Wandering Firebender
Eighty Seven: Unwanted Circumstances
Another day, another mission.
Elio stood in front of the mirror, staring intently into his own eyes as he put his uniform on. Lately, the armor that he put on day after day felt like it was weighing down on his shoulders more. He let out a heavy sigh as he fixed his clothing into place.
Time to start another day.
"Captain Elio! You have a letter." An attendant called to him through the door after knocking a few times.
"Is it from Fire Lord Zuko? I'm about to go and speak with him now." Elio said in response.
"Actually no, sir, it's from someone by the name of ray-la?" The attendant answered. Elio's eyebrows furrowed and he scrunched his nose in confusion.
"I don't know anyone by that name...unless..." Elio walked to his door and opened it. The attendant smiled politely, handing the letter to him. He took it and looked at the name inscribed.
"Master Rala!" Elio exclaimed in surprise, unwrapping the ribbon wrapped around the rolled-up paper.
"Oh! My apologies, I was pretty far off there." The attendant laughed sheepishly.
"It's alright, thank you. I'll look this over and then go to speak with Fire Lord Zuko. Could you let him know that I'll only be a few minutes?" He requested.
"Of course, sir." The attendant replied with a nod before leaving Elio at the door.
Elio closed the door to his room. Once it was shut and locked, he rolled the paper open excitedly. He hadn't heard from his old staff master in a few months, but what he would normally consider a relatively short period of time felt like a lifetime ago given the circumstances.
My faithful student, Elio,
I hope that you are doing well. I've thought about you often since we last spoke before your departure to the North Pole. I'm sure you have been through quite a lot since then. I heard word that you've gone home and you are now working with the new Fire Lord, providing aide and relief now that the war is finally over. I was overjoyed! I'm very proud of you. I would like to speak with you again, there is still more that we have to discuss. When you are in the Earth Kingdom again, come to my old home. Hopefully you remember where it is! I look forward to seeing you soon! I will have some tea and snacks ready for your arrival.
Rala
Reading this letter made Elio ecstatic! If the master was requesting to see him again then surely that meant he had something new in store for him! Elio would have to speak with Zuko right away and see what arrangements could be made so that he could go see him.
Elio rolled up Rala's letter and carefully placed it in his travel bag. Once it was safely tucked away, he exited his room and made his way straight to the throne room. Then he was brought right inside where he walked up before the Fire Lord. He knelt down in respect.
"You may rise, Elio. How are you this morning?" Zuko asked. Elio stood up and nodded his head a little.
"I'm alright, thanks. How are you?" Elio asked him in turn.
"I'm alright. I could've gotten more rest, but unfortunately I have a lot of things to take care of today. Meeting with you is only the start of my day." Zuko explained to briefly give Elio an idea of what his schedule was going to be like.
"I see. Well, I don't want to keep you for too long then, but there is something that I would like to bring to your attention before we talk about my next mission, if that's alright with you." Elio began.
"Go ahead." Zuko invited him to speak freely.
"I just received a letter from my old staff master. He has requested that I go to see him in the Earth Kingdom. He must have something for me. With your permission, I would like to go see him as soon as I am able." Elio requested.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible for a little while," Zuko said, shaking his head. "This next mission is an important one, and while it will require you to travel to the Earth Kingdom, it is too urgent to allow for any detours." Zuko said.
"I understand...where do I need to go?" Elio asked, pushing his disappointment to the side so that he could focus on his next mission. Zuko sighed before answering.
"Does the name 'Admiral Huang' mean anything to you?" Zuko asked. Elio's eyebrows furrowed strangely.
"Yes...he was part of the second siege of the North Pole. I fought him there." Elio recalled.
"He's dead." Zuko revealed.
"Oh...what happened? Wait. How?" Elio asked, becoming confused now as the realization began to set in.
"He succumbed to the cold in the North Pole. Apparently he was trapped in ice for too long. Our men tried to warm him back up, but it wasn't enough. He died before he could return." Zuko shared the official report. Elio's expression hardened more.
"I see...what does he have to do with the mission?" Elio asked curiously.
