Disbelief, desperation, soul shaking fear. These things crash into Bolin's being harder than thunder can shake the earth, much like the others that lay dead experienced as they looked into this man's eyes. But Bolin experiences something that they could not. Empathy. Looking into the dead eyes, Bolin sees unbearable anger. Within that anger, the remains of a deeply wounded man. Pain. Hot tears stream down Bolin's face, and Bolin whispers:
"I'm so sorry."
Hesitation, the executioner freezes, for just a split second, imperceptible to all watching, except for one. Before he can come down with the swing of his arm, smoke fills the stage in an instant, obscuring everyone's vision, and he is knocked aside with a powerful kick he never sees coming.
Naruto had made his way through the crowd without anyone noticing his movement or where he was headed. He waited until his diversion could be created at the precise time that he needed. Before the executioner could bring his blade down, Naruto's clones had thrown the smoke bombs on to the stage to cover the original's approach. Unable to afford to miss a single beat, Naruto immediately lunged onto the stage under the cover of the smoke and launched a flying sidekick into the executioner's midsection, and immediately spun while in mid-air to deliver a powerful hook-kick to the head of the equalist holding Bolin in place.
The sudden explosion of smoke spurs the crowd to evacuate the building thinking that the rally is being raided by the authorities. The rest of Amon's henchmen begin to storm the stage to secure their master's safety. Amon himself slowly backs away to watch the scene unfold not fearing for himself but lets his subordinates fuss dutifully.
"That's gotta be Naruto." Korra whispers to Mako as the crowd begins to disperse at the signs of a struggle brewing that was clearly unanticipated. "He's making a move for Bolin, we gotta go now." The pair run and jump up onto the stage to assist Naruto under the cover of the expanding smoke. He frees Bolin, but another equalist tries to place him in a choke-hold from behind. Mako grabs the equalist off of Naruto and throws him over his shoulder and off of the stage. With the thick smoke, they have just as difficult time seeing as anyone else, their night-vision being rendered useless. This levels the playing field as Korra is able to take on multiple opponents with her fire bending to clear a safe path and rescue Bolin.
Naruto guides Bolin to Mako and cuts his restraints to free his hands. "There's an exit on the west side of the building, just follow the signs along the walls and you'll be in an alley that'll take you to the cross street. I'll cover the rear." More equalists move in to apprehend the group, Naruto's clones jump down to intercept after throwing more smoke bombs, not wanting to reveal themselves in plain sight. Naruto turns back, a familiar, overwhelming bloodlust coming back to life with a renewed vigor.
Perhaps his only lapse in judgement for the night, he should have his clones test him first, but after searching for this creature, Naruto wants a first-hand account. The clones keep the surrounding equalists at bay before they can effectively circle their original and his opponent.
Naruto not wanting to indulge forever, rushes his opponent. At the same time, Jin moves with matching speed and precision. Naruto's fist is met with another and he can only wonder how a man that looks to be on death's door can possibly manage to keep pace with him, let alone force a stale mate. They trade parry after parry whenever their strikes manage to meet anything. Neither fighter gives up ground and the circle around each other's movements.
'He is very strong. His movements are so shoddy and brutish but perfectly timed. This man's instincts for battle are astounding! I would have assumed his movements would be wild and unruly, but did he reign in his senses? Does he have a presence of mind?'
Naruto ponders these things while slightly raising his effort and level with each passing blow, wanting to see if he can keep up. Jin's stamina doesn't waiver even for a moment, his movements seemingly becoming sharper.
'Not any sense of doubt or hesitation in him. He isn't on some crazed high, he's focused. Focused on the move that will bring him closer to the kill. Shit!' Naruto had not noticed where their fight had been moving, and Jin had been successful in guiding them to his weapon. Jin steps on the blade springing it upward and it very nearly pierces Naruto's chin. Naruto manages to tilt his head out of the way, but his maneuver was manipulated which becomes apparent when Jin's spinning hook kick connects perfectly with Naruto's face. In keeping with his momentum, Jin also snatches his blade mid-air and swings it around to follow up with his kick.
Naruto recoils slightly from the kick, but regains his center of gravity just in time to nimbly dodge the blade, it just barely able to tear at his jacket. Ignoring the slight ringing in his left ear, Naruto reaches for his kunai to clash with Jin once again. A new battle of territory begins and the clashing of blades rings throughout the warehouse, the occasional spark dancing to life and dying in whimpers before they hit the ground.
