The time he had spent in the wilds had made Jeong Jeong unkempt, cold, and uncouth in his manners. Despite this, he was still offered kindness by those he could trust. To his frustration, that mostly consisted of those within the ranks of the Order of the White Lotus. Though the organisation had its roots in Pai Sho, and the conversations that came with it, it had become a fraternity between the nations, and a place for those who wanted reason instead of propaganda and lies. He had made contact with some members in the Earth Kingdom, and explained his situation to them; though they were cautious of aiding him, given the large bounty the Fire Lord had placed on his head, they secured him passage all the way to the Fire Nation colonies.
There he knew a few more people, mostly retired officers and sailors that now lived there; many would be opposed to him because of his apparent treason, but others were like brothers to him. Many he would still trust, even then, but he knew that it would be unwise to make contact with any of them while he was still looking for a place to hide. The wilds were safe, but he wouldn't say he enjoyed it that much. It was peaceful out there, but he was alone, and though he was never the most sociable type, solitude felt wrong after enough time eating game, berries, and nuts. He didn't want to feel like a beast, but a human being.
He knew what he had done, what he and the Fire Nation military were responsible for, and was disgusted by it; perhaps it was his fate to become a wild man, a hermit lost in his own misery. He had enough foresight to see it coming, and wanted to at least avoid it. If he was going to live the rest of his life away from what he had known, he knew he had to do it with purpose.
He had made his way to the colonial town of Kuromizo, which was a fair way inland from the major centres, where his next White Lotus contact awaited. He hadn't been given a name, or a description of the person, for their own safety, but he knew exactly where to find them- the tavern in the centre of town. They were supposedly someone who his other White Lotus contacts thought might sympathise and aid him; that told him his contact was a Fire Nation citizen, and somebody who opposed the war.
However, he doubted his contact had been in the military, as he would have likely already heard of them before, and he didn't know of any high ranking defectors. Major Piandao, who was discharged from the military, was once tried to be forced back into service, a few years before Jeong Jeong's own desertion; that failed, and nothing came of it, presumably because of Iroh's intervention, given that the two knew each other from their time served in the army. His situation was nothing to compare, and Jeong Jeong had even considered going to him for help in disappearing, but he knew that going to the homeland was a dangerous endeavour he'd prefer to avoid.
The tavern was busy, making it hard for him to identify the White Lotus contact, so he decided to go over to the bar and get a drink. Since he had deserted from the navy, he had cut off his topknot and let his hair fall over his face in a moppish cut, making his face quite different from the one on bounty posters he had seen on his journey to the colonies. He would have tried to grow out his beard, but Jeong Jeong had always had wispy facial hair, making it a challenge to have any more than a moustache and thin goatee, which he already had when he deserted.
He sat himself down on a stool, and tapped on the bar, getting the barkeep's attention; he strode over to him, and pulled out a ceramic cup, "What can I get you?" he asked, and Jeong Jeong gestured to the bottle of rice wine that sat on a shelf behind the barkeep.
He nodded, understanding the request, and grabbed the bottle before he gestured a hand over, "That would be forty ban for the whole bottle." he suggested, and Jeong Jeong shrugged.
"I'll take it." he decided, knowing he had a decent amount of money to spare; he had only just been paid when he fled the encampment, taking with him a month's worth of pay, which given his rank as an Admiral, was more than enough to cover living expenses for a vagrant for a year at least.
An expensive bottle of rice wine would certainly be spending above what he ought to for the day, but he had little care for how much he spent, given he wasn't using that much money on each given day. He would stay in taverns, or sleep rough, the latter reminding him of his days in the academy when they were trained for survival situations and to be ready to live ou on the frontlines; as a navy officer, he had little fear of being out in the sticks when he had his ship, but accidents happened, so he had to be prepared anyway.
He gave the barkeep the money required, and got the bottle in exchange; he didn't waste a moment, pouring himself a cup, before glancing around the busy establishment; that was when he noticed a well kempt man, around his own age, sitting in the corner of the seating area, at a table with a Pai Sho board. That was almost certainly his contact, and Jeong Jeong got up, pacing over to him carefully as he made sure not to spill his drink, and remain out of anyone's attention. He didn't know who had been looking at the posters, and would certainly not enjoy running for his life out of the town.
He reached the contact, and eyed him, "I would ask for a game, but I am tired, and know that you are who I am here to meet." he acknowledged, wanting to bypass the formality of asking for a game and doing the white lotus gambit, the traditional way of revealing one's membership in their organisation.
"I am not one to stand on ceremony either." he acknowledged, "I was told that you would come here to me." he explained, narrowing his eyes, "Admiral." he gave his title, indicating that he knew who he was.
"You aren't working for the Intelligence Service, are you?" he asked as he sat himself down across from the contact.
"Do you take me for a spy?" he asked, opening his arms, "I am a frank man."
"Well, if you know my name, I feel obliged to ask for yours." Jeong Jeong decided, not knowing who he was looking at.
"I don't need to tell you my name." he raised his right index finger, before pulling the sleeve down with his left hand; that revealed a small but distinctive tattoo on the inner side of his wrist; it was an abstract marking, but he recognised the shape as a character: 'eye'.
"Well, I don't know who the Fire Lord would want dead more." he admitted with a whisper, realising that he was a former member of the Open Eyes; Jeong Jeong thought former as the group was known to have been purged and wiped out, many of its members tortured to reveal the identities of their allies, who were tortured or executed in turn.
There was a significant number of people in the military who were members or associated with the organisation; he had lost a few friends, who were either thrown in prison or executed for their associations, and at the time, felt frustrated by the overzealous response of the Fire Lord towards dissent. It was not a primary motivation for his own defection, but his distaste towards the government was intensified by those events. He realised what those people had died for now that he had chosen the same path, against the war, and grimaced.
"This is why they wanted me to meet you." he realised, before sighing, "You aren't planning something, are you?"
"I tried before." he acknowledged, "I didn't prefer violence. In a just world, the Crown Prince would have taken our side, and helped us remake the world."
"I have the same issue with him." he acknowledged, knowing that Iroh had been his friend for many years, but he had become angry with him for his inaction; how he had dealt with the Open Eyes, in hindsight, was frustrating, as if he had simply let his father die, he would already be Fire Lord, and could make the changes Jeong Jeong knew he desired, "Unlike you, I know him quite personally."
"I would prefer not to." the stranger commented with a snide look, before sighing, "What do you want to do now, now that you have left your old life in the firepit?"
"Make peace with myself." he admitted the honest truth, "I cannot stand the man I once was, or the world as it is, so I want to leave it behind. I want to try and make something better."
"That will not be easy. I'm sure you will never forget." he warned him, "The many terrible things the Fire Nation has done, and you were her instrument."
"I have no intention to forget. That would make me a fool... remembering is what drives me to be better." he argued, before narrowing his eyes, "But, I have a feeling you might have some advice. Were you there, in the capital?"
