Chapter 4: The Equalists
Korra bent water into one of Bolin's incoming rocks, guiding it safely away from her and into the bay.
"Excellent, no, spectacular!" Kya proclaimed. Korra felt a rush of pride and joy hearing her master's praise.
"Thanks, master, I-" Korra started before she realized Kya wasn't talking about her but a cup of tea.
"Nephew, how do you make tea so wonderful?" Kya asked Iroh, who sat beside her with his wife, Kido Mami. By now, Iroh was the United Forces's commanding General.
"I can't take too much credit. Grandpa Iroh taught me how to make tea just right."
"Great Grandpa Iroh, I thought he was your great great uncle?" Kya asked.
Iroh shook his head. Kido putting her hand on his shoulder.
"He's my grandfather's true father, not Ozai."
Korra gave a slightly irritated look when Kya glanced back at her.
"Oh, uh, good job Korra, keep it up."
Korra noticed Bolin and Opal chuckle slightly, but Mako remained focused on practicing.
"Stay focused!" He shouted. Asami smiled mischeviously as she drew two blunted arrows and loosed them.
Mako and Korra both dispatched the arrows with masterfully accurate fire-bending and improving water bending.
"Come on, Asami, do it like you're trying to hurt me!" Mako finally smiled as he challenged his girlfriend in a cocky manner.
Asami's grin turned slightly evil, and she drew another arrow.
"Ok, baby, you asked for it." Asami unleashed the arrow, but not directly at Mako. He tried to blast it, but the arrow bounced off one rock, then another, until finally, it struck Mako in the back and made him stumble forward before face planting.
"Did that hurt?" She asked.
Korra tried to contain her laughter before Bolin and Opal resumed their offensive.
"I can't believe I'm fighting the Avatar with an air bender! This is way more exciting than anything Yuan Wen's done!" Bolin shouted. Opal almost giggled as she air bent beside him.
Korra longed to use the other elements against them but restrained herself to water bending. Still, since the match a few weeks earlier, Korra's ability to water bend even with intermediate proficiency was beyond exciting, and she kept away their blows with pride and accomplishment.
"Come on, is that all you've got!"
Kya's smile steadily grew while watching Korra water bend. Every few moments, she'd shout out an instruction to the Avatar, who did her best to follow it.
"It's good to see Korra finally unlocking her water bending abilities. She was a natural fire bender. Grandpa says she was far more proficient in it than your father."
Kya nodded.
"A girl from the water tribe who has a better knack for fire bending. She is something."
The Fire Ferrets finished their training before Joining Kya, Tenzin, Iroh, Kido, and a little boy who bore a striking resemblance to Iroh.
"Thank you again for letting us practice here." Mako said.
"It's fine. Kya says it's helping Korra master water bending, and perhaps it is good to let my air benders interact with others more." Tenzin said, taking another cup from Iroh.
"Thank you, nephew. Young Lu Ten here is showing great progress in his air bending."
Kido held her and Iroh's son tightly as he gave a slightly bashful expression.
"Great uncle Tenzin is just a really good teacher." He said.
"So Iroh, or General Iroh, I suppose." Korra said with a smirk, but Iroh gave her a wary look.
"Korra, we lived together for six years. You don't need to call me that."
"I'm just being respectful. You are the leader of the Republic Forces now."
"She's right, nephew. Such a position deserves respect." Kya added with a similar expression.
"How go things in the war?" Korra asked.
Iroh took a deep breath as Kido put her hand on his shoulder.
"Not well." She answered. Kido was a fire nation noblewoman who moved to Republic city ten years earlier to represent poorer neighborhoods.
"The battles are only escalating, and more of my soldiers are ending up wounded every month. I know we swore an oath to defend the people of the Republic from domestic threats and foreign ones, but it's taking a serious toll on morale." Iroh sighed, his tired expression furthering the point.
Korra and the others felt his pain, particularly Kya and Tenzin.
"I'm sorry the council has put you in such a position, nephew."
"It's not his fault. It's mine. I should be putting a stop to all this fighting." Korra sighed with immense guilt in her voice.
"Korra, don't blame yourself for Republic City's problems." Mako said in a supportive tone.
"Mako's right. We all have to put an end to this crisis!" Bolin declared, putting his arm around Korra's shoulder as Opal looked over with a slightly jealous gaze.
"But it's my duty as the Avatar to do so."
"Well, how we deal with it is the key. Colonel Kuvira has been pushing me to advocate for harsher military actions. She thinks we need to make an example out of the Equalists and Red Lotus we find."
"That's absurd and counterproductive!" Tenzin declared.
"I know. It's why I've ordered all our platoons operating in the city to act as a relief force when not battling either group. I want to keep the people's faith in us."
Korra nodded, longing to do the same.
"Well, Varrick thinks Yuan Wen is a way to unite Republic City." Bolin said, though not in an arrogant manner.
"Against the Fire Nation." Kido growled, making Bolin look more than a little flustered.
"Well, I uh."
Kido's demeanor changed slightly, and she chuckled with Iroh.
"I still love your show." Opal said, mustering enough courage to place her hand on Bolin's shoulder. Korra, Mako, and Asami all grinned when she saw his face turn slightly red.
"Varrick knows you well, Opal. I'm sure he wouldn't mind having you around on set when they film." Korra said, turning both Opal and Bolin's faces a bright red.
"Yeah, I remember seeing Bolin film for the first time. It's quite interesting and very educating. I think Opal could learn a lot from it." Asami said while looking at Tenzin, who sipped on his tea.
Tenzin glanced between Opal and Bolin, long giving up on her becoming a full air acolyte like many of his air bending students.
"Why not."
"I, I can come on set?" Opal muttered.
"I mean if you'd like to." Bolin said, his hand on his back while blushing slightly.
"Yes!" Opal almost hugged Bolin as Mako and Asami smiled at Korra.
"Thanks." He said.
"No problem." She said, joining in.
The next day, Opal trembled as she gazed at Bolin, now in his Yuan Wen outfit on set. Varrick slowly moved in beside her, his hand on his chin while looking at his star.
"The Historical Society has been at us again. I've actually been thinking about appeasing them by dressing Bolin in more historically accurate Earth Kingdom army attire. What do you think, Opal?"
"No! I mean, I think that will only go so far before they start asking for more. Before you know it, it'll be their show, not yours!"
"Yes, you're absolutely right! This is my show, and I don't answer to them! Zhu Li, do the thing!"
Varrick's assistant nodded before revealed a strange black gauntlet made of metal with a circular glowing device in the palm. Five historians in the area jumped when they saw Zhu Li aim it at them, and they fled in panic.
"What is that?" She asked.
"That would be a joint venture between myself and Future Industries, my dear Opal. Electrified gauntlets, we're developing them for the United Forces and police department, a way for non-benders to better protect themselves!"
"Really, that's great. But it's just the police and military who have access to them, right." Opal said cautiously, thinking about the equalists.
"Oh, absolutely. Hiroshi and I understand how dangerous these things are and have taken every precaution to keep them from falling into the wrong hands. Alright then, let's get down to business, places everyone!"
Opal stood with Zhu Li beside Varrick's director chair as he held a megaphone and stroked his mustache.
"I need absolute silence to capture the scene. Zhu Li, do the thing."
She aimed her electrified gauntlet at the ceiling and unleashed a blast that silenced everyone and made Opal jump. Varrick stared at the set with an almost crazed expression before leaping up onto the chair with his feet.
"I have it! Let's begin!"
For the next hour and a half, Bolin and the other actors performed their parts. It involved a few scenes of Bolin fighting off Fire Nation raiders and then getting lost in a maze of stone.
"Ok, now the rest of the episode will be Yuan Wen needing to escape the spirit maze with the help of his guide, the guardian of spirits!" Varrick declared while extras put on exotic costumes of strange creatures Opal suspected were spirits.
However, a few minutes passed, and the scene still hadn't started. Opal nervously noticed a growing unsettledness in Varrick.
"We need Yuan Wen's guide through the maze. Where is Meng Su!?" He roared.
A member of the set shook as he approached Zhu Li and whispered something into her ear. Varrick's assistant sighed before passing on the message to him.
