"Kiyoshi-san, thank you for your information. You and Riko-san have been very kind to us. But your part in this is over now. I am going to take this to the police."
"But Kagamichi and Midorimachi-"
"I know. I know! But we won't solve anything by just rushing in, even if we go right now! They're very dangerous! They did that to Dai-chan! We can't do this by ourselves!"
"Momoi-san, I agree that the police should be alerted. I propose we split up and while you inform the police, Kise-kun and I will scout-"
"No!"
Aomine woke to the sound of Tetsu and Satsuki arguing, in low voices filled with steel. He hurt all over, but it was almost a relief to hurt- not the numb darkness he had been dreaming of, but the kind of soreness that mean his flesh was knitting itself back together.
For a moment he thought he was home again, in Kiyoshi Island with the world steady under his feet, thought he was on a boat, with the waves raging around them. Waking was like rising from the ocean, slowly under the pressure of his own body, to the air.
"Water," he rasped. "Want- water."
Kise climbed onto the platform to help Aomine drink. The cup was passed to him by a guy Aomine had never seen before. The janitor Kiyoshi was sitting at their table, petting a despondent Nigou. Kise was still in his match gear, and it was night outside.
"What happened… the match?" said Aomine, once he'd cleared his head a little. Tetsu and Satsuki were armed, and metal flashed in the lamplight from under their clothes, her armguards and his bracers.
"We won!" said Kise, trying to be cheerful.
Someone was missing.
"We got someone to sub in for you, er, the lieutenant here says you might know him..."
The guy Aomine didn't know snorted. "Sure he does," he said. He stepped up to the platform to examine Aomine. He produced a little gadget from nowhere and shone a light into Aomine's eyes.
Aomine closed them in protest and thought very hard about getting up and punching his stupid face out. Who was missing?
"No immediately apparent brain damage," said the asshole. "That's one thing, at least."
"That's good," said Kiyoshi, encouragingly.
"Dai-chan," said Satsuki. "Dai-chan, you were just healed, you should try to stay-"
"Where's Kagami?" said Aomine. He opened his eyes again. All three uniforms were missing from the hooks on the wall. The firebender was nowhere in the attic, and there wasn't a lot of space for him not to be. "Where is he?"
Tetsu explained, briefly. Aomine was swearing by the end of it, in short sharp bursts before he ran out of breath, and he tried to get up.
"Dai-chan!" snapped Satsuki. Kise shifted his weight and stopped Aomine from moving. Even he looked surprised by how easy it was.
"Aomine-kun, that is not a good idea," said Tetsu, in his calm voice. "Midorima-kun has rearranged your chi flow to repair the bloodbending damage. Your bending will not have recovered, and you are still very physically weak. You were very badly injured. It is thanks to him that you are still alive."
"And he was taken too?" Aomine demanded. "I can't- let me up, idiot. I have to-"
"Wheeze at them?" suggested Asshole. "I agree with Invisible Dude here, by the way. Someone should probably go tell the police, and do it sooner rather than later, and it can't hurt to try to at least scout out where Shin-chan and the Prince are. We should get moving. Waterbenders don't like to waste moonlight."
"I can't let Tetsu-kun and Ki-chan put themselves into-" started Satsuki.
"That is why I volunteer to be the one to inform the police," said Asshole. "I don't think you can stop them, and I don't think they can stop you, so you two might as well give in to each other. Who knows what could be happening to them? We should go now."
"Dai-chan will try to leave," said Satsuki, but Aomine could see she was persuaded, thinking of the terrible things that could have happened to Kagamin. That would be it, then; they would never be able to convince her that it wasn't worth having her in danger to get someone else out of it. Aomine never had; that was why she'd become a Kiyoshi Warrior, that was why she'd joined the police force now.
"I will come back here after I have informed the police and if he has made it further than the ladder down there, I will put him back in bed." Asshole looked at Aomine speculatively, ignoring the glare Aomine was directing at him. "Maybe on the floor with a blanket, he's a big boy."
Tetsu seemed to accept this; he turned to Aomine and said, "Aomine-kun, is there anything else you can tell us?"
