One day I thought, "hey! wouldn't it be cool if Fujiwara no Mokou fought firebenders?" and thus this story was born. I've been binging on Avatar: The Last Airbender recently and wanted to write this story. Also, in this world Mt.Fuji had never erupted in 1707 so that Mokou's dilemma can make sense. Enjoy!
Prologue: Immortal Smoke
There's a firebender in Ba Sing Se. Jet is sure of this. Word on the street is that if you walked past the florist and take a right to the circular plaza, you would find said firebender managing a food stand, selling this "Yakitori" that's becoming popular these past weeks.
This firebender, whom most regular customers believe to be a "she" (though her masculine demeanour puts doubt to that belief), holds an air of mystery. No one knows where she comes from or what she does other than making Yakitori all day. However, there have been rumours about her temper. A fiery hot temper. Like a firebender.
People here were a bit hesitant to approach her at first, but they warmed up to her in time with the allure of good food. But not Jet; he sees through the facade, the mask that's fooled everyone but him. She's got the talk and the walk of a firebender. Jet is sure of this, and to top it all off, he's seen her use fire before.
He remembers that moment from weeks ago. It was a packed afternoon, and the firebender was serving quite the crowd. But, with his keen eyes, Jet caught her manipulating the fire of her grill. He saw her two fingers lift up discreetly behind the stand, and the flames increased in height as if commanded by her. The fool thought she could get away with that.
Now today is a special day because in five minutes Jet will out her as the firebending scum she truly is. Then she'll be on the run from the Dai Li and Jet can rest assured that the streets of Ba Sing Se will be clean once more.
Though the Freedom Fighter is tempted to unravel her mystery, he must focus on the task at hand. But one question nags him to no end, "Just where the hell did she come from anyway?!"
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A girl peers into a sizzling pool of black and red, tightly clutching a jar of golden vitality. The heat scorches her skin, but the girl endures, her eyes never straying from the Hourai Elixir within.
She hears the sound of sandal meeting gravel. A man, Iwakasa, stands behind her, panting with bloodshot eyes and a baleful stare. How scary, he had looked so dignified before.
"There you are, you brat!" he screams. "Kicking me down like that... for that jar. You're just as greedy as the rest of them!" He sports a rabid smile and wide eyes, "And now that you're here, I'll just kill two birds with one stone."
In two great bounds, he reaches the girl and shoves her. She falls into the red abyss of the volcano, the jar still within her grasp.
That was a millennia ago; her first death is one she'll never forget. She remembers without fail how hot it burned and of the one regret that ate her up as she fell.
First oblivion, then fire. The flames coalesce into the shape of a woman, and Fujiwara no Mokou sees the light, resurrected yet again by the curse of the Hourai Elixir.
The once shamed daughter of the Fujiwara clan stands atop a crater of her own making, the ground now scorched black and desolate. The forest surrounding it now a husk of its former vitality as the burning acrid wood assaults her senses.
A woman sits at the edge of the crater, grasping the hilt of her Lunarian Dao, stained with Mokou's blood. Her hair's blacker than the burnt land around her, a contrast to Mokou's white mane. Treacherous murky pools of brown fixate onto Mokou's form and crinkle in shameless amusement.
"First death of the day, and we've barely started!" the woman says, her voice as silky as the kimono she wears, "It took me only a few minutes this time too" She cups her chin, "Have I gotten better? Or have you lost your edge?" She chuckles to herself, "maybe you've got dumber with ag-"
Before the woman, Kaguya Houraisan could finish, Mokou responds with a blast of fire that rends her speechless. The effect is visceral; flawless skin charrs and melts as her long hair disintegrate, burning even the roots. There is no scream, no grunt of pain, nor any curse or taunt as the body burns into nothing. The only sound present, if one could call it that, was the silent acceptance of death born from boredom.
A nagging thought manifests in the corner of Mokou's mind, reminding her that she should feel something about another's death. But she's killed Kaguya too many times even to care anymore. The act has become so mundane, as if killing were something one does to pass the time. Come to think of it...it is now.
There's a bright flash at the edge of the crater, and once it subsides, Kaguya's resurrected form can be seen standing. Brought back to life by the curse of the Hourai that shackles her to the living. What was previously incinerated now returns unburnt and untouched.
The Exiled Princess jumps down the crater and crosses her arms, "Rude." She grumbles, "Catching me off guard like that won't count to today's score. If we had a referee, they'd give you a penalty! A red card!" She straightens out the wrinkles on her dress. "That was simply barbaric of you."
Mokou responds half-heartedly, her tone subdued and lacking her usual bluster," was the only way to shut you up."
Kaguya narrows her perceptive eyes as her mouth becomes a thin line. The Princess notices something wrong with Mokou's subdued demeanour. "what's the matter?" Kaguya asks, "You're not as uncouth and vulgar as usual." The Princess takes a step back and sighs, "something is amiss with you, are you bothered perhaps? If you wish to be alone--"
"Stay", Mokou demands, and the Princess stops dead in her tracks. Kaguya looked to Mokou with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. Partly in disbelief and partly something else entirely.
She rolls her eyes in jest, "Fine...I guess I shall suffer a few minutes with you. "The Princess sports a teasing a smile, "Is it because my presence soothes you that you asked me to stay? I wouldn't blame you; my looks can lift the spirits of the most depressed and bothered." The Princess begins to pose in such a way that would be considered scandalous among other Lunarians. "So please, indulge yourself! Until every wrong you've committed feels right!"
"Shutting up for once would definitely help. I didn't ask you to stay so you could keep on yapping." Mokou blows a cloud of smoke out of her mouth as she sighs, a result of her powers. "There's this place that's been on my mind lately. I don't know if I want to say it."
"Oh, just out with it! It wouldn't do to let such things stew. Where do your thoughts bring you, Mokou? Not the moon, I hope." Kaguya says.
Mokou opens her mouth soundlessly, searching for a word,"..." Kaguya tilts her head in askance until Mokou finally speaks, "No, not the moon," She says, shaking her head, "just some mountain."
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"I'm thinking of leaving Gensokyo, maybe for good depending, on how things go."
Eirin Yagokoro, the co-creator of Lunarian society and a genius doctor who was renowned for her remarkable intellect, has to do a doubletake when she hears the words come out of Mokou's mouth. She gently, but not meekly, place the teacup she's drinking onto the table.
"That is unfortunate," Eirin begins to say, as she feels a modicum of sadness at Mokou's declaration. Her presence has been a shining sun in Kaguya's life, whether the Princess wants to admit it or not. With Mokou leaving, Eirin fears Kaguya might go back to her old habits now that she has one less companion to stave off boredom.
"I shall accompany her," Princess declares with a raised hand. "to ensure the journey's success."
"Pardon me, journey?" Something must be wrong with the Princess's head, accompany Mokou? Leave Eientei? Eirin, of all people, should know that Kaguya is a woman who follows only her whims, but even this surprises her. Eirin's mind wanders to possible methods in producing anti-insanity pills before perishing the thought and sighing, "And where exactly are you going, Mokou?"
Mokou looks into her tea that she has just placed down, the ripples drawing the stare of her red eyes. Eirin notices the microexpressions that lay her thoughts bare. Her cheeks relax as the corners of her mouth tug down imperceptibly, her upper eyelids twitch downwards while her eyes lose focus. Whatever reason Mokou has to leave Gensokyo, it's a reason that she has contemplated for a long time, it seems.
Eirin contemplates: What could it be then? Why would she leave when her reason for simply existing is here in this very room? Kaguya is the only constant in her...eventful life. Not only that, but from what Eirin could deduce, without Kaguya as the anchor that keeps Mokou grounded, she would have wandered aimlessly in the outside world, a ghost without purpose for eternity. What the Princess is to her is everchanging, but her presence has always been constant. For a time, she was the source of her father's shame and someone to spite, then Kaguya became the reason to improve herself, and now...now that they are equals, the Princess is now Mokou's eternal enemy whose very existence helps stave off the ennui of eternal life. Most importantly, Kaguya is one of the few who can genuinely empathise with Mokou's plight.
In some way, Eirin believes that without Kaguya, she is purposeless, and eternity will reduce her mind. Thus, the thought of simply leaving is absurd; the personal costs would be too high unless Mokou has found a way to escape the Hourai's curse.
Mokou speaks, now out of her reverie, "Now, I haven't looked into it deeply but..."
"You've found a way to die? Truly and permanently? Or at least you have a sneaking suspicion," Eirin states, sipping her tea.
"Tch, nothing gets past you, does it?"
"I wouldn't be here if such things, 'get past me," She brings her hands together and sports a serene smile. "So," she says, "dying, hmmm? Mind clarifying that for me?"
"Well, I haven't thought of the specifics, but..." Mokou taps her chin in thought. "My first death was in Mt.Fuji when it was still active. It's where my fire powers come from." Mokou summons a bright flame on her index finger, an unnecessary act but most likely a cathartic one for her. "I drank the Elixir as I fell into the volcano, and during the process of my immortalisation, I was enveloped in magma. When I came back to life, Mt.Fuji was emptied of its lava and has lain dormant ever since."
"Which means what?" Eirin asks.
"Which means whatever was in Mt.Fuji is now in me."
"So Mt. Fuji's inextinguishable flame is now a part of you, you say?" At Mokou's nod, Eirin continues, "It would explain why a mere human would have your powers, even with the Hourai's effects. Though I had believed Iwanagahime's distancing of her sister led to the mountain's dormancy, not your death."
"It was a part of Sakuyahime's scheme to have me fall into Mt.Fuji with the Elixir, I think. I don't know for sure, but what I do know is that I took something away from Mt.Fuji, something that is deeply tied to my immortality. Maybe I can return what I've taken and even end this life if I'm lucky. It's why I'm heading there."
A tinge of sadness manifests within Eirin's heart, a sadness that comes from pity. "I thought you were done with false hopes," Eirin says gently. "We've been searching for such solutions for many millennia and to no avail. You must face it, Mokou, the Hourai removes the imperfections within our souls and makes them eternal. There's no going around absolute immortality, not even with entropy. You mentioned 'giving something back to the mountain, and that will somehow give you a real death. But how, exactly, will you go about that? Will you simply die on Mt. Fuji's crater? Or will you die within the mountain itself and let your soul be absorbed by whatever spiritual energy is left within Mt.Fuji? How thoroughly have you planned for this?"
Mokou' hmphs' in defiance. "I'll cross that bridge when we get there, Eirin. Besides, this journey shouldn't be too much of an effort. If I'm wrong," she shrugs, "nothing changes, but if what I think is true, then I'll finally die absolutely."
Kaguya ponders before chiming in, "Everything to gain, and nothing to lose." The Princess smiles.
Eirin could only sigh in exasperation as she thinks to herself; it seems like the two have made up their minds, and as Kaguya's loyal retainer, Eirin must follow the Princess wherever she goes. 'Everything to gain, and nothing to lose...What nonsense. This was a lose-lose situation to begin with.
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Leaving the barrier was less of a hassle than Mokou had thought. The hardest part was finding Yukari, but the Gap Hag had found them instead. After some explaining, Yukari had allowed them to leave if the three immortals promised not to tangle with matters of the outside world. She became even less uptight when Kaguya had worded the excursion as a 'simple' vacation. Which was confusing, to say the least...Her easy acceptance had thrown Mokou a bit off-balance since the Gap Hag is known for her penchant for schemes and convoluted plans. She had half-expected to end up owing the Yakumo matriarch a favour or two.
Though there is the possibility that Yukari allowed them to leave as part of an elaborate scheme, it would explain the fake IDs, the cash, and these strange clothes Yukari had lent them. To go this far for them...there must be Something Mokou's missing.
Kaguya's hand grasps Mokou's shoulder, bringing her back to the present. On her other hand is a stick skewering two dangos. She speaks with one in her mouth," sho, how close are we?" Kaguya had spent most of their journey playing tourist, indulging in her many curiosities of the outside world.
Eirin replies with exasperation, "Please maintain some sense of decorum, princess; you are royalty after all."
"Thersh noshing rong with..." She gulps, "Nothing wrong with being a bit lax now, isn't there?" She smiles diminutively, "Besides, I'm not royalty anymore, aren't I?"
A meaningful silence sets in as Mokou looks away from the pair to examine the trail ahead. She notes the uneven dirt road and the massive crowd of hikers. She had thought there would be some snow present, but the heat of the summer sun seems to have melted them away.
She looks past the people to see the summit ahead. She's almost there; she can feel it.
The Fujiwara girl steps up her pace, ignoring the other climbers she bumps into and the exclamations of the other immortals. Mokou's feet becomes a blur that hovers above the pits and mounds of the dirt road. So fast she ran that by the time she realised it, Mt. Fuji's caldera was right in front of her.
There, right there was the place of her first death a thousand and three hundred years ago, and hopefully, her last. The cold breeze brushes her soothingly as if to welcome her back. The sight of this expanse that stretches across the foreseeable horizon hits Mokou with a wave of nostalgia.
Then came the whispers of a distant memory, from a different world, a smaller one. A memory from the life of a child that lived as far from the court as a noble can. A world where sticks and fists were the tools she used to solve disputes about stolen toys and childish vices rather than fire and death.
Feelings of peace and excitement give way to sombre sobriety. Since Mokou took Mt. Fuji's fire in the thousand years, it had never erupted once, lying dormant ever since. It's time to give back what was once taken.
Eirin catches up to Mokou and stands beside her, "There it is," she says, "your final destination." Mokou nods at that, too deep in her thoughts to formulate a reply. "Time strips away at everything, and eternity brings a fate worse than death. I have doubts that this will work, but know that I hope you'll find your rest here."
"It's a long time coming", Mokou responds, "Thirteen hundred years is more than enough for someone like me. Let's get to work, shall we?"
Thanks to the Lunarian illusion magic Eirin employed, the three of them could reach the centre of the crater unnoticed. Mokou and Kaguya sit next to each other as Eirin slowly forms a magic circle.
Kaguya looks to the sky, a blank look on her face, "It'd be boring." Mokou shifts her head towards the Exiled Princess and looks to her in askance. "I'll have to find a way to die too, then." Before Mokou could reply, Kaguya continues, "any last words from the soon to be departed?"
Mokou cranes her neck upward towards the sky, "I can't wait to see her again, on the other side."
Kaguya tilts her head in askance, "who-"
Eirin interrupts them with a shout.
"I'm finished!" She exclaims, and Mokou transforms into a flying trail of fire that darts towards the doctor. Meanwhile, Kaguya follows her at a brisk pace.
"What do you want me to do?" Mokou asks.
"I want you to lay down on the centre of this circle," Eirin points towards her finished circle, replete with winding shapes, designs, and Japanese characters. "and spread your arms and legs apart." Mokou does so, "Good. Now I'm going to disintegrate your body and have your soul captured by this circle. After that, it'll act as a conduit to the energies of the mountain and your own soul. If there's a strong enough sympathetic connection, the two will seek to be united. Two things could happen by then, your soul will be absorbed into the mountain, and you'll experience true death of a sort, or your soul will instead absorb the mountain's energies, and nothing changes other than maybe an increase in your powers. Now, are you ready?"
Mokou nods her head before all she could see was white.
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There has been a setback that firebender and her stall could not be found anywhere. A quick interrogation of some of the regulars led Jet to realise that she has been gone for days.
Damn it all. The last he's seen her was six days ago. Who knows where she is now. He questions more people, and he finds out that she lives somewhere near the slums.
Hours later, he finds a quaint dilapidated shack that's placed in the alleyway underneath a railway. This must be it; the location matches. He puts his ear by the door before deeming it empty.
He slowly opens the door and enters it. The interior's a mess, no furniture, and with pots, scapulas, and other equipment strewn about recklessly. And don't let him get started on the smell.
With two fingers closing his nose, he searches the room to conduct his master plan. Infiltrators usually have essential documents and correspondences stashed away in the most unsuspecting places. If Jet could find them, then he's gold.
He turns to a corner into another room and nearly falls over, thanks to the sight in front of him.
On a mat is the still corpse of that Yakitori seller. Her emaciated form sports grotesque sunken cheeks that makes her nearly unrecognisable if it weren't for the clothes. Speaking of her clothes, they look so loose, so baggy. As if someone dressed up a stick in the biggest garments they can find. Her arms and fingers might as well be bones.
The corpse looks so delicate and fragile as if it would collapse with a poke. There's an indescribable sadness that Jet starts to feel, due to the sight of a fellow person suffering in such a way, whether they are a firebender or not.
He sighs and resigns himself to report to the authorities to clean this up.
He was about to leave until the corpse started moving.
--
There's a firebender in Ba Sing Se. Jet is sure of this. Word on the street is that if you walked past the florist and take a right to the circular plaza, you would find said firebender managing a food stand, selling this "Yakitori" that's becoming popular these past weeks.
This firebender, whom most of the regular customers believe to be a "she" (though her masculine demeanour puts doubt to that belief) has an air of mystery to her. No one knows where she comes from, or what she does other than making Yakitori all day. Though there have been rumours about her temper. A fiery hot temper. Like a firebender.
People here were a bit hesitant to approach her at first, but with the allure of good food and pretty looks, they warmed up to her in time. But not Jet, he sees through the facade, the mask that's fooled everyone but him. She's got the talk and the walk of a firebender, Jet is sure of this, and to top it all off he's seen her use fire before.
He remembers that moment from weeks ago. It was a packed afternoon and the firebender was serving quite the crowd. But, with his keen eyes, Jet caught her manipulating the fire of her grill. He saw her two fingers lift up discreetly behind the stand, and the flames increased in height as if commanded by her. The fool thought she could get away with that.
Now today is a special day because in five minutes Jet will out her as the firebending scum she truly is. Then she'll be on the run from the Dai Li and Jet can rest assured that the streets of Ba Sing Se will be clean once more.
Though the Freedom Fighter is tempted to unravel the mystery that is her, he must focus on the task at hand. But one question nags him to no end, "Just where the hell did she come from anyway?!"
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A girl peers into a sizzling pool of black and red, tightly clutching a jar of golden vitality. The heat scorches her skin, but the girl endures, her eyes never straying from the Hourai Elixir within.
She hears the sound of sandal meeting gravel. A man, Iwakasa, stands behind her, panting with bloodshot eyes and a baleful stare. How scary, he had looked so dignified before.
"There you are, you brat!" he screams. "Kicking me down like that... for that jar. You're just as greedy as the rest of them!" He sports a rabid smile and wide eyes, "And now that you're here, I'll just kill two birds with one stone."
In two great bounds, he reaches the girl and shoves her. She falls into the red abyss of the volcano, the jar still within her grasp.
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That was a millennia ago, her first death is one she'll never forget. She remembers without fail the burning, the pain, and the panic of that day.
First oblivion, then fire. The flames coalesce into the shape of a woman, and Fujiwara no Mokou sees the light, resurrected yet again by the curse of the Hourai Elixir.
The once shamed daughter of the Fujiwara clan stands atop a crater of her own making, the ground now scorched black and desolate. The forest surrounding it now a husk of its former vitality, the burning acrid wood assaults her senses.
A woman is sitting at the edge of the crater, grasping the hilt of her Lunarian Dao, stained with Mokou's blood. Her hair's blacker than the burnt land around her, a contrast to Mokou's white mane. Treacherous murky pools of brown fixate onto Mokou's form and crinkle in shameless amusement.
"Your first death of the day and I haven't had lunch yet!" the woman says, her voice as silky as the kimono she wears, "Have I gotten better? Or have you grown dull perhaps? Lost your edge? Oh, how the mighty have fall-"
Before the woman, Kaguya Houraisan, could finish, Mokou responds with a blast of fire that rends her speechless. The effect is visceral, flawless skin charrs and melts as her long hair disintegrates, burning even the roots. There is no scream, no grunt of pain, nor any curse or taunt as the body burns into nothing. The only sound present, if one could call it that, was the silent acceptance of death born from boredom.
A nagging thought manifests in the corner of Mokou's head, reminding her that she should feel something about another's death. But she's killed Kaguya too many times to even care anymore. The act has become so mundane, as if killing were something one does to pass the time. Come to think of it...it is now.
There's a bright flash at the edge of the crater, and once it subsides Kaguya's resurrected form can be seen standing. Brought back to life by the curse of the Hourai that shackles her to the living. What was previously incinerated now returns unburnt and untouched.
The Exiled Princess jumps down the crater and crosses her arms, "Rude." She grumbles, "Catching me off guard like that won't count to today's score. That was simply barbaric of you."
Mokou responds half-heartedly, her tone subdued and lacking her usual bluster," You were talking nonsense and killing you was the only way to silence you."
Kaguya narrows her perceptive eyes as her mouth becomes a thin line. The Princess notices something wrong with Mokou's subdued demeanour. "what's the matter?" Kaguya asks "You're not as uncouth and vulgar as usual." The Princess takes a step back and sighs, "Something is amiss with you, are you bothered perhaps? If you wish to be alone--"
"Stay" Mokou demands, and the Princess stops dead in her tracks. Kaguya looks to Mokou with wide-eyes and a raised eyebrow.
