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The Search for Shang-wēifēng
Chapter Eleven:
The Medicine Woman
Long Feng sat at his desk staring at the pile of documents, proposed bills, and files of blacklisted books and individuals that might prove dangerous to the new regime, without actually seeing them. Once the Grand Secretariat of Ba Sing Se and commander of the Dai Li, now he was the Interim Regional Governor of the Fire Nation's newest province; a familiar face to keep order amongst the Fire Lord's new subjects, at least until High Command selected one of their own to take the job.
Once that happened his usefulness was at an end. He rubbed his temples to banish the headache that had been plaguing him for the past two days. Expendable. A word he was unused to describing himself with, but it was the truth. He rubbed his eyes. The green, phosphorescent light of the glowstone lamp on his desk was beginning to make them ache.
He was born a poor farmer's son, who learned all to quickly how unfair life could be. His elder brother died during the famine and his parents were murdered by their desperate neighbors for what little food they had. Just nameless bodies, trash discarded and forgotten. He wandered into the city's Lower Ring, where he joined the Dai Li, swearing that he would not die a nameless victim. After completing the rigorous and brutal training regimen passed down from Avatar Kyoshi herself, he dedicated himself to clawing his way up the ranks until he became Grand Secretariat, unopposed master of the Dai Li, and the fifty-first Earth King's closest advisor. Taking advantage of his position, he bribed one of the palace servants to slip diluted gila-corn venom, a potent, slow-acting and nigh-untraceable poison, into the King's drink. The Earth King was diagnosed with some unknown ailment by his physicians and, after a week of suffering he died, leaving his four-year-old son and heir. Clearly too young to rule, it was decided that loyal Long Feng would act as regent until the fifty-second Earth King came of age.
He killed the servant of course. It always paid to try up loose ends. Now the most powerful man in Ba Sing Se, he worked to turn it into a utopia, erasing the war's existence from every document, every tongue, every mind, through a form of brainwashing he had invented himself, as well as the Dai Li, now his acting secret police force and private army. Ba Sing Se was the perfect society. And he was its ruler. Everything was perfect, until the Avatar and his friends came.
He was so careful. He had tried, keeping tabs on them, restricting their movements. When that didn't work he sent a false friend in his thrall to lead them down the wrong path. He even went so far as to destroy his brainwashing facility at Lake Laogai. But in spite of all his efforts, those meddling children and their bison, exposed him to the now adult (at least physically) Earth King, and had him tossed into prison.
But luck seemed to favor him yet. Though the Five Generals of the Earth Kingdom were loyal to their King, the Dai Li remained loyal to him. And opportunity presented itself to him once again in the form of the Fire Nation Princess, come to Ba Sing Se disguised as a Kyoshi Warrior. He had her brought before him and they plotted the takeover of the Impenetrable City. He loaned her the use of his Dai Li, who dispatched the Five Generals easily and captured the Avatar's friends that loud-mouthed Water Tribe boy and the blind girl and imprisoned them along with the Earth King. He released himself from the dungeons, with the intent of double-crossing the Fire Princess, but something happened then that the former Grand Secretariat did not anticipate. His Dai Li were no longer his.
"They haven't decided yet," he recalled the words of that accursed Princess all too clearly. "They know that one of us will be sitting on this throne and one of us will be kneeling. They just don't know which one. But I know. And you know. I can see your entire history in your eyes. You were born a peasant but crawled your way to the top through scheming and guile. Some people are meant to live that way while others, are born with the divine right to lead. So what are you waiting for?"
After a moment's hesitation, the single most powerful man in Ba Sing Se, knelt before the Fire Princess as she seated herself upon the Earth King's throne.
"You've beaten me at my own game," he whispered.
"Don't flatter yourself," sneered Azula. "You were never even a player."
Never even a player. Those words continued to echo in his head even now. The fact that he knew how insignificant he truly was to the Princess was only salt in an open wound. It made him want to scream and kick over his desk, sending the papers flying everywhere, but he could not. He dare not.