"Yes." he confirmed, before his eyes went down, "I had no intention of fighting. I wanted to try and call on the people... and people came. They wanted the Fire Lord to try and reconsider the war and its goals. Not all of them would agree with my ideal of peace, but all wanted things to change. And the Home Guard brutalised them; burned, beat, and imprisoned. I barely escaped, and not unscathed." he told his story, before he cringed, looking saddened.
"Then they came for us. My brothers and sisters... so many died. Our leader fell there on that day, defiant to his last breath. I have had to hide for two long years... more of my friends have been lost, and others have given up." he acknowledged, before gesturing to Jeong Jeong, "I don't seek to remake... that organisation. I want to try and do more than they ever did. For the good of all people."
"Do more?" Jeong Jeong raised a brow, "What more could you do that you haven't already tried?"
"Things I would prefer not to say in a crowded tavern." he admitted, "I know you could use some help disappearing. I could help you with that." he turned the topic back to his goals, "I have friends in the colonies here. Some in our organisation, some formerly in mine... all could help you find a new place to call home. Papers, a job. All could be given."
"Is there something you want in exchange? You don't strike me as the kind of man to give a stranger all he needs."
"Oh, but I would." he assured him, "Freedom is man's greatest gift. It is the thing that I have always aspired to; the shackles of the war, of all this pointless violence, and of the oppression our rulers have put upon us, it is what I have wanted to rid myself and every person of."
"That is an admirable ideal." he acknowledged, "I would prefer more that justice comes. Whether it is by the hands of man, or the hands of the Avatar, the Fire Nation will eventually learn its mistake."
"Freedom and justice come hand in hand." the stranger argued, and smiled, "Now, I do want to ask, would you help me?"
"Do what, exactly? I burned most of the bridges that might have been of use to you."
"You are a master firebender. I heard you used to instruct firebending students at the naval academy." he acknowledged, "That kind of skill is not something to be trifled with."
"Do you want me to train your people?" he asked him bluntly, knowing that he must have been trying to reorganise the Open Eyes into a new organisation; he had figured from the stranger's words that he had been trying to recruit more people to his cause, both inside the White Lotus and outside of it.
"Not necessarily." the stranger raised his hand, and gestured to his hands, "You are a capable fighter in and of yourself. If it had been you in the palace... things might have gone very differently."
"I want peace, not more violence... even if I agree with your aims, I can't say I want to help you destroy our mutual enemies."
"And what if they come for you?" he countered, the deserter narrowing his eyes.
"They will, eventually... but I will kill them, if I must. I would prefer to run."
"What is the difference between ending someone's life sooner or later if you were going to do it anyway?" he posed his words back at him as a moral dilemma; Jeong Jeong scoffed, as he had already had similar arguments with Iroh.
"They won't be the same people." he retorted, dismissing his faulty logic, before sighing, knowing he ought to at least address the point, "I do not seek out violence. I will not."
The stranger crossed his arms, "And then, what will you do?"
"Help those I can. You could try the same." he argued, knowing that the stranger had the same ideals he did, even if he came to different conclusions, "There are many things you could do without fighting."
"That is true." he acknowledged, stroking his beard in thought, "But I must do something, eventually. Everything I do is in service of bringing people to liberate themselves."
"And I have... I need not fight any longer." he argued, "Why not leave the Fire Nation behind, go find some place to live out your ideals?"
"Because the Fire Nation would find us and destroy us... the Air Nomads have given us that lesson already." he warned him, crossing his arms, "I do not hope to change a few people's minds... I want everyone to see the truth."
"You can't persuade everyone." Jeong Jeong retorted, "Not at least those people who will fight you."
"It's not about them, it's about the people they've subjugated. Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, Water Tribe. We're all the same. Pieces in a single set." he gestured to the bag of Pai Sho pieces he had, "Our enemies are the players."
Jeong Jeong furrowed a brow and nodded, understanding his rationale, "You might be able to persuade them to rise up against the Fire Lord. As you claim you did in your prior organisation." he noted quietly, and the stranger smirked.
"I intend to, but that requires conditions befitting a revolution." he acknowledged, before narrowing his eyes, "The other nations need to join us."
"What, the Fire Nation?" he asked, amused by the fact he was replicating the mindset of Fire Lord Sozin, "That's what Sozin said."
"No, not like that... they will see another way to govern themselves. The shackles of the Dai Li and Earth King will be removed." he argued, before narrowing his eyes, "A Fire Nation conquest would presumably make that easier to achieve."
"What, because they'd rise up more easily against occupiers than their own people?" Jeong Jeong guessed, and the stranger shrugged.
"They might." he acknowledged, "The injustices our nation has wrought will be recognised for what they are. The anger will be rightly directed at those that have inflicted it upon the world." he argued, keeping his voice quiet, though he sounded a little excited.
Jeong Jeong raised a hand up, "I haven't said that I will aid your... grand aspirations."
"I know, but that doesn't matter. I simply know that you may choose a side when the conflict is presented before you." he explained, narrowing his eyes, "And I expect you to choose the right one."
"Why would this conflict come to me?" he asked, and the stranger chuckled.
"Because you are in the White Lotus, and now, everyone in our organisation that disdains the Fire Nation's policies will look to you for leadership."
"I can't lead an organisation that simply facilitates discussion. I can speak my mind, but I doubt that will get you what you want." he argued, knowing that he wasn't going to tell people to try and fight the Fire Nation; subtly undermine it, perhaps, and try and bring awareness to the public about the crimes they had committed, but no more than that.
The stranger sighed, seeming disappointed, and he pulled out a letter from his robes, "Take this."
"Why?" he asked, feeling like he ought to ask him after all the things he had said.
"It's just directions. Somebody I trust is at this location. Tell them Xai Bau sent you." he explained, and Jeong Jeong narrowed his eyes.
"That's your name?" he presumed, and the stranger nodded.
"It is." he confirmed, "This contact has supplies that he can provide, and some more directions. There are some areas in the frontier that are lacking in both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom troops... effectively no man's land."
"That does sound better than trying my luck in the colonies." he conceded, taking the letter into his hand, and slipped it into his robes, "Your contact... how do you know them?"
"They're not Fire Nation." he clarified, "I met them when I was still trying to uncover the truth about the war... when I was much younger and quite foolish."
"Hm." Jeong Jeong mumbled, "Well, I thank you for your assistance, Xai Bau. I will not forget this."
"I am glad." he smiled at him, though Jeong Jeong was unsure if he was making a genuine smile or just trying to be polite; he gestured down to the table, "So, will you indulge me with a game?"
"I prefer this over a real war." he gestured to the table, and Xai Bau made a small snicker.
"If only everyone felt the same."
