The Avatar and The Revolutionary

by Agurra of the Darkness

Behind the mask wasn't a fraud trying to incite war, but a visionary hoping to inspire change. Someone truly chosen by the spirits, but besieged by those who would misuse their power. Could he make the world truly equal for all? Or would his vision become another crusade snuffed about before it was finished? Let this Amon try to make a better world.

5. Chapter Four - A Shocking Revelation

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. Avatar: The Legend of Korra is owned by Nickelodeon. I own nothing. I am just a fan.

Author's Note: Hey guys sorry this took a while real life decided to kick me in the teeth a bit. Won't bore you with the details, just know my plan for this story is to try and update at least once a month, that being time to write the chapter, edit it, let my proofreader Master Attlon look it over and then publish.

Don't have any intention of letting this story fall by the wayside given all the planning I've done for it, this chapter in particular is when things really start to pick up.

So let the Revelation begin.

Chapter 4 - A Shocking Revelation

There was an eerie sense of quiet on Air Temple Island, not just because it was especially early in the morning, with the sun having just risen, but the dining table was also rather silent save for the sounds of utensils and chewing from the occupants.

Amongst those present were Tenzin, his wife Pema, daughters Jinora and Ikki and a currently groggy but also fuming Avatar Korra.

The young Avatar was currently, in between bites, glaring every now and again at her master, who responded with the occasional twitch of the brow and clench of his hand, the rest of the occupants merely watching on.

"What are daddy and Korra so mad about?" Ikki, unable to read the room or stay quiet, almost immediately broke the silence with a rather loud question to her visibly exasperated sister, who'd been reading one of her books up until a few seconds ago.

"I don't know Ikki, but I'm sure whatever it is, they will work it out themselves." Jinora said firmly before returning her attention to her book and allowing silence to remain for a few more seconds...before being broken by Tenzin angrily sighing.

"Korra, how much longer are you planning to keep up this childish display? It's unbecoming of an adult, much less the Avatar."

Korra merely snorted at the response. "I could say the same of getting into an argument with one of my friends, especially about something relating to the state of the city." She angrily stabbed at a piece of fish and put it into her mouth before continuing. "And when exactly were you planning to tell me about the Equalists?"

Tenzin groaned and rubbed his temples,"Korra, the main reason I allowed you to stay here was to master Airbending, not to get involved in Republic City's problems."

"But I'm the Avatar, helping people is supposed to be my job and if things here are as bad as they seem, I want to get involved."

With a sigh, Tenzin leaned against the table, "And I'm happy to hear that, but your main focus should be on mastering Airbending. Not trying to get involved in conflicts between street gangs."

Korra's eyes narrowed in anger as she slammed her palm on the table. "Why do you keep calling the Equalists a gang? So far all I've seen them do is help people who can't help themselves. Is that really such a bad thing?"

Tenzin practically shot up in anger, air actually fluttering around him causing several items to shake. "It is when those same people cause more harm than they prevent that I consider them a gang."

Silence rang for a moment as the two glared back at each other, the three witnesses somewhat unsure what to do.

"Alright, everyone, that's enough." Penma finally stood up despite her pregnant belly. "It's too early for this kind of arguing and it's getting nowhere. So let's just calm down and discuss this like rational adults."

Both benders in the room scowled at each other for another moment before finally sitting back down, Korra still giving Tenzin an irritated eye.

"So, are you finally going to tell me why you have such a problem with the Equalists or not?" Korra asked, her tone more accusing than anything, making Tenzin take a calming breath as he tried to maintain his peace of mind.

"It's not the Equalists's message I take issue with." Tenzin sighed, stroking his chin in contemplation. "Republic City was meant to be a place where what Nation you came from, what Element you could bend or even if you could bend at all didn't matter. It was a dream my father fought so hard to see realized and something I wanted just as much."

Korra's expression softened a little, feeling some of her previous fire cool. "So what's the problem with the Equalists fighting back against the Triads. Like Naruto said, the police can't be everywhere at once, so why not let them help?"

Tenzin again sighed at Korra's lack of insight, but couldn't exactly fault her. Growing up in isolation had left her without much context for such complex issues, something he likely should've acted upon sooner.

"The Equalists act without regard for the law and without restraint, without any kind of authority to do so."

Korra sadly still didn't seem to understand the conflict. "I mean, they still get the job done right. They stop the bad guys so the police can arrest them, less criminals on the street. Win win for everyone."

Tenzin shook his head gently, "Korra, without authority from the government, any arrests they help with can be easily overturned and the ones captured would be released back on the streets."

"What?! How does that make sense?!" Korra practically shot up, outrage evident on her face. "Do the police just want to have criminals running loose?"

"No, of course not, but Lin has always been a by the book type of police officer and refuses to accept help from vigilantes, but that's only part of the problem."

Confused, Korra sat back down though was still visibly incensed, more so knowing that Lin Beifong was proving herself to be more of a pain than she'd previously believed.

"The Triads won't simply sit by and allow the Equalists to continue disrupting their operations. If something isn't done soon, they will likely respond with far greater force throughout the city until they crush the Equalists. It could easily plunge all of Republic City into a full blown war."

That caused Korra as well as the others to go cold, with the Avatar especially, finally seeing some degree of the gravity of the situation.

"It…it's really that serious?" Korra had a hard time believing such a thing to be the case. The Triple Threats she encountered before were hardly that dangerous, pretty much just bullies using their power on a helpless old man. The idea people like them could actually cause a city-wide war was hard to swallow.

"Believe me Korra, they are not people to be underestimated and have a great deal of influence throughout this city." Tenzin sounded almost disgusted at admitting such a thing. "The Equalists may think they are helping Republic City, but, however understandable their anger is, and however righteous their cause, they're merely using it as an excuse to stir up conflict and are dragging innocent people into danger by doing so."

His explanation seemed to have something of the desired effect as Korra actually was weighing the facts in her mind, and having a better grasp on the situation.

"What the Equalists want is understandable and I sympathize with them, but how they chose to go about achieving it will only burn them and this city along with it. I hope you can see that, Korra."

The young Avatar nodded slowly, still somewhat silent as to what to think. "I guess I do….but I still feel like it's wrong to just write the Equalists all off like vigilantes. They're still helping people, even if it might not be the right way of doing it all the time."

Tenzin simply sighed. "Noble intentions or not, actions always have consequences. Please remember that."

The young Avatar didn't offer a retort, simply finishing her food and getting up. "Well, I've got an early practice with Mako and Bolin."

"Just make sure you're back later today so we can work on your meditation. Just because I agreed to let you be a Pro-Bender doesn't mean you can ignore your training." Tenzin spoke a bit harshly but Korra could tell he was trying to lighten the mood a little.

That managed to get her lips to curve up a little as she nodded and headed out, Penma and the girls waving after her.

"Bye Korra, good luck."

Once she was gone Tenzin let out a massive groan, leaning back so much he practically hit the floor. "It's far too early into her time here to be discussing these kinds of matters." The Air Master quickly started massaging his temples trying to stop his growing migraine. "I never imagined I'd long for the days when her mind was squarely focused on mastering Airbending."

Closing his eyes trying to focus, his mind still swirling over both what was just spoken about and the heated argument he'd had with the noodle vendor the previous night. "This is precisely why I wanted her to stay in the South Pole. She isn't ready for this kind thing."

His body jolted slightly at the touch of his wife's hand on his shoulder, a comforting smile on her face. "We both knew Korra was never going to accept you postponing her Airbending training, this was going to happen eventually." Tenzin merely leaned in somewhat to Penma's shoulder as she spoke. "All we can do at this point is guide her down the right path. And it might help if you try to be a little more open minded."

"Are you saying I should agree with the Equalists?"

"No, simply listen to what Korra is saying and try to understand her perspective." Penma's expression turned ever so slightly impish. "At least then we wouldn't have to worry about you two arguing everyday."

Tenzin seemed to suck in his teeth for a moment, not thrilled with the idea before relenting. "Very well, but I'll try."

Penma hugged her husband warmly. "That's all I ask."

-Scene Transition: Pro Bending Arena-

"War in Republic City" Korra's mind drifted back and forth over Tenzin's words, still surprised to hear things could potentially escalate to such a degree. "It can't really be that bad? Tenzin's just being overly dramatic…isn't he?"

"Korra head's up!"

