Equalist Mako requested by fashiongirl123. Hope you enjoy it.

On The Other Side

"Once I take your bending, you will be nothing."

"No. Please! I have a brother to protect." An eleven year-old Mako pleaded. He had left Bolin sleeping in an alley to go meet up with some other Triple Threat Triad members. He hated being associated with them, but they were going to give him and his little brother shelter and protection.

Mako hadn't noticed the green glow of the Equalist goggles until it was too late. Three Equalists ambushed and chi blocked him. Mako thought that was a little excessive, considering he was just a child and barely a bender.

They had dragged him into an abandoned warehouse and dumped him at Amon's feet. Mako had heard rumors and stories about the masked man from the Triple Treats. He knew his fate was sealed. But he continued to beg.

"Save your breath street rat. This just means there will be two less benders working for the Triple Threats." The Equalist standing next to Amon spat. Mako's blood boiled. How dare they threaten his brother. Though his chi was blocked and his limbs were heavy, Mako charged the Equalist.

"Leave my brother alone!" he swung his fist, aiming for the man's stomach. But he was too slow. The Equalist caught Mako's fist, twisted his arm behind his back, and threw him back down to the floor. Mako charged again, this time tackling the man. He managed to get a few blows in before the man punched Mako in the face and sent him tumbling. He righted himself and poised to kick Mako when Amon stepped between them.

"It seems we have a fighter. I admire your persistence child." He crouched down to Mako's level. "I'll make you a deal. We will spare you and your brother, but you now work for me. You will come here every night and train to become an Equalist."

Mako was weary. "Why would you want to keep a fire bender around?"

"Because I could use people like you to work on the inside. You will help me cleanse the city of the bending scum, starting with the Triads. And when the time comes, you will get the honor of taking down the Avatar."

Mako could understand taking out the Triads. It was criminals like them who took his family away. But why the Avatar? The Avatar was supposed to keep balance in the world. What did they do wrong?

"When would I ever meet the Avatar? Why would they even come to Republic City?" Amon was a madman. He had to be. Mako could see no logic in this plan.

"All will be understood in due time. Do we have a deal?"

Korra was tied up in a dark damp holding cell, presumably underground. She could feel the gash on her forehead from when she was thrown into the wall by the Mecha Tank. She couldn't believe that Hiroshi was inventing weapons for the Equalists.

But his wasn't the biggest betrayal.

Suddenly, the door opened and an Equalist walked in. He stood in front of the Avatar. Korra immediately recognized him.

He sat down. "We need to talk."

"I'm not speaking to you with that mask on." Mako hesitantly took the Equalist mask off. Korra regretted telling him to. It would have been easier to pretend this was someone else, that her best friend didn't betray her. He was going to answer for this. He owed her that much.

"You were working for Amon this whole time." It wasn't a question, but he answered anyway.

"Yes."

"This makes you a huge hypocrite you know."

"I know."

Korra thought back to her first encounter with Equalists. She and Mako were chasing the van that had a captured Bolin inside. She was busy fighting off her own attacker, but if she had paid more attention she would have noticed that the fight between Mako and the other Equalist seemed too well timed, too choreographed.

"When Amon ambushed me at Avatar Aang Memorial Island, you were there too?"

Mako grimaced. "I was one of the chi blockers who took you down."

Korra fought to keep her emotions at bay. She couldn't believe she had put so much faith in him.

"So you must have known about the attack on the Pro-Bending championship."

"Yes. I paid off the refs. I had to make sure we weren't the winners."

"Because you wanted to protect Bolin."

"Amon promised to spare Bolin a long time ago. But I couldn't be sure if he would keep his word."

Korra looked away. So his family was still the most important thing to him. There was still a part of the old Mako inside of this traitor.

"This whole thing was to protect Bolin." Mako continued. "This whole plan was set in motion before I met you."

"So the kiss…."

It was Mako's turn to look away. "I am the one who is supposed to take you down. Get close to you. Get inside your head. I didn't expect you to fall for me."

"It must have worked in your favor though."

Korra thought back to the stand off in Hiroshi's secret factory. Mako had instructed Bolin to get Lin and Tenzin out of there. He was still holding Korra, and Equalists were closing in too fast. Korra got to her feet and stood with her back to Mako, ready to fight their way out. Then her whole world came crashing down.

"Guys wait. It's me."

What?

Mako was fast. Before she could react, he blocked her chi points, leaving her to crumple to the ground. Another Equalist hoisted her to a standing position, twisting her arms painfully behind her back. She stood helplessly and watched as Mako removed his jacket and scarf, revealing and Equalist suit underneath. Someone tossed a mask at him. He caught it and put it on. The Lutenant came and stood beside him.

"Good work Mako. Amon will be pleased." He looked at the Avatar with contempt. "Now finish her off."

Korra's heart was in her mouth. She wanted to scream, to cry, to do anything. But she stared in horrified silence as Mako calmly did as he was told. He hit the chi point in her neck hard, rendering her completely useless. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was Mako scooping her up and carrying her to the truck holding the other captives.

She was brought back to the present by Mako. He reached out and brushed her bangs away from her eyes, his fingers tentatively touching the gash on her forehead.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

Korra flinched away from his touch. "No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"What are you most sorry for?" Korra challenged. "Betraying the city? Lying to your brother? Helping a monster destroy something beautiful? Becoming a monster yourself?" Korra couldn't help the tears that were streaming down her face. She wanted this to be a dream. She wanted to wake up in the Air Temple Island infirmary and be told that her hitting her head is what caused this nightmare.

"All of it."

Korra bowed her head and sobbed. Mako reached his hand out to touch her face again. His fingers trembled inches away from her cheek. He wanted so desperately to take this all back, to take back all of the hurt he had caused.

She didn't flinch away from his touch this time. It disgusted her that he could pervert a caring gesture, but part of her yearned for him to mean it wholeheartedly.

Mako shifted on to his knees. He took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. She stared back into the eyes of a familiar stranger. He slowly leaned down and kissed her. It started soft and apologetic before he deepened it, his lips telling her everything his words couldn't, begging her to understand. Korra tried to remain unresponsive, but she soon couldn't help but kiss him back. How could she still love him?

When the kiss ended, Mako leaned his forehead on hers, thumb brushing her cheek.

"But I'm most sorry for falling for you too," he whispered. He kissed her forehead and then left Korra alone in the darkness.

thank you for the prompt. This was fun to write. :)

the usual sign off - review/check out other stories.

Emmy