"When I was a boy, my family and I lived on a small farm. We weren't rich, and none of us were benders. This made us very easy targets for the firebender who extorted my father. One day, my father confronted this man, but when he did, that firebender took my family from me. Then, he took my face. I've been forced to hide behind a mask ever since." - Amon
It was a hot summers day in the Fire Nation, class wasn't in session, but this didn't mean that Amon was able to sit in and relax, or even play outside with his friends like a typical fourteen year old boy. Amon had to be up bright and early, along with the rest of his family in order to work on the farm which grew many of the fruits and vegetables that were popular cuisine in the Fire Nation.
Amon didn't enjoy getting up early and working in the farm most of the day, but always knew no matter how hard he had it, it was harder for his father, Maro, who was always the first one on the farm everyday and the last one inside. Not to mention it was important for them to get as much work as possible done so that they could eat and also afford the things they needed.
Amon's mother, Nima, didn't work on the farm, but instead did the house work and cooked the meals for the family. However, Amon and his father didn't work the farm alone, although sometimes Amon thought it would be better that way, because his eleven year old brother Elan also helped out on the farm, even though sometimes, at least to Amon, he got in the way more than he helped.
As Amon and his brother and father were working on the farm, watering the crops as well as checking to see if others were ready to be picked, a man entered the yard and started walking straight to his father, Amon had seen this man talk to his father before, several times actually, but he wasn't sure what exactly they said to each other, or what he even came to visit about, but this time he was going to find out.
He walked away from the crops he was looking at and started to examine some other crops, these were (conveniently) located right near where his father and the man were about to talk. Amon didn't notice at first but the man wore a red shirt with the Fire Nation insignia on it, as well a pair of common red Fire Nation pants and shoes.
The man began speaking to his father and Amon listened very closely and, to his delight, could hear what was being said. The man said "Hello, Maro. It's that time of the month again." Maro looked at him "Lee, I barely have enough money to feed my children and wife, how can you keep expecting me to pay you like this?" The man, who Amon now knew was named Lee replied "I don't care what you have to do to get me the money, I just know you better get it to me."
Neither man spoke as they just stared at each other for a few seconds when Lee spoke again "We know how uncontrollable fire is Maro," Lee held some fire in his hands "We wouldn't want anything to happen to your crops." At that very moment, Amon realized what had been happening for all this time, the man had been threatening to burn down the farm, his families only source of livelihood, just to extort them out of money they didn't even have to give.
Amon could see his father pull out some money, handing it to the man, who he now knew was a total asshole and say "Here Lee, this is all I have to give right now, leave me and my family alone." Lee smirked and said "I'm glad you've come to your senses," as he walked away.