Blood in the Water, Earth, Fire and Air

Prologue

Republic City

Eve of the Equalists' Conquest

The Equalists have taken over the city. The Avatar has been sent into retreat, the benders have been captured or remained in hiding. The city, the entire world was now in the palm of his hand. That's what Amon firmly believed as he stood silently in the shadows, looking on as his followers continued to enforce his rule of equality upon the city and all who dwelled within its walls.

Unknown to Amon, he wasn't alone. There was someone watching him. A being of pure madness and chaos incarnate. One who had a plan. A plan that involved the Avatar herself. And he would set his sinister plans in motion... but not just yet.

"I will bring true balance and equality to this world.", Amon uttered to himself, only to receive an unexpected response in the form of mock laughter.

He quickly turned towards the direction of the laughter, the sound of approaching footsteps confirming it. The figure, a man, stopped just a few feet away from where Amon stood. Even in the shadows, he could make out the chilling features of the individual who had sought him out. Green hair, pale chalk-white flesh, violet clothing and a sickening twisted grin marking his haunting visage.

"Ah Ha Ha Ha Hee Hee Ha Ha Ho Ho Hee Hee Ha. And here I thought that I was the only crazy one in this city. Talk about a bad joke, huh? HA!", The psychotic mad man remarked with a chuckle, his eyes seemingly capable of piercing through Amon's mask and into his soul.

"Who are you? And what do you want?", Amon demanded in a cold voice, enraged by this intruder's presence.

"Ya know, I've had a vision of your version of this world. I've seen your so-called world of equality, a world without the Avatar and benders... and I've got to tell ya... I happen to find it to be very, very boring.", The mad man responds, ignoring Amon's inquiries entirely.

"And why should I care what you think?", Amon questioned, standing firm and untimidated by the psychopath.

"Because, unlike you, I don't hide behind two masks. Or would that be three? In any case, if you don't understand what I'm getting at, maybe you should take off that mask, wash the paint off your face, and reveal who you really are! You see, also unlike you, my war paint... my mask... is permanent. HA HA HA HA HA HA!", The mad man retorts, cackling in madness and amusement.

"You're mad.", Amon deadpanned.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, my masked friend! Thanks for trying, though!", The psycho evenly responds.

"I should kill you for invading my privacy.", Amon stated, glaring at the sadistic mad man.

"HA HA HA HA HA! You can't kill me. And even if you could, it won't stop the Avatar from taking you and your followers down. I mean, you do realize that everything that you planned, everything that you schemed... it'll all be for nothing. It's all doomed to failure.", The deranged man cackled in reply.

"That is where you are wrong! I will cleanse the world of all benders! I will bring equality and balance to this corrupt world! And I will... I will destroy the Avatar!", Amon exclaimed, clenching his right hand tightly into a fist.

It was upon hearing this declaration that the mad man's grin nearly turned upside down. He slowly walks up to the leader of the Equalists, getting directly into his face. Amon's cold eyes stared deep into the eyes of the psycho, seeing the madness, insanity, anger and chaos that dwelled within. He feared nothing, and yet, when he looked into the mad man's eyes... a part of him shivered in fear.

"Now, you see, that's where you and I are going to have a major problem. She's not yours to take, and neither is this city... or the world. I'm here to inform you, to make it quite clear... that she's mine! If you kill her... if you take her bending away... I'll come for you. And all of your followers? They'll also die. Starting on the very night that you decide to either kill or take away the Avatar's bending. You have my word, Amon. And you should know... that I am a man of my word.", The mad man stated, his voice becoming low and menacing.

"You're threat means nothing to me.", Amon said, not intimidated in the least.

"Oh, it's not a threat! It's a promise! The Avatar is mine! She belongs to me! Not you, ME!", The psychotic being snarled, his horrific grin becoming even larger... if that was even possible.

"Why are you so interested in her?", Amon inquired, his curiosity intrigued.

"Ah, that's the question, isn't it? What is it about the her, what is it about the Avatar, that interests me so? Is it personal? Or is it just my way of having some fun? Anyways, like I said, this is a 'lose, lose' situation for you. Once the Avatar defeats you, you'll have nothing. If you defeat the Avatar, I'll come for you... and you'll have nothing. You see, it doesn't matter how all of this'll turn out,because you'll still lose, Amon.", The psychopath responded, taking pleasure in knowing that his words struck like a verbal barb against the Equalist leader.

"Get out!", Amon hissed, turning his back on the mad man who taunted him.

"Fine, I know when I'm not welcome at a party... not that it's ever stopped me before, but if you insist... I'll take my leave. I guess that means no cake for me. Oh, well! Just remember, Amon, that she's mine. I would hate for all my planning, or should I say... fun & games, would go to waste if I find out you've harmed her. It would simply ruin everything, which is something that I won't allow! HEE HEE HEE HA HA HA HA HA HA HAH HA HA!", The mad man replied before bursting into laughter that echoed throughout the entire complex.

Suddenly, just as Amon turned around, the mad man had disappeared from sight. It was as if he were some kind of spirit, an evil demon of chaos and madness. His eyes traveled around the room, searching for any signs that the psychotic creature may still be lurking within, but the Equalist leader's eyes soon discovered something else. Slowly, Amon kneels down and picks up the small rectangular shaped card up from the wooden floor. Inspecting the card closer, noticing the symbol on it to be a...

Joker.

Author's Notes

The Joker really got under Amon's skin, didn't he? I wonder what was more shocking. The fact that Joker knew Amon was a bender or the fact that the burns that Amon claimed were done upon him by a firebender are actually just paint that he himself applied to his face in order to fool his own followers?

That's why you don't mess with the Joker. He can destroy you physically or psychologically. But why is Joker setting his sights on Korra? Well, I belive that this Joker will view her in a similar manner that DC Comics' Joker views Batman. He views her as the greatest challenge, the only one that he considers to be his equal.

He's going to play mind games with her, test her in ways that she's never been tested, both in a physical and psychological sense. He believes that he can make Korra a stronger and better hero, but his methods in doing so are quite frightening and extreme to say the very least. And there might be a more twisted, insane reason why he's focusing on Avatar Korra.

He's going to go after those closest to her: Mako, Bolin, Asami, Tenzin and his family, Chief Lin Beifong. They're all targets for the Joker. And each one he'll inflict some form of trauma upon, whether it be in a physical or mental sense... if not both.

One thing is certain. He'll bring chaos, death, destruction and trauma to Republic City. Now, that's the killing joke of this tale. :) HA HA HA HA!

P.S.

Make sure to check out Alan Moore's "Batman: The Killing Joke" and Scott Snyder's "Death of the Family: Batman #13-17". They've both served as inspiration for this story.