Batman of Ba Sing Se
Long Feng sat in his office. The green light from the fireplace on the opposite side of the room caused shadows to flicker against the walls. The Grand Secretariat sat behind his large wooden desk studying the pages of a large tome he had taken from the wall behind him.
The walls of the room where covered with high shelves. Each one crowded with scrolls, books, letters and reports. The information they held varied from the extraordinary to the mundane but all of it was necessary to ensure he remained in control of his city. The book he was reading at the moment was nothing too important. He was just trying to keep himself occupied while he waited for one of his Dai Li agents to tell him that his guest had arrived. Black Mask, the crime lord.
Long Feng did not have to wait for much longer. The door to the office opened and a Dai Li agent slipped in. "He's arrived."
He followed the agent through the halls of the palace until they came to a wall where another Dai Li agent was waiting. As they approached the second Dai Li agent used his earthbending to sink a section of the wall into the ground, revealing a hidden passageway.
The first Dai Li agent entered the passage, lighting a torch before they descended the stone stairs into the darkness. Long Feng followed with the second Dai Li agent entering last before closing the doorway behind them. They began to make their way down the narrow steps. Long Feng walking in-between the two agents, a torch in front leading the way. The steps winded around as they headed deeper beneath Ba Sing Se.
Eventually the passage lead into a much larger stone tunnel, illuminated by clusters of glowing, green crystals. It was part of the old crystal catacombs. Ba Sing Se was filled with places like this and Long Feng made sure to make use of them. Like the facility beneath Lake Laogai or in this case to have a meeting with the city's biggest crime lord.
After walking a while longer Long Feng arrived at a small, circular cavern with tunnels on either side. The one Long Feng had entered through and another on the opposite side. Waiting inside the cavern where eight more of his Dai Li, set into two rows of four along his side of the room.
In the middle of the room was a crudely made stone table with a flat mound of rock on either side to act as chairs.
Sitting behind the table, facing Long Feng, was Hanzai-sha. The Black Mask. He dressed in fine white robes, as if he was attending a funeral, accented with dark black trim. The clothing appeared to be almost Fire Nation in style. Not surprising considering the man that was wearing it hailed from the Fire Nation colonies by birth. Normally, this fact alone would have been enough for Long Feng to move into action and detain him however Hanzai-sha had always put his own personal gain ahead of that of his nation. As is to be expected from any successful criminal.
By far the most striking aspect of his appearance was the black Oni mask he wore over his face. The only colour on the mask was the bright, white teeth in the masks snarling mouth. His hair, ears and neck where hidden by a hood he had pulled down over his head. The mask hide his eyes and mouth leaving no hint of his true expression.
Hanzai-sha had brought ten of his own men with him. They stood along his side of the room in no particular formation. Although they all dressed similarly none of them wore the exact same clothes. They dressed in the kind of clothes that someone from the middle ring would consider 'formal`. Clearly these where clothes they had bought themselves rather than any kind of uniform. Their clothes where black and brown and different shades of green, not one piece of clothing match another that someone else was wearing. That is with the exception of the simple black masks they wore over their own faces. The masks they wore where nothing but pieces of black wood carved into crude, skull-like faces. These masks did not hide the wearer's eyes. Long Feng could see that the thugs where watching his Dai Li agents intently. The thugs carried a variety of weapons and though Hanzai-sha had undoubtable brought capable fighters with him Long Feng was certain they would not last long against the Dai Li, even if Hanzai-sha had hidden an earthbender or two amongst his men.
Long Feng sat down at the table. "To what do I owe this visit, I wonder?"
"You know damn well why I'm here." Hanzai-sha replied with a harsh voice.
Long Feng internally scowled. It had never been easy to stomach Hanzai-sha disrespectful nature. To think that this up jumped criminal thought he could speak to him that way! He allowed the criminal speak as he wished however because he knew that he had all of the real power and if Hanzai-sha ever chose to over step, that he could end him swiftly. But in any case he knew why he was here.
"Ah, yes. The supposed 'Batman`." Long Feng smiled. "I never took you for a superstitious man, Hanzai-sha."
Black Mask leaned forward. "I'm not."
"Really? Because it seems that you must be quite concerned about this urban myth to come to me about it. What theory do you subscribe too? Do you believe its some kind of enraged spirit? Or perhaps a horrific bat monster?"
"It doesn't matter what it is. All that matters is what it's doing." Hanzai-sha growled from behind his mask. "It's going after my men."
Long Feng smirked. "A few of your street thugs being put behind bars is hardly a problem. It reassures the citizens that their city is safe." He said it as if he was speaking to the masses themselves. With false cheer and feigned politeness. "Besides you have more than enough to spare." He nodded to the thugs standing behind Black Mask.
