CHAPTER 28: DOWN THE RABAROO HOLE
(Disclaimer: Avatar The Last Airbender belongs to Nickelodeon and Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own my OC's)
(PLEASE READ: THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL TO "SHUJINKO: THE FOURTH MEMBER", BUT A DIFFERENT STORY WITH SHUJINKO AS THE MAIN CHARACTER. THIS STORY WILL NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT WHATSOEVER IN "SHUJINKO SHIPPUDEN". I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A SEQUEL TO SHUJINKO'S ORIGINAL STORY)
Summary: One night, a stranger breaks into Shujinko's house and tries to steal one of the most mystical objects in the history of the Ozuma clan: The Eye of Kazemaru. When Shujinko tries to stop him, the two of them activate an ancient and forgotten power of the gem by accident, which sends them to another dimension where a certain bald-headed monk has to master the four elements in order to defeat the evil Fire Lord. What kind of impact will Shujinko's presence have in the Avatar universe? Who is this stranger and what does he want? Get ready for one wild space-time adventure
The silence that followed General How's grandiloquent introduction was so deep it was almost deafening. Every single member of Team Avatar had enough questions popping off inside their heads to fill a whole book, and because of that, no one knew how to reply to How or what to ask him first. Their meeting with Long Feng had left them with quite a lot to discuss, and now the guys at the tippity top of the Earth Kingdom Army's chain of command wished to speak with them under less-than-common circumstances. Sure, why not? It wasn't like they hadn't had enough drama for one night.
Team Avatar's lack of response prompted General How to clear his throat and continue, but then the Ozuma raised his voice. "Before we carry on with… whatever this is, there's something we need to check first. Toph, would you mind…?"
"I got it, I got it," the Blind Bandit replied in an unconcerned tone of voice as she approached How, acting like a subordinate on her way to perform a boring task she'd gotten used to. Once she was close enough to her fellow earthbender, Toph got on one knee and placed the palm of her hand against the floor. "Okay mister, I'm gonna need you to indulge me for a bit. What did you say your names were again?"
Unsurprisingly enough, the general failed to understand what was going on. The look on his face clearly conveyed how taken aback he was, but as a show of good faith and for the sake of maintaining an open dialogue between the two parties, How swallowed his confusion and humored Toph. "My name is How, and theirs are Sung, Yiwen, Duanmu, and Khièu,"
"And the five of you are generals of the Earth Kingdom Army?"
"That is correct,"
"And you're not here to lie to us, dupe us, harm us, or just about anything in general that would make us want to kick your butt?"
General Sung scoffed at the question. "Harm you? That violent boy over there attacked me first, and did so without provocation,"
"Sung, I already told you to let it go," How said before taking a deep breath. "I swear on my honor that we bear no ill intentions towards you. All we want is to be heard. We wouldn't have gone to such extremes if what we have to say wasn't tremendously important," After hearing his answer, Toph remained on one knee for a few more seconds before she got up and turned around, giving the rest of Team Avatar a thumbs-up to let them know she had detected no lies whatsoever.
The rest of the teenagers exchanged glances in quiet deliberation, and despite the feeling of awkward wariness that was still very much present, they tacitly agreed to go along for the time being and give General How the benefit of the doubt. Slowly, the members of the Council of Five and Team Avatar sat together in the lounging room, forming two halves of an evenly split circle. As for How, the man was still at a loss as to what the blind child had done exactly, but seeing as it had served to get the Avatar and his friends to deposit an inkling of trust in them, he decided that not commenting on it was the right choice to make.
Before commencing, How took a brief pause to look at the teenagers, all of whom were staring right back at him with utmost anticipation. He noticed how one of the boys in particular, the one named Shujinko, had unusually bright eyes that seemed to follow even the slightest shift in the earthbender's posture. This prompted How to lock gazes with another boy, the Avatar, who could be said to be the Council of Five's "target audience" in a certain way.
"We may not know much about each other, Avatar Aang. In fact, there's much about you that I ignore, such as your morals and your life experiences. That applies to your comrades too, and obviously, you could throw those same words back at me if you wanted to… However, regardless of age, gender, and personal beliefs, there's one thing everyone in this room can agree on: This era we're living in is an era of pain, having suffered countless acts of destruction at the hands of the Fire Nation. The world has endured a century-old war, and if we don't want that war to consume what's left of it, then-"
"Wait a second," Sokka interrupted while raising his right hand, his palm facing the general. "Now that I know where this is going, there's something I must clarify. I'm all for having this conversation. Really, I am, but we were also warned by a pretty important guy of what would happen to us if we so much as utter the word 'w-a-r', so…"
As the highest-ranking officer of an entire army, How wasn't used to being cut off by someone, and he certainly didn't appreciate it. Still, given how understandable a concern Sokka had brought up, as well as for the sake of avoiding hostilities, the veteran overlooked this minor discourtesy. "Yes, I'm well aware of the law that forbids us from talking about the war. Be assured, not another soul will hear a word of what is discussed tonight, so don't be afraid to speak freely,"
"… Good, just needed to get that out of the way. You can't be too careful in this city, that's for sure,"
"I understand. Anyhow, like I was saying, the war with the Fire Nation and the devastation it has brought forth must come to an end, and after the Surrender of Omashu, it's no exaggeration to say that we are the Earth Kingdom's only hope. The bulk of our army is spread throughout the few regions of the nation that those flame animals haven't moved in yet. Our troops and their superiors have been forced to abandon standard military tactics in favor of engaging in guerrilla warfare just to keep fighting. A necessity begotten by the war, you could say, but a lamentable one nevertheless. Ba Sing Se is the last main target of the Fire Nation, and they will stop at nothing until their flags hung down our walls,"
The golden-eyed boy listened to the general's words with great interest. He didn't know anything about the man other than his name and his occupation, but after dealing with so much conspiratorial nonsense, being able to talk about the war, especially to a group of generals who were somewhat trustworthy, felt incredibly rewarding. Aside from that, having the top dogs of the army bring them up to speed on the current state of the war was pretty useful.
