3. The Revelation
The Blue Spirit crouched on the rooftop facing the restaurant. It wasn't fancy, but it wasn't that different from any other cheap joint in the bad part of town. If you didn't count the thugs posted out front, that is. Asami took out the probending binoculars - she really should get around to painting them dark blue, maybe with a nice Blue Spirit symbol. The rest of the building were run-down apartments, but the first floor seemed to be empty offices.
Asami unclipped the grappling hook from her harness, spun and launched it at the opposite rooftop. The hook missed and swung noisily into the building she was on. Dogs barked and a neighbor complained. Work on that harpoon gun should probably take precedence over painting the stupid binoculars. She retrieved the line and tried again, anger and adrenaline propelling the hook over the parapet with a satisfying clunk. She tested the line, then tested it again, and jumped into the void.
The void was just a few stories over a sleepy alley, but it was scary enough. Asami half-crashed, half-landed against the side of the building and eased her way down, paying out rope through her harness. She reached the second floor window and found the office empty.
The door burst open.
"...no disturbances," said a gray-haired man. "Not even the second coming of Avatar Aang."
"Technically, boss, reincarnation…" said a younger one.
"Out!" growled the first, slamming the door. He looked out the window at a scraping noise, shrugged, and put a record on the gramophone.
Outside, Asami eased off the brick wall and risked a peek. She saw only the back of the flamboyant red-and-gold suit as the man fiddled with the bar cart. Asami eased the window open and walked softly toward him.
"No one messes with the Bolt, punk," he said as he turned, fists crackling with electricity.
Oops.
Asami dove on the carpet, dodged a punch and hit a pressure point on his forearm. The discharge sent them both flying.
She staggered to her feet, arm tingling, head spinning. Where had he gone? Oh, still on the ground. Note to self: interrupting lightningbending was not without its costs.
Asami turned the unconscious man over and pulled back his sleeve. The "乙"-shaped tattoo was where she remembered it. Not a yi character after all, but a lightning bolt. Lightning bolt Zolt. Murderer. The mask felt wet against her cheek. Vengeance, after all this time...
"We're under attack!" cried a goon outside the door.
Asami jumped to her feet. How had they found her?
"There's too many of them!" cried another, banging on the door. "Boss!"
They meant someone else. She dove out the window as the door was kicked open, grasping the rope and pulling herself up.
Asami watched from the rooftop as the sound of fighting subsided. The attack was over surprisingly quickly, considering the size of those thugs. Hooded intruders escorted a handcuffed Zolt and his goons into the waiting gray van. This was looking less like a turf war every minute.
Two civilians burst out the back as the van screeched away. Wait, not civilians. The Avatar mounted her Water Tribe monster thing and chased after the van.
Asami almost burned her hands as she slid down to the street. Zolt was hers! She didn't have time to get back to her satomobile. A few Triple Threat bikes were parked behind the restaurant, but they hardly looked… hey! She rushed to the best bike of the lot. Some idiot had painted a triad symbol on its beautiful finish, but there was no mistake: this was her bike. She pulled the key from her pouch and started the engine.
#
Asami had no trouble following the earthbent pavement and tire marks. She caught up with the chase in a wide plaza. Mako and the Avatar were fighting two of the henchmen. Should be easy enough for the mighty Avatar.
Asami sped around them, closing the distance to the van. She glanced back to watch the fireworks, but something was wrong: Mako and the Avatar were on the ground, the henchmen approaching with spinning bolas. Asami looked back at the van, almost within reach.
"Spirit me," she muttered.
Korra and Mako dragged themselves together as the henchmen closed in, the roar of a third motorcycle ever louder. The henchwoman on the left suddenly jumped into the air, the riderless bike missing her by inches.
Asami landed on the other henchman with a thud, but he recovered quickly. Her strikes were matched blow for blow with an eerie sense of familiarity. She targeted a choice pressure point in his arm, but he parried and threatened her own pressure point, forcing her to fall back. Chi-blockers, of course, thought Asami. But how? The henchman approached and she put up her guard, storing the thought away for later. That's when the henchwoman knocked her down from behind.
