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Chapter 21: Haru

The General left Ba Sing Se within an hour after his meeting with his spy. When he passed secure Resistance strongholds, he put out cautious feelers towards the Red Spirit, figuring that the need to determine the masked stranger's intentions far outweighed his own personal need for secrecy.

Toph and the Duke had gone out to scout around to see if the Avatar was near again, while Haru was still stuck inside, recovering from his ordeal. Bian had finally permitted him to walk again, though he had been told that major bending was a no-go until he was fully recovered. He therefore spent his time working on what his father had affectionately dubbed "rock tricks" five years before.

Late one night, after Bian had gone to bed, someone knocked softly on her door.

Haru dragged himself off the couch — he would never admit how sore getting up made him still, lest he be put back on bed rest — and moved to answer it.

Haru had had enough contact with the General to recognize the older man, even heavily cloaked.

The young man's eyes widened, and a pained expression crossed his face as he moved aside to allow General Iroh entry.

He smiled slightly at the young earthbender. "It's good to see you again, Haru. Is Bian here?" He had never met the woman personally, but she was said to be an exceptional herbalist, and Toph, who had met her shortly after Azula took her throne, had vouched for her. If the Red Spirit ever sought to make contact with the rebels, Bian might be one of his best options.

"Yes, she's sleeping. Would you like me to wake her?"

He shook his head. "No, I can't stay long. I just need to leave a message."

"Oh."

"Tell her that I need to speak to the Red Spirit, and if he makes contact here, to let him know."

Haru's eyes went wide, and he looked at the General for the first time. "The Red Spirit?"

"Yes." The older man didn't elaborate on what they needed to discuss.

"I… I've met him," Haru said hesitantly. "Before…"

"Oh? And what did you two discuss?" The General turned his very piercing golden gaze on the bandit.

"He plans to kill the Firelady."

The old man's eyes widened. "What do you think his chances are? Honestly."

"Pretty damn good," Haru admitted. "Because of who he is."

The General held up a hand to silence him. "Better if you don't say anything. In case someone is listening who shouldn't be."

Haru hesitated. The General needed to know who he was… and Haru had to make up to him somehow… "I really think you ought to know," he said quietly. There was a slight emphasis on the word 'you'.

"When I speak to him, I'll find out," he said, firmly. Because I would like to persist in my delusion that he is the same as the Blue Spirit for as long as possible, even though I know that can't be true.

Haru's shoulders slumped. "As you wish," he said quietly, dropping his gaze again.

He nodded, then frowned at the younger man. "You disagree with my decision."

"But I accept it," the bandit replied, still not looking at him.

"...What's wrong?"

Haru turned partly away from Iroh, trying to hide his shame. "I… I'm sorry," he whispered.

The older man nodded. "It's all right, Haru."

"But it's my fault she found out that you're…"

"There were always rumors. All you did was confirm them. And there is no shame in breaking under what you were put through."

"I should have held out," Haru said stubbornly. "I'm an earthbender. I'm supposed to be strong, like my—" his voice broke, and he quickly swept a hand over his eyes. He was not about to cry.

Iroh laid a hand on his shoulder, and said nothing.

It took the young bandit a moment to get himself under control. Once he finally had, he reached up to the back of his head, where his topknot had once been. When he'd agreed to take this job for the Resistance, he'd sworn privately to himself not to wear it again until he was again worthy of being his father's son. Sometimes, he needed a reminder.

"I should get going," Iroh said after a long moment of silence. "If you see the Red Spirit again, let him know I'm looking for him, will you, please?"

"Yes, General," Haru replied.

"Thank you." He stood up and pulled his cloak back on--and was promptly hugged very tightly by a blind seventeen-year-old girl.

Haru smiled slightly. "Hello, Toph," he said, sitting down carefully.

"Hi," she said, letting go. The Duke followed close behind.

"What's going on?" Bian said, coming out. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Iroh, and the two of them stared at one another for a very long moment, the air between them thick with tension. After that moment, Bian started crying silently. "I'm sorry..." she managed to get out.

"…uh?" said Haru, eloquently. He got up (hiding a wince as he pulled at still-healing muscles) to stand by the older woman.

The General crossed the room and took her hands. "I would have done the same," he said, firmly.

Confused, Haru glanced at the Duke, then took a closer look at Bian.

…oh.

The Duke, for his part, boggled at the two adults. "...I'm confused," he whispered.

"Shut up," Toph said.

Haru walked to the Duke and pushed his helmet forward on his head slightly. "Come on. Let's give them some privacy," he told him, glancing at the General and the apothecary.

"But--"

The woman was shaking her head. "It didn't do any good, anyway," she said, bitterly.

"You bought him almost seven years," Iroh reminded her. "That's more than I was able to do."

"Now," Haru said, dragging the teenager out of the room and trusting Toph to join them when she was ready.

She followed close behind. "Wow. What a...mess."

"Very much so," agreed the older bender. "No luck finding him?"

She shook her head. "There are rumors. But there are always rumors. Apparently, he's in Omashu. Or maybe he's back in the Fire Nation. Or hiding out at the Southern Air Temple."

Haru sighed. "Of course. And I need to find the Red Spirit again."

The Duke frowned. "Why? I thought we were planning to catch up with him in Ba Sing Se."

"The General needs to talk to him," Haru replied. "And I can't exactly go into cities anymore."

Toph nodded. "Then we change our plans. But the Red Spirit is headed for the city, so we should probably head in that direction anyway."

"That makes sense." Haru sighed. "And the general plans to keep moving, so I have no idea how to get the Red Spirit to Iroh. They really need to meet."

"How come?" Toph asked. "I mean, besides the fact that he's planning to assassinate Her Bitchiness."

Haru shifted uncomfortably. "I… I can't say," he said. "But the Red Spirit's identity needs to remain secret for now."

"...You know who he is," Toph said.

"Not for certain," he said honestly. "But I don't think I'm wrong."

"Who do you think he is?" the Duke asked.

"I can't say," he repeated. "The General asked me not to."

Toph was frowning at the ground, considering what Haru had told her. "...oh. Oh."

"Exactly," the older man said.

"...What?" the Duke said.

"Haru and Iroh are right," Toph said. "It's better if we don't say this out loud."

"I'll tell you when it's safe to," Haru promised the Duke. "But right now, we should figure out our plan of action and then get some sleep. I can't stay here much longer." He didn't add that he was going stir-crazy.

Toph nodded. "So, he's heading for Ba Sing Se, from the Eastern Air Temple. What would be a good place to intercept him?"

"Well, the Duke and I met him just outside of Shen-Yu…" Together, the three young people worked out a route they could take, even accounting for Haru's still-healing body.

"I'm going to say goodbye to Iroh, then sleep. Do we leave tomorrow?" Toph said.

"Yes," Haru replied. "At dawn." He glanced outside at the setting moon. "Or after we wake up, anyway."

Toph nodded, and left to say goodbye to her old friend.

"Let's get some sleep, the Duke," Haru told him, yawning.

"Good idea," the thirteen-year-old said, stretching.

As Bian and Iroh were in the room where Haru normally slept, the young man stretched out on the floor and was asleep very quickly.