The Avatar State – General Fong
"I'm sorry Katara; I hope you never have to see me like that again." Whispered Aang, has Katara embraced him on the dusty, cracked floor.
"Ha! Are you joking? That was almost perfect. We just have to find a way to control you when you're like that." Said General Fong; stroking his beard rather enthusiastically.
"You're out of your mind." The Avatar rudely pointed out.
"I guess we'll figure it out on the way to the Fire Nation." Fong continued, completely oblivious to the Water Tribe Boy plodding behind him on an armoured ostrich horse. Suddenly, Sokka wacked him over his head with the blunt end of his sword; Fong 's legs crumpled beneath him and the world turned black.
Fong woke up to a pounding headache. He struggled to sit up in his army-style bed, above everything else General Fong revelled in the ordered, army life style.
"Hello Fong." The voice shocked him from his stupor; in the hidden corner of the room, stood a strong, bold figure.
"Excuse me?" Fong was slightly irritated that someone was in his private quarters.
The person stepped into the morning light, and immediately Fong sprung to attention. "General How." Fong saluted briskly, panicking to why the leader of the Council of Five was in his bedchambers. "What a surprise to see you here. I was not expecting you."
"Well I'm glad I surprised you seeing as this was a surprise visit."
"A surprise inspection sir? Do you not think that this facility is performing to its best potential?"
"Now now Fong, don't get offended. Every regiment is being inspected. But what I was surprised about was that the Avatar had left before he had even stayed for the armed escort. And then, I learnt that he left in such a hurry because of your quickened decision to send a 12 year old boy to face the Fire Lord before he had even mastered the elements!" How's voice started to rise in anger.
"But sir, at the North Pole…"
"I am fully aware of what happened at the North Pole!" he snapped. "What I am not aware of is what was going through your mind when you attacked the Avatar, provoking him into going into the Avatar State, causing him to injure many soldiers and completely wrecking the courtyard!" How finished his rant, shoulders heaving with emotional exertion.
From that, Fong didn't know how to respond: he just stood there, silently, hanging his head in shame.
"Now that the Avatar has left without the armed escort, we have no protection, no reports, no influence over the boy. We have nothing!"
Fong stood back, astounded by what he had just heard. "You want to control the Avatar?"
"What? No, I didn't mean it like that." How muttered, realising his mistake.
"You just want to use him as a pawn, a puppet in this war, don't you?"
"Well yes, a certain amount of influence over him will benefit the Earth Kingdom.."
"The Earth Kingdom? Or you?" Fong accused.
At this How stiffened, "I am afraid to inform you General Fong that your services will no longer be required here in the Earth Kingdom Army. I thank you for your time and efforts given to our nation, good day." How walked out of the door, he seemed to hesitate before he crossed the doorway as if he wanted to say something, but he left. Fong collapsed on his bed, trembling with a cacophony of sobs.
3 months later- The Ostrich horse Bar- Gaoling
If you were to walk into The Ostrich horse Bar, you would want to be met with the gentle clink of glasses, the companionable chuckles of laughter and delicious smells wafting from the back kitchen. Instead, grunts and jeering came from the routine boxing fights in the corner of the room, taunts and abuse being thrown at fellow drinkers came from the gamblers tables and the stuffy room was filled with the stench of sweat and alcohol. The only calm, silent area of the pub was a dark, dusty bar stool on which sat a grey, equally dusty lonely soul, gulping a pint of cactus juice.
This was the scene that greeted General Sung as he strode into the entrance. He walked up to the greasy bar men, who was polishing a broken glass jug with a filthy tea towel. "You don't happen to know where General Fong is, do you." He went to lean on the counter but decided against it.
"General Fong?" the barmen pondered, before shaking his head.
"How about a little incentive?" he slid a copper piece over.
Quickly, the bartender snatched it up. "You can give me all the money in the Beifong estate mate, it ain't gonna procure some secret information I don't know."
"Couldn't have told me that before you took my money."
He shrugged and continued to clean or rather further soil the jug.
"You want Fong?" gruffly asked a man involved in delivering a head lock.
"Yes, you know of him?" Sung turned around.
"Over there." He nodded to the lonely soul nursing his tankard and brutally dealt a sharp punch to the jaw.
Sung picked through the crowd, and tapped on the slouched shoulders of Ex-General Fong.
"Fong?"
Without turning round, Fong grunted.
"It's me, General Sung."
"And I care because?"
"I want to give you your old job back."
This got the lost man's attention.
"My old job, as General?"
"Yes, let's just say, the new guy isn't as good as you, well actually no man is good enough for the job, and that well, we need you back Fong. It was a mistake firing you and although yes, the situation with the Avatar was delicate but what's past is past. The thing is, the war needs you back, we need you back."
"For sure?"
"Yes, definitely."
Fong tackled Sung to the ground in a massive bear hug; it went unnoticed by the hooting crowd, thinking it was just another fight.
"Thank you, thank you. You have given my life back." He gratefully whispered.
"You're welcome, now get off of me."
When the 100 Year War ended, General Fong was remembered for his achievements in the war and after he died, Aang had a statue and plaque set up in his home town of Gaoling.