"What!? She's called in sick again!? Gaaah! We're already behind schedule! We need an actress to play our spirit guide, a beautiful young woman who-" Varrick turned his gaze onto Opal, who shook a little more, particularly when his smile returned, though not one of desire.
"Varrick?"
"Opal, my wonderful Opal, you're it! You can be Yuan's spiritual guide!"
"What!?" Opal screamed in disbelief, her face turning slightly red.
"I, I can't, I'm not an actress, I couldn't-"
"Yes, you can! I've known you for years, Opal! You are exactly who we need right now!"
"I, I-" She nearly jumped again when Bolin placed a hand on her shoulder.
"There's nothing to it, Opal. Acting is just pretending to do something. Anyone can do it."
"Listen to Bolin."
Opal took a deep breath, the idea of acting with Bolin both terrifying and amazing.
"Ok, I'll do it."
"Yes! Now we just need to get you into your costume. Zhu Li, do the thing!"
She nodded and grabbed Opal before dragging her into a dressing room.
"Hey, wait, what are you!? Ahh!"
A minute later, Zhu Li came out with Opal, now in a completely different outfit. Bolin's mouth dropped, and his eyes nearly watered when he saw her in a revealing two-piece outfit not all that different from his own.
Opal's face was so bright red, she almost glowed. In all her life, she'd never worn anything so revealing in front of anyone. Now she did so not only with Bolin but anyone who'd watch the show.
"Perfect! For this first scene, you just have to stay hidden behind some mist. There'll be plenty of time for you to read your script after this."
Opal trembled while walking over beside Bolin, who didn't do much better.
"I don't look stupid, do I?" She asked.
"No! No! You look beautiful, I mean, you look fine, I-" Bolin felt sweat on his forehead. Opal felt much the same after hearing him say that.
"It's uh, fine, just take a deep breath and do what Varrick says. You'll be fine."
Opal slowly nodded before using her air bending to leap up onto the rock crags props rather than the steps.
"Air bending, yes, yes, that's even better! Opal, I'm going to work your air bending into the show! Now, cue the mist!" A machine filled the set with some fog around Opal, and Varrick began shooting.
"That's it, give me a mysterious figure! Capture the essence of the unknown! Yes, now cut! Beautiful! I knew you could do it, Opal!"
"I didn't do anything."
"But you did it wonderfully!"
Opal exhaled deeply before jumping down beside Bolin.
After another few scenes, Opal sat in the corner looking over her script. Of course, she didn't say anything as the show was narrated, but it did describe her actions and the scenes themselves.
"So, how do you like acting so far?" Bolin asked while sitting beside her.
"Well, I've done one scene where I stood in mist." Opal chuckled.
"Still better than my first scene. Varrick had me sit in water for a half-hour." Opal giggled.
"Opal, is it true you're Toph's granddaughter?"
She nodded.
"That's incredible. Toph's like a hero to me. I remember growing up hearing stories about her and the Avatar. Now I'm pro bending with the new Avatar and acting with her granddaughter."
"Well, I never imagined I'd somehow air bend. Or be on TV."
"TV's fine. It pays the bills." From the tone in Bolin's voice, Opal noticed a certain longing in it and looked back at him with interest.
"What do you mean?"
Bolin took a deep breath and stroked Pabu's head.
"Let's just say Mako and I didn't have much a few years ago. Varrick and Asami's dad turned our lives around. Acting gave me something I hadn't had before, stability."
Opal's eyes widened slightly as she wondered what that meant. Growing up in an extremely wealthy family, she'd never wanted for anything, but Zaofu was one of the most prosperous cities in the world, and Opal didn't believe anyone there suffered. In Republic City, however, things were different.
"What did you want to do?"
Bolin smiled slightly.
"I don't know, I just always thought my bending was an incredible gift, something I should do amazing things with. Maybe make the world a better place like Toph. Pro bending is a way for me to entertain and inspire people with my bending, more so than acting. But I mean, I shouldn't complain. Things have worked out well for Mako and me. What about you? What are your big plans when you become an air bending master!? Gonna build your own air temple and get an arrow tatoo!?"
Opal stayed silent for a moment. In truth, she hadn't thought much about the future. Air bending would obviously play a big part in it, but Opal still didn't know what that would entail.
"I'm not really sure, to be honest."
"Ohh, that's fine. We're not even eighteen years old. We've got plenty of time to figure that stuff out." Bolin said in an uplifting tone. Opal's smile returned with a slight blush.
"You're right. We do."
"I asked for half-caf, not decaf!" A harsh voice bellowed out. Opal and Bolin looked over at another actress in her thirties, who violently threw steaming coffee at an aid who yelped in pain.
"You think that's hot, I'll show you hot!" The actress fire bent at the aid, who ran off.
"I'll get you the right one!"
"You'd better, filthy non-bender." She sneered in disdain.
"Who is that?" Opal asked with narrowed eyes.
"That's Shai Dai. She's one of the main actresses of Harsh Days in Omashu."
"Yes, I remember her, she plays Sun Ning. Is she always like this?"
Bolin sighed.
"Yeah, she is. She's also not a fan of non-benders."
"Doesn't she work for one?"
"Technically."
Opal glanced back at Bolin with a slightly stern look.
"You're never going to be like her, right?"
"No! I hate the way she acts!" Opal's smile returned.
"Good."
"Alright! Let's get set for the next scene! Opal, are you ready!?" Varrick asked.
"Yes!" She declared with confidence while standing up.
Bolin smiled back at her, but his expression changed drastically after feeling something in the ground with his earth bending.
"What the?"
Meanwhile, Korra sat in the back of an expensive car driven by Asami while Mako rode in the front.
"I still think Naga could have gotten us there faster." Korra said, trying not to look happy while the wind blew past her face.
Mako and Asami saw through the facade and smirked at each other.
"Well, we don't want to burden her with three people." Asami said, turning her eyes back to the road.
Korra finished all her training for the day and was preparing for a night on the town with all her new friends. The young Avatar was beyond excited to finally have a night of fun in Republic City beyond training, and perhaps she might even have a chance to do some good.
Korra passed a group of benders protesting a large factor churning clouds of smoke into the air with the words "Wuying Corporation" on the gate.
A few streets down, she saw non-benders and benders on the verge of a riot with police, including a few metal benders desperately trying to break them up.
Korra longed to join in, to do her duty as the Avatar. But she just pictured the battle on her first day in Republic City and sat back in guilt.
Mako and Asami saw the shame plaguing Korra with growing sympathy. Asami's resentment over Korra's mistake diminished the more she got to know her.
"You'll get the chance to stop them, Korra, when the time is right. We shouldn't do anything reckless." Mako said.
"Yeah, you're right." Korra said softly.
Asami was about to speak when the sounds of police sirens grew louder. The young woman pulled aside to allow a pair of police cars through.
"Another riot?" Korra asked pessimistically.
Mako's eyes went wide when he saw smoke rising from where the police went, where they intended to go.
"Bolin! Opal!"
Asami put the pedal to the metal and raced to Varrick's studios only to see the building almost in ruins with wounded people all around it.
"Back up! We need back up at Varrick studios! The Equalists are here!" An injured policewoman groaned into her radio as she braced herself against a car.
"No!" Mako didn't wait for the car to stop before he jumped out and sprinted inside with Korra and Asami close behind. However, Asami quickly grabbed her fiber bow from its hiding spot before doing so.
The studio inside looked even more ruined than its outside, debris everywhere and a few fires with more wounded actors, aids, and security guards.
Among the wounded individuals lay several bloodied Equalists, a few wearing their grey uniforms, and a few just with tattoos.
"Help!" Korra turned to an extra who earth bent and fled from a pair of uniformed Equalists. Both of whom acrobatically leaped off or away from her rocks before unleashing two bolas, ensnaring the young woman.
"You'll be cleansed of your impurity, filthy bender." One said behind his mask as they picked her up.
"No, you won't!" Korra furiously leaped into the air, both Equalists hurling two bolas at her. Unfortunately, they weren't ready for an air bender. Korra blew both rope cords back. One ensnared its throwing, while the second narrowly missed. Yet Korra didn't give him a chance to continue. As the man flipped over, she bent a rock into his stomach, nearly embedding him into a pile of rubble.
"It's ok. I've got you." Korra used a small bit of blue fire to free the actress, who shook in terror.
"Thhank you. They're taking the benders!"
