Slipping into the inner circle was the first step. The tickets for the monorail were expensive, just enough to keep those who lived in the slums where they belonged, and without the royal treasury to back Hanzo and Genji's party up that meant cheating. Having traded in most of their Fire Nation or Water Tribe currency in for Earth Kingdom coins during their travels they'd pooled enough money to buy two tickets. Reinhardt and Angela chose to ride normally; the former too large to pass unnoticed otherwise and the latter their least acrobatic companion, excluding the giant.
Ana, Reyes, Zenyatta, and McCree split off to sneak, one-by-one, onto individual monorails to avoid detection until they'd passed the inner wall where it was decided they'd jump the rail and reconvene at the station. It'd been tough persuading the enormous air bison she'd need to stay in a stable until Zenyatta returned for her, protective as she was. It wasn't until Reyes had a word with her that she settled down, much to the surprise of everyone present, save Genji, Jesse, and Zenyatta himself. Learning he'd been an airbender all along was even news to Commander Morrison, but finding out he also once had a way with air bison was stranger still. His shaky relationship with his ostrich horse had made him seem the opposite of an animal-lover.
Their group had managed to avoid big fights and splitting up most of the time since Genji's return, so it came as a surprise to the prince when the commander insisted both brothers stay close at hand, despite his allowing his "suicide mission" to get inside the city. He realized Morrison's concern for Reyes had outweighed his concern for his duty to the royal family at that time, as impossible as that seemed to the boy who'd grown up with his constant presence beside his father. It didn't take long for him to learn no amount of arguing would change the commander's mind this time.
Genji crouched beside his brother and Morrison while they waited for an opportunity in the darkness of a narrow alley between two tall, ramshackle huts. That section of the city was particularly run-down, new houses built on top of the old to result in rickety multi-level wooden structures. It seemed the village had been confined to that space, for reasons unknown to the foreigners. The commander hadn't told them much about his plan, but Hanzo had still agreed to go along, his behavior telling of a degree of trust the prince had never seen in him toward anyone else. His brother was changing, and it seemed for the better.
While waiting he noticed the commander was focusing on the patrolling guards. He'd gathered from listening to the annoyed chatter of the city's residents that the frequency of their patrols and searches had increased since he and Reyes had breached the wall. Lucky for them, there were a lot of suspect people in the slum to disappear behind.
Genji suspected the commander meant to jump one of the patrols and either interrogate or impersonate them, but he allowed several to simply pass by them unscathed, just studying. After what felt like hours to the consciously patient Genji the commander finally sprung forward, landing on the back of one of a two-person patrol, knocking him hard enough against the adjacent wall to render him unconscious. The other spun around to face him, but a swift kick shoved him away before he could plant his feet in an earthbending stance.
Genji launched out into the open to swing his forearm around the man's throat and stop him from crying out while Hanzo arrived beside him to whack him with the hilt of his dagger. Morrison nodded his approval shortly, then knelt to begin undressing the one he'd tackled. It was impersonation, then.
"Commander," Genji whispered, "there are only two. Why did you not go for the trio that passed by last?"
Morrison glanced up at him, then back at his task. "They were too tall," he replied, "we need to look like the uniforms are meant to fit us." He gestured with his chin toward the other guard, the shorter of the two. "Try his jacket."
Genji crouched to maneuver him out of the garment while the fire lord worked to remove his accessories, starting with the boots. The prince slipped his arms quickly into the jacket, then the commander looked up to take his wrist and look at his arm before shaking his head. He pointed at Hanzo.
"Give it to him, quick," he muttered, "your arms are too short."
Genji huffed, but obeyed, knowing they only had a few minutes before the next patrol would come. Morrison was already mostly dressed, fastening the belt around his waist by the time Hanzo had the jacket on properly. He glanced up just long enough to nod, then knelt down to put on the guard's boots. Genji pursed his lips while watching Hanzo disappear behind the guise of the guard's armor, wondering.
"Commander…what about me?" he asked at last. Morrison gave him a look, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, while he reached into the borrowed belt pouch to extract a chain. Genji frowned loudly and shot a glare over at Hanzo, who couldn't help grinning.
"Perhaps you should have grown taller, Brother," the fire lord teased him.
"Why can't we sneak onto the monorail like the others?"