'I should end this, Bolin's rescue is priority, as fun as this has been.' Putting aside the implications of the later realization for now, Naruto moves to bring the engagement to a decisive conclusion. Naruto throws a well disguised feint; a right hook half a step over extended. To Naruto's surprise, Jin did not move in for a killing blow, but rather brought his blade up to try and stab through Naruto's arm. Naruto quickly realizing Jin did not take the bait, quickly recovers his arm and hits Jin's knee with a powerful low kick in one fluid motion. Finally, being able to connect effectively, Jin staggers and Naruto follows up with a spinning side kick to his mid-section with extra force so that he is sent all the way back to the opposite wall.
'With him out of the way, the others will be-' Naruto's thoughts are interrupted as his senses scream to life and his body moves without directive on pure instinct, and he ducks underneath a blow that would have surely taken off his head. Turning to see the source of the threat, there slides Jin into position to follow up with another blow intended to kill, unfazed by Naruto's previous attack.
'That probably would've killed an ordinary person. I figured he'd survive, but to act like it was nothing, and to close that distance so quickly. My muscles saved me before I could consciously detect him.'
This thought crosses Naruto's mind in the mere fraction of a second it took him to roll out of the way of Jin's blade while spinning and sweeping Jin's feet. Connecting and knocking him off balance, Naruto follows up maintaining his spin and kicking at his back to put distance between the two of them and give himself enough time to get back to his feet. It's only a moment but Naruto is able to stand and ready himself again and immediately launch himself into his next offensive.
Naruto swiftly grabs two kunai from his holster and launches them towards Jin while advancing on him. Jin does not bother to deflect but instead only slightly maneuvers so that the kunai do not strike vital organs, and powers through them piercing his flesh. In this instance, Naruto had already begun his follow up with a right hook, expecting to catch Jin off his guard from having to defend against his Kunai. But Jin is prepared and grabs Naruto's wrist out of the air and sends his blade to pierce right through Naruto's abdomen.
Naruto quickly grabs Jin's wrist but not before it makes the slightest contact through his flak jacket. Before Naruto could be grateful for the chainmail underneath his jacket, Jin uses his knee to further drive his blade into Naruto. Seeing this, Naruto instinctively sends a surge of chakra to reinforce his hold on Jin's grip and completely stops the blade from advancing. Without wasting time, Naruto sends a knee to the groin and kicks out the inside of Jin's knee to force him further off balance as he falters.
Wanting to be decisive, Naruto surges a small amount of chakra to greatly increase his physical strength. With the determination to put Jin down, he does not let up on his assault, every attack connecting as intended with Jin not having time to get his bearings. Every blow intended to deal significant damage in quick succession to the target's innards and skull to render it weakened and impaired, each blow flowing into the next as a river's water flows around the rocks within its stream.
Naruto prepares his finishing blow by concentrating even more chakra into his fist. He moves to connect with Jin as he reels from Naruto's successive attacks. Just before Naruto's fist can connect with its intended target, Jin flows with his backward momentum to regain his center of gravity before planting his back foot firmly to steady himself and simultaneously kicks out his other leg. Naruto's forward moment sends him driving straight into Jin's defensive ploy perfectly executed, and it's as if Naruto has impaled himself through his abdomen on an immovable pole suspended in mid-air, courtesy of Jin's leg.
'Urggh!' Naruto does not allow himself to audibly cry out, instead, swallows the blood the he coughed up. His assault completely coming to a stop, Jin wastes no time in immediately following up with a spinning roundhouse to Naruto's skull. This blow is delivered with a force greater than what Naruto's chakra prepared fist, and a realization dawns on Naruto.
'He can use it too.' Naruto is unable to appreciate his discovery as Jin is relentless in his counter assault; with Jin utilizing a spinning backfist with the added strength of his momentum and with the added weight of his own spiritual energy. Slashing and cross slashing at Naruto's body, Naruto's previous assault finally showing their effects as Jin would have normally taken the opportunity to go for Naruto's jugular, but the moment arrives.
'No way.' Naruto thinks in disbelief. His opponent has put him in check, and the next move could very well be Naruto's last.