"We've got this! Get to safety!" Korra shouted while pointing to the streets.
Meanwhile, Mako unleashed a barrage of fire against a squad of uniformed and non-uniformed Equalists who came from all directions. A few hurled bolas, only for Mako's flames to burn them to a crisp. The other bursts launched several Equalists back in sheering pain.
One of his strikes even set a uniform on fire. Those who got in range to use their weapons faced Mako's footwork and close-quarters boxing, breaking them down.
"Eat this, ash maker!" A non-uniformed Equalist roared, full of hatred as he wound back to throw a bomb at Mako's back.
However, before he could, an arrow tore into the man's hand, coming out the other side.
"I don't like slurs." Asami said, listening to the Equalist wail in horrible pain, but it only got worse when his bomb landed on the ground and exploded.
"Looks like your the ash maker now." Asami chuckled as she saw him and two other scorched Equalists on the ground, unconscious and bleeding.
"Filthy traitor!" Asami narrowly avoided a hatchet thrown her way by another Equalist and, in the same motion, sent an arrow into his shoulder.
A uniformed Equalist came at Asami's flank with a bolas, but the young woman loosed an arrow first, pinning the weapon into a wall. However, the Equalist didn't stop and came at Asami with a knife in her hand.
"Siding with benders against your own kind. You're worse than a bender." The Equalist growled behind her mask. Asami's eyes narrowed, and she waited for the right moment. Just as the knife swung in, Asami ensnared the Equalist's knight hand in her bow and flipped the woman over her body.
"I'm a human being and citizen of Republic City like my friends here. That's my kind."
Korra hurled three more Equalists back with her air bending before hearing a familiar voice.
"Zhu Li! Do the thing!" Varrick moaned in pain. Korra, Mako, and Asami raced to the businessman only to see a fierce Zhu Li fighting off three uniformed Equalists while wearing a metal gauntlet.
Korra and the others felt their mouths drop when they saw Varrick's assistant fight like an assassin, brutally and efficiently taking down the Equalists and shocking them with her gauntlet. When the last one tried to flee, Zhu Li aimed the gauntlet at her and sent a golf-ball-sized burst of electricity through the air, paralyzing the Equalist.
"Varrick!" Zhu Li's ruthless expression vanished as she knelt beside her injured boss and cradled him.
"Zhu Li, move!" Korra knelt down beside Varrick and began bending water on his injuries. She took a deep breath and tried to mirror Master Kya's methods, though Korra still had a lot to learn. Even so, Varrick felt his pain ease slightly.
"Ahhh, water benders have the touch. Thank you, Korra."
"Varrick, what happened? Where's Bolin and Opal!?" Mako frantically shouted.
"The Equalists attacked us. They started rounding up the benders. Opal and Bolin fought off the first wave, but then their leader got them both." Zhu Li said.
"Where are they!?" Asami shouted.
"Outback, being loaded into trucks." Varrick groaned.
Moments later, two emergency medics ran in and took over for Korra with water bending.
"Come on!" Mako shouted, Korra and Asami following.
"Varrick, he's going to be ok, right!?" Zhu Li shouted, almost frantically, terror in her eyes as she looked down at him.
"No serious injuries visible. He should be fine." One said as Zhu Li sighed in relief.
Mako kicked the back door open and saw a dozen Equalists loading bound men and women into the backs of three trucks.
In one, they saw Bolin and Opal, who cried for help when they witnessed the others.
"Bolin!" Mako furiously bent fire at the truck, but a man shut the doors, and the trucks started moving. Korra noticed another Equalist trying to start one of the studio cars and knocked him out with a burst of blue fire.
"Come on!" Asami jumped into the driver's seat, waiting just long enough for Mako and Korra to jump in before flooring it.
Korra saw a pure dedication and resolve in Mako's eyes as he fire bent at the trucks. She helped by bending up rocks in front of the trucks, making them swerve away. Finally, Korra managed to stop one dead in its tracks, the back doors flying open.
Mako fire bent inside, hitting the benders' bindings and burning them off. Korra smirked when she saw the truck almost flip over from the ensuing melee, four mangled Equalists tumbling out as a dozen or so freed benders rushed to the street. Unfortunately, Bolin and Opal weren't among them.
"Can this car go any faster!?" Mako roared.
"I'm trying. Varrick didn't go all out with his studio vehicles." Asami grit her teeth while staring intensely at the lead truck. After another failed attempt to stop it, Korra saw the back doors open, revealing a man with two batons in his hands.
Two motorcycles slowed down enough to hurl bombs at the car. Korra blew one away, but the other exploded, causing them to nearly spin out.
"Hang on!" Korra furiously earth bent around them, stopping their car instantly. However, the Equalists didn't continue their retreat. The Lieutenant leaped from his truck, revealing his blue jumpsuit with goggles over his eyes and a strange device on his back.
"Let them go!" Mako roared as he leaped out, and fire bent at the man. However, his batons filled with electricity, and he smashed through the fire, much to Mako's disbelief.
Asami came up, unleashing arrows, but the Lieutenant deflected them just as easily, closing the distance between himself and his enemies.
Korra attempted to join in, but the two uniformed Equalists on motorcycles came at her, and she unleashed gusts of wind, hurling them off.
Mako spun himself on the ground, conjuring a wave of flames at the Equalist Lieutenant while Asami backed up, drawing another arrow. Unfortunately, the Lieutenant flipped himself between the attacks and struck the young couple.
"You two can join us as well."
"Ahhh!" Mako and Asami felt their bodies seize up as electricity coursed through them. Korra slammed the two uniformed Equalists together with some metal bending, yet her excitement ended instantly when she saw the Lieutenant place Mako and Asami in the truck.
"No!" Before Korra could catch up, the Equalist convoy fled out of sight, leaving the Avatar to watch helplessly.
She returned to the studio where Lin, Kya, and Tenzin joined her alongside dozens of police.
"They just took them, and I couldn't even stop it." Korra trembled, almost on the verge of tears.
"Korra, it's not your fault." Kya said, placing her arms around the Avatar in a warm embrace, Tenzin too placing a hand on her shoulder.
Lin narrowed her eyes at the Equalist flag hoisted over the studio. Before anyone could react, she metal bent three sharp chains that sliced it into pieces.
"Get those Equalists down to the station and start interrogating them!" She snarled at her officers, who carried the wounded Equalists into a few police cars.
Korra finally regained herself and furiously stood up.
"Alright, where do we start!?"
"The police will handle this, Korra, not you." Lin said.
"What!? Those are my friends! I have to do something!"
"Korra, I agree with Lin." Kya said, making Korra go pale in disbelief.
"Master, I-"
"Korra, you're not an investigator. This is what Lin does."
"You just think I'm going to get into trouble again like I did when I first got here! This is completely different! I need to find them, they're my friends, my student, I won't get in your way, I-"
"Korra!" Lin growled, hard as steel.
"Opal is my niece, and I'm going to scour every inch of this city until I find her and make those extremists pay! But not with you."
"Korra, I understand you want to help. I'm worried about Opal too. But Kya and Lin are right. The best thing we can do is stay out of their way." Tenzin said.
Later that night, Korra sat on the edge of Air Bender island with Naga nudging her while whining. Korra felt even more helpless than when she couldn't water bend. Even as the Avatar, she couldn't help those she cared for. She couldn't help anyone.
Korra longed to search for her friends, but every time she thought about doing so, the horrible street battle kept coming back into her mind. Korra held her head as if it would split in half when suddenly she experienced a moment of clarity.
"The street battle. That's it! Come on, Naga!" Korra shouted, her enthusiasm spreading to the polar bear dog who jumped up.
Korra and Naga spend the next two hours racing through Republic City's streets until, at last, they found them. A very familiar platoon of United Forces soldiers cordoned off a street where they'd broken up a battle between Equalist and Red Lotus forces earlier. Now, the troops helped tend to the wounded and dislocated civilians who lived there, providing medical aid, distributing food, and setting up temporary shelters.
"Halt, this area is restricted to non-emergency personnel. Please find an alternate route." A soldier standing guard with two others said as he raised his hand to Korra.
"I need to speak with Lieutenant Daigo! He's here, right!?"
The soldier narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Korra closer.
"You're the Avatar, aren't you."
"Yes, you remember me?"