Morrison gestured for them to drag the unconscious man into the shadows before reaching down to grab the first. They left the guards behind and began making their way toward the other end of the alley. "It's dangerous enough to sneak four stowaways into the inner city in one day," he explained as they walked, "besides, your stunt getting in gives us an opportunity. The prisons are within the inner wall, and they're already looking for a firebender your age."
Genji scoffed. "How lucky." They'd slunk several streets away by the time the commander brought them to a stop and presented the chains again. Genji sighed and groaned at once before putting his wrists together for him to bind them. "What are you going to do once we're in the palace, Brother?" he asked, trying to take attention away from how humiliated he was beginning to feel, "the closer we get the less time we have to plot."
"I need to speak with the Earth King," Hanzo replied, searching for a good place to stow his dagger so it would look natural.
"Clearly, but what then? What could you possibly say?"
"I need to witness his character before you can expect me to know what to say."
Genji huffed again and tested the chains in annoyance. "You can't go in blind!" he whispered hoarsely, "let me fight him. He can't be that good of a bender, not like father was. He never even leaves his palace!"
"If it comes to that I will give you leave, Genji," the fire lord replied, his tone tempered, "but I must speak with him first. Our primary concern should be getting inside the inner wall, then getting into the palace. What I will do then is a challenge to overcome after we've accomplished our first tasks." Finally, he settled on slipping the dagger's sheath under the back side of his belt. "Call it 'informed diplomacy' if that makes you feel better."
The prince couldn't decide if he was more frustrated by Hanzo's seeming lack of a plan or his own appearance as a prisoner. He suppressed the constant urge he felt to escape the chains, to heat them to their breaking point, when the commander took his arm and led him out into the open. Hanzo took up a position on the other side of their fake prisoner and they made their way toward the gate to the inner city. Ba Sing Se's peasants moved aside readily, often hiding their gazes as they passed, suggesting some poorly hidden guilt in their demeanors.
As a former guard the commander had just the right words to convince those watching the gate that he was who he said he was, and that he truly had a prisoner in tow. It certainly helped that the fake prisoner was, in fact, the infiltrator they were already trying to capture. They were ushered through after a rough sketch was compared to Genji, though the prince noted it was vague enough that Hanzo could have played his part instead. He tried not to be bitter.
They strayed from the busier streets, to avoid the curious gazes of the wealthier citizens and the ignorant gossip that would risk the Dai Li tracking them down. It was likely they already knew the firebender had been captured…but with luck they wouldn't know exactly who that firebender was. Not yet, anyway. The group hid itself beside an uninhabited manor to remove Genji's bonds. The prince stayed behind while the two with disguises went out into the city to gather more fitting clothes for their new surroundings. It wasn't until they had "procured" new garments that they shed the guards' armor and stowed it inside the empty house.
In their new high-class Earth Kingdom clothing the two royal brothers looked closer to the elevation of their birthrights than they had in a very, very long time. Genji busied himself with positioning a scarf to hide the scars on his neck and jaw while Hanzo used his dagger to better shape his beard and mustache, using a nearby pond to see his reflection. The prince took one look in the pond and worked hard to suppress the feeling of how unfair it was someone so young should have his handsome looks stolen away by his own brother.
That was in the past…and it seemed his appearance no longer bothered Angela. He took his leave of Hanzo to sit and meditate, to find his inner peace again. He knew trying to enter high society again would pose him with this problem, but he hadn't anticipated how hard it would be to make himself look "presentable". Appearances had never been important to him when he had the looks to excuse his usually improper manners. For at least a short time he would need to remember his training to make up for his frightening scars. Briefly, he imagined the look on a fine lady's face upon seeing his and even let out a chuckle. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, after all.
The brothers came to meet Morrison when they were ready and Genji had to suppress a grin. Dressed finely as he was, the commander still stood like a soldier, making the silk of his long belt seem a little out of place wrapped around his large frame. It was something he doubted either of them would be able to break him of and suggested they present him as he was, their bodyguard. He had no objections.
Hanzo had chosen to dress in red despite the commander's objections, something Genji learned about when he questioned it himself. There was a change in the way the fire lord bore himself. For many weeks he'd begun to carry himself like a criminal. A proud one, of course, but still a criminal, constantly hiding and avoiding with hints of constant shame and anger, even in his happiest of times. The anger was still there…but it was an indignant one. He seemed prepared to fight the world, but dressing in the Fire Nation's colors still felt foolishly confident. He assured them he knew what he was doing, and Genji knew there was no arguing with him, not with that determined look in his eye.
