Fire spilled into the streets as house after house burns with unceasing wrath, while people choked under ash and ember. Men dressed in black and red rode in their mounts, spitting out hot fury from their hands, feeding the monstrous flame. It grew and grew, encompassing the village until only red filled the horizon. The bad men chased down anyone escaping, and Jet sees his mom cry out for help.
To the Freedom Fighter, he lived his life under the shadow of that long ago inferno. That was why he got into that life, took arms against the unjust occupiers, and rallied many to his cause. Further and further he went against them, until he went too far. Ba Sing Se was supposed to be his second chance to live normally, but it's impossible when everywhere he went, he saw the cost of the war they started. He couldn't just let them get away with it, any of them. There was no way Jet could just ignore and live happily-ever-after; he had to do what he can to make them pay.
He walked towards the plaza, determined and ready for a fight. All he needs to do was provoke that cook to firebend right in front of everyone. That way, justice can be served. So he quickens his step and found that she wasn't there. Some of her regulars stood around the plaza, as confused as he was. Jet walks to Pao Tea, finding most of the chairs empty in the once-thriving teahouse. The owner was taking orders from a couple of guards, and there was visible concern on his face.
Jet approaches him, "where's your cook?"
Pao just raised his hands in my frustration, "I don't know where Mokou is; she hasn't been here all morning!" His eyes narrow in suspicion, and he points accusingly at Jet, "Why do you want to know? You trying to poach her like my other employees?!"
Jet shakes his head, " No, just-Do you know where else she could be?"
Pao shrugged, "Nope, she told me she got a new house, but that's it. That girl doesn't like to talk." He grumbled.
Jet could only groan, "Well, thanks and..." he struggles with his words, "good luck." Pao rolls his eyes as Jet left the building.
Back to square one.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The flames crackled in a calming melodic rhythm. Long Feng never understood the need for a fireplace within the palace library. For a long time, he had always equated its addition as a result of royal indulgence: impractical, hazardous, and ultimately unnecessary. What use was a fireplace when candles are safer and more effective? But as the soothing hiss of the flames graced his ear like a sweet caress, he understands why.
Lately, Long Feng finds himself scratching his chin and tapping his foot more often—unnecessary yet involuntary actions on his part. But the fire soothed him with peaceful euphony and a warm embrace. And so he finds himself sitting straighter and stiller, becoming immersed in great tranquillity.
He only wished Ba Sing Se was this calm. It had always been his life's work to bring tranquillity to the great city, to turn it into the utopia that it could be. But the inadequacy of the simple and the short-sighted, coupled with the schemes of the powerful and the greedy, prevented Ba Sing Se's ascendence into something greater.
Long Feng stroked his book's well-worn pages, which told of Chin The Conquerer's fall, both literally and metaphorically. And although the book depicted his fall in poetic and flowery language, it conveyed a cold hard truth. That without order, which guides the Earth kingdom's citizens into peace and prosperity, mankind is destined to a world of carnage and senseless slaughter, as warlord after warlord carve up the land to themselves. That is why the Fire Nation's conquest is doomed to fail.
Despite their advancement in technology and their preaching of order, they are married to the concept of war. Their people bloodthirsty and led by warmongers. Peace might as well be alien to them; even after the war, how will they maintain their overstretched empire? Easy, they won't. Why then should he expend resources against an enemy that will fall from its own weight? He only needs to play the waiting game.
A knock stirs him from his contemplation, and a Dai Li aide enters, scrolls in hand. As he reads the scrolls, he questions his aide sharply, who answers back in kind. Long Feng could feel a tug at his lips, that despite the increasing unrest, the Dai Li was working as smoothly as usual. Feng leans at his chair when the aide leaves, soft and comforting, and takes in this one small moment of serenity before placing his book down and standing up. There was work to be done, and the path of greatness and tranquillity is littered with obstacles. But such is the fate of those that continue Kiyoshi's legacy.
But a thought, intrusive and unwanted, worms its way into his calm mind. The lack of information on How's fate was still an issue, and it made him think of the interloper. The very idea made him sweat, for it was the great unknown variable that may ruin an otherwise perfect plan. Feng finds himself unconsciously pacing around the room and scratching his chin. He centres himself with a breath.