"Of course, you dropped half a building on me and eleven others in our platoon." He lowered the cloth covering his mouth, revealing a number of scars that hadn't fully healed.
Korra struggled to fight the growing knot in her stomach and took a deep breath.
"Look, I'm sorry about what happened, but I really need to talk to Lieutenant Daigo. Please."
The corporal took a deep breath before moving aside and pointing to a table in the street. Naga raced over, where Korra saw Diago in uniform with his Platoon Sergeant and two city aid organizers as they looked over a layout of the damage.
"It shouldn't take more than a month to rebuild most of the apartments."
Diago nodded, lowering his mouth covering as he took a swig of coffee.
"Colonel Kuvira says we can keep the refugees in the bases extra barracks for that long. We'll start moving them out tonight."
"Sir, pardon the interruption. But, the Avatar is here for you." The corporal said in an uneasy tone.
Diago's eyes shot to Korra in disbelief and a bit of discomfort.
"Korra, what are you doing here?"
"Corporal, why did you let her in? This area is off limits to civilians." The sergeant growled as she bore into him with her eyes.
"Look, I'm sorry to bother you guys in the middle of helping the people of Republic City. But I need your help."
Diago looked at Korra with growing interest, particularly from the almost desperate tone in her voice.
"Help with what?"
"Earlier today, the Equalists attacked Varrick studios, and four of my friends were taken hostage."
"We heard. I understand Chief Beifong is personally taking charge of the investigation."
"She is." Korra growled behind grit teeth.
"Then you probably have nothing to worry about."
"Yes, I do! They're my friends, and I can't just sit by and do nothing!" Korra screamed, Naga barking to further the point.
"So why are you here then?"
Korra took a deep breath and came up closer to Diago with a humbled demeanor.
"The last time I tried to do something like this, I hurt a lot of people, including a dozen men and women here. I need you with me to make sure that doesn't happen again."
Diago blinked.
"You want me to be your chaperone?"
Korra stood up taller with an embarrassed look.
"No! I just need you to stay close, so I stay out of trouble and don't do anything reckless."
"That's what a chaperone is."
The sergeant and a few nearby soldiers chuckled.
"Fine! Look, I can't mess up again. If you're with me, I won't have to worry about that."
Diago took a deep breath.
"Korra, I'm a soldier, not an investigator. I wouldn't even know where to start looking for your friends. All we'd do is get in the way of Cheif Beifong. Besides, I have responsibilities here."
Korra tightened her fist and faced Diago down with a fearless expression.
"My friends are in danger. I'm going to find them, with or without you!"
Diago found her dedication admirable and was similarly intrigued that she was humble enough to ask for help to prevent what happened last time. Diago felt a longing to help her, and there was also Colonel Kuvira's instructions to watch over the Avatar.
"Sir." His sergeant started.
Diago took a deep breath.
"Sergeant Xinyue, can you handle things from here?"
"Yes, sir, I-"
"Good. Keep the radios on. If we find the Equalist hideout, we'll need back-up."
"Yes, sir. But Colonel Kuvira gave us orders to-"
"If she asks, tell her I'm following orders in regards to the Avatar." Diago said, pulling his mouth covering and Tarleton helmet back on.
Korra smiled before she grabbed his arm and pulled him onto Naga's back.
"Hang on!"
"Wait, I have a hahhh!" Diago clenched his fingers tightly onto Naga's saddle as she raced off, nearly throwing the Lieutenant off her back.
"So, what orders regarding me did Kuvira give you?" Korra asked, half-suspicious, half-intrigued.
"She wanted me to keep an eye on you, make sure you didn't cause any more trouble."
"What!?" Korra growled.
"You did just come to me asking for exactly that."
"..." Korra didn't respond.
"Korra, if we're going to do this, you must agree to follow my instructions. Are we clear?" Diago's voice turning stern.
"Fine, just so long as it helps my friends." Korra responded, full of determination.
"Good." A few minutes later, they stood atop a roof while looking over a map of Republic City. Diago looked at Varrick studios closely as Korra noticed a series of markings across parts of the city, either with a Red Lotus or the Equalist symbol.
"What is this?" She asked.
"These areas are known territories of the Red Lotus or Equalists. Look at this." He said, pointing out two Red Lotus markings in the streets surrounding Varrick studios, but no Equalist ones for miles.
Korra felt her heart race slightly.
"There weren't any Equalist hideouts in that area."
"No, which means that they had to launch this raid further away. Otherwise, the Red Lotus would have caught wind and interfered. You said they had trucks?" Korra nodded.
Diago pointed to three Equalist markings in three different neighborhoods north of the studios.
"These three areas have garages large enough to hold trucks. We were told Chief Beifong, and her personal task force are looking into these two tonight since the garage in this area is only big enough to hold one truck."
"So?" Korra asked, slightly confused.
"So we check out this area and the garage there."
"But they had more than one truck." Korra retorted.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean they have to keep them all in the same area or that their hunt has ended." Diago said, pointing to the symbol of a triad near the neighborhood.
Korra nodded in understanding.
Naga carried them across Republic City to the street, then waited in the alley as Korra and Diago slowly moved through the shadows towards a fire escape.
The Lieutenant pointed to a lone figure standing guard on the walkway near a window. Diago then carefully bent water through the dark alley before finally slamming it into the guard. Before he could react, the water froze over his mouth and hands, trapping him.
Korra flew up with air bending and punched the man so hard that it knocked him unconscious. It took Diago less than a minute to reach her, and both looked through the window, feeling their hearts race a little.
Inside, they saw a truck almost identical to the ones that took Bolin and the others. However, due to its lack of scratches and dents, Korra figured it wasn't used in the attack. Still, she spotted at least six uniformed Equalists and a dozen non-uniformed ones standing around six men and women with triad tattoos.
Korra readied herself to burst in, but Diago put a finger to the cloth over his mouth.
"Not yet." Korra grit her teeth but did as he said and listened.
"So are we taking these bender filth to the ceremony tomorrow or not?" A non-uniformed one asked.
"No, the police are searching the areas between us and the ceremony. I just got off the phone with the Lieutenant. He said if we can't get them there to kill them." The criminals frantically tried to break free, none able to bend.
"We don't get to go tomorrow!" One shouted angrily.
"We have our orders. We either bring the criminals to them or kill them and stay put."
Diago looked deep in thought when Korra noticed a shift in his expression, subtle but noticeable. He clearly thought of something.
"Get ready to pursue them." Korra eagerly nodded and gave Naga a signal. Diago readied some water while the Equalists drew weapons with expressions of pure malice on their faces.
"By by, filthy benders."
"Now!" Korra shattered the windows with her fire bending, the blue flames continuing on to hurl three non-uniformed Equalists back. Diago leaped in first, easily beating back three more Equalists with his water bending before three uniformed members attempted to surround him.
The Lieutenant maintained his footing, moving the water around to slice in half any bolas hurled at him or absorb the bombs pitched his way. Seeing their attacks fail, the uniformed Equalists all attempted to rush him from a different direction, but in vain.
Diago swept one off his feet before grabbing another's hand as he attempted to chi-block him. The water bender hosed his third foe into the wall, nearly drowning her before coming back to freeze the chi blocker's hands.
"No fair." The man muttered. He tried to punch Diago, who locked him in an armbar and elbowed his shoulder so hard it snapped.
"Ahhh!"
"Korra, free the gangsters!" He roared. Korra didn't like the idea of letting criminals go free but remembered her promise to Diago and used a bit of metal bending to cut loose their bindings.
"So long, suckers!" The leader sneered as he blew the garage open with fire bending before escaping with his men.
"No!"
Korra evaded two bolas before earth bending the remaining Equalists into their truck."
"Let them go!" Diago added, seeing the three he wounded get carried off into the truck. Korra grit her teeth, rage overtaking the young woman as she struggled to follow Diago's instruction. However, for her friends' sake, she waited and allowed the Equalists to drive off in their truck.
"Alright, let's go!" Naga raced out, snarling, and waited just long enough for them to climb onto her back.
"Don't let them get away, Naga!"
"Not too close, make sure they don't see us!" Naga slowed down, racing past cars that swerved to avoid the Equalist truck. Finally, it hid in another garage near a small park.
"Stop! We wait here." Diago said, pointing to a tree near the park's edge.