"I don't know anything," said Aomine. It came out of him like a sigh. "Last- last night was the first time I knew Mako was a bloodbender-"
"Mako?" said Kiyoshi. "Hanamiya Makoto?"
"He did this to me," said Aomine. "The rest of them-" he waved his hand dismissively. "But Mako is good at what he does."
"I suggest we come to a decision soon, if Hanamiya Makoto is involved," said Kiyoshi. "He's very dangerous. I had no idea he had returned to Republic City. Kagami and that other guy's life are in danger." He paused. "Hanamiya Makoto will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He meant to kill Aomine, I'm sure of it."
"Really, wow," muttered Aomine.
Satsuki had paled. "Hanamiya," she breathed. "He's back in Republic City? And he has Kagamin!"
Tetsu had set his jaw, and he nodded at Asshole. "It is as you say, Takao-kun. We are indebted to you, and to Midorima-kun. Kiyoshi-san- you said you might have some idea where they are?"
They left, despite Aomine and Nigou's protests.
"This is pathetic," said Aomine to Nigou. The lion-dog meered, and circled the table.
Aomine grimly pulled off the blanket Kise had carefully tucked around him and levered himself off the platform. Somehow the arm Tetsu had wrenched back into place didn't hurt at all, but everywhere else did, radiating from his hips out. He had just made it to the floor- lying there panting with pain as Nigou licked his face and whined- when Takao (or as Aomine would forever mentally call him, Asshole) came back up into the attic.
"Wow," said Takao. "All the way to the table. You are tough."
"That was… fast," said Aomine, staring at him.
"I went downstairs and rung them from the Arena telephone," said Takao. "Gave them my name and rank, gave them as much information as I possibly knew, and came back up here." He cast a sly glance over his shoulder at the ladder. "You country hicks, never think of using the 'phone. Shin-chan's the same way."
"There's a telephone in the Arena?" said Aomine blankly.
"That's what I'm saying," said Takao. "Nice, isn't this? We're all alone together." He studied Aomine and his grey eyes were very cold.
Aomine's mind ticked slowly through the logic. "Oh," he said. "You stayed here to interrogate me. I know you, don't I? I don't know where they could have gone."
"Shame," said Takao. He knelt next to Aomine and produced that tiny flashlight again, shining it in his face. "I was at Narook's when you threw down with Shin-chan," he said. "Wearing my uniform, if that jogs anything loose."
"Fuck you," said Aomine, blinking spots out of his vision. "Wait, that guy? That guy?"
"Yeah, long story," said Takao. "You're better than you were, but you're still in no state to go out, let alone fight." The matter-of-fact way in which he said this irritated Aomine.
"I'm going," said Aomine stubbornly. "I don't know where they are, but at least I can try to find out. I know a few guys."
"Somehow I guessed this," said Takao. He flashed a grin. "I have exactly the thing! It's parked around the block, you just need to get there without passing out again."
"You have a car?" said Aomine, perking up.
"Not even close," said Takao.
.0.
The young master's arrival in Republic City had incited a flood of gossip in the Jade Dragon Teahouse outlets, but rumors of a corporate shakedown were unfounded. All that Murasakibara Atsushi did was install himself in a private room and decree that takeout from all over the city was to be brought to him and then he ate through every single dessert on the Teahouse's menu. Twice.
At least the friend he had brought with him from the Earth Kingdoms was good-looking.
"No, thank you, I couldn't possibly eat another bite," said Himuro to the blushing waitress.
Atsushi refrained from rolling his eyes and surveyed the remains of their supper. They'd retired to the private room to listen to the pro-bending match for some reason he couldn't fathom- as though barely-trained benders playing some kind of stupid game that didn't make any sense was interesting at all.
But Muro-chin had listened as though riveted, and then after the Lion-Dogs's victory, smiled and turned the radio off. Now he hummed to himself as he ate some honey toast.
Atsushi wondered why Kise-chin thought that that sport was so fun. It sounded really stupid, and it lasted barely any time. Probably any one could play it.
'What did you talk with Commander Akashi about?" said Himuro, dusting crumbs off pale fingers.
