WiltingDaisies94: This is the last anticipatory wind-up chapter before the plan goes into motion. So, I thought a quick recap might be in order, to make sure you have all the important points in mind:
- Jhou works for Bumi as a double agent against the Fire Nation; they're friends and allies
- Mystery POV, Ro, and the rest of the crew are headed into the palace as prisoners
- Lord Jo Kai Mei and his sons, Ayza, and Orii are all in on Jhou's plan
- Aang is trapped in the dungeons of the palace, but not dead
- Ty Lee has put together a concoction to get Aang out of his crystal so Zuko can finish him off after the Dance of Streets
Got it? Great. Now go read!
Chapter 28
"Hold."
Sweat runs down my forehead and my breathing is low, steady. My eyes are trained on the two strands of water that are precariously supporting a rock the size of my head. It hovers over the ground, and I struggle to keep the water in place with just my eyes; my hands are tied behind my back as an extra precaution.
"Good. Keep breathing as I've taught you, otherwise you will lose control too quickly for this to be of any use." Master Jhou is talking behind me, circling in his usual vulture-like manner. "And hold your chin up higher; staring downwards is a simple giveaway for your work. Your eyes will bend to anyplace in your line of vision, which is expanded if you keep your head level."
I comply, and the cords of water thicken; I feel my grip on the rock becoming stronger. I raise it higher in the air, to roughly the height of my waist.
"Well done. Now call it over to yourself."
Concentrating, I slowly drag my eyes across the empty space between my body and the rock. With an uneasy jolt at first, the subject of my eye-bending soars lazily over on my water strands and comes to a halt at my side, floating beside me like a favored pet awaiting a reward.
Master Jhou mutters to himself and walks up behind me, his hands reaching down to untie my bonds. "Well waterbender, I must say you have given this a very good try. Eye-bending not an easy skill to master, and you should not take it badly that you have not managed to do so."
I feel the ropes slip off my wrists and a deep disappointment washing through me at Master Jhou's words. After all this time of intense training, I'm still not good enough for whatever it is he wants me to do. I shake my head and turn around, arguments welling up inside me.
But all of them are choked back down when I see Master Jhou's face. He's smiling – no, grinning – like a fiend, which somehow makes his serious face seem that much more menacing.
"But fortunately," he says, arms crossed over his chest, "you've figured out enough of eye-bending for our purposes." Master Jhou reaches out a gnarled hand and places it on my shoulder. "You're ready."
I blink. Our purposes? What is he talking about? And ready for what? Didn't he just say I had failed to master eye-bending?
"Come," he beckons and I follow him obediently. "There is much to explain and rather little time to do so. And as Time does not apologize for her inconsiderate behavior, we must attempt to compensate for her." He frowns, thinking aloud. "I believe you were best placed here for the moment."
I sit as Master Jhou bids me, beside the steadily flowing stream. The sound of the moving water is comforting always, and I reach out a hand. The warm droplets run through my fingers and up my wrist, meeting the last remnants of my scars.
"Look at me," Master Jhou commands, and his voice has lost some of its gravelly effect. The tone has been replaced by something more earnest and hopeful; I raise my eyes expectantly.
"I have been training you day in and day out, working you harder, pushing you further with every moment. And clever girl that you are, I know you've wondered why. And you are correct to have done so – my motivations have never been of a purely altruistic nature. So this evening you will finally know what all this preparation has been for." He locks his gaze with mine, his eyes piercing through the air between us.
"Tonight, you go free."
My mouth opens soundlessly, and if it weren't for the dead silence surrounding me I'd have been be certain I'd heard Master Jhou wrongly. Freedom… my head spins at the thought, and my eyes stare ahead blankly. What must be shock thrills through my core and I shake my head impulsively, back and forth, back and forth.
"Yes," Master Jhou affirms calmly. "Do you think I would have wasted my time training you so that you could remain a prisoner in the Fire Lord's rattrap of a palace? Or did you assume that I would merely turn you loose on the off-chance you might manage to escape alone?" Master Jhou grabs my chin to stop my shaking. "No. There was never any whim involved; everything that will occur within the next few hours has been meticulously planned."
I mouth the words after him, not understanding. Meticulously planned…?
"Yes," Master Jhou repeats. "Much has happened in the past two years, regardless of how the Great War ended. Plans have changed, men have regrouped… the rebellion is returned, with a determination unmatched." His eyes glint triumphantly. "Our cause is not lost, our resources are not finished, and our strongest powers will be reunited again tonight."
Strongest powers reunited? My head reels as I try to wrap my mind around Master Jhou's words. The rebellion is alive… and coming back tonight…
"Your allies have not forsaken you. Together we shall reveal this false Lord's treachery to the world, and watch his Nation descend into anarchy." The venom Master Jhou exudes is terrifying and grounding at once, and through my haze of confusion I discover the wherewithal to wonder once more who he is.