The Dai Li, once his eyes and ears, now served Azula and were watching him, waiting to report anything that might be interpreted as disloyalty on his part to their new master. He rubbed his temples again. He was once a giant within these walls. Mere mention of his name made people cringe in fear. Now he was just a bug in a jar. How could it have come to this?
There came a knock at the door.
"Come," he answered curtly.
"Long Feng," came a cold, familiar voice. "It's been too long."
Without thought, the Interim Regional Governor of Ba Sing Se, rose from his desk and bowed reverently, though sweat beaded upon his shaven forehead. Could High Command have finally chosen his replacement? If so, what was to be his final fate?
"Princess Azula," he murmured, trying his best to keep his voice from shaking. "This is a surprise."
"I've little time for pleasantries," hissed the Fire Lord's daughter, striding into the office all deadly grace and regal bearing. "I need a few Dai Li."
"They are yours to command, my Lady," answered Long Feng spreading his arms submissively. "As am I."
"I also need information," she continued, taking the seat before the former Grand Secretariat's desk. "What do you know of the White Lotus."
"They were once a spiritual group who claim to have been founded by Avatar Yangchen," said Long Feng, not daring to seat himself before the Princess ordered him to do so. "They followed the doctrine of the Eternal Mother, believing that one day she would gather them all together in a world of peace."
"Fools," muttered Azula. "Any idea where I might find them?"
Long Feng blinked in confusion before answering. "No one has openly worshiped the Eternal Mother in over a hundred years. Many rulers felt threatened by the level of faith the White Lotus doctrine demanded of its followers so it was outlawed and suppressed. Eventually it died out, although some conspiracy theorists believe that they operate underground now as a secret society. Nonsense, of course."
"Is there some connection between the White Lotus and the Air Nomads?"
"Their founder, Avatar Yangchen, was an Air Nomad herself" said Long Feng. "And the faith incorporated many airbender philosophies, though it had followers throughout the Four Nations at one point."
Azula pursed her lips thoughtfully, before rising to her feet. "What did you do with the blacklisted documents from the University Library?" she asked.
"We keep them in a vault below the dungeons, my Lady."
"I would like to have a look at them," she said, turning for the door. "Specifically, anything pertaining to the Air Nomads and the White Lotus. I believe this merits further research."
"As you wish my Lady," said Long Feng, dutifully following after, though the cogs in his mind were spinning with the possibilities this new information offered. There might be a way to prove his worth yet. And once he did, he may find a way to reverse his fortune and return to power. Upon exiting his office, he found himself flanked by two Dai Li agents. Mustn't get ahead of myself, he thought to himself. Patience. Patience.
"I've heard you've run into a bit of trouble with a group of rabble rousers and jail breaks," said the Fire Princess conversationally.
"Yes, my Lady," answered Long Feng. "We have reason to believe they've been smuggling disgruntled citizens and criminals out of the city. However, I have managed to plant a mole in their ranks, and through him we have found their safe house outside the city. I've dispatched agents, authorizing them to use deadly force if necessary."
Patience.
- - -
"How many?" asked Smellerbee, quietly.
Longshot held up an open hand with fingers spread wide and extended the thumb of the other.
"Six," sighed Song.
Smellerbee spat a curse.
"We can take 'em," smirked Blockhead confidently punching his fist into his open palm.
"We need to think about civilian casualties," hissed the Freedom Fighter leader, her plain face pinched in distaste.
"We also have to make sure Grizzly and Bosco are alright," said Song.
"We need a diversion," said Suki.
The others looked at her for a moment before she stuck a finger in the dirt and began drawing a diagram.
"The Dai Li have the house surrounded here, here and here," she said indicating their positions with an X. "We have the element of surprise on our side, so a small team should be able to take a few out and occupy the rest while the others go look for our friends."
"Alright," said Smellerbee, drawing herself up. "Suki, you're with me and Blockhead. You can bring along any of your Warriors healthy enough to fight. Longshot," she said turning to the silent boy. "You and Twitch look for Grizzly and the bear."
"Freak," muttered Twitch, though he nodded with Longshot.
