Here we go, the final chapter~! What do we get today? Teh cuddels? Hte sMutT?! ASMAI COMMING TO SAV TEH DAY?!
Haha…yeah…well…
You're all gonna kill me. That is, if you consider yourself a hardcore Noarra shipper (I may write fanfiction for these two, but I am not a part of your posse). Since I'm trying to stick to what I believe is realistic given the previous events, this might piss some of you off.
Random thought: I still can't believe I added an Equalist named Cheryl. I know people in the Avatar universe are supposed to have Asian names; that's the joke. It's terrible, and I love it. Cheryl. Like, is she a suburban mom of three kids, fighting in an anti-bending revolution on the side? "Hey kids, how was school? Oh that's right you didn't go today—the schools shut down since I helped Amon throw the city into anarchy yesterday—do you want soup for dinner?" I love Cheryl.
Then again, I kind of regret giving her that name, since she kind of turns into a really serious character, but I CAN'T TAKE ANY OF IT SERIOUSLY BECAUSE. CHERYL. THIS WAS A MISTAKE.
Also, sorry this took so long, several sections of this went through a few drafts. I'm still not completely satisfied with Korra's two sections at the end, but OH WELL, I'M READY TO BE DONE WITH THIS, I'VE BEEN SITTING ON IT FOR TOO LONG
Anyway…enjoy! In other words, SUFFER (ʘ‿ʘ✿)
Today was the day.
Amon walked down the halls of the Equalist prison, flanked by his Lieutenant and a large squad of chi blockers. The time had come to escort Korra to the rally, and Amon was going to take every precaution necessary to make sure she didn't escape.
However, just at they reached the outside of the Avatar's cell, he froze. Once again, Amon could smell her—the scent of her heat was faint, but nonetheless present. Amon glanced at the chi blockers behind him. They could smell it too—he could see from the discomfort in their eyes. Amon hesitated for a moment, conflicted on how to proceed. In the end, his protective instincts won.
"Wait here," he ordered. "I'll be right back."
"Sir, are you sure you don't need any help?" one of the chi blockers asked.
Amon bristled—he had no idea what state he was going to find Korra in, but regardless, he had no intention of letting anyone else have access to her. "No. I can handle this. Lieutenant, the scent blocker?"
The Lieutenant was fighting to hide his disapproval as he pulled out a small tub of cream and passed it to Amon. It was the scent blocker they had found in the Avatar's room on Air Temple Island—it the reason nobody had known she was an omega, until now. Amon nodded and put the scent blocker in his pocket before opening the door to the cell. The smell of her heat pushed out, but faintly—enough that Amon could go in without stuffing his nose.
"Sir?" one of the chi blockers asked. "I may be out of line saying this, but…I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm concerned…about how friendly you've gotten with the Avatar."
The other chi blockers glanced at each other uneasily, but Amon knew there was a consensus. Amon wasn't sure if he should be angry or ashamed, so instead, he revealed nothing.
"I assure you," he said quietly, "This is nothing but a huge mistake."
Amon entered the cell and slammed it shut behind him, gritting his teeth in frustration. He paused for a moment to let himself calm down before opening Korra's box, carefully. He was almost surprised when she didn't attack him.
Instead, he found Korra lying in the box on her back, her legs stretched out and kicked up against the side of the box. It was dark with the lightbulb shattered, but his eyes adjusted enough for him to tell that she was staring straight up, looking melancholy.
"What are you doing?"
Korra blinked, but didn't look at him. "Trying to get comfortable. It's not exactly easy to stretch out in this thing."
"I meant your heat. What happened to your suppressants?"
Korra shrugged her shoulders. "It's ending. It'll be gone in a few hours, so I didn't see the point in taking them."
Amon pushed the door open wider and leaned on the frame of the box, caging her in with his body. "I know the drill, Korra. You want something."
Korra looked up when Amon said her name, examining him for a moment. "Did you mean it? Is this all just some big mistake to you?"
Amon rolled his eyes, but a small part of him regretted that she heard him say that. "You can't honestly be happy about what happened between us."
"I'm still deciding." Korra let her feet down and pulled herself into a sitting position. "But you can't just pretend like last night never happened."
Amon grit his teeth. "Last night was necessary to—"
"—Save my life, I know. But you didn't have to stay afterwards."
Amon avoided looking at her. Korra leaned forward to try and catch his gaze. "I don't want to like you any more than you want to like me, but you're making it hard."
"If you actually managed to find redeeming qualities about me, please, feel free to share," Amon sighed. Korra grinned widely, and her shoulders shook with a small laugh. Amon forced a frown on his face to keep from mirroring her expression.
"I'd be the first to agree that you're short on redeeming qualities," Korra teased. "Maybe you're just fun to talk to."
Amon paused for a beat. "I'm not fun."
Korra bit back another laugh. "You're definitely interesting."
"Interesting or not, I don't care about you. If I did, I would have brought you food and water sooner than I did. You shouldn't harbor feelings for me."
Korra gasped overdramatically. "You're so right! You must not care at all. Or maybe you're just afraid of what your friends will say if you're nice to your girlfriend—"
Amon slammed his hand against the box loudly, silencing her. "Don't call yourself that!" he snapped.
"Too soon? Sorry, I thought three dates was enough to make us an item."
Amon huffed and turned his head away. This was getting out of hand.
"Remember when I used to intimidate you?"
Korra looked at him carefully before frowning. "You still do."
"Good."
Amon handed her the scent-blocker and slammed the door shut. "This conversation is over. Goodbye, Korra."
"Hey! I wasn't done, I…wait, is this my scent blocker?"
Amon stopped. "Does it matter?"
"Yes! Only the White Lotus knows how to make this, so either there's a rat in their ranks or you were—what were you doing at Air Temple Island?"
She didn't know about his conquer of the city. Half of him wanted to boast about his victory, but the other half couldn't stand being the bearer of bad news to her. Amon bit back his words and continued toward the door.
"That is irrelevant. How long does it take to apply?"
There was a brief pause. "Two minutes, maybe less?"
"Then you have two minutes. Put that on and take a suppressant. Don't try to skip it—I'll know."
With that, Amon turned and left. He heard Korra stagger to her feet and slam on the walls of the box, but by the time she was calling his name, he had already closed the door of the cell behind him. Amon closed his eyes and grit his teeth, avoiding the gazes of the chi-blockers watching him.
"Everything settled?" the Lieutenant asked. He glanced at Amon carefully, as if checking to see if Korra had disheveled his clothes.
"Yes," Amon muttered. "Count for two minutes, and then we go in."
"Counting."
They all stood in silence, not looking at each other. Amon spent the time breathing deeply, fighting to clear his mind of what had just happened. The Lieutenant finally gave him a nod and entered the cell, followed by the rest of the chi blockers. Amon was the last to follow them in. He stayed at the back wall and folded his arms, waiting to see if he would need to interfere.
