The Red Spirit

Prologue

On a cold rainy night in a dark alley a little boy was crying all alone clutching the dead body of his father who had just been killed in front of him. They were killed by a fire bender who wanted the few Yuan their pockets. He lay there in the gutter with his parents for three whole hours before the Metal Benders arrived on scene to take him away to the police station.

The drive to the police station was long for the young boy. He saw the building glide past him, the world was in slow motion making it an agonizing trip for him. He knew full well that his parents were dead and there was nothing he could've done about it. His mind wandered over to the moment his parents were killed, the scene kept playing in his mind over and over again as if it was taunting him.

Mako and his parents sent the day at the newly opened fair grounds on the Republic City pier. Their was no end to the entertainment made available to the public, bending galleries, freak shows, jugglers, and rides. They went on almost every ride and they enjoyed playing, and winning, several games that tested strength accuracy. The best part of the day was when Mako's father had bought him and his mother cotton candy just before they went on the Ferris wheel. When their car reached the top of the wheel they all saw one Republic City at night, the gleaming lights filling him with a sense of awe he never felt before.

They were finally heading home after a long day at the fair grounds going on the rides, eating popcorn, and playing games. It was a perfect day for the three of them, nothing could've ruined wasn't until they left the fair grounds and decided to take a short cut through the alley to get the bus stop that the perfect day ended and the worst day of Mako's life began.

Only half way through the alley, that led to their home, a mugger came out of the shadows with his hands ignited demanding they give him their money. His father tried to diffuse the situation by handing over his wallet and his watch carefully to the firebender. Yet it didn't end well the man noticed Mako's mother's golden chain necklace with a ruby heart in the center and demanded that she hand it over. Unwilling to let it go Mako's father tried to stop the man from touching his wife, and received a fire ball at point blank range to the chest searing his flesh to the bone.

Mako's mother screamed in horror before she to was killed with a fire blast and point blank range with the same outcome as his man aimed at Mako as if he couldn't leave any witnesses only for him to steal the locket, and the money on the ground before sprinting away from the scene of the crime. Mako didn't know when he slumped to the ground only that it was well after the man killed his parents. Afterwards it began to rain causing him to shiver uncontrollably seeking out his father's scarf as a means of warmth, the police arrived shortly after to observe the crime scene take him, and the bodies, to the police station.

When they finally arrived at the police station, Mako was brought to the main office where he was sat down at one of the desks of a young female Metalbender who looked at him with pity. At the front of the station the Paparazzi being where held at bay by the officers preventing any of them from trying to get close to the young boy. They tried to learn what they could from the officers in charge, weather they found the man who murdered Mako's parents or if they were still searching for suspects.

Mako ignored the commotion in the other room as he stared down at his father's red scarf in his small hands, the only thing he had left of his parents before he was taken away. He remembered how his father always wore it no matter how hot or cold it was outside. It was still soft despite its age as he rubbed it to gain some measure of comfort and peace in the world that was spiraling out of control around him.

"Hey" said the female officer as she watched the young boy huddle up into a tight ball for some manner of comfort clutching the scarf tightly to his chest. She went over to the opposite side of the desk trying to give him some measure of comfort by rubbing his arms in the hopes to help him through the traumatic events that transpired. He only shied away from her touch still traumatized by the events that transpired earlier that evening.

"Is that your dad's" she asked trying to understand why Mako kept holding on to it with care. He nodded as he kept his gaze on the scarf, it wasn't until the officer took the scarf out of his hands that he moved.

"I'm just going to put it around you okay" she said with a calm and concerned voice and Mako released his iron grip on the scarf. Soon after she tied the scarf around he quietly thanked her and lay down on the chair as best he could to trying to get some sleep.

"Lin they are asking for you" an officer told her as she saw the boy slowly drift off.

"I'll be right there" she said, before leaving the room she gave the boy one more glance, and prayed to the spirits that he would be watched over and given strength to get past the coming days. The next morning Mako was told by the chief of police that the criminal was at large, but they would still search until he was found then bring him to justice.

Mako was told that by the police thirteen years ago, now here he was with the man in cuffs being told that the man was no longer able to be arrested due to the stature of limitations. He was outraged by the news that the crook was able to get off because he evaded the police long enough. "I'm sorry sir but there is nothing I can do for you" said a monotone secretary as Mako demanded answers.

He had spent three months picking up any leads that could point him to the man responsible for his parents deaths. He talked to all of the lowlifes scumbags thieves and informants before he finally found him. Mako beat the man to a pulp smashing his face breaking his nose and crushing a few fingers before he dragged the criminal out by his hair before Mako tied him to the side car of his cycle and brought him into the police station. Yet as he arrived feeling that he would finally have some measure of closure knowing this man would spend the rest of his worthless life behind bars he was given this new and it crushed him like a ton of bricks.

"This man killed my parents and you're telling me that you won't take him into custody because of some stupid paper work!?"

"Sir I'm going to need you to leave before I call security" the secretary warned as Mako screamed in rage leaving the man behind crumpled in pain surrounded by cops. He stormed out of the building with his palms turning red from heat and the rage Mako was releasing after years of holding it back. Mako ran as fast as he could try to find a non-populated area where he could vent his anger safely.

He ran to an abandoned ware house on the far end of town and began destroying the contents with fire and lightning. He broke boards, metal rods, and cement blocks trying to relieve the tightness in his chest and the constant pain he felt for the past thirteen years of his life as a street rat. He kept breaking objects until he was out of energy, even then he still tried to damage everything around him.

"MAKO!" he heard a voice yell his name in worry. Mako turned around and saw Korra running towards him at full sprint.

"Korra, what are you doing here?" he asked as his anger slowly dissipated with Korra's approach.

"I could ask you the same question" Korra said with a worried expression.

"I don't want to talk about it" Mako replied as he tried to hide the truth from Korra.

"Please Mako don't shut me out like all the other times. Please tell me whats wrong and I might be able to help."

"I... I'm sorry I just can't. The thought of it fills me with rage that makes me want to hurt people. I don't want you in the line of fire because if I hurt you I could never forgive myself." Mako said as he slowly walked out of the warehouse towards the docks hearing Korra call out to him and try following him as he disappeared from her sight.

Mako continued walking down the street until he arrived at the harbor and spotting multiple ships docked in the port. Some ready to set sail, others loading their cargo aboard. 'I always wanted to be a sailor' Mako thought as he crept up the side of one of the ships before it enter the bay leaving Republic City behind, possibly for good.