"Song," she turned to the healer. "You and the others find a way out of here. We'll meet up with you at Serpent's Pass. If we're not there in a day, go on back to Omashu without us."
Song looked like she was about to argue but looked at Megumi and the still sleeping Tsui and nodded.
"Alright," said Suki, drawing the knife Smellerbee had given her, wishing it was her old fan. "Ami, you go with your sister," she wouldn't fight at her best if she was busy worrying about Tsui. "And Myo, I need you to cover them if they run into trouble." the young girl nodded. "Yukari, you're with me, Smellerbee, and Blockhead."
"Understood," the pretty brown-haired girl replied, eager to take her vengeance on the Dai Li.
"Alright!" grinned Blockhead, waggling his single eyebrow. "Two lovely young ladies just for me!"
"Keep it in your pants!" growled Smellerbee.
"Now, now," smiled the earthbender. "Don't be jealous. I know a lot of guys that go for the butch look."
For that he received a bonk on the head.
"So everyone clear on the plan?" asked the plain-faced girl, as the brawler cradled his injured cranium. The others nodded.
"Alright," smiled Smellerbee. "GO!"
- - -
Zuko stood quietly on the river's edge. The sun was approaching its noontime peak, Agni's light dappling through the leaves of the trees. The surrounding woods were quiet and peaceful. A few minnows swam near the bank and a winged chameleon perched on a nearby branch waiting patiently for some unwary insects to venture close enough for its whip-like tongue to ensnare them.
The Fire Prince was stripped to his waist, his shirt and robe, folded neatly nearby. He had just finished a firebending session with the Avatar. The boy could generate fire with ease, now that he had overcome his block. However, he was having difficulty coping with the offensive nature of the art...
"Again!" barked Zuko. His fist enveloped in flames, he lunged for Aang, who spun gracefully out of the way, as his teacher turned the grass he was standing on into ashes. After running through the basic drills and exercises, the Avatar's firebending teacher had decided to try a mock agni kai battle.
"You're not being aggressive enough," sighed the Fire Prince. "You need to attack like you mean it!" he lunged again in a flaming kick, which Aang countered with a fire shield.
"Not good enough!" shouted Zuko, making a cutting gesture with his hand and dispelled the shield. The airbender leapt away and threw a volley of fireballs at his opponent. The Fire Prince dashed between them, then leapt at Aang with another fire kick.
The Avatar tried to back out of the way but stumbled and fell on his back, narrowly avoiding the blow. With a fluid motion, Zuko twisted in the air, landed on top of the monk, pinned him to the ground, fist raised. He looked into the boy's wide eyes, before jabbing his fist and scorching the ground next to Aang's ear.
"That's enough for today," sighed Zuko rising off the ground and offering a hand to help his stunned student to his feet.
"Don't you think that's a little much?" demanded Katara, stomping up to Zuko angrily. "You could have hurt him!"
"This is how I was taught," said the Fire Prince simply. "My Uncle had me spar with my crew all the time while I was chasing you."
"Well," sniffed Katara. "You seem to forget that it's just practice."
"He needs to be ready to face my father by summer's end," snapped the firebender irratibly. "And when he does he can't expect any mercy from the Fire Lord."
Because he never shown me any, he added silently to himself. He had to jerk his arm to stop himself from touching his scar. She didn't need any one of his new companions to know how he had received it. Katara least of all. He couldn't believe he had blurted out what he did outside the Sun Warrior City. What was it about this girl that always brought out the worst in him?
"Yeah," murmured the Water Tribe girl. "But..."
"It's okay Katara," said Aang, seriously. "Zuko's right. I have to be ready for the fight of my life. And his training's a little more...intense than I'm used to, but if it'll help me learn firebening I'm willing to try harder."
Katara's shoulders sagged in defeat.
"I think we should cover some more advanced firebending though," said the Avatar, perking up immediately. "How about those flame daggers? Ooh! Ooh! Or that awesome flare attack you did beneath Ba Sing Se?"
"Slow down Avatar Aang," said the Fire Prince. "Those are a little advanced for you at this point."
"Aw come on!" whined the young monk. "Can't you at least give us a demonstration?"
