Ch10
Republic City, Sei'Naka Imperial Hotel
Just before arriving at the hostess's desk, Yasuho stopped to check herself over in the mirror out in the hallway. She was dressed to kill, especially for this evening. Tonight would be the night to make an impression. The army officer patted down her long black evening dress, making sure all lint was swept away and the fabric draped elegantly, and again swept her hair and addressed her bangs. This would be the third time she'd check her make up as well, the first in her room, the second in the elevator door's reflection on the way up, and the third and final time now. It was as methodical and detailed as if she was checking her uniform for inspection or visually inspecting the key operating components of a tank were all in working order. Dress free of lint, hair in place with no flyaways and falling over her shoulders perfectly, and heels free of scuffs; everything was in order and she was now finally satisfied.
"Good evening, ma'am," the hostess greeted as she approached the desk. The hostess a modernized and more elegant uniform which was inspired by the skirt-and-trouser attire worn in variation by women across the Fire Nation during the time of Ozai and, subsequently, Zuko prior to the mass adoption of western suits and dresses. The military-inspired look was easily recognizable but not so much so that it looked like common-folk clothes or an actual uniform. The blouse and shortened tunic was more ornate and the overall look fell somewhere in a harmonious middle between a business suit and a ceremonial dress uniform. "May I take your coat for you?"
"Oh," Yasuho reacted, not used to such formalities and service, "Yes, please."
Two other staff members glided over and checked in the captain's evening coat while the hostess continued her greeting interaction. "What is the name for tonight's reservation?"
Yasuho awkwardly smiled, "I don't have a dinner reservation but I was supposed to meet a party here. Forgive me, I am not too familiar with the formalities or process…"
"No worries, miss," the hostess said with a humble smile, "May I have your name, please?"
"Yes, it would be Yasuho Aoshima."
Somehow, this lady made scrolling through a list of names on an iPad seem very elegant and finessed. Yasuho wondered what mundane and often unthought of little actions the staff had received dictated training for.
"Here we are," the hostess found, "Ms. Aoshima, Mr. Stevenson and party are awaiting you at the bar counter." Stepping out from behind the desk and joining her hands lightly and neatly at waist level, the hostess once again smiled, bowed, then gently gestured with an open hand, keeping the other positioned at waist level, like a gesture of a cabin attendant, towards the dining room. "This way, miss."
The two of them proceeded through the dining quarters towards the bar and lounge. The food was exquisite and the smell was delightful. Although a Fire Nation inspired restaurant, the menu featured food from all four nations of the Bending World as well as cuisine from the Mechanized World; a place where fresh seared Kyoshi Island elephant koi could be enjoyed with a side of caviar from France.
The bar and lounge area was much louder, more vibrant, and more lively than the dining area, channeling the energy of a 1920's and 30's speakeasy. Swing music was played from a live band on the stage and many guests were gathered at the bar counter and numerous tables engaged in banter and fruitful conversation while others, many couples, danced on the teak wood dance floor. It seemed like an a scene from a world unknown and largely separated from the humble middle-class and military world that Yasuho was accustomed to; a scene that seemed to materialize straight from the pages of Scott Ftizgerald's "Great Gatsby".
Seated at the end of the counter were the other four people that were expecting her arrival. The hostess came to a halt just before the party, brought her heels together, and turned to Yasuho. "Miss Aoshima, your seat at the counter. The lead bartender for the evening is Walther, the gentleman in the vest and tie currently serving your party."
"Thank you for your hospitality," Yasuho humbly thanked.
"Come on Kaito, us ordinary people being able to be converted into benders?" she could overhear the banter from the three men at the counter.
"Oh no, not at all," the hostess waved off in her acquired and habitual Japanese mannerism, "It's my pleasure. If you need anything else from me, my name is Miyuki. I'll be your hostess of the evening."
"No you see, that's something I was trying to tell John here, one day in the car. Akiko Takahashi is a myth! There were no women in the IJN, and your country's records can't back that up that she officially existed neither! An ordinary Japanese woman, stowed away on Yamato and was granted firebending by a gigantic turtle? Come on!"
The woman bowed and stepped off heading back to the front.
Walther, as he was polishing a glass turned to acknowledge her arrival, "Madam," he gave a slight bow towards.
Yasuho could feel the blood heat her face. She wasn't used to this level of acknowledgement and service.
The three men of the group immediately stood up from their chairs to greet the arriving lady, buttoning their jackets as they did so. Jun pulled out a chair between him and the slightly older looking Japanese friend of his. There was one other woman in the party, but she remained seated. As usual, Jun was the best dressed of all three, but that wasn't to say the others were lacking in attire. Consequently, it took longer to button both the inner anchor button and outer top closing button of a double breasted suit jacket, though.
"Glad you could join us," Jun gestured towards the open seat at the counter. "Please."
"Ah," Yasuho gasped, "Thank you very much." She smiled briefly at the other two men before taking a seat. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance," she said to both men.
"Starting from the right, ladies first," Jun began introducing, gesturing to the other woman who joined them. "This is Kyoko Hasegawa, a cabin attendant for a well known Japanese five-star airline. I'm sure you can guess which."
Kyoko nodded towards Yasuho quietly acknowledging her arrival, and Yasuho likewise returned the gesture.
"She's one of my closest friends of recent years," Jun quickly added. "This fine gentleman here, one of the smoothest aviators to sail the skies of the Bending and Mechanized Worlds, is practically my brother: Kaito Takeda. He is that grandson of that friend of my grandfather from all those years back when they met on the battlefield of Kyoshi Island."
"O ai dekite ureshii desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu," he greeted, bowing. "I'm very happy we finally met."
"Similar in background to Kyoko-chan, he is a jumbo jet pilot for ANA as well." Jun turned around to introduce the last man who sat to his right. "And this fine bastard right here, this is my partner John Masaoka."
"Pleasure to meet you, Cap," he forwardly extended, rendering a brief and informal salute.
"A military man, I assume?" Yasuho inquired.
