'Useless.' He thought to himself as hung over the bathroom sink and starred down at his hands. The water was running over his hands. It glided over them and fell through his touch. Not only had he lost his ability to manipulate the water, but he lost a part of himself. He looked up into the mirror, while the water was still running, and looked at his reflection. What Tahno saw in the mirror wasn't him; from his point of view, it was a broken, worthless, good-for-nothing waste of space. Amon had taken more than just his bending away that night, Amon had taken away Tahno, and what made him whole. After that night, Tahno's fan base diminished quickly, he lost his popularity, his charm was lost, and his physical appearance began to dwindle. He didn't know how to handle himself without bending; he could barely survive without it. The Tahno he saw in the mirror was not the Tahno he had known.
He looked back down at his hands. The water continued to fall from the faucet. Tahno moved his hands just as he would have if he could be able to maneuver the water, however this time the water did not cater to his wishes. It flowed downward into the pool of water below. Frustration in Tahno grew. He growled in anger, and then tried the same move but this time using more energy. He had been trying to do a move that he had learned as a child, the push and pull move. This was the easiest move he had learned, but after all of this, after he gave all he could to do this one move he still could not bend the water. He screamed in anger. He tried one more time. He held out his hand and pulled it closer to him, to pull the water. Nothing happened.
He screamed again as tears fell down his face. He collapsed on to the sink, his arms supporting himself above the brim. His tears fell into the pool of water below him. He looked down at his hands, those hands that could do nothing anymore. The lost their ability to bend. They had failed him. "Useless" he screamed in rage. He believed that they were just useless appendages now, handicapped. Every day they were reminders of his born talent that was stolen away from him. He looked to his right. The blade he used to shave his face hairs with laid on the counter next to the sink. One big blade supported by a handle. Tahno stopped crying and starred at it.
The blade was inviting. He looked at the tip of the blade, sharp and to a point. He remembered all of those times that he had almost cut himself while shaving. That blade was capable of cutting the skin. His hand started to move slowly towards the blade as if it was pulling him in. Closer and closer he got to the blade; he picked it up and held it with this right hand in front of him. He looked at the blade closely; the edge was smooth and sleek. Then he looked down at his left hand, a part of him rendered incapable. His movements were in slow motion as he moved his right hand, with the blade in it, closer to his left hand. He angled the blade and touched his wrist with the tip of the blade. He hesitated. He knew what he was getting himself into. If you asked him a month ago if he would do this he would deny it, but after everything that has happened to him he feels like he has no choice.
One small tear fell from his eye as he pushed the blade in and across his wrist. He winced in pain, at first. Blood started to pour out of the cut. It spilled down the side of his wrist and dripped into the water. He watched the blood flow; it flowed like the water that he used to be able to control. The way the blood moved was because of him, he was finally in control and he liked that; even if that did mean hurting himself. He brought the blade back to his wrist a cut again. He breathed out and closed his eyes. He felt the blood flow across his arm. The water below him was almost completely red. He opened his eyes and continued cutting his arm at his wrist and further up his arm. This was a pain he could control.
A few weeks passed. Tahno continued to do it. He continued to self harm when he was low, for the satisfaction of control. This action shortly became an addiction. He didn't like that he had to hurt himself or cause a danger to himself but he liked the feeling it gave him. The pain, the way the blood moved across him, and the control he had, kept him wanting for more. He hid his scars with his usual long sleeves and gloves.
He was walking the streets of Republic City. He was in Downtown when he though he heard a voice calling out to him. No one ever called to him anymore. No one recognized him anymore, and when they did, the pitied him. He continued to walk, believing he was just hearing things. The voice continued to call out his name, it got louder and louder. He finally conceded and turned around. He saw a girl faintly in the distance running up to him. It was the Avatar; she was trying to catch up to him. She got up to him and stopped, she bend down and started gasping for breath.
"Tahno," she paused, still catching her breath. "I ran like six blocks after you. Hi!" she said eagerly.
"…hi, Uh-vatar." He said skeptically. "What do you want?" he said trying not to sound like an ass.
"Oh, well I don't know. I saw you on the streets and I wanted to say hi."
"Oh ok well, hi." He said as he turned around. She put her hand on his shoulder to stop him and turn him around.
"Well, I was also wondering if you wanted to come to Air Temple Island tonight at five o'clock for dinner. So do you want to?" she asked.
It took a minute to respond. He stood there standing in front of the girl watching her as she grinned at him. She was actually one of the first people to want to be involved in his life since his downfall, even if it was for just a night. "Um, sure. I'll see you later, Uh-vatar." He said as he turned around and walked away from her. She smiled and walked back to Air Temple Island.
He arrived on the island a few minutes early. He was nicely dressed, and his hair was done. It wasn't as good as when he could bend it that way but it was better than his usual hair nowadays. He was almost regretting coming when he walked up to the building and was greeted by Korra. He looked around, he had always seen this place from afar but he had never been on the island. She guided him into the dining room. It was just him, Korra, Mako, Bolin and Asami. Tenzin had a banquet for city politicians he had to go to and he took his family along. He had invited Korra to come too but she had denied it. She wanted them to have their family time alone. Mako, Asami and Bolin were already sitting down. Asami was sitting between Bolin and Mako, the waved to him as he entered the room. Tahno was surprised that they were so pleasant to him even though he had been a jerk to them before when he was on the Wolfbats. He had guessed that Korra told them to be nice to him. Korra sat next to Mako and Tahno sat next to her.
Korra got up to get the food in the kitchen. A loud crash was heard followed by curses from the Avatar. Mako got up angrily to see what had happened and to help her. They were in the kitchen awhile. Tahno felt awkward being alone with Bolin and Asami. Bolin seemed mad for some reason; it was because he still held a grudge against Tahno. Asami started to talk to Tahno, she tried idle chit chat. By the time they started getting into a conversation, Mako and Korra returned. They were gone for about ten minutes. Both were grinning, Mako's hair was messed up, while Korra's shirt was twisted sideways. They both held trays of food and placed it on the table. They sat down at their seats and looked at each other and smiled. Korra told everyone to start eating and they did. Bolin was the first to prance at the food.
Tahno reached to grab his food. As he did his sleeve went up, exposing his forearm. No one had noticed, or so he thought. Korra just so happened to see them. She had seen his scars: old ones and new ones. A few of the marks were recently opened. Her eyes widened in surprise. She was confused; she didn't know why he had those marks on his arm. She thought to herself, 'Maybe he was in a fight or something?' She got up in a hurry and commanded Asami to accompany her to the bathroom. Asami followed Korra into the hallway when Korra stopped her.
"Korra, what is it? Why did you make me come to the bathroom with you? We aren't even in the bathroom. Is this about what happened in the kitchen? By the way, what did happen in the kitchen?" she asked.
"Oh, um, uh, nothing, I just dropped one of the trays so Mako helped me clean it up." She said guiltily. "That doesn't matter, that's not why I brought you out here. I brought you out here because I want you advice. I noticed Tahno has a lot of scars and cuts on his arm. Like over here." She pointed her hand across her forearm. "He was probably in a fight or something but I still want your advice. Should I just let it go or talk to him?"
"Did he quickly hide those scars after he noticed they were being shown?" Korra nodded. "He wasn't in a fight, Korra. Don't talk to him. I will. I know what to say in this sort of situation." Asami said in a serious tone.
"What sort of situation is this?" Korra asked innocently.
"It doesn't matter; just let me talk to him. I can help him."
Korra agreed with Asami and they walked back into the dining room, and continued with dinner like normal.