Episode 13- Skeletons in Closetes
All around Republic City banners with the equalist mark could be seen, symbolizing the take over of the city and the biggest symbol of all was the statue of Avatar Aang which now had a giant Amon mask and more banners hanging from the staff part.
In front of City Hall Hiroshi Sato could be seen delivering a speech to the dozens of equalists gathered there.
"It is a glorious day my equalists brothers and sisters! Amon has tore down the tyrannical bending government! He has declared bending illegal and he has the Avatar on the run. Our great leader has a vision for the future. One day soon bending will no longer exist and we will live in a world where everyone is equal! The United Forces are on their way right now to try to stop that dream but we will prevail!"
At the end of the speech everyone cheered except two masked equalists in uniform, who afterwards went to a secluded area. One of them bended a boulder sideways to reveal a hole, which they jumped on covering it with the boulder again on their way out.
On the tunnels underneath the city it's revealed that the equalists were actually Korra and Koji in disguise. They were talking as they made their way to the hideout.
"Can you believe Hiroshi? 'The Avatar is on the run'. I'm not running from anyone! Let´s go up there and knock some heads, they will never know what hit them!" Korra said wanting to turn but Koji stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
"Korra, relax. I want to knock Hiroshi's head just as much if not more than you, but we can't fight a entire army by ourselves. General Iroh and his fleet are on their way, we just need to wait for them and then Amon will be the one running" Koji said.
"I hate this 'being patient' stuff!" Korra complained.
"Nooo, you! I never noticed." Koji said sarcastically earning him a punch to the shoulder but also a smile from Korra.
After some more walking they arrived at a abandoned underground facility where homeless people go for shelter and Asami, Maku, Bolin and Pabu, on Bolin's shoulder, were waiting for them at the entrance.
"You two were gone for a while. How are things up there?" Asami asked.
"Well let's just say your father really knows how to work a crowd." Korra commented.
That created a awkward silence in the group that thankfully was broken when Gommu, the hobo Korra met on her first day in the city, appeared between them seemingly out of nowhere.
"Welcome back! Hope you worked up a appetite because dinner is served!" Gommu said.
Everyone gathered around a wooden table while Gommu distributed some stew in wooden bowls.
"Thank you so much for letting us hide out with you the last few days." Korra said.
"Honored to oblige! My associates and I hardly oppose Amon's so called 'equalists' policies. We've got benders and non-benders living together down here. But do you see us fighting? No, sir-ree. We have figured out how to harmoniously co-exist" Gommu said, hugging himself by the end of his speech.
"You are a wise and noble hobo." Bolin said before eating his stew. "Mmmm this is the best tasting street gruel I've ever had. Seriously!" Bolin complimented.
"I culled it from the finest dumpsters this city has to offer!" Gommu informed.
That fact made spit the stew she was eating.
"Come on Asami! Speaking from experience, garbage food can taste a whole lot worse." Mako said while eating his stew.
"Oh! I am sooo sorry I'm not street tough like you Mako." Asami said sarcastically.
Mako was about to retort but Koji gestured for him to stay quiet and let him handle the situation.
"Asami how about this? Close your eyes and pretend we are at Elemental Noodles and this stew is a special dish the chef prepared just for us. I'll even spoon-feed you" Koji said hovering the stew filled spoon close Asami's mouth.
"You drive a hard bargain." Asami said sweetly then she closed her eyes and let Koji feed her.
"You guys are such a cute couple." Gommu commented, making Korra row her eyes in annoyance.
Later that night everyone appeared to be sound asleep, except Korra who was resting her back on Naaga's body contemplating everything that happened. Her thoughts were interrupted when Koji walked up to her.
"Can't sleep either?" Koji said, sitting beside her.
"No, I have this awful feeling in my stomach" Korra said.
"Tell me about it." Koji reciprocated.
"It's so crazy. A few months ago I was in the South Pole practicing for my firebending test and now I'm in the middle of a all out war. I am so in over my head." Korra said.
"Yeah, maybe you are." Koji concurred.
"Wow, thanks for the word of encouragement." Korra sights.
Koji was not done however.