"Two tours in the United Forces Navy. My ship was to the rear of USS Leyte Gulf when she bombarded the Northern Water Tribe's blockading battleships in the South Pole. And prior to that we also were nearly sunk by the mines in Republic City harbor during the Equalist uprising," John retold.
"What rank did you discharge as?"
"Petty officer third class," the UFDI agent answered.
"Pleasure to be with a distinguished serviceman," Yasuho smiled.
"Aw shucks, you flatter me," he replied jovially.
Jun jumped in, "He's in the feel-good mood, now."
"I can see that," Yasuho quietly commented.
She turned to the bartender who was quietly awaiting his turn for her attention. "What can I get you, miss?" he asked.
"I'm not too familiar. In the field it's often Asahi or Tsingtao beer that occasionally ends up in supply drops. What's a good recommendation?"
"The Firebending Masters is a favorite among our usuals," Walther informed. "A cocktail mixing gin with pure tangerine and lemon juices sourced fresh from the fields every morning."
"I'll go off your recommendation," Yasuho requested, "Thank you, Walther."
"My pleasure, madam. Please, call me Walt."
Jun raised his hand to order as well. "And another glass of Hibiki as well, good sir. On the rocks."
"Right away."
Jun let Yasuho settle in and conversed with the bartender as he prepared their beverages. "So what's your story Walt? Not too many Walthers that I run into in the city."
The bartender spoke a little louder as the ice rattled in the shaker. "I was born in Munich, Germany, as the first son to a German father and a Water Tribe mother. None of them were benders though, so no special powers for me, sadly."
"I would never have guessed," Jun commented. "Dual citizen? "Sprechen sie deutsch?"
"Ja," the drink master replied. "Though admittedly, not as much speaking as listening. My English and Mandarin Chinese are actually stronger, though that doesn't matter much in this world."
"Mandarin Chinese?" Kyoko asked from the end of the group. Kaito quickly stood up and offered to switch seats with her so that she wasn't left excluded at the outer edge of the group.
"I studied a bit when going to the National University of the Water Tribe," Walther answered, "Though admittedly I haven't made too much use of it."
"A very useful trade skill though," Kyoko chimed in, "I wish I knew a little. It would be very useful in my field."
Walther grinned, "I can only imagine with all the passengers you see on the daily." He finished churning Yasuho's cocktail and served the two of them. "Can I get anything else for you guys?"
"I think we're okay for now," John answered, "Thank you, though. I'll holler if we need something."
"Of course," he said. "I'll check in later." He turned to move over to another pair of men at the opposite end of the counter that flagged him over.
"Finding the evening alright so far?" Jun asked, leaning in a bit towards Yasuho.
She chuckled a bit, "I just got here and you're already asking that? Admittedly I haven't done much of anything today." She turned her gaze down to the counter slightly and swept a strand of her bangs over and behind her ear. Kyoko noticed this.
"Well hopefully we can liven your night up a bit," Jun continued on his merry way, "We have a great cast assembled here tonight." He firmly hit his partner's shoulder. "John over here is totally down to 1v1 you in an earthbending duel, ain't ya?" he loudly turned to the jovial former naval NCO. Yasuho laughed further.
"Woah, woah, woah, slow your roll there cap, I'm not looking to die here. At least not till after the night's done. Not too often I have a bar tab taken care of."
"Junichiro," Kaito called, "Come on, carry on. Continue what you were about to start saying."
"What's he talking about?" Yasuho asked.
Jun waved down his older friend with both hands, "Fine..fine," he calmed down. "Actually, first. Captain Aoshima," he moved the imaginary spotlight over to the tank officer, "Have you done any wild expeditions into North Africa after our little stunt together in 2013?"
"I…uhh…" Yasuho was taken by surprise. She wasn't too good at being put on the spot suddenly. And everyone already had a few drinks in them to grease their social gears. "A few training missions."
"Find anything interesting out there?"
A brief but solid moment passed. Yasuho looked away from Jun's tipsy gaze. She didn't look at anyone. "No." She said this as short and straight-to-the-point as possible, awkwardly stiff about it.
"Thought not," Jun immediately carried on. "Of course, this is myth alright. Just another legend just like Rommel's Gold, Nazi UFOs, or the Philadelphia Project."
"Oh this story," John commented. He recognized the leadup, as Junichiro often liked to tell this lesser-known mystery when on stakeout or in the field with men with prolonged down periods of time. The other three listened in intently, you could practically see their ears perk up.
"The year is 1936," he began, "Or so the version of his mystery I've heard says. Jesse Owens has just stunned the world and practically gave a heavily implied finger in the face of the ideas of some master race perpetuated by a certain well known dictator.
Despite all the pomp and circumstance of the summer olympics, Nazi Germany behind the scenes is already drafting up plans to go to war. And they very well knew that the rest of the world, namely the US, France, and England, weren't going to react too positively to a full scale re-entry into the Rhineland and an invasion of Poland and Luxembourg, with France and England inevitably going to be in the crosshairs for a full scale conquest of Europe. Even for a strongly mobilized and technologically leading country, that's a pretty big order, even with the alliance of what would become the Axis Powers.
No offense, Kaito-san."
"None taken," the forty-five year old airline pilot commented.
"Now there are lots of stories, movies, tv shows, and fanfictions, that like to delve into the idea that Hitler was obsessed with the occult and other supernatural forces that he could potentially integrate into the German war machine; due in part to that being decently founded and true to a degree. Which in this case, that's exactly what they acted upon and set out to find."
"What were they looking for?" Kaito asked.
"You'll get a kick out of this one," Jun paused, leading up to likely the first of the most ridiculous parts of this tale. "Allegedly, the Reich sets out and sends literally battalions of soldiers and engineers in the newly formed Wehrmacht to go digging in the North African desert. Looking for, get this, the Ark of the Covenant."
"You, my friend," John interjected, "Have been watching wayy too many Indiana Jones films."
