Korra POV
M/N and I walk up and sit down next to each other, much to Mako's dislike I can tell. My mom brings M/N a new shirt, very similar to my dad's. He thanks her and begins. M/N explains some of it over dinner, who those people were, he explains the brainwashing and how they did it. But he waits until the kids go to sleep to explain the rest.
You: "I'm sure most of you know that wasn't the full story." I see everybody nod in unison. He begins to explain the more "brutal" parts of the story. He explains how the 5 phrases said to him can put him under somebody's control. He doesn't say the actual phrases though, but I remember them clear as day. He then begins to explain how they injected him with some kind of metal, but says he can't remember what it was called.
You: "They injected Titanium into me a few years back as it was the strongest known metal then. It made me much harder to kill..." I hear him pause. I know he doesn't want to tell them. I put a hand on his shoulder, he turns to me and I smile slightly mouthing its ok to him. He takes a deep breath and continues. "They were trying to make me some kind of emotionless super soldier. Hence why they brainwashed me and injected that "stuff" into me. But they found a stronger metal, they said, if it fused with the titanium... I would become practically indestructible... They were right." I see him hold his hands up, and extend his claws. A shining silver, they probably extend 1-2 inches from his fingertips. I look to see everybody in shock, although Bolin looks more excited than shocked.
Bolin: "Dude! That's sweet!" I look to M/N but he still shows no emotion, there's still something he isn't telling us.
Korra: "M/N? There's something else isn't there?" He nods slowly. I see him retract all but one of his claws. I see him put it next to his arm, and he cuts himself with it.
Korra: "M/N!? What the hell are you doing!" but by the time I'm done saying that the wound is gone, leaving a small scar behind. "What?"
You: "I don't know what the hell it is, but I can heal myself, to an extent." He lifts up the side of his shirt to reveal a large gash in his side. "I can't seem to heal this, any small cut or wound I can heal rapidly, but anything larger than a flesh wound my body won't heal. I found out when I was breaking out of the compound, all the cuts and bruises I got were gone in seconds, but this large one didn't. It doesn't seem like it accelerates the healing process either, but whatever they did to me... it made me into some sort of killing machine, and something tells me there's at least one more group out there that knows the code to get inside my head..." I see my mom get up and walk around to hug him gently. He looks up somewhat confused, but doesn't reject her. When she pulls back and goes back to her own seat I hear M/N.
You: "So what's happened since I was gone?" I explain how we took down Amon, I lost my bending but got it back, and how I could airbend now. He smiles at the last one. I see my father look to M/N somewhat questioningly before he speaks.
Tonraq: "So, you're the Dual Bender then huh?" He nods. "I don't mean to intrude, but aren't there supposed to be two?" I see M/N look down at the mention of this.
You: "She's dead. She was killed 6 years ago. By some people called the Black Lotus." I see Tenzin's and my dad's eyes go wide.
Tonraq: "I'm so sorry kid, I didn't know, but if this Black Lotus has anything to do with the Red Lotus, we might be in trouble if they find both you, and Korra here, in the same place." I see M/N shake his head.
You: "You won't have to worry about the Black Lotus." I see everybody look at him confused.
Tenzin: "I feel like we should. Th-" Tenzin is cut off by M/N.
You: "There gone. After they killed them, I found out where their brotherhood was, and killed all of them, there were hundreds in total. I don't even remember the fight. The only thing I remember is the bodies, hundreds of bodies. They succeeded. I am nothing but a killing machine." And with that I see him get up and walk out of the house. I run to catch up after him, but I see F/C fire in the sky, he was running away, again.
