This chapter contains disturbing content and slight spoilers for the Kyoshi novels.Please read with caution, take care.
The heavy rainfall dampened the mood of everyone living in Ba Sing Se. Mothers called their children back from the playgrounds, trying to avoid the cold and the water. Even without their parents, the children knew they must seek shelter immediately. Occasional flashes and the booming sound of lighting struck fear into their little hearts. As though an evil spirit is breaking through your home.
The overcrowded district known as the lower ring are usually bustling with construction workers and citizens wandering around, going off their days with whatever lives they adhere to. Right now, the streets and alleyways are all silent, save for the occasional people walking around with their umbrellas. The weather has certainly changed the city's appearance to a great degree. The usually vibrant and green colored streets are replaced with a dull amount of grayness that no one thought
Two men stood on top of a tall building's roof. Even with their hands sheltered within their long sleeves, their skin can still taste the bitterness of the cold.
They stood like thin statues despite the water constantly dripping over their metal conical hats. They can feel the drenched liquid as it soaked their robes, grasping their senses like a poisonous snake biting into their flesh. It's a horrible weather to be in, but they still have jobs to do.
They continued to stand still as they observed the people below them. The building is near a special zone dedicated to providing a place for the refugees to live. Situated in a large opening, the ground is filled with the usual tents and slums made of metal sheets. All the while being guarded with security officers to ensure order is maintained.
The condition here are obviously less than welcome ideal. With so many people escaping civil wars and daofei rebellions, the city can only do so much to address the massive influx of people. It's almost as if the Hundred Year War is still raging outside.
Over the years, progress are being made, but new buildings don't just naturally sprung up from the grounds, and they are not free either. Which is why so many people cannot find a place to live when they just arrive here, but at the very least, the officials were able to allocate rooms and food to accommodate the massive influx of new citizens.
While this may be a temporary solution, the philosophy of neutral Jing will surely bless them with an opportunity that will help both the newcomers and the city.
They watched as a small group of refugees returned to a makeshift hut. It's just sheets of metal assembled together to resemble a house. It's good, but could be better. Local authorities are responsible for providing supplies and assistance, so far, nothing out of the ordinary is happening.
The two men spied on them as the father opened the door to their dwelling. Within that house is a family of four, said to be some sort of scavengers who salvage left over vehicles and railway tracks of the long forgotten Earth Empire. Caught between the bloody conflict of Siaw Jong and Jian Sin, it's a miracle that this family made it here intact.
But at the same time, it doesn't matter who they are or what they look like, any daofei can easily disguise themselves as a harmless group refugees and infiltrate the city. They already arrested four today, found possessing weapons, as criminals don't usually pass the security checks.
They understood that not everyone who entered Ba Sing Se are harmless sheep looking for refuge. No matter how friendly or loving a person may appear, they will always doubt them and heighten their suspicion.
Enforcers that allow wolves in sheep clothing to by past their detection would face serious consequences. The last two major failures of their incompetent predecessors have doomed the entire city, which is why these two men throughly checked on that refugee family through the tiny window of the metal hut.
One of them dilated his eyes, allow his eyesight to get a clear view through that window. What he saw was laughter, joy and even love, all so visible despite the empty grayness outside. It is clearly a normal functioning family, celebrating the fact that they made it the safety here. One of the men can even smell the scent of cabbage soup, something that is probably tasteless when compared to his usual meal. But there is more to the plain old soup the household mother is cooking, and that is the connection with the rest of her family. A bond inseparable despite all hardship thrown against them, something these two men may never experience.
But that could also be just an illusion, an elaborate facade created by the four refugees in an attempt to fool the two men. Or perhaps, there very wasn't anything to worry about.
The encompassing droplets of rain dripped endlessly over their metal tipped conical hats, soaking the green fur ribbon tied around the center. But one of them felt something is coming towards them.
The flapping sound made by a dove's wing is what captivated his attention. He who has a small scar across the left side of his face held out his hand. It is encased inside a glove made entirely out of earth, a trademark skill produced by their grueling training.
When the bird's sharp claws landed, it did so by grasping the rocky glove very tightly. Without proper hand protection, the man's hand would have been pierced easily.
"New orders from above?" The other asked. His expression is much more stoic, which is considered 'normal' for people in their profession. Perhaps it is their over serious mannerism that have warranted the general population's fear.
"Precisely," he said. His voice sounded more experienced and deeper. Despite their age being the same, it is clear that he is much more reserved when interacting with others. He always tried his best to not allow emotions to hinder his work.
Which he fails almost every single while his colleagues performed much better.
Both of them are just young men who are tasked with patrolling the more underdeveloped areas of the lower ring. And despite there are more convenient ways to communicate, the use of traditional methods still hold true in their daily activities.
"Hmph, let me guess, another minister who stuck too much coins inside his bag and got caught?" The man then chuckled darkly, which sounded rather unsettling to the naive onlookers.
A less experienced member of their organization would have feel less need to hide their disdain. But going deeper into their career, it is much better if you keep your thoughts to yourself, and avoid any chance of being overheard.
"No," the scarred face man with the message responded like a normal human. "We are to investigate suspicious elements near the Loongkau city block. Rather troubling ones."
