Here is the third chapter in Book 2 on time as always. The only thing to note here is that there was a suggestion in the reviews for Harry to talk to Regulus about keeping his head down in hostile territory. Unfortunately I didn't have time to add it but I will reference it here and either add the full scene to the upcoming stand alone novella about Regulus' desertion from the Death Eaters or it will appear as a chapter in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. The Lost Adventures when that is released after Book 5. So without further adieu, sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 2: Equality
Disclaimer: As always I own nothing related to either of these two great works of fiction.
Chapter 3
It had been a hectic two weeks for Harry and his friends. The first week he and Ron had had to persuade Luna, who had been away in the Spirit World for a week and as such was the only one of them unaware of the plan, that their plan was the only one that they could come up with that had a slim chance of success. Luna had agreed with the others that it was all they had left to try so why not, there wasn't anything to lose by implementing the plan after all. Luna never thought in a straight line, likely due to her airbending training, and always kept an open mind so she had been the easiest to persuade. She had also been happy that she would see her father in the Western Air Temple before they ventured behind enemy lines and into the Fire Nation. Xenophilius had made repeated attempts to move to Air Temple Island to be with his daughter but had been shot down each time as Jinora found him to be too eccentric and insane for Republic City. From what Harry had heard he had to agree with Jinora that it was best to keep him in the Western Air Temple.
The rest of the week was spent making preparations, saying their goodbyes to other friends, colleagues, parents, etc. Neville had wrapped up his case and all had received permission to take a leave of absence from their work and/or studies. This had not been hard for them to accomplish as they were all known members of Team Avatar and all they had to say was that Harry had requested their assistance for a matter in Ba Sing Se and that it could take months to resolve. Chief Robards was one of the few who had clearance to know of the plan so he had already granted permission for Ron and Neville to go while Ginny and Luna's supervisors knew that they were part of Team Avatar and had allowed them the leave they requested but had insisted that they keep up with their respective studies. There was a convenient bandit infestation in the mountains near Ba Sing Se as well as an underworld crime problem in the eastern Earth Kingdom states that would hide their real mission from any who didn't need to know about it.
While his friends had been finishing their assignments or projects and getting permission to leave, Harry had traveled to the Elemental Academy to see Prince Regulus. Harry had tried to avoid being noticed when he returned to the Academy but that had failed miserably and he had been forced to sign autographs and chat with students about his actions over the last few years since he had graduated. Eventually he had managed to break free and was able to see Regulus in his office in the Water House. As Crown Prince of the Northern Water Tribe, Regulus had the requisite clearance to know of the mission so once Harry knew that the room they were in was secure he told Regulus about the mission and asked for Regulus' advice on traveling through a nation incognito when one needed to keep one's head low.
Regulus, who had finally been persuaded to write the story of his journey from deserting to the Death Eaters up to his arrival in Omashu, gave Harry his best advice. It basically boiled down to not making a scene, not using abilities that were easily traced like Harry's lavabending, not using their real names, disguising their last know appearances, and trying to stay away from major areas unless they had to go there. Regulus suggested that they stick to the countryside but he also admitted that when he deserted he had no support, limited knowledge of the Fire Nation prior to his journey there as that was his first and only visit to the nation, and Regulus didn't have someone as resourceful as Pyrites to call on, providing Pyrites agreed to the deal. Pyrites would be able to provide them with materials that Regulus didn't have access too like fake IDs, money, lodging and possibly transportation. It had been a useful meeting however and Harry had taken notes on what to do, he would discuss this later with his team when they had the chance to talk by themselves about their strategy if they breached the blockade and made it into the Fire Nation.
At the end of the week the latest luxury Future Industries airship arrived at Air Temple Island to take Team Avatar to Ba Sing Se. It was the same design as the one that had been destroyed in the Battle over Tor Blinn though this one had more rooms and amenities than the last one as it was a newer model. In her will Asami had left the company to Bolin and Mako as she and Korra had not had children. She had also left a clause stating that Future Industries was to aid and provide material support to the Avatar whenever he or she should need it in the future free of cost, within reason and only so long as the Avatar continued to act for the good of the world. That meant an airship, access to the company's satomobile pool and other tech that may become available or if it wasn't available to try and create it, though Harry wasn't going to abuse the privilege. The last part regarding the creation of new technology had done with Harry's monitoring system.