"But so what? You know who else was in over his head? Aang. He was just a 12 year old kid and he had to master all 4 elements, something that took most avatars at least a decade to do, in 1 year and on top of that put a stop to a war that was going on for almost a century. All the cards were against him but he still pulled through and so will you. You know why? Because you are the toughest, bravest, stubbornest, most amazing bender I have ever met in my life and you don't know how to quit!"
That speech made Korra's heart beat faster than a drum and her face to blush uncontrollably.
"Thanks, I think you are pretty amazing too. But you already knew that." Korra said as she looked into his eyes.
They kept staring at each other for about 10 seconds before Korra couldn't take it anymore and ended up kissing him and not just a peck like last time either.
Koji almost gave in too but at the last second a image of Asami appeared in his head and that gave him the motivation to push Korra away.
"I-I'm sorry-I…" Korra apologized, feeling embarrassed.
"W-We should probably try to get some sleep." Koji said, getting up and going to his sleeping bag. "Good night."
Frustrated Korra let her head fall on Naaga's body as her hands covered her eyes.
"Way to go Korra." Korra grounned to herself.
Unbeknown to them Asami had witnessed the whole thing while pretending to be asleep.
On Air Temple Island Amon was standing in a platform when the lieutenant brought a blindfolded policeman to him. Amon then forced the man to his knees.
"You will now be cleansed of your impurity" Amon said, placing his hand on the back of the man's throat and his other thumb on the forehead, taking away his bending and making the officer collapse. "Next."
The lieutenant nods and moves away. It can be seen that the officer was just the first of the dozens of victims prepared for Amon tonight, some of them White Lotus.
The next mornig Team Avatar could be seen hiding in a drainage pipe in Yue Bay.
"Coast is clear." Mako said.
With the all clear they ran up a access staircase nearby to the observation deck above. There they started searching for the fleet through the morning fog.
"I've got a bad feeling about this." Koji said.
"Relax Koji. Once the United Forces arrive we got to be ready to help anyway we can." Korra replied.
"They're here!" Mako shouted, causing Bolin to look through his telescope again and then flip it over once he realized he was using the wrong side, catching the dim sight of battleships in the mist.
In one of the ships General Iroh could be seen at the head, observing the whole bay.
"Hmm… Amon had to know we were coming. So why aren't we getting any resistance?" Iroh questioned.
Back with Team Avatar Koji came to the same conclusion.
"Remember that bad feeling I was talking about… Where are the equalists airships?" Koji inquired.
At that Mako took the telescope from his brother and started scanning the city.
"He is right! I don't see any mecha tanks either!" Mako said, worried.
"What is Amon planning?" Korra asked.
At that moment the water underneath the battleships starts bobbling and mines could be seen floating up to the surface.
"Something is not right." Iroh said just as the mines started detonating, causing to damage to ships close to them.
"It's a trick!" Iroh realized.
Team Avatar watched the situation unfold and Korra decided to step in. She jumped to the water and used her waterbending to rapidly swim to the conflict. Koji followed right after her, opening the wings in his staff and flying in the same direction. The other, having no way to go there themselves, could only observe with Asami following Koji's image with a worried look.
In the control room Iroh was issuing orders trying to take control of the situation.
"Water and earthbenders, detonate those mines!" He ordered from a loud speaker, when he suddenly heard a strange noise. "What is that sound?"
He got out of the room to see if he could pinpoint the location of the sound and realized it was coming from the sky just as Korra resurfaced. Koji, also arriving at the scene, looked behind him having also noticed the noise.
Back with the others, Mako was pointing the telescope toward Republic City to see if he could locate the source of the noise.
"What now?" Mako asked.
Then he noticed, behind the skyscrapers, flying objects could be seen in the mist and after getting closer they were revealed to be two fleets of biplanes with Hiroshi himself piloting one.
"Where does Hiroshi find the time to keep inventing new evil machines!?" Bolin complained.
"Asami, no offense but your dad sucks." Mako commented.
"Yeah. Yeah he does." Asami sighed.
