Chapter XVI: Battle
Saltrall stirred and groaned, only getting a few more hours of sleep. He stretched before standing and going to the bathroom. He glanced at the mirror over the sink and grimaced at his reflection.
"I look terrible," He said to himself as he walked over and put his hands on the edge of the sink.
He had dark bags under his eyes, his eyes still had a small amount of red from his crying, some tears he missed had dried on his cheeks, leaving small streaks and his hair was a disheveled mess.
He just sighed and showered quickly. He got out feeling slightly better but it wasn't anything substantial. He got dressed again and set his coordinates to the arena and flew over there.
He got out and looked around, seeing quite a few less people. He swore under his breath when he heard the cheers from inside and ran inside, knowing the match had already started.
The first round had just ended when he got to a spot he could watch, and he put his head in his hands as the second round ended. However, when Korra won single-handedly in the third round he couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.
"That's the Korra I know," he whispered as he turned and headed towards the locker room.
He looked into the locker room as Korra was healing Bolin's injured arm. Smiling, he walked inside.
"Everyone still friends here?" He asked as they all looked at him and laughed.
"Yep, still friends," Korra said with a smile before looking at the brothers who nodded in agreement.
"Excellent!" Saltrall exclaimed happily. His smile faded, as did all of the others, when they heard the announcer.
"Your winners, the Wolfbats!" came the announcement from the ring.
"What? How is it over already?" Korra asked in disbelief, before they saw the other team being dragged from the water on stretchers.
"Cheese and rice," Saltrall muttered as he looked at the shocked faces of the Fire Ferrets.
They all seemed to gulp in unison before Korra got a determined look on her face.
"This just means we need to practice extra hard!" She exclaimed, with the others all agreeing.
It was a few days before the Fire Ferrets next match and they spent almost all of that time in the arena practicing. Saltrall came and watched a few, but he was more focused on looking out for Equalist threats. He'd killed a couple of grunts sent out by Amon and incapacitated a few more, but he knew that they weren't a serious threat. Not like last time.
But today was the day of the finals, and Saltrall was watching the Ferrets practice in the gym, smiling at their intensity.
"Reminds me of when I was involved in sports on Gallifrey," He thought to himself. He was dragged from his thoughts when the radio they were listening to turned to static. Saltrall, who was leaning on the table and therefore the closest, turned it up as Amon's voice rang out.
"Good morning, citizens of Republic City. This is Amon," He began, "I hope you all enjoyed last night's pro-bending match, because it will be the last. It's time for this city to stop worshiping bending athletes as if they were heroes. I am calling on the council to shut down the bending arena and cancel the finals, or else there will be severe consequences."
"What a creep," Saltrall said, turning down the radio when his message finished.
"That guy's got some nerve," Bolin said in agreement.
"You think the council will give in?" Mako asked, looking at everyone. Korra spoke up first.
"I'm not waiting to find out. We need to get to City Hall."
Everyone else voiced an agreement and they ran out and hopped on Naga and rode quickly to City Hall.
Korra got off quickly and ran inside, followed by Bolin and Mako, but Saltrall stayed outside, and he watched police chief Lin Beifong walk by. She scowled at him when she saw him, obviously still bitter about the last time he was in the police station for attacking a police officer hiding in some shrubs doing reconnaissance.
"Good to see she hasn't forgotten that," He thought to himself with a small smile as she too walked into City Hall. He kicked a rock until he saw Tenzin walk out, looking embarrassed followed by the Fire Ferrets.
"So? We still on for tonight?" He asked them as they walked over.
"You know it!" Bolin said proudly. Saltrall nodded silently, his smile faded as he started thinking. "You alright?" Bolin asked.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine just... thinking," Saltrall replied before looking at Korra, "A word, please?" He asked, motioning his head to the side and walking over, Korra following, confused.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Saltrall asked when they got a safe distance away.
"Absolutely, Chief Beifong is going to provide extra security so nothing can happen, it was her idea to keep it on." Korra replied, making Saltrall chuckle.
"Somehow I assumed as much," He said, still chuckling before getting serious again.
"Listen, I need to tell you something," Saltrall started before being interrupted by Korra.
"Sorry, I gotta get back, need to keep practicing, I'll see you later!" She said as she turned and ran off, leaving Saltrall alone.
"God dammit," He muttered under his breath. He sighed and watched her leave with the others before walking off towards the TARDIS.
That night he was watching the match, standing close to Tenzin and Lin, listening to them discussing the match and the various fouls not getting called on the Fire Ferrets. Right after the match ends and Tahno starts gloating, Saltrall notices something.
"That's not good..." He said as he saw people in the audience start putting on Equalist masks.
He drew his Sonic inconspicuously and flicked it open, set to paralyze. He opened his mouth to tell Tenzin and Lin before looking over them just as they got electrocuted by members of the Equalists. Thinking fast he paralyzed them and any other Equalists who came near him, even having to kick one away right before he was electrocuted. When he looked around he saw that he was surrounded by seven paralyzed Equalists.
Content with his work he put his Sonic away and looked at the platform, just in time to see Tahno have his bending taken away.
"Holy crap..." He whispered under his breath as Amon and his men kicked them into the pool before addressing the crowd.
"I believe I have your attention, benders of Republic City." He began, looking out at the audience.
"So once again, the Wolfbats are your pro-bending champions. It seems fitting that you celebrate three bullies who cheated their way to victory because every day, you threaten and abuse your fellow nonbending citizens just like the Wolfbats did to their opponents tonight.
" Those men were supposedly the best in the bending world and yet it only took a few moments for me to cleanse them of their impurity. Let this be a warning to all of you benders out there: if any of you stand in my way, you will meet the same fate." He paused before continuing.
"Now, to my followers: for years the Equalists have been forced to hide in the shadows, but now we have the numbers and the strength to create a new Republic City. I'm happy to tell you that the time for change has finally come. Very soon, the current tyrannical bending regime will be replaced by a fair-minded Equalist government. You and your children will no longer have to walk the streets afraid! It's time to take back our city."
Saltrall stared on with anger before moving Lin and Tenzin until they're sitting against the wall as Amon continued his speech.
"For centuries, benders have possessed an unnatural advantage over ordinary people. But thankfully, modern technology has provided us with a way to even out the playing field. Now anyone can hold the power of a chi blocker in their hand. My followers and I will not rest until the entire city achieves equality, and once that goal is achieved, we will equalize the rest of the world. The revolution has begun!"
With that an airship dropped ropes, shattering the ceiling as Amon and his men started to leave the arena.
Suddenly he saw Korra fly up into the air on a pillar of water, only to lose her resolve and start falling.
"Korra!" He shouted, not noticing Lin moving to help her.
Saltrall had never felt more powerless then he did watching the fight on the roof of the arena. His heart skipped a beat again when he saw Korra falling down for a second time, only to feel a pang of relief when Lin got her to safety.
He started running over to where they were as the Fire Ferrets hug. He was too far away to hear anything said before, but he arrived just in time to hear Tenzin's grim proclamation:
"Republic City is at war."