Harry had wondered if it was even possible but between Varrick Jr. and Future Industries they had been able to create a working tracker and receiver that would suffice for the meeting, they could always upgrade the system attached to Pyrites with newer tech if they succeeded as they would know where to find Pyrites while he was on parole. The new technology ran on a low level radio frequency, below what radios actually used so as to avoid interference, but that could still be adjusted as needed. It was only calibrated to work between the two specific devices. Once turned on, if the received did not receive a signal from the monitor ever 5 minutes, again a feature that could be changed, then the subject would be shocked for every failed reception.
In addition the receiver could be used to send a shock to the suspect should the holder of it feel like doing so as a means of control but Harry knew there was a potential for abuse and so far there was no way of avoiding that other than to stop the abuser. Due to the range on the devise it could be used to keep the suspect within a specified area thus limiting the person's movements significantly and allowing law enforcement to know the vague location of the individual. Currently that range was the geographical area of the Fire Nation as they needed the leeway to allow Pyrites to operate and it served to bind him to the Fire Nation if they won and the former Death Eater survived.
Both devises were made using materials that couldn't be bent by any known bender and due to the complexity they could only work with each other. The monitor was an ankle bracelet that once locked in place could only be removed by a command from the receiver, so during the mission only Harry could deactivate it. Overall Harry had been pleased with the result, as had Varrick and Future Industries as the joint venture was already gaining media attention and both companies, who had decided to share the patent and profits, had already received lucrative contracts from authorities and governments around the world to produce and supply them with the technology they needed to keep track of certain criminals.
Now though, they were well on their way back to Ba Sing Se and Harry would see his parents for the first time in almost a year, despite being in the Lower Ring 6 months ago to apprehend Peter. They had been so busy that he hadn't found the time to make it to the Imperial Capital or to home to Omashu when his parents were home, which they had been 6 months ago so he had just missed them that time. Also given Peter's habit of slipping away, Harry had been forced to transfer him immediately to the White Lotus Firebending Supermax Prison.
The journey had mercifully been uneventful, though there weren't many air brigands who would attack an airship that was carrying the Avatar. Harry and his friends spared, relaxed, ate and talked about what to do for the next week while they made final preparations in Ba Sing Se. They already had the supplies that they needed for the mission, all that was left to do was to get Wu's vote in favor of the mission, which was a foregone conclusion according to Zhan's last message, and inform the Kyoshi office in the Upper Ring of their plans to take custody of their prisoner.
Harry knew that the female warriors, at least the Ba Sing Se contingent was all female but men could join the Kyoshi Warriors if they chose to, would agree with them on the importance of their task to remove the Fire Empress from power. According to Hermione, all of the Kyoshi Warriors guarding Iroh had been murdered defending him from the coup that she had launched, including their captain Suki, though Hermione blamed the girls for their own deaths by calling them brainwashed slaves of tyrants who she had been trying to save.
The massacre of the Warriors during Hermione's coup had been a huge blow to them as Suki was seen as the next in line to lead the whole guild when her mother stood down from the position in a few years. That role now fell to her younger sister Katara but the blow had been huge to the small, tight guild, both to their honor and their emotions. The girls would easily agree to any chance, no matter how slim or crazy it was, to take down the bitch who had murdered their sisters while claiming she had only wanted to help them throw off the chains of slavery that Zuko and his descendants had bound them in. It was just one of the many crimes that Harry hoped to eventual bring Hermione to justice for, when the time came.