Flames were engulfing homes, and people were screaming frantically; Fat was right, the war had never come to Fire Nation shores, but now it was staring right into the faces of the people. Piandao was helping who he could, the elderly and young who were confused and afraid, aiding them in getting away from the town centre, which was swamped by a fast growing fire. The people knew him well, and were thankful for his assistance, and some of the more able members of the community pitched in, either helping people get out of their houses, or by putting out the flames themselves.
However, it was only a matter of time before Piandao came face to face with those who were responsible for the inferno. Near the centre of Shu Jing, where the town market was located, he spotted them, a group of masked fighters, some of them firebenders, others wielding weapons. They were holding a number of people hostage, clearly with the intent to draw him out. He knew that those innocents were in danger of the flames engulfing them, and if they could not firebend, they would have no chance of escaping with their lives.
"The indomitable Piandao!" one of the fighters addressed him, flames coursing from her hands, "We've been waiting patiently for you, but now, your time is up. Face us, or these people will die."
"I know who you are." he retorted, raising his jian up, "You claim to be protecting the Fire Nation, yet here you are, threatening the lives of innocents to try and catch one man."
"And his butler." one of the fighters added, pointing their finger at Fat, "He'll be dying today as well."
"Ha, I wish you the best of luck with your endeavour." the butler sarcastically retorted, readying his own jian, "Just say the word, Master, and I'll cut them down like bamboo."
"Not yet, I want to know why we're being targeted." he warned him quietly, before striding towards the fighters and the hostages that they held, "What do you want?!"
"To see you hang, old man." the leader acknowledged, before shooting a fire stream from her fist; he weaved out of the way of the crude attack, and let out a sigh.
"I want some more specifics." he warned them, before rushing at the fighters; one of them, who was wielding a jian like himself, rushed forward to block his attack, and Piandao easily countered the blow, before tripping the jian-wielder over.
He grunted as his mask struck the cobbled ground beneath, and Piandao kicked him in the solar plexus to make sure he stayed down, "Let the people go!" he demanded, "If you want to live, that is." he warned them, and two of the fighters grabbed the hostages, and shoved them forward, between Piandao and themselves.
When they had the opening, the hostages ran frantically, nodding at the swordmaster as they came past him, "Fat, make sure they get away from the fire safely." he ordered the butler, knowing he would have to focus on the fighters instead of their safety; Fat complied, and with that, Piandao could focus all his attention on the people who had come to destroy his town, "Well then, are you going to tell me why you're here? What crimes do I stand accused of?"
"Serving a terrorist organisation." the leader declared, before rushing at him with flame covered fists, "So, you will die, traitor!"
He weaved out of the way of her fists, and slashed his blade up her right arm, observing it was her dominant side; she cringed in pain, but lunged her left hand forward, grabbing his forearm with her flame covered fist; luckily his armour covered that part of his body, but not nearly enough to stop it from burning his skin. He grit his teeth, and slashed his sword across her legs, forcing her to her knees, before he kneed her in the head.
"Not today." he refused to die, before eyeing the other fighters, "Did Ozai send me his best, or just the biggest fanatics?"
"You can't beat us all." another fighter declared, spinning around a pair of dao swords; Piandao was just relieved he had done some training with Zuko before the Prince left the estate, leaving him more than equipped to handle another dao-wielder.
He rushed at the swordmaster, who blocked the two swords, before forcing them apart; he thrust his blade through the opening, his opponent leaning to the side to avoid getting stabbed in the throat. Instead, his mask was slashed, and he didn't relent to one of the fighters declared; she was wielding a guandao, and swung it at his head, forcing him to weave back, narrowly avoiding his throat being slit. The dao wielder swung his swords down hard on his jian, almost disarming Piandao, but he dropped with the blow, before slashing the man's shins.
He let out a cry of pain, and the swordmaster was forced to remain low as a flurry of fireballs were sent his way. Two firebenders came at him from opposing sides, and he was forced to lunge and weave out of the way of their attacks, before he got close enough to one of them, slashing their dominant arm before he elbowed them in the gut.
"You rely too much on offence." he critiqued his fighting style, something he was more than comfortable with when it came to his students, so it came naturally in the heat of battle.
"Shut up, old man!" he retorted with a snarl, and tried to punch him in the face with his left hand.
Piandao weaved out of the way of that attack, but didn't have much reprieve, as the other firebender was coming at him with both hands covered in flames. He dropped to the ground, letting his flames hit his comrade instead of his target; that almost made him laugh, and when the firebender was trying to put out the flames on his comrade's robes, Piandao took the opportunity to strike, slashing his blade across his chest before kicking him to the ground.
The dao wielder had recovered by then, as had the leader of the group, both of whom tried to rush him with flame and sword. The latter was stopped by Fat, who had already returned to the fold, swinging his jian into her side, slashing up it, making her cry out with pain and lurch over to try and stop the bleeding. The dao wielder was lucky he was out of Fat's reach, but when his blades clashed with Piandao's own, he didn't relent to drop, allowing the force of the strike to drop the dao to the ground. With his opponent wide open, he slashed across his chest and mask, breaking it in two, and presumably cutting his face, as he reached for it and dropped his swords in the process.
"Enough of this!" the leader declared with a snarl as she rose back to her feet, having cauterised the wounds on her side with her firebending, "Take them!" she ordered her men.
Piandao and Fat were back to back, the fighters surrounding them both, and he turned to eye his butler, "Together." he told him, and his butler just smirked, before spinning his jian around, blocking a sword that came his way.
The swordmaster blocked a guandao, which was swung at his head, and parried it out of the way. A fire blast followed, and he was able to cut right through it with his sword, and ducked to miss the embers that remained. When the firebender tried again, she found her hands slashed open by the tip of his blade, before he swept her right off her feet with a low kick.
Piandao swung his jian up, blocking the next swing of the guandao, before he weaved out of the way of the following attack; he lunged instead at a neighbouring fighter, who threw up his hands to protect himself with firebending. The wall of flames was only fire, and he could cut through it with ease, slashing his opponent across the chest. He groaned with pain, and stumbled back. Piandao would have tried to knock him unconscious, but knew the guandao wielder wasn't going to relent.
She lunged at him again with her blade, and he somersaulted to dodge that blow, before spinning himself around to parry the next one. The two blades clashed, but the guandao wielder was fast enough to pull her blade down low and slash at Piandao's leg. That was the first cut that any of his opponents had made during the fight; he had had a good run, but was outmatched by the pure speed of his opponent. He turned around, and let Fat handle her for a few moments, parrying her blows again and again, before he was able to trip her up and force her to the ground.
He knew he would have to tend to the wound on his leg, but decided instead to go for the leader once more, hoping that he could either force her to surrender, or kill her and force the others to flee out of fear. So, Piandao lunged at her with his blade, and slashed at her arm; she threw a fireball at his head reflexively, but he weaved under it, before smacking her in the side of the head with the hilt of his jian. She fell back to the ground, and he held his sword at her neck.