The partner dropped his smile, and frowned with a slight annoyance. "Hmph, that place." He disgusted. "I see that the city's reconstruction effort still haven't torn down that piece of eyesore. Can't wait until I see it being pulled apart and built something new on it. Anything would do."
The Loongkau city is rather problematic place in the lower ring. Built with inadequate materials and makeshift designs, living in such an ugly building is an insult to human dignity. The structure is an ungovernable and densely populated mess, it's as if multiple buildings are stacked and built onto each other. Essentially, it's a dangerous area, and only the truly desperate people would still live in there. Because of it's massive maze like complex, criminals would often use the enclave to hide their activities. In the past, law enforcers wouldn't even dare to enter, knowing criminals would set traps for them inside the compound. It used to be almost impenetrable, until a certain someone did the impossible.
Avatar's Kyoshi herself was famous for clearing out the criminals inside Loongkau while stopping an eviction of the innocent residence. To this day, Loongkau only houses the poorest civilians in Ba Sing Se. While the city block is subjected to be dismantled by the city's reconstruction efforts, it appears that not everyone in that city block deserves to be compensated.
"One of our own was seen coming in and out of that place without proper dress code, alone with another middle aged man in hooded clothing. They were both seen coming in and out of the city block, carrying small baskets every time they enter. But the baskets were empty every time they come out." He rolled up the parchment, and sent the messenger dove off. He had received briefings that are much more confronting than this. Dens of murderers, trafficking ring and even cases where they must intercept people plotting a maliciously attack on high ranking officials. This sounded very tame, a walk in the park in fact. "Let us make haste, hopefully we can prevent unpleasant encounters."
The partner tilted his hat in affirmation. While two of them are supposed to be equally ranked, there is an invisible difference in status that outweighs titles and promotions.
With a swift but silent jump, they both propelled themselves off the clay roof tiles and landed on the brick path below. When they made contact with the ground, their feet made a cold solid clanking sound as though two rocks are banged against one another. Normal shoes don't make that sound.
The two of them walked in perfect unison, refusing to break their synchronized movements as they treaded cautiously throughout the city. Step by step, they begin to patrol a residential area of the city alone the way.
There are usually two of them working together at the same time. Two precise and silent men deployed for whatever purpose they needed to fulfill. Trust isn't an issue when you trust absolutely no one, but people like them only needed to trust one each other enough to complete a mission. Everything else are pointless, anything arbitrary in their partnership must be exterminated to ensure the efficiency of their organization.
It's a surprise that despite their history of failures and betrayals to this nation, they still managed to find a place within this city of walls and secrets. Some would say it's a miracle that their group still exist to this day, but most agree it's probably not something to be celebrated. Their reputation are of course shrouded with endless controversy. Once created to protect the nation's cultural heritage, their corruption have failed the people in many instances. The founder herself must be very displeased, and wished that she never even created this organization.
If their organization is one of the two clay pot and the founder is potter, undoubtedly she would smash the pot that is them until it shattered into millions of pieces. Unrecognized and forgotten. Their current leader knew this, and that the other beautiful clay pot would be forever cherished by the potter.
Yet, today they still stand, walking the streets that belongs to them. The ugly clay pot is still on the pottery shelf alongside the founder's other beloved creation.
People on the streets tend to avoid them as far away as possible, knowing only trouble will occur if they meddle into dangerous affairs. A street vendor quickly cowered his head in fear, hiding behind his stall. Seeing the two men coming near, a mother forcefully yanked her child into the door, fearing that her child would stand in their way. The entrance of the house slammed shut, but not too loud, as that may attract suspicion.
Everyone hid from them like a disease, afraid to even publicly look at them. While these men's eyes are covered by their conical helmet, their mere presence alone is enough to incite fear and anxiety. Most people wanted nothing to do with these individuals, and the only thing a person must do when facing these gentlemen, is pray that they are not here for you.
Both of them continued to walk in the middle of the rain, not even the shattering noise of lighting can interrupt their uniformed march.
...
They found what they are looking for, a giant mesh of buildings constructed on top of each other now stood in front of them. It looked like a castle, a glorified slum that people called it the face of the lower ring. Acting like a sore thumb in the middle this road, it looked nothing like a building that is even deemed to be inhabitable. There is no plumbing system in the area, which explains the excruciating smell that is poisonous enough to kill a badgermole.
The two men entered the front entrance, not knowing what will happen to them next. While the insurmountable crime rate has been steadily decreasing when the authorities finally regained control after a certain event, it is obvious that not every crime can be prevented. No matter how many rats they pull out from the dark and lock them behind bars, there will just be more of them.
Until the city completely can rejuvenate itself, these men in their metal hats must deal with every subversive elements that managed to snuck past them.
"You use to live here, didn't you?" The scarred face man asked his partner, who responded with a simple nod. It's no surprise how much disdain his partner has for this slum. Crowded spaces, dirty rooms and insufferable smell. Once you are inside, all natural light died immediately. It's amazing that his partner even have the courage to once again enter this damn place. In the first floor, they are walking along some sort of dark alleyway, with the occasional critters scurrying besides their feet. They couldn't care what those creatures are, as they are here for humans.