"I agree but it doesn't stop there. Whatever this thing is it started going after the guys higher up the ladder. Bigger parts of my organisation. I'm guessing you know about that shipment of Air Nomad artefacts that I was bringing into the city?"
Long Feng nodded. He had known about the arrival of the artefacts for some time before they even arrived in the city. He had also been rather surprised that Black Mask had been able to acquire them at all. Air Nomad relics where vanishingly rare, with most of the artefacts having been destroyed along with the Air Benders themselves at the start of the war. It was highly unlikely he had found any in the Earth Kingdom leaving only the Fire Nation as the source of the artefacts. That was something Long Feng would need to look into further.
"It took a lot of effort to find those artefacts and bring `em here." Hanzai-sha continued. "I had a list of nobles and upper ring snobs the length of my arm ready to buy. Now they're sitting in a guard lock up in the middle ring with a bunch of rats from university asking that they be donated to the university for 'cultural study'!" He yelled. "Whatever this Batman is it's costing me money!"
The Grand Secretariat sat there thinking for a brief moment. He could offer his help to the crime lord in dealing with this problem however he was unsure if he should. If Black Mask was having problems dealing with this single interference was he worth helping at all? Their partnership had benefited Long Feng in many ways over the years but if Hanzai-sha was losing control perhaps it was best to move onto another crime lord. He considered for only a moment before dismissing the idea. Though there were a few other large criminal organisations in the city none where as large as Black Mask's operation and from the information that Long Feng had gathered they were being hit just as hard by this Bat creature.
Coming to his decisions Long Feng spoke. "If I am to help you deal with this bat problem what would I be getting in return?" Rather than the response he had expected from Black Mask, the crime lord gave a bark of laughter.
"I'm not asking for a favour. I'm asking that we deal with this thing as a mutual problem." Black Mask explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I fail to see how this is my problem!" Long Feng declared. "This creature has been going after criminals not members of the Earth Kings court!"
"And here's me thinking that they are one in the same." Black Mask retorted. "It may not be going after you or your Dai Li but that won't last long. It's already been going after the members of the city watch I have on my pay role, and the ones that aren't. As long as they're corrupt. How long before it starts going after the rest of the corruption?" He pointed a finger at Long Feng's chest. "We're not the only ones to notice what this things been doing, either. The people know. They're talking about this thing! Telling stories about it! Some don't believe it's real, some are scared but some believe in what it's doing! How long do you think it will be before they decide to stop paying their protection money? To stop doing as we tell them?" Black Mask leaned back. "How long before their not afraid of you anymore?"
Long Feng barely suppressed his rage. "You come to me and demand my help to deal with a… urban legend without offering any payment for my assistance! And then you insult me! This creature is no threat to the stability of Ba Sing Se! You are nothing more than a criminal! Your problems are far beneath me!"
Black Mask gave an exasperated sigh as he stood up from his chair. "That's always been your problem." Black Mask began readying himself to leave, fixing his cuffs and straightening the collar of his clothes. "You think no one can challenge you. No one's more powerful. That you can out smart anyone. You think you're above everyone but last I checked." He glanced around the stone cavern. "You're down here in the dirt with me."
Long Feng was seething. "Unless you have something worthwhile to offer me get out!"
"I'm going." Hanzai-sha replied casually. "Your help would have made things easier but I'll deal with the bat by myself."
"Fine." Long Feng replied, standing up, ready to leave.
"But I have to wonder." Black Mask spoke suddenly as they were both leaving. Long Feng stopped to listen. "Why you haven't dealt with the bat already? A dangerous new element in the city. Maybe you don't as much about the bat as you'd like?"
"Get out!" Long Feng commanded. Without another word Black Mask and his thugs exited out of the chamber thorough the opposite tunnel. Long Feng made his way back the way he had enter, now with ten Dai Li agents with him in a procession of two rows of five. Two in the front where carrying torches and so where two in the back. As they walked Long Feng considered Black Mask's words. The head of the Dai Li did not know as much about the batman as he would like. As of now that would change.
He called to one of the Dai Li walking a few paces behind him, the agent stepped forward. "I want you to find out everything you can about this batman creature." Long Feng instructed. "What it is, where it's from, what it plans to do and anything else you can discover. Send as many agents as you can."
"What are we to do once we discover this information?" The agent asked respectfully.
"I will assess the situation and if I deem so necessary, we'll destroy it. Whatever it is."
So this is the second chapter of this story. I'm working on other stories at the moment but I had an idea for this chapter and decided to continue. If you wold like me to continue the story let me know.
Your own opinions and ideas for the story are welcome. Let me know what you think, anything that needs improving and if everybody seems in character. Leave a review or use private messaging.
Thanks for reading.