Just want to say, again, thank you so much for your continual support and encouraging reviews. They make my day! Sorry for the delays, I've been pretty busy with school. I'm hoping to finish up this story within the next week or so. I'm predicting about four chapters more. All-righty! Enjoy, kiddos!

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"You've got to try harder than that, Korra."

"I am trying! You're just moving too fast."

"Do you expect me to go easy on you? Sakura won't. Now enough of those weak counter attacks, and bloodbend me."

Korra growled, her whole body going tense as she planted her feet, struggling to focus on Amon's flickering form while she held her eyes closed. The sparkling map of lights that was his figure darted forward again, and she felt her breath whoosh out of her as his fist struck her side. She dropped to one knee.

"You're not even trying," he snarled.

"I am," she gasped.

"Block my attack!"

"I can't!"

With a low growl, his arm caught her across the chest, snatching her up from the ground. Korra's eyes flew open. He threw her over his shoulder as if she weighed no more than a child, pinning both of her arms in an iron grip. Korra emitted a choking gasp and struggled against the impossible hold.

"What are you doing?"

"Teaching you a lesson."

His voice, low and cool, sounded so much like the old Amon that haunted her nightmares that a chill raced down her spine. Korra beat her fists against his back, but to no avail. He carried her across the beach where they practiced to the water, and promptly threw her in. Korra hit the waves with a gasp, sputtering as she surfaced in the shallows. Without warning, the water tightened around her, choking her in an icy grip.

"Fight it. Don't just sit there and let it happen."

"I'm—trying!" Korra slung her arms out in the thickening ice, and melted it with a blast of firebending. She leaped out of the water, hurtling towards him, but before she could even get a punch in edgewise, he'd darted out of the way, pounding the side of her torso in one fluid chi-blocking move. Korra's left arm went limp.

"Hey!" she bellowed. "Sakura doesn't use moves like that!"

"I'm upping the game. You think she'll just stand there and let you bend all the elements at her? You need to bloodbend. I've blocked your firebending." He lunged forward again, faster than the eye could see, and snapped a curled fist against her opposite side. Korra staggered. "Now I've blocked your earthbending. All you have is water. So use it."

"But—"

He hit her with a bone-jarring blow, knocking her off her feet. Before she could react he was on top of her, pinning her to the sand.

"And here's the point where Sakura's won," he growled into her face. "What do you do now?"

Korra snarled and jerked her knee up to catch him in the gut, throwing him off her. She forced herself to shut her eyes and took a deep breath—a few moments of concentration, and she saw him again. She rolled to one side as he lunged for her again, snapping him over the back with a well-placed blow. His breath expelled in a painful grunt. Korra jerked to her feet, dancing away from him as he swung out an arm to catch her legs. Then an exhilarating rush of power surged through her as she reached out both hands, curling her fingers into fists, and let instinct take her.

She felt, instead of saw, his body move. The blood coursing through his veins, the powerful beat of his heart, every muscle tensed to spring. Korra twitched her fingers, forcing his arms backward, twisting behind his back, and he grunted in pain and surprise. She manipulated his body, lifting him off the ground, through the air. The energy of his whole being pulsed at her fingertips—and she was in control, he was completely at her mercy, she held his life in her hands…

With a small cry of shock, Korra relinquished the bloodbending hold and dropped him to the sand. She stumbled back, opening her eyes. Amon was on his knees, his hands trembling at his sides, his golden eyes wide as he stared at her.

Korra's mouth felt too try to speak. "Spirits," she whispered. "I'm so sorry—"

"Sorry?" He stood on shaky legs her. "Korra, you did it. You bloodbent."

"I never want to do that again!" she cried, stumbling back from him as he walked toward her. "I—I could have hurt you! That power… it didn't feel good, it felt awful. I ca—I can't do that again, Amon. I can't."

He slipped his hand to the back of her head and pulled her against him, drawing his arms tight around her. "But you did. You had the strength. This is a huge step, Korra."

She pushed back from him, looking up at him in horror. "It—it's perverted! I'm never going to manipulate someone like that again! Not if my life depends on it!"

He glared down at her. "You don't have a choice, Korra. Sakura is going to use bloodbending against you whether you like it or not. You have to resist her, and this is the only way to do it. You think she hasn't studied all your earth, fire, and waterbending moves in the arena? She knows your style, and she can counter every attack you make. Face it; she's more powerful than you."

"I don't care!" Korra shoved him away, stomping across the sand. "I won't let her turn me into a monster like her. I won't use people."

"Korra—"

"No! You don't understand, Amon. You can't possibly understand! You've been bloodbending all your life. You're used to using people to your own gain, manipulating them to get what you want!" She knew she was going too far, but something had snapped within her, something frightening. She'd been terrified out of her wits by the feel of so much power at her fingertips, so much sickening power. "I can't do that to others, Amon. I won't."

