Well, here we go. Here's the two-part chapter where Hong and his fellow Dai Li play their part in the events of "The Crossroads of Destiny," and schist gets real.
"Who's in the shadows? / Who's ready to play? /
Are we the hunters?/ Or are we the prey?/
There's no surrender/And there's no escape/
Are we the hunters?/Or are we the prey?
Game of Survival, by Ruelle.
To say that Hong couldn't believe what he was hearing would be a massive understatement, as he blinked like a cat-owl and lightly recoiled, giving a grunt of surprise. This all had to be a twisted joke on their commander's part. Or maybe the chinstrap of Quan's hat was too tight? Maybe he'd taken one too many blows to the head from a training disc, or whizzing boulder?
Ever since being accepted into the Dai Li, it'd been Hong's conviction that all his actions in the line of duty, whether noble or appalling, were ultimately in the interest of what was best for Ba Sing Se and his people. To defend and preserve their rich, ancient culture. To maintain order and cultivate an oasis of peace and bliss in the midst of a world increasingly torn and traumatized by war.
And now they were to perform a complete half-turn, become traitors to their own people, willingly collaborate with the likes of Fire Princess Azula? How was this possibly going to protect anything? How could this insane decision by their head and commander alike result in anything good?
Taking a deep breath, he warily said, in a tone of voice far more self-assured than he actually felt, "But Commander, sir, with all due respect, the princess is one of our enemies. The Fire Nation despises us, sees us as nothing more than an inferior race to be burnt and beaten into submission by any means necessary. What feasible benefits could ever come of allying with her?" There were some murmurs of agreement around him.
Quan gave him a slow, knowing smile from the dais. "The Fire Princess is convinced that she's using us Dai Li to achieve her own nationalistic goals, but we will also be using her-and on a deeper level than even she grasps. Long Feng-and by extension, all of us-being able to take back his power and prestige is only the most obvious benefit."
"But sir," Li Cun said, "I still fail to see how giving this city over to occupying Fire Nation forces can possibly be in our best inter- "
"Because then everyone in it will ultimately be far better off when the comet comes-and then vanishes," Quan replied.
Suddenly, it all made sense to Hong. It was reckless and bold and brilliant. It was one of those rare, glorious, moments of insight. The solutions to all the questions that had been gnawing at him for months, how they'd deal with that irresistible force, all fell into place and formed a single clear picture in his mind at that moment, laid out a shining path which smashed through all the obstacles to one's goal.
And all they had to do was hand their city over to their worst enemies.
Quan gave another small smile. He saw that Hong understood. That all of them understood.
"Under her command, we are to help her stage a coup against both the Earth King and the Council of Five this very afternoon, swiftly removing them from power, in order to clear the path to the throne for her."
"Are they to be killed then, sir?" Xiaobo asked calmly. No hesitation.
"No," Quan replied, "simply captured and imprisoned for the time being. The princess has expressed a desire to personally present them to Lord Ozai as captives. As for how each of the generals will be captured, each of you will be assigned to one of five different groups when that time comes. Each group will be commanded by one of our captains, who has already conceived a specific strategy and chosen a favorable part of the palace grounds to stage an ambush for that individual."
"And naturally, they must all be arrested separately, but at more or less the same time, to forestall any chance of warnings or suspicion. Even before we do this however, Princess Azula has informed me that it has come to her attention that both her disgraced brother, Prince Zuko, and her uncle, the former General Iroh, are present in the Upper Ring, and we are to assist her in engaging and capturing both men this very morning, as part of a ruse she has already pre-arranged."
Once more, Hong was privately taken by major surprise, his only outward expression another sidelong glance with his partner. The Dragon of The West himself was here among them too-and his nephew to boot?
To learn that just one of the Fire Royals had made their way into this city was shocking enough. But three of them, right under their noses? It was unbelievable. Yeah, he definitely should have sat down and talked with Shongshu before this.
"Once suitably restrained, as with the generals, both former princes are to be imprisoned for the time being, namely within the Crystal Catacombs, where Princess Azula and her companions are already holding the Avatar's waterbending teacher, who they personally captured last evening during a happenstance encounter."
Hong couldn't help but smirk at the thought. Intelligence reports had made it abundantly clear that the Water Tribe girl and the exiled Fire Prince had about as much love for each other as lions did for hyena-badgers. He could only imagine what the resulting fireworks would be like when they were brought together again. Very entertaining to observe, no doubt.