When they ventured even deeper into the complex, the light has finally died. With only their own their footsteps and the sound of water dripping as company. The space is completely devoid of any life. Nothing survives here usually.
Walking amongst complete darkness is a recipe for disaster, but luckily the two of them are prepared. If they can't see anything, neither can anyone else.
"A staircase," he noticed something. There is some sort of weird symbol painted on the wall nearby. Some weird twisted image with some tentacles, ugly and unattractive. Just looking at it made him felt uneasy.
"It must be those weirdos again, pretty sure we banned their activities a while back." The partner groaned. "The last time we arrest some of them, I have to listen to their spits of words about purity and their love for this master. Trust me, even those air monks in the agrarian zone are more tolerable. Let's just hope the ones we are after today would be able to control their mouth."
His partner seems to be less concerned about the fact that there is a traitor amongst their ranks. But no matter, at least he knew his colleague is competent enough to handle subversive elements such as spirit fanatics.
He took the first step, checking the strength of the material to see if it can support two person. After safety has been ensured, both of them climbed the staircase and went higher up the city block, presumably.
"There usually isn't anyone who live that deep inside Loongkau." The partner said, trying not to let his own claustrophobia overwhelm his mental strength. "The last ones were a young loving couple, fools they were. Tried to hide themselves from the girl's family. They were of course caught red handed, and the boy suffered from severe consequences. At the end, both of them ended their lives, knowing that they may never be together."
"Why are you telling me this." He said to his partner, looking at him with a narrowed gaze. This is an inappropriate moment to bring up such stories, the attention must be dedicated to potential ambushes and traps.
"I am simply recounting what I heard when I was living here, that is all." The parter brushed aside his colleague's suspicion. "I'm just a simple cow-herder, who is fortunate enough to be working alongside you. It would be displeasing if you met a similar fate as that foolish young man. You? You can still drag yourself out of the deep mud you got yourself into."
He knew what his colleague is implying. There is clearly something subtle in the other man's words, warning him to not repeat the mistake of treasuring attachments above duty. But now is not the time for this. He might not fully agree with his partner's ideals, he himself can only bury his thoughts deep down. Hopefully they will not resurface.
They reached the other side, where a wooden door block their path.
The man carcasses his still exposed hands on the door. According to the amount of dust his fingers have accumulated, this door has been opened frequently over the last few weeks. Usually, an unused door would gather in tremendous amount of dust, but not this one.
The partner then placed his ears on the door's surface, attempting to detect for any movements or noise inside the room. But his judgement along may not be enough, as he heard nothing from the other side.
Their organization are known for many things, and gathering information is one of it. But only a selected few of its members are skillful enough to master a particular Earth Bending technique known as seismic sense, where user can sense vibration to gather information. It can be done on the environment and entities without looking at them directly.
In their line of work, such a convenient technique is mostly used to identify potential enemies on the other side on a wall. So far, there are only three members that learned it a certain degree, but he himself isn't did not master it completely.
He checked for the material he is stepping on, it's made of concrete, which would be ideal for his method. Once he removed the earth from the bottom side of his rock shoes, he stomped onto the ground.
From others, it might look as though this person is wasting time. But in the few seconds this gentleman performed the technique, he has gotten a clearer picture of what inside the room.
"It's this one, there are twenty breathing ones inside." He narrowed his eyes and stiffen his body. Since they have found the target, both of them are gonna be met with heavy resistance. But they are not normal lawmen. Aside from their combat prowess, their enemies must also overcome the psychological fear when facing any one of their members.
"How should we approach this?" The partner whispered, surprised that they still have not been detected. No traps were placed on their way here. Usually when they raid a criminal hideout, there is often a criminal lookout they have to silent first before they take down the whole den of daofei. But here? They have encountered no obstacles.
"The usual way, just like last time." He prepared his earth gloves, tightening it when he need to arrest the criminal elements. They are more than confident in defeating the foes, and the only thing that separates them is this flimsy wooden door.
Let's begin.
He took a deep breath, and prepare to use bending to blast open the door along with wall. But as his solid rock glove touched the surface, the door just opened by itself. At first they thought someone was behind it and flinched their bodies backwards. But then, they realized that it was the man's own force that opened door.
It wasn't even locked, it has been open the whole time. They both looked at one another with surprised looks.
Carefully stepping into the room, they heard the whimpering sounds of children crying, but not a single daofei in sight. The men in metal hats retained their stoic expression as they found out a bunch of children were locked up in cages. Most of them looked starved, properly because the captives couldn't find nourishments for the young prisoners.
The captured victims are just toddlers who couldn't even speak properly. It's a sad reality that infants must suffer because of the cruelty inflicted by adults.
The sound of the rain outside became louder, which means they must be on a high level inside this building. The nearby window also indicates that they are quite high.
"Watch the entrance and make sure no one comes through, I will break the bars and free them." As he begin to disassemble the locks with his rock glove, he noticed that the appearance of these toddler look somewhat familiar. Perhaps it's just his imagination, or perhaps it's because the room is too dark and his eyes are playing tricks on him. But he could swore that he had seen these children before.
"You may want to check this out," his partner notified him. "What do you think this is?"