Atsushi looked up from his tea, eyes narrow. "Stuff about the North. Carried some messages. Do you know him?"
"We met several times at court," said Himuro.
"...oh yeah," said Atsushi, remembering. He eyed the older boy. "You don't like him?"
"I barely know him," said Himuro, rueful. "I know of him- we were at court a lot around the same time- but we're barely acquaintances. You met him when the fleet was deployed in the Northern Earth Kingdom?"
Atsushi eyed him. "We hosted the officers after putting down some unrest in outlying villages," he said. "Before you came, Muro-chin."
"That sounds fun," said Himuro, telegraphing without shame his complete lack of interest in officers, villages, or unrest. "Entertaining. Your family's hospitality is unparalleled, Atsushi."
"I thought you ran away to the circus to get away from that sort of thing," said Atsushi.
Himuro looked disappointed. "That wasn't a circus, Atsushi," he said. "It was a travelling show."
"What's the difference?" said Atsushi.
"Less animals," said Himuro. "More hustling. Very few acrobatics."
"Anyway you ran away," said Atsushi, returning to the heart of the matter.
"Of course," said Himuro. He had been carrying around a back issue of the Republic City Times, and now he looked at it, folded so that the picture of Kise-chin's pro-bending team was prominent, propped between two empty bamboo steamers and upturned tea cups like a poster. "I'm glad to be coming back, though," he said, thoughtfully. "So many things I've left behind."
.0.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," croaked Aomine. Nigou jumped into the back of a bicycle-pulled cart joyfully, clearing the sides with ease.
"Why would anyone live in an attic," moaned Takao, dumping Aomine into the cart. "Why are you so big? Agg, I felt my spine cracking."
"What the hell is this?" demanded Aomine, once he had his breath back. His jaw ached from biting down on agony- and it felt like whatever that guy had done to his chi was burning its way through his system, setting his bones on fire. At this rate, his teeth would be permanently ground down to stumps.
"It's a cart," said Takao, propping himself up on one of its sides to stretch out his back. "I taxi Shin-chan around in it."
"Why?" said Aomine.
"Because this, believe it or not, was the more dignified option," said Takao, getting on the bicycle. "Thank your spirits. I couldn't have hauled you another block."
Aomine gave him directions to Gaku and sat back. "Why are you doing this?" he said. "What happened to the police?"
"Mmph," said Takao. "You guys are new here, right? Two months, three?"
"Two."
"A year ago the Red Monsoons kidnapped Councilman Aida's beloved only daughter," said Takao. "It was big news in the fleet. They initiated a gang crackdown, a whole line of big dogs went down, justice triumphs. But look. One year later, Reds are shaking down a place like Narook's in broad daylight? I'm not betting Shin-chan's life on something that smells this bad."
.0.
Mako replaced the receiver on the radio and headed down the hall. Everyone was on alert, watching the two benders even though they were both chained and gagged. Other Reds, and the people who didn't want to piss off the Reds, were patrolling the area or had gotten clear. Last year's crackdown had been brutal.
"The ship should be here before morning," said Mako. "We're finally making this place too hot to hold us. How's the merchandise?"
"Awake, angry," said Seto. "You sure you want to take that rich boy along?"
"He's not just any rich boy," said Mako. The look in his eyes was both ugly and incredible, blazing like when he had fought Kiyoshi Teppei. "His family would be good for a pretty big ransom. Or he's about the same size as the prince, we can always char his body and tell them someone lost their heads. Gives us an ace in the hole."
A growl emanated from the Prince. His eyes were hot and angry, glaring at the waterbenders with ashy death. He tried to draw in breath, but gasped as his collar cinched in tighter, choking him. Mako smirked.
"You can thank your brother's little trick for that," said Mako. "No breath of fire for you, your highness. Sit quietly and maybe you won't be a vegetable by the end of your little trip."
The Prince panted heavily, but his friend kicked him and glared through cracked glasses. The Prince subsided, evening out his breathing and biding his time. Too stupid to know when he was beaten.