*TIMESKIP*
Announcer: "Oh! The Boulder lands a massive blow to the Phoenix's side! Will he be able to get up?" God damn it. That one hurt, a lot. I'm sure that broke one of my ribs. I stay down and allow it to heal before getting back up. For the last 2 months, I've been training my healing abilities. I am now able to heal almost any wound if I concentrate on it, while cuts, scrapes, bruises, even fractures heal on their own. The only thing I haven't been able to heal are stab wounds or deep gashes. I wait until the pain is basically gone before standing. I turn to my opponent, big and bulky, speed attack it is. I rush low and go into one of my favorite moves in this ring, I go into a slide and send fire at his feet forcing him to jump, I then earthbend a rock right into his face, clearly knocking him unconscious. I turn around and walk back to my side of the arena and lean against the wall waiting for my next opponent.
Announcer: "Our next fighter comes from the Southern Water Tribe." Oh no. I see the gate rise and out walks Korra. Why? Why was she here? Why was she here now?
Korra: "So this is where you've been? Fighting in an underground arena."
You: "So? Why are you here?"
Korra: "You need to come back."
You: "No."
Korra: "Why? Why won't you? What's wrong?"
You: "Korra. Stop, just leave, I'm sorry but I can't."
Korra: "Why?! Why can't you just-just be normal!" I see her eyes widen at what she said.
You: "Wow. I didn't know you felt that way." I look down at the ground, god, why did that hurt more than it should have.
Korra: "M-M/N I'm so sorry, it's just. Why? Why did you leave? What did we do wrong? We've been looking for you. We care about you, so why? Why did you just leave?" God, she's right, but she doesn't know.
You: "I Left Because You Care! Everybody I've Ever Cared About Has Died! My Friends! My Family! There All Dead Because "I" Couldn't Protect Them!" I pause before saying what's next. "Bad shit happens to the people I care about... That's why I left."
Korra POV
That's why he left? Because he felt if he cared for us that we would all die... Just like everybody else he's cared fo-Oh god, that's why he is the way he is, that's why as soon as he's close, he becomes distant again. He's scared...
Korra: "M/N, if you care about us please come back. We need your help." He looks up at me. I see him, for the first time I feel like I truly see him.
You: "Fine, I will, but on one condition." I nod. "Of course, anything, what do you want?"
You: "I have been caring for an orphan. I need to take her with, she's about 6 or 7 and is a waterbender. People have been looking for her. I've been protecting her. I can't just leave her here." I nod in response. M/N forfeits the match and we leave, while angry fans throw empty popcorn bags at us. We arrive at a decent looking apartment complex for what the rest of this place looked like and M/N leads me inside to the second floor. He walks to the end of the hallway and unlocks the door. He leads me inside and I see a small dark-haired girl.
???: "M/N!" I see the little girl run and jump into his arms.
You: "Hey Sky." M/N says playfully.
Sky: "Who's that? Wait! Is that your girlfriend?!" I hear M/N laugh at her excitement.
You: "I wish." He laughs before realizing I was here and going red in the cheeks.
Sky: "Aww..." I see M/N shoot her a glare. "What? What did I do?" I see M/N open his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. "Ha! You got nothing! I'm innocent!" I start laughing hard when M/N facepalms and groans.
You: "Great, outsmarted by a 6-year-old."
Sky: "Hey! I'm 7!" I hear Sky yell. M/N and Sky begin packing, I told them that Lin had an airship docked outside the city so it wouldn't be a long walk. Once there done packing I hear a scream from outside. M/N runs over to the window and I see the color drain from his face.
You: "We need to go! Now! Sky are you ready!" I see Sky come running out of her room.
Sky: "Are they back?" I could tell she was scared.
Korra: "Who? Who's back?" I see her look at her feet.
Sky: "The people who want me. M/N's been protecting me, but... They keep getting stronger, the last one... it almost killed him." I look at her and then M/N who's still peering out the window trying not to be seen.
You: "Listen, Korra, when we get out take Sky and run to the airship, tell Lin to get ready to take off."
Korra: "Your insane if you think I'm leaving you alone again."
You: "This isn't about me! It's about keeping Sky safe!" He yells. "I'll follow you when I can." I nod and we all run out, but when we get there there's two people standing in front of us. An old man in a lab coat with tiny spectacles on, and the other... Looks like a taller, stronger version of M/N. I see M/N take a step in front of us.