When the planes closed in on the ships Hiroshi pulls a lever, which causes bombs to be dropped from the plane bombarding a lot of ships. One of the planes was about to ram into Koji but he managed run its length and send a fireball to one of its propellers taking it down and jumping into the air again, the pilot managed to parachute out but unfortunately the plane ended up crashing on the side of a ship causing even more damage. Korra faced a similar problem when one plane launched torpedoes in her direction, she managed to waterbend them away but the torpedoes ended up eating a hull nearby and the explosion knocked her back. Fortunately she was able to quickly recuperate and go back to action.
On the surfaces the situation was getting dire for the United Forces as the planes continued to drop bombs, not letting up for a second. The benders managed to knock some down but there were just too many. General Iroh had just taken one down with his bending when he heard a soldier yell "INCOMING". When he turned to look he saw bombs dropped right on top of their head, they couldn't firebend or run away from it since it was already so close. Iroh thought it was his time to go but then a strong gust of wind came from nowhere and pushed the bombs to a secluded area of the ship, hurting no one upon their detonation.
Iroh looked at the situation on confusion but then he noticed Koji in mid-air, holding a pose of having swung down his staff. He opened its wings again and glided in the direction of General Iroh.
"Who are you?" Iroh asks as Koji landed.
"White Lotus Koji, sir." Koji responds.
"Are you one of Tenzin's kids?" Iroh asked.
"No sir." Koji denies.
"So how can you airbend?" Iroh inquires.
"Sorry for the disrespect sir but that's not important right now. Your fleet has been completely surrounded and I'm afraid these aircrafts aren't gonna run out of bombs any time soon, we can't win this fight. The Avatar and I are gonna try to distract them as much as we can while you and your men try to escape to the main land. Good luck sir!" Koji said, opening his staff and using airbending to fly into battle again.
Iroh's men looked dumbfounded since they had never seen a airbender before, and the young man didn't exactly fit the image they had, but the voice of their commander snapped them out of it.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING! YOU HEARD THE MAN! PREPARE THE ESCAPE BOATS AND WARN AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN! WE ARE MOVING OUT!" Iroh yelled.
"YES SIR!" The soldiers reply all running in different directions while Iroh looked at the ships crow's basket and decides on a way to also distract the planes.
Meanwhile Korra watched as Koji burned down the wing of one plane and flew to another and decided to do her part. She dives into the water and then waterbends a giant watersprout, she then froze a part of the sprout and from it threw a massive ice-spike into a plane, taking it down. Unfortunately the damaged planes hits the waterspout sending Korra into the ocean again where a torpedo was coming for her but she managed to bend the water around it and send it back to the surface, downing another plane in the process. She then swims to the nearest ship, that just happens to be Iroh's.
Opening the hatch to the crow's basked Iroh starts firebending at the planes, trying to draw attention away from his escaping men. Three planes fly in his direction, two of which he managed to take down but the third drops a bomb in front of him. Iroh managed to get out before it landed but the shockwave from the explosion still knocked unconscious in the water. He would have drowned but Korra arrived just in time and managed to save him.
"Cough… Avatar Korra? You and your friend saved me twice now. Thank you." Iroh said while Korra supports him.
"Don't mention it" She said.
In the air Korra sees Koji and gives him a thumbs up. Having done all they could they started to leave but before they could a net caught Koji and made him crash-land in the deck of ship.
"Koji!" "Koji!" Korra and Asami, who was watching with the telescope, both yell at the same time.
"I got you now you little vermin." Hiroshi, who threw the net, smiled devilishly at the downed White Lotus.
His plane was out of bombs but he wasn't gonna let that stop him. He angled it so that it would hit Koji on the descent and jumped out, opening his parachute. He then watched as the unmanned machine made its way to Koji, smiling all the way.
Koji, who saw the plane, was in a panic. He couldn't perform any bending moves while stuck in the net and he couldn't get out of it before the plane hit. It was a hopeless situation, however it awakened something in him. It seemed time slowed down as he felt his chi channel in the middle of his forehead and produce a bean of energy that shot towards the plane. When it hit the explosion practically vaporized it and the shockwave sent Koji, still tangled, to the water.