Right, thought Asami, it's a two-vee-one. Stupid. Both henchmen (henchpeople? she thought idly) were spinning their silly bolas again, and from the feel of it her left arm was now out for the round. She was about to become chi-blocking ninja roadkill.
A snarling mass of which fur jumped over her, roaring at the henchmen. They looked at each other and disappeared into green smoke, the sound of their bikes fading in the distance.
Asami wished she could do the same as the beast turned its hot, fang-filled maw into her mask and growled. So she was about to become snow monster food after all. Life was full of little surprises like that.
#
"Easy, girl," said the Avatar, limping to the beast's side. "She's… I'm not sure what she is."
"A fake," Mako said angrily, joining her. "The Blue Spirit is dead."
"People keep telling me that," said Asami, trying to sound undisturbed by the mass of teeth staring her in the face.
"You sound familiar," said Mako.
"Call off your monster," Asami tried in a deeper voice, feeling only slightly ridiculous.
"Her name is Naga and she just saved your life," spat Korra. She did, however, add, "down, girl."
Naga snorted disappointedly at Asami's face as if denied a meal and sat protectively around Korra.
Asami struggled to her feet with all the dignity she could muster, massaging her numb arm back to life. "Seeing as I bought her time to save you, I think we're square."
"Who's the Blue Spirit?" asked Korra.
"The real one used to be a hero," said Mako, glowering at Asami. "I grew up on stories of her protecting the weak. But when the city needed her most, she disappeared. Every now and then some copycat loser shows up in a blue mask. They never last long."
To think she had actually considered going out with this prick! "Sorry I inconvenienced you by keeping your butts from being kicked," said Asami. "I'll be sure not to make the same mistake again. What do you know about those chi-blockers?"
"Why don't you tell us?" said Korra. "You were moving just like they do."
Asami thought about her own green smoke canister lying in her pouch. It would make a quick exit, but not such a great trust builder. She should probably try to dye it a nice shade of thematically consistent blue. "Really? Hadn't noticed."
"They're Amon's henchmen," said Mako.
"What's up with this city and weirdos in masks?" said Korra.
"Hey," said Asami.
"He's the leader of the Equalists," said Mako, turning to Asami. "What's it to you?"
"He's got something I want," said Asami.
"Oh yeah?" Mako said angrily. "Well, he's got my brother!"
"Oh," said Asami.
"Listen," said Korra, "maybe we could work together."
"I'm not an Avatar sidekick," said Asami, walking to her fallen bike. It was badly scratched, but functional.
"Hey, I'm not…" said Mako.
"What's your problem, lady?" said Korra.
"People look up to you as a savior," said Asami, getting on the bike. "But you couldn't protect your friend, or even your own butt back there. People are better off looking out for themselves."
Asami revved the bike and roared off with more acceleration than would be strictly necessary or fuel efficient.
#
The table shot into the air, Amon's monochrome gaze raining down with the pamphlets. Asami couldn't help grinning from her discreetly selected park bench. Guan had been right about the Equalist lead, but she hadn't expected running into those two so soon. They looked terrible, like they had spent the night in a barn.
"Witness the Revelation tonight, nine o 'clock," read Mako. "What's this Revelation?"
"Nothing that concerns the likes of you two!" said the activist, picking up pamphlets.
Korra grabbed the activist by his shirt collar. "You better believe it concerns us. Spill it."
Asami leaned closer.
"No one knows what the Revelation is," said the activist. "And I have no idea what happened to your friend. But if he's a bender, then my bet is he's getting what's coming to him."
"Where's it happening?" said Mako.
"Hey! What's going on there?" cried a policeman, running towards them.
Korra and Mako ran as the officer gave chase.
Asami walked up to the upturned table and starting collecting pamphlets off the floor.
"Thank you, sister," said the activist. "Non-benders need to fight back."
"But how?" said Asami.