"Finally, once the Council of Five and the Earth King are in custody, the princess intends to send word to the Avatar this evening that she's taken the Water Tribe girl captive-indeed, he may have already sensed this with his profound capacity for 'feeling out' spiritual connections. He will of course, be unable to resist attempting to rescue her-and when he arrives, we will help Princess Azula to subdue and capture him, achieving her final and ultimate goal."
While his expression stayed neutral, Hong internally grimaced. The last time they'd tried to get a hold of the Avatar, things hadn't exactly gone as planned. That freakishly over-powered blind girl had been quite an unwelcome surprise, and he sure hoped the Fire Princess knew what she was potentially getting into.
"And yes," Quan confirmed, as if reading their thoughts, "Long Feng and I have both spoken with her about our previous skirmish with the Avatar and his companions. In response, she has told me that she will attempt to keep the Water Tribe youth and the blind earthbender occupied with other matters if she can. And if she can't-well, it may be of interest to know that the princess has the rare ability to produce lightning with her firebending-which needless to say, provides us a great tactical advantage."
A sharp, collective intake of breath seemed to resonate through the hall. On an academic level at least, Hong knew that a person was far more likely to find a pearl in one of a sack of river mussels they'd collected for dinner than a firebender who could generate that lethal streak of burning, explosive light. Having one of those rare, horrific few among them was mind-blowing.
Wow. She can shoot out lightning? Yeah, no schist that's an advantage, Hong thought. It was definitely good fortune to have her on their team. But then he remembered General Iroh was reported to have the same ability too. An unnerving thought.
"While we may do as we wish with any of his companions, as circumstances require, she has made it clear that the Avatar is to be taken swiftly in this confrontation, and taken alive-no matter what the cost in casualties, or personal reservations any of you might hold."
And Hong had no problem with that in the least. As far as he was concerned, the young monk deserved nothing less for going and giving the game away.
Hong had taken the underground tram from Lake Laogai to the chambers below the Imperial Palace thousands of times since becoming a Dai Li agent. He'd done it while clutching the arms of a hapless prisoner behind their back, guiding one of the newest Joo Dees around the underground complex, lying on one of the benches with newly treated wounds, or so worn out from a shift that one of the "kick-along" benders who powered the tram car had needed to come in and wake him up once they were at his destination.
But these were far and away the weirdest circumstances he'd ever taken it under. Right now, the familiar sensation of the sturdy wooden bench against his back and butt was especially welcome-for it felt like everything else which had been solid in his world, including his element, had just been yanked out from underneath his stone-clad feet.
After all, the rules of engagement, of his profession, had just been thrown out the window.
"You know, I'm not quite sure whether I'm still experiencing reality, or just having a fever dream at this point, things have gotten so bizarre," Guozhi murmured at his right.
Hong gave a slight, sympathetic nod. "Unfortunately, I'm living the same experience myself, so it's no fever dream."
He paused to stare down a glow-crystal on one of the car's walls, his mind swirling like the air currents from the Avatar's staff. There was so much to process, and they all had to mentally prepare, steel themselves for what was going to be a wildly demanding, dangerous, world-changing, and just plain crazy day.
Guozhi almost imperceptibly shook his head underneath his conical hat. "I've never doubted that he's a brilliant, visionary man. But at the risk of sounding blasphemous-I sure hope to all the spirits Long Feng knows what he's doing with this plan."
"It's not our place to question or doubt him," Hong said firmly. "But yeah," he agreed, "you're certainly not the only one. This is beyond belief, what we're all about to do."
"But it's really our only option at this point now," his partner said grimly.
With an equal graveness, Hong nodded. The walls were closing in. Quickly.
Ba Sing Se had always trusted in its own walls and armies to keep it safe and free. And for thousands of years, that faith had been well-placed. But not anymore. Not with the awful advancements in military technology the Fire Nation had been cooking up during the past several years.
And secretly, Hong had always known, deep down-as difficult as it might be to imagine or accept-what the inevitable result would be when the comet came, no matter how many soothing, patriotic lies he told himself. Time was running out for the Impenetrable City, with or without the child Avatar to stymie the ashmaker forces.
Now to be fair, their city's military hadn't been letting dust collect around their feet. During the past several years, the Council of Five, Ba Sing Se's other generals and commanders, had all been privately, if reluctantly, working with the Dai Li to plan an effective emergency response for if/when everything went to schist in a successful breach.
