant where he gives a powerful demonstration of lightning bending, and makes good pro-bending contacts at the Arena, in a chance meeting with Bolin. The young couple has a good life until he is caught by the Equalists, and he is de-bent. With all his hopes of his entire life dashed in a few minutes, he can't find work of any kind that he is qualified for, becomes increasingly depressed beyond any reconciliation, and as a changed man, acquires terrible habits and mistreats his girl, who leaves him. Even more despondent than losing her, he makes a fateful decision. Yeah, this is dark for me. But so is losing your bending when everything you've ever dreamed of depends on having it...this is my contribution to the Equalist Anthology project.

Chapter 1: Happy Beginnings

It was a cold, winter day in the village. Kuniko sat on the dock at the pond, where she and Fujimi had always sat and talked and dreamed with her beloved and her friends. But she had no more dreams, and her heart was as cold as the air that she ignored. So close to the end of her own life by choice, she could still not help but think of the memories of what got her to this place.

Two eight year old children ran through the clover fields in the spring, chasing each other. Fire lilies were blooming among the delicate white flowers. It was a pretty rough game of 'tag'.

"I'm gonna get you, Kuniko," laughed Fujimi. But Kuniko was very agile and fast and managed to stay ahead of her friend.

After awhile they were very tired, and so flopped on the field very closely face to face, breathing hard.

Without flinching, Kuniko suggested, "Wanna kiss? Boys and girls do that you know."

Fujimi replied without hesitation, "Sure! It looks like fun."

They got their lips all puckered up, closed their eyes, leaned in, and missed. They laughed, "This is harder than it looks!"

They tried it again, a little tentatively at first, then kissed again, maybe a little too deep for eight year olds. They broke the kiss, giggled, and smiled at each other.

"You taste good, Kuniko."

"You do too Fujimi. And it tingled. We can't tell anyone, OK? I don't think little kids like us are supposed to kiss like that."

"My secret! Yeah, I liked that tingle, too. Hey! You know, we can keep secrets better as best friends. Wanna be best friends, Kuniko?"

Kuniko wasn't sure, "Usually boys and girls are best friends with other boys and girls."

"Well I don't really have a best friend who's a boy. Ichiro is nice to play with, but he's not like you."

"OK then. It's done. Besides, we're best friends who can kiss too!" And they did another little peck.

Fujimi reached and grabbed a fire lily and gave it to Kuniko, "A present for my best friend."

She blushed but took it. Just for good measure she kissed him again. He smiled back. Kissing was enormous fun, especially with Kuniko.

"It's getting late, Kuniko, I'm trying out for the little league team bending today. Wanna watch?"

"I'm not a bender. Is it OK?"

"Anyone can watch bending teams. Besides, you could cheer me on!"

"Yeah. Best friends do that for each other," they headed over to the game field for tryouts.

The team bending field was laid out exactly like at Republic City Arena, but it was an all dirt field, with pebble-lined troughs of water and small round holes filled with homemade earth bending discs. Lime dust marked the Zones. It was very basic, but it did approximate the big league game. Bleachers flanked the sides of the bending field.

Kuniko sat quietly in the stands, twirling the lily, nervous that he would make the team. The other children were older and bigger. But not better. She noticed Fujimi's parents watching anxiously for their son's tryouts. His mother happily waved at Kuniko. She knew they were frequent playmates, but had no idea that the two just set in motion a new relationship.

Fujimi went through all the required motions, flawlessly and with great precision. His spurts of fire bending were accurate. He was light on his feet, and worked the field very well.

The coach was very impressed. Kuniko and his parents held their breath as the names were called for the team. The older kids got picked first, but they only selected three sets. It was the third set. The coach announced, "Earth bending: Jiao-Long. Water bending: Adlartok. Fire bending: Fujimi Hasegawa."

His parents, Kuniko, and many of his classmates jumped up and screamed with delight.

They were walking home together, and Kuniko said, "Way to go, best friend." She looked around to make sure they were along, and kissed him on the cheek, "For luck!"

Fujumi took her small hand in his and they walked happily all the rest of the way home, dropping their hand hold when they saw their parents. But his parents already knew this was something special about their friendship.

The first season Kuniko watched and cheered all of Fujimi's games, and at the end of every one, she gave him a secret kiss for luck. It appeared to work, because his team had a nearly flawless record.

The seasons went on. Soon they were 10 years old. Then 12. And then 14. The little girl who always sat in the same spot on the bleachers grew bigger and taller, and blossomed. Her jet black hair got longer and sleeker, and her voice changed as she became a beautiful young woman.