'Stop being stupid.' A dark and booming voice rings through Naruto's head. The sound advice gives Naruto the exact clarity he needs for just long enough to understand.
'He can match me physically with as much chakra as I can draw out at a time right now.' Naruto catches Jin's wrist again with all his strength, and in the same motion, Naruto gathers chakra into in his palm while extending his middle and index finger to connect with Jin's ribs driving them upward. Naruto shoots his chakra through Jin's body directed by his extended fingers and the path travels right across Jin's heart, stopping it.
Having stopped Jin dead in his tracks, Naruto kicks out his legs from underneath him and Jin hits the ground. Naruto slams his fit straight down onto Jin's head to make sure to render him unconscious, knowing that the technique that stopped his heart could easily be reversed.
Over the course of the fight, the smokescreen that had concealed them has just about dissipated completely, exposing a bruised Naruto and an unconscious Jin with his head smashed through the stage floor.
Meanwhile, Korra had led Mako and Bolin through the smoke to the nearest exit. One after another, chi-blockers and equalist supporters would challenge to stand in their way. The trio of friends would deflect and incapacitate them quickly, more accustomed to their opponents' movements the second time around and move with the confidence of having the support of the others in the group. Nearing the exit, another challenger appears wielding twin electrified batons and a posture that exudes the confidence needed to take on three benders at once on his own.
"This world doesn't need benders anymore, there's no place in it for people like you." The baton yielder rebukes as he charges Korra head on. She and Mako throw fire quickly but he dodges with great agility and skill, finding the narrowest of openings between attacks. Korra, having her space invaded far quicker than anticipated, brings up her guard with the help of an earth gauntlet she creates at the last moment. She blocks the first baton but the follow up is delivered on target and deals a strong jolt of electricity she wasn't expecting.
"Arggh!" Korra nearly goes down in a daze but fights through the immense pain. She grabs the lieutenant's arm and bending it backward to get the weapon off of her. She then sends a powerful kick across his head too quick for him to defend and she brings the same leg back down in succession which he recoils from.
Bolin is able to deliver a hook like blow with a slab of earth flanking the baton user while he is dazed thanks to Korra. Mako supports her to her feet and she is able to shake off the temporary paralysis. The baton user gets back up after being knocked into the wall and readies himself again. Not wanting to be caught off guard a second time, Korra raises both of her arms to the ceiling quickly, creating a wall of earth angled to pin the baton user against the wall, trapping him. With no one else to stop them, they escape through the exit down the halls.
Back on the stage, Naruto makes quick work with each equalist that challenges him after having had dealt with what he considered his biggest threat. Their numbers manage to sneak in a few jabs which, while not powerful, are potent and leave a lasting numbing feeling to the affected area. His bout with Jin had made this more difficult than he would have cared for, and Naruto cannot help but notice the massive difference in power between them Naruto's clones did a better job of holding their own, but not wanting his jutsu to be exposed, Naruto dispelled them while they were still in the cover of the smoke.
'With the others escaping, I don't have to contend with these guys anymore.' Naruto thinks to himself. It leaves an impression on Naruto, the sheer number of equalists that came out at the ready to defend Amon. Dozens came out, and before long, it was a small battalion. There was no need to take on every last one of them, so Naruto vanishes at great speed into the rafters, far too quickly for any eyes to track, and exits out from the windows.
'I'm not surprised Amon didn't challenge me, with everyone coming to intervene. But what doesn't make sense to me is why the other one hesitated. Stranger still, that hatred completely disappeared, all that killing intent, just gone. How? And he was still able to keep pace with me. There's no doubt about it. There is only one way anyone from this world would possess that much spiritual energy. But how did he figure out how to utilize it the way he did?'
Naruto ponders these things until he spots Korra and company atop Nagga running through the streets. He summons three more clones to cover the rear from the roof tops and then rejoins the group on the ground.
"Hey Naruto! You made it out!" Korra calls out to her ally as he catches up to her.
"Naruto?! That was you in the smoke?! Dude I'd kiss you if we weren't running for our lives!" Bolin exclaims as he clutches on to Korra while Mako clutches on to him from behind. Bolin is too swept up in the frenzy of the night to notice how impressive Naruto's foot speed is.
