บท 90: Aftermath(3)

In the next weeks, I held a lot of rallies and talk about people coexisting, benders and non-benders alike. I told the public that I was an equalists as well at one point and that I believe that they were good at the beginning. It took me some time but I managed to make them think that the equalists were only misguided by Amon and that they at their core were a force for good, that when the organization was originally founded, it was founded on the principle to help people deal with the inequality, that their job was to help the non-benders fight against the triads.

They bought all of the things I said. With the public's and Lin's support I managed to convince the provisional leadership of the city to release most of the captured people. I also hinted that this will score a lot of points with the non-benders in the upcoming election, when they hear this they were more than happy to comply with any of my requests.

In two weeks I managed to get almost all of my people out of jail, the people left inside were a few of the older members, Wu and Hiroshi, as much as I wanted to get Master Wu out even I couldn't come out with an excuse for what he has done. As for the rest, I was pretty happy with the outcome, with them out of the picture I could easily take control of the Equalists. I was ready to build a new organization like I always planed. I had everything that I needed, people that I trust to help me manage, the trust of the public, resources, with the help of Asami, granted that Future Industries took a big hit due to the revolution but I had ways to make it flourish again, things were starting to fall into place.

Once I got all the people that I could out I organized a gathering in one of the old places that the Equalists used to frequent.

I walk on stage and started to address the crowd.

"Good evening, my brothers!"

They didn't respond kindly to my greeting, who know that beating the living daylight out of them will cause such a reaction. Since there were so many people talking one over the other I used a little trick I learn back inside the Underground City, infusing my vocal cords and lungs with internal energy and speaking.

"I know that I might not be your favorite person right now but I want to tell you a story about how we all got here."

I told them a story about my life, things like how I entered the Equalists, why I entered the Equalists, about my grandmother, I invented a story of how I found out about Amon, about how I tried to change things but I couldn't, why I change sides, just the bare bones. It was a touching story, to say the least.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't do better, be better. All my life, I've always wanted to help people. I saw my grandmother struggle every day to food on the table, I didn't grow up with a silver spoon up my ass, I worked hard for every single thing I ever achieved. I didn't spend my time with rich kids at parties, I spend my time working with benders and non-benders alike to help take care of my family."

I let the people sit in silence for a few seconds to let them digest my words. Then I continued my speech. It's not good to let people sit too much on something, they will find a flaw, in the most carefully thought and told stories.

"I've been in Republic City all my life and you know what I found quite early on? That it doesn't matter if you can bend or not we are all humans at the end of the day, we laugh, we cry, we bleed. I also learned quite early on that there are two kinds of people in the world, bad people and good people, it doesn't matter if you can shoot fire out your ass or not or if you can make water flow out of your nose or not. Having the ability to light some fireworks doesn't change the fact that you are a good or a bad person.

Some benders lived as bad as us, they suffered just as bad as us. There are also non-benders who helped the triads. Having the ability to bend doesn't make someone a villain as not having it doesn't make some a hero or a saint. Our choices matter! Each day we go out we influence people, not in a big way every time but we do.

I don't know how many of you still remember the day you joined, but I do. I remember that it was cold and I was scared, I just saw the triads take protection money for the shop and this made me feel angry and useless. I got to one of the dojos that the Equalists had and meet Master Wu. He asked me "What are you doing here kid?" I answered, "I've come here to learn how to fight back, how to protect my loved one!" he asked me if I hated bender, do you know what my answer was? No, I don't hate them, bending is just a tool, it's not evil, the people that use it to harm others are evil! He agreed with me, took me in, and thought me how to fight, not to destroy bending but to crush evil.

In the beginning, our intentions were pure, but as time went on Amon started to change our direction, from punishing evil we started to punish bending. From a force of good, we became no better than a force just as evil as the triads, we started to pressure people because they were different.

Although the organization is no more, we are still here, its heart, its flesh and blood, I don't want to sit back and watch my home burn from the sidelines. Join me and let's create an organization not based on fear or hatred but one based on love and hope. Join me and help me create a better future for all of us."

I pause again, I want to see their reaction, I want to see if all those preparations were for nothing or not.

"And how will this organization be called?"

"I thought about it and I think "Heaven's Gate" it's a good name because we are the protectors of paradise, it's guardians against all evil."

At first only a few started to chant its name but then more and more people started to join, in no time loud roars could be heard across the warehouse, making it vibrate.

"HEAVEN'S GATE!"