Avatar Voltron AU book one: the revolution

Chapter nine: fire lost

"Hey guys, I'm heading to the market, you need anything?" Keith asked his friends and Krolia.
"Yeah." Hunk said, "since Lance and I have been kinda taking up space here I thought I should repay you guys by cooking tonight. If you don't mind picking up a few things I can pay you back for them later."
Krolia shook her head. "I need to head out as well. I'll see you again tomorrow I promise."
"Don't worry about paying me back, I can cover it." Keith assured Hunk. "Just make a list and I'll get it." He turned to Krolia. "Are we meeting tomorrow, or are you coming back over here?" He asked.
"I'll come over here." Krolia said, "it'll be easier that way."
After a while hunk handed Keith the list, there wasn't as many things on it as hunk didn't want to trouble his friend too much.
Lance meanwhile was trying to straighten out his still sore back; this filled the room with ominous cracking sounds.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then." Keith smiled and took the list. "Is this all you need, Hunk? There isn't much on here." He asked. "If there's more, I'm good on money, so I can get it."
Krolia smiled hugged Keith goodbye and went out the door.
"No, that's all." Hunk said, "you'd be surprised what I can do with just that."
"Yeah Keith don't question the master chef." Lance chided.
Keith hugged Krolia back and looked at the list again. "Okay okay, I'll be back in a few hours. Don't destroy the apartment." He said and walked out.
"See you mullet," Lance called waving to Keith jokingly.
"Don't worry I'll keep Lance under control." Hunk called.

Keith rolled his eyes and shut the door to the apartment. He walked down the street, the market in sight. He had a feeling someone was watching him, but he shrugged it off. The equilist second in command came out of no where. He was flanked by several chi blockers. They wasted no time in taking Keith down with many swift blows that sent him to the ground in a heap. Keith fell to the ground, not even having time to pull his knife or gun on them. He cried out for help, but knew no one would come. The leader of the ambush picked Keith up roughly and tossed him into the back of a truck. The truck drove off unnoticed by anyone. As the truck moved it sounded like they were going through an underground tunnel. Keith struggled and fought in the back of the truck, blasting fire and wearing himself out. "Please! I didn't do anything wrong! Let me go!"
There was a banging sound from the driver hitting the wall. "Shut it!" He shouted. The truck drove on for a while until it finally came to a stop. When the truck stopped, Keith fell back, resulting in more bruises on his already beaten up body. His hair stuck to his face from sweat and his hands were covered in bruises and burns. The back of the truck opened and the chi blockers tied Keith up and dragged him down a long Hall. When they stopped they Hauled Keith to his feet where he could see Amon staring at him from behind his mask. Keith felt fear start to bubble up inside him as he struggled in his bindings. He had to find a way out. In a panic, he tried to burn the bidnings, but only ended up burning himself more.
"Take this one up to the stage." Amon ordered the chi blockers. They nodded and shoved Keith forward. They pushed an pulled him until he was standing on a brightly lit stage. There was a crowd of non benders shouting and gearing at Keith.
"No no no no no no no please, I'll do anything, just don't take my bending away!" Keith pleaded and struggled more.
In the crowd mako recognized the struggling fire bender. He poked Korra in the ribs to get her attention.
Amon came onto the stage and the chi blockers forced Keith to his knees.
"You will now be cleansed of your impurity." Amon told Keith in a cold voice as he grabbed the back of the fire Bender's neck.
Korra stared at the stage. "Isn't he the Lion Turtles fire bender?" She asked Mako in a hushed voice.
Keith panicked and did the first thing he could think of, and bit Amon's arm. "Stay away from me, you rat!" He snarled.
Mako nodded, his heart thumping in his chest.
Amon didn't flinch he merely tightened his grip. He pulled Keith's head back so he was staring at the high sealing. Amon places his thumb on Keith's forehead completing the connection as a shock went through the fire Bender's body; and just like that his bending was gone. Amon let Keith drop to the floor.
"Come on, we have to get him out of here!" Korra hissed to Mako.
Keith felt like a part of him had just been ripped from him as he fell to the floor with a small thud. Tears fell from his eyes as he tried to move, and found it more difficult.