"I'd say no thanks anyway, but it doesn't look like we're being followed." The four of them look behind briefly to confirm that there are no equalists pursuing in vehicles. "Don't slow down in case I'm wrong, stay out in the open until we get back to the harbor. We'll all debrief once on the Air temple island."
The group of friends run off into the night until they reach safety, adrenaline still going strong. Korra's senses stay sharp the entire time, never able to fully relax. With each ally they pass there can be an ambush waiting for them, and so, Korra simply cannot drop her guard, not even to take in a breath. What will the world think of her, she wonders? Have the spirits truly stopped believing in the Avatar? Is that why she has never been able to enter the avatar state?
'Naruto must've felt like this when he first woke up. Having all these burning questions and having no idea… no idea who he really is. All the… doubt. I hate this.' Korra grips at Nagga's reigns determined not to let her thoughts get the best of her. Even so, she can't escape the city fast enough and has Nagga run even harder. Korra silently declares to herself; she is not running away. She is not running to be somewhere familiar.
'I will grow. No matter what. Because Bolin, Mako, Naruto, and Republic City, and the world need me.'
Upon crossing the bay to Air Temple Island, they would be met by the white lotus sentries that were apprehensive about bringing the bending brothers so late at night, but Korra would have none of it. Knowing that she would have to speak to Tenzin, she had the sentries take her and the others to him so that they can share their new information of the threat the Republic City faces and the bending brothers would be able to provide first-hand accounts to support her.
"Korra! I was just about to send out a search party, is everyone okay?" Tenzin makes his way to the Avatar along the walkway having been found by her and her party.
"We're okay, thankfully. We just escaped an equalist rally." Korra answers fully expecting to be rebuked by her air-bending master.
"An equalist rally? What were you all doing there? It's much too dangerous!" A bead of sweat forms on the back of Tenzin's neck, fear making its way into his heart for a moment.
"Bolin had gone missing. We weren't expecting to crash a rally while looking for him."
"That's right sir! It was my fault. I was captured by chi-blockers while doing some 'odd' jobs around the city." Bolin confirms making sure not to incriminate himself to a member of the city council.
"I had asked Korra to help me earlier today looking for him not really thinking this sort of thing could happen. Bolin gets caught up just helping people around town from time to time, but when I couldn't find him at his usual hangouts, I figured he might have been with Korra." Mako adds, Bolin secretly hoping no one would read into the later part of his brother's testimony.
"What happened at the rally? I hope Amon wasn't there." Tenzin asks, already knowing the answer from the expressions the group couldn't hide, the exception being Naruto.
"Yes, he has an impressive following Tenzin." Naruto answers, the rest of the group having frozen for a moment as the events of the night flashed through the minds after coming down from their adrenaline highs. Tenzin furrows his brows as he listens to Naruto's accounts. "An entire warehouse full of equalist supporters, a large militia like force of chi-blockers that are well trained and well equipped with vehicles and weapons that play to their strengths. Amon himself appears to be… formidable."
"They had captured a number of high-ranking triad members along with Bolin to demonstrate his power. Tenzin, he can take away a person's bending."
"What?! Impossible! Only the Avatar has ever had that ability." Tenzin exclaims in disbelief, not wanting to believe Korra's revelation. For such a thing to be true, would be a direct contradiction of everything Tenzin knows of how the world works, and would be an affront to his father's legacy. The entire world could be sent into upheaval should this be true.
"He went on and on about how the spirits gave him this power, which could still be a front for all we know. But What Korra said is true, we all saw it with our own eyes as he took the bending of none other than Lighting Bolt Zolt." Mako supports Korra's claims and Tenzin is left no choice but to accept them.
"It would seem that Amon has a dangerous ally as well." Naruto adds, shifting everyone's attention back to him. This recounting had been unknowingly been repressed by the other three teenagers until spoken back into existence. Korra and Mako nearly wretch at the memory, while Bolin lets out a cry of terror, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. Mako and Korra compose themselves to comfort him.
"M-M-Mako… Mako." Bolin cries weakly.
"It's okay Bolin, we're here, you're safe." Mako consoles his brother, but Bolin shakes his head, his brother not knowing the truth.
