Woo, more Amon and Korra interaction! I apologize for the sluggish pace of this story. :[ But it'll get better, I swear!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar franchise or the characters.

***

Chapter Three: Embark

As the sun rose on the second day, Korra was still packing last minute additions into a small rucksack. Tezin, with his arms folded behind his back and a disapproving look on his features, watched her quietly with an apprehensive glint in his eyes, "I don't think this is a good idea, Korra."

"Yeah, especially if you're going alone with that psycho!" Bolin added, jumping to emphasize his own unease with the situation.

"Guys, cool it. Tenzin, you have responsibilities to your family," Korra paused in her back-and-forth wandering, giving her airbender mentor a look. With the newest addition, Pema needed Tenzin more than ever. The city, also, needed him for negotiations with Dai Ming, "And you have obligations to the city."

Tenzin's lips pressed tightly together, but he nodded at Korra's reasoning. She had made her point and her points were well-versed. Bolin had yet to be deterred, "You need someone if Am-"

"Bolin, Amon isn't a threat anymore," It was a half-lie. Amon could still pose a threat, but with his abilities to energy bend revoked, Korra felt much more at ease around the former antagonist. Glancing over her shoulder from where she stuffed another set of clothes into her rucksack, she caught Bolin's gaze, "Besides, I had a crash course in chi-blocking, just in case."

"But-" Korra let out an exasperated sigh, which cut the earthbender short.

The Avatar turned to her friend, who shared the look of a kicked puppy. She advanced on him, putting her hands on Bolin's broad shoulders. Giving the young man a sad smile, Korra murmured, "I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to anyone else."

Bolin swallowed heavily, his eyes glancing to the side as both he and Korra thought of Mako. The former firebender had been spending plenty of time alone, usually training his non-bender body. Asami spent kept him company - sometimes sparring with him - despite how their romantic relationship had evaporated upon finding out Mako's strong feelings for Korra. Though Asami definitely had residual feelings of affection for the man, the non-bending female obviously worried over Mako's coping abilities.

Her thoughts of Mako made Korra's chest twist with guilt and her gaze fell to her feet. Thinking that something similar, or worse, could happen to Bolin made her stomach lurch uneasily. Shaking her head, Korra brought her gaze back up to Bolin, a slight grin on her lips, "Besides, Naga will be with me. I won't be entirely alone with that lunatic!"

"If you change your mind, you know where to find me, Korra." The earthbender seemed a little more at ease with the thought of the polar bear-dog accompanying the Avatar. There was still a nervous stiffness to his muscles, though.

Giving Bolin a friendly pat on the shoulder, Korra pushed away from him and turned back to her rucksack. She didn't need much, but she didn't want to be unprepared for this adventure. Salves, changes of clothes, emergency stock of dried fruits, a flask of water, money; was she missing anything?

Silence settled between Amon and Korra while they both chowed down on cooked fish that the Avatar had caught. Naga noisily slurped up her food in slobbering gulps, filling the uncomfortable quiet. Amon noticed the glances Korra would give him, but intently concentrated on his food.

Not a fan of fish, the meal was better than what he had during his short prison stint. Besides the newfound value in food with actual taste, Amon attempting to steel himself against the fluttering thoughts. Like hummingbirds, small and fast, they would flit in and out of focus; determined to be acknowledged despite Amon's resistance.

He attempted to shove the thoughts away, concentrating on the sounds around him. The night was cool, the moon full, and Naga was disgustingly loud as she slurped up her meal. Stars shimmered in the sky, much brighter outside the city. Despite the distance, Republic City's technological glow remained on the edge of Amon's peripheral. Deep in the forest they sat on the edge of, bullfrog-owls and fox-mice rustled through treetops or in underbrush.

The ride on Naga had been tense, uneasy, and - for Amon - infuriating. Pressed against the Avatar while the polar bear-dog jogged out of Republic City; all those bystanders, gawking at him. It made a flare rise in his chest. At least the Avatar had been considerate enough to find him a scrap of cloth to use as a mask. That didn't change the embarrassing twist his stomach gave every time the young woman shifted between his legs, though.

"Where to, Amon?"

Amon's gaze flicked up to Korra, eyebrows quirked, "We embark on this journey and you haven't figured out where to start?"

"Yeah, well sorry I don't know your actual life story, Amon."

"My actual story?"

"Some find it difficult to separate your propaganda from truth."

A low, soft growl curled from Amon's lips- not of irritation, but of consternation- as his eyes dropped back to the fish still in his hands. She was wise to not listen to all the stories the Equalists sent out, but this presented a problem for him. His own spiritual discovery had been a long, winding road. There had been many pitstops on his path. However, where his journey had begun was also the closest destination.

His fellow Equalists were on the line with this one. It was different if they were killed for the cause, but to be made to live life without their families, to be locked up for the rest of their existence, Amon didn't wish to shoulder that burden. Brief memories of his long-gone family toyed across his thoughts.

"Well?" Korra saved Amon from the memories as she leaned back against a rock, crossing her arms and sending the Equalist an irritated leer.

"If you seek the answer to rescinding the effects of my power," Amon's gaze flicked to Korra's sight, holding her blue eyes, "We must start where I was born and where my parents died."