Casks and barrels, sealed jars and boxes, of cured, pickled, dried, and other preserved foods, of clean water, had been stored in underground shelters. Evacuation routes had been plotted out-not just through the warren of tunnels and chambers underneath the city proper, but also recently created ones which led up into the Taihua mountains.
The Crystal Catacombs sat ready to accept thousands of desperate people who'd need a place to hide-and even the most determined Fire Nation soldier was no doubt going to think twice before trying to pursue anyone into a place like that, where they stood little chance of avoiding being crushed or buried alive. There were arrows, spears, throwing knives, and other weapons stockpiled for non-bending military troops.
Hopefully, all of these arrangements would be enough to save the majority of the city's residents when war finally did come to Ba Sing Se. Hopefully. Personally, Hong was leery when it came to trusting in hope-especially when comet-powered firebenders were involved.
But now they'd just been handed an even better way to deal with the threat of the Fire Nation torching this great city and its inhabitants. By simply handing it over to them. After all, perverse as it seemed, Ba Sing Se would actually be far safer during the comet if the Fire Nation already held it!
And after the comet had come and gone, the city's defenders would have an entire century to force out the Fire Nation-or just accept the new order with grace, and figure out to get along with them.
Within days of the comet's passing, Long Feng would be released, then come charging in and play a major role in retaking the city himself, with his loyal Dai Li helping to kick ashmaker ass alongside him. Reputations redeemed. A win-win situation if there ever was one.
For that matter, it was a pretty nice deal for the Fire Princess and her people too-and not just because they would finally be able to get their hands on the ultimate prize they'd craved for so long, its wealth and products and other resources.
After all, even with the comet to provide their troops with such hideous power, and metallic, incomprehensible monsters like their tanks, the Fire Army's generals and commanders had to know that they couldn't possibly take an enemy city as vast as Ba Sing Se, filled with tens of thousands of hostile earthbenders, without bringing back a great many fewer soldiers then they'd originally rocked up with. Entire divisions would be crushed and buried in more ways than one.
And even Fire Lord Ozai, with his savage and bloody-minded reputation, would probably agree that each man, woman, and child in Ba Sing Se was of far more value to the Fire Nation as a living, obedient, productive subject than a charred corpse-it was pretty hard for dead civilians to pay taxes into your coffers, among other things. Buildings and trees and crops too, were resources that the ashmakers would probably also much prefer to see standing, still growing after the takeover, instead of burnt to a crisp.
With this alliance, there would be virtually no destruction, no need for massacres, a mutual "win" for all parties.
Oh, it was still a terrible risk, no getting around it. There was every chance Azula would execute Long Feng once he'd served his purpose, or even just as a no-nonsense warning. The Earth King and the Council of Five were very likely to get the chop as well.
And even if this was about ensuring their own future and keeping their power over the city, once Azula took the throne, and brought occupying forces into the city's streets, this would definitely downgrade the Dai Li's position on the ladder-after all, as grandfather Hsing would say, when the tiger came down into the valley, the wolf was no longer king.
Then there was the issue of how all the other people Hong was close to were going to react to this ultimate act of betrayal, this perversion of the Dai Li's intended purpose. Especially Rajata. When those first Fire Nation troops came marching into the Middle Ring, she and her family were going to be shocked and pissed off beyond words at him, and it could very well be the end of their relationship.
It would undoubtably take a great deal of time, explaining why he did what he had to, and warding off flying hunks of stone to get her to even begin to come around, to understand just why he and the rest of the Dai Li had not only so viciously lied to her and everybody else for all these years, warped the minds of other people, but made this awful deal with a demon, sold them all down the river. But he'd much rather see Rajata in a state of utter fury over his betrayal, then dead at the hands of an ashmaker-not to mention Mingxia and his own family.
And yeah, he was about to participate in carrying out an act of the deepest treachery, one which was in no way something to take lightly, much less be proud of. It might ensure that everybody in Ba Sing Se would be in a much safer situation overall-but Hong wasn't going to kid himself either, earth-skate around the fact that they were placing everyone in harm's way by doing this.
For one thing, there would be bullies and sadists among the occupying Firefolk soldiers, cruel and insecure souls who would kill and brutalize Hong's people as it suited them, to let off steam, drive home their dominance, or simply for the sick thrill of it.