Mako pushed his way through the crowd his heart pounding and face red with anger. He came from the side of the stage and waited for the chi blockers to take Keith his way.
Two chi blockers picked Keith up roughly and dragged him in the direction of off stage.
Korra made sure to follow close behind Mako, trying to not seem super suspicious.
Keith's vision went blurry as he was dragged. He was too weak to walk or move at all. He wasn't paralyzed, but his energy had been drained to make him so weak.
The chi blockers didn't notice Mako at first. By the time they did it was too late. Mako knocked both of them out quickly. He caught Keith as he fell back to the floor.
"Keith." He shook the other's shoulders trying to bring him back to full awareness. "Is it just you? Did the others get taken too?"
Keith looked at who was there and saw Mako in front of him. That snapped him out of his daze. "It was just me. The others are back at my apartment." He said, forcing himself to stay conscious.
Mako turned to Korra. "We need to get him out of here." He picked Keith up gently. "We're going to find Your brother. It's going to be okay." He told him.
"He should be at the station or with Tarlok." Keith said before promptly passing out in Mako's arms.
Korra nodded and looked at Mako. "I want to get everyone else out, but he's more important."
Mako ran with Keith in his arms. He had to get the fire bender out. They didn't have a problem getting out of the rally. It was slow progress but they got to police station eventually.
Korra ran next to Mako and opened the door when they got there. "Okay, we just need to find Shiro, that shouldn't be so hard."
"Avatar Korra." Tarlok came up to them a slight sneer on his face. "Are you here to rejoin my task force at last?"
Mako growled but didn't speak he was too busy looking around for Shiro.
"No. We need to know where Shiro is, it has to do with his brother and it's urgent." Korra said, trying to not snap at the older man.
"I'm afraid Shiro is busy at the moment." Tarlok said evasively, "I'm sure his hot head of a brother-"
"Keith!" Shiro came running up to them. His grey eyes were full of fear and worry. He took Keith from mako and examined the bruises and burns. "How did this happen?"
Korra looked at Shiro, sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry. We snuck into an equalist rally, and Amon...took his bending away. I'm guessing those were from him fighting before he got there.."
Tear pricked in Shiro's eyes. He held his little brother tight and close. "Keith... I'm so sorry... you needed me and I couldn't protect you..."
"That's enough. Need I remind you if your job?" Tarlok tried to pull shiro away. A stone wall shot up from the floor blocking the older water bender.
"Are you serious Tarlok? His brother just had his bending taken away and you don't even care!" Korra snapped.
Keith groaned and twitched in Shiro's arms, and remained unconscious.
"I'm taking him home." Shiro said, he turned to Tarlok a cold look in his eyes. "And you can forget about me being on the task force." He said before walking out of the station.
"He Let's his emotions get to him." Tarlok said, "a lot like you."
Korra growled and restrained herself from slapping him just for saying that. She turned and walked away to catch up with Shiro. "Hey, when he wakes up, you should let me see him and I should be able to heal the cuts and burns."
"Thank you so much for getting him out of there." Shiro said, "you don't need to trouble yourself though. Lance is a healer too. I wouldn't want to pull you away from your avatar duties."
"Its no trouble at all if you want me to help. I haven't really had..any avatar duties lately because I won't join the task force." Korra admitted.
"Well... I see why... Tarlok he's not easy to deal with." Shiro said. "I'm done with that task force. Tomorrow I'm telling Beifong I want out."
"Well good for you. I still can't believe he got you wrapped up in all of that. Also, if the other two want, I wouldn't mind covering the Lion Turtles fire power until we can figure out how to get Keith's bending back." Korra suggested.
"I'm sure they'd like that." Shiro said, "we'll hunk and Lance might have to talk Keith down." Shiro said, he sighed. "I got into it because I thought I could help people. That's all I want to do... I want to protect people."
Korra looked behind her. "Well you did a good job before the task force, and I need to go catch up with Mako now."
"I'm not so sure..." shiro muttered. He tightened his grip on Keith slightly. Shiro took a deep breath and walked home.
