The way the general gestured and played up his expressions was so amusing that a smile crept onto my face all on its own, and you found yourself feeling an utterly irrational sympathy toward the old man.
An interesting technique. I wonder — was it simply natural charisma, or a carefully practiced set of mannerisms? Well, I could think about that later. What I definitely didn't want was letting my potential future teacher wander freely around the island, so it was time to resort to dirty tricks.
"I could tell you what happened and provide the necessary witnesses, if…"
"If what?!" the prince exploded.
"If you would keep me company for a game of Pai Sho over a cup of tea." The general visibly brightened, while the prince let out a long-suffering groan.
"Why, of course we would gladly accept your invitation! Isn't that right, Zuko?"
"Uncle…"
Pure weary resignation.
***
Several minutes later. The Fire Nation embassy residence.
"Please, General, Prince."
The sitting room had been furnished with a Pai Sho table, smaller side tables, sofas, chairs… in short, everything necessary for comfortable relaxation.
"Oh, this is quite cozy," Iroh nodded approvingly.
"So what can you tell us about the Avatar?" Zuko asked impatiently.
"Not as much as I'd like, but not as little as it could have been. Master Iroh, please choose a tea while I prepare the board. Prince, will you be joining us?"
"No. I'd rather learn the necessary information as quickly as possible and continue on my way."
"As you wish, though you're unlikely to depart before morning regardless. Replenishing your water stores — both for drinking and as the working fluid for your engine — will take several hours."
"Ooooh! What do I see here? Could these truly be White Dragon Bush flowers?!"
The eccentric firebender attacked the sacred ritual of tea preparation with triple the enthusiasm.
"So then, the Avatar was here four days ago, most likely resting his flying transport. Representatives of the embassy attempted to catch him by surprise and capture him, but unfortunately did not succeed."
That piece of news definitely pleased Zuko.
"After that, he and his companions fled. I doubt he'll return to Kyoshi, at least not anytime soon."
"Where did he go?"
The delicate aroma of first-rate tea drifted through the room, and Iroh gave a satisfied grunt.
"It's impossible to say for certain." All right, time to start feeding them nonsense — carefully, though. I had no doubts I could hang any kind of noodles on Zuko's ears, but his older companion was a far more seasoned sort. "But if you consider the fact that he looked like an ordinary boy and, according to reports, behaved like one as well, perhaps those hundred years weren't truly a century for him at all. You know how it is — the Spirit World, traveling back and forth, who knows what might have happened to him? At the very least, that would explain why he remained completely inactive all this time. You understand yourself: no matter how carefully someone hides, some rumors are bound to surface eventually."
"And what of it?" the prince failed to understand.
"If that's true, then right now he only commands Air, which is indirectly supported by the fact that while defending himself during the attack, he used nothing except wind. And that means he'll be searching for teachers in the other elements… and I wouldn't say his options are particularly broad."
"Hm…" Now the prince fell into thought. "That sounds convincing. Perhaps it really would be worth gathering information not only on him, but on possible teachers as well."
Meanwhile, the old general and I seated ourselves at the board.
"I believe our gracious host should have the honor of the first move." The firebender took a sip of tea. "Mmm… divine."
"Well then, let us begin."
I picked up the tile bearing the white lotus and placed it in the center.
"An unusual opening," the general raised an eyebrow in surprise as he made his move.
"I know several unusual strategies…"
***
Twenty minutes later.
"Master," I bowed to Iroh.
"Master," he returned the bow in kind.
Zuko had long since departed, leaving the two of us alone. The game was over, and the tiles on the board formed the image of a lotus, with the tile bearing that same flower resting at its center.
"I did not know the Order had gained a new member."
"Master Piandao introduced me about a year ago. As I understand it, by then you had already begun your… travels."
"Yes." The elderly man smiled sadly. "How is he?"
"Still as reclusive, caustic, and sadistic as ever," I recalled my Master with nostalgia. "Still chasing skirts and painting breathtaking landscapes."
"Heh-heh. At least some things in this world never change."
"Another round and more tea?"
"I certainly wouldn't refuse."
***
Prince Zuko. Slightly earlier.
The exiled heir to the throne (as he still naively believed himself to be) stepped out of the sitting room with mixed feelings. Commodore Chan had presented a rather sensible idea. Chasing the Avatar across the world could continue forever — the flying bison was faster than any other form of transportation, ignored natural obstacles entirely, and possessed tremendous endurance. In other words, the brat could break away from pursuit and vanish in an unknown direction at any moment, which he had already done once before.
Given that reality, the strategy of setting ambushes in likely locations seemed far more practical.
But there was a problem.
Zuko lacked resources.
Commodore Chan had treated him rather neutrally — one might even say favorably — but the prince doubted that even he would obey Zuko's orders. As for the rest of the military…
Zuko remembered Zhao, his attempts to remove the prince from the Avatar hunt, and the Agni Kai.
No. He could rely only on himself and Uncle. Only by delivering the airbender to Father would he restore his honor. Everyone else was competition, because bringing the Avatar to the Capital was a chance to earn the Fire Lord's favor — and with it, power, influence, wealth… anything.
The temptation was simply too great.
(End of Chapter)
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