Korra was less than enthusiastic about practice. She felt bad for Tahno and the other Wolfbats. They may have been cheaters, but they didn't deserve to have their bending taken away. Not only that, but Korra was still upset that she missed her chance to get Amon. And Lin and Tenzin got hurt and countless others were injured. She was the Avatar! She should have been able to protect everyone.
"Just imagine how many noodles we're going to eat, with that prize money, and maybe Mako and I won't have to live off the streets any more. We can totally rent a town house as we work our way up, and you can come visit Korra!" He had been so lost in his imagination that he hadn't noticed a bored Mako leave and the Avatar who was barely concentrating on her training. When Bolin turned around his grin fell, but it was back in a matter of moments when he realized that it was only him and Korra alone in the training room. "Soo... Korra," he scooted over, unbuckling his helmet and taking it off. "You. Me. Alone. Wanna get something to eat and hang out?"
"What?" Korra had been so lost in thought she only heard Bolin after he moved closer and said her name. "Ah, yeah, sure. Food sounds great, actually." She offered a smile, but it was uneasy. It may have been a week, but she was still unsettled.
"Perfect!" He threw his hands up in victory and trolled behind Korra, pushing her towards the doors with Pabu settling down on Bolin's shoulder. "I just found this awesome restaurant and since I bet you'll love it."
Korra made a surprised noise and laughed softly. "I'm sure I will, Bolin. If you like it, odds are I will too." She smiled at him.
After putting away their training armour Bolin and Korra headed out, making their way to the restaurant. Bolin picked a seat at a window, pulling Korra's chair for her. "Milady."
The Avatar shook her head and smiled. "Why thank you, kind sir." She giggled, playing along. Somehow, being around Bolin relaxed her.
Bolin bowed, "The pleasure's all mine-hey!" He grumbled at Pabu who decided to use his head as a bridge to the table. But he got over it and sat down, looking over at the menu. "I'm starved, and there's just so many good things on here." Pabu sniffed around and looked at the menu with Korra.
Korra reached out to pet Pabu and tilted her head as she tried to decide what to eat. "It all sounds delicious, but we can't afford to get it all."
"I know." Bolin groaned at the prices, they were already out of his range from the normal take outs he would usually get, but if he was using his well earned money for something he enjoyed, with someone he enjoyed being with, then Bolin was fine with spending a little extra once in a while. "Sucks to not be rich, but hey, at least we have each other, right? Sharing is caring."
"True that, my friend." Korra grinned, already feeling a million times more at ease.
The waitress came and Bolin didn't know what to choose. His head throbbed at the mixed decisions, "Argh, they're all too good. Must... resist to get them all. OkayIchoosethisone."
Korra pointed to her own choice, not too sure how to pronounce the name of the dish.
"Uh, what?" The waitress shook her head snobbishly, not knowing it was the Avatar who she was being disrespectful to.
"Erm! She'll be having the same thing I'm having." Bolin cut in to save Korra, "Oh and can I please get Pabu some peas? Thanks!" When the waitress left, Bolin turned to Korra with glistening eyes. "You literally got the same thing I got. Korra, I think that's saying something. Eh? Eh?"
Korra understood what Bolin was getting at. It was what she was trying to say to Mako and she ended up hurting Bolin because of it. "Well, I guess we're either destined for each other or we're just a lot alike." She smiled. She believed it was probably more the latter, but she suggested both to spare Bolin's feelings and keep him hopeful. Who knows? Maybe it was the former after all.
Bolin's jaw dropped and he gasped, he felt tears at his eyes but refused to cry. "You really think so? I could just hug you right now. B-but I won't, because that would be awkward. You know? Awkward. Anyway..." He scratched the back of his neck, trying to think of something else to talk about. "Hey, how's your air bending skills coming along?"
"It's not." She propped her head in her hand. "But what else is new? I just can't get the meditation thing down. Be the leaf and all that."
"I just can't imagine sitting with your eyes closed and staying like that for a certain amount of time. But why don't you try thinking of what makes you relax? Oh!" Bolin put his hands up, "Why don't you try thinking of fluffy things?"
Korra raised an eyebrow before laughing. "You know, I just might do that. That might be why I can't focus. Not enough cute and fluffy."
"You have to cozy up to meditate, right? So sure, why not fluffy things?" Bolin extended his arm for Pabu to climb. "You can think of Pabu!" He smiled.
Korra laughed again. "Okay, I'll think of Pabu next time. I bet it'll work." The Avatar smiled.
"But Tenzin says that Pro-Bending is helping you focus on the other activities in training that you have to do. Hey! There's an idea, why not think of Pro-Bending instead?"
"I do, all the time, but it just excites me. It doesn't help me meditate." She giggled.
Bolin gave some thought and nodded in agreement as they waited for their orders, "Yeah I guess that's true, and it means a lot that you like Pro-Bending as much as Mako and I do! It's fun to have a friend who isn't in it for the fame, unlike Hasook."
