He had been drunk. Again.
They had kicked him out. Again.
He had found himself out on the docks, near the element that he had once been able to manipulate so gracefully. Now it mocked him, the water lapping and swirling beneath him. He swayed slightly, his mind still very much swimming in the delirious affects of the cactus juice. With one shaky arm out, he reached towards the water, begging for the slightest ripple in the waves. Maybe, he begged, maybe today?
It did not obey him. The water below continued to sway gently, oblivious to the boy's pathetic attempts. He clenched his fists, and bit his tongue, afraid that he would scream. He wanted to scream, oh yes. He wanted to do much more than that. He wanted to damage and break and kill something.
Someone.
Someone with the bluest eyes he had ever seen. So wide and bright and fierce. So...delicate. Yes. In spite of her belligerent attitude, there was something very young and innocent and so damn naive about her.
He realized in that moment that he hated her. The way she flaunted her bending, as if it were her birthright. She had been there when they were attacked, she had done nothing to save him. She was not the people's Avatar. She was not his Avatar. The thought of her made him sneer. No, he did not need her. She was not his protector. He did not need someone so simple and stupid.
It infuriated him. The fate of the world depended on her? A little girl who knew absolutely nothing of pain or suffering. He knew pain. He knew suffering.
A sudden thought echoed throughout his mind. Someone should teach her what real pain is. An image of her appeared - her face etched in pain, her blue eyes filled with tears. It was a nasty image. A cruel image. He should have pushed it from his mind right away. But he didn't. No, he invited it, allowing the image to stay. He entertained the idea of hearing her scream. It...excited him.
The alcohol made his head swirl. The sudden onset of nausea forced him to collapse onto the waves laughed at his pitiful state. The boy who was once king, now reduced to just another drunken shadow in the night. All because of her.
He should have seen it back then. The Equalists had seen what he was just now beginning to understand. She was the cause of endless violence and blood and terror. The Avatar did not bring balance; no, far from it. She brought chaos and misery. It was only without bending, without her that the world could truly live in peace. How incredibly idiotic had he been, to blame this on the people who were trying to save him. She was the cause. This was her fault.
And now she was hailed as a hero. Her praises were sung by every bender in the city. She must be so damn proud of herself. How blind could these people be? Time would go on and her legacy would only continue to grow. They called her the "savior of Republic City". He could only imagine her face, blue eyes shining with shameless pride. He wanted to make those blue eyes cry.
But it was over now, wasn't it? The non-benders were once again abandoned and forgotten. Once again, they were betrayed - by a filthy bender no less. Who would be their savior? Who would be their hero? He sat there, eyes fixating on the Air temple where she slept, probably warm and safe. The hatred pulsed within him, taking on a life of its own.
His hands were wet. Confused, he examined them. Blood trickled from where he had dug his nails into his palms. He noted the deep half-moon punctures with calm disinterest. This was nothing new. There were many more like them all over his arms.
In the midst of his tormented thoughts, he noticed something bobbing up and down in the water. Innocently it flowed towards him, gently nudging against one of his legs. The boy's eyes widened. It was a face - the one that had haunted him for endless days and nights. The face of the one who had ripped him of the life he once had. The mouth was curved into a slight smile, eyes slitted. Rage grew within the boy. Was it mocking him? He reached for it with his bloodied fingers, intent on smashing it into pieces.
But he stopped, suddenly. He examined the mask carefully. A dawning realization came upon him. The face was not laughing at him. No, not in the slightest. It had been stupid of him to think so.
It was welcoming him.
The boy picked it up, admiring it's smooth texture. The thing that had been the endless source of his nightmares now lay in his hands. But, now it was no longer a nightmare. It was a gift. A calling.
The face stared back at him, waiting.
He had asked for a savior, and it had come to him.
The boy placed it on his face. It fit perfectly, as if it had been made for him, and him alone. Amon had not died. It's former owner had been a mere puppet for the mask. When it had found the man unworthy, it disposed of him. And now, it sought out a new master. One who was deserving.
He would do the mask justice.
He would become the true hero of Republic City.
From behind the mask a wide smirk spread across the boy's face. Through the slitted eyeholes he peered out at Air Temple Island. He would be the one to bring peace to the world. They all worship him. In the end, even the Avatar herself would bow to the mask.
What fun this will be. The boy thought, beginning to laugh, joyously.
Oh, how he could not wait to begin!
Author's Note: Welcome, reader! Thank you for taking time to read. I have entertained the idea of Equalist!Tahno before, I explored the idea in a different fanfiction of mine. It is called Everything, if you are interested in taking a look. The finale, however, gave me different ideas. Amon can be anyone, so long as they don the mask. So, I thought, what would happen if Tahno found the mask? What if he blamed his fall on Korra? What if he became so twisted with vengeance, that he would do anything to destroy her? Like Bolin said, Tahno is one nasty dude. I have a feeling that if he went down a dark path, he could become an excellent villan. The rating of this fanfiction might move up to M, if I choose to continue it.
As always, reviews are quite motivating! However, if you do not have the time, then thank you for reading anyways :)