"Hey, I didn't say it's fact, did I? It's myth, there's barely any surviving reports from that era and obviously none of the higher ups in the Nazi organization have been dead for decades. The alleged reports, from what I gather, just say they were initially looking for some sort of holy relic that could wield unmentionable battlefield potential. Hell, maybe Spielberg was on to something, who knows?"
"What is the Ark of the Covenant?" Kyoko asked, to which Yasuho held the same curiosity.
"A magical golden box with two angels on top of its lid. Supposedly holds the remains of the original Ten Commandments," Jun very quickly and vaguely answered, "Anyways! So they go digging for the Ark, or the Holy Grail, or whatever kind of ancient relic you want to imagine, and of course they turn up empty handed. Or did they? That varies on which version you want to listen to.
But they did find something. Something of, supposed, unimaginable power."
Yasuho took a sip of her drink. It was fruity and sour, but had a very powerful punch and a distinct hit of spice.
"The story goes they uncovered an ancient Egyptian temple site, long forgotten. Probably from all the way back in the time before Christ, before Moses even. Overgrown and densely packed with…vines!"
"Vines?" Kaito inquired. "You mean like-"
"Yes!" Jun answered. "Exactly like that! Spirit vines!"
Yasuho gulped down a large amount of her beverage. John quietly shook his head at the counter and downed the rest of his bourbon, waving Walther over for another drink.
"I mean, short of Jerusalem, Egypt is also considered a big place of supernatural phenomena. Supposedly the Nazis uncovered a location where a bunch of lush green and thick tropical vines seemed to grow in excess in the middle of a hot, dry, and sandy wasteland. If any vine could potentially do that, it would have to be those spirit vines!"
John leaned back, reached around Jun and tapped Yasuho on the shoulder. She was very intently listening and didn't immediately notice him. "You see this is how you know he's drunk. This story only comes out of him when he's either a few beers in, or zinging off the morning coffee."
Yasuho simply nodded.
"Now where am I going with this?" Jun started to round off. "Well, at first the Nazi high command was rather disappointed at finding nothing of substance, just uncovering some cool but seemingly useless ancient Egyptian temple full of vines…or there are also versions where they managed to locate and find the Ark of the Covenant, again depending on which version you read..
But in June 1942, something unexpected happened. On the opposite side of the world in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, our grandfathers," Jun said gesturing to himself and Kaito, "as well as hundreds of thousands of tons of warship, and tens of thousands of crew were pulled over the end of the world and through the rift! Ending up here, in the Bending Realm.
And those vines. Both at the temple, and in some German research facilities despite having been severed and stored for study, began to emit freakish amounts of raw and dangerous energy. Energy, the level of which, scientists at the time couldn't understand, fathom, or believe. And they didn't know exactly how to harness it yet, either.
It's from here where other stories start to emerge. Whether it be, this served as the initial inspiration and base point for the Nazi nuclear weapons program, UFOs, teleportation, and other kinds of superweapons." Jun paused. "The rumor and mystery surrounding this is, depending on who you ask, the Nazis successfully found a way to channel this energy and weaponize it. But the discovery came too late in the war for them to field."
"Preposterous," John challenged. "Why haven't we heard this officially? It's been seventy-five years, all the secrets the Nazis had have been brought to surface and long since overanalyzed."
"But there remain mysteries yet solved or explained, not just in the Mechanized World, but especially the Bending World. Science nor religion can explain the Spirit World properly, and it has also been over sixty-two years since Aang transisted the Rift.
Not much is known about other related Nazi mysteries, Die Glocke and Group 937. And what little is known has been heavily classified by the US Government and UK governments." Jun's tone got quieter. "China, the Russian Federation, and Japan don't know anything either because they weren't let in on it.
Mainly though, John, and Kaito too for that matter…haven't you ever wondered how a rift transponder works?"
Yasuho looked to Kyoko for an answer.
"The system that allows ships and planes to jump between worlds," Kyoko summarized.
"It's a very very very serious offense to tamper with one. No one is allowed to handle them," Kaito added. "Not Boeing or Airbus, not the airlines, not the maintenance crews, not even the military. It can only be handled by very specific individuals. The only thing that we are allowed to do is check the light on that device. Just to see that the light is green, meaning it works properly. If it's red, then we notify the proper authorities, and that's it. It's supposedly a hundred times more sturdy than the black box recorder. Practically indestructible is what they say."
"Indeed," Jun affirmed. "People often credit and criticize Operation Paperclip for the US turning a blind eye in regards to prominent Nazi officers and scientists to get an edge over the Soviet Union in the Space Race. But they don't know a thing past rockets and the moon. In reality there was likely a lot more that we learned about from the Nazis than they can even begin to come up with."
Yasuho gulped down another portion of her drink audibly.
"Of course this is just a story and a conspiracy theory," Jun laughed off.
"Aissshhhh," Kaito groaned. "Interesting, but very far-fetched. It does seem to tie in well enough though with modern mystery."
"Begs the question though," John chimed back in, "If the Germans were developing some sort of super weapon. What do you think it would do? How would it work?"
"Real good question," Jun commented. "A big gun? A powerful bomb? Teleporter? Who knows?"
"Psshhh, God help us if someone gets their hands on that," John commented. "That would be a handful."
"So how did you two meet?" Kaito asked, gesturing to both Yasuho and Junichiro.
Jun leaned over, "Well we met for the first time in 2013. In, coincidentally, North Africa."
"Ehhh," Kyoko remarked, setting up a tease, "You say that like a boyfriend would, talking about their origin story."
Yasuho inhaled some of her drink, and started a coughing fit. She, as well as everyone else, was now several drinks into the evening. Her face, cheeks, and tips of her ears were red.
"Well," Jun droned off, looking away towards a wall on the far side of the room, "I wouldn't put it like that." He reached for his phone in his inner jacket pockets, turning to Yasuho who was still hunched over coughing. She leaned against him. "You alright?"
She tapped her hand on his shoulder and eventually managed to say, "I'm fine."
"Very well. That's good," Jun said, spinning back around immediately. He drew his iPhone and brought up an old photo. "Here we are," he said, showing Kaito. "This was shortly after our operation that day." The photo was of the two of them side by side in front of a small yard of tanks and trucks.