As he suspected, it wasn't necessary. There was an explosion of flames as soon as the box opened, illuminating the room long enough for Amon to see Korra's face twisted into a feral snarl. Flashes of fire and chunks of earth flew around the room for the next ten seconds, but that was all it took for the Equalists to block her chi and force her onto her knees, her head hanging.
When she lifted her head again, it was to look at him. Her eyes pieced his, filled with anger, hurt, and regret. Amon held her gaze, but he barred off all reactions. When the two chi blockers holding her arms wrenched them behind her back and cuffed her wrists together in platinum, Amon turned away. His job here was done, and he didn't have to stay with her any longer than he needed to.
"You know what to do," Amon said, heading for the door. He made the mistake of glancing back one last time as he opened the door to leave—the chi blockers were fastening a ceramic muzzle around Korra's nose and mouth, and Korra was staring after him, eyes wide and full of too many emotions for him to count. He turned away and closed the door behind himself, trying to burn the image out of his head.
He knew this day had been coming, but it didn't make it any easier.
There were only a few people that had ever known about Korra's omega status: the leaders of the White Lotus, Katara, Tenzin, and her parents. Before this week, Korra hardly had to think about it. It wasn't something that needed mentioning, so nobody else knew, not even her friends. She didn't need anyone judging her.
Except now, for the first time since she was a little girl, more people knew: Amon, his Lieutenant, and the handful of Equalists that had been standing in her cell, including the two chi blockers sitting on either side of her in the back of this truck. Korra couldn't bring herself to look at either of them. She could sense that both were omegas, and hardly a threat. Of course not; few omegas ever appeared threatening, and now that's exactly how they saw her: docile, yielding, and timid. It made Korra's blood burn, because she knew it wasn't true, and hardly true about other omegas—even Asami appeared gentle, only to turn around and destroy Hiroshi and the Lieutenant in three moves. Korra felt like an idiot for ever thinking she was weak, for ever buying into the stereotypes given to her own kind—
"I'm happy for you, by the way."
Korra blinked a few times before turning to the chi blocker on her right. She couldn't see his face behind his mask, but she could make out his eyes, twinkling behind the glow of his goggles.
"Um." Korra wasn't quite sure how to answer. "For what?"
"You and Amon," he said. "You seem good for each other."
Korra felt the chi blocker on her left shift uncomfortably in her seat. Korra was at a loss for words, torn between disbelief and mortification.
"Right." Korra paused, still processing his words. "Sorry, what?"
"I couldn't help but notice that—sorry, we were the two guards posted outside your cell. Well, not at the same time, we took turns—anyway, I couldn't help but notice that you and Amon got along very well on his last visit."
Korra's cheeks flared up, and she hunched her shoulders so the chi blocker wouldn't see her face. "Sure. It was fine."
"I can tell you're still anxious about it," he said. "Don't worry. It'll all work itself out after the rally."
"I'm sure the Avatar has no obligation to feel this way," the other chi blocker, a woman, said suddenly. "You may have been outside the cell the last time, Yang, but you weren't there the first two times. Leave her be."
Korra looked at her in surprise, and the other chi blocker hung his head. Korra turned to the woman and nodded slightly, as if to thank her. She only stared back, eyes unreadable.
Korra gazed down at the floor. After much silence, she asked, "What's going to happen to me after the rally?"
The chi blocker on her right looked to the woman in confusion. She took a deep breath. "Nobody is quite sure anymore," she said. "Originally, we were just going to kick you out of the rally and leave you to restart your life. However, due to…recent events, the plan has changed a few times. The most current plan involved helping you disappear in the Earth Kingdom, but after last night, nobody is sure of what will happen."
"You call that helping me?" Korra uttered. "Banishing me to the Earth Kingdom?"
"At least you won't live in ridicule."
Korra pursed her lips and turned away, not wanting to admit that she had a point. Korra didn't know what she was going to do if Amon took her bending. She had no life outside of her bending. It was too much to think about. Korra pushed those thoughts away and swallowed thickly.
She needed a plan. Even if there was no point in trying, she needed some sliver of hope, at the very least to keep those thoughts away. Korra thought frantically, but the only thing her mind kept going back to was how Amon acted when she saw him last. He was almost back to how he was before her heat, but something was off, as if he wasn't completely committed to taking her bending yet. Did she still have a chance to change his mind?
There was only one way to find out, and Korra had the beginnings of an idea formulating in her mind. The only problem was that she was going to need help…
After several minutes of the truck driving on, Korra turned back to the chi blocker on her left.
"What's your name?" she asked.
The woman stared at her warily through her luminescent goggles before answering. "Cheryl."
"Cheryl," Korra repeated. "I have a favor to ask you."
Cheryl glared. "I won't do anything that will aid in your escape."
"It's not about that. I think I've already given up on escaping. It's something else. One last chance to make things right."
Cheryl stared at her carefully for a good minute, judging her silently and weighing her options. Several emotions passed through her eyes—distrust, ferocity, bitterness, pity. At last, she turned her body to face Korra and leaned in slightly.
"I'm listening."
As soon as the truck had stopped, the back doors opened, and the two chi blockers with her took her by the arms and dragged her out of the back. Nothing could have prepared Korra for what she saw. They were at the Probending Arena—if she could call it that anymore. Equalist banners were covering the sides of the towers, and though they were at the side of the building, she could hear the whirr of Hiroshi's mechatanks out towards the front of the arena. Korra's eyes widened, and she turned her head to the sky just in time to see one of Amon's airships pass over the arena.
Korra instinctively fought to twist away from the chi blockers escorting her, but they just held on tighter and jabbed a pressure point on her back. Korra stiffened in pain and bared her teeth.
"What did you do to the arena?" she snarled.
They didn't answer her. Korra was led to one of the side-doors to the arena and ushered through, meeting more Equalists on the other side. They guided her through the back halls of the building while Korra's mind raced.
"I'm saving you for last."
Amon wouldn't change his mind now. She had only seen one building, but Korra was sure that the rest of the city matched its colors. The Equalists must have taken the city within the past few days, and Korra was going to be the final step in solidifying his victory. Just as he promised. Korra felt sick to her stomach the more she thought about it. Where were her friends? Were Tenzin and his family alright? How many people were killed trying to defend the city? How could Amon hold her last night and pretend everything was fine when he had the city, and all of those lives on his conscience?
Korra's hands were shaking. At last, she was led down a narrow hallway and down a short flight of stairs into a pitch-black room. Korra was forced down on her knees one last time, and someone's shadow moved in front of her.