"Huh!" Korra was broken out of her musings by a heavy practice ball bowling into her stomach, knocking her off her feet and onto her back. "Ohhhhhhhhh, I think I'm about to see my breakfast again."

Standing across from the now downed Avatar, Mako was looking upon the display, far from impressed. "That's what happens when you daydream in the middle of practice. Starting to wonder if yesterday was a fluke."

Shaking off the momentary nausea, Korra glared at the team's firebender and picked up the practice ball. "Then I guess this is a fluke too." She hurled the ball right back at Mako, who while he did catch the ball, was sent tumbling backwards a few yards, eventually stopping on his shoulders with his legs behind his head.

Korra smirked at her minor victory, and was grateful for the distraction, though Mako wasn't down for long, looking more than a little heated only for Bolin to hold his brother back.

"Come on guys, we need to get ready for the tournament and only have the gym for another ten minutes."

Cooler heads ultimately prevailed as Mako merely offered a 'tch' in response while Bolin silently pleaded with Korra to follow suit, who raised her hands in surrender.

"Fine, no more fighting. Guess I'm still a little annoyed for being up so early." There was a grain of truth to that, Korra's eyes noting the sun had only fully raised above the horizon about fifteen minutes into their practice. "Why do we have to practice so early anyway? Mornings are evil!"

That little comment actually made Bolin chuckle a little, and even made Mako's lips twitch a little.

"Well we're the rookies and we get the worst training time. Nothing really we can do about it," Bolin said as he took the ball from Mako and firmly passed it to Korra, who caught it without much issue, who then passed it to Mako.

"And you're the rookiest of us all. We need to catch you up as much as possible before the tournament. Just focus on getting better and don't think about it." Mako then passed the ball back to Korra, trying his best not to make another snide comment.

That was made a little easier when the trio heard the door to the gym open up and a middle aged man in a gray coat and hat, topped with a yellow plume entered, a chevalier smile on his face. "There's my favorite street urchins, great to see you hard at work after your big win last night."

The stranger quickly approached the trio, giving Korra a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Pleasure to finally meet you Avatar. That was a heck of a show you gave last night, pretty impressive for a newbie but guess I shouldn't be surprised."

Korra's eyes drifted to Mako and Bolin for some insight, though it seemed apparent they knew the man, with her being the one left in the dark. "Uh, thanks, nice to meet you Mr….."

"Butakha, owner and operator of the entire Pro-Bending League" He quickly offered a bow, removing his hat for a moment, revealing his bald head, before shifting his attention back to Bolin and Mako. "Just came by to give you two your winnings for yesterday."

The brother's immediately were all smiles when the man pulled out a sizable stack of Yuans and put them into Mako's waiting hand. Mako's face was practically beaming at the sight of the many red bank notes, only for Butakha's hand to quickly return to said stack.

"Sorry Mako, but I need to make the usual deductions. Rental on your apartment along with gym equipment for the previous month. Then there's also the Avatar's new gear and the small loan I let you take out for groceries."

By the time he was done taking his cut, Mako was left with only a small mount of Yuans left, angrily staring at his brother, who quickly started patting his stomach.

"What, Pro-Bending takes a lot of energy. And hey, we did save a little by going to Naruto's cart these last few weeks."

Mako groaned, unable to argue with his brother's logic, eyes drifting to the ten or so bills they still had. "Guess a little is better than nothing at all." Without a word he quickly pocketed the money, as Buthaka cleared his throat to get their attention.

"One more thing, you need to pay a Thirty Thousand Yuan entrance fee for the tournament."

"THIRTY THOUSAND YUANS!" Bolin screamed, looking like he swallowed a mouthful of Fire Flakes, Pabu barely hanging onto his owner's neck, Mako looking equally shocked though with far less explosive.

Butakha had the decency to offer the pair a supportive glance. "Sorry guys, but it's standard practice. Every team has to pay to get in and if you can't get the money by the end of the week, I'll have to cut you from the tournament."

With a one last look Butakha left the brothers, giving Korra another tip of the hat before exiting, leaving Korra to stand with her two teammates, now weighing with this new information.

Immediately Bolin's eyes drifted to Korra. "So….I don't suppose you have some kind of Avatar bank account we could tap into."

The sheer desperation in his voice made Korra wince as she quickly pulled out her pockets to reveal they were empty. "Sorry, but I never really worried about money back in the South Pole. If I needed food people would give it to me no questions asked."

Even as she said it Korra actually felt more than a little guilty. After seeing the many people at the shelter who couldn't even afford a place to live much less food, it made her realize quite a bit how much she'd taken her position for granted. The sour look Mako was giving her didn't help either.

"Must've been nice." Mako said bitterly as he gathered up their equipment, Korra feeling her frustration at the situation rising. "Look, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make a big deal about it."

Bolin quickly jumped in to again disarm the situation. "No it's fine, really we get it. We're pretty used to this sort of thing since we've been on our own for a while and made do just fine."

The Earthbender's words only seemed to have the opposite effect, Korra looking more distraught at their status, sending Bolin in panic mode. "Hey, it's not like we don't have any money, right Mako?"

"We've got maybe five hundred Yuans saved up." Mako hand drifted to the few bills they managed to hold onto. "And no Bo we're not using it. That money is there so we don't starve."

Shrugging their equipment bag on his shoulder Mako sighed in acceptance. "We'll just have to come up with the money somehow. I can probably get some extra work down at the Power Plant, but I doubt it'll be enough."

"I could ask Tenzin to lend us some money." Korra jumped in, eager to contribute. "He already agreed to let me be a Pro-Bender, and I could pay him back with some of our winnings."

Bolin looked about ready to jump for joy at the idea. "That's perfect. He's a member of the City Council, thirty thousand Yuans is probably pocket change for him."

However, Korra immediately looked a little less confident at being reminded of the number. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't give me that much money. He already didn't look too thrilled paying for my food yesterday, so I doubt he'd give us that much, assuming he gives us anything at all."

Mako merely shrugged. "Well, we'll just have to come up with the money some other way."

Seeing their other options quickly drying up Bolin quickly jumped with inspiration. "Wait, I've got it." Quickly he dropped to the floor and grabbed a hold of Pabu, lifting the little creature up by his armpits. "I've been training Pabu to perform some circus tricks. I know people would pay to see that."

While Korra at least looked amused at the idea, Mako merely gave a frustrated huff. "Come on Bolin, we need to be serious here."

"I was being serious."

The earthbender quickly sulked, Pabu offered a comforting pat as Mako turned to leave. "Look, I'll see how much I can make from the plant, maybe get a second job or something. I'll figure it out."

With that, Mako left his two teammates, both left wondering what to do about their situation, Korra eying Bolin sympathetically.

"Look, even if it's not much, I'll try to see if Tenzin is willing to pitch in. It won't cover everything but it should help." Korra said with a smile, petting Pabu on the head. "And for what it's worth, I'm sure lots of people will pay to see Pabu perform."

Her offer brought back Bolin's smile and a bit of spring in his step. "Whelp, might as well head down to the Central City Station. Plenty of people, plenty of chances to make some Yuans. We can meet up at Naruto's cart later to see how we make out."

With a bit more pep in his step, Bolin rocketed out the door, leaving Korra to wonder how exactly to ask her Airbending Master for a loan….the same master she just spent the morning arguing with.

"And if that wasn't bad enough, we're working on meditation today…..great!"

-Transition: Air Temple Island-

"Let your mind and spirit be free. Ignore all distractions and allow yourself to become as wind."

…..Creak

"Korra, part of this exercise requires you to stay still."

The Avatar cracked open one of her eyes, still looking more than a little irritated as she sat cross legged in her airbender robes once again. "I'm trying, sitting still was never exactly a skill I picked up."

"Which is precisely why we need to practice this. Meditation is a crucial aspect to learning Airbending." Tenzin momentarily opened his eyes to look directly into Korra's own, giving her his full attention. "It's difficult at first, I understand, but in time it will come naturally to you like the other elements."

Korra wanted to argue but kept her mouth shut and closed her eyes again, trying to meditate….only for her mind to quickly shift to the issue at hand. "Okay, so how do I ask Tenzin for money?"

That question had been on Korra's mind since she left the Arena and she'd weighed several methods to try, from the direct approach, to asking Penma if she could ask for her, all the way down to writing a note and leaving it on his desk.