Korra, Asami, Hiroshi and Iroh all watched where Koji had felled. Korra wanted to swim after him but Iroh was so hurt that without her supporting him he could drown. After a few more seconds Koji finally resurfaced to the relief of everyone but Hiroshi.
"Why can't you just die!?" Hiroshi groaned.
"Koji! Are you okay!?" Korra asked after getting closer to him.
"I am fine." Koji replied.
"When did you learn how to do that?" Korra questioned.
"Just now." Koji answers, just as surprised as them.
"Also, how!? That was a firebending technique. Weren't you a airbender?" Iroh asks, very confused as he had not seen Koji firebend at the planes earlier.
"Can we talk after we get out of here?" Koji said, exasperated.
"Okay. Hold on to me." Korra asks.
Koji does as she says and Korra waterbends them away to safety.
Back in the hideout Korra had just finished treating Koji and started using her waterbending to heal Iroh's wounds.
"I was prepared to deal with Sato's mecha tanks, not these new high-speed aircrafts."Iroh said.
"I know. Everytime we think we have a advantage, Amon outsmarts us." Korra sighs.
"No matter what our plan is he always has a better one." Bolin said, sadly.
"And he is supposed to be the positive one." Mako commented, pointing at Bolin.
"Amon is winning so far but, but we are not out of the fight yet." Iroh said.
"I like this man's confidence! So, how are we not out of the fight?" Bolin asked.
"A second wave of reinforcements is on it's way, but I need to warn them. Do you still have a way to get a message out." Iroh asked Korra as he stands up, clutching the wound on his side.
"I know just the man for the job." Korra said.
They went to one of the tents where Gommu was setting up a telegram machine.
"And who is the recipient of this top secret message?" Gommu asked.
"Commander Bumi. Second division of the United Forces." Iroh said.
"Uncle Bumi?" Koji asked.
"Yes, bit of a wild man but the bravest commander you will ever meet." Iroh said.
"You can say that again." Koji commented.
"Ready sir." Gommu said, ready to start tapping.
"Fleet ambushed and destroyed by equalist aircraft. Retreat to Red Sand Island until my signal." Iroh said as Gommu tapped in every word.
They then spread a map of Republic City on the table and started to strategise.
"Now comes the hard part. We need to ground those aircrafts. Otherwise, Bumi's fleet would never be able to retake the city."
"They flew in from this direction. The airfield must be somewhere over this mountain range." Mako said, pointing to a region of the map.
"Everyone get ready we leave at dawn" Iroh.
Everyone walks out except Asami who lingers a bit more and Koji who was waiting for her.
"It's time to take down my father." She said bitterly.
Sensing her sadness Koji put a hand on her shoulder in a attempt to comfort her, which she accepted with a smile. The two then catch up to the others.
As everyone walks Korra lingers behind, having decided something.
"Wait, I am sorry, but I am not going with you." Korra said.
"What?" Mako sayed.
"Why not?" Asami asked.
"Don't tell me. You want to go face Amon right?" Koji guessed.
"Yeah. How did you know?" Korra asked.
"Because I know you too well, unfortunately." Koji smirked.
"That's not a good plan, we need to stick together." Iroh argued.
"I am not waiting for him to hunt me down. My gut tells me its time to end this, on my terms." Korra replied.
"Korra, this is not a mission you should be handling alone." Iroh sai.
"Good thing she won't be alone." Koji said, walking to Korra's side.
"You don't have to do that." Korra said.
"Yes I do. White Lotus remember? Kind of in the job description." Koji said with a smirk. "Oh, and I want you to know I agree with Iroh. This is a terrible plan."
"Then why aren't you trying to stop me?" Korra asked.
"Because I know nothing I could ever say will get through that thick skull of yours, so I figured I'll just skip to the part when I decide to come with you to certain doom to save your sorry butt, because it will need saving." Koji said playfully, causing Korra to smirk and playfully punch him in the shoulder.
The scene made everyone on Team Avatar laugh except Asami, who was just glaring at Korra and decided that before tomorrow she was going to settle things with her. General Iroh had his hands on his chin, deep in thought.
"Hmmn… My grandfather would respect the Avatar's instincts. So will I." He said with resolution, looking at Korra.