They made their way to the monorail station, where they waited while the rest of their companions arrived to meet them, one after the other. It was well into the afternoon by the time they had all assembled, but Hanzo led them in the direction of the palace immediately. Again, Genji's apprehension reared its head, but he didn't speak up until they'd paused in a plaza with the palace gate in sight, shortly in the distance.
"What is your plan, Brother?" he demanded quietly, "you must have one, or are you going to walk up there and tell them exactly who you are?"
Hanzo squinted against the afternoon sun that shone in his face to observe the gate, then turned about to face them. Genji wished they would move somewhere less obvious. He could hear the occasional highborn Earth Kingdom citizen remark on the peculiarity of their group, particularly on Reinhardt's size and the prince's scarred face.
No one said anything about the regal red robes Hanzo wore, though he attracted a few stares, particularly from guards who passed by. As odd as the soldiers thought he was, they clearly didn't think the firebender they were looking for would be so brazen in the midst of their fair city. They were drawing attention. A lot of it.
"I think I should," Hanzo replied, "I have hidden long enough."
That explained the change in his attitude, then, but it gave Genji reason to suspect he wasn't exactly thinking clearly, a suspicion he must've shared with a few of the others, judging by Reyes's response: "are you insane?"
"Pa," McCree butted in. Genji narrowed his eyes at him. He didn't think the earthbender was the type to go along with a deranged plan based solely on his regard for the plan's proposer, yet there he was.
"It's time for some righteous retribution," Morrison spoke up, nodding, "the city guard and the Dai Li can't act if the city's people know who we are. The mess would be too big to contain. Word of their attack on the fire lord would spread. It's important to the Earth Kingdom that their reputation remains untarnished against the Fire Nation as aggressor." Another unexpected response, from someone who'd been so cautious until then.
"And if they attack anyway?" Reyes went on, "do you think we can handle the whole city?"
"Only until we reach the Earth King," Hanzo explained confidently, "the palace is an enclosed space. Even if we were to be attacked by every person in this city only so many can fit into the building's halls and walkways. We will travel swiftly. Jesse will confuse them, manipulate the walls." Genji smirked. "Jesse", his normally so proper brother had called him. What a change it was. "We will force them to chase us, to bottleneck through doorways. Then, when the Earth King himself is within our sights, I will demand an audience, at arrow-point if necessary."
"Damnit," Reyes breathed simply.
"A glorious plan of action," Reinhardt declared, his volume unchecked, "a noble battle for the honor of us all!" He grinned, straightening his back so his chest was puffed proudly. "I need a shield."
[next]
It was still an hour or so before sunset by the time the group approached the palace gate. Perhaps they should have waited until the next day, when the sun was its peak to boost the abilities of their firebenders, but they had waterbenders with them as well. Sunset would be the ideal time, Hanzo had decided, when neither bending practice would be at its highest or lowest point.
The guards at the gate didn't even look directly at them as they approached, their gazes dismissively unconcerned by their presences despite the size of their entourage. Commander Morrison stepped to the forefront, drawing the attention of at least one of the guards. He stood statuesquely silent before them until the rest took notice.
"The Earth King isn't seeing anyone today," the first guard declared gruffly, "move along."
"Tell his majesty Fire Lord Hanzo demands an audience," Jack replied, his tone dark. The guards were looking directly at him, then, though most didn't seem to believe him…yet.
"Really?" the first grunted in amusement, "get lost."
Hanzo, who stood just behind the commander, flicked a hand out in Genji's direction. The prince spun and punched forward, sending a fireball toward the grinning idiot. The flaming missile halted just before it collided with the guard, who flinched, before Genji extinguished it with a wave of his arm. The civilians close enough to see the spectacle reacted predictably, with audible mixtures of fear, shock, and awe. "Tell his majesty Fire Lord Hanzo demands an audience," the blond repeated harshly.