"Now what?" Korra asked impatiently as Naga growled.
"Now we wait." Diago answered calmly, gesturing for the two to sit down. Korra took a deep breath and did just that. Naga laid down against the tree, allowing for her owner and Diago to rest on her side.
"Care to explain your plan now?" Diago removed his helmet and mouth cloth and nodded.
"It's simple, really. The Equalists are planning some kind of event involving benders, including triad members. You heard what instructions the group we just hit were given." Korra nodded in understanding.
"Kill them, or bring them to the show."
Diago slowly smiled.
"Exactly, they wanted to kill them, but now they can't. This means they now have no choice but to recapture them in the morning after licking their wounds or face Amon's wrath.
Korra's face lit up with excitement.
"And tomorrow, Lin will move onto this neighborhood, so they can travel safely to their convention!"
"Exactly, which means we wait here until they leave. Then in the morning, we follow them to the meeting."
"Wow, you thought of all that on the spot." Korra said with an impressed expression. Diago shrugged.
"Leaders have to think on their feet. Personally, I'd rather have had more time for a better plan but didn't have that luxury. So now, all we can do is wait."
Korra took a deep breath and tried to relax against Naga's warm body.
"Are you hungry?" Diago asked. Korra felt her stomach growl, and she gave a slightly embarrassed look.
"Here, I figured we might be out a while, so I brought some rations." Diago took out some rice and chicken-pork dumplings from his pack. Naga whined a little as he began cooking them.
"Naga has to eat too." Korra said with a smirk. Diago tried not to look a the polar bear dog's sad face or listen to her whines.
"Gahh, you're lucky I like dogs." Diago growled while tossing her two dumplings. Korra chuckled as Naga then thanked him by licking Diago's face. Several minutes of silence passed as the soldier prepared their dinner.
"So, you've lived in Republic City your whole life then?" Korra asked, hoping to ease the growing tension. Diago nodded, preparing some coffee for them as well.
"Yep, born and raised. Fire bender father, and a mother of northern water tribe descent."
"Ahh, so you get your bending from her side of the family then." Korra noticed a slightly uncomfortable look on Diago's face.
"Possibly."
"What does that mean?" Korra asked, her intrigue growing.
"My dad's mother was a water bender from the Northern Water tribe. She met my grandfather during the war, and they settled down in the young United Republic."
"That's pretty cool."
"Thanks." Korra got the feeling that Diago didn't want to keep talking about the topic and dropped it.
"So you were here when the Equalist and Red Lotus trouble started, then?" Korra asked. Diago nodded, his discomfort shifting but not disappearing.
"Tensions between benders and non-benders have always existed since the Republic's founding. When people lost their original cultural identities, some started to break off into the only groups they had left, benders and non-benders."
"So I've heard." Korra said, her voice lowering.
"I'd just entered officer training when Amon and Tarrlok revealed themselves and their organizations. Things have only gone down-hill from there."
"There aren't any tensions in the army, are there?" Korra asked nervously. Diago looked slightly happier while shaking his head.
"No, I'm happy to say we've remained unified, benders and non-benders. I only wish I could say the same for the entire Republic."
Korra wrapped her arms around her legs, growing anxiety in her face.
"Diago, what do you really think of the Equalists and Red Lotus?"
He sighed.
"I think they're two sides of the same coin. Both may have what they believe are good intentions, but in the end, a victory for either side would be disastrous for Republic City. Benders, non-benders. I won't deny there are social issues responsible for their grievances, but this isn't the way to fix them. All they're doing is driving people apart and creating more hate." From the tone in Diago's voice, she sensed there might have been something personal to it.
Korra nodded vehemently.
"You're right. People need to stand up and mediate between the two groups...It's what the Avatar should be doing. But so far, all I've done is cause trouble and train." Korra sighed, her expression falling even more.
However, she felt Diago's hand on her shoulder. He gave her a comforting look similar to Kya's.
"Korra, even if you are older than Avatar Aang was when he stopped Fire Lord Ozai, your situation is completely different. You can't expect to start out as the idea Avatar Republic City needs. Everyone has to work their way up. You think I started out in charge of my platoon?" Korra looked at Diago with interest.
"You didn't?"
"Nope, my first duty was as the aide to Colonel Kuvira. I made her coffee, organized her schedule, and ensured her briefings had refreshments." Korra tried not to laugh, but Diago didn't seem to mind and smiled a little.
"I worked my way up, and you'll do the same. Once you truly understand the situation here and find the right way to solve it, Avatar Korra will restore balance to Republic City."
"Really, you think I'll do it, even after what I did to you on my first day here." Diago's smile faded slightly, and the same deep emotion returned.
"People make mistakes. I certainly have before. But if someone sincerely tries to change their ways." Korra's smile grew with a deep warmth and touched sensation to it.
"So you do like me then?" She asked in a slightly playful manner.
"I'll admit, you aren't so bad when you're not dropping debris on my soldiers or shooting lightning at me."
"Ha, and you're not so bad when you just make coffee and don't try to arrest me. It looks like you were telling the truth about being Kuvira's aid." Korra said, taking a drink of the brew he prepared.
"Practice makes perfect." They continued to watch over the hidden garage for another few hours, aided by Diago's coffee, but eventually, fatigue took them both into a deep sleep.
Korra awoke to the sounds of cars racing by and birds chirping in the tree above them. She felt strangely warmer than usual despite having slept against Naga like this many times before. Korra began to wonder why before realizing her head rested on Diago's shoulder.
The young Avatar's face turned slightly red, and she nearly jumped, but worried doing so might wake Diago, and he looked very peaceful while sleeping. Or perhaps she simply didn't want to move from her current position. His shoulder felt strong, and as Korra rested herself against Diago, she began to look at him in a way she didn't look at Mako or Bolin. At that moment, all other thoughts moved to the side, and Korra simply wanted to stay where she was, beside Diago.
However, it didn't last, for she heard the distinct sound of a garage opening, and her friends' peril immediately returned to the forefront of Korra's mind.
"Diago!" She shouted.
"Huh!" The Lieutenant and polar bear dog almost sprung up before they saw heard it too. The truck from last night revealed itself and began down a road.
"This is it!" Korra tried to restrain her voice while leaping onto Naga's back, Diago quickly getting behind the Avatar. Just like before, Naga nearly tossed him off, making Korra chuckle as she saw his slightly anxious expression even behind the mouth covering.
"Naga still too rough for you?" She jested.
"Ostrich-horses are better mounts."
"Aww, you hurt Naga's feelings. Can you run a little smoother, girl?" She asked while stroking the polar bear dog's head. Naga barked and made the ride even harsher for them both. Korra easily handled it, but Diago almost looked sick.
"Alright, you made your point! Just remember to keep us at a distance." Korra nodded, her face growing more intense as she remembered the task at hand.
Their pursuit of the Equalists wasn't a quick affair. The extremists moved very carefully to avoid police and United Forces patrolling the streets. Luckily for them, the Equalists occasionally made stops, allowing Korra, Diago, and Naga to have breakfast and later lunch.
Just as Diago predicted, the Equalists tracked down every Triad gang member that escaped and recaptured them. Typically Korra would've struggled to sit back and do nothing at each encounter, but the criminals made this easier, as all were captured while mugging, abusing, or robbing non-benders.
When the sun started its descent, the Equalists celebrated on a street corner by having a few drinks and cigarettes.
"You see, everything worked out in the end." Their leader said before deeply inhaling his smoke.
"That damn soldier broke my shoulder!?" Another grumbled.
"Ahh, quit bitching. You'll be fine." Another laughed.
"She's right. Things actually turned out rather well. Now we can get them to the convention alive. The Lieutenant is gonna be very happy about that."
"Why does he want them alive anyway?"
"Apparently, Amon is going to put on a big show tonight, something that's going to change everything in our war against the benders!" The unmistakable thrill and eagerness in the Equalist's voice frightened Korra a bit.
"Come on. We don't want to be late." The Equalists flicked away their smokes and got back inside the truck.
Korra looked back at Diago, anxiety growing in her face.
"What do you think this show is?"
"I think we're going to find out."
Naga carefully followed the truck to an abandoned warehouse on the docks where it parked inside.