There was a wooden bathtub right next to the room's window. They both slowly approached it, and saw that there is an absurd amount of fluid in it. They don't know what it is, but there sure is a lot of them. The room is simply too dark for them to investigate what the watery substance is.
Without a single warning, he felt a droplet landing on his hand. At first, he assumed that it was just rainwater that managed to slip past the ceiling. But there was a foul smell, and it's becoming even stronger.
He sniffed the droplet.
"Don't need to be alarmed." He stated. "Nothing too exceptional, it's just blood." He said calmly to his partner.
Nothing is out of the ordinary here.
The smell of rainy weather have hindered their noses, delaying them from reaching this obvious conclusion faster.
"Classic, perhaps he took the idea of bathing a bit too literally. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually dipped himself into it and bathe." The partner seemed to be amused by this scene. It seems that none of them are frightened by this pool of blood before them. But who are people to judge? After all, the members of this organizations have reinvented itself, to surpass their predecessors, consider by the current generation to be weak and senile. Strength is uplifted, and weakness is punished. The new generation are molded into tools that will neither be able to understand fear or emotions.
Any signs of emotions and feelings are suppressed, so that whenever they encountered such an horrific sight, they will not be intimidated. Not even the slightest.
Both of them slowly tilted their heads up, finally looking at the objects that are dangling above in chains. A lone flash of lighting from the window provided a split second of light that shined the entire room. And within that timeframe, they confirmed their hunch.
Dead traffickers, all tied up in chains.
They recognized that one of them is a member of their own, a traitor who have been swiftly dealt with. Judging by the expression of all the victims, they have been tortured both mentally and physically. Their horrified face are ones that have seen great terror, likely the entity that have killed them. As for the methods used, it's just a ring of earth cuffed around their heads. But they know that inside these bodies, are probably countless earth bullets shot into them flesh, creating holes from which the blood seeped through. It probably explains why all the blood have been drained from these pale lifeless bodies.
It's normal for these two men in conical hats to witness something like this all the time. Their mental capacity are molded from youth, to not feel emotions or empathy. A regular person would have fainted upon seeing these flesh, but not them.
When members of their organization extracts information or perform mind alteration on their targets, they tend to let them go after the procedure was done. Unfortunately for these traffickers, they were apprehended by the one member who do not show mercy to his prey.
"He beat us here first," the more reserved man sighed. "What he did was too excessive, even for him." If only they had received that messenger bird earlier, then these people would have simply be arrested. And the needlessly deaths could have also been prevented as well.
"Are you disappointed?" The other asked, questioning his priorities. "Disposing traitors amongst our ranks were never our role. Frankly, we are simply here to do clean up after he has finished playing."
It was a weird way to put it, but it is true. The person who have got here first has certainly been swift in his interrogations. Usually their organization don't allow their members to hunt down a rouge agent unless explicitly ordered to.
Perhaps their leader felt it would be too demanding for one of their own to apprehend a fellow member. Turing your blade against something whom you have worked together would hinder the arrest process. Which is why a special agent will be deployed to silent the traitor.
"I am not disappointed, if you are questioning my loyalty, then rest assured, for I simply wanted those who betrayed us to come back to our side." He refuted his partner, who might possibly betray him if he doesn't use his word carefully.
"A childish notion," his partner mused. "Our organization didn't survive today just because the current ruler in power gave us a chance. Our leader proved our uses to them before they even fathom the idea of completing disbanding us." The partner then walked right up to him, speaking right on the side of his ear. "And that is where your fault lies. You are just like that enamored man who once lived inside this city block just so he can be with his beloved. He is blinded by the corrupting influence of female flesh, and became delusional when her parents do not accept him. Our organization can be corrupted in many ways, bribery, subversion and even betrayals. But to fell from grace as a result of your passion for a women is the greatest dishonor you can attain. You are lucky, for you have yet to completely go down that treacherous path of valuing worthless pleasures above your duty. The leader is generous, so think carefully until you act rashly again."
He didn't even defend himself when his partner blurted all of that. It is his own failures that have resulted in what he is today. All the hard work, the training and time he invested into reaching new heights, was undone when he failed to perform the difficult tasks that is expected by their leader.
But the failure of what his partner described is actually his former prominence. He was once considered far above than all the members within their organization, second only to the director himself. Now, after a series of disasters, he has been pushed right back down to where he started. No one can bear such humiliation and still find the will to walk. But he still do, he has to.
"We shouldn't waste anymore time," he said. This is a good way to ignore his partner's judgment. Spurring him further would surely lead to more trouble. "Call the lawmen, we will look further into this."
...
Security officers were at first hesitant to enter the city block. Many rumors and stories about how people disappeared inside the maze like building have certainly shattered the morale of these regular lawmen.
But they still entered nonetheless. The two young men in metal conical hats and long robes are standing right outside the city block's entrance. Their patience are not endless, which is why these officers must suppress their fears and entered the crime scene.
"Hmph, I guess there is a reason why these regular enforcers are inferior to us." The partner lamented, looking down at these common guards. "They are weak, not only in their strength, but also their mind. It's an embarrassment that we have to depend on nitwits to carry everything out."
