Thank you to everyone who has read up to this point. I apologize for any typos. Whether you like the story or not, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Two days after the destruction of the Mori castle…

Chief Shin Rahn walked up the stoop of the modest dwelling, having tracked down the residence after three days of searching. He arrived at the top step and stopped at the front door. 'Chen Home for the Feeble-Minded,' the nameboard read. He grabbed the iron knocker and rapped several times.

As he waited, he glanced at the windows, walls and alleyways adjoining the house, swiveling his helmeted-head in a closer inspection of the home. A minute later, he heard a lock click and watched the front door swing open. He puffed out his plated chest and stood tall.

A teenage girl with black hair, caramel brown skin and emerald green eyes stood in the doorway. "Chief Rahn," the green-eyed teenager greeted in a pleasant, yet subtly surprised tone. "What brings you here?"

Her face appeared tense to his trained, investigative eyes. He rendered the formal Fire Nation salute and bowed at the waist. "Good morning, Miss. I apologize for bothering you." He straightened from his bow and met the teenager's eyes. His brow wrinkled. "I must say, you look familiar, but I don't recall your name."

"Meilin," she replied softly.

"Meilin," he repeated, then inclined his head in memory. "You're the one my officers interviewed about the attack."

"Yes."

The foreign-born citizen's face still bore bruises and healing cuts. He recalled the night he and his domestic soldiers rescued he—and more—a year ago. "We're working quickly to find the perpetrators of your attack," he spoke firmly. "Unfortunately, with the destruction of the Mori castle, we're very busy, but we do have some leads."

"Good. I'm glad."

She had two hands on the door and appeared guarded. Did she know of the Mori castle's connection to the similarly-named yakuza group? Just because the Mori Clan criminal syndicate bore the same name didn't mean she connected them to the well-known business magnates who shared the same name, lived in the historic castle… And actually were that criminal syndicate.

Chief Rahn maintained a mild demeanor. "One of those leads concerns someone who I believe lives here, or that you know."

Meilin blinked. "Huh?"

"I don't mean they're responsible," he clarified, apologetically, seeing the bewilderment on her face. "I mean, they might be able to help us. A few weeks ago, you and others from this household got into an altercation with several neighborhood watchmen from the Oda neighborhood."

"Yes, I remember."

"There was a teenage girl with you at the time. She got into a firebending battle with those men, and caused a lot of damage to the nearby citizenry. I had her fire-whipped for it and released."

Meilin's head tilted in puzzlement. "What does she have to do with this?"

"We suspect what happened to you, and the murder of that young man who was with you that night, might have been an act of revenge against her."

"But… I don't look like her."

Chief Rahn considered her response for a moment. "… No, but it might still have been revenge. We suspect those neighborhood watchmen might have been connected to a criminal group. That is, unfortunately, becoming more common these days."

"That would make sense, I guess," she replied uneasily. "They've pushed us around before, and tried to steal from us."

"I need to speak to that young lady who was with you that day, who had fought them. I need to find out everything she knows and what other altercations she might have gotten into."

"None that I know of."

"Do you know where I can find her?"

"Um… I don't."

"Do you know her name?"

"Yukirina Nakano."

"Do you know where she lives, or works?"

"Um… I don't. She… Actually used to live here."

"Used to?"

"Meilin?" An old man's voice called from somewhere inside the house. "Who's at the door?"

The Earth Kingdom teen flinched a bit at the man's voice. A few seconds later, an elderly, fair-skinned man with a bald head stood in the doorway.

"Good morning, police chief," the old man greeted, noting correctly the insignia on his helmet. "What can we do for you?"

Chief Rahn broke his attention away from the nervous teenager and bowed with respect to the older man. "Good morning, sir. I was speaking to young Meilin here. She was helping me figure out where I may find Yukirina Nakano." He rose from his bow and met the old man's brown eyes. "Apparently, Ms. Nakano used to live here. I think she can help my soldiers find who attacked Meilin and murdered the young man in her company."

"What is your name, good sir?"