The path to peace is rife with hard decisions that require great sacrifice. And for harmony to exist, there must be cooperation between two opposing forces. Long Feng forces himself to stop tapping his foot and centres himself. He breathes again to find his determination. Long Feng had toiled for too long and sacrificed too much to face the possibility of losing it all. He will not fall to pride's folly now that he stands at an important threshold. So as he leaves the library, he arranges a plan.
A plan that, without the presence of this interloper, is impractical, hazardous, and ultimately unnecessary. A plan that forces him to expend his resources in a wasteful endeavour. A plan that involves asking for help.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Team Avatar had spread themselves throughout the city, sticking posters of their missing bison anywhere they can. Aang and Sokka had decided to post around the city's lower ring while Toph and Katara handled the middle ring. Momo hung around Aang's shoulders while the latter asked the market vendors about Appa's whereabouts and for permission to place their posters. As always, it was to no avail, and the pair find themselves scouring through the lower ring with nothing to show for it.
As Aang and Sokka walk towards a nearby plaza, they see a Dai Li pair arrest one of the city guards, whose partner watches without interrupting them. The guard in question thrashed violently in his restraints before the Dai Li pushed him into a prison wagon and locked the door. A crowd had formed around them, tense and confused.
"What's going on?" Aang asked.
One of the Dai Li turned towards Aang, his faced bruised and beaten. "That man attacked me without provocation."
Aang looked towards the guard's partner in askance; he nods, "He's..." he speaks with great difficulty, "right."
"This," The Dai Li agent continues, " will reflect poorly on the military."
"Oh, just hurry this up and go," the guard replied. Sokka takes a quick peek into the wagon, seeing its captive staring blankly at the door, he's eyes glazed over. Must've calmed down.
The crowd dispersed as the Dai Li leaves. Aang continues questioning the guard.
"I don't know what came over him. We had strict orders to provoke, not attack, but he just...Well, he just came at them with no warning."
"You got any idea why he would do that?" Sokka inquires.
The guard shrugs, "I mean, we all have something against the Dai Li. But again, orders, and he wasn't the type to just disobey."
"Did anything happen recently to change that?"
The guard mulls it over until his eyes widen in realisation, "Come to think of it...He disappeared for some time a few days back because of a family emergency. Our captain disciplined him for leaving his post without warning, but nothing more. We needed all the men we can get for what comes next."
"I'm guessing the family emergency had something to do with the Dai Li," Aang asked this time.
The guard shakes his head, "I can't say for sure but, I heard his father was taken by the Dai Li sometime ago. I guess being with his family reminded him more and more about his missing father, which is why he completely lost it when he saw the them earlier. But that's just speculation on my part. Other than that?" he shrugs again, "I got nothing."
They thanked the guard and continued their journey towards the plaza.
"Another disappearance case," Aang began, "and we still have no idea where thei-"
"Uh-uh-uh," Sokka interrupted, "grub first, think later." He pats his stomach, "Going around the city's making hungry."
"Sure," Aang acquiesced, admittedly, he's been quite tired too because of the investigation. Some food will do him good, "where are we going to eat?"
"Well, everyone's been talking about this new dish in the lower ring, heard the cook should be in the plaza ahead."
"What's it called?"
Sokka scratches his head as he tries to remember, " I think it was...something about a yuckytory...?"
"Yuckytory?" Aang replied with a deadpan.
Sokka reconsiders before nodding, "Yeah, yuckytory."
"Is it suppose to be gross?"
He shakes his head, "No, I heard it's pretty good." There was an undertone of excitement in his voice; the rumours he heard must've described the dish as something really delicious. Aang chooses to rely on Sokka's instincts this time, despite the dish's weird name.
"Then why call it yucky?"
Sokka shrugs, "Look, I don't always have the answers. Anyways, here we are."
They reach the plaza and begin searching for the vendor. Sokka heard that the cook was hard to miss, wearing a red shirt and white trousers. Or was it the other way around? Well, the cook supposedly had ankle-length white hair, which shouldn't be too hard to find. But after a few minutes of searching, they found nothing.
Sokka approaches a man nearby, "Yo, do you know where I can buy a yuckytory?"
"Yakitori?" the man asked before answering when Sokka nodded, "sorry, kid, you're outta luck."
"Huh, why?"
"Cook's been gone for two days now; not even her boss knows where she is. It's kinda like she-"
"No, don't tell me..."
"-disappeared," the stranger finished.
"No!" Sokka shouted to the surprise of everyone around him.
