The crowd roared and bellowed relentlessly as a figure was dragged up the steps towards the gallows by two Naval Lieutenants. The figure struggled and fought like a cornered animal, sounds of gagged screaming flying from the black bag tied over their head. The lieutenants forced the figure down on their knees as the Commander of their base strode up onto the wooden gallows as if it were a stage. The crowd went reverently silent as the Commander cleared his throat. The only sound that could be heard was the wet blubbering of the hooded figure. The Commander spoke loudly about loyalty to the Navy. He spoke of the cowardice of pirates and how their wicked practices were nothing more than a facade. They lost all dignity in the face of death.
The figure howled as they were lifted from the ground and led to the foot of the first gallow. The crowd began to roar as the rope was lowered and tied securely around the figure's neck. Tears soaked the front of the black bag that covered their head and their hands shook ferociously.
"So here is the end of the Avatar's reign of piracy." The commander sneered into the hooded figure's ear. "And the end of the reign of all pirates!" He yelled towards the people. He turned and waved his hand at the executioner, eliciting a deafening response from the crowd who began to chant "Hang! Hang! Hang!"
The bottom of the gallows fell open and the hooded figure gave a muffled scream that cut off with the snapping of their neck.
/ Three Years Later /
A young cabin boy sprinted down the dirt path of a small town market. Stalls and family-owned businesses flew past and many of the shopkeepers peeked over their counters to stare at the running boy. He skidded around the corner and headed towards the docks. Sweat poured down his face and his lungs burned at the prolonged exertion but he kept up the pace until his goal came into sight. A large ship was tied at the very end of the harbor, sails closed and the flag hidden away. The cabin boy ran along the side of the ship, catching a stray rope and vaulting himself onto the deck.
Rolling into the impact, he was able to keep running with only a slight reduction in speed. He had to get to the captain's quarters right away. There was absolutely no time to waste, she needed to hear his news immediately. He pushed past a few crew members and the dark, polished doors finally came into sight.
"Kai!"
A hand reached out and snagged his collar, making him gag and fall to the floor, panting madly.
"You're supposed to be in town getting booze!" A stern voice said over him.
"Back off Mako!" Kai snapped, wiping thick sweat from his brow, "I'm getting it, I got a little side tracked is all."
"Yeah, side tracked stealing wallets." Mako said, glaring at Kai's bulging pockets, "We don't have time for you to be goofing off!"
"I was gonna get it done but now I have to see the Captain right away!" Kai tried to explain, mere feet away from his goal.
"Oh you'll see the Captain," Mako said, grabbing Kai's collar again, "But not for the reason you want."
"Mako listen to me, it's insanely important that she hears this!" Kai pleaded as Mako dragged him along. He rapped his knuckles against the polished door and cupped his hand around his ear.
"Uh Captain?" He called, "You in there? We had a little set back in town." Kai squirmed in Mako's grip. They were greeted with silence.
"If you're looking for the Captain, she went into town about an hour ago." Jinora called from up on the mast. She swung down on a rope and landed in front of the feuding pair.
"Any idea where she went?" Kai asked, still trying to wrench himself out of Mako's grasp.
"No, but we can go look for her if you want." Jinora suggested, blushing slightly.
"I don't think so." Mako said, "Kai's still in trouble with me. We'll go look for her." He pushed Kai forward, making him lead the way back into the small harbor town where they had docked for the day. Hot dust clouded up around their boots as they searched the marketplace, asking for someone that matched the description of their captain. After almost an hour of looking, they still came up empty handed.
"Maybe she already headed back." Kai mused, "She might've slipped by when we were searching in that little meat hut."
"We'll worry about it later." Mako said, "For now we need to go grab that shipment you were supposed to get hours ago." Kai muttered under his breath but followed Mako into the local pub, greeting the elderly, but muscular owner behind the bar.
"What can I get you boys?" He asked with a friendly, crinkled smile, revealing several broken teeth.
"We're here to pick up a few barrels." Mako said, "How much do you charge per unit?"
"Well lately the price has hovered around 60 yuons per barrel." The barmaster said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "It hasn't been that high since my days back in the Navy."
"Oh were you an officer?" Mako asked, immediately becoming nervous.
"Yup, retired about three years ago." The barmaster said with a dreamy expression, "I'll have to tell you about my adventures sometime. Anyway, back to that sale?"
"Can we do 40 yuons?" Mako bartered. Kai crossed his arms and scowled impatiently while they argued prices back and fourth. He glanced through the entryway and nearly choked when he saw the familiar blue cloak of his Captain flutter by. He jumped up and was prepared to sprint after her when he felt the death grip on his shirt again.
"We're not done here!" Mako snapped, forcing Kai back down into a sitting position.
"The Captain just walked by! I saw her!" Kai shouted, "I have to speak with her!" Mako slapped a hand over Kai's mouth as the barmaster's eyes narrowed into a glare. The idle chatter rumbling in the pub died down to silence, all eyes glued to the two strangers.
"Captain?" He asked suspiciously.
"Captain is a name for-uh- our master." Mako said with a tight smile, "We're indentured servants." Kai scoffed and crossed his arms.
"What did you say you needed this much grog for again?" The barmaster asked, hand moving slowly under the counter. Mako pulled Kai up from the floor and pushed him roughly towards the exit.
"Run Kai!" He shouted, right on his heels.
"PIRATES!" The barmaster roared, "PIRATES IN THE BAR!" He whiped out a hand pistol and rapid-fired three rounds after Mako and Kai. All hell broke loose as every person who owned a weapon was now in a mad chase for the two confirmed pirates that had infiltrated their town. The two dodged pitchforks and arrows that flew in their direction as the barmaster lead the pack of hostile villagers.