The guards stared curiously as the group filed past them through the opening gate. One of them grunt uncomfortably as Reinhardt lurched by him, carrying a large metal shield that was easily the soldier's height. Originally several shields pilfered from the armory of the nearby barracks, the defensive weapon had been fused together by Jesse, who was revealing his metalbending prowess to his father for the first time. Needless to say, the hard-to-impress Reyes didn't show much, but Jesse seemed sufficiently pleased with the interested grunt he got from him.
The troupe proceeded across the courtyard and into the palace's entry hall, a long and immensely tall room lined with sandy-tan pillars decorated with painted green geometric designs. It reminded Hanzo of home, aside from the color scheme. He would return soon, he promised himself, suddenly longing for the familiar scent of his pillow and the silky feel of his closet of robes.
It wasn't home, of course, as the waiting Dai Li agents in their black and green robes reminded him. They were out of sight of the citizenry, then, which meant a fight was likely to follow. There was a slam as a wall of rock rose behind them to block off the exit, caused by a couple of agents flanking them. The Dai Li attacked first, sending a concerted barrage of rocks toward their visitors. Reinhardt clamped the shield down in front of many of them, blocking the rocks, while those too far away dodged or blocked the shots themselves.
Jesse leapt forward and swung an arm to the left, causing a jut of rock to erupt from the wall beside one of the closest agents and knock him over, then his other arm to do the same to the one behind him. Both agents landed, their stone gloves and shoes grunting against the ground as they caught themselves. They seemed confident, until Reinhardt rushed forward with a joyous roar and rammed into them, pummeling them both into the ground.
"Onward!" the giant declared, keeping his shield in place as he pressed forward, straight toward the door at the end of the hall. Rhythmic clangs resulted from the rocks pelting the metal of the shield, over and over, some hard enough to leave shallow dents. The others scrambled after him while Jesse, Ana, and Zenyatta worked together to keep their rear covered with their respective elements.
Jesse kept bringing up walls behind them while the Dai Li worked to knock them down, one after the other, but never fast enough to get a shot at their left flank. Zenyatta protected the center flank with powerful gusts of wind that knocked each projectile askew, some harmlessly into walls and others against the heads and bodies of their attackers. Ana watched the right, a tendril of water erupting from the jar she carried on her back to catch rocks as they flew then spew them onto the ground where they couldn't hurt anyone.
Once they'd past through the wooden doors Jesse took hold of the handles and grunted while bending the metal, effectively tying the two handles together. It wouldn't hold them forever, thick as the wood of the door was, but it gave the group time to rush forward in the direction of the throne room.
As they hurried through the next hallway a gritty sliding sound drew their attentions to the slender pillars ahead of them as more Dai Li agents descended from the ceiling where they were lying in wait. Genji ran forward and brought forth his flaming dragon, swirling it around the pillars to force the agents either back upward or off the pillars entirely. Those he'd missed were quickly thrown against the walls when Reyes joined the attack, blasting them backward and to the sides with strong torrents of air. The men who'd failed to catch themselves against the wall fell to the floor in heaps.
Jack and Hanzo used stolen Earth Kingdom bows to begin firing on those clinging to the stone of the wall, though their accuracy suffered while they ran after Reinhardt. Morrison grunted and stumbled when an agent's attack struck him in the spine. Reyes quickly grabbed him by the bicep and dragged him along while Angela rushed over with her hand coated in healing water. Tricky as it was to do while moving, they didn't have time to stop. She worked carefully to patch the cracked vertebra just enough to get him back on his feet before ducking back behind the cover of Reinhardt's shield.
The visitors funneled through into the throne room where Hanzo leapt atop Reinhardt's shield, allowing the giant to launch him across the room with his bow taught. He landed at the base of the Earth King's dais, an arrow aimed directly at the man's head. Immediately, the earthbender guards froze, including the Dai Li agents who'd followed them into the throne room.
"Fire Lord Hanzo demands an audience," Hanzo declared haughtily down the shaft of the arrow, repeating the message Jack had told the king's men to deliver.
The Earth King, a frail-looking man with graying hair under a cylindrical cap, stared down the arrowhead with widened eyes. He slowly raised a hand off the arm of his chair, signaling the earthbenders to stand down. In response, the fire lord's entourage followed their example, though nasty looks were being exchanged from all directions. "What is this?" he asked carefully.
Hanzo slowly released the tension in his bowstring before lowering the weapon entirely. "I think you know," he replied, his tone challenging, "you are going to answer for trying to steal my palace from me. For ordering your ambassador to imprison me in my own home. For sending a witch to deprive me of my bending!"