"Do any of you ever wonder why the Earth Kingdom has fared so poorly? How come the Fire Nation has managed to bury its claws so deeply into our territory, establishing colonies and taking hold of our commerce routes? Doesn't it seem odd that a nation with fewer troops and resources is capable of overwhelming a much vaster opponent over an extended period of time?"
"Is it because the Fire Nation's technology is second to none?" Katara ventured to respond. "During our travels, we've seen our fair share of Fire Nation machines, weapons, and vehicles. In a terrible way, the things they can do are impressive. That drill they brought here looks like something out of a nightmare rather than a man-made invention, and who knows what other instruments of war they got hidden up their sleeve,"
How acknowledged the validity of Katara's answer with a solemn nod. "That's very much true. Say what you will about Fire Lord Ozai, but the level of technology that his nation has managed to develop is unprecedented, almost worthy to be admired by us, his enemies. However, their success doesn't come from just one factor such as technological advancement. If the circumstances were different, I'm confident we'd be the ones winning the war against the Fire Nation, even with their fancy battle toys. The losses we've sustained over the years are largely due to one person in particular. I'm not talking about the Fire Lord or his daughter; I'm talking about an enemy who keeps stabbing us from the safety of his study, one who's spent years trying to asphyxiate our every effort. That man is our very own Grand Secretariat of State and Administrator in Chief, Long Feng,"
"We know that guy. Actually, we met him at the party less than three hours ago, and he made it clear to us what kind of person he is," Shujinko said, saving How the trouble of having to reveal to them how evil the king's right-hand man truly was. "So tell us, is he in bed with the Fire Nation or something?"
"No, but he might as well be. In order to understand the menace he is, I must first teach you a bit of history. You probably don't know this, but there was a time when our kingdom used to hold its own against the Fire Nation. In fact, I daresay the scale was tipped slightly in our favor," How made a pause, a longing glimmer in his eyes. "Back then, the late King Mihon was still alive,"
"King Mihon?" the Avatar repeated. "Joo Dee mentioned him during our tour around Ba Sing Se. He was King Kuei's father, wasn't he?"
"Correct, and unlike his successor, he was everything a ruler should aspire to be: Wise, strong, and with a firm sense of justice. He sought advice when needed, yet never grew overly dependent on those who offered it to him. With him sitting on the throne, the Earth Kingdom stood tall against the Fire Nation and Ba Sing Se was rightfully deserving of its former glory… But the light that was cast by that same glory made us blind to what was being plotted in the darkness,"
The Blind Bandit wrinkled her nose, adopting a slightly miffed countenance. "That sounded very poetic and all, but could you please speak more plainly?" she asked, followed by a most awkward silence. "What? I'm just not a big fan of fancy metaphorical jargon or whatever that was at the end,"
How reacted to Toph's impertinence by not reacting at all, concealing his vexation behind a mask of indifference. His fellow generals weren't so adept at hiding his emotions, however, as they all looked away from him with smirks on their faces. Sung let out a single chuckle, which he then tried to pass off as a cough. Their leader certainly had a melodramatic streak in him that he often exposed without even realizing it. None of them had the audacity to point this out, so witnessing this bold young lady do just that in such an irreverent fashion was quite something for them.
"As you wish. Now back to the topic at hand. We had nothing to fear back when King Mihon was there to lead us. He was born with a natural aptitude to rule, yet he knew he couldn't look after our kingdom all on his own, so he surrounded himself with competent magistrates and trustworthy experts to help him manage the many branches of government. King Mihon held efficiency in high regard, and the more efficiency you provided him, the more authority he would bestow upon you, something that Long Feng was well aware of,"
"Wait, so Long Feng worked for King Kuei's father?" Aang asked, the look on his face revealing his disconcertment. "I don't get it. If he was such a good king, why didn't he stop Long Feng from taking over Ba Sing Se?"
The High General of the Earth Kingdom Army shook his head. "Long Feng was a novice minister at the time. No one could've predicted his monumental ascension to power. From the moment he entered the royal court, he worked tirelessly to make a name for himself and climb up the political ladder. Inevitably, King Mihon took notice of this resourceful minister and began to exploit Long Feng's talents as he promoted him to higher stations. A couple of years later, Long Feng had become one of His Majesty's most influential advisors and a member of his inner circle. He even tutored the king's heir, the young prince Kuei,"
"And by then, it was too late for King Mihon to start having second thoughts about Long Feng's true nature," Katara surmised.
"Oh, but he did have second thoughts. You see, of all the uses King Mihon had for Long Feng, war wasn't one of them. His Majesty would only listen to what the Council of Five had to say about how to defeat the Fire Nation. However, Long Feng kept giving his input on the matter, often contradicting the generals' assessments. According to rumors, there were several instances in which he went as far as to suggest his own strategies to the king in private despite being explicitly told otherwise. King Mihon grew tired of his constant meddling and distanced himself from Long Feng, entrusting him with fewer responsibilities each day, though he was allowed to retain his role as the prince's mentor… A month later, His Majesty suddenly passed away in his sleep,"
That last sentence caused the members of Team Avatar to frown in unison, all of them struck by a wave of suspicion that needed little explanation. "He just passed away in his sleep?" Shujinko asked, skepticism all too noticeable in his voice. "How old was King Mihon when he kicked the bucket? Did he succumb to illness or was he struggling with any other health-related issues?"