"This is it! It has to be!" Korra tried to race in with Naga, but Diago grabbed her shoulder.
"Wait, we're going to need back up!"
"My friends are in there, not to mention dozens of other benders! I'm not just going to-"
"Korra! We need to be smart about this!" The Avatar's aggression leveled out, and she took a deep breath.
"Ok, but we need to hurry." Diago nodded, taking out a mobile radio from Naga's packs.
It took less than forty-minutes before Diago's platoon arrived in the surrounding alleyways alongside a few dozen police. The Lieutenant spoke with his Platoon Sergeant and other non-commissioned officers on how they'd enter the warehouse.
To Korra's surprise, he included her in the conversation and asked for her thoughts multiple times. It was a little overwhelming at first, but soon she grew more confident, at least until two familiar faces stormed up to the table. Korra's face almost went pale when she saw the furious expressions of Lin and Kya.
"Master, Lin. Glad you made it, I-"
"For a moment last night, I thought you might've actually shown some real growth, that maybe you could do as you're told. You disappoint me, Korra." Lin growled, Naga cowering behind her master while whining.
"Master, I-"
"Korra, you deliberately disobeyed us! This was reckless, and-"
"Master Kya, Chief Beifong, if I may." Diago spoke calmly but firmly as he approached the powerful women, who now turned their intense glares onto him.
"Korra didn't try to interfere with your investigation. She didn't do this out of pride or a need to prove herself. It was dedication and commitment to those she cares about."
Korra's look of anguish faded slightly when she heard Diago talk.
"She also didn't do this alone. She came to me asking for help, wanting to make sure she didn't do anything reckless that could cause more harm than good. It showed a great deal of humility, and since then, she's acted with incredible restraint and discipline. Plus, as you can see, we got results." Diago emphasized the warehouse.
Kya and Lin's expressions changed drastically before returning to Korra. As much as she wanted to give a triumphant smile, her friends were still in grave danger.
"I'm seeing this through." She said vehemently. Diago stood by Korra's side without a hint of reservation or doubt.
"I think she's earned that right."
Lin raised an eyebrow towards Korra with incredible intrigue.
"You went to the same army officer who detained you for help? Hmp, maybe you were right, Kya, maybe this girl will be a great Avatar one day."
Kya smiled at Korra with growing pride before walking over and placing an arm around her shoulder. Another thirty agonizing minutes of planning went by before the police and soldiers moved into position.
Lin led Korra, Kya, and Diago across the dimly lit street towards the warehouse. As she did so, the metal bender sensed all the vibrations around them, instantly seeing where the sentries stood. Before any could react, Lin furiously bent small pieces of metal from her police jacket at them.
The metal ensnared their hands and mouths, pinning them against the walls, unable to move or speak. Within a minute, the Equalists inside were blind. Diago's troops and Lins police moved in, ready to breach when given the order.
Lin snapped two metal whips from her sleeves to the walkway and used them to fly up. Korra followed with air bending, waiting for Lin to pull the others up. From there, they carefully moved inside and stood over a massive assembly inside the main warehouse floor.
Hundreds of men and women packed inside with Equalist banners lining the walls. Most of those on the floor weren't uninformed or tattooed Equalists, just ordinary people, perhaps that frightened Korra even more.
After a tense minute, several figures appeared on a stage, including a few uniformed Equalists, the Lieutenant who captured Mako and Asami, and a man who stood out among the others.
Korra couldn't quite understand why, but something about him unsettled her. He dressed quite differently, wearing a hooded vest with a strange white mask covering his face.
"Is that?" Diago almost stuttered.
"Amon." Lin growled.
"That's Amon!" Korra barely restrained herself from shouting.
Many in the crowd cheered when they saw him, and others looked nervous, unsure of what to think. Slowly, he stepped forward to a microphone and at last spoke. His voice emanating with power but not booming. Instead, it was more subtle and confident.
"Greetings, men and women of Republic City, those like me, born without the destructive abilities which give their wielders an unearned sense of power and self-worth."
Korra braced herself as each word carried immense emphasis. The voices among the crowd grew after Amon gave them a moment to take in his speech.
"I began my quest for equality many years ago. When I was a boy, I grew up on a humble farm with my family. We lived peacefully with our neighbors, and none of us were benders. But all that changed one day when a fire bender broke into our house. He demanded money and killed my family for good measure, all of us helpless before him. I was the only one to escape but was left permanently scarred." Among emphasized his face while many in the audience gasped or donned expressions of deep sympathy.
Korra couldn't help but feel a bit herself, almost forgetting that Amon had her friends. Lin, however, merely narrowed her eyes, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Please, do not cry for me. I survived that day for a reason, for a greater purpose. In the past, we divided ourselves among the four nations, but all of us lived under the tyranny of benders, their lust for power and control. Bending has been the cause of every war and major conflict in human history. Benders themselves have brought untold death and destruction with their abilities, and to this day, it is used as a means to oppress those of us born pure, without their impurity."
The crowd began to chant in anger and hatred for benders.
"Benders cannot accept that modern technology has made their abilities obsolete. That we now have the power to escape their oppression. But the time has come to liberate the world from benders, starting here in Republic City!"
The chants grew steadily louder, filling Korra's stomachs with rocks with each tone of hatred and malice.
"Now, I will show you the path to our freedom."
A curtain raised, and Korra's heart raced when she saw her friends, bound and gagged with many other benders, including the gangsters.
"These benders are criminals who use their power to abuse those without them or actors who believe themselves to be icons but are nothing more than oppressors to those beneath them." Amon said, emphasizing Shai Dai.
"However, today, this all changes. In my quest to rescue my fellow non-benders, I mastered an ability that only one other person throughout history has achieved. Energy bending."
Lin and Kya's eyes went wide.
"No, that's impossible." Kya muttered.
Korra was a bit confused.
"Energy bending? What's that?"
Amon turned to one of his uniformed Equalists, a rather crazed looking man with a knife, who eagerly freed one of the gangsters.
Many gasped in fright when they saw the criminal instantly blast fire at Amon, leaping to his feet as he did so.
However, the Equalist leader masterfully evaded each, though not like an air bender would. Despite the gangster's best effort, no attacks landed, and Amon seized his right arm with one hand and forehead with the other.
All went silent and still, Korra's heart racing faster and faster when she saw a white light emanate from Amon and gangster's eyes. At that moment, she felt something profound. Something she'd only ever experienced when connecting with past Avatars or in spiritual training.
After a few moments, Amon released his captive, who thrust his fist at him, but nothing happened.
"What!?" The gangster yelped, horrified as he tried a few more times desperately to fire bend, but to no avail. The crowd had mixed motions, some cheering, others silenced in terror.
Korra, Diago, Lin, and Kya joined them.
"He, he took away his bending." Korra trembled as she spoke, her fear now nearly matching the feeling of losing her friends.
Mako, Opal, Bolin, and even Asami looked beyond terrified and thrashed about, with the other benders, trying desperately to break free, but to no avail.
"I possess the means to bring true equality! We outnumber benders ten-to-one, and now, the revolution truly begins! We won't stop until bending vanishes from the face of the Earth! And for the benders who don't submit themselves to us willingly." The knife-wielding Equalist slit the gangster's throat, a sadistic pleasure on his face as he did so.
"The revolution has begun!" Amon began stripping the gangsters of their bending before his minion slit their throats. Eventually, he reached Shai Dai, who had tears in her eyes.
Despite this, Amon removed her bending. However, to Korra's surprise, the knife-wielding Equalist didn't kill her, though he clearly wanted to.
"Move in! All units move in!" Lin shouted over her radio.
"Sergeant, commence attack!" Diago added. Amon reached for Opal, who similarly cried, Bolin, Mako, and Asami fruitlessly trying to stop him.
Korra, however, had more luck. Reaching out, she bent the knife out of the crazed Equalist's hand and used it to cut through the remaining benders' and Asami's bindings.
Without a moment of hesitation, Opal spun herself around, blasting the Equalist guards back with a gust of wind. Amon slid across the stage but remained on his feet.
Many in the crowd gasped in fright but weren't ready for the real surprise. Doorways and walls burst apart, opening the way for soldiers and police to surge inside.
"Watch the civilians!" Diago's platoon sergeant roared. Being a non-bender, she wielded an electro-spear and a gauntlet like Zhu Li's, quickly taking down three tattooed equalists in her path.