"Do not call our allies nitwits," he demanded. "Not matter how healthy an ostrich horse can be, it is the grass that nourishes its strength. Just us two alone will not be sufficient."
They waited in silence, enduring the uncomfortable presence of each other. Ever since the two of them are assigned together, there were ups and downs. Even though the idea that one of them might betray the organization or Ba Sing Se entirely is never ruled out, they still trust each other enough to finish a mission. It is simply a partnership bounded by pragmatism alone, not by friendship or brotherhood. Each member never saw each other like a trusted ally. They learned that human nature is a fickle thing, you should rather not have anything at all than to inevitably lose what you have gained.
The guards returned, bringing back all the kidnapped toddlers safely.
The man in metal conical hat came closer to hug one of the toddlers, holding it protectively with his earth gloves. The child is asleep, as though it has witnessed none of the horrors.
"It's fine now," he assured. This display of compassion clearly disgusted his partner, but he doesn't mind. Surely holding a toddler wouldn't land him any punishments right?
"Sir," a senior lawman said. "We placed all the bodies in bags, what should we do with them? Perhaps we should bring them back to headquarters to further examine for evidence."
"That won't be necessary," the agent's words drew confusion from the senior guard. "Information has already been extracted by you know who..."
He finished the last part quietly, and the lawmen captain instantly caught on.
"Ahhhhh, yes, right! Aiya, sorry, my age must have defined my foolishness. Forget what I just say!" The excited senior guard played along. Although it's clear there is no need for such exaggerated acting skills. A simple realization is enough.
"Indeed, which why you and your men only needed to do the next step. Notify the families of these traffickers, if there are any. I want to give them a proper burial." He then smiled at all the guards. A rather dazzling smile underneath that conical helmet. In a different time, this smile was used for much malevolent intentions. But in this instance, his smile have a rather calming effect on all the officers, smoothing their fears towards the two men in long robes.
The senior guard peaked pass the young man in front of him in order to look at the one further back. The former is clearly more approachable, whereas the latter one is just like any other member of their organization, brutal and self serving.
The officer and the man in green robe infront of him shook their hands.
"Young man, it's always a pleasure working with you. We have been searching for these traffickers for weeks now, and you boys managed to crack it immediately!" The senior guard smiled widely at the man in long robe. "Next time, I will invite you for some tea. The Jasmine Dragon I heard has gotten some new items on their menu."
"That would be lovely," although he wanted to admit that it wasn't his contribution that have found the missing toddlers, he is forbidden to reveal too much information as to how they operate.
The agent bowed at all the lawmen, and instructed them to return the children to whatever family they originally belong.
As the two men in conical hats walked away from the city block, the partner asked a question in regards to the toddlers.
"They are ours, aren't they? The traitor was the one assigned to care for these children isn't it?"
"Indeed, the parents will be sent to retrieve these children. Afterwards, they will return to their normal lives, with us." Unlike the partner, his voice is still the same amicable one regardless of who he talks to. He personally felt saddened that one of their houses own have committed such betrayal.
It is common that many of their members are handpicked from a young age. To be elite Earth-benders, training must start when the mind is still forming. Indoctrination, rigorous drilling and suppressing humanly flaws, all must be prepared when the toddler enters their childhood years.
There are multiple ways in which their members are recruited. Parents would send their children to their organization, hoping one day their son would have a well paying job in exchange for certain freedoms. But the often preferred way is the one favored by the current director, and that is to recruit boys orphaned by war and disorder. In fact, many of the newer generations never met their parents.
"You should not show compassion for a dead traitor, an agent who would sells our own do not deserve your sympathy." The partner warned.
"But he was also one of our own too," the man reasoned carefully. "That traitor was in our cohort. We trained, fought and ate together, you know him just as well as I did." It was a plead to challenge his partner's twisted humanity, even though he himself is more sane than most members. Cruelty is a strong trait in their group, displaying kindness to the wrongdoers is considered treasonous. Which is why whenever he showed any kindness, his partner would berate him endlessly until he stops.
"And I know that your weakness would eventually be your downfall, you should be grateful that you have simply been demoted after your last great failure." This time, his partner used a more lenient tone. He very hoped that this person he is working with who put aside his humanity and function like a normal agent. Their line of duty is not something a normal citizen can comprehend. Soldiers fight on the battlefield, but they must fight within shadows, and sometimes even against themselves. Emotions such as sympathy would only blind you, exposing you to danger. The moment you show hints of compassion to the enemy, they will exploit this trait and jeopardize the entire mission.
"So, what do you want to do next cowherd? We can go buy some food. I know a good restaurant here in the lower ring, it's where the city's troops often like to visit. Maybe we can go there now, you know, like normal people." He hoped that his colleague would approve this insignificant adventure, but was met with a swift 'no'.
He sighed, it was foolish to believe a fellow agent would like to accompany him there.
"We have no time for useless pleasures, haven't you forget that there is a more serious task at hand?" The partner said, with a hint of incredulous. "A hidden sect of those so called acolytes have established themselves within our city, yet you still have the audacity to worry about food. Unbelievable."
"I know that, besides, there is another assignment from the director."