She rolls her eyes in jest, "Fine...I guess I shall suffer a few minutes with you. "The Princess sports a teasing a smile, "Is it because my presence soothes you that you asked me to stay? I wouldn't blame you, my looks can lift the spirits of the most depressed and bothered." The Princess begins to pose in such a way that would be considered scandalous among other Lunarians. "So please, indulge yourself! Until every wrong you've committed feels right!"
"Shutting up for once would definitely help. I didn't ask you to stay so you could keep on yapping." Mokou blows a cloud of smoke out of her mouth as she sighs, a result of her powers. "There's this place that's been on my mind lately. I don't know if I want to say it."
"Oh just out with it! It wouldn't do to let such things stew. Where do your thoughts bring you Mokou? Not the moon, I hope." Kaguya says.
Mokou opens her mouth soundlessly, searching for a word,"..." Kaguya tilts her head in askance until Mokou finally speaks, "No, not the moon," She says, shaking her head, "just some mountain."
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"I'm thinking of leaving Gensokyo, maybe for good depending, on how things go."
Eirin Yagokoro, the co-creator of Lunaria and a genius doctor who was renowned for her remarkable intellect, has to do a doubletake when she hears the words come out of Mokou's mouth. She gently, but not meekly, places the teacup she's drinking from onto the table.
"That is unfortunate," Eirin begins to say, as she feels a modicum of sadness at Mokou's declaration. Her presence has been a shining sun in Kaguya's life, whether the Princess wants to admit it or not. Now with Mokou leaving, Eirin fears Kaguya might go back to her old habits now that she has one less companion to stave off ennui.
"I shall accompany her," Princess declares with a raised hand. "to ensure the journey's success."
"Pardon me, journey?" Something must be wrong with the Princess's head? Accompany Mokou? Leave Eientei? Eirin of all people should know that Kaguya is a woman who follows only her whims, but even this surprises her. Eirin's mind wanders to possible methods in producing anti-insanity pills before perishing the thought and sighing, "And where exactly are you going, Mokou?"
Mokou looks into her tea that she has just placed down, the ripples drawing the stare of her red eyes. Eirin notices the microexpressions that lays her thoughts bare. Her cheeks relax as the corners of her mouth tug down imperceptibly, her upper eye-lids twitch downwards, while her eyes lose focus. Whatever reason Mokou has to leave Gensokyo, it's a reason that she has contemplated for a long time, it seems.
Eirin contemplates: What could it be then? Why would she leave when her reason for simply existing is here in this very room? Kaguya is the only constant in her...eventful life. Not only that, but from what Eirin could deduce, without Kaguya as the anchor that keeps Mokou grounded, she would have wandered aimlessly in the outside world, a ghost without purpose for eternity. What the Princess is to her is everchanging, but her presence has always been constant. For a time, she was the source of her father's shame and someone to spite, then Kaguya became the reason to improve herself, and now...now that they are equals, the Princess is now Mokou's eternal enemy whose very existence helps stave off the ennui of eternal life. Most importantly, Kaguya is one of the few who can genuinely emphasize with Mokou's plight.
In some way, Eirin believes that without Kaguya she is purposeless, and eternity will reduce her mind. Thus, the thought of simply leaving is absurd; the personal costs would be too high, unless Mokou has found a way to escape the Hourai's curse.
Mokou speaks, now out of her reverie, "Now, I haven't looked into it deeply but..."
"You've found a way to die? Truly and permanently? Or at least you have a sneaking suspicion," Eirin states, sipping her tea.
"Tch, nothing gets past you, does it?"
"I wouldn't be here if such things, 'get past me'," She brings her hands together and sports a serene smile. "So," she says, " dying, hmmm? Mind clarifying that for me?"
"Well, I haven't thought of the specifics, but..." Mokou taps her chin in thought. "My first death was in Mt.Fuji when it was still active. It's where my fire powers come from. " Mokou summons a bright flame on her index finger, an unnecessary act but most likely a cathartic one for her. " I drank the Elixir as I fell into the volcano, and during the process of my immortalization, I was enveloped in magma. When I came back to life, Mt.Fuji was emptied of its lava and has lain dormant ever since."
"Which means what?" Eirin asks.
"Which means, whatever was in Mt.Fuji is now in me."
"Hmm, quite the leap of logic, though there's evidence to support it. So Mt.Fuji's inextinguishable flame is now a part of you, you say?" At Mokou's nod, Eirin continues, "It would explain why a mere human would have your powers, even with the Hourai's effects. Though I had believed Iwanagahime's distancing of her sister led to the mountain's dormancy, not your death."
"It was a part of Sakuyahime's scheme to have me fall into Mt.Fuji with the Elixir, I think. I don't know for sure, but what I do know is that I took something away from Mt.Fuji, something that is now deeply tied to my immortality. Maybe I can return what I've taken and even end this life if I'm lucky. That's the purpose of this journey."
A tinge of sadness manifests within Eirin's heart, a sadness that comes from pity. "I thought you were done with false hopes," Eirin says gently. " We've been searching for such solutions for many millennia and to no avail. You must face it, Mokou, the Hourai removes the imperfections within our souls and makes them eternal. There's no going around absolute immortality, not even with entropy. You mentioned 'giving something back' to the mountain, and that will somehow give you a real death. But how, exactly, will you go about that? Will you simply die on Mt.Fuji's crater? Or will you die within the mountain itself and let your soul be absorbed by whatever spiritual energy is left within Mt.Fuji? How thoroughly have you planned for this?"
Mokou 'hmphs' in defiance. "I'll cross that bridge when we get there, Eirin. Besides, this journey shouldn't be too much of an effort. If I'm wrong," she shrugs, "nothing changes, but if what I think is true, then I'll finally die absolutely."
Kaguya ponders before chiming in, "Everything to gain, and nothing to lose."
Eirin could only sigh in exasperation as she thought to herself, it seems like the two have made up their minds; as Kaguya's loyal retainer, Eirin must follow the Princess wherever she goes. 'Everything to gain, and nothing to lose'...What nonsense. This was a lose-lose situation to begin with.
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Leaving the barrier was less of a hassle than Mokou had thought. In fact, the hardest the part was finding Yukari, but the Gap Hag had found them instead. After some explaining, Yukari had allowed them to leave if the three immortals promised not to tangle with matters of the outside world. She became even less uptight when Kaguya had worded the excursion as a 'simple' vacation. Which was confusing, to say the least...Her easy acceptance had thrown Mokou a bit off-balance since the Gap Hag is known for her penchant for schemes and convoluted plans. She had half-expected to end up owing the Yakumo matriarch a favour or two.
Though there is the possibility that Yukari allowed them to leave as part of an elaborate scheme. It would explain the fake IDs, the cash, and these strange clothes Yukari had lent them. To go this far for them... there must be something Mokou's missing.
Kaguya's hand grasps Mokou's shoulder, bringing her back to the present. On her other hand is a stick skewering two dangos, she speaks with one in her mouth, " sho, how closh are we?"
Eirin replies with exasperation, " Please maintain some sense of decorum princess, we're not a gathering of hooligans after all."
"Thersh noshing rong with..." She gulps, " Nothing wrong with being a bit lax now isn't there?"
Mokou looks away from the pair to examine the trail ahead. She notes the uneven dirt road and the massive crowd of hikers. She had thought there would be some snow present, but the heat of the summer sun seems to have melted them away.
She looks past the people to see the summit ahead. She's almost there, it's so close.
The Fujiwara girl steps up her pace, unheeding of the other climbers she bumps into and the exclamations of the other immortals. Mokou's feet becomes a blur that hovers above the pits and mounds of the dirt road. So fast she ran, that by the time she realized it, Mt.Fuji's caldera was right in front of her.
There, right in front of her was the place of her first death a thousand and three hundred years ago, and hopefully, her last. The cold breeze brushes her soothingly as if to welcome her back. The sight of this expanse that stretches across the foreseeable horizon hits Mokou with a wave of nostalgia.
Then came the inklings of a faraway memory, from a different world, a smaller one. A memory from the life of a child that lived as far from the court as a royal can. Where sticks and fists were the tools she's used to solving disputes about stolen toys and childish vices, rather than fire and death.
Feelings of peace and excitement give way to sombre sobriety. In the thousand years since Mokou took Mt.Fuji's fire, it had never erupted once, lying dormant ever since. It's time to give back what was once taken.
Eirin catches up to Mokou and stands beside her, "There it is," she says, " your final destination." Mokou nods at that, too deep in her thoughts to formulate a reply. " Time strips away at everything, and eternity brings a fate worse than death. I have doubts that this will work, but know that I hope you'll find your rest here."
"It's a long time coming" Mokou responds, "Thirteen hundred years is more than enough for someone like me. Let's get to work, shall we?"
Thanks to Lunarian illusion magic Eirin employed, the three of them were able to reach the centre of the crater unnoticed. Mokou and Kaguya sit next to each other as Eirin slowly forms a magic a circle.
Kaguya looks to the sky, a blank look on her face, "It'd be boring." Mokou shifts her head towards the Exiled Princess and looks to her in askance. "I'll have to find a way to die too then." Before Mokou could reply Eirin interrupts them with a shout.
"I'm finished!" She exclaims and Mokou transforms into a flying trail of fire that darts to the doctor. Kaguya follows her in a brisk pace.
"What do you want me to do?" Mokou asks.
"I want you to lay down on the centre of this circle," Eirin points towards her finished circle, replete with winding shapes, designs, and Japanese characters. "and spread your arms and legs apart." Mokou does so, " Good. Now I'm going to disintegrate your body and have your soul captured by this circle. After that, it'll act as a conduit to the energies of the mountain and your own soul. If there's a strong enough sympathetic connection, the two will seek to be united. Two things could happen by then, your soul will be absorbed into the mountain and you'll experience true death of a sort, or your soul will instead absorb the mountain's energies and nothing changes other than a little power-up. Now, are you ready? Any last words just in case?"
Mokou shakes her head before all she could see was white.
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There has been a setback, that firebender and her stall could not be found anywhere. A quick interrogation of some of the regulars led Jet to realize that she has been gone for days.
Damn it all. Last he's seen her was six days ago. Who knows where she is now. He questions more people, and he finds out that she lives somewhere near the slums.
Hours later, he finds a quaint dilapidated shack that's placed in the alleyway underneath one of the railways. This must be it, the location matches. He puts his ear by the door before deeming it empty.
He slowly opens the door and enters it. The interior's a mess, no furniture, and with pots, scapulas, and other equipment strewn about recklessly. And don't let him get started on the smell.
With two fingers closing his nose, he searches the room to conduct his master plan. Infiltrators usually have essential documents and correspondences stashed away in the most unsuspecting places. If Jet could find them, then he's gold.
He turns to a corner into another room and nearly falls over thanks to sight in front of him.
On a mat is the still corpse of that Yakitori seller. Her emaciated form sports grotesque sunken cheeks that makes her nearly unrecognizable if it weren't for the clothes. Speaking of her clothes, they look so loose, so baggy. As if someone dressed up a stick in the biggest garments they can find. Her arms and fingers might as well be bones.
The corpse looks so delicate and fragile, as if it would collapse with a poke. There's an indescribable sadness that Jet starts to feel, due to the sight of a fellow person suffering in such a way, whether they are a firebender or not.
He sighs and resigns himself to report to the authorities to clean this up.
He was about to leave until the corpse started moving.
Thanks for the kind words and I hope to meet your expectations. This chapter used to be a part of another chapter that was three times the size, but then I realized that this piece here can stand on its own. So I split that bigger chapter into three parts, hope you guys don't mind.
Anyways, feedback and comments are much appreciated, it helps motivate me to write. And enjoy!
Chapter 1: Arrival
The feeling of formless volcanic gravel is replaced by that of solid stone. Mokou's eyes open to see clear blue skies and the flock of birds. She's in an alleyway, Mokou realizes after an examination of her surroundings. Lying on the small pathway sandwiched between two buildings built with stone and wood, covered by tiled-rooftops of dark green.
She's in some town or city, Mokou posits. Which means only one thing. That unless she's in some demented form of the afterlife, Mokou's still alive, healthy and alive and not yet truly dead.
How disappointing, it seems whatever plan Eirin had concocted messed up royally and sent her to wherever this place is. It isn't typical of Eirin to fail this badly, she's the smartest person Mokou has ever known, so whatever mistake she made was not a simple one. If Eirin even made a mistake at all that is, in which case...its impossible
The world around her loses focus as Mokou feels the wetness in her eyes.
Idiot
She brings her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around them.
Idiot idiot idiot. Why did I think it was going to work?!
There's no escaping eternity, Mokou concludes as her heart is rife with the dread at the prospect of living the millions- nay- billions of years that lay before her. This isn't the first time she felt like this. Since her first century alive, Mokou had always failed to find a cure or some way to alleviate her turmoil. The Hourai's curse is its perfection, and every failure reminds her of the inevitable fate she will face.
An eternity of losing her mind. Aeons will go by, grinding her to dust and reshape her into something...less. She will lose her very identity and purpose, replaced by apathy and bitterness. And it all starts with the fading of memories. Hell, Mokou's already lost some of them. The ones she made when she was ten are almost indistinguishable to the ones created when she was twenty. Only the important ones stand out like beacons of fire in her mental landscape, the rest is consumed by a growing fog that obscures them. How long will it take for Mokou to lose the memories that comprise her very being? How long till the beacons of the past is snuffed out by time and entropy? A billion years? Or maybe just a million?
Out of anger, she smashes a fist onto the ground, creating a hand-shaped hole. She raises the fist and observes it, noting the blood and broken fingers.
Pain. Pain is cathartic. Pain is the only feeling sharp enough to penetrate through the cobwebs of apathy and despair that formed over the millennia of her existence. Gosh, how embarrassing would it be for Eirin to see Mokou in this state or worse Kaguya.
Kaguya...
Before she could contemplate any further, a substantial weight wraps around her hands and restricts her. Her hands are stuck within a moldable rock of some kind that serves as a handcuff. It hurts even more considering the mangled state of her wrist.
Two men appear in the alley and approach her. They wear dark green court robes embroidered with a symbol on the chest and a conical hat. They stare at her with blank faces and judging eyes that meet Mokou's wet ones.
A traitorous tear escapes and falls onto her cheeks and to her knee. Mokou wipes it off and keeps a straight face to have at least a modicum of dignity in front of these strangers.
"Where are you from, girl?" One of them asks, his voice deep and commanding.
She doesn't believe letting these outsiders know of Gensokyo is a good idea, and she's too stricken with despair to even think of a lie. So she deflects.
"Can't a girl have a moment to herself?" Mokou complains, her voice small.
"We've never seen anyone like you here. You could be an infiltrator from the Fire Nation for all we know."
"Well, you're in luck cause I've never heard of it." Mokou says sarcastically.
"The Fire Nation?" The man asks, now a bit confused. His partner shifts towards him and shrugs. Mokou nods which prompt the man to ask another question, "Do you know of the war?"
The Fujiwara princess shakes her head, "I don't even know where I am."
Now the second man speaks, a bit condescendingly, "You're in Ba Sing Se girl, surely you would know that." Mokou shakes her head, and both men look to each other grimly.
They whisper to each other conspiratorially, and Mokou can only hear bits and pieces of it.
"--Vic--of--hypnosis?"
"Mu---gone--t--far"
"should----appre--"
"wou---a---week"
Mokou's bindings flies away and onto the arms of the men in front of her. One of them comes up to Mokou and says, "We were never here." Then something hits her head hard and the world becomes a blur. Whoever this man is that hit her, she's going to teach him a lesson. But for now, she can't bring her self to care and lets the darkness take her.
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She wakes up many hours later. Just in time to see the moon, this world's moon specifically. She's observed the Earth's moon for long enough to know that the one she sees now is different. The physical differences are quite evident to an immortal like her, but Mokou also notices a spiritual difference too, though she can't put her finger on it. Something about the aura, the 'feel of it' differs from the moon back from Earth. Maybe Eirin would be able to explain if she were here.
The possibility that she might be in another world rankles her a bit. To be taken away from the familiar to some alien place is a disconcerting thought, coupled with the fact that she doesn't know anyone here. Some part of Mokou wishes either Kaguya or Eirin had followed her into this world, but she's not one for wishful thinking. Admittedly she feels a modicum of excitement at this new state of affairs. A wholly different world to explore with a unique history and set of laws, which means more things to do to stave off ennui.
She could walk around and gather as much info of the surroundings as she can but...well she would if she cared to. There's nothing fun about learning a new place just by listening to gossip or poring through books. It's not like she has some masterplan that she wants to enact or an artefact to find. Mokou decides to learn as she goes, its more fun that way. It's not like she can come back can she? Whatever happened with Eirin's magic circle was a freak accident, and Mokou doesn't like her chances of replicating a mistake by Eirin. So better get used to her surroundings for the moment, Mokou has all the time she needs to get back. Perhaps she can find a way back through other means available in this new world?
Thus, the Fujiwara girl walks out into the streets, in search of something fun to do to better her mood. She finds herself at a crossroad filled with a sparse amount of people. She wonders which road to take, and an idea pops in her head.
Like a child, she puts her good unmangled thumb in front of her and closes her eyes. She turns around a couple of times and opens them. Her thumb faces the direction of the road going left, and with her destination found, she began walking.
A journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single step, this, Iroh knows. And the journey to bring the Pao Family Tea House up to his standards is long indeed. It's been a day or so since they've been hired into this esteemed tea shop, and already Iroh can see the steps to take to fix this shop
...............
A knock on the door brings him out of his despair. "I'll go get it." Iroh says.
The former general walks past the rough wooden tables and shoddy stools to reach for a door dyed in green. He grasps the handle to open it, "I'm very sorry, but this tea house is closed." he says
And here's the other third of that bigger chapter I was working on. Iroh's been fun to write, the man is a wonderful bag of meaningful proverbs and I can't wait to write Mokou's interactions with him further.
Chapter 2: Old Flame
A journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single step, this, Iroh knows. And the journey to bring the Pao Family Tea House up to his standards is long indeed. It's been a day or so since they've been hired into this esteemed tea shop, and already Iroh can see what needs to be done.
The first step is changing the tea house's very name. Pao Family Tea House? Bah! Such a dull and long title, even for an old man like him. It needs to have more zest and energy to lure people in. The lanterns outside the shop are inviting enough, but if the name is too laborious to pronounce fully, then how will this shop spread through word of mouth?
It. Needs. To. Change.
When one feels the winds of change, they must look into its direction. "Zuko" Iroh says, his nephew looks up from the table he was cleaning. "I believe we must change the name of this shop."
"Tell our boss that, not me uncle." Ah Zuko, such a lost scarred child. He hopes one day he finds the path he chooses to tread upon, heedless of the demands of others. But that concern is for another day, the name change is a more immediate and dire concern.
"But I haven't a clue what to change it to." Iroh admits, being the humble man that he is. He hopes that his young nephew would respond to this show of humility with grace and tact, as a true Firelord heir should.
"Not my problem." Gasp! What a saddening thing to say! When the war is over, Iroh resolves to teach his nephew to loosen up once and for all. To be so tense all the time is not healthy for the soul and would only give him more wrinkles. This would not do, Zuko must age gracefully like his esteemed uncle or face the consequences of old age in his thirties!
A knock on the door brings him out of his despair. "I'll go get it." Iroh says.
The former general walks past the rough wooden tables and shoddy stools to reach for a door dyed in green. He grasps the handle to open it, "I'm very sorry, but this tea house is closed." he says
His eyes note the peculiar stranger in front of him. Ankle-long alabaster hair tied with ribbons of white and red. Her shirt is a discoloured brown, possibly thanks to constant exposure of fire from the looks of it, which brings with it interesting implications. The red overalls she wears is decorated with talismans and symbols written from a hardly recognizable scripture. Familiar yet alien scripture. The woman has both of her wrists inside the deep red pockets.
She speaks, her voice a blunt instrument and lacking the soft delicateness common in most women he knew. "Are you looking for new hires? I can cook really well."
"You'll have to ask our boss that. He's in the kitchen right now, I'll go get him."
She nods, "hm, you go do that." Ah, sociable too, she and Zuko would get along very nicely. Iroh's eyes widen, he sees blood drip out of one of her pockets and graps her hand to examine the cause of the bleeding. The woman is defensive at first, but upon seeing Iroh's worried look, she decides not to push Iroh away. Letting him grab her arm to reveal a mangled wrist.
"Oh goodness, what happened to your hand, your fingers?!" He exclaims. He hears Zuko's footsteps getting closer to him, in response to his shout most likely. He grasps the broken wrist as delicately as he can, surveying the damage. It is as horrific a wound as a battlefield on the Earth. White plains defaced by spilt blood and bony protrusions that jut out of the skin and into the sky.
Most peculiar is the woman's nonchalance at something that would bring unbearable pain. Has she simply lost the feeling of it? "Hm? Oh this? I had thought it would heal sooner or later." she says.
"Heal?!" Iroh responds, "A wound of that kind takes months to heal, no this will not do. Come." Iroh holds her arm and pulls her in, the woman looking merely annoyed at that. " Zuko, bandage please!" Iroh takes out a seat and places her there.