The Earth King frowned and stroked his beard, flustered. "Goodness!" he exclaimed, "what on earth are you talking about?"
"You deny it!?" The fire lord found himself tugging his bowstring tighter, though he fought the urge to fire an arrow into the man's eye socket.
"Stop!"
Hanzo's gaze flicked to the right of the room, where a young man had just entered. His face was slender and long, but his body tall and muscular. His chestnut hair was tied back in a ponytail and he wore grand Earth Kingdom robes. The cap on his head, its embroidery slightly less intricate than the king's, marked him as the crown prince.
"You see?" Hanzo heard Genji whisper from somewhere behind him, "the face of a horse." Angela half snorted an amused response.
"I am Zhang Wei, crown prince of the Earth Kingdom," the man announced, his tone as challenging as the one Hanzo had used in his accusations, "leave my father out of this; it's me you want to speak with."
"I demand an explanation!" the Earth King cried, shifting uncomfortably in his throne.
"Yes," Hanzo agreed, "explain."
Zhang Wei clenched his fists, the hatred in his eyes palpable. "The Fire Nation is a volcano waiting to erupt and ravage our kingdom again," he growled, "you know it, Father. We all know it. If there is any wisdom left in your once grand mind you would order your men to slay these people here and now!"
Hanzo pulled his bow tight and angled the arrow at the king, who squeaked. "I was hoping we would be more civil than that," he hissed.
"You would shoot a senile old man!?"
"Only if he is to order my death." Hanzo glanced at the king. The man was clearly confused. Yes, he had nothing to do with the treachery that forced the fire lord out of his home. Carefully, he lowered his bow again and tossed it aside in favor of facing the prince head-on, empty-handed. "Let us talk," he proposed, "tell me: why?"
The prince looked around at his soldiers, who didn't seem any more eager to take up arms even after Hanzo had relinquished his bow. Clearly, he still wanted them dead. Hanzo didn't need the prince to tell him why…but it was such a bold move. The best of his men had nearly lost his life, and he'd been forced to kill his own soldiers. He felt like he needed a better reason from him than the one he already knew. He, himself, had committed no atrocities against the Earth Kingdom. He hadn't even been given the chance to prove his rule.
"No," Hanzo added, before the prince had the chance to gather his hateful words and respond, "no, I have a better idea."
He heard Genji come up behind him. "What are you thinking, Brother?" he whispered, "we should'v—"
"I challenge you to an Agni Kai, Prince Zhang Wei."
"What!?" Genji hissed hoarsely, "Hanzo-!" The fire lord shut him up with a swift, but gentle shove. The crown prince narrowed his eyes at him.
"I am no firebender," he replied, "why should I care for your barbaric traditions?"
"It is an honorable bending duel," Hanzo explained firmly, "to the first burn, or in your case, the first blood drawn. Do you accept?"
The crown prince smiled cruelly, folding his arms. "I will not duel a cripple."
Hanzo kept a stony expression on his face to restrain his anger. Zhang Wei was in contact with Akande and his followers. He knew about the witch. He thought he couldn't bend, and he was pleased. "You will duel me," the fire lord growled, "unless your cowardice demands that you send your men to die in your stead while your enemy stands within reach!"
"Hanzo, you can't!" Genji cried under his breath, "you know he is powerful."
The fire lord didn't reply. True, his own bending had been weak. He'd felt stifled and impotent…but things had changed. He knew what he was and he wasn't ashamed. He knew what he wanted and it was within his capability. He had Jesse. The warmth in his body had been growing. It was present, familiar, and long-missed, the essence of his inner dragon. He was untested…but he knew he could fight.
The prince regarded him in earnest, studying his features for some clue about what he was trying to accomplish. It was clear by his hesitation that he knew the purpose of the Agni Kai. After a conflict the victor of the duel was the one determined to be in the right in the eyes of Fire Nation law. Perhaps he wasn't so confident Hanzo was still crippled, or perhaps he didn't trust the fire lord to abide by his nation's own law if he lost. Dishonesty was part of the Earth Kingdom's prejudiced view of the Fire Nation and its members, after all.
At last, Zhang Wei angled his head to appear to look down on his opponent. "So be it."