"King Mihon was only fifty-one years old when he left us. Not young, but certainly not old enough to die an old man's death," How replied. "Though I wouldn't call it sickness, His Majesty did have a medical condition. He was born with a fragile heart that would pound abnormally, which caused him to suffer from chest pain, shortness of breath, and even fainting episodes throughout his life. The physicians who treated King Mihon as a child feared he wouldn't live long enough to reach adulthood, let alone succeed his father as monarch of the Earth Kingdom,"
"Then why did you phrase it like him passing away was a shock?" Toph asked as she shifted to a more comfortable sitting position with her arms stretched out and her hands behind her hips. "I'm not trying to sound insensitive here, but King Mihon was supposed to die at a much younger age, so the fact he made it to his fifties means he had incredible luck. Having lived that long, it's only natural that his fragile heart eventually gave up on him,"
"You're not wrong. Sooner or later, we all depart from this world. Be that as it may, and despite his age and his medical issues, I still believe His Majesty's end was premature. King Mihon was always mindful of his condition and took every precaution conceivable to stay strong. His health showed no symptoms of deterioration whatsoever prior to his demise. The reason I'm mentioning all of this is because, coincidentally enough…" The look on How's face changed radically. While his previous countenance had been one of mild severity, his facial features were now twisted with loathing and disgust, a black bile rising in his throat. "… This is when Long Feng's ascension to power truly took flight,"
Perhaps he was alone on this, but Shujinko was sure that the general had placed some manner of repugnant emphasis on the words "coincidentally enough", indicating through sarcasm that there was nothing coincidental about it. If he was correct, then the implication was as easy to deduce as it was worrisome to think about.
Long Feng had murdered King Mihon and used his death to advance his own goals.
Before resuming his exposition of events, How swallowed hard, as if getting rid of the foul taste that thinking about the Grand Secretariat of State had left in his mouth. "The death of His Majesty had a lasting impact on his son, who was left with no parents, a heart heavy with grief, and an entire nation to look after. The newly-crowned Kuei was petrified by the pressure and sadness he was feeling until his old mentor came to his rescue. Posing as a parental replacement figure for his former pupil, Long Feng took charge of the kingdom and became its ruler in everything but name while also helping the young king come to terms with his father's passing. Several years passed before Kuei deemed himself ready to fulfill his own duties, and although Long Feng did step down from the throne when the king asked for it back, his tenure as acting monarch yielded the best results he could've hoped for: His influence had been solidified and the Earth King now trusted him with his life, which he still does,"
Even before How stopped talking, Katara already had her knuckles pressed against her mouth and some of her chin, appalled by Long Feng's callousness. "That's… That's just awful," she said. "How sick do you have to be to take advantage of somebody like that?"
"Sick enough to believe the world needs correcting because it's not shaped to your own selfish desires," How replied without missing a beat, having wondered the same thing himself long ago. "With the governmental power he garnered, Long Feng established several laws, such as prohibiting any and all mention of the war. He also became the head of the Dai Li, made the institution evolve into its most extremist version, and augmented the number and reach of its agents' faculties. All of this was done with the intention of keeping both the Earth Kingdom Army and the population of Ba Sing Se on a short leash. To this day, King Kuei remains unaware of these measures, and because Long Feng's wisdom is second to none in his eyes, he has given him official control over many of the kingdom's matters,"
"So that's why the Earth King entrusted Long Feng to handle the war," the Chūnin surmised. "He probably used his previous service to King Mihon as a front, passing himself off as a military expert who knew what he was doing, precisely what King Kuei needed when he assumed the throne. It makes sense that the king has lost interest in the war after so many years, because as far as he knows, his advisor has done a great job taking care of it. Why fix something that isn't broken, right?"
…
"If only that were so, but the reality of the matter is much, much worse," the spokesperson of the council said as he closed his eyes, lamenting from the bottom of his heart what the five teenagers were about to hear. "It's not that King Kuei cares nothing for the war; it's that he doesn't know we're still at war,"
…
"… I'm sorry, I must've heard you wrong," Katara said what every single one of her friends was thinking. "For a moment, I thought you-"
With a shake of his head, How eliminated whatever chances the members of Team Avatar had of not going to bed tonight without a migraine, putting more strain on their already worn-out sense of credulity. "You misheard nothing. Our gullible monarch believes the war to be long over. Another lie that his loyal advisor has fed him, and by far the most egregious of them all,"
Upon hearing that, Shujinko blinked three consecutive times before he rubbed two fingers at his temple in a weak attempt to alleviate some of the stress he was suddenly the victim of. He felt as though someone had whacked him on the back of his skull with a hammer, but rather than pain, he was only being subjected to the stunning effects of the blow, to the point where he was involuntarily tilting his head to the sides. His mind, which usually worked like a welded steel mesh through which information was processed, had now been reduced to a tangled-up ball of yarn. It was too much. This part of the world was just… too much for him to handle.
"This has to be a joke, right?" Sokka said as loudly as he could without actually shouting. Judging by how vigorously he had articulated his question, it seemed that Hakoda's son was still in disbelief. Or maybe he was blowing off some steam vocally. Both alternatives were equally possible and equally understandable given the circumstances. "The war has been going on for a hundred years and it hasn't stopped once. Not for one measly, stupid minute. You mean to tell us that the Earth King doesn't know that? How? Just… How?"
"I don't usually say this, but I'm with Sokka one hundred percent on this one," Toph remarked, sounding no less baffled than the Southern Water Tribe boy. "What did Long Feng do to make him believe something like that? How can a person be so unbelievably gullible?"