That night everyone went to sleep early since they were all gonna have a long day tomorrow. Korra, who was using Naga's body as a pillow, was just starting to fall asleep when someone shook her awaki.
"Asami?" Korra asked, surprised to see her.
"We need to talk." Asami said, gesturing for Korro to follow her, which she did.
They both walked until they arrived at a deserted part of the warehouse.
"What do you want to talk about?" Korra asked and got a sucker punch to the face as a response.
"What the heck Asami!" Korra yelled.
"We are gonna bury the hatchet right here, right now. I am tired of you trying to steal my boyfriend so we are gonna settle this your way: through fists. No bending, no shock gloves, just fists." Asami said.
"I am not gonna fight you Asami." Korra said.
"Why? You scared of getting your butt kicked?" She asked, mockingly.
"No but fighting a delicate, prissy, little rich girl doesn't seem very fair." Korra retorted in the same tone.
"At least I look like a girl." Asami said.
One could almost hear something snap inside of Korra after that comment. Having enough she ran to Asami and aimed a punch at her gut. Asami managed to avoid that but Korra followed up with a roundhouse kick to the face. It landed and Asami backed away.
"What are so mad about anyway? What, you jealous because I saw your boyfriend naked before you did?" Korra asked.
"What?!" Asami asked, shocked.
"Didn't Koji tell you we used to take baths together?" Korra said.
"When you were what? Five?" Asami asked, irritated.
"Still counts." Korra said with a smug expression.
That sent Asami over the edge. She jumped up and performed a flying kick, Korra managed to dodged but Asami kept the pressure up with a series of punches to the body and head. After a while it punches broke through Korra's guard and Asami judo threw her to the ground. Asami mounted on top of her and started puching down, with Korra doing her best to defend.
"You are a immature, self-centered, block-headed, no good man-thief." Asami said between the punches.
Korra then managed to managed to take a hold of Asami's arms and threw her off. While Asami was getting up Korra kneed her in the gut and the hit stunned her long enough for Korra to place her in a headlock and start a storm of punches.
"And you are a no fun, snobby, doll faced, paint makeup wearing daddy's girl." Korra said while beating her.
Asami was having difficulty breaking free since Korra was obviously stronger than her, so she decided to play dirty. She reached for Korra's head, took hold of her ponytail and yanked with all her might.
"OWWW!" Korra yelled in pain, weakening her hold and allowing Asami to get away. "You pulled my hair!? SERIOUSLY!?"
"You know what they say: All is fair in love and war." Asami said, blowing on a few strands of Korra's hair.
That made Korra yell in anger and rush to Asami. Asami however wasn't backing down, she roared herself and met Korra's advance head on.
The fight went on for a while. Korra was more fit so her hits were more powerful and her body more resistant but Asami was more flexible and agile so she could dodge better and deliver more hits, though not of the same intensity. By the end of it but were lying face-up on the floor, covered in bruises and panting heavily.
"So 'Pant' you got it all out of your system." Korra asked, her voice calm now.
"Yep." Asami responded.
They both stared at the ceiling in silence for a while until Korra decided to confess something.
"Look, I am sorry things happened this way but… I just can't help how I feel. Koji has been in my life for as long as I remember and I think deep down I always knew I loved him and unfortunately I also know that I will keep loving him no matter what. I'm so sorry but I just can't see myself ever giving up on him." Korra said, meloncolically.
Asami just stay quiet for a while. The tension was thick, that is until Asami started to chuckle confusing Korra.
"Is that right? Then I got bad news for you my friend. That man has been the one constant in my life ever since my mother died and after I watched him almost die today I realized something: I can't live without him. I am gonna hold on to him more than life itself and if you somehow manage to have your feelings reciprocated I still ain't letting go. Do I make myself clear?" Asami asked with a serious look on her face.
" 'Chuckles' Crystal. I can respect that." Korra said as she held her fist to Asami.
Asami looked at it for a while and then thought 'What the heck.' Fist bumping Korra.
"By the way, can you heal us? I am so hurt right now." Asami asked, wincing.