Keith's eyes opened as he looked up at Shiro. "Wh- where am I? Where's Mako and Korra?" He asked in a quiet, raspy voice.
"Shhh..." shiro said as he neared the apartment. "They left you with me. We're going home."
Tears started to form in Keith's eyes as he clung to Shiro. "I was so scared...my bending..its gone, what am I going to tell Lance and Hunk? We have a match soon."
"Shh... I know... I know. We're going to work this out." Shiro said softly, he opened the door.
"Keith!" Lance and hunk jumped up when Shiro walked in.
"Oh my god! What happened?!" Lance cried. Keith stayed quiet, not wanting to tell them what happened to him. He still found it hard to accept that his bending was really gone forever.
"Guys back up." Shiro told hunk and Lance. "We'll explain everything but not now."
"Right sorry..." Lance said backing up. Hunk didn't speak.
Shiro carries Keith to his room and laid him down on the bed. "I'll stay with you if you need me to." He told his brother. "I'm not leaving you alone..."
Keith sighed and stayed on his bed. "What am I going to tell them?" He asked and slid over to make room for Shiro. "I'm not a bender anymore. I don't know what would have happened to me if Mako hadn't saved me."
Shiro sat down on the bed. "Korra... she offered to stand in for you." He explained, "we're going to fix this. There has to be a way to get your bending back. I won't rest until I find a way."
"At least the Lion Turtles will still be able to be a team without me." Keith sighed. "I remember biting Amon. I would have shot him, but they tied my hands up."
"I'm just glad you're alive... Keith when they brought you in... I thought..." shiro held Keith's hand. "I will never let something like this happen again. I promise."
"Its my fault that it happened. I should have been more careful." Keith said. "And don't make promises you can't keep. You know how much trouble I get into."
"Yes I know... but you're my little brother." Shiro said, "I'm supposed to be able to protect you."
"And the little brother is supposed to make things difficult for the older one." Keith pointed out.
"Yeah... and you wonder why my hair went white." Shiro teased.
"Now that wasn't my fault." Keith laughed. "I just feel really weak, like a part of me is gone though."
"I know the feeling." Shiro said, "we will find a way to get your bending back."
"But how? It's gone and probably forever." Keith sighed. He looked at his door when he heard a knock.
"Come in." Shiro said. Lance opened the door and walked inside Hunk and Pidge not far behind him.
"Sorry couldn't wait." Lance said. "Then Pidge showed up and we told her what was going on."
"You're home early and we want to know what happened to Keith." Pidge said.
"I'm right here." Keith muttered. "Amon took my bending away."
Hunk and Lance exchanged terrified looks.
"The equalist are taking people off the streets now?" Hunk asked nervously.
"It appears so." Shiro said grimly.
"Is anyone safe now?" Lance asked in a hushed voice.
"Probably not. I don't know where I would be if Mako and Korra hadn't saved me." Keith admitted.
"The fire ferrets saved you. That's odd, but at least you're safe now." Pidge shrugged.
Shiro gritted his teeth. "They're getting too bold. And Tarlok he says it's nothing but this proves him wrong."
"We have to do something..." Lance said bitterly. "This can't keep going on."
"What can we possibly do?" Hunk asked.
"We can't do anything. If they catch any of you, its game over, no matter who you are." Keith said grimly. "I don't think we can stop them anymore."
"So you're saying we just sit back and let this happen?" Lance asked, "these people are monsters. Amon is hurting people... taking away part of them we can't just-"
"Lance stop." Shiro said, "this is too much for us to handle we can't do anything. I wish we could but we can't."
"I'm saying that we need non benders to do this. They don't have bending that can be taken away." Keith sighed. "Or get the avatar to try to take him down. I think just shooting him would work, but that's too aggressive."
"Shiro you're part of the task force." Hunk said, "you guys are doing something right?"
"I quit today... I'm not working for Tarlok anymore." Shiro said.
"You really quit?" Keith asked. "That's great, now you can go back to being a normal officer."
"It's not great, now we don't know what Tarlok is planning." Pidge pointed out and sighed.