"You're wasting your time old man, something like this will just blow over."
"Lady, do you not know the consequences of such a wound?! If mishandled, this injury may cost you your hand! "
Zuko arrives with cloth, bandages, and some alcohol for the bleeding wound. His nephew's eyes widen at the mess while the woman inturn raises an eyebrow at his scar. The burnt half of his face seems to have captivated her somewhat before she speaks again.
"Look, if it gets you to shut up, here," fire envelopes her broken wrist, but this fire is not one Iroh has seen before. Bright and yellow, small and subtle, yet carries within itself an infinite well of power. A flame so full of life, yet stained by anger. How remarkably sad.
The wrists heals, to his astonishment, and the bones are put back into place, as the cuts seal themselves up. Everything wrong has become right again.
Thus, Dragon of The West realizes that he is within the presence of a master firebender. One who knows its truth that has been hidden away by his ancestors. That fire is the element of life and energy, and the bending of it is made possible by one's chi. To use her own life force to heal her corporeal body suggests either the woman is the pinnacle of a firebender or was born with amazing talent.
To be humbled in such a way is a lovely thing. To see this new facet of something Iroh's known for his entire life is a moment the former general shall treasure. For learning is a treasure that will follow its owners everywhere, and to learn that one can fix their body through fire rather than water is a wonderful thing indeed.
Both uncle and nephew sit still at that. It is Zuko that breaks the spell, "How did you do that?" Hmmm, now that is the million Ban question. Iroh is intimately familiar with the ways of the waterbenders, for years he had thought it an impossibility to incorporate the healing power of waterbending to firebending. But this fact serves to disprove that notion.
"Simple," she says. Simple? Bah! The century's most enormous understatement. "I just warmed my self up, then fixed everything." Hmm, so the woman must've increased the amount of chi in her body, if such a thing is possible. And through the chi she created the fire to heat herself up and used the extra life force to heal her wounds. But, Iroh acknwoledges, that this is merely conjecture.
"I see" Zuko replies, " Do you even know where you are?"
"Bus Zing Say?"
"Ba. Sing. Se."
She tilts her head in askance, "What about it?"
"What do you mean what about it?! It's the only free Earth Kingdom in the world. Showing off your firebending skills would only get you trouble."
"Because...?"
"Because half the people here are refugees from the war!"
"Zuko calm yourself." Iroh chides, "This lady is just confused."
Said woman nods, " This is the second time I've heard of a war. Let me guess, has something to do with the Fire Nation?" Both firebenders nod. "See, I remember very little nowadays, and my head has been a mess. Everything here seems quite new to me." How unfortunate, the Dai Li must've gotten their hands on her. Iroh only knows of the rumours, but even they can hold a grain a truth under a pile of lies. From what he gathered, the Dai Li's victims have a tendency to 'forget' certain things. Could this woman's predicament be the result of some secret mindbending technique, hypnosis? He might ask his good friends on it over a game of Pai Sho, but if what he believes is true, then this woman is most unlucky.
Which means they have an amnesiac to take care of until she gets her bearings straight to survive the outside world. And he will brook no dissent from Zuko, the man must know the hardships of taking care of someone else and be responsible for the life of others.
"I see" Iroh mutters, " I can brief you on the relevant information and especially on why you mustn't firebend here. It is most unfortunate what has happened to your memories, but we will resolve to bring them back to you." Zuko opens his mouth to voice his disagreement before Iroh shushes him with a raised finger. The smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention. " But before we get ahead of ourselves, may I know your name?"
Zuko places four cups of tea and a plate of skewered chicken onto a full table. He could barely hear the customer's word of thanks over the chatter of the crowded tea house.
These past few days had been a blessing to the Pao Family Tea Shop, or as it is called nowadays, Pao Tea. With Iroh's good sense of, well, tea and Mokou's "Yakitori" side dish, every day saw each seat filled with craving customers. The owner himself, Pao, serves a managerial role now that Mokou has taken over the kitchen. Thank the spirits for that, the man has a mind for business but not for the culinary arts. If Zuko takes another sip of his Catowl soup or his green tea, he might just lose it. What made him think opening up a restaurant was a good idea anyway?
Speaking of their new cook, Zuko was still reeling from his encounter with her four days ago. Having a woman show up looking for work with a mangled hand was weird enough. But then she heals it not with Waterbending, but Firebending, which Zuko finds difficulty in believing despite seeing the act himself.
Fire is the element of passion, the imposition of one's will on to the world through their drive and control. Firebending is the use of one's chi to create and utilize fire through breathing and technique.
What Zuko saw the night Mokou healed her fingers contradicted everything he had known about Firebending. Mokou did not utilize a single stance or technique, she did not modify her breathing in any way, nor did she show an intense drive and passion for imposing her will on the world. Her expression looking neither determined or angry, only annoyed.
Yet despite that, she achieved a miracle. Rarely does anyone ever crossover a technique from one bending to another and achieve the same results. Waterbending is renowned for its healing capabilities, but to see a Firebender perform that is insane, partly because of how different fire is to water.
Zuko enters the kitchen with orders in tow. The bustle of customers fades ever so slightly as the doors close in on themselves. He spots the cook brushing a sauce onto a batch of skewered chicken.
She wears neither an apron or a chef's zandana. Instead, she wears the same clothes she's worn the day they met. A buttoned shirt of discoloured white and red overalls with deep pockets decorated with a dozen talismans.
A red-white bow sits atop a ribbon-studded silver mane that touches down to her ankles. It's a miracle her hair hasn't been defiled by the grease and oils of the kitchen, looking as white and clean as ever. Though more surprisingly is how not a single dish came out of the kitchen with a strand of her hair. She's just full of miracles, isn't she? Zuko wonders with a wry smile. Must be a girl thing, with all the time he's spent with Mai, Zuko knows that a girl's hair is vital to her.
Mai...The name brings about a feeling of regret and loss that he can't comprehend fully and articulate well enough. So instead, he chooses to distract himself from the oncoming wave of unease.
"We've got new orders Miss Mokou, two Yakitoris for table four." Zuko says, speaking in the pitch of a tenor and with a voice as rough and scratchy as sandpaper.
Mokou nods, her hair swaying along with the movement. "On it", she says. Her voice is deeper and more masculine than some men Zuko knew, but high enough to hint at her femininity. There's a sort of listlessness to her tone, like her mind is somewhere else. Is she bored? or just distracted?
She places a batch of raw skewered chicken into an open metal box and closes it. With a snap of her wrists, fire materializes around the box itself, heating the chicken within. A blatant show of her talent as a Firebender notwithstanding, Zuko finds himself to be a bit annoyed at the act. Worried too.
"Look, I know it's your kitchen, and it's your rules, but could you not firebend here? Uncle's already told you why, and you'd endanger us both if you're caught. Why don't you use the spark rocks we have over there?" Zuko points to a cabinet in the corner of the room.
"It's not a big deal," She says, rolling her red eyes, "the windows are closed and any problems caused by my Firebending, I could deal myself. Besides those spark rocks won't cut it, the chicken would taste bad."
"Why don't yo--"
Mokou cuts him off by raising a finger, looking imperious and annoyed "Look, as I said, I'll deal with any problems as it comes. Now let me do my job, and you do whatever it is you do."
"Fine, but don't blame me when the Dai Li comes barging in." Zuko says with gritted teeth.
He walks out of the kitchen, hiding his growing frustration from the lively customers. He sighs ever so slightly, annoyed at the fact that he has to deal with her on top of the other more significant issues that he has.
Uncle is wise, Zuko thinks, but he's too kind sometimes. If I knew she'd act like that, I would've tried harder to persuade him to not take her in.
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Four days ago, Zuko and Iroh sat with Mokou in their apartment. Iroh had just finished debriefing her on the world and its state of affairs. Which is admittedly a weird thing to have to explain for, even for an amnesiac. Mokou's the first amnesiac he's ever met, but don't people in her situation only forget specific things rather than everything? Most intriguing was their guest's reactions to Iroh's explanations, a few times she showed equal parts fascination, contemplation, and realization, though she was generally neutral. It's like she's a foreigner from a distant land, Zuko muses, what with how ignorant she seems to be.
Previously, Iroh had explained to Zuko of the sort of things that the Dai Li do, and that the woman before him may be a victim of hypnosis, a cruel fate. The process was most likely botched, with her utter ignorance of the world as an indicator of that, its a wonder she isn't a mindless husk. It neatly explains why their guest acts the way she does, though a part of Zuko believes that that isn't the case. But what does he know compare to Iroh?
"...and that is why you mustn't firebend here" Iroh finishes.
"Yes, yes" Mokou responds, waving her newly healed wrist in dismissal, "Wouldn't want to scare the entire city."
Zuko chimes in, " Worse, you wouldn't just scare them, you'll make an enemy out of them. The thousands of Earthbenders that live here will be out for your blood, and you'll be chased out of the city or imprisoned."
She chuckles, " I'd like to see them try."
Talk about a cocky attitude, must've been how she got arrested in the first place, probably overestimated her abilities. " You shouldn't be so arrogant, the Dai Li and the Royal Guard aren't to be trifled with. "
"I'll 'trifle' with them as much as I want to, with or without your say so. 'specially the one that knocked me out, I'll give him special treatment." Mokou turns to Iroh, suddenly disinterested in Zuko, acting as if the matter has been concluded, "so, when can I start working?"
"Tomorrow," Iroh answers, replacing his previously worried look at Mokou's response with a jovial expression. "so we must all sleep, your bed is in the back room over there." Iroh points out. Mokou stands to leave and enters her room.
"She's gonna get us all killed, uncle." The fugitive prince states.
"You know Zuko, it was not long ago when you acted like that. Give her time, and like you, she will bloom beautifully during spring. So have patience, my dear nephew, it will save you a hundred days of sorrow."
The once-shamed prince crosses his arms, "As if all the time in the world would fix her attitude."
Iroh raises his eyebrow in askance, and Zuko continues.
"She's treating our help as if it means nothing to her. It's like she hasn't considered how difficult it is for us to help her out, in fact, why did you decide to let her in the first place? She's a liability! We'll be outed the moment she starts a fight with someone."
"Zuko, when given the opportunity to do good, you mustn't shirk from it. Kindness given is kindness gained."
"And what have we gained uncle? but an entitled brat." Zuko crosses his arms.
Iroh taps his head with a finger, "Knowledge, though it may not be useful to us at the moment, we now know that firebending can perform miracles exclusive to other forms of bending, she has shown us that. We also gain peace and security by taking her in. When someone as seemingly powerful as her is set loose in a city as hostile to firebenders as Ba Sing Se, well, the damage will be immense. Better have her be given our hospitality as she recuperates rather than spend her days in the streets filled with refugees and the Dai Li. "
Zuko sighs, unable to contest his uncle's reasoning, "Fine, I'll tolerate her for now, but if she starts--"
Iroh waves his hand in dismissal "Yes, yes, Zuko, we'll disassociate ourselves from her when things become chaotic. Now, about Pao's fine establishment..."
After some small talk, they separate to their respective bedrooms to sleep. Only Iroh didn't sleep, not that Zuko would know. The former general spent the night writing with a frenzy and excitement that had been concealed these past few hours. In a matter of moments, hundreds of notes, letters, and diagrams were made all on the Earth-shattering fact he has learned today. That Firebending can heal, and that a most singular firebender is in Ba Sing Se.
His old bones strain as he writes intensely and without rest. He finishes his last letter and sits back to meditate. Each and every person holds within themselves a well of wisdom, Iroh believes, and meditation is the bucket that acquires said wisdom from the well most efficiently. He closes his eyes, and the world becomes clearer to him. Equipped with such clarity, known facts and reasoning mingle with one another harmoniously to birth new conclusions and wondrous philosophies. Like a roman forum from Mokou's world, Iroh's mind becomes a gathering of different perspectives to solve the issues of the day, and each perspective originates from the individual facets of Iroh's personality.
In this forum that exists within Iroh's mindscape stands Iroh the Elder, the manifestation of the man's accumulated wisdom over the decades. Near him is Iroh the General, the martial aspect of Iroh, the killer of dragons and the almost-conquerer of Ba Sing Se. Iroh the Father stands among them; he is the source of Iroh's compassion and regrets. Iroh's princely aspect is the only one that sits rather than stand, comfortably placed atop a gilded cushioned throne.
Thus The Elder, The General, The Father, and The Prince in Iroh contemplate on the most ambiguous enigma the man has encountered: Mokou.
The General in Iroh preaches caution and suspicion, a master firebender like her would never have been captured by the Dai Li. Sure, the soldiers within the organization may be the cream of the crop of Earthbenders, but they wouldn't hold a candle to a master of Mokou's proficiency. If she can manipulate her chi, her fire, to such an extent as to allow her to regenerate limbs, how mighty must her offensive attacks be? The fact that they cannot readily answer that question makes her all the more dangerous.
The General scoffs and chides the rest for assuming the woman's memories had been tampered with. He posits that her ignorance of the world around her may have stranger implications than they have realized. Could she be a spirit? Or could it be that a spirit resides in her? Iroh had sensed something peculiar about her. Maybe she's a denizen from a faraway land? The General knows not, but to assume so readily without further knowledge is the height of recklessness. More information must be obtained. Observe every move and every action, and most importantly: find out her motive.
Where is this woman from? How did she become so powerful? Why is she here? These questions need answers, and that can only be obtained through strategic manipulation.
The Father in Iroh agrees with the General's musings but abhors his proposed course of action. Caution and suspicion may give them their answers, but it also risks Mokou's hostility. The woman is lost and giving her a place of comfort in such an alien land will do well to help her regain balance. Trust and transparency will lend them to their answers, for trust is the bridge that will lead them to revelation. Give her kindness, and it shall do the rest.
The Prince meanwhile rants and raves at her attitude, considering it insulting. He suggests a course of action harsher than the one presented by The General. Imprisonment and interrogation.
Fortunately, The Elder brings him to heel and shuts him up. These days, the Prince's voice has been heard less and less as Iroh gains wisdom and humility over the years, with time slipping away like grains of sand between his wizened fingers.
After some time has passed, Iroh stops meditating and makes a decision. He will follow the advice of the General and the Father in him and unpeel the mystery that is Mokou.
---------------------------------------------------------
Mokou eyes Zuko's receding form as he storms out of her kitchen. She smirks to herself, my how princely of him, she thinks. A night ago, Iroh had told her that "us Firebenders must stick together", and, as a gesture of trust, revealed to her that the two were royal fugitives of this Fire Nation she's been hearing about. A prince and a former general.
Despite her misgivings with this Prince Zuko, Mokou appreciates Iroh's trust in her. Zuko, of course, blew a fuse at his uncle's reveal of their true identities, and Mokou finds herself agreeing with the prince on his points of why that was a bad idea. But Iroh had waved away his concerns with only a dismissive hand gesture.
Mokou's smirk grows, a millennia to train her perceptiveness allows her to see the game the man's playing. The intent behind the platitudes and the accommodating treatment of her. Though for the most part it seems genuine, Mokou can sense an ulterior motive that partly drives his actions.
It was evident the night Mokou had first met them that her healing powers had astounded them to no end. It had stroked their curiosity, made them wonder how a "fellow firebender" could do such a thing. And most importantly, they wonder how they can replicate the act.
The two, though mainly Iroh, had probed her for the past four days, asking seemingly innocuous questions and such. Seeking to figure out Mokou's origin and the extent of her powers. Now that Iroh had revealed his true identity, possibly risking himself, as a gesture of trust, it's up to Mokou to reciprocate. Which she actually might, and finally dispel the guise of being the amnesiac.
Though...two royal fugitives, huh... well, that does ring a bell. I can name two immortals that were in the same situation as them.
Mokou wonders again where Eirin and Kaguya are. Questioning whether the explosion could have possibly taken the other two with her? Flung them off to the different corners of the world? Some part of Mokou hopes that would be the case, not because of any feelings of affection for the Lunarian duo, just that she finds comfort in their familiar presence. Having someone to relate to is not something to shy away from, no matter how bad their company is, especially Kaguya's.
At the thought of Kaguya, Mokou's mind brings her back to the peculiarities of this world's moon, and how, as Iroh had described it, "gives waterbenders their power." The Fujiwara girl wonders whether the Lunarian Princess would suddenly gain powers over manipulating water due to her, for lack of a better word, "moonly" connection. It seems plausible at least, during the day Mokou had noticed an increased potency in her Fire powers, which she believes to be because of her connection to the Sun. So if it worked for her, wouldn't it also be the same for Kaguya?
Though Mokou finds difficulty in imagining the princess as a waterbender. Kaguya had only fought with her trinkets or if she ever felt pressed, her powers over eternity. Coupled with the fact that Mokou had always seen Kaguya as a schemer rather than a fighter eager to learn new techniques, though the Fujiwara girl wouldn't put it past the Lunarian Princess to master waterbending out of boredom.
As Mokou finishes her batch of yakitori, an interesting thought emerges. Would Kaguya be some sort of Mindbender then? With how easily she can get others to do her whims with her words and looks alone. Would a person's mind be counted as a bendable element? The Dai Li seems to be able to do it, from what I could gather from Iroh.
The kindly old man had assumed Mokou's ignorance of the world was because she's an amnesiac, which was partly why he took her in in the first place. She hadn't bothered to correct Iroh at the time mainly cause she didn't care to correct him, and also that her mind was...somewhere else that night.
Then Iroh had told her that the cause of her amnesia may be the Dai Li, the secret police of Ba Sing Se, whom for whatever reason persuaded the population through tight control of information and hypnosis that there is no war going on. Thus for the past few days, Mokou did not bother to correct Iroh's convenient and neat explanation of her ignorance. Now, considering that the old man had a hand out in trust and revealed his identity, Mokou feels like it's about time to explain to Iroh her origins. If only he knew of the Hourai Elixir, he would've known that Mokou's mind is unassailable in the most absolute sense.
Zuko comes back in with a new batch of orders while Mokou gives him a plate of finished yakitori. Fortunately, he doesn't prolong his stay and promptly leaves.
She looks down to the food she's been cooking all day, and sighs. The novelty of introducing food to a new world has worn off after a few days. Hearing the customer feedback and the act of making it had been pleasant distractions at first, but it's all samey now, monotone and boring. Despite being in this new world, she instinctually stuck to a familiar routine, and it unsurprisingly bores her.
Making it doesn't feel worthwhile anymore...I guess I need better distractions other than cooking.
And fate seems to have favoured her that day as a heavy thud was heard the moment Mokou finishes her thought. The caustic sound of shouts and taunts soon followed after and Mokou rushes out to see the commotion.
She sees Zuko standing before a rather large man clad in ragged green clothes that reveals his chest. He has broad shoulders and massive arms and stands over Zuko like a giant. He is flanked by two smaller men brandishing their broadswords. Behind Zuko sits a broken table that the owner, Pao, is hiding behind. Though interestingly, Iroh is nowhere to be found.
Bandits? In the city?
The customers have given the thugs a wide berth as Zuko finds himself surrounded by whoever these people think they are. Mokou walks forward with her hands in her pockets and an annoyed look on her face.
The customers have given the thugs a wide berth as Zuko finds himself surrounded by whoever these people think they are. Mokou walks forward with her hands in her pockets and an annoyed look on her face.
"You're really brave, aren't ya? Wrecking this place in daylight, with all the guards up and awake," says Mokou. Zuko looks back and notices her, eyes widening, while the giant of a thug lets out a guttural chuckle.
"If you think any of the guards will save ya, then you're outta luck, girl," the thug says. "We know their shifts and patrols, so cry out for help as much as you want, cause you won't get any."
Mokou crosses her arms with a raised eyebrow, "Oh, I won't be needing the guards to deal with you."
The big thug lets out a booming laugh, "Oooh, those are some fighting words, kid," he drawls.
Zuko steps back and stands next to Mokou, holding two broad swords, "Remember, no firebending." he whispers.
The Fujiwara girl nods. "Why are they here in the first place?" she asks.
"Something about being in their turf without paying a tithe. Must be a criminal group from one of the villages setting up shop here. A dumb group too, if they think they could get away with this."
Ah, so its an extortion racket. A new group rolls into this part of the city, starts flexing their muscles and chooses the tea shop as their new cash cow. I wonder how the Dai Li would handle this.
"I'll take on the big guy; you handle his flunkies," Mokou tells Zuko.
"You sure you can take him?" he asks.
"Yeah."
She moves. Mokou becomes a white blur heading towards the giant of a man. The sudden speed catches him by surprise, and Mokou turns her body, hip forward, to kick. There's a reverberating boom the moment her foot meets his stomach. He flies onto the street, breaking the door along the way. There's an audible gasp from the crowd as he sticks his into the ground, slowing his momentum, panting with wide-eyes as he sizes up Mokou's petite form that belies her strength.
Said woman walks out to the street, her arms still in her pockets. She hears the sound of clashing swords from within the tea shop and looks over her shoulder to see Zuko gaining the upper hand against the two bandits. Mokou looks back to her own opponent and sees a large stone block speeding towards her.
Ah, he's one of those earthbenders.