Normally she would've just asked him directly no issue. However, she was worried about such an approach only serving to make him outright refuse her, and thus putting the burden to pay for the team's entry squarely back on Mako and Bolin.

It again left her kicking herself for never learning about the concept of money back when she was in the South Pole.

"Looking back, what exactly was I expecting after I left? Just having people give me handouts for the rest of my life?"

The more she thought about it and what Mako and Bolin said about their own situation, just made her dwell on it further, her face and hands tightening in irritation at her own naivety.

"Korra, is everything alright?"

The Avatar's eyes snapped open, finding a concerned Tenzin looking at her with concern. "Uh, was I actually meditating this time?" Korra subconsciously tried to pass off the concern with a joke…though part of her was wondering/hoping maybe she had unconsciously nailed it down.

Tenzin's expression immediately shot that idea down. "No, if anything you were too focused and far from at peace. Is something on your mind?"

For a brief moment she considered just passing it off as nothing, but ultimately decided to see how things played out. "When I was training with Mako and Bolin this morning they told me how they'd been on their own for a long time and were struggling to afford food and a roof over their heads. Meanwhile, here I was just strolling into the city after never having to worry about having pay for anything once in my life."

Tenzin nodded, seeing where she was going. "You feel guilty that your life wasn't as difficult as theirs was?"

Korra's frustration grew, the 30,000 yuans the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. "It's not that. It's just, the Avatar is supposed to be able to help people with their problems and here I am not even knowing what money was until about three days ago. How can I help people if I'm completely clueless about what they're struggling with?"

"My father faced more than his fair share of similar challenges in his time. I still remember when he told me how he had to resolve a conflict between two warring tribes he'd just met while traveling to the North Pole." Tenzin momentarily chuckled, recalling how both his mother and father were never fond of that particular adventure. "No one expects you to have all the answers to every conflict you encounter Korra. And figuring out solutions, even to mundane problems, takes time."

His answer brought her little comfort as she huffed angrily and stood, walking to the small wall of the gazebo they were meditating in, looking out at the city. "But I want to help them now, and I don't know how. It's not like I'm getting paid to be the Avatar and between Pro-Bending practice and Airbending training, I doubt I can get a job."

"I take it this has something to do with Pro-Bending Korra?" Tenzin asked, looking at her rather blankly, with Korra quickly realizing she'd accidentally outed herself. "Whelp, no point in trying to ask him to drop it."

Taking a breath to try and calm herself Korra bit the proverbial bullet. "We need 30,000 Yuans to enter the Championship Tournament and Mako and Bolin barely have any money as is and probably won't have enough, so I was thinking…."

Korra's words started to dry up when she saw Tenzin's eyebrow twitch. "You were hoping I'd pay for their entree?"

Immediately Korra raised her hands to try and defuse the situation. "Only some of the money, not the whole 30,000. I know that'd be asking too much, but maybe a couple thousand would help."

Tenzin's shoulders slumped as his head practically went limp, irritation and exhaustion easily detectable in his tone, making Korra's worry spike.

"I promise to pay you back with my share of the winnings from every match." Korra's tone holding a hint of desperation to it. "I know I've never exactly appreciated how little I had to worry about anything up till now, but I guess I want to start…"

Tenzin's hand stopped her mid sentence, as he sighed, gently rubbing his head as he looked back up at his pupil. "Korra, you know that I as well as the White Lotus are here to help you in as many ways as we can to see you become a fully realized Avatar…but that responsibility doesn't extend to helping you with personal problems."

Immediately Korra felt her stomach drop and her hopes shattered like glass. Part of her wanted to feel angry and yell at Tenzin, but she knew it was a fairly big and even unreasonable request.

"However."

Korra perked up, looking at a somewhat despondent but also cheeky Tenzin trying to look as professional as he could.

"Given that you're doing it to help others in need as opposed to strictly for your own benefit…I suppose I could pitch in about one third the necessary amount."

Immediately the Air Master was wrapped in a tight hug and lifted off his feet by an ecstatic Korra.

"Thank you, Tenzin. Oh, I feel so bad about thinking you were a stuffy stick in the mud all this time."

Tenzin coughed lightly and decided to ignore that comment and tried to maintain some modicum of firm authority. "But I expect you to pay me back every last cent, and you are to continue your meditation and airbending training without complaint from now on. Is that understood?"

After letting him down Korra smiled at her master and bowed to him. "You got it, Tenzin! No more complaining from here on out."

Tenzin himself had to fight back a smile at how genuine she sounded, reminding him of how she acted when she started learning Earth and Firebending initially. Seems like she could be motivated with the right incentive afterall.

"Though, now I have to explain to Penma why we'll be missing a fairly large amount of Yuans."

Deciding to push back that issue for another time he returned to his previously seated position and gestured to Korra to follow suit. "Now, we should return to training. Hopefully with this new mindset you'll be able to meditate properly for a change."

Surprisingly Korra quickly seated herself and assumed the meditative position as instructed. "Can't exactly back out now can I?"

Tenzin smirked a little, seeing Korra's competitive spirit reignited. "No, you really can't."

"Alright, let's do this!" With her mind more at peace Korra closed her eyes and sought to focus, all the while feeling barely able to contain her excitement when she met with Mako and Bolin later tonight.

-Transition: Triple Threat Triad Headquarters-

"I'm really starting to have second thoughts about this Shin." Bolin shuddered as he exited the Satomobile, his companion merely giving him a reassuring pat.

"What have you got to worry about, kid? It's easy money." Shady Shin, Triple Threat Member and Recruiter, spoke in a friendly tone as he led the Pro-Bender inside the seemingly normal building in the city's central district. "All you need to do is provide some extra security for tonight's meeting. You'll never have to get your hands dirty or even leave the building."

His words did little to calm Bolin's nerves as they entered the building, being greeted by several members of the infamous gang Bolin recognized, in particular the middle-aged man clad in red suit with golden shoulders and accents.

"Lightning Bolt Zolt. Oh man, I really stepped into it this time." Bolin quickly swallowed any further comments, hoping to remain as quiet and invisible as possible, something his companion made significantly more difficult.

"Sorry I'm a little late boss, thought we could use a little extra muscle for tonight." Shady gestured to Bolin who simply offered a half hearted smile and wave, earning a mixture of sneers, chuckles and indifferent looks from many, while Zolt looked less than impressed.

"He any good? Cause he looks ready to turn tail and run from where I'm standing."

"That is a very accurate summation of what I'd like to do right now." Bolin again was able to keep his mouth shut, letting Shin do all the talking and hopefully avoid getting him in worse trouble.

"Trust me boss, kid's the real deal. Used to run a few jobs for me with his brother and he's a top notch Pro-Bender." Shin slapped Bolin's back, actually hurting his own hand while Bolin barely moved. "See, solid as the rocks he throws."

Zolt rolled his eyes at the demonstration. "Whatever, long as he keeps an eye on the doors and doesn't say anything, he can stay."

The crime boss quickly gestured to the others to head into a back room to discuss something. What it was Bolin didn't know and didn't particularly care, as all he wanted was for them to get it done quickly so he could leave and hopefully never speak to them ever again.

"And one more thing, kid." Zolt's voice immediately made Bolin jump, getting an annoyed glare from the crime boss.

"Yes, sir?" Bolin spoke quickly, again trying to avoid saying as much as possible.

"You see that idiot Viper walk through those doors, tell him Zolt wants a word for being late. Got it?" Zolt punctuated his words by generating a little fire from his fingertips, making Bolin nod his head comically.

"Absolutely sir."

"Good." Zolt then gestured to the others as they headed into the back, leaving Bolin to stand guard by his lonesome, regret immediately washing over him.

"IDIOT! All you had to do was say no and stick to street tricks with Pabu. Yeah it wasn't very profitable but, now you're in deep with the Triads….then again..."

Frustrated, Bolin fished into his pocket and pulled out the sizable stack of Yuans he'd been handed.

"Five thousand Yuans just to stand and watch a door. It's not like I'm doing anything bad right?"

Bolin sighed as his lie did little to improve his mood, leaving him to just put the money away and lean against the wall. He briefly considered listening in on the conversation of the Triad members, but immediately shot that down. He was already on the hook as is, no reason to give them more ammo to work with and potentially drag him into something worse.

Groaning a little he let his eyes drift to a nearby clock. "It's only gonna be for about two hours. Nothing bad can happen in two hours right?"

