Aang and Ming Baifou return the Earth Republic from the Kyoshi Islands empty handed. Ming was supposed to have plundered treasures of the Avatar Kyoshi. Aang wants to return to the Earth Republic to warn the government officials of the Fire Nation's planned invasion of the republic. The patrol boat they were on docks in Hangkang, a large port city in the western Earth lands. The city had a vibrant nightlife, a busy port, a booming commercial center; compared to most other parts of the Earth Republic, this place was a haven. However the ERRA military officials that waited them had a grim aura compared to the lights of the city during the twilight.
"Ming Baifou, did you bring the treasures Marshall Liu asked?"
"Um, about that...I was..." Baifou was stopped by another military police officer
"We do not want your stories Ming, we want the goods. Do you have them or not?"
He lets a sigh and says "no..."
"You're coming with us then, disobedience is not what we value in the Earth Republic Revolutionary Army." an MP officer said as they frisked and handcuffed both Aang and Baifou.
They were put in the back seat of an ERRA army jeep and they drove through the city. Ming Baifou looked at the city with a lustrous look and wished he would not being thrown in jail so that he could gamble in the casinos and spend money on vice. Aang however looked at the bright and modern city with disgust, he found Hangkang to be choked with sin and decadence. He did not like the bright lights, the seedy prostitutes or the any of the hustle and bustle at all..
"What's so good about this place, it's filled with low lives, materialism, greed and sin? Aang asked
"Boy...you need to spend less time at temples and learn to live a little." Baifou tells Aang
"Yeah, and I prefer to stay at the Air temples, I'm not really too sure if I like the modern world." Aang replied.
"Whatever floats your boat." Ming responded
Then the jeep heads into the slums of Hangkang. It was run down, there was often a putrid smell of garbage mixed with sewage. Crime in rampant. The slums consisted of large tenement housing and slums had very little of the modern neccessities. A large thug on the streets gave Baifou a nasty look as he pulled a knife and threatened to cut his throat. Baifou jumped back and accidently landed on Aang.
"Uh, sorry..." Baifou apologized.
"It's ok, but I don't see why you're afraid of this place." Aang said as he looked at the ghetto with a smile.
"You...like this...place?" Baifou asked.
"Yeah, some of the people here seem to be doing alright living in a more simple manner without the modern applications and the earthly desires that the ugly lighted part of the city has." Aang explained
"Okay...I guess we are entitled to our opinions." Baifou responded.
They finally got to the ERRA base in the heart of the city.The two guards escorted Aang and Baifou into the base headquarters to be processed and interrogated. In the headquarters building, they see Marshall Liu.
"So, why haven't you brought us back Kyoshi's treasures." Liu asked
"I couldn't find them sir..." Baifou replied
"Couldn't find them, I know that you almost ran off with them years ago! Those treasures should have been at the Kyoshi shrine and the Kyoshi shrine is still in it's same place for more than a thousand freaking years! How could you not find them you screw-up!?"
"Fine, I was captured by the Fire Nation military, put on a ship, a Fire Nation navy captain interrogated me then this little boy saved me...that's the truth!" Baifou finally spilled the beans, but the marshall did not believe him.
"BULLSHIT!" Marshall Liu punched him across the face.
"Wait, Baifou IS telling the truth!" Aang yelled out. "And there's a reason why the Fire Nation Navy was deployed near the Kyoshi Islands. It's a very serious matter I must tell you about."
"The Fire Nation wouldn't mess with us, Moh Lai-Tseng and his white army will bury the pathetic Fire Nation if they tried to take the Kyoshi Islands, those Islands are rightfully ours!"
"I'm serious! I over heard a Fire Nation captain give orders to invade the Island. They are going to turn the main Kyoshi Island into a forward base. From the Kyoshi Islands, the Fire Nation will invade the Earth Republic. You guys may have a large army and all, but the Fire Nation's army is far better trained, better equipt and they rely all on efficiency as well as combined land, sea and air tactics rather than large disorganized waves of weekend soldiers armed with older weapons." Aang tried to tell Marshall Liu about the Fire Nation plans to invade the Earth Kingdom but his attempts were all in vain when he along with Baifou were put into jail.
"Well Aang...I'm in jail again...I never thought my own country would turn on me." Baifou said in despair
"Are they stupid...?" Aang asked "Don't they care about the welfare of their own nation?"
"Yes they do, that is why we attack warlord cliques and opposing political factions." Ming replied
"But the Fire Nation is far greater threat to this republic than any of the petty warlords or any political faction. Sure the warlords may have their protection armies and the factions may have their fanatics, but the Fire Nation military is not something to laugh about. I know what they're like. Even a thousand years ago, they had the strongest and most advanced military in the world, they had steel-clad steam powered battleships, tanks, giant drills." Aang explained
"Even a thousand years ago?"
"Yes!"
"Wow, I'd hate to image what the Fire Nation military is like now...maybe they have lasers! Or machine-men!! That would be so cool!!" Baifou jumped for joy
"Uh...I doubt that..." Aang replied
A mustachioed man looks at Aang and Baifou
"Hello there, what are two in for?" the man asked. "Disobedience?"