"That's the sort of hold Long Feng has on our ruler: If he were to whisper in his ear that the moon is one big wheel of cheese, the king would decree it so without a second thought," How replied, not a single iota of sarcasm to be found in his voice. "That being said, Long Feng didn't pull off this particular act of duplicity by making use of his silver tongue only. On the contrary, there was quite a bit of play-acting involved, enough to con even less unsuspecting individuals than King Kuei,"
Katara narrowed a single eye. "Play-acting? Like with actors and stuff?"
"You could say that, yes. Long Feng arranged for some of his people to impersonate several Fire Nation envoys. These pretenders stood before the Earth King and claimed that the Fire Lord no longer desired to wage war against the world, that he had grown weary of the constant violence. Naturally, Long Feng was present in every step of this sham, urging King Kuei not to let this diplomatic opportunity go to waste. An amnesty was granted, and not too later, a peace treaty was signed between both sides, under which the Fire Lord agreed to pull his troops out of the Earth Kingdom and never attempt to restart the conflict. Because of that, the king is under the impression that his reign has been one of peace and stability, painfully oblivious to what has truly transpired,"
"If this is true, why didn't you say anything to King Kuei?" the Chūnin inquired, asking a second question almost immediately after realizing the first one had come off somewhat accusatorial. "I mean, shouldn't you have tried to warn him of this fake peace the moment you found out about it?"
"This happened many years ago, shortly after the passing of King Mihon. Back then, we didn't hold the positions we have today. The Council of Five was comprised of other generals, who were too busy dealing with the war after the loss of their commander-in-chief to know what was going on at court. By the time they learned of the farce, it was too late. Long Feng had his hooks deep into Kuei, a novice ruler who wanted to uphold his father's legacy more than anything while still mourning his death. His influence over the king has only increased since then,"
A long, heavy sigh abandoned Aang's lips, feeling as though a mantle of fatigue had wrapped itself around his body. Despite having been a physically inactive day like few others, the emotional weight of the mysteries, intrigue, and revelations that had been shoveled down his throat had left the airbender exhausted. He didn't want to know any more secrets about anything or anyone; all he wanted was to go to bed, sleep to his heart's content, and figure out everything that needed to be figured out the next day with a clear head.
But even though his brain was almost running on fumes at this point, the Avatar knew he had to stay focused and not miss a detail of what was being discussed. His friends were probably just as tired as he was, and if they were able to suck it up and stay part of the conversation, then so would Aang. "Is this why you're here, then?" the monk asked. "You want us to help you show King Kuei the truth?"
…
"… I'm afraid that's not the case, Avatar Aang. It pains me to say this, but in his immense innocence, our king has become a danger to the very nation he rules over, surpassed only by the puppeteer pulling his strings. We have lost far too much due to him and his blind trust in Long Feng, and if we are to take back our kingdom, we must act now and wrest control away from them before it's too late,"
"Wait a second. Did you just say them? As in, Long Feng and the Earth King together?" Katara asked, to which How nodded affirmatively. "… But then… That means…"
"It means we are going to launch a military coup," As if he'd cast a spell, the words that came out of the High General's mouth made the entire room grow cold. "Once we gather our troops, the Council of Five will storm the royal palace and oust both King Kuei and Long Feng from power. It won't be easy, but we have the numbers and the element of surprise on our side. With those two out of the picture, we shall be the ones to take the reins and become the new governing body of this land… And you, young heroes, can help us accomplish this,"
…
…
…
"WHAAAT!?" Aang's shout was so loud that he accidentally frightened his neighbors' Sparrowkeets, sending the birds into a screeching frenzy around the house that almost made their owner wake up with wet bed sheets. With his jaw wide open, the flummoxed airbender got on his feet and stared at the Council of Five like their robes were on fire, pointing at them with his index finger. "So you're gonna… and you want us to…That is so… What!?"
Just because Aang was the most vocal of the lot didn't mean the rest of his friends were any less shocked. Shujinko could hear the cogs whirring inside his own head as he tried to process the magnitude of the situation. They had come to Ba Sing Se seeking to inform the Earth King of the solar eclipse and earn his cooperation, only to discover the dystopian reality of the capital that the rest of the world at large remained thoroughly unaware of. Next, it turns out that the Earth King wasn't even aware that the war was still very much going on and that his advisor was the one running the show. As if that wasn't enough, they were now hearing about a plot to replace the current monarchy with a military regime AND being invited to participate in it.
Honestly, if he were to recall the fact that all of this was taking place in a completely different and foreign region of the world, the Chūnin's brain would melt into a hot puddle of fat and nervous tissue and leak out of his ears right there.
"A military coup…" Sokka spoke those words almost like they belonged to an obscure dialect forbidden amongst men. "That's… I don't even know what to say. Wanting to do what's best for the Earth Kingdom is one thing, but don't you think overthrowing your own government is going a bit too far?"
"Also, what gives you the idea we'd wanna be a part of something this extreme?" Katara inquired, sounding almost offended.
"Because it's in your best interest to help us seize control of our nation," How replied without missing a beat. "Despite being at its most vulnerable right now, the Earth Kingdom Army can still battle the Fire Nation and aid in its defeat, but that cannot happen with Long Feng restricting our movements. By removing him from power, we'll gain the independence we need in order to regroup, organize ourselves, and turn the tables on our enemy. We would greatly benefit from this change, and since you are fighting the Fire Nation as well, you'd also benefit from it. We may not be perfect, but at least we're willing to give you our unconditional support in this conflict, something you'll never get from Long Feng,"
Though he had just begun to digest the news, Shujinko forced himself to get over his stupefaction in order to assess the answer given by How as coldly as he could. He quickly arrived at the conclusion that regardless of any moral implications, the general was objectively in the right.