A loud knocking at the door immediately made Bolin jump. The earthbender quickly felt himself start to panic a little, not sure what exactly to do. His whole job was just to watch the door behind him, not answer the front door.

The knocking continued for another minute, causing a familiar and considerably angrier voice to call out to Bolin from behind.

"Newbie, what are we paying you for? Answer the door."

Not wanting to argue with the violent and obviously irritated crime boss, Bolin quickly rushed to the door and opened it. He half expected it to be Viper with some of his goons to join the meeting. Imagine his surprise when instead he was greeted by a large group of six, five in matching dark green bodysuits with black masks and glowing green eyes, led by another man in a light green bodysuit, with green goggles, an armored chestplate, with a pair of handles jutting from behind his shoulders.

Bolin immediately felt his blood go cold at the sight of a familiar red symbol on the forehead of the five masked individuals.

Equalists

The leader of the group took a step forward with a smile on his unobstructed face, eyes drifting from Bolin to the back room.

"Good evening sir. We're some concerned citizens who'd like to lodge a formal complaint against your employer in the back room. Might we come inside?"

Bolin gulped as they closed in on him.

"I should've stuck to the circus tricks."

-Transition: Air Temple Island-

"I know I said I wasn't going to complain, but this is taking a bit longer than I would've liked. I was supposed to meet Mako and Bolin an hour ago."

In any other circumstances, Korra wouldn't be complaining too much. Meditation had gone on for a few hours and while she still struggled with the concept, she at least had the motivation to try as opposed to giving up after a few minutes.

More importantly they'd gone back to the gates as the sun started to set, to see if what happened in the Arena was a fluke or not.

"Alright Korra, here we go." Ikki and Jinora blasted the gates and got them spinning, as Korra eyed her old enemy with determination and a desire to end the training session soon.

"Just be patient and calm, be like the leaf"

With a quick running start like before once Korra passed the threshold into the onslaught, like before she quieted her mind and followed the flow of each of the gates, shifting direction as she came close to each one.

In less than a minute she was out on the other side of the gates and let her mind run normally again, feeling a great amount of euphoria overwhelm her.

"YESSSS!" She jumped up excitedly, managing to finally overcome the initial challenge that had caused her so much pain. "Another step closer to becoming an Airbender."

"Hey Korra, whose that?" Jinora asked, pointing towards where the docks for the island were located.

"Oh, is it that Naruto guy who called the other day? The one you got all panicky about?" Ikki asked, looking almost hungry for some kind of gossip with Korra responding with a sour look before spotting the person in question.

To her confusion it was not in fact Naruto, but rather Mako walking with a fairly urgent pace and a serious look on his face, to which Korra had a fairly decent idea why.

"Great, he's probably mad I missed the meet up. Like he didn't already have enough reasons to be annoying."

Huffing Korra opted to clear things up quickly with her teammate. "Mako, look if this is about missing the team meeting I was kind of tied up with my training and…"

"I'm not here about that," He spoke quickly, immediately cutting her off. "Have you seen Bolin recently?"

"Bolin, no. I've been here all day after I left practice."

"Damnit Bo." Mako growled at the air, as a sense of panic started to set in.

"What, you think he got into some kind of trouble or something?" Korra didn't want to assume anything negative, but sadly she did just meet the brothers a few days ago.

"I don't know. Bolin means well but he has a strange knack for getting into bad situations."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Korra immediately started heading forward, grabbing Mako's arm and pulling him forward, to his surprise.

"Uh, we?"

"We're teammates after all and I want to help. Besides, we can find him more easily with Naga." Korra quickly put two fingers in her mouth and let out a whistle, summoning the massive hound in mere seconds.

Mako actually took a step back at the massive Polar Bear dog breathing in his face, feeling a little dumb he'd forgotten she had said animal at her beck and call. "Okay, that'll help but where do we start looking?"

Korra gave her friend a light petting, before looking back at Mako. "Bolin mentioned he was going to be performing at Central City Station. Best place to start, maybe someone saw where he went."

Quickly hopping onto Naga's saddle, Korra offered a hand to Mako. "You coming or what?"

Eying the large dog one more time and letting off a groan, he accepted.

"Bo, you owe me big time for this."

-Transition: Central City Area-

The pair arrived at the station just as dusk was setting in but again found no Bolin. However, Mako was able to get some useful info from a local informant, Skoochy, who'd directed them to the Triple Threat Triad's hideout.

"I still can't believe Bolin would work with the Triple Threats." Korra found herself seething a little as Naga rushed towards the location, Mako struggling to stay on the large animal. "You think maybe they threatened him or something?"

"Doubt it," Mako frowned a little. "Truth is, we…might've done some work for them in the past and I'm guessing Shin decided to see if he could get a little more work out of Bolin."

"Wait WHAT!?" Korra pulled on the reins and stopping Naga, looking more than a little angry at Mako. "You worked for the Triple Threats? So what, is the Pro-Bending just a cover for you guys?"

"It's not like that. Yeah, we worked for them for a little while, but it was only small stuff. Just running numbers and bodyguard work. And we stopped as soon as we started Pro-Bending." Mako almost yelled, looking pretty offended by the accusation, before quickly cooling down. "Look, we were really young and desperate. After we lost our folks, we did have a lot of options, okay?"

Korra had the decency to look apologetic, the regret evident in Mako's tone, making it clear he was genuine. "Sorry, I just don't exactly have a high opinion on the Triads."

"Believe me, we agree on that front." Mako growled a little, though not at Korra who got Naga moving again, though at a slower pace. "I still can't believe Bolin would go back to them."

A brief silence hung in the air before they drew to their destination.

"That's the hideout?" Korra asked, dismounting from Naga, Mako following after her.

"Yeah, but it's weird. They usually have a couple guards stationed outside."

The two slowly approached, ready for a potential attack.

"You think maybe we already missed them? Skoochy did say Bolin left around noon, right?"

Korra's question made Mako's concern grow a bit as he picked up speed, only to jump back when something lept at him from the archway in front of the building and coiled around his neck.

"WHA….Wait Pabu?"

To Mako's surprise it was indeed his brother's faithful companion currently wrapped around his neck, rapidly pointing at the doors to the hideout.

"Looks like Bolin is still here after all." Mako quickly tried to calm down the frantic creature before moving towards the door. "We better be caut….!"

A loud boom sounded as Korra's boot slammed against the doors, sending them careening into the building, with Korra quickly assuming a fighting stance, only to immediately drop it upon seeing the building was empty.

"...ious. Well, so much for stealth." Mako sighed as he ran in, only to find not only was the building empty, but also ravaged. Various pieces of furniture were strewn about, tables turned upside down against walls, shattered bowls and plates. It looked like a massive fight had just broken out.

"Bolin! If you're here, say something!" Mako immediately shouted, eyes looking for any kind of hint to his brother's whereabouts, the sound of a loud engine getting Korra and him to look at a nearby door.

Kicking the door open they entered a back alley and were greeted by the sight of several motorbikes and a large transport truck with its doors still open, revealing several Triple Threats bound and gagged ... .including Bolin amongst them.

"BOLIN!" Mako yelled running forward, Korra not far behind.

Two of the bikers quickly gestured to the truck to get moving, with a few other bikes following after it. The remaining riders quickly pulled out some canisters and tossed them towards the approaching duo, quickly coating the street in a thick green gas, before they started riding to catch up to their companions.

"Cough, Cough, NAGA COME!"

Korra shouted in spite of the gas, Naga quickly ran to her side, Korra hopping onto the massive hound with Mako following suit as they picked up speed.

The duo managed to keep sight of the masked bikers, though both could tell at their current speed they wouldn't catch up in time.

Mako leaned back and to the side, letting loose a few fire blasts with his bending, only for the biker to weave out of the way of each attack. Changing tactics, Korra used her earthbending to raise the ground in front of one of the bikes, creating a massive ramp that sent the bike into the air, only for its rider to manage to land without issue.

Eventually the chase reached a large open square, three of the bikes broke off from the group, pulling to a stop while the remaining two and the truck continued through the streets.

One of the riders turned to the other two. "Slow them down as quickly as you can and don't waste time. Last thing we need is getting the police involved."

The two remaining riders nodded silently as they got off their bikes, while the third rider resumed following the rest of the group.