Right now the team was on the observation deck of the airship as they flew over the Agrarian Zone and towards the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se. Harry and Ginny stood at the front, leaning on the railing and looking out towards the Imperial Capital while Neville and Ron were doing a light sparring session using nonbending weapons, Neville's jian sword against Ron wielding only a pair of hunting knives for some reason. Both blades were sheathed to avoid injury. Lastly Luna was busy cleaning Pandora though her bison was already spotless. They had all agreed that they would leave Ba Sing Se under the cover of night in a week's and travel on Pandora to Pyrites' prison in Golguth. The airship was too big and conspicuous to be used for a covert mission of this nature. They would likely have to send Pandora back to the Western Air Temple when they had to sneak into the Fire Nation as it would be hard to keep her hidden while skulking around the heavily policed rouge nation.
Harry had also regretted having to leave Hedwig on Air Temple Island but she was not suited for the mission at all. They couldn't physically take her into the Fire Nation due to her size and even if they could, she would stick out like a sore thumb when they got there. Harry was sure his albino badgermole didn't particularly mind as she was likely getting pampered and spoiled by the airbenders and air acolytes at Air Temple Island while he was away.
Harry inhaled a deep breath of air before he suddenly began coughing and spluttering as he doubled over and gagged. He had been so absorbed in his own thoughts about the upcoming mission that he hadn't realized that they had crossed from the Agrarian Zone and into the Lower Ring. As a result Harry had just inhaled the pungent scents of pollution, decay, death, and filth that permeated the lowest rings of Ba Sing Se. Despite the Lower Ring being divided into 4 separate states there had been little progress in cleaning the place up and all of Wu's efforts had failed due to rampant corruption, apathy and sheer numbers that existed in Ba Sing Se's Lower Ring.
"What's wrong with Harry?" Luna asked looking over to where Harry was now retching on the platform. "He looks like he swallowed a blithering humdinger."
"No Luna he just completely forgot we were over the Lower Ring and took a nice deep smell of the lovely air we are currently passing through." Ginny said with a laugh that was joined by the others, even Harry himself when recovered from his exposure to the air.
"Nargles." Was all Luna said to that before returning to pampering Pandora.
"We should get down and get ready though." Ron said ending his sparring session with Neville. "We should be in Imperial Palace shortly and y'all know how much pomp and ceremony is required while in Ba Sing Se."
Harry nodded in agreement and they all went down to grab their things and make their way to the exit. They had a little more that would remain on the airship until it was time to leave Ba Sing Se and then it would be loaded onto Pandora. Once they were there at the exit door it was only a few moments before Harry felt the airship begin its descent before the slight bump of touchdown. A moment later the gangway opened onto the large square and airship hub for the Imperial Palace. Blinking a little at the sun Harry and his friends made their way down the gangway to meet the expected welcoming committee.
Unlike the last few times when Harry had arrived in Ba Sing Se for various reasons, be it unannounced or in secret to apprehend criminals, this was the first time his arrival was publicly known and planned so the welcoming committee was not only expected but required for someone of the Avatar's status. Harry saw King Wu in front and center as was required of the Earth Monarch. The Earth King was now confined to a wheelchair given his age though according to Harry's dad that hadn't deterred Wu's spirit of fun, in fact it had increased it now that the king could make anything into a ride. Standing on either side of King Wu was Mako and Bolin, the latter of whom had come up from Zaofu for the feast. Bolin's wife Opal was with him as well along with his son Han, his daughter Su Lynn was an officer in the RCPD and not present. Harry had met them briefly after Su's funeral and the formal announcement of Zaofu's statehood a few years back. Then there were his parents, his father reserved and cool despite the formal attire, his mother bursting to embrace him but unable to do so as it wouldn't be proper decorum, not that Wu cared for that shit.
Lastly, and on the outsides of the welcoming committee, there was Director Abbott of the IBI and Grand Secretariat Fletchley. McPhail had retired the year before due to his age, though the former Grand Secretariat apparently still taught a class at Ba Sing Se College of Law, and representative Fletchley had been elected to replace McPhail for the current Imperial Congressional session. The latest Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se was a nonbender who's son Justin had been in the Earth House with Harry and who was currently under suspicion of membership of the Chosen given his status as a first generation bender and his known association with Hermione during her brief tenure at the Academy.