"I can, but I am gonna need help getting the water. BOLIN!" Korra yelled, making Bolin come out of his hiding space.
"How long did you know I was here?" Bolin asked.
"The whole time. By the way, you won't say a word about what happened to anyone, is that understood?" Asami asked as she and Korra both gave him a death glare.
"YES MAAM!" Bolin yelled, terrified.
"Good. Now go get some water." Korra said.
"YES MAAM!" Bolin said, running to get it which made Korra and Asami both laugh.
The next morning everyone was getting ready to go on their respective missions. Koji had just finished putting on his equalist disguise, giving Gommu his staff since a equalist carrying a airbender staff would be suspicious.
"This is very precious to me. Can I trust you with it?" Koji asked.
"I will guard it with my life sir!" Gommu said.
"Thanks but you don't need to go that far." Koji said, surprised at the man's intensity.
He then noticed Bolin and Mako walking to him.
"Just wanted to wish you good luck and ugh… try not die."
"Mako, really!?" Bolin asked as he pulled Koji in a bear hug, knocking the air off him. "What he meant to say is that we love you! You are our brother now!"
Mako seemed embarrassed but didn't deny it. Gommu was there as well, crying in the background while hugging the staff.
"Love you too guys." Koji said, patting Bolin on the shoulder with the part of his hand that was free.
Bolin then let's go of Koji and he and Mako go to Korra, who was standing next to Naga.
"Korra, Amon is a nasty dude. Be careful." Bolin said.
"He is right, don't rush in head first… who am I kidding, of course you gonna rush in head first but be careful anyway." Mako said.
"I will try." She said, hugging the two. "If you are going into the mountains you should take."
Korra then hands Naga's reins to bolin and says to her pet: "Take care of those two".
On Koji's side, he turns to talk to Asami.
"Asami look… You were right, I do have feelings for Korra but at the same I still love you and that makes it even worse. You deserve someone that can give you 100% of their love, that doesn't look at any other girl but you. And I'm not that guy, I am sorry."
They look at each other in silence for about 5 seconds when Asami suddenly slapped him in the face, making Korra, Bolin, Mako and even Iroh, who was watching from the sidelines, wince in sympathy.
"So I guess this means we are done huh?" Koji concluded.
"Not exactly." Asami said as she pulled him in for a kiss, surprising not just Koji but everyone who was watching.
"I am so confused right now." Koji said after she pulled him away.
"Koji, you trying to look out for me is very cute but I don't care what you think I deserve because I already know what I want and it's you. It doesn't matter if you look at another girl because I will make it so that your eyes always come back to me and if you think you can't give 100% of your love then I guess it just means I will have to love you enough for both of us." She said with a determined look.
"You really aren't gonna let me go, are you?" Koji said with a knowing smile.
"I'd like to see you make me." Asami responded.
"And the slap?" Koji asked as he pointed to his swollen cheek.
"I can love you and still want to smack you." Asami said with a cheeky tone.
" Sighs… You too good for me Asami. I love you." Koji said as he gently touched her cheek.
"I love you too." Asami said and they both kissed one last time.
They parted and Koji walked back to Korra.
"What was that about?" Korra asked, not having heard the whole the whole conversation.
"I'll tell you later." Koji said as they walked to one of the exits.
With the other group Mako, Asami and Iroh had already mounted Naga, with Asami on the reins. Bolin, who was couldn't mount fast enough, realized something.
"Wait, if Naga can only carry 3 of us how am I gonna-" He was answered when Naga suddenly bit on his collar, lifting him up with her jaw strength. "Why did I even ask?"
The two teams then went their separate ways as Gommu and some other hobos watched them leave.
"Good fortune and success to you, valiant heroes." Gommu said.
Outside Korra and Koji walk out of a large sewage pipe. They then dive into the sea where Korra bends a large bubble so that they can breath underwater and then they starte heading to Air Temple Island.
On the chores of Air Temple Island Korra and Koji come out of the sea. They then put on their equalists masks and start climbing the rocky shores when they notice Amon boarding a airship.
"There is Amon." Korra said.
"We got to get into the temple. And when he comes back…" Koji said.