Heightened reflexes combined with her millennia of combat experience allows Mokou to sidestep away from the approaching rock in time. It also helps that her foray into Gensokyo's spellcard system has helped improve her reflexes as of late. The man seems unfazed by that and raises his meaty arms as a wall of stone is formed between them, blocking the Fujiwara girl's sight of the man. He proceeds to repeatedly punch the wall, shooting rather crude and large stone needles towards Mokou.
She steps left and right, all the while contorting her body to dodge the needles with her arms still in her pockets. A few of the stone slivers graze her, and only one of the dozens shot out actually land on her, piercing her shoulder. She continues dodging the next barrage untouched and jumps over the wall. The thug looks up, turns and sidesteps away from Mokou's approaching form. As she falls to the ground, small pillars rise up from where she is about to land, attempting to catch her off balance. It doesn't.
The moment her feet meet the pillars, she jumps off and onto the ground, while the columns behind her kept on rising. She looks towards the man and notices three stone blocks coming at her. Mokou shifts to the right and dodges two of them. The third she grabs, leading her to spin around to redirect its momentum to the thug. The rock is launched back towards him in highspeed, cutting through the air with a whizzing sound. Unfortunately, he manages to barely punch the projectile away, though it seems to have broken his composure.
There's a pause as both Mokou and the thug stare each other down. The former hasn't broken a sweat, with her arms still her pockets. The latter is drenched and panting heavily while his arm is on his heaving stomach, which prompts Mokou to smirk. She notices blood drip down onto her leg and examines her shoulder, where the needle is still deeply impaled. She brings her arm out of her pocket and pulls the needle out. There's a schhhunk sound as the needle is slowly removed from her shoulder, leading to an outpouring of blood. A deluge of red stains Mokou's white shirt as the ground around her becomes a menacing crimson colour that is absorbed and reflected by the sun's rays. The air around her appears to turn pink, giving Mokou a dangerous presence.
The crowd on the street has long since dispersed, but the few that stay to watch look at Mokou's wound with horror.
The sun outside has passed its zenith. Its heat is still oppressive, thanks to the arid climate, which is a contrast to Gensokyo's cooler weather.
Still staring each other, the thug eyes Mokou's wound and smirks in victory, "You're tough, for a non-bender. How'd you learn to fight like that, anyway?"
"Oh, here and there," Mokou says casually.
"You know, we could use a few people like you." He proposes between pants; eventually, he stabilizes his breath and stands a little bit straighter.
"What? You want me to join your band of idiots?"
He scoffs, "We'll see who's the idiot when you pass out before I do. Your kick hit me hard, but that injury of yours seems nastier."
"Oh, this injury is nothing, and are you sure you'll last longer than I will? I've surprised you once haven't I? I could surprise you again." Mokou warns with a shrug.
"Ha! as if I'll let ya. I won't be holding back this time." He charges at Mokou as he wraps his arm in stone, forming rock gauntlets. Mokou sighs, if it were a different time, men like him would've been turned to ash in an instant. That three hundred year rut she once had was where she peaked as a fighter. But it was also the time where she became a monster. She remembers the pleasure and satisfaction she had in the destruction of everything around her. Admittedly, it was an incredibly lonely time in her long life. To be looked with wary, fearful eyes, sometimes even vengeful ones too, can take a toll on one's spirit.
Nowadays, she is more tempered, more in control. Thus, against a weakling like him, Mokou chooses to hold back.
He lunges at her, throwing a right hook followed by a pillar of rock rising from the ground and onto Mokou. Time slows for the woman as she steps forward and redirects the momentum of his arm to the direction of the pillar, using his own power against him. The pillar hits his forearm instead as Mokou trips him to the ground.
He rises back up fast and goes for a jab that the Fujiwara girl was ready for. She shifts to the right, letting his fist graze her wounded shoulder, and proceeds to knee his stomach faster than he could react. It lands and hits hard. He backs away, now disoriented from the pain. Mokou advances and raises her leg up and proceeds to kick his face, her shin meeting his jaw. There's no audible crack; instead, there's a thud as he falls bonelessly to the ground.
With the man knocked out, Mokou examines the battlefield and its a mess. There's a man-shaped hole at the front of Pao's Tea Shop, which will definitely cost a lot to repair. There are stone needles embedded at the building itself, which makes it even more of a mess. The street has been deformed to the point where one can even describe its appearance as abstract art. A lone stone column that's riddled with holes stands surrounded by pillars.
Zuko comes out of the shop with the unconscious bodies of the two other men. Interestingly, his broadswords have no hint of blood on them, the flunkies must've been hit by the flat of his blade. Zuko's eyes widen when he notices Mokou's profusely bleeding shoulder. He dumps the two guys on top of their leader and runs towards Mokou.
"We need to fix that shoulder." Zuko says
She shrugs, "It's not an issue, I can heal it remember?"
Before Zuko could respond, two men in dark green court robes approach them. The Dai Li...Thinks Mokou as she feels her anger well up inside, only to realize its not the same duo that knocked her out the day she arrived here.
"Stop!" One of them commands, "did you start this?" He asks, pointing at both Zuko and Mokou.
"No!" screams a voice from the Tea Shop, they all look to see Pao's approaching form. "It was these thugs!" he points at the pile of unconscious bodies, "They came to my shop to extort me, and it was my employees that stopped them!"
"Yeah!" One of the customers shouts in agreement. "They came in wrecking their tables and threatening them."
"They saved us!" Another shouts, " We would've been robbed if these criminals weren't stopped." This is followed by an outpouring of support from the crowd, enraged by the actions of the thugs. They also seem grateful for Zuko and Mokou for stopping said criminals from having their way.
Another feeling wells up within Mokou, and it isn't anger. The crowd's ready support and their appreciation of her hits Mokou in a way she can't articulate fully. The word touched comes to mind.
The Dai Li nods and proceeds to earthbend the column and pillars away, cleaning the street up to appear like nothing really happened, even the needles float out of the building it has been embedded into. Rock cuffs are wrapped around the hands of the unconcious criminals as they are hauled into a cage on wheels. The Dai Li leave with their criminals in tow, their forms receding into the horizon. That, or maybe it's because of the dark spots in Mokou's vision. She hears Zuko say something, but can't make out his exact words, all she hears is her rapidly beating heart.
For most people, they would be disorientated and confused when they lose a vast amount of blood. But for Mokou, the Hourai Elixir eliminates that weakness, and she thinks with perfect clarity. She could try to heal the bleeding wound, but that would require her to summon a bit of fire, which would reveal her powers, and possibly her hosts too. Thinking back on the kindness given to her by Iroh, taking her in, giving her something to do, trusting her with their identities, she holds a small smirk and closes her eyes.
It isn't worth the trouble.
Fight scenes aren't exactly my forte so any comments and criticism on that front would be highly appreciated. I also hope the scene within Iroh's mindscape wasn't too heavy-handed or hard to follow, I wanted to experiment on ways to convey a person's inner thoughts. Although I have been rewatching A:TLA, LOK, reading up on it, and watching analytical videos (Hello Future Me is a godsend), I'm not a very informed person on the characters and lore, so if I mess up on the details, pointing them out would be appreciated. Though also keep in mind that there are some cases where I've edited elements of the world to better suit this story's themes, though it mainly concerns the spirit world.
Thanks for reading and comments are appreciated by and motivational to me.
The night is young in Gensokyo as the stars shine brightly like glitter sheets on a black canvas. Mokou takes it all in, sipping her scorching hot tea without a care in the world. The moon tonight is full and beautiful, as the trees around her are kissed by its shine. The canopy takes the form of a sea of white as the swaying leaves create a wavelike impression.
Next to Mokou is Flandre Scarlet, whom she had just finished fighting with. The battle predictably ending with the former's death. It must've been a therapeutic experience for Flandre, who wasn't always able to go all out in fear of actually killing her opponent. But with Mokou, such concerns didn't exist, and the two had struck a natural albeit confusing relationship. Mokou isn't too sure where she stands with Flandre, whether she is her punching bag or something more.
Flandre shifts a bit as Mokou surveys the craters and gashes of their battle, moving her branchlike wings with neon-like crystals hanging on said branches; similar to a multicoloured-chandelier. Flandre's movement leads to the swaying of the hanging crystals, they hit each other and create distinct clinks and chimes that mixes with the sounds of the cicadas.
"I went to the human village yesterday. Visited Keine's school too," Flandre murmurs, her face contemplative.
"Your sister finally let you out?" Mokou inquires.
Flandre nods, "Meiling had to come with me though, make sure I was a good girl."
"Hm, that's good," is all Mokou could say as she sips her tea. A silence falls between the two, neither awkward nor comfortable. Flandre brings her knees up and hugs them.
"The people there...I think they hate me. " Flandre said tonelessly, her eyes becoming unfocused and glazed over.
Now off-balanced, Mokou searches for the right words to use. Unfortunately, the millennia she's lived hadn't taught her how to act in these kinds of situations. She looks onto Flandre's curled up form, noticing the girl's nails stabbing into her knees. Mokou tries to think of a way to defuse Flandre's rising anger. "What makes you think that?" she asks.
"Every time I'm near, they scurry away. They sweat and stammer whenever I talk to them. They even tried to trick me, they lied and mislead me when I asked to play with them. It's like no one wants anything to do with me. They hate me." Flandre responds, her face a blank canvas that shows no discernable emotions, her shoulder slouching bonelessly.
Sometimes, Mokou realises, that despite the frightening amount of intelligence Flandre shows, her mindset is ultimately very childlike, for the most part. Coupled with the fact that the girl had been cooped up in a basement for the better part of four centuries, being so openly feared and hated could be something novel to her. Centuries alone with the same people could do that to someone, make one confused on people's perception of them. This, Mokou knows. "Maybe they hate you because they fear you." She ventures. But who's they, Mokou wonders, she has some ideas but isn't too sure and decides not to ask in fear of fueling the fire.
Flandre rolls her eyes, "Of course they're scared of me, it so obvious whenever I see their faces." Shoot, that probably sounded patronising to her. I should change my approach.
"Well, they're afraid of you because they don't understand you," Mokou added.
Flandre perks up, straightening her shoulders and raising her wings. She turns her head towards Mokou, her eyes now having a focused quality to it, " What do you mean?" She asks.
" I mean that you're not like them at all. You're...different, very different." Mokou pauses, searching for the right words, "And because you're so different, it leaves them confused. All they could think about is if you're a danger or not, or whether they can use you for their own gain."
"You sound like something like that happen to you before."
Memories come unbidden as Mokou tries to control her surge of emotions. " Yeah...I guess. Used to be close to some mortals, but the moment they find out I am who I am, well...that's where everything changes with them. See immortality has a way of isolating a person, a human, I mean. In their eyes, they don't view immortals like me as an equal or even a person. To them, I'm either a deity, a font of knowledge, a despicable monster, but never an equal. No matter how close I was with someone, the moment they realise I'm an immortal, they begin to fear me, idolise me, or envy me. It's better to hide the fact rather than go through all that trouble. Maybe that's why Gensokyo's been perfect for me, not a lot of people really care." She stares into the moon, organising her thoughts and feelings, recalling moments in her life that had long past. Mokou shakes her head to compose herself and continues, "Sorry I went off track there Flan--" she turns her head towards Flandre only to see no one there. Her eyes widen in realisation, and she wears a sardonic smile before chuckling, "Guess I was just talking to myself then." Her head feels light as the world crumbles around her, transforming into motes of light. All that Mokou sees is white, blinding and overwhelming.
Talk about weird dreams, huh.
---------------------------------
In the waking world, Mokou stirs with drunken-like drowsiness. She considers staying in such a state until the Elixir expunges her physical fatigue, she even entertains the thought of falling back to sleep. The bed entices her to let go, relax, and close her eyes. The pillows and the cushioning of the mattress tempting her with the promise of restful sleep. Mokou knows better than to accept, of course. The older she grows, the longer she sleeps, sometimes lying on her bed for many days, and the more that happens, the less she feels human.
The sudden footfalls bring her out of her stupor. There are two persons in her room, she realises. One walks slowly and deliberately, as if confident of the path he treads upon. The other's cadence is light and fast, flitting from wall to wall.
Zuko's voice filters into her ears, "She's waking up uncle, I'll go get the extra pillows!"
"Hold on Zuko, the wound is still fresh, do not let her mov--"
"I'm fine." Mokou interrupts, rising up with no difficulty and astounding the nephew and uncle duo. Zuko attempts to assist Mokou off her bed, but she waves him off, "I'm fine!" she repeats. Mokou casts her eyes around the room, spotting Iroh standing behind Zuko who sports a worried frown, his wrinkles even more apparent than last she had seen him. Zuko looks uneased, confused even, with thin straight lips and scrunched up eyebrows. He constantly fidgets as if trying to decide whether to help or not and searching for what he could do.
Thus, in Mokou's bare and empty room, among two men with consternation clear on their faces, the Fujiwara girl attempts to placate their fears. She touches her previously impaled shoulder and feels no pain, the wound already healed fully and completely. She removes her hand from her shoulder as the hole in her bloodstained shirt reveals unmarred pearly white skin. The lack of scars, scabs or dents covers the fact that Mokou was impaled in the first place. Zuko looks at her shoulder, a bit perplexed before muttering a subdued "oh". Iroh, on the other hand, examines her shoulder and contemplates, stroking his beard, still sporting that same worried look.
"See?" She stated, "Healing powers remember? All fine now." Mokou pats the area for good measure.
"I'm glad you are ok, miss Mokou, but I urge you to be more careful next time. Earthbenders like the one you had just fought are highly dangerous, he was not your usual bandit. To fight so readily without assessing the threat is to court death. " Iroh lectures, bringing his hands down to his side.
Zuko naturally blows a fuse; the dead red skin and the blackened rings surrounding his squinting left eye becomes more apparent as he scrunches his face up in frustration, "What were you thinking fighting an earthbender by yourself," he exclaims in outrage and disbelief, "and without any firebending too!? You didn't even give me time to reply when you jumped onto him, and that's not even the worst part! Even when your shoulder was stabbed, you kept fighting on rather than wait for help. It's like you've got some sort of death wish. Do you even value your own life?"
Mokou finds herself in the backfoot at the sudden aggression, she's used to Keine lecturing her in such a way but not anyone else. The scarred brat before Mokou is not Keine though, so his words fall on deaf ears. His rant is much like how a mother would scold her child, only without the sincere love that comes with it. It feels disingenuous in a way, at least to Mokou, its not like he had shown care and affection for Mokou, and why would he? They had only just met. Perhaps it's because he's so young, unable to differentiate how things should be and how they actually are. Though the worst part is how his chidings come from the assumption that Mokou is as human as him. Ignorant of the curse within her. Which is for the better I guess. The Hourai Immortal decides to answer truthfully to Zuko's question, even though he might blow up even more at her response. But Mokou doesn't care, better to get to the point rather than beat around the bush to appease a royal runaway brat.
Though before Mokou could speak, Iroh places a calming hand on Zuko's shoulder and gives it a firm squeeze. The two look meaningfully at each other before the younger of the duo relents and sighs, his stiff pose slowly melting away. "Though I would've worded it more elegantly, I agree with my nephew. " Iroh asserts, "You've shown a remarkable lack of care for your own health, your persistence to fight on despite substantial injury is one example out of a considerable number. This does not speak well to the soundness of your mind, even with your 'amnesia'. I'm afraid if things go one like this, you may become a danger even to us." Zuko's eyes gained a strange glint when his uncle mentioned Mokou's perceived amnesia.
Should I tell them about it now? Mokou wonders, assessing the mood in the room.
"Additionally," He continues, interrupting Mokou's train of thought, "your brawl against that Earthbender has shown the limitations to your healing technique, so I implore you to be more careful in choosing your battles. "
"Limitations?" Mokou asks.
"Yes," Iroh responds, "you couldn't heal yourself during your fight against that thug, is that not correct? Why else would you end up wounded in the first place."
"It's not a matter of not being able too, but more that I wouldn't heal myself. I would've been forced to use a bit of fire to heal that wound up." She shrugs, "Would've outed me for being a firebender and you guys for harbouring one."
Their eyebrows raise up at her declaration. "I see," Iroh says. "Your caution is appreciated, but I still encourage you to think of your own safety."
"Yeah sure, I'll be careful from now on. There, satisfied." Mokou asks impatiently.
The next day Mokou comes to work, entering the newly repaired doorway where there was once a man-shaped hole. She has to give the earthbenders credit, they work fast, a day had only past, and now it seems good as new. Something like that would've taken the fairies even longer to finish, assuming they don't cause even more damages.
She opens the door to Pao Tea, spotting Zuko setting up the chairs and tables. Beside him is Pao himself who approaches Mokou with a smile. He takes Mokou's hand and shakes it enthusiastically.
"Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" He exclaims, still shaking Mokou's hand. She's feels compelled to look away in embarrassment, not knowing how to respond. But Mokou endeavours to meet his eyes if only to avoid making it even more awkward. "If I got caught up in their extortion racket I would've been finished," he continues. Pao releases his grip on Mokou as she stifles a sigh of relief. He turns to speak to Zuko, addressing him in his fake name, " Li, fetch me the chest in my office."
Mokou looks to Pao in askance as the Prince in disguise rushes out of the room. He comes back with a rather large and crude chest and hands it to Pao. "What's this about?" Mokou asks.
"Your reward," Pao replies cryptically and opens it with a showman's flair. Mokou looks into the opened chest, half expecting it to be full of magical trinkets thanks to Pao's theatrically. Instead, she finds a roughed up green apron with a bamboo stick beside it. Mokou feels both disappointed that it wasn't anything spectacular and in herself for expecting something cool in the first place.
Pao brings up the apron and speaks solemnly, "This apron was worn by my father and my father's father. I would like for you to have it, consider it a reward for saving the business," he brings the apron towards Mokou, which prompts her to incline her head. He ties the string of the apron at the back of her neck and steps back. "Now you have been promoted to Supreme-Executive-Head-Chef!" He says it like it means something important, but it all goes over Mokou's head.
Mokou isn't too sure what privileges and responsibilities her new position entails but as long as she could cook her dishes then she doesn't really mind. Zuko looks at the two with bemusement and a wry smile before setting up the chairs.
"Congratulations," the Prince says with a deadpan.
"Thanks," Mokou replies lamely and turns to Pao, "but if its a family heirloom then why aren't you the one wearing it? "
Pao scoffs, " Because the one I have now is much better. Besides, I don't have a clue when that was last washed."
Oh.
Mokou takes a sniff and immediately regrets it. Pao hands her the bamboo stick, "and what's this for?" she asks him.
"A weapon. I would not have my security protect this business unarmed." Mokou swings the stick around to get a feel of its weight.
It's definitely going to break the moment I hit someone with this.
"It...will do," Mokou says.
Pao nods, "Good! Now, I'm sorry we can't celebrate your promotion, but we've got a business to run." The door opens and in comes a short girl with two shoulder-length braids. Her eye roams around the room, briefly staying on Mokou's form before moving on to Zuko's who narrows his eyes. "And look, our first customer! Better get going then." He pats Mokou's shoulder and approaches the newcomer.
She enters the kitchen and spots Iroh preparing his renowned tea. They greet each other before Mokou moves to her station to clean it and prepare for the coming customers. The day is spent cooking yakitori and taking orders. There had been some customers who wanted to inquire on Mokou's health, though most of them wanted to see the "non-bender" fighter that had beaten that big thug from yesterday. They would ask Zuko to bring Mokou out of the kitchen to meet them, but she turns it down whenever Zuko relays it to her. Some of the younger kids did sneak into the kitchen to catch a glimpse of Pao's new bodyguard, but a grimace and a scolding from Mokou's part gets them running out with their tail between their legs. It was a good thing Mokou decided to use spark rocks for cooking her dishes today. It was an attempt to show she's more "careful" now. If she had been firebending when those kids came in, it would've been a mess.
She wished Iroh was in the kitchen at the time the kids came in. He would've shooed them away with kind words and a guilt trip, rather than scare them off with threats. He manages the front of house most of the time, though he does come back to the kitchen occasionally. Mainly to brew his tea and engage in small talk with her.
Because of how...friendly he is, the customers would talk to him about anything whenever Iroh is in front of house. Sometimes they'd speak about their lives, the news outside of Ba Sing se, and about the war though that topic is spoken in hushed tones. Iroh would relay all of this to Mokou during the rare times he comes into the kitchen. The man likes to run his mouth, but she isn't too bothered by it, Kaguya is far worse a chatterbox than he is.
Though it was through Iroh's small talk that Mokou found out where the thugs from yesterday came from. There have been rumours lately of bandit purge in some villages of Earth Kingdom. Bandit leader after bandit leader were found beaten and lying unconscious in the towns they terrorised. It had led to a drastic decrease in criminal activity in some villages, followed by an increase of war supplies from said villages. No one knows who is behind all of this. It could be an individual or a group or maybe because of some other factors they're not aware of. Some say it was because of the Avatar, but he wasn't seen at all in the affected areas. Some even say it could be because of infighting or rivalry, but that tends to lead to an increase in crime, not a decrease.