Justin had been one of Hermione's lackeys the day she had tried to kill him after his firebending mastery test but had not left the Academy with her and would later renounce her beliefs as dangerous and extreme. Unbeknownst to almost everyone but Team Avatar, King Wu, Director Abbott and a few trusted IBI agents, Justin had been under investigation and observation for the last 5 years while a case was being built against him for treason. It was clear that Justin was still an active member of the Chosen and a cell leader in the ISEK with the goal of bringing down the whole Imperial System and replacing it with a puppet government under Justin that was loyal to Hermione and followed her laws and policies as if they were part of the Fire Utopia. This was why Harry was a little uncomfortable having the current Grand Secretariat present to greet him but he knew that Imperial law and custom dictated that the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se be present to greet and announce all visitors to the Imperial Palace and the seat of the Imperial Government.
"Avatar Harry welcome back to the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se and to the Imperial Palace once again." The Grand Secretariat said to formally welcome Harry to the Imperial Palace as he bowed low to the Avatar. "And welcome to the retinue you have brought with you. Prince Ron and Princess Ginevra of the Southern Water Tribe, Lord Neville of the Fire Nation and er Mistress Luna of the Western Air Temple, the ISEK formally welcomes you."
"It's actually Monk Luna if you wish to use my formal title." Luna said with a smile. "I was elevated to that rank after I graduated from the Academy. Mistress is a title I would consider using in the bedroom but as I am submissive to Prince Ron it would never be used."
Harry knew that Earth Kingdom upper class customs dictated a formal announcement like this but he had always found them uncomfortable. Though he did enjoy Fletchley's discomfort at the fact that the Air Nation had no aristocracy which made ranks a little hard. At least that was until Luna decided to be way too blunt and sexual at which point he wanted to smack his head on something out of exasperation, even Harry found this beyond what was proper for the situation.
"Put a sock in it Fletchley." Wu said clearly not caring about the formalities, or Luna's comment. "You know I hate standing on ceremony, well sitting on ceremony nowadays, especially when our friends are here."
"Sorry your majesty but it is law." The Grand Secretariat said respectfully. "Remember we overrode your veto on it, as we seem to do on almost all bills that enshrine our traditions into Imperial Law."
"Meh." Wu said waving his hand in dismissal at Fletchley. "Mako wheel me over to greet the Avatar so we can get this formal greeting over with. I can feel Lily making the earth shake slightly as she bounces in anticipation and I hate getting between a mother and her son."
Harry blushed slightly at his mother's actions and Wu was right his mother was inadvertently earthbending as she waited for the formalities. Mako groaned as he pushed the Earth King towards Harry. Wu couldn't embrace him from his position so he was forced to shake Harry's hand instead. As soon as that was over and therefore signalling the end of the formalities, Lily ran over to embrace her son, followed by James.
"Welcome back son." His father said with a smile as he ruffled Harry's hair while his mother continued to embrace him in front of some of the most powerful and influential people in the Earth Kingdom. "We missed you when you were last here but Peter was a priority, plus I do try to visit Omashu at least once a week to make sure my constituents are happy. I can't believe that elephant rat was hiding out here all along but I am glad we finally got the bastard."
"It made sense Senator." Abbott said as the group finished introductions and began heading to the entrance of the Imperial Palace. "Ba Sing Se has the largest underground criminal scene in the world due to it being the largest city in the world. While the Unified Triad was crushed with the arrest of Scabior, thank you for that Neville by the way, there is still a lot of organized crime in the Lower Ring and a man of Peter's talents would go far in that scene. Thankfully Ron's tip paid off and with the Avatar's help we were able to corner him. He tried to run, even tried to trick us, but in the end we got him, minus his right hand that he blew off. Chief Sirius has locked him in a special cell in the White Lotus Firebending Supermax Prison where he will spend the rest of his days freeing his tiny balls off in the Northern ice wastes."