"Where are we going?" said Hara. Mako hadn't said anything to them about his exit plan, only that there was one. The rest of the Reds who weren't guarding the prince had been told to get out and lay low once the merchandise was on the move.
"Wherever the fuck you want to," said Mako. "Stay here and be extradited to the Fire Nation to be burned alive for high treason, I don't give a shit. But I'm taking the Prince to Shou, he'll appreciate the gift." He surveyed the two bound benders with satisfaction.
.0.
Takao had eaten at some pretty shitty restaurants without shame in his time, but Gaku took the cake. It was deserted and barely-lit, the kind of place that tottered between torched for the insurance money and valuable ecological niche, like a shrimproach.
"Here," said Aomine. It was testament to Shin-chan's skill that Aomine was on his feet at all, but it had clearly cost him to come along. Takao tried to feel sorry that he'd let the kid come out despite knowing that he wasn't up to it, but failed. He felt Shin-chan's cube in his pocket, an awkward weight. "Ryou runs the early-hours shift here, he might know something. He said he does guard-work, and he's been in with them a lot longer than I have."
"Here's a question," said Takao. "If he's so in with the bloodbenders, wouldn't he be, you know, in with them? How do you know he's not a bloodbender?"
"Ryou?" said Aomine, as though the mere idea was ridiculous. "He was left out of the- that time I found out. He's too nervy. If he knows anything, it won't take much to make him tell us. He's not-" Aomine said, and hesitated on it. "He doesn't like being in the Reds. He wants to be better than that."
Takao refrained from commenting. He palmed his knife and tried to remember his chi-blocking training. He should have paid more attention in basic, but who'd ever thought he'd be in this situation? Aomine headed straight for the kitchen and surprised the lone employee, who screamed and begged for them not to hurt him.
Huh.
This was the third of the waterbenders who'd been there that day, a nervous kid with muddy brown eyes and hair. His eyes widened to see them, fastening on Aomine.
"A-Aomine-san!" he said. "You- you're hurt!"
Takao rolled his eyes. Genius, this one. He took a quick look around as Aomine explained their situation to the kid in pithy terms and the kid gasped, obviously shocked and appalled.
"So that's how it is," Aomine said. He propped himself up on the counter, and the kid came in close to him, concerned. "Ryou, you said you did guard-work for Mako before. Do you know where they could have been taken?"
"Ye-yes," Ryou said. "I do know a place! I'll take you there." His voice shook, and so did his hands, twisting in his apron as he took it off. He bit his lip. "T-there's a way into the sewers just behind the restaurant. Th-this way."
He led them through a few alleys, obligingly lending Aomine his shoulder. Takao followed with Nigou, wincing when Ryou levered a manhole open with a crowbar hidden in debris.
"These aren't Red Monsoon tunnels p-proper," explained Ryou. "But we've been using these since we were kids."
"Aren't these supposed to be off-limits?" said Takao. "They're sealed up."
"It's ea-easy to get in," said Ryou. "Especially near the waterfront. S-some people still live in them."
It took the both of them to get Aomine down, and when they had, they stared up at Nigou standing at the lip of the manhole, barking and hissing in equal measure.
"Sorry, boy," said Takao, shrugging. He produced his flashlight again. Enough room to walk, but barely, and it didn't make things any better that they could see what they were walking in.
Aomine's mouth twisted. "Kagami," he said to the lion-dog, tiny, and indomitable. "Finding Kagami, ok? Wait for us."
"I t-think it's this way," said Ryou. Leaving Nigou there, crying out after them, they proceeded into darkness.
They were silent as they walked. Takao tried to keep track of where they were going; north-by-northeast? Ryou had to help Aomine down a ladder more than once and finally just offered him a shoulder. They seemed to keep going down, past tunnels that opened into dark caverns and always, all around them, the sound of rushing water and settling stone. Finally they heard voices, and saw lights flickering ahead on the walls. Rou went perfectly still, and looked frantically at the two of them.
"Hara-san!" he said. "He's coming here!" He looked horrified. "We can't hide!"