"Give up, and I'll let you live." he warned his opponent, who readjusted her mask, before covering her palms with fire.
"Die, traitor!" she exclaimed, and he flicked the blade up, slashing through her mask before he kicked her in the gut.
He ignored her thereafter, swinging his blade around to block a dao wielder who came at him, before slashing said fighter across his calves, making him fall to his knees. He knocked him out, but was concerned to see Fat get forced to the ground, by the guandao wielder, who had recovered from being knocked down herself. He watched as she spun the guandao around in her hand, and shifted her footing as she held it over him, the blade covering her forward facing leg and within an easy reach of Fat's own jian. That was when he recognised the form, and he was quite concerned, because he was the one who invented it- she was one of his students.
"I see you still have your touch, Miyako." Fat addressed her, and she let out a shout of frustration, swinging the guandao at him; Piandao interceded, blocking the blow, and turned his eyes up to the mask covering her face.
"What in the name of the spirits are you doing serving Ozai?" he asked her, and the other fighters stepped around them.
"Yeah, what's he saying, Miyako? You know the traitor?" one of the fighters, a firebender, questioned her.
"Well, I could only keep up the facade for so long." she admitted, before slashing that firebender's throat open, the blood splattering over Piandao's own face.
He closed his eyes and sighed, realising that he was involved in something more complicated than he had initially anticipated.
"What are you doing?" Fat questioned her, "These are-"
"Agents of Ozai." she addressed their identities, "And I brought them here." she confirmed his suspicions; Piandao didn't know why she'd act against him, but he was sure that would be revealed in time, assuming she didn't try to kill him again.
"Traitor!" one of them accused her, having taken a few moments to comprehend the fact she killed one of them.
She blocked his own blade, before disarming the man, "I never liked any of you."
Piandao grimaced, but decided to aid her, knowing that one opponent would be easier to handle than a dozen. He spun around, blocking a jian that was swung his way; he parried a few blows before slashing the wielder's arm, disarming him of his blade. Miyako didn't hesitate to swing her guandao out, and slashed across the man's guts. Piandao grimaced at the sight, but had little time to focus on the brutality as a firebender tried to set his face on fire. He spun his sword around, blocking the firebender's forearms as they reached at him; he had some steel gauntlets protecting his arms, but that wouldn't help when the hilt of the jian broke his mask and forced him back. Fat tripped the man over, before stabbing him in the gut.
The swordmaster spun around, blocking another wielder of a guandao, but he was easy to disarm. Piandao simply had to parry the polearm and slice the pole itself in twain, leaving him with nothing more than a crude quarterstaff. He tried to use it to jab him, but Piandao just parried that blow and slashed the man's forearm, forcing him to drop it. He then kicked him over, making him fall into a burning market stall. Another firebender rushed at him, only to find himself disembowelled by Miyako's guandao. A few more fighters had tried to flee, only to be cut down by Miyako's guandao and Fat's jian; the leader stood defiant, however, and had her hands covered with flames.
"I will end you, traitor, and bring the Fire Lord your head." she declared, her words clearly addressed towards Miyako, and not Piandao or his butler.
"He isn't the Fire Lord yet, moron." she warned her, and that seemed to enrage the already furious firebender further.
She rushed at his former student, who gracefully dodged the flaming fist before smacking her in the side with the blunt end of the polearm. Miyako wasn't able to block the next blow, which consisted of a fireball to the gut, before she set her mask alight. With her attention diverted, she ripped the guandao from her grip and tried to burn her face off. Piandao, despite his misgivings about the young woman, knew he had to save her. He threw his jian into the firebender's gut, making her cry out in pain as she lurched back. He then slashed up her side, making her fall back and groan in pain. She didn't last much longer, as Miyako quickly threw off her mask, grabbed the guandao and impaled her superior with it.
With her dead, only the flames around could threaten them; his former student eyed him with contempt, and kept her polearm ready, "Are you going to attack me, Master?"
"That depends." he admitted, raising his jian up, "Why did you send those agents here to die? You knew I'd win."
"I did." she confirmed his suspicions, "But, I was the one sent here to kill you, not them." she acknowledged.
"Why?" Fat pressed her, "Master Piandao helped you... in quite a terrible time, I might recall. Why would you betray him like this?"
"I didn't do shit." she retorted coldly, "As you can see, I just scratched him." she gestured to him, before raising her hands up, gesturing to the destruction that surrounded them, "But I did prove my theory. You aren't as big of a coward as you make yourself out to be, Master."
"I never said I was a coward. I simply prefer to avoid fighting... and I do not fight for the Fire Nation, not any more." he explained his mindset, before narrowing his eyes, "Who sent you here? You clearly were just stringing Ozai's lackeys along."
"You haven't figured it out yet?" she scoffed, before revealing a white lotus piece, stained in blood; she flipped it in the air, before grabbing it before it fell back down, "You were the one who introduced me to the Order."
"Master." Fat spoke up, "Your... your theory." he reminded him of what they were discussing back at the estate.
He realised what he meant, and grit his teeth, "How could Xai Bau betray us?"
"Us?" she scoffed, "If you forget, the White Lotus has bent itself to the will of Fire Lord Iroh and those who want to maintain the disgusting way the world is run." she argued; the worst bit was, Piandao couldn't even disagree with her.
He wanted the White Lotus to serve the greater good, and despite his intentions, Iroh was not truly serving the good of all people. He wanted to maintain his power and create a new, peaceful world, in his own image. That was admirable, but it was despotic; he and his family had brought ruin to the world, and even if he recognised it, he wasn't going to make the changes that many in their Order would like to see, not to mention the unrepresented masses who were the ones who truly suffered because of the war.
"You're right." he admitted, "But I want to try and shape things for the better. I don't have much power or influence, but I have taught people, tried to guide them towards a better way."
"You have." Miyako smiled at him, which reminded him of why he had taught her; she was always hopeful and despite the grief she felt about her past, she had always persevered, "I'm offering you a chance to join us, Master."
"Join Xai Bau, and do what, exactly? Aid Ozai... because that's all he seemed to have done so far."
"The longer this war in the Fire Nation persists, the better a chance the people will have to free themselves. Here, and in the other nations too." she argued, "Now the Avatar is back... and maybe he'll give people the hope they need to do something about their servitude."
"I don't think an Air Nomad will agree with your plans." he warned her, before crossing his arms, "But you do realise this will only cause suffering to the people here, right? The people you're trying to help."
"They can only help themselves." she retorted, "And if it is their suffering, or the suffering of all people, I chose them." she framed her logic, before turning around, "I assume you won't come along."
"Somebody needs my help." he admitted, knowing that the Prince would need his guidance and assistance to defeat his father; even if he knew that the Fire Nation was rotten to its core, he could not give up when hope still existed for it.