"We ambush him." Korra said completing his thought.
They both started walking towards the temple when they heard a familiar voice from behind.
"What are you two doing here?" The Lieutenant asked.
"We were just transferred, sir." Koji said, trying to sound as calm and natural as possible.
"Well, you are getting transferred again. Amon wants extra security at the arena today." The Lieutenant said.
"What for sir?" Koji asked.
"The rally. You should have been briefed about this." The Lieutenant said, starting to get suspicious.
"Sorry sir. Things are so erratic lately it must have slipped my mind. We will be there." Koji explained, trying to throw him off.
Apparently that was enough for the Lieutenant as he start walking off, turning his back to them.
"I know another way in." Korra said as she and Koji stealthily scooted to the side.
They went to a side entrance of the temple where Korra lift a wooden panel, revealing a secret entrance on the wall.
"Okay I know for a fact this wasn't here before. Did you earthbend this hole so you could sneak out easier?" Koji asked, already knowing the answer.
"No time to talk." Korra said as she went in with Koji following after.
Going through the entrance they ended up in area close to the addict door.
"Let's hide in the addict." Korra said as she and Koji climbed up through the trap door.
"Korra, we are not alone up here." Koji said surprised.
Turning around Korra saw someone she recognised sitting in a cell, but without his ponytails.
"Tarrlock?" Korra asked as she and Koji took of their masks.
"I don't supposed you are here to rescue me?" Tarrlock asked sarcastically with his head down.
"He is defenseless. Finish him!" The dark voice in Koji's head said.
"Quiet." Koji answered inwardly.
"We had no idea you were here. Are there any other prisoners on the island?" Korra asked.
"No, I am the only one." Tarrlock answered.
"And what makes you so special?" Koji asked with a angry tone.
"I'm Amon's brother." Tarrlock said making Korra and Koji gasp in shock. "Amon is from the Northern Water Tribe. He is a waterbender and a bloodbender. Just like I was." He said as he lifted his head looking both of them in the eyes.
"What?" Korra said shocked.
"Say we believe you, did you know this all along?" Koji asked as he approached the cell.
"No. Not until after he captured me." Tarrlock said, bending his head down again.
"How did you brother end up becoming Amon?" Korra asked.
At that Tarrlock started telling his story.
"It all began with my father, Yakone… With the help of his former gang he escaped prison and underwent surgery to change his appearance. He assumed a new identity and sttled down in the Northern Water Tribe. That's where my mother. A warm, caring woman. Before long they started a family together. Amon was the first born under the name Noatak. I was born 3 years later. Noatak was a good-natured kid, always looking out for me. Those were the good year." He said with a nostalgic smile. "Before my brother and I discovered we were waterbenders. At first we were excited by our new abilities, but our training brought a different side of my father." His expression soured at the memories. "I was never as good as my brother and whenever I didn't live up to his expectations my father threated to leave me out in the cold all night. Noatak tried to defend me but at the time he couldn't stand up to our father. Even back then my brother wanted everyone to be treated equally and fairly. When I was 7 my father took me and Noatak on a hunting, far away from our home. He told us his true identity was Yakone, Republic City's most notorious crime boss. And that he was once a bloodbender of rare skill. I asked what it was and he told us it was the most powerful and feared form of bending in the world but it was banished by Katara. He revealed that our family had the strongest line of bloodbenders in history and that he would teach us how to harness and master that power inside us. When my brother asked what happened to his bending my father said that the Avatar took him and that our purpose in life was to avenge him and reclaim Republic City." That revelation made Korra look at Tarrock with pity but he paid her no mind. "The good old days were behind us. Every full moon my father took us on hunting on another supposed 'hunting' trip, where he secretly trained us in bloodbendig. We kept the truth from our mother. Noatak didn't seem to have any problem bloodbending the animals we practiced on, which made my father very proud, but I couldn't stand the sight. A few years later my father taught us to bloodbend anytime, without the need of the full moon. We practiced constantly and I hated every minute of it. I had no stomach for manipulating helpless animals. But my brother seemed to revail in his newfound power. He was a prodigy, mastering my father's psychic bloodbending technique by the time he was 14. My father always said I should be more like him but even though Noatak was my father's favorite, it wasn't any easier for him. He carried the burden of my father's expectations and demands. Something changed in Noatak over the years. The loving brother I once knew became cold and detached. Our father pushed us to the extreme and one day he made us bloodbend each other. Noatak did without hesitation but I couldn't do the same to him. That was the most awful thing I ever experience, I didn't want to do it to anyone, I didn't want to bloodbend ever again. I told my father as such and he called me a disgrace, a weakling. When he went to punish me Noatak stood between us and bloodbended our father. Dad tried to intimidate him into releasing him but Noatak wasn't scared anymore. To him our dad was the weak one. He did something I could never do, he stood up to father. Told him we were his sons and not his tools of revenge. I was really happy me brother had protected me but it was short lived. He asked me to run away together with him but I told him we couldn't leave our mother alone. After I refused he told me father was right, that I really was a weakling… After knocking our father away he ran into the storm. My father and I searched for days but we never found a sign of Noatak. We thought he perished in that storm. My mother was never the same after the loss of my brother. My father stopped training me. With Noatak gone, his hopes for revenge withered and he passed away a few years later."