But Hong was also pretty confident that the vast majority of the occupying troops would be far more reasonable in their interactions towards Ba Sing Se's citizens, only resorting to violence if they were assaulted or harassed first. Military men like himself, after all, didn't get far in their careers if they had issues with self-control or anger, no matter which of the Three Nations they fought for. As a general rule.
Then too, he figured, he and his fellow Dai Li had also already committed far more than their share of odious deeds for the greater good of this city. They might as well release their chi-bond from their stone shoes and take that plunge down the last portion of the slippery slope into full treason.
Either way, he had no alternative but to go along with this-no matter how treacherous and dangerous and shameful it was. He had to follow the script, obey and follow the orders he was given. And by retaining power with the princess's help, he could secure and maintain his own ability to protect what he valued.
But most of all, Hong knew he had to do this because he just couldn't, no, wouldn't, allow the alternative to come to pass, a bloody and savage city-wide conflict-which could all too easily result in Rajata being among the needless casualties.
All too quickly, the tram came to a stop at the platform of the palace's underground depot. A good three dozen of his fellow Dai Li were already waiting there, motionless and impassive, for their remaining colleagues to join them, before they all marched off together to the Imperial Hall of Valiant Warriors with its colossal, weapon-bearing stone statues. Where Princess Azula and their destiny awaited.
Hong took a deep, fortifying breath as he rose to his feet along with his loyal partner, and drowned any remaining concerns or misgivings he had in that pond of calculating, self-interested compliance whose waters he knew so well. He had orders to follow, and he'd carry them out unflinchingly.
As he disembarked, it flashed across his mind, for some weird reason, that the familiar faint clacking of their stone boots against the platform sounded rather like the hooves of cattalo being led into a slaughtering yard.
For the second time now, Hong found himself meeting Princess Azula's gold-bronze gaze as he marched the final fifty paces or so to the underground dais along with his fellows, hands held behind his broad back and face still as stone, the vast statues and walls of the underground canyon rearing around and over them. But now that he knew who and what she truly was, he was already appraising her in a far different light.
He'd seen several mounted skeletons of Fire Nation women before, of varying ages, who'd allowed their remains to be donated to science, in the collections of Ba Sing Se University's medical hall, from before the outbreak of war.
And sometimes, he'd laid eyes on a wounded or captured female Fire Army soldier who'd been hustled into the city to be interrogated by the military proper. Then too, occasionally Lake Laogai had hosted a female Fire Nation refugee or spy for reeducation. Almost all of these women however, whether alive or as articulated bones, had been distinctly short in stature, reaching up maybe to midway up his chest at most.
But even though he knew that her bun-crowned by a simple green, handlebar-shaped wooden hairpiece in imitation of most girls and women in Ba Sing Se-added to the impression of height, the teenage princess still literally stood head and shoulders above the majority of her "sisters," and he briefly wondered in amazement what Ozai and Ursa's servants had been feeding this kid to make her so tall. Or maybe it was just something in the royal bloodline.
The other thing that stood out right away was that-although she no doubt found wearing all that green, tan, yellow, and especially the symbolic seal of her nation's great enemy distasteful and alien when compared to her usual red, pink, and black garb-Azula was still either respectful or just pragmatic enough to have basically donned a female-tailored version of the Dai Li uniform. Their contracted tailors and seamstresses-who quite frankly, all deserved a lot more appreciation from the agents whose robes they were forever pressing and hemming and mending-had undoubtedly worked their fingers bloody to have produced such a splendid, eye-catching ensemble at such short notice, he thought.
On either side of the Fire Princess, still wearing their Kyoshi Warrior disguises and makeup, her two companions stood equally rigid. The brown-haired girl with her hair in a braid regarded them with a thoughtful, perky, even welcoming sort of interest before flashing them a quick smile. Her black-haired partner, gray eyes hooded and blank, merely gave them an expressionless, indifferent once-over.
But it was the princess who really mattered when it came to those first several seconds of mutual eye contact, as she stood tall and scanned her new force of elite allies over. The first word which floated up into Hong's mind was feline. And intense. She might've been a master firebender, but there was also no denying that she had a downright chilling, confident beauty to her, that nearly took one's breath away.
Like all the Dai Li, Hong knew a thing or three about sizing people up during that initial glimpse, of being able to read in a span of just a few seconds what sort of person they were, how they were most likely to behave, enough about their background-and then determining exactly what they were good for. He wasn't sure whether it was chilling or impressive to realize that the 14-year-old princess was already a master at doing the same thing herself, her penetrating gaze scrutinizing them like a hawk scanning a meadow for mice.