"I hope they are worth it. I won't be coming back here again." she warned him, "Tell the Fire Lord whatever you like, he won't find me." she warned him, before narrowing her eyes, "We won't need to kill him, if that's what you were worried about."
"The Open Eyes already tried that." Piandao reminded her, "Did your new master not tell you about that?"
"Oh, he did. He's going to finish what they started." she declared, "Not for the Fire Nation, but for us all."
"All this violence will get us nowhere, Miyako." Fat warned her, "You would best reconsider what you want to achieve."
"I know what I want... I just need to act to achieve it." she argued, before dashing off into the flames.
Piandao let out a sigh, and glanced up to the evening sky above.
"Spirits, how am I going to explain this to Zuko?"
Katara was frustrated; even though she was happy she was learning something at the North Pole, healing was only one aspect of waterbending. The part that she had always wanted to learn was how to fight. Her brother had his spear, club, and boomerang, and she had her water; the difference had always been that their father could show Sokka how to fight with weapons, and it was easy enough for him to figure it out on his own. Waterbending was completely different. She had never had a teacher, and even those that knew of waterbending couldn't provide her with the instructions she needed. All their benders had been taken by the Fire Nation, more than a generation before she was even born.
Now, she had come all the way there, believing that she would be able to learn waterbending, when in fact, women were barred from combat. The sexist attitudes reminded her of how her brother had acted to her in the past, except, Sokka had never denied she was able to fight. He never liked waterbending, but that had nothing to do with her, and more so with what it had done to their family. Katara was more than cognizant of that fact; her mother had died for her, and that was because she was a waterbender. To be refused to learn how to waterbend in its whole was tantamount to insulting her actions, and that was why anger was bubbling beneath. It was not merely that she wanted to waterbend, but she needed to help Aang bring peace to the Four Nations, and without her being taught how to waterbend, that would be more than challenging.
Her brother had arrived back at the place they were staying in, and he was in a bad mood; perhaps he was being mistreated by the Northerners, though she doubted that. Sokka was smart, and he knew how to fight; if he was going to train alongside them, he would have an advantage given that unlike anyone in the Northern Water Tribe, he'd actually faced the Fire Nation in combat.
"How's the warrior training going?" she decided to ask him, and he kicked his bag, clearly in frustration.
"That bad?" Aang asked, cringing in sympathy.
"No, it's Princess Yue. I don't get it, one minute she wants to go out with me, and the next, she's telling me to get lost." he explained, before eyeing Aang, "So how's waterbending training?"
"Master Poophead won't teach her because she's a girl." he grumbled, indicating that he was nearly as annoyed as she was about the situation.
"Why don't you just teach her, Aang?" he asked him, stating something that was quite an obvious solution in hindsight, and Katara grinned.
"Why didn't I think of that?" she exclaimed, "At night you can teach me whatever moves you learn from Master Pakku! That way, you have someone to practise with, and I get to learn waterbending! Everyone's happy!" she explained her idea, and her brother scrunched his lips.
"I'm not happy." he grumbled, and Katara dismissed that out of hand; he was never in a good mood, but at least, some of their problems could be solved, and easily at that.
"But you're never happy." she reminded him, and stood up, gesturing for Aang to follow, "Come on, Aang."
"I don't-" he began, sounding uncertain of himself, "Master Pakku already told me not to do this." he admitted, and Katara chuckled.
"And do you think he's got people spying on us to make sure I don't..." she began, before bending some snow from outside into their accommodation, "Bend water in an aggressive way? Ooh... I'm gonna smother you with snow." she joked, and Sokka snickered.
"Heh, you've got a point." he agreed, "Don't worry about it Aang." he reassured their friend, "As long as you go somewhere private, I'm sure you'll be fine."
"You could say the same about you and Princess Yue." Katara prodded her brother, whose eyebrow twitched.
"Yeah, thanks for the advice." he sarcastically accepted her words, and Katara stepped outside, throwing away the snow.
Aang followed after her and closed the door, "So... uh, Sokka said somewhere private."
"Yeah, I know a spot near the canal. Lots of water for us to bend there." she suggested, and Aang glanced around.
"I mean, we're surrounded by water." he observed, and she waved off his comment.
"It's pretty reclusive." she argued, "Trust me."
He nodded, and followed after her. She led them down along the street towards the canals, and made her way down a staircase, which took them down to their level. Katara gestured around, indicating that they were out of view from the major pathways, and he nodded in approval, before pacing closer to the water.
"So, what can you teach me?" she asked, and Aang scrunched his lips.
"Okay, well, we've been learning about bending passively." he explained, gesturing towards the water, before he bent some out of the canal, and into his hands, "Waterbending isn't just about turning water around... you have to be able to bend it whenever it comes your way." he told her what he had learned, before bending the water at her; she reached her hands forward, and took control of the water, bending it around herself into the shape of a water whip.
She then turned that back at Aang, flicking it in his direction; he was able to disperse it away, turning the water into snow, which dropped down in front of him.
"So, what else have you learnt? I hope there's some actual moves." she admitted her feelings, and Aang nodded.
"Yeah, there are. Uh... let's see." he mumbled, before bending some more water out of the canal, "This is what he calls a water cloak." he explained, bending the water into a thin sheet in front of himself.
The sheet was very thin, glimmering from the moonlight, and it seemed to be moving, though it remained stationary in front of Aang. He raised it over his head, and gestured for her to try and bend at him.
She pulled up two masses of water, and shot them at his 'cloak' in quick succession, the blobs of water splattering and causing apparently no effect. Aang smiled, and stepped closer to her.
"I'm bending the water into a really thin sheet, a bit like a sword or a knife." he explained, "If I make it shake fast, it stops other waterbending attacks." he explained, and Katara's eyes widened.
"Wait, it's..." she mumbled, moving her face closer to see that the sheet was in fact vibrating, though it was almost imperceptible, "It is vibrating."
She pulled out some water, and bent into the shape she saw before her, and began to vibrate it slowly. The shaking caused the water to sputter and break apart, which frustrated her.
"Urgh." she mumbled, "How do you do it?"
"You have to be calm." he explained, "It's like playing an instrument... once you get it, you get it."
She hummed in thought, realising the analogy was useful. She imagined as if the water was some kind of drum that was being tapped softly but in rapid succession. Katara drew out another mass of water and tried again, making it as thin as she possibly could, before beginning to tap at it in her mind. She began to twitch her hand, shaking it almost like she was shivering from the cold.
It broke apart again, and Aang gave her a reassuring smile, "You're not just gonna get it the first time."
"I know." she agreed with his point, and took out a deep breath, before clearing her mind.