"Chief Shin Rahn, Chief of Police for the Taizao Town Guards, Mori District."

"A pleasure to mee you, Chief Rahn." He bowed deeply, as much as his old frame allowed. "Your reputation precedes you. Meilin has said many good things about you and your guards since she came to live with us; she said you helped save her from imprisonment. Thank you deeply for your service to this city and to Meilin. My name is Bo Chen. My wife and I run a small charity from our personal residence here."

Chief Rahn inclined his head in a slow nod. "So, you're one of the families who took in the Earth Kingdom prisoners we rescued."

"Yes. What do you need to know about Ms. Nakano?"

"My hope is she can help solve our investigation into Meilin's attack. She's the only person with any connection to Meilin who might have incurred the anger of people willing to do such a thing."

The foreign-born teen remained stiff while the old man stood mild and relaxed. "You mean those neighborhood watchmen?" Mr. Chen asked for clarification.

"Perhaps them, or others. That's what I want to talk to her about. Could you answer some questions I have before I talk to her? I want to have a full picture of what happened that day, and her relationship with the people of this home, before I approach her."

Meilin's teeth clenched behind her anassuming lips.

"Certainly. What questions do you have?"

"Can we speak privately?"

"Of course. Come inside, chief. I'll show you to my office."

"Thank you."

Chief Rahn removed his helmet and placed it under his arm in a show of peaceful respect to the home he was entering. He stepped into the recessed entryway and began to remove his armored boots. As his head was turned down, Meilin flashed a secret look at Mr. Chen; her eyes were wide and her brow wrought with fear and uncertainty. Mr. Chen shot her a look in return. 'Say nothing and don't look like that,' he said without speaking.

Meilin frowned and bowed her head to conceal her face. She took a step backward to allow the police chief more room, folding her hands in front of herself modestly and hiding her fingers that clenched her dress tightly. She would have been thrilled for the heroic chief's presence in her home if it were under any other circumstance but this.

Chief Rahn slipped out of his heavy boots and stepped onto the hardwood floor wearing his socks.

"Right this way, chief."

Chief Rahn followed the old man through the moderately-affluent household, all while hearing the wails and moans of the charity's 'feeble-minded' wards. He felt an inkling of something familiar, like a strange coincidence he couldn't place. For some reason, the old man was limping, as if one leg was bruised. Meilin, meanwhile, shuffled behind quietly.

Mr. Chen arrived at his office's sliding door. He beckoned inside. "After you, chief."

Chief Rahn went inside and Mr. Chen maneuvered to do the same. As he did, he turned his shoulder and fired another sharp look at Meilin before disappearing inside and sliding the door closed.

Meilin halted and winced, her stomach knotting in nervous discomfort. Instead of returning to her chores, she remained outside the office's paper screen door, trying to hear the conversation within.

Mr. Chen eased himself into his chair behind his desk, taking care to avoid bending his left knee too greatly.

"Do you need help?" Chief Rahn asked.

"No, no, I'm fine. I just, banged it into the table yesterday. I bruise easily these days…" Mr. Chen sat comfortably and Chief Rahn did the same. "What do you need to know?" He folded his hands on the desk while Chief Rahn rested his steel-and-leather helmet on his knee.

When he spoke, he spoke softly. "The report you made to my officers stated you suspected yakuza had been behind the attack, and that the neighborhood watchmen Meilin and Ms. Nakano ran into weeks ago might have been connected to them."

"Yes, that's what I believe. Those men have harassed our charity's workers and our wards before. I think it was retaliation against Yuki for fighting them. I know yakuza often masquerade as 'neighborhood watch', hence my reasoning."

Chief Rahn nodded. "What you didn't mention was that you had visited Shinzo Tanaka-Mori at the Flying Fish, four weeks ago, the day of Ms. Nakano's altercation with his foot soldiers, and asked for 'protection'."

Mr. Chen gazed at the chief of police for a protracted length of silence. "Yes," he said finally, at length. "I didn't know he was their leader. Just—"

"Just another well-connected crime boss from your days as a smuggler."