Whatever she saw in their broad, jade-eyed faces must've met her approval, for her lips briefly quirked in satisfaction.
And he too, had seen enough.
Despite her piercing tiger's gaze and commanding, imperious demeanor, the Fire Princess was equal parts driven and desperate, deep down. She wanted so badly to succeed where other members of her own family had failed. She wanted the Dai Li to help her get the Avatar and take her rightful place as conqueror on the Badgermole Throne as badly as they all wanted their power and prestige and influence to be secure again-not least the Grand Secretariat.
And then Hong abruptly remembered that Crown Prince Lu Ten, her own cousin, had been cut down at the end of the Great Siege. Why, of course! This was also about taking vengeance, on some level, at least as much as proving her worth to her father. He inwardly smiled at his cleverness. In the next instant, he frowned within his mind as he considered all these different motivations, these veiled, eager hopes, gelling together.
Be careful what you wish for, Princess Azula. Be careful what you wish for, Minister Long Feng. Be careful what you wish for, Agent Hong.
She spoke then, her measured, serpentine voice cracking through the stillness of the cavern and making Hong slightly flinch where he stood in the third row.
"I express a sincere welcome to each of you Dai Li, first of all, as my new allies," she said smoothly. "As Commander Quan has no doubt already informed you, I am actually not a Kyoshi Warrior, but Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, with my friends Ty Lee"-and here she gestured to the girl wearing her hair in a braid, who waved at them and gave a cheery grin- "and Mai, serving as my assistants."
"Nice to meet you all," Mai droned, giving a brief nod of acknowledgement.
"I am going to make this quick," Azula then continued, her tone and expression suddenly turning into a severe mask as her gaze raked them. "I have many plans which I am determined to see come to fruition today, for the sake of both my own glory and the final triumph of the Fire Nation."
"But I cannot accomplish them without your dedicated assistance and outstanding earthbending skills," she proclaimed, holding her hands slightly out to the sides as if pleading. "I promise you that this will be a mutually beneficial partnership, one whose rewards are well worth submitting to my leadership for. The alternative is the most dreadful of outcomes, especially on your end."
Even as he listened intently and impassively, Hong would've given a scornful scoff if he could at Azula's cajoling talk about submission, as if the Dai Li were no different than the members of an ostrich-horse herd, blindly following whoever happened to be the strongest cock at the time. How typical of a member of the Fire Nation, to think of them as so inferior in intelligence, as that weak-minded and stupid. But she was also far from wrong, and they had to play into her hands, sell her on their loyalty.
She began to make her way down the flight of steps then, reminding Hong of a pacing wolf-jaguaress as she said, "The Earth King and the Council of Five do not trust you Dai Li. They imprisoned your leader, Long Feng. Soon they will turn on all of you and eliminate you. Seizing power today is a matter of life and death."
Yeah, no schist. And while avoiding a traitor's humiliating, agonizing execution was clearly the most pressing matter here, they also couldn't get their power and prestige back at all if the city was reduced to charred wood and rubble.
From the corner of his right eye, Hong saw a nearby Captain Minjun, with his thin mustache, lower his head slightly in a glum attitude which wasn't entirely faked.
"This coup must be swift and decisive," she announced as she fearlessly strode right up to the front rank-either unaware or heedless for the time being that they alone could make the stone of their gloves, this hall, swallow her, crush her, restrain and bind her in a matter of seconds, no matter how much lightning she could shoot. "The Earth King and Council of Five must be taken out and subdued simultaneously. Long Feng has placed you in my command while we overthrow the government." Amazing. He found himself admiring and respecting such a degree of boldness on some level-not to mention determination. Other girls of a similar age, like Maalai, or the younger of his own two sisters, would make all this up as they went along, or waste precious time being torn over the ethics of what they were going to do.
With that forceful big cat's grace, she suddenly walked to her left, singling out Nienhu. Nienhu, whose cousin had evidently seen something like this plot coming all along. He found himself internally wincing on the poor bastard's behalf as the Fire Princess strolled up to him, felt the poorly controlled quivering of his muscles through the floor and his own pair of stone boots as she regarded Nienhu with a sidelong glance, then turned to face him, her tone deadly and clipped as she said, "If I sense any disloyalty, any hesitation, any weakness at all-I will snuff it out. That is all," she dismissed, and Hong obediently took that as his cue to do a brisk quarter-turn along with his colleagues, marching abreast with them towards the arched side entrance on their right.