"It's his family. They were living in Omashu before it was retaken by King Bumi. They had to flee in the chaos, and they've been hiding out ever since. They managed to send us a message from a Fire Nation colony that they've settled into – they have no way of returning home." Zuko explained their predicament.
"Are they asking for us to go get them?" Elio asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.
"Yes. That is what I'm asking you to do. I'm sending you and your team to the colony with some supplies. Your official story will be that you're bringing in supplies and building materials, but it will be up to you to find Huang's family and make sure they get home safely." Zuko summarized.
"Alright," Elio nodded. "Sounds simple enough. Is everything loaded and ready to go already?" Elio asked.
"Not yet. You should be ready to go by lunch. I've already made the arrangements." Zuko answered.
"Alright. Then until we're ready to set off, I'm going to take some time and respond to my master's letter, so that he knows that I'll be coming to see him once things slow down." Elio decided.
"That'll be fine. Be careful on your mission, Elio." Zuko said.
"I will, sir, thank you." Elio bowed respectfully to the Fire Lord before leaving the throne room...
After Elio had finished writing his response letter and reading over Zuko's official written mission report, he made his way down to the airstrip and started looking for his ship. As he walked out, Delun came out to meet him, greeting him with a wave and a handshake.
"Hey, Elio! We're out this way. The usual spot was already taken. Follow me." Delun said, gesturing for him to follow. Elio nodded and walked alongside him.
"Thanks, Delun. We haven't talked in awhile. How are you?" He asked.
"I'm good, cap. Ready for the next mission. And you?"
"I guess the same. It's funny, it seems like every other week we're traveling to the Earth Kingdom." Elio commented.
"Is that where we're going?" Delun asked.
"Yes. I'll explain more during our pre-flight briefing, but we're going to a Fire Nation colony in the northern part of the Earth Kingdom. We'll need to tread carefully on this one."
"I hear that things are pretty hostile in the Fire Nation colonies right now...since the earthbenders are retaking the different territories we used to occupy." Delun shared.
"I wouldn't doubt it. I'll add that to the briefing." Elio decided.
Elio and Delun made their way into the ship through the loading dock. As they walked in, Elio found that most of the crew was already there waiting for him. They all lined up as he walked inside. Elio's eyes scanned through the line, but he noticed that his friends were absent.
"Where's Alger, Cindra, and Sri?" Elio asked Delun.
"Alger and Sri are already onboard, sir, they went upstairs to drop off their things. Cindra hasn't arrived yet." Delun answered, following in line with the other crew members. Elio nodded and sighed, standing up straight before them.
"Are they on their way here?" Elio asked.
"I spoke with Cindra before coming, captain," Mila spoke up. "She said she would be on her way."
"Alright. Then we'll commence the briefing when they're here. Ah, there you two are," Elio said, noticing that Alger and Sri were now coming down the stairs. "Perfect timing." He added in a more lighthearted tone.
"Sorry, Elio. We didn't realize you would be here so quickly. We're ready to go!" Sri said as the two of them joined in the line.
"It's fine. Now we're just waiting on-"
"I'm here, I'm here! Sorry." Cindra called out as she hurried onto the airship with her travel bags in her hands. She got in the first available spot in line, dropping her bags down by her feet and standing up straight with an awkward expression.
"Great. Now that everyone's here, we can begin. Well actually real quick, is everyone stowed away and ready for departure. I don't want anyone having anything left behind like last time." He asked.
"No, sir." The soldiers responded in unison.
"Good. Then we can get started," Elio nodded. "We're making another trip to the Earth Kingdom. This time we'll be going north to Fire Nation colony number two, which is not too far from the northern shore. We were in that area once before, Cindra, I don't know if you remember." He commented.
"Mhmm." Cindra nodded.
"Yeah...our mission is to deliver supplies that have already been loaded onto the ship for us. Now I have been informed that tensions in the Earth Kingdom are higher right now as territory is being redistributed. It's more important now than ever that you remain alert and cautious." Elio advised.
"Is the area around this colony particularly hostile to the Fire Nation?" Alger asked curiously.