The soldiers and police made quick work of the non-uniformed Equalists in their path and even some uniformed members. Yet even in all the chaos, they had enough discipline to allow non-combatants to pass through them safely.
Korra leaped down with Kya and the others using her air bending to force over a dozen crowd members away from the melee. Unfortunately, dozens of uniformed Equalists emerged from deeper inside the warehouse to join the battle.
When they tried to surround them, Lin bent bits of metal from the floor and walls into Kya's streams of water. The effect proved brutal as Korra saw ravaged Equalists stain the wall with blood after enduring hits.
Kya and Lin showed little remorse after witnessing what Amon did and intended to do. Both Korra and Diago felt more than a little amazed when they saw Kya unleash her true water bending abilities. The Avatar imagined this was what master Katara must have been like in her prime, for Kya swiftly and efficiently dealt with any Equalist that came at her or Lin.
"Rally to me! Rally to me!" Diago commanded, slicing through incoming bolas and bombs with one hand and ensnaring uniformed Equalists with the others.
A pair of chi-blockers tried to strike him and Kya, but the water benders were ready. Both froze their attacker's hands before brutally slamming them into the hard ground, heads frozen.
"This is your one warning! Any other chi-blocker tries to come at me, or my companions loses their hands!" Kya roared.
Just like that, another chi-blocker did just that, and to Korra's shock, her master was a woman of her word.
However, the Avatar focused on rescuing her friends, who now battled uniformed and non-uniformed Equalists on the stage.
"Guys! I'm coming!" Korra furiously blasted a group of Equalists back with fire bending and then shot pillars of stone upward, breaking up the pathway for incoming uniformed Equalists.
Lin and Kya followed Korra, helping the soldiers and police wherever they could.
"Please, don't hurt me!" A woman from the crowd pleaded to a fire-bending soldier.
"Get out of here!" He shouted, allowing her to pass. Korra and Kya saw this and felt a bit of warmth in their hearts despite all the chaos and confusion. Yet it instantly froze into cold terror when the woman revealed a hidden knife and stabbed the fire bending soldier in the back.
"Gahhh!"
"Filthy bender!" She snarled with the venom of pure hatred oozing from her face.
Korra and Kya would've done something, but Diago's platoon sergeant did so far them. She impaled the woman through her back, cold discipline on the Sergeant's face as she did so.
After freeing the spear, she knelt down beside her soldier and began dressing the wound.
"Medic!"
As much as Kya wanted to help, a police and army medic arrived and began water bending the wound. The path to Amon became easier as Diago organized his men and more efficiently began pushing the Equalists back.
However, Korra soon realized the battle had only just begun. Mako, Bolin, Opal, and Asami, now armed with the knife, managed to fight off the Uniformed Equalists on stage, except for one.
The Lieutenant came at Mako and Bolin, his electric batons surging with power.
"Go low!" Mako shouted while fire bending high. His younger brother did so, but their foe proved too agile. He evaded each attack and managed to strike them both. Mako and Bolin grunted in pain, barely managing to avoid more blows as they tried desperately to hit the Lieutenant.
Opal readied herself to blast him with air, only for Asami to push her.
"Look out!" A metal gauntlet narrowly avoided both young women, retracting at the same time another flew towards them.
Now Opal pulled Asami away to evade the attack. From the shadows emerged a woman with what appeared to be metallic arms. Both had clawed gauntlets at the end sharp enough to cut stone. With a ruthless grin, she aimed both hands at them and unleashed grappled gauntlets.
Opal air bent up, but her opponent quickly shot one gauntlet into the ceiling and followed.
Meanwhile, Asami heard a series of painful grunts from the other freed benders. Looking over, another chi-blocker revealed herself. She wore a similar uniform as the Lieutenant. However, unlike the woman with metallic arms, she had a cold and emotionless expression, bringing down the benders faster and more efficiently than any of the other chi-blockers.
Without a word, she came for Asami, striking like a serpent. However, Asami didn't attempt to confront her, instead doing everything she could to evade the blows and get enough distance to throw her knife.
"Amon, you're under arrest!" Lin unleashed her metal whips at him, but neither found their mark. Instead, Korra, Lin, and Kya went pale as something emerged from behind the curtain and took the blows.
The strange device stood in a human-like frame with arms and legs. Yet it loomed above them at eight-feet with a seemingly metallic body, hiding whatever lay inside.
"What, what is that!?" Korra almost stuttered.
"I don't know, but it's made of met-" Lin's face turned paler when she tried to bend the device, yet nothing happened. She felt no metal.
"Metal?" The machine leaped at Lin and just missed her with its foot.
"Lin!" Kya shrieked.
"I've got this! Capture Amon!" The police chief roared, her fear vanishing as she earth and metal bend projectiles into the machine, forcing it back.
Despite a fierce desire to help her wife, Kya turned to Amon with Korra. The Equalist leader patiently waiting for them with his hands behind his back.
"The Avatar, we meet at last, and the previous Avatar's daughter as well. How interesting."
Korra and her master moved around Amon very carefully, trying to find an opening.
"Whatever happens, do not let him get a hold of you." Kya said as calmly as she could muster, and Korra nodded.
Korra tried to bend some water at Amon, her skills improving, but still not fully developed. The Equalist leader easily avoided the strike, but it was a feint. Korra immediately unleashed bursts of blue fire while Kya took control of her water and tried to trap him.
However, both women blinked when they saw him avoid both. Neither quite understood how, but Korra's fire hit Kya's water, almost as if the water moved around Amon when he evaded.
Kya furiously swept at his legs to complement Korra's air bending. Just just like before, Amon kept himself from taking a hit, moving his legs away from both. It was almost as if the water avoided him rather than the other way around.
Korra fell back as Amon closed the distance between them, coming close enough to sweep her off the ground.
"Korra!" Her master roared, unleashing a small tidal wave towards Amon. The Equalist leader tried to grab Korra as he dodged, but the Avatar used a bit of air bending to flip herself away. As she did so, Korra bent sheets of metal from the wall at Amon's back, but to no avail.
Instead, he propelled himself off one and slammed his knee into Kya's side when she tried to move.
"Master!"
"Kya!" Lin furiously came at the machine, but it took everything she had. The metal bender's inability to affect it frustrating her to no end. Lin tried to entangle its legs with her chains, but it jumped up and spun itself, hurling Lin around with it.
The police chief grunted after the impact, coughing up some blood. The machine rose both arms up to crush her, Lin bending her chains into blades with a steel expression.
However, a powerful jet of water struck the machine and forced its arms just away from her. Diago rushed over, putting more and more pressure against the suit. Lin immediately bent metal into the water, causing it to cut deep scratches against the machine's hull.
"Get inside it!" Lin barked.
"I'm on it!" Diago answered. He focused on moving his water inside the joints and any other openings, eventually succeeding after finding a gap under the right armpit. With his water inside, Diago froze it, seizing the arm in place.
"Eat this!" Lin bent a massive boulder of rock and metal into the ice, shattering it and tearing the machine's arm off.
Meanwhile, Opal continued to evade the grapple-woman, her attempts to strike with air failing as the Equalist moved surprisingly fast from place to place.
Eventually, her left gauntlet seized Opal's leg and slammed the air bender into the ground, hard. The young-woman grunted in agony, her body aching worse than when her brothers accidentally hit her in power disk.
Without a word, the elite Equalist unleashed both gauntlets at Opal, only for a boulder to knock them away.
"Leave her alone!" Bolin furiously raced over, Mako having successfully struck the Lieutenant, forcing him back. The elite Equalist furiously attempted to attack Bolin from different angles, moving from place to place with her grapples. However, each time, he bent up rocks and deflected the gauntlets. Finally, Bolin sent a powerful boulder at her grapple about to launch elsewhere, knocking it off course and leaving the Equalist open.
"And gotcha!" Bolin chanted in victory, his second rock slamming the woman hard against a wall. Yet this success faded almost instantly when the chi-blocker raced over and struck him in every nerve point before he could blink.
"Ahhh!" Bolin felt every muscle tense up while his body went limp and fell over. The earth bender's eyes widened in terror when he saw the chi blocker's boot raise over his face.