"I have a general idea." Shiro said, "he wants power. Tarlok thinks if he puts on a show of fighting the city will hail him as hero..."
"That weasel snake." Lance spat.
Keith growled slightly. "Maybe I can volunteer at the police station and help you out now that I can't be a pro bender."
"As much as I'd like you too... I don't think that's a good idea right now." Shiro said, "Tarlok isn't happy with us and don't want to give any chance to do something to hurt us..."
"We should talk to Beifong." Hunk said.
"Yeah she can straighten this out." Lance said.
"I don't know if Beifong can do anything right now." Keith murmured.
"Trust me Lance, I already suggested that." Pidge sighed
"It's more than that. People think she could have done something to prevent all these attacks." Shiro said, "she's taking on too much as it is. We're all struggling since our officers were taken."
"But that's not her fault." Lance protested, "you guys can't be everywhere at once."
"That's why I should help. I just need to adjust to not having bending then go help." Keith said and looked up hopefully at Shiro.
"Keith... I know you want to help... but I don't think either of us should be close to Tarlok right now." Shiro said, "not until we're sure it's safe and he can't get to us."
"I agree." Lance said, "Tarlok is dangerous and powerful."
"I know why he doesn't like you, bit what does he have against me? Why doesn't he like me?" Keith asked. "Also, why is Pidge here and why isn't she mad and yelling at us?"
"Well... remember when I said I had to make a stop before work today?" Shiro said, "I went over to pidge's house to talk to her." He explained.
"Yeah, seeing him made me feel bad for treating you guys so bad." Pidge explained.
"Oh, that makes sense." Keith said. "Anyways, what should we all do now? I'm still not feeling too good."
"It's good you all are here but... you need to give him space." Shiro said kindly, Lance nodded.
"Come on you two." He led hunk and Pidge out of Keith's room.
Pidge groaned and followed Lance out of the room.
"Well, now that that's out of the way, what should I do now?" Keith asked Shiro. "I'm pretty useless."
"You're not useless." Shiro said pulling Keith into a hug. "We will find a way to get your bending back. I won't rest until we do."
Keith hugged Shiro back. "I know. You said that before, and right now, without my bending I am useless."
"No... don't ever say that. You're not useless. You never will be." Shiro assured him, he rubbed Keith's back. "You helped me without ever using your bending. You brought me back from that dark place. And I'll always be here for you."
"I know...I can't thank you enough for being here when I need you." Keith murmured and leaned on Shiro more. "I have more nightmare fuel now."
"I'll stay with you if that's what you need." Shiro whispered. "Just like I used to when you were little."
"Shiro.." Keith sighed. "It would be nice to spend time with you, but not when you say it like that."
"Sorry... I guess I'm just..." shiro stopped, saying that would only make it worse. "Sorry."
"It's fine, just don't make- oh crap..how am I going to explain this to Krolia?" Keith asked.
"I'll Handle Krolia." Shiro said, "I'd be more concerned what she'd do to the equilists if she got the chance."
Keith chuckled. "Yeah, I'd expect the death count to go up." He said in a joking tone, but he was completely serious.
"Yeah..." shiro sighed, "do you need me to get you anything?" He asked. "I'm home for the rest of the day."
Keith shook his head. "Nope. I'm not hungry, and the others are a little loud, so I'm good with just the two of us." He said. "Since Lance and Hunk are going to the gym tomorrow, can I go with them to watch?"
"Yes. You can if you're up for it." Shiro said. "Like it used to be. Just the two of us..."
"That and I wanted to find Mako to thank him for, well, saving me today." Keith added.
"I'll stop by too." Shiro said, "I don't know what I'd do without you Keith. Words can't even cover how thankful I am that they got you out."
"I know Shiro. I don't think they know how grateful I am that they did get me out." Keith said. "I couldn't bear to loose any of you."
"I wish I had been there... I could have done something..." shiro stood up. He rubbed where his prosthetic connected as rubber tumbled outside. "You mind if I take this off?" He asked, as thunder rumbled outside.
"You know I don't care, Shiro." Keith reminded his brother. "And even if you were there, I don't think you would have been able to do anything."