"I'll tell you what," said Zuko crossing his arms sternly. "If you can pin me in our next mock agni kai, I'll show you some new moves. Until then keep practicing."
Aang lowered his head in disappointment, but then perked up when a new idea occurred to him. "Alright then at least do the lightning move."
The Fire prince shifted uncomfortably. "We'll see."
The Water Tribe girl must have picked up on his discomfort because she immediately spoke, "Actually I'd like to see how that's done too."
"This clearing isn't a good place for that," insisted Zuko lamely. "I could start a forest fire."
"But Katara and I are waterbenders next to a river," said Aang. "I'm sure we can put it out before it gets out of hand."
The firebender racked his brains for some other excuse - any other excuse - but nothing came to him, and he lowed his eyes.
"You can't do it can you?" said Katara, either unable or unwilling to hide the triumph in her voice.
Zuko then snorted and stalked off to the river bank.
After washing the sweat from his face, arms, and torso the Fire Prince stood looking out at the flowing water, always moving, never stopping, just like time's relentless march toward the arrival of Sozin's Comet. He sighed, and looked around to see that no one was watching.
Then, taking a breath he tried to banish all emotions, leaving himself cold. Then with the circular arm motions his Uncle had taught him, separating the positive and negative energies around him and within him. The two forces struggled against his efforts to keep them separate until he was ready to release the strike. Then with a swift motion, he thrust his index and middle fingers forward and allowed the yin and yang energies to reunite.
There came a crackle, and the air around him became charged with electricity. Just when he thought he had it the space in front of him exploded, sending the Fire Prince flying backwards. Disturbed by the noise, the minnows swam for cover and the chameleon spread its wings and glided off to hunt elsewhere.
Zuko straightened himself into a sitting position and hung his head between his knees.
Even now? he thought to himself bitterly. Even now I still can't do it?
He recalled Iroh's words:
"I was afraid of this," he had said, stepping to help his nephew to his feet. "It seems you are still unable to let go of your feeling of shame and inner turmoil."
"But I don't feel any shame at all," Zuko had insisted. "I'm as proud as ever."
"Zuko," sighed Iroh. "Pride is not the opposite of shame, but it's source. Only through true humility can one truly be free of shame."
What am I so ashamed of? the Fire Prince questioned himself. Then he recalled that look of disappointment his Uncle had fixed him with when he had betrayed him at Ba Sing Se, and the way he turned away, unable to bear the sight of him.
Zuko sighed again.
"Was it supposed to do that?"
The firebender leapt to his feet to confront the intruder, only to come face to face with Katara. He relaxed his pose and turned away. Even after three days, he couldn't look at her for long without thinking about the washroom incident. Her perfect legs. Those curved hips. Those perky...
Bad thoughts! he scolded himself. Don't you care anything about Mai? She gave her life for you and you're having impure thoughts about Katara of all people?! You're as big a lecher as Uncle!
"Fine," he said coldly. "You were right. I can't bend lightning. Go on and laugh."
Katara began cackling obnoxiously until the Fire Prince finally snapped, "It's not that funny!"
"Seriously though," said Katara,. "I've been thinking, maybe I owe you an apology."
Zuko could only stare at her in bewilderment.
"It is really that surprising?" demanded the waterbender hotly. "Anyway," she continued, suddenly fascinated with a nearby tree trunk. "I have been a little harsh with you lately. Those things I said outside the Sun Warrior City...about your father...I was way out of line and, for that, I'm sorry."
The Fire Prince said nothing, only waited for her to continue.
"I know you're really trying," the Water Tribe girl went on. "And I know haven't exactly made it easy for you. So, if you can make an effort, then I guess I can too. That's why I'm offering you a truce." Then she whirled around and pointed an admonishing finger at the firebender. "Don't get me wrong, though. I'm still going to be keeping an eye on you. And you still have a long way to go before you can even begin to win my trust."
Zuko blinked at her incredulously. "So basically, I'll still be treated like a spy."
"That's right," smiled the waterbender. "Only now, I'll be a lot nicer about it." Then she extended her hand. "So, what do you say? Truce?"