She had to focus solely on the water, and on nothing else. She bent what was left in front of her back up, and formed it back into a sheet, before breathing out. She breathed in again, and began to shake her hand again, imagining she was tapping on a drum. That seemed to work, and the sheet began to glimmer and shake, but only so much that it wouldn't get out of her control. Aang smiled at her achievement and bent up a water whip, trying to smack the sheet; when he struck it, the sheet didn't move, and the whip just deflected off and broke apart.
"You've got it." he realised, before reaching a hand forward to try and bend the sheet directly; that caused it to explode, almost instantly, splattering both of them with water.
He stumbled back, and fell on his backside, making Katara laugh, wiping the water from her face.
"I guess that's one way to get rid of it." she realised, before offering him a hand, "How about something else?"
"Alright." he nodded, and bent the water out of his monk robes, before tossing it back into the canal, making a soft splash.
She cringed at the noise, realising it might have gotten somebody's attention, though they'd already been making a bit of noise with their training so far.
"Okay, what's next?" she asked him, and Aang pulled out some water.
"Master Pakku said this move is all about sinking and floating." he explained the idea behind the form, before sending the water her way.
She bent it into her grasp, slowing it's motion, as if it were swinging from some unseen rope, rising up towards her face; then suddenly, the water flew up, Katara thinking that Aang might have bent it, but his hands were already down.
"That was amazing!" he exclaimed, and Katara felt uneasy, realising it wasn't either of them that had bent the water.
"It wasn't me." she admitted, her eyes turning up to the water, seeing that it was above them, by the bridge, where Master Pakku was standing.
Katara might have cursed, but was left speechless as she watched him freeze the water, which shattered apart into ice crystals. He dropped them at her feet, and Aang stepped closer, seeming as afraid as she was.
"I was just showing Katara a few moves." he defended his actions, but it didn't seem like the clearly furious master would have a bar of it.
"You have disrespected me, my teachings, and my entire culture." he made his feelings clear, and Aang's expression shifted to a pleading one.
"I'm sorry, I..." he began, struggling to find his words.
"You are no longer welcome as my student." he declared, making an immediate punishment; despite the unfairness of the entire situation, she knew that Aang hadn't really wanted to train her, because he feared the very thing that had just happened.
"It was my idea!" she tried to shift the blame, knowing that Aang needed to learn waterbending more than she did; that uncomfortable truth needed to be confronted, and it was the reality of the situation that made her feel it all the more starkly.
It was grossly unfair that she was being refused by the waterbending master to begin with, but Aang was the Avatar; there was nobody else who would be capable of teaching him. They might be able to find some other waterbender who was well-versed in her element, but she doubted they would have the knowledge and training skills that Pakku had.
"You both need to learn this lesson." he retorted coldly, and began walking away.
"Stop!" Aang shouted at him, "You told me that I need to master waterbending!"
"And that's your problem now." he declared, not even giving Aang a glance as he spoke.
Katara was already angry enough herself, but it seemed that Aang and Pakku had spoken about something before, which was now making Aang inconsolable in his anger. She had only seen him that mad a few times, and it was only with good reason that he ever felt that way.
"Don't walk away!" he shouted up at the bridge, before shooting himself up onto the bridge with his airbending; Katara was forced to follow by taking the stairs, and by the time she had caught up, she could see that Pakku had trapped Aang's hands in two pillars of ice, before he could reach him.
"What are you doing?!" she exclaimed, pulling some water from the canal, ready to fight Pakku if he was going to threaten Aang like that.
"The boy's having a tantrum." he warned her, before gesturing to Aang, "Now, I never took an Air Nomad for somebody to lose his temper."
"I thought you understood." he mumbled, before gritting his teeth, "Do you know what will happen?" he asked him, and the waterbending master crossed his arms.
"Do you mean if I don't teach you?" he asked, and scoffed, "You clearly can learn together with your friend here... if you're so confident you can undermine my authority, then you don't need my training."
"Ozai!" he shouted out a name, which Katara didn't recognise immediately, before recalling that was the name of Princess Azula's father, the brother of the reigning Fire Lord, "What do you think he'll do once he's done with the Earth Kingdom?"
"He isn't in charge." Pakku retorted, and Aang sighed.
"Avatar Roku told me that he is a threat to the world." he told him, Katara knowing that wasn't a farce; his face said everything, "He's going to destroy the other nations. What's happened to Katara's tribe, that'll happen here. My people." he explained himself, the anger rising in his voice.
"The Northern Water Tribe has held off Fire Nation forays for decades. I doubt that will change anytime soon." he warned him, before releasing the ice pillars, making Aang fall on his face.
As he got up, he was no less frustrated, "Don't you get it?!" he shouted at him, "You need to teach me. I need to master the elements!" he exclaimed, "I was trying to avoid my duties... but I can't do that anymore. I am the Avatar."
"Being the Avatar doesn't make you unpunishable." Pakku retorted, and Aang grit his teeth; he looked ready to swear, though Katara was pretty sure as a twelve year old innocent boy, he didn't know any curse words.
"I- I should be punished!" he declared, raising his hands up, "Not for teaching her, for letting everyone down! This is my fault. I could have just stayed at the temple... and maybe I could have stopped Sozin."
"I doubt you would have." the waterbending master noted poignantly, before sighing, "This is a lesson you need to learn, Aang." he stressed, before continuing away.
Aang just stood there solemnly, and Katara approached, seeing that he was close to crying.
"Why..." he mumbled quietly, "It's so unfair."
"Life is unfair." she admitted, placing a hand on his shoulder, "We need to make it fair."
He wiped the tear from his cheek, and turned his eyes up to meet her own.
"Y-yeah, we do."
Zuko knew his uncle well. He was probably the person in the world he understood the most, despite not having seen or even heard about most of the important things that had happened in his life. He knew he had served in the army and fought for his nation loyally, but more than that, he knew that he had interests beyond fighting and dare he say, tea-making.
He wanted to see peace achieved truly, and for the people of the Four Nations to actually understand each other. Though Zuko was not as onboard with his uncle's plans for the future as he might have wanted him to be, he did not think he was taking the wrong path. The Fire Nation had spent years fighting a war that had only brought them the ire of the other nations, and the expenses of occupying one of those nations, which hated them terribly.
However, he didn't expect his uncle to be so frustrated by the news he had received; perhaps it was because he truly believed in the ideals of the White Lotus, and was frustrated to see them skewed in such a way. Zuko barely understood the organisation, but given his uncle's plans, he could deduce the principles by which they stood. He couldn't argue against them, though he was a bit sceptical at the idea of trusting their former enemies, even if those in the White Lotus were apparently more reasonable and open-minded when it came to relations between the nations.
"Xai Bau." he uttered the name of the man who had betrayed him; whether it could really be seen as a betrayal was a question that Zuko had considered since he learned of the man's duplicity against his own organisation, "He calls himself a man of peace, yet... he does this?"