"Hasook was a good player though." Korra replied. She began to glance around, wondering if there were any Equalists in the building.
"Yeah, and a good friend until all that 'fame' stuff got into his head. I mean, I like being recognized too but I won't let fame change me." Bolin began playing with his chopsticks, making them walk across the table and poke Pabu who pawed at the utensil in return. The boy looked up as he chuckled and caught Korra looking about, "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah... Just a little paranoid after what happened in the arena..." She replied nervously.
"Oh," He set his chopsticks down to listen to Korra. "Still bumbed out about that, huh? If it'll make you feel better at least no one was killed, or so I heard. The Equalists took down a couple of blimps but everyone on them survived, ... Right?"
"As far as I know, but that's not the problem... Just the fact that it /happened/ bugs me..."
"Gee, I didn't know it was bothering you that much." Bolin said, "I saw you try to stop them - you tried and that's what matters, Korra."
Korra looked up and smiled at him. "Thanks, Bolin... That makes me feel a lot better, really..." She said honestly.
"Hey, that's what I'm here for!" He sat back in his seat smiling at when a vehicle suddenly crashed through the window, showering them with glass.
"Korra!" Bolin cried, desperately grabbing for her arm as he threw himself on the ground, with Pabu in his other arm.
Korra gasped and grunted as she hit the ground, whipping around to see what had happened. "What... What in the world?"
"I don't know!" Bolin shouted over the panic of citizens. He pulled Korra up and made sure that Pabu was on his shoulder, "We have to get out of here!"
Korra nodded and turned and ran. How could she leave Naga behind?
Bolin caught up to Korra, took her hand and ran as fast as the wind would carry him. It wasn't until later that when he turned around he realized that his grip must've slipped. "Korra?" He couldn't find her among the running citizens and he called again, only to be muffled by a bag going over his head and the poke of quick fingers that rendered his whole body the inability to bend.
Korra struggled and fought with an Equalist that tried to grab her and she conjured a flaming kick aimed at the man. She hadn't noticed, however, that another chi blocker was behind her and she cried out when she felt the bending blocking jabs and she fell to her knees.
Chi blockers fell in a circle around Korra, and one bound her hands quickly, and another covered her eyes with a sash. "We got the other one. Bring her in."
There was the sound of something being pulled out and electricity flicking on, before a rod connected with Korra's body and currents were sent through to knock her unconscious.
The Avatar groaned what felt like hours later and she winced when she tried to move. What happened? Oh, right... Equalists attacked her and... Bolin! "Bolin?"
"I'm afraid that you're friend will have to wait." An all too familiar voice said from the shadows, but the sash around Korra's eyes wasn't taken away yet. "It depends on how well you cooperate."
Korra panicked. Anyone but him! Not Amon! "Where is Bolin? What have you done to him?"
"Hidden away where you'll never find him." Amon said, "But don't worry, your answer to my proposition will determine his fate." He turned her head to face him. "Answer correctly and we might let him go."
Korra wished she could see him so she could try to be defiant. But she knew that Amon was aware she feared him. "...What do you want?"
"You." He let that sink in, "Swear your allegiance to me, Avatar and together we will bury the Council to the ground."
"Wouldn't...Wait, what?" Korra shouted in surprise. "Are you serious? I'm your enemy, right? A bender!"
"Did you forget, Korra? I spared you. Told you I had a plan. Well," The Equalist leader pulled at the sash and let it unravel. "This is the plan."
Korra blinked as her blue eyes adjusted to the change from darkness to light. She looked up at Amon. "I'm a /bender/. Having me help you defeats the Equalists' purpose, doesn't it?"
"Sometimes you'll have to break your own rules to win." Amon moved away from the bender. "We don't all win by cheating a little."
"What do you call it then?" Korra shouted, though her fear came through, much to her dismay.
Amon grabbed her face, "Control. The Council won't let anything happen to their precious Avatar so as long as you're with the Equalists, they're vulnerable. They'll do what they can to keep you safe. Unfortunately for them, you'll be joining me."
"Yeah, like that will happen." She growled softly, her eyes narrowing. Thankfully, her fear allowed her to be angry.
"You wouldn't want to know what happens if you don't swear your loyalty to me." He warned.
"/No/." She replied before pausing. "...You wouldn't kill him."
"Would you like to find out, Avatar?" Amon challenged.
Korra held her head up proudly. "You wouldn't. You haven't killed anyone yet, why start now?"
"Hm." Amon stepped away from her with his hands disappearing behind his back. "You make a good point, Avatar. I suppose taking one's ability to bend is a better way to teach them who is in charge now."
"If what you're saying is really what you want from me, you won't take my bending. Or Bolin's. If you take his bending, you can kiss me helping you goodbye, you got me?" Korra growled. "Your bluff won't work."