Meilin's teeth clenched and she grimaced. Chief Rahn really was investigating this thoroughly, and it sounded like a bad thing that he'd mentioned Mr. Chen's smuggling days. Would he get in trouble for it?

"I haven't done that in a long time," Mr. Chen replied quietly.

"I'm not here to litigate your past."

Meilin let out her breath in relief.

"Although, if you don't cooperate, there are ways that past can haunt you."

Meilin shut her eyes and frowned miserably. Mr. Chen wasn't a bad man, but he had done some illegal things a long time ago, as she had learned recently from Katsumi and Mrs. Chen. Yuki had disliked him for that, and now, Chief Rahn seemed to as well. Yuki had gotten over it. Hopefully Chief Rahn would, too.

Mr. Chen sighed. "You don't have to threaten me, chief," he said dully. "What do you need to know?"

"Workers at the Flying Fish said a teenage girl was with you that day. Was is it Ms. Nakano?

"Yes."

"What exactly did you ask Shinzo?"

"For protection against retaliation by the Mori Clan. I didn't know he had become their leader. Last time I interacted with him, he ran a crew on the southside wharves."

'Crew' was a euphemism for 'team of criminals' under the protection of a syndicate, or clan. Chief Rahn was very familiar with them. "Apparently, you didn't receive that help, or else whoever attacked Meilin and that young man—"

"Hao."

"Hao," he used his name. "Or, else whoever attacked Meilin and murdered Hao couldn't be controlled by the Mori Clan."

"I suppose it could have been that, but I'm confident the people who attacked them were Mori, or were at least paid by them."

"Why didn't you receive protection? You were an acquaintance of his and you seem to have the money. Shinzo wasn't a particularly greedy boss."

"We didn't have the money. It was as simple as that."

"How much did he ask for?"

"Not a specific number. The only way it could have been paid was if Yuki became a courtesan in the Clan's service. You know how that works."

"I take it she refused?"

"Yes."

"What happened next?"

"We went on with our lives, hoping the Mori Clan wouldn't retaliate. Shinzo gave Yuki a deadline to accept his offer. Until then, no harm would come to her. After the deadline, if she still refused, he wouldn't stop his foot soldiers from taking revenge."

He took a deep breath and sighed. "Yuki wasn't scared of them and she put on a brave face for everyone. I suspected it was only a matter of time, though, before something bad happened. Yuki was convinced they'd only come after her, and that she'd be able to use her firebending to defend herself like last time. She was confident like that. Confident, and unafraid. I guess I bought into it, especially since she had fought them so handedly and… Well… My grandkids and the other helpers really liked having her around. I did tell her, though, that if my family and home fell into danger, she couldn't stay here."

"Is that what happened? The Mori Clan made it too dangerous for you to keep her acquaintance and you evicted her?"

"Yes… Sort of… Mostly."

"It sounds like she isn't family. What's your relationship with her?"

"She'd been living here for the past two months as a helper. We took her in so she'd have a place to stay until she was ready to establish herself on her own."

"She has no family in Taizao?"

"Not that I know of, and I don't think so. She came to us as a runaway, apparently from an arranged marriage she despised. Her arm was injured when she got here, from her 'running away'. Her left hand is actually crippled because of it."

"So, she just arrived at your doorstep?"

"No. The Bian Que charity hospital brought her to us. A doctor we know told us about her and asked if we could help. We took her in out of charity."

"Was that doctor Izumi Lee by any chance?"

"Yes."

Chief Rahn nodded. Doctor Lee had been awoken in her home in the middle of the night by his guards and rushed to the hospital. The Bian Que charity hospital had spearheaded finding those rescued Earth Kingdom prisoners homes, especially during the governmental chaos at the time while the new Fire Lord cemented his rule. "Is Ms. Nakano from Taizao?" He continued his line of questioning.

"No."

Chief Rahn blinked. "She's not from Taizao?"

"No, she's not."

"Where?"

