I started this last night. Part of me thinks that Amon has such a way with words that he could sway pretty much anyone to see it his way.

Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Korra

There was no light in his eyes. Not anymore.

He drowned that away at night, raiding his prized collection and downing it all with incense that his mother sent him burning in the air. He drowned and wallowed in his own pity before heaving himself to the surface to catch his breath, just long enough until it hits him and he falls back under.

A couple people-old friends, lovers, haters, and the occasional almost-girlfriends-stopped by and patted him on the shoulder. His lovers cooed and patted his head, doting on him until he sent them away to slip back under.

There was a hole in his eyes and he prodded his skin with his finger, looking into the mirror. He wasn't The Tahno anymore. He was just Tahno, the pitiful pro-bender (pro-cheater, some said) who had his bending taken away by Amon, that creepy Equalist leader. No sympathy cards came in the mail, though. Tahno didn't think they made cards for such a thing.

Sorry that your bending got taken away. There's always tomorrow!

That wouldn't go over very well.

Sometimes, when he hadn't allowed a lover to spend the night, he dreamed of Amon. "You have been cleansed of your impurities; embrace the joy of true equality!" Amon would say from behind the straight-faced mask and his cronies cheered.

Tahno always woke up at that part and he was glad. He was glad when it ended, even though it always brought back the memories. The memories of Amon's hands over his face, of him pleading, and then the awful pulling at his being, the feeling of his whole limbs going numb and then feeling nothing.

Then there would be nothing.

When it was over, Tahno had felt nothing.

That was the scariest part.

The Avatar seemed to take it upon herself to find where he lived and visit him every three days. They sat in the backyard in separate chairs, two feet away from each other. She would always make sure not to bend in his presence, even though she really wanted to. There was a pool in his backyard, where he used to have extravagant parties and it called to him, sometimes.

He could never really hear, it, though. He could never really feel it.

"Every time I think I've finally gained some ground on Amon, he always pulls a fast one." Korra told him and held her head in her hands, her elbows on her thighs. "I'll get him one day, though. For you, and for everyone else. No one deserves this."

"Thank you, great Uhvatar; I should grovel at your feet." Tahno deadpanned and smiled softly when Korra laughed, narrowing her eyes half in annoyance and half in amusement. "So, where are your boy toys?" He asked and looked out at his pool.

Korra wrinkled her nose. "They are not my boy toys-"

"But you wish they were, at least Mr. Almost-Smooth." Tahno interrupted and leaned back into his chair, looking over at the Avatar. "So, you bend all four elements and you bend hearts, too." He chuckled darkly, "Do you bend blood?"

The Avatar looked at him and shook her head. "Mako and Bolin are staying with Asami Sato, you know, that rich, pretty, sweet, caring, Fire Lily of Republic City daughter of Hiroshi Sato. The one who makes the Satomobiles, but I'm pretty sure you already knew that."

Tahno snorted. "Sound likes the Savior of the World's a little jealous, hmm?" He said. "Oh my, is pretty Miss Sato trying to steal away your favorite boy toy? You would really try to pin something dirty on her, wouldn't you?" He smiled, even though it didn't reach his eyes.

Korra leaped her feet. "I have to go," She said. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"Bye, Uhvatar!" Tahno called after her and put his head in his hands. Just beyond him, the water in the pool sat still, unmoving, unbendable.

He heard the calling in his dreams. He heard it on the radio, playing underneath songs, and he heard it in his head. Equality was coming like a wave over Republic City and he heard the calling. Everyone did, but to others-like him-it was loud. It was constantly throbbing in his mind. Summoning, and calling, and bringing him closer.

He had been impure.

Maybe Amon had been right. He had been impure and losing his bending was good for him. It opened his eyes and his ears to the truth and Amon had been right. "You have been cleansed of your impurities. Now go forth and spread the light, spread Equality."

So he did.

Amon was right. This was the way. The Way.

At night, he listened to Amon's speeches and sometimes he gave his own testimony. Everyone knew it already; he had been the greatest sinner. He had been a bender, a pro-bender, and a cheater. Oh, but Amon had showed him the way personally.

Whenever he finished talking, there were always a few wet eyes in the crowd. People-his brothers and his sisters-would pat him on the back and touch his hair. "You have been saved. You know equality." They told him. "Now you are clean, like us."

Clean.

The Avatar knocked on his door for three days straight.

He kept it locked.

Republic City was burning. There were metalbender cops everywhere, trying to fight off the machines that the Equalists had built. There were benders, screaming in the streets as their lovers and friends took their bending and kissed their cheeks at the same time.

Tahno looked out over the Arena. Amon had sent him here, to encourage him to face what he had once been. He would face the Avatar and lead her to Amon, because it was all in the grand scheme of things. To finally show Republic City what true equality was. It was the Way.

"Tahno!" A voice called out to him and Tahno turned towards the sound of his name. There was the Avatar, standing on the roof with her two friends, those orphan boys, and the Sato girl. They looked tired and run down, the Sato girl's hair was mussed and there was a bruise on the earthbender's face. "Tahno, what are you doing here? What have they done to you?"

"I've been shown Equality in its truest form." Tahno answered and pulled down the mask that he had been given, strapping on the electrified glove. "And soon, the whole United Republic will see it, as well." He ducked as the firebending boy-Mako-lunged at him and reached up, throwing the taller boy closer to the edge of the roof.

Korra's eyes widened in shock. "No, Tahno! You were a bender, too! Snap out of it!" She cried and charged towards him, fire flaring in her palms. She was quick and light on her feet, making sure to dodge his jabs and kicks.

He grabbed her shoulders and threw himself backwards, rolling the Avatar under him. He could see fear in her eyes as they tumbled closer to the edge of the roof. "I lost my bending because of you, Avatar, but I've been shown the way, as well. Maybe if things had been different, you could have been shown the Way as well."

Tahno could see light in her eyes. She was living and there was light, while he felt dead and empty. But he knew she felt heavy, too, because she had the burden of being impure. Tahno kicked his legs out one more time and threw his weight towards the ledge. "This," He said into Korra face, since he was too close to really look into her eyes, "This is for Equality."

It was a long way down, but Tahno thought he could hear the water calling out to him, screaming his name and begging him to open his ears, to come back to him. Then he was drowning, drowning in something he could not name.

Korra grabbed his hand, wrapping her fingers around his but Tahno jerked away from her. He could see her through the water, staring at him with pity. For Equality. He thought and grabbed her wrist with his glove hand. This was the Way.

That's alright, I don't understand it either.