"About time I got the chance to do this," the Lieutenant said. His kali-sticks sparked with electricity, briefly illuminating the room, before he rammed them into her stomach. Korra screamed until her throat went raw, and then the already dark room faded into nothing.
When Korra came to again, her hands were bound behind her back, and a cloth had been tied between her teeth to keep her quiet. Korra jerked her hands, only to find that they were chained firmly to the floor behind her. She still couldn't see anything, but she could hear the muffled din of many voices from somewhere above her. Korra's heart skipped a few beats, and her breathing instantly picked up. It was time.
Some servos whirred loudly a few feet in front of Korra, making her jump. There was momentarily enough light for her to see several silhouettes on a platform rise a few feet in front of her. The voices in the crowd rose to a deafening applause. Korra's breath shook as she strained to pull out of the chains, and struggled to summon some fire for what could be her last time. Sparks danced around her fingertips, but nothing more. For a moment she wondered if she would be sick, and if it would be able to get past the cloth in her mouth.
"Thank you all for joining me on this historic occasion!" Amon's voice rang out, silencing the cheers from the audience. Korra stopped trying to twist out of her chains and listened. "When I was a boy, a firebender struck down my entire family and left me scarred. That tragic event began my quest to equalize the world."
Korra's mouth twisted into a scowl around the cloth. She couldn't believe that she had almost trusted him, yet here he was, lying to a city he had taken by force.
"Today we witness several landmarks in the globalization of our revolution," Amon continued. "The first of which you have all been waiting patiently for. I give you, Avatar Korra!"
The crowd applauded even louder than before. Korra forgot to breathe until the floor under her jerked and began to move upward. A slab of the ceiling above her moved out of the way to make room for her ascent.
As Korra rose onto the stage, she looked around frantically and noticed two chi blockers flanking her. The one on her left looked down at her and nodded subtly, and Korra felt herself relax slightly. It was the female chi blocker from the truck. From the look in her eyes, it seemed like the plan was still on. If it worked, it might be enough to save her bending, or at the very least enough to get revenge.
When Korra was fully on the stage, just a few feet behind where Amon stood, she wanted to be sick all over again. The stands of the arena were packed, and cameras flashed from all points. Even the floor where the Pro Bending ring used to stand had been leveled out for people to stand in. It felt like she had just come to Republic City, and now so many of its citizens, enough to crowd the stadium, were bent on her destruction. What had she done wrong?
"As you all know, the Avatar has ruled over our world for thousands of years. They have always held a disproportionate amount of power over us non-benders…"
Korra barely paid attention to his words anymore as she looked for a way out. There was no more time, and she was out of options. There was nothing left she could do…except one last thing.
Korra took a deep breath, and then turned her head to nod once at the Equalist on her left. The chi blocker's gaze hardened. Korra bit the cloth in her mouth and looked away as the woman reached over and pulled Korra's collar down, exposing the bite mark for all to see.
At first there was nothing. Then, a couple murmurs. Before long, the entire audience was gasping and cameras were flashing, enough of a commotion that Amon had to stop his speech and turn around to see for himself…
Well, shit.
Korra's collar was down. Her bite mark, which was black, red, blue and yellow enough for the whole audience to see, was put on proud display. The Avatar had fixed him with an unflinching glare, and so had the chi blocker to her left. Was that the woman he had posted outside the Avatar's cell for the morning and evening shifts—Cheryl, was it?
Amon cursed mentally. The two of them were in on this scheme—Korra must have convinced the guard to take her side at one point. Of course, the woman must have thought he was tormenting Korra after standing outside the cell for their first two meetings! Well, he did hurt her at one point—not intentionally of course, and it was more complicated than that—
Amon blinked once to clear his head—he needed a solution, quickly. If they kept looking at him like this, there would be no mistaking for who marked the Avatar's neck. He could have the chi blocker removed—it would cause a scene. No. He had to calm the crowd. Amon forced a smile behind his mask and turned back to face the audience, waving a hand dismissively.
"Everybody calm down," Amon said smoothly. "Why would the Avatar's trysts concern us nonbenders? If you must know, this was a mere accident. The Equalist responsible is no longer a part of our cause, I can assure you. Now, as I was saying…"
Amon picked up where he left off on his speech, and the crowd quickly simmered down to where it was before. Amon paced back and forth as he spoke, only so he could steal a few glances in Korra's direction. The chi blocker seemed stiff, but otherwise fine—he would definitely have a word with her later—but Korra was devastated. The hurt, anger, and betrayal in her eyes cut him so deep that he could only bear a quick glance at her before turning away. He was almost done with his speech, and then he would only have to deal with her for a few more moments.
"My goal was never to defeat the Avatar," Amon said, "My goal was to destroy her—erase her image from history, so the world is no longer governed by an arbitrarily picked demigod." He paused to let the crowd cheer, and he couldn't help but let himself smile slightly. "And now, that dream will be a reality!"
This was it. Amon turned and walked over to Korra, and the two chi blockers flanking her stepped back. He could see Korra glancing around frantically, testing her chains, and watching him with legitimate fear—none of it registered. He blocked it all off, moving to stand behind her. He seized the back of her neck and reached out with his bending.
There it was again—three chi paths, surging with a quiet power and beauty, and pulsing as if it was her very spirit—the most spectacular thing he had encountered in his thirty-eight years, and he was going to destroy it. And worst of all was the look she was giving him, as if he had violated a deep trust that they had established—but when did that ever happen? This was inevitable from the start. Amon tore his eyes away from hers and steeled himself.
He brought his thumb down.
It was far worse than being bloodbent. All of her muscles were rigid, straining against his bending, but now it felt like a dark spirit was clawing its way through her veins, tearing everything apart along the way. Everything burned, to the point where she couldn't tell if the fire in her throat was his bending or her screams.
When he finally let go, she fell against the stage and stayed there. She couldn't move. She could hardly breathe. Distantly, she registered the roar of the crowd, the random flashes of cameras across the stands, but it was dwarfed next to the pain in her limbs and the hollow ache in her chest. There were only two thoughts she could focus on: he did it; her bending was gone forever, she was nothing, worthless now—and he did it; he actually did it, he took her bending, after everything they had gone through together, despite everything between them, he still did it—
Somebody uncuffed her and removed the cloth from her mouth, and then two pairs of hands were helping her to her feet. Amon stood before her, as if expecting her to try and fight. Korra bared her teeth and clenched a trembling fist, straining to fuel some fire into it but coming up with nothing. It was gone. The chi blockers let go of her, and her feet gave out, making her collapse on the stage. The audience laughed and cheered, and tears burned in her eyes. Amon didn't react.
"Her bending is gone," Amon announced. "The Avatar is no more!" The applause swelled into whistles and cheers, and Amon nodded once to the chi blockers flanking her before turning to face the audience again. Korra was picked up off of the stage and guided to the side of it. The deafening applause followed her out, and Korra couldn't help but let a few tears escape her eyes.
