THE AIR MASTER {LOK/ATLA}

(VII)

I knew this was going to be bad, but I could have never anticipated just how bad things got. Before I realized it, Tarrlok had guided us to a staircase, where we were being expected by a load of reporters. They all pointed their notepads and cameras at us, and I knew this couldn't be good at all.

"If you'd be so kind, they just have a couple of questions," Tarrlok told Korra with a grin.

"Korra, you don't have to talk to them," I said, glaring at the councilman.

"I..." Before she could even reply, Tarrlok pushed her towards the reporters, and they started bombarding her with questions.

"Avatar Korra, you witnessed Amon take away people's bending firsthand. How serious a threat does he pose to the innocent citizens of Republic City?"

"I think he presents a real problem," Korra replied, sounding a bit confused.

"Then why have you refused to join Tarrlok's task force? As the Avatar, shouldn't you be going after Amon?" Another reported asked, a lot more harshly.

"Well, I..."

"Why are you backing away from this fight?" They pressed on even further.

"Korra isn't backing away from any fight," I retorted firmly.

"Master Zaya, why are you not after Amon, too? You both promised to serve this city, aren't you going back on that promise now?" A reporter said, now also attacking me.

"Do you think pro-bending is more important than fighting the revolution?"

"How do you think your grandfather, Avatar Aang, would have handled this?"

The last one really irked me the wrong way. I could tell it bothered Korra, too, because I could feel her tense beside me.

"Are you afraid of Amon?"

"I am not afraid of anybody! If the city needs me then... I'll join Tarrlok's task force and help fight Amon," Korra declared, obviously because of the pressure everyone was putting on her.

"Wait, Korra—"

"There's your headline, folks," Tarrlok announced happily.

That little jerk. He had gotten exactly what he wanted.

***

I was really worried about Korra. She was out in the city on her first task force mission. Of course, I volunteered to go with them, but Tarrlok insisted I didn't. He said he could take care of Korra perfectly well by himself, and not to worry about it. In other words, he was hoping to have her to himself as much as possible, probably to make it easier to control her.

Korra had a strong personality, but she hadn't really been acting like herself lately. Her fear for Amon had truly taken the best of her and made her do things she normally wouldn't. Including failing to fulfill a promise she made to her friends.

"No Korra for practice again?" Bolin asked me, as I entered the gym with a sigh.

"No, sorry. She's with the task force. I just came to let you guys know she probably won't be coming for the next couple of practices, either," I said sadly.

"This task force thing... It's really taken over her, hasn't it?" Mako asked me and I simply shrugged.

"She's under a lot of pressure. Tarrlok is pressuring her using the public's opinion against her."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I got to go, anyways," Mako said, as he stood up.

"Yeah, don't want to keep your girl waiting," Bolin teased, making me raise an eyebrow at the firebender.