The Fire Prince looked at the proffered hand skeptically. "One question," he said, looking her square in the eyes. "Did Avatar Aang put you up to this?"
"No!" she said quickly. Too quickly. Zuko raised an eyebrow before Katara lowered her eyes and sighed, "Well, yes," before adding quickly, "But that doesn't mean I don't still want to try."
The firebender paused before finally managing a weak smile and taking her hand in his own. "Alright. Truce."
"Truce," Katara whispered as she blushingly slipped her hand out of his firm grip.
"W-well," she stammered clumsily. "I'd better see if Aang wants to run a few waterbending drills."
She then quickly walked away, leaving a very perplexed Prince Zuko.
Once she was a good distance away she tried desperately to stop her face from heating up. The sight of him without his shirt, glistening in the noon sun...Damn he's fine...
Nooooooo! she cried inwardly. Bad! Bad! Baaaaaaaaad!
- - -
Somewhere in the mountain region of the southern Earth Kingdom, a woman was being accosted by four bandits. They were once set to protect a village in the north, but they used their position to bully and extort the people who lived there until their humiliation at the hands of some firebender. There was rumor that it was the Fire Prince himself, but their leader, a giant, hammer-wielding, earthbender, refused to believe such nonsense.
Disgraced and branded as criminals, unable to hire themselves out even as mercenaries, they had turned to thievery, preying on any unsuspecting travelers who ventured into the mountains they claimed as their domain.
"Just hand over the money, lady," coaxed a wiry, unshaven man.
"Please," said the woman. She was fair-skinned with long luscious black hair and soft amber eyes. "I'm just a herbalist's assistant, carrying medicine. I don't have any money."
"That's alright," leered their big leader.
"Yeah," snickered his stout spear-carrying companion. "From women, we accept a... different sort of payment."
They all advanced on her, chuckling lewdly. They stank of alcohol, and eyed her lustfully and the woman knew that they intended her harm.
"Stay back!" she said defiantly. "I'm warning you."
"It's women who think they're in charge," said the scruffy, pinched-faced man with missing teeth. "That really drive me wild!"
He lunged for her, just as she produced a knife, hidden in her sleeve and cut his face. He fell to the ground clutching his wound and swearing.
"Ooh!" whistled the wiry man, drawing his swords. "She's got some fight in her! I like 'em like that."
"Then you'll love us!" said a voice. Then, without warning, a boomerang spun out of nowhere and hit the skinny thug square in the back of the head, making him double over in a fit of colorful cursing.
The big leader turned and saw a boy in Water Tribe clothes drawing a black sword, a long-haired kid with a goatee, and a little girl.
"Honestly," sighed the long-haired boy. "As if the Fire Nation doesn't cause enough misery, do we really need to deal with idiots like you?"
"You brats!" snarled the skinny bandit, gripping his sword. "I'll kill you!"
He lunged for them, but the Water tribe boy parried him effortlessly. The thief angrily struck at him again and again until, with a smooth motion his opponent disarmed him and sent his sword spinning into the nearby bushes. The boy pointed his blade at the bandit's throat.
"You shouldn't attack out of anger," he said simply. "Makes your movements too predictable."
The skinny thug blinked in confusion before nodding vigorously.
"Also, lay off the booze," continued the Water Tribe boy. "You stink of it. And be more respectful toward women from now on, 'cause if you don't, they will make you regret it. Trust me."
Again, the thief nodded.
"Now get out of my sight!"
Whimpering, the wiry bandit scampered off into the wood.
Meanwhile, the stout man with the halberd was striking at the long-haired boy, who dodged him with easy fluid motion. Finally the thug stopped his onslaught, heaving with exhaustion.
"Are you quite finished?" asked the mustachioed kid.
The bandit only continued his ragged breathing.
"Good," smiled the boy. He then stomped his foot and a large stone jutted from the ground beneath the thief's feet, sending the unfortunate man flying over the trees.
"Be sure to go limp!" called the earthbending boy.