Amon has the city, and I'm not the Avatar anymore. It's over.
Korra had already been guided down the steps off the back of the stage before the applause had even died down. The first thing that brought Korra out of her reverie was Cheryl's words.
"I did what you wanted with your collar," she muttered to her. "I'm probably in deep shit, but oh well. Amon had to pay for what he did."
Korra was still deciding if Amon had deserved that, but Korra was hardly thinking about it. She was just realizing how big of a mistake she had made with revealing the mark on her neck. Originally she hadn't cared about what the audience would have thought—all that mattered was Amon's reaction. But now that he had brushed it off, everyone was undoubtedly paying attention to her, which was just spectacular, since everyone had probably assumed she had been raped in prison, on top of having her bending taken away in public. Disappearing to the Earth Kingdom didn't sound so bad anymore.
Maybe part of her had wanted him to see the mark and remember the time they spent together. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized it was futile from the beginning. He didn't care, otherwise he wouldn't have taken her bending. Korra was about to be guided through a door to the back hallways when Amon spoke again.
"Now that the Avatar has been destroyed, it's time for our next event: the end of the Air Nation!"
Korra froze, her head whipping back to look at the stage in horror. The two Equalists escorting her tried to pull her forward, but she wouldn't budge.
"Tenzin?" she murmured.
"Let's go," Cheryl said, trying to drag Korra to the door. Korra still refused to move.
"What you are about to see is just the beginning," Amon said fiercely, and for the first time since her capture, his voice once again chilled her to the core. "Soon, every nation will be cleansed, just like the airbenders you see before you!"
"The kids," Korra gasped. "No—stop!"
Korra strained to pull herself from the chi blockers grip, but they were stronger than her now. They grabbed her arms and began to drag her forcibly to the door.
"Let me go!" Korra roared, kicking her leg out. A gust of air billowed out from her kick, and although it didn't hit anything, it was enough of a surprise to make all three of them freeze.
"Um. What?" the male chi blocker uttered.
Korra used their distraction to twist away from them, and then she threw several haphazard gusts of air in their directions. The air was impossible to dodge, and too forceful to withstand, so the two of them flew back into the wall and slumped down against it, stunned. Korra glanced down at her hands in disbelief for a moment, but there was no time to question it. Korra spotted a ring of keys on one of the chi blocker's belts and yanked it off, and then she sprinted back to the stage.
Korra didn't even think; as soon as she got back on stage, she threw a blast of air at the first Equalist she saw and sent him flying off into the crowd. The stadium rang with screams of panic, and all of the heads on stage, including Amon's, turned on her.
"Impossible," Amon breathed.
Tenzin and the kids were tied to four poles on what looked like another rising platform. All four of them were watching her with wide eyes, and her heart twinged. It had been a long time since she had seen a friendly face. She wasn't going to let them down now.
Korra didn't hesitate as she threw more air at the oncoming chi blockers. They had been taught to avoid earth, fire, and water, but air was too rare to need to know any defenses against, not to mention it was near impossible to dodge. As Korra blasted the Equalists off the stage, the crowd at the base of the stage began to clear out of the arena. Before long, Amon was the last one on stage, and Korra's fists shook as she faced him.
"This is a minor inconvenience!" he bellowed. "I'll just take your bending agai—"
Korra threw out both of her hands and pushed the air in front of her, and Amon staggered back. Even he couldn't hold against her air for too long, and he was pushed off of the stage. A few more Equalists were climbing back onto the stage, and Korra hurriedly blew them back before running to Tenzin. She pulled the gag out of his mouth and started to jam different keys into the lock on his cuffs.
"Excellent bending," Tenzin said with a proud smile. "Nothing like I taught you." Despite everything, Korra almost laughed.
"We'll fix that later," she said. She found the right key and jammed it into the lock. "Hold them off!"
The lock popped open, and Tenzin rushed forward to push back the oncoming Equalists. Korra clutched onto the same key desperately as she freed Jinora, then Ikki, then Meelo. They were running out of time, but Korra still couldn't stop the three of them from rushing her with a hug.
"I'm so glad you're alive!" Ikki gushed.
"Where were you the past few days?" Jinora asked.
"Are you alright?" Meelo asked. "You smell kinda funny."
Korra faltered at the last question. For a moment, she was afraid her scent masker was wearing off, but she relaxed when she realized she probably didn't smell very pleasant anyway.
"No showers in Equalist prisons," she explained, hoping to skirt the issue. "Come on, let's go!"
Tenzin seemed to have pushed back all of the chi blockers for the moment, so the five of them left the stage and ran to the back door. The door led to a back hallway, and Korra made a split-second decision to turn right.
They were almost at the end of the hall when the door to the arena burst open, revealing Amon. Korra stopped running and narrowed her eyes.
"Go!" Korra told Tenzin, "I'll hold him off!"
Tenzin hesitated, but one glance at his children was all he needed to listen. The four of them took off and turned the corner, leaving Korra and Amon alone in the hallway.
"I believe I have unfinished business with you," he said lowly.
Korra bared her teeth. "Looks like you'll actually have to fight for it this time."
Amon growled and sprinted toward her; Korra spun around and began to run as fast as she could. Korra waited until she turned a random corner and found a set of doors, and she ducked inside before Amon caught up to see her. It was dark, but Korra knew her way around the practice rooms. Korra turned to one of the shelves by the door and used her airbending to jump on top of it.
Amon burst into the room a second later, and then stood still. The only sound was of the doors swinging shut behind him. Korra held her breath as he slowly walked forward, not once turning his head to look around. Korra was exhausted, and everything ached; she just wanted this to be over. If she did this right, she might be able to end things quickly.
Korra jumped down from the shelf, and Amon stopped. Amon had barely turned around before Korra blasted him with a gust of air strong enough to knock him over. Amon skidded across the floor, and Korra balled her fists and closed in on him.
"How could you do this to me?" Korra shouted. She threw another blast of air, then another, and another—Amon was sent ricocheting around the practice room. "Did last night mean nothing to you? I trusted you—I can't believe I trusted you, I—"
Amon lifted a hand desperately, and Korra froze in mid-punch under his bloodbending grip. Amon staggered to his feet and began to drag her over to him. Korra panicked. He was going to take her airbending, and then it would be all over—her eyes flicked over to the door, and she strained to break out of his grip, her eyes stinging with tears from the effort. Korra managed to move her arms—Amon's eyes widened behind his mask, and his outstretched hand clenched into a fist.
It was too painful. Her body was already on the verge of giving out, but feeling her own blood crush down against her, grating against her ravaged chi-paths, was her breaking point. A scream tore out of her throat, and a few tears escaped from her eyes.