"I mean, it's the Earth Kingdom, after all." Elio commented with a chuckle. Some of the other soldiers chuckled knowingly.
"What will be our assignments once we arrive, captain?" Delun asked to get the briefing back on track.
"For most of you, it will be keeping watch over the ship and helping to offload all the supplies. I'd like to try and be in and out quickly to avoid any unnecessary risk, but I don't want anyone breaking their backs to speed the process along. We'll get out when we get out," Elio instructed.
"That'll be all. Dismissed...oh, I'll need Alger, Sri, Cindra, Delun, Mila, and Alayas to stay behind." Elio spoke as the other soldiers started to make their way to their posts. All 6 of those who Elio called for waited for the others to clear out.
Everyone already knew each other except for Alayas – Sri, Cindra, and Alger didn't know this guy. He was older than they were; he had hair longer than Delun's hair, and it was tied back in a ponytail. He stood straight with his hands behind his back, waiting for Elio to speak.
"Hey, guys," Elio cleared his throat. "So I need each of you to be discrete, but there is another, more important reason why we're here. Only the 7 of us here need to be aware of it, if you get what I mean." He informed them.
"Another assignment? What's going on?" Mila asked, both curious and a little worried that Elio was choosing to share it with them in this sneaky way.
"Fire Lord Zuko is tasking us with picking up some Fire Nation refugees that are stuck hiding out in the Fire Nation colony we're flying too. Cindra, you remember Admiral Huang, don't you?" Elio asked. Immediately, Cindra's eyebrows fell.
"Yeah, the guy that almost killed my brother and I. Don't tell me we're going after him." She said.
"Not him, but his family. They were living in Omashu and got run outta town when the Earth Kingdom took it back, so they had to flee and now they have nowhere to go. Huang died in the siege, so there's no one else to make arrangements for them.
"That's why Zuko sent us. This is a rescue mission." Elio finished. Everyone nodded in understanding.
"Do we have a description of what they look like?" Alger asked.
"I have a family portrait enclosed in my room for safe keeping. When we arrive, come and see me in my quarters and I will show it to you. Keep in mind, they will be in hiding, so be mindful of that while you search. This is the real mission, so we won't be leaving until we bring them onto the ship regardless of what happens." Elio explained.
"Understood. We'll find them and bring them home." Sri said with a smile...
The 3 day flight to the Earth Kingdom was quiet and uneventful. Receiving a letter from Rala reminded Elio that he hadn't take time to meditate in months, so that's what he was doing when the ship landed by Fire Nation colony number two.
Almost as soon as they landed, he was needed. He exited his quarters and went down to get the off-loading work started, speaking with the men responsible for overseeing the small town. It was either late in the morning or early in the afternoon already.
Once things were underway, Elio returned to his quarters, where he spoke with the 6 men and women whom he entrusted with his true assignment. One by one they entered into his room; he would speak with them about the mission again, show them the family portrait then send them on their way once they were ready.
Cindra was the last one to come and see him despite her room being closest to his. She knocked on his door and he brought her inside, closing the door behind him.
"Hey, Cindra. Everything alright? You took awhile to come." Elio pointed out.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Haven't been sleeping well, that's all. I was taking a nap." Cindra answered shortly, avoiding eye contact with him. Elio nodded and sighed a little.
"Alright. Well here are the 4 people we're looking for: the admiral's wife, daughter, and two young sons." Elio listed off as he brought her to his bed, where he had the family portrait laid out flat for her to study.
Cindra stooped over to study the portrait, her expression turning cold when she saw the image of Admiral Huang on the paper. She shook her head before looking at the other faces now – the ones they were looking for.
"They seem strict," Cindra commented, observing their facial expressions. "Do you have any idea where they might be?" She asked.
"I'm afraid not," Elio shook his head. "The most current information that we have is that they are somewhere within the Fire Nation colony. So the expectation is that we won't need to look anywhere outside of town." Elio answered.
"Got it. Well...then it might be best to focus on trying to find the mother or the daughter. If any of them are firebenders, they'll be the most at risk, so mom will probably want to keep the boys hidden while she and the older daughter go out and get the things they need." Cindra reasoned, thinking out loud as she took a moment to readjust her hair.