"Guess that just leaves you and me," said the little girl lazily cracking her knuckles, as she approached the big leader.
The giant laughed before saying, "Scram brat, I'm not into little girls."
"First of all, eww!" said the girl, unblinkingly. She appeared to be blind. "Second, you shouldn't judge people according to their size. Observe."
She stomped the ground and levitated a boulder into the air. Then, pumping her little fist, she sent it careening at the big man who managed to parry it away with one of his war hammers. He then swung his hammers and pounded the ground sending several rocks flying towards the girl. The tiny earthbender smirked before raising a protective wall to ward off the projectiles.
Then with another stomp of her foot she sent a wave of earth undulating toward the giant, who leapt over it and swung his hammers down upon the ground sending stones flying in all directions. Clouds of dust surrounded him and he peered around cautiously. Then something grabbed his foot and pulled his legs apart until his groin hit the ground. Crying in agony, something hit him in the back, toppling him face-first into the dirt.
Then a bare foot appeared in front of him and he peered up at the smirking blind girl.
"Say 'uncle'," she sneered.
"U-u-uncle," he stammered.
"Very good." then she stomped her foot and sent the giant sliding into the forest and down a slope. She smilingly put a hand to her ear as he hit every single tree on his way down.
"Amateur," she scoffed, lazily putting her arms behind her head as she joined her two companions.
"Weren't there four of them?" asked the Water Tribesman.
"Back off brats!" said the pinched face man. His cut was still bleeding and he had grabbed hold of a tuft of the woman's hair with one hand while the other pointed a knife at her throat. His eyes had a feverish gleam in them.
"Just-just back the hell off!" he shouted.
Then there came a loud thwack! and the thief's eyes glazed over before he toppled to the ground, to reveal a little boy with a helmet standing behind him with a thick branch in his hands.
"Good going the Duke," congratulated the Water Tribesman.
"That should show him," grinned the blind girl.
"It was Teo's idea," said the boy modestly scratching his head.
"And you did a splendid job," came a voice from the bushes. "Now could you help me out? My chair isn't built for this terrain."
"Are you alright miss?" asked the long-haired earthbender, as the helmet boy went into the bushes after the voice.
"Oh!" gasped the woman. "My medicine case!"
She quickly rushed over to where a wooden box lay on its side. She opened it, examined the contents inside and gave a relieved sigh. "It's alright," she called. "None of the herbs were damaged."
"You were attacked by a gang of robbers," said the Water Tribe swordsman. "And you were worried about a bunch of plants."
"Of course," smiled the woman, causing the boy to blush and adopt a goofy, dreamy look on his face. "I have a lot of patients who need the medicine these herbs make. Well," she said slinging the case over her shoulder. "I'd best be going."
"Hold it," said the long-haired boy. "Are you sure it's safe to travel alone out here? There might be more robbers where they came from."
"Oh I'll be fine," she smiled again, making his face flush as well. "There are likely more heroes where you came from. Oh, I should at least know the names of my heroes before I leave."
"Oh, right," said the Water Tribesman, snapping out of his reverie. "This is Haru, he might look like a pretty boy, but he's pretty tough."
The long-haired boy blushed and lowered his eyes modestly.
"Over here is Toph," continued the swordsman.
"Yeah, yeah," the blind girl muttered sourly glaring in the direction of the Water Tribe boy. "Nice knowin' you and stuff."
"The two in the bushes are Teo and the Duke," the boy continued obliviously, as the two emerged from the bushes.
"Uh," said the young boy called Teo, blushing madly. "H-h-hello."
"Told ya she was pretty," whispered the Duke, stealing smiles at the medicine woman.
"And I am South Storm Sokka," said the Water Tribesman, bowing. "Humbly at your service."
"Knock it off Sokka," grumbled Toph. "It's never gonna catch on."
"You said your name is Sokka?" asked the woman.
"The one and only," grinned the boy, rubbing his nose.
The woman considered for a moment before saying, "You're probably right. It is dangerous for little ol' me to be traveling all by my lonesome. Would you mind being my escorts?"
