"Of Masks and Extremes"
A "Legend of Korra" fanfic by J.W. Appel.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Note: My first LOK fic and just a little something in between a big project I'm working on. It basically just combines a whole bunch of theories together and will probably be jossed as early as next week but who cares? Enjoy!
Tarrlok's blood ran cold at Avatar Korra's words. He couldn't be like Amon, not ever! Amon was a fool who believed he could take away that which made people like Tarrlok superior. Bending was a gift to those who deserved power, deserved to rule but Amon foolishly believed in equality for all. At least…that's what Amon claimed to his followers.
Even the Avatar, master of all elements and most powerful bender ever, didn't truly understand what she had, no Avatar ever did. They only cared about keeping balance and protecting the world from so called "villains." People like Chin the Conqueror, the war time Fire Lords and Tarrlok all understood though and Tarrlok understood because he was taught. His father Yakone had made certain of that.
Over Forty years ago, Yakone came to the still new Republic City from the Northern Water Tribe. He was charming and all who met him, including Avatar Aang himself, instantly took a liking to him. Few would have guessed that he was the son of two Water benders captured during the Hundred Year War that had managed to escape and settle in a Fire Nation town. Few would have guessed that he had met an old woman who was like them and had learned a Water bending technique that would allow him to get revenge. Few would have guessed he would be open minded enough to forget women shouldn't fight but heal, and let her teach him.
Yakone himself would never have guessed she would teach another after him and would be betrayed by that same student. He would never guess he would continue her work after her new student left and kill his own parents when they tried stopping him. He would have never thought he would actually stop after Avatar Aang won the war and he married a wonderful girl who gave him two sons only to flee when she found his secret, He never dreamed he would kill her and raise his boys himself.
Tarrlok was one of those boys and he was a water bending prodigy whom Dad taught everything he knew, including blood bending. His twin brother Noma couldn't bend but he made such a nice practice dummy during full moons.
When both boys were twelve, Dad moved them all to Republic City. He was immediately angry that non-benders were treated equally with benders as he had raised his sons on the proper philosophy of bender superiority. Even Noma knew this thanks to regular lectures during his father's beatings and Tarrlok's blood bending practice. Dad decided to do something.
He found water benders like himself and taught them as Hama had taught him, including new lethal water bending techniques he invented himself. One of these was a form of blood bending done under any kind of moon, full or not. Together, they made the first Triad, the Red Monsoons who attacked, murdered and terrorized non-benders every night. Avatar Aang and his group eventually beat them however with aid from the new metal bending police force Toph Bei Fong created.
On the day of his trial, Yakone revealed another new form of Blood bending he developed that could be done during the day, and strike multiple victims at once. Even Avatar Aang who had grown so powerful in adulthood was helpless against it. All seemed lost until Master Katara herself appeared and revealed her own blood bending skill. It was a battle between Hama's pupils that Katara only won because Yakone was interested in testing her again one day.
Yakone escaped but while Katara healed those wounded, her husband pursued. Tarrlok and Noma had sneaked into the city that day while hiding out and waiting for Dad to escape. They heard the roar of a train on the railway and looked up to see Avatar Aang and their dad fighting it out atop the train. Tarrlok cheered for his dad like a good son but Noma stayed silent, too transfixed on the sight.
It seemed like an even match thanks to Yakone's moves but then Avatar Aang entered the Avatar State. Yakone was no match and beaten easily. Rather than kill Yakone however, Avatar Aang instead did as he had with Ozai and permanently removed Yakone's bending. Tarrlok was horrified while Noma looked amazed. A few days later, Tarrlok had learned his dad committed suicide in his cell.
Tarrlok understood. His father couldn't stand the idea of living without power, of being an inferior non-bender for the rest of his days. Noma vanished soon afterwards but Tarrlok didn't care. He was useless anyway.
The one thing that truly shocked Tarrlok was when his dad's killer {for what else could he be?} Avatar Aang himself appeared at the foster home where he was being kept. The man's gray eyes shone with compassion as he kneeled down beside the pre-teen. "Hey there" his deep voice sounded "you must be Tarrlok, am I right? I know you've been through tough times lately but don't worry, everything will be okay."
Tarrlok found himself riding the Avatar's steed, the aging Appa to Air Temple Island where his wife greeted them. Yet another responsible for his father's fate. "Our boy Tenzin is far too studious sometimes" Katara chuckled "with his big sister and big brother away, all he does is study air bending. It will do him good to have a friend his own age."
As it turned out, Tenzin was insufferable. His obsession with keeping his father's dead culture alive and his whining about harmony made Tarrlok's stomach turn. The two never got along even after they both grew up and joined the city council together. But Tarrlok did manage to master his dad's blood bending techniques and he vowed to use his position to wipe out non-benders, by any means necessary. No extreme was too great. That was what Tarrlok told himself as he hauled Avatar Korra away from Republic City forever. And somewhere, he knew Amon felt the same way.
AN: well, one of two chapters completed and the next will reveal Noma's fate. R/R!