And then, just as suddenly as it began, Amon let go of her, dropping her to her hands and knees. Korra had just enough energy left to look up and see his hands trembling, hear his breath coming in ragged gasps through his mask.
It had been different when thousands of eyes were on him, and he could ignore her agony for the sake of the cause. But now it was just the two of them, and seeing her suffering at his hands was too much. Amon let go of her as if pulling away from a hot stove. Korra fell to her hands and knees, barely able to hold herself up, and Amon could feel that despite her strong front, she was just a shell of who she used to be. He had admired her strength; he thought that when he took it away, his feelings would fade. He was wrong. He had ruined her, and it was his fault.
Tears stung his eyes on their own accord, and before he could stop himself, everything he had been holding back was tumbling past his mouth.
"I can't do this, I can't—I'm sorry," he gasped. Korra stared up at him, stunned. Amon staggered over to her, still sputtering apologies, and dropped to his knees before her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm truly so sorry…"
There was no telling what the look in her eyes meant. The hurt was still there, but it almost seemed like she believed him. Amon reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace, and then he started crying into her shoulder. It took a moment, but Korra eventually relaxed in his arms.
"…Noatak," he admitted. "My name was Noatak. That's who you fell for."
Korra pulled away so she could see his face. She looked at him as if he was a different man—maybe because he acted like one around her. She lifted her hand and began to push his mask up to his forehead. Amon thought it was so she could see his face, but he realized that it was too dark to see much, and he still had his make-up on. Korra leaned forward and pressed her lips against his, and Amon stiffened.
"Stop, stop," he said, pushing her back. "You're still in heat."
"I'm not," she said. "It's worn off by now."
Amon had no way of telling—her scent blocker made sure he couldn't smell any changes from her. When she kissed him again, he returned it tentatively, but it felt wrong. He had no right to be doing this. Tears fell down his cheeks and mixed with hers, and his shoulders shook.
"I wish I could love you," Amon said, straining to make his voice level. "I wish I could put this all behind me and spend my life with you. But I have another destiny."
Korra took his face in her hands and looked at him seriously. "You don't have to do this. You can walk out right now, come with me, find a way to give me my bending back—"
Amon looked away, pained. "I—I can't—"
"You can."
"No, I can't. I don't know how…"
Korra's eyes widened in disbelief. Before she could react, the door to the practice room swung open, and Amon shoved his mask back down his face. Amon's Lieutenant walked in, and as soon as he saw them he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
"You've got to be kidding me," he sighed. "This is still a thing? Did you even take her airbending yet?"
Amon rose to his feet stiffly, but he was otherwise silent. He saw Korra glance between the two of them anxiously before her eyes lit up.
"Lieutenant, sir, you have to listen to me," Korra said, rising to her feet unsteadily. "Amon isn't who he says he is. He's a waterbender, and he somehow uses bloodbending to take people's bending away."
Amon didn't move an inch. She was going to try and expose his lies—so he would walk away from the revolution? His affection quickly bubbled down into anger, but he stayed silent.
The Lieutenant's gaze hardened. "Why are you doing this, Avatar? You know you've already lost."
"You have to believe me!" Korra pleaded. "He's a waterbender—I would have died last night if it weren't for his bending!"
"I merely gave her some water to drink," Amon dismissed. "I was making sure she would last until the rally."
"His family wasn't killed by a firebender," Korra went on. "He doesn't even have a scar—it's fake! And his family—his brother is Councilman Tarrlok, and his father is Yakone!"
At this, the Lieutenant's eyes flashed. He turned to Amon and waited for his response. Amon stared back silently. He hadn't expected to see this response from the Lieutenant. He had assumed the Lieutenant suspected nothing of his special treatment of his brother—he was hardly treated better than other prisoners, objectively speaking—and he had hardly spoken to him. But regardless, Amon sensed that Tarrlok knew who he was. If it was obvious to Tarrlok, could it be that the Lieutenant suspected something as well?
As Amon struggle to respond, the Lieutenant looked back at Korra worriedly. "Amon? Is this true?"
Amon stayed silent, still struggling for a proper answer. The Lieutenant glared and pulled out his kali-sticks.
"I've seen the way you've treated Tarrlok after we captured him," he said through his teeth. "He's fed three times a day, you jailed him in the temple attic away from other prisoners—I even heard you've visit him several times! Is it true? Is he your brother?"
Amon hesitated, glancing between Korra and the Lieutenant uncertainly. There was no lying his way out of this now. "…That was another time, and I was a different person."
The Lieutenant's stance faltered for a moment. He glanced over at Korra before clutching his kali-sticks.
"Tell me what she said isn't true," the Lieutenant demanded. "Say it!"
Amon couldn't. Not with Korra there. Amon glared at her before letting out a deep breath and turning away from them. Amon heard the crunch of glass, and he glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the Lieutenant stepping off of his smashed goggles.
"I dedicated my life to you!" he snarled, spinning his kali-sticks. "You traitor!"
The Lieutenant rushed toward Amon, ready to attack, but it was useless. Amon snapped. He spun around and stretched out an arm, and the Lieutenant went rigid and became suspended in mid-air. Amon heard Korra gasp, but he paid no attention. He curled his fingers harshly, and then squeezed it into a fist before throwing the Lieutenant into a cluster of wooden planks propped up against the wall. The Lieutenant fell to the ground limply before becoming buried in the planks. Amon spun on Korra furiously.
"Look what you made me do!" he seethed.
Korra took a few steps back, horrified. "Y-you could have lied—"
"Not to him," Amon spat. He noticed one of the Lieutenant's kali sticks by his feet and kicked it furiously. "Not to you!"
Korra was giving him a look a pure terror now. Amon turned to her, realizing now that if there could ever be a relationship between them, there would have to be a winner. He had to win. Her bending would have to be completely gone. Amon began to lift his hand to bloodbend her, but Korra was faster—she kicked out and blasted him into a table—hard. Amon cringed and opened his eyes just in time to see her sprint out of the room, the doors swinging shut behind her. Amon clenched his teeth and stood up, bolting after her.
"KORRA!"
Korra ran faster when she heard him call her name. She had no idea what to think anymore. Had Amon just killed his Lieutenant? There was no way of telling, but the way he'd twisted his limbs, and how hard he was thrown into the wall, and how still he was against the ground…was Amon willing to kill in order to keep his secrets?
She heard him call her name again, and now she had reached a split in the hall—to the right was a dead end leading to a window, but the left continued on. Korra turned left and kept going as fast as she could.
If this is ever going to work between us, he needs to end the Equalist movement. He needs to…to…
Korra stopped and gasped for air. Since when did she want things to work out between them? Since when was that ever a good idea—he was going to take her bending again, even after apologizing! And most importantly, would Amon ever willingly end his revolution?