"Enough shop talk, we can do that later when the Avatar and I have a private word regarding his mission in Ba Sing Se." Wu said as he was wheeled towards the palace entrance. "There is a feast to get to and I left Ambassador Percy and my son in a heated argument regarding the proper etiquette, formalities and regulations for such a feast and it was just getting interesting."
"My brother is here?" Ron and Ginny asked at the same time. Harry was too busy marveling at how smoothly Wu had lied about the nature of Harry's mission. The man could be quite serious and business like when he wanted to be, it was part of the reason why Wu was likely going to be remembered as one of the best rulers in Earth Kingdom history.
"Yes he is the Southern Water Tribe Ambassador and this is a formal feast in honor of the Avatar's arrival." Fletchley said as they walked. "All the dignitaries and nobles from around Ba Sing Se, and some from farther away, are coming to it given that the Avatar is the one being honored. It's the most exclusive invite of the year, if not the decade, and that's saying something given that both his majesty's and his pet bear's birthdays are normally the most exclusive parties in the nation. That being said I am still vexed as to why the Southern Water Tribe Ambassador knows more about our rules and regulations than the Crown Prince, or any person in the ISEK for that matter."
"That's because rules and regulations get Percy hard." Ginny said bluntly, clearly channeling her inner Luna, causing everyone but the Grand Secretariat to laugh. "He was the perfect choice for the position and it got him out of our hair in the South where he wanted to install similar laws on custom as are here in Ba Sing Se."
"Yeah he'll probably stay here until he dies." Ron added. "He loves the rules that govern this place. He claims its all about culture and sophistication, we just think he doesn't know what fun is."
"Well he is also married to a noblewoman and earthbender from the Earth Kingdom." Wu said. "Given the general stubbornness of my citizens it will be hard to get her to move to the Southern Water Tribe when he retires. Besides, my son takes after me with his enjoyment of feasts and doesn't care about rules that the Imperial Congress keeps passing to govern these events. Though Zhan doesn't sing as I have been known to do in the past, regulations be damned. Alas with my frail condition I can no longer serenade my guests for hours every time I hold a feast."
Harry was certain he heard a sigh of relief from Mako at Wu's final statement. Harry had heard of Wu's penchant for terrible singing but fortunately he had never actually heard the Earth King sing, yet. For the rest of the walk they all just made small talk. Harry caught up with his parents about how they were getting along here and learned his father was shortlisted for the chairmanship of the Senate Cultural Committee due to his probending experience. Ron, Neville and Director Abbott talked about the current state of policing in both the ISEK and Republic City while Luna regaled Wu with tales of her adventures in the spirit world that had the Earth King constantly laughing at various antics that Luna and the spirits had gotten up too while they were there. Only Ginny was silent as she didn't know or have anything in common with the other members of the welcoming committee.
It took about 15 minutes to reach their destinations given the size of the palace but soon they had been shown to their rooms, the King had insisted that they stay in the palace while in town, and left alone to get ready for the feast that night. Harry and Ginny showered and got ready in the formal Earth Kingdom clothes that had been provided for them, all expertly tailored to the pair despite neither having been measured. Harry always hated these extravagant events but he knew that they were so ingrained in the culture, ethos and customs of Ba Sing Se that it would be an insult to not indulge in them. They also brought back a sense of the past before the Red Lotus, the anarchy and then the tyranny of Kuvira so they served as a source of comfort to some people as well.
The feast itself was a fun event. Harry may not feel like they were necessary but he would always have fun at them, especially one thrown by King Wu as the king always tried to make them fun even with all the required pomp and ceremony. Despite the lack of adherence to regulations Ron's brother Percy had been relaxed and happy to see them though Harry had a feeling that was more a mixture of his pregnant wife, who was fawned over by Ginny and Luna all night, and the shot of cactus juice that Ron had slipped into his wine than the fact that he had lost his argument with the Crown Prince about the requirements for the feast. It wasn't enough to get Percy fucked up but it was enough to loosen him up a little.
