How To Save A Life
Janae nods, and glances back at Katey's body, and back to Amon – "Can you help her?"
Amon thinks it over.
"You have a decision between your friend… Or your impure gift. You have one moment."
Janae wasted no time, immediately answering with the first. Little did she realize that Amon was completely serious about the question. Little did she realize that Amon was also tricking her – for he knew that Katey was, in fact, not dead. Merely unconscious, for Janae had put a lot of fire in her face (and her whole body). Overwhelming was what it was. Amon walked over to her friend's body, sitting at an angle so Janae couldn't see what he was doing. He slapped the burned girl into a state of awareness. Katey's eyes shot open and she sat up, feeling things – wounds, burn wounds – open up. Somehow, she managed to stand up completely, and back away with a fazed look on her face, to the point of running away.
Janae and the man of her dreams were left to themselves.
"Kneel."
"What? You kneel."
"I said kneel, bender." Amon spat.
Janae did so, keeping her distance. She didn't want to give the other a different idea, after all.
The masked one leaned over, pressing a thumb in between her eyes, the rest of his hand splaying across her cheek.
She shook in her place, as he pressed his thumb harder – hot tears pricked her eyes, and suddenly, something stung all over. She gave a little shriek as she was revisited with memories of Chris getting his bending taken away. Amon seemed not to mind the noise, and pressed deeper.
He pulled away a moment later, Janae letting her arms drop (for she had subconsciously grabbed onto Amon's own arms) and the tears fall as she half- heartedly banged the ground below her with a fist.
She hadn't known of the consequences for saving a friend. She hadn't known of the ground she had hit on when she could feel herself slipping from her own grip.
…
She woke up on a cot, with a set of clothes next to her, and dim morning light pouring in. Slowly, she set a hand on the set of clothes sitting beside her, and realized it was a new uniform. A brand new Equalist uniform.
Janae pulled away from the uniform, and sprawled out among the cot, staring up at the ceiling.
Is this what it feels like to be an Equalist?
Is that what it feels like to be a nobody?
Is this what it's like to be unmade?
Is this what it feels like to have your entire being stripped from you?
Where is he?
By 'he' she meant Amon, the masked man, the literal man of her dreams, the one who haunted her.
The one who stripped her of who she was.
…
She is summoned by Amon to head to the chi-blocking class using only the back ways.
She rejects the offer for directions on how to get there because, unfortunately, she already knows.
Janae heads down there, expecting a shallow future.
Once she arrives, she is greeted by quiet and shadows.
"Hello?" the girl calls, looking around, trying to pierce through the shadows for something more.
"Hello to you, bender."
"Amon!" Janae addresses, trying the name out. It's interesting, she thinks, rolls of the tongue. She had heard it from a fellow Equalist.
"I recently took away your bending," Amon says, as if he was going to give it back in the first place, "yet, I never learned your name."
She is skeptical, narrowing her eyes, but steps closer, close enough to reach out and touch him. If she dared, of course. "I'm Janae," Amon's expression behind the mask is soft, but Janae wouldn't know that, "Janae Gamara. Former firebender. Pleasure to meet you, Amon. A real pleasure."
Amon scoffs behind his mask, and just stares at his new friend. Sassy.
"I am Amon. You may call me… Amon, of course. There is nothing else to call me." Amon lies, reaching out to set a heavy hand on Janae's shoulder. Her frame is fragile, small – unusual for a firebender.
Janae is quiet, and Amon puts a hand on her other shoulder. She sighs.
"What is troubling you, Gamara?"
"Everything."
"Elaborate."
Janae thinks, and lets her head hang, "What am I supposed to do from now on?"
Amon is still, until he leans down, eyes piercing Janae's – bringing his voice to a whisper, even though the 'classroom' was empty. "Listen to me, Gamara – I like – respect – you. I will only do this once. I am promoting you," he pauses, as if unsure, "to be my second lieutenant."
Janae is speechless, contemplating what this random promotion could possibly mean –
"That being said, Gamara, I have an assignment for you."
"…What…?"
Amon doesn't wait, and simply comes out with it, "Bring me your bloodbender friend."
Janae backs away, shocked, fearful – "Amon, sir – I can't do that! Why can't you do it?"
"Why must you question my orders, Gamara?"
"I – I… Yes, sir. I'll do it," Janae agrees to the order, figuring out why people obey him so easily.
It's because he's enchanting.