Ming takes a good look at his face and his bushy mustache. "You must be Lin Xiung! The famous revolutionary writer!"
"Hah! I used to be famous and respected until this backstabbing government turned on me. And yes, I am Lin Xiung."
"Wingo!" Baifou yelled out
"Haha, you remind of Fai Qin, a character in one of my stories." Lin tells Baifou
"You are very oblivious to the dangers the surround the Earth Republic, the dangers of warlords, the Fire Nation...and the government of this backwards land. The Earth Republic isn't really that much different from the Earth Kingdom in it's downfall. I am well aware of the Fire Nation's imperialist inclinations, but the truth is...war is inevitable, a united Earth front is an impossibility. We are still stuck...insulated in the past. Because we are still living in antiquity, the Fire Nation will steam roll us." Lin tells the two "I very much admire the two founders of the republic, Sun Xiangshan and Moh Lai-Tseng, for their great but vain attempts to lift us out of our old feudal Earth Kingdom ways, but the military is led by morons and corrupt people. Some of the people in the ERRA are in cahoots with the old feudal traditions that make us weak."
Aang interjects "Not all traditions are bad! Sure, Feudalism is not a good thing but...what about religion?"
"You seem like a very smart boy and for some reason, you have the face of Avatar Aang. Some traditions should not be destroyed, religion is fair game. But the feudal system should be destroyed." Lin responded "But, religion also has it's tendencies to be corrupt and counter-progressive."
"What about...?" Aang was stopped as Lin Xiung spoke again
"Element bending to stay, sometimes bending can be a beautiful art. If I were to keep only one tradition alive, it would be the art of bending. All elements have their beauty." Lin explained "Sometimes I like to read about famous benders from the past but there is one man I truly have respect for." Lin said
"Who?" Aang asked
"Are you familiar with the tale about the Dragon of the West, I'm not really talking about a dragon, but a Fire Nation general rather who was the son of Fire Lord Azulon, but his younger brother usurped his rightful position and then he became a mere man wandering the world with his nephew, trying to help the banished prince find the avatar, but then he pushed his son to take a more peaceful path in his life. He was critical of the Fire Nation's status quo of warfare and imperialism, he and his nephew sided with the avatar." Lin explained
"Hey, it's Iroh!!" Aang yelled out with excitement
"Hahah, you sure know your history, don't you?" Lin asked rhetorically "The Dragon of the West is a very esoteric tale...usually the only people that know about the history of Iroh or Zuko are members of the White Lotus Society...the true White Lotus Society, not the watered down political party that we have now. To be a member of the White Lotus, you have to be intelligent, independent, altruistic, not swayed by any political inclinations. Iroh had all of those traits. He was a the closest human to a true sage, he was more of a sage than any of the official Fire Sages, who were merely puppets and mouthpieces of the Ozai/Azula regime at the time...and he knew how to brew a pretty damn good cup of tea and he could kick anyone's ass at Pai-sho." Lin Xiung let out a sigh "but he's gone, there will never be another person like him. Believe me, if the dragon still lived today, I would have much more faith in the old ways."
"Hehe, this boy claims to have known him." Baifou laughed as he pointed to Aang
"Well, knowing how intelligent the boy is, I honestly say I wouldn't be surprised." Lin remarked
A jail guard comes into the quarters armed with a rifle, a revolver on his holster, wearing a green ERRA uniform with a white band around his shoulders and a green red Earth/white star cap. He approached their cell and told them it's time for their outdoor time.
The three passed by the jail warden at his desk while escorted by three armed jail guards.
"Well Lin Xiung, looks like you made three friends, you better not brainwash them with your mindless garbage." The warden tells him with a arrogant smile. "You do remember the punishment for spreading dissent within our glorious republic?" he added
Lin smiled graciously and his mustache arched a little "Oh yes I do sir, I would never think of doing such a thing to my new jail mates Baifou and Aang!"
"Aang?" He looks down at Aang "Why the hell does he have an arrow on his head?" the warden asked in a suspicious manner
"You know how little boys are...he must think he's an Air Nomad!" Lin said with a chuckle
"True, I'm glad he's such an active kid...but his independent behavior is a problem...Aang needs to be given a Mandarin name and he needs to be enrolled in the youth guard!" the warden said.
"Starting tomorrow his name will be Aojin and he shall be an effective member of the Earth Republic Youth Guard!" The warden demanded.
"Great, I will prefer his uniform and cap!" an officer said
Aang grimaced at the thought of being brainwashed into a political cult as he is dragged away from his adult friends.
"Baifou...I know a secret escape scheme within the exercise yard...but we are going to need the help of my friends...I have a band of guerillas waiting for me outside this cage." Lin told Baifou
"Freedom fighters...you mean you're a traitor?" Baifou asked
"Argh! don't be a dumbass Ming...you should know that the government have betrayed the revolution. They will sell us out to the Fire Nation soon enough, we must change things in the Earth Republic before it's too late."
Things look futile for the Earth Republic. Aang is taken by the Earth Republic Revolutionary Army to be brainwashed and socialized into the youth guards. Ming Baifou and Lin Xiung plot their escape from prison and the Earth Republic's government and military is oblivious to the oncoming threat by the Fire Nation and ill-prepared to challenge them.