Chapter 12
She wasn't dreaming! She knew she wasn't dreaming! Why wouldn't anyone believe her? I mean, sure it was a little much to ask someone to believe that they were seeing someone appear regularly to her, that had died in an explosion...But as far as Korra could remember, no one had actually found the bodies of Tarlock and Amon. So there could be a possibility that they were all still alive, couldn't there? But there could also be a possibility that... "I see dead people...!" Korra whispered, feeling her heart suddenly leap with a sort of fearful excitement. The images of what had happened in previous nights flashed through her head. Unconsciously, the teenage girl brought a hand to her throat. The most recent time that she had seen this supposed Amon, was only hours ago, when she had woken up, to a horrible feeling. There standing about her was that oh so familiar mask, and he had a cold grip on her throat. Slowly squeezing the air from her body. That had scared her. Very much, indeed. It was also the closet she had seen him, since the man's, supposed explosion… Other times, it had only been glimpses of him walking by the window, sometimes knocking on it… Once she had heard the door open, and when she looked, there standing in the dark was, you guessed it, Amon. It was mother, effing creepy.
The other three teenagers, (Mako, Bolin, and Asami), all looked at the girl funny. "You see what?" Mako asked her with a raised eyebrow, while bringing a hand to the Avatar's forehead. Bolin gave her a terrified expression, and Asami just stood, leaning against the door frame, unsure of what to think. Who could blame her? If your ex-boyfriend's girlfriend announced that she could see dead people, what in hell would you do?
Gently, Korra pulled Mako's hand off of her forehead and held it in her hand. "I'm not sick. It could just be a possibility! I know it sounds crazy and all, though... But I know I'm not dreaming! Either Amon is alive, or I seriously see dead people!" Mako sighed. He really wanted to believe Korra... But it just seemed sort of...weird? He supposed though, that if he thought about it, The Avatar sort of did see dead people. You know, with all that spirit world stuff. But it still just didn't seem right.
Bolin though, was beginning to wonder about this, supposed Amon coming and haunting his friend... Everyone knew that Korra's sister had escaped the prison island. But what they didn't know, was that he, in great sympathy, had gone and given Kyo, Amon's mask. He hadn't really told anyone about that. And if Bolin did, he didn't imagine that any of them would approve. Korra especially. As much as Bolin liked Korra, (which was a lot..), she would probably be the most unhappy out of the lot. He could imagine her saying that it would inspire Kyo to do bad things or something. But he almost understood how she felt. 'Almost', being the keyword, there. He had lost the one he loved too. Even though he had never really got her... But it still hurt! But he could imagine the pain being ten times worse, if Korra ever died!
But would Kyo really stoop low enough to do something like scaring Korra half to death, in order to get revenge on her loved one? If you were Bolin, Mako, Asami, and goodness, even Korra, your answer would be, 'I don't know.' Not even Kyo's own sister knew her that well at all. She had always pushed everyone away from her, and Korra had no idea why. But if you where Kyo...then the answer would most definitely be, 'yes, but this is only just the beginning.'
What Kyo had done had been freaking risky! But it was all worth it now. The woman washed the ridiculous amount of makeup off her face, and pulled a long red haired wig off her head and tossed it on to the bed of her motel. While she was a terrible fighter, she was a great gambler, if she did say so herself. It came with being a thief, she supposed. It tended to involve being sneaky and lying. It was almost a packaged deal! But with no yuons what so ever, what had Kyo done to earn enough yuons to get her a motel room, for a little while anyways, and other things to support herself temporarily, until she had gotten a proper job? (And in case your wondering, she didn't use the yuons to invest in a part time new appearance. That was all stolen goods.) She gambled away her own body. Yes, that was an extremely disgusting and whore-ish sounding idea... But she was desperate! And she most definitely wasn't a whore, either! In fact, she would happily burn all prostitutes, sluts, and all those lovely people to the ground if she had a chance. Just so that you know. (And for the sake of her dignity.)