Shiro removed the fake arm, sighing in relief as the uncomfortable buzzing stopped. "That doesn't mean I couldn't have tried. I hate the thought of you getting hurt."
"But I would rather I get hurt than you get even threatened again." Keith said and leaned back on the bed.
"Keith I can take a little hazing from Tarlok." Shiro reminded him. "Wait— oh no..." shiro groaned in annoyance. He had forgotten what he had to do tomorrow.
"What is it? Did you forget something?" Keith asked, looking at Shiro with concern.
"I have to go to that doctor tomorrow..." shiro groaned, "I told him about the storm issue last time and he said they'd try and find a way to fix it." Shiro explained.
"Do you want me to come with you tomorrow? I can if you want me to." Keith offered.
"No stay with the others." Shiro said, "the doctor said... they might have to operate to fix it. I'll be fine but I don't want you to see that."
"I'm going with you tomorrow." Keith said firmly. "I don't want you walking home if you have to get your arm operated on."
"I'm not going back into a wheel chair Keith." Shiro said, "I should be able to walk home without any problems. Besides I'm a cop, I always carry a loaded gun."
"I had a loaded gun and a dagger, and look what happened to me. You need someone with you Shiro." Keith sighed.
"Alright, alright." Shiro relented, "you can come. Just don't threaten to strangle the doctor this time. They're already suggesting a therapist."
"A therapist for you? I thought that was my job." Keith joked and pulled his sketchbook out.
"They think I should see a real one." Shiro sighed sitting down on the bed again. "I'm against it. People like that don't really understand mental illness. I'd hate to get shut in one of those asylums."
"I would blow the place up and get you out if they did that, and you're right. I have a hard enough time understanding it when with my ADHD." Keith smiled and started drawing Shiro.
Shiro smiled and leaned back "we're both a little messed up aren't we?" He said with a tired laugh.
"We're all mad here." Keith said and started to laugh. "Anyways, you look tired, maybe you should get some sleep."
Shiro had already drifted off his eyes closed and breathing slow. He was propped up against the wall.
Keith got out of his bed and carefully got Shiro in. "Looks like I'm taking a couch again."
Lance quietly opened the door. "Hey... you guys doing okay in here?" He asked in a whisper.
Keith walked to the door and closed it behind him. "Yeah, he's asleep so I'm sharing a couch with someone."
"Why not take Shiro's bed for the night?" Lance asked, "hunk and I are okay in here on our own. I'm sure Shiro wouldn't mind."
"He wouldn't mind, but that bed is so uncomfortable. I just can't sleep on it." Keith admitted.
"So that's why he's always so tired." Lance said, he smirked. "Why don't we help you move Shiro to his room so you can have you bed?" He suggested.
"He just doesn't sleep like me. And Shiro's way to heavy to carry. I'll just try to slide him over." Keith shrugged and went to walk back to his room.
"Okay. Are you sure you're alright?" Lance asked. "You know you can talk to hunk to me and hunk if you need to."
"Well, alright is a very big stretch. All the bruises and burns hurt, and not having bending sucks." Keith said quickly.
"Here let me help with those injuries at least." Lance said, leading Keith to the kitchen sink. He turned it on and bent the water that came out. The water glowed a faint blue, as he started to apply it to Keith's injuries.
Keith took his shirt off, revealing massive bruises all over his back and shoulders. "Yeah, I didn't go down without a fight.."
"Oh god Keith..." Lance gasped. "Were you going to say anything? These are really bad. You're lucky Shiro fell asleep, he'd be on you about not telling him." The water bender ranted as he worked. The bruise started to fade and the burns scared over.
"I wasn't too worried about it they still don't even really hurt." Keith admitted. "Only the ones on my hands hurt." He explained and turned to face Lance, several bruises on the front of him as well.
Lance sighed. "You scared us half to death Keith... when you didn't come back." He moved to working on Keith's front.
"I didn't mean to scare you guys. How long was I gone? An hour or two?" Keith asked, not knowing how long he was really gone for.
"You were gone for five hours Keith." Lance said as the bruise faded. "Here let me take care of your hands." He said.