From what he understood, he had never been a fan of Iroh, and had held a grudge against him; that was what Piandao had said in his letter, and Zuko knew that his master would never lie. He was rather impartial when it came to his descriptions, telling him that he didn't even necessarily dislike Xai Bau, nor did he disdain Iroh for his acts as a General and now as the Fire Lord. Xai Bau himself was a danger to the Royal Family, but he could say the same about every other surviving member of the Open Eyes. They appeared to have reconstituted themselves to an astounding success within the White Lotus, subverting the organisation for their own ends.
"He wants peace... just not yours." Zuko observed, the blunt words cutting his uncle.
"I know that, Nephew." he retorted, his words almost cold, rather than annoyed or amused by his jab, "The Fire Nation stands in opposition to his goals, so he is actively trying to fan the flames of war. My people will suffer for this, and I can't do anything to stop him."
"I can catch him." Zuko argued, and Iroh shook his head.
"I doubt that." he disagreed with his claim; Zuko admittedly didn't know how well-organised and hidden his operatives were, so he couldn't really make such a claim, but he felt obliged to- Iroh had placed him to lead the Intelligence Service, so he needed to do his job.
"Uncle-"
"I mean no offence, but you underestimate him. The Open Eyes were shattered, but lived, because of his actions. I know this because some of his comrades are still... well, partial to me. They know that I intend to achieve their original aims, so they cannot oppose me, even if they principally disagree with how I rule."
"You are the Fire Lord. They should be thankful you haven't rounded up the traitors and had them executed in a pyre." Zuko retorted, and his uncle cringed.
"I am not that man, Prince Zuko." he declared sternly, and the Prince held his tongue, "Xai Bau is not somebody to be trifled with... it is not his strength as a bender you should fear, it is his plans that should worry you."
"I am worried, Uncle." he admitted, before raising his hands to his chin, "Father is being aided by his own enemies because it will bring our nation to its knees. How can we stop them? Do you expect to persuade him to think otherwise?"
"Maybe." Iroh acknowledged, and Zuko didn't know whether he was saying that because he wanted to believe it, or because he actually thought there was some way to reason with a mad man.
Zuko didn't think that Xai Bau was crazy, but simply so determined to achieve his goals that he would not take any half-measures. Iroh ruling would be demonstrably better for somebody who wanted to see the war ended and the oppressive actions of the Fire Nation ended; his nation had been brutal, but his uncle was at least giving them a chance to take another path. If his father won, which he could, then Zuko feared for what could become of the Fire Nation; the people would be forced to follow his plans, and continue fighting the war even when there was a clear end in sight. Destruction upon destruction, all for the sake of fulfilling his father's ideal world.
"I hope for all our sakes that you're right." he mumbled, before rising up to his feet, "I need to show you something, Uncle."
"What is it... another letter?" he asked, holding Piandao's letter in hand.
"No. The Intelligence Service have caught a few of Father's operatives, and they were brought to the palace dungeons for interrogation purposes. However... some have come willingly."
"Willingly?" Iroh raised a brow, "What do you mean? Are they thinking I am just that merciful?"
"Some I guess might think that way, but some must have some reasons. I haven't spoken with them. Taki is wearing them down for me."
His uncle's expression shifted, unease forming on his face, "Torture?" he asked a simple question, and Zuko had the preferred answer.
"No, not torture. Most of them know they have no hope of escape... they're fighting their own organisation, after all. We just need to find the right questions."
"So... you want me to try and implore them to do the right thing?" he asked Zuko, not seeming to think that would work.
"Not that. You are the Fire Lord, I thought you ought to hear why they have betrayed you, and if they have betrayed Ozai, why they came back. Don't you want to know?" he asked, and Iroh scrunched his lips.
"I guess I do, Nephew." he agreed to his proposition, "I don't intend to change my policies because of the few pleading words of some traitors... but if they can show me how they think, I might be able to sway others to our side."
"That's what I was hoping." he agreed with his uncle, letting himself smile; Iroh was truly born to rule, and he had the attitude and demeanour right for a Fire Lord.
Firm, yet supportive; strong, yet sympathetic. He wanted to protect their nation, and he truly believed in the good in people. That wasn't something Zuko could say about himself. He was never the most sociable person, and his experiences since his father tried to have him killed had not improved his views on humanity. There were innocents, countless innocents, but there were many lurking in the shadows. Selfish, ignorant, and arrogant men and women who would harm those innocents and undermine their nation's prosperity for the sake of their own egos. His father could be counted among them, and Zuko realised that he could probably turn that view against himself. He was arrogant, and he was doing things that harmed people, but he knew that he was seeking out justice and to protect those who could not protect themselves.
He and his uncle left the room they were meeting in, and walked out into the hallway, accompanied by his uncle's entourage of guards and attendants, though the latter left them as they approached the dungeon; the guards stationed there saluted their Fire Lord, and opened the door for them, letting them into the dimly lit and murky dungeon. The palace was already gloomy enough, but the mere look of the dungeon told Zuko that it had to be by design. It was meant to wear on the souls of those inside, and make them lose all hope. Depriving firebenders of the sun was a form of torture, and the prison didn't even have lanterns or torches, except at the ends of hallways to help guide the guards around in the otherwise dark place.
The only light came from the flame that formed on his uncle's palm, and Zuko kept his eyes ahead, not wanting to even give the prisoners the dignity of being looked at. The men in those cells were mostly Imperial Firebenders who had supported his father, and were lucky enough, or unlucky enough, to have survived the battle that had overcome the palace when Iroh issued a warrant to arrest his own brother, who had until that point, been Interim Fire Lord. When they got to the cells where the new prisoners were located, Zuko placed a hand on his uncle's forearm, stopping him.
"Here, Uncle." he gestured to the cells.
The prisoners were each held separately, and there were brick walls between each cell, meaning that they couldn't see each other. That was for the best, given that some of them were caught while others gave themselves up willingly; they were more likely to kill each other than to connive together to escape.
"His majesty graces us with his presence." one of the prisoners noted sarcastically, "What do we owe the pleasure?"
Taki, who had been interrogating the prisoners, stepped forward and bowed to Iroh, "Your majesty, I have been overseeing the interrogation of the prisoners."
"Agent Taki." he acknowledged her by name, "I thank you once again for your dutiful service to our nation."
She bowed once more and stepped back, allowing Iroh to take control of the situation, "I am here to discuss what is going on in our nation."
"A conflict that you cannot win." the same prisoner warned him, and Zuko rolled his eyes, before shooting a fireball at the prisoner's feet, between the bars, making him scamper back.
"We're not here for you." he retorted, "Who gave themselves up willingly?" he asked, and a few of the prisoners stepped closer to the bars, "If you're here to try and kill the Fire Lord, I assure you, that won't work."
"My guards are all around us." the Fire Lord warned them, before eyeing up each of the prisoners, "So, what brings each of you to me?"