Strictly speaking, Team Avatar didn't need the Earth King as an ally to end the war. What they truly needed in the most practical of senses was the backing of the Earth Kingdom Army. After all, soldiers fought battles, not rulers. Defeating the Fire Nation was all that mattered, and if that could be made possible with the Council of Five calling the shots, then both King Kuei and Long Feng could go eat excrement as far as Shujinko was concerned. Furthermore, Long Feng was the head of the Dai Li and had all but declared himself an enemy to Team Avatar, so there was no doubt they'd be doing the entire kingdom a favor by kicking him out of his seat of power (preferably through means of actual physical kicking).
"Now hold your Ostrich Horses there, mister How," Toph said, wanting to make her own doubts known before others could beat her to it. "Let's say your military coup goes well and you become our new supreme overlords. Good for you, but what if the civilian population doesn't approve of this sudden change of management? How will you deal with those who publicly denounce you?"
Once again, How responded with the same ease with which an experienced stage actor recited his lines of dialogue to his audience. "Very simple: We won't bother to. Prohibiting people from speaking their minds and punishing them for doing so is what Long Feng and his Dai Li minions do. As I said, our goal is to drive the Fire Nation off our land and bring the fight to theirs for a change. Any man, woman, or child who is against us for doing this will be more than allowed to give voice to their grievances without fear of reprisal,"
Fair enough, the young Earthbending prodigy supposed. She still wasn't sold on the idea of helping the Council of Five. It was a matter of principles more than anything. Even so, she had to admit How was doing one heck of a job pitching his proposition. Not everyone could make a military coup sound appealing or reasonable. Then again, King Kuei not knowing about the war with the Fire Nation was certainly a major factor in all of this.
Now that Toph's curiosity had been satisfied, it was Shujinko's turn to quench his. "There's something I'd like to know. It goes without saying that in order to pull this off, you need to gather your troops and have them follow you into battle. What makes you so sure they won't turn their backs on you? Aren't they sworn to serve the Earth King above their superior officers?"
"Our soldiers do serve the king, yes, but they do not fight for him. They fight for the Earth Kingdom. They fight for their home, and thanks to King Kuei, these men have been forced to watch the Fire Nation conquer their home one parcel of land at a time. Many have died trying to defend it, deaths that would've been avoided if Long Feng hadn't made it impossible for us to act in any meaningful capacity. Once they're presented with an opportunity to avenge our fallen comrades, take back what's ours, and fight under the leadership of soldiers just like them, our troops will surely rally behind us,"
How made a compelling argument, one that Shujinko was unable to refute. At first, the Ozuma was open to the idea of aiding the Council of Five simply because he believed that Team Avatar would benefit from doing so, and that reason alone was sufficient for him. But now that How had explained the reasoning behind the council's intentions, Shujinko felt more inclined to help them than he did before, not only because it was the strategically smart thing to do, but also because it felt like the morally correct thing to do. He just knew that Long Feng didn't give a single crap about the soldiers who had lost their lives thanks to his decisions.
Thinking about those poor men made the Chūnin realize he had another question for the general, one that he absolutely had to ask.
"What about the Royal Guard? Aside from being the elite of the Earth Kingdom Army, their sole purpose is to protect the king at all cost, so watching your troops on their way to storm the palace probably won't bring a smile to their faces," Shujinko said, his eyes glimmering in the dark with stern solemnity. "Are you willing to kill every single one of those men if that's what it takes for your military coup to be a success?"
The High General failed to answer right away, and for the second time since they had sat down, Shujinko noticed a drastic change in How's demeanor. The creases in his forehead deepened as he arched his back and leaned forward, glancing at his fellow generals like he wanted them to respond in his stead. Shujinko's question and the bluntness with which he had raised it landed a blow on the general's confidence, though it would take more than that to make a hardened veteran like How falter.
"No matter how close to the king they are, the members of the Royal Guard are still soldiers just like us. The idea of consciously spilling our comrades' blood is one we find repugnant. We'll spare no effort in trying to dissuade them from confronting us. If they join forces with us or simply abandon the palace, they'll suffer no manner of punishment or reproach afterward. In fact, we'd be more than willing to welco-"
"And if they refuse to join forces or abandon the palace? What will you do then?" The Ozuma couldn't help but feel like a bit of a prick for pushing the issue and putting How on the spot, but he needed to check how sincere the general truly was. After all, if he couldn't give a straight, honest answer to a direct question about something like this, then all bets were off. How was well aware of that, which was why he complied with a defeated exhale.
"… Although we'll do everything we can to make it happen, the chances of the Royal Guard leaving their king unprotected are slim at best. It breaks my heart, but if they refuse to back down in spite of our pleas, we'll have no choice other than to keep moving forward and face our brothers in arms. No unnecessary harm will come to those who surrender. Those who don't shall die with their heads held high and be buried with the proper honors of army custom,"
Despite having no such effect, it was evident that How's embellished rhetoric was meant to sugarcoat the matter. Nevertheless, his sincerity did satisfy Shujinko, especially since he had no reason to doubt How's desire to prevent bloodshed or to honor his fallen compatriots. These people were not shinobi. Their codes, values, and principles differed, yet the Chūnin found himself feeling a vague sense of kinship between him and these veterans of war. It was one thing to put your life on the line defending the land you loved, be it an entire kingdom or a simple village, for that was the calling of a soldier. But having to fight against an invading force with a yoke that your own government had purposefully placed around your neck and being forced to deal with the awful consequences of it for years…
He could see why these generals were willing to take such drastic measures: They'd rather risk being seen as power-hungry usurpers and be reviled, condemned, and vilified by future generations than deprive those same generations of the home that was theirs by right.