As they did, he couldn't help but notice that the cheery brown-haired girl-oh yes, Ty Lee, he remembered-was already dutifully pouring a cup of tea for her superior. The odor drifting from the stone table told him that it was tiger's blood.
The very idea of attempting to apprehend General Iroh, who was not only the fearsome almost-conqueror of Ba Sing Se, a firebender whose powers were said to be every bit the equal of his brother, but on a more personal level, the man responsible for bringing he and Rajata together, her beauty and sweet nature into his life, was something Hong couldn't help but inwardly balk at.
But he also needed to obey his orders, put those emotions aside. And whatever good Iroh had done by "introducing" Hong to his probable future bride and treating them kindly whenever they visited his shop couldn't even begin to make up for the fact that he'd spent most of his life as an imperialist warmonger, he reminded himself.
Not only had the former general brought death and suffering upon Hong's own people, but he also knew for a fact that Iroh had played an important part in savaging and subjugating Tenjiku, back in the day. Which meant he'd done even worse harm to Rajata and her family, especially her poor parents and uncle, cutting them adrift from their homeland and giving them scars which would never heal.
And as if sensing their collective thoughts, Azula had assured the group of fifteen agents she'd chosen for the day's first big task-Hong among them-after rejoining the Dai Li above ground that although her uncle was not a man to be taken lightly, he'd gone soft and foolish in his retirement, lost his inner fire. Her brother meanwhile, would be even easier to take down, an arrogant, impulsive brat and mediocre fighter who cared far more about proving a point and seeming honorable in his battles, instead of doing whatever he must to you know, actually win.
In the same inner court that he'd led Rajata through just a few days-and seemingly a lifetime ago-to see the royal gardens and zoo, Hong now fell into line with fourteen of his "brothers" in uniform as they made their way into the Imperial Tea Palace, all of them going up the steps and slipping in through the entrance to its right wing with no more noise than a snake sliding through the brush, Azula bringing up the rear.
As they approached the central, ceremonial hall, Hong sixth in line from the leading Agent Simu, he heard "Lee" and his uncle speaking with each other.
"What's taking so long?" the younger prince said.
"Maybe the Earth King overslept?" Iroh ventured.
Then they showed themselves, Hong joining his comrades in circling the kneeling men, now dressed in Upper Ring garb, like a pack of wolves gathering around a pair of rein-yak bulls, as Zuko uneasily glanced about, softly saying, "Something's not right."
Well, you're just a regular genius, aren't you kid? Hong thought sardonically. Like having your event being crashed by over a dozen Dai Li could mean anything good. His uncle though, seemed only mildly confused and alert at the appearance of the secret police, scanning the ring they were forming around him with no more outward concern than if they were a group of hare-wallabies.
Then Azula's voice belled out as she arrived on the scene. "It's tea time," she said gloatingly, obviously pleased at having successfully led both traitor-princes into her trap.
Realizing he'd just been had, Zuko leapt to his feet. "Azula," he bit out, his voice equal parts amazed, enraged, and exasperated. No doubt she was the last person he'd expected or wanted to see again in this city.
"Have you met the Dai Li?" Azula asked, ignoring her brother as she made introductory gestures at Hong and his companions. "They're earthbenders, but they've got a killer instinct that's so firebender. I just love it."
Although outwardly impassive as ever, Hong couldn't help but inwardly give a pleased grin at such words of praise. His muscles were coiled underneath his robes like those of a crouching leopard, primed for the same explosive burst of action as soon as either Azula or the situation required it.
It was more than a little surreal though, to find himself staring down and ready to apprehend the kindly, soft-spoken tea server "Mushi," who was actually the formidable General Iroh! And impossible as Hong knew it was, as the old man then stood up himself and serenely looked them all over, he could've sworn to Hou-Tu that when Iroh's copper gaze met not only his eyes, but those of several other agents that Hong knew had also been to Pao's, there was for just a split second, the expression one might see on the face of a displeased grandfather.
Whatever personal relationships you may have formed with the man, however much you might secretly like him, even the fact that Rajata wouldn't be part of your life if he hadn't pointed her out to you are immaterial, he savagely told himself again. Still, it was a Koh-dammed shame that it had worked out this way-but what good could come of even merely hesitating to carry out Azula's will?
