I'm so pleased to know my Sakura character freaks people out. That was my intention. : ) Many thanks to both hihazuki for editing my chapters, and missbabblingbrook21 for brilliant ideas for my upcoming Amorra/Sakura showdown. Also, ladybugsscareme has contributed to my folder of ideas. Just an update, I think I'm going to keep this story going for five to six more chapters, possibly nearing 30.

Thanks to all of you, especially those of you who have reviewed! Keep them coming, porque me gustan. ; )

All right. Without further ado. Chapter 22.

"Korra, you have to tell us what she said to you."

Korra swallowed hard. "I can't," she whispered, her voice oddly broken.

Tenzin let out an exasperated sigh, running his hands over his smooth-shaven head. "Korra, how can we help you if you won't tell us anything?"

"Leave her alone," rumbled Amon's cool voice. His arm tightened around Korra's waist. "Can't you see she'd badly shaken?"

Tenzin snapped around, narrowing his eyes at the masked man. "I didn't ask you to become part of this."

They were sitting in the lobby of the Shinobi's stadium. All the pro-bending fans and players had gone home for the night, leaving the three of them alone in the cool marble-pillared lobby. Tenzin alternated between sitting and pacing, his back rigid and tense. Korra sat with her knees drawn up to her chest on one of the metal benches, Amon at her side, one arm curled around her waist, his hand resting protectively over her arm. He rubbed soothing circles over her skin with the back of his thumb—and the gesture was possibly the only thing at the moment that kept her sane.

"Oh, but I am part of this," Amon returned, his voice laced with deadly calm. "Whether you like it or not, Sakura has drawn both Korra and me into her sights of revenge."

"Revenge on you," Tenzin growled. "I don't want my ward pulled into this. I've half a mind to alert the police of your presence here and have them deal with you in the manner they see fit. I'm sure Lin's itching to get her hands on you."

"And while I'm equally sure you'd enjoy that, my priorities remain Korra's well being." Tenzin arced an eyebrow at that, but said nothing as Amon continued. "I have my Equalists on full alert. If Sakura makes a move anywhere in the vicinities of the city under my control, we'll catch her. Until then… I advise you keep the Avatar's profile as low as possible."

Korra stiffened against him, pulling away a little from his embrace. "What?" she demanded. "You want me to hide?"

His steady golden gaze met hers. "For the time being, I believe it would be wise for you to remain undercover. The stakes are too high for us to risk losing you."

"But—"

"As much as it pains me to admit," Tenzin broke in. "I'm inclined to agree with Amon's proposal." His lip curled when he said Noatak's pseudonym, but he went on. "Korra, I want you safe, no matter what we have to do to ensure that. From here on out, you're to be confined to Air Temple Island. No more pro-bending matches, and no more late-night tromps around with Team Avatar. I want to have you monitored at all times."

"Tenzin—"

"I know it sounds difficult, Korra, but trust me, this is for your own good. And as for you…" He turned and fixed Amon with a steely stare. And unless it was Korra's imagination, Amon actually shrank back a little against the bench. Tenzin's blue eyes shone with the same fierce protectiveness as a mama platypus-bear.

"I do not want to hear of you coming anywhere near Air Temple Island, you hear? You're to stay away from Korra. I don't know how to do of you got involved, but it ends now. I want to know that I am understood."

"Excellently, sir," Amon replied, his voice unusually soft.

"Good," Tenzin grunted. He lurched to his feet, startling Korra, and reached out a hand to her. "Come, Korra. It's late. I have an Air Acolyte escort to bring you safely home. I've unfinished business with the Council tonight."

"Tenzin," Korra protested, not taking the proffered hand. "I'm not going to let you lock me up in the temple like some prisoner again. The city needs me!" She turned on Amon, giving the traitor a seething glare. "And I thought you were my friend. Why would you even suggest something like this?"

His hand brushed lightly against her cheekbone, ignoring Tenzin's irritated intake of breath. "I know it seems unfair now, Korra, but trust me. We're doing this to protect you."

Korra only glared at him and pulled away, rising to her feet. She shoved Tenzin's hand aside and marched on her own out toward the doors, where the waiting Air Acolyte stood to escort her home. Tenzin watched her go, a mix of frustration and helplessness swirling in his chest.