His knees give way, leading him to collapse on the ground. Aang tries to help him up, but Sokka lightly pushes his hand away. The Water Tribesman begin to tremble with fury and despair. He punches the ground in anger, "They can't keeping getting away with this!" he wailed. "Alright, this is personal."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
In a Firenation tent, Kaguya stares at a bonsai tree in front of her. It had begun it's slow, gradual blossom as tiny crystalline buds had formed around its branches. The Lunarian smiled behind her mask, unmitigated joy seeped through her, and she could barely stand still. Kaguya was at history's epicentre, which brought with it the impurities of mortality. A most wondrous taint surrounded her, one she revelled in; the taint of human conflict. It accelerated the udonge's growth, which had been cured of Kaguya's curse.
Gone was the encroaching ennui of idleness, replaced by a new routine and unique stimuli. She now has a job that directly involved her in the world's affairs. And although a part of her missed the peaceful NEET days of Gensokyo, this change was exciting. For there was momentum, a wave to ride rather than calmly float on still waters. Kaguya, who had no place in Earthling society, finds her role in this world instead. Truly, getting isekai'd have done her wonders. Now, if only Mokou and Eirin were here, then it'll all be perfect.
She hears light footsteps coming towards her tent and placed the udonge in her sleeve. Her employer's acrobatic minion steps inside, "Hiya, Azula wanted me to check on you before you go. You all set?" She asked.
Kaguya turned around to face her and grinned at the sight before her. It's hard not to be excitable around the Genki Girl, what with her easy smile and outgoing, positive nature. "Course I am. I was just taking a breather."
Ty Lee widened her smile, "You're really reliable!"
Kaguya preened at the praise, "Oh please, I'm not even trying."
"Really? Could've fooled me," Ty Lee replied, "You know, you've got this one-of-a-kind aura around you."
Kaguya widened her eyes, surprised that the girl could possibly have a unique sight. The Lunarian had thought the extent of this world's magic only involved elemental manipulation, but the girl's power brought with it exciting implication. That is if she isn't lying, of course. "Really?"
Ty Lee nodded, "Yeah, it's all rainbowy and happy, and it makes me feel comfortable around you." Rainbowy? Huh, so she really was telling the truth. But enough of that, Kaguya feels like she'll collapse under the barrage of compliments. No one ever straight up told the princess they felt comfortable around her. Blinded by her presence, sure, she's been told that many times. But never comfortable. Though, as nice as it all was, Kaguya begins to question why Ty Lee was sent here in the first place. The Lunarian did not believe Azula to be so considerate as to send a trusted companion to check on her. Unless- "Which makes me wonder why you wear a mask at all. Why hide it?"
A-hah! Very cheeky Azula, how very cheeky of her. Luckily, it isn't troublesome for Kaguya to be honest in this case. So she answers truthfully, and what better way to be truthful than to inject it with ambiguity, "Well, my face makes me stand out for all the wrong reasons." Better luck next time, Azula!
Ty Lee blinked in confusion and tilted her head, which made Kaguya squee internally. No one was ever this cute in Gensokyo! Even the fairies, who were supposed to be the cutest beings out there, were all rowdy simpletons. And the inabas especially have lost their cuteness a long time ago for Kaguya.
"Do you have a scar?" she asked, which brought Kaguya, whose head had been in the clouds, down to reality
"I've been scarred..." The Lunarian lied through omission.
"But scars make you unique!" Ty Lee exclaimed.
Kaguya scratched her cheek in thought, "Well... my face, in general, makes me too unique." Ty Lee's eyes further widen like dinner plates, which prompted Kaguya to continue before the acrobat could interrupt. "I simply wanted to be treated like everyone else, and having my face revealed conflicts with that desire."
"So you're not doing it to hide your identity?" Kaguya shakes her head which prompts Ty Lee to pout. "You're really confusing..."
"The best kinds of friends are the ones you don't always understand," Kaguya stated sagely, without really understanding what it meant. It just sounded cool to say, and what better reason is there than that?
"How can you be friends with someone you don't get?"
"How can you not?" Kaguya fires back.
"I-uh, um, ok." Ty Lee scrunches her eyebrows in confusion and moves on, "wait, are you saying we're friends?"
Kaguya shrugs and offers her hand, "Only if you want to be."
Confusion gives way to joy, and Ty Lee shakes her hand, "Only if you don't die to bandits."
"No promises," Kaguya replied, and they both laughed at that for entirely different reasons. The Lunarian moves out of the tent, ready for another exciting adventure.