"It was him, Mako." Bolin cries out gripping onto the lapel of his brother's coat. The statement confuses everyone. "It was him, Mako. It was Jin."
"What?! It couldn't be! He would nev- are you sure?! Bolin, are you sure it was him?!" Mako's voice cracks, shaking more than he even realizes. Korra and Tenzin look on in concern and confusion as the brothers speak with their own understanding foreign to them. Naruto grimaces and takes a step away, realizing this was going to become extremely personal.
"Yes Mako!" Bolin says forcefully, louder than he intended. "It was him! I even called out his name! I don't know why it was him but it was! It was Jin! He killed those triads! He nearly killed me!"
"Who is Jin?" Tenzin asks softly as he kneels beside Bolin in solidarity.
"Jin is a friend of ours, we go way back. We haven't heard from him in a few days, but it doesn't make any sense." Mako explains, his brother still trying to get a grip on his nerves. The name only faintly sounds familiar to Korra.
"Wait, I think you mentioned him before." Korra recalls faintly.
"Yeah, he was the one that got us a sponsor for the team." Mako answers back.
"What would make your friend join the Equalists? What could make him capable of… such a brutal crime?" Tenzin does his best to prod gently as to not be insensitive.
"I have no idea." Bolin responds finally regaining his poise. "I don't know why he would do that. I mean, we've always been friends, right? So why?"
"He didn't recognize you." Naruto interjects, his back to the group as he looks into the distance and takes in the dark waters of the bay.
"How could he not recognize me?! I was right in his face!" Bolin challenges Naruto, getting back on his feet. Naruto turns to face him.
"He didn't recognize you, because you were just another body. It wasn't until you said his name, that he realized that it was you. Everyone triad begged for their lives and it meant nothing to him. But when you called his name, he knew, and he hesitated, for just a second. He couldn't completely stop himself, but he wanted to.
"It was visceral, the sheer amount of hatred that he held for them, and the blood lust I could have sworn should have been unquenchable, completely vanished, when he realized who you were, Bolin. He didn't want to hurt you. The question is, what could have inspired that hatred, that thirst for blood, in the first place?" Naruto's question is confounding to the bending brothers. For this man to have such a close, personal relationship with Mako and Bolin, he clearly must not have the same vendetta against benders as the equalists. It must be more pointed, towards mobsters like the ones he killed on the stage. They took something from him, and he would not be denied his pound of flesh.
"I don't know, this doesn't make any sense! Nothing about tonight makes any sense!"
"Did he ever get shaken down by the triads?" Tenzin asks trying to connect the dots.
"Who hasn't? But to go this far? I mean he's tough but, he doesn't go out of his way to pick fights!" Mako shouts in exhaustion, his very spirit being drained from him more and more with each passing question. "We need to talk to him. He was covered in bandages; he was really messed up! He probably got into a scrap with the triads recently. We have to find him! We have to get to the bottom of this!"
"You'll do no such thing." Tenzin interjects sternly. "Regardless of your relationship, he is far too dangerous for a civilian to approach. If you know where to find him, Chief Bolin will have a squad pick him up."
"I doubt you'll find him." Naruto interjects. "He's eluded the police for days, in broad daylight no less."
"I doubt he'd be at his apartment, but you should ask his neighbors." Mako offers, before a dark thought crosses his mind. "Wait a second, what about his sister? What about Yuki? We have to find her!"
'A sister…' Naruto doesn't even finish his thought, already assuming the worst to establish a motivation.
"First thing in the morning, I'll put a line out to Chief Lin to search for them both. The man's connection to the rally should be more than enough to incentivize her to investigate personally, given he is the only person we can properly identify. Come now, let's all turn in. Everyone here has had a long night; we could all use proper rest." Having been completely exhausted, Bolin hangs his head in defeat, ready for the night to finally end. His brother places a comforting hand on his back; just as worried as his brother about their friends.
Tenzin motions for everyone to follow him to the dorms, but rest will allude everyone tonight. After what they had all witnessed. Korra attempted to comfort Mako and Bolin, assuring them they'd find their friends, that everything would work out. It had little effect to assuage their bereavement, but they appreciate the sentiment. Naruto takes his new roommates over to the men's dorms parting ways with Korra for the night. The night's events prove to be nothing but the stuff of nightmares, particularly for Bolin.