"Having said all this, we have one last request," How said, hinting that the discussion they were having was about to reach its end. "Even if after everything we've said, you still don't want to join us, we'll respect your decision. Regardless of how much this council covets your cooperation, we're not so unreasonable as to demand it, but if you'll excuse our arrogance, we believe there's something you owe us in case you wish to have no part in any of this,"
Sokka narrowed his eyes. "I don't know where is this hypothetical debt coming from, but what would you have us do?"
"What would we have you not do is more like it," General Sung couldn't help himself. He too had sensed the end of the conversation was right around the corner, and his desire to take the floor just for a minute and say something of relevance during this unprecedented, history-defining moment for the Earth Kingdom overcame him. "We simply ask that you don't interfere with our plans, or worse, rat us out to either King Kuei or Long Feng. If you do, not only will the king refuse to believe you, but you'll also bring about our deaths and seal the Earth Kingdom's demise. Long Feng will have you thrown in the dungeons and lock you up in a musty cell next to ours before you can reveal a spec of the truth to the Earth King. So as you can see, nothing good can come from thwarting our efforts,"
The High General of the Earth Kingdom Army inhaled profusely, exercising patience. Sung was a good man and his fellow generals knew he meant no disrespect by speaking out of turn, but his big mouth was irritating to deal with. Unlike Yiwen, Duanmu, and Khièu, Sung tended to speak his mind even in situations where he had been asked beforehand to stay silent, which didn't sit well with someone like How, who was a stickler for the rules.
Even so, How bit his tongue and decided not to chastise the old coot then and there. In spite of his disregard for protocol, everything Sung had just said was factually correct and eloquently put. Most importantly, however, How didn't want to be perceived as overbearing by the Avatar and his friends and potentially ruin his chances with them when the meeting was about to be finalized. It was simply safer for him and the council to not make a huge deal out of Sung's impertinence for now and reprimand him later behind closed doors.
"Well then, what's it gonna be? Do we have your support or would you prefer to remain neutral? If possible, we'd like to hear what all five of you have to say. We won't judge or criticize you, just tell us what you wholeheartedly believe,"
"… Alright, I'll go first," Sokka announced, doing his best to ignore the nine pairs of eyeballs that turned to look at him in perfect, uncomfortable synchrony. "To be frank, this whole situation is seriously messed up. Not just this military coup, but also the politics, the scheming, all of that. It's the sort of stuff I'd rather steer clear of… But I've seen how big of a presence the Fire Nation has outside these walls: Towns, villages, settlements, it's everywhere. Even the city of Omashu has fallen, and that giant drill we took down was one huge close call. If things don't change soon, I don't see the Earth Kingdom lasting for much longer… Getting entangled in conspiracies is not my idea of fighting the Fire Nation, not by a long shot, but if that's what it takes to win the war, then I guess you can count me in,"
Once her brother was done talking, Katara gave voice to her own thoughts. "Gran Gran used to tell us about our home, and how different things were in her young days. There used to be several cities and towns in the South Pole, but they were laid low by the Fire Nation. Wolf Cove, where Sokka and I were born, is the only settlement our tribe still has, but it can barely be called a village after the many raids it's suffered. This is just to say, I understand how devastating it is to have the Fire Nation come to your home, and I want to help you take back what you've lost … Just not like this. Call me naïve, but I don't think a military coup is the right way to go about saving your land. I simply don't,"
The waterbender finished her turn, allowing Shujinko to have his. "The fact of the matter is, Long Feng is dangerous and the Earth King is in no position to protect his people. Therefore, Long Feng has to go, and if you can't get rid of one without the other, so be it. You could keep King Kuei as a valuable hostage and make sure no harm comes to him while you take control of the kingdom. That's what I would do, anyways. What I'm trying to say here is that whatever happens to the Earth Kingdom with you in charge, it can't be worse than letting it stay as it is. Inaction is also a risk, and in this case, it's bleeding this nation dry,"
Next was Toph, who didn't hesitate to add her two copper pieces on the subject. "Personally, I have no problems with sticking it to the authorities, less so when dealing with power-hoarding jerks who rule with an iron fist. Long Feng fits that description to a tee, so I hope he gets what's coming to him soon enough, and I don't really care for His Majesty all that much… but there's one tiny issue: I don't know any of you. You swear that this is for the good of the realm and that you'll do right by the people of the Earth Kingdom. Maybe that's true, but when it comes down to it, you can't really make any guarantees, can you? If I were to assist you in dethroning King Kuei and you end up becoming just like his slimy maggot of an advisor, then I'd just be helping one despot replace another, and that's something that goes against everything I stand for. So go ahead and do what you gotta do, but I'm staying out of it,"
How nodded in understanding. It was interesting how divided the members of Team Avatar were on this: The boys seemed in favor of the military coup while the girls would rather not get involved. Fair enough, he supposed. As long as they kept what was being discussed in this meeting under wraps, the general would accept their decision. "What about you, Avatar Aang?"
…
…
…
"I've got an idea. You said the Earth King doesn't know that the war with the Fire Nation isn't actually over and that it's all thanks to Long Feng, right?" How nodded a second time. "In that case, all we gotta do is to meet the king in person and tell him the truth about everything, show him proof of his advisor's terrible lies and cruel manipulation. Once he realizes he's been kept in the dark this whole time, King Kuei will turn on Long Feng and get rid of him for good. After that, there's no way he won't listen to us, and from then on, you can start working together to change the fate of the Earth Kingdom,"
A ghost of a smirk tugged at Shujinko's lips. Good ol' Aang, always advocating for the least hostile outcome even at the expense of making everything more complicated. He was expecting his airbender pal to bring an alternative solution like this to the table, mainly because pairing Air Nomad culture with overthrowing governments by force was like pairing the Inuzuka clan with cats or the Akimichi clan with low-calorie diets: They simply didn't belong together.