The thug Mokou had beaten yesterday was one of those bandit leaders that had seen the writing on the wall and decided to leave for greener pastures. He was some head of a crime syndicate that ran an extortion racket in multiple villages and earning enough money to bribe the garrisoned troops in the area. Then something happened and spooked him out of the villages and into Ba Sing Se. That's all Mokou could gleam off from her conversations with Iroh. The truth is probably much stranger than it seems, but with the ongoing censorship, Mokou believes it's all she'll ever know of the situation, for now.
Evening arrives soon enough, and the sounds of the patrons recede. Mokou walks out of the kitchen after cleaning her station and spots that same girl with the braided hair. She's the only customer that hasn't left, sitting alone and sipping her tea. Zuko walks up to her, and the girl gives a wide smile. They exchange a few words before the two walk out of the tea shop together, the girl hugging Zuko's arm.
"Isn't young love so beautiful," Iroh says, standing beside Mokou. He holds a serene smile with his arms around his belly.
"Huh, I had no idea he was looking for a date."
Iroh strokes his beard, "that's because he wasn't. It was her that asked him no Zuko, and she was very determined too."
Mokou shakes her head and crosses her arms, "That girl doesn't know what she's getting herself into."
"Neither does Zuko, and that's what makes it all exciting. The search for someone to spend their lives with is wrought with trial and error, and the young have all the time they need to search." Iroh says wistfully, still stroking his beard. He turns to Mokou, "say, do you have anyone like that in your life?"
"As in someone I love romantically?" Iroh nods and Mokou shakes her head, "No."
He raises his eyebrows, "what a quick answer. Is there no one you'd rather spend an eternity with?"
The wording surprises Mokou, which gives rise to feelings of suspicion before she dismisses it. There are only two people Mokou will spend eternity with but its because of circumstance rather than desire. They are the only true companions she will ever have in this hell they've chosen to stay in. The Hourai Elixir by its nature, prevents their souls from being judged, but they have damned themselves to an eternity of stillness.
"No," Mokou replies. She eyes Iroh's face to gauge his reaction, expecting some sort of frown but she sees a hopeful smile instead.
"Well, given time I'm sure you'll find that someone," Iroh says.
"Sure," Mokou replies. A silence fills the room as she has nothing else to say, paying little attention to the old man beside her.
"You know," Iroh begins to say, probably in an attempt to keep up the conversation. "I haven't asked you where you're from yet, must've slipped my mind, silly me."
Mokou replies with a wordless "hm" and a raised eyebrow.
Iroh continues, " Now I'd like to think I'm not a very nosy old man. But when things began to contradict or make no sense, well...sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me. Besides, it's only fair after I told you who I really am."
Mokou stares into Iroh, contemplative and suspicious. She sighs to herself and moves to a table and sits down. Iroh follows and sits across her.
"I'm guessing you've figured out that I'm no amnesiac." At Iroh's nod, she continues, "remember when you told me about the spirit world?"
"Yes, I do. You're not from there are you?" Iroh asks, leaning back on his chair, though Mokou sees a sort of gleam in his eyes.
"Well, I'm from somewhere like the spirit world, and the beings that live there call it Gensokyo."
There's one feeling Mai feels most in the world and its boredom. She's bored of travelling through dull forests, monotonous deserts and tedious hills. Mai is especially bored of waiting in this dumb, stupid room waiting for Azula's target to come in. Speaking of Azula, she's standing next to the dumb Earth Kingdom bandit she tied up to a chair and whispering threats to his ear. Ty lee, on the other hand, is using one of the bandit's polearms as platforms to do handstands on.
Azula perks up and look out into one of the windows and spots a figure coming in. Said figure looks undoubtedly female with her form-fitting robes and flowing black hair. Hair that's longer than Mai's. She wears a blank wooden mask with two holes that reveal a pair of brown eyes.
"Looks like you finished my questline for me," the woman says, her voice melodic and soft. "What a shame, I wanted the reward for that guy's bounty," she points to the bandit that's tied up to a chair. The bandit starts to shake in fear and tries to escape from his restraints. Azula hits the back of his neck, and he stops moving and lolls his head bonelessly. Ty Lee drops down to the ground and lands with a roll and a skip. Mai brings her hands to her sleeves and grasps the arrows and kunai within.
Azula walks up to the figure, " Oh, I could give you something worth far more than his measly bounty," she says.
"I'm listening."
"There's a general in Ba Sing Se whose a threat to my plans. You could do whatever you want to him, but ultimately I want him gone as a threat."
"Why me, specifically?"
"Because I've heard of your exploits as an infiltrator. I've seen the bandits you've gotten rid of without anyone knowing who did it or how. But I know how," Azula points to herself, "and I liked what I saw."
The woman rubs the back of her head, "Well, I can't be that good if you've heard all about me."
"Oh, you're good, you've gone under everyone's noses but mine. Though I'm at a different level really, there was no way you could escape my notice in the first place."
" Sure I'll take the job, bandit hunting was getting a bit dull anyway. So who's the lucky guy?"
Azula brings up a scroll and throws it to her. The woman grabs it and opens the scroll to see the painting of a general's face. "Your target is General How; he's one of the Council of Five. Eliminate him, and as much gold as you want, but should you fail--"
The woman interrupts, "Then off with my head if you're feeling merciful. Yeah got it."
"Good," Azula says with a sneer, looking a bit angered at the woman's response.
Mai raises her hand, "Question, why do you do all of this anyway. It can't be something as dull as justice if you're gonna off the general anyway."
The woman looks up in thought and just shrugs, "Boredom really. One thing lead to another, and here I am."
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This chapter had been a doozy to write mainly because of the dream sequence which had gone through several rewrites. Initially, it was supposed to be a conversation between Keine and Mokou but the dialogue ended up a bit too stilted and preachy, then it was changed to a conversation between Mokou and Flandre and Keine later on but it felt bloated so I ended up trimming the fat and left only the Mokou and Flandre convo in the chapter.
The other scene that required a rewrite was Mokou entering Pao Tea the day after the fight. She was supposed to enter the shop and see a cheering crowd before her, but I cut that out and have only Pao be the one thanking her.
Also, Kaguya may seem a bit OOC in that last scene but I'll explain her actions in the later chapters involving her POV.
Anyways hows the story so far? Are the character's too OOC? Are there any contrivances or plotholes that pop out too you? How's the dialogue too? What grammatical mistakes are there?
Comments, feedback and discussion are appreciated!
The moment the words "Gensokyo" leaves Mokou's lips, Iroh raises an eyebrow. The man had been to many places, seen many things, and lived a life full and eventful, yet never had he heard of this Gensokyo. Presumably, it is a place similar to the spirit world, hidden away and harbouring extraordinary creatures. A man as well-travelled as him would've heard of this "Gensokyo" by now, especially if it produced a Firebender like Mokou. Either he hasn't discovered it because of extraordinary reasons, or she's lying. But Iroh is willing to believe in the goodness of Mokou's heart, she didn't come across as manipulative, just reticent. She is no Azula.
Mokou continues to speak, "Gensokyo to some is a refuge, to others its a prison, and to a very few; a paradise. If I were to give a general description though, well..." She looks up in thought, "It's a place where spirits, gods, and monsters dwell and thrive in because of the physical world having no place for them. It's a...world in it of itself. One that is separate from the physical world and follows its own set of laws."
A world of spirits, gods, and monsters...she is right, it is like the spirit world. But what then distinguishes Gensokyo from it, she mentioned before that Gensokyo is like the spirit world, rather than being in it. That implies difference. Though, it could be a mistake on her part. Her perspective may be limited somehow, caused by living in the same area all her life and knowing no other places than her home. She didn't seem the type to have travelled far and wide, and her general ignorance of the physical world would give credibility to that assumption. An environment like that would lead one to assume their home is a world in it of itself, separate from anything else when in actuality that home is a small part of a greater whole. But he is getting ahead of himself, so caught up with his own assumptions.
" And why do these beings not have a place in the physical world?" Iroh asks.
It's a question Iroh knows the answer to, being the learned man that he is and having conversed with actual spirits himself. Mainly, he's interested in Mokou's response, of the reasons why she thinks these beings retreat to this Gensokyo. After all, Gensokyo could just be another place in the spirit world that Mokou has mistaken to be separate from it. It might be a bit condescending on his part, but he's not one to underestimate the depths of human misunderstanding.
"Modernisation," she replies, " see these beings, let's call them youkai, uses human fear as sustenance. Youkai are shaped by human fear and sometimes feed on humans themselves. It's a very general explanation, but for the sake of simplicity, I'll run with it. Hope you're alright with that."
Iroh nods, " It is fine," he replies. Already her answer has gone beyond his expectations, and she's only just begun. Better start simple than chase minute tangent after minute tangent. He's talked with enough men his age to know how a conversation can be completely derailed.
Mokou nods and continues, "See, these youkai require humans to survive, but their relationship is more parasitic than symbiotic. Humans do not need youkai, and as they progressed technologically, they do away with the traditions and mysticisms of the past. Thus, the youkai begin to lose their hold. Humans began to fear each other more than the simple primordial fears they used to have, like the dark or natural predators. It's gotten to a point where humanity stopped believing in these youkai, making them lose their form. I've even heard cases where gods outright disappeared because of the loss of faith, and some of the beastly youkai were hunted down to extinction, while others just starved. That's where Gensokyo comes in. It's a world stuck in the past, with a human population that hasn't advanced beyond steam-era technology. A refuge for all the things humanity has forgotten."
Iroh leans back on his chair, taking it all in. He sips his tea, letting the heat brush his tongue and soothe his body. Modernity? The breaking away of past mysticisms and tradition? Sounds very much like the ideals of the Fire nation, but he digresses. Best not to distract himself with the issues of home just yet.
The idea of a Gensokyo is interesting to him; a refuge for spirits, one that requires humanity's belief and fear for their own existence. What a peculiar thought, the place itself could even be described as alien. The spirits Iroh knows need not humanity's belief, nor it's fear. The only time they're ever threatened by humans is when their homes in the physical world are burnt or destroyed, but even then such cases are rare. Though if what Mokou said is true, then Iroh still has much to learn, not that he knew everything about the spirit world in the first place. He likens himself to a hiker who thought himself to be halfway up a mountain only to find out that he's still at the base. How humbling, how groundbreaking, if it were true. All that's left is to confirm.
He starts with a simple question, laying the foundation for further questioning, as to ascertain the validity of her words, the holes in her summary. " How can one enter Gensokyo?" he asks.
Mokou's eyes widen at that, followed by a nervous a scratch on the cheek. "Right, I should've started with that..." she mumbles to herself. Her ears gain a red tint as she puts her hand down to her lap. "The only way to access Gensokyo is through a gateway located in a shrine."
"And where is this shrine?"
"That's the thing, it's not located here."
Iroh scrunches up his eyebrows in confusion, tilting his head imperceptibly. He knows not where Mokou is going with this, " As in not in Ba Sing Se?"
"As in, it's not in this world."
Iroh takes a sip of his tea, " So in the spirit world then? Or is there another place like Gensokyo?"
There's a pause, and Mokou shakes her head, " I mean that this shrine is located in another physical world entirely. One with its own history, culture, and people. One where bending doesn't exist."
Iroh stares at Mokou, pursing his lips in numb concentration. With the gears in his mind working in overdrive, indicated by his lost contemplative eyes. He places his tea gently on the table and lets out a single word, "oh."
They both stare at the table, Iroh lost in thought while Mokou taps the ground with her heel.
"Your firebending--" Iroh begins to say, his eyes acquiring a glazed quality to it, not even meeting Mokou's eyes.
"Is a separate thing entirely," She interrupts. The woman glances at Iroh's eyes then looks away, turning her head towards the counter. She turns it back towards Iroh, "You don't believe me," she states.
"I don't know what to believe. It's all very...extraordinary," Yes, that's the word. Extraordinary. Actually no, that's a lie, extraordinary isn't a fitting enough description. Rather it is...he doesn't know, can't find the words. There's no suitable adjective in his mind to describe it, what he has just heard merely...is. Some part of him doesn't believe her, whether because of his rational mind or his simple desire to not want to believe...he doesn't know.
Another world...with people like us.
" I wasn't lying that my world has its own history," Mokou says, almost stammering. She said my world, Iroh recalls as the pieces begin to fit together in his mind, dot after dot connects to create a constellation of knowledge. Discomforting, exciting, groundbreaking knowledge.
Mokou's eyes survey the tea shop and nod to herself after finding it to be empty. Her eyes narrow imperceptibly, giving them a resolute and determined quality. She stands up with a charisma that Iroh did not realise she had, with her back straight and her shoulders squared. Mokou stares down to Iroh, her demeanour now imposing and commanding, " You might not believe it but I'm--was a part of a great family back from where I came from. I am Fujiwara no Mokou, from the nation of Japan, from the world I call Earth. If you accuse me of lying, then I'll prove you wrong. So anything you'd like to ask?"
Oh.
Heyo, just wondering, do you guys prefer short somewhat-weekly updates like this or the longer ones that come out much less often?
Anyways this chapter was mainly for worldbuilding and an introduction to the world of Gensokyo for the uninitiated, I hope the exposition wasn't too boring or confusing. Also keep in mind these explanations comes from Mokou's perspective ( with most of the stuff she hears about Gensokyo originating from hearsay or Keine, who's way more reliable. )
As for the concerns about not being able to connect the Jet storyline, I already have that planned out on how to connect these two plots and it will be shown in the later chapters, hopefully it doesn't come off as forced when I do post that chapter. The reason why the Jet storyline may seem out of place with the momentum of the story right now is because of a change of plans (Ironic since I just said I had it planned out). In fact, initially, the second chapter was supposed to have a Jet and Mokou scene with the latter recounting to Jet how she got to Ba Sing Se in the first place. I ended up scrapping it because it would've required Mokou to be comfortable with sharing certain things to a complete stranger, which is out of character with how I characterized Mokou.
Which is why I focused on the Iroh-Zuko-Mokou trio more as it helps create events in the story to establish Mokou is ever so slowly opening up to people and becoming more invested in the new world she's in (Which I hope is properly conveyed in the previous chapters, and also that writing these characters and contrasting them is fun). So I guess this whole predicament is an issue in pacing and focus on my part.
Speaking of which after some rereading, I feel like Mokou's acceptance of Iroh's kindness and the whole " It isn't worth the trouble" line might seem to come out of nowhere, which I could fix with a sidestory post when I get to it. Unless anyone here is willing to do an omake, though I'm not too sure how omakes work. I'm quite interested on other people's take on the idea of Mokou in the A:TLA world, though whether the omake is canon or not depends on me.
Also, it might seem that Kaguya's connection to the moon might make her a perfect waterbender but don't hold your breath . Kaguya's character is an antithesis to the core of waterbending, as water is the element of change. Maybe after some character development she might be able to waterbend but who knows.
Anyways, oof this was a long note. Thanks for reading, and comments and feedback are appreciated!
Zuko runs; the sharp lines and angles of Ba Sing Se's storefronts and houses amalgamate into a singular, vague form, a blur. His eyes only focused on the path ahead, darkening at every step. Zuko's body is hugged by the light behind him, the light he created; that's how he knows he's not far away enough from its source. He wants to look back so he can feel something other than emptiness for once, to rid himself of that gnawing void in his gut. But he can't. Zuko can't turn his back to the life he once lived, so he keeps running.
I have something for you too. Now it's your turn to close your eyes.
Zuko's hand rubs his lips, yet still, the residue of warmth and desire stay as stubbornly as any scar. Like a wound, it isn't something that he could rub off. So he puts his mind into running, his legs fueled by a decade of training and conditioning. Before he knows it, the light that hugged his form is gone. Its warm golden shimmer is replaced by the cold whites of the moon and the twinkling, evanescent stars.
It's complicated. I have to go.
Zuko stops. His shoulders heave as he gasps for air. He looks to the gate leading to the apartments but spots black figure dart around at the corner of his eye. He ignores it and climbs three flights of stairs, leading Zuko to the door of his new and temporary home. As his sweaty palms grip the handle, his ears pick up Iroh and Mokou's voices. He could barely make out what they're saying, catching only a few words.
"....Katamari.....Fuhito."
Zuko opens the door and enters to see both of them sitting on the ground beside a low rise table, with Iroh's bonsai tree atop of the battered wooden surface. Zuko moves towards his room, his heart tight and his head light. He opens the door to enter.
"How was your night, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asks.
The prince enters his room and closes the door, slamming it with force. There's a moment of silence before Zuko opens it again to say, "It was fine," before closing it again. He lays on his bed, becoming lost in thought, his mind hazy and troubled.
"Fine, huh?" Mokou says in disbelief, her eyes still fixated on the closed door.
"Oh, cut the poor boy some slack. This is progress, " Iroh replies.
"Progress?" she asks with a raised eyebrow and turns her head towards Iroh. "What was he like before?"
He looks up in thought, then levels his eyes onto Mokou's. "Temperamental. The Zuko from two years ago would've burned down that door. The fact that he didn't is a mark of progress." Iroh looks towards Zuko's room with a wistful smile and sighs contently, "Watching him grow from the boy he once was to the young man he is now..." Iroh catches himself and shakes his head, forming a mirthful smile.
The wrinkles on his face become ever more apparent, showing Mokou the creases of a full life. Lines around his mouth evidence of his easy and frequent smile, squinting eyes belonging to a scholar, and furrows on his forehead reminiscent of many hours of thoughtful contemplation. Never has Iroh seemed as old as he does now, Mokou reflects. In the recesses of her mind, an envious thought lingers, desiring the luxuries of mortality, of finite life. Times like this, Mokou prefers to be brittle in body than in mind, to have time erode her skin and bone rather than her sanity. "Nevermind. I shouldn't waste your time with the ramblings of an old man."
"It's ok, I'm not in a rush." She'd prefer it if this moment didn't end.
"Oh? That's a rare thing to hear from someone so young."
Young huh? If only he knew...
Mokou shrugs, "I guess I'm just patient."
That gets a chuckle out of Iroh before he abruptly raises his eyebrows and widens his eyes in realization, "Oh, how I could have forgotten. Zuko!" he exclaims, "would you like some tea?" No reply came, and Iroh shrugs, "I guess he's already asleep. We should get going too, or we'll be late for work."
Mokou nods after a moment's hesitation, "Sure."
Iroh rises, "Oh, but I do have one question before we turn in, if you don't mind princess Fujiwara."
Mokou winces in disgust, "Don't, just Mokou is fine. I haven't been a princess for a long time."
"If you say so," Iroh conceded with a smile and a weird glint in his eyes, "So how were you able to come here to our world in the first place?"
Mokou rises up, her hands deep in her pockets, "There was an experiment that went wrong," she shrugs, "and now I'm here."
"And that experiment occurred the same day you met us?" At Mokou's nod, Iroh looks up and rubs his chin before continuing, "Was there perhaps two other people with you when this experiment went "wrong"?"
The Fujiwara girl raises her eyebrows, "Yes, there was...how'd you know that?"
Iroh walks towards the open window to close the shutters, a thoughtful look upon his face. " I have a.... connection to the spirit world, I'll tell you the specifics in another time. But essentially, through meditation, I can surmise the state of the spirit world or even see certain spirits. It isn't perfect, but it works well."
"So you're in tune with this spirit world, is what you're saying. What does that have to do with anything?"
Iroh turns to Mokou, "The point is that I felt the spirit world, for lack of a better word, shake, three times actually. And it happened a few hours before I met you." He puts a hand on his forehead in exasperation, "I thought I was going mad. Imagine being the only one affected by an earthquake while everyone else goes about their day as if nothing was happening." He puts his hand down and sighs, "It was surreal, even a bit horrific, and I don't use that word lightly."
Mokou recalls her final moments on Earth and remembers only ever seeing white before she arrived in this world. Could that have been an explosion of some sort? Clearly, something was wrong with Eirin's magic circle if it transported Mokou to another world. But could it really mess with this "spirit world" Iroh was mentioning? Maybe if Mokou knew more about magic, then she might have some idea if there's a connection to the tremors and her arrival, but she doesn't, and now all she's doing is drawing blanks.
Just what the hell happened back on Mt.Fuji?
"Wait, what makes you think the spirit world shaking had a connection to my arrival here?" Mokou asks.
Iroh shrugs, " It was an educated guess, the spirit world shook, and you arrived the very same day, your mentioning of this "experiment" further confirms my beliefs. As to why I thought there may have been others with you, was another guess, a shot in the dark. If one instance of shaking indicated your arrival, the two other occurrences would've meant two more people. Again, you confirmed my thoughts when you mentioned there really were two other people with you."
Mokou, with wide eyes, takes a step back and leans on a wall. That old man is sharp, she thinks to herself. And if he is right, then Kaguya and Eirin really are here. She doesn't really know what to think of that, and this lightness in her chest isn't helping at all.
"So, what exactly happened during that experiment?" Iroh asks.
Mokou ponders if she should tell him the truth, that the purpose of that experiment was to end her immortal life. But she doubts that a kindly man like him would react to that fact very well. Not only because she would reveal herself as an immortal, but also the fact that she set out to die. She attempts to think of a believable cover story while also deciding whether to tell him the truth or not. Though she has some difficulty of thinking up of a cover, she isn't used to lying, not like Kaguya.