All the boys immediately began to swear oaths to protect her on her journey and squabbling amongst themselves about who could protect her better.
"Guys?" said Toph. They couldn't hear her over their bickering so the tiny earthbender raised her voice, "GUYS!"
They all fell silent and looked at her.
"In case you forgot," she grumbled irritably. "We've got a rendevous at Om-" she paused, remembering the woman, before continuing, "New Ozai."
"You've no need to be afraid of me dear," smiled the woman. "You should call it by its proper name. I'm actually apart of the Resistance."
They all stared at her in shock.
"I know," she laughed. "I don't seem like the type do I? I happened to be on my way back to our hideout when those bandits attacked me. I'm sure they'd be happy to see you all."
"Who are you?" asked Sokka.
"My name is Ursa," she smiled as she walked shoutheast. "Shall we?" she turned to smile expectantly at her new companions.
"Shall we what?" asked Haru, still blushing.
"Go to the Cave of Two Lovers?"
Toph snorted sourly and glared in Sokka's direction. His heart certainly never pounded like that when he looked at her. Not that she cared of course. Not at all.
Stupid boy! she thought dismally as she followed after Ursa.
- - -
Aunt Wu examined the lines of her latest client's palm carefully before smiling, "You will lead a long and fruitful life, marry a wonderful young man and bear many children."
"Oh!" sighed the young girl. "That's wonderful! Thank you Aunt Wu!" Then her face fell. "But the love of my life was fighting in the war. Now that Ba Sing Se has fallen I don't know where he is."
"Wait," said the fortuneteller, squinting at the palm. "I see a tall dark stranger bearing news. News of your beloved."
"What sort of news?" asked the girl, her eyes going wide.
"That I can't tell you," said the old woman smiling mysteriously. "But I can tell you that it will change your life."
The girl nodded sadly as she walked out.
Aunt Wu sighed. You can't always get the fortune you want when you want it.
"Aunt Wu?" asked a small voice. The fortuneteller looked up to see her pig-tailed gap-toothed little apprentice.
"Yes, Meng?" said the old woman sweetly. "What is it?"
"A messenger hawk arrived with this," said the little girl, handing her a scroll, sealed with the White Lotus emblem pressed into the wax.
Aunt Wu broke the seal, unrolled the parchment, and read:
The Eternal Mother beckons to her children.
"What's it say?" asked Meng.
The old fortuneteller, smiled, rolled up the parchment and said, "I'll be going on a journey for a little bit my dear. Can I trust you to look after things while I'm gone?"
"You're trusting me with all of Makupu Village?" gasped the little girl.
"I think you're more than ready child," smiled Aunt Wu. "Just don't get distracted by that new boy...what was his name?"
"Ganju," mumbled Meng blushingly.
"He has a very handsome pair of ears doesn't he?" grinned the fortuneteller, which only made her assistant blush darker. "I'd better go pack."
As she was gathering her things in a traveling sack she overheard a conversation outsider her window.
"Ping is coming home!" squealed the girl from earlier, to a messenger in a black robe. "And he wants me to marry him!"
Wu smiled to herself and continued packing. Another satisfied customer.
- - -
The Eternal Mother beckons to her children.
Piandao crumpled the parchment and looked down at his training ground. All around, his servants milled about, performing their daily chores of sweeping the dojo, replacing the calligraphy ink, polishing the weapons, and tending the gardens.
"What news from the Lotus, Master?" inquired Fat, his faithful butler.
"We've a long journey ahead of us," said Piandao. "Best you start packing."
- - -
The Eternal Mother beckons to her children.
Master Pakku slipped the message into his parka and gazed up at the celestial lights that danced in the sky of the year-long night of the South Pole. Much has changed since he had arrived here in the spring. After making contact with the other homesteads scattered throughout the tundra he had discovered more waterbenders, most of them girls. He took them all under his wing, and together with the others from the North Pole, began restoring their sister tribe to what it once was.
In the place of a humble collection of igloos, rose grand buildings of ice divided by canals to allow boats in and out of the towns.