One of the two masked assailants quickly pulled out a bola and launched it at the charging Polar Bear Dog, sending the beast crashing into the ground, sending Mako and Korra flying to the ground, stunned but still conscious.

With their targets down, the duo quickly moved in, flipping towards the pair, who managed to get to their feet and ready to fight.

Mako quickly let loose a stream of fire, only for his attacker to weave to the right of the attack and close the distance. The firebender attempted another fire strike, only to have his arm pushed out of the way and several fast strikes hit his arm, causing it to go numb.

"Chi-Blockers."

Looking to his right, Korra was fairing a little better, though her own enemy had gotten in close, Korra was evading each strike even as her own were deflected. However, as she went in for a kick, her enemy responded with one of their own before hooking their foot around Korra's own, yanking it down to throw her off balance before letting loose multiple strikes to the offending leg, causing it to buckle, before grabbing the Avatar by the collar of her shirt and shoulder throwing her to the ground.

The young Avatar gasped as she hit the ground, wincing further at another jab into her shoulder before her attacker lept backwards.

"Korra!" Mako yelled, his distraction allowing him to face similar strikes to the thighs, before the masked attacker swept his legs, sending him on his back.

Both benders struggled to move, Mako barely able to raise his torso up, while Korra managed to get up on her one good leg and attempted to unleash another blast of fire. Only to be surprised when nothing happened.

"Wait…what?"

A twinge of fear started to set in as she stared down the two strangers, now unsure how to fight back. However, to her and Mako's surprise, the two masked attackers simply nodded to each other before they ran back to their motorbikes and drove away, leaving them stunned…literally and figuratively.

A loud barking got their attention as Naga quickly rushed to their aid, the large animal using her head as a brace, allowing Korra to get back to her feet, her leg starting to regain some of its mobility. Though she didn't notice that much as she again tried to use her bending, quickly going through Fire, Earth and even Waterbending movements, all producing nothing.

"I can't bend. Wait, were those guys Equalists?" Korra quickly recalled the red symbol of the duo's masks, how it matched the scarf she saw the other Equalist was wearing when she met the brothers.

Mako nodded, his legs shaking a little as he got to his feet. "Yeah. I recognized the masks. Heard rumors that's what they usually wear when they patrol at night. Though those two were a lot more skilled than the guy we saw yesterday."

"But why would they kidnap Bolin or the Triple Threats?" Korra winced a little, her shoulder still feeling sore. "I mean, don't they usually just tie up criminals and leave them for the police?"

Again Mako nodded, frowning in the direction the convoy had taken his brother. "Yeah, kidnapping has never been their MO and while normally I wouldn't bat an eye at the Triple Threats getting a taste of their own medicine, they have my brother."

Korra agreed, feeling most of the pain finally fading away and ready to continue. "Then, we better start searching for them. Any idea where they might've taken him?"

Mako despondently shook his head. "No, the Equalists never stick around for too long and have managed to avoid any attempt to track them. No one knows where to find them."

Frowning, Korra started trying to think of a possible solution or any lead she might have. "There's got to be some way to track them. We could search the city, but that could take days."

Rapidly she felt possible solutions dwindling and struggled to think of a solution, when Tenzin's voice echoed in her mind.

"Let your mind and spirit be free. Ignore all distractions and allow yourself to become as wind."

Eyes widening, Korra thought for a moment, now really wishing she'd managed to perfect her meditation, but saw few other options.

"Okay, don't have to get it exactly, but let's give it a try."

Closing her eyes she breathed deeply and tried her hardest to block out all distractions and focus her mind on a solution.

"How do I find the Equalists, there has to be some way, something I'm forgetting…..WAIT!"

A brief flash and a rather loud voice sounded in her head like thunder and the answer came to her in an instant.

Quickly opening her eyes she turned to Mako, looking almost giddy to where it left the Firebender a little unnerved.

"Uh, you okay?"

"I know how to find Bolin."

"Wait…WAHHH!"

Grabbing Mako by the collar of his shirt he all but hauled him up onto Naga and quickly snapping the reins.

-Transition: Republic City Park-

"So, why are we here again?" Mako groaned, yawning as he struggled to stay awake due to them having been up most of the night, and the sun was in the process of rising, the pair using Naga as a makeshift couch as she rested against a nearby tree.

"When I first got to Republic City, I met this Equalist Protestor right around here. He might have an idea where Bolin is."

Though she spoke with a degree of confidence, Korra knew it was a long shot. Big Mouth might've been affiliated with the Equalists, but she very much doubted he was particularly well informed about their inner workings. Sadly, it was either this or try searching the entire city from dusk till dawn.

"I know it's not a great lead, but it's all we have, sorry."

Mako simply leaned back into Naga's soft fur. "You don't have to apologize for that. It's better than nothing. I'm just hoping it helps us find my brother. He's all I have."

Korra looked at her teammate with sympathy. "I get it, it's not exactly the same, but I don't know what I'd do if something happened to Naga." Her hand drifted to her companion's head, gently petting it to ease her worry. "We'll find Bolin and get him back. I promise."

The young pro-bender actually smirked a little. "A promise from the Avatar. Guess I have nothing to worry about then, huh?"

Korra chuckled and lightly punched him in the shoulder. "No you shouldn't. Just don't expect me to hand them out for free all the time."

The chuckle quickly became contagious between the pair as they laughed for a solid minute before both leaned against Naga's fur, eventually drifting off to sleep for a few hours.

The moment of peace proved brief, at least for them, as the sound of people walking and loud banging caused Korra's eyes to slowly open up, and finding herself greeted by a familiar banner less than 100 feet away from them.

Shooting up quickly, Korra quickly elbowed the still sleeping Mako. "Wah, what's happening?"

"That's the Protestor I was telling you about. Come on." Quickly standing up the pair approached the booth, however to Korra's surprise it was missing Big Mouth and his megaphone. Instead it was considerably quieter, with a middle aged man in a yellow jacket and glasses simply handing out fliers to anyone who walked by.

As they approached, Korra was stunned to find the man greet her with a smile. "Ah, Avatar Korra, good morning to you? May I be of some assistance?"

Korra looked baffled at the surprisingly polite greeting from the man, half expecting to get into another shouting match like with the previous guy. "Uh, yeah….I'm sorry, but what happened to the guy with the megaphone. Long sideburns, face kind of like a Hog Monkey, really loud?"

The man's pleasant expression withered a bit, though he tried to keep up his smile. "Yes, Mr. Caoza. Regrettably, we had to cut ties with him. There is no place in our organization for such a radical individual. If he caused you any trouble I'd like to sincerely apologize on behalf of all the Equalists."

Both Korra and Mako looked at each other, perplexed and a little off put. The man in question sounded genuine, a far cry from what they'd been expecting when they arrived.

"Well, thanks, I appreciate that." Korra responded awkwardly, Mako a little irritated at their lead potentially drying up. Looking for a moment, Korra found her eyes drawn to one of the many fliers on the table.

The paper revealed a prominent picture of Amon with his arm raised, text to the side of him in large bolded letters.

"Come Tonight and Witness the Revelation?" Korra spoke aloud, looking at the paper curiously, getting Mako to peer over her shoulder at the document. "There's no address, how's anyone supposed to witness anything if they don't know where to find it?"

Luckily for them the representative didn't hear them, busy handing fliers to a few other people who'd since arrived in the park.

"You think maybe this Revelation is where Bolin will be?" Korra asked.

Mako's eyes narrowed on the image of Amon. "I'm not one to gamble, but in this case, I'd take that bet."

"Perfect, now we just need to figure out where it's gonna be." Korra again looked over the flier for some kind of detail, any kind of hint of some deeper meaning. Huffing in frustration, she briefly looked at the man behind the desk. "So, think he'd tell us if we asked? He did say he'd help us out."

Mako immediately shot that idea out. "Yeah, because an organization that kidnapped my brother, doesn't list an address in their mystery flier, and has done everything to keep themselves a secret will reveal their location if we ask nicely."

Korra didn't appreciate the sarcasm. "Well, if you've got a better idea, I'd love to hear it." She absentmindedly waved the flier around, allowing Mako to see the underside of it and his eyes to quickly wide."

Without a word he snatched it from Korra's hand, much to her irritation. "Hey, what the…"

Mako quickly held a finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet as he revealed the underside of the flier…which contained what appeared to be part of a map.