"She said from a small town outside the city, in the countryside. She didn't give a name. She was pretty 'openly vague' about her past, if that makes sense. I'm not surprised; she didn't want her family, or the people she ran away from, finding her."

'Didn't want her family, or the people she ran away from, finding her,' the old man's words echoed in his mind. He didn't respond for some time.

"If I may say, chief," Mr. Chen spoke in a diplomatic tone. "I'm surprised you're investigating this personally. I can't help but wonder why."

Meilin's head tilted puzzledly.

Chief Rahn steadied his gaze on the old man's. "Going after the yakuza requires more than just fighting their foot soldiers. You of all people should appreciate that."

Mr. Chen nodded, slowly.

"And with Shinzo and the rest of the Mori Clan's leadership being killed in such a professional manner, it makes this case that much harder, and more pressing to solve. Needless to say, with the attention the Mori castle is receiving, this gives me cover to dig deeper into the remaining clan members' misdeeds without drawing attention from those who'd want them to remain hidden."

Meilin relaxed and her lips curved in a smile.

"So, the whole family really was killed?"

"Yes."

Mr. Chen sighed and closed his eyes. "I've never known anything like that to have happened in this city, even among yakuza. I wonder if other clans are becoming more powerful."

"They certainly will become more powerful now. You said Ms. Nakano was running from her family, or at least from a marriage," he returned to the previous topic. "I presume she was trying to remain anonymous?"

"Yes, although I have no reason to believe her name isn't Yukirina Nakano."

"Why do you think she made such a scene against those yakuza?" He referred to those 'neighborhood watchmen' as yakuza for the first time, no longer needing to abide by their euphemism. "That doesn't seem like the actions of someone trying to hide."

"Because they were stealing from her and her companions."

"I understand that."

"You mean, why was she willing to?"

He nodded. "I wonder if she has a deeper history with them you don't know about. It's curious they sought to antagonize her further since she proved herself a capable firebender. The yakuza might hold grudges, but they typically employ assassins in that regard."

Mr. Chen shrugged. "Shinzo wanted her for a courtesan. He was trying to intimidate her without physically harming her. As for having a deeper history with them…" He rocked his head side-to-side in uncertainty. "I wouldn't say she has a history with them, but I think she has a more complicated past than she let on."

"In what way?" Chief Rahn pressed thoughtfully, years of investigations having taught him how to mask any outward show of suspicion, or ulterior motive.

"Just… Things about her, the way she talked, acted; things she said. She'd get depressed a lot, and angry. She also seemed… Oblivious to danger."

"'Oblivious to danger'?" He repeated the odd term.

"Yes; not heeding my warnings, acting very self-assured. I guess I can understand why; she lives with a weapon inside; our nation's greatest resource. You can probably relate to that, I imagine."

"I certainly can. However; you don't otherwise seem to be speaking well of her."

Mr. Chen gave an apologetic grin. "Don't misunderstand, me chief, I'm glad we took Yuki in. My family and the other workers loved having her around. They're all deeply disappointed she's gone. It makes Hao's death ache even more, even if she was somewhat difficult at times, although I guess lots of teenage firebenders can be, though."

"What sort of past do you think she has?"

"I don't think she was lying when she said she was running from an arranged marriage. But…" He paused again. "I suspect her journey here was longer and more complicated than she described, and that it… Wounded her in some way. Emotionally, I mean. Not just her arm."

"How did she get here?"

"Doctor Lee said she was found outside the Wanzhang Coal Mine, lost and injured. The doctor said she ran away through the forest to get here."

"The 'forest', as in… The Forgetful Valley?"

"If you can believe it, yes. The doctor said a tiger clawed her arm."

Chief Rahn's jaw fell a tiny bit.

"Yes, I'm amazed, too, but I guess that's the advantage of being a firebender."

Chief Rahn shut his mouth promptly and collected himself. "Why do you think her journey was more than that?" He asked in an even tone. "Surviving the Forgetful Valley would be harrowing enough, I would presume."