Regardless of how noble Aang's intentions were, the golden-eyed boy didn't know whether he himself was in favor of his plan or against it, mainly because he was mentally drained and couldn't assess any cons and pros accurately at the moment. 'Meh, screw it,' he thought. 'That's for my future self to figure out,'
"… Forgive me, Avatar Aang, but I don't think you quite understand what you're proposing. The king's faith in his advisor will repeal any evidence you present before him. He is immune to reality. What you're hoping to accomplish is nothing short of a miracle,"
"It's not a miracle; it's an option that hasn't been considered," the airbender corrected him. "And besides, what do you have to lose by letting us try? We promise not to mention this conversation to either the king or Long Feng, so they won't retaliate against you in case we fail. You wouldn't even have to move a finger to help us do this. Please, I know this might be inconvenient, but as the Avatar, I don't want to resort to violence when I can do something else instead. It's not too late to give peace a chance to work,"
How was visibly troubled by this, as were the rest of the Council of Five. He had expected the young monk to either turn them down or agree to lend them his support, not make them a counteroffer like some haggling merchant who wanted to strike up a dubious bargain. Had this proposition been suggested by any of his fellow generals, How would've admonished them for such idiocy and call their wits into question. On the other hand, if Aang were a much older, more experienced Avatar with ample diplomatic skills, then How would have less trouble letting him handle the matter the way he wanted, but the Avatar he was speaking to was just a kid, a kid who was too hopeful for his own good.
Yet, against his better judgment, How still entertained the idea presented to him by that same hopeful kid. Whatever else they were, the teenagers sitting in front of him were the ones who completely neutralized the threat that was the Fire Nation drill (because How knew Sung well enough to know he couldn't be trusted to relay a strictly veridical account of events if the opportunity to inflate his own achievements was there), so it would be a mistake to underestimate what they were capable of. Granted, that was a completely different situation, but merit was still merit.
Also, now that he thought about it, despite only handing them three invitations to Bosco's party, all five members of Team Avatar attended the celebration, meaning that two of them had managed to sneak into the palace. How had it on good authority that the Royal Guard and the Dai Li were present at the event. The fact that a pair of youngsters had been able to slip past that level of security and remain undetected for a good while was… Well, it was more than remarkable. Borderline impossible, even… Just like what the Avatar wanted to achieve now.
Furthermore, his failure to convince the Earth King wouldn't affect the council's chances of overthrowing him along with Long Feng. Taking all of that into consideration, then…
A short eternity later, the High General of the Earth Kingdom Army gave his verdict. "Very well. If you can somehow make the Earth King open his eyes to reality and expose Long Feng for the conniving traitor that he is, we promise not to go forth with the military coup. Kuei shall stay in power, though we will retain command over the army and lead our forces with full autonomy until the war is over. After that, we expect the king to meet a number of our demands if he wants to preserve his throne, but for now, these are our terms,"
The airbender nodded, feeling enough hope to fuel a weak smile. How had come to this meeting dead-set on launching his military coup, having fairly understandable reasons to do so, so being given the chance to solve this his way meant a lot to him. As to how he was going to complete this seemingly impossible task, Aang didn't have the slightest clue, but he didn't have it in him to worry about that at the moment. Small as it was, there was still a chance to gain the Earth Kingdom's support while also preventing bloodshed, and just knowing that was enough for Aang to feel at ease for the moment.
"However, do bear in mind this. We cannot put the execution of our plans on hold for too long without placing the entire operation at extreme risk. Therefore, starting tomorrow, you'll have no more than two weeks to make the king realize that Long Feng has been deceiving him since the day of his coronation. The moment you fail, we'll gather our troops and march to the palace at once, and no obstacle or individual will persuade us otherwise, not even the fabled Avatar himself. That is our vow as the Council of Five. So, do we have an understanding?"
Two weeks? That was more time than the young monk thought they'd be given, but it still wasn't plenty. Regardless of that, Aang graciously accepted the deal by joining his fists and bringing his knuckles together, giving the Council of Five the traditional hand greeting of the Air Nomads. The generals responded by making the Earth Kingdom's own greeting, with one closed hand enveloped by the other.
Team Avatar had beaten the odds before. They would simply have to beat them once more, and most likely not for the last time if their past experiences were anything to go by.
Once the greetings were exchanged, How made a gesture to his fellow generals and they all rose to their feet, pulling their hoods up. "I believe there's nothing else to discuss. We apologize for taking up so much of your time, but we had to disclose everything in one sitting as we won't be seeing each other for a while. Seldom do we get to escape the Dai Li's sight and tonight was one of those rare opportunities… Be well, my friends, and may fortune be on your side now more than ever,"
|Meanwhile, in the Fire Nation|
A low wall of fire divided the Fire Lord's throne from the rest of the War Chamber, a dark wide room where dozens of black pillars with elaborate gold bases supported the roof, separated by a straight path in the middle. An imposing bas-relief image of a dragon breathing fire adorned the wall behind the throne, as if the legendary creature was ready to jump to its ruler's defense and heed his every command. The ceramic tiled floors were of an onyx shade so rich that it almost felt like hanging above the deepest of abysses. Those who entered the War Chamber often left the room unsure as to how best to describe it, for the unquestionable beauty and elegance of the place didn't make it feel any less intimidating.
And now in the dead of the night, accompanied only by the flames around him, the ruler of the Fire Nation was sitting on his throne, absorbed in his own ruminations.