Dark clouds litter the night sky to smother the moonlight. The sound of the black waves crashing along the cliff side of Air Temple Island are all that can be heard. They inspire hopelessness and could trick you into thinking you were drowning while you watch them from above the cliff side. Korra was hoping that she could clear her head with some open air, unable to fall asleep, but the waters far too accurately reflected the dread in her heart without the comfort of the moonlight to shimmer off the waves.
Across the bay of black water, Republic City's lights break through the darkness. A sort of false mirage of sorts, Korra realizes. The city lights glow brightly, and even seems to emit a sort of warmth, but she knows better. With light cast by the street lamps, shadows are cast. The very same streets that were bustling with busybodies are now of service to creatures of the night. Having wanted to visit this city all her life, she is now grateful for the body of water between her and those very lights. Republic City belongs to those with claws and teeth.
"Couldn't sleep?" A voice rings out, and Korra doesn't need to turn to see that it belongs to Naruto.
"I don't know why, but I had a feeling you'd wind up finding me here." Korra had made sure a sentry wouldn't annoy her for being out this late by perching upon a secluded area concealed by overgrown shrubbery that could use some trimming. 'I swear, I feel like I knew he was up well before he found me.'
"I can leave if you want to be alone, but I can't help but ask how you're feeling." Naruto didn't make a sound before calling out to her, not a single leaf crushed beneath a foot or a twig out of place to give him away. But even still, Korra just knew.
"Worried about me, are you?" Korra hums, Naruto taking a seat beside her, letting his legs hang over the edge of the cliff.
"Not really." Naruto earns himself a hard elbow to his side from Korra.
"Jerk." She laughs as Naruto smiles, feeling a little more himself for a moment. "It's scary stuff you know. They talk about how the Avatar is destined to bring balance to the world. It makes you think that they're all powerful and the universe is on their side, so what could possibly get in their way, right?" Korra brings her knees to her chest and stares at them. Her hair drapes over her shoulders not being held together by her usual ties.
"But this Amon guy. What if his destiny, is to destroy me, and all of bending? Who's to say the universe isn't rooting for him? What if the reason I've never gone into the avatar state is because the spirits want nothing to do with me?" Naruto listens. The point being made. "His existence is completely antithetical to mine. And he's a lot closer to realizing his goal than I am to mine."
"For what it's worth, he could very well be blowing smoke up everyone's ass." Naruto breaks his silence. Korra looks over to him with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sure he probably was able to take away that man's bending, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the spirits gave him that power, or that fire benders scarred him and killed his family. There's no reason to trust what he says at face value, is all I'm saying. You have to look underneath, the underneath. He seems well adapted to manipulating people."
"But he can still take someone's bending away, including mine." Korra retorts. "And he's so confident about it, he let us go just so I could tell everyone about it."
"I'm impressed you picked up on that." Naruto is secretly proud of Korra's astute observation, her having realized their escape was far too easy. "But it's good to admit that you're scared, it's a powerful motivator when it forces you to acknowledge a difference in power."
"I didn't say I was scared." Korra rebuts, but is unable to sound convincing. "Fine, I am scared. I'm scared of losing my bending, because that would mean losing who I am as a person. I'm scared because that would mean that this entire time, I was nothing more than a fraud!" Korra exclaims desperately, shaking now, gripping her knees ever tighter. She feels a heavy, but still gentle hand rest on her shoulder. She composes as tears dangerously threaten to fall down her face. Korra allows herself to relax at the touch, and leans into her friend. Naruto wraps his arm around her shoulder to allow a more comfortable position.
"We'll grow. Together. We'll fight. Together. We'll win, or, we'll lose. Together." Naruto absentmindedly rubs his thumb soothingly on Korra's shoulder. A warmth stirs within him and slowly fills even his toes and fingertips. A moment of respite he didn't realize he needed. A moment, just for him, just for her. Together.
"Why did you come out here anyway?" Korra asks, still in the comfort of Naruto's embrace.
"I was going to head back into the city."
"What?!" Korra pulls away, moment over. "By yourself? What happened to fighting together?" Korra stands up abruptly, hands on her hips, frowning. Naruto eyes her before getting to his feet. He only keeps eye contact for an instant before looking over the water, guilt settling in.