"A lack of hope." one of them admitted, "The Prince has failed more than once to kill you... and his ploys haven't taken out anyone important." the prisoner explained, "There is no gain in fighting for a cause that will never win. If the popular will existed for the Prince to seize power, he would have already done it."
"An astute observation." Iroh mumbled, and Zuko nodded, finding that the prisoner was quite calm, rational, and well spoken, not something he expected of the die-hard jingoists he knew supported his father.
That made his treachery all the more reasonable; if Ozai's enthronement had seemed straightforward enough, somebody who disagreed with Iroh's peace plans would support his father. However, his father was in hiding and had failed to even kill one of his own children, nor any of the more important mayors and officials in the homeland who opposed him; it didn't seem like he'd win any time soon, if at all. Zuko was nowhere near as optimistic on his uncle's victory, knowing that as long as his father was in hiding, he'd continue his plots. Eventually, something would stick, and Zuko intended to make sure his father was caught before that could happen.
"And how about you?" Iroh asked the next prisoner, who looked down.
"I thought you had lost your edge. You are the Dragon of the West, but anyone who's seen and heard of you since Ba Sing Se knows you've changed. Gone soft and weak-willed with peace upon us." he acknowledged, "I was wrong. You've fought off assassins, killed traitors, and made sure everyone who opposes you faces the punishment they should. You've proven you're able to rule."
"I can rule... but I did not kill any traitors." he admitted, stepping closer, "Who exactly do you believe killed Commander Houken?"
"He was killed by a lightning bolt. That's what they say... you can generate lightning, can you not?"
"I am not the only person in this room who can." he clarified, and the prisoner's eyes turned to Zuko, and they were filled with dread.
"Please... please have mercy on us."
"The fact you are here is enough mercy." Zuko retorted, before gesturing to the next prisoner, "You, why did you give yourself up."
"I had no choice." he admitted, hanging his head in shame, "I was forced to betray my comrades, all to save my own neck... I'm a coward."
"Betray them to our side... or our side to yours?" Iroh asked, and the man shook his head.
"No, you don't understand. I wasn't dealing with the Intelligence Service... It was some terrorists." he clarified, sounding fearful; he leaned up against the bars, and eyed both the Prince and his uncle, "Please, you have to listen to me."
"We're listening." Zuko assured him, and he lit a torch in his palm, "Go on. Who were these terrorists?"
"They- they were within the service. One of the agents I was working with in Shengang betrayed us... she forced me to kill one of my comrades to prove I had a spine." he explained, and Iroh stroked his goatee.
"What was the reason for her treachery? Did she seek to find my brother?"
"It wasn't her." he clarified, "She's working with some other people. Strange people... they're Fire Nation. I don't know what they wanted with the Prince. They were looking for him." he admitted, "I think they figured out his location... he was near Kurosuna, wasn't he?" he asked, and both nephew and uncle looked at each other.
"Uncle, do you think this might-" he began, and Iroh cut him off.
"Did they identify themselves?" he asked, and the prisoner sat down.
"My comrade is a woman by the name of Miyako. You can probably find her in the records." he clarified, before narrowing his eyes, "The terrorist leader... I think, uh Shopo was his name, or something like that?" he tried to recall, "They hit my head pretty hard."
"Why did they let you live?" Iroh pressed him, and the prisoner looked sombre.
"I proved I wasn't a coward. I had to kill one of the other agents we were with." he admitted, and Zuko narrowed his eyes.
"Then why give yourself up?" he asked, and the prisoner cringed.
"I knew that you could stop these terrorists." he admitted, and Zuko only realised after a few moments that he was looking at him, "You have survived worse than what I had to... and I love the Fire Nation. I want to protect our people... I can't do that working for a traitor."
"That is honourable of you." the Fire Lord complimented his decision, "But I don't think this has earned you anything like a pardon."
"I know that." he admitted, "I'd rather tell you this than let those terrorists roam free." he argued for his rationale, despite the danger he had put himself in; for all he knew, he could have been tortured until he begged for death, but he gave himself up nonetheless.
"That takes bravery." Zuko admitted, and turned his eyes to his uncle, "So, do you think it's connected?"
"Shopo?" Iroh raised a brow, before chuckling, "This man's memory might be off... but that sounds like the right name."
Zuko nodded, and with that, both of them turned their heels and began to head back towards the entrance; the prisoner grasped at the bars and shouted, "You knew about them!" he accused him, "You've got to do something!"
"We're already doing something." Zuko assured him, though he didn't give him the dignity of being looked at while he said it.
When they were away from the cells, his uncle just let out a sigh, "So, Xai Bau's agents probably found your father... which tells me, what Piandao said was right. They are probably the reason you couldn't find him after he fled the estate."
Zuko narrowed his eyes, and recalled what he had learned of the aftermath from the Intelligence Service, and it only took a few moments to put two and two together.
"The red markings. The same ones I saw at the White Lotus hideout. People with the same markings were seen in Hanayama and Kurosuna." he recalled what he had learnt, "And this Xai Bau... he must be-" he began, scrunching his lips, "He was the old man."
"The old man?" Iroh raised a brow.
"In Kakouko, Mai and I were saved by an old man. He was looking for the criminal associated with father, called Kuraiken. The one I dealt with in Kurosuna." he explained, and clenched his fists, "That must have been Xai Bau. I wondered why he ran away so fast... but it's obvious now. He's been wanted for a long time." he explained his realisations, and turned his eyes away, "Why would he do this?" he asked, and Iroh remained silent for a time.
When they reached the door, he placed a hand on his shoulder, "I do not understand why he thinks the way he does, but Xai Bau will not stop, not while the alternative to this conflict benefits the Fire Nation." he explained what he thought on his actions, "So, we will have to find a way to stop him, or at least, persuade those on his side to at least not aid in his plans."
"If they already hate you, then why would they listen to anything you have to say?"
"He hates me. The people who would prescribe to Xai Bau's idea of the world might still hold out some hope." he argued, making a small smile, "Perhaps we can make sure that hope is channelled towards making peace between the nations instead of undermining the Fire Nation."
"You cannot have their support and continue your peace plans at the same time." Zuko realised, before sighing, "So, war it is?"
"Which war?"
"Whichever one we have to fight. Father, the Earth Kingdom, it's all the same to me." he argued, before opening the door, "If enough people realise how insane father is, then we might have a chance of persuading Xai Bau's followers to give up aiding him."
"That might work as well." Iroh noted, seeming pleased with the idea, "I'll see to it that your father's plans are known. That might not earn us any more people on the fence within the public, but it will certainly tell those who are working with Xai Bau that they're making a mistake."
"Let's just hope they realise their mistake while we're still breathing, Uncle."
"If Xai Bau gets what he wants... we won't be dying any time soon, Zuko. However, the people of our nation, they will pay the price."
"It is always the innocent that pay for our crimes." he mumbled under his breath, "I can't let anyone else get hurt."