Kaito was now swaying, and getting more and more tired. "Ah, that's great! You guys look good together!"
"Don't they!?" Kyoko compounded.
Jun fumbled for words. "If you say so, yeah, I guess. Since then, she's been a main chat partner here in the Mechanized World, you know. In between street busts, and in between missions."
Yasuho felt the heat in her cheeks. At the same time, her phone chimed. Reading the message briefly she stood up, catching the group's attention. "If you'll excuse me for a moment. I'm meeting someone down in the lobby cafe for a bit."
Jun only sat there, at a loss for words, and mouth open trying to find something to say. He watched as Yasuho very quickly checked herself over and recinched the waist sash of her dress. "I'll be back," she said, taking off.
Jun blinked a series of times before awkwardly catching up and saying, "Yeah, see you in a bit."
Kyoko punched him in the side.
"Ita!" Jun reacted. He could see her expression of disappointment. "What was that for?"
"Gotta be sharper than that, partner," John called over, leaning on the counter and loosening his tie.
Kyoko placed her hand on Jun's, grabbing his attention. "Come on, let's step out for a minute. We need to talk."
The small cafe in the lobby, although still refined, was comparatively dull and quiet compared to the lounge and restaurant at the top floor of the hotel. This was a mellow row boat compared to the freight train upstairs.
The barista bowed to her as she entered and she returned the gesture, but that was where the interaction ceased. Something she was more accustomed to. Seated further in, just beneath the television and amid the various indoor year-round cherry blossoms, was a slender man of modest height. His hair was short and he wore round glasses with a thicker plastic frame. By comparison to Jun, he also dressed in a more subdued way, a dark gray herringbone suit and vest and a gray fedora to match. One wouldn't look twice if they passed him on the street, and that was how he wanted to present himself.
"Xiaoli?" Yasuho called out, approaching the table.
The friendly face snapped toward her direction. "Yasu-chan!" He stood up to meet her and the two entered an immediate hug. "Long time no see! It's so good to see you!"
"Likewise!" Yasuho exclaimed, happy to meet a long time friend. She looked over her shoulder at the hotel lobby and around the cafe, just to make sure she wasn't actively being observed.
"You look great!" he complimented, "As always!"
"Thank you! I'm flattered. Happy someone noticed," she groaned.
"Yeah, make up, evening gown, heels that aren't regulation pumps, hair let down," he listed, "Dressed to kill tonight. It's been a while. What's the occasion?"
"Meeting up with some friends up top at the bar."
"The Dragon of the West Club? That's one heck of a venue!"
"So, I'm told," Yasuho modestly acknowledged.
"Yeah, but you don't normally dress like that for ordinary friends," Xiaoli teased, "If you're not in that uniform of yours, it's a skirt suit."
"Yeah.." Yasuho groaned.
"Don't tell me. The guy is up there?"
Yasuho sighed, pursed her lips together, grabbed the bridge of her nose and nodded.
"Not catching on, huh?"
"He never does," she remarked. "But enough about me, how about you?!"
He recoiled back in his chair at her sudden return of the question. "W-Wha-What about me?"
"You know," Yasuho teased.
"No I don't," he tried to hide.
She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "We've known each other since we were kids, you can't hide anything from me. You..and Mei Liu," she accused.
Xiaoli rocked back in his chair, nervously rubbing his neck. "Oh okay, fine. You got me. Yeah, it's actually been alright."
"You dating?"
"Well…it's getting there."
"I see," Yasuho closed in and cornered her friend, "But she likes you."
Xiaoli's face turned red. "Yes, that's what she said."
"Congrats!" She looked her nails over and crossed her legs. "Must be nice. I can't say I'm not even slightly jealous.
But I can't say I like who you are into either…"
"I know, I know…But I can also say I don't agree with your empire either," Xiaoli countered.
"Touche," Yasuho accepted. "You are her closest advisor though, so I am glad we still are close. I don't think I can handle losing you as a friend."
"Neither can I," he added.
Their meeting and acquaintance was definitely not something that would be okay with either the Liu-clan or the Earth Empire. On paper, they were supposed to be sworn enemies. Kuvira and the high command would very much want Yasuho to exercise her duty and arrest this man immediately as he was noted as a priority political target in dealing with the second largest resistance group second to Zaofu in opposing unification. Of course, for her close friend, she made an exception in secret.
"So tell me about this Junichiro fella," he inquired. "What's to like about him?"
"He's just so…sincere, reliable, and comforting to be around," Yasuho explained. "I guess I really liked that he wasn't out to immediately try hitting on me, or wanting to date me, unlike most others. But that's also wherein the problem lies, admittedly."
"That.. sounds.. like.. every generic romance anime to hit the screen…ever," her friend responded plainly and bluntly, "You sure you're not like..a sixteen year-old high school girl or something?"
"Shut it!" she exclaimed, roughly kicking the side of his leg, intentionally avoiding his shins.
"Ouch!" He recoiled, grabbing his leg. "Heels! Heels hurt!"
"Comments to yourself," she snapped.
"Got it! Got it!" He rubbed the area she kicked him, trying to soothe the pain. "How's it coming along?"
"I was kinda hoping alcohol and dressing nicely would set off something," Yasuho pouted, "That isn't working as well as I had imagined…or read.. it would…"
"Ah, come on," Xiaoli encouraged, "Okay…what are you?"
"I'm not sure I'm following," Yasuho commented.
"What do you do? What's your job?"
"I'm an army officer-"
"Specifically," Xiaoli insisted.
"I'm, a tank commander," Yasuho answered, confused.
"Exactly. Think of a tank," her friend led on, "Does it creep around? Go around a wall? Is it subtle?"
"It can be..?"
"And if that fails?"
"Then I say 'screw it' and just-"
"Go straight at it," they both said in unison.
Yasuho sat back, "I don't know.."
"Yasu-chan, when have you ever waited for something to come to you? Something you wanted."