Harry spent most of the evening with his father meeting various important people in the ISEK. Nobles from Ba Sing Se and the surrounding states, key senators and representatives, governors from the neighboring states who could make it, high ranking military personnel, and important businessmen and academics. Harry just sat back for the ride and enjoyed the event, and the wine, as he knew it would be the last such extravagance they would be able to enjoy for a while, if ever depending on how their mission went. After this week they would be either living the Air Nomad life at the Western Air Temple or traveling the Fire Nation as simple commoners trying to keep their heads down while figuring out how to defeat Hermione. Regulus had helped them on the latter part as he himself had wandered the Fire Nation as a homeless man for 2 years. Tonight though Harry was going to have a good time.
The highlight of the night had to be when a drunk Ron grabbed two massive plates of cooked meat and put one in front of Bosco II, Wu's bear and challenged the bear to a steak eating contest. He even called the bear a bitch which wasn't proper etiquette but Wu was too focused on the contest to care. Ron actually held his own but ultimately lost before embracing the tame bear and proceeding to get even more absolutely wasted, along with Luna. Yes the night had been fun.
The next afternoon while most of them, especially Ron and Luna who had been found naked in a hedge by the ground screw that morning, were recovering from the feast, Harry met privately with Wu and his son to go over Team Avatar's plan for getting into the Fire Nation. As expected Wu agreed that the only way to bring down Hermione was from within like a cancer, ironically similarly to how the Enlightened had brought down the Fire Nation to begin this incident. Wu was willing to take the risk with Pyrites as they were really shit out of options about how to breach Hermione's blockade of her own nation. Wu had lived through Kuvira and was an assassination target during her tyranny so he knew how bad a tyrant like Hermione could be and how important it was to take her out in order to restore peace, justice and balance.
The rest of the week passed much more smoothly for Team Avatar than the first night had. They spent their time with Harry's parents, the Earth King or Percy and his wife. It was a little relaxation before the impending mission and they needed it. There were of course a few meetings that they had to have with the Earth King, Director Abbott and various congressional groups but none of those had been too taxing for them.
It wasn't all fun and games though as they still made a point to shop for last minute supplies and weapons they may need and to do some research on the Fire Nation. Only Neville knew the nation and he didn't know much outside of what his grandmother had allowed him to go so they needed to be well versed in it as the others had only been there once and they had never left the Royal Palace when they had been there.
Ron had suggested that they try and find Charlie and the others agreed hoping that he had been wise enough not to advertise his heritage when the nation fell lest he become a key prisoner for Hermione, Charlie was currently third in line for the Chiefdom of the Southern Water Tribe so a very valuable prisoner for Hermione. The last they knew Charlie had been living and working in the Dragon Sanctuary training and breeding the few dragons that remained in the Fire Nation. It was a royal proclamation of Zuko's to bring the dragons back from the brink of extinction and it was still a colossal undertaking that would take centuries given the nature of the dragons.
The last errand Harry had done in regards to the mission was go to the Kyoshi Warriors' Ba Sing Se headquarters and speak with their commander, one of only 22 girls cleared to know the location of the prison, about the plan. She had not been happy that their high profile prisoner was being released but she understood why he may be of use and as with all the Kyoshi Warriors she wanted Hermione in chains and brought to justice for her crimes against them. Her only request was that when the bitch was brought down she be placed in the custody of the Kyoshi Warriors in Pyrites Prison or an equally dark, pitiless hole for the rest of her life, that was if she managed to escape a death sentence for murdering the Firelord. Harry couldn't say no to the determined and frankly scary woman and agreed, he knew the other World Leaders would agree as well after how well the girls had guarded Pyrites. He would have done so anyway as it was a fitting punishment for her, he knew the Kyoshi Warriors would make sure Hermione never harmed another living soul again if they were the ones guarding her, should she be taken alive.