He didn't argue with his partner, and endured the mental beating silently. Many nations around the world have placed a ban on the cult that values bending purity above all. While Ba Sing Se have followed the Fire Nation's example by outlawing this pervasive organization, its followers still managed to establish a foothold here. Those toddlers the two of them just rescued was intended for the cult. If the toddlers can chose between the cult and their organization, who would they chose? Which is more tolerable?
He himself hasn't smile for months now. In the past, he stood high up in their organization, feared and respected. But after meeting a special someone, he has changed. Once he wouldn't think twice when terminating a live breathing target, but after meeting her, he no longer enjoyed taking the life of their enemies.
Is this change a curse? Or a blessing in disguise? He doesn't very know for sure.
They continued to patrol the empty streets of the lower ring. By now, most people are sheltering from the heavy rain and thunder, leaving the two of them alone to endure the nature's wrath.
...
Mayumi has been searching for the train station for many hours, yet she still couldn't locate it. This is the worst time to be lost, Akahana taught her that staying too long in the rain would breed sickness.
"Achoo!" She sneezed, using her available arms to hug herself from the cold weather. Usually she would have a spare layer of clothes covering her. But since she thought the weather of Ba Sing Se would be warmer, she didn't prepare an additional winter protection.
All the houses and shops looked the same, except for the occasional cars and carriages that occupied the road, there is no one she can seek to ask for direction.
"Come on Mayumi, it's just a small rain, nothing too troubling." The Kyoshi warrior murmured to herself in a desperate attempt to rekindle her fighting spirit. But nature only mocked her resolve by increasing the amount of rainfall. With a shattering thunder, her body flinched. She then felt the rain increased with intensity. Each droplet felt like shards of needles, pinching her skins and causing her a bit of pain.
It's a small setback, compared to the danger she has faced on the journey, this is the least troublesome situation.
Mayumi has been running for a while, her stomping boots made giant splashes in the water puddles, which occasionally landed on her dress. She then slowed down and walked for a moment, realizing she has made a small mess on her kimono. But why should she worry about this? The rest of her outfit is already drenched by the rain, including her soaked hair which has became a lot heavier with the absorbed water. She is simply lost, nothing too serious to worry about. Her sister is studying in the university. And as older sister, she must support Satchiko by staying here. Which is why she must find somewhere to live temporarily in the lower ring.
She wandered her way out of a small shopping district, and found herself arriving at a large arch stone bridge across a river. Seeing this cleanly built structure actually reminded her of the red moon bridge near her village. Many young couples would often meet each other on it, exchanging gifts and loving words like any other couples would. Her parents are no exception, even though there was actually another special place where their parents are particular fond of. It's the same place Mayumi trained with Suki, and it is also the same place where one can see the boats coming in and out of the harbor. A defining feature of that place is a tree, where every spring, the leaves would bloom with pink color.
She treaded on the stone bride, climbing the steps until she reached the center where it she is at the highest. Despite the heavy rain, she ignored it, and placed her hands on the bridge handrail to admire the scenery in front of her eyes.
It's just simple trees and some houses made of stone, nothing too out of the ordinary. Yet, she still felt there is a hidden beauty here. Beauty in simplicity.
Trees swayed gently as it danced with the wind current. Water trickled down its branches, with the earthly smell of petricher permeated the air. The houses stood still, enduring the howls of wind and the stabbing of rain above.
It may not feel grandeur for the people living here, but for a girl who grew up in the remote island, seeing new things is like eating a candy. She always wanted to see more of the world, and now is actually a good opportunity. It's like candy, when you tried a new flavor for the first time, it's hard to stop.
She took some time to enjoy the scenery, admiring the stone house's architecture and design. It is in accordance with the harmony of nature, where arrangements of doors and windows are not blocked by bushes or other vegetation. If she remembered correctly, people of the mainland employed a system called Fengshui when designing their homes.
Complicated concepts, and often times making her mind baffled. Her father often would arrange furnitures around their house in weird positions, much to the slight annoyance of her beloved mother.
She then giggled a little, remembering the fond memories they had. Many people would see their parents as a strange pair, a rather incompatible one. One is an educated man who tried to resolve conflicts with words, whereas the other is a warrior who is both feared and respected. Her father already told her the full story of how he and her mother got together. But now that she thought about it, Satchiko haven't finish hearing the full story.
Mayumi herself wanted to find someone who is strong, but the true meaning of her preference is to more about finding someone she considers an equal. She wanted to meet someone she at the very least have met before. But at the same time, there are many things she is still confused about and needed advice on.
She gently brushed aside this thought for now, and continued to enjoy the background. The clean rivers, the fancy houses and the organized gardens. Such is also a privilege the lower ring does not have. It must be very good to live near a river, which explains why houses around here are of higher quality than the other buildings in this district. Compared to the dull looking settlements in Chin village, she enjoyed the tamer and more peaceful environment around here. Even in the midst of a heavy rain and thunder, she somehow managed to find a calming presence. As if something serene is calling out to her regardless of how annoying the rain keeping plummeting down.
Her ears picked up footsteps, not even the rain can mask them.
On the other end of the bridge appeared a young man in white changshan. She turned her head to face him, noticing the oil paper umbrella he is holding. He walked normally until he also reached the center of the bridge, just a few meters from where she is standing.