Wide eyed, Korra's eyes shifted to the large stack of fliers on the table. "Think he'll let us take a few more if we ask?"

Instead of answering, Mako's eyes drifted over to Naga, more specifically the little orange passenger currently resting on her head.

"I've got a better idea than asking."

After a moment or two of discussion and planning, along with a little pep talk, Pabu, the mischievous little Fire Ferret, had rushed onto the table and immediately started tossing fliers up in the air in every direction, leaving the poor, befuddled representative to try and desperately pick them up.

While he was distracted, Mako and Korra quickly started grabbing as many sheets as they could, making sure to pay attention to the back of each sheet and ensure they didn't grab doubles.

Once they were satisfied they quickly ran away, Mako leading them to a nearby booth with a map of the city on it.

Putting the different fliers together and comparing it to map before them, they finally had their location.

-Transition: Green Meadows District-

Night had fallen over the city as Korra and Mako arrived at the location on the fliers. To their relief, it turned out to be accurate, if the guard at the entrance of the large warehouse was anything to go by. The pair made it a point to also pick up some clothes to better hide themselves, in this case large brown trench coats and hats.

Downside to being the Avatar and a popular Pro-bender, everyone knew what you looked like.

"You ready?" Mako asked, adjusting the newsboy style cap on his head.

Korra nodded."Let's do this."

The pair slowly approached the large warehouse, paying close attention to some of the other attendees entering the building, specifically how each one presented a flier to the large guard before entering.

"You held onto some of those fliers, right?" Korra asked Mako awkwardly, before breathing a sigh of relief as he pulled one out of his pocket.

Finally the pair were in front of the almost seven foot tall guard, eyeing the pair suspiciously. "Invitation please."

Immediately Mako presented the flier to the man, who nodded and smiled as he took the flier. "The Revelation is upon us my friends. Welcome."

Nodding they both entered, quickly walking past various pieces of steam equipment and entering a massive room, filled to the brim with people, a large stage at the very back of the building, the Equalist Symbol emblazoned on two banner's hanging on the wall.

However, the crowd itself was what truly drew the eyes of the pair of benders, suddenly feeling far less confident and comfortable than before.

"I never imagined this many people in Republic City had a problem with benders." Mako spoke with surprise at the practical sea of people before him.

Korra however, frowned solemnly as she looked upon the crowd, actually spotting a few people from the Jang Haui Sanctuary amongst the many below. "Guess Naruto wasn't exaggerating when he said things were bad in this city."

"Well, we can worry about that later. Let's find Bolin and get out of here."

Nodding, the pair quickly moved forward, slowly merging with the crowd and getting closer to the stage, all the while trying to find Bolin to no avail.

However, their search was cut short when a large section of the stage opened up and several spotlights shined on the stage.

"PLEASE WELCOME, THE HERO AND LEADER OF THE EQUALISTS AND THE MAN WHO WILL BRING EQUALITY TO REPUBLIC CITY….AMON!"

Those among the crowd cheered wildly as several men were raised to the stage. Korra immediately noticed four individuals dressed like the Chi-Blockers from the other day, along with another man clad in a green body suit and goggles, only for her focus to be drawn to the man in the center of them all.

"So, that's Amon?"

The masked man looked exactly like the flier, adorned in a hooded, almost military style uniform and gloves with the expressionless white mask concealing his face. Though she could just make out the silhouette of his eyes behind the mask, it was impossible to make out any useful details.

Amon slowly approached the microphone at the edge of the stage, the crowd growing louder as he approached, only for him to raise his hand in a pacifying gesture, quieting them. He quickly grabbed hold of the microphone and brought it to his covered mouth.

"My friends, I'm grateful to see so many of you here tonight. I know some amongst you may have reservations about me, about our group and what we can accomplish. But, I promise you, by the end of this night I shall put all your worries to rest."

Many in the crowd whispered amongst themselves, already intrigued by Amon and his words, eager to see what his grand action would be.

"Like many of you, I have experienced suffering at the hands of benders. Long ago, I lived with my family on a small farm in the Earth Kingdom. We were not rich by any means, but we were happy. Both of my parents worked tirelessly to ensure we always had enough to eat, in spite of the fact none of us were benders. Sadly, that left us vulnerable to an especially ruthless firebender."

Amon's tone hardened as did his grip on the microphone. "He exploited my family for what little we had, until my father confronted him one day…and was struck down right in front of my eyes."

Murmurs and gasps of horror sounded through the building, even Korra and Mako looked upon the masked many with sympathy as he continued.

"Sadly, this bender wasn't satisfied and trapped myself and my mother within our home before setting it ablaze. His flames quickly consumed the building and my mother shielded me as best she could even as the fire consumed her."

Barely concealed anger could be heard in the Equalist's voice, his left hand shaking as he spoke. "She perished and my body was badly burned, my very face left to where I was forced to wear this mask ever since."

Slowly his anger faded as he walked across the stage. "My life would've ended that day, had the Spirits not intervened. As I had that day and so many others across the world had seen, they had come to realize how out of balance the world has become. That Benders have for centuries used the blessed gifts they were born with to create untold havoc upon this world."

Amon's words grew more passionate, riling up the crowd, while Korra listened, unsure how to respond.

"Chin the Conqueror, Fire Lord Sozin, Admiral Zhao, Long Feng, Hama the Puppetmaster, Fire Lord Ozai, Yakone, throughout history countless tyrants have misused their bending abilities to sow chaos across the land and exploit the misery of non-benders."

Many in the audience started angrily booing as Amon listed off the many criminals of history, Mako and Korra feeling far less safe than before.

"The Genocide of the Air Nation, The Assassination of the Moon Spirit, The Overthrow of Ba Sing Sei, The Attempted Burning of the Earth Kingdom. In just the last century and a half alone, bending has been used to perform some of the most unspeakable atrocities in human history, acts that have left the world irreparably damaged and scarred. And even now, benders still wield their abilities to oppress those around them unable to fight back. Thus it is for this reason the Spirits chose to bestow me with the means to finally bring about a balance not seen in this world for centuries."

Though his words left the audience in awe, a few in the crowd didn't seem convinced. Yet, Amon was unconcerned.

"Of course, such claims would be meaningless if I lacked the ability to prove it. To that end, a demonstration is needed."

From the right side of the stage, several more masked Equalists were dragging up several tied up men before forcing them to their knees. Korra and Mako's eyes widened upon seeing a familiar face among the group.

"Bolin." Mako muttered under his breath, trying to avoid causing a scene.

"So now what?" Korra whispered. "We can't exactly run up on stage and fight our way out right?"

"For now, the only thing we can do is try to think of a plan. We need to be smart about this."

Their discussion was cut short as Amon spoke once again, one of the captured men being pushed to the front of the stage.

"I'm sure many of you are familiar with one of our volunteers. Lightning Bolt Zolt, the leader of the infamous Triple Threat Triads."

The gang leader was forced into the spotlight and was greeted with a very loud onslaught of jeers and boos from the many non-benders of Republic City. The gangster merely sneered at the crowd.

"Zolt has used his bending to extort the citizens of Republic City for years, and thanks to the considerable wealth his crimes have granted him, he has managed to avoid the hand of justice, through both bribery and blackmail. But all of that ends tonight."

Despite the declaration Zolt didn't look intimidated. "What are you gonna kill me? You don't have the guts for it. You're all just talk."

His cavalier attitude only enraged the crowd further, while Amon in spite of his mask, didn't seem the least bit fazed. "You're correct, I have no interest in killing you, I don't need to. What I plan to do instead, will not only cripple you and your organization, but every gang in this city. The Era of you Triads ruling this city through fear and intimidation is at an end. But, I'm nothing if not a fair man."

Amon then snapped his fingers, and the one non-masked Equalist cut the ropes on Zolt's hands, much to the criminal's shock.

"What is this?" He quickly raised his hands, eyes darting all around, waiting for a Chi-Blocker to make a move, yet they remained still.

"An opportunity to repent. If you swear here and now to end your criminal dealings and atone for your misdeeds by serving out your sentence in prison, you can leave unharmed."

Amon's words left the crowd silent, even Korra and Mako were astonished, not expecting such a gesture. Sadly, Zolt's response was considerably more predictable.

"How about I just burn what's left of you to ashes instead." Zolt didn't hesitate and launched a blast of fire at the Equalist leader, who effortlessly turned to the left of the blast and slowly approached, seemingly unphased by the flames.

