This is completely and utterly random. I doubt this ever happened, but... I don't know. I can just see Mako not wanting to firebend after his parents' deaths, can't you? I own nothing but the idea.

Amon bent closer to the young man, examining him. "All right. Try it-"

He didn't even finish the word before the sandy-haired youth's arm shot out; Amon dodged. "Your speed is admirable, but you must work on your aim... Lieutenant?" He had heard the man enter and clear his throat to catch his leader's attention.

"Sir, there's someone here to see you."

"A new recruit?"

"Not exactly. Come in, boy." A child, no older than eight or nine, stepped out from behind the Lieutenant, looking hesitantly around. He was wearing a red scarf that was far too large for him, and his shoes were riddled with holes, and the elbows of his grime-encrusted shirt were patched. A street urchin.

"May I help you?"

The boy chewed his lips and wrung his hands, but met Amon's eyes. "I... I need your help, sir." He swallowed. "You don't like benders, right?"

"That is... correct."

The boy whispered, "And someone said you can block people's bending."

"What's your name?"

"Please, sir, I'd rather not say. I have a little brother, and I don't want him to get in trouble because of me."

"All right, boy. I can block bending, but only temporarily."

The black-haired child frowned. "Temporarily?"

"It wears off. The bending comes back." The boy's shoulders slumped. "Whose bending did you want me to take away?" he asked curiously. A child on the streets, he was probably being tormented by the Triads... But the boy stared at the floor and hugged himself and whispered something Amon couldn't hear. "I'm sorry?"

"I wanted you to take away my bending, sir," the boy whispered, his voice betraying his terror. He looked ready to flee in an instant, and for good cause; a second later the Lieutenant had the boy's hands pinned behind his back.

"Who sent you?" he hissed. The boy screamed in terror, cowering, and Amon crossed his arms and stared at the child, who was now crying.

"Answer him."

"N-no one! I... I..." He started sobbing. "I d-don't want t-t-to be a f-firebender anymore! Firebenders k-kill people!" At Amon's nod, the Lieutenant let the boy go; the child covered his mouth and nose with his scarf as though to hide his face, only his amber eyes showing over the top.

"Whom did a firebender kill?" Amon asked softly, bending down to the boy's level. The child's amber eyes were still streaming, and he shook his head. "I won't hurt you. You can tell me."

"Momma and Papa," the boy said in a quavering voice. "Two months ago. I couldn't get away from Bo- my brother, before now, but I was walking around and I met him-" He pointed at the Lieutenant. "-and he said he could take me to you." His thin shoulders slumped. "But you can't take my bending anyways, so I'll leave now."

"We'll have to blindfold you on your way out," Amon said.

"I know. He did the same thing coming here."

"Goodbye then... I'm sorry."

The boy didn't move, except to look plaintively up at Amon. "You really can't take my bending away?"

He shook his head. "I would if I could... But I can't. Perhaps someday, but that day is not today." He stared down at the child, who kept the majority of his face hidden; tears still streamed down the pale face. "I promise you, I will find a way to remove a person's bending permanantly, and when I do... Will you come back?"

"I'll try," the boy whispered.

"Good."

And the child followed the Lieutenant out of the room.