"What? It didn't feel that long. Maybe they knocked me out or something." Keith murmured.
"Judging by these bruise is sat so." Lance said, swirling the glowing water on Keith's hands until the burns scared over. "Alright you're all done."
Keith looked at the scars on his hands and sighed. "I hope none of you have to go through that."
"From now on were using the buddy system. No one goes anywhere alone." Lance said, "until these monsters are taken down... Shiro is right... none of use are safe."
"I'm safe to go where ever I want now. They will only go after you guys since you're benders still. Next time I see Amon," Keith pointed to his gun, "he's going down."
"Hey man, we'll get your bending back." Lance said firmly. "Whatever Amon did to you he can undo it. If he refuses we'll hit him until he dose."
"I hope so. I was going to go to the gym with you and Hunk so I could watch it you don't mind." Keith said and went to find some food.
"I saw on the calendar that Shiro has to go to the doctor tomorrow." Lance said, "he must be mad. I imagine he's had enough of them for a life time."
"Oh right, its just about his arm acting up when storms are around. I forgot that I'm going with him just in case." Keith said.
"Well the thing is made out of metal." Lance pointed out. "If He was out in a storm with that thing on he'd be like a Shiro shaped lightning rod."
"I know, but how else is he supposed to have a functioning arm?" Keith asked and found some leftovers to eat.
"Hey I'm an athlete not a doctor." Lance said. "Besides you should no shiro is too stubborn to admit he's having trouble. Just think in all the time it's been has he ever complained about phantom pains?"
"You have a point." Keith admitted and tried to warm the food in his hand before sighing in defeat when he remembered he had no bending.
"Come on mullet give it here." Lance took the plate from Keith. He used his water bending and brought the water to a boil heating up the food. "Here you go." He handed it back to Keith.
Keith took the food back and started to eat it. "Thank you, Lance. I would thank hunk, but I think he's asleep."
"Oh yeah he's sleeping." Lance said, "I live with the guy I can tell these things." He gave Keith a look. "I'm surprised you didn't ask how I learned to do that."
Keith shrugged. "I'm not surprised you can do that. With neither of you being fire benders, you have to heat your food up somehow."
"Well it's not just that." Lance said, "when you grow up on the literal frozen bottom of the world you find creative ways to stay warm." Lance laughed. "Or in my older brothers case a boiling water fight. Boy we did a number on each other sometimes."
"Now that sounds painful. I keep forgetting you're from the southern water tribe." Keith admitted. "Maybe we should visit there some time. I can meet these brothers of yours."
"Why don't you come to the glacier spirits festival with me this year?" Lance asked, "I mean I was going to invite you guys any way..." he rubbed the back of his neck.
"If your pro bending doesn't get in the way, that would be great. I'll probably freeze, but I'm sure it would be fun if Shiro goes too." Keith smiled.
"That's great! Don't worry it takes place burning our off season." Lance said. "It is literally the most fun thing ever. Games, rides, lots of fried food on sticks."
"Well that's good, I hope Shiro can take enough time off of work to go and that fried food sounds good." Keith said between mouthfuls of his own food.
"We might have to knock him out and drag him onto the boat." Lance joked. "I imagine he still gets sea sick. Earth benders like solid things, that's why I haven't taken hunk down there yet."
"Well the boat is solid." Keith said sarcastically. "They should be fine if they sleep the whole way there...wait how long is the ride?"
"It should take about a day to get down there if we leave early in the morning." Lance said. "It would be faster if we flew but I know you wouldn't like that."
"Oh heck no, I would stay here if you guys wanted to fly." Keith said and took his plate over to the sink to wash it off.
"Well..." Lance was cut off by a yawn. "I think I'm going to go get some sleep. You should too mullet, it'll help trust me."
"You know my battle with sleep, but I'll try." Keith said and walked down the hall. "Good night, Lance.. He called and walked into his room.
"Night Keith," Lance called, he walked into the living room and settled down on the couch.
Shiro was still sleeping peacefully on Keith's bed.
Keith walked over and carefully climbed over Shiro and on to his spot on the bed and doing it much easier to sleep.