His golden eyes narrowed. He took a step toward her, and Korra took an involuntary step back, her heart twisting up in fear.

"I'd thought to world's dear Avatar might take into account that some things must be sacrificed for the greater good." His voice was low and menacing. "Personal morals or not. You think Katara hesitated before she used bloodbending to defeat Hama? Of course. But she overcame it, to save her life. Despite your squeamishness, you must do the same."

"Avatar Aang was to squeamish to kill the Firelord," Korra shot back. "And he didn't! He still won the war."

Amon stepped forward until he towered over her, those golden eyes gleaming down with dangerous intensity. "You want to spare her? Be my guest. But do not come running when she turns and destroys you where you stand."

With that, he turned on his heel and marched back up the beach. Korra stared after him, her breath catching in her throat. Her hands twisted with fury at her sides, a flush of anger blistering across her face. Who did he think he was? She wasn't using bloodbending! She wouldn't manipulate someone else in that sick way… it was just wrong. She wasn't him. She couldn't do that to others.

But… then, again, what was she doing? All he was doing was trying to help her. And she'd thrown his past back up in his face with enough venom to make even an iceman flinch. Korra hung her head, wrapping her arms around herself. She shouldn't have yelled at him. He was only trying to prepare her the best way he could with his skills.

With a defeated sigh, Korra dropped her arms back down to her sides and followed the path he'd cut up the hill toward the Air Temple.

… ….. … …. … … …

She couldn't find Amon anywhere. He must've picked quite a spot to sulk, because she searched up and down the island, hoping to see him and apologize, but he'd seemed to have disappeared. Finally she gave up, returning to the dining hall to curb her unsettling feelings with a plate of food.

"How'd practice go?" Bolin drawled, sitting alone at the low-set table. Korra fumbled in the icebox for a bag of cold rice, then sighed and settled herself down beside him.

"I suck," she mumbled.

"Aw, come on. You can't be that bad."

"I can't do it, Bolin. I can't bloodbend him. I can't bloodbend anyone. It's just… it feels wrong. I don't know why. Having that kind of control over another human body. It makes me sick."

He sighed and set his chopsticks down on his plate, which he'd already cleaned. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I mean—I've never bloodbent anyone before—but when I first discovered how to earthbend, I felt weird. Like I was perverting the elements or something. It just… didn't seem fair, really. To have that kind of power over things we shouldn't be able to control. Now, I know it's not like another human being, but I can kind of guess how you're feeling… to an extent."

Korra frowned. "I know I've got to do it in order to defeat Sakura. But I can't help but wish there was another way. She's a monster, using other people to her own gain. I don't want to be like that. I want to defeat her, fair and square, without twisting and bending anyone else to my will. Does that make any sense?"

"Sometimes you can't have your cake and eat it too." Bolin's green eyes measured her with a hint of sadness. "Korra, I know it's going to be tough, but maybe you should try seeing from Amon's point of view. Here comes his sister, out of the past, to try and kill him. Now she's trying to kill someone he cares about—yeah, I know it's you, I've seen the way he looks at you. What would you do? Wouldn't you want to help that person master every possible skill they can to fight back against this monster? He's worried for you. He tries to hide it, but it's obvious. He'd rather face Sakura alone, any day."

"But she'll kill him. She's too powerful."

"I doubt he cares. You should've seen him the other night with Tenzin. I thought their arguing would've woken you up, but you sleep like a rock. He kept trying to pressure Tenzin into letting you stay here while he went out and tried to take down his sister by himself. He even suggested forming a posse of the metalbenders and us Fire Ferrets, leaving you behind, to confront her on the beach where she'd planned to meet you."

"But… Tenzin refused, didn't he?"

"Of course! He may not like Amon much, but he knows Sakura won't rest until she gets her faceoff with you. And I think he knows that this is something that only the Avatar can truly conquer. Sakura's powers are out of this world. She's the worst thing since Firelord Ozai."

"But I'm not even a real Avatar," Korra muttered. "As Tarrlok said, I'm half-baked. I don't even know how to airbend. How am I supposed to defeat her?"

"Hey. Korra." Bolin took her shoulder. "Look at me." He waited until she did. "You may not be a fully realized Avatar, but you're stronger than Sakura is. Inside. Her heart's made of stone. Yours? Well, it's made of fire and water and everything amazing in the world. You can beat her. I know you can. If anyone can stand a chance against her, it's you. Don't think for a minute you're not ready for this. You were born ready for this. You were born to fight evil, to protect people, to keep balance in the world. Sakura's one heck of an unbalanced gal, but she won't even put a dimple in you. You know why? We believe in you. The whole city does. We're trusting in you, and we know you'll pull through. You're what we put our hope in."

Korra felt tears sting her eyes at the sincerity of his tone. She reached up and placed a hand over his, swallowing hard. "You really think I stand a chance?" she whispered.

Bolin smiled. "That monkey-rat won't know what hit her."