"I see it isn't something you want to talk about," Iroh says, with a hint of disappointment.
"Huh?" Is all Mokou says as the gears in her head come to a stop.
"Your eyes were darting right then towards the ceiling, you were thinking up a lie." Mokou opens her mouth but Iroh continues, "It's alright, I'm not interrogating you on the particulars of the experiment, I just wanted to confirm my suspicions. Though I do hope you reveal its purpose on your own time."
"Thanks, and sorry."
Iroh smiles, " Oh, its no issue. In fact, I should be apologizing for taking up all your time for tonight, we should really be asleep by now. An old man like me will wake up late in the afternoon if I stay up any longer."
"I'll be sure to wake you up when that happens," Mokou says neutrally.
Iroh's smile widens, "How considerate!" he exclaims. Iroh moves towards his room, and Mokou moves to hers. The old man looks back to Mokou, "You've given me much to think about Mokou, dream about too. For that, I thank you."
Mokou nods soundlessly and goes to her room and onto her bed. Sleep doesn't come easily to her for tonight, with the thoughts of two other immortals still on her mind.
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A rooster caws at the crack of dawn, the sound reverberating throughout the garden of General How's mansion. Kaguya yawns as she lays atop a tree branch within the general's large garden, through the eye sockets of her mask, she spots no one nearby. Feeling safe, she relaxes and leans back on the tree. The princess-turned-assassin had spent an unusual night in thought, the act itself as alien to her as her surroundings. Without Eirin or Mokou around, the former heiress of the royal Houraisan family had to find her own entertainment; and in search of something to do, the princess had become less of a shut-in. Well, it was inevitable that she had to go out and find something fun, better than sleeping her days away, waiting for exciting things to happen. It used to be much less troublesome with Mokou around.
Kaguya becomes lost in thought yet again, remarking to herself how her situation is quite like the isekai mangas Eirin had provided her. These comparisons had been occurring ever since Kaguya was transported to this new world. Before that incident on Mt.Fuji, Kaguya had been avidly reading mangas of that genre in recent years, as new volumes find its place on the shelves of the Kourindou. Predictably, Kaguya had finished every book she found, though most of them were quite forgettable, a few had interesting premises. And if there's one thing she's learned from reading those mangas, it was that other than the average high schooler, most isekai protagonists were NEETS or hikkimoris, or even both. These protagonists would change from their degenerate ways as their new lives become so much more enjoyable than their old ones. This, Kaguya had sought to emulate, to copy their character arcs now that she's bereft of a white-haired punching bag and an all-knowing nurse to spice things up. Maybe she'll even get a harem on the side too.
Sure, she can find a way back to Gensokyo and live like she used to do, but Kaguya can go back to the Gap Hag's holiday retreat anytime she likes. Right now, there's a new world of possibilities, literally. In Gensokyo, Kaguya was a political fugitive hiding away from the Lunarians, but in this new world? She can be anything she wants, like an assassin for one.
Admittedly she had been slacking on the job, not being able to rouse herself to take action, what with the branch being so comfortable. She had to give credit to the ones tending the garden; their diligence and thoroughness had produced an exquisite scene, especially when viewed from high up. Sadly, the princess can't keep procrastinating for much longer, from what she could surmise from the gossips and whispers of the general's attendants; he is an early riser, which meant that he would be waking up soon. That would be no good, assassinations, after all, are best done when the victims are asleep.
She sat up and stretched before jumping down, soundlessly onto the soft earth. Kaguya's eyes survey the area again to find it empty, the only person up and awake being the general's valet who happens to be tending the chickens if his audible complaints were of any indication. The princess moves with grace and dexterity, with battle instincts that had been honed for three centuries. There was once a moment in time where Kaguya had decided to change up how she approached her fights with Mokou. Instead of charging head-on or starting the fight with a massive attack like she usually did, Kaguya had decided to do battle much more stealthily. Her first attempts were disastrous but immensely enjoyable. So she kept doing it, again and again, getting better each and every time, she broke bad habits and stopped repeating mistakes, until she was flawless. This went on for the better part of three decades, with it stopping because as Kaguya improved, so did Mokou. The Fujiwara girl had gotten so good at countering Kaguya's stealth that each fight ended up with the same outcome, the princess becoming a burning husk, and that was not good. Because having each battle end the same way made it...samey, and that's boring, which is very, very bad.
So she stopped and decided to use some other method to start up their fights. So the years went by, and her skills atrophied, but not entirely. She still has that four decades of experience under her belt, and moved like a professional, despite being self-taught. Kaguya spots an opened window leading to the General's room and moves towards it.
Tsk Tsk. They make it too easy.
The princess, deciding not to fly, took the scenic route. Climbing up walls and jumping off of the tiled roofs without slipping. She vaults over a railing and towards another tiled roof, this time having a much more curved shape than the previous one. This roof leads directly up to the opened window, and a part of Kaguya feels like she's walking to a trap.
They're at war, why are they so lax on security?
Kaguya enters the room, her foot landing on a green carpet with golden linings and images of soldiers and noblemen surrounding a golden emblem. Across Kaguya is a jade door as equally decorated as the carpet she stands on. To the left of the door is the general's armour propped up by a stand. The armour itself consisting of several plates of lamellae with yellow studs atop each plate and a green cloak wrapped around the neckline.
She spots the general asleep on his satin bed, with silk curtains embroidered with images of a chrysanthemum. Next to him is the bedside table, with a cup and a pot of tea beside it. There's still steam coming out of the pot, must've been recently placed by the valet who probably knew the general's sleeping pattern. Which means that the man should be waking up soon.
Perfect.
Kaguya walks up to the teapot and procures a poison from her sleeves. Her employer, Princess Azula, had given Kaguya this poison the day after she hired her. The moon princess recalls Azula's words on how much poison to administer.
One drop will put a grown man to sleep. Another drop will put him to rest.
That girl definitely had a penchant for being needlessly dramatic, but Kaguya doesn't mind; it is entertaining after all. The newly hired assassin takes a step, and the general stirs. Out of panic, Kaguya activates her power, and the world bends to her will. The sound of roosters recede into nothing, the steam of the teapot freezes in place, and the general lays still. What was once an instant becomes stretched out into infinity, and time slows to a halt. In this stagnant world, nothing changes, everything is still and dull and dreary. Kaguya sighs in relief as she fiddles with the poison given to her, opening the cap and walking towards the teapot.
Morning comes and goes as the sun reaches its zenith, bringing with it the unrelenting summer heat. True to her words, Mokou had woken Iroh up from his deep slumber, having apparently stayed up all night, if the cluttered scrolls and spilled ink were of any indication.
Now the three firebenders are working their usual shifts in the tea shop, with Mokou and Iroh in the kitchen and Zuko acting as a waiter. The disgraced prince had noticed something different about the two ever since he woke up. Their interactions seem much warmer, it's like they've gotten closer overnight.
About time my uncle starts hanging out with someone other than his nephew.
Zuko eyes a patron coming through the door, he seems different from anyone Zuko's seen from the lower ring. The man sticks out like a sore thumb with the multitudes of diamond and jade rings on his fingers and the clean white robe underneath a green coat. Zuko hopes Iroh or Mokou come out of the kitchen soon, he prefers to not deal with another situation alone.
He walks past a table filled by some of Ba Sing Se's guards, all four of them devouring their plates with speed. Zuko's ears pick up the guard's conversation.
"I heard General How had a huge dinner last night. The Council of Five was there, some of the nobles even attended too, plus many of the commanders, including mine," the first guard says.
"The heck are they doing throwing up parties? We're at war." the second guard grumbles.
"Hush" the third guard admonishes, "the Dai Li have ears everywhere."
"Speaking of," The first guard continues, " Long Feng wasn't invited to the dinner it seems. Heard How forgot to invite the esteemed secretariat."
"Ain't he the leader of the Dai Li too?" the second asks.
"Yes numbnuts, he is. What kind of rock have you been living unde--" the third guard is interrupted by the fourth guard.
"That's camelephant dung, and you know it."
"What do you mean?" the first guard asks.
"How is meticulous, there's no way he'll forget to invite someone as important as Long Feng. Besides, a gathering of the elite without the leader of the Dai Li attending? That's fishy to me."
"What's your point?" The second one asks.
"My point is that General How is moving against Long Feng."
They all scoff.
"Oh, shut up."
"You're crazy."
"You've been taking the rumours too seriously."
"I'm telling you, something big's gonna happen in this city, and we're at the crossfi-"
Someone pokes Zuko's shoulder, "excuse me, young man," Zuko looks over his shoulder to see the same rich man from before, " Is there a Mushi and Mokou around at this time?"
The former prince nods, " They're at the kitchen, let me go get them."
Today....Today was shaping up to be a terrible day for General Sung. When everyone woke up in the guest rooms of General How's mansion, they had expected their host to greet them in the early morning, only to find him still asleep. How's attendant and his close circle had thought it to be weird but chalked it up to a busy night of merriment and backroom dealings tiring the man down. So they waited patiently for him to wake up, from the crack of dawn to the afternoon they waited, and waited, and waited. But he didn't rise up from his bed....
Now General Sung finds himself outside of How's bedroom, waiting for the avatar's waterbending companion to finish checking whats wrong. Sung's jaw had started to sore due to how long he had been biting at his nails. His imagination had not been a friendly companion these past few hours. Did the Dai Li listen in on their conversations? Did one of them participate in last night's events? Could there be a Dai Li mole amongst How's close circle of friends right now? Will he be next?
General Sung's ruminations were interrupted by the sound of an opening a door. Out comes the tan-skinned waterbender along with the avatar looking dejected and hopeless.
The waterbender speaks first, " I've tried all I could but...I don't think General How will waking up anytime soon...."
Hello again! Thanks for the feedback regarding update frequency, I've decided to aim for posting longer than 2k updates bi-weekly, or monthly if things gets hectic.
Hopefully I've portrayed Kaguya well in her POV section, and if there's anything I've missed or a detail that doesn't make sense, please point that out.
The man before Mokou has an air of surety, bordering on arrogance. That was all she needed to know that he was no residence of the lower ring of Ba Sing Se. The white speck-free robe adorned with golden accents and the oppressive smell of perfume had only reinforced that notion. Everything about him was quite unlike the residents here with their ragged tunics of faded green and pervading aroma of sweat and toil.
He claps his hands together, "So you two must be the geniuses behind Pao's success, the whole city has been buzzing about the new delectable dish and the wonderful brew coming from this place. I just had to check it out," he smirks. His demeanor reminds Mokou of her father's courtiers, haughty, and self-serving. " I hope Pao pays you well."
Mokou shrugs, "Well enough."
"Good tea is its own reward," Iroh states, standing beside Mokou.
He takes a step towards Iroh, "But it doesn't have to be its own reward." He leans towards Mokou, "And I'm sure your dishes are worth tenfold whatever Pao's paying you."
"Your point?" Mokou bluntly asks.
The man continues without missing a beat, "How would you two like to have your own restaurant together?"
Mokou raises a single eyebrow, while Iroh's eye widens in surprise. " Where I get to make and sell any kind of brew I'd like? Its a dream come true!" Iroh exclaims.
Before Mokou could let out a reply, Pao jumps right between them and shoots a deathly glare at the merchant. "I won't have you poach my valuable employees!"
The merchant chuckles in response, " Sorry pal, but that's business for you, nothing personal."
Pao begins to sweat, his voice shaky and calls Iroh by his fake name, "Uhm... Mushi, if you stay, I'll make you senior executive assistant manager!"
The merchant proposes his counter-offer confidently, "I'll provide you two with a new apartment in the upper ring. The restaurant will be yours to do whatever you want, complete creative freedom."
"I'm in," Iroh replies, with a wide smile and bright eyes, turning towards Mokou and nodding to her.
The merchant faces Mokou, "And what about you? It's a good offer, isn't it?"
The immortal begins to mull over her choices, whether to stay here in the lower ring cooking yakitori to a semi-decent boss that underpays her, or to own a restaurant of her own, moving up in Ba Sing Se's society. Now that she puts it like that, well...the answer becomes obvious.
---------------------
" I'm surprised you denied his offer," Iroh states, a tad puzzled while placing a bundle of his clothing into a basket. It had turned out that despite Mokou's rejection, just having Iroh and his tea would suffice for the merchant. Zuko was downstairs, managing his personal belongings and talking with the landlord about the end of their lease. Mokou didn't move in with anything except her clothes and the bamboo stick Pao had given her. So she helps Iroh with packing his belongings such as scrolls, tea ingredients, and such.
Mokou shrugs, " Pao's business was going to flounder without either of us."
Iroh closes his eyes and breathes through his nose before replying, "That can't be why you chose to stay, right? Yes, it's unfortunate what will happen to Pao, but you shouldn't have denied a chance to improve your situation just because you feel sorry for him."
Mokou shakes her head while she puts Iroh's scrolls onto a chest one by one. "You misunderstand. I didn't stay out of pity or generosity."
"Then what was your reason? You would've been safer and be able to familiarize yourself with this world more easily had you not denied his offer."
"That's because I need to see if my"--dare she say it-- "friends are actually here. Managing a restaurant would've been a needless distraction."
"And how will you do that?" Iroh inquires.
Mokou pauses in sorting Iroh's scrolls, her eyes gaining a thoughtful reminiscing glint. After a short pause she continues sorting out Iroh's scrolls, "It involves the spirit world...and something you said this morning."
"Something I said?"
--------------- Hours earlier
Three loud knocks to the bedroom door made Iroh stir in his sleep, but it wasn't enough to bring him out of his slumber. Then came three more, this time louder and harsher; it reminds the old general of the kind of sound falling boulders would make. Iroh's dream takes him to the battles that took place a decade ago, and the victories that came after them.
He remembers standing side-by-side with his loyal commanders, and his son Lu Ten. He remembers the moments they shared together, sitting by the campfire with the rank and file, singing songs and telling jokes. The memory brings warmth to Iroh's heart, but its comfort did not last. The noise of raucous soldiers and Lu Ten's laughter was drowned out by the sound of falling boulders.
Three more knocks came, louder and sharper sounding than the last. Iroh's eyes flew open, and he rose out of his bed, his back aching and his bones cracking.
"I'm awake; I'm awake," he announces, shambling to the door and opening it, revealing Mokou.
"Sorry to wake you up this early, but I needed to ask you about something. It's important."
"Early?" Iroh looks to the windows to see that daybreak has yet to come. "Nevermind, what is it you need?"
"When you said you were in tune with the spirit world...does that mean you're also able to enter it?"
Iroh rubs his eyes as his eyelids grow heavier by the second, "Yes, though it is difficult." Were Iroh less sleepy, he would've chuckled at the understatement.
"Difficult, how?"
"Well, other than having a spirit bring you there, well...One must achieve spiritual enlightenment."
Mokou grows pensive, her eyes drifting upwards in thought, "How?"
"How? Hmm...Well, it's all very simple you see--one must have age and fine tea. Oh my, that rhymed, I should be a poet!"
Mokou scowls, "Please take this seriously."
Iroh rubs his belly. "Well, Do forgive me; but its been a short night," he quips. "Maybe if I had a nice cup of jasmine tea, I could give a better answer."
"Sure," she mumbles and moves to the kitchen. Iroh watches her go before finding a seat by the table. Some time passes when Mokou brings a cup of tea to Iroh's side of the table. He takes the tea with as much grace as one who has been unexpectedly awoken. He eyes Mokou's side of the table and notes the absence of tea before taking a sip.
The tea is remarkably good, it isn't amazing, but it is certainly above average. Much better than Zuko's measly attempts.
"Did you ever brew tea before Mokou?"
The question surprises her, "uh...yes, one of my maids taught me how." The former general swears he saw a hint of a smile on the woman's face before she schooled her features.
"Then she must be very skilled, now where were we?"
Mokou leans forward, "Enlightenment."
"Ah, yes, yes, spiritual enlightenment..." Iroh takes a sip of his tea and lets out a content "ahh." He leans back on his chair, " many seek it without knowing what it truly means; you are wise to draw from the wisdom of others. So, to start, spiritual enlightenment is the complete comprehension of our inner nature and the world around us. You are already taking the first step, Mokou, which is finding knowledge. By acquiring knowledge, our world is better understood as we become unshackled by our ignorance. Then wisdom comes next; to accept change of the self and the world around us, to know that the soul is impermanent, to accept that suffering is a fundamental part of our lives."
"So, like satori and kensho..." Mokou mutters to herself, and Iroh raises an eyebrow in askance, but the woman gestures him to continue.
"Thus, with knowledge and wisdom, we can face our base desires, our twisted emotions, and detach ourselves from them and promote our better natures. It is by this point that we awaken and become enlightened."
"And how can this bring me to the spirit world?"
Iroh scratches his beard, "well...through enlightenment, we become unshackled by our worldly desires and ascend a higher plane of existence, thus allowing our spirits passage to the spirit world. Keep in mind that this process takes countless hours of introspection and meditation; it is challenging."
"I see." Mokou crosses her arms and leans back, her eyes gain a thoughtful and focused glint.
"Did that help at all?" Iroh asks.
Mokou nods, "Yes, thank you very much."
Iroh stands up from his chair and pushes it to the table, "Well, I'm glad to be of use, though next time you have a burning question in your head I urge you to wait and wake me up at a better hour than now."
There's a hint of red on Mokou's cheeks, "Right, sorry."
Iroh smiles warmly at that, "as long as you understand. So if you don't mind me, I'll be continuing my rest."
------------------- Present
"You mean to enter the spirit world to find your friends? By achieving enlightenment?" Iroh asks.
Mokou nods, " You said it shooked three times, right? So if they're not there, the shaking would've left a mark on that world which would clue me in on where they could be."
"Crossing to the spirit world is no mean feat, you know? It's a long and arduous journey." Iroh replies firmly.
"Which is why I should start now rather than later. Once I find them, the three of us could go back home."
"Well, then...How will you find a place to live in the meantime? Zuko and I had to show our documents to be able to rent this apartment, but you have none to show."
"I'll manage."
Iroh pauses at that, his expression thoughtful and nods. "I see, so this is where we separate?" he needlessly asked.
Mokou keeps her eyes on the chest, " I'm afraid so."
There's a lull in their conversation; the only sounds present being the shuffling of scrolls and clothing. Iroh places his basket down and approaches Mokou; she turns around to face him. He extends a hand. "Then I wish you luck; though brief our time was together, you have been a fascinating person to drink tea with."
Mokou clasps his hand and shakes it. "Likewise. Though I might come to you if I need help and advice, so it's not like we'll stop seeing each other for now."
----------------------------------------------
There's a lot of things that Aang finds confusing like: how can he get into the avatar state, or how could the Dai Li not allow Ba Sing Se's generals to join the war, or most recently, whatever the heck has happened-is happening to general How. Ever since Katara had begun teaching him the healing of arts of waterbending, Aang had gained a sense for another's chi and their chi paths. Throughout his journey so far, he has seen a person's chi be blocked or disrupted before, but he's never seen anyone's chi be frozen. It was surreal to see a person's life force be entirely still, and that's just the start of it. Katara's attempts at water healing with Aang's assistance had led them to discover that not even How's bodily fluids seem to be moving at all, leaving them with further questions. The water in his body was frozen-like and unbendable without it being encased in ice. No sweat came out of his pores, and no tears left his eyes when Katara tried to bend them out. All that was left was an unmoving body of a person that both Katara and Aang is sure is still alive.
When the duo had reported their inconclusive results, the doctors from Ba Sing Se's university had declared How deceased, much to Aang's dismay, and despite his attempts to declare otherwise. Though to make an already strange situation even stranger, the doctors could not perform an autopsy because How's skin turned out to be unbreakable. There were no scalpels and swords that could make so much a cut, leaving everyone scratching their heads on why and how it could be like that. It was all Aang has heard of their progress so far. There have been whispers of the doctors trying out a different method, but Aang doubts that whatever they plan to do would work.
So the Avatar, the one destined to bring balance to the world, finds himself lying down, his back to the ground, and his arms splayed across the floor. His eyes give piercing stares to the ceiling as if to bore a hole through the roof. If he had hair, Aang would've pulled them all out by now.
Sokka sits crosslegged beside Aang, scratching the back of his neck while in deep contemplation. Across them are Toph and Katara, eating from a bowl of noodles for dinner.
"I got it!" Sokka exclaims as everyone stops and stares.
Katara only sighs in exasperation, " If its another one of your crazy theories--"
"Wait, wait, wait." Sokka interrupts, "I've put a lot of thought in this, ok?"
"Yeah, Katara, don't interrupt him, he's hilarious when he gets like this," Toph says, as she continues slurping noodle after noodle from her bowl.
"Hey!" Sokka shouts in indignation.
Toph shrugs, "It's true."
Sokka groans at that before proposing his idea, "right, hear me out. So we know that How's innards seem like they've frozen up, right?" He motions towards Katara.
"Right," she confirms.
Sokka continues, "and that his skin's tougher all of a sudden; impenetrable even, kinda like a rock?"