Amon finally rounded the corner into the hallway and stood in the intersection. He let out a deep breath and slumped his shoulders.
"Korra," he said calmly, "I don't want to fight you."
Korra turned around and looked at him carefully. Who was she dealing with right now—Amon or Noatak? And which one was going to hurt her?
It was then Korra realized that, mask or no mask, there was no telling what kind of man Amon would be at any given moment. She glanced at the window behind him, and a plan came into her head. Korra's brows knitted together in grief as she made up her mind.
Amon took a step forward, and Korra bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from backing away.
"Did you kill him?" she asked.
Amon shifted between feet. "I can't be sure," he admitted. "He felt alive when I let go of him."
"Did you mean to kill him?"
Amon didn't respond to that. Korra swallowed thickly, and she couldn't stop herself from backing away.
"You need to understand," Amon pleaded. "The revolution must go on…but I don't want to lose you too."
Korra looked at him sadly and shook her head. "Pick one."
Amon's eyes widened behind his mask. "I…"
"I don't want to do this, but I can't trust you the way you are now," Korra said, her voice wavering on the edge of breaking. "You're either with me or against me. Pick one."
Amon looked away and ran his hand against the back of his hood. She had no idea why she was willing to give him a chance—he had taken her bending, killed a man to keep his secrets, and he had lied to everyone, maybe even her. He didn't deserve her mercy, and yet, she still couldn't make herself end this.
Amon finally shook his head, and Korra felt her muscles tense in preparation to fight. "I'm sorry. I can't choose. I care about both too much."
He didn't break eye contact with her, and she knew he was being sincere. Korra dipped her head and closed her eyes, if only so she wouldn't have to look at him.
"Alright then. You get neither."
Korra threw a gust of air at him, enough to send him tumbling into a wall. She hurled a couple more, and had him backed up underneath the window when he finally gave in and used his bloodbending.
She knew Amon wasn't putting all of his strength into it. He was afraid. Amon staggered to his feet and closed down on his grip. He took a step towards her, and his bloodbending shifted to try and force her to her knees. A part of her registered that he was likely going to take her airbending away if she didn't stop him now, and her heart pounded faster against the force of his bloodbending.
No. This is where it ends.
Korra clenched her fists and arched her back—it was her chi against his, and despite everything, Korra somehow managed to find enough strength to fight back. First her arms were free. Then her back straightened. She could see his eyes widening behind the mask, but it didn't stop her. Then she was raising her leg and snapping it forward, shoving a harsh gust of wind into Amon's chest and knocking him into the window. The sound of glass shattering filled the hall, and then he was gone.
Korra almost didn't believe it. She blinked a few times before stumbling over to the broken window. She saw ripples settling out on the water next to the arena, and scattered spectators from the stadium rushed over to see the commotion. A white mask rose to the surface, and the crowd turned on her, roaring in anger.
But Korra wasn't paying attention. She was watching the water smooth out, anxiously waiting for a change.
Finally, a figure splashed out of the bay, propelled by a massive waterspout. The crowd gasped—Amon had exposed himself as a waterbender, and better yet, the fake scar had washed off. The crowd was calling him out, and Amon stared down at them in horror, watching his revolution crumble before him.
Korra didn't register the victory. Her eyes were wide, fixated on his face. It was the first time she had seen him, and it pained her that it had to be from so far away. The picture she painted in her mind by tracing his face in the dark had done him no justice.
Amon—Noatak, looked back at her with misery carved in his features. She couldn't see the tears in his eyes from this distance, but she knew they were there. Korra still wasn't sure where they stood—friends, enemies, lovers—it didn't matter. There was a shared pain between them over what could have been, but was not meant to be.
Finally, with one last glance at his former followers, Amon's lips curled into a snarl, and he spun off of the waterspout and dove into the bay. The jet of water that streaked behind the arena was too fast for anyone to chase. He was long gone before Korra blinked twice. It was over.
The crowd slowly turned in on itself and resumed the shocked exchanges. Several people stared up at Korra expectantly, and it occurred to her that she should be doing something to settle the aftermath. There was so much that had to be done now that Amon was gone. Her first priority was finding Tenzin, and making sure he and the kids were okay.
Korra turned away from the window and started to walk down the hall slowly. She was exhausted. Her steps quickly became misplaced and irregular, and it wasn't long before she was staggering against a wall and sliding down against it. She closed her eyes, assuring herself that this was just a five-minute break. As she drifted to sleep, Korra couldn't help herself from thinking about his face, about how his name felt on her tongue.
"Noatak."
The tears slipped down her cheeks, and Korra let herself cry.
Korra had no idea how long she let herself sleep, but by the time she opened her eyes again, the sky outside the window had been softened by dusk. She heard a familiar voice call out her name before she could fall back asleep. Was this what had woken her up?
Korra's eyes drifted shut again, too exhausted to care. She heard footsteps echo at the end of the hallway before growing louder and picking up speed.
"Korra!"
Korra opened her eyes just in time to see Tenzin scooping her up into his arms. She didn't move, unsure of how to react at first, before realizing that it was over—she could let herself relax now. Korra closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the smell of Tenzin's wool robe ground her in the moment. It's over. He's gone.
"Did he hurt you?" Tenzin pressed. "Did he take your airbending?"
Korra looked down at her palm and instinctively tried to summon a flame, but nothing happened. She swallowed back tears and spun her palm, this time creating a small funnel of air that spiraled out of her hand and dissipated a few feet away.
"No," she said, her voice wavering. "At least I have that."
Tenzin sighed in relief, but he said nothing. He was aware that this was a small victory compared to what else she had lost.
"Korra," he said carefully, "I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but…I was beneath the stage when your bending was being taken, and I heard what Amon said about the…mark beneath your collar."
Korra stiffened and looked away. She had toyed around with how to discuss her interactions with Amon, but she hadn't decided on what to tell Tenzin and her friends.
"I've also heard other people from the rally discussing it," Tenzin continued. "Needless to say, this particular piece of information will be all over the news—"
"Do they know?" Korra blurted. "About me being…"
Tenzin shook his head, and Korra relaxed. "No," he confirmed. "Thankfully, there have been no assumptions about your status. They are far more curious about who left the mark in the first place."
Korra was breathing easier after that. Her secret was safe for now—she would still have to worry about the handful of Equalists who knew she was an omega—but in the meantime, nobody else would have to know.
She could only hope they would keep that a secret, along with the knowledge of her and Amon's entanglement. With all luck, nobody would ever find out about this fiasco.
"Will it hurt my public image if I don't say who left the mark?" Korra asked.