Kyo may have not been the most beautiful person around, especially in her eyes, but most gambling joints had quite a few dirty minded, perverts lurking about, who didn't care what you looked like at all. I'm sure you all know what they cared about. If you don't, then I advise you to continue to happily live under that card-board box, and if you don't mind, I'll join you.
Anyways, she had one. A lot of Yuon. But she couldn't be bothered to remember the exact amount of it. Right now, she had more important stuff to do. Or get ready to do.
With a pair of scissors in hand, Kyo grasped her long black hair, up close to the top of her neck. Then quickly, she brought the scissors to it and snipped. Her head suddenly felt lighter, as a few strands of hair fell to the ground. With the rest of her, now unattached, long hair, still grasped in her fist, she gave a regretful sigh and looked at it with a semi-sad expression on her face. It really was a shame to have to do it. But last time she checked, Amon didn't have waist long hair. And she couldn't risk having it accidently show, in the middle of scaring Korra, could she?
Kyo walked over to a window and opened it. Sticking her arm and hair out, she let fire come from the palm of her hand and sizzle away the hair. She couldn't through it in the garbage. The fire bender couldn't risk it.
The smell was terrible. Burning hair... Yuck. But soon enough, it was finished, and the burnt crisps of her hair flew off with the wind. Kyo looked at herself in the mirror. The un-even, spikiness of it somehow suited her. And it actually looked sort of nice, despite the fact that she had no experience what so ever, when it came to cutting hair... But she still preferred it long.
Going back to her bed, she laid out an outfit, similar to the one that Amon had worn, and changed in to it. Then the woman tied the mask on to her face, flipped up the hood, and jumped out the window.
Sticking to the shadows and back alleys, she eventually found herself at the oh so familiar shore of the main land. It was nice for her to know, that this time she wasn't going to be swimming to Air Temple Island. Despite that have being very good exercise, and exercise being good for you... Too much good wasn't healthy. She was sure that she would have drowned from exhaustion one of those days. This time, she had a boat. Sadly it wasn't one of those nice quick equalist ones... They were to noisy. But those row boat ones where good to. And if she got tired of rowing, Kyo could probably find away to use fire bending to make it go faster, right? And that Tenzin guy used these boats all the time! But then again, he had air bending to help... But whatever! She would be happy with whatever she got.
Korra laid in her room, on her bed. Her eyes were closed, but every once in a while, she would open them to look out at the window. Would Amon come tonight? Because if he was going to, then he was awfully late showing up. Usually by now, she would be somewhat shaken and falling asleep, with Mako watching her until she finally did. Korra supposed that there was a silver lining to every grey could, wasn't' there?
The teenager was almost asleep, when she heard the window open, and her face was greeted by cold and windy air. Her body immediately tensed up. And here it was, looking as though tonight would have been a good night... Life and its lies... That was all she had to say about it. Or think about it... Whichever you prefer.
Slowly she opened her blue eyes. Naturally, she saw an open window. But she didn't see an Amon yet. Not moving, her eyes scanned over the room, where they could. Which was everywhere in front of her. For all she knew Amon could be standing behind her. And that was exactly what 'he' was doing.
Feeling as though she was being watched, Korra sat up and spun around, coming face to face with that infamous mask. With eyes wide with terror, she predictably shot a blast of air towards the hooded figure. 'Amon' gracefully, and easily, dodged the exhausted blow. "What do you want?" She demanded, a bit to loudly for 'Amon's' liking.
Under the mask, Kyo made no effort to answer. Instead she slowly started to walk over to her wretched, younger sister. The 'Almighty Avatar' sent another wave out air towards the woman in disguise. This one having a little more effort in it. But Kyo managed to bend backwards, far enough to dodge it again. Korra opened her mouth to let out a shout for help, but Kyo was over there quickly, and roughly grabbed her younger sister's cheeks and squeezed her mouth hard. Through the eyeholes of the mask, she gave her sister a look that told her, 'I dare you too.'