It was now the last day of their stay in Ba Sing Se and Harry had turned down invites from his parents, Wu, Percy and many other influential members of Ba Sing Se's high society to have a small private dinner with just his friends. He had asked Wu to get them a private room at the best restaurant in Ba Sing Se which the King had readily obliged and the restaurant's owner had been only too willing to agree to. It wasn't everyday you got the chance to cater for the Avatar and his friends personally and at the request of the Earth King no less. Harry hated using his status like this but he knew it had its perks and he knew that in Ba Sing Se culture the owner's prestige and reputation would be vastly increased by this. It was also how things were done around here and Harry knew that right now it was better to play the game then to try and change it.
Now though it was just the 5 of them sitting around a fine wooden table on well crafted, comfortable, chairs. It was a private and 100% secure room in the basement of the restaurant reserved for dignitaries and private meetings like this. They had just been served a bottle of the finest local wine from the best vineyard in the Agrarian Zone and each had a tailored meal, all paid for by the Earth King. Ron was licking his lips at the succulent steak he had been served, Luna had a vegetable delicacy that the restaurant was famous for, Ginny had a balance meal of meat and vegetables, Neville had been served spiced meat that was similar to what he knew from the Fire Nation and Harry had a plate of stuffed dumplings and noodles in a chicken pig broth. As soon as the waiters had left and given them the privacy they needed Harry got down to business. He wanted to do a final check for the mission at the dinner as it would be the last time they had the chance to do so, they left Ba Sing Se in a few hours.
"Ron is everything set?" Harry asked his best friend.
"All the gear is in mine and Luna's room and it has been triple checked." Ron said confidently. "Including the stuff we had to get from the airship this morning. Unfortunately we do not know the current prevailing fashion styles in the Fire Nation but we can easily adjust to that."
"Good." Harry said. "Neville how have out back stories come?"
"As well as can be." Neville said after swallowing a mouthful of food. "I factored in all I could about my homeland. It will be hard to persuade them that y'all are natives but given the now multicultural nature of the world it isn't as hard as it would have been during Aang's time. Ron and Ginny will be second generation nonbenders who's grandparents migrated from the Southern Water Tribe. Luna you have grown your hair out on top so for the most part your tattoos are hidden but just to be safe you will wear a headband and gloves. Just say you have scars your ashamed of there or something, otherwise once you dye your hair you will look like a local. Again you will have to try and pass as a nonbender."
"I hate hiding my arrow but it is too noticeable." Luna agreed. "And I only have hair on my head, everywhere else is nice and shaved bald."
As an airbender Luna usually shaved the crown of her head to show off her arrow but for the last few weeks she had been growing her hair out so now it was covered. Harry knew that she wouldn't cut it until after the mission so it would look more natural in a few weeks but right now it just looked like an odd, teen, fashion statement.
"Thank you Luna for once again providing us with way too much information." Harry said with a sigh. "Go on Neville."
"Right well myself and Harry will be firebenders." Neville said. "Though the weapons can be carried unless there is a law against it as it has been historical in the nation to wield both fire and a sword. I will be a native while Harry will be the descendant of colonists from the 100 year war who moved back shortly before the coup. That will explain his more Earth Kingdom features."
"Agreed, now have y'all thought about changing your appearance?" Harry asked. "I'm trying to grow a goatee as I am unknown to have facial hair and I intent on shaving the sides of my head to form a lovely rat tail."
"Yeah I'm going with the bald and thick beard look." Ron said running his hand through his long red hair longingly. That would explain why he had been growing it out for the last two weeks Harry realized, he just thought Ron was being lazy.
"I will be dying my hair black as will Ron." Ginny said giving Ron a pointed look. "It isn't common to see red hair anywhere and the Southern Water Tribe Royal Family is famous for being one of the few families with it. Also we will have to reapply the dye regularly as red hair doesn't hold dye particularly well for some reason."
"I'm going with brunette as blond isn't common among Fire Nation commoners." Luna said. "That was we all look relatively local and aren't suspected as being spies."