You: "Get Sky to Lin and leave." I grab sky's hand and run, but I hide behind the corner of the street.
Korra: "I'm sorry but we need to wait here, M/N might need my help."
Sky: "He might need "our" help, I wasn't going to just leave him. There after me not him. Yet he's always the one who gets hurt. They've never even touched me before, he always took the hit. I am going to help him this time." I look at her feeling a little stunned that a 7-year-old girl can understand something like that. I look back to where M/N and whoever the other 2 are.
You: "So, Dr. Who's this?"
Dr. Vexx: "This is X-7, he's you, but stronger, faster, smarter, better." I see the thing he called X-7 begin to grow claws like M/N's, but his, they must be at least foot long. I see M/N's claws emerge as well.
Dr. Vexx: "You see, Phoenix." I flinch remembering what had happened to him at the compound. "This version is the ultimate weapon, it has no emotion, it is what we wanted you to become, but you were too stubborn. The girl, bring her back and you will live."
You: "I've told you. You Will Never Get Her!" I see his claws emerge and I see the fight begin. M/N sends waves of F/C fire and rocks the size of his torso flying towards this X-7 thing. Except, he dodges or blocks all but one. I see it attack, using its claws, it sliced his face leaving cuts running from his eye to his chin, although they almost immediately fade away I see M/N crack his neck and jumps right as it swung down on him. He spins to dodge the attack and lands right behind him. I see it grunt and begin to rise off the ground. M/N had his claws sunk into his back, he lifted him over his head and threw him into the nearest wall. A few seconds later I see it emerge from the ruble and start swinging it's claws again. They begin slashing and clawing at each other with M/N using his bending to keep the fight even. Although, as the fight wears on, I see M/N begin to slow down and take more hits from X-7. Eventually M/N is backed against the wall. He breathes fire at him and knocks him back a few feet, but I simply see the burns begin to heal. M/N jumps out from the smoke only to be grabbed and tossed into another wall. I see him fall to his knees, drenched in sweat and dried blood from his wounds. As he begins to stand again I see it, the scene played out in slow motion, as M/N stands X-7 runs at him... And sinks his claws into M/N's side. I see the claws stick out of his back as he coughs up blood. I see him remove his claws and M/N falls onto his knees. One hand covering the wound while the other is on the ground trying to keep him up. I see the old man walk over and put his foot on M/N's side pushing him over so he was lying on his back.
Dr. Vexx: "You see now? You aren't the best anymore. Now, I'm going to make you watch as we kill them in front of you." Oh no, I turn to Sky and see tears on her cheeks.
Korra: "Sky, listen to me you need to ru-" I'm cut off by a hand on my shoulder. I turn back to see it... This X-7 thing standing above me. I send a boulder at him forcing him to dodge and let go of me. We begin to fight, I try to stay at a distance to avoid his claws, but I begin to feel tired and get sloppy with my movements. He dodges an airwave I sent at him and slices my arm, I see 4 large cuts running across it. The next thing I see is his hand coming at my throat I feel the air stop coming in, I hear Sky scream I look down to see her being dragged by her hair towards M/N and that psychotic doctor. I feel myself being thrown against a wall. I fall down on all 4's trying to catch my breath, I look up to see Sky in cuffs around her wrists and ankles laying next to the doctor crying. I look over to see M/N trying to stand, blood is still seeping from the sides of his mouth and I can hear his raspy breathing from here. He's still coughing it up and there's a pool of it at his feet.
You: "Leave... Them... Alone..." I couldn't believe it. He was standing again; his shirt had been ripped to shreds leaving only the seam around his neck and his right sleeve intact. I saw the wound. 5 holes in his left side. I could see right through all of them.
Dr. Vexx: "What? You're still standing? Well... which one do you wish to see die first?" I see this X-7 thing walk over to me. "I guess it has chosen for you. Any last words?" I feel its claws against my neck. I look over to M/N, and I see the wounds begin to close, and his eyes begin to glow.