"That makes sense," Elio agreed with a nod. "Please share that with the others if you're able."
"Yeah, sure. Is there anything else?" Cindra asked, turning her head to the left to look at him. Elio swallowed and nodded.
"I, uh, hope...after tonight, I hope that you're able to get better sleep." He said awkwardly. Cindra looked him up and down and nodded just slightly.
"Thanks. You too." She replied before exiting the room now. Elio rolled up the family portrait again and hid it with his things before following her out...
Off-loading the supplies started in the afternoon and lasted well into the evening. Meanwhile, Elio and his small group spread out and made their way through the colony discreetly searching for Huang's family. Even taking into account that they might be hiding their faces, they still couldn't be found...
Now it was after dark and they were still making their rounds. While most of Elio's crew had finished for the day and had settled in their rooms in the airship, Elio and his team were still lingering out. However, they were getting tired.
"Elio," Sri walked up to Elio, who was sitting at an outdoor restaurant. "Still got nothing, sorry. I think I'm gonna call it for the night. I've been on my feet all day and I think they might be bleeding now." She said in a humorous tone, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Alright. I think I might be moving in soon too. We can always put a delay on the final documentation, pick things up in the morning." Elio decided with a nod, stretching his back a little.
"Okay. Sounds good. Um, what are you having?" She asked curiously, glancing at the inner section of the restaurant.
"Just a drink." Elio said in reply, tapping his fingers on the table. Sri nodded wordlessly and left him there.
Meanwhile, Cindra was on the other side of the colony. Cold winds were sweeping through town now that it was fully nighttime, so she had thrown on a shawl with a hood pulled over her head. She sighed to herself as she started walking back towards the airship.
As she started making her way back, she noticed someone who seemed out of place walking ahead of her, crossing over the street dressed in a hood similar to her own. As Cindra followed loosely behind she studied how this person was walking.
It was another girl, and she was being cautious, looking around her every so often. As hard as she tried to be inconspicuous, her demeanor revealed that she was uncomfortable. She made her way into the back of a restaurant.
Cindra waited a minute before walking behind the restaurant too. The back door into the building was closed. She waited nearby, standing there with her arms folded. After a few minutes, the door opened again, and this girl walked out holding a basket of food.
"Huang?" Cindra called out to her. The girl flinched and froze, not wanting to look in Cindra's directions. She took a few steps urgently, but Cindra caught up with her and put a hand on her arm. The girl turned towards her with a fearful expression.
It was Admiral Huang's daughter. The structure of her face and her dark hair confirmed this. Now that Cindra was seeing her in person, she could see that this girl was more pale than she would have expected, and her eyes were quite bright.
"W-Who are you?" She asked.
"My name is Cindra. I was sent by Fire Lord Zuko to come get you and your family." Cindra answered.
"Fire Lord Zuko? So...our message made it." She said, sounding relieved and even managing a tired smile now.
"Yes, it did. What is your name?" Cindra asked.
"Chaya. My name is Chaya Huang. I am pleased to meet you, Cindra." She answered respectfully, bowing her head just slightly.
"You too," Cindra nodded in return. "Where is your family staying right now?" She asked.
"We couldn't afford to stay at the inn anymore, so we pitched some tents just outside of town. We don't really...have any money anymore." Chaya admitted, looking away in embarrassment.
"That's okay. Can you take me to them?" Cindra requested...
Elio waited just outside of the airship with his arms folded. Everyone else had come back already, but Cindra was yet to return. He was considering going out to look for her, but he wasn't sure where to start. At this time of the night, not a lot of people were out anymore.
That's what made it easy for him to spot a small group of people walking in the open field just behind some of the town houses. Elio's eyebrows furrowed oddly, and he took a few steps in that direction. As he got closer, he saw Cindra among them, with 2 women and 2 children in tow.
"Good, you're back. I was getting really worried," Elio said, greeting Cindra first by resting his hand on her arm. "Are these the Huangs?" He asked.