Takao saw Aomine take deep breaths and settle himself into a stance, pushing himself off Ryou. More waterbenders, then. Well, no time like the present. Takao tucked the flashlight away and waited for his night vision to return. The voices grew louder, there'd be just one chance to surprise-
Aomine produced a choked gasp, and collapsed into the water.
"Aomine-san," whispered Ryou frantically. "Aomine-san, I'm- I'm sorry!"
Takao splashed forward to see what was wrong, but no- Aomine had crumpled around Ryou's fist, and now people were coming around the corner to see what the noise was and Ryou was straightening up, and before Takao could reach them Ryou yelled, "H-help! I have Aomine Daiki! He came to rescue the prince!"
The water came alive around him. Takao cursed and ran.
.0.
The Victory lay at anchor in pride of place just outside Yue Bay, an enormous hulking frigate dressed in the ostentatious fleet colours, manned by just a skeleton crew while the commander was on shore attending conferences. Doppelganger slipped past on the tide, disguised by darkness and hastily-applied coats of paint. Several of the crew spat into the water at the sight of the Victory. The captain eyed her dark windows and thought that Mako better be sure he had his hands on something big, big enough to risk drawing the wrath of the Fleet at this remove. The ship looked almost entirely unchanged from when he had last seen her a year ago, the headquarters of the Fleet soldiers sent to put down violent rebel action in the territories of the Northern Earth Kingdom. Beast was too big and too recognizable to enter Republic City waters, but Doppelganger, like any true smuggler, had no problems entering Yue Bay unchallenged.
Getting out was going to be difficult, but the thought of the look on that fucking Commander's face when he learned that they'd stolen a royal hostage out from under his nose drove them on. The fog was rising, and their ship headed into it without fear.
.0.
Aomine was woken, again, by the sound of Satsuki's voice.
They were in a cove looking out into a secluded corner of Yue Bay. A dock had been constructed here long ago, made of old and rotting wood. Republic City's famous fog was lurking on the water. Lanterns at the edge of the dock, blue and white, indicated they were expecting visitors from sea.
Hanamiya Makoto stood over Kagami and Midorima's bound bodies, waiting. He held them both down with bloodbending, but was conserving his strength. Aomine was tied to a post with only rope, but their manacles had cruel teeth that bit further into their flesh every time they moved. Next to him was Kiyoshi, unconscious and also bound. Seto was watching them. If Kiyoshi was here- then-
Satsuki's voice had echoed down the tunnel, approaching them. Her arms were held behind her back by Ryou, who held an ice-shard to her throat like he was holding a scorpion on the end of a stick. Other Reds followed with Tetsu and Kise. Tetsu had an ice-knife held to his throat as well, and lines of red showed where it had been pressed into the skin. Kise was bound and gagged like Kagami was, and being dragged, since he could barely walk.
Hanamiya looked irritated. "What's with those two?" he said.
"We brought them to keep the Avatar quiet," Kazu reported. He used the ice-knife to poke at Tetsu. "He gets all pale at the sight of this one's blood." He grinned. "This is the chi-blocker who rescued Aomine this morning. I wouldn't mind paying him back for that."
"Whatever you like, when he's not useful any more," said Hanamiya indulgently. He looked at Ryou. "You said one more, a fleet officer?"
"He got away while I was handling Aomine," Ryou reported. "B-back in the sewers."
Ryou. Aomine tried to push himself up. Ryou had tricked him. Them.
"Dai-chan!" cried Satsuki, noticing him. Aomine tried to call out to her, but he hurt too much to do it. Because of Ryou. Ryou, holding a blade to her throat.
Ryou just looked at Aomine coldly, and tightened his grip on Satsuki's limbs. She jerked back from the ice-cold edge, and she made a small soft sound of pain. Aomine felt a hot surge of rage, he'd kill him, kill them all, the ocean would eat their bones…
The water rattled, and whistles sounded through the fog.
The ship was here, sailing in silently on the wind and waves. Blue and white lanterns hung on her stern. It was bigger than Aomine would have expected to see in a cove this size, but built for speed. It was high tide and waterbenders moved her in carefully, working in tandem.
"Take the non-benders on," said Hanamiya. "Leave the Avatar and the Prince to me. If any of these heroes try to bend, throw those two both overboard first."
