Chapter Text
“Oh, thank the lord!” The group turned around, seeing a distressed Shiozaki scrambling over the remains of the rock wall. She sent them a relieved smile, but it wavered. Aang looked behind her. Tsuburaba was helping Tetsutetsu scale the rubble, Honenuki slung over the latter’s back.
“You found Appa!” Tsuburaba cheered as he scrambled over. The bottom of his jacket was haphazardly ripped.
“How is he?” Jet asked, staring blanking at Tetsutetsu and Honenuki. Honenuki was limp, the right side of his face bound in Tsuburaba’s jacket and Shiozaki’s thornless vines. The cloth had already taken on a red coloration.
If looks could kill, Tetsutetsu would have broken his Hero code. “I dunno. He has a pretty nasty cut,” he seethed through clenched teeth. “Would you happen to know something about that, Mister Swordsman?”
Jet looked taken aback. His mouth opened to respond, but no sound came out.
“He was brainwashed,” Aang jumped in. “Long Feng said something and-”
“Then how do we know he’s still not brainwashed?” Tsuburaba asked, gritting his teeth. Aang had never seen such ferocity from him. “Shinso’s brainwashing is undone by a good smack to the head. So maybe we should be on the safe side and-”
“Stop it, both of you,” Shiozaki interrupted him. “What reason would Aang have to deceive us? Besides, we need to worry about Honenuki. He’s going to need professional care. We just know basic first aid. It’s not enough.”
“I can try to heal it again,” Katara offered in a meek voice.
Shiozaki shook her head. “It won’t work on that. It’s- too damaged, I think.”
The others were too scared to clarify. Sokka cleared his throat. “We have to go see the Earth King.”
“But, Hone-” Kaminari began to protest.
“There’s probably someone at the palace who could treat him,” Sokka cut him off. “This is the perfect time to reveal this conspiracy and tell the Earth King about our plans.”
“I agree,” Aang said grimly. “We can fly right into the palace on Appa. We’re going to need the Earth King’s support for our plan to work.
Todoroki nodded, the others slowly joining in.
“There’s no saddle anymore,” Shiozaki observed, the vines on her head writhing to life. “We’ll need to secure Honenuki.”
The unconscious boy was loaded on first. Appa stayed still, as if understanding the severity of the situation. Shiozaki looped several of her vines around them, tying Honenuki to the bison’s back. The rest of the group scrambled on, clutching fistfuls of fur.
“Yip yip!” Aang called, and Appa took to the sky.
The flight was a lot more exhilarating than with the saddle, and a lot more terrifying. “Can we please get a new saddle?” Toph yelled at the top of her lungs.
“If we can get the Earth King on our side, we can have all the saddles we want,” Todoroki assured her.
The palace came into view a few minutes later. “Are we really going to just fly in?” Katara asked her brother.
“I don’t see why not,” Sokka answered. “There’s no way Long Feng had enough time to warn the king yet.”
“To play devil’s advocate, the guards still might attack if we just swoop in,” Kaminari pointed out. “We sure as hell don’t look friendly.”
“Then we’ve gotta be quick about this,” Bakugo glowered, cracking his knuckles. “We’re busting in straight through the front door!”
Aang nodded, directing Appa as such. They heard a gong below them, and it was evident they have been spotted. However, the guards were too startled to form a counterattack before Appa knocked down the grand front doors of the palace.
The passengers jumped off, with the Freedom Fighters poised to fight against the guards starting to come in through the hole where the door used to be. Tsuburaba rushed in front of them, breathing out a large wall of air. It solidified in place of the entrance, trapping the guards on the other side. His face was more cross than usual.
“There’s three doors,” Sokka pointed out. “The Earth King’s gotta be behind one of them.” He rushed to the one closest to him, but vines beat him to it. Shiozaki swiftly opened all three doors from a distance. Two were empty, and the last contained a woman who scream at the intrusion.
“Apologies,” Shiozaki said coolly, slamming the door shut.
More guards began to pour in from the passageway in the front, only to be met with a metal fist. Tetsutetsu was the first to react, carving a way for the group to move forward at a blazing speed. Shiozaki and Tsuburaba were quick to join him.
“Those three are- really good,” Jet breathed out.
“They are also hyper focused,” Todoroki said solemnly, glancing towards Appa. “They have the most to gain from this. Honenuki is their classmate, after all.”
In mere minutes, they arrived at a grand door, ornately decorated with intricate details. Tetsutetsu was about to charge forward again, but Aang and Toph promptly stepped in before him, blasting the doors off their hinges with earth and air. The class B students overtook them once more, running headfirst into the throne room.
They saw the king sitting on a throne at the end of the hall. He was younger than they anticipated, and his round glasses nearly fell off the bridge of his nose when he jumped in shock.