"Never again shall we allow our world to fall under the singular control of a villain, no matter how cleverly he hides behind his pretty smile and simple deceits." Master Jhou takes my hands in his own twisted fingers. "Trust my words and together we shall bring the world back to order, Master Waterbender."
Dumbfounded, heartened, intrigued, I nod my head slowly. It's too much to hope for, too good to be real, and for the moment I'd rather play along with the fantasy Master Jhou is offering than fight it. I take a deep breath and pray to anyone listening that the Master is telling me the truth.
Master Jhou nods at me. "You may not believe me yet, but you will soon enough. For now I simply need your attention… and a moment of patience. Stay here." With that, Master Jhou stands up on his ancient, sturdy limbs and disappears into one of the planthouses.
Unfortunately, as soon as Master Jhou is out of sight, my moment of easy belief passes. Our strongest powers reunited… how can that be possible? My logical half argues against the half desperately clutching at hope. Aang was destroyed, Toph was gone… Sokka… Sokka was killed…
I hold my tears in, some morbid voice in the back of my head wryly warning that I might begin eye-bending by accident. It's difficult to think about my brother, but it happens more than I care to admit; Sokka is a subconscious motivation.
Sokka.
Why do I bother to hope? Because of silly, ridiculous Sokka. Why do I continue trying, though I feel doomed to fail? Because of stupid, thickheaded Sokka. Why do I go on training, even though my enemies would outnumber me thousands to one? Because of strong, goodhearted, Sokka.
It's not the first reason that comes to mind, I know. Of course I want freedom from my prison and revenge on my captor – but those are dark reasons. It is the light reasons that matter more; Aang, Toph, my parents, my tribe, all those scarred by the Great War, and my brother, Sokka.
And from some far recess of my memory it occurs to me that Sokka has had that same effect on others. That miserable ambassador from the Earth Kingdom – whatever his name was – had brought Zuko half of Sokka's broken boomerang. The ambassador claimed it was the symbol of a group of captured rebels.
Sokka's symbol.
"You will be needing this for the evening." Master Jhou is back, with something wrapped delicately in a length of red fabric. He seats himself across from me and hands me the package. "Open it."
I take the bundle from Master Jhou and begin unfolding it; I have the oddest impression of watching myself from above as I undo the delicate ties.
"Tonight, as you are aware, is the Dance of Streets, which marks the end of the Midsummer Festival. The vast majority of the Fire Nation has arrived for the occasion, making this evening the perfect opportunity for a large announcement." Master Jhou smiles grimly; I'm in the dark on what he so desperately wants the Fire Nation to know.
"In addition, the crowds will provide excellent cover for those wishing to enter and exit the palace unnoticed." He chuckles knowingly. "And thankfully, this happens to be the Festival when everyone sees fit to don a mask and make fantastically foolish decisions." He pauses. "Fortunately for us, you will only be doing the former."
The fabric falls away, revealing a skillfully crafted golden mask. There is no unnecessary decoration; all the mask's beauty relies in its careful curves and delicate architecture. I pick it up, examining the back, the simple ties that would hold the mask in place.
I replace the beautiful façade, but there's something more left in the cloth. I lift another section of the red fabric, which falls away to reveal cloth the color of amethyst. The dress is long, fitted at the top with a flaring skirt. It has only one strap, and the sleeve attached is opaque and flowing. It's the most beautiful dress I've seen in years, and I notice some golden jewelry hidden beneath the red fabric.
"You will be attending the Dance of Streets, Master Waterbender," Master Jhou explains impassively. "The mask and dress are your disguise for the evening, courtesy of Mistress Ayza."
Ayza? The Fire Lord's healer? My eyebrows rise of their own accord – she's one of Master Jhou's allies? She is a dissenter? A rebel against the Fire Nation, her home, the land she grew up in?
"Oh yes," Master Jhou replies, implicitly understanding all of my unasked questions. "I was rather surprised you hadn't already figured her out, what with all the hints she so obviously dropped for you. But never mind that. You can thank her for her help and bombard her with questions later."
Judging from the direction this conversation is heading in, I gather that today is a day for swallowing shocking information instantaneously and without issue. I just nod dumbly, trying my hardest to shut down all my senses of disbelief and confusion.
"There will be many actions running simultaneously this evening," Master Jhou continues, his tone deadly serious. "But no matter what occurs around you, no matter what disruptions or distractions interfere, you are to remember your part. Your task tonight is to track down the Fire Lord."
A pit opens in my stomach, reacting to the fire that goes off in my ears.
"The Fire Lord has recently acquired something of great value to our cause. This item is just as important to him as it is to us; there is no chance the Fire Lord would risk losing it. Knowing his precarious position should said item be lost, we have conjectured that the Fire Lord will have it on his person all evening." Master Jhou watches me steadily.
I swallow unconsciously, but look back nonetheless.
"The item is a vial, about this large." Master Jhou estimates the size with his fingers. "It is filled with a white powder and hangs on a string tied around the vial's neck." Master Jhou folds his hands. "It will be your task to relieve the Fire Lord of it."