Tenzin watched her worriedly before answering. "It won't matter after today. You exposed Amon and drove him off—the city is hailing you as a hero. However, I do not recommend leaving that story up to the public's interpretation."
Korra pulled away from Tenzin and didn't look at him. "I don't care what they say. I just want to put this behind me."
Tenzin watched her with concern before prying again. "Do you want to talk to me about it?"
Korra stood up and looked out the window. "I need something to eat. I also need more scent masker—the Equalists stole my last container."
Tenzin sighed, but he didn't pry. "I'll let the White Lotus know right away. It might take a day or two to receive a new shipment."
Korra scowled. "Great. Looks like I'll be trapped in my room until then. I can't let my friends smell me out."
"You're going to have to tell them eventually."
Korra clenched her fists and closed her eyes. Telling her friends she was an omega was one of the last things she wanted to worry about now. Tenzin put a hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her.
"I'm sure if you lay low, get rest, and take plenty of showers, you'll be alright," he assured.
Korra shrugged his hand off and started walking back down the hall. "A shower sounds great," she muttered. "I'll do that as soon as we get back to the island."
She could feel Tenzin's worried gaze prying into the back of her head as she walked, but he finally started after her. "We'll go back to the Air Temple as soon as the United Forces clears it out. You've missed a lot. The Equalists were using it as a secondary headquarters for the past few days, but it shouldn't take long before we can settle back in. In the meantime, you might need to say a few words to the press. Can you do that?"
She couldn't, really. She needed to be alone, she needed to grieve, but if she was going to keep her secrets, she didn't have a choice. She gave a terse nod and continued walking, but she was once again stopped by Tenzin's hand on her shoulder.
"Korra?" he said. "I'm always here if you want to talk. Alright?"
Korra shrugged off his hand and kept walking.
As soon as he fled, Amon went straight to Air Temple Island and into the attic where he kept his brother. Tarrlok looked back at him impassively, as if he had been expecting him to arrive unmasked at some point.
"Noatak."
The sound of his long lost brother addressing him by his old name caught him off-guard, and he paused for a moment. Amon pulled back his hood and moved to stand in front of the bars of Tarrlok's cell.
"It's over," Amon said. "The revolution is compromised. I'm sorry for what I had to do to you."
Tarrlok's eyes filled with grief. "You were doing what you thought was right. Regardless, it was a path our father set you on. I regret not going with you when we were boys."
Tarrlok's last sentence filled him with remorse, but then Amon found himself lingering on the words about their father. He still hadn't decided if he wanted to blame his father or blame himself for his current situation. The image of Korra, staring back at him from the broken window, entered his mind unexpectedly, and Amon felt his heart clench. He pushed the thoughts from his mind and promptly unlocked Tarrlok's cell, holding the door open.
"There's not much time," Amon explained. "We can leave now, start over together." Between the pain and longing in Tarrlok's eyes, Amon sensed a fraction of uncertainty, so he tried again. "I won't go alone if I don't have to. Please. You're all I have left in the world."
They departed with few words after that. They set off on a boat that Amon had stolen on his way to the Air Temple, and they picked an imaginary point on the horizon and started driving. Amon wasn't sure where they would go, too distracted by the days events to decide. Tarrlok remained silent the entire time, as did he.
The late autumn's wind blew through his hair as he drove, and for a brief moment, the chill reminded him of home. The thought brought a smile to his lips, and before long, he was thinking of her. Nearly every train of thought circled back to her. Before long, Amon found himself suffering in silence, drowning in anger, regret, grief, and plenty of other emotions he had yet to identify. Amon glanced back at his brother and wondered if it was too soon to begin confiding in each other, but his pain quickly overrode his misgivings. He needed to speak to somebody about this.
Amon cleared his throat. "Did you hear about the Avatar?" he began casually.
Tarrlok sighed heavily before speaking. "That you captured her?"
So he didn't know. Amon clenched his hands on the steering wheel and grit his teeth before deciding to go on.
"There's a lot you don't know," Amon said carefully. "First of all, it appears the Avatar is an omega."
"I know."
Amon blinked in surprise and glanced back at his brother. "Do you now?"
Tarrlok grimaced. "I had someone search her belongings for blackmail several weeks ago, in case I needed some extra leverage," he admitted bitterly. "I'm guessing the scent masker I found wore off after she couldn't use it for a few days. In hindsight, I'm thankful I never brought it up with her, since all it took for her to try and kill me was arresting her friends."
Amon forced back a bitter smile by biting the inside of his cheek. As amusing at their situation might have seemed, it was by no means admirable on either of their parts.
"Well, we found out rather quickly," Amon said. He paused as he decided how to go about the next part of the story. "She went into heat the morning after we found her."
Tarrlok didn't seem fazed. "How unlucky. I hope you sealed the box off."
Amon grimaced. "I…may have underestimated myself in my attempt to do so."
Amon waited for Tarrlok to respond, but was only met with a prolonged silence. Amon shrugged it off and kept talking.
"I believe it was an accident on both of our parts. However…I kept returning to maintain the situation, and in doing so I got to know her better. I'm not entirely certain how I would classify these feelings."
"Instincts?" Tarrlok offered. "Primal urges?"
Amon smiled a bit. "No. I'd like to think I have more restraint than that. As attractive as she is, I think I was drawn in by her personality. It seems we have a lot in common. For a while, I considered if I would have grown up with her disposition, if not for our father."
Amon thought he understood Tarrlok's silence and decided to keep speaking. "I understand that a relationship was impossible, but I know my feelings were reciprocated to a certain degree. I can't stop wondering about what could have been, Tarrlok. We're an unanswered question that can never be resolved. Not because I'll never know now, but because in every timeline I imagine, I can't conceive…would it have happened?"
Once again, Amon was met with silence, but he was too immersed in his own confession to mind. It was true that his mind kept imagining scenarios where he could be with Korra. It was only now that those fantasies were being tainted with guilt. Now that the revolution was over, he was realizing that all of his efforts to make it succeed had been futile. In the end, taking her bending was pointless, and he destroyed her life for nothing.
"Perhaps destiny brought us together to open my eyes," Amon mused. "How unfair…she was sent to open my eyes, and all I did was ruin her. If only I had seen it sooner."
Maybe it wasn't too late. The thought entered his head suddenly, and then it became overwhelming—he could turn the boat around, go back and find her again. He would take any punishment given to him by the city and by her; it didn't matter what anyone said, or even what she said. He only wanted to see her face, and apologize for what he had done to her. His mind went off on a tangent, envisioning a fantasy of the two of them together, except this time it was real, a hopeful prediction of what might come if he earned her forgiveness. All he had to do was turn around.
He had nothing left to lose. Amon moved to turn the steering wheel, but he never got the chance. The last thing he remembered was the crackle of an electric glove, and then everything turned white.