Instead of being rattled or angry like Zuko, Iroh actually calmly picked up a steaming cup of tea as he cordially told his niece, "Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname, 'The Dragon of The West?'"
Quite an impressive title-to say nothing of being intriguing. In the next fraction of an instant though, Hong had a nagging feeling that he might not want to know the reason, at least not this way.
"I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, uncle," their new leader flatly replied in that chiming voice with a dismissive wave of her hand, giving her pointed nails a deliberately condescending glance.
"It's more of a demonstration really," the old general smiled before he sucked at the cup of tea, shutting his eyes like he didn't have a care in the world. In the next instant, Hong noticed how the eyes of the exiled prince, formerly known as "Lee" flicked in Iroh's direction, and a slight, little smirk appear on his lips.
That really made Hong's unease spike. Like all members of the Dai Li, he'd assiduously read the scrolls which talked about and depicted the stances, the kicks and punching motions firebenders used in active combat as part of his studies. The general wasn't settling into any of these postures though, and Hong had a dawning concern that the firebender was setting up an attack that was beyond his own ability to recognize.
In the very next instant, the prince darted behind his uncle's back, whipped around so that both men were facing away from each other, and dropped into a squat-as Iroh gaped and impossibly, sent a great plume of fire bursting out of his mouth, lashing at the faces of both Hong and his fellow Dai Li.
Oh. Shi-
He had just enough time to reflexively lower the brim of his hat over the rest of his face and throat, raise his right arm for protection as the searing heat briefly engulfed him, turning on his right heel as he did so. Scorching pain slashed across the side of his neck and lower ear as he gasped and flinched away.
It only hurt Hong enough at that moment to just make him angry. With a little help from his uncle, Zuko punched forth the biggest fire blast he could, smashing right through the side wall into an adjacent hall, even as Hong himself tried to punch out a stone fist at the backs of the fleeing tea servers-but was stymied when the old general flashed around and bellowed out another sideways pillar of dragon's fire at the group, forcing them all to cover their faces and spring back. Then he joined his nephew in making a break for it.
Hong joined his fellow Dai Li in taking off after them, sliding on his stone boots. Simu and Kang were in the lead, and Hong heard the finger tiles of their gloves crash into the stone wall at the end of the hallway, saw them dig into the rock as Zuko and Iroh swerved aside in the nick of time.
The odor of his own singed hair now began to fill Hong's nostrils as he turned the corner, right in time to see a sudden, mind-boggling whip crack of lightning flare down the side hall as Iroh blasted a hole into the open daylight, followed immediately by a staggering snarl of thunder which seemed to make the entire Tea Palace shake to its foundations.
From his distance, against the light of the newly blasted gap, Hong could just see Iroh, with an agility belying his portly frame, instantly leap clear with a cry, and then heard him crash down on one of the Earth King's prized topiaries. His nephew though, in his stylish yellow and black trimmed robes, was far more reluctant to jump-even as the gap between him and his sister, her allies, rapidly closed, and Iroh wildly shouted up at him, "Come on! You'll be fine!"
In the next instant, Zuko seemed to come to a decision, his body stiffening as he declared, "No! I'm tired of running! It's time I faced Azula!" before doing an about face and boldly striding back to confront them.
Hong could've chuckled in derision at the scarred prince's deed. While his courage was admirable, Azula clearly hadn't been kidding when she'd said her brother wasn't exactly the brightest lantern in the hall.
She knew what he wanted and didn't give him either the satisfaction or dignity of accepting his challenge to a firebending duel. Hong totally understood. Anybody could demand a bending duel, but that didn't mean their opponent had to accept it from someone who was disgraced and dishonored. If someone of a similar position had challenged Hong to, say, a lei tai match, he too, wouldn't have deigned to waste his time on them.
In the meantime, when a stung Zuko shot a sphere of flame at his sister anyway, it was easy enough for Hong to help block it by helping to smoothly crack out and push up, lever a stone slab out of the hallway's floor. Then he sent one of his stone gloves whizzing forth in tandem with Guozhi's to seize and crushingly tighten around one of the scarred prince's ankles, fusing it to the floor.
Other agents secured Zuko's other ankle, clamped his mouth shut, pinned his wrists and shackled them behind his back as he writhed and gave muffled cries of frustration. Rendered helpless.
That was one mission completed for the day, albeit partially. Now to deal with the bigger fishes.
Onto the excitement of the next chapter! Please do read and review!