"I wanted to find him. That Jin, person." Naruto says, not looking back at Korra.
"For what? We're going to be looking for him in the morning anyway." Korra moved to invade his space to force Naruto to look back at her, and he does.
"I'm going to kill him." Naruto states matter-of-factly.
"What?!" Korra balks as she steps away from him, nearly forgetting the ledge of the cliff. "How… how can you say something like that… so easily?"
"Because, it's necessary." Naruto replies evenly. "Korra, he'll kill you." Korra's protest dies in her throat at that declaration, a chill shot down her spine, knowing Naruto meant what he said. "He's different Korra. He doesn't have some grand ambition or a massive ego to go with it. He's not a soldier either. He's a dog with a bone. All he does is kill. You've never gone up against something like that, and I promise you, it's completely different from our sparring sessions.
As good as your bending is, all he needs is that single opening, and it's over Korra. You're dead. Killing isn't just what he wants, it's what he is. An emissary of death. There's no training for that, no matter how tough or skilled you are. The first time you come across that moment, is when you'll figure out who you really are as a warrior, and there is no second chance." Naruto finishes finally, almost as if he were pleading, begging, for Korra to listen to him. A desperation Naruto could not fight off even with his training had managed to creep into his voice.
Picking up on this, Korra placed a hand gently on his face. "Look, I appreciate that you want to keep me safe. I don't have a single doubt that what you're saying is true. You can have my back, but you can't protect, shelter me, from this. That's not what I need. I've had that all my life remember? I can't grow if you do that. I have my destiny to fulfill." Korra's gaze holds her resolve within it. Naruto reaches for Korra's hand and takes it into his gently with both hands.
"I know that. I know that." Naruto begins, barely above a whisper. "But Jin is not your destiny, Korra, Amon is. Amon is the one that challenged you publicly, challenged you as Avatar. Jin is a nobody. Just some random rat off the street. No one is going to care what happens to him after what he did." Naruto let's go as Korra takes her hand back, a frown on her face confused by Naruto's assertation.
"He's nobody. You don't have to deal with him, and you shouldn't have to. Please Korra, let me do this." A tension falls between them. Neither of them sure of what Korra will say. The tension is almost loud enough to drown out the sounds of the waves crashing against the cliffside.
"You're asking me to be ok with murder as the solution, and, as the Avatar, I just can't do that. I'm not so naïve to think that I'll always be able to get away from that. That I'll never be faced with that choice. But a calculated act of violence isn't justice. I can't play by his rules, I have to play by mine. Whatever his reasons, he committed a crime, he committed murder. He needs to answer for that, and he'll do so in front of everyone, because it's what he owes us. Justice, fairness, is what we all owe each other."
The cold ocean air is carried by the breeze and Korra fights off the involuntary shiver it inspires out of fear that it would undermine her stance to shake in front in front of her friend. The dark clouds that float overhead have finally given way the moon's light. Korra's eyes finally adjusting, bear witness to the state of disrepair of Naruto's gear and she can see just how brutal his altercation was. She can see hints of what he had gone through. How close was Naruto to losing his own life tonight? She can only imagine.
Naruto understands her reasoning. She isn't wrong, he concludes. But it almost doesn't matter. Because Naruto knows, that Korra could likely win on her own if she went up against Jin. Naruto does not want to admit it to himself, but he reveled in tonight's events. And he could even live with himself. But what Naruto cannot live with, is not losing Korra, but rather, Korra becoming even remotely like him. Korra, in Naruto's eyes, was so much better than he was. Not because her put her on some pedestal, but because she has never had to take a life, and has never had the opportunity to get used to doing so. Surely, she would have to, but he desperately wishes, that she never become used to it, calloused to it. As he surely must have.
"Okay." Naruto unzips his flak jacket to show his resignation. "You're right. We can't do what he did, and pretend we're civilized. I get that." Naruto whispers with a breath, defeated. He places a hand gently on Korra's shoulder and the corner of his mouth curls upward slightly. "But I still got your back. That's not negotiable." Smirking, Korra reaches her arms around Naruto's waist, and rests her head in the crook of his neck.
"Wouldn't have it any other way."
A/N: I'm not really happy with the amount of content in this one, but I wanted to get it out within the next 5 years so here it is. I want to expand in other areas soon within the story.