Zolt quickly followed up with several more blasts, yet Amon simply dodged to the side of each attack, allowing each blast to fly harmlessly by him as he grew ever closer.

"Alright tough guy." Zolt raised his fingers in front of his face as electricity started to crack and swirl around him. "Dodge this."

With a single step he unleashed the blast of lightning at the masked Equalist, many in the crowd screaming at him to get out of the way, yet even as the bolt grew closer, he didn't step aside.

A thunderous boom sounded through the warehouse, followed by a mixture of stunned silence and gasps, none more than Zolt who stared in shock and horror.

"Th…that's impossible!"

Amon's left hand was currently in front of him, palm wide open, smoke coming off said palm as electricity coursed along his arm before quickly dissipating, Amon himself otherwise unharmed.

All through the hall, the many in the audience looked baffled, shocked, stunned, confused and amazed, Korra and Mako mirroring their feelings.

Zolt, seeing his lightning fail, looked ready to try something else, but Amon was done giving him chances. He became like a blur, appearing in front of the Triad leader in a blink of the eye. His right hand coiling around his neck and hoisting him effortlessly into the air, Zolt struggling to retaliate.

"Having trouble Firebending Zolt? A little out of breath perhaps?" Amon's hand tightened ever so slightly around the criminal's neck as he struggled to breathe, barely getting enough oxygen to keep himself alive.

"I….Thought, you said…you…weren't a bender."

Zolt managed to get out a few words in spite of the pressure on his throat, still trying to wrap his head around what he just saw.

"And I never lied about that. You of all people should know the consequences of any bender attempting to absorb lightning."

With a quick movement, Amon placed Zolt onto his knees and moved his hand from Zolt's throat to his shoulder, before quickly applying his other hand to his forehead.

Finally able to breathe normally, Zolt could only get out. "Now what are you trying to do?"

Amon simply answered. "Changing the world."

And to the shock of everyone present, a bright red light erupted from the eyeholes in Amon's mask, blinding many in attendance, immediately setting the other Triad members into a panic, Bolin adopting a similar look. However, the most affected was surprisingly Korra, feeling a sudden chill fall over her body and a sharp pain in her head, as if someone were forcefully pressing their finger against her skull.

Yet in an instant the feeling vanished as the light faded from Amon's eyes as he unceremoniously dropped Zolt to the floor. The crime boss, staggered, tried to stand, raising half his body up and attempting to try another attack with his bending….only to be stunned when nothing happened.

All his previous bravado, confidence and ego burnt up, and genuine fear came over him. "What….what did you do to me?"

Amon approached the crime lord, his shadow covering the once powerful man like an angry god. "I used the gift the Spirits blessed me with. The ability to take away a person's bending….permanently."

Korra's eyes widened and her pulse started to race, unable to believe such a thing. "That's impossible."

Mako nodded, equally gobsmacked. "The only time I've ever heard someone being able to do that was Avatar Aang. It shouldn't be possible for anyone else…right?"

Mako's unsure tone left Korra more shaken than before. She was familiar with the concept of Energybending, it being what Aang used to end Fire Lord Ozai's reign of terror, but she'd never heard of anyone else ever wielding such a power. And now, here was Amon, seemingly bestowed with such an ability. It left Korra with a chilling thought.

"Was he really chosen by the Spirits?"

The audience was similarly in an uproar as the now depowered Zolt was dragged off stage while Amon raised his hands to calm the crowd.

"Yes my friends, it is the truth. The Spirits saw fit to bless me with this gift, to take away the bending from those who would misuse it for their own benefit. And with it, I, along with my fellow Equalists, will end the reign of every bending criminal in this city, be they the Red Monsoons, The Agni Kais or the Creeping Crystals. Their reckoning will come. And peace will finally be granted to all of Republic City."

His words sparked cheers from the crowd as Amon shifted his attention to the remaining Triple Threats, all looking truly terrified, some struggling to escape as he approached them, stopping at his first target, Shady Shin.

"N-No,please don't!" Shin begged and pleaded, desperately trying to get away, Amon merely looking at him with pity.

"Tell me, how many people said those same words, only for you to ignore them?"

Shin went silent as Amon placed his hands on him. "Now you as well as your friends can understand what it's like to feel truly powerless. Perhaps then you'll finally learn to regret your actions."

A loud yell sounded as Shin was the next victim to have his bending taken, Bolin looking on positively terrified, knowing his time was coming.

"Mako, Korra, anybody. HELP!"

In the audience, Mako's growing panic spiked as he struggled to think of some kind of plan of action to get his brother off stage. Immediately his eyes drifted to the various pipes along the walls and an idea came to him.

"Korra, I've got a plan."

"Well, let's hear it." The Avatar was just as eager to save Bolin and knew they had at best a few minutes to act.

Mako immediately pointed to the pipes. "Those pipes flow through this entire building. If we can build up enough steam, we can create a smokescreen so I can run on stage and get Bolin."

Korra nodded, "Alright sounds like a plan." Quickly she slid out of the crowd and towards one of the halls where some of the boilers were located and quickly started turning various knobs to increase the pressure in the pipes.

Meanwhile Mako quickly started moving closer and closer to the front of the stage, wincing as each member of the Triple Threats had their bending removed. By the time he was at the head of the crowd, Bolin was the last bender on the stage.

"Korra, hurry up!"

Mako's fears only grew as Amon approached Bolin, who looked about ready to have a heart attack…only for Amon to not immediately grab him. Rather, the Equalist Leader seemed somewhat surprised and perplexed.

He quickly gestured to one of his men, who brought Bolin to his feet and guided him to the front of the stage, next to Amon.

"My friends, it appears we have a celebrity with us tonight. A member of the illustrious Pro-Bending Team, the Fire Ferrets. Please welcome, Mr. Bolin!"

A spotlight shined on the still bound earthbender, who tried to smile but only managed a half panicked grin that made some in the audience chuckle.

Amon turned his eyes to Bolin, judgment apparent in his gaze. "Tell me, Mr. Bolin. Why would someone with such a promising career, on the cusp of rising to prosperity, decide to associate himself with criminals like the Triple Threats?"

Bolin flinched as he found the microphone held up to his face, his captor pushing him to answer. And almost immediately fear took over and let the dam that was his mouth open up.

"Uh, well you see, Mr. Amon, Sir, eheh, the thing is. This is all just a big misunderstanding."

His answer got him a few boos from several in the audience.

"A misunderstanding? Correct me if I'm wrong, but were you not found in the company of Lightning Bolt Zolt and several of his lieutenants at their hideout?"

Bolin gulped. "No, that's pretty accurate."

Mako's hands started to tighten, a small amount of heat starting to form, eyes shifting in the direction Korra was in. "Come on Korra, we need that distraction NOW!"

"Then please. Explain to me why you were with the Triple Threats and more importantly….why I should allow you to keep your bending?"

A dark silence hung in the air, everyone in the crowd waiting to see what happened. It took a matter of seconds before Bolin snapped.

"I didn't want to do it, but I was desperate. My brother and I needed the money to enter the tournament and we don't have a lot as it is, and winning this tournament has been our dream for years and have I mentioned I'm terrible under pressure. But I swear it was a one time thing, and I immediately regret it, please don't take my bending away. Please!"

Bolin's rapid fire answer quickly devolved into rather pitiful groveling, the earthbender dropping to his knees and all but begging for some kind of mercy. It left some of the audience feeling almost remorseful for the young man, even the Equalist holding him in place seemed to feel some pity for him.

"So, then Mr. Bolin. Answer me this one final question." Amon slowly closed the gap and looked Bolin dead in the eye. "If I were to let you go with your bending intact, would you swear to never again associate yourself with any gang within Republic City or anyone willing to misuse their bending?"

Almost immediately Bolin dropped to his knees, bowing his head to the floor. "Yes, I SWEAR! I'll never do it again, ever."

"Very well then. You may release him."

Silence.

"Wait, what?" Bolin's head snapped up to meet Amon's masked face, unsure if he heard correctly. Mako was equally as surprised as were many in the audience. Some were half expecting it to be a trick, only to be more surprised when Bolin's bonds were cut, leaving the bender to subconsciously rub his sore wrists, still processing what was going on.

"Hey what's the deal?!"

"He's a bender like the rest of them. He should pay too!"