At the beginning of a championship game at age 14, Fujimi took her aside, placed his hand gently under her chin, and said, "If you get any prettier, Kuniko, and I am gonna have to put blinders on. You distract me so."

She flung her arms around him in public, and gave him a big smooch, "Distract this, tough guy!"

People around them smiled. The community knew both as childhood lovers who would to anything for each other. Both sets of parents approved. They were a beautiful match, and had eyes for no other.

But they had plenty of friends, and were especially close to Ichiro and Aguta, who were also dating.

The three friends sat together in the stands as Fujimi tried out for the school's Varsity team bending squad at age 15. His powerful form was as it always was, and it didn't hurt that his long time little league team coach was also the public school coach.

The indoor school team bending arena was tiled, with metal grates on the water gutters, and deep storage areas for earth bending disks. But unlike the Pro Bending Arena, the "out of bounds" areas were just marked with paint lines, not deep pools of water.

The trio cheered for their friend as his name was announced. He was about to go hug them all, but Coach Bandai took Fujimi aside, "Fujimi, great job today. You are growing into a fine young fire bender. You can do much with it, and I think you have a shot someday at pro-bending."

"Thank you Bandai-san. Do you really think so?"

"I do. I think you have the discipline and focus to learn even more, Fujimi. How would you like to learn how to lightning bend?"

Fujimi was astonished, "Me? Lightning bend? Only the best learn that. It is an important responsibility. The history books teach that lightning bending was terribly misused by evil people."

"Lightning bending can be used for much good, especially now, Fujimi. You are one of those who could hold that responsibility."

Fujimi bowed, and accepted, "I am deeply honored, Bandai-san. I know that lightning bending is used in Republic City to generate power for people to make their lives better. I would like to learn. Please teach me, Sifu Bandai."

And so the lessons began.

Fujimi told Kuniko and his friends and they were so excited - not only that he made the team, but was also was invited to learn an exclusive discipline. As benders they could all appreciate that feeling. Ichiro was also a fire bender, but not nearly as good. Aguta was a water bender. Kuniko did not bend, but never felt left out though. They often practiced team bending after school. Today was no different. They all sparred against each other. Kuniko always used giant turtle-badger shell to deflect the fire and water bending to simulate defensive moves of the bender teams. She wanted to try something new, though.

She secretly picked up a couple of big dirt clods, hid them behind her shell shield, and when Fujimi wasn't looking, she hurled them at him, "Think fast fire bender, I am your worst 'earth bending' nightmare!"

The clods hit Fujimi in the head, and the gut. He reeled backward from Kuniko's well placed throws. Ichiro and Aguta doubled over in laugher, "Good job 'earth bender' Kuniko!"

Fujimi was very surprised, and feigned anger toward Kuniko, "Why you little….!"

He chased her down, tackled her and they rolled together in the field, closely face to face. They instantly kissed each other. A lot.

When they finally came up for air, Kuniko weakly protested, "Foul! Illegal body slam and fraternizing with your teammate!"

Ichiro and Aguta smirked and teased, "Oh yeah, now it's getting' good." But proceeded to hug and kiss each other too.

There wasn't a whole lot of practice accomplished the rest of the afternoon, but they couldn't kiss forever, and so later sat on the dock of their favorite tranquil pond.

Kuniko slipped her hand in Fujimi's and asked, "Tell me Fujimi, what are your dreams?"

Fujimi thought awhile, and said, "Well, I always thought that being right here was all I desired. But now, it's different. It's time to move to Republic City and be someone. I want to pro bend, but even if I can't do that, I wish to help mankind and the next Avatar. I need to work at the power plant, and be able to say 'I make the city go'. I want us and other people to have better lives there than we have here in the village."

Fujmi was true to his dedication. He continued his studies, and while he was good academically, he continued to grow in his talent in team bending and in lightning bending. Coach Bandai was very proud of his star student.

As a 16 year old, he became Province champion in team fire bending, again the next year, and the next. Those final two years, his school teams finished first in the Province, directly due to his talent. In the stands, always in the same spot, Kuniko remained his biggest fan, with his other best friends and parents cheering him and the team on to many victories.

One day at practice, with Kuniko observing, Sifu Bandai bowed to Fujimi, and said, "Pupil Fujimi, I have taught you all I can in lightning bending. You have direction and focus, power and duration that I have never witnessed before. I am writing a letter of recommendation for you to take with you at graduation to the power plant manager, who is a former pupil of mine."

Kuniko put her hands to her face, and after Bandai and Fujimi were done, she raced to him and she hugged and kissed him fiercely. He saw more electric sparks in that kiss and hug than he could ever generate in his lightning bending. He had to do something about what he felt for her.