Although insignificant, Mayumi viewed this action with great suspicion. Perhaps there is a reason why Kyoshi warriors have more white paint then red on their face. White symbolizes the suspicion and the willingness to visit evil deeds, whereas red represents the virtues one shown only to your friends and family.
Positioning her body to block his view, she used one of her hand to slowly reach for her sword. While this city is a beautiful one, she doesn't trust others enough to lower her guard. Even though she told Satchiko that there is nothing to worry about in this city, she herself never believe that. Which is why she is always ready to fight in case the situation demands it.
The man halted his steps, did he noticed her attempt to drew the blade? The umbrella is large enough that it concealed his face, so she could read him quite as well.
Sensing a clear hostility, he lifted the umbrella slightly upwards, and she also got a better look at his face.
This person before her has ponytail, a common hairstyle worn by many men in this city. But judging by his rather high status clothing, he certainly belongs to either the middle ring or upper ring.
But it's his face that caught her attention. It almost has no expression at all, but it looks normal. While he does appear rather handsome, she felt it would have been better if he doesn't look so nonchalant .
"Am I allowed to pass?" He asked, wandering if this women in armor is trying to attack him. The voice doesn't sound angry, but it doesn't sound amicable either.
Mayumi narrowed her eyes. "Go ahead, no one is stopping you." She answered, not trying to sound too hostile.
He continued on his path and walked pass her. But when he reached the other side, he turned back to look at her again. And she took notice.
"Your face paint has a rather unique taste to it, I find it rather alluring." He complimented, which did made Mayumi heightened her senses. "I do find it very mysterious, like a wild flower that somehow blooms in the middle of a thunderstorm." He seemed to be eyeing the katana, and Mayumi can only hope that he thinks it'a just a stage prop.
"And I find your words to be rather poetic, but excessively so." The language spoken by people in higher society tend to be a bit more sophisticated than common people. There are often more subtleness in their wordplay. Often times, she forgotten how holding a weapon in the middle of a street can attract suspicion. This city is the few places in the world where they don't need to worry about bandits. But now that she thought about it, if both she and Satchiko have wanted posters around the Earth Kingdom, does the same apply to Ba Sing Se? This city functions like a nation itself, and unlike the other states, there are more armies and enforcers all around the place ready to make arrests. Even the Judge of Honghai himself may see both of them as an enemy if he just so happens to have the wanted posters.
He sighed. "If this is what you think of me stranger, then perhaps I have wasted my words. I shall take my leave then, seeing this conversation is going nowhere," he turned around and begin to walk. Unlike Mayumi, his shoes stepped on small water puddles gently without making collateral splashes. "The Keju exam is upon us all, I must go home and prepare."
"Wait! No so fast!" Mayumi immediately halted his footsteps, fearing letting him go would be a dangerous mistake. While both she and her sister managed to make it past the security checks, there is no telling that there won't be guards send to arrest them later on. If this man knows that both of them are 'criminals' wanted by the state of Yi, what is stopping him to just report this to the nearby station?
"Can I help you?" He sounded a bit impatient, that some commoner is holding him back. The rain is a constant reminder that there are many things in this world that can delay him, and this woman is one of it.
Mayumi's hands are still grasped to her sword's handle, a little tighter this time. This city has a strong law and order, which is why she can't just tackle this man down and bend him to her will. But she needed to know more about him first.
"My face paint, does it look familiar to you?" She hope that this man is a fool, and would immediately reveal that he saw a wanted poster somewhere. If that is the case, she needed to discard her current face paint.
The Kyoshi warrior also focused on his facial expression. For even the slightest change in his demeanor may reveal something. Even the slightest clue would be enough for her to read his intentions, yet his face retain the expressionless appearance.
"Many operas and theatre tropes uses the same face paint, I don't see anything out of the ordinary."
It doesn't very tell much about him. It still doesn't confirm her suspicion.
"But you just said before my face paint looks unique." She questioned him.
He then sighed, and what she said next did surprised her a little. "Perhaps what I said earlier have set us on the wrong foot. A flower that is placed in a new environment would naturally act with fear and paranoia. I simply assumed that you were thief attempting to rob me, but it would also be rather foolish for me to believe that there are women desperate enough to commit such act in broad daylight."
She didn't even indicate that she is going to attack him, yet he is already calling her such undeserving names. "And only the uncultured would boldly assume that I side with the unlawful. No one is bothering you or stood in your path, I am just enjoying the scenery, that is all."
"Very?" He sounded skeptical. "You are quite a fool for being out here, braving the rain alone."
There can only be so much patient in Mayumi. This gentleman doesn't appear to be much of a fighter. But in this city, your combat skills meant little when compared to the world outside. Here, people judge you by your looks, society behavior and most of the things you say. Her skill with the sword isn't going to be as effective here, and using her womanly charm definitely wouldn't force him to reveal anything.
They both stared at each other, not breaking despite the heavy rainfall. While Mayumi continued to endure the elements around her, the stranger enjoyed the comfortable sheltering of his umbrella.