Korra followed Tenzin's advice and spent the next couple of days by herself. Most of her time went towards eating, sleeping, showering, rehydrating, and of course, avoiding all social interaction with those who didn't know she was an omega. Korra had been able to reunite with Mako, Bolin, and Asami before returning to the island, but Korra had been so anxious about what they thought of the mark on her neck that she was hardly able to speak. As lonely as she felt, she needed to be alone.
When she wasn't sleeping, it was everything she could do to not think of him. At times she would wonder if he was coming back—the thought sickened her, thrilled her, and terrified her all at once. But a part of her already knew the truth—he wouldn't come back, and even if he did, she would refuse to see him. She couldn't, not after everything he had done, not after choosing the revolution over her. But that didn't make it any easier. When she was alone, the mark on the side of her neck would throb, and she could curl against herself and cry until it hurt even more. She was a shell of who she had used to be, and she couldn't stop thinking about the man who had taken it all away.
As soon as Korra received more of her scent masker from the White Lotus, she got on the first ship to the Southern Water Tribe. Korra almost wished she could take the journey alone, but Mako, Bolin, Asami, and Tenzin and his family insisted on accompanying her. Even Chief Beifong decided to come with them, since she was just as desperate as Korra to see if Katara could heal their bending.
Korra kept to herself for as much as she could on the journey, preferring to let herself be comforted by Naga rather than anyone else. With every day that passed, the mark on her neck became more and more aggravated—after several days it was starting to leak puss, and on the last day of the trip she began to feel ill. Korra refused to say anything about it, instead keeping the mark hidden beneath her collar at all times.
So of course, Katara noticed something was wrong as soon as Korra arrived in the South Pole. Katara exchanged a few words with Tenzin while Korra greeted her parents, and then Katara ushered her into the healing hut.
"You have a fever," Katara said almost immediately. "How long have you been sick?"
"It's nothing," Korra dismissed. "Just a cold. Can we get started?"
Katara wasn't having any of it. However, she gestured to the center of the healing mat. Korra sat down with her legs crossed and shoulders slumped as Katara went to fetch a pitcher of water.
"I'll need you to take off your shirt," Katara said, "Is that alright?"
Korra stiffened and looked at Katara nervously. She ground her jaw before answering. "Fine."
Katara set down the pitcher of water and watched as Korra pulled her shirt over her head. Korra flinched when the fabric pulled over her neck, and then it was visible—the indents of teeth were still obvious, but the edges of the bite were tinged red, green, and yellow. The entire side of her neck was swelling, and red streaks lanced out from the site of the infection. Katara set the pitcher down next to Korra with a sigh and sat beside her.
"You went into heat when you were with the Equalists, didn't you?"
Korra was silent. Katara leaned forward and took a closer look at the bite.
"Bites don't usually get infected if they were reciprocated," Katara murmured. "And this is particularly aggravated."
Korra looked away, heat rising to her face.
"You know you can tell me anything if—"
"It wasn't like that," Korra mumbled.
Katara angled her head to try and look at Korra's face. "Like what?"
"I wasn't forced."
"Korra, I know it seems easy to blame yourself in heat, but—"
"I wasn't forced into anything. I had my bending. It was mutual. Besides…we both regretted it in the end."
Katara watched her carefully before going on. "Who was it?"
Korra hesitated before shaking her head.
"You don't know?"
"No, I…" Korra sighed. "Just heal it. Please."
Katara watched her for another moment before bending the water from the pitcher and against her neck. Korra closed her eyes, expecting the healing to be soothing, but as soon as the water moved, a sharp pain seared through the mark. Korra cried out and pulled away, digging her nails into her knees.
"Ah! That hurts!"
"These things usually do."
Korra looked at Katara in disbelief. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Katara lowered the water back in the pitcher and threaded her fingers together. "These marks are tied heavily into our emotional state," Katara explained. "Because of this, if the relationship between you and your partner is unhealthy, it will often manifest in an infected mark."
Korra's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh." She wrung her hands and stared down at her lap. "I didn't know."
"You can blame me for never teaching you. It was something I hoped you would never have to experience."
Korra looked back up at Katara worriedly. "It's not permanent, is it? Will it ever go away?"
Katara smiled hopefully. "It will, if you are willing to move on."
Even with her bending gone and her heart hurting, Korra knew she couldn't spend the rest of her life wondering. Amon was gone—even if he were to reappear in her life, she wanted nothing to do with him, not after what he had done. Yet even after everything, she knew that she'd be able to put it behind her. Korra would move on. And someday, after she had to courage to tell the world about her status, she would tell her friends the truth about Amon as well.
But not today. Today, Korra would move on, and she would do it alone.
Korra took a deep breath and nodded once.
"Okay. I'm ready."
Aaaand we all know how it goes from here. Katara can't give Korra her bending back, Korra reconnects with her past lives and gets her bending by herself, she eventually gets over Amon and dates Mako, and then dumps him for Asami, yadyadya. Actually, I used to have the past lives scene in the original outline, except Aang showed up and assured her that this was just a fanfic, none of this was canon, and it would all be behind her after the chapter ended. "We all do things we regret, Korra. There's plenty of fanfiction of me getting pegged by Katara and the Gaang. Don't worry, it's not canon. Well, except the parts about Katara. ANYWAY HERE'S YOUR BENDING BYE" (I'm not joking, I was seriously going to do this; I had finished most of the chapter before I changed my mind).
And then I got attached to the story, and I wanted to do it justice. So here we are.
Anyway, can you spot the Noarra shipper? Yup—it's that loser chi-blocker who oozes lube from his asshole. Here's to all of you who thought these two would go off happily ever after and make babies together.
Let's face it guys. Every good Amorra AU is doomed from the start, and this one is no exception. Sorry if I upset anybody, but I'll assure you, I was in a great deal of pain writing many of these scenes. In the end, I'm really pleased about what I learned from this story. I was able to discover what it was that does and doesn't work in Korra and Amon's dynamic, and now I'll be able to take what I learned and directly apply it to original stories that I want to write in the future. And, perhaps some more fanfiction in the shortrun.
Oh, hell. Yes, keep an eye out for me with fanfiction in the future. I can guarantee that I have far more sinful ideas than this one stuffed in my archives (about three of them, to be exact) (Ok, but actually, I'm a massive Korrasami shipper, idek what I'm still doing here?). They are so terribly sinful that I would need you guys pestering me if you really want to read them. Please know what you're getting yourself into, though. I'm more than happy to explore the non-con element of their relationship, and while I'm fantastic at writing smut, I'm even better at writing smut that makes you feel terrible for liking it. You've been warned.
Thanks for reading guys. Smootsmoot signing out.
...
:^) I'm going to regret posting this in years to come, aren't I