Katara nods, "mhm."
"Then it can only mean one thing, ladies and gentlemen..." He pauses and claps his hands together for effect, "How has been petrified..."
"He's scared?" Toph asks, while Katara groans.
"No, I mean that he's been turned to stone, though by who, well who knows. Though I might have some idea." Sokka replies, which prompts Toph to chuckle.
"Turn someone to stone? Sokka, that's crazy, even for me." Toph states.
Before Sokka could reply, Katara chooses to weigh in, "There's no way general How's been turned to stone, trust me, Aang and I checked."
"But are you reeaallyy sure, though?"
Katara crosses her arms in exasperation, "yes, I'm sure, right, Aang?"
Aang rises up from his prone position to speak, "yep, his skin didn't feel stony at all to me, and you could still see the water in his eyes; if you were there, Sokka, you would've noticed too."
Now its Sokka's turn to cross his arms, only this time in indignation, "well excuse me, but I was busy investigating with my detective sidekick here for clues." He gestures towards Toph.
"I'm the sidekick!?" Toph shouts, "last time I check, I did most of the work!"
Sokka speaks in an exaggerated posh accent," who contributed what to the effort is quite elementary my dear--"
"Don't call me dear!"
"What's important is how much we got done as a team."
"Speaking of which," Katara says, facing Toph, "any progress on that end?"
Toph lays down and sighs, "Nope, all we got are the footprints that just end by his bed. The trail just stops right there; it's like the culprit either flew or just vanished from thin air. Other than that, we know nothing."
Aang tries to remember what clues they've probably missed in How's room and recall seeing a vial floating in the general's teapot. "What about that vial we found in How's tea?" He asks.
Sokka gives his answer, "We gave it to the doctors working on the case, but they haven't come back to us on what was actually inside it. Pretty sure its poison."
"Yes, but knowing what type of poison would tell us a lot, like how rich are the assassin's benefactors, where are they from, or what kind of death they would want How to suffer," Katara states.
"Yeah, but wouldn't knowing all that be useless since our assassin didn't use the poison at all. What if the vial's a red herring?" Sokka questions.
"Red herring or not; we're still better off knowing what it is, so please check on the doctors as soon as possible." Katara turns to Toph, "Was there anything else, Toph?" she asked.
Toph shakes her head.
Katara sighs in exasperation, "So we still don't know the who and the how of this plot. It's a shame, general How was one of the few generals that wanted Ba Sing Se to attack during the eclipse. But with all these conspiracies and the mess with the government...Getting Ba Sing Se's help on the invasion is quickly becoming a pipedream."
"And that's the problem, isn't it? The government, or at least the ones pulling its strings," Sokka asserts.
"You don't mean?"
"The Dai Li? Yeah, they're the ones with the motivation to take How out as a major player. It's an open secret that he opposed Long Feng, which was why he had to be taken out."
"Right..." Aang says, "And doing whatever they did to him the night of his gathering sends a message to How's allies-"
"To warn them of the consequences of opposing Long Feng," Toph continues Aang's sentence, finally risen up from her prone position. "Tch, I just want to beat him to a pulp."
"H-hold on a second," Katara begins to say, but her voice is drowned out by the others.
"What's stopping us from doing that?" Sokka asks, "Let's go find him and put a stop to this. I've been itching to use my boomerang on someone all week."
"No!" Aang exclaims, "He knows something about Appa, what do you think he's gonna do with that information when he's got nothing lose."
"Then what do we do!?" Sokka and Toph yell out.
"We tell the Earth King. March up to his palace, and convince him that everything Long Feng has been feeding him was lies. We take him to the wall and show him that Firenation drill, that way, Long Feng would have no way of denying the war's existence."
"Wait!" Katara exclaims, as everyone else stops and stares at her. "Aren't we getting a bit ahead of ourselves here? We have no idea what's going on, but we're already pointing fingers at the Dai Li already?!"
"The Dai Li are the ones who stand to gain a lot from this, so the motivation checks out," Aang says.
"Yeah," Sokka agrees, " I mean come on, they're a big-shadowy organization, this sort of stuff is right up their alley."
"Well, what if it's a Firenation spy?" Katara asks.
"The Firenation has been trying to infiltrate Ba Sing Se for the past hundred years, and they still haven't succeeded. You can thank the Dai Li for that; they're thorough, so there's no way a spy could get into this city, let alone How's mansion in the upper ring." Toph replies.
"Well, what if they're working together?"
"Seriously?" Sokka asked, "You think Mr. "preserve-the-cultural-heritage-of-Ba-Sing-Se" would really work with the Firenation?"
Before Katara could reply, someone knocks harshly on their door.
"It's general, Sung," Toph states, sensing the familiar vibrations of the general's footsteps.
"What's he doing here?" Sokka asks.
Aang rises up and approaches the door, "I'll go get it." Momo enters the living room from one of the windows, apparently finished with whatever he was doing outside. The winged-lemur races across the floor and leaps onto Aang's shoulder, just in time for the Avatar to open the door.
Before Aang is the hooded figure of general Sung, standing with his back hunched and his nervous palms were glistening with sweat. General Sung takes his hood down to reveal his panic-stricken expression. His face a rictus of fear and his eyes have an almost manic glint to them; they roam around searching for a hidden threat.
"Thank the spirits," the general says with relief, "I require your help Avatar." Sung reaches for something in his pocket and procures a napkin. He uses it to wipe the sweat off from his face. Aang feels Momo tense up as if sensing something but immediately relaxes afterward.
"With what?" Aang asks.
"With the Dai Li," Sung says. Sokka and Toph look to Katara with mocking grins as the latter groans.
Atop a palace roof, a lone woman in beautiful silk robes howls in joyous, genuine laughter, a rare occurrence in her long life. At this moment, the woman acts not like the noble lady she was trained to be, but the child that she once was, indulging in her joy. Her laugh is loud enough to wake up the residents of this very palace, yet no guards harass her to keep her quiet. How could they when time in this world has ceased to move?
Eventually, Kaguya calms down and sits on the edge of the roof. She views the frozen city and the thousands of glowing lanterns and homes which create beautiful constellations in the darkness. She has been holding her laughter all day long, watching everyone fumble and point fingers for the little trick she did on poor General How. Poisoning him would've led to a dull outcome; her alternative was much more entertaining.
For the past twelve hours, Kaguya has been observing everyone's reaction to How's condition, stopping time, and moving to a better spot when she was about to get caught while holding back her laughter. Through it all, she had seen the doctors fail to cut How and attempt to guess what had happened to him; she found it an amusing watch. So was the previous Council of Five-now Four's, response to the whole ordeal too, conversing with their allies and their troops for a potential coup, ready to lash out like cornered rats, thinking that the Dai Li is on to them. Kaguya hopes they go through with the coup; that would be glorious.
The Dai Li's response was equally as enjoyable, with their leader put off balance regarding how to handle the situation Kaguya had put them in. He had ordered his agents to scour Ba Sing Se for the actual culprit or at least someone to blame, though Kaguya thinks the leader knows it's a futile effort. How can you find someone who could do what Kaguya did to General How? You don't, and it's not like they'd be able to catch the "Lunatic Princess" anytime soon. Their main focus now seems to be damage control and capitalizing on the situation, seemingly deescalating and expanding their operations at the same time. Kaguya wonders how they would go about that specifically.
All of this had given the "Lunatic Princess" an intoxicating feeling of omnipotence and omniscience. Just watching the proverbial dominoes fall was fun enough, but orchestrating the fall and seeing all the unintended consequences was even more entertaining. Here, she was the conductor of the orchestra, and Ba Sing Se's fall was her song. Composing and conducting felt like something she could do forever.
Kaguya stands up and recalls that general Sung was meeting with the Avatar for help. She grumbles at the thought; wasn't she the isekai protagonist here? How could some random NPC get the cheat ability of bending all four elements and not her? Hell, she can't even bend a single one!
Mokou wipes the sweat off her brow under the sweltering heat as she presses the chicken onto her grill and hears the satisfying hiss. Pao was willing to give Mokou some concessions and privileges to have her keep working with him ever since he lost Iroh and Zuko. One of these concessions was fulfilling any of Mokou's requests. One request Mokou gave was that she rather work outside with a stand than having to cook in Pao's restaurant.
So now here she is, cooking yakitori in front of a busy crowd. It was cozy, so to say, cooking outside and feeling the heat of the sun behind her back and hearing the praises of her customers directly. There were a few stools beside her stand for the customers to sit on, but it wasn't enough for everyone, so most of them stood around the stand. They conversed with each other and placed the sticks on the designated bin before leaving.
Mokou finds herself liking this change of environment, back in Gensokyo, her stand didn't have this many people coming to it every day. Maybe its the novelty of the yakitori? Anyways, as a result, Mokou had begun conversing with the customers, with people, much more frequently. A father would come to eat here from time to time with his son on his shoulders. He would gush about Mokou's food and his son while she cooked for him, before getting out of the line once she finished and sharing the food with his son. Mokou would find herself watching him go, with a strange feeling of longing in her heart. Other times there would be these two women that came early and sat on the stool. Telling each other about their problems or what small thing peeved them that day, and would occasionally ask Mokou a question or two, sometimes it's for advice, and sometimes it's about her. All of this and many more made Mokou feel like she's a part of something bigger. It makes her feel almost human.
Like all days, it would end with the setting sun, and Mokou would have to close up shop and bring the stand and the cash back to Pao. Once the money was collected and her share was given, Mokou would walk to an alleyway leading to her new home. It was a run-down shack that looks like it would cave-in on itself soon, but eh, she's had worse.
Mokou enters it, the floorboard creaking under her weight. The kitchen is cramped, and she has to squeeze through the cooking tools and the cupboards to get into her bedroom, which consisted of a single mattress and a window. She sits atop the mattress and crosses her legs, remembering Iroh's words before meditating.
For mortal humans, a meditation session would usually last around forty to forty-five minutes. With immortals, it's a bit different, especially immortals like Mokou, who have a drastically different sense of time. Time passes by her faster, and there have been moments where she had slept for weeks on end. Thus it was no surprise to her that when she got out of her meditative trance, it was already the next morning.
Better late then never amiright?
I hope the dialogue isn't awkward, and the flashback didn't feel to forced in, if not then do say so.
I've got a side story chap that I'll post soon involving Kaguya's first days of her Isekai adventure and I'll put a snippet below, other than that, see you guys next month!
Whiteness fades and gives way to clear azure skies. What was once gravel becomes tufts of grass swaying in the rhythm of the howling wind. Kaguya lays there, on the one fertile patch amidst an arid desert. She stirs and feels a hundred knives stab at her back and a paralyzing numbness in her arms, a spinal fracture. She must've fallen from the sky, the princess concludes. Why else would her spine be rearranged so unnaturally? Kaguya wills the Elixir within her to increase the speed of her regeneration, making the puzzle pieces of her skeleton click back into place. Only now does she notice the insultingly oppressive radiance of the sun, bringing her hands up to cover her eyes.
Thanks for reading!
(Page 41 of Eirin Yagokoro's notes, confiscated by the Lunarian interior police, presented to The Court of The Impure at date XX XX XXXX)
......... The subject during post-examination interviews had exhibited no notable changes to her emotional and mental state. The subject's habits have not changed despite the procedure performed four weeks ago. Her cadence remains the same, with minor changes in her demeanor/day-to-day functions, having displayed increased irritation over the procedures.
The most recent test did not add anything new to what we already know of the subject's power; that it involves a degree of time-manipulation and that it can make an object indestructible. Adding on to Dainichi's notes, the subject's ability to make objects invulnerable may involve a form of time stasis due to the affected object being "younger" than it should be after it is scanned and dated.
A personal observation: I have to express my growing concern over the usual method's ineffectiveness, invasiveness, and its detrimental effects on the subject. It was clear from the start that the subject's power would be difficult to analyze due to its abnormal nature, and fear that if we continue testing in such a way, that the subject's well being will deteriorate for little to no gains for our research. I have raised those concerns multiple times to the committee who don't at this moment share my worries. Instead, members of the committee share Lord Tsukiyomi's desire to find industrial and military applications with the subject's abnormality, and that such needs trump her mental and physical state. It was agreed that the methodology of the procedures going forward would remain under review, though I believe this to be a formality. Not that I disagree with the notion of using the subject's abnormal powers for said applications, only that I believe the committee to be shortsighted if they intend to apply her powers for only industry and military purposes. There are many potential challenges and rewards in further researching the subject's ability that the committee does not see, and making sure the subject has a sound mind and is cooperative for further testing is essential. I must repeat that further testing would lead to the termination of the subject and that we would have to conduct our research through an autopsy going forward.
霍莱山
Kaguya feels herself falling. A blue vortex encompasses her entire sight; it was akin to a tunnel. The tip of her fingers burns in agony; Kaguya brings it up to her face to see half her wrist already gone, disintegrating into blue motes of light, into energy. She has heard of this before, during her education as Luna's Princess. This vortex that she finds herself in is quite similar to the Lunar Veil in that they both are quantum tunnels, though the former is shoddier than the latter. Kaguya's knowledge of the subject is incredibly spotty. However, if she remembers correctly, Lunarians travel in vehicles with unique properties, which converts it into evoanescent waves for its passengers to ride on, granting them safe passage through the tunnel. At least that is the general gist of what she remembers. 霍莱山
Kaguya, however, does not have the luxury of said vehicle and thus becomes the evanescent wave itself. Her body decays at an exponential rate, starting at her feet and wrist, then to her knees and elbows. In a few moments, all her limbs dissolve, leaving only her head. The pain is excruciating, but she doesn't scream despite it all. Under normal circumstances, she would disintegrate entirely within the tunnel, or a fraction of her would come out the end if she was lucky. Both would mean her utter annihilation were she mortal, but a mortal she was not. If her body disintegrates, it will simply reform again within the tunnel, and if by sheer chance, a part of her makes it out, that part will reform into the whole. Thus it was simply inevitable that she will make it out of the tunnel. So she dies many deaths, over and over, disappearing and reappearing, a continuous cycle of agony that is ultimately dull. That is what death is to Kaguya; extreme pain followed by the momentary loss of feeling. Without the finality, the consequence of death, the act has become trivial, meaningless even. Soon enough, she reaches the tunnel's end, and Kaguya's eyes become blinded by a bright light. The Immortal Princess lets out a relieved sigh, saved from boredom at last. 霍莱山 Huò láishān Penglaishan
Whiteness fades and gives way to clear azure skies. She finds herself surrounded by tufts of grass swaying in the rhythm of the howling wind, a significant change from the volcanic gravel she stood on previously. Kaguya lays there, on the one fertile patch amidst an arid desert. She stirs and feels a hundred knives stab at her back and a paralyzing numbness in her arms. A spinal fracture, She must've fallen from the sky, the Princess concludes. Why else would her vertebrae be rearranged so unnaturally? Kaguya wills the Elixir to hammer in the puzzle pieces of her skeleton back into place. Only now does she notice the insultingly oppressive radiance of the sun, bringing her hands up to cover her eyes.
It turns out; she didn't need to cover it as two figures approach, giving her shade. One seems to have a male shape, while the other looks to be female, a couple? They converse with each other, and in her dazed state, Kaguya picks none of it up, focusing mainly on the bouncing lights. The Princess feels a temptation to use the Elixir within her again, to bring clarity to her mind. Nevertheless, she decides against it. Kaguya had already healed her spine by forcing the Elixir to accelerate the process; doing it again would just be too much work. Besides, she would like to savour this feeling; the bouncing lights are very captivating after all. Kaguya absently notes the feeling of being lifted off the ground and the sounds of grunting. By the time she regains her bearings, she finds herself atop a wagon.
------------------
Kaguya had always believed that in the unlikely event of being "isekai'd," it would either involve a speeding truck or a summoning circle, maybe even a gate. A quantum tunnel created by a magical explosion was not one of them, even more so considering it came from something Eirin had made. Cursed child,
The universe is built on probabilities, as her father liked to say. However, Kaguya had always believed that it is also ruled by absolutes, which angered him to no end. One of them being that Eirin does not make a technical error, not in medicine, not in teaching, and most certainly not in magic. from a marriage of broken oaths.
Thus the situation Kaguya finds herself in must be a product of sabotage, espionage, and other cool-sounding words ending with -age. Though the Princess draws a blank on who the perpetrator might be. Mainly because the people she knows who are powerful enough to manipulate Eirin's magic won't have any motivation to do so. Then it must be some unknown enemy, flinging the immortal into a different world either for some master plan or a laugh. Kaguya can't decide which sounds more exciting. The Princess debates on the matter to herself while lying on the wooden bed the couple from before had placed her.
A kindly pair, those two, Kaguya decided. They must've seen her fall towards the ground and rushed to examine what they believed to be a corpse. Imagine their surprise when said corpse was stirring about groggily, alive, and seemingly uninjured. Kaguya regrets choosing to stay dazed at that time as she would've liked to have seen the couple's reaction. Whatever, what's done is done. The Princess rises from her bed, the frame creaking under her weight, which tells Kaguya one of two things. Either the bedframe is weak, or she's heavy, though a closer examination of the room tells her that the couple must be too poor to afford a better frame. So the former it must be. Had peasants rescued her?
Kaguya had lived away from the Lunarian nobility long enough to not care about such things. So she didn't feel any disgust nor contempt towards her rescuers for being peasants or human. Despite that, there had been a momentary weariness in her. The last time a human couple took her in, well...
"Su, I think she's awake!" A male voice says from a separate room. Kaguya focuses her hearing on figuring out where exactly the voice was coming from. Frantic footsteps could be heard from the ceiling, travelling down some stairs and coming closer to Kaguya's room. The fact that these peasant's house possessed a second floor was impressive to the Princess. They must have worked quite hard to achieve the wealth to afford to build it.
The door opens, and out comes a woman who seems too young to be called old, yet too old to be called young. So, middle-aged then, Kaguya decides, though one can never be sure with mortals. Many mortals Kaguya had seen had appearances that belied their actual age. The woman possessed some wrinkles, a physical affliction that only eternally-challenged possessed. Though the wrinkling is only found around the eyes and the mouth, yet none on the cheeks, with it still retaining its firmness and elasticity, presently untouched by gravity and time. She seems to have aged like any other human who had been exposed to the Earth's impurity. How peculiar. Had she not been Isekai'd, or has she been thrown back into time instead? Can quantum tunnels even do that?
The woman rushes to Kaguya and puts a hand on her shoulder to gently push her down from her sitting position. "You shouldn't be moving right now; you'll only make your injuries worse," she commanded, her voice firm, yet ladened with maternal warmth.
Kaguya puts her hand on the woman's and shakes her head, her face held a soft smile of surety, "There is no need to keep me abed; I have suffered no injuries." The Princess naturally had to assert her elegance to the woman. A bad habit, you see.
The woman widens her disbelieving eyes, "But, you fell from the sky," she asserts. The woman narrows her eyes and her demeanour changes, clearly not tolerating Kaguya's lackadaisical attitude.
"And I should be dead, I know, but here I am." She rises from her bed despite the woman's protests and does some stretches and twirls, "Look, full range of motion."
Silence descended in the room, one that Kaguya decides to break. "Are you not convinced? I assure you that trying to take care of me is a waste of ti--" A new smell permeates the room, followed by a sizzling sound, a seductive sound. Kaguya takes a sniff and walks in its general direction. "Is someone cooking?" she asks.
As the Princess reaches the door, she is stopped by the woman's hand on her shoulder. " You are not stepping a foot outside this room until I'm sure you're fine. Is that understood?"
Kaguya sighs, yet acquiesces. She doubts she could get a meal without the woman's say so, and it's not like she can just run up and take the food. That would be barbaric.
"Then go ahead, I'll allow you to double-check, maybe even triple check me. The outcome will be the same."
In all honesty, Kaguya doesn't blame her for wanting to check. Thoroughness is a virtue, and if the Princess walks out with an untreated injury, the blame goes to the caretaker. Such a troublesome position this Su has put herself for someone like her. She would be much more grateful if the woman took her at face value, but what can one do without revealing their hand.
There's a legend among the Earth Kingdom armies--a story told by soldiers huddled around campfires, in mess halls, or even during guard duty. The story told is merely a conglomeration of battlefield rumours stitched together to form a coherent tale. The tale itself has taken a life of its own, given embellishments and additions, turning it into the Frankenstein equivalent of a legend. The truth of it all lies within the monster's heart, buried beneath the organs oozing with lies and fiction tacked on by exaggerative storytellers and propagandists. An issue that future historians will face as they don their theatre blues and excise the truth within the heart for all to see.
The story itself tells of a man that saved an entire battalion by forestalling the march of a Firenation army. This man was Honghui, "The Ghost of Garsai". He had been said to have haunted the Fire Nation invaders everywhere they went, whether in their encampments, their guard posts, or convoys. Some rumours mention that any time a Fire Nation soldier went to piss, they had to look over their shoulders in fear. Without him, the soldiers say, Garsai's loss would've been without honour, and the retreating Earth Kingdom army would've been chased down and destroyed.