"Where's your gun?" Kai shouted over the noise.
"I'm not going to kill these people!" Mako yelled back, ducking as a spear whizzed past his ear.
"But they're trying to kill us!"
"We're pirates!"
"I want to live!"
"So do I!"
Mako grabbed Kai and took a sharp turn down a nearby alleyway. Half of the mob overshot and the other half crashed into the ones trying to turn around. Mako and Kai used the split second of confusion to climb up on top of a roof, lying flat against the rough surface.
"Those pirate bastards!" One of the shopkeepers growled, looking left and right, "Sneaky thieves that's what they are!"
"How are we gonna get outta here?" Kai whispered frantically to Mako, "They're on full alert for our heads now."
"Just shut up and follow me." Mako crawled along the rooftop, body snaking flat across the shingles. He reached the other side and dropped down onto the grass, motioning for Kai to follow. They snuck around the back alleys of the shops, occasionally diving behind supply boxes when a search party wandered by. They kept up their cat-like travel routine until the harbor finally came into view. The docks were suspiciously deserted as the pair hid behind a stack of barrels, their ship only about a hundred yards away.
"Okay now we just gotta make a run for it." Mako said quietly, "Wait for my mark."
"Go ahead and run, I dare ya!" A voice yelled out brashly. Mako whirled around to see the barmaster with his arm locked around Kai's neck, the tip of his gun digging into Kai's temple. Mako immediately reached for his waistband, ready to shoot the barmaster dead in order to save Kai's life.
"Dammit!" He cursed under his breath when his hand met an empty holster. He had left his gun back in his quarters.
"Looks like you're a little unprepared." The old man cackled. Mako took a step forward, making the old man immediately become defensive, "Take one more step and I blow his head off."
"I thought this was a peaceful village." Mako said, trying to keep the old man talking while struggling to find a way out of this.
"We are," The barmaster shot back, "If you damn pirates left us alone we wouldn't have to resort to such drastic measures. You think I want to murder a child?"
"You don't have to kill him." Mako said, holding up his hands.
"You're both filthy pirate scum and I will put an end to your diseased bloodlines!" He roared. His finger began to squeeze the trigger when a well aimed throwing knife stuck itself in the barrel of the gun. The old man yelped and jumped back, releasing Kai and dropping his gun. All three of them looked around wildly for the source.
"Diseased bloodlines you say?" A female voice asked from somewhere unknown.
"Where are you coward?" The old man barked. A cloaked figure landed directly in front of him, making the barmaster stumble backwards again. She stood and removed her deep blue cloak, an angry flame blazing in her eyes.
"Captain Korra!" Kai whooped joyfully. The old man had fallen to the ground, terror plastered on his face and sweat shined brightly on his balding head.
"Y-you're the Avatar!" He stammered, digging his knuckles into the splintery wood.
"Some call me that," She answered casually, twirling a knife in her hands, "The Navy has that odd habit of giving their enemies ridiculous pet names."
"W-W-We hung you years ago!" He shouted, "The Navy got you! I saw your body hanging from those gallows myself!" Spittle flew from the old man's mouth as he spoke, his face now dripping with sweat, the front of his shirt soaked in it.
"Funny," Korra hummed, tapping her chin with her finger, "Because I'm standing right here talking to you aren't I?"
"YOU LIE!"
"You wanna know where I got that cloak?" Korra asked randomly, pointing to her discarded piece of clothing. The old man was hyperventilating now, his pupils mere dots in his eyes.
"W-what?" He finally managed to reply, eyes snapping quickly to the coat and back to Korra's face.
"You probably don't care but I'll tell you anyway," Korra said with a shrug, "One of those cocky, high-ranking Navy officers thought he could take me down one-on-one. So I slit his kneecaps and tossed him into the open sea." The barmaster was staring at Korra, completely stunned into silence.
"Not before I snagged that nice looking Naval cloak though." She continued pleasantly, "I just had to tear off all those absurd looking insignias and such."
"Insulting the Great Republic Navy is unforgivable." The old man growled under his breath. He lunged from the ground, drawing a small dagger from his belt. Korra waited stoically as he came closer and closer, knife aimed right for her chest.
"CAPTAIN!" Kai shouted as the dagger was about to make impact.
Korra closed her eyes and smirked.
The sound of a rifle echoed in the distance and a bullet ripped through the barmaster's temple. His entire body shuddered to a stop, and then he dropped dead at Korra's feet.
"Nice shot Bolin!" Mako called, facing the direction of the ship at the end of the docks. Bolin waved from the crow's nest, a scoped rifle resting against his knee. Korra sniffed and kicked the old man's body over, tsking at his blank stare.
"He could've walked away from this." She said, "But he just had to dole out that vigilante justice."
"Captain!" Kai said, unable to contain himself any longer, "I have some news-!"
"I told you to knock it off!" Mako scolded, bopping Kai on the head, "It's your fault we even got into this mess."
"I know what you're going to say Kai." Korra said, back turned to them. She wrenched her knife from the barmaster's gun and was inspecting the damage. She twirled the pistol around her fingers and fired a shot up into the air. "Still works." She remarked.
"Captain, Kai was the one who blew our cover." Mako said.
"It was bound to happen, this town is crawling with Naval officers." Korra said back.
"Guess this means its time to hit the road." Mako sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"So you know what I was going to tell you?" Kai asked. Korra stood up from her crouched position and tossed the barmaster's pistol over her shoulder and into Kai's hands.
"Yes," She said, a fiery glint had sparked in her blue eyes, "Sato was here."
Hey guys I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. It's a little short but I just wanted to get it out there. Also I wanted to be clear that there's no bending in this AU and "Avatar" is just a nickname. It will all be explained later I promise :)
-Gummy