"Join us tonight," beamed the activist. "You will see change is possible."
#
Asami wrestled her hair into a bun and tested its stability. A shorter haircut would make this much easier and shave off some thirty minutes from showering, but was she ready to sacrifice her curls?
"Don't even think about cutting your beautiful hair," said Guan.
"Stop reading my mind," smiled Asami, pulling over the hood.
"You have a plan?" said Guan.
"Always," said Asami.
"Care to share?" saud Guan.
"Get in, take down Zolt, get out," said Asami.
"My hearing must be failing," said Guan, "I missed the part where you fight through an army of chi blockers."
"I was leaning towards avoiding them," said Asami. "Still working working on the how."
"Solid plan," said Guan. "Why not let this Amon do the dirty work for you?"
"What?" said Asami, pausing with the mask in her hands. "You're comparing me with that criminal?"
"He hates benders and doesn't mind breaking the law to pursue his grudge against Zolt," said Guan. "The only difference I see is his ability to work with others."
Asami frowned. "I don't hate benders. I'm just not sure anyone can be trusted with the Avatar's powers."
"Maybe you should team up with Amon to catch her," said Guan. "She's probably on his hit list."
The bike's engine roared to life.
"Very mature!" Guan cried over the ruckus. "Avoiding a conversation by blasting into the night!"
Asami blasted into the night.
#
The deserted industrial district looked eerie in the gaslight. Stragglers in ones and twos were approaching the warehouse. They didn't seem like dangerous criminals, just regular people. Walking into the side alley, Asami put her new and improved harpoon gun to good use and started scaling the wall.
The warehouse held quite a crowd. She hadn't realized the Equalist movement had grown this big. The far wall had a stage and a giant banner of Amon, in the same propaganda style as the pamphlet. She began to wonder how long she'd have to wait perched uncomfortably on a roof girder, but lights soon flooded a platform rising in mist.
"Please welcome your hero, your savior… Amon!" cried the MC.
A tad melodramatic, but at least they were punctual. Amon looked as creepy as he did in the pamphlet, aided by the chi blocker assassins surrounding him.
"My quest for equality began many years ago…" Amon said smoothly.
Asami had trouble concentrating. So what if Amon had also lost his family to a firebender? They were nothing alike! He was a criminal. She was trying to be a hero… wasn't she?
Asami snapped back when Zolt and his goons were dragged on stage. She was tempted to jump him right there and then, but a small part of her kept yammering something about unfavorable odds.
"Now, in the interest of fairness," Amon was saying, "I will give Zolt the chance to fight to keep his bending."
"You're gonna regret doin' that, pal," cried Zolt, flame bursting from his fingertips.
"Should've listened to the man holding the fire," muttered Asami. Amon didn't seem armed. Was he really planning on taking on one of the most dangerous gangsters in the city with only his smooth voice? Those chi blockers would have to sweep his ashes off the stage.
Asami watched in shock as Amon dodged Zolt's blasts as if he could predict them. Her skin tingled as lightning cracked, but Amon redirected the bolt to the roof, forced Zolt his knees, and held his forehead. The lightning faltered, turned to flame, then flickered out entirely. Zolt collapsed onto the stage, his bending gone.
"Spirits," said Asami as the crowd gasped. She was having trouble wrapping her head around the implications, but Zolt was alive as Amon moved to his goons. Would they let him go?
Amon was interrupted by an explosion in the side wall. The crowd cried and scattered as the warehouse filled with steam. Asami moved.
The stage was chaotic and hidden in mist. Asami dived in, rolled, and pushed a chi blocker into the crowd. Another grabbed her from behind and she spun with her fist raised, but came face to face with Mako.
"You!" they cried, jumping apart.
"What do you think you're doing here?" snapped Asami.
"Saving my brother!" cried Mako. "What are you doing here?"
"Minding my own business," said Asami.
"Fine," said Mako, disappearing into the steam.
"Fine," Asami shouted weakly after him.