Kazu and Ryou nodded and pushed their captives towards the dock.
Hanamiya moved. Kise and Kagami, limbs twisting, rose into the air. Kagami's eyes were closed, and his chest was barely moving. Seto moved in to take over holding Midorima down.
Hanamiya studied them both. "Try not to die before I can deliver you to your new prisons," he said. "Shou called dibs on the Prince, but I bet he'd like the Avatar even better."
Kise's gaze fastened on him. He twisted against his bonds, his own blood, and the wind picked up. Light flashed through his eyes, one, and then the other. His fists clenched convulsively and the blue on them seemed brighter than ever.
"You two aren't a lot alike," said Hanamiya casually, but his eyes glittered with malice, and an icy, implacable hatred. "Been a while since you've seen each other, yeah? Over a year? Watch that Avatar State there. Sakurai gets twitchy when he's scared."
Kise's eyes were wild and afraid, but he looked at Tetsu and Satsuki and made a visible effort to calm down. People were getting off the ship, and they had more restraints with them. Aomine bit the inside of his cheek and tried again to twist free, to focus long enough to call water. The whole damn ocean was just there, if only he could bend it. Kagami was very pale, and very still. Tetsu, with his blood smeared down his throat. If Aomine could have just gotten to the water- If he hadn't trusted Ryou-
A siren began to sound, a loud piercing scream which echoed down from the tunnel. And then the whole cove moved, a heaving jerk that shook stone as well as earth. Everyone lost their balance, but Hanamiya managed to keep his hold on Kise and Kagami. Aomine hit his head on the pole, and swore.
And Satsuki was whirling away from Ryou to strike first Kazu then Seto with her chi-blocking, and as Hanamiya's bloodbending hold on Kise fell apart the Avatar surged up and out of his chains like water bursting through a dam, lava through a volcano. Kise went for the ship like a typhoon, raising a whirlwind that sucked up water and wood from the dock and chewed at the waiting boat. Fire began to blaze out of the air as the benders on the ship fought back, but the arrow on Kise's head was glowing eerie and bright, and he parried them with fire of his own.
Hanamiya's concentration wavered, and broke. Kagami fell to the ground, and was still.
Satsuki had broken away from Ryou entirely, Ryou who- wasn't doubled over bubbling in pain, but standing, moving. The knife he had held turned into water which he whipped impossibly fast at Seto, at Kazu, and blood flecked out from their faces as they recoiled and lost their hold on their captives entirely. Tetsu twisted out of Kazu's hold and struck, Kazu's entire body collapsing as his hips went numb. Seto had to contend with both Satsuki and Ryou, who backed her up like they'd practiced it; Seto was downed in an instant and Midorima, struggling to get to Kagami, was free.
Ryou freed Kagami's hands, then Midorima's, breaking Kagami's collar with the ice he had pressed to Satsuki's neck, reformed. And then Ryou was bending over Aomine and Kiyoshi, severing their bonds, pulling him upright and pressing pressure points on Aomine's arms as he did: Aomine gasped in pain as sensation was forced back into his limbs. Midorima was on Kagami in a second, ear to his chest, mouth to his mouth, breathing the life back into Kagami's lungs. Hanamiya lunged for them, trying to reassert his blood bending hold or catch Midorima unawares, but Midorima elbowed him back with vicious force, trying to keep his attention on Kagami.
Kagami breathed. Then he choked and convulsed and heaved that breath out, a roar of flame which sent Midorima and Hanamiya sprawling back and drew all their attentions to the sky, suddenly alive above them.
Ryou stood tall and cleared his throat. Momoi was handcuffing Seto with his hands behind his back. Tetsu held him down for her, watching the waterspout that was Kise rip through the ship with worried eyes. On Ryou's chest gleamed the badge of the police force, and lights sliced through the night behind him, powerful searchlights attached to airships heading their way from all over the city. "In the name of the Republic City Police Force," he shouted, his voice ringing over sirens, over shouting, over the roaring of water on rock. "Hanamiya Makoto, Bloodbender, kidnapper, thief! You are under arrest!"