"Agreed though of course we will need to confirm all this with Pyrites." Harry said. "As much as I hate putting so much faith in a convicted Death Eater he does know the nation the best. It was his home and base so I doubt there are many that know it better."
"That is only if he actually helps us." Ginny pointed out. "We aren't sure he will."
"True but given his desire to get out of the cold shithole we threw his worthless ass in I'm sure he will see the logic in helping us." Harry said. "And of course if he doesn't we just throw him right back into that cold tomb and let him rot there."
"True." Ginny said with a nod. "Plus he offers us a unique chance to study how the psychology of the Death Eaters works. At least he is one of the few ones who is intelligent and not a raving zealot. This is a great chance to understand how at least one of the two extremes think."
"Agreed." Ron said. "I've interviewed the few survivors and it wasn't productive. Crabbe and Goyle weren't much smarter than their sons which given Goyle's position surprised me. The only one who had any intelligence was Rookwood, not counting Scabior as he is an opportunist and crime boss not an extremist."
"Goyle just ruled by fear and violence." Harry remarked on Goyle's tenure as Governor of Yi. "He didn't know anything else so he wouldn't be of any help."
"I can see that." Ron said nodding. "Rookwood was too injured to talk to thanks to myself and Ginny so he was a no go and when I tried last year at the firebending prison all I got was a string of abuse. I don't think he quite forgave me for throwing a knife into his ass so he was no help in trying to figure out how to get into the Fire Nation. I got the same amount of abuse from Lucius, Nott and Alecto while Jugson just ignored me when I visited him. Pyrites however might be more receptive. He does love to talk about himself and his views and we do have a long bison ride to the Western Air Temple to allow him to ramble."
"Agreed." Harry said. "There are a few questions I too wish to ask that asshole."
They spent the rest of the meal making small talk and enjoying the company of each other. It was nice to have these meals from time to time as they all lived hectic, busy, lives and that while rewarding they did need the occasional break from them. Harry however had an ulterior motive for the dinner. He had spoken about it to Chief Arthur after the meeting 3 weeks ago and received his blessing to do so. True he would have preferred something more romantic but given the company and the impending mission Harry felt that now was the right time.
As soon as the dessert was cleared and they all sat back in contented silence from the delicious meal Harry stood up.
"There was one other thing I wanted to talk about tonight." Harry said with a smile as he walked behind Ginny and reached into his pocket. "Something I have to do before we go off on this dangerous mission deep behind enemy lines."
As planned they were all in a food coma and didn't comprehend what Harry was saying or what he had pulled out in his closed fist. Opening his hand so that only his thumb and forefinger were holding one end of the fine silk ribbon Harry let the betrothal necklace fall in front of his girlfriend's eyes. The sea green semi precious stone glinted in the light of the room, the fused national symbols of their respective nations etched into it clear to Ginny's eyes.
"Princes Ginevra of the Southern Water Tribe would you do me the honor of becoming my wife." Harry said as he lowered the necklace and fastened it around her neck using the words and actions that Arthur had instructed him to use as this was one of the few formal ceremonies in the Southern Water Tribe.
He knew he should wait for her answer before actually putting the necklace on her but he also knew that he could wait. He had her answer soon enough as she touched the stone at her throat, her eyes likely wide in shock and amazement, before turning and tackling Harry, not an easy feat given Harry was an earthbender and had a great center of balance while standing on earth. As Harry hit the floor with Ginny on top of him she kissed him passionately while the others watched still too stunned to react.
"I take that as a yes." Harry said when Ginny broke the embrace but showed no sign of wanting to get off him.
"Yes, Avatar Harry, a thousand times yes!" Ginny said slightly breathless from the passionate embrace. "Yes I will marry you. What took you so fucking long to ask."
I hope y'all enjoyed the ending to this chapter. There really isn't much to note here other than that y'all should get ready for the return of Pyrites next week. As usual the next chapter will be up in a week's time. Keep letting me know what y'all think in the reviews and any questions asked there or in PMs will be answered at the start of next week's chapter while anything constructive will be listened too. Until next week.
Stringdog