Without saying anything, he took a few small steps towards her. Her body immediately stiffened, every fiber wanted to just cut this man into pieces. But she held back. It took a great deal of self-control to not pull out her blade. It was a risky gamble, if he is intending to attack her with a hidden knife, then she is essentially letting him doing it.
He stopped abruptly, very close to her in shoulder length. Even until now, he still retained his expressionless demeanor. He then held the umbrella so that Mayumi is also sheltered from the rain. It is weird, but the Kyoshi warrior isn't complaining.
While it is an unexpected gesture from this gentleman, she is glad to be sheltered by this beautiful umbrella.
He turned to view the scenery she just glamoured at, and placed one hand behind his back. Mayumi joined him, knowing the conversation would continue better if she doesn't stare at him all the time. Even though she felt somehow safer, her hands are still on her sword handle, just in case.
"There are many legends about this city known as Ba Sing Se, the impenetrable settlement of a few thousand years. It is believed that it is founded upon a creature known as a lion turtle, so big and massive, that it still dwells underneath the crystal catacombs to this day, slumbering right underneath our feet."
"A legend at the end of the day is just a simple story. But nonetheless, it is a beautiful place." Mayumi doesn't know why she is having a decent conversation about decorations, but it is certainly better than what they arguing before. "Too bad that this place is bigger than my village, I cannot find the train station that can take me to the lower ring."
"Across this bridge, turn right and go across the intersection, then go right again, you shouldn't miss it."
It was exactly what she have hoped for, a direction. She can go right now if she wanted to, but it may be rude to quickly abandon this person without a proper introduction. She still doesn't know if there are wanted poster around this city, but for a small moment, she seems too invested into enjoying this little moment.
"Thank you for telling me this, it very helps a lot. Do you mind if you tell me your name?" Before she can finish, the young man placed a finger on his lips, silently telling her to not say anything.
"We are simply strangers, people who will never cross paths again. There is no incentive for you to know my name."
"I guess so..." Mayumi sheepishly said. But the truth is, being seen wearing this Kyoshi warrior outfit warrant attention. She will need to disguise herself as someone else later on.
"Here, hold this." He handed the umbrella to Mayumi. She doesn't have the time to process what is going on before he pulled out a beautiful hand fan with mountain images. "You can have the umbrella, there is still some distance between you and the lower ring."
"But what about you?" Mayumi asked, knowing that his changshan will also be ruined by the rain. Why did he just sacrificed his umbrella for a total stranger?
He fanned himself even though the weather is cold, and simply walked away. With the sound of the rain as symphony, he ventured off the stone bridge and continued to whatever destination he is aiming for.
The Kyoshi warrior pondered cluelessly at everything that just happened. Perhaps there is some form of cultural misunderstanding she cannot comprehend. It is expected that folks in big cities lived differently than Kyoshi island, where people are much more opened about their thoughts.
While that person she just encountered may not be the most expressive individual, she is nonetheless grateful that he gave her an umbrella in the middle of a rainy day.
She turned the oil paper umbrella until she can look at the top. Whoever painted the images must be a great artist, even when compared to the Judge of Honghai's lifelike paintings.
"Heh, not bad, not bad at all..." Mayumi carefully smoothed her hands across the umbrella's surface to examine the painting. It's very exquisite, she thought. The image displayed a lush green mountain married to the scenery of a lone blue colored river.
Whoever that man was, she can only hope that he doesn't realize that her identity as a 'wanted criminal'.
She held up the umbrella and begin to walk towards the train station. This time, she definitely knows where it is. It felt great to not feel the rain.
Author's notes:
-Changshan are worn during the Qing dynasty, where the men have a specific ponytail haircut that is iconic to Ba Sing Se's scenery.
-The Loongkau city block reminds me a lot of the real Kowloon city block. A crowded area full of poor residents and stricken with crime.
-The red moon bridge is canon on Kyoshi island.
Post chapter skit
"Nom! Nom!" Satchiko stuffed a moon cake into her mouth. The sweet taste of red bean paste stayed in her tongue for a long time, not wishing to let go.
"Eat carefully sister!" Mayumi said as she and a few other Kyoshi warriors enjoyed their own portion while admiring the moon. "This festival isn't only for eating, the mid autumn festival have deep meanings to it that we must celebrate. Such as family gathering, thank giving and other praise worthy things. Besides, it is said that the moon is the roundest at this time of the year."
"You sure know a lot about this sis." Satchiko murmured as she chewed through another moon cake. "Did Dad have another book on this?"
"Not exactly..." Mayumi admitted. "The Mid Autumn festival is not coherent to our world's canon lore, so I can't claim that dad has book on this festival."
Satchiko looked at Mayumi suspiciously, confused at what her sister just said.
"Anyway," Mayumi pointed at the moon. "Why don't you admire the moon, it sure does look beautiful."
She looked up to the sky, and noticed what Mayumi is talking about.
"The moon looks like a girl with white hair, what is she doing up there?"
"Hmm," Mayumi also noticed. "The moon does look a little off tonight. But I'm not sure what is different..."
Princess Yue in the sky shook her head and crossed her hands, unimpressed with the Kyoshi warrior's insolence. But whatever. This is not even relevant to the story so who cares. Happy Moon festival everyone. ;)