“Who are you? Where are my guards?”
“Those are enemies of the state, your Highness.” Tetsutetsu roared in fury, trying to charge at Long Feng, who appeared from a back room. Vines wrapped around his arms and waist as Shiozaki restrained him.
“Keep yourself together, Tetsutetsu,” she said lowly.
“That bastard’s gonna pay!” Tetsutetsu yelled, still rearing forward.
“Believe me, if I wasn’t a holy woman I would have slaughtered him myself. But we can’t act rashly if we are to save Honenuki.” At this, Tetsutetsu ceased struggling.
“As you can see, these people are here to overthrow you,” Long Feng pointed at them as Dai Li agents swarmed the throne room.
“No, we’re on your side,” Sokka protested. “You need to listen to us.”
“Please, trust us!” Aang called.
The king stood up, looking between the group and Long Feng. “You bust into my palace, lay waste to my guards, and try to attack my advisor. How could you possibly expect me to trust you?”
“He does have a point,” Toph said solemnly, shrugging.
“If you are truly on my side, then drop your weapons and stand down,” the king told them. The Gaang obeyed instantly, the Freedom Fighters following soon after. Todoroki, Bakugo, Kaminari, and Kirishima were more hesitant, but they let their Quirks simmer down. Only Tetsutetsu, Shiozaki, and Tsuburaba refused the order.
The Earth King glared at them. Stand down,” he said.
“You really think we’re going to drop our defenses against that bastard?” Tsuburaba said in a wavering voice, pointing at Long Feng. “No, think again. Not after what he did to Honenuki.”
The Earth King dropped his icy stare, switching to something more resembling confusion. “Honenuki? What do you mean?”
“It’s all lies,” Long Feng said calmly. “They seem to think that I attacked one of their colleagues. Quite frankly, you have no proof to back up your ridiculous claims.”
Vines began to move in to the room. The king jumped back in shock. Shiozaki was controlling them, but they weren’t moving from her head. They were the vines she used to secure Honenuki to Appa, and they were now lifting the still unconscious boy into the throne room. Aang felt a lump grow in his throat when he saw the boy’s skin was a few shades too pale.
“You want proof?” Shiozaki said icily, tears pricking at her eyes. “Here’s your proof. This is Juzo Honenuki. If any ill fate befalls him, your advisor will be to blame. And I’m going to be frank with you, your Majesty. The only thing holding me back right now is my devotion to the lord, but even that may fall if tested.”
The king leaned back slightly, shocked. He glanced to Long Feng again. “Are you really going to believe the words of a few commoners?” Long Feng asked.
“Then maybe he’ll believe me,” Aang spoke up. “I’m the Avatar.”
“The Avatar?” The Earth King straightened up in shock. Aang nodded, gingerly stepping forward.
“There has been a war going on for the past hundred years. Long Feng and the Dai Li have been keeping it a secret in an attempt to control the state and to control you. When we threatened their power, they kidnapped my sky bison as blackmail.” He then pointed to Jet. “Long Feng also brainwashed our friend and forced him to attack both me and Honenuki.”
Long Feng smirked. “Then shouldn’t you be blaming him?” Jet looked down in a mix of anger and shame.
“Oh, believe me, we have no plan to let him off the hook,” Tsuburaba seethed, “but it’s foolish to blame the puppet and not the puppetmaster. You’re the one behind this, so you’re the one most responsible.”
The Earth King pondered this information. “I can see that your friend is injured. If you stand down, I will offer my full protection to him, as well as any treatment my medical staff has available.”
The class B students finally relented, each dropping their Quirks, Tsuburaba tossing his whistle to the ground in addition.
“Your Majesty,” Long Feng turned to the Earth King. “I’m imploring you to reconsider.”
“I have only made the decision to house this young man,” the Earth King replied. “The Avatar and his friends still have not proven any of this conspiracy stuff.”
The king turned back to Tsuburaba, Shiozaki, and Tetsutetsu, who had already draped Honenuki over his shoulder. “Have him taken to the medical ward and attended to. Make sure he is provided with guards.”
“Yes, the Dai Li are more than capable-”
“Like hell we’re leaving him with your goons!” Tetsutetsu cut Long Feng off, anger returning tenfold. “We can protect him ourselves!”
“Do you really think his Majesty would let you stay without supervision, so that you could go around and commit your anarchist acts?”
The Earth King held out his hand for order. “The three of you may stay with him, along with three Dai Li agents,” he compromised.
The three class B students glanced at each other. “So be it,” Tsuburaba agreed, glaring at Long Feng. Shiozaki and Tetsutetsu nodded. They were directed to the medical bay.
With that, the Earth King looked to the remaining members expectantly.
“We can prove he kidnapped our sky bison,” Sokka called out. “Tell Long Feng to lift his robe.”