A sudden draft cleared part of the steam and she saw him. Zolt was still on the floor, staring at his hands, lips moving. Asami made out the words as she approached: what did you do to me? She pulled out her knife.
#
Asami ran out a side door onto a platform. On the ground below, Mako and his brother had somehow been knocked out by an Equalist wielding goggles and kali sticks. She should probably rethink that sponsorship deal.
"You benders need to understand," Goggles said, then got the air knocked out of him as Asami landed.
Goggles grunted as he stood, the kali sticks now crackling with electricity.
Ah, thought Asami. That did explain things. She dodged and weaved as he attacked, but it was hard to fight when you couldn't block or parry your opponent's weapon. Her mind kept turning to counter-gear: rubber soles, rubber gloves, a water balloon?
Goggles connected with her leg and her knee buckled. Asami flashed steel and slit the power chord on the left stick, but the right one connected with her chest and she saw stars.
"As I was saying," Goggles said in the distance. "There's no place in the world for you anymore."
The ground shifted with earthbending and something heavy crashed into the opposite wall.
"I wouldn't count us out just yet," said a familiar voice. Asami tried to stand when she realized it was the Avatar, but her head was still spinning. Strong arms pulled her onto something huge, furry and fast, and it took all her focus not to fall off.
#
"I don't think they're following," said Mako, looking back past Asami.
"Good job, Naga," said the Avatar, patting her pet as she slowed down.
"Finally!" said Mako's brother, appearing next to the beast's head covered in slobber.
"You can let go now," Mako said with a smile.
Asami realized he meant her, and that she was still holding on to him. She stumbled off Naga.
Bolin gasped. "Mako," he whispered loudly, "the Blue Spirit saved me!"
"Not the real Blue Spirit, bro," said Mako.
"Oh," said Bolin.
"And her rescue skills leave something to be desired," said Korra.
"You keep underestimating the value of buying time," said Asami, somewhat offended.
"What were you doing back there?" asked Korra.
"I came to kill Zolt," said Asami.
The others flinched.
"The real Blue Spirit wasn't a murderer," said Bolin.
"Are there no circumstances in which you would kill?" said Asami.
"Not so far, thankfully," said Mako.
"You have to turn yourself in," said Korra.
"I don't," said Asami.
"Please don't make us…" said Mako.
"What I mean is," said Asami, sitting on the street as realization overwhelmed her, "I didn't go through with it. He was there, and I couldn't do it."
"Good," said Mako.
"Thank you for saving me, big bro," said Bolin, hugging Mako. "And you, Korra. And even fake Blue Spirit. I was totally freaking out."
Asami frowned behind the mask.
"Wasn't the Avatar the only one able to take people's bending?" asked Mako.
"Don't look at me," said Korra, "I'm as stumped as anyone else. We need to tell Tenzin."
"Let's go," said Mako.
"Hey, Blue Spirit lady?" said Bolin. "You need a ride or something?"
"Naga is not a tram," said Korra.
"I'm good," said Asami. "Thanks."
"See you around," said Mako, helping Bolin onto the saddle.
"Listen," said Asami. "I don't know how Amon did what he did. But those chi blockers? That's Kyoshi Warrior training."
"But aren't the Kyoshi Warriors gone?" said Bolin.
"Their old Academy's just a finishing school for spoiled rich brats now," said Mako.
"Be that as it may," Asami said over gritted teeth, "my master was a Kyoshi Warrior. There may be others."
"You were trained by an actual Kyoshi Warrior?" said Bolin. "That's awesome!"
"Thanks," said Korra. "It could be a lead."
"What are you going to do now?" asked Mako.
"I've spent the last twelve years thinking of nothing but revenge," said Asami. "Now I have nothing."
"Why don't you help us?" said Mako.
"What?" said the other three.
"Well, I guess we could use the help," said Korra. "No one's asking you to be a sidekick."
"What's wrong with being a sidekick?" said Bolin.
"I work alone," said Asami.
"Fine," said Mako. "If you change your mind, you know where to find us."
Asami watched as they galloped down the street. She smiled.