Several in the crowd made their outrage known, the voices growing progressively louder, only for Amon to quickly silence them again with his hand. "Please my friends, I understand your anger, but I ask you to consider this? Would you have me take away the bending of every person in this city, simply because they are benders? Even if many had never raised a hand against another person?"

He was met with silence from the crowd. "Before I came to Republic City, I traveled across our world and visited each nation. From the North Pole, to Ba Sing Se, to the capital of the Fire Nation. In doing so I witnessed the many wonders and marvels bending has create. The Art of Bending itself is neither good nor evil, merely an extension of the one who wields it. And by that same token, neither is one who is born a bender, inherently good or evil."

Amon gestured to Bolin, who flinched at having attention back on him. "To judge Mr. Bolin as evil merely for being a bender is foolish. Though he has made some poor choices, unlike with Zolt, his decision was made out of desperation, not malice or hunger for power, and thus he should be given an opportunity to make amends."

The Revolutionary stretched his arms out wide. "My wish is to take bending out of the hands of the wicked and the corrupt and ensure true equality for all citizens of Republic City. And I promise you, that I will never rest, never stop, until that dream is made a reality."

All around the crowd started to clap and cheer at Amon, a great energy quickly filling up the room until the entire hall was shaking.

"AND WHAT ABOUT THE AVATAR!"

The room grew immediately silent, as a light shined on a man in the crowd. "What will you do if the Avatar tries to stop you?!"

All eyes turned back to Amon, eager to hear what he had to say, and the previously verbose leader was strangely silent for a moment.

"I…."

His words were interrupted by a sudden boom as a large wave of steam quickly erupted from the right side of the room, sending everyone into a panic.

As the steam grew larger and blanketed the entire area, Bolin was left struggling with what to do, trying to navigate through the steam. He immediately jumped when a hand grabbed his wrist.

"Bolin relax."

The earthbending athlete looked almost euphoric at the sound of his brother's voice through the steam. "Mako…you came to save!"

"Thank me later, we need to get out of here." Immediately Bolin was pulled along and offered little resistance, happy to finally escape.

The brothers quickly rushed towards the nearest exit, managing to avoid as much of the chaos as they could, quickly finding a nearby door and barreling out of it. Without a word they quickly slid down a ladder to the ground, and took a breath.

"MAKO!" Bolin quickly latched onto his brother and pulled him into a tight hug. "THANK YOU!"

The elder brother of the pair rolled his eyes at the dramatic reaction, but patted his still shaking brother on the back in spite of it. "Any time Bo….though in the future, maybe try not to get yourself kidnapped."

"Absolutely!" Bolin quickly pulled back, nodding his head excitedly. "What I said on that stage was 100% true. I'm totally legit now."

Mako chuckled, "Happy to hear it!" His eyes quickly shifted around looking for the third member of their wayward party. "Now, we just need Korra and her dog to get us out of here."

"You called?"

Both brothers jumped to find Korra standing just a couple feet behind them, looking more than a little proud of herself.

Mako himself looked relieved to see her unharmed. "Nice job on the distraction."

The compliment left the Avatar beaming a little as she whistled, summoning her faithful companion to their side. "Alright, now let's get out of here."

"Leaving so soon?"

All three bender's eyes immediately rose as they spotted Amon standing on the platform above them, his lieutenant next to him. Without a word, the masked man casually leapt from the nearly four story platform and landed with graceful ease, his companion sliding down the ladder after him.

Amon's masked face stared hauntingly at the group, his eyes focusing on Korra, who flinched and raised her fists on reflex.

"Avatar Korra, a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I do hope you enjoyed my demonstration." None of the three answered as Amon took a step forward. "I was hoping we could perhaps have a moment to speak, face to face as it were."

Rather than answer, Korra immediately summoned a massive wall of rock with her earthbending, before quickly jumping onto Naga.

"What are you waiting for, let's get out of here."

Bolin and Mako nodded frantically, quickly climbing on Naga's back and Korra prepared to leave, only for a loud crashing sound to turn her attention back to the wall she created.

To the shock and horror of the three benders, a fist erupted from the wall, shattering a large section of it, revealing the arm to belong to Amon, casually walking through the shattered wall as if opening an ordinary door.

Terrified, Korra immediately snapped her reins and sent Naga rushing down the streets, and to their relief, Amon made no attempt to chase after them.

The Equalist simply looked on, sighing quietly behind his mask as the group grew smaller, slamming his fist into the remains of the wall, causing the rock and stone to collapse in a heap.

-Transition: Air Temple Island-

Tenzin found himself rushing through the temple and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Korra walking up from the docks.

"Korra, I was getting worried. Were you able to find your friend?"

Immediately he could tell something was wrong as Korra lacked her usual fire and looked distracted, even a little afraid of something. "Korra….what's the matter?"

"We found Bolin, but he'd been taken to an Equalist Rally and I saw their leader, Amon."

Tenzin felt his concern spike tenfold. "What?!"

"Tenzin, Amon can take away a people's bending, for good."

Tenzin's mind went completely blank, unsure if he heard her correctly. "That's….that can't be possible. Only the Avatar has ever had that kind of ability."

"But I saw him do it." Korra's breath hitched as the moment played again in her mind. "He claims the Spirits gave him the power to do it."

Tenzin looked floored by this information, and found his eyes drifting towards the city, now feeling more uneasy than he had in a long time. "If that is the case, then the Equalists are more dangerous than I originally believed. As of right now, no bender in Republic City is safe."

-Transition: Unknown Location-

"Barring a few hiccups, I'd say the Revelation went quite well, Sir." Liu Zhujao, also known as the Lieutenant of the Equalists, spoke positively, having pulled down the headpiece of his body suit and removed his goggles. His eyes focused on the back of his leader, who still had his hood raised.

"We certainly got the message across." A familiar mask was placed on the table beside him as his hood was pulled down, revealing a familiar head of spiky blonde hair as the blue eyes of one Naruto Uzumaki aka Amon, looked back at his second-in-command. "Though I'm worried about how some might perceive it."

Sighing heavily the formerly masked Revolutionary leaned against the wall, feeling the weight of his position leave him for a moment. "I still can't believe Bolin was with the Triple Threats during the raid. Dragging him into this was never part of the plan."

"It was an unfortunate turn of events, but I believe you handled things quite well, Sir." Liu spoke calmly as his leader sat in a nearby chair clutching his head in frustration. "We were able to show that we are not the fanatics some believe us to be and are more than willing to show mercy. That is a boon to our organization."

Naruto however, didn't look convinced holding his head in between his fingers as he closed his eyes and played the events in his mind. "And what about Korra? Somehow I don't think she'll be especially thrilled that we kidnapped one of her friends. And that's on top of the whole taking away people's bending."

Liu offered no answer, he knew enough that for someone like the Avatar, who was defined by their bending, the idea of someone being able to strip that away was likely a nightmare for them. Add on the kidnapping of a close friend, it certainly didn't paint a good picture.

"Yesterday she would have likely supported us without question. But now, I don't know where she stands anymore." Naruto's voice spoke with pain evident in it as he slammed his fists on the table. "She was afraid of me when I saw her Liu. Who knows what she believes now."

"Then what do you propose we do Sir?"

Naruto quietly contemplated as he stood up, pinching the bridge of his nose as he walked. "We'll need to send in someone who can observe her and her friends up close and undetected, and keep us up to date on her views of our group, especially when I can't be around."

Naruto's eyes drifted to the door in the room as knocking was heard by the pair. "And luckily I already have someone in mind for the job."

The door opened, revealing another masked Chi-Blocker, who quietly walked in before bowing to the two heads of the organization, Naruto looking the figure square in the eye.

"I've got a mission for you."

-End Chapter-

Yup, sorry this took so long guys but as you can see this was a monster of a chapter. Don't really plan for them all to be this long but the Revelation is a pretty major event in the series, plus I wanted to try and make this chapter as different from canon as I could given the changes I've already made.

Want to try and show more of Korra's growth with each change, the impact Naruto and his version of the Equalists have on her and the story as a whole, with it raising more moral questions compared to the series where Amon was just straight up a bad guy.

Hoping to get some cover art done for the story soon, hoping maybe some people make some cool fanart or even a TV Tropes page, but we'll have to wait and see.

Anyway hope you guys enjoyed this and look forward to the next one.

Agurra Out.