"She is like the north wind," Amon murmured after a still moment. "She blows wherever she pleases. You will not be able to contain her for long."

Tenzin looked at him, for a moment enticed to argue. Then he slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"What else can I do?" he asked. "She is like one of my own. I feel responsible for her."

"As do I." Amon rose, standing slightly taller than the other man, and moved to look the airbender in the eye. "I swear to you," he declared, his voice soft and intense. "I will do everything in my power to protect her." His voice dropped impossible lower, and his eyes slid away from Tenzin's. "She means more to me than you can possibly know."

Tenzin eyed the other man, noting a change in him he hadn't seen there before. After a long, silent moment, he spoke, the hardness gone from his voice.

"I once knew a radical northerner who came to this city to incite a revolution," he murmured. "But the one who stands before me is a different man."

Amon glanced up, his breath catching at the gentle look in those silver eyes. He swallowed before he spoke, his voice coming out a whisper. "Yes, I am."

Then, without another word, he turned away, striding across the lobby and into the shadows.

Korra followed the Air Acolyte with resigned indifference, not bothering to make conversation like she normally would. She walked a few paces behind him, head bowed and arms folded over her front, staring at her feet as they walked. Stupid. She couldn't believe he'd betrayed her trust like that. Turning her over to Tenzin to be tucked away like some important relic everyone was afraid would be broken. She was the Avatar, for Koh's sake. She knew how to take care of herself. Yes, Sakura had caught her off guard, and yes she'd been rattled a little more than she cared to admit, but she was still a formidable fighter. Put her in a locked room with Sakura any day and she'd give that sick waterbender a piece of her mind.

She didn't hear the gasp in front of her until it was too late. Her head snapped up, but the arms closed around her neck faster than she could leap into a bending stance. Korra choked, her vision sparkling, and fought to jab her elbows back into her attacker. She was rewarded with an expulsion of breath, but the arms only wrapped tighter. Stars flitted across her eyes.

"All right, dearest, let her go."

The arms released her, and Korra slumped to her knees, coughing and hacking up what was left of her lungs. Through tear-blurred eyes she caught sight of her Air Acolyte escort lying curled on the ground, an expression of surprise etched upon his stone-cold face. Korra felt her heart plummet.

"Did you—did you kill him?" she whimpered.

"Indeed." She couldn't see Sakura in the darkness, but she could hear a smile in that twisted, honey-smooth voice. "He'd make a nice addition to my ranks, but I'm afraid I'd like to use him to send a message instead. Could you come a little closer, dear? I'm afraid I can't read that lovely expression on your face."

Korra opened her mouth to shoot back a scathing retort, but her arms were suddenly wrenched behind her back, twisting with enough to make her scream. Her attacker jerked her to her feet, dragging her back into the alleyway where Sakura's voice emanated from. Korra struggled to make her eyes adjust to the shadows. Her heart dropped into her stomach when she saw Sakura's lithe form slip from the darkness.

"That's better," the girl purred, slipping her fingers beneath Korra's chin to tip her face up. Korra couldn't help the cold wave of fear that flushed over her features. "Ooh. That's not becoming for you. Give me a smile, won't you, Avatar?"

A hot flush of anger surged up from her chest. Gathering all her courage—and saliva—Korra lurched forward and spit right in Sakura's face.

To her horror, Sakura only laughed. She lifted her palm against Korra's expulsion, wiping it away from her chin, her violet eyes glittering. "That's the spirit. I see why my brother was so drawn to you."

"You stay away from him," Korra snarled.

"Oh, I will. For the time being. You're going to be the one to drive the knife in, Korra." Sakura smiled, those snow-white teeth glittering in the darkness. With a small flick of her hand, she motioned her henchman to release her. Jerking away from the slackened grip, Korra turned to glare at her attacker—and choked.

The man's face was deadpan. His eyes were blank and staring, not even seeing her. A pale blue film dulled his once-brown eyes, giving them an awful vacant look. His face was pallid, like all the blood had been leached out of it. His clothes were tattered and bloodied, and Korra shrank back when she saw the horrifying scarlet wound stripped across his chest. Cold, mocking arms caught her.

"Oh, you haven't met my friends yet, have you?" Sakura murmured into her ear. Her soft laugh sent shivers down Korra's spine. "I'm sure you remember Councilman Aiguo?"