"Yeah. I found them camping just outside of town. We should get back inside before anyone sees and gets suspicious." Cindra suggested.
"Right. Yeah." Elio nodded in agreement, looking the family over and confirming their faces before bringing them into the airship. Once they were inside, the loading bay door was closed.
"What a relief. We've been waiting for weeks for you to arrive," The mother said as she and Chaya removed their hoods.
"This airship is gigantic! Can we see it?!" One of the boys asked excitedly, looking around at the engine area starry eyed. Elio chuckled a little at this.
"Tomorrow, sure. But for now, we need to find some rooms for all of you to get settled into. I think we have enough rooms on the upper level by my quarters for each of you." Elio thought aloud.
"Please. Not sleeping in a real bed sucks!" The other boy said in reply, stretching his arms out.
"Aris, Yu – behave yourselves!" Their mother scolded them. Immediately, the boys stood up straight.
"Sorry, mother." They both said at the same time.
"Follow me, please." Elio said, linking his hands in front of them and leading the Huang family to the upper rooms. Cindra followed behind the group just in case someone might fall down the stairs.
Once they were where all the rooms were, Elio picked out the vacant ones. The four of them looked inside curiously before beginning to decide where they would spend the night.
"Oo oo, can we stay in a room by ourselves?!" The one named Aris requested, bouncing excitedly and pointing into the room.
"Absolutely not. The two of you will be staying with me tonight. If possible, it will be Chaya's turn to stay by herself." Their mother decided.
"Aww man, why does she get to stay by herself and we can't?" Yu whined.
"You two are still too young and too loud," Chaya replied with a little laugh. "Please be respectful of everyone else here. Think of it like we're staying at the suite on Ember Island." She brought up to give her brothers some direction on how they should act.
"Alright alright." The boys reluctantly agreed, entering into the bedroom first.
"Thank you for your hospitality, sir." The mother said to Elio now.
"My name is Elio, ma'am. I'm the captain of this ship. Please, make yourselves comfortable. You'll be back home before you know it." He said with a polite smile.
"Yes, I certainly hope so. We'll do our best to stay out of the way until then. Do you have anymore accommodations for Chaya?" She asked curiously.
"It's...fine if you don't, captain, I don't really need-" Chaya began.
"I do actually have a spare room available," Elio said in reply. "I'll take her there now." He decided.
"Excellent. Thank you again, captain. We're going to try and get some sleep now. Goodnight and thank you again." The mother said, bowing her head respectfully. She exchanged a look with Chaya before going into the room and gently closing the door behind her.
"Follow me, Chaya," Elio said, leading the late admiral's daughter two doors down to the next available room. He opened the door for her and allowed her to walk inside. "I'm sure it's modest in comparison to what you're used to, but whatever you need to be comfortable, just let me know." He said to her.
"This will be just fine, thank you," Chaya said, walking inside and briefly looking around before turning to face Elio, keeping her hands folded in front of her. "It's just nice to be sleeping indoors again, and in my own room." She added as a joke.
"Haha, yeah. Your brothers seem like a handful." He commented with a chuckle, folding his arms and leaning against the doorway of the room now.
"They can be. Honestly, their positive attitudes have made this whole situation a lot more manageable. But thank you again, captain, for taking care of us. We have nothing to repay you with." She said regrettably, bowing her head in thanks.
"You don't have to worry about that. We're happy to help. And please, call me Elio." He replied with a pleasant smile.
"Ah, thank you...Elio," Chaya smiled at him and nodded again. "For now, it looks like I will be alright. I hope you have a good night."
"You too. Goodnight." Elio said, waving slightly before stepping out of the room and closing the door for her.
"Careful," Cindra commented, walking past him now. She had been standing nearby, listening to the whole conversation. "It might not go so well with the Fire Lord if you try to kiss her too." She jabbed as she made her way to her room.
"That was unnecessary," Elio remarked as he walked to the door of his own room. "But I hope you have a good night too, Cindra." He said, speaking politely despite being annoyed by the comment.
"And you as well." She answered in turn before they both closed their doors...