"Because she brought some strange clothes with her. Doctor Lee said she arrived at the hospital wearing a stage costume she stole during her escape. It was from her hometowns players' house, suppsosedly, and it might have been, except it seemed more… Authentic than a mere costume, and she seemed very comfortable with it."

"A… Costume?"

Mr. Chen nodded. "It looked like armor, soldier's armor, like what the main character in…" He searched for the name. "The Virtuous Rider would wear." He referred to a play where the main character wore a similar outfit based on what mounted soldiers wore when they rode mongoose lizards.

Chief Rahn eyed him carefully. "Come again?"

"Soldier's armor, like from a play."

"She had armor?"

"Costume, armor, whatever it was. It was in a bag when she arrived at the house. She never took it out, except for one time when she thought she needed it. I think she believed the costume was real."

A cold prickling creeped down the back of the chief's neck. "What did the costume look like?" He forced himself to ask in a pleasantly curious tone.

"Like lamellar, I guess, made of steel and leather, you know: shoulder guards, a leather skirt and boots. I don't know how else to describe it."

"Why do you think she had it?"

"She stole it, apparently, which I believe, and don't blame her for; people do extreme things when they're desperate, especially in these times. I can't judge her for that. I imagine she believed it'd help her in the forest."

Outside the door, Meilin's face warped in offense. 'Stole? It was her uniform from being a town guard! But she couldn't reveal that; she'd promised Yuki she wouldn't tell!

"You think she has a 'more complicated past'," Chief Rahn repeated Mr. Chen's claim. "What do you think that past is?"

Mr. Chen gave another apologetic grin. "I don't mean to imply anything malign, Chief Rahn. I just think she has a more complicated past. It always seemed she had things on her mind she wouldn't talk about."

Chief Rahn took a moment to process that. "Okay…." He shifted in his seat and smoothed his expression. "Why doesn't she live here anymore?"

Mr. Chen frowned. "The night after Hao's murder, she went out looking for who was responsible. I believe she went revenge-seeking. That's why she wore the uniform that one time."

Meilin's heart leapt into her throat and she nearly choked. Her jaw hit the floor and her eyes bulged.

"I begged her not to. We all did, but she didn't listen. I think she felt the Taizao police were incapable of helping us, and she didn't want to lose anymore of her friends."

'Felt the Taizao police were incapable.' Chief Rahn felt his insides churn.

"I don't know what she did that night," Mr. Chen said honestly. "I think she went to the Flying Fish looking for a fight since she knew the Mori Clan operated from there. Whatever happened, she got hurt and ended up in the hospital. I told her she couldn't live with us anymore since she had behaved that way."

"Behaved what way, exactly?"

"Ignoring my family's orders and looking for fights."

He ran the dates in his head. The night after Hao's murder was the same as the Mori Castle's destruction.

"Does this information help you?"

The old man's voice echoed in the police chief's ears. A moment later, he came to. "It might. I still need to speak with her. Do you know where I can find her?"

"No, but the last I knew, she was at the Bian Que charity hospital recovering from her wounds. She might still be there."

"Alright, I'll see if I can find her." Chief Rahn rose. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Chen." He bowed. "I hope to find who is responsible for the harm done to those under your care." He straightened from his bow and met the otherwise upstanding citizen's eyes. "The Mori Clan won't be in a position to resist this investigation."

"Thank you for trying, chief. I know it's difficult."

Meilin went rigid as the conversation ended and she heard footsteps approach the door. Frantically, she searched for where to put herself and what to do. She leapt into the recessed floor of the living room, landing silently on her soft, sock-covered feet, and pretended to organize the floor cushions when the door to Mr. Chen's office slid open and the two men walked past.

"Ch-Chief Rahn?"

The imposing, armored chief stopped and turned toward her. "Yes?" He regarded her in a peaceful manner.

Meilin's arms hung at her sides as she fought to urge to fiddle with her hands. "Are you going to see Yuki?"

"Yes."

"She might not be happy to see you," she blurted in warning. "Please don't get angry with her."