"That's one of the saddest stories I've ever heard." Korra said with a sad look.
"Yeah, I am drowning in tears." Koji said sarcastically, causing Korra to look at him shocked. "Look I am sorry you had a messed up childhood but that doesn't change or excuse the fact that you kidnapped Korra, arrested our friends and that your extremist policies are the reason this conflict escalated as much as it did."
"I know. I did horrible things and I don't deserve forgiveness. But for what is worth, I am truly sorry." Tarrlock said as he looked at Koji's eyes and Koji could tell he was being sincere. "I thought I was a better man than my father, but his ghost still shaped me. I became a soldier for revenge just like he wanted me to be. And so did my brother. The revolution may be built on a lie, but I think Amon truly believes bending is the source of all evil in the world."
"How did you figured out he was your brother?" Korra asked.
"When he took my bending the sensation was somewhat familiar. I later recognized it as my brother's bloodbending grip."
"Maybe he uses bloodbending to permanently block the chi paths in his victims." Koji theorized.
"That may be it but I am afraid I have no idea how he does it. Then again, I never encountered a bender as strong as Noatak."
"How do we beat him?" Korra asked.
"It will be hard. Any attack we throw at him he will redirect it with his mind. How did Aang beat Yakone?" Koji asked.
"He entered the Avatar State to resist the bloodbending but I can't do it yet." Korra said.
"Then ambushing here is out of the table." Koji sighed.
"But there is another way to beat him." Korra said.
"How?" Koji asked.
"This whole time Amon has been one step ahead of us. But finally we have the advantage. We know the truth about him. If we expose him as a bender in front of all his supporters…" Korra said.
"I'm gonna stop you right there. Even if we tell people Amon will deny everything and it will just be our word against his. Who do you think his followers are gonna believe?" Koji retorted.
"Good point." Korra said with a disappointed face.
"… But you might be onto something." Koji said.
"I am?" Korra asked surprised.
"If we expose him at the rally and attack right after, no matter what people believe…" Koji started.
"… He won't be able to use his bending as much since it will prove us right…" Korra continued having caught on Koji's train of thought.
"… Giving us the advantage. So we beat him in public, undermining the revolution, or he uses his bending on us, undermining the revolution. Either way we win." Koji concluded.
"Koji you are a genius!" Korra exclaimed.
"I know." Koji said smugly.
"Thank you for your help." Korra said to Tarrlock.
Koji started to leave but Korra stops him saying: "We can't just leave him here".
"Go. Amon can't know anyone spoke with me. Defeat him. Put a end to this sad story." Tarrlock said as he stood up and grabbed the cell bars. Korra nods to him.
"That doesn't mean I forgive but… Hang in there. Maybe when this is over I will brew you some tea. Though it will probably be in another cell." Koji said.
"Looking forward to it. You make the best tea." Tarrlock said with a smile.
At that Korra and Koji go down the trap door, with renewed determination to put a stop to Amon once and for all.