"Whatever you choose, thank you." Sadako replied quietly, and Iroh smiled and wrote down her selection before returning to the kitchen. Aside from her and Teo, the Jasmine Dragon was completely empty, quite unusual for the time of day.
Teo grabbed a piece of candy from the bowl in the center of the table. When he popped it into his mouth, everything began to spin; it felt as if he were falling at an impossible speed.
He hit the ground with a soft thud, now in the den of the Bei Fong estate. The candy bowl was still in front of him, on the short table in front of the white satin couch. On the opposite side of him, sitting on said couch, was Toph, her feet propped up on the end table
"Look, I don't care what you say, I'm gonna figure out how to wreck that sword!" She laughed. Teo shook his head.
"Even if you do figure out how to bend it from a distance, he'd kill you if you broke it."
"Pft!" Toph exclaimed. " Me? I think not. I'm invincible!" She yelled with a cackle. All of a sudden, still laughing maniacally, she began sinking into the couch before Teo's very eyes, disappearing completely into some kind of black hole between the cushions after a few moments. Teo pushed off of his chair and dove in after her.
The world shifted again. He awoke in a cold sweat, whipping his head frantically around the room, trying to determine his surroundings this time. In the darkness of night, he could make out the outline of his glider leaning against the door; blinking, he registered that he was in his room. He covered his face with his hands; it was only a dream.
He suddenly realized that he really, really needed to use the restroom. Teo knew that he'd have to go all the way down the hall, past the noble's quarters – and Sadako's room, which was completely forbidden, if he remembered correctly - in order to get there. He thought this over for quite some time, before finally just deciding to risk it.
He pulled back the covers and slid into his chair, having to feel for its location in the black. He wheeled over to his door and opened it, hearing that Bei's tune was still playing at the impossibly late hour.
Teo ventured into the hall and saw that the sound was emanating from an open door, which he recognized as the door to Sadako's room.
He shook his head and started off down the hall, not letting himself be discouraged by a folklore spirit; who was Bei going to tell that he was breaking the estate law? Hei Bai? He was as quiet as he could possibly be in contrary; the last thing he needed was to wake the rest of the family.
As he neared Sadako's door, he thought he heard the murmur of a man's voice coming from within. He slowed down as he passed, straining his ears to hear what he was saying better.
"My name is Sadako Bei Fong," said the deep voice. Teo heard Sadako's light chime echo him. Teo wheeled closer and poked his head inside of the room, curiosity overcoming him. What he saw made his jaw drop.
There were the dark silhouettes of two large men in Sadako's palely-silver, illuminated sleeping chamber, each wearing a large, serving-bowl like helmet and dressed in dark, forest green robes. One man was sitting in a chair next to her bed, playing the recognizable tune on a small golden harp that was sitting in his lap, the light from the moon reflecting off of the frame, adding a brighter glint to the eerie atmosphere. The second man was standing, on the opposite side of the bed, near the foot, whose drapes were open to reveal the small girl sleeping within, looking almost like a corpse in the faint glow. The man was looking down at her, saying seemingly random phrases to her.
"I am the perfect noble young lady, daughter of the wonderful Bei Fong family."
"I am the perfect noble young lady, daughter of the wonderful Bei Fong family." Sadako appeared to be in a near-comatose sleep, responding only to the sound of the man's voice to repeat his command, uninfluenced by the activity going on in the outside world. She did not open her eyes, wake, or even stir the slightest bit as Teo watched.
"I am obedient. I do as I am told, do not speak unless spoken to, and uphold the noble Bei Fong name."
"I am obedient. I do as I am told, do not speak unless spoken to, and uphold the noble Bei Fong name." Her voice was in total monotony, almost appearing unnatural.
"I am very pleased to spend my future with Mister Chaw Hsu," said the man.
"I am very pleased to spend my future with Mister Chaw Hsu," Sadako echoed.
Teo watched with undying interest. The scene was so unusual; nearly disturbing, in a way. He squinted to get a closer look at the man, he recognized the uniform he was wearing. It was that of the Dai Li; the old Dai Li, before they had been replaced and the uniforms changed.
"I am an innocent young girl. I am fragile, and appreciate those who watch over me, for I owe them my safety." The agent chanted.
"I am an innocent young girl. I am fragile, and appreciate those who watch over me, for I owe them my safety."
The man sighed. "I did not have any part in the war."
"I did not have any part in the war."
"I have never left the estate."
"I have never left the estate," she echoed again.
"I am peaceful and polite."
"I am peaceful and polite."
"I…"
Teo droned out. This seemed familiar somehow…he searched his brain for a couple of minutes, thinking hard about what it reminded him of, when he remembered something Aang had told him about the gaang's time in the Earth Kingdom, back during the war. He'd said that the Dai Li had used a hypnotic light to put these "Joo Dee" people under this thing like a spell. They all stood in rows and columns while the main agent chanted commands, the Joo Dees repeating him, all in unison. It was something they used as a way to plant words and ideas into their heads; a form of brainwashing to control the citizens of the Ba Sing Se. They would do it whenever anyone stepped out of line within the city to re instill order, and he people were totally changed by its effects.
That was exactly what this seemed like. The only thing was…the Dai Li in Ba Sing Se had used a lamp; these men were using… it suddenly hit him. Sadako was blind; they wouldn't be able to reach her with the light, so they were using a form of audial hypnosis.
As silently as he could, Teo fled back down the hall to his room, confused, and previous issue forgotten entirely, confused.
He went back to bed and lay awake, thinking. The theory made sense, but why would they need to brainwash Sadako? She was so mild mannered and well behaved; he couldn't imagine why…
Unless that personality was a complete fake, created by the brainwashing methods. What if in reality she was the exact opposite? He knew it seemed far-fetched, but it all began to make sense as he put together the pieces.
He remembered back to his first day, when Misante had stumbled on her name while telling him about the Bei Fongs' daughter. He'd almost slipped up, and Utako had elbowed him to keep him quiet.
Lao had said that she'd ran away several years ago; he traced back the dates, and knew that was around the time the was ending; and he'd mentioned that Sadako had returned about a year and a half ago…around the time she left…
And what about last month? Teo realized that all of those little things that he'd brushed off, like Sadako knowing their joke, not needing assistance with getting around, and somehow having a "dream" that was exactly parallel to a memory of hers, had happened when the music hadn't played; when the effects of the brainwashing had begun to wear off. And add in that they were almost identical physically…
They weren't all just coincidences, connected by his agony of missing her. The only real coincidence was that she hadn't begun to surface until later in the day, after the kiss…then again, maybe the discussion about Earth Rumble, which was a deep passion of hers to compete in, had triggered something in the far recesses of her mind.
Teo's blood ran cold. Sadako was really Toph…and he was about to lose her all over again, this time for good.
Oh my Spirits, FOUR chapters in one week? Sure, it's a little short, but that's okay...right?
What do you guys think? Reviews are so greatly appreciated!
Love you guys!