"That's fine. I can imagine why she wouldn't be."

"She might call you corrupt, or incompetent. Don't take it personally. That's just how she is."

Chief Rahn's mild expression wilted, like a flower dying on the vine. "She thinks I'm corrupt?" He asked flatly.

"She doesn't know you like I do, though!" She said urgently. "It's just that, her experience with you was… Well… Bad."

The chief continued to gaze at the former Earth Kingdom citizen; she appeared nervous and her tone pleading.

"Yes, chief, Yuki can be 'fiery'," Mr. Chen agreed. "Don't assume it means anything more." He shot Meilin a quick, subtle look. Her gaze remained on the chief's.

A moment later, Chief Rahn let out a huff of amusement and smiled. "You like her, don't you?" He asked the green-eyed teen.

"Yes, of course. I liked having her around. She protected us from an angry mob and tried to stop those criminals from stealing from us, even though she went too far. She'd probably make a good town guard. She actually… Kind of reminds me of you."

Chief Rahn chuckled softly and smiled a bit more. "I'll tell her you said 'hello'."

"Please be nice to her."

"I will. Take care, Meilin." He bowed and took his leave with Mr. Chen showing him out the door.

When Mr. Chen returned to the living room, Meilin stepped in front of him.

"Is he gone?" She whispered sharply.

Mr. Chen nodded, dully. "Yes," he sighed, his shoulder hanging.

Meilin's face exploded in utter bewilderment. "Why did you tell him all of that?!" Her voice strained in anguish. "He'll figure it out!"

"Meilin—"

"You made her sound like a criminal! She's not!"

"Meilin, I couldn't lie to him!"

"You could have said less!" Her voice cracked.

"Like how you were speaking for her character when it had nothing to do with what he was asking?"

Meilin cringed in bafflement. Then, slowly, her jaw fell and her face went pale. Her gaze fell from his and she squeezed her fists as her face crumpled in despair. Her face continued to wrinkle into an ugly grimace until her eyes narrowed and glistened. She didn't speak.

"Meilin…" Mr. Chen stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. "I had to tell him enough so he wouldn't feel like we were hiding anything, understand? Now he knows what questions to ask. It's up to Yuki to come up with the answers."

Meilin's arms hung at her sides. Her lower lip trembled. "What if he still thinks she did it?"

"She's a smart person, Meilin. I'm sure she'll figure it out. We have to protect ourselves first. Yuki is strong enough to protect herself."

Meilin groaned as her stomach fell ill with despair and she leaned her forehead against Mr. Chen's bony shoulder.

From across the room, Katsumi peeked her head around the doorway, staring at Mr. Chen and Meilin after having listened to the conversation between them and the police chief while staying hidden around the corner.

She returned from hauling water from the public cistern down the street. There she had seen a wanted poster for a teenage girl with long, black-brown hair, amber eyes and the same raised, gold-trimmed collar that Yuki had pulled from her bag the night she destroyed the Mori castle. She had brought that poster back with her to the charity home. She held it in her hand now.

Meilin's shoulders started to shake. Katsumi frowned. She turned from the doorway and stood with her back against the wall, her gaze pointed at the floor as she listened to Meilin's sorrow. Slowly, her right hand closed into a fist, crushing the poster into a ball. She returned to the kitchen to move on with her day.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Chief Rahn walked down the sidewalk on his way to his dragon-moose tied to a public stable. He wore his helmet once more and he carried his head high, though his eyes were distant in thought.

He arrived at his beast of burden and undid the knot securing it to the post. The obedient animal remained put. He grabbed the saddle, placed one foot into the stirrup… And hesitated. A moment later, he hauled himself up.

The dragon moose grunted as it took its rider's weight and felt the reigns tighten, but it remained in place. It received no commands.

Chief Rahn sat on his dragon moose, his head tilted down, his distant gaze pointed at the animal's neck while the cool morning of Fire Nation winter turned to the warmth of early afternoon.

He stayed there for a long time.