My unspoken "how" hangs in the air between us like lead.
"You will find the Fire Lord, but before you even begin your interactions with him, you will retrieve the vial. That," Master Jhou punctuates sharply, "is where your eye-bending will come in. Use of the hands is too obvious; remember, the Fire Lord will be hyperaware of his surroundings tonight. You must find where the vial is hidden on his person, use your new skill to bring it over to yourself, and do so without attracting attention."
Oh.
"Additionally, you will be on a time limit, Master Waterbender." The Master holds up a hand threateningly. "Let me make this very clear – you must have the vial in your possession within a half hour of entering the Festival grounds. A half an hour. No more or less. Do you understand?"
I nod mechanically.
"The moment that time has elapsed, you will be approached by a man dressed entirely in white, with a green cloth tied around his waist. He will ask you, 'Does My Lady dance the reverse?' to which you will reply, 'So long as I may be returned'. After that exchange, and only after, will you give him the vial."
White with a green sash; so long as I may be returned; half an hour.
"After you are certain the vial is in the right hands, you will approach the Fire Lord." Just as Master Jhou's tone cannot possibly become any more serious, it does. "Your task will be to lull him into a false sense of security, which, make no mistake, will be no easy feat."
My eyebrows furrow, creating my unasked why.
"You will distract the Fire Lord; we need him out of the way for an hour or so. And before you give me that discomfiting look," Master Jhou interrupts himself, "I will tell you how."
I hate how far ahead of me he is. The Master is demented (among other things), but he knows me.
"You are going to seduce the Fire Lord."
The pit in my stomach widens into a full length chasm, and a sharp jab in my ribs prompts me to shake my head. No. Absolutely not, under no circumstances, no. My expression must be something fearsome, because Master Jhou reaches out a hand and grasps my wrist. The muscles in my legs are tensed; I was ready to move away long before my brain ordered me to do so.
"Listen to me, Master Waterbender," Master Jhou insists. "I understand that servicing the carnal interests of the man who has kept you prisoner and slave is not appealing. But we do not need you to fulfill the act, only to insinuate its likelihood. All we need is the Fire Lord sufficiently distracted – there is nothing so tempting during the Dance of Streets as a pretty face.
"It will be in the atmosphere tonight – the Festival is a time of courtship and carousing. The Fire Lord will suspect nothing of a beautiful young noblewoman seeking his attention; he will assume you have not the least notion of his identity." The Master pauses. "Furthermore, if you want your revenge on the Fire Lord, you will do as I say."
My muscles relax, but the remaining wariness keeps my back straight, and my eyes must be driving holes through Master Jhou's skull.
"Once you have the Fire Lord's attention, you will convince him to bring you into the palace. Away from the crowds, from the guards or any other form of help, you will face your captor." Master Jhou's grip on my wrist loosens. "Trick him, attack him, knock him out first – whatever you wish, the Fire Lord is yours for that hour. I guarantee that no one will come to his rescue." The Master's voice is as cold and hard as steel.
No. I shake my head; I can't do this. I won't go near Zuko, not with his twisted mind games, his impossibly complex facades. I cannot try and... seduce him. I know he'll see right through me, somehow, someway. Smiling at him as he tenderly touches my skin… the thought gives me chills of revulsion and something else I can't name. But no, no, I can't. I won't.
"Not for your freedom?" Master Jhou's voice cuts through my doubts like a knife. "Not to earn your own liberty, not to fight for others to gain that same right? Come now, girl. Is this the awe-inspiring Master Waterbender that the Avatar's enemies trembled before during the Great War?"
I struggle against him, pulling back my hand. My fingers skim over the scars on my wrists; I can't. He doesn't understand… how could he? It hasn't been Master Jhou locked away and tortured, abused and thrown through a mental labyrinth of haunts and tricks. It's easy for him to tell me to simply move ahead as if the past was of no consequence.
Of course I want to help, myself and anyone else I can. If the question a moment ago had been what I would do for my freedom, I would have known the answer was anything. But that was before this particular request was thrown onto the playing field…
Master Jhou senses that his approach has failed, and with his subtle way of regrouping, he quiets his tone and tries another way. "Well then. If your own freedom means so little to you, I suppose I should explain this differently. Simply put, if you play your part in this plan, by the end of the night the Avatar will return."
Oh.
Oh gods.
I exhale sharply and the world goes fuzzy. Master Jhou's face swims in my vision, his calm expression utterly untroubled. My breathing is shallow, and I feel hot and cold at once; I press a hand to my chest. My lips come together, opening and closing as the air rushes into my mouth.
I've heard the Master, but it matters very little.
So impossible… so much impossibility…
Avatar… return… tonight…
"Aang."
My lips part, and my throat, sore from disuse, releases in a croaking whisper its first word in two years.
WD94: Oh Katara... so many bombshells dropped on her head all in one chapter...
I hope that everything made sense; if not, you are always free to leave me a message/review asking for clarification. Feel free to read and reread as necessary, as well.