Korra thought she might pass out. Her knees buckled, but Sakura's cruel grip around her arms sustained her. Aiguo—or at least Aiguo's body—remained motionless, those dead eyes staring at the both of them without an expression in the world.

"That's—" Korra gasped. "That's impossible. He's dead."

Sakura chuckled. "Dead bodies still contain blood, Korra."

A scuffing sound from the shadows made Korra whip around. Instantly she wished she hadn't. Her stomach curled with nausea and fear. Two more corpses shuffled out of the darkness. She recognized the first as the unfortunate press reporter that had been the second body to be discovered. Then her eyes landed on Sakura's first victim, that unknown Equalist. Her blood curdled. His skin was gray, peeling in places, and his eyes had sunken far back into his head. His hair had started to fall out, and when Sakura used her bending to stretch those half-decayed lips into a horrid smile…

Korra lost it. She screamed, wrenching against Sakura's unbreakable grip, her feet scrabbling against the cold concrete ground. The undead beings ambled closer, stopping a few feet away. Korra realized they were dragging the limp body of the Air Acolyte between them. They dropped him before them, then shuffled back into the shadows, becoming still as statues as they waited for their next directive.

"Now, Korra," Sakura rasped in her ear. "Would you do the honors?"

She released Korra, shoving a loosely curled scroll of parchment into her hand, and a fountain pen. Korra looked down, not comprehending… Then her stomach twisted in horror.

"No," she gasped, dropping both items to the ground and recoiling in shock. "I'm not writing your sick little obituary for you! No way."

Suddenly her whole body screamed out in agony. Her hands twisted behind her back, the wrists bending at unnatural angles, and her legs buckled beneath her. Korra grit her teeth to keep from shrieking, and her hands found the pen and paper, scooping them up without any direction from her brain.

"I think the proper answer would be, 'of course, Sakura. I will gladly help you with that.'"

"I hate you," Korra rasped, struggling to look up at the bloodbender through eyes flooded with tears. She thought she saw that awful blood red mouth stretched into a grin.

"Oh, I know, darling." Korra's hands moved of their own accord once more, rolling the paper flat against the poor Air Acolyte's chest. Her fingers trembles, fighting with all their might to break Sakura's hold, but they lifted the pen nonetheless, placing the deep black tip against the parchment.

"You will write, 'Sakura has left me alive.'"

"No."

Sakura smiled. "The more you fight, the more pleasure you give me."

"I'm not writing it!"

She couldn't help it this time. She screamed, her back arching as Sakura bloodbent her body into submission. Her hand trembled as she scrawled away at the page, but her handwriting was somehow legible.

"Good girl," Sakura cooed. "Now write: 'Worse comes after number five.'"

"No!" Korra cried, her whole body trembling as she fought. Her heart pounded in her ears, controlled by some other being. A tear slipped down over her cheek. She gritted her teeth, her jaw shuddering. "You can't make me."

"What do you think I've been doing, Avatar? Asking you nicely?"

Korra yelled again as her hands moved, finishing the note. One Sakura released her, she flung the pen down and reeled back, gasping. A sob ripped from her chest.

"Beautiful," said Sakura. "I'll take him from here. Boys."

The three dead mean came to life again, moving to scoop up the poor Acolyte's form. One tucked the paper into his breast pocket, while the other two lifted him, dragging him away from the shadows of the alley. Korra watched them go, feeling a strange sense of numbness settle over her.

"You're a monster," she whispered.

"Why, thank you," Sakura replied with a smile. "I'm pleased to know of the effect I have upon the famed Avatar. Now, if you don't mind, I have other matters to attend to tonight. Call your dear lover to come rescue you, if you must. I don't have the time to escort you home."

And with that, she was gone, melting back into the shadows like a phantom. Korra drew her knees against her chest, shuddering in the darkness. She stared at the small bloodstain on the ground where they'd dropped the Air Acolyte. Another sob ripped from her chest.

"Aang," she whispered into the night. She rested her forehead against her knees and gave into her weeping, struggling to pray through her uncontrollable sobs. "I need help," she rasped. "Oh, Aang—Kioshi—Roku—please."

And then the darkness took her.

Whew. This chapter was a tricky one. Thank you, thank you, dear readers, now please review! : )