He had a point. If she wanted something, she'd take it. But this was a bit different.
"I say," he continued, "You march on up there, right now, smack him upside the head and tell him everything that he's been missing." He dialed back his enthusiasm, "Okay, maybe don't actually hit him. But go! This is the perfect night and the perfect setting!"
"Right now? But we just got together, and we barely meet and-"
"There'll be other times! Now go! Before he passes out, or gets hooked by some other lady. Go! Shoo!" Xiaoli practically pushed her out of the cafe and back to the elevators. "We'll catch up some other time," he called out as the elevator door shut.
"You know she likes you, right?" Kyoko addressed Jun. The two of them stood near the edge of the outside patio, overlooking the harbor. Air Temple Island was directly ahead, in the distance, amid the bay.
"Whaaat?" Jun denied. "What are you talking about?"
"And you know," Kyoko accused. Her face went flat. She knew, from their past, that Junichiro was, despite being great at figuring out things when it came to his job, terrible at reading these kinds of social cues. But she could see that he was at least somewhat aware this time. "The way she plays with her hair, the gentle touches on the sleeve and shoulder," Kyoko listed, "She probably checked herself more than three times on the way up to the restaurant, just to make sure her hair, makeup, and clothes were in order."
"I doubt that," Jun said, still not accepting the evidence. "She's…well, she's out of my league."
His confidant rolled her eyes. "I think you underestimate yourself a lot. You need to have more confidence."
"Alright lady, let me slow your roll now," Jun defended, "I have confidence, alright?" He sat down on the stone retaining wall that supported a momiji tree.
"You have alcohol, right now. That's..what do you say? Liquid confidence," Kyoko chased down.
"It's not that," Jun defended again.
Kyoko sat close beside him. "Then what's stopping you? I can tell you like her too."
He couldn't look at Kyoko, not like this, and not while having this conversation. It just felt wrong. "Kyoko, this..is this really something you want to talk about? I mean, come on.."
"What happened then..it's in the past. I still want to support you," she pushed on.
"It's just, I can't mess something up, if I don't touch it," Jun asserted. "You get the people in life..sure, they're attractive, and great, but you don't want to screw things up even if you develop feelings. So you commit to simply being content. That way no one gets hurt, and nothing breaks."
"But that leaves a lot of stones unturned. And," Kyoko backed him into a corner. The whiskeys and shots of sake made it all the more easier to really break through the somewhat tough, stoic, and stubborn shell Junichiro always carried, "You don't realize it. But you're hurting her. Even more so that you are aware that she likes you."
"I doubt it."
"I don't know that girl. Yasuho, was her name? I don't really know anything about her other than she is a stellar soldier. But I can see…something..in her. Something, hurt or unstable..looking for support. And I think that support is going to be you, Jun."
He looked around, in any direction except at her. Down at the floor, at his shoes, the corners of the building, and at the face of Avatar Aang in the distance. Finally, he began to subtly start nodding repeatedly, the realization and courage beginning to flow. "Perhaps, Kyoko-san. Perhaps."
Regardless of their past, Kyoko, being three years older, never stopped being that upperclassman figure to Junichiro.
"He's just outside on the terrace," the hostess guided.
"Thank you," Yasuho bowed before setting off to the moon-lit observation deck.
Pulling open the shoji sliding door led her to the open air terrace, which was spilt on two levels. The door was atop twin wooden stairs that descended on both left and right sides of a plateau and led to a grouping of retaining walls that supported cherry blossom trees. The upper floor featured an ornate water fountain with a brass and chrome dragon as its centerpiece. Overlooking the edge of the high rise hotel building, Air Temple Island and the Avatar Aang memorial statue were readily in view. The night air was calm with a slight breeze, and the terrace basked in the light of the full moon; the perfect setting, Yasuho thought.
But as she walked to the edge of the upper level and looked down, she found who she was looking for. Junichiro, and the cabin attendant from earlier, Kyoko, were both seated side by side closely overlooking the waters of the bay. She held her breath, trying not to draw attention to herself. She couldn't make out what they were talking about, but their jovial banter and constant laughing could be heard. Yasuho noted how Kyoko was very close and would often touch Jun on the arm, hand, or shoulder, and he seemed very comfortable with this as well and didn't pay any visual mind.
Yasuho felt her heart race. Her fists tightened, and she could feel her nails digging in to her palms. At the same time she felt empty inside, a void that tugged and tugged away. She was overreacting. She knew it. But it didn't make the experience any better. And what was this experience anyway? Is this? Jealousy? Or, was this defeat? This despair, and emptiness, rage, and anger, she was unfamiliar with. What does defeat even feel like? She didn't know. And she didn't care.
Yasuho advanced forth. One foot in front of the other until soon she was carrying herself down the stairs and towards the seated couple. The sound of her shoes clicking against the marble stairs, especially with such a speed and tenacity, soon caught their attention.
Jun stood up, buttoning his jacket as he did so. "Yasuho, welcome back-"
She took a sudden, direct, and firm hold of his jacket sleeve, stopping his greeting line.
"I- wha- What's up?" he nervously chuckled.
"Sorry," she said to Kyoko, "I'm going to borrow Jun for a bit."
Kyoko was wide eyed, startled, but with a growing smile on her face. Jun was giving her a look of nervous panic.
"Excuse us," Yasuho said, taking off and hauling him behind closely.
Junichiro looked back to see Kyoko giving him a look of encouragement, winking, and rendering a very quick interpretation of a salute.
Yasuho forcefully pulled Jun back up the stairs and through the lobby of the restaurant, to the intrigue and the cheers of the men and women in the lounge, waiting room, and dining area.
"Your coat, Miss Aoshima?"
"No, thank you. I'll be back for it in a bit," she answered the coat check staff member who posted beside the counter.
"Your hat, Mister Stevenson," a second attendant called immediately after, holding Jun's gray hat out to him.
"Thanks, chief," he quickly managed to acknowledge taking his hat from the staff member without stopping as he was pulled out the doors of the establishment.