However, to the man himself, the reputation is meaningless, unearned even. He didn't take on the army by himself; in fact, he had help from the local villages and his surviving comrades. They were the unsung heroes, each deserving of their own stories told through generations, not just Honghui's.
It is a shame that the soldiers who speak of his tale rarely focus on those other heroes, his companions. They never talk about the cost of victory either. Many who tell his story are unaware that Honghui lost all of his comrades to one by one and the villages whose people assisted him no longer exist. Those same men know not the damages his body sustained during Garsai. To the rank-and-file Honghui is the indomitable giant who casts a large shadow on them, and whose heroic deeds are ones they aspire to replicate.
Those soldiers would be surprised to see him now, an aging man with a stump for a right hand, a partially burnt face. The skin around his left eye and ear is red and dead, a reminder of the battles of his youth.
Nowadays, he lives not the life of a hero but that of a farmer, tending to the crops and animals, contributing to the village and the war effort, and being a good husband. The days are slow and peaceful now that he is far from the frontlines. However, today is different; the calm monotony of farm life now broken by the advent of a noble girl who fell from the sky. Not only that but survive.
He places three plates of cooked moo-sow ribs onto the table one by one. Preparing the table poses no difficulty for him, having been used to having only an arm for decades. As he places down the spoons and forks and the glasses of water, he thinks back on his decision. With whatever injuries the noblewoman may have sustained, solid food would be hard for her to swallow. He should have to make some picken soup then, how inconsiderate of him.
Hongui's ears pick up the sound of footsteps closing in on his position. The old soldier focuses his hearing and notices that the sound is an amalgamation of both Su's and the noblewoman's steps, each having a different cadence. He widens his eyes in surprise, wondering how the stranger could be walking upright at all. Honghui had witnessed her dislocated arms and legs at the scene of her fall and scrunched his eyebrows in thought. One doesn't simply walk shortly after receiving those kinds of injuries.
The two women arrive in the kitchen, and Honghui gets a good look at the woman he and Su rescued. She looks out of place in his farmhouse with her pink shirt adorned with many bows and a sleeve that is too long for her arms. The shirt complements her long red skirt that falls to the ground, decorated with the yellow shapes of leaves and bamboo sticks. Honghui reckons her to be some elite nobleman's daughter based on the clothing alone. However, the most striking feature she possessed was not her attire that seems to cost more than his entire village, but rather her beauty, which bears an ethereal, otherworldly quality. It's a good thing Honghui and his wife found her first. The ever-growing daofei would've ransomed her for her family's entire treasury.
The noblewoman's eyes held a mischievous glint mixed with childlike curiosity, darting from his stump to the plates atop the table. He could see the smell of the moo-sow dish beckon her like an invisible hand. She catches herself and gives a flawless bow, one that impresses a martial man like Honghui, who had to practice his salutes to perfection.
"Forgive me, I have forgotten my manners," she apologizes eloquently, giving her a regal bearing, "I am Kaguya, and you have my thanks for saving me."
At least this noblewoman has a pleasant demeanour, unlike the nobles Honghui hears about from Ba Sing Se. Then again, one would usually act polite to their saviours, so he'll have to reserve his judgments for now.
After a round of introductions, Honghui asks Kaguya if she would want to eat since the noblewoman seems to be of good health. She graciously accepts, and the three of them sit down to enjoy the moo-sow ribs. Kaguya's eyes widen when she takes the first bite, prompting her to chew experimentally as if to analyze the taste and composition.
Kaguya chuckles back, "I've never even heard of it."
Honghui grunts an affirmative, wondering if this woman was sheltered her entire life.
"It's a mix between a cow and a pig, yes? Moo-sow?" she asks, Honghui nods. "Forgive me, are they common here?"
"Yes, they're the most common livestock in the Earth Kingdom." At Kaguya's blank stare, Honghui sighs, "You don't even know what the Earth Kingdom is, do you?" She shakes her head. Honghui wonders just where the heck she's from.
"I should've checked your head more thoroughly, the fall must've scrambled your brain." Su states.
"Of course I'm fine, I'm just...not from around here." Kaguya shrugs.
"And you're sure the fall hasn't scrambled your head?"
Kaguya lets out a melodic laugh, covering her face with her sleeve as if to hide her amusement. "My head's been scrambled far before that fall, but that's for me to worry about. I assure you your examination was top-notch; you did not miss a thing. Are you trained perhaps?"
"Yes," His wife replied, "and I've had a lot of experience healing soldiers too."
Knowing intimately how Su is when it comes to people not taking their wounds seriously, be it mental or physical, Honghui decides to step in. " Meanwhile, you can rest in our son's room until Su is absolutely sure you're fine. She's really particular about this sort of thing," Kaguya nods in understanding while Su gave him a withering look, "and it's best not to fight it. Believe me, I tried."
She dips her head and gives her thanks before an inquisitive look appears on her face, "Where is your son anyway if you don't mind me asking?"
The question spears his heart, striking at a wound still open, still bleeding. Kaguya seems to have noticed this as she formulates an apology. Honghui wonders how she could have discerned his...distress. Could it be the clenched fist, the pursed lips, the narrow eyes?
"Forgive me. That was tactless."
Honghui lets out a small, imperceptible sigh. "He's fighting in the war right now, and I doubt he'd be back soon," Honghui says with as much control as he can muster. Wanting to bring his thoughts someplace else he turns to Su, who bears a worried expression, " When you go off to the market, can you tell Li to expect slightly fewer shipments of moo-sow and wheat for the next few days? We've got another mouth to feed."
Kaguya raises an eyebrow, " I do not believe I will eat so much that it would make a noteworthy dent in your shipments."
"The war has stretched us thin, lady Kaguya--"
"Just Kaguya is fine, you've rescued me after all, so there is no need for formalities."
Honghui nods, "--so any increase or decrease in the number of supplies sent to the troops, no matter how slight, is noteworthy. Farmers like me have to match their quotas gram for gram."
The noblewoman cups her chin in thought, "I see...how dire." she mutters to herself.
"Yes, indeed. Which is why you'll be helping us at the farm and earning your keep while I make sure you're sound of mind," Su says which prompts Kaguya to widen her eyes, "Don't think I'll let you sleep your days away; on our son's bed."
For a flash, Honghui could see hints of outrage and embarrassment on Kaguya's face before she schools her features, disappearing just as fast it appeared. "Yes, yes, I'll help; I am in your debt after all."
His ears pick up the sound of harsh thuds and the neighing of ostrich-horses coupled with the chatter of several men. The women in the room hear it too, and Honghui stands up and peers through his window overlooking the front porch.
"Soldiers?" Su asks.
He squints his eyes to see four men mounted on armoured ostrich-horses, followed by an ostrich-horse drawn wagon with a single driver. They wear the uniforms of the Earth Kingdom garrisons, with the leader wearing a short green cloak. These men certainly have the look of soldiers, but their clumsy formation tells him otherwise.
"Su, Kaguya, head upstairs. We got trouble," Honghui commanded.
"Bandits?" Su asks.
"Possibly. Now go, I will handle it."
Su opens her mouth to object, but a pleading look from Honghui ends her protest before it even began. She sighs, "Be safe," she said simply.
"I will."
Honghui picks up his old shortsword, feeling the familiar texture of the hilt. Meanwhile, Su heads upstairs with the worried noblewoman in tow. Honghui crosses his fingers, hoping that the group he will meet are just well-meaning soldiers who happened to be undiscipline, but time and experience have taught him that such naive thinking will get him killed. The presence of the wagon worries him, too; it seems like these men are coming to take something from him.
Honghui gets a good feel of the sword's handle, breathing deeply to centre himself. After what felt like hours, the men finally arrive. They bear cocksure grins and lack the weariness soldiers these days have, meaning they're either greenhorns or imposters. Honghui stifles a sigh of resignation and strengthens his grip on his sword.
"Where's the head of this farm, old man?" their leader asked.
"You're talking to him," Honghui answers.
One of the impostors lets out a small snort. Honghui is unfazed by this act of mockery, though painfully aware of how much of a sorry sight he may look, his untarnished self-worth takes the insult in stride. The motley group's leader stares the snorting man down as a look of embarrassment washes over his face. It is as if these bandits respect their leader, whether out of fear or adoration, Honghui doesn't know.
"Well, I'm here to inform you that the Earth Kingdom army requires an extra twenty bushels of wheat. My men and I can help you load them onto the wagon." He stated with a firm tone that brooked no disagreement.
"On who's authority?" Honghui asked
"The Earth King's authority, we speak on his behalf," the leader replied, and though he may not know it, he had just outed himself to Honghui with a single factual error.
"Only the Royal Guard and civil servants like the magistrates speak on behalf of the Earth King. No one in the army has that authority, not even the Council of Five."
The men around Honghui share a worried look, except for their leader, who seems unfazed. "No, but we're here to enforce the King's will, and he's ordered us to acquire extra supplies for the war effort. So move aside, old man, and let us do our jobs."
"I don't think I will," Honghui asserts, "Soldiers enforce the King's laws and orders to the citizen, not announce new ones, that's the magistrate's job, and this is the first time I've heard about this new order for us farmers."
Honghui could see the growing frustration on the man's face, "well, maybe the local magistrate has forgotten to inform you of that."
If Honghui had two arms, he would cross them by now, "that's hard to believe since I know the man personally. In fact, I had a meeting with him just the other day."
The leader narrows his eyes and tries to discern whether Honghui is bluffing or telling the truth. He realizes its the latter and sighs; his cover is blown. He looks at the former soldier with a baleful stare, "Do you really want to make this difficult, you crippled old man?"
Honghui brandishes his sword, " It was never going to be easy to begin with."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Kaguya finds herself in her host's very own bedroom, hearing the clanging of metal coupled with shouts and grunts. Next to her is that fussy woman, Su, who at first glance seems quite stoic about the situation, but the almost imperceptible trembling of her hands tells Kaguya otherwise. She sits there transfixed, fascinated by this display of fear, and not the kind of anxious fear the Inabas usually exhibit, but genuine fear. That doesn't mean that Kaguya never felt fear; she certainly did when it came to losing something she liked or the threat of never seeing her favourite duelling partner again. But she never felt fear as visceral as the woman in front of her exhibited. The Princess feels almost cheated to have never felt such a thing.
"What is it?" Su asked softly, feeling Kaguya's piercing stare.
"Just lost in thought," Kaguya replied. She moved towards the window to observe the fight occurring in front of the house. Steel clashed with steel underneath the blazing sun whose light the men's blades reflected harshly. She sees Honghui weave through multiple opponents, parrying and dodging with precision. Kaguya could see the echoes of a great fighter within Honghui, who fights with a fraction of his skill in his prime. Burdened by age and the scars of battle, He could barely keep up with his three other opponents. Thus, a lucky cut to his leg was all that was needed to bring him to his knees. The men close in on the one-armed fighter, their stances emanating a killing intent.
Then, Kaguya came up with a genius plan. She was not that big of a noble-brat as to feel at least the smallest amount of gratitude to the couple, however unnecessary their help was. Thus, she was in debt to them. The couple had initially planned to have Kaguya clear her debt through laborious fieldwork, which the Princess had no intention of doing, of course. And now lies a great opportunity to clear said debt in a less boring fashion, by saving his life. So she opens the window and jumps.
And so begins Kaguya's Grand Isekai Adventure.
------
It's been a hot minute eh? This chapter was one of two that I had mostly finished back in August, but life happened and I've stopped writing until now. I've been getting my groove back for this sort of stuff, but it's been erratic and unfocused, and I've only recently started working on this again after working on separate snippets/oneshots. And unfortunately, updates for this story would not be consistent.
Also, the next post would be the first half of that other chapter since its basically done.
The weeks blur together as the days and nights congeal into singular moments interrupted by semi-conscious meditation. The eventful days spent with Iroh and Zuko fade comfortably into memory. Nowadays, the only occurrence that ever sticks out is Mokou's constant failure in achieving "spiritual enlightenment". This peeves her; she had seen monks and hermits meditate hundreds upon hundreds of times. They always come out of each session with new insight into the world or themselves, inching closer to enlightenment. What is it that she lacks, and these gurus have? Peace of mind? Well, considering the past millennia, she's as peaceful as ever--no burning cities, no desolate farmlands, not even the continuous killing of a rival. The Fujiwara girl sighs in resignation; meditation was more challenging than she thought, but no matter, she has time.
Mokou rises from her mat; she'll find out what she's missing eventually. Hopefully, all that effort she's putting into finding Eirin and Kaguya doesn't go to waste. What if the two others aren't even in the spirit world? Would this mean that Mokou has to find some magical means of returning home herself? That would be a problem; travelling from world to world is something far beyond her. Even if she does millennia of studying and research, something like that would probably still be out of her grasp. Thus, Mokou needs to find Eirin for help. If worse comes to worst, the earthling immortal will have to make peace with being stuck in this world, but only if she has no other options. Right now, she has a lead. It isn't solid, but it's still a lead, and it's all she has to find her way back.
Mokou comes out of her hovel, greeted by the grey overcast sky. She squeezes through the alleyways, carefully minding her step as she wades through the sleeping crowd of impoverished men and women, tightly clutching their few possessions. With a millennium of experience, Mokou deftly avoids stepping on them. She has wandered around countless cities; she is no stranger to overcrowding or people seeking refuge from war. Japan was a bloody island, and living there had led the Fujiwara girl to witness more war than any soldier or General. Thus, it was no surprise to her that even in another world, there would be refugees caused by war, because why wouldn't there be? War is as much a part of life as breathing.
Mokou reaches the main road leading towards the public square. Around her, she sees the shops opening up, ready for a new day. Mokou spots a florist bringing out her flowers for display, while a butcher organizes his meat appetizingly. Some of the shopkeepers converse with one another while waiting for customers. They joke and trade jabs at each other with good cheer. Upon seeing this peaceful scene, it's easy to think there is no war, if one ignored the refugees, of course. Though, a closer look tells her otherwise.
The florist had been selling less and less variety of flowers over the weeks that Mokou had been here. The butcher had been selling less meat too, probably because of the army needing more and more supplies as the war goes on. She had also seen the occasional clench fists and the consoling hand on the shoulder among the conversing shopkeepers. Whatever this war is, it's without a doubt affecting Ba Sing Se, yet no one is allowed to mention it. That had always struck Mokou as something peculiar; it's like pretending the sky doesn't exist.
As she walked, Mokou spots a group of guards and a pair of Dai Li. Walking the opposite direction, a guard purposely bumped into one of the Dai Li and kept walking forward as if nothing happened.
The Dai Li turned around to face the offending guard and spoke with a threatening tone, "Watch yourself, soldier, I could have you imprisoned, you know that?" The man's words catch the attention of everyone around them. From what Mokou had seen, these men had genuine power to do whatever they wanted in this city. Thus, no one dared to anger the Dai Li, yet here was this guardsman who did, and in such a brazen display, no less. Mokou couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction; she hasn't forgotten the way one of the Dai Li treated her on her first day here. Other than that, unless one of them threatened to break her cart, she couldn't care less.
The guard only shrugged, "Maybe you should watch where you're going."
The Dai Li returned an icy stare.
"What are you looking at?"
"A clown", The Dai Li responded.
The guard smirked in response, " Clowns, we're clowns? Look at you! Did you steal that hat from the circus?" The shopkeepers stared with slack-jaws and wide-eyes, wondering if the man was insane. Mokou stops walking and decides to see where this situation will lead.
The Dai Li's face turns into a rictus of rage as he steps towards the guard, only to be stopped by his partner's hand on his shoulder. His partner whispers something into his ear, but the offended Dai Li shakes off his hand moves closer to the guard. He sneers with condescension oozing from his voice, "You think this is funny, huh? If you think we're a bunch of clowns, then what does that make you? You and your men twiddle your thumbs and fatten yourselves while we keep these streets clean. Unlike you slackers, we work hard to keep the King's peace. Maybe you're the actual clowns here, the laughing stock of the Earth Kingdom. Pathetic."
The Dai Li's partner widens his eyes after his lecture finishes, while the grin on the guard's face starts to widen. "Yeah, you're right, " the guard replies, "All we do is train, watch the walls, and," his eyes glance at Mokou before returning to the Dai Li, " gorge on some good food. It's pathetic what we're doing right now, and I completely understand why you'd think we're a laughing stock." He glances at the other guards and splays his arms out as if to present something, "The army of Ba Sing Se is just as ridiculous as you guys are. Every day we sit with our thumbs up our butts behind big walls while good Earth Kingdom soldiers die in the war."
There it was, the unmentionable word, the open secret kept under lock and key. The silence was deafening as the crowds looked on with bated breath, witnessing the two soldiers stare each other down in a battle of wills. No words were spoken; no sound was made; everything had come to a halt. The Dai Li takes a step forward and grabs the guard by the collar, "There is no war in Ba Sing Se," he speaks with gritted teeth and murderous eyes. The other guards grip the hilt of their weapons as all seven of them surround the pair of Dai Li. Mokou could see several more guardsmen spilling out of the alleyways and into the street at the corner of her eye. Now there are practically dozens of them surrounding the Dai Li; all of them have their hands on their weapons' hilts. They're expecting a fight to occur; have they been planning this confrontation?
"Sure, technically, there is no war in Ba Sing Se," the guard replied as he pushed off the Dai Li's arm, "but if you touch me again, there might be one."
Before the Dai Li soldier could say anything, his partner pulled him and whispered harshly into his ear. Several back and forths occur before the partner pulled him away from the growing group of guards. The guards blocked every possible exit. The Dai Li attempts to push through but are jostled. Once they got themselves free, the guards begin to shout insults at them, telling them to cry back to Long Feng like the little kids they are. Whatever that meant.
The Dai Li looked back despite his partner's insistence to just go away. " We won't forget this."
"Good, as long as you remember who's in charge!" That prompts the group of guards to laugh. With clench fists, the Dai Li finally leave the scene.
With the situation pacified, Mokou sighs to herself and continues walking towards the plaza. It seems like there's some kind of schism in the military, the sort that causes civil wars from what she's seen. How troublesome, as if meditating wasn't hard enough, now she has to deal will all the extra noise.
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The situation was developing much faster than Long Feng had anticipated. With General How effectively in a coma (as the doctors described), fingers were pointed at the Dai Li, accusing them of poisoning the poor man. After all, it was no secret that the Dai Li and the Army were not on good terms and that its leaders had planned to off one another. General How had been amassing allies for a coup while Long Feng was preparing for several assassinations. The latter had always been one step ahead, planting agents everywhere in the city to undermine How's influence, and even subverting some of his allies. For a long time, Long Feng had the upper hand, he had control of the situation, but now he feels his grip straining.
His Dai Li subordinates may think Long Feng's grip is stronger with How gone; they couldn't be more wrong. Now leading in How's place is the cowardly General Sung, a dull man with no vision or foresight. At least How was sensible enough to work toward a bloodless coup. With Sung, it's a different story; the man is a cornered rat, willing to tear Ba Sing Se down to survive. Worst of all, his peers in the surviving Council of Five are all hawks, tearing at the cage Long Feng put them in, wanting to take part in the war. Without How to control them, their attempt at a coup might escalate into violent showdowns in the streets.
Long Feng wouldn't be in this predicament if things had gone according to plan. Initially, just taking How out of the picture isn't enough, and his replacement proves that notion to be true. Though dire, the situation is salvageable; the King and the Royal Guard are firmly in his camp. Despite the King's absence in the day to day affairs of state, his word is still the law. Thus, If these Generals do rebel, Long Feng is confident that most of the older and more sensible officers would desert Sung's faction once King Kuei steps in. It's a shame that the coup members are more guarded ever since How's hospitalization; making assassinations a considerably difficult endeavour. No matter, there are other ways of making these rebels lose their faith in the cause.
All that's left to do now is to tie up loose ends, and speaking of loose ends...
Long Feng can't help but grin to himself. Fate has given him the Avatar's Air-bison to use as leverage against him. With it, the Avatar can be dissuaded from picking a side in the coming conflict. The General-Secretariat is fully aware of how the Avatar poses a grave threat to his hold on Ba Sing Se. Thus, now is the time to educate this child on the potential consequences of his actions.
There is still one disconcerting thought that rests at the back of Long Feng's mind. Who exactly incapacitated General How and kickstarted this mess? His agents looked everywhere in the city for this illusive instigator to no avail. Even worse is that the culprit's unknown methodology makes it nearly impossible to use a scapegoat and push a narrative. No one in history, not even the Avatars, could--for lack of a better word-- freeze a man like General How in such a way. Long Feng clenches his fists; he already has his hands full dealing with the Avatar, and this mystery assassin only complicates an already delicate situation. Whomever this person is, Long Feng has a special place for them in Lao Gai.
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Here's the first half of the other chapter. The next half is mainly in Kaguya's POV, with her interacting with Azula.
Anyways, it feels weird looking at my now 8 month old story notes, with me now questioning some of my creative decisions. I'll probably make some changes to the story's original direction, but I'll mostly stick with what I had first planned out, despite my misgivings. I'll just have to see it through!
. Kaguya's character is an antithesis to the core of waterbending, as water is the element of change. Maybe after some character development she might be able to waterbend but who knows.