In Ba Sing Se, in the palace of the Earth Kingdom.
Three men knelt in front of the Earth Queen, who had just received an urgent report that forced her to leave her meal with a new species.
She had promised the Dai Li's director and his subordinates that they would lose their heads if they didn't bring something worth her time.
Sure, Amon's ability to take bending away was worth considering. But it wasn't enough to interrupt her meal.
And as she read the note from Akashi, her eyes widened.
The writing style of this dead man was different from the one he had in the forbidden book.
And by the forbidden book, she meant the book where she had been gang-banged by the Dai Li. True story, but it shouldn't get out.
[Your majesty, I leave this letter in the pockets of the glorious Dai Li agents, because I believe a wise ruler like yourself shouldn't be tricked by the likes of the bloodbenders.
It came to my understanding that you think that I was the one who killed the envoys and wrote a very insulting book. Your majesty, I'm but a humble common man who trembles even in front of a slightly rich man, so I wouldn't dare to do so.
But what you don't know is that Tarrlok and Amon are brothers. And the forbidden book is nothing but a way to get you to sponsor their scheme to rule the world.
If you think I'm lying, your majesty, how can a mere airbender like me defeat 9 elites and a bloodbender? I'm not the Avatar.
I've been threatened with arrest by Tarrlok, by Tarrlok himself. And now, as the Equalists had taken me to their base, I've found this book in the corner, and I understood everything.
They wanted you to get angry at me, so that they could use your money. And now, they are planning to fake my death by a lousy shark. And if you don't believe me, this note has been slipped inside your agents before even the shark appeared.]
"Did this note get inside your pocket before that shark appeared?" the Earth Queen asked, as she lowered the letter.
It was now clear that Akashi was just a pathetic working-class man.
She could read people very well, and she knew that he wouldn't be able to write good literature, for his writing style was cliché.
"Yes, your majesty." He replied.
"What are the chances that man could know that a shark would appear? Matter of fact, what are the chances that a shark could slip unnoticed into the pro-bending arena?" she asked.
As a wise queen, she believed that no matter what people say, the truth lies in the hands of facts and evidence.
Now, the facts were saying that Akashi was a puppet for Amon and Tarrlok.
And they played her to get her money.
"One in a million. It happened once before, but it didn't go unnoticed as there are waterbenders watching the entrances."
"So, it's one of the bloodbenders controlling that animal to fake his death." She clenched her teeth, "To think that they took my money and fooled me. And now, they have this, volume three, to god knows what ploy they have to extract money from me… who the hell do they think they are?!"
"Your majesty, we can assassinate them and bring their heads to you, every single one of them."
Since the note had been handed to them, they did know its content, and they understood her anger.
They knew what they should do.
She snorted. "And get all of you killed by those bloodbenders. There is no way. I'm going to use the debt that Amon signed on to put pressure on him in case he succeeds and destroy his empire economically. Matter of fact, put Amon as an international terrorist, and make a demand that any nation that holds him to hand him to me. Though I doubt that it could happen. But it will make him lose all of his followers, or even doubt him."
"Your wisdom is shining upon us."
"Hail her majesty's brains."
The Queen grimaced. "Stop with it. You've already ruined my appetite."
She no longer had interest in Akashi. His life and death were no longer important.
What's important was that she was getting fooled into pegging the wrong man.
'It makes sense. To get my support, they used Akashi to get money from me, and then by taking him down and showing their power, I'd be tempted to make an alliance with them, which they would benefit the most from. Poor idiots. They don't know who they are messing up with.'
She smirked.
-x-X-x-
Amon stood in the middle with a water whirlpool spinning around him, meant to protect him from any sound wave or a sudden air attack.
As one of the most advanced benders who didn't need a full moon to bloodbend, nor to move to bend the most difficult form of bloodbending, sensing Akashi's approach would be easy for him.
*Pew* *Pew* *Pew*
He heard a sharp sound, and he turned, creating a barrier from ice in front of him.
The ice got pierced by a sharp wind that took the shape of a small sphere.
But just then, his feet got pierced by an air bullet.
"Yeah. You didn't hear it coming, did you." Akashi asked.
But he was nowhere in sight.
"Why don't you man up and show yourself," Amon said, extending his hand to Akashi. "We still could work together. With your power and intellect, I could see you useful for my plan to bring equality."
"You're too worthy to be let go." Akashi said, appearing behind Amon, even though his voice echoed from the front.
And just then, he gave a strong punch to Amon's spine, amplifying the shockwave.
Amon got on his knees and turned his head, activating his bloodbending.
But Akashi had escaped. Or rather, he had used tactical retreating.
And then, with a sound being manipulated, air bullets hit Amon from unexpected directions, and it wasn't until he fell on his knees that Akashi appeared, walking toward him.
"It's over, Amon." Akashi said, walking to Amon.
But then, he stopped, feeling something amiss.
Amon had just lost all of his gains.
He waved his hand, strong wind hitting the mask, only to reveal a young face, belonging to one of the anti-benders.
"There's a reason why they say bloodbending is like puppetry." Amon's voice echoed.
The people that Akashi had knocked out earlier stood up from the ground, yet they were asleep, like lifeless puppets being controlled, floating and closing the surroundings on him.
"Checkmate."
A man stood within the zombie-like people, extending his hand to Akashi, and taking control over the latter's body.