The two of them finally came to rest in a quiet and isolated hallway on the opposite side of the building. It was technically cordoned off for the day, and the lights were either dimmed or turned off completely, but Yasuho in her warpath did not head the signs. The two of them stood against a railing mounted to a thick and clear glass paneled wall that overlooked the downtown area of Republic City. The lights from the other buildings and streets below cast adequate illumination into the quiet space. Ahead, in the distance, Jun could make out the tall rotundas of city hall.
Finally satisfied, Yasuho came to an abrupt and sudden halt. She paused, seeming to freeze in place before letting go of his jacket sleeve. She spun around sharply.
"Yasu-"
"Jun-"
The two of them awkwardly shallowly gasped. The captain looking down at her feet, and Jun looking off into the distance, tilting his hat back. "Look..," Jun began, "This is never easy to say..and I'm really bad at this sort of thing-"
"No, wait," she interrupted, "Before you hit me with that. I have to get this off my chest." She incorrectly assumed what he was going to say. "Jun, you are…one of the most sincere and considerate people I know of. And…well…"
"Yasuho," Jun tried to interrupt, "Before you-"
"Let me finish," she asserted, trying to carry on. "You've been sort of my..confidant. Someone I can comfortably just vent and chat with about..really anything over the year. And, even though we barely see each other its very comforting and stress relieving to say the least. And I think we work really really well together, and I enjoy our dynamic. And compared to everyone else you weren't just out to get with me which was cool but also where an inherent problem lies. And I really like how you can relate to many issues I find to be unique and that no one else can relate to, and as a result that adds to why its so damn relieving to just chat and exist with you. And-"
Jun said nothing and took firm hold of both of her hands. They felt soft, cold, smooth, and timid. "Yasuho, I have feelings for you too."
He could visually see, on her face, how she was actively trying to compute and process everything. Her eyes looked in many different directions except straight ahead, he could feel her hands twitch slightly and her body shifting subtly. Her mouth let loose a faint whimper as her tongue searched for the proper procedural words of reply. He could see the 404 Error message and blue screen of death practically plastered in her eyes.
"I uh…" he stammered, "I admire how dedicated, resolute, and tenacious you are. And just how bad ass you can be in a fight. It's..really cool. And on the flipside, off the battlefield, you are really compassionate, kind, and considerate. You're also super funny to be with and make great company…so.." He removed his hat. "God, that probably sounded so lame-"
Without another word, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. "Thank you, for making this a lot easier," she sighed raggedly, relieved.
Silently, he put his arms around her waist.
"Beifong is gonna love the day she figures this out," Jun quietly sighed to himself.
An audible crack was heard as she forcefully struck the back panel of his suit jacket with an open palm. She heard that.
Taihua Mountain Ranges; Northern Earth Kingdom
"Hey you, pretty boy," Varrick called the sentry over, "Can you give me a hand here?"
"What now?" the armed guard groaned. "Just have her do it-" He paused. "Wait, let me say that again. Just have her do the thing!"
"I would but as you can see, Zhu Li's a bit full handed right now, and this machine needs a third set of hands here, unless you want this entire mountain caving in on us! No wait- We're all expendable! Unless you want this mountain caving in on all this military research and stockpile of Type 2 Heavy tanks!" Varrick reiterated. "I'm sure Kuvira would love to hear that after arriving back from Nippon!"
The sentry groaned and slung his Mp40 around his back. "Alright, what do you need," he complained, coming over.
Varrick and Zhu Li huddled beneath the odd contraption, both focusing on an access port beneath the mechanical device. The second guard came over too. "Geez its like looking down into a tank transmission," they observed, watching all the intricate gears and transfer rods move and cycle.
"What do you need, chief?"
"Yeah, what do you need?" The other guard chimed in. "You're supposed to be working on the energy project. This looks like a tank's engine.
Varrick winked at Zhu Li. "I assure you this is important. How else do you expect me to lift heavy things in here?"
"We have metal benders."
"With the attitude you guys give me? No thank you! Now quit complaining!" Varrick scolded.
The men rolled their eyes. "I'm not sticking my hand in this thing."
"Well of course not! Not into the series of gears! You've ever seen a Final Destination movie? That would be terrible! Looking down there should be a shut off switch just to left of the gear box." Varrick called out. "You see it?"
"Small little electric electrical switch?"
"Yeah!" Varrick called from below. "That one!"
"What's it do?"
"It'll stop the gear drive so I can insert this last final piece down here. I..obviously don't want my hands turned into ground meat either!"
Zhu Li leaned closer and whispered. "Are you sure this will work?"
"Trust me," he whispered with a final wink. "We're getting out of here, and warning the Republic!" He raised his voice again. "You got it?"
"Yeah!" the guards replied, one of them reaching in and getting his fingers around the switch.
"Go ahead and give it a flick!" Varrick shut his eyes and covered his ears. Zhu Li did the same.
Click. The switch was flipped. Sure enough, the gear drive came to a grinding halt. And that was the problem! The gears stopped, but it seemed like the rest of the machine wanted to keep going. It sputtered and groaned. They could here parts snapping and giving way!
"What's going on?!"
"Yeah," Varrick shouted, "Probably shouldn't have flicked that switch."
"What?!"
The sentry who flicked the switch tried to pull his hand out but was too late. A shaft and bar popped and a sizeable chunk of the interior mechanical parts fell onto his arm. Fortunately, to some relief, the inactive machine parts didn't grind away or cause serious injury, but it did pin him to the device. The other guard, unslinging his weapon, was caught when the adjacent motor exploded from strain, blowing him away and spewing sparks and metal at him.
"Now! Now!"
Varrick started pulling himself out from under the machine, all the while Zhu Li nimble tucked and rolled out from under. From her tunic pockets, she produced a small improvised explosive device, concealed in a sock and coated with thick engine grease. It was just powerful enough to blow the metal door open and there was just enough fuse left for her to throw it at the door and duck for cover.
The device stuck to the door and its single blinking red light began to flash faster and faster until, kaboom! The improvised breaching charge blew apart the latch and flung the steel door open.
