Note: A special thanks to 'Jokermask18' for helping me out, and giving me some ideas and inspiration for this story! You're awesome, man! :)
"Every act of rebellion expresses a nostalgia for innocence and an appeal to the essence of being."
-Albert Camus
Republic City: fifteen years ago
Crunches of bones, and the pleading whimpers of the victim were echoing and bouncing off the moldy walls of the alleyway, the only lights visible through the dark were the evil gleam in the Earth Kingdom man's razor-sharp green eyes. He drank in his prey's pain, the particular angle of the poor man's arm made him squirm with delight, and- yes.
Everything was going just according to plan.
"Like this, Master Shu?" the young Earthbender boy asked his teacher, as he flicked his wrist, and cocked his arm just so, creating a tremor in the victim's leg, just enough for a little snap to be heard.
The poor soul cried out, and crumbled to the dusted ground.
Shu felt the corners of his mouth curl up, he could feel the iron and copper shifting through the man's bones, trying to repair the damage.
"Keep going, Jin." he replied, studying their enemy's twitching form, "You are doing splendid so far. Can you sense the iron in his bones?" he breathed in deeply, closing his eyes, "It's as pure as the earth."
"Yes, Master Shu." Jin monotoned, not a flicker of emotion passing on the boy's face.
"P-please..." the man begged, "Stop...I-I'll do anything! I-"
"Gahhhhh!" He was stunned into a pained cry as his other leg crumbled with a crunch, tears stinging his eyes.
"W-what...what are you...?" the man breathed, before his world went blank, and his whole body stilled.
He never made another sound again.
"Justice." Shu stated evenly.
"Come, Jin. The night is young." Jin followed his mentor's orders, turning briskly on his heals, without so much as a glance back.
The boy and the sadistic man walked into the shadows, leaving no trace they were even there.
"Mother, times like these I wish you were here to give me advice. You always took better care of this city and its people than I ever could..." Lin Beifong muttered as she took in the gruesome sight before her.
The victim's body lay grotesque in the alleyway, glistening white bones and flesh sticking out through the skin at angles bones should never be. The blood blossoming at the joints as if some kind of rabid animal pulled every joint and tendon simultaneously.
In all Lin's years of working under her mother, and since Toph had passed, Lin had never seen such a gruesome sight.
She closed her eyes solemnly in respect, and bowed her head. "May the Spirits bless you."
Just then, an Officer calling her name, came from behind.
"Oh, Cheif Beifong, there you are!" Officer Ning stated grimly,"Chang and Ya Mung scouted with thier groups up and down the North and East sides, but could not find any evidence supporting the killing was planned, or who the possible suspect could be. What would you like us to do next, Ma'am?"
Lin sighed, and shook her head, not wanting to admit the possible knowledge that she could possibly know what kind of person did this. But if she told her fellow Officers, news would spread far and wide. Panic would spread. Panic caused carelessness, and carelessness caused death.
"Ma'am?" Ning asked again.
Ning was a nice man, always taking orders seriously and getting the job done; recently replacing an officer and getting a raise, but never without an amiable smile on his face that helped anyone.
Now, Ning forced his eyes upon the body and stiffened his jaw to fight back the bile threatening to rise up. He couldn't get emotional on the job; he was trained to handle all kinds of situations, but somehow, this type of killing chilled him to the bone.
Lin watched as Ning closed his eyes in respect, and gently took his red scarf from his neck, and pulled it over his nose. Yes, an Earthbender with a red scarf; Lin would be lying if she said she had'nt been a tad curious as to why he wore it when she first met Ning two years ago, but soon found out about his marriage to a Fire Nation woman named Azara, and grew to find the couple very sweet and loving people. She had met their oldest son a few months ago, who was almost three, taking after Azara in her Fire Nation heritage; all crimson eyes and soft cheeks with jet black hair. They had recently had a new baby about a year ago, a green-eyed boy whose hair and dimples matched Ning on his best days. Lin knew when their boy's were older, they were sure to be benders, and strong ones at that.
If she was being honest with herself, Lin would say a small part of her envied what Ning had; a beautiful wife, two healthy little boys, love, a home. If Ning hadn't been married and she hadn't been so focused on her work, she might have even tried to go out of her way to get the good looking, sweet-hearted man's attention enough to maybe do...an activity together.
But she couldn't, so there was no use dreaming up such nonsense fantasies, no matter how much Ning's green eyes, and huge, easy smile made her heart swell.
She was Lin BeiFong. She had a city to take care of.
"Cheif? Are you alright?" Lin blinked, snapping out of her trance, and looking away from the body now. She cleared her throat, "Yes, Officer Ning, thank you for your report. Tell Chang's group to do a sweep on the West Side before doubling back. Meet back at Head Quarters once you get the scene taped off."
"Yes, Ma'am." Ning saluted. Then after a minute, "...Ma'am?"
"What is it?" Lin tried not to sound too harsh.
"Who do you think could have done something like this? This killing...it doesn't seem normal." his voice was think and Lin could hear him swallow, "The way the body is...it's like every single bone was broken by someone." he stated, voice deep with seriousness and worry, "I know someone did this, and my home is not too far from here. I just want to know I can keep my family safe from whatever maniacs are out there. I have two little boys at home. You can understand that, right?"
She couldn't really, though. She dug her heel into the dirt to calm herself. Images of her mother and a scene very similar to this, flashing through her mind from years ago.
"I might have some idea what kind of person did this. I'm not certain of it, though." she replied.
"You do?" Ning's think brows shot up to his blank curls.
Lin stared straight ahead, boring her eyes into the alleyway, gaze grim and far away. "About five years ago. My mother came across a case just like this, body nearly in the same condition."
"And," Ning breathed, "did she come to a conclusion?"
Lin could feel her joints stiffen. She looked the victim straight in his soulless eyes. Her voice came out a whisper.
"Bonebending."