"Good. That's just what I wanted to hear. Your friend will stay where he is to keep you grounded." Amon made his way over to the door, "Change your mind and I might consider other methods to keep you in line."
"If I agree..." She called after him. "Will you let Bolin go home? You'll leave him alone and let him go?"
He let the silence linger before nodding, "I can't promise you anything. He'll be under our watch until I know you're a capable ally. If not, we'll keep our spies in a safe distance. If your friend and his brother tries to rescue you, it is not part of our bargain. Though I doubt they'll find you. So yes, I will release him."
Korra hung her head before replying, keeping her glare focused on the ground. "That means I can't leave your side? I can't go back to Air Temple Island? I can't go home?"
"You make me out to be some kind of villain." He smirked under his mask, "You're welcome to go home, you're free to go to your Pro-Bending practices and you're air bending training. But you're to come to me on the stroke of midnight to report on the council's progress and your progress. You should know how to get to the Aang Memorial Island." He turned to go and paused, "And one more thing Avatar, your friend Bolin is not the only one you should be worried about. That girl Asami may be a bad influence to dear Mako."
Korra growled and jerked her head up. Asami wasn't evil, Amon was just goading her on. He had to be. Damn him. "I may go along for now, Amon... But I swear, I /will/ beat you."
"Which is why you were the perfect candidate, otherwise this plan would have never worked." He faced her again, "I'd try not to predict the future on your part, Avatar. You've signed the contract; things may turn out differently."
Korra glared daggers at the Equalist leader and tossed her head. "I'm the Avatar. I make my own destiny."
"We all do." And he was gone.
After Amon had retreated back to who knows where, two chi blockers came and picked Korra up, tying the sash around Korra's eyes again before leading her out of the group, followed by a group of Equalists. "Time to go home, we have your polar bear dog and friend waiting."
odus Korra made no response. Why did she let this happen? She should have been paying closer attention. And now Asami was a threat?
When Korra's sash was taken away she, Bolin, Naga and Pabu were aboard a cargo boat heading to the Republic City docks.
"Yo, you kids alright? I found ya'll tied up!" A man said, and Bolin gasped from the bad over his head, he wheezed, trying to breathe.
"Are we dead? No, we're alive. I can't believe we're alive. I was starting to hear voices, and everything was dark and-Korra! Am I so glad to see you!"
Korra nodded and hugged Bolin. "I thought they hurt you, I'm glad you're okay..." She pulled away and smiled. Her smile faded as she remembered what deal she had made.
Bolin flushed and hugged back, "N-no, we're good. I'm good. Pabu, you good, boy?" The ferret nodded and Bolin presented Korra with a thumbs up and a smile as they pulled away, "Yep, we're good. Are... you okay?" Naga nuzzled Korra.
Korra stroked Naga's head and nodded. "Yeah... Surprisingly..." She offered a smile, but it was fake.
"Man, what happened? I couldn't see anything for an hour." Bolin rubbed his eyes, the sun peeking through the cargo boat window stinging his eyes.
"Nothing happened... I'm surprised Amon let us go..."
"He probably wants us to go warn the Council on whatever this attack was. Did you see anything? I'm sorry I couldn't help."
Korra wanted to tell Bolin everything that happened, but she was afraid it would put him at risk, so she remained silent. "No. Nothing..."
Bolin sat back on the crate they were sitting at, and let Pabu rest on his lap. He looked at Korra and immediately had a hunch that something happened to her, but he refused to ask.
Instead he smiled and nudged her gently, "The next stop is Air Temple Island, you should get home and rest. Mako and I will try to visit you tomorrow, okay?"
The Avatar nodded before shaking her head. "Actually, I really want to focus on my Airbending training tomorrow, but if I get done early enough, I'll come visit." She smiled.
Bolin nodded, "Oh.. okay. Well, whenever you're free we'll catch each other." He smiled and waved as the boat stopped to drop off cargo, but something bothered him, itching at the back of his mind.
"Yeah... See ya, Bolin..." She waved, turning away and heading back home. Naga nudged her and she didn't react.
When Korra got home the children greeted her, tugging her inside. "You're just in time!" Jinora said, "Dad had the cook prepare your favourite dish!"
Korra smiled. "Thank you, but I'm not feeling too hot... I'm going to go lie down..."
Jinora's smile disappeared, "Oh. Okay." she let go of Korra's hand and told Ikki and Meelo to go ahead, "I'll tell dad then. Korra, are you okay?"
"Yeah, just feel a little sick. I'm fine, Jinora... I just need some sleep." Korra smiled softly.
The airbender nodded and smiled, "Okay, I understand. I hope you feel better tomorrow." Jinora waved, following after her brother and sister.
Korra trudged off to her room and collapsed on her bed, closing her eyes. All through the night, she had Amon-centered nightmares