Varrick wrestled the submachine gun off the unconscious sentry and pulled Zhu Li along with him.
"Stop! Prisoner Escape!" the pinned sentry shouted down the hall.
Zhu Li similarly acquired her own submachine gun from the two sentries that was knocked out by the exploding door.
An alert klaxon siren rang out as the interior bunker lights flashed red in the cavernous tunnels. The sound of a small detail of running boots could be heard approaching.
Varrick pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. "What?! Come on!"
Zhu Li slapped the charging handle on the MP40 down and out of its rearward lock position, allowing the bolt to fly forward. Without saying a word, she let loose a full sustained burst of all thirty-two rounds in the magazine. The chattering machine gun, mowed down the approaching party before they could adequately react.
"It's safe, sir," she informed dropping the empty magazine and fishing one more stick mag out from the uniform of one of the downed soldiers.
Varrick fiddled with the gun a bit, awkwardly, until finally he was able to free the bolt. He flinched a little as it slammed forward. "I knew that!"
Limited on ammo and vastly outnumbered and outgunned, the pair nimbly made their way out of the deep mountain side bunker, cautiously running from over to cover and keeping to the shadows; avoiding the swarming response forces. They eventually made their way out to the vehicle bay. There were a number of trucks, halftracks, mecha suits, and tanks parked and staged in the hangar.
"Where are we?" Varrick questioned. Both of them had been forcefully transported to this facility under blindfold. "I don't recognize any of this."
"Not important right now, sir," Zhu Li refocused her boss.
"Where did you learn to fight?"
"Can you keep your voice down?"
"Where did you learn to fight so well?" Varrick whispered.
"I spent some time at the range with some Marines when you were demonstrating your proposed rifle carrying robot," Zhu Li explained, tucking additional stick magazines into her belt.
"Well, what about your moves? Who taught you that?"
"What do you think I was doing when you wanted to vacation on Kyoshi Island?"
"I thought you were also enjoying the beach!"
Varrick took cover behind one of the Type 2 heavy tanks in the garage, the Earth Empire's modernized rendition of the German Tiger II heavy tank. "Not enough time to get one of these running, but look!" He pointed at the large steel bunker doors. "The doors are cracked just enough that we can fit through! Let's go!"
"Varrick!" Zhu Li called after him, reluctantly chasing after her boss, "Wait!"
The two streamed out the cracked bunker doors and out into the freezing outside world. They were indeed in a bunker on the side of a mountain but Varrick didn't know where exactly. Zhu Li had no clue either. It must have been one of the Empire's secret facilities. There was actively snow falling and a layer of it covered the outside yard. The bunker was at the bottom of a depression in the surrounding embankments with a treeline at the tops. The concrete ground where additional tanks and vehicles were staged, and where they stood, seemed old and there were still many craters from what looked like shell impacts laying about. The fence at the edge of the compound was riddled with bullet impacts and torn in areas where it looked as though tanks had run through, and the two guard towers seemed as though they had been torn open by tank fire decades before. Varrick spun around. Hanging over the large heavily fortified doors, was a banner of the Earth Empire's military but, painted above that and heavily faded with age over the decades, he could make out the shape and silhouette of the old Reich's Eagle and Swastika. An old Nazi base? The old Nazi base?!
"You two!" a man called towards them.
Both Zhu Li and Varrick snapped their heads to look towards the approaching officer. He had his pistol drawn. Zhu Li quickly rotated her body around to point her weapon at him. Bang! The handgun fired, striking the gun from her hands. Bang! Bang! He shot twice more in succession, firing and holding the P1 handgun by his hip, not needing to aim down the sights. The two rounds hit and further pushed Zhu Li's captured MP40 away, kicking up snow where the bullets impacted. Varrick simultaneously tried to fight back but was much slower. The advancing officer lowered his shooting hand and with the other, took hold of Varrick's gun through metalbending and forcefully tore it away. The sling of the gun yanked Varrick along and dislocated his shoulder before the leather strap tore and the SMG was flung several yards away.
Varrick let out a cry of agony, crumpling to the snow. Zhu Li was about to move in between the two men to protect Varrick, but the officer raised his P1 again. "Tisk tisk," he enunciated, "Just stay right where you are for now, Zhu Li."
"I applaud your creativity, ingenuity, and guts, but in the end it was futile," the officer said. Zhu Li recognized the rank pins on his collar denoting the man as a Major. On his head he wore a wool garrison cap, and on the opposite side of his rank insignia was a circular pin of the head of a badger mole. His service uniform tunic, shortened tanker's Ike-style jacket, was adorned with several subtle pins and medals that denoted his effective service in the army. On his belt was a black leather pistol holster for his P1, several pistol magazine pouches, and on the opposite side, an equal number of carriers for steel plates and cables. His trousers had breeches and tucked into his well polished black boots.
To Zhu Li, something about this man felt cold, threatening, and apathetic, despite his calm demeanor.
"Forgive me, where are my manners? I am Major Jiho Choi, of the 1st Heavy Armored Division," the officer introduced as he shut the open flap of his pistol holster. "In addition to being in charge of a regiment of Tiger II's, as you see around you. I was recently tasked with overseeing the developing progress of the so-called super weapon's project. Looks like I picked the perfect day to arrive."
"Are you mad?" Varrick challenged. "Major Choi, forgive me for speaking up. But that weapon. No- Weapons! Plural! Do you know what they can do? Who they'll be used against? It would be slaughter!"
"What they can do?" Major Choi recited, sticking out his neck in emphasis of wonder, "Not yet. Who they'll be used against? Slaughter? You see.. That is not my concern. Because as a certain Captain," he paused and placed a hand on his chest, "My mentor once told me, oh and I'm sure you'd know her if you see her, she is pretty popular after all, 'orders are orders, and we are fighting for the greater good of the Empire, its sovereignty, its interests, and its people.' Resistance, Daofei, and all enemies foreign and domestic, can either submit and surrender or face total annihilation. Nothing but flies, and we hold a wide assortment of fly swatters. Besides, your work is merely contingency. Other countries have nuclear arsenals, these will be our deterrence arsenal."