"Back off!" Opal glided over and hurled the chi blocker away with a burst of air bending. The Equalist officer gave a frightening look at Opal, but she didn't move from in front of Bolin. Giving a fierce expression of her own while taking a fighting stance.
Every time the chi blocker tried to get close, Opal carried her away with air, Bolin blushing uncontrollably as he saw the determination and skill in Opal's fighting, for him no less.
The chi blocker tried to regain her footing, only for a harsh elbow to smash across her face.
"Ghaaah!" She grunted, her vision growing watery before realizing Asami's presence. Slightly disoriented, the chi blocker thrust two fingers, but the young woman sliced into her opponent's hand with a knife. Not letting up, Asami delivered a kick to the Equalist's head and sent her stumbling onto the ground.
"Aaauh! Look out!" Mako grunted. Opal and Asami looked over just in time to see the Lieutenant land a successful hit on the fire bender's arm before breaking for them.
Both young women reacted too late and cried out in pain, the electricity surging through their veins. With all four opponents disoriented or chi blocked, the Lieutenant raced to the chi blocker and lifted her over his shoulder at the same time the machine fell back and picked up the other Elite Equalist with its remaining arm.
As this happened, Kya refocused her efforts entirely on holding Amon's attention and preventing him from moving.
"Korra, no mercy!" She shouted, making her instructions to the Avatar very clear. Korra nodded in understanding and took a deep breath, slowly moving her fingers in circular motions while separating negative and positive emotions.
Once she had enough power, Korra unleashed the bolt of lightning directly at Amon, who did not attempt to dodge it. Kya dropped her water to avoid any accidental discharge but looked similarly confused when Amon remained where he stood.
Yet when he raised his right middle and pointer finger, her mouth dropped.
"Korra, look out!" The Avatar's eyes went wide. She, too, recognized this technique, having learned it from Master Zuko. Lightning redirection, but how did he know it. That probably didn't matter at the moment, Korra readied herself to redirect the lightning, but Amon didn't aim it at her.
"Kya!" Lin shrieked in horror after seeing the lightning come directly at her wife. Fortunately for her, Korra wasn't the only one to learn redirection from Zuko. Kya held her fingers out and carefully guided the lightning through her stomach and then in front of Amon's feet.
The resulting explosion nearly lifted the two women off their feet and filled their eyes with smoke after a blinding light. Upon regaining her vision, Korra saw Amon and his leaders were gone. However, any anger or disappointment at this paled in comparison to the relief at seeing her friends unharmed.
"Guys!" Mako and Asami both embraced Korra tightly.
"Are you hurt?" She asked, still a bit anxious.
"We're fine, thanks to you." Mako said a warm smile on his face.
"You did all this for us?" Asami added in a similar tone.
"Of course, the Avatar does whatever it takes for those in need, especially her friends." Korra said confidently but without arrogance.
"Well, that makes us some of the luckiest people in Republic City." Mako said in a way that made Korra feel beyond grateful. Like a small glimpse of what she thought being Avatar would entail.
Kya used her waterbending to heal Bolin's blocked chi and he got up with the air of Opal.
"Korra, you are the greatest friend someone could ask for!" Bolin was nearly on the verge of tears as he and Opal took over for Mako and Asami in a tight hug.
"Thank you, master." Opal said softly.
"Opal, you don't have to call me that. We're friends."The air bender's expression filled with more emotion after hearing this.
Kya smiled before feeling a powerful set of arms wrap themselves around her.
"Don't ever try something that dangerous again! Messing with lightning!" Lin shouted at her wife.
"I've seen you do crazier things than that, Lin." Kya retorted, but the metal bender didn't respond.
Diago smiled tenderly after seeing Korra's friends safe, then looked around at the battle's aftermath. Ten of his men and twelve police officers wounded, with fifteen dead equalists, twice as many wounded, and twenty more in custody. Most of the civilians were allowed to flee. Only those that directly involved themselves in the battle joined the Equalists in arrests.
However, as Diago turned to approach his platoon sergeant, his eyes fixed on a civilian, not in custody who'd been in the crowd, and now tended to a hurt Equalist.
Korra saw the intensity of deep emotion in Diago's eyes as he and the man locked gazes. A sense of resentment in both men, but also pain, so much pain. The man appeared fire-nation in descent with well trimmed-black hair and brownish eyes behind glasses.
"Are you going to arrest me too?" The man asked, barely holding back bitterness as he spoke.
Diago tightened his fist.
"Listening to Amon's, not a crime. Though I should have thought you might come to a place like this."
The doctor returned to his work, trying to give Diago the cold shoulder.
"He's right about bending, about everything."
"He just said what you wanted to hear, reaffirming the hatred you feel towards benders. But that will never change what you are, and if they ever find out, they'll only see you as the other, and even the man you're tending to wouldn't hesitate to slit your throat." Diago nearly shouted as he emphasized his wounded fire-bending private.
The doctor tightened his fists.
"As you can see, Amon can finally rid me of this curse."
Diago turned away, Korra almost seeing tears in his eyes.
"I suppose that's that then, goodbye." He walked away, the doctor struggling to hold back any tears of his own. As Diago approached his sergeant, he passed Korra and her friends.
"What was that about? Do you know that man?" Korra asked. Diago didn't answer and kept walking, bringing concern back to Korra's heart. Lin eventually went to embrace Opal before giving the young Avatar perhaps the first genuine look of gratitude.
"Thank you." The words carried more weight from Lin than the others, yet after everything, she saw Korra felt a sense of foreboding of what was yet to come.
That night, she knelt in her room on Air Bender island while Naga slept peacefully. Meditating as Bumi taught her, Korra channeled her spiritual aura and connected herself with the past Avatars.
"Avatar Motome, I need your wisdom." She said humbly. Korra saw the spirit of Motome appear before her, yet as the ancient fire-nation Avatar took form, Korra noticed something inside Motome's body glow for a moment before vanishing.
"I am always happy to offer guidance, Korra. How can I help you?" Motome asked in a very warm and humble tone. Korra took a deep breath and sighed.
"Things are worse than I imagined. The leader of the Equalists, Amon, he, he can take away someone's bending." Motome saw and heard the fear growing in Korra's heart.
"That is quite disheartening. To lose bending, I couldn't imagine how that might feel." The past avatar tried to sound calm as she spoke, but it did little for Korra.
"What if he gets me!? I'm the Avatar, without bending, I, I'm nothing." Korra held her head while shaking, looking ready to fall apart.
"Korra! Your value is more than just bending. You are the bridge between humanity and spirits. Bending is only a part of that mantle."
"Bending is the only thing I've ever really been good at. It's how I've defined myself since I first started fire bending. If Amon took it from me-" Korra shivered, and Motome took a deep breath.
"Korra, you define who you are by your actions and decisions. You're so much more than just a bender. Remember that."
The Avatar sighed and resumed meditating.
"Avatar Aang, I need your wisdom." Motome vanished, but as Aang started to take her place, Korra noticed the glowing figure inside him transfer from Motome to Aang. Her eyes widened for a moment upon realizing she'd seen it before, many years ago in her dream where the past Avatars first came to her.
"Korra, I feel much fear in you." She nodded, still trembling.
"Amon, he, he-"
"I understand how frightened you must be. I felt the same fear when told I had no choice but to kill Fire Lord Ozai. I'd wrapped myself in the identity of my people, the last air nomad. I had to stay true to our ideals, or it would vanish off the Earth forever."
Korra smirked slightly.
"You found a way, though, by taking away his bending no less." Aang chuckled slightly with Korra at the irony of the situation.
"Korra, whatever happens, know that what you are doesn't always define who you are. Bender or not, people are who they choose to be. You are someone who chooses to dedicate herself to what she believes in, who does whatever it takes for those she cares for and is willing to swallow their pride to see it through. None of that requires you to be a bender."
Korra took another deep breath, the anxiety in her head calming slightly.
"Thank you, Aang. Motome."
"Of course, we're always here for you, Korra." Aang slowly began to vanish, but the small luminescent kite-like figure remained, appearing within Korra for a moment.
"Always."
Author's note
Thus Amon and his Lieutenants are revealed. I added a few originals as I felt the show couldn't used more than just one Lieutenant
Korra has taken her next step towards becoming a better and calmer Avatar, but isn't alone either
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest, or ask(VIA PM)