Chapter Text
If you’re reading this, you might want to stop reading. This story is probably one of the saddest stories you will ever here. Oh wait, I should probably explain who I am. I apologize if my awkwardness is transferable onto paper. Anyway, my name is Mako, the police detective of Republic City and member of Team Avatar. Korra wanted all of us to write about ourselves for future generations to see us as who we are and how much a person can change. I have never been the one to really talk about what I have been through. I have always been taught to never really share information like that, for it could lead to disaster. Since then, I have been keeping everything to myself. If you ask any member on Team Avatar, they will tell you that I do not get in touch with my feelings, like ever. My younger brother, Bolin, was the one that did that for the two of us.
I lived with my parents and Bolin for not even a decade. My father may had been an earthbender, but he was such a gentle giant. He never liked to yell at anyone, especially his kids, and always looked at life with humble eyes. Dad told me that he grew up on the poorest rink in Ba Sing Se. He decided to leave his family to gain a better life. That was when he traveled to Republic city to find some work. Dad ended up getting a job at a local farmer’s market. Soon enough, he had his own business that was taking the whole city by storm. There he met my mother.
Mom was a young fire bender that came from a rich family in the fire nation. She wanted to pursue a political job, like her father. Mom also wanted to explore the world and break free from her deep fire nation roots. It was when Mom went to Dad’s food stand that everything changed.
They dated for a couple years until finally, Dad popped the question in the Republic City park. Mom of course said yes and they got married a couple months after. A year after that, Mom announced to her family she was pregnant with her first born child. The psychic told her that her first born was born for greater things than what he will endure. Of course no one understood what she meant by that statement, so my mom tried to figure it out for the next nine months. I was born in the fire nation so my grandmother could help Mom with the baby. I always had such a strong connection with my mother and her side of the family, simply because I was a firebender. Dad still loved me dearly; I always remembered having settimeout every day to play with him.
Two years later, Mom announced that she was pregnant yet again. The psychic told her that this child will be full of love and joy, much like his father, and he will be a gentle giant as well. His heart would be robust and true.
My mom had Bolin here in Republic City. Once they found out he was an earthbender, Mom’s side of the family lost all connection with her. It was enough that Mom married an earthbender, but she had an earth bending son. That was the final straw for them. Despite having no connections, Mom still visited the fire nation to see her close friends that actually approve of the relationship and the kids. I remember meeting a couple of them. Of course I was a toddler but some of them even showed me how to produce fire.
Bolin and I lived a pretty modest life. My parents wanted us to appreciate what we had so they always made home-cooked meals and educated us as much as possible. I may not have been as rich as my friends, but I was still happy.
So, my 8th birthday was one of my most memorable days ever, but not how you think. That was the day my world turned upside down.
Mom and Dad had me go to a play with them. Bolin was being watched by our neighbor; we would pay her afterwards and kiss Bolin goodnight when we got back. The play was absolutely amazing. I was engaged the entire time. My parents also enjoyed it just as much. Sure it was a little more mature and a lot of the jokes went over my head, but I understood the initial plot.
They decided to have us take a stroll in the park. Of course it was very late at night, so there was literally nobody there, or so we thought. The air was crisp and cool, with a slight breeze brushing through my clothes. Even though I was a firebender, I was still a shivering mess.
Dad looked down. “You’re still cold?”
I nodded meekly. Dad kneeled down to my height, Mom rubbed my back for comfort. Dad smiled as he took off his scarlet red scarf. As he was wrapping it around my neck, he said, “it looks better on you.”
“Thank you.” I squeaked.
Dad rose to his feet and took my hand. “Now, let’s get home before you catch a cold.”
We continued walking down the paved sidewalk, our shoes clicking with every step. Soon enough, we started hearing a fourth pair of feet clicking behind us. It was slowly growing closer and the clicking became faster.
I felt my heart racing as I squeezed my parents hands. The squeezed back, but it didn’t help calm me down.
Suddenly, a black figure descended in front of us, blocking our path to the house. I hid behind Dad’s leg and dug my head into the soft fabric.