"Why'd they send you?" Zhu Li asked.
"Me? Well, I guess there is a certain level of repertoire I've garnered. I've become very good at my job. And my job is, simply, to get results. Whether that be convincing a resisting town, city, or state, to align with the Earth Empire, eradicating an entire criminal clan off the face of the earth and making sure they disappear, or, in this case, overseeing the proper and timely development of a superweapon so that it can be effectively tested and fielded in battle in the coming weeks.
"You?" Varrick scoffed, "You're nothing but a terrifying army brute. You may be effective on a battlefield, but in a lab? I don't think that's your strong suit."
Major Choi looked down at the inventor, menacingly.
"No offense, of course, sir."
The major rested both hands on his belt and sighed. "Admittedly, you'd be correct. Science was never my strong suit. Language and history were my stronger subjects in school. But that's where you come in!" He turned back to Zhu Li, "And as to why me, or us for that matter, we are of the 1st Heavy Armored Division! As you know, we are also tasked with fielding the more advanced weaponry. So, I want to know what kind of new toys and gadgets we'll be receiving to play with."
Zhu Li looked away from his gaze. "Yeah, I noticed from the camouflage scheme on these tanks."
"An observant one!" Major Choi applauded, waving the muzzle of his pistol at her. "I like it." He now addressed them both. "Now, the progress on that weapon. At least one of two. Come on," he emphasized, clapping his hands together and putting on an eerie grin, "let's hear it,"
Varrick, gripping his injured shoulder, scowled, defiantly, and looked up at his detainer. "Well I hate to break it to you, Hans Landa, but I am simply not going to make it." Varrick really believed he held some serious cards in his favor. "You're simply going to have to kill me. But if you do, goodluck finding anyone who could even come close to finishing it. There's no one, so unfortunately you're all out of luck!"
The major grinned, and even started to laugh at the inventor.
"W-Why are you laughing?"
Jiho caught his breath and regained his composure. "You- you really thought you had an ace in the hole there didn't you? But, unfortunately, you'll learn that the world does not revolve around you!"
The Major kept guffawing.
"What do you mean? You found someone?"
"Oh yes," the Major straightened out, returning to a calm yet menacing tone. "You see, Varrick. You are not the person that is going to finish the weapon. You are the reason that person will."
"What do you-?"
A sudden crack! Smoke poured from the barrel of the pistol, aiming at the Varrick Industries CEO. Zhu Li screamed, cupping her hands over her mouth. A tear formed in her eye. Blood began to pour and gather and soak Varrick's tunic at the wayside. He had been shot! The inventor stumbled back and collapsed against the side armor skirts of the Tiger II that was parked behind him.
"VARRICK!" Zhu Li cried.
Methodically, Major Choi returned his sidearm into his holster. The safety, the de-cocker, and the snap button that held the holster's cover closed all clicking with constant rhythm. "You see, Varrick. Admittedly, you are smart. But someone else is just as smart, if not slightly smarter than you, and she talks..a..whole..lot..less." He moved over to stand over the downed scientist. "And you know what else we have learned? She is head over heels for you. You were just too much of an imbecile to notice."
Zhu Li rapidly crawled over to his side, applying pressure to the wound and cradling his head. "Varrick, you need to apply pressure here. You hear me? Press against this! And keep your head up! Stay with me!" Her voice was unstable and cracked as she spoke, but she maintained volume and managed to still try and push him to help address his wounds. "Do not close your eyes! Do not!"
"Ahh, love!" the major said. "A dreadful bond, so easily severed, in the words of Davy Jones."
"You! You monster!" Zhu Li cried as Varrick coughed up blood.
"Call me what you like," Jiho sighed, shrugging, "I apparently have accumulated many names over the years. The real issue, Zhu Li, is, what you are going to do now."
"If you think for one second I will-"
"You can save him, you know," the major interrupted, not caring for whatever she was about to say. "Where he's hit, sure, it hurts. A lot. And he will bleed out, and eventually die. But he can still be saved."
Zhu Li looked at Varrick, who squirmed in pain. She knew him to normally be more concerned of his own well being before anyone else's, but this time he was adamant. With a strained, tearful, pleading gaze, he looked into her eyes, "Don't do it," he pleaded, sputtering as he struggled to say the words, "Don't do it, Zhu Li. Don't do it for me. Do not, finish that gun."
Her hands shook and she tried to choke back tears.
"Tick tock, Zhu Li," the Major pressed. "He will bleed out. We still need to move him. He will die on the operating table if you wait any longer."
"Please, Zhu Li," Varrick said, slipping from consciousness. His hands fell by the wayside.
"Varrick?" she called him. "VARRICK!"
Major Choi crouched beside the two of them, opposite Zhu Li. "It's decision making time, Zhu Li. What's it going to be?"
Two tears streamed down her cheeks. Her fists curled and tighten. "Okay," she raggedly agreed through gritted teeth. "I'll do it. But he survives. Got it?" She was on the farthest edges of anger, frustration, and desperation.
Jiho clapped his hands together and then spread his arms wide. "There we go. Glad you can finally see some reason and see things our way! Was that so hard?" He smacked his hands against his knees and pushed himself up waving at the men on standby by the bunker door. "Medics! Let's go! Gunshot wound! Critical condition! Need immediate action!" As the medics ran by with the stretchers he mimicked Zhu Li's words, "He survives, got it?!"
"1…2…3.. Lift!"
"Ahhhh," Jiho let out a long and satisfied sigh amid the heavier falling of snow and the sound of the rescue team shuffling in the snow. "Love and war. Some powerful things, aren't they?"
The band of soldiers, working fast and in unison, quickly hauled Varrick off back into the depths of the former Nazi fortification.
"Be well, Iknik," Zhu Li whispered as she watched them haul him off.
Major Choi spun back to face Zhu Li. "Sooo! Let's have a good look at that weapon, shall we, Doctor Zhu Li?"