"Things are progressing quite nicely here," came a reedy voice from behind. He turned to find an old woman with tired but hopeful eyes. "We don't need you around here, you old goat."
"Don't you do anything besides grouse, Kanna?" shot back Pakku. Then they began to laugh. Though he doubted that he would ever win the heart of his once-betrothed, he was willing to settle for friendship, which was sometimes better than love.
"We'll be fine here," insisted the grandmother of his most prized student. "And if you happen to run into Katara, tell her Gran-Gran is very proud of her."
"That's a promise," smiled the waterbending master.
- - -
The Eternal Mother beckons to her children.
"So the brotherhood's still alive and kickin' eh Miyuki?" asked Madam Orchid.
Miyuki mewled in reply.
"Much as I'd love to go, I'm still needed here," said the old herbalist, gesturing towards all the Resistance's wounded that were lined up in the chamber they used for a makeshift clinic.
"I seem to remember hiring an assistant and an apprentice to help me with the workload," sighed Orchid. "But Ursa always seems to be getting herself lost and Song's always off with her friends. Kids today. No sense of responsibility."
Miyuki purred and rubbed her head against her owner's leg affectionately.
"At least I can always count on you," smiled the old herbalist.
- - -
Guru Pathick closed his eyes, concentrating on the image of a blooming lotus, but all he could hear was the cries of the earth. The Brotherhood of Eight was gathering, as he had expected. That could only mean the White Lotus was readying itself for war. The holy man opened his eyes and gazed up at the heavens. Perched atop the highest tower of the Eastern Air Temple, he towered above all the world yet was still altogether insignificant in comparison to the universe's vastness. Despite his considerable age and wisdom he was still only a man.
His thoughts drifted to his young student Aang. He had done all he could do, but the boy refused to let go of his worldly attachment. This Katara must be a very special girl to have ensnared the Avatar like this, but in refusing to let her go he had left himself vulnerable and unable to go into the Avatar State. He could only pray that he still had time to reverse the damage that had been done.
He raised himself from the Lotus Position and began to descend the crumbling stairs of the Temple.
He had a long journey ahead of him...
- - -
Her bosom is vast
Her waist is thin
And she kisses so fast
Your head will spin
"That's enough you old hedonist!" snapped Jeong-Jeong. "You should be ashamed of yourself."
"Honestly," sighed Iroh. "You're such a prude."
"It has nothing to do with the lyrics," insisted the old hermit. "It's the fact that you've been singing nonstop since we left."
"You said you liked my singing," grumped the aged Fire Prince.
"Not ad nauseam!" gritted Jeong-Jeong.
"So," said Iroh blandly. "You want me to stop singing?"
"If you please!" said the Deserter curtly.
They trekked up one of the numerous mountains surrounding the once proud city of Omashu in silence. Smoke, billowed from the factories as the Fire Nation banners flapped boastfully in the breeze. Then Iroh began whistling.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!" shouted Jeong-Jeong.
- - -
Far below the dungeons, in the iron cell the Fire Nation had placed him in, King Bumi, listened and waited.
"It's not so bad," muttered the ancient king to himself. "They should have seen the bad chamber before it was refurbished."
Then he started to cackle madly to himself punctuated by the occasional snort. He had spent months in this cell, waiting and listening to the earth, and it was telling him that the time for waiting was rapidly coming to a close. Soon, the time would come for King Bumi to act.
Whew! Longest chap to date! I've discovered two things: (1) sexual tension is fun and (2) so is annoying Jeong-Jeong. By the way, they didn't bother naming the herbalist in the show so I called her Orchid just cuz. As some of you realize, I have recently been given the coveted 100th review from kataragirl11. Thank you all. I didn't think I'd get this far, but you made it possible. So let's keep this dream alive! I would also like to make special mention of Talon88.1 and seve7n. I'll follow your advise and try to work on my fight scenes and setting descriptions. I also want to avoid turning Yuan into a Mary Sue so thanks for bringing that to my attention. I'd like to tell you more but I don't know how many pages the uploader thingy can handle (Yes, tremble before my inferior computer knowledge) so 'til next time. Next: The Avatar and the Guardian