Judging from the look on Korra's face, she obviously had seen it. "What do you want?" she asked again, when the fake Amon let go of her face. This time in a quieter manner. Her face hurt from being grabbed so hard, and she was feeling a little more than just, 'slightly shaken'. She was starting to feel downright terrified. Especially since there was a good possibility, that this could be a ghost. But there was something… un-Amon-ish about those eyes. And they were so familiar looking. But she couldn't place them at this moment.
To Korra's horror, Amon suddenly held up a small, but sharp looking knife, and grabbed her arm. It was natural, that the Avatar panicked and started pulling away, and started hyperventilating. This made Kyo smirk underneath the mask. She dropped the younger girl's arm and turned to the wall beside them. Then Kyo raised the knife and started to etch something in to it. Still feeling startled, Korra was unsure how to react to this, which was pretty stupid, and simply stared.
Once she finished, Kyo turned to her sister, and quickly used the handle of the knife, to try and hit Korra over the head, as she read what was now written on the wall.
As the handle of the knife flew towards the teenager's head, she raised her arms to block it. The handle may have not hit her head, but it did hit one of her arms, and hard. Korra felt pain shoot through it, and winced, instinctively pulling it towards her chest to cradle it. While she did that, the Avatar stuck her foot out and aimed to kick 'Amon'.
Seeing as Kyo didn't have to worry about being gang beat like she usually did, the woman in disguise had no troubles at all when it came to dodging it. And the fact that her sister was sitting on a bed sort of helped with the easy dodging too… but who honestly gives a shit? Because Kyo by no means, did.
Of course, Korra wasn't completely stupid, and did end up getting up on to her feet. Then the fun really could begin, unfortunately, this wasn't the sort of fun Kyo had intended. She supposed that she had underestimated her little sister, just the teensiest bit. Whatever though. Kyo, by all means, could work with this turn of events.
The Avatar used some of her fancy and new found air bending, and sent a blast towards the fake Amon. Kyo really couldn't afford to be caught. So she really couldn't go all out with fire bending. Unless of course, she was Amon from hell? But she didn't want to be an Amon from hell. You know why? Because Amon wasn't in hell. She wouldn't have it. Simple as that. So she was stuck with regular person fighting. And Kyo was NOT totally ok with that, seeing as she was never good at any sort of fighting, even with her bending, to start with.
The thief quickly turned, and placed a foot on the wall, pushed and sent herself flying above Korra's head, all in the process of doing a back flip. Before the woman even hit the ground, Korra had managed to get in another wind blast, and poor Kyo, (but only if you feel sympathy for her, is she ever 'poor Kyo'), was shot in to that one corner, were the ceiling and wall meet. Kyo held in a grunt of pain as she hit that, and then fell to the floor on her stomach. But just like one of those magic, jumping beans, the twenty-five year old was back on her feet
You know when you get excited, every once in a blue moon and you end up accidently doing the unspeakably awesome, by accident? And then you can never do it again? Well, Kyo had one of those moments. Why one of those moments hadn't come in other fights, when she really needed them, she would never know. But all that mattered was the present right now.
Kyo sprinted towards Korra, but at the last minute dropped and slid across the ground towards the Avatar, and used her hands to half hold her, and half push the woman in disguise up, as she shot her foot upwards and kicked her sister in the jaw.
Korra grunted in pain, and fell backwards from the impact.
The woman, disguised as Amon, bounced back up on her feet and walked towards Korra, who was lying on her stomach. Putting her foot right between Korra's shoulder blades, Kyo grabbed her pony tail, and roughly pulled her head back and held a knife under her throat, as if to tell her she had been defeated. She didn't know why, but at this moment, Korra recognized those angry and hurt looking eyes. "Kyo…?" She breathed. 'Amon's' grip tightened and, the supposed, he suddenly took the knife away and slammed Korra's face in to the floor hard. As the Avatar lost conciseness, she could feel warm blood pool of her nose, and she could heard the clunk of boots on wood, heading towards the window, and see the knife, stabbed in to the floor, right beside her face. And then everything went black.