Aang smiled as it dawned upon him. “Yeah. Appa bit him.”
Long Feng glared at the kids. “I am not going to disrobe.”
In response, Aang took in a deep breath and blew out a gust of air, shifting Long Feng’s garments to reveal the bite mark.
The Earth King glanced at his advisor in confusion. “That just happens to be a very large birthmark,” Long Feng growled bitterly.
“I suppose there’s no way to prove where those marks came from,” the king shrugged.
Aang grinned again. “Yes, there is.” He whistled, calling Appa in. The Earth King gawked at the sight of the bison. Appa opened his mouth, revealing his teeth shape to match the mark on Long Feng’s leg.
The Earth King sat in more contemplation. “In the end, Avatar, this only proves that Long Feng has met this sky bison and had a disagreeable encounter with him, not that he necessarily kidnapped him.”
Aang’s face fell. The Earth King sent Long Feng a disillusioned look. “Though, this does build to your case. I suppose this matter is worth looking into.”
Long Feng scowled, but he and the remaining agents left through the back without a word.
“So, what other evidence do you have?” The Earth King looked at Aang inquisitively.
“Lake Laogai!” Sokka piped up. “The Dai Li’s secret headquarters.”
The Earth King called in guards that escorted him and the others to the train station. Due to lack of room, Aang and Todoroki opted to fly on Appa, while the others crowded into a cabin.
“I didn’t know that trains would be this public,” the king said in bewilderment, ogling the shocked citizens.
“Have you never been out of the Upper Ring?” Katara asked.
“I’ve never been out of the palace,” the king replied, grinning. Outside of the stuffy throne room, he seemed much more lively. “But that bison seems to be a lot more interesting to travel on.”
“You’d think so,” Toph chuckled cheekily, tapping her toes against the train floor.
“So,” the Earth King turned to them, “are you all traveling with the Avatar?”
“No, the three of us just got caught up in it because the Dai Li took Jet,” Smellerbee answered. The king frowned a bit at the mention of the conspiracy.
“I’m Katara, and this is my brother Sokka. There’s also Toph.”
“The three of us form the Freedom Fighters,” Jet sighed.
“We, along with the four back at the palace, are Heroes,” Kirishima concluded.
“Heroes?” The Earth King tilted his head. “Isn’t that a bit egocentric?”
“Just the name of their group,” Smellerbee answered for him, taking a sheet of parchment from one of her pockets. “They’re wanted all over the Fire Nation.”
The king glanced at the paper, reading it out loud. “Wanted: Dead or Alive. Hero Red Riot. Real name: Ejiro Kirishima. An earthbender with the ability to turn his body into stone. Reward of five thousand gold pieces.”
“That would be me,” Kirishima shrugged, looking out at the window. Todoroki and Aang seemed to be engrossed in conversation.
~~~
“I shouldn’t have let him go.”
“What do you mean?” Aang asked, looking over at the downcast Todoroki.
“Honenuki told me he was going after you. I should have stopped him,” he answered.
Aang looked away. “Are you two close?”
“Not really, I guess. Depends on how you define ‘close,’” Todoroki shrugged. “For what it counts, I respect him as a leader, rival, and fellow recommendation student. Perhaps our bond reaches friendship, too.”
Aang sighed. “He saved Jet’s life, if that matters.” Todoroki hummed in confusion. “Long Feng sent an attack that Jet wouldn’t have been able to dodge. And, looking back, it probably would have been fatal. But Honenuki saved him by softening the rock. I know it doesn’t make up for it and-”
“If that’s the case, Honenuki did his job as a future Pro Hero.” Aang glanced back at Todoroki, who was now staring at the clouds above. “The ideal Hero risks his life for the sake of others. That is what Honenuki did. You’re right. He still suffered needlessly because of this incident, but we have a chance to lessen the burden of that pain by making the Earth King see the truth here.”
Aang nodded solemnly as they began to descend to the lake. They saw the procession guards coming with him. They reached the place where Toph had first located the secret entrance. Toph leapt out, jumping into stance and sending up a cracked path of rocks.
“It’s gone!” Smellerbee shouted.
“The Dai Li must have destroyed the evidence,” Sokka yelled, throwing his hands up.
“Awfully convenient,” the Earth King sniffed.
“Exactly,” Sokkka replied in desperation. “Doesn’t that just prove the conspiracy even more?”
The Earth King sighed, turning around to leave. “Long Feng was right. This is a waste of time.”
The group looked around in worry. “The drill!” Katara exclaimed. “They’ll never cover that in time.”
“Yeah!” Kaminari agreed, running a hand along his cheek, fingering the scars. Aang ran up the hill to catch the king.
“By the Outer Wall is something that will definitely prove this one hundred year war is real.” The king looked at him in disbelief.