Ozai was a man of habits, and one of them was to never retire to his bedchamber immediately after concluding a war meeting, no matter how many hours they lasted or how tired he was by the end of them. He seldom allowed himself to go to sleep if he felt he needed to give something more consideration: Which villages could he demand more tribute from; which officer deserved to be given a promotion, which projects merited further investment and which should be dropped, etc. The Fire Nation had conquered more territory than ever before, which came at the cost of having to keep track of it all, from administrative duties to military operations and everything in between.
The last war meeting had finished over half an hour ago. In that meeting, he and his top generals discussed the latest relevant events and their feasible consequences for the future. The capture of the Avatar was a topic that always got brought up, but due to how elusive their enemy had proven himself to be, offering the Fire Lord anything other than vague rumors and claims of questionable veracity was nothing short of challenging. Moreover, the main reason this meeting had been held was to discuss their most recent assault on Ba Sing Se. On paper, the success of this military venture was guaranteed thanks to the gigantic drill they'd sent there, and although he disliked boasting of victory prematurely, Ozai himself felt rather confident about their chances.
Previously, officers and advisors alike, including War Minister Qin, had predicted that their steel titan would fulfill its purpose of conquering Ba Sing Se in just a few hours. Even the most pessimistic among them said it'd be ludicrous for the assault to last past a full day. A few days had passed since the speculated arrival of the drill at the Earth Kingdom's capital, and they hadn't heard so much as a peep from either Azula or War Minister Qin since. Ozai's generals attributed this to the distance between Ba Sing Se and Capital Island, stating that even their fastest messenger hawks needed to be given time in order to travel the many miles that separated the two locations. Not a baseless claim to make, but the Fire Lord could tell his men weren't entirely convinced of their own explanation.
More concerning, however, was the lack of communication on Azula's end. For whatever reason, his daughter hadn't sent any messages of her own in quite some time, nor had her name been mentioned in any reports lately. Ozai considered the possibility of Azula not wanting to waste her time sending letters with nothing important to inform, but having nothing important to inform after several weeks of silence was rather uncharacteristic of the princess, who knew better than to test her father's patience.
All in all, the Fire Lord's expectations weren't being met and he was growing increasingly dissatisfied. Seizing the city of Omashu, renamed 'New Ozai' by his daughter, had been a crucial step towards conquering the Earth Kingdom in its entirety, yet such a victory was overshadowed by previous failures: They had lost their domain over the Northern Air Temple; they had villages and small towns breaking into open revolt; and worst of all, the Siege of the North resulted in the biggest defeat of the Fire Nation in modern history, having lost to the Avatar and a bunch of primitive, igloo-dwelling savages who were scarcely more developed than the wild game they hunted to survive.
Be it as it may, Ozai knew this was no cause for desperation. Shame, disappointment, and anger, yes; but not desperation. Sozin's Comet was on its way, and with it, the power to finish once and for all what Sozin himself started a hundred years ago. It would be the birth of a new era; the beginning of a new world; the dawn of a new age.
The age of the Phoenix.
Aaaaaaaaand that was chapter 28. Hope you all liked it.
Remember how I said in the previous chapter that this one would have less talk and more action? Well… I couldn't keep that promise. In fact, I ended up doing the opposite of that. Except for the last scene, this whole chapter was literally one long conversation.
In my defense, I absolutely meant it when I said I wanted to make this chapter more dynamic. Yes, the Council of Five was supposed to let Team Avatar in on their little secret rebellion, but I never anticipated it would literally take up the entire chapter from start to finish. However, the more I progressed, the more I felt like I had to keep adding stuff like character's backstories and whatever. Let's be real here, a plot to overthrown your own government isn't something you can pitch to a bunch of teenagers (or to anyone for that matter) in five minutes and expect them to join you.
Therefore, I took the time to lay everything out in full detail for the sake of realism, but also in order to explain things that were never addressed canonically. These are things that while not vital to the overall story (both this one and the real deal), do add a lot of context and offer answers, such as why the Earth King trusts Long Feng so much and how did Long Feng marshaled so much power. Most importantly, this chapter explains how the Earth Kingdom ended up getting slapped around so badly by the Fire Nation in their own home, something that always struck me as odd considering the difference in size, population, etc between the two sides.
Just like I did with General Sung, I tried to give General How some personality and relevance as a character, if only a pinch more of it. In the original story, the generals of the Council of Five truly amounted to nothing, serving no purpose other than handing over a few messages to the members of Team Avatar that Long Feng withheld after the latter got thrown in the slammer. Here, they're soldiers who love their nation and desperately want to save it from the Fire Nation. To that end, they're willing to lose their honor as army men by launching a coup d'état and instating a military government, but only because they've reached their breaking point after spending years fighting the war while being unable to do anything about Long Feng and his constant scheming.
We also got to hear the gang's thoughts, doubts, and opinions about the whole situation. Everyone had something to ask as well as something to say, and in the end, they all drew their own conclusions. I'm always happy when I get the chance to showcase the fact that despite being a tight fellowship of people who eat, laugh, travel, fight, and struggle together, Team Avatar isn't made up of individuals who think and feel the same way 24/7. They share a goal, but they don't necessarily share each other's views on how they should go about achieving their goal. In other words, they're humans, not clones.
Anyways, that's enough rambling outta' me. I sincerely hope the (utter) lack of action in this chapter didn't stop you from enjoying it. If there's anything about this new side-plot that managed to interest you, be it King Mihon's backstory, Long Feng's ascension to power, the Council of Five's reasoning to launch a coup d'état, etc, or if it simply didn't bother you at all, then I'll be satisfied.
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Peace!