“You two need to pay your dues.” It was Meticulous, the mass murderer in Republic City. He had been terrorizing the city for the past month, killing anyone he deemed as evil. He left his crime scenes very clean and neat, as it was a surgeon that was murdering the town. Thus, he was deemed as Meticulous because of his attention to detail when it came to leaving certain traces of his existence to how he killed his victim.
“We have nothing to pay. Let us be.” Dad stood firmly.
Meticulous played with the fire in his hand. “So you really don’t remember me? I guess I’ll have to show you.”
Mom’s eyes were murderous. “If you lay a finger on my son, I will give you another scar.”
“Oh, so you do remember me, Naoki. I thought you would forget.” Meticulous made his way to me. I squeezed the fabric as I felt the tears streaming down.
“Stay away.”
“I will once I finish what I started.” and at that, Meticulous charged at me. I let go of Dad and held my hands up in fear.
“Mako stay back!” Mom grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back and towards a nearby bench. Then, she went to help out Dad as I stood in horror at the scene taking place.
Dad wasn’t using his bending, instead his brute force. He was already powerful without his bending abilities, and Meticulous seemed to know that. He was very agile as Dad stayed pretty flat footed, trying to mount a strong defense before full-on attacking. It wasn’t like Dad to fight someone, but it was a battle between the murderer and Dad’s family and I knew for sure that Dad will die trying to keep his family safe.
They fought long and hard before Meticulous had the upper hand. Dad’s kind hearted soul was not a match for Meticulous. Dad threw a hard punch at the man’s jaw, leaving his stomach open for attack. Meticulous saw his opening, and threw a sharp flame at Dad’s stomach. Dad made a blood curdling scream before doubling over. Meticulous kicked him onto his back. As he grew closer, I noticed a metal object shining in the dimly lighted park.
A knife.
With one slash, Meticulous grinded the knife into the middle of Dad’s chest. Dad’s body flinch at the impact, but suddenly went limp with blood drooling out of his mouth and chest wound.
“San!” Mom was in tears. I heard her sobbing and wailing as she ran to her husband’s side. Mom took the knife out and tried to cover the wound with her hands, but to no avail.
After a couple seconds, Mom stood up slowly. I noticed her hands were balled into fists with large flames erupting from them. I could only imagine the expression she was wearing.
Meticulous smiled devilishly. “Oh now I’m seeing the old fire again. Let’s see what you got old lady.”
He was trying to play with Mom’s emotions. He tried to get into her head. That way she could make a wrong move and he would easily take her down, especially in the state of mind she was in at that point. To Meticulous, that was the only way he ever thought he could beat her.
And he was right.
He got to Mom’s head.
Mom charged, not knowing what she was going to do. Her anger spoke for herself, and not her skills. Her force made Meticulous stumble and find his balance. Weaponless, Meticulous had to use his bending in order to win the fight. It was an all-out firebending duel, each side giving it their all. Soon enough, Mom lost all her energy. She had wasted it on anger and used all her muscle instead of breathing through the motions. With one final blow, Meticulous slit her throat with a fire dagger.
Mom fell back instantaneously beneath her murderer. I took no time to run over to her side. I grabbed her hand as I tried to stop the bleeding. Mom’s shaky grasp was slowly fading away until it stopped. I sat there, by her side, as she bled out, knowing that by then, there was nothing I could do to stop it. I watched as her eyes turned vacant and empty and as her body laid still.
I buried my head into her arm and allowed the tears to silently escape my eyes. Both of my parents were gone and in an instant, I was all alone. They were no longer going to be there for me. I was all alone.
It didn’t occur to me for a second that Meticulous was right there, watching me wallowing in pain. I only noticed as I heard the same clicking along the pavement approaching me.
I looked up at the dark figure. “Are-are you going to...kill me too?” I squeaked.
Meticulous looked down on me in disgust. “You don’t know how much your mother and father have done to me. They turned me into a monster. And I will do the same for you.” His low and gravelly voice sent shivers up my spine. “I’m not going to kill you. Your parents suffered, but not enough. Now, you will finish out their sufferings yourself .” He spat the last word straight into my face.
”I...I....”
”Now run. Before I change my mind.” The man looked down on me. “And if you speak a word of this to anybody, I will find you again.”