“We’ll even let you ride Appa this time!” Sokka called. This sealed the deal, and the group was once again flying through the air.
“I’ll be honest with you,” the king said somberly, “part of me hopes that what you’re saying isn’t true.”
“I wish it wasn’t,” Aang answered sorrowfully.
It took them fifteen minutes to reach the wall and pass over its perimeter. “There,” Aang pointed. “Just beyond the wall.”
“What is that?” The king breathed out in shock, mouth agape.
“It’s a giant drill made by the Fire Nation with the purpose of breaking through your walls,” Sokka said lowly.
“It was approaching when we first got to the city,” Kaminari explained, lightly pulling up his sleeves to reveal the streaks of lightning marks. “We were able to stop it before it breached. That’s where I got these scars. But, we can’t say for sure how much damage it would have caused if we weren’t there.”
They landed on the wall to better survey the drill. “I can’t believe it,” the Earth King mumbled, horrified. “I never knew.”
“I can explain this, your Majesty.” The group scowled as Long Feng and two Dai Li agents rode in on an elevator. “This is merely a construction project.”
“Oh really, Long Face?” Bakugo sneered, pointing at the center of the drill. “Care to fucking explain the Fire Nation insignia, then?”
The Earth King gave Long Feng a suspicious glare. “It’s imported materials, of course. You can’t trust domestic machinery.”
Long Feng paused, looking at the king and the group, seeing the tide turn against him. “Your Majesty, surely you don’t believe these children instead of your most loyal attendant?”
The Earth King stared at him crossly. “Dai Li, arrest Long Feng! I want him to stand trial for crimes against the Earth Kingdom.”
~~~
Waking up was painful. There was a dull throbbing on the right side of his face, including his teeth. The pressure informed him that it was likely wound in bandages. There was someone muttering over his head. He couldn’t decipher the voice, but a few words floated to him. “Lord… pray… grace…” So it was Shiozaki. A bit further away were footsteps, rapidly pacing. Tsuburaba paced when he was nervous. What was going on?
Honenuki blinked his left eye open - the right one wouldn’t budge for some reason - and blearily looked around. He was lying in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room. Shiozaki was seated in a chair by his bedside, eyes closed and praying. Tsuburaba turned around at the foot of the bed, pacing to the right side of the room. A slight head tilt informed Honenuki that Tetsutetsu was leaning against the right side wall, staring at the floor and repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fists.
“Guys?” Honenuki was surprised by how weak his voice sounded. It did its job, though, as all three of his friends snapped to attention and leaned in closer.
“Honenuki,” Shiozaki whispered, tears staining her cheeks. “How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?”
Honenuki blinked again, trying to concentrate. “I don’t think so. What’s going on? Last thing I remember is-”
what’s he doing oh no move no my eye what happened to my eye it hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts-
“Honenuki!” Tsuburaba’s panicked plea fell on deaf ears as Honenuki shot up in bed, ignoring the rushing headache it gave him, hands flying to the bandages in desperation. Something sturdy wrapped around his wrists, stopping him. Honenuki locked eyes with Tetsutetsu, who was holding him back.
“Let me go,” Honenuki demanded, voice shaking. “You have to let me see. My eye-”
The crestfallen look on Tetsutetsu’s face told him all he needed to know. Honenuki felt something sink into the core of his stomach as his arms slowly fell back to his lap.
“I- I see.” Honenuki couldn’t help the humorless chuckle that slipped out between his teeth. He stared blankly at his hands.
“The Earth King has learned about the conspiracy,” Shiozaki started talking, her efforts to get his mind elsewhere obvious. “Long Feng is behind bars and awaiting trial. Aang and the others have told the king of the plan and they’re going to start strategizing soon. They’ll probably want to hear what you have-”
“‘Zaki,” Tsuburaba said gently, taking note of Honenuki’s blank expression, “now’s not the time.” Shiozaki nodded stiffly, closing her mouth.
“Honenuki?” Tetsutetsu asked softly, leaning in a bit closer.
“It’s the same,” Honenuki muttered, feeling something wet slide down his cheek.
“What do you mean?” Tsuburaba asked cautiously.
“It’s the same mistake. The same stupid mistake,” Honenuki repeated as his vision began to blur. “I made that same pointless, stupid mistake back at General Fong’s base. I went in blind, without knowledge of the enemies’ movements. At that base, if it wasn’t for Tsuburaba, I would have taken a rock to the face. And now-”
Try as he might, he couldn’t stop his shoulders from shaking as he buried his head in his hands. Honenuki could barely feel Shiozaki’s comforting hand on his back.
“I’ve… learned nothing!”
He erupted into sobs, finally allowing him to release his pent up frustration, pain, and sorrow.